Boom—!
Ren lands wreathed in flames.
A wave of scorching heat radiates outward, withering nearby plants instantly.
This isn't just coating his body in fire—
It's a technique he developed by combining the Flame-Flame Fruit with chakra:
Fire Release Chakra Mode.
With the Fruit's power, his affinity for Fire Release is pushed to the extreme.
He doesn't even need hand seals—
His control has reached an instinctive level.
From this, he has developed numerous techniques—
And this mode is one of them.
While it doesn't boost physical stats as drastically as A's Lightning Release Chakra Mode, it offers both offense and defense, along with great versatility.
"I admit it—I underestimated you, Uchiha."
"But this time, I won't give you another chance!"
A stands uninjured, lightning crackling across his body.
His defensive power remains overwhelming.
But being blown away in a direct clash—
That wounds his pride more than any injury.
"Enough talk."
Ren vanishes—
"Blazing Flash Strike!"
He appears before A and throws a sharp uppercut.
"So fast—!"
A's pupils shrink.
Even for someone used to high-speed combat, Ren's speed is shocking.
But instead of fear—
It fuels his anger.
"Don't look down on me!"
"Lariat Counter—Elbow Bolt!"
A twists his body and drives his elbow forward.
The Uchiha are known for genjutsu, ninjutsu, and dōjutsu—
Yet Ren is challenging him in taijutsu?
That feels like an insult.
But if Ren knew what A was thinking, he'd probably laugh.
Against A's absurd durability—
Wide-area ninjutsu is inefficient.
Only highly concentrated, point-blank attacks can break through.
Like this one—
Boom—!
Ren's fist, wrapped in dense, near-solid flames, erupts just before impact—
Engulfing half of A's body.
The explosion sends A flying again before his attack can fully land.
A lets out a pained grunt, flipping midair and landing steadily.
But this time—
He's injured.
Unlike the earlier Fire Fist, this attack compresses heat—
Raising the flame's temperature dramatically.
Burns spread across A's arm and neck.
Blistered skin tightens and warps.
Even A grits his teeth in pain.
"Damn it…!"
He tears the blisters open with brute force.
Crude—but effective.
Ren winces slightly at the sight.
As expected of the Raikage—
A true brute-force fighter.
"Lightning Release: Guillotine Drop!"
A roars, converting pain into power.
Lightning surges as he leaps and brings his leg down like an axe.
Ren doesn't take it head-on—
He blasts off the ground, leaving scorched footprints as he vanishes.
A narrows his eyes—
He's figured it out.
Boom—!
The ground shatters within a wide radius.
Using the momentum, A accelerates even further—
Closing the distance instantly.
"Lariat—Chop!"
A hand coated in lightning slices toward Ren's neck—
Boom!
Ren's body explodes into flames—
A Fire Clone.
The flames engulf A—
But the temperature is low.
He bursts through unharmed.
"Fire Clone…"
A scans the area, searching.
He's already seen through Ren's abilities.
The next move—
Will decide everything.
Ren's speed isn't true speed.
Before each movement, he generates explosive fire beneath his feet—
Using propulsion to achieve high-speed bursts.
A kind of Fire-enhanced Body Flicker—
Faster than standard Shunshin.
But it has a flaw:
Lack of maneuverability.
The motion is linear—
And reduces reaction capability mid-movement.
A confirmed this during their exchange.
Even his own sudden acceleration was inspired by it.
And there's more—
Ren's raw physical strength is still inferior to A's Lightning Mode.
Their clashes weren't true physical collisions—
Each time, Ren's flames detonated just before contact.
That's why A kept getting blasted away.
In essence:
A's technique enhances the body internally → Lightning Armor (nintaijutsu)Ren's technique functions externally → more like ninjutsu amplification
Ren always lands the hit first—
Before A can reach him.
That's why A has been at a disadvantage.
But now—
A has already figured out how to counter it.
This battle is mine to win.
A silently gathered his chakra, then suddenly glanced toward a spot not far to his left. A sharp gleam flashed in his eyes.
"Found you."