The True Target

"I’m no pushover!"

Gu Sheng’s relentless pressure also ignited Ebizo’s fury. Wind Release and Fire Release worked together seamlessly, unleashing tremendous power. Even Insect King and Azure Spirit, both Fourth Star Level, couldn’t bring Ebizo down for the time being.

"Quite a formidable senior! What a pity—you’re not my target!"

After Gu Sheng and Ebizo had fought for a long while, a cold glint flashed through Gu Sheng’s eyes, and the hand seals he formed changed again. Azure Spirit, Insect King, and the dark mass of insects surrounding them instantly merged into one, transforming into a gigantic "Black Snake."

"Hidden Shadow Black Snake!"

With a movement of Gu Sheng’s hand seals, the black giant snake shot out toward the nearby One-Tail Shukaku. At that moment, One-Tail Shukaku was fighting Manda head-on and had paid no attention to it—or perhaps he had noticed it but hadn’t cared about the "little bug" behind him.

"Shukaku!"

Ebizo had been holding back a powerful Wind Release technique, preparing to unleash it on the approaching black insects. Who would have thought that Gu Sheng’s target wasn’t him? Startled, he hurriedly looked up, but before he could give a warning, Gu Sheng’s Tachi was already right before his eyes.

"Clang~"

Ebizo flipped out a Kunai and blocked Gu Sheng’s Tachi. Sparks flew from the point where the Tachi and Kunai met amid a grating screech.

"Lord Bunpuku, watch your back!"

Taking advantage of having blocked Gu Sheng’s Tachi, Ebizo immediately shouted a warning to Bunpuku, the Jinchuriki of Shukaku, who was completely unprepared.

"Huh?"

After hearing Ebizo’s roar, Shukaku turned his head and looked back. "I’m not Bunpuku! I’m your lord Shukaku! How dare you, you damned little snake, launch a sneak attack on Lord Shukaku? Die!"

Shukaku spread his claws, and countless grains of sand and stones rapidly gathered together, closing in on the "Black Snake."

"Boom~"

Shukaku’s attack struck nothing. Before the sand and stones could crush it from both sides, the "Black Snake" rapidly scattered. It then flew through the gap before swiftly re-forming and slammed headfirst into Shukaku’s belly.

"What is this thing?!"

Shukaku sensed that something was terribly wrong. The Chakra in his belly was decreasing uncontrollably, and a visible hole was being gnawed out by the Strange Insects.

"Bastard! Baka!"

Shukaku’s two massive ocher claws clawed frantically at his belly, but it was completely useless. The Strange Insects’ method of operation was far too bizarre. Without a targeted countermeasure, defeating them was extremely difficult.

Information was crucial in the world of Naruto. Without intelligence, even a Jinchuriki could easily fall into a trap—just like Yugito Nii in the original story. She had also been a Perfect Jinchuriki, yet she had been captured by the bizarre Kakuzu and Hidan Immortal Duo.

"Damn it, Sand Waterfall Burial!"

Shukaku hardened his heart and unleashed Magnet Release with all his might. Countless grains of sand and stones burst out from his body, wrapping around the swarm of insects on his belly in an attempt to wipe them all out.

Unlike the other Tailed Beasts, One-Tail Shukaku had a body of his own—or rather, his body was composed of countless grains of sand. Those grains could also serve as one of his methods of attack.

"Boom~~"

The instant Shukaku erupted, the "Black Snake" reacted swiftly as well. It shattered into countless streams of black smoke and fled from Shukaku’s body. Although many insects were left behind, the most important one, Insect King, remained completely unharmed. More importantly, Shukaku’s massive outburst exposed Bunpuku’s body.

"What an opportunity, Lord White Fang!"

Everyone, including the two villages’ Shadows who were fighting, turned their attention toward Shukaku at that moment. Gu Sheng was no exception, and he suddenly shouted urgently at the top of his voice.

"This is bad!"

Seeing this scene, Ebizo panicked. He actually abandoned Gu Sheng and rushed toward Bunpuku, who was falling from midair, while his eyes rapidly scanned the surroundings in search of White Fang’s figure.

"Bunpuku!"

Third Kazekage’s attention also shifted at that moment. He turned his eyes toward the Jinchuriki Bunpuku, and his previous assault on Sarutobi Hiruzen slowed as well.

"Shing~~"

A nearly inaudible sound of a blade leaving its sheath suddenly rang out behind Third Kazekage. He turned around sharply, only to see a bright white flash slicing toward him.

"Clang~~"

Ebizo, who was rushing toward Shukaku, suddenly sensed that something was wrong. He turned his head sharply and saw White Fang and Third Kazekage pass each other. Third Kazekage clutched his ribs as he fell from the sky.

"Third Hokage!"

Ebizo finally realized what was wrong. Among the figures scattered from the "Black Snake," there was no sign of the small Azure Spirit that had been wrapped inside it earlier.

"Too late!"

As Gu Sheng raced forward while gathering power, the corner of his mouth lifted. His target had never been Shukaku or Ebizo from the beginning. It had been Third Kazekage, who could truly influence the direction of the war.

"Don’t even think about it!"

Third Kazekage had just landed when a figure, carrying a fierce wind, rushed before him. The powerful pressure of the wind nearly made him unable to open his eyes. But he was, after all, a powerhouse who had lived through the era of the shinobi clans. Though startled, he remained calm and controlled the Iron Sand surrounding his body to activate a defensive ninjutsu.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Wall!"

This was a technique Third Kazekage used to create a solid wall from Iron Sand, capable of blocking enemy attacks.

"Boom~~"

Gu Sheng’s fist slammed heavily into the not-yet-fully-formed Iron Sand Wall. A technique similar to monstrous strength activated, and countless streams of Chakra burst outward. A bulge expanded in Third Kazekage’s eyes, followed by the Iron Sand Wall continuously cracking.

"Crack~~ Rumble~~~"

The Iron Sand Wall shattered in an instant. A heavy, powerful fist slammed into Third Kazekage’s chest, sending his body flying backward as the clothes and cloak on his back exploded apart.

"Ugh~~"

Third Kazekage felt intense pain surge through his chest, followed by a powerful sense of weakness. When he lowered his head, a flash of green passed by, and patches of blue-black had already appeared across his chest. He had seen this condition before—on Chiyo. He had been struck by that bizarre snake venom.

"Bastard!"

Once Third Kazekage realized what had happened, he was overcome with shock and fury. He kicked out and struck Gu Sheng’s left hand, which was held protectively before him, sending Gu Sheng flying and widening the distance between them. Then he clutched his wound and used magnetic force to control the poison, preventing it from spreading further.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!"

Third Kazekage furiously unleashed a lethal attack at Gu Sheng. In an instant, he summoned a wave of Iron Sand from thin air. The Iron Sand then formed countless fine needles and shot toward Gu Sheng at tremendous speed. This technique had a wide range, lasted a long time, was extremely difficult to evade, and possessed tremendous destructive power.

"Clink, clink, clink~~~"

Gu Sheng held his Tachi in his left hand and continuously defended while retreating. His right hand had also paid a heavy price for the punch just now and was temporarily unable to exert much strength.

"Iron Sand Eternal Imprisonment!"

Third Kazekage unleashed the ninjutsu with the determination to kill. Countless Iron Sand formed a wave that directly submerged Gu Sheng, much like Gaara dealing with Rock Lee. He intended to crush Gu Sheng completely and vent the hatred in his heart.

"Damn it!"

Gu Sheng formed his Chakra into a barrier and struggled to protect the area around him, but the increasingly dense Iron Sand placed him under tremendous pressure.

"Die!"

Third Kazekage fiercely clenched his outstretched right hand. Countless grains of Iron Sand churned and pressed toward the center. The black Iron Sand continuously rotated and gathered around Gu Sheng, forming a gigantic black Iron Sand sphere in the middle of the battlefield.