"Just in time... I wanted to see a Jonin's strength!"
Seeing the Kirigakure Jonin use the Body Flicker Technique to charge toward him, and realizing that he was the target, Yu's amber eyes flashed sharply.
"Smack!"
Yu lightly pushed off the ground and vanished with the Body Flicker Technique.
When he reappeared a second later, he was on the grass, facing the Kirigakure Jonin.
"Clang!!"
A fierce metallic clash rang out as Yu and the Kirigakure Jonin collided.
"Strings?!"
The Kirigakure Jonin's swift slash with his sword was stopped dead by a thin, transparent string. A look of surprise crossed his face. "I see... a Kekkei Genkai?"
"You're strong. Is this the power of a Jonin...?"
Yu quickly formed a thin, transparent string to block the sharp sword. Feeling the immense force surging from the Kirigakure Jonin's weapon, he tensed. I have to end this quickly!
Although Devil Law had enhanced him, giving him several times more chakra than an ordinary Chunin, Yu was only six years old. His still-growing body struggled to trade blows directly with an adult Jonin.
"You've got to be kidding... How can a kid this young...?!"
The Kirigakure Jonin stared in disbelief as Yu, who looked no older than six or seven, managed to withstand the force of his strike.
But his expression soon twisted into a grimace. Konoha, the enemy nation, had produced a genius ninja like a monster, and the Jonin's killing intent surged.
"But unfortunately..."
"A kid is still a kid. You're just too green!"
As he spoke, the Kirigakure Jonin standing opposite Yu suddenly turned into a puddle of water.
Water Clone!!
Yu's heart skipped a beat. He spun around, but it was too late.
"Die, brat!"
With a furious roar, the Kirigakure Jonin appeared behind Yu and slashed through his body with his sharp sword.
"Yu!!"
Seeing the Kirigakure Jonin cut down Yu, Might Guy and Kurenai Yuhi—who were being attacked by a group of Kirigakure Ninja nearby—cried out in alarm.
"You're the one who should die..."
"Did you think you were the only one who could use Water Clone?"
Even as the Kirigakure Jonin's sword cut Yu in half at the waist, a mocking look crossed Yu's face.
To the Jonin's shock, Yu's body also turned into a puddle of water!
What?!
The Jonin's eyes widened behind the white bandages as he realized that the Yu he had cut down was also a Water Clone. A murderous chill swept up behind him.
"Five-Color String!!"
As the Kirigakure Jonin spun around, Yu appeared behind him, one hand curled like a claw. He slashed the air, sending five razor-sharp strings toward him.
"Damn it! He's so fast..."
Seeing Yu unleash such a fierce attack without Hand Seals, the Kirigakure Jonin gritted his teeth and hurriedly raised his sword to block.
"Clang!!"
The sword collided with Yu's strings, ringing out like metal striking metal.
Then the Kirigakure Jonin felt a sharp pain as several vivid streaks of blood bloomed across his body.
"Damn..."
He staggered back a few steps and planted his sword in the ground. Seeing the wounds on his body, deep enough to expose bone, the Kirigakure Jonin ground his teeth.
He was a Jonin of the Kirigakure Ninja Village in the Land of Water. To take a wound so quickly while fighting a six-year-old kid from Konoha in the Land of Fire was utterly humiliating!
"Tch... You blocked it?"
Facing the Kirigakure Jonin, Yu pursed his lips in disappointment when he saw that his opponent hadn't been cut apart by his Five-Color String.
Water Clone—a C-rank Ninjutsu that created a clone out of water. Its effectiveness increased when used in water.
Though it was a technique favored by Kirigakure Ninja from the Land of Water, the Third Hokage's office also held scrolls of Water Release Ninjutsu left behind by Second Hokage Tobirama Senju.
Three months had been more than enough for Yu to copy down nearly all the Water Release Ninjutsu in the scrolls and learn to use them.
"That was amazing, Yu!"
Might Guy and the others, still fighting nearby, had seen the youngest member of their group suppress a Kirigakure Jonin.
They were amazed, and their morale soared. They fought back against the surrounding Kirigakure Ninja with renewed resolve.
"I have to admit... I underestimated you, brat."
The Kirigakure Jonin fixed his gaze on Yu and pulled his sharp sword from the grass.
The pain coursing through his body finally made him take the six-year-old white-haired boy seriously.
"But from now on, I'll show you the difference between you and a Jonin!"
His eyes, visible beneath the white bandages, were icy as he quickly formed Hand Seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!!"
As the powerful Water Release Ninjutsu took effect, a large mass of water surged out of nowhere beside the Kirigakure Jonin. It quickly formed a roaring water dragon that charged toward Yu.
"B-rank Water Release..."
Facing the Kirigakure Jonin's Ninjutsu, Yu narrowed his eyes. Instead of retreating, he rushed forward, leapt high into the air, and kicked at the roaring water dragon.
Foot Shave String!!
Eight nearly transparent strands shot out from Yu's toes as he kicked.
"Splash!!"
The grass was sliced open beneath them. Amid a deafening crash and a spray of water, Yu's kick dispersed the charging water dragon in midair!
He had only gained the String-String Fruit's abilities recently, but through constant training and development—and with his superb Taijutsu—their power was already astonishing.
"It's over, brat."
But the moment Yu dispersed the water dragon, before the spray had even fallen, the Kirigakure Jonin burst through the falling water right behind it and kicked Yu hard in the chest.
The tremendous force of an adult Jonin nearly made Yu spit blood.
"Bang!!"
But to the Kirigakure Jonin's astonishment, the Yu he had kicked turned into a piece of wood!
The Substitution Technique?!
The Jonin's heart jolted, but he quickly recovered.
His extensive battle experience kicked in. He spun around on reflex and thrust his sword, spraying blood everywhere!
Just as expected—the Yu who appeared behind him a moment later was pierced through by his sword.
"I told you... it's over, brat!"
The Kirigakure Jonin's sharp sword pierced Yu's body, and a triumphant smile finally spread across his face.
"Rip!!"
But as soon as he finished speaking, the Kirigakure Jonin shuddered and stared in disbelief.
A hand wreathed in raging lightning had pierced through his heart from behind.
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