Chapter 18: A Battle Between Egos!
Kazuki stood in the middle of a dark room with no obvious walls or sky. The only thing that was there for sure was the pitch black ground. It was solid but appeared to have no surface.
"Where is this…? Wasn't I just fighting Sensei…?" Kazuki asked looking around confused when suddenly a bright light came from the sky lighting up another figure.
The second figure appeared to look exactly like Kazuki but the clothes he was wearing were jet black along with his hair. Kazuki was about to say something when suddenly another light came on behind him with yet another figure. Instead of another Kazuki in this second light – it was a young woman, she had long pure white hair down to the ground, her skin was nearly as pale as her hair, and she wore a white gown.
"So you came here as well? You're really persistent but it looks like you've followed me to the wrong place. You can't even do anymore than stand there, right?" The Dark Kazuki asked with a grin while looking over at the woman.
"I may not be able to fight you physically but that doesn't mean I cannot help Kazuki in other ways!" The Woman stated looking over at the Dark Kazuki.
"Hold it! What is going on here!?" Kazuki shouted putting his hands out trying to make sense of what was going on.
"We're the…!" The Woman started to say when the Dark Kazuki dashed at Kazuki with the Koori no Tsurugi.
"As if I would allow you to tell him!" The Dark Kazuki shouted as Kazuki just dodged the attack getting a slight scratch on his left side around his ribcage.
"Kazuki, make sure he doesn't kill you or you will cease to exist!" The Woman shouted reaching out to Kazuki but unable to move.
"What do you mean by that – just what in the world is going on here!?" Kazuki shouted still completely confused of what was going on.
"Be quiet woman! Just let the kid die peacefully and I'll take over for him since he's so weak!" The Dark Kazuki shouted coming around for another stabbing attempt.
"I can hardly see him…!" Kazuki thought trying to see through the darkness.
"Kazuki, in front of you, now!" The Woman shouted when Kazuki jumped up as the Dark Kazuki just missed with the ninjaken. "I will try to help with the location the best I can!" He stated closing her eyes with her hands together.
"Just who are you both? Am I still in Sensei's Genjutsu?!" Kazuki shouted still confused when they suddenly appeared in a snowy plain and the previous two lights had vanished.
"You annoy me to no bounds – if there's even the slightest chance to mess up my plans, you go ahead and do it! Why must you always get in my way?" The Dark Kazuki asked standing opposite of the woman.
"You do not belong in their world. You're intentions are evil and…" The Woman said mumbling something towards the end.
"So what, there are people out there even worse than myself. What's the difference of just adding another in the mix?" The Dark Kazuki asked with a grin before vanishing and appearing in front of Kazuki in an instant finding himself face to face with the ninjaken's blade. "So you can move now, huh?" He asked looking down to see the woman with half of her body out of the snow with the Koori no Tsurugi also in hand deflecting the attack.
"I told you I wouldn't allow you to harm this boy!" The Woman shouted coming out of the snow and pushing the Dark Kazuki back. "I won't be able to fight and hold this location at the same time; do you think you will be able to handle him?" She asked looking back at Kazuki revealing a strange design in her eyes that shocked Kazuki.
"That design… I know I've seen it somewhere before!" Kazuki stated looking into the woman's eyes but he couldn't remember where he had seen it before.
"You should be worried about your life than some stupid design!" The Dark Kazuki shouted appearing to Kazuki's left when the woman blocked the thrust with her ninjaken and tossed the Dark Kazuki back sliding across the snowy ground.
"Kazuki, can you fight or not? If not we'll end up back in that dark world and I won't be able to help you at all!" The Woman shouted looking back at Kazuki.
"Oh, yes, I can fight!" Kazuki stated snapping out of his deep thought.
"Take it then. I'll explain everything once you defeat him!" The Woman stated handing Kazuki the ninjaken before stepping back.
"Then all I have to do is defeat him and everything will be back to normal?" Kazuki asked looking directly at the Dark Kazuki.
"Yes. I will return you back to your consciousness once he is defeated." The Woman said focusing on holding the surroundings.
"Don't say it like I'll easily go down, kid. Do you even know who I am?" Dark Kazuki asked looking at Kazuki with a grin.
"No and I don't care. I'll defeat you and wake up!" Kazuki shouted rushing at the Dark Kazuki but in a mere instant he vanishes just like before.
"Too slow!" Dark Kazuki shouted from behind Kazuki thrusting the ninjaken forward when in that instant his ninjaken forces him to swing it backwards blocking the attack. "How…! That woman is still helping you because it's her weapon!" He shouted when Kazuki quickly turned around and stabbed at Dark Kazuki about five times in a matter of seconds but they were all dodged.
"I know I've felt something like this before…" Kazuki thought exchanging ninjaken blows with Dark Kazuki at a high rate of speed.
"Notice yet, kid, the power of the ninjaken that had been controlling you before?" Dark Kazuki asked while they continued to exchange blocks sending snow everywhere after each block.
"Are you trying to tell me that…!" Kazuki stated surprised when he was suddenly sent skidding back across the snow on his feet by Dark Kazuki.
"Yes, I'm a manifestation of one of the demons inside the Koori no Tsurugi. There is no way you can defeat me with such little skill, you're a few centuries too young!" Dark Kazuki shouted appearing to Kazuki's right side in an instant just as he barely blocked it in time. "That was only a distraction, the real attack is here!" He shouted swinging his right knee into Kazuki's face sending him sliding across the snow and bouncing every few feet.
"Kazuki, relax and focus on his movements. You should be able to see even the slightest movements when you're focused – then you'll know how he's going to attack next!" The Woman's voice said seemingly in Kazuki's head.
"He's pretty fast though, I don't think I can keep up!" Kazuki stated sitting up with his skin a little red from skidding across the snow.
"You can but if you think you cannot, you will not. What has all your training been for up to this point if not for being able to fight?" The Woman asked still inside his head.
"If it was so easy to just believe I could do it and do, I would but there is no way I could even move that fast!" Kazuki stated looking towards the last location Dark Kazuki was before he realized he was gone. "Where did he…?!" He started to shout when his right arm quickly swung the ninjaken behind him deflecting Dark Kazuki's ninjaken into the ground.
"Now, relax you're muscles and I'll show you it's possible!" The Woman shouted in his head and Kazuki relaxed as she said.
"Falling for the same trick?" Dark Kazuki shouted coming up from the ground with his right fist aimed directly at Kazuki's chin.
Kazuki quickly moved backwards just avoiding Dark Kazuki's fist and coming up with his right knee coming up directly into Dark Kazuki's jaw sending him flying backwards through the air. Dark Kazuki landed on his feet sliding across the snow while holding his jaw with his left hand. His ninjaken vanishes into dark smoke and reappears in his right hand.
"There's no way the kid is doing this. He doesn't have the ability to dodge and counter as fast as he just did so it must be you meddling in my business again." Dark Kazuki said looking over at the Woman.
"Only as much as you are meddling in his." The Woman simply replied obviously angering Dark Kazuki.
"I've had enough of you! You have brought me enough grief to last a few lifetimes!" Dark Kazuki shouted before charging directly at the woman.
"I can't let you do that!" Kazuki stated standing in front of the woman with his ninjaken blocking Dark Kazuki's ninjaken.
"Tch, this brat is really irritating me as well! How long do you actually think you can keep up while trying to protect her?" Dark Kazuki asked with a grin as he vanished again.
"Kazuki, you must do this on your own. You should understand that you can keep up with him if you try." The Woman said in his head.
"Damn, if I don't block the next attack I'm done for – there is no way I'll be able to win against him in that darkness..." Kazuki thought looking around when he spotted a blurred figure coming behind the woman and he quickly moved around her and blocked the attack just in time.
"If this brat wasn't being helped by you he would've never been able to block that attack!" Dark Kazuki shouted obviously annoyed with the woman.
"You're wrong. I did not help him this time – that was all his own doing." The Woman said still focusing on keeping that world in check with her eyes closed completely relying on Kazuki to protect her.
"I saw you're blurry figure, it really didn't flatter you at all!" Kazuki stated pushing Dark Kazuki back.
"What!? This brat was able to see me – how is that even possible?! He is only a damn Genin!" Dark Kazuki shouted vanishing again but this time Kazuki kept an eye on him.
"I can see him now – it's just a dot or a blur but I can see his figure moving!" Kazuki stated surprised that he was able to keep up with Dark Kazuki finally.
"Don't let your guard down! Here he comes again!" The Woman stated when Dark Kazuki dashed at the woman head on but Kazuki quickly moved ahead and deflected it.
"Looks like you are able to deflect one but how about doing that at a faster pace!?" Dark Kazuki shouted when he suddenly rushed around the back – just as Kazuki blocked the attack he quickly came at the woman from her left side nearly instantly.
"I don't think I can keep up with him at this pace!" Kazuki thought diving to her left side just blocking the attack a split second before it hit.
"You look to be getting tired, kid!" Dark Kazuki shouted before he vanished again.
Dark Kazuki appeared to the right – Kazuki blocked. The next instant he attacked to her left followed by her back and front. Kazuki was just able to block the three consecutive attacks but he was obviously being worn down with the fast paced attacks from Dark Kazuki.
"Kazuki, you have to make sure you get on the offensive or you'll never be able to defeat him only defending like that!" The Woman stated in his head.
"I know but I can hardly even keep up with defending – how am I supposed to actually go on the offensive against this guy?" Kazuki asked with sweat running down his face as he blocked some more attacks that seemed to be speeding up.
"You should be able to perform jutsu's here in this place. When you have enough time – relax your hands and I'll do the rest." The Woman said in his head when Kazuki suddenly put all his might into the next block and pushed Dark Kazuki back making him slide on the ice.
"Now!" Kazuki shouted relaxing his hands when they suddenly started moving on their own forming the hand seals: Serpent, Rabbit, Dog, Bird, Horse, Tiger, Dog, Ram, Rat, Boar, Serpent, Bird, Monkey, Dragon, Tiger, Dragon, Horse, Bird, Ox, and Monkey with his hands clapping together – all the hand seals seemed to be formed in nearly an instant leaving Kazuki shocked at the speed.
"Forbidden Jutsu – Ice Wasteland!" The Woman stated in Kazuki's head.
"You didn't…!" Dark Kazuki shouted noticing the hand seals.
"Yes, now this match is over! Kazuki has won!" The Woman shouted releasing her pose and walking over to Kazuki's side.
Suddenly the area went quiet with no sounds – not even a breeze or their very own breaths were heard. It was the calm before the storm – out of nowhere came freezing winds so cold that everything in the area froze solid. The air in the area turned a visible white color filling the area as if it were steam rising from some hot springs. In the center of all this chaos was Kazuki with the woman standing next to him protecting him from the deep cold. Dark Kazuki was directly across from him but didn't have enough time to put up much of a defense against such attack and had become frozen solid. His skin was an electric blue color and once the storm had cleared some frost collected on his body as his skin started to turn a jet black color because of the extreme cold he had been subjected to forcing frostbite to set in at a rapid speed. It was an odd occurrence because most ice jutsu's never give frostbite to the one getting hit with the jutsu, it was one of the unique traits of the fearsome jutsu.
"Frostbite…?" Kazuki asked surprised looking at Dark Kazuki as he was slowly turning jet black.
"Yes. The Ice Wasteland jutsu forces the body to instantly be frostbitten once they are hit with the jutsu – that is one of the reasons why it was deemed a forbidden jutsu. The person is still alive while the frostbite sets in leaving them stuck in agony and this jutsu doesn't ascertain who is ally or enemy and just destroys the entire area and if you're not careful it will even consume you, the one who performed it. The jutsu also requires a lot of chakra and could kill you if you do not have enough." The woman said walking over to the nearly dead Dark Kazuki. "I will take this demon back with me since he has lost – you must wake up soon because you have people waiting for you."
"Wait, you didn't tell me your name!" Kazuki stated looking at the woman as she gave him a warm smile.
"I am a Yuki-onna; I have since thrown my human name away. You do not need to address me other than Yuki-onna but this might be our last meeting or I should hope it is for there'll be even more danger the next time we meet…" Yuki-onna said looking down with a sad face.
"Yuki-onna…? An ice woman?" Kazuki thought looking at the Yuki-onna before a flash of light moved in front of him.
Kazuki suddenly sat up in the middle of his tent looking around when he suddenly realized he had returned. The sun was just starting to come up and at the entrance of the tent sat Ayaka asleep, she had been watching over him through the night and passed out.
"Idiot, you should've gone to your own tent." Kazuki said quietly getting up and putting the blanket he had around her before stepping outside.
"Which one are you?" Masakatsu asked looking at Kazuki in a defensive stance.
"'Which one am I'…?" Kazuki asked confused looking at Masakatsu.
"Oh, it's you. If it was one of the demons they would've at least made some kind of cocky comment or something but that was a complete let down." Masakatsu said sounding disappointed.
"What, did you want me to end up being possessed by one of those demons!?" Kazuki shouted in surprise of Masakatsu's disappointment.
"Yeah, it would've made things a lot more fun but I guess we can't help it." Masakatsu said shrugging before turning around and starting to walk away.
"He wanted to have fun, huh? Fine, I'll give him some fun!" Kazuki thought charging at Masakatsu swinging his right fist at the back of his head.
"The kid wants to play?" Masakatsu thought noticing Kazuki coming at him when he suddenly vanished.
"I can nearly see him…!" Kazuki thought turning his head following Masakatsu's movements all the way to the point of being behind him. "Now, all I have to do is…!" He thought trying to move his hands behind him as fast as he could see.
"He can actually see me?" Masakatsu thought surprised when he appeared behind Kazuki and kicked out his left leg stopping just in front of Kazuki's head. "Not bad kid. I don't know how you did it but you've improved a lot but it looks like your reactions need to be increased." He said looking at Kazuki's left hand just pushing his left leg out of the way.
"I was able to see him but I couldn't get there in time! Damn it!" Kazuki thought a little angry with his abilities. "Then are you up for a little early morning training since we just started?" He asked looking at Masakatsu with a grin.
"Sounds interesting, let's see what other improvements you've had since that little sleep." Masakatsu said with a smile on his face.
"You're on then!" Kazuki stated nearly vanishing in an instant – he wasn't at the speed at which he would appear to vanish but it seemed to appear as a blur of his figure.
"So, the kid has sped up a good deal. Must've been his fight with Yuki that forced this – let's see what else I can force him into doing." Masakatsu thought following Kazuki's movements and putting out his left hand out to his left just as Kazuki arrived and put his left fist into his hand.
"He knew where I was going to attack!?" Kazuki thought surprised.
"Not bad kid but you haven't reached a high enough level to beat my eyes!" Masakatsu shouted turning quickly and swinging his right fist directly at his gut.
Kazuki quickly pulled his left hand away from Masakatsu and put his two arms out in the form of an "X" directly in front of his gut just to absorb the attack. He slid back on the ground a few feet digging into the ground a little as he finally came to a stop. Just when Kazuki put his arms down he noticed Masakatsu had vanished and in that instant he was behind him – the little time Kazuki spent not watching Masakatsu was enough for him to move behind him without him noticing.
"That is why you have to pay attention to your opponent at all times even when you're blocking… that is unless you're able to sense them!" Masakatsu stated moving forward with his left elbow at the back of Kazuki's neck.
"Damn, he's going for a death blow!" Kazuki thought twirling to his left just as Masakatsu's elbow slid past his exposed skin.
"So this kid does well under extreme pressure? Maybe I should push him even harder and stop holding back then." Masakatsu thought watching Kazuki move to his left raising his right leg.
"Something's not right…!" Kazuki thought jumping back instead of finishing his kick.
"So you sensed it after all, huh? I'll stop holding back completely now so you better be able to block my attacks or you might die." Masakatsu said with a smile on his face still.
"What!? I thought this was just a fun little sparring match!" Kazuki shouted with the expression a deer staring into oncoming headlights would have and in that instant Masakatsu vanished. "Where did he go!? I couldn't even see him at all this time!" He thought when suddenly there was a large burst of wind directly in front of him forcing him to cover his eyes.
"He needs some more rest if you want to do that kind of training." Yuki's voice was heard saying coming from in front of Kazuki.
Kazuki slowly opened his eyes to see a fist directly in front of his face at least a few inches away from his forehead. On the hand's wrist was Yuki's hand holding Masakatsu's fist back from hitting him directly in the head.
"I forgot. He's had so many battles just yesterday – I guess we'll have to let the kid rest before continuing then." Masakatsu said pulling back his right hand and shrugging while also sighing.
"Yes, we'll give them all sometime to rest before we continue the training." Yuki said turning to Kazuki. "Kazuki, you better rest up because the next training session won't be as easy as the last one. You four don't need instruction on how to fight anymore – that is what we determined with those other training sessions. What you four need is battle experience; only something like that will help you all be prepared for what come soon if you all continue to follow me. All my enemies are well beyond your levels of fighting ability so we have to at least train you four to at least be able to endure the beatings so you can survive long enough for Masakatsu or myself to defeat them." He said walking away and into the woods.
"Just how strong are the people he's talking about…?" Kazuki asked looking over at Masakatsu.
"Let's see…" Masakatsu said thinking about the question. "Think about fighting a Kage from one of the hidden villages."
"Okay." Kazuki said nodding.
"Now, imagine every single one of Yuki's enemies." Masakatsu said as the image crossed into Kazuki's mind.
"I don't really know what they look like or how many there are though…" Kazuki said trying to think of people but only coming up with shadows.
"Just imagine a group of ten people or so!" Masakatsu said a little annoyed with Kazuki throwing him off his pace.
"Okay, okay. I got it." Kazuki said thinking about ten shadows.
"Then add the power you saw from the Kage fight to those ten. That would be the level of Yuki's enemies at the very least – some may actually be beyond Kage-class but I guess we'll find out when that time comes." Masakatsu said nonchalantly while shrugging.
"How can you say that so easily!?" Kazuki shouted surprised by how easygoing Masakatsu was.
"It's either that or I say it sounding terrified or serious. Neither one suits my personality so I went with that choice – don't take everything so seriously kid. Now, you better get some rest or… actually you were just sleeping, right?" Masakatsu said realizing that fact.
"Yeah, there's no way I would be able to sleep for a while after that strange dream…" Kazuki said thinking about all that had happened while he was asleep.
"Really? Tell me all about it and that should count as your rest." Masakatsu said sounding interested in Kazuki's dream after remembering what Yuki had said the night before about the ninjaken.
"Fine, I have no choice even if I refuse, right?" Kazuki said as he sighed.
"You catch on quickly kid." Masakatsu said with a smile proud of Kazuki catching on quickly as he started the story.
Takeo laid there in his tent watching everything that had just happened between Kazuki and Masakatsu. He had an expression of surprise when he saw Kazuki's growth in such a short time.
"So, he's gotten better. He might be able to match me soon if he continues this way. I look forward to that day when we finally meet on the battlefield, Kazuki. Until then become strong, I don't want to have to face a weakling." Takeo thought looking at Kazuki telling Masakatsu the story.
"Whatcha up to?" Kosuke asked crawling in to Takeo's tent from the opposite end.
"Kosuke, what are you doing…?" Takeo asked surprised by Kosuke suddenly appearing.
"Oh, I see. You're watching that Kazuki kid again, right? What is it between the two of you anyway?" Kosuke asked plotting herself down next to Takeo.
"He's gotten a lot stronger somehow since last night and I just get this feeling if the two of us were to fight it would be a lot of fun." Takeo said turning around and lying on his back with his hands behind his back.
"What do you mean by a long stronger?" Kosuke asked looking over at Takeo a little surprised by what he was saying. "I mean it couldn't be that much of a difference, right?"
"You're wrong. He can now see high speed movement with his eyes – it's not enough to see Yuki or Masakatsu when they're not playing around but most likely enough to see me now. I bet he can nearly even match my moves about now or soon at the rate he's moving." Takeo said relaxing in his tent looking at the top.
"Really? You're making me want to fight him now." Kosuke said looking over at Kazuki surprised.
"He's mine, I've already claimed him. You just worry about your own." Takeo said glancing over at Kosuke.
"Fine, I'll let you keep him then. You're no fun when you get all serious like this." Kosuke said lying her head down.
"I have to protect my own fun don't I?" Takeo asked with a smirk lightly tapping Kosuke's injury.
"Ow, that hurt you know!" Kosuke shouted slapping his chest.
"Agh! I was just stabbed through there the other day you know!?" Takeo shouted holding his chest in pain as Kosuke was holding her arm.
"That's what you get for hitting my arm." Kosuke responded sticking her tongue out at him.
In the woods around the camp, Yuki stood next to a tree with Koori no Senshi about ten feet ahead of him. They were staring at one another and breathing a little harder than usual showing signs that they had fought a little before.
"Not bad Yuki but I know you didn't summon me just for this. You wanted to perfect that Liquid Ice jutsu didn't you?" Koori no Senshi asked looking at Yuki.
"You're right. I thought I would try to perfect it as soon as possible – I get the feeling Toyotomi is also learning something new as we speak and I cannot allow him to have an upper hand on me." Yuki said sounding more determined than usual as soon as he mentioned his brother.
"Then come, Yuki! Give me everything you've got!" Koori no Senshi stated feeding on his determination.
"You've got it. Secret Art – Liquid Ice!" Yuki stated making the hand seals: reverse Serpent, Tiger, Ox, one –handed Ram, Rat, Bird, Rabbit, Serpent, Dog, Horse, one-handed Rat, Tiger, and reverse Bird when suddenly a burst of water like before started swirling around his feet.
"How long will you hold out Yuki!?" Koori no Senshi shouted charging forward.
Author Notes:
It took longer this time due to a few issues that came up that I had to work on before getting to the story. I'll try to get 19 out sooner and there is a chance that it could end at chapter 30 but I haven't decided on it yet.
-Steve Masters