Onoki stared anxiously at the Third Raikage in the distance, who was engaged in a fierce life-and-death battle with the Iwa-nin (Iwa ninja). Cursing bitterly in his heart, he blamed Shiyu Uchiha, the annoying man who had suddenly appeared and quickly vanished.
If it hadn't been for that infuriating interruption, they could have already focused their strength to deliver a heavy blow to the Third Raikage. Weakening the enemy first and then using the most reasonable tactic to eliminate him would have been the logical course of action. Yet now, achieving their goal had cost them dearly.
And Shiyu Uchiha had left so effortlessly. Thinking about it made Onoki clench his teeth in rage, but right now, he was powerless. He could only watch helplessly as Shiyu Uchiha disappeared from sight, swallowing his anger and silently vowing that once this matter was resolved, he would make the other party pay dearly for this blood debt!
Time ticked away, second by second. Onoki was still leading the Iwa-nin in surrounding the Third Raikage. About half an hour later, Onoki, who had been looking for an opening, finally caught a brief moment of weakness from the Third Raikage, who had grown slightly careless after prolonged combat.
His eyes flashing with sharp light, Onoki didn't hesitate for a moment, instantly activating his most treasured Dust Release technique. In an instant, a shockwave filled with terrifying power surged directly toward the Third Raikage—this strike carried all the anger he had accumulated over the past three days.
Faced with this sudden attack, the already weary Third Raikage recognized the danger and responded instinctively. However, his weakened state made it impossible to mount an effective defense in time. With a tremendous *bang*, that so-called indestructible armor shattered instantly under the impact of the Dust Release.
Stripped of his armor, the Third Raikage suddenly became vulnerable. Around him, the Iwa jonin, who had long been waiting eagerly, immediately unleashed their signature Earth Release techniques, rushing toward the Raikage like a tidal wave.
Yet just when everyone thought the outcome had been decided, the Raikage, on the verge of death, suddenly erupted with shocking power. He squeezed out every last drop of his remaining strength, and through sheer willpower, ignited all the Lightning Release chakra within his body, causing the previously damaged Lightning Release Armor to blaze with radiant light once more.
In the next moment, countless shards of Lightning Release Armor erupted from his body, resembling a swarm of raging dragons, snarling and clawing through the air in all directions.
Caught completely off guard, the Iwa-nin were swept away by this overwhelming force of lightning. Screams of agony filled the air, bodies torn apart and blood spraying everywhere. In only a short time, at least a hundred Iwa-nin were left lifeless in pools of blood, most of whom were seasoned veterans.
After all, the ninja at the frontline were mostly strong individuals. And the Raikage himself, after unleashing this final attack, drained his life force completely. His entire body was engulfed in blazing lightning flames, finally reduced to a blackened charred corpse.
Onoki stood amidst the devastated battlefield, gazing at the gruesome scene before him, his fury burning hotter than ever. Although this operation had brought significant gains, the consequences were far beyond his expectations and imagination. Even the value of the Third Raikage's corpse had been reduced to a mere fraction of its original value.
Finally, under Onoki's command, the Iwa ninja began urgently tallying the battle losses.
After a flurry of activity, the final result was shocking — the Iwa army, originally numbering over ten thousand, had suffered a staggering death toll of more than three thousand!
And the number of injured reached as high as five thousand, with nearly half of them so severely wounded they had to retire from ninja life forever.
Those who barely survived were deeply scarred mentally, their eyes filled with profound fear, as if the shadow of war would forever haunt them. These injured warriors would require a lengthy period of recovery and treatment before they could possibly return to the battlefield.
The Iwa-nin had lost their ability to continuously reinforce the front lines within just one month. Unless they recklessly redeployed troops from the Cloud-nin defense line or threw their last remaining homeland guards into battle, there would be no way to sustain the war effort — yet such a decision would clearly be unrealistic and extremely dangerous.
Meanwhile, Shiyu Uchiha was walking back toward the Camp. His steps were steady as he casually slung the massive storage scroll securely onto his broad back.
At the same time, his mind raced with calculations and strategies, carefully considering the details of launching a decisive battle soon. After thorough deliberation, his focus finally settled upon the Iwa's Explosion Corps.
If they could successfully eliminate this key unit, they would gain the upper hand and be ready to deliver the final blow to the enemy!
Upon returning to Konoha's Main Camp, Shiyu barely finished resting when he received an encouraging report: the Uchiha Paramilitary Police Force, after tireless tracking and reconnaissance, had finally locked onto the Iwa's devastating Explosion Corps. According to the latest intelligence, in merely two days, they would be ready to launch a fierce offensive!
At the same time, Shinku Yuhi, the brilliant and resourceful commander, was formulating a brilliant "besiege the point and strike the reinforcements" strategy — a classic tactic to lure the enemy into committing forces while maintaining the advantage.
Shiyu Uchiha immediately endorsed this wise decision without hesitation. In his view, the Iwa-nin probably lacked the resolute courage required to make such a decisive sacrifice when facing the coming life-and-death confrontation.
Fully aware that power determined everything on the battlefield, Shiyu naturally would not miss any precious opportunity to enhance his strength. Thus, he immediately decided to use this brief respite to focus on cultivation, striving to perfect his Chakra Mode.
Yet, before fully immersing himself in cultivation, the cautious Shiyu once again carefully simulated his Secret Jutsu — Kujaku. Unfortunately, despite expending much effort in this simulation, the results remained minimal.
Though slightly disappointed by the repeated failures, he hadn't gained much, but it wasn't a complete loss. At the very least, this attempt allowed him to reorganize the powerful secret art comprehensively and in greater depth, making its mechanics much clearer.
As time passed, he did not give up. Instead, he quickly adjusted his mindset. Shiyu Uchiha did not become more resilient from defeat, but instead seized the moment while his heart brimmed with confidence and determination. Bolstered by favorable circumstances, he decisively unleashed his full strength. First, he cleverly fused the power of Fire Release with the unique chakra transformation bestowed by Yang Release.
Then, his hands flew through a series of hand seals as he muttered the incantation, channeling all his energy into the Kinoto technique, part of his clan's sacred arts. In an instant, a brilliant golden-red light erupted from his body like a raging flame, dazzling and intense.
As the radiance gradually receded and solidified, it formed a radiant, golden-red chakra armor across his body—like a divine, impenetrable mantle that exuded an awe-inspiring pressure, marking a new stage in the transformation of Kujaku.
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