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The 6th Great Ninja War
Chapter XXXV: God Among Men
Chapter XXXV: God Among Men
Kirabi and Ragnaroc and Madara continued to stare each other down for several moments before Madara leaped to the bottom of the room and regrouped with Roku’s team. Ragnaroc and Kirabi maintained their close observation of one-another.
Roku: Flashy entrance as always, Madara.
Madara: Well, it seems you all are having a bit of trouble.
Roku: Undoubtedly. That impenetrable shield is pretty pesky.
Madara: Well, there’s an easy fix to that. Strike before he can react!
As Madara said those words, he immediately turned to Kirabi and pointed his middle and index fingers at him, and a slim but concentrated bolt of lightning swiftly shot at Kirabi. Kirabi, however, immediately noticed the attack and slapped it away with his bare hand, much to Madara’s surprise.
Madara: What’s with this guy? O_O He just back-handed an attack from me. No way his skin’s that tough!
Roku: I don’t think so. I believe his shield applies to his body in a thin coating primarily, and then the most concentrated energy goes to the 360 degree shield around him. I’d say that particular barrier extends as far as his wingspan.
Madara: I see. That’ll be troublesome to deal with, especially if he’s on the offensive.
Roku: Oddly enough, he hasn’t been on the offensive much. Most of his attacks have been restricted to basic taijutsu skills. He’s only used defensive and absorption abilities as of yet, though he did use a gravity-based technique just now to pull Hiruzen in…
As Roku finished speaking, everyone noticed Ragnaroc and Kirabi engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Ragnaroc seemed to have the upper-hand, forcing Kirabi back with an endless string of aerial strikes and windmill kicks, and his highly acrobatic fighting style seemed to confuse Kirabi. Just as it seemed that Ragnaroc was about to land a clean hit, however, Kirabi shouted out and released a 360 degree repelling blast of invisible force that sent Ragnaroc crashing away. Though Ragnaroc was clearly hit by the attack, his injuries were extremely minor, only caused by his impact with the tough ground.
Roku: Are you alright, Rag?
Ragnaroc: I’m fine. An attack like that is nothing to me.
Madara: That was strange…
Roku: What was?
Madara: His attack…it resembles one of your Kiyoshi Clan’s abilities somewhat, but there’s no substance to it. It’s just an invisible force that has no actual damage factor to it. It repels…
Roku: If that’s so, then he’s only capable repelling physical things. In that case…
Caliburn: (Thinks to Self: If we strike with Energy attacks, he won’t be able to repel them due to their spiritual nature.) Master!
Roku: I know.
Roku and Caliburn immediately charged toward Kirabi with great speed. Their coordination was peak, and this made it difficult for Kirabi to time an assault against both of them. As they were running, however, Roku and Caliburn were also drawing vast amounts of Energy and pure chakra into their hands. Kirabi soon noticed this and gave a huge grin. From Kirabi’s right and left sides, Roku and Caliburn then released a powerful and highly concentrated blast of Energy at Kirabi.
Roku and Caliburn: Grand Energy Wave!
As close as the attacks were to Kirabi, they suddenly stopped and the Energy that comprised them spiraled around Kirabi in the form of a whirlwind. Kirabi began to laugh maniacally as the Energy from Roku’s and Caliburn’s attacks closed in on him and seemed to become completely absorbed by the staff. Then, for a moment, there was utter silence and perplexity. The Staff of the Ancients then gained a glowing outline of white about it and Kirabi’s chakra levels suddenly escalated, surging outward so much that the walls of the room started to erode. Then, Kirabi’s chakra settled and he closed his eyes. Energy began to flow now out of both Roku and Caliburn, and the Energy, which came in an array of colors, flowed into Kirabi’s body en mass. Roku and Caliburn felt their very essence being drained, for it was from this Energy that they drew their Kiyoshi abilities. Kirabi took a deep breath as he absorbed the massive amounts of Energy. His hair, which was loose, rose slightly, causing the tips to appear to be lifted by a weak wind. Kirabi’s kage-robes shredded and his silver body armor became more intricate and partially golden around his shoulders. His skin tone lightened, resembling Mizutoki’s more than his own now, and there was an air of great, vast power about him. Just within Kirabi’s immediate vicinity, there seemed to be a constant aura of ozone and invisible electrical discharge. He ceased his laughing and smirked. Roku, Madara, Ragnaroc, Caliburn, Hiruzen, Ace, and Akira were awestruck, to say the least, by Kirabi’s changed appearance. They found it strange that his power had suddenly changed so drastically, and Kirabi’s silence only contributed to the strangeness of the setting. After a few moments, Kirabi spoke, and in his voice was an echo of Mizutoki’s own voice.
Kirabi: I thank you, Kiyoshi, Roku…Kiyoshi, Caliburn. I finally understand the power of the Ancients…and the power of this Staff.
Roku: What’re you talking about?
Kirabi: Very well. I will explain it all to you.
Kirabi sat upon his throne and relaxed, preparing to explain the truth behind his change.
Kirabi: When I first received this Staff of the Ancients, its power was great, but the more I used it, the less powerful it became. Or rather, the Staff itself was not becoming less powerful, but my ability to wield it was. While at first I attributed this to something else, I quickly learned that that was not the cause of my problems. Then, I realized how similar the energy of the Ancients was to the Kiyoshi Clan’s own abilities. I was unable to properly wield the full power of this staff not because of my overuse of its power but because each time I used the Staff, my understanding of its power diminished. I no longer understood how or why the Staff could perform the wonders it did, and I could not understand the basis of its power. That attack just now…it made everything clear to me. With your two attacks rich with Pure Chakra and Energy, I truly understood the basis, and since you so graciously allowed me an opportunity to wield Kiyoshi Energy, I was instantly able to deduce the construct and composition of it, and I learned that it and the Staff’s power are almost one and the same. The staff’s power is a conglomeration of all types of energies; the Kiyoshi Energy, being the Energy of spirit and the Energy of nature, being among them. It was the key to my understanding, you see.
Roku: Wait…you were able to control our Energy?
Caliburn: Impossible.
Kirabi: Quite possible. I’ve acquired much forbidden knowledge over many years, and Staff only increased my capacity for understanding the nature of all the energies of this world. That pure, perfect sample of Kiyoshi Energy was more than enough to allow me to properly grasp the concept of controlling pure chakra. Again, I thank you, my precious Kiyoshi tools. Without you, my plans would have been for naught.
Roku: No way…
Roku and Caliburn were in complete shock and horror, for they understood the gravity of the situation as Kirabi’s energies became prominent.
Ragnaroc: No wonder he kept Roku alive back then…
Kirabi: It was a rather simple endeavor, to be frank. Now, dear friends, I bid you all farewell. You’ve outlived your usefulness.
Kirabi raised his left hand above his head and a small sphere of black energy with lightning surging around it formed. The sphere began to expand, growing larger and large until it was easily the size of a large building. It was dense and powerful, instilling fear in everyone in the room. Madara released constantly blasts of lightning at Kirabi, but each was blocked by his impenetrable shield, which even more casually absorbed the chakra in Madara’s techniques.
Ragnaroc: You’re crazy! You’ll destroy this entire island and then some if you release that!!
Kirabi: That was the plan…
Hiruzen suddenly appeared behind Kirabi with a kunai aimed to his neck, but Kirabi quickly crushed the kunai with his free hand and grabbed Hiruzen by the face. Kirabi smirked and tossed Hiruzen aside, sending a great amount of force at Hiruzen which propelled him into the wall of the room violently. Hiruzen lay in the rubble significantly injured, and his left arm had been crushed under a large rock. Roku’s eyes widened and he rushed to assist Hiruzen but was immediately knocked to the side by the same violent invisible force. Part of Roku’s arm was bleeding and his struggled to stand up, exhausted from the attack. Ace quickly bandaged Roku’s arm while Akira tended to Hiruzen’s wounds. Kirabi laughed as Roku’s group met their match. He lifted his left hand up, throwing the enormous sphere of black energy outside of the dome and thrusting it several miles from the island by using his repulsion technique. The sphere drifted for a great distance, up to several hundred kilometers, in a parabolic curve before coming into contact with a larger, uninhabited island several hundred miles away. Upon touching the ground of the other island, the sphere exploded, completely obliterating the entire island and the chain of large mountains that the island housed along with several islands adjacent while forming a dome-shaped half-sphere of black energy that spiraled about the island and the waters and lands around it. The armies of the Sages and the opposition all stopped in their tracks to behold the phenomenon, and they were astonished as they witnessed the ravaging of nearly two-thirds of the Land of Lightning. Madara collapsed to his knees, stunned by the effects of Kirabi’s new power.
Madara: You’re joking…right?
Kirabi: Ah. Fascinating. Splendid! I think I’ll play with you all for some time in order to test my abilities. It is truly a sight to behold…the Sages…reduced to nothing before my power.
Ragnaroc slowly approached Roku, remaining very weary of Kirabi.
Ragnaroc: Roku…what do you suggest we do?
Roku: There’s no escape, Rag…the power he possesses is…too great…and it’s all my fault. We…we’ll probably die here today.
Ragnaroc: …So that’s it? You’re seriously giving up at a time like this?
Roku: Nobody can match THAT power, Rag! Can’t you see?! We’ve failed…
Ragnaroc: Don’t speak like that…we’ve taken down some tough enemies in the past, Roku! This is no different. Come on, Roku, think! You were a child prodigy, the pride of the Sages…the founder of the Kiyoshi Clan. You’re a beacon of hope in this dark world…and now you want to give up all hope? And for what? Because this guy just intimidated you? That’s not the Roku I know. Now pull yourself together and think!!
Roku: …………………alright. I have a plan, but it’ll take some diversion………Akira, Caliburn…get ready for an assault.
ELSEWHERE
At one end of Kirabi’s palace, Bishamon and a group of Sage apprentices entered a large room with three tunnel-shaped passages leading through the palace.
Bishamon: This palace is extremely difficult to navigate. We’ll split into three groups and search all three tunnels. Group 2 will come with me.
Bishamon organized his apprentices into groups and at once they passed through the tunnel-shaped passages, but as they proceeded, there was a brief rumbling throughout the corridors followed by very loud screams and the sound of bones crashing. Bishamon could not recognize the shrieks, but before he could question the situation, the ceiling of the corridor above violently came down on his group as a giant slab of solid rock. Before the ceiling could crush the group, however, Bishamon stopped the wall with his hands, using his strength to prevent the wall from collapsing. Then, there was subtle laughter as Bishamon struggled to hold up the immeasurably heavy slab of rock.
Sage Apprentice: Master! Are you alright?!
Bishamon: Doton: Chōkeijūgan no Jutsu (Earth Release: Ultralight-Weight Rock Technique)
Suddenly, the slab of rock become exponentially lighter in weight and Bishamon easily demolished it, blowing the chunks of rock away from his group. The apprentices were relieved and, after ensuring the good condition of their master, proceeded through the corridor into a very large room, easily the size of many buildings and at least twenty stories high. Ahead of the group were three more corridors covered in deep shadows, and out of the middle corridor appeared the foot of a figure stepping out. Bishamon and his group raised their guard, but when the figure stepped out, only Bishamon showed any signs of surprise or astonishment, however brief his expression was. The figure was a man, slender and somewhat tall, with slightly pale skin, dark red eyes, and spiky black hair. He was wearing a black not-too-short-sleeved shirt with spiked black arm-bands and, most importantly, a characteristic sinister smirk.
Bishamon: You…so you’re still alive. I should have guessed that we might face off eventually. Fate has a funny way of doing that.
???: Fate? Nonsense. Real shinobi adhere to no such belief. What’s more important, though…you stopped my Chōkajūgan (Ultra-Added-Weight-Rock) technique with the opposite. Your reputation precedes you, Sarutobi, Bishamon.
Bishamon’s expression became serious and a drop of sweat formed on the right side of his face and he strained in anticipation of the situation.
Bishamon: So, how exactly did you know to find me, Nexus?
Nexus: Well, a little octopus told me you’d be at our doorstep after the first wave of the storm hit. The wind calmed and I came rushing here, and to my pleasant surprise, here you are. Or was it an ox? *sigh* Details *smirks*
Bishamon: What was that noise earlier?
Nexus: *now with intrigue* Oh…you didn’t recognize the sound of your own subordinates being crushed under thousands of tons of rock in weight? It was a glorious sound, truly. Music to my ears. *whispering* I do enjoy a good slaughter.
Bishamon and his apprentices were horrified at this revelation. A few of the apprentices suddenly stepped back and fell down in fear as Nexus projected his vile killing intent unto them. Before the hopeless apprentices could be suffocated by the sheer pressure of Nexus’ presence, Bishamon stood in front of them, negating Nexus’ evil presence with his own warm, steadfast and hardy presence.
Bishamon: I want you all to stay back.
Sage Apprentice: But…master, we won’t falter like before. We…we’re willing to fight with you to the death.
Bishamon: I wish I could allow you to be brave, but this isn’t the time for such courage. The man you see before you is not like the other foes you've encountered. This man is a demon.
Nexus gave a sinister grin and squinted as he did so, giving him a very dark, wraithlike appearance.
Nexus: Come now. Don’t disappoint me.
END OF CHAPTER
