Chapter 71: Storm Release: Judgment, Ultimate Technique VS Ultimate Technique
"What's going on with that bushy eyebrows?"
"So... such immense chakra, what kind of jutsu is that?!"
"..."
Gazing at Rock Lee, whose entire being was enveloped in a vibrant green energy, a swirling blue chakra aura dancing around him, the very air distorting and rising with intensity, and his hair standing on end and fluttering wildly, all the examinees wore expressions of utter shock.
Neji Hyuga and Sasuke Uchiha, with their Byakugan and Sharingan activated respectively, felt a tremor in their gazes, their inner beings reeling from the sheer impact.
They had never conceived that Rock Lee possessed such formidable power.
The eyes of the Jonin were also wide with astonishment, sensing a palpable, deadly threat emanating from Rock Lee.
"The Eight Gates Formation... to think that kid actually mastered this forbidden technique."
Orochimaru, cloaked in his guise as a Sound ninja, now regarded Rock Lee with serious intent, marveling inwardly, "The Konoha of this generation truly breeds exceptional talent!"
Just like the Flying Thunder God Technique, the forbidden art of the Eight Gates Formation held a formidable reputation throughout the ninja world.
Others striving to become all-rounded Jonin had to master at least two nature transformations; otherwise, they would remain merely Special Jonin.
Yet, Might Guy, wielding only taijutsu, had ascended to become one of Konoha's ace combatants, a taijutsu master renowned across the lands.
His strength lay solely in the forbidden power of the Eight Gates Formation!
To even begin to learn the Eight Gates Formation, one required a physique forged through relentless training, capable of allowing the meridians to withstand the torrential influx of violent chakra.
Orochimaru had never before witnessed someone as young as twelve or thirteen capable of opening even three gates.
But swiftly, Orochimaru realized he had once again underestimated this young prodigy.
Rock Lee, radiating an aura of untamed power, clenched his fists once more, his body coiling, and with gritted teeth, he bellowed, "Eight Gates Formation, Fourth Gate – the Gate of Pain... OPEN!"
Accompanied by a deafening roar, a shockwave of energy swept through the entire hall.
The emerald energy encasing Rock Lee's form intensified, growing even more potent.
"He can even enter the danger zone?"
Both Orochimaru and Kakashi Hatake's eyes flashed with realization.
The Fourth Gate marked the true, perilous power of the Eight Gates Formation!
Even Hiruzen Sarutobi set aside his pipe, his gaze fixed on the grave expression of Izayoi, seeking to discern if fear now gripped the young prodigy.
Should Izayoi lack the confidence to confront Rock Lee in this state, he would order the immediate cessation of the match.
The Eight Gates Formation, a forbidden technique of immense amplification, was undeniably unfair to any ordinary opponent.
At this moment, Rock Lee had already acclimated to the state of the four opened gates, adopting the stance of a coiled spring, ready to unleash his speed.
Seeing this, every single observer became utterly engrossed.
Even Izayoi focused his Kagura Shingan intently on Rock Lee.
CRACK—BOOM!
First, the sharp report of shattering stone echoed, followed by an earth-shattering explosion that ripped through the silence.
Rock Lee's figure vanished.
Unlike his previous high-speed movements after shedding his weights, which left only a fleeting afterimage, Rock Lee's current charge simply pulverized the floor, unleashing a colossal cloud of dust and a gale-force shockwave akin to Wind Release, surging towards Izayoi with overwhelming force.
Such raw power and sheer velocity transcended the realm of human capability.
"So fast!"
Izayoi marveled inwardly, the legendary technique truly living up to its name.
While his Kagura Shingan could track the trajectory of Lee's movement, Izayoi knew it was impossible for him to elevate his speed to Lee's current level using Lightning Release chakra stimulation alone.
If Rock Lee opening the First Gate allowed him to exert 100% of his physical prowess, then now, with four gates unleashed, it was a staggering 200% or even more.
His raw power and speed metrics had already surpassed Izayoi's.
Instinctively, Izayoi raised a hand and clapped, unleashing a furious gale of wind.
The dense dust cloud was instantly dispersed, yet the space before him remained empty.
Rock Lee's figure materialized once more, directly behind Izayoi.
ZZZZZZ...
The crackling sound of converging electricity filled the air again. Observing Izayoi, now wreathed in arcs of pure energy, Rock Lee's body leaned forward slightly, and then a visible sonic boom cloud bloomed between them.
BOOM—
The shockwave generated by the sheer force of striking the air, amplified by the electrical discharge, engulfed Izayoi, yet there was no visual indication of him being blown away.
Izayoi's body dissolved into a cloud of white smoke, and a simple log tumbled to the ground.
Substitution Jutsu!
Rock Lee craned his neck upwards, his gaze finding Izayoi's true form, enveloped in a swirling vortex of intense wind, suspended high beneath the ceiling.
"He won!"
Seeing this, Might Guy, whose hands had been clasped in a gesture of fervent prayer, erupted in a jubilant shout.
His deepest fear was not Izayoi's power, but rather that the young prodigy would exploit his superior speed to engage Rock Lee in a protracted battle of attrition.
The debilitating side effects of the Eight Gates Formation, especially for Rock Lee in his developmental years, were far too severe to endure a prolonged fight.
Failure to secure a swift victory would inevitably lead to Rock Lee's body succumbing to the strain, rendering him incapable of continuing.
Now, Izayoi's deliberate ascent into the air, utilizing Wind Release for temporary levitation, was akin to presenting himself as a stationary target for Rock Lee.
Predictably...
Once Rock Lee confirmed that the figure suspended in the air was indeed Izayoi's true form, he instantly bent his knees, clenched his fists, and with renewed determination etched on his face, he gritted his teeth and declared, "Eight Gates Formation, Fifth Gate – the Gate of Closing... OPEN!"
BOOM—
An even more violent and untamed shockwave erupted, roaring outwards with terrifying intensity.
This time, the sheer force of the expanding energy not only engulfed the entire hall and the second floor but also pulverized the remaining sections of the ground, unleashing a blinding cloud of dust that effectively robbed ninjas lacking sensory prowess of their ability to observe the unfolding spectacle.
In battles of this caliber, the weak were not even granted the privilege of witnessing the true extent of power.
Kakashi Hatake and the other Konoha Jonin tensed visibly, their gazes fixed on Izayoi hovering beneath the ceiling, prepared to intervene and safeguard the young prodigy if necessary.
However, in the next fleeting moment, the expressions of the assembled dignitaries, including even Hiruzen Sarutobi, underwent a drastic transformation.
Izayoi extended his open hand downwards, and a swirling vortex of azure energy materialized beneath his palm.
Swiftly, more and more of these vibrant vortices coalesced, rapidly merging to form a pulsating sphere of brilliant blue and white energy.
This particular energy sphere was not only familiar to certain Jonin but held an almost intimate familiarity for them.
"This is... the Rasengan?"
"Impossible! Why does this young boy know the Fourth Hokage's Rasengan?"
"No, this isn't the Rasengan..."
The Jonin had barely uttered their initial exclamations when they collectively realized their error.
For they all witnessed the energy sphere in Izayoi's hand continuing to expand, growing significantly larger than even an adult's head.
Then, within this colossal sphere, two smaller energy orbs, each roughly the size of a clenched fist, materialized.
Initially, the colors of these two smaller orbs mirrored the larger sphere, both radiating a brilliant blue-white light.
But in the blink of an eye, these two inner orbs transformed, one becoming a stark, pure white – the white of raw lightning – and the other a deep, oceanic blue.
Witnessing these two distinct nature transformations, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and Kakashi Hatake all displayed subtle yet significant shifts in their expressions.
The Rasengan itself was an A-rank, non-elemental ninjutsu, a testament to the pinnacle of form manipulation.
To successfully infuse it with nature transformation was akin to imbuing the Chidori with form manipulation, birthing the lightning-severing might of the Raikiri!
And the Raikiri was an S-rank Lightning Release ultimate technique.
Now, Izayoi's energy sphere not only contained nature transformation but two distinct elements.
What then, was the true power level of this unprecedented ninjutsu?
Perhaps... their concern should not be for Izayoi, but rather... for Rock Lee!
BOOM—
At that precise instant, the sharp crack of a sonic boom ripped through the air, the resulting shockwave scattering the remaining dust.
A figure enveloped in a blinding green light, propelled by a swirling vortex of rising energy, shot towards Izayoi on the ceiling with terrifying velocity.
Along its trajectory, the figure flickered in and out of sight, seemingly treading on the very air itself, achieving impossible speeds in mid-air.
Izayoi slowly closed his eyes, his Kagura Shingan firmly locking onto Rock Lee's precise location.
Within the Super Hurricane Connected Sphere in his hand, the two inner energy orbs, like the tomoe of a Sharingan, spun with frenetic intensity. Initially rotating clockwise, after a few dizzying revolutions, one of the orbs abruptly reversed its direction, spinning counterclockwise and colliding violently with its partner.
Yet, the collision of these two opposing nature transformations did not cause the Super Hurricane Connected Sphere to detonate. Instead, they seamlessly fused together, transmuting into a blinding beam of pure laser light that now pulsed within the confines of the energy sphere.
"Judgment!"
As Izayoi's commanding voice echoed through the hall, the energy sphere in his hand instantly morphed into a colossal pillar of laser light, expanding rapidly as it hurtled downwards with devastating force.
"Reverse Lotus!"
Gazing at the ever-expanding beam of pure energy, Rock Lee, whose speed was so immense it generated its own sonic boom cloud, found himself with no room to evade within the confines of the relatively small hall. He could only redirect the full force of the charged attack he had prepared for Izayoi, unleashing it directly towards the descending laser pillar.
His fist, shrouded in the vibrant green energy of the opened gates, struck the air with such force that it generated a terrifying shockwave, colliding head-on with the descending laser beam in a furious upward assault.
The awe-inspiring spectacle of ultimate technique clashing against ultimate technique unfolded before the stunned eyes of every examinee and Jonin present.
Neither the pinnacle of taijutsu nor the Storm Release ultimate technique, a fusion of water and lightning, were powers that any mere Genin should have possessed.
Even Special Jonin and a significant portion of the regular Jonin ranks lacked any comparable techniques to counter such devastating force.
Before these awestruck spectators could even begin to fathom which ultimate technique would prevail, the shockwave unleashed by Rock Lee swiftly dissipated under the immense pressure, then was utterly shattered and overwhelmed by the sheer power of the laser beam, engulfing Rock Lee completely.
"Lee!!"
Witnessing this devastating impact, Might Guy's voice cracked with horrified anguish.
"Lightning Blade!"
Just as the laser pillar was mere moments away from crashing into the ground, threatening to carve an unfathomable chasm into the very foundation of the central tower, a figure suddenly materialized out of thin air, a crackling mass of pure lightning crackling in their outstretched hand, which they slammed directly onto the descending beam.
It was none other than Kakashi Hatake.
The legendary power capable of slicing through lightning itself successfully severed the section of the laser beam that had already engulfed Rock Lee.
An afterimage blurred, and Hayate Gekko swiftly caught the now unconscious, even seemingly lifeless, Rock Lee, vanishing in a burst of speed.
BOOM————
The remaining, severed portion of the laser pillar slammed into the ground with cataclysmic force.
The entire central tower shuddered violently, every stone groaning under the immense impact.
Examinees who had failed to secure their grip on the railings or react quickly enough to anchor themselves with chakra were thrown to the ground by the violent tremors.
Sprawled out in disarray, their dignity forgotten, they instinctively clung to the railings, their eyes wide with disbelief as they watched the colossal beam of energy gradually diminish in size, finally collapsing into a single, vanishing line of light.
When the last vestiges of the laser beam finally dissipated, the once spacious hall offered precious little stable ground.
In its place yawned a gaping, seemingly bottomless black chasm.
(End of this chapter)
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