Chapter 75: A Costly Retreat
"Doton: Doryō Chishiki!" (Earth Style: Earth-Shattering Palm!)
At this critical moment, the Third Hokage's voice resounded from the ground. The earth beneath Nara Shikaku and the other two immediately gave way, allowing them to drop down and narrowly avoid the lava hound.
But the Third seemed to anticipate the attack might continue. His hands flew through another set of seals. "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!" (Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!)
A thick, condensed water dragon soared into the air, heavy with moisture.
Sure enough!
The lava hound surged forward the next moment, colliding violently with the watery dragon.
"Sizzle—!!!"
The entire crater instantly turned into a scalding steam bath, the heat becoming unbearable. The dense vapor was suffocating, leaving no air to breathe, and completely obscured vision.
What shocked the Third Hokage was that his water dragon, which had condensed a volume equivalent to a small lake, was entirely evaporated into steam upon contact. Yet the lava hound still pressed on with residual force.
"This guy… is this his true power?!" While shocked, the Third Hokage didn't hesitate, his hand seals changing again. "Fūton: Senpū!" (Wind Style: Whirling Wind!)
A gust of wind swept up, barely managing to disperse the remaining lava projectile. Having been attacked by the lava eruption before, the Third didn't dare to linger.
As the Third Hokage and the others surged back out of the ground, they saw a scene that made their hearts lurch.
The moment Uchiha Naoki landed, Hatake Kakashi burst from the shadows behind him. A terrifying, sharp, and wildly crackling lightning shone in his right hand, stabbing with extreme speed toward Uchiha Naoki's back. "Raiton: Chidori!" (Lightning Style: One Thousand Birds!)
It should have been a perfectly executed ambush. But the smirk on Uchiha Naoki's face told the Third Hokage everything. He had expected this blow entirely. Kakashi was undoubtedly in danger.
"Heh, finally couldn't hold back anymore, Hatake Kakashi?" Uchiha Naoki's lips curved. The moment the lightning pierced towards him, his body dissolved into its elemental state.
Zizi—Crackle!
The terrifying lightning tore through the air, scattering molten rock in all directions. But Hatake Kakashi let out a sharp cry as he was forced back, his arm visibly scorched black.
The moment Kakashi retreated, Uchiha Naoki followed like a phantom, his smile bright and chilling. "I'll be taking your left eye!"
Just as Uchiha Naoki's hand reached for Kakashi's face, the Third Hokage's voice boomed once more. "Doton: Doryō Kuzushi!" (Earth Style: Earth Collapse!)
The ground beneath Kakashi suddenly gave way, making him drop rapidly.
"Kagemane no Jutsu!" (Shadow Imitation Technique!)
"Shintenshin no Jutsu!" (Mind Body Transmission Technique!)
Simultaneously, Nara Shikaku's shadow stretched out to bind, and Yamanaka Inoichi's mind-control technique struck again, denying Uchiha Naoki a clean chance to attack Kakashi.
But they were still a fraction too late.
"ARGH!"
Hatake Kakashi screamed, clutching his left eye as blood poured forth.
Uchiha Naoki retreated swiftly, avoiding the dual assault, while a volley of searing magma rocks spewed from his body. "Youton: Housenka no Jutsu!" (Lava Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!)
Faced with the storm of attacks, the two strategists had no choice but to retreat, their offensive thoroughly broken.
Seeing more and more Konoha ninja gathering, Uchiha Naoki landed, stored the captured Sharingan in a preservation vial, and grinned at the Third Hokage, who had reappeared with a rescued Kakashi. "Alright, I've had my fun for today. Farewell, everyone!"
With that, he stomped the ground, his body turning to lava as he sank into the earth and vanished.
"Damn it! Don't think you can escape!" Nara Shikaku growled in frustration, his shadow stretching into the hole in the ground, trying to pursue. But he found nothing; tracking Uchiha Naoki was impossible.
"Let it go, Shikaku. We can't catch him now," the Third Hokage sighed, stopping him. "We underestimated him this time."
He glanced at the casualties among the surrounding ninja, his face aging with grief and exhaustion. The killing intent in his heart towards Uchiha Naoki reached its peak. Did he think he could just cause this much damage and leave? He sorely underestimated Konoha's resolve.
"Cough! Cough!"
At that moment, Akimichi Chōza coughed violently, actually spitting up blood. His right arm hung limp and useless, all bones shattered and the flesh charred black beyond recognition. Without immediate, expert medical treatment, the arm would be lost.
"Hiss…!"
Hatake Kakashi, rescued by the Third Hokage, clutched his eye socket, breathing raggedly in pain. Looking at his bloody, empty eye socket, the Third Hokage couldn't help but clench his fists.
This was utterly infuriating!
Not only had their enemy controlled the entire flow of the battle, but the losses were also this severe. Even Hatake Kakashi's precious Sharingan had been taken. This could be called Konoha's darkest day in recent memory. A rogue ninja had come and gone as he pleased, and they couldn't even hold him. Where was Konoha's dignity?
"Sarutobi! Are you alright?!"
The two Koharu and Homura rushed over, their faces etched with urgency. When they saw the charred, bleeding gash on Sarutobi's arm, they were aghast. "What happened? How did the battle get this intense? Who was the enemy? Even you couldn't stop them?"
The ground before the gate was completely turned to rubble, and most of Konoha's tall wall had collapsed. The casualties were heavy even without a detailed count. Key figures like Shikaku and Kakashi were seriously injured. What kind of enemy possessed such power? Not only to escape the siege of the Hokage and so many masters but also to inflict such damage.
"The Uchiha rogue ninja, Uchiha Naoki," the Third Hokage replied, his voice heavy. "He has grown to a level far beyond our expectations. Immediately adjust his threat assessment. Increase his bounty from 50 million ryō to 500 million ryō."
Seeing the horrified looks on the two advisors' faces, the Third's expression was grim. "I am not joking. He has become one of the most dangerous enemies Konoha has ever faced. We cannot afford to be the least bit lax against him."
Koharu, still struggling to comprehend, said, "Sarutobi, we know you're serious, but… 500 million ryō? Isn't that a bit excessive? A dangerous S-rank like Orochimaru is only 200 million. Even Uchiha Itachi is 300 million. Uchiha Naoki's bounty would be more than those two combined. Is he truly that dangerous?"
"He must be," the Third Hokage stated firmly. "The threat posed by Uchiha Naoki demands our utmost attention and the highest level of response."
Seeing his unwavering resolve, the advisors could only nod in reluctant agreement. The financial strain on Konoha would be significant, but it had to be done.
The events at Konoha naturally spread rapidly throughout the ninja world, accelerated by the staggering increase in Uchiha Naoki's bounty.
"Impossible! Has Konoha gone mad?"
"500 million ryō! What an astronomical figure! I thought I was seeing things!"
"It shot up tenfold from 50 million. Is Uchiha Naoki really that dangerous now?"
"But it makes sense. Uchiha Naoki just slapped Konoha in the face. If they didn't set a bounty like this, how else could they demonstrate his threat and their resolve?"