Even after destroying the giant rock golem and burying Ōnoki's group of three, the powerful repulsive force did not stop. It continued to advance, flattening everything in its path.
Meanwhile, terrifying gale-force winds and thick dust swept through the distant edges of the battlefield. Kurotsuchi and the two Stone Village ninjas were completely unable to open their eyes.
Unable to withstand it any longer, one of the Stone Village ninjas immediately used an Earth Style jutsu.
"Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall."
An earthen wall rose directly in front of the three, finally bringing them a slight reprieve.
As the fierce winds and dust continued to howl past them on both sides, their hearts completely sank. If it was this bad all the way out here on the periphery, the situation for the Third Tsuchikage, the Jinchūriki Rōshi, and Kitsuchi at the epicenter had to be unimaginably dire.
Further away, having wisely retreated even earlier, the Five-Tails and the three people upon its back—Zabuza, Haku, and Fū—watched with absolute shock in their eyes. The God King's attack was simply too ferocious. If they hadn't distanced themselves enough, the sheer shockwave would have undoubtedly caught them, leaving them covered in dust.
Even from their current vantage point, they could still feel the earth trembling violently. Even the Five-Tails, who had personally witnessed the power of the Sage of Six Paths, couldn't help but marvel at this man's overwhelming strength. This single strike was absolutely on par with the Sage of Six Paths.
It had seen the Sage of Six Paths use this exact type of technique before. Back in the day, the Sage had used this move to carve through mountains that blocked travel, all to ensure the peace and prosperity of the common people.
Meanwhile, Haku and Fū were both astonished and thrilled. This terrifying destructive power was even more staggering than the previous slash from the colossal Susanoo. It had caused such widespread devastation that a mushroom cloud was even rising from the epicenter. The God King was truly terrifying.
Even Zabuza was utterly astounded. Every time he saw the God King make a move, it felt like he was witnessing an even more powerful technique. After seeing the apocalyptic might of the God King's giant Susanoo's blade, he had already believed the man was second not even to the Sage of Six Paths.
Now, he was absolutely certain of it. To create such a horrifying spectacle, the God King was definitely on the same level as the Sage of Six Paths. The God King was no longer an opponent who could be defeated by sheer numbers. In fact, having more people might just be a disadvantage, serving only to increase the casualty count.
If a man like this wasn't a Sage, then what was he? The God King was undoubtedly the next Sage to walk the earth since the Sage of Six Paths. It seemed this era was truly about to change. The God King would surely establish a fundamental order across the shinobi world, guiding it toward true stability. It would never return to the war-torn shinobi world of the past.
Zabuza naturally saw hope in this. With a strike like that, there was likely no one in the entire shinobi world capable of standing against the God King. He found himself looking forward to the new landscape of the shinobi world.
Several minutes passed.
The howling winds had long since ceased, and the sky-blotting dust gradually settled. Hiding behind the Earth-Style Wall, Kurotsuchi and the other two Stone Village ninjas were inevitably covered in dirt and grime.
Unable to hold back any longer, Kurotsuchi stepped around the earthen wall to survey the battlefield. She desperately needed to know the fate of her father and grandfather. However, the sight before her left her completely shell-shocked. Everything within a radius of several kilometers had been reduced to a massive, gaping crater. Everything inside it had been completely obliterated into ash.
The giant rock golem and the earthen walls her father and grandfather had summoned earlier were entirely gone. Could her grandfather and father really be dead? A sudden wave of grief washed over her, and tears began to spill from her eyes. This couldn't be real. Her grandfather and father had to be buried underneath. That had to be it. She had to go rescue them.
The other two Stone Village ninjas were equally terrified by the horrifying scene. There was absolutely no sign of the three men. Could they actually be dead? Seeing Kurotsuchi sprint forward, they hurriedly chased after her.
They too considered the possibility that the trio might be buried underground. They prayed Lord Tsuchikage was safe; otherwise, the village would suffer a devastating blow. Lord Tsuchikage had always been the strongest ninja in the Stone Village, yet now, an unimaginably terrifying powerhouse had suddenly appeared and potentially killed him in a single strike.
The three quickly arrived at the spot where they remembered the Third Tsuchikage had been standing and began their search. Kurotsuchi's heart ached with sorrow, but the thought that her grandfather might be buried alive spurred her to pull out a kunai and frantically dig at the dirt. She had to rescue her father and grandfather as quickly as possible. Otherwise, they would suffocate to death beneath the earth.
The other two Stone Village ninjas watched Kurotsuchi, realizing she was panicking. Had she forgotten they were Stone Village ninjas? All they needed to do was cast a ninjutsu to raise the ground and locate Lord Tsuchikage.
Right at that moment, the ground not far from them suddenly loosened. A burly man burst out from the earth, bringing Ōnoki and Rōshi with him. All three were covered in dirt and grime, their clothes torn to shreds and their bodies stained with blood. Rōshi had fallen completely unconscious.
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had his eyes closed, his face contorted in pain. It was obvious he had sustained severe injuries from the attack. Seeing that the three were still alive, Kurotsuchi was instantly overcome with excitement and joy, quickly rushing over to them.
"Father, are you and Grandfather alright?"
Kitsuchi replied helplessly, "I didn't take any fatal damage. It's all thanks to your grandfather using Earth Style: Rock Fist at the very last second to block the final impact. Otherwise, even I would have been severely injured."
Even so, his injuries were far from light.
Just then, Ōnoki, who had been wearing a pained expression, opened his eyes and coughed a few times. He even coughed up traces of blood. He had clearly suffered internal injuries. For a man of his age, such a severe injury was a terrible sign.
Kurotsuchi watched as her grandfather regained consciousness.
"I'm just glad you're okay, Grandfather."
Earlier, upon seeing the horrifying scene of total destruction, she had thought her grandfather was dead—blown to absolute pieces. She hadn't dared to dwell on that thought, forcing herself to believe he was merely buried underground.
Looking at him now, it seemed he had only sustained internal injuries. As long as he received timely medical treatment, it wouldn't be a major issue. Her grandfather's body was still quite tough; aside from his bad back, everything else was fine.
Ōnoki looked up at the man in the sky.
This wasn't over yet.
This guy was truly terrifying.
A lingering sense of dread washed over him.