The tension along the Land of Lightning's border had been palpable for weeks, simmering beneath the surface. Minor skirmishes with Iwagakure's forces had increased, each one testing the patience and endurance of Kumogakure's shinobi. Today, however, the air was heavy, as though the storm they had all been anticipating was finally about to break.
Ei stood at the edge of the border camp, her hand resting lightly on the hilt of her sword. Her senses were sharp, her body already attuned to the crackling energy of her Lightning Chakra Mode. Beside her, Yugito, her closest comrade, scanned the horizon. Her Matatabi-enhanced senses had picked up something hours ago, and the feeling hadn't left her.
"Something's coming," Yugito muttered, her tone serious, her blue flames simmering just below the surface.
Ei nodded, eyes narrowing. "I can feel it too."
In the center of the camp, Samui and Mabui coordinated with the other squads, going over the defense strategies. Their team had gained considerable recognition along the border for their swift and efficient teamwork, but the two jinchuriki of the team, A and B, were the true pillars holding the line. Together, their presence had become synonymous with power, a duo no enemy wanted to face.
Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet, and the distant sound of explosions shattered the silence. Kumogakure's camp instantly went on high alert. The Iwagakure forces had arrived, and they weren't holding back.
"They're here!" Ei called out, her body instinctively flaring with the sharp hum of lightning. Her hair lifted slightly, her muscles tensing as she prepared to move. This was not a routine skirmish—this was war.
---
The attack came hard and fast. Iwagakure's shinobi unleashed a relentless barrage of earth-style techniques, raising walls of stone and launching boulders the size of small houses toward the camp. Ei dashed forward, dodging the debris with precision, her body moving in a blur of lightning-enhanced speed. Each time she closed in on an enemy, her blade flashed, clean and deadly, cutting through armor and stone alike.
But then, a sudden spike in chakra caught her attention. Ei's eyes widened as she felt the enormous power signatures approaching from the distance. It wasn't just another squad of shinobi.
"Roshi… and Han," Yugito whispered, her voice tight with recognition.
Roshi, the jinchuriki of the Four-Tails, and Han, the jinchuriki of the Five-Tails, both infamous for their overwhelming strength. It was clear now that Iwagakure wasn't holding back. They had sent their jinchuriki to the front lines.
Ei clenched her fists, her mind working fast. "We need to split up. A and B will handle Han. Yugito and I will take on Roshi."
Yugito nodded, her body now surrounded by the ethereal blue flames of Matatabi's chakra. "Let's do it."
---
As A and B moved to intercept Han, the battlefield quaked beneath the power of their clash. Han, standing at nearly seven feet tall and clad in crimson steam armor, charged toward them like an unstoppable force of nature. His chakra flared as steam hissed around him, and his monstrous strength, enhanced by the Five-Tails' power, sent shockwaves through the ground with each step.
A activated his Lightning Chakra Mode, his body surging with electricity as he matched Han's charge head-on. Their fists collided with an ear-splitting crack, the impact creating a shockwave that flattened the terrain around them. A's speed and power allowed him to keep pace with Han, but the jinchuriki's sheer brute force was overwhelming. Each punch from Han felt like a hammer strike, and A had to stay on the defensive, using his speed to dodge and parry the heavy blows.
B, meanwhile, darted around the battlefield with incredible agility, his signature eight-blade style on full display. With all eight swords gripped in his hands, held between his elbows, and even braced between his knees, he moved like a whirlwind of steel and lightning. The blades, all crackling with lightning chakra, cut through the battlefield with precision, each strike aimed at weak points in Han's steam armor.
Han let out a growl of frustration as one of B's blades struck a joint in his armor, sending sparks flying. Steam hissed from the wound, but Han retaliated with a powerful kick that sent B skidding back.
"You think you can match my power?" Han growled, his voice reverberating with the might of the Five-Tails. Steam blasted from his armor as he charged again, his fist crashing down toward B with earth-shattering force.
B grinned, shifting his stance as he spun his eight blades, blocking Han's strike with a coordinated defense. His body danced between each blade, and with a swift spin, he unleashed a torrent of lightning-infused slashes at Han's chest, each one faster and more precise than the last.
A jumped in beside him, his body a blur as he delivered a devastating lightning-imbued punch to Han's midsection. The combination of A's raw power and B's intricate blade work forced Han onto the defensive, his steam armor cracking under the onslaught.
"Not bad, but you haven't seen anything yet!" Han roared, steam exploding from his body in a massive shockwave. The heat was unbearable, but B moved through it with ease, his blades acting as extensions of his own body.
B's movements were mesmerizing—he wielded his swords with perfect control, his form fluid and precise as he sliced through Han's defenses. Lightning sparked from the blades, each strike landing with brutal efficiency. A followed up with rapid punches, the two of them working in perfect harmony to wear Han down.
But Han wasn't done. His chakra flared again, and with a powerful stomp, he sent a wave of steam-fueled earth jutsu surging toward them. A dodged the incoming rocks with a burst of speed, while B deflected the smaller ones with his blades. Despite Han's overwhelming strength, they kept pushing him back, their teamwork unrelenting.
Blood sprayed from Han as one of B's blades found its mark, cutting deep into the jinchuriki's side. The wound was serious, and Han stumbled back, gritting his teeth in pain. He knew he was outmatched, at least for now.
With a final glare at A and B, Han retreated, steam hissing from his injuries as he vanished into the distance. The Iwagakure forces covered his escape, buying him time to regroup.
---
Meanwhile, Ei and Yugito faced Roshi. The jinchuriki of the Four-Tails was a living embodiment of molten fury, his chakra swirling with the power of the lava release. The ground beneath him bubbled and hissed as he approached, lava flowing in his wake. His eyes burned with the intensity of the beast he contained.
"You two think you can stop me?" Roshi taunted, molten chakra pooling around him.
Yugito was the first to move, her body a blur of blue flames as she charged at Roshi. Her arms and legs, coated in Matatabi's chakra, clashed with Roshi's molten attacks. Their first strike was like a clash of titans, the flames and lava exploding into a burst of energy that sent shockwaves across the battlefield.
Yugito was fast, her movements enhanced by Matatabi's chakra. She darted around Roshi, landing blow after blow with her flame-covered fists and feet. Each strike was powerful, but Roshi's molten chakra was like a wall of heat, burning everything it touched.
"Nice try, little girl," Roshi sneered, swiping at Yugito with a molten fist. Yugito blocked the attack with her forearm, but the force behind it sent her flying back, skidding across the scorched earth.
Ei didn't waste time. Her hand was already on the hilt of her sword, lightning crackling around her body. She dashed forward, her sword flashing as she slashed at Roshi's exposed side. The blade, charged with lightning chakra, tore through Roshi's defenses, but his molten chakra shielded him from the worst of the damage.
"You're fast," Roshi acknowledged, his molten chakra bubbling as he turned to face Ei. "But you'll need more than that to take me down."
Without warning, Roshi slammed his hands into the ground, sending waves of molten lava toward Ei and Yugito. The ground erupted in fiery pools, forcing both girls to dodge as the lava closed in.
Yugito moved quickly, her feet igniting with blue flames as she shot into the air, using Matatabi's chakra to propel herself out of harm's way. Ei, using her Lightning Chakra Mode, leaped from one piece of solid ground to another, narrowly avoiding the burning pools of lava.
Roshi grinned, preparing to launch another molten attack. But before he could act, Yugito appeared behind him, her fist glowing with Matatabi's flames as she delivered a powerful punch to the back of his head. Roshi staggered, but quickly recovered, his molten chakra surging as he retaliated with a devastating blast of lava.
Yugito was caught in the explosion, her body thrown to the ground. She coughed, blood trickling from her mouth, as she struggled to get up. The impact had been brutal.
"Yugito!" Ei shouted, her heart
pounding as she saw her comrade fall. She wouldn't let Roshi hurt her any further.
Lightning crackled around Ei as she moved toward Roshi, her grip tightening on her sword. She had no choice now. She had mastered the Lightning Chakra Mode, but her young body could only handle so much. *Musou no Hitotachi*—her most powerful technique—would be her only chance to stop Roshi.
With a deep breath, Ei gathered her chakra. The lightning around her body intensified, concentrating in her sword. She could feel the toll it was taking on her, but there was no other option.
Roshi turned toward her, molten chakra swirling around his body. "You think that little sword can stop me?"
Ei's eyes narrowed as she unsheathed her blade. In one swift motion, she swung the sword, releasing a blinding arc of lightning. The power of *Musou no Hitotachi* split the air with a deafening crack, the sheer force of it tearing through Roshi's molten chakra.
The lightning struck Roshi with devastating precision, cutting through his molten defenses and burning deep into his body. Blood sprayed into the air as he let out a roar of pain, his chakra flickering uncontrollably.
---
Ei, however, felt the effects of the attack immediately. Her chakra reserves were nearly depleted, and her Lightning Chakra Mode dissipated. Her body shook with exhaustion, and she collapsed to one knee, struggling to remain conscious.
Roshi, gravely injured, staggered back, his molten chakra sputtering. He was on the brink of defeat, but before Ei could finish him off, Han appeared, bloodied and battered from his battle with A and B. Without a word, Han grabbed Roshi, retreating with the remaining Iwagakure forces as they provided cover for their escape.
---
A and B rejoined Ei and Yugito, both covered in cuts and bruises but still standing. A's face was grim as he watched the retreating jinchuriki. "They'll be back."
B, despite his own injuries, grinned. "But they won't forget us anytime soon."
Samui and Mabui rushed over, helping Yugito, who was in a much worse condition, onto a stretcher. Mabui knelt beside Ei, her face filled with concern. "Ei, you're spent. You can't keep going like this."
Ei nodded weakly, but her mind was already racing. She had unleashed *Musou no Hitotachi* successfully, but her young body couldn't sustain it without nearly collapsing. She needed more chakra, more strength. She had to grow stronger if she wanted to wield this power in future battles.
With Mabui's support, Ei managed to stand. Exhausted, but still resolute, she helped Yugito back to the camp. They had survived—this time. But they knew the war was far from over, and the battles ahead would only get harder.
End of Chapter 23.