Meanwhile, at the training grounds, Aiko and Serena stood facing each other.
The open field was surrounded by wooden logs, target dummies, and sparring rings, while shinobi of all ranks trained in different areas.
Aiko clapped her hands together.
"Okay! I'm gonna show you the true strength of a shinobi!"
Serena smirked, drawing Infernum from its sheath.
"Let's see if you can impress me."
Aiko's green eyes flashed, and she instantly formed a series of hand signs.
"Water Style: Raging Torrent Jutsu!"
WHOOSH!
A massive wave of water surged from her hands, forming a spiraling vortex aimed straight at Serena.
Serena simply stood still.
Then—
BOOOOM!
An explosion of crimson chakra erupted from her body.
The sheer pressure of her Infernum's energy sent shockwaves through the ground, splitting the earth beneath her feet.
The water vortex evaporated instantly.
Aiko's eyes widened in horror.
"W-What…?!"
The entire training field trembled as Serena casually lifted Infernum, the massive sword pulsating with raw destruction.
Serena tilted her head.
"That was cute. My turn?"
With zero effort, she swung Infernum downward.
A single shockwave exploded from her blade, sending a powerful gust of crimson energy rippling across the field.
The ground cracked and split apart, sending chunks of earth flying.
Aiko barely dodged, her body flipping backward.
Her mind was racing.
"She didn't even MOVE—she just SWUNG her sword!"
Serena smirked.
"Not bad, kid. But you're gonna need a lot more than that to beat me."
Aiko, now covered in sweat, couldn't believe what she had just witnessed.
This woman—
Was on a completely different level.
After the sparring session ended, Aiko approached Serena, still in shock.
"Your sword… can I… hold it?"
Serena raised an eyebrow, then shrugged.
"Sure. But don't cry about it."
Aiko reached forward, gripping Infernum's hilt.
The moment she lifted it—
CRACK!
The sword slammed into the ground, creating a deep crater as the weight crushed the stone beneath them.
Aiko's jaw dropped.
She had used all her strength—and she couldn't even lift it an inch.
"W-What the hell?!"
Serena smirked.
Without hesitation, she casually lifted Infernum with one hand, spinning it effortlessly in her grip.
"Huh? What's wrong? Too heavy?"
She started tossing the sword into the air, playing catch with it like it was a paperweight.
Aiko felt her soul leave her body.
"T-That thing… shouldn't be possible to lift…!"
Serena winked.
"Guess I'm just built different."
Aiko collapsed onto her knees.
"I… I give up."
Serena chuckled.
"Good choice, kid."
Jasper lay flat on the ground, his eyes blank, his soul gone.
Ryuji stood over him victoriously, holding up an empty bowl.
"AND THAT'S GAME! I WIN!"
Jasper coughed weakly.
"Screw… you… and your spicy hell broth…"
Sienna took a sip of her tea.
"Told you."
Serena arrived just in time to see Jasper dying on the ground.
She smirked.
"Wow. Loser."
Jasper weakly flipped her off.
"Don't… talk to me…"
Serena laughed, sitting down and grabbing Jasper's untouched ramen.
"Guess I'll eat this."
Jasper's silent scream echoed in the air.
Ryuji, meanwhile, grinned.
"You outsiders are fun! I'm glad you came here!"
Sienna, watching all of them, smiled faintly.
"Maybe… this trip wasn't such a waste after all."
And somewhere in the distance, deep inside the Homurakage's office, discussions were already being had about the outsiders and the dragon spirit within their swords.
For now, however—
They were just enjoying the village.
Jasper was still recovering from his brutal ramen defeat, leaning against a wooden training post with his arms crossed. His light blue hair shimmered under the sun, his Dragonis sword resting beside him.
Sienna sat nearby, typing on her holopad, while Serena casually polished Infernum, the massive blade resting across her lap.
Just as Jasper was about to close his eyes for a quick nap, a shadow loomed over him.
Kenshiro.
The elite shinobi stood before him, arms folded, his headband tilted slightly to the side, covering one of his piercing eyes.
"Jasper Tyros," he said in a firm tone.
Jasper cracked one eye open.
"Yeah, what's up, silver-hair ninja?"
Kenshiro ignored the nickname.
"Your sword. I need to see it in action."
Jasper sighed.
"Why does everyone in this place want to talk about my sword? First the ANBU, now you? You guys got some kind of obsession?"
Kenshiro's eyes narrowed.
"It's not an obsession. It's caution. Your blade carries a presence… similar to something we have faced before."
Serena smirked, flipping Infernum over her shoulder.
"Oh yeah? And what do you plan to do about it?"
Kenshiro slowly reached for his kunai pouch.
"A match. Here. Now."
Jasper groaned, running a hand through his messy hair.
"Man, I just ate—well, lost an eating contest, but same thing. Can't we do this later?"
Kenshiro took a step closer, his presence radiating authority.
"Are you afraid?"
Jasper's smirk disappeared.
A flicker of challenge burned in his glowing blue eyes.
"Alright, ninja boy. You want to see my sword? Let's see if you can handle it."
Sienna, without looking up from her holopad, muttered—
"This is going to be a disaster."
The training grounds quickly cleared as shinobi gathered, curious to see the match.
Kenshiro took his stance, his fingers flashing through rapid hand signs.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Step Jutsu!"
BOOM!
In a flash of blue lightning, he vanished—reappearing instantly behind Jasper.
"Fast," Jasper muttered.
Kenshiro struck forward with a kunai.
Jasper didn't even move.
Instead—
A pulse of blue energy erupted from his body.
BOOOOM!
A shockwave blasted outward, sending Kenshiro skidding back as the ground beneath Jasper's feet shattered into a crater.
The entire area trembled.
The nearby trees ripped from their roots, crashing to the side.
Kenshiro's eyes widened.
"What… the hell…?"
Jasper sighed, rolling his shoulders.
"I barely did anything. You sure you can handle this?"
Kenshiro gritted his teeth.
"I'm just getting started!"
He flashed through another series of hand signs.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
WHOOSH!
A massive stream of fire shaped like a dragon's head roared toward Jasper.
Serena smirked.
"Heh. That's cute."
Jasper raised Dragonis with one hand.
As the flames reached him, his sword glowed with a soft blue aura.
He swung—
SWOOOOSH!
The entire fire dragon split in half, the flames dissipating like smoke.
Silence.
Jasper tilted his head.
"That was kinda warm. Got anything better?"
Kenshiro clenched his fists.
"Fine. Let's see if you can handle this."
His right eye glowed crimson.
"Akarugan—Activate"
The world shifted as Kenshiro's Akarugan fully activated.
His vision changed.
Instead of seeing Jasper normally, he now saw—
Pure, raw chakra.
And what he saw shook him to his core.
"Impossible…"
Jasper's entire body was wrapped in a colossal aura of blue energy.
Not just normal chakra—
Something far beyond what even the most elite shinobi could produce.
"This power… it's above Jonin level… no, even ANBU level!"
For the first time, Kenshiro hesitated.
Jasper noticed.
"What's wrong? You gonna attack or just stare at me all day?"
Kenshiro gritted his teeth.
"Let's see if you're as strong as you look!"
He lunged forward, kunai in hand, aiming for Jasper's chest.
Jasper simply lifted Dragonis.
Kenshiro's kunai clashed against the blade—
And then—
CRACK!
The ground beneath them shattered completely, sending debris flying.
Kenshiro's body froze mid-strike.
His arms trembled.
His kunai broke instantly.
And then—
THUD!
Dragonis slammed to the ground.
The sheer weight of it sent a shockwave across the field.
Kenshiro struggled to lift it.
"T-This… thing… weighs a damn ton…!"
Jasper casually stretched his arms.
"Really? Feels light to me."
With one hand, he effortlessly lifted Dragonis, spinning it in the air before resting it on his shoulder.
Kenshiro's Akarugan flickered.
His heart pounded.
"This man… is on a completely different level."
Jasper smirked.
"Fun match, Kenshiro. But next time—"
He tapped his own chest.
"—bring a bigger sword."
Kenshiro sat on the ground, still catching his breath.
Serena leaned against a tree, smirking.
"Told you he was strong."
Sienna closed her holopad.
"At least now you understand what you're dealing with."
Kenshiro exhaled deeply.
"Yeah… I do."
His mind was still racing.
"Jasper Tyros… This man's power rivals legends."
And deep in his heart—
Kenshiro knew.
If Jasper had wanted to, that fight could have ended in seconds.
This wasn't just an outsider.
This was a force of nature.
And the Land of Blaze…
Had just welcomed something far more powerful than they had ever prepared for.