"Ah, have you discussed how you're going to die?" Kugutsu Kyōjin sneered, looking at the two figures standing defiantly before him.
Swoosh!..
Swoosh!!..
Swoosh!!!...
Another stream of water hurtled towards him.
"Kid, you rely on such weak ninjutsu repeatedly. What is it you truly intend to accomplish?" Kugutsu Kyōjin didn't bother to dodge this time, allowing the attack to strike him head-on.
Pop, pop, pop.
The water projectiles impacted Kugutsu Kyōjin's body, barely causing a flinch, though his control over Kota seemed to waver slightly.
On the other side, Hyuga Ritsu, the effects of the painkiller providing some relief, managed to fend off Kota's attacks, but the close-quarters combat was taking its toll, leaving several fresh wounds on her body.
Blood stained Hyuga Ritsu's pristine white Hyuga clan robes. She quickly retrieved a Chakra Pill from her ninja tool pouch, bit down on it, and swallowed it with a grimace.
Maintaining her Byakugan for an extended period was rapidly draining Hyuga Ritsu's chakra, but she dared not deactivate it, knowing she needed to track Kugutsu Kyōjin's every move.
The presence of a seasoned Jonin – the infamous Demon Master of Sunagakure – even when simply controlling a puppet, exerted immense pressure upon her.
Okamoto Dousuke watched Kugutsu Kyōjin and Kota, his entire body trembling, his pores dilating and contracting as he sweated profusely. The beads of sweat then slowly dissolved into the thin layer of water film that coated half of his body.
Under this intense, life-or-death pressure, an unexpected sense of calm washed over him. His bangs, soaked with sweat, clung tightly to his forehead, and a strange, exhilarating thrill coursed through him.
Okamoto Dousuke focused on formulating his strategy, his mind fixated on a single goal: defeat the enemy and survive.
Okamoto Dousuke licked his lips, a faint smile playing on the corners of his mouth. To face such a perilous battle on his very first mission outside the village, challenging a special Jonin of a superior caliber – it was an electrifying prospect.
This feeling, this taste of danger, was unlike the sterile detachment of a hospital operating room. Okamoto Dousuke found himself strangely drawn to this razor's edge between life and death.
"Stop your futile struggles, and simply become my materials. I will grant you a new, everlasting brilliance in the days to come. Hahahaha!" Kugutsu Kyōjin cackled, yanking the puppet Kota back towards his side.
"Don't even think about it. I would rather die than become one of your puppets. Besides, I am a member of the Hyuga branch family. The moment I die, my Byakugan will be sealed forever," Hyuga Ritsu retorted, tearing off her forehead protector, revealing the cursed seal of the Branch House.
"Is that so? Then there's no further purpose for your existence," Kugutsu Kyōjin said, his voice devoid of emotion.
Kota beside him slammed his hands on the ground, and thick bone spurs erupted from the earth, curving sharply as they sped towards Hyuga Ritsu.
"Gentle Fist Art: White Dragon Dance Jutsu!"
In the instant the bone spurs broke through the surface, Hyuga Ritsu arched her body backwards, forming a perfect bridge. Channeling chakra into her right leg, she delivered a precise kick to the vulnerable point she had identified with her Byakugan.
Cracked bone fragments scattered. Hyuga Ritsu used her hands to push herself up and regain her footing.
Okamoto Dousuke instantly leaped into the pool of water beneath him, propelling himself towards Kugutsu Kyōjin and Kota.
"Water Style: Flowing Water Jutsu!"
Under the pale moonlight, a faintly glowing stream of water snaked towards Kugutsu Kyōjin and his puppet.
Kugutsu Kyōjin and Kota looked at the approaching water stream, ready to evade, but suddenly found themselves unable to move.
Looking down at his feet, Kugutsu Kyōjin saw two clusters of parasitic insects tightly wrapped around his ankles.
In the distance, Aburame Takuto lay on the ground with a syringe stuck in his arm. His other hand was clenched into a fist, directed towards Kugutsu Kyōjin.
Swish. The sharp stream of water sliced cleanly through Kota's body, bisecting him.
"I truly underestimated you. My artwork is completely ruined. You damn brats!" Kugutsu Kyōjin glared at Kota's severed form.
At the critical moment, Kugutsu Kyōjin had used Kota to intercept Okamoto Dousuke's ninjutsu.
"You think being unable to move will have any effect on a puppeteer?" A scroll suddenly appeared in Kugutsu Kyōjin's hands.
"I must admit, while this fellow's aesthetic sense is nowhere near my level, the puppets he created are rather effective." A large character "Fei" was written on the scroll in Kugutsu Kyōjin's hands.
He formed hand seals, and the scroll gently touched the ground. Yet, no puppet emerged.
"Huh? What happened?" Kugutsu Kyōjin stared at the scroll lying inert on the ground.
"Finally succeeded. It was worth dragging things out for so long," Okamoto Dousuke said to the visibly shaken Kugutsu Kyōjin.
"What did you do to my chakra?!" Kugutsu Kyōjin tried to channel his chakra, but could not feel its flow within his body.
"Chakra blocking. Do you remember earlier today, around noon? When you first met us, your teammate Chin Youjie said, 'Sister, you smell so good.'"
"Is there something wrong with that scent?" Kugutsu Kyōjin asked, his eyes piercing into Okamoto Dousuke's.
"As a ninja, having such a strong body odor is unusual. Seira-ka fruit… that was the scent of Seira-ka fruit. Through an accidental experiment, I discovered that Seira-ka fruit, Ōgyokuran, and Aosekka, when absorbed by the human body simultaneously, can cause a temporary blockage of chakra extraction," Okamoto Dousuke explained.
"Ritsu, prepare to evacuate immediately," Okamoto Dousuke instructed, drawing a kunai from his pouch and quickly incapacitating Kugutsu Kyōjin's limbs.
Seira-ka fruit can stimulate human hormones to a certain extent, creating feelings of attraction or favorability towards others. This explains why Aoi Takuma developed an affinity for Hyuga Ritsu despite their brief interactions. Even Gurenji Tatsuya's team was subtly influenced by the Seira-ka fruit when accepting the escort mission.
Ōgyokuran is an important auxiliary material in Chakra Pills, used to stimulate the body's chakra extraction speed. Anthocyanin powder, when purified into a light blue liquid, can relieve the effects of the stone lizard gland fluid and effectively paralyze the body's muscles. Individually, these substances are non-toxic, but when combined in the specific way Okamoto Dousuke orchestrated, they can temporarily block chakra extraction and disrupt the flow of chakra.
"So, you started preparing your countermeasure from the moment we met. I can't say it's unfair that I lost; I was careless," Kugutsu Kyōjin said, looking at Okamoto Dousuke as he slowly approached.
"As a special Jonin with a title, it was perhaps natural for you to underestimate me and Ritsu, especially with our Captain seriously injured and unconscious, and our teammate incapacitated. Unfortunately for you, 'ifs' don't exist in the world of ninjas."
"But are you truly confident you can capture me alive?"
"Ninja… it's all so pathetic. Everyone is just a tool, including myself," Kugutsu Kyōjin said with a twisted smile spreading across his face.
Crack!, Crack!!. Crackle!!...
"Dousuke, get out of the way, quickly! He's covered in exploding tags!" Hyuga Ritsu, who had been observing him intently, shouted to Okamoto Dousuke.
Dozens of detonating tags materialized on Kugutsu Kyōjin's body, covering him entirely. One of them sparked and began to hiss.
"Damn it!" Okamoto Dousuke cursed, instantly retreating. He pushed his Water Flash Body technique to its absolute limit, leaping backwards repeatedly. The water film around him began to spread, engulfing his entire body as he recklessly poured chakra into the technique.
"My fate ends here. To my rival… I hope you can continue and advance your so-called art. I truly wished to defeat you with my own hands!!!" Kugutsu Kyōjin thought of his long-time adversary with that red-haired guy from the Chikamatsu clan.
Swoosh!.
Boom!!..
Boom!!!...
Several deafening explosions ripped through the forest, sending gravel flying and thick clouds of smoke and dust billowing outwards.