Sasuke grasped the fat man's wrist without the slightest change in expression. A sharp crack echoed in the hall as joints dislocated one after another.
"Phoenix Fireline!"
Gritting his teeth through the pain, the fat man summoned a yellow soul ring that flashed across his body. In an instant, a searing jet of fire burst forth from his mouth, aimed straight for Sasuke's head.
"Hmph. At this distance, if Fatty gets serious, that guy's head will melt right off," Dai Mubai said with utter confidence. In terms of firepower, Ma Hongjun had never once lost to anyone.
The crowd scattered instinctively, pressing themselves to the walls. Yet Sasuke didn't even flinch. He stood perfectly still, letting the flames engulf him entirely. He didn't dodge. He didn't even blink. Gasps and cries of disbelief rippled through the hall.
The one in pain was not Sasuke—it was Ma Hongjun himself.
From the corner, Tang San's eyes flared with a purplish-blue light. "Not good! He's absorbing Fatty's soul power!"
Tang San cultivated the Purple Demon Eye, allowing him to see the flow of energy. What he saw made his breath catch—Sasuke was swallowing Ma Hongjun's soul power at a terrifying rate. Even the energy woven into his soul skill was being dissolved as if it had never existed.
Realizing something was wrong, Dai Mubai instantly released his martial spirit. Three spirit rings lit up as he charged straight for Sasuke.
"Go!"
Zhu Zhuqing lunged in tandem with him, flanking Sasuke from left and right. But just before their strikes could connect, the air seemed to freeze solid.
"Shinra Tensei."
No one understood what had happened. Sasuke hadn't even summoned a spirit ring, yet the two attackers were hurled backward as if struck by an invisible hammer. Pain ripped through their muscles, stealing their strength in an instant.
It was the first time Sasuke had used this technique in this world. Against the likes of Madara, Kaguya, or Naruto, Shinra Tensei was useless. But here, against opponents so far beneath those titans, the effect was almost… satisfying.
The Shrek Seven stared in shock. The raggedly dressed young man they'd underestimated possessed power they couldn't begin to measure.
Tang San clenched his jaw. Not even facing Zhao Wuji at level 70 had given him such a crushing sense of oppression. The man before him was like a mountain—calm, immovable, and impossibly dangerous.
"Xiao San! If you keep holding back, Fatty's hand will be ruined!" A girl with rabbit ears leapt high into the air, aiming a kick straight for Sasuke's head.
In her mind, victory was already hers. But the moment Sasuke's eyes met hers, her world shifted. Her body grew unbearably hot, and suddenly she was standing in a sea of flames. Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Fire was roaring toward her—too fast to escape.
The fire swallowed her whole. She screamed as the heat seared her body and her strength gave out, her body plummeting toward the ground.
Tang San dashed forward and caught her, but his relief was short-lived. Xiao Wu's brows were furrowed, her eyes shut tight, her whole body trembling. Pain radiated from her like heat from a furnace.
Sasuke, however, was intrigued. The energy inside this girl… it was comparable to a tailed beast. This world was turning out to be far more interesting than he'd thought.
Tang San's gaze snapped up to meet Sasuke's, his eyes hardening. One hand slid to his waist.
"To harm the one I love… you've signed your own death warrant."
From behind Sasuke, Mu Qing had retreated to stand beside Ling Xue, her earlier bravado gone. "It was just an apology… was it really that hard?" she murmured in regret.
Just as Tang San tensed to strike, a gravelly voice cut through the air. "Kids squabble. You're taking this way too far."
A short, powerfully built man dropped from the second floor, landing with deliberate slowness as he walked toward Sasuke.
"Teacher… save… Fatty…" Dai Mubai managed to rasp before fainting.
An oppressive aura spread from the man, making even the spectators feel weak in the knees. Sasuke's clothes shifted in the pressure, but he only spoke lightly. "If the children don't understand, surely the adults should."
"You saw what happened," Ye Zhiqiu said, stepping forward. "Your student was the one who acted out of line. Had I not been here, fine—but to intervene now is simply rude."
"I'll tell you the rules," the man growled, cracking his knuckles. "My fists are the rules."
Zhao Wuji vanished from sight and reappeared with a punch aimed at Sasuke. Ye Zhiqiu threw himself in the way, releasing his martial spirit, but the blow still sent him skidding several meters back, a metallic taste rising in his throat.
Such power without even using a soul skill… just who was this man?
"Brother Sasuke, forget it. Let's just go," Mu Qing said, tugging at his sleeve.
"Teacher Sasuke, let's eat somewhere else," Ling Xue urged. No one had expected the conflict to spiral this far.
Sasuke hesitated. The children with him were clearly wary of this man. And if even Ling Xue wanted to walk away, there was little point in continuing. He tossed Ma Hongjun aside like refuse and turned to leave.
"Wait!" Zhao Wuji barked. "You think you can hurt my students and just walk out?!" His fury burned hot—if he let them leave unpunished, Flander would never let him live it down.
Sasuke sighed. Getting tangled with street thugs was beneath him. With a flicker of the Sharingan, he dropped Zhao Wuji into a week-long mental nightmare, then started for the door.
A clear voice called after him. "What's your name?"
Sasuke didn't even glance back.
From the corner, Ning Rongrong—who had remained silent the entire time—watched him go. She touched her cheek, her heart oddly unsettled.
Grandpa Gu… Grandpa Jian… Father… I think I've found the right person.