Too Close for Comfort 4

"Wait. If we are alive, then doesn't it mean Naruto saved us? Tell me, did anyone hear anything before the explosion?" He asked the joyous men.

"Yes sir. We heard a small voice, but couldn't understand it" said one soldier and the admissions continued. Cloe started thinking and heard loud laughter and turned in that direction.

"That fool. He protected you instead of himself. Hahahaha. No matter. I'll kill you slowly and make you part of my army" said Lock with glee.

"Sir, what should we do?" Asked one of the soldiers. And just like that, there was chaos among the ranks, all the joy of being alive lost and now filled with a chaotic and fearful atmosphere. Cloe started to bring balance, again.

"See, they are just sheep. They can be manipulated easily" laughed Lock, mocking Cloe. Cloe turned to retort, only for his eyes to widen in surprise and shock. Cloe stared at something behind Lock in shock and he stayed frozen for a few seconds.

"What is that thing?" Asked Cloe, pointing towards a structure behind Lock. It was a hexagonal-shaped crimson barrier formed in front of Naruto.

"Cry, Benihime" came the voice of Naruto, telling the name of his barrier. This is the Blood Mist barrier, one of the abilities of Benihime.

"You think a small explosion like that will kill me? Lock" asked Naruto in a disappointed tone. The barrier around Cloe and co was not a barrier to protect them but also to disrupt them from hearing anything that was happening outside. Naruto put silencing seals in the barrier so that he can freely talk to Lock.

"You are still alive? I wasted Amon for nothing huh. No matter. I'll kill you" said Lock. Naruto laughed at that.

"Even after all this, you believe you can kill me, Lock?" Mocked Naruto.

"Yes. I know that you must have spent large amounts of Magic to protect those trash from Amon's explosion and I know how taxing Chains are as I also use that. If I change to my final form, I'll easily kill you" said Lock with a hungry tone.

"Hmm, final form. I don't think I'll allow that. I wasted enough time as it is" said Naruto.

"Hn, you are already late," said Lock and he transformed.

He turned into a large tan monster with black lines running across his entire body. His head has a helmet-like structure that doesn't cover his teeth, and his face changed with branches for teeth and two black lines that zig-zag down his face made a pattern. His left arm is entirely black but the fingers are white while his right fingers are black.

He wears black baggy pants that are held up with a white sash in addition to his clergy robes. Naruto can see some chain spikes here and there on his body. He somehow had the smell of a wood beast now. Naruto can't risk his wood magic now and so he decided on a plan to deal with his morphed enemy.

'I can't understand why all monsters I fight have second forms that make me go a bit over the edge' thought Naruto in vain. If his fox companion was with him now, he would have made a snarky remark at that, calling Naruto weak or something like that. Naruto did not doubt that.

'Time to finish this. It is a good thing that Sirius is not here' he thought and prepared himself.

"Disaster Plants," said Lock and manifested a few plants into reality. The plants touched the uprooted trees that managed to withstand the blast and the trees disintegrated within seconds.

"Shit, such corrosiveness. I don't want to touch that" said Naruto and jumped back from the expanding plants.

"Light Slash," said Naruto and sent a wide arc of his magic towards the approaching trees, the plants stopped for a second and after a short delay, they started spreading again.

"What. That did nothing. Well it's time to pull the big guns then" said Naruto. By letting these plants spread, he is putting the entire forest in danger and the soldiers within.

"Chain Style: Barrier," said Naruto and a barrier made of chains formed around the spreading plants and restricted its spread for the time being.

"Hehehehe. You can't stop it for long" said Lock and attacked Naruto with another attack

"Curse: Roots," said Lock and roots started to emerge from the ground. They started to approach the barrier fast and Naruto is running out of options now. He is going to use the attack he doesn't often use.

"Light Style: Laser Circus," said Naruto.

This technique creates several beams of light and shoots them in any direction Naruto chooses. This is advanced of Light Style Senbon.

The Lasers pierced most of the approaching roots and the plants that were bound in the barrier were also torn to shreds with one attack.

"You are not half bad. But that's not enough. I'll end you with this" said Lock and his magic exploded.

"Curse Mix: Ultimate Steel Wood'' said Lock and a large spike of white coloured wood protruded out of the earth. Naruto can feel the overwhelming power in that thing.

'Crap. I can't hold back any longer. One hit from that and all the area will be blasted' thought Naruto and thought of a way to kill his enemy.