Karot Exposed

The Cloud Ninja Jonin noticed Karot's terrifying strength.

"I can't let him continue like this. Let's go deal with him."

One Jonin said to his companion. If one Jonin couldn't handle him, they'd just add more.

"Alright."

Lightning Style, Fire Style, Earth Style. Three Jonin used their most proficient ninjutsu, attempting to completely annihilate Karot. Three ninjutsu, from three directions, struck Karot in the center.

When the effects of the ninjutsu dissipated, Karot stood in the same spot, completely unharmed, as if he hadn't taken any damage at all.

"Impossible. I sensed my ninjutsu was effective."

The Cloud Ninja Jonin looked incredulous. He knew his senses wouldn't lie; this was uncanny.

Karot smiled slightly.

"You're not wrong. Is there a possibility of 'smoke without fire'?"

The three Cloud Ninjas didn't understand Karot's Dragon Ball reference.

"Just using taijutsu will take too long to deal with these Cloud Ninjas. It seems I'll have to reveal a bit more strength."

Karot thought to himself. He straightened his right arm, palm facing the sky, and a circular slice hovered above his palm.

As Karot made his move, the opponents immediately felt a sense of impending death. Their hair stood on end; if they couldn't stop him, the consequences would be dire.

"Quick, stop him!"

The leading Jonin shouted.

"Energy Disc."

Karot called out, and with a wave of his hand, the Energy Disc flew from his palm. The Cloud Ninja who had just stepped forward had no time to react before his body was split in two. This instantly made the other two Cloud Ninjas slam on the brakes. Their eyes widened in disbelief.

Karot wouldn't give them time to react, controlling the Energy Disc to return and continue the attack.

"Careful, dodge!"

The leading Cloud Ninja warned his companion, but it was still too late; an arm was severed.

"Ah!"

The Cloud Ninja clutched his bleeding arm, his face contorted in pain.

"Oh, you dodged that one. But it was within expectations. However, the next one won't be so simple for you."

Karot extended his hand, and another Energy Disc appeared. Two Energy Discs hovered above Karot's head. With a flick of his finger, the two Energy Discs flew towards the Cloud Ninjas.

The Cloud Ninjas unleashed ninjutsu to defend, but it was no use; the ninjutsu was sliced through. They could only rely on speed to dodge. This was merely a temporary solution.

The threat of death constantly loomed over them. If they couldn't resolve the current predicament, death was inevitable. They retreated while frantically thinking of a solution.

"Ahhh."

The battlefield was filled with cries of agony. No need to ask, the Energy Disc was doing its work. Karot controlled the Energy Discs, slaughtering his way through the battlefield. The ninjas gathered around him grew in number, and the Cloud Ninja forces rapidly dwindled.

There was no escape. The leading Cloud Ninja stood before Karot. He had tried a series of countermeasures against the Energy Disc, all to no avail. His chakra was nearly depleted, and escape was hopeless.

"May I know your name, so I can die without regret?"

The Cloud Ninja panted, his chakra usage having pushed his body to its limit, unable to withstand the backlash.

"Hatake Karot."

Karot replied.

With that, Karot shot a beam of light from his finger, piercing directly into the opponent's heart. This was Karot's final act of respect for his opponent, ensuring a complete corpse.

"Interesting."

Orochimaru had naturally noticed the battle on Karot's side. Karot was someone he and his teacher had strongly requested. He had long coveted the power Karot was using.

"Since I've already revealed some, I might as well reveal more."

With that thought, Karot extended his hand.

"Karot's Wave Cannon."

Countless Ki Blasts shot out from Karot's hands. With perfect homing capabilities, this scene stunned everyone on the battlefield. This was pure annihilation; each explosion meant the disappearance of a Cloud Ninja, covering the entire battlefield with firepower.

Over a hundred ninjas – Genin, Chunin, and Jonin – lost their lives to Karot's single move.

The ninjas present couldn't believe their eyes, looking at Karot, who was shining brilliantly.

"Is this a genjutsu?"

All the Cloud Ninjas subconsciously thought this. What they were witnessing surpassed their imagination and challenged their understanding. Was this even ninjutsu?

The Leaf Village forces, on the other hand, were greatly encouraged and naturally wouldn't pass up such a good opportunity. Under the leadership of a Leaf Village Jonin, they began to counterattack.

"Well done, Karot."

Matsushita Hokuto came to Karot's side, praising his excellent student without reservation.

"I'll leave the rest to you, Teacher. I'm a bit tired."

Karot's face was pale, and he slumped to the ground weakly, appearing to have overused his power. It was his first time using such a massive amount of chakra, and Karot couldn't quite control it. His strongest skill was still taijutsu; the chakra was also needed to support the System.

"Then get some good rest, Sanada. You keep an eye on Karot."

With that, Matsushita rejoined the battlefield.

Thanks to Karot's move, the Leaf Village's morale surged, and their combat effectiveness even saw some improvement. Under the pressure of life and death, the Leaf Village ninja adapted to the battlefield atmosphere, naturally becoming more adept at using their own strength.

The Cloud Ninja retreated steadily, their casualties mounting.

"You've all ignited my competitive spirit."

Seeing the Leaf Village's morale soar, Orochimaru finally felt at ease. This skirmish was also intended by Orochimaru as a training exercise. Elites must always be tempered by the fires of war; if they were eliminated here, it was simply their destiny.

He couldn't be blamed for being heartless; the real battlefield was far more brutal than this. This was mere child's play.

"I'm done playing with you."

Orochimaru, who had been held back by the Cloud Ninja, finally got serious.

"Summoning Technique."

A massive cloud of smoke appeared, and a giant python with purple markings materialized on the battlefield. Orochimaru's summoned beast, Manda, had arrived.

"Orochimaru, you know the price of summoning me. Where's my sacrifice?"

As soon as Manda appeared, it demanded its sacrifice from Orochimaru. This was a delicacy not found in the Snake Sage's domain.

"Hmph, you can eat them along with their Cloud Village headbands."

A glint of greed flashed in Manda's pupils.

"But first, we need to deal with the Jonin in front of us."

Manda flicked its tongue and spoke.

"Just these three in front of us? Easy."

With that, Manda opened its massive maw and lunged towards the Cloud Ninja before it.

When Orochimaru summoned Manda, the Cloud Ninja felt a sense of dread. A giant summoned beast with immense power was attacking; they couldn't handle it.

"All Cloud Ninja, retreat!"

The Cloud Ninja knew their mission was impossible and decisively chose to withdraw. Once a war begins, ending it is not as simple as they might think.

The Cloud Ninja were tightly gripped by the Leaf Village; their attempt to retreat was far from simple.

"Trying to run? You'd better see if Lord Manda agrees."

Manda continued its offensive assault on the Cloud Ninja, its gaping maw eagerly devouring any Cloud Ninja in its path. In an instant, the Cloud Ninja suffered heavy casualties.

Knowing escape was hopeless, the Cloud Ninja decided to stay behind and cover the retreat. One by one, they charged towards the Leaf Village ninja, covered in Explosive Tags and with a death wish, temporarily halting the Leaf Village's assault and buying time for the Cloud Ninja's withdrawal.