With a long breath, Araki's heart began to pound faster, and immense power coursed through every corner of his body with his blood.
That was not all. The chakra and Natural Energy within him mixed together, producing Sage Mode energy and turning the blade, once wreathed in purple lightning, into a brilliant golden hue.
[Breathing of the Sage: Tide of the Sun]!
The golden sword swept around him at a speed ordinary people could not even see. Blinding, radiant sword energy spread outward from Araki in every direction.
Like the sun and moon crossing the heavens, like rivers flowing across the earth, it carried an unstoppable force and unleashed a terrifying tide.
Whether it was crimson magma, white steam, or brown clay, none of it could stir the slightest ripple before that overwhelming force, like a solar flare erupting. It was all swallowed whole, like clay oxen sinking into the sea.
When the dazzling brilliance faded, the onlookers raised their eyes and saw that Araki, who had just been surrounded and seemed on the verge of bleeding out on the spot, was still standing there completely unharmed. There was not a single mark on him, as though he had not even moved from where he stood.
As for the three Iwagakure Ninja who had attacked him...
The crowd looked farther into the distance and finally spotted three figures lying on the ground several hundred meters away.
Their clothes were in disarray, their faces were filthy, and their bodies were covered in blood, as though they had suffered a brutal beating.
"How... how could you... be this strong?"
Kitsuchi, who had been standing the farthest away, groaned out the dry question.
Because he had stood so far away, he had seen it most clearly. From beginning to end, Araki had only