He had no time to think. The sage chakra within him erupted instantly, and he darted sideways. The short blade grazed his shoulder, leaving a shallow wound.
"Your reactions are pretty fast."
The mysterious man sneered and swung his short blade again. Black chakra clung to its edge, greatly increasing its power.
As Kawaki Aoba dodged, he gathered chakra. "Lightning Release: Chidori!"
Blue electricity converged in his palm as he thrust it toward the mysterious man's chest.
But the mysterious man neither dodged nor retreated. He blocked the Chidori with his arm, black chakra colliding with blue lightning in a crackling hiss.
"How is that possible?"
Kawaki Aoba's eyes widened. He had never expected his opponent to take the Chidori head-on with an arm.
A mocking smile curled across the mysterious man's lips. "With only this much strength, you dare get in my way?"
He suddenly exerted force and sent Kawaki Aoba flying.
Kawaki Aoba crashed heavily to the ground, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
He struggled to his feet and watched the mysterious man approach step by step as the sage chakra within him began to surge wildly.
"I can't give up like this!"
He muttered inwardly, his fingers rapidly forming seals. "
Sage Art: Rasengan!"
This time, he poured all of his sage chakra into the Rasengan. The pale blue sphere of chakra became exceptionally massive, warping the air around it.
When the mysterious man saw the Rasengan in Kawaki Aoba's hand, surprise flashed through his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by indifference. "No matter how powerful it is, it can't hurt me."
He gathered even more black chakra in his hand, forming a shield.
Without hesitation, Kawaki Aoba leaped into the air and slammed the Sage Art: Rasengan into the