Whoosh!
Towering walls of golden sand rose around the swirling vortex, converging seamlessly to form an airtight enclosure.
From a bird's-eye view, it resembled a rectangular golden sand structure built atop the shimmering desert floor.
Inside the enclosure, sharp protrusions began to emerge from the walls. These points rapidly extended, transforming into razor-sharp golden spears.
Sōmi was prepared to unleash a volley of these spears the moment Orochimaru attempted to break free.
But events took an unexpected turn. A sudden bang echoed from within the "Golden Thorn House."
It seemed Orochimaru had managed to break free from the sealing technique. Without hesitation, Sōmi commanded the golden spears to shoot toward the center of the vortex.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The spears sank into the golden sand with dull, heavy sounds. Yet Sōmi frowned slightly—he hadn't sensed any indication that Orochimaru had been hit.
Suddenly, from the lower right side of the "Golden Thorn House," a figure burst forth. The silhouette darted swiftly through the golden sand, retreating into the distance at incredible speed.
For a moment, Sōmi was perplexed. Orochimaru wasn't the type to flee from a fight...
Judging by his speed, Orochimaru's mastery of Earth Release Chakra nature transformation was evidently advanced. Even with Sōmi's control over the golden sand, he couldn't stop him.
Still, not having to continue clashing with Orochimaru was undoubtedly a relief.
Sōmi reached into his ninja pouch and retrieved a soldier pill, tossing it into his mouth.
He bit down hard with his molars, crushing the pill into powder, and swallowed it after a few hasty chews.
A bitter, pungent taste mixed with a faint stench quickly spread through his mouth, lingering as it traveled down his throat and into his stomach.
This was a specially modified soldier pill Sōmi had requested from the medical team. While the enhanced formula promised greater efficacy, its taste was undeniably challenging.
As his stomach acid enveloped the pill's powder, Sōmi felt Chakra begin to flow through his meridians, giving him a momentary sense of relief.
In war, maintaining sufficient Chakra reserves was essential for survival.
Gripping the Starfall Rod in his right hand, Sōmi stepped onto his golden sand cloud and sped toward the Kikyō Mountain battlefield.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Etsuji Toyokawa faced off against the Konoha ninja before him, his two-tomoe Sharingan locked tightly onto their movements.
"Surrender, Sunagakure ninja!"
"With your clumsy taijutsu and ninjutsu, how could you possibly stand a chance against the Sharingan?" The Uchiha ninja stood atop the branch of a towering tree, his blood-red eyes brimming with disdain and mockery.
"If it weren't for those eyes, you'd be nothing!" Etsuji Toyokawa gasped heavily, blood streaming down his forehead and seeping into his eyes.
The blood blurred his vision, painting the world in a hazy crimson hue.
In his right hand, he held a kunai, while his left clutched at a deep abdominal wound—a gash so severe that his internal organs were faintly visible.
"If you must curse something, curse your lowly origins!" The Uchiha ninja's eyes narrowed, and the tomoe within his Sharingan spun faster. In an instant, his figure vanished.
Etsuji gritted his teeth, forcing himself upright as he tried to pinpoint his enemy's location.
The faint sound of slicing air reached his ears. Reacting instantly, Etsuji turned and deflected two shuriken with his kunai.
Twang!
The tension of steel wires suddenly reverberated through the air. Etsuji's pupils dilated in shock as an overwhelming sense of danger consumed his mind.
His body refused to obey his commands; no matter how he tried to move, his legs remained rooted in place.
Suddenly, his vision seemed to pull back dramatically.
Bang!
Before he realized it, he had been bound to a tree by the steel wires. His immobility had been caused by the wires binding his limbs tightly.
Etsuji continued to search desperately for his enemy's figure. Finally, he spotted him—standing to his right and slightly ahead.
"Attack..."
That was Etsuji's final thought. But he was unable to execute any effective moves.
Twang...
The red-eyed Uchiha sneered, his gaze filled with contempt. Without sparing Etsuji another glance, he yanked the steel wires sharply.
Snap!
The tree trunk broke and crashed to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. From the shattered green leaves, streams of blood flowed, pooling into a crimson puddle.
On this battlefield, no one paid attention to the mangled remains scattered among the wreckage. For both sides, the only focus was the living enemy ahead.
The brutal slaughter continued unabated. The strong preyed on the weak, and the Uchiha clan's ninja were undoubtedly among the stronger combatants.
Most Uchiha participating in the war had awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan. With its superior dynamic vision, abundant Chakra reserves, and the diverse ninjutsu passed down within the clan, they dominated the battlefield.
This left Sunagakure's Chūnin-level ninja unable to last more than a few exchanges against their Uchiha counterparts. Even Sunagakure Jōnin struggled to prevail.
The apparent advancement of Sunagakure's battle line was merely due to their numerical advantage.
If someone were to tally the casualties, they'd find that Sunagakure's death toll was rapidly increasing.
Konoha's ninja were battle-hardened veterans, whereas many of Sunagakure's young ninja were experiencing the bloodshed and brutality of war for the first time.
"Human Boulder Technique!"
A massive, house-sized spherical figure suddenly burst from the forest's shadows, rolling forward with unstoppable momentum toward a group of Sunagakure ninja.
The ground beneath it was shredded, scattering grass into the air and revealing the brown earth below.
"Get out of the way!"
A middle-aged Sunagakure ninja shouted urgently. A jagged scar ran along his jawline, a reminder of a near-fatal injury—had the scar been just a bit lower, he wouldn't be standing here today.
Despite the warning, a teenage Sunagakure ninja froze in place, paralyzed by fear.
His youthful face was drenched in sweat, his expression twisted in terror. Drool slipped unconsciously from the corner of his mouth, a clear sign that his mental defenses had completely crumbled.
"Jump away, now!"
The older ninja's eyes widened in desperation as he hurled several kunai toward the incoming threat.
But the young ninja remained rooted to the spot, unmoving. The enormous sphere rolled forward mercilessly, bearing down on him.
"Ahhh!"
A piercing scream tore through the air, only to be abruptly silenced the next moment.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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