Crackle—!
Blue-white arcs of electricity shot forth like sharp swords. Several smaller sparks continued onward, scattering through the air before dissipating within half a meter ahead.
Cough!
At that moment, Chiba, who had thrown a punch in the air close to the ground, suddenly widened his eyes and coughed up a mouthful of blood.
"Charging in so recklessly... that should have been a clone, right?"
Below him, Kakashi was half-kneeling on the ground, his cheek grazing past Chiba's punch as their bodies nearly crossed. His brow furrowed slightly as he unconsciously spoke.
There was faint disappointment in his voice.
Crackle, crackle, crackle...
At the same time, the spherical Lightning Release Chakra in the lightning-wreathed, blade-like hand that had pierced through Chiba's back slowly dissipated.
"Looks like you saw through it again."
At this point, Chiba, whose chest had been pierced through, turned his head slightly. After glancing down at Kakashi, he spoke helplessly.
"You..."
Kakashi raised his head in response.
Splatter!
But before he could say anything, Chiba's body slowly turned to mud. In the end, it became a heap of earth that slid down Kakashi's arm and scattered across the ground.
Boom!
Just then, Kakashi's body abruptly lurched forward, as though some enormous force from above had shoved him. The force was so great that, if Kakashi had not reacted quickly enough to steady himself, he would have fallen face-first onto the ground.
As he lurched, a flash of light suddenly streaked overhead. Then came the roar of an explosion, followed by a scorching blast of wind.
"This..."
Kakashi immediately whipped around to look into the air behind him, his expression changing slightly.
A massive fireball was slowly spreading through the air. Water, carrying white steam, poured down from above like a torrential hot spring rain, striking everyone's faces