A Sage's Pursuit of Power

"How is he? Why isn't he waking up?" Konan asked Hiruko anxiously, looking at the unconscious Nagato.

"Don't worry; the situation isn't as dire as you think," Hiruko reassured her. "His body is incredibly resilient. Although he's fallen into this weakened state, his core isn't entirely damaged.

"Right now, his body is in a state of self-repair. However, it's lacking sufficient energy to support the process."

As he spoke, Hiruko connected various IV lines to Nagato's body.

"The best option would be that life-restoring medicine you brought before. If that's unavailable, I'll inject these nutrient solutions into him. His body will rapidly absorb them, converting them into vitality and accelerating his recovery.

"Ordinary human bodies wouldn't be able to absorb nutrients at such speed in such a weakened state, but Nagato's should be able to."

...

Within the Wooden Forest

Aoba was the first to attack, forgoing flashy jutsu and engaging directly with his signature swordsmanship.

Amusingly, Aoba had access to an additional pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, but they couldn't substitute for his vision since they weren't linked to his optic nerves. This left both Aoba and Madara effectively blind, relying solely on their sensory abilities to fight.

The difference was that Aoba wielded the Kusanagi Sword, a weapon that proved invaluable in close combat. Madara, without the immortality of the Edo Tensei, couldn't afford to take hits from Aoba's blade and was forced into evasive maneuvers.

Despite Madara's seemingly clumsy retreat, Aoba noticed his opponent wasn't under much real pressure. After all, Madara had also transplanted Hashirama's cells into his body.

Previously, when facing Edo Madara, Aoba avoided direct melee combat since it served little purpose. But now, he experienced firsthand why Madara was called the "Dance King of Konoha."

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

The moment Madara landed, Hiruzen Sarutobi launched his attack, conjuring a swamp beneath Madara's feet.

Hiruzen, knowing his taijutsu couldn't contribute directly, focused on long-range support and interference. His precise timing momentarily slowed Madara's movements.

Though a single Swamp of the Underworld couldn't hold Madara, the brief hesitation allowed Aoba to exploit the opening and leave a slash across Madara's chest.

However, the wound vanished within seconds.

The speed of Madara's regeneration far exceeded Aoba's. It was a testament to how much better Madara had integrated Hashirama's cells, as he had even acquired Wood Release.

"So that's how it is," Madara remarked, sensing Aoba's condition after their first exchange. "Your eyes are still in the process of merging. Unfortunately, not being a true Uchiha makes it far more complicated for you to integrate and complete your ocular powers."

Madara's sharp senses had picked up on the changes in Aoba's eyes, realizing something was amiss.

Despite their enmity, Madara felt intrigued by Aoba. He even thought that if Aoba had been born into the Uchiha clan, his potential might have rivaled Madara's own. Unfortunately, they were enemies, not allies.

"It is indeed tricky," Aoba admitted with a smile. "Care to offer some advice, Lord Madara?"

"Hmph. If you defeat me today, I might just give you a tip."

Though Aoba's foresight and intelligence far surpassed Madara's in many areas, the process of Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan fusion was still largely uncharted territory. In the entire ninja world, Madara was likely the only expert.

"Then it's a deal."

....

Outside Amegakure

The Kumogakure army was once again under aerial bombardment.

"Ha ha ha ha!" Deidara laughed maniacally as he rained down bombs from his clay bird. He had noticed that the invading army lacked the chakra cannons Kumogakure had used before, meaning they had no means to strike him in the air.

As Deidara reveled in his perceived invincibility, a bright blue light suddenly flashed from the ground.

Instinctively shielding his eyes, Deidara heard a sharp whistling sound in the next instant.

A massive iron spear, crackling with lightning, pierced through his clay bird.

Deidara narrowly evaded the strike, but his left arm was shattered by the impact. He plummeted from the sky.

"Hmph," the Raikage snorted. After being caught off guard by Deidara during the last encounter, his strategists had developed countermeasures.

Deidara's techniques relied on Earth Release, which was weak against the Raikage's Lightning Release. The only challenge was finding a way to strike him in the air.

Given the Raikage's brute strength, the solution was simple: use a lightning-infused spear to disrupt Deidara's vision with a blinding flash, then hurl it with devastating force.

It was crude but effective.

The strategy was simple and direct, but it struck directly at Deidara's weakness. While his mastery of explosives was exceptional, it left him too specialized.

If you couldn't counter his bombs, he was undeniably Kage-level. However, once his explosives were neutralized, his overall tactical ability dropped to that of a jōnin. Compared to the Raikage, he was on an entirely different level.

In contrast, Sasori, who seemed even more specialized, was actually far more versatile. With a vast arsenal of puppets, Sasori could compensate for nearly all his shortcomings.

As Deidara plummeted from the sky, neither Itachi, Kisame, nor Sasori paid him any mind. Their mission was to hold back the Kumogakure army—a large-scale conflict, not a minor skirmish. With the Raikage personally leading the charge, the Akatsuki members had to approach the situation with caution.

Amegakure's defensive forces had mobilized, but despite the progress they'd made in recent years, the number and quality of their ninja were still no match for Kumogakure. They could only barely hold the defensive line.

The elite forces of Kumogakure, however, required the Akatsuki members to intervene.

Itachi glanced at Kisame, who immediately understood and began forming hand seals.

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"

Kisame's full-powered Water Style transformed the battlefield into a vast ocean. The sudden flood created an environment highly unfavorable for Lightning Release users.

While Lightning Release combatants could harness their element for devastating effects, until their techniques reached a certain mastery, they weren't entirely immune to their own lightning. In such an environment, using Lightning Release recklessly could injure their allies.

Itachi's tactical acumen was among the best in the Naruto world, and his opening move significantly hampered the Kumogakure forces.

Even Sasori, known for his independence, tacitly acknowledged Itachi as the de facto commander for this battle. However, both Sasori and the injured Deidara couldn't help but harbor doubts.

The Raikage himself had come to their doorstep, yet their supposedly all-powerful leader, Pain, had not appeared.

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Currently on Chapter 266 - Kisame's Observations