Shuriken flying in arcs from both directions forced the target to divide their attention to predict the trajectories, making defense more mentally taxing.
Moreover, Jokichi's throwing force was strong and the speed was fast, not at all like a hidden weapon used by a newly graduated rookie Genin.
He truly possesses the combat power of a Jonin.
Yamato remembered Hiruzen's words. His eyes sharpened, and he suddenly crossed his hands and pushed outward. During the movement, his flesh-like palms gradually changed, the texture becoming like wood and continuously growing larger.
His original palms turned into wood and grew several sizes larger, like giant fans protecting both sides, blocking all paths for the shuriken to hit him.
"Thud, thud, thud..."
A series of sounds like hitting a wooden post rang out. All the shuriken were nailed into the fan-like wooden palms.
The next second, a figure followed closely.
"Stab!"
The sound of a blade entering flesh rang out.
It was Jokichi.
Using the shuriken as cover, he rushed close and stabbed a kunai into Yamato's abdomen.
But Jokichi's face showed no joy of victory; instead, he frowned.
The sensation was wrong.
The Yamato he stabbed was losing color bit by bit, changing from a normal human body into a life-sized wooden man.
Wood Release: Wood Clone Jutsu.
This type of clone was harder to distinguish from the real body than a normal shadow clone, but the clone's strength was only a small fraction of the original, generally used for reconnaissance.
However—
A clone that turned back into a wooden man should be able to continue attacking as a medium, but the wooden man in front of him just fell straight down.
Jokichi looked around, and there was no movement at all.
It wasn't a tactic, but a test using just one wooden clone.
Did he think it was just a rookie Genin's assessment, so there was no need for the real body to come?
Just as he was thinking this, Sakura's scream rang out from the forest in the distance.
Jokichi quickly turned to look in the direction of the sound.
Yamato walked out leisurely. "The Hokage told me that you have Jonin-level combat power, so I had Naruto and Sakura exit first."
"Prioritizing the weak among the enemies to weaken their combat power?" Jokichi asked curiously.
"No."
Yamato shook his head slightly. "Just to let you lose your concerns and demonstrate your full strength."
If a person who is too outstanding appears among peers, it would deal a great blow to others. Yamato was worried that Naruto and Sakura would lose confidence after seeing Jokichi's full strength, so he had them exit early.
Knowing Yamato's thoughts, Jokichi smiled. "You underestimate them too much."
"Is that so?"
Hearing this, Yamato gained a bit more interest in Naruto and Sakura, however—
"I am still more interested in you."
As the words fell, Yamato formed hand seals, then raised his right hand toward Jokichi. His arm turned into thick and extremely tough wooden vines, rapidly extending toward Jokichi.
Wood Release: Silent Strangling Technique.
Jokichi leaned slightly and dodged the vine.
But the wooden vine circled behind Jokichi and flew back, rotating around him and rising, wanting to bind him tightly inside.
At the moment the vine began to contract and bind him, a cold glint flashed.
The vine was cut in half from the middle. The kunai Jokichi held had chakra flickering on it like a flame, sharp as a sword.
Wind Release: Vacuum Blade. This was a ninjutsu Danzo was skilled in.
He even knows nature transformation!
Yamato's eyes widened slightly.
He had seen newly graduated Genin who mastered high-level ninjutsu, but he had never seen a rookie Genin who mastered nature transformation upon graduation.
Because nature transformation has high requirements for chakra control, generally only those who reach the level of Jonin can complete such training.
And his reaction was so fast.
The vine was about to bind him, but in the last second, he condensed a chakra wind blade on the kunai to cut the vine and escape. This speed and reaction were at the very least something a Jonin-level ninja could achieve.
Suddenly, the air shrieked.
Yamato snapped out of it and looked up.
He saw the kunai enveloped in wind attribute cutting through the air, shooting toward him like a sharp arrow.
Yamato was startled and rolled on the ground to dodge.
"Distracted during battle... Yamato-sensei, don't look down on me just because I'm a rookie Genin!"
Jokichi gave a kind reminder while simultaneously forming hand seals. The chakra in his body mobilized, condensing at his chest and throat. His chest gradually puffed out, and then he spewed it out.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu.
Flames erupted, condensing into a fireball in front of him, flying toward Yamato with a terrifying heat wave and thick smoke.
Yamato had just gotten up when he saw a fireball about three meters wide flying over.
While greatly shocked, his hands rapidly formed seals.
Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall.
A row of wooden pillars curved from the ground to form an arched wall, protecting him inside.
"Boom!"
The fireball hit the wall and exploded. Flames rose and airwaves surged, making the surrounding trees rustle loudly.
Because the thick smoke blocked his vision, Jokichi did not move rashly.
But if I can't see the enemy, the enemy can't see me either.
Jokichi took the opportunity to create a shadow clone, letting it quietly hide in the forest behind him as a backup.
Having done this, Jokichi stood quietly in place, alert to any movement around him while thinking about the opponent's next move.
Since the vision was blocked, if the enemy wanted to attack, they could only make a predictive strike based on his previous position. Therefore, it would be a large-scale attack.
Just as the thought flashed through his mind, Yamato's roar suddenly rang out from the smoke.
"Wood Release: Great Forest Technique."
Multiple wooden vines and branches broke through the smoke like spears, charging toward Jokichi.
Jokichi jumped left and retreated right, dodging them one by one.
Just when he thought the attack was over, the ground suddenly shook. Rows of square pillars grew around him, forming a wooden prison to trap Jokichi inside.
At this point, the smoke cleared, leaving only the broken wooden wall inside, and Yamato was nowhere to be seen.
"Over here."
Yamato's voice came from the left.
Jokichi looked over and saw Yamato half-squatting on the ground with his hands clasped.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall.
The ground shook violently. Accompanied by a deafening roar, the ground Yamato was standing on rose rapidly, forming a huge wall like a cliff.
"This is..."
Seeing this wall, Jokichi felt a strong sense of deja vu.
"Hmph!"
Yamato smiled proudly and continued to form seals. "Water Release: Great Waterfall."
"Splash!"
Massive amounts of water like ocean waves surged down from the wall. Trees, flowers, and grass were instantly submerged and broken.
If this hit a person, it would surely break bones.
"Holy crap!"
Jokichi cursed, then took out a katana and injected wind attribute chakra into it.
"Hum!"
The chakra blade flickered on the sword.
Jokichi cut through the prison without hesitation, then turned and ran.
But it was too late.
The massive wave had already surged over, instantly submerging his figure.