Chapter 132 – Renji: Ōnoki blocked the first one, but what about the second?
"Yo, so you finally came."
Renji stood with arms crossed, eyes coldly scanning the allied forces led by Ōnoki and A.
Because they had disrupted the interests of the daimyō, aside from Kirigakure and the two nations controlled by Orochimaru and Pain, nearly every country with even modest military strength had sent their forces into battle.
This was a clash between the new order and the old one. The daimyō all understood—if Renji won, there would be no place left for them in this world. The entrenched powers would never allow themselves to be overthrown.
The lives they enjoyed were built atop the shinobi villages and the backs of the people.
"This kid's gaze... it's exactly the same as his back then."
Ōnoki felt a flicker of irritation. In his youth, lacking strength, he had been humiliated by Uchiha Madara. Now the scene was playing out again, and he secretly swore to use this opportunity to rid himself of that mental shadow.
He was no longer the man he once was.
"Let them fight. I'll just wait to pick the leftovers."
Hidden among the shinobi alliance, Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he locked onto Renji on the Konoha side.
Ever since being defeated by Itachi in the Akatsuki, Orochimaru's obsession with the Sharingan had only deepened. His original aim had been to acquire a pair of three-tomoe Sharingan. While not having the Mangekyō was unfortunate, it was still something.
But the outbreak of this shinobi world war had completely changed his plans.
This was his chance to seize a Mangekyō.
He knew Renji had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
So why not use this war to snatch them?
After all, even Uchiha Itachi had chosen to flee when facing Renji. If Orochimaru gained Renji's body, then facing Itachi again, he would no longer be so pathetic.
At the thought, Orochimaru let out a sinister chuckle.
"So this guy is Konoha's Hokage? I heard he's just a teenager? Konoha really is regressing… A kid like that can become Hokage?"
A said this with a locked gaze, staring hard at Renji. Though he said it dismissively, deep down he wasn't careless. Any shinobi who could take down Hiruzen Sarutobi was definitely not to be underestimated.
"What's your plan?"
Jiraiya stood beside Renji. Everyone had already arrived, and the enemy clearly had greater numbers and strength.
No matter how strong Renji was, Konoha's forces were outnumbered.
Had they been able to whittle down the opposition through smaller skirmishes beforehand, it might've helped. But that wasn't possible anymore.
Jiraiya was already preparing to cover their retreat.
He didn't see any path to victory.
"You all stay back and watch. I'll go test their strength first."
"You're going alone?"
Jiraiya gave Renji an odd look. He was just going to walk up alone?
There were many Kage-level opponents over there. Was this guy seriously thinking of fighting them all at once?
"Maybe you should reconsider?"
Hyūga Hizashi quickly added. He admitted that Renji had fought like a war god when taking on Hiruzen, but the current situation was totally different.
That time, Renji only had to face Sarutobi and Danzo from Root.
But now? This was the combined might of multiple villages. None of them would just stand by and watch.
"No need. Just watch. If I can't hold up, you guys can jump in."
Renji waved them off, dismissing their concerns. What a joke—he needed backup to deal with this crowd of nobodies?
Bring me Uchiha Madara! Hurry up and send Madara over!
"Don't stop him. I think we can observe first."
Shisui interrupted the others before they could protest further.
Couldn't they see?
He was about to show off!
Shisui had known Renji for a while and understood him well. Though he always looked serious, he was secretly the flashy type.
From the way he'd been rejecting them repeatedly, Shisui could tell this wasn't about tactics—it was about style.
If the others kept talking, Renji wouldn't get his dramatic moment. Shisui couldn't let that happen.
Besides, with Mangekyō and Flying Thunder God, Renji was in no real danger. They could always intervene if things went wrong.
With Shisui's interjection, the others stayed quiet. Renji, feeling a little disappointed, swallowed back his speech. He'd been planning a big declaration.
With a single leap, he landed at the center of the battlefield. The Konoha shinobi behind him didn't move—they simply watched. Though uneasy, they obeyed his orders.
On the alliance side, seeing Renji leap forward alone, murmurs spread—was it a trap?
"What's there to be afraid of? Just go!"
A was already moving.
This guy wanted a proper 1v1 showdown, didn't he?
Fine, he'd give it to him.
"Lord Raikage, I think we should wait."
Samui quickly stopped him. With Renji's motives unclear, it was unwise to act rashly.
A frowned, visibly displeased. The other side had clearly issued a man-to-man challenge—he could feel it. Were they just going to ignore that?
"Heh. You don't even know your opponent's abilities, and you want to charge in? You won't even know how you died."
Ōnoki mocked coldly. These Kumo shinobi—from genin to Kage—all looked strong within their ranks, but why did they seem so brainless?
You don't even know what the enemy is capable of, and you're already charging forward? Do you think you're invincible?
"If this alliance is going to be just you mocking me, and me mocking you, then what's the point of even being allies?"
Even Samui, with her calm demeanor, was pushed to her limit by the old man.
He'd been tossing barbs at them nonstop. Was this geezer incapable of shutting up?
If not for her lack of strength—and the fact they were still allies—she really would've punched him in the face.
She had never met a more aggravating old man.
"Old man, tone it down. Say whatever you want later."
Kitsuchi stepped in to smooth things over. Ōnoki didn't press further. He was just being snide—he wasn't looking to break the alliance right now.
He still needed those Kumo muscleheads to fight, so he could gain control of the Land of Fire.
If the alliance fell apart now, he'd lose everything.
Besides, once he returned to the Land of Earth, mistrust between the village and the country was inevitable. Renji's strategy had worked—at the very least, it had planted cracks in their alliance.
A few verbal jabs were enough for now. Watching the allied shinobi charge toward Renji, even without orders, they all understood—killing Renji would be a massive achievement.
Though they might end up as cannon fodder.
Still, those up front—mostly jōnin and elite chūnin—held on to a shred of hope.
With so many attacking at once, maybe they could actually take him down?
No matter how strong he was, he was still just one man.
"Oi, oi, you're sending a bunch of nobodies to deal with me?"
Renji scratched his head in mild annoyance. He had been expecting a swift, satisfying fight, and instead he got mobbed by rabble. It honestly dampened his interest.
He brought his hands to his mouth to form a seal, then took a deep breath—flames erupted from his mouth.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
"What—!?"
"You've got to be kidding! That's Fire Style?!"
"Water Style users, move in!"
The frontline shinobi of the allied forces panicked as the raging flames bore down on them. If they moved any closer, they feared being reduced to ashes.
Water-style users rushed forward, spewing jets of water from their mouths. As the fire and water collided, clouds of steam surged upward, quickly filling the air.
"Interesting."
Renji's Eternal Mangekyō peered through the steam. With a leap, he charged straight toward an Iwagakure shinobi in front of him.
A punch, a kick—wherever he passed, bodies flew.
"His taijutsu is that strong?"
As the steam cleared, A watched with a flicker of awe as wave after wave of shinobi were sent flying, crashing to the ground, unable to rise again.
Was Renji's strength really this overwhelming?
Judging by the chakra traces, those shinobi were dead. Even those struck by residual force had died instantly?
"Don't get cocky! Earth Style: Stone Bamboo Shoot!"
Unable to bear watching her comrades fall, Kurotsuchi lashed out. From beneath Renji, sharp stone spires burst from the ground like spears, launching him into the air.
Renji somersaulted backward, glanced at Kurotsuchi, and casually patted the dust off his clothes.
"That's it?"
"Don't look down on me!"
Kurotsuchi activated the Lightweight Boulder Technique and took flight. Renji's eyes followed her ascent with amusement—shame she wasn't wearing a qipao.
"Kurotsuchi, don't be reckless!"
Ōnoki tried to stop her, but she had already taken off. A, watching from the side, sneered.
"Looks like Iwa-nin have their own hotheads too."
Didn't they always mock Kumogakure for being reckless?
Look at Ōnoki's granddaughter—was she any different?
"Old man, I'll go bring Kurotsuchi back."
Kitsuchi stepped forward, but Ōnoki stopped him immediately.
They couldn't call her back now. If she returned without even fighting, it would damage morale.
After Renji's earlier onslaught, many shinobi were already spooked. If Kurotsuchi backed out before even engaging, what would that say to the rest?
Besides, in Ōnoki's view, airborne targets were harder for Renji to hit. Even if things got dangerous, he could intervene in time.
So for now, Kurotsuchi could give it a shot.
If Renji couldn't deal with flying opponents, that would be valuable information going forward.
"But—"
"She's not being reckless. Just wait and watch."
Once Kurotsuchi had reached a relatively safe height, Ōnoki's eyes revealed a hint of approval. Yes, it was bold to charge into battle, but she was smart enough to stay out of range and maintain a safe distance.
Clearly, she wasn't looking for a direct clash.
Hovering high in the air, she doubted Renji's jutsu could reach her.
"Ōnoki's granddaughter, huh? You sure don't look like your grandpa. Are you even his real granddaughter?"
That old fossil Ōnoki… that brute Kitsuchi… and somehow this mature beauty came out as their descendant?
Was her mother's DNA just that dominant?
"This bastard…"
Kurotsuchi clenched her teeth. She often argued with her grandfather, but being mocked by the enemy—that she wasn't even truly family—was infuriating.
This insult hit her grandfather's pride too.
"Oh, right. I forgot to mention… you Iwa-nin aren't the only ones who can fly."
In a flash, Renji appeared right beside her. Her eyes went wide in shock as he grabbed her throat and began squeezing—slowly, with deliberate pressure.
"Ōnoki, if you use Dust Style now, you'll kill your own granddaughter. And how exactly do you plan to deal with that thing in the sky?"
Renji's lips curled into a smile as he glanced at Ōnoki's conflicted expression. His finger pointed upward—to the purple-black lightning sphere suspended above.
It was formed from the steam generated by the earlier clash between fire and water styles.
There hadn't been much time, so it hadn't become enormous, but the coverage was wide.
Ōnoki's eyes widened with shock. The shinobi below stared at the falling orb, dread washing over them.
How could they possibly dodge that?
"I'll handle it!"
Ōnoki pushed his chakra to the limit and unleashed Dust Style toward the descending sphere.
"Dust Style: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Half of the orb was devoured by the Dust Style, but the effort drained most of his chakra. He turned to A.
"Move now, or we're all dead!"
As much as they'd bickered, he knew if they didn't act now, it was over. He had expended too much chakra and needed time to recover.
"Got it."
A glanced at Killer Bee beside him. Clearly, a Tailed Beast Bomb was needed.
As the tailed beast bomb shattered the remaining lightning orb in midair, the allied shinobi finally smiled in relief.
It looked terrifying, but in the end—it wasn't so bad, right?
But before their relief could even settle, Renji's deathly voice echoed across the battlefield.
And the sight before them crushed any remaining hope.
"You blocked the first one… but what about the second?"
[End of Chapter]
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