Chapter 61: 59: The Reversal
The once-thriving Suna Camp lay in ruins, an utter chaos now.
Everywhere bore evidence of the One Tail brutal rampage, transforming the entire forest into a wasteland, obscuring any trace of the camp's original appearance.
Within the space that once held a bustling camp, now a desolate terrain, the frigid chakra of the Tailed beast lingered, refusing to dissipate.
Where the Tailed Beast had once stood, a figure in a black cloak now occupied the space.
This individual was the current leader of the Sunagakure, the most exceptional and formidable ninja within the village, known as Suna's Third Kazekage.
Across the barren land, a sprinkling of black sand and dust scattered about as he observed an unconscious monk lying on the ground nearby.
The monk's skin bore burn marks, yet his vitality was being restored at an extraordinary rate.
Even to the Third Kazekage, this was an astonishing spectacle.
"Instead of an ordinary Jinchuriki, he should have perished... Remarkably resilient."
He mused to himself.
One Tail was a tailed beast that the Sunagakure had possessed for long
However, due to the overwhelming might of the tailed beast, mere mortals, even at a distance, would tremble with fear at its presence.
Thus, the tailed beast was sealed within a human host using sealing techniques, sacrificing the individual to harness its power and deploy it when necessary.
The monk lying there was Jinchuriki, the guardian of the beast within Sunagakure.
"Kazekaze-sama!"
A horde of nins surged toward the scene, their numbers totaling four or five hundred, all elite practitioners from the Village.
One Jounin approached and, upon seeing Jinchuriki's stable condition, exhaled a sigh of relief. Gazing upon the leader, the Third Kazekage, the Jounin's eyes gleamed with respect and admiration.
The Third Kazekage nodded in acknowledgment of these nins.
"As expected of Kazekage-sama. The One Tail should be incapacitated for the time being."
One of the Jounin remarked, to which the Third Kazekage shook his head, countering, "It's not so simple. The One Tail is uncooperative. If it were cooperative, I wouldn't have needed to resort to such extreme measures."
The monk had a special bond with the One Tail Beast sealed within him. Consequently, the containment had remained stable over the years. However, issues arose, the Monk who has compassion and benevolence was averse to combat.
During the reign of the Second Kazekage, an attempt was made to militarize the One Tails power. The Second Kazekage imprisoned the monk, delving into the tailed beast's strength within him, resulting in the development of a series of Magnet Release ninjutsu.
Yet, the monk resisted the Second Kazekage's influence.
Upon the Second Kazekage's death, his disciple, the Third Kazekage, assumed power, inheriting the ambition to militarize the tailed beast.
The current predicament was an experiment, aiming to exploit the tailed beast's might, surprise Konoha, and seize the abundant resources of the Land of Fire.
However, the outcome fell short. The beast's volatile mood hindered cooperation. Sensing a disturbance in the seal, the Third Kazekage hastened to suppress the rampaging One Tail, resealing it within the monk.
"What's our next move, Kazekage-sama?"
The Jounin inquired.
"Leave the Jinchuriki aside for now. We'll find a way to make the stubborn monk cooperate. But what's the status of the Konoha Ninjas here?"
Suppressing the One Tail had proven relatively effortless, considering the Third Kazekage's mastery of this ninjutsu.
However, compared to its exposed position, the sudden attack by Konoha ninjas presented a more pressing concern.
To deploy a tailed beast onto the battlefield required secrecy, enabling swift defeat of Konoha and an invasion deep into the Land of Fire.
"We're unsure. A group of Konoha ninjas launched an unexpected assault."
The Jounin's expression soured as he responded.
Tailed beast matters took precedence, ensuring no leaks.
"Reassess the personnel here."
The Third Kazekage issued the order.
"Yes!"
The Jounin nodded solemnly. Currently, the village likely harbored a traitor.
"By the way, what are those Konoha ninjas up to?"
"Fear not. When I arrived, a detachment of ninjas had already been dispatched to track them down. Good news should arrive soon."
The Third Kazekage gazed into the distance, his eyes composed, confident in the suna's pursuit of the Konoha ninjas.
The Jounin nodded, lifting the unconscious monk from the ground, his duty to relocate Jinchuriki.
"Kazekage-sama, I'll proceed with relocating the Jinchuriki."
"Go ahead. I'll bolster security accordingly. This time, there can be no more mishaps."
"Understood!"
....
In the heart of the Land of Rivers, a valley nestled beneath towering forest cliffs.
"What!"
Having driven a kunai into the enemy's chest, Shiraishi let out a breath and took a step back. He wearily sank onto the ground, clutching his crimson-stained side.
"These foes are truly formidable... Wind Blades?"
It was no small feat to carve such a deep wound into Shiraishi's body, reinforced as it was by natural energy. The wind blades used by the elite suna ninjas were undoubtedly a sharp and powerful ninjutsu.
Shiraishi's brow furrowed, a faint green light shimmering on the palm covering his side, as he began to mend the injury.
Beside him, Ruri and Ayane sat breathless, their attire dusted, as they ingested ration pills to restore their chakra.
Around them, twenty-one shna nins lay strewn in pools of blood, kunai and shuriken scattered amidst the carnage.
Among them, three were high-ranking leaders, the rest being Chunin.
The annihilation of this unit exacted a steep toll upon Shiraishi and his companions.
As Shiraishi mended his side and rummaged through his ninja pouch, he discovered it nearly emptied, leaving only two sealed scrolls and a vial containing the One Tail chakra.
"Do you still have any Ration Pills?"
While taijutsu didn't deplete chakra, medical ninjutsu required it. Unfortunately, there were no ration pills left in his pouch.
Even if fashioned from local resources, Suna Shinobi must account for the uncertainty of their next encounter.
"No, we just used the last one."
Ayane responded apologetically.
Ruri shook her head as well. Ration Pills primarily sated hunger, with chakra recovery serving as a last resort.
Even Shiraishi's specialized military pills only partially restored chakra.
Shiraishi sighed, resigned. He leveraged his strength to rise from the ground and struggled over to the fallen Suna Shinobi, scavenging for usable equipment from their pouches.
Thankfully, the first corpse he touched yielded undamaged kunai and two explosive tags within its pouch.
Shiraishi stowed these items in his own pouch.
Suddenly, a fallen Suna nin's eyes snapped open, a gust of cutting wind gathering in his hand as he thrust a wind blade towards Shiraishi.
Startled, Shiraishi hadn't anticipated another survivor feigning death.
Instinctively, he twisted his body, several strands of hair severed by the whistling blade.
A cold sweat beaded on Shiraishi's brow as he rolled away in embarrassment.
The Suna nin showed no mercy, his body soaked in blood as he lunged toward Shiraishi, his visage twisted into a demonic grimace.
Boom!
A fireball collided.
The Suna nin was unable to shield himself in time, writhed and screamed within the flames, eventually succumbing to death.
Ruri inhaled deeply, her weariness now amplified.
The recent fireball had nearly depleted her last reserves of chakra. Continuing to drain her chakra could prove fatal.
"Idiot, can't you distinguish between the living and the dead?"
"My apologies."
Shiraishi clambered to his feet, dusting off his attire.
Afterwards, he resumed searching the fallen, but this time exercised greater caution, mindful of potential survivors.
Before approaching a corpse, he'd fling a kunai to ensure no one feigned life.
Fortunately, this concern was unwarranted. Only one of them remained partially alive.
Ultimately, Shiraishi collected a combined total of forty to fifty kunai and shuriken, along with sixteen ration pills and roughly ten explosive tags.
Before Ruri and Ayane, visibly fatigued, he began to distribute the spoils.
Ruri and Ayane didn't hesitate, more due to their weariness than anything else.
Shiraishi and Ayane each claimed four ration pills from the sixteen, while Ruri obtained half due to her heightened consumption as a ninjutsu user.
The trio promptly consumed rauon Pills, rejuvenating their chakra.
Once restored, Shiraishi intended to employ the healing technique on Ruri and Ayane.
"No need, these wounds are minor. We can tough it out."
Ruri deftly wrapped her bleeding calf and arm with a white bandage, despite the profound ache of her injuries.
"Ruri is right. Our present circumstances aren't entirely secure. These injuries won't hamper our combat effectiveness for the moment. There's no need to waste chakra."
Ayane nodded in agreement, tending to her wounds much like Ruri, stemming the flow of blood.
"Agreed."
Shiraishi offered no resistance.
An icy wind swept through the valleys, nipping at them as they clung to their collars, a slight chill settling in their bones.
To evade pursuit by the Suna, the trio circumvented the beaten path, venturing into the river valley's cliff-bottomed depths within the Land Of River.
The terrain was intricate, the environment harsh, veiled by dense fog.
Up close, the fog bore a milky hue, yet within its depths, an darkness like to an immense black void hanging ominously above their heads.
The trio took a moment to rest, allowing themselves to recuperate and regain some physical strength before embarking on a search for an exit.
The surroundings were encased in damp rock walls, growing increasingly dim as they ventured further. The deep valley was shrouded in a cold, thick fog that seemed to chill the skin.
Pressing onward with somber expressions, the three tread silently. Their restraint stemmed from a desire to conserve energy, understanding the importance of maintaining physical stamina in their precarious situation.
With the assistance of the chakra-replenishing Ration Pills, Ayane's eyes fluttered open in the dimness. Despite the limited visibility in this dark environment, she employed her chakra meridian system to sense any potential ambushes.
"Someone is here, likely Suna nins" Ayane halted, her observation keen.
Shiraishi and Ruri shared a brief exhalation but remained silent.
"How many are there?" Ruri eventually inquired after a pause.
"Eleven," Ayane replied.
"I have a plan to incapacitate them all at once. Ayane, find a narrow intersection where we can eliminate them," Ruri's announcement caught Shiraishi and Ayane off guard.
Yet, her assured demeanor convinced Ayane that she had a viable strategy in mind.
"I understand," Ayane assented.
The Suna nins were still some distance away, affording the trio ample time to locate an appropriate bottleneck.
While uncertain of the specifics of Ruri's plan, Shiraishi trusted her prowess as the group's core combatant. He believed she wouldn't advocate for an impractical approach.
Before long, Ayane identified a narrow intersection with only two paths—one forward, one rearward—enclosed by towering rock walls that eliminated any possibility of retreat.
"Is this location suitable?" Ayane queried.
"Perfect. How long until they arrive?" Ruri's expression turned resolute.
"At their current pace, we have around two minutes."
"Remind me when we have just ten seconds left."
Ayane nodded, in agreement.
Shiraishi, however, appeared perplexed. Although he held faith in Ruri's capabilities, he remained ignorant of any enhanced ninjutsu she had developed, as she hadn't divulged any such information prior.
Hence, Shiraishi's assessment of Ruri's suppressed chakra indicated the capabilities of an elite Suna nin, giving him pause.
Yet, he had no choice but to trust in Ruri's plan.
As the seconds ticked away, Ruri positioned herself at the forefront.
Her unwavering figure amid the tempest evoked admiration, akin to a steadfast flower blooming upon a mountain.
"They're approaching!" Ayane's voice cut through, heralding the final ten seconds.
Ruri didn't waste a moment, immediately initiating hand seals to activate a highly specialized Fire Release technique.
Channeling her chakra and the recovered natural energy, Ruri forced their fusion without undergoing a customary safety test.
The result was a flood of formidable energy surging throughout her body, an unprecedented sensation.
True to her expectations, Ruri surpassed Shiraishi in her command of natural energy. Empowered by this proficiency, she dared to merge the remaining chakra with the natural energy, generating a magically charged chakra capable of amplifying her prowess without a prior test.
"Fire Release: Extinguishing Flane!"
"Wait, Ruri—" Shiraishi's realization came a moment too late.
With Ruri's current chakra reserves, she couldn't possibly conjure the explosive fire required to extinguish such an extensive Fire Release attack.
Insufficient chakra could not only diminish the jutsu's power but also endanger the user.
Unfortunately, Ruri's use of the jutsu outpaced Shiraishi's admonition.
Moreover, she would likely dismiss his caution even if she heard it. Ruri was her own warrior, resolute and unwavering in her combat approach.
A torrential surge of flames surged like a tsunami within the valley's depths, morphing into an all-devouring beast that engulfed everything. The formerly chilly surroundings now resembled the scalding inferno of hell itself.
Before the group of Suna nin could even react, they were ensnared by the fire.
No refuge.
No resistance.
The darkness ablaze.
The air itself seemed to warp amidst the scorching heat, an ominous manifestation of the high temperature.
The searing, skin-cracking heat continued to ascend, the sea of fire ever-expanding within the confined space, consuming all life in its path.
Standing alongside Ruri, Shiraishi and Ayane couldn't help but inhale sharply, their throats seemingly filled with scalding water, their breaths stifled by discomfort and pain.
The once-rugged rock walls, now subject to the searing sea of fire, transmuted into resplendent scarlet flame crystals, radiating an incandescent brilliance.
Before them, the eleven Suna nins were eradicated, their remains obliterated beyond recognition. Reduced to ash, they vanished into the engulfing flame.
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