Chakra Wizard
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Alright, halfway through the match!! 
Let’s up the power levels this time in celebration*_* lol Anyways, enjoy
Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
Chapter 075: Total Warfare
At the front gate of the Leaf village, one bright afternoon, the joint families of the Uzumaki and Uchiha clans gathered to bid farewell to their respective patriarchs, the former departing for the Rain village, while the latter sought to accompany him halfway before returning to his travels. Naruto embraced his wife and son before cheerfully petting his three grandchildren on the head, a gesture Sasuke mimicked with Manako and his two cousins before embracing Sarada and giving a simple farewell to Itachi as he rested his hand and his shoulder. Lastly, he turned to Sakura, pressing his fingers against her forehead as he promised to return before taking off after Naruto, their advanced speed even in their older years causing them to vanish past the horizon after only a few minutes. As the two families parted ways, Airon and Manako took off on their own, retreating to one of the many bridges that connected both sides of the village’s own river. As the younger of the two took to the railing and proceeded it to walk along the top of it, the older rested his small arms over one of its lower levels and gazed down at the water below, reflecting on the moment.
Manako: I wonder how long he’ll be gone.
Airon: Ehhh, Grandpa said he’d be back in a couple months, once he made sure everything was going alright with the village.
Manako: …I meant MY grandpa, Airon.
Airon: (He leapt back down and crossed his arms, resting his shoulder against the railing as he looked off in the direction of the front gate.) Well, he doesn’t come around the village a whole lot, so I can’t really say. He did stay the whole time you were in the Academy, though, so he might come back sooner than he usually does to check up on you.
Manako: (Accepting this answer, he heaved a sigh as the latter remark took hold over his thoughts.) …I still can’t believe I wasted an entire year there after you already graduated.
Airon: Hehehe, well, you were only there two months when the exams started. Besides, Grandpa took away my headband until I’m older, so technically, you did graduate before me.
Manako gave no response to this, prompted Airon’s smile to slowly disappear. Just over a year ago, Manako would’ve quickly joined him in his laughter, but now, he was lucky if he managed to get a smile out of him on any given day. He heaved a sigh of disappointment as he recalled those happier years, as well as their first day in the Academy together, when he saw the main source of his present unhappiness for the first time.
Airon: How’re things with your eyes, by the way?
Manako: (He turned his head slightly to bring Airon into his field of vision, turning away moments later.) Don’t know…I haven’t used them in awhile.
Airon: (He stopped leaning against the railing and walked up beside him with his hands in his pockets.) Why not? There aren’t a lot of people in the world who have those eyes, and I mean ever. I’d try ‘em out whenever I could.
Manako: (His eyebrows slanted down in irritation as he picked himself up off the railing.) I have those eyes because I killed my mom, Airon. Why would I ever wanna use them again if I could avoid it?
Airon: C’mon, cuz, you know that isn’t true-
Manako: It is, Airon, alright!? Now knock it off!
He spun around to face Airon in fury with his standard Sharingan at the ready, not realizing that doing so would bring him mere inches from his rival’s blank face. When his anger finally subsided, his eyes returned to normal and he leaned back over the railing while Airon stood there gazing at the wooden planks on which they stood, pondering his actions. At the time, he wanted to make it perfectly clear that it was Manako’s belief he had killed his mother, rather than the reality of it, that caused his Mangekyō Sharingan to awaken, but he just couldn’t find the words. Not wanting to spark another argument with him, anyways, he decided it best to keep silent about it and walked past him with the intent of returning home, though not without leaving him a more subtle message of encouragement.
Airon: Well, when and if you do decide to try them out, let me know, alright? …I don’t need you testing your powers out on anyone but me.
He stopped walking to wait for a reply, while Manako leaned up off the railing yet again and turned to face him. He stared at the back of his head for the longest time until a smirk finally crept up onto his face, another finding its way onto Airon’s when he realized he’d succeeded.
Manako: I wouldn’t ask for it any other way.
Airon’s voyage into his own memories was interrupted by a new katana, which somehow found yet another untouched region of his back despite it already being hidden beneath the swarm of katanas that came before it. His arms and legs, as well, were completely covered by katanas which impaled them from every angle, though to his surprise and relief, the one that previously pierced his right hand was the only one to touch either of his hands, while his head and neck had also remained completely unscathed. The pain had all but grown numb in the periods between arriving katanas, but the agony of each new one entering his skin continued to grow every time, as did the amount of time it took to subside. Still, the fact that it was all in his head kept his mind stable for the time being, though even this realization was slowly becoming harder to grasp.
Airon: (Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut back then.) Huhh…huhh…that was one hundred and eighty…which means maybe thirty seconds have passed…huhh, at the most.
Manako: One hundred and seventy-eight, actually, which puts you at just under thirty seconds. …Either way, you’re doing pretty well, Airon.
He met Airon’s subsequent glare with a smirk as his left eye suddenly began twitching in the real world, prompting him to hold his hand over it as his other eye gazed at the motionless Airon in front of him.
Manako: (Now hurry up and lose consciousness before my eyesight fades any further.)
As Airon’s mind fought to purge itself of the illusion, his body remained buckled over on all fours, breathing heavily as it stared straight ahead. Those watching from above varied in their reactions to this, with those most ignorant to what was going on staring at the contestants in confusion as they wondered when they were going to resume the match, while those knowledgeable about Tsukuyomi grew more concerned with Airon’s continued incapacitation with each passing second, his loved ones first and foremost.
Inase: (It’s been thirty seconds since Manako placed him under his illusion, and he still has him trapped. …Come on, what the heck are you doing, Airon?)
Kei: (Having some faint understanding of the genjutsu’s workings himself, he also recognized something was wrong and quickly stood up out of his seat.) COME ON, AIRON!!! HURRY UP AND SNAP OUT OF IT!!!
Inase: (She looked up at him in mild annoyance.) It’s not that easy, Kei. Tsukuyomi isn’t just some mediocre genjutsu…and it’ll take a lot more than some shouting from the stands to get him out of it.
She looked back down at the arena floor to find Airon was now digging his nails into the ground to fight the pain, deciding then and there to keep her next thought to herself.
Inase: (If he CAN get out of it…)
Though she refrained from sharing them, her thoughts were no secret to their watchful father, her expression alone being enough of an indication to make him look back down at his eldest son with immense concern. Throughout the stands, several other previously hopeful spectators were also beginning to question Airon’s intentions going into the illusion, even those of his peers who knew his abilities best.
Irezumi: I can’t say I’m surprised that Airon asked Manako for this…but why would he try to break free from his genjutsu if he didn’t know whether or not he had the means to do it?
Ino: (She recalled her own history as she answered him.) Overconfidence has a way of coming back to bite you in the ass, Irezumi. …This may be where Airon learns that lesson.
Sai: That is a very likely scenario, but his grandfather was a common exception to that rule, if you can recall. …Tsukuyomi is, indeed, a very powerful illusion, but I believe him to be strong enough to withstand the pain it induces, or even break away from it completely.
Inojin: (He and his mother quickly looked over at him in surprise, followed shortly by nostalgic disappointment.) That’s very…astute of you, Father. (Why do you never make those kinds of insightful remarks about your own students?)
Ide: I just hope whatever Manako is conjuring in his illusion isn’t too painful. …I would hate to think Airon is suffering terribly down there when they were in the middle of such a spirited competition before.
Irezumi and his predecessors looked over at her as she said this, all of them expecting her to make a similar remark at some point while the former nodded in agreement. Contrary to her prayers, though, the pain was indeed building up once again as a katana finally entered Airon’s neck, causing his head to fall limp as nearly a pint of blood burst forth from his lips at once. The reaction hardly carried on past this, though, as he was clearly more focused on flexing the fingers of his recently impaled left hand, much to Manako’s growing confusion and irritation.
Manako: (What the heck’s he doing now?) If you want to surrender the match, I’ll be more than happy to stop the technique.
Airon: (Seeing past the illusion, he raised his head and smiled up at his captor as he wheezed a response.) Heeehh…don’t get soft on me now…heeehh, cuz. …Heeehh, you’re the one who’s been chasing me…heeehh, all this time, remember?
Manako: (While not entirely surprised, he still smirked and shook his head in amazement at his ability to keep up his confidence.) That was probably the case when we were small kids, Airon…but now I think we can agree that I’m the one carrying the baton.
Airon: (He continued to smile as he moved his fingers, grinning while he finally found the sign he was looking for.) Heeehh, funny…heeehh, I don’t recall ever passing it on to you.
As he realized just moments ago, Airon’s body had also begun moving its left hand – however slightly – in the same pattern his subconscious self did, something the spectators with the sharpest eyes gradually picked up on.
Darui: What the hell’s he doing?
Kurotsuchi: He has a face like he’s trying to get out of handcuffs without being noticed.
Konohamaru: (He exchanged glances with Naruto to ensure his own assumption was correct, looking down at Airon in amazement when he received his answer.) Something tells me the rate of difficulty’s not that far off…for what he’s really trying to do.
Several more seconds passed, at which point Airon had remained trapped within the illusion for almost a full minute, before his suffering finally began to bear fruit. Faint shimmers of chakra danced around his fingers as he struggled to give them a distinct shape, the faces of all who noticed it brimming with shock when it became more recognizable.
Mei: That’s a…incredible.
Gaara: And all while trapped within that illusion…Naruto, when did you teach him that technique?
Naruto: …Long before this, I can assure you that.
Down below, having grown more accustomed to this temporary handicap, Airon continued to build up his technique as even Manako watched it grow in amazement, hinting to Airon that his instincts were correct as he gradually allowed his attention to slip away from his illusion.
Airon: There…heeehh, I think I’ve got it.
Manako: (No…there’s no way he could have-)
Airon: Heeehh, you’re not focusing, Manako!
Before Manako had time to react, Airon’s chakra and technique vanished in an instant, bursting forth moments later at nearly ten times the intensity, giving his rival little hope of reasserting his hold over his mind with his Sharingan already in its current state of exhaustion.
Manako: (Rrrgh, shoot!!)
The illusion broken at long last, the plane in his subconscious disappeared in a ray of light as feeling returned to his body, at which point he immediately stood up as his technique quickly took shape once again, several members of the audience rising to their feet in either wonderment or disbelief.
Sasuke: No! That’s impossible!
Konohamaru: (He grinned as he stood up slightly from his seat.) Told you, Sasuke! Manako’s not quite there yet!
Naruto: (He threw his fist in the air as he looked on with bright eyes, unable to hold back his excitement.) Come on, Airon!!
Airon: Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!!
Raising the famed technique over his head, Airon launched it at his opponent with a hefty swing of his arm, again adding to the shock of those sitting in the highest balcony.
Kurotsuchi: He threw it…without Sage Mode!?
Gaara: How is that possible?
Naruto: (He grinned as his eyes followed the glowing pinwheel of chakra across the stadium.) Again, it’s all a matter of control, Gaara.
Having witnessed the technique’s expansion trait before, Manako recognized the futility of escaping backwards or sideways and leapt into the air to avoid it, only to find himself locked in between two previously thrown marked kunai.
Manako: (Another trap! Dang it!)
Pulling out his sword and a kunai just in time, he fended off Airon’s incoming attacks with his Sharingan-enhanced reflexes until the kunai finally passed him by, at which point Airon collected them and both contestants returned semi-gracefully to the ground, their landings marginally disrupted by their exhaustion. Almost immediately, Airon pressed his chakra-infused hand against his forehead as the aftereffects of his time spent under Tsukuyomi’s grasp came rushing back. Out of respect, Manako held back for nearly twenty seconds as he attempted to heal the scars left on his mind, looking up with a smile when he finally succeeded.
Konohamaru: The match is back in full swing now. And it looks like Airon’s been newly rejuvenated after that slight miscalculation.
Sasuke: (Still in shock, he stared down at Airon with his mouth gaping slightly.) He doesn’t even seem thrown off by it anymore. …The trauma induced by that illusion is almost impossible to recover from.
Naruto: (He smiled in amusement as he looked beside him.) And you’re surprised that Airon managed to shrug it off, Sasuke…given his lineage?
Sasuke’s face gradually became blank again as they locked eyes, eventually looking away and shrugging in partial agreement, while down below, Airon pulled another small scroll out of his weapons pouch as Manako patiently awaited whatever was inside it.
Airon: (It’s back to me now. …Get ready, Manako.)
Unraveling it at his feet, he clapped his hands together and slammed his palm against its center, unveiling a thick mass of string and kunai that surprised many and disappointed even more.
Katsuto: Idiot. He had to use up all that chakra just to break Manako’s genjutsu and then he counters by bringing out a bunch of kunai. Pffft, it’s like he forgot who the heck he’s fighting.
Akame: Shut up and watch the match, Katsuto. …He’s obviously up to something else.
Akame was watching Airon attentively with her hand rested under her chin, something that surprised Katsuto even more than her initial outburst as he turned back to see what Airon would do.
Gaara: He used a similar method to cover the arena in kunai before…why summon them in a large pile like this?
Naruto: (Almost hoping someone would catch onto this, he smiled in amusement as he watched Airon kneel down and plunge his hand into the mass.) Just watch, Gaara. The payoff’s worth it.
Taking his word for it, Gaara looked back down at Airon, somewhat eager to see what he had in store now. Searching through the pile for a moment, Airon eventually pulled out two small metal bars attached to thick strands of string before grabbing the rest of the pile and throwing it high into the air. After several seconds of flailing the bars around in his hands, it untangled itself to reveal a massive net of string, every intersection of which held a kunai, that he immediately began guiding through the air in a manner similar to a kite, showcasing some obviously exaggerated hand and footwork as he did.
Kurotsuchi: They’re all connected with string…he’s directing them with his chakra.
Chōjūrō: (Upon hearing this, he readjusted his glasses and looked up at the net in astonishment.) The amount of control that must take…that’s amazing.
Naruto: Hehe, he’s been practicing that display for a while now. And trust me, he’s still holding back just for the crowd. …Did you think he was dancing around like that cause he has to to keep them airborne?
Gaara: …That’s incredible.
Naruto: Hmhmhm…and that’s why he’s the Chakra Wizard.
Sasuke: …He’s the what?
Naruto: (He buried his head in his hand as more and more people began looking at him in amusement, having forgotten that Gaara was the only one he ever shared his nickname for Airon with.) (Shit.)
As Naruto attempted to fend off the taunting now being sent his way, other people across the stadium marveled at the net of string and kunai as it rose higher and higher into the air, eventually settling just below the wall separating the stands from the Kages’ balcony.
Minto: He makes my display with the Shock Lashes look like nothing. …The wow factor just keeps going up every time he fights.
Nakama: (She smiled at this before looking off at the stands towards Inase, who was conveniently awaiting a comment from her.) (When’s he planning to get on with his technique?)
Inase: (She immediately looked down at her brother, taking the liberty of tweaking Nakama’s words as she reiterated them.) (Nakama wants to know why you’re being such a showboat.)
Airon: (I’m almost there, little sister…and don’t go putting words in Nakama’s mouth.)
As he responded, he began moving the net over Manako’s current position, quickly shifting it every time his opponent attempted to move out from underneath it, much to his annoyance.
Manako: (It follows every time I move. And it’s too big to outmaneuver. …I’ve gotta have some other means of avoiding it.)
Before he had more time to determine what this could be, Airon brought his arms down, bringing the net along with it. Out of options, Manako tried running to avoid it, stopping when this proved futile.
Manako: (Dang it…no choice.)
Airon: (Brace yourself, Manako!) Ninja Art: Kunai Fishnet!!
Sending an enormous surge of chakra through the string, all the kunai in it instantly stood erect as they closed in around Manako. At the last moment, however, the net found itself wrapped around something else – the skeletal form of Susanoo, complete with a full torso and four arms which collectively held a sword, a shield, and a doubled-faced axe. Having only seen more partial manifestations of the technique until now, those in the stands looked on in either wonder or fear while Airon merely gazed up at it with a conniving grin, having been waiting for it to emerge since the match began.
Itachi: Susanoo. And it’s in a more complete stage than before…it’s approaching the end, Bolt.
Boruto: Yeah…I can only wonder how Airon plans to fight it.
Inoue: (She clasped her hands over her mouth as she realized her son would indeed be forced to fight it.) It’s so terrifying…I hope he doesn’t get hurt.
Boruto: (He smiled gently and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.) Hmhm, he’ll be alright. He and Manako fight a lot, but they never go overboard with their techniques.
Inase: (Glancing beside her as these words reached her ears, she looked back down at her brother with a playful smile.) (You hear that? You’d best stay on your toes, Airon, or you might end up giving Mom a heart attack.)
Airon: (He looked up out of the corner of his eye with a smirk.) (Hmhmhm, well, we certainly don’t want that.)
Darui: He brought it out again…he’s been pretty successful with it so far in this tournament.
Chōjūrō: Indeed he has, and with such minimal usage. …I wonder how your grandson will fair against it, Naruto.
Naruto: He’ll be fine…it’s not the first time he’s gone up against Susanoo.
Sasuke: (He eyed the smirk on Naruto’s face as he spoke before looking back down at his grandson in annoyance.) (Times are always changing, though, Naruto. …Show them both that, Manako.)
Manako clearly wasn’t enthusiastic to resume the match, though. He merely stood there, poised beneath the flame-like aura of his ultimate technique, staring ominously at his rival a short distance away as he awaited Manako’s first move with a smile. Blood had already begun trickling from his left eye once again when he finally opened his mouth to speak.
Manako: This is what you wanted, Airon?
Airon: (His smile vanished upon hearing this, a sense of dreadful nostalgia overcoming him.) From the very beginning.
Manako: (He closed his eyes momentarily before violently opening them again.) Alright…then don’t cry when I use it to beat you into the ground!!
Before he finished speaking, Airon was already knelt down pressing his hands against the ground, prompting four large pillars to sprout up at a slanted angle and attempt to impale Susanoo. Before they made contact, though, its axe-wielding arm swung forward and back again to dismember the continually emerging pillars, keeping this up while the arm holding its sword came down on Airon’s position. No stranger to much quicker attacks than this, Airon darted out of the way in time to avoid it, halting his jutsu in the process, though he was forced to change direction moments later when the axe began chasing him down, as well. Any attacks he managed to dispense during his chase were easily absorbed by its shield, bringing them to another standstill in which neither contestant could significantly harm the other, though this didn’t make the spectacle any less fascinating to watch for those in the stands.
Kurotsuchi: He certainly has the speed to avoid Susanoo’s attacks.
Naruto: (Thinking his earlier point proven, he turned to face an annoyed Sasuke with a grin.) Hehe, what’d I tell ya-
Gaara: But the question is whether or not he has the resources necessary to mount an effective counterattack.
Sasuke: (As Naruto stood frozen in befuddlement, he shook his head in amusement and redirected his attention back to the match.) Hmhm, perhaps you should think before you talk, idiot. Manako still has the advantage. (And with Airon’s mindset, there’s no chance that he’ll simply stand by and wait for Susanoo to subside.)
Airon: (Hmhm, you sure about that?)
Sasuke’s eyes immediately shot open and locked onto Airon, who was staring back up at him with a conniving smirk. He quickly shrugged off the initial surprise, though not before the expression was noticed by his wife.
Sakura: What is it?
Sasuke: (He turned to face her, having been caught off guard, only to look back down at Airon a second later.) …Nothing.
Airon: (Silently commending his timing, he grinned in amusement as he looked away in time to dodge Susanoo’s incoming axe.) (Hehehe, it was a joke, Uncle Sasuke. You can relax.)
The face-off between Airon and the enormous technique carried on for a few more minutes as the audience watched gleefully from the stands, its oldest members finding as much nostalgia in the matchup as the youngest did excitement, particularly those intimate with the contestants’ ancestors.
Shikamaru: It’s like watching visions of the past flash before my eyes.
Temari: Yeah…heh, I’m almost surprised they’ve kept the fight within the boundaries of the arena up until now.
Shikamaru: (He smiled in amusement.) I doubt they’ll get that out of hand. From the looks in their eyes, they’re both highly focused on this match, but they’re not completely oblivious to their surroundings either.
Temari: Hmhmhm, then I guess they’re not as similar to them as you thought.
Shikamaru: Hmhm, I guess so.
The term “similar” catching his ear, he took a moment to look off to his side, finding to his frustration and embarrassment that his son had fallen fast asleep once again.
Shikamaru: (Lazy bum. He can still sleep even through all this?)
Moments later, a blast came that managed to wake both Shikadai and anyone else who had somehow managed to sleep through the match. It emerged from the collision of two powerful techniques, the first being a trifecta of energy disks connected by a spinning circular thread, produced by Susanoo’s fourth hand.
Manako: Yasaka Magatama!!
Hinata: (Noticing their speed and sensing their chakra density, she nearly flipped over the railing as she leaned forward in a panic.) Airon, look out!!
Already well ahead of her, Airon leapt back to buy himself time as more chakra began swirling around his left hand, coming together to form a technique much larger than before.
Airon: (Hmhmhm, don’t worry so much, Grandma.) Giant Rasenshuriken!!
The enormous sphere impacted with all three magatama at once, creating a ball of explosive energy that nearly closed the distance between the two genin standing on either side of it, staring unblinkingly at its luminous core. The explosion was enough to impress anyone watching them, though those with enough experience couldn’t help but question the level of intensity they were showing at this point in the match, for better or for worse.
Kurotsuchi: Why do I feel like that blast could’ve been a lot bigger?
Darui: They’re probably controlling their power levels to keep the fight inside the stadium walls…is my call, anyways.
Konohamaru: (He glanced over at the boys’ ancestors as he chimed in.) Hmhmhm, well, knowing their grandfathers, that must be quite the frustrating restriction for them.
Sasuke and Naruto both smiled in amusement as they watched the explosion subside, leaving a large, shallow crater in its midst that painted a far more dismal portrait of where the match was heading.
Gaara: …Still, using even these power levels…if they weren’t so in sync as they fought, one or both of them would likely be dead now.
As all of them silently reflected on this notion, they began noticing that neither Airon nor Manako had moved an inch from where they stood since they launched their respective techniques, further inspection showing that they were both breathing heavily.
Sakura: …Why’ve they stopped moving?
Hinata: (She quickly activated her Byakugan to gain a new perspective.) Their chakra levels are at about twenty percent now, and Manako’s is still going down. …The match is finally nearing its end.
Naruto: (Seeing the look of relief this brought her, he smiled in amusement before gently squeezing her shoulder with his hand.) Well, it’s been going on for quite a while, so even they have to be getting tired by now. …Hehehe, I can imagine how annoying that must be for them, not winning in minutes flat like they usually do.
Sasuke: Hmhm, talk about frustrating restrictions.
There was truth to Naruto’s words. In addition to their heavy breathing, both of them appeared to be scowling at one another from either side of the crater, though these slowly turned into smiles once they’d caught their breaths again.
Manako: (You’re running low, Airon.)
Airon: (He cocked an eyebrow at this, having sensed the same from him.) (…And you’re not?)
Manako’s smirked in amusement at this retort, but it quickly disappeared as the toll of using Susanoo began weighing heavily, prompting him to press his hand against his eye for the time being.
Manako: (Hurry up and end this. …My vision’s getting blurry again.)
Airon: (His smile quickly vanished before forming a hand sign.) (No need to ask me twice.)
As Manako waited on the other side of the crater for his next move, Airon slowly began building up energy in all his chakra points. Within seconds, it had already become visible, and just seconds after that, it began taking shape at various points around him, despite not having moved his hands even the slightest.
Chōjūrō: He still has that much chakra left in his reserves…amazing.
Konohamaru: Hmhmhmhm, well, bear in mind whose grandson he is, Lord Mizukage. It’s not too surprising.
Kurotsuchi: He just keeps building up more…what is he doing?
Gaara: (His eyes expanded slightly as the shapes Airon’s chakra was taking became more and more recognizable.) …I have a hunch…
Naruto: (He mimicked Gaara’s reaction as the first Rasenshuriken neared completion, looking over at Manako in worry as the second one followed.) …And I think you’d be right, Gaara. (Don’t go overboard, Airon. Ease back a little, come on.)
Two more Rasenshuriken emerged over Airon’s head, bringing the total number of those that had been completed to four as several more continued to take shape around him. Manako remained unfazed by this, seemingly awaiting the appearance of more, though the same could not be said for his loved ones.
Sarada: All at once…the sheer amount of power and chakra control that must take… (Is Boruto’s son really capable of all this?)
Akame: (Her mouth gaped open slightly as she leaned forward with her hand on the seat in front of her, almost entranced by what she was watching.) (What the hell…I’ve never seen Airon use an attack this big…I hope your defense can hold up, Manako.)
Katsuto: (He looked back and forth between his mother and sister for some sign of reassurance, looking down at his cousin in worry when he found none.) Manako can still hold up against those, though, right? Susanoo’s way too tough to break under all that pressure…right?
Neither of them gave an answer, only increasing his concern further as others across the stands either marveled at Airon’s chakra control or openly worried for Manako’s safety, the verdict being split amongst the genin standing around Gaara and Kankurō on the highest balcony.
Yatsuri: Holy crap…it’s almost like the way you control your sand, Ryūza. Only…
Ryūza: (He was unable to complete his statement verbally, let alone do anything else as he stood there staring blankly down at Airon.) (…Only more hard to believe. …What the heck is he?)
Sabure: (She pressed her hand against her chest as Airon completed his fifth and sixth Rasenshuriken, looking down at Manako with intense concern in her eyes.) (He just keeps pouring out more. …Manako…)
The mass production hardly slowed down after the sixth Rasenshuriken, but it wasn’t until an eighth had been made that doubt finally began to surface in Manako’s eyes, something Airon noticed without hesitation.
Airon: Don’t stare like that, Manako!! You’re the one who asked for this!!
The sudden exclamation caused Manako to yank his head back in surprise, returning to his senses almost immediately and clenching his fists to relieve his tension. Up in the stands, his father struggled to do the same as the number of Rasenshuriken around Airon continued to grow, making even Susanoo look like a basic technique by comparison.
Itachi: So many of them…it seems as if he’s ready to end this match now.
Boruto: (He noted the ruthless look on Airon’s face as he responded.) Just from watching him, it looks as if he’s ready to end more than just the match.
Boruto quickly came to regret his choice of words as Inoue began trembling with anxiety beside him, prompting him to throw his arm around her to calm her fears as he gazed down at their nephew.
Boruto: It’s alright, Inoue. He’s not gonna kill Manako, you know that. (…The question is whether or not he’ll stay conscious.)
The unspoken question gradually leaned closer to its less desirable answer as Airon finally completed his last Rasenshuriken, leaving Manako momentarily incapable of completing a sentence – even in his mind – as he counted them all out.
Manako: (Eleven…twelve…twelve Rasen…and all at…that’s not good. Susanoo probably couldn’t handle half that number without cracking. …I have to find a way around this…)
As usual, Airon had no intention of giving his rival the time needed to think this over, and he slowly raised his hands with the intent of hitting him with his entire arsenal. Having already possessed prior doubts as to Manako’s safety should every one of them connect, the boy’s stunned expression was enough to practically force Naruto’s waist against the railing as he leaned forward and called out to his grandson.
Naruto: Airon, that’s too many!! Don’t do it!!
Airon: Wind Style: Giant Rasenshuriken Barrage!!
Naruto’s call went unheard and unanswered and Airon threw his arms down, sending all twelve Rasenshuriken spiraling towards Manako, whose fear instantly became replaced by determination.
Manako: (Dang it! I’ll just have to improvise!)
Holding his arms erect on either side of him, he began pumping chakra into his fingertips until it began connecting in his hands, forming two orbs of blue energy that gave off an all-too familiar sound.
Manako: Chidori!!
Holding his arms out in front of him, the two techniques quickly morphed into long beams that connected with two of the incoming Rasenshuriken, prompting them to explode as the others remained on their set path. Not wasting a second, Manako motioned for Susanoo’s fourth arm to begin conjuring up more disks as his right eyes leaking blood, in light of its recent activation.
Manako: Amaterasu!! Yasaka Magatama!!
As the three separate disks intersected three different Rasenshuriken, another was suddenly consumed by black flames, allowing Manako enough control over it to make it collide with the one closest to it. He attempted to perform the latter technique one more time, only to fall to his knees in the process as he began pressing his hand against his eye, the total number of Rasenshuriken in commission still at five.
Manako: Rrrgh!! (No good. My eye’s burning too much now. …Susanoo, please hold up!!)
The first Rasenshuriken collided with Susanoo’s shield, while the second impacted and destroyed its sword, the third doing the same with its axe. However, there was nothing to stop the final two from plunging directly into the technique’s torso, encasing both it and Manako in a ray of light.
Sakura, Hinata, Inoue, Itachi, Sarada, Akame, Katsuto, Sasuke, and Naruto: MANAKO!!!
The force of the explosion could be felt as far back as the first three rows of the stands, causing many to question the necessity of such an assault, as well as the condition of its intended target.
Darui: Holy shit…is he still alive?
Gaara: (Just as concerned, he quickly turned to the most reliable set of eyes on hand for this situation.) Hinata…what do you see?
Hinata: (Way ahead of him, she peered down at the point of the impact as she gripped her chest in worry.) …His chakra’s still there…but I don’t know…
Sakura: (…Manako…)
Naruto and Sasuke: (…Come on…)
Down below, Airon also impatiently awaited the outcome of his attack, the ensuing smoke and his own heavy breathing being the only sounds ringing in his sharp ears. After several seconds, the smoke finally began clearing. Where once was flat ground now stood a second crater which overlapped the first. Where once stood Susanoo, there was now only faint wisps of scattered energy.
Airon: (There…it’s over.)
Susanoo has fallen, but what has come of Manako in the wake of Airon’s strongest attack!!?
The End
Let’s up the power levels this time in celebration*_* lol Anyways, enjoyHere’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:
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Chapter 075: Total Warfare
– Nine Years Prior –
At the front gate of the Leaf village, one bright afternoon, the joint families of the Uzumaki and Uchiha clans gathered to bid farewell to their respective patriarchs, the former departing for the Rain village, while the latter sought to accompany him halfway before returning to his travels. Naruto embraced his wife and son before cheerfully petting his three grandchildren on the head, a gesture Sasuke mimicked with Manako and his two cousins before embracing Sarada and giving a simple farewell to Itachi as he rested his hand and his shoulder. Lastly, he turned to Sakura, pressing his fingers against her forehead as he promised to return before taking off after Naruto, their advanced speed even in their older years causing them to vanish past the horizon after only a few minutes. As the two families parted ways, Airon and Manako took off on their own, retreating to one of the many bridges that connected both sides of the village’s own river. As the younger of the two took to the railing and proceeded it to walk along the top of it, the older rested his small arms over one of its lower levels and gazed down at the water below, reflecting on the moment.
Manako: I wonder how long he’ll be gone.
Airon: Ehhh, Grandpa said he’d be back in a couple months, once he made sure everything was going alright with the village.
Manako: …I meant MY grandpa, Airon.
Airon: (He leapt back down and crossed his arms, resting his shoulder against the railing as he looked off in the direction of the front gate.) Well, he doesn’t come around the village a whole lot, so I can’t really say. He did stay the whole time you were in the Academy, though, so he might come back sooner than he usually does to check up on you.
Manako: (Accepting this answer, he heaved a sigh as the latter remark took hold over his thoughts.) …I still can’t believe I wasted an entire year there after you already graduated.
Airon: Hehehe, well, you were only there two months when the exams started. Besides, Grandpa took away my headband until I’m older, so technically, you did graduate before me.
Manako gave no response to this, prompted Airon’s smile to slowly disappear. Just over a year ago, Manako would’ve quickly joined him in his laughter, but now, he was lucky if he managed to get a smile out of him on any given day. He heaved a sigh of disappointment as he recalled those happier years, as well as their first day in the Academy together, when he saw the main source of his present unhappiness for the first time.
Airon: How’re things with your eyes, by the way?
Manako: (He turned his head slightly to bring Airon into his field of vision, turning away moments later.) Don’t know…I haven’t used them in awhile.
Airon: (He stopped leaning against the railing and walked up beside him with his hands in his pockets.) Why not? There aren’t a lot of people in the world who have those eyes, and I mean ever. I’d try ‘em out whenever I could.
Manako: (His eyebrows slanted down in irritation as he picked himself up off the railing.) I have those eyes because I killed my mom, Airon. Why would I ever wanna use them again if I could avoid it?
Airon: C’mon, cuz, you know that isn’t true-
Manako: It is, Airon, alright!? Now knock it off!
He spun around to face Airon in fury with his standard Sharingan at the ready, not realizing that doing so would bring him mere inches from his rival’s blank face. When his anger finally subsided, his eyes returned to normal and he leaned back over the railing while Airon stood there gazing at the wooden planks on which they stood, pondering his actions. At the time, he wanted to make it perfectly clear that it was Manako’s belief he had killed his mother, rather than the reality of it, that caused his Mangekyō Sharingan to awaken, but he just couldn’t find the words. Not wanting to spark another argument with him, anyways, he decided it best to keep silent about it and walked past him with the intent of returning home, though not without leaving him a more subtle message of encouragement.
Airon: Well, when and if you do decide to try them out, let me know, alright? …I don’t need you testing your powers out on anyone but me.
He stopped walking to wait for a reply, while Manako leaned up off the railing yet again and turned to face him. He stared at the back of his head for the longest time until a smirk finally crept up onto his face, another finding its way onto Airon’s when he realized he’d succeeded.
Manako: I wouldn’t ask for it any other way.
– Present-Day –
Airon’s voyage into his own memories was interrupted by a new katana, which somehow found yet another untouched region of his back despite it already being hidden beneath the swarm of katanas that came before it. His arms and legs, as well, were completely covered by katanas which impaled them from every angle, though to his surprise and relief, the one that previously pierced his right hand was the only one to touch either of his hands, while his head and neck had also remained completely unscathed. The pain had all but grown numb in the periods between arriving katanas, but the agony of each new one entering his skin continued to grow every time, as did the amount of time it took to subside. Still, the fact that it was all in his head kept his mind stable for the time being, though even this realization was slowly becoming harder to grasp.
Airon: (Maybe I should’ve kept my mouth shut back then.) Huhh…huhh…that was one hundred and eighty…which means maybe thirty seconds have passed…huhh, at the most.
Manako: One hundred and seventy-eight, actually, which puts you at just under thirty seconds. …Either way, you’re doing pretty well, Airon.
He met Airon’s subsequent glare with a smirk as his left eye suddenly began twitching in the real world, prompting him to hold his hand over it as his other eye gazed at the motionless Airon in front of him.
Manako: (Now hurry up and lose consciousness before my eyesight fades any further.)
As Airon’s mind fought to purge itself of the illusion, his body remained buckled over on all fours, breathing heavily as it stared straight ahead. Those watching from above varied in their reactions to this, with those most ignorant to what was going on staring at the contestants in confusion as they wondered when they were going to resume the match, while those knowledgeable about Tsukuyomi grew more concerned with Airon’s continued incapacitation with each passing second, his loved ones first and foremost.
Inase: (It’s been thirty seconds since Manako placed him under his illusion, and he still has him trapped. …Come on, what the heck are you doing, Airon?)
Kei: (Having some faint understanding of the genjutsu’s workings himself, he also recognized something was wrong and quickly stood up out of his seat.) COME ON, AIRON!!! HURRY UP AND SNAP OUT OF IT!!!
Inase: (She looked up at him in mild annoyance.) It’s not that easy, Kei. Tsukuyomi isn’t just some mediocre genjutsu…and it’ll take a lot more than some shouting from the stands to get him out of it.
She looked back down at the arena floor to find Airon was now digging his nails into the ground to fight the pain, deciding then and there to keep her next thought to herself.
Inase: (If he CAN get out of it…)
Though she refrained from sharing them, her thoughts were no secret to their watchful father, her expression alone being enough of an indication to make him look back down at his eldest son with immense concern. Throughout the stands, several other previously hopeful spectators were also beginning to question Airon’s intentions going into the illusion, even those of his peers who knew his abilities best.
Irezumi: I can’t say I’m surprised that Airon asked Manako for this…but why would he try to break free from his genjutsu if he didn’t know whether or not he had the means to do it?
Ino: (She recalled her own history as she answered him.) Overconfidence has a way of coming back to bite you in the ass, Irezumi. …This may be where Airon learns that lesson.
Sai: That is a very likely scenario, but his grandfather was a common exception to that rule, if you can recall. …Tsukuyomi is, indeed, a very powerful illusion, but I believe him to be strong enough to withstand the pain it induces, or even break away from it completely.
Inojin: (He and his mother quickly looked over at him in surprise, followed shortly by nostalgic disappointment.) That’s very…astute of you, Father. (Why do you never make those kinds of insightful remarks about your own students?)
Ide: I just hope whatever Manako is conjuring in his illusion isn’t too painful. …I would hate to think Airon is suffering terribly down there when they were in the middle of such a spirited competition before.
Irezumi and his predecessors looked over at her as she said this, all of them expecting her to make a similar remark at some point while the former nodded in agreement. Contrary to her prayers, though, the pain was indeed building up once again as a katana finally entered Airon’s neck, causing his head to fall limp as nearly a pint of blood burst forth from his lips at once. The reaction hardly carried on past this, though, as he was clearly more focused on flexing the fingers of his recently impaled left hand, much to Manako’s growing confusion and irritation.
Manako: (What the heck’s he doing now?) If you want to surrender the match, I’ll be more than happy to stop the technique.
Airon: (Seeing past the illusion, he raised his head and smiled up at his captor as he wheezed a response.) Heeehh…don’t get soft on me now…heeehh, cuz. …Heeehh, you’re the one who’s been chasing me…heeehh, all this time, remember?
Manako: (While not entirely surprised, he still smirked and shook his head in amazement at his ability to keep up his confidence.) That was probably the case when we were small kids, Airon…but now I think we can agree that I’m the one carrying the baton.
Airon: (He continued to smile as he moved his fingers, grinning while he finally found the sign he was looking for.) Heeehh, funny…heeehh, I don’t recall ever passing it on to you.
As he realized just moments ago, Airon’s body had also begun moving its left hand – however slightly – in the same pattern his subconscious self did, something the spectators with the sharpest eyes gradually picked up on.
Darui: What the hell’s he doing?
Kurotsuchi: He has a face like he’s trying to get out of handcuffs without being noticed.
Konohamaru: (He exchanged glances with Naruto to ensure his own assumption was correct, looking down at Airon in amazement when he received his answer.) Something tells me the rate of difficulty’s not that far off…for what he’s really trying to do.
Several more seconds passed, at which point Airon had remained trapped within the illusion for almost a full minute, before his suffering finally began to bear fruit. Faint shimmers of chakra danced around his fingers as he struggled to give them a distinct shape, the faces of all who noticed it brimming with shock when it became more recognizable.
Mei: That’s a…incredible.
Gaara: And all while trapped within that illusion…Naruto, when did you teach him that technique?
Naruto: …Long before this, I can assure you that.
Down below, having grown more accustomed to this temporary handicap, Airon continued to build up his technique as even Manako watched it grow in amazement, hinting to Airon that his instincts were correct as he gradually allowed his attention to slip away from his illusion.
Airon: There…heeehh, I think I’ve got it.
Manako: (No…there’s no way he could have-)
Airon: Heeehh, you’re not focusing, Manako!
Before Manako had time to react, Airon’s chakra and technique vanished in an instant, bursting forth moments later at nearly ten times the intensity, giving his rival little hope of reasserting his hold over his mind with his Sharingan already in its current state of exhaustion.
Manako: (Rrrgh, shoot!!)
The illusion broken at long last, the plane in his subconscious disappeared in a ray of light as feeling returned to his body, at which point he immediately stood up as his technique quickly took shape once again, several members of the audience rising to their feet in either wonderment or disbelief.
Sasuke: No! That’s impossible!
Konohamaru: (He grinned as he stood up slightly from his seat.) Told you, Sasuke! Manako’s not quite there yet!
Naruto: (He threw his fist in the air as he looked on with bright eyes, unable to hold back his excitement.) Come on, Airon!!
Airon: Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!!
Raising the famed technique over his head, Airon launched it at his opponent with a hefty swing of his arm, again adding to the shock of those sitting in the highest balcony.
Kurotsuchi: He threw it…without Sage Mode!?
Gaara: How is that possible?
Naruto: (He grinned as his eyes followed the glowing pinwheel of chakra across the stadium.) Again, it’s all a matter of control, Gaara.
Having witnessed the technique’s expansion trait before, Manako recognized the futility of escaping backwards or sideways and leapt into the air to avoid it, only to find himself locked in between two previously thrown marked kunai.
Manako: (Another trap! Dang it!)
Pulling out his sword and a kunai just in time, he fended off Airon’s incoming attacks with his Sharingan-enhanced reflexes until the kunai finally passed him by, at which point Airon collected them and both contestants returned semi-gracefully to the ground, their landings marginally disrupted by their exhaustion. Almost immediately, Airon pressed his chakra-infused hand against his forehead as the aftereffects of his time spent under Tsukuyomi’s grasp came rushing back. Out of respect, Manako held back for nearly twenty seconds as he attempted to heal the scars left on his mind, looking up with a smile when he finally succeeded.
Konohamaru: The match is back in full swing now. And it looks like Airon’s been newly rejuvenated after that slight miscalculation.
Sasuke: (Still in shock, he stared down at Airon with his mouth gaping slightly.) He doesn’t even seem thrown off by it anymore. …The trauma induced by that illusion is almost impossible to recover from.
Naruto: (He smiled in amusement as he looked beside him.) And you’re surprised that Airon managed to shrug it off, Sasuke…given his lineage?
Sasuke’s face gradually became blank again as they locked eyes, eventually looking away and shrugging in partial agreement, while down below, Airon pulled another small scroll out of his weapons pouch as Manako patiently awaited whatever was inside it.
Airon: (It’s back to me now. …Get ready, Manako.)
Unraveling it at his feet, he clapped his hands together and slammed his palm against its center, unveiling a thick mass of string and kunai that surprised many and disappointed even more.
Katsuto: Idiot. He had to use up all that chakra just to break Manako’s genjutsu and then he counters by bringing out a bunch of kunai. Pffft, it’s like he forgot who the heck he’s fighting.
Akame: Shut up and watch the match, Katsuto. …He’s obviously up to something else.
Akame was watching Airon attentively with her hand rested under her chin, something that surprised Katsuto even more than her initial outburst as he turned back to see what Airon would do.
Gaara: He used a similar method to cover the arena in kunai before…why summon them in a large pile like this?
Naruto: (Almost hoping someone would catch onto this, he smiled in amusement as he watched Airon kneel down and plunge his hand into the mass.) Just watch, Gaara. The payoff’s worth it.
Taking his word for it, Gaara looked back down at Airon, somewhat eager to see what he had in store now. Searching through the pile for a moment, Airon eventually pulled out two small metal bars attached to thick strands of string before grabbing the rest of the pile and throwing it high into the air. After several seconds of flailing the bars around in his hands, it untangled itself to reveal a massive net of string, every intersection of which held a kunai, that he immediately began guiding through the air in a manner similar to a kite, showcasing some obviously exaggerated hand and footwork as he did.
Kurotsuchi: They’re all connected with string…he’s directing them with his chakra.
Chōjūrō: (Upon hearing this, he readjusted his glasses and looked up at the net in astonishment.) The amount of control that must take…that’s amazing.
Naruto: Hehe, he’s been practicing that display for a while now. And trust me, he’s still holding back just for the crowd. …Did you think he was dancing around like that cause he has to to keep them airborne?
Gaara: …That’s incredible.
Naruto: Hmhmhm…and that’s why he’s the Chakra Wizard.
Sasuke: …He’s the what?
Naruto: (He buried his head in his hand as more and more people began looking at him in amusement, having forgotten that Gaara was the only one he ever shared his nickname for Airon with.) (Shit.)
As Naruto attempted to fend off the taunting now being sent his way, other people across the stadium marveled at the net of string and kunai as it rose higher and higher into the air, eventually settling just below the wall separating the stands from the Kages’ balcony.
Minto: He makes my display with the Shock Lashes look like nothing. …The wow factor just keeps going up every time he fights.
Nakama: (She smiled at this before looking off at the stands towards Inase, who was conveniently awaiting a comment from her.) (When’s he planning to get on with his technique?)
Inase: (She immediately looked down at her brother, taking the liberty of tweaking Nakama’s words as she reiterated them.) (Nakama wants to know why you’re being such a showboat.)
Airon: (I’m almost there, little sister…and don’t go putting words in Nakama’s mouth.)
As he responded, he began moving the net over Manako’s current position, quickly shifting it every time his opponent attempted to move out from underneath it, much to his annoyance.
Manako: (It follows every time I move. And it’s too big to outmaneuver. …I’ve gotta have some other means of avoiding it.)
Before he had more time to determine what this could be, Airon brought his arms down, bringing the net along with it. Out of options, Manako tried running to avoid it, stopping when this proved futile.
Manako: (Dang it…no choice.)
Airon: (Brace yourself, Manako!) Ninja Art: Kunai Fishnet!!
Sending an enormous surge of chakra through the string, all the kunai in it instantly stood erect as they closed in around Manako. At the last moment, however, the net found itself wrapped around something else – the skeletal form of Susanoo, complete with a full torso and four arms which collectively held a sword, a shield, and a doubled-faced axe. Having only seen more partial manifestations of the technique until now, those in the stands looked on in either wonder or fear while Airon merely gazed up at it with a conniving grin, having been waiting for it to emerge since the match began.
Itachi: Susanoo. And it’s in a more complete stage than before…it’s approaching the end, Bolt.
Boruto: Yeah…I can only wonder how Airon plans to fight it.
Inoue: (She clasped her hands over her mouth as she realized her son would indeed be forced to fight it.) It’s so terrifying…I hope he doesn’t get hurt.
Boruto: (He smiled gently and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.) Hmhm, he’ll be alright. He and Manako fight a lot, but they never go overboard with their techniques.
Inase: (Glancing beside her as these words reached her ears, she looked back down at her brother with a playful smile.) (You hear that? You’d best stay on your toes, Airon, or you might end up giving Mom a heart attack.)
Airon: (He looked up out of the corner of his eye with a smirk.) (Hmhmhm, well, we certainly don’t want that.)
Darui: He brought it out again…he’s been pretty successful with it so far in this tournament.
Chōjūrō: Indeed he has, and with such minimal usage. …I wonder how your grandson will fair against it, Naruto.
Naruto: He’ll be fine…it’s not the first time he’s gone up against Susanoo.
Sasuke: (He eyed the smirk on Naruto’s face as he spoke before looking back down at his grandson in annoyance.) (Times are always changing, though, Naruto. …Show them both that, Manako.)
Manako clearly wasn’t enthusiastic to resume the match, though. He merely stood there, poised beneath the flame-like aura of his ultimate technique, staring ominously at his rival a short distance away as he awaited Manako’s first move with a smile. Blood had already begun trickling from his left eye once again when he finally opened his mouth to speak.
Manako: This is what you wanted, Airon?
Airon: (His smile vanished upon hearing this, a sense of dreadful nostalgia overcoming him.) From the very beginning.
Manako: (He closed his eyes momentarily before violently opening them again.) Alright…then don’t cry when I use it to beat you into the ground!!
Before he finished speaking, Airon was already knelt down pressing his hands against the ground, prompting four large pillars to sprout up at a slanted angle and attempt to impale Susanoo. Before they made contact, though, its axe-wielding arm swung forward and back again to dismember the continually emerging pillars, keeping this up while the arm holding its sword came down on Airon’s position. No stranger to much quicker attacks than this, Airon darted out of the way in time to avoid it, halting his jutsu in the process, though he was forced to change direction moments later when the axe began chasing him down, as well. Any attacks he managed to dispense during his chase were easily absorbed by its shield, bringing them to another standstill in which neither contestant could significantly harm the other, though this didn’t make the spectacle any less fascinating to watch for those in the stands.
Kurotsuchi: He certainly has the speed to avoid Susanoo’s attacks.
Naruto: (Thinking his earlier point proven, he turned to face an annoyed Sasuke with a grin.) Hehe, what’d I tell ya-
Gaara: But the question is whether or not he has the resources necessary to mount an effective counterattack.
Sasuke: (As Naruto stood frozen in befuddlement, he shook his head in amusement and redirected his attention back to the match.) Hmhm, perhaps you should think before you talk, idiot. Manako still has the advantage. (And with Airon’s mindset, there’s no chance that he’ll simply stand by and wait for Susanoo to subside.)
Airon: (Hmhm, you sure about that?)
Sasuke’s eyes immediately shot open and locked onto Airon, who was staring back up at him with a conniving smirk. He quickly shrugged off the initial surprise, though not before the expression was noticed by his wife.
Sakura: What is it?
Sasuke: (He turned to face her, having been caught off guard, only to look back down at Airon a second later.) …Nothing.
Airon: (Silently commending his timing, he grinned in amusement as he looked away in time to dodge Susanoo’s incoming axe.) (Hehehe, it was a joke, Uncle Sasuke. You can relax.)
The face-off between Airon and the enormous technique carried on for a few more minutes as the audience watched gleefully from the stands, its oldest members finding as much nostalgia in the matchup as the youngest did excitement, particularly those intimate with the contestants’ ancestors.
Shikamaru: It’s like watching visions of the past flash before my eyes.
Temari: Yeah…heh, I’m almost surprised they’ve kept the fight within the boundaries of the arena up until now.
Shikamaru: (He smiled in amusement.) I doubt they’ll get that out of hand. From the looks in their eyes, they’re both highly focused on this match, but they’re not completely oblivious to their surroundings either.
Temari: Hmhmhm, then I guess they’re not as similar to them as you thought.
Shikamaru: Hmhm, I guess so.
The term “similar” catching his ear, he took a moment to look off to his side, finding to his frustration and embarrassment that his son had fallen fast asleep once again.
Shikamaru: (Lazy bum. He can still sleep even through all this?)
Moments later, a blast came that managed to wake both Shikadai and anyone else who had somehow managed to sleep through the match. It emerged from the collision of two powerful techniques, the first being a trifecta of energy disks connected by a spinning circular thread, produced by Susanoo’s fourth hand.
Manako: Yasaka Magatama!!
Hinata: (Noticing their speed and sensing their chakra density, she nearly flipped over the railing as she leaned forward in a panic.) Airon, look out!!
Already well ahead of her, Airon leapt back to buy himself time as more chakra began swirling around his left hand, coming together to form a technique much larger than before.
Airon: (Hmhmhm, don’t worry so much, Grandma.) Giant Rasenshuriken!!
The enormous sphere impacted with all three magatama at once, creating a ball of explosive energy that nearly closed the distance between the two genin standing on either side of it, staring unblinkingly at its luminous core. The explosion was enough to impress anyone watching them, though those with enough experience couldn’t help but question the level of intensity they were showing at this point in the match, for better or for worse.
Kurotsuchi: Why do I feel like that blast could’ve been a lot bigger?
Darui: They’re probably controlling their power levels to keep the fight inside the stadium walls…is my call, anyways.
Konohamaru: (He glanced over at the boys’ ancestors as he chimed in.) Hmhmhm, well, knowing their grandfathers, that must be quite the frustrating restriction for them.
Sasuke and Naruto both smiled in amusement as they watched the explosion subside, leaving a large, shallow crater in its midst that painted a far more dismal portrait of where the match was heading.
Gaara: …Still, using even these power levels…if they weren’t so in sync as they fought, one or both of them would likely be dead now.
As all of them silently reflected on this notion, they began noticing that neither Airon nor Manako had moved an inch from where they stood since they launched their respective techniques, further inspection showing that they were both breathing heavily.
Sakura: …Why’ve they stopped moving?
Hinata: (She quickly activated her Byakugan to gain a new perspective.) Their chakra levels are at about twenty percent now, and Manako’s is still going down. …The match is finally nearing its end.
Naruto: (Seeing the look of relief this brought her, he smiled in amusement before gently squeezing her shoulder with his hand.) Well, it’s been going on for quite a while, so even they have to be getting tired by now. …Hehehe, I can imagine how annoying that must be for them, not winning in minutes flat like they usually do.
Sasuke: Hmhm, talk about frustrating restrictions.
There was truth to Naruto’s words. In addition to their heavy breathing, both of them appeared to be scowling at one another from either side of the crater, though these slowly turned into smiles once they’d caught their breaths again.
Manako: (You’re running low, Airon.)
Airon: (He cocked an eyebrow at this, having sensed the same from him.) (…And you’re not?)
Manako’s smirked in amusement at this retort, but it quickly disappeared as the toll of using Susanoo began weighing heavily, prompting him to press his hand against his eye for the time being.
Manako: (Hurry up and end this. …My vision’s getting blurry again.)
Airon: (His smile quickly vanished before forming a hand sign.) (No need to ask me twice.)
As Manako waited on the other side of the crater for his next move, Airon slowly began building up energy in all his chakra points. Within seconds, it had already become visible, and just seconds after that, it began taking shape at various points around him, despite not having moved his hands even the slightest.
Chōjūrō: He still has that much chakra left in his reserves…amazing.
Konohamaru: Hmhmhmhm, well, bear in mind whose grandson he is, Lord Mizukage. It’s not too surprising.
Kurotsuchi: He just keeps building up more…what is he doing?
Gaara: (His eyes expanded slightly as the shapes Airon’s chakra was taking became more and more recognizable.) …I have a hunch…
Naruto: (He mimicked Gaara’s reaction as the first Rasenshuriken neared completion, looking over at Manako in worry as the second one followed.) …And I think you’d be right, Gaara. (Don’t go overboard, Airon. Ease back a little, come on.)
Two more Rasenshuriken emerged over Airon’s head, bringing the total number of those that had been completed to four as several more continued to take shape around him. Manako remained unfazed by this, seemingly awaiting the appearance of more, though the same could not be said for his loved ones.
Sarada: All at once…the sheer amount of power and chakra control that must take… (Is Boruto’s son really capable of all this?)
Akame: (Her mouth gaped open slightly as she leaned forward with her hand on the seat in front of her, almost entranced by what she was watching.) (What the hell…I’ve never seen Airon use an attack this big…I hope your defense can hold up, Manako.)
Katsuto: (He looked back and forth between his mother and sister for some sign of reassurance, looking down at his cousin in worry when he found none.) Manako can still hold up against those, though, right? Susanoo’s way too tough to break under all that pressure…right?
Neither of them gave an answer, only increasing his concern further as others across the stands either marveled at Airon’s chakra control or openly worried for Manako’s safety, the verdict being split amongst the genin standing around Gaara and Kankurō on the highest balcony.
Yatsuri: Holy crap…it’s almost like the way you control your sand, Ryūza. Only…
Ryūza: (He was unable to complete his statement verbally, let alone do anything else as he stood there staring blankly down at Airon.) (…Only more hard to believe. …What the heck is he?)
Sabure: (She pressed her hand against her chest as Airon completed his fifth and sixth Rasenshuriken, looking down at Manako with intense concern in her eyes.) (He just keeps pouring out more. …Manako…)
The mass production hardly slowed down after the sixth Rasenshuriken, but it wasn’t until an eighth had been made that doubt finally began to surface in Manako’s eyes, something Airon noticed without hesitation.
Airon: Don’t stare like that, Manako!! You’re the one who asked for this!!
The sudden exclamation caused Manako to yank his head back in surprise, returning to his senses almost immediately and clenching his fists to relieve his tension. Up in the stands, his father struggled to do the same as the number of Rasenshuriken around Airon continued to grow, making even Susanoo look like a basic technique by comparison.
Itachi: So many of them…it seems as if he’s ready to end this match now.
Boruto: (He noted the ruthless look on Airon’s face as he responded.) Just from watching him, it looks as if he’s ready to end more than just the match.
Boruto quickly came to regret his choice of words as Inoue began trembling with anxiety beside him, prompting him to throw his arm around her to calm her fears as he gazed down at their nephew.
Boruto: It’s alright, Inoue. He’s not gonna kill Manako, you know that. (…The question is whether or not he’ll stay conscious.)
The unspoken question gradually leaned closer to its less desirable answer as Airon finally completed his last Rasenshuriken, leaving Manako momentarily incapable of completing a sentence – even in his mind – as he counted them all out.
Manako: (Eleven…twelve…twelve Rasen…and all at…that’s not good. Susanoo probably couldn’t handle half that number without cracking. …I have to find a way around this…)
As usual, Airon had no intention of giving his rival the time needed to think this over, and he slowly raised his hands with the intent of hitting him with his entire arsenal. Having already possessed prior doubts as to Manako’s safety should every one of them connect, the boy’s stunned expression was enough to practically force Naruto’s waist against the railing as he leaned forward and called out to his grandson.
Naruto: Airon, that’s too many!! Don’t do it!!
Airon: Wind Style: Giant Rasenshuriken Barrage!!
Naruto’s call went unheard and unanswered and Airon threw his arms down, sending all twelve Rasenshuriken spiraling towards Manako, whose fear instantly became replaced by determination.
Manako: (Dang it! I’ll just have to improvise!)
Holding his arms erect on either side of him, he began pumping chakra into his fingertips until it began connecting in his hands, forming two orbs of blue energy that gave off an all-too familiar sound.
Manako: Chidori!!
Holding his arms out in front of him, the two techniques quickly morphed into long beams that connected with two of the incoming Rasenshuriken, prompting them to explode as the others remained on their set path. Not wasting a second, Manako motioned for Susanoo’s fourth arm to begin conjuring up more disks as his right eyes leaking blood, in light of its recent activation.
Manako: Amaterasu!! Yasaka Magatama!!
As the three separate disks intersected three different Rasenshuriken, another was suddenly consumed by black flames, allowing Manako enough control over it to make it collide with the one closest to it. He attempted to perform the latter technique one more time, only to fall to his knees in the process as he began pressing his hand against his eye, the total number of Rasenshuriken in commission still at five.
Manako: Rrrgh!! (No good. My eye’s burning too much now. …Susanoo, please hold up!!)
The first Rasenshuriken collided with Susanoo’s shield, while the second impacted and destroyed its sword, the third doing the same with its axe. However, there was nothing to stop the final two from plunging directly into the technique’s torso, encasing both it and Manako in a ray of light.
Sakura, Hinata, Inoue, Itachi, Sarada, Akame, Katsuto, Sasuke, and Naruto: MANAKO!!!
The force of the explosion could be felt as far back as the first three rows of the stands, causing many to question the necessity of such an assault, as well as the condition of its intended target.
Darui: Holy shit…is he still alive?
Gaara: (Just as concerned, he quickly turned to the most reliable set of eyes on hand for this situation.) Hinata…what do you see?
Hinata: (Way ahead of him, she peered down at the point of the impact as she gripped her chest in worry.) …His chakra’s still there…but I don’t know…
Sakura: (…Manako…)
Naruto and Sasuke: (…Come on…)
Down below, Airon also impatiently awaited the outcome of his attack, the ensuing smoke and his own heavy breathing being the only sounds ringing in his sharp ears. After several seconds, the smoke finally began clearing. Where once was flat ground now stood a second crater which overlapped the first. Where once stood Susanoo, there was now only faint wisps of scattered energy.
Airon: (There…it’s over.)
Susanoo has fallen, but what has come of Manako in the wake of Airon’s strongest attack!!?
The End
