"How… how is this possible?!"
"Even an Earth Release technique of this level can't stop him?"
"Why is this happening?!"
As the earthen walls and lid crumbled, so too did the courage and confidence of the surrounding Leaf shinobi.
Emerging from the collapsing rubble and swirling dust, the menacing dark purple giant loomed like a deity, mocking the shinobi with disdain.
Susanoo!
This Mangekyo dojutsu, blending offense and defense with strength tied directly to the user's pupil power, left them helpless. Facing the towering Susanoo, they couldn't suppress the fear spreading in their hearts!
Beneath the Susanoo.
Hiruko's shoulders shook with unrestrained laughter: "Do you see it? This is my power! Tsunade, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and you, Third Hokage! You were all wrong. I, Hiruko, am superior to you all! I'm the true genius!"
The battlefield's chaos couldn't drown out Hiruko's wild laughter.
Hearing his words, the Leaf shinobi exchanged glances.
Unlike the others, Kakashi remained calm, analyzing the situation.
He had confirmed that Hiruko's Susanoo surpassed Sasuke's in strength. Ordinary ninjutsu couldn't even scratch it, leaving his hidden Mangekyo technique, Kamui, as the only apparent way to break through.
But he knew he'd have only one shot against Hiruko, who wielded Swift Release. If Hiruko realized Kakashi possessed a space-time ninjutsu capable of piercing Susanoo, his speed would make Kamui nearly impossible to land.
Yakumo continued to unleash Wood Release, restraining Hiruko's Susanoo. Without her, Hiruko would likely have begun a massacre.
Bang.
Another muffled thud rang out as the tailed-beast-transformed Naruto was sent flying by a punch from Hiruko's Susanoo.
Naruto scrambled to his feet, protected by his tailed beast cloak, making him one of the few daring to face Susanoo head-on.
"Yakumo, what's wrong with you? Why didn't you bind his arms? My Rasengan almost hit him!" Naruto complained.
Yakumo shouted: "His Susanoo is far stronger than Sasuke's. My Wood Release is struggling to keep up!"
In her panic, Yakumo's words were unfair.
Hiruko's Susanoo was indeed much stronger than Sasuke's, but her Wood Release's struggles were also due to losing the Koryugan. The quality and quantity of her chakra had declined, weakening her Wood Release.
Her words stung Sasuke, who had just regained consciousness.
"Damn it!"
Struggling to his feet, Sasuke's body swayed from the lingering effects of the genjutsu and the pain in his abdomen and face.
"I lost…"
Even now, he couldn't believe he'd been defeated in a genjutsu duel by someone as weak in genjutsu as Hiruko.
Already humiliated, seeing Hiruko's Susanoo dominate the battlefield fueled his rage.
"Susanoo!"
Roaring, Sasuke summoned his own Susanoo.
He knew his Mangekyo Sharingan was nearly spent and that his Susanoo was likely no match for Hiruko's, but he activated it regardless.
Enduring the stinging pain in his eyes, Sasuke urged his Susanoo to draw its bow and fire an arrow at Hiruko's Susanoo!
Whoosh.
Before the onlookers could process the appearance of a second Susanoo, Sasuke's arrow, moving at a speed disproportionate to its size, struck Hiruko's Susanoo almost instantly!
Boom!
Amid the explosive roar, Hiruko's Susanoo staggered back.
The dust cloud obscured whether Sasuke's arrow had any effect.
"An opening!"
Kakashi seized the moment, flashing into the dust.
He judged that with Sasuke's Susanoo distracting Hiruko, this was his chance to use Kamui to breach Hiruko's Susanoo and strike a fatal blow to the traitor who despised the Hidden Leaf.
Almost simultaneously.
"Kakashi Hatake's making a move!"
Ranmaru, on Raiga's back, called out, pointing in the general direction. The chaotic battlefield and dust were no obstacle to his Hogan.
Trusting Ranmaru's Hogan, Raiga acted instantly.
Having kept an eye on Kakashi due to his reputation, Raiga's elite jonin instincts told him to intervene when Kakashi struck in the chaos!
In the dust.
Kakashi completed his seals, lightning crackling in his right palm. His left eye's Sharingan spun rapidly, its three tomoe merging into a black ring.
If Kamui could tear a gap in Hiruko's Susanoo, he was confident his Lightning Blade could pierce Hiruko's heart, ending the vengeful traitor!
Swish.
But as Kakashi was about to activate his Mangekyo for Kamui, a bolt of lightning pierced the dust, heading straight for him.
"!?"
Focused entirely on ambushing Hiruko, he was caught off guard with no time to dodge. He could only meet the lightning with his Lightning Blade.
Boom.
The two lightning forces collided, unleashing a deafening roar!
Two blades crackling with electricity followed, striking Kakashi's shoulders from both sides, sending him flying.
As the dust settled.
Hiruko stood beneath his Susanoo, smirking, his dark purple Susanoo towering above.
Raiga, dual-wielding Fang, stood beside Hiruko's Susanoo, crackling with electric light.
On the Leaf's side.
Sasuke panted heavily under his Susanoo, looking winded. Yakumo, constantly using Wood Release, was clearly struggling. The other Leaf shinobi showed signs of exhaustion.
Only Naruto, the jinchuriki, remained relatively energetic.
As for Kakashi, though he climbed to his feet, the wounds on his shoulders were glaring!
"He injured Kakashi-sensei in one move?!"
Noticing Kakashi's injuries, Yakumo's expression tightened.
The other Leaf shinobi glanced at Raiga, who hadn't acted until now, their hearts filled with dread: No wonder he's an Akatsuki member.
With Raiga's intervention, the situation grew even worse for the Leaf.
Swish.
At that moment, a figure dropped from the sky, landing in the center of the battlefield.