NOVEL NEXT Chapter 16: Chapter 13 – Part 4
Chapter 13 – Part 4
The ground trembled beneath them, the air thick with chakra and tension. Tsunade ignored the ache in her muscles as she pushed forward again, her movements sharp, precise, and filled with frustration.
Kurozan met her attack head-on. Their fists collided, sending another shockwave through the battlefield. Neither yielded.
Tsunade's breathing was heavy, sweat glistening on her skin. This battle wasn't just about power anymore—it was personal.
Every strike.
Every counter.
Every moment their bodies clashed, she could feel it.
The raw power behind him. The control he wielded over every movement. The dangerous way he fought with both strength and intelligence.
And, worse of all—the way he was enjoying it.
"Had enough?" Kurozan taunted, his voice smooth, confident.
Tsunade wiped a bit of blood from her lip, her smirk sharp. "Not even close."
She surged forward again, but this time, he didn't counter her with brute strength. Instead, he sidestepped at the last moment, catching her wrist with a firm grip. Before she could react, he spun her around, twisting her arm behind her back and pulling her flush against his chest.
Her breath hitched.
He was too close.
She could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing, the heat of his body pressing against hers. His grip on her wrist was tight—not painful, but unbreakable.
Tsunade's first instinct was to fight, to throw him off. But the way his lips brushed against her ear when he spoke—
"You're strong." His voice was low, dangerous. Amused.
Tsunade swallowed hard, refusing to let him see how this proximity affected her. She was Tsunade Senju. She didn't get flustered.
"I don't need your compliments," she shot back, her tone sharp despite the warmth creeping up her spine.
Kurozan chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that sent an unfamiliar shiver through her. "Then maybe I'll just keep pushing you until you stop holding back."
Her eyes narrowed.
That was it.
With a sudden surge of chakra, she broke free, flipping over him mid-air and landing a crushing kick to his side.
Kurozan skidded back, finally forced to brace himself.
For the first time in this fight, his smirk faded slightly.
Tsunade cracked her knuckles, a satisfied glint in her golden eyes.
"You wanted me to stop holding back?" she said, her voice laced with challenge. "Fine. Let's see if you can handle it."
Kurozan's smirk slowly returned.
"Oh, I can handle you just fine."
The battle wasn't over.
But neither of them could ignore the undeniable tension now woven between every strike, every touch, every breath they shared.
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