The giant hand slammed down with a thunderous roar.
Golden light, as if divine punishment, seized the very soul. Watanabe, the Jonin, was instantly pulverized into mincemeat. Dozens of Sound ninjas around him were reduced to dust along with him.
"Mon...Monster!"
"No, a god! This is a god punishing us!"
"It's impossible to win! Run! Run as far as you can!"
"Surrender! We give up! We're not fighting anymore!"
The few Sound ninjas just outside the blast radius were utterly broken.
They watched helplessly as their comrades were vaporized before their very eyes.
If the range had been even a bit wider, they would have shared the same fate. Moreover, they had faced the fear of death up close.
They were fearless against ordinary ninja. But this attack, this heavenly might, was simply beyond comprehension, beyond resistance. It shattered their confidence completely.
Instantly, they scattered like startled birds.
The Sound ninjas fled in all directions, desperately trying to escape from Natsuki. Some even dropped their kunai and shuriken, falling to their knees in surrender.
"Damn it, all is lost!"
"Let's scatter and retreat! Then report to Lord Kazekage! Tell him a monster has appeared here!"
Ikawa Kazeno frantically rallied the remaining Sand ninjas in the area, leading them in a hasty retreat through the streets.
Nearly a kilometer tall, the majestic and dazzling Buddha phantom, towering like a mountain, drew the gaze of everyone in Konoha.
Lee had briefly manifested this phantom in the sky when he activated the Hidden Lotus Palm. But now, the figure, which was more intense and was directly suspended over the village, looked even more awe-inspiring.
At first, many couldn't tell if it was friend or foe.
But when the Konoha ninja around Natsuki erupted in excited cheers of victory, everyone knew this was Konoha's guardian deity.
"A Guardian Deity!"
"That's our Konoha's Guardian Deity!"
"We will win! With the Guardian Deity here, we will sweep away all these sneaking scum!"
"Konoha will prevail!"
This sight greatly boosted the morale of the Konoha ninjas in every district, accelerating the retreat of the Sound and Sand ninjas elsewhere.
It was time to kick them while they were down.
The Konoha ninjas around Natsuki cheered loudly, adding to the momentum as they leaped out, one after another, to pursue the fleeing enemies.
Meanwhile, some perceptive individuals noticed the giant Buddha, which had launched two attacks, slowly fading away.
Among them was Jiraiya, who had been drawn to the commotion.
"Unexpectedly, Konoha has given birth to another such ridiculous genius.
"A genius no less than the Fourth Hokage or the White Fang of Konoha.
"No, perhaps even more terrifying. After all, this child just recently graduated from the Academy."
Standing on a broken beam, Jiraiya sighed quietly.
"Before and after every major war, geniuses capable of turning the tide and making their names known throughout the ninja world emerge in Konoha.
"Perhaps, there truly is a guardian deity watching over Konoha.
"...And that prophecy from the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku..."
Jiraiya's thoughts drifted further and further.
Unlike other ninjas who fought for personal gain, or at most, the interests of a village or nation, he worried about the future of the entire ninja world.
Natsuki paid no attention to the immense commotion he had caused.
At that moment, he was focused on catching Hinata, who had thrown herself into his arms.
"Natsuki, you're alright! That's good!
"It was really dangerous just now. I just saw you almost getting swallowed up by all those jutsu, I was so terrified!"
Hinata's eyes were brimming with tears.
She had been truly terrified. After all, with so many ninjas on both sides, the clash of group jutsu had created a torrent, making each individual feel like a tiny boat in a vast ocean.
Anyone who dared to venture into the center of that maelstrom would be easily torn to shreds.
"Hehe, don't worry. See? I just summoned a big guy and flattened the enemy." Natsuki gently comforted her, rubbing her head.
"That golden deity just now?"
"Yeah, wasn't it powerful!"
"Yes! And I heard them shouting... calling you Konoha's Guardian Deity."
Hinata pressed her hands against Natsuki's chest, looked up, blinked, and then glanced to the side.
The majestic golden figure had vanished without a trace.
"Haha, that's the Five techniques of Tathagata.
"Want to learn it? I can teach you."
Natsuki chuckled, pinching Hinata's nose playfully.
"Natsuki, are you teasing me again?!"
Hinata blushed crimson, shrinking back shyly.
"If you really want to learn it, I will definitely teach you. But, for now, you should focus on developing your Tenseigan.
"The Tenseigan has many abilities. When fully developed, it will be even more powerful than the Five Techniques of Tathagata"
The Tenseigan's abilities were indeed terrifying. Its ultimate technique, the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, could even slice the moon in half.
Moreover, Natsuki hadn't forgotten that once Hinata's mastery of the Tenseigan reached 50%, he would unlock all of its abilities.
Then, he would be able to use powerful techniques like the Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion and the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.
"Mm-hmm." Hinata nodded earnestly.
"Alright, let's go. I'll take you and your sister back to the clan compound."
Natsuki's words suddenly brought Hinata back to reality.
Earlier, worried about his safety, she had flown up without hesitation.
But in just two moves, he had scattered the enemy. Her father and sister must have seen her throw herself into Natsuki's arms.
At that thought, Hinata froze, stiff as a robot, her neck slowly turning.
She looked down and saw that, indeed, her father and sister were staring intently at them.
"Sister! Way to go! You were so brave!" Hanabi, her sister, yelled excitedly, cupping her hands around her mouth.
This reminder made Hinata's gaze wander.
She realized that many, many pairs of eyes, near and far, were fixed on her.
Oh no!
The whole village knows I like Natsuki!
Buzz, buzz!
Her cheeks flushed, her ears burning.
Puffs of adorable smoke rose from her head. Hinata's eyes fluttered closed, and she fainted in Natsuki's arms.
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