"Damn it—what's happening? I can't mold chakra!"
"Me too! My chakra won't respond!"
"My… my shadow!"
As their shadows were severed, most of the shinobi on the battlefield realized they could no longer mobilize chakra. Panic swept through them. After all, a ninja without chakra was barely a ninja at all.
Taijutsu specialists were rare; mastering pure body techniques took far longer, and without elemental ninjutsu, most shinobi naturally chose the chakra-based path.
"Is that his ability? The shadow burns at different speeds… it must depend on the target's strength."
Minato Namikaze, ever the genius, analyzed most of Ash's technique with a single glance.
"Die—Fire Release: Great Annihilation Flame!"
Seeing that the majority of shinobi were unable to use chakra, Ash raised his armored Susanoo, released the hand seal sequence inside the forehead crystal, and unleashed a roaring inferno—over twenty meters wide—down onto the battlefield.
"What kind of Fire Release has that kind of power?! At least A-rank… maybe higher. Just where did this monster come from…?"
Jiraiya stared at Ash's jutsu, unable to hide his shock. This sudden powerhouse had thrown the entire battle into chaos.
But no one regretted it more than the Fourth Raikage. His temper had cost him everything. If he'd held himself back—waited until Konoha's forces were pushed back—both Ash and Minato would've been heavily exhausted. That would have been the perfect moment to strike.
But now? Too late.
Of the armada of a thousand Kumogakure shinobi he'd brought, fewer than three hundred remained. At least his left and right hand—Darui and Cee—were still alive. If he lost them too, the loss would be catastrophic.
"Konoha shinobi, gather to me—hurry!"
Seeing the firestorm descending, Jiraiya snapped to action, shouting for the surrounding Konoha ninjas.
But with their shadows gone, Konoha shinobi could barely move at half their normal speed. Some taijutsu-oriented ninjas fared a little better, relying purely on physical conditioning, but even they struggled.
"Summoning: Toad Gourd Barrier!"
With the flames only moments away, Jiraiya made a desperate choice. He couldn't save everyone—but he could save some. His hands flashed through seals, then slammed to the ground.
BOOM!
A massive cloud of smoke erupted, and when it cleared, a thick, fleshy structure resembling a capsule stood before them—the stomach wall of the Great Toad from Mount Myōboku.
"So it's Myōboku's esophageal barrier… tch. Lucky for them."
Ash clicked his tongue. He didn't care how many enemy shinobi were burned alive—there were plenty more outside the barrier anyway.
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode!"
Unlike his earlier defensive Lightning Armor, the Raikage now used his perfected version—his entire body becoming a blur of crackling lightning. Dense electrical currents wrapped him like a living armor, deceptively stable on the surface but extremely volatile beneath.
CRACK!
The Raikage shot forward like a bolt of thunder, smashing into the wall of Ash's flames. The impact tore open a narrow gap.
Through that gap, the surviving Kumogakure shinobi poured out, fleeing the inferno.
But the consequences were immediate.
Konoha's forces—already struggling without chakra—were suddenly exposed. Many couldn't reach Jiraiya's protective barrier in time. That crack had been made solely for Kumogakure to escape through; any Konoha shinobi trying to follow would be slaughtered by the fleeing Cloud ninjas.
"AAAAH!"
Screams filled the field.
"AAAARGH!!"
Screams tore through the battlefield as countless shinobi were engulfed by Ash's flames. Some were consumed instantly; others writhed for a moment before their bodies charred into blackened husks.
"My chakra… it's back!"
"Mine too!"
"The technique must have a time limit!"
By now, most of the severed shadows had finished burning and returned to their owners. With that, chakra control was restored, and the shinobi regained their ability to fight.
"Damn it… since the end of the Second Great Ninja War, we haven't seen a single Uchiha with a Mangekyō Sharingan. So where did this brat come from?!"
The Raikage ground his teeth, glaring at the corpses of Konoha shinobi scattered around him.
"Hm?"
Ash was about to speak when his eyes narrowed. Around Jiraiya stood many Konoha shinobi—and even Orochimaru—but he noticed one person missing.
He didn't see Minato anywhere.
"Shunpo—Moon Step!"
Just as Ash wondered where Minato had gone, a chill surged up his spine. Instantly, he flickered upward, reappearing high in the air.
BOOM!
A split-second later, Minato materialized where Ash had just stood, slamming a Rasengan into the ground. The earth split open, exploding outward.
"Close call… way too close."
Ash exhaled slowly. "Compared to this kind of battlefield, my past life as an assassin was practically child's play."
Dodging Minato's ambush sent his heart racing before it gradually steadied.
"Tch… if that had landed, we might've actually taken him out."
Jiraiya clicked his tongue in frustration.
"Don't get careless, Jiraiya," Orochimaru warned, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"That boy already possesses quasi-Kage-level strength. He hasn't reached true Kage level yet, but his Mangekyō abilities more than bridge the gap. You saw his Susanoo…"
Orochimaru's gaze rose to Ash floating in the air within his red-armored Susanoo.
"Anyone who's heard even rumors of Susanoo knows what it means. But seeing it with your own eyes…"
A rare, almost reverent whisper left his lips.
"Today, everyone will remember that the Uchiha's ultimate pupil technique truly lived up to its history—able to sweep across the entire shinobi world."
...
TN:
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