But at this moment, her momentum was spent, and new force hadn't yet been generated. It was too late to effectively dodge or block.
Therefore, the only option was to disrupt the enemy's attack.
In that split second, Tsunade focused her Chakra into the sole of her right foot and unleashed it.
Boom!
The ground beneath them shattered. Huge fragments of rock were thrust upward or depressed downward by the immense force.
'Kuro' lost his footing. His body's balance tilted, and his hand-strike veered off its original trajectory.
He immediately abandoned the attack, tapped his toes against the ground, and tried to retreat.
But having just jumped down from the wall, there was no space behind him to retreat to. With just a small hop backward, his back pressed against the wall.
"Don't think of escaping!"
Tsunade didn't let this opportunity slip. She closed the distance, her fist enveloped in dense Chakra, and threw a powerful punch.
'Kuro' showed a faint smile. The moment the fist arrived, he dropped his center of gravity, avoiding the blow while simultaneously driving forward into Tsunade's guard. His right hand transformed back into a lightning-wreathed hand blade and stabbed forward.
Pfft!
The Lightning Attribute Chakra-infused hand blade pierced through Tsunade's abdomen. Crimson blood flowed from the wound.
In the spectator stands, everyone shot to their feet, their eyes fixed intently on the two combatants below. They even held their breath, afraid that the slightest sound might disturb them at this critical moment.
"Surrender!"
'Kuro's' right hand twisted slightly inside Tsunade's body. The wound tore wider, and the blood flow accelerated.
"Not aiming for a vital spot was your mistake." Tsunade's hand clamped down on 'Kuro's' arm, slowly pulling it out of her abdomen.
This action further tore the wound. Blood gushed out like a small stream, and a trickle of blood escaped the corner of her mouth.
However,
Despite such a grievous injury, the corner of Tsunade's mouth actually curled upward slightly. Though stained with blood, giving her smile a tragic beauty, every spectator felt her absolute, unwavering confidence in victory.
She gripped 'Kuro's' arm, squeezing until the bones creaked. The pain caused 'Kuro's' body to tremble slightly. Tsunade raised her other fist and declared, "You've seen my strength. If you have no way to avoid my punches, then surrender. Otherwise, I'll keep hitting you until you're dead."
"Willing to harm yourself for victory..." 'Kuro's' brow furrowed slightly. "Master asks me to fight someone like this with such a body, with a no-killing restriction... Too unreasonable."
"Hey, what are you muttering?" Tsunade urged. "Surrender or not? I'll count to three. If you don't surrender, I'll strike."
"What a bother. Blame the Master for this, Kuro." A cold, detached voice emerged from 'Kuro's' mouth.
In that instant, Tsunade felt the trembling in the body before her cease, replaced by an icy chill.
Zzzt!
The sound of electricity crackled. 'Kuro's' left hand transformed into a hand blade and cleanly severed his own right arm at the shoulder.
'This...'
The spectators' eyes bulged, utterly dumbfounded.
Although this was a duel with no restrictions on lethal force, neither side had intended to fight to the death.
Because neither Konoha nor Sunagakure wanted their alliance broken, nor did they wish for this duel to create a deeper grudge.
The duel's true purpose was to resolve the conflict between the Sunagakure's delegation and the Uchiha, ensuring no further clashes during their stay.
In other words, apart from the match with Setsuna, the other two were largely formalities… at most, a contest for bragging rights about which village's Shinobi were stronger.
But this wasn't an official tournament. Such bragging rights were just for private talk, carrying no real prestige. There was absolutely no need to go to such extremes for a match of this nature.
"You..."
Tsunade stared at 'Kuro' in shock, her mouth opening and closing as she tried to form words.
She barely uttered a single syllable before 'Kuro' swung his severed arm, splattering blood into her eyes. His remaining left hand, again wreathed in lightning, stabbed forward.
Fortunately, Tsunade was a seasoned veteran. The moment her vision was obscured, she didn't panic. Instead, she leaped backward while simultaneously stomping her right foot, concentrating Chakra into it.
Crash!
The shattered rock fragments were blasted away. Deeper layers of the arena floor were compressed by the force, erupting upward.
'Kuro' retreated, putting distance between them. Once at a safe range, he cauterized the stump of his shoulder with Lightning Chakra to prevent excessive blood loss.
Tsunade took the chance to wipe the blood from her eyes and urgently treated the gaping wound in her abdomen... At this point, she hadn't yet developed the Creation Rebirth Technique. Without immediate treatment, she could die.
Thankfully, her Medical Ninjutsu was absurdly powerful, and the Senju Clan's vitality was prodigious. The wound closed quickly.
She finished healing just as 'Kuro' finished cauterizing his wound.
Their gazes locked onto each other once more.
However,
'Kuro's' gaze was calm, as if the previous brutal exchange had no effect. Tsunade's gaze held a new layer of complexity.
She had never encountered an opponent this ruthless...
Many Shinobi were prepared to sacrifice themselves, but no one fought with such disregard for their own life unless absolutely necessary.
But this Kuro did.
Not only did he fight with life-or-death ferocity, he remained utterly composed, as if his own life meant nothing.
Yet the feeling was different.
It was more like he valued something more than his life. In the face of that, he could treat his own life lightly.
But what was it?
The outcome of a duel for mere bragging rights?
Tsunade couldn't understand. At that moment, 'Kuro' spoke abruptly. "Let's begin the second round. This time, I'll sever all your limbs. You won't be able to continue fighting."
"Is that so? Let's see who breaks whose limbs first!" Tsunade retorted, refusing to back down.
The next second, the battle resumed.
Tsunade knew her opponent was faster. Her previous attacks had been countered, nearly leading to her defeat. This time, she simply stood her ground, waiting for the enemy to attack.
'Kuro' didn't hesitate. His body crackled with electricity as he darted around, searching for an opening.
One stood still; the other moved with blinding speed. The tension gripped every spectator's heart.
They had momentarily forgotten the duel's original purpose, now solely invested in the outcome between these two Shinobi.
Hiruzen, however, grew visibly concerned.
He had initially believed Tsunade's victory was almost certain. Now, it had become a stalemate. If this continued, both could die in this duel.
Thinking this, he wanted to discuss with Ryuji, to see if they could declare this match a draw.
But when he turned to look, he saw Ryuji's smile had deepened, as if he held all the cards.
A chill ran down Hiruzen's spine.
'Could it be... does that Kuro still have an ace up his sleeve?'
As these thoughts raced through his mind, the two in the arena clashed again.
Kuro was lightning-fast, moving with complete freedom.
He employed hit-and-run tactics around Tsunade, striking once and immediately retreating.
Tsunade was forced into a defensive, counterattacking stance.
She positioned herself with her back to a section of the arena wall, reducing the angles of attack, and relied on her vast experience and monstrous strength to respond.
When at a slight disadvantage, she used brute force to break the deadlock, simply shattering the earth itself.
But as the saying goes, if you walk by the river often, your shoes will eventually get wet.
No matter how tight Tsunade's defense, she couldn't dodge or neutralize every single attack. Gradually, more wounds appeared on her body.