136-140

Chapter 136: Taijutsu Upgrade, Breaking Into Enemy Lines  

In a jagged forest of earthen and stone spikes, growing in reverse from the barren desert ground and piercing toward the sky, 

the winding path twisted and turned, the cracked earth spreading like veins across the terrain. 

The wind, rising once more, whispered through the corroded stone pillars, producing eerie, mournful wails.  

Even though Sunagakure’s forces had gained the upper hand,  

that terrifying sword strike—along with the lone, upright figure of the boy, 

standing like a lone wolf atop a high peak—  

had already been deeply engraved in the hearts of every Suna ninja present.  

It was almost a nightmare!  

The commander of the Sunagakure forces let out a long breath, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. 

That sword strike had been so dazzling, so overwhelmingly powerful, that it nearly scared him to death. 

However, upon closer analysis—  

Under the relentless assault of the Vacuum Wind Blades from the Joint Ninjutsu: Wind Release: Super Kamaitachi Technique, 

that sword had shattered just like that—easily, effortlessly.  

In that moment, the Suna commander realized something crucial.  

He raised his head, surveying the temporarily silent battlefield. 

Gone was any trace of contempt from his eyes. 

Furrowing his brows, he pondered for a moment before speaking:  

“It seems that such a technique is something that brat cannot use again in a short period of time.”  

“And even if he tries a second time, this time, we only need to send four squads to completely eliminate him. 

The rest of our forces can be sent to deal with Manda—that should be enough to keep that snake at bay.”  

Thinking this, the Suna commander let out a sigh of relief and thought to himself,  

"Good thing it’s just a brat. If Orochimaru himself were here, we wouldn’t have enough people to stop him."  

"Let’s end this quickly."  

The Suna commander took a deep breath, just about to give the order—  

But at that moment—  

A Suna Chūnin came rushing in, terror written all over his face, 

his feet skidding across the jagged stone spires littering the battlefield. 

His expression was as if he had seen a ghost.  

As soon as he got close, he gasped for air like a fish out of water, 

panting heavily before crying out in alarm—  

“Lord Commander!”  

“Something’s wrong!”  

The Suna commander, having just finished his careful analysis and feeling quite pleased with his own tactical brilliance, 

was abruptly interrupted.  

His expression stiffened. He raised his head, puzzled, and asked, 

“Hmm? What now?”  

“L-Lord Commander!”  

“That… that brat—he’s… he’s not human!”  

The Suna Chūnin looked utterly horrified, his arm trembling violently as he pointed behind him, 

his whole body shaking like a leaf.  

“Calm down and explain properly. What do you mean he’s ‘not human’?”  

The Suna commander’s lips twitched as he demanded in a low voice, 

“And what exactly happened?”  

The Suna ninja swallowed hard and turned his head.  

“L-Look over there!”  

Hearing this, the Suna commander immediately frowned and lifted his gaze.  

And what he saw—  

Under the enchanting glow of the moonlight,  

amidst the silent night breeze, 

the jagged stone pillars suddenly began to tremble.  

Then—  

A blinding light from a storm of jutsu erupted, turning the entire area into a stark, pale white!  

And then—  

A figure, moving at an unimaginable speed, soared into the air, 

his body twisting and vaulting through the sky.  

He landed in a perfect arc, dodging past the edges of incoming ninjutsu with a fluid motion, 

as if spreading his wings—gliding through the battlefield!  

A pair of crimson eyes, reflecting the moon above, burned with an eerie brilliance!  

With the boy’s spiraling movement, a curved flash of silver light followed in his wake like a crescent moon!  

Shards of stone, chunks of earth, wind blades, wild grass, camel thorns—  

All of it—  

Was sent flying, cut apart by the whirling, moonlit blade slashing through everything in its path!  

“AAAHHHH!!!”  

“Ugh! PFFT—!!”  

“HELP!!”  

“Get away from me! You demon!!”  

“STAY BACK!!”  

In the next instant—  

The agonized screams of Sunagakure ninjas shattered the eerie silence, 

bringing this quiet massacre into the spotlight of battle!  

The Suna commander’s eyes widened in shock.  

“Why—why can that brat fly?!”  

“He—he’s moving like a bird in the sky!”  

The Suna Chūnin shouted in panic, 

“Commander, we need to act now! If we don’t stop him, he’ll break through our lines!”  

“Huff… huff…”  

The Suna commander was drenched in cold sweat, his stress skyrocketing.  

Faced with such an unpredictable combat style, he was shaken.  

But—  

As one of Sunagakure’s elite, he quickly regained his composure and made his decision. 

Turning his head sharply, he issued an urgent command to his top officers:  

“Sakuta, Inoe, and Takaji—you three will take your squads and intercept Manda!”  

“Do NOT let that snake into our formation!”  

“If that thing breaks through, we’re done for!”  

Then, his gaze turned sharp as he clasped his hands together and roared—  

“As for this brat—”  

“We’ll take him down with four full squads and the rest of our forces!”  

“We will kill him—here and now!!”  

On the other side—  

Shinji dashed through the jagged stone forest at breakneck speed.  

One hand gripped the Kusanagi Sword, while the other manipulated his Jiongu threads, 

snatching up discarded ninja tools from the ground and hurling them forward.  

Then—  

He tugged the threads, propelling himself upward, 

leaping into the air, vanishing into the shadows above.  

Changing direction in an instant, he dove back down—  

Crashing into unsuspecting Suna ninjas, 

slashing down one after another—  

Cutting his way through the enemy, risking everything, fighting with reckless abandon.  

His objective was singular.  

To break into the heart of the Suna forces—  

And finish the decapitation strike he had started!  

And as Shinji cut down squad after squad blocking his way,  

before his eyes—  

A new string of notifications appeared. 

【You fiercely counterattacked a Sand Ninja genin who tried to kill you and acquired a random skill from them: Water Walking.】  

【Your proficiency in Water Walking has increased.】  

【You fought bravely and acquired a random skill from your opponent: Wind Release: Gale Palm.】  

【You fought bravely and acquired a random skill from your opponent: Transformation Jutsu.】  

Most of the ninjas on the outskirts were Sand Village cannon-fodder genin, the majority of whom had just come out of training. They were mostly useless, equipped with D-rank or E-rank skills they might only use a handful of times in their lives.  

However, acquiring the same skill repeatedly would increase its proficiency.  

If anything could be considered useful, it was probably Basic Taijutsu. Through continuous combat and relentless engagements, Shinji's once-immature taijutsu rapidly improved.  

Before long, he broke past the barrier of mere proficiency and reached the mastery level.  

His movements became swifter, and his sword strikes more precise.  

The seemingly random assortment of taijutsu and sword techniques he had collected began to coalesce, giving Shinji new ideas. He started envisioning ways to fuse these techniques into a higher-level, unified ability.  

Just as he was heading toward his next target,  

A sudden, eerie sensation crept down Shinji's spine, and a blaring alarm sounded in his mind.  

Instinctively, he stopped in his tracks, pressing the tip of his foot into the ground and leaping backward.  

The very next moment, 

A violent wind sphere hurtled from a distance and crashed into where he had just been standing.  

Combined Ninjutsu: Wind Release – Vacuum Great Sphere!  

In an instant, the wind sphere exploded, releasing countless razor-sharp wind blades that tore into the ground.  

The violent gusts sent Shinji skidding backward over three meters, carving furrows into the earth. Six bloody gashes from the passing wind blades appeared on his body in a flash.  

Lifting his head, he yanked on a wire and leaped to the top of a stone pillar. His crimson Sharingan narrowed sharply as he gazed into the distance.  

From the Sand Village's main formation, he spotted four squads—including the Sand ninja commander—making up a total of twelve elite Sand shinobi.  

At this moment, they were all glaring coldly in his direction,  

Synchronizing their hand seals. Wind spheres began forming one after another, ready to fire.  

The environment and atmosphere around him changed abruptly.  

The cannon-fodder genin who had been cluttering the battlefield had all been quietly withdrawn.  

The shinobi closing in from the shadows now exuded an entirely different level of intensity.  

Shinji squinted slightly and curled his lips into a faint smirk. As his eyes darted around vigilantly, he licked the corner of his mouth and couldn’t help but chuckle.  

“Now this is more like it!”  

“If you keep sending those weaklings to their deaths, it’s no fun at all.”  

With those words, Shinji lunged forward, pulling on the wires and leaping into the air as he continued charging toward the main formation.  

As he moved, over ten Sand Chunin jumped down around him, launching a close-range assault!  

From the front,  

A kunai embedded with an ignited explosive tag whizzed straight toward him!  

Shinji raised an eyebrow slightly. He lowered his body, a splash of water forming beneath his feet.  

Using Water Release: Water Slip, he reduced the friction between his soles and the ground.  

With a sudden tug of the wire in his left hand, his speed surged dramatically. Just before the explosive tag detonated,  

He caught the kunai between two fingers, 

And without turning his head, he flung it backward.  

Boom!  

A blast of hot air swept past the back of his head.  

Ignoring the text prompts flashing before his eyes, 

Shinji leaped high into the air, landing right in the center of the enemy's encirclement.  

With a fierce kick, he stomped one Sand ninja's face into the ground, immediately following up by sidestepping to evade a downward slash.  

His Sharingan glared at another opponent, casting a genjutsu that instantly hypnotized the ninja. He struck their jaw with his palm, crouching low to avoid a horizontal slash from a blade. At the same time, he swept his leg, knocking two Sand shinobi off their feet.  

Using the momentum, Shinji planted his hand on the ground and executed a backflip. Drawing his Kusanagi sword, he brought it down with a heavy vertical slash, taking down another Sand ninja.  

As four more enemies rushed toward him, he wielded Cloud Style Swordsmanship: Deceptive Slash, confusing them with a feint before twisting behind one of them with Cloud Style: Reverse Slash.  

In one fluid motion, he executed Uchiha Style: Instantaneous Void Slash, cutting down all four in an instant.  

Sword light gleamed under the moonlight, spilling forth relentlessly.  

One enemy after another fell before him.  

Through this relentless combat, Shinji's taijutsu only grew more refined.  

Blocking techniques, counters, ambush tactics, and footwork—countless styles and maneuvers were amplified to more than 200% effectiveness by his combat instincts!  

Watching this unfold, the Sand Village commander in the distance clenched his fists, his face twisting with fury.  

Standing beside him, a Sand Chunin shouted anxiously,  

“Sir, we can’t wait any longer—he’s too strong!”  

“We need to act now!”  

“Even if it costs us some men, killing that brat will be worth it!”  

The Sand Jonin commander gritted his teeth. He hadn’t expected a mere kid to be this formidable.  

Even the ten elite Chunin squads sent to surround him had no way of handling him!  

They hadn’t even forced the boy to reveal more of his abilities.  

“So be it.”  

The Sand commander’s eyes hardened, and he snarled viciously,  

“All units, listen up!”  

“Use combined ninjutsu to cover the area! Turn that entire section into—”  

“Nothing but ash!”  

(End of Chapter) 

Chapter 137: Wind Release - Vacuum Blade, A Brand-New Swordsmanship System!  

Amid the chaotic stone forest,  

Shinji darted back and forth, defending himself on all sides. The Kusanagi Sword in his hand seemed to blur into an unbroken trail of light.  

His body bore countless wounds, yet each one healed at a visible rate the moment it appeared, restoring him to flawless condition.  

The Sand Shinobi fighting him grew increasingly alarmed. At first, Shinji's swordsmanship had been clumsy, allowing them to land occasional hits.  

But it was futile—the boy seemed indestructible.  

What’s more, his proficiency in swordsmanship skyrocketed at an absurd, almost unreasonable speed.  

Cloud Style, Uchiha Style, Hozuki Style, Tanyo Style, and foundational swordsmanship of the ninja world, supplemented by precise, lethal taijutsu—an array of techniques seamlessly flowed together in his hands.  

The pressure on the Sand Shinobi escalated sharply.  

At that moment, inspiration struck Shinji. It felt as if an invisible barrier had been forcibly torn apart!  

Before his eyes, a message materialized: 

[Your swordsmanship has been fully integrated. You have mastered an unnamed sword technique (B+, Proficient).]  

Shinji abruptly raised his head. Through his Sharingan, he noticed something off about the movements of the Sand Shinobi.  

He could foresee their next moves.  

For instance, the shinobi wielding a kunai imbued with Wind Release: Vacuum Blade would step forward, slash diagonally, and aim for his abdomen.  

Previously, Shinji would have had no choice but to take the hit, trading a gut wound for a counterattack—leaving his back vulnerable to further stabs from other attackers.  

But now—  

Shinji pivoted sharply, halting his advance. He sidestepped the slash and crouched low, sliding under his opponent’s guard.  

With his left hand, he reversed his grip on a kunai and drove it into the exposed toes of the shinobi’s sandals.  

"Argh!" A pained scream erupted above him.  

Shinji pushed off the ground, leaped into the air, and slammed his sword hilt downward toward the opponent’s chest. Spinning midair, he unleashed a sweeping horizontal slash!  

A radiant circle of fiery sword light exploded from his blade, cutting a blazing arc through the enemy ranks.  

Clang!  

A fiery shockwave erupted, expanding outward in all directions.  

The Sand Shinobi attacking him were blasted away, scattering like leaves in a storm.  

In mere moments, none were left standing before Shinji.  

Another flood of notifications scrolled before his eyes.  

Ignoring the jumble of newly unlocked ninjutsu and taijutsu, his gaze locked onto one line: 

[You have valiantly defeated the Special Jōnin of the Sand Village who sought your life, obtaining a random skill from them: Wind Release: Vacuum Blade (B, Proficient).]  

[The counterattack was decisive. The opponent is deceased, leaving no room for rebuttal. Critical rewards triggered.]  

[Skill upgraded upon critical trigger: Wind Release: Super Vacuum Blade (A, Mastery).]  

[Having acquired several Wind Release techniques, you may now consider training in Wind Chakra Nature Transformation.]  

Wind Release: Vacuum Blade.  

This technique had appeared twice in the original story. Once, Danzo used it against Sasuke, enhancing a kunai with wind chakra to form a razor-sharp blade of air.  

The other time was during Madara Uchiha’s dance of destruction amidst the Allied Shinobi Forces, used by a Cloud Shinobi Madara subdued.  

Though the technique’s users were soundly defeated, it wasn’t due to any flaw in the skill itself. Its versatility made it a powerful tool.  

It bore striking similarities to techniques Shinji already possessed, like Water Release: Water Fang Blade and the Flame Blade, which infused his Kusanagi Sword with fire chakra.  

The moment he learned the technique, a key clicked into place in his mind, completing the foundation of a concept he had been building.  

Beyond ninjutsu lies combination ninjutsu. And beyond swordsmanship lies combination swordsmanship.  

Shinji’s gaze sharpened as he instinctively began experimenting, attempting to merge this newfound sword technique into his system.  

But just then—  

A distorted, high-pitched whine, like metal under immense pressure, suddenly pierced the air.  

Startled, Shinji looked up to see a vast shadow falling over him from above, covering the area for dozens of meters.  

In the distance, three cold, emotionless voices rang out:  

“Wind Release: Grand Net!” 

“Earth Release: Earth Pillar Explosion!” 

“Combined Ninja Art: Wind Release - Super Great Sickle Weasel Technique!”  

Hearing this, Shinji’s pupils contracted sharply.  

The Grand Net whipped up ferocious winds, slicing through the ground and lifting sand and stones into the air.  

The Earth Pillar Explosion raised towering earth columns, shattering them into projectile-like fragments.  

Finally, the Super Great Sickle Weasel Technique unleashed a devastating gale, propelling the debris and wind blades in a relentless barrage.  

In an instant— 

A dense barrage of razor-sharp wind blades, capable of slicing through trees, along with rocks of various sizes, shot forward with a deafening roar!  

The entire sky darkened in an instant, resembling a yellowish-brown waterfall that completely engulfed the area beneath Shinji's feet. 

Faced with the overwhelming power of this combined ninjutsu, even Shinji's immortality would be of no use—if hit directly, he would be reduced to shreds and buried on the spot.  

Shinji's scalp tingled as he quickly pulled on the thread, sliding backward in a hasty retreat.  

In the distance, the Sunagakure commander listened to the reports of the retreating Genin while forming hand seals with one hand. 

His gaze turned cold as he watched Shinji maneuvering in the storm of wind blades, dodging and leaping through the extreme environment while relying on the threads. 

"I see. So that gliding ability comes from the threads," he murmured.  

"Then, after this move, this area will be completely flattened. Without your means of mobility, how will you deal with it?"  

With a cold sneer, he clasped his hands together in another seal and leaned backward. Suddenly, he spat out another enormous, condensed Wind Release orb, hurling it at the fleeing Shinji! 

As the orb shot forward, eleven additional wind bullets followed in its wake, curving and whistling through the air as they chased their target.  

On the battlefield, the storm of wind blades combined with the rain of sand and rocks fell, shaking the earth and mountains. The upward-thrusting forest of rocks was instantly pulverized by the waterfall-like combined ninjutsu, raising a cloud of dust that was immediately sliced apart and dispersed by the cutting winds.  

The Gobi Desert was cleared in an instant. 

One of the flying wind blades severed the thread in Shinji's hand, causing him to fall like a kite with its string cut. He crashed into the ground, rolling seven or eight meters before coming to a stop, breaking several ribs in the process. 

Covered in dust, he struggled to his feet. Before he could even wipe his face, a sense of impending doom overcame him, prompting him to flip backward just in time.  

A wind bullet slammed into the spot where he had just been, its rebound sending slicing wind blades through the air. Three or four fresh gashes appeared on Shinji's body. 

Clenching his teeth, he endured the pain, flipping backward repeatedly to avoid the chain of wind bullets chasing him like a hail of bullets.  

Finally, when he could no longer evade in midair, he gritted his teeth and swung his Flaming Grasscutter Sword to block.  

Bang! 

The impact sent Shinji flying, embedding him deep into the ground.  

Looking up, he saw twelve more wind bullets flying toward him before he could even catch his breath. At that moment, all he could do was curse.  

"Shit!"  

With a scowl, Shinji cursed loudly, activating the Forbidden Jutsu: Corporeal Regeneration to heal his injuries. He quickly rolled to dodge the incoming bullets and attempted another charge forward.  

However, the relentless barrage of wind bullets continually blocked his path, forcing him to retreat again and again.  

What was once a 40-meter gap between him and the enemy had now widened to nearly 60 meters, despite his initial charge.  

This short distance felt like an insurmountable chasm standing in Shinji's way. 

This was exactly the situation he had been trying to avoid.  

He had assumed that by breaking into the enemy formation, they would hesitate to use large-scale ninjutsu for fear of friendly fire, allowing him to disrupt their core formation. 

Against a group of Sunagakure elites unable to execute combined ninjutsu, Shinji was confident he could weave in and out of their ranks with ease.  

However, the ruthlessness of the enemy far exceeded his expectations.  

In the earlier wave of attacks, Shinji hadn’t even managed to cut down many enemies. Yet now, the Sunagakure forces had been reduced to fewer than 200 men. 

Most of the casualties, shockingly, were caused by their own comrades.  

“Phew...”  

Seizing a brief pause, Shinji took a few deep breaths, wiping his dusty face as he grimly eyed the twelve remaining Sunagakure elites ahead.  

The surrounding allies had been wiped out so thoroughly that not even a single cry of pain could be heard. 

In this situation, Shinji couldn’t even recharge the Zero-Tails.  

Meanwhile, his chakra and stamina were nearing their limits.  

“This isn’t working!”  

“I’ll have to take a gamble!” With a grim expression, Shinji looked down at the Grasscutter Sword in his hand.  

When he obtained Wind Release: Vacuum Blade, he immediately thought of a ninjutsu that could potentially resolve the current predicament—  

The Hurricane Water Vortex Jutsu!  

This combination jutsu, performed by Yamato and Naruto in the future, combined Water Release: Rushing Torrent and Wind Release: Rasengan to create a massive water tornado capable of countering aerial targets.  

In other words, it was a defensive jutsu that could buy Shinji an opportunity to break into the enemy's core formation.  

He had also witnessed the powerful synergy of Wind Release and Fire Release, such as Kakuzu’s Compound Ninjutsu: Scorching Wind Wave and Exploding Flame Mask. 

Both of these combination jutsu were as devastating as S-rank techniques!  

Ordinarily, Shinji wouldn’t be able to perform such techniques.  

However, after mastering a series of Wind Release jutsu and pushing his understanding of the element to the point of nature transformation, 

and acquiring the core jutsu Wind Release: Vacuum Blade,  

he realized that when combined with Water Release: Water Fang Blade and his Grasscutter Sword: Flaming Blade,  

it might produce an unprecedented result!  

This, he thought, could even lead to the birth of a brand-new swordsmanship style.  

(End of Chapter) 

Chapter 138: Break the Formation! Swordsmanship – Hurricane Whirlpool, Flame Wind Dragon Dance!

The Wind Release: Rasengan and Water Release: Violent Current Break share the same characteristic: both are highly intense and involve the completion of nature transformation.

Thus, when these two techniques are combined, they form a violently rotating water tornado capable of countering Kakuzu's strange mask-based explosive flames.

Similarly, the Water Release: Water Fang Blade and Wind Release: Vacuum Blade mastered by Shinji exhibit the same principle. Both techniques are intensely dynamic in form.

The Water Fang Blade is a rapidly spinning water blade, while the Vacuum Blade is entwined with incredibly sharp winds.

Moreover, Shinji had already comprehended the nature transformation of water during his time in the Land of Hot Springs.

Now, all he lacks is mastery over the nature transformation of wind.

Shinji narrowed his gaze toward the night sky, where twelve wind spheres shot down like meteors!

The sound of the wind was sharp and piercing, stirring up waves of dust. The compressed wind blades glinted coldly under the moonlight, sending chills down one's spine.

If this couldn't be dealt with, the relentless assault would eventually leave him futilely running along the battlefield until death.

Since charging forward means death and staying back also means death,

Then there’s no choice but to take a gamble!

Shinji stood firm, taking a deep breath as his Sharingan locked onto the incoming wind spheres in the night sky.

He dispelled the flames from the blade of his Kusanagi Sword and instead began forming hand seals with both hands.

As the final seal was completed,

He fiercely raised the Kusanagi Sword, channeling chakra from his right hand into the legendary blade that could perfectly conduct chakra.

In an instant, a brilliant blue Water Fang Blade spun violently along the sword's edge.

The high-speed spinning water blade emitted a nerve-wracking screech.

Then,

Sharp winds began to rise from his left hand, gradually merging into the sword.

Visibly, the Water Fang Blade swelled slightly, as if it might explode at any moment.

The fusion of the two techniques was exceedingly complex.

If not for Uchiha’s Sharingan, allowing him to observe the nearly out-of-control chakra pathways in detail, and his mastery of both techniques,

An explosion at the site would have been inevitable!

“Just a little more,” Shinji muttered, eyes fixed on the Kusanagi Sword in his hands. Veins bulged on his arms, trembling as he struggled to control the conflicting chakras within the blade.

The Kusanagi Sword, usually light as a feather when swung, now felt unbearably heavy.

“What went wrong? Why can’t they merge?”

As the massive wind spheres roared closer, their piercing sound growing louder,

Shinji gritted his teeth and glanced at the sky, eyes widening in frustration.

Then, with a roar, he shouted:

“Screw it! Just spin it!”

“Come on—activate!”

He suddenly raised the nearly-exploding sword toward the heavens.

With a firm stomp on the ground, he twisted the sword's hilt, pouring chakra into it with reckless abandon. It didn’t matter whether the techniques fused; all that mattered was getting it to move.

Spin—spin faster—spin like crazy!

The wind and water clashed and twisted, converging at a single point, reaching their peak!

Finally—

“Ninja Art: Sword of the Hurricane Whirlpool!”

A beam of blue light shot out from the tip of the sword, piercing the sky!

Then, centered on this beam, a massive blue water tornado erupted with a deafening roar!

Like the petals of a mandala flower,

Sharp white wind blades and spinning blue water blades whirled around the central column, spiraling wildly!

The brilliant blue-and-white light illuminated the desert landscape, momentarily turning the barren wasteland into a dazzling discotheque!

The water tornado collided head-on with the incoming wind spheres!

Shinji’s eyes widened as he gripped the sword tightly. With a twisted stance and immense effort, he forced the sword to keep spinning the colossal vortex.

The combined technique, where 1+1 > 2, unleashed a power far beyond any conventional ninjutsu!

The water tornado danced madly against the wind, spinning furiously!

It devoured the twelve wind spheres, shredding them and absorbing their energy,

Spinning faster and more powerfully!

Then, with a ferocious expression, Shinji gritted his teeth, muscles taut to their limits.

He forcefully swung the Kusanagi Sword backward, dragging the colossal water tornado behind him.

With a mighty slam, he drove the tornado into the ground!

BOOM!  

The water tornado smashed into the earth, pulverizing the ground into dust and sending sand flying everywhere!

Like a storm god from myth,

In that instant,

Shinji used the enormous propulsion from the sword to leap high into the air!

The sword in his hands acted like a rocket booster, propelling him straight into the sky—a reverse shooting star defying gravity.

Amazingly, Shinji launched himself!

In a flash,

The young ninja soared over fifty meters, appearing above the core of the Sand Hidden Village’s formation!

Below, the Sand ninja stood dumbfounded, staring at the descending figure in utter disbelief.

“What the hell is that?!”

“So fast!”

“What the—how is he flying?!”

“Commander, it’s too fast! We can’t aim!”

---

*"What is he trying to do?!"*

Under the stunned gazes of the Sand Shinobi, Shinji leaped into the air, dissipating the Hurricane Whirlpool Jutsu. His face twisted into a ferocious grin as he roared with anger and laughter:

*"Weren’t you having a great time firing at me just now?!"*

*"Well, now—"*

His gaze turned cold and sinister as he raised the Kusanagi Sword high into the air. In an instant, one of his arms ignited, glowing so brilliantly it was like a miniature sun!

*"It’s my turn!"*

In that moment, all his techniques were unleashed at once:

*Fire Release: Chakra Mode, Zero-Tails: Dark Chakra Mode, Forbidden Jutsu: Physical Rebirth, and his Undying Body!*

Shinji swung the sword downward, aiming directly at the Sand Shinobi’s formation. Opening his mouth, he exhaled and enhanced the already blazing blade with *Wind Release: Super Vacuum Blade*, making the flames even more ferocious. The dazzling sword emitted a terrifying burst of firelight!

Below, the Sand Shinobi commander’s eyes widened in panic as he shouted urgently:

*"This is bad! He’s about to use that technique again!"*

*"Hurry!"*

*"Everyone, use Wind Release: Super Sickle Weasel Technique to blow him away!"*

The Sand Shinobi stared up in horror at the sudden appearance of the blazing sun in the sky. Without delay, they began forming hand seals.

However—

*"Hahahahahahaha!"*

Shinji looked down at them with disdain, laughing maniacally:

*"Too late!"*

*"And let me tell you something—I'm not the same person I was just a moment ago!"*

Pointing the flaming Kusanagi Sword at the Sand Shinobi’s formation, he clenched his teeth and surged all of his chakra into the strike. Every ounce of power within him was poured into this single attack.

Then, Shinji widened his eyes and roared with fury:

*"Take this!"*

*"Great Sword Technique: Blazing Wind Dragon Dance!"*

In the next instant, fueled by the winds, the flames perfectly replicated the legendary combo technique used by Kakuzu in front of him: *Strange Mask Eruption, Blazing Wind Chaos Wave!*

But unlike the slow process of constructing the Flame Giant Sword earlier,

From the Kusanagi Sword, a lifelike *Fire Dragon* instantly burst forth!

Its scales were made of wind, its tendons crafted from the Earth Grudge Fear threads, and its bones formed by the flowing flames of the *Fire Release: Chakra Mode*.

In mere moments, the dragon expanded to an enormous size, growing a fifty-meter-long body that coiled through the air. Its glowing eyes, as radiant as twin suns, gazed mercilessly at the masses below.

Then—

*It struck!*

The dragon roared downward, descending toward the ground with its jaws wide open.

Below—

The Sand Shinobi stood frozen, their heads tilted upward as they stared at the fire dragon that seemed to have emerged from a myth. Their hands faltered, slowing their seal formations by a fraction of a second.

At that moment, it was as if they could see the Sage of Six Paths himself smiling and waving at them.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 139: Pyrrhic Victory, Near-Death Crisis!  

After unleashing the enormous fire dragon, the Kusanagi Sword instantly lost its luster, and Shinji's Kirin Arm also dimmed.  

His entire right arm was burned to a charred mass.  

The Zero-Tails within his abdomen was completely drained, not leaving a single drop behind. Even his body suddenly shrank significantly as a result.  

Consequently, the Forbidden Technique: Body Rebirth immediately came to a halt.  

At that moment, Shinji could barely keep his eyes open, his eyelids so heavy they felt like they were glued shut. Yet, without the support of the forbidden technique, the injuries all over his body erupted at once.  

The penetrating wounds from battling the Sand shinobi ambush, the muscle strains from dragging the hurricane water vortex, the searing pain from his charred right arm, the numerous non-lethal sword and blade wounds left untreated to conserve chakra, and the sheer exhaustion from overextending his chakra…  

The pain was unbearable!  

It was so excruciating that he couldn’t close his eyes, forcing him to watch helplessly as he plummeted from a height of over 100 meters.  

And for such a steep price, the pinnacle technique he unleashed—  

Great Blade of Destruction: Blazing Wind Dragon Dance!  

In an instant, the fire dragon descended from the heavens, hurtling toward the stunned Sand shinobi.  

Before it even reached the ground, the entire expanse of the desert began to quake. Grass, trees, insects, and rocks all trembled violently!  

Vultures took flight, antelopes raised their heads in panic, and lions, leopards, and sand hares—countless animals—looked up momentarily before scattering in desperate, chaotic retreat.  

In the night sky, Shinji calmly gazed down at the unfolding chaos. He turned to glance at the Sand shinobi elites gathered at the fire dragon's impact point.  

Suddenly, he smiled—a smile like that of a child who had just gotten a new toy.  

Then, he slightly opened his mouth and added a deadly sound effect to his masterpiece—  

“Boom!”  

The fire dragon ferociously crashed into the center of the Sand formation. Refusing to sit idle, the Sand shinobi raised their heads, eyes wide with terror, and unleashed their strongest techniques into the sky!  

Countless jutsu interwove, converging into a massive white sphere of light that streaked toward the heavens.  

The fire dragon and the white sphere collided in an instant!  

Screech—!  

The distorted screech of air exploding seemed to tear through eardrums.  

In the next moment—  

Boom!  

A dazzling, dark-red mushroom cloud rose from the ground!  

It consumed all light and sound in an instant.  

The intense shockwaves distorted the air, forming a visible ripple that expanded outward, blowing everything away—evaporating, vaporizing, destroying all in its path—until it struck a faintly red Death Battle Barrier that spanned 300 meters.  

Crack! Crack! Crack!  

A dense spiderweb of cracks spread across the barrier. The shockwave alone possessed an attack power comparable to that of a Kage!  

Finally, with a sound like shattering glass—  

The Death Battle Barrier exploded into pieces!  

The violent wind surged outward, forcing the Konoha assault unit standing outside the barrier to lean back, shielding their faces from the flying sand.  

And then—  

A silence so prolonged it chilled the heart.  

When they finally managed to open their eyes, the Konoha assault unit immediately looked toward the Sand shinobi’s encampment.  

The next moment—  

Everyone gasped at once, their eyes dull as they stared at the ruins, their faces filled with shock.  

“How could a 12-year-old Chūnin unleash a technique like that?”  

“Is there even a chance anyone survived that?”  

“Captain, didn’t you just say you were going to save that kid?”  

“In this situation, who’s saving who?”  

Standing at the front of the group, Uchiha Shinichi and Uchiha Shisui stared blankly at the center of the battlefield.  

This absurd reality completely shattered their understanding of the ninja world.  

Although Shisui wasn’t one to boast, he had carried the title of a genius since childhood. Within the Uchiha clan, no one spoke to him without praising his talents and prophesizing that he would one day achieve greatness.  

As a self-proclaimed prodigy, Shisui had only recently awakened his Sharingan, and it was merely at the two-tomoe stage. At best, he could go toe-to-toe with the clan’s Jōnin.  

But this boy, Shinji—  

What was this guy?!  

The last time they saw him, he was scavenging bottles in Konoha’s riverbanks, collecting trash, and taking on the D-rank missions that the rest of the clan looked down upon.  

A so-called “failure” who couldn’t even awaken his Sharingan, someone who was spat on by stray dogs in passing.  

And now—  

This boy, who once carried a sack and scavenged bottles—the “failure” in the clan’s eyes—  

Had suddenly become the personal student of one of the Sannin, made a name for himself in the Land of Hot Water, and now single-handedly faced a force of 300 Sand shinobi.  

First, he cut down the enemy commander with an awe-inspiring blade. Then, he infiltrated the enemy camp under the moonlight, danced through their ranks, and unleashed a blazing fire dragon that shattered their formation.  

It was truly terrifying!  

Compared to him, Shisui felt his so-called “genius” was nothing more than self-praise, like a vain vendor boasting about their own melons.  

He felt utterly ashamed.  

“It’s impossible. Absolutely impossible!”  

Uchiha Shinichi stared blankly at the ruins, his Sharingan wide-eyed in disbelief.  

“How could he be this powerful?!”  

"Swordsmanship, taijutsu, genjutsu, even ninjutsu—he's surpassed me in every way!"  

"He's so strong. What else could I possibly teach him?!"  

"I get it now!"  

Uchiha Shinichi suddenly raised his head as if he had just figured something out. His face was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred. Clenching his fist, he struck his thigh in frustration. 

"Damn it! This is the Hawk Faction flaunting their power at us!"  

"The Elder is sending me a message!"  

Ever since the death of the previous clan leader, Uchiha Kagami, the position of the Uchiha clan head had remained vacant. 

Originally, it was supposed to go to the strongest within the clan, Uchiha Fugaku. However, for reasons unknown, Elder Uchiha Setsuna adamantly opposed it, forcing Fugaku to instead become the head of the Police Force—a position akin to being the clan's deputy leader.  

Fugaku's appointment as head of the Police Force was strongly supported by the Uchiha Neutral Faction and the Dove Faction. 

Now, the Hawk Faction had suddenly introduced a rising star, and Uchiha Setsuna had sent him to the Land of Rain, right in front of the Dove Faction, even making Shinichi—a key figure in the Dove Faction—his instructor.  

What did this mean? 

Was it a show of strength? Or was it an attempt to force the Dove Faction to acknowledge this kid?  

Was this child meant to become the next clan leader?!  

In that moment, Uchiha Shinichi’s expression grew complicated, his mind racing with countless thoughts.  

Fugaku's previous failures in the Land of Hot Springs had already caused discontent within the clan. And now, this kid had done something that defied all expectations.  

Whether in terms of strength or the backing of powerful forces,  

this kid already had what it took to compete with Fugaku—  

he had the qualifications to become the leader of the Uchiha clan.  

With a conflicted expression, Uchiha Shinichi raised his head and looked at the boy who had done all this to save them.  

For a moment, he didn’t know how to oppose this idea. Deep down, he even felt a faint hope. 

If this boy became the leader of the Uchiha clan,  

what kind of path would he lead the clan down?  

But just then,  

Shisui’s alarmed cry snapped him out of his thoughts:  

"Big Brother Shinichi, look quickly!"  

"Over there! Shinji is in danger!"  

Uchiha Shinichi’s head shot up, his gaze fixed on the center of the Sand Village’s encampment.  

There,  

amidst the desolate wasteland scorched by the falling fire dragon,  

a single figure weakly pushed a corpse off himself and struggled to stand.  

It was the Sand Village commander, a jonin.  

Burns covered his body, and he stared blankly at the scene around him. Within a fifty-meter radius, apart from the three elite squads he had sent to intercept Manda, he was the only one left alive. Beyond the battlefield where Manda wreaked havoc, the lower- and mid-level Sand ninja, terrified out of their minds, huddled like quails in the corners, utterly incapable of fighting.  

With one devastating strike, half of the Sand Village's forces had been wiped out!  

The ruins were in shambles, the bloody battlefield crystallized by flames. Melted kunai formed pools of molten iron, and charred bodies lay scattered among severed limbs carved by wind blades.  

The scenes painted a harrowing image of despair and hunger, deeply etching themselves into the jonin’s mind. His eyes widened in shock and terror, his face twisted in agony. His gaze carried a mix of disbelief, fear, daze, and the insanity born of utter despair.  

Then,  

he turned his stiff neck,  

and there, he saw the source of this devastation—  

the boy lying in the rubble, his legs broken from the fall, his right arm charred to a crisp, his neck bent at an unnatural angle as if it might snap entirely. His entire body was covered in burns, gashes, and sword wounds, with only the faintest breath proving he was still alive.  

The executioner of the Uchiha clan! 

The Sand Village jonin froze, his breath catching.  

His eyes bulged, teeth clenched as his trembling body radiated crazed killing intent! 

He staggered to his feet and pulled a gleaming kunai from his pouch.  

"You… You… You…"  

Through the desolate night and barren wasteland, 

the last surviving Sand ninja roared, tears of blood streaming down his face, as he charged at the defenseless boy.  

"You demon! Monster!"  

"Die!"  

"Just die already!"  

(End of Chapter) 

Chapter 140: Deadlock Gamble—Fire in the Hole!

Lying on the debris-covered ground,

Shinji struggled to lift his motionless head, helplessly watching as the Suna Jonin charged toward him.

His face was filled with panic, his expression one of utter shock, as if he had never anticipated that the Suna Jonin would survive.

Seeing Shinji's startled expression, the Suna Jonin, Ryuusa, burst into a derisive laugh:

“Ha ha ha ha~!”

“You vile little Uchiha brat!”

“Today, I’ll personally put an end to your life!”

In truth, Ryuusa wasn’t without grievances of his own.

What should have been a straightforward extermination mission had taken an unexpected and disastrous turn.

Judging by the young Uchiha's attire, he wasn’t even a Jonin.

Yet, despite outnumbering him 300 to 1, their Suna forces had been nearly annihilated. As the commanding officer, Ryuusa knew he would bear the brunt of the blame.

His future was ruined. Returning to the village would only mean endless accusations.

Even if he argued, begged for mercy, or claimed that this Uchiha was monstrously strong—beyond comprehension—

who would believe him?

An Uchiha, not even a Jonin, decimating an entire Suna battalion?

That was utterly preposterous!

At this moment, Ryuusa’s predicament was akin to the Mist's Seven Swordsmen charging into the Land of Fire, only to be nearly wiped out by a passing green-suited, thick-browed youth.

Among them, only the fiercely loyal and well-connected Fuguki Suikazan managed to return to the Mist Village.

The others? Every single one defected without a second thought.

Especially during a time when the Daimyo of the Land of Wind was cutting military funding, leaving the Sand Village with no choice but to gamble its future on war with the Leaf Village.

If Ryuusa returned in disgrace, with nothing to show for it,

he would face consequences he couldn’t even bear to imagine.

With these thoughts,

Ryuusa’s eyes blazed with fury as he lunged forward, kunai aimed to pierce Shinji’s throat!

At that moment,

Shinji’s expression abruptly shifted. The fear and helplessness vanished,

his facade torn away to reveal a ferocious sneer!

He raised his one functioning left hand, pointing it at the Suna Jonin.

Unable to speak properly due to his damaged throat, he could only let out a guttural roar:

“Hhhha!!”

Startled, Ryuusa hesitated, thinking the boy might unleash some desperate, last-ditch technique.

But nothing happened.

Instead, Ryuusa found himself inexplicably feeling pity for the boy, as if his fierce expression suddenly looked strangely meek.

The fleeting sentiment was quickly drowned out by a surge of anger and dread.

In the meantime, Shinji had already achieved what he needed.

Faced with this dire situation, no amount of survival tactics would work without chakra. Anything else was wishful thinking.

Desperate, he pushed Zero-Tails to its limit, absorbing the Suna Jonin’s dark emotions and converting them into dark chakra.

Then,

the dark chakra temporarily activated the forbidden technique *Body Regeneration*, granting a fleeting moment of vitality.

Using this, Shinji refined it into his own chakra and quickly repaired the most critical injury—his broken neck. This restored just enough mobility to his near-crippled body!

Clenching the hilt of the Kusanagi Blade between his teeth, blood and saliva dripped down his face.

With a single hand planted on the ground, his waist twisted as he flipped into a handstand. His fingers gripped the earth tightly as he launched himself upward,

swinging the blade in his mouth to parry the kunai aimed at his throat!

At this point, he couldn’t afford to take any more damage.

Another injury, another loss of mobility, and his repair speed wouldn’t keep up with the harm. Even if he avoided death, the outcome would be unbearably grim.

But his sword swing lacked strength, and with a casual flick of Ryuusa’s wrist, Shinji was sent flying.

He crashed back onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Ryuusa stared in shock, momentarily dazed.

How could this boy, so gravely injured, still be fighting?!

This moment of hesitation allowed Zero-Tails to siphon more of his emotions.

Gaining a bit more chakra, Shinji, still lying on the ground, bit down on the Kusanagi Blade and painfully straightened his broken right leg.

“Ughhh!!!”

The pain made his eyes bulge as cold sweat drenched his face. Biting down hard on the blade, he let out a muffled, agonized grunt.

Meanwhile, Ryuusa had regained his composure and was charging forward once more.

Shinji immediately spat out the Kusanagi Blade, caught it in his left hand, and used it as support to rise to his feet.

With his right leg now functioning as a brace, he spun and slashed in retaliation,

blocking the next attack with significantly less strain.

Still, with such a high-quality "charger" right in front of him, Shinji had no intention of letting him go.

Feigning weakness, he let Ryuusa “defeat” him again, pretending to be flung back while quietly repairing his left leg.

Again and again, he was knocked down and got back up,

until, by the fifth time, Ryuusa finally realized something was wrong.

Wasn’t this boy on the brink of death?

Why did he seem to be getting more energetic, more lively with each attack?

From a broken neck, arms, and legs to now looking completely fine,

this was beyond strange!

Adding to the absurdity, Shinji even started shouting ridiculous taunts mid-battle:

“You truly are a formidable foe; I’m on the verge of death!”

“One more hit, and I’ll really be done for!”

“Phew! That was close—almost got stabbed in the heart!”

As he thought about it, Ryūsa felt another wave of disorientation. He had never experienced such frequent moments of confusion in his entire life as he had today!

Realizing that something seemed off, Ryūsa immediately leaped far back, his face tensing. Only then did his usual composure begin to return.

Frowning, he carefully maintained a distance between himself and Shinji—five meters.

At this distance, the opponent’s special genjutsu-like ability could no longer affect him.

"I can’t allow close combat. I’ll end this right here with Wind Style!"

Taking a deep breath, he shifted his stance, leaping backward again to widen the gap, while his hands began forming seals.

Upon seeing this, Shinji frowned slightly, surprised that his opponent had so quickly figured out the nature of his ability.

But now, the chakra converted through the Zero Tail was still insufficient to fully restore his charred right arm.

Without the ability to form seals for ninjutsu, and with no obstacles nearby to use his wire-manipulation techniques for movement, getting close to a Wind Style specialist jonin under such conditions was unrealistic. It would be just like his earlier charge on the desert plain—unable to approach and forcefully repelled before he could reach his target.

Moreover, without the continuous healing from the forbidden technique Body Regeneration, he risked being shredded by Ryūsa’s Wind Style techniques right here.

In a battle that had reached the point of chakra exhaustion, the only thing left to rely on was strategy.

Shinji narrowed his eyes and quickly scanned the battlefield. After some calculations, he glanced sideways at his charred right arm.

Right now, he couldn’t afford the cost of fully restoring his arm.

But fortunately, this arm could still be put to some use!

Taking a deep breath, he gripped the Kusanagi Sword in his left hand and struck the hilt against his chest with force!

In the next instant, a surge of violent chakra erupted within him.

Instead of using the forbidden Body Regeneration to heal his body further, Shinji poured all of the dark chakra into the Fire Style: Chakra Mode.

In an instant, blazing flames rose from his body, gathering entirely onto his right arm.

The Fire Style: Kirin Arm reignited!

On the opposite side, Ryūsa’s scalp tingled, and a chill ran down his spine at the sight.

Recalling the massive sword and fire dragon he had barely survived earlier, he felt his mind on the verge of collapse. He still couldn’t figure out how such large-scale ninjutsu could be unleashed again.

"Does this kid think chakra costs nothing?!"

"Damn it!"

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Ryūsa quickly formed seals with his hands. He leaned back sharply, gathering chakra into his throat.

Shinji activated his Sharingan, but instead of drawing his Flame Blade, he intently focused on the Wind Style technique Ryūsa was about to unleash.

The next moment, Ryūsa took a deep breath, his chest, abdomen, and even his cheeks swelling like a toad’s. Then he exhaled forcefully!

"Wind Style: Massive Sandstorm Breakthrough!"

This technique, a modified version of the One-Tail Shukaku’s Infinite Sandstorm Breakthrough, allowed the user to inhale and compress vast amounts of wind into their body, which would then expand and unleash an enormous desert storm.

However, since a human body couldn’t store as much wind as Shukaku’s sand-formed body, using this technique forcibly damaged the user’s body. As such, it was classified as a high-risk forbidden technique in Sunagakure.

But at this moment, to avoid being sliced apart by Shinji’s sword, Ryūsa had no choice but to push his body to its limits and use it!

Yet, seeing this, Shinji’s eyes gleamed fiercely, and he suddenly grinned with bared teeth.

"Now’s the time!"

"This is my chance!"

Without hesitation, he gripped the Kusanagi Sword with his left hand, flipped it around, and plunged it toward himself!

Shing!  

The razor-sharp Kusanagi Sword sliced through Shinji’s blazing, fire-imbued right arm in an instant.

He tossed the sword into the rubble and grabbed his severed, glowing right arm with his left hand.

Gritting his teeth against the intense pain, he let out a crazed laugh as he stared at Ryūsa, who was unleashing the terrifying storm.

"Hahaha! Hahahahahaha!"

"Sand Ninja!"

"Watch this move—I call it..."

"Fire in the hole!"

Boom!

The raging winds roared as Shinji raised his severed right arm high and released it into the storm.

The glowing, fire-imbued arm was immediately caught in the cyclone, hurled high into the sky, and propelled far away.

Then—

After a moment of eerie silence...

Suddenly—

The entire battlefield shook violently once again!

Boom!!!  

With this thunderous explosion, it seemed as if something had been completely obliterated.

---

>*Notes:*

The character Ryūsa is part of the original canon, one of the four high-ranking Sunagakure leaders from Gaara’s generation: Ryūsa, Yōsa, Sajo, and Teishi. This scene depicts a younger Ryūsa in his early 20s.

(End of Chapter) ts!