Chapter 154
Chapter 154: Battle with the AB Duo
"A mere kid dares to challenge me?"
A's eyes showed disdain as he looked at Guy. He didn't recognize this opponent—not everyone could be an Uchiha like Haneda or a genius like Kakashi.
"Alright! Thanks for the encouragement, but we're still enemies," replied Guy, aware that he'd have to give it his all to stand a chance against A. Without wasting a second, he activated six of the Eight Gates, radiating green energy. His intense aura caught A off guard, who realized this taijutsu ability was close to his own Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
Taking Guy seriously, A's body crackled with blue lightning, and he transformed into a rampaging force, intending to end this quickly so he could help his younger brother and escape.
Meanwhile, unlike A and Guy, Haneda and Killer B immediately engaged in battle without a word. Haneda's Sharingan tracked Killer Bee's every movement.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Within a moment, their blades collided multiple times. Killer B wielded his eight swords with remarkable dexterity, displaying a unique and unorthodox style. If not for Haneda's Sharingan and Killer Bee's weakened condition, it would have been impossible for Haneda to keep up.
Despite his efforts, Haneda was showing signs of wear. His cloak was slashed in several places, and his clothes were soaked with blood.
The two warriors paused, staring each other down, when Killer Bee taunted with his usual rap, "You've witnessed the might of the Killer Bee, Uchiha Haneda!"
Haneda simply dusted off his clothes in silence. At this moment, the Hachibi inside B warned him, "B, there's something strange about that guy's body—he's healing from the wounds you inflicted very quickly! Be careful!"
Bee was taken aback. His precise sword skills were being countered by Haneda's rapid regeneration.
A high-pitched buzzing sound filled the air as Haneda activated his Chidori Blade, a jutsu capable of slicing through anything. Smiling faintly, he was now familiar with Killer Bee's style. He had been letting Bee believe he could wear him down, all to buy time.
Now, he understood the flaws of Bee's eight-sword style: while agile, it lacked explosive force, and the eight swords actually restricted Bee's movements. It appeared versatile, but was full of exploitable gaps.
Swoosh!
In a swift motion, Haneda struck one of Bee's swords as it hit the ground. As Chidori Blade collided with Bee's blade, it sliced through instantly—a combination of the Kusanagi's sharpness and the Chidori's power. Even with custom weapons, B's swords crumbled against this lethal attack. In seconds, B lost three of his eight swords.
Taking advantage of B's shock, Haneda performed a body-flicker technique, moving behind Bee.
"Watch out, B!" Hachibi extended a tail from B's back, attempting to block Haneda's attack. But the tail, made of Hachibi's chakra, couldn't withstand the combined force of the Kusanagi and Chidori Blade. B had no choice but to abandon the tail and spew out ink, octopus-like.
Knowing that the ink carried a sealing effect, Haneda created an Earth-Style Wall to block it while sending a shadow clone underground.
Using the cover of the ink, Haneda's shadow clone positioned itself beneath A.
"Lightning Release: Chidori Sharp Spear!"
A lance of lightning shot up from the ground, tearing through A's Lightning Armor, causing him to reel backward. Guy seized the opportunity, launching his Morning Peacock technique, fists blazing with fiery strikes.
"Haneda, we did it!" Guy shouted excitedly, feeling the power of their teamwork. This new combination move brought him a sense of friendship and accomplishment.
"Brother!" B rushed forward, surrounded by a fierce red chakra. Half-transformed into the Eight-Tails, he deflected Guy's Morning Peacock. Though successful, he spat out blood and fell to his knees, barely holding on.
Just then, Haneda's blade, Dawn, emerged from the ground, delivering a long, deep wound across Bee's chest.
"B!" A cried out in horror.
Guy intercepted A, smiling confidently. "Your opponent is me!"
Ignoring B's state, Haneda pulled out a sealing scroll and activated it, drawing out a mass of swirling black symbols. He absorbed the symbols into his palm, which transformed into a vortex-like seal. This was the Four Symbols Seal, a sealing jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan designed to handle dangerous enemies and tailed beasts.
"It's over." Haneda's hand struck B's chest, and his rampant chakra suddenly weakened and dissipated.
A watched, feeling helpless and tormented. He regretted every careless move, every punch he threw.
Meanwhile, Leaf shinobi fully encircled them, their torches lighting up the mountain like stars.
In that moment, A felt absolute despair. He and Bee were completely surrounded.
"Two kids, three thousand shinobi—and you think you can take my son?"
The Third Raikage descended from the sky, striking the ground with immense force. Haneda and Guy had to fall back to avoid the attack.
Standing protectively in front of his son, the Third Raikage glared at the Leaf forces as if they were nothing.
"Release Killer Bee, and I may consider sparing your lives," he declared, unfazed by facing Uchiha Haneda, the one who had previously captured the Fourth Kazekage.
Haneda sensed the Raikage's violent, storm-like chakra, and for a moment, hesitated. This man had once fought ten thousand Rock shinobi alone—taking him down wouldn't be easy, even with three thousand Leaf ninjas.
What's more, Cloud's reinforcements were rapidly approaching.
"Haneda is my student, and you won't have the final say," came a powerful voice as Hatake Sakumo appeared, wind swirling around him, standing with sword in hand in front of Haneda.
"Hiss... My student isn't someone anyone can bully." Orochimaru hissed as he slithered onto the scene, positioning himself in front of Guy. He surveyed the battleground, his gaze resting on the injured A and the recaptured Bee, a half-smile playing on his lips.
"I'm curious. How exactly did Cloud manage to infiltrate my communication serpents and spirit B away without anyone in the sealing squad noticing?"