When the colossal earth dragon finally shattered under Hiruzen Sarutobi's full-force defense, the entire village fell into stunned silence.
That massive creature—something that looked like it could crush mountains—had actually been stopped.
For a brief moment, even the Uchiha and Senju clans felt a flicker of unease.
That had been their clan leader's attack.
An overwhelming, almost unbelievable display of power… and yet, it had been blocked.
But that unease didn't last long.
Because the moment they looked at Hiruzen again, everything became clear.
His breathing was chaotic, his robes were torn and battered, and the chakra within his body had nearly been depleted. Even standing upright seemed to require effort.
Then they looked at Ryujin.
His red robe remained pristine, not even the hem disturbed by the violent winds. His expression was calm, almost indifferent, as though what had just happened wasn't worth his attention.
Only then did everyone realize something truly terrifying.
The technique Ryujin had just used…
Was merely Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet.
A relatively low-level ninjutsu.
A technique that even mid-level shinobi could learn.
And yet—
It had forced the Third Hokage to exhaust nearly everything just to survive.
That realization sent chills down everyone's spine.
But what came next—
Was far more terrifying.
Ryujin's Mangekyō Sharingan began to rotate.
In that instant, it felt as though the very air itself grew heavier.
Chakra surged violently within his body.
How much chakra did Ryujin possess?
Even he himself had never truly measured it.
Ever since he absorbed the origin energy of two worlds, his physical body and chakra reserves had increased more than tenfold.
At this point, his chakra was no longer something human standards could define.
It was closer to that of a Tailed Beast—
Endless. Boundless.
Standing there, facing Hiruzen, Ryujin spoke calmly.
"Have you ever witnessed… the ultimate power of the Uchiha?"
Hiruzen's pupils shrank.
Before he could respond—
Ryujin's chakra exploded outward.
It surged like a tidal wave, rising violently into the sky. The force of it lifted his hair, whipping it wildly as an overwhelming pressure spread across the battlefield.
And then—
It appeared.
At Ryujin's feet, a faint blue figure began to take shape.
At first, it was only a shadow.
Then bones emerged.
A skeletal structure rapidly formed, growing at an astonishing speed. In mere moments, a towering humanoid skeleton stood beneath him.
A giant.
A being that looked like a mountain given form.
But that was only the beginning.
Flesh and chakra pathways began to cover the skeleton.
A dense layer of chakra wrapped around it like armor, forming a solid, tangible structure. The entire figure pulsed with immense energy, its presence alone enough to distort the surrounding air.
Then—
A mask formed over its face.
A long-nosed, tengu-like visage appeared, exuding an ancient and terrifying authority.
The chakra pressure intensified again.
Wind howled violently across the battlefield.
The ground trembled.
The giant rose.
From a kneeling position, it slowly stood to its full height.
Its massive form towered over everything, even surpassing the size of the dragon that had just been destroyed.
Then—
From its back, a pair of enormous wings unfolded.
Chakra condensed further, layering into full samurai armor. Piece by piece, the structure became more complete, more solid—like a living warrior brought into existence.
A true war god.
Ryujin stood within it, his Mangekyō glowing brilliantly.
His chakra flowed endlessly, pouring into the construct like a celestial river.
Under the reflection of the tengu mask, his figure looked like a divine ruler overlooking the world.
Majestic.
Overwhelming.
Unreachable.
"What… is that…?"
One of the clan leaders muttered, his voice trembling.
No one had an answer.
Because what stood before them—
Was beyond their understanding.
A humanoid giant, tens of meters tall, radiating power that crushed the very will of those who looked upon it.
It shattered everything they thought they knew about strength.
Among the Uchiha clan, reactions were even more intense.
Many instinctively activated their Sharingan, their eyes trembling as they stared at the towering figure.
They could feel it.
A resonance.
A connection between that power… and their own bloodline.
The four Uchiha elders, however, were overwhelmed with something else entirely.
Recognition.
And ecstasy.
Uchiha Moku, despite his injuries, dropped to his knees.
His voice trembled uncontrollably.
"That… that is…"
"Susanoo!"
The name struck like thunder.
Susanoo.
The legendary ability passed down through Uchiha blood.
The ultimate manifestation of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
A power that only existed in the deepest records of their clan's history.
A power few had ever witnessed—
And even fewer had ever wielded.
The sheer pressure of the Susanoo spread outward, pressing down on everyone present.
Fear.
Instinctive, unavoidable fear.
This was the Uchiha's ultimate technique.
This was their true power.
Inside the livestream, the guild members were completely speechless.
They thought they had already become numb after witnessing the dragon.
But now—
This.
This was on an entirely different level.
The newcomer, "Strange Good Person," stared blankly at the screen.
"What… what is that…?"
Her voice trembled.
Even through the projection, she could feel it—
The crushing, suffocating pressure.
It wasn't just visual.
It felt real.
Like something that reached directly into the soul and dragged out the deepest fear within.
She was just a student.
How was she supposed to process something like this?
Even the older guild members were shaken.
This wasn't something they had ever seen before.
Not even close.
Asuna stared in disbelief.
"So this… is the Guild Master's true power?"
Inori whispered softly, her voice almost absent.
"…It's terrifying… but also… comforting."
Linglong clenched her fists.
Before this, she had always believed her master was the strongest.
Now—
She realized how vast the world truly was.
Within the Susanoo, Ryujin moved.
His chakra surged again.
The giant raised its right arm.
From its palm, a radiant azure blade formed instantly, its edge glowing with terrifying sharpness.
The sword shimmered with energy, as if it could cut through anything in existence.
Ryujin looked down.
At Hiruzen.
At the exhausted Third Hokage standing on the ground.
And then—
He spoke.
Calmly.
Indifferently.
"Third Hokage… you've grown old."
"You're no longer fit for this position."