Therefore, when he was young, the third Hokage had another weapon used for sparring with opponents and daily training: The iron staff!
This staff had accompanied him through countless battles.
Later, as his strength gradually grew, ordinary enemies could be defeated with his bare hands, while facing powerful enemies, he directly summoned the Monkey King Enma and had him transform into the Adamantine Nyoi.
Only then was this iron staff gradually sealed away, more as a kind of keepsake.
And now, the third Hokage actually intended to hand it to Shinichi Higashino to use on this occasion?
Koharu Utatane frowned tightly, as if wanting to speak but hesitating. Homura Mitokado looked deeply at the third Hokage, seemingly understanding something, but ultimately did not object.
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
Shinnosuke suppressed the waves in his heart and accepted the order in a low voice, then disappeared from the high platform in an instant.
The next moment, he appeared beside Shinichi in the arena and handed over a storage scroll with both hands.
"Shinichi-kun!"
Shinnosuke's voice, coming through the mask, sounded somewhat low but carried obvious goodwill. "This is the weapon Hokage-sama used in his youth, the iron staff!"
Hearing this, Shinichi revealed a perfectly timed expression of surprise.
He solemnly accepted the scroll with both hands.
"Hokage-sama's weapon from those days?"
Shinnosuke nodded, then could not help but quietly add in a soft voice: "Hokage-sama places great expectations on you. However, Shinichi-kun, you have already performed more than brilliantly, far beyond everyone's expectations. Do not force yourself too much. Remember, no matter what the result of this match is, Konoha and the Hokage are proud of you."
"I understand. Thank you, senior."
Shinichi took a deep breath. His eyes became firm and sharp once again. He held the scroll flat before him and quickly formed a simple release seal with his other hand.
"Release!"
White smoke burst forth. A pitch-black staff over two meters long, its body faintly flowing with a dark metallic luster and slightly thicker at both ends, simple and unadorned in design, was now firmly grasped in his hands.
It feels heavy upon contact!
The solid sensation brought by a density far beyond ordinary steel made it feel as if he were holding a miniature mountain. The staff's body was icy cold, yet it seemed possible to faintly sense the toughness and killing aura within it, tempered by countless battles.
Shinichi weighed it lightly in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, the iron staff traced a smooth arc through the air, producing a deep and pleasant whistling sound as it cut through the wind.
He raised his head, first looking toward the high platform, and solemnly nodded in the direction of the third Hokage.
Then he turned toward the center of the arena, facing the burly samurai patiently waiting with the halberd resting on his shoulder.
Gripping the iron staff with both hands, one in front and one behind, he assumed a starting stance balanced for both offense and defense.
The aura around him seemed to grow even heavier and steadier with the acquisition of this weighty weapon, as if he were more firmly connected to the earth beneath his feet.
"Mr. Isshin! I've kept you waiting!"
Shinichi's clear voice echoed through the gradually quieting arena.
"Let's continue."
"What an interesting kid!"
Isshin laughed loudly, swinging the halberd from his shoulder, the blade pointing toward Shinichi. "Then come!"
Before his words had even faded, an explosive burst of air erupted beneath his feet again. His burly body dragged the massive halberd behind him as he charged forward once more like a charging prehistoric beast, carrying the violent momentum of crushing everything in its path.
Shinichi's gaze remained calm. He neither dodged nor retreated. Rooted firmly to the ground, he held the iron staff horizontally before him.
"Boom!!!"
The next moment, the crescent blade of the halberd and the shaft of the iron rod once again clashed in a clash of sheer power and mass, devoid of any fancy moves!
A deafening explosion like the tolling of an ancient bell exploded outward, accompanied by sparks scattering in all directions and visible shockwaves, announcing that a new round of even more intense battle had officially begun!
And this time, with the iron staff in hand, when Shinichi faced that terrifying impact head-on, his feet only slid back two steps before he stood firmly in place.
The iron staff hummed, yet remained completely unharmed!
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"
The collisions between the iron staff and the halberd rang out continuously like heavy hammers beating war drums, producing deep and heart-shaking thunderous sounds.
Each impact stirred visible waves of air and scattered sparks. The ground beneath their feet continuously cracked and sank, the battlefield circle expanding as dust filled the air.
Shinichi wielded the iron staff with wide, powerful movements yet subtle variations, smashing, sweeping, lifting, and thrusting, actually wielding the heavy iron staff as if it were an extension of his own arm.
Layers of iron staff shadows overlapped as he defended with impenetrable solidity while attacking with fierce strength.
He was actually able to exchange blows back and forth with the foreign samurai, who was wielding the terrifyingly heavy halberd and possessing incomparably monstrous strength, neither side gaining the upper hand!
"My god! Shinichi… he's also skilled with the staff?!"
"Isn't he famous for his swordsmanship? This staff technique looks pretty formidable!"
"His strength seems immense; he's not losing to the other guy at all!"
"That move just now was beautiful!"
Exclamations of amazement filled the audience's stands. Once again, Shinichi had refreshed their understanding.
On the high platform, the two advisors, Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, looked at the young figure below, holding the black iron staff, calmly weaving through the shadows of the halberd while counterattacking. Their gazes were somewhat dazed, as if they were seeing a certain scene from several decades ago.
"That staff technique… that aura…"
Koharu Utatane said in a low voice, her tone complicated.
"So similar…"
Homura Mitokado pushed up his glasses, his gaze filled with reminiscence, and he could not help but sigh. "When Hiruzen was young, he was also so full of sharp vigor, yet as steady as a mountain."
"Hehe…"
The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, did not say much. He merely contentedly stroked the beard on his chin, but the corners of his eyes were unable to hide his smile.
On the field, the fierce battle was in full swing!
"Ha!"
Shinichi's eyes sharpened.
The instant he saw that Isshin's sweeping halberd had exhausted its force, his footwork suddenly changed. His body slipped like a swimming fish into the gap within the shadow of the halberd.
The solid iron staff in his hand slid along the halberd shaft, twisting and guiding it in one motion.
Then the tip of the staff shot forward like a venomous dragon leaving its lair, carrying a spiraling force as it fiercely stabbed toward Isshin's abdomen!
Phoenix Piercing The Flowers!
This thrust cleverly used the opponent's strength and inertia; the timing, angle, and force were all executed with exquisite precision!
"Hm?!"
Isshin's abdomen was struck, and his burly body was knocked back more than ten meters by the tremendous force.
"Good!"
"It hit!"
The audience erupted into enthusiastic cheers.
However, a series of sharp, violent sounds suddenly rang out, like the piercing cries of thousands of birds, interrupting the cheers of the crowd.
Wild azure lightning burst forth like lightning serpents breaking free of their restraints, instantly spreading from his right arm that gripped the halberd shaft to wrapping around the heavy halberd!
Blinding electric arcs leapt along the blade and the tip of the halberd, producing crackling explosions that made one's scalp tingle!
The air itself seemed to ionize, and a scorched smell spread throughout the surroundings!
It was precisely the Chidori he had learned from Kakashi. Not only that, Isshin had gone even further, spending time incorporating the change in chakra form of the Rasengan into it.
The power became more controllable, and the form more condensed!
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