Naruto and Sasuke are doing nothing; Madara and I will set an example.

Page 53

There are only two options: stop looking, either hide in this bamboo forest, or hide underground!

—Magnetic Release: Sand and Iron Waves!

"Whoosh!" The sand and iron waves, like a waterfall, swept down from top to bottom, instantly engulfing the bamboo forest below!

The overwhelming area-of-effect attacks clearly demonstrate the disparity in strength.

"It seems that this is the end..." This was basically the consensus of everyone present.

"While that bamboo ninjutsu was impressive, it was ultimately more show than substance."

"I think we can declare the match over and then let the medical team treat the people."

At this moment, Locke Lee, who was standing on the side wall of the field as the referee, had his eyes fixed on the depths of that barren sand and iron wasteland.

How familiar this scene seems.

He could empathize more than anyone else with the desperate situation the child buried underground was facing.

Thinking of his youth, during which he had shed blood and sweat, he clenched his fists.

"Is it really over, boy?"

Underground, Ganju, who was hiding in the earth, felt the increasing pressure of the soil above him, and his little face became solemn.

"As expected, this is incredibly strong. Is this the level of a genin from one of the five great ninja villages?"

He couldn't help but think of his childhood.

Bathed in the gentle sunshine of this idyllic paradise.

His father held his little hand and explained the origin of his name to him.

"Gan Zhu, do you know? Your name was given to you by Lord Shadow. It means that the brave are blessed by heaven! Lord Shadow and your father both hope that you will never lack the courage to forge ahead in the future!"

"To be honest, I don't know if I really have the ability to defeat him..."

"Boom!" The surging ghost bamboo broke through the sand waves! Gan Zhu bravely rose up, instantly forming hand seals, "Crack! Crack!" His hands snapped two bamboo sticks from beside him with lightning speed.

"However, failing without even trying will only leave you with regret!"

—Earth Release: Earth Spear Technique!

"Sizzle!" The dark color spread from Ganshu's wrist to his palm and onto the bamboo sticks he held in his hands, until it completely covered the inside and outside, greatly enhancing the hardness, toughness, and surface tension that the two bamboo sticks could withstand.

"Slash! Slash!" Using bamboo as a knife, it danced wildly in the air, slicing through the blinding torrent of iron sand!

Until... Shinki, her face filled with astonishment, reappeared in his sight!

Gan Zhu lowered his gaze and bit the end of a hollow bamboo stick reinforced with earthen spears!

My chakra isn't strong enough to achieve the same power as Master Kakuzu, but I have my own methods for amplifying ninjutsu!

"Lord Shadow, gaze upon me! I will repay your and Father's expectations with courage!"

——Oni Bamboo Style·Wind Release Pressure Cannon!

Chapter 73 The Song of Darkness

"Boom!" The wind-style pressure blast was compressed to the extreme by the hollow bamboo stick, turning into a vacuum beam that instantly swept away the sand and iron everywhere!

"Boom!" Shinki's protective iron sand cloak showed signs of separating and disintegrating under the oncoming wind pressure!

He was so frightened that he quickly used magnetic energy to reinforce the area, barely managing to hold the situation together!

"What kind of Wind Release is this?! Even the Jonin of the Sand Wind Release squad aren't this good, are they?"

Gan Zhu's expression turned stern: "So it really can't be taken so easily after all!"

The Song of Darkness, the Mantra of Courage!

In war, courage is paramount! One should strike with full force at the first drumbeat, for the second will be weaker, and the third exhausted! When the enemy is exhausted and we are still strong, we can defeat them!

If I don't take down my opponent in one fell swoop when they're weakened, and they recover, I'll be the one who suffers!

He dared to release chakra that adhered to the soles of his feet, and with a single hand seal change, he powerfully added another attack at the end of the pressure cannon!

—Oni-take-ryu, Head-carved Handgun!

The fire burst out of the bamboo tube, and the powerful recoil from the bamboo pole caused Gansuke's body to shudder violently. Fortunately, he had released chakra to the soles of his feet in advance, which saved him from being blown away!

The wind in front and the fire behind complement each other, perfectly benefiting from the wind and fire escape technique's buffs!

"Boom!" The beam of fire instantly burned through the air and struck Shinki's body!

"Ugh...! The iron sand armor was actually...!"

"Ughhhhh...!" Shinki's screams echoed through the exploding flames!

The contestants' waiting area was filled with terror as the night earth and desolate valleys trembled!

"Impossible! Shinki's Iron Sand Absolute Defense has been breached head-on!"

"Who exactly is that unassuming fellow?!"

Naruto rested his chin on his hands, his gaze calm: "Not bad, you've perfectly utilized the properties of bamboo in conjunction with your ninjutsu."

Gaara looked at the figure that had fallen disheveledly from the shattered iron sand and said, "Have you been forced to use that move?"

The moment Shinki saw Kansuke forming additional hand seals with his third eye of the Iron Sand, he decisively activated the Iron Sand Clone, escaping a potentially fatal blow.

He immediately summoned the Iron Sand to rebuild his protective armor, and the black wings on the right side of the Iron Sand transformed into an Iron Sand Fist that was as big as the Susanoo's skull fist!

The look in his eyes when he looked at Ganshu again was no longer one of contempt.

"You dare to help, huh? From now on, I will treat you as an evenly matched opponent! Furthermore, I regret to inform you that no one will be able to take the glory that belongs to Sand from my hands!"

"Boom!" He sprinted forward with his chakra, using the single wing of the Iron Sand Left Wing to accelerate his gliding, while the giant fist of the Iron Sand Right Wing slammed down in his face!

"Close combat is my weakness, because I focus most of my energy on mastering the Demon Bamboo and the Five Elements Ninjutsu!"

He dared to bite his thumb, catch the blood that flew off, and then strike the ground with one hand after forming a hand seal!

—The art of spirit communication!

"Clang!" A panda with the physique of a robust adult emerged from the white smoke, using its thick wrists clad in steel arm armor to block the oncoming iron sand fist!

Looking at that black and white figure, which exuded a sense of security, Gan Zhu smiled and said, "I'll leave close protection to you, my friend, Kung Fu Panda—Panpan!"

"Meow!" Panpan pulled out one hand, raised her thumb behind her, then used her waist and stance to lift her iron fist, casually broke off a bamboo stalk and threw it into her mouth to chew.

"Crunch! Crunch!"

Its enormous body shrank to a black and white ball on the spot and rolled past the bottom of the Sand Fist!

"What!?"

To Shinki's astonishment, a simple, unadorned punch landed squarely on his wide-open abdomen!

"Thump!" Even with the iron armor protecting him, the powerful punch still penetrated solidly!

Shinki's facial features contorted, and he spat out saliva with a "whoosh!"

"Summoning a summoned panda skilled in powerful fist techniques... Damn it, this guy actually has no weaknesses at all!"

"Thump!" As he spoke, he took another solid uppercut to the chin!

"Dun~!" Panpan's body leaped up like a spring, unleashing a dazzling series of aerial martial arts attacks on Shinki!

Having gained a respite, Gan Zhu dared not slacken in the slightest.

"Panpan's attack could not seriously damage Xinxi, who was protected by iron sand."

"Moreover, I can only communicate with Panpan for twenty seconds now."

"We must build an offensive within twenty seconds that can completely shatter his defenses!"

"We can't be stingy with our chakra anymore; we're betting everything on this next attack!"

—Wood Release: Demon Bamboo Dance!

Bamboo groves rise from the ground.

The bamboo in front of him grew exceptionally tall.

He pulled the tall bamboo from the ground, and the dark color of the Earth Escape: Earth Spear adhered to the whole thing.

Then his gaze fell, and he recalled the admonitions of his mentor, Kakuzu.

“I dare to help you. My ultimate technique, the Earthly Grudge Technique, is a forbidden technique developed to steal the heart of an enemy. You are kind-hearted and will certainly not use this technique to steal the heart of an enemy.”

"I don't intend to teach you the whole technique, and you don't have that much time and energy to digest it all. I will only teach you the technique of creating Earth Grudge Tentacles. As for how to use it, that's up to you."

"Snap!" From under Gansuke's sleeve, a black tentacle thread crawled out and connected to both ends of the long bamboo.

The two bamboo stalks split into two, each grabbing one end of the bamboo!

Dare to help me, grab the Earth Grudge's touch string with one hand!

The ghost bamboo transformed into a ghost bow, and the resentful touch became a resentful string!

"Master Kakuzu, almost all of my skills were taught to me by you. When I grow up, I will definitely save up money to build you a house that is no less grand than Young Master Feng's! All the furniture will be made of gold!"

"Crack!" Ganju formed a hand seal with one hand, and the explosive lightning transformed into a spear-shaped lightning arrow, which was slowly injected between the Ghost Bow and the Wraith String!

"Bang!" High in the sky, Shin-chan broke free from Kung Fu Panda's entanglement and saw the trump card being brewed in the bamboo forest!

"Not good!" He flicked his sleeve!

—Magnetic Release: Sand Iron Shuriken!

Gan Zhu was prepared, and with the hand holding the string, he pulled out a finger to form a hand seal.

—Wood Release: Demon Bamboo Shuriken!

The previously created ghost bamboo forest was not just for show. As the Gan Zhu Seal Technique disintegrated into hundreds of bamboo segments, they shot into the sky in rapid succession!

"Bang bang bang!"

Iron sand and bamboo intertwined to form a chaotic curtain, but eventually both fell silent, neither able to overcome the other!

Gan Zhu's trump card is ready!

The bow is fully drawn, the arrow is on the string!

Seeing this, Shinki also mustered all his strength!

The iron sand surged and coalesced wildly, transforming into a giant iron sand triangular cone!

Shinki's eyes were contorted with rage: "My godfather is watching me! I can't lose!"

——Magnetic Release: Iron Sand Triangular Pyramid!

"The Shadow Lord is watching me, I will win!"

—Oni-take-ryu: Pseudo-Dark Resentment Arrow!

"Boom!!" "Crack!!"

The triangular cone and the lightning bolt collided head-on in mid-air!

"Crackling and popping...!"

A thunderstorm with flashes of light echoed across the stadium!

Thousands of viewers were stunned!

"Crack!" As the tip of the iron sand pyramid shattered, Shinki sighed: "Father, I did my best..."

"Boom!" Lightning broke through, and Shinki was swept away by the current, his back slamming into the high wall of the stands!

The protective iron sand dissipated, and he slumped to the edge of the field, still conscious but too weak to stand up again.

"I lost……"

"Good, good lad! You've really impressed me!" Referee Locke Lee thought with pride, shouting, "The winner deserves our support!"

The glory of victory descends.

Gan Zhu sat down on the ground, utterly exhausted.

The hand that drew the bow was dripping with hot blood.

He looked up at the sunlight streaming down from the sky and smiled: "Lord Shadow, can I be considered a little hero in your eyes?"