Chapter 43: Side: The End of the Hunt
As Guren and her companions prepared to carry out Orochimaru's orders, Takeshi, Suigetsu and Jugo sprang into action, utilizing the element of surprise to their advantage. Takeshi's mind raced as he formulated a plan, his years of training as a shinobi kicking in despite his retired status.
With a hand signal, he motioned for Suigetsu to take the lead. Suigetsu nodded in understanding, his grip tightening on the hilt of his massive sword as he prepared to strike.
"We strike when they least expect it," he whispered.
"Take out their underlings first, then we focus on Guren."
He leaped from his perch in the trees, his body twisting through the trees like a phantom. With uncanny speed, he materialized before his unsuspecting adversaries, cleaving them into pieces.
At the same time, Jugo unleashed his own onslaught, his muscles bulging as he charged forward with the strength of a raging beast.
The enemies below were caught off guard, their shouts of surprise echoing through the night air as they scrambled to defend themselves. But Guren remained calm and composed.
"Looks like we have some unwelcome guests," she said with amusement.
Without hesitation, Guren unleashed her own attack, forming jagged spikes of crystalline structures that shot towards them with deadly precision. Suigetsu quickly deflected the incoming projectiles, while his two companions narrowly evaded the lethal assault.
But this was not the end. Her attacks became faster and fiercer with each passing moment. Takeshi's eyes widened in horror as one of the crystal spikes grazed his arm, leaving behind a trail of sparkling dust.
"My arm!" Takeshi cried out in pain.
The crystalline tendrils wrapped around his arm, spreading with alarming speed as they began to crystallize his flesh. His eyes widened in shock and disbelief as he watched his arm transform into a mass of crystal.
"Takeshi, retreat!" Suigetsu shouted.
"Guren has a bloodline limit. I have to cut it off before the crystal spreads further!" he continued, glancing at Takeshi's arm.
Without waiting for his answer, Suigetsu brought his blade down, severing Takeshi's crystallized arm from his body in one clean motion.
Takeshi's anguished cry echoed through the forest as the severed limb crashed to the ground, the crystal shattering upon impact. Yet there was no room for pain or hesitation.
With Takeshi staggering back, blood gushing from the wound, he urgently retreated to a safe distance to staunch the bleeding by cauterizing the wound.
Meanwhile, Suigetsu and Jugo continued to face off against Guren.
Not waiting for her enemies to approach, she summoned shards of crystal from the earth, launching them toward Suigetsu and Jugo with deadly precision. Suigetsu evaded each attack with nimble agility.
But Jugo was not so fortunate. A shard of crystal grazed his arm, drawing blood as it sliced through his flesh. With a roar of pain and anger, his eyes blazed with fury, his transformation beginning to take hold.
Takeshi watched in horror as Jugo's form contorted and shifted, his body expanding and warping into a monstrous visage of rage. With a mighty shout, Jugo unleashed his strength, his massive fists crashing down upon the ground with earth-shaking force.
The ground trembled beneath his feet as he charged towards Guren. His fists morphed into massive, piston-like limbs, striking out with devastating force.
But Guren was prepared. With a motion of her hand, she erected a wall of crystal, stopping Jugo's attack dead in its tracks. The wall shifted, absorbing the force of Jugo's blows with ease.
Undeterred by the obstacle, Jugo pressed forward, his massive fists pounding against the crystal barrier. Each blow sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
Meanwhile, Suigetsu moved in to engage Guren directly, his massive blade slicing through the air. But his enemy was no ordinary opponent. She conjured a blade of crystal and met his attack head-on.
Their swords clashed with a ringing sound, each blow sending sparks flying in all directions.
Suigetsu dodged and weaved as he sought to evade her attacks. But Guren was relentless, her strikes coming fast and furious.
Suddenly, Guren's crystal blade flashed with blinding speed, catching Suigetsu off guard. With barely enough time to react, he raised his own blade to block hers.
However, he couldn't anticipate her crystal-enhanced kick that followed immediately after her blade, connecting with his face. The force sent him backward, his body crashing into a nearby tree.
As Suigetsu staggered to his feet, he felt a sudden pressure on his chest, his body encased in a cocoon of crystal. Panic surged through him as he realized that he was trapped, his movements restricted by the prison that surrounded him.
He struggled against his prison, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought to break free.
Guren's icy gaze swept over him, her expression unreadable as she cast one last look before raising her hand. She shattered Suigetsu's crystallized form into a thousand pieces with a single decisive strike, the shards scattering across the ground like broken glass.
As Jugo looked on in horror, his companion's form shattered before his eyes. Rage surged through him, his mind consumed by primal fury as he beheld the sight of his companion lying broken and scattered.
With a roar of grief, Jugo fully transformed, his body morphing into a monstrous form as he lunged at his enemy.
He attacked her mindlessly, his fists raining down upon her with savage ferocity as he unleashed his pent-up rage upon her. Jugo's rage-fueled assault caught her off guard.
She barely managed to erect a crystal armor to defend against his onslaught, but the force of his blow sent her flying backward, her body skidding across the ground.
As Jugo pursued her, Guren's eyes widened in surprise, her mind racing to formulate a new plan.
She fought back with all the skill and cunning of a seasoned shinobi, her crystal armor deflecting his attacks with ease.
With a desperate burst of chakra, Guren used the power of her Crystal Release, channeling it through her fingertips as she prepared to strike. In an instant, a crystalline prison formed around Jugo, encasing him in crystal.
With Jugo incapacitated, Takeshi remained the last one standing, his heart pounding with fear as he watched the surrounding situation. But even as panic threatened to consume him, he knew that he could not afford to falter, not when the lives of the villagers were in danger.
He summoned all of his strength, his remaining right hand moving with lightning speed as he unleashed a barrage of shurikens upon his enemy. But even as the projectiles sailed through the air, Guren reacted with lightning-fast reflexes, her armor deflecting each blow with ease.
As Takeshi's attack proved futile, she redirected her attention to Jugo, preparing to deliver the final blow. However, just as she raised her hand to strike, a sudden burst of chakra shattered the crystal prison, sending Jugo crashing to the ground.
With a roar of fury, Jugo surged forward, his fists raining down upon Guren with savage ferocity. Each blow landed with bone-crushing force.
With each strike, Jugo's strength seemed to grow, his punches becoming stronger and more unpredictable.
Realizing that she could not afford to hold back, Guren summoned chakra to use her Crystal Release, channeling it through her fingertips again as she prepared to strike.
However, just as she was about to unleash her full power, a punch caught her off guard, sending her flying through the air.
As Guren was in the air, she felt her breath leave her lungs in a rush. Before she could even attempt to regain her bearings, another blow struck her, this time from above.
Jugo descended upon her like a falling boulder, his massive form crashing down, driving her deeper into the ground.
The impact was bone-jarring, and for a moment, Guren struggled to focus through the haze of pain that clouded her vision. But even as she lay there, dazed and disoriented, she knew that she could not afford to let her guard down.
With a surge of adrenaline, Jugo launched himself into another attack, his fists moving with lightning speed as he pummeled her with non-stop ferocity. Each blow sent shockwaves of pain coursing through her body, threatening to overwhelm her with their sheer force.
But even as Jugo's onslaught continued, Guren refused to surrender. She summoned her remaining strength and fought back with everything she had, her crystalline defenses shining with renewed vigor as she sought to turn the tide of battle in her favor.
Yet despite her best efforts, Jugo's assault proved too much to bear. Each blow inflicted further damage, her body battered and bruised by the force of his attacks. Then, with a bone-crushing final strike, Jugo sent her crashing into a nearby tree with a resounding thud.
As Guren lay there, her body wracked with pain, she felt a surge of panic grip her heart. But before she could even attempt to regain her footing, Jugo was upon her once more.
With a beastly roar, Jugo seized her by the head, his fingers digging into her flesh with a vice-like grip. And then, with a savage growl, he began to slam her head against the ground, again and again, the force of each blow driving her further into the depths of unconsciousness.
As Guren's form lay sprawled upon the ground, with her condition unknown, Jugo's onslaught showed no signs of stopping.
With a sinister smile playing upon his lips, he continued to rain down blow after blow upon her face.
Takeshi, watching from the sidelines, felt a surge of fear wash over him at the sight of Jugo's brutal assault. As despair threatened to consume him, a voice broke through the chaos.
"It's enough, Jugo," the voice said, its tone firm but gentle.
Takeshi's eyes widened in shock as he turned to see Suigetsu standing beside Jugo, alive and well. His gaze shifted to the scattered crystalized body parts on the ground, the realization dawning on him like a bolt of lightning.
Jugo hesitated for a moment, his mind clouded with confusion and rage. But then, as he looked into Suigetsu's eyes, something seemed to click into place.
With a deep breath, Jugo slowly began to regain control of himself, his monstrous form shrinking back to its normal size. Takeshi breathed a sigh of relief as Jugo returned to his senses.
Suigetsu turned his gaze towards Guren, her form battered and broken, her face swollen and bloodied. Despite her dire condition, she managed to utter a few words.
"It... was nothing... personal," she muttered hoarsely, each syllable a struggle.
"You... should know... that, Suigetsu. After all... you're... from Kiri."
Suigetsu's expression darkened at her words, his memories of their past encounters flooding back to him.
"Maybe not for you," he replied, his voice tinged with bitterness.
"But for me, it's personal."
With that, Suigetsu raised his blade high. And with one swift motion, he brought his sword down upon Guren's neck, ending her life once and for all.
Suigetsu's jaw clenched with barely suppressed fury at her words. He knew all too well the cold reality of the shinobi world—emotions were a luxury few could afford, and loyalty to one's village often came at a steep price.
"It's always business, isn't it?" Suigetsu replied bitterly.
"Just another pawn in Orochimaru's game."
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With Guren's life extinguished, Suigetsu and Jugo wasted no time in making their way into the cavern. The air inside was cool and damp.
Their footsteps echoed off the walls as they moved further into the cave, their senses on high alert for any sign of danger. But as they rounded a corner, they were met with a sight that filled them with both relief and dread.
There, huddled together in the shadows, were Yukimura and the other missing children, their faces pale and frightened as they looked up at their rescuers.
Takeshi's heart swelled with a sense of relief as he approached them, his voice gentle as he assured them that they were safe now. With trembling hand, he helped them to their feet.
With his guidance, they made their way out of the cavern and into the safety of the forest beyond.
As Takeshi disappeared into the night with the children in tow, Suigetsu and Jugo remained behind.
With a silent nod, they turned their attention to the scrolls that lay scattered on the cavern floor, their fingers tracing the symbols etched into the surface.
As Jugo went through the scrolls, his eyes widened in surprise as he came across a strange document tucked away in the corner. With a furrowed brow, he unrolled it, his eyes scanning the details of its contents.
"This is...," Jugo began, his voice trailing off as he struggled to make sense of the words before him. Suigetsu glanced over at him.
"What is it?" he asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"It's a plan for the invasion of Konoha," Jugo replied, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"And there's something else here too..."
Jugo reached for another scroll, his fingers trembling as he unrolled it. But as he scanned the contents, his eyes widened in shock.
"It's... it's the details of the Edo Tensei Project," Jugo exclaimed.
"Do you know anything about it?"
Suigetsu's brow furrowed in confusion as he took in Jugo's words.
"I don't," he responded.
"But we need to tell the demon about this. It could be important."
As they prepared to leave the cavern behind, Suigetsu's eyes fell upon a strange kunai with three blades lying around the scattered scrolls. His curiosity piqued, he picked it up, turning it over in his hands to examine the seal etched into its handle.
Jugo's eyes widened as he caught sight of the seal.
"Where did you find that?" he asked.
Suigetsu shrugged nonchalantly.
"Just lying around," he replied, his gaze lingering on the kunai's handle.
"Near a container with the label 'Hashirama Cell' or something."
Jugo's eyes widened in shock at the mention of the container.
"We need to go," he said, his voice urgent.
"Now."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Malphegor
Malphegor I'm not sure if there are still readers, but the filler arc has now concluded. I aimed to delve into other aspects of the shinobi world and its inhabitants. I understand that some of you may not have enjoyed it. There's a similar story available, using the same template of Hawkeye. I recommend checking it out. I've only read the second chapter, but I believe the style may be more to your liking than my story. I am still an inexperienced author.
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