Holding Tsunade's fist, Shin gradually applied more force. A cracking sound filled the air as Tsunade's face flushed, and she groaned—the sound came from her hand breaking.
Not only that, but as a dark mist emanated from Shin, Tsunade's chakra was constantly drained. Shin had absorbed at least a third of her chakra within a few seconds.
The explosive power of her chakra-enhanced fists was formidable, but they couldn't turn her bones into steel. Now, Tsunade was caught in an inescapable position, unable to free her fist from Shin's grip.
Seeing the situation unfold, Jiraiya could no longer remain idle. His hair bristled, surging forward like a massive serpent.
"Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu!"
"Enough. Don't interfere," Shin snapped, dismissing Jiraiya with a casual wave. The dark aura around him spread outward, forcing Jiraiya to retreat.
No matter how flexible Jiraiya's hair technique was, it couldn't withstand the dark mist. The moment it touched the mist, its chakra was drained away. With the black mist advancing steadily, even Jiraiya had no choice but to fall back repeatedly.
"Damn! This ninjutsu is too unfair! It completely counters conventional jutsus. And he doesn't even need hand seals!"
Nearby, Orochimaru watched Shin's movements, eyes wide. Though he had known about the potent nature of the dark release, seeing it in action was a revelation.
"This is a terrifying jutsu—on par with the level of dust release! Dust release disintegrates matter, while dark release absorbs everything. But in terms of versatility, dark release far surpasses dust release."
Seeing Shin's attention diverted by Jiraiya, Tsunade drew back her other fist and aimed a blow at his head.
At that moment, Shin held Tsunade's hand with one hand and blocked Jiraiya with the other. Tsunade thought he would have no choice but to let go and dodge her attack.
But Shin merely smirked, and a pitch-black aura enveloped his head. With a resonant impact, Tsunade's punch landed.
"Ah!" Tsunade gasped in pain. Instead of shattering Shin's head, her fist suffered again, breaking her bones and leaving her hand bloodied and throbbing.
During their brief exchange, Tsunade observed Shin's mist, but she didn't expect that he could cover even his head with it. It was entirely unlike any ordinary ninjutsu.
Suddenly, Shin noticed Tsunade's grip slacken. Her pupils dilated as if she were about to faint. Her other hand, which had been resisting, fell limp, and her entire body began to tremble.
"... Hemophobia?" Shin recalled Tsunade's fear of her past.
"With hemophobia, you dare to confront me?" he muttered in disbelief. Shaking his head, he tossed her toward Jiraiya.
Seeing Tsunade hurtling toward him, Jiraiya abandoned any attempt to attack and caught her, holding her protectively.
Meanwhile, the three reconnaissance ninjas who had come with them regarded Shin as though he were a formidable monster.
Shin glanced at the trio. 'The Aburame ninja... he's no match for my mist. Useless.'
The Inuzuka ninja was a melee fighter. 'If he dares to come close, I'll smash his dog's head.'
The last one relied on gentle fist taijutsu to limit chakra flow. 'I don't need even chakra to crush him just the same.'
In truth, if members of the Hyuga clan tried their gentle fist techniques in the One Piece world, they'd likely be rendered almost powerless. Outside of techniques like the Eight Trigrams Palm and Rotation, those pressure-point strikes would mean nothing—no chakra, no effect.
Shin's gaze settled on a familiar face. "A Hyuga, huh? I wonder... if devouring him would enhance my physique," he mused, his eyes narrowing on the Hyuga ninja, who shivered under the scrutiny.
"Then again, there's always the Tenseigan on the moon. One more or less makes no difference."
Finally, Shin's gaze fell upon Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's expression tightened. 'The experimental subject I had my eyes on is too powerful. What now?' He felt pinned under Shin's focus. Although Shin was engaged with Jiraiya and Tsunade, Orochimaru sensed Shin's attention was primarily on him.
He wanted to escape but couldn't shake the sensation that Shin's attention was fixed on him, as though invisible eyes were monitoring his every move.
Cornered, Orochimaru prepared himself for a last-ditch effort.
Biting his finger, he pressed his bloodied hand to the ground and formed a sign. "Summoning Technique!"
With a loud *bang*, a massive purple snake appeared on the battlefield, speaking the moment it materialized. "Orochimaru, I demand a hundred sacrifices this time!"
Orochimaru's face darkened. This was why he seldom relied on the creatures of the Ryuchi Cave. While each Sannin excelled at summoning, Orochimaru's summon, Manda, was particularly demanding, always greedy for more sacrifices.
But in this crucial moment, Orochimaru wasn't about to argue with Manda. "If we win this fight, I'll bring you a hundred sacrifices."
"Don't forget your promise!" Manda hissed, turning to face Shin. "Is this the enemy?"
"Be careful. He's no ordinary ninja," Orochimaru warned.
"Hmph," Manda snorted but didn't take Shin lightly. He knew Orochimaru well enough; any opponent Orochimaru feared was worth caution.
With a mighty swing of its thick, scaly tail, Manda launched a strike, the massive appendage barreling toward Shin with the force of a landslide.
Shin narrowed his eyes. Confronting a colossal summon like Manda stirred a long-dormant excitement.
Ordinary ninjas crumbled like paper against Shin's power. Though they often boasted impressive offensive skills, their physical resilience paled in comparison. In combat, most relied on evasion; few dared meet him head-on.
Tsunade, for example, was among the few who specialized in close combat. But though she possessed immense strength, her durability hadn't measured up. One strike against his protective aura had left her hand fractured.
Yet this towering summon Manda, was different. At last, Shin had found a worthy target for an actual head-to-head fight.
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BONUS CHAPTER: 50 Powerstones achieved
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