"You've done well. Leave the rest to me."
"Who?" Hearing the voice, the Konoha chunin froze, but a faint hope flickered in his heart.
In the next moment, a figure appeared before him. Judging by his appearance and height, he looked about fourteen or fifteen years old. But when the chunin noticed the vest he was wearing, his eyes widened in shock—
It was a jonin.
"Be careful!" the chunin shouted anxiously, seeing that Xia Li seemed to ignore the two enemies behind him.
"No need to shout. They're already dead," Xia Li said calmly.
As his words fell, the chunin realized that the two figures who had been standing there holding kunai were now completely motionless. In the next instant, their bodies collapsed to the ground like scattered blocks.
Only then did the chunin notice the blood-soaked blade in Xia Li's hand.
Seeing the corpses of the Sound ninjas on the ground, the chunin felt a wave of nausea. Xia Li's voice sounded again.
"How is the evacuation going?"
The chunin immediately replied, "Sir, the evacuation of women, children, and the elderly has been completed. Only some adult men remain—they haven't had time to leave yet."
"Good. Continue your mission. There are medical-nin in the shelter. Once you get there, the enemy will be finished," Xia Li said, pointing in the direction he had come from.
"Yes!" The chunin was about to ask his name, but Xia Li had already disappeared. Only two mutilated corpses remained on the ground. If not for their horrific state, he might have thought it was all just an illusion.
At that moment, the civilians realized they had been saved and began embracing each other in celebration.
"Alright, let's move," the chunin said with a smile, hiding his minor injuries. "You're really lucky. Let's ask around at the shelter—such a young jonin must be famous. Could it be that rumored person…? No, that one is said to be only twelve…"
"Yes!"
Scenes like this were happening all over Konoha.
In the hearts of countless civilians, the one who saved them left the same impression:
A handsome black-haired boy, around fourteen or fifteen years old, wearing a jonin vest and wielding a unique long sword. Every strike he made was as fast as lightning—so fast that his opponents couldn't even react.
Usually, the battle was over before it even began.
When they reached the shelters, people began asking each other about him. To their surprise, many had been saved by the same person—and they all knew his name.
His name was Xia Li.
He wasn't fourteen or fifteen—he was only thirteen.
He had become a jonin at the age of twelve, making him the second such prodigy in Konoha's history. While he hadn't broken the ultimate record, his achievement was still incredibly impressive—especially in an era where promotion was far more difficult.
Inside the shelter, Kushina and Ino were initially idle. But soon, they began hearing people talk about Xia Li.
Hearing what he had done, and seeing the genuine gratitude on people's faces, they couldn't help but feel proud.
That was her son.
That was her boyfriend.
Even so, both of them were worried about his safety and silently prayed for him.
Meanwhile, Xia Li was chasing a Sound ninja.
The fleeing ninja kept glancing back, sweat pouring down his face, a deep wound across his body. When he looked toward the distant wall—still intact—despair filled his eyes.
He turned around, facing the rapidly approaching Xia Li, and began forming hand seals.
In the next moment, countless sounds merged into a powerful wave, surging forward like an invisible shockwave.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
But this time, Xia Li was prepared. Before the enemy could complete his seals, Xia Li had already finished his.
A violent gust swept forward, instantly dispersing the sound waves. The Sound ninja was blown away and slammed into a distant wall, cracks spreading from the impact.
Even Xia Li was slightly surprised.
With his recent breakthrough, his understanding of shape transformation and nature transformation had deepened further. Though he hadn't fully analyzed how much his jutsu had improved, this Wind Release alone was clearly far stronger than before.
Without hesitation, he walked toward the fallen ninja.
A flash of sword light fell into the enemy's despairing eyes.
No miracle happened.
Xia Li sheathed his blade and glanced toward Konoha's walls—the last place the enemy had been looking.
He could guess what the man had been thinking:
"Why hasn't reinforcements arrived?"
The answer?
They had already been intercepted.
Xia Li had stationed many ANBU there—including a particularly powerful one.
So there was no need for him to rush over.
At that moment, Xia Li suddenly paused.
Information flowed back from two shadow clones—
It was over.
It seemed that most of the fighting across the village had already been resolved. Of course, Xia Li wasn't the only one contributing.
The ANBU and clan ninjas he had arranged had also played major roles.
If he had tried to handle everything alone—even with shadow clones—he would have exhausted himself to death.
Even now, to maintain effective combat power, he could only create two clones. Any more, and the chakra would be too diluted to handle emergencies.
But clearly, his clones hadn't encountered any emergencies. After finishing their enemies, they simply dispersed.
Xia Li sensed his remaining chakra—more than expected, but still not enough.
He quietly took out two soldier ration pills and swallowed them.
Then—
He turned his attention toward the main arena.
On Konoha's walls, the battle was heavily one-sided.
Numerous ANBU ninjas continuously launched long-range ninjutsu.
The key to this advantage—
Tenzo.
The enemy had summoned a massive serpent, larger than the wall itself. If it had charged forward, the impact alone could have destroyed the defenses.
But now, it was tightly bound by dense trees, unable to move.
Even so, the wall alone wouldn't have lasted long.
But once again, Tenzo intervened.
Using Wood Release, he reinforced the entire wall, forming a barrier that blocked incoming attacks.
As for fire-style jutsu?
Tenzo was proficient in water-style and had already arranged water-style users to counter them.
Everything had been prepared in advance.
Sweat formed on Tenzo's forehead as he looked at the battlefield. He couldn't help but feel fortunate that he hadn't gone on a mission earlier.
Otherwise, he might not have been here to defend Konoha.
Thanks to Xia Li—who had warned him and revealed the situation—he had stayed.
And now, he was making a crucial contribution.
After prolonged fighting, the enemy realized they couldn't break through the wall.
Continuing would only turn them into targets.
They began to retreat.
Tenzo smiled coldly.
"You think you can escape after attacking Konoha?"
Not a chance.
Several figures appeared, each accompanied by ninja dogs.
"Finally, our turn!" one of them said with a grin.
In the next moment—
Smoke bombs exploded.
"Fang Over Fang!"
Dozens of spinning figures tore into the smoke like a grinding machine.
The screams that followed were horrifying.
Meanwhile, Xia Li used Flying Thunder God to rush toward the main arena.
What he saw—
The Four Violet Flames Formation.
Wood Release.
And Jiraiya, standing with Fukasaku and Shima.
Xia Li narrowed his eyes.
Why was the barrier still active?
And why was Jiraiya still outside?
Chapter 142: An Unchangeable Fate?
Xia Li carefully observed the situation.
Several ANBU lay defeated in the stands.
Blocking the enemy were Kakashi and Might Guy, who were handling multiple opponents with ease.
In the center, Genma Shiranui was fighting a Sand jonin named Maki, doing his best.
Xia Li walked over to Jiraiya.
"Master Jiraiya…"
"Sorry, Xia Li," Jiraiya said with guilt. "They got too close to the old man. I wasn't there in time—but don't worry, I'll resolve this soon."
But in his heart, Jiraiya knew—
If Orochimaru had acted, it meant he was confident.
He truly intended to kill the Third Hokage.
This realization filled him with both shock and anger.
Xia Li fell silent.
He understood the power of the barrier.
Breaking it from outside was inefficient—the best method was to destroy it from within. But clearly, the enemy had prepared for that as well.
Even so, the four maintaining the barrier weren't particularly strong individually—but they were enhanced by curse marks, making the barrier far more powerful than expected.
Jiraiya's likely plan was to enter Sage Mode and force his way through.
Xia Li began thinking.
Two options:
First—test whether Wind Release: Rasenshuriken could break the barrier. Unlikely.
Second—use Flying Thunder God to teleport inside.
But—
He couldn't sense the marker.
"…Six presences?" Xia Li frowned.
Had Edo Tensei already been used?
That meant—
The First and Second Hokage were already inside.
His heart tightened.
Then a realization struck him.
The Third Hokage…
might be planning to sacrifice himself.
To use the Reaper Death Seal.
Xia Li's eyes widened.
That possibility wasn't just real—
It was highly likely.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Closing his eyes, he recalled everything about the Third Hokage.
A flawed leader, perhaps.
But one who was truly willing to give his life for the village.
That much—
Was undeniable.
Xia Li smiled faintly.
Hadn't he already made his decision?
Just like when he first mastered Flying Thunder God—
He focused everything on his perception.
Before, it might have been impossible.
But now—
He had broken through.
And today—
He would forcefully sense the Flying Thunder God marker,
even through the barrier and the seal.
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