Dark Release: Inhaling Maw
Hiruko raised his palm toward Yusuke.
Boom.
A surge of crackling lightning shot from his palm, piercing straight through Yusuke's chest and sending him flying backward with a thunderous impact.
His body crashed into a distant rock, the sheer force splintering the stone around him.
Dark Release: Inhaling Maw: The ability to absorb an enemy's ninjutsu and temporarily wield it as his own.
Yusuke had no time or space to evade. The raw energy still crackled over his armor as he slumped against the stone.
A smirk crept across Hiruko's lips. "No one will stop me now."
He turned toward the cavern's entrance. "Come in, Kakashi."
Kakashi, his movements eerily lifeless, obeyed without hesitation, stepping into the ritual chamber and positioning himself on the ceremonial altar.
Hiruko stepped into the center of the ritual markings and tilted his head back.
Through the opening in the cavern ceiling, he could see the brilliant sun hanging high in the sky.
"Just a little longer..."
His fingers twitched with anticipation. The moment of the eclipse was near.
And when it arrived—
Hiruko would ascend.
A chuckle bubbled up from his throat before growing into manic laughter that echoed throughout the cave.
Years of planning. Countless sacrifices. And now, success was within his grasp.
"I'll make them see... Those fools who mocked me, those who cast me aside— They will grovel before my power!"
His laughter filled the cavern like a rising storm.
—
Meanwhile, down the mountain—
Miyuki was still locked in battle with the living mass of writhing flesh.
The creature, designated as Ni, was a grotesque fusion of flesh and chakra, a constant storm of regenerating tendrils.
For every vine he severed, another took its place.
He gritted his teeth. "Tch. This is getting annoying."
Across the battlefield, Katsuragi knelt beside a rock, carefully adjusting the bolts in his crossbow.
Miyuki shot him an irritated glance. "Oi, what are you doing over there?"
"Studying its composition," he answered coolly, not even looking up. "Something isn't right about this thing."
Miyuki sliced through another cluster of vines with a swift motion of his blades. "And? Figure anything out yet?"
Katsuragi smirked. "Of course. Who do you think I am? I need you to cut through to its core."
He narrowed his eyes. "Where's the core?"
Katsuragi pointed toward a grotesque, human-like face embedded within the creature's trunk. Its sunken eyes twitched as if sensing their focus.
"There."
Miyuki wasted no time.
With a powerful flap of his chakra-enhanced wings, he launched himself forward, twin blades spinning like turbines, shredding through the mass of tendrils barring his path.
The creature let out a guttural shriek as it commanded every available vine to strike back. But he was too fast, his movements a blur of steel and wind.
He reached the core in a heartbeat.
His blades struck.
A deafening wail filled the canyon as the creature's face split open, revealing a pulsating heart deep within the writhing flesh.
"Move!" Katsuragi shouted.
Miyuki flipped backward, his wings beating hard against the air, just as Katsuragi fired his crossbow. The bolt struck true, embedding itself deep into the creature's heart.
A moment of silence.
Then—
The toxin within the bolt spread rapidly through its system. First, the Anti-Chakra Toxin severed its connection to its regenerative energy. The beast convulsed violently as its once-limitless healing factor collapsed in on itself.
Next, the Body-Ablating Toxin activated, targeting its unnatural growth. The creature's once vibrant, pulsing flesh darkened to an ashen gray.
Its body began to wither.
The monstrous form of Ni crumbled, its flesh melting like candle wax. Limbs disintegrated into sludgy black mud, dripping onto the scorched earth below. What was once an unstoppable force of nature now lay as nothing more than a pile of decayed remains.
Miyuki landed beside Katsuragi, shaking the remnants of gore from his blades. "Damn. You really are a snake with your poisons."
Katsuragi shrugged, securing his crossbow. "If it works, it works."
Before they could continue, a familiar voice echoed through the canyon.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Naruto.
The blonde ninja arrived in a blur, urgency in his every step. Sakura was at his side, her expression equally tense.
Both had broken away from the Leaf Village's restrictions to pursue their missing mentor.
(Seriously, Naruto? You could've busted out of that cell at any time. Don't act like Sakura was your only hope.)
The two ninja skidded to a stop, eyes locking onto Miyuki and Katsuragi.
Naruto's brows furrowed. "Who the hell are you guys? Did you take Kakashi-sensei?!"
The knight-like armor worn by the two Sand Village ninjas gave them an imposing, almost villainous appearance.
Katsuragi sighed, tapping the Sand insignia on his armor. "Relax, we're not your enemies. We're from Sunagakure."
Naruto blinked. "Huh? Sand ninja? Since when do you guys look like that?"
Miyuki snickered. "Says the guy who breathes fire, spits oil, and summons giant frogs."
Naruto ignored the jab. "Whatever. Where's Kakashi-sensei?"
Miyuki and Katsuragi exchanged a glance before pointing up the mountain.
"He's already inside."
Naruto's eyes widened in alarm. "Then we don't have time to waste!"
Without hesitation, he and Sakura sprinted up the mountain path. Miyuki and Katsuragi followed close behind.
The four reached the canyon's edge just in time to witness an incredible sight.
Michiki was in midair, his body coiled with raw power.
"Knight Kick!"
With a battle cry, he rocketed downward, his foot aimed directly for the monstrous beast looming before him—a creature the size of a fortress.
The impact was about to shake the entire battlefield.
Ni saw Michiki's knight kick coming down like a falling meteor.
Instinct took over. She curled her body inward, bracing for impact with the hardened shell of her back—a defense as strong as steel.
That should be enough.
Or so she thought.
The moment Michiki's foot made contact, a deafening explosion echoed through the canyon.
BOOM!
The force wasn't just a strike—it was a detonation.
The impact shattered her shell, crushed her flesh, and sent shockwaves through the air. Ni barely had a second to comprehend what was happening before her body erupted into a rain of gore, chunks of meat flung in all directions.
Naruto skidded to a stop, eyes wide in horror as something round bounced against his foot. He glanced down.
It was Ni's severed head.
Miyuki and Katsuragi exchanged glances, shaking their heads.
"Damn," Miyuki muttered. "That was... excessive."
Katsuragi clicked his tongue. "Shame. She was kind of pretty. Before, y'know… being kicked into pieces."
Naruto and Sakura, still reeling from the sheer brutality, looked at the supposed allies with suspicion.
"Are you guys seriously Sand ninja?" Naruto asked, eyeing their armor with doubt.
Katsuragi flashed an easygoing grin. "Of course. No need to be scared—we're all good people here. Well… mostly."
Miyuki rolled his eyes. "Right. Because getting poisoned by you is so much better than getting blown to bits."
"It's all about efficiency."
Michiki stood proudly in the middle of the canyon, stretching his arms. "Alright, let's move. No time to waste."
With that, he marched ahead, the others falling in behind him.
As soon as they left the canyon, a sharp explosion cracked through the sky.
A streak of yellow-green energy shot upward, piercing the clouds like a lance of pure destruction.
Naruto's jaw tightened. "What the hell was that?!"
Katsuragi pushed his goggles up, squinting. "That's gotta be the Locust Cannon."
Miyuki scoffed. "Guess No. 3 isn't looking too good right now."
Up ahead, a massive burst of feathers rained from the sky, followed by a furious roar. No. 3 had been toying with his prey, but Jin had had enough.
"Think you're tough?!" Jin bellowed. "I'll show you real pain!"
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a flash bomb straight at No. 3's face. The unsuspecting opponent reeled back, temporarily blinded.
Jin didn't hesitate.
In one fluid motion, he pulled out the Locust Cannon and took aim.
By the time No. 3's vision returned, it was already too late.
A blast of energy erupted from the cannon, hitting its target dead center.
No. 3, along with his summoned eagle, disintegrated in an instant. Not even ashes remained.
By the time Naruto and the others arrived, there was nothing left but a lingering burn in the air.
Katsuragi whistled. "Well. That's one way to end a fight."
Miyuki cracked his knuckles. "A bit overkill, but effective."
"Let's hurry," Michiki urged.
They pressed forward up the mountain.
At the summit, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Dark clouds churned in the sky, swirling like an ominous vortex. The occasional flash of lightning illuminated the scene, followed by the deep rumble of thunder.
Something was happening.
The group rushed forward—only to halt at the sight of an immense barrier of storm clouds blocking the cave entrance.
Jin frowned. "We tried rushing it before. The damn thing just zaps us back."
Katsuragi narrowed his eyes. "An automatic defense system, huh? That bastard Hiruko is making sure no one interrupts his ritual."
Naruto stepped forward, fists clenched. "Kakashi-sensei!"
No response.
Panic bubbled in his chest. He had to do something.
Without hesitation, he formed the hand seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
With a series of explosive pops, clones flooded the area, covering the entire mountainside like an unstoppable wave.
Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Damn. He really doesn't hold back."
"Kakashi-sensei, I'm coming!" Naruto yelled, charging forward with his army of clones.
Inside the cave, Hiruko scoffed at the commotion. "A mere clone technique? How foolish."
He raised a hand toward the storm clouds. "Storm Release: Thunder Circus!"
Lightning erupted in all directions, a web of destruction spreading across the battlefield.
In an instant, every single one of Naruto's clones was annihilated, vanishing in bursts of smoke.
Hiruko's laughter echoed through the cave. "Pathetic. You're too late!"
The group looked up in horror.
The sun was vanishing—bit by bit, the shadow of the eclipse creeping across its surface like a devouring maw.
"The ritual has begun," Hiruko announced triumphantly. "Soon, I will ascend beyond humanity!"
Darkness deepened. The sky dimmed further. The world felt as if it was holding its breath.
Naruto gritted his teeth. "Damn it…! We have to stop him!"
Miyuki's eyes flickered to the sky, studying the eclipse. Something about it didn't sit right.
"Wait…" Katsuragi muttered, adjusting his goggles. "Is it just me, or is the sun… flickering?"
Miyuki tilted his head. "Yeah… it's like it's—"
He paused.
Naruto blinked. "Like what?"
Katsuragi scratched his chin. "Like it's struggling to be eaten."
Silence.
Miyuki raised an eyebrow. "Wait, is the sun malfunctioning or what?"
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Word count: 1770
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