The air was still.
Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.
All around lay the aftermath of destruction—trees splintered, the ground torn open, waterlogged soil still steaming from the clash of fire and lightning. Charred corpses littered the battlefield, a silent testament to the brutal fight that had taken place.
Now, Leo and the Hōzuki jonin faced each other across the wreckage—both battered, both exhausted, waiting for the final, decisive strike.
"Huff… huff…"
Leo panted heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead. This was, without question, the toughest battle he'd fought since coming to this world.
Victory meant life.
Defeat meant death.
He had already slain seven chūnin and one Hōzuki jonin before this fight. For someone his age, such a record was enough to make him a legend.
"Kid… you're a real genius. No—something even more terrifying than a genius."
The Hōzuki jonin spoke between breaths, slowly recovering his chakra.
"If you're allowed to live long enough to grow… you could one day stand shoulder to shoulder with the White Fang of Konoha."
Leo narrowed his eyes.
"That water clone you used earlier—how many more can you make? And how many punches do you think you can still take from me?"
"Heh…"
The jonin gave a low, disdainful laugh. Being taunted by a kid stung more than his wounds.
"Tch."
Leo smirked, his hands suddenly forming seals.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Now's my chance!"
Hōzuki jonin's eyes gleamed. He knew the Great Fireball Technique well—eight hand signs, at least eight seconds for an ordinary ninja to complete. Even a prodigy would need three or four seconds.
Instant-casting was impossible. No one could do it.
Hand seals always took time—and three seconds was all he needed.
If Leo needed three seconds to finish his seals, the jonin's Body Flicker Technique—which required only a second and a half—would be more than enough to end this fight.
The world seemed to freeze.
Leo's hands blurred through the seals.
The Hōzuki jonin moved.
With a sharp whoosh, his body vanished, reappearing right in front of Leo, kunai in hand, thrusting straight for the boy's heart.
This would decide the battle.
He could already see it—the kunai sinking deep into Leo's chest, victory at last. His lips curled into a triumphant grin as he prepared to watch the boy's eEXPression twist in despair.
But instead…
He was met with a smile.
That same calm, sinister smile—one that promised he was the one being played.
Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.
The jonin blinked. The kunai had pierced Leo's body cleanly—but there was no blood.
Only heat.
An unbearable wave of scorching heat burst from the wound. Leo's right arm ignited—no, transformed—into brilliant, molten gold flames!
The golden blaze swelled before his stunned eyes, forming a colossal fist of living fire the size of a small hill.
"That's… not the Great Fireball Technique…"
That was his last thought.
Leo's voice cut through the roar of the inferno like a blade:
"Fire Fist!"
A blazing pillar of fire crashed down from the heavens, engulfing the Hōzuki jonin completely.
He screamed in agony, his body liquefying into water—but even that offered no salvation. The searing temperature vaporized him in an instant, leaving behind nothing but mist.
Then—
BOOM!
A golden eEXPlosion of flame erupted skyward, lighting up the entire forest.
When it cleared, Leo stood at the center of the inferno, his body half-wreathed in golden fire. His form looked almost demonic, terrifying yet divine.
With a thought, the flames vanished as though swallowed by the void.
Ding!
Enemy slain: jonin.
+2000 eEXPerience. Current total: 12,800.
A silver treasure chest materialized before him with a faint pop.
Leo didn't even glance at it—he stored it away into his system space immediately. His Observation Haki was already warning him—something dark and hostile was drawing near.
Not from Kirigakure… from somewhere else. And it was coming fast.
He hoisted the unconscious Might Duy onto his shoulder and disappeared into the forest without another word.
Some time later, a black shadow descended from the sky onto the scorched battlefield.
The ground was glassed over, the rocks melted into glowing slag.
The figure crouched, examining the site with narrowed eyes.
"According to the intel, that kid Leo doesn't use Fire Release… and Might Duy's nothing more than a genin. There's no way he could produce this kind of firepower."
His voice was low, puzzled.
"So who did this?"
In the dim light, his pupils shifted—three black tomoe slowly revolving within blood-red irises.
The Uchiha had arrived.
Elsewhere, beneath a waterfall by a quiet stream—
After half a day of rest, Leo's strength had recovered by nearly seventy percent.
Nearby, Might Duy crouched by the stream, cheerfully catching fish with his bare hands. In no time, he'd caught seven or eight, skewered them on a stick, and jogged over grinning.
"Leo-kun! Lend me some fire, would you?"
Leo sighed helplessly. He flicked his finger—snap!—and a small flame shot out, instantly igniting the pile of dry wood.
"Wow! Amazing!"
Duy's eyes sparkled as he began grilling the fish, flipping them with practiced ease. Clearly, he'd done this many times before.
After a brief pause, Leo finally spoke.
"Duy… about my fire ability—please keep it secret. At least until I choose to reveal it myself."
Duy's hands paused for only a moment before he smiled warmly.
"I don't know why you need to keep it hidden, Leo-kun, but I'm sure you have your reasons. You saved my life—I'll keep your secret."
Leo nodded. He trusted Duy's character completely.
Still, he had good reason to be cautious.
If Konoha learned he possessed another bloodline-like ability—one capable of producing S-rank fire jutsu without hand seals—they'd never leave him alone.
They'd study him. Control him. Maybe even weaponize him.
A living weapon of war—that's what they'd make him.
He wasn't being paranoid. History has proven it time and again.
The Hōzuki clan, the Kaguya clan… once their powers became too feared, they were erased.
For powers that can't be owned, fear often leads to destruction.
Leo pushed the thought aside. The witnesses were all dead; no one would know what truly happened here.
He glanced over at Duy, who was happily turning the skewers over the fire.
"By the way, Duy—you said you could open up to the Seventh Gate, right? Then why'd you run out of steam after the Sixth?"
At that, Duy's arm froze mid-motion.
Caught by Leo's inquisitive gaze, he gave a sheepish, nervous laugh.
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