Danzo moved with incredible speed. As he activated Vacuum Jade, he closed the distance between himself and Kazuki in an instant, launching an attack without hesitation. He showed no concern that his own technique might strike him—an indication of both his confidence and ruthlessness.
All one could say was… Shimura Danzo had not risen to Konoha's high ranks without reason.
Shimura Danzo's strength… was formidable.
Kazuki acknowledged that Danzo was indeed powerful. But…
At best, Danzo's strength was on par with Kakuzu's.
And Kakuzu… was already Kazuki's defeated opponent.
Kakuzu had five hearts, each granting him an extra life. But how many hearts did Danzo have? How many times could he truly escape death?
Oh…
An arm covered in Sharingan?
Fine.
That might let him match Kakuzu's resilience.
But so what?!
Kazuki had already opened the Eight Gates when he fought the three Root Jōnin.
Danzo was strong, of course… but Kazuki was stronger!
"Breath of Water, Third Form—Flowing Dance!"
With the Eight Gates unleashed, Kazuki's speed became overwhelming. The addition of Water Breathing only enhanced his swiftness further.
In an instant, azure water surged through the battlefield.
Kazuki's figure flickered in and out of sight.
Shu! Shu! Shu!
Danzo's powerful Wind Release—Vacuum Jade—was effortlessly cut apart by the Nichirin Blade in Kazuki's hands.
The high-pressure wind shattered.
Gale-force winds exploded outward from the impact.
Yet Kazuki remained unfazed, unrelenting. He closed in and slashed at Danzo with precision.
"Chi-chi-chi-chi!"
Danzo parried.
His kunai, reinforced with Wind Release chakra, clashed against Kazuki's razor-sharp Nichirin Blade.
The piercing screech of metal-on-metal rang through the air, a sound so sharp it felt like it could split eardrums.
Neither attack landed cleanly.
Danzo was not an easy opponent—he dodged Kazuki's strike at the last second.
Then, without pause, he retaliated.
His chakra-infused kunai sliced through the night, cutting through water droplets left suspended in the air.
The two warriors blurred across the wide rooftop, clashing again and again.
In mere moments, they had exchanged over ten blows.
Danzo was strong.
But Kazuki was stronger.
However, neither had yet to land a decisive hit. Both remained unscathed.
The night stretched on.
Danzo clenched his fist.
He couldn't afford to let this drag out.
He didn't have time to waste!
Kazuki… had to die!
But despite his best efforts, he couldn't break through.
This brat's power was monstrous.
How had he trained to reach this level?!
Danzo made his decision.
"All units, follow my command—Fire Style and Wind Style! Focus all attacks on the target!"
From the shadows, the Root operatives who had been lying in wait responded instantly.
"Yes, sir!"
One by one, they wove their hand signs.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
"Wind Style: Air Current!"
"Wind Style: Great Vacuum Jade!"
Flames and wind surged forward, combining into a devastating assault aimed directly at Kazuki—!
One by one, ninjutsu attacks came from all directions.
The wind-style ninjutsu merged with fire-style jutsu, amplifying the flames—turning them into a raging inferno!
Nearly twenty Root ninja performed their jutsu in unison.
The scene… was overwhelming!
Under the amplification of Wind Release, the already powerful Fire Release techniques fused with other jutsu. The resulting blaze illuminated the night sky, engulfing everything in its path.
Above, a massive wave of fire surged like a sea of flames, crashing down.
The coordinated attack from the Root ninja formed an enormous inferno, large enough to engulf the entire street where Kazuki stood.
The sheer scale of the flames made it seem impossible to escape.
Yet Danzo… merely sneered. He had no concern about being caught in his subordinates' ninjutsu—his precautions were not in vain.
Shimura Danzo's cold gaze locked onto Kazuki, a sinister smirk forming on his lips.
He anticipated seeing fear—the inevitable panic in Kazuki's expression.
But… he was disappointed.
Standing before the approaching inferno, Kazuki showed no sign of distress. Instead, he chuckled softly.
He shifted his Sun Blade to his left hand and reached into his storage ring, retrieving another weapon…
A sword.
A seemingly ordinary blade, devoid of any elaborate designs.
The sea of fire closed in, its scorching heat distorting the air.
Yet Kazuki remained calm.
Lifting the unassuming blade, he pointed it at the consuming flames above.
His lips parted, speaking in an unshaken voice:
"Sit upon the frozen heavens…"
Daiguren Hyōrinmaru
"…This is—?!"
A rare flicker of shock crossed Danzo's face.
He knew all too well how destructive the coordinated ninjutsu attack would be.
The turbulent air, the oppressive heat—this firestorm could reduce anything to ashes.
Yet when Kazuki swung his blade, a deep sense of dread struck Danzo's heart.
An ominous premonition surged through him.
He shouted abruptly:
"Retreat! Fall back—now!"
"Huh?"
"Retreat?!"
The Root ninja hesitated, caught off guard by Danzo's urgent command.
But then, they saw it.
The raging flames—the inferno hot enough to melt steel—suddenly stopped.
A surge of icy power erupted from Kazuki's blade, clashing against the sea of fire.
In an instant, the unstoppable blaze was halted.
"Impossible!"
Wide-eyed, the Root ninja stared in disbelief.
The overwhelming fire, reinforced by wind-style jutsu, should have incinerated everything in its path.
Yet now… it was frozen.
The very air grew silent.
A chilling aura spread through the battlefield.
For a brief moment, it was as if the entire world had been encased in ice.
This defied everything they had learned.
Fire was supposed to counter ice.
But against this absolute ice, even the most powerful Fire Release techniques were rendered useless.
Kazuki wielded Daiguren Hyōrinmaru.
The ice he summoned was no ordinary frozen water—it was a manifestation of highly condensed moisture in the air, its density over a hundred times that of normal ice.
This was an ice stronger than steel. A force beyond the natural elements.
Kazuki's grip on his sword tightened.
Crystal wings of ice and snow slowly unfurled behind him, shimmering under the moonlight.
With a single beat of those wings, he ascended, hovering above the battlefield.
He gazed down at Danzo's Root operatives.
At that moment, he resembled a celestial being—an executioner descending from the heavens to pass judgment.
His lips curled into a faint smile.
"This game is over."
Kazuki had forged Daiguren Hyōrinmaru some time ago.
He had trained with it, honed its power.
But he had never truly unleashed it in battle.
Until now.
Tonight, his blade would carve its legend into history.
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