We neared the inn as the three boys kept close to me before several people stepped out of the inn. All of them wore the headband of the Hidden Lightning Village on their person.

“Riku, Haname, Jushiro, where is your Jonin instructor Tenma?” A woman with her hair cut short in a bob cut with both arms bound in bandages, dark eyes, and red lipstick, of all things, asked them, looking concerned. 

She looked at the boys before looking at me.  Suspicion wormed its way onto her features. The other cloud ninja all had their eyes trained on me. The same can be said for me keeping all of them in my sight and if any of them tried any hand signs, one good quickdraw and that would be two fewer enemies to deal with out of five of them.

That’s with only chakra.

One of the boys was about to leave the group before I placed a hand on his shoulder, holding him in place as he gave me a confused look. “Do you have a code phrase?” 

I wasn’t taking any chances. After dealing with the spider bitch and her brood, then disaster after disaster, I was just one slip-up from facing the reaper, and who knows what chaos will get unleashed upon this world when someone gets their desire made into reality.

At my question, his face lit up in understanding before the woman and the other ninja looked annoyed but seemed to accept it as the boy went through several signs that have nothing to do with jutsu as the woman signed back after he finished. 

“It’s them.” He nodded to me, and I released my grip on the kid, letting him and the other two run up to the group while I stayed put, keeping my distance from the group. Noting the group across from us was composed of various ages. Some looked to be in their forties, while the blonde woman looked to be in her late teens to early twenties.

“Now that we have confirmed we are in fact who we are, what happened and why are you with a wandering ronin?” She kneeled to stare each of them in the eye.

“We were doing a C-rank mission with sensei Yugito-San before he caught some people doing some shady stuff and found out they were hidden stone shinobi. Sensei fought them at the cost of his life… He had ordered us to flee with the scroll he had taken from them that they were desperate to get back.” One of them spat out the words like a machine gun. It was almost too fast for me to understand.

The now-named Yugito's expression softened before she gestured for the kid to continue, “We tried to get away from the sole remaining kunoichi but she caught up to us and we tried our best to fend her off but we were outmatched. Badly. Jushiro would have died had it not been for Kojirou stepping in when he did.”

At this, Yugito glanced at me again except her expression still held a smidge of mistrust but it softened at mention of me stepping in to save the kid's lives. 

“Yeah! I thought I was a goner until a burst of wind cut the kunai headed right for me in half and made the scary lady back down. I was hoping he would make the lady pay for what she did…” Jushiro said as he gave me some stink eye for not killing her. 

I saved your life, you ungrateful little turd, and it’s not enough?!

“Well, I for one am happy to see you three are safe and got back to us in one piece. And you even managed to accomplish Tenma’s last order. His sacrifice was not in vain. Now you three go inside of the inn and help yourselves to a good meal and if you want they have a hot spring in the back!” Yugito’s words help take the boys' minds off of their recently deceased teacher as they perked up at the mention of food and a hot spring. 

I even shared some of the food I had with me when they got hungry. Well, they are just kids and I should be able to restock anyway so it’s not that bad. 

The three turn to face me, “Thank you for everything Kojirou!” And they rushed up hugging me as I stood there like an idiot for a moment before my brain helpfully told me to hug them back as I leaned down, wrapping all three of them in a gentle hug. “You boys take care of each other and be careful practicing that jutsu I told you about!” 

Yugito and the other shinobi gave me a look at the mention of a jutsu as the boys promised me. The three of them began to head to the inn after ending the hug and wishing me well.

As they head inside Yugito gives her full attention to me. She stepped closer, body relaxed and the tension she and the others had earlier bled away. “Thank you for saving them. We can pay for helping.” 

“I will take the payment.” I said without hesitation and no shame. Even if there was no reward I still would have saved the kids. But I won’t say no to more money that I could use to make life a little easier like putting a good warm meal in me. Or finding a medic if I am lucky to heal my arm.

Yugito’s half-lidded eyes at my response made me question if there was something I had missed. “Normally I would be surprised to see a samurai accepting money from a shinobi since it’s considered dirty money but you're not a samurai but a ronin which I guess makes sense…” She shrugged her shoulders in a what can you do gesture.

Feeling like I am being insulted without knowing what the hell I just got insulted on I respond, “I take it ronin are known for being greedy bastards?”

It was as much me fishing for cultural information as it was me being curious.

My blunt question had her look at me before processing what I just said. “Yes? It’s a stereotype that is partly true for most of them but for different reasons. How do you not know that?”

“Because I have spent the vast majority of my time under my teacher before leaving to better myself.” I say in a deadpan tone as she snorted along with her compatriots.

“Then you're fortunate. Most samurai are… Blunt and very eager to enact the Daimyos will.” Yugito said after a moment of thought with several of the shinobi looking at her in concern but it became relief at her word choice.

“Ronin on the other hand are pieces of shit. Acting high and mighty yet when it comes to money or things of value they are the worst.” One of the cloud shinobi said in the back with the others nodding and giving their verbal agreements to that unlike the comment Yugito had on samurai.

So a class system between samurai and ronin. Samurai are feared and are the leaders of the country's fists used to crush anyone going against the status quo. Likely also manipulated by nobles if it’s anything like both real life and other fantasy worlds. Always some asshole out there abusing existing systems of law enforcement and other such groups for their own gain.

I know from dads stories ronin were deemed lesser than samurai in standing and other factors. Basically their shadow that many people looked down upon. So it’s not much different here. The only thing I am not seeing so far is any form of… Honorable ways of leaving this life.

“So you only recently have left your teacher to learn as you travel? I can respect that even if you only helped our genin for a reward. You’re not half bad if you managed to handle that stone kunoichi for her to back off especially with your arm being injured.” Yugito said in a kindly manner but I saw the insult that made the warmth in her tone fall apart. 

One of her compatriots tossed a small cloth to her and she handed it to me. Opening it to see a wad of ryō that should help take care of any food issues I may run into for a time.

Maybe even enough to get a new sword like this one that was somehow leagues better than all the other well made ones. Even if I’d rather not give this broken blade up, the problem with it was the energy I used to compensate for the broken blade took more energy than when I simply reinforced a blade with it instead of making it take a more solid form to fill in the missing part.

Despite the decent amount of money I got from this only one thought was going around in my head. So this is how we are doing this then. 

Warmly smiling back at her, her cheeks turned a little pink before I responded to her insult, “I would kindly ask that you not assume things about me when you know nothing about me. I helped those children regardless of a reward, if I didn’t get one then it was fine since I refused to sit back when children were in danger. I am currently strapped for money and need to restock on supplies so I accepted the offer. And of course, I could handle a kunoichi from any village simply because I am trained in samurai ways, everyone knows even myself who has been raised in the boonies that most shinobi struggle in a fight against those like myself.”

I lied through my teeth about being aware of something so simple when I had only realized such things after almost dying.

Yugito looked shocked at first like I just slapped her before her expression shifted, her teeth gritted together at me bringing up this world's class equivalent to the weapon triangle. “I wouldn’t be judging you for taking the money if you hadn’t accepted it! And what do you mean you can take on any shinobi because of you being taught how to hold a blade?”

“Ah a little slow I see. Let me dumb it down for you. I samurai,” I pointed a finger at myself putting a goofy smile on as she looked angry now with her friends in the back wincing with only a few of the older ones adopting small smirks. “You a shinobi who loses because you shinobi.” I give her my best caveman English impression and it looks like I nailed it.

Her eyes narrowed before a snort escaped her nose that was not too far off from a bull, “Okay, well let’s see about that. You and me. We spar and prove who is better!”

At her proposal all of her friends looked at her then me and back to her giving her a scrutinizing look. One of them came over and placed a hand on her shoulder, “Yugito you do realize what you are getting into? Your not even a Jonin yet and still a Chunin. You know that you are also at a disadvantage against him even if he has an injured arm…” He muttered quietly enough that if it wasn’t for my template enhancing me I wouldn’t have heard it or made out his lips pronouncing each word.

“I know what I am doing.” She said indignantly with a huff puffing her chest out. I watched on before simply turning around and walking away. 

She does her best impression of an outraged bird seeing me walking away, “Where are you going?”

“Wherever I want to.” I casually said not even bothering to turn and face her.

“Wait! If you agree to spar and win, you will get more money.” She spoke hastily scrabbling for anything to get me to fight her. Fortunately for her, it works as I stopped in my tracks.

I could use more money… Sighing I turn and faced her as she looked like the cat that got the canary as she adopted a bright smile. “How much are you willing to offer and what are the rules for the spar?” My tone was curt and to the point wanting to get this over with and be on my way. 

“The rules are the one to draw first blood is the victor. If you lose you have to admit you were wrong about shinobi. If you win you will get this!” She pulls out a bigger clip of money from a storage scroll in a puff of smoke that drew my eyes to it. I was not exactly a greedy person in my old life and that hasn’t changed here. 

Despite having that plate with a good chunk of money on it, more money wouldn’t hurt especially when if I needed better equipment since I was a long ways off from being as skilled as Kojirou. Plus, things like food and supplies would always be a necessity.

But I would like to ask anyone if they wouldn’t agree to something as outlandish as this when they have had the most bland meals imaginable and worrying about food lasting you on a long journey with no end in sight. Along with needing to get your equipment fixed and especially replacing your broken weapon, along with an injured arm.

… And maybe getting some creature comforts would also go a long ways with relieving stress.

“So long as no one gets seriously hurt or crippled. Agreed?” 

“Agreed.” She had an impish smile before she slid into a stance one hand behind her waist. 

“I will countdown and when I say go the fight begins.” One of the cloud ninjas behind her spoke in exasperation, stepping between us and off to the side while the others looked like they were placing bets on who is going to win while getting comfortable. 

He held out a hand with three fingers but Yugito and I only stared at one another, our eyes meeting and if the air could create sparks and create fire and lightning it would. 

“Three.”

I slide into a stance with one hand on my blade. Posture loose and not tense, like water ready to break through a floodgate. Yugito has her other hand in view with the signature beginning for hand signs. 

“Two.” 

Narrowing down the target I am aimed for as her posture was tense like a coiled spring, her eyes narrowed in concentration. That physical rush of power that shouldn’t be possible made me feel like I could fight a thousand gorillas and come out of it as the victor. It filled my legs and arms trailing down into my weapon drip feeding them despite how they begged for more.

“One.” His sole finger dropped down in slow motion to me as time itself became liquid molasses as I breathed in and out. 

“Begin!” 

Yugito brought her hidden hand back out in a flash sending out a trio of throwing stars. My body was already in motion running head-on at them weaving around them as my lavender-clad form came closer. She only went through two hand signs that would be a blur for a normal person were instead easily observable to my eyes. 

Realizing I was coming in to fast she stopped and gave up on the jutsu halfway but before she can even make a stab at me I released my sword. Hand gently gripping the handle, holding it like the loving hand of a wife I had known for forty years, the blade silently screamed out its war cry or metal against its sheath.

The air parted before it, sliced in twain from the speed and force that left sound walking behind it and rushed out to greet the world. The sword swiped out, the broken blade one with nothingness for it seemingly hadn’t moved to most of the other people and a small eternity later the wind realized it moved and filled the void it left behind.

Just as quickly as the weapon was brought out it ended with it returning back to its home after saying its goodbyes to the world. With a click the after image of a purple blade leaving what would look like a neon trail faded from existence.

“What are you-” Then she felt it as she brought a hand up feeling the small light cut on her cheek that had a trickle of blood come out of it, “-doing… I don’t believe it.” She uttered out in shock not understanding how I had done what I did. 

 “Hah! Called it. Now pay up.” One of her friends said in the back as the others groaned before handing out money to the others who looked like they made a wise bet on me. Most of the members of her group bet against her.  

“Alright now with that being over, where's the money?” My hand stretched out waiting for her to give me my money. 

She simply stood there for a moment before she broke out of whatever stupor she was in, “Wait! Double or nothing. We didn’t have enough distance so it wasn’t fair.” 

“You can’t be serious.” 

“I am. Come on, you need the money don’t you?” She practically begged me to accept again. 

“You are a shinobi. A fair fight is an unheard-of thing for people in your line of work.” I deadpanned.

“He’s not wrong Yugito.” One of the others piped in.

“You're not helping. Well, do you want to take your money now and leave while missing the chance to get double what you would have gotten?” 

Thinking it over and weighing my odds of getting close enough to draw blood if she had a decent amount of distance and liking my odds I accepted the rematch. She sported a cocky smirk on her face but I wasn’t concerned. 

Like last time the cloud shinobi counted down with far greater distance between us. As his hand came down the time slowed yet again. I shot forward, the rush of wind embracing me and tethering me as best it could. Yugito’s arms moved far faster with waves of shuriken tossed each with one behind the other. The air whistled behind them, the sound barely keeping up with them as they flew faster than bullets.

Each step was calm and almost leisurely with each shuriken impacting the surroundings becoming nearly fully embedded into the rockets with cracks and craters forming, sparks danced in the air at the spectacle unfolding. The shuriken were never meant to do anything to me, only to delay.

She flowed through hand signs while I took my time curious to see what she aimed to do. A small trickle of ki that wasn’t dense and kept paper thin covered my skin just to make sure none of it cut me. I wasn’t cocky enough to fully underestimate her but I also didn’t fully view her entirely as a threat.

It didn’t help her that every muscle that tensed and flowed, every tendon that snapped and sprung into place, the patterns of her breathing with each exhale a hushed whisper of heat mixed with emotions, all of it was splayed out before me. It was all a roadmap laid bare revealing her in her entirety. It was hypnotic, almost like I knew her on such an intimate level that she may as well be a flower growing in fast forward, unfolding each petal with every secret of its nature revealed to me.

The last finger fell into her jutsu, sending out a needle-thin beam of blue lightning that doesn’t move as fast as one would expect lightning to when the last of the shuriken fly out. Her attempt to coral and slow me down failed with me just side stepping the attack. 

Had this been at the beginning when I first fought that mist shinobi then I would be struggling right now. 

When my form slowed down with the beam halfway past me she blurred forward, kunai in hand, my sword coming out in a flash sending out a mild blade of wind that rushed towards her far faster than she had anticipated.

She narrowly avoided getting cut but it’s too late when my blade, like a shark's thin breaching the oceans surface, came up carved into the white bandages wrapped around one arm, setting one loose with only a small trickle of blood to show for it. We slid past one another, dust kicked up and blew away immediately before coming to a stop.

Even less groans could be heard compared to last time as less money was exchanged. With a click my sword was placed at my hip once again as a small smile was on my face. Yugito stared at the ground, a shadow forming over her face that grew darker when a single drop of blood fell from her arm. 

“Alright, now that is over with-” 

“One more time!” She raised her head and shouted out like a gambling addict.

“No.” 

“Wha- Oh come on you can make triple what you would have!” She exclaimed like I was passing up a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

“Are you even good for the money?” I asked her now skeptical of her even being capable of the amount needed to fit what I am owed.

Just as she was about to answer one of her comrades stopped her as they turned away from me whispering aggressively before she turned around to face me. 

“I have enough saved up to pay you what you are owed. Even if you lose this match you will still get paid what was due to you after your second win.” She was trying to sweeten the deal. 

I huffed in annoyance hoping that this wasn’t a waste of time.

“Show me the money at least.” I all but demanded when I didn’t want to waste any more time on this if it turned out to be a lie.

She huffed, sounding annoyed but the smug smirk on her face contradicted this when she pulled out a scroll and in a puff of smoke my eyes widened at the comical small pile of money at her feet that from what I can see is the genuine thing. 

And like that, it’s resealed again with her staring at me with half-lidded eyes with a hip cocked out and a fist on it. “So you wanna try this one more time?”

Closing my eyes before letting out a long breath before clicking my tongue, “So be it. Last time. Understood?”

“Crystal clear.” She was all business this time, taking some distance between us.

If I wasn’t getting paid it would help a lot if she actually could challenge me but so far she was proving to be a disappointment. To be fair she was a shinobi who had a disadvantage when facing someone using ki. Of course, there are exceptions to the rules like let’s say someone like Might Guy.

“Last round. Three.” 

I am far more relaxed than before and Yugito can see that. Her eyes narrowed as if I had given her some grave insult.

“Two.” 

Idly thinking about how I am going to beat her this time. If I wanted to just get it over with or maybe embarrass her in some way.

“One.” The shinobi had a confused tone. And I understood why he was confused.

Something unusual began to happen around her as a blue cloak of chakra took shape becoming tangible and visible to the naked eye. I could see chakra and the other supernatural elements by how it interacted with the surroundings. Like an invisible monster that you see by tossing flour into the air and any space that the flour can’t occupy you know where it’s at.

At some of our collective confusion, her cocky smirk grew. Just as I am about to voice my question on just what the fuck I am seeing right now it gets cut off before I could ever voice it when she charged at me with a kunai in hand. It gets cut albeit with far more effort than I have had to use so far. The instant the blade hits the blue cloak its momentum all but disappeared. 

Even with ki enhancing me physically it was absurd how difficult it became. As if I just put the least amount of effort into it when it was far from that.

Despite the sudden slowness of my strike the blade still managed to cleanly cut through but she doesn’t stop. Her other hand lashed out and my sword was raised instinctively but instead of lightly wounding her hand it faced some resistance against her fingernails of all things. Sparks formed between my sword and her strange choice of weapon, with my blade slowly inching back not from her overpowering me but because the nails were growing. The sound of dulled steel like a lead pipe smacking into dirt reverberated across the part of the mountain we resided on.

Yet again the instant my blade met the cloak of what I was beginning to wonder was even chakra it felt like moving through a glob of gelatin that doubled as glue. Narrowing my eyes and putting more strength behind the blade with ki further amped up the nails finally got chipped away enough that the blade cut through them with a sound similar to bone breaking forcing her to back away, eyes wide and mouth open in surprise.

“Yugito, what are you doing?!” The shinobi to the side exclaimed as the others rose looking confused and worried at what their friend was doing. 

“Winning this and proving a point!” She growled out the look of shock morphing into anger at her pride being wounded so much in such a short time. She was not happy at the fact I can still pressure her despite whatever she was doing that gave her this power up. 

It almost made me think of a certain knuckleheaded ninja…

“I would recommend you stop this now. If you don’t there is a high chance someone will get seriously hurt.” I told her without taking my eyes off of blue clad form. It was almost as if she were on fire with how the blue cloak swayed and moved erratically like a tongue of fire. The other shinobi looked at me before looking back at Yugito in concern.

She snorted at what I said, “Please we both know we can handle this. Like I am taking a hit to my pride by losing twice to a ronin with a broken arm without gaining anything. Even if it’s a single victory, that's good enough for me.”

Before anything further could be said the blue cloak began to grow and rise off of her as it took on a menacing appearance of some warped looking cat glaring at me hovering over her shoulder. An ominous feeling permeated the air around everyone as I tried to figure out just what she was doing. More and more my concern grew when the thought wouldn’t leave me that she might be similar to Naruto and Gaara.

She quickly hunched over, muscles tightening before she was loosed like a supercharged arrow shot by a semi god. It was far faster than before, almost being on par with the man who broke my arm. But unlike that fateful day, I am far stronger than I was back then.

Her nails became claws yet again slashing at me but each strike was blocked and unlike last time her claws proved harder to cut through but they got chipped away all the same.

Avoiding a thrust of claws where my head was and countering with the energy blade growing in length taking even more energy out of me as sweat and a deep fatigue grew inside of me. It slashed at an angle heading right for her Achilles tendon only for her leg to move at the last second. The strike sent up a powerful gust of wind that was in contrast to the simple strike being visibly no different than an odd golf swing. Stone and rock cracked and broke apart amidst our clash, air sent back in powerful gusts as if two primordial beings were fighting to the death over a centuries long grudge.

The leg that I aimed for lashed out for me. My follow up attack was cancelled and I stepped back narrowly avoiding a kick that sent a gust of wind that would have broken my shoulder on my uninjured arm even with ki circulating around me. Every movement seemed to draw something out of the strange physical energy, almost as if directing it to do… something. 

Even without mind’s eye, I could feel the heavy weight in the air that began to press down on me. It was subtle at first but now I realized it wasn’t just exhaustion and using too much ki.

It made me feel uneasy. A heat in my chest I hadn’t felt in sometime grew into a fire. The kind that came when a school bully got away with something and I couldn’t do anything about it and so I didn’t even try when I should have. My pride took a massive hit that day and it never came back.

The same wounded pride that came from her not paying me just so she could continue this made me feel angry. A dark part of me noted how vulnerable her throat was when she didn't even try to defend it, simply attacking in a nonstop barrage in the vain hope of at least getting a single cut. 

As the boiling feeling of resentment grew in me my less rational thoughts took over. More methods and ways of killing her came faster and how I could make it more efficient yet it would also be the most humiliating way to end her and ensure she is aware of it before dying. I stopped for a moment when I settled on an idea when for a brief moment I switched to chakra just as I was about to follow through with these dark desires after managing to sever three claws with a strike from a lavender chakra chakra blade that looked more fluid and flexible compared to the solid stiffness that came from ki.

That strike nearly took her throat out before I altered the course mid swing and she backed off wide eyed with fear in her eyes at what almost happened. The sound of her nails falling onto the destroyed mountain road beneath us was the only sound that could be heard beyond the distant thunder and our hot breath coming out like the heat from a smiths forge straight from the bellows.

The more rational side of me managed to break through the darkness questioning why I felt like this now. When she lost the first time and wanted a rematch I was more annoyed and frustrated but not angry or feeling hatred for her. Not enough to kill her in such a mocking and belittling way.

I think about the growing idea that might explain it. When I added chi to it creating chakra since it was easier to mold and shape for me since it was more efficient compared to ki it seemed to lessen the effects. It helped clear my thoughts and lessen whatever the hell she was doing to me. To think my desire to kill her more efficiently is what ultimately saved her life. 

The surrounding shinobi looked uncomfortable. Like some looked sickly, the others going through various negative emotions but like me it wasn’t anything too overwhelming. Not like it was for me before I swapped to chakra… Would it be nullified if I used chi?

Despite having reservations about getting close to me again her grin expressed hardened swiftly followed up by her leaping high into the air. Her leg raised high above her head came slamming down as I sidestepped the telegraphed axe kick that cracked and splintered the ground before turning it into a crater. 

She acted more like a feral animal than a person as she lashed out constantly pursuing me despite her inability to land a proper strike which her frustrated as she grunted and snarled, sounding more animal than human.

Whatever effect the change in atmosphere had on me is still trying to manipulate my thoughts but mentally steeling myself and focusing only on her and how I am going to beat her keeps it at bay. Her friends and comrades are keeping their distance as they all share indecisive looks not knowing what to do.

What a bunch of incompetent idiots. Can’t even get their friend under control.

Growing more annoyed than anything as each strike of hers got stronger and stronger managing to push me back yet none of my strikes when trying to use the dull edge of the construct this entire time to try and just beat her down could do the job. Without ki her strikes managed to push me back forcing me to become more evasive, moving like the wind around us. The slowing effect was still there albeit less than what it had been before. It still pissed me off making this far more frustrating than it had any right to be.

It was bad enough that a strike that would have knocked her out if not give her serious brain damage instead slowed to an absurd degree as the cloak of chakra sapped any momentum away and turned the strike into a love tap.

I am drawn out of my thoughts seeing her bring back a clawed hand and the other coming into strike. My opportunity arrived when she went for her attack when an idea hit me on how I might be able to beat her. I can’t hold back anymore especially if she is what I think she is. 

Flipping my sword back around, my chakra blade extended out with a quick cut at an odd angle further sharpening the edge of the blade with my higher control in chakra it sliced through her claws before she charged closer with her other hand aimed for my side.

The purple blade changed shape and direction becoming more like a curved hook just when it got brought back slicing through her claws and disarming her. 

Her eyes widened minutely before backing away from me as she flowed through a few hand signs and the few she used saved her from losing as she shot four small blue flaming balls that impacted the road stopping me from pursuing with how little the spread was. It seemed she learned a lot from our brief exchange at the beginning. 

Hand signs are a detriment when I can speed blitz you and she is better off using jutsu that does not use as many or any hand signs at all.

Flipping in an impressive display of acrobatics she landed some distance from me. My blade held at the ready and I simply maintained my position. Using the reprieve however brief to get some rest in and control my breathing. Sweat coated my body, and everything felt exhausted. Even my broke arm promised so much pain just as a lover would whisper sweet nothings to their partner.

“I would recommend you yield now. In that brief exchange, everyone got to see how outclassed you are.” My voice was calm yet had an underlying tension of what would come should she not yield.

My words instead of getting her to give up further angered her. An inhuman growl left her lips and her hands came up. I saw what looked like a single tail forming on her back. Black markings adorned it as they formed across the blue cloak of chakra that had been saving her from a lot of the strikes that otherwise would have taken her out.

It’s like a semipermeable barrier. My strikes can enter it but it takes a lot of the power from the strike away by the time it lands. I could slash at her with the dull edge with enough power to carve a trench into a tree and the rocks on this mountain yet with her it may as well be a love tap from a pillow with no blood being drawn. Any of the attacks using the sharp side she was just fast enough to evade them courtesy of that damn cloak and it wasn’t helped that I had to swap to chakra. 

In a sustained fight like this I couldn’t win with her having that advantage.

It’s why I am using my refined control over my chakra blade to increase the sharpness to such a level so that even if it slowed the strike down it will still cut along with its greater range and changing of the angle of attack. But noticed despite the cloak reducing the force of my strikes it does have a flaw.

The force in my strikes may not be enough on its own. But when she charges me her momentum can be used against her, giving me the extra force necessary to cut through her claws. With a plan now formed it merely came down to getting her to take the bait.

As much of a pain this was going to be, I would like to have that money. From the looks of her, she isn’t thinking as rationally as she normally would. Similar to my days playing Grand Theft Auto Online and going against a good player who unnerved me and as a result, I did poorly against them. 

My suspicions grew as the fight went on as her comrades were staying far from us near the inn with the three genin shuddering. They all hid behind one of the older ninja.

She was similar to Naruto and Gaara. Images of the clash between Naruto and Haku came to mind and the battle between curse mark Sasuke and a red-cloaked Naruto. If she isn’t in some way similar to Naruto, I will eat my sweat stained clothes.

The need to end this fight became far greater. Naruto was doing some rather impressive damage in his fight against Sasuke with that curse mark. He was a child with no control over what was happening there going off of instinct rather than tactics. Yugito on the other hand is showing far more control despite the more instinctive way she would fight. Now, she was beginning to lose control.

Relaxing my posture as she stared at me like a predator staring down a rival beast in the wild. 

A cocky smirk formed on my face wiping away the gravely serious look she was getting a moment ago as she stared at me cluelessly, “Well well well. For someone so confident they could handle me, you sure love staying far away,” I chuckled at her narrowing her eyes before she leaned down like a cat on all fours giving the impression of her hackles rising.

Her now blue-slitted eyes screamed murder to me when her posture became tense and ready to pounce, “Well what’s the matter pussycat? Show me what you got. Unless you can’t back it up…”

The ground where she was all but exploded. Her form rocketed right at me, her arm outstretched into a big swipe coming right for my head as all her finger nails had regrown. Raising my sword and with a swift cut each of her claws was cut to pieces along with her other set as she charged regardless of the danger with her fist raised and ready to smash into my face.

Focusing the chakra in my hand through my sword when her fist became terrifyingly closer to my face. Instead of a sharp blade from the chakra construct, a rounded off edge similar to a staff thrusted out in a burst of speed that managed to catch her off guard. 

Even without ki, with the much better control that came from adding the spiritual element of chi creating chakra made it much easier to shape it and control it. Each energy had advantages and disadvantages compared to one another on fundamental levels. Or it could just be an individual basis.

Unlike the other times I tried to use blunt force I added something she wouldn’t have expected. 

Like the times I first tried to walk up a tree, too much chakra would send me flying off of it with the bark blown clean off. The only difference here was I was sending the chakra overload into the end of the staff. Like a stick of dynamite going off it exploded making my ears ring and the impact when it connected with her chest sent a powerful gust of wind. I will forever savor the look of shock and surprise on her face before spit came flying out of her mouth with small flecks of blood. 

Even with the chakra cloak doing its best to slow down the strike which was even more potent than before with the emergence of that one tail, her momentum had been turned against her. Tumbling back before she finally came to a stop motionless on the ground. 

“Wha-what?” The man standing off to the side acting as a referee stood there in shock at what he had just witnessed. 

I walked over to her fallen form to check on her. Ignoring the man trying to find his words, I leaned down and flipped Yugito over only to stare in horror when my senses weren’t lying to me. Placing my hand against her throat noting her heart was still beating.

“What do you think you are doing?!” One of the others near the inn yelled at me in outrage at my hand moving over her chest. 

“She’s not breathing!”

Only silence greeted me.