Chapter 10: Trial by Fire
A massive torrent of water erupted from the ninja's mouth, instantly flooding the surrounding area and extinguishing Akatsurugi's Phoenix Sage Fire in a furious hiss of steam.
Standing atop the churning water, Akatsurugi's mind raced for an escape route. Engaging this enemy head-on was not a wise choice. He wasn't even a registered ninja yet; his best bet was to alert Konoha's forces.
Seeing Akatsurugi's intent to flee, the ninja smirked. His hands flashed through another set of seals before he slammed his palms onto the water's surface. Instantly, a web of crackling lightning spread across it.
Damn it, he uses combination jutsu! Akatsurugi cursed inwardly. This guy has to be at least a special jonin!
The electrical current reached his feet in an instant, coursing through his body. But at that moment, Akatsurugi's form dissolved into a wisp of white smoke.
A shadow clone! The ninja was momentarily stunned, then let out a low chuckle. Gripping his kunai, he dashed into the depths of the jungle after the real target.
Further away, Akatsurugi was running for his life. His earlier use of the Shadow Clone Technique had been a feint. After sensing the initial attack, he had created a clone to act as a decoy while he himself fled. The ploy had worked, buying him a few precious seconds, but the enemy was too skilled and had dispelled the clone almost immediately.
Hearing the whistle of kunai from behind, Akatsurugi sidestepped rapidly. His eyes widened as he saw the explosive tag attached to the trailing kunai. Oh, you have got to be kidding me!
He desperately threw one of his own kunai, deflecting the incoming one just enough. A deafening BOOM echoed through the trees. Akatsurugi took cover behind a thick trunk, the shockwave rattling his bones but leaving him unharmed. The ninja, however, was already closing in.
"Little brat, you can't run!" the voice taunted from the mist.
Akatsurugi gritted his teeth. He drew Ryūjin Jakka. "Crescent Moon Dance!" he shouted.
He leaped into the air, his form splitting into three. It wasn't night, so the technique lacked its full potency, but it was his best offensive option.
The ninja sneered, a kunai appearing in his hand. With a casual, almost contemptuous flick of his wrist, he parried Akatsurugi's flurry of strikes.
Akatsurugi's heart sank. This was a true master, skilled in both ninjutsu and taijutsu. He was definitely a full-fledged Jonin. He was in serious trouble.
But giving up wasn't an option. As his Crescent Moon Dance was neutralized, Akatsurugi fluidly transitioned, shaking his arms to initiate the Konoha Ryū.
In the Jonin's eyes, Akatsurugi seemed to transform into a willow tree, its countless branches twisting and binding him, a phantasmal pressure holding him in place.
But a Jonin was a Jonin. In the span of a single breath, he broke the genjutsu's hold and countered with a vicious slash aimed at Akatsurugi's throat.
Akatsurugi recoiled in shock, throwing another basic illusion as he retreated.
The older ninja seemed to be a natural counter to genjutsu. Akatsurugi's weak illusions were like gnats to him, not even slowing his advance.
Panic began to set in. Was this how it ended? Killed by some powerful spy in his own village?
Seeing the Jonin about to seize him, Akatsurugi spun around, his hands having already completed the seals. He took a deep breath. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive fireball erupted, engulfing the Jonin entirely.
Akatsurugi stared, dumbfounded. Wait, can the Great Fireball actually hit someone?
A moment later, he cursed inwardly. Of course not! The figure dissolved into a puddle of water. A Water Clone! He hadn't even noticed when the real one had substituted it. As the saying went, the Great Fireball Technique never lands a killing blow.
"Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!" Thick, impenetrable fog began to roll in, swallowing the landscape.
Akatsurugi smiled bitterly. What had he done to deserve this guy using Kirigakure's signature technique? Was this his way of confirming he was a Mist Village spy?
Without Wind Release to disperse it or sensory skills to see through it, he was as good as blind. Where were the Konoha patrols? He couldn't hold out much longer.
"Die, little ghost!" The voice seemed to come from all directions at once. A chill ran down Akatsurugi's spine. When he'd watched the anime, he'd thought Zabuza's Silent Killing was just a cool gimmick. Now, trapped within it, he understood its true terror. No wonder it was so feared; it was only bad luck that had pitted Zabuza against an elite like Kakashi.
But sitting still and waiting for death wasn't his style. His hands flew through seals. "Fire Style: Fire Dragon Projectile!"
This was a C-rank technique, but he was desperate. While its primary function was offense, Akatsurugi reasoned it could be used for defense. He willed the roaring dragon of flame to coil around him, creating a swirling barrier of fire.
It was a makeshift defense, but it was something. At the very least, if the Jonin tried to strike now, he'd get burned.
Sure enough, as the fire dragon completed its circuit, Akatsurugi sensed a presence leaping back, fading into the mist once more.
He let out a shaky breath, but didn't drop his guard. His hands formed another sequence of seals—the familiar ones for the Great Fireball Technique. He chose it for its relatively low chakra cost.
Seeing the seals, the Jonin's mocking voice echoed from the fog. "The Great Fireball? You think that will work on me?"
Akatsurugi ignored him. The voice was too distorted by the mist to pinpoint. Instead, he took a deep breath and angled his head upwards, unleashing the Great Fireball straight into the sky. The massive sphere of flame roared upwards, a brilliant beacon against the grey fog.
He was sending up a signal flare. If someone saw this, they might come. If not... well, he had tried everything he could. He had fought with every trick he possessed. Now, his fate was out of his hands.