Cutting Through Like a Hot Knife Through Butter
"This is it… well hidden."
Following the fragmented memories he had extracted from the three Sky Ninjas, Aosui finally located the Sky Ninja Village's base.
Calling it a base, however, was misleading.
It was more accurate to describe it as a mechanical fortress.
The main structure was buried deep underground, while the surface was perfectly disguised as untouched forest. Dense vegetation, layered camouflage, and chakra-concealing mechanisms ensured that even experienced trackers would pass by without noticing anything unusual.
Without the ability to read memories, Aosui knew he would never have found this place so easily.
The Sky Ninjas had learned well from their destruction during the Second Great Ninja War.
Unfortunately for them, learning was no longer enough.
Aosui stepped forward openly, making no effort to conceal his presence.
Almost immediately, a sharp voice rang out from the trees.
"Who's there?!"
A Sky Ninja emerged, eyes narrowing as he spotted the Konoha forehead protector.
His expression changed instantly.
"It's a Leaf ninja!"
"Enemy attack!"
The alarm spread like wildfire.
Within seconds, Sky Ninjas poured out from concealed entrances, surrounding Aosui from all directions. Killing intent surged toward him like a tidal wave.
"You despicable Leaf bastard—die!"
Only three years had passed since the Second Great Ninja War. The Sky Ninjas had not forgotten the humiliation of their near-total annihilation at Konoha's hands.
Hatred burned in their eyes.
Facing dozens of enemies, Aosui remained calm.
Instead of forming hand seals or unleashing his strongest Water Release techniques, he slowly drew his ninja sword.
Steel slid free with a clear, ringing sound.
The Sky Ninjas hesitated for only an instant before charging.
Their strength, however, was far from what it once had been.
Most were Chunin. Some were barely Genin. Only a handful possessed Jonin-level chakra.
Against Aosui, the outcome was never in doubt.
A flash of cold light.
A body collapsed.
Before the next Sky Ninja could react, his throat was already open.
Aosui moved through them like flowing water, his blade tracing precise, deadly arcs. Every strike was clean. Every movement efficient.
One cut. One kill.
No wasted motion.
No hesitation.
It was exactly like cutting through melons and vegetables.
The Sky Ninjas didn't even have time to form hand seals.
They didn't scream.
They simply fell.
Blood soaked into the forest floor as bodies piled up around Aosui. The remaining Sky Ninjas froze, terror replacing rage.
"How… how is this possible?!"
"He's only one person!"
"I remember him now—Hirakawa Aosui!"
A veteran Sky Ninja stared at Aosui in horror.
"The Leaf Hero… Hirakawa Aosui!"
Murmurs rippled through the survivors.
"But isn't he famous for ninjutsu?"
"Then why does his sword technique look like that…?"
Another Sky Ninja swallowed hard.
"It's like… the White Fang."
The comparison was unavoidable.
Before coming here, Aosui had absorbed the pinnacle swordsmanship talent from Hatake Sakumo himself. Having personally witnessed Sakumo's blade technique, Aosui had grasped its essence in a single viewing.
He had not yet reached Sakumo's level.
Not even close.
But against enemies like these?
It was more than enough.
If Hatake Sakumo were standing here now, he would likely question reality itself.
Learning his ultimate sword technique after seeing it only once?
Even Kakashi, who had trained under his father for years, would doubt his own status as a genius.
Aosui's thoughts were calm.
I've met many geniuses.
They all call me one.
Deep within the underground fortress, the Sky Ninja leader Shinno stood with an increasingly ugly expression.
Just moments ago, he had dismissed Aosui entirely.
One man, no matter how famous, should have been nothing against numbers.
Yet now—
"How can he be this strong?!"
Outside surveillance screens showed Sky Ninjas falling one after another.
Beside Shinno, Hakumo Ranto clenched his fists, his heart filled with contempt and fear in equal measure.
So this is Konoha's strength…
As expected, a small ninja village like the Sky Ninjas was fragile by comparison.
Still, the sword technique Aosui displayed sent chills down his spine.
It was as if the White Fang had returned.
"Dispatch the flying squad," Shinno barked. "Immediately!"
His patience had snapped.
At his command, elite Sky Ninjas equipped with mechanical flight devices launched into the air.
The reason they were called Sky Ninjas was simple—they could fly.
In the ninja world, aerial combat was a near-mythical advantage.
In the past, this alone had made the Sky Ninja Village a terrifying force.
Until they met Konoha.
"This time, he won't escape," Shinno said grimly.
Intelligence confirmed that Aosui could not fly.
No matter how sharp his blade, a grounded ninja was nothing more than a target.
Outside, surviving Sky Ninjas cheered as the flying squad appeared.
"The flying squad is here!"
"He's dead for sure!"
Elite after elite rose into the air.
Without warning, bombs and shuriken rained down.
The sky darkened with weapons.
Aosui didn't move.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't defend.
Seeing this, cruel smiles spread across the Sky Ninjas' faces.
"What Leaf Hero?"
"He's so scared he can't even move!"
Laughter erupted—
And froze instantly.
The moment the attacks neared Aosui, an invisible force exploded outward.
Almighty Push.
Every shuriken. Every bomb.
Repelled.
Violently.
Before the flying squad could even react, their own weapons slammed back into them.
Explosions tore through the air.
Fire and smoke engulfed the sky.
In an instant, more than half the flying squad was annihilated.
Silence followed.
"What… what was that?"
The Sky Ninjas stared in disbelief.
Even Shinno and Hakumo Ranto stood frozen.
"Impossible!" Shinno roared.
His greatest trump card—useless.
Hakumo Ranto's throat went dry.
"What kind of ninjutsu was that…?"
"I don't know," he replied hoarsely. "I've never seen anything like it."
Shinno's confidence shattered.
"We can't let him continue," he growled. "We deal with him personally."
This was no longer something subordinates could handle.
Shinno strode out, chakra surging.
Hakumo Ranto followed immediately.
They were bound together now—sink or swim.
Outside, Aosui smiled faintly.
Good.
This was exactly what he wanted.
His goal was never simple slaughter.
This fortress would become his future base.
Destroying it would be wasteful.
Luring the leaders out was the cleanest solution.
Above him, the surviving flying squad retreated higher, launching cautious attacks.
Aosui vanished with Body Flicker, reappearing calmly.
He raised both hands.
Universal Pull.
A terrifying force dragged every flying ninja toward him.
Panic erupted.
Before they could recover—
Almighty Push.
Attraction and repulsion collided.
Metal shattered.
Flight devices broke apart.
Bodies fell like broken dolls.
"Water Release: Six Water Dragon Bullets!"
From the nearby river, six roaring water dragons surged forth.
They swallowed the fallen Sky Ninjas whole.
Not a single survivor remained.
And at that moment—
A razor-sharp wind blade screamed toward Aosui.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)