Chapter 60: Hive
Sando swiftly initiated the assault, his hands forming the rat seal with practised precision.
"Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu!" he exclaimed, the words resonating through the air. The atmosphere around Kaya seemed to ripple briefly as the genjutsu took effect.
The technique unfolded like a sinister dance, a circle of leaves spinning and enveloping Kaya before gently falling away.
From an outsider's perspective, the world appeared unchanged, but within the confines of the genjutsu, a nightmarish vision awaited.
The genjutsu used, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique, was a D rank genjutsu that caused its target to see a horrifying vision.
The user would use the rat hand seal to cause a circle of leaves to spin and envelop the target and then fall away. Once cast, the world will appear normal to the target until they see the illusion.
It was a trivial genjutsu barely useful in hurting opponents. The only reason Sando decided to use it with the Jounins having no issues was because they knew that this trivial genjutsu was a powerful weapon when used by Kurama Sando.
Sando's proficiency in genjutsu wasn't merely a product of his training; it was in his blood as a member of the esteemed Kurama clan.
The Kurama clan was renowned for their mastery of genjutsu and had produced several exceptional shinobi throughout history. What made them one of Konoha's most dangerous clans, was their Kekkei Genkai.
Their Kekkei Genkai entailed enabling the clan members with the ability to have a genjutsu so powerful that it causes the brain of the target to believe anything that happens to the victim to the point where the genjutsu physically harms the victim's body in the same manner they envisioned.
However, while the Kekkei Genkai was great, its drawbacks were equally impactful.
The users were equally rarely able to control the full extent of their abilities, resulting in their subconscious regulating that power, leading to the creation of a second personality in control of that power.
That was why Sando always used E-ranked and below genjutsus to incapacitate his targets.
With Sando being one the few members of his clan with this Kekkei Genkai, he quickly one of the best genjutsu experts in the village.
Yet, to the surprise of the Konoha trio, Kaya stood resolute, unaffected by the genjutsu's intended horrors. His eyes betrayed no sign of distress as he calmly observed the environment.
"Is this pesky mirage what you call a genjutsu?"
Kaya asked as he caught something behind him. Sando quickly came into view on Kaya's hold.
"Let me show you the real deal."
In response to Kaya's contemptuous remark, Sando felt the sting of the unknown substance as it struck his face.
The viscous material clung to his face. However, before he could fully comprehend the situation, Kaya retaliated with a swift and unexpected manoeuvre.
With a sudden surge of chakra, Kaya deftly wove a genjutsu of his own, ensnaring Sando's senses in it. The world around Sando was twisted and distorted. As the genjutsu took hold, the environment became a surreal landscape.
Caught within the genjutsu, Sando struggled to discern reality from fiction. The disorienting effects of the genjutsu made him vulnerable, and in that moment of vulnerability, swift as a shadow, Kaya drove a kunai into Sando's midriff.
The sudden pain and the shock of the unexpected attack jarred Sando's relieving him from the Genjutsu. However, he left one world of pain only to enter another one. He grunted, feeling the cold metal pierce his flesh.
As Sando executed the rat hand seal to cast the genjutsu, the swarm of bees Kaya had released to the environment responded to the disturbance of Sando's chakra. Swift as a reflex, Kaya's connection with the Hive allowed him to interpret their signals.
With efficiency, Kaya disrupted his chakra flow, creating interference that negated the genjutsu's intended effect. Instead, Kaya seized the opportunity to turn the tide.
With Sando unsuspecting, Kaya launched a surprise attack, spitting forth an unknown substance on his face. The liquid was his Hive's very own Mead.
The liquid dulled Sando's senses making it easy for Kaya to use the pheromones released by the hive to entrap Sando in a genjutsu before stabbing him with a Kunai.
It was unfortunate as Sando had gone down on the very sword he used to shine. Meanwhile, Riku and Giya were both surprised to see this.
'What the hell happened? It was a sure bet that he would fall into Sando's Genjutsu. He is an S-ranked Ninja, I should not have expected things to be that easy.'
Goya tried to process the situation while preparing herself for the inevitable clash. With Sando out of commission, it would be hard dealing with the beekeeper.
With a nod, Goya and Riku moved to orchestrate a symphony of destruction, each jutsu harmonizing with the other to create a relentless barrage.
Goya employed fire release jutsu such as Searing Migraine, while Riku employed wind jutsus like the great breakthrough jutsu to amplify Goya's attacks.
Kaya, recognizing the overwhelming power arrayed against him, summoned his swarm of bees as a protective shield. The insects, an extension of his will, buzzed around him like a living fortress, intercepting the fiery tempest and shielding him from the earthen onslaught.
However, even the Kamizuru leader couldn't deny the sheer force of the combined attacks. The bees valiantly withstood the assault, yet the strain was evident.
As the battle unfolded, Kaya's strategic mind sought an avenue of escape from the relentless assault. His nimble movements allowed him to evade the more devastating blows, but the sustained pressure.
'They are coming on strong. I need to change the flow of the battle.'
Yes, he was an S-ranked Ninja, but all that stemmed from the fact that his bees were very versatile. Against a vicious onslaught from the two Konoha jounins, he was in a tight spot.
"Beeswax Clone!"
Drawing his chakra, Kaya crafted a clone from beeswax.
The clone joined its creator on the battlefield. Now bolstered by this ally, Kaya seized the opportunity to turn the tide. The duo launched a barrage of coordinated counterattacks.
Goya and Riku, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden shift in the battle, found themselves forced into a defensive position.
Unfortunately for Kaya, the temporary respite provided by his clone was short-lived. Goya, unleashed a scorching fire jutsu, targetting the clone, engulfing it in flames that... well melted it.
As the fiery demise of his clone unfolded, Kaya's attention wavered for a moment.
Seizing the opportunity, Riku exploited the opening. With a sequence of hand seals, the very earth beneath Kaya's feet responded to the jounin's command.
"Doton Kekkai: Dorodomu!"(Dungeon Chamber of Nothingness)
The jutsu manifested as a formidable prison around Kaya. A self-repairing dome encased the Iwa Shinobi, leaving him confined within a chamber of unyielding earth.
Inside the dome, Kaya found himself in an inescapable embrace of the earth. Attempts to break free were met with the unyielding resistance of the barrier.
The relentless attacks from the Konoha jounins had culminated in a moment of tactical brilliance, trapping the Iwa shinobi within the confines of a dome.
"Why are they so stubborn? I guess I have to use that. Although it's chakra Intensive, It's my only option." With resolve, Kaya decided to use his trump card.
With a tremor, Kaya shattered the earth dome, emerging clad in some sort of armour.
Observing Kaya's resurgence, Riku turned to Goya.
"Goya, ensure the safety of the delegation. I'll hold him off."
"Riku, it's been hard taking him on with just the two of us-"
"We don't have any other option Goya," Riku interrupted
Goya, understanding the urgency of the situation, nodded affirmatively.
Riku prepared to face Kaya head-on. Meanwhile, Goya hastened towards the delegation hall.
Upon entering the delegation hall, Goya surveyed the scene to ensure the safety of the Land of Wheat and Hot Water representatives.
"What are they doing here?" Goya wondered as she could not believe what she was seeing.
Back to Riku and Kaya's clash, both shinobis were on the verge of collapsing. Kaya's chakra reserves were nearly depleted, and the strain of maintaining his armour was taking a toll.
On the other side, Riku, despite having larger reserves, suffered from injuries inflicted by Kaya during their confrontation.
Kaya's Armour was a result of using his Hive's exoskeleton. His bees were a variant that evolved from cross-breeding bees and bikochu insects.
They had stung Kaya and used their exoskeleton to form the armour covering Kaya. The armour increased his overall physical capabilities beyond what chakra normally could do.
With one of them with great physical capabilities and other with a greater chakra reserve forced the battle to turn to one of attrition. Riku was taking the brunt of Kaya's attack while Kaya was taking a hit on his reserves.
In the midst of the struggle, Riku managed to deliver the final blow to Kaya, forcing him to collapse under the weight of chakra exhaustion. As Kaya fell, Riku faced the same fate as he too, gave in to his injuries.
As Riku collapsed, a mysterious figure emerged. The silhouette stepped forward. The stranger approached Riku's unconscious form.
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