Does Having More Chakra Make You So Great?

"Demon?"

Zabuza Momochi was somewhat puzzled by the title Kisame had used.

"Heh, you didn't know? Word's already gotten around that you killed over a hundred graduates from your class, so now you've got your own title too: [Mist Demon]. How about it, sounds pretty imposing, right? Plenty of jonin can't even earn that kind of treatment!"

Kisame explained the origin of the title, his tone a little exaggerated. It was hard to tell whether he was admiring him or mocking him.

"..."

Zabuza clenched his fists, his expression turning savage for an instant.

"My name is Zabuza Momochi. I specialize in taijutsu."

"That's it?"

Kisame waited for a while, then shrugged when Zabuza showed no intention of continuing with any talk about his dreams.

"Fine, then. To help us get to know each other better, you two will fight me. Two against one, no rules. You can use whatever methods you want to try and defeat me, until I tell you to stop. As for the location, we'll use the school training grounds."

"Captain Kisame."

Just as Kisame Hoshigaki was about to head out, Araki asked one final question.

"Are you currently a chunin or a jonin?"

"Oh? Why ask?"

"Because I want a clearer understanding of my own strength as well."

Araki's expression was serious.

"You don't know how strong you are? What an interesting little brat!"

Kisame Hoshigaki grinned. "I was just promoted to special jonin. If you can, try defeating me!"

"What are you planning to do with that Zabuza Momochi?"

Inside a quiet room, Hozuki Sengetsu and Karatachi Yagura sat facing each other.

"I've already had him join Kisame Hoshigaki's team." Yagura smiled faintly.

"Kisame Hoshigaki? That weirdo?"

Sengetsu frowned. "He's only a chunin, isn't he? Why not put him on Mangetsu's team?"

"Sengetsu, you need to understand that Zabuza, along with Araki from his class, are both exceptionally rare talents. And they both come from commoner backgrounds, so the Third Mizukage won't take the initiative to make things difficult for them."

Yagura shook his head.

"But you are different. This time, with my coordination, the three great clans joined together in resistance. The Mizukage will certainly bear a grudge over it. He won't move against civilian ninja, but you clan ninja are not included in that. For a while, you'd best be careful."

"So you deliberately had them distance themselves from us in order to protect them?"

Sengetsu's tone carried some displeasure.

"Don't forget who has been supporting you from behind the scenes all this time, Yagura!"

"Of course I won't forget your support, but I made it very clear from the start: I'm not opposing the Third Mizukage for the sake of your clans. I oppose him because his actions have already harmed the interests of the entire village!"

Yagura's tone became solemn as well.

"If you expect me to restore you to the peak you enjoyed under the Second Mizukage, then I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. I don't regard you as enemies, but neither will I grant you special treatment. In my view, one's background should not limit a ninja's development. We are all Mist Village ninja, aren't we?"

"Fine, you're right. But how strong is that Kisame Hoshigaki?"

Sengetsu changed the subject.

"He's a few years older than Zabuza and the others. I only recently promoted him to special jonin. He's very strong; the only reason he hadn't advanced before was because of the number of missions he'd completed."

A gentle smile appeared on Yagura's face.

"Is that so? Then how does he compare to Mangetsu?"

Sengetsu looked interested as well.

"Your clan's Hydrification Secret Technique naturally counters all Water Release ninjutsu and taijutsu. At present, Kisame has no means of inflicting actual harm on Mangetsu."

Yagura shook his head, a hint of regret in his voice.

This was the greatest advantage of ninja from great clans. In his view, the two had roughly equal talent, and Kisame was even superior in strength and physique, yet a single [Hydrification Technique] instantly reversed the situation.

"You flatter us."

Sengetsu grinned.

Ninja Academy, training grounds.

"Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

After rapidly forming hand seals, Kisame Hoshigaki puffed out his chest, opened his mouth wide, and spewed out enough water to fill an entire lake, turning the whole training ground into a vast ocean.

Although the focus of this technique was not direct attack but changing the terrain, this method of transforming the landscape in an instant still made Zabuza and Araki's expressions darken.

This is fucking cheating! He's just fighting two newly graduated genin, and he opens with a B-rank ninjutsu? Is he showing off because he has so much chakra? Does having more chakra make him so great?

Araki ranted furiously in his heart.

"The battlefield is ready. You can come at me now!"

Standing atop a wave, Kisame looked down at the two and issued his invitation to battle.

Araki and Zabuza exchanged a glance. One gripped a sword with both hands, while the other drew a kunai. Skimming over the water, they split up and charged toward Kisame Hoshigaki from two directions.

Kisame Hoshigaki also drew the long sword strapped to his back, excitement appearing on his face.

When it came to speed, Araki was still a step faster. Once he came within ten meters of Kisame, he suddenly drove off with his feet, held his sword level, and turned into a streak of light that stabbed straight at Kisame's abdomen.

[Flash Thrust]!

Clang!

Kisame reacted quickly as well. With a slight turn of his wrist, he blocked Araki's full-force thrust with one hand alone.

"Not bad. You're fast!"

He praised him, then the muscles in his arm bulged slightly. With a powerful swing, he actually flung Araki away.

What incredible strength!

Araki steadied himself in midair and slid across the water for a short distance before stopping, his gaze turning grave.

At that moment, Zabuza arrived as well.

However, the kunai in his hand was already much shorter than a blade or sword, and with the difference in size between him and Kisame Hoshigaki, the only thing he could do to threaten his opponent was throw shuriken.

Instead, despite doing his utmost to dodge, he was forced into danger after only a few exchanges. He had no choice but to use the [Substitution Technique] to narrowly escape disaster.

At that moment, Araki charged in again with his sword.

It was not that he did not want to cooperate with Zabuza. First, aside from drawing some attention, Zabuza could not really help much at the moment. Second, the two had never fought enemies together, so they had zero coordination. Finally, swordsmanship placed considerable emphasis on room to maneuver. Having someone with no coordination taking up space was worse than having no one at all.

After all that explanation, it boiled down to one thing: he thought Zabuza was too weak!

This time, Araki did not charge straight at Kisame to test their strength against each other. Now that he understood the gap between them in raw power, he needed to play to his strengths and use speed to defeat his enemy.

He reached Kisame, and in an instant, the sword in his hand slashed out nine sword phantoms. Flashing cold light directly enveloped Kisame's entire body.

[Nine-Headed Dragon Flash]!

Thanks to KIARA for the monthly ticket!