The lightning, which had been concentrated in his right hand, suddenly enveloped his entire body. The blinding glare was so intense it could be seen clearly from the Konoha camp hundreds of meters away! The sharp, bird-like chirping echoed far through the trees.
Chidori Stream!
If a fifth enemy had existed, Hagoromo would have been an incredibly easy target in this glowing state. Fortunately, there was no fifth; only four.
Hagoromo thrust his left hand straight up, catching the enemy's long blade with his bare palm. The sharp sting of the steel biting into his flesh made him grit his teeth instinctively. However, the powerful current surged through the blade instantly, paralyzing the Jonin's body mid-air!
From his right arm, still buried deep within the tree, a five-meter-long blade of white light erupted. Then, he swung his arm upward with violent speed!
Chidori Sharp Spear!
The tree and the corpse of the ninja skewered on his right arm were sliced clean in two. As his arm swept across, the white beam of lightning slashed toward the paralyzed Jonin!
This variation of Chidori trades raw piercing power for a five-meter range. But "weakened" is a relative term; compared to a full Chidori, it's less dense, but against a body of flesh and blood, it's more than enough to sever a man in half.
Hagoromo had hoped to end the Jonin right then and there. But a Jonin is a Jonin. Even paralyzed, the man managed to contort his body in mid-air through sheer willpower! The lethal strike only succeeded in severing half of the enemy's arm.
With the limb severed, Hagoromo could no longer transmit the paralyzing current. Though the numbness lingered, the Jonin regained his mobility. Realizing that staying meant death, he fled the moment he hit the ground.
In the Jonin's eyes, Hagoromo appeared unscathed and terrifying. In reality, Hagoromo's chakra reserves were severely depleted. High-level ninjutsu provides immense power, but the cost is staggering. Hagoromo was in no condition to give chase.
He dispersed the lightning, dropped the enemy's blade—still attached to a severed forearm—and exhaled.
Shortly after, Kushina arrived like a whirlwind, followed by a squad of Anbu. "Hagoromo! Where are the enemies?" she demanded, relaxing slightly only when she saw him standing.
The scent of blood in the air was thick. Three corpses and a trail of blood from a fleeing man told the story clearly.
Hagoromo remained silent. Usually, stories describe the psychological trauma of a protagonist's first kill. Hagoromo felt nothing of the sort. Since coming to this world, his entire education had been a masterclass in how to kill precisely, efficiently, and without hesitation. A ninja is a tool for killing; he was simply applying twelve years of study to the real world.
"Are you hurt?" Seeing no response, Kushina immediately began checking him over. Fortunately, only his hand was seriously damaged.
"Whew..." Hagoromo finally exhaled. His silence wasn't due to trauma, but "G-force overload." The high-speed maneuvers he'd just pulled had likely peaked at +9G, leaving his internal equilibrium a mess. It took a moment for the world to stop spinning.
His left hand was a mess. The blade had cut deep enough to nick the bone. If he hadn't used the Lightning Release to deaden the nerves, he might have lost the hand. But there was a downside: the electrical stimulation meant the wound wouldn't stop bleeding.
"Three dead, one escaped. I guess I still can't quite handle a Jonin," Hagoromo said, removing his mask with a wry smile. The battle had lasted less than two minutes, but he was drained. If the Jonin had stayed to fight, Hagoromo might have been the one on the floor.
His words left the four Anbu behind Kushina speechless. They knew he was a fresh graduate—a Genin. A Genin feeling ashamed for not killing a Jonin? How were they, the "elite" Anbu, supposed to feel about their own careers?
"The injury is on this hand." Kushina was fussing over his blood-soaked right hand.
"Actually... that's the enemy's blood. My right hand is fine. It's the left one," Hagoromo corrected.
Kushina grabbed his left hand roughly. Seeing him not flinch, she realized what was happening. "Disperse the Lightning Release, or they can't heal you."
Hagoromo obeyed, cutting the current. Immediately, a wave of agonizing pain spiked through his nervous system.
Back at camp, they were surrounded by the best medical help available. Within ten minutes, the searing pain had faded to a dull throb. Medical ninjutsu truly was a miracle of this world.
While he was being treated, an Anbu returned from scouting the site and whispered to Kushina: "Sand ninjas. Three killed, one escaped with a severed arm..."
His voice was tinged with disbelief. No one expects a Genin on his first mission to perform like this. One Chunin and two Genin confirmed dead. He'd held his own 1-on-4 and even maimed an elite.
Kushina nodded, her expression a mix of pride and worry. As she helped finish the bandages, she scolded, "Good job, Hagoromo. You're definitely my student. But next time, don't charge in alone. You got lucky this time..."
Hagoromo gave a tired smile. He hadn't expected Kushina to have a "preachy" side. He had the confidence to survive, but since he couldn't explain the mechanics of his sensory and speed advantages, he just had to endure the lecture.
"I just wanted to test my limits," he offered as a weak excuse.
Kushina glared at him and playfully (but firmly) slapped his bandaged hand.
"Hey, that didn't even hurt!"
"Good. Now, how do you feel?"
Hagoromo squeezed his fist. The bandages were a bit tight, but the sharp pain was gone. "The pain is mostly gone. You're amazing, sensei."
The medical ninja standing nearby looked slightly offended—I did the work, you know!
"I'm not asking about the hand," Kushina clarified, her voice softening. "I'm asking how it felt. Your first real battle."
Post-Combat Reflection: You've just passed your "baptism by fire." You proved your lethality, but you also learned the limits of your chakra pool when using high-rank Lightning Release.