Feeling alive

''Konoha." Kojima spat as he immediately recognized Riku standing with the opposing force. 

Due to their past, it was understandable why they would hate Konoha as its very own shinobi was the author of their fall from grace. Fortunately, He and his brothers had managed to use jutsus to traverse the earth right before the collapse.

'Why are they so few?' Tao wondered when he only sensed one jounin from the forces that had just attacked them.

'Anyway, this just makes it easier to escape.'

Analyzing the situation, Tao thought it was better for them to escape and cut their losses while they still had a chance. The aftermath of the Great Tremor Jutsu revealed the harsh reality of the situation—a significant loss of life among the rogue ninjas. The casualties included mostly genins and some chunins.

As Tao was just about to start flickering away, he noticed something. His brothers were no longer next to him. He looked around and saw them heading towards the opposing force.

'Why are they always like this?' 

He sighed as he joined them. He only did so as he was encouraged by their growing advantage.

Back at the allied group, Renjiro had only spoken what almost everyone was thinking. Facing more than one Jounin put them in a disadvantaged position.

Riku, who was standing at the forefront, assessed the situation with a keen eye. The rogue ninjas, though battered, still posed a potential threat. 

 "Be on guard. Assume defensive formation." Riku shouted the minute he saw two of the jounins heading towards him.

Maintaining a heightened state of vigilance, everyone headed to his words. They were all aware of the stakes at hand.

Following their bosses, the surviving Chunins and Genins also rushed towards the enemies. Making this a full-blown battle between the two sides.

With a sudden burst of movement, the rogue ninjas unleashed a series of desperate attacks. Their resilience and determination fueled their attempts. A clash of jutsus erupted, marked by flashes of chakra and the sound of colliding techniques.

Team 25 and the rest, guided by Riku, responded swiftly to the renewed threat. 

Riku faced the Hozuki brothers, skilled and formidable opponents with a lineage deeply connected to water-based techniques. Meanwhile, Aiko, Hiro, and the Land of Mountains' forces confronted the surviving chunins and genins. 

As the Hozuki brothers unleashed their kekkei genkai, Hydrafication, Riku found himself confronted with a formidable challenge. The ability to transform their bodies into liquid water granted the brothers a unique form of defence and evasion, turning the tide of the battle( AN://I swear no pun intended) in their favour. The grounds echoed with the sound of splashing water as the brothers seamlessly transitioned between solid and liquid states.

Riku, recognizing the need to adapt, intensified his focus on earth-based techniques. Stalactites and rock formations became his weapons of choice, manipulated with precision to counter the fluidity of the Hozuki brothers. The clash between earth and water unfolded with breathtaking speed, creating a dynamic spectacle.

The brothers, however, proved to be elusive targets. Their mastery of Hydrafication allowed them to effortlessly evade Riku's attacks, slipping through the rocky projectiles with liquid grace. The cave's environment became a canvas for their watery manoeuvres, as they weaved through the stalactites and redirected the earth-based assaults.

'This is getting hard. What the hell is keeping Aoi? I'm sure the location was empty.'

Riku Lamented as he analyzed their movements and sought to exploit openings in their defence. The battle became a strategic dance, each party anticipating the other's moves. The Hozuki brothers aimed to wear down Riku's defences, while Riku sought opportunities to land decisive blows.

Riku's ability to withstand the onslaught of the Hozuki brothers stemmed from a combination of factors. His power levels were on the cusp of reaching the pinnacle of jounin ranks, and he was teetering on the precipice of ascending to the coveted S-rank status. This was rare as besides the tailed beasts, they were the deterring power of every shinobi village.

The brothers, though formidable jounins in their own right, faced a seasoned warrior on the verge of significant promotion. Konoha's strict criteria for jounin advancement meant that those jounin rank possessed a level of skill and experience that surpassed the standard expectations. 

On the other side of the now battlegrounds, Renjiro found himself engaged in a fierce duel with a chunin from the opposing force. The chunin, launched a relentless assault, showcasing a combination of taijutsu and elemental jutsu. Renjiro, aware of the significant difference in their ranks, knew that he had to leverage his skills and resourcefulness to overcome this challenge.

The chunin, unleashed a barrage of elemental attacks, forcing Renjiro to swiftly manoeuvre through the onslaught. Despite the chunin's proficiency, Renjiro's sharingan-enhanced reflexes allowed him to anticipate and evade the majority of the attacks.

Contrary to expectations, Renjiro was experiencing a surge of emotions and sensations that he hadn't fully embraced before. 

'Wait. Why do I feel so... Alive? Is that the feeling?' Renjiro was confused.

The clash of steel and the urgency of combat all combined to create a feeling of vitality that coursed through his veins. Despite the perilous situation, Renjiro found himself embracing the challenge, savouring the thrill of the fight.

The adrenaline rush heightened his senses, making every movement more vivid and every decision more crucial. Renjiro's heart pounded in rhythm with the chaos around him.

His instincts guided him with an almost primal precision. With each movement, he flowed seamlessly through the battlefield, a blur of speed and precision. His opponent now found it increasingly challenging to keep up with Renjiro's wild yet controlled manoeuvres.

In a burst of accelerated movements, he outmanoeuvred his adversary, exploiting an opening in their defence. The sound of clashing metal and skin echoed through the tunnels as Renjiro's Kunai met its mark, severing the connection between his opponent and the world.

Finishing him off, Renjiro surged forward, traversing the battlegrounds with calculated chaos to new opponents. His new opponents, primarily composed of genins, were caught off guard by the ferocity of his assault. Renjiro moved from one adversary to another, his strikes precise and devastating. The battle became a canvas for his battle prowess, and the foes before him fell like leaves in a storm.

The wild dance continued each step a testament to Renjiro's mastery over his instincts and the evolving connection with his combat skills. The feeling that had initially gripped him intensified, propelling him forward. Renjiro's Sharingan captured every detail of the chaotic environment. Genin after genin, even one or two chunins, succumbed to his onslaught, their resistance shattered by the whirlwind of Renjiro's relentless assault.

Following the trail of destruction left by him, some chunins closed in on him. His comrades tried their best to stop them but some still managed to get to Renjiro. They only had one thing on their minds. Ending Renjiro's rampage amongst their ranks.

'Good. Come to me.'

Renjiro, fueled by the exhilaration of the battle, entertained a daring idea as the chunins closed in on him. In a swift motion, His hands danced through a series of seals, culminating in the manifestation of countless explosive tags.

Yes. He had summoned all explosive tags he had from his storage seals. These were not ordinary explosive tags; they were the modified version Renjiro had ingeniously devised to enhance their impact.

In a heartbeat, Renjiro flickered away.

[Let's hit our weekly target of 500 Powerstones and I will upload a bonus Chapter on Sunday]

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