Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 118: The Lightning King

Dodging Kichiro's Wind Needles, Tonari made a sharp turn, charging directly at him.

However, this battle wasn't just between the two of them. The Sand ninja, who had been relentlessly slaughtered earlier, now saw an opportunity to retaliate. They unleashed a barrage of attacks toward the lightning trails in the forest.

Boom! Boom!

Explosions echoed continuously as various jutsu targeted Tonari.

He narrowed his eyes. "I wasn't planning to waste more time on you weaklings, but since you insist... I'll grant your wish."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his lips curled into a smirk.

If these small fry wanted to interfere, he would clean them up first before focusing on the jonin.

Swish!

The sound of lightning cutting through the air was followed by a bloody mist blooming in the rain-drenched forest.

Two Sand genin, attempting a sneak attack, fell to the ground, clutching their throats. Their lifeless bodies collapsed in silence.

---

The sheer speed and lethality of Tonari's blade were unmatched by these lesser opponents. His skill with the blade had been honed to perfection over the past year, allowing him to carve through enemies with precision and ease.

As another genin fell to the ground, Tonari couldn't help but marvel at the effectiveness of a well-forged blade.

"No wonder Sakumo Hatake was so feared. Just a blade and his skill could bring entire armies to their knees. Against these Sand ninja, it feels like child's play."

Kichiro's face darkened further as he watched two more of his subordinates drop lifelessly to the forest floor.

"All genin and chunin, fall back 500 meters!"

His sharp command echoed through the battlefield, and the remaining lower-ranked Sand ninja scrambled to retreat.

Kichiro, gripping a handful of senbon, charged at Tonari with a murderous aura.

---

Seeing Kichiro charge directly toward him, Tonari smirked inwardly.

"Perfect. I've been waiting for this."

He needed Kichiro to step into his territory—to abandon his natural strengths and engage in close combat.

The closer Kichiro came, the greater the advantage for Tonari.

Both shinobi dashed toward each other, closing the distance rapidly.

---

Kichiro hurled his senbon, their sharp tips cutting through the air.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Tonari's short blade spun in his hand, deflecting each projectile with precision.

With his opponent's initial attack neutralized, Tonari pressed forward. The short blade, charged with lightning chakra, gleamed in the dim forest light as he swung it toward Kichiro's neck.

This was Tonari's strongest strike—a culmination of all his training over the past year.

But Kichiro was no ordinary opponent.

His kunai intercepted the strike in the nick of time. Sparks flew as the blade and kunai clashed, their owners locked in a fierce contest of strength.

---

Tonari didn't expect his first attack to succeed, but he used the moment to test Kichiro's reflexes and strength.

When the force from Kichiro's kunai pushed against him, Tonari withdrew his blade swiftly, avoiding a counterstrike.

Kichiro anticipated this and twisted his kunai into a sharp downward arc, aiming for Tonari's exposed midsection.

Tonari, however, had already prepared for such a move. With a calculated swipe, he redirected the kunai into the wet ground, creating a shallow crater upon impact.

Both fighters used the momentum to leap back and reset their positions.

---

The battle escalated as they clashed repeatedly, their weapons creating a symphony of metallic echoes.

For every strike Kichiro delivered, Tonari had a counter.

The forest became their battleground, the foliage shredded by their relentless exchanges.

Kichiro's frustration grew. "This... brat! A mere genin holding his own against me?!"

The strain of his earlier injury, combined with Tonari's relentless assault, began to take its toll on him.

---

Determined to end the fight, Kichiro disengaged abruptly, forming hand seals at a rapid pace.

"Wind Style: Wind Cutter Array!"

Four walls of slicing wind formed around Tonari, enclosing him in a deadly trap. From these walls, razor-sharp wind blades shot out continuously, seeking to shred him.

Tonari's short blade whirled in his hands, cutting through the incoming wind blades with practiced ease.

But the relentless barrage was wearing him down.

---

Tonari gritted his teeth as he deflected yet another blade, his muscles burning with exertion.

"This is getting out of hand..."

He reached into his pouch and retrieved a small, smooth, blue-purple pill.

His eyes narrowed as he debated his next move. With a resolute nod, he popped the pill into his mouth.

The moment the pill dissolved, a surge of energy coursed through his body.

---

"Argh!"

A muffled groan escaped Tonari as his body reacted violently to the influx of lightning chakra.

Crackling arcs of electricity enveloped him, their intensity illuminating the surrounding forest.

This pill was a product of his year-long experimentation—a creation inspired by Orochimaru's research but uniquely his own.

Packed with potent lightning chakra and other rare components, the pill was designed to enhance his compatibility with the lightning element.

---

As his cells were bombarded with lightning energy, Tonari felt his body pushed to its limits.

The pill wasn't just a weapon; it was a gamble.

It could help him unlock a latent affinity for lightning or destroy his body in the process.

But this was no time for hesitation.

---

The forest roared with thunder as Tonari's body fully adapted to the pill's effects.

Lightning coursed through him, amplifying his speed and strength to unprecedented levels.

His short blade now crackled with a ferocious mix of lightning and water chakra, its edge glowing with raw power.

From the heart of the storm, Tonari emerged.

---

Kichiro froze, momentarily stunned by the transformation.

Before him stood not a mere genin, but a warrior cloaked in lightning.

Tonari's voice was calm yet charged with determination. "Let's finish this."

The Lightning King had arrived.

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(Chapter End)

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