"You really have a talent of getting on people's nerves. I suppose I'll toy with you until you remember."
Kisame Hoshigaki
The Wind village was surprisingly sparse of any people. There were a few, in their shops selling to the regulars, but for the most part they had all been evacuated a few days ago.
Shimura were everywhere...
Satoshi was extremely careful, so much so that it was almost paranoia. However, he couldn't run the risk that they were found out by the Shimura clan-the fact they weren't since they put themselves into their disguises was a blessing. That blessing could quickly turn sour though if one Shimura shinobi happened to hear Hashirama or sense their chakra.
Shimura were very keen and uncanny.
Daishiro and Ajo were gone, so the worst of his fears wouldn't be realized. Hashirama may be very powerful, and was, but Daishiro was like a shadow-he was darkness. There weren't many ways to combat such a force, and Daishiro would end up cutting Hashirama down in their battle stretched on for too long. Especially in a compact room such as this. Daishiro move as swiftly and silky as a shadow, vanishing only to appear and vanish again. The Mokuton wouldn't be able to ensnare him and it'd end up turning into a detrimental thing for Hashirama expending more and more chakra to form his forests.
After several silent moments between the trio, Satoshi decided to break the silence. "You're Hisao's eldest daughter...Mito."
Mito gave a small nod. Satoshi's gaze was different than Hashirama's, it wasn't all that kind or warm, it was precise and calculating. His eyes held a certain gleam to them that was only gained through years of life and death battles. Experience on the battlefields and warzones that plagued the land. She knew the look very well, and many shinobi from the mainland held that same sort of gaze.
Hashirama's gaze wasn't as precise and calculating, he was very powerful, but his gaze didn't have the same power as Satoshi's. There was kindness in those eyes. "I am. My name is Mito Uzumaki."
He honestly had mixed feelings towards the Uzumaki. They were long time allies and distant relatives, but the Uzumaki never really assisted them in any of their conflicts if at all. Of course, they did give their vast knowledge of Fuinjutsu to the Senju, but that was about it. The Uzumaki were actually a ruling family in the Whirlpool country-that trained in the shinobi arts...Unlike the Senju which were a pure shinobi clan, the Uzumaki were like nobles, nobles in a sense, but they trained in the shinobi arts.
He wasn't the type of person to be chummy with a certain person or clan just because there was this obligation to do so. And, the Uzumaki fell into that category. But...This had to be the worse sort of circumstance, because while they would now no doubt be praised by the Uzumaki and the Uzumaki would undoubtedly join them on the battlefield, it's not like he needed or wanted the praise...
The Subatsu were now their enemies.
From personal experience, seeing them fight, sparring against several of them in his spare time-they insisted...the way they mowed down anyone and anything, their gargantuan chakra, monstrous strength, physical prowess-not to mention the way they trained, starting at the tender age of three. Most clans including his own began training children at around the age of five or six since the chakra coils would be a good bit more developed. The Subatsu and Domou children were already ahead of these children by two to three years easily.
It was also clear to him their movements weren't human, they couldn't be...
They were better as allies. If they were enemies. Some Senju would not be able to stand up against them-he had much pride in his clan but Syrus made something very, very close to something of a gigantic sphere of stone and earth fall from the sky. And that was beyond words...
If something like that hit the Senju compound-even close to it... Hashirama's Mokuton wouldn't make the least bit of difference. Those branches would snap under the force, and the trunks and boles would crumble before the oppressive force of the sphere's descent there was no way to defy gravity-it'd be total annihilation of the Senju, and a few other clans-damn close to the entire country or even a few of them in total. He couldn't run that risk, but he wasn't the leader either and really had no say in the matter. But, he wasn't willing to take that risk personally.
His feelings may have been mixed, but he had his mission, and he was going to see it through.
He glanced at Hashirama-the tan skinned man's gaze was ever steady, but there was a firm resolve in those dark eyes of his. The fact Syrus and the Subatsu were now enemies didn't mean anything to him-no he just shook it off as simply nothing, because his focus was on saving Mito at the moment. Suppressing a tired sigh, he turned his attention back onto Mito. "Hisao made it sound as if you were about to be hung or skinned alive." Hashirama's need to rescue this woman had given him that impression, and the argument that erupted between him and Syrus that followed...It just...
Mito sighed wearily, gasping once as she felt a cooling chill run through her hand, sticking to her veins and seeping into her blood until it was frigid. "T-They think I have the Hyoton scroll of the Yuki clan. That I stole it from them." Mito said with a small shake of her head giving an involuntarily shake. Hashirama's one hand was glowing a faint blue. "If I didn't have it-if they didn't think I have it I have no doubts that one of those two things would have happened to me already. This wound could have been fatal, but they're just toying with me."
Satoshi narrowed his eyes in on Hashirama.
"We can talk about that in a few seconds." Hashirama spoke up. Indeed, he thought Mito's condition would be way more severe if he hadn't healed her hand, and even though she was beaten, battered, and bleeding out less from her torso-it wasn't quite what he envisioned when Hisao sent him that urgent message. It surprised him to some extent that Daishiro just didn't kill her-he must have known full well that she didn't have the Hyoton scroll...Daishiro never wasted his time with acts like this, there was always a reason and purpose behind it.
On the other hand, seeing a woman in such a condition made him angry...Even if it was a civilian...Or an Uchiha...He would never...
"Hashirama-sama..." Satoshi kept his voice low. "You can't heal her any further, the small influx of your chakra could have alerted every Shimura shinobi here."
Both Mito and Hashirama pursed their lips. Satoshi was right. If he even started to heal again-no matter how slight his chakra would be a homing beacon. He was barely using a tenth and actually put his own life force into it rather than chakra. Not only would they have an injured Mito on their hands, but they'd need to fight out of the village tooth and nail, and by all means would be making an enemy out of the Wind damiyo. Fighting through a horde of soldiers and shinobi...They couldn't afford it right now.
Wood clones might be out of the question too in that case... Hashirama mused quietly.
"There's a battle going on right now..." Satoshi divulged. "That's where Daishiro and Ajo ran off to."
"Who's fighting?" Mito asked, brows creasing.
There were a lot of chakras mixed together, all powerful in their own right...but there were several that really stood out. He wouldn't ever mistake Syrus's or Mikito's chakra for a second, nor Souji's or Haji's. There was Sasuke and Daiki as well, Hajime and Koizuki, and Atsushi...It seemed. There were Hatake and Nara as well...But the respective leaders and second in commands weren't present... Madara, Souji, and Izuna were all heading right towards the same spot... "I can say without any doubt Syrus is fighting...Sasuke, Hajime, Koizuki, Usagi, Daiki, and Atsushi...Madara, Ahiko, Izuna, and Souji are very close to their location and should make contact at any second now. Our division is one of the many making their way here right now, and they are moving with hast. Mikito is just a few hundred miles away, the Sarutobi's and Shimura's second in commands are also honing in toward this region as well as the Akimichi's."
Hashirama pressed his brows together...He was going to have to fight his way back to the Desert.
"Those wolves..." Mito muttered. "I'm surprised the alliance lasted as long as it did."
Hashirama looked at Satoshi, critical for a moment. "Are they being chased?"
Satoshi didn't move for several long seconds. He finally nodded. "There are several huge things, their life force is very powerful."
The Bijuu... Hashirama clenched his fist on instinct...If these were anything like the Two Tails...He was going to have to use his massive scroll...
"We've lost invaluable allies." Satoshi said after a moment. He didn't miss Mito's hint of disdain as she spoke of the Subatsu. Normally he wouldn't even care, but this woman lived on an isolated island and knew nothing of what they had to endure on the mainland...other than stories and what they were told. It still bothered him that they would now be enemies with the Subatsu, the Senju had overcome obstacle after obstacle with the Subatsu clan at their side, and some things they wouldn't have been able to do alone, their alliance was fruitful despite their opposing ideals and ways of life, and they had impeccable teamwork. "Now we have ferocious enemies...Even greater than the Uchiha."
The Uchiha and Senju quite frankly hated each other, and battled bitterly to the end. When one side hired the Senju the other would hire the Uchiha, there grew a mutual animosity and hatred towards one another, but the true enmity dates back far before this...The Sage's two sons...
but the Uchiha were not like the Subatsu or the Domou...They wouldn't rip arms out of sockets, tear out throats and jaws with their bare hands, tear off faces, wouldn't slash someone across the face or cut off the digits of their fingers or toes,wouldn't rip someone in half vertically like a sheet of parchment or crush their skull, and they didn't possess the monstrous strength the Subatsu and Domou did. The Uchiha were strong, but a different kind of strong.
The Uchiha would retreat or pull back if the battles got too bloody after awhile...There were times when they wouldn't, but they would more often than not...but the Domou and Subatsu, from what he observed, would keep on charging and charging, smashing and battering everything until no one remained standing. There was no retreat and there was no surrender. When no one remained standing they'd search the fallen and kill anyone that was unlucky or lucky enough to escape the first attack...
They were truly monsters, forces of natures, demons, wolves...
He dared to say cannibals even though they didn't feast on human flesh.
Dealing with the Uchiha was a challenge enough-they were their main enemies and rivals. The Uchiha were bloodthirsty and merciless.
Dealing with the Domou and Uchiha was extremely problematic.
Dealing with the Subatsu...The Uchiha and Domou...
Dealing with the three unified...
Hashirama held back a grimace. He never wanted the Subatsu or Domou as his enemies, honestly...They were just terrifying in a sense, and there was no real way to combat them except to go at them head on-and if one tried doing that foolishly they'd end up as nothing short of a pile of bloody mush. The strength they all possessed, especially physically, was beyond absurd, and their chakra and life force was just as absurd.
But, it was something that needed to happen-needed to be done... So he could rescue Mito. If he didn't, Mito would likely die where she is right now. The Uzumaki would suffer a terrible loss. But, if he didn't do this, the Subatsu would be allies with his clan still. They would continue to forge ahead, but Mito would then be dead. Hisao would be devastated as would the entire Uzumaki clan-he had to make a choice, and he did. For better or worse. "It was my choice..." He admitted. "But...What's done is done. I'll make sure you're returned safely."
"It would have come to an end eventually." Mito said, almost resolutely. She noted that Hashirama winced hearing Satoshi's words. The triumphs, trials, and obstacles the Senju and Subatsu overcame were widespread, and even she heard some of the rumors and stories...Of course she didn't want to believe it, but...They were for the most part true, but she knew they could never get on the same page...The Subatsu were just...Different.
Hashirama didn't respond verbally, turning his eyes away for a moment. He knew this was true, because Syrus and him were never on the same page..There were underlying tensions...Even from the beginning, before they shook hands and affirmed the alliance. They had different life goals, and had different ways of achieving them as well...And, the Subatsu and Domou were so austere and ascetic.
The Senju were highly organized, not really uniformed, disciplined, and were militarized.
But, they weren't austere and ascetic.
"No, you're wrong." Satoshi said with a deep scowl. Their clans weren't exactly chummy but Toka and Hesui got married and were very happy together...Usagi and Tobirama despite how they could clash at times were to be married and both showed feelings for each other. If things would have continued, he had no doubts eventually they could have unified their clans together, but that couldn't happen now. They would never unify and they would never be allies or even be on a common ground ever again. "There were a few Senju and Subatsu that were going to get married very, very soon, the alliance would have strengthened even further... Toka and Hesui got married, Usagi and Tobirama were betrothed."
"They're wolves." Mito clearly wasn't going to budge. "Their ideals and way of life are a polar opposite of the Senju and the Uzumaki." She felt her resolve waver though, as Satoshi's last two statements hit home. Toka was renowned in the Senju clan and world as a genius when it came to genjutsu, Hesui was known for his lethal kenjutsu and blitzing taijutsu...And, if Tobirama was to be married to Usagi, the hot blooded younger sister of Syrus, then...
But, Usagi and Tobirama didn't get married in the end.
And, she was willing to bet Usagi called it off first.
"Ideals don't matter, only the facts and results matter in the end. Our respective Councils were even behind this alliance." Satoshi was starting to grow annoyed. This woman didn't even understand half of it, and she was trying to put the Uzumaki with the Senju-no, they may be distant relatives, but there were distinct differences between them other than the red hair. The fact the Council was pleased was a miracle, it was like pulling teeth trying to satisfy those fossils at times. Some were nearing close to ninety years old. "We overcame many obstacles that we wouldn't have been able to overcome alone, it is because of the Subatsu and our alliance with them that it was possible."
"Really?"
Satoshi's stare became stiflingly uncomfortable. "I was fighting alongside of them."
Hashirama noticed the growing tension between Satoshi and Mito. He knew Satoshi was telling the truth by all means, and he couldn't even try to make a retort because it'd just make him look like an inept fool. Mito didn't know, and couldn't even begin to understand what went into their alliance with the Subatsu and all the trials and obstacles they overcame. To her, the Subatsu were just bloodthirsty wolves, but he knew better than that now. He didn't buy into the rumors like she and the world at large did.
The Subatsu put being together above everything else. There was no single person doing the killing-they all killed, and whether it was Syrus, Osen, Usagi, Tsugi it didn't matter-they all killed. They were completely united. But, they were so austere and ascetic. He just realized this far too late, perhaps, and Mito didn't even know so she couldn't begin to realize it.
He...And...Tobirama slighted them...
"Satoshi, do you know a quick way out of here..." Hashirama spoke up, biting back a sigh.
He couldn't heal Mito in this room, or within the immediate vicinity for that matter. He trusted Satoshi's word, and even if he was willing to combat a few Shimura, Satoshi wasn't and there was a reason for that. There was also the fact that there was only one way in and one way out from this village and any and all passers would be seen from some angle. It was unavoidable.
Which would mean he'd need to get back into his disguise, but a servant couldn't just wander about freely...Let alone leave this place of their own free will.
"I do, but...There's no way we can avoid the battle going on at this moment, we will be pulled into it one way or another."
Hashirama nodded after a moment.
Mito took that as her cue. It was clear Satoshi was referring to her. She very well couldn't keep up with these two in her current state, and there'd be a steady flow of blood leading a path straight to them. Even if she did manage to keep up she'd be leading a trail right to them. There was no way she'd be able to fight now. Counter productive and suicidal.
These two were supposed to be servants as well on top of it, so they very well couldn't haul her up and off, regardless of whatever reason they'd give, they couldn't do anything that wasn't asked of them. If there was one thing out of place it'd raise suspicion. "I have an idea..." She looked between the two men before her until she got two nods. It was a long shot, but it could work out with little effort on their part. They'd have to fight, but not here. "I can seal myself in a scroll, and then you can carry that scroll. There won't be any blood to lead a trail or even hint that I escaped."
"How would you do that?" Hashirama looked curious. It wasn't a bad idea, it was great even, but someone couldn't seal themselves...The skill it'd take for one to pull that off was almost inhuman.
Mito rolled her eyes gently. "You'd seal me inside of the scroll." She clarified, trying her best not to sound dry. Questions like that were perfectly acceptable when it came to executing a plan, but a part of her felt that Hashirama would have already pieced that little bit together. "With me being in the scroll my blood wouldn't drip and leave a trail, of course you would both need to move fast. Once the soldier comes back to inspect the room and sees that neither of us are there he's going to alert everyone that is able to fight." She looked between the two men again. "Well?"
"I have nothing against it." Satoshi was the first to answer while giving a small shrug. There wouldn't be any blood, and visibly nothing to trace them or Mito back to the Desert country. The biggest setback would be Mito's current condition, there's no way she'd able to keep up with them while sprinting, and the steady flow of blood coming from her wound in her torso and hand would just lead a path. "But, you must already have the scroll and the Fuinjutsu drawn out." He wasn't into Fuinjutsu concentrating most of his time into taijutsu and kenjutsu.
"I think it's a good plan, and it keeps you safe from harm." Hashirama said with a small smile. Of course, there was the chance the scroll could be burned to a crisp and Mito would be 'lost' for lack of a better word...She wouldn't be in this world, but in the void of the sealing world with no way out. But, he wouldn't allow that to happen, she'd be safe with him.
"Excellent." Mito smiled painfully, rummaging through her torn top and pulling out a rather large scroll and set it down before her. Swiftly, she unrolled with a quick flick of her good hand, and couldn't help but smirk seeing a bit of shock and amazement spread across both Satoshi's and Hashirama's faces as they took in the alien drawings and calligraphy. "I'm going to sit in the center of this scroll...I'm going to need you, Hashirama, to put a bit of your chakra into the seal so it activates. I don't need a lot, so don't exert too much a tenth will do." She caught a question in his eyes. "Just put your hand on this spiral..." She pointed to a large spiral near the center of the scroll.
Hashirama nodded firmly. He wasn't always the best at refining and control-that would have to go to his brothers that died and Tobirama. Even Itama, as emotional as he was had fantastic chakra control. Kawarama was even more proficient than Tobirama, and that was nothing short of amazing. It could be argued his chakra control was near perfect since he could heal his own wounds and others' with little effort and without seals, but that was the simple fact his life force was brimming his body with vitality. It just wasn't his chakra control that enabled him to heal. "I can do that for you."
Mito nodded, not entirely confident with Hashirama, but she'd have to trust him. She carefully situated herself in the middle of the scroll, on top of the largest drawing. She had never been sealed in something before. She had sealed tools, weapons, even food, but she never sealed herself or a person in a scroll. It was possible to seal a person, and the Uzumaki did it many times in order to escape, but she'd never been in the situation herself.
The small kneading of Hashirama's chakra activated the seal in a whirl of light. Mito's hair and eyes were illuminated by the glow, almost giving her a glowing aura as if she were an angel. Her tattered clothes whipped up once before settling as she sunk into the seal vanishing in a poof of smoke as the scroll rolled itself up tightly from the force of the sealing.
Hashirama carefully put his disguise back on and picked up the scroll, putting it in one of his pockets. He vaguely wondered if Mito could feel his hand when he grabbed the scroll, but that was silly. "Lead the way-"
RRRRRAAAAAUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHH!
Hashirama froze, terror icing down his spine forcing him to shiver. His eyes flicked outside. That roar traveled from a distance away, but it was so loud...It didn't sound like a Bijuu, but he had only faced off against one so far-it wasn't unreasonable to think they sounded different. However, this didn't have that...hatred the Bijuus did, this was more fearsome... "Let's go."
Satoshi nodded stiffly.
They vanished...
"Run!"
Attack that damn thing!"
"It's a fucking cyclops!"
The beast easily stood over sixty five meters with only one visible eye. Its form was terrifying-bulging with solid muscles that were like bricks, and arms that were as long as they were like tree trunks-in one hand a massive block of wood was clasped-bloodied. With each step, the ground quaked, and it bellowed forced into a frenzy by the shinobi.
It swung its club.
SMMASSSHHH!
SMMAASSHH!
SMASH!
CRRASSHH!
CRRASSHHH!
"Focus on its ankles!" Mikito shouted, dodging the barbarous swing of the abomination, but was showered in blood as several Hyuga shinobi weren't lucky enough to escape. With a roar the beast surged towards her, its feet leaving craters behind while flinging massive chunks of earth as if they were pebbles. There was a flash of and a violent gust as Mikito appeared behind the beast, flaring her chakra for a moment, and swung her blade sharply, watching the gale blade tear into the back of its ankle severing the tendon.
EXPLODE! She shouted mentally, forcing her attack to explode outward, forcing the compressed and dense winds to disperse in wild tendrils. The beast's leg was torn in two, the bone splitting as flesh and tendons were ravaged.
There was a flash and Syrus slammed a kick into Mikito's stomach forcing her air from her lungs and taking her off of her feet.
He grunted, finishing the cyclops a sharp tendril to its eye, puncturing it easily and sending blood splattering above. The beast couldn't even scream in pain. "Mikito! Just who I was looking for!"
"I've never been that hard to find!" Mikito yelled, surging forward.
"That's why I'm going to kill you here!" Hajime snarled, slamming into the duo in unison as they collided shaking the ground with the power they exerted. "Yaaahhhh!" Hajime charged at both of them effectively forcing Syrus back and forcing Mikito to lunge back. "Try everything you can!" He dodged and parried passed Syrus's charge, smashing a fist across Mikito's face and kicked out at Syrus forcing the man to flip off of his feet.
Hajime displayed his power, stretching one of his arms forward and swiping, slamming his blade across Mikito's, struggling to knock her off balance long enough to slide through her guard. Mikito grunted, skidding back, before recovering within a second and smashed the back of her fist across his face, letting the impact and force of the blow launch him off of his feet.
"You seem impatient!" Sasuke shouted, rocketing back up towards them, Daiki pursuing him with a loud snarl. They shot across the branches of the gigantic forest, swarming in a frenzy and dodging with rapid speed their attacks tore holes and gashes into the surrounding forest.
Sasuke squeezed Mikito's fist, growling as the impact drove him back and his feet into the ground. He strained with violent eyes, swinging his free hand and sent a punch forward. Mikito copied his move with less effort, smashing her forearm straight into his knuckles. "Daiki and Hashirama make the same mistake!" Sasuke shouted, dropping his restraints and letting his chakra flourish without reprieve, bulking up slightly as chakra swelled into his muscles. "At close quarters I hold the greater advantage!" He surged, shoving Mikito back, landing one punch across her face but the follow up was caught. The woman's expression of pain turned into one of a ghastly nature.
Mikito's chakra soared, cracking the ground around them and forcing fissures to erupt after a few seconds, and with a powerful lunge she surged forward, Sasuke realized with horror that he was starting to lose. Even...Hashirama wasn't quite this strong...What the hell is this woman!? Mikito grunted, heaving Sasuke up and to her left, kicking him away.
Daiki leapt back up to the crumbling forests, kicking Syrus in the ribs, and tried to sway passed a punch but was struck with a lariat. The younger man turned sharply, slamming Daiki into the center of a falling tree, he shifted his stance, punching Hajime in the stomach sending both of them crashing into twisted spires branches. The impact jarring their bones to a breaking point.
Daiki jumped up, using the element of surprise, and punched Mikito on the bridge of the nose and mouth. His pale eyes widened. Mikito narrowed her eyes, pushing her head forward and his fist even further. It had no effect. Fast as lightning Mikito rammed her fist into his stomach nearly doubling him and sending a thunderclap around them as his armor absorbed some of the impact. With a snarl she swung her other hand forward, curving her wrist down towards the forest adding a bit more power and velocity with the small movement.
Daiki dodged by a hair, shielding his eyes.
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!
Mikito's fist smashed through one branch, rippling the force all the way into the ground forcing the lower levels to disperse in clouds of projectiles. The collision leveled nearly the entire forest in a heap of breaking branches and crumbling trunks. The dust finally cleared, Mikito half buried in the dirt and chunks of wood, at the bottom of the vast crater. She slowly wrenched her fist free, watching small pieces of dirt fall, her fist otherwise fine aside from the dirt and clay.
Daiki stood on the edge of the crater warily, glowering as he looked down at her with harsh pale eyes.
GRRUUAAHHH!
Daiki leapt away as three wooden clubs slammed into the ground where he had been standing. "Take these damn things out!"
"HAAAA!" Koizuki threw several kunai towards one of the beasts, the projectiles became a huge cloud as they engulfed one Cyclops form completely. "Pull!"
As they all continued to pour energy into their attacks and yank on the ninja wire, Sasuke noticed an approaching object within the thrashing mesh-A cyclops was forward hoping to tear through their makeshift net. There's six more...Damn it? That was as far as he got before Hajime kicked him away and forced Syrus back with a wild punch. The cyclops' attacks were uncoordinated, unrefined with no real skill or technique behind them if at all, however their size and strength surpassed their speed. Their oxy forms were nearly irrelevant.
"I'm going to cut off its foot!" Usagi roared, dashing in from the side, landing a swiping stroke to the back of its foot. The beast roared swinging its arm, taking up several hundred shinobi and drove its hand through a nearby formation of trees. The structure collapsed with ease from the breaking force of the attack. "Raagghhh!" Usagi gave a final scream, flashing away from sight, cleaving once into the Achilles's tendon and slashing straight vertically soon after, before appearing again in front of the beast, becoming splattered in blood as a mammoth foot flew across the ground splitting in two.
Unbalanced and without foundation the mammoth beast fell back, crashing into the ground with a deafening thud. It let out a roar of pure agony as Mikito tore a gash through its side, drenched in its crimson liquid as its ribs severed and its lung was sliced neatly.
"I've got this fucker!" Sasuke roared from above, showering the nearby area in fire.
Their reprieve didn't last long, not even a full two minutes later. Four more came charging.
They let out vicious growls, their speed increasing rapidly once again, and two launched launched themselves towards them. With super speed, Atsushi appeared in front of one, slamming his hands together and becoming engorged. Baiki no Jutsu! Like a light went off his body grew exponentially, and continued to grow. His arms becoming long and thicker, legs becoming thick and unyielding like tree trunks, and his torso as firm and stiff as a bole.
"Fuck!" Sasuke cursed.
"Don't let the other Akimichi follow suit!" Daiki roared.
"ROOAAGHH!" Atsushi slammed one fist across the beast's chin, feeling bones buckle and a handful of blood fly from its mouth. He wouldn't be able to go brute force with this thing-it was physically stronger, but he had wit and technique on his side. The massive Akimichi let out a pained grunt as one wooden club struck him across the temple as another made its presence known, ignoring the pain and the blood, he grabbed the beast by the neck, launching it away into the second and sending them both toppling over each other. "Everyone!"
"BAIKI NO JUTSU!"
"Kill them!" Hajime roared. "Kill those damn giants!"
The ground quaked for several moments. One club speared its way across the air, burying itself into the chest of one Akimichi shinobi several feet away. The cyclops slammed its way across their gap, snapping the shinobi's neck with a quick swing of its palm.
"I got one of these one eyed bastards!" Sasuke snarled.
"Attack their ankles!" Mikito shouted with urgency, already slicing away at three Akimichi's foots. Flesh split and bones severed as she surged her chakra forward in gale force winds.
"Don't worry about those fools! I'm your opponent!" Syrus shouted.
He lashed out violently aiming for her side, but she glided passed his strike, sliding her foot across the ground to maintain her distance and swung her sheath in a flash. Syrus drew his sword at the last second, teeth gritting as his eyes widened, he smacked it away from him, mildly irritated, he shot towards her swiping with his blade again this time, but she nimbly evaded, sliding back a few feet. "I almost forgot you have iron and steel sayas..." He could have blocked that with his arm, but it would have no doubt hurt, no matter how much chakra he cushioned it with.
ROOOAAAHHHGGHHH!
"Now isn't the time! Get out of my way, Syrus!" Mikito yelled impatiently as she dashed forward, launching her blade right towards the charging cyclops shin, but Syrus slammed his blade against her own stopping it from skewing through its bone. She swung her left fist forward twisting sharply in the same movement and snapping her hips, giving her punches a whip-like motion adding more power.
Syrus dodged and blocked the swift and assault with surprising ease. "I know you can do better than that!" He dashed in, snapping his knee out in a tight arc as he leaned back. Mikito dodged it at the last minute leaping over it and springing away from him sending an enormous sphere of wind towards several Akimichi and a cyclops eating Hageshii, Hyuga, and Sarutobi shinobi-literally ripping it to pieces and sending its skin among other things flying for miles. The Akimichi could only resist for mere seconds before the dense and powerful winds tore their bodies apart with the same ease."Still worried about those fools!?"
"Let's kill these abominations first!" Mikito's eyes glinted dangerously.
"I couldn't care less about them. Let those Akimichi handle them."
"AGGHH!"
"Damn it..." Syrus growled out, tired of the distractions.
Mikito tensed as four Akimichi and one cyclops barreled towards her in a tangle of limbs and anger-the cyclops was starting to gain the upper hand and using its club with deadly precision. Already leaving one Akimichi with blood gushing from his temple. Shit, now I have to use that jutsu... She made a mental note to beat Syrus to a pulp later, when these damn things were dealt with. With hast she gathered chakra into her core, letting it swell and flourish, but stopped herself short seeing a blue blade tear through one Akimichi, sending a massive droplets of crimson flying and a series of branches tearing their way off into every direction slamming a few Akimichi back.
"I'll handle this side!" She could hear Izuna shouting, and turned only seeing the fact he surrounded in red like Madara was surrounded in blue. His clash with the giant Akimichi shook the landscape.
Madara set his eyes on Mikito for a moment before he flicked them onto Syrus and Sasuke, Daiki and Hajime were speeding close. He let them settle onto Hashirama...
"Things just got better..." Syrus couldn't hide the ghastly smirk that crossed his face. Battling Madara was always a pleasure and something he'd always look forward to. The younger Uchiha was arrogant, but he had every right to be, and there was a mutual..Grudging respect between them. But, seeing Hashirama again so soon after their fallout brought out so much buried rage and fury. "Welcome, Madara..." He lost his smirk as he leered at Hashirama. "Hashirama..."
"Syrus-" Hashirama started quickly, caked in sweat and blood, his armor dirtied.
"Shut the fuck up!" Syrus rudely cut him off, voice filled with nothing short of grating anger and contempt. "We'll skip the warm up! We're going to fight to the death!"
"Let's not fight-"
"Shut up!" Madara snapped.
"But, Madara-"
"Madara!?" Atsushi's thunderous voice boomed across the landscape, momentarily halting everyone's next move. He had been waiting for the Uchiha to show up-he couldn't get to Mikito since she was fighting her own battles and vice versa, but now he had them together...Along with everyone else. "I'm going to crush you and Mikito with my foot for what you've done to my kinsmen!"
Madara smirked. "It's just not Akimichi. It's the Hageshii, Hatake, and Shainingu as well."
A vein throbbed from Atsushi's forehead. "DIE!"
Mikito inhaled sharply, leaping away from the collision.
Atsushi flared out his chakra smashing right into Madara.
Hashirama swiveled from his perch launching a quick barrage of punches. Mikito launched her own assault both slamming their limbs together with trembling force. Damn it... She's really swift too! Hashirama stepped forward, reaching in with his fist trying to push through her guard with a vicious cross. Mikito spotted an opening-not large, but still an opening nonetheless. She spun, dropping low and grabbing Hashirama by the wrist sweeping him ff of his feet, and twisting away to the side.
"AAAAA!" Mikito exerted her physical prowess over Hashirama, slamming him into one of his trees, it wasn't enough to seriously injure him but it was just enough to stun him.
That's more like it!" Sasuke sped in with a quick lunge, leading with a high slash, Mikito ducked under it, swiping forward. Sasuke spun around the strike, pushing away with his back foot. She shot around, curving sharply until she honed in towards the side of Sasuke. He launched an enormous orb of fire, Mikito sent her own sphere of wind forward letting the two explode in on themselves as they fed off each other.
Daiki pressed forward taking advantage of the small pause, swiping forward with his blade, Mikito sprung back and away from the cross, and with deadly grace spun passed the chakra imbued palm watching Daiki collide with Hajime and Atsushi. The backlash of the thick chakra swept across the ground like a violent ripple.
Syrus glowered slamming a punch across Hashirama's face and quickly followed up with a kick which Hashirama narrowly evaded with a quick leap, gritting hi teeth as he exerted his chakra, sending more branches and trunks towards Syrus and the surrounding area.
He dashed back and forth easily evading the wild barrage, eyes flicking back and forth between the branches and trunks. Hashirama slid in behind him, the movement was anticipated, and Syrus slammed his blade into Hashirama's forcing them both back and away from each other.
With a cunning smirk Sasuke unleashed another volley of flaming orange spheres from his mouth, watching with anticipation and glee as they slammed into Hashirama's forest spreading their potency across the links. He flew down towards him, aiming a swift punch for his abdomen, but Daiki snatched him by the wrist, smashing his elbow into his's sternum following up with a vicious punch to his face, but Sasuke parried the blow kicking Daiki back.
Daiki jumped to the side narrowly dodging a swift punch putting on another burst of speed as he shot away and swung his arms up, blocking the attacks directed with Sasuke's vicious tempo. He swiveled to his left lashing out with a quick punch poised for his nose, Sasuke hastily blocked the blow, kicking out and hitting his mark right on Daiki's chest.
Madara heard the ear popping boom, narrowly deflecting a wild kick, returning a violent slash of his own, but Atsushi swayed passed it with ease, leaving the shockwave to tears it way across the landscape, slamming the point of his elbow into Susano's chest, hearing a deafening thud the thick skeleton heaved under the force. It was a blunt blow, the armor just absorbed the full impact, Atsushi's blows were ridiculously powerful, but lacked precision and finesse.
"Grraaagghh!" Atsushi half snarled half grunted, his side still pulsating painfully from where Madara's Susano'o blade connected.
Madara swung his second sword around in a low curve as Atsushi shot towards him, ramming his fist forward. They both picked up speed, rapidly exchanging and evading blows, Madara forced back every few seconds only to return with a ferocious flurry of strikes that kept Atsushi hard pressed.
"Well..." Syrus mused. "You're a lot stronger than I thought, but you have always been blinded." He snapped a fist forward smashing it straight against Hashirama's. "Let's kick this up a notch! HAAAAA!" A massive tendril of earth and stone surged from his palms rocketing right into the ground and spreading itself out into thousands more.
Hashirama pushed off the ground with one hand quickly changing his direction with a quick roll at the last minute, evading the massive tendrils while sending his forests towards them, wrestling and binding with them.
Hashirama rolled again, springing up to his feet, Mikito's massive fist forcing him to swivel away, launching another vicious back fist. The impact forced him back and almost made him stagger. He dashed back once more, eyes and senses searching, hearing the air 'whoosh' around him, the hasty movement made him an easy target. Syrus appeared beside him, slamming his heel straight into his ribs launching him towards the ground. Hashirama recovered just in time as, another fist shot towards him, smashing into his other side, He heaved as he coughed, blood splattered onto the ground.
He blocked the overhead swing, dashing in and through Mikito's guard landing a sharp elbow to her stomach, forcing her back for the second. He took advantage of the brief pause, and dashed forward, latching onto Syrus's with one hand, swung him to the side, cracking and shattering the branches as Syrus collided with them.
Sasuke twisted grabbing a hold of Hashirama''s arm, and flipped up towards him shoving a kunai right into his face. Hashirama's eyes widened briefly as he deftly jumped away from the smoke cloud, spotting another afterimage blur, and another barrage of fire orbs shooting towards him from behind like homing missiles. He turned sharply and lunged upwards, summoning a massive forest to collide with the fireballs, batting the flaming projectiles away with some effort watching them explode one after the next.
Their battle resumed at a fever pitch, each of their attacks shaking the ground, crumbling the earthen tendrils nearby into piles of smoke and dust and sending branches up high overhead in segments. Finally, after a punch and kick booming through them, they came to a stop dashing a few feet apart. "Heh... Heh..." Syrus smirked slightly taking a deep breath as he wiped at his mouth.
"What's so funny? Have you finally realized how hopeless it is to try and defeat me." Hajime questioned snidely, brushing some dirt, debris and dust from his shoulder. rubbing a spot where he blocked a rather sharp knee strike with his forearm. "I'm not a fool, Syrus. I know you're holding back despite what you've soon so far, but don't think that'd going to make a difference." A cold gleam shined in his irises and a predatory smirk crossed his face. "There is more to winning a battle than just brute strength, but I'll get to see your full power."
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Hajime." Syrus said lowly. "Using my full power against you, showing it to you. With so many fighters here waiting to kill me, I can't reveal everything straight away...But, I do intend to kill you...So I guess it's only right I indulge you for a moment, it's only right after all." He raised both hands forward, forming the horse seal. "HAAAAAAAAAAAA!" His chakra flared wildly becoming more ominous as tens of hundreds of tendrils erupted from the ground around them spiraling and corkscrewing below.
"Now, that is more like it!" Hajime stayed on the move. "I'd be severely disappointed if you weren't at least this strong, killing a weakling has always left a bad taste in my mouth."
"We'll just have to see if you're so arrogant when I'm done beating you to a pulp!" With her shout ended, Mikito surged forward her aura flaring out in every direction, shattering any branches closeby like confetti. Her fist impacted with Hajime's stomach forcing its way into his armor and sending him flying back as blood gushed out of his mouth.
Koizuki smirked as he got ready to go on the attack once again. Usagi is quite remarkable... He charged forwards, leading with a horizontal slash an uppercut, but Usagi ducked under it, intercepting its trajectory. Grabbing her by the wrist, Usagi allowed him to swing her to the side, keeping one foot on the ground she balanced herself. Koizuki snarled, lunging away from her, Usagi flashed into motion, landing a stroke to his side and pulling back swiftly.
He lashed out with a blast of lightning, and Usagi brought both hands down, springing herself up and over the attack.
Sasuke sent another barrage of fireballs forward, jumping away before a tendril could crush him, his eyes narrowing. So they really couldn't find a common ground and are fighting against each other...Guess Syrus wasn't lying after all... He grunted, feet and muscles bracing as he slid back, the rapid attack overwhelming him. With quick reflexes he jumped to the side, leaping into the air, but Mikito appeared above him, one hand arcing down.
"Ngghh!" Sasuke narrowly halted her attack, he snapped his arm forward narrowly blocking another thunderous stroke and returned one for good measure, the same spot they had been standing moments before exploded in a cloud of smoke and debris. Sasuke surged his chakra dashing down towards a large branch.
Daiki and Hajime were already there, ramming one punch into his chin, he pulled back his other fist and sent it forward. Hajime grabbed him by the wrist with one hand the other gripping Daiki, with one swift movement he rammed them both into each other, but not before they both struck him, forcing the collision to only meet halfway.
"Is that all you've got, Hashirama?!" Syrus speared towards him without any reservation, striking high and low, spinning and flipping across the ground forcing Hashirama back and to dodge as their blows battered against each other. Hashirama stepped back, dodging his punch, continuing through the movement, and slammed one fist across Syrus's jaw, but sprang off the ground swinging his fist towards his collarbone. Hashirama hissed in pain, crossing hisr arms in front of his face, taking the attack head on, grunting from the tremendous force behind it.
Syrus lunged in the air, Daiki's and Hashirama's charge soaring underneath him, the two colliding with Madara and Atsushi.
Syrus twisted sharply just as Sasuke nearly slammed him in the dirt leading with his foot, he spiraled, evading the blinding swipe of his blade and slamming his fist into Sasuke's chest knocking him back for several steps. Mikito shot passed Sasuke, one forearm colliding with his own as he barely held her back. "That's better!"
"Hardly!" Mikito blurred into motion, ferocious and savage...Their soaring forms slamming in midair for a second before darting across the forest trading furious, high speed blows. Punches, kicks, knees, and elbows were dealt out and exchanged. Mikito slammed two punches across his jaw, Syrus slammed a knee into her stomach, following up with a whipping kick to the ribs. Mikito heaved, one arm snapping to her side and latching onto his leg, with a frightening smirk she sped forward sending him shooting off to the side head over heels. She shot after him sending a punch for his chest, but at the last second Syrus dodged with a sharp rotation, kicking her in the ribs again.
Atsushi narrowly escaped the darting blue projectiles of energy, dashing in with a quick flourish of his legs, slamming his shin against Madara's Susano'o core, forcing him back several steps as the ground tore itself apart around them. Atsushi pressed his attack taking advantage of the brief pause, latching onto his massive wrist with one hand.
Madara twisted, grabbing a hold of his opposing wrist, and sprung up heaving Atsushi up with one arm and threw him down down flat against his back. Madaraa grunted, flaring his chakra at the last minute, it wouldn't hold, and Atsushi took him along for the ride.
Madara smirked getting up in just a second, and turned around sharply backhanding the large block of wood away with some effort. Sensing Atsushi's chakra flourish, he carefully observed him as the giant man began to shrink back down to his normal size. That's right...Their expansion jutsu can take quite a toll on chakra. He flicked his eyes onto Syrus, his earthen tendrils nearly surrounding him and attacking anything in sight. I'll need to keep this activated as long as he's using that jutsu, however... With a slight mental command he force his Susano'o to degenerate.
"Hashirama!" Madara snapped.
"Forgetting about someone, Uchiha vermin!?" Daiki roared.
Madara lunged with one arm, blasting off of the ground just as Hashirama's fist smashed into the ground where he had been prior. This left Raditz open, and still flipping through the air, Sasuke snapped around, bringing one fist down, only for it smash into Hajime's palm. Sasuke brought both arms down, launching a quick blast of fire, forcing a deep crater to borrow its way into the terrain
"Come on you damn brat!" Hajime shouted, arcs of lightning shot upward, tearing into the ground, sending cracks and fissures tearing across the ground from every angle. Madara tensed, darting one way and then another as several beams arced passed him. "Enough of this!" Hajime threw his hand down, launching a crackling mass forward, making contact with the ground and Hashirama as it consumed everything in a massive blast or light. Madara shot out of the cloud of smoke, leaving a thin trail streaking behind him, looking worse for wear, and slammed his right fist against Hajime's mouth before he could even think to dodge. The older man Madara off of his feet, slamming his shin straight into his ribs.
Part of Hashirama's body landed with a quiet thud several feet away, remaining motionless and smoldering. Wood clone...Nicely crafted too. Mikito thought, until a whirring came from behind her. Hashirama stood there, the hole in his body completely, he appeared no worse for wear than before aside from cuts and bruises. "You're quite crafty, Hashirama?" Mikito banged her fist off of her palm. "I would think you'd fool a good majority of people with that one. Enduring real injuries and fixing any errors. But, it is not stronger and faster...It is but one of your wood puppets...How long will this go on until you're outmatched? I wonder..." Mikito grinned darkly, disappearing a moment later.
Hashirama whirled, struggling to spot his opponent. He hadn't seen anyone move that swiftly or fast before, not even Tobirama. The crackle of chakra alerted him. He shot to the side, watching as Mikito launched two enormous spheres of wind towards him. There wasn't any time to dodge, and blocking would only leave him open, acting on instinct, he forced a forest to tear itself out from the ground and shoot towards the blast several feet away. The explosion jarred their bones.
Mikito swiped towards his head, Hashirama just blocked it, teeth clenching as his feet struggled for purchase.
Hashirama gritted his teeth, bracing himself as Mikito charged him, blocking two quick punches with his forearm, and a multitude of slashes from both blade and sheath, but Mikito's strength and speed had both increased since the last time they fought, and her swift kick slipped right through his guard forcing the oxygen from his lungs.
Mikito let out a yell, swiping her hand forward, Hashirama let out a pained grunt as he was blasted back dozens of feet from an invisible wave of force. He skidding along the ground, forcibly stopping himself finally. "This is..." He wiped the blood from his mouth, carefully adjusting his stance as Mikito shifted her footing. What strength...I've never fought someone as strong as she is with as much clout as she has... And, that blast that knocked me back must have been a Futon jutsu...
"Hashirama!" A thick, high speeding fiery beam collided with the ground, forcing its to fly forward and spread across the ground. Madara landed on top of a nearby branch, glaring at Hashirama. The flames proudly raged a few feet away and around them, arms crossed, staring down at Hashirama, Madara drank in the scenery.
"I should be thanking him, now there won't be so many distractions." Syrus looked mildly thankful as he stared at Mikito, just standing a few feet away from her.
Seriously... Mikito could hardly believe her eyes. She was expecting Syrus to go after Hajime or Atsushi first-the damn cyclops first! Instead Syus shot right for her constantly, and she was pressed to block and return his attacks. Syrus's next struck home, and Mikito slammed her elbow across his face, swiftly slamming her palm against his chest.
Syrus swiftly ducked under the next blow, retaliating with an uppercut that forced Mikito to stagger back. "I see, looks like I've ruffled your feathers." Syrus chuckled softly, noting the hard look in Mikito's eyes and raised his guard. He slid into a stance, hand steady on the hilt of his sword. "I have to take advantage of this-" Mikito cut him off, smashing a fist across his face, but he was quick and rammed his elbow right under her chin.
"What do you mean!?" Mikito demanded.
"Tch..." Syrus smirked, a familiar lengthy taste in his mouth. He glanced at his blood for a moment before it sunk into his black tattered sleeve. Mikito hadn't really changed at all, even after all of these years. "As I was saying before you decided to cut me off...I have to take advantage of this moment, I won't be seeing you after this day."
Mikito's hard gaze wavered for a second. "Your alliance..."
"This reunion has been postponed..." Sasuke said with a smirk as he glared down at the two of them.
"Both of you at the same time...now this should be fun! For now at least." Hajime was already lunging at the duo.
"RAAAAH!" Syrus brought more chakra to the surface, creating a crater around himself as the ground quaked and shattered from his power surging into tendrils and spirals. "Tell me something, Hajime, are those your last words?"
"You stupid bastard-" Hajime couldn't finish his reply, as one tendril smashed into his face. Syrus pressed further, a thousand more tendrils smashing and bashing into Hajime until he was into the ground and the ground was splitting itself apart from the impact. Sasuke's superior speed meant that eventually, Syrus would aim too late. And, he did aim too late, by just a fraction. Sasuke took full advantage of the opening and launched a vicious kick. He snapped his leg forward, about to sweep Syrus out of his way, but Mikito sped forward slamming shoulder first into his torso, drawing a long and pained gasp out of him. Atsushi, Daiki, Hashirama and Madara slammed into Mikito and Syrus respectively
The six battled back and forth, snarling, twisting, flipping, spinning, and weaving between each other's strikes and strokes as each found their attention divided between four opponents. Syrus, Mikito, and Hashirama blocked and traded each other's attacks, Sasuke collided with them in unison the aiming for their faces and stomachs with his blitzing taijutsu, Daiki and Atsushi traded blows back and forth before slamming into Hashirama and Syrus, taking Madara along with them as he broke away from Sasuke, but they'd turn and attack simultaneously overwhelming the other's defenses easily and sending each crashing into the ground and through the forest.
Mikito grabbed Sasuke by the leg and slammed him into the ground face first with a violent heave, and Syrus kicked her off balance, allowing Sasuke to recover and jump back up, connecting with a punch that took Syrus off of his feet and charge back at Mikito continuing his vicious strikes only to be met with thunderous blows. Hashirama and Daiki surged from the side, their clash dragging in the leader of the Sarutobi as they broke away once again
"Now, I will crush you." Atsushi grunted, jumping back, observing his hand. He glanced at Mikito. Hitting her forearm felt like hitting a solid steel wall, if he was weak willed it'd have broken his entire arm, but he wasn't weak willed, his punch would shatter a mountain! But, Yamu could tell something was different about this woman. He flew to the side, frowning as he sent a barrage of punches forward from each hand. Mikito smacked eight to the side rolling her wrists against his own, dodging the rest.
Mikito vanished entirely, appearing in front of him and smashed her fist against his face. Atsushi nearly gasped in pain, staggering back.
"Damn you!" Atsushi's eyes narrowed, he jumped forward throwing another punch. "I'm going to rip you limb from limb!"
Mikito dodged, pounding an elbow against his forearm, sending both of them skidding back. It appeared that Atsushi was like a lumbering brute, not a clumsy giant, but his strikes were pointed and deliberate. He wanted to kill. He was going to enjoy inflicting pain to her. She twisted to the side, avoiding Sasuke's stab, but couldn't evade Syrus's windmilling kick. She raised one arm, seething as the impact jolted through her.
Mikito appeared in front of Syrus, tightening her fingers and sent them forward. "That actually hurt!" She roared as they began to clash and exchange blows in rapid succession. Mikito dashed out of his reach, spinning passed him and slamming her shin into his side. He snapped one hand forward. He hurled a blistering barrage of strikes at Mikito, intensified by his battle lust, they were all dodged and deflected, several kicks colliding with her shin, another being deflected by her palm, and dozens more rolled off with her wrists or deflected.
Syrus and Mikito broke apart from their savage clash. Hashirama and Madara surged towards them, Sasuke and Daiki right on them. They slammed into each other ferociously exchanging blows. Punches. Kicks. Knees. Headbutts. Elbows. Palms. The air distorted with a piercing howl, rattling with loud pops as the foes shot apart from each other after another vicious exchange, hands and fingers flashing as they kneaded their chakra.
"HAAAAAAHHH!" They screamed in unison, unleashing a vicious barrage of ninjutsu, their divisions and units following suit varying from bright red orbs, to rolling mountains of earth, to crackling swarms of lightning, to deep blue waves of crashing water, to leafy forests streaking all the way up to sky.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!
The blasts and orbs detonated one after the next shaking the entire landscape as they crumbled the ground and entangled themselves into a growing cloud of power, smoke, and debris. Fire and wind swept anything that they could, greedily burning it as it was sucked into their vortex, only for thousands of gallons of water to hiss in rage as it was scorched and dispersed by the two elements shadowing over the crumbling mountains of earth and sprawling forests in thick vapor clouds. The most radical of all elements, lightning, struck repeatedly and violently tearing everything it touched asunder and spreading out the debris for it to be swept into the fire vacuum as it forced itself into it until its radical light surged from within its core; forcing it to erupt wildly in a blaze of blinding light reaching out towards the sky and miles around.
When the glaring and blinding light slowly dissipated, returning everything to its normal clarity there was only a vast crater near the epicenter of the collision shrouded in clouds of smoke and falling debris.