Beams of dazzling light streaked across the sky, making the night as bright as day. Meteors, engulfed in raging flames, descended like a fiery rain, filling the sky as if a celestial maiden were scattering flowers. In the blink of an eye, the forest below had become a sea of fire, with thick smoke billowing skyward.
The village of Konoha was also enveloped in this fiery downpour, but fortunately, the villagers reacted quickly, and many had already rushed to help. This included not only numerous Jōnin but even Kage-level shinobi joined the battle.
In an instant, the falling meteors were shattered into powder, turning into sparks that scattered harmlessly to the ground, their threat neutralized. Below Konoha, barriers made of Earth Release had already been erected, blocking the debris.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, a blinding white light appeared in the sky, trailing thick smoke as it plummeted downward like a comet with a long tail.
The faces of the ninjas below changed dramatically, and expressions of terror spread across them. This meteor was enormous, so large that it seemed to cover the entire night sky, truly blocking out the heavens.
"Don't panic!" Tsunade shouted from the high platform, "Continue strengthening the barrier!"
The ninjas below seemed to find their composure instantly, no longer panicking as they steadied themselves and continued forming hand seals, thickening the earth wall above them like a giant lid.
With the infusion of chakra, the earth wall above Konoha grew ever thicker, reaching dozens of meters in thickness and supported by several sturdy rock pillars, appearing quite solid.
Yet Tsunade had little confidence that this earth wall could withstand the meteor, especially given its massive size and momentum.
Watching as the colossal meteor plummeted toward them, Tsunade's face changed. She knew this was bad. The meteor's speed was too great, and the hastily constructed earth wall was unlikely to withstand such an impact.
The destruction caused by Uchiha Madara's Chibaku Tensei had already been severe, leveling everything on the ground. Now, this meteor was even more formidable, both in size and velocity, compared to that previous one.
Tsunade gritted her teeth, determination flashing in her eyes. She bent her legs slightly and kicked off with all her might, using the force to propel herself like a stream of light, shooting toward the descending meteor with incredible speed.
"Hokage-sama, what are you doing?!"
The ninjas below were shocked. The massive meteor from the sky was beyond human capability to stop. This meteor was so vast that it blocked the sky and stretched for hundreds of kilometers.
Fighting it was like an ant trying to stop a chariot.
With a deafening roar, Tsunade's fist smashed into the meteor, cracking its surface and dislodging large chunks of rock. But compared to the meteor's enormous size, it was like a drop in the ocean, almost negligible.
Tsunade's small figure was like a speck in the vast sea, and her monstrous strength seemed weak and futile before the might of nature.
But she did not give up, pressing her hands firmly against the gigantic meteor, her knuckles turning white from the strain, and sweat pouring from her forehead.
"Mokuton: Jukai Kotan (Wood Style: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
The ground suddenly began to tremble, and trees burst from the earth, growing longer with the wind. In no time, they became towering giants, their branches reaching up to support the meteor and slowing its descent.
The one using this Wood Release technique was Yamato. However, before he could celebrate, the meteor pressed down once more, and the immense pressure caused the trees to snap and splinter, filling the air with flying wood chips and scattered leaves.
If Senju Hashirama had used the technique, it might have held the meteor back for a while. But since it was Yamato, the effect was much less. His Wood Release was only about one-fifth as powerful as Hashirama's.
Yamato's fingers formed seals, his teeth clenched, his body trembling with sweat. As the trees shattered under the meteor's weight, he could only repair them continuously, which consumed even more chakra. Within moments, he had used up nearly all his chakra.
Just as Yamato was about to collapse from exhaustion, two figures shot forth like cold flashes, one yellow and one blue. With a shout, they unleashed their chakra. The blond boy transformed into a giant fox, and the black-haired boy became a massive samurai.
With their intimidating presence, they stood valiantly in the sky. These two were none other than Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.
They combined into two shadows, shooting like arrows toward the massive meteor, stretching out giant arms to press against it with a "bang."
Stones scattered, and dust billowed.
With their assistance, the meteor's descent slowed instantly, and the people on the ground breathed a sigh of relief, cheering with waving arms. Even Mei Terumi, who was far away, let out a breath.
"They won't be able to hold on for long," Kaguya suddenly said, her eyelashes trembling as she supported herself against the windowsill.
"How come?" Mei Terumi turned her head, blinking curiously. "They've stopped it now, right? I didn't expect these two kids to be so strong now. It's said that the Sage of Six Paths gave them power. It seems the Sage's strength is truly unfathomable."
"After all, these two are the reincarnations of Indra and Ashura," Kaguya turned her head, smiling slightly. "I thought this was an inspirational anime, but it turns out it's still about bloodlines and backgrounds."
Back when she first watched this anime, she was inspired by the protagonists' struggles and efforts. Whenever faced with difficulties, she thought if Naruto could overcome them, why couldn't she?
But now, looking back, she felt a bit disappointed. In the end, bloodlines and backgrounds were what mattered most. The former loser turned out to be an elite, the son of an influential figure. If it weren't for the Nine-Tails and his protagonist aura, who knows how many times he might have died. In contrast, the seemingly unimpressive Rock Lee felt more inspiring.
"Anime's take on backgrounds?" Mei Terumi's pretty face showed a puzzled expression, not understanding what Kaguya meant.
"It's nothing."
Kaguya smiled slightly and turned away, not continuing the topic. Just as Mei Terumi was about to say more, the scene outside the window had already changed.