Chapter 20

— Let's see how you like this, — Mito smirked and rotated her palm clockwise, instantly reconfiguring the sealing technique without a physical medium.

…turning the technique against its creator! I still have a long way to go to reach that level! Watching as a small bright spot in the center of the seal began to expand and the wall of flame started to move back in the opposite direction, I grimaced but canceled Shōsen no Jutsu, forming a concentration seal with one hand.

Golden chakra chains shot out from the four tenketsu points on my shoulders and formed a transparent kekkai around me, designed specifically to protect against fire. Before the returned technique could test the strength of the defense, I began forming another series of seals with my other hand — I didn't think Mito-chan would be satisfied with just that.

And I was completely right, as soon as the wave of fire passed by without causing any harm, the barrier burst with the sound of breaking glass from a simple touch, suddenly very close to the kunoichi. Who would doubt that, with the ability to set up such barriers, the red-haired masters of sealing jutsu also know how to destroy them! But I was prepared as well.

— Chidori Senbon!

Several dozen lightning needles formed in the air and descended upon Uzumaki, but the barrier that instantly appeared before her stopped the unexpected attack, just as several dozen golden chains surged in to follow. I then shattered the kekkai using sheer force in the absence of anything better, but that was the only success achieved.

Familiar with my tactics from many battles, Mito simply encased herself in a golden cocoon of similar chains, wrapping herself in an almost invulnerable shell. Although she could only use a dozen of her tenketsu for this, compared to my several dozen, Uzumaki clearly had more experience with manipulating chains than I did.

Unfortunately, war is not the best place for training and further refining techniques. Without even trying to break through the cocoon with my "tentacles," I just sighed wearily and dropped to the ground, dispersing the golden constructs.

— Oh-ho-ho, already giving up, Ryo-kun? — Uzumaki asked mockingly, also removing her protection.

— Considering the recurrence of such situations, we both know that the further confrontation depends on our chakra levels, — I huffed, — and winning in this field against a jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails, even a former one, can only be achieved by Hashirama or ancient Uzumaki monsters, but not half-bloods like me.

— Well, well, let me pity you, little one, — the red-haired kunoichi smirked, approaching closer and beginning to pat me on the head.

Sending her an annoyed glance, I was distracted by the glimpse of velvet skin from the kunoichi's training outfit and instantly shifted my thoughts from my defeat to entirely different ones.

— I know how you can pity me, — Mito purred in response, running her hands over her long, slender legs, then capturing a pair of firm buttocks.

— As if I didn't know that, — the kunoichi snorted mockingly, giving me a symbolic tap on the back of the head, — anyway, someone complained about being too tired at work, not having enough chakra for a full training session, and so on!

But judging by the corners of her lips that were trying to spread into a smile, the red-haired beauty was quite willing to spend some time in bed, not for sleeping. Grinning widely, I stood up — Iyakufuin had just finished its work — and, lifting the kunoichi into my arms, hurried toward the house.

— But first, we'll visit the bathroom, — Mito declared, scrunching her nose slightly.

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