"Yes, I understand!"
Hearing the cold voice from above, the bandit leader lowered his head deeply and responded.
But just as his words fell, a thunderous crack rang out from behind him.
Before he could react, a bolt of lightning pierced straight through his chest and shot toward the ninja ahead.
"Who's there?!"
Startled by the sudden attack, the ninja sprang up from his chair, barely dodging the lightning strike.
The bandits behind him weren't so lucky.
The lightning slammed into them, instantly blasting their bodies apart. Blood splattered through the room like rain, dripping down in a gruesome cascade.
"You actually dodged that?"
"Looks like you're quite a bit stronger than that Chunin from before."
A cold voice slowly echoed from the entrance.
The ninja looked up—and saw a dark figure rushing toward him at incredible speed.
"Who are you?!"
Instinctively, he pulled a metal umbrella from his back and raised it to block.
Clang!
The kunai slammed into the umbrella with a sharp metallic ring, sparks bursting between them.
In that instant, the ninja finally saw his attacker clearly.
"A black robe… with red clouds!"
"You're from the Akatsuki!"
"Looks like you figured it out."
Gojo smiled lightly.
That's right—the one who launched the ambush was Gojo.
Originally, before Yahiko's death, the Akatsuki's uniform had been nothing special.
But after joining, Gojo had proposed redesigning it into a black robe with red clouds—symbolizing dawn breaking through darkness.
Yahiko had initially hesitated.
But the moment he saw the design—
He agreed without a second thought.
After all, what man could resist something that cool?
From then on, the black cloak with red clouds became the Akatsuki's unmistakable symbol.
"Wasn't the Akatsuki already disbanded?"
"And yet you still dare attack me?"
"Are you not afraid of being hunted by Lord Hanzo?!"
Feeling the increasing pressure against his umbrella, the ninja shouted.
"The Akatsuki has disbanded."
"So I'm acting on my own."
Gojo's smile widened slightly as his left hand formed seals.
"Water Release · Water Prison Jutsu!"
With just two hand seals, water rapidly gathered in his palm, forming a massive spherical prison that surged toward the ninja.
During these past days, while traveling with Konan and helping civilians, Gojo had never once slacked off in his training.
With sixfold talent, he had already refined most jutsu to the point where they required only two hand seals—and could even be cast with one hand.
"One-handed seals?!"
Seeing the incoming water prison, the ninja pushed off forcefully and leapt backward, narrowly escaping.
"Only two seals—and with one hand. You're a genius."
Fixing his gaze on Gojo, the ninja spoke slowly.
"With talent like yours, why join the Akatsuki?"
"Why not join me instead—serve under Lord Hanzo?"
"With my connections and your talent, you'll earn his favor."
"You could stand above everyone else in the Land of Rain."
"Well?"
"Join us."
He extended his hand, smiling as if offering a great opportunity.
"Join you?"
Gojo looked intrigued. He returned his kunai to his waist and asked with a faint smile,
"I don't even know who you are. Why would I join you?"
"Me?"
"My name is Zhe. I'm one of Lord Hanzo's guards."
"As long as you join—"
Halfway through speaking, Zhe's expression suddenly changed.
His hands flashed into motion.
"In a fight between ninja… how could you trust my words?!"
"Die!"
"Ninja Art · Thousand Needles Like Rain!"
With a sharp motion, he hurled the iron umbrella into the air.
Clearly, his earlier "recruitment" was nothing but a stalling tactic.
"And you think you're the only one buying time?"
Gojo's hands moved just as fast.
"Water Release · Great Waterfall Technique!"
Originally requiring seventeen hand seals, the technique now needed only six.
Three seals with each hand—
So the moment Zhe's umbrella left his hand, a violent surge of water had already begun gathering.
The next instant—
A raging torrent burst forth like a flood, crashing straight toward Zhe.
The umbrella hadn't even released more than a few needles before it was swallowed by the torrent and swept away.
"This—!"
Zhe tried to form seals to counterattack—
But the overwhelming force slammed into him, hurling his body against the wall.
In that moment—
The surging water flooded the entire room, dragging the bandits along, smashing them into walls, and eventually bursting through the structure itself, spreading outward.
After a while, as the torrent subsided, Gojo ended the jutsu.
As the water receded, the scene before them became clear.
The once orderly, well-furnished room had been reduced to complete ruin.
As for Zhe and the bandits—
Their bodies lay swollen and pale on the ground.
Clearly—
Under the devastation of Gojo's Great Waterfall Technique, they had all drowned.
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