Sasuke's mind raced, disbelief etched into every line of his face. Who exactly was this man before him? And then, Ashveil began his counterattack.
"I hear you're skilled with lightning," Ashveil murmured, his calm voice contrasting with the storm gathering around him. "Then I'll show you what true lightning power is."
Sasuke blinked, confused. Was Ashveil about to release lightning as well? Before he could process it, a surge of energy exploded from Ashveil's body, resonating with the storm above. Thunderclouds roiled across the sky, and heavy rain poured down, whipped into a frenzy by gales that stung like knives.
Even Deidara and Tobi, hovering in the air, had to grip the flying dragon tightly to avoid being blown away. The sheer aura of Ashveil was enough to shake the world itself.
Sasuke, struggling against the wind, finally opened his eyes to witness a terrifying sight—a colossal Thunder God standing before him, majestic and terrifying, its gaze fixed solely on him. The power emanating from it was overwhelming. Trees around the Thunder God were incinerated into charcoal with each step it took.
Fear gripped Sasuke, replacing the confidence he had felt after defeating Naruto and Sakura. His pride shattered under the weight of Ashveil's power.
"Who… are you? How can a human possess such lightning Ninjutsu?" Sasuke stammered, his mouth wide in awe and terror.
Ashveil's faint smile offered no answers. "Who I am isn't important. Let's see how you, this arrogant brat, will evade my attack."
The winds gradually subsided, leaving a tense calm. Deidara and Tobi, ever the taunting observers, jeered. "Baka… This is what arrogance gets you, Uchiha brat. Still dreaming of revenge on Itachi? Forget it!"
Sasuke clenched his fists, refusing to retreat despite his fear. He prepared his next Ninjutsu, attempting to summon a massive Great Fireball. But before he could act, the Thunder God hurled a massive spear of lightning toward him with a roar, leaving him no time to react.
The immense force slammed into Sasuke, lightning crackling across his body. His limbs trembled, sizzled, and twitched under the overwhelming power.
From start to finish, Ashveil had only executed a single move—but it was more than enough. Sasuke realized with horror that he could not withstand this level of combat power. He still hoped for revenge on Itachi, but now, in the face of Ashveil, he could only despair.
Finally, Ashveil withdrew the lightning. The colossal Thunder God vanished, leaving Sasuke sprawled, motionless, his confidence completely shattered.
Ashveil spared him—not out of mercy, but because Sasuke could serve as a source of experience for the future. Ashveil activated his system:
[Host: Thorne Ashveil]
[Conqueror's Haki Attribute Points: 55,000]
[Devil Fruit Abilities: Tremor-Tremor Fruit (Max), Magma (Max), Search (Max), Glint-Glint Fruit (Max), Ice-Ice Fruit (Max), Rumble-Rumble Fruit (Max), Appearance Fruit (Max), Phoenix Ability (Max) [Ope-Ope no Mi (Max)]]
[Skills: Flash (100 meters), Conqueror's Haki Passive Defense Shield, Shinra Tensei (Self-created), Haki of the Supreme King Fusion, [Golden Conqueror's Haki, Overlord Color Domain]]
[Items: Healing potion, ham, hamburger, cola, red wine, turkey, salad]
Ashveil glanced at the fallen Uchiha. As expected, Sasuke had offered only a few thousand Conqueror's Haki points, with no additional rewards.
"He's weak… Let him continue to grow. I'll return later to farm his experience," Ashveil said with mild helplessness. The storm of lightning slowly subsided.
Deidara leaped over Sasuke's prone form, and the group set off toward Akatsuki's hideout.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and his team arrived at the battlefield where Might Guy had fought. Kakashi's eyes widened in shock—Rock Lee, Neji, and even Might Guy lay unconscious.
"Who did this? Even Might Guy fell?" Kakashi muttered, disbelief plain on his face.
Sai surveyed the scene, equally stunned. "They've been attacked by multiple types of Chakra—lightning, fire, ice… each strike incredibly powerful."
Kakashi nodded grimly. "Indeed. They were overwhelmed by multiple elite attacks, yet none suffered fatal injuries."
Might Guy suddenly stirred, opening his eyes. He spoke with difficulty. "No… only one person defeated us. Three came, but only one actually moved."
The group's jaws dropped. One person had defeated so many elite ninjas—even with Might Guy's Eight Gates activated? Could someone really be stronger than a Kage?
Might Guy continued, his voice tinged with disbelief and respect. "That person is called Ashveil…"