Naruto: I'm really not an evil scientist!

Since he began his journey toward mastering the Tenseigan, his body has undergone some changes, and there is even a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth.

He meticulously inscribed a chakra array on the altar, a modified version of the Oni-roku-ga-jutsu, which would help him better absorb these powerful energies.

Hiruko took a deep breath, began to concentrate, closed his eyes, and tried to feel everything around him.

The items on the altar began to emit a soft white light. Countless white eyes, offered as sacrifices, resonated with the white eyes within the body of the Hiruko clone, forming a powerful and mysterious energy field.

Guiding this immense energy, we proceeded step by step, strictly following the ritual steps we had meticulously created.

This ritual aims to help advance the Tenseigan, fully activating and guiding the powerful hidden strength of the Byakugan.

The energy rapidly converged in the air, forming a huge and dazzling energy vortex, like a mysterious black hole in the universe, containing endless mysteries and power.

Immediately afterwards, it injected this energy directly into it, and in an instant, the entire space was enveloped in a bright light, so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at it.

The power of the soul and the power of the Byakugan merged perfectly, like water and milk blending together, forming a stable and powerful energy body that exudes an awe-inspiring aura.

Then, pure energy, like a gentle stream, slowly flowed into the eyes of Hiruko's Hyuga clone.

Hiruko could clearly feel a tremendous force, like a surging tide, rushing out from the altar and instantly piercing through his body.

His body began to undergo a strange change, with a soft white light shimmering beneath his skin.

The flow of chakra within his body became increasingly smooth, like a once turbulent river that had become calm yet contained boundless power.

Hiruko's eyes, already a deep blue, became even more intense, as if they had transformed into a vast, boundless starry sky.

Her eyes revealed a crystal-clear luster, as if stars were twinkling and leaping within them, radiating a mysterious and enchanting glow.

The turbulent power of the eyes transformed into a powerful repulsive force, like an invisible giant hand, destroying everything around it.

Under the influence of this powerful chakra, the ground began to shake violently, as if a small earthquake had occurred.

Huge cracks appeared in the ground around the altar, and rubble flew through the air like cannonballs, raising a cloud of dust.

Chapter 189 Team Battle Arrives

Hiruko stood quietly in the center of the altar, experiencing the surging, unprecedented power within him, which surged like waves.

His consciousness seemed to be pulled into a vast and boundless void by an invisible force, where everything around him became ethereal, unreal, and unattainable.

Blue light shot out from his eyes, like two incomparably sharp lightsabers, instantly illuminating the entire altar and even piercing through the endless darkness.

One by one, jet-black Seeking Spheres slowly rose behind him. Previously, he could only condense two Seeking Spheres.

Now, with the power of his Tenseigan advancing to the golden level, he was able to condense eight Truth-Seeking Balls in one go.

As time slowly passed, the energy storm gradually subsided, the ground stopped trembling, and the tranquility of the past returned.

Hiruko let out a long sigh of relief and slowly lowered his hands.

The blue light gradually receded in his clone's eyes, like the receding tide returning to calm.

Hiruko closed his eyes. He knew very well that these eyes could not reach the highest level in a short time. He needed to rest for a while to allow his body to reach a balance with this newly acquired power and completely complete the transformation into the Tenseigan.

A month later, Hiruko finally set foot on Mount Sumeru, which he had longed for, intending to complete his final ultimate life ritual.

He was not only proficient in the wondrous art of finding dragon veins and burial sites, but also had a thorough understanding of Yin-Yang astronomy and calendar systems. He had already accurately calculated the exact time when the golden ring solar eclipse would occur on Mount Sumeru—tomorrow.

Tomorrow, he will hold a ceremony of extraordinary significance, a ceremony that will completely transform him.

Because this incomplete ultimate being—the Tenseigan body carried by Hiruko—is the last artificial sacrifice he is missing.

This artificial sacrifice with white eyes bears a striking resemblance to Biruhu, and the approaching golden eclipse foreshadows an unprecedented transformation for him.

At this moment, he sat cross-legged, absorbing the energy of the starry sky and the vast natural energy, while practicing immortal arts to pass the time.

Hiruko muttered to himself, "If I succeed this time, I will have a pretty good chance of dealing with a Six Paths level expert."

At this moment, he stretched out one hand and made a hand seal with the other, the mark on his forehead shimmering with silver light.

From a perspective invisible to ordinary people, strange light continuously pours into his body from the ground, the air, and nature.

He was adjusting the circulation within his body and the frequency of absorbing natural energy, entering a wondrous state similar to the unity of man and nature, as if he were one with the entire universe. At this moment, he inexplicably appeared to have an ethereal and otherworldly air about him.

Although it appears to be a period of rest, it is actually a true period of recuperation and rejuvenation.

One of Hiruko's mass-produced airships has stopped taking orders and is currently departing from the Solar Furnace Tower, heading towards the Mountain Shadow of the Land of Wind.

This airship was not equipped with any weapons; it was simply a flight vessel.

After obtaining items related to Hiruko, Sasuke Uchiha absorbed the knowledge like a sponge, as quickly as possible, making it his own.

He even quickly handed over the matter of seizing Samehada to the Hozuki brothers, instructing them to carry out the original plan of escorting the dead home in the airship, so that he could take over the matter.

Hozuki Suigetsu muttered to himself, "Why do I have to do this kind of errand-running work?"

"Damn it!"

Inside the airship, the temporary pilot, Hozuki Suigetsu, was muttering complaints in a low voice.

"Honestly, everyone had already planned to seize the Samehada sword and were supposed to leave tomorrow, but Sasuke suddenly changed his mind. I really don't understand what he's thinking."

He wanted to shout a few words, but when he glanced at the powerful passengers on the airship, especially the red-haired, violent woman Karin, he could only lower his voice and mutter to himself.

However, what he didn't know was that most of the passengers on the airship were sharp-eared and sharp-eyed, and his hushed complaint was still heard by everyone.

"I'm sorry to trouble you," Minato Namikaze said kindly, with a gentle smile on his face.

"Ah, no, no, no..." A bead of cold sweat instantly appeared on Hozuki Suigetsu's forehead. He forced a smile and hurriedly waved his hands, looking as cowardly as could be.

"It is my honor to be a pilot of an airship. All of you here are legendary figures who have served in the GN Drive Tower."

If any of you here have read the comics, you will naturally know that the blond-haired man in front of you is the famous protagonist's father.

Back when this blond guy didn't have a tailed beast, he could fight two opponents at once and even hold his own against the Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.

The later stages of the comic were even more impressive.

Now that Minato Namikaze has been resurrected, not only is half of a tailed beast sealed within him, but he has also mastered Sage Mode.

During his imprisonment, he took the time to fully master Sage Mode. Although he was not as terrifying as Lord Hiruko, who could maintain Sage Mode at all times, he could enter Sage Mode by clapping his hands together and charging for five seconds.

With such strength, how could Hozuki Suigetsu dare to provoke him?

Don't ask him why he's so cowardly. Minato Namikaze isn't a bad person, but he's someone who would give everything for someone important to him.

Sasuke, while inside the Solar Furnace Tower, never concealed his malice towards Konoha.

Suigetsu was originally Sasuke's partner. The agreement was that Sasuke would go and carry out his revenge, while Suigetsu would be responsible for escorting Minato Namikaze and his group on the airship.

However, Sasuke changed his mind at the last minute, letting him lead the team to send away these resurrected dead, while he himself was tinkering with something inside the Solar Furnace Tower.

This made Shuiyue very anxious, fearing that Master Shuimen would suddenly come up and give him a good beating. With his small frame, he would probably be beaten senseless in an instant.

"If we arrested all these evil forces that are bound to confront Konoha in the future, and then had this seemingly sunny young man, Uchiha Shisui, use Kotoamatsukami on each of them, that would be terrifying," Hozuki Suigetsu muttered to himself.

Karin looked at her embarrassing partner and couldn't help but smile slightly. She subconsciously wanted to kick him.

But considering that Mito Uzumaki was watching and Hozuki Mangetsu—Suigatsu's older brother—hadn't said anything yet, he could only patiently say, "So, concentrate. Do you want me to help you?"

Hozuki Mangetsu reminded his younger brother to fly the airship carefully, as he felt his body inexplicably plunging to the right, probably because the angle of flight was a bit off.

"That won't do. We can't afford to cause any aviation accidents at the time and place. Otherwise, if we offend one or two big shots, it won't be a good thing."

"Don't worry, big brother." Hozuki Suigetsu patted his chest and said confidently, "I've been helping Sasuke pilot the airship for the past few months, so I'm already a very experienced pilot."

It's only a slight deviation from the planned route, nothing serious.

At this moment, the place that once served as the Akatsuki's stronghold is now heavily surrounded by the combined forces of Konoha and Sunagakure.

Although Sunagakure is now leaderless, the allied forces have not withdrawn and still keep the area completely surrounded, proceeding according to the original plan set by Sasuke and Orochimaru.

Having had its whereabouts deliberately exposed by Sasuke, the Akatsuki organization will inevitably face strong attacks from both major factions.

Kisame Hoshigaki and Itachi Uchiha slowly walked out of the base, but they showed no fear in the face of this seemingly impressive encirclement.

On the one hand, they are strong themselves and have no fear of powerful enemies.

On the other hand, the organization had already dispatched Deidara, Kakuzu, Hidan, and others to provide support based on intelligence. Even Pain personally came out, probably hoping to see if there was an opportunity to directly capture the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"So you guys were the ones who found this place first?" Itachi Uchiha frowned slightly, a hint of confusion in his expression.

Even though his whereabouts had already been exposed, he insisted on not moving his base, mainly because he wanted to see Sasuke as he was now.

He firmly believed that Sasuke's hatred for him would inevitably lead him to come knocking on his door immediately.

He originally planned to first teach his younger brother a lesson to deepen his hatred, then follow the clues to find the mysterious Hiruko, while diverting the Akatsuki's attention to this mysterious person and avoiding the attention of the Konoha people.

Unexpectedly, this time the plan backfired. Could something have happened to Sasuke?

Thinking about this, Itachi Uchiha's mood instantly became anxious.

Seeing Naruto, the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, who had come to his doorstep willingly, along with a group of Konoha ninja and a large number of Sand Village Allied Forces, Itachi Uchiha felt a headache coming on.

This time, under the instructions of Madara and Obito, the Akatsuki organization mobilized almost its entire force.

In this situation, how to protect the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is indeed a thorny problem.

However, Itachi Uchiha was always a person who was extremely good at suppressing his emotions and concealing them. His expression management was perfect, and he did not let anyone see his anxiety.

"Since you have nowhere to escape, just surrender!" a Sand Village ninja shouted as he stepped forward.

With the support of the recently returned Fourth Kazekage Rasa, Fifth Kazekage Gaara, the legendary Sannin Jiraiya, and Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake, he seemed quite confident.

Naruto Uzumaki, who was usually loud and boisterous, didn't start making a fuss when he saw Itachi Uchiha.

He stared at Itachi Uchiha's face, which resembled Sasuke's, seemingly lost in thought.

"Itachi-san, it seems we're surrounded." Kisame Hoshigaki grinned, his massive Samehada on his back already churning.

It was clearly ready for battle, and seemed to be thirsting for blood.

"Kisame, although this place is somewhat advantageous to us, the desert climate is ultimately detrimental to your Water Release techniques. Let's retreat first; Deidara is still waiting for us," Itachi Uchiha said calmly, stopping Kisame in his tracks.

He secretly pondered to himself that he didn't want to clash head-on with the people of Konoha. If a chaotic battle broke out, the organization would definitely notice and might even join the battle. In that case, he wouldn't be able to openly hold back.

Moreover, with Jiraiya on the opposing side, Itachi Uchiha naturally dared not let his guard down.

"Itachi-san, you're as calm as ever. But it seems we don't need to rush to retreat." Kisame gestured with his lip, indicating that Itachi should look up.

Then, the impatient and restless Deidara came flying over excitedly on his clay bird.

He moved his hands rapidly, instantly creating countless small clay figures, which he then hurled down onto the ground.

Turning his head and seeing this scene, Kisame couldn't help but shout, "Deidara has appeared, so the rest of the organization must have arrived as well."