Demon's Shock, a Godlike Massacre

Mud and blood splashed together as the torrential rain poured into the forest.

His gaze fell upon the two headless corpses still standing ahead. Perched on a tree trunk, the Hidden Mist Anbu captain froze for a moment. Dark crimson blood sprayed high into the air before the bodies crashed heavily into the mud.

The entire exchange had been brief. From the moment the two Anbu attacked to when their heads hit the ground, no one had seen their opponent's hand seals. The rain filling the sky had already been shredded by razor-sharp force.

"Damn... this guy's a real problem. Form up, now!"

Leaping into the air with the aid of the tree, the captain cracked the bark beneath his feet, his command ringing through the rain.

Scattering in every direction, the remaining twenty-eight Hidden Mist Anbu moved the instant the order was given. Their bodies flashed rapidly through the forest as Water Release chakra continuously intensified within the rain.

"Water Dragon Bullet! Use Water Dragon Bullet!"

"Great Waterfall Technique!"

Their hands formed seals rapidly as more than a dozen Anbu dropped to one knee at once. The abundant moisture and downpour steadily amplified the power of their assault.

Surging in from every direction, the water gathered into enormous forms in midair before converging upon the three people beneath the umbrella.

Every route of escape had been completely sealed off. The crushing water pressure tore across the ground, throwing up towering waves of mud and shredding branches and rotten leaves.

Despair showed in Zabuza's eyes. One knee sank into the sludge as he held the damaged Kubikiribōchō across his body.

Even his internal organs would be crushed by that torrent if he tried to withstand a combined attack of that scale at his peak.

The falling rain seemed to freeze in midair. Haku had just bitten his lip and pressed a hand to the ground, the chill within his body not yet released.

Ye slowly spread his fingers and quietly raised his left hand. His feet did not move, and he did not even shift the hand holding the umbrella.

The air before his palm grew heavy.

A tremendous amount surged forth from Ye's body. That immense chakra was suffocating, a life force transformed after the awakening of the Perfect Sage Body.

In the blink of an eye, it became a dark purple, translucent wave, rapidly gathering in his palm.

"A bunch of... trash that only knows how to spit water."

Ye casually swept his left hand upward and spoke coldly.

The airflow condensed into a razor-sharp shape. Dark purple chakra spread from the edge of his palm, then swept forward in a fan-shaped arc.

The oncoming torrent broke apart the instant it made contact, falling from the sky as ordinary rainwater. Its remaining force dissipated completely.

Carrying overwhelming power, it tore through the forest. The lingering force of the shockwave swept across the treetops ahead.

The Anbu captain standing in the tree was ripped cleanly in half by the airflow before he could even form seals. Along with the sound of a thick trunk snapping, his mangled body flew into the air amid a spray of blood.

Then there was no more movement. The entire forest fell eerily silent.

"Th-this... how is that possible?! This has to be fake..."

Their legs trembling uncontrollably, the remaining Anbu stood dumbly in the mud.

The special jōnin had been cut apart along with the surrounding trees. The person before them had shattered the combined assault of more than a dozen shinobi with nothing but a swing of his limb.

It exceeded everything they understood. That power was beyond comprehension.

"Retreat! Retreat now! Make mist... use the Hidden Mist Technique and run!"

Izumi Uchiha, standing to the right of the black umbrella, finally moved just as the Anbu squad captain was about to bring his hands together.

The red patterns in her eyes intertwined into the shape of a flower. Holding her umbrella, the three tomoe in her right eye spun rapidly.

"The path Lord Ye intends to walk... do you think you're worthy of blocking it?"

Izumi's voice was icy, enough to send a chill down anyone's spine.

Their bodies froze in place. The five Anbu preparing to use the Hidden Mist Technique had been caught. The power of genjutsu had already spread through the rain and covered the area.

Countless pale arms reached out from the corpse-filled ground in their eyes and clutched their throats. Even the falling rain had become red blood to them.

"Aah! Ughhh!"

They fell stiffly into the bloody water. After screaming, the five Anbu clutched their heads and smashed them into the ground. The devastating damage to their minds swiftly killed them, black blood pouring from their facial features.

They died completely beneath the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan, unable to offer even the slightest resistance.

"M-monster! Those are Sharingan... Konoha's Sharingan!"

"Run! Stop fighting! Get back to the village and report this! Hurry!"

The remaining twenty-odd Hidden Mist shinobi fled desperately toward the edge of the forest, racing across tree trunks. They had completely panicked, their formation utterly scattered.

"Kabuto, hold the umbrella. Don't let yourself get wet."

Shattering the ground with nothing but explosive physical force, Ye handed the umbrella to Kabuto beside him and moved.

His figure vanished completely before their eyes, leaving only a blurred afterimage where he had stood.

He appeared directly above a fleeing Anbu, moving at an astonishing speed.

Violent wind pressure descended from the edge of his hand. Ye did not use any ninjutsu at all; he merely formed his right hand into a claw and struck.

Sliding far forward from momentum, the headless corpse's mask and skull shattered together. The sound of flesh and blood splattering echoed through the forest.

Ye's body constantly changed direction between the tree trunks. Borrowing force in midair, he stepped sideways through the air, leaving a string of dark purple afterimages.

Even their nerves could not react in time. That speed was simply too fast.

Some had their chests pierced by bare hands, while others had their spines snapped. Every time Ye's figure appeared, another Anbu fell, and the sounds of breaking bones rang out endlessly through the forest.

It was nothing but a display of pure power. There was not a single unnecessary movement in this one-sided slaughter.

More fragile than withered grass, the renowned Hidden Mist Anbu elites were helpless in Ye's hands. His formidable physical strength was displayed without restraint.

Only three minutes passed.

Soon, the only sound left was raindrops striking leaves. The entire forest fell silent once more.

Blood on the ground flowed slowly past Zabuza's knees, gathering downhill. Thirty mangled corpses lay scattered around him.

His black hair drifted faintly in the damp breeze as Ye shook the blood from his fingers and walked back beneath the black umbrella. Not even a speck of mud stained his body.

With a thud, Zabuza dropped to his knees in the mud. Gravely injured, he supported himself with one hand on the damaged blade, but he could no longer hold on.

His bloodstained bandages had mostly fallen away, revealing a face filled with unimaginable shock as he panted heavily.

The pride in his heart had been utterly shattered. Thirty elite Anbu who had driven him into a corner had been slaughtered barehanded by the teenager before him in mere minutes. What had just happened replayed in Zabuza's mind.

Staring at Ye's face, Zabuza even stopped breathing for a moment.

The image from the wanted poster that had spread wildly through the black market days ago surfaced in his mind as the face before him gradually came into focus.

Only fourteen years old.

He had defeated Hiruzen Sarutobi head-on.

He had cut off Shimura Danzō's arm and split Hokage Rock apart.

An S-rank rogue shinobi with a bounty as high as five hundred million ryō.

"Y-you... you're Uchiha Ye?! How can it be you?!"

His voice was hoarse, the end of it trembling uncontrollably as Zabuza forced out the name.

He had never expected the person before him to be the figure who had shaken the Shinobi World. Until now, he had thought Ye was merely a passing young master from some great clan.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves and shone upon the broken corpses and blood on the ground. At last, the clouds parted, and the rain gradually stopped.

Without a trace of emotion on his face, Ye stood in the bloody water and looked at Zabuza in the mud.

"Now, I'll give you two choices."

Ye spoke calmly, his voice utterly indifferent.

"Either die here, or... follow me."

Zabuza could not utter a single word. His body tensed as his Adam's apple bobbed several times.

Dragging his injured body forward, Haku barely climbed to his feet from the muddy water and stood in front of Zabuza.

"Don't touch him! Don't kill Lord Zabuza!"

His eyes held a desperate resolve. Though his voice trembled and blood ran from his forehead, Haku still stood firm.

"He can't die... Lord Zabuza has to live."

Meeting Ye's gaze, he gritted his teeth and looked up.

"Kill me! Take my life in exchange... take my life..."

Ye quietly watched the boy standing before him. A flicker of whimsy rose in his heart as he reached out with his right hand and gripped that pale chin.

Haku's jaw gave a soft crack.