Naruto: Power in Play

The air inside the chamber was thick with tension, the oppressive chakra pressing against Renji's lungs like an invisible weight. His body screamed at him to move, to react, but his instincts were at war with his training—Kakashi Hatake was here.

The jōnin's kunai remained steady against the enemy's throat, his posture completely relaxed, yet radiating an undeniable lethality.

"…Interesting," the man murmured, his eyes narrowing.

Kakashi exhaled softly. "Took me a moment to piece it together," he said, voice level. "The chakra, the way you move—unnatural, fluid. The snakes should have been an immediate giveaway, but I wanted to be sure."

The man chuckled. "Ah, Kakashi-kun, always so perceptive."

Renji felt his stomach drop. Kakashi's kunai didn't waver, but his tone darkened.

"Orochimaru."

The chamber seemed to shrink. Daiki audibly sucked in a breath. Akiko took a step back, her kikaichū shifting anxiously.

Orochimaru's smirk widened, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "So, you figured it out. Well done." His voice was light, but the underlying malice sent a chill down Renji's spine.

The kunai at his throat blurred—Kakashi struck.

Orochimaru's body twisted unnaturally, bending backward at an impossible angle, letting the blade pass harmlessly over him. Before Kakashi could follow up, the Sannin's form seemed to peel away, slipping out of his skin like a discarded husk.

Renji barely had time to register the shed body before Orochimaru reemerged several feet away, entirely unharmed.

"I must say, it's been a while since I've had an audience," Orochimaru mused, flexing his fingers as if testing his own body. His tone darkened, almost disappointed. "Though I expected a more… competent opponent."

Kakashi didn't respond. He was already moving. A blur of silver and steel—Kakashi closed the gap in an instant, a kunai flashing toward Orochimaru's side.

But Orochimaru's speed was monstrous. His body coiled unnaturally, dodging with the fluidity of a snake. His fingers flicked through hand seals too fast to track.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough."

A violent gust howled through the chamber. Renji barely threw up his arms in time before he and his team were hurled backward, skidding across the floor.

Kakashi, however, dug his foot into the ground, flipping mid-air to land effortlessly. He didn't hesitate, already forming his own seals.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Blade."

The chamber lit up with crackling blue energy as Kakashi lunged. The sheer force of the technique sent sparks flying across the stone floor.

Orochimaru's smirk remained, but he moved, his form flickering as he dodged left, only for Kakashi to twist mid-strike, altering the angle of his attack in an instant.

The Raikiri slashed forward—And passed through empty air. Another shed skin.

Orochimaru's chuckle echoed from behind. "So predictable."

Kakashi was already pivoting before the words fully registered. A jet-black snake shot from Orochimaru's sleeve, striking toward him like a spear.

Kakashi barely dodged, twisting as the snake's fangs grazed past his shoulder.

Renji scrambled to his feet, his eyes glued to the ongoing fight. They were outmatched. Kakashi might be able to hold his own, but against a Sannin?

They had to get out.

Kakashi seemed to reach the same conclusion.

"Renji!" His voice was sharp, cutting through the chaos. "You three, go. Now."

Renji hesitated. "But-"

"I'll hold him off. Get the children now!"

Renji didn't wait. He grabbed Daiki's arm, yanking him to his feet. "Akiko, move!"

The three barely had the time to grab the kid sprawled on the ground before they darted toward the exit, their kikaichū swarming around them for cover.

Orochimaru merely smiled. He raised one hand—his fingers poised in a snake-like gesture.

A wall of black-scaled serpents exploded from the ground, fangs bared, moving to cut them off.

Renji cursed. Too fast—!

Then, blue lightning arced through the air, slicing through the wall of snakes in a single, devastating strike.

Kakashi stood, his Chidori fading from his fingertips. "I said go."

Orochimaru's grin widened, delighted. "You're willing to stay behind for them? How noble of you."

Kakashi didn't answer. Instead, he reached up, fingers hooking under the fabric of his forehead protector. With a sharp tug, he pulled it up, revealing the crimson glow of his Sharingan.

The tomoe in his eye spun, locking onto Orochimaru. "You'll have to get through me first."

Renji swallowed hard. Then he ran. Akiko and Daiki followed, their kikaichū buzzing furiously as they sprinted toward the exit.

Behind them, the sound of clashing steel and crackling chakra filled the chamber.

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Far away from the Hamada clan compounds, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood at the edge of a collapsed watchtower, eyes locked on the aerial battlefield. The sky above Konoha was a storm of steel and fire, with enemy gliders cutting through the smoke-filled air like vultures circling their prey. Amidst the chaos, squads of Sky Ninjas gave chase to hawk riders from Konoha—elite shinobi mounted atop Danzo's summoned hawks, weaving through the air in a desperate struggle for aerial supremacy.

The Third Hokage exhaled sharply, hands forming a rapid series of seals. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

A massive, writhing dragon of searing fire burst from his mouth, its fierce glow illuminating the battlefield. The flames twisted in the air, pursuing the closest enemy formation like a living beast. Three Sky Ninjas swerved sharply, trying to evade the attack, but one was too slow—the fire dragon caught his glider's wing, igniting it instantly. The pilot screamed as he spiraled downward, crashing into the ruins below.

Hiruzen didn't stop. His fingers flashed into a new set of seals. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

A powerful gust of wind followed immediately after the flames, fueling the inferno and pushing it forward with explosive force. The combined technique sent another enemy into a deadly tailspin, his glider failing to withstand the sheer force of the raging firestorm.

Another trio of Sky Ninjas descended; kunai launchers primed. They moved in sync, weaving between the flickering embers of the Hokage's attack. But Hiruzen was already prepared.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

He hurled a single shuriken—one turned into a hundred in mid-air.

The sky was suddenly filled with spinning blades. The Sky Ninjas tried to evade, but there was nowhere to fly—one was shredded instantly, while another took several hits to his glider, causing him to lose control. The last managed to avoid direct contact, but Hiruzen paid him no mind.

From his back, another ninja moved. With a flicker of movement, he unleashed a rapid sequence of slashes in to the air with his glowing trench knives.

"Wind style: Spiraling Wind Blades!" The wind howled in response. A deadly vortex of invisible edges surged forth, slicing through the air like a living storm.

The diving Sky Ninja barely had time to register his mistake. One moment he was attacking—the next, his body was torn apart mid-flight, his glider reduced to fragments before he even hit the ground.

Asuma Sarutobi paused briefly, glancing at the third Hokage before moving back into the fray.

A fresh wave of Sky Ninjas turned their attention toward Hiruzen, gliders screeching through the air as they shifted formation.

Hiruzen frowned, charging up his chakra for another jutsu. Suddenly, a sharp pulse ran through his mind.

"Hokage-sama, the evacuation of the village has been completed." Inoichi's excited voice echoed in Hiruzen's mind. Relief washed though the veteran shinobi. A quick hand sign, a pulse of chakra, and there was no longer only one Hiruzen standing in the watchtower, but now three.

The clones weaved through handsigns, preparing a devastating attack, while the original fell into the shadows, retreating from the fight.

"Connect me with Shikaku immediately!" Hiruzen replied in the mental communication line.

"I'm already here. Lord Hiruzen, I have also taken the liberty to include Choza Akimichi, and a few other ninjas into this link. Their help will be crucial in our next operation." Shikaku explained. Earning a grunt of approval from the hokage.

The Ancor Vantian hung high in the sky, its form looming like an ominous specter above Konoha. On a rooftop overlooking the battlefield, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood beside Chōza Akimichi, his gaze locked onto the airborne fortress. Around them, a special team of shinobi were preparing for the next phase of battle, tightening their grips on weapons and focusing their chakra.

Through the mental link, Shikaku Nara's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"We don't have time for a prolonged siege. We force our way in."

Hiruzen's voice followed, carrying the weight of command. "Danzo's hawks will take us up. The rest of you—provide cover. I want a relentless barrage to keep the Sky ninjas occupied and to soften their defenses."

A pulse of acknowledgment ran through the minds of the gathered shinobi.

"Let's go!" Accompanied by the Hokage's command, a plume of smoke erupted, and five massive hawks, each the size of a small transport carriage, soared into the sky, their wings casting immense shadows over the village below. Their broad backs and sturdy frames could easily accommodate five fully equipped shinobi, making them the perfect aerial mounts for the mission ahead.

From the ground, a barrage of long-range jutsu erupted, covering the hawks as they took into the sky. Fireballs roared upward, exploding into waves of flame. Lightning arcs crackled, lancing through the enemy's ranks. The sky lit up with the force of Konoha's combined assault, forcing the enemy into a defensive posture. Smoke and fire churned in the air, momentarily disrupting visibility.

The Sky ninjas were prevented from interrupting the squad of mounted ninja's takeoff. But they gave chase, hot on the hawks' tail. The sky was their playground, and they soon managed to surround the advancing airborne troops.

Two of the five hawks fell back, their passengers spamming long range ninjutsu without regard to their chakra reserves, all in an effort to hold back the pursuers. While the remaining three hawks sped thought the sky, the shinobi onboard trying their best to block and protect the mounts in their ascent.

As the hawks weaved through fire and steel, the squad arrived into the range of the Ancor Vantian, the next step of the plan was set into motion. Hiruzen, standing on the back of one of the lead hawks, formed a hand sign and bellowed:

"Focus all fire on a single point in the barrier! Break a hole through it!"

On cue, the Jonin support squads in the other two hawks broke into motion. They conjured their attacks on the same point targeted by the Hokage. A colossal firestorm erupted from a squad of fire users. High-powered wind jutsu slammed into the same point, feeding the flames. Lightning spears stabbed into the weakened chakra field, causing cracks to form.

And finally, Hiruzen Sarutobi blurred forward, jumping from his hawk as his staff turned into a massive weapon crackling with electricity. The combined might of the Hokage, his summon—the ape king Enma, and the ninjutsu specialists slammed into the barrier protecting the Ancor Vantian.

Ripples echoed from the point of impact, and a small opening made itself visible. The chakra barrier shattered for just a moment, revealing a small but crucial breach.

"NOW!" Hiruzen commanded.

The Akimichis, already in motion, didn't need to be told twice. Mid-air, they curled into spheres, their bodies expanding and hardening as they transformed into living projectiles.

"Human Cannonball Jutsu!"

Their hawks flipped mid-flight, launching them directly through the opening in the shield at blistering speed, right into the enemy's territory.

BOOM!

The massive warriors crashed onto the outer layer of the Ancor Vantian, sending enemy shinobi flying as their sheer weight broke the structure.

The Sky Ninjas onboard barely had time to react before the Akimichi activated their Partial Multi-Size Jutsu, their bodies growing even larger as they turned into towering juggernauts of destruction.

"Wreak havoc! Bring it down!" Chōza roared, turning into a gigantic unstoppable wheel that flattened whatever stood in his way. Be it building or ninja, they all crumbled before his might.

Behind him, the other Akimichi sprang into action. Their colossal fists swung with devastating force, shattering enemy ranks and leaving nothing but wreckage in their wake. Each blow sent bodies flying, rupturing formations as if they were mere paper. With unstoppable momentum, they charged forward, their sights locked on the airship's nearest propulsion systems—ready to tear them apart.

But while the giants tore through the airship like an unstoppable calamity, another force moved unseen. The Aburame kikaichu swarms slithered into the fortress-like vessel, flowing through vents, cables, and the labyrinth of exposed machinery like a silent plague. Thanks to the chaos wrought by the Akimichi, the insects remained undetected as they multiplied at an exponential rate, their tiny mandibles devouring chakra-infused mechanisms.

Inside the fortress, lights flickered. Machinery hissed. And blaring red lights flashed inside the command center. In just a couple of minutes following the invasion from the Konoha ninjas, one of the main propulsors have already failed. It was only a matter of time before the vessel had to make an emergency landing.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Yano Sho, one of Shinno's trusted aides, ordered the troops to focus on the invaders first. The Sky ninjas rallied and pelleted the Akimichis with bombs. Some were steering energy cannons inside the fortress to target the giants, while others focused solely on halting the invader's advances.

Had Konoha's assault relied solely on brute strength, they might have faltered. But Konoha never came to war with just one weapon.

The Aburame's Kikaichus worked with a frenzy, infecting and devouring whatever they could. The insects they had sent forward were no ordinary breed—they were one of the Aburame clan's trump cards, kept hidden due to their sheer lethality, a breed only deployed in times of war.

And to Shibi, head of the Aburame clan, the situation was nothing short of one. Standing beside the Hokage, a rare smile played beneath his covered face as he watched the enemy vessel begin its slow descent.

The Sky Ninja had prepared for warriors. They had not prepared for the unseen.