The Spear of Factional Strife

Bang!

The afterimage scattered.

The third, fourth, and fifth closed in one after another.

Lightning flashed beneath Lie Yang's feet for only an instant.

His body changed direction repeatedly within a narrow range. With every slash, his blade sealed off the point where Shisui could exert force in advance.

Clang!

The seventh afterimage shattered.

Clang!

The ninth afterimage was cleaved in two at the waist.

Shisui's real body had only just appeared behind Lie Yang when the blade was already bearing down on him!

He saw through it again!

Shisui's pupils contracted violently. He could only raise his sword to block.

Boom!

Lightning and flames exploded at the same time.

Shisui's arms sank, and he slid back more than ten meters. His feet plowed two deep furrows through the ground, and the hand gripping his sword was completely stained red with blood.

Lie Yang followed close behind.

Shisui had no chance to catch his breath.

The first slash struck toward his left shoulder.

Shisui raised his sword.

Before the second slash collided, it suddenly dropped, switching to cut at his wrist.

Shisui forcibly changed his move.

The third slash had already pierced through his defense, stabbing straight at his chest!

Shisui twisted aside to evade it, but the tip tore through his ninja vest. Blue-white lightning exploded along the wound, instantly numbing half his body.

"Too slow."

Lie Yang's voice came from directly ahead.

Before Shisui could raise his head, a knee had already slammed into his abdomen.

Bang!

His body curled over, and a metallic taste surged into his mouth. Yet wind-nature chakra erupted beneath his feet once more.

Wind Body Flicker!

Shisui forcibly escaped Lie Yang's attack range.

But the moment he appeared twenty meters away, Lie Yang was already standing in front of his landing point.

The azure blade swept across.

Shisui could only swing his sword again.

Clang!

Several more cracks appeared on the ninja sword.

Shisui's right hand had already lost most of its feeling.

He did not dare stop.

The moment his Body Flicker Technique was interrupted, Lie Yang's next slash would cut open his throat.

Again!

Wind-nature chakra surged madly into his legs.

Shisui split into eight figures, eight afterimages surrounding Lie Yang from different angles. Every afterimage formed hand seals at high speed, and blazing flames rose from every ninja sword.

The lightning beneath Lie Yang's feet flared.

An azure arc cut through all eight afterimages.

Bang bang bang bang!

White smoke burst forth in succession.

Shisui's Body Flicker afterimages were dispersed in one go!

His real body hid behind the final afterimage, his ninja sword slashing down from above Lie Yang's head.

Lie Yang raised his blade.

Clang!

At the instant the blades collided, the lightning-nature chakra suddenly intensified!

The current that had merely covered the ninja sword abruptly surged several times stronger. Azure lightning forcefully poured along Shisui's Sword Leaping Flame and into the blade.

The flames twisted violently.

The ninja sword in Shisui's hand let out a strained wail.

Crack!

A notch split open in the blade.

"The power of his Lightning Release increased again?"

Shisui's heart sank.

In such a high-speed exchange, Lie Yang could still precisely adjust the intensity of his lightning-nature chakra with every strike!

When to use Lightning Release to numb an arm.

When to use lightning to cut through flames.

When to concentrate his power at a single point and damage the ninja sword.

Every change was precise, without the slightest waste!

Kakashi felt his limbs turn cold.

He also wielded Lightning Release, and he had personally developed Chidori.

Precisely because of that, he understood how terrifying the chakra control Lie Yang displayed was.

"He isn't maintaining the same intensity the entire time."

Kakashi's breathing grew more and more rapid.

"Before every collision, Lie Yang changes his Lightning Release according to Shisui's sword technique."

Kurenai Yuhi barely caught sight of a burst of flames.

"What's the difference?"

"The difference is enormous."

Kakashi's voice grew heavy.

"If the Lightning Release is too weak, it can't suppress Shisui's Sword Leaping Flame."

"If it's too strong, it will accelerate chakra consumption and might even affect his own movements."

"Every increase Lie Yang makes lasts only for an extremely short time."

"It's just enough to suppress Shisui without wasting any excess chakra."

Kurenai Yuhi looked toward the battlefield already blanketed in lightning and fire.

She could not even clearly see the two men's movements.

Yet at such speed, Lie Yang could control his chakra with precision down to every blade collision!

The gap between them had become so vast that she could no longer comprehend it.

A gale blasted toward them head-on.

Might Guy abruptly stepped forward.

"Fall back!"

He threw a punch.

Bang!

The turbulent airflow was scattered head-on by his fist. Grass clippings and shattered stones nearby all flew to either side.

But before Might Guy could retract his fist, a sharp blade cry rang out beside his shoulder.

Not good!

Lie Yang had actually flashed past his side!

He had not attacked his body.

Azure blade light skimmed down past Might Guy's shoulder.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Three snapping sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The three weighted iron blocks strapped across Might Guy's shoulders, back, and waist were cut apart in the middle, crashing into the ground.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Dirt exploded.

The three heavy iron blocks sank into the earth, leaving only the severed straps hanging from Might Guy's body.

Might Guy maintained his punching stance, cold sweat already beading on his forehead.

He had not seen when Lie Yang approached.

Nor had he seen those three slashes clearly.

Had the blade shifted inward by even half an inch, it would not have been the weights that were cut apart!

Most terrifying of all, Lie Yang had been fighting Shisui the entire time.

After severing the three weights, that bolt of lightning did not pause in the slightest. In the blink of an eye, it collided with Shisui's flaming blade again.

Clang!

Shisui was sent staggering back by the impact.

Using the collision to turn around, Lie Yang pressed his blade toward Shisui's throat again.

Might Guy slowly withdrew his fist.

That instant had already made it clear that while suppressing Shisui, Lie Yang still had enough strength left to watch them.

Anyone who rashly approached would be attacked.

And this time, he had only severed the weights.

Next time, the blade would likely cut open their throats directly.

"Guy."

Kakashi stared at the battlefield and lowered his voice. "Protect Kurenai."

"What about you?"

"I'm going to keep watching."

"Your body can't hold up."

"Even if it can't, I still have to watch."

A streak of blood ran down from the corner of Kakashi's left eye.

"Shisui has already overdrawn Wind Body Flicker seven times."

"He still has enough chakra, but his body is nearly at its limit."

Kurenai Yuhi's expression changed slightly.

"Seven times?"

She had only seen countless afterimages shatter one after another. She had no way of judging how many times Shisui had used the Body Flicker Technique.

Kakashi's breathing suddenly faltered.

It felt as if a hand had gripped his internal organs, searing pain spreading continuously through his chest and abdomen. He forcibly swallowed the blood rising to his throat and grabbed Kurenai Yuhi's arm.

"Go!"

Before Kurenai Yuhi could react, Kakashi had already brought her behind Might Guy.

"Kurenai, you're responsible for keeping Kakashi conscious."

Might Guy stood in front of them.

"Leave the front to me."

"But..."

Kurenai Yuhi glanced at the battlefield, her voice dry.

Even now, she had not found an opportunity to intervene.

Genjutsu could not confront the Mangekyō Sharingan head-on.

Her taijutsu could not keep up with either Lie Yang or Shisui.

Even the brief time required to form hand seals for ninjutsu was enough for Lie Yang to kill her several times over.

In this squad, she had become the most obvious weakness.

Lie Yang's voice suddenly came from within the lightning and flames.

"Has Konoha's factional strife really become this severe?"