The "cremation package" was complete.
Ren wiped the sweat from his forehead, watching the roaring Dragon Fire Prison with a long, weary exhale. He was reaching his limit—both mentally and physically. Since yesterday morning, he hadn't had a single moment of real rest. From being blown awake by explosive tags to this high-intensity duel, his stamina and chakra were nearly depleted.
However, as he stared at the billowing black smoke, a thought nagged at him. Is that it? For a Tokubetsu Jonin and a sealing specialist, Moroi had felt... surprisingly manageable. Then again, Ren thought, Fire Style has always been the "Mercy Style." High impact, low kill count. Surely an elite wouldn't die just like that?
The sudden turn of events in Ren's sub-battlefield had caught the three heavyweights off guard—especially Uchiha Setsuna.
Truth be told, when Setsuna saw Ren push Seishiro away to hold the line alone, his heart had nearly leapt out of his throat. Ren had talent, yes, but he was facing a Jonin. When the barrier went up, Setsuna feared the worst.
Yet, in mere moments, the scales had tipped!
Setsuna, an expert in the Uchiha style, saw what a layman wouldn't: Ren hadn't just used jutsu; he had evolved them. By using wires to guide the Dragon Fire and integrating shuriken into the Phoenix Sage Fire, Ren had compressed two wide-range C-Rank techniques into a single, focused point of absolute destruction. It was an improvised A-Rank level attack.
With the wires tightened to razor-sharp precision, it was no different from dozens of katanas striking simultaneously.
This kid's combat intuition is terrifying, Setsuna thought, both impressed and slightly disturbed. He's using moves I just showed him with more creativity than people who've practiced them for years!
"Moroi!" Dodai cried out from the main battlefield, his eye wide with shock.
Ramii, the veteran, grabbed Dodai's shoulder to steady him. "Stay calm! Look closely—the barrier hasn't shattered yet. Moroi is still alive!"
Despite his words, Ramii's heart was heavy. Ren's assault had been too fast, too seamless. In the world of shinobi, speed was king. Even for an elite, reacting to such a relentless chain of attacks without being forced into a defensive "trade" was nearly impossible.
All three masters instinctively slowed their own exchange, their eyes flickering toward the duel barrier. A Genin's fight was now dictating the tempo of an entire strategic deployment.
Inside the barrier.
The black smoke swirled. The hundred razor-sharp wires under Ren's control were closing in to shred the center. It looked like a total victory.
But suddenly, Ren's expression changed. The "feel" of the wires was wrong. Instead of slicing through flesh, the wires hit a resistance that felt like a densely packed ball of yarn—the tighter they pulled, the thicker the resistance became.
From the heart of the inferno, a voice as cold as ice rang out:
"Kid... did you really think you'd won?"
A massive sealing formula erupted from the center of the flames. Ren's pupils shrank. He let go of the wires and immediately hurled eight more shuriken into the fire!
"Useless!" Moroi's voice was detached.
As he spoke, the fire began to fade. It wasn't just dying out; it was being sucked away, like water spiraling down a drain. Moroi was kneeling, one hand slammed onto a scroll on the ground.
"Fire Sealing Method! (Fūka Hōin)"
In an instant, the entire sea of flames was swallowed by the tiny scroll. As Ren's shuriken closed in, Moroi stood calmly, weaving a complex set of signs.
"Seal Binding Array!"
The same invisible force that had stopped the wires now deflected the shuriken. Moroi began to walk toward Ren, his fingers moving in a blur of seals. Ren felt a surge of danger and tried to leap back, but it was too late.
"Where do you think you're going?!" Moroi roared, slamming his palm into the earth.
"Thunder Kill Bind! (Raisatsu Baku)"
Electricity raced across the ground, forming a ring under Ren's feet. The kanji for 'Thunder' (雷) flared brightly. Four chains of pure lightning erupted, wrapping around Ren's limbs and pinning him in place.
The current surged through his body. Half of Ren's frame went numb instantly. Even opening his mouth to speak felt like trying to move a mountain.
"Hehe... anything left to say, kid?" Moroi sneered, drawing his katana. He used the tip of the blade to mockingly tilt Ren's chin upward. "You Uchiha love your flashy, useless tricks. Too bad for you, you met me."
Moroi's gaze turned murderous as he leveled the blade at Ren's throat. "Your little show ends here!"
Faced with certain death, Ren's face began to... twist.
He wanted to laugh. He wanted to howl with joy. Finally! A lethal strike! No smoke, no gimmicks, just a blade to the throat! He had to hold it in. If he laughed now, Moroi might get suspicious and miss.
The more he suppressed it, the more distorted his expression became. He looked up at Moroi with a gaze that was 70% mockery, 30% disdain, and 90% absolute, god-like calm.
Ren curled his lips into a smirk and let out a low, eerie chuckle.
"Is that so?"