4. Change in Battle Tide.

"Ahahaha!" The middle aged man guffawed. "What is this expression on your face, Kenji. Is it fear? Fear of realizing that you're outnumbered, and you're all about to die? That's a really good look you got there, but I was sure I didn't train such a weakling."

Kenji dabbed his face with his handkerchief.

"Fear? You underestimate me, Osamu."

Osamu frowned, "That's master Osamu for you, kid."

"Be quiet! Traitor. You do not tell me what to do anymore. You speak of fear? If at all I have any feeling in my heart, it's that of pity. Pity for you, for you shall die like a dog!"

Osamu's face grew darker. "You've become quite arrogant, Kenji. This is no way to speak to your uncle. Perhaps I shall instill some discipline into you." He said, drawing out his ninjato.

Kenji held his ninjato Infront of him. "Ninjas! Do not falter in the face of traitors! In the name of lord Metsudo, lord of all ninjas, I order you to kill them all!"

"Big words for a clown! Die boy!" Osamu shot down at Kenji with explosiove speed.

"Bring it on!" Kenji bent his knees and launched forward, intercepting Osamu in the air. Their ninjatos clashed, and a huge explosive shockwave occured, blasting nearby ninjas away. That was the power of the Ryujin clan, the ability to use explosive energy in battle. The clash between Kenji and Osamu triggered everyone else, and in seconds, the forest had turned to a huge battlefield.

Ninjatos glittered in the moonlight, and blood sprayed like rain. Each side trying to kill the other.

Shiro did a backflip, avoiding a slash to his head, then spun round and landed a kick to his assailant's neck, sending him sprawling to the ground. He raised his ninjato and blocked an overhead attack from an Akuma outlaw, before sending him flying with a front kick.

Two sharp knives flew towards him at an alarming speed, but Shiro was quicker. He did an air cartwheel, avoiding them. Then putting his hand into pouch, he retrieved two knives and flung them in a direction.

Two outlaws dropped to the ground motionless, with knives sticking from the back of their heads.

"Shiro watch out!" Koji yelled.

Shiro turned around and froze in horror, on seeing a Kage outlaw springing at him with his ninjato. He had used shadow Gi to make himself undetectable and get close to him.

The outlaw's ninjato was inches away from puncturing his neck, and Shiro could only stand rooted to the spot, accepting his fate, as there was not enough time to dodge or block.

*Bam!!*"

A shadow flashed past and a spinning kick sent the Kage outlaw flying away, saving Shiro's life.

"Are you okay Shiro?!" Koji appeared by his side.

"Ye... yes.... Thank you." Shiro was still in shock.

"No, it wasn't me." Koji nodded forward.

Shiro raised his head up to see Akira staring at him in disdain.

"Weakling." Akira scoffed.

Akira was farther from Shiro than Koji was, so how did he get there in time to save him??

Simple!

Well, not so simple...

Akira was using shadow man!

What was shadow man?? It was a high level skill in shadow Gi that required the user to summon his shadow or shadows for battle. The user's strength was split in half between him and the shadow man, but the speed and agility remained the same. It was possible for a Kage ninja to use more than one shadow man, but the strength of the user was split yet again. So if a Kage ninja created two shadow men, he would have just twenty five percent of his strength. The more shadow men created, the weaker the user and the shadow men became.

Akira was using two shadow men currently and that was already an impressive feat. Shiro's and Akira's father, Satoru, and and Kaito, could both summon four shadow men, while the clan lord could control six at full strength. Koji could summon one, but he was using none currently, preferring to fight alone at full strength. His body was a bit dark and blurry, and his ninjato was covered in blood.

Akira's shadow men moved swiftly in synch with Akira, delivering fatal slashes to the outlaws. No outlaw could enter Akira's radius with being slashed. Akira was clearly dominating the battle field.

Other clan ninjas saw Akira's strength and weren't too happy with him taking all the shine.

One Kaze clan ninja who was facing three outlaws sneered. "Like I'll let someone else outshine me."

Twirling his ninjato, he yelled "twenty blades in a single strike!!"

his hand moved like lightning, puncturing the three outlaws with his ninjato at the same time.

His hand movements were so fast that it was as though it all happened in an instant. As though he had striked twenty times, yet at once.

The outlaws fell to the ground, blood pouring out from numerous parts of their body.

Every body paused, focusing their attention on the Kaze ninja, who smiled at all the attention.

The Kaze clan ninjas were exceptional masters of Kenjutsu, and users of wind Gi. Just as the Kage clan had the shadow man, the Kaze clan also had their own special skill, Single strike blades!

It was the most powerful Kaze skill under wind Gi, capable of bringing down numerous enemies instantaneously.

"Oh? You've become serious, Buto." The second Kaze ninja smiled.

"Serious? I'm only just getting warmed up." Buto sneered. "I could use a hundred blade if I want to get serious!" Then he increased his voice, making sure the other clan ninjas and outlaws heard him." If you think that's impressive, I'll have you know that my elder brother is capable of doing two hundred blades!"

What made it even more terrifying was that single strike blades was in levels.

The lowest level was the twenty blades which Buto had used, yet it was already very terrifying. The higher the blade level, the stronger and faster it became. Single strike blades went from twenty blades, to fifty blades, to a hundred blades, to a hundred and fifty blades to two hundred blades, all the way to the highest and strongest of all levels, a thousand blades in single strike!!

It was well known that only the Kaze clan lord was capable of using a thousand blades, and he was greatly feared for it, even by other clan lords.

It was rumoured that he had once stood singlehandedly against a thousand enemies, and had brought them all down with a thousand blades!

Kaze clan ninjas who could use at least two hundred blades were considered geniuses, but the elites of the clan were those who could use five hundred blades. They were peerless masters, and enemies number were mere child's play before them.

A member of the Akuma clan sneered, "Hmph! Show offs. If you think that crap was impressive, then you lack the eye for talent. Watch closely!"

He chanted an incantation and stabbed his ninjato Into the ground. Two outlaws nearby froze in their tracks, and their eyes turned white. Raising their ninjatos high in the air, and they stabbed their bellies with it, before dropping motionlessly to the ground.

The Akuma clan's ninja smiled to himself, satisfied with what he had just done.

Not much was known about the Akuma clan, but it was said that they conversed with, and controlled devils. They were also well versed in possession arts. They were the menace of Ninshu, and always loved picking fights with other clans, especially with the Kaze clan, in which they were sworn enemies.

The Shiroi clan ninjas didn't want to be left behind in the show offs, so they brought out their artifacts, and joined in the battle domination. The Shiroi clan ninjas were skillful artisans and inventors, with hunger for knowledge. They made the best weapons in Ninshu, and also battle support artifacts.

The tide of the battle had changed at this point, with the outlaws greatly losing numbers. It would seem the ninja clans had all sent their best ninjas for this mission.

Osamu who was still facing Kenji gritted his teeth as he saw this.

Kenji was satisfied at the extermination ninjas performance and he attacked Osamu even harder. "What's the matter, Osamu? Disheartened to see your band of traitors fall against the ninjas of Lord Metsudo?" Kenji mocked.

"Don't get cocky kid!" Osamu delivered a head kick to Kenji who blocked it with his arm. "If you think for a moment that these are all our numbers, then you're in for a world of pain and surprise!"

"Teh!" Kenji scoffed. "Your numbers don't count for shit. Regardless, you all will die today."

Osamu saw the situation around him, and couldn't keep his cool any longer. Yelling with all his might, he slashed his ninjato towards Kenji's face. Kenji blocked the attack, but got blasted away in explosive force. He rolled several times on the ground, trying to stabilize himself. Osamu sprang at Kenji who was still on the ground, and prepared to land a finishing strike on him. Meters away from Kenji, a swift side kick to his chest sent him flying. Osamu landed with his feet and staggered a few times, before raising his head to see his attacker.

Akira stared at Osamu haughtily, his shadow men by his side. He had gotten tired of fighting weak outlaws, and had chosen to come for the boss. It wasn't that he wanted to save Kenji, he just needed more battle thrill.

"Stay out of this, Kage ninja." Kenji ordered. "It is my fight."

"Be quiet." Akira scoffed. "There wouldn't have been need for me to butt in, had you not been so weak."

Kenji laughed dryly. It wasn't that he was so weak. Osamu was the leader of the outlaws, and he was too strong. He hadn't even used half of his strength yet. He had been an elite member and the chief advisor in the Ryujin clan, before his fallout with Metsudo.

Although Kenji hated to admit it, he was still a far cry from Osamu who had trained him.

"You shouldn't get involved in the fights of others, little lad, you'll get burnt." Osamu warned.

"Bite me then." Akira waved his hand, and his shadow men launched at Osamu.