Watching their combined assault explode around Ashveil, Killer Bee and Darui finally allowed themselves a fleeting smile.
"That's it! A direct hit!" Killer Bee exclaimed, excitement lighting his eyes.
"The only reason Ashveil was so overconfident just now… he was intentionally misleading us," he added, his grin widening.
Darui, too, showed a rare thrill on his face. "Hahaha! Finally, we've won a round for the Land of Lightning!"
"That hateful kid… where's your arrogance now? Gone at last, right?" Darui muttered, exultant.
But suddenly, from the shadows, C appeared. His eyes locked on Ashveil, wide with disbelief.
"This… this… how is this possible?" he whispered.
"Why… how… how can such a terrifying individual exist in this world?"
"Even after his defensive barrier was destroyed, he withstood Killer Bee and Darui's attacks completely unharmed? This… this is a devil, isn't it?"
C's lips trembled, and then his expression shifted to one of even greater shock.
"Wait… something's wrong… the energy that was completely destroyed by Ashveil… it's back!"
"How… how is this possible?" C's eyes widened further, his face registering pure astonishment.
"Just moments ago, Lord Killer Bee and the others clearly seized their chance! And now… the only explanation is that Ashveil, this kid, restores his defensive barrier instantly!"
The thought of instant recovery left C stunned. He realized something far more terrifying: Ashveil's level of power was fundamentally different from theirs.
A massive, previously destroyed Conqueror's Haki shield, now fully restored in an instant, meant that Ashveil's Chakra reserves and regeneration were beyond comprehension. His power surpassed any expectation C had, transcending cognitive limits.
Ashveil was no ordinary opponent. He was a devil-like existence, a force beyond what anyone present could imagine.
Behind his mask, Obito's mind churned with similar realizations. The Sharingan had recorded Ashveil's barrier disappearing, then instantly reforming with thousands upon thousands of Conqueror's Haki.
Such rapid accumulation of energy… what kind of person could achieve that? Obito's only conclusion: Ashveil was a devil. No other word sufficed.
Even more troubling, Ashveil's Ninjutsu exceeded Obito's imagination. Space-altering techniques, devastating world-level attacks—he had never seen anything like it.
It became clear that within the Akatsuki, Ashveil's combat power might already surpass Nagato. Yet Nagato had been easier to deceive. Ashveil, from careful observation over the past days, seemed far less manipulable.
Deidara, lacking sensory abilities, did not perceive the full scope of Ashveil's power. But he still felt unease.
"Ashveil… could he have just… eliminated us?" Deidara whispered, wide-eyed.
"The Eight-Tails is beyond our capture. We need to retreat, Tobi!" he added, alarm evident in his tone.
Tobi played along, concealing his true thoughts. "Yes, Deidara. The enemy is far too strong. We should retreat first. There will be other opportunities to capture the Eight-Tails."
C's voice then cut through, serious and measured. "Lord Killer Bee, be cautious. Ashveil is unharmed. He has fully recovered his combat power."
Killer Bee and Darui froze, disbelief etched on their faces. They had never imagined Ashveil could survive such a precise, devastating strike. Despair and awe battled in their hearts.
Darui's voice trembled. "C… what are you saying? That kid Ashveil… he's completely fine?"
C nodded solemnly. "Darui, I understand your disbelief. Even I was shocked. Ashveil's fundamental combat power differs entirely from anyone we've faced. Prepare yourselves… you must face him as he truly is."
Killer Bee and Darui steeled themselves, their fighting spirit reigniting, but even they could not conceive another strategy to surpass Ashveil's overwhelming strength.
Deidara and Tobi, preparing to escape, were stunned by C's revelation. Could it be true? Senior Ashveil, after suffering such an attack, was completely fine?
Hope returned to Deidara's heart as he remembered Ashveil's past feats. C's reputation as a sensory-type ninja of the Land of Lightning was unmatched; if C confirmed Ashveil's invulnerability, it must be true.
Above the battlefield, the smoke finally dissipated. Ashveil's figure hovered in the sky, unshaken. A slight curve formed on his lips, a god of war observing the world below.
"Feel the pain. Only through pain can you understand the truth of this world," Ashveil declared, his gaze sweeping over those on the ground.
Killer Bee and Darui's hearts sank further. Ashveil stood before them, unscathed, Conqueror's Haki radiating in waves. Lightning struck around him, yet he remained unaffected.
Every bolt that struck his form made the land-shaking reality of his power undeniable. His mastery of lightning and chakra—abilities beyond the Land of Lightning itself—left no doubt in their minds: Ashveil was a force of nature, unstoppable, unyielding, and terrifyingly supreme.
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