Chakra's Return-to-Origin Nature

The sudden turn of events plunged the entire battlefield into dead silence, countless stunned gazes fixed on Sora.

Behind the massive boulders along the distant cliffside, the Konoha group stood frozen, their faces filled with disbelief.

Just moments ago, they had all thought Yotsuki Sora was certain to die.

No matter how monstrous Yotsuki Sora's body was, there was no way he could have withstood that level of ninjutsu bombardment. After all, that overwhelming assault had contained a Kekkei Tōta strike capable of disintegrating anything!

Yet Yotsuki Sora had not only blocked it, but launched a counterattack of that magnitude.

"This guy..."

No wonder he had dared to appear here alone.

No wonder he had dared to openly take away the Third Raikage, even with thousands of Hidden Stone ninja and even the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki present, then remain behind by himself.

"Hidden Cloud has produced a monster."

Jiraiya spoke slowly, his expression grave.

The Shinobi World was vast. It was not strange for one or two peerless geniuses to emerge.

But when such a peerless genius, such a terrifying monster, appeared within an enemy force, it became truly frightening.

But how had he done it?

Putting the other ninjutsu aside, Dust Release was a Kekkei Tōta. Its offensive power stood at the very pinnacle of the current Shinobi World. Even with the help of the two sages to enter that mode, Jiraiya could only evade and flee from it.

Even tailed beasts, those monsters, did not dare clash head-on with Dust Release.

That tyrannical power, capable of breaking all matter down into atoms, had essentially established Dust Release's absolute dominance!

Yet Yotsuki Sora had taken a Dust Release blast head-on and emerged completely unscathed...

"It's chakra!"

As Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze puzzled over it, Hizashi Hyuga, his White Eye activated, spoke with a face full of shock. "Lord Jiraiya, that guy's chakra... changes!"

"Changes?"

Jiraiya and Minato Namikaze both frowned.

What did that mean?

"The instant those Hidden Stone attacks landed, the chakra inside Yotsuki Sora's body fluctuated with unimaginable intensity."

Hizashi Hyuga swallowed, recalling what he had seen in that instant.

"It lasted only a moment, but in that moment, his chakra underwent an absurd increase in both intensity and every other aspect."

"I've never seen chakra like that... Even the chakra of tailed beasts isn't as terrifying as the chakra that erupted inside Yotsuki Sora in that instant!"

Blazing!

Scalding!

Violent!

It was like an irresistible tyrannical will, even more absolute than the shackles and prison of the Caged Bird!

That fleeting chakra had given Hizashi a suffocating feeling unlike anything he had ever experienced. It was precisely because of that chakra that Yotsuki Sora had been able to withstand so much ninjutsu bombardment and even clash head-on with Dust Release.

"Chakra whose intensity surpasses even Kekkei Tōta?!"

Upon hearing Hizashi's words, the gravity in Jiraiya's eyes deepened.

As everyone knew, chakra, as a form of energy, possessed nearly limitless malleability. Ninjutsu, bloodlines... it could even be considered the foundation of all power in the current Shinobi World.

But this energy possessed a fundamental trait.

Return-to-origin nature!

That was, among chakra of the same category, the dominant type of chakra could easily overwhelm branch chakra, forcibly seize it, and assimilate it. (Book of Sha)

For example, if a Jonin and a Genin simultaneously used Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique against each other, the Jonin's Great Fireball would undoubtedly win.

Because the Jonin's chakra was more abundant and more condensed.

But beyond simply winning, the Jonin's Great Fireball would actually grow stronger rather than weaker after the collision!

The reason for that...

Lay in chakra's return-to-origin nature!

Kekkei Tōta stood above ordinary Kekkei Genkai. It was a "high-level chakra form" that required three chakra natures to converge.

Therefore, Ōnoki possessed an innate advantage when facing ordinary ninja.

Combined with his immense Kage Level chakra, that was what had forged the unparalleled reputation of Ōnoki's Dust Release.

And now, Hizashi was saying that the chakra of Ōnoki's Dust Release had actually been suppressed by Sora's chakra, even erased!

Could it be that this guy had also mastered Kekkei Tōta, or perhaps a power even greater than Kekkei Tōta?!

The Konoha ninja were filled with uncertainty.

The Hidden Stone ninja below looked even more terrified and no longer dared step forward.

"M-Monster!"

"This guy isn't human at all!"

Fresh blood seeped from the cracks beneath Sora's feet. Coupled with the crimson lightning and the horns on his forehead, he looked like a demonic ghost from hell, a fiendish god of purgatory.

Fear overwhelmed their will to fight. As Sora stepped forward, the Hidden Stone ninja around him all retreated.

"Yotsuki! Sora!"

Ōnoki steadied himself in midair. Looking at his subordinates being slaughtered below as if they were grass, his small body trembled without stop.

Surges of extreme fury rose continuously within him, but the agonizing pain from his arms forcibly kept him rational.

He could not fight him head-on.

Hidden Cloud ninja possessed an innate advantage over Hidden Stone ninja, a result of their chakra natures and unique combat techniques.

This was especially apparent in mid- to high-level battles.

If an ordinary Kage Level fighter had been surrounded like this, even with the Third Tsuchikage personally overseeing the battle, he would have died countless times over.

Yet the Third Raikage had forcibly endured for days with his almost abnormal combat power, inflicting enormous losses upon the Hidden Stone.

"This guy possesses a body and combat ability no weaker than A's. He even has some special power capable of withstanding my Dust Release head-on."

"Is it a bloodline?"

Ōnoki's gaze fell upon the pair of horns on Sora's forehead.

This clansman of Kinkaku and Ginkaku, this person who had inherited the Sage of Six Paths' bloodline, had likely awakened something extraordinary.

That made sense.

If he had not truly awakened some extraordinary power, Hidden Cloud would have had no reason to hide such a rising star for so many years.

If someone like this were allowed to return to Hidden Cloud, he would undoubtedly become a fatal threat to Hidden Stone, perhaps even more terrifying than the Third Raikage, who was hailed as the strongest Raikage!

But my body...

Ōnoki's expression darkened.

Dust Release consumed an enormous amount of chakra. He had first fought the Third Raikage, and now he was fighting Yotsuki Sora. Every Dust Release attack had been unleashed at full power, leaving his chakra severely depleted.

Moreover, Yotsuki Sora's previous strike had been terrifying. Though he had barely blocked it, both of his arms were seriously injured.

In that case...

"Earth Release ninja, restrict his movement! Wind Release and Fire Release ninja, take the offensive and break his Lightning Release chakra!"

Ōnoki issued the command sharply. At the same time, his cheeks bulged as he spat out several rock figures.

Rock Clone Technique!

The rock figures took shape, transforming into Ōnoki's likeness and scattering in all directions, while Ōnoki's true body swiftly flew toward a Hidden Stone Jonin.

"Sorry for the trouble. Treat me as quickly as you can."

"Yes, Lord Third!"