Kai's voice wasn't loud.
On a battlefield like this, it was almost quiet.
Stay alive and work?
Or die first, then work?
That single question silenced the entire battlefield.
Even the groans and cries of the wounded faded.
Not only the Kumogakure and Iwagakure shinobi—
Even Deidara, who had been laughing madly, suddenly choked on his laughter.
Was this… something a human would say?
For the first time, he felt that his previous terrorist attacks and explosive art were nothing more than children playing house.
No wonder this guy was the boss.
Nearby, Ōnoki, the Raikage, Hashirama Senju, and the others were equally stunned.
None of them knew what to say.
As leaders, they all had their own methods to control subordinates.
Some relied on strength.
Some on charisma.
Some on wisdom and experience.
But—
No one had ever relied on ninjutsu to do it.
If you're alive and willing, work.
If you're unwilling, die first and then work.
This wasn't just devilish anymore.
Even Nara Shikaku, who had always supported Kai, clicked his tongue.
He suddenly understood what Kai meant when he once said, while rebuilding Konoha's main street—
"There will always be someone willing to pay."
So that was it.
Kai had known long ago that Iwagakure and Kumogakure were coming.
He had simply waited for them to deliver themselves.
"Bullshit!"
After a long silence, a Kumogakure jōnin with half his face burned black suddenly raised his head.
His bloodshot eyes glowed red like a newly awakened Uchiha.
"Konoha brat! Don't think a single big explosion can scare me!"
"An explosion like that? You think you can do it again? Your chakra must be empty by now!"
"Brothers! Don't be afraid! As long as our five thousand Kumogakure and Iwagakure shinobi fight together, he can't possibly kill us all!"
"That's right! Don't lose your nerve, Iwagakure brothers!"
A one-armed Iwagakure chunin roared in response.
With his remaining hand, he formed a seal.
"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"
"Brothers, let's go all out! As long as we rescue Lord Tsuchikage, kill that monster!"
"Exactly! At this point there's no reason to hold back!"
The remaining thousand-plus Iwagakure shinobi and more than two thousand Kumogakure shinobi reignited their fighting spirit like cornered beasts.
Clinging to the desperate hope that Kai had exhausted his chakra.
After all—
Anyone capable of standing on a battlefield like this had iron determination.
"Tsk. What a shame."
Kai floated calmly in the air, impatience flickering in his eyes.
"I'm not interested in playing with you anymore."
"If that's the case…"
"Let's end this quickly."
He didn't even bother lifting a finger.
Just glanced downward.
His thoughts moved.
Divine Law Chains — Infinite Lock.
Buzz.
Immediately, the charred ground beneath him split open.
Several deep fissures tore through the battlefield.
It didn't look like an earthquake—
More like the earth itself had been ripped open.
"What is that…?"
"Should we attack first?"
The Iwagakure shinobi exchanged glances and nodded fiercely.
With hundreds of their comrades dead before them, their desire for revenge burned fiercely.
"Earth Release: Ultra Rigid Stone Technique!"
Rumble!
A gigantic stone monster created by the combined effort of over a thousand shinobi rose from the ground.
It filled the entire area instantly.
Over thirty meters tall—
Nearly one hundred meters in height.
Every movement carried terrifying power.
Seeing this, the Iwagakure shinobi finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Some even collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.
Human power might have limits—
But this stone giant did not.
"BOOM! BOOM!"
Each movement shook the earth and shattered the ground.
But that still wasn't the end.
The remaining two thousand Kumogakure shinobi saw this and immediately formed seals.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Armor!"
Lightning armor greatly enhanced physical strength—
Especially speed.
Under its influence, the friction between body and air nearly vanished.
Crackle—crackle—
Soon, a thick blue-purple lightning aura spread upward.
It wrapped around the stone monster.
In an instant—
The hundred-meter giant turned into a Lightning Stone Titan.
Now each movement wasn't merely powerful—
It was apocalyptic.
Even the air itself burned black from the lightning before shattering apart.
"ROAR!"
The lightning stone titan pounded its chest.
Then lifted one massive foot and stomped directly toward Uchiha Kai.
BOOM!
For a moment—
The sky darkened.
The sunlight above was completely blocked.
"S-so big…"
"How do we fight something like that?"
"M-my legs are shaking…"
Inside and outside Konoha, countless shinobi trembled at the sight of the towering stone monster.
It was like megalophobia—
Any human facing something ten or a hundred times their size would instinctively feel dread.
"A lightning-enhanced stone monster? Interesting."
Kai watched calmly.
Then slowly clapped his hands together.
"Perfect Sage Mode… activate."
Whoosh!
His pupils became horizontal.
Dark markings appeared around his eyes.
Natural energy surged through his body, enhancing his physical abilities instantly.
But that was only the beginning.
"Hmm… perhaps it's time to try that."
Kai inhaled deeply.
He looked at the Nine-Tails power within him.
Though he had only copied five tails—
It was enough.
The next moment—
Nine-Tails power erupted.
Scarlet chakra burst from his body.
Behind him, five massive red tails formed instantly.
Then—
Two-Tails power activated.
Whoosh!
A sixth tail appeared, burning with eerie blue flames.
Six tails waved behind him.
The intense chakra heated the air until it crackled.
His chakra avatar grew to nearly thirty meters tall.
Yet—
This still wasn't the end.
Kai grinned.
"Lightning Cloak."
A far stronger and more complete armor than Lightning Armor.
BOOM!
Lightning erupted around the six-tailed chakra cloak.
Crackling violently like a storm of electricity.
But even now—
It still wasn't finished.
Kai narrowed his eyes.
"Armored Susanoo?"
"No."
"It's… the Giant of Light."
In the next moment—
He summoned his Susanoo.
A colossal figure of radiant light descended.
The Giant of Light appeared.
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> [email protected]/SorenSwiftTL (replace @ with a)