Yo!! The time is now. Two Sannin, one city, one large scale S-Level Duel to the death. Xin vs. Shiro. Ready!? FIGHT!!
Chapter 35: Showdown!! Part 7: A Tale of Two Sannin!
Xin and Shiro stood across from each other, both smirking. "So, Shiro Masamune decides to fight himself?" Xin said, tauntingly. "As interesting as Xin Hiwatari deciding to fight instead of sending one of his minions." Shiro said, and both smirked.
"Seems like the Lightning Cat and the Tri Edge are about to get it on." Shiro said, and Xin nodded. "No summonings?" Xin asked. "Anything but Summoning Jutsus or moves that branch from Summoning Jutsus. (Example: Kakashi and Koji's Summoning Earth Style: Fang Pursuit Jutsu or Jiraiya's Summoning Jutsu: Bringing Down The House.) You know, the usual rules." Shiro said.
"Well then, you ready?" Xin asked, as his Chakra Sabers then shot out two other blades, creating a curved saber with three blades on each saber. "I hope to put this rivalry down once and for all." Shiro said, as electricity began to roll off his body. Both of them then disappeared, and in their place was a wicked explosion.
Xin appeared in mid air, and swiped his Crimson Sabers, and Shiro blocked it. He flew in the air from the force, but landed on the ground quite nicely. He brought his hand up, and a Lightning Gun shot out of his finger.
Xin blocked it, but it forced him into the sky. He turned, and the blast flew right by him, but Shiro wasn't done yet. Making hand seals, a Lightning Dragon shot from his palms, and charged at Xin. Xin smirked, and began to make handseals.
"Lightning Style: Lightning Dome Jutsu!" Xin said, as a dome of electricity appeared, and took the Dragon. The ensuing explosion shook the tower, but neither nin were hurt. Shiro looked around when he couldn't feel Xin's chakra. He heard a whizzing sound, and jumped as a few shuriken.
As he was in the air, he realized the shuriken were probably a distraction. "Earth Style: Earth Spire Jutsu!!" And Xin delivered with a giant spike lauching from the ground. Shiro erected (anyone who laughs is a pervert. But no shame, because I chuckled too!) a shield of electric chakra, and he rolled along the spike.
He twisted in mid air, and slid along the spike, as Xin ran along the spike, wielding his blades. Both clashed in the middle, and his electric palms clashed with the blades. Each strike created a pulse of power, and the spike slowly began to shatter.
Then, Shiro hopped back, and ran along, as Xin brought his right hand back wielding his blade. "Plasma Thrust!" "Fire Slash!!" Shiro's electric palm smashed into Xin's blade that was covered in Fire Chakra, and the explosive power they created shattered the spire, causing both of them to disappear.
As the dust from the spire went away, Shiro slid along the ground, and put his hand into a seal that was a Kumo specialty. "Lightning Style: Plasma Clone Jutsu!!" Shiro said, as he created 5 clones of nothing but pure electric chakra.
"Fan out, and find Xin." Shiro said, and the clones nodded, before they took off. He dusted himself off, and sighed. "I'm getting too old for battling the powers of evil." Shiro muttered. He walked around, and then he felt it. One of his Plasma Clones was offed. He smirked, and took off. When he arrived, his other clones were already there.
"Any of you find him?" Shiro asked, and they all shook their heads. Before he could muse on this, a lightning disk flew, and lopped them all in half. Xin smirked from the house he launched it from, but then sighed when all four disappeared. He turned around, and brought one of his sabers up to block a chakra charged punch aimed at his head.
He ducked back when Shiro tried to kick him, and got a clean hit with his Chakra Tri-Edge, causing Shiro to fly into the wall. He charged Shiro, but was launched back when Shiro caught him with his Lightning Gun Jutsu. He flew out the house, and recovered enough to launch into the sky, and disappear.
Shiro ran out, and looked around. He closed his eyes to feel Xin's chakra signature, but with all the battles inside the village, he picked up Tayuya's, Koji's, and the Shadow Trio's chakras instead. Growling in frustration, he pulled out two kunai, and began to spin them on his pointer fingers.
(Bad habit.) Shiro thought to himself, as he turned around, and blocked Xin's attack with both of the kunai. He would have blocked it with his hands since Xin's Chakra Tri-Edge is blunt, but since he was using his Fire Chakra to power the blade, he would have burned himself. The kunai didn't hold for long, but long enough to get Shiro away from a potentially deadly blow.
Xin tailed Shiro as he hopped away. Shiro made hand seals, as Xin did. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" "Earth Style: Rock Wall Jutsu!" Xin's stream of fire crashed into Shiro's Rock Wall, and the wall held for a few seconds, before Shiro's Lightning Gun blasted through it and the fire, hitting Xin.
Xin slid along the ground, and hopped away when Shiro charged him. Xin landed, and brought his Tri-Edge up when Shiro charged with his right and left hand sparking with Electric Chakra. Shiro threw his right fist, and Xin brought up Tri-Edge to block it. Shiro caught the blade, and smirked when Xin's eyes widened.
"Plasma Thrust!" Shiro brought his left hand forward, and smashed it where Xin's lungs should be. "Seems like the winner has been chosen." Shiro said, and then his eyes widened when Xin began to smirk. "You are right. You lose." Xin said, and grabbed Shiro's arm, the one sticking through his chest. "I am only a Plasma Clone." Xin said, and Shiro's eyes widened to disbelief.
"And on my back is an Exploding Tag. See if you can survive this, Lightning Cat." Xin said. Shiro tried to pull out, but Xin's grip was too strong, and Xin's smirk grew. "Boom." And with that, the Exploding Tag blew up.
Xin watched the explosion with both humor and anticipation. (I know damn well something like that wouldn't kill my rival so easily. The Masamune Failure isn't that weak.) Xin thought, as their past came to light.
Flashback:
Age 15:
Xin always knew the Masamune Clan were like royalty to Kumo, but they say every clan has its black sheep. That was his teammate, and rival, Shiro Masamune.
The Masamune Clan dabbled in Taijutsu with their Tiger Fist Style, but this kid could barely learn the style itself. Instead, he learned Ninjutsu, and became proficient in it. And he even used his Tarogan in a weird way.
Tarogan, or the Tiger Eye, was used along with the Tiger Fist to find an opponents weak points, and strike them constantly, and consistently. Instead of using it like that, he used it to analyze his opponents movements, and think up a strategy for it. Truly the black sheep.
Even at age 15, both Shiro and Xin kept their hair long. Xin wore the standard out fit for a Kumo Jounin, which consisted of the standard outfit, except the sweats were a lighter blue, and the Flak Jacket was grey.
Shiro had a white chinese style shirt for boys, and a black pair of shorts. Xin wore his headband on his forehead, while Shiro used his as something like a hair tie to keep his long wild hair in check, so it flowed back instead of all over the place.
"Hey Shiro, what made you decide to not be like the rest of your family?" Xin asked, as they both had finished sparring for the day. "I want to be remembered not as another member of a royal clan, but as my own person! In order to do that, I need to learn how to do things my own way." Shiro said, and Xin shrugged.
"That's a good point, I suppose." Xin said. "The only thing that idiot will be remembered as is the idiot of the clan." Both turned, and weren't surprised to see their Kunoichi teammate.
Asuka Shikimori, like Xin, had lost her family at a young age since her parents were ninjas. She is a combat Medic Nin, who could also use Ninjutsu, and was proficient in Genjutsu. She was also an early bloomer, with a C-Cup at Age 12.
Contrary to what their friends, and other nin from the village thought, she had the most chakra of the three. Xin was second, and Shiro was a very close third.
Asuka's platinum blond hair was tied into two ponytails, which were braided. Her blue eyes accentuated her features. She also wore the Kumo Flak Jacket, but wore a blue jean skirt, and a black shirt under the jacket. She wore her headband around her forehead.
"Che! No one asked you!" Shiro said, glaring at her with white eyes, as she sneered at him. "In my mind, you are the wimp!" Asuka said, and Shiro jumped to his feet. "You want to go now, bitch!?" Shiro screamed, and she glared back with white eyes. "Trying to start something you can't finish!?" "Can't finish!? I could kick your ass in 1 minute flat!!" Xin decided to leave. Those two could go all day with their bickering.
He would have accused them of using their arguments to flirt, but Asuka already had a boyfriend, whom Shiro said he envied and pitied at the same time. When asked why both, he said quote "I envy him because her figure is to die for, but I pity him because Asuka's attitude is violent and unpredictable."
That statement evoked nothing but sweatdrops from anyone that heard it. But no one denied that it wasn't true.
End.
"I still wonder what Asuka is up to these days." Xin said to himself. "Last I heard, she was traveling the world." Xin turned, and wasn't surprised to see Shiro standing there. "Her boyfriend was killed in a mission by someone in a black robe with red clouds." Shiro said.
"Akatsuki got him." Xin said. "He learned too much, and he wasn't allowed to live." Shiro said. "Kotaro was a strong nin though. Not only able to beat any of us on occasion, but he was also with us on some of his missions." Xin said. "She started a little gang with the intent on destroying Akatsuki." Shiro said.
"She did, did she?" Xin said. "Calls themselves the Amazons." Shiro said. "Heh. All the Kumo Sannin became founders of groups. My Association 15, your Shadow Blades, and her Amazons." Xin said. "Sadly today, one founding father is going to die." Shiro said, as he activated his Tarogan.
"I guess that our stroll down memory lane is over." Xin said, as he pulled out his two Chakra Tri-Edge sabers. "Looks like it." Shiro said.
Both nin knew it would come to this. They knew that it would come to a fight like this the moment when Xin left the village with the intent of getting stronger abroad. They didn't expect that he would somehow begin to try to take over the world.
"So, what caused this change of outlook? The Xin I knew wasn't someone who was power hungry?" Shiro asked. "Heh. Actually, it happened a few years ago." Xin said.
Flashback:
Age 40.
Xin had found an old set of ruins near The Village Hidden in the Stars as he traveled abroad. He really shoud have returned to the village at some point, but he REALLY loved traveling the world.
He was about to leave the ruins, when a bright light eminated from the ruins, calling his attention. He stood in awe, and never realized he was walking towards it.
When he stopped, he came to a wall with a gold eye on it. (Weird looking wall.) Xin thought to himself. He brought his hand to it, and felt a serious jolt of energy. He opened his eyes, and was scared when he saw dark energy swiveling up his right arm, and focusing towards his chest.
His screams of fear didn't stop the thing from converging on his chest, and after a few seconds, the darkness covered his body, as he began to cackle in madness. His eyes opened slowly, and instead of the eyes of a warrior looking to better himself, he had the vicious look of a cold villain.
"I see that the one who use to be known as Xin has been controlled." A dark voice said, and Xin turned to the sky, as a demon-like being appeared. Dark cape floated off the ground as the being leveled him with his stare. Dark red eyes met with silver and gold, as the being began to chuckle. "So, this is the being that has fallen into my grasp?" The demon said, and Xin held a look of neutrality.
"Like hell." That caught the demon's attention. "You say you are not under my wrath?" He asked. "Of course not! The only difference is that your weird powers are running through me. I want answers!" Xin said, as he pulled out one of his Chakra Sabers. "Trying to fight against the one who has imprisoned you is not wise." The demon said as he flicked his wrist, and a powerful dark energy began to burn inside of Xin's body, making him scream in agony.
He dropped to his knees, and the pain lifted. "What the hell was that?" Xin asked. "That was the power that binds you to me. Since you are my new vassel, I will be using you for my own gain." He said. "And that is?" Xin asked. "The takeover of the entire universe!" The demon replied in a childish tone.
"You are mad to think that I would help with that." Xin said with a certain sting, which was reverberated throughout his body when the demon shocked him again. "You have no choice. Help with my cause, or everyone you love and cherish will die, along with you!" The demon said.
"Che. Good luck. I have no loved ones." Xin said. "How about those two people in your village? Your old teammates?" The demon asked, and Xin's eyes narrowed in anger. "….Alright. You got me. I get this done, and you leave my friends alone." Xin said.
"That's not how it works. I conquer the known galaxy, and you are merely my vassel." The demon said, as it disappeared, and flew into Xin's body. "May at least know the name of my jailor?" Xin asked with venom. "My name is Yami. Nothing more, nothing less."
End.
"I see. An evil demon has lodged itself into your soul. That doesn't sound fun." Shiro said, and Xin smiled. "Sorry it's come to this, old friend." Xin said, and Shiro smiled back. "It would be my honor to end your pain." Shiro said, and they both took stances.
Before either could begin their battle, someone in the ANBU attire for the Cloud Village appeared in front of them. "Shiro-sama! A message for you!" The ANBU said, before he turned his attention to Xin.
"No way! Xin-sama is here as well!?" He asked. "That's not important. What does the young bastard want?" Xin asked. The Third Raikage was a personal friend to the Kumo Sannin, and they all knew that if that over-zealous smart-ass had something that ANBU needed to get him to, then it was serious.
"Shiro-sama. Your family. They have all been slaughtered." He said. Xin's eyes narrowed, while Shiro's widened in surprise and fear.
(The Masamune family? Has been killed!?) Shiro thought to himself. "The whole family?" Xin asked with a little bit of surprise. "Hai. The whole clan. The only ones left are you, Shiro-sama, and Kanzaki Masamune, who hasn't been in the village for the last couple of years." He said.
"She is with Akatsuki." Shiro said, and Xin gave him a bored look. "She probably fell for some boy. She is headstrong like her grandpa." Xin said, and Shiro gave him a half-glare. "Our fight will have to wait." Shiro said, as him and the ANBU disappeared. Xin sighed in irritation.
"Trying to get yourself killed isn't going to stop your fate." Yami said in an evil tone, and Xin sneered. (You said if I disobeyed your orders, I was to be hurt. Killed in battle trying to accomplish your goal means I die for your cause. Your magic won't affect me.) Xin replied.
"Arrogant bastard!" "Maybe I am, but I am a witty arrogant bastard." Xin said, before he brought his attention to a small group of people. (Hn. Hyosuke is still kicking.) Xin thought to himself.
"So, you live?" Xin said loud enough to get the boy's attention. Sure enough, he gave him a chilling glare, which is what he expected. "So, you dare show your face?" Koji muttered darkly, and scowled even more when Xin began to smirk even more.
"You tried to pit me and Sakura against each other, and now you stroll around as thought you own the place?" Koji said, and Xin noticed the electricity rolling off his body. (Kid has a short fuse. It'll get him killed.) Xin thought to himself, deciding to push his buttons. "Why yes. Yes I can. Does it make you mad? Does it make you want to kill me?" Xin asked, knowing the answer, and pleased to see him shaking in anger.
"No, it doesn't make me angry. It makes me FURIOUS!!" Koji screamed, and leveled a glare that even made Xin shiver a little. "Because of that little stunt you pulled, I nearly killed someone precious to me. I nearly gave my life. Now, because of those actions, the only judgement you get is DEATH!!" Koji screamed, and Xin was quite surprised to see the amount of power rolling off the boy.
His body was shooting off sparks, and the amout of killing intent he brandished sent a wave of excitement through Xin's body. (This boy. His power is prodigious! The first time in a long time I've been excited for a fight!) Xin mused to himself, and then, the sparks shot off more, and he began to glow brightly. Xin winced a little, and waited it out.
When the light cleared, Koji's shirt had changed into a dark blue shirt. His hair had gold streaks in them, and his eyes held an animialistic fury. "Hey. Something isn't right about this kid. I can sense demonic chakra flying off him." Yami said, and Xin smirked a little on the inside. (A demonic foe. This will be a first.) Xin mused to himself.
He was brought back to reality when Koji unleashed an inhuman scream, which caused wings of electric chakra to blast out of his back, charged him. Xin was surprised by the transformation, but that just added to the excitement he felt. Koji stopped at the base of the tower, and blasted into the air, leaving a crater. Xin pulled out a Saber, and hopped off the tower into a free fall.
Koji's right hand began to pulse with chakra, and Xin added some chakra into his blade. Both nin flashed past each other, and landed across from each other. Xin's Saber disappeared, (All Association members can materialize their weapons from the Shadow Realm) and everyone saw a large slash mark appear on Koji's chest, as blood flew everywhere.
But instead of falling to the ground, Koji turned around, as the wound started to disappear. (Healing powers? I thought only the Kyuubi had that kind of ability.) Xin thought to himself. "This proves Prophecy's prediction! This boy houses one of the Phoenixes!" Yami explained, while Xin looked on, non-plussed. (And what are those?) Xin asked.
"The Phoenixes were the 8 Celestial Guardians of my tomb. I thought they were all killed off, but it seems the Lightning Phoenix was somehow infused into this boy." Yami said, thinking about this. (Is it possible for the Phoenixes to travel throughout the worlds?) Xin asked, and could envision Yami's eyes widening.
"Of course! The boy came from another land! The Lightning Phoenix must have infused itself into him as he warped!" Yami explained. Xin nodded, and brought himself back into the battle.
Koji charged again, and Xin flew through some hand seals. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" Xin opend his mouth, and a stream of fire shot out of his mouth. He was stunned when instead of moving out of the way, Koji shot his wings forward, and blocked the flames, while leveling him a soul piercing stare.
Xin held his stare, and then ducked out of the way when another Koji shot at him from the air with a Plasma Thrust. (That was Shiro's Plasma Thrust. Did he teach him that attack?) Xin thought to himself, re-summoning one of his Chakra Sabers. He added his chakra to it, and it blazed ferociously.
He swung it back, and sent it towards the Koji Clone that charged him. The clone dodged it, and charged with electricity coming off his hands. Xin blocked the electric attack, and spun to redirect and attack aimed at his back into the first clone.
It was hit, but that wasn't all. It exploded in an electric storm. (Shit. Plasma Clone!) Xin thought to himself, as the blast sent him flying back into a wall. He ducked as Koji reappeared, slamming a lightning fist into the wall. "I grow sick of this game." Xin announced, as he summoned his other Chakra Saber, and held them in front of him, in a cross.
"Full Power: Tri-Edge!!" His blades each shot out two more edges, and he smirked. "Come, Lightning Phoenix." Xin said. Koji roared, and ran at him, faster than he was earlier moving. Xin's eyes were closed, as Koji barreled at him, leaving the earth upturned from where he ran, as he had electricity pulsing with power.
The moment before Koji struck, Xin's eyes shot open, and he took one step. Everyone watching the match saw 15 flashes of light, before Koji shot past Xin, standing still, as Xin didn't move from the one step he took. Both stood still, as the wind blew.
Xin then closed his eyes, and his Tri-Edge turned back into his Chakra Blades, as they disappeared. He began to walk away, as slash marks appeared all over Koji's body, causing blood to fly everywhere, and Koji fell to the ground. His eyes had glazed over, and he was laying in a puddle of blood.
"KOJI!!" Sakura screamed, as she and Shizune ran to him. They ran right by Xin, but with slow-motion, he could see the hateful glare Sakura sent him. He continued his walk, before he was in front of the Mist Three. He glanced at them, and they held his intense look.
"Do not think you have avoided your fates. We will deal with you once the bigger issues are dealt with." Xin said, as he disappeared into his portal. The three looked to the portal, and Zabuza let out a shaky breath. "He seemed distracted." Zabuza said, and Haku nodded.
"We were lucky." Shinji said. "Not everyone can afford our luck though." Zabuza said, as Shizune and Sakura were working rapidly to save Koji's life. "All his vitals were missed. It was as though he was testing him." Haku said.
"He still needs help." Shizune said, as Zabuza picked the boy up. "Know any really skilled Medics?" Shinji asked. "Only one." Shizune said, and they all took off for Tsunade.
ShadowRonin: So everything isn't as it seems at face value. Xin is forced into the situation he is in, and is trying to kill himself without the curse affecting his body. So far, his best bet seems to be in the power of his rival and the student of his rival. But that's not all. Who are the other 14 members and what are their reasons for being in the Association? Maybe time will tell…
Next Chapter: With the war coming to a conclusion, Koji and friends are left to heal themselves, and figure out their future plans. The last chapter for the Jounin Exam Arc is next on:
Chapter 36: Showdown!! Epilogue: The Paths We Choose.