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Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ
Romans 8:37
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"Huff, huff, huff..."
A female youth expressed her exhaustion as her panting pervaded the tranquility of the terrain.
The surroundings lay sprawled with multiple bodies; low level ninjas tasked with protecting the entry of the Kannabi Bridge. There were around 5, and she managed to take them all down through grueling determination.
Despite them being low level, Kaede panted heavily, her palms on her knees, and her attire slightly ripped with a big slash across her abdomen.
"Tsk," she clicked her tongue.
Under normal circumstances, these people wouldn't be able to lay a finger on her, and she would swiftly outmaneuver them and kill them in a single blow, but unable to do so, she was frustrated.
Why?
Because of her sensei's daunting revelation; that she would only be holding them back in this fight. She hated to admit it, but her sensei was right. Feeling triggered, she could only grit her teeth in frustration while caressing her bleeding abdomen.
Additionally, a green hue emanated from her hand in an attempt to heal her wound.
Kaede wanted to assist, but she couldn't.
Staring into the distance, she mused, 'Please... Hayato.'
***
Ryohei knelt on the ground, laboriously heaving. The blast moments prior shredded his upper garment, revealing his well-toned abs mixed with blood. Additionally, blood emerged from his mouth, an inevitable reaction to the damage that had accumulated.
'That... was close,' Ryohei mused.
Just before the blast, he managed to tap into a significant chakra point in the explosive insect, thus, managing to drastically reduce the potency. Had he not reacted quickly enough, his upper torso would've blown off from his lower body!
However, both Aiko and Ryohei seemed as though they would perish any second. Their vision was a blur, their complexion pale, and while Ryohei seemed relatively undamaged, Aiko was certainly going to kick the bucket.
"Tsk, monsters," Kenta smacked his lips.
"We can get them," Raiko confidently stated.
"Yea-"
Before Kenta could reply, he felt an ominous premonition... A snake wrapped around his neck, attempting to dive its fangs into his nape. That was a metaphor by the way, but that's what it felt like.
Sidestepping, Kenta managed to avoid a sword slash by a hair, as Hayato jumped right in between them, and proceeded to vault toward Ryohei.
"Quickly, let's do that," Hayato asked, his resolve affirmed.
"Yeah," Ryohei admitted, placing a finger on Hayato's chest. He stared at Hayato, and informed, "You must do it fast. You have 5 seconds!"
"That's more than enough," Hayato nodded in affirmation.
Ryohei pressed deep, striking an acupuncture point on Hayato's chest, and at that moment, Hayato felt an incredible sense of rejuvenation and power! It was as though his vitality had been restored!
Nothing was said at that moment. Hayato had no time to speak, and he absolutely did not want the enemy to seize this opportunity. He was going to end this once and for all.
And then, Hayato became a blur!
...
"Kenta!"
Raiko called, pushing Kenta to the side, and everything happened in the blink of an eye. Raiko could follow the sudden velocity, as Hayato sprung past the duo, managing to graze Kenta's neck!
"W-Whoa!" Kenta stuttered. Had it not been for Raiko's intervention, his head would've rolled across the floor!
Due to the increase in momentum, Hayato flew past, scraping the floor with his feet to halt his skid. In a flash, he twisted his torso, leaping right back to his prey at Godspeed!
"Earth Style: Earth Golem Jutsu!" Raiko chanted, forming a large golem in front of the duo, and allowing them to keep their distance, however...
*BZZZZ*
*BOOM*
The golem immediately crumbled under his resilience!
However, sensing the ominous force beforehand, Raiko had already quickly and gracefully weaved, "Fire Style: Pheonix Punch!"
His fist was emblazed in a fiery hue, and he punched toward the agile youth.
Hayato sidestepped, subsequently plunging his sword right through Raiko's torso!
"Ugh," Raiko grunted, his mouth filled with the taste of iron before puking a crimson fluid.
"Hiss!" Hayato hissed, as a little bit of the flame burned the side of his face.
However, Raiko was not done... He continued to weave multiple hand signs, forming a small dome around the duo, trapping Hayato with him, and engulfing them in darkness; [Earth Style: Earth Dome]
"... KENTA!" Raiko yelled!
*BZZZ*
*CRACK*
To Hayato's side, a brilliant, crackling yellow crashed through the dome from the outside, heading straight for him.
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Kenta had been watching all along, preparing the jutsu, and noting Hayato's position!
'Drat,' Hayato thought, as the crackling force was right beside him, and he had no room for escape. The small dome halted his maneuverability, hence, he was prone!
"Lightning Style: Thunderclap Arrow," Kenta declared, releasing the devastating attack, and landing a direct hit at close range!
Hayato crushed through the dome, welcomed again by the light of the outside world, and reeled across the floor. Sticking his sword into the ground, he halted the momentum, and took a knee, ready to re-engage, but...
"DAMN IT!"
Hayato yelled as he was unable to move. His legs gave in, and he fell to the floor!
Hope had rekindled in Kenta as his lips parted into a hopeful grin, but he looked around warily to ascertain that he was fine...
"Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Rotation!"
Ryohei chanted, forming a blue vortex of chakra. Ryohei had attacked from behind.
"Arrrghhh," Kenta grumbled, before succumbing to unconsciousness.
"Huff... huff..." Ryohei panted, limped toward Hayato, and raising a hand...
"Let's go."
Hayato accepted the gesture, replying, "Thanks man."
With an arm draped around assisting the immovable Hayato, they approached their sensei.
"Sensei," they both muttered, noticing that she was dying. At this point, it was inevitable. She was in a tight predicament, as she continuously lost blood!
"Good job... boys," she mustered to say.
Ryohei attended to her leg;
"Bear with me sensei," he asked.
"Hss," Aiko grit her teeth as her student carefully, and skillfully, tended to her wound, masterfully poking chakra points around the region of wriggling flesh.
Ryohei claimed, "I've reduced the blood loss and the pain sensei. We can escape."
"Ha, Ryohei, you're right. Thank you," Aiko thanked. She seemed to be much better, but that didn't change the fact her condition was dire.
Ryohei continued, "It should hold on for several hours, and I can keep using this technique when the wounds start to reopen but the more I use it, the riskier it'll get."
"It's alright Ryo, thanks a lot," Aiko expressed with a warm smile.
The trio engaged in a tight embrace, and tears started to emerge from Aiko's eyes.
"You guys... I am thankful I have such amazing students, I really am," she expressed.
With her statement, tears had started to form in Hayato's eyes, including the usually indifferent Ryohei, who even started to sniffle.
"Ha, Ryo, are you crying?" Hayato questioned in a mocking tone.
"You're one to talk Hayato," Ryohei snapped back.
"Haha," Aiko chuckled.
"Sensei, shall we get moving?" Ryohei proposed.
"Yeah," Aiko showed a hand, and Ryohei helped her up, draping an arm around her waist as support. He turned to Hayato and continued, "Hayato, what about you?"
"I'm empty of chakra," Hayato said, clenching his fist... "But the effects of your technique are wearing off. I can kinda move now."
"That's good," Ryohei acknowledged, activating his byakugan, and scanning the other end of the Kannabi bridge. Multiple Shinobi, around 2 Chunins and 3 Genins, appeared to have fallen from the other end.
"Hayato, let's go, right now. Kaede dealt with the other end!" Ryohei asserted.
"Perfect," Hayato acknowledged, taking Aiko's unoccupied side, draping his arm around her waist, and wrapping her arm around his neck.
Ryohei turned his gaze to the exhausted Aiko, and noticed after sealing the wound, she seemed much better. However, they had to make it home as fast as possible.
Aiko, noticing the watchful and studious gaze of her student who had activated the Byakugan, teased with a delicate grin, "What are you looking at Ryo?"
"N-Nothing," Ryohei stuttered, his cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
Even despite her situation, Aiko was still Aiko.
In all honestly, Ryohei was observing Aiko's chakra channel.
"Pervert," Hayato teased with a grin.
"Shut up Hayato, it's not like that," Ryohei snapped back.
"Sure, sure," Hayato shrugged sarcastically.
"He's not wrong Ryo, you got a good look at me, wouldn't you say? Wanna keep looking?" Aiko chimed in.
"Tsk, whatever," Ryohei smacked his lips, unwilling to go against these 2 in an argument; they'll just continue to pester him.
"I wonder why I even sealed your wound," Ryohei sighed.
Aiko grinned, "Why, you ask? Simple really, it's cuz you love me."
She cocked her head, gently laying it on Ryohei's shoulder, and Ryohei could only look dumbfounded.
For everything he says, his sensei always has a nitwitty comeback.
"Haha," Hayato laughed.
"Ugh, whatever," Ryohei decided to just stop with the talking. It was obvious he was on the losing end.
And so, the trio ascended, jumping high into the air, and making their way toward the bridge.
"Sensei, after we cross the bridge, should we destroy it? Perhaps if we do, it'll serve significantly for us in the future," Hayato proposed.
"Mmm, I thought that too, but I believe we should escape for now," Aiko answered.
"Yeah, we should leave as soon as possible," Ryohei supported.
The trio continued, vaulting toward the bridge. They closed the distance rapidly, nearing the entrance of the bridge, the very bridge that signified their hope for escape. They held onto this minuscule thread.
But Hayato felt something amiss. He felt as though he had forgotten something, something important, and delved deep into his memory...
Ryohei and Aiko had bright smiles, expressing their delight, but Hayato contrasted significantly, panic etched across his face as he reluctantly rotated his neck.
And at that moment, he perspired! The hairs on his arm stood, his blood started to boil, and his heart raced; an unavoidable, impending sense of doom!
The 4 tails Jinchuruki was standing up, his shoulders hunched, staring at the trio, his lips slightly parted, and his crimson gaze oozing malice. His entirety slowly took on a blood-red cloak.
Hayato's eyes widened in dismay, his expression becoming one of gloom...
"Oh n-"
*BOOM*
The last thing the trio saw was a scarlet blur, and suddenly, their vision distorted, as they pummelled into the earth!
...
A ringing pain resounded in Hayato's head, as he slowly lifted his body, clutching his head in pain. His eyes flicked open, but the world seemed to be a blur. Soon enough, his vision regained clarity, and the ringing sound had diminished.
However, he was met by the murderous eyes of a beast bathed in blood-red, with 3 tails protruding from its back, causing him to break into a cold sweat.
"That... Is that..." Ryohei stammered.
"He's possessed," Aiko muttered, referring to Roshi, the 4 tails Jinchuriki!
They had killed Roshi, aware of the consequence of unleashing the 4 tailed beast. Besides, if it were unleashed, it would work in their favour, as the beast would go on a rampage, subsequently diminishing enemy forces. That was also part of their premeditated plan, and it seemed the beast had finally taken control... Or so they thought!
The beast opened its mouth, revealing an endless abyss of black inside.
"Possessed, no!" It spoke in an ethereal tone.
"What?!" Aiko expressed her shock.
The beast continued, its hand caressing the heart area, "You did get me, and I'm also surprised I must say."
Hayato spoke this time, "That fluctuation I felt... So I was right!"
Hayato was reminded of a peculiar fluctuation when he had pierced Roshi in the heart earlier, and with Roshi's reasoning, he understood now that it wasn't just his head playing tricks; his strike really did feel lackluster.
The beast turned to Hayato, pointing at him, "Correct. 4 tails had protected my heart, infusing chakra beforehand, and significantly weakening the potency of your strike. Though it was lethal, it was light work for 4 tails to fix. If 4 tails hadn't protected my heart, then he would've erupted from my body."
"What?" Ryohei stammered.
"What the hell are you saying?" Aiko supported.
Roshi spoke, "Well, I have yet to know the reason. 4 tails could have used this chance to release itself, but instead, it helped... No, actually, "he" helped me."
"He? Wait, does that mean..." Aiko paused, eyes unfurling in dismay.
"He's become a perfect Jinchuruki," Ryohei completed.
"Yeah, I have at last," Roshi affirmed, embracing his abdomen, and expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, Son Goku."
Roshi's blood red form started to subside, revealing his human state. Initially, it may seem like he's powering down, but no...
The bubbly foam of chakra around Roshi increased, forming the face of the 4 tailed beast around his entire figure. It was a chakra-like form of the 4 tails, with Roshi standing inside the mouth.
"You've done collateral damage," Roshi claimed, staring into the distance of the other end of the Kannabi bridge. A grin spread across his face; "Lose the battle, but win the war. I hate to admit it, but you win."
Turning his gaze to the trio, he declared, "Be honoured. You shall be the first to face the full brunt of my attack!"
Subsequently, a massive, dark purple sphere coalesced around the mouth of the colossal beast.
"Th-That..." Ryohei paused, dismayed. He had heard of this jutsu, and this was his first time being directly confronted!
"The Bijuudama," Aiko completed, her gaze unflinching.
Hayato's mouth twitched before he bit his lip in fury, bleeding. Punching the ground in a fit of rage, he shouted, "Damn it... we were so close... So damn close!"
The trio was left with no options, as the ominous ball towering toward the heavens, ever so slowly descended upon them!