Chapter 60: A wander into the Mist (Part 1)
It didn't even take us long to reach the Hidden Mist, 2-3 days of constant movement.
At first, I had expected massive amounts of retaliation from the borders of the land, since it is war time.
But Kurenai's genjutsu really is at another level since it wasn't even a challenge for us to slip past their sub par defenses.
Right now we were in the center of a town square, our squad being the main combat squad.
Right as we begin our attack, Kakashi sensei would send a message for our main forces outside the border to relentlessly charge in.
We were going to overpower the Mist in one swoop.
And I was an integral part of the first stage of the plan.
The bait, per say.
Currently, Ryuko and I were walking towards a group of patrolling Ninjas, our disguises discarded.
"You there, stop!" The voice of one of the NInjas rang out, as he sprinted towards us, his sudden movement capturing the interest of the entire district.
But just as he neared, a thin line appeared across his throat. In an instant, blood sprayed from the wound, a crimson arc that shocked the onlookers.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A nearby civilian's scream pierced the air, a raw, visceral reaction, as if she saw a man's throat get sliced right in front of her.
Our objective set by Naido Sensei was clear and calculated: Draw as much attention as possible.
My body dipped into the shadows around me, and I reappeared right behind the remaining patrollers.
"What the…" The Ninja's words were cut short. Before he or his comrades could even react, my Shadow Paralysis Jutsu took hold, freezing them in place.
Their necks all snapped in unison, causing a unique harmony in the air, the sound still being gruesome and echoing through the now chaotic streets.
"Civilians too?" Ryuko asked me, as his gaze swept over the panicked crowd that was trying to flee in terror.
"No, let them spread information that we are here. This way the stronger Ninja will arrive."
As I said that, I felt a surge of Chakra coming right at us.
I turned to see a massive wall of water racing right towards us, its sheer force would scare any ordinary NInja.
I instinctively reached for my sword, but Ryuko stepped forward, unsheathing his blade with deliberate calm.
He used to wield a shortsword, similar to his sensei, but now began to favor a longsword after awakening his aspect.
Not that it mattered, since basically all swords were within his domain.
Originally, he used a shortsword, but he changed tunes and went for a longsword after awakening his aspect as his primary weapon.
But all swords were under his domain.
"I got this," he declared, his voice seeping with confidence.
With a deep breath, he steadied himself, the air around us thickening with anticipation.
Even I wanted to see what Ryuko, whose combat skills should be second only to me as a player in the Hidden Leaf, had to show.
Even his sensei spoke highly of him.
His muscles tensed, the strength evident beneath his attire, and with a powerful swing, he cleaved the wave into two.
The blade moved with both grace and fury, slicing through the torrent as if it were mist.
The water surged forward, but Ryuko's strike created a path of dry ground, the divided water crashing to the side in a spectacular spray.
Each droplet glistened in the light, falling harmlessly to the Earth as Ryuko stood firm, his presence and will began to seep into the battlefield.
It was probably his Unbreakable Will part of his aspect that was spreading everywhere.
"That was certainly cool, but couldn't we have just jumped above the Jutsu?" I questioned.
Ryuko ignored me, as he began running towards the enemy who had just shot the Jutsu at us.
As he moved, my shadow senses began to warn me about a group of shinobi approaching me, so I manifested my odachi.
From the depths of my shadows, emerged a magnificent Odachi, a jet-black sword that seemed to absorb the very light around it.
Majestic in all its glory, it was long and elegantly curbed.
The hilt was wrapped in dark, intricate patterns, providing a perfect grip for wielding the sword.
As I grasped the sword, it felt like a natural extension to my power.
"Come."
The first Ninja to approach me had a kunai in hand aiming a precise stab at my thigh.
Yet before he could reach his target, I parried his attack with a swift fluid motion, using the momentum to swing my odachi towards his face.
Before my blade could connect, another Ninja appeared, deflecting my strike with his shortsword.
As the clang of metal echoed, three more NInja approached me. With my Shadow senses I was able to quickly assess their ranks: all Jonin, with most approaching the peak of the rank.
Right now, I am nowhere near the peak strength of a Jonin, but that did not really concern me.
[8 Gates- 4th Gate of Pain: Open]
My body began to surge with newfound power. My strength being enhanced to an insane degree, making me easily comparable to at least an above-average Elite Jonin
I then commanded my trusty shadow, Gloomy, to envelop me, doubling my power and further augmenting my abilities.
Now I should be at the level of a Peak Elite-Jonin.
For the final touch, the Soul Serpent within me began to release more of its Sage Chakra, infusing with me even greater strength.
At this point, I had to be either at the lowest level of a Kage or the Cusp of Elite Jonin.
A grayish aura began to emanate from me, pulsating with raw energy.
It seemed to come to life, floating menacingly around me, and causing the very ground beneath my feet to crack and crumble under the pressure of my sheer presence.
The entire world seemed to bend to my will, refusing to accept my insane power augmentation from my base statistics.
But the world could go fuck itself.
"What the hell." One of the Ninja around me muttered, and I couldn't help but smirk a little.
Using my Shadow God Steps, which took up minimal Chakra due to my proficiency with it and the Soul Serpent, I began to pick off my enemies one by one.
The first 2 I was able to catch off guard, simply appearing right behind them and stabbing my sword right through their heart.
"Stay away from the shadows!" One of them shouted.
"How the hell do we do that?!"
I couldn't help but laugh a little at the second statement.
Mainly because it was true.
It didn't matter what they tried to do, especially since the only way to prevent me from appearing everywhere was the absence of light.
Without light I would be weakened yes, since a Shadow is a dark area where light from a light source is blocked by something.
Yet in this in this situation where the sun was high in the sky, and they had nowhere to run, their shadow would always follow them.
Technically, Shadows were their most loyal companions, following everyone through thick and thin.
Unfortunately for my opponents, I was the Lord of all Shadows in existence.
...
Authors note:
Unfortunately this isn't a continuation of the fanfic. I simply had a couple of spare chapters I wanted to upload.
I am currently trying a new project, which is basically my own novel but I will be uploading it as a fanfic since honestly I write mainly for interaction with people.
I write to share ideas and run through scenarios with people, so I hope you will try my new project out.
It is called "Eternal Heir."
Do not subscribe to patreon for this fanfic anymore thanks.