Naruto: Choosing from Birth — Chapter 24

At that moment, bursts of electricity suddenly flashed across Matsudaira before them.

Not good!

Crackle! Dazzling lightning instantly burst forth.

Lightning Release: Lightning Clone!!!

"Ever since the Ninja Academy arena, I noticed how you transformed your hidden weapons. You're still too young—you revealed your tricks far too early."

"I'm no ordinary Jonin. Don't expect any move you've used before to work on me a second time."

Matsudaira Kazuto leaped down from the tree again...

PS: I wrote from 8:00 to 10:30 this morning. To research Lightning Release: Lightning Clone, I specifically rewatched episode 379 of the anime and chapter 422 of the manga. My writing speed really is a bit slow, so I hope you readers can bear with me.

Thanks to all the lovely friends who have silently supported me and sent flowers, ratings, monthly tickets, and so on. I spent another half hour revising, and it's already 11:00. I'll make food first, then come back and keep writing.

Also: I really like Pain as a character. Shinra Tensei is so cool!*

By then, the sun had completely vanished beyond the horizon, and even the last traces of sunset had lost their color. Night gradually began to shroud the land.

After the dazzling flash of lightning, the two who should have been electrocuted unconscious had actually vanished from where they stood.

Uchiha Cheng and Kushina quietly appeared more than ten meters away.

"Damn. Was that the Body Flicker Technique?"

"How can a little brat like you know so many high-level techniques? Even if you started training in your mother's womb, it would be impossible."

"Looks like I was right. You're some ancient monster wearing a child's skin, preserving this appearance through some unknown ninjutsu."

"You damned old Uchiha monster, hiding your real age and bullying the young with your age! I, Matsudaira Kazuto, champion of justice, will uphold justice for the ninja world today!"

Matsudaira Kazuto stood tall with his chest out, looking imposing. He flicked two short blades from his sleeves and shouted with righteous indignation.

Kushina, whose hand injury had just been healed during that brief interval, exchanged speechless looks with Uchiha Cheng. They had seen shameless people before, but never one this shameless.

Damn it, he was fighting a child and still making excuses.

"Cheng-nii, be careful. This guy is full of tricks. If things get dangerous, run. I probably won't be in any mortal danger."

"Don't worry. This guy's imagination is way too active. My pee is yellow—watch me piss him awake."

With that, Uchiha Cheng did something that made Kushina blush furiously. He actually reached into his pants, then gathered a thread of electricity in his hand.

The lightning grew from weak to strong, gradually producing the clear chirping of birds.

Before long, it became overwhelming, like a thousand birds crying in unison. The brilliant lightning tore through the increasingly dark night, shining as brightly as a lamp.

"What kind of ninjutsu is that? That monster even knows such powerful Lightning Release?"

"This jutsu is called Chidori. A tiny bird like yours, no bigger than a toothpick, could never make a sound like this."

Before he had even finished speaking, Uchiha Cheng charged straight at him with Chidori in hand.

"What nonsense? When mine swells up, it's as big as an earthworm. Not one of those women who abandoned me knew how to appreciate it."

"Ahhh, you bastard! I'll tear you to pieces!"

Matsudaira Kazuto screamed in rage. Though he looked as if his blood had rushed to his head and he wanted to fight to the death, his body bent as he retreated backward.

Only to realize he could not outrun his opponent?

He hurriedly formed hand seals.

Water Release: Water Formation Wall!

The rapidly accelerating Chidori viciously plunged into the wall of water.

Sizzle...

Great clouds of steam rose into the air.

Want to compete in Chakra volume? Then I'll use the element that counters yours.

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

After leaping back several steps, the flames Uchiha Cheng spewed from his mouth surged like dragons in three directions—left, center, and right—slamming into the enormous water wall.

Boom!!!

After a brief stalemate, the immense power completely shattered the Water Formation Wall.

Thick steam swept in every direction.

"Now!"

A figure dropped down in an instant, striking Kushina with a sword hilt and knocking her unconscious.

He crossed the short blades in his hands.

Lightning Release: Lightning Strike Tornado!

Whoosh!

Lightning mixed with a hurricane burst forth from the clashing short blades.

Wherever the lightning tornado formed by the hurricane passed, turf was ripped away and the earth turned into scorched ground inch by inch.

Uchiha Cheng, who had no time to dodge after using Fire Release, was directly torn to pieces.

"Hah, what a troublesome fellow. He should be dead this time, right?"

"To kill you, I've exhausted all my Chakra. You should feel honored."

The one who had arrived was still Matsudaira Kazuto.

Every Matsudaira who had appeared earlier had been a clone.

The first one to be destroyed had been the Chakra-intensive Lightning Clone.

The one destroyed by the Fire Dragon Flame Bullet afterward had been a Water Clone with only ten percent of his strength. Otherwise, why had it been able to block Uchiha Cheng's Fire Dragon Flame Bullet at the academy, yet failed to do so here? It simply did not have enough Chakra.

This consecutive use of ninjutsu had already consumed seventy to eighty percent of his Chakra.

He needed to take this Jinchuriki vessel and run.

If anyone else showed up, he would not be able to handle it.

Just as Matsudaira Kazuto turned around to take Kushina away—

Pfft!!!

His body was pierced through once again.

Matsudaira Kazuto stared blankly at "Kushina," who should clearly have been knocked unconscious.

"Still too young. Just changing appearances with the Transformation Technique is enough to fool you?"

"Kushina" shook her head and spoke in Matsudaira Kazuto's tone.

After a cloud of smoke rose, she transformed into Uchiha Cheng.

"Pfft..."

Blood gushed from Matsudaira Kazuto's mouth as he coughed in fury.

This time, his cunning heart had finally gone cold before someone even more cunning.

Matsudaira Kazuto, known as the Crafty Rabbit of the Clouds! Dead!*

The dense foliage above Uchiha Cheng's head shook, and then a small figure slid down from the tree.

It was Kushina Uzumaki.

The instant Matsudaira's Lightning Clone was about to erupt, Uchiha Cheng had brought Kushina into the foliage overhead using the Body Flicker Technique.

He then immediately created a Shadow Clone. The original transformed into Kushina and used the Body Flicker Technique again amid the blazing lightning to return to the ground.

This time, he used two ninjutsu techniques and provoked Matsudaira's Shadow Clone with trash talk, finally drawing Matsudaira's attention.

That allowed the Transformation Technique to successfully deceive the increasingly impatient Matsudaira.

It could not be helped. His little bird was the pain of his life.

However, after two consecutive battles, Uchiha Cheng's Chakra was nearly depleted as well. Fortunately, when he had previously been rewarded with the Body Flicker Technique, his total Chakra reserves had also increased by fifty percent.

That raised what had originally been only Special Jonin-level Chakra reserves to Jonin level in one go.

"Cheng-nii, are you okay?"

Seeing that the powerful enemies had finally all been dealt with, Kushina at last let go of the anxiety that had been hanging over her heart and threw herself at Uchiha Cheng.

Uchiha Cheng hurriedly caught Kushina gently.

"I'm fine. That guy was nowhere near as good as your Cheng-nii."