There was no longer anything natural about this storm. The loudest thunderbolt Kiba had ever heard roared through the sky, amplified by the Sage's nature chakra the pressure-wave from the sound hit with enough force to send Kiba back a step. Should this tempest ever reach Kumo, or any other city, the thunder would be the last thing to worry about. Distant winds circled the peak, the clouds had been blown back by Akamaru's great howl technique and formed a perfect sphere. It was like standing in the eye of a hurricane, only Kiba felt like punching whoever it was that said the calm of the storm is the safest place.
The Sage, Saito, counted off his fingers and looked with apprehension upon the storm. Reaching into his robe his expression turned sour as he brought forth only shattered crystals. Though an unexpected consequence of Akamaru's technique, it was one of the few breaks Kiba figured they would get in this fight.
When fighting a high-class opponent, each side thinks more about what their opponent is likely to do. Years of training leads shinobi to attack by instinct, when your own reactions are planned out it frees you to focus on your enemy. Saito's Sage eyes were still active, though from what little Kiba knew those would fade if Saito used any major techniques.
Lightning shot across the sky, illuminating the clouds in a sickly, purple light. Though knowing he was not ready, Kiba ran forward hoping the momentary vision loss would give a moment's edge. Saito turned Kiba's punch with a combination block and wrist rotation. The Sage sidestepped and hit Kiba's back open-handed with both palms, sending Kiba face first down to the ground. A quick roll to the side prevented Kiba from having the Sage's elbow plow into his back.
A strange light source flickered across Saito's eyes, before the Sage could continue a taijutsu brawl with Kiba, Karui appeared surrounded by a faint Raiton aura. Her speed was something legendary, and she cut Saito twice across his forearms causing him to jump back. Akamaru charged from the Sage's blind spot, but the Sage tucked his elbows in and turned in a dodge that also backhanded the side of the ninken's face.
Righting himself Kiba knew that their goal should not be to beat Saito while in Sage mode, but rather to use up his energy. Surviving his attacks would be much harder, but wasting their own energy to damage him would be pointless. Keep him on the move, prevent him from gathering enough energy to send off the storm; that should be their goal. On the other hand, with the crystals in the storm all Saito needed to do was knock them into the clouds and within a few breaths the fight would be over.
"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu."
Forming from the moisture in the air, a torrent of water began rushing at Karui and Akamaru. Knowing the water combined with her Raiton shroud would put her out of the fight, Karui released her technique. Akamaru was righting himself and growling at the wave. Kiba ran at full speed, temporarily releasing Kaimon again for the speed burst and extra chakra he needed. The wave hit Karui and Akamaru and began pushing them towards the edge of the precipice. Kiba focused his chakra in his arms, and especially his feet. Running straight into the wave seemed easier than it should have been, but Kiba knew that an overabundance of confidence was a side-effect of opening the Body's Gates. With outstretched arms he grabbed Karui and Akamaru who were caught in the current. His calf muscles and hamstrings burned as he poured more chakra into his legs and feet to keep them anchored in place. Each additional actions was an added labor: strengthening his grip, opening his eyes to see if the technique was ended, holding his breath until it was finished, fighting to stay conscious.
All at once the water receded and Kiba gulped at air again. Kiba released his grip and checked on his companions. Karui and Akamaru were coughing out water as well, but quickly looked up showing themselves to be alright.
"Still alive I see. Well let's see if you have the decency to die at the hands of your own Nidaime Hokage's techniques next." Kiba turned his head to see the water from the technique had not all run off the mountain top, but pooled in many large puddles. Saito's hands moved unbelievably fast to form seals for his next technique.
"We can't let him finish that technique Kiba," Karui said coughing up more water, "I have a plan, but I need to get close." Kiba leaned in to hear her whisper her idea.
"Suiton: Suishoha."
"Now!" Karui yelled.
Kiba once again wrapped his arms around Karui and jumped as high as he dared without going into the clouds. Akamaru's jump had less height, but the ninken focused his chakra and ran along the top of the great water technique. Kiba flipped Karui in his arms and relied on his increased muscle function and flexibility to throw her from midair towards the Sage. Her sword sparked with electricity as it became a raiton blade. Saito released his technique and punched directly at Karui's sword. The blade shattered and the lightning energy dissipated. A second punch sent Karui flying, her sword hilt knocked out of her hands.
Kiba landed next to Akamaru in time to see Saito make seals with the blood coming from the scratches on his arms. Knowing what was coming Kiba let go of his Kaimon release and began making hand seals of his own.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Nyoi-jizai."
A hideous three-eyed skeleton with a great horn appeared with a terrible laughter. The creature turned his head to Saito who simply said, "Do as you will." Another round of laughter escaped the monster's mouth as he angled his head towards Karui. Running diabolically fast, he lowered his horn to scrape against the ground leaving a gash that smoked and burned behind him.
Kiba had no time to think. Jumping on Akamaru's back he kicked the ninken's flank urging him into a run. Finishing his hand seals, Kiba hoped they would reach Karui in time.
"Jinju Konbi Henge: Sotoro!"
White smoke flared all around Kiba as he combined with Akamaru to transform into the Two-Headed Great Hound. In two quick bounds they caught up with the apparition and Kiba closed his jaws around the monster's horn. It burned in his mouth, but from the corner of his eye he saw he had made it in time as it stopped barely fifty centimeters away from Karui's face. Akamaru's had his teeth around the Nyoi-jizai's leg, the creature made a sound that was more pain than laughter. The monster did not give up, but instead wrapped his clawed hands around Kiba's throat; even with its head trapped, it moved as though it was not restricted.
Kiba choked as the world began darkening by a few shades. Not giving up, Kiba closed his jaw and snapped the horn off of the creature's head. Laughing hysterically, the Nyoi-jizai brought its forehead up and stabbed Kiba in the right shoulder of his transformed state. Pain seared his senses, not like the pain of being stabbed, but of being burned. Panic gripped Kiba as from the corner of his vision he saw Saito sitting down and surrounded by a rising shield of cloud.
"Now Karui, do it!" Kiba bellowed from behind the mask of his transformation. Wind muffled his speech and the clouds began to close in on all sides.
"I got him… Raiton: Inuzuma."
Pain and light were the only two elements in the world as far as Kiba was concerned. Closing his eyes did nothing to lessen the blinding brightness. He felt his transformation technique break and he landed hard on rock. Kiba awoke to see the last rays of sunlight disappear behind a nearby mountain. In the sky the first stars of evening were growing in luster as the ambient light faded. A tug on his shoulder rolled his head to his left where he saw Karui's hands working on bandaging the burnt skin where the Nyoi-jizai had stabbed his transformed self. Akamaru was licking the cuts on Kiba's left arm and from the swaying sound behind him, his tail was wagging happily.
As he tried to sit up, Karui firmly pushed him back down to the ground.
"Don't move, I have to fix you up and close the cuts you reopened."
"Did you get him?"
She didn't answer; she just ran her fingers through his hair, sat back and looked at clear evening skies in all directions.
Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu - Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique
Suiton: Suishoha - Water Shockwave
Kuchiyose no Jutsu: Nyoi-jizai - Pretty bad monster thing:
Google Image Search: Nyoi-jizai
Jinju Konbi Henge: Sotoro - Man Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf
Raiton: Raiden - Lightning Release: Lightning God