On a low hill to the right of the natural cavern, Riku started a livestream.
[Doujin Artist]: Holy shit.
Hollowfied shinobi are THAT strong?
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: ?
Eriri, weren’t you going to sleep?
[Doujin Artist]: None of your business!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: I’m worried about your health!
If you don’t go to bed early and wake up early, how are you supposed to grow taller and bigger?
[Doujin Artist]: GO AWAY, PERVERT!
[Merc with a Mouth]: Bigger?
Damn, guess Uncle Deadpool needs an early bedtime from now on!
[Deathwish Count]: ?
[Doujin Artist]: ?
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: You want to get bigger too?
[Merc with a Mouth]: Absolutely, boss!
Uncle Deadpool certainly doesn’t consider himself small, but what man wouldn’t want to be even bigger?
[Doujin Artist]: Heh.
Men who insist they aren’t small are usually very small.
[Merc with a Mouth]: Bullshit, boss lady!
You can insult anything about Uncle Deadpool, but you do NOT get to call me small!
Even the barmaids at Hunter’s Tavern praised me as a quick draw who could fire six shots in one second!
[Doujin Artist]: Pfft!
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Six shots in one second?
Yeah, that’s pretty fast.
[Merc with a Mouth]: Damn right!
Though I still don’t think I can compete with you in that department, boss!
[Doujin Artist]: Hahahahaha!
Riku’s face darkened, the corner of his mouth twitching.
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: No.
When it comes to being a quick shot, I willingly concede that you are the undisputed champion.
BOOM!
The moment he sent the message, an explosion erupted near the cavern below.
An orange-red fireball launched by an ANBU shinobi slammed directly into the fully Hollowfied Uesugi Kaito, sending flames roaring high into the air.
The attack did not end there.
Sarutobi Hiruzen rapidly formed a series of hand seals before slamming both palms against the ground.
“Earth Release: Earth-Rending Collapse!”
The ground trembled violently.
Two enormous walls of earth, each several meters tall, erupted from either side of the burning target and crashed together with tremendous force.
BOOM!
Dust and shattered stone burst into the air.
“Did that get him?”
A white-haired ANBU moved protectively in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen and pushed up the forehead protector covering his left eye.
Scarlet light gleamed beneath it.
Three tomoe slowly revolved around the pupil.
Suddenly, a thick tail tore through the cloud of dust and swept toward him.
‘Fast!’
Hatake Kakashi reacted immediately, drawing the short blade from his back and bringing it up to block.
Clang!
Sparks scattered from the collision.
The impact felt as though a massive hammer had slammed into both of Kakashi’s arms.
He was launched backward before he could stabilize himself.
“Kakashi!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen had no intention of watching one of his most capable subordinates die.
He swung the black staff in his hands toward the transformed shinobi.
The weapon was Enma, his summoning beast, transformed into the Adamantine Staff.
Its size could change at will, and by the time Hiruzen’s strike reached Kaito, the staff had already expanded to more than two meters in diameter.
THOOM!
Kaito wrapped one arm around the end of the enormous staff.
Even so, the force behind Hiruzen’s swing dragged him several meters sideways across the ground.
“Danzō, now!” Hiruzen shouted.
Shimura Danzō had already been waiting for the opening.
He appeared beside Kaito as several long white bandages shot outward and wrapped tightly around the transformed shinobi’s limbs and torso.
Within seconds, Kaito was bound like a mummy.
Danzō thrust his right palm against the wrapped body.
“Five Elements Seal!”
Five circular sealing marks appeared across the bandages.
[Doujin Artist]: Is it over?
Riku smiled.
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Not that easily.
The message had barely appeared when the sound of tearing cloth came from below.
Rip!
A pale arm burst through the bandages.
Its clawed hand seized Danzō’s right arm.
Then it pulled.
SPLASH!
Danzō’s entire arm was ripped from his shoulder, spraying blood through the air.
“Danzō!”
Hiruzen shouted in shock and anger when he saw his old friend injured.
Before Danzō could respond, Kaito tore completely free of his restraints.
His right hand flattened into a blade.
“Protect Lord Danzō!”
The Root shinobi instantly gathered in front of their leader, forming a human wall.
Kaito swung his arm.
Slash!
The hand blade traced a brutal arc through the air, blasting the Root operatives aside like bowling pins.
“Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!”
Sarutobi Hiruzen’s battle experience showed immediately.
The ground beneath Kaito softened without warning and transformed into a deep, clinging mire.
His movements slowed as his legs sank into it, and before he could tear himself free, several ANBU unleashed streams of lightning that lashed around his body like whips.
The lightning did little actual damage.
But for several crucial seconds, it locked his muscles in place.
Crackle!
Brilliant lightning exploded around Hatake Kakashi’s right hand.
He lunged forward and drove the Chidori straight into the Hollowfied shinobi’s chest.
“Move.”
Danzō’s cold voice came from behind him.
Kakashi immediately withdrew.
The arm that had been ripped off only moments earlier had already regenerated completely.
Danzō formed a hand seal, then swept his restored arm forward.
“Wind Release: Vacuum Slash!”
A razor-sharp blade of wind tore through the air and struck Kaito across the chest.
A horrific crescent-shaped wound opened across his torso, and bright red blood poured from it.
Thud.
The light faded from Kaito’s eyes.
His body collapsed to the ground and lay motionless.
Then his eyes moved toward Danzō’s restored arm.
“Danzō…
that arm?”
“This is the power of God’s Blood, Hiruzen!”
Danzō gave a proud snort.
“A mere severed arm is hardly worth mentioning!”
“Is that so?”
Hiruzen looked at him without expression.
“If Advisor Danzō has become so formidable, perhaps you can explain why you didn’t subdue that monster by yourself.”
“Hmph.
I merely—”
“Lord Third, move!”
Danzō never finished his sentence.
Hatake Kakashi grabbed Sarutobi Hiruzen around the torso and threw both of them sideways.
Hum—
A terrifying crimson beam tore past Danzō’s clothes.
The entire area was instantly dyed blood-red.
BOOOOM!
The beam punched straight through a distant hillside, sending countless chunks of stone crashing down the slope.
Danzō stood rigid.
His gaze slowly shifted from the ruined hill back toward the source of the attack.
The Hollowfied Kaito was still kneeling on the ground.
His mouth hung open, thin trails of smoke rising from between his jaws.
There was no longer any light or awareness in his eyes.
He had fired the attack with what little remained of his body after death.
Gulp.
Sarutobi Hiruzen swallowed, unable to hide the relief on his face.
That had been far too close.
[Notification: Riku-sama has ended the livestream.]
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: There.
NOW it’s actually over.
[Doujin Artist]: Was that a Cero?
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Obviously.
[Doujin Artist]: Isn’t that WAY too strong?!
This Uesugi Kaito guy was only a jōnin, right?
[Merc with a Mouth]: Yep, yep!
That blast was almost as powerful as Uncle Deadpool’s little cannon.
[Doujin Artist]: Shut up.
Nobody asked the six-shots-a-second quick draw to brag about his equipment.
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: Too strong?
From my perspective, it didn’t even reach half of what I expected.
[Doujin Artist]: What?
Riku’s lips curved into a confident smile.
[Riku-sama] [Group Owner]: I’m not exaggerating.
According to my original projections, if Sarutobi Hiruzen and the others had been fighting a truly complete Hollowfied shinobi, none of them would have survived.
[Merc with a Mouth]: Got it.
So we’re talking TWO little cannons?
Damn, boss.
That really is powerful!
[Doujin Artist]: …
[Deathwish Count]: …