The Kirigakure Battlefields (5)

The morning was slowly creeping up towards this obscure misty hidden village.

The sky was gradually turning from the previous pitch-black color, to now more discernible blue.

The girl with the titian colored orange hair was pacing back and forth in the Mizukage's office building inside the Kirigakure.

Over the course of this long night she grew really uneasy and restless.

"What's going on, Ryoto?"

"Why are they still not coming back?" She turned around and suddenly asked the green-haired man who standing there with his arms crossed solemnly.

"I really don't know..."

"But, if this goes on for even a second longer, I'm going to personally go and find them!"

Ryoto suddenly exclaimed firmly, his eyes growing very determined and fierce.

Mei Terumi unusually nodded her head as well, knowing that with his speed, there's really no one that can withhold him if he wants to leave from somewhere in this world.

"Be careful..." She looked at him warmly, full of care, and worry in her tone of voice.

And, just as he was preparing to answer consolingly to Mei's concerns, another figure suddenly burst into the roof of this building hurriedly.

"Not good!"

"That guy is coming here!" A young blue-haired shinobi exclaimed quickly, while catching his breath, his facial expression was aghast.

"What!?" Both Mei and usually stoic Ryoto exclaimed anxiously at the same time.

"And, not only that, he brought another large chakra presence with him too!" Ao continued gravely, his face already deathly pale.

"Who does he think he is? Attacking the enemy village with just two people?" Mei exclaimed disdainfully all of a sudden, attempting to hide her inner dread in that way effectively.

But really, attacking the enemy hidden village, all by one or two people only, was truly unheard of in the history of this vast ninja world.

'Is this somehow connected to the sudden disappearance of the seven of them?'

And, that's why Ryoto who regained his composure already, suddenly said himself, "No matter what, we can't allow this fight to happen inside the village!"

Allowing the fight of those extreme proportions to happen right inside their own village center, would truly negatively affect their village's morale levels, and bring them all a really big humiliation, slapping them right in the middle of their face.

Allowing the enemy to appear inside their Kirigakure and wreak havoc freely?

That's clearly impossible!

However, Mei still turned her head subconsciously and looked at Ryoto a little worriedly and unsurely.

"This is the only way, Mei!"

"I fought that guy already and I know his powers pretty well!"

"He has a really strong barrier jutsu..."

"I doubt that even if all of our Kiri shinobi forces joined together could break it if they tried!"

"So, they are of not of big help in this situation... "

"Then, I'm going with you!" Mei added firmly.

And just as Ryoto prepared to answer this, she continued determinedly again.

"Didn't he bring another person this time?"

"I'm the Kage of this village! It's my duty to fight in this battle!"

"Should I go and call Utakata as well?" Ao who was still solemnly standing on the side, suddenly asked as he remembered about something.

Utakata was currently secretly being groomed in their village as their next perfect Jinchuriki pillar force alongside his fellow younger counterpart Yagura Karatachi.

Utakata was currently only twelve years old now, Yagura was even younger, he was only eight years old at the moment.

Jinchuriki are humans that have tailed beasts sealed within them. They exhibit extraordinary powers due to the immense chakra reserves they possess.

After the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, generously handed the Tailed-Beasts from his possession to the other big ninja villages liberally in his pursuit of everlasting peace; Every big shinobi village in the world now had two tailed beasts in their custody as the result.

Excluding the Konoha of course, who had only one, but strongest, tailed-beast, the Nine-Tails fox, in their ranks.

A perfect Jinchuriki is someone who is able to exert the full power of their tailed-beast, someone who has reached the level of full trust and cooperation with it.

Only three people from the original series reached this level, namely Naruto Uzumaki, Killer B, and Yagura Karatachi.

"No, it's still too dangerous to let him fight presently, he's not on that level yet."

Mei replied seriously after some consideration.

"Let's go, Ryoto!"

"Let's show them what happens when someone messes with us!"

Ryoto nodded resolutely knowing that there's no stopping Mei now, and they both disappeared towards the direction Ao pointed them at.

Ao still remained there looking at their backs, just praying silently in his heart.

- - -

Slowly entering the parameters of the Kirigakure, two resolute men were running decisively through the humid and misty forest. The aroma of the morning slowly entering their noses.

One of them had long softly colored red hair while the other one had medium-cut brown hair.

Their eyes looking fierce and intense, slowly reveling their inner murderous intentions.

"They sensed us, Fugaku."

The red-haired man called Yoshi suddenly opened his mouth and said plainly in no particular direction while running.

"That's good, maybe they spare us from having the trouble of finding them inside."

The other man, Fugaku, said plainly after jumping on the nearby jungle tree brunch and thrusting himself quickly forward again.

"You kill the Mizukage fast, while I'm dealing with that annoying guy."

Yoshi reminding him again, he's already getting tired of this front, he wants to be able to proceed to his other plans more quickly.

"No problem, believe me when I say that the new Mizukage stands no chance against me!"

Fugaku replied confidently and impatiently.

He was confident because he firmly believes that not many people in this world can truly take on the legendary Mangekyo Sharingan of his Uchiha clan alone and survive successfully.

He was impatient because he can't bear to see any more of his dear clansmen being slaughtered here on this accursed battlefront meaninglessly, just for the hypocritical Konoha's interests.

"They already moved towards here."

Yoshi said suddenly after using his Mind's Eye smoothly again to accurately predict the situation.

"It's that guy I told you about before, and their Mizukage I presume, who is also surprisingly..."

"... a woman!"

Yoshi opened his eyes a little side in revelation and wonder.

'Is it Mei Terumi? But how is that possbile?'

'It seems that uncle Sakumo's earlier intervention and that mysterious guy's unexpected presence already changed the whole situation of that village...'

"A woman...?"

Fugaku was also a little surprised but soon regained his fierce disposition again.

"No matter who you are, you have to die for my clan's survival right now!"

Yoshi looked at him and nodded satisfied, his respect for this man just growing and growing.

"Let's pause, for now, Fugaku."

"We'll wait for them here."

Yoshi halted his expeditious run all of a sudden saying something while grinning, preparing to show Fugaku some of his usual masterful preparation steps for the upcoming battle now.

The number one rule of his regular battle tactic routine is just a basic careful preparation!

- - -

Mei and Ryoto were also talking seriously about the upcoming battle on their run.

"I'll take care of the Crimson Blast, Mei!"

"I won't let myself get caught like the last time!"

"And you please remember to use that technique I taught you before as soon as you get caught in genjutsu!"

Mei nodded understanding what he meant.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Mei asked concerningly, remembering the state that he was in the last time, after facing the exact same opponent before.

"Yes, I promise that I won't get caught like before..."

"That guy is nothing, he doesn't fight like a real warrior at all!"

Ryoto who lived in the Land of Iron nearly all of his life before really despised Yoshi's sneaky and devious way of fighting.

He firmly followed the Bushido's Samurai Code of his master, which held restrictions on the samurai, prohibiting them to do many things and to live a very honest life.

This is not only good for samurai, but for everyone else as it will make each who follows it a truer person. The same stayed true for the battle situations!

Upright, honest, respectful battles, are the battles that he most desired, and the opponents that he truly respected. But, Yoshi Uzumaki clearly wasn't in that category.

'Let's see you use genjutsu against me this time as well!'

"He's nothing without his protective barriers!"

"Once you manage to avoid them, it will be one-hit death for him!"

Mei nodded as well already remembering some of the info about Yoshi from before.

"They're in that direction!"

Mei pointed somewhere while sensing something from the nearby thick mist.

- - -

The time for the faithful clash between these four people finally drew closer.

In the middle of the nearby jungle, stood two resolute men waiting for someone patiently.

Suddenly a two hushes of wind were heard in front of them.

A younger woman in blue Kirigakure war uniform and a younger man in green graceful kimono suddenly appeared in front of them.

"It's you? Did you manage to catch a good breath after the last time?"

Yoshi said playfully while looking at the newly arrived green-haired Ryoto.

"And you!?"

"Are you maybe the current Mizukage?"

"Sure not looking like it, I must admit..."

He said after taking a glance at the girl who came together with Ryoto.

"Yoshi Uzumaki?"

"I'll make sure that after today there'll be no more Uzumakis left in this world!"

"What does that mean?"

Yoshi now fixated his gaze on her and replied a little dangerously.

Mei wasn't fazed in the slightest, gaining great confidence by looking at the Ryoto who was standing now beside her protectively.

'Making fun of me, and mocking Ryoto as well? Hum!'

"It means what it means..."

"... You'll be destroyed today just like the renowned Uzumaki clan was before!"

Pause.

The wind continued to blow regularly, the jungle was still gleaming in its usual luster, but everyone realized that something was wrong on the scene!

Looking at Yoshi's blank and expressionless face, everyone looked surprised.

It was as if he really didn't expect to get a response like that one,

He was truly stunned and overwhelmed in a moment,

But, the next moment, after a few more seconds of shock and amazement, his handsome face suddenly turned ferocious and very murderous in an instant.

"I'll kill you, stupid wh*re!!"

Yoshi's killing intentions, hidden for many years before successfully, suddenly all erupted in an instant!

It was the first time that someone said something like this right in his face!

And moreover, it was coming straight from the mouth of the leader of the village that was directly responsible for its destruction!

For the destruction of his Uzumaki clan!

Fugaku opened his eyes wide, it was his first time seeing the usual playful and somewhat nonchalant Yoshi behaving like this.

'So he really cares about his clan, too?'

'Wait!'

'Then maybe... about Konoha?'

Fugaku suddenly opened his eyes even wider than before, suddenly shivering all over in goosebumps, realizing something extremely important in a moment.

Looking at Yoshi's direction now, he was even a little ecstatic.

'With an ally like Yoshi, my ...'

Mei in the distance honestly grew a little frightened and timid after seeing this,

First time seeing a human face being so distorted and crazed,

Moreover, it was coming right from the handsome teen about her own age!

But, suddenly a strong and protective hand touched her shoulder directly.

"Don't worry Mei, I'm here!" Ryoto said seriously, immediately bringing her out of her stupor, making her remember that particular day.

'Yes, with Ryoto here, nothing bad will happen!'

"Yoshi, don't forget about our plan!"

Fugaku suddenly turned towards Yoshi and said seriously, then continued somewhat lightly.

"I'll kill that woman certainly so don't worry about that!"

Yoshi finally took a deep breath, calming himself down afterward.

'Patience...'

'I can't wait to see the looks on their faces once I destroy all of their damned villages instead!'

Yoshi promptly nodded towards Fugaku, officially starting the battle.

Fugaku nodded himself, closing his eyes for a second,

Opening them again, a different patterned Sharingan could now be seen in both of them.

His right eye capillaries suddenly grew overexerted and extremely red.

'Amaterasu!'

Followed by...

'Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!'

Amaterasu produces black flames at the focal point of the user's vision.

In most situations, this makes Amaterasu impossible to avoid. However, if the target can move fast enough to prevent being focused on, Amaterasu will miss them when it's cast.

Once created, it can continue burning for seven days and seven nights. The flames cannot be extinguished with water or any other normal methods; only the user can put the flames out.

Said to be "the fires from hell" and to burn as hot as the sun itself, Amaterasu burns any material until nothing but ash remains.

A torrent of those strange black flames suddenly gushed out from Fugaku's right eye towards the direction of Mei and Ryoto in the distance swiftly.

Then, another larger torrent of ordinary orange flames started gushing out from his mouth as well.

Mei and Ryoto both looked shocked, dodging these flames alarmingly.

But the rift between their positions was successfully formed now.

And without further ado, Yoshi already capitalized on it.

He didn't have time to think about anything else at the moment.

Some of his clones already sprung up from the ground attempting to entrap Ryoto in a great barrier outside of Mei's current position.

'Oh no, you won't!'

'Seventh Step!'

Ryoto already realizing this and used his strongest movement technique attempting to exit the range of the expected great barrier.

But, suddenly the whole ground beneath his feet trembled fiercely, feeling as if it will explode at any moment dangerously.

'Catastrophic Clone Bombing!'

'Either remain here peacefully or go forward and get cooked up by my clones!'

This move with his clones already exhausted half of his previous ample chakra reserves, but sometimes you need to gamble a little in order to exit the battle victoriously in the end!

One hundred of Yoshi's previously well-hidden clones suddenly started swelling up and exploding right outside Ryoto's current position, on Yoshi's hand sign command!

Ryoto also realized this and, not wanting to risk it and get cooked alive, looked at Mei's direction worriedly.

It was his first time feeling this helpless in life!

People from the Kirigakure already started waking up after hearing that extremely loud bombing sound that Yoshi's clones produced when combined.

They all turned towards the direction of the nearby jungle worriedly.

Some shinobi already attempted to investigate the loud noise, but Ao, the Kirigakure's current jonin commander, promptly stopped them all.

'Please be safe, guys!'

Was the only thing he thought about at the moment.

On the other side of the flames, Mei Terumi had something serious to worry about herself.

'Susanoo!'

Fugaku shouted inwardly as the layers of dark red-colored chakra flesh already started forming and enveloping him successively.

'Is this the feeling of using the Susanoo? Truly powerful!'

Susanoo is a gigantic, humanoid avatar made of the user's chakra which surrounds them and fights on their behalf. It is the strongest ability available to those who have awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan in both eyes.

Mei looked gravely at the skeleton-like giant creature in front of her.

No matter how many battles she fought before, it was her first time seeing anything like that!

She immediately attempted to use the most appropriate technique for this situation.

'Hidden Mist Jutsu!'

But it was all futile as a black-haired clone suddenly emerged right from the ground behind her, touching her feet, while engraving some kind of special symbols seal on her.

She suddenly started glowing in the light, completely revealing her position.

'What kind of seal is that...'

However, she didn't have much time for curiosity, as a giant red fist suddenly dropped right towards her position from above.

Fugaku's real body was controlling it efficiently, right from the center of his Susanoo.

She managed to somehow dodge it, albeit barely.

On the other side of the battlefield, the clones finally stopped exploding.

But, Ryoto was now firmly entrapped in Yoshi's large wind barrier again!

While inside the barrier, and looking at the destroyed jungle terrain, Ryoto thought again critically.

'Just what is his purpose?'

'He should know that barries of this strength have no effect against me?'

'No matter what, I have to go out and help Mei, fast!'

Realizing the strength and thickness of this barrier, he immediately used the move he used the last time to break free from it.

'Seventh Step!'

'Soaring Tiger Sword Thrust!'

His whole body suddenly changed for a second, veins started protruding from all over him, and unexpected light blue aura suddenly emerged all around him as well.

He startingly disappeared from his position and in the next second already appearing near the edge of Yoshi's blue barrier.

His positioning and his sword attack assuming the shape and the aura of a real tiger.

He struck the barrier which promptly started cracking next.

Yoshi who was standing outside patiently, suddenly opened his eyes again.

'That's the place!'

He thought critically while already disappearing from his previous position swiftly.

Ryoto who finally broke free from the barrier suddenly opened his eyes wide again, not catching a break.

'Not good!'

Many strangely colored orange flaming chains of large sizes suddenly rushed right towards his current position, as if they were expecting him there already!

Yoshi chuckled a little seeing this from the distance and thought inwardly afterward.

'S-class secret technique!'

'Blazing Adamantine Sealing Chains!'

This was his father's personal jutsu he created and used in his last battle against twenty allied jonins.

It was also left in the master scroll his parents gave him when they sadly parted before. This jutsu is accomplished by channeling your fire release chakra into the chains using the noted nature and shape transformations.

Yoshi's father passed him both the needed fire chakra affinity and the detailed explanation of this technique before, so it's no wonder that Yoshi learned it recently after completely mastering the ordinary Adamantine Sealing Chains.

'It seems that I really can't dodge it in time!'

'Then come, I don't believe that you're sturdier than my sword!'

'Soaring Tiger Sword Thrust!'

But outside of his expectations again, just one of the chains in front of him collided directly with his peculiar black sword!

The other chains just moved beside him and entrapped him again after surrounding him successfully.

"These sneaky methods, again!!"

Ryoto grew really furious now.

This is not how a battle should look like!

"Blazing Adamantine Chains - Furnace!"

This was just one of the possible uses of this incredible technique mentioned by his father in the note.

'That previous sword attack seems to rely on the Seventh Inner Gate, judging by its blue aura?'

'So he possibly still has an even stronger attack up his sleeve?'

Yoshi thought level-headedly, still not celebrating anything early.

On the other side of the demolished jungle terrain, Mei Terumi couldn't catch a breath as well.

She was managing to dodge Susanoo's upcoming large red fists barely, utilizing Ryoto's strange movement technique up to the third level.

She suddenly decided that it is enough and abruptly halted her steps.

'It's time to fight back!'

"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"

The user of this jutsu creates a cloud of mist which they release from their mouth.

This mist is highly acidic in nature, capable of melting bodies, and even chakra-based defenses such as Susanoo as seen from the original.

The technique has an inherent disadvantage in that its effects are indiscriminate, limiting its usage to areas that do not contain allies. In the event that the mist escapes the containment area, the user can adjust the pH level of the mist to safer levels.

Though the mist is corrosive to all around it, the user is strangely immune to it.

Mei released this technique indiscriminately now, nearly exhausting all of her chakra in the process.

But it evidently produced the required results!

Fugaku's whole Susanoo started rapidly melting away.

He grew incredibly shocked when seeing this.

'Could that be a Kekkai Genkai as well?'

'It seems that I still underestimated the Mizukage a little!'

Fugaku suddenly moved his position within his Susanoo forwards, closer to Mei's down below.

'If ordinary genjutsu is useless against these guys like Yoshi said...'

'Then, I'll have to try my other Mangekyo special ability today as well!'

Mei who was now gasping for breath after using her previous exhausting jutsu, unknowingly looked the upcoming man right in the eyes.

'Tsukuyomi!'

Tsukuyomi is a Mangekyo Sharingan's dojutsu and one of the most powerful genjutsu in existence.

After making eye contact with a target, the user traps them in an illusion of his design.

Through this unprecedented ability to alter targets' perception of time, the user could use Tsukuyomi to subject victims to days' worth of torture in a matter of seconds; examples include continual stabbing or reliving traumatic events over and over.

Because of the power of the Mangekyo Sharingan and the speed with which Tsukuyomi works, normal methods of countering genjutsu are ineffective against it.

Using Tsukuyomi requires a great deal of chakra, making it inadvisable for the user to continue fighting after using it.

When Mei suddenly blinked again, she was in a completely different time and space already.

She was tied to a large cross, in a completely different realm.

"What on earth is going on!?"

This broke one of her last mental straws for today.

She was looking at the sea of black-haired men in the distance who were all holding shurikens seriously in their hands.

The sky and the moon were bloody red, the whole place looked extremely horrifying and eerie.

"This is the dimension I personally created for you, Mizukage..."

"It's called Tsukuyomi!"

"You'll remain here for the twenty-four hours, but only one second will pass in the outside world..."

"And this is no ordinary genjutsu, the pain you'll experience here will feel quite real, believe me..."

One man in the sea of similarly looking black-haired men suddenly spoke matter-of-factly.

Mei looked shocked after hearing that, her whole face already on the verge of crying.

"Let's begin now!"

Fugaku who spoke before nodded expressionlessly while his other clones in this dimension already started mercilessly throwing the shurikens from their hands at the Mizukage.

And after throwing them successfully, strangely new pairs of shurikens appeared in their hands again all of sudden, out of blue.

Female screams and shrills of agony suddenly started filling the gloomy void.

Fugaku still looking expressionless, as he was torturing just a pig and not a pretty human girl.

He can't even begin to count on how many Uchihas were killed before on this exact same woman's orders before.

After some time, nearly all of the things holding her sanity together gradually disappeared.

Only one memory remained!

Holding her sane while enduring this inhumane and continuous torture.

That memory was of that day she still remembers clearly.

Seen as a threat for her own village's previous traditionalist establishment, sent on a mission to perish all alone...

One man only saved her at that time, and not only that, he allowed her to continue carrying love and hope for this previously bloody and unforgiving hidden village.

She doesn't want to perish just yet!

She wants to see the new generation of Kirigakure fully bloom in the future, she wants to see him achieving peace upon these brutal shinobi lands once again, she wants to finally marry him after that is all over...

.

The dark illusion was finally over!

Fugaku's left eye was closed in pain in the outside world.

He couldn't believe how that young girl managed to stay safe during that whole torture period of twenty-four-hours.

She was panting hard on the ground, her face lost all of her previous luster.

'No, I must kill her now!'

Fugaku suddenly held up his sword in his hands, ready to kill her directly in that way.

He slowly moved towards her critically, all of his chakra already exhausted.

He came right in front of her weakly, and shouted inwardly, already swinging his sword downwards.

'Die!'

Looking at his sword upwards in slow-motion, Mei suddenly felt as if her whole life flashed in front of her eyes once again.

"No, I can't die yet!"

She weekly moved to the side to dodge.

Fugaku's weak swing only managed to catch her right arm, severing it completely from her body.

The man was over-exhausted from using everything today, ranging from ninjutsu, Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo, it was surprising he was still even conscious at the moment.

Not to mention, it was his first time using everything!

"Ahh!"

The female shouts of pain and agony suddenly echoed all throughout this jungle.

- - - - - - - - -

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