The path wound its way through a lush, verdant forest, the towering trees casting dappled shadows on the dirt trail. The air was cool and crisp, the scent of pine needles and damp earth filling their nostrils. The sound of rushing water grew louder as they drew closer to the Hidden Hot Springs Village.
Arashi, his eyes sparkling with excitement, dashed ahead, his footsteps barely audible on the soft forest floor. "We're almost there!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the trees.
As they emerged from the forest, a breathtaking vista unfolded before them. The village is nestled in a secluded valley, surrounded by towering cliffs. Steam rose from the hot springs, creating a hazy, ethereal atmosphere. The wooden bridge, weathered and worn, arched gracefully over the river, leading directly to the village gates.
Itachi, however, was not as captivated by the scene. His Sharingan flickered to life, his gaze scanning the surroundings with intense focus. Something felt amiss. A faint, almost imperceptible sizzling sound caught his attention.
"Get back!" he shouted, his voice sharp and urgent.
A fiery shuriken streaked through the air, narrowly missing Kinoshita. The team scattered, dodging the barrage of deadly projectiles. The bridge, struck by a powerful explosion, erupted into flames, the wooden planks splintering and collapsing into the rushing river below.
Itachi, his Sharingan ablaze, stood on the edge of the broken bridge, his stance firm and unwavering. A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows, their silhouette backlit by the flames. The figure lunged forward, a massive blade glinting in the dim light.
"Protect Kinoshita!" Itachi commanded, his voice echoing through the chaos. The team formed a protective circle around Kinoshita, their weapons drawn, ready to defend their charge. As the battle raged, Itachi faced his mysterious adversary, their blades clashing in a flurry of steel.
Itachi's hand blurred in a swift motion, sending a volley of kunai whistling towards his attacker. The metal met with a resounding clang as the figure deflected each projectile with impressive speed.
The man landed lightly in front of Itachi, his long black coat billowing around him. But it wasn't his imposing stature or his attire that caught Itachi's attention. His eyes widened as they locked onto the gigantic blade, its intricate design sending a jolt of recognition through him.
'I've seen him before,' Itachi thought, his mind racing. 'Tsubasa of the Red Sea.'
Tsubasa, a smirk playing on his lips, met Itachi's gaze without flinching, even as the Sharingan activated. "Pleasure to be recognised, Itachi Uchiha," he purred, his voice laced with a chilling malice. "Now, Akane!"
"What?" Itachi's head snapped towards Kinoshita and his team, who were backed up against the edge of the shattered bridge.
The ground beneath them erupted in a violent explosion, sending cracks spider-webbing across the cliff face. Itachi leapt back just as Tsubasa's blade sliced through the air where he had been standing. 'I can't take my eyes off him,' he thought, his senses on high alert.
"We're fine!" Arashi's voice called out from below. He was clinging precariously to the edge of the cliff, his hand gripping the fractured rock, the rest of the team dangling below him.
"Pull us up now!" Kazuya yelled, his voice strained with fear. He clutched Miyu's hand, his knuckles white.
"I'm trying!" Arashi grunted, his muscles straining with the effort. 'Just great,' he thought, his heart pounding, 'this is exactly what I needed on my first mission.' He channelled chakra into his feet, finding purchase on the crumbling cliff face. With a mighty heave, he pulled the team upwards.
The cliff groaned ominously as fissures spread across its surface. Arashi's hand throbbed, his grip weakening. "Just hold on!" he yelled, his voice desperate. "I-"
A sudden kick sent Arashi flying backwards. He tumbled through the air, his cry of surprise swallowed by the roar of the river as he plunged into the churning water below.
"Woooah!" The team's screams echoed through the valley as they lost their grip and plummeted into the raging current. The icy water engulfed them, pulling them down.
"Gasp..." Arashi broke the surface of the churning water, gasping for air. He clutched an unconscious Kinoshita tightly, his grip unwavering even as the current threatened to tear them apart.
One by one, the rest of the team emerged, sputtering and coughing. Shiromaru, ever vigilant, clung to Miyu's head, his small form a reassuring presence in the midst of the chaos.
As Arashi struggled to keep Kinoshita afloat, a figure materialised on the riverbank. Akane, her red hair a fiery beacon in the fading light, brandished a gleaming katana.
With a swift motion, Arashi infused chakra into his blade and formed a one-handed seal. 'Water Wall!'
A towering wall of water erupted from the river, blocking Akane's path. "We have to move!" Arashi yelled, his voice barely audible over the roar of the current. He kicked off against the riverbed, propelling himself and Kinoshita towards the opposite bank. The rest of the team followed, their movements hampered by the rushing water.
Arashi stumbled onto the muddy bank, his lungs burning. "Miyu, take Kinoshita and help him," he gasped, "he's still alive!"
"Hn." Miyu, her face pale but determined, rushed to Kinoshita's side. Shiromaru, still clinging to her hair, peered down at the unconscious man with concern.
Arashi's eyes widened in alarm. "Get down!" he shouted, shoving Miyu and Kazuya to the ground. A red orb of searing energy blazed past, narrowly missing them.
'No time,' Arashi thought, gently laying Kinoshita down. He stared at the receding orb, his mind racing. 'That's a Kekkei Genkai, no doubt about it. Her chakra is so immense, she's evolved a basic Kekkei Genkai on her own.' A wave of awe washed over him as he processed the implications of this new jutsu.
But even as Arashi marvelled at the display of power, Akane pressed her attack. Her hand movements were fluid and precise, unlike any hand seals he had seen before. 'What are those hand seals?' he questioned, his eyes fixed on her every move. She seamlessly weaved a tiger seal into a horse seal, and between the spaces of her hands, another crimson orb, the size of a boulder, surged towards them.
The air crackled with intense heat as the orb hurtled towards them, vaporising the moisture in the air and leaving a trail of shimmering distortion in its wake.
Arashi raised his arm, his chain shimmering as he prepared to absorb the incoming chakra. 'This should work,' he thought, focusing his energy. But as the crimson orb hurtled towards him, the chain on his arm uncoiled with a life of its own, twisting and turning in a mesmerising dance before springing into action.
Arashi's eyes widened in surprise. 'What is she doing?'
The kunai at the end of the chain met the fiery orb head-on. Instead of absorbing the energy, the metal smoothly pierced through the flames, the chain snaking around the orb as it drew in the remaining energy and stretched towards Akane.
Akane, caught off guard, leapt back, narrowly avoiding the attack. The chain whipped through the air, its movements unpredictable and swift.
Arashi yanked the chain back, the kunai spinning around his arm before settling back into its coiled position. 'That's cool,' he thought, a grin spreading across his face. 'I didn't know it could do that. A little unsettling, but I won't complain.'
Akane, her breath catching in her throat, stared at Arashi with a mixture of awe and apprehension. 'What was that attack?' she wondered, her mind reeling. 'I've never seen anyone block my Kekkei Genkai. Did he absorb it? Or was that his weapon?' But above all, one question burned in her mind.
'What are those eyes?' she thought, a shiver running down her spine. 'It feels like he's looking into me. Is he scrutinising me? It's creeping me out.' Akane's grip tightened on her katana, her knuckles turning white.
Sensing her unease, Arashi pressed his advantage. He stepped forward, his form radiating confidence, shielding his comrades. "I won't let you hurt my friends!" he declared, his voice ringing with conviction.
"Tch!" Kazuya clicked his tongue, a competitive fire burning in his eyes. 'Is this bastard showing me up?' Without hesitation, he flickered to Arashi's side, his Sharingan activated. "We won't let you ruin our mission!" he added, his voice filled with determination.
'This is my chance,' Miyu realised, her gaze fixed on Kinoshita. She swiftly scooped him up and vanished in a blur of motion.
"Get lost, Konoha scum!" Akane snarled, her voice cold and menacing despite her youthful appearance. "This isn't your fight."
Arashi drew his tanto, assuming a defensive stance. "You're wrong," he countered, his voice calm but firm. "Mr. Kinoshita is under our protection."
"Tch! Fine then." Akane infused her blade with chakra, the metal glowing with an intense heat. With a powerful upward slash, she unleashed a sharp wave of fire towards Arashi and Kazuya. "First step: Blazing Slash!" she yelled, her voice echoing through the valley.
As the flames gathered towards them, Arashi's eyes gleamed with a competitive fire. "Want to compare Kekkei Genkai?" he challenged, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "Let's do it!" With a burst of speed, he formed a series of hand seals and slammed his palm onto the water's surface.
'Learning how to combine chakra natures was one of the things I worked on for the past four years,' he thought, channelling his chakra with precision. 'Let me show you how to use two natures at once!'
"Ice Release: Frozen Severance!"
A wave of icy energy surged outwards, freezing the river in its tracks. The air grew heavy with frost, the temperature plummeting as a thick fog rolled across the battlefield. The wind, once a gentle breeze, whipped into a frenzy, carrying snowflakes that danced and swirled in the icy air.
"What's going on? I can't see!" Kazuya shielded his eyes, his voice muffled by the sudden blizzard.
Akane, her vision obscured by the swirling snow, felt a chill creep down her spine. The sudden temperature change was unnerving, the air heavy and oppressive. 'How did he counter my technique? That's not possible.'
As the fog began to dissipate, a breathtaking scene unfolded before them. The entire river was frozen solid, a glistening expanse of ice stretching as far as the eye could see. Jagged ice spikes jutted out from the riverbanks, their sharp edges glinting menacingly in the fading light.
"No way..." Akane breathed, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Kazuya, equally stunned, stared at the frozen river. 'What kind of jutsu is this?!' his gaze was drawn to the thick layer of ice. But then, a chilling realisation struck him. 'Wait, that girl, where'd she go?'
In the chaos of the moment, he had lost focus, his guard momentarily lowered. He had forgotten their primary objective – to protect Kinoshita. It was too late.
Akane, seizing the opportunity, launched herself at Kazuya, her katana aimed at his head.
But just as the blade was about to connect, Kazuya's form shimmered and vanished. In his place stood Arashi, his tanto raised in a defensive stance.
'What?!' Akane faltered for a moment, her attack disrupted. With incredible agility, she twisted her body mid-air, narrowly avoiding Arashi's counterstrike.
Kazuya whipped his head around, searching for Arashi in the swirling chaos. His hands flew through a series of rapid seals.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" he shouted, unleashing a violent gust of wind aimed directly at Akane.
Akane, her reflexes honed by years of training, leapt high into the air, narrowly evading the attack. But she wasn't done yet.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Creating four identical copies of herself, they fanned out, surrounding Kazuya and Arashi, their katanas glinting menacingly.
"Kazuya, the real one is on the far right!" Arashi yelled, his voice cutting through the confusion.
"Got it!" Kazuya nodded, his Sharingan locking onto the designated target. He charged forward, engaging Akane in a fierce duel.
The other clones lunged at Kazuya, but their attacks faltered as Arashi suddenly vanished from sight.
"It's too easy!" Arashi reappeared above them, his hands already forming the necessary seals. "Water Style: Piercing Flow!"
A sharp jet of water erupted from his mouth, slicing through the clones in a single, devastating blow. He glanced over at Kazuya's fight, then swiftly moved to assist him.
Akane gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting. 'What the hell is this?' she fumed inwardly. 'How is all that possible? That Dojutsu, Ice Release? He's from Konoha, and he used that level of Ice Release? That shouldn't be possible!'
Fueled by rage and confusion, she charged towards the two boys, her katana raised high, her breathing ragged.
Arashi met her attack head-on, his tanto and kunai flashing in the fading light. He launched his chain towards her, the kunai spinning menacingly. Akane blocked the initial strike, but the chain, with a seeming will of its own, continued to push against her, disrupting her balance.
Kazuya seized the opportunity, hurling a volley of kunai at her. Akane dodged them with ease, then narrowly avoided Arashi's punch. But she wasn't fast enough to react to his follow-up kick, which connected squarely with her gut.
"Aaah!" Akane stumbled backwards, the air knocked out of her lungs.
'I can't take them both at the same time,' she realised, her eyes darting between the two boys.
A determined glint entered her eyes. 'In that case...' She formed a series of hand seals and channelled chakra into her blade once more. The tip of her katana ignited with a fiery red glow.
"This again," Arashi muttered, holding out his hand, his eyes glowing with an intense light. "I won't let you!"
Suddenly, Akane's feet left the ground. An invisible force pulled her inexorably towards Arashi.
'What?'
Akane vanished in a cloud of smoke, leaving Kazuya and Arashi staring at the empty space where she had been standing.
'Did she just use a space-time ninjutsu?' Arashi wondered, his senses alert. 'I don't feel her near us anymore.' He shook his head, dismissing the idea. 'No, that was more like a Summoning Jutsu. A reverse summon.'
He sheathed his tanto and pulled his chain back, his mind racing. Where had she gone? And what would their next move be?
Kazuya watched Arashi's retreating figure, a wave of self-doubt washing over him. 'I was practically useless back there...' he thought, clenching his fists in frustration. 'I should've used-'
His thoughts were interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Arashi, his expression surprisingly calm.
"Let's go check on Miyu and Mr. Kinoshita," Arashi said, his voice steady.
Kazuya nodded, a surge of gratitude replacing his frustration. "You're right," he replied, following Arashi as they scaled the icy cliffs.
They found Itachi, Miyu, and Shiromaru huddled together near the edge of the frozen river. Kinoshita lay nearby, still unconscious but breathing steadily.
"Is everyone okay?" Arashi asked, concern etched on his face.
Miyu nodded. "How about you?" she asked, her eyes wide with worry. "She seemed really strong."
"Yeah, Kazuya and I pushed her back," Arashi said, a frown creasing his brow. "But we didn't win... She used a reverse Summoning Jutsu to escape."
"I see," Itachi said, his gaze fixed on the swirling patterns in the ice. "She's the one who did this."
"Itachi-sensei, shouldn't we try to find them?" Kazuya asked, his voice laced with urgency.
"No," Itachi replied firmly. "That's too risky. The reverse Summoning Jutsu could have taken them anywhere. And don't forget, we still have Mr. Kinoshita to protect. He's our priority."
As they discussed their next move, Kinoshita stirred. He sat up, groaning, and then, to their surprise, began walking towards the village.
"Where are you going?" Itachi asked, his voice sharp.
Kinoshita turned, a defiant smirk on his face. "Well, you don't expect me to stay here the whole time, do you?" he retorted. "My wife is waiting." He continued walking, his silhouette growing smaller against the backdrop of the frozen river.
Arashi looked at Itachi, confusion clouding his features. "What now? What should we do?"
Itachi's gaze swept over the frozen landscape, his eyes lingering on the colossal ice formations. "You've gotten stronger, haven't you?" he remarked, his voice laced with a hint of pride. "By the looks of it, at least. I can tell you never stopped training."
Arashi scoffed, looking away. "What's it to you?" he muttered. "You didn't expect me to sit around waiting to be taught about this, did you?" He started walking, following Kinoshita.
"No, I'm glad." He said, then focused on everyone else, "We will stay in the Land of Hot Springs until Mr. Kinoshita is safe," Itachi commanded, his voice firm.
"Whatever," Arashi replied, a hint of defiance in his tone as he trailed after Kinoshita.
As the group ventured deeper into the Hidden Hot Springs Village, they were met with a scene of tranquillity and natural beauty. Steam rose from numerous hot springs scattered throughout the village, creating a serene and mystical atmosphere. Yet, the air was surprisingly calm and fresh, a stark contrast to the humid conditions one might expect.
The village itself was nestled in a secluded valley, surrounded by towering mountains. Lush greenery blanketed the landscape, and the gentle gurgle of a nearby stream provided a soothing soundtrack. The village buildings were simple and rustic, their wooden structures blending seamlessly with the natural surroundings.
The hot springs were the heart of the village, their therapeutic waters drawing visitors from far and wide. The air was filled with the fragrant scents of various herbs and minerals, each spring offering its unique properties. It was a place of peace and rejuvenation, a stark contrast to the turbulent world of shinobi.
As they wandered through the village, the team couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over them. This tranquil haven seemed worlds away from the battles and betrayals they had recently faced. Yet, they knew that their journey was far from over. The threat of Riku Nakamura still loomed large, and they were determined to protect the village and its people.