I'm retrieving corpses in Konoha.

Only one managed to escape, and it couldn't help but look warily back at its original spot.

There, the tree roots all retreated underground, and finally, Uchiha Natsu's wood clone emerged from a large tree.

“It seems that Wood Release ninjutsu will have a great advantage in the forest,” Uzuki Yugao immediately judged.

Then, she planted her katana in the ground and formed hand seals.

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

"Puff puff……"

Nine shadow clones formed around Uzuki Yugao.

After completing the Shadow Clone Technique, Uzuki Yugao and her nine shadow clones quickly formed hand seals.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"call!"

Ten enormous fireballs spewed from the mouths of Uzuki Yugao's shadow clones, engulfing Uchiha Natsu's wood clone.

"Are you trying to burn a clearing?" Uchiha Natsu's wood clone chuckled.

Beneath the ground, Uchiha Natsu's wood clone reached out and aimed at the location of Uzuki Yugao's shadow clone.

"puff!"

More than a dozen wooden sticks burst from the ground and pierced rapidly toward Uzuki Yugao.

The nine shadow clones dissipated instantly, and Uzuki Yugao reacted quickly, using the Substitution Jutsu to dodge the attack.

Uchiha Natsu's wood clone emerged from the ground, and by then, the large trees within dozens of meters around it had all turned to ashes.

"This girl has indeed made rapid progress. Her current strength should be close to that of a Special Jonin."

Uchiha Natsu's true form glanced to his right at Uzuki Yugao, who was neither red-faced nor out of breath, and then to his left at Kakashi and the others, who had already reached their limits.

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Whether it's honing his Wood Release skills or understanding Uzuki Yugao's strength, Uchiha Natsumi has now achieved his goal.

The wood clone's chakra was also more than half depleted, and he could sense that Konoha's reinforcements were about to arrive.

That massive amount of chakra probably belonged to the Third Hokage, or perhaps his two advisors.

Therefore, Uchiha Natsu did not intend to continue fighting.

The several wooden clones received instructions from the main body and understood them perfectly.

There were four wooden clones in total, three of which instantly rushed towards their opponents.

Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. He casually took out a kunai and threw it with all his might at the "Thousand Hands Kamima" that was rushing towards him.

"puff!"

The kunai pierced through the body of Uchiha Natsuki's clone.

Immediately afterwards, Kakashi was startled.

The "Thousand-Handed God" in front of him turned into a pile of wooden strips and began to wrap around him.

"puff!"

In desperation, Kakashi formed hand seals again, overdrawing some of his chakra, and barely managed to evade the wooden strips by using the Substitution Jutsu.

Moonlight Gale, on the other hand, lacked the same adaptability and was immediately entangled by the wooden strips.

Uzuki Yugao was also caught off guard by this sudden change, and wooden strips quickly wrapped around her body.

However, with a "poof" sound, Uzuki Yugao turned into a puff of smoke once again.

All of Uzuki Yugao's clones are shadow clones.

Chapter 53 Hibernation

"He truly is worthy of being my disciple."

Uchiha Natsu, hidden among the trees, couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing this scene.

Without using his Sharingan, Uchiha Natsumi would have a hard time distinguishing between the shadow clone and the real body.

However, with Uchiha Natsu's current eye power, if he were to use his Sharingan, he could easily see through the shadow clones.

The three wood clones dissipated, leaving only one Uchiha Natsuki clone, who turned to look at Kakashi.

"Your strength is far from enough to make you my prey."

Uchiha Natsu's wood clone spoke in a deep voice, then looked down at him and said:

"Silver-haired brat, you weren't in good shape just now. I'll come after you again, and I hope you can be at your peak then."

Kakashi was shocked.

This Thousand Hands God was actually able to see through his problem.

Of all the opponents Kakashi has faced over the years, Senju Kamuma was the first to notice that his chakra was insufficient.

Kakashi's assessment of Senju Kamima's strength had reached a new level.

After Uchiha Natsu's wood clone finished speaking, it transformed into several wooden strips and merged into the surrounding trees.

"thump!"

After Uchiha Natsu's wood clone dissipated, Kakashi finally couldn't hold on any longer, his legs buckled, and he knelt on the ground.

He braced himself on the ground with both hands, panting heavily, large beads of sweat sliding down his forehead.

Naoto and Hayato, who were hiding to the side, quickly ran over.

Hayato helped Kakashi up, while Naoto wanted to untie the wooden strips binding Hayate Gekko.

"Clang!"

"Clang!"

However, after striking the wooden strip a few times with his kunai, Naoto discovered that he couldn't cut it at all.

Just then, Uzuki Yugao's true form emerged from underground and came to Gekko Hayate's side.

Gekko Gale was entangled like a silkworm cocoon, and when he saw Uzuki Yugao coming over, he couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

Even the coughing became more severe.

He, the team leader, wasn't even half as good as the team members who had just graduated, and this team member was the girl he fell in love with at first sight.

During these days of running around on the battlefield, Moonlight Gale felt like he wanted to die.

Every time I try to show off, I end up making a fool of myself, making it even more embarrassing.

Ignoring Gekko Hayate's expression, Uzuki Yugao swung her sword directly.

With a swift motion, the wooden strip was chopped off.

He looked very relaxed, a stark contrast to Naoto.

Naoto has become numb to this.

These days, like Moonlight Gale, he has been so badly hurt that he has almost lost his confidence in life.

Even though he was always called a genius, he would doubt himself every time he went to sleep, thinking that he was actually a good-for-nothing.

Her previously somewhat overweight body has lost a lot of weight.

Kakashi paused for a moment, then looked up at Uzuki Yugao, utterly astonished.

He knew that Uzuki Yugao was a freshman who had graduated two months ago, and he had only paid special attention to her because of Uchiha Natsumi.

Unexpectedly, this seemingly ordinary girl possessed such powerful hidden talent.

Just then, several figures appeared beside Kakashi in a flash.

"Third Hokage..." Kakashi had been holding on, but when the Third Hokage arrived, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and everything went black.

"Kakashi-senpai!" Hayato quickly steadied Kakashi to prevent him from falling to the ground.

The group that arrived included not only Hiruzen Sarutobi, but also Homura Mitokado and Koharu Utatane, as well as several Shadow Guards who had concealed their presence.

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Apart from Danzo Shimura, all of Konoha's top decision-makers were present.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced across the entire battlefield, his expression growing increasingly serious.

This destructive power was so great that he had to treat it with utmost care.

"What exactly happened?" Koharu Utatane asked Gekko Hayate with a somber expression.

Moonlight Gale didn't know the specifics of the matter either, so he hesitated before answering:

"Advisor, I don't know what happened before. When we arrived, Kakashi-senpai had already been fighting several masked ninjas for a long time."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned and asked in confusion, "Masked ninja? Aren't they from Kumogakure and Iwagakure?"

“No.” Gekko Hayate shook his head, coughed twice, and said, “It was a few ninjas who used Wood Release.”

"what?!"

"what?!"

Three exclamations rang out simultaneously.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was utterly shocked by the scale of the battlefield.

"Could it be Danzo...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi knew that there was a Wood Release ninja in Root who was secretly trained by Danzo.

But the fact that this Wood Release ninja could generate such power suggests that he, as a Kage, is now a threat.

"Danzo disappeared without a trace from the very beginning of the war, and we don't know what he went off to do. He's always coveted the Hokage position, so if it really was him..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart pounded wildly, and a bad feeling kept growing in his mind.

After glancing at the unconscious Kakashi, Hiruzen Sarutobi calmed himself and said in a deep voice, "Let's go back and treat the wounded."

"Yes."