95. The Last Stand 2

The wind whipped around Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon as they traveled toward the convergence point in the Hidden Mist Village. The once calm seas surrounding the village had become turbulent, a reflection of the chaos that was unfolding across the shinobi world. The sky above them was dark, twisted with clouds that seemed to swirl ominously around the growing rift in the distance. The convergence point was visible even from miles away, a jagged tear in the sky, pulsating with dark energy.

As they arrived at the outskirts of the Hidden Mist Village, they were greeted by Mei Terumi, the Mizukage. Her usually composed demeanor was strained, the weight of the situation evident in the tension of her movements.

"You made it, just in time," Mei said, her voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. "The rift has been growing steadily for the past few days. We've been holding off the enemies coming through, but they're stronger than anything we've faced before."

Naruto nodded, his eyes focused on the tear in the sky. "We've seen them before. Every time one of these rifts opens, the enemies that come through get more powerful. But we're ready for them this time."

Sasuke stepped forward, his Sharingan scanning the area, analyzing the situation. "We need to hit them before they gain any more strength. The longer that rift stays open, the more enemies will come through."

Mei's eyes narrowed, her gaze shifting to the rift. "I've deployed most of my forces to contain the perimeter, but we're barely holding them back. If you have a plan, now would be the time to share it."

Anon, ever silent, moved closer to the rift, his senses attuned to the flow of Void energy that pulsed from the tear in the sky. He could feel the power behind it, the dark force that was feeding the enemies emerging from the rift. His expression didn't change, but the weight of the situation was clear.

"We're going to need to do this quickly," Anon said, his voice calm but filled with urgency. "Naruto, Sasuke, and I will attack the rift directly. We'll use everything we've learned to destabilize it before more enemies come through."

Mei glanced at the team, her brow furrowed. "And what about the forces already here? We're facing waves of enemies. They're not going to just sit back and watch while you close the rift."

Naruto's expression hardened as he cracked his knuckles. "Leave that to us. We've been training for this. We'll hold them off and close that rift. Just make sure your forces are ready to back us up when we need it."

Mei nodded, her gaze fierce. "You have the full support of the Hidden Mist. We'll do everything we can to hold the line. But be careful—there's something different about this rift."

Sasuke, always perceptive, narrowed his eyes at the swirling tear in the sky. "It's more than just a portal. It's feeding on the energy of this place, drawing power from the very land itself. We need to shut it down before it gets any stronger."

Anon stepped forward, his eyes glowing faintly with Void energy. "Then we'll shut it down. Let's move."

The Battle at the Convergence

As Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon approached the rift, the ground beneath them began to tremble. Dark energy crackled through the air, distorting reality around them. From the tear in the sky, more dark figures emerged—cloaked in shadow, their forms twisted and unnatural. Their eyes glowed with an eerie light, and their movements were fluid, almost ghost-like, as they descended toward the village.

Naruto wasted no time. His hands flew into action, forming the hand seals for a powerful Rasengan. The ball of swirling chakra crackled with the energy of Time, the air around it warping slightly as he prepared to strike.

"Let's go!" Naruto shouted as he charged forward, his Rasengan held high.

The dark figures moved to intercept, their movements erratic and unpredictable, but Naruto was faster. He ducked and weaved through their attacks, his body glowing with the energy of Time as he unleashed his attack, slamming the Rasengan into the chest of the first figure. The impact sent a shockwave rippling through the air, and the figure dissolved into nothingness, its form disintegrating under the force of the attack.

Sasuke was right behind him, his Chidori sparking with Void energy as he targeted the next wave of enemies. His Sharingan flickered, tracking their movements as he struck with precision, each blow landing with devastating accuracy. The space around his attacks warped and twisted, distorting the battlefield as he tore through the enemy ranks.

Anon moved with the precision of a shadow, his Void energy rippling through the air as he manipulated the space around him. He moved between the enemies effortlessly, his strikes landing before they even had a chance to react. The dark figures faltered under the assault, their forms struggling to keep up with Anon's movements.

But despite their efforts, more enemies continued to emerge from the rift, their numbers seemingly endless. The air grew thick with the energy of the convergence, and the ground beneath them began to crack, the very fabric of reality straining under the pressure.

Naruto glanced at Anon and Sasuke, his face set with determination. " We can't let them keep coming! We've got to shut that rift down!"

Sasuke nodded, his Sharingan glowing brightly. " We need to hit the core of the rift. That's the only way to stop it from spreading."

Anon's voice was calm but resolute. " Then let's finish this."

The three of them gathered their energy, focusing everything they had into one final strike. Naruto's Rasengan crackled with the energy of Time, its power amplified by the convergence. Sasuke's Chidori burned with Void energy, distorting the space around it as he prepared to unleash his attack. Anon, his Void energy pulsing through the air, prepared to channel his power directly into the rift.

With a final burst of power, they launched their attacks simultaneously. The combined force of their strikes tore through the air, the energy spiraling toward the rift with unstoppable momentum. The dark figures that stood in their way were obliterated in an instant, their forms disintegrating under the sheer force of the attack.

The energy collided with the rift, and for a moment, time seemed to freeze. The air around them crackled with power, the ground trembling as the rift buckled under the assault. Then, with a deafening roar, the rift collapsed in on itself, the dark energy swirling into a singular point before vanishing completely.

The battlefield fell silent.

Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon stood amidst the rubble, their breaths heavy but their resolve unshaken. They had done it—they had closed the rift. But the sense of victory was short-lived, for they knew that this was only one battle in a much larger war.

As the dust settled, Mei approached, her expression a mix of relief and concern. " You did it. The rift is gone. But… there will be more, won't there?"

Naruto nodded, his face serious. " Yeah. This was just one of many. We've got to find out where they're coming from and stop them at the source."

Sasuke crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the sky where the rift had once been. " And we'll need to be faster next time. They're getting stronger. If we don't move quickly, the next rift could be even worse."

Anon, ever the strategist, added quietly, " We need to find the origin of the convergence. That's the only way to stop this for good."

The weight of their words hung in the air, a reminder of the battles still to come.