Qianyu had killed the second Special Jonin. Only Oyuro remained.
His subordinate died, a blade piercing his throat. Oyuro trembled with rage.
Crackling electricity danced over Qianyu's body.
"Thunder Breathing: Third Form — Thunder Swarm!"
Qianyu began circling Oyuro at blinding speed, leaving waves of lightning in his wake.
The arcs of electricity were drawn to the lightning chakra shrouding Oyuro's body, lashing out at him autonomously.
But the damage was minimal. A nuisance.
Fury burning in his veins, Oyuro strained his eyes, trying to lock onto the streaking blur.
He was adapting. The afterimages were getting clearer.
"Got you! Cloud Style: Crescent Moon Slash!"
Oyuro predicted Qianyu's next position. His ninjato swept out in a massive, crescent-shaped arc.
The impact vibrated up the blade. He'd hit something—metal. Qianyu's kodachi.
Finally, he saw Qianyu clearly.
But Oyuro's eyes widened in confusion. Qianyu's face held a mocking smile.
The next moment.
Oyuro felt himself sinking.
He looked down. The ground beneath his feet had turned to swamp.
Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!
"It was a feint, you idiot." Qianyu's voice was flat. "I slowed down just so you could see me coming. Pathetic. It's over."
"Thunder Breathing: Sixth Form — Rumbling Thunder!"
From Qianyu's center, countless bolts of lightning-shaped slashes erupted in all directions.
Trapped in the mud, Oyuro had nowhere to go.
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
The strikes landed true. Oyuro's body erupted in a network of searing, blackened cuts. A raw, agonized scream tore from his throat. The smell of charred flesh filled the air.
Oyuro collapsed, convulsing on the ground.
Qianyu didn't let his guard down. His voice was ice. "Don't worry. More of your Cloud ninja will join you soon. I've got my eyes on your village now."
His blade descended. A clean strike separated Oyuro's head from his shoulders.
Warm blood sprayed across Qianyu's face.
The head rolled a few times before stopping. Oyuro's fading consciousness held one last, bitter thought. Another Leaf prodigy… I couldn't stop him here… How many of us… will die by his hand…
His eyes glazed over. Gone.
The fight was finally over.
Qianyu wiped the blood from his face with the back of his hand and let out a long, slow breath.
He tried to move towards where he'd left Kushina. His legs buckled. He barely caught himself.
His chakra reserves were almost empty. The long pursuit had drained him dry. Without that, he wouldn't have risked the feint.
He glanced at his right hand. The muscle at the base of his thumb was torn, blood seeping out.
His raw strength couldn't match Oyuro's, especially not with the man's Lightning Release chakra supercharging his muscles.
Oyuro's style—no, the style of most Cloud ninja—was too similar to his own. Cloud shinobi excelled in kenjutsu and Lightning Release, favoring taijutsu-ninjutsu hybrids. Qianyu's greatest strength, the Thunder Breathing sword forms, was the same type.
His speed was superior, but not overwhelmingly so. In a head-on clash, he held little advantage.
And because of that speed, if Qianyu chose to evade, Oyuro would have had a hard time pinning him down.
But a war of attrition was a losing game. He'd had to force a decision before his chakra ran out.
Still… he'd won.
Qianyu produced a blank scroll and sealed Oyuro's head inside. He did the same for Atsui's head and the first Special Jonin's.
He walked to where he'd left Kushina. She was asleep, her head resting against the white snake's body.
Kidnapped, dragged toward the border, plunged into despair—the ordeal had exhausted her body and spirit. The moment Qianyu arrived, the flood of relief and trust had washed all her resistance away. Sleep claimed her instantly.
Qianyu bent down and gently scooped her up in his arms. He looked at the snake. "Thanks."
Seeing Qianyu was in a decent mood, the serpent seized its chance. "Lord Qianyu, next time… can I have something fresh?"
Qianyu's eyes glinted. "Sure. Won't be long. I'll let you eat your fill."
The snake's face contorted into a disturbingly human-like, fawning grin. "You're the best, Lord Qianyu! I love you! From now on, you point east, I won't go west! You say eat them alive, I won't touch the dead ones!"
Qianyu rolled his eyes. "Enough. Are the other three still intact?"
The snake patted its swollen belly with its tail. "Safe and sound. One hundred percent secure. You can trust me!"
"Good. Return to Ryūchi Cave for now. I'll summon you later."
"Farewell, Lord Qianyu!"
The snake dissolved into a puff of smoke.
Qianyu swallowed a soldier pill, feeling a trickle of chakra return. He adjusted his grip on the sleeping girl in his arms and began the journey back to Konoha.
The rhythmic motion of his run must have disturbed her. Kushina stirred, then woke.
She didn't make a sound. She just stared up at his face, her gaze intense enough that he finally felt it.
He looked down. "Kushina. Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
"Sleep a little longer, then," he said softly. "I'll keep it steady. I'll wake you when we reach the village."
Her arms suddenly wrapped around his neck. She pulled herself up and pressed a soft, fleeting kiss against his cheek.
Qianyu froze mid-stride. Rooted to the spot.
After the kiss, Kushina buried her face into the crook of his shoulder. Her voice was a muffled, trembling whisper. "Qianyu… When I thought… I might never see you again… I was so scared. I didn't know what to do… Thank you. Thank you for always being there. Thank you… for everything."
Qianyu lifted his right hand, gently wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. A soft, rare smile touched his lips. His own voice was a quiet murmur, meant only for her.
"Kushina… I should be thanking you. After my parents died… I was just living to survive. But now… it's different. My world has you in it. And only you."