Lightning Release Armor

Qiu Shan Uchiha looked at Kojiro Shimamura's grim expression and continued:

"Changes in chakra shape and nature have always been among the village's most closely guarded secrets. Unless you reach the rank of elite jonin, you can't access that information. And unless you make a major contribution, the village won't give you the training methods. Judging by both your rank and your past missions, there's no way you could have gained access to them."

"So you didn't kill your student just to vent your anger. That was only an excuse to cover it up. His death must have had something to do with your training in the nature transformation of Lightning Release Chakra."

Qiu Shan Uchiha had noticed something amiss in how abnormally fast the Explosive Tags had detonated. Ordinary Explosive Tags wouldn't explode that quickly without a special technique. From the faint, unusual glimmer on the steel wire, he deduced that Kojiro Shimamura had been practicing the nature transformation of Lightning Release Chakra and had made some progress. Otherwise, the Explosive Tags couldn't have detonated so quickly.

What Qiu Shan Uchiha hadn't said was that reaching a certain level of mastery in chakra nature and shape transformation was a prerequisite for developing a kekkei genkai. Of course, Kojiro Shimamura's lightning nature transformation was still nowhere near that level. Besides, one had to master the nature transformations of at least two chakra natures to have any chance of developing a kekkei genkai. Only after developing it and integrating it into one's own body would one's descendants have a chance of inheriting it.

At that thought, Qiu Shan Uchiha suddenly realized that he needed to use his dōjutsu, the Copying Eye, to copy one or two practical kekkei genkai and integrate them into his body as soon as possible. Only then would he not let his dear Mikoto down.

Standing in the tree, Kojiro Shimamura's expression grew even uglier. He hadn't expected Qiu Shan Uchiha to be so observant. He had revealed only a trace of the lightning nature transformation he'd been practicing to speed up the Explosive Tags' detonation, yet Qiu Shan Uchiha had noticed it. It was as though an enemy had deduced his carefully concealed trump card from the tiniest clues before he'd even used it.

Since the Uchiha before him had figured it out, Kojiro Shimamura stopped hiding it. He tore apart the ragged clothes he had worn for his fisherman disguise, leaving only a tactical vest on his upper body. Then bright blue arcs of lightning began dancing over him, lifting his fairly long hair into the air.

At the sight, Qiu Shan Uchiha's expression turned serious. "Lightning Release Armor, passed down through Kumogakure's line of Raikage. It's only at the first stage, but even in Kumogakure, it's top secret. How did you get your hands on it?"

Although Qiu Shan Uchiha had never seen the Raikage's Lightning Release Armor in person, he had seen it in the original story. The Raikage had used it together with his Nintaijutsu to give Sasuke a brutal beating, even with his Susanoo activated. Lightning Release Armor could be called the foundational ninjutsu of the Raikage Lineage, on the same level as the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God or that old Tsuchikage Ōnoki's Dust Release. He hadn't expected a mere special jōnin to get his hands on it.

Qiu Shan Uchiha knew this would be troublesome. Kojiro Shimamura had actually learned Lightning Release Armor. Though he had only reached its first stage, his strength should now be on par with an elite jonin. Worse, Lightning Release Armor was renowned for speed and reaction time. If Kojiro Shimamura couldn't win and decided to flee, stopping him would be difficult.

Of course, to Qiu Shan Uchiha, it was only a minor complication. His main priority now was to keep Kojiro Shimamura here and prevent him from escaping. At that thought, the three tomoe in his Sharingan slowly began to turn as he started taking things seriously.

When Kojiro Shimamura saw Qiu Shan Uchiha's Sharingan turning, he burst into wild, arrogant laughter, seeming like an entirely different man from moments before.

"Oh, just what I'd expect from someone of the Uchiha Clan. You're finally getting serious. Hahaha! So you do know fear! I never imagined the Secret Technique my darling student sneaked out of his home to show off would be this powerful."

As he spoke, Kojiro Shimamura's expression grew even more crazed. "I never imagined I'd have so much talent for practicing this Secret Technique, either. My natural chakra affinity is lightning, but I'd never received any decent Lightning Release Ninjutsu. Who knew I was a genius at Lightning Release? It was you-all of you in Konoha-who held me back! If I'd had suitable Lightning Release Ninjutsu, I would've become a jōnin long ago. I wouldn't have had to slave away on missions just to earn a few worthless ninjutsu that didn't even suit me."

"Only after I killed that brat and took this Lightning Release Secret Technique did I learn the mysteries of this world. I learned about chakra nature and shape transformation, and finally understood what it meant to improve by leaps and bounds. Given enough time, I'll definitely become a kage-level powerhouse and trample every last one of you who looked down on me!"

Hearing Kojiro Shimamura's classic villain speech left Qiu Shan Uchiha rather speechless. He knew the man had spent too long feeling stifled and wronged. Now that he had finally turned his fortunes around, his emotions had spiraled out of control.

After venting, Kojiro Shimamura finally calmed down a little. Only then did he realize that Qiu Shan Uchiha had been watching him placidly the whole time, as though watching a monkey jumping around. That realization instantly turned his humiliation into rage again, and a vicious look flashed across his face.

Again. This again. These bastards from ninja clans always looked down on me. They always looked at me like this, as though I were some clown unworthy of their attention.

This time, I'll smash those disgusting expressions with my fists. I'll make you understand that I'm not someone you can bully-that I'm stronger than you. I'll make you acknowledge me, fear me. I'll become the shadow and nightmare that haunts you forever.

At that thought, Kojiro Shimamura could no longer restrain himself. He decided to attack immediately and kill this irritating bastard first. He threw two Kunai at Qiu Shan Uchiha to cut off his escape routes, then pushed off with his rear foot and charged, Kunai in hand, at a speed far beyond that of an ordinary ninja.

Qiu Shan Uchiha shifted his body slightly and dodged the two thrown Kunai. The Sharingan's ability to track motion far surpassed ordinary eyesight, so although he was physically much slower than Kojiro Shimamura, its help still allowed him to barely hold his own in close combat.

Qiu Shan Uchiha kept evading the Kunai Kojiro Shimamura slashed at him by a hair's breadth. Whenever he truly couldn't dodge, he blocked with the Kunai in his hand. For the moment, although he was at a disadvantage, he could still just barely hold out.