"Earth Release: Earth Bunker."
Senju Hideki slammed both hands onto the ground.
Ultimate Enhanced Three-Bedroom-One-Living-Room Version.
A massive earthen bunker capable of housing five thousand people suddenly rose from the ground.
Although it looked somewhat crude, with only a few doors and windows as decoration, its sheer size made everything else irrelevant.
On the Hidden Stone Village's side, as the encirclement gradually tightened, stone shinobi from all directions widened their eyes in shock.
"No way… this has to be fake."
"A Earth Release of this scale… how much chakra would that even consume?"
"Monsters… everyone from the Hidden Leaf Village is a monster."
Precisely because the Hidden Stone Village specialized in Earth Release, they could better appreciate how terrifying this bunker was.
Before mastering it, you think it's nothing special; after mastering it, you look at it as if gazing up at a towering mountain.
Gari quickly tried to boost morale.
"Don't panic! It's just this level of Earth Release—Tsuchikage-sama could do this too!"
Completely unaware that he had just made a huge mistake.
"So we're fighting someone on the same level as Tsuchikage-sama?"
Without comparison, they only had a vague sense that the enemy was strong, but not how strong.
With comparison, they realized—this opponent is ridiculously strong.
Before, it was just that they might not win.
Now, it was certain they couldn't win.
Their morale instantly dropped again.
Seeing this, Gari could only shut his mouth.
Did I say anything wrong? No. The Tsuchikage really could do something like this.
Meanwhile, on the Hidden Leaf Village's side, their momentum surged like a rising tide.
Strangely, the most fired-up group was a bunch of older shinobi with graying hair at their temples.
The youngest among them was probably over forty.
Their eyes were filled with tears.
Such astonishing chakra…
And that man just happened to carry the Senju name.
Everything felt right.
It's back.
That feeling from the beginning… it's back.
The era when the Hidden Leaf Village stood at the very top… has returned.
"Hidden Stone Village assault unit, prepare! Blow open this oversized turtle shell! Let the demolition squad see what true offensive power looks like!"
Hanzan Yūga shouted at the top of his lungs.
But beside him, Gengan's expression darkened.
You old bastard… who are you calling a turtle shell?
"Ready—fire!"
The Hidden Stone Village's 3,000-strong assault unit unleashed a synchronized barrage—three thousand Earth Spears at once.
A dense storm of attacks bombarded the bunker where the Hidden Leaf shinobi were hiding, blasting its surface into pits and craters.
At the very center of the bunker, Senju Hideki continued channeling chakra.
Beside him, Uchiha Kamito was inscribing sealing formulas.
"Hideki, how is it? Can you still hold on?"
"Piece of cake. Shame I didn't have enough time. Otherwise, once I fully establish my connection with this land, I'll show the Hidden Stone Village what it means to be the true master of the earth."
"This contract thing… is it really that powerful? The Second Hokage supposedly formed a contract with the ocean, and he only seemed a bit stronger."
Uchiha Kamito was puzzled.
That technique didn't look particularly impressive. The Second Hokage was most famous for his forbidden jutsu.
As for Water Release—since even the First Hokage never banned it, that says enough.
Everyone knows that truly overpowered techniques get sealed or forbidden.
If it wasn't banned, it was probably just average.
"The Second Hokage didn't connect deeply enough. Calling it a contract is misleading—how do you form a contract with something that isn't alive? It's just using your chakra to assimilate with non-living matter."
"Like controlling objects?"
"More or less. And the key point is—the man who supposedly formed a contract with the ocean, how many of his battles actually took place at sea?"
"…Yeah, that's true."
Uchiha Kamito found himself unable to argue.
That logic actually made sense.
But even with a home-field advantage, he didn't know how to use it… seems the Second Hokage had his flaws too.
...
While chatting, Uchiha Kamito finished the sealing array.
"All set. Hideki, I've drawn a chakra-efficiency seal for you. It should reduce your chakra loss by at least twenty percent."
"Perfect. Let's just drag this out and see who runs out first."
Hidden Stone Village: Why does this feel so familiar? Isn't this our usual strategy—winning through defense? Kid, are you sure you're not on the wrong side? You should've joined us!
"Second round—fire!"
"Third round—fire!"
...
"Fifty-seventh round—fire!"
Hanzan Yūga's voice was nearly hoarse.
"Fif—"
"Enough, stop shouting! Your men are collapsing from exhaustion! Do you think using jutsu doesn't consume chakra?!"
Gengan quickly stopped him.
Otherwise, the first unit in the Hidden Stone Village to collapse from exhaustion would be born right here.
"I refuse to accept this! Fifty-seven rounds already—how is that bunker still completely intact?!"
Hanzan Yūga was furious.
We just blasted it full of craters—and the next moment it's fully restored!
Isn't that just looking down on us?
Can we tolerate that?!
Keep blasting it!
After fifty-seven rounds…
The bunker was still a bunker.
The Hidden Stone Village assault unit, however, was completely spent.
Yet that bunker remained as pristine as ever.
Though it couldn't speak, Hanzan Yūga felt like it was mocking him.
And just like that, the assault unit was finished.
"Yūga, take a rest. Leave the rest to us."
"You defensive unit think you can handle something like this?"
Hanzan Yūga looked skeptical.
If you guys had this kind of ability, why would I ever join the assault unit? Staying with old comrades in the defensive unit would've been much better.
"That's why I said you're dumb. Earth Release is strongest in frontal defense and least afraid of direct confrontation. But you need to understand—the most dangerous attacks don't come from the front… they come from underground."
"You mean—?"
"Just watch."
Gengan stepped forward.
"Hidden Stone Village defensive unit, step forward!"
Three thousand defensive shinobi quickly replaced the exhausted assault unit.
"Target: the bunker ahead. Use everything you've got—lift it up! Since they like being high up, we'll send them straight to see the sun!"
"Got it!"
"Earth Release: Great Moving Earth Core."
A massive surge of Earth Release chakra flowed toward the Hidden Leaf bunker, intent on launching it into the sky.
The bunker began to rise slowly.
Three thousand people lifting a structure housing at least five thousand—it was no easy task.
Hanzan Yūga walked up beside Gengan.
"Brilliant, brilliant! Lift it high into the sky, then let it crash down—this will definitely cripple them!"
Gengan and Hanzan Yūga exchanged a glance.
In that moment, they knew—they had found kindred spirits.
The two shouted in unison:
"Art is a high-altitude drop!!!"