Devastating Force

Taiichi, with the three little ones, took a short break and then headed straight for the Shrine Maiden Palace in the heart of the Land of Demons.

Along the way, they could clearly sense the turmoil in the Land of Demons.

Along the roadsides, one could frequently see elaborately decorated carriage convoys, laden with large and small boxes of luggage, hastily fleeing abroad under the protection of servants and guards.

The faces of the wealthy were filled with terror, as if they were being chased by evil spirits.

What's even more heartbreaking is that some ordinary Civilian have also joined the ranks of the fleeing.

They pushed a simple cart piled high with pots, pans, bedding, and food, helping the old and carrying the young, and trudged unsteadily toward the direction from which Taiichi and the others had come.

The children cried and screamed, while the adults looked numb, their eyes filled with uncertainty about the future.

"The situation is worse than I imagined."

Taiichi turned back to look at the convoy that had just passed by them, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper. "The scale of the escape is larger than expected. Even Civilian are starting to evacuate on a large scale, which means that the situation on the front lines has probably already affected the hinterland, and the people's confidence in the Shrine Maiden Palace is wavering."

The three children felt heavy-hearted looking at the scene of displacement and homelessness before them.

Jiangtai suppressed his usual carefree attitude, Yami pursed her lips, and Itachi silently observed the fleeing crowd.

"We need to speed things up," Taiichi voice.

The three nodded emphatically, their Chakra flowing beneath their feet, and their speed suddenly increased.

The group moved at an unprecedented speed, becoming four blurry shadows on the official road, rushing against the flow of people towards the Shrine Maiden Palace.

The atmosphere was heavy and silent the entire way.

The four of them entered the Shrine Maiden Palace grounds without any hindrance before noon.

When the continuous mountain range and the magnificent palace complex perched atop it came into view, the four of them couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Finally—we've arrived!"

Jiangtai wiped the sweat from his forehead. The long journey had left him a little out of breath, but his eyes were full of excitement at reaching his destination.

The weasel habitually observed its surroundings.

The area at the foot of the mountain, where there should have been sentry posts and patrols, was unusually quiet at this moment, with only the rustling of the wind through the trees.

This silence, however, carried an ominous air.

The group of four walked towards the torii gate at the foot of the mountain, preparing to announce their arrival.

According to custom, a visit to the Shrine Maiden Palace requires prior notification and approval, followed by a guided escort.

When they were about a hundred meters away from the torii gate, the weasel suddenly stopped, narrowed its eyes, and stared intently at the palace complex on the mountainside.

"Teacher, something's wrong." Itachi's voice was wary. "There's movement on the mountain. I see smoke rising, but it doesn't look like cooking smoke."

Upon hearing Taiichi immediately stopped and followed Itachi's gaze up the mountain.

At that very moment, everyone saw it--

At the summit, the most magnificent building, presumably the main hall, suddenly shook violently! Then, the dome of the hall collapsed, the walls crumbled, and billowing dust rose into the sky!

Something's happened!

This was the thought that flashed through everyone's mind at that moment.

Taiichi's expression changed drastically, and he immediately Hand Seals without hesitation.

Shadow Clone Technique!

White smoke exploded, and a Shadow Clone appeared beside him.

As the clone took shape, Taiichi closed his eyes and focused his mind, fully sensing the Flying Thunder God Mark left on the Nine-Tails.

"You stay here with my Shadow Clone, ready to provide support or evacuate at any time."

Taiichi spoke incredibly fast, giving the three little ones no time to ask questions, "I'll go up and take a look first!"

Before he finished speaking, Taiichi's figure had already disappeared from the spot, leaving only a faint Chakra fluctuation in the air.

"Teacher!" Jiangtai exclaimed in surprise, but there was no one in front of him.

The Shadow Clone, Taiichi, patted him on the shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Trust the main body. We'll stand by here, ready to fight at any time."

Itachi's eyes remained fixed on the collapsed main hall on the mountain. His keen eyesight allowed him to see blurry figures moving and colliding at high speed in the smoke and dust, occasionally bursting forth with blinding flashes of Ninjutsu.

"The battle continues," Itachi whispered, "And—it's fierce."

The Shrine Maiden Palace, a battlefield in ruins.

When Taiichi instantly appeared beside Nine-Tails using the Flying Thunder God Technique, he was greeted not by the usual lazy "ooh ooh ooh," but by a purplish-red claw carrying a sharp wind!

The claw was as big as a washbasin, with sharp nails like knives and covered with strange scales. It came crashing down with a piercing shriek that tore through the air!

Before the claws even arrived, the violent air pressure was already making it difficult to breathe.

Taiichi have time to see his surroundings clearly before his battle instincts kicked in.

His Chakra erupted like a volcano, and his Chakra Enhanced Strength instantly boosted his right arm. Instead of retreating, he advanced and threw a punch to meet the attack!

Fists and claws collided, unleashing a deafening roar like muffled thunder.

A visible white shockwave exploded outwards from the point of impact, scattering debris and broken wood in all directions!

Taiichi felt a brute force coming from his arm, his body sank slightly, and the ground beneath his feet cracked open like a spider web.

But with his waist and stance in perfect harmony, and his power flowing smoothly, he only needed to take one step back to dissipate all the momentum and stand firmly.

The purplish-red monster on the other side fared much worse.

Its forward momentum was abruptly halted, followed by an overwhelming force that rebounded from the point where its fist and claw met, causing the scales on its entire arm to shatter, splattering purplish-black blood, and its massive body to stagger backward uncontrollably.

One step, two steps, three steps—she retreated seven or eight steps in total, each step leaving deep footprints on the ground, before finally managing to steady herself and looking at Taiichi who had suddenly appeared with surprise and uncertainty.

"Bang!"

Only then did Taiichi have time to survey the battlefield.

What came into view was a scene of utter devastation. The once solemn and majestic main hall had been reduced to ruins, with broken beams and shattered tiles scattered all over the ground.

In the distance, the Shrine Maiden Miroku was surrounded by a group of guards, holding her daughter Shion tightly in her arms. Her face was pale, but her eyes were firm.

There were also many ninjas and Samurai from the Land of Demons around, all wounded, staring intently at the center of the battlefield.

At his feet, the Nine-Tails Fox lay sprawled on the ground, panting heavily.

Its once majestic tiger body had shrunk considerably, now only the size of a wolfhound. Its orange-red fur was bald in patches, covered in dust and bloodstains, making it look utterly wretched.

"Eek—" Nine-Tails looked up and saw Taiichi. A hint of grievance flashed in her crimson eyes as she weakly complained, "If you hadn't come soon, this clone of mine would have been shattered by this madman!"

After saying that, its Chakra surged, completely dispelling its battle form and transforming back into a small fox less than thirty centimeters long. It hopped and skipped quickly to the feet of the Shrine Maiden Miroku, resuming its guard duties.

"Lord Taiichi!" Upon seeing Taiichi appear, Miroku's eyes lit up with surprise, but this was quickly replaced by worry. "Please be careful! This monster is a follower of the Moryo. He drank the evil power bestowed upon him by the Moryo, becoming incredibly strong and possessing extraordinary regenerative abilities!"

Taiichi nodded slightly, his gaze refocusing on the purplish-red monster opposite him.

The monster was over three meters tall, its entire body covered in purplish-red scales, its muscles bulging like rocks, its eyes bloodshot, and its mouth dripping foul-smelling saliva.

"Another one coming to die!" The monster that was Yomi shook its arm, which was numb from Taiichi's punch, and its hoarse voice was like a broken bellows, "No matter how many come—they must die! The Shrine Maiden must die! Lord Moryo —long live!"

It seemed to be losing its senses, speaking haltingly, but its murderous intent was palpable.

Taiichi calmly watched it, his senses sweeping over the monster's entire body like a tidal wave.

Just as Miroku had said, a cold and evil Chakra surged within the monster's body. This power was rapidly healing his injuries. At this moment, the wounds on his chest, arms, and other parts of his body were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and his scales were being re-covered, demonstrating astonishing regenerative abilities.

"Just a beast that has lost its mind and is full of brute force." Taiichi commented softly, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, seemingly casual, but in reality, all his muscles were adjusted to the optimal state for exertion.

"Roar-!!!"

Enraged by Taiichi's dismissive attitude, the monster swung all six arms simultaneously, its massive body charging forward once more! Each step it took shook the earth, sending rocks flying!

This time, it learned its lesson and didn't try to fight head-on with a single claw. Instead, it used all six claws at once, blocking Taiichi's escape route from different angles! The claw wind was fierce, tearing through the air and emitting a sharp whistling sound!

However, Taiichi had no intention of dodging at all.

Just as the monster charged to within five meters of him, Taiichi moved.

Without Hand Seals or gathering power, he simply took a step forward.

"Boom!"

The ground exploded! Taiichi's figure vanished instantly, and the next moment he appeared at the joint of the monster's third arm on the left!

His speed was so fast that apart from a few people like Nine-Tails and Miroku, no one present could see his movements clearly!

With his right hand fingers together like a knife, pale blue Chakra Light Blade flickered at his fingertips. A precise chop struck the joint with a "crack!"

A crisp cracking sound rang out! The arm, thicker than an adult's thigh, snapped in two, and purplish-black blood spurted out!

"Ah-!!!"

The monster let out a painful roar, and its remaining five arms swept wildly toward the location where Taiichi was!

But Taiichi was no longer in the same place.

The Flying Thunder God Technique is activated! Taiichi's figure appears behind the monster like a ghost, his right fist charging up before slamming into the monster's back.

The monster's scales on its back caved in instantly, and its spine creaked and twisted with a sickening sound! Its massive body lunged forward, crashing through half a wall before coming to a stop!

"Impossible—impossible!"

The monster struggled to its feet, and the fleshy buds at the severed arm began to regenerate! However, the regeneration was much slower, and the new arm was thin and weak.

Its crimson eyes were fixed on Taiichi, and a flicker of fear finally crossed its madness. "You—who are you?!"

"Konoha Ninja, Taichi Matsushita." Taiichi calmly announced his name and slowly stepped forward. "I'll give you one chance. Tell me the exact location of the Moryo, their troop deployment, and the Akatsuki's role in it. I might let you die a quick death."

"Akatsuki —hahaha!" The monster roared with maniacal laughter. "Those cowardly cowards! Lord Moryo has no need for them! Once I kill the Shrine Maiden, Lord Moryo will grant me eternal life, and I will become the king of the new world!"

It went completely mad. Before it finished speaking, its remaining five arms simultaneously plunged into the ground, violently lifting a boulder over five meters in diameter and slamming it down on Taiichi! At the same time, its massive body followed closely behind, its sharp claws plunging straight for Taiichi's heart!

Taiichi sighed softly.

"Stubborn and incorrigible."

Facing the oncoming boulder, Taiichi neither dodged nor evaded, but clenched his right fist, compressing his Chakra at the tip of his fist.

Chakra Enhanced Strength - Crushing Fist!

With a single punch, the boulder shattered into countless fragments the instant it made contact with the fist! Taiichi's figure pierced through the rain of stones, narrowly avoiding the charging monster!

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Taiichi remained in his punching stance, stopping three meters behind the monster. The monster's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, its six arms hanging limply at its sides, its massive body frozen in place.

A bowl-sized hole ran through its chest, its edges charred black, and not a drop of blood flowed out. All its tissues were instantly carbonized by highly concentrated Chakra.

"Lord Moryo —will not—let him go—" the monster managed to utter the last few words, the red light in its eyes quickly dimming.

"Bang!"

The three-meter-tall body crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. The purplish-red scales faded, dried, and cracked at a visible speed, eventually turning into a emaciated male corpse.

The entire room fell silent.

The ninjas and guards of the Land of Demons stared blankly at the scene, many of them not even realizing that the battle was over.

The terrifying monster that had cornered them couldn't have lasted more than three minutes against this suddenly appearing Konoha Ninja?

The Shrine Maiden Miroku let out a long sigh of relief, her tense body swaying slightly as she nearly lost her balance. Shion, nestled in her arms, seemed to sense her mother's emotions and reached out a small hand to touch her face.

Nine-Tails looked at Taiichi in the arena, let out a soft moan, and said in a complicated tone, "This guy—is still so strong."

Taiichi flicked his hand and turned to walk towards Miroku. Wherever he went, the people of the Land of Demons involuntarily made way for him, their eyes filled with awe.

"Shrine Maiden Highness, I apologize for being late." Taiichi stopped five steps in front of Miroku and nodded slightly. "My disciples are still at the foot of the mountain; please allow them to ascend."

Miroku quickly returned the greeting. "Your Excellency Taiichi, you flatter me. Your timely arrival saved us all, and the entire Land of Demons is deeply grateful. Your disciple is certainly welcome to the mountain; I will send someone to escort him immediately."

She gestured to the lady-in-waiting beside her to make the arrangements, then looked at Taiichi with earnest eyes. "Your Excellency Taiichi, the situation at the front is critical, and my injuries have not yet fully healed. Could you please—"

"I understand." Taiichi interrupted her. "I'll treat your injuries first. Then I'll head to the front lines immediately. But before that, I need to get the latest updates on the battle."

Miroku nodded emphatically. "That's how it should be. Please come with me, let's go to the side hall to talk in detail."

Taiichi shook his head. "No need to change locations. Let's start the treatment right here."

He stepped forward, extending his right hand amidst Miroku's slightly bewildered gaze, a soft green Chakra glow emanating from his palm. "The longer your injuries are left untreated, the greater the damage to your body will be. People are dying every second on the front lines; we must act quickly."

Seeing Taiichi's earnest gaze, Miroku stopped insisting and nodded gently. "Then—I'll trouble you, sir."

The treatment was swift. Taiichi's Medical Ninjutsu had already reached its peak, and with his Shadow Clone having already Scout the root of the injury, his main body now personally intervened. A vast amount of Yang Release Chakra surged into Miroku's body, melting snow like the sun, quickly dispelling and purifying the Evil God's power that had been entrenched there.

In just two minutes, color returned to Miroku's pale face, and the pain that had been lingering between his brows completely disappeared.

She tried moving her body a bit and was pleasantly surprised to find that not only had her injuries healed, but the fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days had also vanished.

"Your medical skills are divine, Lord Taiichi. Miroku is deeply grateful!" She Taiichi.

Taiichi accepted the challenge readily and then said, "Now, please tell me everything."

Miroku gathered his thoughts and recounted the latest intelligence one by one.

Actually, there weren't many, since only one night and one morning had passed; the only increase in the number of refugees in the Land of Demons was the number of people fleeing.

After Miroku finished speaking, Taiichi looked up at the sky. It was past noon, and the sun was beginning to set.

"Time is of the essence." Taiichi made a decision. "I will leave a Shadow Clone here to assist in the defense of the Shrine Maiden Palace Priestess. My main body and my disciple will immediately rush to the front lines to provide support."

Knowing the situation was critical, Miroku didn't try to stop him, but solemnly said, "I entrust everything to you. The survival of the Land of Demons, the safety of the Ninja World, may depend on this one battle."

Taiichi nodded and Hand Seals a mudra with his hands.

Shadow Clone Technique.

As the white smoke dissipated, a Shadow Clone appeared. Taiichi said to the clone, "You stay here and arrange the defenses. If any more enemies attack, protecting the Shrine Maiden is the top priority. If necessary, abandon the palace and evacuate with everyone."

"Understood." The Shadow Clone nodded.

After giving his instructions, Taiichi once again led the three little ones, setting off for the front lines without even having a meal.