Lightning Strike with a Single-Handed Seal and the Moment of Penetration Through Attribute Restraint

A blinding blue light erupted at the bottom of the gloomy canyon.

This was no mere flicker of electricity from a standard Lightning Release ninjutsu, but a highly condensed, violently materialized manifestation of chakra. Countless fine blue arcs tore and spread wildly from Baishi's right hand, instantly ionizing the murky air and emitting a series of piercing, crackling explosions.

The pungent scent of ozone, mingled with the raw smell of earth, assaulted the Iwagakure jonin's nostrils.

"One-handed seals?!"

Mid-air, the Iwagakure jonin's rugged features twisted in extreme shock. His right arm, encased in heavy rock armor, had already been driven into the center of the blue light with the force of a landslide.

Bolstered by Earth Release chakra, this "Super Weighted Rock Fist" was enough to crush the skull of an adult summoning bear into powder. He had expected this Konoha ANBU rat to be pulverized into a pulp of flesh and bone.

However, the expected sound of shattering bone never came.

In its place was a crisp, sharp "crack."

Baishi watched the massive rock fist descending upon him with cold indifference. His right hand, still holding the single-handed seal, thrust forward abruptly. The highly condensed lightning-attribute chakra transformed into an invisible, razor-sharp blade, piercing with surgical precision into the very center of the rock armor.

The law of the five elemental chakra affinities was displayed in its full glory at this moment.

Lightning conquers Earth.

The moment the impenetrable rock armor touched the ultimate lightning light, its internal earth-attribute chakra structure suffered catastrophic destruction. The once-dense rock layer became like weathered, dry mud, and spiderweb-like cracks rapidly spread across its surface.

"Impossible!" the Iwagakure jonin roared in disbelief. He desperately channeled his chakra, attempting to repair the crumbling rock fist, but the penetrating power of the lightning-attribute chakra was simply too terrifying.

Baishi remained expressionless, his right hand twisting sharply.

BOOM!

The massive rock encasing the jonin's right arm shattered completely. Countless shards, carried by the lightning, turned into lethal shrapnel that sprayed wildly in all directions.

The lightning light cut through the jonin's defenses without resistance, driving straight into his thick right arm.

"Aaaah—!"

A shrill scream echoed through the canyon. High-voltage current instantly pierced the jonin's skin, scorching large swaths of muscle fiber. A thick, charred smell of burnt meat filled the air. His entire right arm withered and blackened at a visible rate; the blood didn't even have time to spray before it was vaporized by the terrifying heat.

Baishi descended through the air, his black windbreaker snapping violently in the chaotic currents. His cold, sharp eyes locked onto the jonin's painfully twisted face, devoid of the slightest mercy.

Chakra consumption: 35%.

Cold data flickered in his brain. Releasing this level of nature transformation with one hand placed a massive burden on this cannon-fodder body. Waves of tearing pain radiated from the meridians in his right hand, but he didn't even frown.

The slaughter had only just begun.

Using the recoil from the lightning penetration, Baishi forcibly stabilized his body in mid-air. His left hand reached to his lower back, drawing his standard-issue ANBU short blade with fluid grace. A thin layer of lightning instantly coated the edge, turning it into a blue blade that sliced through the darkness, aimed straight at the jonin's throat.

Strike while the enemy is down.

This was the only truth Baishi had learned from countless brushes with death.

However, an Iwagakure jonin who could survive until now on this meat-grinder of a border battlefield was no soft persimmon to be squeezed at will.

The intense pain did not destroy his will; instead, it completely ignited the ferocity in his bones.

"Konoha scum! Even if I die, I'll take a piece of you with me!"

The jonin's rugged face became hideous with pain and rage. He abandoned his right arm, now completely ruined by the Lightning Release, letting it hang limp like a piece of charcoal. His massive body twisted violently in mid-air, narrowly and savagely evading the lethal blade Baishi had aimed at his throat.

Sshhh!

The lightning-coated blade sliced through the jonin's tactical vest, leaving a deep, bone-reaching gash. Blood sprayed wildly, splashing onto Baishi's cold mask.

But the jonin didn't even glance at the wound on his chest. Using the momentum of his body's twist, his left hand stealthily drew a uniquely shaped kunai from the ninja tool pouch on his outer thigh.

The edge of the kunai shimmered with a ghostly green, toxic light.

"Earth Release: Hardening Technique!"

The jonin let out a beastly roar. He poured all his remaining earth-attribute chakra into his left arm and the poisoned kunai. His already thick left arm swelled instantly, and a layer of gray-black, rock-hard keratin surfaced on his skin.

The two plummeted rapidly through the air, mere inches apart.

Baishi's old momentum had just faded, and his new strength had yet to gather. The burst of max-level Lightning Release had left his body in a momentary state of rigidity.

And this fraction of a second of vulnerability was captured with lethal precision by the experienced Iwagakure jonin.

"Go to hell together!"

Mad killing intent flashed in the jonin's eyes. He lunged at Baishi regardless of his own safety, abandoning all defense. The poisoned kunai, bolstered by Earth Release chakra, struck like an armor-piercing shell, stabbing viciously toward Baishi's left collarbone.

The distance was too close.

The wind howled in his ears, and the sharp whistle of the kunai tip piercing the air was clearly audible. Baishi could even see the bloodshot, venomous veins in the jonin's eyes.

He couldn't dodge.

There was nowhere to push off in mid-air, and the Body Flicker Technique required a split second of preparation. The opponent's desperate final strike had pushed speed and power to the limit.

If this poisoned kunai pierced his heart, even with his incomplete Uzumaki Constitution, he would undoubtedly die.

Time stretched infinitely at this moment.

Baishi's brain raced, calculating every possible chance of survival.

Compromise? Retreat?

No.

The coldness in Baishi's eyes instantly transformed into extreme madness. Since he couldn't dodge, he would use the most brutal method to nail this beast to the spot!

He did not choose to retreat; instead, he stepped forward, meeting the lethal poisoned kunai head-on.

Puchi!

The dull sound of a blade tearing through flesh exploded in mid-air. The tip of the ghostly green kunai cruelly pierced Baishi's ANBU uniform, driving deep beneath his collarbone.