Sarutobi Hiruzen had originally thought Sosuke was just a slightly stronger version of Hanzo.
Looking at it now, how was this any Hanzo? He was practically another Uchiha Madara.
And unlike Mokgetsu, who was still a growing stock with huge potential, Sosuke's strength was already approaching those two legendary ninja.
At this moment Hiruzen's heart was full of bitterness. With strength like this, instead of unleashing a brutal war to win benefits for the Land of Rain and make a name for yourself, you're hiding in Six Paths City acting as the small-time leader of a little Ninja Organization.
If he had known Sosuke possessed this level of strength, before Mokgetsu grew up, Hiruzen absolutely would not have wanted to stand on the opposite side of Sosuke.
"He just disappeared like that!" Mitokado Homura's eyes went wide, his face full of shock.
Sosuke's ability gave him a certain feeling, as if they weren't ninja of the same era at all.
No matter how strong the Third Raikage's Lightning Chakra Mode's offensive power was, Homura could still understand that it was the effect of Lightning Release Chakra activating the body, but Sosuke's Ninjutsu he truly could not comprehend.
Either it was some unknown, no-blind-spot defense, or an incomprehensible erasure into thin air.
From beginning to end he hadn't seen Sosuke form a single hand seal—was this still a ninja?
"This is bad." Orochimaru's expression also turned rather ugly.
Don't even talk about establishing an advantage, this wave of attacks from Hiruzen had basically had no effect at all.
Strictly speaking it had some effect—they'd learned one more piece of intel about Sosuke—but the problem was that the strength Sosuke was currently displaying was too overwhelming; knowing intel couldn't change the flow of battle.
"What's going on? If things keep developing like this, how did the Ninja Sect vanish, and how did the evil Akatsuki appear?" Shisui frowned.
He had originally thought the result of this battle would be Hiruzen killing Sosuke, after which the Ninja Sect would decline, some members forming the evil Akatsuki and continuing to be active in the Ninja World.
But with the strength Sosuke was currently showing, even if Shisui used his Dojutsu on Hiruzen, they might still not be able to turn defeat into victory.
At this moment, the Ninja of the Ninja Sect finally understood the gold content of their leader's words that he would be back soon.
What "Third Hokage, Ninja Technique Professor"? He wasn't a match for their teacher Sosuke at all.
"Confidence really does come from hard power." Kakuzu marveled inwardly.
Before this he had always been curious why Sosuke wasn't afraid of Konoha, curious what trump cards Sosuke had; now he completely understood.
If he had this kind of strength, he wouldn't be afraid either.
At Sosuke's level of power, whether it was the pursuit of an elite squad or the encirclement and suppression by a Ninja Squad, it could very well be like throwing meat buns at a dog—gone and never coming back.
Once Konoha grasped Sosuke's true strength, Shimura Danzo's death would become insignificant.
Because compared to the face they'd lost, the losses from going to war with Sosuke would be like sesame seeds versus a watermelon.
"I can only look for an opportunity to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, that invisible shield of his shouldn't be able to defend against the Death God." Hiruzen grabbed the returning Adamantine Stick, having made up his mind.
The Dead Demon Consuming Seal wasn't like ordinary Ninjutsu; it was an attack on the level of the soul and in theory could not be blocked by Defensive Ninjutsu.
Of course, while it might not be blockable, it could still be dodged, so Hiruzen had to choose a suitable moment to use it.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hiruzen rapidly formed hand seals and split off two Shadow Clones.
Swoosh!
The two Shadow Clones appeared and immediately sprinted at high speed toward the charging Sosuke, while Hiruzen's real body followed behind at a slightly slower pace.
Whizz, whizz!!
Hiruzen took Shuriken from his Ninja Pouch and flung them at Sosuke.
But before Hiruzen's Shuriken Shadow Clone could multiply the Shuriken, Mokgetsu's gaze swept over the incoming Shuriken and directly shrank them until they were invisible to the naked eye.
"Wind Release: Air Vortex!"
One of Hiruzen's Shadow Clones ran as he rapidly formed hand seals, exhaling a massive storm.
The other Hiruzen Shadow Clone quietly gathered Chakra, preparing to use Earth Release to trap Sosuke.
Swoosh!
Mokgetsu switched Breath of Flame to Breath of Rock, then focused his breathing to the extreme and entered Breath of Rock Chakra Mode, greatly boosting all aspects of his physical abilities and explosively increasing his speed.
Bang!
Relying on his limitless defense, Mokgetsu directly smashed through the storm laced with sharp Wind Blades and blew apart the Hiruzen Shadow Clone using Wind Release with a single punch.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Netherworld!"
The other Shadow Clone, who had long since been prepared, immediately released the pre-gathered Chakra, turning the ground beneath Mokgetsu's feet into a swamp from which it was extremely hard to escape.
"Dead Demon Cons—"
Hiruzen also seized this chance to form hand seals and gather Chakra, intending to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and trade his life for Sosuke's.
"Bursting Fist!"
Mokgetsu unleashed terrifying power, flickering at extreme speed to appear beside Hiruzen's true body, and smashed a fierce punch toward him.
Previously being trapped by the Swamp of the Netherworld was only because Mokgetsu wanted to follow his plan and display his strength; did they really think that Ninjutsu was effective on him?
Whoosh, whoosh!!
In Breath of Rock Chakra Mode, Mokgetsu already possessed incomparably mighty strength; with the addition of the massive amount of Chakra he gathered, his power rose another level.
With this terrifying force behind it, the mere gust from Mokgetsu's fist as it swung out and struck Hiruzen's face made him feel a sharp pain.
Swoosh!
At this critical moment, the Adamantine Stick standing beside Hiruzen rapidly extended and thickened, blocking Hiruzen behind it.
Bang!!
But this overwhelming power still sent the Adamantine Stick hurtling backward, and it also smashed Hiruzen flying.