The sea breeze over the docks seemed to stop at that moment.
The five remaining Kumogakure ninja stared at their captain, Toroi, who had been stomped into the ground, his fate unknown.
Intense fear coiled tightly around their hearts like an icy venomous snake.
He was one of the very best elites in their Anbu!
Yet the Lightning Release Armor they were so proud of couldn't even stop a single flip-flop?
Where the hell had this monster come from?!
"D-don't be afraid! He's only one man!"
One of the vice-captains forced down his trembling fear and roared hoarsely.
"We'll attack together! With Lightning Release Armor and swordsmanship, we can definitely kill him!"
In Kumogakure's teachings, running away was a coward's act.
Besides, they represented Kumogakure's dignity now. If some unknown man frightened them into retreating, they would face certain death back in the village anyway.
"Lightning Release Armor!"
"Lightning Release Armor!"
Amid successive bursts of violent chakra.
The five Kumogakure ninja activated their secret technique at once, their entire bodies enveloped in dazzling blue lightning.
"Crackle-crackle-"
The sound of intertwining lightning made even the surrounding air feel scorched.
Stimulated by lightning release chakra, their cellular activity and speed rose to their limits.
"Kill him!"
The vice-captain roared and took the lead, turning into a blue afterimage.
With unstoppable momentum, he charged straight at Kenya.
The other four ninja followed close behind, surrounding Kenya from different directions.
Five sharp ninja blades gleamed with a deadly cold light, empowered by lightning.
Faced with such a formation, even an ordinary Kage Level fighter would have to avoid its initial onslaught.
The civilians and merchant association workers in the distance squeezed their eyes shut in fright, unable to bear the sight of flesh and blood flying that would follow.
Zabuza tightened his grip on his heavy black iron sword, ready to step forward and help.
"Take a break."
Kenya spoke without even turning his head, his tone as casual as if he were discussing the weather.
Facing the combined assault of five Kumogakure elites with their Lightning Release Armor activated.
He remained where he stood, both hands in his trouser pockets.
He even yawned in boredom.
"Too slow."
Kenya shook his head, a trace of disdain flashing through his eyes.
At the very instant those five lightning-wreathed ninja blades were about to strike his body.
A deep, black-gold sheen spread like rippling water, swiftly covering every inch of his exposed skin.
Armament Haki: Full-Body Hardening!
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"
A rapid series of metallic collisions, like hammering at a forge, erupted furiously over the docks!
Dazzling sparks flew everywhere, as brilliant as festive fireworks.
However.
A sight that plunged all the Kumogakure ninja into despair and shattered their composure unfolded.
Their all-out strikes, powerful enough to cleave steel and charged with high-voltage lightning.
Landed on Kenya's skin, which gleamed black and gold.
Yet they failed to leave even the faintest white mark!
Never mind cutting through his flesh-they hadn't even severed a single hair on his body!
"Th-this is impossible!"
The vice-captain's eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, his face filled with disbelief.
Refusing to believe it, he swung his ninja blade wildly.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Blade Slash!"
"Clangclangclangclangclang!"
In the span of a single second, he slashed more than a dozen times.
He poured all his chakra and strength into every strike.
But the result still left him in despair.
Amid the flying sparks, Kenya stood firmly in place like an unshakable black iron tower.
By contrast, the refined-steel ninja blade in the vice-captain's hands.
After those repeated, high-intensity collisions, its edge was riddled with countless chips of all sizes, making it look like a saw.
The powerful recoil had split the webbing between his thumbs and forefingers, leaving both hands drenched in blood.
The other four Kumogakure ninja were in much the same state.
Their blades had curled.
Their hands had gone numb from the impacts.
The Lightning Release Armor and Taijutsu they were so proud of seemed like an enormous joke before this man.
"That's it?"
Kenya lowered his head slightly, looking at the panting Kumogakure vice-captain, whose face was filled with horror.
His lips curled in undisguised mockery.
"Doesn't your Kumogakure claim to have the strongest bodies and fiercest Taijutsu in the Shinobi World?"
"I heard your Lightning Release Armor was tough?"
Kenya extended a finger and lightly flicked the vice-captain's curled-edged ninja blade.
"Clang."
With a crisp ring, the already nearly shattered ninja blade snapped clean in two at the middle!
Holding half a broken blade, the vice-captain was utterly dumbstruck.
Cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
He finally realized that the man before him was not someone they could contend with at all!
The gap in their power was on an entirely different dimensional scale!
"You call that cutting someone? That doesn't even fucking qualify as scraping."
Kenya curled his lips impatiently.
"Looks like Kumogakure's Taijutsu isn't all that impressive after all."
"Since you're done slashing."
The smile gradually faded from Kenya's face, and his gaze grew as cold and violent as an abyss.
"It's my turn now, isn't it?"
As his words fell.
Kenya slowly drew his right hand from his trouser pocket.
He did not make a fist.
Instead, his five fingers spread slightly, as though grasping for something in empty space.
The next second.
A terrifying, suffocating aura suddenly erupted from within him.
"Humm-!"
Accompanied by a low vibration in the air.
A mass of ink-black, tangible Armament Haki.
Spun violently around Kenya's right fist like a black whirlwind!