Sudden Explosion Attack!
The two blood clones both used an S-rank forbidden jutsu—Blood Burn Explosion!
Although the power of the technique wasn't at its peak due to the clones' limited chakra, it was still incredibly terrifying!
With a deafening roar, the earth trembled violently!
A raging chakra-fueled fire erupted into a sea of flames!
Because the explosion occurred before Haruto Saito could fully distance himself from Hinata Domon, he was also affected. However, since he wasn't at the center of the blast, he was only thrown into disarray and not seriously injured.
The intense flames and shockwaves destroyed the surrounding trees, filling the air with thick smoke and shaking the entire space.
Haruto Saito rolled with the shockwave, then quickly leaped away, completely widening the gap between himself and Hinata Domon.
A fierce wind swept through!
Perched tens of meters away on a tree branch, Haruto Saito gripped his Rapid Blade in a reverse hold, staring intently into the fiery inferno.
Chakra surged wildly within the flames, spinning violently and stirring the fire into a massive vortex—almost forming a flaming tornado! But within seconds, the fire began to weaken as the wind grew stronger, and gradually, Haruto Saito could make out the scene within the blaze.
Hinata Domon was spinning at an incredibly high speed!
It was the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!
At the critical moment, he had successfully deployed the technique, renowned as the ultimate defense!
"As expected, it's difficult to take him down directly!" Haruto Saito muttered to himself. He had already calculated that the chances of successfully assassinating Hinata Domon with this attack were low.
Hinata Domon specialized in taijutsu—he wasn't skilled in forbidden techniques or teleportation abilities. However, he was a defensive-type ninja! His reaction speed when activating defense was incredibly fast. Even formidable figures like Momochi Chigen couldn't kill him… Haruto Saito had mentally prepared for this outcome!
He still remembered using this exact technique against Sarutobi Hiruzen before!
During that test, Haruto Saito had managed to injure Hiruzen, who had suppressed most of his power and refrained from fighting back, using Blood Clone Detonation!
This time, however, Haruto Saito wasn't sure if Hinata Domon was injured—or if he was, how severe the injuries were!
The Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation lasted for over ten seconds!
All the surrounding flames were completely dissipated!
Hinata Domon suddenly stopped spinning, panting heavily, glaring at Haruto Saito!
He looked utterly battered!
His clothes were tattered, his body covered in scorch marks, and even parts of his hair had been burned off. His shoulders and abdomen bore deep wounds from the explosion, with fresh blood staining his garments.
He was seriously injured!
More crucially, he had expended an enormous amount of chakra!
The emergency situation had forced him to channel chakra outward before even beginning his rotation—creating a repelling force to withstand the explosion's impact!
Because of that, he had managed to survive and execute the Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!
But in doing so, his chakra reserves had been severely drained!
Hinata Domon's eyes were bloodshot as he panted heavily, locking his gaze onto Haruto Saito. He now fully understood that he had been played. More than that, he realized that Haruto Saito had never intended to flee—he had deliberately lured him here for the kill!
Now, standing atop the tree, Haruto Saito exuded a completely different aura!
The panic and fear were gone—his eyes now brimmed with cold calculation!
"Tsk tsk, Lord Domon, does it hurt?" Haruto Saito mocked, his gaze filled with sarcasm. "You're still alive after that? You really are tough! The defensive capabilities of the Hinata clan are truly no joke!"
"Haruto Saito! Well played!"
Hinata Domon gritted his teeth, standing on the brink of an outburst. Being toyed with by someone so much weaker was a disgrace!
"No wonder the Hokage took you as a direct disciple. If you caught the Hokage's eye, it's not by chance!" Hinata Domon first praised Haruto Saito, but then his tone shifted, revealing a cruel smirk. "But so what?! In the end, you're still not my equal! No matter your schemes, you are still beneath me!"
Hinata Domon had absolute confidence in his strength!
And truthfully, he wasn't wrong. Without wearing him down first, Haruto Saito wouldn't have had any chance of defeating him!
"Enough talking!" Haruto Saito flipped off the tree branch, crouching low, his blade held horizontally in front of him as he locked eyes with Hinata Domon. "Lord Domon, today, we settle this—once and for all! Only one of us is leaving here alive!"
"Where does your confidence come from?!" Hinata Domon scoffed, spreading his arms as he took his stance, unleashing a terrifying aura.
The air around him swirled into a violent current!
An oppressive force, like an abyssal demon reaching out its hand, engulfed Haruto Saito!
"Tsk!" Haruto Saito clicked his tongue, rolling his shoulders, causing his joints to crack audibly.
"You're already dead!" Hinata Domon declared coldly, as if pronouncing Haruto Saito's death sentence.
Boom! Boom!
Boom! Boom!
The ground beneath both fighters exploded simultaneously as they launched themselves at each other like cannonballs, becoming blurs of motion!
Haruto Saito drew both his blades, unleashing a flurry of rapid, deadly strikes aimed at Hinata Domon.
Hinata Domon, however, wielded no weapon. His hands glowed with chakra, moving with lightning-fast precision—parrying, striking, deflecting, pulling—using a series of intricate yet masterful techniques to counter every one of Haruto Saito's attacks while attempting to land a pressure-point strike!
Haruto Saito's blades shimmered with razor-sharp energy!
The two figures weaved through the dense forest at blinding speed, clashing repeatedly! Occasionally, they'd briefly separate before immediately diving back into combat!
Hinata Domon was astonished!
He couldn't understand how Haruto Saito was this strong. Such a mastery of close-quarters swordplay—where had he learned it?! How could someone so young wield such profound samurai techniques?!
Hinata Domon knew his condition. Due to his injuries and heavy chakra consumption, his speed and strength had diminished.
But even so, his close-combat prowess should still vastly exceed that of any ninja specializing in ninjutsu!
How was Haruto Saito matching him blow for blow?!
Haruto Saito, however, was struggling internally—his hands were going numb!
Even with enhanced strength in his arms, his samurai techniques weren't enough to overpower Hinata Domon… After all, Hinata Domon was a taijutsu master, a near-Kage-level warrior! The Hyuga clan's Gentle Fist was renowned throughout the ninja world!
Choosing to engage him in close combat was a reckless gamble!
Haruto Saito had only done so to test how severe Hinata Domon's injuries really were. Only an intense, high-speed battle could reveal the truth!
"Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!" Hinata Domon suddenly changed his technique…
Haruto Saito reacted swiftly, retreating in an instant—he couldn't withstand that attack, especially since his grip on his swords was weakening!
"Damn, he's still this strong?!"
Cursing, Haruto Saito fell back, then vanished into the ground using an Earth Escape Technique. Two seconds later, he reappeared several meters behind Hinata Domon, already forming hand seals!
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
A massive fireball, as large as a two-story building, erupted from Haruto Saito's mouth, hurtling toward Hinata Domon!