When he finished speaking, a dead silence settled over the rocky platform.
"You... what did you say?" The humiliation made Ōnoki's eyes turn bloodshot. His whole body trembled with rage.
"Who do you think you are... Senju Hashirama?"
Thousands of Iwa ninja gasped at once, staring at the black-clad figure guarded by the four dragons as if they were looking at a madman.
Was he really declaring a new era by attacking Iwagakure?
Shinichi took in their horror. He did not answer Ōnoki's question and simply continued.
"Iwagakure is only the first."
He brought his hands together in front of his chest.
"Then let it begin."
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
Rumble!
The earth split apart, and the rocky platform shattered amid a deafening roar.
A colossal figure rose from the ground, its wooden body climbing higher and higher until it surpassed a hundred meters.
In an instant, it stood at the center of the battlefield, with Shinichi on its head.
A wave of gasps spread through the Iwagakure army.
"What... what is that?"
"It's taller than the cliffs!"
Ōnoki hovered in midair, staring up at the Wood Human. Its size and pressure dragged a buried memory back to the surface.
His face went pale, and his teeth clenched. But the shock in his eyes lasted only a moment before it hardened into fighting spirit and killing intent.
"Everyone...attack!"
Ōnoki's roar tore through the air.
"Kill him!"
The order sent the entire battlefield into motion.
Kitsuchi was the first to move. He slammed both palms onto the ground and shouted,
"Earth Release: Sandwich Technique!"
Boom! Boom!
The earth on both sides of the Wood Human heaved up like two giant beasts.
Two massive hemispheres of rock, each more than a hundred meters wide, rose from the ground and slammed inward, trying to crush the Wood Human between them.
At the same time, thousands of Iwagakure ninja formed hand signs together, their chakra surging into one vast wave.
"Earth Release: Spears of Stone!"
"Earth Release: Rock Gun Technique!"
More Earth Release jutsu followed.
Stone spears, rock pillars, and iron bullets tore through the air in endless waves, blotting out the sky as they rushed toward the Wood Human, and Shinichi standing atop it.
Facing the two massive rock formations closing in from both sides, the Wood Human moved with surprising speed.
It thrust out both arms and slammed its palms into the stone.
Boom!
The Sandwich Technique stopped mid-collapse.
Cracks spread across the rock faces, and rubble poured down, but the Wood Human held them apart by force.
Kitsuchi gritted his teeth, veins rising on his forehead.
"Crush him!"
At that moment, the four Wood Dragons coiled across the battlefield began to move.
The Magnet Wood Dragon raised its head. The purple patterns on its body lit up, and the metal-rich sand and broken rock around it were pulled into the air.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Cloud Scattering!"
The Lava Wood Dragon opened its huge jaws, dark red magma churning inside.
"Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique!"
A gray-white light gathered in the Corrosive Wood Dragon's throat.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
The Scale Wood Dragon spread its wings and rose into the air. It lowered its head toward the dense Iwagakure troops below and opened its mouth.
"Hiden: Phosphorus Killing Dust!"
Four attacks fell at once.
Iron-sand spears tore through the air. Molten boulders crashed down. A thick stream of acidic liquid swept across the battlefield, while eerie glowing dust spread overhead, blotting out the sky.
In an instant, Iwagakure's counterattack was swallowed by iron sand, lava, acid, and poison.
Ōnoki's expression changed as he watched the techniques tear through the air, "So this is your strength?"
Even the battle-hardened Iwagakure army froze for a moment in the face of that combined attack.
"Four different techniques... all at once?"
"Where does he get that much chakra?"
Shocked voices broke out among the Iwagakure ninja. At that moment, "one man against an army" no longer sounded like an exaggeration.
"What are you standing around for?" Ōnoki's roar rang out like thunder, snapping them out of their panic.
"Kitsuchi! Take command of the defense! Now!"
Kitsuchi snapped back to his senses. Veins bulged on his forehead as he shouted hoarsely,
"Earth Release Squad, combined defense! First, Third, and Fifth Battalions—Multiple Earth-Style Wall formation!"
More than two hundred Iwagakure ninja skilled in Earth Release formed hand signs at the same time, then slammed their palms onto the ground.
"Earth Release: Multiple Earth-Style Wall!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground shook violently as thick rock walls burst from the earth, rising one after another. Layer upon layer, they formed a continuous barrier against the incoming iron sand, molten boulders, and acidic torrent.
The walls stood tightly packed together, using sheer numbers to make up for the gap in power.
"Sixth Battalion, Wind Release Squad, assist! Clear the dust!"
Another group formed hand signs together, using Wind Release to blow away the eerie phosphorus mist clouding their senses.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Iron spears and molten boulders slammed into the rock walls one after another, sending sparks, magma, and rubble flying.
Acid splashed across the surface, making the stone hiss as deep pits corroded into the walls.
Strong winds swept across the battlefield, scattering part of the phosphorus mist.
The Multiple Earth-Style Wall formation built by hundreds of Iwagakure ninja finally held back the first volley from the four Wood Dragons.
Smoke and dust filled the air. The rock walls were covered in cracks and scorch marks, but they still stood.
"We blocked it!"
"As expected... he's still only one person!"
Scattered cheers rose from the Iwagakure ninja in the rear, and their morale recovered slightly.
Kitsuchi breathed heavily, his expression grim as he looked up at the young man standing atop the Wood Human. After only one exchange, his confidence had already begun to waver.
Shinichi clearly had not used his full strength yet, and worse, the power he had shown was Wood Release, the same power that had once dominated an era.
Above them, Shinichi looked down at the battlefield, calm and unhurried.
"Interesting. Numbers really do mean strength sometimes."
He raised his right hand and slowly clenched his fingers.
"But only sometimes."
In midair, Ōnoki stared at him coldly as Shinichi prepared to strike again.
"I can't let you run wild any longer."
Ōnoki brought his hands together before his chest.
"I'll show you Iwagakure's ultimate technique."
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Up to 30 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Viki2