"Konoha brat…"
Chikusho, a member of the Kazekage clan, stared dumbfounded at Kazuku below.
He never dreamed the situation would flip so drastically.
His chunin squad, wiped out by Kazuku in an instant!
His strength.
His speed.
His chakra reserves.
Truly terrifying!
And the scariest part? Kazuku looked only seven or eight!
Sure, in the Warring States, kids this age fought, but a genius with such power at this age?
In Chikusho's knowledge…
Unheard of!
Meanwhile…
Uzumaki Ashina, pierced through the abdomen by a square shuriken, collapsed, pulling it out and staunching the bleeding.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, at the critical moment, used Wind Release to deflect a shuriken, channeling chakra to his feet, stomping it, and using the recoil to launch himself away.
Part of Sarutobi's success was because Chikusho hadn't anticipated Kazuku's strength.
Stunned, he momentarily lost control of his shurikens.
"Nice work, Kazuku." Sarutobi glanced back, seeing the ninja all downed, and sighed in relief.
If those ninja had flanked with Chikusho, the consequences would've been dire.
"But no matter how many times I see it, Kazuku's a monster…"
Sarutobi swallowed, marveling inwardly.
A seven-year-old genin, single-handedly facing five trained chunin, effortlessly wiping them out!
Most crucially, no training could bridge the gap to real combat.
"Kazuku doesn't just have immense strength—he's got the heart for it."
"That's the First Hokage's grandson?" Ashina's heart surged with awe.
Facing five chunin, he wasn't confident he could win.
If not for Yuna, he'd have fled.
Retreating was smarter.
But…
The First Hokage's grandson handled them with ease!
If he didn't know Kazuku was seven, Ashina would've pegged him as a Konoha jonin.
"And that eerie speed… I couldn't track him…"
To Ashina, Kazuku's movement was like vanishing and reappearing.
It looked like a masterful Body Flicker.
But!
Each move stirred the air, impacting the ground.
The shattered earth proved Kazuku wasn't using Body Flicker.
His speed was just that fast!
Ashina's eyes bulged, collapsing, staring at Kazuku's small frame.
In that moment, his understanding of taijutsu shattered!
In truth…
After Tobirama developed the Eight Gates, he found no one could withstand its damage.
So, he labeled it a forbidden technique.
Until…
He saw Might Batsu's grueling training, building extreme muscle strength, and taught him the Eight Gates.
Thus, the ninja world was unaware of the Eight Gates!
"How does Kazuku do it…" Ashina's shock lingered.
He saw Kazuku as a monster.
An anomaly!
But…
Undeniably, Kazuku gave him immense reassurance.
As long as Kazuku was here, Yuna was safe.
It took Chikusho a while to regain composure. He asked Kazuku, voice low, "That move you used… it's taijutsu, right?"
To Chikusho, Kazuku was now trickier than Sarutobi.
He had intel on Sarutobi—a versatile ninja with five chakra natures.
And…
Through his shurikens, he'd magnetized Sarutobi's body.
Sarutobi wasn't a concern.
But Kazuku?
He knew nothing about him.
"That bizarre movement and terrifying strength… if he hits me, my body might not take it."
"I need to magnetize him."
But as Chikusho planned, Kazuku, locked in his sights, vanished.
Chikusho's eyes widened, heart pounding, instincts kicking in. He used Body Flicker to shift positions.
Kazuku's fist swung, missing.
Seizing the chance, Chikusho hurled four square shurikens at Kazuku.
"That's a jonin's strength?" Kazuku was surprised. His speed and timing felt flawless.
Against Danzo, that punch would've settled it.
But Chikusho reacted!
"Crap," Sarutobi muttered.
Kazuku had leapt to strike Chikusho, now airborne, with no ground to maneuver.
If he touched a shuriken, he'd be magnetized!
This was why Might Batsu, despite strong taijutsu, was only a chunin.
Not every ninja relied on taijutsu duels!
In a panic, Sarutobi formed hand signs, using Water Dragon Bullet to push Kazuku.
But then…
"Sarutobi, now's not the time to worry about others."
Chikusho's voice sounded, a kunai at Sarutobi's throat.
Though Sarutobi countered well, a solid kick hit his abdomen.
Only then did he realize the Chikusho behind him was a Lightning Clone.
The real Chikusho was targeting Kazuku.
"You're the scariest Konoha brat I've seen. Without my bloodline limit and hundreds of battles' instincts…"
"I'd be no match."
"But your misfortune is meeting me at this age. You won't grow further!"
Chikusho roared, pulling all his scrolls, summoning countless shurikens, some orbiting him.
Forming a 360-degree defense.
Now, no matter Kazuku's speed, his fists couldn't reach.
And…
Chikusho controlled hundreds of shurikens, raining toward Kazuku.
In the nick of time…
Gate of View, open!
(End of Chapter)