A furious exchange of attacks and defenses, like a sudden storm.
Two figures crossed and overlapped in an instant.
Clang!
Clink, clink, clink, clink!
Bam!
They battled back and forth, constantly parrying and counterattacking.
The fierce sparks that burst forth and the harsh, deafening clashes all proved that Kei and Kisame Hoshigaki's battle had reached a fever pitch.
Minazuki Ranne had only just retreated to one side and was about to launch an attack to cover Kei when the sight left her utterly stunned. The intensity of the battle unfolding before her was plain to see!
There was no doubt.
Both Kei and Kisame Hoshigaki were currently well beyond the limits of an ordinary genin. Even an ordinary chunin might not be a match for them. Kei in particular was a fellow clansman.
Having also inherited their Yuki Clan's Ice Release kekkei genkai, how could Ranne fail to sense or see that Kei's talent far surpassed her own? Leaving everything else aside, his ability to rapidly gather vast amounts of freezing power in less than a second or two was something Ranne simply could not achieve!
Even Kazeki, Shinya, and the others hailed as the most gifted of their generation in the clan probably fell short of the Kei before her, didn't they?!
"Is this Kei's true talent and strength?"
Ranne stared blankly at Kei, who was clearly overpowering Kisame Hoshigaki, and murmured in a tone that seemed shocked, yet also carried a faint hint of acceptance.
Though her intuition was not as keen as Mei Terumi's, over the time they had spent together, through their few close interactions, Ranne had vaguely sensed that this outwardly modest younger clansman was far less simple than he appeared.
But that had ultimately been nothing more than a feeling without any actual evidence. Ranne herself was extremely proud and could not truly believe such a judgment. Yet today's scene had clearly etched itself deep into her heart.
An enemy who could easily defeat her was now at a disadvantage against Kei. Was there any need to question who was stronger?
Even the simplest-minded person could easily reach the same judgment through the most straightforward comparison.
After all, the difference between these successive battles had nothing to do with one nature countering another!
This was purely a difference in strength!
Yet Ranne, already deeply shaken, did not know that what she was witnessing was still far from Kei's limit!
Throughout this fierce battle, Kei was still holding back. He had not fully unleashed his extraordinarily powerful Ice Release kekkei genkai.
This was not to go easy on his opponent, nor was it to conceal anything.
It was simply because, after exchanging blows with Kisame Hoshigaki, Kei had realized that he had overestimated his opponent!
Although Kisame Hoshigaki in the original story was a true Kage-level powerhouse, and with the greatsword Samehada could stand his ground against any powerful Kage-level opponent, that was still Kisame Hoshigaki more than ten, or even twenty, years in the future!
The shark-faced fellow before him now was merely a boy of around ten!
His individual strength did indeed surpass that of an ordinary genin, but he was still someone Kei could suppress!
Since he could handle his opponent, and even overpower him, there was naturally no need to reveal too much. More importantly, Kei's ice power was too strong. As he was now, he had no way to fully control it.
As he had continued developing his inherited Ice Release kekkei genkai over the years, it had instead seemed to grow ever more boundless. Kei was now like someone holding a divine weapon, unable not only to bring out its power,
but also feeling as though he were teetering on the edge.
One careless mistake could very well cause it to backlash against him.
That immense ice power was like a series of bombs. Without sufficiently precise, delicate control, it would devour even its master, Kei, alive.
So, unless he reached a moment of utmost danger and necessity,
Kei would never use ice power beyond his limits.
He even had to carefully suppress that power to a certain degree. This was something outsiders knew nothing about, a blessing unique to Kei that was currently his greatest headache.
Ranne did not know.
Naturally, Kisame Hoshigaki could not have known either.
Although Kei had greatly restrained the power of his kekkei genkai, the taijutsu he displayed genuinely went all out. Combined with some cleverly linked offensive techniques, in just those few minutes of clashes,
he had already firmly suppressed Kisame Hoshigaki in every respect.
The greatsword knocked away at the outset had also become the most critical factor. Kisame Hoshigaki was clearly not very skilled with small, short weapons such as kunai. It might not show when he fought a weaker opponent, but in an evenly matched battle, or even one where he was at a slight disadvantage, that unfamiliarity became especially crucial.
"Bastard!"
There was clearly no great gap between their taijutsu, and his own strength was superior, yet Kei was suppressing him instead. That alone said plenty.
Riiip!
His clothes were slashed open once again.
Shhk!
The skin beneath was cut along with them.
As blood welled out,
the pain transmitted through his nerves made Kisame Hoshigaki's expression grow increasingly ferocious.
Whoosh!
Bam!
He remained firmly pinned on the defensive.
Swift, clean movements.
Wave after wave of fierce attacks followed. As Kei constantly shifted his position, he piled immense, unparalleled pressure onto Kisame Hoshigaki, little by little.
There was no need at all for support from Minazuki Ranne behind him.
Kei could handle this solo!
Bam!
With yet another heavy blow,
"Argh!"
with his guard broken and no time to react,
Kisame Hoshigaki took a heavy kick from Kei straight to the abdomen. His stomach caved inward, and his expression abruptly changed as his body slammed hard into a tree trunk behind him. Under those two successive heavy impacts,
a large amount of blood sprayed from Kisame Hoshigaki's mouth.
His breathing also grew much weaker at that moment.
Kisame Hoshigaki could clearly see that he had fallen into a completely disadvantageous position.
"Hmph!"
He knew full well that if he kept dragging this out,
he could very well lose his life right here.
Watching Kei press toward him once again,
"Water Release: Water Shockwave Jutsu!"
he acted without the slightest hesitation.
The greatest amount of chakra he could refine with everything he had!
As it surged forth,
Rumble!
the moment Kisame Hoshigaki completed his hand seals,
a massive, raging wave erupted out of nowhere from beneath the ground!