Takigakure Village, November, Year 60 of Konoha
Suien watched Katsuyu spit corrosive acid towards Torafugu-maru, and the last shred of composure in his heart finally shattered.
Humans are complex creatures. Driven by emotion, when faced with crisis, they react in profoundly different ways. These actions, ruled by emotion, often override instinct. Sometimes they lead to salvation, other times... they hasten destruction.
"Water Style: Water Membrane Technique!"
Suien's expression changed, his earlier hesitation replaced by a look of utter madness. Just then, a shimmering membrane made of water rose from the lake, glimmering faintly with rainbow hues in the cavern's ambient light.
He was cornered; it was the point of no return. Suien made his decision: eliminate Haruno Sakura, then flee to Amegakure. Unlike Takigakure, hidden away in mountain forests, the Land of Rain was a haven for all sorts of people. If he hid there, even the Hokage couldn't touch him. Perhaps after obtaining the Hero Water, he could present it to Amegakure's leader, seeking asylum.
Suien had abandoned all restraint. Now, he just needed to eliminate the girl first, then make for Amegakure with the three Rain ninja before Konoha got wind of this. By the time Konoha reacted, he would likely be safely under Amegakure's protection.
Katsuyu's potent acid struck the water membrane with a harsh hissing sound. The barrier dissolved under the acid's onslaught, which continued flowing past towards Torafugu-maru. Seeing this, Suien instantly abandoned his summon, focusing solely on maintaining the Water Membrane protecting himself.
Doused in Katsuyu's acid, Torafugu-maru writhed violently, trying desperately to dislodge the corrosive substance. But this acid was laced with chakra; it couldn't be easily neutralized. Torafugu-maru, ultimately, was merely a large carp with some sentience. Although it possessed chakra, its control over it was rudimentary, worse even than a Genin's.
Before long, the great beast couldn't withstand the agony any longer. With a final, choked sound and a heavy Poof!, the giant carp vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Though Torafugu-maru was gone, Suien still stood. Since shielding only himself required minimal chakra, the acid was ineffective against Suien himself.
"Heh... heheh..." A snarl twisted Suien's features as he glared at Sakura. "I hadn't planned on killing you. It seems you forced my hand. So now you die!"
As he spoke, Suien finished flashing through hand seals. "Water Style: Transformation Technique!"
Columns of water erupted from the lake surface, rapidly morphing into humanoid shapes similar in build to Suien. They looked akin to water clones but were constructs of pure water, their bodies semi-transparent. Then, the hands of these water figures shifted and morphed, forming into broadswords, scythes, and other deadly weapons Sakura didn't recognize.
Sakura observed them thoughtfully. Similar in principle to my Storm Release Clone, she noted. But his are water constructs, while mine is pure Storm Release chakra. Quantity-wise, he has the advantage, but quality-wise... my clone far surpasses these. A flicker of acquisitive interest sparked. Maybe later I can interrogate Suien and learn this ninjutsu. The Storm Release Clone is incredibly useful, but it's also incredibly chakra-taxing. An auxiliary technique like this could be valuable.
As the water figures rushed her, Sakura dismissed Katsuyu. She then deployed her Storm Release clone to intercept them, while she herself dashed straight towards Suien, who remained poised on the water's surface. The water figures were no match for her clone; she had no doubt it, along with Sasuke who was presumably still capable of fighting, could handle them.
Seeing Sakura rushing him, Suien flung ten shuriken at her with several sharp Zip! Zip! sounds. His expression still bore a wild look; perhaps it wasn't just madness, but fear pushed past the brink into sheer desperation, numbing him to fear itself. Suien wasn't ignorant of the fearsome power of Kekkei Genkai, and this user clearly wielded significant strength. The boy with the Sharingan couldn't yet wield its true potential – he only inspired greed in Suien. But this girl showed mastery of her bloodline limit. Combined with her status as Tsunade's disciple... all these factors pushed Suien over the edge into a state nearing true insanity.
Sakura effortlessly evaded the shuriken. Enhancing her speed with chakra, she left a fleeting pink afterimage and closed the distance instantly, appearing right before Suien. Focusing immense chakra into her right fist, she threw a devastating punch.
Suien saw only the lingering pink blur, and then the girl was suddenly right in front of him. He saw her fist rushing towards him, pulsating with terrifying chakra. He knew instinctively, with chilling certainty, that he couldn't possibly block it. Yet, gripped by madness, a look of wild defiance flashed across his face. He raised his own right fist, clenching it, and threw it forward to meet the girl's fist head-on.
"......" Sakura was genuinely taken aback. It was… unexpected. She hadn't been surprised by the giant carp summon, nor by the water clone jutsu. But she never in a million years expected someone would actually try to block her full-power Monster Strength Fist with a bare fist. What insane courage... or folly? Shouldn't he have dodged? Or at least tried to defend? She'd already anticipated his evasion, planned her follow-up— his sheer audacity completely threw off her rhythm.
Despite herself, Sakura felt a flicker of grudging respect. An opponent worthy of respect. After knowing she was Tsunade's disciple, she was certain Suien must have known about her monstrous strength. To dare meet the Monster Strength Fist head-on… that took a kind of suicidal courage.
But her momentary respect didn't change the outcome. The inevitable occurred. Terrifying power slammed from Sakura's fist into Suien's. The force instantly shattered his right fist. The undiminished shockwave raced up his arm – wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm… his entire limb was reduced to bloody mist and bone fragments by the devastating impact. Instantly, the coppery tang of blood filled the air. An erupting spray of crimson stained the lake water below red.
Suien was hurled bodily onto the nearby shore, landing broken and unmoving, his eyes staring blankly at the cavern roof high above. His chest hitched violently. "Cough... cough..." He expelled a great gout of blood. "Is it... finally over?" His voice held a note of finality, almost relief. The madness was finally extinguished from his face.
Perhaps Suien knew, in the end, there was no escape. Even if he had killed Sakura and fled to Amegakure, he would still face the wrath of the Fifth Hokage. Even empowered by the Hero Water, his life expectancy would likely consist of constantly hiding from Konoha's ANBU. Yet, he couldn't bear the failure of the plan he'd orchestrated for so long, sacrificed so much for. Driven by primal survival instinct, he'd made his final, mad gamble – betraying his students, sacrificing the villagers, forsaking his duty – all for the promise of power from the Hero Water.
Caught between the giants, Takigakure's peace was always fleeting. Only power ensured survival, he believed. But in the end, his ambition was foiled merely by the presence of the disciple of a Great Nation's Kage. Was this the insurmountable power of the Great Nations...?
By this time, the water clones had dissipated, dealt with by the Storm Release Clone and Sasuke. Naruto arrived beside Sasuke, supporting the weakened Senji. Senji saw Suien's broken form on the shore and gestured for Naruto to bring him closer.
Sakura also reached Suien's side. She hadn't expected the fight to end so abruptly. Suien was, despite everything, a Jonin-level ninja. If he hadn't chosen that suicidal clash, she doubted she could have ended it so decisively. It hammered home the importance of real combat experience. Ninjutsu and raw chakra weren't the only metrics of a ninja's strength. Experience, prudence, and caution – those were the true measure. When she met Suien's fist, she'd seen the sheer madness in his eyes. Choosing that suicidal clash meant he'd forsaken all combat sense, all the prudence expected of a ninja. He embraced madness, and so she ended the fight with a single, decisive blow.
Senji, leaning heavily on Naruto, arrived beside Suien. Seeing his former comrade broken and bloody, Senji's face held a look of pity and sorrow. Suien sensed his presence and managed to turn his head slightly.
"Any regrets?" Senji asked softly.
"Regret!" After a long silence, Suien forced out the word. Then, a wild look returned briefly to his eyes. "I regret being born in Takigakure! I regret I wasn't born in a Great Nation!"
Senji was silent for a moment, then added softly, "Being in Takigakure wasn't so bad. We were isolated; even the wars couldn't touch us. What was wrong with that?"
"Cough..." Suien rasped, another trickle of blood escaping his lips. "Not so bad? Trapped between the giants, we lived under constant threat... cough cough... Did you forget how Shibuki's father, Hisen, died?... cough... Only power guarantees survival in this warring world... Takigakure... cough... If Taki could truly escape conflict... then why does the Hero Water even exist?... cough... It's only a matter of time... before Takigakure is consumed by war... I... cough... didn't want... to perish along with Takigakure... cough cough..."
He coughed violently again, spitting more blood. Sakura's punch had caused devastating internal injuries. Senji absorbed Suien's final words silently. They contained bitter truth. Takigakure hadn't always resided here. Driven by war centuries ago, they sought refuge in this hidden sanctuary and found the God Tree and its sacred water. Taki's history stretched back to the Warring States Era, before the village system, when ninja clans banded together for survival. Through fortune, their forebears found this valley and the water that could grant tenfold chakra, securing their place. Later, with the advent of the village system, they negotiated with the Land of Waterfalls' Daimyo and officially founded Takigakure. It hadn't always been the minor village it was today. But growing isolation and the ravages of three Great Shinobi Wars had dwindled its shinobi forces significantly. Yet, rumors of the Hero Water eventually spread. Though their location remained secret, they suffered numerous attacks over the years. Suien and Shibuki's father, Hisen, had studied ninjutsu together in their youth...
Senji watched as Suien's breathing grew shallow, almost imperceptible. His lips moved faintly, but no sound emerged. Perhaps Hisen's death shattered Suien back then, Senji thought sadly, setting him on this obsessive pursuit of power. Seeing him meet this end, Senji felt a pang of sorrow.
"Just watch... Someday... cough... Someday... cough... Takigakure will be... devoured by those Great Nations... Hiding... cough... won't last... cough... Urk..." Suien's eyes fixed wide on Senji, then glazed over. His breath ceased. He was gone.
Sakura regarded Suien's lifeless form with little outward emotion. He had chosen a path obsessed with power. If he'd succeeded, how many more lives would have been lost? He'd fully intended to sacrifice Takigakure's own villagers. This wasn't merely a pursuit of strength; it was the indulgence of selfish desire and resentment.
She turned to Senji. "Right. About my payment... shall we settle the bill?"
Just as Senji opened his mouth to respond, a piercing scream ripped through the air from the direction of the God Tree passages.
"Ahhhhh~~~"
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