The Hand of God Creates the Strongest Hidden Mist Village

Chapter 176 Uchiha Makoto/Madara Limited Edition

Since the battle between Kazama and Tani, Makoto Karatachi's threat to the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki has been the most feared aspect of Konoha's leadership.

The ability of the Mangekyou Sharingan to control tailed beasts has been proven once again, and no one wants to see the events of the Valley of the End and Kazama Kazuya repeat themselves.

Since Makoto Karatachi has arrived at the front lines, Kushina will naturally be sent back to the rear.

But honestly, running into Kushina this time was truly an accident!

For the next two days, Makoto Karatachi enjoyed a very comfortable stay at the Konoha camp.

During the day, he would wander around, chatting with this person and talking to that person, occasionally giving pointers on the ninjutsu stances of the female ninjas of Konoha.

At night, he would drink and eat meat with Man Yue, living a more comfortable life than in Wuyin.

The people of Konoha are also subtly changing their attitude towards him.

From initial wariness and hostility, to later curiosity and observation, and now to taking it for granted.

Even some young Konoha ninjas started to greet him and ask him questions about ninjutsu. After all, Makoto Karatachi's strength on the battlefield in Kirigakure was undeniable, and being able to communicate with such a powerful figure was a rare opportunity for any ninja.

-

Of course, some people have always remained wary of him.

For example—

Minato Namikaze!

They occasionally bumped into each other at the camp, but they would only nod from afar and then leave in a hurry, as if they would be tempted to attack if they stayed for even a second longer.

Kushina, on the other hand, gradually calmed down after her initial fear and resistance.

Once, Makoto Karatachi was at the edge of the camp, chatting with two female Konoha ninjas with Mangetsu. He was bragging and saying he wanted to find Mangetsu a wife when she happened to pass by.

The two exchanged a glance. Makoto Karuta grinned, while Kushina's face paled slightly, but she didn't turn and run away. Instead, she bit her lip and stood still.

"Why did you say such a thing?"

Gouju Cheng was stunned for a moment, then realized that she meant "You are very moisturized".

"I'm just telling the truth."

Makoto Karatachi looked at Kushina with a smile: "You are absolutely the best and most perfect partner I have ever met in all these years. Riding you will not only double my destructive power, but I will also have no shortage of chakra. I can do whatever I want."

"Do you think it's moisturizing or not?"

Kushina turned and walked away in anger, while Makoto Kōtachibana laughed loudly behind her.

The two days were as calm as still water.

The atmosphere in the Konoha camp grew increasingly tense, like a bowstring being slowly drawn taut, ready to snap at any moment.

Gouju Cheng remained carefree, living a relaxed and easy life, as if he were a fish in water. You would think he was still in the Misty Concealment.

But everyone knows that this calm is just the calm before the storm.

On the morning of the third day, the sirens pierced the darkness before dawn.

"The Iwagakure army has moved! They're pressing forward at full speed!"

The messenger ninja's voice echoed through the camp, carrying an barely suppressed tension.

Gouju Cheng crawled out of the tent, yawned, and squinted at the distance.

A few remaining stars still lingered in the sky, but on the horizon, countless dark shadows could already be seen moving, slowly surging in like a tide. The air was thick with killing intent and chakra fluctuations, and even the wind had become heavy.

"It's finally here."

He stretched and loosened his muscles before slowly walking towards the front line.

The atmosphere inside the Konoha headquarters command post was extremely tense.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, clad in full military attire, stood before the sand table, his brow furrowed. Danzo, Orochimaru, Shikaku Nara, Minato Namikaze, and a host of Konoha elites were gathered there, each with a grim expression.

"How do the troop strengths compare?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked in a calm voice.

Nara Shikaku pointed at the sand table and spoke very quickly: "Iwagakure has almost mobilized all its forces this time, with at least 10,000 troops at the front line, advancing in three routes. Onoki is personally in charge of the central route, while the left and right flanks are commanded by Yotsuchi and Akatsuchi respectively. The two Jinchūriki, Rōshi and Han, have also appeared in the formation, occupying the left and right flanks respectively."

Upon hearing this, many people frowned.

The Jinchūriki have separated!

Ever since Danzo arrived at the front lines with the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, the Four-Tails and Five-Tails Jinchuriki have never been separated. They have always been together in every battle, all in an effort to completely crush Kushina.

This time, however, the two Jinchūriki were separated.

And it just so happened that it coincided with Kushina's return to the village —

"It seems that Onoki has been keeping an eye on our intelligence all along."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a puff of his pipe: "What about us here?"

"Our troop strength—"

Nara Shikaku paused, then lowered his voice even further: "Less than four thousand can be directly deployed to battle."

The command post was deathly silent.

Four thousand to ten thousand, nearly three times the difference.

That's not the worst part.

Iwagakure had the advantage of terrain, and although their supply lines were long, they were still relatively stable. On the other hand, Konoha was short of troops, had tight supplies, low morale, and their large summoning beasts were severely damaged. The advantages and disadvantages of both sides were obvious at a glance.

The only variable —

Everyone's eyes instinctively turned towards the doorway.

Gouju Cheng was leaning against the door frame, holding a rice ball in his hand, munching on it bite by bite, looking like a passerby who had come to watch the excitement.

Why are you looking at me?

He mumbled, "You guys do your thing, I'll eat mine. I'll start working once the money's in my account. I'll be honest and fair to everyone, young and old."

"Danzo!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly opened his mouth.

Danzo, who was standing to the side, snorted coldly, took out a sealing scroll from his pocket, and threw it to Makoto Karatachi.

"Five hundred million taels, you want full payment in advance."

Gouju Cheng caught the scroll and immediately broke the seal.

As white smoke appeared, in an instant, box after box of gold was neatly stacked, almost filling the entire command room, gleaming alluringly in the light!

The gleaming gold bars were so dazzling that even the high-ranking officials present were momentarily blinded by them.

Five hundred million taels!

That's five hundred million taels! Even if all the wealth and resources of some of their ninja clans were put together, it might not amount to five hundred million taels!

Even Orochimaru and his ilk couldn't help but have a flicker of emotion in their eyes.

And at this moment, the money was thus pocketed by Gouju Cheng. This—

After a rough count, Makoto Karatachi didn't show off, put it back into the scroll, and gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a satisfied smile.

"The Hokage is straightforward. So I am too. I accept this battle."

"How do you intend to make your move?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

Gouju Cheng grinned, stuffed the rice ball into his mouth in a few bites, and patted the rice grains off his hands.

"The Hokage is so generous. Then let's do as we agreed before. I'll adapt to the situation. You keep Onoki occupied for now, and once he's almost done fighting, you can hand him over to me. The rest you can handle yourselves."

"Are you confident you can handle Onoki's Dust Release?"

Hiashi Hyuga couldn't help but speak up.

Gouju Cheng glanced at him.

What do you think?

Japan was speechless.

The oppressive aura emanating from those two Rinnegans caused even the Kage-level powerhouses present to feel a chill run down their spines.

"Then I'll leave it to you, sir."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up, his voice suddenly rising: "Order the entire army to deploy according to the pre-arranged plan. Minato and Orochimaru, you are in charge of the left flank, to contain the forces of the Yellow Earth. Danzo, you are in charge of the right flank, to deal with the Red Earth. Shikaku, you will remain at the main camp to command the overall situation."

"yes!"

Everyone responded in unison and turned to rush out of the command post.

Makoto Kari followed at a leisurely pace, and suddenly stopped when he passed by Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Lord Hokage, there's something I've always wanted to ask you."

"Please speak, sir."

"Your Konoha is probably going to be short of money soon, right?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was taken aback.

Gouju Cheng chuckled: "If you really can't afford the 2 billion, you can use people to pay off the debt. You know the situation in Wuyin. We're short of people right now. Send some people over, and I'll give you 10,000 taels for each one, how about that?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "————"

"Just kidding, just kidding."

Gouju waved his hand, and with a flicker, he disappeared from the spot.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood there, looking in the direction where Makoto Karatachi had disappeared, unsure of what to say.

Konoha is short of money, but Konoha is also short of people!

This war has depleted Konoha's resources to the point that even the once-great Konoha is now running out of ammunition and supplies.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi was actually somewhat tempted by Makoto Karatachi's suggestion.

Ten thousand taels per head, if we include the heads of commoners, seems like a reasonable amount.

After all, Konoha lost ninjas, not civilians. If they were to compensate with the heads of civilians—

Forget it, now is not the time to think about these things.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath, gripped the Sarutobi Vajra Staff, and strode toward the battlefield.

On the battlefield, the winds of change are ever-changing.

Tens of thousands of Iwagakure ninjas swarmed across the border of the Land of Grass like locusts, their earth-style ninjutsu stirring up dust that blotted out the sun and swallowed up even the first light of dawn.

Konoha has fewer than four thousand men, and relying on the fortifications they reinforced overnight, they have formed a layered defensive formation.

In the center of the battlefield, the vanguard forces of both sides have already clashed.

-

Ninjutsu, ninja tools, and taijutsu are intertwined into a chaotic ocean.

Fire Release and Earth Release clashed, Water Release and Lightning Release intertwined, explosions, shouts of battle, and screams rose and fell, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder, blood, and the aftershocks of chakra.

Despite being outnumbered, Konoha managed to hold their line thanks to fortifications and pre-arranged traps. Orochimaru commanded from the left flank, summoning a giant snake whose massive body swept across the area, temporarily halting Akatsuchi's advance. On the right flank, Danzo led his elite troops, constantly pulling Akatsuchi's forces back, preventing them from making any rash advances.

In the middle lane, Hiruzen Sarutobi personally took charge!

In the center of the battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Onoki, the two scales, faced each other from afar.

"Are you still going to continue, Hiruzen Sarutobi? Your Konoha can't possibly win!" Onoki hovered in mid-air, his short body looking down at Hiruzen Sarutobi on the ground. "Why let these young people die in vain?"

"Ohnoki."

Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped his Vajra Staff, his gaze icy: "Iwagakure crosses borders to wage war, invading another country, and you still have the nerve to say such things?"

"aggression?"

Onoki sneered, "In the Ninja World War, what's the point of invasion? Your stubborn resistance is only depleting Konoha's resources!"

"If we don't see eye to eye, there's no point in saying more," Hiruzen Sarutobi thought, too lazy to say anything more, and suddenly sprang into action!

"Sword Shadow Clone Technique!"

The shuriken rained down like a storm, each one splitting and splitting again in mid-air, transforming into an overwhelming metallic storm that covered all of Onoki's space to dodge.

Onoki snorted coldly and suddenly rose up.

Earth Release: Super Light Heavy Rock Technique!

Using this ninjutsu, Onoki's body flew and floated upwards, easily dodging Hiruzen Sarutobi's ninja tool attacks.

Then the guy clasped his hands together, and a blinding white light suddenly shone from his palms!

"Dust Release: Particle Style - Detachment Technique!"

The white light transformed into a semi-transparent cube, expanding at an astonishing speed towards Hiruzen Sarutobi. Wherever it passed, air, dust, and even the light itself were utterly decomposed and reduced to nothingness.

This is the Bloodline Elimination Technique, which transcends Bloodline Limits and is the ultimate ninjutsu capable of breaking down all matter into atomic states!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted slightly as he retreated rapidly, his hands forming hand seals at such a speed that his afterimages were almost invisible.

"Earth Release·Earth Style Wall!"

Several thick earthen walls rose from the ground, blocking the path of Dust Release. But those earthen walls, which were strong enough to withstand A-rank ninjutsu, were as fragile as paper in front of Dust Release, instantly disintegrating into the most basic particles and disappearing without a trace.

However, all Hiruzen Sarutobi wanted was this momentary delay.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Pillar!"

A bolt of lightning, condensed to its extreme, shot out from his palm, but instead of attacking Onoki, it struck the ground, exploding instantly and kicking up dust and rubble that obscured the view.

Onoki hovered high in the sky, his brows slightly furrowed.

While Dust Release is incredibly powerful, it consumes a huge amount of energy and requires precise target locking. Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly understood this, using terrain and illusions to constantly disrupt his aim.

"Old fox—"

Onoki snorted coldly, his figure moving rapidly in the air while his hands waved repeatedly.

"Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

A giant fist formed from solidified rock descended from the sky, slamming into the dusty area, causing the earth to tremble and the ground to crack.

Then several more rock fists fell in succession, like a meteor shower.

The dust was shaken off, revealing Hiruzen Sarutobi's figure.

His chakra surged, and his Vajra Staff had grown to several meters long, wielding like the wind, shattering each falling rock fist. Shards flew everywhere, leaving deep craters in the ground.

"Earth Release: Weighted Rock Technique!"

Seizing the opportunity, Onoki pressed down with one hand. Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his body suddenly become several times heavier, and deep footprints were left on the ground beneath his feet, causing his movements to slow down instantly.

Meanwhile, the white light of Dust Release had already appeared on Onoki's other hand!

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi endured the immense pressure, spewing forth a torrent of flames that transformed into a roaring fire dragon that hurtled straight at Onoki in the air.

Onoki had no choice but to interrupt his Dust Release and dodge to the side. The fire dragon grazed past his clothes, the intense heat causing his beard and hair to curl slightly.

"As expected of the Ninjutsu Professor—" Onoki muttered to himself, his eyes growing even more serious.

The two men stood dozens of meters apart, one tall and one short, facing each other from a distance.

The ground was a battlefield where ninjas from both sides clashed, with explosions, shouts, and the clanging of metal creating a cacophony of sounds. But in the center of this area, there seemed to be an invisible aura that kept ordinary ninjas at bay.

This is the battlefield of the Shadows!

Neither of them were in their prime, but every clash they had was still earth-shattering. The collision of the Vajra Staff and the Dust Release caused the ground within a radius of hundreds of meters to crack and collapse, making it impossible for ordinary ninjas to approach.

"Hiruzen, how much longer can you keep going?"

Onoki hovered in the air, slightly out of breath, but his tone remained firm.

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned on his Vajra Staff, fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead, but his voice remained as steady as ever: "I'll hold out until I beat you back."

"Hmph, what arrogance!"

Onoki formed hand seals again, and the white light of Dust Release gathered in his palms.

But this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not give him a chance to unleash his power.

"Five Elements: Great Combo Bullet Technique!"

The chakra of five different attributes erupted simultaneously: fireball, water dragon, earth spear, wind blade, and lightning pillar. The five different ninjutsu intertwined to form a devastating net that swept over Onoki.

This is an ultra-advanced combination ninjutsu that can only be used by ninjas who are proficient in all five chakra nature transformations. Its power even surpasses that of a single-attribute S-rank ninjutsu.

Onoki's pupils contracted sharply. He didn't have time to release Dust Release and his figure rose rapidly upwards.

However, the Five Elements Great Barrage had such a wide coverage area that even with his extremely fast reaction, the hem of his clothes was still licked by the flames and instantly caught fire. He had to divert his chakra to extinguish the flames and retreat dozens of meters in a disheveled state.

This level of combat consumes an astonishing amount of chakra and stamina.

But no one dared to relax.

This battle is not just about the outcome between two individuals, but also about the fate of two ninja villages.

Meanwhile, the battle below was escalating.

The Konoha ninja and the Iwa ninja have gone all out, neither side willing to give an inch, and they are fighting to the death on the battlefield.

The Earth Release ninjas from Iwagakure formed a square formation and advanced layer by layer, each landing causing the earth to tremble.

The Konoha ninjas relied on fortifications to put up a fierce resistance, using Fire Release, Wind Release, and Lightning Release to create a dense network of firepower, knocking down swarms of Iwa ninjas at the forefront.

But Iwagakure's numerical advantage is too great.

One falls, two more come to the rescue.

After breaking through one line of defense, there were three more to come. Although Konoha's lines were temporarily stable, ninjas were falling every second, their blood staining the ground beneath their feet.

Orochimaru was covered in blood, and the giant snake he summoned was so suppressed by Huang Tu's earth-style technique that it could not raise its head. The left flank defense was being torn apart bit by bit.

Fortunately, golden flashes continued to flicker on the battlefield, and Minato Namikaze's figure appeared like a ghost at the gap in the left flank.

The kunai sliced ​​through the air, and three Iwa ninjas collapsed, blood gushing from their throats.

He moved without stopping, teleporting continuously, each appearance taking away a life.

But loess is not something an ordinary person can handle.

The Iwagakure Jonin pressed his hands to the ground, causing the entire land to surge like ocean waves, forcing Minato Namikaze to dodge repeatedly.

The battle between the two turned the left flank into a death zone, where ordinary ninjas dared not approach.

The situation on the right wing is equally worrying.

Danzo, leading the elite of Root, used various insidious forbidden techniques to barely hold back Akatsuchi's advance.

However, Akatsuchi was also a veteran Jonin of Iwagakure, his Earth Release ninjutsu as solid as a mountain, making each step forward as steady as a rock. In addition, the war had reached this point, and both sides were already fighting with their lives on the line. How could they be forced to retreat by a ruthless attack?

Danzo's several attempts to launch a surprise attack were thwarted, and the two sides became locked in a war of attrition.

The most devastating situation was in the middle lane.

The battle between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Onoki has reached a fever pitch.

Both of them were rapidly depleting their chakra, but neither dared to stop. Hiruzen Sarutobi unleashed a barrage of ninjutsu, while Onoki's Dust Release remained undiminished in power; each collision distorted and deformed the surrounding air.

But in the end, Dust Release prevailed.

Being able to fly, coupled with the unparalleled power of Dust Release, gave Onoki the advantage in this battle once again!

But at that moment, an extremely terrifying aura of chakra suddenly rose up from one side.

The two figures, locked in fierce combat, stopped fighting almost simultaneously and looked to one side.

On a giant rock that had been raised by Earth Release ninjutsu, a figure slowly stepped out. The breathtakingly vast chakra and aura emanating from him were like a lighthouse in the night, drawing the attention of all the ninjas around him.

The once clear sky began to gather dark clouds, whether from the intense clash of ninjutsu or from the sheer power of the moment.

"There are people over there by the stone pillar!"

"This chakra, how is it possible—"

"That guy is!"

Having completed his costume change, Makoto Karatachi, once again donning the Kazama-Kazuya limited edition Crimson Armor, crossed his arms and looked down at the fiercely battling ninjas below with a disdainful expression.

The entire battlefield fell silent.

Whether they were ninjas from Konoha or Iwagakure, those who were fighting, forming hand seals, or dodging attacks all involuntarily stopped what they were doing and looked at the figure standing high above, their expressions varied.

But the one who was most shocked was the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki!

He hovered in mid-air, his short body slightly tense, his cloudy old eyes watching the figure slowly emerge from the giant rock. His pupils contracted, and an incredulous exclamation escaped his lips.

"A horse, a motor?!"