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"What… what kind of monster is this?!"
Shikaku's face darkened.
"We fought so hard to pin him down, just to make sure Choza could land that hit!"
"And this is the result? What was the point of all that struggle?!"
Bang!
Shikaku slammed his fist into the ground, frustration written all over him.
"Honestly? After all that effort to lock me down, I thought you were setting up something impressive," Akira said with a dismissive click of his tongue. "That's it? You had me expecting more."
"Bastard! Don't look down on us!"
Enraged by the expression on Akira's face, Choza drew back a massive fist and smashed it down toward him.
Boom!
The blow cratered the earth, cracks spiderwebbing outward for hundreds of meters.
"Too slow."
Akira was already standing on top of Choza's head.
"Get off my head, you brat!"
Choza tried to swat him away.
Before he could move—
His feet left the ground.
The world flipped upside down.
Akira had grabbed him by the hair.
And with nothing but raw, absurd strength—
He lifted the hundred-meter giant clean off the earth.
The battlefield fell silent.
"What the hell is that thing…?"
Some of the Konoha ninja looked completely shattered.
"Smash!"
Akira's muscles bulged as he roared.
Like someone being hurled in a brutal over-the-shoulder throw, the hundred-meter-tall Akimichi Chōza was slammed violently in one direction.
"Move! Move! It's coming down over here!"
Someone spotted the massive shadow overhead and shouted a warning at the top of their lungs.
Boom!!!
Chōza crashed into the ground with devastating force. It felt like a magnitude ten earthquake had struck. Countless buildings were crushed into powder beneath him.
Moments later, drained of chakra, he shrank back to his normal size. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out cold.
Akira stood with his arms folded atop the tallest remaining rooftop, looking down at everyone below. His gaze was arrogant, almost bored.
He had just opened his mouth, ready to toss out a smug "Anyone else?" to boost the vibe—
When a bold, booming woman's voice cut in.
"Don't get cocky! You think brute strength lets you do whatever you want? I'll show you what it feels like to be torn apart!"
"Kuromaru, let's go!"
"Woof!"
—Fang Passing Fang!
In the next instant, Inuzuka Tsume and Kuromaru leapt into action. Their bodies straightened and began spinning at high speed like upright drills, transforming into twin whirlwinds sharp enough to shred anything in their path as they tore toward Akira.
The one leading the charge was none other than the head of the Inuzuka clan. Wild, feral energy radiated from her every movement. Kiba's mother.
"Tch. The Inuzuka too? Konoha really does collect secret techniques like trading cards. One after another."
Akira clicked his tongue, annoyed that someone had interrupted his moment.
He moved first.
His figure vanished from the rooftop. When he reappeared, he was already between the two spinning vortexes.
A casual punch. A lazy kick.
Bang. Bang.
Both woman and dog spat blood and were sent flying. They weren't even close to being his match.
Shh-shh-shh-shh—
He had just landed when a dense rustling sound rose behind him.
He turned.
An ocean of insects filled his vision.
There were so many that they blotted out the sky, like a living black storm cloud descending straight at him. Behind the swarm stood over a dozen Aburame clan shinobi, wrapped from head to toe.
"No matter how strong you are. No matter how tough your defenses."
"In front of the insects, none of it matters."
"Because they'll devour you until not even scraps remain. Repent, invader."
—Secret Technique: Parasitic Destruction Bugs!
Aburame Shibi lifted a hand. The Kikaichū swarmed forward in a frenzy, flooding toward Akira.
Akira formed hand seals.
It wasn't that he feared they could break his defenses.
He just didn't want to experience being covered head to toe in crawling bugs. Hard pass.
—Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
He exhaled.
A massive dragon made of flame burst into existence.
It gave a silent roar and surged straight into the sea of insects. The blazing dragon moved with eerie precision, twisting and circling through the air as if it had a will of its own. Wherever the insects gathered, it followed.
Flames roared.
Countless Kikaichū were incinerated instantly, burned to nothing but ash.
In just a few breaths, the entire swarm was gone.
"H-how is this possible? The insects… wiped out completely?!"
Shibi's face darkened.
The blazing dragon turned its gaze on them.
Wrapped in searing heat and roaring air currents, it charged straight at the Aburame shinobi.
"What?!"
Without their insects, they had no way to withstand an attack of that level.
Damn it. I shouldn't have brought the clan out front.
Regret flickered through Shibi's mind.
Just as despair began to settle—
Crash!
A massive wall of water erupted into existence before them.
—Water Release: Water Formation Wall!
Boom!!
The fire dragon slammed into the water barrier.
Under the scorching heat, huge volumes of water evaporated instantly, turning into thick white steam.
When the mist cleared, Shibi saw who had stepped in.
He froze, then bowed immediately, shame and relief mixing on his face.
"Th-Third Hokage! This is my failure. I forced you to step in personally. I am deeply ashamed."
"It's nothing," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a calm wave of his hand, righteousness written across his face. "As Hokage, I will never stand by while my comrades are in danger."
He paused, then added gently, "You've all done your best. Do not blame yourselves."
"I-I'm sorry, Third Hokage!"
The Aburame shinobi felt even more ashamed. Their leader had to step in because they couldn't handle it. That stung.
And yet, their respect for him deepened.
This was the Third. The leader they trusted. The Hokage they revered.
"All right. Withdraw," Hiruzen instructed, gesturing for them to fall back. "Your opponent is far too strong."
The Aburame retreated.
Around them, Konoha's shinobi erupted in excitement at the sight of the Third stepping onto the battlefield.
"It's the Third! He's stepping in himself!"
"Teach that arrogant bastard a lesson, Lord Third! Don't hold back!"
"I believe in him, but… what if he's not a match? That guy's strength is insane."
"Shut up! Doubting the Third Hokage? He's the strongest Hokage in history! He could beat that punk with one hand!"
Voices rose like crashing waves.
Hiruzen's expression stiffened ever so slightly.
Because he hadn't stepped forward to fight.
"Sir," he said, looking at Akira, his voice low and steady. "This ends here."
"You've injured many of our comrades. Whatever grudge you have with Elder Danzō, that debt should now be settled."
"There is no point in continuing this battle. I ask that you leave Konoha at once. As for what has happened today… I will consider it as if it never occurred."
He spoke evenly.
In short, he didn't want to fight.
To be precise, after witnessing Akira's strength firsthand, he had chosen to back down.
From what he'd seen, even if he fought personally, the outcome would likely be defeat.
If he fought, he would lose face again.
If he didn't fight, he wouldn't lose.
Simple math.
Besides, Akira had tossed Danzō aside before the battle escalated. Konoha's forces had already recovered him safely.
The scapegoat was secure. The objective of their intervention had been achieved.
There was no reason to pile up more casualties against a monster like this.
The battle should end here.
That was Hiruzen's conclusion.
Yes, being slapped in public had burned his pride. For a moment, he'd wanted nothing more than to tear the culprit to pieces.
But once he calmed down… strength was strength.
In the shinobi world, the biggest fist made the rules.
They didn't call him "The Professor" for nothing. The key word was endurance.
Cloud once kidnapped Hinata, failed, then had the nerve to threaten Konoha for killing their own shinobi.
You endure. You swallow it.
That's how you survive.
Yet the moment Hiruzen proposed ending the fight, before Akira even reacted, the surrounding Konoha shinobi exploded.
"What?! The Third wants to let him go?"
"He injured so many of us! Why should he walk away?"
"He slapped you earlier, Lord Third! You're just going to take that?"
"Or are you afraid? Is the so-called strongest Hokage actually no match for him?"
"…!"
Hiruzen drew in a slow breath.
Then he barked sharply, "Enough!"
His expression darkened.
"I have my reasons."
"From my observation, this man's strength is formidable. Perhaps only slightly below my own."
"To subdue such an opponent would not be easy."
"If we fight at full force, the battle will tear heaven and earth apart."
"The aftershocks alone would destroy more of Konoha and endanger even more civilians."
His voice rose, growing impassioned.
"For Konoha. For its countless citizens. For all of you. The humiliation I suffered is insignificant!"
By the time he finished, quite a few shinobi had tears in their eyes.
"S-so that's why. We misunderstood you, Lord Third."
"You're not backing down because you're weaker. You're compromising for Konoha's sake…"
"Truly our great Hokage. Always putting the village first. We're the ones who wronged you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the scene unfold and gave a quiet nod.
Just like that, Danzo had been saved, his own dignity was intact, and he'd even managed to earn himself a nice bump in public approval.
Three birds with one stone.
Perfect.
Then he turned to Akira, his expression sharpening.
"Sir, I believe you've seen my sincerity. I'd ask that you leave Konoha at once and refrain from interfering in our village's affairs."
Akira let out a low chuckle.
"Sincerity? I didn't see any. All I saw was an old turtle flapping his gums in front of me."
He tilted his head, eyes full of mockery.
"So this is the strongest Hokage in history? Gets slapped in the face and still swallows it? I'm dying here. Seriously."
Not even a shred of respect.
Hiruzen's face darkened almost instantly.
He hadn't expected this level of insolence. He, the Hokage, had already lowered himself—and still this man wouldn't give an inch.
Arrogant didn't even begin to cover it.
If he weren't painfully aware he couldn't win, he would've struck already instead of standing there biting his tongue.
"You want a ceasefire? Fine," Akira said, folding his arms, chin raised. "Hand over my spoils."
"Your… spoils?" Hiruzen frowned.
"Oh, you know. That mangy dog Danzo. He's mine."
His tone was casual. Matter-of-fact.
A truce was possible. Letting Danzo go wasn't.
Hiruzen's expression sank even further.
He'd only agreed to halt the fighting because Danzo was safe. And now this man wanted him handed over again? It was a blatant slap to his face.
Granted, he'd already been slapped once.
"Not giving him?" Akira sneered. "Fine. I'll just take him back myself."
He stepped down hard, launching onto the rooftop of a tall building in a blur.
His gaze swept across the village.
"There you are."
A grin tugged at his lips as he dove toward a distant corner.
Below, two medical-nin were frantically treating Danzo's wounds.
"Enough!"
Hiruzen's patience snapped.
"I gave you respect. That doesn't mean you get to run wild. Do you really think I'm that easy to bully?"
He bit his thumb and rapidly formed hand seals.
Bang!
A cloud of white smoke burst into the air.
When it cleared, a white-haired monkey stood beside him.
"Hiruzen. Long time no see. What, ran into someone troublesome?"
Enma scratched his chin as he spoke.
"No time for greetings," Hiruzen said sharply. "Transform. I need your strength."
"Got it."
Another bang.
Enma's body shifted, hardened, elongated—becoming a black staff capped in gold at both ends.
"Extend!"
Hiruzen roared, gripping the Adamantine Staff with both hands and swinging with full force.
Boom!
The staff stretched and thickened instantly, smashing into Akira midair and sending him crashing into a building.
The impact split the structure in two. Wood and debris exploded outward in all directions.
The ground shook violently. Nearby houses collapsed one after another.
One strike had reshaped the battlefield.
For a heartbeat, the Konoha shinobi stood frozen in shock.
Then they erupted.
"That was insane! No wonder he's the strongest Hokage in history. I'm standing this far away and I still felt that!"
"Serves him right! The Third's finally serious. Let's see him act cocky now!"
"Didn't know when to quit. Now he's learned."
"Hah! That kid's probably paste by now!"
…
A low, amused voice cut through the cheers.
"Not bad. Old man, that almost tickled."
Every head turned.
Akira rolled his neck as he stepped out through the gaping hole in the ruined building, completely unscathed.
Not even a scratch.
Hiruzen's heart sank.
Even the Adamantine Staff couldn't break his defense.
This man was a monster.
"..."
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