บท 188: Chapter 188

Meanwhile, on Naruto's side, he, too, felt the strain, as he showed the signs of exhaustion.

His expression shifted towards seriousness.

"Oops, I'm nearly out of Sage Mode... I need to take down this guy before it happens!"

The situation was dire. Currently, Paths of Pain remained a formidable challenge, Naruto already took three of them down, with four still in play.

Naruto, even with his Sage Mode, could only handle three of them simultaneously, so he was in serious trouble.

Fighting three of them was proving challenging for the Sage Mode.

What added to the concern was that the strongest of them, Deva Path, had yet to make a move, it promised to be an even greater struggle.

However, Naruto was determined to conclude the battle quickly and it needed to be done by surprise.

Unfortunately, under the present condition, where several Paths of Pain shared their vision, it made it nearly impossible to catch them off guard.

Toad Sage Fukasaku and Shima exchanged a knowing glance, fully aware of Naruto's dire situation.

"Shima, you take the lead. Let's first aim to disable their Rinnegan shared vision!" Fukasaku instructed.

"Of course," Shima responded. Their connection and understanding were exceptional.

With seamless cooperation, the two Toad Sages exchanged a knowing look, and Shima promptly soared into the air, ready to take action.

While Fukasaku swiftly arrived at Gamabunta's side, his wizened eyes reflected determination and wisdom.

Without wasting a moment, in a seamless and synchronized move Shima brought her hands together and spoke.

"Sage Art: Wind Release Dust Cloud!"

In the blink of an eye, her cheeks swelled as she unleashed a fierce wind breathing from her mouth.

The yellow sand on the ground was immediately swept up violently, obscuring the battlefield.

Several of the Pains raised their hands in a futile attempt to shield their vision, but the battlefield became an indistinct haze, shrouded in a whirlwind of sand, they struggled to see through the sand.

Gamabunta found himself raised high into the air by Fukasaku, who then flung the massive toad into the midst of the swirling yellow sandstorm.

After a short while, the sand gradually settled, revealing a bewildered Deva Path.

He frantically scanned the area but found no trace of Naruto.

And the one who had vanished alongside him was the Animal Path.

"What just happened?" he mumbled aloud, frustration and bewilderment lacing his voice.

"Where did he go?"

"Someone clue me in," he said to one of the other Pain.

Pain's mechanical voice resonated through the confusion.

Deprived of the vision sharing, he was left in the dark, completely vulnerable to Naruto's unrelenting assault.

Naruto recognized the golden opportunity that had presented itself and refused to let it slip through his grasp.

He focused his chakra into his hands, creating two Rasengans with incredible speed.

"Spiralling Wind Ball!"

Naruto shouted, and with that, he released the twin Rasengans, each aimed toward the Animal Path with destructive force.

Simultaneously, within Gamabunta's cavernous mouth, a puff of smoke suddenly billowed out.

It wasn't until this moment that Deva Path finally grasped the situation.

"So, he was inside this toad's mouth all along!"

Regrettably for him, it was far too late to react.

Gamabunta opened his colossal mouth, and Naruto and the Animal Path were forcefully expelled from the smoke-filled mouth.

The summoned beast outside the toad's mouth instantly dissipated into smoke, marking the destruction of the Animal Path Pain by Naruto's attack!

This masterful strategy devised by the Toad Sage, Fukasaku, and Shima proved to be a significant turning point in the ongoing battles between Naruto and Pain.

They had played a pivotal role in Naruto's victory, and it didn't go unnoticed by Carnes. .

As he observed the scene unfolding on the battlefield, a subtle smile graced his lips.

This was the strategic prowess exhibited by the early and mid-stage characters in the Naruto world that truly fascinated him.

It was a fascinating blend of strength and cunning.

The display of power was evident to all, showcasing not only physical strength but also the agile and adaptable minds of these fighters.

This philosophy was on full display throughout this encounter.

Right from the moment Fukasaku and Shima shared a knowing glance, their intentions were clear, their plan was set into motion.

Their strategy unfolded in a two-step process.

Initially, they used the Sage Art: Wind Release Dust Cloud to create a blinding cloud of debris, obscuring the vision of the Pain.

Subsequently, they summoned Gamabunta into the midst of the chaos, who swallowed both Naruto and the Animal Path, simultaneously bringing both of them together in one place.

This clever maneuver not only created a one-on-one combat situation, it also effectively prevented the other from supporting and reacting promptly.

This provided Naruto with the opportunity he needed to fight the Animal Path head-on.

Had Fukasaku and Shima Sage not intervened with their ingenious plan, or even just momentarily slowed their thinking, the outcome would have been vastly different.

It's safe to say that their combat intelligence played an important role in turning the tide of the battle towards Naruto's favor.