"Biu!
It was both too late and too soon.
"Body Flicker Technique!
With years of battle-hardened experience, Sarutobi Hiruzen narrowly evaded the Laser beam with Body Flicker Technique at the last possible moment.
Fortunate for him, he had learned from his teacher, the Second Hokage, to concentrate chakra on the soles of his feet, making quick movements second nature. What's more, Sarutobi Hiruzen was at the pinnacle of his physical prowess at that moment.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at his right arm in astonishment, despite successfully avoiding the terrifying beam. However, the laser's scorching heat had instantly seared his arm's clothing, leaving behind burn marks.
The laser that missed Sarutobi Hiruzen struck the large tree behind him, causing a catastrophic blaze as it pierced through the trunk, turning it into a torch.
Spectators standing near the tree, who had initially been watching the spectacle with curiosity, broke into cold sweats. They exchanged horrified glances, silently dispersing and distancing themselves from the area, until they were almost unable to discern the figures of the two combatants.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's skin still tingled from the residual heat on his clothes.
"What a terrifying level of heat and lethality," he thought.
Sarutobi Hiruzen abandoned his initial plans to impress the ordinary Konoha ninjas with his grand-scale ninjutsu and to potentially show his might to Kazuhiko. Instead, he now focused on finding a way to defeat his opponent quickly.
Kazuhiko, too, was somewhat taken aback by Sarutobi Hiruzen's agile dodge.
"However, isn't this fun?" he mused.
Kazuhiko acted without hesitation, and this time, Sarutobi Hiruzen would witness the true nature of his technique.
Kazuhiko stood directly in front of him, with one hand on the short sword at his waist and the fingertips of his other hand pointed at Sarutobi Hiruzen. A massive amount of golden light instantly gathered on his fingertips, leaving onlookers in sheer terror.
"Let's do this again!
"Laser Beam!
"Biu!" "Biu!" "Biu!"
"Biu! " "Biu!" "Biu!" "Biu!" "Biu!"
In an instant, Kazuhiko's fingers fired like a machine gun, and beams of terrifying light shot toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Ninjas in the vicinity, wide-eyed and astonished, couldn't help but inquire, "What kind of jutsu is this? It's incredibly powerful!"
"I have no idea, I've never heard of it!"
"Could it be the bloodline limit ability of the Uzumaki Clan's Clan Head?"
"What's his name, by the way?"
"It's Uzumaki... Kazu... hiko, yes, it's Kazuhiko!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't hear their conversation. His pupils contracted instantly, enveloped in an intense feeling of crisis. Everything around him blurred as Kazuhiko and his laser light took center stage in his vision.
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt transported back to his days on the battlefield, dodging lethal threats repeatedly. The moment of crisis clung to him, a constant threat of death.
His fighting instincts awakened, making him agile and focused. He moved with the grace of a trained dancer, evading the rays of light. He managed to avoid the deadly beams, but his black combat uniform was in tatters, bearing scorch marks from the intense heat.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"
Behind him, the laser beams hit the ground, causing fiery explosions. Even those watching from a distance could feel the heat waves. Sarutobi Hiruzen paid it no mind; at that moment, he was drenched in sweat, far from the expert he'd been.
In this stressful, adrenaline-pumping environment, he was rapidly losing fluids, but he couldn't take his eyes off Kazuhiko, who was orchestrating the deadly light show.
Sarutobi Hiruzen realized that Kazuhiko's Shadow Clone had deceived him earlier, allowing him to approach from behind. The laser capitalized on this vulnerability, catching him off guard once again.
Sarutobi Hiruzen regretted not seeing through the deception sooner and wished he hadn't tried to impress Kazuhiko. Without thinking, he formed a seal and unleashed a jutsu against Kazuhiko.
"Earth Style Earth Stream!"
The ground beneath Kazuhiko transformed into a rushing torrent of soil. Sarutobi Hiruzen seized the opportunity to launch another jutsu.
"Earth Style Earth Dragon Bullet!"
A colossal brown projectile surged from the earth, while Sarutobi Hiruzen's swift hands formed another seal.
"Fire Style · Dragon Bullet!"
The flames burst forth, creating a maelstrom of sludge and fire that enveloped Kazuhiko from all sides. Sarutobi Hiruzen knew this wasn't the solution but hoped to create enough chaos to gain an upper hand.
He then pressed down on the ground, summoning his beast.
"Summoning Jutsu, Monkey King: Enma!"
"Bang!" The presence of a fearsome beast filled the area as a towering ape materialized next to Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Yata no Kagami!"
Facing the all-encompassing assault, Kazuhiko transformed into a flash of light and appeared in front of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Flash Kick!"
"Boom!"
**********
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