Clang! Clang!
The clear ring of blades leaving their sheaths sounded almost simultaneously.
In the next instant, the two figures crashed together again!
They crossed, separated, collided—weapon against weapon—each probing for an opening.
Sparks flashed nonstop.
His swordsmanship…
Tekka watched from the side, secretly alarmed.
He even felt that if they were judging sword technique alone, Shisui was actually being pressured.
Only when Shisui's black eyes suddenly turned crimson—two black tomoe spinning in each—did the balance shift.
Good.
Tekka steadied his heart.
With the Sharingan active, dynamic vision and perception jumped dramatically.
Sure enough, with the Sharingan's boost, Shisui's movements became smoother, more fluid.
It was like he could pre-read Kiyohara's swings and counter before they landed.
"So this is the Sharingan… no wonder it's such a pain," Kiyohara muttered, brows tightening.
Magnet Release: Rotating Magnetic Field!
An invisible field spread outward from Kiyohara, spinning the surrounding magnetism—and then applying it directly to his own body.
Whoosh!
His speed jumped another tier.
His form blurred, and his blade strokes became so fast they left afterimages.
"!"
Now it was Shisui's turn to be shocked.
Even with a two-tomoe Sharingan, Kiyohara's movements were still visible—but the explosive speed forced Shisui to focus completely just to keep up.
They clashed again, but now faster—denser blades, tighter angles, the duel rising into white heat.
Onlookers like Rin, Kurenai, even Asuma, could barely follow anymore.
All they could see were two vague silhouettes flashing under moonlight and firelight, punctuated by rapid metal-on-metal impacts.
Just then, Shizune arrived, Tonton in her arms.
She'd searched for a while before finding the riverside clearing, and the moment she arrived, the intensity of the fight grabbed her attention.
"So fast…" she thought, startled.
Her gaze locked onto the fighter wreathed in black iron sand.
Tsunade-sama really had been right—Kiyohara might actually win.
In the clearing, Kiyohara chopped down. Shisui blocked.
Kiyohara's left hand formed a stealthy seal mid-clash.
Magnet Release: Iron Sand Binding!
Fine iron sand already scattered around the area surged under his control like flowing black water, wrapping around Shisui's blade and crawling toward his forearm.
Shisui tried to shake it off, but the adhesion was strong, ruining the weapon's agility.
In that lightning-bolt moment of hesitation, Kiyohara stepped in close.
"It's over," Kiyohara said calmly near Shisui's ear.
His blade tip stopped steadily—less than an inch from Shisui's throat.
Rin and Kurenai both let out a breath they hadn't realized they were holding.
Kiyohara drew his sword back slightly. "That's enough, Shisui. That was a phantom, wasn't it?"
But the instant he withdrew, the "Shisui" in front of him smiled faintly—
Then poof—he turned into white smoke and vanished.
"Impressive, Kiyohara-senpai," Shisui said, stepping out from the shadows.
"Your Magnet Release and speed exceeded what I expected. If we kept going, neither of us could guarantee pulling back cleanly—someone would get hurt. Let's stop here."
He paused, then added candidly:
"That last exchange—if I hadn't used Phantom Body Flicker ahead of time, the outcome might have gone either way. But I'll admit that in that clash, I was slightly behind you."
He explained that the moment Kiyohara pierced his fireball, he'd already activated the technique, using smoke as cover to hide his real body while leaving only a phantom behind.
"Shisui, you—" Tekka's eyes bulged.
He hadn't expected Shisui to admit he'd been outdone!
But seeing Shisui's serious expression—and Kiyohara still looking unspent—Tekka swallowed whatever protest he'd been about to spit out.
His face shifted several times.
In the end, Uchiha pride wouldn't let him twist the truth.
Tekka knew Shisui wasn't a kid who lied.
So he took a deep breath and said to Kiyohara, voice low:
"Hmph. This time you win. The Uchiha can win, and we can lose too. A bet is a bet!"
Even unwilling, he chose to protect the Uchiha's honor—keeping their word.
Hearing that, Kiyohara dispersed the chakra and magnetic field around him and nodded to both of them.
"Shisui, you're strong. If we fought with full intent, the result would still be uncertain."
Kiyohara could feel it—the phantom's performance was just a bit weaker.
It was extremely subtle, but his mental energy was far beyond normal, letting him notice the details.
He hadn't "seen through" the phantom cleanly—part of it had been educated guesswork.
And Shisui was only at two tomoe right now.
Before long, according to Itachi Shinden, he'd awaken three tomoe, then Mangekyō after losing a comrade.
It wouldn't be a long time. The next time Kiyohara saw Shisui, he might already be terrifyingly stronger.
Even Kiyohara had to admit it:
The Sharingan was unfair.
He couldn't help wondering when he'd roll an "Uchiha Kiyohara."
Tekka's expression visibly improved at Kiyohara's words.
"Here."
Tekka placed the shuriken into Kiyohara's hand.
"Among all non-Uchiha shinobi of our generation, I'd call you the strongest."
The Uchiha revered strength.
Kiyohara's talent truly was the best Tekka had seen among his peers.
"Thanks," Kiyohara said with a small smile.
Nice. Another payday.
These ninja-cat-forged shuriken were premium goods. He'd use them for now.
And if he ran short on money later, he could always sell them as "99% new, lightly used."
Quality like this would never lack buyers.
Tekka was a bit thick—like "Second Pillar" Sasuke.
But Kiyohara hoped he'd keep coming back to donate, so he added:
"If you want to spar again next time, come find me. We can train together whenever we've got time."
Experience plus profit—where else did you get a deal like that?
"I will, Kiyohara-senpai," Shisui nodded.
He wasn't arrogant like other Uchiha; he treated outsiders the same as clan members.
Tekka hesitated, then nodded too.
Kiyohara's talent and strength were worth befriending.
Training with him would sharpen their own skills fast.
The only downside—
Tekka remembered the custom shuriken he hadn't even had a chance to use yet were now lying in Kiyohara's pouch, and his heart ached.
Damn it. He'd win them back next time!
After Tekka and Shisui left, Kakashi came over and asked quietly,
"Your chakra growth is really fast. Is that Magnet Release's effect?"
There was a faint trace of envy in his voice.
If he had Kiyohara's growth rate, the Sharingan wouldn't be such a burden.
"Not sure. Maybe," Kiyohara answered vaguely.
"You actually won," Kurenai said, pumping a small fist.
"Then what was all that 'Kiyohara, you've got this!' cheering for?" he teased, turning to her.
Red eyes, curled black hair—
She really was growing up fast now, gradually approaching the "future onee-san" vibe.
"Ahem. I just didn't expect you to win that quickly," she said.
"Is that so?" Kiyohara chuckled, and didn't press further.
His mind was on something else.
Only five days left until the next Willbook arrived.
~~~
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