"Hahaha..."
Laughing loudly, Ronglin lunged toward the densest pack of Mist Ninja. The middle-aged ninja's expression shifted instantly as he screamed at the top of his lungs, "Everyone! If you see Uchiha Ronglin, retreat immediately!!!"
Heh.
Why did that order feel so familiar?
Oh, that was right. In the original story, Onoki had issued a similar command: any ninja from the Hidden Stone Village who encountered Konoha's Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, was permitted to retreat or flee on sight, and doing so would not be considered a violation of orders.
One had to understand that ninjas usually received specific missions that required them to fight to the death regardless of the enemy. Yet, when it came to Minato, fleeing for one's life wasn't considered a breach of duty. That alone showed how massive a threat Minato posed.
Ronglin just hadn't expected that he would receive the same "special treatment" now.
The middle-aged man's voice carried far across the battlefield. The Mist Ninja who were currently locked in combat froze for a moment before instinctively bolting in every direction. Ronglin pursued them from behind, creating a rather comical scene on the battlefield: Mist Ninja running everywhere, Ronglin chasing them, and the middle-aged ninja chasing after Ronglin.
Ronglin's speed couldn't quite match Minato's, but compared to average people, it was more than enough. Moreover, since he was only harvesting ordinary ninjas, he rarely encountered any effective resistance.
One could say Ronglin was reaping them without facing any significant obstacles. The harvest continued, driving the middle-aged ninja trailing behind him into a sputtering rage.
"Doing that is a foul, you know!"
Suddenly, Ronglin skidded to a halt. He looked at the middle-aged ninja, whose face had turned the color of pig liver from the chase, and tutted. "Calling for your companions to help... that's just not right."
More than a dozen powerful auras rapidly closed in on his position. Ronglin looked at the group of Jonin and Elite Jonin surrounding him and couldn't help but let out a short laugh.
"Hmph! In war, there is only victory and defeat. There is no such thing as 'fouls' or 'despicableness,' is there?"
The middle-aged ninja and his comrades tightened the circle around Ronglin.
They couldn't let Ronglin continue like this. Any rank-and-file ninja who crossed Ronglin's path met only one end: death!
If the casualties among their base forces became too great, it would indirectly signal the Hidden Mist Village's defeat in this campaign. Therefore, even if they had to pay a heavy price, they had to intercept Ronglin. They absolutely could not allow him to keep slaughtering the lower-level ninjas.
"Fair enough. Since this is war, who cares about fouls or being underhanded? As long as you win, that's all that matters."
Ronglin nodded with a smile, his eyes narrowing as he looked at them. "But hearing you say that makes me wonder why I should bother following the rules of the game with you. Since you fouled first, then I won't stand on ceremony."
"All of you can stay right here!"
"Everyone, be careful! He is extremely powerful! The Mizukage and the clan heads are currently occupied, so we just need to stall him!"
The middle-aged ninja knew Ronglin was getting serious and hurriedly warned his comrades.
Unfortunately, was a warning enough to be useful?
Boom!!!
A massive Susanoo manifested on the battlefield. The powerful surge of its chakra sent the surrounding thousand Mist Ninja flying. They stared in horror at Ronglin, who stood coldly behind the crystal on the Susanoo's forehead.
"Watch out! This is the Uchiha Clan's Susanoo!"
"I hate people who foul the most. Die!"
A black blade, dozens of meters long, swept across the area. Two Jonin who failed to dodge in time were instantly caught in the strike. Their bodies were reduced to dust under the Susanoo's overwhelming power, and the Black Flames attached to the blade continued to burn their remains until not even a scrap of clothing was left.
"So strong!"
Many knew Ronglin was powerful, but this was the first time many of them whether Konoha or Mist Ninja had seen him use the Susanoo.
Some Mist Ninja, who already carried deep psychological scars from Ronglin's previous feats, looked utterly ghastly. They knew that in this state, Uchiha Ronglin was practically invincible. Instinctively, they began to back away, preparing to flee for their lives.
The others fared no better. They had heard rumors of Ronglin's strength and had heard descriptions of the Susanoo before.
However, hearing a description and seeing it with one's own eyes were two entirely different things. They could not be compared.
Not to mention the Mist Ninja, even the Konoha ninjas from the same village were shocked. They couldn't believe the Uchiha Susanoo was this powerful. Instantly killing two Jonin with a single swing? Just how strong was he?!
"This kid..."
Tsunade, currently locked in a fierce battle with the Third Mizukage, paused and glanced back at the black Susanoo with a sigh.
In the past, Madara Uchiha had her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, to keep him in check. But who was there to restrain Ronglin now?
To put it another way, who in Konoha even had the ability to restrain him?
The expressions of the other Konoha clan heads were equally troubled. The stronger Ronglin became, the greater the future constraints on their own families would be. On the battlefield, everyone naturally hoped Ronglin was as strong as possible to crush the enemy and defeat the Hidden Mist Village in one fell swoop. However, the problems would arise after the war.
With the military merit and prestige Ronglin had gained on this battlefield, he was capable of causing many shifts in the village's future such as the selection for the Fourth.
Among the various clans, the Hyuga were the most concerned. The relationship between the two clans was such that, if it weren't for the need for unity during wartime, they could practically be described as fire and water. The stronger Uchiha Ronglin grew, the worse it was for the Hyuga.
The only ones truly happy were the neutral clans and the members of the Uchiha Clan.
Fugaku Uchiha, who was busy intercepting enemies, looked at the gargantuan Susanoo. A flash of envy and jealousy crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it.
Meanwhile, the other members of the Uchiha Clan watched Ronglin display his divine might, their hearts filled with nothing but worship.
"All of you, go to hell!!!"
Ronglin was unaware of the internal shifts his use of Susanoo had caused in those around him. At this moment, he only wanted to slaughter the enemy. Military merit was something the more you had, the better; no one would complain about having too much.
The group of Mist Ninja who had just been preparing to besiege and stall him were soon scattered and fleeing in all directions, chased into a panicked frenzy by Ronglin.
As the saying goes, life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what the next one will taste like. It might suit your palate, or it might drive you mad.
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).