Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Within the forest domain, thick roots were everywhere, squeezing all the space around them in an instant.
Crack!
Crack!
Houses on every side collapsed one after another; explosions boomed without pause. Not a single intact roof tile remained—dust billowed everywhere.
For a moment, everyone was stunned!
The Root Ten stared wide-eyed!
In their minds rose the figure of a single man—the First Hokage!
The one who, in a single battle, completely changed the terrain of the Valley of the End!
The masked ninja with the Sharingan had his three tomoe spinning, clearly seeing wisps of chakra rising off Night Maple's body—so dense they were almost tangible.
That caliber of chakra… even jōnin couldn't reach it.
The surrounding roots swayed, exuding a terrifying pressure that set every heart trembling.
Night Maple felt the chakra surging inside him—worlds apart from just a few days ago!
He merely stood there without moving, and cold sweat streamed down every face.
Not only those within the forest. Outside as well—the Hokage, Lady Uzumaki Mito, Minato and the others—everyone felt a heavy oppression.
Sarutobi Hiruzen gasped, "That's Night Maple's chakra?"
Uzumaki Mito was just as shocked. These last few days, Night Maple had done nothing, lazing about and sleeping. The old lady had been a little disappointed.
But now, she understood.
Night Maple was a genius!
And geniuses are proud—like that old man of hers, never serious for a day in his life.
Thinking that, Uzumaki Mito sighed. "As expected of Senju stock."
Then she looked to Minato. "Kushina's in there too?"
Minato nodded hard. "Yes—Night Maple pulled her in…"
The old lady's eyes lit up at once. Night Maple and Kushina, two youngsters together inside—excellent time to cultivate feelings.
So she stayed Sarutobi's advance. "Sarutobi, wait. Since Night Maple used Deep Forest Emergence, there shouldn't be any danger."
Sarutobi looked speechlessly at the old lady—she'd been the one most worked up a moment ago, and now she wouldn't let him in?
At that moment, Yamanaka Fū felt a bad premonition. The intel on this youth was wrong! He wasn't merely jōnin-level!
"!"
Fū roared, the ground at his feet exploding as he lunged at Night Maple.
At the same time, the others moved.
The masked Uchiha's eye bled at the corner.
"Genjutsu—Golden Binding!"
A Sharingan illusion that shackles the enemy by plunging them into their own world, unable to move!
Yet a genjutsu of that level was useless on Night Maple.
"Useless?!"
Not only Uchiha Kagami's Sharingan genjutsu—
Fū's mental control failed as well, and the Aburame's kikaichū couldn't get close at all.
Countless roots and wooden vines lashed and coiled toward the Root Ten, dense as a net.
"Holy—!"
Those roots and vines kept whipping—and swelling thicker and thicker. Verdure surged, life overflowing.
And in that riot of life, everyone felt only towering fear, sweat pouring down.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The Root Ten bounded through the roots and vines, twisting and dodging.
At times they had to hack apart the unavoidable ones.
They were forced to use Substitution and Shadow Clone as well.
But as endless, monstrous roots and vines rose from the earth, their space grew tighter and tighter—roots and vines everywhere.
Even Shadow Clones couldn't save them forever. They were only ordinary shinobi—no kekkei genkai.
"Retreat!"
Seeing things go wrong, Yamanaka Fū shouted it at once.
Night Maple's strength far exceeded their expectations.
They'd already gauged him at the very highest level they dared—and still he was beyond imagination.
At Fū's order, the Root Ten turned to flee.
But the roots and vines were faster, like arrows let fly, lancing out violently.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
"Ah!"
"Ah!"
With a few screams, in mere seconds the Root Ten were trussed up one by one like zongzi.
Massive roots from all sides sealed every path of escape for Yamanaka Fū.
He was wrapped up in an instant.
Bang!
Substitution!
Twenty meters away, Fū's figure reappeared. He exhaled in relief—then looked back, pupils shrinking to pinpoints!
When had Night Maple appeared before him?
And his comrades were all bound.
Everywhere around—Night Maples! All clones!
Night Maple, one against ten, a clean sweep?!
Night Maple narrowed his eyes at the masked Yamanaka Fū before him. "You're the one in charge?"