** This is the first actual all-out fight I've written in the story. It's spread across two chapters, so even if you don't usually comment, I'd really appreciate your feedback on the first part of the fight.
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I walked to my position, observing the house, which to my dismay looked better built than my apartment. I sighed in poor while circling the small structure, noting every possible access point. There was a small window in the back, barely wide enough for a child to slip through. Ideal for sneaky types.
I crouched low, then launched upward in a clean jump that easily cleared the roof, making it look like I was flying. Gasps echoed from the observing students. Apparently, I overdid it. Honestly, ever since I developed Stormdrive and increased my lightning chakra circulation, I had started breaking through physical limits like they were made of vanilla wafers.
My chakra nature was lightning, and my affinity for it was apparently off the charts, given how easily I was mastering lightning jutsu and improving them. My body accepted it like it accepted free food, greedily. Over time, after getting past the usual coffee-like high that came from early lightning release training, I realized something. Every time I pushed the limit and increased the amount of lightning chakra circulating in my body, I got to keep all the physical boosts from every level I'd already pushed through. Faster reflexes. Better speed. More strength. Even increased stamina. On top of that, because I constantly used chakra, and my body was almost always either consuming it or recovering it, my chakra reserves had skyrocketed past everyone in my class, including Genta, who was a Senju with ridiculous chakra reserves to begin with.
I confirmed it during my sensing drills. I was leagues ahead of every other student and even outclassed some of the weaker instructors in raw chakra reserves.
I entered the house and looked at the wooden dummy. It didn't have a face, but something about its posture told me it had already given up on life. I grinned. "Looking handsome there, buddy," I muttered, performing a hand seal while still smiling.
After leaving the house, I stood in front of it, arms folded, watching the other defenders scatter around their posts. Most of them were busy setting traps and carefully inspecting the soil like it held all the secrets of life. I couldn't help chuckling quietly, standing there with full confidence.
From behind, I heard Genta shout, "Don't underestimate him!"
Shizuru followed with a worried, "Noa, take this seriously, please."
And then Sena, with her melodic voice that somehow grabbed everyone's attention, chimed in calmly, "I trust you'll do great, Noa."
I turned and gave her a thumbs-up for the vote of confidence. Shizuru looked irritated and stuck her tongue out, probably annoyed that I ignored her advice again. Genta, however, looked genuinely concerned. Then I saw Daiken. He looked especially annoyed, clearly displeased by my complete lack of preparation, like I was spitting on all the lectures he had given us about traps, tools, and strategy.
I turned quickly, but I could still feel his gaze burning into my back. Even so, I kept my focus on the gap in the wall directly in front of the house.
After a few minutes, Daiken's voice rang out, sharp and clear. "Time is up. Attackers, get ready."
He glanced toward the other instructors for confirmation, then called out, "Attackers, go!"
The other three sections exploded into action. Clashes, footsteps, and shouting erupted instantly. I wanted to look and see what was happening, especially since I heard some serious jutsu going off, but I kept my attention locked forward. It was obvious they designed the test to challenge our ability to stay focused under pressure.
Kaen didn't rush in immediately. Using my sensory ability, I pinpointed him lingering close by but unmoving. I narrowed my eyes. What was he planning?
Then he moved. I felt his chakra spike sharply. To my surprise, he wasn't heading toward the main entrance. He was flanking, aiming slightly to my left near the wall. I still couldn't see him, but I could feel his chakra continuing to rise.
He jumped, soaring over the not so short wall with impressive speed and agility. The moment I saw him, I cursed under my breath. He was already weaving hand seals mid-air.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Kaen inhaled deeply, his chakra swelling as he completed the final seal. With a sharp exhale, he released the jutsu from his mouth in a focused burst.
A blazing sphere of fire erupted outward, rapidly growing in size. It roared through the air like a miniature sun, spinning slightly as it advanced. The heat distorted everything ahead of it. It wasn't just fire, it was heat, pressure, and momentum all packed into one deadly attack.
And it was aimed directly at me and the house behind me.
"Smart," I muttered.
With a quick hand seal, I generated several concentrated lightning balls at my fingertips. I hurled them forward in a tight spread, lightning trailing behind them. They struck the fireball in rapid succession, destabilizing the jutsu and unraveling it in the air.
The light faded, but before I could act again, a volley of kunai shot toward me. Kaen didn't even pause. I ducked low, dodging the first set while trying to form another hand seal, but another volley followed immediately, this one aimed low to force me into the air.
I jumped instinctively, just in time to see Kaen racing at me with a flying kick. I raised my forearm and blocked it, absorbing most of the impact, though the force still knocked me back.
Kaen had a pained look on his face. That kick had clearly hurt him more than it hurt me, but he powered through and started weaving more hand seals before his feet had even touched the ground.
I wasn't about to let him finish. I threw a handful of kunai, interrupting his flow. Then I charged straight at him.
"If you want to play rough," I shouted, "I'm all for it!"
I threw a right hook aimed at his jaw, but he didn't block. Instead, he tossed a smoke bomb directly between us, clouding the area instantly.
A cheap move, but a smart one. However, it wasn't enough.
I made a hand sign and sent a few current shots toward him. A fraction of a second before they landed, I sensed it. An extremely powerful Fireball Jutsu building. A massive wave of fire erupted. My jutsu pierced through it, dulling its strength slightly, but this one was far larger and packed with much more chakra than the earlier attempt. I couldn't help but smile. Kaen had been weaving hand seals with impressive speed while using ninja tools to throw me off. That first fireball had just been a setup, bait to make me think I had seen the full extent of his power.
The fireball surged forward. Even weakened, it was still deadly. I used Lightning Flicker to vanish out of its path, only for a terrible realization to hit me. The house. The dummy. I had left the protection target right behind me like a complete idiot.
The smoke cleared just enough for me to spot Kaen, grinning confidently, already expecting victory but still weaving hand signs for what looked like the Clone Jutsu as a contingency. I facepalmed internally at the consequences of my overconfidence, then instantly formed a hand seal, swapping places with the dummy, using the Substitution Jutsu. Then I flickered away at the last possible second from the house just as the fireball slammed into it. The flames spread fast, devouring the structure like it was made of paper.
Kaen, before even realizing what had happened, instinctively hurled a volley of kunai at the dummy with impressive reflexes and not a hint of hesitation. It was a flawless display of sharp instinct. I flickered again. My legs burned, each step screaming from the strain. Pain shot up from the overexertion of using Lightning Flicker repeatedly in different directions within mere seconds. I gritted my teeth and pushed forward. Pain was the price, and I just had to keep paying it. I reappeared in front of the dummy and formed a quick hand seal.
'Static Field.'
A dome of lightning chakra expanded around me, humming softly as it slowed the incoming projectiles. I threw a few kunai of my own, intercepting his mid-air.
Kaen and his clones were already closing in with blinding speed, motion and chaos blending together. I didn't have the time to focus on the real Kaen. Not with everything moving this fast.
I sighed quietly to myself, weaving the hand signs lightning-fast as they closed in, a dangerous smirk already stretched across all three faces, full of confidence and the expectation of victory.
'Stormdrive. Activate.'