Shinra Tensei

As Guo Wang silently chanted in his heart, an invisible repulsive force erupted from the center of his body. The three White Zetsu felt as if they had been struck head-on by a giant mountain; their pale skin burst open, and they flew backward while wailing, crashing heavily into the slippery tree trunks amidst the downpour.

"Impossible, how could you possibly know this technique?"

Half of the body of the White Zetsu who appeared to be the leader had already been devoured by pitch-black insects, yet his remaining eye still witnessed the scene of Guo Wang killing three White Zetsu instantly without performing a single hand seal.

He could never forget this technique; after all, in this world, the one who had spent the longest time with the Rinnegan was his original master.

"A decent technique, it seems to have great potential for development."

After using this move, Guo Wang felt a stinging pain in his right eye and couldn't help but close it. A trace of crimson blood seeped from the gap in his eyelids, flowing down slowly like tears of blood.

"This is a ocular jutsu unique to the Rinnegan. You, with a mere Sharingan—even if you have awakened the Mangekyo—should not be able to use this technique."

The remaining White Zetsu had already been subdued by the Root ninjas once they recovered, and their expressions were all identical.

Shock, disbelief!

The impressions of the Mythical Era remaining in the minds of the White Zetsu were few, but everything regarding the Rinnegan was etched into their bones; they would never forget it for the rest of their lives.

And the scene just now, where Guo Wang stood motionless and merely raised his hand to blast away all the White Zetsu charging at him, was something he had only ever seen from the Sage of Six Paths and Uchiha Madara.

That was...

"Shinra Sei!"

After using this technique, this term suddenly surfaced in Guo Wang's mind. His body, which was already not in its best state, began to undergo a change that even he could not comprehend—it seemed like evolution, yet also like overdrawing his vitality.

No, there was one other person who had used it!

At this moment, the last White Zetsu suddenly remembered.

Not long ago, after Yahiko died, Nagato accepted the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and awakened the true power of the Rinnegan. Facing the thousands of kunai and shuriken fired by the subordinates of Hanzo and Danzo, he had also used this technique to protect Konan.

"Could it be, at that time..."

Before he could piece these clues together, he felt his vision go black. A stream of pitch-black insects crawled out from his seven orifices, and in the blink of an eye, they had gnawed his body into a hollow shell.

"Were any left alive?"

Guo Wang took the white cloth handed over by his subordinate, wiped the blood seeping from his right eye, and covered this precious Mangekyo with bandages once again.

"Apologies, Lord Danzo, we are still deep in enemy territory. If we were to take prisoners, I fear our movement speed would be greatly hindered."

After Aburame Torune's insects finished eating all the White Zetsu and returned to his body, they transmitted a lively and excited emotion to him, their host. The chakra that had been heavily depleted from using his secret technique actually overflowed after the insects returned. This unprecedented phenomenon made him feel a tinge of regret for his ruthlessness.

"That is truly a pity. I feel that these clones hide some very useful secrets."

Seeing that even the three White Zetsu blasted to death by his "Shinra Sei" had been eaten until only hair remained, Guo Wang set aside his regrets.

He reached out to gently stroke his right eye, a flicker of heat rising deep within his heart, accompanied by an indescribable sense of vigilance.

Originally, he had been somewhat dismissive of this world's energy system. After all, although the Danzo he had possessed had a rather notorious reputation, his strength was at the pinnacle of this realm, second only to the few leaders who held the title of "Kage." Yet, even such a figure had been easily taken over by him; the other five Kage, he reasoned, could not be much stronger.

However, that pair of Rinnegan, along with this Sharingan of his that had evolved into a Mangekyo, made Guo Wang sense an aura that only existed in the top-tier sacred grounds of the Dao Realm.

It was the Dao, the Law, the Rules—the ability to utilize the most fundamental power of the world.

Even if he had descended in his prime, without understanding the situation, facing this so-called ocular jutsu would likely have been a perilous ordeal.

"However, soon, the mysteries of this world's power will be completely unraveled by me."

Thinking of the true ability of this Mangekyo of his, Guo Wang couldn't help but want to return to Konoha to let it unleash its perfect ocular power.

"Torune, go ahead first. Inform Orochimaru and have him come to pick me up."

To avoid being ambushed during the weakest period of his adaptation after possession, Guo Wang searched through Danzo's memories and found this strongest subordinate of the Root.

This was a true genius and one of the top experts standing at the pinnacle of this world.

In terms of strength, without subordinates to assist, the original Danzo likely could not have suppressed Orochimaru.

"Lord Orochimaru? But isn't he on the battlefield in the Land of Earth?"

Aburame Torune was shocked to hear this order. Although he was loyal to Danzo, he was unwilling to disregard the overall situation for personal reasons.

In this Shinobi World War, Konoha was fighting four nations alone. The most difficult fronts were the battlefields in the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth. Once Orochimaru, this pillar of strength, was recalled, it could potentially cause the total collapse of Konoha's defensive lines.

"Your information is outdated. The Kannabi Bridge behind the Tsuchikage has already been destroyed by Minato. Without this most important supply base, even if that old man Ōnoki is stubborn, he cannot continue to fight Konoha to the death."

"Minato, is it!"

Hearing this name, a flash of brilliant golden light crossed Aburame Torune's mind, and he couldn't help but let out a sigh from the depths of his heart.

"We are truly old..."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly stopped, looking at Guo Wang with some embarrassment. In the past, his boss had always hated young, promising juniors, dreaming that Konoha would have no successors so that after the Third Hokage stepped down, he could fulfill his dream and become the Hokage.

"That fellow Orochimaru, he has wasted all my painstaking efforts."

Reviewing the recent actions in Danzo's memories, Guo Wang snorted with a cold expression. Aburame Torune, knowing the inside story, immediately took his leave.

However, for the remainder of the journey, their group did not encounter any more attacks. While this made Guo Wang breathe a sigh of relief, he was also mocked a few times by Orochimaru, who arrived shortly after.

Land of Rain!

The iron gate of the tower where the Akatsuki resided opened, and three figures wearing black cloaks with red clouds entered. The person on the left, wearing a white spiral mask, spoke in an appreciative tone.

"I told you so, didn't I?"

Nagato sat with half his body encased in machinery, his deep purple Rinnegan glowing with a ghostly light, his face set with a sense of realization.

"Yes, I finally understand."

"The selfish desire to maintain peace only invites war; in order to protect love, hatred will inevitably be born."

"In this cursed world, true peace does not exist."

Hearing this, Obito and Zetsu knew their mission was complete; the host of the Rinnegan had finally stepped onto the predetermined path.

"Exactly."

After these faint words, the space around Obito's right eye began to distort, swirling like a vortex to pull his body inside. As for Zetsu, his green leaves folded together, and he burrowed into the ground.

Only Konan, with an icy expression, walked to Nagato's side.

Now, she only had him!