This bastard… just as expected—shinobi from other villages couldn't be trusted.
One of the Root operatives cursed inwardly, then shot a glance at the teammate beside him.
"Together."
At the signal, the other Root ninja gave a slight nod. Without a word, he drew the short blade strapped to his back. The weapon glead with a cold, biting edge as he vanished in a blur, using the Body Flicker Technique to close the distance instantly and take the initiative in attacking Zoro.
This speed was clearly on a different level from Omoi's earlier assault.
A trace of seriousness finally surfaced in Zoro's expression.
These three were not weak.
Zoro lowered his stance, his center of gravity dropping as the two tomoe in his Sharingan spun steadily, capturing every detail of movent before him.
"One-Sword Style… Horse Demon! (Baki!)"
In an instant, he struck.
His blade flashed downward from above in a clean, decisive arc, the motion so swift it left no room for reaction.
The Root ninja who had just stopped in front of him was split cleanly from head to toe.
"Puff!"
But instead of blood spraying out—
The body transford into a wooden log at the mont of impact, split neatly in two.
"Substitution Technique…"
Zoro's gaze sharpened slightly, a chill flickering within his eyes.
So even Kumogakure's collaborators were proficient in such evasive techniques.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Wave!"
The mont the log was cut apart, a razor-sharp gust suddenly tore through the air. It sliced forward like an invisible blade, entering Zoro's field of vision with lethal precision.
Because of the heavy training weights still attached to his body, Zoro's movent was slowed just enough.
He twisted aside at the last possible mont—
But it wasn't enough.
A line of blood opened across his shoulder.
A shallow cut—but dangerously close.
Zoro felt the sting of pain, and instead of anger, a faint, chilling smile crept onto his lips.
If he had been even a fraction slower, that strike would have taken his neck.
It wouldn't have been a simple wound, his carotid artery would have been severed.
Death—or permanent ruin.
Still… substitution followed by Wind Release.
It was hard not to think of a certain person behind this.
"Though I expected this sooner or later… I didn't think Danzō Shimura would be this obsessed with ."
Zoro's words caused both Root operatives to pause for a brief mont.
They exchanged glances, confusion flickering across their masked faces.
How did he know?
They hadn't revealed anything.
"Don't overthink it. The longer this drags on, the more variables appear. Finish him quickly."
The one who had used Wind Release spoke coldly, suppressing the doubt.
The short-bladed Root ninja moved again, preparing to strike—
Then suddenly—
A heavy, rumbling sound echoed through the area.
He instinctively turned his head.
Through the rising dust, he saw Zoro casually toss sothing aside. It hit the ground with trendous force, kicking up a thick cloud of debris.
Their expressions imdiately grew serious.
A sense of unease began to spread.
Sothing was wrong.
"Whoosh!!"
Within the dust, a black shadow flickered.
The Root ninja's instincts scread in warning.
"Care—"
Before he could finish the word—
His eyes widened in shock.
Beside him, his teammate suddenly froze, clutching his throat. His eyes were filled with disbelief, as if he couldn't even comprehend what had just happened.
"Collecting a little interest."
A low voice echoed from within the dust, cold and indifferent.
"One-Sword Style: Great Dragon Shock!(Daishinkan!)"
The words fell like a death sentence.
The Root ninja holding the short blade stiffened, an overwhelming sense of dread gripping his body.
It felt as if the air itself had thickened, pressing down on him.
His limbs trembled uncontrollably.
Behind him, the Wind Release user had already collapsed, lifeless, his body slumped against the ground.
"Pfft!"
A single, casual slash followed.
The second Root ninja didn't even have ti to react before his body fell, joining his comrade in death.
Zoro showed no rcy.
To those who ca to kill him—There was no reason to hold back.
At this mont, the black coat he had been wearing was gone, cast aside along with the weights. His upper body was now exposed, his muscles sharply defined, like they had been carved from stone—each line and contour radiating strength.
His two-tomoe Sharingan continued to rotate slowly, locking onto the final opponent.
"You're here for too?"
His voice was low, cold. And filled with killing intent. So much so that it seems to surround him a red aura of bloodlust.
"No, no, no. It's Konoha's ninja who want you dead. I'm just taking a commission. You understand how commissions work, right? No need for to pay with my life."
The Kumogakure team-leading jōnin spoke with an easy smile, as if they were discussing sothing trivial. His expression remained unchanged, even after watching Zoro dispatch two Root operatives with such ease.
Hearing those words, a trace of mockery flickered deep within Zoro's eyes.
With his rudintary Observation Haki, he could clearly perceive the subtle fluctuations in the other man's emotions. The hostility hidden beneath that calm exterior had not diminished in the slightest.
The smile was nothing more than a mask.
Looking at the jōnin before him, Zoro felt an unfamiliar pressure rise within his chest. It was subtle, almost intangible, yet undeniably real.
For the first ti—
He felt danger.
"One-Sword Style: Phoenix Cannon!"
Without hesitation, Zoro drew Wado Ichimonji in a swift, fluid motion. The blade cut through the air at high speed, releasing an invisible flying slash that tore forward with lethal precision.
"Bang!!"
The sound that followed was not flesh being cut—
But tal colliding.
The sudden attack caught the Kumogakure jōnin off guard. Around his body, a layer of armor ford from condensed Lightning Release chakra flickered into existence, crackling faintly as it solidified.
"Damn brat… sharp instincts. You stopped my lightning armor from fully forming."
The jōnin's eyes narrowed slightly, though the smile on his face did not fade. "Still… even if it's incomplete, it's enough to deal with you. It's not on the level of the Third Raikage, but it'll do."
A hint of brutality crept into his expression.
A team-leading jōnin, that title alone spoke volus.
His strength was already on par with elite shinobi—roughly equivalent to the current heir of Kumogakure's power, the son of the Third Raikage, who would one day beco the Fourth Raikage.
The difference between them lay not in raw strength, but in potential.
He was older. His growth had likely plateaued.
But in exchange—
He possessed sothing just as dangerous.
Experience.
Years of it.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Wrapped in crackling Lightning Release chakra, the jōnin vanished, his body turning into a streak of blue light that shot toward Zoro like a thunderbolt.
The pressure was overwhelming.
Zoro's Sharingan spun frantically, and combined with his Observation Haki, he barely managed to react in ti. He twisted his body aside, narrowly avoiding the incoming strike—
But the lightning aura still grazed past his forehead, tearing open a shallow cut.
That punch had been aid to crush his skull completely.
"Not bad, brat. But you should give up now." The jōnin straightened slightly, his tone turning more confident. "I'm a team-leading jōnin. Do you understand what that ans? It ans even your teacher might not be my match."
It was a deliberate attempt to shake Zoro's resolve.
To instill doubt.
To break his focus.
But Zoro's reaction was… not what he expected.
There was no fear nor hesitation.
Instead—
A thin line of blood trickled down from Zoro's forehead as a grin slowly spread across his face.
A hungry grin.
After casting aside his weights, Zoro felt his body grow lighter, freer—like a bird finally released into the sky. Power surged through him, unrestrained, flowing through every muscle and nerve.
For six years, he had trained under constant suppression.
This—
Was the first ti he had fully removed those restraints.
And now, standing before him—
Was an opponent neither too weak nor overwhelmingly strong.
Just right.
Perfect for testing the limits of everything he had built.
"Ridiculous brat…"
Seeing the fierce, almost manic battle intent rising in Zoro's eyes, the Kumogakure jōnin narrowed his gaze.
Without another word, he moved again.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
In a flash of blue lightning, he appeared directly beside Zoro, his arm already in motion as he launched a devastating attack—
"Liger Bomb!!"
***
Advance chapters available on P@trè0n (Aki_sensei). Appreciate the support!
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