The sound of metal clashing spread out in the vacuum as energy waves. Sasuke felt a slight numbness in his arm, and was secretly amazed by the power of the Insect Race and the hardness of their carapace.
Rinnegan: Chibaku Tensei!
Without hesitation, he immediately used his powerful Dōjutsu. A powerful gravitational core formed, drawing in the surrounding Insect Race and fragments. Even the mantis Insect Race at the Peak Immortal King struggled to be dragged towards the core.
However, just as the Chibaku Tensei was about to take shape, a ghastly green energy beam shot out from the depths of the insect swarm, accurately hitting the core of the Chibaku Tensei!
Boom!
The Chibaku Tensei was completely destroyed!
Sasuke's expression changed, Rinnegan into the depths of the insect swarm with his Rinnegan. There, a terrifying giant insect, the size of a small planet, with countless compound eyes and tentacles, slowly revealed part of its form. It only showed one eye, but its cold, indifferent gaze made Sasuke feel immense pressure— Saint Level!
"Retreat!" Sasuke ordered decisively.
The Shinobi World fleet immediately activated its hyperspace engine and narrowly escaped the battlefield before the Insect Race could encircle them.
In the first engagement, the Shinobi World, relying on Sasuke's strength and the fleet's firepower, killed hundreds of thousands of low-level Insect Race and a small number of elites, suffering only minor losses themselves. However, strategically, they merely slightly slowed down the insectoid swarm's vanguard and confirmed a terrifying fact— the Insect Race army did indeed contain Saint Level units! Moreover, their numbers were likely far more than one!
Gazing at the endless, ever-approaching torrent of green death in the distance, everyone's hearts sank. The real test had only just begun.
The intelligence from the first encounter made the Shinobi World's higher-ups realize the enemy's terror even more clearly. The existence of Saint Level units meant that ordinary fleets and ninja legions would have limited effectiveness on the front lines.
"We must rely on the planetary defense system for combat!" Shikamaru stated decisively at the emergency military meeting. "We must keep the enemy outside the atmosphere! If the Saint Level Insect Race were to enter the planet's interior, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
All preparations were upgraded to the highest level. The massive composite defensive barrier covering the entire star field was fully activated. Layers of translucent energy shields, flowing with runic light, protected the major planets of the Shinobi World like Yata Mirror Formation bowls.
Ninjas from various legions were assigned to key nodes of the barrier, responsible for maintaining its operation and eliminating any who tried to approach it.
Naruto and Sasuke, as the strongest fighters, hovered at the forefront outside the barrier, like two guardian deities, ready to face the powerful Insect Race.
The Tian Yu also left the Garden of Nurturing and came to the front line. Her face was somewhat pale, not only from exhaustion, but also because the call from the depths of the insect swarm was so strong that it felt like a roar in her ear. She could clearly sense that behind that massive insect swarm, there was a will that shared the same origin as hers, but was even more ancient and powerful—that was the Saint Level Mother Insect, Insect Seven!
"They... came to take me away," the Tian Yu said to Naruto and Sasuke beside her, her tone complex, "But their method is to destroy everything in their way."
Naruto patted Tian Yu on the shoulder, flashing a bright smile, "Don't worry, Holy Venerable Tian Yu! This is your home. Anyone who tries to take you away by force will have to ask my fists first!"
Sasuke glanced at Tian Yu -Shu indifferently, and although he didn't say anything, the support in his eyes was self-evident.
A warm feeling welled up in Tian Yu's heart, and she nodded vigorously.
Just then, the vanguard of the insect swarm, like a surging wave, crashed heavily onto the " Yata Mirror Formation "!
boom--!!!!
The entire planet seemed to tremble. The surface of the barrier shone brightly, and countless runes flashed wildly, dispersing the impact throughout the entire barrier system. The ninjas guarding the nodes all groaned, feeling a large portion of their Chakra being instantly drained.
"Hold on! Replenish Chakra!" commanders at all levels shouted.
The medical ninjas moved across the battlefield, distributing Military Rations Pill and recovery potions to their exhausted comrades.
The Insect Race's attack methods Eight Gates. Some ram their bodies into the barrier, some spray acid and energy beams, and some even use sonic Insect Race or mental attacks to interfere with the ninjas maintaining the barrier.
The battle was intense from the very beginning.
" Sage Art: Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!" Naruto created countless Shadow Clone, throwing giant Rasenshuriken into the swarm of insects, clearing out areas.
Sasuke moved like a ghost along the edge of the barrier, his Kusanagi sword and Rinnegan eye techniques precisely targeting and killing the elite insectoids who were trying to destroy the key points of the barrier.
The Tian Yu wasn't idle either. Although she wasn't good at direct combat, her abilities played an unexpected role on the battlefield. She Hand Seals, and starlight shimmered around her. " Life Drain!"
An invisible wave spread out, forcibly extracting the life energy from a large number of low-level Insect Race within its range, transforming it into Hoshiki that merged into the Tian Yu's body to replenish her energy. The Insect Race whose life energy was drained withered instantly and turned to ashes. This move was remarkably effective against the large number of low-level Insect Race.
However, the number of Insect Race seemed endless. As soon as one Zerg died, another immediately took its place. They even began to pile up like human pyramids, trying to cover and flood the entire barrier with their corpses!
"This won't do! The barrier's energy is being depleted too quickly!" Tenpi, who was in charge of monitoring the barrier's energy core, anxiously reported to the command center.
"Activate the ' Flame of World Purification ' system!" Shikamaru ordered.
Suddenly, a layer of white flames imbued with purifying power burst into flames on the outer layer of the barrier! This was a defensive technique developed by combining some characteristics of Amaterasu's fire with the purifying sealing runes of the Shinobi World.
Sizzle sizzle--!
The Insect Race that came into contact with the white flames let out a shrill scream as their bodies were quickly ignited and purified. The Zerg swarm's offensive was momentarily halted.
But the good times didn't last long. Deep within the insect swarm, those few Saint Level male insects that had been holding back finally made their move!
One of them, shaped like a scorpion magnified a billion times, suddenly thrust out its venomous stinger, which gleamed with an eerie light, traversing tens of thousands of kilometers to slam into the barrier!
Click!
With a sickening sound, a clear crack appeared on the outermost layer of the barrier! The hundreds of ninjas maintaining that point immediately coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.
"Not good!" Naruto and Sasuke's expressions changed drastically, and they rushed towards the Saint Level scorpion insect at the same time.
" Sasuke! Let's go! Celestial Star Gate Formation activated, Sage Art: Super Planet Rasengan!"
Susanoo!
The golden Nine-Tailed Demon Fox and the purple, Perfect Susanoo appeared simultaneously, confronting the Saint Level scorpion worm.
At the same time, the other two Saint Level male insects also launched an attack. One was like a giant moth, flapping its wings and scattering scales that could corrode energy; the other was like a mountain of flesh, opening its huge mouthparts and beginning to devour the barrier's energy!
The Shinobi World's defense system was instantly on the verge of collapse!
Looking at the three Saint Level male insects, and sensing the increasingly approaching, icy will belonging to Insect Seven behind the insect swarm, Tian Yu knew she couldn't wait any longer.
She took a deep breath, her eyes hardening with resolve. She had to draw out the kinsman who had been calling out to her... Only by addressing the root cause could this crisis be averted.