Curious

Ryu's aura completely changed, the wild qi around him coalescing into a focused stream. 

"[Lurking Shadow]."

The first strike of [White Serpent's Dance]. It emphasized speed and stealthiness. Someone who wasn't familiar with the moveset would find themselves caught completely off guard. 

Ryu's Great Swordstaffs became like winding snakes hidden in the wind. Compared to before when Ryu could only eek out a single strike in this state, he instantly strung together what felt like an endless combination of movements. 

His steps, his demeanor, his presence all became like a fleeting wind, difficult to catch a trace of and even harder to counter even if you managed to do so. 

Every time Ryu's blade flickered back into existence, an arc of blood and screeching roars would sound. In what felt like the blink of an eye, four chiefs who had just been standing perfectly fine found themselves covered in crisscrossing blades.