At this moment, two iron pipes slowly extended from the airborne fortress, aiming directly at the palace.
Weng…
With an explosive roar, two spherical cannonballs fell from the fortress like shooting stars.
The cannonballs moved at incredible speed, flashing through the air like lightning, trailing sparks and afterimages.
"Not good! Everyone, quickly intercept them!"
Dozens of ninja immediately stepped forward, each unleashing their distinct jutsu in a desperate attempt to stop the cannonballs mid-air.
[Wind Release: Wind Blade]
[Wind Release: Vacuum Wave]
[Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall]
[Fire Release: Flame Bullet]
[Lightning Release: Lightning Slash]
...
Though numerous, the ninja acted in disarray, lacking both order and coordination.
Some formed hand seals to intercept the cannonballs, others attacked them directly, and still others tried to deflect them with wind techniques.
Their combined efforts managed to disrupt the cannonballs—but not destroy them. Fortunately, several attacks altered their trajectory slightly, causing them to land off course.
BOOM! The ground erupted in a deafening explosion, sending up clouds of dust. Two massive craters appeared just before the palace steps.
"Did we get them?" someone asked hesitantly.
Others looked up toward the sky fortress, hoping to see what it would do next.
Jiraiya now stood up, his face serious as he stared at the two craters.
"What's wrong, Professor Jiraiya?" Minato asked.
Jiraiya kept his eyes locked on the deep craters, his voice grave. "Something's wrong. Those weren't ordinary cannonballs—I sensed pulses of life."
Kushina and Minato exchanged glances, staring at the still-smoking craters with disbelief.
Falling from such a height at that speed—there was no way anyone could survive.
Just as they were thinking this, two terrifying presences surged from the depths of the craters.
These auras were vast and deep like oceans, towering like insurmountable mountains, making everyone struggle to breathe.
"What's happening?!"
The nearby ninja trembled involuntarily, their bodies instinctively shaking as though facing a natural predator.
Crack…
A sound came from within the craters, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Two tall figures slowly emerged from the smoke—one walking out from each crater. Their bodies were muscular and imposing, like living mountains.
Massive veins bulged across their skin, protruding like worms crawling over their bodies.
Bare-chested, each muscle was perfectly defined—smooth, powerful, and terrifyingly alive.
As the smoke dissipated, they emerged in triumph.
This sight sent shockwaves through the gathered ninja and samurai.
Strong, fierce, brutal, horrifying…
These two men seemed like kings among beasts, radiating an aura so overwhelming that all present instinctively bowed—in spirit and in body.
Though their movements appeared slow, each step covered ten meters in an instant. Within moments, they reached the front of the palace.
"Great Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields, you have defied the will of Shinno and disrupted the peace of this world. Today, we—the Twin Envoys of Reward and Retribution—shall deliver your punishment: death."
They spoke in unison, their voices releasing a terrifying shockwave that blasted through the palace's deepest chambers, reaching the ears of the Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields.
The Great Daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields shuddered in terror at the news.
"Quick! Kill these two heinous criminals immediately!" He pointed his finger at the Envoys of Reward and Retribution, commanding the ninjas he had hired.
Although the ninja possessed great power, they had no choice but to obey the Daimyo's orders to barely survive.
Several ninja were lying in ambush near the palace. As if receiving a command, they suddenly began performing Ninjutsu and charged forward.
[Earth Release: Internal Severance Technique.]
Hand seals completed, an invisible force surged up from underground, attempting to trap both Envoys beneath the earth.
Bei Gongcheng, the test subject, saw this and wore a contemptuous smirk on his face.
He raised one foot, releasing an overwhelming surge of chakra instantly as he stomped heavily onto the ground.
In an instant, the Earth Release technique failed, and the wild, uncontrollable chakra even backfired against its user.
On the other side, martial artists mid-charge were sent flying by this shockwave.
Seeing this scene unfold, the Allied Ninja Forces froze in place, afraid to advance further.
Truly terrifying figures—oppressive chakra energy that could be described as a human Tailed Beast-level entity.
"Hahaha! So this is power!" Bei Gongcheng raised his head with utter arrogance.
Never did he expect that becoming a test subject would grant him such overwhelming strength—it was truly a blessing in disguise.
Those once-commanded Jonin and elite Jonin who he once treated with respect now appeared no more than ants before him.
Moreover, he knew this was still not his strongest state—he had two other transformation modes.
However, those two transformations drained too much chakra and were difficult to control, so he couldn't use them easily.
"Let's all release our jutsu together—we'll see if they really are unbeatable!" A Kiri ninja shouted, coordinating with the others.
When the others saw this, they followed suit as if finding new courage, launching their own techniques alongside.
Kiri ninja used Water Release techniques, channeling countless torrents of water from their palms.
[Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique.]
[Water Release: Water Encampment Wall.]
[Water Release: Water Prison Technique.]
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique.]
One after another, powerful water techniques combined into a devastating tidal wave hurtling toward Bei Gongcheng and his companion.
"No matter how many of you come, you're still just insects."
Bei Gongcheng took a deep breath, crimson steam boiling off his skin as if his body were on fire, his chakra surging like it had reached a boiling point.
He raised his arm, bulging veins popping out, muscles hardened like forged steel.
He drew his fist back—then released.
A dense surge of chakra shot forth along with a burst of energy, striking forward with such force that the heavens and earth seemed to split apart.
Chakra and internal qi surged together, forming a punch as mighty as a celestial axe, splitting the flood straight down the middle.
All those techniques—water prisons, water dragons—were reduced to nothing more than ephemeral bubbles under the overwhelming masculine force.
"What?! How is this possible?!" One ninja lost composure completely, trembling as he fled in terror.
No one wanted to face such monsters anymore—the gap was too wide. It would be sheer suicide.
The ultimate power left Jiraiya deep in thought, as if something had just occurred to him.
"Sensei Jiraiya, do you know something about this?"
"This is the Eight Gates technique—a forbidden jutsu from Konoha. It was stolen once during the Second Great Shinobi War. Its power is indeed terrifying."
"Just looking at his stance, he must have opened at least seven gates. Doesn't he care that his body won't hold up and he might die from it?"
Jiraiya was a disciple of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi and had heard rumors about the forbidden techniques sealed within the Scroll of Seals.
While these kinjutsu were undeniably powerful, they came with critical flaws.
Once the Eight Gates technique is activated, one might even kill a village's Kage—if they were lucky.
But the cost is extreme—the body can't withstand the chakra generated by the Eight Gates, resulting in severe physical harm and even death.
Opening just the seventh gate already puts most people in mortal danger; activating all Eight Gates means certain death.
...
...
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