Qingshui vs. Pakura

One side wanted to kill, the other wanted to protect.

Neither side was willing to back down and abandon their mission, so a fight was inevitable.

Qingshui and Pakura would face off in a one-on-one battle.

After signaling for Konan and the others to move back, Qingshui drew his Ninja Sword and pointed it at Pakura.

Pakura likewise signaled for her subordinates to retreat.

Though she didn't think dealing with Qingshui would be too much trouble.

But since he dared to lead a team alone, Qingshui had to be at least a Jonin, and his strength couldn't be underestimated.

"This guy's really crazy. He actually dared to draw his sword on Teacher Pakura."

As one of them led the captured Okubo Yahiko away from the battlefield, Pakura's subordinate shook his head while watching Qingshui.

They simply didn't believe that Qingshui, an unknown Konoha Ninja, could be a match for Pakura.

Pakura naturally thought the same.

"Out of respect for your status as Konoha Ninja, I won't kill you."

Actually, if she could, Pakura would have liked to leave Qingshui and his whole team here.

Eliminating a Konoha prodigy would be a great achievement for Sunagakure.

But it hadn't been long since the Second Shinobi World War ended, and Sunagakure was still recuperating. Naturally, they couldn't provoke Konoha.

If Konoha went to war with Sunagakure because of this, then Pakura would become a sinner in her village.

She couldn't possibly do that.

If Qingshui knew what Pakura was thinking, he would have laughed out loud.

But right now, he was watching Pakura with curiosity. She gripped a Kunai in each hand, and four scorching fireballs appeared around her, circling through the air.

Those four fireballs were Pakura's Scorch Release.

Scorch Release was a new Ninjutsu formed by combining the Wind and Fire Chakra natures. Upon contact with an opponent, it could evaporate the moisture in their body, turning them into a dried corpse.

It was an extremely powerful close-combat ability, and enemies had to stay on guard against Pakura's fireballs at all times.

Of course, Scorch Release wasn't limited to close combat.

Before the words had even left her mouth, Pakura charged at Qingshui. The heat from the four fireballs rushing toward him made Qingshui lick his lips instinctively.

Clang!

He blocked Pakura's Kunai with one hand while forming Hand Seals with the other to use Water Release.

A powerful stream of water surged out, extinguishing all four incoming fireballs and forcing Pakura back.

He could perform Hand Seals with one hand to release a Ninjutsu!

Qingshui hadn't been able to do that before.

But with his Top-tier Water Style Talent now bolstering him, performing Hand Seals with one hand while using Water Release came as naturally as breathing.

Pakura's eyes widened in surprise at the sight.

Ninja needed both hands to perform Hand Seals. That was common knowledge in the Ninja World.

But some Ninja grew powerful enough to form Hand Seals using an opponent's hands, with one hand, or even with their feet.

Pakura had also heard some older Ninja talk about the legendary God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama. They said he could use Wood Style without forming Hand Seals at all.

He would just clap his hands and summon whatever he wanted.

She didn't know whether that was true, but Ninja who could form Hand Seals with one hand certainly existed. Without exception, none of them were ordinary.

With just that one display, Pakura stopped underestimating Qingshui.

Only then did Pakura realize how naive her earlier assumption had been. How could someone entrusted with leading three prodigies be ordinary?

The reason he hadn't made a name for himself in the Ninja World was probably that he had been focused on teaching the three of them and rarely appeared in public.

In other words, Qingshui was another prodigy hidden away by Konoha.

Once she understood this, Pakura's fighting spirit burned even brighter. She was a prodigy too, after all.

Until she'd actually fought and determined the winner, she refused to believe she could lose to anyone her age.

From then on, she would fight Qingshui seriously.

"Konoha Ninja, tell me your name. You deserve to have it remembered."

Realizing Qingshui was no ordinary opponent, Pakura dropped her earlier arrogance and asked his name.

Qingshui had no intention of hiding it, so he told her openly.

"Hirakawa Aosui."

"I'll remember you, Hirakawa Aosui. I hope you won't disappoint me."

Though she acknowledged Qingshui, Pakura remained proud and supremely confident.

Her three subordinates were stunned by what they heard.

They knew all too well how arrogant Pakura could be toward Ninja from other villages.

This was the first time they had ever seen her ask an outsider for his name.

Could it be that this guy wasn't actually a loudmouth after all?

With their level of insight, they had no idea Qingshui had just demonstrated the ability to form Hand Seals with one hand.

As soon as the words left her mouth, four more fireballs appeared out of thin air around Pakura.

This time, Qingshui keenly noticed that the fireballs were even more powerful than before.

It seemed Pakura was finally taking this seriously.

At her command, the four newly formed fireballs shot toward Qingshui at once.

At the same time, she used Body Flicker to rush forward and launch a fierce attack.

Pakura's Taijutsu was strong. No matter who her opponent was, even if they were a Jonin, they wouldn't be a match for her.

She could defeat them in just a few exchanges, then hit them with Scorch Release and leave them a dried corpse.

Her plan was simple: since Qingshui could form Hand Seals with one hand, she would launch the fastest, fiercest attack possible and give him no chance to do so.

Besides, judging by Qingshui's performance so far, he was definitely a Ninja who specialized in Water Release.

Ninja who specialized in Ninjutsu inevitably had weak Taijutsu.

Weak, that is, compared with Ninja of the same rank.

So, as long as she could suppress him in close combat, victory would be hers.

But it wasn't that her plan was wrong. She had simply underestimated Qingshui yet again.

Even under Pakura's fierce assault, he held his ground, dodging all four fireballs as well.

Still, Qingshui did have no chance to form Hand Seals and use Ninjutsu.

But this outcome wasn't enough for Pakura. In fact, she found it almost impossible to accept.

She didn't want a stalemate. She wanted to win.

"How is this possible? That guy can actually hold off Teacher Pakura's fierce attack!"

Pakura's subordinates were stunned by the sight before them.

As far as they knew, no matter who the opponent was, once Teacher Pakura got serious, she could defeat them in an instant.

"I get it. Teacher Pakura must be holding back because she doesn't want to stir up trouble between our village and Konoha."

"Exactly. That has to be it."

They simply couldn't believe that the invincible Pakura they knew could be unable to handle a Ninja her own age.

Konan overheard them, so she immediately taunted them.

"I told you, Big Brother Qingshui is really strong. Your teacher is no match for him!"

"Don't worry. Big Brother Qingshui is a good person. He won't kill your teacher."

Yahiko added smugly.

Their words and expressions made Pakura's three subordinates furious. They wanted to argue back, but couldn't find anything to say.

All they could do was watch the two fighters, hoping Teacher Pakura would win and wipe the smug looks off their faces.