Chapter 59: A Dance of Clones and Lightning
Aizen's body landed steadily.
From the beginning to the end, his expression had not wavered in the slightest. He was the epitome of calm composure!
In stark contrast, Yakushi Kabuto lay on the ground, writhing in pain from the lightning strike. A charred, smoldering hole was visible on his arm, from which blood flowed, a stark and cruel testament to the power of the attack.
In this first direct exchange, the difference in their performance was clear for all to see.
An uproar swept through the stands. No one had expected the situation to reverse so instantly. Most had assumed Kabuto's surprise attack from behind would be the finishing blow. They never anticipated Aizen's reaction speed would be so monstrous, allowing him to turn certain defeat into a decisive counterattack.
Huff... Huff...
Kabuto's face was pale and slick with cold sweat, his breathing ragged. The sharp, throbbing pain in his arm forced him to grit his teeth. Internally, he was reeling. He had genuinely not expected Aizen's combat reflexes to be so sharp, allowing him to shatter a lethal predicament in the blink of an eye.
"It seems I was careless," Kabuto muttered, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip, his eyes narrowing with renewed intensity. "A guy who caught Lord Orochimaru's eye naturally has more than a few tricks up his sleeve." Aizen's astonishing reaction time and speed had finally ignited the long-dormant fighting spirit within him.
In the stands, the reactions were varied.
"It seems the rumors are true. He is a ninja who specializes in Lightning Style and speed," the Third Hokage mused, his gaze sharp and analytical as he watched Aizen. Even now, he had not completely let go of his suspicions.
"Great! Get him, Aizen!" Kiba cheered, pumping his fist in the air, unable to contain his excitement.
A beautiful, relieved smile blossomed on Hinata's delicate face, a sight as warm and comforting as a spring breeze.
"Don't think for a second that this is enough to defeat me!" Kabuto snarled, his body coiling low. "The battle has only just begun!"
He shot forward, arms swinging at his sides, his palms once again glowing with the blue, surgical light of the Chakra Scalpel.
"The same trick again?" Aizen remarked, his face still a mask of utter indifference, as if nothing in the world could perturb him.
His hands, however, were a blur of motion.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A colossal sphere of fire erupted from his mouth, the scorching heat it emitted warping the air. It roared forward with overwhelming force, carving a deep, molten furrow into the stone floor of the arena. The temperature in the entire hall spiked dramatically.
This stunning display of Fire Style instantly seized the attention of every person present.
"Fire Style?!" someone gasped.
The crowd was abuzz once more. He had just used Lightning Style, and now this? For a genin to wield two chakra natures was a clear sign of a prodigy with limitless potential.
Watching this, the Third Hokage's eyes gleamed with a deep, thoughtful light.
"Body Flicker Technique!" Kabuto was not foolish enough to take the fireball head-on. He formed a seal and vanished once more.
It seemed the script was repeating itself.
Kabuto's figure flickered past the raging inferno of the Great Fireball and rematerialized behind Aizen, just as before.
"Repeating the same old trick? How naive," Aizen said, spinning around with preternatural speed. Lightning crackled at his fingertip once again as he prepared to fire.
But this time, a strange, triumphant smile twisted Kabuto's lips as the lightning bolt struck him.
Poof!
Instead of being pierced, Kabuto's body dissolved into a cloud of white smoke.
"Shadow Clone?!" the audience exclaimed in unison. No one had seen him create it.
Swish!
The real Yakushi Kabuto appeared in a different position, already in mid-lunge toward Aizen. He grinned slyly, the shuriken in his palm glinting as he thrust it toward Aizen's body.
In the stands, everyone held their breath, anticipating the bloody outcome.
"Dammit, Aizen, move!" Kurenai whispered, her fist clenched so tight her knuckles were white. For some reason, her heart was pounding violently.
Shink!
The shuriken plunged deep into Aizen's torso. Kabuto seemed to have secured his victory.
But the gruesome scene he expected did not materialize. With a familiar poof, Aizen's figure also dissolved into a puff of white mist.
"Your reactions are still too slow."
A cold, calm voice spoke from directly behind Kabuto. Before he could even turn, a tremendous force connected with his lower back, sending him flying through the air like a ragdoll.
A sickening crunch echoed through the silent hall. A spray of blood erupted from Kabuto's mouth as the impact shattered several of his ribs. He crashed to the ground in a heap, unable to rise.
Aizen stood behind him, unscathed and utterly composed, as if everything had unfolded exactly according to his design.
Aizen had won the duel.