"You can make the first move," Akira said.
Known by many as the strongest in the shinobi world, Akira still carried some pride. Facing a Jonin-level wandering ninja, he had no intention of striking first.
"Alright, Lord Akira, I won't hold back then!" Hearing this, Yusuke, the wandering ninja, nodded and immediately sprang into action, moving with the strength of a charging dragon.
"Oh? Such momentum..." Watching his opponent's approach, Akira raised an eyebrow, visibly impressed by the intensity of Yusuke's charge.
With a casual wave of his hand, Akira exhaled a large plume of fire in Yusuke's direction—the trademark Uchiha Great Fireball Technique.
However, the blazing fireball was cleaved in half by a single slash, and the gleaming blade's light closed in on Akira.
Clang!
In the nick of time, Akira raised his Kusanagi blade, positioning it in front of himself to block the strike.
The force of the slash landed heavily on Akira's sword, even causing him to feel considerable pressure.
"What a ferocious slash!" Feeling the power radiate down his arm, Akira was secretly impressed.
Judging from his chakra reserves, Yusuke's chakra wasn't all that abundant—it didn't even match Kakashi's level, and was roughly that of a standard Jonin. Yet, this slash carried the weight of a Kage-level attack.
"Such skillful kenjutsu—to unleash Kage-level strength with Jonin chakra reserves?"
"It's said that before the shinobi era, during the Warring States period, samurai dominated the world. It seems their power wasn't entirely without merit." Akira thought of Mifune from the Land of Iron, who once fought Edo Tensei Hanzo to a standstill.
A true expert is recognizable at a glance.
Just from this single slash, Akira was thoroughly impressed.
Since Akira's purpose was to assess Yusuke's strength rather than defeat him, he didn't use his full power.
With a slight thought, Akira wielded the Kusanagi in one hand, and his left hand extended, launching a streak of lightning towards Yusuke. It was the Lightning Blade Spear, Chidori Sharp Spear!
Yusuke swung his sword again, striking down with the same unstoppable momentum as before, slicing the Chidori Sharp Spear clean in half.
His aura was formidable; with a blade in hand, it felt as if nothing could stand in his way.
No matter how you attacked or defended, he would cut through it with a single slash.
This was the power of Yusuke's blade, a feeling that it could even split mountains.
"Remarkable kenjutsu, with destructive power that's truly impressive. Does this technique have a name?" Akira asked, his three-tomoe Sharingan now active, capturing all of Yusuke's movements.
"This technique was inspired by the essence of the Land of Iron's swordsmanship, something I developed myself. It's called 'Dragon Slash,'" Yusuke replied.
"Dragon Slash? A fitting name. The blade moves like a dragon, unstoppable!" Akira nodded, praising the technique.
No matter the technique—be it Water Release, Earth Release, Lightning Release, or Fire Release—Yusuke's blade cut through them all.
Restraining his chakra output to the level of a Kage's threshold, Akira found that he couldn't overpower Yusuke.
The strength of Dragon Slash truly impressed Akira.
He had restricted his chakra output to the level of a Kage, using his three-tomoe Sharingan and various ninjutsu, displaying typical Kage-level strength.
But Yusuke, with only Jonin-level chakra reserves, could still engage him in a heated battle?
If their chakra reserves were equal, would Yusuke surpass him in strength?
Was there such a powerful character in the original Naruto series? Akira couldn't recall.
Additionally, the chakra consumption of a samurai was noticeably lower compared to that of a ninja.
After exchanging several dozen moves, Yusuke's chakra remained largely intact.
Meanwhile, the nearby Anbu members were all stunned.
Was this not the strong fighter brought in by their captain himself? Who would've thought he could fight the captain to this extent?
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn't have believed it!
"This guy's kenjutsu rivals the White Fang from years ago," an older Anbu member suddenly remarked, sounding full of admiration.
Those words sent a shock through everyone around.
The White Fang of the Leaf, despite having died twenty or thirty years ago, remained a legend in the village.
In his prime, even the fame of the Sannin had been overshadowed by him.
This mysterious warrior rivaled the White Fang?
Looking closely, this samurai's swordsmanship was indeed impressive. Apart from the White Fang, they had never seen anyone wield a blade so skillfully!
"Indeed, the Dragon Slash is powerful, but it has a significant flaw," Akira said after dozens of exchanges, gaining a fair understanding of Yusuke's technique.
"Please, Lord Akira, point it out!" Yusuke replied, showing no sign of irritation, simply fixing his gaze on Akira.
"Watch closely." Akira said, his eyes narrowing.
Seeing Yusuke slice through his vines once more, Akira quickly formed seals, casting a Fire Release technique: "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Dozens upon dozens of fireballs burst forth, raining down on Yusuke like a meteor shower.
Phoenix Sage Fire was originally a wide-area attack technique, typically manifesting as a dozen or even two dozen fireballs.
But in Akira's hands, there were nearly a hundred fireballs at once!
Dragon Slash was indeed powerful, capable of cutting through even Kage-level chakra-powered jutsu.
But Akira found the technique lacking in agility.
As expected, with a hundred fireballs raining down on him, there was no room for evasion. Yusuke's expression grew serious.
His sword quivered, and in an instant, it blurred, his entire body becoming a blur as well.
His speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, the hundred fireballs had all been split!
Even Akira, with his three-tomoe Sharingan, couldn't clearly see all of Yusuke's movements in that instant.
"That's impossible!" As Akira's hundred fireballs were cut down, the Anbu members gasped in unison.
The Dragon Slash was indeed powerful, but it lacked agility.
Not only Akira had noticed this, but the surrounding Anbu had also observed it.
But the speed of that single strike—its style was entirely different from the previous swordplay!
Even Akira couldn't keep up with it, so it was no wonder that the Anbu could only see flashes of light and the afterimages left by Yusuke.
And then, all the fireballs were cut down!
The Anbu were all stunned.
Partly because of Yusuke's sudden burst of speed.
And partly because of the rapid change in his sword style—from heavy and forceful to agile and swift, catching everyone off guard.
It was as if, in an online game, a character known for slow yet powerful attacks suddenly transformed into a speedster, executing a lightning-fast surprise move.
The swordplay had gone from a power-based, overwhelming type to one focused on speed and finesse. The difference was stark, giving everyone a sense of abrupt transition.
Clang!
Let's not talk about how shocked everyone else was. After slicing through the hundred fireballs, Yusuke moved like a ghost, closing in on Akira.
The gleaming edge of his blade approached Akira as well!
Akira instinctively raised his hand, grabbing Yusuke's sword by the blade with his bare hand.
"Hmm, your speed has definitely increased, but your power has dropped by sixty to seventy percent," Akira said, calmly holding Yusuke's blade.
"What terrifying physical strength!" Yusuke's pupils contracted, astonished as he saw Akira grabbing his blade with his bare hand.
It truly was a legendary existence, capable of transforming into a dragon. Akira's physical power was tougher than steel!
"Does this move have a name?" Akira asked, holding Yusuke's blade.
"This technique is called 'Dragonfly Cut,'" Yusuke replied.
"Dragonfly Cut? An apt name," Akira nodded, acknowledging Yusuke's skill.
"Dragon Slash is all about pushing forward, unstoppable and powerful."
"Dragonfly Cut, on the other hand, is agile and elusive."
"Your transitions between strength and agility are very smooth."
"However, if you could perfectly integrate Dragon Slash with Dragonfly Cut—if your swordsmanship could embody both power and agility—then your kenjutsu could be called the strongest in the shinobi world!" Akira concluded, giving his assessment of Yusuke's swordsmanship.
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POWER STONE!!!
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