Tsunade slowly stood up, like an enraged lioness, spitting out a thick clot of blood, and stared icily at Fuma.
Fuma didn't pay much attention to Tsunade's gaze. In fact, for powerful ninjas, there is no distinction between genders. Going all out is the greatest respect he can show to Tsunade.
Without any hesitation, Fuma quickly distanced himself. Until he fully understood Setsuna's dojutsu, it was best to avoid a direct confrontation.
"Clan leader, do you have more surprises like this?" Fuma asked, his expression one of exasperation.
He hadn't expected something like this to happen. An old man like Setsuna possessing the Mangekyou Sharingan?
Setsuna, now exuding a youthful confidence reminiscent of his invincible days in his twenties, responded proudly, "Youngster, I merely inherit a fragment of the Uchiha's glory."
Fuma's mouth twitched. This old man was really getting into it, even adopting the speech patterns from the Warring States era.
The situation was gradually becoming clear. Tsunade and Setsuna both exhibited strong offensive and defensive capabilities. Combined with Setsuna's strange dojutsu, any plan to force one of them out was now impossible.
It seemed Fuma's chances of winning had dropped to their lowest point.
Setsuna smiled at Fuma and said, "For so long, you've only used physical strength and that strange blood aura.
"Where is your chakra? Where are your ninjutsu and taijutsu? Do you really think you can defeat us with just your physical skills?"
Many of the observing Jonin nodded slowly, with Hyuga Tenzo being the most notable. Possessing the main family's Byakugan, he had long noticed Fuma's peculiarity—he didn't use chakra in combat!
Fuma sighed, looking at Tsunade, who could barely contain her eagerness, and pressed his palms together, halting the effect of the [Earthly Furnace] title.
Due to his extreme disdain for the high-offense, low-defense nature of ninjas, Fuma almost always had the [Earthly Furnace] active, continuously strengthening his body with chakra.
Fuma wasn't unskilled in ninjutsu. On the contrary, he was proficient in the five elemental releases, and his mastery of nin-taijutsu was among the best in the ninja world.
However, how could he gain experience for his taijutsu titles if he fought using ninjutsu?
Moreover, against most enemies, three punches and two kicks were enough. There was no need to waste chakra.
Gradually, Fuma became accustomed to resolving conflicts solely with taijutsu, seldom using ninjutsu.
Due to his knowledge of the Otsutsuki from his past life, Fuma deeply understood that without mastering Sage Mode, chakra's usefulness in the later stages was minimal.
Without a platform to obtain Sage Mode, but with his title system, he could fully compete with or even surpass the Six Paths in taijutsu.
Because of this, he fell into a mild obsessive-compulsive state, unwilling to waste even a bit of chakra, aiming to quickly advance his physical body.
Fuma sighed, also feeling a slight excitement, and said:
"Then, clan leader, Tsunade, I will now go all out."
Violent arcs of lightning began to swirl around Fuma's body. Large amounts of Lightning Release chakra gathered frantically around him, crackling in the air.
With a loud shout, Fuma's blood aura and Lightning Release chakra fused. The dark blue lightning armor took on a dark red hue. The chakra no longer absorbed by the [Earthly Furnace] quickly filled the lightning armor, making it even more formidable.
Setsuna, staring with his Mangekyou Sharingan, was overwhelmed by waves of shock. Having once possessed the "godlike power" of Susanoo, he sensed a similar aura from this lightning armor.
Blood-colored electric arcs roared and expanded to five meters, enveloping Fuma and hiding his form.
Many of the observing Jonin displayed expressions of astonishment. Yuhi Shinku seemed to understand, "The reason he is unaffected by genjutsu is because he doesn't usually use chakra in combat?"
The usually silent White Fang, looking at the massive blood-colored lightning sphere, slowly said, "Chakra is the foundation of a ninja. Even taijutsu specialists are no exception."
Jiraiya, seeing that Tsunade's injuries had been healed by Setsuna's Mangekyou Sharingan, also calmed down and said:
"I've sparred with Fuma since we were young. That bastard must have developed some secret technique to continuously enhance his physical body with chakra."
"Since I was sixteen, I've noticed something unusual about the speed of his strength growth."
The blood-colored lightning sphere in the arena had expanded to over ten meters, its surface showing signs of instability, extending tendrils of lightning outward.
Tsunade and Setsuna took a few steps back, hearing Setsuna ask proudly, "Descendant of the Senju clan, how do you find the Uchiha clan's Mangekyou Sharingan?"
Tsunade didn't argue. She looked at her fully healed body and agreed, "The Mangekyou is indeed extraordinary."
She then added, "Old man Setsuna, take care of yourself. If you feel unwell in the future, come to me for a check-up."
Setsuna chuckled at this. Bonds between ninjas truly formed through battle.
However, Tsunade, as the direct descendant of the Senju clan, understood the Uchiha better than many of his own clan members.
Setsuna pointed at the lightning sphere, showing a bit of helplessness, and asked, "What is he doing? Is this a defensive technique? It looks like his chakra is out of control. Is it going to explode?"
Tsunade frowned, also feeling helpless.
"I don't know any long-range attack techniques. Even your Great Flame Dragon had no effect on him, let alone now."
She paused and added, "Don't worry. With such a huge chakra expenditure, he won't be stalling for time. Be ready to continue fighting.
"Today, we must defeat this arrogant jerk!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the gigantic spherical lightning, now over twenty meters tall, stopped expanding. Its surface emitted a steady buzzing sound as the lightning sphere began to contract. The lightning gradually solidified, compressing into a roughly human shape.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Fuma's deep voice came from within the lightning.
The blood-red lightning further compressed, taking on a tangible form. The surging chakra polished the armor, making it more refined with each wash.
Finally, after a few moments, Fuma appeared before everyone like a demon god.
Fuma's raging blood-red Lightning Release chakra emanated from his body, forming the outermost layer of protection.
He himself wore a blood-red lion helmet, with a thick belt around his waist, menacing demon heads on his shoulders, and a main armor composed of tightly stacked plates with thick protective mirrors on the front and back. He wore high-topped, thick-soled battle boots.
This was Fuma's "Susanoo," created using his own Lightning Release nin-taijutsu and blood aura.
The air was filled with the smell of burnt ozone from the lightning and the metallic tang of blood. A true battle was about to begin.
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