Chapter 176: I Won't Hold Back Anymore
Seeing Uchiha Dali smirking without responding, Uchiha Fugaku couldn't help muttering to himself.
No one could understand why Uchiha Dali hadn't launched a direct attack yet.
Just then, Uchiha Shisui suddenly reminded them, "Lord Fourth Hokage."
He was looking up at the sky.
Everyone curiously followed his gaze and noticed a small figure in the high sky.
That figure was positioned behind the Four Red Yang Formation's barrier, appearing as nothing more than a tiny black dot.
If one didn't possess a special dojutsu like the Uchiha or Hyuga clans, they might not even notice it.
Uchiha Dali looked up and let out a faint, mocking smile.
Of course, he recognized that figure.
At that moment, up in the sky, Ōnoki also noticed Uchiha Dali and his group below.
When he realized it was Uchiha Dali himself leading the interception, Ōnoki's expression immediately grew grave.
"So it is you, Uchiha Dali!"
Confirming his identity, Ōnoki raised his hands and began forming seals.
After pressing his palms together, he slowly spread them apart, aiming at the red barrier in front of him.
"What's that guy trying to do??"
Seeing Ōnoki's actions, confusion spread through Dali's side.
Uchiha Obito narrowed his eyes. "It looks like he's preparing to use some kind of ninjutsu."
"His chakra is concentrating rapidly—whatever it is, it's dangerous!"
Hyuga Hiashi, using his Byakugan to observe the target, immediately enhanced his vision to monitor the flow of chakra within Ōnoki's body.
A chill crept over him.
Whatever technique Ōnoki was preparing… it was powerful!
"Dust Release, huh…"
Even Uchiha Dali grew a little serious, the amused grin fading slightly from his face.
Ōnoki's Dust Release was like a razor-sharp spear—its destructive force rivaled a Tailed Beast Bomb.
The Four Red Yang Formation could withstand the impact of a Tailed Beast Bomb, but whether it could endure the overwhelming power of Dust Release was another question entirely.
While everyone was still speculating about what Ōnoki was planning, Uchiha Dali's body slowly began to rise into the air.
At the same time, a blinding light started to form in front of Ōnoki.
A white glow converged in his palms, gradually forming into a triangular prism-shaped barrier of pure energy.
Inside this attack barrier was a glowing orb.
The intense light radiated from that fist-sized orb—this was the true core and threat of the Dust Release.
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
Ōnoki had, of course, noticed Uchiha Dali flying up to meet him.
But he paid him no heed and continued with his Dust Release technique, preparing to forcibly break through the barrier.
"You're braver than I thought," Uchiha Dali said with a smile as he approached, as if greeting an old friend rather than facing a dangerous enemy.
Ōnoki was enraged by the casual tone.
With a grim expression, he stared Uchiha Dali down. "Uchiha Dali, tell me—why did you steal our Iwagakure Tailed Beasts?"
"'Steal'? Don't make it sound so ugly."
"I simply stepped in to protect the Tailed Beasts on behalf of Iwagakure. And besides, your two Jinchuriki came to Konoha willingly."
Uchiha Dali shrugged, looking completely unconcerned.
Ōnoki's gaze grew even sharper.
"So you are admitting to abducting our Jinchuriki!"
"Whatever. Say what you want."
Seeing that the old man clearly wasn't listening, Uchiha Dali could only shake his head helplessly.
"Hmph! Then what's your intention now?"
Despite holding his Dust Release technique at the ready, Ōnoki still hadn't unleashed it, continuing to interrogate Dali.
But Dali merely glanced casually at the deadly technique in Ōnoki's hands and said with a smirk, "I didn't come here to fight you. You're not young anymore—I'd hate to accidentally kill you."
"You little punk, what did you just say?!"
"What, didn't hear me? Must be the ears going—guess that comes with age."
"Here's a piece of advice, Ōnoki: just retire already. Enjoy your twilight years. What good will it do you to keep stirring up trouble?"
Uchiha Dali spread his hands, feigning helplessness.
His total lack of respect actually caused Ōnoki to calm down.
His earlier fury was mostly an act anyway.
He needed to show Uchiha Dali just how outraged he was, to pressure Konoha into giving Iwagakure an explanation.
But judging by Dali's current attitude, it was clear he didn't take him seriously at all.
"Return the Four-Tails and Five-Tails to Iwagakure, and sign a new treaty with us—one that guarantees, no matter how far Konoha expands, you will never target Iwagakure or the smaller nations around us."
"If you agree to that, I'll order a full retreat."
"Otherwise, even if we have to fight to the last man, we will never stop until Konoha is destroyed!!"
Ōnoki calmly stated his demands.
But Uchiha Dali didn't even seem to be listening.
He was leisurely cleaning his ears.
The gesture drove Ōnoki into a rage. He glared daggers at Dali and barked, "Boy! Did you hear a word I just said?!"
"Sorry, didn't quite catch that."
"You—!"
"Hmph! Since you refuse a peaceful toast, don't blame me for serving punishment instead! You asked for this!"
Enraged, Ōnoki no longer hesitated.
If the talks had failed, then they'd settle it by force.
The Dust Release technique he'd been charging was launched directly at the red barrier before him—and despite clearly seeing Uchiha Dali standing in front of it, he still held nothing back.
That meant he fully intended to blast Dali along with the barrier.
"Going all in, huh?"
Uchiha Dali chuckled softly as he watched the triangular prism of Dust Release collide with the Four Red Yang Formation.
Truth be told, even he wasn't sure whether the formation could withstand an attack of this magnitude.
He already had his advanced Flying Thunder God Technique on standby, ready to retreat instantly if needed.
The Dust Release attack was tightly compressed within a triangular prism.
The moment it struck the defensive wall of the Four Red Yang Formation, an intense white light erupted.
Then came a thunderous explosion.
Dust Release was powerful enough to disintegrate any target down to atoms.
Ōnoki's triangular prism was specifically designed to contain the attack and prevent its destruction from spreading, lest it take out himself and his men as well.
As the deafening blast faded and the smoke began to clear, both men saw it—
A massive gap had been blasted into the wall of the Four Red Yang Formation.
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