Naruto's POV (Ruined Den - Western River Plains of Irminsul)
Evening
Something about this felt incredibly familiar…
Blechumi cackling at the end of his decree had been a vital mistake. Usually, Naruto wouldn't use such underhanded tactics, but this wasn't a sparring match or something equally unimportant. Winning was the only acceptable option. Perhaps that's why Sasuke and he reacted the way they did. Offering such an opening against just anyone would be a mistake. Punishing such only made sense. Naruto didn't need seals or to utter the name of a technique; he only shoved his hands with a mighty heave, sending a condensed pile of air flying forward in sync with his hands; without any proper channeling, the attack lacked accuracy, but with Naruto's massive sway over air and wind with Personal Atmosphere active, it still generated an absurdly powerful gust of wind to fly directly into the off guard Blechumi with a massive howl. So powerful was the gust that the man began to slide back slowly, becoming increasingly unbalanced. Unable to move in the face of such a sudden and overwhelming attack.
Naruto blinked as Sasuke suddenly blurred close, deactivating his wind just as Sasuke teleported behind Blechumi; with a spin, Sasuke slashed Besmirched Flambe through the ankle of Blechumi, who stumbled and dropped to a knee in response. Sasuke attempted to follow up but was shocked as his blade was caught and held by a giant feather.
Luckily, Naruto did not merely watch; instead, with a burst of wind chakra propelling him forward, he closed the gap and slashed with Riptide into the feather-wielding arm of Blechumi. He had intended to sever the arm, but instead, Riptide smashed the limb away, leaving Blechumi open and making him stumble back. 'I can cut boulders in half. How the hell did he tank that?!'
Sasuke blurred forward with a big front kick to the face, snapping back the head of Blechumi; he blurred behind him and swept his legs, dropping the Master flat on his back. Naruto didn't waste the opening; channeling chakra into Riptide, he roared, stabbing it into the ground, ripping it through it, and calling out his attack. "Uzumaki Style: Raging Wave!" Naruto swung his blade through the ground, and as he did, a blue bursting line of chakra cut through the cut from where his stroke had ended. The massive burning line of chakra raced forward. Sasuke, not even facing the attack, blurred away as if knowing what Naruto's intention had been ahead of time. The final burst of chakra began to glow under a dazed Blechumi before it exploded out, the blast of chakra and earth shrapnel swallowing the man and sending him careening into the sky in an explosion.
It was familiar; this small burst of combat had gone nearly identical to the previous one. Blechumi attempted to attack using his unique offense, but Sasuke and Naruto overwhelmed him with their own. Perhaps he had managed more of a struggle this time, yet they had soundly got the better of him once again. This Master wasn't nearly as troublesome as he had thought! Sasuke, however, interrupted his inner musings.
"I'm surprised with your ability to keep up without being a hindrance. Yet alone managing to follow up with me so effortlessly. We shouldn't relent, however. While healing those lethal wounds will be costly, we should assume it is well within his ability. The most efficient route to victory is relentless offense." Sasuke said as the two watched Blechumi slowly fall back to earth.
Naruto felt a small amount of pride in the effectiveness of his Kenjutsu. The Uzumaki Style was something he had struggled with but now wielded well. Now, his Raging Wave was no joke; it stripped the skin from the back of Blechumi, and the burning chakra darkened what was left of the muscles and bones. Even the front of the man was cut and burnt from head to toe. None of it mattered to Sasuke, who began to hold Besmirched Flambe like an arrow in a bow. A burst of chakra flames surrounded the blade, forming a rough-looking longbow. "I'll ensure he's finished-"
Naruto blinked as Sasuke suddenly was whipped away from his vision instantly. One moment, he was there; the next, he yanked upwards to the unknown. "The hell?" He cursed, however, as he felt something tug at his shoulder, the shocking power of it ripping him up into the sky with ease. So rapid was Naruto's flight, and he could scarcely react as he reached the apex of his flight. Once he reached such a point, the pull on his shoulder returned, and he whipped back toward the ground head first. However, the time it took to change his direction was enough for Naruto to grunt in effort as he forced the air around him to become like a cushion. It would absorb the impact and slow his fall…Instead of smashing into the ground at terminal velocity, he bounced off the ground as if he had merely leaped from a rooftop. The fall had been so bad he had smashed through his air cushions but, all the same, had bled off most of the speed and force. Lethal for some, but certainly not a shinobi of his caliber. Next to him, Sasuke appeared undamaged and seemingly untethered. Indeed teleportation helped with such… cheating ass…
Sasuke, however, could have been more cavalier. "Your right shoulder, Naruto! The Master has one of those threads attached to your shoulder!" Sasuke barked. "Quick, cut the thread!"
Naruto gritted his teeth; however, as he sheathed Riptide, he grabbed the thread with both hands and flooded the chakra into his muscles. If Blechumi was manipulating this thread, indeed, it was attached to him. As Sasuke had expected, Blechumi was hidden somewhere in the sky, from above, tugging on the thread as he had before. A massive sudden force attempted to send him hurtling back up. But now the blonde was ready; pain lanced up his entire arms as a powerful pull attempted to rip him from his feet. But Naruto merely pulled back with his absurd strength bolstered with chakra and used pure willpower to hang onto the thread, even as it cut into his palms, even as he felt as if it would rip his arms out of his sockets. Naruto cursed as he allowed his chakra into his feet, gluing them to the ground, which cracked from the pressure caused. But with a pull of the wind around him and his might, Naruto overpowered the force. Ripping the thread his way and feeling the strength on the other side disappear, Naruto grinned happily. Either he'd snapped the line or…
"Absolutely absurd," Sasuke remarked before he snapped his head to the sky. Naruto followed his gaze, seeing a cursing Blechumi unwillingly flying toward them. With one hand, Naruto channeled the wind around him to pull in the man and on the thread, accelerating his flight even further. While Sasuke had been shocked by his tactic, he reacted quickly. "Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire!" Sasuke spat out the upper half of a nearly building-sized dragon, which roared with excitement as it lunged forward, leading with an open flaming maw, looking to swallow Blechumi in its gullet. Helpless as he was, it did so with ease. Surrounding the man in intense flames before combusting entirely. The fire explosion was further boosted by the wind chakra under Naruto's control all around it. As the blast pushed out, it sent an inferno in the sky to rain ash and flame, but Naruto merely smiled as he summoned eight clones with matching looks. The group of blondes all grabbed the now slack thread and heaved with all their might once again, sending the now blackened and limp body of Blechumi back at them. Naruto and the clones once again prepared their overly telegraphed punch.
"My turn!" The blondes cried out in stereo as they channeled their powerful technique. Wind gathered behind the clones as they continued to gather wind chakra and shape it into the jutsu. "Dance of the Nine: 9 Caliber Naruto Gun!" They all punched, and the mass of wind took its final shape of a fist and flew forward as Blechumi darted in head first. With a sickening crack, the giant wind fist and Master met. The speed of his flight meeting with a much more massive and powerful explosive blast of concussive wind made for an incredible impact. Sounding awfully similar to a gigantic coconut being split against a stone. So great was the force that it canceled out, Blechumi lifelessly fell onto the ground into a seemingly boneless heap.
"I cannot believe you have even more absurd attacks," Sasuke commented as the two marched forward to check on their defeated foe. "And the name."
"What's wrong with the name?" Naruto asked with a raised brow. He would admit it was a recent creation; therefore, it wasn't his most thought-out work. But he thought it had a kind of charm to it, and it fit his theme of nine!
"Seriously?" Sasuke asked incredulously.
"Is it the Dance of the Nine part?"
"No idiot, it's not the Dance of the Nine! It's the stupid second half! 9 Caliber Naruto Gun?" Sasuke ranted as they drew close, Naruto smirking as he did. While he felt offended, Sasuke didn't like the name. It was odd how easily the two talked. Sasuke's dry wit and sarcasm were not dissimilar to Neji's. However, he wasn't nearly as composed. Naruto enjoyed the difference, even if he preferred Neji as his best friend. "It's a giant fist of wind, an admittedly impressive feat of chakra control, wind nature mastery, and pure chakra output, but still just a giant punch! How the hell is it a gun? Better yet, what gun do you know of that even does that?! Maybe artillery!"
"A Naruto Gun… listen, it sounded better in my head," Naruto complained. "Besides, the nine themes are on point, and I already have an artillery move…"
"Why not "Dance of the Nine: Fu Jin's Strike?"" Sasuke asked plainly with a raised brow.
"Shit, that is better." Naruto agreed as they finally reached the corpse. However, both flinched as they realized it wasn't the charred, broken mess. Now Blechumi lay face down, smiling cruelly into the ground. Naruto and Sasuke jumped back defensively, alert that the fight wasn't over. Attempting to regroup to begin anew.
"Embarrassing." Belchumi bemoaned as he rose slowly, somehow doing so without hands. "Simply embarrassing. To be so thoroughly trounced by mere humans, but then again, who truly could blame me? When I was in the Elemental Nations, mere upstarts like yourselves were not nearly so impressive. One does not expect a true fight from an insect after all."
Naruto didn't bother answering as he drew Riptide and began channeling chakra into it. He would wipe the bastard out with an all-out attack!
Sasuke, to his left, Sharigan spun violently as he began to blur forward. Sasuke was faster; he would counter his attack, and Naruto would blow him away!
"Forgive me for forgetting just how ugly combat could be. Let me show you just how massive the difference is between humans and me, the next evolution…" Blechumi continued as he suddenly pointed his middle finger at Naruto and pointed a pointer at Sasuke. "Lightning Thread: Swift Ensnarement!"
Naruto and Sasuke could only blink as a glowing and pulsating thread suddenly touched their foreheads. A mere instant later, both screamed out in naked pain. Both were utterly enshrouded in electricity, which shocked them endlessly. Both collapsed and writhed against their will as a lethal amount of volts flowed through them.
"That deer clan I spoke of previously used lightning to enhance their movements and controlled it with shocking accuracy. I, of course, slowly gained their trust and learned the technique for myself. Ninshu is what they call it. Combined with my thread style inspired by the Blechumi, you can see just how useful my time in Irminsul has proven." Blechumi lectured as the two writhed in pain. "The wolves offered something less artful and intricate but no less effective when dealing with maggots like yourself. That pain is only a fraction of what you gave me. Allow my enhanced physicality to close the gap, sort of speak." Blechumi suddenly whipped his hand toward himself. With the motion, Naruto and Sasuke whipped forward, stunned by the brutal, shocking attack as they approached Blechumi. The man flourished his giant feather before whipping it out at them casually. The large, delicate-looking feather offered no give despite its appearance; it was much more like steel. Blechumi batted them both with one stroke, the instrument smashing into both of their midsections simultaneously. Naruto gasped for air as his ribs nearly snapped from the blow. The two flew back, breaking through two small trees and careening into two tiny heaps.
"Now lie there and die for me, humans." Blechumi spat as he stalked off. "I need to help Tamaki kill the female shinobi, enslave her and the others-"
"Besmirched Longbow: Flash Impalement!" Sasuke called out. Blechumi could scarcely gasp as he was suddenly stabbed through with a glowing fire blade. He stumbled forward before a roughed-up but lively Naruto appeared, kicking him away and into the river.
"This is far from over, you bastard!" Naruto promised as the now roughed-up duo stood before the now-soaked and furious Blechumi.
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Hinata's POV (Nearby Chakra Anchor - Western River Plains)
Evening
Hinata was used to overcoming great odds. While she had once assumed it was due to inadequacy, she had begun to accept it was merely the path forward for her. Evening awakening her Byakugan had been a struggle; she struggled with every inch of skill and experience she gained and to convince her father she was worth it. And while she often suffered greatly in the process, she had always been so confident that one day it would matter. She was satisfied that things could work out as long as she could muster the courage to go on. But this battle was going as well as most things did for her…
Hinata dodged a massive stinger, throwing a kunai and impaling a wasp as her other hand sent a deadly jap of chakra for another wasp's neck. She then sprinted fully to her left, dodging a line of smaller stingers shot from above. As she did, a wasp flew directly into her path, lunging its large stinger directly for her face. Hinata barely weaved her head around it, gently palming its thorax as she spun around it, the insect dropping still as she evaded. Every creature had nerves and chakra nodes; therefore, nearly all were vulnerable to her Gentle Fist. Another wasp attempted to bodily smash into her from behind, but with her near-perfect vision, she was well aware of it. Backflipping into a leap, she evaded it, jumping just above its head. With a cruel and heavy double axe hand, she smashed it into the ground below. As she landed on its head, she fired off two air palms with one hand a piece, shooting two more wasps attempting to attack her "blindside." However, Hinata did not dare attempt to breathe or rest, drawing a kunai just in time to catch a biting attempt from a new wasp. Wrestling it back her blade with some effort. Her other hand defended her as she struggled, jabbing two more wasps into oblivion. But two more were closing in from behind. With a grunt, Hinata gave in to her strength test, with the wasp spinning as she did. Suddenly, Kaiten erupted, smacking away the dozen or so wasps that had been slowly surrounding her. And allowed her a moment to realize that the Okama were not with them.
While Hinata wished they had the help, she recognized why Mono had made the call he did. Their opponents' actions only made it clear how important this barrier and controlling the Chakra Anchor were to them. This was merely an attempt to stop them from even having a chance to stop them. It only made sense for the two of them to hold the line as they went forth to achieve their goal. They just needed to fight them off…
"Hinata duck!" Sakura called. Trusting her allies, Hinata did just that, hearing a whistling of metal and a meaty thunk as a wasp dropped dead next to her shuriken being buried in its face. Sakura dived in, smashing a wasp with a backhand and evading several flying stingers as she drew closer to Hinata.
The Hyuga realized Sakura was coming to her for the two to rally together and reacted swiftly. Dipping impressively low to dodge the dive bomb of two wasps and skillfully kicking them both away, she used her hands to shoot away two wasps, attempting to blindside Sakura from behind. Hinata spun into another Kaiten to clear her area before leaping forward, kicking way to wasp from Sakura's six as she did the same for her. The two ladies went back to back as they attempted to create a kill zone. Sakura used Genjutsu on the wasps to make them attack one another and kunai on the ones that escaped her illusions. Meanwhile, Hinata used her most destructive technique. "Gente Fist: Indiscriminate Beam!" A wide beam of raw chakra incinerated and cut any insect unfortunate enough to be caught in its path. For a moment, the two managed to hold back the swarm, their pure effort and adaptability managing to cut through the initial attack. Even push them back.
But with so many presents it simply wasn't enough. Even with the two working in tandem, wasps were slowly getting closer and closer before falling. They would have to give ground if even one managed to fire off a stinger or get within striking range. Each time they did such, the risk of the wasps getting lucky or them messing up grew. Indeed, it would cost them eventually. But with the seemingly endless waves coming, they were slowly wearing the two of them down. Sakura faltered with a pant before renewing her efforts with an odd cry of "CHA!"
"I-I'm sorry, Hinata," Sakura said in between breaths. "I'm running on low here."
A stinger nearby took Sakura's head off as she finished, the woman falling to her knees in shock. Hinata gasped as the swarm around them closed in with the opening. Hinata, reacting on pure instinct, snaked her arms around Sakura's, lifting her onto her back with a grunt of effort. Then she spun as hard as she could. Simultaneously, she modified her technique so as not to affect Sakura. "Kaiten!" The massive orb of swirling chakra once again swatted away their attackers. This did not discourage them, however.
The wasps nearly charged headlessly into the Kaiten, forcing Hinata to maintain it. Their suicidal dives were so fearless and purposeful that they turned the Kaiten into a gruesome shredder. The effort slowly slowed Hinata down as her reserves were strained.
"Hinata!" Sakura cried out as she placed her palms on her shoulders. As they spun, "she said, "Keep going. Here is my chakra!" She cried out. Hinata gasped as she felt the foreign and energizing chakra fill her; she spun faster as her Kaiten grew. This had bought them more time!
"Children keep them in place. Eventually, you will wear them down, and then we will feast. You dozen! To help our "allies"; the sooner we slaughter these pests, the sooner we are free!" The Queen roared, and Hinata growled in frustration as she saw the dozen the Queen had ordered fly off to do just what she said. While their allies could likely deal with them, timely interference could be lethal if they were in the process of another battle! But if she dropped the Kaiten, there was no guarantee they would both live! Should she risk their safety to ensure their foes stay or prioritize their lives?!
"Howling Fang Over Fang!" A gruff voice called out as Hinata witnessed a drilling blur easily smash through the dozen wasps attempting to leave the battle. The blur wasted no time, instantly zooming over to them and beginning to make repeated volleys, killing a few wasps with each strike. With Kiba's new efforts and Hinata's continuous Kaiten, they clear the share of wasps nearby. Creating an empty space between the remaining wasps, the Queen, and the three of them. Allowing the three a moment to breathe. "It's a good thing I got here when I did. Naruto and Sasuke were right to send Choji and me out. To think these bastard's got another entire Clan to help them."
"Kiba!" Sakura cried out happily, and Hinata smiled as well. She wasn't surprised to see one of their remaining missing allies now, and she was happy to hear her own teammate was doing well. "You know where Naruto, Sasuke, and Choji are!"
"Let's say we had something of a rough meeting," Kiba answered, nodding. "They back east fighting the Master and her lackey. I smelled a lot of blood and you two and figured you'd need help. Choji happens to see Lee fighting someone and rushes off to help him. Catch me up."
"It seems they're in cahoots with our enemies; either Ikam or one of his lackeys is the Master," Hinata explained.
"Master?" Kiba asked. "Pretty sure Naruto and Sasuke are in the process of kicking that guy's ass. It seems Ikam's group is here for a separate reason."
"Wouldn't going back to help them make the most sense then?" Sakura asked. "With them in mind, we have everyone. Why risk a fight with another dangerous group needlessly?"
"Our promise to the Okama, for one." Hinata reminded the group.
"Not to mention for what Muri of them says, we'll need the Chakra Anchor to leave anyway." Kiba agreed. "Seems like we need to remove the Queen and her royal army…"
"Sakura, you nearly took out Fenrir before!" Hinata realized with a jolt. If Kiba and I create an opening, you can take out the Queen the same way, right?"
"Uh, I guess…" Sakura said unconfidently.
"Course she can! No worries, teammate. I'll make it wide open for you. Just show 'em what Team Ten is all about!" Kiba backed up his teammate with a wide smile. Standing in front of her protectively and showing not even a shred of doubt in her ability. A decision Hinata noticed made Sakura visibly stand straighter.
"You'll do fine, Sakura! We must not back down!" Hinata cried as three prepared as the wasp once again mobbed forward to kill them.
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Lee's POV (Nearby Chakra Anchor - Western River Plains)
Evening
The charge had been predictable; an experienced close-range fighter like Lee using body language alone could tell her intent and exactly how she would do it. Leifazu planned a mad dash forward; it seemed the woman was sure she was faster than he. Once she was within striking range, she would go for a double-handed slash for his head. If the blow hit, it would surely split his skull in two. Killing him instantly in what was sure to be a gory fashion, certainly unyouthful…
Even knowing her plan, however, barely saved Lee. Her dash had been a distance of ten feet, well within Lee's reaction range. The last person who had so thoroughly outspent him had been Gai sensei; even Fuu had only roughly matched his speed. Only the knowledge of what her strike was to be saved him. Discarding outright countering the blow, Lee rolled to his back, narrowly avoiding having his head split and kicking up his feet to stop the hatchets in place. The force of the blow caused a sharp pain in both of his legs, but with a grit of his teeth, Lee kicked Leifazu back as he rolled through to his feet. Taking barely an instant to regain his bearings, Lee rammed his body into the woman, knocking her back and leaving her open to a powerful left hook to the face.
Lee could crack concrete with his blows, yet Leifazu merely ate the blow with her face and returned her hook. Smiling widely all the while, so close and caught off guard, Lee ate the blow and was rocked. However, his battle with Lee allowed him to adapt to oddly tanky females. Even as his balance was lost with pure willpower, Lee snapped off a head kick. The power of the blow knocked Leifazu off balance, but she smiled even then; she used the moment to twirl on his foot, unleashing an even more powerful body blow that lifted her off her feet and knocked her back. The woman looked somewhat surprised by the blow if unharmed. However, that mattered little for Lee as she was now open for one of his most substantial pure strikes. "You wide open, I will make this painless! Unyouthful Blow: Tough Love!"
Lee debated on his target as he aimed the double-handed strike. While an enemy, a woman would be unyouthful to kill, though doubtless, she was dangerous enough to warrant it. All the same as a gentleman, Lee aimed for her solar plexus; with any luck, it would knock her out, if not outright disable her, without needing to kill her. Though likely she'd be hospitalized for a while…
Wide open as she was, the blow landed cleanly. Lee was shocked by the toughness of the skin as he hit it, but all the same, he felt a telltale snap from within the woman. He likely drove the air out of her, knocked her silly, and managed to break her sternum. Leifazu cried in pain as she flew back, rolling on the ground from the power before collapsing on all fours. Writhing breathlessly all the while.
"Do not attempt to get up or fight back anymore." Lee politely informed. "That blow was aimed directly at your solar plexus and sternum. You can scarcely breathe, and such a powerful blow to a bundle of nerves has put you in shock. I will proceed to tie you up without harming you, though I will be forced to knock you out should you struggle too much."
"Oh, come on now, babe, I like it rough like that~!" Leifazu cackled as she somehow rose to her feet. Seemingly already over a blow, Lee had seen crippled grown men. "You're slower than me, but you can still hold your own. Fearless to an arguable fault, and have some serious power to your blows. But it'll take a lot more than this to stop me. Hell, you're good, but surprised Suzumebachi lost to you; weakling or not, no one survives this long without becoming a threat. So to lose to this is hilarious!" The woman cackled as she picked up her hatchets, seemingly unbothered.
Lee frowned as she stood. Even if she had been reinforcing herself with chakra, such a mighty blow aimed at a physically weak spot like the solar plexus should've been devastating. Yet she stood confidently all the same. It was as if her nerves and bones were somehow more durable than should be possible… "I will have to show off the power of my hard work to best you." As Lee finished the first part of his monologue, he allowed the chakra around him to flow around him. He was already at ease with Ninshu compared to Ninjutsu. Lee quickly controlled it as he activated his newest signature technique. "Youthful Aura! Youthful Aura: Mind Awakening!" Lee cried as he opened the first gate.
Lee could feel the stress of the day and combat fade from him, and his instincts and focus sharpened on the battle before him. Lee was never a planner, much preferring to rely on his power and instincts in battle. But when he activated the First Gate in tandem with Youthful Aura, he couldn't help but plan out his attack approach.
Leifazu, however, was no fool and blitzed him before Lee could open another gate. Themed was clever enough to realize that letting him power up would be foolish. Swinging her high and low hatchets, Lee lazily jumped up and straightened out in midair, narrowly avoiding death or delimbing. As he did, he locked eyes with Leifazu and jabbed the air between them several times. The woman was pushed back as a sudden burst of air slowly knocked her back. Lee landed and continued the barrage; however, Leifazu merely powered through several of them as she threw a hatchet at Lee's head. Barely ducking it, Lee paused his assault, allowing Leifazu to leap in with a wild hatchet swing. Lee fearlessly and skillfully caught it and snapped several jabs for Leifazu's face. However, the woman merely tanked them as she grasped them with her free hand as if searching for her own grip on her lost weapon. Lee suddenly heard whistling and disengaging by dropping low and rolling off; even as he did, however, he felt a sharp pain on his back and a small amount of wetness. Leifazu examined her blades with a smile as he rose to his feet. It seemed she was able to recall her weapons back to her hand…
"To think you'd actually be a half-decent fight!" Leifazu complimented as she licked her now bloodied hatchet clean. "To become all that more deadly and access a few new tricks. The gates truly are impressive… Are you sure you wouldn't wanna settle this… differently. We can do both at once if you like~..."
"I will not be tempted!" Lee snapped back.
"Makes me want it all the more…" Leifazu purred.
Lee wasted no more time planning. He leaped forward at top speed, the air booming from his acceleration. If she would not allow him to power up, he would merely beat her now! He appeared within inches of Leifazu, rearing his fist back for what looked to be a haymaker of a headshot. Even with his now-boosted speed, Leifazu merely blew a kiss, and she quickly stepped out of range of his punch. However, Lee was okay with it as the first part of his short plan required a convincing feint for his true opener.
He rolled through the punch using his single punching hand to support himself. He launched his body through the air, feet first, directly into Leifazu's surprised face. Pushing off her face and landing on his hands as the woman cursed and stumbled back, he rolled himself back to his feet and launched himself forward yet again, smashing his larger body into her smaller one. Even with training and chakra enhancement, his weight made her stumble even more, almost entirely tumbling over. Leaving her wide open for another new technique. "Youth Fueled Leaf-!" Lee cried as he spun and swept out her legs, spinning so fast he managed to turn and kick her up before she entirely fell, directly in the kidney, driving her up higher in the air, with one spin adding even more force to his finisher, he kicked her bodily away, aiming her for a large stone to ensure her defeat. The kick would surely knock her out, and the impact of the stone would be the finishing touch! "Hurricane!" However, as Lee panted with effort and began to channel enough chakra to open the next gate, he flinched as an ear-splitting screech cut through the air.
Eyes darting back to Leifazu, Lee was utterly stunned to discover the woman had stopped her flight by simply stabbing a hatchet on the ground. Leifazu had a small amount of blood trailing from her mouth but still seemed otherwise fine.
"Now that was some pain. Show me more, Lee!" Leifazu cooed as she began wildly slashing her hatchets in the air. Lee felt Gai would chastise him for this, but shock led to an automated response.
"Are you okay?" Lee asked with a raised brow. "I assure you I will not be felled with melee strikes from a distance… it's not how it works…"
"All brawn and no brain?" Leifazu asked with a raised brow of her own, continuing. "One, I stopped you from activating the next gate; two, I can kill you with melee strikes at a distance… I just need enough of them…"
"No, I assure you, you cannot," Lee said lightly, dropping a fist into an open palm. However, he openly gasped as Leifazu finished her wild slashes, and glowing chakra lines formed around her. Each was long and purple as they slowly filled the air around her. "Oh, melee strikes into ranged ones, similar to my approach yet markedly different. Quite impressively, really."
"Thank you, I hope you look as good in pieces. Execution Style: Instant Quartering!" Leifazu called as the lines suddenly rushed forward one at a time.
Lee ducked the first one, beginning a scramble to his left. He hopped over the next two, landing just in time to slide under two more. Leifazu had swung her hatchets dozens of times. This delayed barrage technique allowed Lefiazu to actively adjust her aim as she attempted to kill. Even without the second gate, Lee was just quick enough to barely dodge the strikes; however, as one nearly split his head and left a burning line cutting the left side of his brow, Lee realized he needed cover and distance. Otherwise, one of the lines would strike true! If he could open the second gate, he was confident his new style would allow him to close the gap between them. Diving into a small river, he swam to the bottom with measly two strokes and far from his landing point with a few more. Luckily, a barrage of lines smashed into the river, throwing water everywhere and cutting deep gouges into the river's bed, all far away from Lee. It seemed she didn't know where he was!
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Lee was more than a strong swimmer. Over the years, he had to focus on perfecting his body physically to make up for the chakra problems. Every single muscle was in peak form. Every sort of physical exercise one could imagine he had done. Much of which he had ever done in water. Working out in the water was a simple solution to hone their entire body and stamina. When swimming and even more so when actively working out in the water, you strain and use nearly every muscle in the body. Furthermore, the water made every movement more complex; after all, the body had to maneuver through, and it was much more straining to do so over time.
As such, Lee swam through the water, not unlike a fish. Zooming through it almost lazily yet with great speed. Leifazu, in response, merely increased her range of random attacks into the river. However, Lee was fearless, bursting through the river a decent distance from her. Using the moments he would have, Lee scanned the perimeter, looking for a suitable place. The woman was skilled and would indeed find him soon. Seeing a large, thick, partially dead tree, he sprinted forward heedless of her attention.
"I really am getting attached to my lover boy!" Leifazu cackled. "Using the river to hide was a decent idea, but you must breathe! Worse yet, I can smell blood for a mile! Die for me!" The lines now renewed their targeted wrath at him. Lee zig and zagged as lines exploded around him, slicing and pulverizing anything they hit. However, her effort was for naught as Lee reached the giant tree and raced around and up it.
He had hoped such a magnificent creation of nature would serve as unfortunate if not adequate cover. However, as he rushed for the top, he frowned as the powerful attacks cleared through the tree quickly, following him up it. Lee didn't flinch, continuing for a few feet before stopping. Suddenly, the bark cracked beneath him. A plan occurred to him about how to open the next gate to overwhelm her. The next blast cut the tree mere inches above his head, and the tree collapsed into pieces, Lee among one as the now rubble fell. Lee stuck to it, counting for the next attack; confident his timing was down, Lee braced his knees and prepared all his might. Kicking it back in a massive feat of strength, Lee watched it fly away before being cut to pieces by several more chakra lines, all aimed accurately at him.
Lee's plan worked; however, his kicking allowed him to fly away and fall, managing to avoid the attacks. As he fell, Lee allowed himself to open the second gate, the Gate of Healing. The power flowed through him, and his cuts healed. He smiled at Liefazu, noticing her barrage had ended as he had managed this.
"Youthful Aura: Juvenile Recovery!" Lee called out confidently before he began to jab in the air as Leifazu's wide smiling face met him at a distance.
"They say imitation is the most sincere form of flattery." Leifazu joked. "Does this mean my feminine wiles have won you over?"
"Merely inspired me, is all!" Lee called out, innocently not realizing quite what that meant. "Wild Youth Rampage!" He smiled as the nearly invisible orbs of force he punched off closed in on the unsuspecting Leifazu.
"So I am winning yo-" Leifazu stopped as her head snapped back violently and her knees buckled. Another hit one of the said knees with a nasty crack. A third hit her ribs, bowing the woman as it sent her flying back. A barrage of Lee's own hit Leifazu cleanly, unlike hers, and battered her roughly.
Typically, Wild Youth Rampage was not nearly as powerful, but with the second gate open and Lee holding back nothing, each could break a bone and cause all sorts of injury. But Lee wasn't done. With the second gate open, he had access to attacks even she couldn't simply ignore!
"Youthful Wild Spear!" Lee called as he used the air and chakra around him to launch himself forward. He became something of an arrow racing through the air and quickly catching up to the careening Leifazu, driving her mercilessly into the ground so intensely that the woman was buried into the ground nearly instantly, crumbling beneath them. Lee grunted in pain as the ride ended. So powerful was the attack that even his leg had been buried in the ground, and with a flare of pain, Lee pulled it free.
Falling back with a sigh, Lee allowed himself to rest. Such nearly cost his life as Leifazu surged forward through the rubble and kicked Lee squarely in the face. So sudden and powerful the blow, Lee blacked out for a moment before the brutal impact jarred him back into reality. He blinked, realizing he had bowed a tree from his crash, and his bones ached. The tree was slowly falling as the dazed Lee rode it. Leifazu appeared in front of him before he could react, hatchets sheathed and fists drawn back.
"I thought this would be fun, but you really are something!" Leifazu purred happily. "However, that hurt a little! Here's ya karma!" She then punched Lee in the chest mercilessly.
Lee blacked out again, waking up in great pain, still rolling from the blow. She must've punched him straight through the tree; Lee was covered in bruises and cuts and struggled to breathe. Finally stopping, Lee allowed himself a moment to assess the damage. The blow had nearly stopped his heart and might've cracked his sternum. His arms, legs, back, and even chest were covered in cuts and bruises. His ankle hurt the most, though; if he was lucky, Lee must've tweaked it during his flight, sprained, if not fortunate, broken. All the same, the battered Lee rose in his basic fighting stance. A smiling Leifazu patiently waited in front of him. Lee forced the chakra into his aching limb to hide the damage.
"Sorry about that. You're fun but much too green to match me. That attack was no joke, though; I temporarily lost my temper after getting laid out like that. You cannot complain; you'd be dead if I had used my lovely hatchets." Leifazu ranted, utterly amused and seemingly more than willing to allow Lee a moment to recover, not that it mattered much. "Hopefully, my love taps weren't too much; I need at least four more exchanges like that before I am sated…" Lee merely smiled at her as he felt the ground shake. So enthused was Leifazu that she didn't notice…
"I'm glad to say this battle is merely beginning…" Lee responded grimly. "I have a summoning that will keep this interesting."
"You can't summon dumb—" Leifazu was caught off guard when suddenly a massive foot kicked her away like a rag doll. The woman smashed through several trees before landing in a river with an enormous splash. In her place stood a frowning giant, Choji.
"You okay, Lee!" Choji's voice boomed, concerned, eyeing where Leifazu had landed warily. "I got here as quickly as I could!"
"And more than quick enough, friend!" Lee assured. "However, I must admit to being somewhat injured!"
"No biggie! We're done here anyway!"
As the river burst again, Leifazu cackled, and her voice emerged from it. The water parted and raged as the woman seemed to get even more excited from within its depths. "Now I'm open-minded, but two fellas at once is a bit much! Especially with a bigger guy like that, might just break little ol' me!"
Lee was scarcely surprised. "I doubted such. Choji, be on guard. This woman is something else… a pervert…" Lee warned as the two prepared for another bout of combat with the woman.
"What?" Choji asked, utterly lost.
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Mono's POV (Just Outside Barrier - Chakra Anchor)
Evening
Mono and Muuni's journey underground had been thus far smooth and uneventful. Fortunately, the fantastic lands of Irminsul's soil were rich with clay; therefore, traveling like this was quickly done. The clay-rich underground may as well have been all under his control. Muuni seemed incredibly anxious, twitching and following along with him with nervous energy. But Mono was calm. In his long life, he had found meeting peril with patience and diligence, which allowed for the best result more often than not. However, it didn't make him ignorant about why his kin wasn't so composed. Reassurance was needed.
"Be calm, Muuni. Our allies are more than capable of overcoming those forces. Keep in mind our summoner was chosen by the elders. Those he associates with should be his equals; thus, we are in good company. With that in mind, the best place for us will be at the barrier. If we can create an entrance, if not disable it entirely, it will ensure their victory was not for naught." Mono assured calmly, channeling the clay before them to push through and part the earth and stone.
"I trust your judgment, Elder. I am concerned about what to do once we get past the barrier. Surely, there will be enemies guarding the creator inside. Can the two of us truly overcome them?" Muuni asked. "I will fight till my last breath for you, but is it for nothing?"
"The barrier is well within my ability to bypass. And while I expect the user to be guarded, I suspect it will be by a known enemy within our ability to deal with; in fact, it will work to our benefit." Mono partially explained, allowing Muuni to continue his thoughts and ask questions. His splitting off on their own was risky, after all. Mono wouldn't have resorted to such heedlessly. If the guards of the users were as expected, they would be more than fine…
"A known and beneficial enemy?" Muuni asked, confused.
"Indeed. If you notice that Shinobi and Wasp attacked our party, do you notice anything missing?"
"Their leader?"
"Close but not quite." Mono continued. "Their leader was missing, as was a force we knew they should have. They captured several of our own with wasps. Assuming they did so to multiple clans, they should have a large group of various creatures at their beck and call. Yet we didn't see any…"
"They must have been used as a guarding force with the barrier user!" Muuni caught on. "But how does that help us?"
"It has to do with a theory of mine. Whatever party has intercepted us doesn't seem to be connected with the "Master." Initial intelligence gathered by us before asking for our summoner's aid suggested they worked with the Runic Wolves and, to a lesser degree, the Neeko Cats. Yet neither is present here now; this suggests the Master isn't the culprit, merely another fiend we will face. Regardless of whether this is Ikam or the Master, it is clear that forced help is likely to be our initial foe. I can free them; just defend me as I get in the center of them…" Mono asked. "Once freed, they surely joined our ranks, either to gain thanks or to avoid owing a debt to the Okama."
"As you wish, Elder." Muuni grimly pledged. She knew what he was asking. While Mono did not lie about being able to free the slaves and thus enforce their numbers and powers, it would be up to her to protect him in the meantime, likely at the cost of her own life. Muuni was no slouch in combat, but the Okama were not the most robust warriors. Yet she felt the hesitance within him, knew he didn't ask so lightly, and hated that he needed to do it. Such understanding was the connection of the Okama. Such was their true strength…
They traveled silently until Mono could sense they were close to the scarlet monstrosity closing off the beautiful Chakra Anchor. It was time for him to do his duty as an elder and stop this mayhem. Irminsul was chaotic enough without troublesome humans pitching in. With a flick of his human form's wrist, the Okama made the clay pave an upward path to the surface. The two Okama walked into the dimming sunlight, facing directly toward the scarlet barrier.
Mono felt distressed at its visage; on any typical day, this would face the canyon Chakra Anchor offered. The tireless and fearsome but ultimately purely defensive Chakra Golems would patrol among more mindless and significant plant and animal life. The powerful revolving orb would have the water running into the canyon orbiting around it. Causing the glowing light caused by the Chakra Anchor to hue blue. The blue light would peak toward them, hinting at the presence of the Chakra Anchor hidden in the canyon. The golems and wildlife usually present needed to be more suspiciously present. Somehow, the entire canyon had collapsed, creating a dam with pooling water gathering around it. The flattened and now flooded ground allowed the Chakra Anchor to be seen plainly. Now, water and stone alike orbit around it. Among the debris was a redheaded woman orbiting around it as well. Her palm kept consistent contact with the Chakra Anchor even as she did.
"Why would someone do this?" Muuni asked, shocked. Like most Okama, she was ultimately sheltered and could not imagine causing such havoc to nature.
"This is a commonality among humanity. They have a drive and intelligence unmatched by most creatures. Yet, in exchange, this advantage comes with the cost of arrogance. They are heedless of the cost to others and their environment, even at times themselves. As long as they get what they want, it means nothing and is a worthy sacrifice. Even our kind can do much, so we preach humility within the Okama. To gain the advantage of humans without their flaws." Mono explained. "Let us draw forth."
The two approached the barrier solemnly, Mono humming as he summoned a kit of ink and a quill. "This barrier is powered by a certain emotion or feeling of the user. My chakra recognizes minimal traces of a human soul throughout. I'm not sure any pure force could overwhelm it. However, the Ikam Group are not the only masters of Fuijutsu…"
"You can bypass it, elder?" Muuni asked.
"Not entirely, but I can easily create an entrance, as I said earlier. A simple but rarely known seal will allow us and the rest of the entry. It will remain up for an hour and pulsate chakra to draw the attention of our allies," Mono explained as he began to draw a glowing seal onto the barrier, which hissed all the while as the barrier resisted. "Unfortunately, our enemies will know we are coming."
"Of course," Muuni complained.
It took several minutes to compose the seal. But his Fuijutsu allowed him to blend his seal into a similar chakra as the barrier allowed him to mold a small hole into it. In truth, the space the barrier had occupied before hadn't been destroyed but only moved to the edges of the hole, thickening them. There are better solutions than this, but it's the best he could offer on short terms like this. The hole was roughly five feet by five feet square, one the two quickly stepped into.
It took several more minutes to draw close to the Anchor and navigate the canyon ruins, as they did the Chakra Anchor, as their foe was within speaking range.
"Let's take this human out!" Muuni called as Mono nodded grimly.
"We cannot allow that." The cacophony of voices sounded from all around them from within the debris. They emerged from it immediately, forming a line between them and the woman. Three of his kin stared woodenly, their mainly brown sheen of fur displaying their ability in clay Ninshu. It enraged the Elder to see his kind manipulated against him. One of the Venomous Fangs spider clans also stood at attention; its twitching legs made it clear it was a hunting scout. Three male deer stood behind the others, their antlers pointed at them; it was strange to see them. Even Mono had yet to hear of the deer clan in such numbers. The Krookorook Clan in the south had nearly hunted them into extinction. They were known for their lightning attacks. There was also what looked to be a giant worm of all things; however, speaking revealed a maw full of teeth soaked in something sizzled in the air; Mono knew of no such clan. Four wolves also formed the front line; there seemed to be some friendly fire… "Our masters have told us to guard this location and kill any who approach. Prepare to die." They said in sync.
"Concerning," Mono admitted out loud. "Even the "Master" could not boast of such total control. Nothing I can't deal with, I nearly need one full minute."
"A minute?!" Muuni cried out.
"Not favorable, I admit, young one." Mono apologized. "However, I am confident I can dismiss their control over them if you buy said time."
Muuni hissed in frustration, transforming into a human woman with brown hair in a kimono and bodily lifting the old human form of Mono on her back. "Damn you, Elder!"
"There's that fiery temper the other Elders warned me of." Mono chided. "I am channeling now. Do your best, or we will likely perish."
Muuni did not answer as she began to run like hell. Mono watched even as he channeled his counter. Intent to see if his kin would meet his expectations or if they would die terribly. The trio of deer were the first to attack, with three lightning bolts firing. Muuni desperately rolled around with him, barely dodging each. The spider hissed as it launched a burning glob of venom, but Muuni slid under it. The wolves closed in with a triumphant howl. But Mono worried not; Muuni, even while burdened with him, was the best hand-to-hand combatant the Okama had to offer.
'Fifteen seconds.'
The first wolf didn't have a chance, Muuni kicking him away with ease. The following two got closer but were batted away as well with ease by Muuni with two club-handed swinging blows. She kicked off the head of the last wolf. Launching them both into the air, well out of the reach of their opponents as they slowly descended.
'Thirty seconds.'
However, three large clay hands flew up to impede them, attempting to wrap around and crush them.
"Worry not, Muuni," Mono assured as the light was blocked out, and the hands closed in tandem to kill them thoroughly. "Even while channeling, I can help with this." With a flex of his clay, manipulation caused the clay hands to collapse around them. Every Elder was a master of clay Ninshu; no Okama could hope to use such against them. The two fell as the deer launched themselves up to ram them out of the sky. Muuni merely grunted as he began to spin them.
"My turn, elder; that annoying human Lee taught me this!" Muuni cried out before launching out with a spinning kick, batting away the deer with her kick. "Leaf Hurricane!"
"Well done!" Mono congratulated them as they touched the ground behind the confused wolves and deer. However, the spider and Okama charged in behind them, so they were not surprised. The spider's fangs glimmered with venom, and the Okama armed with hardened clay knives.
'Forty-five seconds.'
Muuni panted but moved all the same. "Ninshu: Trio Getaway Dashes!" She called the two blurred forward past the spider and first Okama, colliding and getting tangled up in a bundle. The second got past the second Okama. And the third did the same. However, Muuni returned to her original form and gently set the Elder down before collapsing.
"That's all I got." Muuni apologized as the mob of animals regrouped and mobbed towards them. Even more concerning was the worm that burst forth from the ground before them and offered a terrifying hiss.
"It was just enough," Mono assured as he stood up and held up a hand. "Sixty Seconds. Ninshu Channel: Banish Jutsu!" He cried out. A pulse of chakra emanated from him, and instantly, the other creatures yet spared Mono and Muuni. The animals froze as smoke drifted off them. "You were enslaved; you are now free. I would think slaughtering me would be a poor repayment for such. And I assure you the Okama would not take such lying down."
The animals blinked once, twice, before the situation dawned on them. They all offered the various versions of bows their biology allowed. "We're sorry Okama-sama!" They called out in tandem. As expected, in Irminsul, Summoning Clans were treated like visiting lords. To be respected, feared even. That status now aided them well.
"Oh, thank you, Okama. I thought we were dead." Muuni said gladly.
"Of course not!" The deer exclaimed. "You offered some of ours shelter back in the day. After freeing us, we'd never betray your generosity."
"I've never met any of you, and while normally I would consume you as prey, I will not repay mercy with unkindness." The worm assured.
The wolves merely yelped before leaving. Seemingly unwilling to fight them but equally reluctant to fight for them. Mono had half a mind to stop them, but grunts would be a waste of time. They had much bigger fish to fry, as humans would say.
"Elder sir!" Okama cried out in sync. "We're sorry, we were under the control of dreadful humans."
Mono smiled at the due respect being shown to him. The Okama were almost universally loved throughout Terra. But to their kin, the Elders were nothing short of celebrities. "Worry not; if you wish to repay me, aid us in stopping your captor." He smiled as the animals roared in agreement and charged toward the Chakra Anchor. Muuni wished to follow but could not, so exhausted she was. "Our new allies will take care of her for u-"
His assurance was shattered as the clattering of chains and cries of pain from their now-allies sounded out. Mono and Muuni looked on in horror as laughter joined the chaos of the previous sounds.
"Turning my hired help against me was a clever ploy, Okama." The woman sounded off. "But Mishiro Uzumaki is anything but helpless…" She assured me four massive chains were coming from her back. With her piece said, they snaked out and easily wrecked violence amongst the eight remaining attackers. The three deer were torn in half by one chain. The three Okama attempted to form a clay barrier against another, but it shattered against its might, and broken bones sounded cruelly from within its ruins. The spider darted around another but was caught off guard when it snaked back and squashed it flat. The worm got closer than the rest from below but was suddenly brought to the surface and impaled onto a chain. It has buried itself underground to unearth it.
"Dear Okama…" Muuni said, stunned. Mono was as well. So many beings from various clans were killed so mercilessly… and for what…
Mono cursed, picking up Muuni's bridal style and attempting to flee. They would try again with the aid of the other shinobi! But he heard a whip, and suddenly, he felt a massive, heavy impact from behind him. Mono could feel his feeble bones snap. The two and the projectile rolled into a ball and collapsed painfully. Mono watched woodenly, seeing the woman had thrown the corpse of the worm at them.
"You're actually helpless," Mishiro assured with a smile. "Now die so I can do as my beloved asked!" The chains snaked around them before the tips threateningly dangled over them.
Mono launched himself to his feet and conjured an orb of hardened clay around himself and Muuni. The chains collided with a painful grating as they attempted to breach his defenses. In good health, Mono could defend them from such attacks for hours; in poor health and somewhat drained already…
"Elder!" Muuni cried worriedly from within the dark orb as their impending deaths echoed.
"Worry not, child; I will protect us," Mono assured. But in truth, unless help came soon, they would quickly be doomed…
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Yuno's POV (Nearby Ruined Den - Western River Plains)
Evening
Yuno stalked forward cautiously. Despite her rapid pursuit after the young woman, she had somehow disappeared. 'She couldn't have got far, and indeed she wouldn't flee anyway. She came with her Master to stop us, which seems like a dedicated sort. It's best to be on guard; she was likely lying in wait.' Though Yuno was concerned, she couldn't help but notice that she had bypassed her Genjutsu at the last moment before Yuno kicked her away.
Somehow, the woman was hapless enough not to notice and be utterly ensnared by her illusions, but she broke through it instantly upon noticing. That simply was different from how Genjutsu's defense worked. If the woman was a genius or prodigy, it'd make sense. But purely guessing? Absurd.
However, her time to ponder was short, as suddenly, a familiar whip burst through the water's surface and lashed out violently. Yuno sidestepped the first swing, ducked a second, and ran to her left to gain bearings. 'Her whip wasn't nearly so long before.' Yuno fell into the river as she cried out in pain, a sudden impact to her back causing it to spasm in pain. Yuno looked up at the whip, and even as she fell in and choked on water, the whip had been extended by solid water. 'She used water nature to increase its length. Not to mention, hiding her position makes it challenging to entrap her in a Genjutsu. All the while, the woman could attack with relative safety. Yuno felt a burning sensation settle on her ankle and, looking down at it, realized the whip was wrapped around it. She barely held her breath as she was dragged to the surface, breaching it. She gasped for air before she was flung high into the air.
Careening high above the river, Yuno did not resist and turned to face it as she rose. The river now had the whip that had thrown her and several water tentacles. She had upped her attack volume massively.
'But throwing me away was a crucial mistake!' Yuno thought as she dug into her pouches and withdrew a handful of kunai and a matching amount of explosive tags. 'Give me time to counterattack!' She throws them among the river, each booming within the center and masking the river in smoke. 'Surely one of those-' The water tentacles burst through the smoke a moment later, disproving her hope of having managed to take her out.
Weaving hand signs, Yuno frowned as she tried a different approach. If she couldn't use Genjutsu on Tamaki, perhaps the environment? Weaving a relatively weak, illusionary blank sky before her, she waited with bated breath. However, yet again, the tentacles burst through it without hesitation. How was she so quickly seeing through her illusions? Tamaki's creations offered no answer, simply stabbing through the air to get a hold of her.
Yuno cursed as she fell toward them, flaring her chakra as one reached for her throat. Her substitution barely saved her from the blow, as she switched to a piece of driftwood. Now, the rapid relocation allowed her a momentary breather at the edge of the river below where she had been. 'She's obviously a water nature user. Most of them can either hold their breaths underwater for absurdly long periods or even bypass the need to, in general, use chakra to siphon oxygen through their skins to their lungs. Either would mean it was unlikely she'd have to come up for air soon. But how could she fish her out of the water?
The woman, however, had caught onto her trick and location. Various tentacles of water smashed the ground around her in an attempt to crush her as she scrambled. But Yuno was no slouch; any Genjutsu user worth their salt spent dedicated time increasing their evasiveness. A key tactic when doing so often bought the time Genjutsu users usually cherished in battle.
The woman's voice echoed out to Yuno as she ran. The woman was using a jutsu to make her voice seem to come from everywhere. Her knowledge could have been more consistent. It was as if she had been roughly taught second hand knowledge. Like a more primitive shinobi… "I won't allow you or your friends to trouble the wonderful creatures of Irminsul. My Master has taught me all about you humans…"
"A bit ironic coming from another human, isn't it?!" Yuno cried out as she continued her desperate mad dash. The two were conversing, even as they did their best to survive. Yuno hoped to split her attention and stall for time to formulate a solid strategy; antagonizing her simply was a good first step. "Besides, you have been harassing the creatures of Irminsul and our world! If not for your Master, we wouldn't even be here in the first place!"
"I will not be fooled by your lies. You all came here to force clans to serve under you; my Master merely sought to stop you. Blechumi is no mere man; he has evolved, allowing him to be great and know better!"
Yuno hummed as an idea slowly burned in her mind. The years of studying science as part of their curriculum seemed foolish when she was younger, yet now, it holds the key to her victory. Not to mention, something about how the woman spoke needed to be corrected. "No one is perfect, sweety; that includes your odd mentor. Have you ever wondered why he abandoned the Blechumi?"
"They weren't worthy of him! They envied his nature, didn't value his teachings!"
"An idea, I suppose…" Yuno teased with a cruel smirk. "But I find it much more likely he simply got what he wanted from them. Learned some tricks, gained some connections, and had a roof over his head. But the time to split came; it always does with those types. And it will be with you and yours as well as anyone else he interacts with. Your Master isn't some evolved being; he is a delusional and arrogant man wielding his power over others cruelly."
"Because of my name, Tamaki Neeko., I know the Master is not the individual you accuse! I was discovered by the shinobi cats; you see, they raised me as one of their own. But I never felt like I belonged; I longed to meet another like me… the Master changed everything… Both when Neeko and I needed him most, he came. Made everything better."
Yuno's smile only grew as her mind fully settled onto a plan. First, draw her out of the water, then force her free of her indoctrination. While she was certain Tamaki was not entirely mind-controlled. Instead, it seemed she worshipped the Master. An image Yuno was sure she could shatter with a mere matching of eyes. But first, there is a bit more prodding. "I can understand why that makes you loyal! But when we're at our lowest, our judgment is clouded. You can't see past the image you've given him!"
"My Master is a kind, gentle soul determined to protect those he considers family!" Tamaki countered.
"I see your Master has lied to you plenty! Are you even aware he has kidnapped your neighbors as well, right? Or did you think the Runic Wolves willingly followed his every whim!" Yuno ranted with the intent of making the Tamaki snap. "So he convinced you we're evil! Does that make enslaving us right? Is that the actions of a kind man?!"
"SHUT UP!" Tamaki howled.
"You're blinded by your love!" Yuno snapped, finally putting enough pressure to push Tamaki over the edge. Hero worship was something that seemed charming but was ultimately an ugly thing. Expose what the charmed considers hidden and risk their ire.
Tamaki howled angrily as she had hoped as the tentacles whipped out of the water faster and with greater force but utterly randomly. Yuno easily avoided each, as she did, spitting mini fireballs into the river at various points. While each was small, each was white hot, and the temperature of the flowing river slowly increased even as her reserves dipped from the effort. Tamaki had lost her temper and was focused on catching and beating her mercilessly. But was heedless of what she was doing. Such would be her downfall.
Yuno's plan was two-staged; the first part was strange, but she could only think of one way to drive Tamaki out of her hiding without being lashed to withers. Her intense high-temperature fireballs were unlikely to find nor draw even all that close to Tamaki. But such wasn't the point; they would slowly raise the temperature of the water. Draining to her reserves, but if done correctly, would work flawlessly. This would slowly but surely lower the amount of oxygen in the river. As the water was heated, it lost the dissolved oxygen, making it impossible for a water nature user to breathe.
Once she ran out of breath and went for air, Yuno would attack with a particularly strong Genjutsu. Not one to stun or allow her to attack but one to reveal the actual state of the Blechumi, the ploy of the wolves, and her Master's involvement in Yuno's enslavement. Indeed, this would shock Tamaki into betraying her Master. Yuno had a gut feeling Tamaki had been leading astray, and she would prefer not to kill her if able.
It took nearly a full draining minute for her ploy to work; after almost two dozen fireballs, the water had finally been heated enough. Once it bubbled, a red-skinned and gasping Tamaki breached the surface shortly after. Yuno stumbled over but was lucky Tamaki was both writhing in pain from burns and breathless. Desperately attempting to regain her bearings as Yuno drew close. However, Yuno allowed no such thing; closing in on the wenching woman, she kicked her on the ribs to make her land flat on her back on the water's surface. Yuno stepped over her and placed her foot on her neck as Tamaki desperately clawed at it. But instead of finishing her off cruelly or drawing a weapon to do so humanely, Yuno locked her calm Sharingan with Tamaki's wild, alert eyes. "Sharingan." She spoke calmly.
Yuno also allowed herself to fall under her Genjutsu as she stepped off Tamaki in the illusion of relaxing. This Genjutsu was complex but ultimately simple. She simply imagined a small dark room where she could project her memories. This illusion, however, was merely meant to aid Yuno in sharing information and convincing others of its legitimacy. Not to fool as such, Yuno believed it bely whatever defense had aided Tamaki thus far.
Yuno sat on nothing as Tamaki's head whipped around in alarm. Yuno scoffed at it, allowing the woman to shake off the worst of her shock before beginning.
"This is like before… Master warned me of this ability of humans… illusions, you managed to snag me… just like before…" Tamaki said, confused. "I managed to escape one before!"
"This one is considerably more powerful." Yuno countered calmly beside the angry woman. A complete bluff, in truth, with the talent Tamaki had shown thus far, she'd likely be able to escape. But she likely didn't realize such… "Besides, no need to escape. I intend you no harm. Merely want to show you truly who Blechumi is."
"Like I'd believe a human like you…"
"And yet you don't escape or attempt to attack me." Yuno pointed out. "You're interested, I can tell. Don't believe me, but I'm interested all the same. Just hear out, fellow human. I think you might learn something."
"I am a member of the Neeko Clan first, the pupil of my master second, and human last." Tamaki bit back. "Humans are liars and degenerates; it is why my Master fled to Terra in the first place. He has trained me to be anything but human."
"Your Master fled from the Elemental Nations to escape being hunted. Knowing that creep for some sort of crime. But I'm not stupid enough to take my word for it." Yuno explained. "As such, I intend to show you."
The sudden wall furthest from them glowed a bright white as it turned into an image. "This Genjutsu is one made to display my memories objectively. I cannot control what it shows; that being said, I wouldn't need to make your Master look bad."
It was from Yuno's own perspective. Her vision was somewhat blocked by her face being shoved into the ground but revealed the scene before her as she struggled against her captors. In front of her was an equally held and struggling Kiba. He was cursing and crying out in pain as several wolves held him down by clamping down on his limbs. Yuno was helpless to help as she was similarly held down.
Suddenly, the vision stilled, portraying the stillness that had suddenly overcome Yuno. The sight of Choji made it more eerie, as he also froze. The wolves whined as they left the two of them and walked off, leaving them with the soft steps of their new captor.
"Poor humans are so helpless and foolish. When in the presence of their betters, they become no different than an insect, terrified and helpless." Blechumi chided as he arrived before the two. He snapped his fingers as two glowing strands of thread emerged from his back and hovered in front of the frozen faces of Yuno and Choji. "Fret not under my service. You will be the gifted purpose, the unwilling soldiers of my future…" The illusion faded as Yuno and Tamaki returned to the real world.
Tamaki had stopped struggling as Yuno watched her with rapt attention.
"How did you… know all of that, his techniques, the Runic Wolves… you shouldn't have known that…" Tamaki asked, confused, through struggling breaths.
"It was my memory, not a mere illusion," Yuno answered. "It seems your Master has hidden much from you."
"No! You deserved it!"
"No one deserves that Tamaki… to be enslaved, to have their will nullified purely because they stand opposed to you?"
Tamaki didn't respond, but ugly tears pooled in her eyes. "No… surely the mentor of the Neeko wouldn't… He knows better…"
"He did. And this isn't about better, this about torturing and mistreating anything he considers lesser… are you truly all that to him?"
"He loves me!"
"And yet he leaves you in combat against a foe he couldn't be certain you could defeat."
"Proof of his faith!"
"Proof that you're his pawn… just like the Blechumi…" Yuno now shared images of her time with the Blechumi Clan and their love and faith in their founder.
"I can't. We, Neeko, have helped him for years. What has our aid been used for? Who have I devoted myself to?" Tamaki asked, stunned and so rocked that she didn't even attempt to climb to her feet after Yuno lifted her foot and stepped back.
"Kami knows what," Yuno responded simply. "But you are interesting, interesting enough that I think it'd be a shame for you to die or spend life in prison. So… if you wanted to make up for your sins, you could help us stop them… it'd allow you to see what real humans are like, at the very least… and make sure he doesn't do what he did to the Neeko and Blechumi to you."
"I… I have to watch my… Blechumi's battle. I will not interfere, but I must see if he survives against your friends…" Tamaki responded brokenly. Having her worldview questioned amid combat had wreaked a toll on her.
Yuno's eyes hardened as she subtly prepared to spit out a fireball at Tamaki at such close range she'd be helpless to dodge. It'd be a shame after her efforts to turn her, but Yuno couldn't afford for her to risk her friends…
"If they can't stop him I will…" Tamaki declared.
Yuno sighed in relief at the response before offering a hand to Tamaki and raising her to her feet. "Like I said, we're needed elsewhere; whoever is running that barrier is doing something to the Chakra Anchor. From what the Okama says, not only is that the only way for us to return home, but it could also have all sorts of negative effects on Terra. We need to go ahead; I can assure you Naruto and Sasuke will give Blechumi everything he deserves and more…"
"Your…" Tamaki trailed off. Right… let's go ahead. I can sense something flaring from the barrier. It seems your allies have done something to it; if so, they'll need us."
"Need us?" Yuno asked with a raised brow.
"Blechumi, before we came here, had allied with another party. After meeting them, he warned me they were absurdly powerful… They planned to gain control of Terra. If your friends intend to stop them, they'll need all the help they can get." Tamaki explained.
"Then let's go, my newest friend," Yuno said with a smile. The two soaked women wasted no more time racing to find the others.