Even Shukaku's Drilling Air Bullet doesn't have this kind of firepower.
The gigantic wooden statue was turned into a sieve in less than three seconds, collapsing and disintegrating.
The moment the wooden statue fell, another shuriken flew out from the trees — a shuriken made of wood.
Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu ▻ Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique
A single shuriken instantly transformed into thousands upon thousands, blotting out the sky as they came crashing down.
Orochimaru bit his finger and began forming hand seals.
But Mizuki was faster. With a mere thought, chakra rippled — flash. A towering earthen wall rose at once, blocking the attack.
Orochimaru's hands, halfway through the seals, froze.
"Mizuki-kun, I'm admiring you more and more. Casting ninjutsu without hand seals." His tongue stretched out again.
Mizuki leapt onto the top of the Earth-Style wall and shouted, "Sorry, that's not something you can envy your way into."
His voice spread outward from him, echoing in all directions. Echolocation began searching for Hashirama's position, and results came quickly.
Banshō Ten'in ▻ Universal Pull
Hashirama's body immediately lost control and was dragged over.
Mizuki repeated the same trick. A black rod appeared in his left palm and he drove it straight into Hashirama's chest.
But the feel was wrong again.
"Hm?" Mizuki frowned, "Another Wood Clone?"
Hashirama really is insanely good at Wood Clones.
"Then where's the real body hiding?"
Echolocation swept again and again. Even the rooftops were searched, but Hashirama's location still couldn't be found.
Suddenly, from the trunk of a tree, Hashirama slipped free and clapped his hands together, about to form seals.
"So you merged with the trees."
Banshō Ten'in activated again — interrupting Hashirama's technique and pulling him in. Mizuki stabbed with the black rod again. And again — damn it — another Wood Clone.
"Is this never-ending?" Mizuki was getting annoyed, "I've seen enough of Hashirama's tricks. No need to keep tangling like this."
He turned back to Orochimaru.
"Let's release Edo Tensei and send Hashirama and Second back to the Pure Land. You and the Fourth Kazekage weren't confident you could handle the Third, but with me here, the Third can't make any waves."
Orochimaru nodded and began forming seals. After all, if he wanted Edo Tensei again, he could always summon them back out.
Rat → Ox → Monkey → Tiger → Dragon → Boar
"Edo Tensei… Release!"
Dust peeled off Tobirama like flakes of paper, quickly revealing a miserable ninja beneath. Likewise, dust scattered from the surface of a tree — Hashirama's Edo Tensei was released as well.
"Now only the Third remains." Mizuki looked at the sealed Wood Locking Wall.
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At the same time, inside the wall, Hiruzen was causing trouble.
Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Enkōō: Enma ▻ Summoning Technique: Monkey King: Enma
With a "poof", the old monkey Enma appeared. In his arms was a child as well — one of the orphans from the orphanage.
Hiruzen said, "Thank you for your hard work, Enma!"
Enma glanced at the formula on the ground, then frowned at Hiruzen and asked, "Sarutobi… what exactly are you trying to do?"
Hiruzen shook his head, "With a great enemy before us, everything I do is for Konoha. As for the children… I can only say I'm sorry. They will sacrifice themselves for Konoha. I will write their names on the Memorial Stone."
Enma opened his mouth, "Sarutobi, what you're doing has already completely violated Konoha's—"
"Enough. I'll handle this my own way. You can go back." Hiruzen cut him off.
After speaking, he dismissed the summoning himself. Enma's face was unwilling, but with another "poof", he vanished.
Hiruzen stared at the unconscious child on the ground, expressionless. He took out a scroll, inscribed with the Edo Tensei formula. Then he took out an eye, crushed it, and smeared it onto the formula.
He spread the scroll on the ground. The technique markings flowed out like they were alive, surrounding the child and forming an array.
Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei ▻ Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation
The entire formation began to shine.
The child woke up, but their face twisted in pain, letting out a piercing scream. Like shredded paper, soil and ash gathered in the light around the child's body. Before long, Shisui Uchiha appeared once again.
"Third Hokage-sama, what you've done is too much!" Shisui opened his eyes, saw Hiruzen, and anger flashed in his gaze.
Hiruzen said flatly, "Konoha has reached a life-or-death moment. I have no choice but to do this. Blame Tobirama for not perfecting Edo Tensei — every summoning lasts only a short time. If it weren't so, I wouldn't have to lay hands on innocent people again and again."
Shisui's face was cold, "Who is the target this time?"
His view of Hiruzen had completely changed. The Third Hokage in his memory had been kind, gentle, mindful of the big picture, not too eager to kill, and considerate of others.
But now… it was entirely different. Shisui finally understood: he had been fooled by his façade.
He regretted it. When he was alive, he shouldn't have trusted Hiruzen's words — shouldn't have been tricked by that so-called Will of Fire into turning against his clan and family. Falling into the pit himself would have been one thing, but he had even dragged Itachi into it.
In the end, the Uchiha clan wasn't saved, and Konoha didn't get any better either — if anything, it grew weaker and weaker.
… Too late for regret.
Unfortunately, being summoned by Edo Tensei meant he could only follow Hiruzen's commands. He couldn't resist. If he could, he'd definitely use Kotoamatsukami.
Hiruzen said, "When you see them, you'll know who it is. Remember: the enemy is troublesome. You must strike the moment you see them."
As his words fell, he formed seals.
Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu ▻ Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
The massive fireball blasted a hole straight through the Wood Locking Wall, opening a huge gap.
Shisui's gaze immediately locked onto Mizuki. In the next instant, a four-pointed pinwheel appeared in his pupils.
Mizuki was startled. Instinctively he pulled out a bottle of Six Spirits Floral Water, popped the cap, and was about to dab it under his nose —
But the next moment he realized it. My left eye is an Eternal Mangekyō. My right eye is a Rinnegan. Why would I fear some mere Kotoamatsukami?
He looked at Hiruzen and sneered, "Third Hokage, you don't seriously think Shisui's Kotoamatsukami is stronger than Danzō's, do you? A mere Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu — would it work on the Rinnegan?"
Blood tears streamed from the corners of Shisui's eyes.
Mizuki remained calm. He could feel a mental force trying to invade his brain. But it couldn't get in. Just the power of his Eternal Mangekyō was enough to block it completely.
Hiruzen watched him, unaffected, and his expression darkened.
Mizuki laughed, "Third Hokage, you were called the Professor of the Shinobi World. And at the end of your life you pull a cheap stunt that desecrates the dead — what a disgrace. I've had my fun. Now, please — be on your way."
But at that moment, Hiruzen suddenly smiled.
"The one who should be on their way… is you."
In the next instant, Mizuki felt a sharp pain at his neck — his body wouldn't move.
Turning his head, he saw Orochimaru biting into his neck. Those fangs injected poison into his body, along with a black Curse Mark.
This was Orochimaru's unique Binding Curse Seal. During the Fourth Great Ninja War, it once immobilized Obito (Tobi) and helped the Allied Shinobi Forces immensely.
"What the — Orochimaru, you… you're on Hiruzen's side now?"
"Heh heh, Mizuki-kun. Sadly, I must tell you: the Konoha Crush Plan was meant to lure you in."
Mizuki frowned.
Konoha Crush… to lure me in? When that plan was being brewed up, I wasn't even famous yet!
He realized something. He looked at Hiruzen — and at Shisui beside him.
"Third Hokage… what a scheme! So Orochimaru has already been hit by Kotoamatsukami? Then I guess something very interesting happened while I went to the Hokage Tower to take the scroll."
Needless to say, the Fourth Kazekage was probably controlled by Kotoamatsukami too.
In other words, they were all acting just now!
Summoning Edo Shisui — now that's truly a 'third-generation' level of trickery.
Orochimaru released his bite and said with a drained expression, "Hurry. His chakra reserves are too massive — my binding seal and snake poison won't hold him for long."
Only heaven knew how much chakra he had poured into the Curse Mark just to restrain Mizuki. Now his chakra was completely exhausted, and he was basically done for.
Hiruzen rushed in, hands flashing through seals.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
Watching the roaring flames about to engulf him, Mizuki's lips curled into a smile.
"You're underestimating my power. Even if I can't use chakra, my dōjutsu doesn't need chakra to activate. Any ninjutsu is useless against me."
And then — Shinra Tensei!
The Fire Dragon Flame Bullet instantly collapsed, and Orochimaru behind him was blasted backward dozens of meters, sprawled on the ground, groaning pitifully.
Gritting his teeth, he shouted, "Keep attacking — he can't move right now! This is the best chance!"
Hiruzen formed seals again.
"Lightning Release: Ground Walk!"
Lightning surged across the ground to Mizuki's feet.
"Rinnegan: Preta Path — Sealing Technique Absorption!"
A barrier enveloped him. The lightning hit it and immediately turned back into chakra, all of it absorbed.
"Ninjutsu is ineffective? Then I'll have to kill you up close with a weapon."
"Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique!"
Hiruzen sank into the ground. When he reappeared, he was already behind Mizuki, silently thrusting a kunai toward his back.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Hiruzenas sent flying — only to turn into mud midair. It was an Earth Clone.
Shinra Tensei had just ended. Another Hiruzen burst out behind Mizuki, kunai stabbing in again.
Mizuki frowned. Shinra Tensei has a five-second cooldown. It was used one second ago — it wasn't ready yet.
"In that case — !" Behind him, Hiruzen sneered, "That Rinnegan technique that repels all ninjutsu and matter… isn't ready yet, is it? Missing-nin Mizuki — die!"
His face was twisted, a crazed grin on his lips, as if already seeing Mizuki die on the spot.
But in the next moment, a crisp sound rang out.
Clink!
Golden chakra formed a skeletal humanoid that protected Mizuki. The kunai struck one rib of the skeleton and… snapped.
"T-This… what is this?" Orochimaru's face was full of shock.
Not far away, the Fourth Kazekage's eyes were wide as well.
Hiruzen ground his teeth, "Susanoo! You only have one Sharingan — how can you activate Susanoo?"
Mizuki just smiled, "Stabbing Susanoo with a kunai… Third, you and Danzō really are good brothers!"
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T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
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Take a look at the new books I'm translating on my profile, Cyberpunk 2077: A God-Level Skill Every Day and Infinite Worlds: Building the Strongest Harem! They are also on my website for $5 and $1.5, respectively!
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)