Chapter 103: The Decisive Clash
Witnessing Akatsurugi's colossal Blaze God Mode, Dodai was filled with an indescribable shock. Even having seen it before, the sight was no less staggering the second time. Is this truly power a human can possess? Regardless, the battle had to continue.
The combined ninja of Iwa and Kumo were equally awestruck and terrified. This was the Blaze God, the living calamity they were tasked with defeating. With casual sweeps of its arms, the flaming giant sent waves of fire raining down, instantly setting the surroundings ablaze. Forming hand signs with its massive, fiery hands, it then unleashed a torrent of flame from its maw, a raging inferno that swept toward the advancing enemy ranks.
The air itself burned, forming a sea of fire that engulfed the entire battlefield. The allied ninja fought back with their own ninjutsu, but the flames' extreme heat and destructive power overwhelmed their defenses. Weaker shinobi were vaporized instantly, while others could only desperately retreat, seeking any scrap of cover.
Dodai's expression was grave. He knew the difficulty of this fight, but as a seasoned Kage, he would not yield easily. He quickly organized counter-attack squads, directing a barrage of Earth and Water Release techniques against the fiery titan.
Yet, Akatsurugi's Blaze God Mode seemed to possess boundless energy, relentlessly bombarding them. The Iwa and Kumo forces were gradually pushed into a defensive stance, their casualties mounting with every passing second.
Knowing the likely cost, Dodai gave the order without flinching, sending wave after wave of his shinobi into the fray.
"Earth Release: Added-Weight Rock Technique!"
High above, Ōnoki focused his chakra, massively increasing the gravity around Akatsurugi's giant form, trying to pin him down and restrict his movements. Seizing the opportunity, Dodai signaled the rear. Nearly a thousand Water Release users, who had been gathering chakra, unleashed their combined might.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A colossal tidal wave, the product of a thousand synchronized jutsu, materialized and crashed towards the flaming giant. Vast quantities of steam exploded into the sky as the water met the fire, momentarily suppressing the flames. Akatsurugi, however, seemed unconcerned.
BOOM!
A massive impact shook the Lava Release barrier sealing the battlefield. Dodai spun around to see Konoha shinobi, led by Sarutobi Hiruzen himself, hammering against the dome from the outside.
Seeing the Third Hokage's return, a faint smile touched Akatsurugi's lips. It seemed Hiruzen had not played him false. A deliberate delay would have been troublesome, but this had been Akatsurugi's final test of the Third's integrity. It appeared Sarutobi Hiruzen still had his limits.
"Break it!" Hiruzen roared, the Adamantine Nyoi in his hands elongating into a massive pole that slammed into the barrier. Cracks spiderwebbed across the dome, and under the concentrated assault of Konoha's ninja, it finally shattered. The Third Hokage led his forces charging into the fray.
"Sarutobi Hiruzen!" Ōnoki sneered, but he knew in his heart their plan had likely failed.
Akatsurugi dismissed the Blaze God Mode, soaring into the sky under his own power. "Ōnoki," he stated, his voice calm but carrying across the battlefield. "I let you escape the last few times. This time, you stay."
Ōnoki's eyes were solemn, but he showed no panic. Instead, a fierce fighting spirit erupted from him. "Then come!"
His fist, now sheathed in rock, swung towards Akatsurugi. Below, Dodai formed hand signs, a pillar of earth rising to carry him skyward. He spat a stream of yellowish Lava Release, aiming to engulf Akatsurugi.
"All things of this world, turn to ashes," Akatsurugi murmured. "Ryūjin Jakka."
The charred blade ignited, wreathed in apocalyptic fire.
"Cut." He swung the zanpakutō, a crescent of flame severing the incoming lava stream. The molten rock splashed harmlessly away.
Ōnoki's rock-hard fist met Akatsurugi's own, which had now ignited into a fist of pure flame. The collision sent sparks flying like miniature suns, and the force of the blow sent Ōnoki reeling backward.
The Tsuchikage flew back to Dodai's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique!"
Dodai's body flickered, runes and blue lightning dancing across his skin. He vanished, reappearing beside Akatsurugi in an instant. A whip of crackling blue lightning shot from his hand, wrapping around the Blaze God.
"A sealing technique?" Akatsurugi glanced at the binding whip, his Sharingan already spinning. Dodai suddenly stiffened, caught in a genjutsu, but broke free just as quickly. By then, Akatsurugi had already shattered the lightning bonds. "Interesting. But not enough."
"Tsuchikage! Sealing techniques are our only hope! And don't look into his eyes!" Dodai yelled.
Ōnoki nodded, a small cube forming between his palms. It expanded rapidly, threatening to encase Akatsurugi within its field of annihilation. Akatsurugi swung Ryūjin Jakka, a wave of fire meeting the cube. The flames were erased upon contact.
Akatsurugi frowned. The Particle Style was indeed troublesome. But he was far from out of tricks. Elongated, orange pigmentation spread around his eyes, and a black circle manifested on his forehead.
Sage Mode.
"Sage Art: Flame Slash!"
Infused with natural energy, the fire on Ryūjin Jakka shifted from orange to a searing, pale blue. He swung again. This time, the blade of blue fire sliced straight through Ōnoki's Dust Release cube, shearing it in two. Ōnoki barely dodged, the heat of the passing flame scorching his robes.
"Sage Arts! Is there no end to your power?!" Ōnoki spat, a thread of jealousy in his voice. He knew of Sage Transformation, but it was a power few could ever hope to master.
"Lava Release: Great Congealing Lava!"
Dodai, having completed his preparations, unleashed his ultimate sealing jutsu. A massive sphere of hardening lava shot forth, designed to encase and immobilize Akatsurugi permanently.
Akatsurugi had been waiting for this. His eyes shifted, the tomoe in his Sharingan twisting into a new, unique pattern—his Mangekyō.
"Transposition."
In the blink of an eye, he forcibly swapped positions with his target.
One moment, Ōnoki was hovering in the air, watching his trap close. The next, he was inside it, staring out through the rapidly solidifying rock as Dodai's horrified face stared back. The sphere sealed shut with a final, deafening thud, plummeting toward the ground.
Akatsurugi now floated where Ōnoki had been, looking down at the sealed Tsuchikage and the stunned Raikage.
Of course, Akatsurugi also shot a sidelong glance at Sarutobi Hiruzen. Was the old man not tempted? If they followed Ōnoki's plan, Hiruzen could simply issue orders claiming enemy forces were infiltrating other fronts—orders Ōnoki would fully cooperate with. In doing so, Hiruzen would not only be blameless but could even claim credit for defending Konoha's borders. Meanwhile, Akatsurugi would be left to face twenty thousand enemies alone. No matter who perished, no one could lay the blame at Hiruzen's feet.
Yet, Hiruzen had shown him the scroll directly. It was clear the Third Hokage still possessed a bottom line, not yet having sunk to the depths of political corruption he would in his later years.
However, Akatsurugi would not abandon his pursuit of the Hokage's seat out of gratitude. Only by becoming Hokage could he securely hold power and shield himself from the schemes of others. A shinobi of his power, if not the Hokage, would inevitably be seen as a threat and a loose end by people like Danzō, inviting endless trouble. To avoid that future, he must seize control.
"Hokage-sama," Akatsurugi said after a moment's consideration. "Since this is their plan, you should agree to it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen was taken aback for a second, then let out a short laugh. "You plan to turn their own trap against them."
Akatsurugi smiled and nodded. "Exactly. We'll use their strategy as our own."
Hiruzen pondered for a long moment, a note of genuine concern in his voice. "But... are you sure you'll be alright? I don't want to see you broken by this."
At that moment, Akatsurugi radiated an aura of absolute self-assurance. As long as he did not wish to die, there was no one in the current shinobi world capable of killing him. The only possible exception would be if Kaguya Ōtsutsuki herself descended. And even then, he was confident he could put up a formidable fight.
Seeing Akatsurugi's unwavering confidence, a strange sense of wistfulness passed over Hiruzen. Maybe I am truly getting old, he thought, despite being in his prime. Why else would such thoughts plague him?
Shaking his head to clear it, Hiruzen said, "Since you've decided, I will make the arrangements."
As time passed, the sun began to set, painting the sky in a gorgeous tapestry of orange and purple. In accordance with Sarutobi Hiruzen's deployment, the nearly twenty thousand Konoha shinobi began to move. They organized into smaller units and marched out of the camp in an orderly, pre-planned exodus.
The ninja moved with purpose, their expressions serious and focused. They checked their gear, gripped their weapons, and moved under the direction of experienced team captains. The camp buzzed with tense activity, every shinobi aware that this operation was critical not just for their own survival, but for the future of Konoha itself.
As the last unit departed, the camp grew quiet, leaving behind only a skeleton crew to maintain the perimeter.
Naturally, this mass movement did not escape the notice of Iwagakure's sensory units. The intelligence was rushed to the Tsuchikage.
Ōnoki and Dodai had been waiting anxiously, uncertain if Hiruzen would take the bait. In their view, Akatsurugi was already a singular figure in Konoha; surely Hiruzen wouldn't willingly hand him the hat.
The tension in the command tent was palpable. Suddenly, a ninja burst in. "Lord Tsuchikage! Movement in the Konoha camp! A large number of their forces are leaving in batches!"
Ōnoki shot to his feet. "Details!"
The ninja quickly relayed everything the sensory team had observed.
A brilliant light of triumph ignited in Ōnoki's and Dodai's eyes. Sarutobi Hiruzen was that short-sighted! He had actually abandoned Akatsurugi! Ōnoki nearly laughed aloud.
"Now! Execute the plan!" Ōnoki barked, his voice cracking with anticipation.
The combined armies of Iwa and Kumo began their final, deadly advance.
Akatsurugi simply waited in his tent. He knew they were coming.
He could sense them, not with chakra, but with something more fundamental. Every soul was unique, and he could feel a vast tide of them now converging on his location.
"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"
From high in the sky, Ōnoki unleashed his ultimate technique, a glowing cube of light aimed directly at Akatsurugi's tent.
Just before the Dust Release could atomize the structure, Akatsurugi shot out of it. The tent behind him vanished into nothingness. He looked up at Ōnoki. "I've been waiting for you."
"Akatsurugi! You knew we were coming? And you stayed?" Ōnoki was shocked, a cold dread seeping into his heart. Could it be that even with this combined army, they still couldn't kill this man?
"Heh." Akatsurugi offered no explanation. His gaze shifted to where the Fourth Raikage, Dodai, was stepping out from the tree line.
Then, thousands of meters away, curtains of shimmering light rose into the sky. A yellowish-brown liquid, Dodai's Lava Release, flowed over the top of these barriers, sealing the area in a colossal, fiery dome.
"Is this your trump card?" Akatsurugi's voice was flat, devoid of fear. "The lives of twenty thousand shinobi? It's not enough."
"Akatsurugi, anyone can boast! But today, you die here!" Ōnoki snarled, another Dust Release cube forming between his hands.
"Haha!" Akatsurugi's sneer echoed across the enclosed space, a sound of pure contempt. Simultaneously, an overwhelming power erupted from his body, instantly igniting the air around him into a maelstrom of fire. The flames coalesced and expanded, completely enveloping him until a giant of pure flame, dozens of meters tall, stood where he had been.
The Blaze God Mode was awe-inspiring. Its body glowed with incandescent light and radiated blistering heat. Every slight movement made the flames dance and swirl, speaking to the immense power contained within. Its head shone with a golden corona, and its eyes blazed with majestic authority. In its hands, it held a colossal sword of concentrated flame, the tip of which gleamed with a sharpness that seemed capable of shearing through any obstacle.
"Blaze God Mode," Akatsurugi stated calmly. This was a technique he had developed based on the principles of the Susano'o. Dozens of meters was not his limit—he could surpass a hundred. But for now, for them, it was more than enough.
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