[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 101 (Patreon)

“Six meters ahead of the landing point, dodge!”

Facing Kitsuchi’s long-range attack, Kirishima had no option but to evade. Obstacles or substitution techniques would be ineffective, as they would be crushed instantly. Compounding the problem, they were on the edge of the Swamp of the Underworld, a deadly trap that could swallow them whole.

Boom!

A heavy object hit the ground with a muffled sound, sending soil flying. Mud waves flooded in their direction after this. Within the swamp, being submerged by these waves without anyone to rescue was a desperate situation.

"Earth Release: Mobile Core!"

After using this ninjutsu to raise the ground and rescue his endangered companions, Kirishima sighed in relief. Thankfully, he had chosen to practice earth Nature, making it possible to handle such situations.

Asuka, Akane, and Ryu had just settled on the elevated rock, feeling relief. Those mud waves would have drowned them without Kirishima's help.

“The power of that rock ninja is really too much. Who the fuck is that guy..?”

The enormous mark that Kitsuchi's stone ball left behind, which was hundreds of meters long and seven or eight meters deep, shocked them all. Despite witnessing this destructive power before, they still felt powerless.

“Let’s go! Staying here only hinders Toshiro.”

Glancing at Toshiro’s location, Kirishima saw a dazzling orange-red fire under the sunlight. He turned to his companions, stating the obvious, and led them through the swampy area. This was the time and distance Toshiro had created; by putting his life on the line, they couldn’t waste this opportunity.

...

Faced with Toshiro’s fire attack, Kitsuchi couldn’t ignore it. He controlled the rock giant to turn and block the surging flames.

“If you won't let me attack your friends, you can stay here and be buried with the Iwa Ninja!”

Determined to keep the powerful Uchiha there, Kitsuchi ignored the escaping enemies. Adjusting his chakra, he pressed his hands on the stone giant’s shoulders. The swamps below began to rise and fall, forming a huge wave that crashed towards Toshiro. Creating the swamp had a dual purpose: preventing the enemy from breaking out and using it in battle.

Kitsuchi’s attack forced Toshiro to stop his jutsu and start dodging. He didn’t want to be wrapped in mud again.

“It’s all the fault of my own predecessor, Madara the Maniac.”

While dodging, Toshiro couldn’t help but complain. As an Uchiha, he never expected to avoid attacks from a titan sized chakra creature used by someone else.

With no effective solution against the rock giant, Toshiro realized that a long-range fight would be futile as Kitsuchi would retaliate forcefully. Close attacks on Kitsuchi were also risky due to potential traps.

He glanced at the sky, hoping to create an opportunity to use Kirin, but it would take significant effort.

‘I can only wait until Kirishima and the others reach a safe distance before trying to break out~’

Looking at the rock giant and Kitsuchi on its shoulders, Toshiro strategized. Preparing Kirin was essential.

"Fire Release: Dragon Fire Jutsu!"

Turning around, Toshiro unleashed a fire attack. While dodging, he formulated his battle plan, thankful for the scrolls he created with ink mixed with ‘Seal Stone’ powder to store Sage chakra.

As Toshiro’s perception heightened in sage mode, he sensed figures hiding beneath the swampy layer of mud. They were so concealed that even sensory ninjas couldn’t detect them easily.

‘It seems these rock ninjas plan to surprise me~’

Though he remained calm, Toshiro began to figure out how to turn this to his advantage. Asuka and the others had just left the range of the Huge swamp, and now the Iwa ninjas arrived.

‘These Iwa ninjas seem really in a hurry to die’

Seeing the Iwa ninjas approach, Toshiro felt helpless. They were eager to engage, forcing him to act.

“Earth Release...”

Before the four Iwa Ninjas could cast their combination ninjutsu, Toshiro attacked with a blazing white Chidori spear, piercing the ground and striking them. He had no intention of giving them a chance to execute their jutsu.

“Damn! I'll kill you!”

Seeing Toshiro's actions, Kitsuchi realized what had happened and yelled at Toshiro in anger. However, Toshiro remained unfazed. Such exchanges were common on the battlefield, and he had heard similar threats countless times.

“I didn’t expect an Iwa ninja who started this war to have the nerve to say such a thing,” Toshiro retorted while evading Kitsuchi’s increasingly violent attacks. He wasn’t one to let insults slide without a response.

“Hmph! How could a bastard like you understand the bond between me and my comrades?” Kitsuchi shot back, controlling the rock giant as it moved towards Toshiro. And make him move away from the injured Iwa ninjas.

“I didn’t expect the third Tsuchikage, known for being cunning and untrustworthy, to have a son like you who values his companions. It’s surprising,” Toshiro responded, knowing exactly what Kitsuchi intended. He had no interest in stopping Kitsuchi; the distraction worked in his favor.

“Shirai! Wake up!” Kitsuchi urgently shook two of the Iwa ninjas who were underground, trying to revive them. They had been preparing to ambush Toshiro when his Chidori Spear injured them. Two were unconscious, while the other two were already dead.

“Don’t you care about saving your two companions? They won’t last long,” Toshiro taunted, hoping Kitsuchi would abandon the fight to save his comrades. As a medical ninja, Toshiro could tell they were in critical condition.

To Toshiro's surprise, Kitsuchi hesitated. He seemed to be torn between continuing the fight and saving his companions. This confirmed Ohnoki’s decision not to pass the title of Tsuchikage to his son, recognizing Kitsuchi's soft-hearted nature as a flaw.

“Kitsuchi-sama, please hand the two injured to me!” A figure emerged from the swamp, respectfully addressing Kitsuchi. This ninja appreciated Kitsuchi’s care for his subordinates, contrasting sharply with the typical view of ninjas as expendable tools.

Relieved, Kitsuchi handed over his injured comrades and turned back to Toshiro with a determined look. “I appreciate you not interfering earlier, but as an Iwa ninja, I must kill you! Don’t worry, it won’t be too painful.”

Kitsuchi instructed the Iwa ninjas to besiege Toshiro’s team and chase the escapees, then stay back. Toshiro, noticing the quick arrival of Iwa reinforcements, wasn’t overly concerned. He trusted his team’s ability to escape.

However, Toshiro wondered why Kitsuchi told his companions to stay away. Was he planning a major attack? If so, Toshiro regretted not causing more disruption earlier. He feared the powerful earth jutsus could overwhelm even his defenses.

Despite his fears, Kitsuchi focused on individual ninjutsu attacks rather than a massive jutsu. Toshiro felt the full force of a kage-level opponent’s concentrated attacks.

“Earth Release: Eternal Burial in the Underworld,” “Earth Release: Earth Splitting Jutsu,” “Earth Release: Rock Collapse,” “Earth Release: Earth Spike Forest” and other powerful techniques rained down on Toshiro. Kitsuchi created swamps, rock cavities, collapsing mud, and more to trap and bury Toshiro.

Thanks to his Sharingan and Sage modes, Toshiro managed to evade and counter these attacks. His enhanced senses and stored chakra were his saving grace, allowing him to survive Kitsuchi’s relentless onslaught.

Toshiro couldn’t help but marvel at Kitsuchi’s ninjutsu prowess, noting how the rugged man transformed into a formidable turret of earth ninjutsu. Kitsuchi’s cautious defense against the Sharingan left Toshiro with limited opportunities to strike back effectively.

In the middle of the chaotic battlefield, the ground was littered with scattered rocks and soil.

“It seems you won't be able to kill me this time!” Toshiro declared, standing on the remains of a rock half-buried in the swamp, breathing heavily but appearing slightly relaxed.

After being entangled with Kitsuchi for so long, it was time to end this.

“Hmph! I admit you are strong, but the outcome is still undecided,” Kitsuchi responded confidently. He believed he could still capture this Uchiha ninja. With over a dozen Iwa Ninja jounins surrounding them, he felt certain of his advantage. Despite his own fatigue, he knew his opponent was similarly worn out.

“Uchiha Toshiro, are these your last words? If so, I will take action! You’ve killed too many of my comrades. I won’t let you continue hurting Iwa Ninja!” Feeling 60% of his strength and chakra restored, Kitsuchi prepared to strike.

“Kitsuchi, as the son of the third Tsuchikage, you should understand that this is war,” Toshiro replied, pulling out another sealing scroll from his ninja tool bag. His expression was somber. “The world often doesn't go as we wish. Winners and losers are inevitable. If you strive for peace, war may ensue. If you want to protect, love can turn to hate. This is reality… though it might be wasted words on someone like you.”

Kitsuchi appeared to be thinking, but Toshiro quickly diverted his attention by pulling out the sealing scroll once more. His expression tensed. “Is it a scroll that seals a large amount of chakra?”

This was the third time Toshiro had taken out such a scroll in front of him, and each time, Toshiro's chakra had surged.

“Kitsuchi, be prepared! Otherwise, you will really die.” Toshiro raised his right arm and sent a bolt of lightning into the sky. His expression was serious.

Kitsuchi, confident in his defense, only half-heartedly heeded the warning. However, he quickly mobilized his chakra, realizing the gravity of the situation. “Have you even tamed real lightning…”

With a significant amount of sage chakra, Toshiro summoned dark clouds overhead. Bright flashes of light occasionally flickered through them, signaling that the ninjutsu was ready.

“Lightning Release: Kirin”

As Toshiro’s right arm dropped, the dark clouds rolled, and arcs of electricity formed a massive thunder beast. It roared at the rock giant below before disappearing in a blinding flash of light that connected the sky and ground.

Boom!

The explosion of thunder deafened the ears of every Iwa ninja who witnessed it.

“Quick! Go see what’s going on!” Although his stunned comrades could barely hear him, a leading Jounin shouted. Realizing the issue, he led his team towards the battleground where Kitsuchi and Toshiro had clashed.

“How is Master Kitsuchi?” A concerned Iwa ninja asked, recognizing Toshiro approaching them.

“Who knows? You can go check if he’s still breathing,” Toshiro replied with a half-smile before moving towards the Iwa ninja. His priority was to break through the encirclement, not to fight them.

Despite knowing Kitsuchi’s condition—his aura was intermittent and close to death—Toshiro focused on escaping. “Damn it!” An Iwa Jounin cursed before using an earth dive to reach Kitsuchi.

“Tsk! I shouldn't have wasted the scroll, the third time.” Toshiro muttered, regretting the use of his power bank.