[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 79 (Patreon)

“Fire Release: Pheonix Flower Flame Bullets!”

This jutsu, developed by Toshiro after years of study, was inspired by Naruto’s continuous fire bombs during Pain's invasion of Konoha. Unlike Naruto, Toshiro couldn’t release dozens or hundreds of these compressed fire-attribute chakra shells at once, nor could he use this move to continuously bombard the enemy.

Instead, Toshiro’s ninjutsu was a practical offensive jutsu, combining the Uchiha clan's Fire Release Hosenka Jutsu with the principles of the Fourth Hokage’s Rasengan. It maintained the Hosen Fire Jutsu's characteristics of numerous, controllable fireballs while significantly enhancing their speed and power.

Originally, the Phoenix Flowers jutsu allowed for controlling football-sized fireballs for minor attacks, forcing opponents to move or restricting their movements. Toshiro’s version compressed these fireballs, increasing their power and rotational speed. While he couldn’t perfectly integrate the elemental and morphological changes due to their complexity, the jutsu still caused small explosions on impact, forming two to three-meter-wide fireballs. The smaller, rotating flame bullets made the attacks faster and harder to evade.

“Be careful! There’s a sneak attack from behind!”

Sensing ninja Kirito, vigilant as ever, noticed the anomaly and issued a warning to his teammates. Despite his anxiety, he didn’t have time to ponder why someone was behind them. Genji, the experienced veteran, had already sensed the danger, relying on his intuition honed over years of life-and-death battles. Catching such a seasoned Jonin off guard with a simple sneak attack was nearly impossible.

But it was too late. As Genji turned to see the incoming flame bullets, he realized the imminent threat. Without time to use ninjutsu, he could only shout a warning.

Toshiro, having launched his attack, quickly followed up. He pulled eight kunai from his ninja bag, four in each hand, and threw them at the enemy without precise aiming due to time constraints. As his hands formed seals, his chakra surged, transforming the kunai from eight to sixteen, then to thirty-two, ultimately creating a rain of kunai aimed at the Iwa ninjas still dodging the flame bullets.

“Shuriken Shadow Clone jutsu!”

This jutsu, developed by the Third Hokage, allowed Toshiro to generate a wave of AOE damage, though not at the level of Minato. His hands moved continuously, understanding the necessity of striking while the enemy was vulnerable. He couldn’t afford to wait for the enemy to recover.

With a scarlet flash in his eyes, Toshiro locked onto his targets using his Sharingan. His expression was stern and merciless as he formed more seals.

“Fire Release: Five Fire Dragon jutsu!”

Roaring, five powerful flame dragon heads flew toward the Iwa ninjas, who were still evading Toshiro’s earlier attacks. Simultaneously, Toshiro jumped into the air, creating more space for the jutsu and avoiding an approaching threat from the ground. A thick arm burst from the ground, grasping at the afterimage Toshiro left behind, revealing the terrifying strength of its owner.

The Iwa ninjas, still dodging the flame bullets and the rain of kunai, now faced the fire dragons. Their situation became dire.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions erupted, accompanied by orange-red flames engulfing the rock ninjas. Despite most Iwa ninjas evading the initial attacks thanks to their superior’s and sensory ninja’s warnings, five or six inexperienced ones made fatal errors. They endured a wave of explosions and were swallowed by flames, their desperate, painful screams echoing before their demise.

"Ah!”

“Captain! Help me…”

“Captain Genji!”

Hearing his teammates' dying screams, even the battle-hardened Genji couldn't suppress a twitch in his eye. He had not expected the seemingly guaranteed hunt to turn so chaotic in an instant. Though the attacks had minimal impact on him, they were not so easily deflected by the chuunin under his command. Despite his best efforts, several subordinates were killed, and many were injured, some seriously.

Before he could fully assess the situation, the next wave of attacks began. From the corner of his eye, he saw the enemy forming seals for a third offensive.

“Damn it! This sneak attacker is relentless, giving us no time to breathe!”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A barrage of black kunai rained down on the Iwa ninjas, who had just regained their footing after dodging the flaming bullets. Genji knew that while the jonin might withstand the attack, the chuunin would suffer heavy casualties.

“Earth Release: Multiple Earth Flow Walls!”

Gritting his teeth, he quickly formed the seals for a defensive jutsu. Multiple earth walls rose, blocking most of the incoming kunai and giving Genji a brief respite. But with the enemy’s next attack imminent, he had no time for a more robust defense.

The enemy’s sneak attack had been sudden and relentless, each wave seamlessly following the last, all within a few seconds. Genji knew he needed a stronger defense.

“Um!”

“Ugh!”

Pained groans echoed as some of his teammates, unable to dodge in time, were struck by the kunai. Two were already lying in pools of blood. Genji’s hastily erected earth walls couldn’t protect everyone, and many were injured.

Before he could catch his breath, the deafening roar of a dragon filled the air.

“Spread out! Don't be in a cluster together!”

Genji shouted as he sensed the intense heat from behind the earth wall. The hurriedly erected wall wouldn’t withstand the incoming attack. The wall shattered with a click and a boom, revealing a massive dragon-headed flame bearing down on them.

“Damn it!”

Genji’s half-formed jutsu was interrupted as he faced the powerful Fire Release jutsu. His hardening jutsu, executed in haste, wouldn’t be enough. The fire dragon head smashed through the barrier, leaving a scorched pit where Genji had stood. The chuunin, now without their jonin’s protection, were easy targets.

Toshiro had unleashed five dragons, straining his chakra to the limit. The Iwa ninjas were overwhelmed. The special jonin among them tried to erect earth walls, but these C-rank defenses were no match for Toshiro’s high-level fire jutsu.

Groan!

Boom!

Ah!

The Iwa ninjas' cries and the sounds of explosions mixed with the smell of burnt grass and smoke. Toshiro’s meticulously planned sneak attack had achieved devastating results, inflicting heavy losses on the Iwa ninjas.

'jump'

As Toshiro's shoes scraped against the ground, he landed firmly after evading an Iwa ninja's sneak attack. Observing the devastation he had caused, a mix of emotions stirred within him—emotions unfamiliar to ninjas of this era. The twisted nature of this ninja world had a profound effect on him. Previously, he had never even killed a chicken, yet now he could send numerous lives to the afterlife with little effort. In his past life, killing more than ten people at once would have been a horror story, the stuff of grim news reports. But now, it barely registered.

The war had indeed transformed him into a remorseless beast.

Seeing the Iwa ninja emerge from his previous position, Toshiro knew he couldn't afford any distractions. If he didn't kill the enemy, it would put his own life at risk. Feeling the depletion of his chakra, he slowly drew the ninja sword strapped to his lower back. Since losing his Kodachi during Pakura's ambush, he has carried his father's ancestral ninja sword. After a brief adjustment period, he wielded the over-meter-long chakra weapon adeptly.

“Go to hell!”

Without further words, the stout Iwa ninja, resembling more a tree stump than a ninja, charged at Toshiro. The enemy, having lost half his comrades, had no desire for conversation—only battle.

Clang!

With the advantage of his Sharingan, Toshiro easily parried the attack. But his physical strength was waning, leaving him unable to launch a strong counterattack. He could only engage slowly, hoping to recover under his companions' cover, or perhaps use his Sharingan to defeat the enemy without much chakra.

Though his earlier three attacks were effective, they had drained him significantly. Whether it was the self-developed Fire Release: Pheonix Flower Flame Bullet, the Third Hokage's Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, or the Fire Release: five Dragon jutsu—all high-level jutsus—each had consumed a large amount of chakra.

Even his body felt the strain. It wasn't that his strength was lacking, but he had overexerted himself, leaving him weak. With a little time to recover, he could regain his fighting strength.

At that moment, the Uchiha boys, previously under attack, arrived under Asuka and Kirishima's leadership, surrounding the stunned Iwa ninjas. The tables had turned from the initial attack by the Iwa ninjas to the Uchiha now besieging them.

“Asuka! Be careful!”

“The Jonin leader is hiding. Don’t engage directly—beware of sneak attacks! Let Kirishima lead the others to surround them…”

Toshiro's caution stemmed from the nature of ninjas: high offense but fragile defense. Effective sneak attacks could decide battles, just as he had demonstrated. If the hidden Jonin launched a similar surprise, all his efforts would be in vain. The enemy had suffered little and expended minimal chakra. A careless mistake could lead to disaster.

“Yeah! I know! You be careful too—they’ll target you now.”

Uchiha Asuka, having grown slimmer, was not arrogant. He reminded Toshiro to be cautious, then activated her two tomoe Sharingan, watching the battlefield closely.

Toshiro understood Asuka's warning well. After delivering such a surprise, the Iwa village jonin would want nothing more than to crush him. He remained vigilant, knowing the danger.

As for potential casualties among his clansmen, Toshiro had considered that too. Alone, he could protect only a few. Rather than attempting to shield everyone, it was better to let them experience battle firsthand. If some friends died, it was unfortunate, but he couldn't be the savior every time. In this prolonged war, they ultimately had to rely on themselves.

Additionally, the Sharingan required intense emotions to awaken. The Uchiha's bloodline limit often manifests through blood and tears. Injuries, powerlessness, regret, and despair—these negative emotions increased the chance of awakening. The more tragedy and battle the Uchiha endured, the greater their potential.