shadow hokage dark moon

Chapter 40: Do You Also Wish to Dance?

On another battlefield, Uchiha Tsukiko led a squad composed of elite ninjas from both the Uchiha and Senju clans, fighting desperately against the relentless waves of the Allied Ninja Forces.

Their mission was exceptionally challenging: they had to protect the civilians and ninjas of the Uzumaki Clan while minimizing the losses Uzushiogakure suffered in this war.

The battlefield was in constant flux, with the enemy ninja troops launching wave after wave of assaults against Tsukiko's squad.

However, Tsukiko displayed an astonishing level of combat prowess—his performance was nothing short of a war god descending upon the battlefield.

When the Kirigakure ninjas attempted to encircle his squad, Tsukiko acted without hesitation, unleashing Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation.

His hand seals were as swift as lightning, and his chakra surged within him, transforming into roaring flames.

In an instant, a massive sea of fire, spanning over twenty meters, swept across the battlefield, engulfing a large portion of the enemy troops.

"This... is Great Fire Annihilation?" One of the elite Uchiha Jonin stood dumbfounded at the sight of the inferno and gasped, "Isn't this scale way too outrageous? How does Tsukiko have such a massive chakra reserve? Is he a humanoid Tailed Beast?"

Realizing the danger, a dozen Kirigakure ninjas quickly responded, simultaneously performing Water Release: Water Formation Wall in an attempt to block Tsukiko's flames.

Water clashed against fire, producing thick steam that billowed across the battlefield, obscuring the sky.

Yet, this was merely the prelude to Tsukiko's assault.

Without hesitation, he continued his hand seals and unleashed an even more formidable technique—Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Jutsu.

Four enormous fire dragons roared into existence, surging toward the enemy's formation.

Wherever the fire dragons passed, the ground was scorched black, and the screams of enemy ninjas filled the battlefield as they suffered devastating losses.

"Dragon Flame Song Jutsu? That's an A-rank Fire Release!" An elite Uchiha Jonin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Tsukiko has already mastered it? What kind of monster is he?!"

But Tsukiko's attacks did not stop there.

While the enemy forces were reeling from the fire dragons' onslaught, he once again formed hand seals and unleashed Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence.

The ground trembled violently, and waves of massive trees surged forth, entangling large groups of enemy ninjas.

Then, with a simple wave of his hand, Tsukiko activated Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs.

Countless sharp wooden spikes erupted from the forest, piercing through any remaining enemies with lethal precision.

The elite Senju ninjas, witnessing this familiar yet awe-inspiring Wood Release technique, were utterly shaken.

"This is... Lord Hashirama's Wood Release!" The Senju elite Jonin couldn't help but exclaim. They had believed that Wood Release had become a relic of history with Hashirama's passing, yet now, they were seeing it firsthand.

After executing his devastating attacks, Tsukiko coldly surveyed the battlefield.

He gathered his chakra once more, creating Wood Release: Wood Clones, which immediately spread across the battlefield, further pressuring the enemy.

A slight smirk formed on Tsukiko's lips, and he spoke with a trace of disdain, "Do you also wish to dance?"

With those words, he shot forward like a whirlwind, diving straight into the enemy ranks.

Tsukiko moved like lightning across the battlefield, weaving through the enemy's formation effortlessly.

With the Ninja World's Dance King ability, he maneuvered through the enemy ranks, engaging them with unparalleled speed and precision.

The Allied Ninja Forces tried to surround him, but no matter where they attacked from, Tsukiko always evaded at the last second, sending multiple enemies flying in the process.

A bizarre sight unfolded on the battlefield—not the Allied Ninja Forces surrounding Tsukiko, but rather, Tsukiko alone surrounding them.

The elite ninjas of the Uchiha and Senju clans watched in awe, their beliefs shattered.

Initially, they had thought that while Tsukiko was a prodigy, he was still young and might lack experience or battle tactics compared to them.

However, his performance on the battlefield completely overturned their expectations.

"This is absolutely insane…" A Uchiha Jonin muttered to himself. "I never imagined Tsukiko was this strong. No wonder the clan elders hold him in such high regard."

The Uchiha and Senju ninjas exchanged glances, their expressions filled with newfound respect.

"At first, we followed him out of obligation to the elders," one of the Senju said. "But now... we are truly convinced."

Tsukiko's decisiveness, composure, and overwhelming strength not only crushed the enemy forces but also earned the unwavering trust and admiration of his comrades.

As the battle continued, his squad adapted to his leadership, coordinating their attacks seamlessly.

Under his command, they identified weaknesses in the enemy's formation and struck at the most critical moments.

---

Meanwhile, in the capital of Uzushiogakure, the battle had reached its climax.

The Third Raikage, A, personally led an elite force from Kumogakure, relentlessly assaulting the Uzumaki Clan's defenses.

The entire city was shrouded in the shadow of war.

Despite the Uzumaki ninjas' fierce resistance, their situation was growing increasingly dire.

The Daimyo of Uzushiogakure, Uzumaki Jinjin, personally led the elite warriors of his clan, engaging in direct combat with the Third Raikage.

Though he was already over sixty years old, he displayed the formidable sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan.

However, against the Raikage, whose strength was hailed as "the strongest," Jinjin found himself at a disadvantage.

Even so, through his exceptional tactics and powerful seals, he managed to stall the Third Raikage's advance, forcing the battle into a deadlock.

Lightning Release and Sealing Techniques clashed, filling the battlefield with shockwaves that shook the entire capital.

Amidst the fierce combat, Uzumaki Jinjin gradually realized that neither he nor his clan alone could defeat the Third Raikage, let alone withstand the combined forces of Kumogakure, Kirigakure, and Iwagakure.

A deep sense of helplessness and sorrow filled his heart—Uzushiogakure's fall seemed inevitable.

"We cannot stop this catastrophe…" Uzumaki Jinjin murmured as he unleashed another sealing jutsu to counter the Raikage's attacks, all while making a painful decision in his heart.

He knew that his people were fighting desperately to protect their homeland and their kin.

But if they continued like this, they would all perish here, and the future of the Uzumaki Clan would be extinguished.

Jinjin refused to let that happen—especially not to the younger generation, the future of the clan.

He resolved to take the most drastic measure—sacrificing himself and the elder generation of the Uzumaki Clan to perform a final forbidden jutsu.

A jutsu powerful enough to trap the Third Raikage and the Allied Ninja Forces, giving the younger Uzumaki ninjas a chance to escape.

With heavy determination, Uzumaki Jinjin took a deep breath, ready to enact his final plan.

The fate of Uzushiogakure now rested in his hands.