Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou [175]

The sudden change on the battlefield threw both sides into an immediate state of slaughter, escalating the entire border into a full-blown war zone.

Under the barrier of the Four Purple Flame Formation, the Kumo ninja on the battlefield were shocked and furious.

The most critical and difficult part of the Kumogakure Collapse Plan was trapping the Third Raikage, but unexpectedly, the plan had gone so smoothly.

Even Koharu Utatane, rarely seen smiling, showed a grin and shouted:

"Hold off the Kumo ninja and buy Hiruzen time to kill the Raikage!"

The response came in the form of Konoha's ninjas roaring with fighting spirit.

As for whether their Third Hokage could not defeat the Raikage? That thought never even crossed their minds.

Within the Four Purple Flame Formation, the Third Raikage, cautious and guarded, dared not launch a reckless attack but instead opted for a hit-and-run strategy.

After all, since the Hokage of Konoha dared to trap him like this, it meant they were confident. This forced him to raise his guard to the highest level.

Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone

As a massive shuriken was flung from his back, Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted and instantly unleashed one of his most proficient jutsu.

In an instant, the barrier was flooded with countless, densely packed giant shuriken. Each spinning projectile emitted a deafening roar that tore through the air.

This single move alone would force ordinary ninjas to either defend or dodge—few could withstand it head-on.

"Third Hokage, we Kumo Ninja will show you our strength!"

Trapped inside the barrier and having fallen into their trap, the Third Raikage roared in fury. His Lightning Release Chakra Mode surged to its strongest state.

He dared not show the slightest carelessness. Facing the overwhelming barrage of shuriken, lightning flashed, and in an instant, the shuriken shattered all around him.

Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet

Combination Jutsu: Earth Dragon Flame Flow

The battlefield was instantly illuminated by the flames of the Four Purple Flame Formation. The overwhelming, terrifying ninjutsu assaults pushed forward, causing countless Konoha ninjas to cheer in excitement.

"So this is the power of the Third Hokage!"

"Third Raikage-sama!"

Outside the barrier, as the two sides slaughtered each other, the Konoha ninjas were bolstered by the display of immense ninjutsu within the barrier, while the Kumo ninjas were filled with anger and worry.

A man's reputation precedes him, and the fame of Konoha's Third Hokage far eclipsed that of their Raikage.

"Hokage!"

With a furious roar, the Third Raikage's berserk figure emerged from the sea of flames. After a brief exchange, his shock and anger only grew.

This Hokage's ninjutsu didn't seem as powerful as expected! His Lightning Armor didn't show a single sign of damage. Yet the less damage he sustained, the more nervous he felt, suspecting his opponent was hiding a trump card.

At the same time, the situation was turning against him!

"Damn it! Whatever tricks he has, I'll kill my way out first!"

Seeing the Kumo ninja outside falling into a disadvantage, the Third Raikage roared furiously.

"Konoha's Hokage, don't underestimate me! I am the Third Raikage, a Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages!"

With a thunderous roar, the Third Raikage instantly activated his strongest state. Extending one finger, he faced the so-called strongest Hokage with his full power from the start.

Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite

"Enma!"

With a loud shout, Sarutobi Hiruzen in peak form swung the massive Adamantine Staff wielded by the summoned Monkey King Enma, charging directly toward the Third Raikage.

In an instant, lightning flashed, and a deafening boom echoed. The ANBU maintaining the barrier were stunned by the sheer intensity of the fight.

"So this is a battle between Kage-level shinobi? The destructive power of every jutsu is terrifying!"

Even Minato Namikaze shouted excitedly, "It's here! This is the legendary strongest summon, Enma, with a body of adamantine…"

But before he could finish, Minato and the surrounding ANBU froze mid-sentence, their words of admiration seemingly stuck in their throats. They stared wide-eyed in shock at the scene before them.

Inside the barrier, after the deafening clash, the enormous Adamantine Staff was instantly sent flying by lightning. Sarutobi Hiruzen himself was struck by the sudden force and flung backward.

"Impossible!"

Getting up from the rubble in a disheveled state, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared wide-eyed at his hands, which were now bloodied and mangled.

"My strongest Adamantine Staff… was sent flying!"

If not for his quick reaction, letting go of the staff in time, it wouldn't just have been his hands losing a layer of skin.

"Third Hokage, show me your ultimate move! Stop testing me!"

The now-berserk Third Raikage roared, equally filled with shock. As expected of the strongest Hokage—just a single staff had managed to block his most powerful One-Finger Nukite.

But the Raikage still believed the Third Hokage was merely testing him and hadn't yet revealed his trump card.

However, Sarutobi Hiruzen knew his limits. From being fully confident at first, a hint of panic now crept into his heart.

Enma's Adamantine Staff… with the force of that attack just now, he was confident it could even send the Nine-Tails flying. And yet, it had been overpowered in a direct clash!

Something wasn't right! The intelligence didn't describe the Third Raikage as being this strong!

"Hokage-sama!"

The atmosphere inside the barrier shifted dramatically, leaving both the Kumo and Konoha forces on the battlefield stunned and shaken.

Inside the barrier, at the start, Konoha's Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, had overwhelmed the Raikage with a barrage of ninjutsu, giving both sides the impression that he was suppressing the Raikage.

But suddenly, despite his continued relentless ninjutsu onslaught, the Third Hokage's movements became increasingly desperate.

The terrifying barrage of attacks failed to leave even a scratch on the Third Raikage. Even wielding the so-called strongest summon, the Adamantine Staff, Hiruzen found himself being relentlessly beaten down by the Raikage.

Humiliated in front of so many Konoha ninjas, Hiruzen roared in frustration. Calming his analytical mind, he began to counterattack with Wind Release ninjutsu to exploit the elemental weakness of Lightning Release.

"Konoha's Hokage, is this your Kumogakure Collapse Plan? Is this the so-called strongest Hokage? Damn it! You deceived me!"

After a prolonged exchange, the Third Raikage was furious, feeling as though he had been tricked. The Hokage he had been so cautious of earlier now seemed far less threatening, making him feel foolish for his earlier restraint.

It was as if he had suddenly awakened from a dream—realizing that he might be the strongest.

"Third Hokage, I'm going to twist your head off!"

Within the barrier, Sarutobi Hiruzen roared furiously. Using the Adamantine Staff to seize the perfect moment, he sent the Third Raikage flying. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes.

Wind Release: Vacuum Consecutive Waves

Wind Release: Vacuum Consecutive Waves

The terrifying Wind Release technique appeared, filling the Third Raikage with shock and anger, especially as there was more to this jutsu than met the eye!

Suddenly, a bandaged figure appeared behind the Third Raikage, unnoticed until now. This figure also unleashed a Wind Release technique, one that was even stronger than Sarutobi's by 30%.

"Hiruzen!"

 "Danzo!"

Upon seeing the figure, Sarutobi Hiruzen's face lit up with excitement. After all these years, the feeling of fighting in perfect coordination returned to him.

With the sudden appearance of Shimura Danzo, Hiruzen's confidence surged.

The Wind Release pincer attack left the Third Raikage with no room to evade. This technique, in the original story, allowed Danzo to tear apart Sasuke's Susanoo, exposing the bones inside with the help of his summoning beast.

Although there was no summoning beast this time, the pincer attack from both Shimura Danzo and Sarutobi Hiruzen was no less powerful than the original attack on Susanoo.

"Raikage, this is the depth of Konoha's power!"

Shimura Danzo sneered ferociously. Trapped between the two Wind Release techniques, the Third Raikage—for the first time—faced Wind Release users so strongly that he felt threatened with death.

"Don't underestimate me!"

The Anbu members outside the barrier were astonished. Sarutobi Shinnosuke, standing by Namikaze Minato, even showed a trace of pride.

"Minato, this is my father's ultimate move. In a deadlock, Danzo becomes the ace. You should know that Elder Shimura's Wind Release is the strongest in Konoha."

Hearing this, Namikaze Minato was filled with awe. The strongest Hokage, combined with the strongest Wind Release user, formed a duo of Kage-level power—failure seemed impossible!

"Wind Release counters Lightning Release. From the beginning, the Third Hokage had already prepared for the worst-case scenario. Though it's two against one, this is how ninjas fight."

Namikaze Minato nodded in admiration, marveling at how thoroughly the Third Hokage had thought things through.

From the outset, Mitokado Homura and Koharu Utatane's diplomatic visit was merely a cover. Everyone knew that war was inevitable. Sarutobi Hiruzen disguised himself as Koharu to initiate talks, while Shimura Danzo hid in the shadows. When the battle began within the barrier, Danzo pretended to die under the overwhelming assault of jutsu.

Finally, the perfect opportunity arose, and the two executed a flawlessly coordinated attack, simultaneously unleashing Wind Release jutsu for a perfect pincer strike.

This strategy left the Anbu and Namikaze Minato deeply impressed.

"Wind Release counters Lightning Release! But only when the power levels are equal can it truly counter!"

Amidst the deafening roar of the devastating Wind Release, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo initially wore confident smiles. However, from the center of the jutsu, a violent thunderclap suddenly erupted, accompanied by the roar of the Third Raikage.

After a massive explosion, lightning crackled and surged within the barrier. The Third Raikage, now furious, stood with an aura of unrestrained rage, surrounded by dazzling lightning.

"So, this is Konoha's strongest Hokage and Wind Release user?"

The Third Raikage roared angrily, venting his suppressed frustration. From his initial tension and worry, he now felt… disappointment.

Are you kidding me? He thought they were so strong, but this?

"Impossible!"

As the Third Raikage emerged from the Wind Release attack, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo were both stunned.

"How can the Lightning Armor withstand even this?!"

The two were shocked. Despite the elemental advantage, their attack had failed to penetrate the Lightning Armor. There was only one explanation—the quality of the opponent's Lightning Release far surpassed their Wind Release.

"Now it's my turn!"

Amidst the endless roar of thunder, the Third Raikage unleashed his fury, venting all the frustration he had suppressed earlier.

You call yourself the strongest Hokage? He had been so cautious, more cautious than when facing the Eight-Tails, and for what?

"Impossible! Even the Lightning Armor wasn't broken!"

Watching the fight unfold within the barrier, Sarutobi Shinnosuke exclaimed in disbelief. Even with his mask on, Namikaze Minato could see the shock in his eyes.

"No! Danzo-sama's Wind Release did break through the defense, but only barely!"

Namikaze Minato, observing, adopted a grave expression. Within the barrier, the Third Raikage's terrifying speed was nearly impossible to follow, but Minato's sharp eyes caught every detail.

The Wind Release had indeed caused injuries to the Third Raikage's back, but they were only superficial wounds.

"To take a single elemental release to such extremes… the result is this terrifying power!"

Not just Minato and Hiruzen, but the Third Raikage himself was teaching the ninja world an unforgettable lesson:

When a single ability is honed to its absolute peak, it becomes an unstoppable force.

Within the barrier, the Third Raikage rampaged like a berserk humanoid-tailed Beast. He faced all manner of jutsu head-on, smashing through them with sheer force. Even the strongest Earth Release defenses were shattered with a single punch.

As for Wind Release, which supposedly counters Lightning Release, it couldn't even break his Lightning Armor.

"Father!"

 "Third Raikage!"

On the battlefield, both Konoha and the Kumo Ninja felt as though they were on a rollercoaster of emotions.

The Kumo Ninja erupted into cheers of excitement. Their Third Raikage was so powerful that even Konoha's strongest Hokage couldn't defeat him!

"Haha! Konoha weaklings, is this your so-called strongest Hokage?"

The Fourth Raikage candidate, A, roared with excitement, leading the Kumo Ninja in a counterattack.

The stark contrast in fortunes caused the Kumo Ninja to vent their suppressed anger and frustration with unrestrained glee.

This battle shattered the oppressive weight of Konoha's status as the strongest ninja village. The so-called strongest Hokage was not invincible after all.

"Damn it! How is this possible?!"

"The Third Hokage is supposed to be the strongest!"

Konoha's morale plummeted. From their initial confidence and dominance, they now found themselves questioning everything. Chaos began to spread among them.

They had lived under the halo of being the strongest ninja village and having the strongest Hokage for so long that this battle shook them to their core. It shattered the illusions they had been clinging to.

Far away, Koharu Utatane, who had been overseeing the battlefield, was so shocked that her eyes nearly popped out of her head. What a joke! The entire Kumogakure Collapse plan had been flawlessly executed, only for the beheading strike to fail at the most critical moment.

 On a distant rock, a figure surrounded by lightning, Shirou scoffed.

"Flashy, but hollow. Too slow, far too slow. Your blade is too slow."

Facing a young boy wielding Seven Swords Style, Shirou, holding the Kusanagi Sword, suppressed him with absolute speed. The young Killer Bee was left feeling both frustrated and awed.

"Impossible!!"

This scene felt eerily familiar. In the original story, Sasuke had been beaten to the point of questioning his life when faced with such swordsmanship. But this time, the young Killer Bee encountered Shirou, and it was as if their roles had reversed.

Under the flashes of the lightning-fast Kusanagi sword, wounds continuously appeared on Killer Bee. If it weren't for his incredible strength and the terrifying resilience of a jinchūriki, he would have already been unable to hold on.

"Kono yarou! How do you know my sword techniques so well?!"

The young Killer Bee shouted in shock. His opponent's swordsmanship completely suppressed him. Saying it was because of the Sharingan's ability to see through movements didn't seem accurate—it felt more like pure, suffocating dominance.

At this moment, Shirou revealed a bloodthirsty smile.

"I remember back in the Land of Rain, there was some Kumo ninja whose chest was blown apart. That must have been one of yours, right?"

 "You! It was you who killed him!"

At this moment, Killer Bee, enraged, finally understood why this swordsmanship felt so familiar.

PS: Clown.