Hyuga Yuto vs. Owl!

Hyuga Yuto vs. Owl!

The Land of Rain had been ravaged by war year after year. Without the protection of ninja power, survival was a difficult thing.

The clearest sign of that hardship was that once one left the Hidden Rain Village, many places were utterly desolate, with few towns or villages in sight.

Across the rain-soaked wilderness, a tall man ran. Rain striking his body was bounced away by his knotted muscles. He moved through the rain like a wild black panther, his heart calm.

After killing someone, Owl would feel at ease for several days.

That night, he had killed Asano Kaoru and Takeda Shigen in succession. First, he found the female ninja's weakness, then he successfully used a shell to lure out the Akatsuki's fourth-ranked member. Two "delicious meals" in a row left Owl deeply satisfied.

Even in the rainy weather he hated most, Owl felt like dancing with delight.

That delight lasted until the moment he noticed something unusual behind him.

Owl abruptly stopped. His powerful body planted itself firmly into the ground like a nail. He turned, narrowed his eyes, and slowly adjusted his breathing.

What was rapidly approaching was a long "smoke dragon." Owl could see clearly that it was a strange phenomenon caused by raindrops instantly vaporizing due to excessive speed.

A skilled opponent... and one with hostile intentions.

In barely five seconds, the trail of smoke had rushed before him.

There was no slowing down, nor any "testing the waters between masters" from some legendary novel. Steam rose from Hyuga Yuto's entire body as he slammed into Owl like the maw of a giant dragon.

They threw punches at the same time. Both were masters highly skilled in ninja taijutsu. As their full-force fists collided, the shockwave blasted away all rain within a hundred meters, creating a hemispherical patch of rainless ground in the dark wilderness.

The next instant, they punched again, both tacitly choosing to jab with their other hands at a slight angle.

Though concealed, this was the true killing move.

Monster Strength!

Earth Release: Fist Rock!

Rumble...

This collision was even more ferocious. With the two of them at its center, the surrounding ground caved in. Grass and trees snapped, and even rocks were blasted into the air.

"Skilled in Earth Release, and he's also cultivated some secret technique to increase his strength..." Hyuga Yuto swayed, once again suffering the hidden disadvantage of a body that had yet to fully mature.

However, he had considerable experience fighting adults. His fist shifted into a palm, and he hooked Owl's wrist in reverse. Chakra burst forth as he prepared to destroy the enemy's hand acupoints and meridians.

Unfortunately, Hyuga Yuto was experienced, but Owl was also a terrifying killer who had survived countless battles!

The instant he saw his attacker's face clearly, Owl had already prepared himself to fight the Gentle Fist.

He knew how formidable the Hyuga Gentle Fist was. When Hyuga Yuto seized his wrist, Owl sank bonelessly downward and rammed his shoulder toward Hyuga Yuto's skull.

If that hit landed, Hyuga Yuto's skull would shatter. He did not dare take it head-on and could only release Owl's wrist, raise an arm to block sideways, and borrow the force to retreat more than ten meters, springing out of the crater their fists had pressed into the ground.

"Hyuga Yuto..." Owl rotated his wrist and stared directly at the handsome branch family boy.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Owl, right? Probably someone from Root." Hyuga Yuto discreetly rubbed his fingers as well and said softly,

"There's no mistake. You're the one I was looking for."

"Attacking a ninja from the same village is a capital crime, Hyuga Yuto. I thought what you did in the Hidden Rain Village was merely born of a thirst for power..."

"Attacking a ninja from the same village? You just did the same thing yourself."

"You mean Dark?" Owl gave a cold laugh. The bird-faced mask concealed all his expressions.

"When a tool breaks, it must be repaired. Even trash like you can serve as nourishment for the Hidden Leaf Village's Root to grow stronger..."

"Hey, stop, stop." Hyuga Yuto interrupted him with a smiling face.

"I'm really sick of your rhetoric, dressing up the pursuit of power and profit in such grandiose terms... Ah, forget it. Why am I even arguing about this with you?" The branch family boy grinned.

"For villains, talking too much before killing someone is a grave taboo."

Killing someone? Owl almost laughed aloud when he heard that.

During their brief exchange just now, Owl had already gauged Hyuga Yuto's level of strength.

Like him, he was a jonin specializing in ninja taijutsu!

Monster Strength, Gentle Fist, Byakugan—honestly, that combination of three techniques was very powerful. But Hyuga Yuto was only thirteen. He was at a disadvantage in raw strength and speed. Moreover, Owl's Earth Release was extremely useful in close-quarters combat, and he even knew a few Water Release techniques. In the moisture-heavy Land of Rain, that gave him a tremendous advantage.

The two were evenly matched. Neither could do anything to the other.

But Owl understood that a draw meant his own victory.

—He could return to the Hidden Leaf Village and report Hyuga Yuto!

Combined with the intelligence he held concerning Hyuga Yuto's investigation in the Hidden Rain Village, that arrogant brat would absolutely be branded a rogue ninja and die without a grave!

He could win simply by turning and fleeing. Though the Byakugan was an exceptionally powerful tracking dojutsu, as a veteran Root member, Owl's stealth skills were also superb. He was confident he could evade the Byakugan's search.

All those thoughts took place in a brief instant. Just as Owl decided to exchange two more moves and gather evidence of Hyuga Yuto attacking him, he suddenly tasted something sweet and metallic.

Owl froze slightly and licked his lips.

Sure enough, his lips were cracked. Blood seeped from tiny fissures, carrying a faint iron tang.

In an environment as damp as the Land of Rain... cracked lips? The thought flashed through Owl's mind.

At the same time, he felt an indescribable stifling heat.

All the rain within three hundred meters had evaporated.

Vaporized by the high temperature, it had become steam that filled the area. If an ordinary person entered this place, they would certainly be scalded by the burning vapor.

The source of the high heat... was Hyuga Yuto's right hand.

A human-head-sized "armor" encased his forearm and entire hand. Savage fangs covered all five fingers. Complex properties filled this strange technique, and the high temperature evaporating the rain was merely a "side effect" of chakra flowing at extreme speed.

Blood continuously seeped from the branch family boy's hand. His skin was faintly visible cracking apart, exposing the bones beneath.

This was a ninjutsu capable of shaking the ninja world.

Uncontrollable fear rose in Owl's heart.

Was this... a new technique he developed in the Hidden Rain Village?

How could it be a technique of this level?! It has such overwhelming presence before it's even unleashed... Run! I have to run!

"Are you... running away?" Hyuga Yuto smiled happily, as though the person whose arm was about to shatter was not him.

"A beast does not return to its cage before it has had its fill."

He vanished in an instant.

At a speed faster, faster, faster than before.

The "armor" on his hand could even split the wind. As long as he wielded it, he could barely feel any resistance.

Hyuga Yuto appeared behind Owl and placed his right hand on his shoulder.

"Lion Fang—" the boy said softly, his five fingers suddenly tightening.

"—Bite Apart!"

Along with the ground beneath his feet, Owl's body was crushed into dust.

It was as though a ferocious giant beast had gnawed away this entire area.

Hyuga Yuto landed on the ground, which had been shaved incomparably smooth. His right hand dangled limply at his side. The bones inside had clearly been completely shattered, while the muscles and blood had nearly been baked dry by the high temperature.

"It hurts so much... damn it."

(End of Chapter)