Chapter 167: 166. Kyō

MrProper

The climax of this arc is near, and with it, the conclusion! Major changes coming up as I work overtime to get this done!

Please enjoy this extra long chapter!

RUMBLE!

"W-Who are-?!"

"It's okay. You're safe now"

At another one of Kumogakure's districts, several civilians were in the midst of being rescued, many of whom were pulled from the rubble of collapsed buildings

"Please watch your step as you join the others"

"R-Right. Thank you"

Rei and Suzu, now separated from Tai, had reached their newly assigned district to aid in record time. Beginning rescue efforts the moment they arrived

The location was far more damaged than either of them anticipated, without a doubt, the worst area they've been to since the start of the siege

"I did another sweep, but I think that's everyone. What do your senses have to say?"

"I also can't sense any stragglers, I believe we've rescued all that we could. We still have one more spot to cover, but it's quite a ways from here. There are too many people to leave behind now"

"Right, you should begin escorting them now. Do you have enough chakra?"

"No worries Suzu. Even without Tai , I'm pretty sure I can manage" {Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu1Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu}

One Rei confirmed with his senses there were no more bystanders to be rescued, he performed the forbidden form of the Shadow Clone Jutsu once again. Suzu held doubts as to whether or not he should use it with their Medical-nin absent, as Tai would normally restore their stamina with his Ninjutsu

Using a technique notorious for depleting chakra to the point the user's life could be in danger was a risky move. Nevertheless, the Genin couldn't afford to dawdle

POOF! POOF! POOF!

"Eh?! What's happening?!"

The anxious crowd of civilians became restless with the sudden burst of smoke surrounding them. Once Rei's clones emerged, they addressed the crowd, asking for their cooperation in order to hasten the journey to the nearest evac center

After a minute had passed, the clones escorted the group away as the original Rei departed with Suzu. This process was their most efficient means of securing the area

ZWSH! ZWSH!

They dashed along rooftops as Suzu reexamined their orders

"What's next?"

"We've got two more areas to survey before we can declare this district's evacuation has been completed. Still, these order seem a bit strange"

"How so?"

"It feels as if they've given us the wrong district as this location has too many spots for a squad of two to handle. Then again, many are aware of your skill with clones. I'm probably just overthinking it"

"What do you think we'll be assigned to next once this task is completed? I know Genin aren't being sent to the front, but I don't like the idea of sitting around and doing nothing while the adults fight"

"What do you expect Rei? We're Genin. Legally, we're considered adults the moment we get a headband, but our elders still consider us to be children"

"Mmmm...I don't like it" {I hate variables}

Being treated as a child was something he could cope with, Rei had learned to ignore such things after his first year in this world

No, what he didn't like was leaving things to chance. This entire event is an unknown to him, being an engineer, he was naturally molded to expect the unpredictable...but that never implied it got under his skin

Especially now that his life depended on everything he said and did, Rei wanted to wrap things up as quickly as possible. Everything that's occurred recently gave him bad vibes he couldn't shake off

Foreboding feelings which only increased during his tenure in this area. As if someone was holding a blade to his throat...

TING!

"Hm? Suzu, 2 o'clock...I can feel a chakra signature about 17 meters from our position"

"Enemy or civilian?"

"It's pretty weak, but given the creepy feeling...it's probably the enemy suppressing their chakra"

"Alright, let's find an alternate route"

"Too late for that. Whoever it is, they're already aware of our presence and heading in our direction. They'll probably be here soon"

"Tsk! We're only authorized to engage when there's no other option. Let's retreat and report to the nearest Chunin or-!"

ZWIP!

"Smart move. Funny to see a militaristic nation like this care so much about its soldiers. Time changes much now doesn't it?"

Out of nowhere, a black-haired man with red eyes stood right behind them. Completely dressed in white, arms folded, his demeanor was calm and casual

"?!"

TAK! TAK!

Rattled by his sudden appearance, the duo jumped away instantly

{The hell?! I barely noticed him!} a startled Rei thought

{This guy...he's different than the last one we fought}

"I'd say it's a pleasure, but to be honest, I'm never happy to meet Kumo-nin. My name is Kyō, leader of the Chinoike"

"...!"

"Not good...!"

"With the introductions out of the way, please show me what Genin of the cloud are capable of"

♦♦♦

"W-What is this?!"

"Welcome Tai-kun, Moroi-dono. This...is our golden parachute"

Back at headquarters...

Dodai had taken both Tai, and the "Kumo Barrier Team" captain Moroi, into his personal lab. Once inside, they were met with the sight of a strange machine

"This is...!"

"Takes your breath away, doesn't it"

Words like complex, sophisticated, and abstract came to mind upon gazing at the eye-catching device

"Dodai...what the hell is this?" Moroi asked

CLANK!

Just as he did, two figures entered the room

"The culmination of hard work, dedication, a lot of bullshit...and a brand new company"

"This is the Network"

"Huh? Tango-sensei?! And that person next to you...Tetsuo-san?!" Tai shouted in surprise

"Hey Tai, this isn't how I pictured our next meeting would be, but we're out of time..." Tango awkwardly said

"I've done what I can Dodai! The nodes around the village have been finalized and all preliminary systems have been checked. Soon as you give the go ahead, Tango plugs in again, and the device starts charging" Tetsuo stated

"Before we begin, I must inform you two of a new development"

Dodai shared the intricate details of Tai's plan to rout out the Chinoike causing chaos within the village. How coordination between him and Moroi's teams were crucial. Reiterating there was no room for error, and the "Network" being a critical element to ensure success

He also brought up concerns about potential interference from the drug-enhanced inmates outside the village. The abnormal fractioning of chakra between them was a complete unknown...

{The hell? A pill that splits chakra like that...this kind of technology is just like-!} Tetsuo kept his thoughts to himself

"Just when things couldn't get any weirder...now what Dodai? Should I plug in now?"

"Not yet Tango. Tai-kun here needs to finish synthesizing his drug to oust the Chinoike. How long will it take?"

"J-Just a few minutes. I've already gathered most of the ingredients from my greenhouse. But there's still the matter of dispersal, we need help..." Tai stressed the gravity of this problem

"There are several members of my squad skilled in Fūton2Wind Style, they'll be able to help. But Dodai, this needs to be done simultaneously. How does this...machine help us coordinate such a massive undertaking?" 

Dodai smirked before standing in front of the machine

"Tango, why don't we show them?"

"Yes sir. I'll-"

BANG!

A subordinate of Dodai's burst in the room, saluting everyone before speaking aloud

"Dodai-sama, there's been a development!"

"Ah shit. What's happened now?!"

"We just received a message from Team Mabui. The Chinoike infiltrated Genbu Island!"

"It can't be!" {The barrier is supposed to keep it hidden! How'd they know where to look?! Was there a mole?!} Dangerous thoughts bloomed in Moroi's mind

"What of the Team?! Is Yugito alright?!" Dodai anxiously asked

"Haha! Not to worry, all hostiles have been eliminated!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief at the news their comrades and Jinchūriki are well

"That's great. Rei can rest easy knowing his cousin is alright. I can assume they're on their way here?" Tango asked

"Even better, they're already on the battlefield. As we speak, Team Mabui has begun coordinating with other squads on the front. One our vulnerable supply chains has already been cleared of enemies"

"What about Genbu?"

"Ganjō-sama has defeated Nobuyuki Fūma in combat and secured the southern coastline. Team Mabui set Genbu at the shore there, Ganjō-sama's team are remaining on guard"

"As expected of my old man I guess..." Tai said dejectedly

"Excellent! Finally, some good news! We've been long overdue!"

Dodai smiled for the first time since this incident began. Things had consistently gone from bad to worse as the conflict dragged on. With renewed vigor, he resolved himself not to be left behind

"Alright you guys, we have to finish off the intruders within before clearing up the riff raff outside! Here's what we're going to do!"

Issuing new orders to the present company, everyone moved to their assigned tasks. After years of secrecy and heartache, it was finally time to use the Network

♦♦♦

Elsewhere...

BOOM!

"Keh!"

"You alright?!"

"I'm fine, just don't look at his eyes!"

Rei and Suzu were on defensive. Despite their exceptional abilities, they struggled against the Chinoike leader, Kyō

THK! THK! THK!

"Here comes another wave! Don't let them touch you!" Suzu warned

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"Damn it, there's almost no room to dodge!"

Spears of blood flew in the air, clearly intent on impaling the Genin. They spared no effort to avoid them at all cost

THK!

"Whoa!"

"Too close...keep moving!"

The scariest aspect of a Chinoike's Ketsuryūgan3Blood Dragon Eyewasn't the ability to control liquids with high concentrations of iron...but to infect the victim with user's chakra

This power not only made it easier to influence another with Genjutsu, but to control the very blood within a person's body. Transforming one's body at will, or turning them into an "exploding human"

Kyō's blood blades were completely doused in his chakra, all it took was a single cut on the skin, and the chances of survival were slim at best

Moreover...

"Huff...this guy, he's on a whole other level than the last Chinoike we fought...!" a weary Suzu stressed

"We've fought shinobi stronger than us before"

"Yes but...this...he's...it's not the same Rei!"

"...ugh!" {She's right. This isn't...}

Team Tango had fought their fair share of difficult battles, the kind most would never expect them to come out on top. Elder Genin and Chunin, or the flame wielding swordsman leading the "Oni Garrison" from nearly five years ago who edged towards the rank of Jonin...but Kyō was far worse than the rest

"Hah...haaah...!"

"..."

"Is that all you two can do? You can't even make me get serious"

A truly powerful shinobi stood before them, well versed in the art of war. And while Rei and Suzu were as skilled as ever...it was only compared to those nearing their age

{Damn it...I'm racking my brain, but I can't see any way of winning!} Rei grew frustrated

Kyō was superior to them in nearly every way. Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, even his Taijutsu prowess surpassed Rei's, he could easily deal with latter's infamous speed. This was the first time in his life he faced an enemy at the level of a high-ranked Jonin

Sure, he's certainly sparred with them on occasion, but practice and the real thing were entirely different

"Suzu, back me up. We'll stick to long range attacks as we retreat" Rei whispered

"Ready whenever you are" 

WEAVE!

"Going on offense? About time" Kyō mocked

{Fūton: Toppa4Wind Style: Breakthrough!}

{Katon: Endan5Fire Style: Flame Bullet!}

VWOOSH! BOFF!

Taking advantage of their elemental properties, Rei unleashed a blast of fire as Suzu amplified it with her wind style attack. Unleashing a powerful torrent of flames, propelling directly towards Kyō

"Oh please. HAAAH!"

SWISH!

With the swipe of his hand, Kyō manipulated his "blood" with chakra to act a shield, fending off the attack. Emerging from the flames unscathed, he noticed the Genin were no longer present

{The flames were just a smokescreen to obscure my vision while they retreat. Smart...but not smart enough}

DASH!

Several meters away, Rei and Suzu desperately ran to the nearest location they were aware of hosting elder shinobi. Members of the Moroi's barrier team were stationed in various locations throughout the village

Kyō was too much of an opponent to deal with by themselves

"Suzu! Over there! I can still sense their chakra!"

"I see them! HEY!"

TAK! TAK!

The team touched down behind of two adults in shinobi attire before sharing their findings

"Excuse us, but we must report! We've confirmed the presence of a powerful Chinoike member located several klicks east from our current position"

"He's very powerful, you might want to inform HQ and have them send a squad to deal with him"

"..."

Oddly enough, the shinobi did not respond. The quiet only unsettled the two, Suzu asked Rei for confirmation with her eyes, but he affirmed they were indeed Kumo-nin

"Sirs, did you not hear what we said?"

"We've located an enemy..."

Still no response, Rei cautiously approached the back of one. Grabbing his shoulder, he turned the man around only for them to discover he was in a daze

"Rreeenn...o-o...v-v-v..aaatttt...iioo...nnnnn!" the man stuttered

"SUZU!" Rei screamed

"OKAY!" {Doton6Earth Style...!}

"Yōton7Lava Style!"

The Genin immediately understood what was going on the moment they saw the faces of the shinobi. They'd long been turned into an "exploding humans", set to activate whenever an unsuspecting victim interacted with them!

GURGLE!

The forms of the shinobi began to change and bloat as blood oozed from their bodies, it's color becoming darker as is it puffed up, covering and swallowing everything.

The increasing frequency of the disturbing substance pulses clearly indicating an explosion was nigh!

BOOM!

♦♦♦

"Check your corners! DO NOT break formation!"

"Hey! Watch your left Tajiki!"

"I got it F! You and Musai take care of that side!"

At the front lines, the battle had only intensified. With more inmates killed, the remaining living ones would only become stronger thanks to the unique functions of the so-called "LIFT" pill

Just when a group would triumph over an opponent, a more powerful one would arrive to replace them

"Samui, I'm heading in that direction. Can you and Mabui handle this area?"

"We got it Yugito, but don't stray too far" Samui said

"Don't forget, I can't use my Tensō no Jutsu8Ethereal Transmission Jutsuinstantaneously! It requires time and prep to use, I won't be able to provide support if you're darting around all over the place!" Mabui warned

"Got it! I'll be back" said a departing Yugito

Team Mabui had been moving from one location to the next, aiding different squads along the front lines as the battles became increasingly more troublesome

"With Ganjō-sama guarding the southern front, and his wife Tomoe is cleaning up the north, this battle is nearing its end"

"I know. Thanks to them, we can focus our efforts here"

"But? Something's still bothering you Mabui..." Samui curiously asked

"It's just a bad feeling I'm having. Like we've overlooked something vital...but I can't place my finger on it"

"If you can't figure out, put if off for later. Yugito and I need you cool and calm, with your attention on what's in front of us"

"Right, let's go!"

ZWSH!

The two young women engaged another enemy as Mabui kept her worrying thoughts to herself

{Please be safe Rei...}

♦♦♦

"...Cough! Uhack!"

"U-Urgh! Agh!"

"Rei...you okay?"

"My arm's a little messed up, but I'll be okay" {My body is already healing}

In order to the avoid the explosive trap, Suzu used her earth style to create a hole in the ground, lowering the two beneath the surface. Rei attempted to corrode the explosive with Lava in efforts to weaken the blast

{Goddamn it. At this point, it's completely useless} an annoyed Rei thought

His Earth and Lava styles were originally awakened though activation of the recessive genes within his human DNA via Kisshōten9Auspicious Heavens. But every time he used the In'yōton10Yin-Yang/Shadow & Light Stylepower, his parasitic Ōtsutsuki cells would end up stimulated and devour even more of his human cells

As a result, the chakra natures he nurtured with "Rei's" chakra would weaken. Hence, his hesitancy to use the trump card-like ability now, with a powerful foe right at his doorstep

TING!

"Huh? Oh no...!"

"He's coming...isn't he? You can sense him"

"At this rate, he'll be here in little over a minute. If I had to guess, he's probably layered this entire area with traps, like the one we just experienced, prior to our arrival"

Suzu glared upwards, removing a kunai from her pouch after checking her body for wounds. Anyone could easily guess what she was thinking

"Did you hit your head in that explosion? We need to run" Rei rationally reasoned

"From what you've said, there's nowhere to run. We'll probably just end up setting off another trap. And Kyō is much stronger than us, I doubt we could outrun him. He only let us go last time so we could set off his trap"

"So we fight and most likely die?"

"You have a better idea?"

"Sigh...no. Fine! But if we're going to do this, let's at least be smart about it"

POOF!

Rei called forth several items from the summoning tags on his red wristbands

"Those are-!" 

"I trust you haven't forgotten how to use this?" Rei coyly remarked

The duo rose to their feet and smiled at each other

"...Heh, nope!"

"Okay then..."

Suzu reassuring Rei as she placed her hand on his shoulder, before speaking once more...

"Alright Rei..."

"Hm?"

"Let's take care of this red-eyed asshole" 

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