Chapter 163: 162. LIFT

MrProper

"Move!"

"Right!"

THK! THK!

"Urg! Stop moving around you little-!"

Team Tango's battle with the Chinoike infiltrator neared its end. Fortunately, the older man wasn't amongst the strongest of his clan. Only possessing somewhat, above average skill in Genjutsu, and other modest attacks utilizing his family's unique blood manipulation ability

"This guy is really annoying...you're up Rei"

"Got it" {Katon: Endan1Fire Style: Flame Bullet!}

Rei launched a large fire blast, incinerated the "blades" of blood the man launched at them

TAK!

Tai rejoined the group after moving Akina to a safe location away from the fighting

"Just finished treating her injuries, she'll be fine. Anything I should know before engaging?" asked Tai

"Don't look in his eyes. Contrary to all the blood attacks, the Chinoike specialize in Genjutsu via Dōjutsu2Eye Techniques"

"You two stick together. If he gets you, the other can disrupt your chakra flow and free you from his influence" Rei suggested

"Right, Genjutsu is your specialty. You could probably go toe-to-toe with him in that area"

{Against this loser, sure. But the ridiculously powerful upcoming enemies in the future...not even close. Sigh, can't let myself get distracted, have to deal with this guy and get back to HQ--Oh. Those might help} "Guys, I may have something to deal with him"  

"In that case, we'll run interference for you. Let's go Tai!"

"Way ahead of you!" 

POOF!

Using the red, weapon-summoning wrist bands Rei gifted him and Suzu several years back, Tai summoned two glass vials of chemicals he'd previously concocted before throwing them at the ground, shattering near the enemy

{What is that stuff? Poison or something?!} "Tch!"

WEAVE!

{Suiton: Kiri Seigyo no Jutsu3Water Style: Mist Control!}

Under the influence of his chakra, the liquids Tai released vaporized in an instant, chasing after the fleeing Chinoike in a cloud of mist

"Like that slow thing will ever touch me, dumbass!"

"We'll see who's dumb in a sec. Suzu, if you'd be so kind?" 

"Mhm" {Fūton: Reppūshō4Wind Style: Gale Palm}

BOOSH!

Using wind style as a spurring factor, Suzu blasted the mist right towards the intended target, increasing it's speed and spread. The poisonous vapor enveloped the man, causing him to cough and gasp for air as he struggled to breathe

Suzu wore a satisfied look, but Tai's attention was focused on something else...

"U-Ugh! Damn Kumo imps...I'll kill you...!"

"Heads up Tai! He's not done yet!" Suzu warned

"I know..." {His eyes...I wasn't expecting that kind of chemical reaction. My poison isn't supposed to...wait. Could it be...?}

SPLOOSH!

With the last of his strength, the man gathered all the blood in the area, elevating himself to a higher position and away from the vapor. Attempting to catch his breath before retaliating

"I'm going make a air current upwards. Tai, it'll help if you direct the mist as well"

"Oh, there's no need for that Suzu"

"What?"

ZWIP!

"Now I'll pay you shits back in full for-!"

"Too late for that"

"Huh?!"

STAB! STAB! STAB!

"GAH!"

Before he could respond, Rei had appeared behind the man suspended in the air, stabbing him with several Black Rods. The very same chakra-draining weapons favored by the now deceased Isshiki. Rei had unsatisfactory results using them in the past, largely in part to his lacking Isshiki's unique jutsu that shrunk matter

{It's hard to utilize these awkwardly shaped stakes as weapons in close combat. Kunai and shuriken were always better. No wonder Isshiki only used them in collaboration with Sukunahikona5Small Man of Renown}

"Agh! What's going on?! Can't...my chakra!!"

"Hmph!"

WHACK! POW!

"Ooof!"

"Still. Their quite handy for sneak attacks"

Rei delivered several blows to his torso, shin, and face. The man was paralyzed from the rods, unable to fight back as the young man's abnormally powerful blows bombarded his body

"GAH!

"Ah! No! I forgot we're still in the air!"

CRACK! THUD!

Underestimating his strength, Rei knocked him out as his body fell to ground, breaking his neck in the process

He died instantly

{Well...shit}

"Rei..."

"..."

"We were supposed to take him alive for questioning..."

"I never anticipated he'd be that weak. Though it makes sense, considering his group has avoided direct confrontations this whole time"

Though rare, it was a honest mistake on his part. Never petty enough to not admit his own faults, he apologized to Suzu. Tai remained oblivious to their banter, spending his time examining the dead body. He was particularly focused on the eyes

"Hmm. The cornea is more irritated than I presumed...maybe I can take advantage of it?"

Akina came out of hiding and joined the the group

"Akina-san, are you okay?" Suzu asked

"Sigh...I'm better than the shop at least"

"What about the other employees? I know your older brother is the head chef that owns the place but..." Rei added

"I was picking up vegetables elsewhere for restocking when the evacuation began. Akiko-niisan6Suffix for older brother, along with some assistant cooks on our payroll, were probably escorted away. I was already heading back this direction when the chaos took place..."

"And then you were ambushed, thank God Rei sensed your chakra"

"Yes...I'm still alive. But everything else is..."

"..."

Though she tried to hide it on her face, Suzu and Rei could tell she was hurting inside. Her family business had crumbled to nothing, on top of being almost killed, and she was still unsure if her brother had managed to get to an evac center safely

"We wouldn't let these guys do anything to you. And this area in particular was the last to get hit when the incursion began, I'm sure Akiko-san is fine"

"Are you sure Suzu?"

"Positive. He's probably going crazy in a evac center worrying about you"

"H-Haha, yeah...of course he is!"

"This area has been cleared, and the nearest center isn't too far from here. I'll have my clone escort you there" {Kage Bunshin7Shadow Clone!}

WEAVE! POOF!

Rei's clone held Akina's hand before escorting her away. The young lady expressed her gratitude for the team's help

"Thank you for helping me, next time you're here, dinner's on the house!"

"Don't say that me, you might just go bankrupt!" Rei quipped

"And...she's gone. Hm? Tai! What are you doing?"

The pair turned around to see Tai fiddling with the deceased Chinoike's body

"Guys...we need to take this body!"

"Excuse me? What are planning Tai?"

"I figured it out Suzu!"

"Figured what out?"

"Their weakness! I can do it, I can force all the hidden Chinoike saboteurs out of the shadows! Come on! Help me carry him, we're gonna need Dodai-sama's help!"

"Alright, but tell us how exactly you'll-Uh?!!!"

"Rei?!"

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Rei suddenly clutched his chest, a dark and intense feeling enveloped his mind

"What's wrong?! Is there another enemy nearby?!"

"No! That's not it...the battlefield! The enemy has...what is this twisted chakra I'm feeling?!" 

♦♦♦

Minutes Earlier

BOOM! BANG! BOOSH!

Outside the village walls, Kumogakure's shinobi maintained a stalemate with the army of escaped inmates from Hōzuki-jō8Demon Lantern Castle. At the start of the battle, the war had been in favor of the village. HQ naturally expected this once they identified the enemy, clearly understanding brute force is nothing in the face of regimented military, especially on their home turf

"Keep up the pressure! Another barrage of blades!"

"Protect the supply chain!!"

"Don't let these bastards take another step towards our home!!!"

The Kumo-nin stood their ground amongst the outer defensive line known as "Third Quarter", releasing waves upon waves of weapons

"They're still coming!"

"Are they trying to kill themselves?"

But what perplexed them the most was how much the inmates did not care about the obvious disadvantage they had. The entire force continued running towards the line

It was completely suicidal

"Keep charging, we're almost there!"

"Soon as we get close, soon as we get close! Kekeke!"

No matter how many of them fell, they just didn't care

"So many of their allies are dying, and they just run right over them..."

"What'd you expect? They're criminals, don't expect them to have sympathy!"

"Nor should you have sympathy for them! Prepare another wave!"

"Sir!"

One of the commanding officers was about to issue another coordinated attack when the enemy abruptly stopped

"H-Huh?"

"The hell? Why are they...?"

"They stopped. Did reality finally hit them?"

On the field, the leader of the Oni Garrison known as Itsuki addressed the inmates

"I just received word! Everyone! Use the Lift!"

CLAMOR!

The inmates turned into crazed crowd, screaming with joy and anticipation

"Finally...I hadn't taken in one in so long!!!!"

"N-N-Need it...I-I-I-I need it. WHERE IS IT?!"

"I want it...I want it...I want it...!"

{Ugh! They've become even more twisted. That woman, Red or whatever the hell her name is...she's got some real f**ked up hobbies...} Itsuki thought, repulsed at the crowd's behavior

"Here it is, finally! It's opened, the seal is off!!!"

"I can take it!"

"YESSSS!!!"

One after the other, the inmates pulled a small box from their pockets with paper seal placed on top of them. Balance arranged for these seals in order to prevent them from taking it's contents prematurely

But now, said member of the "Company" had unilaterally released them

"Mine! All mine!"

"Hehehehe!"

"It's beautiful, it's so damn beautiful! Weeks without having one in that prison was too cruel of a punishment!"

Within the small boxed was ordinary-looking small, round, white pill. Almost simultaneously, the inmates consumed the odd commodity as Itsuki fled the scene, taking his men along with him

"Hmph! Damn junkies...enjoy your time being their test subjects" Ituski muttered

WOOOOOO...

"..."

Silence

Back at the defensive line, the Kumo-nin observed from the distance, wondering what the enemy was waiting for. But the unsettling silence taking place was instantly replaced by the sudden beast-like roars of the inmates

"WOOOOAAHHHH!!!!"

The all screamed, resuming their march with a ferocious, savage candor about them. Emitting a strange, red-colored aura around them, eyes completely white, and their minds devoid of any intelligence

"That chakra is..."

"What...the hell?"

Despite being unable to comprehend the cause of this sudden change...even the dullest of Kumo-nin present could tell what was going in their heads with one look at their faces

It was pure madness...

"W-What's wrong with them...?"

"FIRE!!!"

"Stop them now!!"

FWIP! FWIP! PIERCE!

The inmates were once again bombarded with blades, but this time...they didn't stop

"Do they not feel pain anymore?!"

"They've gone berserk!"

With boundless strength, the inmates neared the defensive line in no time at all

"CHARGE!"

"We must not let them get past us!"

"TO WAR!"

The two main, opposing forces had finally clashed up close for the first time since the start of this siege

♦♦♦

Genbu Island

"AGH!"

"Yugito?!"

Team Mabui were at the tip of the island turtle, anxious to get back home when out of nowhere, Yugito clenched her stomach. Falling to her knees in pain

"What's wrong, were you hurt in that fight earlier?"

"No...that's not it. I just had this horrible feeling and..."

"And what?"

"My tailed beast, the two-tails, it's very upset for some reason. I've never felt this kind of rage from it before"

Samui wondered if something was wrong with her seal, in fear of the beast getting loose. Yugito quickly denied this claim prior to getting up and pointing toward the village

"What do you see?" Samui asked

"Not what I see, what I feel. There...there's something in that direction, towards the village. Something...sinister"

"..."

"But that's not what's the most upsetting about it"

"Then what is it?" Mabui impatiently asked

"..."

"It's...me"

"?"

Samui and Mabui were at a loss toward her response, unable to grasp at what she was hinting at

"Wanna be a little more clear than that? I think I've had my fill of cryptic one-liners for the day" Mabui said sarcastically

"Sorry, lemme be more specific"

She stepped forward, eying the direction towards the village before facing her teammates again

"This sinister feeling I'm getting from the village, it's source..."

"Oh...don't say it"

"It's me..."

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