Even so, parts of his skin were still scorched with burns.
"An Uchiha brat?"
Raiga Kurosuki turned his head to see a figure standing atop a tree, lightly perched on a branch that swayed gently up and down with the wind.
"You blocked it?"
Kiyoshi's expression was calm. This was [Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame]. He had mastered it over the past few days and was now able to use it in live combat. During this time, he had maintained contact with Ringo Ameyuri, and their agreed-upon meeting place was right here.
"Not bad at all, kid."
Ringo Ameyuri also shot a deep look at Kiyoshi. Without a doubt, that was a B-rank ninjutsu—a domain usually reserved for Jonin. Furthermore, Kiyoshi seemed to have released Wind Style to create a composite technique, causing the roaring fire dragon to be accompanied by a swirling gale. It looked terrifying; the destructive power had definitely surpassed a standard B-rank level.
'Thinking about his age... this boy is truly fearsome,' Ringo thought, sucking in a breath of cold air. She felt fortunate that she and Kiyoshi were partners for now, rather than enemies.
Beyond Ringo's internal shock, the Hidden Mist ninjas arriving from behind were also gasping in disbelief. What were they seeing?
Lord Raiga Kurosuki's lightning armor was in tatters, the electrical current failing to cover his entire body. His green hair was singed and standing on end, his face was blackened, and his appearance was utterly disheveled. One of his signature twin blades, the [Thunderswords: Kiba], was thrust into the scorched earth, with faint arcs of electricity still hissing around it.
"You've truly angered me now."
Raiga picked up his blade and squeezed out a grin. Tears began to flow from beneath his eyelids. His desire to kill Kiyoshi Uchiha had reached its absolute peak!
"There's another squad."
Kiyoshi ignored Raiga's threats and looked behind him. His brow twitched slightly, and he broke into a teasing smile.
"If it isn't the 'panty-wetter' Miss Mei Terumi?"
Kiyoshi smiled.
"Who... who wet their pants?!"
Mei Terumi's angry little face couldn't hold its composure, her cheeks turning burning hot. It was... too shameful! Kiyoshi was referring to the Genjutsu he had planted during the Chunin Exams. In that illusion...
Anyway, that definitely wasn't urine! How could she be that kind of person!
"Oh? Then what was it?" Kiyoshi looked puzzled. "Sweat?"
Looking at Kiyoshi's punchable, mocking expression, Mei was so angry her breathing became rapid. She was genuinely afraid that one day, Kiyoshi would anger her to death.
"Mei Terumi, I'll handle Ringo Ameyuri. You and your squad deal with Kiyoshi Uchiha."
With that, the electricity on Raiga's body surged once more, repairing his lightning armor. He intended to kill Ringo Ameyuri first before dealing with Kiyoshi. Anger hadn't clouded his judgment; Ringo was a Mist ninja who knew too much about his fighting style and intel. She had to be eliminated quickly.
"It would be better if you didn't split up."
'If you split up, how can I wipe you all out in one go?'
By gathering a massive amount of chakra in the chest and highly compressing it, one could unleash the [Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame]. Unlike other techniques, this one possessed innate tracking and long-range control capabilities.
That meant the fire dragon could turn corners and pursue its target until it hit. It prioritized power and accuracy over area of effect. Once mastered, it could be launched with only the "Tiger" seal, and several dragons could be fired at once.
Kiyoshi wasn't fully proficient yet, but given his chakra control, he could manage with just a single seal. However, it only produced one dragon.
His chest expanded slightly, his throat moved, and his hands blurred into a seal. Another fire dragon erupted forth.
"Water Style: Water Pillar!"
The Hidden Mist ninjas formed seals in unison, releasing a massive, meteorite-like ball of water to intercept the fire dragon. The moment the fire and water collided, a massive explosion of steam erupted.
Kiyoshi manipulated the remaining fire dragon to continue its path. This was his advantage—he could use part of the dragon to block an attack and then send the rest to strike. This way, his own body took no damage.
Watching the water ball abruptly slow down, Kiyoshi leaped casually to another position. Among the Mist ninjas, three were instantly turned into charred corpses by the intense heat, emitting a faint scent of roasted meat.
Due to his Trait bonuses, the range of Kiyoshi's [Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame] far exceeded its normal limits, and Raiga Kurosuki was inevitably caught in the blast again.
"Truly stupid."
Ringo Ameyuri released a bolt of electricity, striking Raiga while he was off guard. Raiga groaned, and before he could catch his breath, a black shadow swept toward him. Electricity spiraled around Kiyoshi's feet, his long black hair whipping wildly in the air.
*Slash!*
Kiyoshi took the head of the first Mist ninja.
"Number one," Kiyoshi said tonelessly. These extra pieces of trash were too unchallenging to even stir his emotions.
"Number two."
Kiyoshi's figure was like a ghost, rapidly harvesting the lives of the Mist ninjas. All he left behind were faint arcs of electricity in the air and the smell of ozone and burning. Like a reaper, he culled them until only Mei Terumi and Raiga Kurosuki remained.
Shock was written all over Mei's face. Kiyoshi Uchiha had grown stronger again. Watching him approach, she struggled to hold her ground.
"Don't be so arrogant, you Uchiha brat!"
Raiga's twin blades were constantly coated in lightning. With a violent swing, he released two massive currents.
[Thundersword Technique: Thunderbolt!]
Kiyoshi's Sharingan clearly captured the way Raiga channeled chakra through his meridian system. Having anticipated the move, Kiyoshi dodged the strike with ease. Not only that, he closed the distance to Raiga's flank.
The current Raiga was still injured and his strength was greatly diminished; therefore, Kiyoshi was confident he could win. After all, Raiga was just an early-game minor boss—the weakest shame of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!
The air around both of them crackled with electricity as Kiyoshi repeatedly clashed his flame-coated blade against Raiga's twin swords.
"Ringo Ameyuri! You actually joined forces with an outsider to kill your comrades!" Mei pointed at Ringo.
"Heh heh." Ringo smiled. "I haven't violated the policies of the Blood Mist. And as for why Kiyoshi Uchiha suddenly showed up, how should I know?"
Mei froze. 'Wait, is that actually true?'
But such a coincidence was far too convenient. To any clear-headed person, something was obviously wrong.
"Fine! Then help us deal with Kiyoshi Uchiha!" Mei demanded.
"Let me recover my chakra first."
"You're out of chakra?" Mei asked suspiciously.
"Look at how weak my body is. Of course my chakra pool is small," Ringo replied matter-of-factly. She continued to stall Mei; every time Mei prepared to charge in, Ringo would find another excuse.