"Fire Style·Great Fireball Technique!!"
Leo dodged the simultaneous attacks from both sides with a swift leap. The moment he landed, he formed a single-handed seal with practiced ease. Regardless of how many hand seals a ninjutsu technique traditionally required, Leo now only needed one.
Fwoosh!
His cheeks puffed slightly, and the next moment, a blazing fireball over seven meters wide surged from his mouth. It roared forward, rolling like a tide of flame, directed at the monstrous ghost.
...
Everyone present—Fu Qingfeng, Fu Yuechi, and the armed men—stared in stunned silence as they watched Leo's agile movements and his control of fire.
Yet—
"Delicious! Delicious!!"
The black shadow ignored the [Great Fireball] completely. It passed through the inferno without the slightest resistance and charged at Leo, claws extended toward his face.
Clearly, its target was Leo and only Leo.
And it had a strange ability: like [Kamui·Hollow]. Both the ninjutsu and the arrow that had accidentally been fired by Fu Qingfeng's men passed right through it without harm.
Physical attacks and standard Chakra-based techniques were useless.
Everything happened so fast.
Leo leaped again, evading the claw swipe mid-air, and landed lightly on the thick trunk of a tree over ten meters tall.
"Wha...?!"
Fu Yuechi gasped, her pink lips slightly parted in awe.
"What kind of Qinggong is that? It's too incredible!" Fu Qingfeng murmured, eyes wide.
"Is that a monster?!" one of the bowmen asked, looking between Leo and the creature.
...
Standing high in the tree, Leo opened his scarlet, glowing [Sharingan], his face calm but intrigued.
Zheng—!
The ghost, simple-minded as it seemed, prepared to fly up again. Leo focused his [Three Tomoe Sharingan] and released a burst of ocular power.
Suddenly, the ghost halted mid-motion.
A Genjutsu had taken hold.
"Hey, why isn't that monster moving?"
The archers murmured among themselves, confused.
Fu Qingfeng and Fu Yuechi exchanged glances, both gazing up at Leo.
By now, they knew for certain—Leo was no ordinary man. He wasn't a mountain spirit or a wandering ghost. His power felt more... divine.
Perhaps a Taoist cultivator?
Suddenly—
"ROOOOAAARRR!!!"
The ghost shattered the illusion with sheer force.
Then, it lifted its head and bellowed into the night sky.
Hiss... hiss...
Its body began to change.
From a humanoid shape, it grew rapidly into a towering behemoth nearly eight meters tall. One swing of its massive arm shattered the tree where Leo had stood.
Fu Qingfeng and Fu Yuechi backed away in horror.
The others watched, paralyzed by the spectacle.
This wasn't folklore. This was a real monster!
...
Cough.
Leo leaped away from the collapsing tree, landing smoothly on the forest floor.
He turned to face the giant beast, his red eyes glinting in the dark.
"You really want to dance?"
His voice was calm, even amused.
"Roar... Delicious!!"
The monster seemed to crave Leo like food.
"Heh. You want to eat me? Be my guest."
The ghost beast charged, each step shaking the ground.
But Leo didn't move.
Instead, he brought his hands together.
"Sage Mode!!"
Golden energy spiraled over his body. A radiant mask formed on his face—the mark of the Sage.
Suddenly—
Clang! Boom!
The spiritual energy from the very air and earth surged toward Leo. This world, filled with immortal essence, poured its power into him.
"This natural energy..."
"It's divine."
He could feel his strength, which had remained stagnant for years in the shinobi world, rising again.
He was approaching a new level—perhaps even breaking the boundaries of mortal life.
...
The monster froze mid-charge.
Then:
"Delicious food... changed."
"Not delicious. Not delicious!"
It staggered back, clearly disturbed by the shift in Leo's aura.
It wanted to flee.
Too late.
Whoosh—!!
Nine black [Truth-Seeking Balls] materialized behind Leo, orbiting slowly.
But these weren't normal.
Each orb shimmered with golden spiritual energy. Faint golden patterns danced across their surfaces.
"Interesting," Leo muttered, a slight smirk on his lips.
The ghost roared in fear.
"Not delicious! Not delicious!!"
It turned and ran.
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"Running now? That's not how this works."
He focused.
One of the golden-lined [Spirit·Truth-Seeking Balls] launched forward at lightning speed.
BOOM!!
The attack struck the ghost with overwhelming force, obliterating more than half its upper body.
Its remaining arm and torso continued to disintegrate.
Truth-Seeking Balls... never missed their mark.
...
In a final desperate attempt to survive, the ghost turned and charged—not at Leo—but at the people it had ignored before: Fu Qingfeng, Fu Yuechi, and their guards.
"Quick! Fire! Don't let it reach us!" Fu Qingfeng cried out.
But—
Zzzzzzzzzzz-WHOOSH!!
A sword of golden lightning, the [Spirit·Chidori Sharp Spear], stretched forth from Leo's hand, extending across the battlefield.
With precision and finality, it cleaved through the ghost's neck.
The creature's head dropped heavily to the ground.
Silence followed.
Fu Qingfeng, Fu Yuechi, and their entire company were frozen in disbelief.
The ghost—dead.
And Leo, still cloaked in golden light, stood quietly, his Sharingan glowing, the divine spear of lightning still humming softly in his hand.
They had no words.
Only awe.
...