The katana and the short sword clashed for a moment before the two fighters leaped apart. The Second Leader needed time to gather his strength, and Kaede should have used ninjutsu then. But since he had decided to test his swordsmanship, he wouldn't use ninjutsu to take unfair advantage.
He had already stopped the Lightning Release Chakra coursing rapidly through his body, relying instead on his physical strength and skill to fight the Second Leader.
Even so, the bandit Second Leader seemed far too slow to him.
The short sword spun in his hand before he caught it again. He had lost interest in continuing the fight. He hadn't even shown his full strength, while his opponent was already near his peak. It was an uneven match. He might as well seek out a stronger opponent. The one fighting Tong looked like a good choice.
"Lightning Sword: Condensed Light!"
He used the sword technique again. The Second Leader had prepared for it this time, but he was still struck. Condensed Light was too fast for an ordinary man like him to dodge.
"So this is the power of a Konoha Ninja? No wonder it's different from the Rain Ninja!"
Even after Condensed Light had cut through his body, he stubbornly clung to life. With only his upper body left, he glared at Kaede through bloodshot eyes, unwilling to release the sword in his hands even as he died.
"Rain Country? You must've been driven out by Akatsuki and the Rain Ninja!"
At this point, Akatsuki was probably still under Yahiko's leadership, working toward their dream of peace. It was an organization full of love, but it was about to change.
There was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't manage those affairs, not when he hadn't even sorted out the problems at home.
Kaede's figure flickered again as he headed to the other side of the cliff to help Tong and, while he was at it, test the bandit Chief Leader. His head was proof of completing the mission.
"Little girl, you don't seem to have any powerful ninjutsu! In that case, I won't hold back." The vicious bandit Chief Leader had several scars across his face. His smile was a menacing one.
His lips curled in a cruel grin as he swung his katana in broad, forceful strokes. He was definitely Chunin-level, while Tong was only a Genin. She was also devoting most of her effort to learning Medical Ninjutsu, so her fighting ability wasn't particularly impressive. Under his attacks, she did her best to keep him at bay.
"Damn it, I didn't realize there was such a powerful enemy. I was too careless." She had been responsible for scouting the enemy this time. Missing this formidable swordsman had been her mistake.
After dodging another attack, Tong leaped backward and rapidly formed Hand Seals in midair.
"Fire Style: Fireball Technique!"
She spat out a fireball at the bandit Chief Leader. Then she pulled a Kunai from the pouch at her thigh and threw it. The moment she finished, a sharp flash of swordlight appeared and vanished, slicing the fireball apart. The blade's momentum carried it onward, cutting Tong in two.
"Poof!" Smoke billowed away, leaving only a wooden stump behind.
It was the Substitution Technique.
As soon as Tong sensed the powerful attack closing in, she had swiftly counterattacked. Without hesitation, she then used the Substitution Technique to escape to a tree.
She had barely evaded that deadly strike.
"Haah... haah..."
The intense battle had drained much of her stamina and Chakra. Though her heart condition had been cured, years of suffering from illness hadn't left her completely unaffected.
She had very little Chakra, only just enough to meet the threshold for becoming a ninja. To pursue her dream, she could only focus her efforts on the Chakra Sensing Technique and Medical Ninjutsu, becoming an important member of the team.
She had learned Medical Ninjutsu from Lady Tsunade, one of the legendary Sannin. It was the technique she treasured most. All of this was thanks to Kaede's efforts on her behalf, so she cherished it deeply and studied especially hard.
A pale green glow of medical Chakra appeared in her hand. She rubbed it over her ankle, where a thin cut marked the skin. She had escaped the fatal danger, but hadn't moved quite fast enough to avoid the swordlight completely.
While the bandit Chief Leader was distracted by the Kunai she had thrown, which carried an Explosive Tag and had just injured him, she quickly healed herself, restoring herself to an uninjured state.
"You're hurt." A dark figure suddenly appeared beside Tong, followed by a concerned voice.
"Kaede, I'm sorry. It was my fault."
Tong hurried to her feet and looked at Kaede, wanting to explain the unexpected situation.
"It's all right, Tong. You don't have to apologize." Kaede rested a hand on her long hair and gently comforted her.
Then he fixed a sharp gaze on the bandit Chief Leader, who was emerging from the smoke of the explosion. The Explosive Tag hadn't injured him; he was merely a little disheveled, with soot on his face and his once-neat clothes in tatters.
He ran a hand along the blade, looking rather annoyed.
"Another brat looking to die. Heh. I'll send you both to your graves."
He placed his right hand on the hilt and swiftly drew and slashed.
A streak of white light burst from the blade, like the Milky Way pouring down from the heavens. Kaede shoved Tong aside and raised his short sword horizontally to block the Draw Cut Technique. He had seen this move before and had been ready for it.
"Heh, you think you can block my attack like that, brat? Ninjas aren't anything special." He spun his body, making his sword whirl with him. The powerful momentum gave the attack more force than his strength alone could provide.
Kaede leaned back to avoid the slash, then kicked the Chief Leader in the back. The recoil sent him flying at great speed, carrying him out of his opponent's range in the opposite direction.
A sly grin tugged at the bandit Chief Leader's lips. He knew that ninjas liked to create distance so they could use ninjutsu, and this brat was no exception.
Kaede was still in midair, with no way to push off. This was the perfect moment to unleash his secret technique.
"Secret Technique: Swallow Return!"
The bandit Chief Leader, who had been facing away from Kaede, suddenly flew backward at high speed, like a swallow skimming low over the ground. He held his katana behind him and was about to crash into Kaede in midair. If he did, the protruding blade would pierce straight through him.
The technique was incredibly fast and completely unexpected.
"Look out!" Tong hurriedly cried, warning Kaede.
"What an impressive secret technique. You're the only swordsman I've met with skill worthy of my respect. But don't you think you're underestimating ninjas?"
Who said you couldn't launch an attack in midair without anything to push off? Kaede would never believe such nonsense. Lightning flashed behind him, and an identical Kaede emerged from his back. It was a Lightning Clone, a technique that could only be used by someone with an advanced understanding of the nature and form transformations of Lightning Release Chakra.
It was a tangible clone, similar to the Shadow Clone Technique.
"Watch closely. Before you die, dance one last time with me!"
The two Kaedes stood back-to-back in midair, taking the opening stance of Lightning Sword: Condensed Light. The instant the bandit Chief Leader approached, they moved. The clone and the original acted in sync, spinning and shifting positions as they borrowed each other's momentum. Their swords slashed out streaks of lightning, blooming like flowers as their petals unfurled.
In an instant, the area around Kaede filled with flashing blades and killing intent. Sword energy completely surrounded him, leaving no gaps. The attack lasted only a short while.
The two landed back-to-back at the same time.
"What kind of sword technique is that?" the bandit Chief Leader asked in a low voice.
"I call it Lightning Sword: Round Dance. Remember this: the one who killed you was Uchiha Kaede of the Uchiha Clan."
"Ha ha ha... Pfft—" The bandit Chief Leader laughed.
A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. He planted his sword into the ground to keep himself from falling at once. Blood began to seep from his body, and one wound after another slowly appeared until he shattered completely into small pieces.
The trees within ten meters began splitting apart. Their cut surfaces were perfectly smooth, showing that an extraordinarily sharp attack had sliced through them without resistance.
Kaede swung his sword backward, impaled the bandit Chief Leader's head on it, and put it into a sealing scroll. He hadn't looked at him once from beginning to end.
"Let's go."
He came to Tong's side and spoke gently.
"Kaede, I'm hurt."
"Then I'll carry you."
"Mm~"
Tong smiled brightly and climbed onto Kaede's back.
They were growing up fast, and were practically little adults now. In a little over a year, all their classmates would graduate.
Time was leaving them more and more overwhelmed.
Before you continue