Chapter 214: The Curtain Falls on a Good Show
"Hmph, the new generation's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, is it?"
As the tall pillar of dust and smoke at the center gradually dissipated, the figure standing atop the Wood Golem was revealed.
The "Wood Clone" looked down upon the people of Konoha, its tone indifferent. "To think that someone like you would dare to boast about defeating me. Truly, the ignorant know no fear."
The oppressive feeling emanating from him caused everyone's breath to catch in their throats.
Only Naruto stood before the crowd, questioning with a grim expression, "Who are you? Why can you use the First Hokage's Wood Release?"
"Crimson Moon, Takamimusubi no Mikoto. As for the Wood Release…"
The "Wood Clone" spoke coldly, "What arrogant fools. Wood Release is not something only Hashirama Senju can possess, much less is it exclusive to you, Konoha."
With that, he brought his hands together, his chakra surging.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
CRACK CRACK! BOOM!!
Several fissures appeared in the ground, spreading rapidly toward the shinobi.
The next moment, a multitude of black vines burst forth from the earth, and several giant black trees directly tore the ground asunder.
Faced with this sudden eruption, the shinobi retreated hastily, their eyes filled with terror as they looked upon the black forest brimming with killing intent and deathly silence.
The trees began to multiply madly, their branches whipping about, their leaves as sharp as blades.
"How is this possible? Deep Forest Emergence? Why this jutsu?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart was gripped with uncertainty, and he lost some of his composure as he roared, "Takamimusubi no Mikoto, who on earth are you, and why have you come to attack Konoha?! What is your relationship with the Lord First?!"
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence was similar to Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, but with a smaller attack range.
However, both were Wood Release secret techniques developed by the First Hokage.
In Hiruzen's mind, even though Wood Release had become a thing of history and legend, it had always been the exclusive Kekkei Genkai of the First Hokage, as well as a unique symbol and secret art of Konoha.
So when he saw this man calling himself "Takamimusubi no Mikoto" not only use the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai but also a secret Wood Release technique, the shock on Hiruzen's face was completely unconcealed.
"I have already said it. It is you who are too arrogant. Wood Release is not yours alone. If I wish to use it, I can use it."
Looking down at the aged Sarutobi Hiruzen, the "Wood Clone" had no intention of explaining further.
"As for my identity, I believe it won't be long before you find out."
Hearing this, Hiruzen's brow furrowed, and he cursed under his breath, "Damn it! What a troublesome guy!"
RUMBLE!
Before he could ask again, countless black tree trunks within his field of vision stabbed toward him like a myriad of swords, layer upon layer.
Hiruzen retreated rapidly, dodging the branches that thrust toward him with a roar.
"You bastard, don't underestimate me!!"
Gazing at the black Wood Release that seemed to symbolize death and misfortune, Hiruzen's expression suddenly darkened. Suppressing the terrible thought in his mind, he gritted his teeth and threw out his Adamantine Staff.
Adamantine Staff: Gale!
The Wind Release chakra in his body surged out, combining with the Adamantine Staff to whip up a violent hurricane.
CRACK CRACK CRACK!
With the indestructible body of Enma, combined with powerful Wind Release and taijutsu, several tree trunks were smashed apart with a series of crisp sounds.
Though he was old, he still demonstrated formidable taijutsu and astonishing combat experience.
However, the intense vibrations transmitted from the staff made Hiruzen's arms begin to go numb, and the expression on his face grew even uglier.
"This hardness… is this really wood?!"
After clearing a small area, it was swiftly covered by the black wood once more.
He realized that using taijutsu to defend against this black Wood Release was the worst and most foolish choice.
And that disdainful voice drifted over from a distance:
"You have long since decayed. You should step down and yield your position to someone more worthy!"
Just then, Anbu shinobi rushed to the scene, attempting to block the invasion of the trees.
"Secret Technique: Parasitic Destruction Insects - Hurricane!"
Countless black insects gathered. As a large amount of chakra was consumed, the insects' bodies swelled, and they charged into the forest, beginning to gnaw voraciously.
SWISH SWISH SWISH!
Accompanied by a terrifying roar, a multitude of black trees surged forth, arranging themselves to block off everything.
Even more branches whipped about, easily sweeping up the insects and crushing them into dregs.
"Damn it, is this really a jutsu?! My kunai broke! I can't even leave a scratch on it!"
"Run! Find a way to escape from here!!"
"Who is that guy? Could he be the First Hokage?!"
The Anbu shinobi at the front roared and fought with all their might.
But faced with this unheard-of, bizarre Wood Release, the Anbu, severely lacking relevant intelligence, were caught off guard and quickly fell into a disadvantage.
Countless bodies and weapons were so fragile before this madly expanding forest, shattering with a light touch.
Only the miserable screams echoing continuously from within the black forest could be heard.
Watching the dead and injured Konoha Anbu on the ground, Sarutobi Hiruzen, holding the Adamantine Staff, shouted a reminder, "Be careful! The hardness of these trees is terrifying!"
The Anbu who had luckily escaped had grim expressions, their eyes still holding a trace of anger and fear.
"I never thought our Konoha would one day be attacked by Wood Release."
The significance of Wood Release to Konoha was self-evident.
But now, this long-lost, powerful Wood Release was wielded by an enemy of Konoha, and even used to kill them.
"Attack!"
Numerous Anbu shinobi formed hand seals in unison, spewing Fire Release jutsu from their mouths.
The people behind them followed up with Wind Release jutsu.
BOOM!!
The wind fanned the flames, and countless fires erupted, pouring into the black forest that seemed to swallow everything, burning rampantly.
The aftershocks of the clash between the Hokage and the Wood Release easily covered a large area, causing a heart-stopping roar.
But soon, their expressions changed.
"Why won't these trees burn? How are we supposed to stop this?!"
"It's not that they can't burn, it's that the temperature is nowhere near high enough!"
"We have to fight even if we can't win! We have to stop him no matter what!!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The terrifying black grove began to expand again. One great tree after another shot up from the ground, defeating a large number of Konoha shinobi in succession.
The sounds of roars, battle cries, and explosions were all mixed together.
No sooner had they managed to cut down one tree than a new one would burst from the ground, attacking with even more exaggerated power.
No matter how hard they fought, they couldn't truly break through the forest. Instead, they were forced into a steady retreat by the black woods, inciting fear in the Konoha shinobi.
"You all are quite tenacious."
Looking down at the struggling resistance below, the "Wood Clone's" tone was profound. "Very good. In that case, let's get a little more serious."
With that, the chakra in his body surged once more.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!!"
A black forest several times larger began to grow and spread wildly.
In an extremely short time, countless black trees burst from the ground, enveloping a vast number of Konoha shinobi within.
"Advent of a World of Flowering Trees… Could Takamimusubi no Mikoto truly be him?" Sarutobi Hiruzen gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling.
First Deep Forest Emergence, and now Advent of a World of Flowering Trees.
A person who could use Wood Release to this extent… No, no! It's absolutely impossible!
Just as Hiruzen was preparing to go all out…
BOOM!!
A stunning blue-purple sphere of light shot out swiftly from the side of the crowd, striking the dense forest head-on.
The terrifyingly high temperature from the aftershock instantly caused a violent combustion.
"That's…"
"It's Uzumaki Naruto! With his power, he can do it!"
Faced with the terrifying might of the Wood Release, they could only feel powerlessness and trepidation.
For Naruto to step forward at this moment was an absolutely heroic act.
"Go! Follow Naruto! We might be able to create a chance for him to get in close—" an Anbu shinobi yelled loudly.
But before he could finish, Naruto shouted directly, "Fall back!"
"But…"
"Please, trust me! I can handle this guy!"
Under the shocked and expectant gazes of countless people, Naruto's palm lifted slightly, and he impressively condensed a Tailed Beast Rasengan.
The purple-black sphere gathered, pulsing with a terrifying pressure that made everyone tremble.
Naruto spoke in a grave and steady tone, "Everyone here is a comrade from Konoha, a family I cherish. Please, don't stay here any longer. Let me deal with this guy!"
With that, he once again threw the purple-black chakra sphere in his palm, smashing it directly into the black forest.
BOOM!!
At the moment of collision, after a violent roar, a super-high-temperature explosion erupted, and the dust and smoke scattered from the impact.
The earth shattered and caved in. The terrifying hurricane it caused kicked up a massive storm, and the nearby ground was almost turned into a sheet of crystal by the shockwave and horrifying heat.
The terrifying power ravaged everything. The unstoppable momentum of the black forest was reversed, forcibly halted by the unending explosions.
The crowd watched this scene in shock, a look of hope appearing in their eyes.
This immense and terrifying power actually came from the "Nine-Tails Jinchūriki" they had always feared, from the ten-year-old Uzumaki Naruto.
"Could it be… that the power from before wasn't his limit? Does Naruto have the strength to fight Takamimusubi no Mikoto?"
Just the high temperature radiating from the collision was incredibly terrifying, far surpassing the result of their combined jutsu earlier.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression suddenly changed.
"Get back!!"
The rapidly rising temperature was already causing him pain.
This Rasengan, similar to a Tailed Beast Bomb, was even stronger than the last one. Naruto already possessed such terrifying power!
"Retreat! Don't be a hindrance to Naruto! Right now, we'll only be a liability to him."
The numerous Anbu shinobi all retreated.
Naruto stared at the furiously burning forest ahead, his expression solemn, as if he had already steeled his resolve.
Hiruzen showed a worried expression and couldn't help but remind him loudly, "Naruto, be careful! Don't face it head-on!"
"Don't worry. Please, everyone, get clear. I will deal with him."
Naruto's face was calm, his tone straightforward and confident.
With that, he directly entered Nine-Tails Chakra Mode. With an unstoppable momentum, his golden form suddenly charged into the darkness.
"Hahaha! Your courage is commendable!"
Seeing this, the "Wood Clone" also leaped down. "Then let me see what power you possess."
CRACK CRACK CRACK!
A terrifying roar erupted as the earth shattered.
Naruto stretched out his arm, and burning flames shot into the sky, easily tearing several large trees to shreds.
The terrifying dark forest was rapidly expanding forward, only to be destroyed by him.
This fierce scene alone was enough to put everyone at ease.
RUMBLE!!
However, more black trees emerged, soon obscuring their vision.
The terrifying chakra fluctuations constantly erupting from within were so intense that even sensory ninjutsu couldn't probe the situation inside.
But many people had just seen Naruto encounter "Takamimusubi no Mikoto."
A ferocious clash had erupted between the two, and the power displayed by both sides far exceeded the scope of what an ordinary ninja could comprehend.
The fluctuations from the battle shook the very earth, making one's heart pound with fear.
Even from such a distance, they could still feel the terrifying aftershocks of the fight.
"Naruto, with the power of the Nine-Tails, can definitely defeat that guy!"
Listening to the continuous, massive roars from deep within the forest, the Anbu shinobi broke out in a cold sweat, hoping that Naruto could defeat the enemy, defeat that mysterious "Takamimusubi no Mikoto."
Feeling the unity and excitement of the people behind him, a gratified smile couldn't help but appear on Sarutobi Hiruzen's worried face.
"This is the Will of Fire! The Will of Fire is burning brightly!"
However, deep within the forest, where they couldn't see…
The "Wood Clone" was continuously manipulating the Wood Release, creating huge noises and emitting large amounts of chakra to fake an intense battle.
Meanwhile, the real Naruto sat plopped on a rock, watching his busy Wood Clone, his chin resting on his hand in deep thought.
"Using Wood Release at full power for the first time… it really does feel great."
The Wood Release plants he created were all incredibly hard and tough.
In the hands of Hashirama Senju, the terrifying Wood Release was full of life, but in his hands, it carried a sense of grimness and death, making one feel uneasy and fearful at a single glance.
However, there were also quite a few weaknesses exposed.
Even with his chakra levels, the cost of using this kind of Wood Release was far too terrifying.
After using large-scale ninjutsu like Advent of a World of Flowering Trees, it had already consumed almost all of the Wood Clone's chakra.
And one must know, the Wood Clone contained half of his main body's chakra.
"Master Fox."
After thinking for a moment, Naruto calmed his mind and asked, "How does my Wood Release compare to the First Hokage's?"
Inside the seal space.
"Ooh~ scratch a little lower~"
"Here?"
Kushina sat cross-legged on the ground, kneading Kurama's soft orange fur, and asked with a satisfied look, "Or here?"
"Yes, yes, right there! Ahh, that feels good~"
Sticking out his round belly and enjoying Kushina's "service," Kurama stretched comfortably.
Then, he turned his head, took a sip of cola, and let out a burp.
He had come to terms with it now.
Freedom?
It was all bullshit!
Since he couldn't resist, he might as well enjoy it obediently.
Kushina, Shichina, Hachina… they were all servants of him, the great Lord Kurama.
Just then, Naruto's voice came through.
Hearing him mention Hashirama Senju, Kurama wrinkled his nose, a small expression of disgust on his face.
Although he loathed that simpleton in his heart, he still thought about it carefully for a moment.
While Naruto could now use the Wood Golem Jutsu, in front of that simpleton's "True Several Thousand Hands," the Wood Golem was smaller than one of the Buddha statue's heads.
That giant Buddha statue with a thousand arms had easily shattered Madara's fully-powered "Majestic Attire: Susanoo," and could directly grab the Nine-Tails' body with a single hand.
Thinking of this, Kurama decided to tell the truth.
"Naruto, you're still far off. Let me tell you…"
But before Kurama could finish, the hand on his fur suddenly twisted.
"AWOOOO! Pain, pain, pain! Don't pinch! Damn you, Kushina! Oww~ not there~"
Outside the seal space.
Hearing Master Fox's uniquely pained screams, Naruto couldn't help but chuckle and scratch his nose.
"It seems that to use even more powerful Wood Release ninjutsu, or to fight for a longer period, I'll need to prepare myself to be in optimal condition beforehand."
Still, was Hashirama Senju's chakra reserve really that terrifying?
Even with his and Master Fox's chakra combined, achieving this level was already quite a strain.
Suddenly, Naruto's figure flashed, and he appeared on a tree, looking into the distance.
"This chakra… has Jiraiya returned? And who is that unfamiliar woman with him?"
After a moment's hesitation, he looked at the "Wood Clone" wearing the three-eyed cat face mask.
Mm, not bad. No matter how you look at it, it seems mysterious and powerful.
Whether as Konoha's Uzumaki Naruto or as the Crimson Moon's Takamimusubi no Mikoto, the dual performance this time was outstanding for both of them.
Meanwhile, outside the black forest, two figures arrived beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Old man, this is…"
Jiraiya stared, dumbfounded, at the black forest in the distance that emanated an aura of deathly silence and killing intent.
But Hiruzen didn't respond.
He just looked hopefully at the woman who had arrived with Jiraiya.
After Jiraiya snapped out of it, he also looked at Tsunade beside him.
"…Mm."
Tsunade was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Although it feels unbelievable, the facts are right in front of us."
"This… is Wood Release. An unheard-of black Wood Release."
BOOM!!
Another roar sounded, and a figure suddenly appeared.
Standing atop a black Wood Dragon, the "Wood Clone" stared at them.
"Very good. As expected of Konoha. You have a talented Jinchūriki."
With that, before anyone could react, the black Wood Dragon instantly vanished from sight.
And Naruto's figure suddenly appeared in front of Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and Tsunade.
"He got away…" Naruto said, his expression downcast.
(End of Chapter)
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