Ze Zenin stepped into the ring and looked at his opponent, Kamo Sheng.
Kamo Sheng studied Ze Zenin in turn. He was the Zenin Clan's Ten Shadows user from back then...
The one who had defeated the current bearer of the Six Eyes...
Even now, Kamo Sheng vividly remembered what had happened ten years ago.
He had used the lesson from his previous defeat as a feint, catching Satoru Gojo completely off guard.
Kamo Sheng glanced at Satoru Gojo nearby and involuntarily clenched his fists.
He had done everything he could to catch up to these two. For the past ten years, he had trained day after day, all for a sparring match like this!
"Hello. This is our first meeting. My name is Kamo Sheng."
Kamo Sheng gave a gentle smile, every inch the aristocrat.
"I look forward to learning from you."
Ze Zenin spread his feet and held out his fists, his face expressionless.
Although he was curious about this fellow's background, Ze Zenin gave it no further thought. It had nothing to do with him.
Kamo Sheng pressed his palms together. Ze Zenin knew he was about to attack.
He immediately planted both hands on the ground, sending a massive electric current racing across it toward Kamo Sheng.
At the same time, a huge serpentine shikigami formed in the shadow beneath Ze Zenin's feet alongside the Divine Dogs' shadows, then lunged straight at Kamo Sheng.
The enormous serpent opened its jaws to swallow Kamo Sheng whole. He dodged sideways, cursed energy surging through his body.
"Convergence-Piercing Blood!"
A blood arrow instantly appeared between Kamo Sheng's hands.
Convergence compressed the blood into a single point before firing it out. Reinforced by Kamo Sheng's cursed energy, its speed rivaled that of sound.
The Great Serpent's shadow was swiftly destroyed. At the same time, Ze Zenin used Amenotejikara to teleport in front of Kamo Sheng.
Kamo Sheng had already leaped high above the ring to avoid Chidori Stream, and more blood followed.
Ze Zenin narrowed his eyes and quickly thought of a counter.
His Lightning Release was nearing mastery now, but he had not used Fire Release in a long time.
His hands swiftly formed seals, and he spat an enormous fireball from his mouth-the Uchiha's signature ninjutsu.
"Great Fireball Technique."
Kamo Sheng's eyes widened in alarm, and striped markings suddenly appeared around them.
His speed abruptly increased, allowing him to narrowly evade the meteor-like Great Fireball.
Ze Zenin gave him no chance to catch his breath. An even stronger Lightning Release attack was already coming.
Ze Zenin drew a tachi from his Shadow Space and formed seals with one hand. A blue current crackled along the blade.
"Chidori Blade."
With ghostlike speed, he teleported behind Kamo Sheng and immediately brought Chidori Blade down.
As the lightning-coated Kusanagi Sword descended, Ze Zenin paused in surprise, then smiled.
Kamo Sheng had formed blood clots all over his body, using the thick masses to block Chidori Blade.
"That alone isn't enough." Ze Zenin clenched his left fist and activated Chidori.
Kamo Sheng swiftly retreated, only for Ze Zenin to pull him back from a distance with Amenotejikara.
Chidori instantly pierced the blood clot in front of him, scattering red fragments across the ring.
Ze Zenin gazed indifferently at this "old acquaintance," without a ripple of emotion.
It was precisely that indifferent expression that sent a chill through Kamo Sheng's heart.
"Ze... he's still as aloof as ever."
Satoru Gojo lowered his sunglasses, revealing his sky-blue eyes, and shook his head helplessly.
"He's not even worried about upsetting the guy."
"Ze generally doesn't hold back in a fight, does he?"
Suguru Geto stroked his chin and analyzed the situation rationally. "I wonder if he can force Ze to bring out Mahoraga."
"Huh? Mahoraga?" Satoru Gojo exclaimed. "Isn't that a bit much?"
"Want to bet?" Suguru Geto asked.
"On what?"
"This month's meal expenses."
"Deal. You're on!" Satoru Gojo declared confidently.
Shoko's mouth twitched as she watched the two make their bet.
Still, she was not particularly worried. Having spent a year working alongside Ze Zenin every day, she trusted him unconditionally.
Up in the ring.
Ze Zenin did not notice Kamo Sheng's expression. He simply slid his tachi into the sheath behind his waist.
Kamo Sheng frowned and asked coldly, "What do you mean by that?"
Ze Zenin said nothing, merely watching Kamo Sheng.
Ze Zenin never wasted words on people he barely knew.
"Damn it..."
Numerous drops of blood appeared behind Kamo Sheng. Under his control, they turned into fine needles and shot toward Zenin Kong.
At the same time, he pressed his hands together again and unleashed another Piercing Blood.
The blade-like Piercing Blood and blood needles furiously carved through the terrain inside the ring.
Meanwhile, Kamo Sheng kept closing the distance between himself and Ze Zenin, attempting to engage him in taijutsu.
"You want a hand-to-hand fight?"
Ze Zenin saw through Kamo Sheng's little trick, but he was in no hurry. Instead, he continued forming hand seals.
"All-Enveloping Elephant."
Upgraded from Max Elephant through reinforcement with Ze Zenin's cursed energy, the All-Enveloping Elephant plummeted from high above toward the ground.
Even without looking up, Kamo Sheng knew what an enormous creature was overhead.
But he no longer had time to redirect Piercing Blood and slice through the All-Enveloping Elephant.
"Whew..."
Kamo Sheng took a deep breath, further accelerating the circulation of blood through his body-
He increased the intensity of Flowing Red Scale again, forcibly raising his speed to a terrifying level!
In an instant, Kamo Sheng reached Ze Zenin.
His blood-clot-covered right hand collided with Ze Zenin's hand once more.
Kamo Sheng immediately flew backward like a kite with its string cut.
What exactly was that purple skeletal structure on his hand...?
Kamo Sheng struggled to his feet, looking somewhat disheveled as he recalled the purple phantom that had suddenly appeared around Ze Zenin's hand.
He had never known the Zenin Clan possessed such a technique.
"In that case, I'll crank it up again!"
Kamo Sheng pressed his palms together once more, and Piercing Blood erupted again!
Meanwhile, in a corner, several drops of blood compressed by Convergence quietly moved...
"Is that your only move?"
Ze Zenin was getting bored.
He then copied Kamo Sheng, pressing his palms together. "Convergence-Piercing Water!"
A stream of water shot from Ze Zenin's hands just like Kamo Sheng's Piercing Blood, meeting the blood attack head-on.
Piercing Blood and Piercing Water collided for the first time!
"It looks just like Piercing Blood!"
Kamo Sheng's eyes widened. He had never expected Ze Zenin to learn how to manipulate water the same way his clan used Blood Manipulation.
There was a bang, but neither an explosion nor the usual outcome of a beam clash followed.
Both sides took a step back, and Ze Zenin noticed the blood droplets behind him.
"In that case... Supernova!"
Blood scattered toward Ze Zenin from every direction like shotgun pellets. At the same time, an even more powerful Piercing Blood struck from the front.
What's this?
Looking at the man across from him, Ze Zenin formed a rough guess about his origins.
Could Kenjaku have created him using his influence within the Kamo Clan...?
To prepare for dealing with Kenjaku's cursed technique in the future, Ze Zenin decided to use that big fellow.
He formed a hand seal that startled Satoru Gojo. "Furube, Yura, Yura..."
A Dharma Wheel appeared above Ze Zenin's head-an incomplete manifestation of Mahoraga.
Ze Zenin immediately activated his Sharingan and deftly took the blood attacks that would not strike his vital points.
Until now, he had not even activated his Sharingan during the fight.
He became Mahoraga's proxy for adaptation, and the analysis of Blood Manipulation began...
"What is that Dharma Wheel?"
Kamo Sheng stared gravely at the Dharma Wheel above Ze Zenin's head. He had the nagging feeling he had seen it somewhere before.
"What's wrong? Keep coming..."
Ze Zenin spoke calmly to Kamo Sheng, almost as though coaxing him.
Although he knows Reverse Cursed Technique, I can disrupt the speed of his healing if I interfere now.
Kamo Sheng had no idea that the Dharma Wheel above Ze Zenin's head was Mahoraga's wheel, symbolizing perfect cycles and harmony.
He continued trading attacks and defenses with Ze Zenin using Blood Meteorite-the blood clots formed through Blood Manipulation.
In their taijutsu exchange, even without any enhancements on Ze Zenin's part, Kamo Sheng was so thoroughly suppressed that he could not fight back.
Ze Zenin could clearly see every move Kamo Sheng made and counter it with superior taijutsu.
Kamo Sheng reinforced both fists with cursed energy. Though drenched in sweat, he felt utterly exhilarated.
Suddenly, black lightning burst from his right hand.
"It's Black Flash!"
Utahime could not help crying out as she watched Kamo Sheng in the ring.
An inexplicable delight appeared on Gakuganji's face as he said:
"A spatial distortion that occurs in the instant when the difference between the application of cursed energy and the physical impact is less than 0.000001 seconds..."
Below the ring, Satoru Gojo pulled a miserable face and complained:
"He actually brought out Mahoraga to stomp someone in a low-level match like this. What a bastard!"
"Oh, please!" Suguru Geto rolled his eyes. "If it were you, you'd have used that purple firework ages ago."
"That firework is called Hollow Purple!"
"I can't remember it." Suguru Geto's gaze shifted to the wheel above Ze Zenin's head.
Hollow Technique and Mahoraga...
Ze, Gojo, you two really are strong...
Just as Kamo Sheng's Black Flash was about to strike Ze Zenin.
Everyone below heard a sound and saw the strange Dharma Wheel above Ze Zenin's head turn.
Ding.
Mahoraga had now completed its adaptation to Blood Manipulation!
"Time to end this game..." Ze Zenin's tone remained calm. Reinforcing his body with cursed energy, he caught Kamo Sheng's Black Flash with one bare hand.
Satoru Gojo's mouth twitched.
Kamo Sheng was taking this so seriously that he had even landed a Black Flash.
Yet all you cared about, Ze Zenin, was testing Mahoraga's adaptation and ending this game.
Under Kamo Sheng's astonished gaze, Ze Zenin slipped into the shadows, replaced by a towering white shikigami...
Before you continue