In the darkest night of the Forest of Death, Yasuke, exhausted and wounded, rests on the back of the albino leopard that has guided him through the intricate maze of trees and shadows. The trust between the young ninja and the majestic beast has been forged in the heat of countless dangers, an alliance unthinkable under any other circumstances.
The leopard, with each cautious step, shows signs of weakness, its breathing is heavy and its movements, usually graceful and precise, are now clumsy and desperate. Aware of the severity of his injuries, he leads Yasuke to a hidden cave, a safe haven he had discovered in his lonely days in the forest.
Upon arrival, the animal collapsed, its body no longer able to sustain the weight of the battle and the responsibility it had carried on its shoulders. Yasuke, still dazed with pain and fatigue, slid off the leopard's back and fell to the cold floor of the cave. The dull sound of his fall echoed in the silence of the forest, a cruel reminder of the loneliness and danger that surrounded them.
The first ray of dawn's light filtered faintly through the cave entrance as Yasuke awoke from his restless sleep. The pain of his wounds and the stiffness of his body reminded him of the previous day's battles.
As the leopard lies unconscious, Yasuke crawls over to his companion. With trembling hands, he checks the animal's wounds, his heart constricting with every gasp of the leopard's breath. In the gloom of the cave, the feline's wounds appear more serious than Yasuke had feared. The silence is absolute, broken only by the leopard's labored breathing and the occasional buzz of a stray insect.
With the first light of dawn filtering faintly through the cave entrance, Yasuke sits beside his friend, despair peering into his young eyes. The reality of his situation becomes clear; he is alone, wounded and with time against him to complete his mission. His gaze is lost in the darkness of the cave, every shadow seeming to mock his chances of success.
But then, something changes inside the young shinobi. A steely determination takes shape in his spirit. He is not willing to give up, not when so much is at stake. With a superhuman effort, he stands up, leaning against the cold walls of the cave. He knows what he must do. To save his companion, to fulfill his mission, he must face his target with everything he has.
And so, with the image of the wounded leopard etched in his mind, Yasuke prepares for battle. The cave becomes his last-minute sanctuary, a place to gather his strength, to plan his next move.
Preparing for battle, Yasuke checked his few remaining ninja weapons and tools. Every kunai, every shuriken had to count. He adjusted his bandages, mitigating the pain as best he could, and took a deep breath, filling himself with the cool morning air of the cave.
As he sharpens his weapons and mentally reviews every technique learned these past few days in the forest, the echo of his determination fills the cave.
-For you, friend," Yasuke murmured, gently stroking the leopard's head. The animal let out a soft growl.
With a last glance at his fallen companion, Yasuke stood up and headed for the cave's exit. The light of dawn bathed the forest, casting long, crisscrossing shadows like harbingers of the battle to come. Yasuke entered the forest, carrying with him hope and the weight of a promise: to save his friend, no matter the cost.
The forest, waiting, indifferent to the human and animal drama unfolding in its heart. But for Yasuke, every leaf, every whisper of the wind, is a reminder of what is at stake. Feeling the weight on his shoulders, the young ninja is ready to fight, not only for his Genin title, but for the life of his feline ally.
As Yasuke moved deeper into the heart of the Forest of Death, his mind was as alert as his aching body could allow. The urgency of his mission pulsed in every step he took, resonating with the beating of his wounded heart. Every leaf he stepped on, every branch that cracked beneath his feet, seemed to cry out in the silence of the dawn.
It was not long before he found signs of his enemy; fresh marks and signs of a hasty encampment. Haruki Takahashi had been here, that much was certain. With caution etched into his every move, Yasuke prepared for the inevitable.
When he finally found himself facing Haruki, the air between them crackled with the tension of an expected confrontation. Haruki, with an obvious wound that sapped his mobility but not his dangerousness, smiled disdainfully at the sight of Yasuke so depleted.
-Are you coming to finish what you started, kid? -Haruki's voice was a mixture of mockery and defiance.
The forest, with its morning gloom, became the amphitheater of the battle. Yasuke, visibly wounded and shaken, faced Haruki, who displayed a mocking and confident smile.
Yasuke, adjusting his grip on the kunai he held, nodded with determination. The image of the wounded leopard filled his mind, giving him the strength he needed to face the pain and exhaustion.
-This is for my friend," he whispered, just before launching into combat.
The combat was fierce, every move charged with desperation and tactics. Haruki, cunning and experienced, tried to anticipate Yasuke's moves, launching counterattacks that forced the young man to retreat and reconsider his strategy. With each dodge, Yasuke felt the damp ground and cold morning air intensify the tension of the encounter.
As Haruki taunted and attacked, Yasuke felt increasingly desperate. His body and spirit were on edge, and the image of his wounded leopard was the only thing keeping him going. With each blow he received, Yasuke felt he was nearing the end of his strength. He knew he must survive, he must win, for his friend who had saved him and for the promise he had made to himself.
-Is that all you have? I thought you'd be a bigger challenge," Haruki sneered, easily dodging a desperate attack from Yasuke.
Yasuke's every move was charged with urgency, but lack of precision and fatigue made his attacks predictable and easy to counter. Haruki, for his part, toyed with his prey, throwing blows that did not seek to end the encounter, but merely to prolong Yasuke's agony.
-Concentrate! -Yasuke shouted to himself, trying to ignore the pain of his wounds and the taunting voice of his adversary.
In a desperate attempt, Yasuke threw a series of shurikens, but Haruki deflected them with a flick of his kunai, laughing at the futile effort.
-Come on, boy, is that the best you can do? -Haruki provoked, while launching a counterattack that Yasuke barely managed to block.
The disadvantage was clear and every second in the fight only added more scars to Yasuke's body and pride. The image of his feline companion, wounded and probably fighting for his life, was the only flame that kept his resolve burning.
As the fight progressed, Yasuke's desperation grew. His increasingly erratic and frantic movements reflected his clouded state of mind and the urgency of his injuries. Haruki, in contrast, maintained his composure, treating the confrontation as a mere game.
-I really expected more from you," Haruki commented disdainfully as he parried a punch with ease and pushed Yasuke back with a theatrical gesture. -Is this the level of an aspiring genin of Konoha?
Yasuke, breathing heavily, leaned against a nearby tree. The exhaustion and pain were palpable in every sigh. With his eyesight blurred by sweat and blood pouring down his forehead, he searched within himself for the strength to continue.
-No... this isn't over yet," she muttered, looking up to face Haruki. With a supreme effort, he lunged forward in a last desperate attempt to attack.
Haruki, dodging gracefully, countered with an accurate blow that sent Yasuke back to the ground. The sneer in his voice was evident as he approached the fallen ninja.
-You should surrender, boy. Sometimes, courage is knowing when to stop," he advised, though his tone suggested that he did not expect Yasuke to take his advice.
Lying on the ground, Yasuke felt each blow like an echo of despair. As he clung to the pain, a grim thought crept into his mind, trembling and urgent: "What if I give up?" The words seemed absurd, but a part of him was beginning to accept that possibility. It was no longer the longing to be genin that tormented him; it was the need to save his friend. "If by surrendering I can get help for him, I will," he thought to himself, almost convinced.
Just then, a brutal punch from Haruki in the stomach brought him back to the grim reality of combat. As he writhed in pain, he heard Haruki's merciless taunt:
-Thinking of giving up, brat? That will make you a perfect ninja of Konoha!
To be continued...
Haruki's words echoed in Yasuke's ears, each one like an additional blow. His body aching and his heart heavy with worry for his feline friend, Yasuke struggled to get up, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand. The humiliation of defeat was near, but still, something inside him refused to give in.
Yasuke felt as if his own body did not belong to him, as if someone else had taken control of him. It was a strange sensation; the pain began to fade. As a doctor, he could not scientifically explain what he was feeling.
With his eyes fixed on Haruki, Yasuke took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing and clarify his mind. The leopard's agile and precise movements were fixed in his mind, his once stiff body now relaxed.
Haruki, noticing the change, felt the situation he had controlled begin to change. He decided not to play anymore and, taking out his kunai, he attacked the young shinobi's neck.
To the surprise of the experienced shinobi, the boy who previously struggled to dodge and with desperate eyes was no longer there; like a wounded animal with nothing to lose, he faced the attack without moving and even lunged against the sharp blade.
He dodged slightly, allowing only strands of his hair to be cut by the kunai. In a fluid and swift movement, Yasuke not only met the threat, but counter-striked. He grabbed Haruki's outstretched arm and applied a technique involving a great expulsion of chakra, learned from Minato's continuous boasts.
A piercing scream filled the forest, evidencing the impact of Yasuke's attack, which now showed fierce determination in his eyes.
Pain invaded Haruki's body, who did not expect such audacity from Yasuke. He tried to strike the young man in retaliation, but he nimbly escaped. His steps, once erratic and clumsy, were now those of a predator who moved in his environment as if it were his own playground.
He skillfully camouflaged himself and hid in the undergrowth. Haruki, now feeling something he had not experienced in a long time-fear-sensed danger in the forest and sensed lurking eyes of an enemy naturally hiding like a chameleon.
Realizing his own fear, Haruki frowned. -Brat, don't think a successful hit will change anything," he said, trying to hide his nervousness.
-You and I know the difference in levels, why don't you come out and stop hiding like a Konoha rat? -He tried to provoke, seeking to regain control of the situation.
However, the only thing that responded was the lurking silence of the forest. Haruki, receiving no response, felt a shiver as he noticed eyes on his silhouette. Without too much time to react, he pulled out a shuriken and threw it, the hollow sound of metal piercing wood only intensified his frustration.
Just when he thought his opponent had escaped, the sound of cutting wind caught his attention. As he looked up, a shuriken pierced the air towards his body. He quickly used his healthy arm, along with a kunai, to deflect the attack. However, as he impacted the attack, he heard another one from behind him. This dynamic was repeated several times. Maybe before he could have withstood all the attacks, but with an injured arm and the pain affecting his mind, some attacks ended up impacting the body of the experienced shinobi.
Haruki could not take it anymore. Although he had accepted the challenge thinking it would be easy, and despite the partial restriction of his chakra, he never imagined needing it, he realized that he could no longer be arrogant and had to respond appropriately. Now he was forced to respond in earnest. Skillfully, using his only available hand, he formed several seals, injected his chakra and cast a jutsu: "Doton, earth clones", creating one of them. Although this technique consumed most of his usable chakra and although he knew how to release the seal that suppressed his chakra, doing so would attract the attention of the Anbu and he would not be able to escape in time.
Yasuke, on the other hand, remained hidden, watching his enemy from the shadows. Although the pain had returned, the blows he had delivered taught him that he could win. However, the appearance of the clone added a new difficulty to the fight. He decided to stick to his strategy of attacking and hiding, using shurikens to wear down Haruki's resistance and buy time while he thought of a new strategy.
After several exchanges of attacks and defenses, Yasuke decided to change tactics and unexpectedly appeared in front of his enemy, accompanied by a copy of him. Haruki smiled at the sight of him, regaining some confidence.
-It looks like you've finally stopped hiding. You should have run away, now you've managed to annoy me enough to kill you," said Haruki.
Yasuke, observing Haruki's state, replied with a smirk:
-I don't think your state is the best as to say such an expletive.
-You brat! You think because you hurt me a little you can talk so arrogantly? -Haruki got angry. Even without moving, my clone can destroy you.
Yasuke simply looked at Haruki's clone and then at his own, who gave him a smile and a thumbs up.
-I don't think you're all about numbers. There are two of us and one and a half of you? -Alluding to Haruki's current state.
-Do you think because you made a clone you can beat me too? -said Haruki, and his clone moved forward.
Yasuke's clone also moved, attacking quickly.
Haruki, though he didn't show it, was quite surprised by Yasuke's appearance together with a clone. He did not believe that a boy who had not yet become an official ninja would have the chakra capacity or the knowledge to execute such a technique. As he pondered this, he watched as the clone clash rapidly approached, confident that his clone would easily overcome his opponent's.
The two clones, quick as they were mere replicas, faced each other knowing that any damage, no matter how slight, would destroy them. Haruki, confident in his clone's superiority, watched as he attacked directly, attempting to pierce Yasuke's clone's chest with a kunai. Unexpectedly, the latter did not flinch from the attack and continued on. Haruki was even more surprised when the attack passed through Yasuke's clone's body without difficulty, but it did not dissipate.
Quickly, Haruki deduced that it was a Bunshin no Jutsu and began to search for Yasuke's figure, thinking that he had used the clone clash as a distraction for a sneak attack. However, he found him in the same position he was in before. Confused, he left his thoughts behind and decided to attack directly.
-I don't know what you expect, the Bunshin have no physical body, they can't attack me directly. Mine can hurt you instead," said Haruki, confident in his clone's tactical advantage.
As he said, Haruki's clone advanced towards Yasuke, while Yasuke's clone also moved towards Haruki. Haruki, still confused by Yasuke's plan, watched as Yasuke took out a pill from his pocket and, with a grimace, placed it between his teeth before raising his hand.
When Haruki's clone was less than a meter away, Yasuke executed his move.
-Shit, after this I really need a vacation - "Room"- Yasuke announced, as a semi-sphere rapidly expanded with him as its epicenter.
Just as the clone was about to make contact, Yasuke reacted:
-Shambles.
At that instant, Haruki noticed that the clone, which had not looked like a threat and was now in front of him, showed a pale face with a pill between its teeth. Meanwhile, the real Yasuke was being pierced by a kunai, but he was only smiling mockingly.
Haruki, confused, felt the alarm of his experienced instincts, trying to raise his last healthy arm to perform a jutsu. However, it was too late; he had expended too much chakra on the clone and was unable to defend himself.
Yasuke, his face pale from the extreme use of chakra, bit down on the pill. Revitalized, he attacked with the kunai in his hand.
-Injection Shot," he declared.
The scene of their last confrontation was not repeated this time. This time, Yasuke managed to connect his attack with full force. The blow penetrated his opponent's chest.
As a result, Haruki's eyes became vacant and he collapsed to the ground. Yasuke had triumphed; after knocking down the main body, the clone simply disintegrated into dust with a helpless gesture. Yasuke cracked a smile, but his joy was short-lived. Blood rose in his throat, causing him to cough violently as he sat down on the ground and covered his mouth with his hand.
- It seems that the continuous use of pills during these days, without allowing my body to recover from exhaustion and injuries, was not the best decision. It will take me a while to heal," Yasuke mused, fighting the urge to become unconscious from the pain.
To be continued...
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