Chapter 26: A Display of True Power
Kakashi watched the swarm of shadow clones descend upon him, his single visible eye calmly analyzing the situation. He wasn't surprised; the Third Hokage's briefing had prepared him for Hiraoka's mastery of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. What he truly wanted to see was the legendary Lightning Release jutsu that had reportedly overwhelmed Uchiha Sasuke.
The clones attacked in a coordinated wave, but Kakashi was a whirlwind of motion, dispatching them with precise, non-lethal strikes. They popped out of existence in rapid succession, one after another. Hiraoka, the real one, moved seamlessly among his copies, his movements masked by their numbers. His eyes were locked on the two silver bells that jingled tantalizingly with Kakashi's every move.
Now! Hiraoka saw his opening. As Kakashi leaned forward to block a clone's kick, the bells swung away from his body. Hiraoka shot forward, his hand a blur as he reached for the prize.
Uchiha Sasuke, still trapped in the earth, held his breath. He's going to do it!
But Kakashi's reflexes were supernatural. His body seemed to liquefy, twisting in an impossible contortion that carried the bells just inches from Hiraoka's grasping fingers. In the next instant, Kakashi was several feet away, the clones around him now gone.
"A good attempt," Kakashi remarked, his voice showing the first hint of genuine effort. "You almost had them."
Hiraoka let the remaining clones disperse, a flicker of frustration crossing his face before it was replaced by a new, calculating look.
"Ding! Host, please choose."
"Option 1: Successfully snatch Kakashi's bells."
"Reward: Earth Nature Affinity + Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu."
"Option 2: Surrender to Kakashi."
"Reward: Earth Nature Affinity + Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall."
"Option 3: Flee immediately."
"Reward: Earth Nature Affinity."
Surrender or flight were not in his vocabulary. The choice was clear.
Option one.
The knowledge of the subterranean technique flowed into his mind. A new, treacherous plan began to form. If I can't take them from up here, I'll take them from below.
He met Kakashi's gaze, a confident smirk returning to his lips. "Kakashi-sensei, you've been testing us. Now, try my power for real."
Kakashi's posture shifted from casual to fully engaged. "I've been waiting to see it, Hiraoka. Show me what you have."
Hiraoka's hands flew through a sequence of seals, faster than before. The air grew heavy, humming with nascent energy. Blue-white arcs of lightning crackled to life around his right arm, gathering and intensifying.
"This is the one," Hiraoka declared, his voice cutting through the electric hum. "Lightning Release: Thunder Falcon Thrust!"
The chakra erupted from his grasp. It wasn't a mere bolt; it took the form of a magnificent, terrifying bird of prey woven from pure lightning. It let out a piercing, artificial shriek that scraped against the eardrums and launched itself at Kakashi, its wings shedding sparks of devastating power.
Kakashi's eye widened. This was far beyond a standard chunin-level technique. The sheer potency and control were staggering. There was no time for anything but a full defense. His hands slammed together. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A massive, thick barrier of earth erupted from the ground before him, a solid bulwark against the onslaught.
The lightning falcon struck the wall with the force of a natural disaster. The BOOM that followed was deafening. For a moment, the wall held, but then a spiderweb of cracks radiated from the point of impact. With a final, groaning CRACK, the earth wall shattered into clods of dirt and dust.
The falcon spent, the attack dissipated, leaving Kakashi standing amidst the rubble, his clothes lightly dusted. A profound silence fell over the training ground. He had stopped it, but just barely, and only by erecting his strongest defensive earth technique.
Uchiha Sasuke stared, his mind reeling. During their match, Hiraoka's version of this jutsu had been powerful, but this... this was on an entirely different level. The realization was a cold splash of water: Hiraoka had been holding back against him. Significantly. The gap between them wasn't a line; it was a chasm. A fresh, burning resolve ignited in his chest. I have to get stronger. Faster.
Kamikawa Hiraoka stood calmly, the faint smell of ozone lingering around him. He had made his point. Now, with his new earth nature affinity and the Headhunter Jutsu now part of his arsenal, the real plan could begin. The bells were still the goal, but the method had just become far more interesting.
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Is the system fine? I mean it has no drawbacks.
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