Clang, clang, clang!
By the river, two figures, one tall and one short, continuously clashed, their weapons ringing out as they collided.
After several close-combat exchanges, Shishou found himself on the river's surface, glancing at the broken kunai in his hand with some frustration.
During his playful engagement with Ringo Ameyuri, her lightning-infused katanas had cut his kunai to pieces.
Of course, Shishou didn't come away empty-handed; he had achieved his goal.
"Kid, your taijutsu isn't bad," Ringo Ameyuri remarked with a grin, looking at the broken kunai in Shishou's hand.
She scratched her left shoulder and then her back, feeling an itch that she couldn't explain.
"Hehehe..."
Seeing Ringo Ameyuri's actions, Shishou couldn't help but chuckle.
During their close combat, he had discreetly planted some fleas, mimicked by his kikaichū, on her. He controlled the insects to bite her.
Hearing Shishou's laughter, Ringo Ameyuri, now itching all over, became instantly alert and angry. "Bastard, what did you do to me?"
Shishou spread his hands and smiled, "The Aburame clan specializes in insect techniques. I didn't do much, just put some fleas on you."
Upon realizing that she was covered in fleas, Ringo Ameyuri froze and then shivered with disgust.
"You bastard!" she cursed, lightning flashing around her as she used her Lightning Release to kill the fleas on her body.
Seeing the rising lightning, Shishou guessed her plan and said with a laugh, "I won't give you a chance to get rid of them. I'll add more."
With that, Shishou dashed towards Ringo Ameyuri again.
Seeing this, Ringo Ameyuri's face twitched, and she bolted in the opposite direction.
Though flea bites weren't deadly, they were distracting during a fight.
She intended to shake off Shishou and deal with the fleas first.
However, Shishou wasn't about to let her escape so easily and chased after her relentlessly.
After a few minutes of this chase, Ringo Ameyuri, unable to shake Shishou off and now covered in several itchy welts, snapped. "Bastard, you forced me!"
"Lightning Release: Lightning Forest!"
She plunged her twin blades into the ground, summoning a storm of lightning that spread outwards.
Seeing her desperate move, Shishou quickly retreated to avoid the lightning storm.
Watching Ringo Ameyuri at the center of the storm, Shishou rubbed his chin. "She seems stronger than the last time I saw her."
Using her ultimate move to drive Shishou away and rid herself of the fleas, Ringo Ameyuri breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, glaring at Shishou, she said, "I'll make you pay."
She, a proud member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, had been outwitted by a mere Konoha Genin. She couldn't let this go.
Seeing her determination, Shishou smiled and placed his hand in the air.
Poof!
A large black-armored centipede appeared at his feet.
It was Little Black, a descendant of Little Red, who hadn't been seen for a long time.
Little Red had been sent to Ryūchi Cave, where the three Snake Princesses were raising it alongside their snake population. Over a year, several giant centipede summons had been raised.
Little Black was one of them.
"Tch, just a summon," Ringo Ameyuri scoffed.
While a normal member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen might struggle against a giant summon, she was no ordinary swordsman, having been specially trained by Mei Terumi.
She clasped her hands and closed her eyes.
Seeing this, Shishou raised an eyebrow. "Is she about to enter Sage Mode?"
He knew that Mei Terumi had taught Ringo Ameyuri the ways of Sage Mode two years ago, so he quickly guessed her intention.
Within three seconds, Ringo Ameyuri's aura surged. She raised her twin blades and charged at Little Black with blinding speed.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Slash!"
A cross-shaped slash of lightning struck Little Black, carving a deep, terrifying wound into its shell.
Ringo Ameyuri stood at a distance, frowning at the resilient centipede. "Its defense is quite strong."
Shishou frowned as well. Ringo Ameyuri's attack had contained Sage Chakra, and if Little Black hadn't possessed Sage Chakra itself and had such strong defenses, it might have been killed.
Yet, her display wasn't a full Sage Mode, and there were no curse marks on her body, leaving Shishou puzzled.
Could it be a new way of using Sage Chakra?
Pondering this, Shishou looked at Ringo Ameyuri before vanishing along with Little Black in a puff of smoke.
Ringo Ameyuri's technique had sparked an idea in him, and he intended to investigate further.
Of course, in his current identity, asking directly was inappropriate, so he planned to approach her later in a different guise.
He had already marked her with his kikaichū and the Flying Thunder God seal, making it easy to find her again.
"Tch, he ran away?" Ringo Ameyuri muttered, annoyed, as Shishou disappeared.
Taking a few steps back, she suddenly froze and checked her pockets.
"Where's the Earth Scroll?"
Moments later, an angry, frustrated scream echoed by the river.
"Damn Aburame! Don't let me catch you!!!"
Elsewhere.
Raiko, who had her hand pressed to the ground to sense chakra, suddenly opened her eyes and turned her head.
"Someone just used Sage Chakra. Though it was brief, the earth's feedback doesn't lie... Should I go check it out?"
Pondering this, she brushed her hair behind her ear and frowned.
She had infiltrated the Forest of Death to find a stronger host to transfer her soul into, using Konoha's Chunin Exams as cover.
Now that someone had used Sage Chakra, she was naturally intrigued.
"Forget it, I'll find a new host first. That way, I'll have a trump card when facing that person later."
With that thought, Raiko headed deeper into the forest, sensing a few targets with considerable chakra levels.
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POWER STONE!!!!
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This fanfiction is complete on my P@treon. If you want to read it, you can find it at p@treon.com/Betek.
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