Chapter 186: Program and Will

The black, viscous blood twisted and surged like a tidal wave, evoking a sense of dread similar to the "Earth Grudge Fear" technique. The chakra unleashed in that moment was incredibly powerful, the result of years of accumulation by Danzo. It consumed the Mangekyō Sharingan, coiling around it, trying to drag Naruto down with it.

Danzo, not yet fully dead, looked up and sneered. He was no longer the "Danzo" from forty years ago. The courage to sacrifice for Konoha wasn't something exclusive to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

But despite the black blood climbing up to Naruto's knees, his expression remained unchanged.

"How could someone like you ever become a senior advisor of Konoha?" Naruto extended his hand and gently tapped the air. Where his fingertip touched, space rippled like waves, sweeping across and instantly halting the boiling black blood.

"Do you remember where the Four Symbols Seal originated?"

Danzo's pupils widened in shock.

With a tap of Naruto's finger, an array of intricate seals began to form, enveloping the black blood. The blood reversed its flow, with part of it surging back into Danzo's body.

Danzo was terrified; he couldn't control his chakra, nor could he control the seal. The Mangekyō Sharingan, which had just been taken, sprouted like a seed from within the depths of the seal, forcing its way out and embedding itself back into Danzo's eye socket.

The remaining black blood dissipated, vanishing without a trace.

Danzo's life force weakened, and after the turbulent chakra ordeal, his life reached its end. Naruto reached out and grabbed his soul, which was barely holding on inside his body.

This man...

Naruto knew he wouldn't allow him to simply "die physically."

At that moment, the power of the Sage of Six Paths intervened.

It sought to fulfill its duty, to claim every soul that had passed away, as was its "established" function. In an instant, it moved to take hold of Danzo's soul.

There wasn't even time for conversation.

As the soul was about to be torn away, Naruto raised his other hand and, without an incantation, invoked a Kidō.

"Hadō #54. Haien (廃炎, Abolishing Flames)."

A purple, disk-shaped flame shot from his palm.

The three people in the room were caught off guard.

Wasn't Danzo already dead? Why attack again? Had Naruto's hatred for him grown to the point where he needed to desecrate his body?

But the next moment, the clash of energy sent shockwaves through the room.

Kakashi was nearly blown away, with Shikamaru and Shikaku holding him down to avoid worsening his injuries.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado staggered.

They were the weakest in strength and had long since lost the instinct to handle crises.

Despite their differences, their eyes all widened in shock, especially Jiraiya.

This technique—he had seen it before during Naruto's battle with Pain, where the summoning toad had recorded it. It was a form of Fire Release with an extremely high burning temperature but without explosive capabilities.

The sudden attack, the unusual reaction of the technique, and the serious expression on Naruto's face all suggested the presence of a new, unseen enemy.

Was it Obito Uchiha, or someone else?

Jiraiya gathered his chakra.

Shikaku and Shikamaru also realized the gravity of the situation.

Naruto took a step out of the hospital room and stood in midair, his tone calm: "This soul is mine to keep."

Jiraiya and the others peered out, surveying the area.

There was no visible enemy.

Nor was there any unusual or detectable chakra.

Who was he talking to?

Naruto was speaking to the "power of the Sage of Six Paths."

But like before, it only existed as a force, a preset program with the instinctual will to act, but lacking the capacity for communication.

There was no response.

In fact, the interference seemed to trigger some form of countermeasure.

The power of the Sage of Six Paths surged, reaching again for Danzo's soul.

There was no room for negotiation...

Naruto sealed Danzo's soul inside a scroll.

But the power of the Sage of Six Paths was relentless. Compared to just one soul, defying this greater force was a much more severe transgression.

Kidō reverberated, explosions, waves, and radiant light clashed.

Massive energy rippled through the sky above Konoha.

Gale-force winds swept through the area.

Trees swayed violently, leaves rustling. The water tank on the hospital roof creaked and groaned, while bed sheets and clothes hung out to dry were blown away, drifting far off.

Some Anbu hidden in trees and on power poles were swept away, scrambling in panic.

A few managed to land safely with the help of their teammates.

Others weren't so lucky, blown to the outskirts of the battlefield.

Inside the hospital room, the others ducked for cover.

"What terrifying power," Homura Mitokado exclaimed in awe. "Just the residual effects of the battle are this intense."

Jiraiya said gravely, "Naruto hasn't even used his full strength."

"Deploy the Anbu to evacuate the nearby civilians."

"Although..."

"Naruto is likely holding back the power of his techniques."

He paused, his tone tinged with frustration. "Naruto is too strong."

"Even a fraction of his power is beyond what an ordinary ninja can withstand."

"Even we..."

The room fell silent, the mood somber.

"I understand," Shikaku nodded. "Jiraiya-sama, please inform the Anbu. The Hokage is currently injured and can't take action."

"Shikamaru, organize the hospital staff for evacuation."

"I'll notify the Jonin squad to help manage the evacuation."

The others complied.

The evacuation proceeded in an orderly manner.

Within minutes, the battlefield and the surrounding area were cleared, leaving only a few confident individuals nearby to observe.

Naruto sensed this as well.

With no civilians at risk, he unleashed his full power.

The energy and techniques generated even greater turbulence.

"Can a ninja really achieve this level of power?" Asuma Sarutobi muttered, helplessly fumbling with his lighter. He had tried to light a cigarette several times, but the wind kept snuffing it out. Even turning his back to the wind didn't help, as the energy disrupted the air currents, causing gusts from all directions.

"Isn't there something even more terrifying?" Might Guy frowned, his expression serious. "Who is Naruto fighting?"

"I can't even see the enemy."

All they could see were the countless techniques being unleashed.

And that golden figure in the midst of it all.

Jiraiya, who had entered Sage Mode, shook his head in resignation. "My sensory ninjutsu can't penetrate it."

This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

He possessed natural sensory abilities, enhanced by Sage Mode, which he had developed from a technique called the "Barrier: Canopy Method Formation."

When amplified by Sage Mode, both its range and intensity nearly doubled.

But even so, the strongest technique he could muster was mercilessly shattered when it tried to approach the battlefield's edge.

Not deliberately—it was just the aftershocks.

The others remained silent.

This meant that even Konoha's strongest ninja weren't qualified to participate in this battle.

Simply watching was the extent of their capabilities.

Within the battlefield, Naruto frowned.

The chakra of the Sage of Six Paths was immense and seemingly endless.

However...

It wasn't quite what he had expected.

He had hoped to trace this "program's" power during this battle and locate the "Pure Land."

The chakra sustaining the power of the Sage of Six Paths was the key.

Wherever it came from, the Pure Land would be there.

But the chakra that kept this power fighting continuously came from within it, as if there were a wellspring of chakra constantly bubbling up.

Since tracking it wasn't an option...

He would have to wake it up.

Naruto drew his twin swords, spiritual pressure surging.

"Roar With Lamentation, Sing With Compassion, The Cycle Of Rebirth, Nine-Tailed Ashura!"

His Zanpakutō was released.

Energy several times more intense rolled forth, stirring up the wind and clouds, forcing the onlookers to retreat even further.

The power of the Sage of Six Paths sensed the threat, retreating into the ground.

Chakra surged.

"Be careful," Nine-Tails whispered from Naruto's shoulder. "It's Truth-Seeking Balls."

A black shadow suddenly shot out from the ground.

This time, it was slightly different from the previous Truth-Seeking Balls he had encountered.

It wasn't in the form of a sphere.

Instead, it was a spear, its entire body in a "genetic helix" state. The tip wasn't sharp, just a crossover point of the helix.

But...

This time, Naruto's perception was clear.

It was an ultimate chakra combining the Five Elements with Yin-Yang, carrying a "destructive" aura and an indomitable will.

It came thrusting toward him.

Naruto raised his sword to meet it.

Sparks flew, and blades clashed.

But after several rounds, neither side gained the upper hand.

Naruto narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.

What was strong wasn't the "weapon" itself; during the clash, he could clearly feel the chakra's vibrations. But the "will of the Sage of Six Paths infused into it" acted as a powerful adhesive, stabilizing and tightly binding the various chakra elements together.

The strength lay in the "will of the Sage of Six Paths."

If...

If he were facing the Sage of Six Paths himself, it might be more challenging.

The man who had never shown himself had unfathomable power.

But the opponent before him wasn't the Sage of Six Paths—merely a "program" acting on a certain "will."

It was powerful, but not limitless.

Naruto raised "Ashura," his expression resolute.

In that case, he would defeat it with an even stronger will.

The chakra drawn earlier to deal with Danzo was his own.

Ashura's chakra remained.

He used it as a lead.

"The wind is calming down," Asuma remarked, raising his hand. As an expert in Wind Release, he was most sensitive to changes in the wind.

Jiraiya concentrated, astonished.

He wasn't focused on the "wind" itself.

What concerned him was...

How quickly Naruto had accumulated a large amount of natural energy.

This was a sign of entering Sage Mode.

But when did Naruto learn Sage Mode? Did the toads of Mount Myōboku know about this? Or had they not told him?

But he quickly realized.

The energy transforming Naruto was completely different from Mount Myōboku's Sage Mode.

This wasn't from Mount Myōboku.

It likely wasn't from any of the sacred lands.

Jiraiya suddenly recalled an ancient legend that the Great Toad Sage had once told him.

According to the legend...

The First Hokage also mastered Sage Mode, but no one knew where he had learned it from.

Now Naruto had also mastered the same Sage Mode as the First Hokage?