Capítulo 9: Remember To Comment.
No, seriously, comment. The algorithm loves that and so do I.
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The cave was eerily silent as Gekko and his remaining men cautiously advanced, the air thick with the acrid scent of blood and fear. The flickering torchlight barely illuminated the grim scene before them. Ryogi's body lay on the cold stone floor, his chest still faintly rising and falling, though the blood loss had made him pale and ghostly. His ice techniques had failed to stop the inevitable.
"Boss... he's gone," Oko muttered, his voice soft as he crouched beside Ryogi's limp form. Gently, Oko closed Ryogi's eyes, offering him a small moment of respect. The other men in the gang shifted uneasily, their eyes scanning the cave walls as if waiting for something—anything—to emerge from the shadows.
Gekko's sharp gaze took in the surroundings, the blood splattered across the stone floor, the bodies of his guards lying in heaps. It wasn't just a fight—it was a massacre, a one-sided slaughter. His mind raced, piecing together the grim reality. Whoever was responsible had done this quickly, methodically, without mercy. This wasn't the work of ordinary shinobi.
"Be on your guard!" Gekko barked, his voice cutting through the heavy air. But as the words left his lips, a shadow moved—a blur of motion in the corner of his vision.
Arsene struck with lethal precision, his kunai flashing in the dim light as he took down three of Gekko's men in an instant. Blood sprayed across the cave as their bodies crumpled to the ground. Before anyone could react, Arsene vanished back into the shadows, his presence like a specter, haunting them from the darkness.
"Damn it! Stay close!" Gekko shouted, his voice now tinged with fear. His men huddled together, their eyes wide with panic, scanning the shadows for any sign of the attacker. Who is this? Konoha shinobi?
Gekko's mind whirled with the possibilities. He had been meticulous in covering his tracks, even going so far as to set up a false base to throw Konoha's shinobi off his scent. But somehow, someone had found them—someone with deadly skill. A Jonin, maybe? Gekko's instincts screamed at him that this was no ordinary ninja. The precision, the ruthlessness—it was like they were being hunted by a predator, and Gekko felt like the prey.
As his eyes scanned the floor, something caught his attention—a sword, lying abandoned near one of the bodies. But something about it was strange... The blade shimmered unnaturally in the flickering light.
"Wait… RUN!" Gekko shouted, his heart pounding as the realization hit him. The sword wasn't a weapon—it was him.
Before he could act, the sword shifted and morphed, its metallic gleam warping into the form of Arsene, who launched himself at the remaining guards. In a blur, Arsene dispatched two more, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds as blood pooled beneath them.
Gekko's breath came in shallow gasps as he darted toward the cave's exit, his stocky build moving with surprising speed. I have to escape! But before he could get far, a massive fireball erupted in front of him, forcing Arsene to flip backward and narrowly avoid the flames. The heat scorched the air around him, the light illuminating his sharp features for a split second.
"Tch..." Arsene hissed, glancing at his arms where burn marks had started to blister. The pain was sharp, but manageable. Annoying. His eyes locked onto the source of the attack.
Oko, breathing heavily and his face twisted with determination, was forming more hand signs, his chakra building. "I won't let you touch the Boss!" Oko screamed, his voice hoarse with desperation.
"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
Another massive fireball roared toward Arsene, filling the narrow cave with an intense heat. Arsene's eyes narrowed. The size of the attack made it impossible to dodge in the confined space of the cave, and he realized with a cold, detached irritation that he was going to be hit again.
As the fireball slammed into him, Arsene gritted his teeth, feeling the searing heat across his skin. Painful… but not fatal. He skidded back, the impact jarring his muscles. But Oko wasn't done.
"Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame!"
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Salamander Breath!"
"Fire Style: Burning Forest Flame!"
"Fire Style: Piercing Heat Wave!"
One after another, Oko unleashed an onslaught of fire-style ninjutsu, each attack filling the cave with deafening roars and waves of blistering heat. Arsene dodged what he could, but the relentless barrage of fire overwhelmed him. The sheer size of the cave worked against him, giving him no room to maneuver.
The flames raged for what felt like an eternity, the heat and smoke choking the air. Finally, Oko collapsed to his knees, his chakra depleted, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. The cave was filled with the acrid scent of smoke, the walls glowing faintly with residual heat.
"Good job, Oko!" Gekko said, his voice shaking as he placed a hand on Oko's shoulder. His words were meant to be encouraging, but deep down, Gekko was rattled. That was… a lot of fire. Even he hadn't expected Oko to unleash so many powerful jutsu in such rapid succession.
But something gnawed at Gekko. Is he really dead? No shinobi could survive that—no one could. Yet, the nagging doubt lingered, crawling up his spine. Gekko took a step back, his eyes scanning the flames, hoping to see nothing but scorched stone.
"I led the others out through the secret passageway," Gekko said, his voice barely concealing his fear. "Now we need to regroup and—"
Before he could finish, a sharp gasp escaped Oko's lips. He stumbled forward, his eyes wide with shock as blood began to spill from his chest. Gekko's heart lurched as he saw the kunai embedded in Oko's back, its tip piercing through the front of his chest.
"B-boss..." Oko croaked, his voice weak, before he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Out of the dying flames, a figure emerged.
Arsene.
He walked forward slowly, his silhouette dark and imposing. His skin was covered in burn scars, his clothes singed and torn, but he was alive. What remained of his wet, muddy cloak dripped onto the ground, a testament to his resourcefulness. Water Style and Earth Style. While Oko's fire had raged, Arsene had used the surrounding earth and water techniques to coat himself in a layer of mud, dulling the intensity of the flames and protecting himself from the worst of the burns.
"I didn't say you could run," Arsene said, his voice low, almost a growl, as he wiped a smear of mud from his face. His eyes gleamed with cold, unfeeling malice as he stepped over Oko's body and locked eyes with Gekko.
Gekko stumbled backward, his heart hammering in his chest. He's... still alive?! Arsene's very presence, emerging from the fire like a ghost, was nothing short of terrifying. Gekko's knees felt weak, his survival instincts screaming at him to flee, but his body refused to move. How...?
Arsene's steps were slow, deliberate, as he approached Gekko. "Let's have a nice fight," Arsene said, his tone dark and mocking. "Redeem your employees, Boss."
Gekko swallowed hard, the weight of fear settling into his gut. I can't beat him. I can't... But there was no time to run, no time to think. Arsene was already standing before him, the flickering flames casting eerie shadows across his scarred face.
And in that moment, Gekko realized he was NOT built for this.
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[Auther: Yo. I've been steady to keep the Edgelord vibe, but even I can't lie...how does anyone actually talk like this? Without the backstory of a lifetime.]
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