Venerable readers ready your popcorn for this is a GILGAMESH chapter.
In the dense sea of clouds and whistling winds, an ice dragon flew without any to oppose its rule in the sky. The sun filtered through the thick clouds, casting dappled shadows on the ice dragon, where a group of shinobi rode on, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and unease.
"If it's my master you're talking about, you shouldn't fear. He's defeated Roshi before," Mura said casually as if it were common knowledge. The words hung in the air like a sudden gust of wind, leaving the others wide-eyed and silent.
"Defeated Roshi? The Four-Tails Jinchuriki? Alone?" Kakashi asked, his voice low and tinged with disbelief. He stepped closer, the crunch of leaves beneath his feet barely audible as he tried to grasp the gravity of Mura's statement.
Mura's eyes held a distant look as he began to recount the last mission, the memory etched in the lines of his face. The rest of the group listened intently, their surroundings seeming to fade into the background as they were drawn into the tale of Team Zero's past and what got them banned for a long time.
[ROSHI POV]
The skies above the mountainous terrain were a deep, brooding blue, dotted with dark clouds that threatened rain. I had heard of what happened when the old man gathered a small elite team to capture a boy, one they believed might be the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. It made sense why the old geezer would call upon top elites and myself if he wanted to capture the Nine-Tails, but never in my life did I think a mere child could handle me the way he did.
The Four-Tails grumbled in the back of my mind, its voice echoing in my thoughts. It had told me there was no tailed beast in the boy after I asked several times. The beast wanted to call it by its name—pathetic. A weapon asking to be named as if it were human? Over my dead body.
I demanded to join the squads on the lookout for Gilgamesh, the boy who had shamed me. Our intel from the Hidden Grass Village confirmed his involvement in a forest far north. Now was my chance to kill him. There was no way I'd take him alive after the disgrace he dealt me. I was in charge of a small three-man team, and although the youngster from the Explosion Corps, Deidara, had begged to join, I only accepted because he wouldn't stop pestering me. It didn't matter. As long as I found the boy, he would be mine to destroy.
We had been running for days, the terrain becoming rougher as we ventured deeper into the wilderness. The towering trees seemed to close in around us, their thick trunks and intertwining branches casting long shadows that danced eerily in the dim light. Our breaths came in steady puffs of mist as we camped each night, the air growing colder as we ventured further into the forest.
Deidara, ever the child, suggested we wait in ambush at the Hidden Grass Village, but I dismissed the idea immediately. Patience was not something I had in abundance. I wanted to intercept Gilgamesh and end him now. If this boy was so important, they wouldn't let him leave the village. If it led to war, so be it. The Leaf wasn't as powerful as it once was; their time had come.
On the third day, after we had replenished ourselves with rations and ensured everyone was in top form, it happened. The forest was suddenly filled with an oppressive silence as if the very earth held its breath in anticipation. There, hovering high above the ground before us, was the golden-haired boy, his presence like a beacon in the gloom.
But how?! How did he know we were here? It didn't matter. He had delivered himself to me like a lamb to the slaughter. I could almost thank him.
A grin spread across my face, an eager, feral expression that made the air around me grow even hotter. My squad members, knowing the danger of being near me when I was like this, instinctively stepped back. The temperature around us spiked as I entered my Tailed Beast Chakra Mode. The very air seemed to shimmer with heat, distorting the landscape and making it difficult to breathe. This form was so powerful that anyone who came near me could die from the heat alone, much less from a direct attack.
It was almost sad, really. Such a conundrum—my desire to kill was overwhelming, yet it felt like such a waste to end such talent. Perhaps I'd make him an offer after I'd had my fun.
[ROSHI POV OVER]
Gilgamesh's golden hair glinted in the fading sunlight as he flew towards the stone shinobi, his figure cutting through the air with effortless grace. He hovered mid-air before them, arms folded, his expression one of annoyance and finality. The forest below him seemed to bow under the weight of his presence, the trees rustling as if in response to his power.
Among the squad members under Roshi was Deidara, a young cadet from the Explosion Corps. His eyes widened in fascination as he took in the sight of Gilgamesh, his heart pounding in his chest.
"HAHA!" Roshi's laughter echoed through the forest as he fully entered his chakra release mode, the heat becoming unbearable. The very ground beneath him cracked and sizzled, the trees closest to him wilting under the intense heat. The sky above darkened as if in response to the immense power being unleashed.
'It would be interesting to see Mura fight this one,' Gilgamesh thought, though his expression remained stoic, a look of finality etched into his features.
The other squad members scrambled to retreat, putting as much distance as they could between themselves and the escalating battle. They hastily erected earth walls with intricate fortifications, hoping to shield themselves from the oncoming storm of power. The walls stood tall, but there was an air of uncertainty among the shinobi as they prepared for the worst.
Despite Gilgamesh's growing reputation, Ōnoki had yet to issue a flee-on-sight order. The pride of the Hidden Stone Village demanded that they approach him with extreme caution.
"It would be a waste to kill you now. Why don't—" Roshi began, his voice dripping with condescension, but Gilgamesh cut him off sharply.
"Don't talk to me, monkey," Gilgamesh said, his voice cold and commanding.
"WHAT? THAT'S IT! I WANTED TO TAKE YOU IN ALIVE, BUT THAT'S IT!" Roshi's roar of anger shook the forest, the trees trembling as his chakra surged. Gilgamesh remained unfazed, watching him with an air of detached superiority, as though observing a lesser being.
"Who are you to raise your voice against me?" Gilgamesh's tone was laced with disdain as seven large, golden fireballs materialized behind him, glowing with an otherworldly brilliance.
"HAHA, FIRE DOESN'T—" Roshi's words were cut short as the fireballs launched toward him with blinding speed. The resulting explosion lit up the sky, sending shockwaves through the forest. Trees bent and snapped under the force, and the earth walls protecting Roshi's squad members shuddered violently, threatening to collapse. The shinobi shielded themselves from the debris, their eyes wide with panic.
'Is that Gilgamesh?' Deidara thought to himself, his breath catching in his throat. The sight of the explosions captivated him, a dangerous glint in his eyes. 'Those explosions… were beautiful.'
"What? How?" Roshi muttered in disbelief, his body still smoking from the attack. He couldn't comprehend how he had taken damage from a fire-based jutsu. The heat of the fireballs had pierced his defences, leaving him injured despite his Tailed Beast Chakra Mode. As he stood, his chakra began to heal the open wounds, the searing pain already fading.
With a defiant glare, Roshi rose to his feet, determination burning in his eyes. He prepared to launch his own attack, but Gilgamesh was faster. The blade behind Gilgamesh unsheathed itself, floating gracefully into his hand.
"ENUMA SLASH!"
The air cracked with the force of the attack, a shockwave tearing through the earth walls in the distance and sending Roshi's squad members flying backwards. The ground split and crumbled beneath the power of the slash, the sheer force of it leaving the battlefield in ruins.
But Roshi wasn't done yet. His form began to shift, growing larger and more monstrous as he transformed into the Four-Tails. The massive beast caught the attack with its enormous hand, though a deep cut appeared on its palm.
"Impressive, you managed to cut the skin of the Four-Tails. I definitely have to kill you now," Roshi growled, his voice now a deep, guttural rumble as the Four-Tails loomed over Gilgamesh.
How much do you think Gilgamesh's bounty will be?
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