The heroic deeds of the entire Ten Family, who were loyal and valiant, and whose blood was shed across the star field, were like the most stirring war drums, striking the last vestiges of passion in the hearts of all beings in the Shinobi World.
On the battlefield, those well-known powerhouses also made their own choices.
"Hahahaha! How could such a lively scene be complete without me, the Toad Sage Lord Jiraiya!" Jiraiya's white hair danced wildly as he stood atop a giant Toad's head, his hands clasped together, his Senjutsu Chakra surging to its limit. Then, a light far exceeding that of ordinary Senjutsu shone from his body— the Celestial Star Gate! He burned himself, transforming into a torrent of " Sage Art: Sage Art: Goemon " that traversed the starry sky. The scorching oil and violent wind and fire intertwined, engulfing several Ōtsutsuki Domain Level powerhouses and their entire regiment of troops, burning them to ashes. The Ōtsutsuki Clan's defensive repulsive force and their ability to escape into the void became useless. The fire directly broke through the repulsive force walls, and even the void itself was shredded in this sage fire.
" Jiraiya..." Tsunade watched the familiar figure in the distance transform into a rain of light, her eyes filled with tears, yet brimming with immense pride. She wiped her eyes, and the mark of the Strength of a Hundred Technique instantly spread across her entire body, but then, an even more dazzling Star Gate light burst forth from within her! " Shinobi World, don't try to steal the spotlight by yourself! I will protect the ninja world!" She transformed into an ultimate punch that combined life and destruction, shattering an enemy ship attempting to ambush the medical fleet, and perishing together with a Ōtsutsuki -Domain Level commander on board.
"Father... it seems I must go join you." Kakashi Hatake pulled back the mask that always covered his face, revealing a resolute and handsome face, his eyes showing relief. He formed hand Hand Seals, and the Celestial Star Gate opened! "One last look, and I must see this world clearly." He burned himself, transforming into an ultimate " Lightning Blade," distorting space and completely annihilating a powerful Ōtsutsuki -Domain Level expert skilled in spatial teleportation attacks, along with the spatial rifts around him.
" Konohamaru, Mirai... the rest is up to you young people." Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi smiled at each other, and the couple simultaneously opened the Celestial Star Gate, which transformed into a huge storm of gold and blue, like a parent's embrace, firmly locking down the two Ōtsutsuki -Peak Domain Level powerhouses who were trying to join forces to cast a large-scale destruction technique, and finally turning them into nothingness together.
" Sasuke, this is my last bit of eye power." Uchiha Itachi's body gradually dissipated in the light of the Star Gate. The phantoms of his last Dōjutsu, " Yata Mirror " and " Totsuka Blade," enveloped a star field, completely sealing and purifying a mind-control type Ōtsutsuki Domain Level ninja and the dozens of Shinobi World warplanes he controlled.
"The spirit of Shisui will never be extinguished!" Shisui Uchiha transformed into a green Susanoo, then burned along with Susanoo, transforming into a beam of light called " Kotoamatsukami " that pierced through all barriers. It forcibly altered the will of a Ōtsutsuki Peak Domain Level member, causing him to turn against his own side and kill another Peak Domain Level Ōtsutsuki Clan army.
" Neji- san..." Hinata Hyuga watched as her genius cousin opened the Star Gate to protect her, sacrificing himself alongside an Ōtsutsuki -Domain Level warrior. Her gaze hardened with unwavering resolve. " Naruto-kun, Hinata... Hinata will protect everyone too!" she cried out, her pure Tenseigan blazing with unprecedented light. She opened the Star Gate, burning her entire life force and soul to unleash the " Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion," clearing out a vast area of the Ōtsutsuki Legion.
"Yo yo yo! You idiot! My last song is explosive! Yeah~!" Killer B made a final communication with the Eight-Tails Gyuki Yang Soul within him, together opening the special Star Gate belonging to the Jinchūriki, transforming into a giant burning Eight-Tails octopus, hugging an Ōtsutsuki capital ship, and the shockwave generated by the self-destruction swept in all directions.
"By!!!" The Fourth Raikage A Yotsuki, roared, activating his Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Star Gate simultaneously. He transformed himself into an eternal bolt of lightning, piercing through the chests of three Ōtsutsuki Domain Level powerhouses at an unparalleled speed, before finally burning away and dissipating.
"Burn! Youth!! This is the final -- Night Guy!!!" Might Guy roared, opening the Eight Gates Released Formation to its limit, but this time, above the blood-red steam, one hundred and eight Xingchen -like points of light lit up! The Celestial Star Gate overlapped with the Eight Gates of Gate of Death! He transformed into a crimson dragon head, dragging a trail of shattered Xingchen, and charged directly towards the vice-commander of the Ōtsutsuki Legion, whose aura far exceeded the Domain Level and who seemed to have touched the edge of Half-Step Sage!
The deputy legion commander's expression changed drastically as he desperately tried to defend himself, but under Kai's ultimate kick, his defenses shattered layer by layer. He was finally struck hard, and half of his body exploded and vaporized! Kai, too, was completely reduced to ashes, leaving only the echoing roar that shook the starry sky.
One familiar figure after another, for the sake of the Shinobi World, selflessly ignited themselves, transforming into the most brilliant yet shortest-lived light in the sea of stars.
The war did not end immediately with the rain of heroic sacrifices. On the contrary, it entered a more brutal and exhausting stalemate.
The Ōtsutsuki Legion, after all, had a deep foundation and was well-trained. After the initial chaos and shock, they quickly adjusted their tactics.
Defensive units stood at the forefront, their heavy wooden shields forming an endless wall, desperately resisting the aftershocks of the Shinobi World's suicidal attacks and the onslaught of conventional firepower. Meanwhile, medical support units operated frantically in the rear, continuously injecting green God Tree into the wounded of their kin. Even some Ōtsutsuki warriors who had just been killed by the aftershocks of the " Celestial Star Gate " were pulled back from the brink of death by secret techniques and thrown back into the battlefield!
This is absolutely despair-inducing!
The victory, won at the cost of the lives of the Shinobi World, has been miraculously "resurrected" by the enemy!
"Prioritize eliminating those medics in white armor!!" Shikamaru Nara issued a hoarse order from the command post.
Immediately, all the Shinobi World warriors' firepower, including those Immortal Venerable preparing to launch suicidal attacks, focused their primary targets on the Ōtsutsuki medical soldiers and sensory-type soldiers.
This undoubtedly increased the difficulty of suicide attacks. The Ōtsutsuki's ranged attack units and shadowless assassin units also strengthened their countermeasures. Often, as soon as the Shinobi World's strongest warriors rushed out of formation and prepared to open the Star Gate, they would be covered by dense energy arrows or ambushed by poison blades that suddenly appeared from the Yin Shadow, causing them to fail.
The teleportation assault troops were even more elusive, suddenly appearing inside the Shinobi World warship, next to the energy shield generator, causing massive damage before teleporting away just before the attack arrived.
Genjutsu and illusionist units also began to exert their power, creating realistic illusions to confuse ninjas' judgment, and even disguising themselves as seriously injured comrades to launch a fatal attack after approaching key figures or facilities.
The number of casualties in the Shinobi World is skyrocketing.
"Ammunition reserves are critically low! The third, seventh, and ninth ammunition depots are empty!"
"Energy reactor overloaded by 70%! Shield strength continues to decrease!"
"Forty percent of the Immortal Venerable Level experts have been confirmed dead..."
One bad news after another arrived. Inside the command post, the atmosphere was so tense it was almost palpable. Shikamaru Nara, the commander known for his wisdom, had sunken eyes and cracked lips, staring intently at the enemy and friendly forces on the star map.
"We can't keep going like this..." he muttered to himself, "Our resources are no match for theirs..."
Just then, the Ōtsutsuki Legion changed formation again. Those self-destructing soldiers, carrying black fragments of the God Tree's energy core, began to appear in groups at the front of the formation. Ignoring any attacks, they surged towards the strongest points of the Shinobi World's defenses like a tidal wave.
"Damn it! They're going to detonate the core!" Shikamaru's pupils constricted. "All units, concentrate fire! Intercept them! We can't let them get close to the fortress!"
Countless beams of light and missiles were fired at the suicide bombers, but there were simply too many of them, and their defenses were formidable. Dozens of suicide bombers still managed to break through the barrage of fire and brazenly detonate themselves!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The series of explosions was like igniting dozens of supernovae in a galaxy. The terrifying shockwaves instantly destroyed three important planetary defense fortresses in the Shinobi World, and thousands of surrounding warships were also reduced to nothing. The combined energy shield flickered violently, and finally, amidst piercing alarms, one-third of it completely collapsed!
A huge gap has appeared in the defense line!
"It's over..." A sense of despair once again filled the hearts of the surviving Shinobi World warriors.
Inside the Shinki spaceship, Ōtsutsuki Sōichi clapped his hands lightly. "Not bad, this fireworks display was quite a sight. So, how are you ants going to deal with this next?" His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of obstacles, landing on the last core area of Allied Shinobi Forces.
Tian Yu's will fluctuated violently. She sensed that the dormant holy power within the divine wood spaceship seemed to have a barely perceptible movement. Was he... about to make his move?