The collision of Chidori and Rasengan unleashed a blinding white light, causing the ground to tremble slightly.
Shattered stones scattered across the battlefield.
At the heart of the clash, Kakashi could sense his Chidori weakening, while Tengen's Rasengan showed little sign of diminishing.
If Kakashi withdrew now, Tengen would seize the opportunity to press the attack, likely forcing Kakashi to endure the full brunt of the Rasengan's power.
Kakashi knew its destructive potential from Minato's teachings. A direct hit would, at the very least, leave him severely injured.
"Increase Chidori's power!" Kakashi gritted his teeth, channeling more chakra into the crackling lightning. Just as the Chidori surged with renewed intensity, Tengen smirked, swiftly raising his arm and grabbing Kakashi's wrist, nullifying the Chidori's strike.
"Down you go!" Tengen seized Kakashi and hurled him forcefully toward the ground.
But the Kakashi on the ground vanished, replaced by a wooden log.
Substitution Jutsu.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Kakashi unleashed a torrent of scorching flames from his mouth, engulfing Tengen.
Tengen's fist, cloaked in a thin layer of Armament Haki, pulsed with power.
"Taijutsu: Haki Burst!" Tengen struck the massive fireball head-on. This wasn't an intricate technique like the blazing attacks he used at the Root headquarters or the devastating move that countered Mizukage Mei Terumi's Bloodline Limit. Those would have obliterated Kakashi mid-air, which wasn't Tengen's intent.
The invisible force of his punch shattered the flames, scattering them in all directions.
Kakashi braced himself, crossing his arms to block the shockwave, but the impact sent him reeling into the air.
"Where'd he go?" Kakashi scanned the ground, finding no trace of Tengen.
"Up here!" Tengen's voice rang out. Kakashi's gaze snapped upward.
"Clever, Kakashi, but, " Tengen's right leg descended like a giant axe, carrying devastating force.
"Block it!" Kakashi clenched his teeth, his face contorted as he sensed the overwhelming power in Tengen's attack from the howling wind.
A thunderous crash followed. Though Kakashi managed to block, the destructive force sent him plummeting to the ground.
The impact cracked the earth, forming a small crater. Kakashi pushed himself up and leaped out, just as Tengen's figure descended with even fiercer momentum.
Tengen's foot struck the ground.
A deafening boom echoed as cracks spread like a spider's web. Such a taijutsu attack would devastate anyone without extraordinary physical resilience, like the Raikage.
Tengen's taijutsu was terrifyingly formidable.
"Tengen's taijutsu is truly remarkable." Minato marveled from the sidelines, his eyes fixed on the scene to prevent any mishaps.
Even Minato, with his expertise, couldn't match this level of physical prowess. His strengths lay in ninjutsu mastery, evident in his creation of the Rasengan, a seal-less technique, and his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, a feat only the Second Hokage had achieved before him.
The Flying Thunder God Technique, a rare space-time ninjutsu, demanded exceptional talent. Many Konoha elites had likely attempted it, but its complexity, tied to spatial manipulation, made it nearly unattainable.
Other notable space-time techniques included Obito Uchiha's future Kamui, tied to his Mangekyo Sharingan, or Kaguya Otsutsuki's dimensional abilities. Tengen, too, possessed a Mangekyo Sharingan optimized by his system, granting him Kamui-like powers.
Watching the destruction Tengen wrought, Kakashi's heart pounded. Close-quarters combat with Tengen was far too dangerous.
"Still…" Kakashi's gaze hardened. His hands surged with even stronger lightning chakra, surpassing his earlier Chidori.
"Raikiri!" Kakashi declared, each word deliberate.
This was Chidori elevated to a new level.
With a roar, Kakashi's speed exploded, faster than ever.
"Kakashi, your technique is impressive, but it's not perfected yet." Tengen remarked, his eyes sharp as he charged toward the oncoming Kakashi.
"Take this!" Kakashi thrust his Raikiri, crackling with lightning, toward Tengen.
At the critical moment, Tengen seized Kakashi's Raikiri-wielding hand and delivered a crushing blow to his abdomen, infused with powerful Armament Haki.
Kakashi coughed, staggering back several steps as the Raikiri's energy dissipated.
Kakashi's Jonin-level skill was undeniable, but his combat experience was lacking. Before absorbing the elite Jonin experience pack, Tengen's experience might have rivaled Kakashi's. Now, with the pack, Tengen fought with the seasoned instincts of a ninja who'd roamed the shinobi world for decades.
Such was the system's power.
Moreover, Kakashi's Raikiri was still imperfect, and the gap in their taijutsu skills made it nearly impossible for Kakashi to land a hit.
Had Kakashi used other ninjutsu, he might have lasted longer, provided Tengen didn't unleash his full strength.
"Again!" Kakashi stood, determined to continue.
"Enough, Kakashi. You've lost." Minato interjected, stepping forward. Tengen's dominance in the fight was clear.
"Tengen, you're incredible. You might be promoted to Jonin soon." Minato said with a smile.
"I understand." Kakashi nodded. "Tengen, next time, I'll defeat you."
Tengen smirked, unconcerned, as he'd already received his reward for defeating Kakashi, a standard Naruto video.
"Well then, Minato-sensei, I'll head back." Tengen said to Minato.
"Alright. Take a look at the ninjutsu I gave you. You might have the aptitude for it." Minato replied, watching Tengen depart.
"Thank you, Minato-sensei."
***
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