Chapter 127: Red Eyes
Kai turned his gaze towards her. He offered a slight nod of acknowledgment, his stoic demeanor intact. The sight of the woman on the ground seemed to draw his attention more urgently, however.
Perched atop the middle ring, the figure surveyed Kai, his face a void of emotion, his mysterious eyes—interspersed with concentric circles—sizing him up, a silent challenge swirling within their depths. Others around him began to move, unsettled, yet the one in the center spoke with an undisguised anticipation, "Welcome, Free Shinobi Kai. We anticipated your arrival."
With his utterance, runes around the cave sprang to life. To Kai, they were mere child's play, easily read, easily understood. The best of Uzumaki Village, Mito Uzumaki, had been his teacher in the intricate art of seals during his three years there. However, he didn't bother stopping them, letting them play out their roles, revealing their hands in this high-stakes game.
His sharp gaze lingering on the seals, his voice finally broke the tense silence, a mere whisper yet laden with steel. "And what is it you expect now that I am here?"
His stance was rigid, his tone low yet strong, the question hanging in the dim air of the cave like a tangible entity. The cloaked figures, however, remained unruffled, their gazes as enigmatic as ever.
The response did not come from the centered figure whose presence was almost palpable in the cavern, but from an individual situated on the outer rim of the assembly. The reflecting light from his glasses was the only visible characteristic in the shadowy enclave, revealing his presence. The pallor of his skin was striking, more reminiscent of scales than human flesh, and his smile was unsettling in its eeriness. "You can just forget about leaving," he declared.
Kai was close to scoffing at this statement; he could have laughed at the proclamation. The seals intricately spread across the cavern were designed to bind space itself—a smart attempt to mitigate his Flying Thunder God Jutsu, or rather, the original form of it. The version Kai had mastered was one refined by the Fourth Hokage, but Kai had long since evolved this already formidable technique. These seals were mere child's play to him. And even if by some means they could obstruct his technique, he still possessed Kamui, an ability he acquired from Obito's Mangekyo. He could simply disappear as effortlessly as he appeared. Yet, he chose not to.
Instead, his attention shifted to the red-haired figure, "Tayuya, over here." She responded with an enthusiastic nod, rising and approaching Kai. Years ago, after defeating Orochimaru, Kai had rescued her and graced her with the Lotus Seal. Tayuya had been committed to growing stronger ever since, traveling and training, all in an effort to repay her debt to Kai.
As Tayuya came to his side, Kai reached out, his fingers lightly grazing her neck where the Lotus Seal rested. A tremor of dread ran through Tayuya; she feared Kai might retract his gift, a boon that had allowed her to walk with pride and purpose in the world of Shinobi. But instead of retracting, the seal's strength surged. She could feel the chakra she could draw from it multiplying, and its other benefits enhancing. A silent sigh of relief and joy left her, her eyes reflecting her unspoken gratitude.
With Tayuya now strengthened, Kai moved unhurriedly towards the woman lying prone on the ground. But his progress was interrupted by a forcible push emanating from the central figure, "Shinra Tensei!"
The very air around him seemed to compress, advancing towards him. A subtle tilt of his head, a tap in the air, and the force dissipated, neutralized. He returned his gaze to the man with swirling eyes and commented, "Push and Pull? Interesting power. Potent, but it comes with a significant drawback. The greater the force, the longer you must wait to use it again." The central figure visibly tensed, the analysis striking a chord.
The man's confidence seemed to falter for a split second, taken aback by Kai's swift analysis. "You understand the essence of my technique just from that?"
Kai didn't respond to the man's query about his understanding of the technique. Instead, he stared into the air and said simply, "Gravity, or negative gravity, to be exact. You're using a force field of it around yourself to repel things." His voice was even, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere in the cave. "You probably aren't doing this consciously, just like how the Sharingan works. If you understood the mechanics behind your abilities, they'd likely be more potent."
His hand raised, palm facing the woman on the ground. He continued, "Now, if there's negative gravity, there must be positive as well. What's its name?" His gaze shifted back to the central figure.
Not wanting to take any risks with the woman, the man, slightly panicked, commanded, "Bansho Ten'in!" The woman started floating towards him, and Kai noted with a slight nod, "Ah, so it is called Bansho Ten'in."
However, in the next instant, Kai's chakra flared, and the woman who was floating towards the central figure was propelled towards Kai at breathtaking speed. The action was swift, a show of calculated power, but Kai remained steadfast, his demeanor unswerving as he caught the woman gently.
The man with the special eyes, possibly perturbed by Kai's overpowering of his technique, regarded him with a mix of wariness and anticipation. The other cloaked figures watched silently, their forms tense yet poised, ready for any abrupt conflicts.
Kai cast his gaze across the assemblage of formidable shinobi, each possessing unique and powerful abilities that had made the Akatsuki a force to be reckoned with. But Kai's own reputation and strength preceded him, a fact that weighed heavy in the minds of those who stood before him.
"Pain," Kai began, his eyes locking onto the central figure. "The famed leader of the Akatsuki with the legendary Rinnegan. I doubt such legendary eyes are limited to merely pushing and pulling, but you're just a vessel, aren't you?" There was no malice in Kai's tone, merely a statement of fact.
The weight of Kai's presence seemed to pressure the room even more. From a distant, undisclosed location, Nagato could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead. Who is this man? he wondered, anxiety evident.
Kai's focus shifted, landing on another. "Kisame, it seems our paths have crossed again." The shark-like man, Kisame, swallowed hard, his previous bravado diminishing under Kai's scrutiny.
Kai assessed each individual meticulously, maintaining his composed demeanor, "Hidan," he acknowledged with a nod, "Konan." His eyes, sharpened by vigilant discernment, then fixated on the man with glasses. "Kabuto, you're tinged with the stench of Orochimaru." Finally, his gaze settled on the last figure, "And the perpetually elusive Zetsu. Thought I'd be occupied with the Kage Summit, did you? Assumed that even if I appeared, you could ensnare me here and execute me? Yet, here I am, free and unbound."
With a subtle wave of his hand, both Tayuya and the woman disappeared, safely away from the imminent confrontation. "Now," he began, his voice devoid of any superfluous emotions but layered with unadulterated strength, "The Five Kage – Hokage, Kazekage, Mizukage, Tsuchikage, and Raikage – have forged an alliance. And as its overseer, I, Kai, pronounce a war against Akatsuki."
The tension in the cave intensified, and the silence was as sharp as the sword of a seasoned samurai. Kai's declarations reverberated through the cave, echoing off the stony walls and embedding themselves in the minds of those present.
"So, the great nations have united," Kisame mumbled, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword, the waves of tension lapping against his resolve.
Pain glanced sharply at Kabuto and ordered, "Do it!" Without hesitating, Kabuto raised his hand, his voice resounding in the confined space, "Edo Tensei!" A myriad of figures flooded the cave, accompanying the Akatsuki members, a formidable assembly surrounding Kai. He remained unperturbed, settling on the ground, his gaze scrutinizing each new figure that appeared. The first, second, and fourth Hokage, the second Mizukage and Tsuchikage, the third Raikage, the third and fourth Kazekage, Sasori, Deidara, Kakuzu, all summoned forth by Kabuto.
Kai's poise remained steadfast, though the last figure that emerged sparked a hidden ferocity within him. It was a rare instance where his anger surfaced, his steely composure rattled. The red eyes, revolving within their sockets, triggered a hidden tempest within him.
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