A searing wind.
It swept over him like the breath of the great desert, and Xue Ge couldn't help raising a hand in front of his face.
For a moment, the hot wind seemed to take him back to his time on the Rōran mission.
He peered past his arm at Karura with his lone eye.
Orange-red flames drifted around Karura. They didn't look particularly threatening, but Xue Ge's instincts told him he absolutely must not touch those flames.
So this was-Scorch Release?
Hiss-
The sudden heat in the arena threw the air currents into disarray, as though a turbulent wind were spreading outward from Karura in every direction.
The vegetation around Karura began withering as well. Within seconds, even the ground had cracked.
Naturally, this strange spectacle also drew the attention of everyone in the stands.
"That's-" Baki knitted his brows. "It looks a little familiar."
"Why's he dragging this out? He still hasn't beaten that rookie?"
Ameyuri bared her teeth as she spoke. The Xue Ge before her didn't match her image of a violent, decisive killer at all.
In the stands on the other side, before Hiruzen even had time to react in surprise, Pakura had already strode forward and planted both hands on the railing.
No one knew Scorch Release better than she did, and that made her all the more suspicious. Those flames were exactly the same color as hers. Was it Scorch Release?
Her eyes held an unfathomable astonishment.
"In that case-you asked for it!"
Karura's timid expression turned fierce as well.
"You want me to use Scorch Release-then I'll show you! Don't blame me if you get hurt!"
"..."
Xue Ge narrowed his eyes, rapidly formed hand seals with one hand, and blew a Great Breakthrough at Karura.
Facing the Great Breakthrough, Karura