Hiruko weaved back and forth through the crowd on Sarutobi Hiruzen's side, rampant and unrestrained.
Ordinary thrown ninja tools could be completely blocked simply by using Steel Release to harden his body.
He kept diving into the crowd, which also made it impossible for others to bind him with ninjutsu.
In fact, to a certain extent, in his current state ordinary shinobi really couldn't do much to him.
Unless someone broke one of Hiruko's limits.
Physical attacks that pierce Steel Release, ninjutsu that break Dark Release, or speed that could match Swift Release.
Even now, the Third Hokage could only send out a large number of ANBU to try to surround and block Hiruko.
But the pressure on Hiruko had also increased a bit.
Among the people the Third Hokage brought out, there were quite a few elites.
Once they discovered Hiruko's Steel Release couldn't be broken, they stopped throwing tools.
Instead, they all switched to nets or lassos.
Not far away, a huge chakra fluctuation made everyone look up in shock.
Because a multi-story-tall giant tanuki had already risen up.
And it was growing larger as it absorbed sand and grit from the ground.
While Hiruko was momentarily stunned, three capture nets dropped from the sky and trapped him.
Although Hiruko easily tore the nets apart, at that moment the Third Hokage had already thrust the Ruyi Diamond Staff into his path.
A hand of Enma sprang directly from the staff.
It grabbed Hiruko.
Hiruko felt an iron-band-like grip clamp him tightly.
For a moment he couldn't break free.
The rear of the Ruyi Diamond Staff shortened, carrying Sarutobi Hiruzen toward Hiruko.
Hiruko snorted coldly, "Interesting."
Then his eyes flashed as he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Hiruzen's imagined foe had always been Uchiha, so for a moment his gaze shifted away.
But Hiruzen suddenly felt everything going black before his eyes, he couldn't hear anything, his sense of smell was gone, there was no taste in his mouth, even the feeling of the Ruyi Diamond Staff in his hands disappeared.
'Five senses deprived? I'm under genjutsu?'
Hiruzen's heart leapt, but he stayed calm and slammed his palm down on the remembered image of the Ruyi Diamond Staff.
BANG!
The staff split into many rods, then instantly formed a cage that trapped Hiruko tightly inside.
Only then did Hiruzen's five senses return to normal.
It turned out this was the first time Hiruko had used his pupil jutsu and he was a little unpracticed.
Although confined in the cage, Hiruko was not particularly panicked.
Instead he wore a cold smile and activated Steel Release, hardening his body.
Because by now the enormous Shukaku had let out a shriek.
Countless grains of sand slammed down like bullets.
It was the sand scatter shot.
Hiruzen buried himself and dug into the earth.
The other shinobi all showcased their techniques, either dodging or dismantling and intercepting to stop the sand scatter shot.
The shinobi forces suffered few casualties. After all, it was an area attack.
More were wounded than killed.
But the civilians on the other side were mowed down like wheat.
There were cries and screams everywhere.
On a battlefield, civilians are basically like straw.
Even if those people were from the Sarutobi, Yamanaka, or Uzumaki clans, it was the same.
Under the tailed beast's attack, a huge swath fell in an instant.
Shukaku howled to the sky, letting out fierce, mad laughter.
"Heh! Heh! Heh! HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Die, all of you, die for me!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
The arrogant, frenzied laughter threw the whole battlefield into chaos.
The next moment, Shukaku waved its hand and a mass of sand shot into the crowd like shells.
When Hiruzen surfaced from the earth, Hiruko was still trapped in the cage.
Hiruzen glanced at Hiruko, then at Shukaku.
Seeing the dead bodies strewn on the ground, a vicious light flashed in Hiruzen's eyes.
He pulled out a signal flare and shot it into the sky.
Then he formed seals, "Water Release, Water Dragon Bullet!"
The Third's chest swelled and a huge water dragon shot forward.
The cage filled with water.
"HAHAHAHAHA…"
"FOOLS!"
Hiruko laughed madly. He raised his hand and the seal in his palm began to wildly absorb the water dragon.
"Dark Release, Absorption Hole!"
The water dragon was sucked away like a muddy ox into the sea, quickly drawn into Hiruko's hand.
Hiruzen changed his hand seals, "Lightning Release, Thunder Spear!"
A blue-white spear of lightning slashed toward Hiruko.
Hiruko's whole body tingled from the electricity.
His Sharingan spun, and he suddenly struggled fiercely, a giant skeletal frame appeared.
Susanoo!
He tore the entire cage apart.
All the rods flew out and returned to Hiruzen's hand.
Once Hiruko broke free from the cage, he noticed Hiruzen's aura was a bit unstable.
"Looks like you're getting old, Third Hokage. Hahahaha!"
Thinking of how he'd once been hunted with nowhere to turn, now vengeance tasted sweet; he was thrilled.
At this time, after Jiraiya had lured away Snake One, Dog Two, and Bird Three, they gradually came over to protect Hiruzen.
Hiruko glanced at his subordinates.
Snake One lay on the ground, blackened by Jiraiya's flames; on the other side Gamaken had stomped Dog Two beneath his foot.
Seeing a huge flapping creature, Bird Three, nearby, Shukaku flicked a hand.
A sand-formed giant hand stretched out and slapped down onto it.
Bird Three fell from the sky.
He hit the ground hard and spat a mouthful of blood.
"Damn, Sand Village actually sent Shukaku?", Hiruko saw his underlings getting beaten to a pulp and fired lightning into the air.
Bird Three, seeing Hiruko's signal, pulled two scrolls from his body and opened one in each hand.
He wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth, then clapped both hands down.
"Summoning Technique!"
A summoning array appeared on the ground; Snake One and Dog Two were immediately summoned before him.
"Chimera Technique!"
Bird Three pressed the damaged bodies of Snake One and Dog Two; a translucent sticky fluid appeared in his hands.
These were the ghost buds of Chimera.
The ghost buds, like soft vine plants, began to wrap and coil toward Bird Three.
"Ugh! AAAH!"
With Bird Three's howl, the ghost buds engulfed Bird Three along with Snake One and Dog Two.
A fused summoning beast with wings, a horn, and twin-snake tails then appeared in the field.
The fused beast roared and spat a ball of flame at Jiraiya.
Jiraiya leapt and dodged repeatedly.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw the tall figure, Shukaku.
'Shukaku?'
Jiraiya formed seals again and slapped the fused summoning beast:
"Toad Platform Destroyer Technique!"
BOOM!
A tremendous cloud of smoke exploded; the ground jolted violently.
A giant red toad, holding a huge pipe in its mouth, wrapped in bandages at the waist, with a short blade stuck in its side, descended from the sky and stomped the fused summoning beast beneath its feet.
The arriving toad was none other than Gamabunta.
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