This was not the effect of any Doton (Earth Release) ninjutsu—it was shattered purely by the overwhelming force infused into the hammer!
Previously, the potholes in the ground caused by Suiton (Water Release) techniques would briefly hold stagnant water before it seeped into the cracks and disappeared. But now, the battlefield told a different story. The earth, dyed a deep crimson, had become even more vivid—like flowers blooming amidst the ruins of war. Beneath them, countless corpses lay discarded like waste, and from their spilled blood, the dreaded Shura no Hana—the flowers of carnage—seemed to grow.
By now, nearly all of the enemies who ambushed Kazuki had been wiped out. Most had fallen at his hands alone. In fact, he had slain more enemies single-handedly than Sunflower, Haidao, and Ao combined!
The entire process had been nearly instantaneous. Kazuki had swept across the battlefield with unstoppable force, annihilating everything in his path.
Yet, despite the slaughter, one enemy still remained.
Kawasuke—the Jōnin who had initially struck down Qing—was the only survivor. Among his comrades, he had been the strongest, barely managing to evade the final swing of Kazuki's Kuroi Hō (Black Hammer). But even so, he had sustained severe internal injuries. Simply standing in place now was an immense struggle.
"You… who are you?" he asked weakly, his breath unsteady. There was a trace of defiance in his eyes.
He had fought countless battles and danced on the edge of death many times before, but now, he had been completely overwhelmed by a mere youth?
Kazuki smiled faintly and waved his hand nonchalantly.
"Me? Just an Anbu squad leader."
However, he saw the disbelief in Kawasuke's eyes. That answer clearly wasn't enough. A warrior like him wouldn't want to die with unanswered questions, with regret clouding his final moments.
So, Kazuki stepped closer, leaned in, and whispered:
"Perhaps, you'd be more interested in another name I go by… Kuroi Shinigami." (Black Death God)
"You… you… You're—!"
Kawasuke's eyes widened in horror. It was as if he had been plunged into a nightmare. His face turned deathly pale, his breath hitched, and his body trembled violently.
But before he could utter another word—
Tchkk!
Kazuki twisted his neck, ending his fear forever.
The battle was over.
And in that instant, the entire battlefield fell into an eerie silence.
Standing at a distance, Sunflower, Haidao, Ao, Shizune, and the Konoha scout—who had just finished tending to their wounds—were left utterly speechless.
They all stood there in a daze, as if their minds had momentarily shut down from shock.
After nearly half a minute, Sunflower finally spoke, her voice trembling.
"Haidao… what… what did you just see?"
Haidao exhaled sharply and answered, "I saw the captain take down all those enemies alone."
"You saw it too? That means… everything I just witnessed was real? I wasn't hallucinating or dreaming? The captain really took out every single enemy by himself?!" Sunflower cried out, her face filled with disbelief.
Qing gave a wry chuckle.
"We always knew the captain was strong… Someone who could defeat an entire Tenzō unit couldn't possibly be weak. But even so… we never expected him to be this terrifying!"
Haidao let out a helpless laugh and spat, "Damn it! I can't even imagine this! If someone had told me about it before today, I would've laughed in their face! But I just saw it happen with my own eyes! Even now, it feels like I'm dreaming!"
"My god… our captain is way too strong…"
Sunflower's tone was filled with admiration, her disbelief giving way to sheer awe. She had become a full-fledged fangirl of their captain, Kazuki.
Meanwhile, Shizune, who had silently observed the entire battle, remained quiet. However, within her heart, a storm of thoughts raged.
Since when… did Konoha have a genius ninja like this?
Her sharp eyes studied Kazuki carefully.
Something crucial stood out to her.
The ninja tools this young man had just used…
His overwhelming swordsmanship…
And above all—
That terrifying black hammer.
And those unusual boots that enhance his speed!
Everything about him is far from ordinary.
They significantly boost his overall strength.
Perhaps it's because he has been with Lady Tsunade for a long time.
When Shizune saw these treasures, she immediately thought of their value.
If these items were to be sold, they would be priceless ninja tools!
Who is this guy, really? How does he have so many rare and valuable ninja tools?
Even Sarutobi Asuma, her classmate at the Ninja Academy and the son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, wouldn't be able to afford such a collection.
Shizune's curiosity about this Anbu squad leader deepened.
"How is Tsunade-sama now? Has she overcome her hemophobia?" Kazuki asked as he approached Shizune.
"Lady Tsunade is fine," Shizune replied instinctively, but then she realized something was wrong. She quickly reacted, "Wait! How do you know about Lady Tsunade's hemophobia?"
Tsunade's fear of blood was one of her most guarded secrets.
Only a handful of people in the world knew about it.
If the wrong people found out and used it against her, Tsunade-sama would be in grave danger!
Shizune immediately became worried.
"It was obvious just now. Do you really think you can hide something like that?" Kazuki said dismissively.
He ignored Shizune's concern and walked straight to Tsunade.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"…Mm."
Tsunade's emotions had mostly settled.
"Can you still fight?" Kazuki pressed.
"Yes, but… I can't look at it… I'm sorry…"
Tsunade's voice was uncharacteristically soft—gone was the usual strong and fearless aura of Tsunade, the Legendary Sannin.
At this moment, she looked more like an ordinary woman, vulnerable and shaken.
"What if you close your eyes and don't look?" Kazuki suggested.
"If I close my eyes… I should be fine… but if blood splashes on me… I-I'm still scared…"
Tsunade hugged her knees, appearing completely defenseless.
"Trust me. I won't let a drop of blood touch you."
Kazuki placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, then took out a white cloth and gently covered her eyes. His tone became more serious.
"For the next battle, I need your help."
The next battle?
Everyone froze.
Hadn't they just finished a fight?
All the enemies were eliminated—no one was left alive.
What "next battle" was he talking about?
For their captain to be this wary… did that mean even he couldn't handle what was coming alone?
"Captain, what do you mean?"
Sunflower, the outspoken one, was the first to question Kazuki.
"Didn't you just wipe out all the enemies? What other fight is there?"
"Even if another enemy does show up, both Island and I have recovered our chakra. We can fight with you!"
"I can fight too! I may be a little injured, but it doesn't affect my control over my insects."
Qing pushed himself up from the ground, his tone unwavering.
After receiving medical ninjutsu, his wounds were no longer serious.
"No."
Kazuki shook his head, rejecting their offer without hesitation.
"The ones who ambushed us earlier were just small fry. They weren't the real masterminds behind that casino."
"The next battle is beyond your level. My only command to you is to stay away from the battlefield and protect yourselves."
Kazuki narrowed his eyes.
If his instincts were right…
He already knew who was truly pulling the strings behind that casino.
"Captain…"
Haidao, Qing, and Sunflower all felt a chill.
Just what kind of enemy would make even their powerful captain this cautious?
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