A NEW WORLD – BORN TO FIGHT
The Hidden Leaf Hideout
Shinki looks at the destruction surrounding his group. He made the decision to try and leave, to ask Hashirama and Boruto for help. From the beginning he was possessed by a defective divine ability masquerading as a god. When his mind was being controlled he made a decision, a decision he now believes was a mistake to try and kill any invaders of his world. He still feels the pain and the regret of that choice, it still burns his soul to know that he almost killed many good people that day. That's why he decided very early on that he would take this decision out of his hands and what trust his family no matter what. That's why he follows them, his aunt, his cousin, his uncle. Together with them, he will assist with the escape from the village.
The fallout from Shinki's decision has been a conflict of greater scale than he imagined. Ever since he reunited with his fellow shinobi, the village's power has been growing uncontrollably. In addition to that, they have also been gathering allies and their power has been growing. Now that Naruto has gone, the cornerstone of their alliance has disappeared, and all that energy has been unleashed. The flames of Mirai's explosions, the drumming of Tsunade's attacks, the sound of scraping ice from Brooks' battle with Hiruzen, it is all so much more real now. This isn't a minor disagreement, this is a civil war.
'There is no safe route away from here right now, I have to break one of the deadlocks' he concludes. 'I won't be of any help to Mirai, the fight against Sarada is a losing battle. Tsunade would benefit greatly from some help, as would Kakashi, but both are fighting personal battles they won't want me to interfere in. That leaves only one choice, I have to help Lord 3rd'.
Shinki's analysis is quick and accurate. He announces to Shikadai that the defence of the villagers will be left to him and then the Kazekage sprints away from the gathering of civilians and moves to help Lord 3rd.
A figure drops down, getting in his way. An enormous bulky man, so muscly that it is hard to believe that he is real. Shinki knows him to be real though, this man is undoubtedly one of Lara's generals. This is the general who seems to have some degree of honour, General Blackburn.
"Stop right there, Lord Hokage" Blackburn booms authoritatively.
"It shows that you haven't been here very long. I am the Kazekage actually" Shinki replies, his shoulders slumping as he realises the inevitability of this situation. So, he is going to fall into another battle, just like everyone else.
"I apologise for any disrespect, it was not intentional" Blackburn lifts his hand apologetically. "I am not here to hurt you, I can assure you of that".
"If you don't want to hurt me and you wish to apologise with actions instead of words, then I suggest you step aside" Shinki says.
Blackburn has gained a fair understanding of Shinki's character. He's a good man but he isn't the best in tough situations. The pressure is getting to him and he's on edge because of that. Looking into Shinki's eyes, one could be forgiven for mistaking his expression as one of rage. There is no rage behind those eyes, merely an anxiety born of a bad situation.
Blackburn has no intention of stepping aside though. "I am not here helping Lara, she wants the lot of you executed for your betrayal, but I won't let that happen. If you switch sides, you could help me end this conflict without pointless bloodshed. We could end this peacefully but not without more numbers on our side. The more people that help us, the less people will die".
Mathematics has been cruel to the optimists who wish only for peace. With Sarada and Clyde taking this position, they have a clear power advantage, but the numbers are not with them. Lara has the most numbers and the greatest force overall, with a large number of captains and generals. If only one person were to switch to their side it would make all the difference, several battles could be won in quick succession without hurting anyone. Peace could be held until everything has calmed down. But not with these numbers, not in this situation.
"If you aren't lying to me I admire your good intentions" Shinki says, the venom still present in his eyes, "I hope you understand my perspective though. I have to take them away or they will die. I have attempted to lash out against your people in vengeance one before, it nearly cost the lives of my own people. I cannot risk their lives unnecessarily again, I will protect them at all costs".
"Yeah, I understand that perfectly well. It just means we will have to settle this the traditional way".
"Yes".
Shinki raises his hand, creating 'sand' in the air before him and sending it straight at Blackburn. This is his advantage over his father, not only does he have divine energy on his side, but he also can use it to create 'sand', giving him an unlimited supply of the most valuable weapon in his arsenal.
Blackburn raises a wall of 'golden earth' between himself and Shinki, taking the brunt of the attack. He initially expects a battle of attrition, of solid attack and solid defence against an opponent like this. That doesn't happen though, instead the intensity of the 'sand' barrage increases and cracks in his supposedly impenetrable wall begin to form. He increases the strength of the wall, focusing more and more energy into it. If Shinki wants a battle of raw power, he has surely picked the wrong person.
The Kazekage dashes around the 'golden earth' wall, distracting Blackburn by continuing his 'sand' barrage while he does so.
Blackburn is shocked to see his coming. 'This guy, he never intended to break through the wall, he just wanted to force me to concentrate on it'.
The analysis is spot on, but also unnecessary and costs Blackburn another precious moment. Shinki leaps up and kicks Blackburn, smacking his foot into the bulky general's ear. Blackburn's head collides with the wall that he created just moments ago and as he rebounds from the collision he gets no reprieve. Shinki lays into him, a series of punches and back-elbows, each one of them harder than the last. When he finally does manage to duck beneath one his choice of dodge is seen through as well. Blackburn's head lowers and Shinki raises his knee, crashing it into the general's skull. Finally, Shinki, feeling slightly jaded from his own series of blows, swings his hand inwards. The 'sand' barrage he started before breaks through the 'golden earth' wall and sends Blackburn tumbling away.
Blackburn, completely dazed, somehow finds his way to his feet. 'On my level I am pretty strong. Kakashi and Tobirama had to work together to beat me. This man is different, he's strong, just like me'.
Each warrior waves their arm, casting their element at each other in a manner more akin to a magician than a shinobi. For the first time, it appears Blackburn gains the upper hand as the zenith of the two waves clash and the generals rises slightly higher before crashing down towards his adversary. Shinki is forced to evade the incoming wave of 'golden earth' but as he steps to the side there is no ground for him to stand on. He falls to the bottom of a pit that Blackburn just opened.
Blackburn proceeds to send a barrage of boulders down into the pit in an attempt to crush the Kazekage but the latter evades each of them. Raising 'sand' beneath his feet, Shinki raises up through the pit, moving left and right in small increments to avoid the projectiles before emerging from the pit. Upon returning to ground level, he is immediately forced into an exchange of fists. Enhanced with 'sand' and 'golden earth', their fists collide. A collision of chakra and divine energy, both men are left the worse for wear, separating about the origin of the pit.
Both men find their feet and Blackburn once more draw a conclusion of his opponent's strength.
'It has been a long time since I met someone who can match me with raw power alone'.
The Space Between the Leaf and Lara Hideouts
The space between is the scene of the battle with the least powerful warriors but also perhaps the most intense battle of all. A consortium of elements hot and cold, fast and powerful. All attacks work together to take the battlefield further away from the home it used to be and closer to the hell it is starting to become.
The main controllers of this battle are the two individuals with the most power, Clyde's two most trusted subordinates, Peterson and Sheer. If they wanted to, they could probably win this battle. If they got lucky, they may even be able to win this battle and keep going, helping their allies in this struggle to keep everyone alive. That is unlikely though, they are battling against superior numbers and are also struggling to maintain a non-lethal strategy. In a melee such as this, that is the closest thing to impossible.
Peterson has a plan though, he fires one final blast of 'golden lightning' before shouting to Sheer that all is ready.
Upon receiving this decree, Sheer unleashes the divine energy that she has spent the last-minute gathering, generating a massive barrier of 'golden wind' that will be impenetrable for all the weaker forces below. Not only does this give Clyde's forces a slight reprieve, it also renders Lara's forces ineffective for the moment.
"Keep them held back!" Peterson shouts, not turning his head from the gale blowing before him. "No matter what! Nobody is dying here today!".
One of Lara's stronger colonels manages to fight his way through the barrier and Peterson immediately goes to confront him. The colonel is strong and his three strikes towards his superior are strong. Peterson's speed proves to be superior though, he cuts through the air to avoid each of the attacks before confusingly firing 'lightning' into the air. While Peterson's allies look at the 'lightning' in confusion, the enemy colonel also raises his head in wonder. That distraction gives Peterson enough time to land a crippling blow on the colonel, sending him helplessly back through the barrier.
"Peterson!" Sheer calls to her comrade. "I can't keep this barrier up forever; the colonels are still going to get through".
"Then drop the barrier. You and I need to work together if we're going to defeat all of their colonels".
"All of them?!".
"Yes, all of them. We don't have any choice".
Sheer looks back over her shoulder at the battle in the other direction. Their shinobi allies are still fighting hard to stop these homeworlders from dying. People like the 2nd Hokage and 4th Hokage are laying down their life for that purpose. The most staggering attacks stem from Mirai though as she continues to blast Sheer's close friend Sarada. Watching Sarada struggle like this for them, Sheer regrets her own powerlessness and swears that she will not let anyone die, no matter how hard that will prove.
In a change of pace, one of Clyde's colonels, Burns forces her way through the barrier. She uses her powers of 'ice' to freeze the captains on the other side before hopping back through. A group incapacitated but not killed, this is a role she is perfectly suited to. It is Burns who forces Sheer to truly consider that there may be hope in this fight, if they keep pushing forward.
"You guys focus on the colonels, call us when you need help" Burns demands, "We will hold back all of the captains".
"There are too many of them for you".
Emerging from a bath of her own flames, Grace shouts at the duo she now considers her mentors. "You two are doing the same thing as we are. So, you better focus on the colonels and entrust the safety of the captains to us".
"Someone is bound to die" Peterson insists, "Grace, if we use your method we will need a miracle".
"We've always needed a miracle to pull this off. Let's just keep fighting and praying for that miracle".
Peterson hears this plea and nods to Sheer.
Sheer drops the barrier and chaos begins.
With a rush, the two generals begin to attack as many colonels as they can get their hands on, relying on intimidation and speed to stun and supress their enemies. Grace is right, this is a miracle they will have to fight for. Their lives are on the line, not just in this fight but in the greater struggle against Furst Jonas. So, they will fight, because their lives depend on it.
The Medical Tent
Biwako comes back from the entrance to the tent, the terror remaining with her as the first few tears drop from her eyes.
'What if they get in here? Will they kill him? Will they kill her?' the medic wonders as she looks down at her patient.
She places a hand onto Naruto's head and is shocked by his temperature. This isn't something that could be caused by illness, he's unnaturally warm, like his heart is on fire.
'I hope this is because you're fixing yourself' Biwako prays as she does her best to cool the 7th Hokage down.
'Please… please just wake up Naruto… They're all going to die if this keeps up. The villagers are afraid, they're trying to run away but they're not going to make it. The people who tried to run are the ones who are going to be killed. Friends will be torn apart forever, they will be made into enemies'.
'So please… I'm begging you…'.
'Wake up Naruto!'.
The Space Between the Leaf and Lara Hideouts
Clyde remains perfectly still as Lara teleports rapidly around him. He's dealt with this technique before, his rival uses it as a smokescreen to mask her true intentions. He had thought this was a thing of the past, that she would understand now that one person knows her better than anyone else, him. Last time this happened, Clyde accurately predicted where she would teleport, as if he had read her mind. Still, he clears his mind, closes his eyes and focuses, he will block this attack again.
'If it's anything like before, there is only one direction she will come at me from that is… above!'.
Clyde raises his hand into the air and blasts 'golden darkness' directly above his head, predicting where Lara would teleport. This time though, something has changed, her mind appears to be an open book no longer. His foe appears just a foot or so in front of him.
"Where do you think you're aiming moron!" Lara goads.
The Lead General of the military lands a strong underarm punch to Clyde's gut, bending his entire body with the strength of her attack. With his head lowered, her eyes quickly dart to the location of their next attack, she teleports forward a single pace to put herself in a better position and drives her elbow back into her opponent's head as hard as she can. As Clyde falls flat onto his face, Lara fails to realise in the heat of the moment that this is the first time in a while she has been able to escape his predictive powers.
The 'light' user follows up by aiming stomps at Clyde's head. Her speed fails her though as each of the attempts is evaded. With his final evasion, Clyde is forced to rely not on prediction but what he can see in real-time. He waits for an opening and between attacks he creates a 'golden darkness' dart, his signature attack. He uses his weaker hand to push him off the ground, slightly improving his angle, then he casts the dart forward, straight at Lara's head.
Lara evades the dart but is tripped as Clyde kicks her in her backward shuffling ankles. Both realise that any attacks from this position will be non-lethal. They hit their arms back against the floor, realising that position is king in this situation, they propel themselves upward onto their feet, renewing that very position.
Both turn to face one another and realise that there are no openings to attack. They know each other too well to leave anything that the other may strike at. That leaves Clyde to wonder why his ability to predict Lara's movements is suddenly failing him. Is she getting stronger, is he getting weaker, or is something else happening altogether. Given these parameters, he adjusts his approach to the battle and decides that if he can't foresee what Lara will do, he will force her to do certain things.
Clyde creates a 'golden darkness' blade in his hand. With no intention of using the weapon for close combat, he creates the knife without any sort of grip and raises it back over his shoulder to throw at Lara. She teleports away instinctively, just like he was trying to make her do. Lara arrives behind Clyde, the first place that came into her head. That is not the result of Lara's thinking, this is the result of human habit. So, Clyde releases the blade as he moves it back over his shoulder, using a clever visual trick to the throw the knife backwards instead of forwards.
The knife hits, sticking into Lara's back painfully.
Lara falls to one knee. The changing woman seemingly losing this fight.
Losing the fight? As if!
Clyde turns and notes the exact spot where the life landed and the angle of penetration, good, perfect, it's not going to hit any vital organs. He needs Lara alive but also has to defeat her. He aims a kick towards the blade, potentially sacrificing his foot but knowing that if he can drive it deeper he will immobilise Lara without killing her.
It is now Lara's powers of foresight that are proving influential. She ducks beneath the incoming kick and creates a set of 'golden light' chains which she uses to bind Clyde's legs together. Now she has a total mobility advantage. She pushes Clyde to the floor with her weaker hand and with her stronger she reaches back and pulls the blade from her back. She crushes the blade and quickly moves toward Clyde.
Clyde's brain rushes through as many possibilities as it can as quickly as it can. This position is incredibly unfavourable and if everything goes wrong he may even die. He creates another 'golden darkness' dart and raises it back over his head, seemingly ready to throw at Lara. But wait, if he throws the dart now, won't he kill her. He knows that he cannot do that, so he presses his fingers tightly together, grinding the dart into a powder. Then, he throws the light powdery substance instead, blinding Lara with the fine granules.
As Lara turns to clear the powder from her eyes, Clyde grabs hold of the chains with his hands. He concentrates all the divine energy he can muster on his arms and pulls as hard as he can. His voice raises from a growl into an almighty shout as he pulls harder and harder, eventually snapping the chains from his legs.
The second Clyde is free, Lara is back. Teleporting to his side, she stamps on his chest, driving the air from his lungs. Both warriors create swords from their respective elements and begin to clash as the man underneath tries to find another way out of this predicament. This isn't going how he wanted but as long as he can survive, he can surely keep Lara busy. That is all that he needs to do for now, he just needs to stall for time until Sarada can win.
Clyde drives an elbow into the rear of Lara's leg, forcing her to stumble away from him. He gets back onto his feet as quickly as he can and throws the sword in his other hand at Lara. Keen not only to get in a delaying attack but also to free his hands so that he concentrate on his next move.
Lara knocks the sword from the air with her own and then drops it, leaving them both bare handed and facing one another. Only one logical attack next.
Both warriors focus their energy on their right fists and throw them at one another.
The collision of fists spreads divine energy over the entire battlefield as the two mighty sources of power clash. This is what happens every time they fight, like it is a fixed part of reality. This is the law that fate has decided upon.
'She must realise it now, mustn't she?' Clyde wonders. 'Our contrasting elements, our contrasting attitudes, we are the opposite in every way'.
'She's trying to aim above me, but we will probably never be able to separate from one another'.
'She and I… we were born to fight'.