17 Easy Victory

"Clang, clang..." 

The clash of steel resounded, filling the area with an electrifying intensity. Kurenai found herself locked in a fierce battle with Hayashi, their blades meeting in a symphony of strikes and parries. His katana sliced through the air with a precision that momentarily left her awestruck. Yet, determined not to be outdone, she swiftly countered his attacks. Her hands moved with practiced precision as she wielded kunai and shuriken, while her movements remained fluid and calculated throughout.

Despite her best efforts, Kurenai found herself gradually pushed back by Hayashi's relentless onslaught. His skill was evident in each strike, relentless and precise. With practiced precision, he deftly swatted aside her projectiles. The metallic clang echoed around them, resonating through the air. Prepared for his next move, Hayashi raised his katana.

Feeling the pressure, Kurenai knew she had to act fast. With a burst of speed, she lunged forward, aiming to catch Hayashi off guard. However, he proved quicker, effortlessly parrying her attack. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly disengaged. His katana was poised for action, its deadly intent clear to all who witnessed it.

As the advantage of his longer weapon became evident, Kurenai's instincts kicked in. With lightning-fast reflexes, she narrowly avoided the fatal strike. With a controlled descent, she touched down on the ground, swiftly restoring her poise. Her gaze never left her opponent as she braced herself for the coming onslaught.

Undeterred by her evasion, Hayashi pressed forward, unleashing a barrage of ferocious attacks. But Kurenai refused to back down, meeting each strike with the same resolve. With gritted teeth, she pushed herself to the limit, determined to prove that she was not so easily defeated. 

Yet, with each passing moment, doubt began to creep into her mind. It whispered insidiously, suggesting that perhaps she was fighting a losing battle. The arena blurred with motion and steel as they engaged in a deadly dance. 

Despite her efforts, Kurenai found herself slowly overwhelmed by Hayashi's relentless assault. With each passing moment, the gap widened. She found herself backed into a corner, her options dwindling until she had none left.

And then, in a moment of clarity, she realized the truth. No matter what technique she used, it was useless in the face of Hayashi's overwhelming skill. He was not just a formidable opponent – he was a force of nature, a whirlwind of destruction that left devastation in his wake. 

With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kurenai knew that she had been outmatched from the start. No amount of training or experience could prepare her for the sheer power of his onslaught. 

And as she watched him press forward, she knew that her only choice was to accept defeat. 

But even in defeat, she refused to bow her head in shame. In a last-ditch effort, Kurenai unleashed a powerful genjutsu, hoping to gain the upper hand. 

However, Hayashi's years of training had sharpened his senses. With fierce determination, he pushed through the illusion.

Then, in a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity for Kurenai, Hayashi saw his opportunity. With a sweeping motion, he brought down his gleaming blade. The action unleashed a surge of energy that rippled through the air, creating a sharp and ominous aura of power around him.

"Whoom!" 

A powerful shockwave emanated from the blade. It created a whirlwind of force that swept through the arena, causing chaos and disruption.

Caught off guard by the sheer power of the attack, Kurenai found herself forced to evade. Rolling to the side with practiced agility, she quickly regained her footing.

However, in her haste to avoid the onslaught of energy, Kurenai failed to notice a figure lurking in the shadows behind the swirling waves of force. With the momentum of the sword energy propelling him forward, the figure closed in with lightning speed. 

"Boom—" 

"Snap!" 

As Kurenai fell to the ground, a bamboo sword suddenly pressed against her neck. 

Gazing at the boy before her, Kurenai felt momentarily stunned. It was as though the ground beneath her was shaking.

"You've lost, Teacher Kurenai," Hayashi declared calmly. Rather than removing the blindfold immediately, he reached out to snatch the bell from her waist. 

A formidable genjutsu user was among the most dangerous types of ninja in the shinobi world. Every move had the potential to trap opponents in a deceptive illusion. Despite possessing Observation Haki, he knew that facing a Jonin's techniques was uncharted territory for him. 

To err on the side of caution, he closed his eyes. Kurenai was overly reliant on her own genjutsu techniques. As a result, she lacked the ability to mount any resistance.

The slashing prowess of the One Piece World was undeniably formidable in the realm of Kage. Throughout the ranks of Konoha's shinobi, only those wielding the Susanoo were capable of similar feats. Despite Hayashi's chakra reserves being at the level of a Chunin, his strength without a sword could rival that of a Jonin, albeit under specific circumstances. 

While Kurenai's incapacitation was largely due to her inability to utilize her formidable skills, he also recognized the significant advantage afforded by the swordsmanship techniques he had inherited. In a world where chakra dictated nearly every aspect of combat, the ability to execute powerful slashing strikes without expending chakra was a considerable asset. By neutralizing his opponent's abilities, he positioned himself advantageously. 

Ninjas stripped of their cherished techniques, save for taijutsu masters and those with bloodline abilities, were little more than ordinary individuals with enhanced physical capabilities. Such individuals were commonplace in the One Piece World, where reliance on chakra was nonexistent.

Kurenai was the best example. 

Her recent performance seemed almost akin to that of a Genin. 

"You truly are astounding, Hayashi," Kurenai marveled as she watched him snatch the bell.

"Your sword technique is simply unparalleled. How did you achieve such mastery?" 

Feeling the weight of the bell in his hand, Hayashi finally removed the cloth covering his eyes. With eyes as yellow as Kurenai's were red, he offered a candid response.

"To be honest, even I'm not sure. When I was younger, while practicing with Hinata by the river, I inadvertently sliced through the water. It startled us both."

"When you were young?" she furrowed her brows, pondering silently.

"Neither of those sword strikes exhibited any chakra fluctuations. Does a shinobi truly require the consumption of chakra for bloodline limits? Or could this not even be considered a bloodline limit?" 

"Teacher Kurenai, are you alright?" Hayashi asked casually. He seemed oblivious to her musings, simply seeking to deflect the conversation.

The power of the Breath of All Things served as the power system from another world. Apart from him, who was aided by the Template System, no one else could possibly practice it. Even if the method were readily available, others lacked the necessary qualifications.

"No, it's nothing... I concede," Kurenai replied, snapping out of her reverie. She turned her gaze to Hayashi, meeting his piercing yellow eyes with a sense of acknowledgment.

"Hayashi..." 

Observing the apparent resolution between the two, Hinata and Aburame Shino approached. 

For once, Hinata met Hayashi's gaze directly. Her eyes were brimming with admiration.

Meanwhile, Shino adjusted his sunglasses, his movements slightly stiff as he continued to recover from the lingering effects of the genjutsu. Despite this, he spoke with his usual matter-of-fact tone.

"Hayashi, you've been concealing your true abilities," he stated definitively, his voice cutting through the tension.

"If one were to consider it, you should have graduated from the ninja school long ago."

"I still have much to learn," Hayashi responded softly, acknowledging his own shortcomings. 

In truth, even Hayashi himself was uncertain of his current strength. He hadn't given his all during the battle, knowing that Kurenai didn't pose a significant threat.

Based on today's encounter, a genjutsu Jonin like Kurenai would hardly be able to fully assess his capabilities. It would likely take a match against Elite Jonin like Kakashi Hatake to truly gauge his prowess. 

Shino remained silent, assuming Hayashi was merely being modest. 

Similarly, Kurenai shared this sentiment, admiring the humility of her student. 

"Clap." 

Kurenai's hands came together, drawing the attention of him and the others. With a smile, she addressed them, "Today's survival exercise was meant to test your impromptu teamwork, but unexpectedly, I've been bested by Hayashi." 

"I won't renege on my wager. Meet me at the school gate at six o'clock tonight, and I'll treat you to a barbecue," she declared, raising two fingers.

"Now, disperse." 

With that, Kurenai vanished from sight. 

As Hayashi watched her disappearance, a glint of realization flickered in his eyes. 

'Almost forgot... Body Flicker Technique!'

This escape technique would have easily evaded his sword energy. 

Though he couldn't fathom why Kurenai hadn't utilized it during their skirmish, Hayashi made a mental note of it. 

In the heat of battle, he had chosen to hold back his full strength, refraining from unleashing the full force of his techniques. Had he done so, he would have utilized his Water Release. With the fluidity of flowing water, his strikes with his bamboo sword would have landed with unparalleled precision.

Even in those fleeting moments of close combat, he harbored the confidence to leave lasting scars on Kurenai's body. Yet, he couldn't shake the sense of remorse for even entertaining such thoughts.