"Is this guy really only twelve years old?"
"It's hard to imagine how much stronger he'll become if he's given more time to develop."
"Go all out. Don't give him a break."
Several Root members exchanged a few quick words, then calmed themselves.
They already knew Itsuki possessed Wood Release and an enormous chakra capacity, but they hadn't expected his raw combat talent to be this terrifying.
According to intelligence, Itsuki had just graduated from the Ninja Academy a few days ago.
Sending out this many Root operatives was supposed to be nothing more than Danzo being overly cautious about Wood Release.
But now they realized—even without Wood Release, Itsuki was a dangerous opponent.
As the Root members steadied themselves and prepared to strike again, Itsuki's expression hardened.
As expected of Root's elites. They were far tougher than Kusagakure's trash.
His eyes turned, calculating. Defeating all eight head-on wouldn't be easy—and who knew how many more were lurking in the shadows? Even if he could win, there was no need to clash recklessly.
But Itsuki had no knowledge of barrier jutsu; brute force was his only way out.
With a flicker of movement, he dashed away—deliberately retreating in the opposite direction of Konoha.
If they knew his route back to the village, then the path ahead was likely full of hidden traps.
"Golden Binding Technique!"
Two Root operatives suddenly closed in, weaving hand seals.
An invisible force crushed down on Itsuki's body. His limbs felt as though gravity itself had multiplied several times over.
The Golden Binding Technique was a restraint ninjutsu—if the gap in strength was too great, it could lock a target completely in place.
But Itsuki's Sharingan flared. His spiritual power was immense, and even with two casters working together, they couldn't completely immobilize him.
Still, his movements were sluggish, his speed cut down drastically.
The other six Root operatives caught up instantly. One dashed in and drove a kick into Itsuki's chest.
He barely raised his arms to guard, but the blow still sent him flying.
Two more operatives were already waiting, attacking from behind mid-air. Still slowed by the bindings, Itsuki couldn't twist away.
Two brutal kicks slammed into his back, sending him crashing back toward the ground.
Another Root member was waiting directly below, ready to strike.
A surge of rage burned through Itsuki's chest. Did they really think he was some helpless animal to be hunted down?
"You want to see Wood Release?" he snarled. "Then as you wish!"
His hands clapped together. Chakra roared through his body.
Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!
BOOM!
The ground split apart as a towering wooden colossus erupted upward, hundreds of meters tall.
The massive surge of chakra shattered the Golden Binding Technique instantly.
The pressure rolling off the wooden giant blasted the Root operatives backward like leaves in a gale.
Itsuki perched on the wooden man's nose bridge, glaring down.
"Hmph… not even touching the barrier around me. Tch, disappointing."
He grinned, eyes flashing. "Still… let's see what else you've got."
The giant's fist swung down like a collapsing mountain.
Two Root operatives barely scrambled clear, but the third was too slow.
The enormous wooden fist smashed him half-into the ground, blood spraying from his mouth. His body twitched in a crater, half-dead.
"Hoh?" Itsuki arched a brow, then smirked.
"Don't tell me even Root wasn't prepared for this? What's the matter—scared shitless by my Wood Human?"
After all, mastering Earth Style and Water Style in just days already made him a super-genius. To manifest Wood Release at all hinted at innate talent.
But to wield this technique so soon? No one in their right mind would believe it.
If Root only prepared counters for lesser Wood Release techniques, then their little ambush was doomed from the start.
The wooden giant lumbered forward, fists smashing the earth with every swing.
BOOM. BOOM. BOOM!
Itsuki didn't care if he actually connected—his goal was simple: push them back, corner them, and make them fear.
"Come on! Weren't you so eager to kill me a minute ago? Where's that bravery now?" His laughter echoed from atop the wooden colossus. "My fist is the size of a house! Who among you can take one?"
"Damn brat, too arrogant!"
"Is this really Wood Release? Its power is insane!"
"Compared to him, the stories of Hashirama are one thing, but this… this isn't ordinary Wood Release!"
"What do we do? At this rate, we can't even get close, let alone break his jutsu!"
Root's elites scattered, regrouping desperately.
They couldn't engage the wooden giant in close combat—its reach was too overwhelming. But if they stayed back, they couldn't strike Itsuki himself.
A perfect deadlock.
"Hmph… trying to run?" Itsuki sneered darkly.
Using a Wood Human against a handful of shinobi was overkill—like smashing ants with a hammer. They were too agile for him to squash easily.
But their frantic retreat gave him exactly what he wanted: they were herded together.
His hands clapped again. Chakra surged wildly.
This was his true battlefield—Konoha's endless forests.
Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!
The forest around them erupted.
Saplings burst from every crack in the ground, twisting upward in the blink of an eye into massive trees. Branches writhed like serpents, coiling and striking with predatory intent.
Root operatives ducked and weaved, but the living forest closed in mercilessly. One by one, they were caught—lifted and bound tight by thick branches.
The instant they were trapped, they felt their chakra being drained away, siphoned into the trees themselves.
"Hahaha! Let's see where you run now. DIE!"
Itsuki bellowed triumphantly, controlling the Wood Human. The giant's colossal fist rose once more—then came crashing down toward the struggling Root operatives below.
....
Author's Note:
Hey everyone! 👋
Just a quick update — I'll be uploading the completed version of this fanfic tomorrow on my Patreon!
If you want to read the full story early and support my work, you can check it out here:
👉 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
Thank you all for the support! ❤️