Shiranui Riku now faced a jonin and a special jonin alone.
This was his first time going up against opponents of such a high level.
The ninja he had decapitated in a surprise attack earlier had clearly been powerful. Judging by how Oyuro had dodged and countered his Second Form: Rice Soul, Riku could tell that while Oyuro wasn't faster than him, the man possessed immense combat experience. He had managed to dodge three of Riku's sword strikes using nothing but sheer instinct and reflex. Though the fourth slash couldn't be avoided, Oyuro had minimized the damage by retreating just far enough—only sustaining a deep gash to his chest.
Oyuro exchanged a quick glance with Atui, and years of battle-hardened teamwork meant Atui immediately understood the signal.
"Cloud Style: Flowing Slash!"
Oyuro formed a series of hand seals in rapid succession, and crackling lightning began to surge around his body.
Since Riku had been using lightning chakra to enhance and activate his own body during the battle, the currents from Oyuro's technique were drawn to him like a magnet. Bolts of electricity arced directly into his body.
At the same time, Oyuro gripped his sword with both hands and launched a powerful slash at Riku.
Riku braced himself, absorbing the lightning through his sword while guarding his torso.
Oyuro unleashed three successive, heavy strikes.
Each blow landed with tremendous force, forcing Riku to take several steps backward.
As Riku staggered, Atui appeared behind him using a high-speed movement technique, slashing his blade in a surprise rear attack.
But instead of slicing flesh, Atui's blade sank into a puddle of mud.
His eyes widened in shock—a mud clone!
"When did he even cast the jutsu?!" he thought.
"Atui, move—NOW!" Oyuro shouted in alarm.
"Latent Shadow Snake Hands!"
Riku reappeared to Atui's right. Several snakes burst from his sleeve, latching onto Atui and sinking their fangs deep into his flesh.
Atui's body was suddenly bound tight.
At the same moment, Riku's sword swung toward Atui's exposed neck.
"Damn it! Shadow Thunder Lunge!"
Oyuro activated lightning chakra throughout his body, boosting his movement speed and racing toward them.
Just as Riku's blade was about to slice through Atui's throat, Oyuro's sword cut through the snakes binding Atui and knocked him away, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Atui managed to avoid a fatal blow—only his shoulder was grazed.
Riku narrowed his eyes.
As he suspected, Oyuro also used lightning chakra to stimulate his body, enhancing his strength and speed. However, Riku noted, Oyuro's primary boost seemed to be in raw power rather than quickness.
After pulling Atui to safety, Oyuro turned toward him with a grim tone. "Don't underestimate him. This kid is dangerous."
He fixed his eyes on Riku, suddenly realizing something. That move just now—it was unmistakably a signature technique of Orochimaru, one of Konoha's legendary Sannin.
Riku began weaving seals.
He took a deep breath.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A sea of flame erupted from Riku's mouth, sweeping forward like a tidal wave.
"Dodge it!" Oyuro barked.
He leapt clear of the inferno and, circling around, charged toward Riku.
"Lightning Style: Thunder Blade of Six Paths!"
Oyuro infused his sword with dense lightning chakra. Arcs of electricity danced wildly along the blade, eventually exploding forward in a surge aimed straight at Riku.
"Oh? A lightning clash?" Riku smirked. "Let's see whose style reigns supreme."
He pointed the tip of his katana at Oyuro.
"Thunder Breathing, Fifth Form: Scorching Thunderclap!"
A searing bolt of heat and lightning burst from Riku's blade, colliding with Oyuro's thunder technique in a blinding flash.
The dark forest lit up as the two attacks clashed violently.
An electric stalemate formed.
Oyuro's eyes widened in disbelief. How could this kid have such enormous chakra reserves?
Not only that—Riku's control over lightning nature and form transformation surpassed his own.
Is he a prodigy? Oyuro thought grimly.
He had fought in the Second Great Ninja War. He'd seen plenty of geniuses. Children even younger than Riku, capable of taking down veteran jonin, or even outperforming them.
Compared to those monsters, Oyuro had always felt average.
At 27, he had only just made jonin.
Which is why the threat Riku posed was clear.
This boy—with the Sharingan and monstrous potential—could never be allowed to live.
If left unchecked, he would become an existential threat to the Hidden Cloud Village.
Oyuro abruptly disengaged from the lightning clash, dodging sideways to avoid the remainder of Riku's Scorching Thunderclap, and closed the gap again with a flash-step.
"Cloud Style: Flying Blade!"
Oyuro slashed forward, his sword wrapped in lightning.
But Riku didn't retreat—he counterattacked head-on, his own lightning-charged blade crashing into Oyuro's.
The metallic ring of colliding blades echoed through the forest.
Despite Oyuro's strength-enhancing chakra, he was forced back by Riku's sheer power.
But Riku knew that wasn't the end of it.
As Oyuro reeled backward, the lightning-infused blade emitted a second slash—a bolt of pure lightning launched from the weapon, targeting Riku at blinding speed.
The lightning connected, engulfing Riku.
"Now, Atui!" Oyuro roared.
He believed Riku was paralyzed and vulnerable—this was their chance.
But Atui didn't respond.
Oyuro glanced sideways—and froze.
Atui lay collapsed on the ground, half of his body charred. His limbs twitched involuntarily.
"What... what happened?!"
By all logic, Atui should have easily dodged the Great Fire Annihilation. So why was he lying there, incapacitated?
"Oh?" Riku suddenly appeared next to Atui with a body-flicker.
He grabbed Atui's hair and lifted his limp head.
"It looks like the poison finally kicked in," Riku said coldly.
He stared at Oyuro with his crimson Sharingan glowing in the darkness. "Did you really think your lightning would paralyze me? You thought the lightning covering my body was just for show?"
That's when Oyuro noticed Atui's veins—darkened and bulging.
His face turned pale.
The snake bite...
The snakes Riku had summoned with Latent Shadow Snake Hands weren't just for restraint—they had injected Atui with venom.
Weakened and poisoned, Atui had been unable to dodge the fire technique and collapsed in agony.
Riku pointed the tip of his blade at Atui's throat and smirked.
"Don't worry," he said to Oyuro. "You're next."
Without hesitation, Riku thrust the blade through Atui's neck.
Atui's body convulsed a final time, then went still.
Oyuro's bloodshot eyes locked onto Riku with fury.
But Riku just laughed coldly.
"Why are you looking at me like that? The moment you kidnapped Kushina… we were already at war."