"Uh… while that's true, isn't there a rumor in the Village that your strength is permanently stuck at Elite Jonin level and can never improve?" Jonin Shinoda asked cautiously.
"Hmph, you believe whatever other people say. If someone claimed they fought the entire Ninja World alone, would you believe that too?" Isamu snorted coldly. He truly hated being underestimated like this.
"Of course not, it's just—"
"Bang! Bang!"
Before Jonin Shinoda could finish speaking, two explosions echoed from the distance.
"Oh? The traps ahead have been triggered. Looks like the enemy is here!" Hearing the explosions from the trap zone, everyone immediately drew their Kunai and prepared for battle.
"Everyone, get ready! The first group to arrive will definitely be cannon-fodder scouts. Once they get close enough, wipe them out and retreat immediately. Leave the main force to Senba and me!" Isamu quickly issued his orders.
"Yes!"
Senba and the others nodded in acknowledgment.
"How is it? Where's the enemy's main force?" Isamu asked the empty air beside him.
The surrounding Ninjas looked bewildered at Isamu speaking to thin air, momentarily suspecting he had gone insane. Only Senba knew who his father was talking to. After all, he was already aware of those elusive White Zetsu.
"The very front consists of fifty cannon-fodder scouts. The Jonin and Chunin elites are four hundred meters behind them, and the rear guard of fifty Chunin and Genin is positioned at the very back," a White Zetsu disguised as a Konoha Ninja suddenly emerged from the ground beside Isamu and calmly reported.
"Six hundred meters, huh? Heh, divided into front, middle, and rear formations. Looks like the enemy this time is indeed different!" Isamu chuckled after hearing White Zetsu's report.
Having White Zetsu disguise themselves this way was also Isamu's idea. It was better not to expose White Zetsu's true identity.
It had to be said that having intelligence specialists like White Zetsu made everything much easier. As the saying goes: know yourself and know your enemy, and you'll never lose a battle.
Someone actually appeared out of nowhere!
The surrounding Ninjas stared at the unfamiliar Konoha Ninja in shock. None of them had sensed his presence at all.
"Lord Isamu, is this person's intel reliable? We can't afford any mistakes right now. We've already suffered too many losses!" Jonin Shinoda looked suspiciously at the unfamiliar Ninja.
"Heh, relax. His intelligence is more accurate than anyone else's. I trust his reports far more than those 'salted fish' from Konoha's intelligence department!" Isamu curled his lips slightly, clearly trusting White Zetsu far more than Konoha's own intelligence personnel.
"Is that so? Even so, it's still better to stay cautious." Shinoda glanced warily at the man who had appeared out of nowhere. It wasn't that he distrusted Konoha Ninjas, but those ghost-like movements were simply too unsettling.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
As the explosions grew closer and closer, the enemy forces continued advancing.
"Everyone, prepare to eliminate the vanguard scouts! Senba, get ready. Once everyone retreats after wiping them out, we'll use Deep Forest Emergence together and try to heavily damage them in one move!" Isamu instructed as the enemy drew within several hundred meters.
"Understood, Father!" Senba nodded and began circulating his Chakra.
"Zetsu, come!" Isamu whispered softly toward White Zetsu.
White Zetsu instantly understood his meaning. While everyone else focused on the approaching enemy, six White Zetsu silently merged into Isamu's body.
In an instant, Isamu's Chakra began to surge dramatically.
"Even with six White Zetsu merged together, I've only barely reached Kage level? It seems the difference between six and eight White Zetsu isn't that large. Still, with two Kage-level fighters working together, we should be able to unleash around two-thirds of Deep Forest Emergence's full power," Isamu thought to himself as he clenched his fists.
The Konoha Ninjas hid quietly, patiently waiting for the Iwa cannon fodder to approach.
After carefully scouting ahead and disarming traps, the fifty expendable Iwa scouts finally entered their field of vision.
Isamu slowly raised his hand, signaling everyone not to rush and to let the enemy come closer.
Everyone understood and suppressed their urge to attack, waiting silently in ambush.
"Attack!"
The moment the scouts entered within twenty meters, Isamu shouted the order.
Receiving the signal, Shinoda and the other Jonin immediately led over a hundred Konoha Ninjas in a charge.
Facing opponents composed entirely of Jonin and Chunin, the fifty Iwa Genin scouts stood no chance whatsoever. Completely overwhelmed in both strength and numbers, they were slaughtered by the Konoha Ninjas in barely ten seconds.
"Ahhh!"
"Help!"
"Enemy ambush!"
"Not good! The scout unit has been attacked! Move in to support them!" The six-hundred-man Iwa main force four hundred meters behind immediately heard the screams. Without hesitation, they rushed forward at full speed.
"Forget the few survivors! The enemy army is here. Everyone retreat!" Seeing the rising dust clouds in the distance, Isamu immediately ordered the Konoha Ninjas to abandon pursuit and fall back.
Hearing the command, the Konoha Ninjas instantly realized the enemy's main force had arrived. They immediately gave up chasing the remaining scouts and quickly retreated.
Once everyone had withdrawn to the rear, Isamu and Senba stepped forward to the front lines alone, both raising their hands before their chests, ready to form seals at any moment.
"Remember, Senba, against a large force like this—especially one with Jonin—forty meters is the limit for Deep Forest Emergence. Any closer than that and it'll become dangerous!" Isamu reminded him as the enemy rapidly approached.
"Yes, I understand!" Senba nodded, his eyes fixed firmly ahead.
Soon, the massive Iwa force entered their line of sight. Isamu carefully calculated the enemy's distance with his eyes.
"Two hundred meters… one hundred fifty… one hundred… sixty… fifty… forty!"
"Now, Senba!"
The moment the enemy entered the perfect attack range, Isamu shouted loudly as father and son simultaneously formed hand seals at blinding speed.
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!!!"
The two completed their seals almost simultaneously.
Rumble!!!
The earth violently shook as countless massive trees burst out from underground, surging toward the Iwa army like a tidal wave.
"Not good! The enemy has Wood Release users! Everyone dodge!" The leading Jonin instantly recognized the terrifying Ninjutsu. Since retreating was impossible at this point, he could only shout desperately for everyone to evade.
Deep Forest Emergence was an enormous area-of-effect technique. Against powerful Jonin or Kage-level fighters, it wasn't necessarily fatal so long as they reacted quickly enough.
However, weaker Chunin and Genin were another matter entirely.
"AHHH!"
"Save me!"
"No—!"
Countless Chunin and Genin failed to escape in time. The moment the trees wrapped around them, their Chakra was instantly drained away, leaving behind only shriveled corpses.
The thirty Jonin continuously leaped between tree branches and trunks to avoid the attacks. Watching their subordinates being massacred, all of them were filled with rage and anxiety.
Seeing nearly seventy enemy Ninjas eliminated in a single exchange, Isamu nodded in satisfaction.
Working together with Senba, they had managed to unleash nearly two-thirds of Deep Forest Emergence's true power.
"If I'd used it alone, I'd be lucky to unleash even one-third of its power. Looks like one plus one really doesn't always equal two," Isamu thought inwardly.
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