-----
-----
"Damn it, it's a monster! Someone go tell Lord Kazekage, now!"
After seeing Hayato transform into the Hulk and crush a Jonin with a single punch, the nearby Sand ninja turned pale and shouted in panic, rushing off to inform the Third Kazekage.
Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, Orochimaru grinned even wider. If Hayato just wiped out the Sand ninja quickly, there was a chance he might calm down and revert to normal. But if the Third Kazekage got involved… then it would turn into an all-out, no-holds-barred fight. And that meant Hayato would be forced to go up against the entire Sand Village by himself.
Whether Hayato lived or died didn't matter that much—but the Sand Village would definitely suffer massive losses. And when that happened, the Leaf Village could swoop in and finish them off.
Actually, the ruckus caused by "867" over here had already reached the Sand Village's camp. They were coming over even without being told. Right when Hayato raised his fist and smashed a Genin into a bloody pulp, more Sand ninja showed up.
"Stop right there!"
"Damn it!"
"Kill him!"
The group that arrived included a few Jonin, along with some Chunin and Genin. When they saw Hayato brutally crush someone with his bare fists, they roared in anger and attacked without hesitation.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!"
"Puppet Technique…!"
All kinds of jutsu came flying at Hayato, bombarding him from every angle. He was completely surrounded by a storm of ninjutsu.
"What the hell is wrong with this guy? Attacking us like this…"
"Hmph, what an idiot!"
"He's gotta be dead now—no one could survive that."
"But seriously, who is this dumbass?"
While the jutsu rained down, the Sand ninja were confident Hayato was toast. With so many techniques thrown at him, including some high-level ones from Jonin, no ordinary person could've taken that on. Even the Genin who had survived earlier sighed in relief, thinking it was finally over.
But hidden in the dark, Orochimaru let out a creepy laugh. "If Hayato could be killed that easily… he would've died a long time ago."
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
Sure enough, a deafening roar shook the battlefield. A towering figure—over six meters tall—suddenly appeared, making all the Sand ninja freeze in shock.
With another roar, Hayato's massive body tensed, and like he had springs in his legs, he launched himself forward in a flash, landing right in front of the Sand ninja. Both his giant fists came swinging down, slicing through the air with a terrifying whoosh.
BOOM!
Blood exploded everywhere. Flesh and bone were sent flying. A handful of ninja were instantly turned into meat paste by Hayato's brutal fists.
"What the hell?!"
"Otada! Damn it—fine, guess I'll die too! You freak! Wind Style: Tornado Hurricane!"
More ninjutsu exploded from the Sand ninja as they fought back desperately. But before the tornado even had time to fully form, Hayato just punched it.
BANG!
The jutsu shattered. The tornado was blown apart by one punch. There wasn't even a scratch on Hayato's fist.
And then… the fists came down again.
One by one, the Sand ninja fell under Hayato's steel fists. Their attacks did basically nothing to him. Even when they did manage to injure him a little, the wounds healed in seconds like they were never there.
Hayato was like a monster—ignoring every hit, charging forward with unstoppable strength, and making the Sand ninja feel completely helpless.
...
Finally, the Third Kazekage arrived.
"Magnet Style: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
Chunks of iron sand, shaped like flying stones, suddenly filled the air, swirling everywhere before blasting straight toward Hayato.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The iron sand projectiles rained down on Hayato, slamming into his massive body. He was such a huge target that almost all of them hit their mark.
Each hit made Hayato stumble back. His massive frame was actually being pushed back by the nonstop barrage. That alone showed just how powerful the iron sand attack was.
"Ah! It's the Third Kazekage!"
"Kazekage-sama is here! That's amazing!"
"Awesome... Kazekage-sama showed up—this monster's totally screwed now!"
As soon as the Third Kazekage unleashed his signature jutsu, the Sand Ninja couldn't hold back their excitement anymore. He wasn't just the strongest ninja in the Village Hidden in the Sand—he also possessed the unique and powerful kekkei genkai: Magnet Release. This ability had even earned him the title of the strongest Kazekage in the village's history. So yeah, the Sand Ninja absolutely worshipped him.
ROAR! With a furious growl, Hayato suddenly stomped down hard. His retreat came to a sudden stop. Then, slamming both feet into the ground, he charged straight into the storm of iron sand—heading right for the Third Kazekage.
"What the—?!" The Kazekage was caught off guard for a split second. But he was no rookie. As a true Kage, he had top-tier combat instincts. Just as Hayato rushed at him, the Kazekage pushed off the ground and flipped back, creating distance in an instant. His hands flew through a series of complex hand seals so fast, it looked like a blur.
BOOM!Hayato's massive fist came crashing down right where the Kazekage had been standing a second ago. The sheer impact shook the ground and left a giant crater beneath his feet.
But before Hayato could make another move, the next wave of the Kazekage's attack was already on him.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Gathering Assault!"
Iron sand was molded into various deadly shapes—blocks, cones, spears—and all of them came crashing down on Hayato like a deadly storm, trying to pierce and crush him completely.
Clang! Bang! Crash!
The iron blocks, spikes, and spears smashed into Hayato, each hit exploding with a loud thud. Some of the sharper ones even pierced his skin, tearing bloody gashes across his body. But instead of going down, Hayato let out another thunderous roar. He looked even more pumped up.
The attacks didn't weaken him—in fact, it was like they made him stronger.
His already enormous body—over six meters tall—suddenly grew again, shooting up to almost eight or nine meters. He wasn't just a big guy anymore.
He was a giant.
"Damn... what the hell is this thing? A freakin' monster?"Even the Third Kazekage couldn't help but show a bit of worry in his eyes.
"....."