The explosion died down shortly afterward. The violent shock wave blew up the snow on all sides, scattering countless snowflakes through the air. A huge crater lay at the site of the blast, with the Third Raikage kneeling on one knee inside it. Lightning Release Armor still covered his body. He seemed largely unharmed and merely shook his head to clear the dizziness.
Did it work?
That was the first thought to surface in the Third Raikage's mind. He had been waiting for Kazemori Masaki to come within striking distance so he could unleash all the Fire Nature transformation he had painstakingly trained to a high level. Against Masaki's powerful Wind Release, it would readily produce a violent collision and trigger an explosion at close range.
With his robust physique and the protection of his Lightning Release Armor, the Third Raikage naturally had nothing to fear from an explosion of that magnitude. Kazemori Masaki was different. Even if Masaki possessed attacks powerful enough to pierce armor, his body was not yet tough enough to withstand such a blast.
The Third Raikage raised his head and immediately spotted Kazemori Masaki a short distance away. Signs of blast injuries covered his body. His wounds were shallow, and although he looked drenched in blood, they were probably only superficial injuries. At worst, the shock wave might have damaged his internal organs a little, but it should not have impaired his ability to move.
"That was a little surprising. If I remember correctly, a candidate from your Kumogakure Ninja Village used this tactic during the first Joint Chunin Exams, didn't he?" Kazemori Masaki said.
"Yes. It's the simplest, most direct method. But I can only use it when you get close. At long range, Fire Release at my level would just make a fool