So... the second one?!

Bang--!

A dull thud exploded in the air as Kakashi was sent flying backward like a cannonball for over a dozen meters before finally landing.

Kakashi propped himself up to stand, his eyes fixed on Uchiha Shingen with nothing but unspeakable shock.

This was the first time in a battle against a peer that he had experienced the feeling of being suppressed head-on.

What he couldn't understand even more was how this man, who had been so unremarkable and low-key back at the Konoha Ninja Academy, had managed to surpass all his contemporaries in the few short years since graduation.

Seeing Kakashi momentarily dazed, Uchiha Shingen did not immediately pursue, instead looking down at the kunai in his hand.

On the broken blade, a crimson hue remained from the high-temperature searing—a sign that it was on the verge of melting.

Clearly, even if this kunai hadn't been severed by Kakashi's short blade, it wouldn't have withstood the drain of Sword Leap Flame; it would have been scrap after two or three more uses.

If he truly wanted to integrate Sword Leap Flame into his standard combat system, Uchiha Shingen still lacked a good blade.

Thinking of this.

Uchiha Shingen simply abandoned the plan to continue testing Sword Leap Flame.

He sensed the Chakra within his body.

After more than a month of daily check-ins, Uchiha Shingen had accumulated another five attribute points.

After he raised his Chakra volume to level five, his total capacity had directly doubled, and his ability to control Chakra was no longer what it once was.

Even for the same ninjutsu, maintaining the same output level now required thirty percent less Chakra.

His endurance had undergone a qualitative change.

The previous battle had mostly been a clash of taijutsu, which didn't consume much Chakra, so Uchiha Shingen's reserves were still plentiful.

"If I can't continue testing the Sword Leap Flame system, then I'll try another."

With that, Uchiha Shingen formed hand seals, summoning two Shadow Clones to stand beside him.

This scene made Kakashi, in the distance, grow vigilant. He gripped his short blade tighter but did not launch an attack, preparing instead to counter whatever came his way.

"This is..."

Jiraiya, who had been watching the entire battle, saw this and suddenly recalled a tactic Uchiha Shingen had mentioned to him in passing, his expression turning grave:

"That kid was serious back then?!"

"Serious about what?!"

Minato asked, confused by the sight.

"When I was discussing the basic logic of combat with Shingen-kun, he once mentioned a special tactic."

"He named it the Saturation Fire Strike Tactics."

"By using large-scale, high-damage ninjutsu for a saturation strike, he aims to completely destroy the opponent and everything within his line of sight in a short period."

"This is to compress the opponent's room for maneuvering to absolute zero."

"That's too reckless!"

Minato couldn't help but raise his voice.

In reality, this type of tactic used by Uchiha Shingen was not uncommon in the ninja world.

But those capable of doing so were either monsters born with absurd amounts of Chakra or Jinchuriki who could borrow the Chakra of a Tailed Beast.

Even though the Uchiha possessed a Kekkei Genkai and held a significant advantage in Chakra volume compared to ordinary ninjas.

They still hadn't reached the level where they could squander it so wantonly.

How could he...

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Barrage!"

A low shout exploded across the battlefield, followed by three fireballs of such exaggerated size they were practically absurd, rapidly expanding in the air.

One meter, five meters, ten meters...

As Uchiha Shingen continuously drained his Chakra, the three fireballs expanded to an exaggerated size of nearly twenty meters in an instant, crushing everything within his line of sight.

This scene left Kakashi, who had originally intended to counter move-by-move, completely stunned.

Wait!

Isn't Chakra something you're supposed to save?!

How are you just smashing people with it?!

There was no time to think; the heatwave from the fireballs was already rushing toward him. Reacting instantly, Kakashi slammed his hands onto the ground:

"Earth Style: Multiple Earth Wall!"

Crackle, crackle, crackle--!

Three consecutive stone walls erupted from the ground like three city ramparts, blocking Kakashi's front.

Yet, facing the three Great Fireballs that Uchiha Shingen was pouring his Chakra into, the first stone wall was crushed in an instant, and the second wall didn't last much longer before it, too, was melted away.

It was not until the third stone wall that Uchiha Shingen's exaggeratedly massive Great Fireball was finally blocked.

Even so, the rolling heat waves and high temperatures caused the silver hair on Kakashi's forehead to curl slightly, emitting a faint smell of singed hair.

"Finally blocked it."

Kakashi let out a long breath.

The bloodline of the Hatake clan was not actually considered particularly outstanding throughout the ninja world.

Although there had been famous powerhouses in every generation, they were essentially players who relied on strategy and delicate micro-manipulation.

Facing Uchiha Shingen's style of saturation fire coverage for the first time, Kakashi could not fathom it, but he was deeply shaken.

However.

Having blocked this strike, Kakashi gained a bit more confidence in his chances of winning:

"Your performance is over, now it's my turn..."

"So one round really isn't enough?!"

Uchiha Shingen's voice, filled with slight regret, suddenly rang out, causing everyone present to change color, and Kakashi's expression froze on the spot.

No way?!

"If you can block one round, then... how about a second!"

Bang! Bang!

After a burst of white smoke, two more Shadow Clones appeared beside Uchiha Shingen, bringing the total to five people simultaneously forming the seals for the Great Fireball:

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Multi-Shot Jutsu!"

The next instant.

The scene from moments ago repeated, but instead of one giant fireball, it was a continuous, dense bombardment of fireballs several meters in diameter!

And because two more Shadow Clones had been added, the momentum was even more terrifying than before!

Dense and overwhelming, it filled the vision of everyone present!

This move had almost drained all of Uchiha Shingen's Chakra!

"What the hell!"

Kakashi had intended to use ninjutsu to escape underground, but seeing the earth and stone in front of him nearly melting from the high heat, he immediately abandoned that thought.

"Is this guy actually trying to kill me?!"

For a moment, Kakashi felt his hair stand on end.

Just as he was struck with horror, Minato, who had been watching the battle, could no longer hold back; he used the Flying Thunder God to teleport to Kakashi's side and forcibly rescued him.

The next instant, the Great Fireball bombardment struck the ground!

Continuous sparks ignited the surrounding clearing along with the distant dense forest, and the Forest of Death was instantly engulfed in rolling thick smoke.

Having narrowly escaped, Kakashi sat cross-legged beside Minato, gasping for fresh air; for a split second there, he had truly thought he was going to die.

Minato, who had intervened to save him, was equally shaken, looking at Uchiha Shingen as if he were looking at a monster!

The sea of fire churned with heat waves, blowing against the faces of everyone present!

"Is this..."

"Saturation Fire Strike Tactics?!"

Minato's mouth twitched violently, and he couldn't help but turn to look at Jiraiya beside him.

He vaguely remembered.

The ninjutsu Jiraiya frequently used on the battlefield back then—Swamp of the Underworld, Toad Oil Flame Bullet—every single one of them was known for high consumption, wide range, and immense power.

Looking at it this way, wasn't Uchiha Shingen's line of thinking exactly the same as Jiraiya's!

"Master Jiraiya, tell me honestly, did Shingen-kun's way of thinking come from your influence?!"

"What?!"

Jiraiya pointed at himself, looking bewildered:

"Are you kidding me? Am I that kind of person?!"

Minato pondered for a few seconds and nodded seriously:

"You are."

"You rebellious disciple!"