"What's wrong with that, Lord Raiga Kurosuki..."
Uchiha Ye beamed. "I'm stronger than you, and I've taken a liking to your Thunder Blades, so I'm going to take them for myself. That's perfectly in keeping with the rules of the shinobi world!"
"Isn't the shinobi world all about whose fists are bigger?"
His matter-of-fact attitude instantly infuriated Raiga Kurosuki.
Raiga laughed furiously. "Fine, fine! You arrogant brat. Let's see if you have what it takes!"
"I'll show you just how serious the consequences are for provoking one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!"
With that, he flashed forward and appeared in front of Uchiha Ye. Lightning flared violently around his body as he swung his blades with deadly force. "Lightning Style: Lightning Ball!"
A giant sphere of lightning, much like a Rasengan, rapidly formed right in front of Uchiha Ye, radiating an immense force of repulsion.
"Bang!"
Uchiha Ye didn't even have time to react before the lightning ball struck him.
In an instant, he was swallowed by rolling bolts of lightning.
Seeing this, Raiga Kurosuki retreated with a smug laugh and sneered, "I thought you were supposed to be strong!"
"You talked such a big game, and this is all you've got? You couldn't even block a single attack!"
"If that's the case, then die!"
His expression turned ruthless as he thrust both blades into the ground. "Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning!"
Boom!
Several branch-shaped bolts of lightning shot out like swords, brutally piercing and tearing Uchiha Ye's body apart.
Without a doubt!
As far as Raiga Kurosuki was concerned, the battle was already over!
Even Zabuza thought so!
Facing Hiruko, he gave a cruel smile. "Looks like your partner isn't much good! Now you're all alone, and there's no way you'll make it out alive."
"I'll give you two choices! Die, or submit to me and work for me!"
Hearing that, Sasori inside Hiruko couldn't help but sneer. "Demon Zabuza, what kind of daydream are you having?"
He even completely ignored the 'woman' behind him, his voice coming low from within Hiruko. "Who do you think I am? And who do you think my partner is?"
The iron tail shoved hard!
Zabuza felt an irresistible force strike him, driving him backward.
"Mr. Zabuza!"
Seeing Zabuza forced back, the 'woman' behind Sasori immediately caught him and said gravely, "With puppet skills like that, and showing up here, there can only be one person this man is!"
Zabuza asked, "Who?"
He frowned. "It couldn't possibly be that genius puppeteer!"
But the 'woman's' expression grew exceptionally grave. "Unfortunately, Lord Zabuza, the enemy before you is that very genius puppeteer—the S-rank missing-nin from Sunagakure, Sasori of the Red Sands!"
Zabuza's pupils contracted, and his expression turned much more serious.
A person's name cast a shadow like a tree!
Though they were both S-rank missing-nin, his opponent had successfully assassinated the strongest Kazekage.
The two of them weren't even on the same level.
He knew that much, at least!
"You've got a pretty sharp eye, girl!"
Sasori of the Red Sands gave a couple of snorts. "Sharper than the Demon's, at any rate!"
Zabuza gave an annoyed snort. "So what!"
His eyes narrowed. "Even if I can't beat you on my own, I've still got Haku and Lord Raiga with me. I doubt even you, Sasori of the Red Sands, would come out of that unscathed!"
That's right. The 'woman' beside him was Haku, a practitioner of the Ice Style Kekkei Genkai!
Raiga Kurosuki's eyes also burned with fighting spirit. "Heh, I never thought I'd run into a powerhouse like you, Sasori of the Red Sands. I'd be a fool to pass up this chance."
"If I could personally send you to your grave, that would be incredibly satisfying!"
But Hiruko, controlled by Sasori of the Red Sands, only shook his head. "Didn't I just say it? Who do you think my partner is? Do you really think he's dead?"
Just as he finished speaking, Uchiha Ye's lazy voice came from the distance. "You really are one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Your abilities are impressive!"
Uchiha Ye's body had turned completely into lava, and the wounds torn open by the lightning were already rapidly filling in.
"You may not be as fearsome as a Kage Level powerhouse, but you're good enough to loosen up my muscles with a massage!"
Raiga Kurosuki stared in disbelief. "How is that possible? You're completely unharmed?"
His expression darkened.
He'd just launched an attack like that, and Uchiha Ye had called it a massage?
There had to be a limit to looking down on someone!
Zabuza's expression grew grave as well. "Your whole body turned into lava? What kind of Kekkei Genkai is that?"
Looking at Uchiha Ye's face, Haku exclaimed in shock, "He's Uchiha Ye, the S-rank missing-nin from Konoha!"
At that, Zabuza and Raiga Kurosuki both changed expressions. "Another S-rank missing-nin?"
As S-rank missing-nin themselves, they knew what that meant.
Without a doubt!
This enemy was at least on the same level as they were.
And if Sasori of the Red Sands joined in...
They had no chance of winning!
"Well, well, you recognized me?"
Uchiha Ye looked at Haku and smiled. "You've got a sharp eye, Haku!"
Then he turned to Raiga Kurosuki, his smile growing brighter. "Now, let's go again, Lord Raiga!"
"I'm taking your Thunder Blades!"
With that, his body turned to lava, and he charged forward with a roar.
His arrogant words and decision to keep fighting instantly enraged Raiga Kurosuki. "Brat! Insolent!"
"If you want a fight, then I'll show you just how powerful the Seven Ninja Swordsmen really are!"
Terrifying lightning immediately enveloped his body. "Thunder Blades: Lightning Tornado!"
Thunder roared down from all directions, instantly turning the area into a sea of lightning and forcing Zabuza, Sasori of the Red Sands, and the others to retreat.
"We're both S-rank missing-nin. What makes you think you can take my blades?"
"Do you think you're some powerhouse like Sasori of the Red Sands?"
Thunder gathered from the heavens and the earth around him, transforming into a terrifying lightning dragon that stretched from the sky to the ground. It unleashed a world-shaking storm of lightning and swept toward the charging Uchiha Ye.
Before the lightning dragon, Uchiha Ye was as small as an ant.
Even Sasori of the Red Sands couldn't help marveling at the attack. "He really is one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Impressive!"
Even he would need to summon the Third Kazekage to withstand that attack.
"Good! That's the spirit!"
Facing the roaring lightning storm, which had all but locked down the surrounding space, Uchiha Ye loudly praised him.
Then a searing red wave of heat erupted from his body, sending the temperature all around them soaring.
His body swelled rapidly with a bubbling sound, and he swung out a gigantic arm. "Great Eruption!"
Boom!
Fire against lightning!
In an instant, the storm howled and the earth quaked.
Scarlet and white light matched each other blow for blow.
The terrifying heat and the tearing lightning ravaged the land together.
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