All the Konoha ninjas present fixed their eyes on the scene before them, hoping that the Fourth Hokage and the others could kill Ye Zi and avenge their fallen comrades from this battle.
The lineup consisted of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage; Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage; Kushina, the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki; Tsunade and Jiraiya of the Sannin; and… someone from the Uchiha clan, apparently named Obito.
But why was someone like Obito involved in such a high-level battle? Was he courting death?
Many who knew Obito were shocked, particularly members of the Uchiha clan, who began to worry about him.
Against someone like Ye Zi, capable of using the First Hokage's Wood Release and destroying the entire Eastern District, Obito was far out of his league. Still, while they were concerned, the tense atmosphere kept anyone from shouting for Obito to withdraw.
Even those unfamiliar with Obito couldn't help but feel apprehensive for him. In a battle of this scale, even a minor misstep could lead to death. The fact that they themselves were relying on the strength of the Fourth Hokage and the others to stand their ground only underscored the danger.
Apart from Obito, everyone gathered in the Eastern District represented the pinnacle of combat strength in the ninja world. It was a rare sight, one that would be even more remarkable if Orochimaru had been present to complete the trio of Sannin.
"Ye Zi," Hiruzen called, gripping the Adamantine Staff in one hand. His complex gaze fixed on Ye Zi, a person whose path and achievements he understood better than anyone else.
The unspoken records of Ye Zi's contributions to Konoha were known only to a select few, and Hiruzen was among them.
Had he taken a firmer stance back then, Ye Zi might not have been forced to join Root. If Ye Zi's deeds had been celebrated more openly, perhaps he wouldn't have turned against the village.
But it was too late to dwell on such thoughts now.
"Surrender," Hiruzen said heavily, his expression growing more somber.
Ye Zi's lips curled into a cold smile, and he didn't bother responding to Hiruzen's words. His indifferent gaze swept over the faces of those standing before him.
This group represented Konoha's top combatants. However, with his limited Sage Chakra, Ye Zi knew he wouldn't be able to kill any of them.
If the situation were different, he would have tried to take at least one more life before leaving.
But now, the best he could do was to strike one final blow against Konoha. His next move wouldn't have high killing power, but its wide range would cause significant damage... Damage that would be difficult for Konoha to repair.
The angry stares from the surrounding ninjas were like piercing arrows, filled with rage and vengeance.
From the central figures before him came a cold, oppressive aura, raising the tension to its peak. When the pressure reached its zenith, Ye Zi would face an all-out assault.
Yet, under the weight of countless hostile gazes, Ye Zi remained calm, as if they weren't directed at him at all.
"I won't stop here," Ye Zi said with a cold laugh.
His hands formed seals at lightning speed, channeling Sage Chakra into the ground through his feet. The energy spread outward at an astonishing pace, extending beyond the Eastern District and reaching beneath the feet of the encircling Konoha ninjas.
Even those with sensory abilities couldn't detect the Sage Chakra beneath the ground. All they felt was a sudden shift in the atmosphere, a prelude to an imminent clash.
The six combatants on the battlefield reacted simultaneously, launching their attacks at Ye Zi.
Strength of a Hundred: Earth Split!
Tsunade roared, her fist brimming with terrifying chakra as she struck the ground. A shockwave erupted, sending massive chunks of earth hurtling toward Ye Zi.
Fire Release: Great Flame Bomb!
Jiraiya unleashed a stream of searing flames from his mouth, surging toward Ye Zi with intense heat.
Sealing Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains!
Golden chains infused with Nine-Tails Chakra rose from Kushina's back, spreading out in all directions before converging on Ye Zi.
Sage Art ~ Wind Release: Rasengan!
With his yellow horizontal pupils glowing, Minato formed a Rasengan infused with Wind Release nature transformation, spinning at an incredibly high speed. The Rasengan, resembling a giant shuriken, emitted a loud hum as he hurled it toward Ye Zi.
Adamantine Staff Strike!
Hiruzen grasped the Adamantine Staff with both hands as it grew in size and length, its extended end hurtling toward Ye Zi.
Kamui!
Obito's eyes widened as bloodshot veins spread across his Mangekyō Sharingan, causing the space around Ye Zi's feet to distort.
Faced with the torrent of overwhelming attacks, Ye Zi's body suddenly melted into a puddle of mud, splattering onto the ground. Obito's Kamui, the fastest among the attacks, only managed to draw a portion of the mud into his pocket dimension.
This was no ordinary Earth Clone Technique, it was a use of Inorganic Reincarnation.
Even underground, the shockwave from the Wind Release Rasengan and Tsunade's Earth Split could have crushed him to death. Yet, Kushina's golden chains, Jiraiya's Fire Release, and Hiruzen's Adamantine Staff all struck empty ground.
"He's gone underground. His speed… it's incredible!" Minato exclaimed, sensing Ye Zi's rapidly moving presence beneath the ground heading toward the village walls. His speed was far beyond that of a typical Earth Release user.
What unsettled Minato even more was the Sage Chakra spreading thinly but widely underground, covering a vast area.
Kushina also sensed Ye Zi's rapid underground movement.
Meanwhile, the Wind Release Rasengan exploded upon impact with the ground, unleashing a violent shockwave that swept across the battlefield. The sheer force of the explosion left the gathered Konoha ninjas visibly astonished.
Did it work?
This question surfaced in the minds of the Konoha ninjas.
Even for skilled Earth Release users, burrowing too deep into the ground was nearly impossible. Moreover, the explosion from the Wind Release Rasengan generated a powerful shockwave that should have injured Ye Zi underground.
However, Ye Zi wasn't using Earth Release…!
Both Minato and Kushina could sense Ye Zi's movements underground and were preparing to give chase when...
A sudden upheaval occurred!
The ground beneath their feet abruptly cracked, splitting into countless fissures the size of a thumb. The cracks rapidly extended beyond the Eastern District and toward the surrounding areas. In the blink of an eye, the fissures reached the edges of the Konoha encirclement.
"What's happening?"
Everyone froze, stunned by the sight of the cracks spreading.
Before they could even process what was happening...
Parts of the ground suddenly collapsed downward, while others were violently thrust upward. Many Konoha ninjas, caught off guard, fell into the gaps, plunging straight into the darkness below with terrified screams.
Below… it was hollow?
Moments later, after a brief and eerie silence, a deafening explosion roared through the air. The entire Eastern District, and an additional kilometer beyond it, crumbled into enormous chunks of earth. The ground shattered into fragments, dragging the Konoha ninjas caught in the encirclement into a massive chasm below.
What just happened?
Terror spread among the ranks, and cries of alarm were soon swallowed by the depths of the earth.
The few ninjas who managed to stay calm stabilized themselves. Some clung to falling chunks of earth with chakra, others used Wind Release to slow their descent. But with so many people caught in the chaos, countless others were crushed by the collapsing debris and fell uncontrollably.
The situation was so sudden and catastrophic that no one could spare the time to help others.
From above, the scene was horrifyingly clear...
The entire Eastern District, along with a kilometer beyond its borders, had transformed into a massive, black abyss!
No one could comprehend what technique Ye Zi had used to cause destruction on such an enormous scale.
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Currently on Chapter 487 - Nearly Unstoppable