"Is this guy an idiot?"
The two Root operatives couldn't help but laugh when they saw Sanada Aran spread his arms wide, as if welcoming the incoming Water Dragon Bullet head-on.
But in the very next instant, their smug laughter froze on their faces.
Instead of being torn apart, the massive Water Dragon Bullet was completely absorbed into Aran's body.
Ding!Absorption successful: B-Rank Water Release — Water Dragon Bullet. Congratulations to the host for obtaining A-Rank Water Release: Severing Wave! Additional effect: Strange Fire — Xuanhuang Flames applied.Absorb one more jutsu to unlock a second Strange Fire — Myriad Beast Spirit Flames.
Aran's eyes lit up."So, the method to obtain Strange Fires is this straightforward? I just gained the Xuanhuang Flames, and now, after absorbing a single jutsu, I'm on the verge of awakening the Myriad Beast Spirit Flames too."
The Root operatives were dumbstruck. They had assumed Aran could only absorb Fire Release techniques. Never in their wildest thoughts had they imagined he could absorb Water Release as well.
How were they supposed to fight something like this?
"This… this is impossible! There are no shinobi in the world who can absorb jutsu! What the hell are you?!"
Though their words carried anger, fear had already spread through their hearts. They forced themselves to remain calm, hoping to stall for time until reinforcements arrived.
The earlier clash had been loud enough to attract attention. If other shinobi came, they could frame Aran as an enemy infiltrator and kill him under the guise of protecting the village.
"I am the one who will avenge the Sanada Clan!"
Aran's voice thundered as his hands blurred through seals.
"Water Release: Severing Wave!"
Before the two Root operatives could react, Aran's mouth spewed forth a high-pressure jet of water, compressed into a blade sharper than steel.
In a single heartbeat, it sliced the nearest Root shinobi clean in half.
But the horror didn't end there. The moment his body split apart, the searing power of the Xuanhuang Flames ignited the remains, burning them to ash before they even hit the ground.
The sudden, merciless strike drained all color from the second operative's face.
This was supposed to be a useless dropout from the academy—a so-called dead-last who couldn't even qualify as a genin. Yet here he stood, wielding both Fire Release and Water Release, tearing through Root operatives like paper.
And worse still, his Water Release carried the scorching properties of fire.
"This… could it be a Kekkei Genkai? I've heard of such bloodline limits… the power to merge two elements into one."
Cold sweat dripped down the man's neck as panic took root. Facing someone who could absorb ninjutsu and wield what seemed like a bloodline limit, victory was impossible.
"It's your turn next."
Aran's gaze burned with killing intent. One after another, the murderers of his clan were falling before him. The justice he had been denied for years now surged in his veins like fire, filling him with grim satisfaction.
To the Root operative, however, Sanada Aran was no longer human. He was death incarnate.
"No—I need Lord Danzō's support right now!"
The operative split into multiple shadow clones and sent them charging at Aran, while his real body slipped away, darting toward the distant treeline in desperate retreat.
"You won't escape! Water Release: Severing Wave!"
Aran unleashed the jutsu once again, the razor-sharp water blade shooting forward like a divine judgment.
In an instant, it pierced straight through the clone blocking his way—then tore across the battlefield, catching up to the fleeing shinobi.
With a wet crack, the technique sliced clean through the operative's body. He staggered once, disbelief frozen in his eyes, before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.