Tsuchikage VS Hokage!

Border of the Land of Fire.

Deep in the forest, Sarutobi Hiruzen led his team in a high-speed march, rushing toward the battlefield in the Land of Rain.

His hands, trailing behind him, could not help but tremble slightly.

During the First Shinobi World War, aside from the Second Kazekage Shamon, who focused on researching Magnet Release and jinchuriki technology, the Second-generation leaders of all other villages had died in battle.

The national strength of the four great nations had been exhausted, and the war was declared over, marked by the signing of a peace treaty between the Third Hokage and the Third Raikage.

Strictly speaking, there was no such thing as a victor in that war.

Now...

The second one has begun!

For the sake of the village's stable development, Sarutobi Hiruzen had done much over the years: restarting the Second's Hashirama Cells experiments, teaching his disciples, perfecting the Ninja Academy system, and balancing the interests of ninja clans and civilian ninjas...

For over a decade, he had not enjoyed a single good night's sleep.

Yet, on the eve of his departure for the battlefield, he had uncharacteristically not dreamt, not woken in a start, and had slept soundly through the entire night.

When his wife, Biwako, helped him put on his combat gear, she remarked that she hadn't seen him look so relaxed in a long time.

Sarutobi Hiruzen realized then...

I am longing for the battlefield, longing for the version of myself that acted with the sole objective of defeating the enemy!

Compared to the endless pile of paperwork, this was a much simpler task!

"Lord Hokage, we are about half a day away from the Land of Rain outpost. Shall we take a break?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head: "No need..."

Just as he spoke, he noticed the Anbu ninjas, their breathing ragged after two days and two nights of forced marching.

"Haha, my apologies. Let's rest for ten minutes before moving out!"

I almost forgot they haven't even had time to eat their Military Ration Pills. I really am not a very competent Hokage.

During the break, Sarutobi Hiruzen took a Military Ration Pill from his pouch and chewed it, his face twisting in bitterness.

In his earlier years leaving the village, his Military Ration Pills were provided by his mother or Lady Mito.

They were ninjas who had lived through the Warring States period; Military Ration Pills were a daily necessity for them, and their craftsmanship was excellent.

To be honest...

Biwako's medical ninjutsu was superb, and the nutritional value of her Military Ration Pills was sufficient, but...

They tasted terrible!!

After a brief rest, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood up and said: "We will rest properly once we reach the outpost."

Just as he rose, Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression shifted, and he turned sharply to look in one direction.

A black speck on the horizon approached rapidly, coming to a sudden halt in the distance.

Sarutobi Hiruzen leaped to the treetops and saw that "old friend" he hadn't met in years; the corners of his mouth could not help but curl upward.

"You've aged quite miserably, Ōnoki."

Ōnoki tilted his head with a grin, his graying beard twitching.

"Isn't this the monkey who used to trail behind Tobirama Senju? To think they let you become Hokage—Konoha must truly be out of talent."

The next instant—

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!!

The ground where Sarutobi Hiruzen stood suddenly sank, as if a gaping abyss had swallowed the trees whole!

Earth Style: Earth Core!

High in the sky, Ōnoki, who had his hands pressed together, shifted his stance and formed seals at lightning speed.

Shattered rocks flew upward, coalescing in mid-air into dozens of sharp stone spears, each as thick as an adult's waist, their tips aimed directly into the deep pit.

Earth Style: Rock Lodging Destruction!!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh----!!!

The stone spears poured down like a torrential rain, leaving no room for a single breath!

"That habit of attacking without saying hello... you still haven't changed."

Sarutobi Hiruzen bit his fingertip and slammed his hand onto the empty air before him.

Summoning Jutsu: Monkey King: Enma!!

Bang--!

Amidst the massive cloud of dust, Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff, breaking through the wind to land in the hands of Sarutobi Hiruzen.

A single eye opened on one end of the staff, and the voice of Enma rang out.

"Ōnoki, is it... Hiruzen, it's been so long since we last fought, I hope your body hasn't rusted!"

"Of course not!"

Whoosh--!!!

The staff danced before him, creating a black barrier that shattered every falling rock spear, sending stone fragments flying everywhere!

Ōnoki certainly didn't think two ninjutsu would be enough to defeat Sarutobi Hiruzen; his short figure flew directly above the crater, hands forming seals as he gathered a white glow.

During the First Shinobi World War, the two had already clashed as bodyguards for their respective masters; there was no need for any probing.

Dust Release was the only means that could possibly kill Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Whoosh!!!!

A black line streaked across the sky, rushing straight toward Ōnoki, forcing him to interrupt the casting of his Dust Release as a layer of hardened rock grew over his palms.

Clang!!!

The Adamantine Staff struck Ōnoki's palms with precision, and after a burst of metal clashing against metal, the sound of shattering rock echoed out.

The hardened layer on Ōnoki's palms was cracked like a spiderweb, and he used the momentum to flip backward several times, stabilizing his figure in mid-air.

His palms trembled slightly, and the webbing between his thumb and index finger burned.

A smile appeared on Ōnoki's face as he watched Sarutobi Hiruzen, who had used the staff to ascend and now stood level with him.

"Relying on that stick makes you much harder to deal with."

Sarutobi Hiruzen gripped the staff with one hand, his other hand moving in a blur to form seals as he replied: "A Summoning Beast is also part of a ninja's strength; surely I don't need to remind you of that."

"Haha, just a passing comment. I didn't expect you to be foolish enough to discard your stick."

Ōnoki also formed seals at lightning speed, almost at the same instant.

"Ninja Art: Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!!"

"Earth Style: Gōryūka Technique!!!"

The earth shook violently as a giant stone monster rose up, struck by the lightning-infused water dragon!

Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!!!!

The shockwaves of the collision pulverized countless trees!

The ninjas brought by both sides had long since retreated to a safe distance to watch from afar.

Only a Kage could deal with a Kage; this was common knowledge recognized by every village. Intervening casually would not only be useless but would instead cause their own Kage to lose focus.

"To use such complex combination ninjutsu as if it were second nature... is this the Hokage..."

"He is Sarutobi Hiruzen, after all... the monster who, even as a child, could combine five types of elemental ninjutsu, displaying talent that surpassed his predecessors."

An older Iwagakure ninja said to Kitsuchi, the son of Ōnoki, standing beside him: "During the First Shinobi World War, the Tsuchikage fought him many times, and it was always hard to determine a winner."

"He is the man who has mastered thousands of ninjutsu, known as the Professor of Ninjutsu!"

"To block the Hokage's attack using Earth Style, which is countered by Lightning Release... he is too strong..."

The Konoha ninjas were equally shocked by Ōnoki's strength.

After the intense barrage of ninjutsu, both sides engaged in a taijutsu duel too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.

The Adamantine Staff extended, its shadow whipping through the air, yet it struggled to strike Ōnoki, who moved like a butterfly flitting through flowers.

I had previously thought the name Ryōtenbin highlighted Ōnoki's wisdom as a leader in balancing all sides, but now it seems it might refer to his ultimate control over gravity!

--

Bang!!

Brushing past the Adamantine Staff, Ōnoki covered his fists in thick layers of rock, aiming straight for Sarutobi Hiruzen's face.

The Light-Weight Rock Technique reduced his weight to the extreme, while the Rock Fist Technique, reinforced by the Super Added-Weight Rock Technique, pushed his attack to the limit.

The perfect fusion of light and heavy created a terrifying explosive power!

Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression remained unchanged; he tilted his upper body slightly, the rock fist grazing the tip of his nose, the wind of the punch cutting a shallow bloody line on his cheek.

At the same time, the shortened Adamantine Staff swept up from below, the tip of the staff striking Ōnoki's ribs with precision.

At the critical moment, he hardened his waist and abdomen.

Crack--!!

The rock layer was shattered once again by the indestructible Adamantine Staff, but thanks to the cushioning, Ōnoki didn't suffer any real injury.

Landing slowly on the tree canopy, Ōnoki curled the corner of his mouth.

"The warm-up is over."