Summit Enlightenment

Outskirts of the Rain Village.

As the air cleared in the battlefield, Margaret landed amidst the wreckage. She suddenly gasped as she stared in disbelief.

There stood Arthur with his figure silhouetted against the smouldering remains. His clothes were tattered, and his skin was marred with multiple wounds that gradually began healing themselves.

"H… How?" she whispered to herself. "Did that stupid sword actually match the powers of my sage-enhanced Kirin?!"

The thought seemed impossible. No normal sword could withstand and survive the might of such a technique.

She gritted her teeth, and her frustration boiled over as she stared him down. The unknown, stoic figure before her was a perplexing anomaly, a force she had never expected to meet.

How could someone like him, some faceless opponent, stand on equal footing with her?

The anger mounted within her to unprecedented levels like an inferno that burned with intensity. Yet Arthur remained calm and simply began brushing off the dust left behind on his shoulder.

Because of that, her rage surged and she felt it deep within. It unfurled like a dark flower blooming in the depths of her spirit. Her Sage Chakra then spiked and escalated higher and higher until her hair stood on end.

"I didn't think someone like you existed," she declared with defiance. "I might seem angry, but that's just who I am…"

In that moment, she underwent an incredible transformation. A viscous, slime-like substance began to seep from her pores and changed her crimson hair into a dark, semi-transparent mass that gave her the appearance of being drenched in blood as black tribal marks appeared on her face.

It wasn't just a visual shift; it was as if the very essence of her Sage Chakra was pouring out of her, showcasing her true power.

Arthur had never seen anything like it. This wasn't just a custom Sage Mode; this was Margaret's "True Sage Mode," a form that radiated an aura of untamable wrath and unyielding raw energy.

He could now sense the potency in the air like a wave of destruction emanating from her as she finished, "… and I'm gonna do everything I can to bring you down!"

With utter calm, he said, "Well, Margaret, come at me then…"

Screaming, she channeled her chakra into one of this world's most devastating techniques: "Sage art: wood style: true thousand hands!"

From the very ground, a colossal, many-handed wooden statue burst forth. Hands erupted from its back in countless concentric layers, each one positioned perfectly, as if poised to strike.

The statue's two main hands then clasped together in prayer and embodied the power bestowed upon her through her gifted training.

Arthur was immediately forced on the defensive and ran back as the sheer magnitude of her technique loomed over him. He felt the pressure of her incredible chakra and the overwhelming force concentrated in that titanic statue.

Then it happened: "Summit enlightenment!"

All the hands of the statue were summoned as its many limbs began to slam toward Arthur with destructive force—a relentless barrage that ensured each punch had the potential to obliterate him.

He moved swiftly, diving to the side, but with the sheer volume of attacks coming at him, it was almost impossible to evade them all.

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!

As the first few fists connected with the ground around him, explosions of earth and debris flew into the air, obscuring his vision and sending shockwaves rippling through the ground.

'She's… strong.'

Arthur's stoic expression remained unbroken as he drew the Blade Of Chaos.

With blinding speed, he began to enhance the blade, transforming it multiple times as it morphed between various elements—flame, ice, lightning—each new form amplifying its own destructive potential.

Shing-shing-shing!

The blade carved through the onslaught of wooden limbs, splintering them as they collided against his swinging blade. It was him against the countless digits of the statue, and even as he began to whittle down its strength, Margaret was persistent.

"Have some more!" she screamed.

Unexpectedly, she struck him by unleashing more fists that sent him crashing through the very ground.

Dust and debris swirled around like a storm as his Blade Of Chaos went spiraling in the air before impaling the floor. Then Margaret's triumphant roar echoed, "I did it! I finally killed him!"

But as the dust settled, Arthur emerged—unfazed, unbroken—as if he were a titan among mortals.

"I see no one ever taught you manners, little girl," he said with a tone devoid of mirth.

Margaret's heart pounded in her chest. How was that possible? There was no apparent way for anyone in this world to withstand one of her most deadly techniques like that.

No, it just couldn't be!

Naruto Uzumaki, despite his immense power, had notable weaknesses. His strong emotional ties to friends and allies often left him vulnerable to manipulation. Sasuke Uchiha also faced weaknesses. His overconfidence sometimes led him to underestimate opponents, which resulted in costly mistakes.

Even Hashirama Senju had unique vulnerabilities as well. Though powerful, he faced physical limitations that made him eventually susceptible to injuries. And his focus on wood style left him open to being outmaneuvered by more versatile opponents.

But what annoyed Margaret the most was that not even Madara Uchiha was as indestructible as Arthur Bennett!

"What's the matter?" Arthur said, looking up at her. "Never faced someone on your level?"

Margaret stubbornly held onto her resolve and began cursing at him from the top of her lungs. But he wasn't listening.

Instead, he reached into his pocket and extracted a rainbow-coloured chakra pill.

Without hesitation, he bit down on it, and the potent chakra coursed through him instantly. In that same moment, a pulse rippled through the air like a call to arms.

"What was that…?" Margaret squinted in bewilderment.

Then it began.

Arthur's chakra surged to unprecedented levels. It exploded outward, punctuated by an ethereal yellow aura that enveloped him. On his back, magnificent angelic wings materialized with golden feathers that shone as if spun from pure light.

But the transformation didn't stop there.

Flashes of chakra engulfed him that coiled into spirals of light. Two black streaks then appeared down his face, and his hair shifted from jet black to silvery white.

The changes were monumental—a visual demonstration of the raw power he had been harnessing since the beginning. This was his fusion of his Simian Sage Mode and Angelic Mode!

Margaret was dumbfounded; she couldn't even speak as Arthur stood tall and resolute—a figure eclipsed in grandeur. He had done it; he had once again transcended his limits and proved to everyone that he was by no means a pushover.

"How about it, Margaret? Let's go…"

It took a slight moment for her to respond. Who could blame her when this was an overwhelming force she hadn't ever expected?

"I refuse to lose to some nobody!" she roared while summoning all the natural energy at her disposal.

With a flick of his wrist, the Blade Of Chaos flew right back into Arthur's hand.

While the transformation was amazing to look upon, it was seeing that weapon that sent chills down her spine. Her face nearly dropped as she defiantly shouted, "Have another, you freak! Sage art: multi-wood dragon jutsu!"

Seven colossal wooden dragons then erupted from the massive statue. Just their sounds were powerful enough to make a man deaf. With their snarling heads poised to strike, they each swooped downwards at Arthur.

Arthur took a few quick hops before bursting into the sky with the grace of a hawk!

He twisted and spun through the air while skillfully darting between the gnashing jaws of three dragons converging on him. A fourth dragon then charged in, opening its mouth wide to consume him whole.

"Not today…" he said, charging his weapon with flames and electricity.

With a deft swipe of the Blade of Chaos, he unleashed a wave of scorching flames mixed with crackling electrical Sage Chakra that sliced through the dragon's snout and tore it apart as its body disintegrated in a shower of splintering wood and embers.

Margaret snickered in disbelief as she challenged, "You think that's going to stop me?!"

Undeterred, she summoned even more dragons from her titanic wooden statue. The dark skies above them were now filled with writhing serpents of wood—each one eager to devour its target.

Arthur, undaunted, flew in their direction and began weaving in the sky like a fighter jet.

He managed to land on one of the fickle creatures before stabilizing himself atop its massive cranium. As he thrust the Blade Of Chaos down, he impaled it directly through the head and ran toward the tail, creating lines of molten magma to trail behind him.

Flying off, another dragon threatened to wrap around him. But in a dazzling display, he tapped on his hilt, sending black ice shards that caused the creature to spiral out of the air.

"You're not going to win this!" Margaret cried.

Yet he could hear the panic in her voice.

Just as he prepared to confront the next few dragons, one was bold enough to charge right at him. He thrust his blade and struck it once, causing it to freeze in place.

A second dragon dared to consume him. By spinning his sword once, several large, sapphire-like chakra rods impaled that dragon from multiple angles.

Then a third dragon menacingly snaked its way forward and attempted to coil around him like a serpent ensnaring its prey. But Arthur had anticipated its approach.

With his wings, he slipped right through it while carving down its spine. When Margaret looked, she noticed that the dragon wasn't cut; it was sealed with transparent paper bombs!

Immediately after, Arthur skidded back to the crater. He then gracefully spun his weapon, saying, "You're too easy…" And with one dramatic swipe, all three dragons simultaneously detonated into a spectacular blast mixed with snow, lightning, and magma that painted the sky with bursts of fiery brilliance.

The impact echoed for miles, causing a shockwave to ripple outward while sending debris scattering into the air. The remaining trees around them contorted and buckled under the force as their trunks sheared clean from the ground like arrows.

Margaret could not believe what she was witnessing.

Before things could fully clear, Arthur zipped through her defenses with his blade slicing the air. She quickly ducked back, narrowly evading the first few strikes.

"Dance for me, Margaret…"

The tension was amplified as he swung and pushed her closer to the edge of her own statue. Each swing sent wind rushing from the weapon that was inches from her cheeks.

But then, in a brutal motion, Arthur caught her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. The world spun for a moment as he then hurled her against the wall of the statue.

She crashed so hard that the impact vibrated all throughout her body.

But she was quick to act. Not willing to give in, she flipped herself upright and started climbing to the side of her statue's massive form.

Just as she gained some height, Arthur's hand shot out and seized her leg. Then he dragged her back down and pinned her head against the floor.

"Let's see you dodge this…" he said as he raised his other arm. 'Sage art: water dragon jutsu...'

When three serpentine heads made of swirling water formed in his palms, he slammed the attack into her, sending shockwaves through the statue.

Massive debris exploded outward as clouds of dust and wood flew in every direction.

Margaret was suddenly seen launched into the air; she was now flying—flying to get away.

She felt the sting of wounds from the attack, but even as they began to heal, the pain lingered, etched into her expression.

As she reached a suitable height, she quickly scanned the area, looking for Arthur.

'Sage art: surface slice…'

To her dismay, she spotted crescent-shaped water projectiles hurtling her way.

Instinct kicked in. She spun in mid-air and dodged one projectile just as another three rushed toward her. So she twisted and evaded to weave through the oncoming projectiles with remarkable agility.

But then, just as she let out a breath of relief, Arthur materialized behind her.

His presence loomed as he chopped his hand down on her back, which forcefully sent her crashing back toward the statue.

When she recovered, her face was filled with confusion. She just didn't understand it. How could someone be so powerful?!