Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 166: Hashirama’s Sealing!

A familiar reason.

The same, ever-familiar reason.

Shigen gazed at Hashirama with calm eyes, as if he had long foreseen this moment.

There was no surprise on his face.

After all...

He had anticipated this.

Even if Hashirama felt guilt over his brother Tobirama's past mistakes, he would never stand idly by when Konoha was in crisis.

Shigen did not answer him.

Instead, he calmly gave orders to Nagato and Konan.

"You two, retreat toward the outskirts of Konoha. I'll cover you."

The real battle...

Was about to begin.

Even though he had prepared for this scenario,

Fighting multiple Hokage with the chakra limitations of his Edo Tensei body would not be easy.

However...

He also had a plan of his own.

This was far from a desperate situation.

"Lord Shigen..."

Nagato hesitated, as if wanting to say something.

"Leaving is effortless for me."

Shigen observed the Hokage quickly closing in around him and shook his head lightly.

"The real challenge... is ensuring your escape."

"And that is the most important thing."

"..."

Nagato fell silent, lowering his head.

"Go."

At Shigen's command, his body shot forward at high speed.

His fingers moved swiftly—

A towering wall of flames erupted, cutting off the Hokage's advance.

The real battle...

Had finally begun!

"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"

Tobirama's hands formed seals.

His jutsu required hand signs, making him a fraction slower than Shigen, but in moments, a torrential surge of water crashed into the flames!

Water and fire collided—

A thick mist billowed across the battlefield.

But such an obstruction was meaningless to these combatants.

Their sensory abilities rendered visibility irrelevant.

Both sides instantly locked onto each other's locations.

However...

The Hokage realized a problem.

Nagato and Konan had already fled as ordered.

Though Nagato had expended a great deal of chakra in battle,

The Konoha shinobi still weren't confident they could stop him.

Just as Hashirama and the others began formulating a countermeasure—

A flash of emerald light burst through the mist—

A chakra scalpel slicing through the haze, slashing toward them!

"Watch out!"

Tobirama barely had time to shout a warning.

He easily dodged, but more glowing blades followed, cutting through the air in rapid succession.

"Charge through!"

Hashirama leaped forward,

Fist glowing with chakra as he swung directly at Shigen!

Simultaneously, Tobirama and Minato hurled their Flying Thunder God kunai,

Coordinating their attacks with Hashirama's strike.

"Beware the Rinnegan!"

Jiraiya's voice rang out in warning.

"Yes, Jiraiya-sensei!"

Minato immediately responded.

Earlier, they had taken advantage of Nagato's unfamiliarity with the Flying Thunder God technique.

That was why they had gained the upper hand so easily.

But now—

They were facing Shigen.

A man who not only possessed the Rinnegan but had also mastered the Flying Thunder God technique.

To put it bluntly...

Based on Shigen's speed earlier, he was at least on par with Minato and Tobirama.

This was going to be a brutal fight.

And sure enough—

As soon as Minato and Tobirama teleported beside Shigen,

He reacted instantly.

His body twisted mid-air, legs sweeping out in a twin kick,

Knocking both Minato and Tobirama away!

But—

That gave Hashirama an opening!

Even so...

Shigen remained unbothered.

He met Hashirama head-on,

His chakra scalpel flashing in a flurry of precise strikes.

"His swordsmanship... is on par with Madara's!"

Hashirama's eyes narrowed,

Forced to retreat under the relentless assault of emerald blades.

"Attack freely!"

"They are all Edo Tensei bodies! They won't die from damage!"

"We just need to destroy Shigen's body to create an opening for sealing him!"

Tobirama's voice cut sharply through the battlefield as he took command.

But then—

He hesitated.

He had already failed to seal Shigen with the Reaper Death Seal.

Could they truly contain him?

"...Perhaps."

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

Hiruzen swiftly performed seals, summoning a massive earthen dragon.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

A blaze of fire surged forth, igniting the earthen bullets into flaming projectiles.

It was Hiruzen's signature combination technique—Earth Dragon Flame Flow!

Shigen remained unfazed.

His chakra scalpel slashed effortlessly through the flaming missiles, dispersing them.

"A chance!"

Tobirama saw an opening.

Disguising his kunai among the fireballs,

He teleported directly in front of Shigen.

With kunai in hand,

He slashed at Shigen's chest—

If he landed the strike,

It would cripple Shigen's ability to fight!

But—

A single radiant arc of green light swept through the air.

Shigen's eyes lifted slightly,

As if he had expected Tobirama's move all along.

A blinding flash—

Tobirama was cut clean in half.

"Tobirama!"

"Lord Second!"

Everyone froze in shock.

The strike—

Had been perfectly timed.

Even while battling Hashirama and evading Hiruzen's attacks,

Shigen had been aware of Tobirama's every movement.

To put it bluntly—

The moment Tobirama teleported,

Shigen had already prepared for the killing blow.

"Everything about you..."

"Is no secret to me."

Shigen watched as Tobirama's Edo Tensei body began to regenerate.

A black receiver materialized in his hand—

He drove it into Tobirama's body, pinning him to the ground.

Shigen had seen Tobirama's memories.

He knew that Tobirama relied on high-risk tactics for swift victories.

Perhaps because his chakra was weaker than his brother's.

Perhaps because, in the Warring States era, a single misstep meant death.

Tobirama had ingrained this fighting style into his very being.

"..."

Tobirama struggled against the black rod—

But the Yin-Yang chakra within it severed his connection to his body.

Even though his Edo Tensei form was regenerating,

He was completely immobilized.

"We must rescue Lord Second!"

Hiruzen quickly assessed the situation.

"Even though Lord First can match Shigen in raw power, his swordsmanship is overwhelming."

"He's being pushed back."

"And we..."

"...Are barely making an impact."

He and Jiraiya could only support from afar with ninjutsu.

Their attacks were ineffective against Shigen.

Even Minato, despite his Flying Thunder God speed,

Was limited in his approach.

Minato's fighting style relied on surprise teleportation and rapid strikes.

But against an opponent who also knew Flying Thunder God—

That advantage was gone.

"Sage Mode—Activate!"

Minato clasped his hands together, entering Sage Mode.

His pupils sharpened into toad-like irises.

"I'm not good at Sage Mode."

"But it enhances my physical abilities."

"If nothing else, I can buy time."

"That blond kid—"

Hashirama, despite fighting, noticed Minato's transformation.

"Help me hold him off!"

"I've figured it out!"

"Buy me some time, and I'll find a way to stop Shigen!"

"Yes!"

Minato charged.

A Rasengan swirled to life in his palm.

"Sage Art: Rasengan!"

"Pointless."

Shigen didn't even glance at Minato.

He flicked his fingers—

The earth cracked, trapping Minato's foot.

Minato almost teleported away—

But if he did, Hashirama would be overwhelmed.

Gritting his teeth,

He let his foot remain trapped, lunging forward with the Rasengan anyway.

A reckless attack—

Which was exactly what Hashirama needed.

Vines burst from the ground, wrapping around Shigen.

"Wood Release..."

Hashirama smirked.

"You're terrifying up close."

"If I hadn't distracted you for a moment, I wouldn't have been able to do this."

"Sage Art—Gate of the Great God!"

From the sky—

Massive torii gates came crashing down.

Before Shigen could react,

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The gates pinned him to the ground.

"...Finally."

Hashirama exhaled.

"Did we succeed?"

Hiruzen landed beside him, catching his breath.

"No..."

Hashirama shook his head, eyes still locked on Shigen.

"The gates will only suppress him for a while."

"We need to find a permanent solution."

But while the Hokage worried—

Shigen, trapped beneath the gates,

Simply closed his eyes.

As if...

He no longer cared.

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