Chapter 44: A World With You
Only Oyuro remained. The jounin from Kumogakure trembled with a rage so profound it seemed to vibrate the very air around him. The crackling lightning enveloping Kagenori's body was a mirror of the storm raging within the older shinobi.
"Thunder Breathing, Third Form: Thunder Swarm!"
Kagenori became a vortex of motion, circling Oyuro at a blinding speed. A trailing wave of lightning arcs marked his path, each one drawn magnetically to the lightning still flickering around the jounin, bombarding him with stinging, if minor, electrical shocks.
Oyuro, his vision tinged red with fury, forced his eyes to track the high-speed blur. Gradually, his combat-honed instincts began to adapt, and he could just make out the fading afterimage of Kagenori's movements.
"I see you!" he roared, predicting Kagenori's next landing point. "Cloud Style: Crescent Moon Slash!"
He unleashed a wide, powerful crescent-shaped slash with his ninja sword. The blade connected solidly—not with flesh, but with the hard steel of Kagenori's own katana. For a split second, their eyes met. And in that moment, Oyuro saw not fear, but a cold, mocking smile on the boy's face.
A terrible realization dawned on him.
He looked down. The ground beneath his feet was no longer solid earth. It had softened, churned, and turned into a sucking, viscous mire.
Earth Release: Yellow Spring Mud Swamp!
"It was a feint," Kagenori stated, his voice flat and devoid of emotion. "And you fell for it. I was afraid you couldn't see me clearly, so I slowed down just for you. Idiot. It's over."
"Thunder Breathing, Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash!"
From his position at the swamp's edge, Kagenori became the epicenter of a storm of blades. Countless slashes, fast as lightning, erupted outward in every direction, a 360-degree sphere of pure, cutting energy.
Trapped, unable to dodge or leap away, Oyuro could only endure. Dozens of searing, charred wounds crisscrossed his body. A raw, agonized scream was torn from his throat, and the sickening-sweet smell of scorched flesh filled the clearing. His body convulsed violently before he collapsed into the mud with a heavy thud, twitching uncontrollably.
Even as Oyuro fell, Kagenori's vigilance didn't waver. "Don't worry," he said, his voice cold as winter steel. "More of your Kumo-nin will join you soon. I've already set my sights on your village."
He raised his sword and brought it down in a final, merciless arc, cleanly severing Oyuro's head from his body.
Warm blood splattered across Kagenori's face. The head rolled a few times before coming to a stop, the eyes wide open. In his last, fading moment of consciousness, Oyuro felt a profound, sinking sadness. Konoha has birthed another monster. And I was powerless to stop him. How many of my village's shinobi will die by his hand? The thought followed him into darkness.
The battle was finally over.
Kagenori wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand and let out a long, weary breath. He took a step toward where Kushina rested, but a wave of dizziness and weakness washed over him, and he almost stumbled. The frantic race to reach her and the intense battle had drained his chakra to near-depletion. It was the reason he had resorted to the risky feint; a protracted fight would have been his end.
He glanced at his right hand; the muscles at the base of his thumb were torn and bleeding from the sheer force of blocking Oyuro's enhanced blows. The Kumo jounin's raw strength, amplified by his lightning chakra, had been immense. Kagenori realized the fighting style of Kumogakure was eerily similar to his own—a focus on kenjutsu and Lightning Release, favoring direct, powerful assaults. While he was faster, it wasn't by an overwhelming margin, negating a decisive advantage in a straight fight. His victory had come from cunning, not overwhelming power.
He took a blank scroll from his pouch and methodically sealed the heads of Oyuro, Atsui, and the first ninja he'd killed inside. Proof of the thwarted kidnapping and the eliminated threat.
He then walked to where Kushina slept, her head resting trustingly against the white snake's cool scales. The ordeal of the kidnapping, the despair of being taken from her home, and the final, overwhelming relief of his arrival had exhausted her completely. Her mind, finally feeling safe, had shut down, pulling her into a deep, necessary sleep.
Kagenori gently slid his arms under her, lifting her with care. He looked at the white snake. "Thank you."
Seeing his improved mood, the snake saw an opportunity. "Lord Kagenori, next time, could you perhaps provide a fresher meal?"
A dark glint flashed in Kagenori's eyes. "I know. It won't be long before I let you eat your fill."
The white snake's face contorted into a grotesque, fawning smile. "You are too kind, Lord Kagenori! I adore you! From now on, if you say east, I will never go west. If you want me to eat them alive, I will never wait for them to die!"
Kagenori rolled his eyes. "Enough. The three ninjas inside you… they're still intact?"
The snake patted its swollen belly with its tail. "Perfectly preserved, Lord Kagenori! You can trust my professionalism!"
"Good. Return to Ryuchi Cave for now. I'll summon you later."
"As you wish, Lord Kagenori!" With a puff of smoke, the snake was gone.
Kagenori swallowed a soldier pill, feeling a trickle of chakra return to his exhausted system. Then, holding Kushina securely in his arms, he set off at a steady run toward Konoha.
The motion of his run eventually roused her. She didn't speak, just opened her eyes and watched his face, her gaze intense and unwavering.
Feeling the weight of her stare, Kagenori looked down. "You're awake. Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice soft.
Kushina shook her head, her vibrant red hair brushing against his arm.
"Then rest a little longer," he murmured. "My pace is smoother now. I'll wake you when we reach Konoha."
Instead of closing her eyes, Kushina slowly lifted her arms and hooked them around his neck. She pulled herself up slightly and pressed a soft, gentle kiss to his cheek.
Kagenori froze mid-stride, his entire body locking up as if struck by a paralysis jutsu.
After the kiss, Kushina buried her face in the crook of his neck, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs. "Kagenori," she whispered, her voice thick with tears, "when I thought… when I thought I might never see you again, I was so scared. I didn't know what to do… Thank you, Kagenori. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for everything."
Kagenori felt a lump form in his own throat. He adjusted his hold, using his right hand to gently wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes. He looked at her, and for the first time that night, his smile was warm, unguarded, and entirely genuine.
"Kushina," he whispered back, his voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "I should be the one thanking you. After my mother and father died… I was just existing. But now… it's different. My world has you in it. And it only has meaning because of you."