Companions?

"What's going on, old man?" Jiraiya walked over to Sarutobi Hiruzen, his gaze fixed on Uchiha Genki in midair. His expression was grave. "How did the Uchiha Clan end up like this? Who is that kid? How can he control such a terrifying Susanoo Armor?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed, his weathered face etched with exhaustion and helplessness. "I don't know all the details myself.

"I only know his name is Uchiha Genki. It seems the shock of his clan's destruction drove him completely mad, awakening a Special Mangekyo Sharingan that can devour souls.

"His power comes from the souls he devours. He's completely out of control now. We have to stop him, or all of Konoha will be destroyed!"

"Devour souls?" Jiraiya furrowed his brow. Fukasaku, perched on his shoulder, suddenly spoke. His voice was hoarse, yet commanding. "Little Jiraiya, you'd better be careful. That fellow isn't a single person at all. He's an amalgamation of countless souls!"

Shima nodded, her tone grave. "We can sense it clearly. His mind holds thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands, of devoured souls. Every one of them is filled with pain and resentment.

"But strangely, an incredibly terrifying force is keeping those souls firmly in check, preventing them from dispersing or turning on him.

"This guy's power is unfathomable. One wrong move, and we could all die here!"

"I'll be careful, Great Master Fukasaku." Jiraiya's expression grew even more serious as he slowly clenched his fists.

He could feel the despair and destructive urge radiating from his opponent. They were more intense than those of any enemy he had ever faced.

"Jiraiya?! Hahahahaha—!!!"

Just then, Uchiha Genki burst into hysterical laughter in midair. His laughter brimmed with boundless hatred and fury.

He glared down at the white-haired figure below. The six interlocking Tomoe in his Mangekyo Sharingan turned crimson, and the black chakra around him roiled like boiling lava. Even the thousand-meter-tall Susanoo Armor began to tremble, radiating an even more intense aura of destruction.

"You... You... You could have stopped all this!! Why?!"

His desperate question exploded like thunder. Every word carried tears of blood and bitter resentment, burning away the last of Uchiha Genki's reason.

He abruptly raised a hand. The thousand-meter Susanoo Armor pointed its enormous finger at Jiraiya, the knuckle blanching with the force of it.

Why?

He screamed inwardly. Jiraiya had been in the village all along!

The legendary Sannin had possessed enough power to challenge Kage Level opponents!

If only he had stepped in, the tragedy of the Uchiha Clan's annihilation might have been prevented!

His mother and Izumi could have survived!

But he hadn't!

He had done nothing!

"Why didn't you save them?! Why!!" Genki's voice broke, hoarse and ragged, as tears mingled with blood and streamed from his eyes. "You're just like those hypocritical higher-ups! You're all accomplices in this evil world! You all deserve to die!!"

The questions and despair he had bottled up could no longer be contained. Like an erupting volcano, they swallowed what little reason Uchiha Genki had left.

His crimson eyes locked onto the figure below. A twisted, cruel smile curled his lips as he controlled the thousand-meter-tall Black Susanoo Armor. Without the slightest hesitation, he swung the Eight-Handled Sword in his hand, its force enough to cleave heaven and earth, straight at Uchiha Fugaku, who had just climbed out of the ruins!

Fugaku had barely regained his footing and hadn't yet had time to reform his Susanoo Armor when a black sword shadow blotted out the sky and descended.

His pupils contracted. He summoned every last bit of chakra and hurriedly formed a fragmentary Susanoo shield.

But against the full force of the thousand-meter Susanoo Armor, the feeble defense was as flimsy as paper. With a sharp crack, the shield shattered. The sword's momentum did not falter; it slammed into Fugaku's still-forming upper-body Susanoo.

"Splurt!"

The chakra construct was cleaved in two, dissolving into a shower of scattered light.

The tremendous sword force sent Fugaku flying. He spat blood and crashed heavily into the ground. He struggled to rise, only to feel stabbing pain in all four limbs. They were clearly broken.

After taking Fugaku down, Genki swung the Susanoo Armor around. Its enormous foot blotted out the sky like a dark cloud, pressing down on Jiraiya with an earth-shattering force.

The ground began to crack before the foot even landed. Rocks flew, and fierce winds howled, as if the very space itself would be crushed beneath it.

"Not good!" Jiraiya's expression changed instantly. He could feel the terrifying power contained in that stomp. There was no way he could withstand it head-on.

He tapped the ground with his toes and shot sideways like an arrow, narrowly evading the fatal blow.

"BOOM—!!!"

The Susanoo Armor's colossal foot slammed into the ground with a deafening crash.

The earth caved in, forming a crater hundreds of meters across. Nearby houses and ruins were pulverized, and visible shock waves rippled outward in every direction.

Many Konoha Ninja caught in the blast were flung away, spitting blood as they crashed to the ground.

But Uchiha Genki gave him no chance to catch his breath.

The Susanoo Armor swung the Eight-Handled Sword again, its black blade sweeping toward dozens of Konoha Ninja rushing to support Jiraiya like the scythe of death.

These dozens of ninja were among the village's main fighting force. Seeing the attack, they hurriedly formed Hand Seals and unleashed Ninjutsu to defend themselves, but their attacks were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot against the Susanoo's sword.

"Shrrk—!"

The grating sound of flesh being torn apart rang out. With a single strike, the sword's force cut all those ninja in half at the waist. Blood gushed like fountains, and severed limbs scattered across the ground. In an instant, the ruins were drenched in blood.

The thick stench of blood filled the air, sickeningly foul.

The sight made Jiraiya's eyes blaze with fury.

His eyes wide, he glared at the crazed figure in midair and roared, "What are you doing?! You madman! They're your companions! They're ninja who guard Konoha alongside you!"

"Companions?! Hahahaha!! Companions!!"

Genki laughed hysterically. There was not a trace of joy in his laughter, only the desolation of someone who had lost all hope in the world and pain that had sunk into his bones.

He slowly lowered the Susanoo Armor's head and stared at Jiraiya with bloodshot eyes. His voice was as hoarse as a broken gong, and his tearful accusation rang through the night. "Why do your so-called companions have to sacrifice our Uchiha Clan?!"