The Land of Fire border.
In the forest, Sarutobi Hiruzen led his team at a breakneck pace toward the battlefield in the Land of Rain.
His hands clasped behind his back trembled despite himself.
In the First Shinobi World War, apart from Shamon, the Second Kazekage, who had devoted himself to researching Magnet Release and Jinchūriki technology, every other village's Second Kage had died in battle.
The four great nations had exhausted their strength. The signing of a ceasefire treaty between the Third Hokage and the Third Raikage marked the end of the war.
Strictly speaking, there was no such thing as a victorious nation in that war.
Now...
The Second Shinobi World War had begun!
For the village's stable development, Sarutobi Hiruzen had done a great deal over the years: restarting the Second Hokage's Hashirama Cells experiments, teaching his disciples, improving the Ninja Academy system, and balancing the ninja clans with civilian shinobi...
For over ten years, he hadn't slept a single night well.
Yet on the eve of his departure for the battlefield, he had, for once, dreamed nothing and woken not once. He'd slept through the whole night.
As his wife, Biwako, helped him into his battle clothes, she remarked that she hadn't seen him look so relaxed in a long time.
Sarutobi Hiruzen understood...
I miss the battlefield. I miss being someone whose only goal was to defeat the enemy!
Compared to an endless pile of paperwork, that was much simpler!
"Lord Hokage, it'll take about half a day to reach our outpost in the Land of Rain. Should we take a break?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head. "No need..."
He'd barely begun speaking when he noticed the Anbu Ninja, who'd been marching for two days and two nights, breathing unevenly.
"Haha, sorry about that. Let's rest for ten minutes before we move on!"
He'd almost forgotten they hadn't even had time to eat their Military Ration Pills. He really wasn't much of a Hokage.
While waiting for the others to rest, Sarutobi Hiruzen took out a Military Ration Pill and chewed on it. His face twisted in distaste.
In his younger days, whenever he left the village, his mother or Lady Mito had given him his Military Ration Pills.
They were both shinobi who had lived through the Warring States Era, and Military Ration Pills were a daily necessity. They knew how to make them well.
To be honest...
Biwako was skilled in Medical Ninjutsu, and her Military Ration Pills were highly nutritious, but...
They tasted awful!!
After a brief rest, Sarutobi Hiruzen rose to his feet. "We'll have a proper rest once we reach the outpost."
The moment he stood, his expression changed. He turned sharply to look in one direction.
A dark speck on the horizon drew closer, then came to a halt in the distance.
Sarutobi Hiruzen leapt onto the treetops. Seeing the "old friend" he hadn't encountered in years, he couldn't help but smile.
"You've gotten old, Ōnoki."
Ōnoki tilted his head and smiled, his beard tinged with gray.
"Isn't this the monkey who was always following Tobirama Senju around? If they made you Hokage, Konoha must really be short on talent."
The next instant—
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!
The ground where Sarutobi Hiruzen stood suddenly sank, swallowing the trees like the maw of an abyss!
Earth Release: Moving Earth Core!
Above, Ōnoki changed his hand seals and swiftly formed a new sequence.
Broken chunks of rock rose into the air, gathering into dozens of sharp spears. Each one was as thick as an adult's waist, their tips aimed at the crater below.
Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction!!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—!!!
The rock spears rained down like a torrential downpour, giving him no chance to catch his breath!
"You still haven't changed. You attack without even saying hello..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen bit his fingertip and slapped it against the empty space in front of him.
Summoning Technique—Monkey King: Enma!!
Poof—!
Amid a cloud of smoke, Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff. It shot through the air and landed in Sarutobi Hiruzen's hand.
One end of the staff opened a single eye, and Enma's voice rang out.
"Ōnoki... Hiruzen, it's been so long since you last fought. You haven't gotten rusty, have you?"
"Of course not!"
Whoosh—!!!
The Adamantine Staff swept out in front of him, forming a dark barrier that shattered every falling rock spear. Fragments flew everywhere!
Ōnoki hadn't expected two techniques to defeat Sarutobi Hiruzen. His small figure flew above the crater as he formed hand seals, gathering a white glow.
The two had fought during the First Shinobi World War as bodyguards to their respective teachers. There was no need for a probing exchange.
Dust Release was the only technique that might kill Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Fwoom!!
A black streak tore through the sky and shot straight toward Ōnoki. He had no choice but to interrupt his Dust Release and harden the rock around his palm.
Clang!!!
The Adamantine Staff struck Ōnoki's palm with pinpoint accuracy. After the clash of metal, the sound of cracking stone rang out.
The hardened layer on Ōnoki's palm fractured like a spiderweb. He used the impact to flip backward several times, then steadied himself in midair.
His palm trembled slightly, and the base of his thumb burned.
A smile appeared on Ōnoki's face as he watched Sarutobi Hiruzen rise into the air on the Adamantine Staff, coming level with him.
"That staff makes you quite a bit harder to deal with."
Holding the Adamantine Staff in one hand, Sarutobi Hiruzen formed hand seals with the other as he replied, "A Summoning Beast is part of a ninja's strength. Do I really need to remind you of that?"
"Haha, I was just saying. I didn't expect you to be stupid enough to throw your staff away."
Ōnoki formed hand seals just as quickly. Almost at the same instant—
"Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Earth Style: Gōryūka Technique!!!"
The earth shook violently, and a gigantic stone golem rose from the ground. A water dragon wreathed in lightning crashed into it!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!!
The shockwaves from the collision crushed countless trees!
The shinobi on both sides had already retreated to a safe distance, watching from afar.
Only a Kage could fight a Kage. It was common knowledge in every village. Interfering would do no good and might even distract their own Kage.
"He pulls off an incredibly complex combination technique as if it were second nature. So this is the Hokage..."
"After all, that's Sarutobi Hiruzen... the prodigy who, even as a child, combined ninjutsu of all five nature transformations and showed talent beyond that of the previous generation."
An older Iwagakure Ninja said to Ōnoki's son, Kitsuchi, who stood beside him, "During the First Shinobi World War, Lord Tsuchikage fought him many times. Neither could gain the upper hand."
"He's proficient in over a thousand techniques and is known as the Professor of Ninjutsu!"
"To use Earth Release, which is countered by Lightning Release, to block the Hokage's attack... He's incredible..."
The Konoha Ninja were equally awed by Ōnoki's strength.
After the fierce barrage of ninjutsu, the two began a Taijutsu duel too fast for ordinary people to follow.
The Adamantine Staff extended, its shadow whipping through the air, but it still struggled to hit Ōnoki as he darted around like a butterfly among the flowers.
He'd assumed the name Ryōtenbin referred to Ōnoki's wisdom as a leader, balancing the interests of all sides. Now he wondered if it referred to Ōnoki's mastery over gravity!
--
Thud!!
Skimming past the Adamantine Staff, Ōnoki covered both fists in thick layers of rock and aimed them at Sarutobi Hiruzen's face.
The Light-Weight Rock Technique reduced his weight to the bare minimum, while the Rock Fist Technique, strengthened by the Added-Weight Rock Technique, brought the force of his attack to its maximum.
The perfect fusion of lightness and heaviness unleashed an explosive force that sent chills down the spine!
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression didn't change. He turned his upper body slightly, and the rock fist passed within a hair's breadth of his nose. Its gust of wind cut a shallow line of blood across his cheek.
At the same time, the shortened Adamantine Staff swept upward from below, its end striking straight at Ōnoki's ribs.
At the last possible moment, Ōnoki hardened his torso.
Crack—!!
The rock layer was shattered again by the indestructible Adamantine Staff. Fortunately, it had softened the blow, and Ōnoki escaped without serious injury.
Ōnoki landed slowly on the treetops, the corners of his mouth lifting.
"That's enough warm-up."
Before you continue