291-295

Chapter 291: You’re Way Too Badass  

“What?!” 

When Kakashi heard that Kazama planned to take on thousands of enemy ninja all by himself, he was beyond shocked. 

He turned to Kazama, his face full of doubt. “Look, man, don’t talk big like that! I know you’re strong—seriously, you’re insanely badass—but you’ve gotta realize there’s only five of us. How are we supposed to beat an army of thousands? If you don’t pull back, the three of us are outta here. We’re not sticking around to die with you!” 

“Kakashi, how can you talk like that?”  

Before Kazama could even respond, Minato Namikaze snapped at Kakashi. 

“Let me tell you something, Kakashi. This Shinmubi Bridge mission was assigned to the four of us. Kazama’s the only reason we pulled it off so smoothly. And now you want to ditch our teammate and run? Is that really okay with you?” 

“But, Sensei,” Kakashi shot back, “have you forgotten the ninja code? We’re supposed to complete the mission at all costs. The mission’s done, so why should we throw our lives away for nothing?” 

“I don’t want to die for nothing either,” Minato said firmly, “but as long as our teammate is still here, we can’t just abandon him!” 

At that moment, Uchiha Obito stepped forward.  

Even though he’d only known Kazama for half a day, he already saw him as a true comrade. 

Kakashi wasn’t a heartless guy, but the shadow of his father’s death from his childhood loomed large.  

To him, the mission was everything. People who failed missions were trash in his eyes. 

But Obito? He believed that someone who abandoned their comrades was worse than trash. 

While Obito, Minato, and Kakashi argued back and forth, the thousands-strong Iwa ninja army was closing in fast. 

Kazama, facing this massive enemy force, didn’t show even a hint of panic. 

Instead, he turned to Kakashi with a calm look. 

“Kakashi, you’re not wrong. For a ninja, the mission is critical. But I agree with Obito more—when it comes to missions, your comrades’ lives matter most. I’m not letting any of you die. I’ll handle the enemy alone. The four of you, get out of here now!” 

“What?!” 

Kakashi’s jaw dropped when he heard Kazama was dead serious about facing thousands of enemies solo. 

“I’m not some glory hog, and I’m definitely not one to brag,” Kazama continued. “I’m staying here because I know I can take down this entire Iwa army. If you don’t believe me, just stick around and watch the show!” 

With that, Kazama unleashed the full power of his perfect Susanoo. Six divine weapons materialized: the Susanoo swords, the Yukyo Ice Mirror, the Kusanagi Sword, and the Futen Bow. 

In mere moments, he was locked in a fierce battle with the thousands of Iwa ninja, holding his own against overwhelming odds. 

Then, against all expectations, Kazama single-handedly defeated the entire Iwa army. 

His unbelievable feat left the Konoha forces, who had been rushing to provide backup, frozen in place, staring in absolute awe. 

Chapter 292: Thrashing a Young Tsuchikage Onoki  

They all thought Kazama would surely be killed by the forces of Iwagakure.  

But none of them could’ve imagined that Kazama, all by himself, would defeat Iwagakure’s army of thousands.  

It was something they hadn’t even dreamed of.  

Just as Konoha’s ninja army began to believe they could finally triumph over Iwagakure, something unbelievable happened. The Iwagakure ninja, whom Kazama had just cut down, all came back to life in the next moment.  

Not only were the Konoha ninja stunned, but even Kazama was shocked.  

He had personally killed every one of those Iwagakure ninja—how could they possibly be revived?  

“They’re proper humans, not supposed to have any resurrection abilities. Could it be… the Flame of Life?”  

The thought sent a mix of shock and excitement through Kazama.  

The whole reason Kazama had crossed time and space to the era of the Third Shinobi World War was because he’d sensed the Flame of Life, a power capable of bringing the dead back to life.  

Now, seeing the Iwagakure army he’d just defeated rise again, Kazama was certain someone was secretly using the Flame of Life to revive them.  

As Kazama prepared to track down the source of the Flame of Life, he suddenly saw the Tsuchikage, Onoki—known as the Fence-Sitter of the Scales—fly down and land right in front of him.  

“Heh, didn’t expect Onoki to look so young at this point!”  

Kazama smirked to himself at the sight of the Tsuchikage.  

In the real world, Kazama had worked alongside Onoki. But this was a parallel world, and right now, Konoha was at war with Iwagakure.  

Kazama knew he and Onoki were enemies here.  

Using his superhuman perception, Kazama quickly sensed that the Flame of Life was emanating from within Onoki’s body.  

“Well, talk about finding exactly what I was looking for without even trying!”  

With a grin, Kazama called out to Onoki, “If I’m not mistaken, you’ve got your hands on that strange flame that can bring people back to life, haven’t you? That’s how you revived all your subordinates, right?”  

“Heh, you little punk. You’re young, but you sure know a lot!”  

Onoki sneered, impressed that Kazama had figured out the Flame of Life’s presence in just a single glance.  

And just as Kazama had guessed, the reason Iwagakure’s thousands of ninja could rise from the dead was because Onoki had used the Flame of Life on them.  

It was also why Iwagakure had been able to relentlessly push back Konoha’s forces—Onoki’s use of the Flame of Life made their army practically unkillable.  

Konoha’s ninja, facing an enemy that refused to stay dead, naturally couldn’t win.  

At that moment, Onoki spoke again, his tone mocking. “I never would’ve thought Konoha would produce someone as powerful as you. Taking on our entire Iwagakure army of thousands single-handedly and beating them back? You’re one hell of a guy!”  

“Heh, as impressive as I am, I’m nothing compared to you, Tsuchikage-sama. Who would’ve thought you’d master the Flame of Life to such a degree?”  

“Mastered? I wouldn’t go that far. But let’s be clear—Konoha’s no match for Iwagakure right now. And dealing with a little punk like you? Child’s play. So, if you know what’s good for you, drop to your knees and kneel to me ten thousand times. Otherwise, I’ll grind your bones to dust!” 

Chapter 293: Badass, Truly Badass  

“You think that measly Seirei no Honoo (Flame of Life) can keep your Iwa village from ever losing? Well, today I’m gonna test it—let’s see if you can revive faster than I can attack!” 

As soon as Kazama finished speaking, he charged straight at Ohnoki. 

At that moment, Minato Namikaze, watching from behind, saw the Tsuchikage appear and initially wanted to yell for Kazama to retreat. 

After all, no matter how badass Kazama was, how could he possibly take on the Tsuchikage himself? 

But what Minato didn’t expect was that instead of pulling back, Kazama boldly rushed toward Ohnoki. 

This completely blindsided Minato. 

And it wasn’t just Minato—Kakashi and the others nearby were equally stunned. 

In their eyes, Kazama was just a Genin like them. 

Yet here was a mere Genin holding his own against the Tsuchikage himself. How could they not be shocked? 

At that point, Kakashi, ever the arrogant one, couldn’t help but mock Kazama again. 

“Man, this Kazama kid really doesn’t know when to quit. Since when did Konoha produce such a reckless idiot?” 

“What?! How dare you insult Kazama?!” 

Uchiha Obito grabbed Kakashi by the collar, glaring at him with fury. 

“Heh, what’s it to you?” Kakashi sneered. “What, you and Kazama best buddies now?” 

Seeing Obito—the guy Kakashi considered a dead-last, useless Uchiha—dare to grab him, Kakashi’s anger flared.  

With a single shove, he knocked Obito to the ground. 

“I’ve only known Kazama for half a day,” Obito growled, “but he saved your life, saved all our lives, and helped us complete the Shinmubi Bridge mission! Now he’s out there alone, covering our retreat by taking on the Tsuchikage—a powerhouse—and you’re not only refusing to help, but you’re mocking him? That’s infuriating!” 

Obito sprang up to swing at Kakashi, but he was no match for him. 

In a matter of seconds, Kakashi knocked him down again. 

“Let me tell you something,” Kakashi said coldly. “I look down on Kazama because people like him, who don’t know their limits, are laughable. Sure, he beat thousands of Iwa ninja before—call it divine luck. But now he’s shamelessly challenging the Tsuchikage? That’s just begging for death. If a Genin like Kazama can take on the Tsuchikage, then what’s the point of Chunin or Jonin like us? People like him aren’t even worth pitying when they die.” 

Kakashi smirked, glancing at Kazama battling Ohnoki. 

But what happened next left him utterly speechless. 

He’d been certain Ohnoki would crush Kazama in seconds. 

Yet, to his shock, Kazama had already fought dozens of rounds against the Tsuchikage and wasn’t losing ground. 

This blew Kakashi’s mind. 

He never could’ve imagined that Kazama was this badass, this incredible, able to go toe-to-toe with the Tsuchikage. 

At that moment, Ohnoki himself was growing furious. A mere Genin like Kazama had fought him for hundreds of rounds without faltering, and it was starting to get under his skin. 

Chapter 294: Instant-Killing the Tsuchikage  

Without hesitation, Onoki unleashed his Kekkei Tōta: Dust Release.  

“You little punk, I’ll admit you’re impressive. Your strength is way beyond what I imagined. But no matter how strong you are, you’re still just a lowly genin. Now, I’m sending you to the afterlife!”  

“Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!”  

With those words, Onoki launched his Dust Release straight at Kazama in the blink of an eye.  

“Oh no!”  

Namikaze Minato’s heart sank. He immediately tried to use his Flying Thunder God technique to save Kazama.  

But he realized too late that he hadn’t placed a seal on Kazama, and Onoki’s attack was just too fast.  

In mere moments, the Dust Release struck Kazama head-on.  

“Heh, it’s over. Onoki’s Dust Release is his signature move—his ultimate trump card. There’s no dodging it,” Kakashi scoffed, though his words hid his genuine worry for Kazama’s safety.  

Kakashi’s painful childhood had left deep scars, casting a shadow over his heart. Because of this, he couldn’t bring himself to openly care for Kazama.  

Meanwhile, Onoki, seeing Kazama hit by his Detachment of the Primitive World Technique, let out a cold laugh.  

“Hah, you little punk. No one’s ever survived my Dust Release. For a pathetic genin like you to be killed by it? Consider it a blessing earned over three lifetimes!”  

“Heh, if that’s what you call a blessing, I’d rather pass,” Kazama shot back.  

“What?! How is this possible?!”  

Just when Onoki was certain Kazama was done for, the Dust Release dissipated, revealing Kazama standing completely unharmed.  

The sight was so shocking that Onoki fell straight out of the sky, crashing to the ground.  

Minato, Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and the others staggered back in disbelief.  

They never could’ve imagined Kazama would come out unscathed after being hit by Dust Release.  

At that moment, Kazama extended a single hand and unleashed his own Dust Release.  

“Dust Release: Mirror Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!”  

“What?!”  

Onoki’s eyes widened in shock as he realized Kazama could use his own secret technique.  

Before he could react, four beams of Kazama’s Dust Release surrounded Onoki, trapping him completely.  

“Sorry, Onoki. In the real world, we’re allies, but in this parallel world, we’re enemies. It’s either you or me!”  

With those words, Kazama’s four Dust Release beams struck simultaneously.  

In an instant, Onoki was reduced to nothingness.  

As Onoki fell, the Flame of Life within his body was absorbed by Kazama.  

“Awesome! Now that I’ve got the Flame of Life, all that’s left is the Pure Lotus Demon Fire and the Red Lotus Karma Fire!”  

Kazama was thrilled to have obtained the Flame of Life.  

Meanwhile, Minato, Kakashi, and the others below were utterly floored to see Kazama counter-kill the Tsuchikage.  

Kakashi silently cursed himself for underestimating Kazama earlier.  

Kazama’s strength was now so great that even a proper Kage-level shinobi wouldn’t stand a chance against him.  

From that moment on, Kakashi vowed never to underestimate Kazama again. 

Chapter 295: I Just Love Crushing Kage-Level Opponents  

Not only did Ohnoki no longer underestimate Kazama, but deep down, he genuinely admired him. 

At that moment, Minato Namikaze zipped to Kazama’s side in a flash. 

Beaming with excitement, he said, “Kazama, my man, you’re unreal! I’ve never seen a Genin take down a legit Tsuchikage! You’re just too damn awesome!” 

“Yeah, Kazama, you’re seriously incredible!”  

Even Kakashi chimed in, giving Kazama a big thumbs-up. 

“I heard Jinton (Dust Release) is the Tsuchikage’s ultimate trump card. How the heck do you know how to use it?” 

“Oh, that?”  

Kazama grinned, noticing Kakashi—who’d been mocking him earlier—was now showering him with praise. 

“Kakashi, let’s not worry about how I learned Jinton. Didn’t you swear up and down that the Tsuchikage would crush me? So why the sudden flattery?” 

“Uh, well…”  

Kakashi froze, caught off guard by Kazama calling him out. He gave an awkward chuckle and shook his head. 

Meanwhile, the Konoha army below witnessed Kazama defeating the Tsuchikage.  

They realized not only had Konoha escaped a crisis, but they’d also scored a decisive victory over Iwagakure. 

Just as the Konoha forces expected, the Iwa ninja, seeing their village leader—the Tsuchikage—slain, lost all will to keep fighting Konoha’s army. 

They immediately prepared to flee, but in a flash, Kazama blocked their path. 

“Let me make one thing clear,” Kazama said. “I’m a ninja of Konohagakure, and yeah, we’re enemies. But I’m not some bloodthirsty killer. Your Tsuchikage forced my hand—he wanted me dead, so I had no choice but to fight back. Right now, I’m hoping you’ll form an alliance with Konoha so we can live in peace. That’s the only way we can truly end the Third Shinobi World War.” 

“Heh, that’s a laugh!”  

Before Kazama could finish, the Iwa ninja burst into mocking laughter. 

“Kid, we’ll give you that—you’re stupidly strong, way beyond what we ever imagined. But you think an alliance between Iwagakure and Konoha will bring peace to the world? That’s flat-out impossible!” 

“Oh? And why’s that?”  

Kazama raised an eyebrow. These Iwa ninja were clearly outmatched, on the brink of defeat, yet they still had the nerve to act cocky and talk big. 

If it were anyone else, they’d probably have slaughtered them on the spot. 

But Kazama held back. 

As he’d said, he wasn’t some irredeemable villain. 

If he were truly evil, there’s no way he’d have mastered the legitimate power of the twenty-three Ikai (Otherworldly Flames). 

After all, the heavens wouldn’t let a wicked person become this badass, this unstoppable. 

Hearing Kazama’s question, the Iwa ninja smirked and scoffed again. 

“What, you seriously don’t know, or are you just playing dumb? The entire shinobi world is in chaos right now! Mizu no Kuni’s Kirigakure, Kaminari no Kuni’s Kumogakure, Kaze no Kuni’s Sunagakure—they’re all locked in brutal, all-out war!”