Shadows

With a deep breath, Kiyota stepped in.

As Kiyota went deeper into the cave, his senses were on high alert. The darkness seemed to get darker in around him due to his body. As he moved further in, he noticed the cave's structure becoming more complex.

The ceiling above him was dotted with numerous exclaves, small holes that could easily hide someone. Kiyota's eyes darted from one to another, half-expecting to see a pair of eyes.

As he kept walking, the main passage split into several narrower tunnels, each stretching off until darkness covered the rest of the path. Kiyota paused, considering which path to take.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. His eyes scanned the shadows, searching for any sign of movement, but he saw nothing.

'Something's not right,' Kiyota thought, his muscles tensing.

'I can't see or sense anything, but I swear there are eyes on me.'

'Stay calm,' he reminded himself.

'Don't make any sudden moves. If there is something watching, I don't want to provoke it.'

'Luna and Kain are just outside, If things go south, I can call for them.'

After a few more minutes of walking, Kiyota felt the sensation intensify. The feeling of being watched was now almost unbearable, like an itch he couldn't scratch.

'Siri,' Kiyota thought, trying to keep his mental voice steady, 'can you pinpoint the source of this feeling? Where's the Vasto Lorde hiding?'

There was a brief pause before Siri's voice echoed in his mind. "Approximately 20 meters ahead, slightly to your left."

Kiyota's eyes narrowed as he focused on the spot Siri indicated. In the dark, everything seemed the same. But now that he knew where to look, he could sense a faint presence.

'Maybe this is also enhanced due to my sharingan.'

Kiyota took a deep breath and spoke into the darkness, his tone calm but firm. "I can see you. There's no need to hide anymore."

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, slowly, a figure emerged from the shadows. A slim Vasto Lorde with pastel pink hair stepped into view. The white hollow shell covered nearly her entire body, leaving only her eye area exposed. Her arms were nothing but sharp swords. Her eyes were locked onto Kiyota's. The next second, she disappeared again. He could feel the Vasto Lorde's presence moving around him. The faint sound of movement echoed off the cave walls, coming from all directions. It was clear she was using her speed and agility to her advantage, staying just out of sight.

Kiyota realised that trying to pinpoint her exact location was utterly useless. Even with his enhanced senses and Sharingan, she was simply too fast to be seen. Every time he thought he caught a glimpse of pink hair or a flash of white hollow shell, she was gone in an instant.

Taking a deep breath, Kiyota decided to change tactics. He relaxed his stance and spoke in a casual tone.

"You know, this game of hide and seek is getting a bit silly," he called out, his voice echoing through the cave.

"Why don't we just talk face to face?"

'Maybe I should've brought Luna or Kain after all,' Kiyota thought, cursing himself silently.

'This Vasto Lorde is on a whole different level.'

Suddenly, there was a shift in the air behind him. But before he could react, he felt wind at his back. The female Vasto Lorde had launched a deadly attack, her blade-like arms aimed directly at his neck.

Time seemed to slow down. The razor-sharp blades flew through the air, closing the distance in milliseconds. But just as the blades were about to make contact, no more than two centimetres from Kiyota's exposed neck, they stopped abruptly. Kiyota's eyes widened as he felt the cold presence of the white hollow blades hovering just above his skin. He didn't dare move, barely even breathing.

Suddenly, Siri's voice whispered urgently in Kiyota's mind. "Danger Stop activated. The attack was lethal enough to trigger it."

Kiyota's eyes widened in shock.

'Shit!' he thought, realising how close he'd come to death.

Without hesitation, he moved out of the way of the frozen attack, quickly positioning himself behind the Vasto Lorde.

'That was too close,' Kiyota thought, taking a shaky breath.

'I'm damn lucky to have such a cheat ability. Without it, I'd be dead right now. Thank you, Siri!'

As he stood behind the motionless Vasto Lorde, Kiyota's mind raced. 'Why is she so strong?' he wondered, a chill running down his spine.

'None of my previous opponents could kill me with one shot, not even Luna. What makes this Vasto Lorde different?'

He studied the frozen figure before him, noting the deadly precision of her blade-like arms. The power radiating from her was on a completely different level from anything he'd encountered before.

'I can't underestimate her.' Kiyota thought, his muscles tense and ready for action.

'One wrong move, and it's over, Danger Stop or not.'

He knew he had to act fast. The ability would only last for 25 seconds, and when it wore off, he needed to be ready.

'Should I try to talk her down? Attack while I have the advantage? Or maybe...' His thoughts were interrupted as he felt the air around him begin to shift, signalling that Danger Stop was about to wear off.

"Time resumes in... 5" Siri said.

Before the countdown was complete, Kiyota acted.

'If I can use genjutsu to completely cover my reiatsu then I can also do the opposite. I haven't tried this yet, so I only have one chance to get it right, and there's a chance it might not even work. She might become even more aggressive if she senses spiritual pressure strong than her own. Doesn't matter. I have to act now.'

"...4"

Focusing his reiatsu in is head, he quickly created three clones of himself.

He positioned one clone directly in front of the Vasto Lorde's frozen attack, ready to take the hit. The other two clones, he placed at opposite ends of the cave, leaning casually against the walls with confident smiles on their faces.

"...3"

Concentrating hard, Kiyota poured his energy into the two clones against the walls, dramatically increasing their apparent spiritual pressure. He pushed it to the limit, making each clone appear six times stronger than himself. The cave seemed to crackle with energy, the air growing heavy with the weight of their fabricated power.

"...2"

As for himself, Kiyota did the opposite. He completely suppressed his own spiritual pressure, making himself virtually undetectable. Then, using his skills, he rendered himself invisible.

"...1"

With his heart pounding, Kiyota silently leapt behind a cluster of rocks, crouching low and holding his breath. He prayed his hasty plan would work.

"...Time is resuming."