ALL NOVEL Chapter 20: ch20
"Wind Style: Vacuum Sphere!"
At that moment, the Jōnin seized his chance, unleashing a wind bullet, compressed by Wind Style chakra, from his mouth. The projectile, powerful enough to pierce a thick tree, hurtled toward Ethan Uchiha.
"You think my Sharingan is blind?"
The tomoe in Ethan Uchiha's Sharingan spun rapidly. Despite the near-transparent nature of the Wind Style attack, he could clearly see it with ease.
All ninjutsu, at its core, revolves around one key element: chakra.
Whether it's Wind Style, Fire Style, Earth Style, Water Style—any type of ninjutsu—it's all composed of chakra. And the Three Tomoe Sharingan could effortlessly detect this.
Invisibility? Not a chance.
"Wind-Thunder Body Flicker Technique!"
With a thunderous explosion, Ethan's form vanished in an instant, dashing straight toward the Jōnin, even as he dodged the wind bullets with perfect precision.
His movements were flawless.
In a flash, he closed in on the Jōnin.
*Boom!*
A sharp kick landed on the opponent.
The Jōnin felt a wave of pain surge through his abdomen.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Ethan's fists rained down relentlessly. Though only five years old, Ethan was already about a meter tall, and his strikes carried considerable force.
Each punch targeted the same spot, making the Jōnin want to vomit blood.
Unable to react, the Jōnin felt helpless under the barrage of blows.
And then, he collapsed.
He knew.
He had lost.
If this weren't just a test, the boy in front of him, with his speed and precision, would have already replaced his fists with kunai, ending his life swiftly and without mercy.
In that scenario, it wouldn't have been a simple beatdown. He would've been stabbed repeatedly, with no chance of survival.
After dealing with the Jōnin, Ethan raised his hand slowly, pointing toward the sky under the stunned gazes of the onlookers.
One finger to the heavens.
And then, he was about to speak.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, observing the scene, felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
In the Uchiha clan's section, Isaac Uchiha's face immediately darkened upon seeing his grandson's gesture.
He thought to himself, "He wouldn't dare, would he?"
"My grandfather once said, 'Jōnin? That's nothing!'"
As expected.
Under Isaac's watchful gaze, Ethan opened his mouth and brazenly spouted nonsense.
And yet.
Despite how arrogant it sounded, they couldn't deny the truth behind Ethan's words.
The Jōnin were, indeed, no match for him.
Three Jōnins had been taken down by a student who hadn't even graduated from the academy. Outnumbered, and still, they lost.
It was hard to argue against the facts.
Those around the defeated Jōnins couldn't help but sneer, thinking, "Such incompetence? Quit the squad already!"
---
"He's showing off too much," Jiraiya remarked with a mix of admiration and disbelief.
"I've seen plenty of people boast, but I've never seen anyone raise a finger to the sky before talking big."
"Why do I feel like this kid is insulting us?" Tsunade said, glancing at Ethan.
After all, weren't they all Jōnin?
In Konoha, the hierarchy was straightforward.
Hokage, Advisors, Jōnin, Chūnin, and Genin.
Simple as that.
In the end, no matter how strong someone is, they're still a Jōnin. For example, Sakumo Hatake—though Kage-level in strength—was still ranked as a Jōnin in the village. The term 'Kage-level' is more of an informal classification.
Strength is one thing.
Rank and position in Konoha are another.
Someone might be incredibly powerful, even at a Kage level, but they could still technically be a Genin.
That's because Konoha values more than just raw strength—leadership and team management are equally important.
So, no matter how strong someone like Sakumo Hatake is, his title remains Jōnin, unless he rises to become an advisor or Hokage.
"Taking down three Jōnins isn't even his limit. It's terrifying to think someone that young can be so powerful," Orochimaru commented, his eyes filled with curiosity as he watched Ethan.
A genius like this was bound to catch anyone's attention.
---
Among the Hyuga clan.
"He actually won."
Hiashi Hyuga watched in disbelief as Ethan stood victorious, pointing to the sky and boasting. The fact that he had just taken down three Jōnins added to the impact.
It left Hiashi deeply shaken.
Such power.
He was a Jōnin himself, but even he wouldn't dare claim to handle three Jōnins so effortlessly.
"The battle's not over until the very end," Bamboo Hyuga said quietly, using Ethan's victory to teach his sons an important lesson.
---
"Let him have his moment," Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered through his pipe, exhaling a cloud of purple smoke.
He had seen this before.
During a previous sparring session at the ninja academy, Ethan had struck a similar pose and boasted in the same manner.
That was just during a one-on-one practice session.
But now.
Here, in front of the Hokage, advisors, and nearly all the clan leaders of Konoha.
Ethan was still showing off in the same way.
This was next level.
Couldn't he tone it down a bit?
In such a short time, Ethan had shown off three times already.
It was as if he didn't even care about his Hokage's presence.