Naruto: Tetsuden - 103

Chakra Wizard

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Some exchanging of ideas and coming to grips in this chapter (hence the titlexd). Hopefully, I made both situations realistic and engaging at the same time. As always, enjoy:)

Here’s my previous chapters, for those who missed any:











Chapter 103: The Fog Clears


By this time, nearly all unequipped shinobi in the Union forces were evacuated from the island, leaving behind only those trained or skilled enough to engage Unagi’s men in the mist. Unsurprisingly, Airon was among those who remained, while equally unsurprising was his engagement in a three-to-one battle with the hunter-nin – and the fun he was having while doing it. Knocking one unconscious with the hilt of his sword, he sent the second flying into the fog with a well-placed Rasengan. As he turned to punch the third one in the chest, however, his fist nearly fell upon a blood-soaked blade, protruding from the man’s chest and lifting him an inch above the ground. Airon looked past him with the intent of complaining to whomever had “stolen” his opponent, only to stand there in shock when it turned out to be someone he knew.

Airon: Manako!? What the hell do you think you’re doing!?

Manako expected his cousin to be surprised by his sudden transition to killing, but when he retracted his sword and Airon suddenly dropped to his knees to close the hole in the man’s chest, he couldn’t help but look on in anger.

Manako: I should be asking the same thing. This isn’t some dumb mission where you can return home without any casualties, Airon. This is war.

Airon: (He looked up at him with fury in his eyes.) And exactly where is the difference, Manako!? Aside from how many shinobi are involved!?

At this, Manako struggled to find an answer. When he killed Daragetsu, Metal’s words seemed to make perfect sense to him but now that he’d been presented with conflicting ideals, he had no clue what to think. Airon saw this struggle in his mind as he finished healing his would-be victim, standing up immediately and setting his hand on his shoulder.

Airon: Should’ve known. Another child from the peace era giving advice about death. …Manako, you killed Daragetsu by accident. That one’s not on you. The three you just killed with the intent of doing so were casualties that could’ve been avoided.

Manako: You don’t know that.

Airon: No, but I do believe it. I believe I can get through this war without taking a single life. If that makes me naïve, then whatever, but I know I’ve got enough power to spare these lowlifes without endangering myself. And if we’re still rivals after all these years, then you should, too.

It was such an obvious point that Manako not only felt regret, but embarrassment that he failed to think of it before. He lowered his head in shame, unable to look him in the eyes as he tried explaining his resolve.

Manako: I don’t know, Airon. …I guess I just got caught up in…

He looked up when he felt Airon’s hand suddenly slide off of his shoulder. He was staring off into the distance, attracted to some familiar chakra signature lurking nearby, though Manako was unable to pick up on it himself.

Manako: Airon?

Airon: Keep this up. I’ve got somewhere to be.

Manako stared at him for a moment, seemingly in confusion, but his rival quickly picked up on his intentions.

Airon: Knock it off. You don’t need to know what’s on my mind right now. …Just focus on keeping the killing to an absolute minimum. Remember, a war without death is a war that’s really worth fighting.

He disappeared in a flash the following second, leaving Manako there to reflect on his words and contemplate his recent actions. He was suddenly interrupted by another member of Unagi's squadron, whom he quickly disarmed before holding his sword to his neck. Pressing it against him hard enough drew blood, but at the sight of it, Manako found himself incapable of shrugging off Airon's words. In a brief fit of anger, he knocked the man unconscious with an elbow to the face and left him there for his allies to collect or his own to finish off.

On the far side of the shore, Mei slowly returned to her feet, Unagi watching all the while. As specified in his threat, she was facing away from him, a sign of obedience that brought a sharp-toothed grin to his face.

Unagi: Hmhmhmhmhm, smart choice. …Well, go on. Off with ya.

She hesitated one moment out of pride, but with the next slowly began walking away. At this, Unagi was overcome with dissatisfaction, and thinking over it, he lifted one hand to his lips in the form of a seal.

Unagi: Old hag.

Immediately she stopped, and immediately he grinned. He waited to see what she would do next, and when she pulled out a kunai, he puffed his lips full of acid, ready to destroy her for her disobedience..

Unagi: (Women, I swear. So easy to vex.)

????: Lady Mizukage!!

Disrupted for the briefest second, Unagi took the time to cut down this lone do-gooder before spraying Mei down, disintegrating her from the head down. To his ultimate surprise, though, what remained at the center of the large puddle was a single charred kunai. The shinobi had fulfilled his desire to protect.

Mei: Lightning Style: Nervous System Rupture!

From behind, Mei connected her open palm with his spine and he toppled over, to his great confusion. When he tried to get up, however, he found his neck responding instead of his left hand, and his wrist instead of his knee, and the list of errors continued to rise. Even his jaw refused to work as he bid it to, rendering him unable to speak, but the fiery look in his eyes allowed her to deduce what was on his mind.

Mei: That’s a very advanced medical jutsu. The moment it connects with your spine, your entire muscle system becomes distorted and everything works in place of something else. …Call it a parting gift from an old friend.

She retrieved his sword lying a short distance away and lifted it up to impale him through the chest. To her surprise, though, it cut through much easier than she imagined, the ease reminding her more of cutting through water than flesh. She quickly realized that he still found in him the ability to liquefy, and a few more moments toying with his muscles, he finally regained some control of his mouth.

Unagi: Don’t get…cocky with me, b****. …Not out of it yet.

As he said this, the mist around them slowly started to clear up, his control of it slipping with each passing second. The increased visibility allowed for another hunter-nin to see them from afar, and seeing his leader in danger, he charged Mei in a fit of rage.

????: Mizukage!!

She quickly turned to counter, but this would ultimately prove unnecessary.

Unagi: STOP!!!

They immediately ceased all movement, turning back to Unagi in surprise.

Unagi: Just come and help me up already. …I can’t move for shit.

Briefly taken aback, the ninja ran over to do as ordered. Mei also took a moment to regain awareness of her surroundings, and upon realizing he was getting away, she took up his sword again and ran forward to attack them. She shrank back in pain a moment later as a small speck of acid found its way from Unagi’s lips to her cheek.

Unagi: Hehehehe…what’d I tell you?

They stared each other down a moment, a burning hatred in their eyes until suddenly, they both looked off into the distance, distracted by the emergence of what was, to them, the presence of an all-too familiar and notoriously deadly shinobi. Being nowhere near the level of his two superiors, the shinobi holding up Unagi simply looked down at him in confusion.

????: Mizukage?

Unagi: Give the order over your radio. …We’re pulling back.

????: Lord Unagi, we still-

Unagi: Do as I say! …Whether this newcomer’s on their side or not, he sure as hell isn’t on ours.

He stared at him a moment longer, curious just whose chakra he sensed nearby, before reaching for his earpiece.

????: All forces, retreat. I repeat, all forces begin a retreat. …Mizukage’s orders.

He took off a moment later with Unagi in tow just as the mist lifted entirely. The sight that awaited forced Mei to shut her eyes in horror, a sea of corpses unlike any she’d seen in her lifetime – and this on their small portion of the battlefield alone. She would arrive elsewhere soon after to find Rounin and their remaining forces had returned to the beach. What medical-nin they had tended to the countless shinobi laying in critical condition, among them Misuno, whose hand Mei quickly knelt down to take in her own. And these were only those who had been found and brought back to receive care, as evidenced by Manako and Metal’s later return with Kagetsu and Suigetsu draped over their shoulders, Miyuki running up just behind them with their swords.

Mei: Two hours…all this in only two hours.

Rounin: We were faced with three different waves of enemy forces, milady, each stronger than the last.

Manako: The Seven Swordsman, Deba and Daragetsu, even the Mizukage showed up here. If anything, this gives us hope that Father’s forces had it much easier up north.

Mei: I don’t doubt it. The Fourth War almost seemed tame to this.

Rounin: Why did Unagi pull back? Was he overwhelmed?

Mei: (She shot Manako a small smile.) I think we have a few names in particular to thank for that. …Not to mention we both felt someone else approaching from the north.

Rounin: Someone else? Who?

Manako: (He reflected silently for a moment, clenching his fist tighter with each second.) Now it makes sense.

Mei and Rounin: What?

Manako: …Did anyone see where Airon took off to?

Amidst the rest of the retreating Mist forces, deep within the island’s forest, Ichigo helped Ruko to her feet after she tumbled over. Saidai and Mikan stood nearby, also injured from their earlier battles with Airon and Manako.

Ichigo: Are you alright? Can you stand?

Ruko: Yeah…yeah. I’m fine.

Ichigo: (He gave her a smile before looking around.) The mist has completely cleared up now. …We should regroup, too.

Mikan: Or maybe not.

Catching the others by surprise, they turned to find someone else approaching through the trees. He was taller than the four swordsman before him, topped with a scraggly green substance more akin to seaweed than hair and wearing robes of a similar color. To anyone else, he was a shinobi in dire need of a proper grooming. To Ichigo and the rest, he was Hedero Bodou, one of their own.

Hedero: Sorry, Ichigo…but you guys aren’t going anywhere.

He raised his weapon of choice, the “longsword” Nuibari, to show that his words were no mere threat. Seeing that they were still in no shape to fight, Ichigo helped Ruko over to their teammates before stepping forward with Shibuki in hand.

Ichigo: Yeah…I guess not.


The Seven Swordsmen clash – divided by the callings of war!!!

The End
 
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zedek

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Im sorry im so lost why did unagi just retreat like that mei was no match for him and who showed up that scared him off and why are mist swordsman fighting each other
 

Chakra Wizard

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Im sorry im so lost why did unagi just retreat like that mei was no match for him and who showed up that scared him off and why are mist swordsman fighting each other
Well, let's just say they'll show their face in the next chapter. lol

And Hedero is fighting for the Union, like Kagetsu and Suigetsu, which is why he's coming to square off with the other Swordsmen.
 

senjumahe

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nice to wrap up the mist, finally! the view is now clear in my mind.

too many new characters i fail to catch up. sorry who is ichigo again?

i really thought it was Masauro approaching. you knw the sword user airon foought once in the forest. he is cool.

poor manako needs to grow up.
 

Chakra Wizard

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nice to wrap up the mist, finally! the view is now clear in my mind.

too many new characters i fail to catch up. sorry who is ichigo again?

i really thought it was Masauro approaching. you knw the sword user airon foought once in the forest. he is cool.

poor manako needs to grow up.
One of the four Seven Swordsmen fighting for the Mist Village, their team leader at the moment. And Hedero who just showed up is one of the three supporting the Union, alongside Kagetsu and Suigetsu. The presence Mei and Unagi felt hasn't appeared yet;) lol

Well, they all do really. Airon more so than Manako.

Thanks for the feedback, bro*_*
 

Trea

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Sorry it took so long to respond. I'm glad Mei is okay. I like her. I guess she learned that trick from Lady Tsunade. Who ever is coming has to be bad for Unagi to run off and for Aron to flee from Manako so quickly. Airon seems to be running to the danger instead of away from it like Unagi.
 

Chakra Wizard

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Sorry it took so long to respond. I'm glad Mei is okay. I like her. I guess she learned that trick from Lady Tsunade. Who ever is coming has to be bad for Unagi to run off and for Aron to flee from Manako so quickly. Airon seems to be running to the danger instead of away from it like Unagi.
Better late than never ;) lol And yeah, that's kind of a hint right there.
 
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