The technique known as One's Own Life Resurrection is a profound art developed by the Puppet Brigade of the Hidden Sand. Its primary purpose is to breathe life into inanimate puppets. The individual who spearheaded the research for this ability was none other than Grandmother Chiyo. Although the theoretical framework of the technique had been successfully mapped out, the practical risks were deemed far too severe. Coupled with the glaring ethical dilemmas of such power, it was ultimately classified as a forbidden technique and sealed away before any human trials could be conducted.
Minato was not entirely certain if Chiyo had reached the end of her research yet. However, even if the technique remained incomplete, he knew that securing any related data or technological breakthroughs would be immensely beneficial. From his perspective, the academic and research value of such a life-transferring art far outweighed its immediate practical utility on the field.
He had briefly considered using his Sharingan to manipulate others into performing the resurrection for him. Yet, after mastering an extensive library of Ninjutsu, he possessed a very sturdy theoretical foundation. He understood that such a feat was not nearly as simple as it might seem to an amateur. As a forbidden art capable of transferring one's own vitality to another, exceptional chakra control was merely the basic entry requirement. Achieving success also demanded mastery over advanced Medical Ninjutsu and Yang Release Nature Transformation. In the current state of the Shinobi world, the number of people capable of actually utilizing this technique likely did not exceed five, and Tsunade was undoubtedly one of them.
"Wood Release! This kid possesses the Wood Release Bloodline Limit!"
A Sand Ninja caught sight of the vines Minato had manifested and immediately let out a panicked cry of alarm.
"Kill him now!"
"We cannot allow this brat to continue growing under any circumstances!"
The expression on the Sand Ninja's face twisted drastically as he shouted at the top of his lungs. At the mere mention of Wood Release, every shinobi instinctively thought of the God of Shinobi who had once reshaped the world. Konoha could never be permitted to produce another monster of that caliber. The surrounding Sand Ninjas charged forward without a moment of hesitation, their only intent being to swarm and execute Minato where he stood.
A flash of golden light flickered beneath Minato's feet, and he landed gracefully over a dozen meters away from the incoming mob.
"Wind Release: Gale Cutter Technique!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wild Dance!"
"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
Seeing that Minato had moved away from Takahiro's side, the enemy unleashed one Ninjutsu after another. They hurled their chakra toward him as if it were a limitless resource.
"Do not waste your chakra! He is a master of Space-Time Ninjutsu!"
Takahiro watched Minato's movements with a complicated and heavy gaze. He endured the sharp, stabbing pain in his abdomen as he shouted out the warning with great difficulty. True to his word, as soon as Takahiro finished speaking, Minato's figure flickered again. He reappeared instantly beside Sakumo Hatake and pulled his Wood Clone back into his own body.
Sakumo Hatake flicked the lingering blood off his short blade and surveyed the remaining enemies. "If we do not eliminate their commander, these casualties might not be enough to force a total retreat."
"It is fine. It just so happens that I have a specific Ninjutsu I have been wanting to practice."
Minato suddenly pressed his palms together. The earth beneath them began to shake violently, rumbling with a deep, rhythmic sound as if the very ley lines of the world were waking up. A colossal entity tore through the soil and soared toward the clouds. It was a ferocious Wooden Dragon, stretching over several hundred meters in length. The massive shadow cast by its coiled, wooden body was large enough to blot out half the battlefield, radiating a terrifying and ancient aura.
In that singular moment, the entire battlefield fell into a deathly silence. The only sound was Minato's clear, youthful voice carrying across the distance.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
Roar! The Wooden Dragon unhinged its massive maw and released a silent, staggering roar. After circling around Minato and Sakumo Hatake once, it lunged downward toward the terrified Sand Ninjas. Its massive body swept across the majority of the battlefield in an instant, causing the very ground to crack and overturn under the immense pressure of its weight.
Wherever the Wooden Dragon passed, weapons were shattered, limbs were severed, and the sound of breaking bones was drowned out by the thunderous impact of wood hitting flesh. The Sand Ninjas who lacked the speed to form seals or dodge were crushed like ants in a hurricane. A few tried to resist with their own Ninjutsu, but their attacks only managed to leave shallow, insignificant marks on the dragon's hide. Furthermore, as the dragon rampaged through the crowd, any scars on its body vanished as it regenerated to a pristine state in the blink of an eye.
"Do not let it touch you! This monster can absorb chakra!"
One Sand Ninja screamed in pure terror after watching his teammate get drained into a withered corpse from a mere graze of the dragon's scales. However, no one was left to respond to his warning. The terrifying Wooden Dragon continued its rampage, and after one final sweep, only a handful of people remained standing on the field.
Thud!
Watching the Wooden Dragon return obediently to Minato's side, one of the surviving Sand Ninjas felt his legs give way. He knelt powerlessly in the dirt, his spirit broken.
"Is this... truly the power of Wood Release?"
Sakumo Hatake unconsciously let his mouth hang open in disbelief. Faced with such an overwhelming offensive, even a shinobi of his caliber could not think of a proper way to counter it. He would have to consume a massive amount of his own chakra to create an ultra-scale Earth Style Wall, and even then, he could likely only block a single round of such an attack.
Thinking of this, Sakumo Hatake found himself momentarily speechless. "If you had mentioned you possessed this level of strength earlier, we would not have had to go through all of this unnecessary trouble."
"Actually, I preferred to remain a bystander. Unfortunately, my current strength does not allow me to keep a low profile for very long."
Minato shook his head with a look of feigned regret. "And I truly have no interest in paying the personal price for a war started by others. If I act too extravagantly, it will only lead to more trouble for me in the future."
"Back in the village, I heard that you were warm, cheerful, and a reliable companion to all. But I am different. I have no interest in shedding my blood for people who mean nothing to me."
"I see—"
Sakumo Hatake suddenly understood the boy's perspective. Although his own values differed greatly from Minato's, he did not find himself disliking the way the boy thought. After all, nobody enjoys unnecessary complications. As long as Minato's outlook did not actively harm his allies, Sakumo felt he had no right to criticize him.
"Actually, there is nothing wrong with feeling that way. Do not worry. Aside from the mandatory mission report, I will not reveal the full extent of your strength to the others."
Having witnessed what Minato was truly capable of, Sakumo's tone became much more relaxed and informal.
"But we can be considered brothers-in-arms now, right? For the sake of a comrade, if I were to kneel and beg for your help, you would not turn me away, would you?"
Minato could not help but let out a short laugh. "There is no need to be so humble, Senior. I am actually quite easy to talk to when it comes to my friends."
He knew his strength would become public knowledge eventually, and he never intended to hide it forever. He simply wanted to avoid being harassed by ignorant people who would try to guilt-trip him with questions like 'why didn't you save so-and-so' because he was strong.
Placing his hand on Sakumo's back, the two of them flickered away and returned to the safety of the camp once again.
"The Flying Thunder God... it truly is a convenient tool," Sakumo remarked, sighing with emotion as he noticed the sudden change in scenery.
"Lord Sakumo, the Sand unit to the west has just halted their advance fifteen kilometers away."
"Hmm?"
Sakumo was slightly surprised at first, but then he realized the logic behind it. "It seems they have already received the news of what happened to the northern unit."
He turned back toward Minato. "Minato, the Sand's current offensive should be coming to a close for now. You should go and get some rest."
"The Sand suffered massive casualties today. They likely won't organize another major attack for a while, but we still need the main frontline troops to arrive as quickly as possible."
"I understand," Minato replied with a nod before turning to depart.
When he eventually located Nawaki and Mikoto, the two of them were busy helping the medical staff bandage the wounded. Seeing a ninja screaming in pain due to Nawaki's clumsy bandaging technique, Minato stepped forward quickly. He waved his hand, silently signaling for Nawaki to move aside. He then finished the bandage with a few swift, professional movements and threw a handful of specialized pollen into the wounded man's face. The man's eyes immediately rolled back, and he fell into a deep sleep on the spot.
Only after Minato finished this sequence did Nawaki speak up with excitement. "Minato, you are finally back!"
"Yeah. Where are Senior Baiyun and the rest of the team?" Minato asked.
"Senior and the others are currently preparing for the next battle."
Nawaki's eyes were burning with anticipation. "I wanted to go with them, but I was assigned to stay here and help. Now that you are back, we should be able to join the fight, right?"
Minato shook his head slowly. "No. The enemy has already retreated."
Nawaki stood there in stunned silence.
Wait, if the enemy is gone, then where are my war merits?
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