Yasu leapt forward, hurling a kunai at the masked shinobi, who dodged with ease. Yasu landed right in front of Kazuki, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw blood trickling down her arm, pooling on the ground. The cut was deep, and her sleeve was soaked with dark red—a stark reminder of just how close she was to collapsing.
Kazuki swayed on her feet, her legs barely supporting her weight. Yasu quickly grabbed her arm, helping her stay upright as gently as he could.
"We... need to retreat," she whispered, pain lacing her voice.
Yasu's gaze didn't leave the masked man. His heart pounded in his chest. "I know, but he won't let us go so easily."
They shared a glance, a silent understanding passing between them. If they wanted to survive, they had no choice but to give this fight everything they had.
Suddenly, the masked shinobi closed the gap between them, his blade flashing as he swung. Yasu blocked it with his kunai, the force vibrating up his arm. With a fierce twist, the shinobi shoved him back.
Kazuki, despite her injury, lunged forward, thrusting her sword toward the shinobi's side. But he dodged it with a mocking grin, his cold eyes gleaming.
Yasu steadied himself, kunai in hand. Every second that passed drained more of Kazuki's strength, and he could see her beginning to falter.
The masked shinobi took a step forward, his hand crackling with lightning chakra that coiled and sparked around his fingers. A faint blue glow illuminated his face as he prepared to attack again.
"Stay alert!" Yasu shouted.
Kazuki, barely standing, formed a weak seal and muttered a jutsu. A gust of wind spiraled toward the shinobi, but he just smirked. With a flick of his hand, he released a bolt of lightning, scattering the wind harmlessly despite having element disadvantage.Kazuki stumbled, drained.
"Is that all you've got?" the shinobi taunted.
Yasu clenched his fists. "Miyuka, stay close," he commanded.
Miyuka barked, eyes locked on the shinobi, who only sneered at the sight of the dog.
"Think a mutt can make a difference?" he mocked.
Ignoring him, Yasu moved next to Kazuki. "Kazuki, stay back and catch your breath. I'll handle him up close."
Kazuki gave a weak nod, struggling to keep her balance. She tried forming another hand seal, but her hands shook from pain.
Growing impatient, the shinobi flicked his wrist, sending a bolt of lightning toward them. Yasu quickly shoved Kazuki aside, the bolt grazing his arm. He gritted his teeth against the pain and darted forward, Miyuka by his side.
Yasu aimed a punch at the shinobi's torso, while Miyuka lunged at his legs. The shinobi sidestepped Yasu's punch, but Miyuka's jaws clamped down on his calf. The shinobi's eyes flashed with irritation. He raised his hand, releasing another jolt of lightning that forced Miyuka to let go with a yelp. Yasu used the moment to strike, landing an uppercut that made the shinobi stagger.
"Persistent, aren't you?" he sneered. "Fine. I'll end this now."
He began charging another jutsu, lightning crackling as it swirled up his arm, casting an eerie glow around him. Yasu felt the intensity of his chakra—this wasn't just any shinobi. He was dangerous.
Desperate, Yasu threw another kunai, aiming for the masked man's shoulder. The shinobi dodged, but Yasu was ready. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a second kunai right after, which grazed the shinobi's shoulder, drawing a thin line of blood.
The shinobi's face twisted in anger. "You're starting to annoy me."
He lunged forward, lightning crackling around his fist as he aimed for Yasu's chest. Yasu barely managed to bring up his kunai in time. The impact sent sparks flying, and Yasu's arm went numb. He gritted his teeth, struggling to keep his grip.
Kazuki, still holding her injured arm, focused the little chakra she had left. She managed a weak seal and released a gust of wind at the shinobi's back. Though not strong, it made him stumble for a split second.
Yasu seized the chance, slashing his kunai upward, drawing another line of blood. The shinobi hissed, his eyes flashing with rage.
"Cheap tricks won't save you," he snarled, charging lightning in his hand again. But just then, Miyuka lunged at his arm, biting down hard. The shinobi's attack faltered as he tried to shake the dog off.
Kazuki, watching the fight, gathered her last bit of strength. With shaky hands, she formed one more seal, releasing a sharper gust of wind toward the shinobi, making small cuts appear on his exposed skin.
The shinobi growled, turning his focus to Kazuki. Yasu's stomach twisted with panic. Without thinking, he threw himself between her and the shinobi, holding his kunai up to block. Just as the shinobi's lightning strike came toward them, Yasu threw his last kunai, aiming for the crack in the man's mask.
The kunai hit the mark, shattering the mask slightly and revealing dark, furious eyes beneath. The lightning veered off course, grazing Yasu's side instead of hitting Kazuki.
The shinobi touched his cracked mask, a drop of blood trickling from beneath it. His dark eyes glinted with a mix of irritation and cold fury. "You're more trouble than I expected," he muttered, voice laced with contempt. "But no matter—I'll make sure you will stay here forever"
The air around him began to hum with raw energy, lightning crackling along his arm as he prepared another powerful jutsu. Yasu braced himself, positioning himself in front of Kazuki, ready to protect her if it came down to it.
But before the shinobi could release his attack, something flickered in his eyes—an instinctual sense of danger. He started to step back, but he was too slow. A blade cut through the air, slashing across his right arm before he could dodge. He let out a sharp hiss of pain, clutching his injured arm as fresh blood seeped through his fingers.
*************
Author's pov
So how was it ?
If mc can have one more body , like a substitute whose body should he acquire.
A uchiha? Or other