บท 72: Goro's Escape
A/N: Heads up, no chapter tomorrow on Thursday! Our target is to reach 500 powerstones by Sunday for a Double Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones! Let's increase our power ranking!
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Tsunade's expression was fierce, her forehead mark glowing pink with the help of the Hundred Healings Jutsu. She launched herself off the ground at an incredibly high speed, cutting through the air and quickly closing in on the water phoenix. Within seconds, she was just below the phoenix, her fist glowing with chakra, ready to attack.
'I won't make this bigger than it needs to be. One hit, that's all I need.' His gaze locked on the Hokage hurtling towards him. He took a deep breath, his chakra flaring to life as he activated his Storm Chakra Mode. His chakra flashed white upon activation and went from a burst of chakra to a soft flow, identical to the movement of water. With a small push, he leapt off the phoenix's back, meeting Tsunade mid-air.
The wind roared in his ears as they hurtled towards each other. Tsunade's chakra-infused fist glowed brighter as she got closer.
'That's going to be dangerous, she's put a lot behind that attack, it isn't like back in the office. It'll be fatal if I mess up my timing by even a second!'
Goro swung his leg in a wide arc, aiming directly at her attack. For a split second, it seemed like the collision would result in a massive explosion of energy, but at the last moment, Goro moved his leg slightly out of the reach of her fist.
Tsunade's fist barely scratched Goro, but with the amount of power behind each attack, there should've been a large collision of energy. When her fist met his kick, the impact was startlingly subdued. Instead of a shockwave, Tsunade's fist got caught in the dense, water energy that surrounded Goro's leg, her momentum halting abruptly.
Pain surged through Goro's body, a sharp jolt shooting up his leg. He gritted his teeth, his expression tightening as he felt the bones in his leg begin to crack under the pressure. 'Looks like my Storm Chakra Mode can't completely stop attacks of this caliber. I already suspected as much, but at least I can confirm it now. My leg... it's fractured—I can feel it.'
Good thing he didn't send a clone in his place. He could imagine Tsunade's chakra-enhanced punch obliterating his clone in an instant, rendering it useless. She would've blown right through it and continued her trajectory towards the phoenix unhindered.
Twisting his body in mid-air, Goro used the leverage of Tsunade's stuck fist to his advantage. He swung his leg down in a sharp motion, dragging Tsunade's body along with it. As they neared the ground, he abruptly released her from his chakra, sending her plummeting towards the street below.
Tsunade's eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly regained her composure, twisting her body to land safely in front of the Hokage's Mansion. Goro watched her from above, his breathing heavy, but his eyes were sharp.
"She's persistent," he muttered, shaking off the lingering pain. "But I need to end this now."
Weaving a quick set of hand signs, Goro conjured another water phoenix below him, its body materializing in an instant. He landed on the newly created phoenix and looked down at Shizune and the Anbu, who stood tensely on the Hokage's Mansion's roof, watching him with wary eyes, as he slowly ascended again.
"We are no longer allies," Goro announced. "If you wish to gain our favor again, you'll have to offer more than just recognition of my title. I wish you luck on your upcoming summit with the Raikage. Let's hope things go as planned for you…"
With those parting words, the water phoenix spread its wings wide and surged into the sky, catching up to the other phoenix carrying Sasuke. Goro leapt over to the phoenix Sasuke was on, his feet landing softly beside the unconscious Uchiha. With a small thought, he dispelled the second phoenix, its watery form splashing down harmlessly to the ground below.
As the phoenix carrying him and Sasuke soared higher, Goro glanced back at the shrinking village below. 'She's on edge... Maybe I should've waited a bit before revealing the information about the Hidden Waterfall.' He frowned slightly, the recent events replaying in his mind. 'Everything that happened with Danzo must've thrown her off. And the revelation of my immortality... I played it wrong, but those were all bargaining chips to try and get my way. I don't regret it.'
He shook his head, his thoughts shifting. 'That being said, things would've gone much smoother if I had Enma with me... I need to give it another shot.'
As the phoenix left the borders of the village, Goro's thoughts drifted to a loose end he'd left behind. "Ino..." He sighed, feeling a pang of regret. "Well, it can't be helped. I expected the negotiations to go well. I hadn't planned for failure... I'm going to have to change my methods going forward." He whispered to himself.
Sitting down on the phoenix's broad back, Goro carefully laid Sasuke's unconscious form in front of him. He reached into his scroll pouch and pulled out a specific scroll, unfurling it on the phoenix's back. With a few movements, he released its contents.
One by one, he retrieved his mask, a black cloak, and the severed arm made with Hashirama cells, embedded with multiple Sharingan.
Taking a deep breath, Goro put on the cloak and placed the mask over his face. Finally, he turned his attention to the severed arm lying before him.
'The Sharingan... It really does look beautiful,' Goro mused, his fingers tracing the outline of one of the eyes. 'The only issue is the chakra drain and how hard it is to get it to awaken as a Mangekyou. My best shot is to get the Hashirama cells implanted and have the Sharingan on my arm like Danzo did... But who would implant the cells for me?'
He paused, his gaze thoughtful. 'Implant... Wait. I have Sakon and Ukon's Kekkei Genkai: Molecular Division. That would mean I could just merge directly with his cells, right?'
The realization hit him like a revelation. 'It's worth a try.'
Taking out multiple jars from his scroll, Goro carefully plucked each Sharingan from Danzo's arm, placing them in separate jars.
With the Sharingan safely stored away, Goro turned his attention to the arm itself. He took a deep breath and began the fusion process.
'This is my first time doing this, but it feels like I've already done this countless times. I guess that's how the system is. It grants me instant mastery over each skill I learn.'
Goro was easily able to merge Danzo's arm with his body, but he wasn't prepared for what was to come.
The Hashirama cells reacted violently, invading Goro's system and coursing through his body like liquid fire. He grit his teeth, his vision blurring as the pain escalated. It felt like his entire body was being ripped apart, piece by piece and ready to explode.
"ARRRGHH!" Goro roared, the agony tearing through him with every second.
His heart palpitated wildly, a sharp, searing pain radiating from his chest. Goro clutched his chest, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. 'I'm... going to... die...' he thought, his mind spiraling as darkness crept in at the edges of his vision.
Just as he felt himself slipping away, a familiar interface materialized before him.
[DANGER! SYNCING CELLS!]
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Reminder: Our target is to reach 500 powerstones by Sunday for a Double Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones! Let's increase our power ranking!
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