Instant Kill

Uchiha Nan sized up the monk before him. Genkū's bare upper body gleamed bronze under the sunlight, but the most eye-catching thing was his bulging biceps. He stood a full head taller than Uchiha Nan.

What a strong man!

"This humble monk is Genkū of the Temple of Fire. Greetings, Hokage!"

Genkū gave Uchiha Nan a Buddhist salute to show his respect, though his gaze kept drifting over Uchiha Nan's body.

This was the Hokage?

There had to be some mistake, right?

His eye sockets were deeply sunken, his dark circles heavy, and his steps unsteady. One look was enough to tell he had indulged himself too much.

Genkū had seen plenty of young men like this at the Temple of Fire. It might have been unfair to say that every young man from the noble families of the Land of Fire suffered from kidney deficiency, but if they lined them up and called every other one kidney-deficient, there would definitely still be some who slipped through the net!

"Hokage, are you feeling unwell today?"

Seeing Uchiha Nan's condition, Genkū openly showed disdain.

It seemed that Konoha's strength had been nearly exhausted by the First Shinobi World War. They had actually chosen someone like this as Hokage.

Heaven truly favored the Temple of Fire!

The monks of the Temple of Fire were not free of worldly desires. They wanted advancement too, and they wanted more funding to strengthen the Temple of Fire!

Konoha was not the only one that could love its country. The Temple of Fire could negotiate with the daimyo as well. The Temple of Fire could love its country too!

"No, I was just a little tired from yesterday."

"Didn't you want to spar with me?"

"Then let's do it!"

Uchiha Nan waved a hand, treating Genkū's concern as if it did not exist.

The Temple of Fire's monks were far too rude. Could he not hide that disdainful expression? The stench of it was overwhelming.

"Since that is the case, this humble monk will not hold back."

The moment he finished speaking, the air was instantly filled with the smell of gunpowder.

The daimyo stood to the side with a delighted smile, more than happy to watch the scene unfold. He wished Uchiha Nan and Genkū would beat each other bloody.

These ninja could not all remain united. There had to be some conflict between them.

"Since that is the case, the two of you may have a spar. Remember to stop at the right point. Do not harm the harmony between you."

After offering that hypocritical advice, the daimyo withdrew from the training ground. As an ordinary person, he understood perfectly well that a gentleman did not stand beneath a crumbling wall.

Before long, only Genkū and Uchiha Nan remained standing opposite each other on the training ground.

Ha!

With a loud shout, Genkū assumed a strange stance. One hand formed a mudra, while the other palm faced downward. Powerful Chakra surged from within him, and the phantom of a Bodhisattva actually appeared behind him.

What a strange ninjutsu. It did not even require hand signs. Was this the special power of the so-called Sage Clan Talent?

Under normal circumstances, Uchiha Nan would have tested the monk before him and learned more about this unfamiliar ninjutsu system. But today was not the day.

Uchiha Nan looked toward the daimyo, who was watching the show from outside the training ground. That fellow was probing Konoha's true strength. If Konoha's power had declined too severely, he would not merely come asking for funding again next time.

He might even directly support a new ninja village instead.

He had to win with overwhelming dominance!

Genkū watched as Uchiha Nan actually looked at the daimyo, completely disregarding him!

He still dared to let his guard down?

Genkū gathered strength beneath his feet and shot forward in a single step. The Bodhisattva behind him immediately took on the form of a Wrathful Vajra, several fists smashing toward Uchiha Nan.

"Curse the misfortune of being born without the Sharingan!"

Uchiha Nan murmured. The charging Genkū had only just heard those words when his gaze met Uchiha Nan's Mangekyō Sharingan.

"Tsukuyomi!"

A thin trail of bloody tears ran from the corner of Uchiha Nan's eye as his consciousness entered the Tsukuyomi realm.

Tsukuyomi Realm

A blood-red moon hung high in the sky, while the ground was covered in blood.

Genkū was now receiving the same treatment as Jesus. His entire body was bound to a cross, and his mind was still dazed.

"Hello. Welcome to my Tsukuyomi world!"

"Is this a genjutsu?"

"When did you activate it?"

Genkū desperately tried to break free from the chains, but no matter how hard he struggled, it was completely useless.

"Fighting an Uchiha, and you still dared to stare directly into my eyes at close range. I wonder whether you are ignorant or brave?"

"Idiot!"

Uchiha Nan sneered, his grating laughter making Genkū's face flush red.

"Rip!"

With a wave of Uchiha Nan's hand, a blade appeared from thin air and pierced Genkū's arm. Genkū's scream immediately echoed throughout the entire realm. Then came another blade, followed by another and another.

"Time here is entirely under my control. One second outside might equal one month, two months, or even a year or two."

"I will keep stabbing you until you can no longer endure it."

"This is my first time using this technique. I do not yet know how long a person's spiritual will can last. I hope you can hold on a little longer. Do not make me think too little of the monks of the Temple of Fire!"

Uchiha Nan explained with a smile on his face, yet his movements did not slow in the slightest.

His voice was clearly gentle, but to Genkū, it sounded like the whisper of a demon. How could such terrifying ninjutsu exist in this world?

Was this the Avici Hell described in the scriptures?

Was this the strength of Konoha's Hokage?

Genkū's heart was filled with terror. He had never heard of such a method. With a single glance, someone could drag another into hell. Was such a thing truly possible for a human?

Aaaaah!

His regret did not last long before endless pain completely drowned Genkū's consciousness.

After one day had passed, Genkū's mind had completely collapsed, and his consciousness sank into endless chaos.

Not bad. He had actually lasted an entire day.

Uchiha Nan nodded, acknowledging Genkū's willpower, then released the Tsukuyomi realm.

The Real World

Genkū's fist was just about to fall when he suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.

Uchiha Nan appeared calm and unruffled, carrying himself like a true master. He had not moved at all throughout the entire process.

What had happened?

Had the Hokage done something just now?

The daimyo watching from the side was filled with disbelief.

The daimyo had witnessed Genkū's strength before. Ordinary jonin were no match for him at all, and the combat power displayed by the Bodhisattva phantom behind him had been unstoppable.

He had expected an intense battle between two formidable opponents, but this was it?

The daimyo's expression turned grave. It was not that Genkū was too weak; it was that the current Hokage was too strong, strong enough to defeat Genkū with overwhelming force.

Was Konoha still this powerful?

He had originally believed that a long and drawn-out war would weaken Konoha and leave it lacking in new talent. The daimyo felt incomparably disappointed. It seemed his hopes had been dashed.

The little schemes he had just begun to entertain toward Konoha immediately died away as well.

In an instant, the daimyo put on a broad smile, clapped his hands, and walked over to Uchiha Nan.

"As expected of Konoha's Hokage!"

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