Chapter 16: Ryuzen vs Hinoka

As I was placing one of the last paper bombs I suddenly jumped up dodging an attack from behind.

I landed a few metres as I saw a man with blue eyes, his long silver hair tied in a ponytail with multiple loose strands falling, a large diagonal scar on his cheek.

I looked at him confused as I asked, "And you are."

"My name is Ryuzen Saibatsu, I'm what you call the boss around here."

"Wait, aren't you only 15?"

Ryuzen smiled as he said, "That's right, now if I may ask, why exactly are you here? Are you with the person at the north entrance?"

I paused before saying, "Yeah I am, is something wrong?"

"No it's just a pity I'll have to kill you at such a young age."

"Kill me? Are you really that confident in your skills?"

"I am."

I suddenly twisted my body to the left as I dodged a strike from his sword, thinking, 'He's fast, I barely dodged that.'

I jumped back, dodging another attack. Before blocking his sword with my kunai. My kunai started to crack under the pressure as I suddenly aimed a kick at his head.

But to my surprise he blocked it with his hand.

I jumped back onto a box grinning as I said, "Interesting I guess you're not all talk."

He sheathed his sword once again as he said, "That's right."

I suddenly lunged towards him as I tried to cut his throat with another kunai. He took one step back bearley dogging the kunai. Just as he did I punched him in the face. 

Or so I thought but the instant I supposedly hit him he vanished.

"What do you think of my after image?" I glanced back hearing his voice.

His blade was inches from my neck about to cut my head clean off. I fell to the floor dogging his sword before placing my palm on the floor as I tried to kick him. He caught my leg before throwing me.

I hit the wall hard as the mine slightly shook. I coughed up blood stumbling as I held my kunai staring at the floor. 

Ryuzen stared at me as he said, "Is this the limit of your power?"

I looked at my hand that was trembling yet, it wasn't from fear but instead excitement, I had looked up at him with a wide smile on my face as I said, "Of course not, this isn't even a portion of it. Cause I'll be the person that kills you."

I lunged towards him aiming a punch at his stomach. He raised his sword calmly but just as he swung his sword to kill me. I disappeared. 

Before he could react I kicked him in the head from behind.

He was thrown across the room before stopping himself using his sword with a wide smile on his face as he said, "Now we're getting there. Show me just how powerful you are."

We both lunged at each other simultaneously as I blocked his sword with my kunai. He suddenly moved to the side as he hit me in the stomach with his knee. 

I managed to block it as I was sent back a few inches before blocking his next attack. 

He continued attacking me each time his attacks were getting faster and faster as I barely managed to block each of them ignoring the strikes that wouldn't kill me.

We both jumped back with wide smiles on our faces, as he said, "You have cuts all over, yet you haven't landed a single strike on me."

I grinned satisfied as I asked, "Are you sure about that?" 

He looked confused when a drop of blood fell to the floor, he touched his cheek surprised as blood covered his hand.

I lunged towards him while he was distracted, but he barely managed to take a step back as he attacked me with his sword. 

Two clones appeared as I used one of them jumping up as I dogged. Before he could attack me againthe other clone grabbed his sword holding it making him unable to use it. 

I was in the air my body upside down in midair, my head pointing downward as I aimed my kunai straight at him. I slashed him before landing.

I stood in shock, my clones gone as I mumbled, "You blocked that? With a second sword?"

He turned around as he said, "You should be happy no one has ever lasted this long against me or made me draw my second sword."

I stumbled grabbing my kunai more tightly as I thought, "Tenten won't be able to hold on much longer with all the people she's fighting, the most important thing is completing the mission. No, it's making sure they all get out alive."

I suddenly coughed up blood as I looked down at the blade in my stomach. I looked back up as Ryuzen looked up at me saying, "It was fun fighting you, but I think that's enough. I need to get everything back on schedule."

He pulled his sword out as I fell to the floor. My vision started blurring, my breathing became faster and more shallow, I tried to keep calm when a voice in my head said, "You're going to die if you don't let me take control, Hinoka."

I hesitated thoughts running through my head should I, should I give her control. No. I can't. 

I stood up, almost falling back down. Ryuzen turned to face me as he asked, "You still have some fight in you?"

I weakly weaved hand signs before turning around as I started running towards the south entrance glancing back as I saw Ryuzen just standing there as he stared at me.

As I was almost at the south entrance there in front of me stood Ryuzen, he looked at me as he said, "Give up already, I have no problem with you but I can't let you leave, I'm guessing someone sent you here, and I don't know why but it could bring harm to my organization."

I panted blood dripping as at the same time I was healing myself thinking, "I managed to reduce the bleeding but I'm almost out of chakra, but this should be good enough for 5 more minutes."

I grabbed a small metal bar from my pocket and a bow made from fire formed around it. Ryuzen looked at me confused as he asked, "Is this your last desperate attempt."

I held the bow up aiming straight at the exit, I moved my arm as though I was drawing a bow as I did three arrows made from fire appeared as I suddenly released them. 

They flew past Ryuzen out of the mine before exploding one after the other. Suddenly I fell to the floor as Ryuzen said, "Are you so weak right now you can't aim right? Or did that have another meaning. Three consecutive explosions. Are you telling your allies to retreat?"

I sat there not replying, as he sighed before taking a few steps closer to me as he said, "You stopped the bleeding from your wound. You're strong, and if you join me you can become even stronger, I can promise you anything you want, money, power, position. You see this organization is bigger than you think, I have many more places like this across this world, my connections run deep. Trust me I can give you what you want."

He walked closer to me, extending his hand as he said, "So? What's your decision? Join me or die here?"

I looked at him before lunging towards the exit one last time out of a last desperate attempt. 

But as expected Ryuzen stopped me as he grabbed my head, pushing me head first as I fell. 

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!" I suddenly let out an ear piercing scream.