Back in the arena
The entire arena was shrouded in smoke and fire. The ground trembled, the sky above cracked with chakra pressure so dense that even seasoned shinobi struggled to breathe.
The colossal figure of Susanoo towered over everything, its demonic armor glistening with spiritual energy, eyes burning with crimson light.
Inside the giant construct, Fugaku Uchiha stood with cold arrogance, his Mangekyō Sharingan spinning like twin vortices of hellfire. His voice, magnified through the Susanoo, echoed through the arena.
"Behold, the ultimate defense of the Uchiha! This is power beyond the reach of mortals!"
But below, standing calmly amid shattered tiles and dust clouds, Alex only smiled. The breeze tugged gently at his robe, his eyes reflecting the glowing monster before him with quiet amusement.
"Impressive," He murmured, his tone almost playful. "But don't get ahead of yourself, Fugaku. It might be the strongest defense..."
His dark eyes sharpened, their glow cutting through the smoke like lightning.
"...but nothing in this world is invincible."
A pulse of power exploded from him. The earth cracked beneath his feet, wind spiraling outward as his aura surged like a blinding mix of white and blue energy that roared like a living beast.
Before anyone could blink, he moved.
In just one moment, Alex was standing still, but in the next, the air whistled as his figure vanished.
"Impossible!" One of the ANBU gasped, eyes wide behind his mask.
Fugaku reacted instantly, his hands weaving seals in a blur.
'Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!'
A massive inferno burst forth from the Susanoo's mouth, the heat warping the air as it rushed toward Alex like a miniature sun.
But Alex was already gone.
He reappeared above the fireball and stepped on the air itself, chakra rippling beneath his feet. His body twisted midair with fluid grace, every motion refined and deliberate.
'He's walking on air?' Fugaku thought in shock. 'No... he's controlling the air pressure itself!'
"Nice try," Alex smirked, and then, he vanished again.
The next instant, a thunderclap erupted as he crashed down, his leg glowing with concentrated power.
Boom!
His kick connected with Susanoo's chest.
The invincible defense of the Uchiha shattered like glass, and fragments of ethereal chakra scattered through the air, dissolving into motes of light as Alex's strike pierced straight through.
Fugaku's eyes widened in disbelief. "What—?!"
Then came the impact.
Alex's heel connected squarely with his chest, and the sound was like a mountain collapsing.
Fugaku's body bent backward violently, blood erupting from his mouth as he was sent flying.
The shockwave tore through the arena stands, blowing away debris and leaving a crater beneath Alex's feet.
Fugaku's body tore out of the fading Susanoo, crashing through the stone walls and into the stands, disappearing beneath rubble.
The entire place was filled with pin-drop silence.
The entire arena went still.
Every shinobi from ANBU to genin froze, eyes wide with disbelief.
Kakashi's lone Sharingan trembled, his breath hitching. He knew better than anyone what a Susanoo was. The technique that even the greatest Uchiha could rely on for protection.
But it had been destroyed with just one kick.
'That wasn't power,' Kakashi thought, sweat running down his temple.
Sasuke stood frozen in the crowd, his fists trembling. His mouth was dry, his body stiff with a mix of awe and fury. He wanted to scream, to rush forward and fight this monster who had humiliated his father.
But Kakashi's hand shot out, gripping his shoulder.
"Don't," He whispered, his voice low but firm. "You're not ready. You cannot face him."
Sasuke's jaw clenched. His teeth ground together as anger burned through him, but beneath it all was fear.
Alex landed lightly on the ground, brushing invisible dust off his robe as if he'd done nothing more than flick away an insect. His gaze swept over the stunned crowd, his expression calm yet commanding.
"Playtime's over," He said, his voice smooth and cold. "Now..."
He raised a hand, fingers flexing slightly as the air around him distorted with raw energy.
"...it's showtime."
For a heartbeat, no one dared move. The weight of his words seemed to press down on every soul in the arena.
Then, a heavy thud echoed from the edge of the ruined wall.
From the smoke and debris stepped Might Guy, his green jumpsuit torn, his body battered and bleeding, yet his spirit blazing brighter than ever. He wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand, his trademark grin returning even through the pain.
"Heh... that's some power you've got there," He said, his voice steady despite his ragged breathing. "You've got my blood boiling!"
He cracked his neck, his eyes lighting up with unshakable resolve. The air around him began to shimmer again as his chakra flared.
"It's time... for the Blue Beast of Konoha to show his fangs!"
Alex tilted his head, a small smirk forming. "Oh? You're still standing? I like that."
Guy's grin widened even further. "Then you'll love this!"
His aura erupted, and blue chakra roared to life around him as his muscles swelled and veins bulged. The air pressure around him spiked violently, forcing even Kakashi to brace himself.
'The Seventh Gate... The Gate of Wonder!'
The tiles beneath Guy's feet shattered as he crouched.
"Let's see if you can keep up with me, Alex!"
Alex's golden eyes gleamed, his expression calm but eager. "Then come."
The ground exploded as Guy launched forward, his body a blur of emerald light.
Alex moved too, their speeds colliding in a thunderous crash that shook the entire arena.
High above the chaos, half-hidden by a curtain of dust and smoke, Kabuto Yakushi stood in the spectator stands.
The battlefield below looked like a vision torn from a nightmare.
But Kabuto's glasses caught one glint of light that made his pulse race.
The moment that red-haired demon shattered Fugaku Uchiha's Susanoo with a single, contemptuous kick, Kabuto's entire body went rigid. For a heartbeat, even he forgot to breathe.
Then a low, breathless chuckle slipped past his lips, hidden beneath the chaos.
'So he finally stopped playing around… fascinating.'
Behind the dull reflection of his lenses, Kabuto's eyes were wide and bright with manic curiosity. He adjusted his mask slightly, concealing the tremor of delight that threatened to twist his expression into something unhinged.
"He's toying with them…" Kabuto murmured under his breath, almost reverently.
Down below, Alex was laughing with a calm, deep laugh. Around him, Kakashi, Guy, and the surviving ANBU were bracing for what was clearly an impossible fight. And Alex, instead of looking strained, looked amused.
'He hasn't even shown a fraction of it yet,' Kabuto thought, a shiver running down his spine.
His heart hammered inside his chest, not from fear, but from the intoxicating thrill of discovery. For someone like him, watching Alex fight was like staring at the pages of a forbidden book come alive.
His inner voice whispered, almost lovingly:
'What are you, Alex?'
He pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his own chakra spike with excitement.
Kabuto's lips curled into a thin smile beneath his mask.
"He really was right," He whispered to himself, remembering Alex's cold words from their last conversation.
'When the world burns, don't look away. Learn how it burns.'
And that was exactly what he was doing.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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