True Power

"Susanoo!!!!" Hayato shouted in a low voice. Orange energy like flames suddenly surged from his body, then began burning wildly as its range gradually expanded.

"That is!!!!" Seeing the orange, flame-like energy on Hayato's body, the Kirigakure Anbu Captain's ominous feeling instantly grew without limit. He abruptly stopped and shouted behind him, "Fall back!!!!"

He trusted his instinct for sensing danger completely. It had been gradually honed through the Killing Seed and had saved his life countless times.

"Bang!!!!" With a thunderous crash, the two Anbu ahead had somehow been blasted away and sent crashing heavily into the distance. Blood continuously spilled from the corners of their mouths, and after their bodies twitched a few times, they lost all breath.

In the spot where they had stood, a giant skeletal hand burning with orange flames had appeared at some point. Screws were embedded in the joints, connecting each knuckle and making it look mechanical.

The many Anbu stared in horror at the suddenly appearing skeletal hand. They had not even reacted to how it had appeared. It was too fast—two elite Anbu had been killed in an instant.

A sinister, oppressive Chakra carrying terrifying pressure immediately swept across the area. The many Anbu trembled, then abruptly turned to look at Hayato in the distance. The orange flames burning around him began to boil as a massive white skeleton slowly rose from within them. It appeared from the chest bone first, then gradually extended all the way to its head, its bones likewise burning with orange flames.

The gigantic humanoid skeleton radiated terrifying pressure. A spike protruded from its head, while its elbows branched outward into two arms each, giving it four arms in total. The entire skeleton looked incomparably savage.

The enormous hand that had punched the two Anbu to death was one of that giant skeleton's hands.

"W-what is this!!!!" The many Anbu looked at the massive skeleton enveloping Hayato in shock. Their bodies trembled slightly under that terrifying pressure, cold sweat constantly streaming down their foreheads.

The Mangekyō Sharingan in his eye sockets emitted a crimson, sinister glow. A violent aura suddenly erupted from Susanoo. Susanoo moved in an instant, its huge left hand clenching into a fist before throwing a punch with incredible speed. Several Anbu had no time to retreat.

"Bang!!!!!" Snowflakes on the snowfield were blasted apart by the immense force, scattering through the sky. Several Anbu were also sent flying into the buildings, spraying blood everywhere. They clearly would not survive.

"Fall back!! Quickly, fall back!!" the Anbu Captain roared frantically as he rapidly retreated. The other Anbu also withdrew in horror, but Susanoo's right hand struck out instantly. "Bang!!!" It was too fast!! Two more Anbu were smashed directly into the ground with a single punch, their blood staining the snowfield.

In that brief span of time, of the more than ten Anbu, together with the previously heavily injured Anbu, only seven remained. Susanoo had killed nearly ten of them. Its power was simply horrifying beyond belief.

"Is this Ninjutsu!!!?" The remaining Anbu involuntarily swallowed, staring at Susanoo with horrified expressions.

Even though they were Kirigakure Anbu accustomed to killing and unafraid of death, not fearing death did not mean they wanted to throw away their lives for nothing. After all, they only had one life. Even if they had to sacrifice themselves, they needed to gain something in return. As things stood, charging forward would only mean dying in vain.

"Damn it!!!!" the Anbu Captain roared before saying to the remaining men, "Don't engage him in close combat. This skeleton's power is too terrifying. Attack it with Ninjutsu!!!"

The remaining Anbu exchanged glances and nodded, their hands beginning to form seals. "Water Style—Water Dragon Bullet Technique!!!!" "Water Style—Great Water Ball Technique!!!" "Water Style—Water Wave!!!!" The seven Anbu unleashed overwhelming Ninjutsu at the same time. What terrifying power was contained in the combined Ninjutsu of seven Jonin-level Anbu? It flooded toward Susanoo from all directions.

Hayato's expression did not change in the slightest, but his face had already turned nearly transparent, without a trace of Color of Blood. At some point, another streak of blood had flowed from the corner of his mouth, yet the Mangekyō Sharingan in his eyes became increasingly crimson.

"Bang!!!!!" The overwhelming Water Style attacks directly struck Susanoo, instantly submerging it. The massive torrent nearly covered the entire village, swallowing every house.

"That should have finished it off, right!!" The Anbu Captain let out a breath as he looked at the submerged Susanoo, speaking with lingering fear. The power of that Ninjutsu just now had been far too terrifying. Its attack strength was incredibly formidable, and what was most frightening was its astonishing speed. At a slightly closer distance, it would have been impossible to dodge.

Just as the Anbu relaxed, a tremor rose from beneath the water's surface. "What!!!" Everyone was shocked as they stared at where Susanoo had been submerged. "Bang!!!!!" A massive fist burning with orange flames blasted through the water, sending spray flying across the sky.

Then Susanoo's enormous skeleton broke through the water as well and reappeared above the ground. Orange flames burned quietly upon its frame, which was completely intact without even the slightest damage.

At the same time, the water slowly receded, soaking into the snowfield.

"It's completely unharmed!!! Th-this... what kind of monster is this!!" the Anbu Captain said in a dry voice as he and the remaining Anbu slowly backed away.