*BOOM!*
Uchiha Jin's figure, wreathed in flames, descended like a blazing meteor. The searing heat radiated from him in waves, withering the surrounding flowers and grass in an instant.
But this wasn't just simple body-wrapping fire. It was a technique Jin had developed by combining the power of the Flame-Flame Fruit with chakra: the Fire Release Chakra Mode!
With the boost from the Flame-Flame Fruit, Jin's affinity with fire-style ninjutsu had reached its peak. He no longer needed hand signs—he could wield fire as naturally as breathing.
And through this, he had developed many new jutsu.
The Fire Release Chakra Mode was one of them.
Though it didn't enhance his physical attributes to the terrifying degree of A's Lightning Release Chakra Mode, it offered balanced offense and defense, along with many other advantages.
"A shinobi of the Uchiha Clan… I admit, I underestimated you."
A stood not far from Jin, lightning crackling around his body. There wasn't a single scratch on him—no visible injuries at all.
The formidable defense of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode allowed A to shrug off most attacks.
But even so, being knocked back in a head-on clash was, to him, more humiliating than being injured. To be beaten in the area he prided himself on most—raw power—was unbearable.
"Enough talk! Blaze Fist!"
Jin had no interest in idle chatter. In a flash, he appeared before A and swung a fierce hook punch at his face!
"So fast!"
A's pupils contracted. Jin's speed stunned him.
If he hadn't been accustomed to high-speed combat, he wouldn't have been able to track Jin at all.
But that only fueled A's rage.
"Don't look down on me! Heavy Stream Smash!"
With a furious roar, A twisted his body and countered with a powerful elbow strike aimed at Jin's punch.
It was well known that Uchiha shinobi were famed for their ocular powers, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. Yet Jin had chosen to fight him with taijutsu!
Using his weak point to attack A's strength!
To A, that was an insult.
Of course, if Jin had known what A was thinking, he would've found it both amusing and frustrating.
Yes, compared to taijutsu, Jin was far more proficient in ninjutsu—especially wide-area destructive techniques.
But against someone like A, whose defense was absurdly high, only focused, pinpoint attacks would have any chance of inflicting real damage.
That's where his Blaze Fist came in.
*BOOM!*
Jin's fist, cloaked in a dense, nearly tangible layer of orange-red flames, detonated just before clashing with A's elbow, engulfing half of his body in fire.
The explosive force erupted at A's side before his Heavy Stream Smash could fully connect, blasting him away.
A let out a pained cry as he flipped mid-air, managing to land solidly on his feet.
Though not as swift as the Fire Fist, the flames from Fang Bite had been condensed, massively increasing their temperature.
A's right arm and neck were severely burned. His skin puckered and bubbled, large blisters quickly forming. Even someone as tough as A couldn't help but grimace from the burning pain.
"Damn it!"
Clenching his jaw, A locked eyes with Jin and reached up to the burned areas.
One by one, he violently tore open the blisters.
The grotesque display of pain tolerance made even Jin wince in discomfort. This man truly deserved the title of the most reckless brute in the shinobi world.
"Lightning Rage: Thunder Axe!"
With a roar, A transformed his pain into raw power. Lightning surged around him as he leaped into the air, bringing his leg down at Jin like a crashing axe.
Faced with the incoming blast, Jin didn't dare take it head-on. He pushed off the ground, leaving two scorched footprints behind as he vanished.
A's eyes narrowed. A flash of understanding crossed his mind as he quickly locked onto Jin's position. Though he adjusted his trajectory slightly, he didn't halt the attack.
*BOOM!*
His foot landed with a deafening crash, splintering the ground for over ten meters in every direction.
Using the momentum from his strike, A accelerated once more, his speed nearly doubling as he surged toward Jin.
In a blur, he appeared before Jin and slashed with a hand formed into a blade.
"Lightning Destruction Chop!"
Electricity surged as the high-density chakra condensed into a blade of lightning, slicing toward Jin's neck.
With a bang, Jin's form exploded into fire, rushing at A like a wave.
Caught off guard by the proximity, A had no time to evade. Fortunately, the flames weren't particularly hot. With a quick dodge, he emerged unscathed.
"A fire clone, huh…"
A stabilized his stance and scanned the surroundings, eyes sharp.
He had already analyzed Jin's abilities. One more strike, and this battle would be over.
Jin's speed might look on par with his, but it wasn't true speed.
Each of Jin's movements was preceded by a massive buildup of flame at his feet. He used the explosive force of that fire to launch himself at high velocity.
It was a kind of alternative Fire Flicker—a variation far faster than the typical Body Flicker Technique.
But this Fire Flicker had a serious flaw:
It lacked flexibility.
The fiery blast could only propel Jin in a straight line, and it made it harder for him to react while in motion.
A had already proven this with his last move.
In fact, he had mimicked Jin's Fire Flicker to pull off his own burst acceleration just moments ago.
Beyond that, A had noticed something else—Jin's physical attributes were still inferior to his own, especially after activating the Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Though their clashes had seemed like direct hits, their bodies had never truly collided.
Jin's fire-coated fists always exploded just before contact, creating shockwaves to repel A without a true impact.
That was the real reason A had been knocked back twice.
If A's Lightning Mode enhanced his body from the inside—boosting strength, speed, and resilience—then Jin's Fire Mode functioned more like an external ninjutsu armor.
Before A could even strike, Jin's explosive flame attacks would reach him first.
There was no question—at this rate, A would be at a disadvantage.
But he had already come up with a counter.
This battle was his to win.
Gathering chakra silently, A suddenly turned his gaze to a spot not far to his left. His eyes gleamed.
"Found you!"