Over the years, Kazan had rarely walked around the village. Unless Kurenai or Hikari asked him to, or village business required it, he seldom left the Forest of Death.
But the rumors about him in Konoha had never stopped.
At first, the children had only heard about him from their elders. Learning of the Ghost God's existence was like listening to a myth.
But then his two students, Uchiha Itachi and Neji Hyuga, had claimed the top spots in their respective years at the Ninja Academy through overwhelming strength.
The new generation of Ninjas began to believe, imagining what their Lord Kazan must look like in battle to have earned the name Ghost God.
They thought their imaginations were vivid enough, that they hadn't underestimated Kazan.
Until today, when all of Konoha darkened in an instant. Thunderclaps roared, and the apocalyptic sight set every heart pounding.
Lord Kazan hadn't even truly made a move. Merely unleashing his aura had stirred a phenomenon across heaven and earth.
They had to admit that their imaginations had still been far too restrained.
Not just them—even Sasuke and Naruto were stunned.
The two only knew that Kazan was strong. Their parents had repeatedly urged them to train diligently under him.
But they had never witnessed it firsthand. Deep down, they had even thought that their own brother or father might not be that much weaker than Kazan.
Looking back now, they had been far too naive.
Konoha's clear skies suddenly seemed to catch fire. Thunder rumbled as though the heavens were boiling. That aura was terrifying and vast, with no end in sight.
"So this is the... Haki my brother talked about!" Sasuke yearned for it.
Before such heavenly might, all living beings seemed insignificant.
"Kazan... He's actually this powerful," Naruto murmured.
He had