#17

Bonus chapter for today! Thank the patrons for this guys. You could become one of them y'know? Lol! Don't forget to leave a comment or review if you like the fic. Anyways, enjoy reading!

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The first to arrive were the remnants led by Baki.

Baki approached Mufasa with a deep bow. "Mufasa-sama, the others are arriving one by one."

With the Kazekage gone, the Sand ninja had no true leader. They naturally turned to the strongest among them.

Mufasa, standing tall, took in the sight of the war-weary soldiers. He nodded, satisfied. "You've done well. Rest now, and leave the rest to me."

The tension in the air eased. His composure reassured the defeated warriors, their gratitude evident in their voices.

"Thank you, Mufasa-sama." "We appreciate it, Mufasa-sama."

Mufasa gestured toward the valley. "Go, get some rest. I promise you, I will take you home safely."

A wave of relief washed over the Sand ninja as they scattered to recover. More arrived by the minute, each reinforcing Mufasa's ranks.

When the Konoha forces finally appeared, Mufasa had gathered over a hundred Sand ninjas.

He sighed, arms crossed. "Our numbers were small to begin with. Losing more people so recklessly... what a waste."

But the one responsible, Rasa, was already dead, leaving Mufasa to clean up the mess.

Temari landed beside him, her fan resting on her shoulder. "Boss, Konoha's here. They're watching from the opposite forest."

Gaara, standing nearby, cracked his knuckles. "Let me kill them."

"Calm down, Gaara. Now's not the time for killing." Mufasa rose to his feet. "Keep an eye on the prisoners. I'll handle this."

He lifted off the ground, his chakra manipulating the surrounding magnetic field as he soared toward the forest's edge.

Below, the thick canopy concealed Konoha's forces, but Mufasa could sense them.

His golden eyes flickered. A faint hum filled the air.

"Electromagnetic Release: Magnetic Resonance Imaging."

With this unique technique, he mapped out the forest's depths, identifying every chakra signature hidden within. The images formed in his mind—bodies tucked behind trees, crouched in cover, moving in formation.

Two hundred. Scattered, but gathered in small groups.

One cluster stood close together. A meeting, perhaps?

"Let's say hello."

He pulled a small metal coin from his pouch, rolling it between his fingers before flicking it into the air.

"Electromagnetic Release: Railgun."

A pulse of energy surged, and the coin shot forward like a streak of light. He didn't amplify the current too much—just enough to get their attention.

Below, Kakashi, Guy, and the others sensed the attack and immediately dispersed.

The coin struck the ground where they had been standing, carving a deep crater into the earth.

All eyes turned to the sky as Mufasa's voice rang out.

"I am Mufasa. Konoha shinobi, let's talk."

Shikaku narrowed his eyes. "He pinpointed us that easily? He must have some special tracking ability."

Guy clenched his fists. "Hiding is pointless now. Let's go meet him."

Kakashi nodded. "Alright. Guy and I will approach. The rest of you, stay hidden and be ready."

After a quick exchange, the plan was set. Kakashi and Guy stepped out into the clearing near the valley.

Mufasa descended from the sky, his cloak billowing as he landed with effortless grace.

He flashed a knowing smile. "Kakashi, we meet again. The others won't come out to greet me?"

Kakashi's Sharingan was already active, studying every move Mufasa made. His instincts screamed caution.

This man was either reckless or exceptionally dangerous.

Kakashi cut straight to the point. "Konoha and the Sand have always been allies. Are you the one behind this attack?"

The Third Hokage's lifeless body had been found on the roof of the village. His loss left Konoha grieving, furious, and hungry for justice.

To them, the Sand was responsible.

Mufasa's smirk faded. "Not me. This was the work of that fool Rasa. If it were up to me, we wouldn't be having this conversation—we'd be at peace."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed. "Then who?"

Mufasa shrugged. "That's your job to figure out."

Guy stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "If you're not the mastermind, then step aside. We're here to bring the real culprit to justice."

Mufasa chuckled. "Justice? What justice? From your perspective, they're murderers. From mine, they're my comrades. My people. The ones I swore to protect."

Guy's fists clenched. "Then I'll just have to beat you until you move."

Mufasa turned to Kakashi. "So, is this your final decision? Are we really going to fight?"

Kakashi hesitated for a moment.

Guy, however, had no doubts. "Kakashi, if you're hesitating, I'll handle this. I don't believe he can stop me."

Kakashi took a deep breath and nodded. "There's no other choice. We fight first. Then we talk."

Guy twisted his waist, planting his feet firmly as he spread his palms in a familiar boxing stance. His eyes burned with determination.

"Let me, the proud Blue Beast of Konoha, test my strength against you!" he declared, his voice full of energy.

Mufasa smirked, his own stance shifting fluidly as he extended his palm in response.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied, his tone calm yet eager. "It's been a while since I had the chance to put my taijutsu to the test."

He gave a slight nod, signaling his readiness.

"Please, Guy—show me what the Blue Beast of Konoha is capable of."

Mufasa constantly used bioelectricity to enhance his body every day.

Lately, he had begun to feel that he had reached a limit. No matter how much he pushed himself, there seemed to be no more room for improvement. Was it his body? Or did he need a different kind of training?

Perhaps fighting against the Taijutsu master himself, Might Guy, would provide some answers.

"Please!" Mufasa said, extending the invitation with a respectful nod.

Where the valley met the forest, the contrast in landscapes was striking. On one side, the lush greenery of Konoha's trees stood tall, full of life. On the other, the dry, rocky terrain of the valley mirrored the harsh sands of the Hidden Sand Village.

At the crossroads of green and yellow, Mufasa and Guy stood face to face, their respective comrades watching from a distance.

Gaara, Temari, Baki, and the Sand ninjas observed from the valley entrance, their expressions ranging from curiosity to concern.

Baki frowned slightly. "How skilled is Mufasa-sama in hand-to-hand combat? Wouldn't it be easier to deal with the enemy using ninjutsu?"

Gaara, who had often been on the receiving end of Mufasa's training, smirked faintly. "Hmph. His Taijutsu is even scarier."

The One-Tail inside him rumbled in agreement. "That man's a monster."

Meanwhile, Naruto, bound in chakra-restricting ropes, hopped forward excitedly. "The old man's Taijutsu may be good, but no way he's better than Guy-sensei! He's the one who trained Lee, Konoha's Taijutsu genius!"

Temari promptly smacked him on the head with her fan. "There are levels to being a genius, kid. Some are prodigies. Others are just... talented."

Naruto rubbed the growing bump on his head, still pouting. "Hmph! Guy-sensei's Taijutsu totally crushes Old man Mufasa's!"

Meanwhile, on the Konoha side, hidden within the trees, the Ino-Shika-Cho trio was quietly assessing the situation.

With his exceptional sensory abilities, Yamanaka Inoichi relayed his findings. "The Sand ninja and their forces are gathered in the valley, about a hundred strong. They were just defeated, so their morale is low. They shouldn't be too much trouble."

"Besides Mufasa, there's another we need to watch closely—Gaara."

The mere mention of his name sent a chill through the group. Even a brief glimpse of Gaara's chakra made experienced ninjas uneasy.

"More importantly, the three Genin—Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke—have been taken hostage," Inoichi added gravely.

Shikaku Nara exhaled. "That complicates things. Naruto's the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki. We can't allow him to remain in enemy hands."

Akimichi Choza clenched a fist. "Then let's wipe them out in one go."

Shikaku shook his head. "No. We wait and see how this fight plays out. Mufasa's behavior is... unusual. He might have something up his sleeve."

Back in the valley, a dry, hot wind swept through the field, rustling the grass.

Kakashi stood behind Guy, his visible eye sharp with focus. The fight hadn't even started, yet the tension between the two was palpable.

Mufasa stood relaxed, a small smirk on his lips. "What's wrong?" He gestured lazily. "Afraid to make the first move?"

Guy's thick eyebrows twitched. His large, round eyes burned with competitive fire.

Then—

Whoosh.

A green blur.

Before the spectators could even register what had happened, Guy had already closed the distance, his fist slamming straight into Mufasa's chest with the force of a battering ram.

"Yes! He landed a hit!" Choza cheered.

Naruto jumped up excitedly. "See?! Guy-sensei got him!"

Gaara and Temari both shot Naruto a deadpan look.

Shikaku shook his head. "Hold your celebration. Just watch."

In the field, Mufasa remained rooted to the spot, completely unfazed by the attack.

His eyes were closed, his expression one of deep thought—no, of satisfaction.

Guy frowned slightly. A punch like that could break through solid walls. Yet Mufasa hadn't even flinched.

A single bead of sweat trickled down Kakashi's temple. "Is his Taijutsu resistance that high...?"

Mufasa, meanwhile, was savoring the sensation. Guy's punch had landed with a force more than what he usually endure. The impact had traveled through his body, vibrating through his muscles, bones, and nerves.

It felt... amazing.

His unique bioelectric training allowed him to refine his body from the inside out, down to a cellular level. However, Taijutsu training required external reinforcement as well—something he had never fully grasped.

Until now.

With each ripple of force through his body, his cells seemed to release tension, stretching, adapting, and strengthening in ways they never had before.

For the first time in a long while, Mufasa felt his physical limits expand once more.

A low, satisfied sigh escaped his lips.

"Ahhhh..."

Guy took a half-step back, his brows furrowing.

What kind of reaction was that?!

He had hit Mufasa with a serious blow, and the guy was... enjoying it?!

Had he held back too much? Or was he like those masochistic perverts?

Mufasa suddenly opened his eyes, sharp and clear.

"Guy--san," he said, his smirk deepening. "That's all you've got?"

A vein popped in Guy's forehead.

Insulting his Taijutsu was one thing.

But calling it weak?

"Fine, then!" Guy roared. "Take this! Konoha Strong Whirlwind!"

With incredible speed, he spun, his leg cutting through the air like a blade, aiming a powerful spinning kick straight for Mufasa's head.

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Word count: 1760