Beneath the night sky, war raged across the battlefield, and killing intent filled the air.
Fierce winds howled, thick smoke billowed, and the air reeked of scorched earth and blood.
Surrounded by countless Stone ninja, Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya were at the end of their strength. Their chakra was nearly exhausted as they gasped for breath, while Kitsuchi's "Earth Release: Mountain Collapse" thundered down with overwhelming force, threatening to bury them completely.
Just then, a searing blaze erupted out of nowhere, stunning everyone!
"All things in creation, turn to ash—"
"Ryujin Jakka!!"
—BOOM!!!
Searing flames instantly swept across heaven and earth like a raging ocean. Crimson lotus flames soared into the sky, tearing through the night and scorching the earth!
At that moment, the entire battlefield seemed to plunge into a burning hell. Scalding waves of heat ran rampant, instantly evaporating the moisture in the air. The blazing walls of fire cast terrifying light and shadows through the darkness, as though divine punishment had descended!
As the collapsing rocks fell, a crimson flash of steel cleaved the darkness, trailing flames as it slashed toward the oncoming boulders!
"Slash!!"
Ryujin Jakka unleashed unparalleled power in Shinichi's hand. Its sweeping blade light tore across the battlefield as though splitting the heavens!
"RUMBLE—!!"
The cascading mass of rock was instantly sliced in half by the crossing flashes of steel, and then—
BOOM!!!
Towering flames instantly swallowed the falling rock. They spread along its cracks, turning into searing streams of fire that consumed everything in their path!
The charging Stone ninja did not even have time to scream when the flames swept over them. They were swallowed by fire and reduced to ashes in an instant!
Their figures flickered in the firelight, leaving only charred silhouettes that vanished completely a second later!
Just one slash!
In an instant, more than half the elite troops under Kitsuchi's command were dead or wounded!
"Wh... what?!" Kitsuchi's eyes widened as he stared in shock at the battlefield ravaged by flames.
"Wh-what kind of Fire Release is this?! How could it be this terrifyingly powerful?!"
His voice had begun to tremble, for this was not merely a Fire Release jutsu, but a forbidden fire that surpassed ninjutsu itself!
Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya stood at the edge of the flames, their faces filled with shock.
Even Jiraiya, who specialized in Fire Release, had never seen flames this terrifying. It was not merely their heat, but an inextinguishable power of destruction that devoured everything!
"Shinichi... what exactly are you..." Tsunade murmured, her gaze filled with shock and a trace of conflicting emotion.
Shinichi slowly lowered his blade, his cold gaze sweeping over the surviving enemies before him.
He stepped across the charred earth. With every step, searing flames rose gently along his blade like a fiery dragon coiling around him, his presence growing ever more imposing.
"Now, do you still have the courage to keep fighting?" His voice was utterly calm, yet carried a chilling menace.
Kitsuchi gritted his teeth, cold sweat trickling down his cheeks from his forehead.
He stared fixedly at Shinichi, his heart pounding—
He knew perfectly well that if they kept fighting, they would have no chance of victory!
"R-retreat!!"
Kitsuchi finally made the most sensible choice. With a sharp wave of his hand, he led the remaining Stone ninja in a swift retreat, fleeing toward the distant mountains!
A deathly silence fell over the battlefield. The flames still burned, but Kitsuchi had already vanished into the darkness.
Shinichi did not pursue him. He merely turned slowly to face the three of them.
"You're all still alive, right?" he asked lightly, raising an eyebrow.
Jiraiya opened his mouth but could not find any words.
Tsunade gave Shinichi a long look, then nodded gently. "Yes. Thank goodness you came."
Orochimaru, meanwhile, gave a meaningful smile. "Big brother Shinichi... you really kept your strength well hidden."
Shinichi smiled and casually put away Ryujin Jakka. Looking at the burned-out battlefield, he murmured to himself:
"Not everyone can withstand... the judgment of flames."
Beneath the night sky, flames surged and ashes scattered. The legend of Uchiha Shinichi was quietly beginning to unfold!
Shinichi slowly put away Ryujin Jakka, his gaze sweeping across the scorched earth around him.
Flames danced in the darkness, their flickering light illuminating the devastated battlefield. The air was thick with a searing, acrid stench, and charred remains littered the ground. Only the howling wind spoke of the terrifying battle that had just taken place.
Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya stood at the edge of the flames, watching the boy amid the sea of fire with complicated expressions.
A six-year-old child.
How many enemy ninja had he slaughtered with his own hands on this battlefield?
At six years old, he had already stepped into a killing ground, his hands stained with blood and his entire body steeped in the flames of war.
Even Orochimaru, who had seen his share of war, could not help feeling shaken.
Tsunade parted her lips, only to find that she did not quite know what to say.
She had always known Shinichi was strong, but only today had she truly witnessed how terrifying he was on the battlefield.
This was not merely strength. It was utter domination, destructive power beyond anything mortal.
Alone, he had raced all the way from Konoha to the Kumogakure border and saved Tobirama Senju. Surrounded by countless elite Kumogakure ninja, he had forcibly carved out an escape route and brought the gravely wounded Tobirama back to Konoha.
Then, before he even had time to catch his breath, he had rushed off again to track down Tsunade and the others.
From Konoha to the battlefield, then from one battlefield to another, he had crossed the entire war zone in just a few days, taking on hundreds of enemy ninja alone!
At six years old, he had killed his way here.
Whether they were Kumogakure's elite troops or the Stone ninja sent to encircle them, every battlefield he passed through was left with nothing but charred corpses and burning ashes.
With his strength alone, he had carved a bloody path forward!
"Shinichi... you..." Tsunade's voice trembled slightly. She wanted to ask him something, but when the words reached her lips, she found herself unable to say them.
Shinichi slowly turned to look at her, his eyes still carrying that same lazy indifference, as though the battle had been nothing more than a trivial diversion.
He chuckled softly, a trace of exhaustion in his voice. "Glad I made it in time."
Those simple words made Tsunade's heart give a sudden tremor.
This guy... he was already utterly exhausted, yet he still risked his life rushing here to save me.
She suddenly realized that if Shinichi had not come, they might truly have died here today.
"Big brother Shinichi... you've already reached your limit, haven't you?" Orochimaru narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze settling on Shinichi's pale face.
Indeed, Shinichi's chakra was nearly depleted, and he swayed slightly even as he stood.
He had been fighting for far too long without a break.
Yet even so, he remained standing there, his back straight, like an unbroken blade.
Jiraiya swallowed and spoke with difficulty. "You... you're even more terrifying than those maniacs on the battlefield..."
A six-year-old child had slaughtered hundreds of enemy ninja with his own hands in just a few short days.
This was already beyond anything an ordinary ninja could accomplish.
Shinichi raised a hand to rub his temples and gave a casual smile. "Ha... I am pretty tired, but..."
He lifted his head, the burning flames reflected in his golden eyes. The corners of his mouth rose slightly into a lazy smile edged with coldness.
"Isn't that just what war is?"
Watching Shinichi's smile, Orochimaru felt an inexplicable jolt.
At that moment, he suddenly realized that this boy had already undergone a transformation on the battlefield.
Uchiha Shinichi had truly entered the battlefield, stepped into the killing ground, and become an asura who burned his enemies with the flames of slaughter!
Beneath the night sky, firelight danced as the boy walked through blood, leaving charred ashes in his wake.
This was his battlefield, and the opening act of his era!
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