Chojuro stared at the towering figure over two meters tall, tightening his grip on Hiramekarei. That sheer size and bulk carried an oppressive weight.
"Though I don't want to dampen your spirit, I still need to warn you—the Explosive Blade's blasts are incredibly strong. If you're careless, you'll end up hurting yourself."
The Hozuki jonin at his side looked at Ranmaru and offered the reminder.
"Thank you, senpai."
Ranmaru flushed, bowing quickly before turning his gaze back to Chojuro. In his heart he thought: For Yuto-dono's sake, I must become one of the Seven!
"Begin!"
A deep voice gave the signal.
BOOM!
Chojuro leapt back swiftly, hands forming seals.
"Suiton—Water Formation Wall!"
A torrent gushed from his mouth, forming a whirling wall of water, enclosing him in a seamless defense.
He didn't pause, weaving more seals—Suiton · Water Clone!
Another figure identical to Chojuro appeared at his front. The two split apart, both watching cautiously beyond the swirling wall.
CRASH!
A violent impact rang out as Ranmaru's hulking form smashed into the water wall, shaking it hard.
Chojuro's eyelid twitched. Just as he thought—at that speed, regular ninjutsu attacks couldn't land.
Ranmaru steadied himself before the watery wall, then raised the Explosive Blade, striking with its plain edge.
SLASH!
The wall split instantly, his monstrous strength tearing it open to reveal Chojuro inside.
Joy flickered across Ranmaru's face, but he faltered when he saw two Chojuro figures standing there.
In the next breath, his gray-brown eyes turned red.
At once, he distinguished the real from the false.
"So that's the 'Red Eye' Ringo Ameyuri mentioned…"
Chojuro murmured, recalling her words.
"Suiton—Splatting Water Slide!"
Water pooled beneath his feet, propelling him across the surface like a skater.
But before the technique was fully formed, Ranmaru blurred past the clone and appeared in front of the real Chojuro, slamming down the massive blade.
"Suiton—Great Water Arm Technique!"
Chojuro shouted, his arms swelling twice their size. He gripped Hiramekarei tightly, blocking the crushing strike.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Heavy blows thundered across the training ground.
Even with ninjutsu reinforcement, Chojuro was forced down by Ranmaru's furious strength, barely holding his ground.
"No wonder he's trusted by the Mizukage. He's mastered the Great Water Arm Technique… But without the Hozuki Clan's Hydration Technique, he can't hold it long. Either way, this battle is nearly decided."
The Hozuki jonin watched with a trace of admiration.
So did the gathered shinobi. Their sharp eyes saw the flow of battle.
Though pressed hard, Chojuro would likely win.
That boy Ranmaru simply lacked the experience.
Among shinobi, unless you had absolute overwhelming power, strength alone didn't guarantee victory.
Feeling the ache in his swollen arms, Chojuro knew his jutsu wouldn't hold much longer.
But the moment was nearly here.
He stole a glance at Ranmaru's red eyes. Without Ameyuri's explanation of their ability, he might already have lost.
"Hiramekarei—Release!"
Their blades clashed again, and Chojuro unleashed its power. A massive beam of light erupted, blasting Ranmaru back several steps.
Now!
The ignored water clone appeared behind him.
"Suiton—Water Prison Technique!"
Before Ranmaru could react, a giant sphere of water engulfed him completely.
Inside, heavy water pressure and suffocation pressed down. He blinked in surprise.
"What an amazing jutsu… glub—"
His words cut short as water flooded his mouth, choking him.
"Haa…"
Chojuro exhaled softly. Strength alone couldn't escape the Water Prison.
From the side, Ringo Ameyuri's eyes shone. With just a little intel, Chojuro had built his entire strategy before the fight even started.
Red Eyes could see through disguises—so distraction jutsu were useless.
And with little experience, Ranmaru would always bypass the clone and attack the real body. A simple plan, but perfectly exploiting both his gift and his flaw.
But just as Chojuro thought it over—BOOM!
An explosion shattered the water sphere and clone in one blast.
The onlookers gasped.
"That brat didn't just set off the blade's explosion inside, did he? He was in range himself!"
As the smoke cleared, Ranmaru stood unharmed, Explosive Blade in hand.
Chojuro, Ameyuri, the Hozuki jonin, and every shinobi watching—all their eyes narrowed in shock.
That skin… unbreakable!
The reason the blade was called the most dangerous was that its blasts harmed friend and foe alike.
But Ranmaru's body had withstood it without a scratch.
"That was scary… I almost drowned…"
Ranmaru muttered sheepishly, holding the blade in one hand, patting his chest with the other.
Chojuro froze for a beat, then quickly raised a hand to stop him from continuing.
"That's enough. No need to fight anymore."
His arms still trembled with pain—if this went on, someone would die.
"S-so… did I pass?"
Ranmaru looked at him pitifully, like a child begging for approval.
But with that hulking, beastlike frame, the effect was chilling.
"You're not a qualified wielder of the Explosive Blade… but you are its most fitting wielder."
Chojuro said softly, eyes solemn.
If Ranmaru fully mastered the blade, his strength might rival Kisame Hoshigaki—the strongest of the Seven in their prime.
With a body that ignored the explosions, anyone fighting him at close range would be blown apart—while he walked away unscathed.
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[[email protected]/Razeil0810](http://[email protected]/Razeil0810)