Konohamaru was in danger. He had known that from the beginning. Taking on five shinobi by himself when he was injured was practically a death sentence, his enemies injured or no. But he couldn't simply let someone else die because of him again. He refused to.
And he fought like it.
The Sarutobi flashed underneath the blades of twin Shimo shinobi that lashed out at him, their blades glinting in the light of the moon above them. His staff spun in his hands, blowing their weapons wide and leaving them open to attack, but he wasn't able to capitalize. Twin blades arced in lightning forced him to raise his staff to deflect, the Kumo duo from before glaring daggers at him. He grit his teeth. Suddenly he was very happy the Monkey King had decided to personally craft his weapon. He grunted, muscles bulging underneath his clothing. They dashed away, their hands flashing through handseals. He couldn't focus on it. The remaining Shimo shinobi appeared behind him in a blur, his arms covered in thick gauntlets. The man roared, gouts of flame shooting from his gauntlets as he sped a punch at Konohamaru's head. The Sarutobi ducked, but his eyes widened as he felt the air pressure fly overhead. That attack was dangerous. The gauntlet wearing Shimo shinobi roared, his knee snapping up to strike at Konohamaru. The Sarutobi blocked it with his staff, but the force sent him flying into the air.
Before he had any time to react the other two Shimo shinobi appeared to him in the air, their blades lashing out at his vitals. He grunted, his staff spinning and deflecting their blows. They grit their teeth and continued their assault, but none made it past his defenses. They weren't much trouble. The duo was weak. Konohamaru snarled as he landed, watching as their blades descended on him. His eyes flashed up to them, and he would have deflected their attack had he not seen a flash of light in front of him. His eyes widened as he saw a bolt of lightning race forwards as if to skewer him. He lowered his staff, stopping the bolt of lightning only for the two blades from above to slash into his back. He grit his teeth but pushed onwards, spinning instantly and lashing out at the two swordsmen only for them to leap away. His eyes narrowed, but he couldn't follow up as he heard the crunch of snow behind him. He spun, staff barely deflecting the redhead's wide slash at his throat. She smirked.
Konohamaru's eyes widened, and he instantly dropped the weapon to duck underneath the slash from behind that came from White Hair. He felt the top of his hair fly into the air, an impromptu haircut in exchange for his life being taken. Desperately he reached out to grab his staff once more only for a series of slashes from Red Hair to force him backwards. He grit his teeth, looking at the five man cell that had so quickly disarmed him. The group grinned at him, clearly realizing just how quickly they could win this fight with the numbers advantage being this severe. This wasn't like the beginning of the invasion. He was tired. Injured. And Red Hair and White Hair were much closer to being his match individually than any of the other combatants.
Before he had any time to think Gauntlet came flying at him, trails of flame behind him. Gouts of flame lit up the night sky, steam rising into the air as he let loose a flurry of blows. Waves of force cracked through the air around the Sarutobi as he dodged the attacks, eyes sharp. His side burned like lava, but he dodged, nonetheless. Flaming fury descended, and he skipped away. The blow cracked the ground on impact, a gout of flame shooting into the air. The Konoha shinobi slipped forwards, kunai in hand to taste the man's blood. It would fail as two blades blocked it before forcing his arms up and out with their combined strength. The Twins lashed out, blades glistening in the moonlight. Streaks of light bounced off the steel, and they met streaks of their own with ear piercing clangs. Snow flew throughout the air, sliced apart and glistening in the deadly dance of blades as the trio jockeyed for superiority. Soon, two more streaks of light joined the dance aiming. Four streaks met one and the desperation was clear. Skilled as he was, the Konoha shinobi couldn't handle them all. The situation only became worse as gouts of flame filled the air once more, the light from the fire illuminating the desperation on the Konoha shinobi's face. His body danced among the flames in the night, desperate to avoid any lethal attack. He wouldn't last long.
He couldn't last long.
Streaks of brilliant blue shot towards him, completely impossible to miss in the darkness. It took everything in his power to dodge the attacks, his body screaming in protest as he pushed it. His chest was fire and his body felt like lightning. Pain cracked through his body like a lance, briefly making him pause.
That was all it took.
Flame spewed forth into the night once more, smashing into his stomach and sending him flying through the air. Blood spat onto Gauntlet's face, but it was not his own. Konohamaru flew through the air, his vision swimming in color. He smashed onto the ground with a rough thud, dazed. The crunch of snow was his only tell something was coming, but from where he couldn't tell. It was pure instinct that he lunged to the left, barreling into his assailants' feet and tripping the Twins. They fell to the ground in a heap, a mess of bodies. It was a frantic scene, the two trying to lash out with their blades from their tangled positions. That was working to his favor. They couldn't quite put the force in their attacks to pierce his flak jacket and reach his body. The Little Monkey rolled away, desperately drawing an explosive kunai and tossing it. The explosion rocked the battlefield, the shockwave sending him flying away from his assailants. He rolled with the force, getting to his knees to stare up at their shadowy figures from the smoke. When the blast cleared, and the ground stopped rumbling he could see them. All five of them standing there with victorious looks on their faces.
He grit his teeth eyes looking over the Shimo shinobi. They were the weak links. He had to take care of them first. And to do that he needed cover. Konohamaru quickly reached inside his pouch, flinging a series of smoke bombs that quickly exploded, completely covering the area. The Kumo and Shimo contingent quickly tensed, drawing closer together.
"He'll try to pick us off separately. Be careful."
The Kumo shinobi tensed. They may be blind, but they weren't deaf. They heard the footsteps approaching. Red Hair roared out, slashing at the shadowy figure she saw in the smoke with her blade only to hit nothing. Her eyes narrowed, carefully watching the smoke clear. Slowly their vision returned, to reveal Konohamaru standing directly in front of the group. The man was smiling, his hands in the tiger seal. Their eyes widened. He had used the smoke to prepare a jutsu!
"Katon: Hiuchi Yagura no Jutsu (Fire Release: Flint Yagura Technique)!"
The five-man cell leapt away, but not all of them were fast enough. The blaze of flame erupted from the center of the group, erupting into a massive tornado of flame. The two swordsmen were caught in the blaze, screaming as they burnt to death. The gauntlet wielding Shimo shinobi grit his teeth at seeing his comrades deaths, dashing towards Konohamaru's form with reckless abandon. The man screamed bloody murder, flames spewing from his gauntlets as he charged. He threw his punch, wind screaming behind him only for his eyes to widen as his fist slipped right through Konohamaru's body as if it wasn't there. Red Hair's eyes widened as soon as she saw it.
"Look out!"
It was too late. The kunai barreled forwards at impossible speeds, spearing through the man's throat like it was tissue paper. A spray of blood flew into the air before settling on the already red snow beneath. The man's body fell like his strings had been cut, bleeding out on the ground. Konohamaru dashed forwards, a smirk on his face as he thinned the herd. Three of them dead in one attack. But this was where it would become challenging. Red Hair and White Hair were Great Power shinobi.
They were threats.
They showed as much when Red Hair deflected his kunai, forcing him his arm low and rolling around his back. Her blade flashed upwards as she dropped, aiming to cut him in two at his torso. The Sarutobi Clan member spun, the blade carving through his flak jacket instead of his body. He quickly stopped his spin, bringing the kunai upwards to stop the downwards slash of White Hair. Blood-stained snow shot into the air as the ground cratered from the force of the attack, Konohamaru's arm barely able to withstand the force of the attack. White Hair snarled, his blade coating itself in electricity. He cut through the kunai, slashing downwards at Konohamaru's neck. The Konoha shinobi quickly threw himself forwards, his shoulder catching White Hair's wrists and stopping the blade from piercing his body.
Red Hair's blade was a different matter.
Her blade carved into his side, forcing him to cough up blood onto White Hair's shoulder. The man smirked, slamming his knee into the now injured side. Konohamaru screamed. It was the same side that already had a fractured rib. He skipped across the ground from the force, clutching his side in a desperate plea to protect it. His kunai lay on the ground in front of him, having slipped from his hand in the mind-numbing pain. His staff lay to his side, not far away. The Kumo shinobi shot forwards, prepared to capitalize on his weakened state. In a desperate scramble he dove to the side as their blades stabbed through the ground where he once was. He clumsily grabbed his staff, swinging it around him defensively as he rose. The enemy shinobi snarled, each of them beginning to walk around him in a half circle. His eyes flickered between each of them, waiting for one to launch the attack. Red Hair. White Hair. Red Hair. White Hair. Red Hair. Whi-
Red Hair flashed towards him, blade sparking with lightning. Konohamaru spun, batting the attack to the ground only to leap into the air not long after as White Hair's blade cut through the air where his neck once was. White Hair's head snapped upwards, stabbing his hands into the ground as he began to weave through handseals. Red Hair shot up to meet him, blade arcing.
"Kumo-Ryū Omotegiri (Cloud-Style Front Beheading)!"
Konohamaru snarled, blocking the attack with his staff. The two snarled at each other.
"I'm gonna kill you tree fucker!"
Konohamaru gave no response, instead kicking off of his own staff to leap even higher into the air. Red Hair's eyes widened as she saw him speed through handseals. The two ninjutsu finished their preparations at the same time. A bolt of lightning met a meteor of flame, resulting in a massive explosion that flashed outwards, sending the combatants flying apart. Konohamaru landed on the ground, catching his staff as it flew through the air courtesy of the shockwave. He instantly put it to use, raising his blade to crack against the flashing steel of Red Hair's blade. They grit their teeth, before they collided once more in a flurry of blows. Steel met adamantium time after time again. The two clashed once more, rage on their faces.
Red Hair swung at him, only to be met by a swing from Konohmaru himself, the force blasting snow away from their position. Red Hair didn't hesitate, swinging her blade rapidly from each direction in a series of slashes that all were blocked by the staff before her. The Konoha shinobi grit his teeth as their weapons collided once more. This time he kicked upwards with his staff, batting the sword upwards before he swung down once more, aiming to crush her skull. Red Hair flung her blade up desperately, blocking the attack but the force behind it brought her to a knee. Konohamaru snapped his knee upwards, cracking it against her chin. She grit her teeth as she felt her mouth crack, blood filling it as she almost bit her tongue clean off. She spat the mouthful of blood at the Konoha shinobi, forcing his eyes closed for just a moment as her blood splattered against his face. She used the moment to slash downwards, aiming at his legs. However, the Sarutobi's eyes snapped open just in time, chakra flooding his front leg to explode it off the ground and dodge the slash that would have made him a cripple. He kept up the attack, lashing out with his leg to crack against her arm, dislocating her shoulder. Red Hair howled in pain, but before he could capitalize White Hair was there, forcing him away as Red Hair took time to snap her arm back into place.
Konohamaru deflected the initial slash from White Hair, instead bringing his staff downwards to cave his head in as a counter. The blow was blocked, but he pivoted, his arms reversing direction to aim with the bottom of his staff to strike against the man's groin. White Hair seemed to expect the countermeasure, his sword flashing downwards and stopping the attack with the support of his off hand. Konohamaru snarled, stepping forwards and swinging his staff wide only for White Hair to deflect this once again, this time redirecting the attack wide and throwing Konohamaru's arms to the side. He capitalized on the opening, the hilt of his blade snapping up and cracking the Sarutobi across the jaw, blood and a tooth shooting from his mouth onto the ground. Konohamaru stumbled backwards, and White Hair shot forwards, blade coming down in repeated overhead swings that Konohamaru blocked. Each subsequent attack met his staff, repeated cracks howling throughout the air and forcing Konohamaru deeper and deeper into the ground. Finally, after one more swing he countered, batting the blade away and swinging at White Hair's head only for it too to be deflected by the man's blade. The grunted, arms flaring against each other in a competition of strength as their weapons spun before them. Finally, they separated, but only for a moment as White Hair pressed the offensive and slashed at his opponent once more, only for it to once again be met by a staff. Konohamaru grunted, spinning into the attack to swipe at White Hair's head only for the man to spin underneath, his blade licking forwards and unleashing a cut on the Sarutobi's thigh.
Konohamaru dropped to a knee, a grimace of pain flashing on his face. White Hair spun his blade before he charged in once more. Konohamaru grimaced but spun, moving faster despite his injury, and lashing out with a swing that White Hair managed to block, although the force dug trenches in the ground as he was moved. He thrust his blade upwards, the cross guard knocking the staff and Konohamaru's arms upwards and allowing him to slash downwards to cut Konohamaru from shoulder blade to hip. Unfortunately for him, the slash was blocked by Konohamaru's staff, but he didn't stop there. He lashed out with another downwards slash Konohamaru parried. The Sarutobi was unwilling to let the same sequence as before play out, this time spinning backwards as he swung to utilize his reach advantage. The staff careened for White Hair's lower leg, aiming to break his tibia. Alas, it wasn't to be, the man's leg shooting upwards and avoiding the blow. He stepped downwards with force, another overhead slash careening towards the Konoha shinobi. It was met with the staff, but White Hair expected this, quickly pulling his blade back to slash at the turning Konohamaru's side. The attack bit into his flak jacket, Konohamaru's spin too quick for it to actually draw blood before he lashed out at White Hair's face. The man blocked the attack, but this time latched his offhand onto the staff and used the added leverage to force Konohamaru to spin. As he did so White Hair dropped to the ground, lashing out with his blade to slash the Sarutobi Clan member's lower leg. The man grimaced, his balance wavering briefly from the injury. White Hair capitalized, spinning, and slashing at Konohamaru's head only for him to duck the attack.
The two rose simultaneously, White Hair maintaining his grip on the Little Monkey's staff. He slashed out at his head once more, but this time Konohamaru was prepared. He reached out with his own free hand to grab White Hair's hand, stopping the attack. His foot snapped up, his body screaming at him in protest due to his wounds. The appendage cracked into White Hair's face, blood shooting in the air from his now-broken nose. The momentary flash of pain made him loosen his grip and Konohamaru took care to snatch his blade away, throwing it to the side. He was about to press his advantage before the man seemed to tag out, Red Hair flashing in front of him once more with a determined look on her face. She slashed at him, but she was slower, her swings less precise. His hands were closer this time, using the range of his staff to deflect her attacks. She slashed out at him from above, only for him to catch it, using his superior strength to swing their weapons down to the ground. Frustrated she pulled her blade back, lashing out with a slash from above aimed for his head only for him to duck underneath. He leapt upwards as the blade passed by him, his staff flying back and cracking against her spine. She stumbled forwards, off balance. Red Hair's head snapped to look at him, only for her vision to swim with color as Konohamaru's staff smacked against her temple with a crack, shattering her skull.
Or it would have.
Karui's eyes widened as she saw the blurry white form deflect the attack. Omoi! He had reclaimed his blade. She saw his dark eyes glance back at her, but she couldn't read the expression on his face. Her vision was blurry. She felt like throwing up. Her sense of balance vanished, and she stumbled as she tried to stand. Sloppy. Omoi seemed to recognize this, but she couldn't quite understand the look on his face. A glint of gray flashed in her eyes. Kunai? She couldn't be sure. The world was getting worse. She was going to hurl. Her stomach spun violently, but before she was able to she was being carried away in Omoi's arms, his blade rested in its sheathe. She wasn't sure how he had gotten away from the powerful Konoha shinobi. She didn't really care.
"Let...go..."
The movement was just making things worse. Omoi seemed to abide by her orders, stopping. The man glanced away from her, likely to the massive gray anomaly in her vision. What was that? Clouds didn't form on the ground. Ah. She couldn't care to tell. She emptied the continents of her stomach, a mixture of green and red liquid pouring out of her body. It seared her throat. Her eyes teared up from the pain. Her balance left her, and she fell, only to be caught by Omoi.
"The concussion. You need to retreat."
"No," she whispered.
"You're going to die if you fight with that! You can't keep up with him! Adrenaline has got you this far. It's time to quit."
"He'll beat you," Karui ground out through gritted teeth. She strained her body, desperate to enforce her will onto herself. She had to still herself. Be calm. Controlled. "I know he will."
"Maybe the concussion is fucking up your vision because I was beating him just there."
"Where's the worry wart Omoi I know," Karui stated, attempting to pat his cheek. She hit the open air. Ah. Wrong Omoi. Well, when seeing three that tended to happen. They both frowned. Omoi grabbed her hand, frustration on his face.
"Right here. And he's telling you that you need to retreat. I can beat him. Trust me."
Karui shook her head regardless. She knew the situation. She would be more of hinderance like this than an asset. Forcing Omoi to defend her like this was signing his death sentence too. She was weak. Her vision was a mess of colors and half visible shapes. Anything she could see was a triplet. She was surprised she still had the coordination to hold onto her blade as she was. She was sloppy. A detriment.
As she was.
She clumsily slipped her hand into her pouch, pulling out a pill. Omoi's eyes widened.
"No," he whispered. "They're still experimental!"
Before he could say anything else Karui popped the pill into her mouth and swallowed. It was tough to stomach. The pain her throat was in, and the dryness of her mouth almost made her choke, but she forced it down regardless. Slowly her vision began to clear, and her body stilled. Omoi frowned.
"The Heal Pill isn't a fix all despite its name Karui," he muttered. "Those effects are gonna be stronger the second they come back. They're still experimental."
"I'll be useless once it wears off that's true," Karui muttered. "But I'll be useful now."
The Konoha shinobi came barreling out of the now-visible smoke cloud. Karui raised her blade.
"And clearly we need that."
"Just let me lead."
A curt nod was all she was able to give before the Sarutobi was upon them.
His staff whipped forwards in a hail of blunt force power, aiming to crush their bones into a fine powder. But the duo was prepared, the flashes of their steel whipping forwards and cracking against his powerful blows. The two quickly managed to get the advantage, slipping into a fluid execution of their next combination. Omoi's blade carved upwards in a high arc, aiming to cut the man's arm off at the shoulder. The attack was useless, an obvious strike easily blocked by the staff of his opponent. But the pressure of the attack was not useless. Karui materialized behind the Sarutobi in a burst of speed, thrusting forwards to pierce his skull. It was only the smirk of Omoi that clued the man in. He turned his head to dodge the attack, but the difference in speed from before caught him off guard. The woman's blade pierced his ear, causing him to let out a painful yell. He grunted, leaping free of the duo, his ear ripping itself free of Karui's sword at the cost of a trail of blood that leaked down his body.
The two shot forwards to meet him, eager to pounce on their wounded foe. Streaks of brilliant steel flashed through the night, barely glancing off the block of gray that spun desperately to protect its wielder. But it was not flawless. Omoi slipped underneath a thrust from the staff, blade carving upwards only for the man's knee to kick upwards, hitting Omoi's arm and smacking the flat of his blade harmlessly against the man's arm. However, Karui was soon there, allowing Omoi to free his arm as the Konoha shinobi had to defend from her onslaught. Her blade cracked against his own weapon, the two unable to gain any separation over the other now that she was operating at a more optimal level. The Konoha shinobi seemed surprised at her sudden ability to keep up with him. Good.
Omoi flashed behind the man, electricity arcing off of his blade. He thrust at his side, but the man leapt away, Omoi's blade piercing nothing but air. The Konoha shinobi skipped backwards, throwing his staff into the air. Omoi's eyes glowed with possibility, and he shot forwards, eager to catch him. The man was open!
Karui cursed, quickly dashing forwards and pushing Omoi out of the way as a gout of flame carved through the area where he just was. It superheated the snow and flew off elsewhere into the battlefield. Karui glanced downwards, frustration on her face before she moved, sprinting towards the threat in a wide arc.
"What happened to me being the careful one?"
Omoi dashed towards the man from the opposite direction in a similarly wide arc, lightning still dancing around his blade.
"Sorry!"
The two reached the threat at the same time and lashed out with slashes aimed to cut the man into three pieces. They didn't land. The man caught his staff and blocked their attacks in one fluid motion. Omoi's blade smashed against the staff while his free hand lashed out and caught Karui's hand. The trio struggled like that for a moment, trying to overpower the other. It was only when Karui realized it would be impossible did she change strategies. She stepped forwards, stomping on the man's foot and getitng him to yell in pain. The brief lapse in attention caused the strength to leave his body and Omoi capitalized. He shoved even harder, shoving the threat backwards with the force. Karui capitalized on that, stabbing her blade into the ground and weaving handseals before unleashing a bolt of lightning at the Sarutobi Clan member.
The man leapt into the air to avoid the attack but was met by Omoi. Silver met gray, steel met adamantium, and foe met foe in their clash. The overhead slash of Omoi was stopped, but the force sent the Konoha shinobi to the ground. He landed with a thud, snow flying into the air as Omoi came down for another slash. This too was blocked, but the force brought the man to his knees. The Konoha shinobi grunted, chakra flooding his feet before the ground exploded beneath him and his body shot upwards. Omoi's arms were blown wide, and he was left defenseless. The staff of his opponent launched forwards, only to be blocked by Karui who snarled as her muscles strained against the attack.
Omoi was on the offensive immediately, rolling over Karui and lashing out with a slash that was aimed to take the man's arms off at the elbow. However, the man quickly pulled his staff back, his weapon instead being knocked upwards instead of losing an arm. Omoi snarled, lashing out with a punch but the man was still able to recover. He yanked his staff downwards and Omoi's fist cracked as it smashed against the weapon. Still, that didn't stop him, pushing forwards with all his might to send the man skidding backwards.
The man's eyes met the duo as they continued to pressure him. Omoi's blade lanced upwards, aiming for his heart. The threat deflected the attack, his eyes hard. He shoved his shoulder into Omoi's chest, sending the white haired Kumo shinobi stumbling backwards. Omoi was quick to recover, dashing forwards and lashing out with a slash the Sarutobi Clan member was forced to block. However, the attack wasn't done. Karui appeared behind him and once more her blade lanced forwards to kill him. Omoi smirked. The man seemed to realize the danger however, spinning to avoid the attack as his staff spun. It threw Omoi's arms wide and smacked against Karui's side. The redhead cursed as the pain filled her body, reminding her she was on borrowed time.
She dashed forwards, the desperation showing in her aggressive nature as she leveled attack after attack at the man. Her blade glinted in the moonlight as she tried to break his defenses, but try as she might she couldn't. However, together they could. Omoi appeared next to her, and the added variable left the man vulnerable. He couldn't fend them both off and they knew it. Their attacks grew more aggressive, and finally Karui managed to pierce his bicep, her blade covered with electricity. The man howled, electricity filling his body as he seized. Omoi was quick to capitalize, his blade arcing forwards to pierce the man's heart only for it to split snow instead. His eyes widened and the two Kumo shinobi quickly went back-to-back. They hadn't expected him to be able to use the Kawarimi (Body Replacement) in such a situation.
Their eyes scoured the battlefield, desperate to find where he would attack from next, but no matter where they looked they couldn't find him. Where was he? The answer came as a hand grasped Omoi's ankle from beneath him.
"Belo-" was all he managed to say before he was pulled into the ground, the Konoha shinobi appeared in his place whilst covered in dirt and snow. Karui roared her challenge, her blade smashing against his staff as she swung at his side. Her muscles bulged and her chakra roared with renewed vigor, sending the man flying away. She took the brief moment to pull Omoi free. The white-haired man nodded his thanks.
The two Kumo shinobi gripped their blades before they charged at him together. Streaks of light carved through the air as they met, slashing out in perfect harmony as they mounted an offensive. Each attack covered for the holes in the others defense, a dance of steel perfected over years and years of training together. They moved in perfect unison, slashing outwards to reap death. A gray blur spun rapidly around the streaks of light, desperate to defend its wielder. It thundered against the blades, echoing cracks filling the battlefield as the weapons met. To an untrained eye it would be beautiful. A masterclass. The perfect representation of an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. To the trained eye? It was different. To the trained eye it was a dance of death.
Injured.
Exhausted.
Outnumbered.
Three ways a shinobi stronger than their foes died.
And all three worked against the Konoha shinobi.
He was fast.
They were faster.
He was strong.
They were stronger together.
He was sharp.
They were sharper.
It started small. Small wounds that didn't mean much individually. A cut on the cheek. A cut on his tricep. A cut on the lower leg. Nothing that by itself would make much of a difference in a battle. He could power through them. But together? They compounded the greater problems. Blood leaked from every injury and his body drained faster. He moved slower. To compensate he burned through his chakra faster to utilize his strength. But it was useless. He was preciously low on chakra. He didn't have much left. And it began to show.
Because then large wounds happened.
Omoi slashed outwards, his steel roaring against the adamantium staff. He continued his assault, his blade howling out for blood. It struck like vipers, a multi-headed streak of light that smacked repeatedly against the gray blur that was the adamantium weapon. And with each slash the Konoha shinobi dropped lower and lower to the ground, exhaustion clear on his face. Omoi smirked. Now. His blade lanced with electricity, and he swung wide at the man. The Konoha shinobi went to block it, his staff smashing against the weapon.
Omoi grinned.
The Konoha shinobi's eyes widened. A shadow grew overhead. His head snapped upwards as he saw Karui descend, a savage grin on the woman's face. Her blade slashed downwards, carving through his flak jacket and muscle like butter. Karui smirked, licking her lips. She was so close! She had almost severed his spine. Just a little deeper. The man howled; his body arching forwards as pain filled his body. He lost the strength in his body for a brief moment and that was all that was needed for Omoi. The man's blade carved forwards against the staff, flipping the Konoha shinobi. Omoi snarled, chakra flooding his legs as he lashed out with a hook kick that struck the man's head.
CRACK.
The crack echoed throughout the battlefield as the man skipped violently across the snow-laden ground, his body spinning like a top before he smashed into a half-destroyed building.
The two Kumo shinobi glanced at each other before they approached, their blades glistening in the moonlight. They walked forwards, eager to stalk their prey. They walked throughout the building, clearing rooms together once they saw the man was not where he had been kicked. The moonlight shown off their bodies, elongating their shadows. And for a moment they looked like death.
His body slumped against the wall; his breathing ragged. He curled his body in tighter into the darkness to avoid the streams of light shooting through the cracked floorboards. He bit down a groan as his body moved. Pain sparked like wildfire throughout his body. It only made sense. He was covered with injuries. Multiple fractured ribs. Deep cuts that dripped a trail of blood on the ground. That combined with the chakra exhaustion he had combined for a pathetic state. He tried to move, only to feel the bile swirl around in his stomach, forcing him to stop. He glanced at his hands, seeing triple. He wanted to laugh.
Add concussion to the list. Likely done by the kick that had fractured his orbital socket.
Red swam in half of his vision. He couldn't fight in this condition. He would die. Hell, even before this he likely would. Red Hair had a second wind, one that had tipped the scales of the battle in their favor. He had no way out. No countermove. He could just barely achieve victory with her fighting as sloppily as she was before, but this made it impossible. White Hair was formidable on his own, but them combined was too much. If he was at his best, he could beat them. He was sure of it. But like this...
He let out a sigh, leaning back against the wall underneath the house. Death. That was what awaited him if he couldn't make something work.
His body groaned, but he fought through it. His hand reached towards his waist, fumbling with the multiple copies of his shinobi pouch until he found the real one. He pulled it out, searching through it.
Soldier pills? That handled his chakra exhaustion, even if he'd feel the effects later.
Blood increasing pills would replace the blood he was losing, although he'd cut off some years of his life as a side effect. That was fine. The blood congestion pills would stem the bleeding. That made the blood increasing pills worth it. Good.
He took the trio of pills, feeling their effects almost immediately. They were designed that way. In a battle between shinobi any benefit had to be fast to be effective.
But none of those would help his body. The physical injuries. His body still lanced with electricity whenever he moved. But he had to move. So, he did. He began to crawl, his staff in hand as he slinked through the floor. The Kumo shinobi were above him. He could hear them. Their footsteps cracking as they looked for him.
"Konohamaru."
His hand snapped to his sides, looking for the source of the voice but he found nothing. What was that? Was he hearing things?
"Konohamaru."
Ah, now he was sure. He was definitely hearing things. Great. The concussion was worse than he thought. He trudged forwards, slinking through the dirt and snow. He needed to find a way out of the building and to find an iryonin. If he could do that he could win.
"I don't believe I raised you to be this disrespectful."
His head snapped to his side, irritation on his face only for it to drain from his face like water as he saw the spectral figure before him.
"Jiji..."
"Ah, now you're listening."
Konohamaru shook his head, ignoring the vile feeling that flipped through his body at the action. Yet when he stopped the spectral figure of his grandfather remained before him, a smile on its face. Ah. He was seeing things now too? Wouldn't be long before he keeled over dead then. That was the only explanation. The internal damage was worse than he thought.
"Yes well, you won't be able to reach an iryonin if you don't kill those Kumo shinobi."
Tell him something he didn't know. But he had nothing to beat them with. Even if his chakra was restored, he couldn't pelt them with fire. They had already proven they had counters with their Raiton and they were fast enough to close the distance with him regardless. No, this was a battle that would be settled with either deceit or taijutsu, and he was lacking in both departments right now.
"Ash."
Konohamaru's eyes widened at the words of the specter. Ash.
Ash!
He weaved through handseals before ash began to spew from his mouth. He sat in it underground for a moment, letting it fill the area before he burst through the floorboards, allowing ash to begin to weave its way through the destroyed building. He heard the snap of the Kumo shinobi above him, rushing down to come find him. Good. Let them come. He ran as fast as his body would allow through the building, ash floating through the air. He didn't have long. That was clear as he saw a flash of silver out of the corner of his eye. He dove, ash still spewing from his mouth as the blade carved through the air where his neck once was. He looked upwards, his mouth closing as he saw Red Hair and White Hair staring at him from the doorway. The exit of the room.
"Give up," Red Hair said. "I'm surprised you dodged that but you're dead. Be proud of the fight you put up and sit down and die you little shit stain."
"She's right," White Hair called. "You can't be capable of fighting anymore. And you're trapped."
Konohamaru smiled. He glanced at the window next to him. They blocked the natural exit. He could make another.
He dove through the window, clicking his teeth as he did so. The Kumo shinobi cursed, dashing to follow only for their eyes to widen as they saw the ash ignite. The building erupted in a massive fireball, throwing shrapnel in every direction. The force sent Konohamaru flying, the man skidding across the snow and leaving a trail of dried blood. He groaned, his ears ringing and body aching from the shockwave. That hadn't helped his concussion. He threw up onto the ground, the burning feeling in his throat unwelcome.
"They're not dead."
He really wanted to tell that voice to shut up. It was its idea in the first place. Now it was talking down to him. But if there was one thing this spectral version of his grandfather was right about, it was that. That attack wouldn't have killed them. He had to hope it severely wounded at least one of them. Preferably both.
He slowly stood, the world spinning as he did so. Everything span, except the spectral thing before him. This delusion. This figment of his subconscious. This...whatever. It was his grandfather. And it stood before him in military armor, his staff in hand. Enma. And it stood resolute despite everything.
So Konohamaru followed suite.
He stood, his staff in hand as his eyes scanned the battlefield. He wanted to hurl. He was going to hurl. But he had to fight. He needed to. Concussion or not. He had to move forwards. He couldn't let them set the tempo of the fight. That was his job. He weaved through handseals, allowing the chakra to surge in his body although he refrained from unleashing the technique for now. He grabbed his staff and followed after the apparition of his grandfather; his face resolute. The man was moving so fast. He couldn't keep up, no matter how hard he tried.
But he tried, nonetheless.
And then he found them. Well, the specter found them first. The Kumo shinobi were kneeling on the ground. Burns covered their bodies and a massive piece of shrapnel was in White Hair's leg. Red Hair was trying to rip it out. She just managed to when she saw him. Her eyes widened and she quickly rose to her feet, sword in hand.
He smirked.
A massive fireball sprang from his mouth towards the woman, only for her to snarl in response. Lightning crackled along her blade, but the burns on her arms weighed on her. She roared her challenge, a bolt of lightning flashing from her sword to strike the fireball and unleashing an explosion that sent both parties skidding backwards. Konohamaru grunted, the shockwave causing him to hurl. By the time he looked up the Kumo shinobi were back on their feet, with a bandage wrapped tightly around White Hair's leg. Still, the man was clearly favoring one leg over the other.
The two shot forwards, their blades crackling with electricity in the darkness. Konohamaru raised his staff to defend. Red Hair slashed at him horizontally and his weapon clashed with hers, a loud crack echoing through the battlefield as their weapons met. She grunted, spinning faster than Konohamaru could expect. Her blade swung out at his neck and for once he was glad for the momentary weakness in his body. He dropped, the blade carving through the air where he once was. Alas, he wasn't out of the fire yet. White Hair was in front of him now, blade thrusting forwards to pierce his heart. He desperately shifted his body, allowing the blade to pierce his shoulder instead. He grunted, but White Hair wasn't done. The man lifted his leg before he cracked it against Konohamaru's chest, sending him flying backwards. Konohamaru rolled to his feet, but blood and bile filled his tightly shut mouth. He didn't have the energy. Sure, his chakra was back, and his blood loss had been stemmed due to the pills but it wasn't enough. His body was still broken.
The Kumo shinobi capitalized. They dashed forwards and easily got through his feeble defense. Blow after blow rained against his body, it taking everything in his power to protect his vitals from injury. But as injured as he was, any wound could be lethal. He needed something. Something that would change the momentum of this battle. But nothing was coming. He wanted to laugh.
He had to laugh.
The noise whispered throughout the snowy, war-torn fort like a dark tale. It even gave the Kumo shinobi pause. The man could only laugh as he was brutalized. How broken was he?
"What the hell is wrong with this guy," Red Hair called, looking at the rising Sarutobi with disgust. White Hair frowned but raised his blade.
"I don't know. But I'll give him this...he's durable."
"What do you hope to achieve," Red Hair called. "You know you can't win this!"
Konohamaru smiled, looking up at them. Blood dripped from his mouth, splattering on the ground. Insanity glowed in his eyes. Or at least, that is what it looked like. None could deny it.
"I made a promise."
The Kumo shinobi charged, desperate to take down their foe. But this time something strange happened. Konohamaru managed to mount a defense once more, a stronger defense despite his broken body. The staff moved faster, smashing against their blades to form a defense. Still, it wasn't enough. One swing was too wide, and White Hair capitalized. He slipped in, blade arcing upwards. Konohamaru's eyes glistened at the sight, stepping forwards and locking the man's blade behind him by snapping his arm at his side, trapping his wrist in turn. White Hair's eyes widened before he recoiled in pain when Konohamaru smashed his head against the Kumo shinobi's, blood flying from the man's nose and mouth. The Konoha shinobi turned, looking at Red Hair and moving to defend. He tried.
But he was too slow.
Her blade sliced open another wound on his chest and he dropped to his knees, panting heavily. She dashed away, taking White Hair with her to allow him to recover. She frowned.
"What the hell was that Omoi? He's injured he shouldn't be catching you slipping like that."
"Sorry."
The two dashed in again, only this time it was Red Hair who suffered damage. Their blades were deflected, this time Konohamaru even managing to weave through a couple of their attacks before his staff smashed against her stomach, causing blood to fly from her mouth. He wasn't able to push his advantage. Just like before the other appeared and wounded him before retreating. He dropped to his knees once more, his other calf sliced. Still, he rose, and they rose as well. The opposing forces glared at each other. One side was confused as to what was going on, how was the Sarutobi was able to mount this defense? The other side was desperate to protect their word.
The desperation may have won out.
It was desperate to after all.
But the world was not one of desperation.
Konohamaru could feel his muscles screaming against him.
He didn't care.
He could feel his mind telling him to quit.
He didn't care.
He could feel death wrap around him like a plague.
He didn't care.
But it didn't matter if he didn't care. His body did. And it refused to listen. The Kumo shinobi charged and Konohamaru smiled. He had tried. But this was it.
He was going to die.
Konohamaru grunted as they neared, prepared to accept his fate, only for his eyes to widen. The specter before him was moving. Charging forwards in front of him at speeds that he couldn't reach. Grandfather...
Grandfather was showing him.
Konohamaru wanted to laugh. Was he going insane? A combination of his blurred vision and concussion that was giving him this delusion? Some sign of how near he was to death?
Did it matter?
It was showing him how to fight. Showing him how to win. How to protect his word. Did it matter if it was a sign of insanity? Of that damage of the concussion he certainly had? Of his broken orbital socket that caused this blurred vision? Of the damage he had taken?
No. It didn't matter because...because...
He didn't care!
He pushed his body, sprinting forwards. His body screamed at every step, but he pressed on anyway, moving faster than he had before. The Kumo shinobi seemed nervous but still they charged. Konohamaru tightened his grip on his staff. He wasn't sure when else he would gain this strength. This was his death throes. He needed to make this clash count. He had to. So, he followed the specter eyes concerned only with its movements. It was the only thing that wasn't a blur in the world.
He chased after it, completely unable to catch it. That didn't matter. Something in him told him he wouldn't be able to catch it even if he was fully healthy. He saw it raise its staff and he did the same, body mirroring its movements. His mind filled with thoughts of his grandfather. Of the training they had went through. The beautiful form. The mastery. The power.
'I've seen him run so many times...and never once was I able to catch him. He was always swifter...more accurate...and landed more powerful blows than I could ever muster.'
A sword pierced towards his head.
'I've been chasing after you since I was a child.'
The specter dodged it with ease.
He wasn't so lucky.
A cut on his cheek formed, his blood spilling in the open air. But he had dodged it. His eyes were wide and wild, a savagery in them. Another slash from his left, heading upwards to lop off his head courtesy of White Hair. The specter weaved it with ease, ducking underneath. He lost a tuft of his hair.
'The gap between us is so small...yet so large. I can almost touch him with my fingertips.'
The staff spun out, cracking against Red Hair's shoulder. Konohamaru smirked. She stumbled backwards before she leapt forwards again, fury in her eyes when she saw Konohamaru smirking.
"Don't let these little flukes go to your fucking head!"
She lashed out with her blade, thrusting towards his head.
The specter dodged.
And so did he.
Red Hair's eyes widened as her eyes locked with the savagery contained with Konohamaru's. For a moment she realized she was not facing down a shinobi anymore.
She was facing down the pride of the Sarutobi.
His staff raised, fire suddenly shrouding it and giving off a brilliant glow in the night sky.
'I'll surpass my limits. And it won't be someday.'
Konohamaru swung his staff.
'It'll be right here! Right now!'
Red Hair should have been able to dodge the attack. She was fast enough with her body pumping full of adrenaline as it was. She had dodged faster attacks. That was why White Hair wasn't desperately rushing in to save her. But right then, right there it happened.
The adrenaline from her medication left her body and the world swirled. She felt her body heave and her stomach fill with bile. She caught it before she hurled, but the realization flashed on her face before the staff struck. Her eyes left her opponent and she looked at White Hair.
And his eyes widened in horror.
The staff cratered against her skull, snapping it backwards violently.
CRACK.
She flipped backwards from the force of the blow, her head smashing violently against the snow-covered ground as she skidded away, spinning like a top. White Hair desperately rushed after her, horror in his eyes.
"Karui!"
White Hair flashed to her side, holding in her in his arms. Tears flipped his eyes as he held her, desperately searching for a pulse.
It was fruitless.
He had known from the second he had seen her get hit, much less when he put his fingers to her neck. Her neck was completely shattered, shards of bone ripping through the skin. But there was more. There was a heavy deny on the top of her skull, with liquids leaking from her nose and ears. White Hair could only bite his lip and close his eyes in rage, watching his comrade die.
Gently he placed her on the ground. Silently he picked up her blade, ignoring the rage that filled his body. The tears that streamed down his face. He picked up her blade. He turned to look at Konohamaru, rage on his face. Suddenly electricity burst around his swords, arcing violently. Stray bolts stabbed into the ground, melting the snow. Some surges arced up his arm, burning him but he didn't care. His eyes were daggers piercing directly into the foe before him.
Konohamaru stared back at him, his staff still wreathed in flame.
"Your name was Omoi right?"
Omoi raised his blades. "It doesn't matter what my name is."
The man charged, stumbling as he ran thanks to the wound on his leg. Konohamaru smirked. The man was giving the visage of strength, but he was drained just as he was. He could win this! Omoi's blades arced towards Konohamaru, begging for death. Konohamaru raised his staff, flames licking off of it. His body was screaming at him. That was fine. He had one opponent now. Omoi swung.
The clash occurred. Lightning and flame cracked against each other as the two battled for supremacy. They were two tendrils of elemental chakra, emanating light in the darkness of the battlefield as they clashed with one another. Weapon met weapon, smashing together with furious intensity. Neither were giving any ground. Desperation roared through both of their bodies so loud they could feel it screaming in their ears. They couldn't afford to give up.
For Karui.
For Hirako.
A twin thrust of electricity met the thrust of flame. The weapons clashed, their chakra surging before they exploded outwards with force. The two men rolled backwards with the force, standing at the same time. They snarled at one another, their weapons glowing with their respective elemental natures. Omoi roared, the electricity around his weapons surging. Konohamaru frowned, letting the fire that graced his staff surge even further. It was a hollow display of power. He was weak. His body wouldn't hold up for another clash. He had to counter.
White Hair didn't give him time.
Lightning met flame, electricity met fire, and the snow around the clashing duo melted as their chakra surged, cracking the ground beneath their feet. Omoi pressed down hard, his hair whipping backwards from the force of their clash. Konohamaru sank against the man's strength. He simply didn't have the strength in his body to defeat him too. Omoi snarled.
"My name doesn't matter because I'm going to kill you!"
Konohamaru smiled.
"Probably."
Omoi roared, pushing forwards, and sending Konohamaru flying away in a flash of lightning. He rolled with the force of the blow, raising to one knee as Omoi appeared in front of him. The man swung downwards, reigning blow after blow against Konohamaru's hastily raised staff. Flashes of light erupted from the battlefield as lightning met flame. Konohamaru grunted at every blow, barely managing to hold it together. Omoi snarled, his knee cracking up and smashing into Konohamaru's chin. Konohamaru stumbled backwards and Omoi pounced, blades lashing out.
Konohamaru saw triple and frowned. He couldn't block them all. He couldn't tell which one was the real Omoi. It was over. Those blades would pierce his heart and lung and he would die.
The specter lashed out and Konohamaru's eyes widened. Strength surged back in his body one more time. He smiled.
One last scream. One last roar into the night.
He gripped his staff, one hand tightly holding it while the other desperately tried to spin it in his hands. His hands burned from the force, the light from the flames only highlighting the difficulty. Omoi snarled and his blades descended.
"Katon: Sarutobi Bojutsu: Sanzen Sekai (Fire Release: Sarutobi Staff Technique: Three Thousand Worlds)!"
The flames around his staff leapt forwards, spearing forwards. They smashed into two of the versions of Omoi but pierced right through him and did no damage in the process. But the third?
The third was different.
The torrent of flame smashed into Omoi, causing him to cry out in pain. Still, he pushed through, his blades stabbing forth into Konohamaru's shoulder blades and pinning him to the ground, immobile. Omoi snarled through the gout of flame that surged on his body. Pain flooded his body as his skin was burned by the heat. Still, his eyes never left Konohamaru, fury in them.
"I don't care if I die," Omoi whispered. His voice was raspy. The heat was getting to him. The burns were. His brown skin began to blacken.
"As long as I kill you."
Omoi reached down, reaching into the ball of flame at his side that used to be his shinobi pouch. He snatched out a kunai, his eyes determined despite the flames that roared across his body. He ripped a kunai from the air just before it clattered to the ground. The metal burned his hands, a sickening sizzle filling the duos ears. The smell of burning flesh filled their noses, but both fought down the urge to retch. They had no choice. This mattered. This was life and death. Konohamaru could only stare at him, completely exhausted. He had utilized everything he had.
He had utilized everything the specter had.
Omoi brought the kunai downwards, desperate to kill the Konoha shinobi. Konohamaru looked up at the descending weapon, eyes desperate. He had to do something. He was going to die at this point. He couldn't die.
He had to make it back to Ino. He had to make it back to Asuma. He had to go free Sakura. He had to go visit Shikamaru's grave.
He had to see Naruto again!
His chakra network surged, and he disappeared. The bladed weapon ripped through the pile of snow where he once was. The heat from the flames turned the snow to water. Omoi's eyes widened in horror. He turned, the fire that raged on his body causing a blinding pain. It didn't matter. He pushed through it. His hair was burning off. He already couldn't see out of one eye. He was good as dead. He knew it well. He wouldn't recover from these injuries.
But he had to kill the Sarutobi.
For Karui.
Konohamaru stood before him, smiling. Omoi screamed, charging towards him. The blades were still in his sides! He couldn't move his arms. All he had done was delay the inevitable. He lunged forwards, saliva spilling from his mouth as a deranged look filled the Kumo shinobi's face.
"DIE!"
Konohamaru smiled.
Yeah.
That was right.
Die.
Omoi smashed into his body with the force of a bull, sending both men to the ground. The Sarutobi wheezed, blood flying from his mouth. Then, he grit his teeth and lunged. His mouth snapped open, and he clamped down hard on Omoi's neck. The fire surrounding the Kumo shinobi engulfed him too. He didn't care. Blood filled his mouth, flowing down his throat. If it were any other circumstance, he would have vomited it up. But right now?
He. Didn't. Care.
He bit down harder and Omoi screamed. His hands lashed out, smashing blow after blow into Konohamaru's kidney. It didn't make the man weaken. He simply clamped down harder. The two stayed like that for a while. One clamping down ferociously on the others neck while the other repeatedly punched the others kidney. Flames licked off of the duo, burning them both.
And then it stopped.
The punches slowed.
The flames died down.
But the bite didn't lose its grip.
First the fire went out.
And then...slowly...the punches stopped.
Omoi collapsed onto the body of Konohamaru. The weight of the man was too much to bare anymore and the Sarutobi fell to the ground, finally letting go of Omoi's mouth to spit out blood and pant. A deep bloody wound could be seen where his mouth was, blood pulsing from it. Konohamaru heard a gurgle from the man. He was trying to speak, but he couldn't. His torn open throat wouldn't let him. Konohamaru grunted, using his legs to kick the man off of him. He still couldn't move his arms thanks to the blades still impaled in them.
Konohamaru slowly rose, although he stumbled. His sense of balance was completely shot. He fell back downwards onto his bottom, staring at the eyes of Omoi. The white-haired man stared back, tears leaking from his eyes. Konohamaru couldn't look away, the two men seemingly seeing each other for the first time in the battle. Omoi gurgled again, but just like before nothing intelligible came from his mouth. Konohamaru grunted.
"I have no idea what you're saying," he muttered.
The Sarutobi collapsed onto the ground.
"And I don't care."
Instead, his eyes focused on the spectral form of his grandfather that stood above his eyes, smiling at him. He smiled back.
'Did I...did I make you proud?'
The voice was back this time. The specter began to fade.
"Yes. Yes you did."
Konohamaru gave a breath of relief as the specter disappeared.
"Next time...I'll surpass you..."
He looked up at the stars above, a small smile on his face.
"See you...jiji..."
The corners of his vision grew dark. He smiled. So, this was it? He needed medical attention...and there was no way he'd get it in these circumstances. Still, the smile didn't leave his face. He had kept his promise to Hirako. That was all that mattered.
"Sarutobi-sama!"
His eyes glanced to his side to see Hirako herself rushing towards him, worry in her eyes.
"Hirako..."
"Don't talk!" she screamed, her eyes pulsing with her clans Kekkei Genkai. Her hands began to glow with a green shroud of chakra before she placed them on his body. Suddenly he felt his body give out a feeling of relief he hadn't expected.
"You're an iryonin...a Hyuga iryonin. How rare."
"Save your energy! You're incredibly hurt...but it's okay! With my Byakugan I don't need to run diagnostics to see what's wrong with you. Trust me. I will save you. You gave me your word...this is mine!"
Konohamaru smiled, and for the first time in the hectic battle he felt like he had earned a small rest.
"Thank you Hirako...I'll be in your care."
It's important to note in the future chapters this fight and a couple others are going on at the exact same time. So, while one chapter might focus on one fight that doesn't mean fights explored in later chapter are happening later. For the majority of them, they are happening at the exact same time.
Also, sorry for the late update. My sprained wrist flared up again and it hurt a crap ton to type so I had to slow down.