"What!?"
"Did I hear that right?"
"You want to fight all of us?"
"Kid, aren't you a bit too arrogant?"
"You think suppressing Tenzo means you can ignore everyone else?"
"Hey, brat, that's way too much confidence!"
"Every one of us is an elite chosen from countless ninja in the village!"
For a moment—
All the ANBU were stunned.
Then—
They looked at Akira Ren like he had lost his mind.
Challenge all of them?
This wasn't just confidence—
It was madness.
These weren't ordinary ninja.
They were ANBU.
Trained to perfection.
Working together seamlessly—
Their strength wasn't just additive.
It multiplied.
Even the Hokage himself—
Might not casually take on an entire squad like this.
Inside the office—
Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.
"…Could it be…"
Akira Ren's attitude—
Was making his earlier suspicion grow stronger.
But then—
He thought about that ridiculous line:
"Pure, kind, respectful…"
Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
If not for the destroyed Hokage Rock—
He might have believed it.
"…This brat…"
"Akira Ren, it's only been half a year…"
A female ANBU stepped forward.
Long purple hair beneath her mask.
Yugao Uzuki.
"You've gotten way too arrogant."
Her tone—
Carried both reproach—
And concern.
Clearly—
She didn't want him to get beaten down by the ANBU.
"Big sister Yugao,"
Akira Ren smiled casually,
"This isn't arrogance. It's strength."
Then he added lightly—
"But don't worry."
"I won't include you. Wouldn't want to accidentally hurt you."
"…You—"
She was about to respond—
But—
"Just watch from the side."
Akira Ren waved her off.
Then looked at Kakashi and Tenzo.
Hooked his finger.
"Stop wasting time."
"Let's begin."
Silence.
Even Kakashi Hatake couldn't help but twitch slightly under his mask.
He had seen arrogance before—
But this?
This was something else.
Eighteen ANBU.
Including himself and Tenzo.
Four squads.
All elite.
Special jonin and above.
Battle-hardened veterans.
Even Hiruzen—
Wouldn't take them lightly.
And yet—
This ten-year-old…
"…Fine."
Akira Ren rolled his eyes.
"Let's just use facts."
He leapt backward—
Landing on a tree branch.
Looking down at them.
Then at Tenzo.
"You're not convinced, right?"
"Then…"
"I'll show you what real Wood Release looks like."
He stopped smiling.
No more words.
Hands came together—
A single clap.
"Wood Release—"
"Deep Forest Emergence!"
"WHAT!?"
At that instant—
Everyone froze.
ANBU.
Kakashi.
Tenzo.
Even Hiruzen—
Inside the office.
Shock.
Pure shock.
"RUMBLE—!!!"
The earth exploded.
Saplings burst forth—
Then grew instantly—
Transforming into towering trees.
"BOOM—BOOM—"
Countless massive trunks—
Endless—
Spreading like a living tide.
They surged forward—
Like a natural disaster.
Crushing everything in their path.
"…Real… Wood Release…"
Tenzo stood there—
Completely stunned.
His pride—
Shattered.
So that was why—
Akira Ren looked down on his Wood Release.
Because—
They weren't even on the same level.
"Move!!"
Kakashi snapped out of it instantly.
"If you don't want to die—"
"Earth walls, NOW!"
His hands flew through seals.
The others followed.
Those with earth affinity—
All moved at once.
Hands slammed to the ground.
"Earth Style—Earth Flow Rampart!!!"
"RUMBLE—!!!"
Massive walls rose.
Thick.
Layer upon layer.
Forming a defensive fortress.
Barely—
Just barely—
Blocking the incoming forest.
A breathtaking sight.
Akira Ren stood above—
Looking down.
Calm.
Indifferent.
"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."
"BOOM—!!! BOOM—!!!"
The forest—
Crashed into the walls.
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