"...Is this a dream? How could [JIN] possibly attack our Hidden Grass Village..."
The Grass ninjas' voices trembled, their palms slick with cold sweat as they gripped their weapons. Someone pinched themselves hard, hoping to wake up from this nightmare.
"D-Don't panic! It might just be an imposter in a Transformation Jutsu!"
"But that ninjutsu... it's exactly the same as the move that destroyed Konoha's gate in the rumors..."
Fear spread through the crowd, but it was followed by doubt. After all, why would such a legendary existence appear in a small village like this?
The leading Jonin swallowed hard and forced himself to take a step forward. His legs were weak, but he had to speak.
"W-Who are you? Why are you invading the Hidden Grass Village? This is an act of war!"
He prayed desperately in his heart, Please, please let it be a fake... or even a hallucination or a nightmare! Why did this have to happen to me?!
"Menma of [JIN]."
Those three short words made the lead ninja's knees buckle, and he almost collapsed. He gritted his teeth and forced himself to continue the negotiation.
"I-I understand... But... as far as I know, [JIN]'s purpose is to deter war through military might... Our Hidden Grass Village hasn't been involved in any diplomatic conflicts recently..."
Menma tilted his head slightly, his gaze from under the mask sweeping coldly over the crowd. "...Of course. If you wish to start a war... you should know the precedent."
The threat in his words was unmistakable. Everyone remembered the rumored intelligence—the fate of the Hidden Cloud envoy.
"So this is just a warning," Menma slowly raised his hand. "At least... I haven't taken anyone's life yet."
"Then... what is your purpose...?"
The lead Jonin's voice was as dry as sandpaper.
"The blood of the Uzumaki clan."
The answer made the air instantly freeze. The color drained from the Jonin's face.
"...What?"
"You have a mother and daughter of the Uzumaki clan hidden in your village," Menma's voice, tinged with an unquestionable pressure, came from behind the mask. "Hand them over. Do as I say, and no one has to die today."
The Uzumaki bloodline?! The Jonin's mind raced. How did such classified information leak? Have [JIN]'s minions already infiltrated the village?
He suddenly remembered the rumor—that when [JIN] first appeared, they had taken away a ninja from the Hyuga clan. And now they were after the Uzumaki... was this organization collecting Kekkei Genkai?
A commotion began to stir among the Grass ninja. Whispers spread like a plague.
"Are you kidding me..."
"But they're our 'medical packs'..."
"What will we do if we get injured on missions without them..."
Resistance was written on everyone's faces. Ever since they had obtained that mother and daughter, the Grass ninja had no worries when carrying out missions—if they got hurt, they just took a bite, and they would be healed in an instant. They had already gotten a taste of this convenience.
Give them up now? Cutting off someone's source of wealth is like killing their parents.
Gradually, the expressions in some of the Grass ninjas' eyes began to change. Once the seeds of doubt were planted, they would take root.
"Maybe..."
"What if it's a fake..."
"Anyone can wear that mask..."
They exchanged glances, reaching a silent consensus. Perhaps... the "Menma" before them is just an imposter coveting the Uzumaki bloodline?
Menma quietly watched the restless Grass ninja before him. The whispering, the gradually fiercer gazes—they were convincing themselves with greed, numbing their fear with self-interest.
"It seems... some people don't want things to end simply."
The Grass ninja were stunned for a moment. Before they could react...
A tangible killing intent suddenly erupted, pouring out from Menma like a black tide, instantly flooding the entire space. The air seemed to freeze, and even breathing became a luxury.
Fear had arrived.
The Grass ninja in the front row suddenly went weak in the knees and collapsed. Their pupils contracted to pinpricks, and the scene before them began to distort—they saw themselves being pierced through the chest by a black spiral, their internal organs shredded, blood spewing from their mouths.
"Ugh... ughhh..."
He wanted to scream, but his throat felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, and he could only let out a suffocated whimper.
The ninja next to him was even worse off. A warm liquid suddenly spread through his pants, trickling down his thigh, but he had no time to worry about the shame—because his mind was flashing with images of himself being beheaded, his head rolling on the ground, still able to see his own headless body slowly falling.
"No... don't..."
Some began to retch uncontrollably. Others scratched at their own faces like madmen, trying to wake up from the illusion.
Even the lead Jonin was frozen in place, his teeth chattering violently. Although reason told him this was all an illusion, his body believed it completely.
If I move... I'll die... I'll really die...
His knees hit the ground hard, and he gasped for breath like a dying fish. Cold sweat soaked his back, and his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would explode.
Under the shroud of this killing intent, everyone saw their own most tragic death. Some were burned to a crisp, some were torn to shreds, and some had their chakra drained until they were nothing but a dried-up corpse...
The most terrifying part was, they could clearly feel that this was probably not a threat or intimidation, but a premonition.
Menma took a slow step forward, and the Grass ninja scattered like a disturbed anthill. Some even rolled on the ground because their legs gave out.
"Now," his voice was exceptionally clear in the dead silence. "No one wants a meaningless sacrifice, right?"
No one dared to answer.
No one dared to breathe.
In the face of this absolute fear, even thinking became a luxury.
This skill is so useful.
Menma secretly praised the system's reward. The effect of "Supreme Aura" far exceeded his expectations—the Grass ninja who had been restless just a moment ago now had exceptionally "clear" eyes.
But the show had to go on.
He slowly raised his hand, palm up. Dark chakra, like a viscous liquid, seeped out, twisting and coiling in the air, gradually condensing into a terrifying sphere.
Spiraling Ring.
The surface of the sphere glowed with an ominous dark light. The surrounding air crackled from the energy overload. The occasional spark of chakra that fell to the ground instantly burned honeycomb-like holes in it.
"Ten minutes."
Menma's voice was terrifyingly calm.
"Bring the Uzumaki clan members here. Otherwise..."
He tilted his hand slightly, letting the black sphere rotate slowly on his fingertips.
"When I come looking for them myself—the Hidden Grass Village will be permanently wiped off the map."
The words were like a bucket of ice water poured over the stunned Grass ninja. They stared in terror at the light-devouring sphere, finally and completely accepting reality.
"Quick! Bring that woman and her daughter over here!"
The lead Jonin roared, his voice cracking.
"Now! Immediately! Right now! Everyone, move!"
-------
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