But their ninja were not so lucky.
Aside from a few powerhouses like Orochimaru and Roshi who used Body Flicker to dodge, the rest of the shinobi were all enveloped within the range of the slash.
"Ahhh!!"
Countless screams rang out almost simultaneously.
The colossal slash was not only terrifying in might, it was fast as lightning, cleaving across the battlefield in an instant.
A narrow, ferocious ravine appeared in the earth, and the ninja closest to the slash died on the spot.
Those not far away were invaded by the dreadful edge and tossed by an extremely violent shockwave.
Pff!!
Even Jiraiya and the others who had Body Flickered away suffered heavy injuries.
Within that raging gust was an undefendable spiritual pressure that made even the soul feel torn.
The aftershock of the slash did not diminish. After ripping through Iwagakure's position, it surged on toward Konoha and Amegakure behind,
sweeping forward as if it had no end.
It became a storm that crushed everything.
"Ah!!"
Countless screams rose again, as life was reaped mercilessly like by a death god's scythe.
The ground split apart with thunderous roars, and only after who knew how long did it slowly subside.
The whole battlefield fell silent. The surviving ninja were shaken, terror in their eyes.
"Lord Lucian…"
The hearts of the three children were shaken to the core.
From the mountaintop it was even clearer.
Looking out, the land was blood-red.
Most of the shinobi flung away by the aftermath were in pieces or unconscious, and only a scant few were half-kneeling on the ground.
Not only that, even straining to look into the distance, they still could not see the end of that ravine.
A vast, narrow chasm had appeared along the border of the two countries, forming a terrifying abyss that split them apart.
Over a hundred meters wide, and dozens of li long.
A canyon that shook the shinobi world.
Later, countless people would call it:
The Imperial Grand Canyon.
It would commemorate the first slash by His Majesty, the great Emperor of the Invisible Empire, that shook the shinobi world.
"Not bad…"
It was also Lucian's first time unleashing Sword Pressure at full power. With the Quincy Cross Blade's blessing, though he had only just stepped into the super-Kage tier,
it was enough to cleave an island with a single strike.
The manga never truly showed how powerful Sword Pressure is.
In that series, battles are all about abilities, living off spiritual pressure, and the top fighters are simply too fast.
Such wide-area sword pressure can hardly cut down top-tier foes, so it's not that practical.
But it's more than enough for clearing out small fry.
Swish!
Lucian brought the three children down to the ground.
That terrifying ravine still held a keen spiritual force, and the three did not dare approach.
"Wow, amazing, Lord Lucian…"
Kushina and Mikoto emerged from the Shadow Domain, marveling at the bottomless chasm.
With that kind of destructive power, who could withstand it if they didn't dodge?
Lucian's eyelid twitched slightly. Calling it amazing—he certainly was—but the word choice felt off.
"Ahhh! Damn it, damn it!!"
Blown away, Roshi's eyes were blood-red. The descending slash had not only torn the earth, it had torn through Iwa's ranks.
Some were cut down directly, more were ripped apart alive by the sweeping storm.
So many dead—Roshi's rage was understandable.
"That monster… has grown stronger again."
The remaining Konoha shinobi stared at Lucian in fear, and even Jiraiya and the others were utterly silent.
This speed of growth brought despair.
If that slash had come down vertically on Konoha just now, it could have cleaved the village open.
Even if it were split, you could fill it back in.
But if it had slashed from the side?
How many would still be alive then.
At the thought of such a scene, Jiraiya and the others even lost the courage to attack, afraid of provoking Lucian's wrath.
"At last… I meet… you again."
Orochimaru glanced at Lucian, then lowered his head, his body shaking beyond control.
It was not fear, but unspeakable excitement and thrill.
Immortality stood before him.
Yet Orochimaru was extremely proud. Of course, one could not be proud before Lucian—that would be courting death.
He needed one or more great gifts to earn a chance to follow Lucian, not kneel on the ground and beg for alms.
He had prepared two great gifts, but it still felt a bit lacking.
"Tsunade…"
Orochimaru looked at the youthful, radiant Tsunade, as if she… might also be a gift.
Tsunade was the goddess in the hearts of countless in Konoha.
Born of the Senju clan, granddaughter of the First Hokage, disciple of the Third Hokage—among the younger generation of Konoha, none held a more exalted status.
In her early twenties now, she was at her most beautiful.
"Yes, Lord Lucian will surely like it…"
Lucian: What kind of twisted idea is that.
Orochimaru: Look around you. If you don't like beauties, who would believe it.
Of course, Lucian did not know what Orochimaru was thinking. Otherwise, he would definitely have said:
Utterly depraved.
"Lava Release Chakra Mode!"
Terrifying Four-Tails chakra erupted as Roshi's body was shrouded in high-temperature magma.
He became like a humanoid volcano, the ground beneath his feet melting.
Furious, Roshi attacked directly.
"Lava Release—Scorching River of Flowing Lava!"
Multiple magma spheres spewed from his mouth.
The very air burned away with white smoke. With such super-high-temperature attacks, an ordinary ninja would die on contact.
"Impudent!"
Kushina and Mikoto snapped coldly.
Raising their hands, massive spiritual arrows shot forth.
…