Long-Awaited Sense of Crisis

Thump.

Thump.

Thump.

Deep booms echoed through the forest, shock waves spreading in every direction as if they had substance. Flocks of birds took flight, and herds of beasts scattered.

The three-way battle continued, but the battlefield had long since been reduced to a wasteland. Trees lay toppled in every direction, while leaves and wood splinters swirled through the air.

"That's it! Just like that!"

Shinji's spirits soared, and he fought with ever-increasing vigor.

The extreme Taijutsu clash sent his body into a complete frenzy. Every organ, even every cell, was roused by the rapid operation of the Twelve Palaces.

At that moment, his body and spirit continued to climb toward their peak.

He could clearly feel the high-quality Yang Release Chakra belonging to Ōtsutsuki Ashura, contained within the First Hokage cells in his body, beginning to accept him. As a result, the level of Yin-Yang fusion within him rose rapidly, reaching unprecedented heights.

The same went for the others.

The all-out battle also greatly improved how much Ryūsetsuna and Chiyo absorbed of the Blue Spider Lily No. 1 injected into them.

Their strength and speed were visibly increasing.

At first, Shinji had been able to fight both of them at once and keep them in check, thanks to his deeper understanding and control of the Twelve Palaces.

But as time passed, Shinji, who hadn't been injected with Blue Spider Lily No. 1, began to fall slightly behind in strength and speed.

If his First Hokage cells hadn't also been fusing more deeply with his body, the gap in strength and speed would have been even more obvious.

Of course, that was only a difference in physical prowess. If Shinji used his Dōjutsu—even if he only used ordinary Ninjutsu—he could easily turn the tide!

Thump.

With another dull impact, the