The Wind Sweeps Through

Boom

A kunai whizzed past the spot where Gen had been just a moment before and exploded in the air. At its end, it carried an explosive seal.

Flames devoured the surroundings, dissipating part of the thick mist and leaving a smoldering crater on the ground.

But Gen was no longer there. Thanks to his quick reflexes, he had moved out of the blast radius just in time, avoiding any damage.

'Fire Release • Phoenix Immortal Fire Technique'

He didn't waste a second. While still moving, his hands flew in a blur of seals, and in the blink of an eye, more than a dozen fireballs streaked through the air, shot in the direction from which the kunai had come.

Boom

Boom

Boom

The flames evaporated the mist. The fireballs flew into the distance, and their impact—whether against the ground or the trees—caused resounding explosions.

Swish

Suddenly, a silver flash appeared behind him. A sharp blade slid through the haze, lunging straight for his neck in a lethal slash.

Thanks to his keen sense of danger, Gen perceived the threat instantly. He ducked to avoid the blade and, at the same time, without losing momentum, spun on himself and launched a spinning kick.

His kick, infused with the Strength Jutsu, struck his attacker's legs with brutal force, instantly shattering both.

Splash

But instead of a scream of pain or the sound of bones breaking as they fell, the enemy's body crumbled into a burst of water.

A clone.

'Even the attacks are just clones…?'

Quickly retreating, Gen frowned in irritation.

The fact that his attacker turned out to be just a copy confirmed something important: his enemy wasn't just trying to block his escape but was hunting him with patience and strategy.

His sharp sense of danger allowed him to react just in time to each attack, but only once they had already manifested. That meant he was at a clear disadvantage.

And worse yet, if his enemy kept bombarding him with water clones, he had no effective way to counterattack.

There was only one solution: get rid of this damn mist.

'Wind Release: Great Breakthrough'

His hands flew, forming seals at a dizzying speed. As soon as he finished the sequence, a gale roared from his position, expanding like an uncontrollable tempest.

Although his primary affinity was Fire Style, he had learned jutsus from other elements thanks to the resources at his disposal. And what made Gen truly dangerous wasn't just his innate talent but his ability to assimilate jutsus after seeing them only a few times.

The "Great Breakthrough" was a low-level jutsu, but in his hands, the difference was abysmal.

Fshhh

The wind exploded brutally. The mist, soaked with chakra, resisted for a brief moment before being torn apart and violently dispersed. The ground trembled as the blast lifted clouds of dirt and dust, clearing everything in its path.

Gen had injected more chakra than necessary. He couldn't take any risks.

"Ahhh!"

"Get down, don't let the wind sweep you away!"

"Quick… hold on to each other!"

The merchants trapped in the area quickly felt the impact. Some were thrown to the ground by the violent gust, while others clung to one another, struggling not to be dragged away.

But within seconds, everything changed.

The mist had dissipated.

The battlefield was now completely exposed, and everyone could see clearly.

Swish

A sudden flash appeared, followed by a slash wrapped in swirling water.

The attack was heading straight for Gen.

As soon as the mist began to clear, he was already under attack.

The slash came from a diagonal angle behind him. The attacker, wielding a katana, was none other than Baishi.

Without hesitation, upon seeing his camouflage fade, he launched another deadly slash.

Slick

The water-coated blade cut through the air and struck Gen's waist without resistance.

"It can't be!"

But instead of the satisfaction of a perfect cut, Baishi's face twisted in horror, and without thinking, he immediately jumped back.

Puff

Gen's bisected body exploded into a cloud of white smoke.

A few meters away, a shadow emerged from the ground. In an instant, it lunged at Baishi, who was trying to retreat.

"Die!"

Gen shot toward him with a kick like a spear thrust with full fury.

Baishi had no time to react. His expression contorted into a mix of rage and panic as he watched it all unfold. In a desperate maneuver, he spun sharply and raised his katana, angling the blade in the hope of wounding Gen in the process.

Crack

Boom

In an instant, the kick collided with the edge of the sword. The chakra-reinforced blade barely managed to scrape the sole of Gen's shoe before giving in to the overwhelming force.

Without losing speed, the strike shattered Baishi's defense and sent him flying with crushing power.

"AGHHH!"

Baishi spat blood as his body was launched, crashing through trees as if they were mere twigs. The sheer force of the kick sent him flying over a hundred meters before slamming into the ground with a heavy thud.

!

The impact wrenched another spasm of pain from him, making him cough up more blood, his face twisting in agony.

That kick had not been a mere strike. He had felt the force of a monster slamming into his body, shaking him to the bones.

Even after reinforcing himself with chakra at the last moment, the damage was severe.

Not only did he have multiple fractures, but his internal organs had suffered such a brutal impact that every breath burned in his chest. He felt as if his entire body was on the verge of collapse, ready to break apart with any movement.

But staying down was not an option.

Despite the searing pain, the nausea, and the sweat soaking his skin, he clenched his teeth and forced his battered body to stand.

Boom

From the distance, a thunderous sound echoed.

Baishi barely had time to react before seeing a silhouette emerging at full speed from among the shattered trees, advancing without stopping.

It was Gen.

The boy didn't even slow down. Seeing Baishi stumble as he tried to get up, he simply reached into his tool pouch and, with a swift flick of his wrist, threw several shuriken.

Baishi saw the metallic gleam approaching. He tried to dodge, but his body wouldn't respond as he wanted. His agility was severely hindered by his injuries.

He managed to avoid most of them, but one shuriken found its mark.

That shuriken, infused with chakra, pierced through his flesh with ease, leaving a hole.

"Aaaargh!"

A strangled groan escaped his lips as his body lost balance. His legs gave out, and he collapsed heavily to the side.

________

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