Chapter 48: Chapter 48 All Out War (2)
3. The Three Toads vs. The Wind Genryū
The battlefield howled with an unrelenting gale as the Wind Genryū emerged, a massive, serpentine dragon with translucent, blade-like wings that sliced through the air with deadly precision. Its body shimmered like a mirage, its scales a pale green tinged with silver. Every beat of its wings sent cyclones ripping across the terrain, uprooting trees and scattering debris.
Standing before it were three titanic figures: Gamabunta, with his massive pipe clenched in his mouth and his giant sword drawn; Gamaken, gripping his broad shield and sasumata with uneasy determination; and Gamahiro, dual-wielding colossal blades and looking resolute as ever.
"Tch—This one's going to be a pain," Gamabunta muttered, his pipe puffing a small plume of smoke as he eyed the massive dragon.
"Pain? It's going to kill us!" Gamaken croaked nervously, raising his shield as a gust from the dragon nearly knocked him over.
"Stop whining, Gamaken," Gamahiro grumbled, steadying himself. "We've fought worse… probably."
The Wind Genryū let out a high-pitched screech, its body spinning mid-air as it whipped up a massive tornado that barreled toward the three toads.
"Scatter!" Gamabunta barked, leaping to the side with surprising agility for his size. Gamaken barely managed to jump clear, his shield scraping against the ground as he stumbled. Gamahiro vaulted backward, landing with a crash that left a deep crater.
The tornado tore through the battlefield, carving a path of destruction before dissipating.
"Stick together!" Gamabunta shouted. "It's trying to pick us off one by one!"
The Genryū darted through the air with incredible speed, its wings slicing through the wind as it launched razor-sharp gusts at the toads.
"Gamahiro, flank it!" Gamabunta commanded, raising his sword.
Gamahiro nodded, charging forward with his twin blades glinting in the light. The Genryū screeched again, whipping up another tornado, but Gamahiro slashed through it with a powerful swing, dispersing the winds.
"Ken! Shield it!" Gamabunta barked.
Gamaken leapt into the air, raising his shield just as the dragon dove toward Gamahiro. The Genryū's claws raked against the shield with a metallic screech, sparks flying as Gamaken pushed back with all his might.
"Ugh, I'm gonna regret this!" Gamaken grunted, using his sasumata to jab at the Genryū's wing. The dragon snarled, twisting mid-air as it batted Gamaken away with its tail.
"Ken, you idiot! Cover your back!" Gamabunta snapped, leaping forward to intercept the dragon before it could capitalize on Gamaken's stumble. With a powerful swing, Gamabunta slashed at the dragon's side, his blade meeting resistance as it bit into the Genryū's tough scales.
The dragon screeched in pain, spinning rapidly to shake off Gamabunta. A whirlwind formed around it, sending the toad flying back.
"Bunta, you okay?" Gamahiro called, leaping to his side.
"I'm fine," Gamabunta growled, planting his blade into the ground to steady himself. "But this thing's tougher than it looks."
The Genryū soared higher into the sky, its wings shimmering as it began to spin faster and faster. The winds around it intensified, forming a massive storm that engulfed the battlefield. Razor-sharp gusts cut through the air, forcing the toads to take cover.
"This is bad," Gamaken muttered, crouching behind his shield.
"We need to ground it," Gamabunta said, his voice grim. "Hiro, with me. Ken, you keep its attention."
"Great, make me the bait," Gamaken grumbled, but he obeyed, leaping forward with his shield raised.
The dragon's eyes locked onto him, its body glowing faintly as it unleashed a barrage of wind blades. Gamaken gritted his teeth, deflecting the projectiles with his shield as he charged forward.
"Come on, you oversized snake!" he taunted, jabbing at the dragon with his sasumata.
Meanwhile, Gamabunta and Gamahiro flanked the Genryū from opposite sides.
"Hiro, now!" Gamabunta shouted.
Gamahiro leapt high into the air, his twin blades glowing with chakra as he brought them down in a powerful cross-slash. The attack struck the Genryū's back, causing it to screech in pain and lose altitude.
"Good hit!" Gamabunta said, seizing the opportunity to leap onto the dragon's tail.
The Genryū thrashed wildly, its winds slicing at Gamabunta as it tried to shake him off. Gamahiro joined the fray, his blades clashing against the dragon's wings as he tried to pin it down.
"Ken! Go for the head!" Gamabunta barked.
Gamaken hesitated. "The head? Are you crazy?!"
"Just do it!" Gamabunta growled.
Muttering curses under his breath, Gamaken charged forward, his sasumata aimed at the dragon's face. The Genryū snarled, turning its attention to him just as Gamabunta and Gamahiro drove their weapons into its back, forcing it to the ground.
With a roar, Gamaken leapt onto the dragon's neck, jamming his sasumata into its jaw to keep its mouth shut. The Genryū thrashed and screeched, its wings flailing as it tried to rise, but the combined weight of the three toads kept it pinned.
"Now, finish it!" Gamabunta shouted.
Gamahiro raised his blades, their edges glowing with chakra as he brought them down in a devastating strike. The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield, and the Genryū let out a final, pained roar before collapsing, its body dissolving into shimmering wind.
The storm began to subside, the battlefield growing eerily quiet.
"Well," Gamaken said, panting heavily, "that wasn't so bad."
"Shut up, Ken," Gamabunta muttered, lighting his pipe. "We're not done yet."
Gamahiro snorted, sheathing his blades as he surveyed the battlefield. "Let's hope the others are faring just as well."
With that, the three toads regrouped, ready for the next battle.
4. Yuji, Gristle, and Shiro vs. The Lightning Genryū
Standing before it was Yuji, his black-and-white fur bristling with sparks as his paws crackled with white sparks of his own chakra. Beside him stood Gristle, Kristian's massive boar companion, who pawed at the ground, his tusks glowing faintly from the static in the air. Perched on Gristle's back was Shiro, who ruffled his feathers before suddenly exploding into a swarm of magpies, casting a shadow over the field.
Yuji's deep voice rumbled, steady and focused. "Stay sharp. This one's going to be fast."
The Lightning Genryū let out a shriek as it surged forward, its body coiling with blinding speed. Yuji immediately slammed his hands together, releasing a torrent of white sparks that shot toward the dragon in a chaotic stream of light.
The Genryū twisted mid-air, avoiding the attack with unnatural agility before retaliating with a bolt of lightning from its maw. The blast slammed into the ground where Yuji had been standing, leaving a smoldering crater.
"Close the gap!" Yuji roared, charging forward.
Gristle let out a guttural snort and followed, his hooves thundering against the ground as he charged headlong into the fray. The Genryū snapped its tail like a whip, aiming for the boar, but Gristle ducked under the attack with surprising nimbleness for his size and rammed into the dragon's side, forcing it to skid backward.
Above, Shiro's magpie swarm swooped down, their shadowy forms darting around the Genryū's head and wings, disrupting its vision. Lightning crackled from the dragon's body, arcing into the swarm and dispersing several of the clones, but Shiro regrouped and continued his assault, his black forms unrelenting.
"Keep it distracted!" Yuji shouted, leaping high into the air. His claws glowed with white sparks, and he slammed them down onto the Genryū's back. The dragon howled in pain, twisting violently to shake him off.
Gristle charged again, aiming for the dragon's legs. He rammed into them with full force, unbalancing the Genryū and forcing it to lower its body.
"Now!" Yuji bellowed, channeling more chakra into his fists. He brought them down again, this time sending a pulse of white sparks coursing through the dragon's body. The electricity collided with the Genryū's own lightning, causing an explosion of energy that sent both Yuji and the dragon skidding across the battlefield.
The Genryū snarled, its glowing eyes narrowing as it opened its jaws and unleashed a massive arc of lightning toward Yuji. He crossed his arms, forming a barrier of white sparks to absorb the brunt of the attack, but the sheer force drove him back, leaving deep furrows in the ground.
Gristle roared, barreling into the Genryū's flank once more, forcing it to divert its attention.
The Genryū spun, its tail lashing out and striking Gristle square in the side. The boar let out a pained grunt as he was thrown several meters, his massive body rolling to a stop.
From the shadows, Shiro reformed into his original magpie form, landing on Gristle's back and chirping anxiously. The boar groaned but pushed himself up, shaking off the hit with a defiant snort.
"Hang in there!" Yuji called, his voice strained. He turned back to the Genryū, which was now coiling itself like a spring, its body glowing with charged energy.
Before Yuji could react, the Genryū launched itself forward like a lightning bolt, crashing into him with tremendous force and sending him sprawling. The dragon loomed over him, its horns crackling as it prepared to unleash another devastating attack.
Suddenly, a massive wall of flames erupted between the Genryū and Yuji, forcing the dragon to rear back. A familiar voice rang out:
"You looked like you could use some help!"
Jiraiya stood atop Gamabunta, his arms crossed and his Sage Mode in full effect. Fukasaku and Shima perched on his shoulders, their faces etched with determination.
"About time," Yuji grunted, pushing himself to his feet.
"Focus on its movements!" Fukasaku croaked. "This thing's got power, but it ain't unbeatable!"
The Genryū screeched, its body sparking violently as it turned its attention to the new arrival. Jiraiya leapt from Gamabunta's head, weaving hand signs in mid-air.
"Katon: Dai Endan!" he shouted, releasing a massive fireball that streaked toward the Genryū.
The dragon countered with a bolt of lightning, the two attacks colliding in a deafening explosion that lit up the battlefield.
"Yuji, Gristle, get ready!" Jiraiya barked, landing beside them. "We're bringing this thing down together!"
Yuji nodded, his claws sparking as he charged forward once more. Gristle followed, his tusks glowing with faint white sparks as he roared a battle cry.
Jiraiya formed another set of hand signs, summoning a series of shadow clones that flanked the Genryū, throwing kunai infused with wind chakra to distract it. The dragon thrashed, its tail snapping through the clones with ease, but the barrage bought Yuji and Gristle enough time to close the distance.
Yuji leapt onto the dragon's back, gripping its spines as he sent a surge of white sparks directly into its body. Gristle, meanwhile, rammed into its legs again, his tusks glowing brighter as he poured every ounce of strength into the attack.
The Genryū roared in agony, its movements growing more erratic as the combined assault began to overwhelm it.
"Now's our chance!" Jiraiya shouted, forming a massive Rasengan in his hand.
Leaping high into the air, Jiraiya brought the Rasengan down onto the Genryū's head, the impact creating a shockwave that reverberated across the battlefield. The dragon let out one final, anguished screech before collapsing, its body dissolving into crackling energy that dispersed into the sky.
Yuji dropped to the ground, panting heavily, while Gristle stood tall, his breath coming in short snorts but his eyes still fierce.
Jiraiya straightened, brushing dirt from his cloak as he glanced at the two. "Not bad," he said with a grin.
Yuji smirked, though his exhaustion was evident. "Same to you, old man."
Shiro landed on Gristle's back with a triumphant chirp, his feathers ruffled but intact.
As the dust settled, the three turned their gaze to the rest of the battlefield, where the sounds of combat still raged on. Their fight was over, but the battle was far from finished.
5. Kristian vs. Yomi
The scene was tense, the air thick with tension and the scent of destruction. Kristian stood at the front, his grip tight around the shaft of his newly forged battle axe, the crackling energy of lightning chakra weaving around its blade. His muscles were coiled tight with a mix of anger and determination, but his focus was singular—Yomi.
Standing opposite him, Yomi was the embodiment of darkness. His presence alone seemed to absorb the light, his body surrounded by an aura of twisted, malignant chakra. He had cursed Kristian's family—ruined their lives—and for that, Kristian would see him fall.
Kristian's eyes burned with a fierce intensity. He could see it, the remnants of his family in his mind's eye—his parents, his siblings, all lost to the curse Yomi had placed on them. That curse had taken everything from him. He wasn't just fighting for revenge—he was fighting for justice.
"I've been waiting for this moment," Kristian sneered, his voice like poison.
Kristian's jaw clenched. "You ruined my life. You took my family from me. I'll make you regret that."
With a flick of his wrist, Yomi summoned dark chakra blades that swirled around him like serpents. The blades gleamed with the promise of death, and with a sinister laugh, Yomi hurled them straight at Kristian.
Kristian reacted immediately. He ducked low, narrowly avoiding the first blade, and then spun to the side, his axe flashing out to intercept the second. The dark blade collided with his axe, sending a shockwave of dark energy through him. He staggered but held his ground. His fingers tightened around the axe handle, and his feet planted firmly into the earth.
Yomi's eyes narrowed in amusement. "You're more persistent than I thought."
Without warning, Yomi lashed out with his chakra, summoning a dark pulse of energy from his hands. The blast of energy shot toward Kristian like a bullet, tearing up the earth as it barreled forward.
Kristian's instincts kicked in. He sidestepped at the last moment, the blast missing him by mere inches, and then surged forward, closing the gap between them. The air around him hummed with power as his lightning chakra crackled along the surface of his weapon.
"You're not going anywhere," Kristian snarled, raising his axe high above his head, the tip crackling with raw power. The blade of the axe shimmered with the energy coursing through him.
Yomi laughed, but there was a flash of unease in his eyes as he saw the intensity of Kristian's attack. He raised his hands to summon more of his dark energy, but it was too late.
With a primal roar, Kristian swung his axe downward, the lightning-infused strike crashing through the air. The force of the blow created a shockwave, tearing apart the ground beneath him. The energy collided with Yomi's dark barrier, sending sparks flying in all directions. The impact pushed Yomi back, causing him to stagger. His chakra shield flickered.
Kristian didn't hesitate. He rushed forward, not giving Yomi a moment to recover. With each step, the lightning around him intensified, charging his body and the weapon in his hands. His movements were relentless, instinctive—pure, raw rage.
Yomi attempted to counter, summoning a dark tendril to lash out at Kristian, but the boy was too fast. Kristian sidestepped the attack and, with a swift motion, swung his axe again. The blade sliced through the air with precision, cutting through the dark tendril like it was paper.
"You're pathetic," Kristian spat, his voice laced with anger.
Yomi's expression faltered, the hint of doubt creeping into his eyes. He had underestimated Kristian's resolve. With a growl, Yomi summoned dark flames to surround him, the fire swirling in a violent ring. He launched the flames toward Kristian, hoping to overwhelm him with sheer power.
But Kristian wasn't backing down. With a fierce yell, he slammed his axe into the ground, sending a shockwave of lightning through the air, dissipating the flames before they could reach him.
As Yomi raised his hands to retaliate, Kristian moved faster than ever before. The third gate of his chakra opened—his body surging with power as he activated the gate's immense strength. His speed and power increased exponentially.
With a roar, Kristian charged, his axe glowing with the intensity of the lightning chakra. He leapt into the air, his entire being focused on ending this once and for all. The air around him crackled with static as he descended upon Yomi like a thunderclap.
Yomi, his dark aura flickering, barely had time to react as the axe came down with the force of a storm. The blade collided with Yomi's barrier, sending a massive shockwave throughout the battlefield. The force of the blow shattered the dark energy, and for the first time, Yomi seemed to falter.
In that moment, with his defenses shattered, Yomi's true weakness was exposed. Kristian's eyes burned with the memory of his family, the pain of their loss flooding his chest. Without hesitation, he drove the axe into Yomi's head with a final, devastating strike.
Yomi's eyes widened, the dark chakra around him dissipating as he was finally overpowered. His body split in two, and he fell to the ground, a broken, defeated man.
Kristian stood over him, breathing heavily, his heart racing. The lightning chakra faded from his weapon as the battle came to a close. His hands shook slightly, but it wasn't from fear—it was from the weight of everything he had just accomplished.
He had avenged his family.
"Don't ever come back," Kristian muttered, before turning away, the battle won but the scars of loss still etched deep within him.
…
Kuroma, seeing all of this havoc, and all of his precious genryu fall at the hands of that group, decided to try and escape.
However, the moment he turned to run away…
Riku suddenly swiped a finger in a random direction into the distance.
A large flying slash of his monoflame and white sparks flew at breakneck speeds and slashed the final opponent's head clean off.
Jiraiya was fine, just a bit tired
The summons were sent back
Shiro was in top condition
Gristle was a bit hurt but nothing fatal
Riku was perfectly fine, his chakra was exhausted
Kristian was heavily wounded but nothing fatal
And with that, Jiraiya, Riku with Shiro and Kristian with Gristle returned to the shrine and were met with the shocked expressions of the priestesses.