(Chapter 16: He Had to Cripple Him)
Once he had decided, Mirai knew he had to act. He could only win in a short fight. If it dragged on, Oki, who excelled at Taijutsu, would have a much greater advantage, and Mirai would be doomed to lose.
Oki rushed toward Mirai. This time, he was going to attack head-on. He had already gauged Mirai's strength and knew he only needed to launch a direct assault. His opponent was just a child, and no matter how strong he was, he couldn't be Oki's match. "Die!"
"Wham!" Oki's fist struck Mirai in the stomach. "Thud!" Mirai's body turned into a wooden post.
"Hmph! Substitution Technique. How many more do you have?" The Substitution Technique worked by using a wooden post to take all the damage in one's place. It was a type of ninja tool, with a spell carved inside the post. The posts were usually sealed and easy to carry around. At a crucial moment, the user could activate one with chakra. Mirai had already used up quite a few.
Suddenly, before Oki had even finished speaking, a voice rang out behind him. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Oki whipped around and saw a huge, blazing fireball rushing toward him. He was stunned. When had Mirai managed to perform a jutsu so quickly?
But Oki reacted swiftly, pushing off the ground and dodging Mirai's Great Fireball. It blasted a huge hole through the wall.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Oki's heart lurched at the sound. When he looked up, he saw that Phoenix Sage Fire had surrounded the spot where he had just landed. His opponent had predicted exactly where he would appear. Damn it, how could he perform jutsu so quickly? It felt as if the two attacks had