Naruto: Starting with the Granted Strongest Eye

"Sand clones? Or maybe a technique like the substitution jutsu?" Qing muttered, and Kakashi, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead, could only sigh in disbelief.

This old man... he's like an over-the-top S-rank shinobi! To think that this guy could fight against so many elite ninja at once while his true form remains completely elusive.

"Kakashi, behind you, one hundred meters away!" At this moment, Qing's Byakugan seemed almost useless. However, Tomo's strongest eyes were picking up every subtle movement in the surroundings.

Kakashi leapt to another tree, quickly forming hand seals. It seemed that the old man was avoiding lightning-based jutsu, so Kakashi's Lightning Blade would be effective.

Just as Fulinjia appeared once more, Kakashi's Lightning Blade was already complete. He thrust it into Fulinjia's chest. Unfortunately, once again, the figure exploded into sand.

"What is going on? Could this old man be made of sand?" Qing shouted, standing by the side of the dying Ghost Lamp Smoke.

"It seems that the ninja from earlier was right; this old man is made of sand. The sand on your body is absorbing our chakra!"

In the consciousness space, the Eight-Tails, the stubborn bull, spoke with some fear: This is too horrifying. Exploding sand that absorbs chakra? I've never heard of such a thing, let alone seen it!

"Not good, something's draining my chakra!" Darui shouted as he fell from the tree. One by one, the other ninja collapsed, their bodies useless as though they had no strength left.

"Qing... looks like... this mission... is a failure," Ghost Lamp Smoke said weakly, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth onto the grass below.

Shisui and Itachi also fell from the trees, but surprisingly, Tomo managed to catch them all and lay them beside a large tree.

At this point, the only ones still standing were Tomo and Killer Bee. Even without chakra, Tomo was still standing firm, his experience and the techniques he'd learned allowing him to endure. Killer Bee, though he had lost his Tailed Beast cloak, remained standing strong.

"Didn't expect that the only ones still standing are you two! One a Jinchuriki and the other... a little kid! Heh, seems like you're the two least ninja-like ninjas out there! One's a Jinchuriki, and the other... You must be a true swordsmanship master, huh?"

In the sky above, the sand finally stopped falling. Fulinjia's figure began to gather once again from the sandstorm.

His bloodstained Kama gleamed, and his once-gray hair now looked like that of a true old man in his senior years. But his speed... it remained terrifyingly fast.

In an instant, he appeared beside Killer Bee, and the Kama and Killer Bee's sword collided with a loud clang as they blocked the attack.

Although Killer Bee was incredibly powerful, his swordsmanship was also top-tier, and in a single moment, he blocked the old man's barrage of attacks.

However, it was clear that Killer Bee was starting to struggle. His chakra had been greatly drained, and the old man's taijutsu was overwhelming.

"Tomo, go help! We're fine, but we can't let Killer Bee fall!" Shisui urged, trying to stand but collapsing once more. He watched the battle closely, his voice full of desperation.

Tomo shuddered, knowing well that with his strongest eyes, he could assess the battle. But in a contest like this, it might not be enough.

Still, the Vortex Clan body and the added strength of the armament haki he'd cultivated, plus the swordsmanship passed on by Master Yuan Tai, might just give him a fighting chance.

Killer Bee was holding on, but it was obvious the old man was trying to push him toward a sand-heavy area. Even with the support of his Tailed Beast, Killer Bee was running out of options.

With his hand resting on his sword's hilt, Tomo quickly appeared beside the old man and shouted, "Iaijutsu!" A slash of pure sword energy erupted.

The overwhelming pressure of the attack followed.

Clang! A sharp sound rang out as the old man was forced to retreat, but before Killer Bee could react, the old man threw a short spear at him.

Without any time to prepare, Killer Bee took the hit and knelt on the ground. "Kid, it's all up to you now! This guy can control the sand to absorb our chakra!"

Tomo nodded and patted the Pikachu on its shoulder with a smile. "Pikachu, this is your time!"

At that moment, everyone noticed something strange. The Pikachu on Tomo's shoulder was still standing, full of energy, while the rest of the shinobi were all drained. How could this ninja beast still be so strong without using chakra?

"Let's go!"

With a quick slash of his sword, Tomo dashed into the fray. The old man seemed surprised. The two exchanged blows for a moment before Pikachu seized the opportunity.

With two Thunderbolt attacks, the old man was struck twice, leaving bloody marks on his body. He staggered back, blood slowly dripping down. He now looked like an aging old man, past his prime.

"So it was you, little brat, who was the most dangerous... Heh, I didn't expect that!" Fulinjia said as he stretched his body. His voice was calm, but his tone had a hint of frustration.

Tomo had felt it too — from the beginning, he had noticed that this old man was slowing down. After all the chakra had been absorbed, it was clear his strength was dwindling!

"This guy... could he be unable to use chakra?" Shisui laughed and pointed it out. "It seems that everything he does relies on cursed seals. And those seals... must have a time limit. So, this guy isn't nearly as powerful as he seems!"

Everyone quickly understood. They turned their attention to the young ninja who had protected them all.

"So that's it! Even though he's an old man on his last legs... it looks like I'll have to sacrifice you!"

Tomo smirked coldly, giving a reassuring pat to Pikachu. He then slowly approached the old man with his sword drawn.

The old man sneered and, after a quick flash of black on his forehead, the cursed seal activated once again. Tomo froze for a moment.

The old man suddenly turned and bolted toward the collapsed castle.

In that moment, Tomo's expression twisted — he had been tricked!

With a burst of speed, he took off after him. The chase was fast and furious as they neared the massive sand pile that had once been the beast's castle.

Tomo hesitated but then formed seals with his hands. Using his chakra, he pushed his speed to the limit. After all, if the old man had any hidden tricks, Tomo couldn't afford to be caught off guard.

"Hah!" The old man jumped high, his Kama swinging down to strike the sand pile. The sand exploded, and the old man vanished into the hole beneath.

Tomo quickly followed, using his technique. He formed more seals and shouted, "Summoning Jutsu!"

With a poof, a cloud of white smoke enveloped him, revealing a pair of black wings.

Tomo flew into the hole, landing inside. He could feel the ominous atmosphere, as the walls were lined with skull lanterns. Blood-red wax dripped from the skulls, creating a chilling and macabre effect.

"Devil Beast, can you sense that guy's presence?" Tomo asked coldly.

Indeed, the summoning beast he had called forth was none other than Devimon from the Digimon world. Tomo was momentarily stunned, but he quickly focused on the mission.

With Devimon's strength, killing an elite ninja should be no problem, especially with a surprise attack.

"Heh, of course. He's just entered a secret chamber. Let me take care of it!" Devimon laughed, extending his hand. With a boom, he destroyed the stone wall and rushed into the chamber.

"So, you've brought another new summoning beast. Hmmm, looks a bit like a devil, doesn't it?" Fulinjia's low voice echoed in the chamber, sending a shiver down Tomo's spine.