The tremendous force of the Heavy Flow Violent Attack instantly drew A and Killer B's attention. Watching from afar as Ye Zi was sent flying by the Third Raikage's elbow strike, their expressions changed.
"Oh yeah! As expected of Lord Third Raikage!" Killer B cheered, waving his hands excitedly.
A smirked coldly and said, "Taking a direct hit from Dad... Even if Ye Zi isn't dead, he'll be crippled."
A had inherited his powerful physique and Taijutsu from the Third Raikage, but the Third Raikage himself surpassed him in strength.
In all past battles, anyone who took a direct hit from the Third Raikage's attack ended up either dead or crippled, only a rare few, who were particularly formidable survived but were left severely injured.
Although A was slightly weaker than the Third Raikage, the gap wasn't significant. If he had been the one attacking, the result would have been the same.
Both assumed that Ye Zi would be at least crippled if not dead. However, in reality, though Ye Zi had suffered a significant injury, he was far from being crippled.
A cloud of dust and sand billowed at the impact crater. Suddenly, a hand reached out from within, gripping the crater's edge. A figure slowly emerged.
Ye Zi clenched his fingers, crushing the rock he held, and stepped out from the crater. The black lightning that covered his body had not dissipated, but his left arm hung unnaturally limp.
His left shoulder had taken the brunt of the Heavy Flow Violent Attack, and despite the black lightning's defensive properties, the sheer impact had fractured his shoulder bone. However, it was only a fracture, not a complete shattering. The injury was severe but manageable, and with his enhanced healing, it wouldn't take long to recover.
Without the black lightning's defense that attack wouldn't have just fractured his shoulder, it would have completely destroyed it.
Standing at the crater's edge, Ye Zi gazed toward the Third Raikage on the platform but didn't rush to counterattack.
Though subtle, Ye Zi could sense that the Third Raikage was wary of his abilities, especially genjutsu. The precautions were evident, which made sense, given that Ye Zi's very eyes were symbols of illusionary power.
Getting hit by the Third Raikage's elbow was ultimately due to his own carelessness. He hadn't anticipated that the Third Raikage could change his attack trajectory so suddenly and chain his strikes together so seamlessly, it had exceeded Ye Zi's expectations.
Ye Zi stepped out of the crater and walked onto the water's surface, steadily advancing toward the tree-covered platform.
His left shoulder was already healing, and in Sage Mode, the regeneration was exceptionally fast. The platform was about 400 meters away, and by the time he reached it, his left arm would likely be fully recovered.
Up on the platform, the Third Raikage frowned slightly as he observed Ye Zi's condition.
"He took my Heavy Flow Violent Attack, and that's all he suffered? That black lightning must have impressive defensive power."
The Third Raikage silently thought to himself before suddenly pushing off with his foot, shattering the tree roots beneath him. His body shot forward like an arrow, hurtling toward Ye Zi on the water's surface.
The calm surface of the water was torn apart, forming wave-like dragons in his wake. He didn't move in a straight line, instead zigzagging unpredictably as he closed in.
Ye Zi's Mangekyō Sharingan spun rapidly, trying to lock onto the Third Raikage's eyes, but he never got the chance. The Raikage was deliberately avoiding eye contact, preventing any chance of being caught in a genjutsu.
"As expected, he's on guard against my illusions," Ye Zi mused. "I could use Go Tenjin, but there's no need. The Third Raikage's speed and strength are formidable, but he can't deal a fatal blow to me. If I had access to Susanoo, this fight would be much simpler..."
His thoughts flashed quickly through his mind.
Susanoo required a pair of identical Mangekyō Sharingan to activate. Each person's Susanoo was unique, a technique that was both personalized and exclusive. But since he had only one Mangekyō Sharingan, he couldn't access Susanoo at all.
Even though he briefly considered Susanoo, he dismissed the idea. Even if he had it, would it really hold up against the Third Raikage?
The answer was no, Susanoo wouldn't be able to withstand the Third Raikage's full-powered assault.
Shoving aside unnecessary thoughts, Ye Zi tightened his grip on his blade and rushed forward to meet the Third Raikage. He wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Now, with the support of Kura, he didn't have to worry about chakra depletion. He could fight at full force.
Their figures collided in an instant, engaging in a fierce exchange of attacks. However, Ye Zi's sword and the Third Raikage's limbs never actually made contact.
Ye Zi was determined not to take another direct hit, and the Third Raikage, after witnessing the defensive power of Ye Zi's black lightning, logically assumed that Ye Zi's blade must be equally dangerous. If that black-coated blade managed to cut him, even his famed defense might not hold up.
Thus, while attacking, the Third Raikage also constantly dodged Ye Zi's sword.
Both of them were among the fastest shinobi in the world, moving too fast for the naked eye to follow. As they clashed at close range, their attacks continuously missed each other.
Boom! Boom!
The force of the Raikage's punches created shockwaves that blasted past Ye Zi, striking the water's surface and sending towering waves into the air.
Zzzt! Zzzt!
Ye Zi's slashes, though dodged, released razor-sharp air currents that sliced open the water's surface, leaving deep, temporary rifts.
Their attack speed was insane,e ach throwing several punches or sword swings per second.
Yet, despite this relentless barrage, both managed to avoid taking a direct hit, weaving through each other's assaults with perfect timing.
As a result, the water around them was in complete chaos, like a helpless victim being brutalized by multiple assailants, forced to endure the relentless assault.
Massive splashes exploded into the air, and the surface was repeatedly cut apart, making the battle look overwhelmingly intense.
However, after thirty seconds, despite the devastation to the water, neither fighter had landed a single direct hit on the other.
At this blazing speed and close range, most fights would have at least some physical contact. Weapons clashing, fists colliding, something.
But not here.
The battle was almost absurdly bizarre. Their movements were so fast, and their technique so precise, that despite their furious exchange, they never actually touched each other.
The Third Raikage's brow furrowed deeply.
"He can't land a hit..." he muttered.
After his Heavy Flow Violent Attack had sent Ye Zi flying earlier, he assumed that Ye Zi wasn't all that impressive.
But now, after actually exchanging blows, he realized that his previous assessment had been dead wrong.
Ye Zi's brow furrowed slightly, mirroring the Third Raikage. His blade couldn't land a hit on the Raikage either. Although he could keep up with the Raikage's attacks, this situation wasn't sustainable.
The two remained locked in battle, a fight where neither could touch the other, yet the sheer shockwaves of their clashes devastated the surroundings, making the battle appear incredibly terrifying.
On Killer B and A's side, after completing their intelligence exchange, they initially intended to assist the Third Raikage. However, upon witnessing the scene before them, they found themselves at a loss.
The two figures, engulfed in currents of lightning, weren't fighting in a fixed location. Instead, they moved rapidly across the battlefield, shifting positions as they attacked and defended. Their fists and blades seemed to intersect, yet every attack missed, never making contact.
Faced with such a situation, they had no idea how to intervene.
Moreover, the shockwaves from the Third Raikage's punches and the aftereffects of Ye Zi's slashes were powerful enough to tear apart any unguarded jōnin. Charging in recklessly would only end in disaster.
The strange clash continued.
Meanwhile, nearly ten thousand shinobi from Kumogakure had gathered, encircling the entire Valley of Clouds and Lightning. However, they were all stunned by what they saw.
For most, this was the first time witnessing such a battle. Even though they could barely follow the movements of the Third Raikage and Ye Zi, one thing became crystal clear...
"Are they playing a game where whoever gets hit first loses?"
It was unbelievable.
Regardless of anything else, their perception of Ye Zi's strength had completely shifted.
To fight the Third Raikage to such an extent, even if Ye Zi wasn't stronger, he was certainly not much weaker.
The squad leaders didn't dare act rashly. Watching the exploding waves and the slashed-open water, they knew that getting too close would mean getting caught in the crossfire.
Ye Zi's combat capabilities had already been relayed among the units during their march.
Now, with the area fully surrounded, all they could do was await further orders.
A high-frequency battle like this required complete focus. The Third Raikage had no time to issue commands.
If he could, he would have ordered his subordinates to bombard both of them with ninjutsu, there was no need to worry about him getting hurt. Even if they resorted to throwing shuriken or kunai, he was confident that his defense could withstand them.
Unfortunately, he had no spare attention to speak, let alone give orders. All he could do was hope his son would realize this on his own.
Indeed, after watching for a while, A came to the same conclusion.
However, he was still hesitating.
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Currently on Chapter 559 - Paper and Lightning