Under the moonlight, two figures stood on opposite sides—one large, one small.
Hui, the smaller of the two, was covered in dust, blood still staining the corner of his mouth. His body bore multiple injuries, and his clothes were tattered, making him appear rather battered.
Kamizuru Ishigawa, the larger figure, seemed much better off. After using his Splitting Technique earlier, he had managed to disperse most of his injuries, restoring his vision and clearing away the worst of his wounds.
However, the cost of using that technique had left Kamizuru much weaker than he appeared.
While he might have seemed relatively unscathed, his chakra reserves were significantly depleted, leaving him in a worse position than Hui, who now stood ready to fight.
At a certain point, Hui made his move. Channelling his remaining energy into chakra, he swiftly formed hand seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball, several meters in diameter, erupted from his mouth, blazing like a fearsome beast as it hurtled toward Kamizuru.
The earlier exchange had taught Hui a harsh lesson—shinobi techniques were full of unexpected twists and turns.
In this world, jutsu could be bizarre, unpredictable, and deadly. However, one constant remained: all jutsu required chakra to be cast. No matter how strange or powerful the technique, without chakra, it couldn't be activated.
Hui didn't know the full extent of Kamizuru's abilities, but he knew that if he could drain Kamizuru's chakra, he could limit his options for counterattacking. Thus, Hui had resolved to engage in a direct ninjutsu battle.
The battlefield was not large, bordered on one side by a deep ravine and on the other by the dense forest. Kamizuru wanted Hui dead, and Hui wanted Kamizuru dead just as much.
But the stakes were clear—if Hui retreated into the forest, Kamizuru wouldn't follow; the danger there was too great. Conversely, if Kamizuru lured Hui into open ground, Hui's chances of victory would drop dramatically.
Faced with Hui's incoming fireball, Kamizuru didn't attempt to dodge. Instead, he decided to meet the attack head-on, confident in his remaining chakra reserves. He had sensed Hui's chakra when he cast the fireball and knew that, despite splitting his own chakra earlier, he still had the upper hand in terms of sheer chakra volume.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"
"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon!"
A towering earthen wall rose to intercept Hui's fireball, followed by the emergence of a fearsome stone dragon, which roared and lunged at Hui.
But Hui had already anticipated this and finished weaving his own hand seals.
In response to the attack, an identical earth dragon formed from the ground and charged to meet Kamizuru's attack head-on. The two stone dragons collided midair, sending chunks of dirt and stone scattering in all directions as their forms disintegrated upon impact.
So fast!
Both fighters thought to themselves, impressed by each other's speed at executing jutsu.
Yet, their hands never stopped moving.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"
Kamizuru finished his seals, and the ground beneath Hui's feet softened and began to flow, destabilizing his footing.
"Earth Release: Mountain Jutsu [Sandwich Jutsu]"
Following up immediately, Kamizuru created two massive hemispherical mounds of earth that began closing in on Hui from both sides. It was a combination attack designed to immobilize and crush the opponent.
This technique was no simple offensive maneuver—it was an offensive strategy capable of subduing even the strongest of foes. In the hands of a powerful shinobi like Kamizuru, it had the potential to trap and crush even the largest-tailed beasts.
Most opponents would have been caught in this devastating combination, but Hui wasn't like most opponents.
His hands flashed through another set of seals.
"Earth Release: Earth and Stone Dragon!"
Another earthen dragon emerged, this time beneath Hui, lifting him into the air just before the giant mounds of earth could trap him. Standing atop the dragon's head, Hui evaded the crushing force and, as he soared upward, swiftly formed more seals.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A massive torrent of water surged from his mouth, crashing down toward Kamizuru below.
Kamizuru's eyes narrowed as he reacted instantly, covering his fist in stone.
"Earth Release: Stone Fist!"
With one powerful punch, he shattered the water jutsu, sending droplets scattering in all directions.
But this was exactly what Hui had been waiting for. As Kamizuru struck down the water, Hui landed, his hands touching the ground.
"Lightning Release: Earth Walk!"
Electricity crackled along the ground, traveling quickly through the water left behind from Hui's jutsu and shooting straight toward Kamizuru. The water amplified the lightning's speed and power, and Kamizuru, with his heavy stone-covered arm, couldn't dodge in time.
The lightning coursed through his body, causing him to seize up, muscles momentarily paralyzed. Hui seized the opportunity, rushing forward with his sword drawn.
Slash!
His blade cut through the air, aiming to sever Kamizuru's spine. Kamizuru, in a desperate bid for survival, twisted his body at the last moment, avoiding a fatal blow but still suffering a deep gash across his back.
Kamizuru coughed up blood, his face twisting in pain as he staggered. Despite his injury, he managed to steady himself, glaring at Hui.
Meanwhile, Hui was also feeling the strain. The earlier blow from Kamizuru's stone fist had caused significant internal damage, and the exertion from casting multiple jutsu had left him drained. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to maintain his stance.
Still, compared to Kamizuru, Hui was in better shape.
"It looks like I've gained the upper hand in a ninjutsu battle," Hui taunted, a slight smirk on his face.
"Hah, don't get cocky, boy!" Kamizuru spat, his voice filled with venom. Without hesitation, he began forming hand seals again.
The fight wasn't over, not yet.
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