The battlefield stretched across several hundred meters, reduced to utter devastation. The once-solid ground, already warped by earth-release techniques, now lay melted and uneven, scorched by waves of molten magma.
"Raging!"
Around Rōshi, flames blazed fiercely, yet they no longer seemed chaotic. The fire moved with purpose, radiating intense heat that caused visible ripples in the air.
Minato stood a distance away, his sharp blue eyes taking in the scene before him. His expression was grave.
Rōshi had undergone a transformation, his power now far beyond what Minato had initially perceived. Though Minato couldn't gauge the exact extent of this newfound strength, one thing was clear—any misstep could have catastrophic consequences, not just for him but for the entire battlefield.
Rōshi's glowing eyes locked onto Minato. His hands moved, forming seals with deliberate precision as a burning aura rose from his body.
"Lava Release: Lava Flower Bloom!"
Flames erupted from Rōshi, and magma surged outward like an unstoppable tide. Within seconds, the molten river expanded, spreading across the ground and transforming the battlefield into a churning ocean of lava.
"Shhh!"
The sound of the earth melting echoed as the magma consumed everything in its path, including the terrain altered by earlier battles.
Minato's expression darkened further. The molten sea wasn't just destructive—it was erasing the Flying Thunder God marks he had carefully placed across the battlefield.
He's trying to neutralize my mobility, Minato realized.
Rōshi's intent was unmistakable. By flooding the battlefield with magma, he sought to trap Minato and eliminate the advantage of his teleportation.
Jiraiya and Kitsuchi, who had been locked in their own duel, halted abruptly as the oppressive heat forced them to retreat.
The spectacle caught the attention of ninjas on the outer edges of the battlefield, drawing their gazes toward the molten landscape.
"Magma's spreading outwards like a volcanic eruption," Jiraiya muttered, sweat dripping from his brow as he backed away.
The relentless heat forced allied and enemy ninjas alike to pause their fights and retreat further.
"All forces, pull back!" Kitsuchi bellowed to his troops, realizing the danger posed by the expanding lava.
Within the Konoha ranks, Hyūga Tenki activated his Byakugan, his veins bulging as he scanned the battlefield.
"All Konoha units, stop fighting and retreat!" Tenki's voice rang out, urgent and commanding.
As the magma continued to flow, panic spread among the ninjas.
"Run away!"
"Get out of here, now!"
Shouts and hurried movements filled the battlefield as thousands of ninjas scrambled to escape the ever-expanding lava.
Swish!
Minato darted backward, staying ahead of the molten tide. With his unparalleled speed, he remained untouchable.
Mid-air, he formed seals with his hands. Two shadow clones appeared beside him, each exuding the same composed determination.
In Minato's hand, chakra swirled and condensed into a brilliant blue orb.
"Ding ding!"
The high-pitched hum of wind blades forming around the Rasengan resonated, growing louder with every passing moment.
"Senjutsu: Wind Style—RasenShuriken!"
The Rasengan Shuriken took shape, its edges crackling with energy.
One of Minato's clones hurled a special kunai toward the barrier of magma surrounding Rōshi and the others. The kunai sliced through the heated air, leaving a glowing streak in its wake.
Swish!
As the kunai flew, Minato's second clone retreated, its movements deliberate.
Minato watched intently, his sharp eyes tracking the kunai's progress as it skimmed the surface of the magma.
At the exact moment the kunai reached its intended position, Minato vanished.
"Flying Thunder God Stage 2!"
He reappeared beside the kunai in a flash, his Rasengan Shuriken glowing ominously in his hand.
"Ding ding!"
With a swift motion, he hurled the shuriken directly into the heart of the molten battlefield.
"Boom!"
The explosion rippled through the air, sending shockwaves across the field. Magma erupted in all directions, flames dancing wildly in the aftermath.
Despite the power of the attack, Minato's senses told him the truth—his target remained unscathed.
"Their chakra hasn't diminished," Minato muttered, his voice calm despite the realization.
Rōshi, Hanzo, and Rasa emerged from the aftermath, their combined defenses holding firm against the assault.
From a distance, the battlefield looked like the aftermath of a volcanic eruption, the molten sea radiating heat that warped the air.
The weather itself seemed to shift. What had once been a humid drizzle on the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain now turned oppressively hot, the air heavy with steam.
Thousands of ninjas continued to retreat, the sheer scale of the battle forcing them to spread further apart.
In the periphery of the Konoha forces, a young boy sprinted toward a group of medical ninjas. His breaths were labored, but his focus was unwavering.
"Rin!" Obito called out, his voice filled with urgency as he approached.
In the center of the medics stood a short-haired girl, unconscious but stable.
"How is she?" Obito asked, his tone laced with worry.
One of the medics, startled by his sudden arrival, quickly replied. "The bleeding has stopped. Fortunately, she managed to focus chakra to her back before the impact. Otherwise, the damage to her internal organs could have been irreversible."
Obito exhaled in relief, his gaze softening as he looked at Rin.
At that moment, another figure approached.
"Are you okay?" Kakashi asked, concern etched into his features.
Obito chuckled, his usual lightheartedness returning. "I'm fine. Here, this is yours."
He tossed the short blade he had borrowed back to Kakashi, who caught it effortlessly.
Kakashi's eyes lingered on the scarlet Sharingan in Obito's gaze before shifting back to the battlefield, now completely transformed.
"I wonder if Minato-sensei is okay…" Kakashi murmured, his voice tinged with unease.
...
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