Chapter 142: Nagato, the Grandson of Senju Hashirama?
"Flying Thunder God is such a hassle..."
Nagato repeatedly tried to activate Chibaku Tensei to seal Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
But the casting time for Chibaku Tensei was long enough for Tobirama to teleport back and forth multiple times.
Nagato knew Tobirama wasn't foolish enough to stay in one spot waiting to be sealed.
He needed to separate Tobirama from Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
"Let me handle it," Konan said in a firm tone. "I'll use that technique."
Nagato frowned. "You've mastered it?"
"The technique itself isn't difficult—it's just pinpoint summoning. The key is having enough explosive tags prepared."
"After I attach the explosive tags, summon me using the Animal Path."
"Alright..."
Watching Konan fly away, Nagato couldn't shake off an ominous feeling.
But there was no time for hesitation. He summoned the Animal Path to his side.
Konan spread her paper wings, skillfully evading the chakra-formed giant hands.
With several Pain bodies covering her, she rapidly approached Tobirama and his group.
She's coming toward me?
Tobirama frowned. He had little intelligence on Konan. From her previous attacks, he had only seen moderately powerful Paper Release techniques.
He casually held an explosive tag between his fingers.
This woman is Nagato's partner… perhaps she could be used to end this battle.
Since negotiations had failed, Tobirama was already considering killing other key players first, gathering more intel, and then targeting Nagato.
To him, Nagato hadn't yet demonstrated the kind of overwhelming power that made him unbeatable.
The Rinnegan had diverse abilities, but none that delivered a decisive, single blow. With his Edo Tensei advantages, Tobirama believed he could exhaust Nagato eventually.
Assuming, of course, that Nagato has already shown all his cards.
"Jiraiya's disciple, don't come any closer."
Whoosh!!
The Adamantine Staff extended as Hiruzen tried to force Konan back, already guessing Tobirama's intention.
Boom!
The staff shattered Konan into countless paper fragments.
Such a realistic clone!
Hiruzen was momentarily surprised, quickly shifting his gaze to the nearby water surface.
But Tobirama had already sensed it and moved.
Konan burst out from the water, locking eyes with Tobirama's scarlet gaze.
Snap!
Both moved simultaneously, slapping explosive tags onto each other's wrists.
Tobirama, as expected, also marked her with the Flying Thunder God Seal.
...!!
Sensing a familiar chakra fluctuation, Tobirama's pupils contracted.
"How do you know this technique?!"
"How do YOU know it?!" Konan was equally stunned.
"This is MY technique!"
Whoosh!!
Tobirama instantly teleported away, severing the arm with the explosive tag.
Konan didn't hesitate. She activated the jutsu immediately—any delay would allow Tobirama to teleport again, wasting the trap.
Seeing the explosive tag begin to ignite, Tobirama swiftly grabbed his severed arm and teleported it far away.
Hiruzen could probably survive such an explosion, but if this girl had an excessive stockpile of explosive tags, the proximity to Orochimaru was too risky.
At the same time, Tobirama triggered his own seals.
However, he adjusted the summoned quantity, estimating just enough to injure Konan rather than kill her outright.
Killing her would only complicate matters further.
Konan, thinking quickly, tried to mimic Tobirama by severing her own arm for Nagato to summon.
Whoosh!
Nagato appeared beside her in an instant, tearing off the burning explosive tag and tightly embracing Konan.
Wooden stakes sprouted around them, bending to form an arched protective barrier.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Two massive explosions erupted, halting Jiraiya and Orochimaru's fight as they turned toward the chaos.
"That's… the Mutual Multiplying Explosive Tag Jutsu! But why are there two explosions?"
With Sage Mode-enhanced perception, both quickly pinpointed the chakra signatures within the blasts.
Without hesitation, both Jiraiya and Orochimaru rushed toward Nagato.
The Rinnegan… a worthy substitute for the Mangekyō Sharingan. Not bad at all!
Nagato's displayed strength made Orochimaru's heart race with excitement.
He had always harbored a peculiar fascination with ocular jutsu.
The Byakugan didn't interest him, nor did ordinary Sharingan.
But the three-tomoe Sharingan, with Izanagi as its baseline, wasn't worth the trouble of acquisition.
The Rinnegan, however…
If it's truly the "supreme eye," it should bring me closer to Lord Kagami!
"Orochimaru! What are you planning?!"
Jiraiya panicked upon seeing Orochimaru rush ahead of him.
"You've learned nothing, still as naive as ever."
"Stop him!"
The Three Serpent Princesses, previously entwined around Orochimaru, suddenly expanded, lunging at Jiraiya.
Orochimaru sprinted toward the rapidly dissipating smoke, eyes gleaming with greed.
A breeze swept through the battlefield, thinning the smoke and revealing the scene within.
Orochimaru's pupils contracted violently.
"That's…"
"Wood Release?!"
Crack… crack…
The arched wooden stakes slowly parted, revealing Nagato's cold gaze fixed on the approaching Orochimaru.
Nagato raised his hand.
Shinra Tensei!
A devastating wave of repulsive force exploded outward, tearing the earth apart and churning the water below into towering waves.
Sensing the danger, Orochimaru hastily bit his finger, preparing to summon Rashomon for defense.
But it was too late.
The ability to cast jutsu without hand signs gave the Deva Path an overwhelming advantage. If the Three Serpent Princesses had still been attached to Orochimaru, they might have bought him enough time.
BOOM!!!!!!
A cataclysmic explosion followed.
The repulsive force carved a trench nearly a hundred meters wide and so deep the bottom couldn't be seen, extending all the way to the barrier!
The artificial lake Tobirama had created vanished into the abyss, exposing the earth once more.
Nagato's full-powered Shinra Tensei, fueled by unrestrained fury, annihilated everything in its path.
Countless unfortunate shinobi caught along the trench's path were obliterated—not even bones remained.
Amidst the ruined terrain, Orochimaru's mangled body lay twisted and broken, clearly incapacitated.
Crack…
Two pale hands pried open Orochimaru's mouth, and a new Orochimaru, slick with mucus, slithered out.
The sharp horns of his Sage Mode were gone—Nagato's blast had forcibly dispelled it.
Tobirama, having reconstituted his body from the debris, appeared beside Orochimaru.
But…
Hiruzen, along with Kinkaku and Ginkaku, was now near Nagato.
They were…
Bound by a small wooden dragon!
"Impossible…"
"Forget the Explosive Tag Jutsu—why do you have Wood Release?!"
Wood Release wasn't a technique that could be learned through training alone. No one understood that better than Tobirama.
In his quest to unravel its secrets, he had experimented with his brother's tissues for years, without success.
Basic Earth + Water Release "Wood Release" was fundamentally different from Hashirama's true Wood Release.
Tobirama theorized that Hashirama's life-imbued Wood Release involved Yang Release.
It might not have reached Kekkei Tōta levels, but it far surpassed ordinary Kekkei Genkai.
According to the intelligence Tobirama had gathered, Konoha had another Wood Release user—Yamato.
That was what he considered normal Wood Release.
Hashirama's version? It might as well be classified as Yang-Style Wood Release.
His gaze fixated on the wooden dragon binding the shinobi. The vibrant life force, the chakra suppression…
There was no doubt—it was Hashirama-level Wood Release!
How is this possible?!
Unfortunately, Tobirama lacked the Sharingan.
Otherwise, he might have spotted the White Zetsu cells beneath Nagato's skin.
"Sorry, Nagato," Konan murmured, guilt-ridden. "I exposed your Wood Release."
Nagato shook his head. "It's only a minor reveal—compared to you, it's nothing."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The Three Serpent Princesses slithered back to Orochimaru, allowing Jiraiya to break free.
He surveyed the battlefield, voice hoarse with disbelief.
"Nagato… are you the First Hokage's descendant?"
Tobirama froze, eyes widening as the pieces fell into place.
Yes—that's the only explanation!
Could it be… my brother had an illegitimate child somewhere?
"Nagato… are you my grandson?!"
Tobirama's emotions churned in utter turmoil.
"Nagato… who was your father?" he asked urgently.
"None of your concern, Leaf shinobi!" Nagato snapped, cutting off Tobirama's inquiry.
Beyond the barrier.
Senju Hashirama frowned deeply, stroking his chin.
Red hair from the Uzumaki clan… and Wood Release?
Tsunade… did you have another brother besides Nawaki?
What happened after I died?
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