"Hokage?!"
Shinnō's pupils contracted in shock.
The Sixth Hokage?
The rumors about his absurd strength weren't exaggerated after all. His taijutsu was only slightly weaker than Shinnō's power at full Eight Gates release—a feat no ordinary human could achieve.
"Very well!"
Shinnō took a deep breath. "Today, I'll avenge Land of Sky!"
Despite Shinho's overwhelming strength, Shinnō believed his Eight Gates release gave him a fighting chance.
Clenching his fist tightly, Shinnō unleashed another surge of chakra.
With a powerful punch, a storm of wind erupted, sweeping toward Shinho.
Shinho remained calm.
Earth Overlord Gu!
Wind Overlord Gu!
The two forces collided.
Shinho stepped back again but only retreated three meters this time.
"How can your strength keep increasing?!" Shinnō roared, his face filled with disbelief.
"Come at me again," Shinho said, gesturing with his hand.
"Bastard!"
Shinnō's blood boiled with anger, feeling deeply insulted.
Letting out a furious roar, his chakra condensed into a visible aura, his hair standing on end and his face flushed as though aflame.
With a kick, the air rippled and twisted, unleashing a tsunami of shockwaves toward Shinho.
Borrow Strength Gu!
Sky Strength Gu!
Earth Strength Gu!
Shinho raised his right hand, clenching his fist.
The power of the heavens and earth converged within him.
Dragon Elephant Strength Gu!
A shadow of a dragon-elephant materialized behind him as he let out a roar.
This should be enough, Shinho thought. Adding other strength-enhancing Gu like Djinn Transformation, Labor Gu, Group Strength Gu, or Effort multiplier Gu might kill Shinnō outright.
And he still needed Shinnō alive to extract information about controlling the Ancor Vantian and his medical forbidden techniques.
Shinho swung his fist.
Shinnō's wind and waves surged forward like a relentless ocean, but Shinho's dragon-elephant Beast phantom charged forth effortlessly.
The moment their forces collided, the world seemed to pause.
Then, an overwhelming explosion of energy followed.
The ground quaked and shattered, space twisted, and air currents rampaged, plunging the entire area into chaos.
"Fake! It's all fake!"
Shinnō stumbled backward, his expression frantic and disbelieving.
"Aaaahhhh!"
He screamed as chakra burst uncontrollably from his body.
Like a balloon deflating rapidly, his once-powerful body shriveled, leaving him gaunt and frail.
…
"This must be some kind of space-time ninjutsu," Nara deduced after Shinho and Shinnō vanished,"Shinho didn't want the battle to affect us."
"That was the Eight Gates," Akimichi Choji said worriedly. "Naruto and Lee only opened the Sixth Gate back then, and it was already terrifying."
"Shinho-kun will be fine!" Ino declared with unwavering confidence.
"Exactly," Shikamaru agreed. "Think about Shinho's record these past two months."
The Akatsuki who had terrorised the shinobi world but suffered humiliating defeats at the hands of Shinho. That fact alone was enough to prove his strength.
Just then, space distorted, and two figures emerged.
"Shinho-kun!" Ino called out instinctively.
Shinnō collapsed to the ground with a dull thud. His once-mighty physique had withered, leaving him looking like a desiccated husk, barely alive.
Shinho nodded toward Ino before kneeling beside Shinnō and extending both hands.
Green chakra enveloped Shinnō as Shinho began healing him.
"What happened to him?" Shikamaru asked, perplexed, "I know the Eight Gates has side effects, but they're usually limited to exhaustion or muscle damage. He looks like a completely different person."
"The normal Eight Gates requires years of physical training to withstand the strain," Shinho explained, "He took a shortcut by using a medical forbidden technique, which caused this aftereffect once its time limit expired."
"Fascinating," Shikamaru remarked with a mix of awe and curiosity.
"Fascinating or not, he's no match for Shinho-kun!" Ino said proudly.
Shinho chuckled softly, withdrawing his hands.
In the original story, Shinnō had overused his body revival technique and succumbed to the backlash when his body and chakra couldn't keep up.
This time, since the battle had only lasted a few minutes, Shinho was able to save him.
"Anbu," Shinho called out, "Secure him."
With Shinnō dealt with, only Zero-Tails remained.
The Uchiha Anbu operative reappeared, activating his Sharingan to wake Shinnō from his unconscious state.
Under normal circumstances, Shinnō might have resisted, but in his current weakened state, he fell into a trance immediately.
"Open the entrance," Shinho ordered.
Shinnō struggled to his feet and operated a mechanism, causing the ground to split open and reveal a dark, frigid corridor.
"What kind of chakra is this?" Shikamaru shivered, his breath visible in the cold air.
"It's Yin Release energy," Ino said, crossing her arms.
Shinho casually removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders.
Ino froze, then clutched the coat tightly, her cheeks flushing red.
Shikamaru sighed, feeling the chill even more acutely.
Shinho descended into the opening and soon found himself face-to-face with Zero-Tails.
It was contained within a transparent chamber, its exterior etched with intricate sealing formulas.
Zero-Tails resembled a massive serpent with a mask-like face and four tendrils sprouting from its forehead.
As it noticed their presence, it raised its body, exposing muddy-colored tentacles. However, the moment it touched the seal-inscribed chamber walls, it recoiled.
"A sealing technique of the Uzumaki Clan," Shinho muttered, shaking his head.
It was now even more evident that Orochimaru had provided this setup.
Shinnō alone could not have acquired both the Eight Gates technique and the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques.
"Yugao-nee," Shinho called out.
"Hokage-sama," Uzuki appeared promptly.
"Round up all the Land of Sky shinobi in the fortress," Shinho ordered. "Then we'll pilot the Ancor Vantian back to Konoha."
"Yes."
Yugao waved her hand, and the remaining Anbu scattered, heading deeper into the fortress.
"Shinnō, how do we activate the Ancor Vantian?" Shinho asked.
Zero-Tails didn't seem capable of escaping its containment. Once they returned to Konoha, Shinho could add another layer of seals.
"The power room above is where you activate it," Shinnō replied weakly. "But it doesn't have enough energy. Zero-Tails needs more dark chakra."
Shinho recalled that in the original story, Shinnō had used Amaru and the villagers as fuel to power the fortress.
"Dark chakra is a form of Yin Release…," Ino interjected suddenly, "Would Moryo's chakra be suitable?"
"Go ahead and try," Shinho nodded slightly and said.
Ino stepped forward, standing before the Zero-Tails.
She took out the scroll containing Moryo's seal, unrolled it, and placed her hand on the surface of the container.
A massive surge of Yin Release chakra poured out.
The Zero-Tails stirred with excitement. Its body expanded, and it rammed against the container.
Standing so close, Ino felt her entire field of vision consumed by its terrifying form.
Her heart trembled, and she instinctively took a step back.
"Don't worry," Shinho said, stepping up to cover her eyes.
Ino froze momentarily.
Without seeing the Zero-Tails, her anxiety gradually dissipated. More importantly, she was reassured knowing Shinho was right beside her.
A warm feeling filled her heart.
She resumed channeling the Yin Release chakra.
The Zero-Tails continued to crash against the container, but fortunately, the barrier was sturdy and held firm.
Shinho felt some relief.
He hadn't brought Karin or the sealing team today. If the Zero-Tails broke free, he'd have to rely on physical sealing methods, which would interfere with activating the Fortress.
It was clear that the container housing the Zero-Tails was a crucial component.
"That should be enough," Shinnō said after a few minutes.
Hearing this, Ino stopped the flow of Yin Release chakra.
Her vision brightened as Shinho withdrew his hand.
Ino instinctively clutched the coat draped over her shoulders, biting her lip as she thought to herself: Shinho-kun is so gentle. I need to be more proactive.
"Let's head back," Shinho said as they returned to the engine room.
Shinnō stepped forward and stood before a circular panel. He formed hand seals, and seconds later, black chakra from the sealed chamber began to flow outward.
The ground rumbled as the structure began to rise.
Deep underground, the fortress broke through the earth, revealing its full form—a massive aerial fortress adorned with countless sculpted human faces.
The panel in front of Shinnō shifted to display the scene outside. They were now suspended in mid-air.
"This… this is incredible!" Ino exclaimed, her mouth slightly agape in astonishment.
Though she had heard stories of Land of Sky's legend, seeing it with her own eyes far exceeded her imagination.
"It's impressive," Shinho nodded in satisfaction.
This was technological ingenuity at its finest—or more accurately, a fusion of chakra and technology, what could be called scientific ninja tools.
"Hokage-sama," Yugao entered the engine room. "The fortress is now fully under our control."
"Inform the Transport Division to prepare a landing site outside Konoha for the Ancor Vantian," Shinho instructed.
"Understood." Yugao turned and left.
"Let's check out the upper deck," Shinho said, gesturing upward.
Led by Shinnō, they ascended to the fortress's top.
The area was divided into two sections.
One was an airfield equipped with catapults, from which the Sky Ninja had launched glider-like devices armed with various weapons.
The other was the weapons system, featuring two types of cannons: standard artillery and the Zero-Tails Chakra Cannon. The latter was enormous.
"How did we ever defeat Land of Sky back then?" Choji Akimichi couldn't help but ask.
"I know," Shikamaru replied with a sly smile. "It was thanks to the Aburame clan."
"Huh?" Choji glanced at Shinho.
"The fortress's massive structure numerous mechanical parts that was vulnerable to parasitic insects," Shinho explained, "Land of Sky was a small village without any way to counter them."
More precisely, the Ancor Vantian had immense offensive power but lacked equal defensive capabilities.
"I see," Choji said, understanding.
"Today's mission ends here," Shinho clapped his hands together. "This mission will be classified as S-rank. Once we report back, I'll ensure the rewards are distributed among you."
Shikamaru and the others brightened at this news.
Strictly speaking, they hadn't contributed much to the mission. This S-rank designation felt like a bonus.
However, they wouldn't refuse—it was important to build up their mission records, equivalent to credentials in the previous world.
"Shinnō, full speed ahead," Shinho Aburame ordered.
Minutes later, the fortress accelerated dramatically, its speed increasing fivefold.
The landscape on either side blurred as it sped by.
Ino and the others clung to nearby sculptures for stability.
Shinho stood unmoving, letting the wind rush past him.
The speed surpassed that of an average chunin, faster than trains or airships. For the fortress's enormous size, this was remarkable. As a means of transportation, it could carry hundreds or even thousands of people in a single trip—a huge advantage.
..
Achievement Unlocked: "I Will Stand Above the Heavens." Reward: Fire Strentgh Gu.
Fire Strength Gu: A Rank-5 Gu insect that, when paired with Borrow Strength Gu, can draw power from flames.
..
Shinho exhaled deeply, relieved.
Finally, the Fire Strentgh Gu was his. Now, he only needed one last Gu to unleash the Rank-5 ultimate killer move—Six-Armed Heavenly King Zombie.
"Let's return to the engine room," Shinho said, noticing Ino's disheveled blonde hair.
The four of them returned to the fortress's interior, which, despite the rapid external speed, remained stable and undisturbed.
Shinho couldn't help but admire Fortresse's technology.
He began jotting notes on a piece of paper.
The Ancor Vantian was impressive, but modifications were necessary for practical use.
First was the name. After some thought, Shinho wrote down four characters: Konoha Fortress. Simple and straightforward.
Second was the appearance. The human face sculptures weren't ideal. Shinho wasn't a designer, but he outlined his requirements: aesthetically pleasing while representing Konoha's identity.
Third was the power source. The fortress relied on the Zero-Tails' dark chakra. Who harbored the most inner darkness? Criminals.
Shinho planned to relocate Konoha's prison onto the fortress, turning the inmates into batteries.
This setup would make the fortress cost-efficient, with no expenses beyond maintenance.
Ino leaned forward slightly, reading over his notes without interrupting. She simply stayed by his side until the fortress came to a stop.
"Hokage-sama," Yugao announced, "we've arrived at the Forest of Death."
"How long did the journey take?" Shinho asked, rolling up his notes.
"About an hour."
"Not bad—three hours faster than the train," Shinho said, "Deliver this scroll to the Transport Division."
"Understood," Yugao replied, taking the scroll. She handed him another. "This contains the medical forbidden techniques from Shinnō."
Shinho glanced at it, it was the his regeneration technique and the Body revival technique.
The other ninjutsu didn't interest him.
"Let's head back to Konoha," Shinho said, standing up.
"Shinho-kun," Ino hesitated, then spoke up. "Your coat…"
Shinho extended his hand, but she didn't move.
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