Chapter 41: Now This is Acting! The True Model of a Hardworking Shinobi!
But there wasn't a trace of fear on his face.
"What a majestic sight!" he thought with admiration.
Kazuya sprang into action at that moment, his movements swift and fluid.
Leaping.
Dashing.
Flashing.
Kazuya's speed was incredible. No drop could touch him, no matter how many Water Style jutsu were unleashed.
No wonder...
The Fourth Hokage never bothered using elemental ninjutsu in battle. With speed like his, he didn't need to. Just sheer, unmatched speed alone was enough to ensure victory.
It made sense now.
When speed reaches an extreme, ninjutsu becomes utterly meaningless.
Then again...
Even the Yellow Flash wouldn't have imagined that when bloodlines reach a certain level, speed becomes irrelevant as well!
This is the principle of balance—no matter how talented you are or how fast, nothing beats being born lucky.
Fortunately, for Kazuya, none of this mattered.
As long as there were enough "XP bags" around, he could collect the entire Six Paths family eventually!
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Water Chaos!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"
Relentless waves of ninjutsu continued to rain down.
From a distance, Danzo, observing Kazuya's movements—dodging and evading without retaliation—commanded coldly, "Nohara Kazuya specializes in Fire Style. Keep using Water Style to suppress him. Once he's exhausted, we'll capture him alive."
"Yes, Lord Danzo!" the Root operatives growled.
This guy dared to attack their base, utterly disregarding the Root and Danzo himself. He had to pay for that insolence.
At this moment, Kazuya's expression beneath his mask became somewhat... amused.
Danzo, you know how to play this game.
Using Water Style to suppress Fire Style?
That's a solid strategy!
A far better one than that fraud of a Third Hokage ever came up with.
This was touching. Danzo, you're living up to your role. The soul of the hardworking shinobi burns bright within you!
With a faint smile, Kazuya deliberately slowed his movements, pretending to show signs of fatigue.
"He's weakening!" Danzo's eyes lit up, thinking he had seen through Kazuya's facade.
"Ha! Still too young and reckless, Nohara Kazuya," Danzo sneered. "Ever since you were promoted to division captain of the ANBU, your file has been sitting on my desk."
"You're skilled, no doubt, but you should know, there's always someone stronger!" Danzo folded his arms arrogantly. "Increase the Water Style output! Don't let up!"
The victory was within reach.
Hmph, Nohara Kazuya... you're not so special after all.
"Yes!" the Root shinobi shouted in unison.
The intensity of the Water Style barrage immediately escalated.
Whoosh, whoosh!
Massive waves surged all around, flooding the area with powerful torrents.
[You have gained 100 Chakra Points.]
[You have gained 100 Chakra Points.]
[You have gained 200 Skill Experience in Water Style: Great Waterfall Jutsu.]
[You have gained 200 Skill Experience in Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu.]
[You have gained 100 Water Style Proficiency Points.]
[You have gained 100 Water Style Proficiency Points.]
[Your Water Style Proficiency has leveled up to Level 5 (0/1,000).]
Golden orbs rained down continuously, pouring into Kazuya's body.
After 15 minutes of relentless Water Style bombardment, his Water Style proficiency finally reached Level 5!
"Excellent!"
"This is what true dedication looks like!" Kazuya thought, unable to suppress a smile.
These Root operatives, though lacking in skill, were certainly giving it their all. They fought like their lives depended on it.
In just a short while, they'd helped him level up his Water Style to max proficiency—way more effort than that lazy old fraud of a Third Hokage ever put in!
One particular ponytailed female operative stood out, consistently launching Waterfall Jutsu after Waterfall Jutsu. She must have used that technique at least ten times. Now that's commitment!
Kazuya was almost moved to tears.
A true role model for hardworking shinobi everywhere!
Suddenly, Kazuya couldn't help but wonder.
Wasn't there a character in the original story, a female shinobi who could form hand seals with her eyes? She was quite pretty, as he recalled.
He couldn't help but speculate: was there a kunoichi out there capable of casting Great Waterfall Jutsu... in some "other" ways?
Now that would be a true evolution of ninjutsu.
...
Back in the battlefield, some of the Root shinobi were starting to sense something was off.
Cough, cough.
The ponytailed female operative let out a few hacking coughs, complaining, "We've been using Water Style for too long... I think I'm starting to choke on water!"
"My Mouth is Going Numb Too!"
"This isn't right. Why does it feel like Nohara Kazuya isn't even getting hurt?"
"Not just 'not right,' this is completely off!"
"You're correct—next time, maybe don't say anything."
The Root operatives were beginning to realize something was wrong, and naturally, so did Danzo.
"This kid…"
"Why does he look so at ease?!"
Danzo's expression soured.
Truth be told, only Kazuya could make this look so effortless.
Root operatives weren't amateurs—they were cold-blooded killing machines. The weakest among them had the skill level of elite Chunin. They were trained in assassination techniques, and even an elite Jonin would fall if surrounded by this many.
Unfortunately for them, Kazuya was far beyond the level of an elite Jonin.
"Seems like it's time to wrap this up…" Kazuya muttered softly.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Boom!
Instantly, a massive fireball, over ten meters in diameter, roared to life and rolled forward with a deafening explosion.
"He's coming!"
"Be careful!"
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
"Water Style: Water Wall!"
In the blink of an eye, several towering walls of water sprang up.
Boom!Crash!
The fireball collided with the walls of water, igniting an explosion that sent scalding steam billowing across the battlefield.
"Hmph, not so tough after all," Danzo sneered.
So, this was Nohara Kazuya? He couldn't even overpower Danzo's subordinates. That intel about him heavily injuring Orochimaru must have been wildly exaggerated.
Most likely… it had been Jiraiya's doing all along.
However, just as the steam began to settle, a sharp whooshing sound filled the air.
"What's that?"
"Kunai?!"
Danzo's face twisted in alarm as a dreadful realization dawned on him.
"Careful, it's the Flying—"
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
But before Danzo could finish his warning, a series of terrifying sonic booms erupted through the air.
In the blink of an eye, there was a flash of white light.
Before the Root operatives could even react, they were brutally flung through the air.
Thud, thud, thud!
Thud, thud, thud!
One by one, they slammed into the walls, blood spurting from their mouths. Wounded and dazed, they tried to rise, but none of them could even stand up straight.
It was clear—they had suffered severe injuries.
Only then did the white figure land gracefully before Danzo.