Rushing through the forest, we were flying ahead, probably the fastest we have ever run, following the two chakra signatures that moved just as fast. However, with the injuries they sustained from clashing with Sensei, it was already clear that, if nothing changed, we would catch up to them... sooner or later. Of course, they also realized the fact, and that was when Minato's voice cut through the wind, whistling past my ears.
"They're splitting the distance! One of them is falling back!"
"I see it!"
Soon, we were face-to-face with one of the masked figures, dressed in black. I couldn't tell his strength, but I knew that it would be someone who was for sure Jōnin-level. The question was... how high of a Jōnin? Can we handle him or... can I? Because we fought against an ample number of Uzumaki Chūnins, so... I think we could take on one of them, if he wasn't some unique, named character... Ugh... Please don't be one! Even if you are injured... It was amidst those thoughts that I saw a pulse of lightning chakra appear, as the man was already performing a jutsu to spear through us.
"Minato!" I barked at him, "I'll deal with this bastard, you go follow Kushina!"
Minato hesitated for a fraction of a second, but then, he threw out a kunai, straight at the incoming attack. The masked man, of course, blocked it, but he audibly gasped because Minato was no longer there, using it as a distraction to slip past him, accelerating even further, pursuing the one in the front. The man could do nothing about that by then, so, not wanting to fall into a trap because of his indecision, he continued his trajectory, aiming at me next. I watched with my Sharingan as his heels smashed into the earth where I'd been standing just a breath earlier.
While I dodged, I saw how the ground cracked apart and not just because of the force behind his attack, or his strength, but because of the lightning-affinity buzzing around in his chakra. The Hidden Cloud, eh? I'm not surprised that they would be behind this once again. Seeing me dodge, he was a bit surprised, giving me enough of a pause to attack him as I was already aiming a kick at his back. I could see how his breathing remained controlled, dodging me, but I could also see how his chest was stained where Jiraiya's hair had torn through earlier. He was holding it together, but his injury was hampering him... Hmph. Then let's finish this quickly!
Dodging me, he moved right away, using the fractional moment when I was still assessing his condition, coming at me in a linear burst of speed, using his lightning-infused chakra to boost his speed. My eyes could see how blueish sparks were running faintly along his legs, but it wasn't like the armor that the Raikage had worn in the show. Still, I knew that it was dangerous and sped him up enough that I barely could keep up, raising my kunai just in time to block a finger-like attack.
Clang!
The impact numbed my arm instantly, as his fingers made the kunai crack and splinter, spinning it out from between my fingers. He wasn't done though, as he followed it up with a backhand strike aimed at my throat. He wasn't playing around, kids or not, he was going in for the kill! Luckily, my eyes and my body could see it, so I ducked... But... Tsk! Too slow. His knee caught my ribs and sent me skidding through dirt and roots, but I missed hitting the trees. While still looking at him, biting my lips, I kept the air down in my lungs, refusing to spit out any blood, even if unbearable pain suddenly exploded through my side, caused by his chakra, making it feel like I was being stabbed.
Keeping up the pressure, he was already moving again, while I was reading the seals he was forming... Another lightning-based ninjutsu was coming... In... three... two... now! As expected, a spear of lightning erupted from his hand, hurled directly at me as a piercing attack. Already prepared, I leapt sideways, but it grazed my shoulder and burned through cloth and singed my skin. Ouch, you bastard! But, I had to give it to him; he was a professional, because all this time, he said nothing, and he only made moves to end me and the battle as he vanished from view again, bursting with speed.
But... I was used to such things, thanks to Minato, already countering as he reappeared behind me, aiming at my spine with a palm strike. I forced chakra into my feet and pushed off the ground, spinning mid-air, watching his hand go past my body while my face turned towards him, the tiger-seal already raised to my mouth.
"Katon, Endan!" I yelled in my mind, subconsciously copying something that I remembered Jiraiya used in the show, and exhaled, dosing the bastard in a breath of fire.
Of course, I knew that wasn't enough, so I used his surprise to gain some distance, while I saw how a Lightning-coated blade appeared in his hand now, cutting the flames apart. Who the fuck are you? Cloud Kakashi? Or what? Not that I had time to think about it because he came through the fire, pursuing me. Damn it...! I can barely see his movements now... but I pulled out my last kunai, blocking a piercing stab, redirecting it away from my face as the two weapons threw sparks between us, demolishing my kunai like it was a papier-mache. Naturally, he wasn't done because he pivoted the moment he planted his right foot into the ground and slammed his elbow into my jaw.
I heard something crack and my vision blurred in an instant... And I think I tasted blood. Hoping to kill me, he followed his attack with a downward slash, but I leaned into my fall, rolling into his movement, going forward, and colliding with him. At least, I dodged this way, but my body spasmed as he kneed my chest, sending me rolling away. Fuuuuck... fighting a Jōnin is no joke, eh? I was wondering if this is going to keep up... Will I... Lose? No. I am not. Hmph! I won't think like that.
I needed distance, so, while still mid-roll, I flung the stones I grabbed from the ground at him, weapons are weapons after all, even if he deflected them effortlessly. But, with that, I hid the fact that I started forming a Rasengan in my hand.
Too slow... I could tell I was too slow; he was going in for the kill. If I could... and, yes... I could. For some reason, without realizing it, something suddenly clicked in my mind. I could see him move much more slowly now, and I could read what he was intending to do. The twitch in his shoulder before a strike was now visible, and I could also see the micro-shift in his weight on his ankle due to the injury on his chest, constantly draining him of strength and forcing him to move in a certain way. He was trying to finish this so quickly because he was running out of chakra! And if I can see this now... it meant I awakened my third tomoe.
But I didn't have time to think about that, because he was on me by then as his hand thrusted forward.
My turn!
I managed to slip past it, beyond his possible counter, as my palm slammed into his ribs, along with my Rasengan, which, wasn't as well formed as I'd liked it to be, but, it still was a hit that made him spat out blood, soaking his mask while also being lifted from the ground, almost making him spin. But only almost.
I was about to follow through with a lion-kick into his side to give him a good trashing when lightning surged along his body, more visibly this time, bringing up a partial cloak, blocking me. Fuck! So that's how it is?! I almost yelled as I stepped back, using my own chakra to try and expel the lightning from my legs, making them numb, and feel as if tiny needles were stabbing me, while I formed another Rasengan. But... I wasn't going to just use something incomplete. Hmph! Cloak yourself as much as you want... Let's see how you handle this!
He could tell that I was doing something, so of course, he was coming at me again, but by then, in my mind... some old knowledge was being dragged out by my Sharingan, as I suddenly remembered how fusion worked, and I mean, real fusion, how stars work... Fire that could burn even in a vacuum... And for some reason, my chakra followed through it, as the Rasengan in my hand turned white-hot, while the air distorted around it. I saw how the masked Shinobi's charge faltered for half a heartbeat, but it was too late... and this was already my win!
The moment my new Rasengan met his lightning-coated body, it was like looking into a damned flashbang. Then it was followed by a force that was as hot as a blacksmith's oven, or even hotter, which hit me straight in the face, pushing me away from him. What I could see through the blinding light was how the lightning around him shattered instantly, along with his mask, cracking like glass.
Then came another explosion, as the white turned orange, and everything was swallowed by a ball of fire, summoning a miniature sun before it winked out like a candle. I probably couldn't feed it enough chakra, but I didn't care... because it worked, and it was enough.
Panting, waving my hand that was slightly on fire, yet... It was not even hurting me. As for the Cloud-shinobi? Yeah... he was gone, and I mean, gone-gone. The only thing remaining was a black sphere on the ground, where my jutsu had obliterated everything, grass, shrubs, trees, you name it, including the masked man. Heh... I almost laughed out loud, because I never expected it to work so well, and it wasn't even a completed jutsu yet!
"Renji!"
"Sensei!" I yelled as I turned, hearing Jiraiya's voice coming as he landed close by, looking around.
"You did that?" He asked, surveying the aftermath, and I simply nodded. "How's your chakra?" He asked again, not wanting to get into the details because that could wait until everything was done and everyone was safe again.
"I have some to spare."
"Follow me, but stay back!" He ordered, shooting out once again, while I ran after him, feeling a bit... drained. But my adrenaline was working in overdrive, filling me with all the energy I needed.
Not to mention... I wasn't worried for Minato at all. Instead, my mind was replaying what I had done, how it felt to infuse my fire release into my Rasengan, creating a miniature sun. Well, more than that, it suddenly sparked an idea in me... if I managed to make that, just from my understanding, what other type of fusions, other kind of fire I can make? Suddenly, infusing my nature into my chakra felt simple, almost, well, like a second nature. What else could I do with it? What other... type of fire could I manifest? I couldn't wait to try! But... I held myself back from smiling.
First, we had to catch up to Minato before I could start bragging and show off to him, ehehe... Finally, something where I was the first, and he became the second!
...
....
...
Of course, by the time we got to Minato, he also finished off the last Shinobi, or to be more precise, they finished him off. His body was skewered to a tree by adamantine chains, while Kushina was panting heavily, kneeling beside Minato, helping him bandage a nasty cut on his forearm. I said nothing when we arrived, just grinned at him, showing a thumbs up at him, making both of them smile back at me.
The only one who wasn't smiling was Jiraiya, but that was understandable.
He waited until we were back on our feet, hurrying us along, even if it finally became dark, reminding me of the trip we had as Academy Students. Huh... Looking at Minato and Kushina, and then, myself... we came far, haven't we? I can't believe how much time has already passed by me... And... I had a feeling that today's attack was the opening move to what, later on, would become the Third Shinobi World War.
Haaah... I hoped to have more time before it happens... But after today? I don't know anymore.
It was probably around midnight when we finally stopped again, and Konoha ANBU members appeared around us, wearing the same outfits as in the show. Still, Jiraiya refused to let them escort us back to the Village. I didn't need to tell why... He suspected them, or at least, Danzō, I guess. Anyway, I did, because how else would anyone learn about where Kushina was and plan an ambush ahead of time, hm?
He had to go. Even before the war truly breaks out... Or when it actually happens and is in full swing...
I will have to get close to him somehow and finish him off. He hasn't got any Sharingan to fuck with reality yet, and for sure, I won't wait until he gets some put into his hand... damn freak.
"Renji?" Minato suddenly elbowed me, bringing me out of my thoughts as we neared the Village, seeing its walls in the darkness of the night. "What is it...?" He asked, lowering his voice, knowing that the way I was looking was serious... very serious.
"Find me when we are alone," I whispered, "And bring Kushina, too... We need to talk... and plan for the future... because things will get ugly... and fast."