Even Kisame himself hadn't been able to follow that Body Flicker clearly…
And it was performed by a kid.
"What's your name, brat?" Kisame growled.
Yuichi twirled the black blade lightly. The dim glow of its edge shimmered in the moonlight.
"If you manage to walk away alive, you'll know my name soon enough."
…What?
For a moment, Kisame froze. Was this kid actually implying he could kill him?
Hoshigaki Kisame—one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
In the entire shinobi world, the number of people who could claim his life could be counted on two hands.
This child's words were arrogant. Insulting.
Then Kisame suddenly laughed.
"Hah! You've got some strange Body Flicker Technique, sure. But to think you can kill me? Do you even know who you're talking to, brat?"
Yuichi rested the black blade against his shoulder, his left hand tracing along its spine. The flames wrapping it snuffed out. A different chakra surged at his fingertips, wrapping the weapon in spiraling currents.
Wind chakra.
Blades of air curled around the black sword.
"Hoshigaki Kisame," Yuichi said evenly. "Former Mist ninja. One of the Seven Swordsmen. A traitor."
Kisame narrowed his eyes. "…Boy, how do you know me?"
"You talk too much."
Whoosh!
Yuichi swung the black blade. A crescent-shaped slash of wind tore across the clearing.
Kisame raised Samehada, intercepting the Wind Release attack. The instant he blocked, Yuichi was already gone, a whirlwind exploding beneath his feet.
In the next blink, Yuichi was on Kisame's right, the blade cutting toward his shoulder from a vicious angle.
That speed again… Body Flicker…!
Sparks showered as Samehada intercepted at the last possible second. The cloth bindings shredded, exposing the living scales beneath. Samehada twisted violently, groaning as if it resisted the force.
For the first time, Kisame felt it: Samehada straining against an attack it couldn't fully devour.
What is this sword? Even Samehada can't endure it…
Whoosh!
Yuichi reappeared in front of him, blade flashing. A sharp sting ran across Kisame's cheek as blood trickled down his face.
Too fast! He can chain Body Flicker repeatedly without seals?
And Samehada won't hold if I keep trading blows head-on!
Kisame leapt back, widening the distance.
Yuichi narrowed his eyes. Trying to retreat? Not happening.
He flickered forward again.
Steel clashed in rapid succession—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Trees split apart, trunks crashing down one after another as the two figures blurred through the forest.
Sweat poured down Kisame's brow. He gritted his teeth. Damn this speed… I can't do anything but defend. Is this what it feels like to face a pure speed-type ninja?
Yuichi's strikes weren't even elaborate—just simple swings. But with speed like this, they became impossible to counter.
Kisame's grip on Samehada tightened.
I didn't think I'd have to rely on Samehada's full power against a kid…
Whoosh!
Yuichi blurred in again, blade arcing down.
Kisame swung Samehada up.
Crack—!
One of Samehada's barbs snapped clean off.
Kisame's eyes widened. It cut through Samehada's scales…!
Then relief flickered. The sword was still wrapped in wind chakra, which Samehada devoured eagerly.
Yuichi felt it instantly—his chakra draining away into Kisame's blade. He kicked hard against Samehada's side.
Bang!
Kisame was hurled back but twisted midair, landing firmly on his feet. He steadied himself, then felt Samehada pulse.
His injury sizzled with steam, the gash in his shoulder rapidly healing.
"What…?" Kisame muttered. In mere moments, Samehada had swallowed enough chakra to regenerate him.
He bared his sharp teeth in a grin. "Boy, your chakra is incredible!"
For Samehada to gorge this much this quickly… this kid's chakra reserves are monstrous. Like a Jinchūriki's.
Kisame's eyes glittered. Yuichi wasn't just an opponent—he was prey.
"Hahaha… my favorite kind of enemy," Kisame sneered. "The more chakra you have, the stronger Samehada and I become."
But Yuichi knew Kisame's game. He knew Samehada could devour chakra—sometimes even entire jutsu. It was Kisame's greatest advantage. Physical strikes were the only true way to fight him.
And yet, even "purely physical" techniques like Tsunade's monstrous strength still counted as chakra-based and could be absorbed.
But not everything could be devoured.
Samehada couldn't drain Wood Style. That power reshaped chakra directly into physical matter—living wood, not chakra constructs. The same was true of Yuichi's other secret: Shikotsumyaku, the Dead Bone Pulse.
But neither of those abilities could be revealed so lightly. Not unless he intended to kill Kisame outright.
Right now… Yuichi had a different plan.
If Samehada wants chakra so badly… let it gorge itself.
Because absorbing chakra wasn't the same as being immune to its damage.
Yuichi slid the black blade back into its sheath. Kisame blinked.
"You're putting away your sword?" he asked, confused.
Yuichi's hands came together, fingers locking into seals.
Kisame's grin widened. So you're finally going to use ninjutsu? Perfect… let's see what Samehada can feast on.