The three Mist Ninjas closed in fast, their chakra-infused feet sending just faint ripples across the water's surface. Their expressions were cold and serious, even though their target consisted of a single Jonin and three Chunin.
"Ryou, this isn't the time for heroics!" Daichi opposed. He knew Ryou was strong, but could even he take on three Jonin-level opponents alone?
"Ryou, we'll fight with you!" Shisui said, his Sharingan coming to life, while Tenga quickly moved to his side, sharing the same intent.
Ryou just waved his hand and said, "No need. Just watch."
Without another word, he drew his blade and leaped from the boat, landing smoothly on the sea surface. His excellent chakra control left no ripples in the water.
The Mist Ninja stopped briefly, their eyes narrowing as they sized him up. Despite Ryou's young appearance, they weren't careless. From their experience, they knew that they shouldn't underestimate anyone.
One of the mist ninjas swiftly made a hand seal and performed the Hidden Mist Jutsu, and a dense fog enveloped the atmosphere. The mist covered everything, while the three Mist Ninjas vanished using it. Ryou couldn't find their positions with his eyes.
Tenga shouted. "Ryou, be careful!"
But Ryou just smirked, tightening his grip on his sword. His chakra surged, flowing into his blade and transforming into Wind-natured chakra, emitting a faint blue glow.
With a strong slash, a powerful gust erupted from his blade, evolving into a raging windstorm that tore through the mist. The powerful gust was also filled with razor-sharp wind blades, slicing through everything in their path.
The mist dissipated in an instant, revealing everything as before. One of the Mist Ninjas, caught off guard, was struck by a wind blade. His torso was severed cleanly, his lifeless body collapsing into the water.
Another Mist Ninja narrowly escaped the attack range by leaping back. In mid-air, he made hand seals, and when he landed on the sea surface, he slammed his palms against the water's surface.
A towering water wall rose in front of him, shielding him from the powerful gust filled with wind blades.
The third ninja, however, was nowhere to be seen. There's no trace of his presence.
Ryou looked around before his gaze fell below the sea surface. 'He's in the water!'
Ignoring the third one, Ryou shifted his gaze back to the ninja above the surface, who was furiously making hand seals for his next jutsu.
In fact, he was terrified by Ryou's earlier attack—it was simply too powerful. A swing of his sword sliced his companion in two.
He hadn't heard of anyone this strong from Konoha, especially someone so young. If such a person were to grow up, who knows how strong he will be?
Instead of dealing with him, Ryou waited for him to finish the jutsu. He wanted to see what kind of Jutsu the Mist ninja would show.
"What's he waiting for?" Tenga asked with a slight frown, seeing Ryou simply standing.
Daichi shook his head and responded, "He's waiting for his opponent to finish his jutsu. Ryou's arrogant, but he's strong enough to back it up."
"Sensei, where's the third Mist Ninja?" Tenga asked, glancing at Daichi,
Shisui answered. "He's probably underwater, waiting for the perfect opportunity to attack."
"Ryou's too reckless! He should deal with him as soon as possible!" Tenga commented.
After some fast hand seals, the Mist Ninja completed his hand seals with a shout: Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!
As he slammed his palm into the sea surface, the water burst with an enormous water dragon surging upward. This water dragon was far larger than the one Kakashi showed in the battle between Kakashi and Zabuza.
With a loud cry, the Mist Ninja sent the huge water dragon charging toward Ryou.
Ryou remained calm facing the jutsu. With a quick one-handed seal, he inhaled deeply, "Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation."
From his mouth, he spewed a literal sea of flames that was so vast and intense it seemed to swallow everything in its path. The flames surged forward, their temperature so immense that it began to evaporate the surface of the seawater.
The water turned into steam, forming a veil of mist over the surroundings.
"Boom!"
When the flames came in contact with the charging water dragon, the water dragon struggled to move forward, turning into harmless vapor in an instant.
The Mist Ninja, stunned by the sheer destructive power of Ryou's fire style, took an involuntary step back in panic. But before he could prepare his next move, the flames engulfed him in a fiery blaze.
"Ahh!" There was a brief scream before his body collapsed to the ground, charred entirely.
On the boat, Tenga's jaw dropped. "Are Jonin really this weak, or is Ryou just simply strong?"
"There's no doubt, it's Ryou who's strong," Shisui replied admiringly.
"Even I couldn't take down a Jonin that effortlessly," Daichi admitted. "Ryou's strength has reached the level of an Elite Jonin. It's time he became Jonin himself.
--
At that moment, the last Mist Ninja, lurking beneath the water, came himself upward in a sudden burst of speed. His short sword, infused with chakra, aimed for Ryou's back.
But thanks to his Observation Haki, Ryou had already perceived the attack. Shifting his body to the right, he used his sword to parry the attack.
"Clang!"
The sparks flew at the clash of metals. Ryou's strength overwhelmed the Mist Ninja, forcing him to leap backward, using the momentum to maintain some distance between him and Ryou.
"Who are you?" the Mist Ninja asked. He hadn't expected two of his companions would be killed so easily by a young kid who was overwhelmingly strong. 'Konoha has produced another monster. I must relay this information back to the village.'
Ryou didn't answer. Instead, he infused his chakra into his blade, changing it into fire-nature chakra. The blade glowed in a crimson hue.
With a swing of his sword, the fire-chakra changed into a rope-like form, glowing red as it shot toward the Mist Ninja, still attached to Ryou's sword. The speed of the attack was quick, and even though the Mist Ninja had been vigilant, he couldn't evade it in time.
The chakra rope coiled tightly around his neck, with the fire chakra scorching his skin. The Mist Ninja grimaced but did not attempt to free himself.
With a thought from Ryou, the chakra rope burst into flames. But just as the flames were about to kill the Mist Ninja, his body crumpled into a water splash.
"Water Clone!"
Everyone, including Ryou, was taken aback. Ryou hadn't noticed anything unusual, which meant the clone had been formed with at least half of the Mist Ninja's chakra, making it almost impossible to distinguish from the original.
"Where's the real him?" Tenga looked around while Shisui used his Sharingan, but there was nothing.
Ryou, too, tried to find him, but the result was the same. His Observation Haki was still at the basic level, so it wasn't much of a help.
On the boat, Daichi squinted his eyes and said, "That ninja is skilled. He's not trying to fight Ryou, using the clone as a distraction; he has escaped."
--
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