The pupils of the five Kusa-nin dilated as they scattered in all directions.
"Ah!!" One Kusa-nin failed to retreat in time and was torn apart by Sasuke's sudden strike.
"There's something wrong with this kid! Kill him now!" another Kusa-nin shouted to the remaining four after witnessing Sasuke's formidable power.
"Damn brat! I'll kill you myself!" the injured Kusa-nin roared. His arm had been torn off. Without it, he couldn't weave hand seals. He was now worthless. Even if he killed the child in front of him, he wouldn't make it back alive.
The wounded ninja charged toward Sasuke in a desperate assault.
"Idiot! Don't rush in! Long-range jutsu—blast him to bits!" the team leader barked.
"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"
"Fūton: Daitoppa!"
"Raiton: Raikyū!"
"Doton: Ganchūsō!"
Four chakra natures—fire, wind, lightning, and earth—erupted in unison, unleashing a coordinated C-rank assault that engulfed both Sasuke and the berserker Kusa-nin.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū!"
("Way of Binding #81: Splitting Void!")
Sasuke calmly incanted. A massive translucent barrier burst forth, erecting itself just in time to absorb the full force of the oncoming combination ninjutsu.
BOOM!!!
"AAAGHHHH!!"
The Kusa-nin caught in the blast screamed in agony as his body warped and was consumed by the elemental surge.
Dust and smoke choked the clearing. The four remaining Kusa-nin squinted into the haze.
"Is he dead?" one asked, wary.
"Under that much firepower? No way he's still alive," another muttered. But then his expression changed. "Quick! We need to find something that proves that brat's identity, or we're screwed when we return!"
He ran into the swirling cloud of debris.
"Hadō #4: Byakurai."
("Way of Destruction #4: Pale Lightning.")
A cold voice pierced the smoke. A flash of white lightning lanced forward, puncturing the Kusa-nin's side. Though not fatal, the electric shock paralyzed him on the spot.
What?!
His eyes widened as Sasuke emerged from the smoke, barely touched by dust. His cloak fluttered in the fading blast wind.
All four remaining Kusa-nin stared in disbelief. How did he survive that? That jutsu should've obliterated him.
Sasuke didn't bother explaining.
"Hadō #31: Shakkahō."
("Way of Destruction #31: Red Fire Cannon.")
A red orb of flame surged from Sasuke's palm, aimed at the paralyzed Kusa-nin's chest. The Kido's force wasn't overwhelming, but it was more than enough to burn through flesh and bone.
As the sphere flew, the Kusa-nin's pride ignited in defiance.
Veins bulged in his neck, his face twisted with rage, and he broke the paralysis through sheer will.
"You're mocking me?! You Uchiha punk!"
His speed suddenly exploded as he dodged the red orb, flashing forward in an instant.
"I'm a Jōnin!!"
He spun and delivered a brutal side kick. Sasuke reacted too late and blocked with his arms.
Bang!
The force hurled Sasuke backward.
"And I specialize in taijutsu!" the Kusa-nin declared with a grin.
Seeing this, the remaining three Kusa-nin threw kunai and shuriken at the airborne Uchiha.
"Hmph, let's see you dodge this in midair!"
But instead of falling, Sasuke hovered—standing as if the air beneath him were solid. A faint ripple of spiritual energy shimmered at his feet.
What… the hell?
All four Kusa-nin were stunned. Techniques like this… only Iwagakure's Light–Weight Boulder Jutsu resembled such flight—but this was different.
"Hahahaha! Now this is real combat!" Sasuke laughed aloud. His voice echoed from above, eyes burning with intensity.
His eyes suddenly changed. In each of his pupils, two tomoe of the Sharingan swirled into place. Sasuke noticed, but he had no time to ponder it now.
"Good, a Jōnin. I hope you last long enough to entertain me. Let's start with a greeting…"
"Hadō #73: Sōren Sōkatsui!"
("Way of Destruction #73: Twin Lotus Blue Fire, Crash Down!")
Twin balls of blue fire spiraled toward the four Kusa-nin on the ground, roaring with concentrated reiryoku.
"Doton: Doryūheki!"
("Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!")
A Kusa-nin slammed his palms into the ground, raising a wall of stone to block the blast. It barely held, and then shattered to pieces from the force.
"This one's for you."
Sasuke Shunpo'd beside the Jōnin and delivered a vicious kick to his ribs. The Jōnin blocked, but was hurled ten meters away.
The three other Kusa-nin moved in with kunai. Sasuke grabbed one's wrist and flung him like a ragdoll.
"Bakudō #8: Seki."
("Way of Binding #8: Repulsing Shield!")
Two small spirit shields flared on Sasuke's hands. He deflected the incoming kunai effortlessly, sending their wielders stumbling back.
"Bakudō #4: Hainawa."
("Way of Binding #4: Crawling Rope.")
A yellow spiritual rope snapped around their ankles, dropping both Kusa-nin to the ground.
Sasuke Shunpo'd down, face-to-face, and whispered—
"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui."
A massive blue flame erupted at point-blank range.
"Aaaaargh!!"
Screams rang out as half their upper bodies were scorched and blasted apart.
"Damn you! Die with me!!"
The Kusa-nin Sasuke had thrown earlier gritted his teeth and threw an explosive tag at him.
"Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"
Simultaneously, he unleashed a flaming dragon of chakra.
The Jōnin leapt again, aiming to strike with another spinning kick.
"Bakudō #39: Enkōsen!"
("Way of Binding #39: Arc Shield!")
A circular spirit barrier materialized, blocking both the explosive kunai and the fire dragon.
"Bakudō #30: Shitotsu Sansen!"
("Way of Binding #30: Beak-Piercing Triple Beam!")
Three golden beams of light shaped like fangs pierced through the flames, pinning the charging Kusa-nin to a wall—one to his waist, and one in each hand.
Just as Sasuke turned, the Jōnin appeared beside him.
"Konoha Reppū!"
("Leaf Gale!")
He flipped, spun mid-air, and slammed his leg down in a powerful spinning kick aimed straight for Sasuke's chest.