Chapter 347: Intelligence Trap! Counterattack! Yasaka Magatama!
They hollowed out nearly a kilometer around the inner city—almost at the cost of abandoning the capital of the Land of Lightning—
All for the sole purpose of killing one man!
A colossal fortress built in a three-tiered pyramid structure spanning ten hectares stood between heaven and earth.
Just looking at it gave one a sense of grand magnificence and overwhelming might.
At this moment—
In front of the highest and most central structure—the Tenshukaku—Jiraiya looked down from above, his expression heavy as he surveyed the fluctuating terrain below.
Without a doubt, the terrain manipulation orchestrated by Kumogakure in alliance with Iwagakure was a death trap targeted specifically at Uchiha Ci!
"This was a trap set entirely based on the intelligence they uncovered about Uchiha Ci!"
"The skeletal giant known as Susano'o appeared three times in the last battle. After the third time, Kumogakure discovered that Uchiha Ci's chakra had been depleted."
"Losing Zero-Tails in the Hell Valley battle wasn't entirely without consequence for him either."
"In the end, had it not been for that unique Sage Technique that doesn't require fusing with senjutsu chakra and instead activates using pure natural energy, there's no way he could've survived a head-on clash with two Tailed Beast Jinchūriki."
"So—"
Jiraiya glanced to the side, where a grim-faced young A was peering through binoculars toward the city walls, issuing orders to his subordinates. Jiraiya took a deep breath.
"Against someone like Uchiha Ci, who possesses virtual immortality, accelerated regeneration, monstrous strength, an impenetrable skeletal defense, exotic Sage Techniques, exceptional perception, genjutsu, dōjutsu, and ninjutsu—almost flawless in every way—Kumogakure could only aim at the one weakness he's exposed—"
"His chakra reserves!"
"But even that isn't enough! Merely trapping him won't kill him!"
With that thought, Jiraiya narrowed his eyes and discreetly performed a toe seal. To an outsider, it simply looked like he lifted his geta to scratch his leg—
Poof!
A puff of dust rose beneath his foot, masked by the nearby rubble.
From behind a stone, a tiny frog the size of a fingernail silently leapt forward, hopping toward the young A's side, attempting to eavesdrop on his arrangements.
"A-sama, as planned, Uchiha Ci has fallen into the trench."
"Currently, the first defensive line is proceeding with the operation to drain his chakra as scheduled!"
Hearing the report from his intelligence squad member, young A continued observing the distant city gate. Seeing how smoothly things were progressing, he curled his lips into a faint, cold smile.
"Excellent."
"The hundred-meter-deep trench, explosive flame arrays, and rain of ninja tools laced with explosive tags—none of these techniques can kill Uchiha Ci, but they can force him to drain chakra."
"But that alone won't stop the brat."
"That's why the first defense ring is meant to exhaust his chakra, and the second defense ring is designed to force him to use that troublesome Sage Technique of his!"
"The battle's going to escalate quickly. I can't stay here."
With a stern expression and a deep breath, young A's tiger-like eyes turned toward his subordinate.
"You stay here and oversee Bee's continued firing of the Chakra Cannons. Keep blasting both flanks to halt the intruders' advance!"
"I'm going to the frontlines to command in person!"
"Yes, sir!" the Intelligence Unit captain snapped to attention and saluted.
But just then—
From the Intelligence Unit captain's perspective, he suddenly noticed an anomaly in the distant first defense line.
"Huh?!"
The captain's eyes went wide as he shouted in alarm.
"A-sama, wait! Look over there!"
Young A was startled and turned sharply—
At that moment—
From the direction of the northern city gate—
A youth's furious roar erupted like a beast:
"Combined-Style Ninjutsu: Grand Sky Cannon—Ha!!"
With a surge of tremendous airflow and a firestorm powerful enough to seemingly pierce the very heavens, the massive cannon shot skyward!
It blasted countless fallen ninja tools back into the sky like reverse meteors!
——RUMBLE!!
The quake was so immense that the entire fortress trembled!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
It sounded as if someone were detonating charges throughout the foundation of the inner city itself!
Beneath the city walls, a series of deafening explosions erupted without pause!
Blasting away everything before it with Wind Release, the Susano'o giant began climbing up from the hundred-meter-deep trench—
Each time its skeletal hand dug into the cliffside, the entire city shook.
With the final boom fading—
A colossal skeletal hand, large enough to blot out the sun, slammed onto the city wall.
With a casual sweep, it sent dozens of ninja and samurai flying from the ramparts.
A fearsome skull emerged from the edge of the wall, casting an immense shadow over the city below.
Twin flames ignited within its hollow sockets—
An icy, emotionless glare bore down on all who stood behind the walls.
The brilliant morning sun began to rise, its radiance flooding the entire city.
Clouds drifted lazily. Birds took flight in panic. The world fell into eerie silence.
That day—
The people of Kumogakure finally remembered the terror of being dominated by those eyes…
And the shame of being trapped inside a cage.
"Now!!"
Young A snapped out of his shock and roared in fury,
"Where are the Iwagakure forces?!"
"Push him down—get him into that grave we dug just for him!"
His Intelligence personnel immediately rushed into the Tenshukaku to relay the command.
But then—
"Wait! A-sama, what is that guy doing now?!"
The captain of the Intelligence Unit exclaimed again, eyes filled with dread as he stared toward the city gate.
At that moment—
The massive skeletal giant, hands gripping the city wall, finally climbed to the top.
The thirty-meter-tall half-body Susano'o stood atop the twenty-meter-high ramparts, gazing directly at the Tenshukaku at the heart of the city.
Then—
It suddenly raised a single hand skyward!
"It's coming?!"
Seeing this, young A's pupils constricted violently as he stared deathly hard at the Susano'o atop the wall, muttering in disbelief:
"Is that brat trying to summon heavenly lightning again…
To forge that magnificent thunderblade like last time?!"
But—
Contrary to A's expectations—
In that moment—
It was as if even the light of the sun had been stolen by that skeletal hand!
A boundless blaze ignited in the palm of the skeletal giant, rising like a miniature sun for all in Yunming City to see.
Amid the dazzling radiance—
A massive, terrifying, deep, dense, eerie, and bone-chilling chakra surged forth wildly—
And finally—
Condensed into a flaming red magatama!
"Not the thunderblade?!"
"Then what the hell is that?!"
Young A's pupils shrank to the size of pinholes, his face utterly stricken with horror.
In the next moment—
He seemed to hallucinate—
As though across an unfathomable distance, he saw the youth within the Susano'o glance coldly in his direction and utter a chilling phrase—
"Watch closely. This is—"
"YASAKA MAGATAMA!!!"