It was five in the morning, and the sun was rising on the distant horizon. A dim, reddish light pierced through the clouds, but no one felt any warmth.
A rift tore through the sky, opening like a gateway to the abyss. Four figures stepped out of the crack in the sky, as if emerging from the depths themselves.
The figure on the left was robust, covered in pale, bony armor. Its white, broken hair fluttered in the wind, and two broad bone blades were crossed behind its back. The mask on its face was completely emotionless. There was a hollow in its abdomen, and the number "2" was on the back of its left hand.
The figure on the right was slender, with clear feminine curves. Long purple hair scattered in the wind, and a mask covered the upper half of its face. Besides the number "3" on the back of its right hand and the hollow in its lung area, the most unique feature was the pair of wings behind it. They looked like two human hands, with webbing between the five fingers. If one looked closely at the wings' structure, they would realize they were made of countless finger bones.
The two figures in the middle were the most similar to humans. The one standing behind had red hair and the number "1." The figure in front wore a black robe, its appearance hidden.
The next moment, a viscous, ink-like darkness flowed downward, forming a staircase that stretched to the ground. "The Shadow" didn't stay in the sky but took one step at a time down the stairs, slowly descending toward Konoha. His steps were slow and casual, as if he were taking a stroll in a garden.
But with every step he took, a suffocating, bone-chilling coldness, like a rising tide, seeped into everyone's hearts.
"..."
The Konoha ninja stared intently at the figure shrouded in the black robe, but they all felt their gazes fall into a void. The more they tried to focus, the more their eyes stung, as if countless invisible needles were pricking them. A misty red light flowed down from behind him, yet only an indescribably deep shadow swirled around his body. All light and sight were chewed up and swallowed, making it impossible for them to distinguish reality from illusion or to see the essence hidden beneath the shadow.
It was just like when Hatake Kakashi hesitated to attack the heavily wounded and defected Orochimaru, or when Uchiha Sasuke froze under Orochimaru's murderous intent during the Chunin Exams. If Kakashi and Sasuke felt a murderous intent from Orochimaru, the only thing the Konoha ninja could feel from "The Shadow" was a deep, chilling malevolence. It was hard to believe such a pure and condensed malevolence could exist in a human being. Just one glance felt like falling into a pit of ice.
That is, until "The Shadow" stepped off the stairs and one foot landed on the ground...
The clear sound of his footsteps seemed to give courage to a burly Akimichi clan jōnin standing in his path. The jōnin instinctively raised his foot to stop the black-robed figure. However, the moment he acted, as "The Shadow" passed him, a lifeless, cold aura gently brushed against one side of his body.
The coldness of death penetrated his flesh, causing half of his body to lose all sensation, as if it had turned to ash and scattered. He wasn't truly killed; it was just the sixth sense of death deeply ingrained in him as a living being. His body was frantically warning him not to move forward, that anyone who tried to touch or block him would be erased.
It was as if someone whispered in his ear, Don't do anything. You can still go home and see your wife and children. Every few years from now, you'll look at their happy faces and be grateful that you're still alive, that you chose to live that night instead of walking toward death.
This kind of fear, originating from the depths of his soul, froze the Akimichi jōnin's blood and dilated his pupils. His body, though perfectly intact, was frozen in place. He watched as the figure walked past him without even a glance.
"The Shadow's" steps did not falter as he walked straight through the ring of Konoha ninja and stood before the crimson giant statue.
"Come out," he said calmly. "Let me have a look at you."
In the ears of the Konoha ninja, his tone was as casual as if he were walking into a pet store to pick out a dog.
But unexpectedly, the originally volatile and violent crimson giant had fallen completely silent after the man's appearance. Now, after "The Shadow" spoke, the white outer skeleton in front of the crimson giant opened, and the white figure stepped out. In front of "The Shadow," its hatred and anger seemed to have subsided, leaving only a sense of closeness as it slowly knelt on one knee, following its body's instincts.
"The first naturally born mid-level 'Vasto Lorde' in the ninja world?"
"The Shadow" looked down at the kneeling white figure and chuckled softly. "Formed from the base of Uchiha Fugaku, it absorbed the hatred and anger of the Uchiha clan..."
With that, he raised his hand, covered in shadow, and his slender finger lightly touched the white figure.
"If that is the case…" "The Shadow's" deep, hoarse voice held an unquestionable authority. "From now on, you shall be called 'Fearsome Eye,' and you are the 'Fourth of the Ten Blades.'"
The naming was like giving his creation a true name. As "The Shadow's" words fell, a power flowed from his finger into "Fearsome Eye's" body. Its massive body trembled violently, and the number "4" slowly appeared on its cheek. The hatred and anger in its eyes receded into a deeper place, replaced by a more human-like clarity.
"...Yes." It slowly opened its mouth, and human words came out. It lowered its head and said hoarsely, "My lord."
The two voices were not loud, but they clearly penetrated the rain, reaching the ears of every Konoha ninja present.
Vasto Lorde? Fearsome Eye? Ten Blades?
They watched in astonishment as the previously violent white monster became as docile as a tamed beast.
"Completely destroying Konoha is one of your 'Arrancar' obsessions. I shouldn't interfere, but before that…"
"The Shadow's" voice sounded again. He slowly raised his head and looked at the Susanoo of Uchiha Shisui in the distance, speaking softly, "I am a very protective person."
Upon hearing this, Uchiha Shisui's heart immediately screamed with alarm. An unprecedented sense of mortal danger welled up, making him instinctively want to control his Susanoo to attack.
However, while everyone was still watching "The Shadow" and "Fearsome Eye," the graceful figure from earlier appeared behind Uchiha Shisui like a ghost.
"The First of the Ten Blades: Vortex."
"The Shadow's" voice rang out at just the right moment, reaching the ears of the Konoha ninja. There was no warning, no preparation. The moment "The Shadow's" words fell, before Uchiha Shisui could even react, a black chain climbed up "Vortex's" slender arm. She raised her arm and, as if brushing away dust from a table, swung it at the unsuspecting right side of the emerald green Susanoo.
Crack! Crunch!
The moment her arm touched the side of the Susanoo, the incredibly solid green ribs and chakra armor instantly cracked and shattered like paper. A brutality that did not belong to a human being was released. A series of dense, scalp-numbing cracks sounded, like a glacier formed from a great sea gradually breaking apart.
The terrifying, violent force passed through the Susanoo's defenses and continued to smash into Uchiha Shisui's right side inside the Susanoo.
Pfft!
Uchiha Shisui's right arm bones, ribs, and shoulder blade were instantly crushed the moment they came into contact with that force. A crimson mist mixed with bone fragments and internal organ pieces sprayed out from his right side. His entire right half was instantly shattered and burst open, turning into a blurry mass of flesh!
The next moment, the terrifying force penetrated his body. Before he could even scream, Shisui's body was sent flying as if hit by a high-speed train. It carried a plume of blood, and his limbs twisted as he was blasted out of the Susanoo's chest cavity!
Boom!
A large amount of blood was splattered in mid-air, writing an arc as it fell to the ground. Uchiha Shisui was sent flying deeper into the forest, and the Susanoo's giant body collapsed, turning into a sky full of emerald green light particles that vanished in the rain.
The entire process was as fast as lightning. From the appearance of "Vortex" to Shisui being blasted away, it all happened in an instant. Even Shisui himself couldn't detect it, and everything was already over.
"Shisui!"
Only Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was standing beside Uchiha Shisui, saw the entire scene. His eyes filled with shock, and he instinctively let out a scream.
And this scream completely broke the strange balance and silence between the two sides.
The Akimichi jōnin, who had been frozen in place by "The Shadow," finally broke free from his fear of death.
"Multi-Size Jutsu!!"
He let out a bestial roar, his voice cracking. His body instantly grew in size like an inflated balloon, and his clenched left arm carried an immense power. Like a mountain of angry flesh, he turned around and slammed his fist down on "Vortex," who was retracting her arm.
"Die!"
The giant fist tore through the air, making a piercing screech. The wind from the punch emptied the puddles on the ground.
In the face of this attack that could shatter mountains, "Vortex" just raised her hand, her right arm wrapped in chains.
The Akimichi jōnin's massive fist struck "Vortex's" raised fist. It was a clear disparity in size, but the expected outcome did not happen. Under everyone's gaze, the Akimichi jōnin's enlarged fist, covered in thick fat and chakra, instantly exploded like a watermelon hit by a sledgehammer the moment it touched "Vortex's" seemingly powerless fist!
Pfft!
Flesh exploded like fireworks and burst into a blood mist. The horrible pain twisted the Akimichi jōnin's expression as he let out a piercing scream that didn't sound human: "Ugh!"
However, "Vortex" didn't give him time to feel the pain. She reached out and grabbed his other arm, which was twitching in agony.
"No…"
The Akimichi jōnin's bloodshot eyes filled with extreme terror, as if he knew what this monster was about to do. He instinctively opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted. "Vortex" grabbed his arm and yanked him up, swinging his massive body like a hammer and smashing him violently against the ground from side to side!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Each smash was accompanied by a deafening roar and a violent trembling of the ground, leaving huge craters. The Akimichi jōnin's body was slammed around like a broken rag doll. The sound of bones cracking, flesh tearing, and internal organs being crushed, mixed with his tragic wails, formed a bloody and cruel symphony.
"Shadow Stitching Jutsu!"
"Shadow Imitation Shuriken!"
Two Nara jōnin who were closest reacted the fastest. They both yelled in unison and instantly raised their hands, their fingers moving like a butterfly weaving through flowers to form hand signs.
However, just as they raised their hands and were about to complete their hand signs, a figure appeared between them faster than anyone could see. It made no extra movements, simply grabbing the hilts of the two bone blades crossed behind its back, pulling them out, and swinging.
The speed of the two broad bone blades surpassed the limits of visual perception. Its arms moved like the most precise instruments, making a gentle slash to the left and right. The movement was incredibly small, and the trajectory was so casual it was as if it were just brushing away dust, yet the speed was imperceptible to the naked eye.
Its name was as sharp as it was in life.
"The Second of the Ten Blades: White Fang."
"The Shadow's" voice rang out again, reaching the ears of the Konoha ninja. At this moment, the Konoha ninja finally realized what this man was doing. He was introducing them to his proud creations.
Time seemed to freeze. The two Nara jōnin stood stiff, their hands still raised, like frozen statues. Their faces still held expressions of shock and fury; they didn't seem to have realized "White Fang's" presence.
But the next moment, two faint, soul-shattering sounds rang out at almost the same time. Then, two striking, thin lines of blood instantly appeared on the bodies of the two Nara jōnin, diagonally crossing from their left shoulders to their right waists, severing their entire upper bodies!
As if a gate had been opened, hot blood gushed out like a flood from the two clean, symmetrical cuts. The stiff bodies of the two Nara jōnin slowly separated along the bloodlines, like building blocks that had been precisely cut.
Thud! Thud!
Their upper bodies hit the muddy pool of blood with a muffled thud, and their lower bodies, having lost their support, fell softly to their knees and then forward. The cuts were as smooth as a mirror. The cross-sections of their muscles, bones, and blood vessels were clearly visible, as if they had been cut through with thin paper.
Pfft!
The next moment, a crimson pillar of blood shot into the sky, reaching several meters high. The blood quickly stained a large area of the surrounding ground red. The entire process, from "White Fang's" appearance to him drawing his blades and swinging, to the two Nara jōnin's bodies separating and blood gushing out, was too fast for the Konoha ninja to react. It was so fast that they only saw "White Fang" suddenly appear between their two comrades without any warning or leaked aura, as if he had always been standing there. Then, a fountain of blood shot into the sky! It was so fast that by the time they came to their senses, it was already raining blood.
A thick mist of blood mixed with tiny droplets, like raindrops, fell from the sky, landing on the faces and bodies of the surrounding Konoha ninja. The gushing fountain of blood lasted for several seconds before it slowly subsided, like a life burning out, turning into a thick, shocking pool of blood.
An extremely terrifying, bloody stench filled the air. The warm, sticky feeling of the blood made everyone's bodies tremble violently!
Finally, as if he had played enough, after one final, more violent smash, "Vortex's" arm gave a sharp tug!
Zzzap!
With a sickening crunch, the Akimichi jōnin's enlarged right arm, along with a large chunk of his shoulder's flesh and bone, was forcibly ripped off by "Vortex"!
Large streams of hot blood poured out like a waterfall from the severed limb, staining "Vortex's" entire body the same shocking crimson as her hair.
"..."
The Akimichi jōnin had completely lost all signs of life, and his body was shrinking as it collapsed into a pool of blood. "Vortex" tossed the dripping severed arm aside like a piece of trash, seemingly shaking the blood off her hand in disgust.
But her crimson eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty satisfaction.
At this moment, only one thought remained in the minds of the Konoha ninja.
So fast!
How could they be so fast?
Whether it was the black-robed figure who hadn't even attacked or the two monsters who had suddenly appeared, ordinary jōnin were completely helpless against them.
But...
"Kill!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's voice, cold with fury, lit the final fuse. Dozens of Konoha ninja, both jōnin and chūnin, all made the same movement at that moment! They abruptly raised their hands, either forming hand signs or unleashing a storm of kunai, shuriken, and senbon.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
"Lightning Style: Ground-Running!"
Kunai, shuriken, fireballs, wind blades, earth dragons, lightning, water pillars... All kinds of weapons and all kinds of ninjutsu cut through the rain with a sharp whistling sound, roaring and thundering from all directions and angles. They were all aimed at a single target: the black-robed figure standing in front of "Fearsome Eye," with his back to them.
The dense attacks instantly covered the space around "The Shadow," forming a flawless storm that seemed to want to tear that area, and everything in it, to shreds!
However, in the face of this overwhelming and destructive onslaught, "The Shadow" remained standing, unmoving. He didn't even turn around, his back still to the crowd.
And under Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze, an incredibly bizarre scene unfolded. The kunai, shuriken, and ninjutsu that rained down from all directions flew past "The Shadow's" body without a single one touching him! Instead, they followed their normal trajectories and flew toward their fellow Konoha ninja.
Boom!
Fireballs hit several Konoha ninja, turning into a raging wave of fire. The tragic screams were drowned out by the explosion. Several ninja were instantly incinerated by the scorching flames! Several sharp wind blades cut a few Konoha ninja in half. The muffled thud of impact, accompanied by the dull sound of bones shattering, meant several ninja were crushed to a bloody pulp by the Earth Dragon Bullet and killed instantly! Several ninja were electrocuted and convulsed violently before being turned to ash, and others were critically wounded by high-pressure water blades they didn't even see coming!
Chaos!
Absolute chaos!
All the attacks the Konoha ninja had launched, whether they were kunai, senbon, or ninjutsu, were bizarrely and lethally aimed at their own comrades.
"What's going on?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils contracted sharply as he saw several ninjutsu heading toward him. He instinctively raised his hands to form a hand sign to defend himself against the incoming attacks.
However, the moment he raised his hands, a cold chill appeared behind him. All the hairs on Sarutobi Hiruzen's body instantly stood on end! He used his decades of life-and-death combat instincts to twist his body sharply to the left.
Pfft!
The muffled sound of a blade entering flesh was accompanied by a sharp pain coming from his right side!
"Ugh!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen grunted. His expression became twisted with fury, and he quickly turned his head. But when he saw the person behind him, his expression became one of shock.
"You…"
The Yamanaka jōnin from before was holding a blood-stained kunai in his hand. His face was filled with extreme terror, but his mouth was agape and he couldn't say a word.
And Sarutobi Hiruzen finally saw it. From the back of the Yamanaka jōnin's neck, a thread as thin as a hair, almost transparent, extended out like a living thing.
No, not just one thread, but countless threads!
Innumerable threads connected most of the Konoha ninja present, like a net, extending upward and finally connecting to... the figure with its wings spread, who hadn't attacked yet. His ten slender fingers were quickly plucking the threads.
It was like a puppeteer sitting on a stage, his fingers flying. The puppets below were fighting in a chaotic mess to the rhythm of the drums.
Except for him, the accompaniment was not a drum, but screams and wails.
"Ah!"
"Get away!"
"You… why…"
"Don't come closer! My body…"
The attack, which was meant to be a united effort, turned into a tragic massacre. Blood, severed limbs, and charred bodies flew everywhere, piling up like mountains. Blood flowed freely, and the scene was utterly gruesome!
But the puppeteer felt no emotion for the deaths of his puppets. The lower half of his face beneath his mask was filled with indifference as he looked down. Countless "puppets" were controlled to strike, and countless heads were yanked high by the threads, sent spinning. The "puppets" who had lost their heads and threads immediately collapsed to the ground.
"The Third of the Ten Blades: The Puppeteer."
"The Shadow" turned to look at the horrified Sarutobi Hiruzen and softly spoke the name of the final member of the Ten Blades.
"This is their first appearance," he said with a polite smile. "I hope you all enjoyed the show."
No one responded.
But the screams of terror, the roars of despair, the wails of pain…
To them, this was the most enthusiastic performance of all.
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