Arriving at the battlefield, Yōkō first saw the Advent of a World of Trees.
The twisting tree trunks emitted an intensive crunching sound that made one's scalp tingle, as if countless arms were cracking their joints.
Uchiha Madara is here!
Why does Uchiha Madara love using Wood Release so much? Is it nostalgia for someone from his past?
If Nagato wasn't in fatal danger, Uchiha Madara wouldn't intervene.
The danger to Nagato had to be designed by Uchiha Madara himself, used to enhance Nagato's strength. The appearance of the Konoha Anbu disrupted Uchiha Madara's plans.
Lynx with his two Anbu squads, and Ki with his four Root members, far exceeded Nagato's current capabilities.
Nagato had just started learning elemental jutsu, was only about 10 years old, his chakra reserves hadn't developed yet, and he hadn't unlocked the special abilities of the Rinnegan.
If Root and Anbu discovered Nagato, he would surely die.
Uchiha Madara stood atop a high tree-trunk rainbow bridge. His hair was pale, his body stooped, leaning on a sickle, but his eyes were full of contempt.
"Konoha Anbu, insects crawling in the dark, stinking mud... A creation of Senju Tobirama, as detestable as he was."
Two Root ninja and three Anbu ninja had already died under Uchiha Madara's Advent of a World of Trees.
Yōkō looked at the two dead Root ninja. Their bodies had been crushed by thick tree trunks and squeezed out from the other side like meat patties. They couldn't even be given to Uzumaki Yuka for experiments or to study the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal.
Jiraiya summoned Gamaken and Gamahiro. The two toads used oil, and Jiraiya used Dragon Fire Technique, burning a path through the Advent of a World of Trees.
Uchiha Madara commented from afar: "Oil and fire, a good combination jutsu, much better than the common Wind and Fire combo."
Uchiha Madara had something of a martial arts fanatic's nature, liking to evaluate others' moves and abilities from a superior standpoint.
After the Toad Oil Flame Bullet burned a path, the Anbu and Root inside emerged, bringing the unconscious Nagato with them.
Jiraiya looked carefully and realized it wasn't Nagato who killed the Anbu, but the white-haired old man over there. He breathed a sigh of relief.
If Nagato had really used some ability Jiraiya didn't know about to kill Konoha Anbu here, he wouldn't know how to explain it to the village.
The Anbu, having brought Nagato out from the Advent of a World of Trees, didn't even glance at Jiraiya and fled into the distance with Nagato.
Jiraiya shouted at the Anbu: "Put Nagato down! And where are Yahiko and Konan?"
Only then did Jiraiya realize the Anbu hadn't bothered with Yahiko and Konan, only capturing Nagato.
With the Anbu taking Nagato behind him, and Yahiko and Konan trapped, I don't know whether I live or die in the Advent of a World of Trees before him, Jiraiya hesitated, then charged into the forest.
The Anbu would take Nagato back to the village and wouldn't kill him immediately.
Yahiko and Konan were different; they would die soon if not rescued.
Jiraiya decided to rescue Yahiko and Konan first, then catch up with the Anbu and demand they release Nagato.
Gamahiro's twin swords swung, cutting through one tree trunk after another.
Jiraiya quickly found the unconscious Yahiko and Konan.
Fortunately, the Anbu hadn't had time to kill these two children.
Just as Jiraiya picked up Yahiko and Konan, he saw Lynx sent flying back by a tree trunk, crashing down beside him.
"Lord Jiraiya! That's Uchiha Madara! Uchiha Madara wants to save the Uzumaki remnant! Quickly, help us deal with Uchiha Madara!"
Jiraiya was stunned.
Uchiha Madara? Wasn't he a figure from the Warring States Period to the early village founding era?
It was currently Year 40 of Konoha. Uchiha Madara would be around seventy years old, right?
Jiraiya handed Yahiko and Konan to Gamaken, instructing the toad to take the two away.
He was about to ask Lynx for details about Uchiha Madara when he saw a Wood Dragon rush overhead.
Uchiha Madara stood on the dragon's head, charging straight towards Nagato and the Anbu squad that had captured him.
"Oh no!"
Both Jiraiya and Lynx felt a surge of dread.
Following the Wood Dragon came Ki and two other Root ninja.
Ki shouted: "Let's go snatch the Uzumaki remnant together! We absolutely cannot let the Uzumaki remnant escape!"
Lynx thought, Who is Uchiha Madara? Can just anyone stop him? Without Jiraiya's help, it's impossible to stop Uchiha Madara.
At that moment, the sound of Earth Release breaking through the ground echoed across the battlefield.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Rising Spears!"
Yōkō unlocked the Cross Seal, releasing the chakra equivalent to 3 standard jutsu, unleashing an exaggeratedly large area of Earth-Style Rising Spears.
As far as the eye could see, over a hundred meters were covered in thorn-like Earth-Style Rising Spears.
One after another, the Earth-Style Rising Spears shot towards the low-flying Wood Dragon.
The spears snapped one by one, shattering into rocks. Yōkō was shocked; the Wood Dragon's durability was incredibly high. A single spear only penetrated a few centimeters, which, relative to the Wood Dragon's size, was like acupuncture.
However, there were enough spears. Piling up one after another, they gradually slowed the Wood Dragon's speed.
Until the Wood Dragon was completely halted, Yōkō relaxed and released his hand seal.
Lynx stared in shock at Fox. Was Fox's Earth Release always this powerful? The Wood Dragon Technique is one of the First Hokage's signature jutsu!
Uchiha Madara looked at Yōkō and said, "Your Earth Release is average, but your hand seal technique is good. If I use this move, how will you respond?"
The ground cracked, and countless tree trunks burst forth, shattering the previous thicket of Earth-Style Rising Spears before the Wood Dragon.
Yōkō was instantly forced back.
He saw bright red flower buds appearing within the Advent of a World of Trees.
Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!
Once those flower buds bloomed, they would release highly toxic pollen.
Yōkō hurriedly retreated.
As he turned, he saw an anomaly appear on Nagato's body.
Spores appeared on Nagato's body; it was White Zetsu's Spore Technique.
The Spore Technique wasn't meant to absorb Nagato's chakra, but to serve as a final layer of protection for him.
The four Anbu ninja were forced back by the emerging White Zetsu, and Nagato broke free from the Anbu's control.
Yōkō's eyes lit up.
White Zetsu possessed top-tier infiltration and hiding abilities in the ninja world. Jiraiya had been with Nagato for so long without knowing White Zetsu's spores were on him.
Should I try to draw some ability from White Zetsu this full moon cycle? I've already died once by Uchiha Madara's hand; I can't die again. Jiraiya's strength hasn't peaked yet, and Nagato is still weak.
White Zetsu is good, with their weird abilities.
I have some strength now, but I'm not sneaky or cautious enough, making me seem like an Anbu brute.
I'm Anbu, not a tank. What's the point of having all this defense?
Over a dozen White Zetsu emerged from the surrounding trees.
Yōkō charged towards Nagato.
With just one punch, Yōkō shattered one of the White Zetsu on Nagato.
Seeing a powerful Anbu appear beside Nagato, the White Zetsu all rushed towards Yōkō.
Yōkō tested them continuously. The White Zetsu mainly fought with taijutsu, occasionally using simple Wood Release similar to the technique of cutting and skewering.
Feigning that his chakra was being absorbed by the White Zetsu's Spore Technique, Yōkō's speed slowed.
A Wood Spike shot forth, piercing Yōkō's heart.
Yōkō died at the hands of White Zetsu.
[Detected host death. Mochizuki's Arc System starting up...]
***
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