269 Chapter 269

He despised Uchiha Madara, and now that someone so similar to Uchiha Madara has appeared, he equally loathes Uchiha Kaito.

However, he didn't believe that Uchiha Kaito could reach Uchiha Madara's level, at least not now!

"Hmm?"

Just then, while flying in the sky, Ōnoki suddenly felt the presence of a chakra that made one's soul tremble.

This chakra was so cold and unsettling.

This chakra instantly reminded him of that arrogant and untamed man from the past, the one who condemned him to an eternal night!

"Uchiha Madara. No, it's Susanoo!"

Ōnoki almost immediately realized something, thinking deeply with gritted teeth.

The very thing he least wanted to confront seemed to be re-emerging, the power that was both fresh in his memory and utterly terrifying was knocking on the door of his heart.

Yet, Ōnoki forced himself to remain calm; after all, he was the Third Tsuchikage!

However, as he drew nearer to the plains ahead, his inner unrest became increasingly evident.

Especially since he could already smell a strong scent of blood mixed with a burnt stench, indicating just how fierce the battle had been.

"Boom!"

Huge booming sounds echoed across the plains, and from a distance, Ōnoki vaguely saw a gigantic humanoid rampaging amidst the crowd.

On the ground, countless bodies lay, each scene stabbing at Ōnoki's senses.

What's worse, without exception, these bodies were all ninjas from their Rock Village!

"How is this possible, how is this possible?"

Ōnoki murmured to himself, but the next moment, another massive boom resonated from the earth.

The colossal chakra-infused giant swung its four ninja blades, with the blades glowing in blue chakra aimed directly at the crowd.

In an instant, countless ninjas fell to the ground, never to rise again.

"Bastard. Bastard!"

Ōnoki roared in anger, rapidly descending from his height. However, at that moment, his gaze focused on a particular area.

There, he saw members of the Akatsuki organization silently watching, seemingly observing the situation as if watching a play, yet also as if they were waiting for time to pass.

This sight intensified Ōnoki's fury. Were these damned war mercenaries merely spectating?

Nevertheless, he forced himself to maintain composure, especially after witnessing the power Uchiha Kaito displayed, which surpassed human comprehension.

Had Ōnoki not seen it with his own eyes, he would've never believed that a single individual could stand against an entire army of ninjas!

In his memory, only Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara were capable of such feats. Even the Third Raikage, A, couldn't do so.

"Has this damned kid really reached that level?"

Ōnoki couldn't help but ponder, though he was acutely aware that he couldn't afford to be lost in thought.

Even if Kaito had reached that level, Ōnoki knew he had to intervene. After all, Uchiha Kaito was slaughtering the ninjas of their Rock Village. This guy was his enemy!

As he continued his descent, hovering over the Rock ninja forces, his eyes suddenly located Bungo.

At that moment, Bungo's body was already split in half, and one of his arms was missing.

Moreover, beside Bungo lay many more mutilated bodies of Rock ninjas.

Blood stained the earth, further fueling Ōnoki's raging fury.

"Fine, very well!"

Ōnoki shouted in anger, bringing his hands together as his chakra peaked.

"I'll see for myself, this new Uchiha Madara!"

"Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Jutsu!"

As Bungo's voice rang out, all the Rock ninjas sprang into action.

Though the ninjas from the Rock Village were on the brink of collapse, they were still well-trained. Even in such dire circumstances, they promptly acted upon command.

Now, they clung to these commands as if they were life-saving straws. Facing this almost max-speed, high-damage asura, their confidence was genuinely shattered.

Kaito heard that voice too, but he remained composed.

The reaction of the Rock ninjas seemed overly intense. As they hastily retreated, many continually used the Earth Release: Underworld Swamp jutsu to block the path.

Such tactics transformed the ground into a marsh. Although Kaito wasn't concerned about such techniques, he wasn't in the mood to chase either.

Moreover, he now intended to change his strategy.

He had grasped his current speed, strength, and even physical combat prowess and had adapted to his eternal eyes.

It can be said that his improvement compared to before was significant.

So significant that testing his abilities on the current opponents yielded minimal results in terms of skill enhancement.

Thus, he didn't feel like continuing this way. Using physical combat to inflict damage on them was somewhat limited. Even if Kaito was swift, there was a disparity in scale and efficiency.

Now that Kaito had shattered their spirit, he planned to physically break their beliefs next!

"It's a bit of a pity, it seems Ōnoki isn't here. But it doesn't matter."

Watching the fleeing Rock ninjas, Kaito mumbled to himself.

"Let's end this battle quickly and fully grasp the capabilities of my Susanoo."

Seeing the Rock ninjas encircling him, a faint smile appeared on Kaito's face.

It seemed he didn't care about his current situation, or perhaps he had immense confidence in his eyes.

"Uchiha Kaito, I admit you're powerful!"

At that moment, a deep, yet notably hoarse and weak voice echoed.

Kaito slightly turned his head, finding out that it was Bungo.

Bungo, with a somewhat pale face, stepped forward, his eyes filled with rage as he shouted at Kaito.

"No matter how strong you are, you can't withstand the united forces of the Rock Village. No matter how powerful you are, you're no match for an entire village!"

"You initiated the war by killing Lord Kitsuchi and have killed so many Rock ninjas. You truly deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

"Are you done with your nonsense?"

Kaito looked at Bungo, whose arm he had severed, and responded with a firm tone, though he felt a bit puzzled inside.

He suddenly realized he seemed to quite enjoy severing people's arms.

First, Tanzo, whose hand he chopped off.

Then there were Senju Tobirama, Senju Hashirama, the Fourth Raikage, and now, Bungo in front of him.

Counting down the line, he had indeed severed many people's arms. Could he potentially earn the title "The Arm Severer"?

However, these fleeting thoughts just quickly passed through Kaito's mind. He indifferently glanced at Bungo before speaking.

"You claim I killed Kitsuchi. Where's the evidence?

Could it be based on rumors that someone possessing Susanoo killed many at the border, and you just pinned it on me?

If it were someone else, I might not bother to clarify, because they aren't qualified to speak to me.

In fact, you aren't qualified either. However, as the temporary commander of Rock Village in place of Ōnoki, you have earned the right.

I assume you've received the intelligence sent from your rear lines. You should know that I'm not the only one with a Susanoo.

Don't tell me you haven't received that information."

Kaito's words left Bungo speechless. Indeed, he had received those reports.

More than once, he doubted whether Kitsuchi was really killed by Kaito, as he couldn't figure out a reason for Kaito to do so.

"When your so-called Kitsuchi died, I was in Konoha, taking care of my own business."

Kaito looked at the speechless Bungo and spoke again with a smile.

"But you pinned the blame on me. You instigated the war for some unspeakable reasons.

It's you who sacrificed your own ninjas. It's you who deserve to die a thousand deaths!

We're in the midst of war right now, and it's a fight to the death between us. Only by your deaths can we achieve victory.

Always remember that the souls of those fallen ninjas will forever haunt you, not me."

"Nonsense!"

Bungo's face changed at this moment, and he immediately shouted.

"Don't listen to his absurdities. His crimes have been decreed by the Tsuchikage himself. Look at his actions now! For our fallen comrades, for the glory of our Rock Village..."

"You don't need to say more. Even if you didn't speak, I wouldn't let any of you leave."

Before Bungo could finish speaking, Kaito interrupted him again.

Bungo is still too young. He probably doesn't have much experience commanding large forces. Upon hearing Kaito's words, he lost his composure.

Although Kaito himself doesn't have experience leading large troops either, he wouldn't handle things the way Bungo is now.

Regardless of how the opponent handles it, these matters aren't of much concern to Kaito.

What he needs to do now is to deal with these guys and unleash his full power!

With the eruption of his chakra, blue chakra bones appear.

The Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan slowly rotates in Kaito's eyes. Under his control, his Susanoo expands instantly, transforming into a gigantic figure with two faces and four arms, towering tens of meters high!

This summoning of Susanoo was somewhat unexpected for Kaito because he found it to be the most effortless summoning in all the times he's used Susanoo.

In the past, even if he used Susanoo without much resistance, the consumption of chakra was significant.

But now, he found that the chakra consumption was even less, and the activation time for Susanoo had become faster.

Such changes pleased Kaito immensely. Although he didn't know the exact extent of its strength, he knew that if he went all out, he could instantly elevate his Susanoo to the fourth stage!

But there's no need for that now. Setting aside whether these guys in front of him even warranted such effort.

Those members of the Akatsuki lurking nearby alone require Kaito to be on guard.

"What... what is this?"

"Is this some kind of joke?"

"What kind of monster is this?"

Seeing the enormous chakra giant emerge, all the Rock ninja were somewhat puzzled at this moment.

They had never seen the Susanoo before, nor did they know the extent of its power.

However, just by seeing the massive, menacing monster before them, they knew they were probably in trouble.

Though they still gripped their weapons and stood their ground, a chilling dread settled in their hearts.

"Are you ready?"

Kaito's gaze once again rested on Bungo, and the Susanoo surrounding him let out a roar.

"I did say, it's a fight to the death. I have no intention of letting you go!"

As his words ended, a surge of chakra appeared on the arms of the Susanoo.

The next moment, four massive chakra blades appeared in its hands.

The cold and terrifying aura became even more oppressive, causing discomfort even for the ninjas in the rear Leaf Village formations.

That chakra giant was just too conspicuous; even if Kaito was surrounded by crowds, they could clearly see.

Their expressions were truly stunned; they had never imagined that a battle could take this turn.

Of course, they were deeply worried, especially after hearing Bungo's words. They had thought about rushing out to rescue their commander.

But since their leader didn't give the order, they could only wait in silence.

However, they now felt somewhat reassured. With such a giant on their side, things should be alright, shouldn't they?

"Boom!"

However, they soon realized that they might have been too naive.

With the explosive roar, the earth couldn't help but tremble at that moment! The towering blue chakra giant, standing tens of meters high, was brandishing its ninja blades amidst the Rock ninja army.

In this instant, the overwhelming flow of despair-inducing chakra poured out wildly.

With just a light horizontal sweep, countless Rock ninjas were cut in half at the waist! 

Then came his second swing, and a terrifying crack began to form on the ground.

Subsequently, the third and fourth swings followed suit, and an aura of death quickly enveloped the entire plain.

The bulk of the Rock ninja forces were being depleted at an alarming rate. Every time Kaito struck, he would stir up massive clouds of dust, with countless ninjas taken with them.

"Don't cluster together! Use ninjutsu to attack!"

Bungo continued to command with all his might, but his complexion grew paler by the moment.

Under his leadership, the Rock ninjas tried to counter-attack.

However, whether it was ninjutsu or taijutsu, none of them had any substantial effect on Kaito. The ninjutsu that hit Susanoo didn't even create a ripple, while taijutsu was essentially a suicidal choice.

Many Rock ninjas were torn apart by the blade before they could even approach Kaito. Apart from leaving behind grisly remains and blood that chilled their comrades to the bone, they brought no trouble to Kaito.

The battle continued, but the morale of the Rock ninja army plummeted.

Finally, one of the Rock ninjas couldn't bear it any longer!

He knelt on the ground. In front of him, his comrades fell one by one, and he felt powerless, with fear spreading from the depths of his heart.

"The gap is too big... too vast. Against such a monster, can we really win?"

Everyone has a breaking point, and even ninjas, who generally possess far more mental fortitude than ordinary people, are no exception.

When comrades beside them fell one by one, when they knew they were like moths to a flame but still had to charge forward.

There would surely be the first ninja to flee, and by that time, the entire Rock ninja army would instantly crumble!

Moreover, emotions are contagious, especially under such extreme fear. This feeling of despair would be amplified and spread rapidly.

More and more Rock ninjas started to become dazed, becoming numb.

They watched with their own eyes as Kaito controlled Susanoo, sweeping everything in his path, and saw their teammates torn to shreds.

At this moment, they truly felt numb.

"We can't continue like this!"

Bungo thought almost gritting his teeth. He had tried to command his troops to create swamps beneath Kaito's feet.

However, this guy seemed not to fear such techniques. Even if it was a swamp, he could still stand upon it.

Such terrifying power, such formidable combat capabilities, were causing their confidence to wane rapidly!

Bungo clenched his teeth, and then he began to gather his own chakra.

"Lord Bungo!"

A medical ninja beside Bungo saw his actions and immediately called out.

"It's okay; don't worry about me."

Bungo gritted his teeth and replied. The chakra within him became more and more intense, as if trying to break his own limits.

Moreover, as his chakra surged, the wound that had just been bandaged broke open again, and blood flowed from his severed arm.

However, he paid no attention to these things. His gaze remained fixed on the blue giant not far away.

"The command from here on is handed over to the other elite ninjas present. I must do what I need to do."

"Lord Bungo."

The medical ninja wanted to stop him, but Bungo had already dashed forward.

His speed was fast, his chakra constantly boiling, and he had only one target in mind, and that was Kaito's Susanoo!

He couldn't stand staying behind like a useless person, nor could he bear to watch his subordinates march to their deaths one by one.

He didn't know whether this war was right or wrong, and he didn't know if he could come back alive this time.

All he knew was that he was a member of the Hidden Rock Village, and he had to fight for its honor!

Powerful chakra boiled within him as he leaped up fiercely!

"Ah!"

He let out a roar, veins bulging on his remaining arm, gathering all his strength into it.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist!"

At this moment, his arm transformed into a solid rock fist. His power greatly amplified, ready to deliver a mighty blow!

"Hmm?"

However, Kaito just slightly tilted his head, and then Susanoo's ninja blade slashed fiercely.

The azure blade swung with the ninja sword, quickly heading in Bungo's direction.

But Bungo, undeterred, had his body covered with a chakra layer resembling rock and continued to charge towards Kaito.

Yet, his attack was like a moth to a flame. The azure blade didn't pause and went straight through him.

Kaito didn't even spare him a glance, then turned his attention back to the other Rock ninjas.

Half of Bungo's body lay on the ground. His breathing became fainter, and there was no light in his eyes.

He knew that the gap between him and this Uchiha Kaito was too vast, so much so that Kaito didn't even bother to give him an extra glance.

But deep down, he was filled with resentment, still concerned about the entire Rock ninja force.

However, at that moment, his expression froze, and soon a smile appeared on his face.

His breathing had ceased. His death was gruesome, but his expression was peaceful.

Because just before his death, he saw a beam of light descend.

Because he knew it was "Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World".

//

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