"Still raining? Is it the same storm as before?"
Haseo's figure suddenly appeared deep in the dense forest of the Land of Rain without any warning.
He had returned here once again using the Reverse Summoning Jutsu. As he arrived, he noticed that the weather remained rainy just like when he left—only now the violent storm had softened into a gentle drizzle.
Other than the sound of falling rain, the surroundings were quiet, showing no signs of ninja activity or anything particularly suspicious. But such surface-level observations meant little—after all, even if a hundred ninjas were hiding nearby, they could remain silent as the dead.
"The enemy shouldn't be here," said one of Katsuyu's individual forms, who had remained nearby the entire time.
Haseo gave a slight nod. He trusted Katsuyu's judgment. Although its main purpose for being left behind had been to act as a spatial reference point for his return, after staying here so long, it had at least fulfilled its basic role as a surveillance tool.
"What should we do now, Lord Haseo?" Katsuyu asked again. Deep down, it didn't want to see him confronting an opponent of such strength directly—but it would always respect his decision.
"Let's give it a try," Haseo replied.
If Haseo were like the Second Hokage—a Sensor-type ninja—he could've easily tracked down his target. But he wasn't. Whether or not the enemy would appear again—he could only test.
Haseo reached out and plucked a single leaf from a nearby branch. After wiping away the water droplets on both sides with his fingers, he gently placed it between his lips. Then, a unique sound echoed through the forest...
Of course, first things first—thankfully, the Amegakure ninjas hadn't drenched their forests with pesticides; otherwise, someone might've passed out before a single fight even started.
Still, Katsuyu thought Haseo's action was borderline reckless.
Blowing a whistle deep in enemy territory was like tossing firecrackers into a women's bathhouse—disastrous consequences were all but guaranteed.
With both the heavy rain and dense foliage muffling the sound, Haseo's whistle wouldn't carry very far. However, every ninja's senses were sharp. If there were any nearby, they'd definitely notice some idiotic Konoha ninja pulling stunts like this. Even someone far off could still catch it—provided they had sharp enough ears.
This was no accident—it was meant to draw Nagare out. From their previous fight, Haseo had already confirmed that his opponent was indeed a blind sensory-type ninja with unusually sharp hearing.
Someone who could maintain such skill despite being blind—this opponent was certainly admirable. If he had full vision, would his strength become unfathomably greater? Or was it precisely because he lost his sight that he became so powerful? That question was difficult to answer—and ultimately, unnecessary.
"He's coming."
The slime spoke into Haseo's ear, surprised that such a blunt and crude method had actually drawn the other party over so quickly.
It proved Haseo's earlier intuition correct—this battle wasn't over yet. During this time, Nagare had indeed remained within this area… Haseo repeated this monotonous tune four or five times before finally, as a response, Nagare from Amegakure appeared at this location.
However, upon seeing his opponent arrive, Haseo didn't stop immediately. Instead, he chose to finish playing this final segment.
Since the opponent had already been lingering nearby for quite some time, there was no urgency in these final moments either, so he remained silently rooted in place.
"What song was that?" Nagare asked after Haseo fell silent.
"It's an overture to death. If I die next, naturally I should choose appropriate music to highlight my funeral. But if I win, then I'll give it to you. After all, there isn't much one can take away when dying… Oh, if you're asking about the title, it's called *Fresh Bold Dragon*. The theme it expresses is that of a ninja whose fearless courage allows him to march forward undeterred, even when surrounded by countless enemies." Haseo removed the leaf from his lips and explained.
Nagare paused quietly for a moment, seemingly recalling something before continuing, "I like your music, but it doesn't suit any funeral."
Haseo's composition had too much vitality—it didn't fit with death at all. Do you expect corpses to rise up and start breakdancing?
"Have your injuries recovered properly?" Nagare asked again, not dwelling further on the previous topic; they weren't here just to appreciate music.
"They won't affect our upcoming fight. However, before that happens, there's still a small preparation I need to make." Saying this, Haseo formed hand seals with both hands, and suddenly, Katsuyu—who had remained on his shoulder—was forcibly dispelled through the summoning technique.
Thus, Haseo had completely cut off his retreat route. Without Katsuyu beside him, there would be no way to monitor the battle situation in real-time, let alone instantly pull him back to Shikkotsu Forest at the moment of life and death.
"You don't need your summoned beast anymore?"
"Yeah, after all, this is supposed to be a one-on-one battle."
A sudden lightness spread through his shoulders. Truth be told, carrying a slug around all this time had always felt like dragging dead weight.
Haseo released Katsuyu's summon—not because he believed in certain victory, though. Precisely because he wasn't sure of victory but still needed to win did he choose to let go of Katsuyu.
From now on, he could only move forward without retreating.
A ninja must possess the determination to cross obstacles in order to progress further. Whether one fears death is another matter entirely—it sometimes comes down to whether someone is willing to stake their life or not.
Those who cling to tradition, those content with the status quo, the indifferent and the reckless—those are the ones unwilling to take the risk.
What Haseo previously said about living through death wasn't just empty talk. He'd already prepared everything possible. How could he possibly hesitate to take that single step forward?
He's always been one to value his own skin.
Even so…
He dared to do it.
Haseo took one step forward—[Raiton] surged through his body in full force. With the second step, he became a streak of lightning, tearing forward.
Haseo's speed needed no elaboration. Yet in past ninja duels, Nagare had faced countless similar charges. He knew Haseo's pace and attack rhythm all too well.
Almost the moment Haseo moved, Nagare hooked a kunai between his fingers and drove it forcefully toward the space right in front of him... In every clash between them, Nagare always moved second but struck first. This seemingly simple attack could perfectly intercept Haseo's offensive path—it had wounded him many times before.
Sure enough, arcs of Lightning Release already crawled along the kunai's tip, as if ready to pierce Haseo's body once more.
But then, Haseo suddenly pressed his arm against Nagare's wrist—gripping the kunai. A powerful tug rippled up Nagare's arm like a shockwave.
Haseo's body surged forward fast, but in the same heartbeat, he flipped backward—a sudden reversal so sharp even seasoned ninja would strain to pull off.
Nagare lost balance and had to step forward to steady himself. Next, Haseo's palm slammed onto Nagare's shoulder. A brutal downward push sent him spinning backward—the blur of motion crackling with lightning as he arched into a wide arc. He tucked his legs mid-air, flipping upside-down until he hovered directly over his opponent's head.
Haseo curled one hand and circled his fingers around his mouth. His chest ballooned as searing heat built inside him. Then, a roaring jet of flame burst forth—like a burning meteor screaming through the sky at top speed.
[Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet]
Boom!
Though born from fire-natured chakra, the sheer speed of the blast made it crackle like a detonation when it hit the ground.
At this moment, instead of sniping from a distance, Haseo had finally come to love the sensation of blowing someone up right in their face.
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