chapter 13 : Enough!!!
Chapter 13: Enough!!!
Tonari, dangling like a rag doll in the Cloud Anbu's grip, slowly lifted his head.
"Hsss—"
Inside the sealed space, his battered form was purely a projection of his consciousness. But outside…
It hurt.
The searing pain radiated through his body, intensifying with every breath. The cold air filling his lungs only worsened the sting of his injuries, and every movement pulled at the wounds on his body.
Blood dripped from him in streams, but the worst pain was in his stomach, where the Anbu's earlier kick had left him gasping.
He wheezed, biting down hard to endure the pain, his forehead drenched in sweat.
Blood trickled to his lips, filling his mouth with its metallic taste.
"Cough, cough—"
Tonari sputtered, the force of his cough sending a spray of blood across the Anbu's pristine white mask. The crimson droplets stood out starkly against its pale surface.
"Little brat..."
Behind the mask, the Anbu frowned.
He was no stranger to blood—it came with the job. But having it spat directly on him, mixed with spit no less, was a different matter entirely.
"Cough, cough… Cloud Anbu," Tonari rasped, his voice hoarse but steady.
Though the blood loss had drained his complexion to a ghastly white, spitting out the blood made breathing easier.
"Oh? You know of us," the Anbu muttered, surprised. "You're an interesting little one. Tell me—are you from the Land of Fire? Konoha?
"Speak, and your suffering will be brief."
The short blade in his hand gleamed, its edge tracing patterns against Tonari's bloodied skin.
The cold steel sent a shiver through Tonari's battered frame, pulling an involuntary wince from him.
Then, suddenly, Tonari grinned, his bloodied teeth bared in defiance. He writhed in the Anbu's grasp.
Thud.
The Anbu, growing irritated with the boy's antics, released him, letting Tonari crumple to the ground in a heap.
Tonari hit the forest floor hard, blood seeping from his wounds to pool around him.
But he didn't stay down for long. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up on trembling arms.
His knees wobbled as he struggled upright, using his hands to brace against his thighs.
The Anbu watched, expression unreadable beneath his mask.
Tonari's resilience was remarkable, but the Anbu saw it for what it was—pointless defiance.
"Ha… haha… hahahaha…"
Tonari's laughter, hoarse and broken, rang out through the forest.
The Anbu's brows furrowed in confusion.
Has this brat lost his mind?
Still chuckling, Tonari lifted the hem of his tattered shirt to wipe the blood from his mouth.
But the sight beneath the fabric wiped the amusement from the Anbu's face. His eyes widened in shock.
"That… that seal!"
The intricate pattern etched onto Tonari's abdomen was unmistakable.
As a member of the Cloud Village's specialized Anbu tasked with tracking the Two-Tails, the ninja immediately recognized the seal for what it was.
A cold chill ran down his spine.
This wasn't just any seal—it was the very one binding the Two-Tails.
For a moment, the Anbu regretted taking this mission.
He had thought it overkill for someone of his caliber to track a powerless child. Now he realized…
They might have underestimated the situation.
Gripping his short blade tightly, the Anbu shifted into a defensive stance. His muscles tensed, ready to react at a moment's notice.
Tonari, still bleeding and grinning, stood motionless.
They stared at each other, predator and prey locked in a tense standoff.
Seconds stretched into minutes. The Anbu's arms began to ache from the strain of holding his guard.
Tonari's grin faltered slightly, a bead of sweat trailing down his temple.
Why isn't Big Beauty responding?
"Big Beauty… now isn't the time for jokes…"
The Anbu, growing impatient, let out a growl of frustration.
"Brat!"
With a burst of speed, he closed the gap between them, his blade aimed for Tonari's shoulder.
At the same moment, a mocking chuckle echoed in Tonari's mind.
Finally.
A surge of azure chakra erupted from Tonari's midsection, glowing faintly as it surrounded him in a protective layer.
The Anbu's blade clanged uselessly against the shield of chakra, failing to pierce it.
"What?!"
The Anbu's shock turned to horror as the chakra surrounding Tonari shifted. The soft blue hue darkened, becoming a wild, feral crimson.
The oppressive aura of a tailed beast filled the air, suffocating in its intensity.
With a roar, Tonari's arm lashed out, now sheathed in the same crimson energy. His claw-like swipe sent the Anbu flying, his blade knocked aside like a twig.
Crash!
The Anbu tumbled through the forest, smashing through several trees before coming to a stop.
Panting heavily, Tonari straightened, the beast-like chakra enveloping him in a pulsating shroud.
Behind him, the crimson energy coalesced, forming a tail-like appendage.
His features twisted further, his head sprouting small, sharp ears reminiscent of a cat's.
"Enough!!!"
The guttural roar that tore from Tonari's throat wasn't his own—it was a beast's cry, filled with rage and primal fury.
The force of his outburst scattered the leaves and debris at his feet, sending them flying in all directions.
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(End of Chapter)