The second wave to arrive was the Konoha Police Force.
Which is to say, the Uchiha Clan.
"The Earth-Style Wall is hot to the feet," Hatake Sakumo, who had come over for the handover, reminded them as he saw the Uchiha Clan about to charge up.
But Uchiha Fugaku just smirked, not taking it seriously.
Currently the Vice-Captain of the Konoha Police Force, although he was already in his twenties, an age considered mature among ninja...
Perhaps due to Uchiha genetics, or maybe because life hadn't smoothed his edges yet, he was still a bit chūnibyō.
The elders in the clan said that once his son was born, he would mature a bit.
But Uchiha Fugaku disagreed.
Raising a son or something, although he hadn't done it, it must be a very simple thing, right?
"Hot to the feet? An Uchiha won't feel it's hot. Even if it is hot, it's just ninja training!" Such a thought flashed through Uchiha Fugaku's mind as he leaped onto the Earth-Style Wall.
The other Uchiha followed suit.
Hatake Sakumo raised an eyebrow and silently wrapped his feet in chakra before standing beside Uchiha Fugaku.
Uchiha Fugaku regretted it the moment he stood on it.
He originally thought it would just be slightly hot; after all, the earthen wall looked fine from the other side.
As a ninja, endurance training involving self-torture was a common occurrence...
But after getting up there, Uchiha Fugaku looked down.
The center of the earth and stone wall had already melted, presenting a magma-like gelatinous texture, and was still continuously conducting heat.
"What profound Fire Release! Is this the work of the Third Hokage? Even such a thick layer of earth and stone can be melted through?" Uchiha Fugaku wanted to secretly gather chakra while no one was noticing.
But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Hatake Sakumo beside him, silently watching him, his eyebrows twitching.
"Hot, isn't it?" Hatake Sakumo wore an airheaded expression: "Better to protect yourself with chakra..."
Uchiha Fugaku wanted to continue holding out, but seeing that the other clansmen also looked like they were about to break, he nodded reluctantly:
"Lord Sakumo is right."
The Anbu laughed happily; anyway, no one could see them behind their masks.
What was this?
The black-bellied countering the tsundere, right!
Uchiha Fugaku activated his Sharingan; the chakra fluctuations in the field attracted him.
"What technique is this?" Uchiha Fugaku murmured.
The reason for such a reaction was that in his vision, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, was covered from head to toe in a layer of hard black substance, including the staff in his hand, resembling a black diamond...
"Feels like some kind of Earth Release? Probably something like the Hardening Technique?"
Hatake Sakumo analyzed seriously: "Judging by Lord Third's intention, he probably wants full-body coverage maintained at all times, similar to Cloud's Lightning Release Chakra Mode?"
"Won't this affect flexibility?"
Uchiha Fugaku pondered: "Most Earth Release Hardening Techniques have such side effects. Moreover, while mobilizing Earth Release chakra, it will also affect the release of other ninjutsu..."
"Furthermore, maintaining the Hardening Technique constantly will consume quite a bit of chakra, right? Lord Third, he..."
Uchiha Fugaku suddenly got stuck.
In any case, discussing a Hokage having less chakra was a sensitive topic.
But Hatake Sakumo looked at him curiously: "You want to say Lord Hokage doesn't have enough chakra?"
Uchiha Fugaku facepalmed; he really had no way to deal with Hatake Sakumo.
Who said Hatake Sakumo had a rigid personality? In his opinion, he was clearly a guy who was white on the outside but black on the inside, very闷骚 (men sao - outwardly reserved but inwardly passionate/wild)!
"I didn't say that! What I mean is, is..."
Uchiha Fugaku chose silence.
Sarutobi Shinnosuke looked at Uchiha Fugaku in surprise.
This clan was really hard to judge.
Not only did they like to act cool and aloof, but their EQ was also low enough. Before saying two sentences, he was about to sharply comment that his old man was too old to maintain a few techniques.
But they were still considered reliable. Their arrival speed was not much slower than their Anbu, and they fulfilled their Police Force duties acceptably.
There was a kind of beauty in wanting to be a rebel but lacking determination...
Schrödinger's Rabbit, one might say.
The technique Sarutobi Hiruzen released was called by himself: "Earth Release: Earth Spear: Full-Time Coverage."
It was indeed the Earth Release Hardening Technique, and it also had the side effects Uchiha Fugaku mentioned.
But that was for others.
For Sarutobi Hiruzen, who now had abundant chakra and knew the five nature transformations like the back of his hand, those drawbacks did not exist.
"A ninja's body is too frail, like a cannon made of glass..."
"Must protect oneself at all times! Not a single bit of chakra should be saved when it should be used!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a deep breath and spat out a large amount of smoke into the field, covering the Rashōmon formation.
Fire Release chakra accumulated at his fingertips, and instantly a great fire exploded!
"The form of 'Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning' won't be blocked by the Rashōmon..."
Hatake Sakumo's eyes lit up: "And Lord Third isn't affected by the Hardening Technique; he can still use the five nature transformations at will."
"As expected of Lord Third..."
Uchiha Fugaku nodded, his pair of three-tomoe Sharingan staring tightly at Orochimaru, and unconsciously commented sharply again: "This vitality and posture are simply like a monster..."
In his three-tomoe vision, although Orochimaru was burned by the Fire Release, he acted as if unaffected, constantly shedding his skin like a snake and slithering on the ground.
Was this still human?
"Oh, you want to say?" Hatake Sakumo prepared to speak again with a face full of curiosity.
"No, no, no, Lord Sakumo, I didn't want to say anything..." Uchiha Fugaku's face turned dark.
Why couldn't he control his mouth?
Could it be that getting married and having children really would make him more mature? Would it be useful?
The Anbu present were struggling to keep a straight face.
First, he said Lord Hokage was old, then commented that Lord Orochimaru wasn't human...
What an outspoken Uchiha!
Inside the field.
Sarutobi Hiruzen formed two seals in a second, and a huge water tornado rose from the ground.
Water and fire collided, and extremely high-temperature steam burst forth.
The Rashōmon, which had suffered internal structural damage from the high-temperature burning, suddenly shrank upon encountering cold water. Instantly, cracks appeared one after another on the gate.
Sarutobi Hiruzen lifted the steel staff, chakra wrapped around it, and charged straight into the steam...
With Wind Release enhancing it, he swung it with force!
Instantly, under the shockwave enhanced by this immense force, several Rashōmon gates actually shattered into fragments with a loud crash!
Uchiha Fugaku's three-tomoe captured this scene, but his brain hadn't reacted yet.
The image in his eyes was like this:
Sarutobi Hiruzen rushed into the water and fire, and with one swing of his staff, flattened the steam and the towering Rashōmon...
Huh?
And this scene was also seen by the arriving Shimura Danzō and Root, as well as Jiraiya, who was carrying Asuma and Kakashi, and Tsunade.
"Holy crap, the Old Man is going berserk! He's going to clean house and kill the smelly snake!" Jiraiya's vision went dark. He threw the two little beans to Hatake Sakumo beside him and was about to go down to stop the fight:
"Spare him under the staff! Old Man!"
"The crime doesn't deserve death, the crime doesn't deserve death!"
Hatake Sakumo casually threw the two little guys to Shinnosuke beside him.
Asuma and Kakashi were thrown back and forth, completely unable to resist.
At this moment, Kakashi, known as the number one genius of the Academy, realized the gap between Academy students and veteran Jōnin. A deep sense of loss swept over him.
It also swept over Asuma.
Hatake Sakumo instantly blocked Jiraiya's path: "Lord Hokage has not given orders for anyone to enter."
Jiraiya jumped anxiously: "Aiya, what if he beats the smelly snake to death later! Be flexible, Lord Sakumo!"
Uchiha Fugaku's expression became very serious.
Hatake Sakumo was so fast that his three-tomoe Sharingan had difficulty capturing him.
If this were close combat...
"Indeed, there are no empty scholars under a great reputation."
But Uchiha Fugaku stared at Hatake Sakumo standing unmoved in front of Jiraiya, even placing his hand on the hilt of his 'White Fang' short sword, deterring another person who wanted to make a move, Tsunade, with his gaze.
He started commenting sharply again, but this time in his heart: "This is a family matter. Isn't stopping others offending people..."
"Furthermore."
Thinking of the Third Hokage's furious offensive, Uchiha Fugaku felt his teeth ache: "Didn't Clan Leader Isshin say the Third Hokage was old? Where exactly is he old?"
"With this staff strike, even the legendary Susanoo probably wouldn't take it well!"
Shimura Danzō's eyes were a bit dull.
Wasn't this old guy crushed by the pressure and anxiety brought by the Hokage position?
The vitality displayed here was just like this in his prime!
What did this mean?
Did he have a great enlightenment after a serious illness, or was he possessed by a previous Hokage? Maybe he should find time to get a fever too...
Sarutobi Hiruzen continued to form seals in mid-air.
"Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!"
A whole piece of land was forcibly lifted by Sarutobi Hiruzen. Under this impact, Orochimaru, who was hiding within, had to reveal himself.
His guerrilla plan had failed.
But the contest wasn't over yet!
Master and disciple looked at each other, confirming each other's state.
No need to stop.
Orochimaru reached his hand into his own throat, pulled out a finely crafted ninja sword, and while slashing at Sarutobi Hiruzen, shouted loudly:
"Idiot Jiraiya! Watch from the side, don't interfere with my sparring with Teacher!"
"You might as well come down; it's a good chance for me to measure your depth too, kid..." Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted, swinging his staff.
Jiraiya instantly wilted, but then perked up again: "Old Man, beat this smelly snake to death!"
Master and disciple began a contest of ninja tools.
Sword and staff collided. Orochimaru's slit pupils contracted, thinking inwardly that this was bad: "Wait, when did the Old Man's strength become so great? It's not much worse than Tsunade's..."
Orochimaru's whole body trembled, ripples appearing on his skin, actually using this method to unload force.
This was thanks to his unique technique: Soft Physique Modification.
If anyone else tried this, internal bleeding would be getting off lightly...
"Good kid, impervious to sword and spear, water and fire..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen fought with increasing excitement. The pleasure of controlling supernatural power and the freshness of witnessing diverse ninjutsu intoxicated him:
"Try this staff!"
More and more chakra accumulated on the staff. Sarutobi Hiruzen swung the staff with all his might.
Boom!
Orochimaru's pupils contracted. As soon as the sword and staff made contact, he sensed something was wrong. He quickly turned sideways to unload the force and was sent flying from mid-air.
The steel staff smashed into the earth. A large crater appeared with a loud crash, sending sand and stones flying.
Uchiha Fugaku wrinkled his nose and bared his teeth, feeling very emotional in his heart.
No wonder the Uchiha Clan lagged behind the Hokage faction...
Look at the intensity of this master-disciple exchange. If one didn't know, they'd really think he was cleaning house here!
Look, this is real combat with real weapons.
If he has a son in the future, he must educate him like this too!
He has to be thrown onto the battlefield from a young age to properly experience the intensity of the ninja world!
"Teacher, your surname is Sarutobi, not Senju!"
Orochimaru, who was sent flying, complained in his heart, then lay on the ground and opened his mouth wide. A large snake shot out from his throat, rushing straight towards Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The mucus on the snake's body dripped down along the way. Upon contacting the earth, it acted like some acidic substance, making a corrosive sizzling sound.
During this time, Jōnin arrived one after another, along with some Chūnin and Genin.
Naturally, there was an order to the batches. The Sarutobi clan's aides, Ino-Shika-Chō, were the first to arrive in this wave.
"Good timing!"
It was unclear whether he was talking about the ninja or Orochimaru's attack. Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted loudly and swung his hardened fist straight at the snake head without evasion!
The exploded snake head stirred up a sky full of flesh and blood.
But from the lower half of the snake body, a brand-new Orochimaru emerged, punching heavily at Sarutobi Hiruzen's abdomen!
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't think of dodging and also threw a punch boldly.
The two exchanged punch for punch, each retreating a few steps.
Sarutobi Hiruzen scanned the surroundings. Almost everyone had arrived, so he stopped his offensive.
"Fists really fear the young and strong. This punch, this old man will need a few days to recover..." Sarutobi Hiruzen rubbed his ribs, feeling the soreness, and said sincerely:
"Really don't have the physique of a young person. You're not injured, are you, old apprentice?"
Sure enough, a single "Earth Release: Earth Spear" was really not enough. Even after he figured out how to strengthen it, it still wouldn't do.
He still had to learn other nintaijutsu. Being able to attack and defend was truly useful.
"Teacher, don't you think speaking like this hurts me a bit?"
Blood was gushing from the corner of Orochimaru's mouth. Paired with this sentence, it was somewhat comical.
He rarely showed an expression where he couldn't hold back: "Whose fist is strong anyway? Teacher, I am human too. Vomiting blood certainly counts as being injured!"
"That must be you. The Old Man only has this shell of flesh. That move of yours just now was not bad; teach me when you have time." Sarutobi Hiruzen replied with a chuckle, giving him a thumbs up:
"This is a combination of Yang Release form and nature transformation, right? And there's a shadow of the Summoning Technique..."
This referred to the Orochi-Style Body Replacement Technique.
Orochimaru's expression was slightly complex.
He suddenly missed that stubborn old man from the past a little bit.
In the dark, Orochimaru had a feeling that if the teacher known as the "Professor" started stacking ninjutsu on himself like him...
Some terrible things might happen.
"Although the time isn't up, I am very gratified by your growth."
"Excellent, Orochimaru..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen walked over, stretching his muscles and bones. One hand was placed on his injured part, and the other hand was placed on Orochimaru's bruised chest, emitting a glowing green light from his palm.
Orochimaru's thoughts moved. Looking at the thoughtful expressions of the crowd, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly.
"With Teacher's current state, if he got serious, I wouldn't be able to step down from the stage today..."
"Calling a stop in time now, and healing me in public..."
This undoubtedly gave Orochimaru enough face, and vaguely gave the crowd some room for imagination.
Who spread rumors that Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were drifting apart?
Didn't you see this scene of 'kind father and filial son'? It was clearly a display of heart-to-heart closeness between master and disciple!
"Although you won, I have to take this bell. I'm used to keeping it." Sarutobi Hiruzen carefully put the bell back into his ninja tool pouch.
The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curled up even higher.
And at this moment, Hyūga Hizashi of the Hyūga Clan arrived. The Anbu, Root, and other ninja who arrived before them cast meaningful glances at him.
The Hyūga Clan should have been the first to capture the dynamics within the village; they had the Byakugan.
They were also known for Taijutsu, so their foot speed would definitely not be slow...
But why did they arrive so late?
Facing the scrutinizing gazes, Hyūga Hizashi had bitterness in his heart that he couldn't express.
There was no helping it; the village had village rules, and the clan had clan rules.
As a branch house member, he couldn't make decisions on his own.
Although he discovered it immediately, he still needed to report to the Main House and wait for the elders to make a decision.
This back-and-forth naturally delayed time.
This generation of the Hyūga Main House adopted a 'non-alignment' strategy, unwilling to intervene in village affairs unless war broke out.
Seeing the duel stop, Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu, who arrived with the third wave of ninja, looked at each other.
Utatane Koharu took a step forward and spoke: "Hiruzen, what are you doing!"
She wanted to ask why he caused such a big commotion without telling her...
Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes were dignified: "Advisor, address by title during work! Now is not the time for you to speak."
Utatane Koharu was speechless. She wanted to say something more, but seeing that extremely serious look.
She still chose to shut up.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's fingers formed seals continuously.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
In an instant, the training ground was enveloped by a swamp. Several Rashōmon remnants and a large number of venomous snake limbs were sucked deep underground.
Then, using exquisite Fire Release, red-white flames baked the earth at full power.
In an instant, the mud swamp was baked dry, and Wind Release, sharp as a blade, precisely leveled the uneven ground.
The training ground became neat and flat.
"The Old Man's chakra reserves are incredible..." Orochimaru stared at Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was neither flushed nor breathless, and fell into thought.
This set of ninjutsu looked like it was tidying up the training ground.
But if it hit a person...
How many ninja could survive under this large-scale ninjutsu bombardment? He was simply a walking grass-mowing machine...
And people who thought like Orochimaru were obviously not few.
Chūnin and Genin looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen with worshipful eyes even more.
His youngest son, Asuma, was dumbfounded: "Wait, the old man is this strong? Isn't this much more powerful than the teacher!"
Among them, a middle-aged ninja with thick eyebrows and a thick beard, wearing a green tight suit, was streaming tears: "Lord Hokage, is this Lord Hokage's youth? I feel like I'm going to burn up!"
This eye-catching outfit attracted Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze, and he nodded kindly at him.
Shimura Danzō, on the other hand, fell into introspection, roaring in his heart: "Cunning Hiruzen, when did he cultivate the Yang Release secret technique? To actually rejuvenate..."
"That day he was wearing the Hokage hat, I actually didn't notice!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen clasped his hands behind his back and shook his head with emotion: "Still old..."
He took out his signature pipe, lit it, and took a deep drag.
He shouted in a deep voice: "All ninja present, assemble!"
At this moment, the ninja quickly assembled in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
This was not only respect for the title of Hokage.
It was also admiration for powerful strength.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took this scene into his eyes.
Just as he thought, in a supernatural world, interpersonal relationships and power were naturally important, but strength was absolutely an inseparable part.
He was preparing his draft.
The lecture that followed was the real 'meat' of this duel!
The previous part could only be considered setting the stage.
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