Reiji's ambush on No.3 was instantly swallowed by a wave of incoming ninjutsu.
Just as No.1 and No.2 were about to celebrate...
Poof! A soft sound burst through the air.
The Reiji who'd taken a direct hit dissolved into a puff of white smoke.
No.1's pupils shrank to pinpoints as he cried out in alarm.
"Damn! Shadow Clone! Watch the surroundings—now!"
He spoke rapidly, eyes sweeping over No.2 and No.3, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
Sure enough, the moment his gaze landed on No.3, a chill spread through him.
No.3 stood exactly where Reiji had supposedly been struck by the Lightning Release: False Darkness. The substitution stump was gone.
In its place was an arm—bloody and slick.
A slender arm reached through No.3's chest, the blood-soaked hand clutching a still-beating heart.
No.3's face went rigid, blood pouring from the corner of his mouth.
Slowly, painfully, he lowered his head and saw it—his own heart, pulsing in someone else's hand.
The night deepened.
For the first time, the moon peeked out from behind the clouds, casting cold light over the now-silent battlefield.
Filtered through the treetops, the moonlight landed on Reiji, illuminating the cold, merciless smile at the corner of his lips behind No.3.
"Stop!" A desperate scream echoed through the forest.
"Too late."
Unfazed, Reiji clenched his hand slightly—and crushed the heart to pulp right in front of No.1 and No.2.
From the battlefield's edge, Tsunade lay helplessly on her side, her tilted head just catching the entire scene. Her chest felt crushed under an invisible weight, each breath agonizing.
She had never seen anything so brutal—or perhaps, still being a student at the Academy, she'd simply never been exposed to such carnage.
And yet... despite the horror of it all, she didn't feel disgusted by Reiji.
In fact, she found herself slowly agreeing with what Hiruzen had said. She pitied him.
What kind of life forces a child not even ten years old to become this cold?
What kind of world hardens someone enough to crush a man's heart without blinking?
Cruelty isn't born—it's returned to a world that only ever dealt out pain.
In that moment, Tsunade found herself truly, deeply wanting to know everything about Reiji's past.
"Reiji Sakuhō... if only you were one of us..."
On the battlefield, No.3 collapsed slowly, his eyes blank and lifeless—like Tsunade, who had been paralyzed by the barrier—but unlike her, he had lost the right to breathe.
He was dead. The kind of death even reincarnation couldn't fix—his heart reduced to pulp, scattered across the dirt.
"Die! You're gonna die! I'll crush every damn bone in your body!"
No.1's usual stoicism vanished, replaced by seething fury as he stared at No.3's lifeless body.
On the other side, No.2 looked even more unhinged.
"Die! Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
He flew through hand signs, his fingers a blur.
A rapidly spinning vortex of wind howled toward Reiji.
Reiji sneered and vanished in a blink, mind racing through the data.
He'd suspected the trio looked alike. Now, with No.3 dead and these two reacting so violently, there was no doubt—they were brothers.
Perfect. Lose control. Burn through all your chakra.
Once you're drained, I'll finish off both you idiots.
Jutsu erupted. Gales howled. Fire surged. The earth shook and heaved.
Temporarily abandoning offense, Reiji darted between trees like a nimble monkey, weaving through the chaos.
In moments, the battlefield had been scorched into a barren wasteland under the relentless bombardment.
"Damn it! You're not getting away again!"
No.1, no longer calm, slammed his hands together. His face twisted into a snarl.
He was going all in now.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River! Hah!"
The ground liquefied. The entire field turned to churning yellow mud, sticky and unstable.
Reiji leapt high into the air, frowning as he looked down at the slowly shifting terrain.
"Damn... this is a headache."
On the other side, No.2 fired off another round of hand signs, his chest expanding.
"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The wind fed the flames. A massive firestorm surged into the sky.
Mid-air, Reiji saw there was no time to dodge. He formed seals instantly.
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
A burst of white smoke—and a clone appeared beneath him.
Using it as a springboard, Reiji kicked off, launching himself even higher into the air—just narrowly escaping the deadly combo.
"Bastard!"
Seeing his ultimate move fail, No.2 screamed in rage, completely losing it.
His chakra was nearly depleted—but Reiji, even with a shattered left arm, was still bouncing around with energy, slippery as an eel.
Scanning the battlefield, No.2's eyes locked onto Tsunade at the edge.
A cruel smile crept across his face.
"Big brother, hold him off. I'll be right back!" No.2 shouted, his eyes flicking toward Tsunade.
No.1, eyes bloodshot, instantly understood. A cruel smile curled across his lips.
With a burst of speed, No.2 darted toward the edge of the battlefield.
Meanwhile, No.1 was recklessly firing off Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet without pause.
Reiji had no choice but to draw his giant sword and block, but each blast of the earth jutsu pushed him farther and farther back.
With the ground slick with yellow mud, Reiji had lost his greatest asset—speed.
Without it, he was forced to keep summoning shadow clones to redirect his momentum midair.
By now, No.2 had reached Tsunade. He loomed over her limp body with a vicious grin.
As he yanked the iron rods from the ground one by one and stepped closer, Tsunade's anxiety spiked.
Her body was still paralyzed with numbness. She couldn't move an inch.
He's getting close...
No.2 stopped in front of her, slowly drawing a meter-long ninja blade from behind his back. He pressed the blade against Tsunade's neck, then turned his head toward Reiji, his expression full of sadistic glee.
"You little brat! Chased me down all on your own—what, got a thing for this chick?"
Reiji's heart jumped in panic.
No! Bro, let's talk this out!
If you hurt Tsunade, I'm done for. Mud down the pants—it's gonna look like crap whether it is or not!
As he thought, Reiji summoned another shadow clone and used it to leap aside, narrowly dodging a volley of shuriken.
"Stop running! Or I'll slice this girl's leg clean off!"
No.2 roared hysterically, raising his blade toward Tsunade's legs.
Desperation overtook Tsunade. She took a deep breath and, with all the strength she could muster, shouted at Reiji.
"Get out of here! You're not from Konoha—you don't have to save me! Just go!"
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
No.2 snapped his head around, snarling, and kicked Tsunade hard in the face.
Her delicate features instantly swelled.
Reiji's expression turned stone cold.
As he landed, his feet sank into the slick yellow mud. His icy stare locked onto No.2.
No.2 met his gaze with defiance, his sneer full of malice. He was confident Reiji was outmatched.
No.1 took the opportunity to hurl a kunai.
Clang! Reiji instinctively swung his massive sword, blocking the blade despite being bogged down.
No.1's eyes flared with fury.
"Damn brat, you dare block it?! No.2, teach him a lesson—slash the hostage's face!"
No.2 paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up as he raised his blade, gleefully preparing to strike.
Tsunade had completely lost hope.
She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be disfigured.
But still, she bit her lip hard and didn't make a sound.
She was terrified she'd cry out for Reiji to save her—and even more terrified that he actually would.
If she could choose, she wanted him to walk away.
Because if he died, the fragile bond he'd been protecting... would die too.
As the blade lifted high, ready to strike...
Reiji's somber face suddenly split into a grin. His eyes lit up with a sharp, deadly gleam.
"Throw it!"
With a shout, another shadow clone Reiji had stationed earlier appeared on the battlefield's edge—just a short distance from Tsunade.
In one swift motion, the clone hurled a square, brick-like object with all its strength.
Scrawled across the brick in clumsy handwriting: "Dr. Mundo Goes Wherever He Wants!!"
"Now!" Reiji roared.
"Flying Thunder God Technique!"
Just as the blade was about to fall, the brick flashed into position—right between the ninja blade and Tsunade.
For a heartbeat, time froze.
Then, Reiji appeared in a flash, perfectly intercepting the strike. With his giant sword strapped to his back, he took the blow head-on.
But both of his arms were left behind.
No.2, now completely unhinged, couldn't handle Reiji's endless tricks any longer. He seized Reiji's sword and struck again.
Squelch.
A deep gash tore open Reiji's back, blood spraying everywhere.
He couldn't hold it in—his blood splattered all over Tsunade's face.
Their eyes met.
With blood-stained teeth and a pained smile, Reiji said,
"If you die now... there'll be no way to explain anything."