Ryu soared through the air, effortlessly matching Future-Rina's altitude. "If I can invent flying ships, Bunny," Future-Ryu declared, his voice ringing with boundless confidence, "don't you think I can fly myself?"
The real audience below was utterly dumbfounded. Tsunade, Dan, and Yuki stared up, their jaws slack. The declaration of "flying ships" hit them harder than any traditional ninja technique. They weren't just surprised; they were totally caught off guard by this casual statement from an imaginary future Ryu.
Tsunade's eyes were wide, not just from the jutsu but from the staggering implications. "Flying ships!!" she breathed, her mind already racing through the profound societal shifts, the inevitable upheaval such technology would unleash upon their world. No more weeks of travel, no more vulnerable caravans... the world would shrink.
Dan's mind reeled. Trade routes obsolete, military movements revolutionised... the very map of the world would be redrawn. This boy... he wasn't just a shinobi; he was a force of civilisation-altering change.
"He is speaking of a future yet to happen." Yuki thought, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and profound wonder. "The inventions he is speaking of and jutsus he is using all are from his future… as if he can look into the future."
The aerial battle resumed with renewed intensity. Future-Rina, graceful and agile, unleashed a volley of crescent-shaped wind slashes from her augmented leg blades. The compressed air shimmered with razor-sharp edges, carving pathways through the ethereal sky of the [Mind Palace].
Future-Ryu, however, moved with an almost mocking ease. His [ReflexGuard—Trampoline] barriers shimmered into existence, not just deflecting the slashes but absorbing their kinetic energy to propel him further, making his aerial manoeuvres, his air jumps, seem impossibly fluid.
Each [ReflexGuard] shimmer was a precise calculation and a perfect counter to Future-Rina's offence, proving his method of aerial movement inherently superior in both defence and propulsion compared to her raw [Wind Release – Sky Walk].
Frustration flickered across Future-Rina's face. Her graceful dodges and sweeping slashes were being outmanoeuvred by Ryu in midair. With a burst of speed, she closed the distance; her leg blades met Ryu's hardened body and did nothing.
With a lightning-fast double kick to her chest, he sent her spiralling downward from above while Ryu flipped back and effortlessly conjured a circular [ReflexGuard] shield beneath his feet and launched himself off the barrier, rocketing himself after the falling Future-Rina, appearing instantly behind her. His arms wrapped around her, locking her into a brutal hold.
"I always wanted to try this!" Future- Ryu's voice was a low taunt as he spun, driving her headfirst towards the [Mind Palace]'s floor. He moved with terrifying speed and performed the [Preliminary Lotus], a technique Dan instantly recognised from Might Dai's limited demonstrations decades ago.
"That's Might Dai's jutsu!" Dan exclaimed, his voice laced with awe, even as the brutal efficiency of the move unfolded.
But just before impact, a sudden surge of wind chakra erupted from Future-Rina's bent leg. A focused, concussive blast of wind exploded from her heel piston, twisting their entangled bodies mid-descent.
The roles reversed in a blink, and it was Future-Ryu, not Future-Rina, who was thrashed violently into the ground, a crater forming instantly around his impact point. The scene starkly resembled the raw power of the future battle between Rock Lee and Gaara, a clash Real Ryu knew well from his knowledge of past life.
Real Ryu observed, a genuine smile playing on his lips. "Good strategy," he complimented his future self's opponent, then leaned forward to explain. "She used a focused wind explosion from her leg to redirect their momentum mid-air, making my future self take the impact of the fall."
"A clever counter." Real Ryu then chuckled, "Too bad I saw this happen today and made a counter for her counter years in advance."
Ryu spoke as if he were observing and discussing a genuine future event that he had witnessed and altered in real-time.
As he spoke, the form of Future-Ryu that lay shattered in the crater started to crack. It wasn't his real body but a perfectly crafted carbon husk, a transfigured shell that dissolved into fine black dust, revealing the real Future-Ryu standing calmly a safe distance away, a smirk playing on his lips. Future-Ryu substituted himself with a husk, just like how Gaara did when he fought Rock Lee in the future.
Future-Rina, back on the ground, clenched her fists. "It's just like you showed me that day, Ryu... But I am going to win this time!"
This time, future Bunny hinted that the events that were happening were canon and that she already knew what would happen.
Future-Ryu's smirk widened. "Are you sure you saw everything, Bunny?"
The fight shifted, bringing them back to the ground level of the [Mind Palace].
Future-Ryu, now pushing the limits of his displayed abilities, integrated his [Fuinjutsu] skills directly with his carbon manipulation. Razor-thin carbon cards, conjured instantly, spun between his fingers, each inscribed with miniature seals. He unleashed a barrage: a flickering [Smoke bomb] that obscured vision, followed by a concussive [Sound bomb] that disoriented Future-Rina. Then he quickly used [Lightning Bullets] which she dodged and defended using [Earth Style - Wall Jutsus] to block her flying slash.
Future-Rina, relying on her enhanced senses and agility, dodged it all and attacked using her flying wind slashes. But Future-Ryu had a final, spectacular yet simple move that he had planned to use years ahead before this battle even began. It paled the planning Shikamaru did when he fought his future wife in the Chunin Exam. He had been leading this fight as he wanted and where he wanted from the beginning.
With a burst of his [Bird Clone Lightning Flicker], his bird clone divided into super-fasthummingbirds. It was similar to Kizaru's style of burst of speed, where he disintegrated into light before reforming. Future-Ryu's [Bird Clone] assembled behind Future-Rina and landed a devastating kick to her back.
The force launched Future-Rina across the [Mind Palace], sending her hurtling directly towards the original Future-Ryu, who stood waiting.
While their doppelgangers clashed in the simulated reality, Real Ryu turned to real Rina, his expression softening. He reached out, taking her hand. "Look at yourself, Rina," he urged, his voice gentle but firm. "Look at what you can achieve. Imagine what we can achieve if you just believe in yourself... and believe in me."
The fight between the doppelgangers continued, a blur of motion and raw power. Future-Rina recovered mid-air, meeting Future-Ryu's charge with a desperate, sweeping kick. But the strain of the genjutsu and the overwhelming reality of Ryu's future and her own potential began to take its toll on the real Rina.
"Please," Real Rina whispered, her voice strained, "Stop this."
At some point, the intensity of watching her future self in such a brutal fight became too much. Her eyes squeezed shut to think and reflect.
At that exact moment in the genjutsu, a crucial, almost cruel twist of fate occurred. Future-Rina, blinded by a final, desperate lunge, accidentally stepped on the coin that had been tossed to mark the start of the fight.
She lost her footing for a split second, a minuscule stumble. It was all Future-Ryu needed. He seized the opportunity, landing a decisive, resounding kick to her face that sent her sprawling.
The real Rina, with her eyes closed, did not see that pivotal part.
The genjutsu started to fade. The vibrant [Mind Palace] faded, and the doppelgangers flickered out of existence. Future-Rina lay on the ground, defeated, as Future-Ryu's form began to dissolve. Before completely vanishing, Future-Ryu gave a knowing wink towards the stunned audience.
"See you in a few years," Future-Ryu promised, his voice echoing as he disappeared.
Tsunade's eye twitched. "A few years?" she thought, pressing a hand to her throbbing forehead. "He's just going to keep dropping these impossible spoilers from a future yet to happen. "Flying ships! High-level Body Flicker! Like some immature writer who can't resist teasing the audience with hints of what's to come."
Dan's wry grin widened. He thought, 'Well,' he drawled, 'at least we'll never be bored. Ryu is certainly keeping my future self on his toes. He had always been ahead of his time, but this is getting ridiculous."
Others exchanged glances, a mixture of disbelief and wonder at Future-Ryu's parting comment.
Real Ryu, seeing their bewildered faces, offered a placating smile. "Don't take comments from my future self too seriously," he advised, though a flicker of amusement danced in his eyes.
-Genjutsu: [Mind Palace Projection] deactivated.
They were back in the plain reality of the recovery room. The room felt less vibrant without the shared illusion of [Mind Palace].
Rina, still reeling from the experience, looked up at Ryu, a question in her eyes. "If I... if I refuse to join you," she asked, her voice quiet, "will you still treat Souji?"
Ryu, true to his nature, met her gaze directly. "Of course, Rina," he stated, his voice firm, leaving no room for doubt. "My commitment to healing Souji transcends any personal agenda. I will treat him regardless of your decision."
Rina closed her eyes, processing his words, the weight of her decision heavy upon her. When she opened them, her gaze was clear and resolved.
"I... I can't join you," Rina whispered, her voice firm despite its softness.
A/N: How was the fight? Please share your opinion in the comments. and if you have not given a review on WN or RR, please do so, as it will help me a lot in reaching more audiences.