Tsunade: Not Strong, But Cunning!

Such astonishing killing intent!

Move!

Move!

Kakashi gritted his teeth, a trickle of blood escaping his lips, until finally—

Swish!

In an instant, chakra erupted from his body, with faint electrical currents surging across his skin.

Lightning Style: Chakra Body Stimulation!

Even if it was imperfect, facing Tsunade, Kakashi dared not be careless.

His speed reached the absolute limit of what he could achieve.

However.

The next second—

Bang!

As fast as he had come, he was sent flying back even faster.

In the blink of an eye, Kakashi had been slammed into a tree, unable to move.

Tsunade put her hands on her hips and said, "Shizune, go see if he's badly hurt."

"Yes!"

Shizune flickered over.

Kakashi stood up, coughing up a little blood, then waved his hand to signal that he was fine.

He stood in place, lost in thought.

"Don't understand?"

The corners of Tsunade's mouth curled upward.

Bullying children wasn't much of a feat, but it certainly felt good, especially when it came to these "geniuses."

She laughed, "Kid, your speed is very fast. Using unrefined Lightning Style chakra to stimulate your body's vitality can reach a terrifying level, but you cannot control it."

Then, Tsunade's expression turned serious.

"Speed you cannot control is a deadly double-edged sword. Either the enemy dies, or—just like before, I only need one finger to defeat you."

Tsunade flicked her finger.

She had indeed used only one finger—

On Kakashi's forehead, there was a large, red, swollen bump.

And that was her holding back.

If she had flicked with full force, Kakashi's skull might have been shattered.

Not everyone was as durable as Orochimaru.

Kakashi had vaguely felt before that his previous line of thinking was headed in the wrong direction, and now his suspicions were confirmed.

Speed didn't work, and neither did explosive tags...

Given Tsunade's level of reaction and strength, Kakashi didn't believe an explosive tag could get close enough to threaten her.

He would try kenjutsu.

He drew his blade, his gaze sharpening once more.

Then—

Kakashi surged forward again.

One hand held the blade, the other clutched an explosive tag.

This time, he controlled his speed.

Tsunade's mouth curled upward.

The moment the blade struck, she dodged to the side and pinched the blade between her fingers.

Then, she gave it a light flick.

Kakashi gripped the blade tightly to prevent the White Fang short sword from flying away, but the web of his hand was already bleeding from the impact.

He channeled Lightning Style chakra.

The blade became sharper, with faint lightning overflowing from it—

He attempted to use the properties of Lightning Style chakra to paralyze Tsunade's fingers, but unfortunately, the moment the chakra condensed, it was shattered by her flick.

However.

Kakashi had achieved his goal.

He slammed his left hand against the ground, using the force to retreat rapidly.

The next instant, dust suddenly billowed into the air.

BOOM!

The explosive tag detonated in mid-air.

Tsunade stood up and brushed the dust from her fingertips.

"Anything else?"

"Nothing left."

Kakashi was stunned, then shook his head helplessly.

Even that didn't work...

He truly had no other options left.

"Next."

Defeated in two exchanges, Kakashi stopped trying.

Kurenai Yuhi was shaken to her core.

Is this the gap between them and the Sannin?

Restricting herself to a single finger, she could still beat them until they couldn't even find north.

Furthermore.

Her killing intent alone could create a terrifying effect akin to a genjutsu.

No!

Strictly speaking...

That thing was even stronger than genjutsu.

Genjutsu had methods to be broken, but killing intent—if one could not block it with willpower and spirit—could truly cost one their life on the battlefield.

She was just about to step forward.

But Kyohiko took a step out instead.

"I'll go."

"The Hatake brat surrendered quite readily; I hope you can last a bit longer, at least be as tough as your mouth!"

Tsunade laughed.

Kyohiko only said, "I will do my best!"

"Good, come!"

Tsunade beckoned with her finger.

She was truly using only one finger!

However.

The killing intent pressed down upon him like a mountain.

Kyohiko felt as if he were trapped in a quagmire.

This feeling...

Compared to Tsunade's killing intent, the wandering samurai and the ninjas who had attacked them earlier were not even worth mentioning.

If Tsunade is like this, what about Orochimaru?

No wonder a mere glance was enough to intimidate Kakashi, who was already a jonin.

The Sannin—none of those at the Kage level are simple.

Kyohiko gritted his teeth.

Although their current strength gap was immense, he must not let fear take root in his heart because of her killing intent.

He had to hold his ground!

He repeated "become stronger" and "survive" in his mind, his willpower gradually hardening.

I have a system!

I still need to become stronger and keep on living; how could I let myself be scared witless by killing intent?

In an instant, Kyohiko charged forward.

Kakashi's eyes widened.

This...

Just like him?

Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly, and then, her finger suddenly struck toward the rear.

POW!

Chakra surged outward like a blade of air, cleaving the ground asunder, yet the figure that had been standing before her transformed into a mere block of wood.

"A combination of the Clone and Substitution Techniques..."

Kakashi understood immediately.

Kyohiko had mastered very few techniques—only the Basic Three and the Body Flicker Technique—so he was fond of using them in combination during combat.

What he had just witnessed was a feint.

However.

At such high speeds, it was incredibly difficult to distinguish the real from the fake in an instant.

If Kyohiko's opponent had been a Chunin, it would have undoubtedly been effective.

Unfortunately.

His opponent was Tsunade.

Tsunade chuckled, "Not bad. When it comes to speed control, you are better than Kakashi."

Kakashi could not refute this.

At this moment, Kyohiko stood under a tree in the distance, leaning against the trunk and gasping for air; he looked quite disheveled, but he had indeed avoided being struck.

In truth.

That terrifying killing intent, coupled with a finger reinforced by the Strength Enhancement Technique...

Kyohiko had nearly thought he was going to die!

But at the very last second, Tsunade's chakra had run dry, leaving only a sharp pain in his shoulder—clearly the result of her meticulous control.

It was too exaggerated!

With such chakra control, there was likely no one else in the current ninja world, save for Madara Uchiha hiding deep underground, who could surpass her.

No wonder she could cure illnesses that others could not...

"Shall we continue?"

"Yes!"

Kyohiko charged forward once again.

However.

He did not rush to attack, instead repeatedly advancing and retreating, dancing back and forth within Tsunade's attack range.

At first, Tsunade was quite wary.

But.

After a few times, she couldn't help but laugh, "You don't actually think you can exhaust my chakra this way, do you?"

"Of course..."

"I don't!"

The voice traveled from afar, drawing closer.

Hm?

Tsunade suddenly dodged to the side—

A kunai struck out from beside her.

Using sound, changing speeds, confusing judgment...

This brat's raw strength was inferior to Kakashi's, but he had many times more tricks up his sleeve.

Weren't they both seven years old?

The thought flashed through Tsunade's mind, but the next instant, her eyes widened—

She sensed that Kyohiko's arm was rapidly refining and condensing chakra.

This is?

No!

Impossible!

For a moment, Tsunade found it hard to believe.

The next moment, dirt and stone flew as the ground shattered.

The entire circle had been smashed to pieces.

Kakashi, Kurenai Yuhi, and Shizune stood dumbfounded—

The one who had caused such destruction...

Was actually Kyohiko!

How could this be?

Wasn't this Lady Tsunade's technique?

How did Kyohiko learn that!

However.

What shocked her even more was this.

The next moment, a massive explosion erupted over there, engulfing both Tsunade and Kyohiko simultaneously.

"Lady Tsunade, Kyohiko!"

Shizune was stunned, her shock instantly turning into worry.

"Kyohiko!"

Kurenai Yuhi was even more anxious.

Tsunade certainly wouldn't be killed by the blast, but the same could not be said for Kyohiko.

However.

The next moment, she sensed that both Tsunade and Kyohiko had escaped.

She focused her gaze.

Tsunade was carrying Kyohiko, her expression stern, yet even from a distance, one could see her body trembling.

Blood was rapidly gushing from Kyohiko's arm.

He was injured!

"I'll handle the healing!"

Shizune immediately rushed forward.