If Ling uses Wind Release Chakra Mode and explosive brute strength, he can still unleash Kage-level speed, though only for a brief burst.
These four individuals used such fast Body Flicker Technique, so naturally, these Shuriken and Kunai missed. In fact, even a regular Jonin could dodge these Shuriken and Kunai without injury, let alone Root Ninja using the Heavenly Demon Decapitation Art.
The Jonin rushing at the very front was just about to tactically retreat, intending to use Ninjutsu for a concentrated attack, because the enemy's speed was too fast, and taijutsu combat was too disadvantageous.
However, he didn't get the chance. He vaguely saw a masked figure appear before him, then felt a sharp pain in his chest, followed by the agonizing pain of being pierced through his entire body.
Finally, he faintly heard an indifferent voice, "Wood Release: Binding Roots Technique!"
Meanwhile, the Ninja beside him also opened their eyes wide in extreme pain, as they too were pierced by the wooden spikes from the Root Ninja's hands.
Then, from the perspective of the other Ninja, these four Jonin looked like sea urchins, with numerous blood-soaked wooden spikes growing from inside their bodies, their entire forms grotesquely twisted.
No Ninja would ever dare to experience this Wood Release piercing torture from within the body. Their internal organs, muscles, and bones were pierced by wooden spikes, leading to a painful death.
"Damn it! It's Wood Release! Everyone, be careful!"
One sharp-eyed Elite Jonin recognized this Ninjutsu as the signature technique of their Village's First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
The Ninjutsu that once quelled the chaos of the Sengoku period, established the Ninja Village, and made enemies cry for their parents, was now being used against Konoha Ninja.
And it was the most inhumane, cruelest, and psychologically distressing Wood Release: Binding Roots Technique.
At this moment, Ling also understood what those vibrant Chakra were—they were actually the First Hokage's Chakra, but being used by someone in a life-burning manner.
The Ninja in the front row had all stopped and begun using Ninjutsu attacks, but even for a Jonin, their most proficient Ninjutsu still required one or two seconds to form the hand seals.
During this time, the four Root Ninja randomly selected lucky victims and bestowed upon them the piercing torture. In one or two seconds, the four Root Ninja completed a triple kill.
Adding those killed before, a total of sixteen Jonin had now died at the hands of Root, which undoubtedly disheartened the Konoha Jonin.
At this moment, the more distant Konoha Jonin also completed their hand seals. Immediately, flames, water flows, lightning, earth spikes, and wind blades launched a saturation attack on the area where the Root Ninja were located.
The area-of-effect attack directly covered a hundred-meter radius centered on the Root Ninja. For a time, flames splattered, and steam filled the air.
However, based on the law of 'no damage with smoke,' Ling concluded that the Root Ninja were not injured at all.
Ordinary Ninjutsu was severely countered by Wood Release, because Senju Hashirama's Wood Release was the ultimate Ninjutsu formed from Earth Release, Water Release, and Yang Release.
As Ling predicted, the smoke dissipated, the flames receded, revealing three hemispherical Wood Release fortresses protected by Wood Release.
"Danzo, you're truly a genius! You actually let your subordinates freely learn Wood Release Ninjutsu. Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall is indeed powerful!"
Ling recognized at a glance that this was the Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall, capable of withstanding small Tailed Beast Balls. Although these counterfeit Wood Release: Wood Locking Walls couldn't block a Tailed Beast Ball, they had no problem with ordinary Five Release Ninjutsu.
At this moment, not only was Ling's side encountering resistance from Root's Wood Release, but Hiruzen Sarutobi's side and Hyuga Hiashi's side were also suffering heavy losses.
Especially the Hyuga Clan, who only used Gentle Fist, when facing Root Ninja much faster than them without the Main Family's Rotation, which only they could use.
Wood Release: Binding Roots Technique was their nightmare. In short, it was truly tragic, with many Jonin being strung up like gourds, dying with miserable wails.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was incredibly furious at this moment. He never expected Danzo to use the results of his Wood Release research against Konoha's Ninja.
The Third Hokage at this moment could still display the demeanor of a Ninja Hero. His adamantine staff suddenly extended and swept, sending a Root Ninja flying.
Unfortunately, there was no significant damage, as these Root Ninja's bodies had been lignified, giving them extremely strong resistance to attacks.
The four Root Ninja knew that even if they teamed up against the Third Hokage, they could only stall him for a while, let alone with other Jonin assisting.
To complete Lord Danzo's mission, they decided to unleash their final brilliance with their limited lives.
So they planned to use a high-consumption, large-scale Ninjutsu to trap the Third Hokage's pursuit force.
The reason these Root Ninja were unwilling to use high-power, area-of-effect Wood Release was because it would cause their cell division to accelerate even faster, producing more Chakra.
If they could sustain combat for three hours using only taijutsu and Binding Roots Technique, then using high-power, high-consumption Ninjutsu would mean they wouldn't live for even an hour.
However, to stop the strongest Third Hokage, they were willing to sacrifice their lives. S4's three subordinates exchanged glances, made up their minds, and simultaneously clapped their hands together.
"Wood Release: Tree Sea Descent!"
This was an area-of-effect Wood Release Ninjutsu far smaller in scale than Deep Forest Emergence, but the combined Tree Sea Descent of the three nearly reached the scale of Deep Forest Emergence.
Centered on the Third Hokage, including over a hundred Jonin, they were all surrounded by countless rapidly growing trees.
From time to time, various vines and Roots attacked from all directions. Even if these Jonin could evade for a while, under Wood Release's Chakra absorption ability, their Chakra would be absorbed, and they wouldn't be able to last much longer.
The Third Hokage suppressed his anger, sweeping away and shattering the large number of branches and Roots that extended towards him due to his special treatment.
He moved towards the four Root Ninja without slowing down. He had to kill them quickly, otherwise the Konoha Jonin wouldn't last long.
However, S4 was well-prepared for the Third Hokage's attack. He hadn't used Tree Sea Descent precisely to wait for the Third Hokage's arrival.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
A large number of trees from the Tree Sea Descent intertwined to form a forty-meter-tall Wood Human, with S4 standing atop the Wood Human, controlling it.
In truth, S4 could only form a Wood Human of about ten meters on his own. He cleverly borrowed the Wood Release trees from his three subordinates' Tree Sea Descent to form this one.
As the forty-meter Wood Human stood up, it immediately drew the attention of all three battlefields. Danzo, who had fled five kilometers away, also noticed this scene.
"Heh heh, Hiruzen, do you like the surprise I left for you? Taste the power of Wood Release Ninjutsu!"
Danzo no longer looked back, but accelerated his pace towards the area outside Konoha's radiation range.
He firmly believed that the twelve subordinates he left behind were enough to give Konoha a hard time, and perhaps even cause heavy losses.
"Damn it! Danzo, don't let this old man catch you!" The Third Hokage, clutching his thick adamantine staff, looked at the charging Wood Human before him, a cold sweat running down his back.
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