บท 134: Chapter 134 - meeting
"Calm down, A," Jiraiya called out. But before his words could reach him, A had already launched himself at Ryu, who stood calm and unruffled.
Like a blur, A darted around the room, his speed creating a cyclone of wind that whipped around the circular chamber. Using the wooden walls of the tree trunk as his springboard, A seemed to disappear and reappear at will, his swift movements playing tricks on the eyes. In the blink of an eye, he materialized behind Ryu, his electrified fist aimed directly at Ryu's head.
With a calm and graceful movement, Ryu leaned back, his body swaying as fluidly as a bamboo stalk in the wind. His hands found the ground behind him, and using it as a pivot, he twisted his body and swung his legs upward. His foot connected with A, sending the large man hurtling across the hollow chamber.
"Damn, you're even slower than Kizaru," Ryu raised an eyebrow, straightening up.
Before A could regain his balance, Ryu was already in motion. With a smooth leap, he followed A's trajectory, passing him as if to show off his speed before landing gracefully on the wall of the trunk. A barely had time to register Ryu's movement when Ryu pushed off from the wall, hurling himself directly at A.
A tried to dodge, but Ryu was faster. His fist connected with A's side, and the force of the impact sent A spinning toward the ground. However, even as he fell, A twisted in mid-air and managed to land on his feet.
Undeterred, A tried another approach. He leaped up, using his incredible speed to launch a barrage of attacks at Ryu. His fists and legs moved in a blur, a veritable storm of punches and kicks.
Yet, Ryu's expression remained serene. He sidestepped, ducked, and danced around A's attacks as if they were moving in slow motion. His movements were fluid and elegant, making A's speedy attacks seem clumsy and haphazard in comparison.
At one point, A attempted a high kick aimed at Ryu's head. Ryu simply swayed sideways, letting A's leg pass inches away from his face. Then, like a whip, he turned and delivered a spinning back kick, his heel connecting with A's chest. The impact sent A flying backwards, crashing into the wall of the trunk.
"That's all you got?" Ryu asked, beckoning A towards him. In a flash, A was airborne, springing off from the trunk's walls in an erratic zigzag pattern. It was a confusing, haphazard movement, designed to throw off his opponent's perception.
But A's movements were far too slow to confuse Ryu, showcased by the latter standing calmly in the midst of the ensuing storm, winking at the infuriated Raikage.
Suddenly, A appeared behind Ryu, delivering a fast, high kick aimed at his neck, Ryu dropped low. His body folded almost in half, bending fluidly forward as he extended one leg out and swung it around in a sweeping arc.
A's kick missed its target entirely, his momentum carrying him over Ryu's ducked form, while Ryu's sweeping leg knocked A's other foot out from under him, causing him to lose his balance.
Before A could correct his posture, Ryu had already sprung into action. He pushed off from the ground, launching himself upwards. As he ascended, he tucked his body into a tight spin, his right elbow leading. As Ryu's body ascended, his elbow slammed into A's midsection, the impact reverberating through the hollow space of the tree trunk.
The force of the hit sent A spiraling toward the far side of the tree hollow, but Ryu wasn't finished yet. Even as A was still tumbling through the air, Ryu touched down on the ground and took off again, moving so swiftly he wasn't even a blur.
He intercepted A in mid-air, his form parallel to A's as he shot past him. Just as he was about to overtake A, Ryu twisted his body, his left leg shooting out in a swift, hooking motion. His foot connected with A's jaw, the strike sending A crashing down to the ground.
Silence fell over the chamber as A lost consciousness. Ryu stood poised and calm, showing no signs of exhaustion. His eyes looked indifferent as he glanced at the fallen A.
"Well, that was disappointing. Even Hiruzen was better than this," Ryu commented, causing Jiraiya to sigh exhaustively
"You arrogant brat," Onoki piped up, his voice echoing through the hollow chamber. "Show some respect."
"Well, that's an idea," Ryu said with a smirk. "How about I take you on next, Onoki? I've never fought a Tsuchikage before."
Onoki's face tightened, but before he could respond, Gaara stepped forward. "Enough," he said, his voice resonating with an uncharacteristic authority. "We're here to discuss our plans, not to fight."
A silence fell over the room, one that was quickly broken by the sound of footfall. From the entrance, a medic ninja appeared, immediately attending to A's unconscious form.
As the medic tended to A, the room filled with tension. Jiraiya took the lead. "Well," he started, his gaze sweeping over the Kages. "Ryu's demonstrated that he and Yoruichi are not to be taken lightly. Can we move on to the matter at hand now?"
"Fine," Onoki scoffed.
The meeting then proceeded, Jiraiya leading the conversation as they discussed a multitude of topics, from where the Akatsuki would attack to how they should counter their tactics. Though there was an underlying tension in the room, the conversation remained peaceful and productive, largely thanks to Gaara's efforts.
As the meeting drew to a close, Jiraiya stood, addressing the room one last time. "We may have our differences," he began, his gaze meeting each Kage's. "But it's important to remember that we're united against a common enemy."
The room fell silent as they absorbed Jiraiya's words, understanding the gravity of their situation. Despite the initial conflict, the meeting was a success. The Kages left the tree, each bearing a look of thoughtfulness as they departed.
Finally, only Jiraiya, Shisui, Itachi, Ryu, and Yoruichi remained. The four of them stood in the meeting place, the remnants of the discussion still hanging in the air.
"Well, that was fruitful," Ryu said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, it went better than I expected," Jiraiya agreed, his gaze thoughtful. He looked at Ryu, a small smile playing on his lips. "You certainly made it memorable, though I think you'll have a fight with the Eight-Tails coming up soon."
Ryu chuckled, stretching his arms overhead. "Let it come, I'll train it to do some tricks."
"You better show me that, I have high expectations now. Anyway, remember what we said, next week we're going on the attack." Jiraiya reminded.
"Yeah, about that... Are you sure you don't me to just go and annihilate them? I can do it in, like, two seconds maximum," Ryu asked awkwardly.
"No, this war can serve to unite the villages. I want you to be the backup in case anything too serious happens, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to unite the Shinobi world," Jiraiya explained.
"I see, unity through common adversity. Clever," Ryu responded, a half-smirk on his face.
"Even a genius can learn a thing or two, eh?" Jiraiya chuckled, glancing at Itachi and Shisui.
The two Uchiha brothers merely nodded, their eyes reflecting their understanding of the message that Jiraiya was trying to convey.
"Alright, so I'll go do my job," Ryu said enthusiastically as he rubbed his hands together. Although Jiraiya didn't want him to step in, Ryu proposed that he'll make each of the Kage's a weapon that would help them on the battlefield. Needless to say, the proposal was accepted instantly.
"Let's heat the forge," Ryu said excitedly.
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