(XXIX) Shuda's Shadow Stone's Not-So Weak Point

As Naruto and Musica planned to team up to finish off their opponents, Haru was ready to take Shuda down for harming his friends.

"You jerk… My friends…" Haru said as he raised his sword. "I'm gonna take you down!" Haru charged at Shuda.

Shuda created another explosion on Haru, stopping him in his tracks.

"Haru," Shuda said.

Haru swung his sword but Shuda blocked him with his own sword before creating yet another explosion on Haru.

"You disappoint me," Shuda finished.

I can't… he's too strong… Haru thought as he collapsed. Sis…

"Hmph. You can't focus on the fight and think about your father. I really expected more from you," Shuda said. "Die."

As he layed there almost unconscious, Haru remembered his promise to his sister that he would return to garage island one day and how his sister knew the day would come when her brother leaves as he was much like his father, with the only difference is that she believed that Haru would return one day.

Dad wasn't in Shadow Guard, Haru thought as he started getting up. He'll explain everything when I see him. But right now I gotta focus on beating this loser.

"I can't believe someone as pathetic as you is Gale's son," Shuda said as he swung his sword. "Die! Haru Glory!"

Not going to happen dude. I promised I'd come back, Haru thought as he blocked Shuda's Sword successfully. And I keep my promises. My sister taught me that!

Shuda smirked. "You just won't give up. Will you, Haru? Well, you're determined. I have to give you that much. But determination isn't enough to win a fight."

Shuda created another explosion at Haru. But Haru stood his ground.

"You have more spirit than I gave you credit for," Shuda responded. "But you still don't have what it takes to beat me. Throw away your weakness and get stronger, Haru."

"I'll get stronger all right," Haru huffed. "I've got something to fight for… and it's more than you'll ever have!"

Haru charged at Shuda who just laughed at him.

"You can keep coming at me, but it's always going to end the same… with you as food for my explosion. My Shadow Stone is the strongest. And absolutely invincible!"

Haru was caught in another one of Shuda's explosions which severly injured his arm as he cried in pain.

"Oh, did the birdy break a wing?" Shuda asked.

"What am I gonna do?" Haru huffed holding onto his bad arm with his good one.

At that moment, Plue who had been on the invisible platform the whole time since Shuda summoned it, tried to roll over only to roll off the edge. In a state of panic, Plue waved his arms around until he caught onto the edge with a view to Musica's and Naruto's battle.

…

"Let's do it, Poosya," Rugar said.

"Ya," Poosya said with a laugh. "Glue tea—"

But before he could make his move, Naruto took out a smoke bomb and threw it into the ground causing a large amount of smoke to cover the field and surrounded Musica and Naruto.

"Huh?" Poosya responded.

"They're gone!" Rugar said.

Musica appeared behind Poosya and Struck him with his silver weapon

"When did he get there?" Rugar responded.

He didn't have time to process as Musica grabbed Rugar's face.

"Feeling the pain now? You freak machine!" Musica threw Rugar across the ship.

"Little Jerk," Rugar responded as he got up and detached his arm. "Delta Cannon!" A triangle shape weapon fired at Musica.

"Ain't gonna work!' Musica created a shield with his silver.

"I was counting on that!" Rugar said.

The triangles moved around revealing to be attached by glue created by Poosya's shadow stone.

"This is our combo technique."

"Omega rain!" Rugar responded.

The shards flew in the air over Musica who dodge the attacks.

"Hmph. That's no technique. That's just metal shards stuck on glue," Musica said as he dodge each attack.

"Go ahead and try to run! I can make my glue move anyway I want!" Poosya laughed.

"Then how about behind you!"

Before Rugar and Poosya could respond, Naruto appeared behind them with two shadow clones who just helped him form two Rasengans in both hands. "RASENGAN!"

Naruto slammed both Rasengans into Poosya and Rugar sending them spinning and flying toward Musica. "Musica now!"

Musica turned into a spear that he used to strike both goons. "Gospelion Silver!"

Rugar and Poosya hit the ground critically injure and unconscious.

"That was fun! We should try that again some time," Naruto responded.

"Yeah," Musica agreed.

"Haru…"

They turned to see Elie regaining conscious.

"Elie is awake!" Naruto responded.

"Elie, are you okay?" Musica asked.

"Yeah," Elie responded.

"Thank goodness!"

"Where's Haru?" Elie asked.

"My guess is he's still in that sky arena," Naruto responded pointing at the sky.

"He's still fighting that man with the funny eyebrows?" Gryph asked.

"Hey Naruto, don't you know any jutsus that make someone fly?" Musica asked.

"I wish!" Naruto responded.

"Good luck! Haru!" Elie cheered.

…

Haru was struggling with his battle with one severely injured arm. Aw snap… what am I gonna do?

"You're gonna try to fight with just one good arm? You just don't quit!" Shuda said.

That's when Haru noticed something different with Shuda—a cut on his cheek. Haru quickly realized it must have happened when he was fighting sword against sword against Shuda—when Shuda didn't use his shadow stone.

"But if you still, want to fight. Who am I to refuse? This should be fun," Shuda continued.

"I get it now," Haru responded raising his sword and "I've figured it out!"

"Found what out?" Shuda asked in shock as he blocked Haru's sword.

"The weak point of your shadow stone!" Haru said.

"Huh? Who ever said there is such a thing?" Shuda asked. "My shadow stone doesn't have any weak points."

"Yeah, it does… a fatal one," Haru explained. "You won't be able to make any more explosions."

"What makes you say that? What if I cause an explosion right now?"

"Go ahead and try," Haru challenged, catching Shuda off guard some more. "Your shadow stone doesn't target a person. It targets the area around them. So as long as I'm this close to you, you can't try to cause an explosion around me… or you'll die too."

Shuda quickly realized Haru caught onto his bluff. "Blast you get away!" Shuda tried to kick Haru away but Haru stood his ground and took the blow.

"Not on your life," Haru said. "Your shadow stone is useless now!"

Shuda at first hesitated, but then he started laughing evily. "Don't mess with me Haru Glory!"

Haru suddenly got the feeling he was signal out by the shadow stone with Shuda in it.

"What? He… he can't be…" Haru responded before an explosion set off around them.

…

Haru collapsed from the pain of his new injuries.

"Are you insane?" Haru huffed.

Shuda still stood, but it was evident he took damage from his own attack as well.

"Now do you understand?" Shuda asked. "Stopping my shadow stone is impossible!"

A/N: Sorry about the late update everyone. As some of you might know, two years ago, I put all my stories on temporary hold because I was worried about my dad who was in a car crash at the time. He recovered but his leg that was badly broken at the time toward the ankle hasn't been able to heal well since. Finally it got to the point where he needed surgery to fuse the two lower leg bones to his ankle bone if he had hopes to walk on it in the future. He had that surgery today in fact, and I was at the hospital most of the day waiting on news for him.

He's doing well, but now we got another crisis. My step-grandfather had a severe pneumonia attack today of all days brought on by his lung cancer, and when we got the news, not only was he having a hard time breathing, but he was also turning grey at the time. We still don't know if he'll make it through this one.

So bear with me everyone. And remember to keep updated with the poll on my bio page. and for those who haven't voted yet, please do so. Every vote helps not just me but my readers who are waiting for some of the stories I have posted over the years to be updated. Thanks and for all my fellow American readers: Happy Independence Day and a Happy birthday to my country. For there may not be respect about it now with our nation's continuous struggles, at least we can celebrate the fact that by some miracle the U.S.A. and the government our forefathers have created (although with a different image at the time) survived yet another year.