Chapter 97: Forgot Something?
Samui's eyes widened in disbelief as Ryomaru appeared beside her, his kunai aimed squarely at her side. Before she could react, he'd already moved behind her, demonstrating an unparalleled mastery over his newly-devised technique.
"This is Gale Step," Ryomaru whispered, his kunai inches from her neck. "You taught me that combining different village techniques can lead to new levels of mastery. So, here it is."
Samui smiled faintly, a look of pride mixed with a hint of surprise. "Well done, Ryomaru. Well done, indeed."
But how could two veteran Jounin be defeated so easily? Despite the technique, Samui moved so fast that Ryomaru couldn't follow her.
As Samui dodged Ryomaru's Gale Step, she glanced at Mabui who had also managed to fend off Hinata and Hanabi. Mabui made a rapid sequence of hand signs and exclaimed, "Lightning Style: Thunderclap!"
The electrical jolt surged toward Hinata and Hanabi, who barely managed to divert it using Water Style techniques they had incorporated into their arsenal.
"Close call," Hinata panted, still keeping her Byakugan active to track the opponents' movements.
Temari, from her higher vantage point, swung her fan. "Wind Style: Air Bullets!" Small, concentrated blasts of wind shot towards Mabui, who deflected them but was forced to break her concentration from Hinata and Hanabi.
Samui decided to step up the game. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" A torrential dragon made of water sprang forth from her mouth, targeting Ryomaru directly.
"Lightning Style: Thunderbolt," Ryomaru countered, sending a bolt of electricity into the water dragon, dispersing it into steam.
As the mist cleared, the youngsters found themselves surrounded by Samui and Mabui, who now seemed to mean business more than ever.
The air was thick with tension as the mist from the previous jutsu cleared. Samui and Mabui found themselves facing their younger opponents, their faces hard but eyes glinting with pride and resolve.
"You kids have come a long way," Samui admitted, her eyes shifting to Ryomaru, "especially you."
Ryomaru nodded. "Thank you, but the fight isn't over yet."
Without warning, Ryomaru unleashed his Gale Step, vanishing from sight only to appear behind Mabui. He aimed a quick jab with his kunai, but Mabui was faster, dodging and countering with a swift kick that Ryomaru narrowly avoided.
Simultaneously, Hanabi and Hinata launched themselves at Samui. "Water Style: Water Wall!" Hanabi shouted, creating a barrier of water that rose up in front of Samui.
Taking the cue, Hinata aimed a kunai wrapped with exploding tags at the water wall. Upon contact, the tags detonated, sending a cascade of water droplets toward Samui like a hailstorm. The veteran shinobi was quick to raise a defensive jutsu, but it was Temari's cue.
"Wind Style: Great Sickle Weasel Technique!" Temari's fan sent a slashing wind that cut through the water droplets, turning them into tiny blades aimed at Samui. The older shinobi had to leap out of the area, losing her defensive footing.
"Now, Ryomaru!" Temari yelled.
Ryomaru took his chance, appearing at Samui's new location in a flash. He hurled a volley of shuriken, pushing her further back where Hanabi and Hinata were already launching Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms from both sides.
Ryomaru's quick thinking had pushed Samui directly into the coordinated assault from Hanabi and Hinata. The Hyuga sisters sprang into action, their palms glowing with chakra as they executed the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms technique. Samui swiftly dodged their initial strikes, but her movements were slowed as she had to avoid the flurry of shuriken Ryomaru had also thrown her way.
"Keep her there," Ryomaru said, briefly locking eyes with Hanabi and Hinata.
Hanabi nodded, understanding the unspoken strategy. "Hinata, now!"
The sisters combined their efforts, sending a surge of water from their palms at the ground, creating a slippery surface that tripped Samui up just enough for Hinata to land a palm strike. Ryomaru grinned; their tactics were working.
With a puff, Samui vanished. Ryomaru exclaimed, "Kage Bunshin?"
Before he could complete his thought, the real Samui reappeared behind him. "Always be prepared for deception," she said, launching a kick toward him.
Ryomaru barely dodged, using his Gale Step to distance himself.
Temari, seeing Ryomaru's predicament, yelled, "Don't forget we're a team!" She then released a series of Wind Style shuriken toward Samui.
The shuriken acted as a distraction, forcing Samui to redirect her attention to deflecting them. This gave Hanabi and Hinata enough time to reform their position.
"Ready, Hinata?" Hanabi asked.
"Ready," Hinata confirmed.
But at this time, a voice was heard behind them, "Aren't you forgetting something?" Turning, they saw Mabui. The veteran shinobi's eyes held a glimmer of amusement, but her posture was ready for battle.
"Seems like you underestimated us," Mabui said, shaping her hands for a new jutsu.
Ryomaru flashed a confident grin. "Underestimating you? Never."
Mabui's hands finished forming the signs for her jutsu just as Temari swung her fan to create another gust of wind. "Lightning Style: Thunder Net!" Mabui chanted, and an intricate grid of electrical energy shot toward Temari.
Ryomaru saw the attack aiming for Temari and used his Gale Step to rush toward her. But before he could get there, Samui appeared in front of him, blocking his path. "Oh no, you don't," she said, her eyes narrowing.
Temari was forced to abort her wind attack to dodge Mabui's lightning net, rolling to the side and barely escaping the electrifying trap. "That was close," she muttered.
Ryomaru looked at Samui, frustrated but impressed. "You're good."
"Of course, we are," Samui retorted, unleashing a barrage of kunai towards him.
Dodging expertly, Ryomaru saw Hanabi and Hinata preparing a new tactic. "Go for it," he mouthed to them, and the Hyuga sisters caught his meaning instantly.
Hinata nodded at her sister. "Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
Both unleashed a ranged chakra attack toward Samui, who deflected it with a wall of condensed air. But this was the diversion Ryomaru needed. Using his Gale Step, he rushed toward Mabui.
This time, Mabui was ready. "Lightning Style: Volt Spike!" She said, and Ryomaru felt a sharp electrical jolt disrupt his Gale Step mid-motion, throwing him off balance and to the ground.
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