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"Hanzō, is that all you''ve got?"
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Shin looked at Hanzō, who seemed to have exhausted his options. He was only dodging Shin''s attacks, not even attempting to counterattack.
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"Uzumaki Shin, I admit you''re the most talented Shinobi I''ve ever seen. But you''re still too young."
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Hanzō dropped his kusarigama and formed hand seals with lightning speed, then slammed his hand on the ground.
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"Fire Release: Exploding Flame Formation!"
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The ground beneath Shin''s feet collapsed, revealing countless explosive tags.
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"I was careless."
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Shin hadn''t noticed Hanzō''s trap.
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Of course not. Hanzō had set it up beforehand.
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"It pains me to kill such a genius, but I can''t let you live," Hanzō said coldly.
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He might appreciate talent, but not when it posed a threat to him. Shin was a genius, but he was also a powerful opponent, stronger than Hanzō himself.
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"Explode!"
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BOOM!
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The ground was pulverized, leaving a small crater. Flames erupted, engulfing the area. The power of this Jutsu depended on the number of explosive tags used.
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Hanzō had used a lot. Even a Kage would be killed if caught in this blast.
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"Tsunade-sensei, will Shin be alright?" Mikoto looked at the explosion with worry.
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Hanzō''s Exploding Flame Formation was powerful. The entire battlefield was shaken. The sheer number of explosive tags used made its power comparable to an A-rank Jutsu.
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"He''ll be fine. I believe in him," Tsunade said, though she was also worried. She couldn''t show her fear, or Kushina and Mikoto would panic.
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"No, I have to go!"
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Kushina abandoned her fight against the salamander and ran towards the explosion.
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Mikoto followed.
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Seeing this, Tsunade also left the battered salamander and followed.
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...
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Meanwhile, Shin was unharmed. Not a single scratch on him.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
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Hanzō stared at him in disbelief. He had seen the explosion engulf Shin. How was he unscathed?
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Not even his clothes were damaged.
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"Surprised to see me in one piece?" Shin asked calmly.
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The Exploding Flame Formation was powerful, but it couldn''t harm him if he wasn''t within its range.
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He had used Yomotsu Hirasaka to escape the blast radius.
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"How did you avoid my Jutsu?" Hanzō asked.
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"You think I''d tell you?"
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Shin scoffed. Was Hanzō that naive?
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Hanzō knew Shin wouldn''t reveal his secrets. He decided to strike first. He lunged at Shin, his sickle aimed at a vital point.
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The sharp blade could easily cut through steel, let alone flesh.
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Clang!
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Shin blocked the sickle with his Kusanagi sword.
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A blue Chakra sphere shot towards Hanzō. It wasn''t Shin''s Rasengan; it was Kushina''s.
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The Rasengan, thrown from a distance, was aimed at Hanzō''s face.
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If he didn''t dodge, his head would be obliterated.
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Hanzō leaped back, narrowly avoiding the attack. He looked at Shin and the three girls who had arrived.
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"Why are you here?" Shin asked, surprised.
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"We were worried about you! Are you okay?"
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Kushina checked Shin for injuries.
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"Do you really need to worry? You know I have ways to protect myself," Shin said.
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But he was touched by their concern.
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"I''m glad you''re alright. Hanzō looks a bit rough, though." Tsunade glanced at Hanzō.
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Hanzō''s clothes were tattered, and his body was covered in cuts.
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"He''s just weak.''"
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Shin looked at Hanzō with disdain. He was weaker than Shin had expected. Perhaps with his summon, he might be a challenge.
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"You''re the one who''s strong, Shin," Mikoto said.
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"Indeed. Mikoto is right." Shin praised her.
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"You''re not humble at all."
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Tsunade rolled her eyes.
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"Humility leads to stagnation," Shin said with a smile.
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"Look! He''s trying to escape!"
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Kushina pointed at Hanzō, who was indeed fleeing. And he was fast.
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"You think you can just run away? Who gave you permission?"
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Shin gave chase. Hanzō was skilled with the Body Flicker Jutsu, but he was no match for Shin''s speed.
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Even without Yomotsu Hirasaka, Shin was faster.
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Shin swung his sword at Hanzō''s back, but he suddenly sensed something approaching from underground.
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"The salamander?"
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He changed his target and slashed downwards, sending an air blade into the ground.
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The salamander emerged, colliding with the air blade. Its thick hide was sliced open, and it shrieked in pain.
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Hanzō winced and dispelled his summon. The salamander returned to the summoning realm.
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Then, it used the Reverse Summoning Jutsu to summon Hanzō to its realm.
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This was a life-saving technique for Summoners, but not all summons could use it.
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Shin hadn''t expected that clumsy-looking salamander to be capable of such a Jutsu. He had let Hanzō escape.
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"Hanzō got away?" Tsunade wasn''t surprised. He is a legendary shinobi, after all. He had many tricks up his sleeve.
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"I can''t believe he had that trick. I let him escape. How embarrassing."
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Shin felt ashamed, but Tsunade was speechless. If this was embarrassing, what did that make her? She couldn''t even defeat Hanzō.
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She might be stronger than her original counterpart, but she wasn''t at her peak yet. She couldn''t defeat Hanzō in a one-on-one fight.
------
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