Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 356 Encounter 3

Hyuga Kanan looked at the Six Paths of Pain before him, thinking to himself, "Given the current physical capabilities of this clone, it would be unwise to forcefully engage in a direct confrontation using overly powerful taijutsu. After all, this body has limited endurance and cannot withstand such intense combat for an extended period." He knew that continuing close-quarters combat would only put him in a passive position.

After careful consideration, Hyuga Kanan decided to change his strategy. Since his own circumstances did not allow for a forceful approach, he should fully utilize his unique advantage—his control over the power of rules. This power stemmed from his years of training and understanding, and now was the time to put it to use.

He believed that by skillfully utilizing the power of these rules, he could quickly find his opponent's weaknesses and deliver a fatal blow. Without much entanglement, a concise and direct approach would easily defeat him. This would conserve energy and avoid unnecessary risks—a win-win situation. Furthermore, it could confuse the Sage of Six Paths lurking in the shadows, causing him to misjudge his own strength and fighting style.

With this thought in mind, Hyuga Kanan's eyes grew even more determined. He took a deep breath and began to mobilize the latent power of rules within his body, preparing to give his enemy an unexpected surprise.

The six Paths of Pain flashed and regrouped, swiftly adjusting their positions with perfect coordination to form a tight and highly aggressive battle formation. Each of them exuded a sharp aura, as if they could tear the surrounding air apart.

They stared at their opponent, with whom they had just sparred, pondering to themselves. Through their brief but intense exchange, they had sensed the opponent's exceptional skill in physical combat, but this wasn't enough to instill fear. In contrast, the ice-based techniques the opponent employed were truly terrifying; the bone-chilling cold and the unpredictable nature of their attacks put immense pressure on them.

However, the Six Paths of Pain did not back down an inch. They knew their strength was not to be underestimated, especially in close combat where they possessed a unique advantage. As long as they could get close to the enemy and launch a fierce attack, their superb skills and teamwork would surely allow them to quickly defeat this uninvited guest who dared to trespass into their territory.

Hyuga Kanan stared intently at the six figures that pounced on him like ghosts once more, his face ashen. He did not want to continue engaging in close combat. Unlike before, this time he did not choose to rashly rush forward to engage in close combat. Instead, he took a deep breath, concentrated his mind, and instantly mobilized the powerful latent power of rules within his body.

With a thought, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and countless crystal-clear, shimmering ice spikes suddenly appeared in front of him. These ice spikes seemed to be given life, agile and sharp. They gathered together at an astonishing speed, forming an impenetrable ice wall, ready to face the six figures rushing towards them.

In an instant, the entire space was filled with a bone-chilling cold and a heart-palpitating pressure. The ice spikes shot out like a rain of arrows, carrying an incomparably fierce momentum, and pierced straight towards the six attacking figures. Each ice spike contained boundless power, enough to pierce through metal and stone and tear apart the void.

Faced with such a terrifying attack, the six figures showed no fear. Their movements were elusive, sometimes dodging to the side, sometimes skillfully avoiding the sharpness of the ice spikes with unpredictable agility. However, despite their nimble movements, some ice spikes still broke through their defenses and struck their bodies hard, splattering blood everywhere.

But this did not stop their advance in the slightest; on the contrary, it fueled their fighting spirit even more. Roaring, they accelerated towards Hyuga Kanan, determined to tear this opponent who dared challenge their authority to pieces. Hyuga Kanan, however, stood firmly, his hands constantly forming hand seals, manipulating more and more ice spikes to shoot forth, engaging the enemy in a thrilling long-range duel.

Several attempts were made to advance, but each time they were blocked by Hyuga Kanan's incredibly sharp ice spikes. These ice spikes seemed to have a life of their own, hurtling towards Six Paths Pain with astonishing speed and precision, forcing them to scramble away. Faced with such a difficult situation, Six Paths Pain inwardly groaned; what he had initially thought would be an easy victory had now become exceptionally difficult.

After several exchanges, Pain finally realized that continuing to forcefully approach would only waste energy and time, and might even bring unexpected danger. Therefore, they decisively decided to change their strategy, abandoning their insistence on direct close-quarters attacks on Hyuga Kanan. After all, their goal was not to fight to the death, but to subdue or defeat him with minimal losses.

However, the sheer number and overwhelming force of the ice spikes rushing towards them was terrifying, leaving no way to even begin. Even a being as powerful as Pain was momentarily helpless, forced to watch as Hyuga Kanan stood there like an impregnable fortress, guarding his last line of defense.

Pain knew time was of the essence, and he was weary of this endless stalemate and attrition. At this moment, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes, and he silently made up his mind: no matter the cost, he would quickly eliminate this troublesome opponent before him—Hyuga Kanan!

Six Paths of Pain took a deep breath, and his chakra surged wildly like a raging torrent. The powerful aura emanating from him seemed capable of tearing through space itself. The previously calm surroundings instantly became turbulent, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring.

Immediately afterward, Nagato, hidden behind the scenes, formed hand seals and chanted incantations. As the chanting grew more rapid, his chakra surged wildly into the bodies of the Six Paths of Pain. This greatly replenished the Six Paths of Pain, allowing each of their six figures, representing different powers and abilities, to unleash their full potential. The six figures, like demon gods descending to earth, brought boundless pressure and fear to all who beheld them.

At the same time, Pain's muscles tensed and veins bulged. Nagato poured all his energy and life force into Pain without reservation. At that moment, Pain, like a burning meteor, shot towards Kanan with earth-shattering force.

Just then, the slightly overweight man shot to the front of the group like an arrow. His gaze was fixed firmly on Hyuga Kanan, who was unleashing countless sharp ice spikes! These ice spikes gleamed with a cold light and hurtled towards them at an astonishing speed.

However, the slightly overweight man showed no sign of backing down. He suddenly raised his arms, as if to embrace the impending danger. His movements were swift and decisive, making everyone hold their breath. As he raised his arms, a powerful force surged from his body, forming an invisible barrier in front of him.

Hyuga Kanan's sharp ice spike, condensed using the rules of water element, hurtled towards the mysterious, invisible barrier with overwhelming force! However, an astonishing scene unfolded—when the incredibly sharp ice spike collided with the seemingly indestructible barrier, time itself seemed to freeze. In an instant, an extremely strange power quietly emerged, instantly devouring all the powerful energy contained within the ice spike. The once gleaming, unstoppable ice spike instantly transformed into a powerless trickle, slowly flowing down the invisible barrier.

The sharp ice spikes that had been densely packed and covered the six paths of Pain's attack were now completely blocked by the mysterious barrier formed by his suddenly extended hands! The incredibly sturdy barrier was like an impregnable fortress, keeping all the ice spikes out without a single one able to break through.

Seeing this, Hyuga Kanan, who was preparing to gather more ice spikes for an attack, frowned slightly, pondering to himself. His deep, sharp eyes flashed with an unusual light, as if they could see through everything. After a brief moment of thought, he resolutely stopped his attack, because with his unparalleled divine sense, he clearly perceived that the leader of Pain, who had charged forward with overwhelming force, possessed an extremely terrifying and rare ability—energy absorption! This strange and unpredictable power made Hyuga Kanan wary, and he dared not act rashly.

After all, without knowing the true strength and weaknesses of the enemy, any rash action could lead to disastrous consequences. Therefore, Hyuga Kanan decided to remain inactive for the time being, observe the situation, and look for the best opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to his opponent.

Not only that, Hyuga Kanan was filled with curiosity and anticipation. He was eager to witness firsthand what kind of amazing and unique ninjutsu the remaining members of Pain's Six Paths could unleash. After all, judging from the battle patterns they had displayed so far, their opponents were clearly launching an attack with a meticulously planned and highly coordinated formation. This meant that, besides the person he had just seen, the other powerful members of Pain's team must each possess their own unique and distinctive ninjutsu techniques. They might unleash powerful forces in unimaginable ways, or use unimaginable skills to control the battle. These unknown and mysterious ninjutsu would undoubtedly become key variables and decisive factors in this intense duel. Thinking of this, Hyuga Kanan couldn't help but feel his blood boil, and he focused intently on preparing for any challenges that might come his way.