The first awakening of Conqueror's Haki sent Kenya into a strange, profound state.
Dark red lightning crawled around him for a long time before gradually receding into his body.
Only when his scarlet eyes regained their clarity was the entire deserted island freed from that suffocating pressure.
"Whew-"
Kenya let out a long breath.
He rolled his stiff neck and turned toward Tsunade, who stood at the edge of the valley with a complicated expression.
"Yo, Auntie. Did all that noise wake you up too?"
Kenya grinned, the domineering presence of a demonic god from moments earlier completely gone.
He was back to looking like that carefree delinquent.
The corners of Tsunade's mouth twitched twice.
Wake me up?
That commotion nearly scared every living thing on this island to death!
"You little bastard, what on earth was that move just now?"
Tsunade strode down into the valley, frowning as she looked Kenya up and down.
"That wasn't chakra, and it wasn't ordinary killing intent either."
"Even the old man's presence was like a baby's compared to the pressure you just unleashed!"
As the princess of the Senju Clan, Tsunade had seen her share of storms.
But that power, which could make a person's soul tremble, truly lay beyond her understanding.
"That, huh..."
Kenya rubbed his chin, seriously considering how to explain it.
"You can think of it as... a kind of 'kingly aura'?"
"Basically, if someone doesn't like me, I glare at them, and my kingly aura knocks them out."
Kenya spouted nonsense, explaining the lofty Conqueror's Haki from Pirate King as though it were some street thug's tacky skill.
Tsunade kept rolling her eyes.
Like hell I'd believe you!
Still, she knew this brat had far too many secrets.
Since he didn't want to say more, she couldn't be bothered to dig deeper.
As long as that power was used against those rats in Konoha High Command, she didn't care what kind of haki it was.
"All right, enough of your smart mouth."
Tsunade shot him an exasperated glare.
"While you're messing around here, the workers at the base are so scared they're about to go on strike. Even Zabuza's legs gave out just now. He's crouching in a corner questioning his life."
Hearing that Zabuza's legs had gone weak with fright, Kenya couldn't help laughing.
"That won't do. How can our chief brick hauler have weak knees?"
"Auntie, go back to the base and calm everyone down."
"I just broke through, so I need something good to replenish myself. Where's Little Haku? Have him prepare ten roast pigs for me. I'll be right back."
Looking at her nephew, who thought of nothing but food, Tsunade shook her head helplessly and left the valley.
Elsewhere.
At the bustling harbor docks in the Land of Waves.
The sea breeze carried the smell of fish and the clamor of vendors.
A large cargo ship belonging to the Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce had just docked, and workers were sweating profusely as they unloaded crates of valuable goods.
These were all scarce supplies obtained in exchange for black iron wood, ready to be shipped to the deserted island base.
"Move faster! The boss needs this shipment urgently!"
Bare-chested, with his signature black iron greatsword resting on his shoulder, Zabuza shouted orders.
Although Kenya worked him like a laborer on the deserted island.
Here, he was still the infamous Demon of the Hidden Mist.
The gangsters and hoodlums at the harbor all kept well away at the sight of his oversized black iron blade, afraid of bringing trouble upon themselves.
However.
There were always some fools who liked throwing their weight around, relying on the forces behind them.
While the workers were busy.
A squad of dark-skinned ninja wearing white, one-shouldered vests swaggered onto the docks.
They were ninja from Kumogakure.
With tensions running high between Kumogakure and Konoha lately, this squad had been ordered to conduct reconnaissance in the surrounding waters.
As soon as they came ashore, the Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce's ship, laden with high-grade supplies, caught their attention.
"Well, looks like this backwater has quite a few good things tucked away."
The leading Kumogakure jonin was named Toroi, an elite of Kumogakure's Anbu.
As he watched crates of high-grade ninja tools and rare medicinal herbs being carried off the ship, undisguised greed flashed in his eyes.
"Kumogakure is requisitioning this shipment."
Toroi walked up to the cargo ship and announced arrogantly.
"Get whoever's in charge out here and move everything on that ship onto ours."
The workers carrying the cargo froze.
They were all locals from the Land of Waves. When had they ever encountered such overbearing, unreasonable ninja?
"Hey, are you deaf?"
Seeing the workers remain still, a Kumogakure chunin immediately drew his ninja blade and advanced menacingly.
"Believe me, I'll cut you down right now!"
Just as he was about to strike.
Bam!
A black greatsword as wide as a door slammed down like a small mountain onto the paving stones before him.
It smashed the hard stone slabs to pieces, sending fragments flying.
The Kumogakure chunin shuddered in fright and stumbled back several steps.
"Aren't you Kumogakure people reaching a little too far?"
Zabuza hoisted his black iron greatsword onto his shoulder and regarded the uninvited guests coldly.
The intense killing intent emanating from him seemed to lower the surrounding temperature by several degrees.
"This is Iron Fist Chamber of Commerce territory. Want to rob us? Ask the sword in my hands first."
Toroi narrowed his eyes and sized Zabuza up.
When he saw Zabuza's signature bandages and fierce gaze.
Rather than showing fear, he burst into scornful laughter.
"I wondered who it was. Turns out it's that homeless dog from the Land of Water, Zabuza Momochi!"
Toroi laughed mockingly.
"What? Couldn't make it in the Land of Water, so you came to a little place like this to be some merchant's guard dog?"
"You think that lousy blade gives you the right to interfere with Kumogakure's business?"
Kumogakure had always considered itself the strongest military power in the shinobi world and looked down on missing-nin from other ninja villages.
Moreover, relying on the protection of his Lightning Release Armor, Toroi didn't take Zabuza seriously at all.
Zabuza's gaze instantly darkened.
A homeless dog?
Those words struck him right where it hurt.
"You're courting death!"
Zabuza growled, gripping the hilt of his black iron greatsword with both hands.
He didn't use Water Release, because during his time on the deserted island, he had gradually discovered that this black iron wood greatsword, combined with pure strength, was often more effective than ninjutsu!
"You're the one who's going to die!"
Toroi snorted coldly.
"Lightning Release Armor!"
Dazzling blue lightning instantly enveloped his body, the violent current crackling explosively in the air.
He pushed off the ground, his entire body becoming a streak of blue lightning.
Carrying terrifying destructive power, he charged straight at Zabuza's face.
"Take my Lariat!"
High-voltage lightning coiled around Toroi's elbow as he tried to overwhelm Zabuza with a single blow.
Zabuza gritted his teeth and raised his black iron greatsword to take the attack head-on.
Although this sword was indestructible, he knew Kumogakure's advanced Lightning Release taijutsu was definitely not to be underestimated.
A bitter fight was inevitable.
At that critical instant.
"Crunch..."
The crisp sound of chewing abruptly rang out in midair.
Although quiet, it sounded particularly clear across the silent docks.
Toroi's charge abruptly faltered, and he instinctively raised his head.
A young man in flashy beach shorts had appeared above him at some point.
A half-eaten rice cracker hung from the young man's mouth.
His hands were tucked into his pockets, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt.
"An electricity-playing loach dares to rob my turf?"
As the young man's words rang out.
Boom!
A deafening crash erupted.
The figure eating a rice cracker plunged like a black meteor falling from the sky.
He used no ninjutsu.
Relying solely on the terrifying momentum of his descent.
A large foot in a flip-flop, coated in pitch-black Armament Haki.
In an utterly humiliating manner.
Savagely, with unerring precision.
Stomped directly onto Toroi's lightning-covered face!
Bam-!!!
The hard surface of the dock instantly collapsed.
The Lightning Release Armor Toroi took such pride in shattered like fragile glass the moment it touched that haki-coated flip-flop!
He didn't even have time to scream.
His entire face was forcibly driven into the shattered decking and stone slabs by that savage force!
Blood sprayed out along with fragments of stone.
Toroi's body twitched twice, then went completely still.
Dead silence fell.
Everyone was stunned by this sudden, utterly brutal one-hit takedown.
"B-Boss?!"
Zabuza's eyes widened as he stared at the figure standing on the Kumogakure jonin's face.
The shock in his heart was beyond measure.
Although he knew his boss was strong.
The sight of him descending like a divine warrior and shattering Lightning Release Armor with one stomp still made his scalp tingle.
Kenya swallowed the rice cracker in his mouth and leisurely wiped the blood off his flip-flop on Toroi's clothes.
He raised his head and looked at the Kumogakure ninja, who were completely petrified.
"Now."
Kenya's gaze turned cold and savage.
"It's your turn."
The remaining Kumogakure ninja blanched, drawing their ninja blades and fumbling to form hand seals.
But Kenya.
Couldn't even be bothered to take his hands out of his pockets.