The mass of pitch-black air spun violently around Kenya's right fist.
It radiated a terrifying pressure that made people's very souls tremble.
The air was compressed to its limit, letting out a piercing shriek as it buckled under the strain.
The Kumogakure deputy captain, who stood closest to Kenya, was the first to feel that destructive power.
It was the shadow of death!
"Run! Run!"
The deputy captain let out a shrill, distorted scream.
He could no longer spare a thought for Kumogakure's dignity or glory.
At that moment, his only thought was to escape this man who was like a demonic god!
He desperately drove the lightning release chakra within him, trying to use the Body Flicker Technique to escape.
However.
Just as he tried to move his feet.
He discovered to his horror that his body felt as heavy as if it had been filled with lead, unable to move an inch!
"Wh-what's going on?!"
The deputy captain's eyes widened, his face filled with despair.
He felt as though the surrounding air had turned into invisible shackles.
They locked him firmly in place.
That tangible killing intent and the lingering power of Conqueror's Haki had completely overwhelmed his nerves, severing the connection between his brain and body!
He was not the only one.
The other four Kumogakure ninja preparing to flee also stood rigidly in place, as though immobilized by a jutsu.
They could only watch helplessly as Kenya slowly raised his pitch-black fist.
"You think you can come and go as you please?"
Kenya looked at the terrified deputy captain, a cruel sneer curling his lips.
"Do you really think this is Kumogakure's backyard?"
He assumed no flashy opening stance.
Nor did he shout some earthshaking move name.
He simply gave a gentle forward push with his right fist, wreathed in a pitch-black whirlwind, toward the deputy captain's chest.
It was nothing more than the most ordinary basic-attack straight punch.
There were no dazzling special effects, no eruption of chakra.
There was only terrifying brute strength, pure beyond measure and compressed to its utmost by Armament Haki!
Whooom!
The instant his fist shot out, a ring of white sonic vapor actually formed in the air, visible to the naked eye!
Boom!
An immensely deep, muffled crash exploded across the dock.
It was like a ten-thousand-ton battering ram slamming into a bronze gong.
Kenya's fist struck the deputy captain squarely in the chest.
At that instant.
The Lightning Release Armor that the deputy captain took such pride in, supposedly capable of withstanding any physical attack.
Was like an eggshell struck by a sledgehammer.
With a crack, it collapsed and shattered instantly!
The dazzling blue lightning scattered, dissolving into specks of light in the air.
Immediately afterward.
Crack! Crack, crack!
A rapid series of horrifying bone-shattering sounds came from within the deputy captain's chest.
He did not even have time to scream.
His eyes bulged violently, bloodshot.
Then his entire body became like a cannonball fired from a barrel.
He flew backward at a terrifying speed almost impossible to follow with the naked eye!
Boom!
The deputy captain's body smashed straight through the dock's first solid boulder embankment.
Broken stones scattered, and dust billowed.
But that terrifying kinetic force did not stop.
His body continued hurtling backward, its momentum undiminished.
Boom!
The second breakwater was smashed through in an instant!
Boom!
The third...
Before everyone's stunned eyes.
This elite Kumogakure deputy captain actually smashed straight through three thick boulder embankments!
Finally, he slammed heavily into a pile of abandoned steel shipping containers, hammering a deep, human-shaped dent into the thick steel plating.
Only then did he finally stop.
A light breeze blew past, dispersing the dust over the dock.
In the wreckage not far away.
The deputy captain lay slumped like a puddle of sludge in the dented steel plating.
His breastbone had completely caved in, and his limbs were twisted at grotesque angles.
Who knew how many bones throughout his body had been broken.
Mouthful after mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs kept pouring from his mouth.
Though he still had a breath left in him, he was clearly crippled.
One punch!
Just one basic-attack punch!
It had instantly taken down an elite Kumogakure Jonin with his Lightning Release Armor activated!
This simple, decisive, utterly brutal instant takedown.
Not only struck terror into the remaining Kumogakure ninja.
Even Zabuza, standing a short distance behind Kenya, could not help swallowing.
The hand gripping his black iron greatsword was sweating slightly.
The boss's strength... seems even more terrifying than it was in the Land of Water...
Zabuza was inwardly shaken.
He was very glad he had backed down quickly enough on that deserted island.
Otherwise, he would probably have been the one lying in that pile of scrap metal now.
"Too fragile. How boring."
Kenya withdrew his fist and shook his wrist.
His casual manner made it seem as though he had merely swatted an annoying fly.
He turned his head and looked at the four remaining Kumogakure ninja.
Thud!
One of the Kumogakure ninja finally buckled under that terrifying pressure.
His legs gave out, and he dropped straight to his knees, even letting the broken blade in his hand fall beside him.
"M-monster!"
The other three Kumogakure ninja were also scared out of their wits.
How the hell were they supposed to fight this?!
Even their captain and deputy captain had been taken out instantly, as easily as crushing chicks.
Charging in would accomplish nothing but getting themselves killed!
Their instinct to survive finally overcame their so-called Kumogakure dignity.
"Run! Run!"
Someone shouted first.
The four remaining Kumogakure ninja scrambled to their feet.
They could not even spare a thought for whether their comrades lived or died.
Desperately driving their chakra, they used the Body Flicker Technique and fled madly toward their reconnaissance ship moored at the edge of the harbor.
Their pathetic figures looked just like a pack of wild dogs whose tails had been stepped on.
Kenya did not pursue them.
He really could not muster any interest in dealing with small fry like these.
Besides, leaving a few survivors to bring word back to Kumogakure and let them know whose territory the Land of Waves was would be a good thing.
"Those bastards got off easy."
Kenya clapped his hands and sneered as he watched the Kumogakure reconnaissance ship flee the harbor in panic.
Then he turned around.
His gaze fell on the dock.
A large quantity of finely made ninja tools lay scattered there, discarded by the fleeing Kumogakure ninja.
There was also their small cargo ship, brought here by Toroi and loaded with supplies.