My Grandson Qing Si Has the Bearing of a Mizukage

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

The roar of a water dragon came from behind Qing Si. Having already unleashed his Dead Bone Pulse, Qing Si did not choose to block it with Water Release ninjutsu this time. Instead, he decisively activated the chakra throughout his body, rapidly forming a hard layer of bone membrane beneath his skin to strengthen his defenses.

"Dead Bone Pulse: Bone Shield Technique!"

Relying on his indestructible defense, Qing Si forcibly withstood the impact of the Water Dragon Bullet cast by an elite jonin. He then drew out his spine with his right hand and swiftly flung it toward Ling.

"Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Clematis! Vine!"

Startled by Qing Si's formidable defenses, Ling had no time to dodge and was bound by the bone whip. Qing Si yanked hard, rapidly pulling Ling toward himself. At the same time, his left hand was swiftly wrapped in a mass of white bones, forming a spiral-shaped bone flower.

"Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Clematis! Flower!"

The white bone drill viciously thrust toward the incoming Ling.

The instant it touched Ling's body, Qing Si immediately sensed that something was wrong. Ling turned into a puddle of water once more, splashing in all directions from the blow of the Dance of the Clematis.

"Water Release: Water Substitute!"

Using the substitution technique, Ling switched places with a water clone he had prepared in the distance, evading Qing Si's close-range strike.

Watching Ling casually neutralize several of his attacks while still launching effortless counterattacks, Qing Si gained a clearer understanding of an elite jonin's strength.

"Water Release: Exploding Water Shock Wave!"

The lake in the distance began to boil as a vast amount of lake water surged toward Qing Si under Ling's control.

The balance between offense and defense instantly reversed. The force of such a massive convergence of water was far stronger than the Water Dragon Bullet. Qing Si did not stubbornly try to withstand it head-on and quickly dodged aside, avoiding the water's direct impact.

Under the effects of the Exploding Water Shock Wave, the battlefield had been flooded. Ling had achieved the advantageous terrain he wanted.

"Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique!"

The Hidden Mist Technique could be called standard equipment for jonin of the Hidden Mist Village. Nearly everyone knew it, and it was even one of the mandatory techniques within the ANBU.

Chakra spread through the air, and thick mist rose in great quantities, quickly blanketing the entire battlefield. Qing Si's vision was severely obstructed, and he soon lost sight of Ling within the fog.

Although Qing Si possessed all seven chakra natures, he had yet to practice any elemental techniques other than Water Release. Therefore, he currently had no effective way to counter the Hidden Mist Technique and could only defend passively within the dense fog.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of something cutting through the air came from the side. Qing Si drew a bone blade from his body and swung it to block the attack. It was Ling testing him with a kunai from within the mist.

Having tested Qing Si's reaction speed, Ling knew that ranged attacks such as kunai would have little effect. He drew the ninja sword from his back, preparing to engage Qing Si in close combat.

As the ANBU squad captain under Yuan Shi, Ling had a certain understanding of the Kaguya Clan's Dead Bone Pulse. However, within the Hidden Mist Technique that blocked vision, this was his domain. He was confident that he could defeat Qing Si, even after Qing Si had awakened the Dead Bone Pulse.

Ling silently appeared behind Qing Si and swiftly swung his ninja sword toward Qing Si's back. What he did not know was that Qing Si's sensory ability was exceptionally strong—so strong that even with the chakra interference of the Hidden Mist Technique, Qing Si could still perceive his movements. Ling's appearance had already been clearly exposed to Qing Si's senses.

"Bang!"

Qing Si turned and blocked the strike. The bone blade in his hand collided heavily with Ling's ninja sword, producing a thunderous boom.

Although Qing Si could clearly sense Ling's movements, his body could not keep up with his perception. As a powerhouse close to Kage level, Ling was far faster than Qing Si.

After several exchanges, Qing Si found it increasingly difficult to keep up with Ling's attacks. Chakra flowed through his body, rapidly spreading across his entire form.

"Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Larch!"

Bones burst out all over his body, growing into sharp bone spikes as Qing Si spun rapidly in place.

Ling's unceasing attacks were forced to stop. He hid himself in the mist again, preparing for his next assault.

I can't keep this up. Without having learned Wind Release ninjutsu, my chakra will be drained dry if this continues, Qing Si thought.

Then I'll have to use this move! Even though I haven't fully mastered it yet. Dance! Dead Bone Pulse: Dance of the Bracken!

Qing Si pressed his hands together, mobilizing most of the chakra in his body before slamming both palms heavily onto the ground.

Dense, ghastly white bone spikes rapidly grew from beneath the earth, quickly forming a forest of bones.

Sensing the burst of chakra from Qing Si's location, Ling quickly retreated even though he did not know what technique Qing Si had used. However, he was still a step too late. The bone spikes had already grown into the area where he stood.

Ling could only keep swinging his blade to sever the bone spikes assaulting him. As the Kaguya Clan's ultimate dance, the Dance of the Bracken was mastered by very few clan members and had appeared only rarely in the ninja world. Thus, it was absent from the information Ling possessed regarding the Dead Bone Pulse.

Ling, who had been standing motionless and concealed to the side, could not originally be sensed by Qing Si. But the instant he moved, he exposed himself.

"Found you!" Qing Si shouted in a low voice, using the bone forest to swiftly flash before Ling and launch an attack.

"Dead Bone Pulse: Willow Dance!"

Bones rapidly burst from his shoulders, elbows, palms, and knees as Qing Si launched a frenzied assault on Ling.

Ling truly deserved his title as an elite jonin. Facing the bone spikes from below and Qing Si's attacks from the front, he remained completely unfazed, calmly blocking every one of Qing Si's strikes.

Unable to break through after attacking for so long, Qing Si gradually began to show a trace of fatigue. Seizing an opening, Ling swiftly withdrew from Qing Si's assault. Realizing that the Hidden Mist Technique had lost its effect on Qing Si, he dispelled it as well.

The thick fog slowly dissipated, revealing the two still facing off. Kenbei, Bi, and Yuan Shi looked at the devastated ground and scattered white bones revealed by the fading mist, and once again showed astonishment. Qing Si had given them far too many surprises today.

From Qing Si's ability to hold out against an elite jonin for so long and force him to abandon the Hidden Mist Technique, Yuan Shi had roughly judged Qing Si's current strength.

With the Dead Bone Pulse bloodline limit, Qing Si was stronger than an ordinary jonin and would most likely be able to defeat one, though killing one might prove somewhat difficult.

Against an elite jonin, he possessed a certain ability to protect himself, but he could not contend with one for long.

Moreover, as an old relic who had existed since the founding of the village, Yuan Shi had personally witnessed the Dance of the Bracken and possessed a certain understanding of it.

Seeing Qing Si unleash the Dance of the Bracken at only nine years old, Yuan Shi could only say that he had never seen anyone with such extraordinary talent.

"My grandson Qing Si has the bearing of a Mizukage!" Yuan Shi's long-silent heart gradually began to stir.