บท 156: Chapter 156: Three-on-Three

"Nagato..." In the dim underground, Yuto seemed to sigh, "Where is Konan?"

The red-haired young man remained silent, dust falling from the cracked marks on his face, making a faint rustling sound.

"It seems your will has been erased," Yuto bit his tongue and placed his hand on the ground.

Bang, bang.

Two corpses in black robes were summoned. With only one God's Mask left, Yuto needed to use it cautiously, wary of Madara's countermeasures.

Focused intently, Yuto directed Shinosuke's and Meiko's corpses forward. One had faint golden eyes, and the other possessed a petal-shaped Mangekyō Sharingan. Yuto had transplanted the Byakugan of the Old man into Shinosuke and the Mangekyō of Kagami into Meiko!

The lifeless Nagato showed no expression, merely extending a hand towards Yuto.

"Banshō Ten'in!"

Yuto's feet left the ground, and he was pulled towards Nagato uncontrollably. However, while he couldn't control his body, he could still manipulate chakra.

Buzz—

Shinosuke's corpse drew a kunai and dashed towards the Impure World Reincarnation Nagato. Nagato opened his mouth, spitting out a small fireball. Though only fist-sized, it quickly expanded upon hitting the ground, turning into a sea of flames dozens of meters wide.

Fire Release: Flaming Headhunter!

Not far away, Meiko's corpse closed her left eye, her right eye's Mangekyō Sharingan staring intently at Shinosuke. Blood vessels bulged menacingly, and her ability activated instantly. Shinosuke's corpse suddenly became almost weightless, his speed surging as he unleashed a sonic boom with just his physical body.

Kagami Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan—his left eye, now in Madara's possession, had the ability called "Ishitori", which increased the weight of whatever it focused on. The right eye, obtained by Yuto in the "Moon God Encirclement Battle," was transplanted into Meiko and had the ability "Tamayoribime", which could reduce or even negate the weight of objects. With a ninja's explosive power, one could even run on air when their body weight approached zero.

Though simple, these two instant-cast abilities were deadly when used effectively!

Thud!

Shinosuke's corpse stabbed the kunai into the abdomen of Impure World Reincarnation Nagato. The pale golden Byakugan flashed as he released the kunai and struck with his palms, the force shaking the very air.

The Old man was a rare genius who had touched the threshold of evolving his kekkei genkai. His eyes not only allowed him to see certain things but also had the primary function of "amplifying chakra"! Thanks to these chakra amplifiers, Ryosuke Hyuga could continuously use techniques like Extreme Heaven, killing enemies from kilometers away with a chakra palm.

"Shinra Tensei!" Sensing danger, Impure World Reincarnation Nagato clenched his fist. The Banshō Ten'in vanished, replaced by a spherical repulsion barrier. From him as the center, the surrounding hundred meters of earth and stone were blasted away, even extinguishing the flames he had released.

The dark underground world seemed to rise like a sun, with Shinosuke and Meiko being thrown far away.

At this moment, Yuto finally began to act. Timing it perfectly as the Shinra Tensei ended, he used the Body Flicker Technique to appear before Impure World Reincarnation Nagato.

'Rest for a while, Nagato. The caster of today's technique will die, and you will find peace.' Yuto murmured softly, extending his hands to tear off Nagato's head with his Chakra Enhanced Strength.

Unfortunately, his arms stopped halfway. Heavy! Too heavy! Yuto felt like he was lifting a mountain rather than his arms.

In his Byakugan vision, a man with a single-eyed mask appeared, also possessing a petal-shaped Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Damn Uchiha..." Yuto grunted, controlling Meiko's corpse to use her ability on him, restoring his arms' normal weight, and leaped away before Nagato could counterattack.

The three Hyuga members stood together. Yuto regulated his breathing, preparing for the next round of attacks.

After their initial exchange, White Zetsu emerged from hiding, nonchalantly standing beside Nagato.

'As expected, the earlier encounter was a probing attack led by Madara. But now, it's three against two... the advantage is still mine.'

Thinking this, Yuto glanced at Nagato's abdominal wound. Still healing, even in an Impure World Reincarnation state, movement would be affected.

Quickly, and decisively!

Squinting, Yuto activated the Tamayoribime on himself. His right hand emitted a thunderous roar, using the Lion's Fang Bite technique without forming the characteristic arm gauntlet, merely splitting the air to reach maximum speed.

Rumble...

Yuto charged fearlessly in a straight line. White Zetsu continually activated ocular abilities, but Meiko's corpse neutralized them all.

Nagato raised his hand, but didn't use any ninjutsu. This is the drawback of erasing one's will; to Nagato, White Zetsu was a comrade, so he couldn't use indiscriminate attacks like Shinra Tensei. But against the fierce charge from Yuto, weaker ninjutsu were ineffective. For a moment, his mind froze, and his movements slowed.

In a flash, Yuto reached Nagato. He struck with a palm, using Chakra Enhanced Strength. At this moment, Nagato gathered chakra to release Shinra Tensei, but Yuto didn't retreat. Confident in his hands, he believed he could twist Nagato's head off, even if it meant getting injured!

The two experts clashed and separated in an instant.

Splash—

Blood spurted everywhere. A kunai pierced through Yuto's left arm, maintaining its speed even after passing through, caught by a sudden figure. The figure then casually sliced Yuto's throat.

'So fast...?'

The thought crossed Yuto's mind as he leaned back. The kunai grazed his windpipe, cutting out flesh. Fortunately, he had always been on guard, instinctively stepping back, avoiding decapitation.

Shinosuke's corpse arrived just in time to catch Yuto, both crashing into the rock wall, creating spiderweb-like cracks.

—Creation Rebirth!

Yuto formed a hand seal with difficulty, rapidly healing his wounds. Bones and his windpipe regenerated.

He exhaled deeply, looking at the kunai-wielding figure. Silver hair tied in a ponytail, a red triangular armband on his left shoulder, a face marked with dirt and cracks, just like Nagato's. He also had the Rinnegan.

But unlike Nagato, these eyes seemed more "alive," clearly not a product of Impure World Reincarnation.

An Impure World Reincarnation body with transplanted Rinnegan—a work of Madara, no doubt.

'It's Sakumo Hatake... Nagato, no wonder you were killed...'

Yuto wiped the blood from his clothes, stood up, and breathed heavily. Now, it's three-on-three.

(End of Chapter)