Red Haired Supremacy

It didn't take Shanks long to arrive at the village of Suzuki. With his Observation Haki upgraded to level four, his sensory radius had tripled—from 1,000 meters to an impressive 3,000 meters. Considering this village was a relatively small settlement, covering no more than a 1,000-meter span, the entire village now lay completely within the scope of his Observation Haki.

As he entered the outskirts, Shanks activated his Haki, scanning the village with precision. Within moments, he detected a cluster of ninja residing in one of the largest houses. Their chakra signatures stood out immediately against the quieter, scattered presences throughout the village. Apart from that central group, only a handful of other ninjas were present—most of them Genin-level, with one or two reaching Chunin rank at best.

He narrowed his focus on the main group. If I'm not mistaken, he thought, those must be Kirigakure shinobi. The ones taking shelter in the biggest house likely aren't just any random group. Two of them possess chakra levels that rival seasoned Jonin. That doesn't necessarily mean their skills match their chakra, but it's a strong indicator of their strength. They're likely Jonin in both power and combat ability. The remaining eighteen are hovering around Chunin level—not to be underestimated, but clearly not top-tier either.

For Shanks, this kind of opposition posed no real threat. He moved through the village like a shadow, leaping silently from rooftop to rooftop. Within seconds, he landed smoothly in front of the largest house—the one housing the elite ninja group he had sensed earlier.

No sooner had his feet touched the ground than he saw them: two Kirigakure ninjas standing guard at the entrance, exactly where he expected. His earlier assessment had been spot-on. This was the stronghold of Kirigakure Ninjas in this village.

Startled by his sudden appearance, both guards snapped into combat mode. One drew a short sword with practiced speed, while the other brandished a kunai, their eyes narrowing with suspicion and aggression. They didn't bother to question the man moving stealthily with a sword at his waist, assuming he was an attacker. No words, no warning—they lunged at him without hesitation.

Shanks smirked. Calmly, he rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"It's not polite," he said, his voice cool and even, "to attack a stranger without asking their name."

In the blink of an eye, he vanished.

A red blur flashed through the air. A heartbeat later, he stood in front of the door, already sheathing his blade. Behind him, the two guards froze in place, caught mid-motion as if time had paused.

Shanks pushed the door open.

At that exact moment, twin sprays of blood erupted from the guards' necks. Their bodies collapsed to the ground without a sound, lifeless.

Shanks didn't spare a glance for the two Kirigakure ninjas he had just cut down. Their deaths were a formality. He stepped through the gate without hesitation.

Inside, two more Kirigakure guards spotted him. They were stationed deeper within the compound, just past the entrance, and hadn't sensed any response from the front guards. The silence could mean only one thing—their comrades were either dead or completely neutralized by the red-haired stranger who now stood before them.

One of the guards shouted, "Intruder!"

His voice hadn't even finished echoing before movement stirred all around the compound. In less than a minute, the entire Kirigakure unit had assembled. At the center of the group stood two figures radiating power—ninjas whose chakra levels marked them as Jonin. Their presence made it clear: they were in command.

One of them stepped forward and spoke. "Who are you? Are you after the bounty on our heads?"

Shanks met his gaze, steady and unflinching. "My name is Shanks Uzumaki, of the Uzumaki clan. Yes, I'm here for the bounty—but that's not the only reason."

He drew his sword slightly, letting the steel glint in the light.

"I'm also here for revenge. Killing you will be the first drop of water on the wildfire of rage burning inside me. You Kirigakure bastards drove my clan to the edge of extinction. It's time someone returned the favor."

The other Jonin narrowed his eyes, a mocking smirk curling at the corner of his lips. "So, you're that Shanks—the one who fled three years ago. But I see you've lost an arm since then. Tell me, what brings you back now? Have you come here just to die?"

Shanks remained silent, his gaze steady and unyielding. Without a word, he reached for the hilt of his sword. As his fingers wrapped firmly around it, he began to unsheathe the blade with deliberate slowness. With only one hand, he performed two intricate hand seals, an act so precise that it immediately caught everyone's attention. Lightning surged along the length of the sword, crackling and dancing as the blade was revealed, wrapped in an electric aura that shimmered fiercely in the dim light.

The gathered ninjas exchanged uneasy glances. The unmistakable sign was clear—Shanks was using one-handed sealing, a rare and difficult technique that spoke volumes about his skill and power. Both Jonin reacted instantly, their voices rising in a sharp, unified command: "Attack!"

They knew exactly what this meant. Three years ago, Shanks had already been a Jonin-level threat, skilled and dangerous. Now, having mastered such a complex technique with only one hand, he had to be even stronger—far beyond what they had faced before.

Without hesitation, the Kirigakure ninjas surged forward, moving from all directions in a tightly coordinated assault. Their weapons gleamed as they closed in, the air thick with tension and anticipation. Then, in a sudden, overwhelming surge of power, Shanks unleashed his Conqueror's Haki. A deep, reddish aura erupted from his body, spreading rapidly to fill the entire room and extending beyond, engulfing the vicinity of the large house in an oppressive, powerful wave of energy that left everyone momentarily breathless.

The wooden floor, walls, and windows began to crack and splinter under the oppressive force of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki. At the same time, the sky-blue lightning enveloping his sword deepened to a fierce crimson glow.

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