Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen make that move, anyone familiar with the story immediately knew a Fire Release technique was coming.
"Fire Release: Flame Bullet!"
The earthen bullets shot into the air ignited at once and came flying toward Li Yu even faster.
"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"
He returned the favor with an equally thick earthen cliff wall.
"Boom! Boom!"
A whole lot of burning craters appeared on the cliff face. An ordinary earth wall couldn't withstand Sarutobi Hiruzen's combination jutsu. No wonder he was the Third Hokage. Still, I'd copied the techniques.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
A powerful gale swept toward Li Yu. With each swing, it lashed out like a whip, striking Li Yu and the earthen wall beneath him in a sweeping attack.
"Rumble! Rumble!"
Stone chips flew everywhere. The Earth Release wall on the cliff shattered into several pieces in an instant, then collapsed into the water.
Danzo remarked, "Sarutobi, you're getting serious. You've even brought out B-rank jutsu."
Li Yu used Flying Raijin to evade the barrage. Since Sarutobi Hiruzen was going all out, he wouldn't hold back, either.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
A powerful stream of water formed into a razor-sharp blade and swept back and forth across Sarutobi Hiruzen on the cliff.
A wide swath of earth and stone was sliced away, leaving a smooth cut. A great many rocks fell into the water, splashing one after another.
No wonder he was the Third Hokage. Relying on Taijutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen leaped from side to side and narrowly dodged the sweeping water, though he looked a little flustered.
Danzo's eyes lit up, and he once again turned into a commentator.
"An A-rank Water Release jutsu: Water Severing Wave!"
"This was the Second Hokage's signature technique. Back on the battlefield, he used it to sweep the heads off dozens of ninja in a single strike."
He watched Zi Yu even more intently now, liking him more with every passing moment. His Water Release had quite a bit of Teacher Tobirama's flair.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!"
Hearing Sarutobi Hiruzen call out that jutsu gave Li Yu goosebumps. This was an A-rank Wind Release jutsu, and one capable of breaking through Susanoo's defenses.
In the original story, Danzo had used Vacuum Serial Waves against Sasuke's Susanoo, tearing a huge hole in it.
Seeing how wide a range the jutsu covered, Li Yu decided to stop holding back.
"Since you're so eager to see what I can do, Sarutobi Hiruzen, I'll show you."
He bit his fingers, formed Hand Seals, and slapped both hands against the ground.
"Summoning Technique: Triple Rashomon!"
Three enormous gates—red, green, and blue—rose from the ground. The demons carved into them looked terrifying, their mouths gaping wide as if to devour everything.
The wind blasts smashed through the first two gates, but ran out of force before reaching the third. The final gate stopped them, leaving a deep mark across its surface. Then, with a cloud of smoke, the gates all vanished.
The Anbu Ninja watching gasped in amazement.
"What jutsu is that? Such incredible defense! It even stopped the Third Hokage's A-rank jutsu!"
Danzo was just as baffled. At that point, Orochimaru couldn't stay quiet any longer and became a commentator as well.
"That's the First's Summoning Technique. Its defensive power is indeed astonishing. It's nothing like Earth Style Wall, a mid-level defensive jutsu."
"Summoning Rashomon consumes a great deal of chakra."
It's time I learned this jutsu from the First.
Li Yu never would have guessed that Orochimaru would take up Rashomon because of him.
Seeing Li Yu block his attack with that jutsu, Sarutobi Hiruzen formed Hand Seals again.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!"
A massive, scorching blaze surged forward with a powerful impact, hurtling straight toward Li Yu.
Li Yu looked helpless.
"Again?"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
He raised a wall of water to block the flames, and a great wave of steam billowed up.
"I've used up quite a bit of chakra. I'll show you Wood Release."
He rapidly formed Hand Seals, interlocked his fingers, and shouted.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
This time, trees quickly sprouted from the ground and the earthen cliff Sarutobi Hiruzen had summoned. They burst through the soil and spread rapidly, sweeping across the entire barrier.
This Wood Release was several times more powerful than the ones he had used before.
Seeing what was happening, Sarutobi Hiruzen had no choice but to bite his finger.
"Summoning Technique!"
He summoned Enma, who transformed into the Adamantine Staff. Enma swung wildly, smashing apart the vines that reached toward them.
"Monkey, who is this? Why did you summon me?"
Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen summon Enma, Li Yu knew the fight was more or less over. He didn't send many vines after them, only putting on a token show.
After all, he still had to show the Third Hokage some respect. Forcing him to use his Summoning Technique was enough. Li Yu also released his Sharingan.
When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw that no more vines were reaching for him, he carried the Adamantine Staff over to Li Yu and said,
"Zi Yu, I'm very satisfied with your assessment."
"From now on, you're a Konoha jonin."
He then said solemnly, "You've inherited the First's Wood Release, and you must inherit his Will of Fire, too."
"Wherever the leaves dance, the fire will continue to burn. The Will of Fire will keep lighting the village and help new leaves sprout."
Listening to Sarutobi Hiruzen talk about the Will of Fire, Li Yu felt the brainwashing had come on a little too fast. Still, he replied earnestly,
"Since I've inherited the First's Wood Release, it carries his will. I'll use it to protect the village, and it will endure forever."
"Under your leadership, the village will surely flourish and endure forever."
Hearing Li Yu's answer, Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowed his eyes and nodded with satisfaction. Smiling, he turned and left.
Li Yu had laid it on thick with that flattery. He was set.
After seeing Li Yu's Wood Release, Danzo very much wanted to recruit him into Root, so he followed Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu took one more look at Li Yu, then left.
Li Yu walked to a deserted spot and saw Orochimaru emerge from the shadows.
"Nawaki, you've become so much stronger. As your teacher, I'm happy for you."
"Come visit me sometime when you're free. I've run into a small problem with my research."
"Oh, Teacher Orochimaru."
"I'll definitely come by when I have time and ask for your guidance."
Seeing nothing unusual about Li Yu, Orochimaru turned and left after hearing his reply. He had originally planned to take Li Yu while his chakra was depleted.
Once Orochimaru was gone, Li Yu used Flying Raijin Jutsu to return home.
The next day, he went to the Hokage Office Building, registered, and received a green jonin flak jacket.
Then he went back to his life of carrying out missions for the Anbu.