Hokage: I Confronted the Five Kage Before the System Arrived

Chapter 65: Fierce Battle

The crows cawed sharply as they once again separated from Uchiha Itachi's body.

"Bracken Dance!"

Kimimaro's eyes flickered as bone spikes extended from all over his body, and he began to spin at high speed, elegantly yet ruthlessly clearing all the surrounding crows.

But it wasn't over yet.

Kimimaro swung his spine-whip backward with force.

"I've got you!"

Uchiha Itachi's true body appeared right there.

Slash!

Blood splattered.

The bone spikes pierced through Itachi's hand.

Just as Kimimaro was about to press his advantage further, Itachi's perpetually calm voice rang out, "Are you sure what you see is real?"

Kimimaro's pupils shrank. Sensing something, he quickly looked up.

Unbeknownst to him, the previously clear sky had turned blood red, and a pair of ominous Sharingan eyes were coldly watching him from above.

"Genjutsu? When?"

Kimimaro's expression changed. He couldn't understand; he hadn't looked directly into the Sharingan.

Itachi, now hovering in the sky with his uninjured hand touching a ring on his other hand, looked down at Kimimaro and said, "Welcome to my world."

---

“Human Boulder!”

Amid the sound of collapsing trees, the expanded Akimichi Choji transformed into a large, high-speed spinning ball, rolling forward with billowing smoke, fiercely charging at the enemy ahead.

"Dodge!"

Kidomaru and Tayuya swiftly sidestepped the inevitable collision path.

A long shadow had already stretched from Nara Shikamaru’s feet to the Human Boulder.

As Shikamaru ran to the left, the originally straightforward rolling Human Boulder bizarrely shifted to the left, crashing directly into the astonished Tayuya.

"Earth Style: Earth Shore Return!"

A massive stone slab rose from the ground, blocking Tayuya's path.

Although it was quickly shattered by the Human Boulder, the residual force was halted by the burly Jirobo, who pressed it down with all his might.

"Be more careful, Tayuya."

Holding back the Human Boulder, Jirobo turned and reminded his teammate.

Tayuya clicked her tongue in irritation. If not for the energy consumed earlier against a Konoha team, these brats wouldn't be such a hassle.

“Everyone, attack together!”

Under the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, Naruto's army of clones surged forward.

Tayuya was about to play her flute when a sharp sound broke through the air, and Hyuga Neji swiftly closed in on her.

“Annoying Gentle Fist!”

Tayuya grumbled, unwilling to engage Neji in close combat, and quickly retreated.

Though the Hyuga clan didn't have much presence in the ninja world, true ninjas knew to avoid those with Byakugan and mastery of Gentle Fist. A hit from Gentle Fist not only disrupted the chakra network but also caused internal organ damage. External wounds were far less severe compared to internal injuries.

While Tayuya retreated, Ukon was entangled with Kiba and Akamaru.

Seeing Naruto's vast army of clones charging, Kidomaru opened his mouth, producing and expelling multiple small spider webs that enveloped and immobilized the approaching Narutos.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

White smoke explosions filled the battlefield.

The fight continued.

Initially caught off guard by the Sound Four, the Konoha Twelve quickly adapted. Under the prearranged tactics, Shikamaru, Neji, Kiba, Choji, and even Naruto worked together seamlessly, soon turning the tide of battle.

Without Sasuke present, there was no need to worry about damaging the container's seal. The Sound Four were fighting with full force, intending to defeat the Konoha team quickly before pursuing Sasuke, unlike in the original scenario where they took turns.

Despite the pressure, Shikamaru's team did not split up suicidally. After some intense fighting, the Sound Four realized they had underestimated these so-called "Genin" from Konoha.

“Such chakra reserves! Are all Konoha's Genin this absurd?”

Watching the overwhelming number of Naruto clones surging forward, Kidomaru couldn’t help but grumble.

Kicking the transformed, enlarged Akamaru away, Sakon coldly said, “We can’t delay any longer. Activate the Curse Seal.”

“This quickly? It's harmful to our bodies,” Tayuya remarked, though she followed suit, activating the first level of the Curse Seal.

Dark, eerie lines spread across their bodies instantly.

Neji scanned with his Byakugan and noticed the surge in their chakra, power, and speed, as well as the sinister and cold nature of their chakra. He quickly warned, “Be careful. They’ve used some secret technique and are much stronger now.”

“Just like Sasuke back then,” Naruto recalled the strange dark lines on Sasuke.

“This is going to be troublesome.”

As the captain, Shikamaru gathered battlefield information and frowned deeply. The Sound Four's strength exceeded his expectations.

“Let’s hope the nearby Konoha reinforcements arrive soon.”

Otherwise, even if they defeated the Sound Four here, they wouldn’t have the energy to pursue Sasuke.

“Hahaha! Konoha brats, prepare to meet your end!”

Roaring arrogantly, Jirobo, seemingly influenced by the Curse Seal, bellowed.

The ground trembled as an even fiercer battle erupted once more.

Minutes later, with the Sound Four having entered the second stage of the Curse Seal, and Shikamaru’s team struggling with injured members, the reinforcements finally arrived.

Boom~~

Massive amounts of sand rose from the ground, forming an enormous shield that blocked all the Sound Four's attacks.

“Is it them?”

Surprise flickered in Shikamaru's eyes.

Soon, a familiar female voice rang out, “Responding to Konoha’s request, the Sand reinforcements have arrived.”

Shikamaru turned to see Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara appearing before their team.

“Didn’t expect it to be you guys,” he sighed in relief.

Temari smiled and explained, “With Konoha short on manpower, the Sand, as allies, had to help. Thanks to your distress signal, we got here faster.”

Thanks to Shikamaru's initial delaying tactics and signal for help, the Sand reinforcements arrived much sooner than expected.

Shikamaru glanced around at his injured but still-standing teammates, feeling some relief in his first mission as a leader.

But Sasuke...

Thinking of something, Shikamaru looked at the still energetic Naruto.