Boom.
Under the morning light, a dazzling fiery tornado clashed with the restless sea of trees, unleashing a earth-shaking roar!
In an instant, several shockwaves, compressed by the blast, carried countless swirling sparks and swept outward like a storm.
Even powerhouses like the "Sannin"—Jiraiya and Tsunade—halted immediately, seeking cover.
As for the other shinobi and the academy crowd, they were far more disheveled, scattering in all directions to escape the scorching waves of air radiating from the battlefield.
"What the hell's happening up there!?"
"Is that a ninjutsu?"
"What kind of ninjutsu has this much power?"
But the shockwaves hit in a flash, knocking them over in droves, leaving them dazed and disoriented.
Behind cover.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi braved the heat, peering toward the battle's epicenter.
There.
Shinji stood tall atop a massive tree, the pure white ninja cat perched on his shoulder. The sight of them unleashing a wind-fire combination ninjutsu together met their eyes.
Undoubtedly.
Faced with "Wood Release," the Uchiha had once again chosen to fight!
That boy with the fan crest on his clothes defied everyone's expectations, standing before the surging sea of "Wood Release" trees and unleashing the fire ninjutsu so characteristic of the Uchiha.
Just like back then!
"This kid!"
Jiraiya clicked his tongue in amazement.
Kakashi's eyes flickered: "Such a powerful combination ninjutsu!"
Tsunade took a deep breath: "Truly an Uchiha!"
On the other side.
Sasuke, flung to the ground by the heatwave and covered in dirt, stared fixedly at Shinji atop the distant tree, his mind reeling: "Shinji! Shinji!"
Neji, also sprawled on the ground, looked up heedless of his image, murmuring: "As expected of Shinji—he didn't give up!"
Nearby, hidden behind a large tree, Shiro gazed at Shinji with eyes full of admiration.
He'd thought Shinji would either concede or get trapped in the "Wood Release" sea, unable to escape. Yet, against all odds, Shinji had launched a counterattack in true Uchiha fashion!
Without question, the power of the wind-fire combination ninjutsu from Shinji and his ninja cat Kazahime stunned everyone present.
None had imagined that a mere academy student would dare resist such a terrifying "Wood Release."
But in their minds, this was as far as it'd go.
After all, the First Hokage's "Wood Release" was invincible!
Yet as time passed, the surprise on their faces morphed into shock.
Yakumo's overwhelming "Wood Release" sea was actually being held back by Shinji and his summoning cat's wind-fire combo.
The endlessly sprouting vines were incinerated instantly under the blazing flames. Though more kept coming, the fact remained—the tree sea was stalled by the fire!
"This… how is this possible!?"
"'Wood Release' is being stopped?"
"Am I seeing things?"
Gaping at the tree sea struggling to advance against the wind-fire ninjutsu, many couldn't help but cry out in disbelief.
Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi were equally stunned.
But they quickly masked their astonishment, adopting thoughtful expressions.
With their vast experience, they could tell Shinji's counterattack didn't just exploit wind's ability to amplify fire—it also cleverly utilized a natural wind channel in the terrain, maximizing the combination ninjutsu's power to perfection.
Even so, a typical combo ninjutsu shouldn't have stood a chance against "Wood Release." The only explanation was that Yakumo's current "Wood Release" wasn't as powerful as imagined—nowhere near the First Hokage's level.
Still, considering this was Yakumo's first time using "Wood Release," achieving this scale was impressive enough.
Even Yamato, also implanted with the First's cells, would likely need to exert every ounce of strength to produce a "Wood Release" of similar magnitude.
The standoff between the wind-fire combo and "Wood Release" persisted.
The searing heat forced the onlookers to retreat multiple times, yet even with their faces flushed from the blaze, they remained fixated on the distant battlefield.
"Shinji's ninjutsu is faltering…"
"How could a regular ninjutsu hold up against 'Wood Release'?"
"This is 'Wood Release,' after all!"
As the seconds ticked by, it soon became clear that Shinji's wind-fire combo was losing ground. The tree sea beneath Yakumo began pushing forward again!
The forest's air was finite, unable to sustain prolonged large-scale combustion, while Yakumo's chakra kept the tree sea growing endlessly!
Whoosh!
Just then, Shinji's figure flickered atop the tree and vanished.
With thick smoke billowing around, Yakumo didn't immediately notice his movement. By the time she sensed something amiss, a gust of wind surged behind her!
Yakumo spun around in a panic, only to find it wasn't Shinji attacking but the graceful white cat.
"Oh no!"
Her heart sank.
Sure enough, another gust sounded behind her, followed by a sharp pain in her neck. She blacked out completely.
As Yakumo fell unconscious, the tree sea, deprived of her chakra, ceased its frenzy. Some vines even withered and drooped on the spot.
Shinji ignored his surroundings, glancing at the fallen Yakumo.
"Her use of the Koryugan is still lacking—smoke disrupted her perception…"
"She's inexperienced in intense combat, probably due to a lack of practice. Kind of like how I used to be…"
"Her chakra reserves are more abundant than I'd expected…"
After a final assessment of Yakumo's post-surgery state, Shinji looked away.
Though he'd outsmarted Yakumo this time, with "Wood Release" now revealed and the Koryugan in play, her rise was unstoppable.
Kazahime circled Yakumo once, then leaped back onto Shinji's shoulder, muttering: "The one using 'Wood Release' is just a little girl?"
Shinji smiled, then headed toward the outskirts.
As the man and cat emerged, the crowd fell into an eerie silence. Even Shinji's close peers stood speechless, mouths agape, unsure what to say.
In the Hokage's office.
Staring at the scene in the crystal ball, the Third Hokage sighed softly: "Ah, an Uchiha with a ninja cat has taken the battlefield again!"