Chapter 62: If You Don't Move Now, It'll Be Reduced to Rubble

As Yamana Haiichi rushed out the door, intent on alerting the Third Hokage, he nearly collided with the eight Root ninjas Danzō had brought with him—arriving at the same moment as they launched a coordinated assault on the lone Uchiha Iizumi.

Four of the Root ninja fanned out into four distinct positions, surrounding Uchiha Iizumi completely. In unison, they formed hand seals—motions beyond Yamana Haiichi’s knowledge—activating a sealing technique from a realm he’d never studied.

Instantly, four ethereal green beams erupted from each corner, shooting skyward and stretching over ten meters before halting. These beams extended outward, connecting front, back, left, and right into a continuous web of shimmering light, while additional layers formed above and below, sealing off the top and the ground.

A large, imposing green chakra cube formed, trapping Uchiha Iizumi within.

The other four Root ninja advanced swiftly, drawing their kunai. Each blade glowed with Wind Release chakra, their edges emitting invisible, razor-sharp wind blades that blurred across Uchiha Iizumi’s vision.

Though the blades never touched him, the wind-infused chakra slashed through his body, carving deep, jagged wounds that looked horrifyingly raw.

Then—just as one Root ninja seized the opening—his kunai cleaved through Uchiha Iizumi’s right arm, severing it completely. The limb flew high into the air.

“Now’s our chance!” another shouted.

Snatching a scroll from his waist, he unrolled it in a flash, bit his thumb, and slammed his palm onto the parchment. “Ninja Technique: Sealing Evil Seal!!”

A terrifying suction erupted from the scroll, pulling the severed arm into its depths and sealing it away.

The remaining Root ninja instantly leapt back, distancing themselves from Uchiha Iizumi—perfectly synchronized, a well-practiced tactic, as if they’d rehearsed this moment a thousand times.

“Hoho….” Danzō, watching from within the chakra cube, smirked coldly. “That peculiar Bloodline Limit of yours—your near-Water Transformation ability—was already familiar to me. I’ve already studied it once before. Since physical attacks do little to you, then I’ll simply cut you apart, piece by piece, and seal each fragment separately.”

This was one of the strategies Danzō had devised over the past few days—how to finally subdue Uchiha Iizumi.

Now, staring at the missing right arm, Danzō’s smirk deepened.

But then—something strange happened.

Uchiha Iizumi showed no reaction.

Then—within a heartbeat—the eyes of Danzō and the other Root ninja locked in shock.

For the severed arm… was moving.

Lava from the shoulder began to surge, stretching forward like molten flesh, gradually forming the shape of a full arm. Once the flow subsided, a perfect, unharmed right arm now stood whole and intact on Uchiha Iizumi’s body.

Danzō froze.

“During the Third Ninja World War,” Uchiha Iizumi spoke slowly, stepping forward, “there were foreign ninja who tried to seal me using a method like this. What strange confidence made you believe you were the inventor of this technique? And what naive delusion made you think I was the one trapped inside this cube?”

As the words left his lips, Danzō felt the temperature around him spike violently.

He could now clearly see that half of Uchiha Iizumi’s body had transformed into a churning mass of molten lava.

Then—without warning—the lava exploded outward, swelling like a grotesque, ever-growing tumor in a fantasy tale. Within less than a single breath, the green chakra cube was already half-filled with searing lava.

Danzō’s pupils contracted. His back pressed hard against the sealing barrier, but he couldn’t retreat a single step.

Alarm bells blared in his mind. Without hesitation, he screamed toward the four Root ninja at the corners: “Break the seal!”

Just as the lava reached within arm’s length of him, the cube shattered—its seal broken.

Shaken, Danzō lunged backward in a desperate retreat.

—Boom!!

The molten mass detonated violently, erupting in all directions like a volcanic eruption.

But just as it threatened to consume an entire block of buildings, the lava suddenly stopped mid-surge—then, as if guided by an invisible force, it rapidly retracted, collapsing back into Uchiha Iizumi’s body.

The lava never ruptured his form. He could endlessly generate it from his chakra. And just as easily, he could pull it back in and convert it back into chakra.

Pang!

Uchiha Iizumi clapped his hands together. “Molten Release…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi, still reeling, felt the ground tremble beneath his feet. He looked down—cracks were spreading across the earth, glowing crimson from within.

“…Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!”

Boom!!

The earth split beneath Uchiha Iizumi’s feet. A massive lava dragon’s head erupted from the ground, jaws wide, roaring toward Danzō.

“Damn it!” Danzō cursed. He had so many men with him—why was this cursed Uchiha child focused only on him?

“Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!”

Six Root ninja arrived in an instant, fanning out around Danzō. Four of them began forming seals at lightning speed, while the other two slammed their palms onto the ground.

“Summoning Jutsu!”

Four smaller water dragons surged upward, colliding fiercely with the massive lava dragon in midair.

Boom! Boom!

Two enormous, turtle-like summons appeared—massive, ancient beasts with thick shells and gaping maws. From each, a torrential jet of water shot forth, crashing into the lava dragon.

Danzō’s face darkened. He counted the men around him—only six remained.

Two of his subordinates were gone. Likely caught in the explosion when the seal was broken—swallowed whole by the lava.

“Two useless fools!” Danzō snarled, biting his thumb, eyes cold and venomous as he locked onto Uchiha Iizumi.

“Summoning Jutsu!”

…

“…Maybe there was no need to come after all.”

Yamana Haiichi had sprinted as fast as he could, arriving at the doorstep of the Hiruzen family residence—only to feel the massive tremors shaking the distance behind him.

He turned back—just in time to see, under the hazy moonlight, a monstrous lava dragon writhing among a storm of water dragons.

The explosions roared like hundreds of explosive tags detonating at once.

The entire Leaf Village had been awakened.

Yamana Haiichi could barely make out two colossal turtle-like summons standing taller than the buildings around them. And then—rising from nowhere—a massive, grotesque tapir appeared, its size dwarfing even the giants.

He didn’t know who the two turtles belonged to.

But he did know that the tapir was Danzō’s summon.

Was it already this far gone?

Then—suddenly—figures burst from the Hiruzen compound, leaping through the air. The lead figure froze mid-motion, spotting Yamana Haiichi standing at the gate.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, already in full combat gear, his face grim and pale, blinked in surprise.

“Haiichi? What are you doing here?!”

Yamana Haiichi didn’t answer. He forced out a strained whisper:

“Hokage-sama… if you don’t go now… the Yamanaka clan’s residence… may be reduced to rubble.”

…

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end