Sunlight scattered across the training field, casting long shadows across the cracked ground. The place was eerily quiet.
Hayashi let out a deep sigh. It seemed his attempt at negotiation had failed.
His little tricks, like his half-baked "Cute-Cute" ability, were still far from effective, especially against a Jōnin like Tsunade. That left him with only one option—fight with everything he had, even if the outcome was inevitable.
He couldn't afford to cower now.
Although there was no chance of victory—he hadn't even graduated yet—he couldn't let fear control him. Tsunade was stingy, hot-tempered, and overwhelming in strength, but none of that gave him the right to back down.
Hayashi's eyes darted around, scanning the open field. There wasn't a single obstacle to use as cover.
Taijutsu? Against Tsunade, who specialized in it, hopeless.
Chakra reserves? She was Senju, her stamina was leagues above his.
Genjutsu? She'd likely dispel it instantly.
He was completely suppressed in every aspect. His only advantage was his intelligence—and maybe his looks, though those wouldn't help here.
Still, Tsunade wouldn't fight with full strength against a child. That was the gap he had to exploit.
Tsunade rolled her shoulders, then crooked a finger at him, smirking.
"Come on, brat."
The disdain in her tone lit a fire in his chest.
Hayashi pulled out a shuriken and kunai from his pouch. Without hesitation, he flicked the shuriken with his right hand, following it immediately with the kunai in his left. The kunai's trajectory intersected with the shuriken midair, altering its path toward Tsunade.
At the same time, Hayashi charged forward.
"Oh? Uchiha's famous throwing technique," Tsunade remarked casually. Instead of dodging, she simply slammed her fist into the ground, pried up a massive stone slab, and used it as a shield. The kunai and shuriken clattered harmlessly against it.
Hayashi's eye twitched. She hadn't even bothered with a substitution jutsu. What a brute.
Then, with a casual flick, she hurled the slab at him. It cut through the air like a boulder fired from a cannon.
Hayashi skidded to a halt, narrowly dodging as the slab smashed into the ground with a thunderous crash. If that had hit him, he'd have been a smear on the dirt.
Before he could recover, Tsunade was already upon him, her fist gleaming faintly with chakra. That delicate-looking punch could shatter boulders. Hayashi thrust his kunai forward in desperation.
But Tsunade twisted, hooking his leg with hers and breaking his balance. She caught his collar with her free hand and flung him like a ragdoll. His body arced through the air, spinning uncontrollably.
Even in midair, Hayashi's mind was racing. Her speed and power weren't at full Jōnin level. She was holding back. Was she underestimating him that much?
He whipped shuriken toward her mid-flight. Ordinary shuriken wouldn't work, but he wasn't using ordinary shuriken.
"Scatter!"
Dozens of shuriken glittered in the sunlight as they spread wide, converging from multiple angles.
Tsunade folded her arms, unimpressed. "Pointless."
But Hayashi wasn't done. His fingers brushed against the patterned bands wrapped around his wrists—special summoning seals he had purchased from Granny Cat. They were primitive versions of storage scrolls, but reliable.
In a blur, twin black shuriken materialized at his fingertips. He launched them with precise timing, then unleashed a storm. His arms moved in a dazzling blur, shuriken whistling through the air in rapid succession.
From a handful to over a dozen.
From a dozen to dozens more.
Then, suddenly, the barrage multiplied severalfold, filling the sky like a swarm of locusts.
"Behold my Pear Blossom Rain Shuriken Technique!"
The air darkened under the rain of steel. It was so dense that even someone as fast as Tsunade couldn't simply dash aside.
Her smirk faded into a frown. To throw this many shuriken with such precision… the boy had trained furiously. One mistake, and he'd impale himself instead.
No wonder Nawaki spoke with envy about Hayashi's shuriken skills. It wasn't just flashy, it was terrifyingly effective.
Still, Tsunade wasn't about to let herself be overwhelmed.
"Earth Release: Earth Wall!"
She slammed her palm to the ground, and a massive wall of stone rose up, shielding her as the storm of steel clattered against it.
Hayashi narrowed his eyes.
Not good.
Tsunade lifted her leg. Chakra surged.
"Heavenly Foot!"
Her kick shattered the ground, sending a jagged crack racing toward Hayashi like a lightning bolt. He aborted his attack and leapt aside just in time.
Shuriken were useless. His ninjutsu lacked the force to break through. Genjutsu was his last option—but only if he could create the right opening.
Tsunade closed in again, not giving him time to breathe.
Hayashi quickly formed hand seals. Dozens of clones burst into the field, surrounding her.
"Oh? The Body Flicker Technique of Uchiha Kagami?" Tsunade actually raised an eyebrow. "It's been a long time since I've seen this. Impressive… but still too slow. I'll find the real one in seconds."
Her fist smashed into the ground again. The shockwave spread like ripples, giving away the real Hayashi's position.
"There you are!"
She dashed forward and lashed out with a kick. Her foot passed cleanly through his body.
"What—? A genjutsu?!"
Her chakra flared as she disrupted the illusion.
Too late.
Hayashi's fist was already swinging up from below. His punch connected with her chin, snapping her head upward. Before she could regain balance, his knee rocketed into her stomach, lifting her into the air.
Not stopping there, Hayashi planted his foot firmly, vaulted upward, and delivered a crushing kick to her abdomen. His chakra surged through his leg, amplifying the strike as he rose above her.
"Uchiha… Lion Combo!"
He spun and brought his heel down like an axe, slamming into her from above.
But just as his foot connected—
Bang!
Tsunade's body erupted in a puff of smoke.
"A Shadow Clone?!" Hayashi's eyes widened.
---
Milestone,
100 Power stones = 1 Bonus Chapter