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Naruto's POV (Ruins of The Den - Western River Plains)
Evening
Muri nodded, transforming into a sparrow and leaving the three men to stare off.
"I've been patient in waiting." Blechumi joked, finally seeing the two prepared for their battle. "I could've made their escape much more difficult, especially with my own student handling the girl. Tamaki is sure to kill her, you would need the rest of you to pose any true threat to me."
"It wouldn't have mattered if you tried," Sasuke assured.
"Yeah, we can't exactly allow you to go around kidnapping Shinobi." Naruto agreed. "Risking our friends and abandoning the clan you saved assured us we'd take you out either way upon our arrival."
"That is relieving to hear." Blechumi chuckled. "My most recent plan has been an efficient if not ill-satisfactory one. I planned to slowly and surely build a force capable of taking control of Irminsul. Human shinobi, of course, made for the perfect soldiers. But as satisfying and useful as that is, leaves much to be desired in fulfillment."
"Fulfillment?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Insanity, more like," Sasuke replied, bored.
"Such a human attitude, not that I can't relate, but is such a pedestrian way of living." Blechumi demeaned. "I have elevated beyond such limitations, both physical and mental. Those adorable peacocks, the amusing kitties, and many more clans were simply a means to an end."
"Regardless of such, why even inhabit Irminsul?" Sasuke asked, confused. The Uchiha seemed to keep Blechumi talking to keep an eye on Yuno, eyes snapping back whenever his attention began to lull. Naruto made sure to be ready to cover for him should Blechumi attempt to take advantage.
"I was a wanted man back in my day. Back when war and death were daily occurrences for shinobi and civilians alike. Hunted for unforgivable crimes, I spent my days cowering in fear. Until one morning I awoke here, taken care of by a deer clan long dead by now. This land has awarded me discoveries and strength I may never have had otherwise." Blechumi monologues, seemingly excited to tell his tale.
"You make it seem like you're old. You seem to be nearly our age." Naruto questioned.
"I am much older than I appear. My time here allowed me to grow and discover myself. No longer a criminal but merely yet another beast pursuing the ultimate evolution. Eventually I created a technique to do just that. By using a mix of Natural Ninjutsu and Ninshu, I can surround my body, particularly my heart, in chakra and my own unique threads allowing me all sorts of benefits. Increased speed, strength, durability, accelerated healing, and extended life expectancy. I became something more than the pathetic human I was. But all the strength and freedom could not solve my loneliness. Now that I had become something special, I needed to raise an army and gain followers. Of course, that plan led us here. Before, I had become something special and had escaped the meaninglessness of my life. Now, I have gained followers and even humans under my employ. With my new friendship with Ikam and them, I am truly ready. Once we deal with you and the others, I'll be ready to return to Elemental Nations. To gain and be recognized as what I have become."
"You won't be doing any of that," Naruto promised as chakra and wind channeled around him, cracking the ground he stood on. "An enemy of the Leaf will always find themself directly opposed. For taking my friends and abandoning the Blechumi Clan, we're going to make you pay."
"Naruto, for once in his life, is right." Sasuke agreed, eyes opening and Sharingan seemingly blazing. "One simply doesn't turn their back on family nor risk my own."
"Excellent, you're both motivated." Blechumi clapped theatrically. "Come at once, let me show you my elevated humanity! I will enjoy slowly overwhelming you both, and I'll ensure your deaths are humbling!"
As soon as Blechumi finished, Naruto blurred forward, and using his Ash Step, Sasuke closed the distance faster. Slashing Blechumi straight through the middle with Besmirched Flambe, the strange man could only gasp and keel over; the skin on his midsection burst into deep blisters and deep burns. Blechumi gasped breathlessly, likely unable to breathe or think with his insides being directly attacked by Sasuke's blade. Naruto drew even closer all the while, flooding his fist with chakra and surrounding it in the wind. Just before he arrived Sasuke savagely appeared again in front of the prone Blechumi, kicking his head up. Just in time for Naruto to land a wide-open haymaker directly to the face. Naruto roared as his fist smashed directly into the nose of the man; he felt the nose snap to the side from the blow, and even the bones in his face shattered. As the full motion of the blow was completed the man was launched away from the punch. Blechumi's entire body flew from the air, flying through the air like a ball before smashing the man headfirst into the rubble of the collapsed cave. Blechumi was sent careening so violently he smashed through the stones and was buried in the rubble. Surely shattering his body inside and out. The fight was already over…
"Unexpected," Sasuke complained. "With the game he was talking about, I didn't think he'd be so ill-prepared. I slashed straight for his lungs; he'll likely suffocate to death, assuming he survived all of that."
"Arrogance is a hell of a high," Naruto agreed. "I find a punch to the face is a good cure. Though yeah, I didn't think it'd be that easy. My luck is finally turning around!"
The rubble suddenly exploded outward, instantly reduced to dust. The cloud of fragmented stone enveloped the two, cursing and flinching from the debris surrounding them. Sasuke, in particular, seemed upset, rubbing at his eyes; perhaps that is why he missed what Naruto felt. With his trusty eyes impaired his perception was lowered. But Naruto could still feel the wind nearby, both in his control and violently ahead. Trusting his instincts, Naruto lashed out with a chop of air; in sync, a gust of wind took Sasuke's legs out from underneath him as Naruto ducked. A mere instant later, the cloud suddenly split into two. The attack carried on past them and cut a deep groove into the rough stone walls of the cove.
"I wouldn't count on it~! Now come, I shall revel in my victory over you both!" Blechumi cried out as several glowing strands of string emerged from his back. Despite crushed bones and burnt skin he had been suffering from before, the man appeared healthy and fine, even clean. "Try your best! Nothing you can do will stop me!"