49

It's said that History always repeats itself... That is the quote that is drilled into our heads and unlike most... it's true. Years ago they fought each other, and years later they still stand against each other. Years ago Tsuchikage survived, and today too...

The tiny old man took a deep breath and gather his chakra, he know that this battle would be a testament to his strength, his will... and his survival. He has to win.

The old man made a single-hand sign, "Earth Style: Earth Crushing Spikes" and tens of spikes made of stone materialized around him in a circle. The spikes were as thick as two men and had no gaps between them extending in the form of a circle. Tsuchikage was sure that if one could see the ground from above, it'd look like a pit of spikes.

Tsuchikage was prepared for Ghost's ungodly speed, using the sharp spikes that engulfs the entire area they stood on. The three Konoha shinobis jump back gaining distance from these two.

"Aren't you a bit too foolish? Tsuchikage sama", Ghost said, as he impassively stood in the way of these spikes. The very moment the earthen spikes managed to graze him, they turn into debris right in front of the eyes of its user, forming a concentrated quantity of raw chakra that assimilated into Ghost's body.

The tiny old man cursed, the extent of the earth spikes was rather formidable but with that cheat ability of his, it didn't even faze or scratch Ghost.

"Very well then, since ninjutsu does not work on you!", Tsuchikage's body suddenly sucks the rocks around him onto his body wrapping them around himself in the sense of armor.

Ghost smirked looking at his opponent before gigantic pillars of rock emerge from the ground cracking the ground below him, causing shockwaves in the process that cause devastating damage to the environment

The man's attention turned back onto the old Tsuchikage, who had clad himself in an armor of stones, "Do you really think that's gonna work against me?!", Ghost asked as the earthen stones did not put so much as a scratch on him before they turn into rubble, creating dust cloud everywhere.

Tsuchikage took advantage of the dust cloud and used his ninjutsu to make him disappear, leaving only the illusionary cover behind. In a normal sense, this technique should have allowed him a complete erase of presence, causing Tsuchikage to have neither a physical form nor detectable chakra. Thus fooling all chakra sensors there are.

Those who ever had the bad luck of fighting against Ghost are dead; some may have survived but it was always Ghost who chose not to kill them in the end. So many battles he fought, but the man always remained unscratched. One of the biggest reasons is them being unable to even touch him.

Not only is he insanely fast, skilled, and terrifying with that cheat ability. There is also that demonic sensory ability that does not allow anyone to hit Ghost without his knowledge.

Tsuchikage was one of the rare beings that survived fighting against Ghost in the third-world shinobi war or to say he was spared in exchange for peace. A humiliation he could never forget in this life.

The old man is aware that nothing is gonna work against this freak unless he could fool the man's chakra senses. Pity though... Ghost's ability to sense is beyond human comprehension. No matter how hard one tries to hide, Ghost can always find them.

Still, Tsuchikage was determined to win this battle. He felt the need to prove himself worthy of the Tsuchikage name.

As though tired of waiting Ghost drew his blade a bit out of its sheath as he shifted his footing, placing his left leg behind his right, and with an ungodly speed he suddenly vanished and appeared in front of the old man, phasing into reality all of a sudden, scaring the tiny old man a bit, "This is not how you should fight against me Tsuchikage sama", Ghost said and swung his sword slightly.

Tsuchikage tried to dodge in vain, but the tip of his blade sunk into his shoulder despite the stone armor protecting the old man. Blood spurted out of the wound, just enough to make him weak, Ghost jerked his sword sideways, tearing the flesh on the old man's arm as he stumbled back holding his damaged shoulder blood dropping down to his feet.

The old man could feel the pain, he knew this was more than a mere scratch, it was a sign of weakness, he grits his teeth in frustration, this guy is just too fast to fight.

Flying back, Tsuchikage weaved through the hand signs, "Earth style: Gravity pillar", He yelled and a massive pillar of earth broke through the ground below, shattering the ground beneath them.

Ghost suddenly disappeared unfazed by the sudden increase in gravity leaving behind a crater in the ground.

Tsuchikage was about to follow suit when a single kick came out of nowhere and crushed his chest and face, before he could do anything, he found himself hurtling to the back of the area, continuing to go back until he the solid rock which he crashed through. "Ugh" was all the old man said, as he felt pain all over his body from that unceremonious kick and colliding with the hard rock.

Good thing he was covered in the stone armor or this kick would be the end of him. But he still couldn't help but cough up blood, the dark red blood was sticky on his lips and tongue.

"I should have killed you in our battle of the past, and I should kill you now for killing one of mine. But if I do, I will just play into someone's hand, so consider yourself lucky... again", his voice sounded emotionless, cold as ice as he stood his position, "But her death will be paid in the blood of your village.

"YOU DARE..!!" Tsuchikage shouted, anger filling his veins as he pushed the pain away. He hated this bastard so much. With a swift movement, the old man stood back to his feet and flashed forward.

Ghost simply watched the old man intently as he moved around, "You don't understand the meaning of fear, do you?...", Ghost said, as he simply vanished in thin air. Gone without a trace.

Tsuchikage looked around himself, trying to see where the man went, but abruptly his body shook, nearly half a dozen chakra flared up from within the village, and then suddenly the presence of those half a dozen chakra signatures all but vanished as if they were all put on the brink of death in an instant.

This left Tsuchikage feeling despair as he dash through to the village while a lone figure calmly made its way through to the main gates of the village entrance stepping on the collapsed bodies of Iwa shinobis and civilians.

The perpetrator was nothing but a mere shadow, yet he managed to kill everyone within a second without raising any alarm.

He was like a ghost that could not be noticed by the naked eye.

...

A scene of despair misery and pain.

That is what the Tsuchikage saw upon entering the village. Men after man were lying on the ground, their bodies covered in blood and shattered bones.

The old man took a long breath trying to calm the rage inside him as he moved through the dead bodies staining the surface of the floor a dark red. As he passed by the archives, the sight was so overly gruesome that he couldn't bare to take another step, "Damn you, damn you so much! You demon!", he yelled with tears in his eyes.

"Kurotsuchi...", Tsuchikage muttered fearing for the safety of his granddaughter as he ran towards his home.

...

On their way back to Konoha, Ghost and his surviving members stood at the huge eagle flying high in the sky. While the dead body of their comrade lay on the beast's back.

Arikurin bandages his hand as he looks at the passing clouds, "It was supposed to be a secret mission, no one should have figured out our identities or engagement point, yet, they did. To think we lost one of ours just so that we can get enough time to interrogate"

Anbu codenamed panda grits his teeth, "Our information was leaked, we were betrayed by our own people...!!"

"Quiet", Ghost ordered as he stood at the head of the giant eagle.

"But leader they..."

"Didn't you hear what I just said?", Ghost said in a cold voice, making his men flinch and eventually making them shut!

After a while, his right-hand man came near him and whispered his name.

"Leader, they deserve an answer. We deserve an answer"

Ghost glared at him before turning his face back to its original position, "There are no answers to some questions. Leave it at that. Do you have the information about Akatsuki?"

"Yes. I will have you briefed once we are in Konoha"

"Very well. Go and heal yourself up"

The Anbu grits his teeth but still asked, "What about our betrayal...?..!"

"..."

The man bowed and went back to take care of his injuries.

If there is something he understands after following this man for so long is that right now, this devil is angry.