I do not own Naruto Shippuden or any of the characters.
Freaks
Ryuu spun and flipped around the blob's tentacles, all three faces growling and yelling in frustration as they struggled to hit him, Hei, or Lena. All three were fast enough to avoid the thing's strikes. Kiho's barrels extended from the end of one of the tentacles, spraying grenades at the three of them. Hei and Lena both retreated underwater while Ryuu began to flicker, the grenades passing through him harmlessly. Then, two of the thing's tentacles suddenly burst out of the water wrapped around Hei and Lena. just as it began to squeeze them, a flickering Ryuu appeared beside each, their tantos sporting flame blades like he had used to fight Hei. Both Ryuus slashed the tentacle they were beside, freeing the two homunculi, and all three leapt away from the blob. Nurari roared in rage, pulling water from the lake to reform its tentacles. Then, he sent out all but two, which pulled goo from the blob's main body growing into actual legs as the rest of the body became vaguely normal-shaped, aside from having three merged faces where the neck should be and tentacles as thick as a human torso along its sides instead of arms.
Ryuu spun around a tentacle, slashing at it, only for it to bend out of the way, then slam into him from the side. He shot through the air, his tanto spinning away, but as he landed on his feet, Hei landed beside him, holding out the tanto. "Thanks."
He sheathed it as Hei formed his flame blade on his own hilt, Lena landing on Ryuu's other side, lightning streaming along her khakkhara suddenly, the electricity screaming angrily, every bit as high, loud, and annoying as the Chidori. He held his own hand out, a blade of compressed Wind Style Chakra forming in his palm, the blade being a green tinted, flattened, double-edged blade that extended straight to the point rather than having a taper. Then, all three of them were off, streaking around and round the blob, slicing off tentacles as they struck at them, the tentacles all regrowing instantly, but the three faces were shrieking in rage and pain enough for Ryuu to be convinced they were at least doing something besides working off stress. However, before they could do much other than that, the water around the Sealing Team suddenly exploded, washing all four girls away. Ryuu spun to them just as the Three-tails exploded up out of the water in front of him, falling at him, the two homunculi, and the blob.
"Oh no you don't!" Ryuu growled, he and an Afterimage Clone grabbing Hei and Lena and getting them out of the way before the Three-tails crashed down on the blob.
"Thanks," Hei said as Ryuu set them down, the one holding Lena disappearing.
"Don't mention it," Ryuu said. "What the fuck happened, though?"
"What's that chakra?" Lena asked, pointing.
Ryuu turned to look, seeing a column of chakra reaching into the clouds, which were spiraling into a reverse funnel around it. "Yukimaru. Shit. Let's go. I might need your help."
Both homunculi nodded and the three of them sped across the lake as quickly as they could. It was still taking them far too long, however, and Ryuu growled in annoyance.
"I'm going on ahead!" Ryuu called back to the other two as he began to quickly pull ahead.
Both nodded and Ryuu turned back to the front, activating the Body Flicker Technique. He sped to the cliff, landing on it just in time to use his Wind Rapier, as he called his jutsu, to deflect one of Rinji's two bone spikes, the other stabbing at him instantly, only for him to catch it, stopping it instantly.
"Everywhere I look today, I see freaks," Ryuu said, slamming a push kick into Rinji's chest and sending him exploding backward through a tree behind him.
"That guy's not human!" Naruto said from behind Ryuu, sporting several gashes and bruises. "He's got a bunch of Kekkei Genkai, and his bats can beat Guren's Crystal Style somehow! He stabbed her with one of his bone spikes!"
"Where is she?" Ryuu asked, forming a Shadow Clone, who quickly followed Naruto down the cliff to a lower ledge where Yukimaru was standing in his chakra column, Guren lying behind him, badly wounded but alive still.
"You're fast, and strong," Rinji said, stepping back out of the trees, this time without his bone spikes. "You're knowledge of seals is problematic, and your Kenjutsu skills are likely on par with that of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist. You're dangerous. But I think I can handle you. After all, I'm Lord Orochimaru's perfect creation."
He began to change instantly. His hair bleached white, as did his skin, his eyes lit up red, the left's sclaera glowing bright red while the iris turned black and the pupil grew into a shining, pink, horizontal bar, meanwhile the left developed three tomoe, his limbs elongated by several feet each, making him double Ryuu's height with arms that almost reached the ground, bones grew from his left forearm, creating a double-edged blade that reached out from the top and bottom of his forearm about two inches on each side, then extended for four feet past his hand, which was positioned in a hole in the blade, his right hand and forearm were suddenly encased in crystal, and ice began to form into spikes floating around him, all of them aimed at Ryuu.
"Jesus," Ryuu breathed. "And I thought you were a freak before. At least before you looked human."
Rinji grinned wickedly, slashing with his bone blade, Ryuu flipping over it and landing on the other side just in time to leap to the side as Rinji's fist exploded into the ground. The cliff face shattered, crashing down on the rock ledge about three seconds after Ryuu's clone got Guren out of the way, the debris failing to get out far enough to endanger Naruto or Yukimaru. Ryuu flipped into the air as several ice spikes stabbed into the ground, only to slash several more out of the air with his Wind Rapier as they shot at him. He extended his wings, taking off and flying out of their path, only for Rinji to suddenly be beside him, the ends of his scarf suddenly transformed into a pair of massive, leathery wings, like a bat's. Ryuu sword, moving to block Rinji's blade with his own, only for the bone blade to smash through his instantly, Ryuu flickering just in time for Rinji's blade to pass through him. Ryuu solidified again and flipped, a repulsion seal appearing on the top of his right foot before it exploded into Rinji's ribs from below, sending him flipping and spinning into the air, though he wasn't harmed much. His Crystal Armor had shielded him at the same time as breaking Ryuu's foot, though it healed almost instantly. Ryuu growled in annoyance, reforming his Wind Rapier, this time focusing as much chakra into it as he could, a thin, barely-visible layer of Wind Style chakra forming around it, spinning like a cyclone along the entire blade, though little more than aesthetic, compared to the jutsu itself.
Then, Ryuu spun, his newly formed blade crashing into Rinji's bone blade, Rinji's momentum taking Ryuu down several feet before he could stop himself, hardening both feet and placing Repulsion Seals on the soles of his feet as well before slamming the bottoms of his feet into Rinji's chest. This time, Rinji's Crystal Armor shattered as he streaked away and Ryuu sighed, stopping and readying himself. After several seconds, Rinji flew back over and stopped.
"I'm warning you for the last time Rinji, you don't want to do this," Ryuu said. Because I really don't want to have to fight a freak like you.
"I'm tired of calling myself Rinji," the freak said. "Rinji was a weak, pathetic nobody. He was just a donor for DNA as a basic template for appearance, as well as his skills with the bats, specifically to deal with Guren. I'm so much more than he was. Call me...Amalgam."
"Fitting name for a freak like you," Ryuu said. "Alright Amalgam. Last warning."
Amalgam laughed. "I think I'm probably warmed up enough. Shall we get started for real?"
Ryuu swallowed hard, readying himself. Then, Amalgam slashed his forearm, blood exploding out of it for a moment, forming into a massive dragon. Ryuu felt his body beginning to go numb. How was he supposed to beat that? How could he fight someone who could control blood?
The dragon roared, streaking forward and Ryuu shot into the air, flipping over it before blocking Amalgam's blade, being sent streaking backward by the force. He flipped, landing on side of a cliff beside him before vanishing just before the blood dragon exploding into the cliff, shattering the entire rock formation into debris. Ryuu reappeared behind Amalgam and slashed at him, only for Amalgam to block the blade, flipping over it and deforming, his body stretching like Orochimaru's. His blade arm twisted around, stabbing at Ryuu, who deflected the blade and slashed at Amalgam's back, only for Amalgam to stretch out of the way. Then, a bone scorpion tail burst out of Amalgam's back in a spray of blood, both only barely missing Ryuu as he vanished again. He reappeared on the water and Amalgam grinned. Unhinged, psychotic laughter began to peal out of him. Then, he was in front of Ryuu again, a blood blade like Ryuu's own Water Sword in his free hand, Amalgam's two blades clashing against Ryuu's Wind Rapier rapidly, Ryuu quickly retreating from the monster. Ryuu dropped into a squat as Amalgam's tail stabbed at him, barely avoiding it, then slashed the tail out to the side, twisting out of the way of the Blood Sword before deflecting the bone sword into the air, slashing back downward. Amalgam flipped, his foot kicking Ryuu's arm upward before the Bone Sword drove itself through Ryuu, who instantly erupted into a fireball.
Ryuu appeared behind Amalgam and to the right just as Hei appeared opposite him, their two blades bifurcating Amalgam at the diaphragm. Amalgam's upper body spun into the air for a moment before both halves erupted into Blood Senbon, stabbing into the two in non-fatal places, others scratching them. Both staggered backward, the Blood Senbon falling away, but Ryuu knew the damage had been done.
"What is this freak?" Hei asked, just as Amalgam appeared behind him, his crystal-coated right fist exploding into Hei's side, shattering a couple of ribs and hurling him.
Ryuu spun to attack, but his entire body suddenly locked up, the feeling of choking that came with blood being cut off to his head rapidly filling him.
Amalgam grinned. "Just eight seconds and this fight's over."
Suddenly, Lena was behind him, murder on her face, and slammed her khakkhara into his side, several of Amalgam's bones snapping loudly as he spun away, Ryuu collapsing as his blood began to flow again. Darkness swallowed him instantly.
Ryuu's body began to tingle. He was so tired. Why was he waking up? He was trying to sleep. Someone was calling his name, though. Who was it?
"Ryuu!" the voice shouted, sounding far away.
Ryuu fought to stay asleep. Something nagged at the back of his mind. When had he gone to sleep again? He didn't remember going to bed.
"Ryuu!"
He remembered he was supposed to be doing something. And his bed felt kind of strange.
"Ryuu! Wake up God dammit!"
He groaned irritably, forcing his eyes open. "What the hell do you want? I'm trying to sleep." He was greeted by the side of Hei, Lena, and Kakashi struggling to fend off Amalgam, who was using a Blood Sword, his bone blade, and ice projectiles to fight them, using his control over blood to stop Hei every few seconds. Ryuu swore harshly, shoving himself up out of Shizune's grasp. "That bastard stopped my blood!"
"I managed to get his blood out of you," Shizune said. "Can you handle him?"
"With help, maybe," Ryuu said. "Help Hei. He got hit too."
Shizune nodded and Ryuu shot forward, reforming his Wind Rapier and passing Kakashi just in time to deflect the bone blade, Kakashi busy fending off ice projectiles. Amalgam grinned as he saw Ryuu was up and about again and slashed with his Blood Sword, only for Kakashi to kick that arm away stopping the slash. Ryuu deflected a handful of ice spikes, then stabbed at Amalgam, who spun out of the way, his bone blade whipping around at Ryuu, only for Ryuu to flip over it. As he did, Lena slammed into Amalgam's chest, not getting through his Crystal Armor, but launching him all the same. As soon as Ryuu and Lena landed, Ryuu let his Wind Rapier fade as he, Kakashi, and Lena each formed hand seals rapidly.
"Wind Style, Majestic Demolisher Flame!" Ryuu shouted, mixing his Wind and Fire Style chakras, as he had the first time he had used Tobi's body.
"Lightning Style, False Darkness!" Lena shouted.
"Fire Style, Dragon Flame Bomb!" Kakashi shouted.
The lightning bolt hit first, obliterating the bone blade as Amalgam tried to block it. Then, as Amalgam began to crystalize Kakashi's jutsu, Ryuu's exploded straight through it, then exploded again as it reached Amalgam. However, as the smoke began to clear, they all stared in surprise at the wall formed out of Amalgam's scarf, which had blocked the jutsu.
"That's some scarf," Kakashi said.
"Tell me you have a plan here, Kakashi," Ryuu said. "Because this thing is..." he shook his head, unable to find a word strong enough.
"I'll let you know when I come up with one," Kakashi said.
Amalgam retracted his scarf as Hei stepped up beside Lena on Ryuu's left. However, just as they did, the Three-tails suddenly shrieked in pain and agony. They all looked over, seeing him engulfed in flames, retreating from the rock outcropping where Naruto was standing on Gamatatsu's back, Gamakichi sitting beside his brother. Ryuu turned back to Amalgam just in time to step forward, slamming his blade into Amalgam's right fist, splitting it in half to the elbow. Amalgam shrieked in pain, then grinned, Ryuu and the others all scattering with the Body Flicker Technique just before the blood from the wound, both in the air, in Amalgam's arm, and in the water, exploded into a massive sea of spikes, narrowly missing skewering them all. Amalgam let the spikes fall away, beginning to breathe had as he used bones to hold his arm closed.
"Looks like your Ketsuryugan isn't perfect," Ryuu said. "Blood loss is still dangerous for you. And using so many Kekkei Genkai at one time seems to be taking a toll on you as well."
Amalgam snarled angrily. "This isn't over. I will deliver you Lord Orochimaru's head on a plate, Uchiha. The Leaf Village will burn!"
Then, he fell away into a cascade of blood, which began to thin in the water, dispersing slowly. Ryuu sighed. A Blood Clone. Amalgam had escaped. He turned to Kakashi, who sighed heavily, pulling his headband down over his Sharingan.
"He's going to be trouble," Ryuu said. "He'll probably be even stronger next time."
"Most likely," Kakashi agreed. "Come on. We should make sure he didn't go after the others."
Ryuu's gut clenched. Fu was too weak to fight. He turned, vanishing instantly as he sped back to the house with the Body Flicker Technique, but when he arrived, everything was fine. Most of the group was back, waiting patiently for the rest of the group to arrive. Ryuu hurried inside, ignoring anyone who asked him what had happened to his clothes, which were, admittedly, ruined. Finally, he found Fu, kneeling beside her. She opened her eyes, smiling up at him before noticing the blood and holes in his clothes, worry growing on his face instantly.
"I'm alright," Ryuu said. "There's just a new freak who's a lot more dangerous than I expected."
Fu nodded. "He got away?"
"Yeah," Ryuu nodded. "He's probably headed back to Orochimaru for now. Personally, I hope Orochimaru kills him, though I doubt it."
Fu nodded, raising a hand, Ryuu taking it instantly, Fu smiling. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I think I should be saying that to you this time," Ryuu smiled.
Fu laughed weakly and nodded. "I suppose so."
"Get some rest," Ryuu smiled. "I'll be right here when you wake up."
Fu nodded and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep almost immediately. Ryuu set her hand down, kissing her forehead lightly, then headed into the building's bathroom to change. Once he was done, he headed back outside, arriving just as Kakashi managed to gather everyone to tell them what had happened. Ryuu told them everything he could, as well as introducing Hei and Lena. After a while, Yomo appeared on Ryuu's shoulder, Ryuu having sent him to Tsunade with a report. Tsunade's response was short and simple. Forget the Three-tails. Get back to the Hidden Leaf immediately in case Amalgam decided to attack. So, within a few more minutes, they were headed back to the Leaf, Ryuu carrying Fu on his back and Gozu carrying Guren in his right arm, held against him, and Yukimaru on his left shoulder, Yukimaru sitting up and enjoying the ride.
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