"Deva Path Pain?"
Shizuma and the others froze as Boruto's form shifted, his body flickering with eerie blue lightning.
His clothes ripped apart under the surge of power, and his expression turned cold and emotionless.
"Hmph. Just a Transformation Jutsu, and you think you can take on the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist? Keep dreaming."
Buntan raised the Rai Blade: Kiba, golden electricity dancing along its edge.
"The jutsu you used just now was impressive… but in front of my Samehada, any ninjutsu is pointless." Shizuma stepped forward, the monstrous blade in his hand trembling with hunger.
"Hokage's son."
The Samehada was already pointed at Boruto.
"You really shouldn't underestimate the revived Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. Today is your death."
"You're just a bunch of weaklings."
Boruto casually waved his hand — instantly releasing Kagura and Denki from their restraints.
"Boruto! Be careful with that sword — Samehada!" Kagura yelled after ripping the tape off his mouth.
"That blade is alive. It devours chakra and ninjutsu!"
"It's fine." Boruto smirked. "I'm the strongest."
He walked forward slowly — calm, confident, arrogant.
"A mere Transformation Jutsu?" Shizuma mocked.
"Many have said that to me," Boruto replied. "All of them ended in Pain. You'll be no exception."
Shizuma gritted his teeth and began forming hand signs.
"Red Mist Barrier!"
A thick, suffocating fog instantly swallowed the island, reducing visibility to nothing.
Shapes flickered in and out of view.
Boruto stood still.
Thin, nearly invisible wire suddenly wrapped around him.
"Longsword: Nuibari, huh." Boruto smirked.
A silent pulse of invisible force burst from his body — a repulsive barrier tearing through the fog and snapping every wire like string.
A huge figure leaped from the mist — Ichirota — swinging the Explosive Blade: Shibuki.
"Die, Hokage's bastard!"
Hundreds of explosive tags appeared along the blade, detonating in rapid succession as the sword slammed toward Boruto—
But every explosion slammed harmlessly into the repulsive force field, unable to touch him.
[Emotion from Ichirota — progress +98]
"This… this is the jutsu that defeated Hassaku?!"
"How can he be this strong?! He tanked the Explosive Blade like it was nothing!" Ichirota shouted in disbelief.
"Because you all…" Boruto lifted his hand slowly.
"...are simply too weak."
His fingers formed a gesture of dominance — thumb raised, ring and pinky folded, index supporting the middle finger — as if commanding gravity itself.
"Domain Expansion."
The repulsive force erupted violently, air warping into white ripples as the ground split open beneath him.
"Oh no—!"
Ichirota tried blocking with the Explosive Blade, but the impact ripped it from his hands and sent him flying like a broken kite.
Only Shizuma's quick Water Style saved him from death — but not the damage.
Ichirota's hands hung limp and shattered.
"My… hands—!!"
His scream echoed across the battlefield.
[Emotion from Ichirota +398]
[Emotion from Buntan +132]
[Emotion from Shizuma +223]
Fear replaced arrogance. Even the revived swordsmen couldn't hide their shock.
Shizuma clenched his teeth. The fog blew away under the force, revealing a torn and devastated battlefield.
"So… amazing…" Kagura whispered, stunned.
"Go Boruto!!" Denki shouted, fists pumping.
"Show them the power of Deva Path Pain!! Make them regret ever being alive! HOW MANY FLOORS MUST A BAG OF RICE BE CARRIED!?"
Boruto ignored him.
"Next, you'll feel Pain."
"Hokage's brat!" Shizuma roared. "Don't think Samehada will lose to you!"
He launched forward like a shark.
"Mere Water Clone." Boruto didn't even flinch.
Instead, he raised his hand toward a nearby rock — and Shizuma's real body was yanked forward by an unseen pull.
"H-How?!"
"How did he know?!"
Shizuma struggled — but couldn't resist the pull.
Boruto looked down on him coldly.
"This is the first kick."
"Heavenly Path: Buddha's Shadowless Kick."
Shizuma tried raising Samehada — too slow.
Boruto's kick smashed into him point blank.
Shizuma screamed as his body shot backward and crashed deep into a boulder, blood spraying from his mouth.
[Emotion from Shizuma +443]
"No way…"
"Shizuma just—"
"H-How old even IS the Hokage's son?! How can he have this kind of power?! He's a fucking monster!"
Buntan trembled, the earlier arrogance completely gone.
They suddenly understood:
They didn't challenge Boruto.
They delivered themselves to him.
Boruto slowly turned his head, expression colder than steel.
"Next," he said, voice echoing like judgment.
"Is the second kick."