*Chapter 46: Is He Cheating or Something?*

"That sword is way too fast—like a flash of light! No time to react!"

"Even Darui can’t gain the upper hand? This guy’s insane!"

The surrounding Cloud ninja watched in shock.

This was the first time they’d seen Darui’s Crescent Moon Slash broken head-on.

"Honestly… this might be on par with White Flash."

One ninja muttered it offhand—no real thought behind it.

But the Fourth Raikage heard.

His eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing in them.

("White Flash, huh…? Now that you mention it…")

Back to the fight—

*CLANG!*

Darui, still reeling from the last strike, barely had time to blink before Yoru was on him again—sword raised like a tiger’s claws.

"Tch—!"

His hurried block was useless. The force sent him skidding back.

Yoru didn’t let up.

Darui’s instincts screamed. He flickered away in a shunshin—

But Yoru was faster.

A thin red line split open on Darui’s chest as he reappeared.

"Damn. That blade of yours…" Darui wiped blood from the cut, grinning. "No joke."

"You’re not bad yourself. First person to dodge my killing strike."

Yoru smirked—then lunged again.

"Lightning Style: Black Pa—"

Realizing swordsmanship wouldn’t cut it, Darui’s body crackled with black lightning—a volatile, razor-edged aura.

Even Yoru tensed. ("Gotta stop him. That thing’s trouble.")

"Genjutsu: Spirit Shackles!"**

He locked eyes with Darui—

But Darui snapped his own shut, flooding his system with chakra to break the illusion.

Then, instead of finishing his technique, he released the gathered black lightning in a wild surge—forcing Yoru back.

"Lightning Style: Thunder Pillar Wall!"**

Yoru’s defensive jutsu flared to life just as the black storm hit.

"Quick reflexes. But it’s over."

"Yeah. Normal lightning can’t block Darui’s Black Bolt."

The Cloud ninja sighed, already writing Yoru off.

But Tenjin, standing beside the Raikage, thought differently.

("Would he really lose this easily?")

*BOOM!*

The moment the two lightning forces collided—

A blinding explosion of light erupted.

The black lightning stalled—unable to break through.

White and black currents twisted violently…

Then canceled each other out.

"Hah?!"

The spectators gaped.

"He blocked… Black Lightning?!"

"No way! What kind of freakish thunder jutsu is that?!"

"Even the Third Raikage acknowledged that technique’s power!"

Darui himself was stunned.

"To think my Black Bolt… couldn’t break through."

Most opponents never even reached this point.

And those who did?

Never survived it.

"As expected of the Third’s chosen heir. That black lightning’s no joke."

Yoru shook out his tingling arm. "But now… my turn."

His hands flew into seals—

Darui charged, laughing. "You think I’ll just let you—?!"

"Oh?"

Yoru’s grin turned predatory. "You really don’t know my speed."

"Lightning Style: Gratitude Wave!"

Before Darui could cross half the distance—

Yoru’s hands blurred.

The white lightning that erupted was denser, sharper than before—

And way too fast to dodge.

"HOW?!"**

Darui’s spine went ice-cold.

No time to think—he flickered into a lightning clone just as the attack shredded his afterimage.

The Cloud ninja’s jaws dropped.

"That… that’s humanly possible?!"

"What kind of handspeed is that?!"

"Are we sure he’s not a puppet?!"

*WHOOSH!*

Darui reappeared at the arena’s edge—

Only to see Yoru’s face inches from his.

("Shit—!")

Instinct made him cross his arms over his head—

*CRACK!*

The kick sent him flying, blood spraying from his mouth.

"Don’t zone out now, Darui!"

Yoru’s friendly warning came with another set of blurring hand seals.

"Lightning Style: Thunderfall Array!"

He pointed skyward.

"Drop."

*KABOOM!*

A pillar of lightning slammed down from the heavens—

("ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!")

Darui’s black lightning erupted, morphing into a panther that leaped to meet the strike.

*BOOOOOOM—!*

The earth shook.

Light blinded the arena.

Cloud ninja staggered back as the two forces clashed—black and white bolts shredding the ground.

Ten seconds later—

The dust cleared.

A crater stretched across the battlefield.

On one end—Darui, battered, his body still twitching with residual electricity.

On the other—Yoru, untouched inside a crimson barrier.

The winner was obvious.

"Darui… lost? And that badly?"

One ninja sounded betrayed by reality.

"Like it or not… yeah. This guy’s the real deal."

As the barrier dissolved, Yoru tilted his head.

"So… we done?"

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