Naruto: The Avenger of the Uzumaki clan

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Menma crouched on the rooftop, observing the chaos below with sharp, calculating eyes. Shisha's brazen confidence filled the air, a stark contrast to the wavering fear among the Takigakure shinobi. Yet, his focus wasn't solely on the traitor—it was on Shibuki.

Is this resolve or desperation? Menma wondered.

For a fleeting moment, he considered stepping in. It would take no effort to subdue Shisha and end his attempt to seize control. However, the unease he'd sensed earlier between Mizuno and Shibuki lingered in his mind. Then, he caught a flicker of resolve in Shibuki's stance.

So that's how it is, Menma thought with a faint smirk. Alright, Shibuki, let me see what you're truly made of.

Below, the confrontation began to escalate.

Shisha's grin widened, his chakra flaring ominously. "You're clinging to a thread, Shibuki. Do you really think you can stop me? This village has no place for someone as weak as you."

Shibuki's hand gripped a kunai tightly, his knuckles turning white. "Weak or not, I'm still the leader of Takigakure. And as long as I stand, I'll protect this village—even from you, Shisha."

His mocking laughter cut through the tense air. "Protect it? You can't even protect yourself!"

Without warning, he charged, his chakra surging violently. In a blur of motion, his fist collided with Shibuki's kunai. The sharp clang of metal echoed as their clash sent tremors through the clearing.

Despite his determination, Shibuki's movements were slower, less refined. Shisha's superiority became evident as his strikes forced him back step by step. His experience and raw strength overwhelmed his defenses.

Finding an opening, Shisha delivered a powerful elbow to Shibuki's chest.

Thud!

The impact sent Shibuki flying, his body skidding across the ground before coming to an abrupt halt. He clutched his chest, gasping for air as his subordinates called out in panic.

"Lord Shibuki!"

"Leader!"

But he silenced them with a raised hand, his voice firm despite his labored breathing. "Stay back! This fight is mine. If I fall here, do not resist. Protect the village... no matter what."

His words silenced the murmurs, though fear lingered in the eyes of his men.

From his vantage, Shisha sneered. "You're as stubborn as ever, Shibuki. Still clinging to some foolish sense of duty? Why not accept reality? You're outmatched. I'll end this quickly—consider it a mercy."

Shibuki didn't respond immediately. Instead, his hand moved to his jacket, pulling out a small, worn gourd. The sight made Shisha pause, his mocking grin replaced by wide-eyed alarm.

"That gourd... the Hero's Water?!"

Gasps rippled through the gathered Taki-nin. Even Menma, perched above, raised an eyebrow.

Hero's Water, Menma thought. So, he's willing to pay that price.

The liquid within the gourd was infamous in Takigakure—amplifying the user's chakra at the cost of their life force. A forbidden tool, reserved only for dire moments.

"Shibuki, don't!" one of his shinobi pleaded, but Shibuki didn't falter.

He uncorked the gourd and drank deeply, the cool liquid searing down his throat. The effect was immediate. A surge of chakra erupted from his body, the intensity shaking the ground. The air around him grew dense, oppressive, as his chakra swirled into a visible, raging aura.

Shisha stepped back instinctively, his confidence faltering. "You fool! Do you think you can handle that power? It'll destroy you!"

Shibuki's eyes, now burning with resolve, locked onto his. "If that's the cost of protecting my village, then so be it!"

Before Shisha could react, Shibuki vanished in a burst of speed, reappearing directly in front of him.

Snap!

He caught his incoming fist with ease, gripping it tightly. Shisha's eyes widened, the crushing force of his grip making his arm tremble.

"It's over, Shisha," Shibuki growled. "This village has no place for traitors."

With a roar, his chakra spiked again. In one swift motion, Shibuki drove his fist into his abdomen, the force shattering his defenses.

Crack!

The blow sent Shisha hurtling backward, his body crashing into the dirt with a sickening thud. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she struggled to breathe, her form trembling from the impact.

"Shisha-sama!"

"Lord Shisha!"

His subordinates screamed in panic, their confidence shattered.

Still, Shisha forced him to stand, his battered body swaying unsteadily. Blood dripped from his lips as he glared at Shibuki, hatred burning in his eyes.

"This... isn't... over!" he hissed, though his voice was weak. "I'll kill you... if it's the last thing I do!"

Shibuki didn't respond. He stood firm, his chakra still raging, but Menma could see the toll it was taking. Each second drained more of his life force.

From the rooftop, Menma narrowed his eyes. "Hero's Water may have given him the edge, but he can't maintain this for long... If he pushes him further, it'll kill him."

A faint smirk tugged at Menma's lips. "Still... not bad, Shibuki. You've got guts."

The battle wasn't over yet, but for the first time, Menma thought Shibuki might actually win.

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The tension in the air was suffocating.

"Kill him!" Shisha's voice rang out, sharp and desperate. Gone was his usual composed demeanor, replaced by an unhinged glare. His wild, feral expression betrayed the depths of his frustration.

His command echoed across the battlefield, but there was no confidence behind it—only desperation.

After consuming the Hero Water, Shibuki's chakra surged to levels rivaling an elite jōnin, perhaps even higher. His every move radiated power. Shisha, despite his cunning, knew he was completely outmatched.

His inner ugliness—both literal and figurative—was on full display.

A guttural cry erupted from his loyalists.

"Charge!"

The Takigakure-nin rallied to his call, their chakra flaring as they rushed forward. Individually, they lacked the strength to stand against Shibuki's power, but their numbers gave them a chance. Several among them carried chakra reserves akin to elite chūnin, making them a formidable group.

"Hold the line!" one of Shibuki's loyalists shouted. "Protect Lord Shibuki at all costs! Buy him time to defeat the traitor!"

Though outnumbered, Shibuki's supporters stood firm, their resolve unwavering. They believed in their leader and the strength he had drawn from the Hero Water, the sacred treasure of Takigakure.

As the battle raged, some neutral Taki-nin, hesitant at first, began to shift their allegiance. Seeing Shibuki's strength and resolve swayed them; the tides of battle were clearly turning in his favor. Staying neutral now would only invite punishment later.

But it was already too late for Shisha's forces.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

From his vantage point atop a crumbling tower, Menma moved swiftly. With a sharp bite to his thumb, he formed the seals and slammed his bloodied palm onto the ground.

A massive plume of smoke erupted.

"Boom!"

The battlefield froze as a colossal dark-green lizard appeared amidst the chaos. Its scales shimmered ominously under the pale light, and its cold, predatory eyes swept across the battlefield. The sheer weight of its presence sent a wave of fear rippling through the enemy ranks.

"What in the world is that?!" one of the traitor Taki-nin gasped, his voice trembling.

Standing atop the lizard's head, Menma smirked, his golden hair ruffling in the wind. "Lord Shibuki," he called out, his voice calm and authoritative, "leave these soldiers to me. Focus on Shisha. End this."

Shibuki blinked in surprise before nodding. Relief washed over him. With Menma's overwhelming power on their side, victory was within reach.

"Thank you, Menma!" he called, turning his attention back to Shisha.

The loyal Taki-nin cheered, their spirits lifting at the sight of Menma's intervention. His terrifying summon had single-handedly shifted the battlefield dynamic.

Shisha, however, was seething.

"Shirogane! You dare betray me?!" he screamed, his voice cracking with fury. "You—after everything I offered you! Why?!"

Menma's expression darkened, and his voice turned cold. "You betrayed Takigakure first, Shisha. Your greed and ambition blinded you to what truly matters. This is where your story ends."

Shisha's face twisted in rage. His chakra flared violently as he screamed, "I won't die here! I will be the leader of Takigakure!"

Shibuki dashed forward, his chakra blazing with the Hero Water's power. "Your treachery ends now, Shisha!"

Their clash was ferocious. Shisha unleashed everything he had in a desperate attempt to overcome Shibuki, but it was futile. Each blow he landed was met with one far stronger. The battle was no longer a contest—it was an execution.

Meanwhile, Menma's summon, the lizard Urushi, rampaged through Shisha's forces. Its massive tail swept through the enemy lines, sending traitors flying like rag dolls. Each crushing strike shook the ground, leaving craters in its wake.

"Boom!"

"Crash!"

The opposing Taki-nin were thrown into disarray. Some tried to regroup, but Urushi's raw power was insurmountable. Menma watched impassively from atop his summon, only giving one order: "Do not kill them. Crush their spirits, not their lives."

Urushi obeyed, holding back just enough to avoid fatalities. Still, the devastation it wrought was undeniable.

"Thud!"

Shibuki's final blow landed squarely in Shisha's abdomen, sending him sprawling to the ground. He coughed violently, blood spilling from his lips. The once-proud traitor now lay broken and defeated at Shibuki's feet.

"You... you fool," he whispered hoarsely. "This village... it will destroy you, just as it did me…"

His words faded as he lost consciousness.

Urushi let out a low growl, signaling the end of its rampage. The battlefield fell silent. The remaining traitors, either incapacitated or cowering in fear, could do nothing but surrender.

Shibuki stood tall, his breathing heavy but steady. The battle was over, and Takigakure was his once more. He turned his gaze to Menma, who dismissed Urushi with a flick of his hand.

The massive lizard vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind only a trembling silence.

Shibuki approached Menma cautiously, gratitude mixed with uncertainty in his expression. "Menma," he said, his voice steady despite his exhaustion, "thank you. But… why? Why go so far to help us?"

Menma smirked, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Because this village still has potential. And I intend to ensure that it's used wisely."

Shibuki frowned but chose not to press further. For now, Menma was an ally—but his motives remained shrouded in mystery.

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