"This kid from Otogakure is no joke. No wonder he had the guts to come challenge Kirigakure all by himself!" Terumi Mei said under her breath, watching Kazama dominate the arena.
She turned to the Kirigakure elder, Genshi, who leaned in with a stern look. "I'm guessing this kid can only absorb standard ninjutsu. If Ringo Ameyuri loses next, you need to step up right away. Use your Kekkei Genkai—Yoton and Futton—to take him down. We can't let Kirigakure lose face!"
"Uh…" Mei hesitated, frowning. "But Elder, didn't you say it was best two out of three? If Kazama wins this one, that's two victories in a row already."
"Don't be so rigid!" Genshi snapped. "This is Kirigakure's turf, and we make the rules. I say how many rounds he fights, and he'll fight them. Or do you really want Otogakure to push Kirigakure out of Mizu no Kuni?"
"Raiton: Retsuten Raiso!"
While Genshi and Mei were hashing out their strategy, Ringo Ameyuri on the arena unleashed her ultimate technique: Raiton: Retsuten Raiso (Lightning Release: Heaven-Splitting Thunder Serpent).
Mei's eyes widened. She knew how devastating Retsuten Raiso was and couldn't help but worry for Kazama up there.
"Ha! Now that Ringo Ameyuri's pulled out her trump card, that Otogakure punk is done for!" Genshi laughed, not giving a damn about Kazama's fate.
To him, Kirigakure's interests were all that mattered.
Up on the arena, Ringo Ameyuri had fused with her Raiga no Kiba, transforming into countless giant serpents made of crackling lightning. They shot toward Kazama at blinding speed.
In mere moments, she landed hundreds of strikes on him.
"Anyone hit by that move is as good as dead!" a Kirigakure shinobi crowed.
"No kidding! They say Ringo Ameyuri's technique doesn't just kill—it turns into hundreds of lightning needles that stab the enemy from every angle, just to make sure they don't slip away!" another added.
"You guys are hyping this up, but what if I'm not dead? That'd be pretty awkward for you, huh?" a voice suddenly called out from the arena, cutting through the sea of lightning.
"What the?!"
"No way!"
As the crowd gasped, Kazama's figure emerged unscathed.
Not only had he completely absorbed Ringo Ameyuri's Raiton: Retsuten Raiso, but he'd also unleashed his own technique—Kuryu Raigoka (Nine Dragons Thunder Flame). Nine blazing dragons of thunder and fire swirled around him.
Kazama stood at the center of the arena like some kind of god descended to earth.
"He's a monster!" one onlooker screamed.
Some of the more faint-hearted in the crowd straight-up passed out. Kazama's display was way beyond what they could handle.
"Impossible! This can't be happening!" Ringo Ameyuri stammered, collapsing to her knees.
The cocky attitude she'd had at the start of the match was gone, replaced by sheer awe.
"Got any more trump cards?" Kazama teased. "If you do, go ahead and throw 'em at me. I can take it."
If this were the old Ringo Ameyuri, she'd have gone down swinging, no matter the odds. But Kazama's terrifying power had completely broken her spirit.
She had no fight left in her.
"I… I surrender," she muttered.
"What?!"
The entire Kirigakure crowd, including Genshi and Mei, was stunned. They knew Ringo Ameyuri better than anyone. For her to admit defeat willingly? She'd only do that against an opponent she truly believed she couldn't beat.
"Damn it! This Otogakure kid is a freak! Even Ringo Ameyuri's scared of him now," Genshi growled. "It's up to you now, Mei. You can't let Kirigakure lose face!"
Mei felt a pang of guilt. This didn't seem fair to Kazama. But for the sake of her village, she knew she had to take him down.