Taking a deep breath, I ignored the rain pouring down on my body while slowly shifting through the katas of the taijutsu style Sensei had taught us, slowly doing a high kick at my imaginary foe before bringing my foot down with a soft stomp.
Dropping down and lashing out with a leg sweep, I rose to my feet and delivered a spinning side kick, sliding forward and delivering a powerful punch that I used a bit of chakra with that made the air in front of me tremble.
With each movement following that, I slowly began to pick up speed until my entire body was naught but a blur, chakra fuelling through my entire body and my eyes giving out an ominous purple glow as I leapt high and raised my leg above my head.
Falling down with a growl, I brought my foot down with an axe-kick while unleashing a powerful pulse of chakra the moment my heel made contact with the ground.
However, I may have miscalculated the timing and hissed as I heard a loud crack echoing in the air, falling to my knees while immediately placing a glowing green hand to my knee as my lower leg flopped around uselessly.
'…I'm using clones to train that first.' I thought with a groan as it took me about ten or so minutes before I had finally managed to fully reattach and heal my knee, taking a deep breath as I slowly flexed and moved my leg around to make sure there was no other damage.
"Then again, I can't use clones to train this considering they'll dispel with the first sign of pain. Hah, looks like it's training on my own unless…" I trailed off as I remembered a training method from the series that I was very hesitant to try out as while I was an Uzumaki, I wasn't sure if I could handle the strain as much as Naruto could.
'Unfortunately, if that fight against Tojuro taught me anything is that I am absolute fodder against the regular S-Ranks of this world and even they are fodder to the likes of Madara, Hashirama, Kaguya and Hagoromo…if they even are as strong in this world as they were in the canon universe.' I thought with a sigh as I raised my hands to make a cross hand sign.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu." This time, a large puff of smoke obscured me from view before it was blown away by the winds to reveal myself being surrounded by almost two dozen different clones, each of them looking just as serious as I did as I nodded.
"Which of you got the most chakra?" I asked as I felt my own replenishing, nodding as two of them raised their hands while the other 22 split up into two groups of 11.
"Good. You two will be healing me while I train myself to near-death. Right group, you all are on elemental chakra training and chakra control training. Left group, I need you all to figure out just how the Rinnegan abilities work."
"And how do we do that?" One of the clones asked and I snorted before the left group groaned as I shrugged.
"I have absolutely no clue. That's for us to figure out. Now, go." I spoke and watched as the two groups split off into the different directions needed for their training.
"As for you two, you ready?" I asked and the two clones shrugged as they sat down, leaving me to weave through a few hand signs before taking a deep breath.
Earth Style: Rock Wall
Spitting out a thin layer of mud, I watched as a solid rock wall rose up from the ground and nodded before pulling a fist back, funnelling my chakra to my body as I held my other hand against the wall as an aiming device.
With a deep breath and a grunt, my fist flew forward and crashed right into the wall while I tried to unleash the chakra pulse at the right moment, but I hissed as I felt pain rushing up from my shattered knuckles while the wall crumbled to the ground.
"Nopenopenope!" I gritted out as I held my hand out, feeling slightly relieved as one of the clones had stood up and repaired the damage to my hand.
"The wall isn't going to work, so you might as well punch the ground."
"Yeah, do we even need this? I mean, we're plenty strong already…"
"Boss, stop being a bitch and start punching." The other clone spoke up as the first sat down with a nod and I glared at both of them before kneeling on the floor and pulling a fist back.
As I punched the ground as hard as I could while unleashing a pulse of chakra once more, a thought flashed through my mind along with the severe pain as I shattered my knuckles once more.
'…Am I turning into a masochist?'
Wind Style: Great Breakthrough
Taking a deep breath, I blew out a fierce wind funnel that ripped up the ground and turned itself into a muddy horizontal tornado, my hands already making a Tiger seal as I dismissed the tornado and took another deep breath.
Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu
Spinning around in a circle while blowing out a current of hot air, the chakra immediately turned into bright orange flames that flew out in all directions, evaporating any water near me as well as rapidly increasing the temperature around me.
Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb
Weaving through another series of hand signs, the hardened ground around me cracked before mud rose up into the shape of five dragon heads around me, each opening their mouths before unleashing a barrage of earthen mud balls in all directions.
Water Style: Explosive Water Shockwave
As the dragons stopped firing, I spat out a torrent of water below my feet that lifted me up into the air while unleashing water in all directions, a grin appearing on my face as I leapt up into the air while making the Dragon hand sign.
Lightning Style: Thunderbolt
Sparks of electricity raced around my body before powerful lightning was released from my hands the moment I pointed them down at the ground, a joyful grin spreading across my face as I watched the electricity impact it and sent powerful currents in all directions.
Flowing wind chakra to my feet the moment I landed, I took a deep breath and waited until all the electricity vanished before finally dismissing the chakra under my feet while also being happy at the destructive devastation I had unleashed.
'I can safely say that I am at least competent enough to take on Gari with just my elemental ninjutsu now. That's not even adding the snake-style jutsu and genjutsu I've been working out on my own.'
"Now, time to see if it all paid off or not." I muttered to myself as I was not done yet, lifting my left leg high and bringing it down with a grunt while flowing and unleashing a pulse of chakra from my heel the moment it connected with the ground.
As I did so, I felt ecstatic at the minimal pain I felt while watching with glee at the shockwave that ripped through the ground and up-heaved it completely, standing in the middle of the large crater with my hands on my hips and a pleased look in my eyes.
"That's Elemental jutsu training and Chakra-Enhanced punch training having worked out perfect."
"And all it took you was three months with two dozen Shadow Clones. Are you sure I can't learn stuff the same way?" Yahiko asked from where he was walking closer after the devastation, Konan doing the same while I giggled as I caught Sessho jumping into my arms.
"You could, but I don't think you'd be able to train as effectively when you're barely able to move like usual." I answered as I placed the white wolf on the ground, rolling my eyes at his grumbling before turning to Konan as she spoke up.
"Well, we've been busy with our own training, but that will have to wait for now. We got another job." She said as she took out a scroll and handed it over, the frown on her face making me frown as I unrolled it and read the contents.
A-Rank Mission: Must be taken only if you are capable of completing the mission
This mission is an important mission to our village as the success of it will result in our village being able to survive the ongoing war.
You are to collect a noble of our village and escort them from the border of the Lands of Rivers across the war-torn Lands of Rain to the Kusagakure border, where shinobi of Kusa will escort them further inland towards the village itself.
The payment of this mission is five million Ryō. Yes, that is correct, five million. That is how important this mission is to our survival.
Signed,
Anonymous
"Well…"
"This is either a trap or the chance for us to get a tremendous boost to our reputation, correct?" She asked as I leapt out of the crater and I nodded with a frown as I rolled up the scroll while handing it over to Yahiko who was quick to store it away inside his kimono.
"Let me first get cleaned up and then we convene at the map to see how this mission looks like.
"Sure thing/ Understood."
"The Land of Rivers' border is to the direct south to south-east of our base, right past Ame and nearing both the Konoha and Suna borders we saw there." I began as I pointed out the spots, both Yahiko and Konan nodding as I began tracing a path from the border to the other one.
"The safest path of escort is going directly towards Ame before cutting right around it the moment we get far enough from the border, but since Iwa hates us currently and we don't know much of Suna, our best bet is to go around the east side towards the border of Kusa."
"However, that doesn't mean the plan will go smoothly as some shinobi may find out about this and be lying in wait for us to make sure we don't finish this mission." Yahiko said and I nodded as I looked at the map.
"Yeah, some of these shinobi may be Suna shinobi trying to get a chance to win this war or even Konoha shinobi that want to make sure no one wins this war seeing as they have been slowly gaining more ground as this has been going on."
"Therefore, we could also travel underground the same way and that way, no one will be able to see us leaving. Also, two of us should act as a decoy to draw attention while the others sneak away underground with the VIP, which means that it has to be Konan and I considering that you are the only one who knows the Earth Style jutsu needed for that." He answered and I sighed as I looked at them.
"That is fine, but all of this is only IF we accept this mission. We have the money to buy a tower inside Amegakure now and make that our official headquarters while we keep using this as a secret base."
"That is true. Konan, your call. I'm for and Nagato is against it." Yahiko spoke up and we both looked at the girl as she bit her lip while tracing numerous lines across the map with her finger.
However, I nodded with a smile while Yahiko gave a silent cheer as she smiled and nodded while looking at us.
"The money from this mission will more than be enough to buy two towers and use one as a decoy."
"True, then I guess it's two against one. Get prepared. We're leaving in five."
"Easy, boy. We're waiting." I whispered to Sessho as the two of us hid on the side of a tall tree, the hound crouched low on the branch besides me while I kept the both of us under a Transparency Jutsu.
Down on the ground floor, both Yahiko and Konan had serious stoic looks on their faces as numerous shinobi landed in front of them, my gaze focused on the one in the back as he placed down…an old man?
'Okay, this might be harder than I expected.' I thought with a frown as I watched the hunched-over old man walking forward, the other shinobi nodding at Yahiko and Konan who nodded back right before they all left.
"All right, old man. Get on." Yahiko spoke up as he turned his back before I hid my smirk as the old man kicked him in the back and forced him to fall over.
"No, I don't want to go jumping right now. We're walking. Oi, you in the trees with your mutt! Get down here!"
'…Never underestimate old men in anime, Nagato! That's rule number 2.' I thought with a frown as I dropped down to the ground, Sessho doing the same as the old man looked at me with a raised eyebrow before nodding.
"An Uzumaki not affiliated with Uzushio or Konoha? Ha! A good choice there, lad! Those bastards will drain ya dry!" The man exclaimed as he started walking and I looked over at Konan who looked exasperated as she helped a grumbling Yahiko.
"Kids are easy to handle. Teens and adults are even easier, but an old man…"
"Hey, you two wanted to do this mission. No complaining now." I spoke with a smirk and laughed as he glared at me before turning a betrayed glare at Konan as she giggled.
"S-hehe~Sorry~"
"Oi, dipshits! You're burning daylight! Keep it moving!"
"You heard the man." I said with a smirk and snickered as Yahiko huffed before the four of us followed alongside the man.
Welp~! Time to see how long it takes before we're caught in a fight.
"Yep, was expecting this." I muttered with a frown as we hid behind a series of rock walls, each being at least ten centimeters thick, three meters tall and five meters long as they covered us all from the explosive wind blades slashing against the wall.
"Okay, pay up. I had Suna as our first attackers." Konan spoke with a pleased smile and I rolled my eyes while Yahiko looked disgruntled as each of us took out a thousand ryō note and handed it over to her.
"Really? You idiots are supposed to be protecting me and you decide to play games with my life?! …Hahahaha~! I have missed this chaotic clusterfuck we call a war!" The old man exclaimed with a gleeful smile and I shook my head as the other two looked at me.
"Just…let's finish off this group before he wants to fight. Yahiko, take the left and Konan the right. I'll stay here."
"Sure, on three?" She asked and Yahiko nodded as I began counting down.
"One…two…three!" The moment I finished, I smirked as both leapt out of the cover and rushed towards their opponents, gesturing for the old man and Sessho to sit down as I began speaking with him.
"So, what's an old man like you doing walking around into a dangerous battlefield at your age?" I asked as I sat down next to them, to which the both of us ignored the chaos beyond the wall as he looked at me with a smirk.
"Trying to learn what the weapon is that the village wants?" He asked and I smirked before shrugging.
"I might be. Are you going to tell me?"
"Hell no. If I do, it activates the weapon and forces it to destroys itself along with my body to make sure no one can try and recover any parts of it from my body."
"Ah, I see. So then, what do you wanna talk about?"
"What's an Uzumaki doing so far from Uzushio, especially after so many want to attack you people for your sealing knowledge?"
"I was born in Ame and my parents got killed so here I am, making sure that doesn't happen to anyone else."
"Hmm, quite the short story there. And what of the Inuzuka hound? How did you come to find one of them?"
"You're a really nosy old man, aren't you?" I said with a smirk and the man simply shrugged before I blinked as I heard Yahiko's voice.
"Nagato~! A little help!" I let out a sigh at that before nodding as I leapt up to my feet and over the wall, already weaving through hand signs as I took out a pair of shuriken while looking around.
'Seven Suna shinobi around Konan, another five chasing Yahiko with wind blades. Konan is holding her own, but Yahiko is more of a 1v1 fighter. Help give her some cover fire while helping Yahiko with his dilemma'
Ninja Art: Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu
Throwing in the shuriken at Konan while making the Shadow Clone hand sign, I nodded at Konan as she created a paper shield around her right as the shuriken went from two to nearly a hundred.
Knowing that she now had time to come up with a plan, I was off towards Yahiko the moment I landed, leaping from tree to tree and drawing the attention away from him right as I made a Tiger seal.
Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu
Spitting out a rapid fire of fireballs, the eyes of the Suna shinobi widened at the sight of their miniature wind blades being absorbed to boost my own fireballs right before they all were obscured by bright orange flames.
Ignoring their pained screams as they all fell to the ground, I rushed towards the last combatant who turned to me with a slightly nervous look before I smirked and came to a sliding stop.
The shinobi looked confused yet relieved at my stop as he went to speak, but he forgot about his first foe as Yahiko swung his sword through the air and unleashed a slash of water that sliced through the air and the shinobi.
Watching as the shinobi looked horrified while half of his body fell to the floor, I moved out of the attack's path and let it dissipate as Yahiko and I shared a nod before rushing over to Konan as we saw her struggling slightly.
It didn't take us more than a few minutes after that to take care of the last Suna shinobi as I wiped off my kunai on the dark brown camo top of the last Suna shinobi we killed.
'Okay, how did Suna shinobi figure out our exact location only a minute after we left?' It just didn't make sense and as Konan and Yahiko rested their bodies for the next route, I watched as Sessho and the old man walked out from the cover that I dropped.
Before I was already on guard, but as I watched the amused loon on his face when he walked out, I most definitely knew that something was not right here and I'm going to figure out what.
'I'm going to figure out this shit even if it means I have to fail this mission to do so.'
A/N: And the plot thickens as the arc kicks off. This is going to be a two to three chapter arc right before the war ends off and the real Akatsuki begins to gather.
Next chapter: Nagato vs A Scorching Sun and Yahiko vs A Poisonous Leaf.
Yes, I do apologize for forgetting about the Six Paths as I was so heavily focused on the elemental chakra aspect of the Rinnegan that I completely forgot about everything else.
That is why I wanted that three months to make him learn at least the basics, but you guys will see more in the next chapters.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
Anyway, as always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one...
Ba-Bye~!