Kirigakure Training Grounds
"Water Style: Water Fang Bullet!" Terumi Mei's seals were a blur, her voice sharp as she unleashed the jutsu. As Ye Liangnai staggered from her earlier counter, two conical water pillars surged toward him, their tips gleaming like spears.
Boom! Ye Liangnai raised his katana to block, but the force was overwhelming. The impact sent him flying, his body skidding across the ground. Mei pressed the attack, closing the distance with predatory grace, but Ye Liangnai's form crackled, dissolving into a burst of lightning that enveloped her.
"Lightning Style: Shockwave!" The electricity morphed into serpentine tendrils, coiling around Mei with blinding speed. It was a technique born from Lightning Clone Jutsu, adapted into a direct assault. But Mei's body collapsed into a puddle, a Water Clone, and the real Mei materialized behind him, her leg swinging in a devastating kick. "Fragrant Strike!"
Ye Liangnai reacted calmly. "Lightning Style: Thunder Pillar Wall!" Two radiant columns of lightning erupted from the ground, forming a shimmering barrier. The kick collided, sparks flying, but Mei vanished in a blur, her speed dizzying.
She reappeared, only for Ye Liangnai's voice to cut through. "Binding Flow Curse!" Triangular runes surged across Mei's body, locking her movements. Her eyes widened. A sealing jutsu? When did he— Her mind raced, pinpointing the moment. When I knocked him back earlier. He's quick—too quick.
"Lightning Style: Thunderfall Array!" Ye Liangnai's shout drew her gaze upward. A roiling black cloud formed, crackling with concentrated lightning, its intensity enough to make even Mei feel a prickle of danger.
"Not bad, Little Ye!" Mei called, her voice laced with pride. "Switching to Lightning Style hasn't dulled your edge—you're still a force!" Her chakra surged, a torrent of power shattering the sealing runes. As the lightning descended, she wove seals. "Water Style: Water Formation Wall!" A dense water barrier rose, neutralizing the electric onslaught.
"No sneak attacks on me, Little Ye!" Mei taunted, but Ye Liangnai was already there, his katana flashing with lethal intent. The blade sang, aimed at her torso.
Mei's seals shifted in an instant. "Water Style: Mighty Water Arm!" A massive watery arm erupted from a summoned puddle, its fist slamming into Ye Liangnai with bone-crushing force. Bam! He flew back, blood spraying from his mouth as he hit the ground, his chest screaming in pain. Feels like my ribs are toast.
"It's not over, Little Ye—stay sharp!" Mei's voice was relentless. Her cheeks puffed, and she unleashed a deluge. "Water Style: Water Shockwave!" A tidal wave roared, swallowing Ye Liangnai whole. The sheer volume overwhelmed him, his body tumbling helplessly in the current, unable to resist or counter. The water's weight was suffocating, dragging him under.
As the wave receded, Ye Liangnai staggered to his feet, soaked and battered. "I lost," he admitted, his voice hoarse but tinged with a wry smile. Mei's seriousness had crushed him—the gap between them was a chasm.
Mei approached, her expression softening as she clapped a hand on his shoulder. "For someone who just picked up Lightning Style, you're incredible. Only Jonin and above can threaten you now. That eases my mind a bit." Her tone grew stern. "In Kumogakure, be careful. Don't let your identity slip, got it?"
Ye Liangnai nodded, his eyes steady. "I'll be fine, Sis. You watch yourself too—don't let Yuan Long pull anything. We'll both grind for the next six months, and when I'm back, we'll take control of our fates and build a new Kirigakure." He paused, then added, "Oh, and Sis—Fuguki Suikazan's not trustworthy. Don't tell him anything, and don't let him suspect a thing. If you're stretched thin, ask Kisame to keep an eye on him. He's reliable."
Mei nodded, committing his words to memory. "Understood."
With a final glance, Ye Liangnai turned and left the training grounds, his silhouette vanishing into the mist as he set out for Kumogakure.
Kumogakure, Raikage's Office
"No more slip-ups this time!" The Fourth Raikage's voice boomed, his muscular frame radiating authority as he addressed a team of Cloud ninja. "Another failure, and we'll struggle to recruit outside talent. Do your jobs!"
"Understood!" The ninja saluted, vanishing in a blur to carry out their orders.
The Raikage leaned back, his mind on the defector. "Yura from Kirigakure, huh? Real or fake, you'll spill Mist's secrets first." His plan was calculated. "Pass our tests, and I'll treat you as a loyal subordinate. Fail, and you're nothing but a source of intel, watched so closely you can't sneeze without permission. Either way, I win."
He wasn't naive enough to blindly trust a Mist runaway, but the opportunity was too good to pass up. "This 'Yura' might shed light on that rising star, White Chill," he mused. "A potential threat, like the Yellow Flash once was. Not as dangerous, but Konoha's warning means he's no small fry."
En Route to the Land of Lightning
"Faster! No delays!" The Cloud ANBU captain's voice was a whipcrack, urging his team onward. "Another missed recruit, another failed mission, and we'll have no face to return to Lord Raikage. We'd be better off dead! So stay sharp—success is the only option!"
"Yes, sir!" The team's response was unified, their voices laced with grim resolve as they raced through the rugged terrain.
Near the Land of Frost, Bordering the Land of Lightning
"Give it up, Yura. You're cornered—surrender now!" A squad of Mist ninja encircled a silver-haired youth, their faces cold as steel, blades drawn. "Betraying Lord Mizukage is a death sentence. Come back and beg for mercy—you might live."
The youth—Ye Liangnai, disguised as Kira—stood tall, his blue eyes glinting with defiance. "You think I'd come this far just to crawl back?" His voice was steady, edged with resolve. "Returning means death. I know the price of betraying Kirigakure better than anyone. You're wasting your breath."
He squared his shoulders, his stance unyielding. "I have two paths: fight to the death or hold out until Cloud's reinforcements arrive. There's no third option."
The Mist ninja tightened their formation, their intent clear. Ye Liangnai braced himself, his new identity and Lightning Style techniques his only shield against the storm about to break.