Chapter 208: Kyosuke, Suppressed
Northwestern Corps, Intelligence Division Encampment.
Inoichi Yamanaka was the first to learn of the Tsuchikage's movements. He immediately relayed the information to Konoha while simultaneously ordering all units to proceed with caution.
At first, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others were skeptical. Why would Onoki suddenly commit to a full-scale assault? According to their projections, he should have been on the verge of withdrawing his forces.
But a few days later, a brilliant white light shining on the battlefield erased any lingering doubts.
Onoki, the Third Tsuchikage, had personally entered the war.
The news sent Danzo into a rage. He fired off several letters to Onoki demanding an explanation, but received no reply. Seeing the key to his plans slipping through his fingers, Danzo was tempted to go to the front lines himself.
But he was no Onoki. As the "Darkness of the Shinobi," countless people bore a grudge against him. If he dared to openly set foot on a battlefield, he likely wouldn't be coming back. Danzo was self-aware enough to know this. So, while he put on a show of fury, he had no real intention of acting. His position as the head of Root had been restored; the rest was someone else's problem.
With Konoha's leadership in disarray, the Northwestern Corps had no choice but to rely on its own strength to halt Onoki's advance.
Might Duy was occupied with the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, leaving Kyosuke to face the Tsuchikage.
The sounds of distant battle were a constant roar, but Kyosuke, the commander of the corps, did not immediately rush into the fray. He sat cross-legged on the ground, waiting.
Several kilometers away, a figure was flying toward him at incredible speed.
At this point in time, there was only one shinobi who could fly.
"He's here..." Kyosuke's powerful sensory abilities detected his approach instantly.
The snake-like shadows writhing around him indicated he had already entered Sage Mode. Months of fierce combat had raised his mastery of the technique by another level, but even so, a rare feeling of nervousness crept into his heart.
Onoki was one of the longest-living Kage. He hadn't fought at his full strength in years, but Kyosuke could tell from the sheer vastness of his chakra that the short old man before him was a monster.
In the few minutes it took for Kyosuke to gather his thoughts, Onoki had already crossed several kilometers and was now before him.
He floated silently in the sky, looking down with a disdainful expression. "So you're Uchiha Kyosuke. I never thought that fool Yagura would die at your hands. What a disgrace to the title of Kage."
"A disgrace..." Kyosuke suppressed the urge to attack. Following Inoichi's prior instructions, he asked, "Before we begin, may I ask why you have come to the battlefield in person?"
At his words, Onoki's expression darkened. But perhaps due to his age, he answered despite his anger. "Brat, are you really so ignorant of what you Konoha shinobi have done?"
"I don't understand what you mean," Kyosuke said, his eyes fixed on the Tsuchikage.
"Heh." Onoki let out a strange, humorless laugh, then fell silent, a mocking look on his face that clearly said, There's no point in denying it.
Seeing his expression, the rage Kyosuke had been suppressing finally boiled over. Images of Nagisa and the Second Elder flashed through his mind. With an explosion of chakra, he shot into the air, his Kusanagi Sword slashing forward at blinding speed.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
"Uchiha Style: Sword Flame Dance!"
Onoki was about to dodge, but found himself locked in place by the boy's killing intent. No matter which way he moved, he knew he couldn't evade this strike.
In that single, indecisive moment, the Kusanagi's blade passed through his body. But Kyosuke felt no joy.
The figure before him dissolved into a pile of mud. It was a rock clone. Even with his powerful dōjutsu, Kyosuke hadn't been able to see through it. It was a testament to Onoki's incredible skill.
As Kyosuke scanned the area for his foe, a sudden sense of danger washed over him.
With no time to turn, one of the snake shadows behind him spat out a powerful blast of wind, the recoil propelling him to the side.
The instant he moved, a brilliant white light, radiating an aura of pure destruction, flashed through the space he had just occupied. If not for his quick reflexes, he would have been disintegrated into atoms.
"Dust Release: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
Onoki showed no frustration at the missed attack. "Impressive swordsmanship and reflexes," he said, his tone laced with a faint praise. "Now I'm starting to believe you could have killed Yagura."
Kyosuke, now back on the ground, ignored the taunt. He quickly readjusted and charged again.
A direct confrontation with a Dust Release user was foolish. Even with Sage Mode or the Susanoo, he knew he was no match for Onoki. The only way to win was to use his speed to wear him down. One touch from that white light, and any ninjutsu would be erased from existence.
With his strategy decided, Kyosuke pushed his speed to its absolute limit, creating a flurry of afterimages that made it nearly impossible to distinguish the real from the fake.
But Onoki's vast combat experience more than compensated for what he couldn't see with his eyes. He slammed a single hand onto the ground.
"Earth Release: Mobile Core!"
The very earth beneath Kyosuke's feet shifted and roiled, causing him to falter for a split second. Onoki seized the opportunity, closing the distance in an instant.
"Earth Release: Stone Fist Technique!"
A thick layer of rock coated Onoki's right arm, yet his speed was undiminished as he drove his fist toward Kyosuke's chest. As the punch neared its target, its weight suddenly multiplied, sending Kyosuke's parrying sword flying from his grasp.
"Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
The devastating blow slammed into Kyosuke's chest. If not for the sudden appearance of a violet-red skeletal ribcage, he would have been gravely injured.
"Cough, cough." Kyosuke looked at the hairline fractures that had appeared on the Susanoo's bones and gave a bitter smile. He had been determined to conserve his dōjutsu's power, but after only a few exchanges, he had been forced to reveal his trump card.
He leaped back to avoid another Dust Release attack. At the same time, one of the snake shadows behind him spewed a brilliant jet of flame.
"Sage Art: Scorch Release: Solar Flare!"
Empowered by his right eye's ability, the flames burned hotter and brighter as they engulfed Onoki's small form.
But the Tsuchikage remained unfazed. He calmly formed hand signs, his eyes fixed on the fleeting image of the skeleton. The sight brought back bitter, long-buried memories.
That ability again. Damn the Uchiha clan. The memory of the man who had once driven him to despair flashed in his mind, and his expression darkened.
His defensive jutsu was now ready.
"Earth Release: Golem Technique!"
A ten-meter-tall stone giant rose from the earth in front of him, intercepting the flames. Onoki used the opportunity to fly back, avoiding the resulting explosion.
BOOM!
The two jutsu clashed for a few seconds, neither able to overcome the other, before they both dissipated in a massive explosion.
The Golem Technique was Onoki's strongest defensive jutsu, created for the express purpose of countering that man's Susanoo. While it hadn't been as effective as he had hoped, it was more than enough to block Kyosuke's Sage Art.
Staring at the thick smoke that now filled the area, Kyosuke felt a sense of frustration. Before he could formulate a new plan, another white beam shot out from the smoke, aimed directly at him.
"Shit," Kyosuke cursed, instantly dodging to the side.
Behind him, the earth and rock were instantly annihilated. The sight only deepened his apprehension.
He looked up at Onoki, who was now floating even higher in the air, and felt a sense of helplessness. To prevent another surprise attack, Onoki had increased his altitude. At this height, even with his incredible speed, Kyosuke couldn't reach him instantly. And if he made a mistake while in the air, he knew what the consequences would be.
The desire for victory began to fade. If he couldn't defeat him, he would just have to stall. As long as he could keep Onoki occupied, he was confident the rest of the Iwa forces were no match for his army.
It was a sound strategy. But he was underestimating Onoki. And he was underestimating the Kage Guard that Onoki had brought with him.
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 100 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 30+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you!