Chapter 25
The moment the ground collapsed under Fuguki, Yahiko jumped. The snow was light and fresh as it flew up into the air with Yahiko. His kick was blocked by one hand. But before Yahiko could be caught, paper covered Fuguki's face.
The moment Yahiko landed back on his feet, the paper exploded. From the ground, spikes shot out, piercing through Fuguki's thick figure, or at least trying. Yahiko had already made the necessary hand signs, and from his hand, a giant lightning maw bit down on the swordsman.
It sure was easier with Konan and Nagato by his side. But Yahiko was already exhausted. His arms were still hurting like hell, and the cold was starting to get to him. So, he hoped that they had inflicted enough damage to this damn beast of a man by now.
"As impressive as you kids are, I can't let you undermine my years of experience with your talent." Of course, it didn't seem like Fuguki had sustained a grievous injury or any at all. "In five years, it might not be so humiliating to be defeated by the likes of you. But not today."
He only needed to clasp his hands, and the snow around him turned into water that burst at them. Yahiko was separated from the others and blasted through the ground, coughing for air. Yet his feet moved before his mind, as he somehow jumped away from the location where Fuguki now stood.
A boulder flew at the swordsman and crashed into him. And that did nothing. The boulder just broke into pieces as Fuguki ignored it and continued going after Yahiko. He only stopped when his feet sank into the ground and were then held by paper.
Using the water still around him, lightning crackled into Yahiko's hands before he controlled it into the water and then to the swordsman. Somehow, Yahiko didn't think it was his lack of energy that was at fault.
At this time, like any other time, it didn't show any results when facing someone of a far different level. Yahiko just lacked the firepower to do anything. No matter how much he tried, it just wasn't enough.
"Yahiko!"
Yeah, Yahiko knew he should have dodged it. But the sword flew faster than it looked. And the tip of it pinned Yahiko to the ground as he crashed into him, crushing him as he looked up at the man, who pulled his feet up and ignored the explosion from the paper, as it only ruined his shoes.
Then he just walked up to Yahiko and took the sword he had thrown at him, lifting Yahiko together with it. It must have been quite a pathetic sight to the swordsman as he just flicked his sword and threw Yahiko off it. Now there wasn't even snow to soften Yahiko's landing.
"Hey, where the hell are you going?" And yet, as hurt as Yahiko was, he couldn't let his enemy show his back to him. "I swear, with each of your hits, I am more disappointed with the power that is carried by the Seven Swordsmen."
Yet Yahiko's intentions were too predictable. Konan and Nagato were already by his side as soon as he finished his words. And they looked like they wanted to hit him for even thinking of playing a hero and taking all the hits by himself.
When will they understand that playing a hero is all Yahiko does? He didn't know. But he certainly won't be able to play one right now. Fuguki only looked at them with amusement, but it also seemed that their shenanigans were getting on his nerves.
"With your attitude, you kids would have been devoured in the Kirikagure. There is nothing tastier than kids with potential."
Yahiko really wanted to think of some clever comeback, but he didn't have a chance to do so, as he felt teeth sinking into his back. His scream of pain wasn't even useful for warning Konan and Nagato either, as they got one of those water sharks on them, too.
Nagato was pinned down to the ground, with the shark's teeth sinking into his neck. Konan was bitten on her side. The attack was too silent. Too fast. They didn't predict it nor see it coming. And now they were defenseless. Just like that.
"True talent stays hidden until the moment it needs to strike," Yahiko glared at the foot that was now crushing his head. "Now all you can do is glare at me for your defeat. But you could have avoided this fight. Tried to escape. Stay hidden. Your hatred is not very persuasive, knowing those things."
"I would rather die now than be someone as pathetic as you," Yahiko replied. "That kid with you, you were really going to kill him. For no reason, since you showed that you could have handled us yourself."
"That is the way of Kirigakure. Only the strong prevail, and he showed himself not to be one of the strong."
"No, you just wanted to kill him off before he killed you, you damn coward."
Yahiko caught the leg that was crushing his skull and let all the lightning he had gathered while talking flow into the damn swordsman. It was at least enough to stiffen his muscles and make him step away from Yahiko's head.
As Yahiko used it to roll himself away, a pillar of earth rose where he once was and crashed into the swordsman's head, knocking him back a few steps. Then the paper completely engulfed him, as Konan probably used every scrap she had.
Rather than making the paper explode and causing no damage to that monster, Konan held the paper together and kept Fuguki in place for the precious seconds they needed to gather themselves. They already had Konan's healing paper for their wounds.
The snow never stopped falling, even if it quickly melted in the water on the ground around them. And so never did their will to fight. Yahiko couldn't even say that he was sorry for getting them into this fight that didn't concern them at all, as it would ruin the atmosphere they had around them.
"Do it."
"Release." At Yahiko's command, Konan clasped her hands and activated the seal on the paper.
"Argh." Nagato exerted his strength, with countless spikes shooting out of the ground, hoping at least a few of them would pierce through that monster's thick skin.
"Let it burn."
Yahiko's lightning traveled with the wet earth spikes, exhausting the last bit of his chakra. Any more and he would faint. And yet there wasn't even a second for them to wonder if it even worked, as with a swing of his sword, Fuguki broke through everything they could throw at him.
And now that sword was aimed at them. Nagato was the first to move in front, but Konan never let anyone stand before her, so she pushed him out of the way. Yahiko didn't move, as he was the only one who saw the shadow descending behind him.
"Now, now." That giant sword that could go through everything was caught by one hand. "Why not pick on someone your own size? Though there aren't many gorillas in the Land of Fire. So let me send you to the Land of Stone."
The man that even a boulder couldn't move was kicked away like he was nothing but a log in the way of Sakumo Hatake. As the giant swordsman flew away, Sakumo only glanced at them before continuing to walk past them to finish the job.
The giant swordsman came back with vengeance, swinging his sword faster and more viciously than he did with Yahiko. And yet, it looked like a child throwing a tantrum, as Sakumo backhanded that sword away from himself every time.
And with each sword strike deflected by Sakumo, a punch was given out. Even from here, Yahiko could hear the sound of bones breaking as Sakumo's fist connected with Fuguki's body. To see that massive monster brought down so easily was quite terrifying.
The difference in level between Yahiko and Fuguki was already unimaginable. And yet, now he could only wonder what kind of difference there was between him and Sakumo. How far did that level extend? What was the limit?
Moving away from the fight between two people Yahiko couldn't even hold a candle against, they continued to watch the battle. It was incredible to watch that arrogant monster of a man being so humiliated before their eyes. Sakumo treated him like he was a child.
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave."
Realizing that he stood no chance in close combat, Fuguki moved away and tried using his ninjutsu. But even that wasn't going to work, as Sakumo stomped on the ground and then dug up a boulder with his bare hands, blocking the direct impact of the wave coming for him.
Only now did Yahiko realize that Sakumo probably wasn't feeling well still. And so, he didn't use any of his own ninjutsu. But his pure strength was enough to handle everything, and he just showed that there was nothing to worry about.
"Are you done?" Sakumo asked. "A pathetic coward like you stands no chance against me."
The answer that came was water sharks flying towards them rather than at Sakumo. Before they could reach them, though, Sakumo got in the way and dispersed them with his bare hands.
As the water exploded in their eyes, blocking their vision, Fuguki managed to leave, and there was no trace of him anymore; he even managed to take Kisame. It only took that giant of a man a second to escape. It showcased far superior speed when it came to running away.
"Urgh." Sakumo collapsed to the ground the moment he couldn't find the swordsman, clutching his stomach.
So he was still sick. It was quite ridiculous how such a shinobi could be brought down by mere food sickness. But shinobi or not, he was still a man. And men were quite fragile things. Before things got worse, Yahiko needed to find a place for Sakumo to rest.
And with the town being half destroyed, it wouldn't be an easy thing to do. Still, at least the fighting seemed to be over, and Fuguki probably ran with his tail between his legs without looking back. So, they had time to reorganize.
…
Yahiko, with the rest of them, stayed in the town for the next few days. Not only for them to recover, but also to help the locals get back to normal life. Having a kid's body sure helped put most people at ease. Nobody blamed Yahiko, Nagato, or Konan for the destruction of their town.
Sakumo had mostly recovered, too. He still thought that he had been poisoned by Fuguki. Yahiko didn't find it in himself to tell him the truth, so he let Sakumo believe his delusions. It didn't hurt anyone, anyway.
On the other hand, Sakumo seemed to be in a good mood for whatever reason. He simply said that he was happy that there were still good kids who would come to fight for strangers just because it was the right thing to do.
Yahiko tried to tell him that, rather than fighting for him, they were just caught in the middle of it all and were left with little choice. It wasn't like Yahiko could leave him be when he couldn't defend himself. That seemed to make Sakumo even happier.
"Leaving already?" Sakumo always seemed to find them way too easily, in Yahiko's opinion.
"We have fully recovered, and there isn't much for us to do," Yahiko replied. "Before we are completely snowed in, we should continue on our journey."
"Too bad I can't keep my promise," Sakumo said. "Who knows what those idiots from Kiri are planning? No one can predict them. And I won't be able to relax until they leave the Land of Fire, so I will have to stay behind and watch things over. Until we meet again, then."
"Until we meet again," Yahiko agreed.
As idiotic as Sakumo was, he was just as strong. And Yahiko could not feel even a trace of ill intent from him right now. Sakumo genuinely wished them well and looked over them as they left the town and continued to the border with the Land of Iron.
Though it might have been a coincidence, Yahiko learned a lot from being with Sakumo. Even if it was from the fight he experienced and the fight he witnessed, he saw far further into the world of shinobi. And he would ever be grateful to Sakumo for that.
A.N. As always, thanks for reading and supporting me, so I can continue writing without any concerns, and if you want more, up to seven more chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852.