Marveling at his transformed body, Mochizuki Hui couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. He was nearly at the very peak of the shinobi world.
"Did I just become unbeatable too fast?" he mused. He was only sixteen, after all.
Other shinobi at that age were barely getting started. Then again, he thought, comparing himself to Naruto or Sasuke at sixteen, both of whom had faced off against Six Paths Obito, Six Paths Madara, and even Kaguya Otsutsuki, was hardly necessary.
They weren't even born yet. By the time they arrived, he would already be reigning supreme.
After getting a clear picture of his abilities, Hui set off to find Tobirama Senju—not only to report his progress but to test his strength.
While Hui was convinced he had reached the pinnacle of shinobi power, true strength had to be measured against other powerful opponents. And in all of Konoha, there were perhaps only a couple who could provide that kind of test. Tobirama was certainly one of them.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at an isolated area outside Konoha. Hui intended to go all out, so the usual training grounds wouldn't suffice.
"Come, Hui. Let me see just how strong you are now," Tobirama said, fully serious as he regarded the young man before him. He sensed an intensity from Hui that warned him this shinobi was now powerful enough to threaten even his own life.
"Alright, here I come!" Hui's voice had barely faded before he vanished, reappearing an instant later right in front of Tobirama, delivering a punch infused with raw power.
Boom!
The sound of an explosion echoed through the area as Hui's punch landed on a massive boulder, shattering it into dust.
"As expected of Flying Thunder God!" Hui exclaimed with admiration as he looked at Tobirama, who had already reappeared some distance away. The spatial technique was incredible.
But even as he spoke, Hui vanished again, reappearing beside Tobirama.
Thud!
This time, Tobirama used his own super strength to counter Hui's punch head-on. The impact caused the ground beneath them to explode outward in a cloud of dust.
Tobirama was knocked backward, an exchange that left the hidden Anbu spectators wide-eyed with shock.
In a pure test of strength, the Second Hokage had been overpowered!
After sending Tobirama flying, Hui wasted no time in following up, closing the distance swiftly to continue his attack. But this time, Tobirama was done with close combat. He quickly threw out several Flying Thunder God kunai and vanished the moment Hui closed in.
"There!" Hui's enhanced vision, though not having evolved again, was sharp enough to instantly detect Tobirama's location.
Once more, Hui seemed to teleport, appearing beside Tobirama in the blink of an eye.
This unexpected speed made Tobirama momentarily pause his hand seals, forcing him to activate Flying Thunder God again. In an instant, their figures were flickering in and out of sight, darting across the battlefield in a dizzying blur.
"Does the Deputy Captain know Flying Thunder God? But… where are his markings?" one of the observing Anbu asked in confusion, glancing at his squad leader.
The captain shook his head firmly. "No, the Deputy doesn't know the Flying Thunder God. I served under him for a time during the Anbu wars, and he's never used it."
"Then…?" The Anbu operative was baffled. How could Hui seem to teleport without Flying Thunder God?
"It's just his speed!" the captain explained, awe in his voice. "What you're seeing is merely his afterimage—he's that fast."
"Afterimage?" The realization left the Anbu in stunned silence as he watched the fight. Such speed was terrifying. If he had to face an opponent like that, he wouldn't stand a chance.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
In the sky, sparks flew continuously, but the combatants were moving too fast for anyone to see clearly. Their speed had pushed beyond what normal eyes could track.
After another intense exchange, the two finally separated.
Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!
A giant water dragon surged from behind Tobirama, roaring as it rushed at Hui.
Hui leaped high, gathering chakra in his fist before slamming it into the water dragon's head, shattering it with a single blow. Previously, he might have used Earth Release or a Water Dragon of his own to counter it.
But now? It was not necessary.
Boom!
The water dragon burst apart, its watery form collapsing back to the earth.
Water Release: Water Severing Wave!
Just as Hui obliterated the water dragon, a high-pressure water jet sliced toward him from the side. He inhaled deeply and then exhaled a powerful gust, bending the water beam's trajectory away from him.
"Impressive!" Tobirama's voice held genuine admiration. The Water Severing Wave was no ordinary technique.
The high-pressure water stream was sharp enough to slice through Earth Release defenses effortlessly. Hui had seized on water's flexibility, redirecting the attack with Wind Release instead.
As Tobirama spoke, Hui had already landed, spewing flames from his mouth without any hand seals. This wasn't ninjutsu—it was pure natural energy.
The Anbu watching from the shadows were awed, assuming it was some advanced seal-less jutsu. But Tobirama sensed no chakra in it.
"What is this?" Tobirama was taken aback.
His hands formed seals swiftly, and a massive water wall spiraled up around him, forming a waterfall that crashed down toward Hui. The deluge overwhelmed Hui's fire in an instant.
But Hui remained unfazed.
He thrust his hands into the water pooling at his feet, and blue lightning crackled, surging into the water and transforming into a massive lightning dragon racing toward Tobirama.
Once again, he had used natural energy without needing any seals. Hui was starting to relish this style of fighting!
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