Chapter 330: The Death of Toneri
A simple greeting.
Yet it felt like an invitation from a demon in hell, calling Toneri to the underworld.
At that moment, he felt a chill run down his spine, and his heart began to race.
Swoosh.
Toneri spun around and immediately saw a two-meter-tall, muscle-bound man looking down at him with a half-smile.
Behind the man, a humanoid figure clad in white armour appeared—"The World Over Heaven," exuding an unmatched sense of oppression like a cold, indifferent deity.
"U-chi-ha Dan."
Toneri spat out the man's name through gritted teeth, his muscles tense, his Tenseigan eyes locked onto every move of his opponent.
"So, I heard you want revenge on me?
Oh dear, why put on the innocent victim act? Your clan tried to destroy the ninja world first, forcing me to fight back on behalf of the weak inhabitants of this world."
Dan teased, seeing Toneri's look of deep-seated hatred.
Toneri's response was immediate.
"Die!"
He roared, gathering all his chakra into his right palm, unleashing a blinding green light that struck Dan's chest.
Boom!
The violent, destructive chakra surged from Toneri's palm into Dan's body.
Did it work?
Toneri could hardly believe it, his face lighting up with joy.
But his joy lasted less than a second.
"Is that all you've got, kid?"
Dan grinned, showing his sharp, white teeth. Before Toneri could react, Dan's fist smashed into his face.
"Waaah!"
Toneri screamed, teeth flying out of his mouth as blood spurted, his body crashing to the ground, creating a large crater.
If not for his chakra cloak, he might have died from that single blow.
"So strong…"
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a shocked look.
The powerful enemy they couldn't defeat with all their might had turned into a weak ant before the Sixth Hokage.
"Damn it!"
Toneri struggled to his feet, roaring in rage.
Clearly, this "ant" wasn't ready to accept being crushed so easily. He summoned all his strength for one final stand.
Swoosh.
Toneri soared into the sky, quickly reaching a height of a hundred meters. The green chakra orbs around him converged and merged in front of him.
Buzz.
She was accompanied by a dazzling golden light, a massive golden chakra sword materialised, radiating terrifying energy.
"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
Toneri poured all his chakra into the sword, slashing down at Dan.
The golden sword twisted space itself, causing cracks to appear.
This "Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion" was Toneri's strongest move, powerful enough to split the moon in half.
However, facing Toneri's desperate attack, Dan remained calm, even placing one hand behind his back.
As the sword descended, he casually raised his right hand to meet it.
The intense light enveloped everything.
After a long while.
As the light faded and Sasuke, Naruto, and Marisa's vision cleared, they saw a shocking sight.
Dan stood still as a mountain, straight as a spear, his right hand raised above his head, effortlessly catching the descending golden sword with one hand.
"No, that's impossible. He caught my Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion with his bare hand, and only one hand?!"
Toneri's eyes widened in disbelief.
Not only that.
Hiss.
Dan's right palm acted like a black hole, emitting a powerful suction that devoured the chakra of the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.
In Toneri's plan.
Even if Uchiha Dan could catch his sword, the resulting shockwave would still destroy Taki Village and kill Sasuke, Naruto, and Marisa.
But now.
With Dan using "Chakra Absorption," the golden sword shrank in his hand until it vanished without a trace, leaving no mark on the battlefield.
Next, Dan disappeared in a flash, reappearing in front of Toneri in an instant.
No.
Toneri instinctively tried to flee, but Dan's palm emitted a bright light, enveloping him.
In just three seconds.
As the light faded, Toneri Otsutsuki vanished from the world, leaving behind only a pair of blue Tenseigan eyes, which slowly descended.
Dan collected the Tenseigan.
Toneri, like Naruto, had once opposed Dan, but their fates were drastically different.
Dan spared Naruto's life partly to use him as leverage against Minato, forcing the latter to surrender the Nine-Tails willingly.
Additionally, as the prophesied child, Naruto could be useful in fighting against the Otsutsuki clan and other extraterrestrial invaders, even if only as high-level cannon fodder.
In contrast, Toneri's misdeeds were fewer than Naruto's, but without any value to Dan, he lost his right to live.
Such is the harsh reality.
"We're saved."
Naruto and Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief. If not for the Sixth Hokage's timely arrival, they would have died today.
In hindsight.
The Sixth Hokage must have anticipated that Toneri would target Marisa, so he deliberately sent her on a mission, arriving the moment she was attacked.
Toneri thought he was the fisherman throwing bait, never realising he was the prey caught in a trap.
Tap, tap, tap.
Dan strode over to Marisa, extending a large hand to her as she lay on the ground:
"Are you alright, my little treasure?"
Marisa snapped out of her daze, shivering with goosebumps. She stubbornly replied, "I don't need your concern."
She struggled to her feet, ignoring the pain, and coldly questioned Dan:
"So, you've been watching me all along, did you leave some kind of tracking jutsu mark on me, or was it something else?"
Dan shook his head and patiently explained:
"Oh, come on, it's your first mission. How could I not worry? As expected, you messed up…"
"There won't be a next time!"
Marisa interrupted her father, vowing firmly.
"It better be that way, I can't always come to save you in time." Dan sighed.
"Hmph, mind your own business."
Marisa snorted, turning away from Dan.
As the father-daughter duo quarrelled, Sasuke and Naruto approached.
"Lord Hokage, I'm sorry. As the captain, I failed to take care of Marisa!"
Sasuke spoke with remorse, bowing deeply to Dan to apologize.
"And me, too. I was too eager to save Fuu, rushing into Taki Village without scouting the situation first. I'm the one most at fault."
**Chapter 330: The Death of Toneri**
Naruto also deeply reflected, bowing along with Sasuke.
Dan sneered, looking down at the two of them and said:
"Instead of apologizing, you should reflect on why you are so weak. Sasuke, Naruto, your performance this time has greatly disappointed me."
Hearing Dan's words, their expressions changed immediately. They maintained their bowing posture, not daring to lift their heads:
"We're sorry, Lord Hokage. We will try harder!"
At this moment, over a hundred figures appeared in the distance, rushing towards them.
It was Fuu and the surviving villagers of Takigakure.
"All the villagers of Takigakure pay respects to Lord Sixth Hokage."
Led by Fuu, the villagers cautiously bowed to Dan, trembling in the presence of this legendary figure, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Hmm."
Dan responded faintly, then turned to leave.
"Wait, Lord Hokage."
Fuu stepped forward, summoning her courage to speak to Dan, "You saved Takigakure.
As a token of our gratitude, besides the commission fee, we would like to present you with Hero Water. It may not be of great value to you, but it is a token of our appreciation."
"Fuu, you don't have to be so courteous. Keep the Hero Water to help your village through the upcoming hardships."
Marisa frowned and said.
She knew that the so-called Hero Water was useless to her father. If Takigakure's sacred water fell into his hands, it would likely be squandered and wasted.
However, Marisa's objection only served to spark Dan's rebellious streak.
"Since it's a gesture of goodwill from Takigakure, I'll accept it. Lead the way, Fuu."
Dan smiled slightly, disregarding Marisa's objection, and gladly accepted Takigakure's gift.
Ten minutes later.
Following Fuu, the group found a secret space hidden within the burnt trunk of the sacred tree.
There hung a gourd filled with the concentrated Hero Water, swirling inside and emitting a strong energy.
Fuu stood on tiptoe to take down the gourd, then respectfully handed it to Dan with both hands.
"This Hero Water, rather than being a treasure of the village, is more like a curse.
Throughout history, every time the Hero Water was created, it attracted greed and covetousness, bringing disaster upon Takigakure and preventing it from ever being at peace.
Now, the sacred tree is burnt down. By giving you the last of the Hero Water, Takigakure no longer has a so-called treasure. Perhaps from now on... it will finally achieve true peace."
Fuu spoke sincerely, with no hint of reluctance, as she handed over the Hero Water.
Dan took the gourd, weighed it in his hand, and then casually tossed it to Marisa.
"What do you mean?" Marisa asked, confused.
"My little treasure, isn't your birthday coming up? This is a gift from your father. Don't be so quick to refuse. This could be very beneficial for your Stand, possibly making The Platinum Star even stronger."
Dan smiled dotingly, his eyes full of affection for his daughter.
"So envious."
Seeing the Sixth Hokage's affection for Marisa, everyone present couldn't help but feel envious, acknowledging that Marisa was the luckiest person in the world.
Even Marisa herself was stunned, feeling a warm flow in her heart.
This was fatherly love.
She snapped out of her daze and, out of habit, retorted, "Hmph, what gift? I don't care for it."
But while her words were defiant, her actions were honest. She carefully put away the gourd containing the Hero Water.
Fine.
She decided not to reject her father this time, giving him face in front of so many people.
At this moment.
Naruto glanced at the fallen sacred tree, expressing regret:
"What a pity. This tree must be over a thousand years old. First, it was burned, then it was knocked down by Toneri's storm. It probably won't survive."
"Yes."
Fuu and the villagers of Takigakure were visibly saddened.
After all, Takigakure was established under this tree. It had accompanied the village through many trials and tribulations and had long been seen by the villagers as a totem and spiritual symbol.
No one wanted it to end up like this.
"Though it's a pity, we must look ahead. We've decided to leave here and find a new home to rebuild Takigakure."
Finally, after discussing with the villagers, Fuu said.
The terrain of Takigakure was destroyed, no longer suitable for living, and the sacred tree was uprooted and near death.
They had no choice but to accept reality and muster the courage to start anew.
"I'll take this tree with me."
Dan looked at the fallen sacred tree and suddenly said.
Facing the villagers' puzzled looks, he explained lightly: "When I have time, I'll periodically inject Yang Release chakra into it. Maybe it can be saved."
"Really?"
The villagers of Takigakure were both surprised and delighted.
"Don't forget, Lord Hokage is the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki. The sacred tree you worship might have been part of the Ten-Tails over a thousand years ago."
Sasuke explained to the villagers, further shocking them.
Then.
Fuu took a deep breath and, along with the villagers, bowed deeply to Dan once more:
"Please, Lord Hokage, take care of it."
Dan nodded and, after thinking for a moment, added:
"If you have nowhere to go, come with us. After all… when this tree revives, I won't have time to water and fertilize it. That job can be yours."
The villagers of Takigakure were stunned, then overjoyed, falling to their knees in front of Dan.
"Lord Hokage is merciful!"
They all expressed their gratitude profusely.
After that, under everyone's watchful eyes, Dan flew into the air above the sacred tree.
Rise.
He raised his hand, and a massive hand, several hundred meters in diameter, appeared behind him, gently lifting the fallen sacred tree.
Under a series of awe-struck gazes.
Rumble.
Amidst the ground's violent tremors, the tree, weighing over three thousand tons, lifted off the ground and flew into the air.
An hour later.
In an undeveloped area on the outskirts of Konoha.
Swoosh.
A giant tree broke through the clouds and descended from the sky, landing with a thunderous crash.
Then, Dan waved his hand, and a rain of chakra fell.
In an instant.
Bathed in the chakra rain, the sacred tree's burnt bark began to peel off, and fresh green buds sprouted.
At the same time, countless roots at the base of the tree grew and extended deep into the ground, firmly anchoring it.
From that day on, Konoha became a new tourist attraction.
(End of Chapter)