Naruto: The Outsider's Resolve-Chapter 9.33 (348)

Rinji ran as fast as his legs could take him. The sun glared down at him as he sprinted down the rocky terrain, kicking off dust. He felt embarrassed when his breathing grew hotter and laboured; he was stronger, capable of striking harder and moving more weight than when he was an active shinobi because he had been mining daily. But he hadn't properly run in years because running in the camp meant getting a kunai in the back from a guard, followed by a thrashing to remind him of his mistake.

He couldn't stop. He was still in the land designated for the Chibumi copper mines and out in the open with nowhere to hide. As long as he got out of Chibumi, he would be safe; the guards wouldn't chase after him outside because they wouldn't want to be too far from the seventh node in case something went wrong.

Just a little more, he told himself.

Rinji felt something and turned around to check if someone was following him. To his surprise, he saw a smidge on the horizon in the distance.

"A guard?"

He picked up speed. He guessed he was only a few minutes until he exited Chibumi, and as long as he could run away a little more after that, he would have a legitimate chance at freedom. The Hidden Leaf would issue a wanted notice against him, but as long as he stayed low and avoided mistakes, the Land of Fire was big enough for a single person to get lost in.

He turned back, and his heart skipped a beat when the "guard" was so much closer—close enough to let him see that the figure wasn't a guard and wore a mask.

"No, no, no, why did he come after me?!" Rinji felt flustered as he saw the ANBU-nin Ayame had alerted them about. The road before him suddenly seemed much longer than he thought previously. He used the Body Flicker Jutsu to boost himself forward, but when he looked back, the ANBU-nin had cut the distance further.

"Shit!"

He had a decision to make: continue running or face the ANBU-nin. Part of him wanted to keep running, hoping the masked killer would give up, but for the looks of it, he would get caught, and then he would have to fight regardless. But Rinji continued to run. He wanted his hope to be true, even though another part knew it to be unfeasible.

He dug his feet into the ground and turned around to face the ANBU-nin, who disappeared only to appear closer by using another burst of the Body Flicker Jutsu. The masked shinobi was now close enough to be in the range of a long-ranged ninjutsu.

Rinji weaved the hand seals for his strongest C-rank ninjutsu.

Wind Release: Peacock's Fury

The jutsu created wind blades in the shape of a peacock's feather. While weaker individually, they gained a furious destructive power when nearly a hundred blades were barrage on the target.

But as he was about to weave the last hand seals, something faster than his eyes could track tore through his arm, bringing about a hell of pain as it grazed the bone. His focus immediately shattered, and before he could take count of what had happened, another attack went straight through his thigh.

Rinji screamed in pain as panic overrun his mind. The arm wound was bad, but it wouldn't have been a big problem, but an injured leg hindered his ability to run and thus plummeted his chances of escaping.

"No, please, no!" he cried as he turned around to run.

His opposite leg went next, and he couldn't even hobble, leaving him no choice but to crawl toward the unending horizon with his hands clawing the unforgiving earth. He blamed the gods for it all; why did an ANBU-nin have to be at the mines the day they decided to escape—and why did he have to come after him?

Rinji crashed face-first on the ground. He felt the boot on his back, and before he could even beg or say anything, he was flipped over to face an onslaught of punches to his face. He wasn't even allowed to raise his hands to guard himself as they were smacked aside until he was wearing his own blood.

His last thoughts before he lost consciousness as he stared at the rigid animal mask that betrayed no emotion was to wonder what he was going to do when he woke up the next time because he would be dying soon after.

The ANBU-nin stared down at Rinji before grabbing a leg and dragging him back toward the seventh node through the rocky terrain.

———

.

Ayame had been running along the edge of the woods near the mining complex. Her destination was a trade route nearby. She was to travel east along the road to reach a town in half a day's time. Cutting straight through the forest would have made for a shorter route, and the canopy would've provided her with cover.

She chose not to go through the forest because, despite the shorter route, it took longer to complete as the woods made for difficult terrain. And she didn't have the liberty to be slow. She couldn't camp out in the forest until sunset and continue under the cover of the dark because two-thirds of Shimura's guards were Earth Release users to handle problems in unstable locations like underground mines—and some of them were also great trackers who used ground-based tracking ninjutsu.

She had to be on the road by the time the sun was ready to set. Sticking close to the forest was a precaution in case someone caught up to her, and she needed to hide.

And it seemed the right choice because she sensed someone hot on her tail.

She leapt into the trees and camouflaged herself in the leaves while keeping her eyes outside, waiting to see which one of the guards had chased her. She recognised the entire crew of guards, so if she knew who was following her, she could devise a plan to outwit them. As long as it was not Shimura himself or the other chunin among the guards, she could even kill them.

However, the person who appeared was not even among her options because she refused to consider the worst-case scenario.

The ANBU-nin she had seen dismantling Goro stopped where she had been a few minutes before and looked around. His mask concealed what he was thinking, and the cloak covering his body kept any clues about him in the shadows.

Ayame didn't dare move a muscle, fearing that even the inaudible creak of the thick tree branch she stood up would attract his attention. She was even scared to breathe freely and took consciously slow and long breaths as she leaned against the trunk to hide herself as much as possible.

He weaved hand seals before resting his palms against the ground. She instantly recognised it to be an earth-based tracking ninjutsu, which she feared from the tracking guards.

It's okay, she told herself as sweat uncomfortably trickled down her cheek as she felt her hot breath against her face. She was on a tree—any earth-based tracking jutsu couldn't track her.

As long as she remained above ground, he wouldn't be able to track her—

The ANBU-nin stood up, turned toward the forest, and slowly walked inside.

Ayame's heart lurched as her chaotic mind screamed that she had been discovered. She felt dizzy. Her instincts told her to run away, but her dwindling reasoning said that ambushing represented her best chance of survival.

Courage flooded her body as Fight won over Flight. She looked down at the ANBU-nin; there was a man underneath that terrifying mask and cloak. She wasn't facing an invincible being but a shinobi who could be killed like any other.

There was a noise in a bush, and the ANBU-nin moved like a viper, spinning around and launching three kunai from his sleeves in one continuous movement.

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Ayame stopped breathing. The hands she had raised to cast jutsu trembled. Fear bubbled underneath her newfound but dwindling courage. She needed to hurry before her spirit gave out. She took a kunai from the stolen weapons and held it in her mouth before weaving hand seals.

As the ANBU-nin returned from the bushes holding a dead earth mole he had killed, Ayame finished her seals.

Genjutsu: Dead Grove's Coffin

The woods around them grew darker as the trees suddenly seemed to all lean toward the ANBU-nin in a moment of eerily silence before hell broke loose and branches growing at rapid rates shot at him, binding his arms, head, and torso. Roots burst out of the ground and clawed at his feet. The branches and roots pulled in different directions, trying to rip his body apart.

Ayame jumped from her place of hiding with a kunai in her hand and stabbed him in the hand.

She suddenly had cherry blossom leaves in her vision.

"Huh?"

The ANBU-nin turned into a soft whirlwind of pink leaves.

She had been trapped in a genjutsu.

Goosebumps rose on her nape as dread screamed up the bottom of her stomach a second before she found her head and neck in an armlock, choking her access to air out. The panic slowed her down, but she raised her kunai. Her vision blurred as he pulled her to the nearest tree and slammed her head into the trunk before she could react appropriately.

The hands left her neck. As she noisily gasped for air, he grasped the back of her head and slammed it back into the tree three more times before she breathed in properly, staining the soft bark underneath the cracked, tough exterior with her blood.

Her vision darkened as she went down like a sack, her head landing next to the dead mole.

———

.

Kaito was jumping from branch to branch, keeping off the ground—it slowed him down a little, but it kept him safe from trackers—when he heard a whistle and jumped to the side, crashing into a tree in the process to dodge a volley of shuriken.

His heart raged, but he remained calm outside as the ANBU-nin stepped out from the shadows.

"Any chance you'll let me escape?" he asked.

"No," ANBU-nin replied with a distorted voice.

Kaito swallowed nervously when he heard the inhuman voice. He considered his chances of survival when facing the terrifying ANBU-nin. He didn't need to think long to conclude they were... close to zero—which meant they weren't zero.

Unlike his co-conspirators, who were only brought on at the last moment, he had been planning this for a long time.

He took out a stolen sword. The feel of the hilt and balance of the blade felt foreign in his hand after only knowing the feel of mining tools. But he felt the familiarity return after a single swing—it wasn't the length or weight he preferred—but it felt more freeing than ever.

Even though he couldn't see the eyes behind the mask, Kaito sensed that the ANBU-nin was gazing at his sword. He moved his cloak aside and pulled out his sword of its sheath. The sword was brand new and looked like it hadn't seen a single battle. Kaito didn't know if the ANBU-nin was an amateur or if it was just a new sword—the latter seemed much more likely.

Kaito removed the prison rags he wore from his torso and threw the shirt to the side. He was sweating like he had been running for the entire day. His body was covered with chakra-suppression fūinjutsu seal tattoos that had been part of his life for the past seven years. He felt his body heat up as the chakra flowed like lava through his pathways. Steam began to rise from his body as his muscles pumped up in size.

Kaito roared from the stomach, pushing his chakra to flow faster and harder, exerting to the point his body grew red from the blood and heat.

The ANBU-nin's body language suggested he was cautious.

"Raaah!"

The black tattoos on the skin stretched like an enormous force was pulling them apart until they snapped in various places. He shed tears of blood and coughed up blood; it leaked out of his ears, and it seemed to be squeezed out of his skin. The torn ink tattoos settled on the skin for a moment before they disappeared.

He breathed noisily, and his chest and shoulders rose up and down. The steam from his body subsided, leaving only a bloody mess.

Holding a sword after ages had nothing on his chakra being free. The flow was so strong that it felt almost overwhelming—and it was due to the soldier pill he had taken—but it was such a wonderful feeling to the point where it could be addictive. He realised how much people took chakra for granted and truly understood why it was considered the life force.

"How did you do that?" The inhuman voice sounded surprised.

"I have known this seal for seven years. I have spent everyday poking at it. After all that time, I don't need to be a fūin-nin to know a thing or two."

Kaito threw his head up as he laughed; his obsession for a good part of a decade had finally come true. He wanted to cry—but why do that when he could laugh.

"Let's do it. I feel happy enough with those fucking seals off me that I wouldn't mind if I died right now!" said Kaito, raising his sword.

Kaito moved first, his body a blur as he lunged forward, his sword aimed at the ANBU-nin's heart. But the ANBU-nin was ready, side-stepping with solid timing, his sword flowing out at lightning speed. Kaito twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding the razor-sharp sword, and landed in a crouch, his free hand grabbing the ANBU-nin's leg.

He wanted to pull his legs out from under him, but his eyes caught the glint of the sword coming down at him, forcing him to raise his sword to block. As the metals clashed, Kaito felt the force in his hands. It was an intentionally heavy strike.

He grinned. "Don't underestimate the strength of a miner!"

He pushed back with a single-hand hold and made the ANBU-nin stumble back. He didn't wait and charged forth. The ANBU-nin met him head-on, his sword flashing as he blocked his strikes with precision. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out, each strike laced with the intention to kill. Sparks flew as their weapons met, the force of their blows sending shockwaves through the air.

Kaito's movements were aggressive, fueled by both rage of having his life wasted in prison and joy of achieving more freedom than he had in years. He pressed the attack, his strikes coming faster and harder, each aimed to kill.

He's an amateur, thought Kaito. The ANBU-nin's movements were rough and inexperienced. He couldn't believe it, but that was what he saw. The new sword made much more sense now. Despite the low skill, he gritted his teeth as the ANBU-nin grew faster and more aggressive. There was a clear difference in raw speed and strength. While he tried to make his movements calculated and efficient, the masked shinobi overpowered and outsped him to cover the difference in skill.

His hands hurt with each successive clash, the force banging up against his grip.

As they drew close, Kaito looked into the mask and saw the calm and calculated eyes. There was no way ANBU would take someone with this amount of skill if kenjutsu were their main weapon. As he was fighting for his life, his opponent wasn't even giving it his best.

Kaito snarled, his eyes blazing in fury. "Fight me properly!" he spat, his voice raw with emotion. He feinted to the left, then spun to the right, his sword slicing through the air in a wide arc. The ANBU-nin ducked under the strike; his sword moved out a quick stab that grazed his arm. Kaito hissed in pain but didn't falter and jumped back and quickly weaved hands seals.

He picked up his sword and stabbed it into the ground. The earth beneath the ANBU-nin's feet erupted, and half a dozen swords made from fire shot up toward him. He leapt into the air, his body twisting precisely to avoid the deadly flying flaming swords. But Kaito was already moving, his body blurring as he closed the distance between them.

The ANBU-nin landed lightly on his feet, squaring up when he saw Kaito charging toward him. He didn't dodge and stayed his ground.

Kaito grew more furious. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, his sword catching fire as it bit towards the ANBU-nin, who took a simple step forward to erase the distance between them while swinging his sword diagonally up.

Kaito's eyes widened. It was such a simple movement, but he recognised its deliberate intent. The forward step shortened the sword's swing time, reducing his momentum.

The two swords met, and the ANBU-nin parried his attack. Kaito felt his sword and arm shoot back with such force that his body was pulled back off-balance. At the same time, the fire-covered sword exploded, forcing the ANBU-nin to jump away, leaving him unable to follow up on what would've ended the fight.

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Kaito groaned, struggled to regain his balance. His dominant hand ached. Breaking the seal had freed him, but it didn't come without a cost—he had injured himself by forcing the seal off of him. He could tell that every moment he fought, he was worsening his condition.

He knew he wasn't going to win against ANBU-nin.

He was going to die.

"...If so, then I won't go down easy," he said, his voice soft but firm.

Kaito dug into his utility belt and took out a fist full of soldier pill that he stuffed into his mouth without hesitation. If he were going to die, it would be on his own accord.

"I'm not going back there." Kaito's lips curled into a grim smile. "I'm going to at least crack that mask of yours."

"...A pity. I wanted more experience," said the ANBU-nin, his voice now sounding normal. "But I'm a clone, so I can't risk it."

"A kid?" Kaito was surprised by the voice.

The ANBU-nin stabbed his sword into the ground and attained a taijutsu stance. "Come, give me all you got," he said, his voice equally firm.

There was a chaotic storm wreaking havoc in his body. It was unequivocally a bad idea, and he could feel his injuries get worse as his own chakra destroyed him from within. But Kaito had a peaceful look on his face as he felt respect from his opponent, who was going to match his all with his best.

Kaito weaved hand seals and almost couldn't use the jutsu due to his chaotic chakra. The moment he touched his sword, fire lines appeared on the blade as the intense quantity of Fire chakra flooded and burnt the metal from within.

With a final burst of strength, Kaito charged forward, his sword raised high. The ANBU-nin also moved faster than Kaito; he had nothing in his hand.

They crossed each other and came to a stop with their backs to each other.

Kaito felt the taste of iron in his mouth as he vomited a mouthful of blood on his chest and stomach as he looked down. His chest was caved in. All of his ribs had been shattered, and his heart had been torn up from within. His vision had already quadrupled as he turned back to face the ANBU-nin, who was opening and clenching his fist.

They looked at each other for a moment before Kaito fell forward to the ground.

He had attained freedom