Chakra Wizard
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Alright, Part Two of the battle between best friends! lol Threw a bit of history into this one to make it more interesting*_* As always, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 070: Entangled
The entire stadium silently awaited Airon’s first action since Minto initiated his defense which, for the time being, amounted to him skipping around his opponent in search of a viable opening in his barrier. Having seen its effectiveness once already, though, many onlookers had become skeptical of Airon’s ability to bypass it, including the grandmother of Minto’s previous opponent.
Tenten: That’s the barrier that stopped Chan dead in his tracks. …I wonder how it’ll hold up against Airon.
Lee: (His unblinking eyes followed Airon as he continued circling Minto.) From what has been seen of him so far…not well.
Down below, Airon stopped momentarily to muse over his current situation, keeping his eyes on Minto to ensure he made no moves towards him in the meantime.
Airon: (He’s not letting up for a second. He just started and I’ve already got him using his second pattern…hmhmhm, odds are he won’t keep that one going for long, either.)
The corner of his mouth curled upwards as he chucked the kunai in his hand forward, keeping his finger in the hole at its hilt to prevent it from leaving his grip. Once again, Minto immediately shifted to a more complex – in this case, his most complex – pattern of hand motions, prompting a wicked smile from Airon.
Airon: What’s the matter, Minto!? You just tensed up all of a sudden!
Minto: (Recalling their early training sessions with the Shock Lashes, he gritted his teeth slightly in frustration as he glared at Airon.) So now you’re making fun of me for NOT taking risks!? Do you treat ANYONE the same on and off the battlefield, Airon!?
Airon: (He glanced off towards the competitors’ balcony, smiling up at his two rivals standing beside one another.) (…One or two names come to mind.)
Both Manako and Nakama smiled back in amusement, though their attention was soon drawn elsewhere by the last of the three confirmed finalists, who was staring down at Minto with his active Byakugan.
Hitomi: That defense stopped Chan while he was using the first four Inner Gates…how does Airon intend to slip past it when speeds that high couldn’t manage it?
Manako: (He looked over at him and back towards the match before answering, slightly amused by his comparison between Airon’s speed and Chan’s.) Airon has plenty of tricks up his sleeve to pull it off, Hitomi…not to mention he has an advantage over Minto no one else does.
The latter remark left Hitomi confused until he looked back down at Airon, the attentive look in his eyes as he watched Minto causing his own to widen in surprise.
Hitomi: The patterns…he knows them, too.
Manako: (He smiled in confirmation.) Like the back of his hand. …He developed them, after all.
Indeed, down below, Airon’s eyes were scurrying back and forth in an effort to follow the movements of Minto’s third defensive barrier, his hands moving so fast that it pushed the air around it back far enough to blow Airon’s hair back ever so slightly. In spite of the intense effort required to maintain it, the pattern came as almost second-nature to Minto who knew it by heart, as he did the means by which he came to acquire the weapons used to create it.
At the center of one of the many bridges that connected both sides of the Leaf village, Minto stood slumped over the railing as Airon ran up to him in playful concern. Judging from the scene and their location, the former had just returned from a team training session overseen by the latter, one which proved fruitful for every member of his team other than him.
Airon: Minto, you act surprised by it. Your dad was taught by one of the Hokage, he and I trained Taigen for the past three years, and everyone knows Nakama’s a freakin’ monster. Just cause you’re surrounded by huge talent doesn’t mean you don’t have any.
Minto: (He didn’t even look up at him as he replied.) Doesn’t it? You say that like they’re the only ones I ever lose to, Airon. …Sometimes I can’t believe I even graduated from the Academy.
Airon: What the heck are you talkin’ about? You graduated because you mastered all the basic jutsu they taught you and you’re great at taijutsu.
Minto: And nothing since then has changed. I pretty much reached my limit in taijutsu ages ago, and my chakra control’s useless if I can’t use any REAL ninjutsu. …Face it, man, I’m a flop as a ninja…and as a member of my clan.
Airon: (He rubbed his eyes irritably upon hearing this.) Now I know you’re just regurgitating Raiden’s words.
He looked out of the corner of his eye to see Minto’s reaction. Indeed, he seemed affected by this observation, but his head sank once again mere moments later, prompting Airon to sigh in annoyance. One clever thought later, though, his contentment returned and he turned to Minto with a grin.
Airon: Minto, what if I helped you find a way to put your skills to good use, even with YOUR limits?
Minto: (He looked up upon hearing this, but he retained a look of indifference.) Yeah, and how’s that gonna be possible?
He used their next thirty seconds on the bridge to describe exactly what he had in mind. As he listened, Minto’s eyes started to widen with each new word that left Airon’s mouth, leaving him hesitant to open his own when he finally finished.
Minto: Is that even possible?
Airon: (He answered with his trademark grin.) …Won’t know until we try.
The next moment, they were both in the Academy, scouring through the Hokage’s personal library for any possible resources they could use for the weapon Airon promised Minto. Hours passed with not a word between them until finally, Minto threw aside the book he was reading in heated frustration, knocking over a stack of previous rummaged books in the process, though Airon was too focused on the one he was reading at the time to notice.
Minto: Rrrrgh, DANG IT!!! THIS IS POINTLESS!!!
Airon: Minto.
Minto: Pointless!! Pointless!! Pointless!! Pointless!!
Airon: Minto!
Minto: I’m sorry, Airon, I just can’t do this! There’s no way any sort of weapon we try to find is gonna make me a better-
Airon: MINTO!!!
Picking up a small pocketbook and chucking it at him, he waited until Minto had finished rubbing the back of his head and spun around in anger before holding up the book he was reading, keeping the page he was just on open so Minto wouldn’t have to search for it as he took it from his hand. He scanned it for no more than a few seconds before looking back up at Airon.
Minto: Electric currents…you think we can use that?
Airon: (He smiled and nodded in confirmation before standing up and walking over to retrieve the pocketbook he had previously thrown, which he then dropped into his outstretched hands.) I’ve got a few ideas already. Check ‘em out.
Minto quickly opened it up to the first few pages and read them over, finding to his surprise that all of them were completely filled by his ideas, many of which he couldn’t help but be impressed by. With each new proposal he looked over, though, he found himself thinking up more to add in, turning to Airon when he finally finished to give his thoughts.
Minto: That’s brilliant…but I think I’ve got a better idea.
Airon: (Somewhat hoping he might say this, he smiled before handing him his pencil.) It’s your weapon. Fire away.
After quickly drawing out a rough sketch, Minto handed him back the book with his thumb marking the page he was on, smiling when he saw Airon look over his idea and then back up at him with a large grin.
Airon: Well, what’re we waiting for? …Let’s get started.
Acquiring the material for Minto’s proposed whip took well over a month, in part because of their desire to keep their plan a secret from everyone else, but they eventually succeeded in crafting a long whip from braided leather. However, the key component of the weapon was its base, the interior of which took several days to craft into a strong electrical circuit. Their plans were finally coming to fruition, though, as Minto laid down the last bits of wiring while a cautious Airon looked over his shoulder.
Airon: Minto, if you’re having trouble, just let me do it.
Minto: These are supposed to be mine, Airon. It’s only fair I do all the wiring.
Airon: Fair’s got nothing to do with it if it gets messed up and doesn’t work. …C’mon, buddy, just let me do this part.
Minto: (Nearly slipping up as he spoke, he heaved a sigh of relief before setting down his tools and standing up.) …Alright.
Airon immediately sat down and picked up the tools, completing the remaining wiring within a matter of minutes before carefully attaching the red button that would serve to jumpstart the entire electrical process. Smiling in satisfaction, he quickly attached the handle to the body of the whip, giving it a tug to ensure it was on properly before setting it back down and standing up.
Airon: Alright, that should do it. And it should be self-generating, too. …Come on, try it out.
Without hesitation, Minto snatched it up and jogged across the room while Airon held his arms out on either side and waited for him to begin. To his embarrassment, though, he greatly underestimated the skill required to wield a whip, taking him several minutes to even figure out how to coil it the way he wanted it to. Wrapping it around Airon proved an even greater challenge, and the longer it was, the more humiliating it became for him and the more amusing it became for Airon.
Airon: By that, I mean wrap it around me and push the button.
Minto: Rrrrgh, shut up!!
To both their surprise, the attempt immediately following this remark proved a success, prompting a sny grin from Minto which Airon answered with a smirk. They fell silent as Minto hovered his thumb over the button, but after he pressed down, the resulting shock cause Airon’s expression to tense up, though it was quickly replaced by one of confusion that Minto made in kind.
Minto: It didn’t work?
Airon: (He flexed his fingers to find out, heaving a sigh when he found he still had full movement in them.) …Guess not.
Minto: (He quickly pulled back on the whip to free Airon before holding the handle up and examining it.) What’s wrong with it? I thought the wiring was supposed to be perfect.
Airon: It is. …Hold on.
He kneeled down and snatched up part of the whip laying around his feet, scanning and feeling it before coming to a realization.
Airon: Dang it. That’s why.
Minto: What?
Airon: (He held it up to show him.) It’s the material we used for the whip. We need something else.
Minto: (Confused, he grabbed part of the whip and held it up to examine it, as well.) What’re you talking about? We checked it. It conducts electricity just fine.
Airon: Yeah, but not chakra. And that’s the whole point of it. It needs that extra surge to give it the result we’re looking for, otherwise it’s just a small shock.
Minto: …Alright. Then where do we find a filament that absorbs chakra? It’s not so easy as finding metal or leather, y’know.
Airon was already in the process of looking through the encyclopedia on the nearby desk in search of an answer to that question, motioning for Minto to walk over mere moments later.
Airon: Hey, take a look at this.
Minto: (He complied immediately, looking over the article Airon’s finger was on with mixed levels of enthusiasm.) Mount Kyūshū…near the southern border of the Land of Fire.
Airon: Supposedly, the area near the top of the mountain houses a special wheat that can conduct chakra fairly easily. We can definitely weave a rope out of that.
Minto: (Not too keen about climbing a mountain, he dodged the question right away.) Okay? But how’s a rope supposed to conduct electricity, then? You just reverse the problem that way.
Airon: Then we just braid it around what we’re already using and build the base of the Shock Lashes around that. Jeez, think outside the box a little, why don’tcha?
Minto: (He continued his attempts to avoid this option, adopting a confused look as he spoke in response to what Airon said.) But that’s so far away. And how do we know there’s not something else on that mountain with the wheat…wait a sec, “Shock Lash”?
Airon: (He smiled in amusement at him having caught on.) Just a name I came up with. Thought it fit the description pretty well.
Minto: Okay? Then why did you say Shock Lash-ES? What’re we making TWO of these things now?
Airon: What, did you not want two?
Minto: (His mind wandered momentarily as the image of him flailing two long whips through the air came about.) Well…I’m not against the idea.
Airon: (Catching onto what he was thinking, he smiled in amusement before standing up.) Perfect then. Alright, let’s go.
Minto: Where to?
Airon: (He took off out the door as he replied, prompting Minto to panic.) We need a supervising jōnin to come along with us, don’t we!?
Minto: Hey! Hey, wait!!
Later that day, just as the sun began vanishing from view, three shinobi took off past the village’s southern border, two of them moving at blinding speeds, grinning controllably as the third sat on one of their backs with his arms wrapped around their neck, evidently not enjoying himself at all.
Minto: AIRON, WHY THE HECK DID YOU PICK YOUR GRANDFATHER AND NOT MY DAD!!?
Airon: BECAUSE I’D RATHER GET BACK HOME BY SUNRISE AS OPPOSED TO TWO DAYS!!! BESIDES, GRANDPA’S NEVER SEEN MOUNT KYŪSHŪ, SO I KNOW HE WANTS TO GO!!!
Naruto: HEHAHA, YOU BET YOUR ASS I DO, AIRON!!! NOW HOLD ON, MINTO!!! WE’LL GET THERE AND BACK BEFORE DAYBREAK IF IT KILLS ME!!!
Minto: KILLS!!?
Before Minto could complain any further, Naruto reached out and touched Airon’s shoulder as he activated his Six Paths Sage Mode, prompting the cloak of chakra spreading across his body to travel onto Airon, covering them both in a glowing yellow aura that increased their already impressive speeds to god-like levels, much to Minto’s terrified protests.
Minto: HEEEEEEYYY, SLOOOOOWWW DOOOOOWWWNNN!!!
Airon: HEHAHAHAHAHA, COME ON, MINTO!!! THIS IS THE WAY TO TRAVEL!!!
With no other way around it, Minto ducked his head down behind Naruto’s back as far as he could manage while still keeping his arms locked around his neck, silently praying that their journey ended as quickly as possible.
After roughly six hours of travelling at near unrivalled speeds, Naruto and Airon finally arrived at their destination, where upon the cancellation of Naruto’s technique, they proceeded to look up in awe at the gigantic mountain standing before them. Even Minto, who had barely retained consciousness after spending so much time literally holding on for dear life, couldn’t help but lift his head up and stare at its cloud-covered peak.
Naruto: Wow…this mountain’s almost as big as Mount Myōboku. You said what you’re looking for is at the top, right, Airon?
Airon: …Uhhh, general area. We shouldn’t have to go all the way to the peak.
Naruto: (Somewhat relieved by this, he put on his trademark grin once again.) Well, let’s not waste any time! If we hurry, we can get back to the village before everyone wakes up! You got Dad’s jutsu all figured out now, right?
Airon: (He smiled and reached into the pouch around his waist, holding up a three-pronged kunai with a seal on its handle.) I got a marked kunai sitting in our workshop right now.
Naruto: (Continually amazed by Airon’s brilliance, he smiled down at him before looking back up at the mountain.) Alright! Then let’s hurry up and get outta here!
Minto: Hold on, could you at least put me down first!?
Airon: No time! Now let’s go!
Minto: HEY!!!
The race up the mountain took well over half an hour before they finally found their true destination, a sight which proved even more wondrous than the mountain itself. In the middle of what was otherwise a small barren plain surround by thick trees, there stood the green colored wheat they were looking for, covering the mountainside like a field of tall grass. But that wasn’t the sight that left the three of them with wide eyes and dropped jaws, a feat accomplished instead by the massive variations of it that were coiled halfway up many of the surrounding trees.
Naruto: Whoa…are these what you were looking for?
Minto: (He continued to stare up at the giant stalks, not even taking notice of the fact that he was still being carried on Naruto’s back.) Yeah…I never expected they’d be so big, though.
Naruto: (He gazed around at them a moment longer before turning to Airon.) Well, we can cut it down to size when we get back. Did your book say anything about the way they work away from the mountain?
Airon: (Still in amazement, he thought about it for a moment before walking forward, taking off the backpack he had brought with him as he did.) Well, taking them out of this environment shouldn’t do anything to them if that’s what you mean. Cutting them up shouldn’t affect any of their original properties, either.
Naruto: (As he listened, he began pulling at his collar, which felt as though it had gotten tighter during their time there.) Alright. Well, go ahead and pick however much you need. …It’s starting to get a little warm up here.
Airon was already in the process of doing so, walking through the small field and examining each stalk before stuffing those he found suitable into his bag. In the meantime, Naruto decided to climb one of the trees and examine one of the wheat’s larger specimens. Almost hesitant to get close to it once he made the trek, he slowly reached his hand out and touched it, finding its texture not much different than what he’d expect from normal wheat, despite it being slightly larger than his entire body. He continued to ponder exactly what made it grow so much larger than the others as he looked back down at his grandson, whom he noticed was wiping the sweat from his brow as he picked at the wheat surrounding him.
Naruto: You alright, Airon!?
Airon: (He gradually began noticing his breaths becoming heavier, but managed to cast those thoughts aside before looking up at Naruto.) Yeah…just getting drowsy, that’s all!
Naruto: (Not surprised when considering how late it was, he smiled in amusement before looking behind him to see how Minto was doing.) Hehe, yeah! Guess we all are! Poor Minto here fell asleep some time ago!
He stared back at the giant stalk in front of him and at those coiled around the other trees, still curious as to how they obtained their massive size. He pondered this for several minutes, his exhaustion increasing all the while, before suddenly spotting something laying in the midst of the wheat field below. Something strangely similar to a ninja headband.
Airon: Grandpa!
Naruto: Huh!?
Putting aside the ominous feeling in his gut for now, he leapt down and joined Airon amongst the wheat where he found, to his shock, he was holding a small stalk that had begun expanding at an alarming rate.
Naruto: Holy crap! I’ve never seen a plant grow like that!
Airon: (Fighting back his yawns and heavy eyelids, he looked around and found that the stalks rubbing against him and Naruto had also started growing rapidly.) Yeah, and I think I know why. …They’re absorbing our chakra.
Naruto: (Remembering the headband he saw earlier, he quickly began suspecting there were more corpses in their midst, and checked Minto to ensure he was alright.) Oh, shit! Let’s get out of here! He’s already unconscious!
Airon: …Alright…huhhhhh, let’s…
He barely caught himself in time to stop him from tumbling to the ground, though he didn’t have nearly enough energy left to prevent this a second time, forcing Naruto to catch him as he fell over.
Naruto: AIRON!!!
Taking his bag between his teeth, he hoisted Airon onto his shoulder as he moved Minto onto the other, but this position wound up proving too tiresome for him to make any progress in escaping the fields. Before he knew it, he had dropped to his knees from exhaustion, the wheat around him continuing to grow as he left the last remnants of his chakra fade away. However, this development also helped him to suddenly realize he had two different supplies of chakra all along, prompting him to yell inward at the tailed beast responsible for overseeing the second.
Naruto: (I could use some help here, Kurama!!)
Kurama: (I’m working on it, moron!! …Here, take it!!)
A yellow cloak of chakra quickly expanded around him once more, spreading from his arms and onto the two boys on his shoulders, prompting one of them to gasp for air as he regained consciousness. Relieved, Naruto quickly leapt out and away from the field, which now bore a small throng of wheat much larger than those around it at its center, and set Airon and Minto down on the ground, where the former gradually opened his eyes and smiled up at his grandfather.
Airon: Huhh…huhh…tell Kurama I said thank you.
Naruto: (He returned his smile, still relieved by their good fortune, and set the backpack down beside him.) Hmhm, he says don’t mention it. …That stuff is pretty efficient, ain’t it?
Airon: (He reached out and rested his hand on the bag, peering into it before looking down at Minto, smiling briefly upon remembering their initial reasoning for coming to the mountain.) Yeah, no kidding. …He’s sure gonna be happy about this when he wakes up.
Naruto: Heh, I bet. …Alright, let’s get the hell outta here. I’m not as used to stayin’ up all night as you.
Noticing the faint rays of the morning sun peering through the treetops, Airon nodded in agreement and pulled out his kunai again, resting his hands on both Naruto and Minto before closing his eyes as they vanished from the mountainside, appearing in their workshop back in the village not even a fraction of a second later. Amazed as always by that technique’s effectiveness, Naruto smiled at Airon in amusement and patted him on the arm before standing up, looking down at Minto as he walked towards the doorway.
Naruto: You gonna wake him up?
Airon: (He looked at Minto for a moment and smiled as he sat down and leaned against the desk, resting his arms on his knees.) Nah, I’ll just let him sleep for now. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the wheat until he wakes up, just to make sure it doesn’t go bad.
Naruto: (He gave him a gentle smile as he stood there, proud as always of his grandson’s thoughtfulness.) Get sleep at some point, though, alright? …That insomnia of yours is starting to worry me.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I will. …Thanks for your help, Grandpa.
A grin and a thumbs-up later, Naruto exited the room, immediately running into a naturally curious Suzaku. As he struggled to explain how and why he entered their house without being noticed, Airon listened on in amusement from inside the room, sliding the bag of wheat underneath the desk to ensure Suzaku didn’t find it when he inevitably walked in before leaning his head back and closing his eyes, finally falling asleep after a good twenty minutes.
Weaving a rope from the wheat they harvested from Mount Kyūshū proved a more taxing chore than either of the genin was prepared for, but with his steady hands and proneness to learn quickly, Airon managed to make two ropes roughly five feet in length which, thanks to the properties they discovered in them up on the mountain, stretched to over one hundred feet when enough chakra was channeled into them. These were quickly covered with leather and connected to the bases of the newly dubbed ‘Shock Lashes’, a process that took more than a few hours, at the end of which Minto threw his hands up and leaned back in his chair.
Minto: Huhhh, finally.
Airon: (He rubbed his shoulder as he walked up from behind his seat, running his fingers across the entire length of one of the whips before turning to him with a conniving grin.) And now…the real test begins.
Minto’s exhausted expression quickly became serious after hearing this, standing up from his chair and taking both whips in hand as Airon walked to the other side of the room. Having been practicing his technique over the course of their construction, he found little difficulty this time wrapping both weapons around Airon in a mere handful of swings. From there, he hovered his thumbs over the buttons on either handle, waiting until he received a reassuring nod from Airon before pressing them. Airon’s face quickly tensed up as proof he felt the shock, falling to the ground just moments later, completely paralyzed.
Minto: It works…it works!!
Airon: (Once five seconds had passed, he quickly gasped for air and shimmied his way out of the whips’ clutches, at which point he stood up and dusted off his pants and overcoat.) Whew…hehehe, it certainly does. Quite the punch packed in that thing.
Minto: (He jerked back both hands to retrieve the bodies of the whips once they’d returned to their original length, smiling back at Airon after staring at them briefly.) Yeah. It looks like our limit is five seconds of paralysis. Pretty small window between that and the recharge, but I think can work with that.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I’m sure you could…but now I’ve got another idea.
Minto: (He stared back at Airon, confused but nonetheless intrigued.) And what’s that?
Airon: …Defense.
Minto’s eyes grew wider as he looked down at the weapons in his hands, obviously expecting a different answer. When he originally came up with the idea of a whip, offense was the only use on his mind, so to hear an argument for focusing on the opposite was unexpected, to say the least.
Minto: Defense…with these?
Airon: (He smiled in amusement as he walked over and rested his hand on Minto’s shoulder.) Here’s what I got in mind…
Airon was kneeling down on one knee roughly twenty yards from Minto, staring at the Shock Lashes for what felt like several minutes as he studied their movements, putting on a wicked smile when he finally found a reasonable opening.
Airon: (There you are…now just follow the motions.)
He slowly stood back up with kunai in hand, keeping his eyes focused on the spot where the opening arose while estimating how large it was and how often it appeared. Noticing this from overhead, his rival closed his eyes and smirked at what now seemed to be an inevitable conclusion.
Manako: He’s found an opening…it’s over.
An instant later, Airon’s kunai was enveloped by lightning-enhanced chakra and after a few seconds of waiting, during which he dropped a second kunai down by his feet, he chucked it towards Minto. Time seemed to slow down as it closed in on his barrier, showcasing the elaborate movements of the two whips, which it barely squeezed past before the very brief opening closed again. In the blink of an eye, Minto was vulnerable once again, prompting Airon to smirk as he prepared to warp. Little did he realize that his opponent was smiling, as well.
Airon: (Gotcha.)
Minto: (…Do you?)
Hardly a moment after he warped past Minto’s barrier, his eyes widened in surprise as he realized the parameters were much smaller than he originally estimated, leaving one of his shins in line with the barrier, unable to pull it back in before one of the whips wrapped around his leg and then his entire body, save for his feet and shoulders. Minto immediately spun around and slammed him into the ground before swinging the other Shock Lash towards the kunai he had left on the ground, successfully slicing off part of the seal on its handle as the audience looked on in shock.
Hinata and Nakama: Airon!!
Naruto: …That’s impossible.
Inase: (Having only seen one other person successfully counter the Flying Raijin jutsu, she gazed over at the competitors’ balcony, focusing on the genin in question for a moment in order to enter his mind.) (Manako, how did…)
Manako: (He glanced over in her direction for a second before looking back down at Airon in disappointment.) (…Seems Minto was doing some training of his own, after all.)
Down below, Airon continued to lay across the ground entrapped in rope and leather, unable to move due to the weapon’s secondary effect, his only means of instantaneous escape cut off by his ever so clever opponent. His mind was wasn’t focused on his current predicament, though, but rather the events leading up to it. Having personally developed the defensive patterns Minto knew so well, it was obvious the pattern used to capture him was anything but the one he designed to push Minto to his absolute limits, prompting him to glance over at his opponent with a smirk.
Airon: (You’ve been keeping secrets from me.)
Minto: (He returned his expression in kind.) (Wouldn’t hurt to read my mind once and a while then, would it?)
Airon had no time to respond before his face tensed up as another surge of electricity coursed through his body, his paralysis renewed for another five seconds. When he found the ability once again, he gazed up at the button on the Shock Lash’s handle, having just been reminded that he was now at the mercy of the genin whose thumb hovered over it.
Airon is entangled – by the very weapons he helped create!!!
The End
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Chapter 070: Entangled
The entire stadium silently awaited Airon’s first action since Minto initiated his defense which, for the time being, amounted to him skipping around his opponent in search of a viable opening in his barrier. Having seen its effectiveness once already, though, many onlookers had become skeptical of Airon’s ability to bypass it, including the grandmother of Minto’s previous opponent.
Tenten: That’s the barrier that stopped Chan dead in his tracks. …I wonder how it’ll hold up against Airon.
Lee: (His unblinking eyes followed Airon as he continued circling Minto.) From what has been seen of him so far…not well.
Down below, Airon stopped momentarily to muse over his current situation, keeping his eyes on Minto to ensure he made no moves towards him in the meantime.
Airon: (He’s not letting up for a second. He just started and I’ve already got him using his second pattern…hmhmhm, odds are he won’t keep that one going for long, either.)
The corner of his mouth curled upwards as he chucked the kunai in his hand forward, keeping his finger in the hole at its hilt to prevent it from leaving his grip. Once again, Minto immediately shifted to a more complex – in this case, his most complex – pattern of hand motions, prompting a wicked smile from Airon.
Airon: What’s the matter, Minto!? You just tensed up all of a sudden!
Minto: (Recalling their early training sessions with the Shock Lashes, he gritted his teeth slightly in frustration as he glared at Airon.) So now you’re making fun of me for NOT taking risks!? Do you treat ANYONE the same on and off the battlefield, Airon!?
Airon: (He glanced off towards the competitors’ balcony, smiling up at his two rivals standing beside one another.) (…One or two names come to mind.)
Both Manako and Nakama smiled back in amusement, though their attention was soon drawn elsewhere by the last of the three confirmed finalists, who was staring down at Minto with his active Byakugan.
Hitomi: That defense stopped Chan while he was using the first four Inner Gates…how does Airon intend to slip past it when speeds that high couldn’t manage it?
Manako: (He looked over at him and back towards the match before answering, slightly amused by his comparison between Airon’s speed and Chan’s.) Airon has plenty of tricks up his sleeve to pull it off, Hitomi…not to mention he has an advantage over Minto no one else does.
The latter remark left Hitomi confused until he looked back down at Airon, the attentive look in his eyes as he watched Minto causing his own to widen in surprise.
Hitomi: The patterns…he knows them, too.
Manako: (He smiled in confirmation.) Like the back of his hand. …He developed them, after all.
Indeed, down below, Airon’s eyes were scurrying back and forth in an effort to follow the movements of Minto’s third defensive barrier, his hands moving so fast that it pushed the air around it back far enough to blow Airon’s hair back ever so slightly. In spite of the intense effort required to maintain it, the pattern came as almost second-nature to Minto who knew it by heart, as he did the means by which he came to acquire the weapons used to create it.
– One Year Prior –
At the center of one of the many bridges that connected both sides of the Leaf village, Minto stood slumped over the railing as Airon ran up to him in playful concern. Judging from the scene and their location, the former had just returned from a team training session overseen by the latter, one which proved fruitful for every member of his team other than him.
Airon: Minto, you act surprised by it. Your dad was taught by one of the Hokage, he and I trained Taigen for the past three years, and everyone knows Nakama’s a freakin’ monster. Just cause you’re surrounded by huge talent doesn’t mean you don’t have any.
Minto: (He didn’t even look up at him as he replied.) Doesn’t it? You say that like they’re the only ones I ever lose to, Airon. …Sometimes I can’t believe I even graduated from the Academy.
Airon: What the heck are you talkin’ about? You graduated because you mastered all the basic jutsu they taught you and you’re great at taijutsu.
Minto: And nothing since then has changed. I pretty much reached my limit in taijutsu ages ago, and my chakra control’s useless if I can’t use any REAL ninjutsu. …Face it, man, I’m a flop as a ninja…and as a member of my clan.
Airon: (He rubbed his eyes irritably upon hearing this.) Now I know you’re just regurgitating Raiden’s words.
He looked out of the corner of his eye to see Minto’s reaction. Indeed, he seemed affected by this observation, but his head sank once again mere moments later, prompting Airon to sigh in annoyance. One clever thought later, though, his contentment returned and he turned to Minto with a grin.
Airon: Minto, what if I helped you find a way to put your skills to good use, even with YOUR limits?
Minto: (He looked up upon hearing this, but he retained a look of indifference.) Yeah, and how’s that gonna be possible?
He used their next thirty seconds on the bridge to describe exactly what he had in mind. As he listened, Minto’s eyes started to widen with each new word that left Airon’s mouth, leaving him hesitant to open his own when he finally finished.
Minto: Is that even possible?
Airon: (He answered with his trademark grin.) …Won’t know until we try.
The next moment, they were both in the Academy, scouring through the Hokage’s personal library for any possible resources they could use for the weapon Airon promised Minto. Hours passed with not a word between them until finally, Minto threw aside the book he was reading in heated frustration, knocking over a stack of previous rummaged books in the process, though Airon was too focused on the one he was reading at the time to notice.
Minto: Rrrrgh, DANG IT!!! THIS IS POINTLESS!!!
Airon: Minto.
Minto: Pointless!! Pointless!! Pointless!! Pointless!!
Airon: Minto!
Minto: I’m sorry, Airon, I just can’t do this! There’s no way any sort of weapon we try to find is gonna make me a better-
Airon: MINTO!!!
Picking up a small pocketbook and chucking it at him, he waited until Minto had finished rubbing the back of his head and spun around in anger before holding up the book he was reading, keeping the page he was just on open so Minto wouldn’t have to search for it as he took it from his hand. He scanned it for no more than a few seconds before looking back up at Airon.
Minto: Electric currents…you think we can use that?
Airon: (He smiled and nodded in confirmation before standing up and walking over to retrieve the pocketbook he had previously thrown, which he then dropped into his outstretched hands.) I’ve got a few ideas already. Check ‘em out.
Minto quickly opened it up to the first few pages and read them over, finding to his surprise that all of them were completely filled by his ideas, many of which he couldn’t help but be impressed by. With each new proposal he looked over, though, he found himself thinking up more to add in, turning to Airon when he finally finished to give his thoughts.
Minto: That’s brilliant…but I think I’ve got a better idea.
Airon: (Somewhat hoping he might say this, he smiled before handing him his pencil.) It’s your weapon. Fire away.
After quickly drawing out a rough sketch, Minto handed him back the book with his thumb marking the page he was on, smiling when he saw Airon look over his idea and then back up at him with a large grin.
Airon: Well, what’re we waiting for? …Let’s get started.
Acquiring the material for Minto’s proposed whip took well over a month, in part because of their desire to keep their plan a secret from everyone else, but they eventually succeeded in crafting a long whip from braided leather. However, the key component of the weapon was its base, the interior of which took several days to craft into a strong electrical circuit. Their plans were finally coming to fruition, though, as Minto laid down the last bits of wiring while a cautious Airon looked over his shoulder.
Airon: Minto, if you’re having trouble, just let me do it.
Minto: These are supposed to be mine, Airon. It’s only fair I do all the wiring.
Airon: Fair’s got nothing to do with it if it gets messed up and doesn’t work. …C’mon, buddy, just let me do this part.
Minto: (Nearly slipping up as he spoke, he heaved a sigh of relief before setting down his tools and standing up.) …Alright.
Airon immediately sat down and picked up the tools, completing the remaining wiring within a matter of minutes before carefully attaching the red button that would serve to jumpstart the entire electrical process. Smiling in satisfaction, he quickly attached the handle to the body of the whip, giving it a tug to ensure it was on properly before setting it back down and standing up.
Airon: Alright, that should do it. And it should be self-generating, too. …Come on, try it out.
Without hesitation, Minto snatched it up and jogged across the room while Airon held his arms out on either side and waited for him to begin. To his embarrassment, though, he greatly underestimated the skill required to wield a whip, taking him several minutes to even figure out how to coil it the way he wanted it to. Wrapping it around Airon proved an even greater challenge, and the longer it was, the more humiliating it became for him and the more amusing it became for Airon.
Airon: By that, I mean wrap it around me and push the button.
Minto: Rrrrgh, shut up!!
To both their surprise, the attempt immediately following this remark proved a success, prompting a sny grin from Minto which Airon answered with a smirk. They fell silent as Minto hovered his thumb over the button, but after he pressed down, the resulting shock cause Airon’s expression to tense up, though it was quickly replaced by one of confusion that Minto made in kind.
Minto: It didn’t work?
Airon: (He flexed his fingers to find out, heaving a sigh when he found he still had full movement in them.) …Guess not.
Minto: (He quickly pulled back on the whip to free Airon before holding the handle up and examining it.) What’s wrong with it? I thought the wiring was supposed to be perfect.
Airon: It is. …Hold on.
He kneeled down and snatched up part of the whip laying around his feet, scanning and feeling it before coming to a realization.
Airon: Dang it. That’s why.
Minto: What?
Airon: (He held it up to show him.) It’s the material we used for the whip. We need something else.
Minto: (Confused, he grabbed part of the whip and held it up to examine it, as well.) What’re you talking about? We checked it. It conducts electricity just fine.
Airon: Yeah, but not chakra. And that’s the whole point of it. It needs that extra surge to give it the result we’re looking for, otherwise it’s just a small shock.
Minto: …Alright. Then where do we find a filament that absorbs chakra? It’s not so easy as finding metal or leather, y’know.
Airon was already in the process of looking through the encyclopedia on the nearby desk in search of an answer to that question, motioning for Minto to walk over mere moments later.
Airon: Hey, take a look at this.
Minto: (He complied immediately, looking over the article Airon’s finger was on with mixed levels of enthusiasm.) Mount Kyūshū…near the southern border of the Land of Fire.
Airon: Supposedly, the area near the top of the mountain houses a special wheat that can conduct chakra fairly easily. We can definitely weave a rope out of that.
Minto: (Not too keen about climbing a mountain, he dodged the question right away.) Okay? But how’s a rope supposed to conduct electricity, then? You just reverse the problem that way.
Airon: Then we just braid it around what we’re already using and build the base of the Shock Lashes around that. Jeez, think outside the box a little, why don’tcha?
Minto: (He continued his attempts to avoid this option, adopting a confused look as he spoke in response to what Airon said.) But that’s so far away. And how do we know there’s not something else on that mountain with the wheat…wait a sec, “Shock Lash”?
Airon: (He smiled in amusement at him having caught on.) Just a name I came up with. Thought it fit the description pretty well.
Minto: Okay? Then why did you say Shock Lash-ES? What’re we making TWO of these things now?
Airon: What, did you not want two?
Minto: (His mind wandered momentarily as the image of him flailing two long whips through the air came about.) Well…I’m not against the idea.
Airon: (Catching onto what he was thinking, he smiled in amusement before standing up.) Perfect then. Alright, let’s go.
Minto: Where to?
Airon: (He took off out the door as he replied, prompting Minto to panic.) We need a supervising jōnin to come along with us, don’t we!?
Minto: Hey! Hey, wait!!
Later that day, just as the sun began vanishing from view, three shinobi took off past the village’s southern border, two of them moving at blinding speeds, grinning controllably as the third sat on one of their backs with his arms wrapped around their neck, evidently not enjoying himself at all.
Minto: AIRON, WHY THE HECK DID YOU PICK YOUR GRANDFATHER AND NOT MY DAD!!?
Airon: BECAUSE I’D RATHER GET BACK HOME BY SUNRISE AS OPPOSED TO TWO DAYS!!! BESIDES, GRANDPA’S NEVER SEEN MOUNT KYŪSHŪ, SO I KNOW HE WANTS TO GO!!!
Naruto: HEHAHA, YOU BET YOUR ASS I DO, AIRON!!! NOW HOLD ON, MINTO!!! WE’LL GET THERE AND BACK BEFORE DAYBREAK IF IT KILLS ME!!!
Minto: KILLS!!?
Before Minto could complain any further, Naruto reached out and touched Airon’s shoulder as he activated his Six Paths Sage Mode, prompting the cloak of chakra spreading across his body to travel onto Airon, covering them both in a glowing yellow aura that increased their already impressive speeds to god-like levels, much to Minto’s terrified protests.
Minto: HEEEEEEYYY, SLOOOOOWWW DOOOOOWWWNNN!!!
Airon: HEHAHAHAHAHA, COME ON, MINTO!!! THIS IS THE WAY TO TRAVEL!!!
With no other way around it, Minto ducked his head down behind Naruto’s back as far as he could manage while still keeping his arms locked around his neck, silently praying that their journey ended as quickly as possible.
After roughly six hours of travelling at near unrivalled speeds, Naruto and Airon finally arrived at their destination, where upon the cancellation of Naruto’s technique, they proceeded to look up in awe at the gigantic mountain standing before them. Even Minto, who had barely retained consciousness after spending so much time literally holding on for dear life, couldn’t help but lift his head up and stare at its cloud-covered peak.
Naruto: Wow…this mountain’s almost as big as Mount Myōboku. You said what you’re looking for is at the top, right, Airon?
Airon: …Uhhh, general area. We shouldn’t have to go all the way to the peak.
Naruto: (Somewhat relieved by this, he put on his trademark grin once again.) Well, let’s not waste any time! If we hurry, we can get back to the village before everyone wakes up! You got Dad’s jutsu all figured out now, right?
Airon: (He smiled and reached into the pouch around his waist, holding up a three-pronged kunai with a seal on its handle.) I got a marked kunai sitting in our workshop right now.
Naruto: (Continually amazed by Airon’s brilliance, he smiled down at him before looking back up at the mountain.) Alright! Then let’s hurry up and get outta here!
Minto: Hold on, could you at least put me down first!?
Airon: No time! Now let’s go!
Minto: HEY!!!
The race up the mountain took well over half an hour before they finally found their true destination, a sight which proved even more wondrous than the mountain itself. In the middle of what was otherwise a small barren plain surround by thick trees, there stood the green colored wheat they were looking for, covering the mountainside like a field of tall grass. But that wasn’t the sight that left the three of them with wide eyes and dropped jaws, a feat accomplished instead by the massive variations of it that were coiled halfway up many of the surrounding trees.
Naruto: Whoa…are these what you were looking for?
Minto: (He continued to stare up at the giant stalks, not even taking notice of the fact that he was still being carried on Naruto’s back.) Yeah…I never expected they’d be so big, though.
Naruto: (He gazed around at them a moment longer before turning to Airon.) Well, we can cut it down to size when we get back. Did your book say anything about the way they work away from the mountain?
Airon: (Still in amazement, he thought about it for a moment before walking forward, taking off the backpack he had brought with him as he did.) Well, taking them out of this environment shouldn’t do anything to them if that’s what you mean. Cutting them up shouldn’t affect any of their original properties, either.
Naruto: (As he listened, he began pulling at his collar, which felt as though it had gotten tighter during their time there.) Alright. Well, go ahead and pick however much you need. …It’s starting to get a little warm up here.
Airon was already in the process of doing so, walking through the small field and examining each stalk before stuffing those he found suitable into his bag. In the meantime, Naruto decided to climb one of the trees and examine one of the wheat’s larger specimens. Almost hesitant to get close to it once he made the trek, he slowly reached his hand out and touched it, finding its texture not much different than what he’d expect from normal wheat, despite it being slightly larger than his entire body. He continued to ponder exactly what made it grow so much larger than the others as he looked back down at his grandson, whom he noticed was wiping the sweat from his brow as he picked at the wheat surrounding him.
Naruto: You alright, Airon!?
Airon: (He gradually began noticing his breaths becoming heavier, but managed to cast those thoughts aside before looking up at Naruto.) Yeah…just getting drowsy, that’s all!
Naruto: (Not surprised when considering how late it was, he smiled in amusement before looking behind him to see how Minto was doing.) Hehe, yeah! Guess we all are! Poor Minto here fell asleep some time ago!
He stared back at the giant stalk in front of him and at those coiled around the other trees, still curious as to how they obtained their massive size. He pondered this for several minutes, his exhaustion increasing all the while, before suddenly spotting something laying in the midst of the wheat field below. Something strangely similar to a ninja headband.
Airon: Grandpa!
Naruto: Huh!?
Putting aside the ominous feeling in his gut for now, he leapt down and joined Airon amongst the wheat where he found, to his shock, he was holding a small stalk that had begun expanding at an alarming rate.
Naruto: Holy crap! I’ve never seen a plant grow like that!
Airon: (Fighting back his yawns and heavy eyelids, he looked around and found that the stalks rubbing against him and Naruto had also started growing rapidly.) Yeah, and I think I know why. …They’re absorbing our chakra.
Naruto: (Remembering the headband he saw earlier, he quickly began suspecting there were more corpses in their midst, and checked Minto to ensure he was alright.) Oh, shit! Let’s get out of here! He’s already unconscious!
Airon: …Alright…huhhhhh, let’s…
He barely caught himself in time to stop him from tumbling to the ground, though he didn’t have nearly enough energy left to prevent this a second time, forcing Naruto to catch him as he fell over.
Naruto: AIRON!!!
Taking his bag between his teeth, he hoisted Airon onto his shoulder as he moved Minto onto the other, but this position wound up proving too tiresome for him to make any progress in escaping the fields. Before he knew it, he had dropped to his knees from exhaustion, the wheat around him continuing to grow as he left the last remnants of his chakra fade away. However, this development also helped him to suddenly realize he had two different supplies of chakra all along, prompting him to yell inward at the tailed beast responsible for overseeing the second.
Naruto: (I could use some help here, Kurama!!)
Kurama: (I’m working on it, moron!! …Here, take it!!)
A yellow cloak of chakra quickly expanded around him once more, spreading from his arms and onto the two boys on his shoulders, prompting one of them to gasp for air as he regained consciousness. Relieved, Naruto quickly leapt out and away from the field, which now bore a small throng of wheat much larger than those around it at its center, and set Airon and Minto down on the ground, where the former gradually opened his eyes and smiled up at his grandfather.
Airon: Huhh…huhh…tell Kurama I said thank you.
Naruto: (He returned his smile, still relieved by their good fortune, and set the backpack down beside him.) Hmhm, he says don’t mention it. …That stuff is pretty efficient, ain’t it?
Airon: (He reached out and rested his hand on the bag, peering into it before looking down at Minto, smiling briefly upon remembering their initial reasoning for coming to the mountain.) Yeah, no kidding. …He’s sure gonna be happy about this when he wakes up.
Naruto: Heh, I bet. …Alright, let’s get the hell outta here. I’m not as used to stayin’ up all night as you.
Noticing the faint rays of the morning sun peering through the treetops, Airon nodded in agreement and pulled out his kunai again, resting his hands on both Naruto and Minto before closing his eyes as they vanished from the mountainside, appearing in their workshop back in the village not even a fraction of a second later. Amazed as always by that technique’s effectiveness, Naruto smiled at Airon in amusement and patted him on the arm before standing up, looking down at Minto as he walked towards the doorway.
Naruto: You gonna wake him up?
Airon: (He looked at Minto for a moment and smiled as he sat down and leaned against the desk, resting his arms on his knees.) Nah, I’ll just let him sleep for now. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on the wheat until he wakes up, just to make sure it doesn’t go bad.
Naruto: (He gave him a gentle smile as he stood there, proud as always of his grandson’s thoughtfulness.) Get sleep at some point, though, alright? …That insomnia of yours is starting to worry me.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I will. …Thanks for your help, Grandpa.
A grin and a thumbs-up later, Naruto exited the room, immediately running into a naturally curious Suzaku. As he struggled to explain how and why he entered their house without being noticed, Airon listened on in amusement from inside the room, sliding the bag of wheat underneath the desk to ensure Suzaku didn’t find it when he inevitably walked in before leaning his head back and closing his eyes, finally falling asleep after a good twenty minutes.
Weaving a rope from the wheat they harvested from Mount Kyūshū proved a more taxing chore than either of the genin was prepared for, but with his steady hands and proneness to learn quickly, Airon managed to make two ropes roughly five feet in length which, thanks to the properties they discovered in them up on the mountain, stretched to over one hundred feet when enough chakra was channeled into them. These were quickly covered with leather and connected to the bases of the newly dubbed ‘Shock Lashes’, a process that took more than a few hours, at the end of which Minto threw his hands up and leaned back in his chair.
Minto: Huhhh, finally.
Airon: (He rubbed his shoulder as he walked up from behind his seat, running his fingers across the entire length of one of the whips before turning to him with a conniving grin.) And now…the real test begins.
Minto’s exhausted expression quickly became serious after hearing this, standing up from his chair and taking both whips in hand as Airon walked to the other side of the room. Having been practicing his technique over the course of their construction, he found little difficulty this time wrapping both weapons around Airon in a mere handful of swings. From there, he hovered his thumbs over the buttons on either handle, waiting until he received a reassuring nod from Airon before pressing them. Airon’s face quickly tensed up as proof he felt the shock, falling to the ground just moments later, completely paralyzed.
Minto: It works…it works!!
Airon: (Once five seconds had passed, he quickly gasped for air and shimmied his way out of the whips’ clutches, at which point he stood up and dusted off his pants and overcoat.) Whew…hehehe, it certainly does. Quite the punch packed in that thing.
Minto: (He jerked back both hands to retrieve the bodies of the whips once they’d returned to their original length, smiling back at Airon after staring at them briefly.) Yeah. It looks like our limit is five seconds of paralysis. Pretty small window between that and the recharge, but I think can work with that.
Airon: Hmhmhm, I’m sure you could…but now I’ve got another idea.
Minto: (He stared back at Airon, confused but nonetheless intrigued.) And what’s that?
Airon: …Defense.
Minto’s eyes grew wider as he looked down at the weapons in his hands, obviously expecting a different answer. When he originally came up with the idea of a whip, offense was the only use on his mind, so to hear an argument for focusing on the opposite was unexpected, to say the least.
Minto: Defense…with these?
Airon: (He smiled in amusement as he walked over and rested his hand on Minto’s shoulder.) Here’s what I got in mind…
– Present-Day –
Airon was kneeling down on one knee roughly twenty yards from Minto, staring at the Shock Lashes for what felt like several minutes as he studied their movements, putting on a wicked smile when he finally found a reasonable opening.
Airon: (There you are…now just follow the motions.)
He slowly stood back up with kunai in hand, keeping his eyes focused on the spot where the opening arose while estimating how large it was and how often it appeared. Noticing this from overhead, his rival closed his eyes and smirked at what now seemed to be an inevitable conclusion.
Manako: He’s found an opening…it’s over.
An instant later, Airon’s kunai was enveloped by lightning-enhanced chakra and after a few seconds of waiting, during which he dropped a second kunai down by his feet, he chucked it towards Minto. Time seemed to slow down as it closed in on his barrier, showcasing the elaborate movements of the two whips, which it barely squeezed past before the very brief opening closed again. In the blink of an eye, Minto was vulnerable once again, prompting Airon to smirk as he prepared to warp. Little did he realize that his opponent was smiling, as well.
Airon: (Gotcha.)
Minto: (…Do you?)
Hardly a moment after he warped past Minto’s barrier, his eyes widened in surprise as he realized the parameters were much smaller than he originally estimated, leaving one of his shins in line with the barrier, unable to pull it back in before one of the whips wrapped around his leg and then his entire body, save for his feet and shoulders. Minto immediately spun around and slammed him into the ground before swinging the other Shock Lash towards the kunai he had left on the ground, successfully slicing off part of the seal on its handle as the audience looked on in shock.
Hinata and Nakama: Airon!!
Naruto: …That’s impossible.
Inase: (Having only seen one other person successfully counter the Flying Raijin jutsu, she gazed over at the competitors’ balcony, focusing on the genin in question for a moment in order to enter his mind.) (Manako, how did…)
Manako: (He glanced over in her direction for a second before looking back down at Airon in disappointment.) (…Seems Minto was doing some training of his own, after all.)
Down below, Airon continued to lay across the ground entrapped in rope and leather, unable to move due to the weapon’s secondary effect, his only means of instantaneous escape cut off by his ever so clever opponent. His mind was wasn’t focused on his current predicament, though, but rather the events leading up to it. Having personally developed the defensive patterns Minto knew so well, it was obvious the pattern used to capture him was anything but the one he designed to push Minto to his absolute limits, prompting him to glance over at his opponent with a smirk.
Airon: (You’ve been keeping secrets from me.)
Minto: (He returned his expression in kind.) (Wouldn’t hurt to read my mind once and a while then, would it?)
Airon had no time to respond before his face tensed up as another surge of electricity coursed through his body, his paralysis renewed for another five seconds. When he found the ability once again, he gazed up at the button on the Shock Lash’s handle, having just been reminded that he was now at the mercy of the genin whose thumb hovered over it.
Airon is entangled – by the very weapons he helped create!!!
The End
