The savage Wood Dragon roared as it came crashing down with overwhelming force. That destructive power was enough to grind the entire roof, along with everything beneath it, into dust.
Just as the Wood Dragon's shadow completely swallowed the Karsten Squad's formation, Naruto canceled the Summoning Jutsu.
"Bang!"
With a soft pop, the five soldiers dissolved into white smoke and vanished from where they stood.
Rumble—!
The violent force of Wood Release slammed into the empty rooftop. Tiles and bricks were instantly pulverized, the tremendous impact punching straight through as the entire building groaned beneath the strain and kicked up clouds of dust.
The attack had missed.
"Hmm?" Hashirama Senju's puppet body paused slightly, seemingly confused.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was even more stunned. He could not understand why Naruto would willingly cancel the summoning and abandon his only fighting force at such a critical moment.
"Hehehe..." Orochimaru's hoarse laughter rang out through the dust, filled with undisguised mockery. "What is it, Naruto-kun? Did you grow attached to those amusing toys of yours and couldn't bear to let them be damaged here?"
Naruto ignored him. The provocation at his ears was nothing more than irrelevant background noise.
There was no point in trading words. He needed to focus on something else.
He raised his left hand and bit into it, tearing open a wound as crimson blood welled out.
But he did not use that blood to form the seals for any Summoning Jutsu.
He extended his right hand, palm open, and let the drop of blood fall from his fingertip, hovering above his palm.
Then Naruto began to chant.
It was not any known language of this world, much less the incantation of any ninjutsu. The ancient, solemn syllables carried an air of sanctity and iron-blooded warfare. Every word possessed a