Chapter 18: Great Acting

A/N: Chapter 32 on p.a.t.r.e.o.nJoin today: p.a.t.r.e.o.n/MyMumCallsMePig5-star reviews and powerstones please?....(Katsumaro's POV)

Anger rises in my heart as the monster presses on my head.

How. Dare. Him.

How dare him!?

I'm the clan leader of the great Kaguya Clan. We take pride in being killers.

And now some nobody is stepping on my face?

I absolutely cannot allow this!

Since I have already identified what he wants, I'll do everything in my power to not give him what he wants!

Kimimaro is the treasure of my clan, there is no way in hell I'm going to just give him up.

Most of my ribs have been broken, and I will probably die soon.

If I'm to die, then I'm taking this man down with me!

With my right hand, hidden from his eyes, I make a hand-sign.

"Earth Release: Earth Spike Jutsu!"

A spike shoots up from the ground, aimed at his chest. He dodges, but it's enough to force him off me. I roll to the side and get to my feet, ignoring the pain.

The man grins, excitement evident in his eyes. "Persistent, aren't you?"

I don't respond. Instead, I rush at him, bone blades extending from my forearms. He meets me halfway, our attacks clashing with a deafening crash. 

"What a surprise. I thought only Kimimaro had Shikotsumyaku. Let me see how tough it is then," he sneers, deflecting the strike and countering with a punch. I barely dodge, the wind from his fist whipping my hair.

He knows about Kimimaro's kekkei genkai? Damn, how did the news even leak? 

I thrust a bone blade at his abdomen. He catches it with his hand, but blood drips from his palm. I twist the blade, forcing him to release it.

"You're stubborn," he smiles, chakra flaring. "Let's see how you handle a normal jutsu."

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Jutsu!

A massive dragon made of flames roars towards me. I leap back, weaving hand signs.

"Water Release: Water Wall Jutsu!"

A wall of water rises, clashing with the dragon and creating a burst of steam. I use the cover to circle around him, aiming for a surprise attack.

But he's ready, turning and slashing at me with a kunai.

He must have picked it up when our jutsus clashed.

I parry with a bone blade, pushing him back with all my strength.

"You can't win, Katsumaro," he says, his voice echoing confidence. "Just give up."

"Never," I snarl, lunging at him again. Our battle is a blur of strikes and counterstrikes, neither of us gaining the upper hand.

However, when he strikes me at my face, I grow a bone spike from my nose.

He suddenly stops, eyes widening. I take the opportunity to deliver a powerful kick to his chest, sending him flying.

"Earth Release: Earth Grasp Jutsu!"

The ground beneath him morphs into hands, grabbing and restraining him. I rush forward, ready to end this.

But he breaks free with a surge of chakra, a demonic aura enveloping him. His grin is feral. "You have a pretty good grasps of your kekkei genkai."

He vanishes, appearing behind me in an instant. Pain explodes in my back as he strikes, sending me sprawling.

"You're done," he says, standing over me, foot poised to crush my skull.

With the last of my strength, I weave a final hand sign.

"Bone Release: Bone Prison Jutsu!"

Bones erupt from the ground, forming a cage around him. He looks at it, making no effort to break free.

"Whatever you're trying, you better finish it when I'm giving you a chance. You can't contain me."

I smile, blood trickling from my mouth. "I don't need to contain you. Just delay you."

With a final effort, I summon my chakra, channeling it into the bones. They glow, energy building to a peak.

"Self-sacrifice technique: Bone Explosion Jutsu!"

The bones detonate in a blinding flash, consuming us both in a storm of energy and bone shards.

As darkness takes me, I hear his scream of rage and pain. That is what happens when you underestimate the great Katsumaro.

I did it.

I protected Kimimaro.

The clan will survive.

....

(Naruto POV)

The smoke clears, and I stand amidst the rubble, unharmed. Bone shards and dust lie scattered around me, showing how hard Katsumaro tried to stop me.

I grin, brushing off my clothes. "What a show."

Katsumaro fought well. He was tough and determined, but he had no idea who he was up against. My acting skills fooled him completely. When he thought he had me, the look on his face was priceless.

"Persistent, aren't you?" I had said, making sure I sounded a bit arrogant to rile him up. It worked perfectly. 

When I used the Fire Dragon Jutsu, he countered with the Water Wall Jutsu. I could see him thinking, planning his next move. He really believed he had a chance.

"You can't win, Katsumaro," I had said confidently. It wasn't just about beating him physically; I wanted to break his spirit, make him see how hopeless his situation was.

When he used the Bone Prison Jutsu, I pretended to be surprised. He needed to think he had me trapped. His eyes showed his desperation, his hope that he could stop me.

"Whatever you're trying, you better finish it while I'm giving you a chance. You can't contain me," I said, making him think he had a small window of opportunity. He thought he could delay me, maybe even take me down with him. But that was never going to happen.

When the Bone Explosion Jutsu went off, I screamed in fake pain and rage, making it all seem real. He had to believe he was winning, even if just for a moment.

But now, I stand here without a scratch. His sacrifice was for nothing.

Well, one can say it was for something.

The only reason I did all this was to see how well a clan leader could use the same kekkei genkai as Kimimaro. I need to train Kimimaro in the future, and the jutsu the clan head used surely helped me a bit.

This was also why I held back from using Shrine.

Kimimaro is the treasure of the Kaguya Clan, and now he belongs to me. The clan has no choice but to surrender after their clan leader has died.

Hm...I wonder how much money they have in their treasury. I need some money to run an organization, after all.

I hope there are plenty of gold and silver lying around in the treasury.

I smirk, turning away from the destruction. It's time to claim my prize.

As I walk away, I chuckle softly.

My acting skills are still great.

....

A/N: Next chapter on Friday!