Chapter 166: 165. Stray Dog

MrProper

Night had come, and with it, a starry sky

SWISH! CLANG!

On Kumogakure's southern coastline, two ninja had reached the climax of their fight. One, unleashing endless waves of shuriken together with his unique Ninjutsu. The other was dual-wielding swordsman attempting to close the distance between them in hopes of ending the fight

Leader of the invading Fūma clan, Nobuyuki Fūma...

Leader of the defender Yotsuki clan, Ganjō Yotsuki...

"Huff...huff...!" {You'd think this guy would be tired after slicing so many into pieces}

"..." {Just how many shuriken does he have? I've lost count of the ones thrown}

Neither seemed to let up

"Hmph!"

FLING! WEAVE!

"?!"

Nobuyuki threw two more blades before forming hand seals

{Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu1Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!}

FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!

In an instant, the two became four, then eight, sixteen...multiplying until their numbers rose to the hundreds. All hurdling towards Ganjō at dangerous speeds

{This technique was invented by the "Professor". If he's using jutsu from the 3rd Hokage's arsenal, I guess he really is who he claims to be. The Fūma are in even worse shape than I thought} "You're really disappointing...Nobuyuki Fūma"

"What?"

After sheathing his blades, Ganjō patiently waiting for the shuriken to reach him. Once they were no more than two feet from him...

"WOOAAAAH!!!

SLICE! SLICE! SHING!

He unleashed his swords, swinging them at insane speeds! His arms moved so fast, afterimages were all Nobuyuki could see as he blocked each and every shuriken

"...Seriously?" Nobuyuki gawked

"Haaah..."

Once the last one was taken care of, Ganjō took a deep breath before resuming his initial stance. All the while glaring at his opponent, as if he were a predator in the wild, spotting his prey

{This is even worse than I thought, if the battle continues like this I'll...!}

"Like I said, pathetic"

"Excuse me?" a vexed Nobuyuki responded

"A creature of the Land of Fire, banished from his clan due to his insatiable lust for war. Now living the life of a stray dog, stealing all the weapons and/or jutsu you can find. Offering your services to any scum who required them. No purpose whatsoever"

"..."

"During the Second Shinobi World War, the body count you racked up was nigh-unsurpassable"

"I served my former homeland proudly, my clan eliminated any intruder who dared to cross its borders. In hindsight, we're not so different from you Yotsuki"

"Not so different...you say?"

"Huh?"

SHING! BOOSH!

"?!"

"Don't you dare compare yourselves to my noble family...!"

At his remark, Ganjō emotionless face became one of pure wrath. Swinging his sword with such force, the air around him became unsettled

But Nobuyuki wasn't intimidated, he simply smirked at his response, coyly asking if he struck a nerve

"The majority of your kills were from ordinary people! You execute your captives, target innocent bystanders, break every conceivable rule of engagement!"

"Every war has its casualties Ganjō-san..."

"You once destroyed a peaceful village due to a unreliable tip that a single shinobi had infiltrated it. Not just the men, but the women and children. Did you know how happy your home country was when they believed the Sannin2Legendary Three Ninja Jiraiya had finished you off?"

"Bwuhaha! Faking my death so well it fooled the likes of him? That was one of my crowning achievements! Besides, it's not like I got out of that fight unscathed" Nobuyuki said as he pointed toward the horizontal scar on his forehead

Ganjō's displeasure at his lack of guilt or remorse only grew every time he opened his mouth

"Besides, it's not as if Kumogakure doesn't have that kind of blood on its hands. Every village maintains the illusion of upholding honor and principle, when in truth...they're constantly looking for ways to one-up the other from the shadows. Save your hypocritical bullshit for someone who gives a damn"

POOF! CLINK!

Nobuyuki summoned more shuriken as he prepared for another long-ranged assault

"Shinobi are merely tools in a system, ones who keep peace and stability in the lands. A fool like you who clings to such antique ways will always get left behind"

"Sigh..."

"I see the world for what it truly is, and I know if there were no more than two powers left in this world, someone is gonna need someone dead. I'm simply fulfilling my role"

"True, but I'm not Kumogakure. What stands before you isn't a village, but a man, one who has grown weary of war and conflict. One who seeks to make this world a little more bright...by taking a so-called tool like you out of it"

"Yeah, now that's the spirit" 

VWOOOOO...

A cold wind blew through the air

There was no more to be said. Ganjō had offered Nobuyuki every chance to surrender, but to no avail. He once again sheathed the two swords on his hip

In spite of the dark, cloudy night upon them, the pair scanned each other for even the slightest opening to exploit. Refraining from moving even an inch, they were no different than statues

One minute had passed...

Two minutes had passed...

Three minutes had passed...

VWOOOO...

BLAM!

{What?!}

Unexpectedly, it was Nobuyuki, and not Ganjō who moved first. Blasting the ground beneath his feet as he charged directly at Ganjō. The latter of whom was caught off guard at this decision to close the gap, given he was long-range fighter, Ganjō couldn't understand why Nobuyuki decided to approach

"HERE I COME!!"

"..."

Did he lose his nerve?

Maybe he made a mistake?

Has he underestimated me?

Does he have a secret weapon?

Or maybe he's been pretending all this time, and he really is a close-range fighter...

In a matter of seconds, countless theories surged in his mind as he sharpened his perception to the absolute limit. Observing everything with his eyes, taking in every bit of information available. Footsteps, current distance, air resistance, how many seconds before he was in range, the number shuriken he was carrying

"Time to end this Ganjō-san!!"

{This won't do, I can't rely on the basics this time. I need something more...} "Unorthodox"

"Hm?"

"This ends...when the moon guides my soul"

A white light shined off of Ganjō's swords

"He's unsheathed his blades..." {I thought he was gonna try that crazy Iaidō3Martial Art related to quickly drawing the swordof his again}

"..."

"No matter" {Once I get close enough, I'll multiple all the shuriken I have in an instant, leaving no path of escape. I've seen his skill, he's fast, but there's no stopping that many attacks at once}

"..."

{Almost there}

"..."

{Just a few more inches...can't get too close!}

"..."

{NOW!!}

POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! 

Nobuyuki created countless duplicated shuriken as he stopped just outside of Ganjō's range, sending waves of metal his way

"..."

{He's still not doing anything, I expected the slashing to start already. Hmph, it doesn't matter. Whether or not he's given up is a irrelevant, I'm still gonna kill him} "DIE!"

SHING!

"!"

A moment was all it took for Nobuyuki to bury the figure in front of him with his signature weapons

"Hah...hah...!" {Shit...I've used up so much chakra today}

VWOOOO...

{I don't hear anything but the wind...} "He...heh...hehe...!"

No longer sensing anymore resistance, Nobuyuki yelled in triumph after confirming his opponent's defeat

"Hahaha! That's what happen to fools who endorse worthless ideologies like peace and equality. You get lazy and your skills wither! Given all the rumors surrounding you, I'd thought you'd put up more of a fight. How...what did you call it? Oh yeah, pathetic!"

Nobuyuki turned his attention towards the shoreline. The coast was still engulfed in battle between the opposing forces he and Ganjō had brought with them. Even at a distance, Nobuyuki could tell his men were at a disadvantage

They were already outnumbered as he sent the majority of his clan to the northern shoreline, using greater numbers to compensate for his lack of aid there

CRACK!

Snapping his neck, he took a breath to relax before leisurely strolling towards the shore

"I'll wrap things up here, then join the northern area. Tomoe Yotsuki is probably giving my men a whirlwind of trouble. Honestly, the Company hasn't paid me enough for this shit"

"The Company?"

"WHAT?!"

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SWISH! SLICE! SLICE! SLICE!

"Uuuu...GUAHH!!"

"..."

"I-I-Impossible. You...were finished...!"

THUD!

Out of nowhere, the supposed dead Ganjō struck Nobuyuki from behind, delivering numerous slashes in the chest area. He was sent tumbling to the ground, leaving a trail of blood in the process

"H-How? Was it a-?"

"Clone? Correct. The most basic of Bunshin Jutsu4Clone Techniques, a non-corporal clone of myself. No mass, nor density...just an image"

"B-But...when did you do it?"

"When the moon guided my soul"

"?!"

Even with an enigmatic response, Nobuyuki understood what he meant. The moment Ganjō withdrew his blades, he reflected the light from the moon. Obscuring Nobuyuki's vision for barely a second, he switched positions with a clone, waiting to strike when at the precise moment

{He swapped positions...in that instant?!}

"We're called the Yotsuki5Night Moonfor a reason"

"Y-You...!!!"

"You referred to my style as, antique. To the ignorant, a style resembling the old samurai may appear so, but you've forgotten one crucial detail"

"Wha-AGH! Huff...what?!"

"No matter the style or weapon, at the end of the day...I'll always be a shinobi. All you saw was an old swordsman, belittling my skill so much you practically forgot I'm a ninja, that was the moment you lost. Man could recognize this...but never a stray dog"

"Kuh!!! BASTARD!! Uhack!" Nobuyuki roared

THUD!

Nobuyuki tried to move in an misguided attempt to attack, only to fall to ground once more. Ganjō cautiously approached the downed Fūma, pointing his Katana towards him

There was much he wanted know about Nobuyuki's employers, hence the extra care he took in order to avoid killing him. Ganjō had every intent of capturing him

But Nobuyuki had long since realized this...

"Now. You're going to tell everything you know about this...Company"

"Puh! Go f**k yourself!" Nobuyuki bluntly stated after spitting at him

"If you cooperate, it may stand to ease your punishment. Especially if I vouch for you. Don't cooperate, I hand you over to interrogation...you don't want that"

"Hmph! I have a better idea...!"

Using what little strength he had left, Nobuyuki sat up on his knees and removed his vest, revealing a diverse amount of paper bombs attached to his body

"?!"

"How bout you die with me!!!"

CRACKLE!

{No time, he's already ignited them!} "Lunatic!"

"HAAAAHH!!!"

"Tch!"

BWOOOM!

Nobuyuki's figure vanished in an explosion of fire as Ganjō barely managed to get away in time. Keeping an eye on the epicenter, he cursed aloud upon discovering only body parts were what remained of the Fūma-nin

And with them, any clues as to the identity of the orchestrators behind this incident in Kumogakure

"Damn it" 

Though not the end he desired, Ganjō understood there was nothing more he could do. With no hesitation, he joined his comrades battling on the shore, yearning to put the conflict in this area to an end

♦♦♦

Near the Land of Grass, the local landscape had transformed into a scene of destruction. Trees knocked over, various potholes, certain greenery on fire, rubble everywhere...it was as if a war had taken place

ZUZUZZZU!!

At its epicenter were two figures. One on the ground with sword in hand, the other standing above with his fist driven right through the former's stomach...all the while clad in electricity

"..."

"It's over"

This was the result of the battle between the "Company" member known as "Blade", and the 4th Raikage, A

"U-Uhagk!"

"Hmph!"

CRUNCH!

A removed his hand from Blade, opting to check on the Lightning Daimyō he spent so much time protecting. During the fight, Blade took the opportunity to attack him and his ANBU guards, which only made it easier to keep A preoccupied

Unfortunately for her, she'd clearly underestimated the Raikage's strength. The moment he pushed his "Cloak of Lightning" to higher levels, it wasn't long before the behemoth of a man made quick work of her

"Raikage-sama! Is...is it done?"

"Yes...she's dead"

"She? Do we know who she was? Or who sent her?"

"No. I gazed upon a disfigured face once the mask was removed. I have no idea who she is, and I've memorized every single person in the Bingo Book. This person...is an unknown"

They had no answers as to what to this all meant. A was annoyed at the enemy's exceptional skill when it came to keeping their identity a secret. The Daimyō believed there was still more to learn here, but A advised against it

They'd already been compromised, and it was obvious Blade had only attacked to prevent A from returning to Kumogakure. Their biggest priority now was getting back home

A ordered the four ANBU to remain behind and secure this location while he took the Daimyō back to Kumogakure

"P-Please don't run too fast Raikage-dono"

"No time for that! If you're gonna hurl, aim your head away from me!"

"Oh, come o-ONNNNNNNN!!!!!!"

BOOM! DASH!

With no time to waste, A bolted from the scene, making a beeline back home

"It's been a while since I was this angry"

"E-EH?!"

CLENCH!

A gripped his fist until they bled, gritting his teeth, this entire situation only angered him the more he thought about it

"It won't even take day to get home!"

♦♦♦

Away from the battle site, another figure with a large build that nearly rivaled A's watched the Raikage flee the scene. He'd been observing the spectacle since its beginning

"Well, Blade certainly held her own for quite some time. Very impressive"

The cloaked figure wore a mask bearing the symbol for "Mountain". He was initially ordered to return and back up Blade after clearing a path in the continent for the inmates from Hōzuki-jō6Demon Lantern Castleto Kumogakure...but the devious man simply stood back and let his colleague fall at the hands of A

"That takes care of one problem, but dealing with Balance is gonna be tricky"

Just as Balance suspected, Mountain had betrayed Blade, hoping to move up in ranks within the "Company". With the latter gone, the position for the organization's top enforcer had been made available, just as he hoped

"Maybe bringing back her body will serve as proof"

ZWSH!

Jumping down, he landed right in front of the ANBU

"?!"

"Halt!"

"Identify yourself!"

CHUCKLE!

Mountain simply giggled at the four men in front of him, relishing at how easy his machinations were progressing

"Well done handling my colleague, I'm surprised she didn't kill you, even with the Raikage hounding her. Dealing with you four and him would've been impossible. But if it's just you-!"

STAB!

"Ooof!"

The moment Mountain muttered the word "colleague", the ANBU immediately knew he was an enemy. One of them moving in for the kill, stabbing him from behind

"Hey!"

"Don't worry, he's still alive. Now we can quest-UGH!!"

"Eh?!"

"What the-?!"

Despite receiving a vital blow, Mountain remained unaffected, grabbing the ANBU who attacked him by the head. Hoisting him in mid air

"You know, it's polite to let people finish their sentences"

"What are you-?!"

CRUNCH! SPLAT!

"Ah!"

"NO!"

With no remorse, Mountain crushed the head of the one in his grasp, popping it like a grape!

"Then again, I've never been that polite"

"Y-You son of a!"

"Engage! Engage!"

KASHINK! ZWSH!

"Hehe, it's been a while since I've had a good workout"

The remaining ANBU withdrew their weapons, assuming a formation before dashing straight at Mountain

"I hope you three can at least make this entertaining"

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