The light and shadows on the Sky Screen shifted as the fierce battle continued.
[Minato Namikaze gained the upper hand and promptly pulled back.]
[The Masked Man staggered to his feet. His left arm had somehow turned liquid-like and slowly dripped away, an utterly bizarre sight.]
[Yet he still forcibly composed himself, looking at Minato Namikaze with a cold edge in his voice.]
["You got the better of me. So this is what they call appearing and disappearing like a ghost? It seems I truly cannot let my guard down around you, not even for a moment."]
[Before his words had even faded, Minato Namikaze suddenly appeared out of thin air before the Masked Man. His right hand pressed directly against the man's chest, and mysterious black runes instantly emerged one after another.]
["Flying Thunder God Technique!"]
[The Masked Man's heart jolted. His Mū-like silent inner voice, carried by the strange phenomenon of the Sky Screen, clearly resounded through every corner of Douluo Continent: So that's it. He secretly left a mark on me!]
The entire continent erupted into uproar, cries of astonishment rising one after another.
"The Flying Thunder God can do that too? He can leave marks on people anytime and anywhere?"
"Doesn't that mean wherever he leaves a mark, he can instantly teleport there?"
"This Martial Soul is utterly ridiculous! With spatial abilities like that, he's naturally invincible!"
Inside Spirit Hall's Pope Hall
The light and shadows fell, and the battle on the Sky Screen came to an end.
Bibi Dong watched the scene before her, the corners of her lips rising into a knowing smile as she slowly spoke.
"So that's how it was!
At the moment his surprise attack succeeded, he not only severely wounded his opponent, but also took the chance to brand a mark on him!
With that, Minato Namikaze alone held the initiative in every advance, retreat, attack, and defense that followed. Truly brilliant."
Yu Zhi nodded in agreement at once. "Teacher, there has always been a saying on our continent: compared to the Fourth Hokage, anyone else seems inadequate."
Bibi Dong nodded slightly, her eyes filled with approval.
"Gentle with his family, decisive and ruthless with his enemies. On the battlefield, he possesses astonishing judgment unlike anything ever heard of, along with the unpredictable Flying Thunder God Martial Soul. Such an assessment truly fits him!"
"Then he must be the strongest among your Hokage, right?"
Yu Zhi's expression stiffened slightly, revealing a hint of awkwardness as he honestly Responded, "Actually, no. The academies teach that the Third Hokage was the strongest, but the elders of the clan all privately agree that the First was the true pinnacle."
Bibi Dong smiled upon hearing that!
As the Pope, she instantly grasped the hidden twists and turns within those words and calmly exposed them.
"It seems your continent is not peaceful either! This Third Hokage is quite skilled at putting on an act."
Yu Zhi stared at Bibi Dong in astonishment!
Since when did this woman become so smart?!
"Brat, what do you mean by looking at me like that?"
Bibi Dong descended from the Pope's jade throne with graceful steps, then reached out and seized Yu Zhi's cheek, kneading it fiercely.
Yu Zhi hurriedly begged for mercy. "I was wrong, Teacher!"
Inside the grand hall of Heaven Dou City's imperial palace, military marshal Ge Long wore a solemn expression, his heart deeply shaken.
As a commander who led vast armies, he understood better than anyone how terrifying such an ability was.
Ge Long stepped forward and cupped his hands solemnly.
"Your Majesty, this Flying Thunder God is simply too terrifying! It can leave marks at will, teleport in an instant, and even forcibly transfer gigantic attacks capable of destroying heaven and earth. Before a powerhouse with such a Martial Soul, thousands upon thousands of troops are no different from empty decorations. No number of soldiers can stop him, and no defense, however tight, can protect vital targets!"
Ever since the Sky Screen began broadcasting, Ge Long had secretly been running simulations in his mind, considering how they might resist the powerhouses of Naruto Continent should the two continents go to war.
But after witnessing the full might of the Flying Thunder God, a chill ran down his back, and his heart was filled with Mū-like helplessness.
Xue Ye sighed with deep emotion. "It has always been said that Spirit Hall's Angel Martial Soul and the Clear Sky Sect's Clear Sky Hammer stand above the continent. Their strength follows a discernible path and leaves traces to be judged."
"But this Flying Thunder God is elusive and unpredictable, completely beyond our understanding of a Soul Master's combat strength."
He turned toward Qian Renxue, who had just finished handling affairs within the city and returned to the hall, and asked, "Crown Prince, what do you make of this?"
Qian Renxue remained calm, her gaze reflecting a far-reaching vision as she answered composedly, "Father, I believe we must keep a close eye on the Sky Screen's developments. Minato Namikaze's life or death will have a decisive impact should we face Naruto Continent in the future."
Xue Ye fell silent for a moment. A trace of complexity flashed through his eyes as he sighed softly. "I only hope... he perishes in this turmoil."
Elsewhere, atop the Clear Sky Sect's mountain peak, the elders watched the strange nature of the Flying Thunder God on the Sky Screen. Their emotions churned, and every face was filled with indignation.
"Despicable beyond measure! How could there be such a disgusting Martial Soul in this world?"
"Exactly! A true powerhouse should clash head-on and compete through sheer strength! Back then, even Qian Daoliu did not dare fight the old sect master to the death face-to-face!"
Tang Xiao's expression was grave as he spoke in a deep voice. "Fortunately, this heaven-defying Martial Soul has only appeared in Minato Namikaze so far. If it becomes widespread in the future, with everyone able to teleport for sneak attacks and move freely through space, it would be a nightmare for our Clear Sky Sect."
The elders all nodded in agreement, deeply convinced, their hearts full of wariness and unease.
[Mysterious and bizarre black runes suddenly surged forth, winding around layer upon layer and instantly enveloping the Masked Man's entire body.]
[His heart sank. In an instant, he understood what was happening. This was a Contract Seal. Minato Namikaze intended to forcibly sever his summoning control over the Nine-Tails.]
["From this day onward, the Nine-Tails will no longer be under your control. It will no longer belong to you."]
[Minato Namikaze's gaze was icy, his voice devoid of the slightest ripple, every word firm and resounding.
[At that moment, the Nine-Tails, which had been rampaging and destroying everything in the distance, suddenly stiffened. The bloody Three-Tomoe pupils in its eyes slowly faded, ultimately becoming cold vertical slits as it completely broke free from the Masked Man's control.]
[The Masked Man knew the situation was beyond saving. Mū left him unable to control the Nine-Tails any longer, and he could gain no advantage by continuing the fight.]
[Meeting Minato Namikaze's calm gaze, he suppressed his overwhelming unwillingness and disappeared into ripples of space, leaving in silence.]
Inside Spirit Hall's Worship Hall
The Title Douluo watched the Sky Screen with focused attention. Seeing those layers of bizarre runes, all of them wore shocked expressions.
Qian Daoliu's gaze was solemn as he slowly spoke. "Another strange ability we have never seen before. A Sealing Technique? It can directly sever Ninjutsu! Such a method is far too mysterious."
"That's right, Big Brother."
Golden Crocodile Douluo pondered aloud, "Since it is called a Sealing Technique, its applications surely are not limited to cutting off Ninjutsu. It may even be capable of restraining people themselves!"
Mighty Lion Douluo frowned, utterly baffled. "They clearly do not have the support of Soul Skills, so how did they create all these strange and varied Ninjutsu?"
Thousand Jun Douluo thought for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of speculation. "Perhaps it is precisely because they are not constrained by the fixed framework of Soul Skills that they found another path, forging their own cultivation method as a substitute."
Falling Devil Douluo said, "Then perhaps if we cast aside Soul Skills, we could also allow Self-Created Soul Skills to flourish and forge an entirely new path of cultivation?"
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