บท 219: 218-Got You
Facing one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist was not something to be taken lightly. The man before him wasn't just any shinobi, he was an elite, wielding the legendary Kabutowari—a weapon known for its ability to break through any defence.
Even with Renjiro's considerable skills, the thought of confronting such an opponent head-on filled him with unease.
'Should we retreat?' Renjiro wondered, his mind racing as he evaluated the situation.
Fighting Date alone would be an enormous risk, and while he was confident he could escape if things went south, the outcome of a direct confrontation was far less certain. And then there was his squad to consider, but asking them to face an opponent of this calibre was tantamount to a death sentence.
'He should be an elite Jounin,' Renjiro thought, his eyes narrowing.
'There's no point in confronting him. We need to retreat, regroup, and reassess.'
But before Renjiro could act on his thoughts, Date made his move. With a burst of speed that belied his size, Date charged toward them, his weapon raised high.
He swung the hammer side of the Kabutowari down with a powerful, crushing blow aimed at the ground in front of Renjiro and his team.
"Boom!"
The earth trembled under the force of the impact, and a shockwave rippled outwards, tearing through the snow-covered ground. Rocks and debris exploded into the air, hurtling toward Renjiro's squad with deadly speed.
The force of the blow was immense, shaking the very foundations of the earth beneath them.
But Renjiro was already moving. With a sharp intake of breath, he opened the first gate, feeling the familiar surge of power course through his body.
His muscles tensed, and his speed and strength increased dramatically.
He was already aware that there was no way of coming out of this alive without relying on the three gates that he could open. Inwardly, Renjiro was happy he mastered the technique in time.
As the rocks and debris sped towards them, Renjiro's hands moved in a blur and three chains of pure chakra materialized around him, glowing with a golden light.
The chains shot forward, smashing through the flying debris with ease. The chains whizzed through the air, forming a protective barrier around Renjiro's squad and the Shimogakure shinobi who had not yet fled.
The sight of the chains left everyone on the battlefield stunned. This was not a technique they had seen before. Even Renjiro's own squad had never seen him use it so openly.
Miki, her Sharingan spinning as she analyzed the technique, felt a jolt of surprise.
'What is this technique?' she thought, her eyes tracing the patterns of chakra within the chains.
They were unlike anything she had seen before—so solid, so unyielding. The chains pulsed with raw power, and she could see the intricate network of chakra that formed them.
But before she could delve deeper into her analysis, Renjiro's voice snapped her back to reality.
"Retreat!" Renjiro's voice rang out over the battlefield.
"I'll keep him busy. Go now!"
His squad didn't need to be told twice. They immediately turned and began to retreat, heading back towards the safety of Shimogakure.
However, the Shimogakure shinobi hesitated, unsure whether to follow Renjiro's command.
After all, Renjiro wasn't their leader. But the urgency in his voice, coupled with the sight of Date bearing down on them, spurred them into action. Most of them began to fall back, though a few still lingered.
Renjiro didn't notice the hesitation; his focus was entirely on Date.
'And here I was thinking I had to choose my battles,' Renjiro thought grimly as he used his chains to propel himself forward, launching a powerful punch at Date.
"Whoosh!"
But Date was faster than he appeared. With a flicker of movement, he vanished from his position, causing Renjiro to hit nothing but air. Date then reappeared behind one of the Shimogakure shinobi who had hesitated to retreat.
With a cold, calculated precision, Date swung the axe side of the Kabutowari, cleaving through the shinobi's head in one swift motion. The man didn't even have time to scream before he crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
Date moved again, targeting another shinobi who had lagged behind. The axe blade flashed through the air, leaving a trail of blood in its wake as it claimed another life.
Renjiro's heart pounded as he saw Date's next target—Akira, who was struggling to keep up with the rest of the retreating squad.
Renjiro lashed out with his chains, sending them hurtling toward Date just as the swordsman prepared to strike.
"Clang!"
The chains struck Date, forcing him back before he could deliver the killing blow. Akira stumbled but managed to regain her footing, looking back at Renjiro with wide, grateful eyes.
"Hurry!" Renjiro yelled at her, his voice carrying the weight of a command.
Akira didn't need to be told twice; she turned and ran, pushing herself to catch up with the others.
Date, meanwhile, found himself facing the full force of Renjiro's adamantine chains.
The Uzumaki's chains were relentless, striking at Date with a speed and force that left little room for error. But Date was no ordinary opponent. Realizing that facing them head-on would be an uphill battle, Date decided to sidestep the chains. As he did, Date then swung the Kabutowari, aiming to slice through them with the axe blade.
"Slash!"
But instead of cutting through the chain, the blade simply bounced off, leaving the chains unscathed. Date's eyes widened in surprise.
'Huh? I can't cut them?' he thought, his mind racing to understand what he was up against.
The adamantine chains were not just ordinary chains—they were more durable, that even his formidable sword couldn't slash.
Taking advantage of Date's momentary distraction, Renjiro closed the distance between them and landed a powerful blow to Date's jaw.
The impact sent Date flying several meters back, crashing into the snow with a heavy thud. Renjiro didn't waste a second; he followed up with another attack, aiming to overwhelm Date with a flurry of punches.
But this time, Date was ready. As Renjiro closed in, the swordsman swung the hammer side of the Kabutowari with all his strength. The massive weapon slammed into Renjiro's midriff, the force of the blow sending him hurtling through the air.
"Thud!"
Renjiro's body ploughed through the snow, skidding to a stop only after he had caught up with his retreating squad members.
They looked back in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief at the sight of their leader being thrown like a ragdoll.
But before they could move to help him, Renjiro was already back on his feet, his determination undimmed. The blow had been powerful, but Renjiro's body was tough, and he wasn't about to let a single hit keep him down.
He gritted his teeth and surged forward again, closing the distance between himself and Date in an instant. This time, he used his chains more strategically, weaving them around him as both an offensive and defensive measure.
The chains lashed out at Date, forcing him to constantly stay on the move, while also forming a protective barrier that deflected the swordsman's attacks.
The sight of Renjiro giving his all against such a formidable opponent spurred his squad members on.
They pushed themselves harder, running faster towards the safety of Shimogakure, driven by the knowledge that their leader was holding off one of the most dangerous shinobi they had ever encountered.
The battle between Renjiro and Date intensified, both combatants trading blows with a ferocity that shook the very air around them. Date swung the Kabutowari with savage grace, each strike aimed to crush or cleave. But Renjiro's chains met each attack, either deflecting the weapon or redirecting its force.
The two seemed evenly matched, but both could sense that the battle couldn't last forever. Renjiro, despite his best efforts, was starting to feel the strain.
Each clash with Date's weapon sent vibrations through his body, wearing him down bit by bit. And then there was the issue of Date's movements—they were unpredictable, almost erratic, making it difficult for even Renjiro's Sharingan to keep up.
'His movements… they're so erratic,' Renjiro thought, frustration mounting as he narrowly dodged another hammer blow.
He could predict most shinobi's actions with his Sharingan, but Date was different. The man's combat style was unorthodox, full of sudden changes in direction and tempo.
It was like trying to fight a wild animal—every move was unexpected, and every attack came from an angle Renjiro hadn't anticipated.
'I need more power,' Renjiro realized, his mind racing as he considered his options. Date's chakra reserves were deep, and at this rate, Renjiro couldn't rely on taking this into a battle of attrition to win the battle.
He needed to end this quickly before Date's relentless attacks overwhelmed him. Steeling himself, Renjiro decided to take a gamble.
With a deep breath, Renjiro pushed his body further, unlocking the second gate. But he didn't stop there. Channelling his chakra with precise control, he opened the third gate as well, feeling the raw power coursing through his veins.
His skin flushed red, and steam rose from his body as his chakra output skyrocketed. The increase in strength was immediate, and he felt the strain on his body intensify.
"Boom!"
Renjiro launched himself at Date with a speed that left a crater in the snow where he had been standing. Date barely had time to react as Renjiro closed the distance in an instant, his fist driving towards the swordsman's midsection.
Date raised the Kabutowari to block, but this time, Renjiro's power overwhelmed him. The impact sent shockwaves through the air, forcing Date back several steps, his feet digging into the snow as he struggled to maintain his balance.
The battle had shifted. Renjiro's newly unlocked power allowed him to read Date's movements with greater clarity. The erratic nature of Date's attacks was no longer an issue, it was a pattern Renjiro could decipher.
Every twitch of Date's muscles, every subtle shift in his stance, gave away his next move. However, that did not afford Renjiro the power to finish the Kiri shinobi off.
"Got you," Renjiro muttered under his breath, his eyes narrowing as he saw an opening.
He locked eyes with Date with his Sharingan spinning faster as he activated the genjutsu. Trapping the swordsman in a genjutsu.
"Wh-what is this?" Date stammered, trying to shake off the genjutsu, but it was too late. Renjiro's genjutsu took hold, wrapping around Date's mind like a vice.
Renjiro's voice echoed, "Thanks for the Sword."
Date tried to fight back, tried to break free from the genjutsu, but his mind was already trapped in Renjiro's illusion. The Kabutowari slipped from his grasp, and Renjiro caught it before it could hit the ground.
With one fell swoop, Renjiro swung the sword with deadly intent beheading the Swordsman.
"Thud!"
Date's body crumpled to the ground, lifeless and headless.
[AN:\ Extra long chapter, almost 2k words. Hope you guys like it!]
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