CHAPTER 6 [VOLUME 2] - He Didn't Die?
It would be the day after the incident of which the man had killed a dozen of Miyamoto's bridge builders while they were working and the man had ultimately been defeated by none other than Taiyo Uzumaki, The 9-Tails Jinchuuriki and now the Leaf's Most Interesting Shinobi according to Cloud.
Cloud would spend the day training on his own moves with his shadow clones as he would get more and more efficient at his jutsus. Shiro even after seeing Taiyo use all these insane moves from the scroll of sealing would reflect on training to the Max for now on.
"At this rate, the inferior will just get stronger than me and I'll be helpless about it."
"I'll never lose this one to Taiyo, even if it takes me an entire lifetime to get stronger than him." Shiro would say as he would get a big sword and begin training.
He would rethink about when Taiyo was about to defeat the man who killed the bridge builders.
*FLASHBACK*
"HIDDEN LEAF TECHNIQUE: ALL DIRECTIONS SHURIKEN!" as a hellstorm of kunais would rain down on the man as he would be hit on all sides, cutting him massively to leave him limp down on the ground bleeding as Hikadai and Shiro would look at Taiyo with a surprised look on their faces.
Shiro would have been looking at Taiyo using the A -rank technique with awe, he would have never thought that a shinobi, especially Taiyo of all people would have learnt that type of technique and use it so elegantly.
*PRESENT TIME*
Shiro would be slashing his sword at the trees more violently at the thought of Taiyo gaining progress on him, Taiyo with only weeks of training knowing damn well that he wasn't any proficient in the academy had somehow surpassed Shiro and that made him mad.
"Is it me? Is there something wrong I'm doing?"
Shiro would think upon his previous experiences fighting compared to others. To him it feels as if one thing always stood out.
"I never have any chakra, for some reason even if I wanted or tried to mold chakra to use it for anything, I simply can't use it." Shiro would think.
*FLASHBACK*
Shiro during the academy would try to use clone jutsu using his chakra that he wouldn't even have. Shiro would manage to not only NOT bring even a clone out, but to also embarrass himself in front of the whole class.
"Is he even fit to be a shinobi?" One of the kids would say as the whole class would laugh at Shiro seeing him not only summon a shadow clone as he would look down on himself in disappointment.
Other kids in the classroom wouldn't have a hard time molding chakra into a clone since they learned it all year long, even with all year training, Shiro still couldn't manage to make a clone.
"Why is it that everybody, even Taiyo, can do everything as ninjas and I am basically only subjected to a sword."
*PRESENT TIME*
"Why is it that no matter what I do, I'm always behind everybody else, even if it's Taiyo of all people." Shiro would bang his fists up against the Trees over and over and over and over again until his knuckles would bleed crimson of blood as he would have his head up against the tree.
"It's because you don't push yourself hard enough" Cloud would say as he would come from behind the tree seeing Shiro punch the trees until his fist would bleed.
"It is true from what I've seen from you that you love to fight, but that doesn't mean you always train yourself harder than anybody, you hold yourself back still Shiro, take all the wisdom in fighting that you can, you have massive potential as is." Cloud would say as he would think about Shiro in the past.
*FLASHBACK*
The 5th Hokage would look over team papers he'd assign after all the Academy Students would eventually have passed to be genin. Cloud would walk through the door greeting the Hokage.
"Greetings Lord Renzo-Sensei." Cloud would bow down to the 5th Hokage as the Hokage would wave him.
"Greetings to you Cloud, I'm assuming you're here to talk about the team I've assigned you with." The Hokage would say looking at Cloud and sliding over a bottle of sake.
Cloud would take the bottle of sake and take a sip after taking a long sip he would talk again. "Shiro Zephyr.." Cloud would say as the Hokage would realize what he's trying to say.
"I get it, he doesn't have much chakra, heck all he uses is his sword." The Hokage would say as he looked through Shiro's stats.
"How can somebody be a shinobi if they barely have any chakra" Cloud would look at
The Hokage.
The Hokage would sigh and take a sip of sake looking through the previous history of other shinobis with Low Chakra. "Cloud, you have to understand that not all people have high chakra as you or even normal amounts of chakra, yet a lot of shinobi have become very successful even with low chakra." The Hokage would say.
"Shiro isn't any different, he's a battle lover and he can still learn a lot when presented to him, you just need the necessary training for him." The Hokage would say.
"Besides, aren't you the Wielder of the Stormbreaker, the same weapon that took out many shinobi during the last war." The Hokage said, pointing to the Stormbreaker behind Cloud as he would think about this.
"You just need to train him, he'll be just fine in the end." The Hokage would smile before getting back to his Hokage Duty.
*PRESENT TIME*
"You and I are similar in one way Shiro, we may have all of our differences and everything but there's always one thing we are both good at." Cloud would look at Shiro when he says this.
"And that's our skill in swordsmanship, being a regular Kenjutsu user is Uncommon in Konohagakure Shiro and you are a special person to just be able to use a sword, let alone a big sword." Cloud would say looking at Shiro's sword.
"Trust me when I say this though, whenever I ever get the chance, I will teach you everything you need to know about swordsmanship." Cloud would say putting his hand on Shiro's head as Shiro would reluctantly agree.
*THE NEXT DAY*
Taiyo would wake up to put on his clothes. Upon putting on his clothes he would see that nobody would be in the house as they were probably gone for the day helping out on the bridge. Taiyo would take this time to find himself some Taiyaki and eats it before heading out again to meet up with everybody on the bridge.
As he gets deeper and closer to the bridge the air would thicken and the smell of blood would get stronger tingling Taiyo's senses.
"What the hell is that?" Taiyo smelt the blood in the air, starting to get curious and gets thoughts in his brain.
"Mysteriously, the team left earlier than usual this morning to the bridge and now this bridge smells of blood and thick mist…" Taiyo would think before a moment of realization strikes.
"Did they return?" Taiyo would say as he would start running towards the team.
*CLOUD AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF TEAM CLOUD*
Cloud would walk around as Shiro and Hikadai would protect Miyamoto as the air would get too much for him to contain as he passes out, Hikadai and Shiro would rush to his side for some assistance as Cloud would watch around for sudden movements.
Water would rise at the end of the Bridge but it would take the form of a human, after collecting itself of water it would take a human form fully transforming itself back into none other than Ryudo Hozuki.
Cloud would be confused "Ryudo didn't die, but didn't the Nin kill him upon impact with the senbons?.. Unless the nin was working with him.." Cloud would think as he would take out his stormbreaker.
Ryudo would give a sinister laugh as he would look around at the destruction on the bridge. "Indeed Stormbreaker that I haven't died, the Nin was with me all along.." Ryudo would say before manically laughing.
Cloud would take out his stormbreaker and dash towards Ryudo trying to connect on an attack as Ryudo would push him and his stormbreaker away. "That won't be enough to take me out Cloud.." Ryudo would say.
The Nin would report to the bridge a little over a minute later standing at Ryudo's side for backup as Ryudo would smile "It's good to see you here, Mizuchi '' Mizuchi would look around seeing Hikadai and Shiro guard Miyamoto.
"Let me guess, you want me to take out the two brats over there.." Mizuchi would point her finger towards Hikadai and Shiro as they would take out their swords feeling threatened against Mizuchi.
Ryudo would nod his head but Cloud would cut them off before anything else happened.
"What are your reasons to attack this poor village, the many people that suffered and died trying to only build this bridge to bring each other closer, how can you be so hurtful towards them." Cloud would say.
Ryudo would take some time to think over what Cloud said about bringing people closer and suffering as he would think to himself about his past and Mizuchi's past in the hurtful mist village.
*RYUDO'S FLASHBACK*
Ryudo would see Mizuchi on the ground somewhere in a small dark place in Mist Village, she would be crying on the ground. Ryudo would go over to her feeling bad about whatever happened to her. He would see that she has long black hair with silver eyes and mist shinobi clothing.
"I-uhm, what may your name be." Ryudo would look at Mizuchi as Mizuchi would stop crying to see Ryudo. She would try to gather herself before saying her name.
"Mizuchi Karatachi.." she would say before wiping her tears. Ryudo would help pick her up as she would be stumbling and he would set her against the wall to ask questions.
"Why are you crying, Mizuchi?" Ryudo would say.
Mizuchi would start sniffing again. "My family doesn't believe in the strength that I have neither does anybody in Kirigakure so they kicked me out and said I'm banished from Kirigakure." Mizuchi said.
Ryudo would feel bad, he understands the feelings of other weaklings and how they aren't as competent as others yet they can still be valuable. "They don't understand how great of a shinobi you are. It's not about strength, it's about grit." Ryudo said.
"This village has been corrupted and blinded by its lust for power that they don't even see real power anymore, but I vow to make things right even if it kills me." Ryudo said as he looked around at the mayhem of what had been Kirigakure.
Mizuchi would look at him surprised by his determination to not give up but wonders why he still wants to go, wouldn't they kick him out just like her, maybe it is never too late to try.
*PRESENT TIME*
Ryudo would look back at Cloud before making his final judgment, "I'm doing all of this in the act of peace for my village, even if it's wrong in the long term, I have to do what is necessary to change what has been the Mist Village."
Ryudo would signal Mizuchi to go towards Hikadai and Cloud as Mizuchi would dash her way towards them landing a strike towards Hikadai sending him back leaving Shiro the only one to defend Miyamoto.
Mizuchi would land on strikes and kicks, sending Shiro flying towards the forest once more landing on a tree with his head stumped as he would be wounded in the process.
"H-how c-can we contend with this power.." Shiro would say.
Mizuchi would weave handsigns.
"LAVA STYLE: LAVA GEYSER" as Geysers of Lava would spew out and launch itself towards Shiro and Hikadai. Hikadai would flash his way out of the Lava at the last second but Shiro would block the Lava with his big sword as it connects.
Shiro would successfully push back the Lava but in the process Shiro would have third degree burns over his arms and his Sword would be completely molten as it would fall to the ground useless.
Shiro wouldn't be able to use his arms anymore since it would be with 3rd Degree Burns all around and Shiro would accept his fate.
"I would have never thought that I would lose like this, In a fight like this where I had a chance to prove myself of all my wrongdoings in my life with training and fighting." Shiro would smirk.
"It's a damn shame but at least I'll be there with you Mother and Father.." Shiro would say as Mizuchi would dash towards Shiro trying to get a final blow but it would be intercepted.
The Kid with Red Hair eating taiyaki would finally get to the battle seeing Shiro and Hikadai in need of help. "SORRY YOU TWO BUT I AM FINALLY HERE!" Taiyo would say with a kunai in his mouth and two in his hands getting ready to have a fight with Mizuchi.