After Sailing with the Pirate King, I Returned to Konoha - 209

Chapter 209: Respecting the Elderly and Caring for the Young is a Virtue of Maritime Powerhouses

The Super Added-Weight Rock Technique, combined with the Rock Fist's already crushing weight, sent both figures plummeting through the air. To increase the force, Ōnoki even canceled his own Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique.

"Brat, this isn't a place where you can run wild!"

Ōnoki shouted while watching Naruto below, continuously pushed downward by the rock fist. As for Naruto? His eyes darted all over Ōnoki's body, apparently observing something. That expression showed absolutely no fear of being smashed into the ground.

Boom!

The instant before landing, Ōnoki separated his arm from the rock fist, then reapplied Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique to float back into midair. He glanced at Naruto below, now completely buried in the earth with barely visible traces, then turned to check on his son, who was being mercilessly pummeled by Sasuke in close combat.

Due to Naruto's sudden assault, Ōnoki hadn't maintained the rock giant hand from earlier, giving Sasuke an opening.

Sigh. Though his son was a qualified jōnin, he lacked flexibility and wasn't as talented as his granddaughter Kurotsuchi.

"Earth Release: Golem Technique."

Following his hand seals, a massive rock giant awakened from the ground, charging directly at Sasuke. Sasuke's Observation Haki activated, detecting the incoming attack. He simply abandoned his target and retreated. The rock giant struck empty air.

Both sides returned to a standoff. Only then did Ōnoki have time to observe the invaders' identities.

"Hidden Cloud kids and Konoha's... Jiraiya?"

After all, both had made quite renowned names during the Third Shinobi World War. Though Ōnoki, as a village Kage, hadn't formally encountered them, he'd seen their images. Instantly, Ōnoki connected this to various intelligence reports he'd received and the "friendly reminder" from Konoha Village.

"You came here for Iwagakure's tailed beasts?"

Originally, given Ōnoki's personality, he was already suspicious of that so-called "Akatsuki organization intending to capture all tailed beasts." The reason was simple. He'd previously contacted this "Akatsuki" organization and even hired them to complete missions.

In my view, this is purely a mercenary organization executing missions for money. No reason or ability to oppose the world. This makes Konoha, who spread this message, very suspicious. Hard to say whether it isn't Konoha's trick to reclaim the tailed beasts.

"Ah, that... well, if you put it that way, you're not wrong..."

Due to Naruto's shocking opening, Jiraiya's prepared negotiation speech became useless, and the situation was only getting worse. Truly worthy of an Ink-Ink Fruit user.

"Lord Tsuchikage, they want to take Iwagakure's tailed beasts."

At this moment, Kitsuchi, who'd caught his breath, delivered the final blow. The formal title clearly showed Kitsuchi's straightforward nature. Always use official addresses in formal situations.

"Is that so..."

Just as Ōnoki's expression darkened and he prepared to act, sounds suddenly came from the stone pile below.

Rubble and earth scattered rapidly outward. Ōnoki witnessed with his own eyes the kid he'd just driven into the ground actually... flying up! Though the flying movements were somewhat unstable initially, he quickly became proficient.

"Oh, it's called Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique? Really amazing. Can it actually reduce body weight to nearly nothing?"

Naruto was like a child with a new toy, fine-tuning the Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique's weight distribution to move in different directions.

"Impossible..."

Even more shocked than Ōnoki was his son Kitsuchi. This technique was a secret art passed from the Second Tsuchikage to his father. Its difficulty was so high that even he hadn't mastered it.

An ability to copy ninjutsu? No, that's not right either.

Ōnoki instinctively categorized Naruto's learning ability as a special talent like Sharingan, but quickly realized. Wait, isn't the Sharingan user that other kid?

"Really quite an excellent technique, though somewhat complex to learn."

After just this brief moment, Naruto's mastery of the Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique already allowed free movement. He'd previously let Ōnoki keep attacking precisely because he needed to invest full concentration into using Observation Haki to "copy learn" the process.

For most ninjas, being unable to easily learn others' techniques came down to two reasons: first, the opponent's seal speed was too fast, or the opponent's seals were too complex. Second, the technique itself didn't rely on hand seals but on different flows along chakra pathways. Many villages' secret techniques operated on this principle. Observing hand seals alone couldn't master them.

Of course, none of this posed a problem for Naruto. Now he floated midair like a deity, hair dancing freely due to reduced weight, appearing even more domineering.

Golden Lion-senpai probably felt like this back then.

Naruto couldn't help recalling Golden Lion Shiki, who died by his hand and also possessed free flight. From another angle, doesn't this count as indirectly possessing the Float-Float Fruit?

Stroking his chin, Naruto felt it still fell somewhat short. After all, Golden Lion-senpai's Float-Float Fruit was more like a passive ability. Once touched, unlimited floating with zero consumption. His side still required chakra consumption. Though this chakra amount couldn't even compare to his recovery rate, it only made him float!

If I wanted to float an entire island like Golden Lion, I don't know how long I could sustain it.

"Come on, Tsuchikage. Now it's my turn, right?"

Hearing this, Ōnoki's face, originally shocked at Naruto mastering Ultra-Light-Weight Rock Technique, immediately darkened. Being provoked by such a junior, Ōnoki burst out laughing from sheer fury and directly beckoned.

"If you can do it, come then, brat!"

The next moment, Naruto's figure rapidly flew toward him, not forgetting to use Geppo in midair for acceleration.

So fast, but fortunately, this distance is already sufficient.

Ōnoki was surprised at Naruto's aerial movement speed, but his seals were already formed.

"If you can learn it, try learning this too!"

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

Palms together, a transparent cone emitting white light appeared between them. Below, Jiraiya immediately recognized the Third Tsuchikage's signature technique, face showing urgent concern.

That's the invincible Dust Release. Even Naruto taking such a hit would be dangerous.

But before he could warn, Naruto had already seen the outcome of being hit by Dust Release through his Observation Haki. That ability to completely pulverize matter into particles looked truly terrifying. This move was the nemesis of all close-combat ninjas.

His mind stirred. Naruto mentally tested several other methods, using Observation Haki to predict possible results.

Armament Haki. Pulverized. Conqueror's Haki Coating. Mutual resistance, space even distorted, still injured. What about ninjutsu?

Though he disliked being controlled by "natural consciousness," briefly using Sage Mode should be fine. The simulated result: also ineffective.

Truly invincible in the genuine sense.

While marveling at the technique's power, Naruto's form split into multiple copies in midair, rapidly assaulting Ōnoki from different directions.

"Useless!"

The white beam in Ōnoki's palm rapidly changed shape, transforming into a long "laser sword" that directly hit all surrounding Naruto copies. Unsurprisingly, these were all clones.

Adamantine Sealing Chains directly bound the midair Ōnoki tightly. Naruto, appearing behind him at some unknown time, swung the old man down from midair like a meteor hammer.

After all, facing an elderly person, especially when Naruto could sense that, despite impressive methods, Ōnoki's body was already aged, with apparent old injuries to his back, he didn't strike hard.

Respecting the elderly and caring for the young had always been an excellent virtue among maritime powerhouses!