Chapter 78: A Man's Joy

With Kakuzu joining the fray, the Konoha Ino-Shika-Cho trio and the Iwagakure team had reached a 3v3 standoff. Akimichi Choza and Kitsuchi were both figures of immense presence—one a hundred-meter-tall giant, the other commanding the earth as his battlefield, every step and gesture shaking the heavens and earth. Shiraki, a mere mortal, had no wish to interfere in a clash of titans. If he were crushed in the midst of their battle, no one would even remember his name.

Kakuzu now faced off against Nara Shikaku. Grandmaster Kakuzu, old as he was, simply couldn’t match the wit of youth. Shikaku’s tactics had him spinning in circles—every large-scale jutsu either burned a shadow clone or struck a substitution, wasting chakra and inadvertently harming many Iwagakure shinobi.

Meanwhile, Han and Yamanaka Inoichi were both tucked into Choza’s pocket, fast asleep in an embrace. It seemed an opportune moment; wake Han and the tide of battle might turn.

But Shiraki never played support. He always sought to be the MVP—the brightest star on the battlefield.

He pressed Kakuzu’s earth-nature heart into his chest, the pain of tendrils invading his meridians erupting once again, but the system’s pleasant chime soon followed.

“Detected a large influx of earth-nature chakra. Activating trial mechanism.”

“Matching hero…”

“Taliyah, the Stone Weaver.”

“Malphite, the Shard of the Monolith.”

“Please select…”

“Stone Weaver or the stone giant? Is that even a question? Only an idiot… I’ll pick Yasuo’s good friend, the stone giant.” Shiraki nearly fell for the trap.

As soon as the words left his lips, the shattered rocks around him seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, rising and gathering toward Shiraki, assembling him into a molten rock colossus.

“I’m about to pilot a mecha?” Shiraki paused in surprise, then delight. Thankfully he hadn’t chosen the stone-throwing girl, or he’d have ended up just another ordinary jonin.

Clapping his hands together atop the highest earth wall, as chakra surged wildly, countless stones enveloped him. He called out in a booming voice, “Brothers of Iwagakure! I’ll draw their fire—scatter their formation!”

Kitsuchi stole a glance over his shoulder and saw a stone giant being assembled by an invisible gravitational force, its core none other than… Shiraki?

“What sort of advanced earth-style jutsu is this?! No hand signs at all—just a clap and it’s done!” Kitsuchi’s jaw dropped as he gazed upward.

“Who needs hand signs to be a proper ninja?” Shiraki replied with a grin.

“Damn! Should’ve charged more!” Kakuzu cursed under his breath, determined to ask for twenty million ryo next time.

“Kitsuchi, make me a staff,” Shiraki requested, his body growing ever larger as chakra poured in, soon rivaling Choza’s giant size.

If you emerge from stone, you ought to wield a staff.

“Alright… Earth Style: Great Earth Pillar!” Kitsuchi slapped the ground, and a massive, thick staff shot up from the earth.

“When did the Stone Pillar get renamed?” Shiraki could barely meet Kitsuchi’s gaze, recognizing the unfiltered nature of a man whose name literally meant ‘yellow earth.’ Just a few days together had awakened his primal instincts.

“When a jutsu’s power changes, so must its name. I’ve never crafted such a huge Stone Pillar before, had to improvise. Isn’t it fitting?” Kitsuchi patted the sturdy stone column.

“It’s too thick!”

“Can’t help it—it adapts to its wielder.” Kitsuchi smiled bashfully.

“There’s another powerhouse… Choza, stop him!” Shikaku frowned, watching a second hundred-meter giant appear on the battlefield, worried that the battle’s balance might shift.

By now, Shiraki had fully transformed into the molten rock colossus, towering a hundred meters tall. Looking down, the shinobi below appeared as mere ants, an overwhelming sense of grandeur swelling within him.

“A man should pilot a mecha, after all!”

The ground thundered as Choza charged, wielding a dark staff just as massive. Each step shook the earth. “You’ve got the size—let’s see how strong you are!”

Shiraki grabbed Kitsuchi’s stone staff and yanked it from the ground, the earth groaning in protest.

“Groundslam!” The stone staff in Shiraki’s hand spun like a whirlwind, knocking Choza’s club aside. No matter how Choza adjusted his attacks, the two staves stuck together stubbornly, and Shiraki’s giant could even counterattack in between.

Biological nerve conduction is constant—the longer the spine, the slower the reaction. Thus, giant creatures often move sluggishly. Yet Shiraki’s display of staff techniques drew astonished glances.

“Such agile moves… To think you could react like that even at giant size. But your attack power seems a bit lacking.” Choza noted that the strikes to his belly weren’t particularly painful.

“Lacking? Try this punch! Underestimating Malphite always gets you haggling at the fountain!” Shiraki admitted his strength was insufficient—most of his chakra had been spent shaping the stone giant, leaving his reserves thin.

“Charging Strike!” “Thunderous Smite!”

Boom! Shiraki’s fist, heavy with earth-nature chakra, slammed into the ‘food’ kanji on Choza’s chest, shattering even his armor.

“Ah…” Choza was knocked to the ground by the blow, blood nearly spilling from his throat. Han and Inoichi tumbled from his pocket, jarred awake.

“It seems we can’t hold out… Perhaps it’s time to retreat.” Shikaku thought grimly. Iwagakure’s strength was simply overwhelming, hard to reverse the situation.

“No way… We can’t drag Minato down!” Choza pulled a tiny three-colored pill from his pocket and tossed it into his mouth.

“Choza… Well then, let’s continue fighting!” Seeing Choza swallow the spicy pill in preparation for a desperate stand, Shikaku steeled himself. With his strength, he wouldn’t die, but he’d certainly spend half a month bedridden.

Hiss…

A breath of crimson vapor spewed from Choza’s nostrils, his face flushed as if about to breathe fire. Chakra erupted behind him, forming two blazing red butterfly wings, exponentially amplifying his power.

“Butterfly Bomb Critical Strike!” The butterfly aura enveloped his giant fist, sending Shiraki flying hundreds of meters, gouging a long trench in the ground.

“Damn… What strength!” Shiraki climbed to his feet, granite shield shattered, a massive fist imprint left on his chest.

“This is ultimately our Iwagakure’s business!” Kitsuchi slammed his hands onto the ground, roaring: “Earth Style: Mountain Soil Technique!”

It appeared—the colossal jutsu that once nearly crushed even the Ten-Tails. Two gigantic mountain masses rose from the earth, left and right, trapping Choza between them, steadily closing in under chakra’s guidance.

“Super Push… Aaaaah!” Choza roared, both hands braced firmly against the rock walls. For a moment, neither side could overpower the other.

“Inoichi, notify the lookout tower, mobilize all ballistae—target Kitsuchi.” Shikaku saw Kitsuchi standing exposed on the ground, unconcerned with samurai honor.

“Hey, did you forget someone?” Shiraki rolled over, back to the lookout, his rocky body absorbing all the ballista bolts.

“Switch to explosive tag bolts! This stone giant is tough on the outside, but doesn’t have an enormous chakra reserve.” The Hyuga captain in the lookout kept a close eye on Shiraki.

“Flying Pig, lend me some speed.” Shiraki hurled a huge stone disc, smashing it into Choza’s exposed toe.

“Ow…” Choza howled, tears streaming as the Mountain Soil Technique tightened its grip.

“Seismic Shard!”

“Hurl a shard of rock at your target, dealing ninjutsu damage and stealing movement speed.”

“Told you—ninjas shouldn’t wear sandals. No one listens.” Shiraki’s steps grew lighter as he dashed toward the lookout.

He’d once wondered: Malphite’s Q slows, sure—hit someone’s toe, running hurts, so they slow down. But how does he gain speed?

Now he understood. If you smash someone’s toe, how could you not be happy? And when you’re happy, you run faster.

“Ha ha ha… A man’s joy is just that simple.”