NOVEL WEB Arc XII Chapter 18
XII
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Arc XII Chapter 18
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“Hah ... Huh ... Hah ...” Kakashi leaned on his knee, tired, exhausted, destroyed, his breathing heavy, yet triumphant. “This was ... a close call ...”
Kakashi raised his chidori just in time to block her incoming kunai. They met once again, face to face. His blue chidori met her purple blade. The red of his mangekyou the bottomless abyss of her purple eyes. They stared into each other, into each other’s very souls. The sharingan was said to unveil what lay hidden. Though, certainly not all. Some secrets eluded even them, the all seeing eyes.
Asami smirked with a glint of understanding. “I see. To think that you would not only possess a sharingan, but also a mangekyou. You are full of surprises. Tell me, Kakashi, how does it feel to wield such incredible power, power beyond the grasp of mere mortals?”
“...” Kakashi gritted his teeth, both tight lipped and hard pressed at the same time. Interlocked, her chakra blade pressed against his chidori, forcing him to supply more and more chakra to counter her assault. He didn’t need to be told twice. Kakashi knew of the consequences otherwise. He saw what happened to Sakura. “...”
“Taciturn as ever.” Asami retracted her kunai and they both clashed with renewed ferocious vigour. A fury of flashing chakra and sparks erupted. Blue against purple in an incessant storm, driving each other back and forth. The relentless pace accelerated. Faster and faster. Each movement a blur. Every strike raging like thunder. Thrust. Cut. Block. Slash. Chop. Evade. Dodge. Slice. Cleave.
“Grgh.” Yet Kakashi stood his ground, resisting her assault even when put on the defensive and under heavy pressure. Their blades once again interlocked, her purple blade veritably grinding against the blue chirping lightning of his chidori, producing a ceaseless rain of sparks. Fragments, particles of luminescent chakra danced in the air.
Armed with her kunai and her umbrella, Asami knew of her advantage, knew of her superiority. The tide of battle favoured her. Kakashi was gradually losing ground. He was losing his sharpness and focus. “Quite the pinch, you find yourself in, Kakashi?”
“...” Kakashi refused to respond. “That remains to be seen.” The battle reignited, and their chakra clashed again. No quarter was given. No mercy. No respite.
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“Urgh.” Naruto finally got back on his feet, his head still spinning, suffering from disorientation. He took quite the hit, yet his first thought was. “Sakura!” Where was she? “Sak ... Sakura!!!”
His eyes shot wide as he spotted Sakura, sprawled on the ground, her body not moving. Chiyo and Temari were at her side, the former already providing first aid. The green shimmer of her medical ninjutsu filled the air. Could it be? No, it couldn’t. It mustn’t.
Forgetting about everything else, Naruto rushed to her side. He saw the bloody gaping hole in her shoulder. “Granny Chiyo, how is she?”
Much to his surprise, it was Sakura, though, to answer his question, with a cheerful smile on her face, no less. A strained smile. It was the Sakura he knew, always putting on a strong façade in front of others. “Cough ... Cough ... Cough ... Naruto, don’t worry. I am fine ... Cough ... I am fine.”
“...” Naruto clenched his fists, his anger rising. She wasn’t. Sakura was lying.
“Sakura, stop talking. Save your strength. You are still weak.” Granny Chiyo admonished her, her voice serious.
“Hehe, I am fine, Lady Chiyo. It’s just a minor flesh wound. Nothing more. I have seen worse.” Sakura forced a laugh, throwing her exact words back at her.
“Tsk, youngsters these days.” Granny Chiyo clicked her tongue, half annoyed, half amused. “No respect for your elders.” Her healing continued.
Sakura mustered a smile. “More importantly, Naruto, you must help Kakashi-sensei. He needs you ... Naruto ...!”
“Sakura-chan …” Naruto gritted his teeth, his voice laced with fury, with ire, with rage. He clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. An aura of red, boiling chakra surrounded him, coating his body. It was a dark, sinister chakra of evil origin, one that promised retribution and vengeance.“Who was it?”
...
...
...
“...” Sakura paled, and so did Chiyo and Temari. They were all left speechless. This aura ... It was the Kyuubi’s menacing chakra.
Naruto raised his head and two slitted eyes greeted them. Two orbs of demonic red. “Who did it?”
“...” Temari gulped. “It was her. It was Asami. She nearly killed her.”
“Asami ...” Naruto repeated her name with venom, his blood boiling, his very chakra boiling. “She will pay for this, you will see!!!”
“No.” Sakura realised the danger. “Naruto, don’t ...”
“...” Naruto disappeared without a word spoken, rushing straight into battle.
“Naruto!!!” Sakura shouted with a sense of panic. Her voice never reached him.
“...” Chiyo began to sweat., aware of the imminent danger of a jinchuuriki out of control. This was the last thing they needed. “This is bad. His emotions got the better of him. If he loses control here and now ... I don’t want to think about what will happen. We can only hope for the best at this point. Temari!”
“Yes, Lady Chiyo.” Temari straightened her back.
Chiyo spoke, the concern in her voice apparent. “Go and support Naruto. He will need you. Asami ... This girl ... She is dangerous. To think that a demon like her still exists in this time and age.”
“Understood.” Temari nodded and followed him.
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