The Earth Release Rasengan was just as powerful as all other variations and enhancements of this technique but had its unique characteristics. The earth element, under incredible pressure, transformed into a mass of crystal shards, creating something akin to a meat grinder. This deadly sphere consisted of the tiniest crystal particles, rotating at immense speed and force, capable of grinding everything in their path.
When the technique was activated, tiny crystal fragments began to appear around the Rasengan, sparkling in the light. The rotation was so intense that the air around it compressed and vibrated, creating a deep, menacing sound reminiscent of the growl of an enraged beast. Each crystal shard, moving at incredible speed, could slice through even the most durable materials, turning them into dust.
When the Earth Release Rasengan struck its target, the crystal shards instantly penetrated the object's structure, tearing and crushing it from within. The effect was similar to an explosion, but instead of fire and smoke, everything around turned into fine debris and dust. Even if the opponent tried to defend, the crystal shards would pierce through the defense, continuing their destructive action.
"Hmm, if not for the sturdiness of my body, I would have lost my arm..." the thought flashed through my mind.
Now I fully understood why Naruto in the canon needed Sage Mode to use such a technique.
My gaze swept over the battlefield. Numerous craters from my techniques, scorched earth, and bloodstains created an extremely depressing, perhaps even horrifying, sight.
"Now that this is over..."
In an instant, I returned to the place where I had been a few minutes ago. Fū had obeyed me and was currently reading a scroll.
—= Some time later =—
"Sensei, what do you think of this outfit?"
"Lovely."
We were currently in Tanzaku Town. I decided to bring the girl here to update her wardrobe, as this city was a hub for numerous highly skilled artisans.
By influencing the minds of Takigakure's higher-ups, I easily managed to extract Fū from the village. It was decided to take the girl due to the information I had obtained from Hidan's consciousness.
Akatsuki had decided to accelerate the capture of the jinchūriki. Hidan knew that Ōnoki had sold his jinchūriki in exchange for Akatsuki's attacks on Kumogakure. Nagato himself led the assault on important village facilities, intending to kill two birds with one stone.
After the defeat of Kakuzu and Hidan, Nagato would most likely either go to Takigakure himself or send the remaining Akatsuki members. I wasn't worried about Naruto and Gaara, as the former was protected by shinobi of incredible caliber, and the latter was an extremely inconvenient target.
"Then I'll take this dress too!" the girl declared.
I glanced at the shop owner, whose eyes gleamed at the forthcoming addition to his wallet. Judging by Fū's happiness, the expenses were worth it.
"Nothing else caught your eye?"
Fū shook her head in response. I looked at the shop owner and said:
"In that case, please prepare everything for transport."
He nodded and went to prepare all of Fū's clothes for transportation. I turned to Fū and added:
"And we'll head to a barbecue restaurant. I heard there's a place here that rivals the Akimichi in meat quality."
—= Pain =—
"The capture of the Eight-Tails was successful," declared the Deva Path.
Killer B, the jinchūriki of the Eight-Tails, presented a rather gruesome sight. His right arm was missing, and to prevent any possibility of escape, Nagato had impaled stakes into B's legs.
The Rinnegan briefly surveyed the battlefield that the surrounding area had become. Four out of six bodies were damaged. Killer B was indeed a very dangerous opponent, but Nagato had managed to handle the Raikage's younger brother.
"We're almost at the point of fulfilling our desire..." the thought flashed through Nagato's mind as Konan approached him.
"None of his subordinates escaped," Konan stated calmly.
They managed to capture Killer B during one of the missions organized by Iwagakure under Ōnoki's leadership. Thanks to this, Nagato avoided numerous problems.
"Along with the Two-Tails, captured by the immortal duo, and considering that we have Iwagakure's jinchūriki in our hands... only four remain."
At that moment, a plant-like creature emerged from the ground.
"The duo was eliminated," Zetsu stated. "The Seven-Tails is no longer in Takigakure."
—= Reed Richards =—
"DIE!" screamed Deidara, who was missing his right arm.
By this point, Sasori had been eliminated. It required an unconventional approach to neutralize him. We had to break through the first level of defense to reach the artifact that kept him alive.
The white clay spiders that collided with my shield did not explode. The Lightning Release techniques had done their job, neutralizing the explosive nature of the clay. At that moment, a metal bullet appeared at the tip of my finger, beginning to be infused with Lightning chakra.
The bullet, shimmering with blue light from the lightning, was sharper and deadlier than any weapon. The Lightning chakra enhanced its strength and penetrating power, turning it into something more than just a metal projectile. It was ready to pierce through any barriers, leaving only destruction and chaos in its wake.
Lightning danced around the bullet, coiling around it like snakes, creating tension and sparks that scattered in all directions. The air filled with the scent of ozone, and small electrical discharges ran along my hand, intensifying the chakra concentration.
When I fired the bullet, it whistled through the air, leaving a thin trail of electrical energy behind it. It moved so fast that it seemed as if time had slowed down. The moment of truth came when the bullet reached its target.
"Railgun," I whispered.
Using electromagnetic control, I launched the projectile. Deidara didn't have time to react, as the speed of such an attack was incredibly high. His entire upper body was completely obliterated.
Finding Deidara and Sasori, knowing their route, turned out to be quite simple. Thanks to Hidan's memories, I knew which path they would take. All that remained was to adjust the route and prepare an ambush.
The ambush was set on a narrow mountain trail, surrounded by high cliffs and dense trees. The location was perfect for a stealth attack, which I proved.
In an instant, I appeared in front of a wooden house I had constructed using Mokuton. Inside, Fū was waiting for me, reading a scroll.
"Have you finished your tasks?"
I simply nodded.
—= Some time later =—
For the past few hours, one question had been tormenting me: "Should I tell Jiraiya that some of his students are alive?" I could infiltrate Amegakure and engage Nagato in battle there, and I would likely be able to do it in the shortest time... But that would be disrespectful to my friend."
In the end, I concluded that the best course of action was to tell the truth. Jiraiya needed to see reality to make an informed decision. In my personal view, this was the right thing to do.
"Do you want to see Konoha?"
Fū took less than ten minutes to consider before slowly nodding. Like many other shinobi in this world, she had grown up on stories of Hashirama and Madara. Despite Hashirama being the First Hokage, everyone acknowledged that he set the trend for the Hidden Villages.
"Then take my hand."
Fū grasped my right hand. Then we vanished from Tanzaku. With the dozens of Hiraishin marks I had placed around Konoha, making such a journey was quite simple.
"Wow!" Fū exclaimed, her gaze fixed on the mountain where the faces of the Hokage were carved. Against the backdrop of the bright blue sky, the stone-hewn visages of the Hokage looked majestic.
"Welcome to Konoha," I said.
Having memorized Jiraiya's chakra, finding him was quite straightforward... Though I didn't even need to resort to that method, as the Sannin was exactly where one would expect him to be.
"I just hope you don't get yourself killed by Tsunade for this..." I thought as Fū and I made our way toward the Hokage's residence.
—= Some Time Later =—
I had reserved the entire Akimichi restaurant. Renowned for its unparalleled barbecue, today it would be open exclusively for us.
Situated in the heart of Konoha, the restaurant caught the eye with its traditional Japanese decor. Outside, its wooden walls were embellished with intricate carvings and bright lanterns that emitted a soft glow, creating a cozy atmosphere. The entrance door, adorned with maple leaf designs, swung open invitingly.
Inside, the restaurant was spacious, featuring numerous low tables surrounded by tatami mats. In every corner stood large grill stations, from which appetizing wisps of smoke curled upward. The scent of grilled meat, spices, and sauces permeated the air, stimulating the appetite.
The walls were decorated with illustrations of the Akimichi clan's culinary exploits, including portraits of family members proudly showcasing their gastronomic achievements. Bright kanji characters, written in a calligraphic style, narrated the traditions and family recipes handed down from generation to generation.
Lanterns shaped like paper spheres hung from the ceiling, their warm light adding to the room's cozy ambiance. Massive wooden tables with built-in grills at the center were spread throughout the hall, surrounded by comfortable cushions for seating. Plates laden with appetizing cuts of fresh meat, vegetables, and seafood, ready for grilling, were already set on the tables.
Enormous windows draped with light curtains allowed gentle daylight to dance across the tables and walls, creating an atmosphere of warmth and comfort. Soft music played in the background, enhancing the overall mood of relaxation and pleasure.
Today, the Akimichi restaurant was reserved for a special occasion, and the entire team of chefs was gearing up to display their finest skills. Locals knew that this was the place to savor the most delicious barbecue in Konoha, which made it immensely popular.
"And why am I not surprised?" I asked Jiraiya.
Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, looked as if he'd been through a few S-rank missions.
"Was it worth it?"
"To have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty that resides in the hot springs?" Jiraiya asked me with a serious tone. "Yes! It was worth it!"
"At this rate, you're definitely going to die an unnatural death."
Jiraiya merely smirked at these words.
"I'd be happy to die squeezed between a pair of breasts like Tsunade's!" he exclaimed.
The murderous intent we felt at that very moment made Jiraiya close his mouth. My gaze fell upon the source of this terrifying killing intent: Tsunade Senju, who had entered precisely when Jiraiya had loudly proclaimed his dream.
"Damn..." Jiraiya whispered.
The Fifth Hokage began flexing her fist in preparation for a punch. Judging by the chills running down the white-haired man's spine, he knew exactly what was about to happen.
"Reed..."
I simply looked at him calmly and, after sipping some delightful tea from my cup, said:
"You have to fight for your dreams."
—= Some Time Later =—
After Tsunade had finished beating Jiraiya for his behavior, we moved on to discuss pressing matters.
"You acted quite recklessly by taking Takigakure's jinchūriki with you," Jiraiya said.
"Are the other major villages already aware of this?"
"You weren't particularly discreet," Jiraiya shrugged. "And it doesn't take a skilled spy to figure out what's going on."
"Then we're lucky that Kumogakure and Iwagakure have bigger problems than Takigakure's jinchūriki wandering around Konoha."
"Do you know what happened to their jinchūriki?" Jiraiya asked in a surprised tone.
Apparently, he hadn't yet obtained that information.
"Yes. Ōnoki sold his jinchūriki in exchange for Akatsuki's attack on Kumogakure. Akatsuki took advantage of this opportunity to eliminate several targets at once. Besides Iwagakure's jinchūriki, they also captured Killer B and Yugito."
Jiraiya's and Tsunade's eyes widened in shock. Understandably so, since jinchūriki were extremely dangerous shinobi.
"Since we're on the topic of Akatsuki, let's move on to the main subject of our meeting. Did you receive the information I sent you?" I asked.
Tsunade and Jiraiya nodded.
"However, we'd like that information to be more detailed," Tsunade said. "But we did grasp the main gist of what you've done."
I had provided only general information about my actions. Thus, everyone present knew that I had eliminated a significant number of Akatsuki members.
"At the moment, I can easily eliminate the remaining Akatsuki members," I admitted. "But new variables have emerged that need to be considered. These variables directly concern you, Jiraiya."
At these words, the white-haired sage became more serious.
"What do you mean?"
"Some of the last remaining Akatsuki members are your former students."
Jiraiya quickly understood.
"That can't be. They died a long time ago. Hanzō dealt with them."
"That's the official story presented to the world," I said. "In reality, things are a bit more complicated."
—= Jiraiya =—
"... When do you plan to depart for Amegakure?" Jiraiya asked in a dejected voice.
The sage from Mount Myōboku didn't know what he should be feeling at that moment—joy that his students were alive, or sorrow that they had taken such a dark path.
"Tomorrow," Reed said. "I take it you want to come with me?"
Jiraiya nodded. He understood perfectly that the only thing he, as the teacher of Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan, could do was to talk to them face to face.
"In that case, until tomorrow. I have something I need to finish," Reed Richards said, and with those words, vanished in a flash of blue lightning.
"Jiraiya..." Tsunade began, but Jiraiya didn't let her finish.
"They are my students. I have to be there."
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