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From a distance, two towering giants stood on the earth—one deep blue and the other red—facing each other like two gods, exuding a terrifying presence.
The next moment, without any warning, the two giants, one blue and one red, moved in unison.
Their massive fists swung forward simultaneously, colliding with a powerful impact.
A dull, thunderous vibration sounded, and the ground trembled under the force of the punch.
A strong wind erupted, sweeping across the surroundings.
The two giants didn't hesitate, throwing punch after punch, engaging in a fierce, pure physical clash.
Each movement caused significant disturbances, with even the smallest impact cracking the ground around them.
The battle between these giants was brutal and direct, as if they were clashing purely with taijutsu, yet every move brought incredible devastation.
It was difficult for ordinary people to comprehend the scale, and merely watching made spectators feel a weighty pressure.
After several exchanges, the two giants simultaneously took two steps back, and the ground quaked beneath them.
Then, long katanas appeared in the hands of the two giants—one red, one blue.
In the next instant, their swords collided, and a thunderous roar resounded.
And this was just the beginning.
In the time that followed, the two colossal Susanoo truly began their battle; it was as if everything before had been a mere warm-up, and now they were displaying their full strength.
The vibrations of the ground grew more intense as their swords clashed, with overflowing energy slicing through the land and even the nearby hills.
Fortunately, the two Susanoo were distant from the main battlefield; otherwise, the aftermath alone would have claimed countless lives.
Meanwhile, the high-level combat forces of the ninja coalition bypassed the two Susanoo, advancing toward the hilltop where Uchiha Madara had appeared. Several figures were still gathered there.
Hatake Sakumo took the lead, his body moving like lightning, with the short blade in his hand already unsheathed. Sprinting rapidly across the ground, he locked onto his target. Without hesitation, he turned, slashing at the nearest enemy.
The strike was incredibly fast, fierce, and precise, as if it could split space itself. All anyone could see was a flash of cold light and lightning as he crossed paths with his opponent.
Puff!
The man's head had been raised high, then dropped to the ground.
Hatake Sakumo landed, his brows tightly furrowed, and he spoke without hesitation: "Be careful, there's something off about these people!"
As expected, as soon as his voice fell, the man whose head had been cut off by Hatake Sakumo suddenly raised his hands.
The man's arms were unusually long, with his wrists reaching knee level. When he lifted them, they appeared broad, and in his open hands was a glowing ball of light.
Seeing this, the high-ranking coalition members who had arrived instinctively halted their advance.
Feeling a warning rise in his mind, Hatake Sakumo didn't hesitate; he quickly flashed to the side, barely dodging a light ball that swept past him, radiating intense heat. He could feel his hair singe from the proximity.
Boom!
The light ball hit the ground just over ten meters behind him, erupting in a powerful explosion that even Hatake Sakumo could feel in the shockwave.
Fortunately, Hatake Sakumo's speed allowed him to evade the attack just in time.
At that moment, several other figures also raised their hands in unison. With the same elongated arms and light balls in their hands, they launched attacks toward the coalition's leaders.
Those who had reached this point were no ordinary shinobi. They responded immediately, evading the attacks with their unique skills.
Ōnoki flew upward, A darted away with lightning speed, Yagura deflected the attack with his club and Chiyo was carried away by her puppet.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru propelled each other with a well-timed kick, using the recoil to dodge.
If these attacks had been ordinary, the coalition leaders wouldn't have reacted so drastically. The palpable threat emanating from the light balls forced them to dodge carefully.
Thus, the battle among the coalition's top fighters commenced. Each deployed their own techniques, and Chiyo was the first to notice something unusual.
"They're puppets! These guys are puppets. Attack their joints—that's their weak point," Chiyo called out.
Jiraiya replied, "Think of a way. Even if we dismantle them, they regenerate. Not easy to handle."
Chiyo added bluntly, "Look for the chakra core. Whoever made these puppets likely embedded a core in them."
A took a direct approach. He flashed forward several times, rushing a puppet, and clasped it in a crushing hold, forcing it into fragmented pieces.
"Found it!"
He shouted, "The puppet core is in their chest. These guys... the core is actually an eyeball!"
"It's a Byakugan."
Orochimaru immediately recognized the eye.
"Damn it, how could it be a Byakugan?" Jiraiya's voice was a mix of shock and anger.
Hatake Sakumo dashed through the battlefield, dismantling two more puppets, extracting two Byakugan, and tossing them to Orochimaru.
"It's a dead Byakugan," he remarked, eyebrows furrowing.
Orochimaru stepped back from the skirmish, carefully examining the Byakugan, then shook his head. "While I'm not sure of the full details, these eyes have been altered into chakra receivers, meaning someone is controlling these puppets."
Clap, clap, clap!
A crisp clapping sound echoed, and from the shadows, or rather from a crack in space, a figure emerged.
It was Hyūga Iroha.
"As expected of Lord Orochimaru, you discovered the clues so quickly."
He raised a finger, and beside him, space split open again as more puppets emerged, their numbers multiplying rapidly.
"These are prepared just for you all. Please, enjoy the battle."
Within seconds, there were no less than a hundred puppets on the battlefield, with more appearing by the moment.