Chapter 47: Death
"An Uchiha"
Just as this thought registers in his mind.
The gate guard noticed in his vision the figure of Uchiha Kenzo getting bigger and bigger.
A trace of confusion appeared in his eyes for a moment, before the pieces clicked into his mind. Like a shattered mirror suddenly forming a clear reflection.
Ho!, "he is dead"
"Isn't he?"
With that thought his head fell uselessly to the ground, with a quiet thud sound.
Blood sprayed from his neck area like a small fountain.
His body stood standing there for a few seconds before it also fell to the ground, with a loud thud.
All that remained behind was a cold corpse.
Meanwhile, Kenzo's gaze silently shifted to the last gate guard who was frozen in fear.
Not because he was so incompetent that he couldn't run.
But because he was locked on by Kenzo's killing intent.
If Kenzo's killing intent could freeze special jōnin and sometimes even real jōnin in a surprise attack.
Then how could a mortal possibly withstand it.
The gap between a shinobi and an ordinary person was bigger than the difference between a human and a dog.
They were like a whole new species, especially for powerful shinobi.
Kenzo shook his head slightly, not lingering on that thought.
And by the time he was thinking this he had already arrived in front of the last remaining gate guard and with a simple thrust of his kunai straight to his heart.
He also died just like his companions.
Kenzo didn't waste a single thought and formed hand seals.
With a puff, four more clones materialised in front of him.
Without saying anything, they also moved, covering the north, south, east and west of this so called village respectively.
And this time Kenzo's main body directly entered through the main entrance.
In this entire facility there was only one entrance, the reason for this was easy to guess.
To prevent the captives from escaping easily, to maintain strict control over movement, and to reduce the need for additional guards at multiple points.
He doubted there would be underground entrances for this small facility.
Even so, it was better to be cautious.
Kenzo spread his chakra subtly beneath the ground, sensing any hollow spaces or tunnels, while placing a shadow clone near the entrance to monitor any unexpected movement below.
While Kenzo's main body was resolving these issues.
Kenzo's earlier shadow clone was still inside.
———
Inside, the senior guards were looking left and right, still trying to find the culprit in a small formation.
All of their guards alert to the fullest.
Sweat soaked their clothes from the fire and the tension still lingering in the air.
One of the guards shifted his stance slightly, and barked in a loud and rebuking manner toward the guard who had just vomited and was still heaving violently on the ground.
"What the f*ck are you doing there on the ground"
"Go and fetch some water"
Upon hearing the loud piercing voice of the senior guard.
The young guard hurriedly tried to stand, his legs still shaking.
His gaze shifted to the senior guard, a tall and broad man with a hardened expression, gripping a slightly blood-stained katana tightly in his hand.
For a brief moment a sense of safety enveloped his heart.
Like a child clinging to the shadow of a protector.
Until, his gaze shifted slightly behind him.
There, an oni masked person with three tomoe stood like a guillotine about to descend.
The young guard's eyes widened in complete horror.
And right in front of him.
The senior guard who just called out to him had his entire head grabbed with one large hand and the other hand of the person firmly clamped down on the senior guard's shoulder.
Keeping him firmly in place.
And finally, with terrifying force, with his bare hands, in a single motion he tore apart the man's head from the shoulder neck area.
Blood and torn flesh, along with strands of muscle, veins, and the ruptured esophagus and windpipe, burst outward in a violent spray, snapping and tearing like wet ropes being ripped apart, thick arterial blood gushing out in pulsing waves, splattering across the ground and walls in heavy, uneven arcs.
All of this happened in a matter of seconds.
Giving others no time to react.
And before they could even make a move, a fierce almost tangible killing intent hit them like a collapsing mountain crushing down on their bodies.
Freezing all of them in place.
"Hey now, don't be too hasty"
A calm and somewhat playful voice drifted in the air.
But under Kenzo's primal killing intent, the voice felt colder than a demon's voice to all the guards at this moment.
They just stood there like lambs ready to be devoured.
Completely hopeless.
At the meantime Kenzo while saying that, brought the head he speared closer to him and put it atop his own head with his right hand.
Blood still leaking from the head, fresh and dark red, falling on Kenzo's own head in large amounts.
Kenzo closed his eyes slightly enjoying the warm sensation of the still fresh blood.
He wouldn't have done this if it was his main body.
After all, covered in blood might look intimidating but in actuality is a huge disadvantage in a fight.
The scent alone can compromise his location, let alone the other disadvantages such as reduced grip, impaired vision, and making his movements more predictable due to the weight and stickiness of the blood.
So naturally he only did this because he was currently a shadow clone.
A few moments passed by like a phantom for Kenzo.
But to the others present each moment felt like an eternity.
The young guard had already committed suicide, unable to withstand the killing intent, his body lying in a pool of his own blood while the others had gone deathly pale, all vitality drained from their faces.
All that remained were men too terrified out of their wits.
Finally, Kenzo opened his eyes, they looked more gentler, almost soothed.
If not for his current appearance anyone would think he is a kind and gentle man at first glance, disregarding the Sharingan of course.
"Thank you really!!"
Kenzo said in a soft and grateful voice.
"If not for you offering yourself up on a platter"
"How could I grow so quickly ?"
Even though the mask covered his expression, they could tell, this masked person before them was truly grateful for some reason.
"Does that mean you will let us go"
One of the guards asked in a feeble and weak voice.
By now Kenzo had diminished his killing intent somewhat, finally allowing the guards to finally breathe.
"Of course not"
Kenzo replied in a matter of fact tone.
Like they were just talking about the weather.
On the other hand, the guard who had mustered the courage to ask lowered his head, his eyes losing all light completely, falling into despair.
He already knew he stood no chance against this kind of person.
No matter what they did, the final outcome would only be death.