The young future Tsuchikage was fast.
"Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!"
A sphere of white-hot destruction formed between Ōnoki's hands before it elongated into a sharp-edged prism. Hiruzen's muscles tensed. He knew all too well what that technique could do.
The moment the Dust Release technique fired, Hiruzen leaped, flipping backward just as the beam tore through the battlefield, erasing everything in its path. The ground where he had stood only a second ago had been reduced to nothing.
One hit and I'm dead. He mused to himself but there was no time to think.
Ōnoki was already on the move, his body floating effortlessly in the air, his sharp eyes locked onto Hiruzen like a hawk sizing up its prey.
Hiruzen flicked through hand seals in rapid succession.
"Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!"
A roaring wall of flames surged forward, engulfing everything in its path. The heat distorted the air, turning the battlefield into a furnace.
But Ōnoki didn't panic. Instead, he simply rose higher, evading the inferno with ease.
"You'll have to do better than that, Monkey," he taunted.
Hiruzen clicked his tongue. He hated that nickname.
Without hesitation, he followed up. His hands moved with practiced ease.
"Doton: Doryūsō!" (Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears)
The ground beneath Ōnoki shattered as dozens of stone spears shot upward, aiming to pierce him from below.
Ōnoki frowned. Instead of dodging, he lifted a single hand.
"Doton: Kajūgan no Jutsu."(Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique)
In an instant, the air itself seemed to grow heavier. The stone spears, once rising with lethal intent, suddenly slowed mid-air before crashing back to the earth like brittle twigs.
Hiruzen gritted his teeth. That technique—he was increasing the weight of the entire ground.
Ōnoki smirked.
"You're fast, Sarutobi, but speed is meaningless when the world itself is against you."
The moment he said it, Hiruzen felt it. His body grew heavier. His limbs felt like lead. His movements now felt sluggish.
"Damn it."
"You caught on quick," Ōnoki mused, lowering himself just enough to mock him. "But not quick enough."
Another Dust Release sphere formed in his hands.
Hiruzen's mind raced. If that attack hit while he was this slow—
No time to think. Move!
With every ounce of strength he had, he forced his hands into a new set of seals.
"Fūton: Shinkūha!"(Wind Release: Vacuum Wave)
A razor-thin vacuum blade shot out, slicing through the battlefield with terrifying precision. It wasn't meant to hit Ōnoki. It was meant to disrupt him.
And it did.
The moment the wind pressure struck, Ōnoki's Dust Release sphere wavered. It was only a split second, but a split second was all Hiruzen needed.
He was already moving.
Focusing his chakra, he canceled the weight on his body, just enough to lunge forward. His staff spun in his hands in a blur of speed and force.
Ōnoki barely had time to react before the weapon slammed into his ribs.
"Gah!"
The future Tsuchikage crashed into the earth, rolling across the dirt. But he wasn't out yet. Far from it.
The ground beneath Hiruzen suddenly shifted.
"Doton: Chidōkaku!"(Earth Release: Moving Earth Core)
The battlefield sank.
Hiruzen's footing collapsed beneath him, dragging him downward as the earth swallowed him whole.
Shit—!
He flipped mid-air, planting his feet on the sinking rock just before it caved in. He had seconds—seconds to act before he was completely buried.
"Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu!"(Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique.)
His hands flashed through seals, and in an instant, he burrowed into the earth instead of being crushed by it.
Silence.
Ōnoki hovered above the battlefield, eyes scanning the ground.
"Don't think you can hide from me, Sarutobi."
He raised his hand.
"Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!"(Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique.)
A massive Dust Release sphere formed, larger than any before.
"If you won't come out—then I'll erase everything!"
The moment he fired, the earth erupted beneath him.
Hiruzen shot out from the ground like a missile, his staff spinning. Ōnoki's eyes widened.
He wasn't underground to hide.
He was underground to close the gap.
Before Ōnoki could react, Hiruzen's staff smashed into his jaw.
The future Tsuchikage rocketed backward, tumbling through the air before regaining control. He spat out blood, his eyes dark with fury.
"You—!"
Hiruzen didn't give him time to recover.
"Suiton: Suidanha!"(Water Release: Severing Wave.)
A compressed jet of water shot from his mouth, slicing through the air like a blade.
Ōnoki barely dodged, but Hiruzen was already on him, his staff swinging again.
Ōnoki raised his forearm to block, chakra reinforcing his limbs. The impact sent a deep tremor through his bones, but he gritted his teeth and countered.
Ōnoki's fist glowed with chakra-enhanced strength as he swung. Hiruzen blocked with his staff, the impact sending out shockwaves.
The two clashed mid-air, young legends battling at the height of their skill.
"You're strong, Sarutobi," Ōnoki admitted.
Hiruzen smirked, spinning his staff.
"You're not bad yourself."
For a second, there was silence.
Then they lunged at each other once more.
…
The ground trembled under the force of another devastating explosion.
While Hiruzen and Ōnoki's battle raged in the sky, a separate clash of giants unfolded below.
Ishikawa stood firm, his frame unmoving like a mountain. Across from him, Torifu Akimichi cracked his knuckles, his massive form expanding further as the Multi-Size Jutsu coursed through his body.
"You Akimichi are always so predictable," Ishikawa said, voice deep and gravelly.
Torifu grinned. "Maybe, but it's hard to ignore a punch when it can level a mountain."
True.
Without another word, Torifu lunged forward. The ground beneath his feet shattered as he propelled himself with monstrous speed. His gigantic fist came down like a falling boulder, aiming to flatten Ishikawa in one blow.
Ishikawa didn't move—not at first.
Then, just as the fist came crashing down, Ishikawa shifted his weight, sidestepping the attack with effortless precision.
Torifu's punch obliterated the earth, sending massive chunks of rock flying in all directions. Dust billowed into the air, obscuring vision.
"Too slow."
Ishikawa also moved with unnatural speed for his size. One moment he was standing, the next, he was directly beneath Torifu.
"Doton: Gōremu no Jutsu!"(Earth Release: Golem Technique.)
The ground shook violently as a colossal stone golem erupted from the battlefield, its fists already swinging.
Torifu barely had time to react before the golem's punch collided with his side. The force sent him skidding backward, his massive frame carving a trench into the battlefield.
Torifu gritted his teeth as realization set in. Ishikawa wasn't just strong—he was also smart.
"Alright then, old man. Let's see how you handle this!"
Torifu's chakra surged as he clasped his hands together. His body expanded even further, growing into a towering colossus.
"Chō Baika no Jutsu!"(Super Expansion Jutsu)
Now standing three times his original size, Torifu charged again, each step shaking the earth. His massive arm swung, aiming to crush Ishikawa along with his golem.
But Ishikawa was already moving.
He leaped onto his golem's shoulder, using the high ground to launch his next attack. His hands flashed through hand seals at blinding speed.
"Doton: Chidōkaku!"(Earth Release: Moving Earth Core)
The ground beneath Torifu suddenly collapsed.
His enormous weight worked against him as he sank into the battlefield, his footing ripped away in an instant.
"Damn it—!"
Before he could regain balance, Ishikawa struck again.
"Doton: Sando no Jutsu!"(Earth Release: Mountain Sandwich Technique)
The ground erupted as massive slabs of rock rose and closed in from both sides, threatening to crush Torifu in an instant.
Torifu had seconds to react.
"Bubun Baika no Jutsu!"(Partial Multi-size technique)
He focused all his chakra into his arms, instantly expanding them to monstrous proportions. With a mighty roar, he thrust both arms outward, catching the stone slabs before they could crush him.
For a moment, the battlefield stood still.
Then—Torifu pushed.
With sheer brute strength, he shattered the stone slabs, sending massive chunks flying in all directions.
Ishikawa's eyes narrowed.
"You're tougher than you look."
Torifu wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning.
"And you're more of a bastard than I expected."
The ground erupted once more as the two charged at each other.
Ishikawa's golem swung, but Torifu met it head-on, his enlarged fist colliding with pure rock. The impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, uprooting trees and sending debris flying.
But Ishikawa wasn't done.
"Doton: Kajūgan no Jutsu!"(Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique)
Suddenly, Torifu felt it.
His entire body grew heavier—ten times heavier. His movements slowed, his breath labored.
"I've fought your kind before, Akimichi," Ishikawa said calmly. "Your strength means nothing if you can't move."
Torifu gritted his teeth. His legs trembled under the pressure, but he refused to fall.
"You think this is enough?!"
His chakra flared.
"Chōdan Bakugeki!"(Super Bullet Bombing)
Torifu compressed all his strength into one devastating punch. His entire arm slimmed down instantly, all the mass redirected into his fist.
Then—he swung.
The punch connected directly with Ishikawa's golem.
The entire battlefield exploded.
Dust and rock shot into the sky, obscuring everything. The golem shattered into pieces, reduced to rubble in an instant.
Ishikawa stumbled back, his eyes widening for the first time.
Torifu panted, his fist still smoking.
"Looks like I hit you harder than expected."
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—Ishikawa smirked.
"Not bad."
The dust cleared, revealing the cratered battlefield. Both warriors stood, their appearance battered but their will unshaken.
Then, from the distance—a flare shot into the sky.
Both shinobi snapped their heads toward it.
The signal for retreat.
Torifu gritted his teeth.
"Looks like this fight's over."
Ishikawa crossed his arms.
"For now."
Neither turned their back to the other as they slowly withdrew, their battle unfinished.
…
The battlefield was nothing short of a wasteland. The scent of blood and burning chakra filled the air, mixing with the heavy smoke rising from the countless clashes that had taken place…and was still taking place.
In the middle of the Chaos, two figures stood facing each other, their breaths heavy, their bodies battered as blood covered their figures.
It was unknown if it was theirs or their opponents'
Kagami Uchiha adjusted his stance, his crimson Sharingan eyes locked onto his opponent. Across from him, Tomura wiped a trail of blood from his lips, his fists still clenched tightly.
"Not bad, Uchiha," Tomura admitted, rolling his shoulders. "I can see why Konoha relies on your kind so much. But those eyes of yours won't save you forever."
Kagami smirked slightly, but his eyes remained sharp, analyzing every twitch in Tomura's muscles. He knew the battle was coming to a close, both of them were reaching their limits.
"Then let's finish this," Kagami said, dashing forward.
Tomura reacted instantly, slamming his hands onto the ground.
"Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!"(Earth Release: Tearing Earth Turning Palm.)
The earth split apart beneath Kagami's feet, jagged spikes rising up to impale him. But in an instant, Kagami vanished.
Tomura's eyes widened. "What?!"
Kagami reappeared above him, blade flashing.
"Too slow."
Tomura barely managed to twist his body, Kagami's sword slashing across his shoulder instead of his throat. He gritted his teeth, using the momentum to drive his knee up in a brutal counterattack aimed at Kagami's ribs.
Kagami caught the movement with his Sharingan, but even with his enhanced perception, he couldn't completely evade. The knee connected, sending him skidding back.
The two warriors paused, breathing heavily.
Then, a flare shot into the sky.
Both of them stopped.
The signal was clear—retreat.
Tomura clicked his tongue, stepping back. "Looks like this fight is over."
Kagami exhaled, lowering his blade slightly. "For now."
Neither turned their back on the other, but both knew continuing would be pointless. The war had not yet ended, only this battle.
As they both withdrew, the battlefield lay in ruins behind them. A reminder of how destructive war was to nature.