kinghadouken
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Chapter 16: The Two-Pronged Demon’s Battle
The dimension was dark and infinite; the pillars eerily floated everywhere, and on top of one pillar stood three figures. One of them wore a robe and a mask, with a fan-like weapon slung on the back. Another was shrouded by black markings all over the right half of the body, and clutched a Baphomet head shaped naginata with the left hand. The third one was surrounded by the Susano’o armor, the body leaking out black, blue and red chakra, and was beside the second figure.
There was no wind whooshing around, no other person or object to distract them. They were looking at each other intently, apparently trying to assess each other’s next movement. The tension escalated, making the atmosphere grow warmer by the second. Lightning began to exude from Momura Rouzuke’s skin, while black flames ignited on Saito Hibiki’s right arm which morphed into a huge monstrous appendage. Uchiha Madara heightened his guard, waiting for one of the two to make a move.
Rouzuke was the first to strike, his feet propelling him forward with insane speed, catching Madara off guard. The latter countered with a Fire Release: Grand Fireball, which the former swept with his Susano’o. Madara followed with another Almighty Push that ineffectively blew Rouzuke back mere inches. His Susano’o threw a chakra spear at Madara, who tried to put Hibiki as a hostage using the Universal Pull. However, Hibiki disappeared quickly, even before Madara could hold him, and reappeared behind Rouzuke.
Rouzuke grabbed Hibiki with the Susano’o and threw the latter to Madara, following the lead of the spear. Madara countered with another Almighty Push that broke the spear, while Hibiki absorbed the push and flung his naginata towards the former.
The weapon passed through Madara, who leapt back as soon as the spear was stuck to the floor. That moment, Hibiki was already on the floor as well and effectively landed a Lightning Release: Spiralling Sphere to Madara’s chest. The technique dissipated before it actually damaged him, the lightning caged inside wrapped around him as Hibiki pushed him with the left palm, knocking him back hard to a corner pillar.
Rouzuke had summoned his Twin Slasher, released both his Dragon Sword and Fang Blade, and combined both into two weapons, where the Twin Slasher formed a broadsword while the rest became the Dragon Fang. Wielding both swords, he jettisoned to a cornered Madara’s position just as HIbiki hopped out of the way.
DIE WITH THIS YOU PIECE OF SHIT! TWIN DRAGON FANG SLASHER!
The pillar crumbled with the force of the impact, sending smokes of rubble and debris everywhere. Rouzuke retreated to Hibiki’s side, assessing the situation. With his Byaringan, he saw Madara’s chakra signature, which confirms the fact that their opponent survived. As the dust settled, he was shocked to see that Madara was unscathed, though the pillar that he was leaning on was non-existent.
“You seem surprised,” Madara jeered, knowing that his opponent’s brave heart won’t last long with a strong opposition like him. “I thought you knew me, THE Uchiha Madara?”
“You bastard!” Rouzuke retorted, already planning another attack that would hopefully scratch Madara. “You haven’t won this yet, I tell you!”
“There is no use in resisting. Even if you kill me now, it won’t spit you out of this dimension. And I doubt you can make me let you out of here as well.”
“What in hell do you want from me?!”
“Your soul, your power, and the slumbering powers in your left arm.”
Silence ensued. It took a while for Rouzuke to register what Madara just said. The black markings were already taking over the other half of Hibiki’s body as the minutes passed.
“I see,” Rouzuke began after realizing Madara’s possible goal. “So you’re with the organization that hunts in throughout the country for the Tailed Beasts. An organization which I’ve heard to be named as the Akatsuki, I take it?”
“You’re somewhat correct,” Madara replied thoughtfully. “Yet you’ve hit the mark on me wanting the Tailed Beasts.”
“The Tailed Beasts are uncontrollable masses of chakra. What the hell are you planning to do?”
“It is not your concern as to what I am planning. However, if you will give me the Tailed Beasts’ chakra that reside in your left arm, I might consider your release from this dimension.”
“I get it now. You’re planning to have all the Tailed Beasts to resurrect the fabled Ten Tails, am I right?”
“I’m afraid that you’ve derailed from the topic. My goal for now is to extract the nine different chakra from your left arm. Should you resist, I’d have to make you part with that damned arm of yours before you die.”
“WHO THE HELL SAID THAT I’D PLAN TO DIE IN HERE?!” Rouzuke yelled as a signal of ending the conversation, and darted to Madara with resignation. “I WILL CHOP YOUR ****ING HEAD OFF, YOU MASKED PRICK!”
Rouzuke’s rage seemed to have agitated the slumbering chakra in his left arm, which started to wobble and wriggle under the skin. But he anticipated that, and had Hibiki perform an Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique coupled with his own Sage Art: Permanent Demonic Sealing. Some of the black tomoe markings detached from Hibiki and formed a small circle with eight extending lines, while some of the sinister red markings on Rouzuke’s left arm formed a spiral pattern inside the circle. The seal ingrained to his skin fizzled and steamed, and the thrashing chakra was calm again. Even Madara didn’t expect that to happen, as evidenced by his posture.
“You,” Madara muttered, apparently trying to suppress his anger and frustration. “You just sealed those chakra into your arm, is that accurate?”
“You won’t be able to extract them from me now,” Rouzuke replied triumphantly, regaining his cool. “You’ve been too lax with me. You could’ve already taken the arm away when I was unconscious.”
“That’s because I know that you can be the next tool that will work for me.”
“What do you plan to do with the Tailed Beasts?”
“That is none of your business. This conversation is over. You’ve forfeited the chance to get out of here alive. Your death is imminent!”
Madara disappeared and warped in front of Rouzuke, hands balled into fists and ready to strike. Hibiki was faster, and managed to smack Madara back even before he could use his unique ability. Madara blocked the punch though Rouzuke immediately rushed to his back unleashed one of the Tailed Beast chakra, determined to finish him off with one blow.
“Let’s do this, Shukaku!” Rouzuke yelled, while he raised his left palm to Madara. The spiral red lines on his left shoulder reformed and read ‘One’. “Sand Binding Coffin!”
Sand materialized from the formless chakra and proceeded to surround the amazed Madara, who avoided contact from both parties with Almighty Push. Rouzuke’s dragon-like wings helped him rise up to one of the tall pillars, with his left hand still raised upwards.
“Eat this!” Rouzuke exclaimed. A thick wall of sand formed in front of him. “Sand Bullets!”
The projectiles shot through the pillar floor with such speed that the pillars themselves cracked and were destroyed immediately. Madara barely got out of the way and was missed by the bullets by millimetres. Hibiki, fully consumed by the Cursed Mark, joined the fray as well, his speed overwhelming Madara’s ability to dematerialize to avoid damage.
Madara was caught by another Lightning Release: Spiralling Sphere, which hit him for sure this time, letting him skim through the pillar tiles and crash painfully into another erected pillar wall. Besides the damage of the Spiralling Sphere itself, he sustained momentary paralysis from the Lightning Element. He looked up and saw Rouzuke retreat the One Tail chakra back into his arm.
Rouzuke jumped from the pillar tower edge and glided to Madara, this time the spiral lines on his left shoulder read ‘Six’. His hand exuded another chakra mass which began to take in the form of gaseous matter.
“Choke on this! Saiken, Corrosive Gas!”
Madara was surrounded by the gas, and realized that it started to melt his mask and garments. He warped to a safer location, but was still smacked around by Hibiki and his Swift Release: Yondaime’s Legacy.
Just as Madara bit the dust, Rouzuke’s left shoulder changed again. This time, it read ‘Eight’. He aimed his left palm to Madara’s location, a cluster of red and blue chakra forming a heavy black ball in the center of his palm. Hibiki was restraining Madara with a Lightning Release: Electric Binding. Rouzuke had formed a black chakra ball which decimated in size and increased in density. His face was determined as ever.
“This is the end! Gyūki, Tailed Beast Bomb! LET’S GO!”
Hibiki managed to teleport to Rouzuke as soon as the chakra blast came in contact with Madara’s mask. The pillar that Madara was standing on disintegrated in a flash. The chakra wave lasted for a few more seconds, extending to an infinite horizon and destroying more pillar towers in its wake. As the attack dissipated, fumes began to appear, making the area smell of burnt material. There was no debris that scattered. The clouds of fumes fogged both Hibiki’s and Rouzuke’s normal vision, yet Rouzuke saw, a few kilometres away from them, that Madara’s chakra flow was still circulating as though nothing happened, yet the body was inanimate and lay down on the floor silently.
The lines on his left shoulder reverted into its original spiralling pattern inside the circular seal. He sent Hibiki to Madara’s position to affirm his doubts, in case that the opponent might be lurking somewhere else. After all, the area was not their domain.
Hibiki instantly went to Madara and set him on fire with Amaterasu. It was puzzling that the body didn’t move despite the fact that the pain of being burned alive would be unbearable. To both Hibiki and Rouzuke’s surprise however, the body began to disappear, as if it were a mirage. Then a voice came booming throughout the dimension, taking them both by surprise.
“You have fought well,” the voice said, apparently amused. “Your skills are amazing, and the way you’ve sealed and made the Tailed Beast chakra yours to keep has amazed me!
“However, just fighting a mirage was no easy task for you either. You were pushed to your limits by a simple opponent.”
“What’s your point?” Rouzuke butted in, growing more impatient by the second. “What do you want?”
“Getting hasty now, eh?” the voice taunted. “Very well then, I have another offer to you and it’ll be just answered by ‘yes’ or ‘no’. This is my bargain: I will let you out of here, but you will have to join ranks with the Akatsuki.”
“Why would I even do that?” Rouzuke questioned, even though interest got a grip of him. “What’s in store for me if I side with you?”
“Good question,” the voice replied. “I’ve heard that you’ve been searching for a place to craft your next masterpiece. I can help you there.
“Furthermore, we’ve both been labelled as vile and ruthless criminals. Isn’t it logical for both of us to be on the same side? The whole Shinobi World has decided to oppose our goals, and I’m here to ask for your assistance.”
“How am I going to make sure you don’t double-cross me?” Rouzuke inquired, apparently not trusting the man behind the voice. “If you’d be a criminal as I am, most probably you’d be thinking of a way to dispose of me should I start to defy your goals as well?”
“You’re too cautious,” the voice replied, still maintaining the calmness. “And I don’t judge you for it. But the Fourth Shinobi World War is nearing, and I know that you’d be a valuable ally.”
“Fine then,” Rouzuke retorted, testing the man. “If you want me to trust you, then let us out of here. If you do, I’d be grateful to join your organization. Otherwise, you can rot in Hell!”
“I understand,” the voice trailed off, and the masked man warped into view, walking towards the two. “You’ve earned yourself a deal. When I let you out, you will be reborn as a member of the Akatsuki.”
Without another word, Rouzuke and Hibiki were teleported into a spacious cave, where candle lights illuminated the walls and crates lined up the place. On one of the wooden crates sat another person with his eyes covered with linen wrap, and a white creature appeared to be guarding him. It was Uchiha Sasuke and White Zetsu, both of whom were members of the Akatsuki. Rouzuke looked at Sasuke with disdain, yet turned to face Madara.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Madara,” Rouzuke muttered, still cautious about his bargain. “I will help you achieve your goals, provided that you lead me to that special place to create my next masterpiece.
“And you, Saito Hibiki, I shall see you again. For now, when you return to Konohagakure, you will forget about what happened here. You will lie low and act normally, do you understand?”
Hibiki nodded in agreement, his face as stoic as ever. The Cursed Seal retreated to his right palm, which was marked by a single and minuscule tomoe. With that, he immediately disappeared. Rouzuke faced Madara again.
“I agreed to be a part of your organization, yet I still need to know your plans, your goals, everything,” Rouzuke demanded, his voice became assertive and persuasive. “If I were to carry out the Akatsuki’s ideals, I should be given some intel on such things, no?”
“You’re witty for your age, Momura Rouzuke,” Madara complimented. “You will learn our aims in due course, but for now, I want you to stay put and guard the kid along with White Zetsu.”
“As you wish.”
To be continued...
The dimension was dark and infinite; the pillars eerily floated everywhere, and on top of one pillar stood three figures. One of them wore a robe and a mask, with a fan-like weapon slung on the back. Another was shrouded by black markings all over the right half of the body, and clutched a Baphomet head shaped naginata with the left hand. The third one was surrounded by the Susano’o armor, the body leaking out black, blue and red chakra, and was beside the second figure.
There was no wind whooshing around, no other person or object to distract them. They were looking at each other intently, apparently trying to assess each other’s next movement. The tension escalated, making the atmosphere grow warmer by the second. Lightning began to exude from Momura Rouzuke’s skin, while black flames ignited on Saito Hibiki’s right arm which morphed into a huge monstrous appendage. Uchiha Madara heightened his guard, waiting for one of the two to make a move.
Rouzuke was the first to strike, his feet propelling him forward with insane speed, catching Madara off guard. The latter countered with a Fire Release: Grand Fireball, which the former swept with his Susano’o. Madara followed with another Almighty Push that ineffectively blew Rouzuke back mere inches. His Susano’o threw a chakra spear at Madara, who tried to put Hibiki as a hostage using the Universal Pull. However, Hibiki disappeared quickly, even before Madara could hold him, and reappeared behind Rouzuke.
Rouzuke grabbed Hibiki with the Susano’o and threw the latter to Madara, following the lead of the spear. Madara countered with another Almighty Push that broke the spear, while Hibiki absorbed the push and flung his naginata towards the former.
The weapon passed through Madara, who leapt back as soon as the spear was stuck to the floor. That moment, Hibiki was already on the floor as well and effectively landed a Lightning Release: Spiralling Sphere to Madara’s chest. The technique dissipated before it actually damaged him, the lightning caged inside wrapped around him as Hibiki pushed him with the left palm, knocking him back hard to a corner pillar.
Rouzuke had summoned his Twin Slasher, released both his Dragon Sword and Fang Blade, and combined both into two weapons, where the Twin Slasher formed a broadsword while the rest became the Dragon Fang. Wielding both swords, he jettisoned to a cornered Madara’s position just as HIbiki hopped out of the way.
DIE WITH THIS YOU PIECE OF SHIT! TWIN DRAGON FANG SLASHER!
The pillar crumbled with the force of the impact, sending smokes of rubble and debris everywhere. Rouzuke retreated to Hibiki’s side, assessing the situation. With his Byaringan, he saw Madara’s chakra signature, which confirms the fact that their opponent survived. As the dust settled, he was shocked to see that Madara was unscathed, though the pillar that he was leaning on was non-existent.
“You seem surprised,” Madara jeered, knowing that his opponent’s brave heart won’t last long with a strong opposition like him. “I thought you knew me, THE Uchiha Madara?”
“You bastard!” Rouzuke retorted, already planning another attack that would hopefully scratch Madara. “You haven’t won this yet, I tell you!”
“There is no use in resisting. Even if you kill me now, it won’t spit you out of this dimension. And I doubt you can make me let you out of here as well.”
“What in hell do you want from me?!”
“Your soul, your power, and the slumbering powers in your left arm.”
Silence ensued. It took a while for Rouzuke to register what Madara just said. The black markings were already taking over the other half of Hibiki’s body as the minutes passed.
“I see,” Rouzuke began after realizing Madara’s possible goal. “So you’re with the organization that hunts in throughout the country for the Tailed Beasts. An organization which I’ve heard to be named as the Akatsuki, I take it?”
“You’re somewhat correct,” Madara replied thoughtfully. “Yet you’ve hit the mark on me wanting the Tailed Beasts.”
“The Tailed Beasts are uncontrollable masses of chakra. What the hell are you planning to do?”
“It is not your concern as to what I am planning. However, if you will give me the Tailed Beasts’ chakra that reside in your left arm, I might consider your release from this dimension.”
“I get it now. You’re planning to have all the Tailed Beasts to resurrect the fabled Ten Tails, am I right?”
“I’m afraid that you’ve derailed from the topic. My goal for now is to extract the nine different chakra from your left arm. Should you resist, I’d have to make you part with that damned arm of yours before you die.”
“WHO THE HELL SAID THAT I’D PLAN TO DIE IN HERE?!” Rouzuke yelled as a signal of ending the conversation, and darted to Madara with resignation. “I WILL CHOP YOUR ****ING HEAD OFF, YOU MASKED PRICK!”
Rouzuke’s rage seemed to have agitated the slumbering chakra in his left arm, which started to wobble and wriggle under the skin. But he anticipated that, and had Hibiki perform an Eight Trigrams Sealing Technique coupled with his own Sage Art: Permanent Demonic Sealing. Some of the black tomoe markings detached from Hibiki and formed a small circle with eight extending lines, while some of the sinister red markings on Rouzuke’s left arm formed a spiral pattern inside the circle. The seal ingrained to his skin fizzled and steamed, and the thrashing chakra was calm again. Even Madara didn’t expect that to happen, as evidenced by his posture.
“You,” Madara muttered, apparently trying to suppress his anger and frustration. “You just sealed those chakra into your arm, is that accurate?”
“You won’t be able to extract them from me now,” Rouzuke replied triumphantly, regaining his cool. “You’ve been too lax with me. You could’ve already taken the arm away when I was unconscious.”
“That’s because I know that you can be the next tool that will work for me.”
“What do you plan to do with the Tailed Beasts?”
“That is none of your business. This conversation is over. You’ve forfeited the chance to get out of here alive. Your death is imminent!”
Madara disappeared and warped in front of Rouzuke, hands balled into fists and ready to strike. Hibiki was faster, and managed to smack Madara back even before he could use his unique ability. Madara blocked the punch though Rouzuke immediately rushed to his back unleashed one of the Tailed Beast chakra, determined to finish him off with one blow.
“Let’s do this, Shukaku!” Rouzuke yelled, while he raised his left palm to Madara. The spiral red lines on his left shoulder reformed and read ‘One’. “Sand Binding Coffin!”
Sand materialized from the formless chakra and proceeded to surround the amazed Madara, who avoided contact from both parties with Almighty Push. Rouzuke’s dragon-like wings helped him rise up to one of the tall pillars, with his left hand still raised upwards.
“Eat this!” Rouzuke exclaimed. A thick wall of sand formed in front of him. “Sand Bullets!”
The projectiles shot through the pillar floor with such speed that the pillars themselves cracked and were destroyed immediately. Madara barely got out of the way and was missed by the bullets by millimetres. Hibiki, fully consumed by the Cursed Mark, joined the fray as well, his speed overwhelming Madara’s ability to dematerialize to avoid damage.
Madara was caught by another Lightning Release: Spiralling Sphere, which hit him for sure this time, letting him skim through the pillar tiles and crash painfully into another erected pillar wall. Besides the damage of the Spiralling Sphere itself, he sustained momentary paralysis from the Lightning Element. He looked up and saw Rouzuke retreat the One Tail chakra back into his arm.
Rouzuke jumped from the pillar tower edge and glided to Madara, this time the spiral lines on his left shoulder read ‘Six’. His hand exuded another chakra mass which began to take in the form of gaseous matter.
“Choke on this! Saiken, Corrosive Gas!”
Madara was surrounded by the gas, and realized that it started to melt his mask and garments. He warped to a safer location, but was still smacked around by Hibiki and his Swift Release: Yondaime’s Legacy.
Just as Madara bit the dust, Rouzuke’s left shoulder changed again. This time, it read ‘Eight’. He aimed his left palm to Madara’s location, a cluster of red and blue chakra forming a heavy black ball in the center of his palm. Hibiki was restraining Madara with a Lightning Release: Electric Binding. Rouzuke had formed a black chakra ball which decimated in size and increased in density. His face was determined as ever.
“This is the end! Gyūki, Tailed Beast Bomb! LET’S GO!”
Hibiki managed to teleport to Rouzuke as soon as the chakra blast came in contact with Madara’s mask. The pillar that Madara was standing on disintegrated in a flash. The chakra wave lasted for a few more seconds, extending to an infinite horizon and destroying more pillar towers in its wake. As the attack dissipated, fumes began to appear, making the area smell of burnt material. There was no debris that scattered. The clouds of fumes fogged both Hibiki’s and Rouzuke’s normal vision, yet Rouzuke saw, a few kilometres away from them, that Madara’s chakra flow was still circulating as though nothing happened, yet the body was inanimate and lay down on the floor silently.
The lines on his left shoulder reverted into its original spiralling pattern inside the circular seal. He sent Hibiki to Madara’s position to affirm his doubts, in case that the opponent might be lurking somewhere else. After all, the area was not their domain.
Hibiki instantly went to Madara and set him on fire with Amaterasu. It was puzzling that the body didn’t move despite the fact that the pain of being burned alive would be unbearable. To both Hibiki and Rouzuke’s surprise however, the body began to disappear, as if it were a mirage. Then a voice came booming throughout the dimension, taking them both by surprise.
“You have fought well,” the voice said, apparently amused. “Your skills are amazing, and the way you’ve sealed and made the Tailed Beast chakra yours to keep has amazed me!
“However, just fighting a mirage was no easy task for you either. You were pushed to your limits by a simple opponent.”
“What’s your point?” Rouzuke butted in, growing more impatient by the second. “What do you want?”
“Getting hasty now, eh?” the voice taunted. “Very well then, I have another offer to you and it’ll be just answered by ‘yes’ or ‘no’. This is my bargain: I will let you out of here, but you will have to join ranks with the Akatsuki.”
“Why would I even do that?” Rouzuke questioned, even though interest got a grip of him. “What’s in store for me if I side with you?”
“Good question,” the voice replied. “I’ve heard that you’ve been searching for a place to craft your next masterpiece. I can help you there.
“Furthermore, we’ve both been labelled as vile and ruthless criminals. Isn’t it logical for both of us to be on the same side? The whole Shinobi World has decided to oppose our goals, and I’m here to ask for your assistance.”
“How am I going to make sure you don’t double-cross me?” Rouzuke inquired, apparently not trusting the man behind the voice. “If you’d be a criminal as I am, most probably you’d be thinking of a way to dispose of me should I start to defy your goals as well?”
“You’re too cautious,” the voice replied, still maintaining the calmness. “And I don’t judge you for it. But the Fourth Shinobi World War is nearing, and I know that you’d be a valuable ally.”
“Fine then,” Rouzuke retorted, testing the man. “If you want me to trust you, then let us out of here. If you do, I’d be grateful to join your organization. Otherwise, you can rot in Hell!”
“I understand,” the voice trailed off, and the masked man warped into view, walking towards the two. “You’ve earned yourself a deal. When I let you out, you will be reborn as a member of the Akatsuki.”
Without another word, Rouzuke and Hibiki were teleported into a spacious cave, where candle lights illuminated the walls and crates lined up the place. On one of the wooden crates sat another person with his eyes covered with linen wrap, and a white creature appeared to be guarding him. It was Uchiha Sasuke and White Zetsu, both of whom were members of the Akatsuki. Rouzuke looked at Sasuke with disdain, yet turned to face Madara.
“You’ve got yourself a deal, Madara,” Rouzuke muttered, still cautious about his bargain. “I will help you achieve your goals, provided that you lead me to that special place to create my next masterpiece.
“And you, Saito Hibiki, I shall see you again. For now, when you return to Konohagakure, you will forget about what happened here. You will lie low and act normally, do you understand?”
Hibiki nodded in agreement, his face as stoic as ever. The Cursed Seal retreated to his right palm, which was marked by a single and minuscule tomoe. With that, he immediately disappeared. Rouzuke faced Madara again.
“I agreed to be a part of your organization, yet I still need to know your plans, your goals, everything,” Rouzuke demanded, his voice became assertive and persuasive. “If I were to carry out the Akatsuki’s ideals, I should be given some intel on such things, no?”
“You’re witty for your age, Momura Rouzuke,” Madara complimented. “You will learn our aims in due course, but for now, I want you to stay put and guard the kid along with White Zetsu.”
“As you wish.”
To be continued...
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