Shy Fox Chronicles
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Writing credits: Uzumaki Ricky and Monsterhuntergod
Prologue Part 4: Proven by Fire
"Please, dear sir. Do have a seat then, if this tale is the journey you say it is." Hiruzen said, offering Kodai a seat.
"Thank you, kind lord." Kodai said with a polite bow, before taking his seat, and his son Seishin standing nearby.
"Be careful, father." Seishin whispered.
"Relax, dear boy. You act like I do not know what I am doing." Kodai whispered back.
"If we reveal too much…" Seishin tried to whisper but was cut off.
"If the truth is so powerful that it renders a shinobi's lies so utterly futile, then why should it be kept holstered and hidden?" Kodai whispered sternly.
Sighing, Seishin nodded in response. "Yes, father…" He whispered back.
Clearing his throat, the elderly Kamishini looked over the middle-aged council before him. Having been alive long before they were even in diapers, the elderly shinobi knew better than anyone how to read people. From what he could tell, they were more than interested to hear this tale. Smiling, he began.
"Our tale begins in a time long before even the fabled Sage of the Six Paths was born. In a time when chaos and war ruled these lands even more than they did during the Warring Clans Era, in a land whose name has long been lost to even our history. A land only known as The Land Closest to The Gods." Kodai began, setting the scene.
"There is no such place." Danzō retorted briskly, his face contorted in a less than flattering look of scorn.
"Danzō, behave yourself. For someone who desires information like yourself, I would have thought you would enjoy hearing about history?" Hiruzen asked.
"I do not believe in fairy tales, only cold hard facts. There is nothing in any record, even from the Warring Clans Era, of such a place." Danzō scoffed.
"This is from long before that era, Danzō. I suggest you learn to listen before you speak. Prevents you from having to look for a crow to consume." Oda playfully said to the Root Lord.
"Do please continue Kodai-san." Hiruzen said, trying to get things back on track.
"This ancient nation was the most prosperous of its time. Its people had powers and ancient technology that the world in this day and age could not possibly imagine. Unfortunately, however, no nation is without its enemies." Kodai continued as the younger shinobi's interests grew.
"What kind of enemies do you speak of?" Danzō asked, Hiruzen noticing that the crippled shinobi elder was tensing up at the mention of enemies.
"Enemies of humanity itself. Evil yōkai, Devils, Oni, rogue or foreign gods, and all manner of things thought to be nothing but myth and legend in this day and age. The People Closest to The Gods, gifted with great power from the gods themselves, fought back against these forces to protect the rest of humanity from their vile destruction and corrupting influence." Kodai explained to the shinobi present.
"Considering their conspicuous absence in modern life, you have done a good job dealing with them." Danzō feigned praise, leading Kodai to wonder his true intentions.
"Unfortunately, such forces are much easier to seal away than they are to permanently destroy. When the Land Closest to The Gods was eventually overrun and taken over by all their enemies forming a temporary alliance against them, our ancestors were scattered to the winds and had to escape. It was only when we all reunited under the banners of our clan and the Kingdom of Seaheart, the ancestors of the ruling clan of the Land Closest To The Gods, that we managed to seal away the realms of these creatures to cut off as much of their influence on the mortal plane as we could. With no small thanks to the Sage of Six Paths himself aiding in the sealings and creating nine great creatures to help act as the guardians of humanity should these seals ever be broken." Kodai explained.
"Your people were involved with the Tailed Beasts?" Hiruzen asked in shock, gripping his desk a bit to steady himself.
"Indeed, we were. In their younger, more innocent years, we taught them much that the great Sage asked us to teach them. Language, literature, and so much more. Including how to control their great power. However, with the state they are in now, it appears many of our lessons have been forgotten by The Nine." Kodai mused sadly.
"Props for trying. Got more balls than me for that." Oda said, leaning his head back against the wall.
"If this is what you are capable of, then why do you wish to join the village? For that matter, how did your ancestors fall to the state you are now?" Danzō asked, doubts clearly showing in his voice.
"Quiet. Let the man explain, Danzō." Koharu snapped, clearly wanting to hear more of this tale.
"Unfortunately, great power, while requiring great responsibility to effectively use, also breeds great conflict. For every great light, there is always a great shadow lurking nearby. As our enemies, the enemies of humanity, grew in number, we eventually found ourselves unable to contend with them all at once, hence our homeland's fall. After the great Sage sealed the Ten Tails, a conglomerate of all nine Tailed Beasts which had been acting as a deterrent from these forces before it went on a rampage, these enemies prepared to attack again in full force. Knowing that humanity and the world would not survive such an onslaught a second time with only us to protect them, sealing them away was our only option." Kodai explained.
"And now comes the fall part of your people's history I presume." Hiruzen asked, leaning back in his chair, trying to contain himself from asking his own questions for the moment.
"That, unfortunately, can be blamed on numbers. You see, the powers our people were gifted with may run deep in our blood, but generations of reproducing with those without similar power in them have weakened us overall. We are still a force to be reckoned with, but we are unfortunately not as we were in ancient times. It is as the saying goes: 'Hard times make strong men, strong men make weak times, weak times make weak men, and weak men make hard times.'" Kodai explained.
"Wiser words couldn't have been said." Hiruzen muttered.
"Do please continue Kodai-san." Homura said eagerly.
"Yes indeed." Danzō said, his interest finally beginning to be piqued.
"Time for the blood, guts and dying. My favorite part of any tale." Oda said, causing Seishin to give him a glare.
"Our people have been in the shadows of history ever since the sealings, dealing with any threats that have managed to slip out of the seals as time has gone on. On the front lines of battles with threats that would make any Kage pale in fear. In the modern era, the only clans who know of our existence with absolute certainty are the Senju, Uchiha, Uzumaki, and Hyūga, all of whom have been sworn to secrecy." Kodai told them.
"Now I will need you to answer Danzō's question. Why, with all of this in mind, do you desire to join the village?" Hiruzen asked.
"Our seers have seen the foretelling of a great shadow in the world's future. A coming threat the likes of which our world has not seen since the fall of the Land Closest to The Gods. All we know for certain is the prophecy that was given to them by the one god who can see the future long ago for which we have been preparing." Kodai explained.
"Didn't know you've gotten into that kind of thing Kodai." Oda said with a raise of an eyebrow.
"What does this prophecy entail, and the threat that is so great?" Danzō asked, tensing up as if to pounce like a wildcat. However, an outstretched hand from Hiruzen prevented anything further.
"Easy, my old friend. We must hear them out before any action should be taken. This war has seen enough bloodshed. I do not desire more unnecessary bloodshed on this day." Hiruzen calmly yet sternly said to his black ops master.
"Very well." Danzō scowled, backing up two steps away to show his new intentions.
"Parts of the prophecy have been lost to time, but here is what we and the four clans who know of our existence have been able to save from it and decipher: 'A boy who worships storm and sea shall free the glowing white shadow. They shall meet a warrior of golden light and a lad with the eye of a god. The return of the Demon of Darkness and the Dragon of Light shall signal the days of doom. Together, the Four Warriors shall decide the fate of the world.'" Kodai told them.
"I will have to have a talk with the Hyūga clan heads after this." Hiruzen muttered to himself.
"So, what's the part you don't know?" Oda asked, raising an eyebrow at this turn of events.
"Unfortunately, that part has been left illegible. We have been searching ruins for it along with the location of one of the Four Warriors. The one we believe to be The White Shadow." Kodai told his old friend and the Konoha council.
"We believe that the Four Warriors are meant to lead humanity against whatever this great coming threat is. Hence why we have been putting so much effort into finding them all this time. From what our seers have been able to see of the future, the Five Kage of that time will be the ones at the head of humanity's army alongside the remnants of the People Closest to The Gods as the Four Warriors lead us into battle." Seishin added, finally speaking up for the first time throughout this tale.
"Well regardless of my feelings on this, I can understand why you have concern, and your desire to join the village. However, before I bring this to the greater council, I believe we all desire a small demonstration of your unique abilities." Hiruzen said, slowly rising.
"This should be amusing." Danzō muttered, heading to Hiruzen's side.
"Surely you can muster more enthusiasm than that, Danzō." Koharu asked.
"It is his job to be so dour. After all, it is his job to assess threats to the village." Homura answered his companion.
"With a face like that, who needs enemies?" Oda muttered.
"It is no trouble at all. If it would suffice, Seishin can show you a demonstration of one of our techniques. If you would be so kind, son." Kodai said in agreement, to which Seishin nodded.
"Of course, Father. Though it would be preferable to have a large open area for this demonstration. One where we will not have to risk collateral damage." Seishin responded.
"Follow me." Hiruzen said, and with that the strange, enlarged retinue followed the Hokage out of his office.
On their merry jaunt, the strange retinue passed through the streets of the village. Seeing their leader and great officials drew heads, but the sight of the strange new folk in Oda and the Kamishini. Soon whispered and hushed tones began to ring through the streets as the rumor mill began to churn. Seishin scoffed at this behavior, but Kodai poked him to make him cut it out. Leaving the streets behind, they made their way deep into the forest to an old, disused training site.
"This should be a good place for you. Begin when ready." Hiruzen said as the group stood at the far edge of the grounds.
Nodding, Seishin dropped into a stance with his hand outstretched and his fist pulled back. Closing his eyes, he began to concentrate. As he did, the air around him began to heat up more and more. The very air around them began to dry up as a wide area of flames began to appear around the Kamishini clan head. Glowing, white hot flames that burned the very grass beneath his feet.
As Seishin opened his eyes, his eyes seemed to glow with white hot power as his fist became coated with all the flames he had conjured. With the power sufficiently built up for a full-strength attack, he tensed his muscles and punched forward with a flame-coated fist.
"God Fire Release: Fist of the Fire God!" Seishin called out, unleashing all the power he had built up with one attack.
Before the flames even left his fist, the sudden introduction of this sheer heat sent a shockwave of heated air in front of him. Anything that didn't get the picture of what was to happen next didn't have the chance to escape. Following in the displaced air's wake came a torrential cone of blazing fire. Even the great boles of the ancient trees in front of the flames, as thick and mighty as they were, did little to stop the searing heat. Soon the area in front of them was engulfed in a blaze raging like a snowstorm. Smoke, char, and soot billowed out in a thick, horrible black smoke as the blaze spread gluttonously, seeking ever more fuel at a rate it could not sustain.
Stepping forward as his son stepped back, Kodai dropped into his own stance as he pulled an open hand back. As the now dry air around him began to rapidly moisten, the shinobi present could almost feel a storm coming. In his hand, Kodai conjured a great sphere of water swirling like a small typhoon. Thrusting his hand forward and downward with the other hand gripping his wrist, Kodai unleashed the technique.
"God Water Release: Sea God's Tearing Torrent!" the ancient Kamishini called out, unleashing the water jutsu.
As if drawn from the lifeblood of the earth, a great wave surged in front of Kodai. The great, deep watered wave slammed into the roaring blaze. The two vastly different temperatures colliding caused a great explosion, sending a shockwave that rattled the surrounding forest. However, when the Hokage entourage's retinue opened their eyes, all that was left was smoldering embers, and a deeply fire scarred scene in front of them.
Panting, Kodai leaned on his walking stick as he tried to catch his breath. Sweat dripped from his brow as he took in small gulps of air, the effort clearly having taken a bit out of him. Quickly, Seishin rushed to his father's side.
"Father, are you alright?" Seishin asked in concern.
"I am fine, Seishin. Just dealing with getting old." Kodai said with a bit of a throaty pant.
"Amen to that. Still, quite the lightshow you two put on there." Oda said with a sympathetic nod.
Meanwhile, the Konoha council could not believe their eyes. Such displays of power could only be matched by someone on the level of a Kage if not a bit higher. If this was what Seishin and Kodai were both capable of despite their clearly advanced age, then what could a powerful Kamishini leader in their prime be capable of?
"Did… did we just see… what I think we saw…?" Homura asked in sheer disbelief.
"Incredible…" Koharu said in amazement.
"Do you require more today Danzō?" Hiruzen asked.
"This will do for now." Danzō admitted with a sigh.
"That was more than satisfactory for a demonstration. Thank you, Seishin-san and Kodai-san." Hiruzen said respectfully.
"No, Hokage-sama. Thank you for hearing us out and giving us a chance." Kodai replied, bowing his head along with Seishin.
A Week Later - Southern Land of Lightning Coast
As the great transport was docked on its moorings, Seishin jumped off onto the makeshift piers for the harbor. Leaving the dockworkers to oversee the ship, he made his way up to the bluffs that were so common on the coast. Though the Kamishini had taken the front from the Uzumaki, it immediately had not gone as planned. Potent as they were, the sheer size of the coast and the multiple beachheads they had to manage, combined with trying to make breakthroughs, made it a hard fight. It was soon apparent to Seishin that he was put into a fight that his people were not made for. They did not have the numbers the Uzumaki did.
The wafting scent of death, blood and char made that bitter fact all the more real. Makeshift tents for the wounded sprung up in substantial numbers. Body bags, blood and amputated body parts were in frightening amounts. Off in the craggy bluffs further field, the sound of battle raged. Something needed to change. At this rate, they could not mobilize enough to make it through the way. Walking to the beachhead commander's tent, him and his subordinates stood at attention as the titanic man strode in.
"Seishin-sama! It is an honor, sir!" the commander yelled.
"At ease, Commander. Now update me on the status of the battle at hand." Seishin ordered the commanding officer.
"We have stabilized the frontline sir, and we hold this beachhead. That's really about it. The Land of Lightning forces have us bottled up here. The terrain makes it so there's plenty of choke points for them to set up defenses, and we don't have the Earth specialists here to crack through these bluffs yet." The commander mournfully explained, demonstrating these things on the map in front of them on an oaken table.
Seishin smirked at that as if he had an idea. "Then it seems like I should take to the battlefield personally and stir up trouble for the Raikage." he replied.
"About that, sir. Whenever we might have had a breakthrough, we believe it has been the Raikage personally that has broken our assaults. If he could be drawn out and eliminated, we might be able to perform some maneuvers without the specialists. At a cost, but all we need is one breakthrough to start causing trouble for them, sir." the commander explained.
"I will be the one to manage that, Commander. Besides, A the Third could be my chance at the first real fight I have had in almost a decade." Seishin replied with a smirk, cracking his neck.
"May the gods of war be ever in your favor, sir." the commander said, bowing his head dutifully.
"And you as well, Commander. Have your men ready to cause a breakthrough when my platoon gives the signal." Seishin replied as he turned to exit the tent.
"Of course. It shall be done." the commander answered dutifully.
With that Seishin left the tent. Very quickly almost twenty shinobi gathered around him and once formed up, headed towards the nearest chokepoint. Stealthily moving along twisting, winding mountainous trails, they soon found the crag-born location. Nestled between an imposing wall of harsh, weather-worn bluffs was a small river valley, with two trails on each of its elevated banks. Above it was clearly what was giving his kin trouble. Above them towered two sheer pillars of rock, curving inward as if they were great bull horns. With the mobility and speed Seishin knew the lightning nin had, such a place was a perfect ambush spot.
"What are your orders, Seishin-sama?" the platoon leader whispered.
Seishin gave a bit of a grin at his platoon leader. "When I fire the opening shot, follow me. Hit 'em hard, hit 'em fast, give 'em hell, and don't die, boys." he replied as he stepped forward.
"Of course, sir." he mournfully said, fully knowing what was about to happen.
Stepping forward, Seishin dropped into a stance and pulled back both of his fists at his side. Concentrating, he began channeling power as the air around him began heating up dramatically. The ground beneath his feet smoked and caught fire as white-hot flames began to dance and twist around him, flowing up into the sky. Opening his eyes with a smirk, he focused all the flames into his two fists before punching forward in a double-fisted punch, one hand above the other.
"God Fire Release: Twin Fists of the Fire God!" Seishin called out, unleashing the technique in all its blazing glory.
Like with the jutsu he had shown to the Hokage's entourage, a shockwave of heated air was unleashed before the flames even left his two fists. One more than twice as powerful as the single fisted version. What happened next would haunt the dreams of every surviving Cloud ninja at that choke point for years to come and leave them waking up in cold sweats. Like a scene out of hell itself, a massive torrential blast of white-hot fire exploded out from the Kamishini leader's two fists, burning away everything in its path. Leaves, brush, trees, even the very stone itself were burned away by the incredible heat of the divine flames. The extreme heat and smoke of the flames forced the Kumo shinobi out of hiding, lest they be fried to death by the heat or choked to death by the thick black smog from the flames.
"NOW!" Seishin called out to his platoon.
Only the great speed and reflexes that the Lightning nin are known for preventing a complete disaster. Roaring in like a vengeful tempest, the Kamishini shinobi slammed into the vertical defensive positions. The bluffs, peaks and crags crackled and roared with the clash of jutsu, fists and steel. Due to the close in fighting, both side's casualties began to mount. Even for shinobi, the river valley and its embankments left little places to dodge and move to. As Seishin barely missed a Cloud jōnin, sending a baneful crack into a cliff face, the distinctive crack of a rolling thunderclap was heard. All there knew only one man could produce such an effect.
A great, hulking blur coated in yellow lightning hit the ground in an explosion of a dust cloud. As the dust slowly cleared, there stood the current Raikage, A the Third. He was a towering, muscular, and well-built man with the dark skin tone many Kumo nin were known for. His hair was a long mane of spiky white with a long beard that crackled with electricity. His unusual eyes, composed of green irises, dark sclerae, and no pupils, stared at Seishin, sizing him up. From the look on his face, the normally calm and level-headed Raikage was ready for battle.
"I give you all one chance this day to leave and never return!" the Raikage roared down at them from his vantage point.
"As tempting as that offer is, I am afraid I must decline Raikage-sama! We need to get through here one way, or the other! Rather than shed unnecessary blood any further, I have a proposition for you if you are willing to hear me out!" Seishin bellowed back in response.
"Then speak." A the Third answered simply.
"A duel of honor between shinobi leaders. You, the Third Raikage, touted as being Kumo's undisputed invincible shinobi, against I, Kamishini Seishin, the leader of the legendary Kamishini clan. If I win, your forces retreat and let us pass. If you win, we shall leave and never return." Seishin proposed to the Invincible Raikage.
"A man of honor and who respects the lives of his men. A language I can get behind. Very well Seishin of the Kamishini, I accept your challenge of honor!" A the Third roared back, and dropped down, landing on the elevated right bank of the river, awaiting Seishin to get in front of him for the duel to begin.
Meeting A the Third, Seishin leaped up to the elevated left bank of the river. The two men dropped into their respective stances as a massive amount of chakra flared from both of them, yellow lightning crackling and roaring off A the Third like a thunderstorm while a storm of wind and fire raged around Seishin. Sensing a great battle about to come, the subordinates of both leaders put as much distance between the two men as they could.
As the ground cracked and broke from the pressure of their chakras, the two men watched for any openings in their opponent's defense. Seeing something, the two men took off, the ground beneath their feet all but exploding from the force. Rushing at each other at speeds their subordinates could not track, the two men met in the middle, their fists colliding with forces great enough to unleash a massive shockwave. Separating, the two took off at each other again, Seishin charging his fists with white hot flames supercharged by wind while A the Third's fists crackled and roared with lightning. As their blows collided and they moved too fast to track, each clash was a thunderclap. Their each swing was a hurricane, and each downward blow was a waterfall, cracking and breaking the stone of the surrounding area.
"What kind of power is that?" a Kumo Chūnin asked his superior.
"It is some kind of jutsu, that much is clear. From the reports of the Land of Whirlpools campaign and the several other fronts these guys are fighting on, they use chakra." the Jōnin leader answered.
"That's not any kind of chakra I've ever seen. Where the hell did Konoha dig these guys up?" another Jōnin said.
"Wherever they're from, I have no doubt A-sama is gonna send them packing!" a Genin chipperly said.
"By the gods in the heavens, I hope you're right, kid." the Jōnin leader muttered.
The Kumo were quickly caught out of their musings as Seishin dodged a punch from A only to be met with a knee to the gut. Barely stopping the knee by catching it with his hand, Seishin countered with a flaming right cross punch to A's left cheek that exploded on contact with incredible power, forcing him back. To the shock and fear of the Kumo nin, as A righted himself and landed, a small burn was left on their leader's face from the flames. Their invincible leader had not only been touched but actually hurt.
"That's it, Seishin-sama! Send the old fossil packing!" a Kamishini Genin roared.
"Does he not realize the boss is way older than the Raikage is?" a Kamishini Chūnin asked.
"Let young Kuri the optimist here learn the hard way on that front. Builds character." the Jōnin leader said with a sigh.
Wiping his cheek a bit, A gave a small smile at his opponent's power before powering up further, the lighting around him intensifying. Meeting his opponent's boost in kind, Seishin unleashed more intense wind and flames. The two then charged in, meeting and matching hit for hit as shockwaves were unleashed by their clashing fists. The collision of their mighty blows shook the water and stone around them, causing splashes and breaking rocks as the two zipped around the battlefield at high speeds. Finally, A saw his opening and landed a roundhouse kick to Seishin's stomach that knocked him back, sending him skidding along the water as the heat coming off him brought any water around him to boil and steam.
"Your fire is impressive. It has been years since I have seen fire this hot." A said to his opponent.
"Your lightning is no less impressive, A-sama. I have not been hit that hard in years. Truly, you have earned your title as the strongest Raikage." Seishin replied with a smile.
"Then it is time we see which of our elemental strengths is truly superior then. I think we both have had a satisfactory warm up." A the Third answered, giving his own smirk.
"Agreed, A-sama. Let us show these brats how we of the previous generations do things." Seishin responded, dropping back into his stance as he powered up even more.
"Nothing would please me more, Seishin-san." A the Third answered, before charging up even further.
The entire small valley around the two combatants felt like it was shaking from the power coming off them. Taking off at high speed, the two clashed in midair, their forearms meeting in a clash. Pushing off from each other, the two landed against the cliffs and pushed off at high speed. In a barrage of clashes as they ricocheted and bounced off the surfaces around them at speeds that would make high pressure rubber balls look like snails, the clashes of their blows shook and cratered the ground and walls. Entire cliffs began to crack from the force of their mighty blows as neither combatant seemed to be giving an inch.
"How is he keeping up with the Raikage!?" a Cloud Genin asked in amazement.
"Personally, I think we've got bigger concerns. Like if these peaks are gonna hold with this kind of clash." a Chūnin behind them answered.
"Move back and keep the perimeter! Keep away from unstable surfaces and areas with potential falling objects! And keep an eye on those across from us! We can't let them slip through!" their Jōnin leader barked.
As the Kumo nin moved back, their Kamishini counterparts did the same. Both sides' sub commanders mutually understood the gravity of the situation. Both sides have matched each other the whole way through, and to break this stalemate would require potentially desperate, even reckless measures.
Seishin caught a blow from A the Third, holding back his fist. Trying to land a blow of his own, Seishin launched a punch with his other hand that was caught by the Raikage. Even as Seishin's flames burned him, A the Third refused to back down. Opening their fists, the two clasped hands and grappled in a test of strength. Pushing against each other with as much strength as they could, the cliff they were on began to crack and break from the pressure of their combined chakras and the forces they exerted on each other. Finally, Seishin reared his head back and delivered a flaming headbutt that knocked the Third Raikage back before launching him down with a harsh kick. Flipping and landing as he skidded along the water, A the Third looked up at his foe with a smirk, one that Seishin met with a grin of his own.
"So, the legends of your people are true. If we kept this up, I have no doubt we could go for days." A said with a smirk.
"And your own legend is far from exaggerated as well, A-sama. Since we are both terribly busy men, what say we end this with our most powerful attacks and see who is still left standing?" Seishin offered with his own grin.
"You presume quite a lot to assume a single attack will take me out." A said, raising an eyebrow at the seeming ego of the man.
"Not at all, A-sama. I only use this technique against those who leave me with no other surefire path to victory." Seishin replied.
"Then, as Raikage, it is my duty to make your greatest technique fails you this day." A answered with a smirk.
"And, as leader of the Kamishini and an ally of Konoha and the Uzumaki, my duty is to use this technique to break through your lines A-sama." Seishin replied with a grin of his own.
The two men then powered up with everything they had, A the Third putting most of his Lightning Release Chakra Mode's power into one finger while Seishin manifested an inferno of white-hot flames around himself. As the flames began to pool around him like water being collected in a typhoon, Seishin raised his open palmed hand to the sky. The flames began to collect in his palm, forming a fireball that was getting bigger and bigger as more flames collected in it. When the fireball was done forming, it was the size of a full-size Tailed Beast Bomb and looked like a small sun as the heat coming off it began cooking and melting everything in the surrounding area that was not the two combatants.
"God Fire Release: Prominence of the Sun God!" Seishin called out as the attack was fully formed and their subordinates began to run.
"Huh. Thought it would be bigger, honestly." A mused.
"I hate getting old, but you know what they say, A-sama. Big things come in small packages." Seishin responded with a smile.
"Well, that or disappointment. Go ahead. Flip that coin." A answered Seishin with a smirk.
With that, Seishin launched the small sun with a roar as A the Third leaped up to meet it. As the small sun approached the Third Raikage, he roared and thrust forward with his one fingered strongest spear. The two combatants intended to settle this win in one move.
"HELL STAB!" A the Third roared as he began to cut through the sun thrown at him.
As A cut through the massive ball of white-hot flames, it began to destabilize. However, before he could even reach the center, the sun detonated with both combatants at the epicenter of the blast. The resulting explosion looked like a volcano had suddenly erupted in the center of the valley out of nowhere as flaming boulders began to rain down on the surrounding area like meteors, breaking the ground and lightning it ablaze on impact. As the two sides tried desperately to put out the flames, they tried to make their way back to where the valley once was.
Both sets of shinobi trudged slowly through the glassed and slim remains of the peaks. Smoldering rocks and lit fires dotted the landscape. What few water users were busy cooling and putting out fires. As they got closer, both sides began to realize that the two leaders carved out a new, much larger valley. As water from the river slowly trickled through, cooling and settling into its new bed, they finally found their leaders. Both lay on the bed of the river, water flowing over them and blood leaking from both severely burned combatants.
"It appears… we have reached… a conundrum upon… the terms… of this contest." A panted heavily out.
"I… Indeed, we have… A-sama… Sh… Shall we… call this… a draw…?" Seishin panted out heavily in return.
"I see… no alternative…" A answered with a nod.
With that, the two shinobi leaders passed out from their injuries as both sides rushed to grab their respective bosses. Hesitation and tension reigned as the two sides grabbed hold of their leaders. The tension was finally broken as a Kamishini genin stepped forward and bowed in respect to the other side. Confused, the subcommander and platoon soon followed, bowing as well. Surprised by this gesture, the shinobi of Kumo bowed in kind. The two sides then turned and left towards their respective camps. Neither side, on their leaders wishes, would continue to crave bloodshed this day. Tomorrow, however, is a different day. Isn't it?
To Be Continued...