The rain was still falling.
But no one had the leisure to wipe the water from their faces anymore.
Because something far denser than the rain filled the battlefield—the cold flashes of the blade in Uchiha Tobirama's hand.
Swish—!
A razor-sharp glint tore through the curtain of rain.
Tobirama moved.
The two chunin were still forming hand seals, preparing to unleash Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet, when a sudden chill crept up their necks.
Their vision spun violently.
Only when they saw their own headless bodies still spurting blood did realization dawn.
Ah… so I'm dead.
"Fifth. Sixth."
Tobirama flicked his sword, scattering crimson droplets across the mud.
He didn't even activate his Sharingan, relying solely on the battle instincts of that "healthy Itachi" state.
A faint disturbance came from the left.
A sneak attack?
Without even turning his head, Tobirama snapped his wrist, sending three shuriken flying backward.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The kunai launched from the shadows were knocked aside with perfect accuracy.
But it wasn't over.
The three shuriken collided midair, their trajectories twisting unnaturally as they bypassed cover and plunged straight into the attacker's eye socket and throat.
"Gah—!"
The scream cut off halfway.
"Seventh."
Tobirama advanced as if strolling through his own courtyard. With every step, another Rain ninja fell.
Too strong.
This was no longer a battle between genin.
This was a max-level account returning to the beginner zone for a massacre.
The Rain ninja who had charged in like hungry wolves began to change.
Fear crept into their eyes—bone-deep fear.
They stared at the twelve-year-old boy as if he were a monster wearing human skin.
"W-What kind of swordsmanship is this?!"
"Don't let him get close! Pull back and bombard him with Water Release!"
The remaining Rain ninja finally reacted. Ignoring everyone else, they poured all their jutsu toward Tobirama.
Water bullets, water dragons, poison needles—an overwhelming barrage descended from all sides.
"Trying to focus fire on me?"
A mocking smile tugged at Tobirama's lips.
He pressed his palms together, not bothering with cumbersome hand seals.
His chakra control had long surpassed that level.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Current!"
Zzzzt—!
Violent blue lightning erupted outward, centered on Tobirama, engulfing a twenty-meter radius.
The moment the Water Release techniques touched the lightning, they became perfect conductors.
"Aaaaah—!"
The screams blended into one.
Water conducts electricity.
Using Water Release against a Lightning Release user on a rainy battlefield—these people were courting death.
More than a dozen Rain ninja were electrocuted on the spot, bodies charred black as they collapsed into the mud, foaming and twitching.
The few who survived didn't even have time to flee before a blue afterimage swept past them, harvesting their lives.
The two Konoha jonin—who had moments ago been fighting for their lives—now stood frozen, mouths agape.
"T-This… this is Lady Tsunade's disciple?"
"One person… against over thirty?"
"This is absurd…!"
…
Elsewhere.
The Rain ninja leader fighting Tsunade caught sight of the carnage, and his heart nearly stopped.
That was his elite unit!
More than half wiped out in the blink of an eye?!
Is that kid a devil?!
"Damn it! Kill that brat first!"
The two remaining Rain jonin immediately disengaged, even taking injuries to force their way free. Using the recoil, they lunged straight toward Tobirama.
"Kid! Die!"
Their momentum exploded outward. Poison-coated sickles sealed every possible path of escape.
A jonin's killing blow.
Fast. Absolute.
In the distance, Tanaka Jiro and Suzuki Ai screamed in terror.
"Tobirama! Watch out!"
Tobirama didn't move.
He calmly raised his blade, showing no intention of dodging.
Because someone else was angrier than he was.
"Trying to touch my person right in front of me?"
"You trash—do you think I don't exist?!"
A furious roar shook the rain itself, forcing it to flow backward.
A green blur appeared above the two Rain jonin.
Tsunade's hair stood on end, veins bulging at her temples—true killing intent.
"Go… die!"
No jutsu.
No finesse.
Just a brutal, unreasonable kick.
"Heavenly Foot of Pain!"
BOOM—!
The ground detonated like it had been struck by a meteor.
Everything within fifty meters collapsed inward, mud and shattered stone blasting skyward.
The two Rain jonin didn't even have time to scream.
Their internal organs were pulverized midair by the shockwave before their bodies were slammed into the earth like discarded dolls.
They became two indistinguishable pools of flesh.
Instant death.
This was the weight of Tsunade.
The last Rain ninja leader stood frozen, legs trembling uncontrollably.
On one side was a small monster slaughtering enemies like vegetables.
On the other, a female dragon shattering the earth with a single kick.
How was he supposed to fight this?
"R-Run…!"
He turned to flee.
"Trying to run?"
Tobirama and Tsunade sneered in unison.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Super Strength Punch!"
A storm of shuriken sealed the path ahead as a terrifying fist wind crushed the escape route behind.
Consumed by despair, the Rain ninja leader was obliterated by the master-and-disciple combination attack, reduced to dust.
…
The rain continued to fall.
But the battle was over.
The air was thick with blood, mixed with the damp stench of mud—enough to make one retch.
More than thirty Rain ninja lay dead.
Team 7 remained unharmed.
Except for Tanaka and Suzuki, whose psychological scars ran deep.
Tsunade stood among the corpses, flicking blood from her hands as she turned toward Tobirama.
Her eyes were filled with astonishment.
His smooth, efficient slaughter. His control over the battlefield. That trace of cold ruthlessness.
He didn't need her guidance at all.
This child was born for war.
"Well done."
She walked over and clapped a heavy hand on Tobirama's shoulder—nearly driving him into the ground.
"Fast reactions. Ruthless execution. No hesitation."
"You've got my style from back in the day."
The two Konoha jonin who had narrowly escaped death also approached, awe written across their faces.
"The Uchiha truly live up to their reputation."
"That Lightning Release just now was incredible."
"If not for you, none of us would've made it."
This was the shinobi world.
Strength was the only real currency.
Moments ago, Tobirama had been treated as a rookie. Now, he was regarded as an equal—or even someone to follow—alongside Tsunade.
As for Tanaka Jiro and Suzuki Ai, they looked at Tobirama as if he were a god.
What they had witnessed was burned permanently into their minds.
If anyone dared speak ill of the Uchiha in the future, these two would be the first to jump out and argue.
Tobirama sheathed his sword. The cold killing intent vanished instantly, replaced by the bright smile of a normal boy.
"It was just luck."
"Tsunade-sensei's kicks were way cooler. I thought there was an earthquake standing next to her."
The flattery landed perfectly.
Tsunade smiled faintly.
"Alright, enough chatter."
"Clean up the battlefield and move out."
"The smell of blood here will draw more enemies."
…
The rest of the journey passed smoothly.
Perhaps the earlier battle had been too loud—or perhaps the killing intent surrounding Tobirama and Tsunade was simply too heavy.
Any wandering enemy shinobi sensed it from afar and fled without daring to approach.
Half a day later.
Rows of tents came into view.
They had reached Konoha's frontline base camp.
Patrolling shinobi moved everywhere. Wounded soldiers cried out. Steel rang as blades were sharpened.
The oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe.
Just as they passed through the camp gates—
"Yo! Isn't that Tsunade?"
A loud, cheerful voice rang out.
A tall white-haired man with a massive scroll on his back strode over, laughing.
Beside him walked a pale, cold-looking man with golden, vertical pupils.
Jiraiya. Orochimaru.
Though the title "Sannin" hadn't yet shaken the world, they were already Konoha's pillars.
"Hmph. Jiraiya, you haven't died in some pleasure den yet?" Tsunade scoffed.
Jiraiya laughed it off, his gaze shifting to Tobirama behind her.
"So this is that genius disciple the Old Man told me about?"
"Tsk tsk, pretty handsome. Almost catching up to me."
"But with that small build—can he take a hit?"
He reached out, about to pinch Tobirama's cheek.
Tobirama subtly stepped back, dodging the wandering hand.
"Senior Jiraiya. Senior Orochimaru."
He greeted them politely, while quietly observing.
Jiraiya looked carefree, but deep in his eyes lay sharp vigilance.
As for Orochimaru—
That snake was staring at him like a lab specimen, tongue unconsciously licking his lips.
"The Uchiha bloodline…" Orochimaru murmured hoarsely.
"Such interesting eyes. Full of… the scent of death."
Tsunade frowned and stepped in front of Tobirama.
"Orochimaru, rein in those disgusting eyes of yours."
"He's my disciple. Don't get ideas."
Orochimaru shrugged, neither agreeing nor denying.
Just as Jiraiya was about to tease them further—
"Woooo—! Woooo—! Woooo—!"
A piercing alarm ripped through the camp.
The highest-level enemy alert.
"What happened?!" Jiraiya's grin vanished instantly.
A scout drenched in blood staggered over and collapsed.
"Re… report!"
"Rain ninja… Hanzo!"
"Hanzo of the Salamander is leading a large force in a surprise attack! The first defensive line has already fallen!"
"Our forces… can't hold!"
Hanzo.
The name alone changed everyone's expressions.
The so-called "Demi-god," a monster standing at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
"Damn it! He moved fast!" Tsunade cursed.
She turned sharply to Tobirama.
"You three, stay in the rear. Don't move recklessly!"
With that, she exchanged a glance with Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
In the next instant, all three vanished as blurs, racing toward the frontlines.
The camp descended into chaos.
Explosions thundered. Battle cries rang out from every direction.
Tanaka Jiro and Suzuki Ai clung to each other, shaking.
"We just got here—why did we run into Hanzo?! Are we dead?!"
Tobirama stood amid the turmoil, eyes fixed on the flames rising in the distance.
The chakra in the air churned restlessly.
He felt no fear.
Only excitement.
The warlike blood in his veins was roaring.
"A Demi-god, huh…"
His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
"Perfect timing."
"I was just wondering how to earn merits quickly and make a name for myself in the shinobi world…"
"And you walked straight to me."