Absolute Defense

The two leaves of the iron gate were carved with gilded Rashomon Demons at either end, their eyes set with crimson Chakra Metal spheres. The instant the gate hit the ground, they suddenly lit up with an eerie red glow.

Dense sealing inscriptions surfaced across the gate's surface. Blue-black rust flaked away like living creatures, revealing the steel patterns hidden beneath.

Though this thick iron gate's defensive power was far inferior to that of the Triple Rashomon, it had its own unique aspect.

"It can actually be used like this?!"

Hyuga Asuka stared wide-eyed, so shocked his eyeballs nearly popped from their sockets.

This chubby Genin could actually use Sealing Scrolls to deploy a powerful defensive tactic similar to the Summoning Jutsu: Rashomon!

How had he come up with such a tactic? It was unbelievable.

But Sealing Scrolls of this level had to be incredibly expensive, didn't they?

Which ninja clan was this chubby Genin's young master from? He actually had such wealth!

A piercing howl rose.

Wind Release was incredibly fast, striking after yet arriving first. Within a few breaths, it had already closed in on the Iron Prison Gate.

The Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball tore through the air, setting off a booming pressure blast. The exploding air made everyone's eardrums ache.

Wherever the Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball swept through, burned-out birch trees were uprooted and shredded into tiny blade-like fragments. The rocky ground was sliced and peeled away like tofu, then swept into the wind ball.

Its power greatly increased at once, carrying several traces of the might of Wind Release: Spiraling Shuriken.

Screech, screech, screech...

The Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball struck the Iron Prison Gate before Umino Sasuke with extreme precision. The metallic scraping sounded as if countless steel blades were grinding and cutting against it, sharp enough to make one's teeth ache.

"Whew..."

Tejudo wiped away a cold sweat, his heart shaking violently. It was too terrifying. If he had used Steel Pot Wife for defense, it would probably have been torn into pieces by that Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball.

The Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball formed by Wind Release: Grinding Gale was immensely powerful, but the Iron Prison Gate's defense was no trivial matter either.

"What incredible defense!"

Although Hyuga Asuka had anticipated the Iron Prison Gate's strength, he had not expected its defensive power to reach such a level.

That terrifying Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball had merely carved a metal crater less than half a meter deep into the Iron Prison Gate. It had not even broken through the Iron Prison Gate's first layer of defense.

Compared to the Vortex High-Pressure Wind Ball's power, those kunai and shuriken were no more threatening than a scratch. Even the two Explosive Tags had only blasted off a few metal chips.

"Hall! Don't let your guard down. Reinforce the defense!"

Umino Sasuke warned Tejudo. He did not dare relax for even a moment; instead, he began to feel worried.

Under the Sonic Radar Technique's perception, Wind Release: Grinding Gale and Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling were both B-Rank Ninjutsu. Though Wind Release: Grinding Gale appeared more destructive, Earth Release: Earth Mausoleum Dumpling was clearly more than a level stronger in terms of physical attack.

The Iron Prison Gate performed exceptionally well against attribute-based ninjutsu, but while its physical defense was considerably stronger than ordinary defensive ninjutsu, its advantage was limited. It was nowhere near as well-rounded as the Triple Rashomon.

"My Iron Fan Gate's Eldest Wife, your defense is the strongest!"

Tejudo's roar cracked as he drove the Chakra within him, activating every defensive inscription on the Iron Prison Gate.

At that moment.

Rumble...

The dark yellow Giant Rock Sphere, carrying the power of the earth veins, crashed down with a thunderous roar.

A deafening boom rang out as it slammed into the Iron Prison Gate.

At once.

A massive shockwave swept out with overwhelming force, snapping the burned-out birch trees across the battlefield.

The Giant Rock Sphere weighed more than ten thousand catties and carried incomparably immense momentum. Like a falling meteor, it was comparable to a strike from Zero-Tails as it punched straight through the first layer of the Iron Prison Gate.

The steel-forged gate leaves twisted and warped with a mournful groan, spiderweb-like cracks spreading outward from the point of impact.

Its momentum weakened slightly as it continued toward the second Iron Prison Gate.

Another deafening boom erupted.

The densely packed inscriptions on the second Iron Prison Gate moved rapidly like tadpoles, erupting with astonishing defensive power and halting the Giant Rock Sphere's heaven-shaking force.

"They actually blocked it!"

Hyuga Asuka was stunned beyond belief.

A mere Genin had used Sealing Scroll tactics to completely block a group attack comparable to an A-Rank Ninjutsu.

It was simply incredible.

Absolutely unbelievable!

"Whew..."

Tejudo let out a deep breath, overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. If Captain had not taught him this powerful defensive secret technique, he would probably have been smashed into a meat patty this time.

"It's over. We're completely finished!"

When the Sand ninja saw that the savage barrage had been completely blocked, their hearts sank into despair. In their eyes, they could be torn to pieces at any moment by the coming Water Release Secret Technique.

If Captain's left hand had not been crippled and he could still form hand seals, they might have had some chance of using ninjutsu to defend themselves. But now, they had exhausted every trick and could only wait for death.

"Captain, what do we do?"

"Are we all going to die here? If we start running now, can we still make it?"

"Yako is still waiting for me back in the village. I can't die!"

These Sand ninja no longer possessed even a trace of the Will of Wind. All of them were thinking of retreating.

Even the Hedgehog-Haired Jonin was no exception.

"Huh? What's going on?"

Outside the battlefield, Gekko Yoru looked as though he had seen a ghost. His eyes were full of shock and suspicion as he noticed something unusual about the [Uchiha Jonin] hiding behind the Iron Prison Gate.

Under the Giant Rock Sphere's ten-thousand-cattie impact, powerful shockwaves had formed in the air and traveled to Umino Sasuke, disrupting his Transformation Jutsu. At last, Gekko Yoru saw through the deception.

Gekko Yoru's heart tightened. He could hardly believe what he was seeing. How could anyone's Transformation Jutsu be so exquisite that even he could not distinguish it? He came from the Gekko Clan. Though his perception was inferior to those Hyuga and Uchiha, it was still among the best in Konoha. Yet he had only discovered it now?

To further confirm that he had not seen wrong, Gekko Yoru gave Hyuga Asuka, who was not far away, a look. "Asuka?"

"Mm!" Hyuga Asuka nodded firmly, indicating that it was not a genjutsu. That false [Uchiha] had been created by this patrol team's Chunin using an exquisite Transformation Jutsu.

"How could this be?!"

Sarutobi Kagejiro, standing nearby, stared in shock and said incredulously, "Impossible! This is definitely genjutsu. An Uchiha's Sharingan can't be fake, and Transformation Jutsu—"

"Kagejiro!"

Hyuga Asuka immediately cut off Sarutobi Kagejiro's next words, loudly warning him not to say any more and risk leaking intelligence.

"Huh?" Sarutobi Kagejiro finally realized his reckless act had exposed information about their side's ninja. Rebuked by his teammate, he felt humiliated but could not argue back. He could only defend himself softly and somewhat aggrievedly, "I-I didn't mean to."

"Kagejiro!"

Hyuga Asuka was finally furious this time, warning him even more sternly not to say another word. If he kept talking, he really would leak intelligence.

With poison and anger assaulting his heart, Hyuga Asuka lay collapsed on the ground. He had clearly reached his limit.

The Sand Poison within him continued to erode his body, to the point that he could no longer even stand steadily.

Smack!

Umino Sasuke, who had hidden behind the Iron Prison Gate and released his Transformation Jutsu, slapped a hand against his Forehead Protector, speechless. If the intelligence leak had been an unintentional mistake, that would have been one thing.

But trying to explain himself afterward was simply foolish. It was no different from fearing the Sand ninja had not noticed the intelligence leak and reminding them to verify it from the other direction.