The Village Leader

Anarchy—a word that had often been twisted to evoke chaos and destruction. But for Kai, after all his years of living, it had taken on a different meaning. To most, it seemed like a bad thing, the collapse of order. But for Kai, it represented something purer, a system free from corruption and greed. A world without political power, without rulers exploiting the weak, where people lived and collaborated based on mutual needs, not governed by laws or systems that could be bent to the will of the powerful. To Kai, it was the only right way to live.

Of course, there were countless arguments against it—how could a world without governance sustain itself? How would chaos not take over? But for Kai, these arguments were meaningless. His experience had shown him that all systems of governance ultimately failed because of human greed. No matter how noble the intentions, the powerful would always rise above and exploit those beneath them.

This village needed destruction. It wasn't even about the individuals, but the system that perpetuated their suffering. Kai knew he had the power to bring it down. He could already feel the strength returning to him after devouring Asuma's essence. His mind was set—this village would fall, just like all the others that failed to understand true freedom.

He took another bite of his ramen, his expression calm as if he were merely a traveler enjoying a meal. The money he had taken from the man he had chopped in half earlier had easily covered his meal, and no one in the restaurant even looked twice at him. They had no idea who he was or what he intended to do.

Kai savored the meal, not because of hunger, but because it was one of the few remaining moments of quiet before the storm he intended to unleash. Soon, this village, with its false prosperity and hidden corruption, would burn.

It was night, and while the village seemed to settle into the quiet of the evening, the town hall remained brightly lit. From the outside, it appeared as a beacon of activity and discussion. Inside, the villagers and leaders were deeply engaged in debate, discussing the future of the village, their plans for continued prosperity, and the path forward. The hum of conversation and occasional heated exchanges filled the large room.

Kai, blending seamlessly into the background, had entered the town hall unnoticed. Anyone was welcome to sit in on these discussions for the so-called "transparency". He took a seat near the back, his hood pulled low, concealing his face as he listened intently to the debates unfolding before him.

At the head of the gathering sat Tazuna, the man who had built the Great Naruto Bridge and brought newfound prosperity to the village. His presence was commanding, and his voice carried with it the confidence of a leader. He spoke passionately about the village's future, about improving trade routes, increasing security, and ensuring the well-being of the people who worked closely with him. His words were laced with conviction, as if he genuinely believed in the cause he fought for.

Kai watched him closely, observing not just Tazuna's words, but the way he carried himself. There was no doubt that Tazuna believed he was doing what was right. He spoke with the conviction of someone who thought he was leading the village into a brighter future. But to Kai, the cracks in his motivations were glaring.

Tazuna, for all his passion and leadership, was selfish. It was clear to Kai that the man's vision extended only as far as those directly connected to him—his family, his close circle, and the people who supported his vision. But beyond that, Tazuna had chosen to ignore the suffering of the less fortunate, the people who remained in the ghettos, struggling to survive while the rest of the village prospered. Kai had seen it firsthand.

As Tazuna continued to speak, Kai's mind drifted to the boy from earlier, who had told him about the hidden pain of the village—the children forced into gangs, the poor left to fend for themselves while those in power reaped the benefits of the village's growth. Tazuna might not have been as corrupt as Gato, but in Kai's eyes, his selfishness was no better.

Kai clenched his fists under the table, a simmering disdain growing inside him. He could see it so clearly now—Tazuna's vision of prosperity wasn't meant for everyone, only those who were close to him. The rest of the village was simply collateral in his pursuit of what he deemed the greater good. The arrogance of it all, the way the powerful justified their decisions while turning a blind eye to those they deemed less important.

To the people in the room, Tazuna was a hero. But to Kai, he was another example of the same flawed system that had failed time and time again.

As the debate carried on, Kai leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable beneath his hood. He listened quietly, absorbing everything, planning his next move.

For the moment, he was unarmed, but that didn't concern him. His senses were sharp, and with Sloth, he observed the crowd carefully. Most of them were weak—no one here was above level 10, except for one man sitting close to Tazuna on the stage. Even though Kai had unlocked an additional skill from absorbing Asuma's essence—Wind Blade Manipulation—he preferred the familiar weight of his sword. But he knew he could use this new power to his advantage.

With a thought, Kai summoned his ability. "Wind Blade," he muttered under his breath. Mana surged through his body, and a razor-sharp aura enveloped his hand, forming an invisible, deadly blade. Without hesitation, Kai moved. In a burst of speed, he rushed to the stage, his movements swift and calculated.

But his target wasn't Tazuna. Not yet.

Kai aimed for the strongest in the room first, the man sitting beside Tazuna. Before anyone could react, Kai's wind-formed blade sliced clean through the man's neck. His head dropped to the floor with a sickening thud. In the same fluid motion, Kai turned and slashed through Tazuna, severing his head with precision. Both bodies collapsed, their lifeless forms a gruesome display on the stage.

The crowd erupted into chaos, but among the panic, one figure remained seated, frozen in shock—a young boy. His eyes were wide with terror, his body trembling as he stared at the scene before him. His dark hair fell over his forehead, partially hiding his tear-filled eyes. He couldn't move, couldn't scream, as he watched Kai's cold, emotionless figure stand over the bodies of his loved ones.

Kai glanced at the boy for a moment but dismissed him as unimportant. His real focus was on the corpses at his feet. With a dark smirk, he knelt over the fresh bodies and activated Gluttony, his hand glowing faintly as he devoured their essence. Tazuna's life force flowed into him, but it wasn't enough. His hunger remained, and it was clear to him that even this wouldn't be enough to level up.

He stood up and faced the others who had gathered in the room. Fear gripped them, but a few brave souls charged at him, hoping to subdue the threat.

Kai's eyes narrowed, his movements fluid as he dodged their feeble attacks with ease. His wind blade sliced through them one by one, cutting them down in a matter of seconds. Their blood splattered across the floor as they fell, each attack precise and efficient.

"Greed," Kai whispered.

From across the room, the sword he had left with the guards came flying through the air, drawn to him by his power. He caught it effortlessly, the familiar weight of the blade filling his hand once more. Now armed, Kai continued the massacre, his sword cutting down anyone who dared come near.

The town hall was filled with screams and the sounds of bodies hitting the floor. Blood soaked the wooden boards, and the once orderly hall became a slaughterhouse as Kai mercilessly killed every last person in this townhall. 

Kai stood amidst the blood-soaked wreckage of the town hall, his eyes scanning the silent bodies sprawled across the floor. He had made sure—every leader, every person in a position of power in this village, was dead. No one had been spared.

But this was only the beginning.

With a flick of his hand, Kai summoned Wrath, the red, destructive aura swirling around him. The building trembled as the power of Wrath surged through the air, its raw energy focused on the town hall. The structure creaked and groaned under the pressure before, with a deafening explosion, it collapsed into rubble. The town hall—the symbol of the village's governance—was nothing more than dust and debris now, wiped clean from the map.

Kai stood for a moment, his cold eyes surveying the destruction. There was no satisfaction, only the fulfillment of a necessary task.

But he wasn't done.

Using Sloth, he once again observed the village, searching for those who still lurked in the shadows—the people who had been abusing their power behind closed doors. The underground mafias, the corrupt merchants, the thugs who preyed on the weak. Their presence, hidden from the eyes of most, was clear to Kai. And one by one, he tracked them down.

Each of them met the same fate. No secret hideout, no back-alley deal, no bribe could protect them. Kai eliminated them with ruthless precision, his sword cutting down every last corrupt figure who had been exploiting the people of the village. They all fell, their lifeblood staining the streets, until there was no one left—no one but the innocent, the ordinary citizens who had been at the mercy of those in power for so long.

When his work was done, the village was silent, its once-bustling center eerily still. Kai stood at the center, his presence casting a long shadow over the quiet streets. The people began to gather, looking on in fear and confusion. They had seen the destruction, the corpses of their leaders and criminals lying in the streets. But now, they waited, unsure of what would come next.

Kai's voice echoed through the village, cold and commanding, yet strangely calm. His words pierced the air, reaching every corner of the town.

"The village's politics are dead," he declared. "There is no leader, no one to tell you how to live or what to do. From now on, be independent. Survive. Depend on each other based on your own strength and needs."

The weight of his words hung in the air as the villagers stood in stunned silence. Kai had given them freedom—not the kind that came from democracy or leadership, but the brutal freedom that came from anarchy. There was no system, no rules. They would either learn to live and thrive without the structures of power, or they would fall.

Ding.

The familiar sound echoed in Kai's mind as the system confirmed his progress.

Level up. You are now Level 16.

Kai exhaled slowly, feeling the faint surge of power coursing through his body. It had been a grueling effort—slaughtering so many people, devouring their life force—but weaklings could only provide so much experience. Each kill gave diminishing returns, and though he had finally leveled up to 16, it felt like a small reward for the amount of effort he had expended.

He sighed, standing at the edge of the now-silent village. The corpses, the blood, the ruined town hall—everything was behind him now. The villagers, left to their own devices, would either find a way to survive or be consumed by their newfound "freedom." It didn't matter to him anymore. The village was nothing more than a stepping stone in his quest for power.

"At least I did level up," Kai muttered to himself. But he knew it wouldn't be enough. He needed to grow stronger, much stronger, if he was going to bring about the total destruction he envisioned.

As Kai began to vanish into the shadows, slipping away from the village without a trace, a thought crossed his mind. It was only a matter of time before Konoha caught wind of what he had done here. The village would eventually discover the massacre, and shinobi—potentially powerful ones—would be sent to investigate.