Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 429 The Fall of the Angel

On the wide river of Amegakure, deafening explosions rang out continuously, seemingly without end. Blazing flames shot into the sky, instantly obscuring the previously cold, damp, and overcast sky. The raging flames, like ferocious demons, relentlessly devoured everything around them. The intensity of the fire turned the entire river surface a crimson red, resembling a river flowing with blood, exuding a chilling aura.

Not far away, Orochimaru's cold, narrow eyes were also filled with astonishment. He had never expected that Konan could use such a shocking technique! A full 6000 billion explosive tags! Those explosive tags exploded one after another like surging waves, the terrifying explosions resounding through the sky, deafening, as if the whole world was about to tremble.

Moreover, the explosion lasted for more than 10 minutes! During this long period, flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed, forming a huge and terrifying sea of ​​fire. The shockwaves and heat waves generated by each explosion raged outwards like ferocious beasts, making it impossible for anyone to approach.

While the power of a single explosive tag might be relatively limited, posing little threat to truly powerful ninjas, the situation changes drastically when the number of tags reaches such an astonishing level. The energy released by such a massive simultaneous detonation of tags is utterly devastating. Even the most skilled ninja, if unfortunately caught in the raging flames and shockwaves and targeted by a pinpoint explosion, would likely have little chance of survival. After all, against such an overwhelming and endless barrage of attacks, any defense would seem utterly futile.

Even Orochimaru, a Golden Core cultivator, would likely find it difficult to guarantee his safety in the face of such an attack. Orochimaru's senses had failed to detect the masked man's presence, and he would probably perish in this frenzied assault. After all, given the masked man's level of mastery over spatial rules, it was absolutely impossible for him to sustain such a continuous barrage of attacks.

However, Orochimaru dared not let his guard down. Although the current situation seemed to favor him, he knew very well that someone who could be the mastermind behind Akatsuki was definitely not just someone like that. After all, that mysterious masked man controlled the entire Akatsuki; it would be strange if he were defeated so easily!

Orochimaru's eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the masked man. But to his surprise, even in the face of such a fierce attack, the masked man remained remarkably calm, as if it were all within his expectations.

"I wonder how many more tricks this guy has up his sleeve? I'm afraid Angel Konan's attack this time won't be enough to kill him." Orochimaru thought to himself. "It seems I need to be more careful in my future actions, otherwise, if I fall into his trap, the consequences will be unimaginable..." Thinking of this, Orochimaru frowned, and the flow of his soul power in his mind became faster as he more carefully sensed the changes in his surroundings.

In order to maintain this continuous and precise barrage of explosions, Konan's petite body was consuming chakra at an astonishing rate. Each explosion was like an energy extravaganza, but also a tremendous drain on her own power.

As the deafening explosion gradually subsided and finally ceased, like the final movement of a stirring piece of music, Xiao Nan finally gained a precious moment of respite. However, she did not let her guard down in the slightest, for she knew that the situation before her was still extremely dangerous.

This series of earth-shattering, targeted explosive techniques was the last resort she could unleash against the mysterious, masked man. Her eyes were resolute and determined, and she silently vowed: no matter what, she would never allow the Rinnegan embedded in Nagato's corpse to fall into the hands of this ambitious and scheming masked man! Even at the cost of her life, she would protect this precious legacy and the beliefs her comrades had fought for.

At this moment, the waves on the river gradually subsided, as if all the noise had faded away with the passage of time. Xiao Nan's wings, which had once shone brightly and supported her soaring through the air, now lost their strength and could no longer maintain their flight. Her body, like a light feather, slowly drifted down from the sky and finally gently landed on the river surface.

At the same time, the thick, dark clouds that had been shrouding Amegakure began to gradually disperse. As if driven by some mysterious force, the heavy, gloomy clouds slowly retreated. Sunlight finally broke through the layers of obstruction, piercing the dissipating clouds like a sharp sword, showering warmth and light upon this land that had long been shrouded in gloom.

Xiao Nan slowly raised her head, gazing up at the dazzling sun in the sky. A faint look of reminiscence appeared on her beautiful face, as if recalling the wonderful times she had spent here. She stood there quietly, letting the warm sunlight caress her skin, fully enjoying this rare tranquility and warmth. A dazzling rainbow appeared before her, seemingly welcoming her victory.

Even the gloomy aura that had lingered over Amegakure seemed to be dispelled by this brilliant sunlight. The entire village was bathed in golden light, regaining its vibrant life. The outlines of the buildings became clearer, and the puddles on the streets reflected the sunlight like mirrors. People came out of their homes, feeling the light they hadn't seen in so long, their faces beaming with joy and hope.

"Pfft!" A chilling sound rang out as a cold, hard steel pipe pierced through Xiao Nan's chest like a bolt of lightning! Instantly, crimson blood gushed out like a burst dam, splashing onto the shimmering river below, creating shocking blood flowers.

Xiao Nan's once serene face was now contorted with pain from the sudden onset of agony. Her lips trembled slightly, emitting weak, painful groans. Her beautiful eyes were filled with disbelief and profound despair, as if the entire world had collapsed at that moment.

Behind Xiao Nan, the mysterious masked man stood proudly. He gripped the steel pipe that had pierced Xiao Nan's chest tightly in his hand, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, revealing his cold-blooded ruthlessness. The masked man himself looked battered and disheveled. Half of his mask was broken, revealing a狰狞 and terrifying face; one arm hung limply at his side, clearly broken; his clothes were tattered and covered in charred marks from the bombing.

However, despite this, the masked man's remaining single eye gleamed with an unusually bright light—the unique light of the Sharingan. His cold gaze, like a venomous snake, was fixed on Konan, as if trying to find some vital secret through her eyes. Indeed, he was preparing to use powerful genjutsu to force the whereabouts of Nagato's corpse from the dying Konan.

"Why is this happening? You should be dead by now! This is impossible!" Xiao Nan's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. She stared intently at the masked man in front of her, muttering to herself in a low, trembling voice.

At this moment, Xiao Nan felt as if she were in a nightmare. She couldn't understand why her meticulously planned and repeatedly simulated perfect attack had failed. She thought everything was under control, but reality gave her a heavy slap in the face.

The masked man opposite her had his head slightly lowered, his expression hidden behind the mask, but a hint of smugness and disdain could be sensed in his deep voice. He slowly said, "Hmph, Izanagi, this is a forbidden technique of the Uchiha clan that connects illusion and reality at the cost of losing one's sight. To withstand your fierce attack just now, I paid a terrible price—losing the sight of one of my Sharingan eyes!" After saying this, he raised his head, coldly looking at Konan with his remaining eye, seemingly mocking her ignorance and naivety.

Xiao Nan gritted her teeth, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead. The excruciating pain from the penetrating wound felt like a million ants gnawing at her nerves. However, with astonishing willpower, she endured the piercing agony and took a few steps forward without hesitation. As she moved, the steel pipe deeply embedded in her chest was forcibly pulled out.

In an instant, crimson blood gushed from the wound like a fountain, spraying freely onto the calm river surface. For a moment, the once crystal-clear water beside her was stained crimson, as if a river of blood was slowly flowing. But soon, this shocking color gradually dissipated and diluted in the rushing water until it completely disappeared, restoring the river to its former clarity.

Despite suffering such a severe blow, Konan stubbornly turned her head, staring intently at the masked man not far away. Her gaze was sharp and resolute, revealing not a trace of compromise or surrender. On the contrary, deep within her eyes, filled with anger and fighting spirit, she was desperately channeling her chakra, attempting to gather it so that she could quickly unleash her most powerful ninjutsu and engage in a life-or-death struggle with this formidable enemy.