The 6th Great Ninja War
Chapter XXX: The Dreaded One
Caliburn and Hiruzen had walked eastward along the River of Emptiness for several hours. Hiruzen stopped for a moment, taking a short break.
Caliburn: What’re you doing? We need to keep moving.
Hiruzen: Relax…I’m thirsty.
Caliburn: We don’t have time to waste on petty things like your thirst.
There’s a war going on out there, and this is our chance to get info that could end it.
Hiruzen ignored Caliburn and put his hands together to form a cup. He walked toward the river and dipped his hands in to capture some water to drink, but he was interrupted by a rather livid Caliburn.
Caliburn: What’re you doing?!?! O_O
Hiruzen: Getting a drink of water…
Caliburn slapped Hiruzen’s hand away, splashing the water out of his hands.
Caliburn: If you drink that water, you’ll die of dehydration. There’s a reason it’s called the River of Emptiness. No life flows in it.
Hiruzen: Jeez…you’re so annoying.
Caliburn glared at Hiruzen coldly.
Hiruzen: It’s going to be a long day ¬_¬
Several more hours passed as the two continued along their journey. They had just passed through a dense forest when they noticed the landscape change. The ground went from low grass to barren rock. A brush of dust blew past them as the wind picked up. Ahead were more trees, but each one had wilted and had absolutely no sign of leaves or life. Hiruzen and Caliburn looked around, astonished by the rather sudden change in landscape. Hiruzen suddenly pointed out something ahead. They ran forward to get a better view of what was before them. When they stopped, they were at the edge of a cliff, overlooking an incredibly deep and wide trench-like valley comprised of nothing but desert-like barren rock and dust. It was a giant badland. Several rock formations lay within the trench, but they were not very large. The sky above had a very tan-orange hue like sunset, but it heeded a brightness that could only be experienced in the morning. The sun shined brightly through the clouds without creating a glare. This was the Valley of Graves, teeming with a sense of apocalyptic yet primordial origins.
Hiruzen: O_O This is it…
Caliburn: Incredible. This place…it’s completely devoid of Energy. The ground, the trees, even the air, they’re all dead.
Caliburn noticed, as he looked up, a nearly invisible ethereal barrier that surrounded the massive valley.
Caliburn: That barrier must be what separates this spiritual area from the physical world.
Hiruzen: Okay…but now, how do we find Zonder?
Caliburn closed his eyes and focused within him, attempting to contact Roku. Roku’s voice sounded in Caliburn’s mind.
Roku’s Voice: Have you arrived?
Caliburn: Yep. We need to find Zonder.
Roku’s Voice: He changes location in the valley from what I know. Look for caverns. He’s sure to be lurking in one of them. Be careful, though. This place is devoid of Energy, so you won’t be able to sense any creatures that are connected to the valley except for Zonder.
Caliburn: I’ve noticed. Thanks, master. Hiruzen, we should look for a cavern.
Hiruzen: Alright. *places hand on the ground* …………the caverns are all connected. They wind throughout the ground like a system of tunnels.
Caliburn: Which is closest?
Hiruzen: The closest entrance should be about 200 feet from here. Let’s go down first.
A shadow crept behind Hiruzen and Caliburn as they went down into the valley, but when Caliburn felt something strange for a moment, the shadow disappeared. The two approached the entrance to a cave, which was dimly lit. They entered tentatively, only to be ambushed by a lurking beast that looked like a bear but was much larger and more ferocious. Hiruzen slid past the creature and stabbed a kunai into the creature’s back, causing it to growl loudly. Caliburn drew his katana and cut down the creature as Hiruzen restrained it, killing it. When the beast fell to the ground, however, it did not bleed out. Instead, it turned to dust and became a part of the foundation of the cave. Hiruzen and Caliburn sighed briefly and continued through the cave, still capable of seeing well due to the frequency of several holes in the walls of the cavern that allowed light from the outside to pass through. The two continued through the cave until they reached an intersection of three different paths. The paths were dark, as little light penetrated through the pores in the cave past these points. Hiruzen and Caliburn looked onward thoughtfully before deciding on where to go.
Hiruzen: We’ll go through the eastern path.
Caliburn: Alright.
Caliburn headed west and Hiruzen quickly pulled him aside and rolled his eyes.
Hiruzen: Wrong way, genius.
Caliburn: >_>’ Sorry. I’m bad with directions.
???: Are you looking for someone?
Hiruzen and Caliburn were suddenly startled by this voice. They jumped and stepped back as they turned around. Before them was a young woman, extremely beautiful, clothed in a white dress which ended midway down her legs. Hiruzen was astonished by her beauty—so much so, in fact, that he lost track of his objective. Caliburn remained calm, answering the woman.
Caliburn: We’re looking for someone named Zonder. Do you know where he is?
Woman: Of course. I will take you to Zonder, the dreaded one. ^_^
Hiruzen and Caliburn gave each other confused looks and followed the woman. She led them down the eastern path and the cave began descending. As they delved deeper into the cave, Caliburn felt uneasiness, especially with the woman, who continued smiling as she led the two towards Zonder. Again, the creeping sensation returned like a shadow lurking over Caliburn and Hiruzen. It was fleeting, however, and disappeared when Caliburn turned to see what it was. The woman stopped them at a gate. She spoke a strange incantation and the gate immediately opened. On the other side of the gate, standing before them, was a particularly tall man with a very pale face and red lips; he was very vampire-like in appearance. The man was sitting on a throne made of marble. He looked suspiciously at Hiruzen and Caliburn as the woman brought them in.
Man: This is a rare sight. Two humans grace my cavern with their presence. What business do you have with me?
Hiruzen: Are you Zonder?
Man: Perhaps I am, or perhaps I am not. Again, I ask, what business do you have with me?
Caliburn: We wanted to know the answer to something.
The man raised an eyebrow and smirked. The woman that had led Caliburn and Hiruzen into the area spoke instead.
Woman: How to defeat Kirabi, I presume?
Caliburn: Yeah. O_O How did you know?
Man: You would seek my assistance with your dilemma? I suppose for the good of your mission, I will offer my knowledge.
Hiruzen: This guy isn't so bad, after all. So, how do we defeat Kirabi?
The woman stepped behind Hiruzen and Caliburn seemingly out of courtesy. Unbeknown-st to Caliburn and Hiruzen, the woman began mouthing words that the man started to repeat.
Man: Kirabi will not be an easy opponent—that much is true. He possesses the Staff of the Ancients, which grants him access to abilities that will prove most troublesome, including a rather impenetrable shield of ancient chakra. However, if the Staff were to fall into the hands of another, or rather out of his hands, Kirabi would unable to utilize its abilities. In addition, the Staff’s power is activated by will, so, assuming one is fast enough to strike before he can process the thought of fending off an attack, one can always take advantage of the element of surprise. This, however, is the more difficult method.
Caliburn felt uneasy again, as if an insect were creeping along his spine and a shadow lurking over him.
Hiruzen: Is that really all we can do?
Caliburn: "The truth lies within"...Izuna said that about Kirabi. Is there meaning to his words?
Man: *smirks* Surely enough. Well, one must know the truth behind Kirabi’s power, as well. Normally, the Staff can only be wielded by those trained in the art of harnessing such a mystifying form of energy. On his own, Kirabi would be unable to perform such a feat. However, his situation is unqiue. I’m sure you recall the former Raikage, Mizutoki.
Hiruzen: What about him?
Man: When Kirabi “killed” Mizutoki, as is incorrectly believed, he did not take away his life. Quite the contrary, actually. Kirabi consumed Mizutoki’s essence. It is because of this essence—because of Mizutoki’s special chakra—that Kirabi is able to wield the staff itself. Mizutoki’s very being resides within Kirabi’s own soul as well, and if you are capable of exploiting Mizutoki’s will, you may be able to remove Kirabi’s influence of Mizutoki. The one thing keeping Mizutoki dormant within Kirabi’s soul is the loss of Mizutoki’s will. Do despair, however. Removing Mizutoki’s power from Kirabi will be no easy task, as Mizutoki’s searing will can only be awakened by one who knows his heart. I’d say neither of you two can attest to being a proper candidate.
Hiruzen: No, but we know someone who can awaken Mizutoki from Kirabi’s soul. Thank you for your willingness to help us.
Man: Alas, my wisdom is not without a price.
Caliburn immediately drew his sword, but he unexpectedly turned and pointed the blade at the woman, much to Hiruzen’s surprise.
Caliburn: Stay back, you monster!
Hiruzen: What’re you doing, Caliburn?!
Caliburn: I had felt a creeping, foul Energy that kept coming and going the moment we approached this cave. Now, I understand why this place is so lifeless. Nothing could possibly live with your foul presence here. You’re even more hideous than I expected.
Hiruzen: Caliburn! Lower your sword! You should be aiming your blade at him, if anyone at all.
Caliburn: Open your eyes, Hiruzen. This woman is, in fact, a monster. You just can’t see that. You haven’t been disillusioned like I have.
Man: It seems a particularly wise child stands before me. The fact that you were capable of seeing through my deception, no simple feat in itself, suggests you to be a rather enlightened human. But, know that I had no intentions of letting you escape.
The man on the throne stood up and began walking towards Hiruzen slowly. Hiruzen cautioned him back but the man continued. Caliburn lepted at the woman and began to attack her furiously, cutting her each time, from Hiruzen’s perspective. Hiruzen threw several shuriken at the vampire-like man, who easily maneuvered around them and reached out his hand to grab Hiruzen by the throat. Hiruzen jumped back, smacking the man’s hand away from him. Caliburn lunged towards the woman and attempted to stab her in the chest, but she caught his sword with her bare hands and threw him into a wall of the cave. Caliburn got up, mostly unscathed.
Caliburn: If you didn’t plan on letting us out, why did you give us the information?
Woman: You, of all people, should know. Your empathy link with Roku allows him access to all of the information that you have gathered. Knowing this, I willingly provided you with the information, hoping you’d let your guard down in turn. After all, if the world were to become Kirabi’s, I would not have the joy of killing Roku by my own hand. He was very kind to send you two in his stead. I haven’t had a live meal in decades. *licks lips*
Hiruzen formed a hand seal and created two shadow clones. The first clone ran to the man’s left and performed a kick while the second clone ran forward to directly assault the man. The man caught the first clone’s kick with his hand and spit on the second clone, causing it to quickly lose its life and become a stone statue. Hiruzen was surprised by this, but he kept his composure and maneuvered around the man while making a paw-like form with his hands and rushed in with extremely speed.
Hiruzen: Ninja Art: Howling Monkey Form
Hiruzen immediately thrust his “paw” into the man’s chest before the man could react, sending him crashing into the cavern wall while also blasting well through several layers of rock, exposing the cave to the outside world, leaving the man brutally damaged. The man surprising started to turn to dust and became part of the very foundation of the cave.
Hiruzen: Good of you not to block that attack. It has the force to destroy an entire building, after all.
Hiruzen turned to Caliburn and saw him kick the woman into a the cavern wall, but when she hit the wall, the shape of impact left was that of a monster many times larger than the woman. Hiruzen was confused, and just as the woman charged at Caliburn after overpowering his next assault, Hiruzen acted.
Hiruzen: Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction!
With that, the cave collapsed completely, large rocks kicking up a large amount of debris in the area. Caliburn leaped out of the chaos as the rocks continued falling to the ground. Hiruzen and Caliburn waited for a sign of action from the woman, but there was none. Suddenly, the woman arose from the rubble several meters in front of Hiruzen. She was mostly unharmed and started walking toward Hiruzen with her hand out, as if asking for his own hand.
Caliburn: Attack, Hiruzen!
Woman: Don’t listen to him, Hiruzen. Help me…please.
Hiruzen could not think. He was still in the woman’s trance, completely ensnared in her charm. He reached out his hand and approached her slowly. She smiled kindly at first and smirked deviously just as she and Hiruzen were about to touch hands. Unexpectedly, Hiruzen saw the tip of a blade burst out of the woman’s chest, causing the woman to stop in her tracks. Hiruzen staggered backward in shock. The woman’s eyes grew wide and remained stationary for a short moment before they shifted to her right. Behind her was Caliburn with his katana lodged in the woman’s back.
Caliburn: To think that you, Zonder, would take such a deceptive form. I can see now why you’re so dangerous. You lure your prey in, like Hiruzen, with your false beauty and then strike them down when they least expect it.
Zonder: …
The woman suddenly changed before Hiruzen’s eyes. Her body grew big and gruesome. Her skin became red and scaly. She grew horns and her eyes became like that of a snake. Fangs grew in her mouth and her mouth leaked of saliva. Hiruzen was astonished and suddenly very ashamed of himself. The beast used its fingers to snap Caliburn’s sword in half and turned around, causing Caliburn to leap a good distance back. Zonder stood above Caliburn and Hiruzen, easily three times their heights.
Hiruzen: Just what the hell are you?
Zonder: I am Zonder, he who knows all. And, you are my prey.
Hiruzen: Caliburn! Can you get Roku-san’s help?
Caliburn: It’s no use. This guy’s foul energies are disrupting my ability to communicate with Roku.
Zonder immediately attempted to punch Hiruzen, who could not react as he was distracted. Just as Zonder’s fist was about to send Hiruzen flying, a wave of powerful invisible energy knocked his fist into the ground, creating a crater from the impacting force.
Caliburn: Grand Energy Wave!
Caliburn appeared above Zonder’s fist as he performed the Energy Wave that knocked Zonder’s fist into the ground. Once this was done, Caliburn immediately drew his sword on his back and sliced through Zonder’s wrist, cutting off the monster’s hand. Caliburn then landed on Zonder’s arm and ran along it towards his face, making several cuts along the beast’s arm. Zonder knocked Caliburn away from him, sending the swordsman crashing into the ground. Zonder then stretched out his right arm and attempted to grab Hiruzen, who was still too astonished to move. At that moment, Caliburn pushed Hiruzen out of the way, resulting in Zonder instead grabbing him. With Caliburn in his grasp, Zonder nearly squeezed the life out of the poor swordsman. Then, he lightened his grip enough to keep Caliburn alive in agonizing pain.
Zonder: The Kiyoshi brat has come into my clutches. I won’t turn you to stone, no. I’ll make sure to eat you alive.
Hiruzen’s body suddenly moved out of fear. He formed hand seals and attempted to protect Caliburn from the monster.
Hiruzen: Diamond Release: Outgrown Roots!
Before Zonder could eat Caliburn, giant formations of diamond burst out of the ground, stabbing Zonder in the torso all around him. Zonder’s blood stained the diamond formations and poured onto the rocks below. For a moment, he appeared to have been defeated, but this victory was short lived as Zonder’s wounds began to heal with exceptional speed. Suddenly, two more arms burst out of Zonder’s torso under his first two arms and crushed the diamonds to pieces, freeing Zonder from the ensnarement. Hiruzen was in utter dismay that Zonder could so easily break through diamond. Immediately, Zonder smacked Hiruzen aside, sending him crashing a great distance across the canyon. Hiruzen lay on the ground, beaten, bleeding from all parts of his body. Zonder’s attack was much more powerful than he had anticipated. Hiruzen struggled, but he could not move himself but inches at a time. As Zonder continued to squeeze the life out of Caliburn, he toyed with the young warrior by insulting him and playfully gripping his head with his index finger and thumb. Caliburn screamed in agony. Hiruzen gnashed his teeth, enraged at himself for falling prey to Zonder’s trickery. He mustered up the energy to reach into his back pocket and pull out a scroll. Over time, Hiruzen managed to place the scroll in front of himself and unroll it slowly. Zonder stopped playing with Caliburn and prepared to devour him. He bore his vicious fangs, each dripping with his stone-turning saliva, and sneered maliciously. He brought Caliburn closer and closer to him until he was ready to swallow the swordsman whole. Caliburn shut his eyes and accepted his fate, as he could not escape. Moments passed, however, and there was silence and then a rip, like flesh tearing. Caliburn opened his eyes in shock only to see before him a more astonished Zonder. Zonder’s mouth was still wide open, but there was something protruding through the back of his throat. It looked very much like a tangible, solid bolt of yellow lightning crackling with natural lightning around it. Whatever the bolt was, it was teeming with huge amounts of energy and light. Caliburn was paralyzed with fear and shock. Zonder’s eyes were filled with disbelief. He could not move, but he spoke, and as he did, blood flowed through his mouth.
Zonder: To think that I…would die at the hand…of this brat…………………………………damn you.
Zonder’s eyes shut and his body began to rot and decay from his head to his foul feet. Caliburn weight was too great for Zonder’s now-rotted arm to hold up and the arm came crashing to the ground like dust. Caliburn landed safely, gasping for breath frantically. He coughed incessantly. After a minute, Caliburn’s coughing ceased and he rested for a few more minutes. Once he had recovered some of his energy, he stood up and ran over to Hiruzen as fast as he could, despite how tired he was. Hiruzen sighed. Caliburn lifted him up and slung Hiruzen’s arm around his shoulder. Caliburn carried Hiruzen up the valley without uttering a word. Then, he looked to Hiruzen next to him.
Caliburn: You saved me…thank you.
Hiruzen: …………………no, it was my fault. I was stupid to fall for that trap.
Caliburn: I’m grateful that you returned the favor, Hiruzen…
Hiruzen chuckled and smiled.
Hiruzen: That’s what friends are for.
Slowly but surely, the two made their way back along the River of Emptiness and began their journey back to the settlement.
END OF CHAPTER
Chapter XXX: The Dreaded One
Caliburn and Hiruzen had walked eastward along the River of Emptiness for several hours. Hiruzen stopped for a moment, taking a short break.
Caliburn: What’re you doing? We need to keep moving.
Hiruzen: Relax…I’m thirsty.
Caliburn: We don’t have time to waste on petty things like your thirst.
There’s a war going on out there, and this is our chance to get info that could end it.Hiruzen ignored Caliburn and put his hands together to form a cup. He walked toward the river and dipped his hands in to capture some water to drink, but he was interrupted by a rather livid Caliburn.
Caliburn: What’re you doing?!?! O_O
Hiruzen:
Getting a drink of water…Caliburn slapped Hiruzen’s hand away, splashing the water out of his hands.
Caliburn: If you drink that water, you’ll die of dehydration. There’s a reason it’s called the River of Emptiness. No life flows in it.
Hiruzen: Jeez…you’re so annoying.
Caliburn glared at Hiruzen coldly.
Hiruzen: It’s going to be a long day ¬_¬
Several more hours passed as the two continued along their journey. They had just passed through a dense forest when they noticed the landscape change. The ground went from low grass to barren rock. A brush of dust blew past them as the wind picked up. Ahead were more trees, but each one had wilted and had absolutely no sign of leaves or life. Hiruzen and Caliburn looked around, astonished by the rather sudden change in landscape. Hiruzen suddenly pointed out something ahead. They ran forward to get a better view of what was before them. When they stopped, they were at the edge of a cliff, overlooking an incredibly deep and wide trench-like valley comprised of nothing but desert-like barren rock and dust. It was a giant badland. Several rock formations lay within the trench, but they were not very large. The sky above had a very tan-orange hue like sunset, but it heeded a brightness that could only be experienced in the morning. The sun shined brightly through the clouds without creating a glare. This was the Valley of Graves, teeming with a sense of apocalyptic yet primordial origins.
Hiruzen: O_O This is it…
Caliburn: Incredible. This place…it’s completely devoid of Energy. The ground, the trees, even the air, they’re all dead.
Caliburn noticed, as he looked up, a nearly invisible ethereal barrier that surrounded the massive valley.
Caliburn: That barrier must be what separates this spiritual area from the physical world.
Hiruzen: Okay…but now, how do we find Zonder?
Caliburn closed his eyes and focused within him, attempting to contact Roku. Roku’s voice sounded in Caliburn’s mind.
Roku’s Voice: Have you arrived?
Caliburn: Yep. We need to find Zonder.
Roku’s Voice: He changes location in the valley from what I know. Look for caverns. He’s sure to be lurking in one of them. Be careful, though. This place is devoid of Energy, so you won’t be able to sense any creatures that are connected to the valley except for Zonder.
Caliburn: I’ve noticed. Thanks, master. Hiruzen, we should look for a cavern.
Hiruzen: Alright. *places hand on the ground* …………the caverns are all connected. They wind throughout the ground like a system of tunnels.
Caliburn: Which is closest?
Hiruzen: The closest entrance should be about 200 feet from here. Let’s go down first.
A shadow crept behind Hiruzen and Caliburn as they went down into the valley, but when Caliburn felt something strange for a moment, the shadow disappeared. The two approached the entrance to a cave, which was dimly lit. They entered tentatively, only to be ambushed by a lurking beast that looked like a bear but was much larger and more ferocious. Hiruzen slid past the creature and stabbed a kunai into the creature’s back, causing it to growl loudly. Caliburn drew his katana and cut down the creature as Hiruzen restrained it, killing it. When the beast fell to the ground, however, it did not bleed out. Instead, it turned to dust and became a part of the foundation of the cave. Hiruzen and Caliburn sighed briefly and continued through the cave, still capable of seeing well due to the frequency of several holes in the walls of the cavern that allowed light from the outside to pass through. The two continued through the cave until they reached an intersection of three different paths. The paths were dark, as little light penetrated through the pores in the cave past these points. Hiruzen and Caliburn looked onward thoughtfully before deciding on where to go.
Hiruzen: We’ll go through the eastern path.
Caliburn: Alright.
Caliburn headed west and Hiruzen quickly pulled him aside and rolled his eyes.
Hiruzen: Wrong way, genius.
Caliburn: >_>’ Sorry. I’m bad with directions.
???: Are you looking for someone?
Hiruzen and Caliburn were suddenly startled by this voice. They jumped and stepped back as they turned around. Before them was a young woman, extremely beautiful, clothed in a white dress which ended midway down her legs. Hiruzen was astonished by her beauty—so much so, in fact, that he lost track of his objective. Caliburn remained calm, answering the woman.
Caliburn: We’re looking for someone named Zonder. Do you know where he is?
Woman: Of course. I will take you to Zonder, the dreaded one. ^_^
Hiruzen and Caliburn gave each other confused looks and followed the woman. She led them down the eastern path and the cave began descending. As they delved deeper into the cave, Caliburn felt uneasiness, especially with the woman, who continued smiling as she led the two towards Zonder. Again, the creeping sensation returned like a shadow lurking over Caliburn and Hiruzen. It was fleeting, however, and disappeared when Caliburn turned to see what it was. The woman stopped them at a gate. She spoke a strange incantation and the gate immediately opened. On the other side of the gate, standing before them, was a particularly tall man with a very pale face and red lips; he was very vampire-like in appearance. The man was sitting on a throne made of marble. He looked suspiciously at Hiruzen and Caliburn as the woman brought them in.
Man: This is a rare sight. Two humans grace my cavern with their presence. What business do you have with me?
Hiruzen: Are you Zonder?
Man: Perhaps I am, or perhaps I am not. Again, I ask, what business do you have with me?
Caliburn: We wanted to know the answer to something.
The man raised an eyebrow and smirked. The woman that had led Caliburn and Hiruzen into the area spoke instead.
Woman: How to defeat Kirabi, I presume?
Caliburn: Yeah. O_O How did you know?
Man: You would seek my assistance with your dilemma? I suppose for the good of your mission, I will offer my knowledge.
Hiruzen: This guy isn't so bad, after all. So, how do we defeat Kirabi?
The woman stepped behind Hiruzen and Caliburn seemingly out of courtesy. Unbeknown-st to Caliburn and Hiruzen, the woman began mouthing words that the man started to repeat.
Man: Kirabi will not be an easy opponent—that much is true. He possesses the Staff of the Ancients, which grants him access to abilities that will prove most troublesome, including a rather impenetrable shield of ancient chakra. However, if the Staff were to fall into the hands of another, or rather out of his hands, Kirabi would unable to utilize its abilities. In addition, the Staff’s power is activated by will, so, assuming one is fast enough to strike before he can process the thought of fending off an attack, one can always take advantage of the element of surprise. This, however, is the more difficult method.
Caliburn felt uneasy again, as if an insect were creeping along his spine and a shadow lurking over him.
Hiruzen: Is that really all we can do?
Caliburn: "The truth lies within"...Izuna said that about Kirabi. Is there meaning to his words?
Man: *smirks* Surely enough. Well, one must know the truth behind Kirabi’s power, as well. Normally, the Staff can only be wielded by those trained in the art of harnessing such a mystifying form of energy. On his own, Kirabi would be unable to perform such a feat. However, his situation is unqiue. I’m sure you recall the former Raikage, Mizutoki.
Hiruzen: What about him?
Man: When Kirabi “killed” Mizutoki, as is incorrectly believed, he did not take away his life. Quite the contrary, actually. Kirabi consumed Mizutoki’s essence. It is because of this essence—because of Mizutoki’s special chakra—that Kirabi is able to wield the staff itself. Mizutoki’s very being resides within Kirabi’s own soul as well, and if you are capable of exploiting Mizutoki’s will, you may be able to remove Kirabi’s influence of Mizutoki. The one thing keeping Mizutoki dormant within Kirabi’s soul is the loss of Mizutoki’s will. Do despair, however. Removing Mizutoki’s power from Kirabi will be no easy task, as Mizutoki’s searing will can only be awakened by one who knows his heart. I’d say neither of you two can attest to being a proper candidate.
Hiruzen: No, but we know someone who can awaken Mizutoki from Kirabi’s soul. Thank you for your willingness to help us.
Man: Alas, my wisdom is not without a price.
Caliburn immediately drew his sword, but he unexpectedly turned and pointed the blade at the woman, much to Hiruzen’s surprise.
Caliburn: Stay back, you monster!
Hiruzen: What’re you doing, Caliburn?!
Caliburn: I had felt a creeping, foul Energy that kept coming and going the moment we approached this cave. Now, I understand why this place is so lifeless. Nothing could possibly live with your foul presence here. You’re even more hideous than I expected.
Hiruzen: Caliburn! Lower your sword! You should be aiming your blade at him, if anyone at all.
Caliburn: Open your eyes, Hiruzen. This woman is, in fact, a monster. You just can’t see that. You haven’t been disillusioned like I have.
Man: It seems a particularly wise child stands before me. The fact that you were capable of seeing through my deception, no simple feat in itself, suggests you to be a rather enlightened human. But, know that I had no intentions of letting you escape.
The man on the throne stood up and began walking towards Hiruzen slowly. Hiruzen cautioned him back but the man continued. Caliburn lepted at the woman and began to attack her furiously, cutting her each time, from Hiruzen’s perspective. Hiruzen threw several shuriken at the vampire-like man, who easily maneuvered around them and reached out his hand to grab Hiruzen by the throat. Hiruzen jumped back, smacking the man’s hand away from him. Caliburn lunged towards the woman and attempted to stab her in the chest, but she caught his sword with her bare hands and threw him into a wall of the cave. Caliburn got up, mostly unscathed.
Caliburn: If you didn’t plan on letting us out, why did you give us the information?
Woman: You, of all people, should know. Your empathy link with Roku allows him access to all of the information that you have gathered. Knowing this, I willingly provided you with the information, hoping you’d let your guard down in turn. After all, if the world were to become Kirabi’s, I would not have the joy of killing Roku by my own hand. He was very kind to send you two in his stead. I haven’t had a live meal in decades. *licks lips*
Hiruzen formed a hand seal and created two shadow clones. The first clone ran to the man’s left and performed a kick while the second clone ran forward to directly assault the man. The man caught the first clone’s kick with his hand and spit on the second clone, causing it to quickly lose its life and become a stone statue. Hiruzen was surprised by this, but he kept his composure and maneuvered around the man while making a paw-like form with his hands and rushed in with extremely speed.
Hiruzen: Ninja Art: Howling Monkey Form
Hiruzen immediately thrust his “paw” into the man’s chest before the man could react, sending him crashing into the cavern wall while also blasting well through several layers of rock, exposing the cave to the outside world, leaving the man brutally damaged. The man surprising started to turn to dust and became part of the very foundation of the cave.
Hiruzen: Good of you not to block that attack. It has the force to destroy an entire building, after all.
Hiruzen turned to Caliburn and saw him kick the woman into a the cavern wall, but when she hit the wall, the shape of impact left was that of a monster many times larger than the woman. Hiruzen was confused, and just as the woman charged at Caliburn after overpowering his next assault, Hiruzen acted.
Hiruzen: Earth Release: Rock Lodging Destruction!
With that, the cave collapsed completely, large rocks kicking up a large amount of debris in the area. Caliburn leaped out of the chaos as the rocks continued falling to the ground. Hiruzen and Caliburn waited for a sign of action from the woman, but there was none. Suddenly, the woman arose from the rubble several meters in front of Hiruzen. She was mostly unharmed and started walking toward Hiruzen with her hand out, as if asking for his own hand.
Caliburn: Attack, Hiruzen!
Woman: Don’t listen to him, Hiruzen. Help me…please.
Hiruzen could not think. He was still in the woman’s trance, completely ensnared in her charm. He reached out his hand and approached her slowly. She smiled kindly at first and smirked deviously just as she and Hiruzen were about to touch hands. Unexpectedly, Hiruzen saw the tip of a blade burst out of the woman’s chest, causing the woman to stop in her tracks. Hiruzen staggered backward in shock. The woman’s eyes grew wide and remained stationary for a short moment before they shifted to her right. Behind her was Caliburn with his katana lodged in the woman’s back.
Caliburn: To think that you, Zonder, would take such a deceptive form. I can see now why you’re so dangerous. You lure your prey in, like Hiruzen, with your false beauty and then strike them down when they least expect it.
Zonder: …
The woman suddenly changed before Hiruzen’s eyes. Her body grew big and gruesome. Her skin became red and scaly. She grew horns and her eyes became like that of a snake. Fangs grew in her mouth and her mouth leaked of saliva. Hiruzen was astonished and suddenly very ashamed of himself. The beast used its fingers to snap Caliburn’s sword in half and turned around, causing Caliburn to leap a good distance back. Zonder stood above Caliburn and Hiruzen, easily three times their heights.
Hiruzen: Just what the hell are you?
Zonder: I am Zonder, he who knows all. And, you are my prey.
Hiruzen: Caliburn! Can you get Roku-san’s help?
Caliburn: It’s no use. This guy’s foul energies are disrupting my ability to communicate with Roku.
Zonder immediately attempted to punch Hiruzen, who could not react as he was distracted. Just as Zonder’s fist was about to send Hiruzen flying, a wave of powerful invisible energy knocked his fist into the ground, creating a crater from the impacting force.
Caliburn: Grand Energy Wave!
Caliburn appeared above Zonder’s fist as he performed the Energy Wave that knocked Zonder’s fist into the ground. Once this was done, Caliburn immediately drew his sword on his back and sliced through Zonder’s wrist, cutting off the monster’s hand. Caliburn then landed on Zonder’s arm and ran along it towards his face, making several cuts along the beast’s arm. Zonder knocked Caliburn away from him, sending the swordsman crashing into the ground. Zonder then stretched out his right arm and attempted to grab Hiruzen, who was still too astonished to move. At that moment, Caliburn pushed Hiruzen out of the way, resulting in Zonder instead grabbing him. With Caliburn in his grasp, Zonder nearly squeezed the life out of the poor swordsman. Then, he lightened his grip enough to keep Caliburn alive in agonizing pain.
Zonder: The Kiyoshi brat has come into my clutches. I won’t turn you to stone, no. I’ll make sure to eat you alive.
Hiruzen’s body suddenly moved out of fear. He formed hand seals and attempted to protect Caliburn from the monster.
Hiruzen: Diamond Release: Outgrown Roots!
Before Zonder could eat Caliburn, giant formations of diamond burst out of the ground, stabbing Zonder in the torso all around him. Zonder’s blood stained the diamond formations and poured onto the rocks below. For a moment, he appeared to have been defeated, but this victory was short lived as Zonder’s wounds began to heal with exceptional speed. Suddenly, two more arms burst out of Zonder’s torso under his first two arms and crushed the diamonds to pieces, freeing Zonder from the ensnarement. Hiruzen was in utter dismay that Zonder could so easily break through diamond. Immediately, Zonder smacked Hiruzen aside, sending him crashing a great distance across the canyon. Hiruzen lay on the ground, beaten, bleeding from all parts of his body. Zonder’s attack was much more powerful than he had anticipated. Hiruzen struggled, but he could not move himself but inches at a time. As Zonder continued to squeeze the life out of Caliburn, he toyed with the young warrior by insulting him and playfully gripping his head with his index finger and thumb. Caliburn screamed in agony. Hiruzen gnashed his teeth, enraged at himself for falling prey to Zonder’s trickery. He mustered up the energy to reach into his back pocket and pull out a scroll. Over time, Hiruzen managed to place the scroll in front of himself and unroll it slowly. Zonder stopped playing with Caliburn and prepared to devour him. He bore his vicious fangs, each dripping with his stone-turning saliva, and sneered maliciously. He brought Caliburn closer and closer to him until he was ready to swallow the swordsman whole. Caliburn shut his eyes and accepted his fate, as he could not escape. Moments passed, however, and there was silence and then a rip, like flesh tearing. Caliburn opened his eyes in shock only to see before him a more astonished Zonder. Zonder’s mouth was still wide open, but there was something protruding through the back of his throat. It looked very much like a tangible, solid bolt of yellow lightning crackling with natural lightning around it. Whatever the bolt was, it was teeming with huge amounts of energy and light. Caliburn was paralyzed with fear and shock. Zonder’s eyes were filled with disbelief. He could not move, but he spoke, and as he did, blood flowed through his mouth.
Zonder: To think that I…would die at the hand…of this brat…………………………………damn you.
Zonder’s eyes shut and his body began to rot and decay from his head to his foul feet. Caliburn weight was too great for Zonder’s now-rotted arm to hold up and the arm came crashing to the ground like dust. Caliburn landed safely, gasping for breath frantically. He coughed incessantly. After a minute, Caliburn’s coughing ceased and he rested for a few more minutes. Once he had recovered some of his energy, he stood up and ran over to Hiruzen as fast as he could, despite how tired he was. Hiruzen sighed. Caliburn lifted him up and slung Hiruzen’s arm around his shoulder. Caliburn carried Hiruzen up the valley without uttering a word. Then, he looked to Hiruzen next to him.
Caliburn: You saved me…thank you.
Hiruzen: …………………no, it was my fault. I was stupid to fall for that trap.
Caliburn: I’m grateful that you returned the favor, Hiruzen…
Hiruzen chuckled and smiled.
Hiruzen: That’s what friends are for.
Slowly but surely, the two made their way back along the River of Emptiness and began their journey back to the settlement.
END OF CHAPTER
