101-105

Chapter 101: Water Dragon Explodes, The Sky Turns Dark!

On the other side, just two streets away from the scene of the upheaval, in front of an izakaya:

Ryoma Aburame suddenly looked up, his head turning toward the towering six-story building in Kabukicho.

The parasitic insects in his body stirred faintly, giving him a sense of foreboding.

The surroundings were eerily silent, as if even the wind carried a menacing chill.

The next moment, Ryoma Aburame lowered his head and shot a cold glance at Kiyoshiro Uchiha.

Reaching out from his wide sleeve, he tried to snatch the scroll from Kiyoshiro's hand.

But Kiyoshiro wasn’t about to let him succeed. The scroll contained a reward given to Shinji by the clan.

Stepping aside, Kiyoshiro activated his Sharingan, locking eyes with Ryoma in a cold stare.

“What are you trying to do?”

Ryoma frowned, clearly displeased with Kiyoshiro’s resistance, and was about to use his authority to pressure him.

At that moment—

*Boom!*

A deafening explosion resounded from a nearby street.

Stalls shattered, and a flood surged forward!

A giant wave, over ten meters high, came crashing in, startling everyone on the scene. Instinctively, they leapt to higher ground.

Kiyoshiro’s gaze snapped toward the source of the commotion, and his pupils contracted sharply.

After borrowing 100,000 ryo from him, Shinji had suspiciously snuck out.

Kiyoshiro didn’t even need to think—he could already guess where Shinji had gone.

After all, in situations like this, all he could do as a senior was offer Shinji a tacit, knowing glance.

But now—

A ninja conflict had suddenly erupted there?

Kiyoshiro couldn’t help but curse under his breath.

He thought to himself, What’s with that kid? Trouble follows him everywhere!  

Without hesitation, he slung the large scroll onto his back and leapt onto the surging wave, rushing against the current.

Seeing Kiyoshiro’s actions, Ryoma Aburame immediately understood. He signaled to his three subordinates to follow.

Soon, the group transformed into black silhouettes, speeding toward the site of the conflict.

---

Meanwhile—

“*Yagura Karatachi intends to kill you instantly right here.*”

Faced with both Yagura Karatachi and Mangetsu Hozuki, surrounded by numerous refugees from the Land of Hot Water,

and having provoked their killing intent,

Shinji immediately wanted to change the battlefield. Fighting on the water against these two was a death wish.

Within two moves, he would be overwhelmed by Yagura’s relentless Water Release techniques.

Fortunately, Shinji was at least a semi-proficient user of Water Release.

While he couldn’t match Yagura in power, he could still manage to keep some distance.

Using the swirling currents nearby, he executed *Water Release: Aqua Slice*, allowing him to quickly slide away to safety.

All he needed was a moment. Once the waves from Yagura’s *Great Waterfall Technique* dissipated, he could return to land and fight.

With the debris scattered across the ground, coupled with his high resistance to ninjutsu, an undead-like resilience, and the life-for-life forbidden technique *Corporeal Regeneration*,

Ji could alternate between guerrilla tactics and melee combat to exploit openings.

As long as he avoided being skewered by Mangetsu Hozuki’s *Great Sword: Samehada*, he could easily last more than a dozen rounds against the two of them.

The two opponents, however, quickly caught on to Shinji plan.

Yagura immediately raised his hooked staff, creating a *Water Mirror* to deflect the flying shuriken and tiles.

He raised an eyebrow and sneered.

“Trying to run?”

“Sorry, in this environment, no one escapes me.”

His hands never left their forming seals.

In truth, an immense amount of chakra had already seeped into the surrounding waters, both enabling him to detect his target and to unleash jutsu at will.

This was a standard tactic for Water Release ninjas with vast chakra reserves.

Landing on the water’s surface, Yagura crouched, pressed his hands to the water, and finished his seals.

The surrounding water trembled violently.

Suddenly, over twenty water whips erupted from the surface, their ends snapping like sonic booms as they lashed toward Shinji at high speed.

Ji instantly recognized the technique—it was *Water Release: Water Whip*, a move once used by the pursuing ninja who accompanied Mangetsu.

But unlike that ninja, who could only summon a single whip,

Yagura, taking advantage of the water-rich environment, had conjured over twenty massive whips.

The sight of the densely packed water whips sent shivers down Shinji spine. He immediately sprang back, dodging with rapid footwork.

The moment Shinji moved, Yagura’s goal was achieved.

“Don’t cause too much commotion. I’ll keep the battle confined to this rooftop. You, use the ninja blade and finish him off,”

Yagura said, glancing at the nimble Shinji without looking back at Mangetsu Hozuki.

Not long after,

Yagura recalled the intelligence report about Shinji surviving a stab from Samehada.

Observing Shinji unharmed condition now, he pondered for a moment before adding:

“He likely possesses powerful medical ninjutsu.”

“Once my Water Prison is fully formed, use Hiramekarei: Release with all your might to crush him into dust.”

“Got it.” Mangetsu Hōzuki nodded, his sharp teeth clicking together as a twisted grin appeared on his face.

His entire body turned into a puddle of water, merging into the surface as he waited for the perfect opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to Shinji.

Yagura Karatachi narrowed his eyes slightly, channeling even more chakra into the water's surface, creating a total of thirty-six water whips.

The water whips were merely to restrict Shinji's movements.

From the intel he’d gathered, he knew this kid’s taijutsu was both sinister and slippery, and he was exceedingly skilled at using devious tactics.

Then, he decided: Don’t give him any room to act.

First, confine him with the water whips, then use multiple water dragons to crush his defenses, followed by a giant Water Prison to completely trap him.

Finally, Mangetsu Hōzuki would unleash the full power of Hiramekarei to deliver the finishing blow.

With this sequence of moves—

How will you respond, I wonder?

Yagura smirked, confident in his victory!

At that moment,

Shinji felt immense pressure.

Under the relentless strikes and entanglement of the thirty-six water whips, he had to constantly shift his position, struggling to advance.

Dodging through a gap between two whips, he soon found three thicker water whips blocking his way, forcing him to retreat.

Even though the distance was only fifty meters, it felt like an endless chasm.

In the original story, Yagura Karatachi hadn’t showcased much beyond his powers as a Jinchūriki, and most of his appearances were under Obito’s control.

Shinji knew the only techniques Yagura had were the bizarre Water Style: Water Mirror Technique and Wind Style: Cyclone Passing.

But now, facing Yagura’s true strength, he was far more formidable than Shinji had imagined.

This opponent was unlike any he’d faced before.

A fighter with massive chakra reserves who had refined his elemental techniques to perfection.

Honest and straightforward, neither dodging nor avoiding!

He crushed his opponents purely with overwhelming strength and forced them to confront him head-on with masterful skill.

This was Yagura Karatachi!

The future Fourth Mizukage, a man with a pure heart who naturally gathered the strength of Kirigakure’s shinobi—a Kage-level figure!

Shinji couldn’t help but feel like he was fighting a budget version of Naruto Uzumaki.

At this moment, the surrounding waves suddenly stilled.

The frustration of being restrained by thirty-six water whips vanished, but Shinji’s heart sank.

He immediately turned to look at Yagura.

There, crouched on the water’s surface, Yagura had just completed the final Tori hand seal.

In the next instant,

The water erupted violently, and two massive water dragons rose, baring their fanged maws as they lunged at Shinji.

Simultaneously,

The entire water surface began to tremble, rising slightly and rapidly forming the outline of a cage!

To escape the Water Prison, he would have to endure the water dragons’ attacks.

To resist the water dragons, he would be trapped by the Water Prison.

Shinji finally understood Yagura’s battle plan. His heart sank slightly, realizing he was in trouble.

But in the next moment, he took a deep breath and shoved that thought aside.

Staring at Yagura, who wore a victorious smile, Shinji’s eyes turned cold.

In the following moment,

He raised his hand and pressed it against the area above his heart.

Yet,

At that precise moment,

The sky suddenly darkened.

Quite literally, it darkened.

Dark clouds covered the heavens, obscuring the sun and casting shadows across the earth.

Amid the sudden buzzing sound,

Everyone looked up in shock,

And saw—

The massive dark clouds were, in fact, countless densely packed insects!

Amidst this overwhelming sight,

A figure clad in a black cloak, hands in pockets, and wearing sunglasses, slowly walked across the water’s surface.

His face was expressionless.

(To be continued...)

*Chapter 102: Ryoma to the Rescue, A Chaotic Battle!*

The battlefield was a chaotic scene.

Water dragons intertwined, torrents surged wildly.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Kaguya Yagura's pupils slightly contracted.

That outfit, and this level of insect-manipulation ninjutsu...

It took only a moment for him to recognize the figure—none other than the second-in-command of Konoha's mysterious Anbu division:

The deputy leader of Root, *Aburame Ryoma*!

Normally, those in "Root" were said to have no names, no emotions, no past, and no future.

But, much like Kakashi's future time in the Anbu, a ninja with distinctive traits and overwhelming power, even as a Root operative, couldn’t remain entirely anonymous. Such individuals would become feared by their enemies and thus earn themselves a "name."

Aburame Ryoma was one such figure.

At this moment, he strode forward indifferently, pulling one hand out of his pocket and waving it lightly.

A massive swarm of kikaichū (destruction bugs) descended like a dark cloud, surrounding Shinji at the center, shielding him.

This was the *Secret Technique: Bug Wall*!

A swirling, black cloud of kikaichū formed a defensive wall, rotating and rising to block attacks.

This scene left both combatants on the battlefield stunned. Their movements stopped simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Shinji stood there, completely baffled, staring at the imposing Root operative walking toward him.

He recognized *Aburame Ryoma*.

He recognized the kikaichū.

But this man showing up here, using a secret technique to protect him?

It made no sense to Shinji at all.

When he first saw this guy, Shinji assumed he had been sent by Danzo to assassinate him—to stop Orochimaru from taking an Uchiha as his disciple.

But now? What was happening???

After securing Shinji, Aburame Ryoma raised his head slightly, his cold gaze behind his signature dark glasses locking onto Yagura.

"You must be Kaguya Yagura, leader of the Mist Village's elite jonin squad," Ryoma said coldly.

"Am I right?"

Yagura, equally puzzled by the situation, straightened up on the water's surface.

Gripping his hooked staff tightly, he pointed it at Ryoma and narrowed his eyes.

"Root, protecting an Uchiha?" Yagura scoffed. "Now that's something I never thought I'd see."

Aburame Ryoma remained silent for a moment. He, too, had found this mission from Shimura Danzo unusually strange.

But a mission was a mission. Shaking his head slightly, he responded coldly:

"Reality is often stranger than fiction. If you want to know why—"

"It's because the boy you're trying to attack—"

"He's the disciple of Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Sannin, and the Fourth Hokage’s chosen successor."

"And now, he's a member of Root."

Hearing this, Yagura froze, staring at Shinji in shock, almost doubting his own ears.

An *Uchiha* as Orochimaru’s disciple? And a member of Root?

It was absurd to the point of being unbelievable!

And yet, here it was.

But why this boy?

The thought brought a flash of killing intent to Yagura’s eyes.

Shinji knew about their plans, and now, as a member of Root, he could report everything to Shimura Danzo.

No one could predict whether the "Shadow of the Shinobi" would intervene in the unstable situation of the Mist Village.

Despite Konoha's ongoing conflict with the Sand in the northwest near the Rain Country, the Sand Village alone couldn’t force Konoha to reveal its full strength.

Taking a deep breath, Yagura tightened his grip on his staff and stared coldly at Ryoma.

"Thinking of fighting?"

Aburame Ryoma let out a faint chuckle at Yagura’s stance. His voice remained calm as he said:

"You and your men escaped through the secret Kabukicho tunnel, didn’t you?"

"Being discovered is only a matter of time."

"The longer you stay here, the more danger you invite."

"So—"

Ryoma pulled both hands out of his pockets, raising them with his fingers spread wide, his cold eyes fixed on Yagura.

"Do you want to fight us here—"

"Or get lost?"

*"Us?"*

Shinji raised an eyebrow at Ryoma’s words.

The next moment—

A series of dense shadows flickered into view, appearing instantly in front of Shinji.

More than a dozen figures emerged.

Everyone was wearing intricately patterned masks and dressed in the combat attire of Konoha’s Anbu. Ninja swords hung from their waists as they gazed coldly at the poised and ready Yagura Karatachi.

For a moment, the atmosphere on the battlefield became heavy and tense.

A dozen Root ninjas stood in a single line, their imposing presence causing Yagura to furrow his brows deeply.

So many opponents—plus Aburame Ryoma, an elite jōnin.

Even with the advantage of the terrain and the combined efforts of himself and Hozuki Mangetsu, he was confident they could secure victory. But once the battle started, there would be no way to keep things under control.

Moreover—

Just before Aburame Ryoma arrived, Yagura had felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

As if continuing the fight would expose him to some unknown danger.

And the source of that danger was none other than the little brat being protected by the Root ninjas.

At that moment, Aburame Ryoma narrowed his eyes slightly and said thoughtfully:

"You’ve been standing here all this time, yet you refuse to leave."

"As expected… it’s because this brat knows something that makes you wary, isn’t it?"

Hearing these words, Yagura’s expression changed dramatically.

Meanwhile, a smirk of amusement appeared on Aburame Ryoma’s face.

"Interesting."

"Then let’s test it out and see… if you can kill this brat while I’m here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the swarm of kikaichū (parasitic insects) blocking out the sky began to stir. More and more of them flew out from Ryoma’s open palms.

Dark clouds of insects formed and condensed into solid shapes—each one taking on the form of Aburame Ryoma.

*Secret Technique: Insect Clone.*

In an instant, three additional "Aburame Ryomas" appeared on the battlefield.

The four of them each controlled twelve *Secret Technique: Insect Spheres*, swirling around them like sentient orbs.

The countless kikaichū vibrated their wings, producing an unrelenting, droning hum.

Then, the vast swarm that had blotted out the sky began to move—gathering together and slowly forming the early shape of a tornado.

Yagura took one look at the scene and immediately understood Ryoma’s intention.

Aburame Ryoma was deliberately escalating the scale of the battle, aiming to create enough commotion to attract the attention of outside pursuers.

That growing tornado was the *Secret Technique: Insect Tornado*, a powerful jutsu of the Aburame clan—one with devastating force and an equally terrifying level of noise.

Yagura exhaled heavily, his mind already made up.

With a cold voice, he ordered,

"Mangetsu, Mei Terumi—we’re leaving!"

However—

While the three of them were allies, they were not under a strict chain of command.

Yagura wanted to retreat, but Hozuki Mangetsu—who burned with hatred at the sight of his enemy—had no such intentions.

At the same time, Mei Terumi, who had been keeping a cautious eye on Mangetsu, could not allow him to kill Shinji.

In mere moments—

Using the water Yagura had spread across the rooftops with his Water Release,

Hozuki Mangetsu quietly slipped through the currents, infiltrating the insect barrier Ryoma had created.

However, this movement did not go unnoticed by Mei Terumi or the ever-vigilant Shinji.

The next second—

Almost simultaneously—

Three explosive shouts rang out!

*"Hiramekarei—Release!"*

*"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"*

*"Fire Release: Chakra Mode—Activate!"*

In an instant—

A gleaming blade erupted into existence, extending over eight meters long, slashing down toward Shinji’s head!

Mei Terumi lunged in front of Shinji, forming hand seals and spewing forth a scorching river of acidic mist, surging toward Hozuki Mangetsu.

As for Shinji—he didn’t hesitate for even a second.

He pressed his hand against his heart—

*Igniting the immortal flame within!*

In an instant, flames surged violently!

Seeing this, Yagura felt a sudden chill down his spine.

He could no longer afford to issue further retreat orders. Without hesitation, he stomped down hard on the water beneath him—

With a thunderous roar, a massive wave erupted!

A water dragon over ten meters long surged out, carrying Yagura as it crashed toward the center of the battlefield!

Aburame Ryoma had no intention of letting him through. His four clones leaped high into the air—

Transforming into a massive storm of kikaichū that swarmed toward Yagura!

And in just an instant—

The battlefield descended into utter chaos!

The entire area had erupted into an all-out brawl!

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 103: The Terrifying Immortal Body! Second Form!*

An eight-meter-long blade of light, accompanied by a storm-like force, slashed down, tearing through the air and splitting the river of molten lava as it aimed directly at Shinji!

Hozuki Mangetsu’s gaze turned ferocious as he roared angrily,

“DIE, YOU BASTARD!”

In the next moment, the released blade of Hiramekarei tore through the molten river, smashing down on Shinji in a single devastating strike.

Yes, smashing was the right word!

At full power, Hiramekarei, unleashed in the hands of Hozuki Mangetsu,

resembled a massive, blunt sword rather than a sharp-edged weapon.

The path of the blade was directly in front of Shinji, and standing in its way was Mei Terumi.

Yet, Hozuki Mangetsu showed no concern for the life of his fellow ninja from the same village—he was determined to take Shinji’s life at any cost!

Mei Terumi’s emerald-green pupils shrank abruptly.

As a long-range ninjutsu user, her speed was naturally limited, let alone the fact that she was in the middle of spewing molten lava with all her might.

Seeing the massive blunt sword, nearly a meter wide, barreling toward her like a crushing force, she could only desperately channel more chakra to amplify the power and range of her jutsu, hoping it would force Hozuki Mangetsu to back off.

However,

Hozuki Mangetsu, with hands stained by the blood of his comrades, had already lost his sanity!

At this moment,

his eyes were locked solely on Shinji!

Not taking a single step back,

even as the scorching acidic lava from the Melting Release corroded his face and created bleeding wounds—he didn’t care!

He had to kill him!

It wasn’t just because Shinji had blinded one of his eyes, but because the man’s sharp and dangerous words had shaken him to his core.

Shinji had completely seen through him.

The humiliation and terror of being so utterly exposed, as if stripped bare, were emotions Hozuki Mangetsu had never felt before in his entire life.

It made him feel ashamed, enraged, and furious beyond reason.

So long as they stood on the same battlefield,

an irrational fear gripped him—the fear of being exposed once more.

This fear gave rise to a twisted, pathological obsession: he had to eliminate Shinji from this world at all costs.

Moreover, Shinji’s ideology was eerily similar to his own!

If he could forcibly take that will for himself,

he could assassinate the Mizukage, control the Daimyo, and bring about a bloody revolution!

Such ideals, such ambitions, such achievements, such a grand dream—

they would all belong to him!

“Ahahaha! DIE!!!”

Hozuki Mangetsu’s face twisted into a deranged grin. His single purple eye gleamed with a cold light as he swung the massive blade with maniacal laughter.

Shinji’s brows twitched—something felt off.

Hozuki Mangetsu’s crazed expression gave him an unsettling feeling,

one that reminded him of the night three days ago, when his younger comrade, Hidan, had looked at him with an equally fanatical gaze.

“What the hell?! What’s with this guy!”

He stared at the eight-meter-long heavy blade crashing down on him,

and then at Mei Terumi, standing resolutely in front of him, refusing to budge even a step. Her delicate yet determined face was filled with resolve.

Shinji let out a long sigh,

then slammed a hand against his chest, igniting his heart in an instant!

Boom!  

A brilliant sun erupted into existence!

And then Shinji couldn’t help but let out a startled cry!

That cry wasn’t just from the shock of Hozuki Mangetsu’s madness or Mei Terumi’s self-sacrificial bravery—

it was also from sheer disbelief at his own condition!!!

At this moment,

his heart, burning with a blinding white flame, was like an engine pumped full of high-octane gasoline.

The engine roared, thundering with powerful beats!

The fiery chakra of the extreme fire attribute surged endlessly into his body!

Around him, the fire chakra formed an incandescent white cloak, blazing like the sun itself.

But that wasn’t the most important part.

The critical issue was—

What the hell was going on here?!

I mean,

can someone fix this damn bug already?!

Why wasn’t his heart burning to ashes?!

As the only member of the Uchiha clan who had burned his heart twice before,

Shinji was very experienced with setting his heart on fire.

*Normally,* his heart would turn into a lump of charcoal within 0.5 seconds of igniting the Fire-Style Chakra Mode—only barely clinging to life under the effects of the Forbidden Jutsu: Flesh Rebirth.

But now…

Other than the searing pain that felt like his heart was being roasted by flames,

*his heart was completely fine?!*

Shinji’s brain short-circuited instantly, his eyes widening in shock.

*What the hell?!*

What the *actual* hell is going on here?!

How am I supposed to commit insurance fraud now?!

He knew that in the original story, Hidan’s immortality granted him a high level of resistance to ninjutsu—Asuma’s Fire Release, which could incinerate people, barely left a mark on him.

But *this* was just too much!

Even his internal organs, his heart, were this fire-resistant?!

*Holy sh—@@#!!#@##* (A thousand curse words omitted here.)

*Are you made of porcelain or what?!*

At that moment, a system notification suddenly popped up in front of Shinji’s eyes:

> *[Due to the combined effects of your talents: Immortality (S-, Incomplete), Forbidden Jutsu: Flesh Rebirth (Mastered, S, Incomplete), and Zero-Tails Mode: Dark Awakening (A)]*

> *[You have negated the side effects of Fire-Style Chakra Mode.]*

> *[As a result, Fire-Style Chakra Mode (Mastered, A, Extremely Dangerous) has had its extreme danger suffix removed and downgraded to a standard skill.]*

> *[Note: If you lack the chakra to sustain the cost of Forbidden Jutsu: Flesh Rebirth, this technique will still be highly dangerous.]*

> *[In this mode, the skill set has been automatically named—]*

> *[Heart of Steel! (S+)]*

> *[Description: A heart that has been tempered by the scorching flames of sincerity and forged through countless trials! This powerful heart has now become your most loyal strength!]*

Shinji snapped back to reality,

but there was no time to curse anymore—

an *eight-meter-long giant blade* was already swinging down at him!

Right in front of him, Terumi Mei watched as the massive greatsword came crashing down, about to *smash her skull into a pulp!*

A trace of *absolute terror and despair* flashed in her emerald-green eyes,

but—

*She didn’t run!*

She bit her lip, her eyes full of determination,

and stood her ground—

Even if it only bought the boy behind her *one extra second to live…*

*It would be worth it!*

In her final moments, she cursed angrily:

*“Shinji, you idiot! What the hell are you doing?!”*

*“Move already!”*

*“I swear to god, I must owe you big time—AAAAHHHHH!!!”*

Her clear, furious voice echoed through the battlefield.

However, in the very next second—

*“You stupid woman, why the hell aren’t you running?!”*

Shinji *glared* at her and snapped furiously:

*“Are you trying to make me fall in love with you here?!”*

Before Terumi Mei could react,

Shinji suddenly *kicked* her in the butt, sending her flying off to the side of the rooftop!

As Terumi Mei’s shocked gaze followed him,

he suddenly lifted his head, his expression turning *feral* as he glared at the massive blade about to cleave him in half.

Crouching low, hands pressed together,

he stood under the blazing sun, his furious gaze locked onto *Hozuki Mangetsu*,

who was leaning on his sword with a sickly, twisted grin.

Filled with *rage from multiple betrayals*, he roared:

*“Screw you!”*

*“You dumbass from the Hozuki clan! You really think you can kill me?!”*

*“Last time was just a fluke—I was going easy on you!”*

*“But this time, I’ll make sure you see for yourself—”*

Shinji tilted his head back, his fury so overwhelming that he could barely contain it.

Then, he *let out a furious roar:*

*“My second form—”*

*“IMMORTAL ASHURA, AHHHHH!!!”*

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 104: Blazing Fist Shatters the Blade, the Undying Asura!  

Facing Shinji's furious roar,  

Hōzuki Mangetsu sneered and immediately retorted: 

"What a joke!"  

"All you do is play dirty tricks and spout big words—you have no idea—"  

"What it truly means to be a genius!"  

With his mastery of dual blades—Hiramekarei—his already exceptional talent was amplified several times over by the power of the ninja swords!  

In the next instant, 

a condensed light blade slashed down,  

the sheer force of the wind pressure sending roof tiles flying, making the entire structure creak and groan!  

Even the surrounding water began sinking downward before the blade even landed, with towering waves surging high on either side.  

If this slash connected, no ordinary human could withstand it!  

They would be utterly pulverized by the light blade!  

Even if Shinji had a trump card, it wouldn’t be enough to save his life.  

Moreover, in Hōzuki Mangetsu’s eyes, the brat before him was nothing more than a fraud—someone who relied on a single hardening technique, flashy maneuvers, and underhanded tactics!  

However, at that moment—  

Shinji suddenly clasped his hands together! 

He stared up at the incoming massive blade, clenching his teeth as a tiny spark of flame ignited between them!  

Boom! 

White-hot flames erupted from his entire body, surging wildly, converging onto his right fist.  

At that moment, 

his right fist shone like a miniature sun!  

The ferocious power of Zero-Tails' dark chakra boosted his physical strength,  

granting him the ability to shatter boulders with his bare hands.  

But that wasn’t enough!  

Against the fully unleashed Twin Swords: Hiramekarei, 

that was far from enough!  

This was a force that could nearly kill Black Zetsu with a single strike!  

Thus, since the Fire Release Chakra Mode wouldn’t burn him to death, he instinctively discovered a new way to wield this power!  

Just like the transformations of Blazing Blade and Six-Shaku Flame Blade,  

he condensed the full power of Fire Release Chakra Mode into his right fist.  

The concentrated flames shifted from scorching yellow to dazzling white!  

Focused into a single point—reaching absolute peak power!  

This was Shinji’s strongest punch!  

It wasn’t like Tsunade’s monstrous strength, which stemmed from extreme chakra control.  

This was pure chakra detonation!  

A punch fueled by raw explosive power!  

Boom!  

The massive blade descended in an instant, crushing down with world-shattering force.  

Yet, Shinji’s face showed no fear or hesitation.  

His eyes blazed with fury, his stance lowered into a crouch, his waist and back coiled with power.  

Then—  

With a single punch, he tore through the sound barrier, a shockwave bursting around his fist.  

All his pent-up frustration from his failed escape tactics transformed into pure, unbridled rage!  

Then, he roared:  

"So you're a genius, huh?!"  

"I don’t care if you're a fing divine genius!"*  

"You’re still gonna eat my Blazing Fist—AAAAAHHHH!!!"  

His fist, shining like a miniature sun, smashed forward!  

Like an ant trying to stop a 180 mph charging dump truck—  

A mere human fist collided head-on with an eight-meter-long, one-meter-wide colossal light blade!  

The moment the two forces clashed, a brilliant explosion of light erupted!  

In an instant—  

The earth trembled, the water surged, the rooftop collapsed!  

The lake exploded into towering waves over ten meters high, crashing down in a deafening roar!  

And—  

The eight-meter-long blue light blade…  

Was forcefully knocked half a meter off course by Shinji’s punch!  

Then—  

With unstoppable momentum, the blade slashed down, carrying unmatched power,  

completely shattering Shinji’s right arm from the root!  

His bones, blood, muscles, and tendons all disintegrated!  

But in the next moment—  

Thin, jet-black threads weaved together, rapidly pulling the remnants back,  

reassembling his arm into a mangled mass of flesh and sinew.  

And then—  

The light blade itself, now covered in cracks,  

suddenly shattered into a chaotic burst of chakra.  

"Huff… Huff…"  

Shinji immediately deactivated Fire Release Chakra Mode, his entire body overcome by a wave of exhaustion.  

This mode was strong, but it consumed an immense amount of chakra.  

With Zero-Tails fully charged, he could at most unleash two full-power bursts.  

Any more than that, and he’d have to rely on extreme emotions to generate dark chakra again.  

Since he was no longer in immediate danger, 

and because the mode wouldn’t kill him outright, 

keeping it activated might get him classified as suicidal, which would be game over.  

Taking deep, ragged breaths, he grabbed Mei Terumī, hoisted her over his shoulder, and leaped away.  

In an instant, Shinji gained some distance,  

then casually dropped the stunned Mei Terumī to the side, carefully assessing the battlefield.  

As the crashing waves settled, the battlefield became clear once more.  

However—  

At that very moment—  

The sound of indifferent footsteps echoed through the air.  

Hozuki Mangetsu, wielding his dual swords—Hiramekarei—emerged slowly through the mist.  

Seeing the state of Shinji, he raised an eyebrow and exclaimed, 

"Well, well, I didn’t expect you to have such a trick up your sleeve."  

"To shatter Hiramekarei's Chakra Blade in its released form… What a dangerous power!"  

However, Hozuki Mangetsu’s gaze soon fell upon Shinji's severed right arm, and a cold smirk spread across his face.  

"But to block just one strike from me, you had to sacrifice an arm."  

"So then—"  

His eyes gleamed with malice as he raised the dual blades, Hiramekarei. The massive blade surged with an overwhelming flood of chakra, reforming into a colossal six-meter-long chakra blade!  

With a sudden swing of the massive chakra blade in his hands, Hozuki Mangetsu unleashed a powerful gust of wind.  

Standing far away on the water’s surface, his sword slashed straight toward Shinji.  

The massive blade tip, radiating turbulent chakra energy, stopped just short of Shinji’s nose.  

Then, Shinji heard Hozuki Mangetsu throw his head back and laugh maniacally.  

"Shinji,"  

"How many more of my strikes can you take? Huh?!"  

"Next time, will you lose your left arm? Or maybe your legs?"  

"Do you see it clearly now?"  

"This is the gap between ordinary people and geniuses!"  

Yet—  

Facing the massive blade swirling with violent chakra energy, Shinji lowered his head and let out a deep, mocking chuckle.  

"Hohoho… Hmm-hmm-hmm… Hahahahaha…"  

Suddenly, he raised his head sharply and let out a cold, disdainful laugh.  

"You think you’ve already won?"  

"Then how about this?"  

He abruptly raised his remaining hand.  

Blazing flames erupted from his chest and spread down to his severed right arm.  

Within the flames—  

Dense threads of the Earth Grudge Fear technique pulled shattered tissue back together on the arm, while the secret technique fused it with the forbidden Flesh Regeneration and his immortal body, creating a dazzling display of intertwining flames.  

In no time—  

A brand-new right arm was reborn in the fire!  

Witnessing this, everyone present gasped sharply, their eyes filled with shock.  

Several battlefields around them came to a standstill as people turned to look in their direction.  

Hozuki Mangetsu’s eyes were full of disbelief.  

He had seen it clearly—his sword had completely obliterated Shinji’s right arm! 

Yet, the man before him seemed unkillable, like an immortal cockroach.  

Instantly regrowing a severed limb, perfectly restored!  

It was practically a miracle! 

Was this… the second form Shinji spoke of? The Undying Asura?!  

At the thought, Hozuki Mangetsu couldn’t help but swallow hard.  

After completing the regeneration, Shinji raised his head and sneered at Hozuki Mangetsu with utter disdain.  

"I could fight you like this all day!"  

Then, his crimson Sharingan lit up as he scanned Hozuki Mangetsu from head to toe.  

Before long, a faint, meaningful smile appeared on his face.  

He coldly exposed the truth:  

"And you—"  

"How many more strikes can you manage?"  

As these words fell, Hozuki Mangetsu’s expression twisted with fury and frustration.  

(End of Chapter) 

 Chapter 105: Deception! Surprise Attack! This Is the Passionate Battle of Shinobi!

Hōzuki Mangetsu swung his sword for the first time.

The blade stretched eight meters long, charging forward like a dump truck going 180 mph, carrying an unstoppable force that crushed everything in its path.

Now, for the second strike—

Measured precisely by Shinji with his Sharingan—

This time, the sword was only six meters long.

Still long, yes, but the overwhelming might from the first attack had noticeably diminished.

Considering the special properties of the Twin Swords: Hiramekarei in the original story—

This sword increases its power as it absorbs more chakra from defeated enemies. The more it slays, the stronger it gets, making its wielder grow in strength with each battle.

Hōzuki Mangetsu, who possessed an immense chakra reserve, had been using the blade to cut down numerous Kirigakure shinobi, absorbing their chakra along the way.

With these two factors combined—

He was able to unleash such a powerful technique.

However, this power had its limits.

As he continuously released Hiramekarei’s stored chakra—

The strength of its attacks would gradually weaken.

If each strike was shortened by two meters, he’d only be able to use it three more times at best.

And what about Shinji?

He knew his own limits well.

With his Shattered Blade Flame Fist, he could only use it twice.

In terms of raw power, even if he could maintain his Fire Release Chakra Mode without any drawbacks, he still wasn’t a match for Hōzuki Mangetsu.

But that didn’t matter.

This was a shinobi battle!

Shinji had intel on the enemy’s weapon, while Hōzuki Mangetsu had no knowledge of his abilities.

So, he decided to deceive him!

As long as Hōzuki Mangetsu believed his bluff, he would start to perceive Shinji as an unstoppable warrior who could keep fighting all day.

And once he fell into that illusion—

He’d step right into the trap Shinji had meticulously set!

At the same time—

Outside the battlefield, the Root Anbu watched from a distance, unable to intervene due to the sheer intensity of the battle.

They could only retreat to a safe distance and observe coldly.

Their mission was to ensure Shinji didn’t die.

Now that he had the ability to counterattack, and they lacked the strength to interfere in such a high-level fight, they could only stand by—just like Mei Terumi—helplessly watching from the sidelines.

But if Hōzuki Mangetsu showed the slightest opening—

They would strike without hesitation.

Leading the Root shinobi was Aburame Ryōma, who was still locked in a standoff with Yagura.

His gaze, initially filled with surprise, slowly turned into deep contemplation as he observed Shinji.

Finally, his eyes fell upon Shinji’s fully restored right arm.

"I see… so this is why Orochimaru took him as a disciple."

"Heh, these two actually make quite the pair."

As if recalling something amusing—

Aburame Ryōma smirked slightly and shook his head with a chuckle:

"One seeks immortality, the other charges into death without fear… Tsk tsk."

"This is getting interesting~"

On the other side, Yagura’s gaze was also filled with astonishment.

He stared at Shinji’s perfectly intact right arm.

Even as an enemy, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration:

"This technique… is incredible!"

"Rapid body regeneration combined with a powerful Fire Release Taijutsu—

Is this the true heritage of a thousand-year-old clan?"

"But…" Yagura frowned slightly.

"Why is this technique called 'Undying Asura'?"

"That name is way too weird."

His eyes turned more serious as he looked at Shinji.

He had already sensed something dangerous before.

Now, it was clear that he had underestimated this young Uchiha.

Who would have thought that someone so young could unleash such overwhelming power?

Very quickly, his caution turned into murderous intent.

Now, Yagura finally understood why Hōzuki Mangetsu was so determined to eliminate him here.

A dangerous prodigy from an enemy village—

And an Uchiha, no less!

If he was this strong with only two tomoe in his Sharingan, then once he awakened three tomoe, wouldn’t he become completely unstoppable?!

Even if their plan was exposed—

Eliminating him here was an absolute necessity!

Yagura took a deep breath and gripped his hooked staff, his eyes flashing with cold resolve.

The next moment—

He suddenly sprinted forward, his small frame stomping down on the water’s surface with explosive force, creating massive waves!

He charged toward the battlefield!

However, Aburame Ryōma had been watching him closely the whole time.

The moment Yagura made his move, Ryōma flipped his hand and released a swarm of insects, blocking his path.

If Yagura dared to charge forward—

The insects would instantly devour his chakra, leaving him powerless and dead.

Adjusting his sunglasses slightly, Aburame Ryōma spoke in a calm voice:

"You won’t be getting through."

"And if you’re wondering why—"

---

“That’s only because—”

“I’m strong!”

“Hmph!” Yagura snorted softly, flipping backward to evade and reposition himself. His palm pressed against the water’s surface to halt his momentum. Shaking his head, he crossed his arms and formed the Seal of the Serpent with his hands, laughing confidently as he said:

“You’re mistaken. It’s not that you stopped me,”

“But rather, I stopped you!”

“You underestimate Hozuki Mangetsu. If this little brat’s abilities end here...”

A glint of cold light flashed in Yagura’s eyes. Two massive water dragons erupted from beneath his feet, lunging toward Aburame Ryoma with ferocious bites!

“Then he is doomed to die!”

“Water Release: Twin Water Dragon Bullets!”

The next moment,

a swarm of insects surged into the sky, forming a tornado! The water dragons roared, weaving through the air in an intricate dance of water and fury.

Once again, the two titans clashed in a chaotic battle.

Meanwhile,

Hozuki Mangetsu’s face twisted as he glared at Shinji, particularly at the brand-new right hand he had regenerated.

He had to admit—he underestimated his opponent.

But,

Taking a deep breath, his gaze turned icy cold, and a fierce, murderous intent erupted from his pupils!

Even if what Shinji said was true, Mangetsu was confident in his victory!

With that thought, Hozuki Mangetsu gripped the twin swords, Hiramekarei, retracting its enormous liberated light blades. Planting his feet firmly on the water’s surface, he leaned into a ninja’s sprinting stance, shattering a series of water ripples as he dashed forward in massive strides!

He had observed the technique closely—the secret behind Shinji’s accelerated regeneration.

It seemed his opponent wasn’t capable of perfect instantaneous regeneration in the truest sense. At the very least, the speed of complete regeneration was extremely slow.

What Shinji was actually doing was using those tiny black threads to gather the disintegrated fragments of his body that had fallen into the water, piecing them back together. Only then did his accelerated regeneration technique activate.

In other words,

If his opponent was dismembered and the parts were scattered in locations beyond the reach of those black threads,

That part of his body would not be able to regenerate immediately.

From their previous encounter, Mangetsu had also discovered something else:

Shinji’s basic taijutsu and swordsmanship were utterly abysmal—a complete joke.

As long as Mangetsu reserved three uses of Hiramekarei’s Liberation to counter his opponent’s flame fists,

Those three chances would give him more than enough time.

In fact, he wouldn’t even need that much.

Just ten moves!

Within ten moves, using the secret Hozuki-style swordsmanship,

He was confident he could defeat Shinji with pure swordsmanship!

Dismember him!

However,

as Hozuki Mangetsu charged forward with fervent confidence and a wild grin on his face,

Shinji let out a sinister smile.

The moment Mangetsu fell into this line of thought, it was clear—

The opponent had taken the bait!

The current Shinji was no longer the same person who could only cling to life using swordsmanship and petty tricks.

He had become someone capable of truly wounding Hozuki Mangetsu!

In the next instant,

Shinji pressed his palms together over his chest. A raging blaze of fiery energy surged and engulfed his entire body.

“Fire Release: Chakra Mode, activate!”

Roaring flames surged forth, forming a burning cloak around him.

Under the fiery glow, a pair of blazing crimson Sharingan eyes ignited with intensity. Flames danced within his pupils!

Two pitch-black tomoe began to spin rapidly as his gaze locked onto Hozuki Mangetsu’s every movement.

He formed hand seals:

Rabbit → Sheep → Snake!

“Water Release: Water Fang Blade!”

A mist of water rippled outward, and a six-foot-long fiery blade erupted into existence!

Both hands gripped the illusory flaming hilt as he adjusted his stance. His feet spread shoulder-width apart in a calculated motion.

Shinji sneered menacingly.

Since the prey had willingly stepped into his carefully prepared trap,

Why wait any longer?

Now—

It was time to feast!

(End of Chapter)