The development of offensive chakra weapons had been a long-term project for Konoha.
Initially, the results were quite mediocre. The main reason was that all chakra weapons were derivatives of chakra cloaks.
When a chakra cloak could output chakra externally without delay, it meant that the technology had the potential to be weaponized.
However, weaponization in the shinobi world was far more complex. Pure chakra blasts could cause some damage, but it was far from enough.
The key to developing chakra weapons was utilizing chakra nature transformation to enhance their destructive power.
Humans controlled chakra through hand seals, intricate movements that guided and transformed chakra, allowing them to perform various "jutsu."
But chakra weapons couldn't form hand seals.
At their core, they were biological constructs, flesh-like orbs made from a mix of Hashirama's cells and White Zetsu's cells, wrapped in chakra-guiding mechanisms.
Neither of these components could perform hand seals.
To be precise, the guiding mechanisms had pre-programmed chakra flow patterns. These patterns essentially functioned as a built-in sequence of hand seals.
Manually directing chakra flow was far more complicated than a shinobi casting jutsu. Each guiding mechanism could only be programmed with a single chakra flow pattern, meaning it could only unleash one type of attack.
Even then, the system still required a third element, an operator.
If the chakra weapon was like a cannon, then the operator was the gunner. However, unlike a conventional gunner, this one couldn't control the weapon with their hands.
Instead, they had to connect to it mentally, as the entire system was fundamentally biological in nature.
For now, there was no way to install an automated targeting system, so human intervention was still necessary.
Operating such large-scale weapons wasn't easy. According to a Yamanaka clan gunner, controlling this weapon felt like "trying to push the sun with bare hands", the pressure was immense.
This was the first time Konoha's war defense system had unleashed its full firepower.
To the villagers of Konoha, all they saw was fire.
Indescribable flames erupted from the barrier surrounding Konoha, instantly turning the surrounding land into a sea of fire.
Regular Fire Release jutsu couldn't suppress Hashirama's Wood Release. But this wasn't just any jutsu, this was an overwhelming super-scale war technique beyond classification.
In mere moments, every trace of Wood Release outside Konoha was reduced to ash.
Meanwhile, in the underground control center, a team worked frantically.
"Overload attack, core has been destroyed. Replace it immediately."
Like reloading a cannon, a team of pre-prepared support staff began swapping out the chakra weapon's core.
Outside Konoha, Hashirama stood in disbelief.
That last attack, he had managed to block it, of course. Even though its power far exceeded his peak-level full-strength strike, it had been dispersed across a wide area.
So it hadn't inflicted much harm on him. But what truly shocked him was that he hadn't sensed any chakra flow during the attack.
In fact, it wasn't even "jutsu" as he understood it. The attack had emerged out of nowhere, using the massive barrier as a foundation.
If he hadn't been the one here… if it had been an invading force instead, that single attack would have wiped out every enemy within a three-mile radius.
Hashirama suddenly felt like he no longer recognized Konoha.
This village was no longer the shinobi village he had once known.
It had become a monster.
And now, this monster was baring its fangs at him.
"Attention, this attack is for capturing the target. Switch to the Ice Release chakra track module. Sensor team, lock onto the enemy's position. All units, prepare for engagement."
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Currently on Chapter 361 - An New Era