Power

Akuma took a deep breath, steadying himself. The searing intensity within him gradually waned, and as it did, the crimson glow in his eyes flickered before vanishing entirely. His irises returned to their original deep black, and the sharp fangs that had emerged in his moment of bloodlust receded as if they had never existed. 

Yet, one thing remained unchanged—his hair. It was still red, though not the blazing, violent crimson from before. Instead, it had settled into a darker, richer shade, as if permanently branded by the power that had awakened within him. 

Satsui no Hado—the Surge of Killing Intent. 

It was not mere anger or mindless rage. It was something deeper, something primal—the very essence of conflict itself. A power born from the darkest instincts of human nature, from the relentless will to survive, to conquer, to impose dominance through sheer destruction. 

Those who embraced Satsui no Hado without a strong mind or discipline became nothing more than mindless monsters, beings consumed by an endless thirst for battle. The more one used it, the more it corrupted them, eroding their sanity and will until all that remained was an instinct-driven beast that knew nothing but conflict. 

But for those who could control it, for those with the discipline, strength, and will to harness its power, the rewards were immense. 

Their strength, speed, and resilience would rise beyond mortal limits, making them nearly unstoppable. They would transcend human limitations, achieving a level of power that few could ever dream of. 

But at a cost. 

Even those who mastered it would find themselves changed. They would lose what made them human, both physically and mentally. Their bodies and minds would be reshaped by the power, twisted by its relentless influence. 

Compassion, warmth, and the simple joys of life—all would erode under its weight. The wielder would develop a cold detachment from the world, seeing existence as nothing more than a battlefield. The desire to fight and destroy would consume them, leaving behind only an insatiable hunger for battle—one that could never be satisfied. 

If a person continued using this power without restraint, it would permanently transform them into a monster, never to return to human form again. 

For some, it was an addiction. For others, a curse. 

And now, Akuma had tasted it. 

A storm of thoughts swirled in his mind. If he continued using Satsui no Hado, would he lose himself? Would he become nothing more than a beast who lived to fight? 

He knew the fate of Akuma from Street Fighter—a warrior who had spent decades mastering this power through relentless training, meditation, and discipline. Yet even he had never fully tamed Satsui no Hado. It had changed him, twisted him, made him forsake everything except the path of battle. 

But Akuma… he had none of that discipline, none of that control. 

If he continued to use this power, if he allowed it to consume him for too long, would he become nothing more than a mindless beast? A monster who lived only to fight? 

And yet… when he unleashed Satsui no Hado, he remained in control. He saw clearly, thought rationally—he was not consumed by the power. 

Then, like a flash of lightning, realization struck him. 

The Clothes of Perfection. 

The World Item that granted him perfect immunity to all mental attacks. 

A slow grin crept across his face. Then it widened, twisting into something far more sinister. 

He understood now. 

He had nothing to fear. 

Unlike others who had been devoured by Satsui no Hado, he was immune to its corruption. The power that should have drowned him in bloodlust, that should have shattered his mind, had no hold over him. 

And if that was true… 

Then there were no limits. 

A low chuckle escaped his lips. Then another. And another. 

Soon, he was laughing a deep, wicked laugh that echoed through the silent forest. 

Because now, he had found a way. 

A way to crush the Five Great Hidden Villages. 

The dark emotions and suppressed anger within him—he let them go, feeding them to Satsui no Hado. He allowed it to consume him. 

The moment he surrendered to the power, his once-black eyes turned a glowing crimson red, shining ominously in the darkness. His hair followed, shifting into a blazing red hue, while his skin darkened, resembling the fearsome transformation of Akuma from Street Fighter. 

His fangs returned sharper than before deadly weapons born from the sheer intensity of his awakening. Akuma could feel the immense surge of strength coursing through him, and yet, his mind remained untouched. He was not losing control. 

This confirmed his belief. 

But just as he began to realize the full extent of his newfound power, agony struck. 

"AAAARGHHH!!!" Akuma yelled out loud because of the pain. 

A searing, unbearable pain exploded throughout his entire body, so overwhelming that he nearly blacked out. Every muscle tore apart, every bone cracked and splintered under the crushing weight of the power. His body was simply not strong enough to withstand the full force of Satsui no Hado. 

If he didn't stop it now, it would kill him. 

Desperately, he tried to suppress the power, to calm himself—but the pain was too great. It kept growing, intensifying with every passing second as his body continued to tear itself apart. His bones threatened to snap under the immense strain, and his consciousness wavered. 

The last thing he saw was the river nearby, shimmering under the moonlight— 

Then, everything went black. 

Akuma passed out from the unbearable pain. 

When Akuma woke up, he saw that the sun had risen. He was back to his normal self, except for his hair, which was still red—much redder than before. Despite this, his body still ached, the pain lingering throughout his form. Though it had lessened considerably, the agony was far from gone. Thankfully, due to his 90% recovery, he was able to move without being bedridden for weeks. 

At that moment, he made a mental note to never fully allow Satsui no Hado to consume him again. Even though it granted immense power, strength, and durability, his body simply couldn't handle that much force. Much like Akuma from Street Fighter, he needed to train his body to handle that power. If not, he would die from just using it. 

Right now, his body was still too weak and releasing that much power without any limitations was far too dangerous. It was like pouring the water of a dam into a glass no matter how strong the glass was, it could never contain that amount of water or pressure without breaking. 

Even though he wasn't affected by the corruption of Satsui no Hado, he was still affected by its overwhelming power. With that realization, he made a firm vow to himself: he would train his body to handle that power and use it in limitation, just like Akuma from Street Fighter had done. 

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If we reach 100 stones, I'll reward you all with a bonus chapter!