Chapter 15: The True Master
Koori no Senshi suddenly looked towards its six opponents with the Ninjaken in its left hand and its ice sword in its right. The huddle of the six ninjas ended with Kosuke moving back behind everyone else while Masakatsu and the First Clone were standing in front of everyone. Behind them were Ayaka, Kazuki, and Takeo with kunai in their hands.
"Ninja Art – Clairvoyance!" Kosuke thought making the hand seals: Rabbit, Boar, Horse, Bird, Rabbit, Ox, and Tiger with Koori no Senshi targeted between her fingers. "There, phase one complete." She thought looking towards the First Clone nodding her head as he looked back.
"Good, now we go to phase two." The First Clone said glancing over at Masakatsu.
"Okay, don't die on us now." Masakatsu said looking over at the First Clone as he looked at him confused.
"I'm a clone – we don't die. I should be saying that to you, Masakatsu. But since I know what Yuki would say, I'll just say it for him. If you die on me – I'll kill you!" The First Clone stated as the two of them charged forward at Koori no Senshi.
"Looks like it's our turn next, are you both ready?" Takeo asked looking over to Kazuki and Ayaka.
"I've been ready since I stated I would stay and fight." Kazuki said strangely more determined than usual.
"I'm ready as well – Kazuki, don't you dare screw up even once or we'll be in big trouble!" Ayaka shouted putting her hands together. "Secret Technique – Fire Dragon!" She thought making the hand seals: Snake, Tiger, Rat, and Ox followed by fire shooting out of between her hands and into the air just above them swirling around in the form of a dragon.
"I can do this – no, I have to do this! For once let me not screw this up! Secret Art – Hail Storm!" Kazuki thought making the hand seals: Tiger, Monkey, Snake, and Dog when suddenly some clouds slowly started to close in.
"Kazuki, did you…?" Ayaka asked turning towards Kazuki to notice he was stunned looking at the sky as small ice shards shot out of the clouds melting as they went through the fire.
"I did it! I finally got a jutsu right!" Kazuki shouted happily when Takeo hit him over the head.
"Be quiet, we're not finished yet!" Takeo shouted putting his hands together. "Thunder Style – Lightning Rod Jutsu!" He thought making the hand seals: Dragon, Ram, and Rat and suddenly bolts of lightning struck the melted ice shards falling from the sky making them electrical.
"Masakatsu, now!" The First Clone shouted as he and Masakatsu put their hands together.
"Secret Art – Diamond Cutter!" The First Clone and Masakatsu thought as they did the hand seals: Dragon, Boar, Tiger, Monkey, Ram, Tiger, Bird, Dog, Rat, Tiger, Dragon, Ox, and Bird freezing the electrified droplets together into large ice shards as they shot down towards Koori no Senshi while the two of them were still charging forward.
"Masakatsu, your right!" Kosuke shouted when Masakatsu quickly thrust his kunai to his right striking Koori no Senshi's chest but it didn't do any damage at all. "Duck then jump in front of Yuki now!" She shouted and Masakatsu ducked just getting missed by the ice sword and he quickly jumped back towards the First Clone when the Ninjaken slashed upwards just catching the tip of his nose with the blade.
"This guy's dangerous! Now I have two cuts on my face – damn it!" Masakatsu shouted angrily when suddenly he was hit in the back with the First Clone and was sent flying towards a tree as electrified icicles rained down all around the two as they hit the tree.
"Damn, he's way faster than before!" The First Clone shouted as the three Genin ended their jutsu's.
"Sorry, it was too fast for me to tell where he was coming from!" Kosuke shouted while the First Clone and Masakatsu slowly got up. "Kazuki, to your right, duck!"
"Got it!" Kazuki shouted ducking down when Koori no Senshi suddenly appeared next to him swinging its right leg over his head.
"Ayaka, his right hand!"Kosuke shouted when Koori no Senshi quickly swung its right hand towards Ayaka's head but she jumped back just missing the blade as Koori no Senshi stabbed the Ninjaken into the ground. "Takeo, his right leg!" She shouted when Takeo jumped back quickly as its foot breezed by his face.
"So, that damned girl is to blame? I will rid her of this world!" Koori no Senshi shouted annoyed with his moves being mostly dodged.
"Get back, Kosuke!" The First Clone shouted now standing in front of her alongside Masakatsu.
"Behind you!"Kosuke shouted but its speed had increased even more so from before and hit the clone in the back with its knee sending the First Clone directly at Ayaka.
"No time to dodge!" Ayaka thought bracing for impact when there was suddenly a breeze in front of her face. "What happened…?" She asked slowly opening her eyes to see no one there.
"Nice catch – I didn't expect you of all people to be fast enough." The First Clone said standing a little ways to Ayaka's left.
"My only problem with my hand seals, the rest of my abilities are to notch." Kazuki said standing next to the First Clone supporting him while Masakatsu grabbed a kunai in his left hand and swung it at Koori no Senshi.
"Move back, now!" Kosuke shouted when Koori no Senshi slapped the kunai out of his hand with the Ninjaken and shoved the ice sword in its right hand into the left side of his chest while tossing him back into a tree nearby.
"Damn it!" Masakatsu shouted as he was pinned against the tree with the ice sword piercing right through him. "Ugh, this sword is so cold!" He shouted complaining while trying to free himself.
"Now for the guest of honor, shall we have a little fun?" Koori no Senshi asked with a grin vanishing in an instant.
"He's in front of me!?" Kosuke thought pulling out two kunai – one in each hand and quickly put them directly in front of her when Koori no Senshi appeared thrusting its right fist forward hitting the kunai and sending Kosuke flying back through the air. "He's so powerful that even if I do block it'll be nearly as bad as it would if I didn't!? Such power…!" She thought as she hit the side of a tree reopening the wound on her left arm.
"Is that all you've got? I thought you would be more of a challenge than this but it seems I was wrong." Koori no Senshi said disappointed in Kosuke's strength. "It won't work, kid." It said as Takeo punched Koori no Senshi's back with his right fist electrified with no visible effect.
"How…!?" Takeo thought surprised his attack hadn't worked when suddenly Koori no Senshi vanished and appeared behind him while thrusting the Ninjaken forward toward his back.
"As if, I still have some things to pay him back for!" Kazuki shouted coming down with his feet on Koori no Senshi's left arm forcing it to stab the Ninjaken into the ground between Takeo's legs.
"Hey! You can at least watch where you're deflecting that thing!" Takeo shouted jumping forward and turning around to see a wall of flames engulf the area he had been standing before.
"Kuh-kuh-kuh! You could've waited till I moved before hitting him…!" Kazuki shouted stumbling out of the flames nearly completely scorched and his glasses turning to ashes while falling over.
"How rude – not only did you attack me with my back turned but you also hit one of your own allies." Koori no Senshi said standing in place with a few burn marks.
"Now's my turn!" Takeo thought lunging forward for the Ninjaken with a mamori in hand but Koori no Senshi suddenly vanished.
"Now how should we apologize for this?" Koori no Senshi asked standing behind Ayaka. "Wait, you're that girl from before…! That damned woman that sealed me away before! I have to thank you properly since I haven't been able to yet." It said when Ayaka quickly lunged for the Ninjaken with her left hand while holding a mamori.
"Another attempted sneak attack? Pathetic!" Koori no Senshi shouted when Ayaka suddenly stopped in her tracks.
"Did he find me out…!?" Ayaka thought turning to see the First Clone's kunai blocked by the Ninjaken.
"Tch, how did he know I was there?" The First Clone thought surprised by its reaction time.
"Yuki, the right leg followed by the Ninjaken towards your head!" Kosuke shouted getting up from her last trip through the trees.
The First Clone quickly jumped back just missing Koori no Senshi's right leg, he then leaned back while pulling out a mamori in his right hand and slapping it on the Ninjaken. The mamori slipped off and fell to the ground making Koori no Senshi only freeze up for a second, which was long enough for the First Clone to do the hand seals: Snake and Bird with his hands separated and suddenly ice shards shot out of the ground all around Koori no Senshi. All the shards tightly held it in place.
"Now, use the jutsu's now!" The First Clone shouted holding the Bird seal with his hands still apart creating more shards to hold Koori no Senshi in place.
"Secret Art – Zeus' Thunderbolt!" Takeo though making the hand seals: Dragon, Horse, reverse Bird, Ox, Dragon, Dog, Snake, Boar, reverse Rabbit, Rat, Ox, Dog, Dragon, Rat, Boar, and Rabbit when suddenly dark clouds started to form above the area Koori no Senshi was trapped.
"My turn but this'll use up all of my chakra…! Secret Technique – Fire Wheel Jutsu!" Ayaka thought making the hand seals: Tiger, Ram, Ox, Dragon, Ram, and Tiger with one hand next to her mouth shooting fire.
There was a sudden burst of flames that shot over the icicles where Koori no Senshi melting all the ice. Just as the ice had been at the melting point she stopped the flames and suddenly a large white bolt of lightning shot down out of the black clouds striking the entire area around the melted ice also being amplified because of the water produced by the ice. The area suddenly exploded just as the First Clone jumped back from the area. The area where Koori no Senshi was covered in smoke leaving everyone wondering what had happened.
"That was too perfect – something isn't right." The First Clone thought looking around cautiously.
"Yuki, you too?" Masakatsu asked glancing over at the First Clone as he nodded. "Yeah, I thought it was too perfect – something isn't right here but…!" He thought when he suddenly spotted Koori no Senshi behind Kosuke.
"Damn, he moved to quick for me to avoid it but I can at least…!" Kosuke thought seeing what was going to happen as she jumped back to her left as the Ninjaken stabbed through her lower left side followed by Koori no Senshi kicking her in the back.
"Damn, he got her!" Takeo thought quickly jumping in the way and catching Kosuke.
"No, move – now!" Kosuke shouted when sudden Koori no Senshi appeared to Takeo's right just as he jumped back just to get stabbed in the right side of his chest exactly where the icicle stabbed him before but this time with the Ninjaken.
"Arrgh!" Takeo shouted in pain as he jumped back holding Kosuke with his left arm.
"Takeo, jump back further!" Kosuke shouted as Koori no Senshi rushed forward and kicked Takeo sending him backwards into the air making him hit a branch and losing consciousness with Kosuke lying on top of him out cold as well.
"Tch, Ayaka, get back!" The First Clone shouted charging towards Koori no Senshi when he vanished and appeared behind Masakatsu.
"You're an annoyance, disappear!" Koori no Senshi shouted as it stabbed Masakatsu directly through the chest when he suddenly exploded leaving only a log in his place. "A substitution jutsu!?"
'You think I wouldn't be prepared after what you just did!?" Masakatsu shouted jumping from a branch above as he was coming down with his right fist with his Needle Claws jutsu activated.
"Too naïve human!" Koori no Senshi shouted appearing next to Masakatsu swinging its right leg around and kicking him in his left ribs sending him through the air. "Not yet!" It shouted appearing in front of Masakatsu flipping forward with its right leg extended and hitting Masakatsu with it precisely on the bridge of his neck sending him straight to the ground at a horrifying speed. "You're finished!" It shouted as Masakatsu smashed into the ground leaving a large crater and unconscious.
"Damn, he went down too fast…!" The First Clone thought on the ground just outside the radius of the crater.
"How pathetic – I figured he would be more of a challenge since he seemed to be more skilled than the others but it seems he was nothing special after all." Koori no Senshi said standing behind the First Clone.
"First you attack my students, and then you attack one of my best friends – I cannot allow you to continue this any longer! No more holding back!" The First Clone shouted angered by Koori no Senshi when he suddenly turned around stabbing a kunai directly in its side.
"Oohh? Interesting, you were able to chip some of my shell away." Koori no Senshi said as the kunai shattered and the First Clone's hand was covered in powdered snow. "How long will that body hold out if you continue like that?" It asked as the First Clone quickly turned around and stabbed another kunai in Koori no Senshi's left arm with his right hand but that kunai also shattered cutting his hand.
"Damn it, even though he's letting me hit him – I can't do any damage no matter what I do!" The First Clone thought looking over at Ayaka as she was helping Takeo and Kosuke. "No other choice left, huh? I guess I'll get it over with then!" He shouted slapping his two hands together and making the hand seals: Ram, Bird, Horse, Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Boar, Tiger, and Monkey slapping his hands together again and creating a wall of snow surrounding the two of them.
"Whatever you plan on doing – it's worthless because there is no way you can defeat me!" Koori no Senshi shouted.
"You're wrong! Forbidden Jutsu – Ice Enclave – finish!" The First Clone shouted making the hand seal Tiger as diamond sharp icicles shot through the inside of the snow sphere piercing both the First Clone and Koori no Senshi.
"Is that it? This is nothing – have you already forgotten what happened the last time you tried this?" Koori no Senshi asked laughing as the First Clone moved closer to him and put his arms around him and held on tightly.
"Yes – I remember quite well but this time, we're going out with a bang!" The First Clone shouted putting his hands together behind Koori no Senshi.
"Don't tell me you plan to…!" Koori no Senshi shouted when the First Clone made the hand seal: Ox creating a tremendous explosion that nearly knocked all the trees around the area over.
"Yuki…?" Ayaka asked holding down Takeo and Kosuke as the winds were trying to blow them away.
"Now, it's finally just the two of us!" Koori no Senshi stated with a grin.
"Wha…!?" Ayaka asked turning around with a horrified expression to see Koori no Senshi standing behind her with its outer shell slightly chipped by the blast and still smoking.
"I'm going to really enjoy this, girl. I will make you pay for sealing me away earlier!" Koori no Senshi shouted stabbing Ayaka's left leg with the Ninjaken holding her in place.
"Ahhh!" Ayaka shouted in pain as Koori no Senshi slowly started moving it around in the cut. "Aaahhhh! S…stop, it hurts!" She shouted as Koori no Senshi started laughing.
"What a great sound! Ha-ha-ha-ha! I've never heard such soothing sounds!" Koori no Senshi shouted happily as it was laughing.
"That's enough of that!" Kazuki shouted charging at full force knocking Koori no Senshi's right hand off of the Ninjaken. "Ayaka, I'm sorry but I'm pulling it out now!" He said quickly and pulled it out of her leg.
"Aahh! You idiot – you're not supposed to take things out of wounds like these!" Ayaka shouted in pain as Kazuki took control of the Ninjaken while Koori no Senshi stumbled back a few steps.
"What… happened just now?" Koori no Senshi thought confused and noticed Kazuki in front of it. "So, you're my opponent, huh? So be it – come at me with all you've got!"
"Kazuki the mamori…!" Ayaka shouted remembering no one put a mamori on it before he grabbed it.
"Don't worry – there is nothing to be afraid of. I will take care of Koori no Senshi; you just stand back and take of your injury." Kazuki said holding onto the Ninjaken in his right hand.
"O-okay." Ayaka responded not sure what to make of the situation as she moved back closer to Takeo and Kosuke before she started wrapping her injury.
"The young man wishes you pay for what happened to the girl and I will grant his wish – now, prepare yourself Koori no Senshi!" Kazuki shouted putting both hands on the Ninjaken getting into a fighting stance.
"What's this? You're talking as if you are speaking for two people – no matter, I will fight you even if you're just some crazy human. Come now, human!" Koori no Senshi shouted as Kazuki charged forward swinging the Ninjaken down.
Koori no Senshi lifted its left arm and blocked the attack but Kazuki suddenly caught Koori no Senshi in the gut with a right kick moving it back on the ground a few feet. Surprised by the power of the kick, Koori no Senshi dusted its gut off and formed an ice sword in its right hand and charged forward. Kazuki blocked the sword with the Ninjaken but suddenly jumped back just as a second ice sword swung towards him from Koori no Senshi's left hand. The blade slightly cut his right side spraying a little blood.
"Not bad after being held up in that place for over a hundred years but it looks like I've become rusty while I've been sealed away as well."Kazuki said jumping a little and stretching his arms trying to warm up.
"You speak as if you know me but I do not recall crossing paths with you before. Enough of this idle chatter, human! Stalling any more won't help you live!" Koori no Senshi shouted charging forward at Kazuki.
"If I had my full strength you would be well aware who I am but for now I'll just play with you with what I have – five percent of my full power." Kazuki said exploding with chakra catching Koori no Senshi head on with the Ninjaken.
Koori no Senshi and Kazuki had crossed the ice sword in Koori no Senshi's right hand with the Ninjaken Kazuki had in his right hand leaving Koori no Senshi's left hand open for an attack. Kazuki spotted this and just as Koori no Senshi was about to swing but he quickly turned to his left lifting his left leg into the air and catching Koori no Senshi by surprise with his foot to its head. Koori no Senshi stumbled forward as Kazuki moved around it to the left following through with the kick but sudden Koori no Senshi twisted around swinging both ice swords at Kazuki's head. Kazuki ducked but just as he thought he was clear – Koori no Senshi's left knee caught Kazuki in the face sending him back and through the air. Kazuki followed through with a back flip in order to help him with his fall and landed on his feet. He wiped a little blood off his mouth and looked to where Koori no Senshi was but it was no longer there – suddenly Kazuki put the Ninjaken to his right and there was a small spark as if he had hit something. He quickly continued by putting it to his left, in front of him, behind him, to his right, above him, in front of his knees, and behind the back again with all of them ending with what appeared to be more sparks. Koori no Senshi appeared a few feet in front of Kazuki looking annoyed.
"Not bad, to think a human would be able to block those attacks as easily as you did. Looks like I shouldn't underestimate you then – prepare for my real power!" Koori no Senshi shouted and vanished again.
"As if I would let you get a…!" Kazuki started to say while lifting the Ninjaken to his right when suddenly his clothes were torn around his shoulders followed by some blood. "He got faster…!?"
Kazuki swung the Ninjaken behind him but his shirt on his back was cut open before he even made it towards his back. He then moved the Ninjaken to his left but once again met with a cut on his left arm before he was able to get there. Kazuki continued swinging the Ninjaken to block Koori no Senshi's next attack but before he was even able to stop any of the attacks he was slashed left and right leaving a large portion of his body in cuts as he fell to one knee while breathing hard. Koori no Senshi appeared once again in front of Kazuki a few feet away.
"What's wrong? Getting a little slow or maybe I've gotten a little too fast for you, human?" Koori no Senshi asked while laughing.
"Kazuki…" Ayaka thought worriedly as she watched Kazuki fight with Koori no Senshi.
"Damn that Yuki, isn't he finished yet? I don't know how much longer this body will hold out." Kazuki thought using the Ninjaken to hold himself up.
"Is that all you've got? I thought someone that boasts about their abilities so much would at least be a little stronger than this. How disappointing – I will remember not to overestimate my opponents in the future." Koori no Senshi said as if he was getting ready for a finishing blow.
"Fine, I'll stop holding back." Kazuki said standing up with the Ninjaken stabbed into the ground in front of him as he put his hands together. "Secret Art – Frost Cutter!" He stated making the hand seals: Snake, Dog, reverse Bird, Monkey, Dragon, and half Tiger when the blade of the Ninjaken suddenly turned to a kind of frozen slush.
"Frost Cutter…!? No way would that kid be able to learn something like that!" Koori no Senshi thought surprised as Kazuki rushed forward at it.
"Trying blocking this attack!" Kazuki shouted holding the Ninjaken in both hands while swinging at Koori no Senshi and it put the ice swords up to block the attack but the Ninjaken sliced right through them as if they were butter to a warm knife.
Koori no Senshi jumped back after losing the defense of the ice swords but was caught with the tip of the blade as it slightly scratched what appeared to be its cheek.
"I was worried there for a while but that's all the chakra you had left, wasn't it?" Koori no Senshi asked as the Ninjaken went back to normal and Kazuki dropped to one knee breathing hard once again.
"Damn, that jutsu used up way more chakra than I remembered. This body doesn't have much of anything left now – it's over, we've lost this battle." Kazuki thought as Koori no Senshi started walking closer to him.
"I was right, that jutsu used up all of your remaining chakra and now you're completely empty. Too bad – that jutsu looked as though it would have easily cut through my hard shell but now there's nothing you can do to stop me. This battle has already been decided!" Koori no Senshi stated forming another ice sword in its right hand and started lifting it up. "Now, die once and for all, human!" It shouted stabbing the sword down at Kazuki.
Kazuki put his right arm up as the ice sword pierced through his arm and went down into the right side of his chest. At that same exact moment, Koori no Senshi felt something and looked down to see the Ninjaken in the Frost Cutter form for a short period before returning to normal as it stabbed through its left side.
"Not bad for a human. You made it look like that was everything but you held back a little for when I got closer so you could get me with this – I should've thought of that." Koori no Senshi said looking down at Kazuki.
"Yeah but you won this battle. My wound is obviously worse than what I was able to do to you." Kazuki said looking up at Koori no Senshi with some blood running from his mouth.
"You're the first human that was able to wound me in over a hundred years or so I would say if you were truly human. That weapon is the Koori no Tsurugi – the prized weapon of the Shimousa clan, right?" Koori no Senshi asked looking at Kazuki.
"Looks like you got me. What will you do now that you know?" Kazuki asked spitting some blood out so he could speak clearly.
"Since this boy is not a member of the clan, I have no choice but to take it back for the Shimousa clan no matter what – even if I must kill that boy you are controlling." Koori no Senshi said about to twist the ice sword when it stopped moving.
"What's wrong? Unable to move?" Kazuki asked with a smirk.
"What is the meaning of this!?" Koori no Senshi shouted when it suddenly let go of the ice sword.
Kazuki fell back with the ice sword still stabbed into him and with the Ninjaken in his right hand after it had slipped out of Koori no Senshi. Before closing his eyes, Kazuki slipped a mamori into the grip and slowly closed his eyes.
"Kazuki!" Ayaka shouted rushing over quickly ignoring the pain in her right leg as she slid over to him.
"Don't worry, he'll be fine." A familiar voice said coming closer to the area.
'That voice…!" Koori no Senshi shouted as it slowly turned against its will and started walking away from Ayaka. "What is this madness!?"
"Yuki-sensei!?" Ayaka shouted surprised to see Yuki walking towards Koori no Senshi.
"What have you done to me, human!? There is no way I wouldn't be able to break free of what you've done! This is impossible! …unless… no, that cannot be…!" Koori no Senshi shouted in disbelief.
"It is all true. As head of the Shimousa clan, I, Yuki Shimousa, order you to follow my commands from this point forward and obey me loyalty until my death, your death, or whichever comes first!" Yuki shouted walking over to Koori no Senshi.
"I do not believe you're one of the Shimousa clan, where is your proof!?" Koori no Senshi shouted as Yuki got closer and it was forced to move closer to Yuki.
"The Ice Manipulation should've been proof enough but…" Yuki started to say when Koori no Senshi interrupted him.
"Even so, how were you able to manipulate me if I'm not made up of your snow!?" Koori no Senshi shouted as they were nearly face to face.
"You absorbed my snow without thinking ahead didn't you? The Ice Enclaves and my final clone, they all tricked you into absorbing all of my created snow so I would finish the jutsu and put an end to this. It took longer than I wanted but it is finished now. As for your true proof – look into my eyes and tell me I am not of the Shimousa clan!" Yuki shouted now face to face with Koori no Senshi staring into its eyes.
"Y...you really are a member of the Shimousa clan…! Please forgive my rudeness, Master! I was arrogant and let my hate for certain humans lead me astray. I will do whatever my Master wishes to make up for what I have done!" Koori no Senshi shouted after realizing Yuki was indeed a member of the Shimousa clan.
"I will release you from the jutsu but you must agree to obey me from this point on and help my friends with their injuries. Not to mention, Masakatsu over there – he is of the Shirakawa clan. I would suspect an apology to him as well later…?" Yuki asked looking over at Koori no Senshi as he released him from the jutsu.
"Y…yes, I swear my allegiance to you, Master Yuki. W…wait, that man is a member of the Shirakawa clan…!?" Koori no Senshi shouted surprised. "Not only did I attack a member of the main house but also a branch house as well!? This has been one bad day…!" It thought shaking its head in disbelief. "Yes, Master Yuki, I will apologize to Master Masakatsu and I will attend to the wounded."
"Good, there may be hope for you yet, Koori no Senshi." Yuki said watching Koori no Senshi closely as it slowly made its way over to Kazuki.
"I wonder if Master Yuki knows of the Koori no Tsurugi… he has to or this boy wouldn't have it with him, right…?" Koori no Senshi thought looking down at Kazuki.
Author's note:
The next chapter will most likely be the end of the arc just to tie off lose ends. As for this chapter, I ended up getting behind again during the week so here it is a few days late... I may just go with a Tuesday release day since I keep doing this... Anyway, in the next few weeks I may have to postpone a chapter because I have my final projects' due dates coming up but I will try to get another chapter out as soon as possible.
-Steve Masters