Chapter 324: Hurricane Phenomenon
"It's the Instant Release."
Sakura's eyes brightened as she recognized that familiar black silhouette. While treating the wounded, hope flared in her heart. Tsunade, suppressing her own exhaustion, felt a bit better upon hearing Sakura's words.
Sakura had used this move as well; it was a powerful Taijutsu that combined speed and strength with formidable defensive capabilities. Judging by how the strike had just knocked the enemy's attack off course, Tonbo's version was far stronger than Sakura's. He should be able to hold it at bay for a while, creating a window for Naruto to deal with the enemy's main body.
"A-tatatata!"
Tonbo Tobitake kicked the Gedo Mazo in the head, then used Body Flicker to instantly move above it, delivering a heavy downward stomp.
Bang!
Rumble!
The Gedo Mazo's entire head slammed into the ground. However, physically speaking, it didn't seem to take much damage.
ROAR!
A moment later, the Gedo Mazo let out a roar, and purple chakra dragons surged from its mouth.
Swish! Swish!
Tonbo wasn't hit. He knew this move could absorb chakra. He didn't plan on using his full strength yet, opting instead to display the power level expected of a Kage. However, he had taken the opportunity to plant neural threads into the Gedo Mazo, continuously gathering physical data from within it.
As the crystallization of the God Tree, its physical information might be even more significant than that of Otsutsuki Urashiki. Analyzing it would certainly be harder than analyzing Urashiki's data, but the Fourth Great Ninja War was essentially his testing ground for gathering vital information.
Bang!
Another kick knocked the Gedo Mazo's head aside. It was incredibly durable.
If I only use this much power, I'll have to reveal too much to hold out until Naruto settles things...
"That guy showed up," Zetsu remarked, watching Tonbo Tobitake toy with the Gedo Mazo.
"Truly, looks can be deceiving. That obscure classmate of mine can actually hold out for so long against the Gedo Mazo."
Tobi hadn't expected that a Genjutsu specialist like Tonbo would possess such powerful Taijutsu. It was likely that his public persona as a Genjutsu ninja was meant to paralyze others' vigilance. To stall the Gedo Mazo single-handedly for this long—Tobi realized that even he might have to rely on specific, unexpected ninjutsu to take Tonbo down.
Swish!
After kicking the Gedo Mazo back once more, Tonbo feigned heavy breathing and returned to the Konoha forces.
Huff... puff...
"Tonbo, are you all right?" Shikaku asked.
"Yeah... this enemy is too strong, the chakra consumption is immense... Inoichi, notify the troops. Even if we run out of chakra, we must hold it back!"
Faced with such an enemy and looking at the remaining ninjas, Shikaku was out of options. He could only place all his hope on Naruto's end.
"No, Shikaku-senpai. Everyone, gather behind me and lend me your chakra. I'm going to use a Forbidden Jutsu."
The ever-studious Tonbo Tobitake put on a brilliant performance. No one suspected he had strength to spare. The chakra of the monster before them was too vast, too evil. It wasn't something one person could fight; that he had fought it to this point was already beyond their expectations.
Shikaku frowned. "Is that okay?" He didn't know what forbidden jutsu Tonbo was referring to, but since he said so, it had to be better than them just throwing their bodies at it. However, he knew the price wouldn't be small.
"Even if it costs me my life, I will protect Konoha," Tonbo said, feeling a bit like laughing inside. To play the part, he was saying all sorts of insincere things.
By now, the nerves he had implanted in the Gedo Mazo were continuously absorbing data and transmitting it back to him. Will the future enemies truly be that terrifying? No... hopefully, like Urashiki, they are just 'silver spears with wax tips'—all show and no substance. Still, one had to be prepared. One couldn't get arrogant just because they defeated an Otsutsuki. Arrogance makes the mind stupid.
"Fine! Everyone, assemble!" Shikaku knew there was no time for discussion and quickly relayed the order through Inoichi.
Whoosh!
The remaining ninjas clustered behind Tonbo, watching the Gedo Mazo as it prepared to attack again.
"What do we do?" Shikaku asked.
"Just don't resist. Chakra Conversion Jutsu."
Tonbo wove signs, and branch-like lines connected all the ninjas. He continued weaving signs so fast his hands became a blur. The other ninjas felt their chakra being drained and stopped resisting the flow.
ROAR!
Sensing a threat, the Gedo Mazo charged at them.
"Deception: Hurricane Phenomenon!"
"Is he going to use some kind of Forbidden Jutsu?" Zetsu wondered. Tobi watched intently, wanting to record all of Tonbo's hidden cards.
"Back off!" Tobi suddenly commanded.
In his eyes, countless tiny specks of chakra appeared, saturating the Gedo Mazo's battlefield. They were microscopic yet dense. Suddenly, wind rose out of thin air around the Gedo Mazo and even beneath their own feet.
In Tobi's vision, those tiny chakra specks were interfering with the natural order of the environment, forcibly altering it. The surrounding natural energy transformed. It felt like a long time, but it happened in an instant. The entire environment changed.
Massive, violent tornadoes swirled where they had been standing. Collisions between these tornadoes birthed even more ferocious hurricanes. The wind was strong enough to shred wood into fibers and grind rock into dust.
"What forbidden jutsu is this? I've never heard of it," Tobi searched his memory but found no record of anything similar. Before him was a total change in the local weather.
"Judging by the hand signs, it should be a Genjutsu," Zetsu offered his deduction.
Tobi paused. "A Genjutsu that rewrites reality... did he develop it himself?"
It wasn't even a question. Neither Uchiha Madara nor Zetsu knew of it; it was almost certainly a self-developed technique. Such formidable talent for Genjutsu.
"This level of attack can only stall the Gedo Mazo for a while. If it hadn't absorbed the Tailed Beasts, Nagato might not have lasted long. But with seven Tailed Beasts inside, the Gedo Mazo just needs to hold out until Tonbo's chakra is exhausted. And using such a technique must have a huge drawback," Zetsu said.
"Konoha truly has deep foundations," Tobi lamented. To force the Gedo Mazo, powered by seven Tailed Beasts, into a battle of attrition was incredible.
In the center of the storm, the Gedo Mazo was tumbling like it was in a washing machine. Its atmospheric attacks were being swallowed by the hurricanes covering a ten-kilometer radius. It could only rely on its powerful body and chakra to endure.
"Maybe we can take this chance to solve him," Zetsu said, looking at Tonbo Tobitake, who was anchored to the Konoha forces. Right now, he couldn't move. If they struck now...
"Yeah, you're right. We can't leave Tonbo Tobitake alive, or he might interfere with my plans."
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