In an era where death looms like a shadow, many are trapped under the dominion of endless cruelty and numbness. They only feel a perverse thrill when harming others, as if the act of taking a life momentarily affirms their own existence.
Some even take pleasure in torment, as if the strong preying on the weak is a natural law.
Yet, when the blade turns upon them, even these people understand the agony of their own flesh being cut.
Watching his village suffer a widespread assault, with ninja bereft of their captain's leadership fighting in disarray and defenseless civilians fleeing in panic, Tsugawa Taishi's eyes blazed with fury.
If he didn't grind these invaders to dust, the hatred in his heart would never subside.
Hane Genma's calm tone, devoid of sorrow or joy, and his indifferent attitude—treating the slaughter of Tsugawa clansmen as a trivial matter—only fueled Taishi's rage further.
Taishi could see that this young man before him took no pleasure in the carnage, nor was he bound by any moral code. The clansmen Taishi cherished were nothing but insignificant specks in Genma's eyes.
To be ignored is the highest form of contempt.
Genma genuinely couldn't fathom why the Tsugawa patriarch was so enraged. Did this man believe the rules of the shinobi world allowed his clan to conquer others while forbidding any retaliation against his own village?
The reason Genma chose to confront this patriarch head-on was simple: he had the confidence to win.
Having clashed with the Tsugawa clan for so long, Genma knew they lacked both secret techniques and bloodline limits. In other words, Tsugawa Taishi was likely just an ordinary ninja, much like himself.
For ordinary ninja using ordinary ninjutsu, what determined victory?
Chakra reserves.
When both were mere "common mages," the one with the longer "mana bar" held the advantage.
Genma's true chakra reserves weren't vast, but he could cheat.
His right index finger, hanging naturally, hooked the tail ring of a kunai. With a sudden forward swing of his shoulder and a quick lift of his elbow, a sharp whoosh cut through the air. With minimal motion and lightning speed, he flung the kunai forward.
This was the most effective form of communication. Did Taishi expect Genma to sit down for a nostalgic chat?
In the village, moonlight mingled with flames rising from the ground, casting a faint glow in the dim night.
Taishi caught the glint of the kunai flashing toward him. Instantly recognizing something trailing behind it, he tilted his body, narrowly dodging the weapon aimed at his throat.
As the kunai passed, he clearly saw an explosive tag tied to it by a thin wire, its markings already beginning to glow.
Did such a petty trick really think it could harm him? Taishi scoffed inwardly.
But he forgot where this battlefield was.
With a sharp clink, the dodged kunai embedded itself somewhere unknown. Moments later, an explosion accompanied by a scream reached his ears.
Instinctively, Taishi turned to look. The explosive tag's flames had engulfed a frail figure.
This was the Tsugawa clan's village. Did Genma ever need to worry about his explosive tags missing a target?
Taishi's gaze turned venomous. He realized hesitation would only bring more harm. To kill the enemy before him swiftly, regardless of the cost, was his only path.
No longer holding back, he rapidly formed hand seals. In the next moment, a massive torrent of water surged toward Genma.
Genma mirrored him, forming seals to cast the only defensive ninjutsu in his arsenal:
Water Release: Water Formation Wall.
Before the crashing waves could strike, a ring of hollow water pillars swirled around Genma. Water against water—guided by the thick defensive wall and the spinning current, the torrent was redirected, rushing past the right side of the Water Formation Wall.
The enemy's technique looked impressive but lacked real killing power.
Still, judging by the scale of the jutsu, this patriarch's skill was undeniably formidable.
The area seemed to be a low-lying part of the village. As Genma's Water Formation Wall dissipated, he noticed a small pool forming beneath him. Channeling chakra to his feet, he stood firmly on the water's surface.
"Water Release? Your defensive technique is impressive," Taishi remarked, also standing on the water. Perhaps blinded by rage, he sneered, "But to use a simple Water Release defense, you need to fumble through so many hand seals? Or are you trying to show off your Water Release skills in front of the Tsugawa clan?"
Genma's mind filled with question marks. What was there to mock about the number of hand seals? It was as absurd as someone boasting, "Our clan is the strongest in the shinobi world."
"You talk too much. Been to too many meetings, have you?" Genma shot back, demonstrating the proper way to taunt.
As expected, Taishi's face darkened at the words. It was blatant humiliation—allowing an enemy to infiltrate their highest council? What was such a clan but a joke?
A surge of chakra gathered beneath Genma's feet. The water's surface exploded, and with reckless abandon, he propelled himself forward, charging violently toward Taishi.
The once-calm water rippled like a tablecloth yanked at one end, folding into layers of wrinkles. Under Genma's unrestrained chakra outburst, the water's surface tilted in the direction of his force.
His speed and Body Flicker Technique were merely average, but his reckless expenditure of chakra made up for it. This brute-force acceleration had no finesse—just raw power.
Leaving an afterimage on the water, he formed seals without pause. In an instant, he closed the distance to Taishi.
Seeing Taishi attempt to counter with hand seals, Genma's fluid, skimming movement across the water halted abruptly. Another burst of chakra erupted beneath his right foot as he lightly stepped on the surface.
He snapped his leg upward, his knee driving toward Taishi's chest like a spear.
Taishi's seals faltered. He switched tactics, crossing his fingers and pressing his palms downward to block Genma's assault.
But he underestimated the force. The impact sent Taishi reeling backward, his body off balance.
At that moment, Genma's hands clapped together with a faint sound:
Fire Release: Great Fireball!
A massive fireball roared toward the water, its blazing heat engulfing Taishi's form.
Water and fire clashed, sending thick white steam billowing across the surface.
This wouldn't be one of those "smoke but no damage" moments, would it? Genma stayed on high alert. Amid the rhythmic lapping of water in the steam-filled air, the white veil obscuring his view tore apart. A paper-thin, crescent-shaped water blade sliced through the mist, hurtling toward him.
Genma didn't retreat. He charged forward, meeting the water blade head-on, dodging with a swift sidestep just before it struck.
His figure pierced the steam, revealing Taishi crouched on the water, hands rapidly forming seals.
In the close-range Fire Release attack, Taishi hadn't escaped unscathed. His left arm's clothing was tattered, his skin marred by severe burns. Yet, this didn't seem to hinder his combat ability.
He likely dove underwater to avoid the brunt of the Fire Release, Genma surmised.
It was still Taishi's turn to act. He unleashed the same technique again: Water Release: Water Fang Blade.
More water blades slashed toward Genma, but Genma's figure darted left and right, weaving through the attacks with agile speed changes. Closing in on Taishi once more, he whipped his right leg upward, as if fueled by boundless energy, and delivered a powerful kick to Taishi's abdomen.
The blow bent Taishi like a shrimp, his feet lifting off the water as he flew backward at an angle.
Genma moved to press the attack, but the water beneath his feet shifted. From where Taishi had stood, a tentacle-like stream of water erupted from below.
With astonishing speed, it whipped sideways, slamming into Genma and sending him flying.
Taishi's mastery of Water Release was commendable. This delayed-activation technique, Water Release: Binding Stream Whip, caught Genma off guard with its slow buildup and sudden burst.
Each had landed a blow, evening the score for now.
Their strength seemed evenly matched, but…
Was Genma fighting a fair one-on-one?
This was, at the very least, a righteous twenty-against-one.
--
Support me & read more advance & fast update chapter on my patreon:
pat reon .com/yuuwand