Boom---!
A crimson giant ball slammed into the earth, producing a terrifying, thunderous roar that sent vibrations through the entire Konoha Village.
Puff---
The giant sphere of fire exploded the instant it touched the crust.
A massive red tide of magma gushed out from inside the fireball, flooding in all directions and continuously expanding its destructive force. At the same time, thousands of splashing fiery arrows rained down through the air.
Hoo, hoo, hoo!!! Hiruzen Sarutobi panted heavily, the hands gripping the black staff in his hold trembling uncontrollably, clear exhaustion coloring his face.
Just moments before, on a sudden impulse, he had instinctively used a ninjutsu fusing fire and earth attributes, thinking to borrow the power of this gravity-bound domain to push the ninjutsu's might to the next level.
He simply hadn't expected to mess up.
"Hiruzen! Do not use any ninjutsu with mass."
An eye appeared on the surface of the black staff in Hiruzen Sarutobi's hands, speaking aloud to remind him.
"I know."
Hiruzen Sarutobi replied to Enma while keeping his gaze fixed on that distant figure. If he hadn't made the staff transformed by Enma elongate at the exact moment the fireball fell and deflected it, he would have been burned to death by his own ninjutsu.
"The Strongest Hokage! Is this really it?"
Hearing that detached tone carry a hint of mockery instantly caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's face to flush, followed by a surge of anger rising to his throat.
Hiruzen Sarutobi: If you're going to mock me, just mock me, what's the deal with blasting 3D surround sound?
The Strongest Hokage!
Throwing around this title in front of young, ignorant children was fine.
Yet when spoken in front of a living fossil from the Warring States period like Setsuna Uchiha, it was simply too damn