Another Word For Monster

by Kuma Akuma

Konoha's Boogeyman. Jinchuriki. Hero. Traitor. Murderer. These were the names of Naruto Uzumaki. He left Konoha 3 years ago a broken man, looking for a peaceful life. But the shinobi life doesn't let peace come so easily. It calls you back. Through violence. Through war. Through blood. Monsters didn't get peace. And shinobi? That was just another word for monster. Light AU.

41. Chapter 41

Battles featuring high level shinobi were not uncommon. During any given era, there were always powerful shinobi. Never in shinobi history had there ever been few S-class shinobi, it was simply true that S-class were a rarer class than any other. Almost every kage from each of the Great Powers had been an S-class shinobi. Some had broken the conceptualization of what an S-class was entirely. But it was never just kage. Jinchuriki, the odd sage, a Clan Head, and many more were likely high A to S-rank shinobi, and there was no time in shinobi history since the establishment of the Great Powers where those could not be found.

S-class shinobi were dangerous. Their strength could change the balance of war. One's death could mean defeat, and one's mere presence on the battlefield could guarantee victory. They were more than simply heroes to their allies and monsters to their enemies. They were pillars of strength, a valued resource not unlike a Bijuu or Kekkei Genkai to shinobi villages. Often, they were encouraged to sire offspring, and even more often they were encouraged to train the next generation, so the secrets of their strength were not lost to time.

They were masters of the battlefield. The weight of the world could change from the news that one of them died.

This battle was no exception.

As the trees of Hotsprings blazed underneath the might of Katon (Fire Release) and Raiton (Lightning Release) jutsu, emblematic of the two Great Powers that were clashing, one S-rank shinobi would fall.

And they would not rise.

---

Might Gai frowned as he saw another massive bolt of lightning split a tree like tissue, slamming into the ground with a mighty roar that sent a blast of energy throughout the Konoha reserves. Screams of pain accompanied it as sizzling blood flew through the air. His eyes narrowed in the direction the bolt had come from. Long-range Raiton jutsu was something precious few shinobi could do. Even the Raikage, powerful as he was, was practically incapable of fighting at long-range combat in this manner. And yet Kumo was launching at least two attacks a minute. It was something that frankly speaking shouldn't be possible. Konoha had spies in Kumo.

The idea that they could use techniques like this was an impossibility. And yet he could not deny the evidence in front of him.

"We're going to lose at this rate, Gai."

Gai turned, watching the Uchiha next to him. The one-eyed man stared into the battlefield, his lone crimson Sharingan blazing, even in the flaming madness that was this battle.

"Yes, it seems we underestimated Kumo. But it will not matter! The flames of our youth will push back this force, even in the wake of a mighty enemy!"

"Always optimistic, aren't you Gai," the Uchiha stated. "Well in that case, we need to cut off the heads of the snake."

"Heads?"

"Kohan got back to me," the Uchiha said. "The reason why our front lines can't pierce Kumo's defenses and crush those long-range attacks they're using."

His crimson orb glowed.

"The Raikage and B are here."

Gai's face instantly tightened.

"Where?"

"Two separate sides of the battlefield," the man stated. "I'll handle B. I'm more suited to someone of his talents anyway."

"Are you sure you can handle him? The Raikage would be challenging for you, but he is weaker."

"Of course, I can. Besides, I'm the only one here who can stop him if he decides to let his little friend out," the Uchiha stated. The Uchiha gave Gai a slight pat on the shoulder. "You're stronger than me Gai, of that I have no doubt. But they don't call me Shisui of the Body Flicker for nothing."

The Uchiha smiled.

"Trust me. I won't die. You can't die either though, alright. The Raikage is no weakling."

A massive grin split Gai's face, illuminating the world.

"Of course! I'll go show that Raikage what's what! The Green Beast of Konoha is always ready to put the smackdown on our enemies!"

Shisui smirked.

"Good luck."

The two men disappeared in bursts of speed deserving of men of their caliber.

---

Rock Lee frowned as he found another kick blocked by the man before him. The wall of muscle before him was formidable, even for one as physically talented as himself. There was only one time he had felt so thoroughly outclassed at his age, and that was when he faced off against his own teacher.

The shinobi flipped back, avoiding the punch that threatened to break bones if it connected with him. His eyes snapped up, staring at the man before him. He had felt the air pressure from that.

The Raikage was a terrifying man indeed.

"Red skin, hair on end...the Seimon (Gate of Life). You utilize the Hachimon (Eight Gates). Are you a student of Might Gai?"

"Correct, Raikage-san! It is an honor to do battle with you!"

The Raikage snorted.

"I didn't realize Might Gai raised his students to be so polite. In the midst of a battle as well. Shame I'm going to have to present your dead body to him. I was hoping he'd be here. So far the display I've seen from Konoha today is pathetic."

Lee frowned.

"I am afraid you will not be seeing him! Because I will be the one to defeat you!"

The Raikage smirked.

"Entertain me then, boy."

The surrounding shinobi gave a wide birth to the battle, understanding the predicament. Kumo and Shimo shinobi knew better than to interrupt the Raikage when he had taken a special interest in someone in battle, while Konoha shinobi knew that there was precious little they could do to assist Rock Lee. He was stronger than most of them. The most they could do would be to clear out the other opposing forces.

Lee launched himself at the Raikage, the ground cratering underneath his feet at his speed.

The Raikage snorted.

The man easily leaned out of the way of Lee's punch, raising a hand to snatch him by his head and forcefully stop his momentum before smashing him into the ground. The earth erupted with electricity, blades of the element ripping through the battlefield. The Raikage raised his fist to strike again only for a kick to his jaw to force him to take a step backwards. Lee flipped to his feet eyes hard. The Konoha shinobi's eyes narrowed, and the Raikage could feel the energy buildup behind them.

'Another gate?'

The ground around Lee exploded before he shot forwards, knee smashing into the Raikage's chest. The man skidded backwards; eyes wide as he felt a throbbing sensation.

'That's more than one gate!'

The leader of Kumo was instantly put on the defensive, surprised by the sudden increase in speed and power of the Konoha shinobi. Punches and kicks shot forwards with a fury, but even then, the Raikage managed to deflect all the blows. Still, what had previously been a one-sided affair had quickly settled into a taijutsu match between equals. Punches met guards, attacks met counters, feints covered for blows as two masters of their chosen specialty clashed. The ground erupted underneath the weight of their strikes, a searing green aura clashing against the electrical flame that guarded the Raikage.

Then Lee's fists blazed.

The Raikage's eyes widened as the boy's fists turned to balls of flame, cratering into his guard with strength he would never expect from any Konoha shinobi bar Tsunade Senju and her disciple. He could feel his arms groan underneath the stress as the boy slowly but surely began to push him back. With a final kick he was sent flying back to Kumo's lines, revealing a stubborn Lee standing in the center of the battle. His fists were filled with flame and a green aura fluctuated around him like the rage of a dragon. His breathing was heavy, but his stance was solid. The challenge was clear.

'I will not let you pass!'

A stood, a grin forming on his face. He felt the blood trickle down his lip and could hear the panicked whispers of his own forces.

"Raikage-sama is being pushed back!"

"Is it possible this shinobi is stronger?"

"What are we supposed to do?"

"Get one of the railguns to fire at him!"

A wanted to roll his eyes. Weaker shinobi were so annoyingly impressed at the tides changing in battle. If there was one thing the experience of fighting in two wars had taught him, it was to never overreact to an opponent simply because they exceeded your expectations.

"You're strong boy," A called out. "Might Gai did a great job in raising you. He should be proud."

"I appreciate your warm words Raikage-san! Your taijutsu is incredible! I wish these were better circumstances so we could engage in a more youthful battle!"

A shook his head. The politeness didn't stop with this guy, did it?

"If this were another circumstance I'd love to stay and fight with you a bit. It is rare when I meet someone who can challenge me in taijutsu. I must say you've made me excited."

The grin on A's face dropped, revealing a somber but serious look.

"Unfortunately, I'll have to end this battle now."

The lightning around the Raikage constricted, weaving tightly around his form until it was practically a second skin. Lee's eyes narrowed. He wasn't able to use ninjutsu, but he understood the theories behind nintaijutsu like the Raikage's well enough. Constriction like that served only one purpose.

Concentration of power.

And when the Raikage moved, he realized just how stark the difference that made was. Rock Lee was fast. If he had to guess he was faster than almost every shinobi on the continent, including S-class shinobi. He was sure that if one were to measure one's skill in taijutsu alone he would be near the top in the entire continent.

But when his face was grabbed without him even seeing the Raikage move he realized that the Raikage would rank much, much higher than he would.

A bolt of blue lightning shot through the battlefield, blowing through the Konoha lines with a storm of blood and bodies as the Raikage dragged Rock Lee through the ground, laughing like a maniac all the while. He finally came to a stop, digging a trench as the earth itself failed to neatly stop his momentum before he hurled the Konoha shinobi into the air. Lee's body was bloody, clothing torn off, but he was still firmly in the Tomon (Gate of Limit).

The Raikage aimed to remedy that.

Faster than one could blink their eye the Raikage was next to him in the air, hands tightly clasped together before he slammed Lee to the ground, the earth itself splitting as though an earthquake ripped through the fields. The Raikage shot downwards, leg raised high in the sky as he moved to deliver the finishing blow. The hazy body of Lee could be made out through the dust cloud. The green aura faded from his body. He was already unconscious, but the Raikage aimed to finish the job.

"Girochin Doroppu (Guillotine Drop)!"

"Dainamikku Entorī (Dynamic Entry)!"

The two kicks collided, and the world went white for a brief moment before detonating in a haze of power. Lightning and streaks of raw energy obliterated the landscape, shattering the bones of any shinobi too close to the epicenter. When the haze finally cleared A saw his opponent wreathed in a haze of flaming green rage, holding his disciple.

"Might Gai."

The man ignored him, instead disappearing in a flash of speed. A paid it no mind. He knew he would be back. Less than two seconds later he was, his student mysteriously gone. A rush of dust and wind accompanied him, surging through the battlefield once more. A ignored it.

"Given him to an iryonin?"

Gai's fists erupted in flame.

"I was waiting to see when you'd show up. You and Shisui Uchiha wouldn't allow us to win this battle this easily."

A grinned.

"Good. Your student was a good warm up, but this is the main event! I've been aching to face you in battle."

The Raikage's face flashed with a pang of disappointment that was quickly overshadowed once more with delight.

"Let us find out who would win!"

Gai dropped into a taijutsu stance, his eyes still glaring hotly at the Raikage. A smirked, dropping into his own stance. As prone as he was to bolstering, he knew he could not take the man before him lightly. Naruto Uzumaki may be able to defeat him via his defenses and mastery over wind, which was the entire reason why he had sent Kakuzu after him instead of doing it himself, but the man before him now was an entirely different animal. He was the one man on the continent the Raikage was not entirely certain he could defeat in a battle of pure taijutsu.

And he was certain that was what this would be.

"I am Might Gai," the man stated. "Konoha's Green Beast. And you have raided our lands. Killed our shinobi. And attacked my student."

The Raikage's eyes narrowed.

"And for that...you will pay."

And then the world shattered as the fists of two taijutsu masters, two true taijutsu masters, met.

---

Kaen Mazuno had seen much in his tenure as a Kumo shinobi. A wizened veteran of two wars, he knew more about the field of battle than most ever would. It came with the territory of being older than most of the Kumo shinobi. Getting old in their line of work was a rarity, typically explained by large amounts of skill or large amounts of common sense. In his sense it was the latter. He had never even reached the status of an A-rank shinobi. He was, as most shinobi were, a lifelong chunin. But he was smart. He knew when to pick his battles, and when to leave the fighting to the higher ups.

This was one such time.

Or rather, it wasn't like he needed to do much fighting anyway. Sure, he engaged with a Konoha shinobi occasionally, but always as a team with other shinobi. Isolating weaker enemies and taking them out of the equation was a necessary, albeit undignified, part of any battle on the scale like this one. He specialized in it. A B-rank shinobi, he was just...average. That lesson had been taught to him soon after he graduated Kumo's own academy. The thought didn't wound his pride. For he had no oversized opinion of himself. He was a regular guy, living a slightly irregular shinobi life.

That was fine. All of this was fine so long as he got to go back home to his wife and kids.

So, watching the Jinchuriki of the Hachibi carve a path through Konoha forces like an unstoppable force was truly something to behold. He took a brief moment to take it in. To dare to glimpse such an irregular man and wonder just what it took to be someone graced with power like that. Blessings from the gods? Hard work? Supernatural talent? The right masters? A bloodline?

The answer eluded him.

And as if to spite him, as if the very concept of strength itself reached out to strike him down for the sheer blasphemy of daring to question it, Kaen Mazuno had his strings cut, completely unaware of the danger that had loomed over him. For another irregular man landed right in front of him, not even watching his body hit the ground, dead on impact.

Shisui Uchiha's presence was negligible on the battlefield. A man completely devoid of presence was someone to be envied in this business. The ideal shinobi, he walked through crowds of Kumo shinobi, cutting down any that were in his way. Most didn't even know he was attacking them until it was much too late. The few that did notice were far too unskilled to stop him anyway. He was the ideal of what shinobi had originally been meant to be. Silent assassins, serving the interests of their kage and daimyo, instead of the glorified honor warriors they had morphed into once the Great Powers had come to be.

However, silent assassin he may be a S-class was still a S-class. And something unique floated in the air around him, something that made him a noticeable threat. Killer B, even if he wasn't sure what it was, had acknowledged this threat. His blades stopped their lethal dance, and the Konoha shinobi around him took that time to create distance, desperate to avoid being cut to pieces in his deadly dance. The Jinchuriki's eyes glanced over the battlefield before he spun, a blade barely stopping the kunai that threatened to pierce his throat in time. He had no time to ascertain his assailant as countless attacks flashed at him from impossible angles at blistering speed.

Still, he wasn't a Jinchuriki for nothing. His blades twirled around him, glinting in the light of the sunlight that blazed above. The two engaged in a deadly dance. B, desperate to ascertain the identity of his assailant, and his foe, who moved too quickly to be caught. There was no weight behind their attacks, merely glancing blows designed to prioritize speed rather than power. Minor cuts and wounds opened on his body, but nothing truly dangerous pierced his defenses. Still, the sight of his own blood worried him. This was no fool that had chosen to attack him, and they were certainly no weakling. It took skill to reach this level of speed, and more skill still to not let your bloodlust give away your attack until the very last second. The Jinchuriki stilled as the attacks finally stopped, but he saw no sign of an opponent. Instead, a large branch from a flaming tree roared as it dropped down towards him. He leapt away, barely making out a shadowy, cloaked figure above him before it too vanished.

The Jinchuriki had no time to think about what or who was attacking him before a jet of water sliced across his bicep. He cursed, glancing at the Konoha kunoichi who smirked.

"You're gonna pay for that. I'm stronger than you think, I ain't no hack!"

The kunoichi grimaced.

'Why must he talk in this insufferable rhyme?'

The Jinchuriki leapt at the kunoichi but was forced to leap into a whirl of blades as a massive storm of fire descended on him. The speed at which he rotated managed to disperse much of the heat, leaving him with only minor burns, but he failed to ascertain his opponent. His eyes narrowed.

"Stop hiding and come fight! We're men, we've got to shine real bright!"

He got no response. B wanted to curse again. Whoever this person was not only were they strong, but they were above provocation. They fully intended to play the support role and judging from the large amount of Kumo corpses behind him he understood why. He hadn't even noticed his forces were beginning to dwindle. Whoever this stealthy shinobi was, they were dangerous. A large amount of Konoha shinobi were beginning to gather around him. His opponent was effectively ensuring they would whittle him down through attrition.

It was an effective strategy. That kunoichi had already managed to open a cut on him. He lazily flipped between jets of flame and bolts of lightning fired at him from the Konoha shinobi, eyes tracking the trees. This was a very good strategy, especially against an opponent like this. A single moment's hesitation or distraction against an opponent with this level of strength would lead to his demise, even with the Hachibi by his side. The lack of power behind the blows that his foe demonstrated would certainly disappear the second they felt they had a true kill shot.

Of course, B had a very good idea of who exactly his true opponent was but knowing who that was and being able to counter them were two entirely different things.

Sure, he could intentionally lure out Shisui Uchiha. But trickery was not how he fought. He was a brute through and through, just like his brother. He would force the Uchiha out to defend Konoha shinobi. He wondered how many of them he would have to kill before the Uchiha found it intolerable.

The Jinchuriki of Lightning leapt forwards, electricity flashing off the blades that danced between his limbs. The shinobi of Konoha were desperate to fend off their assailant, weapons clashing with his in sheer desperation. It mattered not. His blades burned through any weapon raised in defense, cutting through the wielder's body. He carved through the Konoha battlelines, rotating like a buzzsaw before the ground rose around him. B snarled, flinging one of his many blades through the roof of the dome before he shot upwards, smashing through it only to be greeted with a gale of wind that sent him flying through the air.

The Jinchuriki landed on his feet, eyes snapping up to see a storm of crimson swirling before him. He stumbled, the ground shaking underneath his feet before he felt a blade pierce his solar plexus. A punch cratered the weapon through his chest, causing him to spit up blood. B felt the air leaving his lungs before he heard the Hachibi cry out. The world stabilized only to swim once more a second later.

"The Bijuu hm," was the only thing he heard. B desperately lashed out, the movement gaining him a wound in his hand but protecting his neck from the kunai of his assailant. He reached out to grasp at the man, his world solidifying once more only to find his attacker gone and a storm of fire bearing down on him. The blaze smashed into the Jinchuriki who was unable to dodge on such short notice.

The Jinchuriki of the Hachibi stumbled out of the blaze, his clothes burning and second-degree burns covering his skin but the wound on his chest was successfully cauterized. His eyes hardened as he looked at the Konoha force. It seemed they were stronger than he had initially expected.

No.

His eyes snapped up to the trees where he knew the shadowy figure from before lurked.

Shisui Uchiha was stronger than he had expected. The man was fast and clearly skilled in genjutsu. He could carve through his Konoha force, but would he be able to fight through them and the layers of genjutsu the Uchiha heaped upon him.

"Go wild B. I'll release you from any genjutsu he uses."

'That's a good idea, but against the Uchiha Clan it's no panacea.'

The Jinchuriki snorted, forming a handseal before four clones of him appeared next to him. They shot forwards, weaving through the hail of ninjutsu and weapons that threatened to destroy them. The original stood back; eyes narrowed.

'Which will you save, Uchiha boy?'

His answer came in the form of the very ground itself rising, uprooting the clones and spearing them through, spraying ink in all directions. B's eyes widened.

'What?'

The Jinchuriki was roughly broken from the spell of the genjutsu by his Bijuu. The man had no time to process the situation, his senses screaming at him to move. He leapt, gritting his teeth as he saw the slash appear on his stomach in a burst of unnatural speed. Blood poured from the wound as his assailant once more disappeared into the burning field that was the battlefield. B landed; eyes hot with rage. His clones were engaged with the general Konoha force, but from the sounds of it they were being taken out.

"Stop fighting like a coward and face me Uchiha! I fight like a man, and I send you to the reaper!"

The only response he got was the roar of the battle the bulk of the Konoha forces were engaging in. Cries of panic. B smirked. His Sumi Bunshin no Jutsu (Ink Clone Technique) was having the intended effect. He leapt forwards, closing the distance with the force faster than one could blink. His forearm would have crashed into the distracted shinobi in a devastating lariat if they hadn't disappeared in a burst of speed.

B's eyes narrowed, but he continued his charge. His ink clones were being destroyed, spraying their ink on the Konoha forces. But most importantly they were applying his Fūinjutsu: Okutopasu Hōrudo (Sealing Technique: Octopus Hold). He dashed forwards, plowing his way towards the clusters of shinobi that were rooted to the spot from the dried ink.

He reached out, hand grasping one of the Konoha shinobi before he roared out. Lightning surged from his body, boiling the shinobi alive as electricity coursed through their body. Their eyes popped and body sizzled. Some of his foes took a step back, mystified by the horror they had just witnessed. B would have continued his assault had his own shadow not leapt up from behind him, wrapping around his body like a coffin. He snarled, eyes flaring from left to right in search of the Nara who applied the jutsu only for the shadows to melt away as he felt the Hachibi flare its chakra once more.

'Genjutsu!'

The Jinchuriki had no time to react as a spear pierced his chest, causing him to spit blood. He looked behind him, eyes glaring hotly at the kunoichi who had dared run him through. He twirled, ripping the spear from her hands before smashing his forearm into her head, crushing it into a bloody pulp. He ripped the spear from his body before hurling it his closest opponent. The weapon shot forwards, bolts of lightning flashing off of it before spearing through a swathe of the Konoha force.

The Jinchuriki snarled at his opponents, eyes glaring at the tree lines above. It frustrated him to no end he couldn't find his assailant in a mass of flame. Was he using the smoke to cloak himself, or a localized genjutsu? Whatever it was it was infuriating. This way of fighting wasn't working, even using more of his more unique techniques. He needed something larger. Something more dramatic.

The Jinchuriki grinned.

Before any of the Konoha force could react, octopus tails swirled around B's midsection before he unleashed a massive sweeping attack that crushed dozens of shinobi into a bloody paste. The Jinchuriki smirked, screaming "Wheeee" the entire time.

The force that was lucky enough to be far enough away to not be struck by the ink of the octopus stared at B, horror on their face. B smirked. Warriors or not, shinobi needed someone to rally behind. Some source of morale. Shisui Uchiha, while powerful, was not that man. His fighting style revolved around speed and deception. He could not inspire terror and for that reason he could not inspire hope either.

B stepped forwards, and the Konoha forces ran. Or rather they would have, had Shisui Uchiha not dropped to the ground beside them, shocking them back into sanity. B raised an eyebrow.

Had his expectations been incorrect?

The idea that the man in front of him was more than a silent assassin brought a grin to the Kumo shinobi's face.

"I was wondering how many of them I'd have to kill to bring you out. Guess I found my answer! Even you couldn't let carnage like that go unanswered."

Shisui wanted to scream. The rhyming was bad and constant.

"You're a very annoying man, Killer B."

"Address me as Jinchuriki-sama, fool ya fool!"

"I would rather not," was the cool response. "I am Shisui Uchiha. It is an honor to meet you. I have heard much about you. My uncle mentioned that he fought against you in the last war."

"Ah? You're not the son of the Yondaime..."

"Fugaku Uchiha."

"Dunno him."

Shisui's eye twitched. "I see."

The Uchiha turned to look at his fellow Konoha shinobi.

"All of you, head to support other platoons. We need to pierce their defenses. If you can, destroy their long-range lightning jutsu."

Almost as if summoned by his words a massive bolt of lightning speared through the sky before landing elsewhere on the battlefield, erupting in a titanic explosion.

"Quickly," Shisui insisted.

The Konoha force scattered into the wind, rushing off with some semblance of restored confidence. B raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, sending your allies away? Is it finally time to fight like men and show the world the meaning of S-class this day?"

Shisui took a deep breathe, irritation clear on his face.

"In all honesty I'd rather us not," he muttered.

His eyes snapped opened, locking onto B's before he delved into the man's subconscious.

"But if I must."

---

Streaks of green and blue collided together, sending out shockwaves that rippled through the landscape. The once serene forests and pristine flatlands of Hotsprings were ravaged by the destructive capacity of two titans clashing fists. Roars of exertion were drowned out by the sound of their clashing blows. Flame met electricity. Green met blue.

And the battlefield was ripped asunder.

Gai and A engaged in a flurry of punches, each deflecting the others attack at the same time. Fists met forearms in neat blocks and tight combinations were deftly dodged. Not a singular punch from either managed to land, a stalemate of the highest order. Neither side reacted to a feint, and neither side overextended on an attack. A match of complete equals. Technique would not be the deciding factor here, at least not until they grew exhausted. No, stamina would be critical here. Who could wear the other down more?

Gai pushed the attack, incorporating kicks into his flurry of blows. That was the one advantage he had over the Raikage. His fighting style was primarily punches, elbows, and grapples. It was limited. And yet despite the added range advantage Gai could not crack the Raikage's defenses. The two smashed into one another, Gai's kick meeting the Raikage's fist in a surge of power that flung both men backwards.

The battle paused and the ground gave a sigh of relief for the momentary respite.

"You are impressive Gai," the Raikage stated plainly. "This is the type of battle I've been craving! Constantly fighting these pathetic ninja, these excuses for shinobi! It is not often you get to fight an equal, especially in your chosen specialty. The last time my blood pumped like this was when I was fighting Minato Namikaze. And this is you limited by Konoha! A man of your talents would benefit from a village that teaches the core of nintaijutsu like ours does. If only you had been born in Kumo."

"I was born right where I needed to be," Gai stated. "Underneath the blazing sun of Konoha! Where I could fight against my rival Kakashi and train my wonderful student Lee!"

The taijutsu master dropped into a stance.

"Kumogakure is nothing compared to that."

A snarled.

"Perhaps you're right. There is no rush of battle without the threat of death hanging at the end of every blow. If you were born in Kumo this battle would never have occurred in a manner such as this. Let me repay the gods favor with your corpse then!"

The lightning around A constricted even more if such a thing were possible, practically merging with his skin. His hair spiked up on end. Gai's eyes narrowed. Then A moved, and the world shattered. The ground erupted and a sonic boom rippled through the battlefield. A covered the distance between the two in less than a second, giving Gai no time to react. The punch cratered into his stomach, causing the Konoha shinobi to heave before he was flung backwards from the force, smashing through a series of trees and boulders. A grinned before he charged after him.

What was once a streak of blue was now invisible to most trained fighters, such were the speeds the Raikage moved. Luckily for Gai, he was not most trained fighters. His feet slammed into the ground, digging grooves into it before he leapt away, watching as the Raikage missed his punch by a hair. The man's forwards momentum did not stop, instead sending him blowing through the landscape, kicking up dust, rocks and trees in all directions. Gai's eyes narrowed as he watched the flaming grooves the man left.

'He's sacrificing mobility for insane straight line driving power. I cannot match that level of force head on, even with the Kyōmon (Gate of Wonder).'

Gai bit his lip. He could defeat the Raikage by activating the seventh gate, of that he was sure. But the cost in doing so would be large. He could not withstand the damage to his body in the seventh gate in the same way he could the sixth. If he failed to take the Raikage out quickly...he would lose. And then Konoha would crumble underneath his weight. And even if he did manage to defeat the Raikage he would be useless to assist Shisui in taking down B.

The Green Beast had no time to continue his train of thought as he saw the smallest flash of blue, the only warning he would get to dodge. He desperately leapt into the air, watching as the world grew loud as the Raikage stormed his way through it. Gai grit his teeth, charging after the man in a blitz of speed. He couldn't risk the seventh gate and he couldn't compete in a straight-up power contest, but he did have the agility advantage against this new opponent. He intended to use it.

By the time the Raikage's momentum came to an end Gai had caught up to him, chakra roaring in his body. Flames blazed around his fists as he let loose his jutsu just as the Raikage turned.

"Asa Kujaku (Morning Peacock)!"

The blows rattled against the Raikage at first, flames and force smashing against his body and sending shockwaves through both his body and the terrain. Blood flew from the Raikage's mouth as he took a step back with every blow, shock on his face that the Konoha shinobi had even managed to counter him so quickly. Then it morphed into one of respect before he too moved. Gai was horrified.

The Raikage was not just withstanding the Asa Kujaku. He was striking through it.

The Raikage's punches began to clash with Gai's and the Green Beast of Konoha grit his teeth. The shockwaves of every blow rippled through his body. He pushed himself harder, realizing that the Raikage was now faster than him now. He pushed himself harder, desperate to keep up with the flurry of blows. He could. But just barely. But the pressure was felt. His arms began to ache, and his body screamed at him in protest. Gai grit his teeth as the Raikage pressed the advantage. It was then that Gai realized the difference in their builds, despite their relative equality in strength and speed.

The Raikage was larger. Physical clashes like this didn't bother him as much.

The man's hand finally pierced Gai's defenses, snatching the Green Beast by the head before he moved.

He shot forwards, dragging Gai against the ground with a roar that clapped like thunder. He spun as his body tried to come to a stop, the ground itself screaming at the mass of a man as he slowed himself before he hurled the Konoha shinobi through the sky. Gai flipped through the air like a ragdoll, eyes bleary with pain. Still, the brilliant green hue of the Hachimon flowed around him.

Gai landed with a thunderous CRASH, but the shinobi was not foolhardy enough to think he had time to rest. He ducked just in time, watching as the Raikage's fist split the air right where his head once resided. A wave of dust followed him, but Gai paid it no mind. Instead, his foot snapped up, smashing against the Raikage's ribcage in tandem with the velocity of the man. The Raikage howled, feeling multiple ribs shatter from the blow. Blood flew from his mouth and Gai capitalized. The skin on the Konoha shinobi's face was half torn off and his typically pristine green jumpsuit was in tatters.

He did not let the pain blind him.

His punches hammered home, sending the Raikage stumbling backwards and clasping at his sides. Gai was eager to press the attack but try as he might pain was pain and it forced him to still. Both men took the time to rest, their respective aura's flickering as they struggled to maintain it through the searing pain that ravaged their bodies. These were wounds that would have killed ordinary shinobi. But it would not kill these men.

They refused to be ordinary.

Their eyes met, promising the other pain should they launch another attack but they both knew the truth. Fighting at their full capacity had been effectively hampered with just those blows. The Raikage internally fumed. He had had the man, and now he was in just as crippling a position.

'I had him beat but he managed to counterattack in an instant. His technique is flawless. He surpasses even me in that respect. Konoha has raised a truly magnificent taijutsu master.'

Gai for one stared, eyes watching his opponent carefully.

'I cannot stand and fight with a man such as him. I didn't realize it until now but...he is truly massive. His physical stature is domineering.'

Gai stood to his full height, ignoring the blazing pain in his body. The Raikage stood a full head taller than him.

'My body is ravaging itself to fight at this level and while I'm sure that jutsu of his had drawbacks...I cannot fight against him in a match of pure physical power. As much as it pains me to admit it...the Raikage is my physical superior. Fortunately, his technique is just slightly worse.'

The Green Beast internally promised himself to push his training even further after this battle. He refused to allow the Raikage diminish his youthful blaze. He would overcome this opponent with technique, and then push himself beyond his limits to never be outclassed by another opponent ever again.

The two men stared at one another, thoughts raging through their heads. Then, they engaged.

The Raikage stormed forwards, slower than before but still a freight train that was impossible for Gai to stop. Instead, he dodged, watching as the Raikage continued his path of destruction onwards. He would have lashed out with a kick, but he knew better than to try the same tactic against the Raikage again. He would have lost his leg in the attempt, if not his life.

Instead, he turned, chasing after his opponent only for his eyes to widen as he saw the Raikage pick up one of the many blazing trees around them. He swung it like a baseball bat, the roar of the flames swallowing the noise of the world. Gai roared, leaping forwards, and ploughed through the tree like tissue paper before he landed in front of the Raikage. His punches shot forwards, blurs of motion that threatened to blast through the Raikage's defenses only for a titanic explosion to shake the ground and through both opponents into the air. Gai turned to the side, confident that the Raikage could not touch him unless he had manifested the ability to kick off the air.

He did not like what he saw.

Whatever this weapon Kumo had was, whoever this user of this jutsu was, it had just launched another attack that split the ground and set the world alight in a blaze of brilliant golden, blue, and red. However, he had no time to focus on it as the duo landed and charged one another. Gai's eyes narrowed as he noticed the distinct lack in forwards pressure the Raikage offered. Was he tiring, or just altering his strategy?

His answer was given to him quickly as the two engaged in a blow of taijutsu just as ferocious as before. Gai lashed out with a hook that the Raikage deftly blocked, but Gai had expected that. His fist lashed out for a body blow that the Raikage's bracers met, stopping the attack cold for the low price of his bracer denting beyond recognition. The Raikage then took the time to press the advantage, a jab snapping out that Gai just barely weaved his head out of the way to avoid. The duo stepped forwards, alternating their positions slightly to gain an advantage for their next blow, but it was Gai that was faster.

His hook swung out just for the Raikage to slip underneath the attack and counter with his own. Gai blocked it with his forearm, but the Raikage was nothing if not persistant. His body jolted, moving with a speed that bellied its size and injuries. Blood flew from the Raikage's mouth as his body screamed in protest before his own body blow smashed into Gai. The Green Beast stumbled backwards, pain blaring on his face but he was resolute in the face of adversity. He slipped between the Raikage's follow-up jabs to counter with a punch that cratered into the Raikage's elbow.

Both men hissed in pain but refused to back down. This was now a matter of pride. Gai leapt up, legs flying up only for the Raikage to kick the first strike down, a snarl on his face. Gai neatly flowed into a jumping roundhouse that the Raikage managed to block with his other bracer, denting it as well from the force. Gai snarled, pressing his offensive. He lashed out with a hook the Raikage ducked, but instead of stopping Gai spun with the attack, lashing out with a reverse elbow that the Raikage neatly caught. The leader of Kumogakure lashed out with a straight that nailed Gai in the face, causing him to hiss in frustration. His leg snapped up in retaliation, smacking against the Raikage's face and forcing him to take a brief pause in his offensive.

That was all Gai needed. His next two hooks smashed against the Raikage's face, snapping his head to the side and causing sizzling blood to shoot through the air. The taijustu master threatened to end the fight with a straight, only for the Raikage to regain control of his own momentum, swatting the punch away and grabbing Gai's destroyed jumpsuit before lashing out with a punch that hammered into the man's stomach.

Gai howled; his body being flung into the air from the force. The Raikage cried out in rage, leaping after him in a streak of brilliant blue lightning. He appeared above Gai; hands raised in a double axe-handle that would have assuredly killed the Konoha shinobi had they landed.

They did not.

Gai tilted his head just barely out of the way before counterattacking. He ignored the massive wind pressure the attack generated, the wind extinguishing the fires that raged below and unleashing a storm of smoke into the battlefield. Gai's leg swung up and around, cracking into A's head.

"Geki — Konoha Kongōriki Senpū (Violent — Leaf Adamantine-Strength Whirldwind)!"

Gai felt the satisfying crunch of a broken bone before the Raikage shot to the ground like a missile, smashing into the ground and blowing the surrounding environment away. The ground underneath the impact crater quickly crumbled away, revealing a massive cavern underground, its surface weakened by the force of the two combatants above. The cavern held a massive hot spring, a jet of water blasting into the air.

Gai, in all his savvy, utilized the water to propel himself forwards, kicking off of it towards the Raikage that lay below. His leg shot out and the impact shattered the ground, causing massive chunks of earth to fling themselves into the sky, giving shade to the battlefield.

The Raikage snarled at the Green Beast, who stared back at him after realizing his finishing move had missed. Both stood in the center of the cavern, which now had two massive craters in it courtesy of Gai's attack and A's body. Water trickled down into the newly formed drops as the two men stared at one another. They lowered themselves into stances, each trying to ignore the screams of protest their bodies produced. Both knew that they could not stop. Not until the other was dead, injuries be damned.

Then, with the boom that signaled another blast from Kumo's long-range Raiton weapon, the two men charged.

---

The subconscious of a Jinchuriki was a tricky thing. If Shisui was honest he had never seen one before. The subconscious of regular people, much less shinobi, were complex enough. A maze of suppressed thoughts, ideals, emotions, and memories. Walking through it was like walking through a minefield of mental trauma. Leaving the person as whole as you had once found them was practically an impossibility. It was a marvel the Yamanaka were as skilled as they were in the technique despite not being proficient genjutsu specialists. Their own unique ninjutsu allowed them this access, and they were the masters of the mental arts. They could completely subjugate one's mind to their will, rather than simply being a foreign invader.

Shisui found himself envious of that ability at this moment.

If the average person's subconscious was a minefield, a Jinchuriki's was an active warzone. Filled with all the pitfalls and dangers that could naturally be assumed to exist. A mass of swirling shapes, colors, and thoughts that threatened to overwhelm him at any moment should he let it. The idea that this was what a Jinchuriki was suppressed was too stunning to truly comprehend. He could see the memories of the man before him, the hurt and anguish of being isolated by the less educated in his village, the desire to prove himself to the one he called his brother...

...the desire to be a great rapper.

All of it was laid bare before the Uchiha. But none was so overbearing as the one thing that lay before him. He was not entirely sure what he was expecting the Hachibi to look like, having never seen it himself.

But it certainly wasn't that.

If Killer B was a mountain of muscle, the Hachibi was muscle itself. A towering monstrosity of muscle and flesh. Shisui bit his lip, the memories of the Kyuubi Attack two decades ago filling his mind. The beast was almost as tall as the Kyuubi, no doubt shorter due to its slightly hunched posture, but for all the fang and flashing light of the fox it could never impose the same abject terror of physical inferiority. The Hachibi looked like it could squish the Kyuubi in between its massive hands. Its tails were thicker, looking like they were made for withstanding the deepest pressures of the ocean floor.

From the little Shisui knew of the beast, that was not entirely inaccurate.

And atop the titan's head, far above where Shisui almost couldn't see, even with the enhanced vision of his dojutsu, sat the Jinchuriki of the beast, rapping to himself in his own little world. The Bijuu however was entirely focused on him. Its lack of pupils was disturbing, but Shisui was no fool. He knew this beast. It was paying him attention.

Shisui stared, deciding to take the moment to think over his plan. He had intended to wrap B's mind in layers of genjutsu so thick that he would be easy to pick off. Unfortunately, he could tell that would be incredibly difficult. He didn't know much about seals, but he knew that Bijuu were not supposed to walk around so freely in their hosts subconscious. That could only mean one thing.

The rumors around B were true. He was indeed a Perfect Jinchuriki.

The idea was horrifying.

It also explained how he had broken out of his genjutsu so easily despite having no reported capability of detecting genjutsu as such a level. The Bijuu was doing it. A theory confirmed if nothing else. He would have to wrap the beast in genjutsu first before targetting B. Not an easy feat. One he doubted he could do without that technique.

Shisui floated from the ground like a wraith, eyes not locked on his opponent but rather the beast he held. It didn't move, but its eyes followed him. The creature had not even spoke, much less breathed.

Did it need to breathe?

Shisui floated up to B, watching as the man muttered to himself unintelligible raps. Was this his subconscious? He was almost insulted not all of him was in the fight. He would have opened his mouth to speak had the Hachibi not moved first. Its voice boomed, sending rippling waves of air pressure throughout B's subconscious. The pages of a book that comprised the man's mind fluttered in every direction.

"B. Get your act together."

"I'm writing, fool ya fool! You can't stop me from doing it, a man's got to express himself that's the truth of existence."

"B!"

The roar of the beast forced B to look up, eyes widening as he saw Shisui floating there. The Uchiha blinked.

B blinked back.

"Ah a ghost? Did I summon that with my power? Ey, Hachibi-sama, am I toast?"

"You will be if you don't get your act together! This man is no joke to have forced his way into your subconscious!"

Shisui decided to interject. It wasn't to his benefit to allow the duo to converse any longer. His chakra reached out and thousands of hands formed behind him, reaching out to snatch at B. Then, the beast moved. In a blink B was far away, far from the range of his hands. Shisui's eyes widened.

'Such speed!'

Shisui shot forwards, refusing to be cowed. The walls of B's subconscious were not particularly large, relative to their situation. It could hold about three Gyuki's in this void surrounded by tomes. It couldn't run from him always. The Hachibi certainly tried, but in this confined space even the speed of the Bijuu couldn't hold him off for long. Shisui's hands touched B's body and he slumped to the side, lost in a world of madness. The Hachibi snarled, glaring up at Shisui.

"You damn Uchiha's. If B had taken this seriously, he could have beaten you."

"Shame then," was all Shisui stated. Instead, he turned his attention to the beast before him, knowing that this was just a distraction to give him time to wake B up. His chakra surged but was instantly repelled by the might of the Hachibi's own chakra. The density. Shisui recoiled in shock, breathing heavily from the overwhelming power. The Hachibi snorted.

"Please. You think you can influence me, with power like that!"

The Hachibi swung one of its massive fists at the man, only for Shisui to glide around it, desperation in his eye. This beast was beyond him in his current state, that much was clear. He turned his attention back to B, his multitude of hands reaching out only for the tomes from before to unravel, leaving a storm of color and paper to envelop his vision. Shisui's eyes narrowed.

"You think you can get me with a genjutsu?"

Shisui bit his lip. Was the Hachibi getting faster at dispelling his genjutsu?

"When I've got the Gyuki with me there's nothing we can't do!"

"Stop rhyming!"

B grinned in the chaos of his subconscious before it all stilled, revealing a brilliant battlefield covered in blood. Shisui's eyes narrowed.

"But rhyming's what I do, fool ya fool."

---

Shisui had never been forced from someone's subconsciousness. It was a strange feeling. He supposed this is what it must be like to have someone's genjutsu reversed, or at least a similar feeling. He would never have known.

Itachi couldn't reverse his genjutsu without using his unfair eyes as he called it.

Of course, he had no time to marvel at the ability displayed to him as a fist was currently rushing to pulverize his face.

Couldn't have that.

The Uchiha reappeared next to B, watching as the fist flew through open air. He saw the Jinchuriki whirl before he did with his crimson orbs, watching him neatly draw his blades and cut through his neck and chest like tissue paper. Taking a brief moment to think thanks only to the capabilities of his Kekkei Genkai, Shisui realized the gravity of the situation and the man's subconscious.

'He's taking me serious now.'

Shisui flowed into a counterstrike before B had even drawn his blades, blocking the weapons with his kunai. He didn't hold the defense long, knowing before he saw and moving before it occurred. Raiton chakra spooled over the weapon a second after Shisui moved, cutting through the air. Instead Shisui leapt, hands wrapping around B's face before he swung himself into the man's back. His knee collided with the base of B's neck throwing him forwards. Hands clapped together he unleashed a storm of fire to drown out the storm of lightning B had been about to unleash but frowned when he saw the truth.

B had disappeared.

The Jinchuriki would strike from his right, piercing his lung.

Deflected.

Another strike from behind, a lariat.

Ducked.

This song and dance continued for a while, B always the aggressor. His movements were predicted and then dodged by Shisui, but the Uchiha never had the ability to counterattack. Or rather, he knew any potential counterattack would be ineffective against his opponent. B was fast. Perhaps faster than even he was. Luckily for him, the Sharingan more than made up the gap, allowing him to react faster than the Jinchuriki.

Without even a grunt Shisui dropped into the Shunshin (Body Flicker), elevating to speeds that had never been reached by a shinobi when utilizing the technique. The world, which would have been a blurring mass of color and shapes was clear to him thanks to his eye. A D-rank technique elevated to a lethal killing machine. The calling card of Shisui Uchiha.

The two combatants engaged in a flurry of high-speed strikes, but it was not even. Shisui held the advantage, piercing through B's guard with glancing blows. Nothing lethal. Nothing that would directly slow him. But over time blood loss would increase, and the Jinchuriki would fall.

B frowned.

So, this was the strategy of Shisui the One Eye? How pathetic.

B prepared to kick it up a notch only for his eyes to widen as dozens of clones of Shisui appeared in front of him. He recoiled, unsure which was the real one as they all moved. Were they all solid clones? He couldn't be sure. He swung at one, watching as his blades carved through it without any resistance. No.

Afterimages.

He had no time to react as a kunai stabbed into his back. He tried to lash out at the man, but Shisui was already gone, leaving just another afterimage for B to hit. The Jinchuriki hissed, lightning flowing across his blades before he morphed into a buzzsaw. B carved across the ground, ripping it asunder and throwing smoke in the air as he charged through the afterimages until all had disappeared. When the last faded B came to a stop, eyes watching.

He shifted the second he saw the dust in the air move. Fireballs descended on him, detonating on the ground with massive explosions and forcing him to weave the attacks. When the last one hit was when Shisui struck, blade lancing across B's forehead. B snarled, chasing after Shisui in an instant. The Uchiha's eyes widened at the reckless movement, watching as B managed to keep up with him.

'He doesn't have the Sharingan to track my movements. Are his eyes trained to work at such speeds? I suppose it makes sense. He is the brother of the Raikage after all.'

The idea wasn't entirely out of reason. But instead of using Raiton chakra to increase his speed like the Raikage did, B was using an entirely different method.

B's eyes were a crimson red, not that Shisui could see them underneath his sunglasses.

Shisui grit his teeth, realizing he would not be able to keep up his hit-and-run strategy against the man. So instead, he turned and fought, hands in a seal before he unleashed a storm of flame right at the Jinchuriki. B barreled right through it, flames burning his skin. Shisui had seen it all, instead leaping into the air. He had seen B reach out and miss the grab to pull him back down to earth. His Sharingan did not lie to him. It could detect the minutia of muscle movements and chakra activation. There was no jutsu he could not see coming.

And yet when the tail of an octopus wrapped around his leg and flung him around like a ragdoll he had not expected it. B smashed him into the ground, causing Shisui to grunt in pain. The tail then contracted, pulling Shisui into a devastating lariat that snapped his neck backwards. B turned, eager to look at the corpse only for his eyes to narrow as he saw the splinters of charrred wood where Shisui's body should be.

"You are a frightening man, Killer B," Shisui called. His voice echoed throughout the battlefield; his precise location unknown. "To change your tactics on such short notice isn't something most shinonbi can do. And your physical capabilities are truly impressive. In a straight on battle, I can't beat you."

"Of course, ya can't, fool ya fool! I'm the number one Jinchuriki! I float like a butterfly, call me Killer B! Whee!"

Shisui blinked.

"Wow, you actually made a rap that's not half bad."

B grinned, letting more of the Hachibi's chakra flow over his body. A boiling miasma of chakra flowed over him, creating a bubbly mass with eight tails sprouting from the back. Shisui's eyes narrowed as he instantly felt the pressure descend over the battlefield. A wave of killing intent that poisoned the very air around him. Suddenly he was very happy he had sent the other Konoha shinobi away.

This was a Perfect Jinchuriki he was engaging against. It would do him well to not hold back.

Shisui crouched, the lone Sharingan eye he possessed spinning wildly.

"Let's get this started, you against me," B roared.

B catapulted forwards, not bothering to try and detect where Shisui was. The man screamed "Whee!" through the air as he smashed through trees and rocks alike. Red tendrils of chakra wrapped around trees, swinging them around like baseball bats as B lashed out in random fits of rage. Shisui could only watch with wonder in his eyes. Was this truly how an S-class shinobi fought?

Suddenly B's thrashing stopped before he spun, smashing the surrounding trees at their base and sending all of them to the ground. Shisui's eyes widened as the tree he was on began to collapse, revealing him from his position hidden in the flames.

'He made me drop my guard?'

B pounced like a predator on prey, appearing in front of Shisui in an instant. His punch shot forwards, forcing Shisui to raise his arms in a vain attempt at a block. By all technical definitions he had blocked the strike, but reality was something different than simply where the blow had landed. Shisui was blown backwards, feeling a bone break from the force. The Uchiha grit his teeth as he cratered into the ground, feeling his body creak in protest.

B was there to capitalize, unleashing a storm of ink in Shisui's direction. The Uchiha's eyes narrowed, chakra already building in his chest when he saw the future displayed in front of him. Flame met ink in a clash of the elements, quickly overpowering it and cancelling the attack. Boiling ink dropped to the ground, only to rise in the form of clones of Killer B that charged at the Uchiha. Shisui met them with his own afterimage clones, and the duo began a deadly dance of speed and ninjutsu throughout the battlefield.

Jets of oil met streams of fire.

Ink met lightning, frying it before it managed to pin Shisui like it had the earlier shinobi.

Clone met clone.

The environment rattled with the blows of the two combatants, but it was B who quickly grew displeased with the delicate balance. His tails of chakra shot into the ground and with a roar he uprooted the battlefield, sending massive chunks of rock and soil flying into the air. Spouts of water from underground geysers splurged into the air, covering the battlefield in a thin film of water.

Shisui was quick to use it. He leapt from each chunk of earth to float above B before weaving handseals. In a flash two dragons of water were roaring their existence to the universe, descending down upon Killer B. B snarled, unleashing one of the few long range ninjutsu he had.

"Raiton Dan: Ibuki (Lightning Release Bullet: Powerful Breath)!"

The bolt of lightning from B's fists charged upwards, blasting through the twin water dragons. Shisui paid it no mind, his hands continuing to weave through handseals as his eyes tracked B. He saw the man leap up as if in slow motion, and knew he was going for another one of those lariats. He was a direct fighter, it made reading him with his Sharingan particularly easy. He unleashed his counter-jutsu immediately.

"Fūton: Shinkū Taigyoku (Wind Release: Vacuum Great Sphere)!"

The compressed ball of air smashed into B, halting his momentum instantly and sending him flying back into the ground. The wind exploded outwards, blades of wind shredding against the bubbling red chakra that covered his skin but failing to deal damage to his body. Shisui grunted, lightning flickering around a kunai in his hand that he jabbed into the cloak. His eyes widened as it too failed to pierce the veil.

B grinned.

His hand shot up, stopping Shisui from moving before he smashed his head into the Uchiha's face. Shisui recoiled, noise broken and blood pouring from the injury. B pressed him, a hook smashing against Shisui's face that sent him stumbling backwards. The Jinchuriki followed up with a straight that would have smashed Shisui's face into a bloody pulp had it hit. Instead, his body melted into crows that reformed behind B. B whirled only for the ground to swirl. He felt the urge to vomit before a kick smashed into his face, forcing him to stumble backwards. The deafening squawk of dozens of crows filled his ears as the birds began to circle him.

Shisui stared at him through the veil, his body half-merged with the avian species, half not.

Chains erupted from the ground, pulling B to the ground with otherworldly strength. Killer B snarled. These were not subtle genjutsu. No, these were designed to completely overpower him, and they were working.

Shisui shot forwards, blade in hand as he hacked away at the red bubbling chakra. He had nothing strong enough to pierce that veil quickly, so instead he hacked away. Red chakra flew in the air with every cut, smashing onto the ground as he got closer and closer to B's flesh. Finally, he struck home, blade piercing B's chest right above the heart before the Jinchuriki managed to free himself. Shisui made to unleash a storm of chakra into B's system, frying him and ending the fight only for B to break free.

Luckily for him he saw it happen before it occurred.

Shisui leapt away as B's fist flew through the air where he once was. The Jinchuriki was glaring at him, crimson chakra flaring wildly. Shisui made to escape only for eight tendrils of violent chakra to chase after him. They attacked from impossible angles from eight different directions, challenging the Uchiha's capabilities. Shisui weaved between them, a phantom incapable of being touched. His lone crimson eye spun rapidly as he leapt from place to place, avoiding attacks that would have maddened any not blessed with the Kekkei Genkai.

That all changed when Raiton chakra surged through the tendrils with a cry of "Whee!". The elemental storm surged through the bubbling red chakra of the Hachibi, serving to increase their speed. Shisui's eyes widened at the sight. There was no recorded history of a Jinchuriki being capable of channeling their elemental chakra through the chakra of their Bijuu. They were usually limited to using either their elemental nature or whatever unique abilities their Bijuu had. Combining the two was unheard of.

'I see why he's considered the true Perfect Jinchuriki.'

Shisui's Sharingan was old. Trained. Fully mastered. There was little in the shinobi world that could move faster than a Sharingan eye could predict. And yet, he was confronted with eight now. Still, the Uchiha was fast, and he relied on that. He disappeared in a burst of speed, desperate to avoid the attacks. For a time, it worked. But randomness and desperation was not a strategy that could last an eternity against a foe on the caliber of the one he faced. The tendrils of chakra quickly wrapped around him, electricity burning through his body. Drool fell from his mouth before his eyes rolled back.

B was quick to maintain the offensive, pulling Shisui towards him with his arm cocked back to deliver a devastating lariat that would end the fight and the Uchiha's life. The blow struck true, but instead of snapping Shisui's neck the world around B shattered like glass. B's eyes widened.

'When?'

"After the electricity. He cast a genjutsu on you, but he's on his last legs. End this B."

The Jinchuriki snapped his head to see Shisui kneeling on the ground ahead of him, drool still dripping from his mouth. B smirked. His earlier plan had been successful. The Uchiha had nowhere to run to now that the terrain was destroyed. He was left with only open clearings that denied him the ability to sneak away into the shadows. It brought the battlefield to his advantage.

B shot forwards, eager to put the battle to rest. His punch cratered through Shisui's skull only for the Uchiha to grin.

"Got ya."

B's eyes widened as he punched through the man. The Hachibi's eyes widened.

"A regular Bunshin (Clone)!"

B whirled but it was too late. Shisui was there, Raiton chakra surrounding his kunai as he lurched forwards. The attack was halted by the bubbling chakra that surrounded his foe. Shisui's lone Sharingan eye began to spin as he stared directly into B's eyes once more. As their internal war began Shisui attacked from the outside. He poked and prodded at the bubbling chakra, desperate to pierce the veil. The genjutsu was only a distraction, meant to delay B's response by a fraction of a second.

It worked.

By the time B broke free from the genjutsu the bubbling red chakra of the Hachibi no longer surrounded his neck. Shisui's knife lurched forward for the killing blow.

Unfortunately, a fraction of a second was all the time B needed to end the assault completely.

The bubbling red chakra was a thing of the past.

The ground underneath the duo cracked, sinking from the heavy force created from the weight of the chakra that swirled around B. Eight swishing tails of malevolent red chakra swirled behind him as B's skin burnt off of his skin, leaving nothing but a nearly black layer of boiling chakra to envelop him. The stench of burning flesh filled the air as Shisui's knife made contact but failed to break the skin. The Uchiha hissed as he felt the hand holding B sizzle from the sheer heat of the man's chakra. He retreated instantly but before he could get far B was there, grabbing him by the ankle and throwing him into the ground.

Shisui howled as he felt his bones groan under the pressure before a punch cratered into his midsection. He felt the snap of three ribs before he rocketed backwards, skidding against the ground. As he came to a stop he wheezed, desperate to bring in as much air as possible. His stamina and speed had been crippled from the blow, but his mind raced with possibility.

What was this form? An additional chakra cloak beyond the first, that much was clear. The man was a beacon of light to his Sharingan eye but entirely impossible to predict. Whatever this was, it was beyond his capabilities.

"This is my Bājon Tsū (Version 2) cloak! It makes me a better and faster Jinchuriki! That's why they call me Lord B, you get me! Whee!"

Shisui rose from the ground, pain flashing through his body like a poison. He rose all the faster still. This was nothing he had not dealt with before.

Instead, he smiled at his opponent.

"Ah, you live up to your reputation Killer B."

B nodded along. Shisui wanted to laugh. The man truly did believe his own hype, but with power like this he could not blame him. This was power. The title Jinchuriki suddenly made quite a bit of sense to him. Whatever B had to give up to wield this type of power was nothing short of extraordinary.

Or maybe it was just his good sense.

Either way, Shisui was determined to meet it with the power of sacrifice he himself had earned through his trials as a shinobi.

"Unfortunately for you, I exceed mine."

B's eyes narrowed, hollow white orbs with no pupils but still capable of emitting emotion. He saw it happen before his eyes. Shisui's lone crimson eye shift into a strange pattern of the Sharingan he had never seen before.

"None have seen this eye and lived, Jinchuriki. Let us hope you shall not be the first."

The host of the Hachibi and the wielder of the Mangekyou Sharingan stared at each other for a brief moment, each cautious of the newfound abilities their opponent was sure to possess before they both disappeared in bursts of speed.

---

The terrain of Hotsprings was historically pristine. A beautiful land of green plains and bountiful forests, it had all the makings of an economic powerhouse. The natural hotsprings and geysers that flowed into channels in the earth deep underground from the Locust Bay only served to bolster that economic prosperity. Some considered it a natural wonder of the world. The spring water had a large mineral content, making it a popular export. Even their potatoes were rumored to taste better than the ones grown in other parts of the Elemental Nations. The country had quickly grown into an economic powerhouse that brokered a stable political position. Trade agreements with almost all countries, an alliance with Fire, and a burgeoning economy had made it safe from war. No country wanted to hurt the benefits of the produce and Hotsprings did not wish to harm the tourism industry that was so popular here. They had even gotten rid of the original shinobi village that had existed within these lands, Yugakure.

A small section of this pristine terrain, cursed by the ravages of war and battles between two Great Powers, would never be the same underneath the weight of two clashing titans.

Green met blue in a flurry of flesh, fist, and power. The auras crackled against one another violently as the two storming energies lashed out, cracking the earth that surrounded them. The force from the two foes colliding blows shattered rock and sent shockwaves that destabilized the cavern they were fighting in. The ground shuddered from their feats of strength. It groaned from the weight of their bodies. It begged for peace.

Yet the two men clashed once more, iron-willed, each determined to overpower their foe.

Gai struck first. His skill in taijutsu was the superior. He spun forwards with a kick, that A just barely managed to block with his forearms. Yet Gai spun with the kick, lashing out with a body blow that forced the Raikage to block with his elbow. The Raikage snarled, lashing out with a cross Gai dodged. A tried to follow up and seize the incentive from his opponent with a kick, but Gai was faster. His knee met the Raikage's kick cold, stopping it before his other leg flew up and smashed into his chest, sending him stumbling backwards.

Gai unleashed a flurry of kicks as a follow up, the Raikage's arms moving masterfully to deflect them all. Still, his attempt at controlling the fight had been stopped. Gai lashed out with a backfist that was neatly blocked by the Raikage's elbow once more. Gai lashed out with a series of blows. Body shots, head kicks, and feints that continued to push the Raikage backwards. After the flurry there was a brief moment of rest the Raikage tried to capitalize on, lashing out with a straight that was neatly blocked. In his rage the Raikage went for a hook and Gai saw his opportunity.

His leg snapped upwards, cracking across the Raikage's chin. The man stumbled backwards but had little time to focus on the wound as Gai came down with a series of elbows towards the head that forced the Raikage to block recklessly. Gai increased the pressure with a series of hooks the Raikage just barely managed to slip away from, stepping to the side of the Konoha shinobi. He spun, lightning flickering off him in a brilliant blue hue that illuminated the dark cavern they fought in to attempt a liver shot to cripple the shinobi, yet Gai spun with him, deflecting the attack and kicking his foe in his back. The Raikage stumbled with the blow before he roared his counter at Gai. He shot forwards, but Gai mimicked his movement from not a second before, stepping outside the attack and to the side before lashing out with an uppercut that shattered the Raikage's momentum.

A stumbled backwards, shaking his head as he stared at his opponent. Rage began to form on his face.

'I will not be beat by Konoha taijustu!'

The Raikage shot to the side, his motion impossible to perceive at short distances before he crashed against the wall of the cavern. With a roar he shot towards Gai, a freight train reaching high enough velocity that Gai knew he couldn't dare try to intercept. Instead, he dodged the attack, his head barely ducking underneath the devastating lariat A swung his way that instead clobbered through a pillar of stone that stretched deep underground. Yet the Raikage was quick. He crashed against the walls of the cavern again before leaping at Gai. This time however, blue light flashed off his body. Gai grit his teeth, raising his hands to stop the lariat he couldn't see.

Instead, A snatched him by his face and smashed the shinobi into the ground, the blow landing at the same time another shudder rippled across the battlefield courtesy of the weaponry being used above. A roared, cocking back and punch and smashing it into Gai's guard. The ground caved beneath their feet, dropping them deeper into the depths of the earth to a large underground cave system. Gai took the opportunity to get back to his feet and gain some distance from the man.

The Raikage was desperate to keep it close, lashing out with a wild hook that Gai ducked. He tried to reverse course with a backfist, but Gai met the blow with his own elbow, a smirk dancing across his face as he did so. The Raikage's deranged smile met Gai's. The leader of Kumo lashed out with two front kicks Gai easily deflected. He tried to lash out with a roundhouse, but Gai dodged that as well. The smirk on Gai's face turned into a grin as he lashed out with a roundhouse of his own that the Raikage would have blocked with his shoulder only for Gai's leg to twist and snap into a side kick that smashed into his broken ribcage, sending him stumbling backwards and crying out in pain.

Gai continued his pressure, an axe-kick swinging overhead that the Raikage blocked, but the force brought him to his knees and cratered the ground beneath the duo. It was quick thinking that saved the Raikage from any further pressure, grabbing Gai's leg and flinging him into a stone pillar. Gai grunted but managed to leap out of the way as the Raikage's fist implanted itself where his skull once was, causing the pillar to collapse. He turned to look at Gai only to meet two kicks that smashed into his chest. Blood fell from the kage's mouth as Gai pressured his advantage, snapping with a kick that brought the Raikage's legs out from under him and then another that smashed into his chest to send him flying backwards.

The kage rolled against the ground, forming a crevice from the force. As he came to a stop he looked up at his foe, blood dripping from his forehead and mouth as he felt the bones in his body creak. He sat there for longer than he would have liked, desperate to suck in as much air as he could. He felt the blazing pain in his chest and knew Gai's strategy.

'He wants to take my air away from me. Cocky bastard.'

Gai didn't intend to give the Raikage long to breathe. He lashed out with another series of kicks, his leg snapping at awkward angles that the Raikage had enough speed to block but not the skill. They were clumsy, and the blows often blew through his guard forcing him backwards. Gai grinned.

"Ah, I expected more Raikage! You talked so much about Kumo's great taijutsu, and yet you are failing. Is your taijutsu bad, or are your flames of youth close to extinguishing?"

Gai spun, lashing out with a kick that the Raikage by all means blocked only for the blow to crater through his guard. He flew backwards, smashing against the wall and dropping to his knees. Gai smirked, clenching his fists as flame began to shroud them once more. The Raikage winced.

"This is it, Raikage. It seems I did not need the Kyōmon after all. Hold no shame," Gai said, touching his half-torn off face. "You have fought well."

The Raikage smirked, rising to his feet to stare at the taijutsu master before him.

"I acknowledge that you're my superior Gai," A muttered. The words sounded like a mix between a compliment and a hateful insult. "But I will not be the one who dies this day."

"That's the spirit! Don't let your flames of youth go out in a flicker but a brilliant blaze!"

A snorted. He could see where the younger copy got his politeness from.

Gai charged, lashing out with two kicks that A dodged. The blows smashed into the wall, destroying it. The cavern shook, beginning to crumble from all its stabilization collapsing. Gai turned, lashing out with a kick that A swatted down. Gai turned his body with the deflection, changing targets in an instant and cracking into the Raikage's knee and causing him to stumble. Gai used it as a launch pad to lash out with a kick at the Raikage's head only for his shin to be met with the Raikage's elbow. Gai hissed, bringing his leg back as the Raikage smirked.

And the tides of battle began to shift.

Gai's storm of blows continued, primarily focused on kicks ever since he learned the Raikage's particularly susceptibility to his technique. But the blows did not land. The Raikage could weave between them and lash out with punches of his own. They did not land but it was clear his previous strategy would not work. Before Gai could switch strategies the Raikage capitalized. Gai lashed out with a punch that the Raikage smashed with his own foot at the elbow, forcing Gai to halt his attack. Another kick was launched but was met with an elbow to the knee that Gai forced Gai to howl as he felt the bone crack.

They both stepped forwards. Gai threw a hook, but the Raikage ducked in, leaning in to deliver a straight that he could feel Gai's ribcage give out under. Two ribs had broken from the force. Blood shot from the man's mouth, but he still managed to block the follow-up hook the Raikage launched at him. He even stepped back just out of range of the straight that was the last in the combination, instead leaping up with a kick that the Raikage forced downwards with overwhelming strength. Gai landed, and the Raikage capitalized on the brief moment of advantage that would exist while the Green Beast stabilized. His backfist smashed into Gai's face, smashing his nose into a bloody mess.

Gai tried to force him back with two straights, but the Raikage was growing more and more accustomed to the battle, instead swatting the blows down. His eyes glowed with a fierce hunger. They exchanged blows for a brief while, neither able to gain the advantage. But the Raikage was hungry, and Gai was on the defensive. As Gai lashed out with another hook the Raikage ducked instead of attempting a block. He spun in one fluid motion before lashing out with a kick that smashed into Gai's chest.

Gai flew backwards, but the pain was overruled by the Raikage's sudden switch in technique. A sudden realization dawned on him.

'He's beginning to incorporate my fighting style...impressive!'

Gai tried to seize the initiative, lashing out with a series of blows only for the Raikage to swat all of them down with swinging fists. His body twisted with the motions, moving with more fluidity than it had before despite the pain that roared in his chest. Gai's eyes widened. This unique style of motion was not native to the Gōken (Strong Fist) style that he used, and the Raikage had not used it up until now. Another style of taijutsu he had yet to reveal. To flow so neatly from one style to another, while incorporerating his opponent's style was no small feat.

Gai was unafraid. He had seen such skills before, and while they were not possessed by a foe as formidable as the Raikage he had not lost yet and did not intend to now. His spun, lashing out with a hook kick only for his eyes to widen as he realized the Raikage had spun as well. Gai's leg was faster, but the Raikage's was stronger. It cracked down on his own leg, causing Gai to hiss as his leg was forced to the ground. The Raikage snarled, lashing out with a straight that cratered into Gai's face, sending him flying into the other wall of the cavern. The rumbling of the cave system crumbling around them and the boom of weapons overhead was deafening. Gai crawled out of the hole he had formed, a smile on his face that was mirrored by the one the Raikage held.

"Yes! This is the battle I expected! A brilliant blaze of youth in a last-ditch effort for victory!"

The Raikage snarled, leaping forwards to grab Gai's tattered clothing. He pulled, but the fabric tore, leaving Gai in nothing but tattered green pants. The Green Beast capitalized off the Raikage's shock. A rookie mistake was enough to turn the tides. His leg snapped up, cracking against the Raikage's chin and sending him flipping into the sky. Gai pursued, and the two leapt across the falling rocks to avoid the cave in and return to the surface. The Raikage hurled massive chunks at his pursuant as they raced to the surface. Gai plowed through them, his fists punching them into pebbles.

Eventually they surged into the air, each of them kicking high into the air. The Raikage hurled the two massive chunks of earth he held at his opponent, smiling at Gai blew straight through them.

"Yes! Come at me, Might Gai of Konoha!"

The Raikage swung his leg downwards to meet Gai's punch. The force released a powerful shockwave through the already destroyed battlefield. The ground beneath them finished collapsing, kicking up a storm of force before both were flung away from each other. They each dug grooves into the ground as they landed, unimpeded by any environment due to the clearing they had created in their battle.

The duo waited until the smoke cleared, each breaking out in a small laugh as they saw their foe.

The Raikage was bleeding from only a few locations, but the damage was clear. His bracers were in tatters and bruises covered his body. Small indentions that were clear points of impact from Gai's kicks lay on his chest. Blood poured profusely from his mouth and his jaw hung somewhat limp. It could not rest smoothly from the attacks.

Meanwhile, Gai's injuries were much more visually clear. Half his face was torn off, and his clothes were practically gone. He too was covered in bruises, and his body was stumbling, uncertain on its feet. The two men had been battered by their battle, each of them visibly exhausted.

Even the flickering auras that had once crowded their bodies had disappeared.

Their wounds were enough to kill a man. It was only due to their constant efforts to push their bodies beyond their physical limit that their wounds hadn't killed them already. A level of respect flashed between the two.

"Ah, if only we met under different circumstances," Gai exclaimed. "I would have loved to have a rival quite like you. You're almost as good as Kakashi."

"Don't insult me," the Raikage insisted. "This is a battle Hatake could never give you! That satisfying feeling of bones breaking underneath the weight of your blows, the pressure of feeling earth-shattering punches rip into your body, it is something only taijutsu masters have felt, and ever will feel!"

The two men smiled, but it was not long after when Gai's smile dropped. The Raikage's smile dropped not long after, sensing the shift in attitude. Something was coming. He could feel it.

"Unfortunately, I have no choice but to do this to secure this victory. I must rely on Shisui to defeat your brother."

Gai's body began to glow. He grit his teeth as he felt his body protesting. It had already been through hell and back and here he was demanding it do it once more. It was a training method he was used to, but it didn't make it any less painful.

"This next technique will be nothing like the last. It is a special, single-blow attack. It's something you'll rarely see, so consider yourself lucky, Raikage!"

And then a surge of brilliant bluish-white aura surrounded Gai as he activated the Kyōmon. Dust and debris swirled around him in a violent storm. The ground itself shuddered from the force. The Raikage smirked. The sound of a mighty explosion rippled through the air, its origins unclear. Gai roared his existence to the universe, his voice echoing from the sheer power he was radiating. The ground shook as the energy from Gai's release could not be contained, simulating an earthquake. Gai's eyes stared at his foe, orbs of crimson red that were more ominous than the Uchiha's Sharingan. The smirk on the Raikage's face fell and a chill went through the Raikage's body as he looked at his foe. His eyes were wide.

"Magnificent," he whispered.

And then the Raikage frowned, a pang of disappointment arcing through him.

"The fact that I will never be able to fight you in this form will forever be one of my biggest regrets."

The brilliant bluish-white aura that surrounded Gai stopped, flickering into brilliant specs of energy as a mighty boom cracked the ground and blew a hole in the debris-filled hole the duo had created with their battle. The Raikage averted his eyes, grimacing as the brilliant flash of light nearly blinded him. It took all his concentration to keep himself grounded with his chakra as the ground rumbled with a titanic earthquake due to the weapon. The apex of Kumo's military advancement. The railgun's had proven critical in the battle today. Not because they had devastated bulk of the Konoha force from long range, but precisely because of this moment.

The hole in Gai's midsection was large. Too large, even with a proficient medic close by.

A fatal wound.

The Konoha shinobi's eyes were wide, clearly not having expected the weapons to be directed at him. He could dodge the techniques at his best. The Raikage had known this well. That was why he had wanted to fight the man. To tire him out. Cripple his speed. Injure him. Distract him. Just to the point where he could be reached by the weapon. Where the attack was not a guaranteed failure.

And it had been a success.

A painful success, but a success.

The Raikage approached the man as he fell, catching him. He looked down at his foe.

"Tch. That attack damn near failed."

The wound was not centered in Gai's body but angled closer to his right side. The shinobi had moved to dodge. It could only have happened after the lightning made contact with his body.

Gai had almost managed to avoid the attack after it had already struck him. A could only stare in amazement.

Gai gurgled, the shock on his face slowly settling into acceptance. A stared at him.

"You were a mighty warrior Might Gai," A stated. "There is no honor in my victory. But before my love of fighting comes my duty to Kumogakure. Forgive me."

A's eyes met Gai's.

"Do not struggle in death. You deserve your rest."

Gai continued to gurgle, struggling to get words out. The Raikage frowned, shaking his head.

"How could I say that? I know what type of man you are. Struggling until your last breath, in a brilliant flame of youth correct?"

Gai gave no response.

The Raikage smirked.

"You were a magnificent taijutsu master Gai. You have made your village proud. Hold your head high. You have shown me heights I did not think were possible."

A looked in the distance in the direction the bolts of lightning had come from.

"Know this before you die: you beat me. I would have been unable to defend myself against the technique you had utilized."

The Raikage turned his head, his mind drifting back to the copy of the dying man before him.

"I find it hard to believe your student could even surpass you."

Gai grinned.

"Of course, he will," he ground out. Speaking was hard for him. The Raikage watched, impressed. He hadn't expected such a strong will from a dying man, even when such as Gai. Once again, the man was surprising him.

"He is my most brilliant disciple...Rock Lee."

A nodded, burning the name into his mind. The student who had managed to actually hit him earlier. If he were anything like his sensei, it would be a significant problem if he allowed him to escape this battlefield today to grow into such a sizeable threat.

But part of him, the martial artist in him and not the kage that was responsible for a shinobi village and a country, hated the idea of snuffing out the youth when they held so much promise.

The part of him that had wanted to beat Gai honestly, instead of relying on the power of his weapons.

"I will commit his name to memory Gai. If duty wills it, I will give him the battle you were denied."

Gai smiled, his eyes growing hazy. He looked up into the sky.

"Ah, father. Were my flames of youth...as bright...as yours..."

The Raikage watched the man still. He shook his head, closing Gai's eyes before he stood. His body hurt, and pain ravaged him, but he knew he still had a battle to win. He was the Raikage. He could not go get treatment while men were fighting under his name. He had a war to wage. He quickly grabbed the lone Heal Pill he had on his person. It wasn't intended to tend to wounds as serious as the ones he was currently suffering from, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. There was still a battle raging and somewhere Shisui Uchiha was fighting his brother.

A feeble lightning aura surrounded him, the only one he could draw upon. One that would put him out of the range of most Konoha shinobi, but far below the mighty power Gai had demonstrated just a few moments before.

"Goodbye...Gai."

And the Raikage took off, leaving the body of Gai there.

Where it would remain, until a Konoha reclamation team came to get it when the world learned the news.

Might Gai, Green Beast of Konoha.

Dead.

---

Shisui had never fought a foe such as this before. Shisui was a legend on the battlefield, a shinobi that struck fear into the eyes of shinobi even with him missing one of his Sharingan eyes. There were not many shinobi that could make him feel inadequate and fewer still that could make him feel fear.

Killer B was one of those few.

The Mangekyou Sharingan had been a boon, a gift that allowed him to fight on a more even playing field with the Perfect Jinchuriki. With its vision he could see the man move, even if just barely. He could react in time to avoid being struck, but even his eyes failed to give him enough time to counterattack. He had hastily thrown together jutsu under flurries of attacks, but no matter what element he threw at the man they were all shrugged off. The chakra cloak that coated his form had no elemental weaknesses, and its strength far outclassed the previous one. Before Shisui knew it bone covered the man's appendages, increasing his destructive capacity.

It took him all he could to avoid being crushed to a pulp underneath the overwhelming strength and speed of his opponent. For once in his life, Shisui Uchiha felt slow.

Instead of countering with ninjutsu that Uchiha had switched his strategy. His body was a murder of crows as he slipped through his opponents' fingers. There was not much he could physically do to the man. All of the genjutsu in the world wouldn't create an opening strong enough for him to physically harm his opponent, as was the typical strategy of those who specialized in taijutsu and genjutsu as he did. And unfortunately, he lacked the requisite ninjutsu or taijutsu to pierce the thick chakra that protected the man's body.

So instead, he relied on the one tool he held that could possibly harm the Jinchuriki. The one tool he had shown a weakness against, one that he could use even faster than he could weave handseals or slit an opponent's throat.

The realm of the mind.

Wave after wave of genjutsu ripped into the Jinchuriki, layers upon layers that forced both him and the Bijuu inside to dedicate a significant amount of attention to dispelling. The openings he created were large. Large enough to distract the Bijuu and Jinchuriki just enough to completely eradicate them both mentally. Or at least, that was what he hoped as he delved back into B's subconscious.

The battlefield from earlier was visible to him once more, only this time it was active. Shisui had never truly bothered to see what genjutsu might look like in one's subconscious, but it certainly was not this. Virulent whips of green chakra burst from the ground, lashing out violently at B and the Hachibi. They wrapped around their limbs as the duo desperately tried to fight them off. The Hachibi was much more successfully than the human. More tendrils were required to bind it, in comparison to B who struggled to fend off the five that were quickly enveloping him.

Shadowy figures that looked eerily like himself swirled around the duo, crows screeching as they composed the bodies of his doppelgangers. Even the Hachibi's mighty strength failed to dispel them. It roared and struggled, ripping the green tendrils to shreds, and blowing away the copycats, only for more to take their place. Shisui watched from on high, continuing his assault of genjutsu. He felt his chakra tendrils hiss at him, clearly unhappy with his method of fighting but he had no choice. He felt the searing pain of blood bubbling from his eyes, but he did not still.

He had to entrench the two so deeply in genjutsu they slipped into a blissful unconscious. It was the only method of victory available to him. That, or wait for Gai, which was an inherently unreliable strategy given who the man was fighting.

So, he unleashed even more genjutsu. His eyes burned, and he wanted to scream from the pain. The crows that formed his copies shuddered, flickering briefly before a storm of green tendrils erupted from the ground. The Hachibi's eyes met his and the beast snarled at him.

"Uchiha!"

The beast would only get the response of the green tendrils wrapping around its limbs and throat. It struggled, but eventually it was pinned to the ground next to its Jinchuriki. B had been placed there long ago, completely enveloped by the genjutsu. The Hachibi's gaze never left him. If looks could kill Shisui was sure he would have been dead many times over. But the Hachibi was not an Uchiha.

Its looks could not kill.

And then the green tendrils covered it.

Shisui snapped back to reality, his body raging at him. His nerves felt like flame. He dropped to his knees, grabbing at his eye as he forced it shut. Blood poured profusely from it, a sign of strain. He winced, stumbling to his feet and opening his eye once more only for it to be a hazy and dark sight. The Uchiha grimaced. He had overused his eyes. It would take him time to regain a semblance of his previous vision, and even then, it would partially never recover. The cost of the Mangekyou was great. Eventually he would go blind. His vision had dimed today.

Still, he had won.

The catatonic state of the Jinchuriki before him was clear of that. No longer was he wreathed in an oppressive, malevolent chakra that could not be pierced. He was no longer the unstoppable force. Now, for the briefest of moments until the duo could fight off his layers of genjutsu, he was the Perfect Jinchuriki no longer.

He was human.

Shisui shuffled over, breathing heavily with each movement. His body felt like it had been put through a training session with Fugaku, and his chakra coils felt like lava ripping themselves through his body. Yet he felt satisfaction as he looked down on his opponent. He had won. He had defeated the mighty Jinchuriki of Kumo. If Gai had defeated the Raikage this had turned from a devastating defeat to an overwhelming victory. The death of those two would force Kumo to sue for peace, and they would accept whatever demands Konoha made.

They would win the war.

The Uchiha stilled as he heard the deafening ripple of thunder echo through the air before he saw a mighty explosion of chakra and electricity. He frowned at the sight. Whatever or whoever Kumo had utilizing those long-range lightning attacks was a problem, but they could not stand against him alone. He would kill the Jinchuriki before him, and then move on. He raised a kunai, preparing to strike down on the Jinchuriki before him only for him to turn and deflect a storm of shuriken that had been launched at him. His eyes narrowed, a noticeable lack of crimson in them.

Twenty Kumo shinobi, all pushing towards him. He cursed. He moved to finish off B, only for a masterful Kawarimi (Substitution) to swap the location of B and one of the Kumo shinobi. His kunai cut through their throat, but their goal had been achieved as the river of blood flew through the air. B was in the Kumo shinobi's party, retreating. Shisui cursed, feeling his body protest but he had to ignore it. This was a golden opportunity; one he would not get often. He had to pursue the forces and kill B. He downed a soldier pill before giving chase, irritated at the sudden appearance of the Kumo shinobi.

They broke off in sections to delay him, hopeless as it may be. He carved a path through the shinobi with ease. Tired and in pain he may be, was still above them. Sure, it took him longer than a singular clean swipe, but no engagement lasted longer than ten seconds. Ten seconds was lots of time to a shinobi, but with speed like his they could not escape in such a short amount of time. Shisui felt his irritation rise as he carved his way through the Kumo forces. Where was the Konoha force? Surely, they had not been defeated by the Kumo shinobi? Gai and he had engaged with the primary threats, there was no reason for them to have been overwhelmed where Kumo could send a contingent to check on B.

Unless of course the lightning user from before had devastated more of their force than Shisui had thought possible. As another boom of thunder courtesy of that mysterious attack met his ears Shisui realized why Kumo had been able to be so mobile. Their long-range artillery had indeed turned the tide of battle in their favor. It simply made it even more important that he kill B here. They may never get another chance again.

The Uchiha's Sharingan burned back to life as the soldier pill finally took effect, and just in time. He saw the bolt of lightning flash towards him in slow motion, his eyes widening as he saw the slag within it. He curved over the attack, eyes burning with rage as the artillery had fired at him.

Had they been targetting him? Were they luring him into a trap? He couldn't be sure. He simply had to hope he could continue his assault with this newfound variable. His speed increased as he used more chakra to fuel his Shunshin. What was once a seamless disappearance had become a frenzied storm of leaves as he stopped caring about control to increase his speed. His body was a blur in the field as he carved through the Kumo shinobi, eventually cornering the one that held B.

The Kumo shinobi raised a sword, but knew it was helpless. Shisui easily batted it aside before slashing his throat. The deadweight that was B didn't even have time to reach the ground before Shisui pounced on it, kunai arcing towards B's throat.

However, a dented bracer blocked the attack before he could do anything. Shisui's eyes narrowed as he looked at his new foe.

The Raikage.

A storm of thoughts raced through his mind as he saw the broken man before him. But one rang predominantly over the others.

"Where is Gai?"

"Dead," A stated matter of factly. "He fought valiantly, if you care."

Shisui frowned. Gai was dead? The very concept was one that was hard for him to stomach, but he couldn't deny the proof before him. Gai would never have let A get far away from him in a battle like this, and there was no other opponent on the battlefield that would have demanded the full attention of Gai according to reports from their sensors. Yugito nor Darui were on the battlefield.

Shisui bit his lip. What had once looked like the possibility of an overwhelming victory had changed tides once again.

This was a pyrrhic victory at best, and a catastrophic lost at worst.

Ideally, he could kill the Raikage and B right now. The Raikage was clearly not in top shape, and B was still out cold. While he was in nowhere near his best condition, he had to wager he could create an opening large enough for him to get the killing blow on both of them. The Raikage was not noted to have a significant genjutsu resistance. If he used the same strategy he had utilized on B...

Well...killing the Raikage and the Jinchuriki of the Hachibi was worth going blind for.

However, just as his eyes shifted into the unmistakable Mangekyou, the worst possible outcome occurred.

B's eyes snapped open.

The Jinchuriki hopped to his feet, getting a look from A.

"What took you so long, B!"

"Ah, sorry bro! He took my mind on a trip, I couldn't see the world for shit!"

"Bah, whatever. You're here now. Gai died; our strategy worked. Now...it's time for him."

Shisui hesitated, taking a step back now that the legendary A and B duo stood before him. Injured or exhausted they may be, Shisui was no fool. He could not stand against them both, even if he was at his best. B had already been above his capabilities, a trial overcome only through sacrificing much of one of his senses.

Even if he could do that to both of them, he would be too exhausted to capitalize on it. No, his best course of action at this moment was to flee. Konoha had lost this battle the second Gai had died. At best he could recover the body of his fellow Jonin.

At worst he would be joining him.

"Give in, Shisui Uchiha," A stated. "I respect the warrior spirit shown by Gai and yourself. You have made your villages proud. You have done your duty to the best of your abilities. But your strength pales in comparison to the might of Kumogakure. Meet your death with acceptance, and the Sage may welcome you into the Pure Land."

Shisui snorted.

"I think I have a bit of time left before I head to the Pure Lands."

"Do you not recognize the situation before you," A insisted. "You cannot defeat us both. You will die here. You are out of options. There are no reinforcements coming."

"See, that's where I have a problem," Shisui stated. He laughed, one filled with the hollow insanity only a man confronted with his imminent demise could give off.

"Who decided I was out of options?"

A and B shot forwards, neither interested in seeing what trick the Uchiha was up to. Unfortunately for them, fast as they were, and they were some of the fastest shinobi on the planet, neither moved faster than the Sharingan could weave genjutsu. Shisui's eyes locked onto B, and the genjutsu that would save his life activated.

"Kotoamatsukami (Distinguished Heavenly Gods)."

A's fist was inches from Shisui's face before B's fist sent him flying in a different direction. A flipped the air, landing on his feet. He stared at B, a wrathful look on his face.

"What the hell are you doing B!"

"Protecting my brother, fool ya fool," B insisted. "I won't let an Uchiha kill the Raikage. That would not be cool!"

A stared at B as if he had grown a second head.

"What are you talking about? I'm your brother B!"

"Not in his eyes," Shisui stated, dropping to the ground as the side-effects of the genjutsu shot into his body like a bullet. He stumbled on the ground, completely ravaged by the battles he had endured this day. "Not right now."

A glared at the Uchiha.

"What have you done?"

Shisui smirked. His only regret was that he couldn't have given a more complex order to B. But the more intense the order, the more intense the mind control, and the harsher the side effects. He had neither the chakra nor the stamina to completely turn B onto Konoha's side. He simply had enough to switch his position with the Raikage's in his mind. Shisui wondered if he had made the correct decision, waiting this long to deploy his ace in the hole. He preferred to not use the genjutsu if he didn't have to. The time it took to utilize the jutsu again was immense. He had managed to decrease the timer from its previous time of a decade to a five-year gap, but five years for a shinobi was a lifetime. He had always wanted to keep it as his final check on any opponent who proved too much for him.

But he had spent it here.

'Oh well,' Shisui thought. It couldn't be helped. But if he could kill the Raikage here...

'Then it will be worth it.'

Shisui dashed away, his body too ravaged to continue the battle that had quickly begun to unfold between the Raikage and Killer B. Killer B was the aggressor, but it was notable to the Uchiha that he was not utilizing the powers of the Hachibi. Perhaps it was aware of the genjutsu and unwilling to assist B in his attempt to kill his elder brother. Even more reason to vacate the battle as soon as possible. He would have a limited amount of time before A and the Hachibi managed to break the genjutsu. It was hard, but not impossible.

He would have to hope B finished the Raikage and gave him enough time to escape before doing so.

Shisui came to a stop from his search when he came across a massive clearing, staring at the destruction on the battlefield. In the center lay Gai's corpse, a massive hole in his chest. Shisui frowned.

So, A's words had been true after all.

Shisui heard the clap of thunder once more, a frown forming on his face. He didn't bother to dodge, knowing the bolt was not directed at him like the other attacks had been before. Instead, he picked up Gai's body, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry I failed you...Gai," he whispered before unsealing a scroll. Flares flew into the sky before exploding at unique timing intervals. Konoha shinobi knew what the signal meant.

Retreat.

---

A/N: Yes. That's right. Gai is dead. Let me know what y'all think.

There's something I've also wanted to highlight. The first part of this story (up to Naruto v Shukaku), has pretty much been exclusively S-rank shinobi fighting each other, which is honestly super cool. But I think it also can cause a sort of...misrepresentation of how powerful these guys are. So I've been highlighting that a lot more in these recent fights (and will continue to do so now that fights will not exclusively be S-rank vs S-rank as the cast grows).

S-ranks are far, far above your average shinobi. Even shinobi like Lee, who none could think are truly average, can't really do anything to them when they get serious. What an S-rank is , in this universe at least, and what that means is a heavy weight. That's why I had that early snippet here. They're practically demigods. A low level S-rank is going to kick ass through a battlefield. Someone like Lee would who be really high A-rank, might be able to beat them though.

But the higher you reach into the 'realm' of an S-rank the further from regular 'human' shinobi standards they get. Naruto is displaying it, and we're also seeing it with the Raikage, Gai, Shisui, and B here. You need either a really, really elite plan to kill these guys, or you're just on their level. What I also hoped to emphasize in this chapter is really that styles make fights. I said it a lot in the earlier fights, but it's true. Styles make fights for a lot of S-class shinobi. We're gonna see a lot more of that for characters that are relative, or even characters that aren't relative (B and Shisui for instance), but have just completely different styles.

To clarify something about how fast Gai and A were moving during their fight. They were reliably breaking the sound barrier multiple times during their fight, I just didn't feel the need to mention it all that often outside of dramatic effect.

I also learned that the kanji for Kumo's techniques is pretty much an English word given kanji to match the pronounciation so the name of their techniques can get kinda weird.