In the distance, Ōnoki considered his options. "That armor's defense is extremely strong. An ordinary Rock Fist Technique can't break through it. I'll try another jutsu first and test what he's made of."
Having made up his mind, Ōnoki slowly descended to the ground and formed hand seals. "Earth Style: Hardening Form Jutsu!"
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
The ground suddenly split apart as enormous boulders gathered together, forming a gigantic rock monster!
Ōnoki stood atop the rock monster. Every step it took made the ground cave in deeply. It was nearly as large as a Susanoo; if that giant struck someone, they definitely would not get off lightly!
Ōnoki was fifty-two years old at the time, in the prime of his life—not the old man he would become later, throwing out his back at the slightest movement!
Su Zheng grinned wildly and charged at the rock monster. He intended to use this powerful assault to temper his Chakra Armor!
The rock monster's right fist carried immense force as it smashed down toward Su Zheng.
Boom!
The ground collapsed and broken stones flew everywhere. In their head-on clash, Su Zheng was sent flying back uncontrollably, but the rock monster's right fist was also shattered by his blow!
That small figure was so inconspicuous beside the rock monster, yet he could shatter such a colossal creature.
Ōnoki re-formed its right fist and charged toward Su Zheng once more.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fierce battle had reached its climax. Every collision sent Su Zheng flying back, but the rock monster was now covered in cracks. It only needed one final blow!
"Now!" Su Zheng charged at the rock monster again, his heavy fist fully drawn back, determined to smash it apart!
At that moment, an unexpected change occurred!
"Dust Release: True Several Worlds Stripping Technique!"
High in the sky, Ōnoki pressed his hands together, and a translucent barrier rapidly formed!
Whoosh! A cone-shaped barrier swiftly vanished, and everything within it was reduced to nothingness...
"Heh heh! Still too young!" Ōnoki said disdainfully from the sky.
"Ōnoki, who are you talking about?" Su Zheng stood unharmed on the ground in the distance.
"Impossible! No one has ever escaped my Dust Release!" Ōnoki stared at Su Zheng's reappearance in disbelief.
"Kid, just how did you escape?" Ōnoki asked in confusion.
"Haha! Want to know? Defeat me, and I'll tell you!" Su Zheng said teasingly.
"Fine, I'll grant you that!" Ōnoki stopped holding back. He wanted to see how Su Zheng would evade his Dust Release.
"Dust Release: Limit Stripping Technique!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
An enormous cube-shaped barrier appeared and rapidly expanded. Everything it approached dissipated into atomic form.
Ōnoki finally saw it clearly. His opponent's armor had vanished, and Su Zheng's body was visibly different from before.
White steam coiled around him, while his skin turned crimson, as if he had broken open some kind of restraint!
That was right—this was Su Zheng's Seven-Day Breathing Method!
When Ōnoki unleashed his Dust Release, Su Zheng had considered absorbing it with the Rinnegan. But he remembered that he had come here to temper himself.
So he decisively gave up on that option. In the face of death, he had finally comprehended his own taijutsu, broken through his limits, and advanced to a higher level!
Ōnoki watched Su Zheng, surrounded by white steam, actually float in the air using that steam alone. His heart was filled with shock!
"What kind of move is this guy using?" Ōnoki did not dare let down his guard, his expression tense.
"My turn!"
Su Zheng shot upward with a boom and lunged at Ōnoki.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Su Zheng's momentum steadily rose. He grew faster and faster, stronger and stronger, while the rocks covering Ōnoki's body were gradually smashed apart!
"This can't go on!" Ōnoki barely held on.
"Dust Release: Super True Several Worlds Stripping Technique!"
Boom!
An enormous spherical barrier appeared over a vast area, then vanished in an instant...
Outside the barrier, Su Zheng looked at Ōnoki hovering in midair and could not help but admire him.
"This guy actually created a hollow spherical barrier centered on himself. That was dangerous!"
If the hollow space had been too large, Su Zheng would not have been destroyed. If it had been too small, Ōnoki would have suffered as well!
Moreover, the range of this jutsu was enormous. To avoid being caught inside the barrier, Su Zheng had no choice but to dispel his own barrier and flee from it.
Ōnoki landed on the ground, sweat pouring down without end. Looking at Su Zheng in the distance, he muttered, "Are young people these days already this strong?"
He had little Chakra remaining and could not use Dust Release freely. Besides, his opponent was too fast. He had to seize the right moment and kill him with a single strike, otherwise...
Having finished considering his strategy, Ōnoki no longer hesitated and immediately attacked.
"Earth Style: Mountain Earth Technique!"
Rumble!
The earth to Su Zheng's left and right split apart, and soil and stone closed in like two small mountains...
With no other choice, Su Zheng activated his Chakra Armor to withstand the immense crushing force.
"Earth Style: Earth Rock Spikes!"
In the gap between the two small mountains, sharp rocks emerged like bamboo shoots, clashing against Su Zheng's armor.
"All right! Then let's do this!"
A massive amount of Chakra gathered in Su Zheng's hands, and azure flames flickered over his armor...
Rumble! Rumble!
Su Zheng actually infused Chakra into the two small mountains and forcibly shattered them!
Just then, "Earth Style: Earth Core Movement!"
The ground beneath Su Zheng rapidly rose. Ōnoki attacked from behind and sent Su Zheng flying with a punch!
"Dust Release: Split True Several Worlds Stripping Technique!"
Two Ōnokis, one above and one below, each unleashed Dust Release at Su Zheng. In an instant, two translucent barriers collided and vanished...
"Whew... whew..." Ōnoki panted heavily as he looked at the fragments in midair. "This should be the end, right?"
"Yo, old man!" Su Zheng's teasing voice came from behind Ōnoki.
"You could evade even that?" Ōnoki turned to look at Su Zheng.
"Of course. It's all thanks to you, old man—my technique has improved by leaps and bounds!" Su Zheng joked.
"See you later, old man!"
Whoosh! Su Zheng burrowed into the earth and disappeared.
He had never intended to kill Ōnoki. He had merely come to temper his techniques; he had no intention of breaking the balance among the Five Great Shinobi Villages just yet!
Ōnoki slumped onto the ground, unable to understand it. Were young people these days really already this strong?
By dusk, the Land of Earth had spread the news: "Hanzo's nephew, Su Zheng, fought the Third Tsuchikage and survived..."
Iwagakure's original intention was to make the other great hidden villages take notice of Amegakure, provoking them into fighting so Iwagakure could reap the benefits!
One had to admire Ōnoki's scheming. Even this could be used to plot against Amegakure.
But the outcome would likely disappoint him. After all, Su Zheng intended to challenge the strong of all Five Great Nations... By then, who would dare provoke Amegakure so easily?
Before you continue