"If you want to hurt our Konoha's little hero, you'll have to ask us if we agree!"
"We will defend Konoha's little hero with our lives!"
Bathed in the dazzling Buddha's light, Konoha's ninjas felt their courage surge and their fatigue vanish. At this critical juncture, Natsuki, who had single-handedly turned the tide, had become their pillar of strength.
The title of "Konoha's little hero" flashed through their minds.
After the first person shouted it out, more and more people joined the chorus. Fear is contagious, but so are courage and conviction.
In the blink of an eye, the Konoha ninjas, who had been struggling to breathe under the onslaught of the Three-Headed Serpent and the numerous Sand and Sound ninjas, rallied in front of Natsuki.
They faced the torrent of jutsu unleashed by over a hundred enemy ninjas.
"Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!"
"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"
"Combined Ninja Art: Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Dozens of Konoha ninjas cast defensive jutsu together, forming layer upon layer of solid defenses.
Sturdy earth walls rose from the ground, one after another, like an unbreakable fortress.
Rumble!!
In an instant, wind and fire mingled with water and earth.
The torrent of jutsu unleashed by the hundred-plus Sand and Sound ninjas was firmly blocked.
"This is the influence of a Kage-level powerhouse on the battlefield."
"With him here, these trash Konoha ninjas are performing at 150%."
"Damn it! If that brat had shown up a little later, we could have wiped out this entire group." Watanabe, the Sound ninja commander, roared in frustration.
"That brat's golden light jutsu seems to be able to strengthen the surrounding allies.
"We must kill him."
"These Konoha ninjas here are just meant to slow us down. Most of the other ninjas are escorting the civilians to the shelters. Once they're evacuated, the main force will be free, and the tide of the war in all our battlefields will be reversed."
Ikawa Kazeno, the Jonin leading the Sand ninja team, also stared intently at Natsuki, who was radiating the golden light in the sky.
After assessing the situation, he concluded that they had to eliminate the core of the opposing force to sway this war.
Moreover, this kid possessed such power at such a young age.
If they didn't take this opportunity to eliminate him, then in the future, Sunagakure would constantly face the vengeance of a Kage-level powerhouse.
With this in mind, Ikawa Kazeno suggested, "Later, we will use Wind Style to send 20 elite ninjas to that brat.
"You Sound ninjas are responsible for holding back these Konoha ninjas on the ground. We only have one chance."
"Fine, leave this Konoha trash to us. And the heavily injured Three-Headed Serpent can also assist you." Watanabe nodded in agreement.
He raised his right hand, signaling all the Sound ninjas to increase their attack intensity and create confusion.
Meanwhile, under the cover of smoke and dust, 20 elite Sand ninjas bypassed the Konoha ninjas' defensive line in a semicircle, advancing from the flank.
The half-formed "Eight-Headed Serpent," with only one head remaining after Natsuki had obliterated two of them, began to slither forward again.
This time, its massive body crawled along the ground under the cover of smoke and dust, no longer displaying the arrogance of its previous rampage.
However, its cold snake eyes remained fixed on Natsuki in the sky. Boundless hatred made it want to devour the boy alive.
Hiss!!
It bypassed the Konoha ninjas' earth wall and launched itself from the side.
Its gigantic body, tens of meters in size, was actually able to stay airborne briefly. People within a radius of several kilometers saw the terrifying giant serpent leaping up, its jaws wide open.
But that wasn't all.
The 20 elite ninjas also appeared on the serpent's head, their hands rapidly forming seals, targeting Natsuki.
"Natsuki!" On the ground, Hinata cried out anxiously.
Ignoring her father's attempts to stop her, the azure light of the Tenseigan in her eyes grew brighter.
She defied gravity, flying towards Natsuki.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"
The 20 elite ninjas, with grins on their faces, unleashed their jutsu simultaneously.
A Konoha genius with unlimited potential, immense power, and enormous popularity, a Kage-level talent, was about to perish at their hands.
This achievement would be more than enough to be recorded in the history of Sunagakure.
Boosted by the Wind Style, the Fire and Water Style jutsu hurtled towards their target with even greater speed.
From afar, it looked as if more than ten red and blue intertwined chains had erupted from the giant serpent's head – as absurd as a single python transforming into ten dragons.
"You fucking idiots could've retreated and saved your own lives, but no, you just have to charge in!" An indifferent voice, seemingly from another dimension, boomed in their ears.
Fifth Style: Ten Thousand Buddhas Pay Homage!
The dazzling Golden light surrounding Natsuki converged inwards, transforming into golden flames that emanated from his body. An enormous image of Buddha enveloped him, rapidly expanding.
10 meters...
30 meters...
50 meters...
100 meters...
300 meters...
1000 meters!!
A light even more brilliant than the Buddha's Light Illuminates All, momentarily blinded the 20 ninjas.
From within the endless light and shadow, a gigantic Buddha's hand, capable of blotting out the sky, reached out.
All the incoming jutsu exploded mid-air.
The three-headed serpent, which moments before had seemed like a colossal creature several kilometers long, now appeared insignificant as an ant before the majestic, kilometer-tall Buddha, as imposing as a mountain range.
It was caught mid-air, the Buddha's hand clenching around most of its body.
Screech!!
The terrified three-headed serpent, like a chick caught in a giant's grasp, let out a piercing shriek.
It thrashed wildly, but couldn't break free from the terrifying Mountain of a hand. In the next instant, it completely evaporated within the flames.
"Is... is that even human?"
"What kind of being are we fighting against?" Ikawa Kazeno, the Jonin leader, was dumbfounded, utterly losing the will to fight.
This level of destructive power reminded him of the legends of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju.
One of his techniques, True Several Thousand Hands, was said to be capable of wiping a small nation off the map. And it's appearance did resemble that of the buddha the monks seem to worship, just like the golden figure the kid had just summoned.
"This boy... could be a descendant of the Senju Clan. It's very possible that Konoha will have another God of Shinobi." Kazeno's words shook Watanabe to his core.
As a ninja, who hadn't heard of the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju? He was an existence that even the combined forces of other Hidden Villages couldn't contend with.
A man who single-handedly suppressed the ninja world, ended the Warring States Period, and brought a brief period of peace to the world.
"NO!!"
"Absolutely Impossible!"
"Not everyone can be the God of Shinobi!"
"I don't believe this brat can keep launching attacks like that."
"Now's our chance!"
"Kill him! Kill that brat for me!"
Watanabe, in a frenzy, charged forward instead of retreating, ordering all the nearby Sound ninjas to attack the majestic Buddha.
But no one listened to his commands. They stood frozen in place like wooden statues, some even slowly retreating.
Only Watanabe, like a moth to a flame, flew towards the target.
Hum!!
The mountain-sized hand descended once more with terrifying force.
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