Chapter 46: Nichirin Blade VS Kubikiribocho

"What are you kidding, this is also a sword technique?" Zabuza's eyes twitched violently, and he roared in disbelief. He hurriedly raised the Kubikiribocho in his hand, positioning it in front of him to brace against the incoming, overwhelming sword energy.

One slash! Two slashes... Three slashes…

Zabuza's face grew paler and paler. The tiger mouth grip on the Kubikiribocho was split open by the powerful sword energy's shock, and blood flowed from the wound. His arms, holding the blade, trembled uncontrollably.

The fourth slash descended!

Zabuza's face was utterly pale, bloodless. The terrifying sword energy directly struck him, sending him and his blade flying! Zabuza's body, flying uncontrollably, shattered the trunk of a large tree and continued to slide several meters before the blue sword energy finally dissipated. A straight, smooth ravine, seventeen or eighteen meters long, stretched from Ren's position to where Zabuza finally landed!

A total of four consecutive slashes, with each subsequent slash deadlier than the last. By the fourth slash, the sword energy boasted an attack range of seventeen or eighteen meters. To achieve such lethality with ninjutsu of the same level would require at least A-rank techniques! It was clear that the cutting power of Ren's "Breath of Water: Crashing Tide!" was enough to terrify Zabuza to his core!

"Although I've seen how superb Ren's swordsmanship is before, every time I witness it, I can't help but be shocked," Might Guy exclaimed after the fog dissipated, having naturally witnessed Ren's sword technique attacking Zabuza. He continued, "In addition to his unparalleled, treasure-level Nichirin Blade, Ren's own understanding of swordsmanship has also reached a very terrifying level. To cause such an exaggerated slash… Even the former Konoha's White Fang, Sakumo Hatake, was only comparable, right? It's truly hard to imagine that this is the result of his self-taught research."

After that single move sent Zabuza flying, Ren didn't immediately pursue the victory. Instead, he glanced at the Nichirin Blade in his hand. At its core, the Nichirin Blade was only a three-star weapon, and now he had developed it to such an extent that it could unleash power terrifying even to an elite Jōnin. Facing the Kubikiribocho, one of the famous blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Ren felt that the blade in his hand was, frankly, insignificant in comparison.

The tempering of swordsmanship and a martial artist's understanding of their blade were, of course, important. But a good quality blade was also a powerful addition to one's strength. Ren looked at the Nichirin Blade in his hand and couldn't help but say with emotion: "Three-star rank Nichirin Blades are already this strong. Then after I obtain the blueprint of a Zanpakutō and create a real Zanpakutō, how much stronger will I be?"

Thinking of this, Ren's heart surged with even greater anticipation. His gaze fell on the Kubikiribocho in Zabuza's hand in the distance. He then channeled chakra into the Light Boots on his feet. His speed suddenly doubled. He waved the Nichirin Blade in his hand and rushed towards Zabuza.

Zabuza was no longer in a panic. He knew that his blade skills were no match for the twelve-year-old boy in front of him. So he directly threw his Kubikiribocho aside, and placed his hands on his chest, rapidly forming hand seals.

At this time, Zabuza's figure was very disheveled. Although his body was already very strong, he had just been directly struck by Ren's sword energy and slammed into a large tree. His internal injuries were by no means light. The bandage tied to the lower half of his face was wet with coughed-up blood, printing a bright red mark.

However, he was worthy of his elite Jōnin-level strength, and the speed of his hand seals was still very fast. Even for a B-rank advanced Water Release ninjutsu, with twenty or thirty seals, he completed it in just three or four seconds. When Ren was about to reach him, Zabuza shouted: "Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu!"

He poured the massive chakra in his body, without restraint, into the surrounding water. The originally calm water surface suddenly surged with waves.

Go! Zabuza didn't hesitate; a violent tornado of water instantly erupted. A huge water dragon soared from it, roaring towards Ren from behind Zabuza.

"Breath of Water: Third Form – Flowing Dance!"

A crisp, low declaration resonated in the air. A white afterimage flashed through the air, passing by the roaring water dragon. His body moved with the sword; the sword flowed with the water. The previously sharp sword energy on Ren's Nichirin Blade instantly became soft, spiraling continuously in the air like a ribbon, wrapping around the surging water dragon. Ren danced with the water, taking steps, swinging his blade, and using this sword technique—Flowing Dance!

"Cut!"

With a low cry from Ren, the water dragon behind him was instantly strangled into several segments. It then transformed into a torrential rain, falling from the sky. After landing, a light-colored luster continuously flowed on the white Heavenly Feather robe on Ren's body. A few seconds later, there were no traces of being wet by the rain on his clothes

.

Looking at the dark pupils, so calm and deep, an unbelievable sense of fear grew in Zabuza's heart!

'What am I kidding myself? How could I be afraid of a kid who doesn't even have a ninja forehead protector?!' Zabuza dared not believe this. He was a Hidden Mist ninja ghost who emerged from the Bloody Mist era of the Hidden Mist Village. Were there still people in this world who could make him truly fear? Perhaps it was because the kid was too young. It might also be because the strength he displayed was too astonishing. He was like a walking human-shaped Tailed Beast, which made people have to fear him.

It seemed to be to prove himself and deny the fear he had just felt, Zabuza grasped his Kubikiribocho again with both hands and slashed towards Ren. "Go to hell!" Zabuza used all his strength and shouted viciously.

"It's useless, you are not my opponent." Ren's mouth curved into an indifferent smile; it seemed he had never truly considered Zabuza's strength from the very beginning. "In front of my swordsmanship, everything will be eclipsed!"

Ren returned the blade to its sheath and assumed the posture for drawing a sword. On the Light Boots on his feet, blue chakra flowed, continuously gathering on the soles of his feet.

"Breath of Water: First Form – Water Surface Slash!"

This was the most unpretentious technique in the Breath of Water. Ren's entire attention was focused on his own blade, and he unleashed this powerful move! Four or five years ago, Ren had used this technique to force Might Guy to activate the Eight Inner Gates when they fought. And after so many years of cultivation, Ren, whether in his swordsmanship or his raw strength, had long become incomparable, undergoing earth-shattering changes!

Crack!

At a speed almost invisible to the naked eye, Ren disappeared with the blue long sword in his hand. In the next second, he had appeared five meters behind Zabuza. Behind him, Zabuza's figure froze in place for a moment, with a dull expression on his face. The Kubikiribocho, held high in his hand, slid from his palm and fell to the ground, shattering in half.

A pfft!

Zabuza knelt to the ground on both knees. A column of blood, over a meter high, suddenly shot from his chest. A half-meter long blade mark, from his left shoulder to his right leg, had almost pierced through his entire body. Even his ribs were cut through. Even Tsunade, using the Creation Rebirth Jutsu, would not be able to survive such a fatal injury.

"It's over, Zabuza." Ren sheathed the Nichirin Blade in his hand. With his back to Zabuza, he said softly.