Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Can We Not Fight?
Chapter 67: Can We Not Fight?
"Ugh—"
Kushina groaned, her eyes shut tightly as she struggled against the raging chakra of the Nine-Tails within her.
Tonari noticed the unusual surge of energy radiating from her and quickly turned to Minato.
"Minato, keep an eye out for sneak attacks."
Minato nodded silently, his face calm but focused.
Tonari placed a hand on Kushina's shoulder, and slowly, the wild chakra receded. His sharp eyes caught sight of the damage on her arm caused by the corrosive Nine-Tails chakra.
He wordlessly extended his hand over her arm, green healing chakra radiating from his palm. The burns and wounds faded away under his expert medical ninjutsu, completely concealing the tell-tale signs of her jinchūriki status.
"Tonari, take Kushina to rest. Leave this to me," Minato said firmly, stepping forward.
Kushina, who had finally regained control, looked at Minato's back. For the first time, his figure seemed tall and dependable. The soft-spoken, seemingly timid boy she had known was gone, replaced by someone resolute and protective.
She glanced at Tonari, who was helping her toward the sideline, and felt a warm wave of gratitude.
With friends like these, how could she ever feel alone?
---
Tonari's foot lightly kicked something lying on the ground.
Looking down, he saw Gitai's discarded chakra-conducting blade.
After a moment of feigned hesitation, Tonari purposefully nudged the blade's sheath off and picked them both up.
The blade itself radiated a faint electric charge, making his fingers tingle.
"Finders keepers," he muttered to himself with a smirk.
Gitai, who had just regained consciousness, caught sight of Tonari pocketing his prized weapon. Rage surged through him, and his eyes rolled back as he fainted once again.
Tonari chuckled, then turned his attention to Minato and the Cloud ninja, Dicai, who were locked in a tense standoff.
---
On the observation platform, Dodai noticed Tonari's bold move and grimaced.
"Third Hokage, about that weapon..." Dodai started, unable to contain himself.
Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke and smiled. "Ah, but Cloud seems to have so many of these chakra-conducting tools. Surely such an abundance means you won't mind lending it to a curious child for a while, no?"
Dodai's lips twitched, and he fell silent.
---
Back on the battlefield, Minato and Dicai hadn't moved.
"Minato, you're already a ninja. Let the students handle this," a sharp voice cut through the air.
Everyone turned to see Tsunade stepping forward, her arms crossed.
"This is their fight. Besides," she added with a smirk, "I hear one of the students is supposedly the best at taijutsu. Let him prove it."
Minato hesitated but finally stepped back.
Tonari, who had been quietly retreating, froze as Tsunade's eyes locked onto him.
"You mean me?" he asked, pointing to himself.
Tsunade didn't bother responding. With a single flick of her wrist, she grabbed Tonari by the collar and threw him into the arena.
"Aaaaaah—"
His scream echoed across the training ground as he landed face-first in the dirt.
---
Tonari staggered to his feet, coughing and brushing off dust.
"Did you really have to throw me?" he grumbled, casting a dirty look at Tsunade.
"Quit whining and get ready!" Tsunade barked, her hands on her hips.
Resigned, Tonari sighed and turned to Dicai.
"So, uh, how about we don't fight and just—oh, crap!"
Before he could finish, Dicai disappeared in a flash of speed. A gust of wind and the faint crackle of electricity followed.
Tonari barely had time to react.
"Lightning Release Chakra Mode," he muttered under his breath, recognizing Dicai's enhanced speed and power.
A sharp kick aimed at his head grazed his cheek as Tonari ducked just in time.
"Alright, alright! You wanna fight? Fine!"
Tonari's hands formed a series of seals at lightning speed. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Two identical clones materialized beside him, each mirroring his movements perfectly.
---
Dodai watched the scene unfold from the sidelines, his face calm.
"Third Hokage, I must say, that boy shows some promise."
Hiruzen chuckled. "Indeed, but promise alone won't carry the day. Let's see how far he can push himself."
---
Tonari's clones charged at Dicai, flanking him from both sides.
But Dicai's speed and reflexes were unmatched. With a single fluid motion, he eliminated both clones, leaving only the original.
Tonari clicked his tongue, backing away cautiously.
"Man, I didn't sign up for this," he muttered.
Dicai smirked, his electric aura crackling ominously.
"You should've stayed out of the way, kid."
Tonari grinned despite the tension.
"Hey, you know what they say about underdogs, right? Never count us out."
As Dicai lunged forward again, Tonari readied himself, his mind racing for a strategy.
Today, Konoha's so-called "taijutsu master" would face his toughest test yet.
---
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Chapter 69: Chapter 68: Danger!
Chapter 68: Danger!
Tonari held the chakra-conducting short blade he had just picked up, casually infusing it with his chakra.
He had long tried to attach chakra to weapons, but his previous ones, though sturdy, couldn't handle it. He never expected his luck today—finding a chakra-conducting blade by chance.
Boom!
Tonari dug his feet into the ground, but Dicai's overwhelming strength still pushed him back, sliding him several meters.
This guy, thin as he looked, had ridiculous power.
Tonari shook his arm slightly, wincing. "Strong! Must've had a good breakfast, huh?"
Sliding the short blade into his waistband, he formed hand seals rapidly.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
Dicai clenched his fists, his brows furrowing slightly as the fiery bullet hurtled toward him. He didn't dodge but instead powered through, his electric-infused fist smashing into the blazing projectile.
Boom!
The Flame Bullet exploded, sending embers and sparks flying. The flames scorched Dicai's already tattered clothing, leaving him bare-chested, his muscular, scarred body exposed.
However, the flames didn't seem to harm him. Before they could touch his skin, an invisible barrier of chakra appeared to block them.
Tonari's eyes lit up with undisguised greed.
What a physique! Err, no—what incredible defense!
This was the type of balanced offense and defense Tonari dreamed of. Half a year of training had brought him nowhere near this level.
But even though Dicai seemed unharmed, Tonari's sharp eye caught the slight darkening of his fist. The flames had left a mark.
A grin spread across Tonari's face. Flame Bullet may only be a C-rank jutsu, but his flames weren't something easily dealt with.
After training under Orochimaru and Tsunade, his understanding and execution of ninjutsu had improved significantly.
"Let's see if you can keep tanking those hits."
Their eyes met briefly before both moved simultaneously. Surprisingly, their speeds were evenly matched. Dicai's immense strength clashed against Tonari, who now wielded the chakra-conducting weapon.
Clang!
Lightning and sparks erupted as their strikes collided, creating dazzling fireworks in the arena.
When the dust settled, Tonari and Dicai stood apart, their weapons and fists crackling with residual energy.
The flame on Tonari's blade receded, leaving the weapon glowing red-hot. Slowly, it returned to its original silver hue, with wisps of smoke curling off. Despite the intense heat, the blade showed no sign of damage or deformation.
Tonari examined it with genuine admiration. "What a fantastic piece of work!"
Dicai's lightning aura faded as his muscles relaxed, his previously tense body settling into calm confidence. He looked at Tonari, a gleam of respect in his eyes.
"Impressive. I didn't expect someone like you to be hiding in the graduating class. You've been holding back from the start, haven't you?"
Dicai's mastery of the Lightning Chakra Mode was no small feat. This technique demanded a robust body, unwavering willpower, and precise chakra control. The pain from training alone would have deterred most.
Even among the Cloud ninja, only a few mastered it—none better than the Third Raikage himself.
Tonari chuckled but said nothing, concealing his frustration.
He didn't want to stand out, let alone fight. If not for Hiruzen's watchful eyes and Tsunade's intimidating fists, he'd have happily avoided this mess.
Why should he care if the graduating class was humiliated? What did it have to do with him?
Lying down and surrendering sounded perfect.
But surrender wasn't an option. For all his talk, Tonari had no choice but to fight.
---
On the viewing platform, Dodai's expression darkened as he observed the fight.
"Lord Hokage, your student is... resourceful."
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke, smiling faintly. "A true ninja adapts to their tools. Since your Cloud ninja so generously provided that weapon, it'd be a shame not to use it."
Dodai's brow twitched, but he said nothing.
---
"You're Tonari, right?" Dicai called out, his tone steady. "You're good—good enough for me to go all out. Remember this name: Dicai. But…"
His body crackled as more electricity surged around him. His hair stood on end, and a faint, visible lightning armor enveloped him. This advanced form involved a combination of lightning chakra nature transformation and manipulation.
"Mom, it's a Super Saiyan!"
That was Tonari's first thought.
Dicai pushed off the ground lightly, disappearing in a flash of lightning. Where he had stood was now a charred, smoking patch of earth.
He reappeared in front of Tonari, moving even faster than before.
Tonari's smirk vanished. Tightening his grip on the short blade, he channeled chakra into it, his left hand steadying his right.
But it was too soon. He hadn't fully mastered the blade yet.
Clang!
In an instant, Dicai's palm struck the blade's side, redirecting it while sending a paralyzing jolt through Tonari's arm. The searing pain forced Tonari's hand to release its grip.
The weapon spun through the air. Dicai caught it effortlessly, lightning coursing down his arm and into the blade.
The short blade erupted in brilliant electric light.
"You've been using this all wrong."
Tonari's heart sank.
He was in danger.
---
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