The appearance of these special scrolls didn't slow down the strongest competitors.
In fact, those who believed in their own power didn't even bother looking for scrolls. They never stopped moving—either eliminating others or chasing them down.
Naruto and Sasuke were prime examples. If they had come across an overpowered scroll like the one Ino found, they could have been eliminated in an instant if they weren't careful.
But in reality, Sakiya only placed one such scroll. There were only three golden scrolls in total. The rest were more common, with the majority being basic scrolls with minimal effects.
Not all of these scrolls were Sakiya's inventions. She simply proposed the concept and guided the Konoha Research Department in developing them. However, the most powerful ones were directly infused with jutsu by Sakiya herself.
For example, the seemingly simple fireball scroll was her creation. Because of that, even the weakest scrolls had surprising strength.
The Konoha Research Department had a brilliant doctor who was highly confident in his work but had long struggled with a lack of funding. It wasn't until Sakiya joined that Tsunade approved his funding request.
The ninjutsu scrolls were one of his greatest achievements.
This doctor, impressed by Sakiya's creativity and vision, even put aside his pride to work under her guidance.
But back to the main event—now, the so-called unbeatable Shinoda Clan had finally encountered a challenge.
They believed their sheer numbers and strength made them unstoppable. Instead of searching for scrolls, they charged forward, eliminating anyone who got in their way.
They had the highest number of fighters left, with over a hundred still in play.
Everyone who joined Shinoda Jiro's group knew they weren't strong enough to survive alone. They had no confidence in their individual abilities, so they relied on numbers.
For them, sticking with this team was their best shot at staying in the game. Even if they didn't stand out, they could still last until the end and earn points.
Shinoda Jiro understood this mindset perfectly. He used it to gather followers and build his numbers.
Initially, he started with just seven wandering ninjas. Now, his group had grown to over a hundred, a testament to his strategic skills and ability to manipulate others.
He was certain he would be among the final 100 contestants to advance.
Then, his team encountered an unexpected trio:
A ninja from Takigakure, a wandering ninja, and a shinobi from Hoshigakure.
That's right—Hoshigakure had also joined the World Ninja League.
These three weren't allies in the traditional sense. They only worked together because they each had valuable scrolls. While they didn't trust each other, they saw the benefit in teaming up to eliminate others first before turning on each other.
Now, standing before Shinoda Jiro's massive group, the trio felt the pressure.
The Takigakure ninja wiped his forehead. "This is ridiculous… That's way too many people."
The wandering ninja frowned. "Are teams like this even allowed?"
The Hoshigakure shinobi sighed. "Looks like we won't be holding onto these scrolls much longer."
Shinoda Jiro looked at the three, seeing no sign of surrender. Without hesitation, he gave the order.
"Attack! Take them down!"
The moment he spoke, dozens of ninjas hurled kunai and shuriken at the trio.
A storm of weapons rushed toward them.
But instead of running, the three quickly pulled out scrolls and unrolled them.
Each scroll had a single word written on it: Wind, Fire, and Lightning.
The next moment—
A massive wave of flames erupted, a fierce gust of wind howled through the battlefield, and streaks of lightning shot out like arrows.
The kunai and shuriken were instantly incinerated, blown away, or struck down by lightning.
In seconds, the attacking ninjas were thrown into complete chaos.
Shinoda Jiro immediately realized something was wrong.
Getting access to ninjutsu just by pulling a scroll?
No hand seals? Instant activation?
The next moment, the Takigakure ninja unrolled another scroll. Though it was a basic one, it had intricate patterns on its surface—an indicator that it contained a powerful technique.
The wandering ninja pulled out a similar scroll.
Meanwhile, the Hoshigakure shinobi silently took out a blue scroll.
All three moved in unison, pulling their scrolls open.
The scrolls in the hands of the Takigakure ninja and the wandering ninja projected glowing seals into the air.
The Hoshigakure shinobi's scroll, on the other hand, simply lit up.
Takigakure Ninja: [Thunder Tornado]
Wandering Ninja: [Earth Tremor]
Hoshigakure Shinobi: [Combined Ninjutsu – Super Fire Wave]
The next moment—
A massive tornado crackling with electricity tore through Shinoda Jiro's forces.
As they tried to flee, the ground beneath them suddenly shifted like ocean waves, knocking them off balance.
Then came the fire.
A massive wave of flames surged forward, crashing into the swirling thunderstorm.
The moment they combined, the tornado became a raging inferno of fire and lightning.
Panic erupted among the group.
"This is insane!"
"Move! Get out of the way!"
The ones in front had no time to react.
The fiery thunderstorm swallowed them whole.
Caught inside, they had no way to escape—burned by flames, struck by lightning, and thrown around by the violent winds.
Few could withstand the attack. Almost instantly, many lost consciousness, their badges dimming as they were eliminated.
The only one who managed to escape was Shinoda Jiro. He had decent reflexes, and the moment he saw the three pull out their scrolls, he had already started retreating to the back of the group.
The Thunder-Fire Tornado continued raging for nearly a minute before finally dissipating.
---
As it faded, bodies rained from the sky—dozens of unconscious ninjas crashing to the ground like fallen leaves.
Shinoda Jiro surveyed the battlefield, his face tense. The sheer destruction left him shaken.
"What kind of jutsu is this?! How is it this powerful?!"
Before anyone could respond, the Takigakure ninja casually pulled out another scroll.
This one was different—blue, inscribed with intricate patterns.
The remaining shinobi froze.
Shinoda Jiro and his forces were stunned by the existence of such powerful tools.
The wandering and Hoshigakure ninjas—temporary allies of the Takigakure shinobi—were just as awed.
A blue scroll with engraved markings?
There was no way this wouldn't be an even stronger attack!
And yet, the Takigakure ninja had pulled it out so casually.
Shinoda Jiro's face was covered in cold sweat. His instincts screamed at him.
"Retreat! Fall back immediately!"
Only half of his force remained, and panic had already taken hold. The moment he shouted, they turned and fled.
"Retreat! They're too strong! Get out of here!"
But the Takigakure ninja just grinned, holding up the scroll.
"Heh… The moment I took this out, I never planned on putting it back!"
The scroll lit up.
Symbols unfolded into the air.
The Takigakure ninja shouted:
"You're done! Three-Element Annihilation!"
---
Three-Element Annihilation
A triangular formation materialized, linking three elemental orbs—lightning, fire, and ice.
Each element balanced the others perfectly, creating a devastating synergy.
As the magic circle pulsed and trembled, the triangular attack shot forward like a projectile.
The fleeing ninjas were too focused on escaping to notice the deadly force behind them.
Only a few turned their heads in time.
What they saw froze them in place—
A breathtaking, yet terrifying, triangle of fire, ice, and lightning was rushing toward a ninja who couldn't get away in time.
Their eyes widened.
"This is…!"
BOOM!
Flames erupted.
Lightning cracked.
Ice shards exploded in every direction.
The combined forces annihilated everything in their path, leaving nothing but devastation.
For those watching—this was the true meaning of destruction.