"Whoosh!"
The girl's figure blurred among the grass in an instant. Purple lightning flickered in her hands as thunder roared at the Uchiha before her, trying to disrupt their concentration.
The wind carried the thunder into their ears. Rai's pupils contracted, reflecting the lightning's glow, as a bone-chilling glint crept closer, step by step.
Mao, lightning in hand, tore through the air. The glow lit her face, but her electrified eyes remained impassive as she coldly studied the Uchiha, who stood back to back in a defensive stance.
The sparks from the clashing short swords seemed to eclipse the last rays of the setting sun, shining in everyone's eyes and completely filling their field of vision.
Boosted by Lightning Style chakra, the Ninja Blade was even more powerful than before. Rai steadied his trembling arm and gave Baru a helpless look.
The Uchiha Clan excelled at Fire Release. If they tried to imitate Mao, the Fire Release chakra would damage the entire structure of their Ninja Blades. They were already at a major disadvantage when it came to chakra nature.
Mao seemed to sense the uncertainty stirring in the two of them. Hoping to give them a little confidence, she said, "Rikusei beat me easily with an ordinary Ninja Blade."
"..."
Rai opened his mouth as if to say that there was no way two ordinary people like them could compare to that guy, but in the end, he swallowed his words.
"We have a chance."
Baru seemed to have spotted an opening. He leaned toward Rai and whispered.
The two had known each other since childhood, and their teamwork was seamless. They used the same moves, pouring all their strength into a single point to overwhelm Mao completely.
Feeling the hilt vibrate in her hand, Mao bit her lower