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“Hanzō, is that all you’ve got?”
Shin looked at Hanzō, who seemed to have exhausted his options. He was only dodging Shin’s attacks, not even attempting to counterattack.
“Uzumaki Shin, I admit you’re the most talented Shinobi I’ve ever seen. But you’re still too young.”
Hanzō dropped his kusarigama and formed hand seals with lightning speed, then slammed his hand on the ground.
“Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!”
The ground beneath Shin’s feet collapsed, revealing countless explosive tags.
“I was careless.”
Shin hadn’t noticed Hanzō’s trap.
Of course not. Hanzō had set it up beforehand.
“It pains me to kill such a genius, but I can’t let you live,” Hanzō said coldly.
He might appreciate talent, but not when it posed a threat to him. Shin was a genius, but he was also a powerful opponent, stronger than Hanzō himself.
“Explode!”
BOOM!
The ground was pulverized, leaving a small crater. Flames erupted, engulfing the area. The power of this Jutsu depended on the number of explosive tags used.
Hanzō had used a lot. Even a Kage would be killed if caught in this blast.
“Tsunade-sensei, will Shin be alright?” Mikoto looked at the explosion with worry.
Hanzō’s Exploding Flame Formation was powerful. The entire battlefield was shaken. The sheer number of explosive tags used made its power comparable to an A-rank Jutsu.
“He’ll be fine. I believe in him,” Tsunade said, though she was also worried. She couldn’t show her fear, or Kushina and Mikoto would panic.
“No, I have to go!”
Kushina abandoned her fight against the salamander and ran towards the explosion.
Mikoto followed.
Seeing this, Tsunade also left the battered salamander and followed.
…
Meanwhile, Shin was unharmed. Not a single scratch on him.
Hanzō stared at him in disbelief. He had seen the explosion engulf Shin. How was he unscathed?
Not even his clothes were damaged.
“Surprised to see me in one piece?” Shin asked calmly.
The Exploding Flame Formation was powerful, but it couldn’t harm him if he wasn’t within its range.
He had used Yomotsu Hirasaka to escape the blast radius.
“How did you avoid my Jutsu?” Hanzō asked.
“You think I’d tell you?”
Shin scoffed. Was Hanzō that naive?
Hanzō knew Shin wouldn’t reveal his secrets. He decided to strike first. He lunged at Shin, his sickle aimed at a vital point.
The sharp blade could easily cut through steel, let alone flesh.
Clang!
Shin blocked the sickle with his Kusanagi sword.
A blue Chakra sphere shot towards Hanzō. It wasn’t Shin’s Rasengan; it was Kushina’s.
The Rasengan, thrown from a distance, was aimed at Hanzō’s face.
If he didn’t dodge, his head would be obliterated.
Hanzō leaped back, narrowly avoiding the attack. He looked at Shin and the three girls who had arrived.
“Why are you here?” Shin asked, surprised.
“We were worried about you! Are you okay?”
Kushina checked Shin for injuries.
“Do you really need to worry? You know I have ways to protect myself,” Shin said.
But he was touched by their concern.
“I’m glad you’re alright. Hanzō looks a bit rough, though.” Tsunade glanced at Hanzō.
Hanzō’s clothes were tattered, and his body was covered in cuts.
“He’s just weak.'”
Shin looked at Hanzō with disdain. He was weaker than Shin had expected. Perhaps with his summon, he might be a challenge.
“You’re the one who’s strong, Shin,” Mikoto said.
“Indeed. Mikoto is right.” Shin praised her.
“You’re not humble at all.”
Tsunade rolled her eyes.
“Humility leads to stagnation,” Shin said with a smile.
“Look! He’s trying to escape!”
Kushina pointed at Hanzō, who was indeed fleeing. And he was fast.
“You think you can just run away? Who gave you permission?”
Shin gave chase. Hanzō was skilled with the Body Flicker Jutsu, but he was no match for Shin’s speed.
Even without Yomotsu Hirasaka, Shin was faster.
Shin swung his sword at Hanzō’s back, but he suddenly sensed something approaching from underground.
“The salamander?”
He changed his target and slashed downwards, sending an air blade into the ground.
The salamander emerged, colliding with the air blade. Its thick hide was sliced open, and it shrieked in pain.
Hanzō winced and dispelled his summon. The salamander returned to the summoning realm.
Then, it used the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to summon Hanzō to its realm.
This was a life-saving technique for Summoners, but not all summons could use it.
Shin hadn’t expected that clumsy-looking salamander to be capable of such a Jutsu. He had let Hanzō escape.
“Hanzō got away?” Tsunade wasn’t surprised. He is a legendary shinobi, after all. He had many tricks up his sleeve.
“I can’t believe he had that trick. I let him escape. How embarrassing.”
Shin felt ashamed, but Tsunade was speechless. If this was embarrassing, what did that make her? She couldn’t even defeat Hanzō.
She might be stronger than her original counterpart, but she wasn’t at her peak yet. She couldn’t defeat Hanzō in a one-on-one fight.
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