By the time the bright light from the 'gateway' subsided, I noticed that wherever I was, I clearly was not near a city. In fact, I was on a dirt road in the countryside. Where, I could not tell. All I knew was that wherever I was, most likely Uryu and the soul reapers from squad 2 took this same route. I could sense remnants of their reishi, but not enough to tell where they went. Where could they have gone? I noticed up ahead that there was a small farm with a corn field, about a acre or two. Maybe the farmer at lives here saw the soul reapers pass by, maybe even give me directions. Better yet, I probably should figure out where I am so I can figure what I may be up against if danger lurks around.
One thing at a time Al, lets talk with the farmer first.
As I got closer to the farm, I noticed a cart speeding down the road, sensing two people. What bothered me was that their energy was very strong, but the way their energy felt was similar to a soul reaper's, yet different at the same time. It felt like the source of their energy came from within their bodies at specific points. Hold on, strength from within, focused energy from multiple points throughout the body, and wait a sec, did one of patrons on the cart have a black coat with red clouds? They are Akatsuki! This is the world of Naruto!
Calm down Al! Now is not the time for panicking. If we anticipated this, we could have gotten out of your soul reaper form and not appear to be a threat. Whatever you do, don't be the aggressor. Just let them pass onto their business, no matter how evil it may be, and keep going down the road. I only care about our survival, leave the farmer be.
But….
Don't go and be a hero Al! You are not wearing plot armor.
One of the Akatsuki approached, smiling liked he heard a sick joke and said, "Hey samurai, you seem to be pretty far from the Land of Iron. Where is your precious armor? Or maybe, you are just a trainee. Tell me trainee, where is the owner of this farm, we have 'business' to discuss with him. Our higher-ups told us that a former samurai lived here with knowledge of where we could find a tail-beast nearby."
I replied with, "I do not know anything about the owner of this farm, I just came for directions. You see, I am lost, and I am looking for some comrades of mine to take them home."
Good one Al, play the foreigner card with master assassins! Like that is going to work.
Quiet my zanpakuto! We don't know if they are using a jutsu to read our minds.
Truth be told, I was not that familiar with the Naruto series. I understood the basic mechanics like the five nations, shinobi , chakra, and some of the plot mostly from friends who were into the series. I definitely knew that the Akatsuki were bad news considering their members have been villains throughout Naruto Shippuden like Itachi, Pain, and Madara.
The Akatsuki that talked to me got off his cart horse, wearing a crescent moons-shaped helmet and had a daikatana that appeared to be glowing. I could sense a great deal of energy being pushed into the blade. The other wore a leather eye-patch, staring at me as though trying to determine what my next move will be, showing off his claw gauntlets as though he meant business. He proceeded to say, "Hey Date, didn't we see a samurai with a squad of ninjas in black clothes heading north from this road."
"Yeah Masamune, I saw them chasing a strange man in white."
They must be talking about Uryu and the soul reapers from squad two.
"Please, can you point to where they might be heading."
"And why would I do that. I know you are hiding something, otherwise we would have not said anything so vital now would we Masamune."
"You said it Date, now tell us where the samurai on this farm is hiding, or we will be forced to cut it out of you."
Oh crap, I need to get out of here.
Al, I need to tell you something. You were actually able to use shikai for the past two days, but I felt that mentally, you were not ready. Let me make up this one fault by telling you my name. My name is tsuwamono. Call forth my name, and use my power to defend yourself. Lookout, the Akatsuki are going to attack.
Wait, what is your kaigo? How can I use shikai without knowing the correct incantation?
What is the one metaphor I have using this entire time since I have come into existence.
You keep talking about sewing. That's it. Sew.
The Akatsuki drew arms, ready to pounce on me for wasting their time until I shouted, extending my arms out over my zanpakuto , "Sew, Tsuwamono!" My zanpakuto glowed neon green, growing in length, until finally taking shape. The Akatsuki named Date attacked first with his daikatana while the other named Masamune held back. I grabbed my zanpakuto as hard as I could, closed my eyes, and swung to block as hard as I could. I opened my eyes, realizing I blocked Date's attack. Come to think of it, Tsuwamono bore a strange form. It was a white bokken (Japanese wooden practice sword) which seemed to be made entirely of a silken string of pure spirit energy.
How do I use this sword?
The bonds of string sewn in this sword are yours to command. Simply sew you spirit energy into this sword, and let it take shape of what you desire of me to become. I shall be your blade which binds together to the shape of your choice.
A little vague, but I think I get what you mean.
"What the hell did you do trainee!"
"Date, be careful! He seems to be more dangerous than we previously thought."
As they were surprised by Tsuwamono's transformation, I focused most of my spirit energy into the sword, thinking only of hoping it will change form. Become a blade that can has no rival in size. I want to end this in one swing.
There you go. Now let's finish this fight.
Together.
Tsuwamono's binds loosened as the layers and layers of string glowed with my spirit energy, and in a few seconds, took on a very distinctive shape. I know I wanted to end this in one swing, but not bludgeon them to death.
Come on Al, it will be fun. Once you get used to my power in shikai, you can gain better control of my form.
Tsuwamono took form of the buster sword, but did not fell any heavier than before. In fact, it felt extremely light, like holding a ruler. I jumped back, and tied the
Akatsuki's legs together by yelling, "bakudo #1, Sai!" I ran forward, sword held high above me, and slashed a deep cut that left a scar on Date's face, splitting his helmet in half. Scared, he dropped his blade, so I changed my swing, and drew blood as I cut across his chest through his coat.
He fell in defeat, replying, "I…..I have failed…..Pain is going to be pissed about our blunders…"
"My turn. Take this you samurai freak!"
Masamune charged, so I blocked with the broad side of Tsuwamono. Hold on Tsuwamono, we can finish this.
I….will be…fine…..just…..keep fighting…. for our survival!
Out of nowhere, an old man wearing a grey kimono charged from the cornfield, managing to make a cut by placing some his chakra into his katana to extend its reach in an energy attack. Masamune chanted, "Shadow clone jutsu." Now there were five Masamune's surrounding us. The two behind me charged, and suddenly, something occurred that even I did not expect.
Sorry Al, there is one last thing I forgot to tell you. When I am in my shikai form, I have and alternate form, for you see, the part of your spirit energy that became me has a 'physical' form. Don't be shocked.
What do you mean 'physical' form?
Tsuwamono started to glow again, only is was not from my spiritual pressure, but rather my zanpakuto's energy. A puff of smoke appeared, then a little girl appeared in my hands. She looked just like the girl I saw within my soul.
No way! You are my zanpakuto!?
"I will take on the clones behind us, you get out of here."
"Like hell I am going to do that! Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws! Hado #33! Sokatsui!"
Using most of my spirit energy, I barely managed to take out one of the Masamune shadow clones by basically blasting it at point blank range in the face. Another clone fell at the hands of the old Samurai, but he got knocked out by another clone. Tsuwamono punched the two clones behind us right in the dragon balls, instantly disappearing upon impact. One was left, it had to be the real one. He began to chant a chakra unknown to me, releasing a great deal of chakra, but then, a blue arrow from the forest was shot, impaling him in the lung. Uryu, where are you? He fell to his knees, declaring that, "crap, I should have …intervened sooner."
He faded away as nothing more than a pile of sand, including his partner. No wonder, these were just clones all along. This fight seemed to be way to easy. I exited out of soul reaper form, exhausted from the fight. Tsuwamono, why did not tell me earlier?
"Hey Al, sorry about not mentioning this earlier, even I did not really know for sure if I had a physical form."
"You seem much shorter than I last remembered seeing you. Were you always this small?"
"Are you calling me a pipsqueak?"
"No, that is not what I meant. Last time I saw you were on top of…"
"Who are calling a pipsqueak, midget!"
The next thing I know, I am on the ground as she round house kicked my feet after binding them together with bakudo #1. She stood on top of my chest, staring at me like I was a crazy idiot.
"You idiot, never call a pipsqueak again! You got that!"
"Got it, but shouldn't we help out the old samurai? I think he is still bleeding."
Together, we picked him up and dragged him home.
A/N: Hey everyone, chapter 4 is finally done! I really wanted this chapter to be finished to establish a new character I wanted to have since the beginning, Tsuwamono. Like I mentioned in this chapter, I don't know too much about the Naruto series, so to compensate, I created a few characters that can fit in the world of Naruto. Arc-wise, I enter in early in the Pain arc, so Naruto is training and whatnot. Feel free to give feedback.