"Could this kid really use Fire Release to this extent?"
Uchiha Madara watched the live feed through White Zetsu's eyes, mildly surprised.
That wide-ranging Great Fire Destruction just now had almost looked like one of his own techniques.
As he remembered it, the strongest Fire Release Uchiha Aoya had used before was Great Dragon Fire Technique, wasn't it?
Had he only mastered Great Fire Destruction recently?
"Interesting."
Uchiha Madara grew intrigued and focused his attention on Aoya's battle.
The wide-ranging, fierce Fire Release, along with the high-speed, rapidly shifting Taijutsu that made use of the Sharingan, all resembled his own fighting style back then.
This kid's just like me!
If only he could join the Moon Eye Plan. He'd definitely be much stronger than that kid Obito.
"But when it comes to Uchiha-style Swordsmanship, he's better at Lightning Style Swordsmanship than Fire Style Swordsmanship."
That was where they differed.
When it came to swordsmanship, he still preferred the Uchiha swordsmanship that used Fire Release. The Lightning Release style had been favored more by his younger brother, Uchiha Izuna.
"What an interesting junior. He's much stronger than I expected."
Uchiha Madara sighed inwardly.
These Iwagakure Ninjas really were useless.
There were so many of them, yet hardly any could even fight back, let alone put on a decent show.
They were being completely overwhelmed by Uchiha Aoya all by himself!
At this rate, they'd all be cut down before long. Then Uchiha Aoya could blow up the bridge and leave.
"But..."
Uchiha Madara's lips curled into a smile.
At least he'd sent out so many White Zetsu early.
By now, their mission should be nearly complete.
On the bank of Kannabi Bridge.
The Iwagakure camp and tents that had once stood here had been completely burned to ashes by Fire Release and Explosive Tag blasts.
The shattered earthen walls had turned to drifting dust, floating through the air like a yellowish-brown dome that covered this entire side of Kannabi Bridge.
And inside this yellow dome, a figure darted left and right like a storm!
Wherever he charged, screams erupted!
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Suddenly, a gale swept through.
The dust hanging in the air dispersed, and the riverbank came back into clear view.
By then, the ground was already strewn with the bodies of Iwagakure Ninjas. Some had been burned to death by Fire Release, some blown up by Explosive Tags, and others had survived only to be cut down by a blade that came from who knew where!
Hardly anyone had been able to react to Aoya's attacks!
Even the few who managed to defend themselves found their Earth Release defenses easily pierced by the Tachi imbued with Lightning Release.
In just a short time, more than half the Iwagakure Ninjas here had been killed or wounded!
"An Earth Release ninja, too?"
Aoya's scarlet eyes locked onto his target. He used the Body Flicker Technique to rush over, then swept his Tachi upward. A Flame Slash instantly cleaved the Earth Release ninja in two.
"Damn you!"
An Iwagakure jonin cursed furiously and formed Hand Seals in a flash. "Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
The ground shook as an earth dragon rose from beneath it and charged at Aoya with overwhelming force!
Crash!
Aoya raised his hand and sent dozens of Explosive Tags flying!
He didn't waste any more time tangling with the Iwagakure Ninjas. He quickly pulled back and sprinted toward Kannabi Bridge.
He'd killed enough of them. It was time to blow up the bridge!
Using the many Explosive Tags to hold back the Iwagakure Ninjas behind him, Aoya reached Kannabi Bridge in just a few strides. He reached out and took the scroll Minato Namikaze had distributed earlier.
He unrolled it. With a poof, hundreds of Explosive Tags connected together into a net. As soon as the scroll opened, the net spread wide and covered the center of Kannabi Bridge.
"Damn it, stop him!"
The Iwagakure Ninjas behind him cursed, but it was already too late.
The net woven from Explosive Tags detonated. Amid a deafening blast, Kannabi Bridge collapsed in an instant, and shattered stone crashed into the river below.
Mission accomplished!
Time to retreat!
When Aoya turned around, the Iwagakure jonin's face twisted with fury. He gathered all the remaining Iwagakure Ninjas and shouted:
"Everyone, don't engage this bastard in close combat!"
"Use long-range ninjutsu together and take him down!"
This bastard was too fast!
They hadn't managed to organize themselves before, and he'd slaughtered them almost single-handedly!
Now, taking advantage of the moment while Aoya had just blown up the bridge, the remaining Iwagakure Ninjas gathered together and began forming Hand Seals in unison, using a combined Earth Release technique:
"Earth Release: Earth Prison!"
Walls of earth rose in a circle, trapping Aoya inside.
Without pause, they followed with another combined Earth Release technique. Countless sharp Earth Spears thrust up inside the prison, trying to pierce Aoya's body.
Suddenly, with a crack, the Earth Prison directly in front of him shattered!
A long spear of lightning shot through and tore through the blockade with ease!
"Damn it!"
The Iwagakure jonin was furious.
He'd forgotten this bastard could use Lightning Release!
He'd clearly seen this bastard use Lightning Release to coat his Tachi and cut people down earlier, but in his anger, he'd actually forgotten!
"Aoya, enemy reinforcements are coming from behind!"
Hyuga Himon's shout came from far behind them. "They're moving fast. They'll be here in two minutes at most!"
This was unbelievable. Where had those reinforcements come from?!
They were nearly a hundred miles from the main front line along the Land of Fire's border!
Could Iwagakure really have had this many people in reserve, without sending them to the front? Were they insane? Why keep so many people hidden?!
"Reinforcements are coming! Stop him! Don't let that bastard escape!"
The Iwagakure jonin was overjoyed. He stopped trying to take Aoya head-on and joined forces with everyone else, doing all he could to block Aoya's movements.
They unleashed all kinds of wide-ranging Earth Release defensive techniques: Earth Flow Wall, Multiple Earth Flow Walls, and Earth Flow Rampart!
"Send a few people to capture those brats!"
If they captured his teammates, they'd see what he did then!
He refused to believe those other brats were just as monstrously strong!
Several Iwagakure Ninjas quickly broke away and charged toward Hyuga Himon and the others.
Before they could reach them, Yūhi Kurenai and Hyuga Himon were already prepared. The two attacked together, each tossing more than a dozen Explosive Tags!
The approaching Iwagakure Ninjas, along with Nohara Rin, were all stunned by the blast.
Is this how you people use Explosive Tags?!
Crack!
The sound of the earthen wall ahead shattering rang out.
Three consecutive Lightning Release: False Darkness attacks tore a hole through layer upon layer of earthen walls.
Through the billowing dust, a figure burst out like a ghost. A lightning-flashing slash instantly cut down the lead Iwagakure jonin!
After swinging his Tachi several more times, Aoya finally broke through the remaining Iwagakure Ninjas' defenses.
"It's over! We're too late! The reinforcements are already here!"
Hyuga Himon's face was deathly pale.
The Iwagakure reinforcements coming from the Land of Fire were now only a few hundred meters away!
"Why have so many Iwagakure Ninjas suddenly appeared?!"
Yūhi Kurenai couldn't make sense of it.
And they'd arrived so quickly, too!
Across from them, Aoya's expression didn't change. This eerily familiar situation was clearly just like the time he'd destroyed Iwagakure's medical supplies.
Some old hand in the Shinobi World had obviously intervened again!
"Should we retreat in another direction?"
Hyuga Himon asked anxiously.
The bridge was already destroyed. They could head south through the Land of Rain or north through the Land of the Waterfall, take a long detour, and make their way back.
But the moment he finished speaking, reality proved him wrong.
Large numbers of Iwagakure Ninjas were racing toward them from both directions along the river!
Even across the broken Kannabi Bridge, they could already see many Iwagakure Ninjas—and quite a few Kusagakure Ninjas, too. Reinforcements had arrived on that side as well.
Before you continue