DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO (I'M BACK AND I HOPE NO MORE INTERRUPTIONS OCCUR XD)
Ch.23 - Senbons and Needles
Asuma and Kushimaru stood face to face, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The tension between these two Jounin was palpable. Each warrior held immense respect for the other's skills, fully aware of the gravity of their impending clash. Asuma understood the immense risk of facing one of the Kiri no Shinobigatana Shichinin Shu (Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist) alone. Countless tales of their ruthlessness and brutality had reached his ears, painting a vivid picture of a formidable organization that could single-handedly bring down nations. The very thought of these expert swordsmen, wielding powerful blades, sent shivers down his spine.
On the other hand, Kushimaru recognized Asuma's formidable reputation as the Sandaime's (Third Hokage) son and a member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja (Shugonin Jūnishi), the elite protectors of the Fire Daimyo. To be selected for this group meant possessing extraordinary skills, with the symbol of fire emblazoned on their waistcloths, marking them as prime targets for those seeking substantial bounties. Dispatching Asuma would not only fulfill Kushimaru's mission but also yield a substantial payday, one that could enable him to sever ties with Gato for good.
The two Jounin stood mere meters apart, poised for action. Any moment now, one of them would make the first move. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, adding to the charged atmosphere. They locked eyes, fully aware that before the clash of blades came the battle of the mind.
Without warning, Kushimaru unleashed a smoke bomb, engulfing the surroundings in a dense cloud of smoke. Asuma frantically searched for his opponent, knowing that losing sight of Kushimaru could prove disastrous, especially with their mastery of "Silent Killing." Time was of the essence, and Asuma needed to locate his foe swiftly.
As the mist settled, obscuring Asuma's vision, he realized that Kushimaru had unleashed the Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hiding in Mist Technique). This staple jutsu of Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village) shinobi transformed the battlefield into a realm reminiscent of their homeland, where mist and fog were an everyday occurrence. Asuma braced himself, knowing he had to stay vigilant and remain on high alert. He had no clue when and where Kushimaru would strike, but he was determined not to give his adversary an inch. Asuma strained his ears, hoping to catch even a faint hint of Kushimaru's presence. Suddenly, the air filled with the whizzing sound of projectiles hurtling toward him.
Swiftly, Asuma evaded the senbons, sidestepping and weaving to avoid being pierced by the flurry of deadly projectiles. After what felt like an eternity, the barrage ceased, granting Asuma a brief respite. Surveying his surroundings, he discovered senbons embedded in the earth, trees, and even boulders. Asuma knew that Kushimaru wasn't finished yet. He had to dispel the mist to level the playing field. However, Kushimaru was not about to let him do so easily.
Closing in on Asuma, wielding the Nuibari (Needle Sword), Kushimaru moved with such expertise that he closed the distance almost silently. Yet, he understood that landing a clean hit on Asuma would not be as simple as he wished. Asuma expertly used his trench knives to intercept Kushimaru's strikes, their blades clashing against each other with a resolute force. The two Jounin pushed against each other, their determination unwavering.
Eventually, they disengaged, creating space between them. Asuma saw this as an opportunity to strategize and plan his next move, but Kushimaru had other ideas. Ignoring the chance to regroup, he relentlessly pressed the attack, knowing that his weapon, the Nuibari (Needle Sword), held an advantage over Asuma's trench knives in terms of reach. Kushimaru was well aware of this asymmetry and intended to exploit it fully. Asuma, aware of the predicament, could extend the range of his trench knives, yet he hesitated, cautious of depleting his chakra reserves too quickly. Engaging in a war of attrition was the last thing Asuma desired.
With a burst of speed, Kushimaru sprinted toward Asuma, unleashing a flurry of strikes with his Nuibari (Needle Sword) in an attempt to wound his opponent. Asuma skillfully evaded and deflected several attacks, but Kushimaru's precision inflicted some superficial cuts. Determined, Kushimaru continued his relentless assault, while Asuma reached a turning point within himself. No longer content to remain on the defensive, Asuma summoned his resolve, pushing Kushimaru back before executing a graceful backflip, increasing the distance between them.
Drawing upon his mastery of fire jutsu, Asuma unleashed a technique designed to both harm Kushimaru and raise the surrounding temperature, creating condensation. "Katon: Karyudan! (Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet)" Asuma's voice resounded as he exhaled a torrent of flames, aimed directly at Kushimaru. Swiftly, Kushimaru countered with a water-style jutsu, unleashing a powerful torrent of water known as "Suiton: Daiteppodama (Water Release: Great Gunshot)."
The opposing forces clashed, cancelling each other out in an explosive collision. As steam billowed around them, Kushimaru couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. His water jutsu had not completely overwhelmed Asuma's fire technique, failing to prevent the rise in temperature and the subsequent dissipation of the mist. Nevertheless, Asuma's surroundings gradually cleared, granting him a renewed clarity of vision. Seizing the opportunity, Asuma reached for his pouch, retrieving shurikens and flinging them towards Kushimaru. As he did so, Asuma deftly formed the hand seals: Ox – Dog – Dragon – Rat – Dog – Boar – Snake – Tiger. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu! (Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique)" he proclaimed, transforming the dozen shurikens into a hundred.
In response, Kushimaru swiftly performed a series of hand seals: Tiger – Snake – Rat – Snake – Tiger. "Suiton: Suijinheki! (Water Release: Water Formation Wall)" he declared, releasing a forceful stream of water from his mouth. The water twisted and surged, forming a protective wall that repelled the barrage of shurikens. Yet, as Kushimaru observed Asuma's smirk, he sensed that something was amiss.
The shurikens Asuma hurled were cunningly affixed to ninja wire, which he had strategically set up earlier. Those shurikens that missed their mark became entangled with the tree trunk behind Kushimaru, ensnared by the concealed web of wires. With utmost precision, Asuma unleashed his fire jutsu, "Katon: Ryuka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique)," guiding the flames with the ninja wire to increase their velocity. Kushimaru was taken aback as a dragon-shaped inferno rapidly hurtled toward him, engulfing him in its fiery embrace. Yet, Asuma knew that their battle had only just begun.
As the smoke and flames subsided, Asuma scanned the area, seeking Kushimaru's presence. "Impressive, Saturobi-san. You nearly had me there, see?" Kushimaru remarked, gesturing toward the burns he sustained from Asuma's attack. His arms bore singe marks, his garments charred, and his mask scorched in places.
"Likewise, Kuriare-san," Asuma replied, acknowledging Kushimaru's resilience.
"Much obliged, but don't assume you're the only one who wields wires," Kushimaru retorted, swiftly returning to the offensive. He unleashed a flurry of sword slashes, gradually increasing their speed. Asuma skillfully countered, blocked, and parried each strike, emerging unscathed from Kushimaru's previous onslaught.
Suddenly, Kushimaru vanished from Asuma's sight once more, only to reappear directly in front of him. Surprisingly, Kushimaru abandoned his kenjutsu and resorted to taijutsu. Asuma found it peculiar—why would Kushimaru forego his superior swordsmanship skills in favor of hand-to-hand combat? Yet, Asuma knew there was no time to ponder such matters. His opponent stood before him, poised to launch an attack.
Kushimaru cocked his right fist, intending to land a devastating blow to Asuma's face. Reacting swiftly, Asuma evaded to the left, only to realize it was a feint, a ploy to lure him into vulnerability. Falling into Kushimaru's trap, Asuma suffered a punishing strike to his abdomen, robbing him of precious breath. Kushimaru capitalized on his advantage, delivering a knee strike that launched Asuma into the air. Seizing the moment, Kushimaru ascended, delivering a single kick to Asuma's body followed by a rapid succession of three more kicks. Performing a Shunshin no Jutsu (Body Flicker Technique), Kushimaru materialized behind Asuma, striking him with another kick before disappearing once more. This time, he reappeared in front of Asuma, elevated on higher ground. With a swift spin, Kushimaru executed a spinning heel kick, its momentum intensified. Asuma was sent hurtling toward the ground, his impact creating a massive crater.
Coughing up blood, Asuma's entire body throbbed with agony. He had not anticipated Kushimaru's use of Silent Killing techniques without relying on the Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hiding in Mist Technique). The sound-dampening techniques had been employed solely to obscure Asuma's ability to discern his opponent's location. Pushing himself up from the ground, Asuma caught sight of Kushimaru ahead, yet he couldn't help but wonder, "Why would he keep his distance from me? Shouldn't he be relentlessly pummeling me into the ground?"
As Asuma pondered Kushimaru's intentions, he scrutinized his opponent from a distance. Observing Kushimaru's movements, Asuma detected an unsettling undercurrent. Although Kushimaru's mask concealed his expression, Asuma sensed a hidden smirk.
Without warning, Kushimaru tugged at a ninja wire. Asuma's gaze snapped downward, realizing the true nature of Kushimaru's weapon. He noticed a wire emerging from the ground, a fruit falling upon it, effortlessly sliced in half. There was no doubt about the wire's razor-sharp nature. Asuma had narrowly escaped losing a leg, managing to withdraw it just in time. But it wasn't the only wire Kushimaru had set. Apparently, while engaging Asuma in taijutsu, Kushimaru surreptitiously positioned these dangerous wires. Though Asuma couldn't fathom how Kushimaru accomplished this feat, he knew it mattered little in the heat of the battle. He had to remain vigilant, as the area might already be littered with Kushimaru's concealed traps, waiting to be revealed.
More and more of Kushimaru's wires were exposed, compelling Asuma to continually evade their perilous paths. He darted from side to side, contorting his body in peculiar ways to avoid becoming minced meat. Yet, Asuma couldn't evade all the wires completely, sustaining numerous shallow cuts. The wounds stung intensely, but he gritted his teeth, persevering through the pain. There was no time to assess his injuries—only to keep moving.
Performing rapid Kawarimis (Body Replacement Technique) and Shunshins (Body Flicker Technique), Asuma nimbly evaded the remaining wires. After a while, it seemed there were no more traps left to uncover. Asuma bore numerous cuts, his clothes torn and bloodstained. While not in immediate danger of bleeding out, the pain coursed through his body.
"Outstanding! Sarutobi-san," Kushimaru laughed maniacally, applauding slowly. "Only a handful have escaped my trap. The Choto Ninpo: Jigumo Nui (Longsword Ninja Art: Earth Spider Sewing), is one of my finest jutsu. Props to you for nearly evading it."
Perplexed by what he meant by "nearly", Asuma's eyes widened as he noticed one final ninja wire approaching, but it was too late to escape. The wire hovered a mere centimeter from severing his head. Elevated and concealed, it had eluded his notice. In a fraction of a second, the wire sliced through his neck, decapitating him.
Kushimaru descended from his perch on a tree branch, approaching Asuma's lifeless body on the forest floor. Whistling nonchalantly, he reached out to claim the severed head as proof of his victory. But to his astonishment, the body disintegrated into a cloud of smoke. "What?!" Kushimaru exclaimed, taken aback. He surmised that Asuma had employed shunshin, replacing himself with a clone.
Frantically scanning the area, Kushimaru sought Asuma's whereabouts, pondering whether his opponent had escaped or was merely hiding nearby. His attention was drawn to a small puddle of blood, trickling from above. Kushimaru's smirk returned as he realized Asuma was concealed above him. Reacting swiftly, he hurled senbons in the air, poised to strike. But to his dismay, nothing met his projectiles. "Tchhh... The bastard escaped... Just when I was starting to enjoy the fight," Kushimaru sighed, his disappointment palpable.
(A/N: Hey there! Sorry for not uploading/updating in a while, college stuff really is a bitch to deal with but I digress. I also had some sort of breakdown since I am faced with a major decision that would affect my future and stuff. I do hope yall understand, and I do have a life outside fanfiction and I still need to keep my responsibilities in terms of studies and family stuff. And yea, thanks to Atomsk for your kind words haha, and for understanding my situation and shit. Also! Ogremen, I looked at the challenges you got. I'll try at least one as a way to make it up to you guys. I also have some extra chapters for this fic in my back pocket. It is called TLASC (The Lost Archives: Shinobi Chronicles) I'm just going to finish this arc first before trying the idea out. Once again, I am truly sorry for not uploading for a while. Too much stuff and interruptions and yea. I do hope all of you still support my fic despite my irregular upload times and yeah. Thanks yall and cheers ^^)