"Earth Release: Exploding Earth Flow!"
"Earth Release: Rising Hill!"
Relying on the massive chakra reserves characteristic of the Senju—rivaling even the Uzumaki clan—Unkan launched a relentless barrage of Earth Release jutsu at Shin.
"Hmph! Earth Release? I really picked a good opponent!"
Facing the overwhelming landslide of earth attacks, Shin merely smiled contemptuously, causing Unkan to pause.
Zzt! Zzt!
The next second, silver-white lightning began to crackle and rise from Shin's katana.
Chidori Katana!
This was the technique Izuna had redeemed from the System. He taught the original Chidori to all lightning-attribute clan members. Madara had then innovated upon it, teaching the variation to those skilled in Lightning Release.
It was identical to what Uchiha Sasuke would use in the future. Ironically, Izuna, the one who introduced it, couldn't use this specific move; he was more skilled in Wind Release than Lightning Release.
Izuna stood atop the second Rashomon gate. His target was naturally Senju Yuma, the Clan Head who really ought to retire.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"
The moment Yuma completed his seals, the ground rumbled violently. The stone terrain turned into a sticky swamp, and the Rashomon gates vanished, causing Izuna to plummet.
Falling through the air, Izuna crossed his index and middle fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
He created only one clone, but that was enough. The clone grabbed the real Izuna's right hand in mid-air and flung him toward Yuma. A Rasengan had already formed in Izuna's palm.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Yuma slammed his hands onto the ground, raising a three-meter stone wall. The Rasengan pulverized the wall, but the obstruction bought Yuma time to dodge.
Pulling a kunai from behind his back, Yuma stabbed backward, aiming straight for Izuna's neck.
Pu!
A direct hit!
However, the "Izuna" struck by the kunai dissolved into bolts of electricity that traveled up Yuma's arm, numbing it instantly. The kunai dropped from his grasp.
Yuma immediately drew another kunai and sliced his own palm to dispel the paralysis with pain. He glanced toward the mud swamp. The figure he had assumed was a clone was about to fall into the mud when silver ribs suddenly erupted around it. A skeletal arm shot out, bracing against the surface of the swamp.
Izuna vaulted lightly off the skeletal arm, landing effortlessly back on solid ground.
"I've heard the Uchiha Vice-Clan Head is a master strategist. I didn't expect that to extend to combat tactics as well," Yuma said, his tone hovering between praise and mockery.
"And I say old men who can't keep up with the times should hurry up and retire," Izuna retorted sharply.
Veins bulged on Yuma's forehead. He was only in his early forties; being called an "old man" was annoying, but manageable. The real issue was Izuna's repeated harping on "retiring," which was pushing his patience to the limit.
"Water Release: Sky Canopy Water Rain!"
He formed a seal distinct from standard Water Release techniques. Water spat from his mouth formed into tiny, nearly invisible water needles in the air, raining down explosively!
"Heh."
Silver chakra ignited like flames around Izuna's body. The skeletal Susanoo manifested, blocking every single water needle raining from above.
"Sage Art... truly excellent stuff." Izuna touched his Mangekyo Sharingan and the sage markings at the corners of his eyes. Even while maintaining Susanoo, he felt almost no pain.
He finally understood why Obito in the future could spam Kamui to show off without suffering side effects.
"I've seen that move plenty of times. Did you think I wouldn't find a way to counter it?" Yuma shouted, slapping the ground. "Earth Release: Fissure!"
The ground beneath Izuna split into a bottomless chasm. Before he could move, the divided earth flipped a hundred and eighty degrees, forcing him to jump into the air to dodge.
At that moment, Susanoo's legs formed rapidly, fueled by Izuna's chakra.
"Seize the chance! Attack!" Yuma roared the command.
The Senju outnumbered the Uchiha significantly. Following the order, numerous Senju ninja immediately disengaged from their fights, formed seals, and targeted the airborne Izuna.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
"Earth Release: Rock Rise!"
Uchiha Akichi shouted anxiously, "Vice-Clan Head, look out!"
Izuna narrowed his eyes, his Mangekyo flashing with a ghostly light. "My strength doesn't rely solely on the Mangekyo. Do you take me for a fool like that idiot Sasuke?"
"Sage Art: Blaze Release: Imperial Flame of Heaven's Mandate!"
Unlike standard Fire Release, a close look revealed that the flames of this new technique contained razor-sharp, suffocating spikes. Like an alien beast, it rushed toward Senju Yuma with blinding speed.
Blaze Release—a combination of Fire and Lightning attributes.
To the naked eye, it looked like Fire Release, but it combined the destructive area of fire with the high-speed impact of lightning.
"Water Release: Clear Water Wave!"
As the Sage Art: Blaze Release approached, Yuma raised his right thumb and pressed it against his left palm—another unseen hand seal.
A spinning wall of water formed a massive hydro-tornado, rising around Yuma to intercept the blaze. It was like two giant beasts of opposing elements tearing at each other.
Nearby ninja, even Jonin, retreated to avoid being swept up in the collision.
Terrifying. Is this a battle between Clan Head-level shinobi?
Previously, Izuna had equated "Kage-level" with "Clan Head-level." That wasn't wrong, but there were variances. For instance, Gaara's father, Rasa, was at the lowest end of Kage-level. Meanwhile, the heads of vassal clans like the Onikawa or Watanabe were only Quasi-Kage or peak Jonin.
However, the heads of powerful clans like the Uchiha, Senju, Hyuga, and Sarutobi possessed top-tier Kage-level power—comparable to the Third Raikage or Jiraiya.
Senju Yuma belonged to this tier.
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