Chapter 92: Tanaka Gets Serious!

Tanaka, who had returned to the base created by the Uzumaki, began to devour various delicacies.

Several ninjas who were eating dried meat with thin soup gulped upon seeing this scene, but considering his strength or even his performance in the war, they did not dare to complain.

Not to mention that it was clearly something he had brought with him; they didn't even have the right to complain that he was eating something he had brought himself.

Of course, that didn't stop them from finding it unfair and wanting some as well.

"Don't be shy, join me," Tanaka looked at Shiori and the rest.

"Hahaha! Then, I won't hold back."

Jiraiya laughed loudly and soon joined him without the slightest hint of shame.

Orochimaru snorted in disdain at his teammate's behavior but did not refuse Tanaka's invitation.

Though a bit embarrassed, Tsunade also joined them.

Shiori sat next to him and began to nibble on bread by dipping it into a plate of hot soup.

"Delicious..." she murmured.

"Yes, very tasty!" Jiraiya exclaimed loudly and received several resentful glances from the other ninjas in the base's mess hall.

They could tell it was delicious just by looking, so why did that idiot have to say it so loudly, making their thin soup and dried meat seem even more unappetizing? Tsk, so annoying...!

Shiori's eyes shone with admiration as she murmured, "Tanaka-kun is not only very strong but also an excellent cook!"

That comment received nods of agreement from Tsunade and the rest around the table.

Tanaka, for his part, simply smiled and continued eating.

[1+2=III]

The next morning, February 21st, Wednesday: moderate snow during the morning, partly cloudy sky in the afternoon. Steady wind.

Tanaka meets Oonoki in the air, facing each other.

It was even possible to see the intensity in their eyes, as if sparks collided in the air.

"So, what's your choice?" Tanaka broke the silence that had formed.

Oonoki closed his eyes; when he opened them again, an intense killing intent emanated from his entire being.

"The war will continue!" he shouted.

Tanaka, upon hearing this, sighed.

However, in the next instant, his eyes narrowed.

"Ahhhh!"

Soon, he shouted as he used three abilities in sequence: War Cry, Taunt, and finally, Blood Fury.

Having done this, Tanaka's aura changed completely. His entire presence screamed danger, as a red mantle with flickering electricity enveloped him—in the Super Saiyan style, but red.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The crackling sounds were incredibly loud as lightning exploded around Tanaka. His eyes began to change, and then black marks started to appear the instant he activated Sage Mode.

And it didn't stop there. At the same time, his eyes turned golden, while his pupils took on the shape of a peculiar symbol. The center of the pupil resembled a biohazard emblem, surrounded by a triple spiral pattern, similar to a triskelion.

This was, in fact, an ability he had recently developed—a fusion between the Byakugan and the Sharingan, which he named Kinzokugan (Metallic Eye), reflecting both the sharp visual power and the dangerous and devastating nature of his new technique.

An important detail in Tanaka's eyes was that the same pupil symbol, though smaller in size, could be seen on the right side and at the bottom of the iris. These small emblems reflected the complex fusion process between the two dōjutsu, acting as a visual reminder of the combined powers.

Tanaka deduced that these smaller symbols represented a symbolic manifestation of each of the fused dōjutsus, as if they were permanent marks of the Byakugan and the Sharingan coexisting in perfect harmony in his Kinzokugan.

'What kind of eyes are those?' Oonoki was surprised and a little scared, either by Tanaka's aura or by the strange dōjutsu displayed.

Oonoki saw a resemblance to the Sharingan, but it was golden instead of red, and the symbol was quite peculiar, leaving him momentarily stunned.

"Since you've made your decision, this time I'll go all out. Prepare yourself." Tanaka's cold voice cut through the silence, carrying an indifference.

Tanaka had offered Oonoki the freedom of choice, aware that the consequences would be disastrous, with many lives of his people at risk.

Even so, Oonoki chose to move forward, fighting in search of advantages. In light of this, Tanaka realized there was no longer any reason to hold back his strength.

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<Third Tsuchikage> 

Rank S Lv49 Oonoki Kamizuru 

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'Just yesterday he was at level 48, but that doesn't matter,' Tanaka thought, disregarding the recent growth of Oonoki's power.

In his hands, the Samehada was enveloped by lightning that crackled deafeningly. The energy radiating from the sword was so intense that it generated a crushing pressure, similar to gravity in an advanced training room, pressing down on Oonoki with colossal force.

'Did I make the wrong choice?' The thought crossed the mind of the old Tsuchikage. A drop of concern hit him, but he soon shook his head. He was a stubborn and proud old man; there was no way to admit weakness now.

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The sky darkened and began to thunder. The distant ninjas felt their hearts beat faster.

Tanaka's mere preparation had already caused so much turbulence. They couldn't even imagine what it would be like when he finally took action.

A little distance away, Jiraiya stood agape: "So, he wasn't even fighting seriously yesterday?"

It was unbelievable, to say the least.

Beside Jiraiya were Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Shiori. None of them commented on what Jiraiya had said.

After all, what was there to say? They were surprised too. They also thought that Tanaka was giving his all yesterday, only to find out they were completely mistaken!

"Boom!"

An even louder booming sound came from the southwestern area.

"It's my grandmother..." Tsunade murmured.

And, as if a silent signal had been given, Tanaka burst into motion.

"Sudden Attack!" His voice echoed like thunder, cutting through the air with fierce intensity.

The instant he activated this ability, he combined it with the Instantaneous Movement Technique. His speed surpassed the limits of visibility, becoming a blur that materialized right in front of Oonoki. The latter barely had time to widen his eyes before trying to defend himself.

"Earth Style: Rock Fist Technique!" Oonoki shouted, channeling his chakra to raise a colossal stone fist.

"Boom!"

At the moment the forces collided, Tanaka's Samehada came down with devastating power, enveloped in lightning that violently snaked along the blade.

"Crack! Crack! Crack!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

The sword met Oonoki's stone fist, shattering it effortlessly and without losing momentum. The impact reverberated like thunder, accompanied by the terrifying sounds of bones shattering and stones being pulverized into grains of sand, and Oonoki's wretched scream. Oonoki's arm gave way, hanging limp as if the bones had vanished, while he was sent flying backward with horror etched on his face.

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[Author's note: Illustrative image of his current eye in the Attachments]

||- Note -||

Chapter 115 is already released on Pa treon!

patre on.com/Tozoku