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"Hmph… a cheap trick. I'm the strongest of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. You think a simple Wind Style shuriken can do anything to me?"
Zabuza Momuchi sneered, not taking the incoming shuriken seriously at all.
Bang!
Crash!
A violent impact suddenly rang out.
BOOM—!
The ground shook as if an explosion had torn the space apart. Dust and debris blasted into the air, filling the surroundings in a thick cloud.
"Cough… cough…"
Zabuza coughed awkwardly, quickly shielding his face and dodging the flying sand.
After a moment, the smoke slowly began to clear.
When Zabuza finally saw what stood before him, he froze.
"W-What…? What the hell is this?"
The Akira in front of him had changed.
His body had grown to nearly Zabuza's size. Crimson lightning wrapped around him like living chains. Long black hair flowed down his back, and a strange, eerie light flickered in his eyes.
This figure looked nothing like the Uchiha Akira in Zabuza's memory.
It was like looking at a completely different person.
And more importantly…
Zabuza had clearly beaten him earlier using taijutsu.
By all logic, the boy should have been completely unable to fight anymore.
So why had he suddenly become this terrifying?
"Damn it… what's going on?"
Zabuza muttered darkly.
At that moment, the corner of Akira's lips curved slightly. His voice came out calm and indifferent.
"What's going on? Didn't you already figure it out?"
He wasn't trying to act mysterious.
The truth was, Akira himself didn't fully understand his current state.
But he could feel it.
Inside his body was an enormous power, vast and overwhelming. It surged endlessly outward, spilling from him like a flood.
The feeling was strange.
It was like standing in front of a mountain of treasure but having no idea how to start digging.
Frustrating… yet strangely intoxicating.
Akira almost found himself enjoying it.
Zabuza raised an eyebrow in surprise when he heard that answer.
But he wasn't stupid. The realization hit him quickly.
"Hahaha! Trying to play tricks on me, huh? Just what I'd expect from a leftover brat of the Uchiha clan. Cunning as always."
His grin turned cold.
"But that little act won't fool me."
With that, Zabuza gripped his ninja sword and rushed forward.
"If you insist on courting death, then I'll just send you to the afterlife myself."
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
With an angry roar, Zabuza spewed a massive stream of blazing fire from his mouth, surging toward Akira like a burning tide.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Akira remained completely calm.
He opened his mouth and released a scorching fireball of his own.
BOOM!
The intense heat ignited the surrounding trees. Flames spread through the forest as the two massive fireballs slammed into each other and exploded violently.
"Hahaha! I told you already. You're just making a last-ditch struggle."
Zabuza mocked.
But Akira didn't respond.
Instead, his eyes remained fixed on Zabuza.
Because something had changed.
Zabuza's expression was shifting.
Was that… unwillingness?
Hatred?
Pain?
"Hm?"
Akira frowned slightly, confused by the sudden look on his opponent's face.
Then he noticed something else.
Zabuza's eyes were slowly filling with bloodshot veins.
"You bastard… die already!"
"AAAHHHHH—!"
Zabuza's roar became increasingly shrill, as if he were suffering unbearable agony.
Then he launched into a frenzied assault.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Every strike came with his full strength.
Yet within those attacks, Akira sensed something oddly familiar.
…Chidori?
In that instant, Akira finally understood.
"So that's it… the ability I have right now… it's all Chidori!"
Of course, he was still only a baby.
No matter how intelligent he was, he couldn't fully unleash the technique's power yet.
Even so, in both speed and strength, Akira had already surpassed Zabuza by a wide margin.
BOOM!
Slash!
"AAAH!"
THUD!
Before long, another wound opened on Zabuza's body during their clash.
"You were pretty arrogant earlier, weren't you? Why aren't you fighting back now?"
Zabuza panted heavily. His clothes were already torn to shreds.
He glared at Akira with burning hatred.
"Thought you were strong? Then why aren't you attacking?!"
"I don't need to."
Akira answered calmly.
Zabuza blinked in surprise.
Then he burst out laughing.
"You don't need to fight back? That's hilarious! Who do you think you are, you half-grown brat?"
His expression turned vicious.
"Do you realize that before you even finished saying that sentence, you should've died hundreds of times already?"
"To me, you're nothing but a corpse."
"Oh really?"
Akira glanced at him with open disdain.
"Don't forget… you're the trash I kicked flying with one foot earlier."
"And you still have the nerve to run your mouth?"
"Bastard!"
Being mocked like this by a mere toddler made Zabuza furious beyond belief.
He was just about to attack again—
When suddenly, his heart skipped.
Something's wrong!
Zabuza's expression changed instantly, and he abruptly stopped moving.
The next second—
A rocket-like projectile shot out from behind him.
BOOM!
A fiery explosion erupted. To Zabuza's right, a massive tree collapsed with a thunderous crash.
The fallen trunk landed directly between the two of them, forcing Zabuza to halt his advance.
"Damn it!"
Zabuza cursed and turned to look behind him.
Meanwhile, Akira slowly rose to his feet.
He stared at Zabuza with a cold smirk.
"Heh. I didn't expect to run into someone as weak as you."
"What a disappointment."
His tone was filled with pure contempt, as if he were commenting on something utterly trivial.
Like Zabuza wasn't even worth his attention.
"Bastard!"
BOOM!
Zabuza roared in frustration, wildly swinging the ninja blade in his hand as he hacked at Akira again and again.
Akira, however, showed no concern whatsoever. He didn't even bother to move a single step, letting the attacks come at him without resistance.
Every time Zabuza's blade missed, the force of his own swing rebounded and knocked him backward.
The repeated failures only made him more anxious. If he couldn't defeat this enemy now, he might never get another chance.
Finally, an opening appeared.
Zabuza leapt into the air, driving both legs forward in a vicious kick aimed straight at Akira's head.
At that moment, Akira finally opened his eyes.
"Hmph. I've been waiting for that move for a while now."
He chuckled softly and slowly raised both hands.
Under Zabuza's stunned gaze, Akira suddenly clapped his palms together, trapping the blazing red chakra sphere between them.
"What?! That's impossible!!!"
Zabuza stared in disbelief.
"That's our village's secret technique… Wind Release: Rasengan!"
Akira simply curled his lip in disdain.
"It's just a wind-attribute Rasengan. And you thought that could hurt me? Dream on."
Bang.
With a crisp burst, the Wind Release Rasengan shattered and dispersed into nothing.
Akira lowered his hands and looked coldly at Zabuza.
Zabuza's face was filled with despair. His spirit looked completely broken.
After a long silence, he muttered in a low voice, "So… your ability is the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Hmph. What's so strange about that?" Akira lifted his chin proudly.
"Heh…"
Zabuza let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.
"So you're already a true powerhouse."
Then he slowly raised his head. A cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"But do you really think that's enough to kill me?"
"Let me tell you something," he said coldly. "Today, you're the one who's going to die."
The moment the words left his mouth, Zabuza vanished.
In the blink of an eye he reappeared in front of Akira, both hands raised as he lunged straight for Akira's throat.
Whoosh!
Akira dodged the ambush in an instant and countered.
"Then I'll just wait and see how much strength you've got that makes you worthy of fighting me."
"Hmph! I'll never lose to a brat like you!!" Zabuza roared.
His figure vanished from Akira's sight once more.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The sound of slicing air echoed constantly beside Akira's ears.
"Hmph."
Akira snorted coldly. His body shifted rapidly, barely avoiding Zabuza's relentless strikes.
Then his pupils narrowed. The chakra swirling around his right hand suddenly intensified.
"Rasengan!"
He shouted.
The chakra gathered violently toward his wrist, condensing into a dark energy sphere along his arm.
"Rasengan!"
Akira hurled the attack forward.
Boom!
With a thunderous impact, the Rasengan struck Zabuza directly and blasted him away.
"Cough… cough… Damn it… how is that possible?!"
Zabuza struggled for a moment before barely managing to stand. He stared at Akira in shock.
"Your chakra is that massive? Was everything before just a test?!"
Akira's lips curved into a faint smile.
His chakra was indeed far deeper than that of ordinary people—but it wasn't limitless.
He could clearly feel it.
He was already at his limit.
If he kept using chakra like this, he would collapse unconscious.
Anyone else would hesitate to fight recklessly in such a state. No one could know how many hidden dangers still lurked.
But Akira wasn't just anyone.
If he chose to use this power, then he would win. He believed that completely.
Looking at his opponent, he said calmly,
"Neither of us is in our best condition anymore. So let's end this."
"Bring out your strongest move."
"This fight ends here."
"Hahaha… I agree."
Zabuza laughed loudly.
"Even though I'm in terrible shape right now… for the honor of my village, I'll fight you fairly."
"Akira!"
His expression gradually hardened with determination. A brilliant blue light began radiating from his body.
Akira narrowed his eyes and studied him carefully.
He could clearly sense it.
Zabuza's chakra was growing thicker… heavier… stronger.
Suddenly Zabuza took a deep breath.
In an instant, the surrounding natural energy surged toward him. The air itself twisted into rolling clouds that poured into his body.
Akira's pupils shrank.
He could feel it clearly—Zabuza's chakra was skyrocketing.
"So that's his secret technique…"
Akira murmured.
"Even with the Sharingan, resisting a chakra boost like that won't be easy."
"But…"
His gaze hardened.
"With just that much power, you still can't beat me."
He clenched his fists and dashed forward.
Just as the two were about to collide, a flash of blood-red light flickered in Akira's left eye.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
"Awooo!"
A giant wolf materialized in front of him, roaring as it lunged forward and sank its fangs deep into Zabuza's shoulder.
"AAAAAH!"
Zabuza screamed as flesh tore apart. Clutching his shredded shoulder, he glared at Akira through gritted teeth.
"What kind of technique is this?!"
"Hmph. That's my summoned beast," Akira said calmly. "It can help me share about three times my chakra."
His eyes sharpened further.
"You've got one last chance."
Hearing that, Zabuza roared in fury. He activated his secret technique again. His body swelled larger as he lunged toward Akira.
But it was already too late.
Akira's prepared jutsu had been released.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A white snake suddenly burst from the ground and bit down on Zabuza's waist, dragging his body violently away.
Bang!
Taking advantage of the opening, Akira kicked Zabuza hard and sent him flying.
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, he looked down at the fallen man.
"Your turn."
"You still have a chance."
"If you don't want to be defeated by me… surrender now."
"Damn you… never!"
Zabuza roared.
His body swelled again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Akira's expression changed as he quickly retreated several meters.
"Haa… haa…"
He panted heavily.
Staring at Zabuza, his face darkened.
He could clearly sense it.
Zabuza had already reached his limit.
If he kept pushing his chakra any further, his body would explode.
But—
"No… I will never surrender!"
Zabuza roared furiously.
"I won't lose! Never!!"
"AAAAAH!"
In the next instant, a terrifying force suddenly descended upon him, crushing him completely.
BOOM!
Zabuza was slammed brutally into the ground.
The moment he hit the earth, he didn't even have the strength left to resist.
"How… how is this possible?!"
Shock filled his face.
Pfft!
He spat out a mouthful of blood and stared blankly at Akira, who stood there smiling faintly.
His mind was in turmoil.
How could this be? I'm the greatest genius of Konoha…
How could I lose to a brat who hasn't even grown up yet?
Unwilling to accept it, he frantically pushed his chakra to the limit.
He wanted to drag Akira down with him.
But his strength was far too weak.
He couldn't move Akira even a single step.
Akira looked down at him calmly. Slowly, he raised his right hand and pointed at Zabuza's forehead.
"Sage Art… Rasengan."
Buzz.
The Rasengan shot forward instantly, piercing straight through his head and blasting completely through his skull.
Zabuza's eyes widened, frozen in a look of unwilling disbelief.
"You… you killed me…"
"You killed me…"
His voice trembled weakly as he stared at Akira in disbelief.
"Yes," Akira replied calmly. "I killed you."
There wasn't the slightest ripple in his gaze.
When it came to enemies, Akira always made sure to eliminate them completely. No loose ends.
Looking at Zabuza's lifeless body, Akira finally let out a long breath.
The battle… was finally over.
…
The next moment, Kurosuki Raiga suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Die!!"
Clutching his ninja blade, Kurosuki Raiga lunged straight at Akira.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Facing the attack, Akira calmly formed hand seals and unleashed a fire technique.
BOOM.
The two flames collided, erupting into a massive mushroom cloud.
Raiga stared at him with wide eyes.
He had never imagined this.
Akira could use Fire Release too—and such a powerful Great Fireball at that.
A smile spread across Akira's lips.
"My turn now."
His figure vanished instantly.
Raiga felt a gust of wind behind him. His face changed drastically as he dodged to the side.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Dance!"
With Akira's shout, the surrounding flames rapidly gathered together, forming a blooming rose of fire.
But within that beautiful rose lay terrifying destructive power.
And Raiga… trembled in fear.
"..."
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