"Forget about holding back! Show us something big right off the bat!" Deidara was always up for some chaos. He believed that at a time like this, making a grand entrance was the best move.
If he could be the one to create the first big scene, wouldn't that draw even more attention to his art?
"Makes sense. I'll go first, then!" Tendo Pain nodded, agreeing with Deidara's suggestion.
However, despite agreeing, Tendo Pain had no intention of letting Deidara go first. Instead, he decided to take the first move himself.
With those words, a massive surge of chakra gathered around Tendo Pain, the pressure of which radiated powerfully from his body.
"Let the world know pain!" Hovering in mid-air, Tendo Pain spoke, his voice echoing ominously.
"Almighty Push!" he shouted, releasing an overwhelming repulsive force with full strength.
Nagato was using all his chakra to unleash this Almighty Push, confident that this one move could destroy the entire village of Konoha.
But just as the enormous force was about to be released, a blazing red barrier suddenly emerged, standing in Tendo Pain's path.
The powerful Almighty Push struck against the flaming red barrier but was completely blocked.
"Such an enormous chakra… and it's being blocked!?" Deidara and Sasori, who were watching from the side, were stunned, clearly taken aback by the sheer scale of chakra Tendo Pain had unleashed.
Now, to see that immense attack being stopped, their faces were filled with shock.
The Almighty Push was undoubtedly powerful, but that only made it all the more astonishing that this red barrier could withstand it. It only highlighted how formidable the barrier truly was!
"This is the Four Red Yang Formation!" Itachi Uchiha spoke up, clearly recognizing the technique.
"The Four Red Yang Formation?" Upon hearing Itachi, the Akatsuki members looked at him with curiosity.
"It's a barrier technique originally from the Uzumaki Clan. There's a simplified version called the Four Violet Flames Formation, which requires only four elite Jonin to perform. That barrier can even trap Kage-level opponents.
"The Four Red Yang Formation, on the other hand, is a much higher level of barrier technique, requiring four Kage-level shinobi to cast it," Itachi explained. "As for its defensive capabilities—there has never been a recorded instance of it being broken."
"That's impressive. Four Jonin could trap a Kage, and four Kage-level shinobi casting a stronger version… No wonder it has such incredible defense!" the Akatsuki members nodded in acknowledgment.
The sealing and barrier techniques of the Uzumaki Clan were indeed unmatched in the shinobi world. After the fall of the Uzumaki Clan, most of their techniques had ended up in Konoha's hands.
The Four Red Yang Formation's defensive effect was undeniably formidable.
"Akira's foresight in setting up this barrier was really crucial. If the four of us hadn't joined forces to create the Four Red Yang Formation, the village would likely have been destroyed by now," Jiraiya thought to himself, nodding inwardly.
Alongside Jiraiya were Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Kakashi.
It was the combined effort of these four Kage-level shinobi that had successfully blocked Tendo Pain's Almighty Push.
"You know what they say—an eye for an eye!" Akira, seeing that the Akatsuki had made their move, narrowed his eyes and activated his Mangekyo Sharingan. Raising his hands, he shouted, "Almighty Push!"
Rumbling filled the air.
With his chakra now at around 140,000 units, Akira's reserves far surpassed those of Nagato, nearly one and a half times more. Thus, his Almighty Push was even more destructive, unleashing a massive repulsive force towards the Akatsuki.
The force exploded outward from Akira's body, an unstoppable wave that sent many Akatsuki members flying.
Only three were able to withstand it: Urashiki with his glowing blue Rinnegan, Tendo Pain using a compressed repulsive force as a shield, and Obito, who phased out to avoid the impact.
Except for those three, every other member was thrown back, sustaining varying degrees of injury.
"Our target is the tailed beasts!" Tendo Pain said, glancing at Urashiki before making his move.
Immediately, Tendo Pain and Obito appeared on either side of Akira, flanking him.
Meanwhile, Urashiki moved towards Naruto Uzumaki.
But before he could reach Naruto, Sasuke's form flashed, blocking his way. With his Kusanagi sword pointed directly at Urashiki, Sasuke declared, "If you want to go after Naruto, you'll have to get past me first!"
Even though this Naruto wasn't from his own timeline, he was still Naruto, and his bond with the Sasuke of this timeline was incredibly strong. Sasuke wouldn't let Urashiki get through without a fight.
"You? Alone, you're no match for me," Urashiki said coldly, glaring at Sasuke with disdain.
With those words, he raised his hand, and the red-glowing fishing rod whipped towards Sasuke.
At the same time, the other members of Akatsuki launched their own attacks. Deidara began preparing explosive clay, Sasori unleashed his puppet army, and tens of thousands of White Zetsu clones started emerging from underground.
To capture Naruto, the Akatsuki had truly gone all out, even releasing over ten thousand White Zetsu clones.
In an instant, the entire village of Konoha was plunged into chaos. Although there were many Kage-level shinobi on Konoha's side, Akatsuki's strength was also formidable.
Five of the Six Paths of Pain, excluding Tendo, joined forces with the rest of the Akatsuki.
Those five Paths alone were equivalent to five Kage-level fighters.
The village was engulfed in a state of war.
"Both of you decided to come at me together—should I feel honored?" Akira said, eyeing Tendo Pain and Obito, who had him surrounded.
"We have no choice; after all, you're Akira. Don't blame us," Obito replied, showing how seriously they were taking Akira.
"No worries, I won't hold it against you," Akira said with a faint smile.
Glancing around at the ongoing battle, Akira saw nothing that concerned him yet.
Then, in an instant, wooden branches began emerging from Akira's body, forming four wood clones that leaped out, turning the tables on Tendo Pain and Obito, surrounding them instead.
What had been a two-on-one scenario was now a four-on-two.
"Well, you two are the leaders of the Akatsuki, after all. So, don't blame me either," one of Akira's wood clones said with a grin, echoing Obito's earlier words.
"Hmph, Akira. I admit you're strong, but trying to beat us with just wood clones—don't you think that's a bit childish?" Obito scoffed, his tone mocking as he eyed the clones.
"You're right…" Akira didn't refute him. Instead, he nodded thoughtfully.
"You're absolutely right. Trying to take you down with just a few wood clones is indeed a bit disrespectful. My bad, I didn't think it through." He apologized verbally, but his expression was calm, and his tone was anything but apologetic.
After he spoke, the four wood clones activated their Mangekyo Sharingan simultaneously.
Golden energy burst forth, forming massive skeletal giants that enveloped each of the clones.
The skeletal frames were soon covered in layers of muscle fibers, as the Susano'o advanced into a higher stage.
Moments later, the lower halves of the Susano'o formed as well, and from a distance, they looked like four towering golden giants.
The spectacle naturally drew the attention of everyone in the village.
"That's… Susano'o? And every clone is able to manifest this level of Susano'o?!" Sasuke muttered, glancing at Akira's side of the battlefield, his face filled with shock.
He had unlocked his Mangekyo before Akira, and yet his Susano'o wasn't even on par with that of one of Akira's wood clones.
It was utterly demoralizing.
"Four wood clones, each with a fully realized Susano'o… Akira's power is getting more terrifying by the day," Itachi thought, his heart filled with awe as he looked over at Akira.
"The strongest Uchiha… such ocular power is truly frightening," Fugaku also glanced over at Akira, silently marveling at the sight.
As members of the Uchiha Clan, all of them had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, and they understood better than anyone just how shocking it was for four wood clones to wield Susano'o at this level.
"Alright, now I won't feel like I'm underestimating you," Akira said with a smile, his four wood clones each clad in their Susano'o as they closed in on Obito and Tendo Pain.
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POWER STONE!!!
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