Self-Destruction

Uzumaki Hane looked at his opponent in surprise. "Wind Release?" But the man was one of Danzo's subordinates, so it was no surprise that he knew Wind Release.

After destroying the wall of lava, Fuka formed Hand Seals again and shouted, "Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!" He opened his mouth, inhaled, and spat out several high-pressure spheres of wind.

Seeing this, Uzumaki Hane shouted, "Dog Biting Crimson Lotus!" His right hand turned into a dog-shaped mass of lava that charged at the high-pressure wind spheres.

Bang! The lava dog destroyed the wind spheres and continued toward Fuka without losing momentum.

But while the lava dog was destroying the wind spheres, Fuka had already leaped into the air, easily dodging it.

While airborne, Fuka rapidly formed Hand Seals and shouted, "Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!" He spat out dozens of spinning wind blades in rapid succession.

Uzumaki Hane shouted, "Lava Super Heavy Fist!" He crossed his lava-transformed arms in front of his chest and leaped toward Fuka, braving the wind blades. When he reached Fuka, Uzumaki Hane slammed a fist into him, sending him flying. Fuka crashed heavily to the ground, landing right beside Tanaka.

Uzumaki Hane landed and charged straight at him again, shouting, "Hell Hound!" His right hand turned to lava as he reached for Fuka.

Fuka immediately scrambled to his feet and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. A sinister smile appeared on his lips as he planted a foot on Tanaka and shouted, "Don't you care about your companion's life?"

Seeing Hyuga Tanaka in danger, Uzumaki Hane stopped his arm in front of Fuka. With a sinister grin, Fuka kicked Uzumaki Hane in the stomach. Uzumaki Hane did not resist and was sent flying ten meters, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Fuka pressed down hard on Tanaka, who groaned in pain. Tanaka raised his head with difficulty and said, "Hane, don't worry about me."

Fuka ground Hyuga Tanaka's head into the ground and laughed cruelly. "Don't move, or I'll kill him. Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere!" He opened his mouth, inhaled, and spat out dozens of high-pressure wind spheres.

Uzumaki Hane shouted, "Tanaka!" He did not resist as the wind spheres struck his chest one after another. Uzumaki Hane staggered backward, blood spraying from his mouth. After retreating more than ten meters, he fell to one knee.

Fuka laughed even more wildly and shouted, "Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!" Dozens of wind blades slashed into Uzumaki Hane, leaving countless wounds across his body as blood spattered.

Just then, a figure rushed out from behind Fuka and shoved him into a stumble. It was Morino, who had come back. Hyuga Tanaka seized the chance to push Fuka's foot away. Uzumaki Hane hurriedly shouted, "Magma Spear!" A lava javelin appeared in his right hand, and he hurled it with force before charging at Fuka himself. Like a streak of red lightning, the javelin reached Fuka in an instant.

Fuka snorted coldly and said, "Wind Release: Shuriken!" Holding a Shuriken coated in Chakra in his right hand, he thrust it straight at the lava javelin.

The javelin split in two and flew past either side of him, but the magma that splashed off it fell onto his body, making him falter.

Uzumaki Hane seized the chance and shouted, "Hell Hound!" His right hand rapidly turned to lava as he grabbed for Fuka.

With nowhere to dodge, Fuka shouted, "Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!" He spat several high-pressure wind spheres at Uzumaki Hane, while his figure flickered as he moved away.

Bang! The high-pressure wind spheres were easily destroyed, and Uzumaki Hane moved to shield Hyuga Tanaka, Yamano Koromo, and Morino Idate behind him.

Fuka was somewhat annoyed. He had not expected Uzumaki Hane to be so troublesome, or that he would prove no match for him.

Seeing the injuries Hyuga Tanaka and Yamano Koromo had sustained, Uzumaki Hane burned with rage, and his eyes were filled with killing intent as he looked at Fuka. It was the first time Uzumaki Hane had felt such powerful killing intent since transmigrating to this world.

Although Fuka sensed that Uzumaki Hane was dangerous, he would not back down. Gripping a Kunai in both hands, he charged again.

Uzumaki said, "Magma Mode!" Uzumaki Hane's entire body began turning to magma until he became a magma man. Uzumaki Hane had been inspired to do this after seeing his father, Uzumaki Shingan.

Uzumaki Hane charged at Fuka and threw a punch. Fuka drove his Kunai into Uzumaki Hane's fist, but the Kunai slowly melted. Uzumaki Hane followed up with another punch to Fuka's chest, sending him flying backward. Fuka forcibly stopped himself midway and looked down at his chest, which had already been scorched.

Uzumaki Hane charged again and threw a punch. This time, Fuka did not dare take it head-on and dodged. Uzumaki Hane followed through, swinging his fist at Fuka again. Fuka could only cross his arms to block the punch, using its force to retreat ten meters. Fuka frowned as he looked at his arms, which had already been burned.

Uzumaki Hane shouted again, "Magma Senbon!" He spun in place, firing countless flying lava needles. Densely packed, they engulfed Fuka.

When the flying lava needles passed, Fuka stood there with scorch marks all over his body. He looked at Uzumaki Hane and said, "Lord Danzo was right after all. You're a tremendous threat."

Uzumaki Hane said nothing, and his body returned to normal. Magma Mode consumed far more Chakra than he had imagined, and he could no longer sustain it.

Fuka continued, "I specialize in Wind Release and Fire Style. I always wanted to fuse wind- and fire-natured Chakra, and it took me a full twenty years to develop this incomplete Ninjutsu. It's an honor for you to die under this Ninjutsu. Let's die together. Scorch Release: Fire in the Wind Technique!" With a resolve to die in his eyes, Fuka charged over and wrapped Uzumaki Hane in a tight embrace. Feeling the Ninjutsu taking shape, Fuka smiled.

Uzumaki Hane sensed mortal danger and forcibly gathered his Chakra, shouting, "Magma Mode!" His body rapidly became that of a magma man. Bang! Fuka's entire body exploded like a missile, sending a terrifying blast of air surging outward.

Hyuga Tanaka shouted, "Hane..." But a fierce wind came rushing at him, stinging his face, and he hurriedly shielded the unconscious Yamano Koromo behind him.

Once the blast passed, Hyuga Tanaka and Morino Idate rushed to the edge of a large crater. Uzumaki Hane lay at the bottom, and it was unknown whether he was alive or dead.

Hyuga Tanaka hurried down and discovered that Uzumaki Hane was merely unconscious. He brought him back up.

At that moment, Jirocho also arrived with his men. Morino Idate had just explained everything to Jirocho before hurrying over, with Jirocho following behind him. Jirocho then helped bring them back to his residence to wait for someone from Konoha to arrive.

When Uzumaki Hane woke up, he found himself lying in a hospital bed.

Uzumaki Hane raised his right hand and slowly turned it to lava. His magma had already begun turning orange. Uzumaki Hane got out of bed and felt that his body had grown considerably stronger.

Uzumaki Hane gave a wry smile. "Does this count as a blessing in disguise?" He recalled the sorry state he had been in, especially when Fuka used a move intended to take them both down. He had felt death closing in on him then. Fortunately, the magma had absorbed the Fire Style, allowing him to narrowly escape disaster.

Uzumaki Hane walked to the window and looked out at the peaceful, prosperous Konoha. Thinking of the turmoil that would come to the ninja world, Uzumaki Hane thought, I need to get stronger. I need to become even stronger. Uzumaki Hane's eyes were full of determination.