Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 546 Previous Shadow VS Contemporary Shadow (Part 2)

Facing the Second Tsuchikage's doubtful and questioning gaze, Onoki frowned slightly, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes. Slowly turning his head, Onoki gazed at his mentor, the one who had taught him and guided him onto the path of ninja. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke, beginning to explain in a slightly low voice:

"Teacher, what lies before us now is a terrifying enemy who aspires to rule the entire ninja world. This enemy possesses unimaginable power and ambition. If our ninja villages continue to act independently and remain united, then all that awaits us is the fate of being defeated one by one and annihilated. Therefore, at this moment, we have no choice but to set aside past grudges and misunderstandings and unite to jointly confront this unprecedented crisis."

As soon as Onoki finished speaking, the previously quiet area fell into a deathly silence. The four former Kage present exchanged glances, each with a grave expression. Their expressions grew increasingly grim and unpleasant as Onoki spoke. Because when they heard Onoki's explanation, they understood—the major ninja villages were about to face an unprecedented and immense threat! And worse still, they themselves, standing there, had become part of the many threats their respective villages had to confront…

Just as the four were about to press for more information about the current situation in the ninja world, their expressions suddenly and drastically changed without warning! Their faces seemed to be distorted by an invisible force, turning deathly pale, and cold sweat poured down their foreheads. At the same time, their bodies became incredibly stiff, as if they had been frozen in place, unable to move an inch.

Finally, one of them managed to open his mouth, his voice trembling as he warned his companions, "Be careful, everyone! Our bodies are completely out of our control right now..." This sudden turn of events was like a bolt from the blue, instantly shattering the previous warm atmosphere. The relaxed and cheerful mood vanished without a trace, replaced by a suffocating solemnity and gravity.

Upon hearing this, even the usually composed Onoki and the others couldn't help but change their expressions slightly. Their eyes widened, staring intently at each other, their gazes revealing unprecedented tension and vigilance. Clearly, the situation before them was far beyond anyone's expectations, forcing them to be on high alert to deal with this unknown crisis.

Upon hearing the reminder, Hyuga Neji felt no tension whatsoever; instead, an overwhelming sense of excitement welled up within him. His once calm eyes now blazed with intense heat, as if two raging flames were burning within them.

He knew all too well that the upcoming battle would be an unprecedentedly fierce one. His opponents were no ordinary figures, but former Kage from various ninja villages! These once-powerful figures, renowned throughout the land, possessed strength beyond imagination.

However, for the belligerent and ambitious Hyuga Neji, this was undoubtedly a golden opportunity. Such a formidable opponent would surely bring him immense stimulation and pressure. Only under such intense competition could he hope to break through the bottleneck that had long plagued him, thereby achieving further improvement in his strength.

Hyuga Neji turned his head slightly, his gaze quickly sweeping over the grim-faced Onoki and Gaara beside him. He took a deep breath, then said loudly without hesitation, "Everyone, we can't delay any longer! Now, please each choose the opponent you think is most suitable to deal with! As for the rest of the enemies, leave them all to me."

Hearing Hyuga Neji's resolute words, Onoki and Gaara exchanged a glance. They saw a hint of surprise in each other's eyes, but even more so, trust and admiration for their comrade. Without much verbal exchange, they simply nodded silently, indicating their agreement to Hyuga Neji's plan.

This was not the time to continue arguing with Hyuga Neji. After all, the situation was extremely urgent, and every second was a matter of life and death. So, after nodding to each other, Onoki and Gaara immediately took action, examining the menacing enemies around them, and based on their experience and judgment, each chose the powerful opponent they were about to face.

Onoki's gaze was fixed intently ahead. He knew all too well that the enemy standing opposite him was none other than his teacher, the renowned Second Tsuchikage—Mu! The reason he had rushed to support the Fifth Division was precisely because he had heard of Mu's terrifying Kekkei Tota technique. Onoki understood that within the entire Fifth Division, probably no one was entirely confident in their ability to withstand this most powerful ninjutsu from Iwagakure. If he were to stand idly by now, the consequences would be unimaginable; the Fifth Division's Allied Shinobi Forces would likely suffer heavy losses, perhaps even massive casualties.

Meanwhile, Gaara, without hesitation, stepped forward and resolutely chose to engage in a life-or-death battle with his own father, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa. Rasa's ninjutsu was incredibly powerful; each move seemed tailor-made for large-scale battles, possessing devastating force. Gaara, equally skilled in such tactics, firmly believed he was the only one capable of successfully halting the enemy's offensive and protecting his comrades. Thus, a tense and fierce atmosphere instantly filled the battlefield, both sides prepared to give their all in a decisive battle.

After seeing that the other two had already chosen their opponents, Hyuga Neji's gaze slowly swept over the imposing Third Raikage and the Second Mizukage, whose cold demeanor and mysterious aura emanated from him. He took a deep breath, resolutely strode forward, and walked straight towards these two formidable enemies.

However, deep down, what he truly craved was not a one-on-one confrontation with them, but rather facing all four of them simultaneously! Only in this way could he experience unprecedented pressure. This overwhelming sense of oppression would act like a powerful source of energy, stimulating all the potential hidden within him, allowing him to break through the current bottlenecks and achieve a qualitative leap in strength in the shortest possible time.

As Hyuga Neji approached them step by step, the Third Raikage and the Second Mizukage's expressions instantly darkened, as if shrouded in a thick, ominous cloud, making them appear exceptionally grave. Although deep down they were unwilling to engage in a direct conflict with this Allied Shinobi Forces, seeing that the other side had only sent such young, inexperienced, and even somewhat green Hyuga clan members to deal with them, an indescribable anger welled up in their hearts.

The Second Mizukage finally couldn't contain his anger. He took a step forward and shouted at Hyuga Neji, who was not far away, "Hey, brat! Don't think that just because we're not ready to fight, we're afraid to fight you! Even with just the fighting instincts left in our bodies, we're no match for a greenhorn like you! Hurry up and call your main force over here! We'll reveal our weaknesses to you so you can have a chance to seal us away completely!" With that, his cold eyes stared intently at Hyuga Neji, as if trying to put immense pressure on him.

However, Hyuga Neji seemed to have no intention of giving up on rallying the Allied Shinobi Forces for a joint operation. He walked steadily toward the two men without hesitation, only stopping when he was about 10 meters away from them.

Without hesitation, he spoke directly: "There's no need to suppress your inner fighting instincts. If possible, I'd rather see you unleash your full power without reservation! Come, let me witness just how astonishing your strength is, as former Kage. Don't worry about my safety; I have absolute confidence in my abilities. Even facing the two of you, I'm confident I can handle it easily without any problems!"

Upon hearing Hyuga Neji's disdainful and contemptuous words, the two men's expressions instantly darkened, as if a storm was about to break. Their eyes widened, staring incredulously at the seemingly arrogant young man before them. They thought to themselves, "How could we be looked down upon like this? This is utterly an insult to our dignity!"

They had been struggling to suppress their surging, almost uncontrollable fighting instincts. However, Neji Hyuga's words at this moment acted like a fuse, igniting their long-suppressed anger. That powerful force could no longer be restrained, galloping out like a wild horse.

Their fists clenched so tightly their knuckles turned slightly white from the force, radiating a chilling aura. Their eyes burned with a fierce rage, as if they wanted to incinerate Hyuga Neji before them. They gritted their teeth, secretly vowing to teach this arrogant brat a lesson he would never forget, to make him understand that even those powerful figures who had vanished from the world, unwilling to aid the Allied Shinobi Forces in their evil deeds, could not have their reputations and strength lightly disrespected or underestimated!