Chapter 18 – The Arrogance of Enma
"Yusuke... with that level of strength alone, you're still not enough. I can still see too many openings in your stance."
Hatake Sakumo's voice was calm, yet filled with meaning. Deep down, he was already impressed by how far his son had come.
A power like that would easily place him among the elite shinobi of Konohagakure. After all, there weren't many who could even reach the level of a Kage...
"The fight's not over yet, Father. Now… I'll show you my true strength."
Yusuke spoke firmly as he pulled out a sealing scroll from his personal space. To anyone watching, it would've looked like a normal scroll taken from his gear.
It all happened in a blink, wasting no time—but Sakumo noticed immediately.
"…That's a fine sword," he murmured with admiration.
Even though it hadn't been drawn yet, the killing intent radiating from the sheath was chilling—sharp, silent, and suffocating.
"Watch closely, Father. This blade is called Enma."
As Yusuke drew the long katana from its sheath, the surrounding air froze. The blade itself oozed murderous pressure with every inch—cold and sharp enough to slice the very world. Just looking at it was enough to crush someone under its spiritual weight.
"What a terrifying sword…"
Sakumo couldn't hide his surprise.
And yet, one question echoed in his mind—where did Yusuke get a weapon like that?
"Hatake Sword Style – White Fang Slash!"
Holding the katana instead of the clan's traditional tantō, Yusuke launched their family's signature technique.
To him, performing hand seals like an ordinary shinobi was pointless. If he needed to rely on hand signs now, then Sakumo no longer deserved the title of the White Fang of Konoha.
Besides, with his current abilities—and the power of the Gura Gura no Mi—his basic strikes already exceeded the scale of most B-rank jutsu.
"Good."
Sakumo raised his own blade and cleanly blocked the incoming slash of white energy.
"Hatake Sword Style – Gale Slash!"
In an instant, seven or eight blades of light spun around him, shooting toward Yusuke like a whirlwind of steel.
"Damn, too fast…!"
Yusuke cursed inwardly, unable to dodge in time.
"Enma – Ittōryū: Iai – Shi Shi Son Son!"
With a swift and fluid motion, he unleashed a quickdraw slash—one of the foundational techniques from the early days of Zoro's sword style.
It managed to parry the blades of light… but only for a moment. Sakumo's attacks pushed back almost immediately. Gritting his teeth, Yusuke infused his sword with the devastating power of the Devil Fruit.
"Ittōryū – Iai – Death – Shi Shi Son Son: Airquake!"
Combining the Gura Gura no Mi's vibrations with his slash, he launched a shockwave of air from Enma's edge. The impact shattered the incoming light blades, scattering the energy like broken glass.
The ground trembled. Trees shivered. The sky rippled.
"Excellent."
Sakumo genuinely praised his son, impressed by how he handled the exchange.
He dashed forward again with another strike. Yusuke met it head-on. But when Sakumo moved to retreat, Yusuke clenched his left hand and punched the air—triggering another invisible shockwave.
Sakumo flipped back, dodging the impact.
"Hatake Sword Style – Severing Slash!"
From a distance, Sakumo unleashed another sharp projectile of chakra. On the other end, Yusuke was struggling—his right hand still held Enma, but his left remained stiff from the strain of using the Gura Gura no Mi.
"Armament Haki – Hardening!"
With a low murmur, blackened energy coated Yusuke's body.
So this... is the true weight of the name "White Fang of Konoha"?
Is this what it means to be a Kage-level shinobi?
Yusuke gritted his teeth. Forget raw power—Sakumo's sense of timing, his control of the flow of battle—it was on a level he couldn't yet comprehend.
And the worst part? His father wasn't even using Observation Haki…
Not bad. You're still unharmed. But that strange power in your arm… it's not chakra. What is it exactly?
Sakumo thought silently, watching his son closely.
His strikes hadn't injured Yusuke, but they weren't the kind of attacks that should be shrugged off either.
"Now then, boy... show me your final trump card. Hit me with everything you've got."
"…Very well. But, Father, even if you are a Kage-level shinobi, don't take this lightly."
This time, Yusuke wasn't holding back.
He knew dragging this on was pointless—Sakumo had been going easy on him from the very beginning, giving him space to grow.
"In that case… show me what you've really got."
Sakumo narrowed his eyes and smiled.
"Father… this time, I'll unleash Enma's true power."
A glossy layer of black coating spread across Yusuke's hand, running down to cover the length of Enma's blade.
A fierce energy began to pulse from it. Purple chakra waves spiraled into the air, forming violent winds that danced around him.
"This attack… can't be blocked. The only way to counter it is with something even stronger. Enma isn't a normal blade. They say it can even cut down the gates of hell itself."
His voice was cold and composed.
"Shock Style – Hatake Secret Art: Obliteration – Ryūō!"
A deep violet blade of energy erupted from Enma, ripping through the sky. For a moment, light and shadow consumed the land—like the world itself was being cleaved in two.
"Ryūō, huh...? A beautiful name."
Sakumo smiled, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit.
"Hatake Sword Style – Obliteration Slash!"
He launched a powerful slash of his own. Though it wasn't as massive or radiant as Yusuke's, the unwavering aura and razor precision were enough to shake the soul.
"That… that's my brother's true strength…?"
Kakashi could only stare in awe, eyes wide, as the two techniques clashed with earth-shattering force.
The shockwave alone uprooted trees, tossing them into the distance like leaves in a storm.
"That damned kid… So this is the monster I raised?"
Even Sakumo, normally composed and calm, let slip a rare curse.
He watched as his white slash shattered apart—while Yusuke's violet blade still pushed forward.
"Hatake Sword Style – Break Slash!"
With one more swing, Sakumo released another arc of light. It collided directly with the weakened violet blade and shattered it into nothing.
This was the power of a true Kage-level shinobi. Even when faced with his son's ultimate technique, he could dismantle it with calm precision.
But on the other side—Yusuke's right arm, once hardened with Haki, had shriveled grotesquely. Only bone remained, jagged and exposed.
"Brother! Are you okay?!"
Kakashi ran over, panic etched on his face. He didn't even care about acting cool anymore.
"Don't come any closer, Kakashi!!"
Yusuke growled through clenched teeth, overwhelmed by the searing pain. The wild energy of Enma still danced violently around his body, scorching everything in its path.
Sakumo frowned as he watched, his eyes betraying the deep worry he felt for his son.
"...Return."
With a single command, the storm around Yusuke began to calm. The chaotic energy was reabsorbed, and slowly, his arm began to regenerate—restored to its original form.
Even though Enma had acknowledged Yusuke as its master, this was only his first time using it in full. The uncontrolled surge of energy left side effects not unlike what Roronoa Zoro once experienced.
"Whew…"
Yusuke wiped the sweat from his forehead, exhausted beyond belief.
"Big bro, are you okay now?"
Kakashi approached again, this time more carefully.
"Haha… Yeah. I'm fine. Just not used to this sword yet."
Yusuke chuckled, trying to play it off.
"Don't use that technique again, son. And if possible, never show this sword to others."
Sakumo's tone was serious.
He understood the old saying all too well—treasure invites calamity. And that technique had clearly taken a heavy toll on his son.
"Don't worry, Father. Like I said, this was my first time using it—I haven't mastered it yet. Besides, no one else can wield this blade but me."
Yusuke spoke confidently.
Even if he handed Enma to someone else, they wouldn't last. This sword was cursed—acknowledging only one master.
Anyone who tried to force it would be drained dry, reduced to a shriveled corpse. Without the system or the blade's recognition, no one could ever control it.
"I see… In that case, tell me more about this sword."
Sakumo said with curiosity burning in his eyes, watching his son with growing interest.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
📚 Want to read more chapters or get early access?
Join my Patreon here:
🔗 patreon.com/FaaanzKun
✅ Enjoy 15+ chapters ahead of WebNovel
✅ Get 1-2 new chapters every day exclusively on Patreon
☕ Prefer one-time support instead of a subscription?
You can donate here:
🔗 ko-fi.com/faaanzkun
Join now and dive deeper into the story—weeks ahead of public release!
Thank you for your amazing support 💖
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —