No matter how powerful she might become in the future, Mei Terumī was still just a small child of five or six.
At best, she only possessed the strength of a Chunin. Facing a Jonin, she had no chance of fighting back.
And Hayashi was far from an ordinary Jonin.
Suspended upside down, Mei gritted her teeth. Her eyes burned with anger as she glared at the Konoha shinobi before her, wishing she could tear him apart. Even so, she forced herself to suppress that impulse.
Using the momentum of her hanging position, her body swayed slightly as she turned her head toward the direction where Ado had been thrown. Worry filled her expression.
"A wise choice," Hayashi said with a faint smile as he dispersed the Lightning Release in his hand. If the girl had tried anything reckless, he would not have hesitated to teach her a painful lesson.
For a brief moment, he considered whether to eliminate the future Mizukage or take her back to Konoha instead.
Before he could decide, a dense mist suddenly spread across his surroundings.
The Hidden Mist Village was already covered in fog, but visibility had been manageable. This mist, however, completely obscured his vision.
Hidden Mist Technique.
He recognized it instantly.
A useful technique for assassinations, especially when combined with the Silent Killing Technique. Unfortunately, it was ineffective against someone with his level of combat experience.
Ado moved silently through the mist, appearing behind him as she prepared a surprise attack.
But Hayashi had already sensed her.
He exhaled sharply, releasing a powerful burst of Wind Release. The violent gust tore through the thick fog, instantly clearing the area around him.
Ado was exposed.
She gripped a kunai tightly, aiming for his right arm. Her target was precise, not out of habit, but because that was the hand holding Mei by the ankle.
Hayashi had no intention of letting go.
Before the kunai could reach him, Lightning Release surged through his left hand, wrapping around his body. The crackling chakra made contact with the incoming weapon, beginning to erode the metal.
The numbness spread through Ado's hand, but she clenched her teeth and pushed forward.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Hayashi shifted his body to the side. The kunai barely grazed his arm.
Ado did not panic. Another kunai appeared in her hand almost instantly.
But Hayashi was faster.
As she struck again, he extended his left hand and caught the blade between his fingers, Lightning Release still coursing through his grip.
Holding Mei with one hand and stopping a weapon with the other, he remained completely composed.
Then, without warning, he raised his knee and drove it forward.
The impact sent Ado flying.
This time, she crashed into a large tree. Branches snapped upon impact before she finally managed to stop herself.
The entire exchange was smooth and controlled, almost elegant, a clear display of Hayashi's overwhelming skill.
He began walking toward her slowly, his expression calm, as if preparing to finish things.
Then, a sharp whistling sound echoed from the distance.
His eyes narrowed.
That chakra...
He turned toward the source, recognizing the direction immediately.
The Six-Tails Jinchūriki.
His expression changed.
Without hesitation, his hands moved rapidly through a series of seals. In an instant, the massive Rashomon Gate rose before him.
A deafening explosion followed.
The Tailed Beast Ball struck the gate with terrifying force. The impact shook the air violently, creating intense pressure waves.
Yet the Rashomon Gate held firm, only trembling slightly.
Behind it, Hayashi stood unharmed.
He even had the time to casually fix Mei's messy hair.
Her face was pale with fear, but she still glared at him stubbornly.
"Relax," he said lightly. "It is just a Tailed Beast Ball."
Before his words could fully settle, another black sphere was launched.
A second Tailed Beast Ball.
The impact was immediate.
Even the Rashomon Gate began to tilt under the overwhelming force, cracks forming as it neared its limit.
Hayashi clicked his tongue in annoyance. He immediately realized the cause.
His other shadow clone.
Blaming himself felt pointless, so he simply ignored the thought.
Mei, already terrified, now looked completely drained of color. She had never witnessed anything like this before.
Hayashi glanced at her briefly. His expression shifted slightly.
Then, without warning, he activated his monstrous strength and hurled her toward Ado.
Whether she survived or not was no longer his concern.
The next moment, his body dispersed into smoke.
He vanished.
Elsewhere, his other shadow clone faced the Six-Tails Jinchūriki directly.
Compared to the one that had disappeared, this version was far more fortunate.
In fact, the earlier attacks had been deliberately redirected.
His original goal had been to let the Six-Tails cause chaos within the village. Eliminating himself in the process had simply been an accident.
If anything, Mei was the luckiest of them all.
The Jinchūriki had not fully transformed. If the Six-Tails itself had unleashed that attack, even the Rashomon Gate would not have been enough.
She had unknowingly stood on the edge of death.
Now, Hayashi stood calmly as natural energy gathered around him.
Sage Mode.
Markings appeared on his face as his presence grew heavier.
Before him, the partially transformed Six-Tails Jinchūriki roared, its massive form writhing as it lashed its tails.
A corrosive liquid began to spread across the ground.
This was the Six-Tails' ability.
Even the Eight-Tails would struggle against such a substance.
Hayashi had no intention of getting close.
His goal was not to kill the Jinchūriki.
He only needed to push him far enough.
Once weakened, the Six-Tails would seize control completely.
A berserk state.
Lightning Release gathered in his hand.
A Chidori Sharp Spear formed instantly.
Still, he knew that would not be enough.
With a flick of his wrist, a black scroll appeared.
He placed it on the ground and formed a sequence of hand seals.
Tiger, Rooster, Rat.
Sealing Technique, Reverse Fire Sealing Method.
A mass of black flames erupted onto the surface of a nearby rock, burning with terrifying intensity.
Amaterasu.
He had previously sealed it away and preserved it for later use.
The flames were difficult to control, but their destructive power was undeniable.
Hayashi thrust the Chidori Sharp Spear into the flames.
The lightning blade became coated in black fire, crackling violently as the two forces merged.
Without hesitation, he hurled it forward.
A streak of azure lightning wrapped in pitch-black flames tore through the air.
His voice followed, steady and cold.
"Sage Art, Blaze Release, Pitch-Black Bursting Arc Arrow, Type Zero."
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