[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 99 (Patreon)

Toshiro had no intention of using Chidori Senbon to neutralize the exploding clay, as it would consume too much chakra.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As soon as they vacated the area, a series of explosions erupted behind them.

'Have I inadvertently taught these Iwa ninjas a new tactic?'

Toshiro watched as the Iwa ninjas, airborne with the help of their comrades, rained explosives down on his group. Aerial bombing wasn't new to Iwa Ninja, but Toshiro's example seemed to have inspired them.

“Stop them! Don’t let them escape the encirclement!” ordered an Iwa Jounin. Their objective wasn’t to engage in a deadly battle but to block Toshiro’s group from retreating.

Immediately, Jounin and his team of dozens split into two groups and began forming seals simultaneously:

“Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!”

“Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!”

Seeing the Iwa ninjas coordinating their jutsu to obstruct them, Toshiro couldn't help but curse under his breath. These ninjas certainly favored group tactics.

Feeling the dwindling chakra in his body, Toshiro pulled out a sealing scroll from his ninja tool bag and called to his team:

“kirishima!”

“Got it!”

Without needing further communication, Kirishima understood Toshiro’s plan. He thrust forward, forming seals as he moved.

“Earth Release: Earthquake Jutsu!”

A large section of the ground rose beneath them, creating a path over the enemy's Earth-Style Wall.

“Asuka!”

“Understood!”

Asuka took out a handful of senbon from her ninja tool bag and infused them with lightning chakra to suppress the explosive clay falling from above.

“Release!”

While still running, Toshiro unrolled the scroll and formed a seal to release its contents. A surge of chakra flowed from the scroll, enveloping Toshiro.

He had previously experimented with sealing his shadow clone, and now he tried sealing his Sage Mode shadow clone. Using chakra paper from the Senju clan and ink mixed with sealing stone powder from the Demon Country, he successfully sealed the Sage Mode shadow clone.

This technique allowed Toshiro to carry a portable source of immense power, though it came at a high cost. The chakra paper from the Senju clan, while expensive, was affordable. However, the sealing stones from the Land of Demons were exorbitantly priced. Just a small piece the size of a fingernail had cost him nearly half a year’s worth of battlefield earnings, making him acutely aware of his financial constraints.

Moreover, these scrolls were single-use and would be rendered useless after releasing their contents, adding to the overall expense.

Feeling his body almost bursting with chakra, Toshiro ignored the discarded scroll. He stepped onto the path created by Kirishima’s ninjutsu, transforming into a swift, invisible phantom as he charged towards the massive obstacle ahead—a wall hundreds of meters long, seven or eight meters high, and two meters thick.

Despite Asuka’s senbon attacks, the Iwa ninja in the air continued their assault, dropping a barrage of explosive clay to slow him down and hinder his teammates. Occasionally, large rocks wrapped in exploding clay were mixed in, causing Asuka considerable difficulty.

"This is getting out of hand!" Toshiro muttered, glaring coldly at the rock ninjas hovering a hundred and eighty meters above. They were exploiting their aerial advantage, raining down trouble without fear of reprisal.

He raised his head, his Sharingan spinning, and, with a swift motion, fired a dozen half-meter-long Chidori Senbon at the Iwa ninja in the sky.

"Watch out!" one of the airborne ninjas shouted, bringing his comrade to attention. The distance between them and Toshiro was substantial, and they believed dodging the attack would be straightforward given their clear view.

However, Toshiro’s Chidori Senbon, guided by his Sharingan’s dynamic vision, was impossible to evade. He had anticipated all their possible escape routes. Even if they tried to block the attack, Toshiro wasn’t worried. The sheer number of Senbon ensured at least one hit. And with the paralysis effect of his lightning chakra, even a non-lethal hit would spell disaster for the flying ninjas.

After launching the Chidori Senbon, Toshiro turned his attention back to the ground. The airborne threat was neutralized; now he had to deal with the obstacle and the Iwa ninja behind it.

"They're coming!" A sensory ninja alerted the others.

Behind the earthen wall, a group of Iwa ninjas waited, ready to strike. Some formed seals; others gripped kunai and ninja swords, poised to attack once Toshiro and his team breached the wall.

Toshiro had no intention of slowing down. He charged forward with the ferocity of an angry lion. Upon reaching the edge of the wall, he unleashed a powerful punch.

“Ninja Art: Monster Strength!”

This technique, which he had learned from the jutsu bargained from Orochimaru, was now augmented by his Sage Mode. Even Tsunade herself would have been forced to retreat from such a blow.

Crack! Boom!

The rock wall shattered under Toshiro's monstrous punch. A massive explosion followed, sending dust and debris flying. A ten-meter-wide section of the two-meter-thick wall was obliterated, sending a rain of stones towards the waiting Iwa ninjas. These stones, mixed with explosive tags, caused chaos and casualties among the Iwa forces.

The Iwa ninjas, who had prepared to ambush Toshiro’s team, now found themselves dodging their own traps. The explosive tags they had set for Toshiro were now backfiring, turning into deadly hazards for themselves.

"This guy is getting more and more insane!" Kirishima and the others watched in awe as Toshiro's punch created a massive breach in the wall. They had always known he was strong, but this display was on a different level.

“Is this really a power that humans can wield?” Asuka wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Toshiro’s power was beyond anything she had imagined. She realized competing with him was futile; she was an ordinary ninja, and there was no need to challenge someone so extraordinary.

Although Asuka had always harbored a desire to match or surpass Toshiro, she now buried that ambition deep within. It wasn’t that she lacked competitiveness; she simply recognized the futility of trying to rival such overwhelming power.

It wasn't just Kirishima and the others who were astonished.

In the air, Kitsuchi, having witnessed the entire scene, couldn't control the twitching at the corners of his mouth. He began to doubt what kind of monster he had ambushed this time. However, he quickly steeled his resolve. There was no room for hesitation now.

"Let's go down!" he commanded.

Without the Iwa Ninja, who could create explosive clay, remaining airborne was futile. The Iwa Ninja were at their strongest on the ground.

"But..." Shirai, who had just rescued the two who were attacking using explosive clay and served as Kitsuchi's guard, tried to object.

As the son of the Third Tsuchikage, Kitsuchi had no need to put himself in danger. If anything happened to him, his guards would face severe punishment.

"No buts!" Kitsuchi interrupted firmly. "This is a war between Iwa Ninja and Konoha. As the son of Tsuchikage, how can I sit back and watch the enemy break through?"

Seeing Shirai’s continued reluctance, he added, "I've made up my mind!"

With that, he headed towards the Iwa Ninja. Despite his desire to kill the enemy, he was no reckless fighter. Otherwise, the Third Tsuchikage wouldn’t have entrusted him with leading the camp.

Ganju, another guard, could only follow closely. The guards’ honor and their families' reputations were tied to Kitsuchi’s safety. Any harm to him would bring disgrace and punishment upon them all.

After blasting open the passage, Toshiro didn’t pause. He stepped over the debris in a few strides, then forcefully stomped the ground, creating a hole a meter deep and several meters wide. Pulling out his ninja sword, he charged towards the distant Iwa ninja.

Under the hole, two Iwa ninjas who had been attempting a subterranean attack were seriously injured by Toshiro's stomp, screaming before falling unconscious. Without immediate aid, their chances of survival were slim. Toshiro, however, remained indifferent to their fate.

Before breaking into the enemy formation, he signaled to Akane and Ryu.

"Understood!" they replied without hesitation, forming seals and unleashing their respective ninjutsu.

“Fire Style: Earth Splitting Fire!”

“Fire Style: Meteor Fire Shower!”

Two streams of fire, three to four meters high, shot out along Toshiro’s path, creating a burning corridor and splitting the Iwa Ninja forces. The flames continued to burn, blocking vision and passage.

A massive fireball, nearly 30 meters in diameter, then crashed into the Iwa Ninja, exploding and creating a scorching sea of flames, forcing them to retreat or be incinerated.

As Toshiro and his team advanced, Asuka manipulated the fire to create a narrow path for them.

“Don’t underestimate Iwa Ninja!” An Iwa Jonin roared, charging at Toshiro with swords in hand, inspiring his comrades. A dozen ninjas followed, attacking Toshiro.

Toshiro responded with a swift slash of his ninja sword.

With chakra exploding from his feet, he executed a lightning-fast movement. The Iwa ninjas couldn’t track his trajectory at all.

Clang! Sparks flew as their swords clashed.

"Close one!" the Jonin thought, managing to block Toshiro’s strike with his battle-honed instincts. However, this was a fatal mistake. Turning to face Toshiro, his vision was filled with the scarlet Sharingan.

In an instant, he was trapped in Toshiro's genjutsu, immobilized on a stake. Toshiro’s blade then swiftly ended his life.

Without hesitation, Toshiro attacked the remaining Iwa Ninja. Unlike the Jonin, these Chuunin and special Jonin had no chance against his speed and precision.

In mere seconds, Toshiro had cut through them, leaving no large-scale resistance in his path. His companions, Kirishima and Asuka, were left in awe, having never seen Toshiro unleash his full power before.