Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
As this wall of water rose, it spun rapidly around Heiyan, not only extinguishing the Scorch Release fireballs completely but also sending Pakura flying backward.
[Water Release: Water Formation Wall]!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
After being blasted away, Pakura landed on the arena and took over ten steps back before barely stabilizing herself. Her clothes and hair were soaked, leaving her looking rather disheveled.
She never expected Heiyan still had a trick like a One-Handed Hand Seal up his sleeve.
Swish!
With a wave of intense heat, several burning fireballs appeared once again around her body, dancing like flame spirits swirling above and below.
Through chakra control, she manipulated these fireballs to assist her Taijutsu in close combat or launch them as long-range attacks to bombard enemies.
Of course, they could also help dry her clothes.
Boom!
Just as Pakura started regaining her senses, another massive water dragon surged from Heiyan's Water Formation Wall, claws extended and roaring furiously toward her.
[Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet]!
"Scorch Release: Flame Barrage!"
Not daring to slack off, Pakura shouted clearly as her surrounding fireballs launched one after another at the incoming water dragon.
Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!
Creating over a dozen fireballs in succession, Pakura barely managed to melt the water dragon away, though now she was panting heavily.
Meanwhile, Heiyan appeared to still have plenty of strength left.
She could sense that Heiyan's Water Release was particularly unique—it directly overpowered her Scorch Release.
"This guy has already fought six matches continuously; why does he still have so much chakra? Could he be a Jinchuriki from Konoha?"
Pakura's expression turned horrified, and a feeling of helplessness crept into her heart.
Yet in the next moment, her gaze hardened again.
She was fighting for her village's honor. She was fighting to prove herself to the Third Kazekage. She *had* to win!
Therefore, she activated a Wind Release technique, lightening her body before leaping dozens of meters into the air.
Midair, Pakura stretched her arms wide open. At her command, one, five, ten… eventually dozens of Scorch Release fireballs appeared, merging together into a gigantic blazing meteor with a diameter of ten meters.
"What is this...?"
On the ground below the arena, many people looked on in horror, sensing the terrifying chakra fluctuations emanating from the meteor. This overwhelming pressure reminded them of the legendary Tailed Beast Ball.
"She's gone too far!"
Seeing this, Tsunade and Chiyo immediately ordered all Konoha and Sunagakure ninja to evacuate from the arena.
"Go!"
High in the sky, Pakura's face paled, pushing every ounce of strength into propelling the meteor straight down onto the arena. As it fell, the meteor violently rubbed against the air, forming a long trail behind it.
Her plan was clear—blow up the whole arena!
Sigh.
On the arena floor, Heiyan silently exhaled.
He saw the unshakable determination in Pakura's eyes—the will to win no matter what it took. In any other case, he wouldn't mind throwing in the towel—he'd never been one for rivalry or fights.
But today, he too had his own reasons for needing to win.
This Shadow Clone was running low on chakra, but it was enough for him to perform that Ninjutsu.
Let's end this here.
He quickly formed several hand seals and finally clapped his hands together with a "Pah!"
[Water Release: Water Severing Slash]!
Shiuu!
A white jet of water shot up from the arena, directly colliding with the descending fire meteor.
Kacha!
At the moment of impact, the fire meteor—ten meters wide and tough as steel—was sliced clean in two by the water jet.
Then, the two halves of the fire meteor became unstable. The Scorch Release chakra ran wild, triggering a massive explosion.
Boom!
Accompanied by an ear-splitting blast, the lot shook violently, as if a powerful earthquake had struck.
The ninjas from Konoha and Sunagakure were blinded by the dazzling light of the explosion. Their bodies staggered uncontrollably, causing total chaos among the crowd.
This clash between Heiyan and Pakura had long exceeded the limits of ordinary ninja warfare. Even the Third Hokage and the Third Kazekage were deeply shaken, forcing them to step in personally and deploy Barrier Ninjutsu to prevent the shockwaves from spreading.
Finally, after a long while, the thunderous explosion and fiery glow began to fade.
"Who won?"
Snapping out of their daze, everyone turned their eyes toward the arena.
There stood Heiyan, expression unchanged, unmoving like a mountain, not having taken even a single backward step. In midair, however, Pakura was completely drained, drifting down helplessly like a leaf caught in the wind.
The result was clear!
Midair.
Pakura's situation looked dire.
First, she had overexerted herself using her Scorch Release ultimate technique, completely depleting her chakra. Then, hit by the explosion's shockwave, she had fallen into a semi-conscious state. If she simply fell to the ground like this, she would surely sustain serious injuries.
"Swoosh!"
At that moment, a figure shot into the air and caught her mid-fall.
It was Heiyan.
But Heiyan wasn't doing much better either. To cushion Pakura's rapid descent, he could only spin his body along with hers to reduce their falling speed.
Thus, the spectators below witnessed this unusual scene:
In midair, Heiyan held Pakura in a bridal-style carry, while instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck, they spun together slowly descending downward...
If everyone below had watched the same Chinese romantic melodrama Heiyan did, they would surely start complaining: Why have the male and female leads suddenly started spinning together in each other's arms?
Still, one couldn't deny—the image was strangely beautiful.
Heiyan, with his short white hair and sharp features, exuded a uniquely cold and stern aura. As for green-haired Pakura, already possessing refined facial features and a slim figure, her pale complexion and tightly shut eyes softened her usual fierceness, making her seem delicate and vulnerable.
Strangely enough, these two looked surprisingly well-matched.
Eventually, Heiyan and Pakura landed safely on the ground.
"Mm..."
Pakura furrowed her brows and let out a pained groan as her senses slowly returned.
"Let go."
Her first action was to push Heiyan away, her face slightly flushed. However, she quickly noticed Heiyan staggering backward several steps, his body swaying unsteadily.
"What's wrong with you?"
She rushed over frantically.
Heiyan was dazed and reeling. If he had to sum it up in one sentence, it'd be like an Ultraman whose time has run out.
At that moment, Pakura reached out and touched his body.
"Boom!"
Before their wide eyes, Heiyan exploded into a burst of white smoke — gone without a trace.
Instantly, everyone present stood frozen.
[Shadow Clone]?!"
Below the stage, figures such as the Third Kazekage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo, Tsunade, Chiyo, Hiashi Hyuga, and Rasa all wore expressions of shock.
[Shadow Clone]…
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