Naruto: Fire-Release system

Chapter 153: Reclaiming the Mangekyō, Severing the Bonds

Nagato's commanding tone carried an undeniable authority, leaving no room for negotiation.

Surrounded by towering steel constructs, the leader of the Grass Village found his will to resist utterly crushed. He surrendered without hesitation, submitting to Nagato's demand that his nation be absorbed into the Rain Country.

Once the Grass Village officially capitulated, the process of integrating it into the Rain Country began. This wasn't a campaign of destruction but one of annexation. The merging of distinct cultures and territories would take time, but Nagato left the finer details to the administrators.

After stationing 5,000 Transformers and appointing a governance team to manage the transition, Nagato wasted no time and moved on to the Bird Country.

The Bird Country, another small nation that had claimed allegiance to the Akatsuki, offered the perfect justification for Rain Country's military actions. Nagato's forces surrounded the nation, presenting its leaders with the same ultimatum: surrender or perish.

Unsurprisingly, the Bird Country's leaders chose to surrender, recognizing the futility of resistance. After leaving another 5,000 Transformers and a management team, Nagato marched on to the River Country.

Compared to the Grass and Bird Countries, the River Country was larger, with a landmass one to two times the size of Rain Country. However, its military strength was unimpressive, and the sight of Nagato's massive army of steel giants sent its leadership into a panic.

Nagato addressed them with the same authority he had used before.

"The Grass and Bird Countries have already submitted to the Rain Country. Now it's your turn. What will you choose?"

The River Country's leaders exchanged nervous glances, their fear palpable. After a moment of deliberation, they spoke in unison:

"We... we submit."

The River Country's submission marked Nagato's third successful annexation in a single day. Though he could have continued his campaign to conquer additional nations, he recognized the importance of consolidating control over the newly acquired territories. Managing the integration process required time and resources.

With his immediate objectives achieved, Nagato decided to halt the expansion for now. The Rain Country would absorb the Grass, Bird, and River Countries, solidifying its newfound status as a burgeoning superpower.

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Meanwhile, the Fourth Great Ninja War raged on.

Inside the Kamui dimension, Kakashi and Obito faced off in a climactic duel, their battle symbolizing the severing of long-standing bonds.

The two fought initially without ninjutsu, relying solely on taijutsu. Kakashi wielded a kunai, while Obito used the Uchiha Gunbai, their movements sharp and precise.

Years of training had transformed Obito from the once-clumsy "dead last" into a formidable opponent. Against him, Kakashi—whose skills had dulled over years of emotional struggle—found himself outmatched.

Obito's relentless assault pushed Kakashi to the brink. After deflecting yet another strike from the Gunbai, Obito sneered:

"Is this all the great Kakashi of the Sharingan has to offer? A man who can't even keep up with the dead last he once pitied?"

Kakashi, though battered and bloodied, refused to give in. Rising to his feet, he fixed Obito with a determined gaze.

"Obito... If I am the cause of your descent into darkness, then I will personally put an end to it."

Lowering his mask, Kakashi revealed his Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Call me whatever you like," Obito replied coldly. "Names mean nothing to me anymore. Soon, I will create a new world, one free of suffering. Everything will end then."

Without another word, Obito lunged forward, his Gunbai raised. This time, however, he decided to end the battle quickly.

"Shinra Tensei!"

Obito unleashed the repulsive force of his Rinnegan, sending Kakashi hurtling backward with devastating power. The sheer force of the attack rendered Kakashi's arms useless, leaving him unable to form hand seals or wield weapons effectively.

As Obito approached the fallen Kakashi, he extended a hand toward his former friend's face.

"This ends now," Obito declared.

But Kakashi wasn't finished. In a final act of desperation, he activated Kamui, aiming to disrupt Obito's assault.

However, Obito had anticipated this move. Switching to his intangibility state, he allowed Kakashi's attack to pass harmlessly through him, conserving his energy while leaving Kakashi drained.

"You've lost," Obito said flatly.

Defeated, Kakashi could do little as Obito reached down and removed the Mangekyō Sharingan from his eye socket.

"From this moment on, there's nothing tying me to my past," Obito said, his tone cold and resolute. He left Kakashi alive but unconscious, throwing his broken body out of the Kamui dimension.

When Obito returned to the battlefield, the tide of the war had shifted.

Hashirama Senju had unleashed his Flower Tree World technique, binding the reanimated warriors in place with unrelenting wooden tendrils. The wood's chakra-absorbing properties neutralized the enemy forces, leaving them vulnerable to the sealing teams.

With the Allied Forces regaining control, the balance of power began tipping in their favor.

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The Rain Country's expansion did not go unnoticed, but the Five Great Nations were too preoccupied with the war to intervene.

The once-overlooked Rain Country now stood as a rising power, its ambitions clear to all who dared to look.

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