In Naruto with the Flame-Flame Fruit

Kiyosuke was lost.

A ninja getting lost—wasn't that ridiculous?

Was there even any justice in the world?

This was all that woman's fault—Terumi Mei had been chasing him relentlessly, leaving him scrambling like a headless chicken until he completely lost his bearings. And now? He had no clue where he was or how to get back.

"My luck's unbelievable... And you! Why are you still chasing me?!"

He twisted around to look at Terumi Mei, who was still hot on his heels. This girl had some serious stamina—she hadn't given up once.

"You're my mission!"

"You take your missions that seriously?" he muttered, crouching on a tree branch.

Mei stopped as well, keeping a safe distance.

"In Kirigakure, the mission takes priority. If I fail, I'll be punished."

Kirigakure operated under a strict regime, almost completely isolated from the outside world. The village upheld brutal systems, and failing a mission could lead to harsh punishment—bloodline limit or not.

Not death, of course. Kirigakure hadn't joined this war just to lose valuable shinobi. They were here to gain something. But so far, their fights with Konoha hadn't brought much success.

Yesterday had been especially devastating—six of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were killed. Six!

Jinpachi Munashi, the coldest and most ruthless among them, remained.

The Seven Ninja Swordsmen were one of Kirigakure's elite forces. Matching a sword with the right wielder was no easy feat, and now, with six dead, it would be impossible to restore the group anytime soon.

Terumi Mei, being a rare bloodline wielder, wasn't someone they'd allow to die. But punishment? That was a given.

And she wasn't about to let that happen. She was going to complete her mission.

Besides... she really wanted to beat the crap out of Asakawa Kiyosuke.

Okay, maybe there was also a little competitive fire in her. Kiyosuke was about her age, yet his strength was terrifying. Several of the Swordsmen had died by his hand. She wanted to see just how far apart their abilities really were—without dying in the process, of course.

"Well, that's rough," Kiyosuke said with a laugh.

His grin only made Mei want to punch him more.

"Hmph! You're not getting away today! Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"

A stream of water surged from her mouth. Kiyosuke leapt away, dodging just in time.

"Killing you would be a waste," he muttered, "but if I don't take you down, you're never going to leave me alone."

"Exactly."

"Hmph! The path to victory is already set! Here comes—ME!"

He struck a bizarre pose before leaping from the branch, flames blazing from both palms. With a swing of his arms, two spears of fire shot out.

"Water Style: Water Formation Wall!"

Their attacks collided and canceled each other out. Kiyosuke raised a hand, igniting a vortex of flame around him. The air instantly grew hot and dry.

Mei's eyes widened. That level of chakra control—without even forming hand seals—was insane.

"Flame Jet!"

"Water Style: Wild Water Wave!"

Realizing ninjutsu wouldn't decide this fight, the two of them charged at each other.

Sparks flew as their kunai clashed.

Hand-to-hand, Kiyosuke had no doubts—he wouldn't lose.

Mei's taijutsu was impressive—far beyond any other kunoichi of their generation. Her movements were sharp, clean, efficient—far from what you'd expect from someone her age, let alone a girl.

Their battlefield shifted with each exchange.

"Lava Style!"

Mei suddenly leapt into the air and sprayed a torrent of corrosive acid from her mouth.

Kiyosuke barely dodged in time.

The acid hit the ground and melted through it, forming a gaping pit. And it didn't stop there—like a geyser, it kept pouring out. Mei stood in the middle of it unharmed, while the acid splashed skyward and came back down as corrosive rain.

Hsssss—!

The trees, rocks, and earth began to wither and pock under the rain. Leaves yellowed and died in an instant.

Kiyosuke clutched his arm—some of the acid had splashed him. If he hadn't reacted fast, he might've lost the whole limb. Luckily, only the outer skin was burned.

Flames surged around him, forming a protective shield that blocked the acid rain.

He reached into his ninja pouch, pulled out some bandages and anti-inflammatory ointment, and slapped the salve onto the wound without hesitation.

"Mmmgh—!"

The sting was unbearable—but kind of satisfying in a twisted way.

Gritting his teeth, he wrapped the wound hastily. Outside, things had quieted down. He dropped the flame shield and saw Mei panting heavily.

That last technique had clearly drained her chakra.

But his own chakra reserves were running low too. As he stared at her, Kiyosuke began weighing his options. He needed to find a way to shake her off for good.

"You're done for," Mei panted.

"Don't count me out yet. I've still got a trick or two left," Kiyosuke grinned. "You might want to run while you still can. Otherwise, you're going to die in a really unpleasant way."

Mei's heart sank as she stared at the fire enveloping him.

She remembered it clearly.

She quickly formed hand seals and called out:

"Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave!"

A massive pillar of water erupted beneath them, flooding the area. Kiyosuke snuffed out his flames and let the surge carry him off.

"Now that's what I call an escape route!" he laughed as he vanished with the current.

"That bastard!"

Mei gritted her teeth and gave chase. She wasn't letting him go. No way.

...

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Two figures zipped through the forest, trading deadly blows.

Kiyosuke's clothes were torn and bloodied, with several gashes across his body. Mei didn't look much better—her hair was partially singed, and her clothes were shredded, exposing multiple wounds.

They'd been fighting for two whole days and nights.

Unlike the more reckless members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Mei was far more cautious. She mostly relied on long-range attacks and rarely engaged Kiyosuke up close—and when she did, it was brief. She kept him at bay just enough to wear him down, leaving him stuck in a frustrating limbo.

Without backup, Kiyosuke couldn't go all out. Both of their chakra reserves were nearly depleted.

Elsewhere, Kirigakure and Konoha had resumed full-scale battle. No one was coming to back either of them up. They'd wandered so deep into the Land of Waves, they were completely lost.

But none of that mattered now.

All they wanted was to take the other down.

They were fighting on the edge of a cliff—below them, the ocean roared. At some point, they had reached the border of the Land of Waves.

Mei stood across from Kiyosuke, breathing heavily, disheveled and worn.

"Stop... stop running! That's the sea below! Asakawa Kiyosuke, there's nowhere left to go!"

Kiyosuke chuckled darkly. "And what makes you think you're not the one who's going to fall?"

His chakra was too low to summon anything—not even elemental transformation was possible now.

But pride wouldn't let him lose ground. His words, at least, had to be sharp as ever.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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