Battle Against Yugito Nii

"That's more like it. I was afraid I might accidentally kill you."

Chakra erupted from Yugito's body like a volcano, surging in every direction.

But Kazan wasn't afraid.

"Until now, I haven't had a chance to go all out."

The fighting instinct buried in his DNA had fully awakened. Kazan wanted to find out where his limits lay.

"Don't get too cocky, Kazan!"

Yugito dropped to all fours, moving like a cat.

Kazan had seen something similar from Tsume Inuzuka. But as a Perfect Jinchuriki, Yugito was far stronger than Tsume.

She moved all four limbs at once, accelerating with Chakra. In an instant, she reached Kazan's side and swung a vicious claw at him, tearing through the air.

Kazan tilted his head aside and answered with a punch at full strength.

Bang!

A violent shockwave swept across the Training Ground, and the spectators had to raise their hands against the wind.

When they opened their eyes again, Kazan's fist had struck Yugito's tail.

"Die!"

She gave a cold snort. Her tail sent Kazan flying, and her hands had already finished forming the signs for a Ninjutsu.

"Fire Release: Fire Rat Ball!"

An icy-blue flame burst from Yugito's mouth, shaped like a mouse.

It was nowhere near as imposing as the Uchiha's embarrassingly ineffective Great Fireball, but Kazan didn't dare underestimate it. At the heart of that "mouse" was an unimaginable heat.

If it hit him, he would suffer extensive burns even if it didn't char him on the spot.

"You're a cat, but you spit out mice? Are those leftovers from last night?"

Kazan stepped through the air with Geppo and dodged the attack.

In the stands, many Konoha villagers held their breath for him.

This little demon king had more nerve than Tsunade had luck with gambling. He even dared to mock a Jinchūriki to her face.

"Isn't Kazan taking this way too far?"

"...A cat spitting out mice. That's hilarious."

Anko laughed easily. She doubled over, clutching her stomach.

"How can you laugh at a time like this? He's fighting a Jinchūriki!"

Asuma looked anxious.

He resented Kazan for stealing all of Kurenai's attention, but they were classmates. He absolutely didn't want Kazan to die.

"Don't worry. Kazan will be fine."

Kurenai Yuhi's mother held her daughter's hand, slick with nervous sweat.

After sharing a bed with her husband for so many years, how could she not know what he was like?

He must have taken a beating or two while sparring with Kazan. No matter how stubbornly he denied it, he couldn't fool her.

And her husband was Shinku Yuhi, one of Konoha's elite jōnin and a master of Genjutsu!

Whoosh!

Bang!

Boom!

On the Training Ground, Kazan clashed fiercely with Yugito, who was drawing on Tailed Beast Chakra.

His fists tore through the air. Unafraid of the Perfect Jinchuriki, he pressed forward with unstoppable momentum.

Every punch shook the air and drove a powerful gust before it.

"Rat Tail Ball!"

Yugito spat out a barrage of Fire Rat Balls, an advanced form of the technique.

With no need to worry about running out of Chakra, she unleashed dozens in one breath. They swarmed toward Kazan in a dark mass.

She could control them, too. Threads of Chakra linked them to her fingers, allowing her to track him in real time.

Kazan pushed his Observation Haki to its limit and wove through the downpour of attacks.

Whenever he found an opening, he surged forward and struck at her with his fists.

In the distance, Obito Uchiha stared wide-eyed, his jaw slack. "Who could possibly beat him?"

His opponent was a Perfect Jinchuriki. The fact that he could fight her this far was unbelievable.

"Kazan..."

Kakashi had come to watch alone and stood hidden in the crowd, away from his classmates.

People who are lost are too weak!

Each of Kazan's punches carried unstoppable force. He fought with the audacity of someone determined to knock down even a Perfect Jinchuriki.

Kazan's words echoed unbidden in Kakashi's mind.

Even now, Kakashi didn't know whether he was right or wrong, or which path he should take from here.

The battle escalated, clouds of dust bursting across the field.

Kazan pressed through the swarm of Fire Rat Balls. His senses were impossibly sharp as he darted through Yugito's technique.

"Konoha!"

A's expression lost its composure.

His father had been right to be wary.

Konoha truly produced exceptional people. Generation after generation of heroes had emerged from it, giving rise to countless powerful fighters.

Kakashi Hatake had already been one too many. Now there was Kazan as well.

No.

To fight Yugito this fiercely while she drew on the Two-Tails' Chakra—Kakashi Hatake couldn't match the Konoha genius before him.

"Fist Bone!"

Kazan flashed in front of Yugito and threw a devastating punch.

"Impact!"

Explosive Chakra gathered around Kazan's right fist and hurtled toward her as a blue Cross.

Alarm flashed through Yugito. She brought her tail around to shield herself from the terrifying blow.

Bang!

A violent shockwave erupted between them and swept outward. Many villagers watched in horror, feeling unsafe even in the stands.

They wondered whether the vast Training Ground could survive this little demon's demolition work.

Almost immediately, Yugito shot away like a cannonball and slammed hard into the Training Ground wall.

"Urgh..."

She was hurt. That inhuman punch had left blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.

And that was after Matatabi had shielded her with her tail at the last moment. Otherwise, it would have been far worse than a little bleeding.

"Matatabi!"

"I know. He's stronger than we thought."

Apart from the Third Raikage, Matatabi had never seen a human this ferocious.

Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha, with his fondness for Kurama, were exceptions.

If Yugito wanted to win, she would have to merge further with Matatabi's power.

"Let's fight together, Yugito!"

"Yeah. Sorry for the trouble!"

Yugito Nii exchanged a few words with the Two-Tails in her mind.

Then an even greater surge of Chakra poured from her body. The force tore apart her carefully braided hair, sending her long, light-brown hair whipping wildly.

Behind her, one tail became two, and Matatabi's Cat Demon markings appeared on her face.

In an instant, her wounds healed, and every one of her abilities rose sharply.

"She can still get stronger?"

Asuma and the others stared, their eyes wide.

The Perfect Jinchuriki's strength was beyond belief.

It left them in despair.

"One last chance, Kazan. You can still surrender."

Her voice was cold and confident.

"Tch. You think a few tattoos that make you look like a little punk are going to scare me? I—"

Bang!

Before Kazan could finish, she sent him flying, and the Training Ground wall shattered.

Yugito closed in at once and blocked his counterpunch. Her tail whipped out behind her, sending Kazan high into the sky.

"I gave you a chance, too. You're the one who wasted it!"

"And you talk too much!"

Yugito kicked off the ground and shot into the air after him.