Chapter 97: Sneak Attack
Masahiko sat on the ground, having deactivated Sage Mode and the Eight Inner Gates. He had also released his Transformation Jutsu.
"I really didn't expect Kinkaku and Ginkaku to be so strong. Except for opening the Seventh Gate, I really gave it my all..."
In his perception, Tobirama was still engaged in a fierce battle with the Second Raikage and his men. The Raikage's Jonin were dwindling, with only about a dozen left. However, Tobirama's chakra was also running low, and he was relying entirely on his Flying Thunder God Technique to maneuver.
Masahiko sighed and stood up shakily. "Sigh, this battle is going to shorten my life. My old body has really taken a beating... I'll open the Seventh Gate later and finish this quickly."
He rushed toward Tobirama's location.
Arriving at the battlefield, Masahiko was pleasantly surprised to see Tobirama use the Flying Thunder God to attach an explosive tag to the Second Raikage.
Using Hiraishin to create distance, Tobirama formed seals. "Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!"
Masahiko smiled. If he took out one first, things would be much easier...
However, a smile also appeared on the Second Raikage's face. Masahiko froze, then was shocked.
"Tobirama! Dodge!"
A figure wrapped entirely in bandages seemed to step out of the void. "Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
"Damn it! Invisibility... Mū!" Masahiko was horrified. Tobirama vanished with Hiraishin and reappeared in front of Masahiko. Masahiko breathed a sigh of relief.
But then, Tobirama slowly turned to Masahiko, smiled bitterly, spat out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed.
Only then did Masahiko notice that a chunk of flesh, three centimeters deep, was missing from Tobirama's right chest. His lung was damaged and exposed.
"Damn it, was he grazed by the Dust Release?" Masahiko bit his finger. "Summoning Jutsu!"
"Lady Katsuyu, no time to explain! Heal Tobirama!"
Katsuyu didn't speak but immediately attached herself to Tobirama's body.
"Uzumaki Masahiko, long time no see. I didn't expect your Dust Release to be so powerful. Is it Sage Mode...?" Mū spoke slowly.
Masahiko waved his hand. "I don't have time to talk to you! Lady Katsuyu, how is Tobirama?"
"Not good... his injuries are too severe."
Masahiko was silent for a moment. He turned his head, looked at Mū, his mouth twitching. "Long time no see, huh?"
"Uzumaki Masahiko, looking like that... you must have used some forbidden jutsu... It seems Kinkaku and Ginkaku have already died by your hand. To kill you and the Hokage, Kumogakure has suffered heavy losses. You should be proud!" The Second Raikage spoke slowly, his speech slurred due to missing teeth.
Masahiko's mouth twitched again. "Proud, huh?"
"Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder, OPEN!"
Massive blue steam erupted. Cracking sounds came from Masahiko's body; clearly, continuous combat was pushing his body beyond its limits.
"Sage Mode: Activate!"
"This old man is making his last stand! Everyone be careful!" The Second Raikage shouted.
"Sage Art: Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique: Pillar!"
Mū and B dodged quickly. The Second Raikage looked at the remaining Jonin behind him, his expression hardening. He assumed a strange stance again. The Dust Release distorted slightly but immediately returned to normal.
The Raikage paled in shock. "Heavenly Transfer Technique is ineffective?!"
With a loud boom, the Second Raikage and the remaining dozen Jonin were annihilated by the Dust Release.
"Heavenly Transfer Technique?" Masahiko murmured. "It can be used like that...? But you really thought it was Kamui."
A familiar line of text flashed before his eyes: "Witnessed and completely changed a Naruto world Side Story: The Death of the Second Raikage. Received 5 (*10) Witness Points."
"Big Brother!" B's shout rang out.
"Does he still have this kind of power?" Mū murmured. "I don't want to be buried with this old man." He turned invisible again.
Masahiko looked around, but his sensory ability couldn't detect Mū's invisibility.
He sighed. "I can't let you run freely..." Masahiko rose high into the sky.
"Sage Art: Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique: Pillar!"
"Sage Art: Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique: Pillar!"
...
Firing six shots in a row, Masahiko completely altered the landscape in front of him, not caring how many civilians and ninjas of the Land of Rivers were caught in the crossfire. His chakra was more than half depleted.
"Still not dead?" Masahiko didn't receive a system notification. Looking around, B was gone too.
"Did the Third Raikage run away too?"
Masahiko frowned and slowly descended. He sensed Tobirama's chakra fluctuation getting weaker and weaker...
Sitting next to Tobirama, Masahiko deactivated the Eight Inner Gates and slumped onto the ground.
"Lady Katsuyu, is there really no way?" Masahiko felt depressed. He felt he had screwed Tobirama over; Mū's involvement was definitely his fault.
"No way... If he were in Shikkotsu Forest, my main body could save him, but a clone probably can't."
Masahiko jumped up. "You should have said so earlier!"
"Eight Inner Gates: Seventh Gate, Gate of Wonder: OPEN!" Masahiko reopened the gates he had just closed, frowning at the pain racking his body.
"Lady Katsuyu, please wrap him up tightly. I'm taking you to Shikkotsu Forest!"
"Okay!"
Masahiko lifted Katsuyu and Tobirama and flew toward Shikkotsu Forest at top speed.
A few minutes later, Masahiko felt his strength fading rapidly. He frowned. He hadn't closed the Eight Gates... He looked at his status bar.
Name: Uzumaki Masahiko Age: 67 (-)
As Masahiko watched, his age changed from 66 to 67.
"Does keeping the Eight Gates open for too long drain life force...? And it manifests as rapid aging in my stats?"
He looked at his Witness Points. He had stockpiled over a hundred before, and gaining another 100 from the deaths of Kinkaku, Ginkaku, and the Second Raikage meant he had over 230 points. He quickly reduced his age.
And so, Masahiko flew with the Seventh Gate open, carrying Tobirama and the giant slug. He passed through the Land of Rivers, the former Land of Hot Water, entered the north of the Land of Fire, crossed the Land of Fire, and arrived at Shikkotsu Forest in the northwest.
It took less than half an hour. Masahiko looked aged, and his Witness Points were completely depleted. Fortunately, Tobirama's chakra had not yet dissipated.
"Finally here." Masahiko kicked open the Rashomon gate and entered Shikkotsu Forest.
The Slug Sage was already waiting at the entrance. Before Masahiko could speak, she had already absorbed the clone carrying Tobirama into her main body.
A moment later, the Slug Sage spoke. "Don't worry, he can be saved. But your condition isn't good either. You should rest first..."
Masahiko slumped to the ground, shaking his head with a bitter smile. "How can I rest..."
Halfway through his sentence, Masahiko revealed an excited smile. "Haha..."
After laughing twice, Masahiko fell forward and passed out.
Even the Slug Sage's giant face showed a look of confusion, clearly not knowing why Masahiko was laughing.
Because before Masahiko lost consciousness, a familiar line of text flashed in his eyes: "Witnessed and completely changed a Naruto world Main Story: The Death of Senju Tobirama. Received 30 (*10) Witness Points."
His last thought was: "Completely changed... Tobirama won't die!"
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