Konoha’s Five-Element Ninja

Chapter Eight: The Combat Techniques of Elite Shinobi

Ninjutsu, a unique weapon born of chakra's extraordinary energy, emerged with such overwhelming destructive power that it rendered once-dominant samurai obsolete. Among shinobi, the rhythm of battle revolves around techniques—be they ninjutsu, taijutsu, or genjutsu. For genin and chunin with limited chakra reserves, taijutsu often takes center stage in combat. But for jonin-level and higher shinobi, well-executed ninjutsu can decide the outcome with a single blow.

The two combatants remained silent, focusing entirely on gathering their abundant chakra. As the chakra surged through their bodies, an intense killing intent radiated from both, manifesting as a faint blue glow on their skin.

Once their chakra reached its peak, both simultaneously began weaving hand seals.

"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!"

The Uchiha's fiery heritage was on full display. They prided themselves as masters of flame, and their very genes carried the raging spirit of fire.

"Roar!"

A lifelike fire dragon soared into the air, its razor-sharp claws and scales blazing with fire. Its massive head dipped slightly before crashing toward Iwatobi.

The sight of the vividly rendered fire dragon startled Iwatobi, but he did not falter. With a swift motion, he slapped his hand to the ground. The earth rippled like waves, and a massive earth dragon emerged, its gaping maw snapping at the airborne fire dragon.

The two dragons clashed fiercely in midair, tumbling and twisting as they fought for dominance. Their intense battle made it difficult to predict a victor. Seeing this, Uchiha Kagami drew a kunai and, in a flash of movement, closed the distance to Iwatobi. His blade struck toward Iwatobi's neck.

Iwatobi snorted and shook his hands, summoning two short swords roughly forty centimeters in length. As his left hand parried the kunai, his right performed a rapid sword flourish, silently thrusting toward Kagami's heart.

Clang

The short sword halted just ten centimeters from Kagami's chest, blocked by the ringed end of the kunai. In response, the three tomoe in Kagami's Sharingan spun slightly, casting a subtle genjutsu into Iwatobi's mind. A fleeting moment of disorientation was all Kagami needed; he immediately drove a powerful kick toward Iwatobi's head.

Thud

Kagami's chakra-enhanced kick packed immense force, sending Iwatobi flying. Without hesitation, Kagami formed another sequence of seals and unleashed another jutsu.

"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

Dozens of fist-sized fireballs erupted from Kagami's mouth, scattering in all directions toward Iwatobi.

"Is that all you've got?" Iwatobi sneered. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

A wall of earth rose to meet the fireballs, the resulting collision releasing clouds of steam that obscured both fighters' view of each other.

Kagami narrowed his eyes. Losing sight of an opponent in battle often proved to be a decisive turning point. Growing impatient, he resolved to end the fight decisively. As a key leader within Konoha, failing to deliver a flawless performance in this critical mission would give his rivals a chance to undermine him. He needed to demonstrate, beyond any doubt, that the Uchiha Clan remained a dominant force in Konoha—even without Uchiha Madara.

Taking a deep breath, Kagami's Sharingan transformed. The tomoe merged into a complex, spinning pattern, and an enormous chakra construct began to form around him. A towering, fully realized Susano'o appeared, with Kagami standing atop its forehead, gazing down at the battlefield below.

The fierce battle on the field ground to a halt as every shinobi, friend and foe alike, froze at the sight of the giant. For a moment, their disbelief left them motionless, eyes wide with shock.

"This is the power of the Uchiha?" Hayama muttered, his voice barely audible as he stared up at the colossal figure. He didn't even notice his kunai was still embedded in his last opponent's chest. The years he had spent honing his skills suddenly felt insignificant. This kind of overwhelming power made all his efforts seem laughable. With a single stomp, that giant could obliterate him without a trace.

For those facing the Susano'o directly, the awe and shock were accompanied by sheer terror. Even a seasoned shinobi like Iwatobi, known for his steadfast will, found his hands trembling uncontrollably.

How old was this Konoha shinobi—barely thirty? Iwatobi had spent over three decades surviving and excelling on the battlefield, facing countless secret techniques and elite opponents. Yet, the sight before him shattered his understanding of power. Only a bijuu possessed this kind of chakra. But a bijuu was a living mass of chakra. What was this? Ninjutsu? A secret technique? No, it was something else entirely. It was only now that Iwatobi realized the futility of his village's ambition to "avenge the past humiliation." Facing such an overwhelming force, there was no hope for revenge—none at all.

From atop the Susano'o, Kagami could feel the immense power coursing through the construct. A satisfied smile crossed his face. In the two decades since the Uchiha had last dominated the ninja world's imagination, people had grown complacent, forgetting the terror inspired by the Sharingan. The village founded by the Uchiha's ancestors had grown to become the mightiest of the Hidden Villages. Yet now, no one spoke of it as the Uchiha's Konoha—they called the Uchiha merely a part of Konoha.

To Kagami, these subtle changes in language hinted at a decline in the Uchiha's standing. His blood, his heritage, would not allow even a hint of derision. The Uchiha's glory would be restored, starting here and now.

Despite the strain on his body, Kagami maintained the Susano'o's form. The enormous construct, its very presence dominating the battlefield, raised its hand. The earth and fire dragons clashing above let out one final, mournful cry before dissolving. With the dragons gone, the Susano'o's massive fist swung down toward Iwatobi, as large as a building and utterly unadorned. It was pure, devastating power.

As the massive fist descended, the compressed air around it immobilized Iwatobi. But rather than fear, Iwatobi's expression turned wild, driven by the madness of desperation. A shinobi's hands were their ultimate weapon, and as long as he could form seals, he would fight.

"Earth Style: Earthquake Core!"

The ground beneath the Susano'o's left foot shifted and crumbled, causing the giant construct to stumble and nearly lose its balance.

Freed from the crushing pressure, Iwatobi didn't retreat. Instead, he unleashed another jutsu.

"Earth Style: Mountain Stone Technique!"

Two enormous yellow semicircular slabs of rock erupted from the ground, closing in from either side to crush the giant.

Pushing through the searing pain in his chakra pathways, Iwatobi initiated a third technique.

"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"

The ground beneath the Susano'o's feet turned to mud, swallowing it up to the knees and rooting it in place.

Kagami, looking down from his elevated position, raised an eyebrow at Iwatobi's tenacity. Even in the face of overwhelming power, the Iwa-nin refused to yield, crafting a swift and effective counter-strategy. It was a testament to why he was a recognized elite. But Kagami knew all too well: in the face of the Uchiha's power, such efforts were ultimately futile.

With his remaining chakra, Iwatobi prepared a final attack. He concentrated every last bit of his energy into his right hand, targeting Kagami directly. The intense strain left his body screaming in agony, bloodshot eyes burning with determination.

"Die! Explosion Style: Blazing Death!"

In Kagami's unwavering gaze, Iwatobi's punch connected with the Susano'o's forehead. A massive explosion consumed the entire head, the sheer force engulfing the battlefield in flame and smoke. Iwatobi's defiance ended as he fell to the ground, lifeless.

When the smoke cleared, Kagami deactivated the Susano'o. The cost of maintaining such a technique was enormous. In just a few minutes, his entire body was screaming in protest, and his vision blurred. The words of his clan elders echoed in his mind. Kagami had no siblings, no one to pass the burden to. If he continued to rely on the Mangekyō Sharingan without restraint, he knew he would eventually lose his sight.

Despite the risks, Kagami's demonstration of the Susano'o achieved its goal. It didn't just devastate the enemy—it also reminded everyone in Konoha's leadership that the Uchiha Clan still stood as a formidable force.

For the politicians pulling the strings of war, the battle's outcome was never the ultimate goal. War was merely a tool—a continuation of politics through other means. For Konoha's ruling circle, the death of the Second Hokage presented a perfect opportunity. War silenced dissent within the village; everything had to serve the war effort. Anyone who voiced opposition could be branded a traitor to the cause and swiftly dealt with.

War also provided a means to curtail the growing influence of Konoha's commoner ninja. Thanks to the academy established by the Second Hokage, many ordinary people had become shinobi. Though most were average at best, a few gifted individuals rose to prominence, challenging the village's traditional power structure. The ruling elite, with Sarutobi Hiruzen at their head, had no intention of relinquishing any of their hard-won authority. Allowing a greater voice for commoner shinobi would weaken their hold. When internal solutions failed, war became the only option.

The conflict also served to diminish the strength of the Senju and Uchiha clans. As a young disciple of Tobirama, Hiruzen had frequently overheard his master express concerns about the Uchiha's growing power. Their feared bloodline and constant stream of prodigies were a source of unease for the Second Hokage. After Tobirama's death, Hiruzen assumed the mantle of leadership and found himself contending not only with the Uchiha but also with the Senju. Every time he tried to issue a major decree, dissent came from one or both clans. Having tasted the benefits of power, Hiruzen could not tolerate such resistance. His solution was clear: weaken them.

The incentives were too great to pass up. And what better justification for war than avenging the Second Hokage? Thus, the prolonged, bloody conflict engulfing the shinobi world was set in motion, orchestrated by a handful of young leaders who preached the Will of Fire even as they planned the destruction of their rivals.

Among these planners was Uchiha Kagami. Confident in his own abilities, he believed he could shield his clan from the worst consequences of the war. With that assurance, he embraced the conflict as an opportunity, joining the fight willingly, even eagerly.

For elite shinobi, combat was not just about overwhelming ninjutsu or earth-shattering techniques. Sometimes, it was about strategies formed in shadowed chambers, where quiet voices shaped the fate of nations.