"This… this, this—!"
Boom!
Aoyama Ryuyun drove his fist straight into Sarutobi Shinnosuke's chest. The impact resounded through the clearing.
Bang!
Shinnosuke's body slammed into the ground, carving a shallow crater in the dirt.
He groaned and tried to rise—only for Ryuyun to land beside him and press one foot firmly down on his head, pinning him to the ground like prey.
"You bastard!" Shinnosuke roared, straining beneath the crushing weight. His hand shot up in fury, fingers curling into a fist. How dare he—
Whoosh!
Before he could move, Ryuyun flicked his wrist.
A sharpened stone spike erupted from the earth and pierced Shinnosuke's wrist, pinning his arm flat against the ground.
"AAAH!"
A raw scream tore from his throat. The pain was blinding—but worse than that was the disbelief.
How?
How could the difference be this vast? He was the Hokage's son! An elite jōnin of the Sarutobi clan! Even if he wasn't Ryuyun's equal, the gap shouldn't be this monstrous.
And yet… it was.
How dare he… how dare this man do this to me!
---
Whoosh!
Another stone spike rose from the ground and floated smoothly into Ryuyun's grasp. He held it poised, its point glinting inches from Shinnosuke's face.
"You—!"
He opened his mouth to shout, but the words died instantly.
Because when he met Aoyama Ryuyun's eyes—cold, detached, regal—his heart froze. Those eyes carried no emotion, no hesitation. They regarded him not as an opponent… but as an insect.
He felt it clearly.
If this man strikes now… I will die.
"W-wait!" Shinnosuke gasped. "Wait! I'm the Hokage's son! My father is the Third Hokage!"
He didn't want to die. He couldn't.
He was the son of Sarutobi Hiruzen—a genius, a jōnin, a man with a future destined for greatness.
To die here, crushed underfoot, like a nobody—was unthinkable.
"Oh?" Ryuyun raised an eyebrow, and the killing intent around him slowly receded. The stone spike in his hand stopped glowing faintly with chakra.
"Phew…"
Shinnosuke exhaled shakily in relief. At least… at least he would live.
If he had to beg to survive, so be it. For a shinobi, living to fight another day was never shameful.
"Aoyama Ryuyun," Shinnosuke said quickly, his voice trembling but controlled, "you're Konoha's hero. You have a brilliant future ahead of you. Killing me would be… unwise."
He tried to sound diplomatic, even humble, though deep down his hatred burned hotter than ever. I'll remember this humiliation. One day… I'll make you pay.
Ryuyun chuckled lightly. "Well, you're not wrong."
Though his foot remained on Shinnosuke's head, he began to smile again, the expression infuriatingly casual.
Shinnosuke's pulse eased slightly. Maybe… he would truly be spared.
But then Ryuyun's next words made his blood run cold.
"But you came to bother me. If I let you walk away just like that…" He tilted his head. "Wouldn't I lose too much face?"
"I—I—!" Shinnosuke stammered, panic flashing in his eyes.
Was this man seriously weighing face against the Hokage's son's life?
What kind of monster values pride over reason?!
And now, all the arrogance that had brought him here turned to bitter regret.
Why did I even agree to Asuma's stupid request? Why did I think I could "teach" this man anything?
Aoyama Ryuyun—the man who had once cut through a Tailed Beast Bomb with a single slash.
This wasn't human strength. This was a monster wearing human skin.
Ryuyun noticed the panic flickering in Shinnosuke's eyes and smiled faintly.
"Relax," he said softly. "I won't kill you."
"I—I swear, I won't ever come near you again!" Shinnosuke blurted.
Ryuyun's gaze was unreadable. That kind of promise meant nothing to him—just noise in the wind.
But he wasn't truly angry anymore. He didn't even feel disdain—only boredom.
"Although I won't kill you," Ryuyun continued, his tone turning sharp again, "I can't just let this slide."
He swung his arm in a blur.
Shinnosuke didn't even see the motion—but a heartbeat later, he felt it.
A sudden, searing pain.
He looked down in horror. The arm that had been pinned moments ago was… gone.
Severed cleanly at the elbow.
"AAAHHH!"
His scream echoed through the forest, but Ryuyun didn't even glance his way. He simply lifted his foot, stepping back with calm detachment.
"Alright," Ryuyun said coldly. "You can crawl away now."
Bloodied and shaking, Shinnosuke staggered to his feet, barely keeping balance. He glared at Ryuyun through clenched teeth, eyes blazing with humiliation and hate.
A missing arm. For a shinobi—especially one who relied on hand seals—such an injury was devastating.
One-handed seals existed, yes, but mastering them required years. Maybe decades.
"You…" Shinnosuke began, his voice hoarse with fury.
"If you don't leave now," Ryuyun said quietly, "your other arm will stay here too."
"…"
The forest fell silent. Shinnosuke trembled with suppressed rage, veins bulging along his temples.
But he said nothing more.
He turned away and vanished into the trees, his chakra trail erratic and faint.
Moments later, peace returned to the forest.
Ryuyun exhaled slowly and waved his hand. The torn ground rumbled back into place, as if nothing had ever happened.
He had spared Shinnosuke intentionally. Killing him served no purpose.
What mattered was what came after—how Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage himself, would respond.
Tsunade's strength is nearly at the Kage level already, Ryuyun mused. Let's see how far Hiruzen's patience truly goes.
A faint smile curved his lips.
"Well," he murmured, turning to leave. "That was… unexpectedly entertaining."
Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters