Konoha: Superman template, the spoiled brat becomes strong.

The once lush trees withered, their branches twisted, resembling hideous ghost claws.

A rotten smell permeated the air, making people nauseous.

The sunlight was blocked by some invisible force, and the forest was dark and damp, as if one were in a ghost town.

"Something doesn't feel right. It's creepy here..." Naruto muttered to himself, clenching his fists tightly and looking around nervously, as if a monster might jump out of the darkness at any moment.

Sasuke snorted coldly. Although he didn't say it, his slightly trembling fingertips betrayed his nervousness.

Just then, a large swarm of black flying insects suddenly emerged from the vortex, densely packed like dark clouds, sweeping over everyone.

"Watch out!" Kakashi shouted, quickly forming hand seals. An earth-style wall rose from the ground, blocking everyone's way, but the flying insects seemed to ignore the obstacle and squeezed through the gaps in the wall.

"Damn it!" Sasuke launched the first attack, his hands quickly forming hand seals, and fireballs shot towards the flying insects. However, the flames seemed to have no effect on these flying insects, which continued to rush towards them madly.

Kankuro quickly unfurled the scroll in his hand, and the puppet crows and black ants instantly appeared beside him, nimbly wielding their weapons in an attempt to shoot down the flying insects. However, the number of flying insects was so great that they were like a tide, and he could not kill them all.

The buzzing of the flying insects was irritating and disruptive. They were incredibly fast, and every now and then a few would slip through their defenses and crash into them, causing a slight stinging sensation that sent chills down their spines.

The attacks of the flying insects may seem weak, but they are numerous, and each impact seems to carry some kind of paralyzing toxin, causing waves of dizziness.

The crowd began to panic, the defensive perimeter gradually shrank, and they frantically dealt with the flying insects swarming in from all directions.

"What the hell are these bugs!" Akamaru gritted his teeth and barked impatiently. They struggled to wave their ninja tools, but to little avail.

Just then, a slightly lazy yet excited voice rang in everyone's ears, "Hey, it seems like everyone's in trouble..."

A sudden gust of wind arose, swirling up fallen leaves and making the buzzing of insects even more piercing, almost bursting everyone's eardrums.

Just as everyone was at a loss, a figure descended from the sky like lightning, accompanied by a deafening shout of "Youth!", and Kai made a dazzling entrance!

Beneath his tight-fitting clothes, his muscles were bulging like cast iron, and his eyes shone brightly, burning with the fiery passion of youth.

"Teacher Kai!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise.

"Burn, my youth!" Kai roared, activating the Eight Gates Formation without hesitation.

Green steam billowed from his pores, forming a visible energy vortex.

His speed was so fast that it was almost impossible for the naked eye to catch; all that could be seen was a green streak weaving through the swarm of flying insects.

"Konoha Tornado!"

Kai leaped into the air, his rapidly spinning body transforming into a green tornado that swept across the entire battlefield.

The violent force instantly tore the flying insect to shreds, turning it into dust.

The buzzing stopped abruptly, the air filled with the smell of burning, and the surrounding trees were uprooted by the powerful force and sent flying into the distance.

All the flying insects were wiped out. Kai landed slowly, and the steam on his body gradually dissipated. He straightened his chest and revealed a confident smile.

"Youthful energy knows no bounds!"

Everyone was stunned, deeply shocked by Kai's immense strength.

Naruto was so excited that his face turned red, and his eyes shone with admiration.

"That's amazing! Teacher Kai!"

"What youth..." Kakashi shook his head helplessly, but there was a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Just then, Hinata let out a painful groan.

In the previous battle, she injured her arm when she was hit by a stray flying insect while protecting Naruto.

The wound had an eerie black tinge, and a faint numbing sensation was emanating from it.

"Hinata!" Naruto exclaimed, rushing to Hinata's side to check her injuries with concern.

"How are you? Are you okay?"

Hinata's face was pale, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead, but she forced a smile despite the pain.

"It's nothing... I just got bitten by a bug..."

Naruto held Hinata's hand tightly, his eyes filled with worry and self-blame.

He carefully tore off a corner of his clothes and used it to bandage Hinata's wound.

Hinata felt a surge of warmth in her heart as she looked at Naruto's nervous expression, and her eyes reddened slightly.

After a short rest, the group continued their journey toward the whirlpool.

After passing through a dense forest, an ancient castle came into view.

The castle was entirely black, towering into the clouds like a sharp sword piercing the sky.

A thick fog enveloped the castle, obscuring the view inside and adding to its mysterious and eerie atmosphere.

Kakashi stopped and stared intently at the castle before him.

"This place... feels very dangerous..."

"What should we do? Kakashi-sensei, should we go in?" Sakura asked.

Kakashi pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Let's go in and take a look; perhaps we can find some clues..."

The group exchanged glances, their eyes filled with hesitation.

"Click——"

The sound, seemingly from the turning of an ancient mechanism, came from the depths of the thick fog…

Chapter 181 Laughter from the Depths of the Castle

The castle, shrouded in thick fog, resembled a lurking beast, silently awaiting the arrival of its prey.

Kakashi took a deep breath and stepped through the castle gates first, followed closely by the others.

Just as the last person entered, a loud "boom" resounded as the heavy stone door slammed shut, completely isolating everyone from the outside world.

Darkness instantly swallowed the light, making it impossible to see one's own hand in front of one's face.

The strong smell of mildew mixed with the odor of dust hit the nose and made people nauseous.

The air seemed to be filled with a suffocating energy, making it hard to breathe.

"What's going on?" Sakura exclaimed, instinctively grabbing Sasuke's sleeve.

"Watch out!" Kakashi shouted, his Sharingan activating rapidly, the crimson pupils gleaming faintly in the darkness.

"Click, click..." A strange mechanical sound came from the depths of darkness, growing closer and closer.

Immediately afterwards, countless scarlet eyes lit up in the darkness, flickering like will-o'-the-wisps.

"They're puppets!" Kankuro's voice came from the darkness, tinged with seriousness. "There are far too many of them!"

Before the words were even finished, countless puppets emerged from all directions, wielding sharp blades and attacking the crowd.

"These puppets... are very powerful!" Kankuro controlled the crow and the black ant, struggling to defend against the puppets' attacks, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead.

Gaara's sand also began to crack, and the puppet's power far exceeded their expectations.

"These puppets... seem to be empowered by some kind of force!" Gaara gritted his teeth, the sand surging wildly as he tried to suppress the puppets' offensive.

However, the number of puppets was far too great, and their attacks were becoming increasingly fierce.

The group gradually felt their strength waning, and injuries began to appear on their bodies.

"Damn it..." Naruto gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms.

He felt a powerful force surging within him, trying to break free of its restraints...

"Naruto! Calm down!" Kakashi's voice rang out amidst the chaos, carrying a hint of warning.

"Ah—!!" Naruto let out a deafening roar, like a caged beast breaking free of its cage.

His chakra surged forth like a volcanic eruption, and crimson energy instantly enveloped his body, filling him with a powerful sense of strength.

He felt as if he could tear the air apart, his punches accompanied by a whistling sound.

Naruto's eyes sharpened like burning flames. He stomped his foot on the ground and shot towards the group of puppets like an arrow.

"Rasengan!" he roared, his right palm condensing into a rapidly spinning ball of chakra, which slammed hard into the puppet at the front.

With a deafening roar, the puppet was instantly blasted into pieces, scattering across the ground.

He did not stop attacking. He condensed an even larger Rasengan in his left hand and, with a "bang," charged into the dense area of ​​puppets. The powerful shockwave shattered all the surrounding puppets.

Seeing this, Sasuke's lips curled up slightly.

Killer Bee also joined the battle, wielding his seven swords and weaving through the puppets like a whirlwind. With each swing of his sword, he took the life of a puppet.

"Yo-ho! Eight-sword style, great rhythm!" He sang loudly as he fought, his rhythmic attacks showcasing his formidable strength.

The three worked together flawlessly, like a meat grinder on the battlefield, instantly tearing a hole in the puppet formation.

Everyone was amazed to see Naruto unleash such power. Sakura looked at Naruto with surprise and pride.

Kakashi smiled slightly.

However, just as everyone was gaining the upper hand, another unexpected event occurred.

During the battle, Temari was accidentally cut on the arm by the puppet's blade, and blood stained her sleeve.

"Temari!" Shikamaru rushed over immediately upon seeing this, caught her, and anxiously checked her injuries.

"Are you alright? How deep is the wound?" he asked as he took out a bandage and carefully bandaged her wound.

Temari felt a strange sensation as she watched Shikamaru show concern for her, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

Just then, the puppets suddenly stopped attacking and retreated into the darkness.

A chilling laugh echoed from the depths of the castle, a laugh so sinister and terrifying it seemed to come from the depths of hell.

Everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads, sending shivers down their spines.

Laughter echoed through the empty castle, lingering for a long time.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound, but could not see anything.

Kakashi gripped the kunai in his hand tightly.

"Who?" Kakashi's deep voice echoed in the quiet castle.

Chapter 182 Not Far Away Yet

The group cautiously made their way toward the source of the chilling laughter.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, and even breathing became difficult.

Kakashi gripped the kunai in his hand, his Sharingan scanning the darkness, trying to catch any unusual movement.

The others also moved with extreme lightness, as if afraid that any slight sound might attract unknown danger.

Temari's wound was still throbbing, but she forced herself not to make a sound.

Shikamaru silently followed beside her, occasionally whispering to inquire about her condition. Temari's strange feeling intensified, but she had no time to think about it; the immediate crisis was the most urgent matter.

The atmosphere inside the castle grew increasingly oppressive, as if an invisible force was squeezing everyone's chests.

Even the well-informed Kakashi felt an indescribable pressure.

He whispered, "Everyone, keep in formation and don't separate."

However, at that moment, a huge demonic shadow gradually appeared before them.

It was a black, blurry figure that almost blotted out the sky, its huge wings flapping gently in the air, bringing gusts of cold wind.

The power of the demonic shadow was immense; the mere aura it emitted made everyone's legs feel weak, and they almost couldn't stand up.

Sasuke and Naruto took the initiative, rushing towards the demonic shadow at the same time, their respective ninjutsu clashing in mid-air.

However, the shadowy figures seemed fearless, easily deflecting their attacks.

Sasuke's Chidori was immediately deflected by the black wings of the demon; Naruto's Rasengan only left a faint mark on the demon, which was instantly healed by its powerful regenerative ability.

"What...what kind of monster is this?" Sakura's voice trembled slightly, and she felt an unprecedented fear.

The demonic shadow began to fight back, its attack methods incredibly bizarre.

Black tentacles extended from its body, seemingly alive, and swiftly attacked the crowd.

Kakashi and Yamato quickly stepped in front, trying to buy time for their teammates with their strength, but the power of the Shadow Demon far exceeded their expectations.