I, The New Hokage of Konoha - Chapter 225
“Wonderful dancing, but still far from enough!”
The unique disdain for all sounds from Uchiha Itachi made the faces of the Four Shadows freeze instantly.
“How is this possible?”
Gaara turned around in disbelief, only to see a perfectly intact Uchiha Itachi appearing on the other side.
“That was…”
“The one you all defeated was a wooden clone, as well as the wooden clones once used by Senju Hashirama,” Itachi’s true form calmly stated. “I thought a single wooden clone would be enough to play with you, but now it seems I underestimated you.”
“You damn bastard! Even now, you’re so careless!”
Upon hearing this, Ei roared angrily, stomping the ground with a thunderous force, sending sparks and smoke rolling toward Itachi.
Itachi watched all of this calmly, his hands forming seals without haste.
“Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!”
A massive sea of flames, far surpassing the normal power of B-rank ninjutsu, erupted from Itachi’s mouth and surged toward Ei.
Just then, following behind, Mei Terumi accelerated and arrived in front, also forming seals:
“Water Style: Water Pillar Formation!”
A huge water sphere spewed from her mouth, heading for Itachi’s Great Fire Annihilation.
Soon, the massive sea of flames, which would normally require dozens of ninjas working together to extinguish, was dispelled by a single person under the title of the Mizukage, leaving behind a thick mist.
With his body charged with Lightning Release chakra, taking advantage of this moment, Darui rushed toward Itachi at high speed. As he arrived, he extended his right arm and unleashed a powerful shout:
“Lightning Release: Lightning Lariat!”
Boom!
A huge collision resounded on the skeletal structure summoned by Itachi just in time.
Crackle, crackle, crackle…
Under Darui’s incredibly powerful strike, the skeletal structure of Susano immediately crumbled.
At this moment, Onoki, who had already risen into the high altitude, clasped his hands together and addressed Itachi:
“Dust Release: Original World Separation Technique!”
In an instant, a transparent cubic barrier expanded between Onoki’s palms. It possessed the terrifying power to separate any object into atomic particles, flying swiftly toward Uchiha Itachi.
“Is this the Dust Release?”
Watching everything unfold, Itachi’s Sharingan eye flickered. As the Original World Separation Technique approached, he extended his hand and activated a sealing jutsu.
In the next moment, all the Dust Release jutsu used by Onoki were instantly absorbed by Itachi.
“What is this?”
This was the first time Onoki, facing the Sharingan, felt such astonishment.
He had never imagined that his cherished Dust Release could be so easily neutralized.
Clap! Clap!
At the same time, Itachi, who had stabilized himself, casually dusted off some dust from his body and kindly explained to Onoki, “The Sharingan can absorb all ninjutsu. Onoki, you should think of another way.”
“Absorb all ninjutsu?” At this moment, Mei Terumi, who had been observing, had an unpleasant look on her face.
Thinking back to their initial encounter with Itachi, she realized that it had been more of a game, just as he had said.
“So, this is the power of the Sharingan?” Even Gaara, who was not greatly affected due to his expertise in sand manipulation, frowned.
Only Ei, whose strength primarily relied on physical abilities, was affected the least. However, upon realizing that his Lightning Lariat, one of his strongest techniques, had not harmed Itachi, he grew more concerned.
The Four Shadows became notably quieter in the following moments, feeling the heavy pressure.
Seeing this, Itachi became somewhat disinterested. “It seems you can’t come up with any better ideas to please me. In that case, let’s quickly end this boring battle.”
“Wood Release: Flowering Tree World!”
With Itachi’s hands forming seals, many trees with massive flowers sprouted from the ground within a one-kilometre radius centred around him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In no time at all, thick and sturdy trees emerged from the ground, resembling snakes as they lunged at the Four Shadows from all directions.
Not expecting Uchiha Itachi to possess Wood Release, Onoki, Ei, Mei Terumi, and Gaara had no choice but to swiftly dodge.
However, soon after, the large, closed flowers rapidly bloomed, releasing a strong, sedative yellow pollen that quickly spread toward the Four Shadows.
“Be careful! Don’t inhale the pollen!”
Having experienced the era of Hashirama Senju, Onoki was well aware of the infamous Wood Release: Flowering Tree World technique. He quickly ascended into the sky while issuing a warning.
Upon hearing this, Gaara immediately used his Sand Gourd to create three sand shields. Just before the yellow pollen reached them, the sand shields finally blocked him, along with Ei, Mei Terumi, and Gaara, as they ascended into the air together.
“Phew, that was close!”
Watching the large forest below covered in yellow pollen, Gaara breathed a sigh of relief.
But before he could rest, a threat from the sky had already arrived.
“You should all stay down!”
Appearing suddenly in the sky and summoning the skeletal structure of Susano again, Itachi’s heart moved as he was about to use the palm of the giant blue hand to swat the Four Shadows like mosquitoes.
However, realizing that he couldn’t afford to be hit by this attack, Onoki erupted again.
“Dust Release: Limitless Removal Technique!”
As the square white barrier that had expanded between Onoki’s palms arrived in front of Susano’o, it suddenly enlarged a thousandfold.
Everything within the Limitless Removal Technique, including the skeletal structure of Susano, was instantly separated into atomic particles.
The only survivor was Itachi, who had used Susano.
Because he had used Susano, he managed to retreat from the range of the Limitless Removal Technique just in time.
“So, you’ve noticed?” Smiling slightly, the triumphant Gaara explained, “I didn’t just stand by and do nothing before. When the Lightning Release: Lightning Lariat formed, I also discreetly mixed a large amount of Gold Dust into it.”
Indeed, Itachi’s sealing jutsu could absorb all ninjutsu. However, the Gold Dust encasing the Lightning Release: Lightning Lariat was a physical substance. As Itachi absorbed the Lightning Release: Lightning Lariat, the Gold Dust that couldn’t be absorbed quickly gathered, thanks to the additional Gold Dust carried by the Lightning Release: Lightning Lariat, and spread all over his body.
“Furthermore, it’s not just Gold Dust!”
At this point, Gaara stretched out his hand towards Itachi.
Suddenly, tadpole-like sealing formulas emerged on the numerous layers of Gold Dust covering Itachi’s body.
The Gold Dust Layer Burial Seal!
As a sealing jutsu that Gaara had used multiple times to
Subdue the rampaging One-Tail, he had also discreetly incorporated countless sealing formulas into the Gold Dust. Now, all the Gold Dust on Itachi was carrying those sealing formulas.
“Sharingan can absorb ninjutsu, but can it absorb sealing jutsu?” Grinning, Gaara said confidently.
Continuing to maintain the Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique, Mei Terumi, her red lips curved slightly, added, “If you don’t like Gold Dust, then don’t absorb ninjutsu.”
Ay said, “But if you choose not to absorb, you’ll be paralyzed by the Water Dragon Bullet’s effects, unable to move.”
“Then I’ll take the opportunity to use Dust Release again,” Onoki declared, “In that case, Itachi will have no way out!”
To the Four Shadows, there were only two possible outcomes for Itachi now:
1. Continue using the sealing jutsu to absorb the Lightning Dragon Bullet but ultimately get sealed by the Gold Dust.
2. Stop absorbing the Lightning Dragon Bullet to avoid the Gold Dust, but still be paralyzed by its effects. At this moment, Onoki could once again use Dust Release to finish him off.
In their eyes, these were Itachi’s only two options.
“See this? This is the power of the Four Shadows!” Finally, forming Dust Release between his hands, Onoki shouted at Itachi.
Hearing this, Itachi, still in the process of absorbing the Lightning Dragon Bullet, remained calm and raised the corner of his mouth slightly:
“So that’s how it is.”
“You four certainly live up to your titles as the Shadows of the Five Great Nations. But…”
“The so-called Shadows are only the limit that ordinary people can reach. For someone who has long surpassed this level like me, everything now is just a warm-up.”
“Now that you’ve entertained me a bit, as a reward…”
“In return…”
At this moment, only Itachi’s right eye, the one not covered by Gold Dust, looked at the Four Shadows as he announced his final decision:
“Let me show you what true power is!”
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