[Earth Release: Mountain Crush Jutsu]
It's just a B-rank Earth Release jutsu.
Based on its name and rank, it sounds like a basic move — definitely weaker than powerful A- or S-rank jutsu, right?
Yet in the hands of someone as strong as Kitsuchi,
this technique unleashes tremendous power!
Effective not only against ninjas, it can even suppress massive creatures at the tailed beast level! It's truly a top-tier immobilization technique!
It's practically as formidable as [Great Flame Annihilation] when wielded by Madara!
Once, during an incident where a jinchuriki in [Iwagakure Village] went berserk and transformed into a tailed beast,
Kitsuchi alone was able to suppress it using just this technique.
And if used on an average ninja,
once caught, they'd be crushed flat in an instant!
Its destructive force isn't even inferior to the standard version of [Planetary Devastation]!
Clearly, for Kitsuchi to be forced to use such a trump card ninjutsu means that Shimoku has indeed pushed him to his limits.
...
Right now, two massive earthen hemispheres hundred meters wide each came crashing together,
truly displaying astonishing might!
Just a Jonin from Iwagakure, yet Kitsuchi could single-handedly use ninjutsu to subdue tailed beasts and briefly resist the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
Truly extraordinary!
Moreover, once enveloped by such gigantic chunks of earth, there would barely be time to dodge.
No wonder [Iwagakure] had hidden Kitsuchi so deeply.
If other ninja villages learned that [Iwagakure] had someone like Kitsuchi — a ruthless powerhouse capable of suppressing tailed beasts at any time — they'd probably be in total disarray already.
Of course, though powerful,
this technique isn't difficult for Shimoku to deal with nowadays.
[Eight Gates]
[Flying Thunder God Technique]
and others...
would all be sufficient to break through or evade this attack.
However, feeling rather amused, Shimoku still chose to confront it head-on!
In the next instant,
"Boom!"
The two colossal earthen spheres slammed shut, erupting into a thunderous sonic boom. The deafening explosion echoed for several kilometers.
"Huff... huff..."
Far away, Kitsuchi, who had just finished casting the technique, began panting heavily.
Releasing such a large-scale jutsu at once was quite taxing for him.
But, fortunately, he'd finally managed to trap his enemy!
Though whether he had been crushed into paste was unknown...
But thinking about it,
his opponent possessed terrifying strength and had divine weapons at their disposal; they shouldn't have died so easily, right?
Still, once caught within this 'Mountain Crush Jutsu' of his,
even a tailed beast wouldn't be able to break free for a while!
Kitsuchi relaxed slightly, easing the tension in his body.
However, before he could finish catching his breath,
*"Whoosh—" another piercing sound split the air.*
A brilliant, razor-sharp indigo light suddenly shot forth from inside the massive earthen sphere ahead.
From within outward, it swiftly carved out a circle.
And that incredibly solid rocky sphere proved fragile as tofu against this dazzling blade of light.
With a gentle tear, it got sliced clean in half.
The very next second.
A more dazzling blue light erupted from the cracks of the massive earthen sphere.
Then, a towering, muscular figure wielding an enormous blade—its sky-blue spectral aura swirling around it—suddenly exploded into view. It was a colossal illusion of a demonic god.
Clearly, Shimoku had anticipated this.
He had deliberately altered the color of his Susano'o to mimic a rival ninja's appearance, creating the perfect disguise.
"Swish! Swish!"
The Spiritualized K'unwu Divine Sword swung through the air in the hands of Susano'o, like a world-ending weapon descending from heaven itself.
In an instant, it sliced the massive earthen sphere into countless pieces.
Watching from afar, Kitsuchi stood frozen in shock, as if trapped within a dream.
"This is... Susano'o?!!"
"How is that even possible? He only has one Sharingan, doesn't he?"
"And where did *his* Susano'o even get a weapon from!?"
Far away,
Countless fragments of shattered stone rained down, kicking up thick clouds of dust.
Shimoku, still clad in Susano'o, crashed heavily into the earth like a fallen devil descending from the heavens—unstoppable in power!
"The Spiritualized K'unwu Divine Sword feels absolutely amazing!"
"It's way sharper than those chakra-formed blades I used before."
"Susano'o paired with a divine weapon? A match made in heaven!"
"Alright, time to end this little show..."
Shimoku concentrated, dashing forward several steps.
The tall Susano'o, gripping its massive divine blade, emerged magnificently once more, unleashing a full-force horizontal slash straight at Kitsuchi!
Instantly, the immense blade's sheer force sent shivers across Kitsuchi's scalp, panic surging through his mind.
[Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!]
[Earth Release: Great Moving Earth Core!]
[Earth Release: Hardening Technique!]
Kitsuchi frantically activated his jutsu.
Multiple layers of earthen defense rose around him, nearly draining the last of his remaining chakra.
But unlike Danzo—who wasn't skilled in Earth Release—the strength behind these ten-odd walls formed in an instant was far superior.
If Shimoku were still using his previous chakra-created sword, it might not have been enough to slice through all of them cleanly in one strike.
Unfortunately for Kitsuchi,
These thick layers of Earth Release defenses,
Before the might of Susano'o,
And the sharpness of the K'unwu Divine Sword,
Were practically defenseless!
They were cut apart effortlessly—
Smother than a hot knife through butter!
And just as the blade reached its peak, about to cleave into Kitsuchi,
Shimoku swiftly adjusted his stance mid-motion, shifting slightly so that only the flat side of the blade struck Kitsuchi full force.
He didn't go for a killing blow.
After all, seriously wounding Kitsuchi and outright killing him were entirely different matters.
One thing leads to war; the other just makes enemies.
Kitsuchi, after all, was the son of Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage. Killing him would make Shimoku a deadly enemy of Iwagakure Village!
Though he certainly feared no retribution from Iwagakure,
At this point, their newly founded Homura Hidden Village still faced its greatest rival—Konoha.
It wouldn't be wise to provoke unnecessary conflict with other villages before finally dealing with Konoha.
Furthermore, Kitsuchi himself was quite powerful.
If convinced later to turn on Konoha, he could definitely bring the Leaf a big, unwelcome surprise!
...
Naturally, despite holding back,
That heavy, bone-crushing blow slammed hard into Kitsuchi's body.
Though it hadn't taken his life directly,
But it also sent Kitsuchi reeling, his bones shattered all over, flying backward for dozens of meters before crashing down violently.
Keep in mind, he had activated [Hardening Jutsu], hardening his body beyond the toughness of rocks, greatly reducing damage from physical attacks.
Yet he was still left with barely half a life remaining. From this, one could imagine how terrifyingly powerful that slash must've been!
...
Seeing Kitsuchi unconscious and completely incapable of fighting,
Shimoku deactivated Susano'o and sheathed the Divine Sword.
Then, while rubbing his slightly sore eyes, he chuckled with delight.
Now that he had Susano'o and the Divine Sword, he could already call himself half-invincible!
Once he later implanted Hashirama's cells to gain unlimited stamina,
he'd be practically unstoppable across most of the Ninja World!
Having absolute power really felt incredible!
Before long,
after finishing his bout of laughter, Shimoku remembered the task at hand.
He then performed another [Ninjutsu].
"[Word Binding Jutsu – Explosion!]"
The word "Explosion!" instantly shot forth, landing on the Earth Release technique Kitsuchi had used—a dirt prison trapping his ally.
"Boom—"
The earthen cage exploded open, revealing inside it a dazed Iwagakure ninja.
Already freed from the genjutsu's control, upon seeing the horrifying battlefield outside—and further off, the defeated and unconscious figure of Kitsuchi—he couldn't help but freeze up, stunned.
"Hey! Iwa ninja over there!"
"Kitsuchi has already lost. Hurry back and bring reinforcements!"
"Tell that old fart Ōnoki. I'll just wait right here until he comes—then I'll smash his damn head in!"
Shimoku roared arrogantly, radiating a fierce killing intent.
The Iwa ninja immediately felt his legs weaken with fear.
Seeing that even their mighty leader, Captain Kitsuchi, had been defeated, how could he possibly hesitate?
He scrambled hastily out of the broken earth prison and fled toward [Iwagakure Village].
Preparing to go back for support.
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