Pov: Kenzo
"Wait- what!?" Raiki stumbles as my being is engulfed in orange lightning.
*Whoo-Whoo-Whoo*
Three breaths, a jump and pumped full of lightning I flicker behind and in-between Raiki and Satsumi who are closest to the exit.
My arms elongate and twist to face behind me- sharp cws *RIIIP!!!* Tear open the sides of my prior assistants and they groan on the ground, everyone is taken back into the moment and rushes at me.
*Bzzz!* *Bzzzt*
Raiki and Satsumi weakly jump away as four lesser lightning cloaked root ninja leap at me with tremendous speed.
My tail bursts forth and with equally tremendous speed it sshes down one of them as I deflect the other two and stare down the fourth.
*HAAAAAAA*
I take a huge deep breath... the other 19 ninja still rushing at me I pull the four close with my tail and cws.
One... three... six... nine points of lightning attributed into my dragons breath.
*CRACKLE* *FWZZZZZOOWWOOOOOOO*
Hot orange crackling lightning is let out with a simple breath covering the four of them... my give digs deep into their remains and I refill my reserves.
5 points each... lower quality so around 2-3 points from four of them.
I am back to full reserves again.
*Cng* *Ssh* *Slice* *Carve* *woosh!* *Sm*
16 lesser cloaked ninja attack me at the same time, only capable of using impure lightning for taijutsu they ssh at me with their tanto and carve at my flesh to which I cover in my chakra.
*Fling* *Swoosh* *Ssh* *whooo*
The bdes deflect off and sizzle as my deflection keeps me safe- I tightly wrap my arms in wire and reel in my tail as they all stumble around me after being thrown away by my chakra.
*ZzzzzzzzTtttttt!!!* *Crackle!*
Enhanced acceleration.
Enhanced reaction time.
Enhanced strength.
Ryū Lightning taijutsu.
Jump.
Burst breathing.
And I hate to say this... but Juggling.
*Whoo-Whoo-Whoo*
I blitz over to the 16th root ninja, impaling him with my tail before throwing him up above me- I swish my arms and my wires ssh and carve the flesh off of two other root ninja before I leap above and use my tail to impale the 16th root ninja and throw him to the floor.
*CRASH!* Elminated.
I nd and dodge a spray of bugs from the aburame ninja named Torune- rolling away from them I attack the 15th ninja and ssh forward with my wires repeatedly- his flesh burns and I dig deep, deeper than needed.
*SIZZLE* Eliminated.
I impale the 14th root ninja with my tail and drain his mana, my mana from him- his chest impaled I rise him to the roof as lightning travels up my throat and- *CRACKLE* *FFFWWHHOOOOOOO!!!* Eliminates the 13th and 12th root ninja.
I throw away the 14th root ninja and he dies on impact- refilled I impale yet another and breath out more lightning at the swarm of bugs about to hit me while I also ssh my wires at the legs of any root ninja trying to get closer to me- I juggle all of this and sm my tail with the impaled 11th root ninja into the ground.
*CRASH!*
"What... are you...?" A root ninja mumbles and I find my 10th target.
I fsh a smile and dive forward at him, my tail flickers behind me as my teeth sink into his neck.
*RIIIP!!!*
I tear off a chunk of flesh and spit it back into his face as he shudders... *SLASH!* I carve into his neck with my cws and turn to everyone else.
9 root ninja flee... Raiki and Satsumi burn their own wounds in order to stop the bleeding, and Torune tries to find the best way to get at me... he stares at and studies both my wires and tail that keep him at a distance.
*STOMP!*
I stomp on the floor and stare down the nine root ninja who all freeze. My genjutsu seeps into Satsuki and Raiki as I make a loud stomp.
I turn around and swing my tail at Torune who flickers close- *Sm!* he jumps and punches down on the ft end of my give while pushing himself upwards and towards me, I overcharge my feet and slide backwards smoothly.
*Woosh*
As I move back I swing my tail... my tail? I watch as it turns purple like Torunes skin and starts to weaken.
*Woosh* *Woosh*
He nds in front of me and taps forward with two jabs as soon as possible, I make a quick decision and use my cws to ssh at the base of my tail as I weaken it for a clean cut.
I lose out on yang energy so no more tail, I slide faster and faster backwards as Torune keeps up to me with a flicker and as soon as I reach the wall on the other end of the warehouse I jump up to it and pnt my feet against it.
*Bst!*
Before jumping right past Torune and crashing into the opposite wall while passing straight through the metal and nding in the quiet street outside.
The dust clears and I crack my neck as I rise and look at the root ninja exiting the warehouse... one is gone- it only takes me a moment to look at the footprints and track him to a rooftop.
I didn't teach Naruto to focus on the details for years on end to fail using my teachings myself.
*Flick* *ZzzWoosh!*
A quick flick of the wrist and the 9th root ninja is dead, I turn to the other eight who dare not to move away from my gaze.
Torune exits with Raiki and Satsumi who have recovered enough from my surprise attack to help out again... I slowly feed their own chakra my yin energy and ever so slowly mix my genjutsu.
"Don't surround him- attack him one after the other without break, his wire attacks are good at catching you and his breath will incinerate a group if you go at the same time... minimize losses and combo with me to hurt him- Raiki and Satsumi you two need to leave and get Danzo" Torune commands and the eighth root ninja flickers forward with lightning energy.
*Bzzzzzzza!* *Tap* *Tap*
He strikes fast and his jabs bruise my torso as I let him get closer- *Crunch!* I breath and sp his head on both sides with the palms of my hands... a single gre making him freeze and unable to block.
I knew my stare wasn't weak... fucking prick.
The seventh and sixth root ninja flicker forward with Torune who runs behind them- they attack from both sides and Torune waits for me to use my wires and spin.
*Woosh!*
The ninja jump above my attack and Torune leaps forward with them- I slide with sudden energy and underneath the leaping Torune to the root ninja waiting for a moment to strike.
I need to pull their mana out with my actual body so no wires... I jump and burst breathe to quickly reach the first one and shape my cws to pierce through his chest.
*PzzzzzSquish!*
I pull my bloodied hand out and sap him of his mana before sshing behind me with my wire and catching seven and six with my gre.
*Slice* *Ssh!*
Their throats are cut but Torune makes it through as I have four more root ninja to kill before dealing with him.
*Woosh!* *Sm!*
He flickers real close and throws a straight punch right at my chin, I raise my head but he hits me square in the chest and sends me back into the attack of four and three.
Two bdes hit my torso and pierce it, my timing is off with my deflections if I can't see the attack... need to improve my hearing again.
I lower my body and leap high above them.
*Woosh!*
"Raiki- Satsumi go now!" Torune yells and I conclude my genjutsu while shifting my ears closed.
...
"Huh...?" Raiki utters his st words.
"What...?" Satsumi follows.
They 'accidentally' mix their chakra with the lightning mana in their bodies... as I learned even a small amount can make a boom.
*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!*
A fsh of Orange before crackling blue- smoke, darkest grey around covers the street and down it... the way they poured their chakra allowed the explosion to spread wide not tall.
They should be dead.
I nd back into the smoke, ash and dust and use shapeshifting to unseal my ears again... I listen for movement.
*Rustle*
*Flicker* *Zzzzzttt!*
The dust settles and my lightning dart pierces the left eye of root ninja Torune... I walk over to the four dead root ninja and refill my reserves.
I take a breath and kneel down... I look at my chest and notice the purple spread through my torn shirt.
I look behind me and start activating the bombs I had left Danzo in his root bases, the warehouse base will be destroyed- I need to stop this spread.
I use all my yang energy to fight against what feels like thousands of needles infecting me, I contain the purple flesh and flicker to my- Ryū's apartment before removing my clothes and locking myself in the bathroom.
I grab a kunai and point it at my chest... okay- purple flesh first and then handle the two Tanto... I carve and shift my body to keep the wound shut.
I need medical attention after this... my wound shifting is only temporary and slows down my natural healing process by quite a lot.
...
But I need to stop Danzo's Kenzo pn as well.
*Ssh!* *Slice* *Carve*
...
*Drip* *Shing!* *Drip*
Haaaa- I shouldn't be so calm with that pain... but I guess you would be odd not having gotten used to the pain after doing what I do.
I remove the swords and shift my body into that of Ryū's, my more powerful shifting won't work when its tied up keeping me healthy- I need to deal with 'Kenzo' via my lightning prowess... just a lot less trigger happy than the prior fight.
My strength can beat down that lesser version anyway.
I put on my Ryū gear and head for the door, lets settle this and hope I can fix whatever terrible rumour Danzo has made for me.
---
-Present time, Gaara chase-
Pov: Naruto
...
"Naruto snap out of it!" Neji yells and I jump away from the wind bst targeting me.
"Lee- get her now!" Sasuke yells and Lee bursts forward and tackles Temari.
Neji and Tenten target and deal with two sand ninja following us... I can see more coming.
"I can handle Temari, Lee, Sasuke and Naruto you guys follow Gaara and Kankuro!" Shikamaru calls and we flicker away as more sand ninja get close.
Sakura, Shikamaru, Neji and Tenten handle them as we burst through the forest with intense speed.
And despite these terrible circumstances I can't wrap my head around anything... so unfocused and- and why would Kenzo be doing any of that??
It just doesn't make any sense!
I know that he was always doing something in the dark and disappearing for days at a time but that was missions! He literally didn't have time to be evil!
Why would he pn to attack with the sand at all? Does he... does he really hate Konoha that much? He still has that emergency safe under his bed when he needs to leave... he still holds those scrolls in his jacket that I have never seen inside.
Just why...? Because Konoha hates him...? Is that enough to get under his skin?
It doesn't make sense...
"Naruto- keep Kankuro here, me and Lee will deal with Gaara!" Sasuke calls and I blink back into the moment.
Kankuro threatens to hinder my friends with some hidden bde puppetry- I throw myself in-between them and catch the bdes much like... Kenzo taught me.
I throw them away and keep my defensive position as many attacks flurry at me- wood and metal controlled by chakra strings that perform a wonderful combination of attacks.
*Sp!* *Step* *Jump* *Sp*
Deflect sword- step aside from second attack, jump away from the wooden coffin as it closes in and deflect a kunai unched at me.
It doesn't! None of it makes any sense! For any reason! Kenzo isn't like that! I know it Dattebayo!
I deflect yet another sword before- *Trip* I fall over a hidden wire and tumble off the tree branch to the ground floor... Kankuro takes the opportunity to catch me with his puppet.
Kenzo wouldn't! I know Kenzo! I know him!
Wood covers my eyes and all I can see is the sunlight entering through the holes in the wooden torso that swallowed me.
*Woosh!*
I can hear metal cutting air as the bdes swarm close.
I know...
...
*Swoosh!*
The strings tighten and I witness the bdes enter the wooden coffin and attempt to hit me.
My eyes stop dulling... they shine as clearly as before... Kenzo didn't stare... he didn't have control over his body and he didn't use any of the moves he usually uses when monster formed- of course! Only me and his teammates would be able to see the difference!
*Snap!* *Break!*
I twist my body and orange chakra fres off my body as I break one sword and punch through the top of the puppet.
Either that isn't Kenzo- or Kenzo is not in control!
*SMASH!* *BOOM!*
I swipe my cws and burst through the head of the puppet... I crack my neck as the fox's chakra heals my cuts... I remove one of the bdes that impaled me from my side and hold it down as I struggle not to get angry.
Either way... someone hurt my brother- someone has tried to ruin my brother and his image!
"What- that wood cost so-" Kankuro surprised by my escape excims and starts to sweat as I get close.
*SLAM!*
I punch him in the gut and he sms into a tree... I flicker to the tree tops and down the forest to find Gaara.
My orange chakra made tail flickers behind me with determined rage to find out what happened to Kenzo.
---
Pov: Ryū (Kenzo)
*BAM!* *CRASH!* *ROOOOOAAAARRR!!*
This copied version of me gets worse and worse as time moves on- it is wild and shifted for sure... but it cks skill, its mind is barely stable and it also is a copy of myself before the strength upgrade.
And to top it all off this is a terrible copy- the only thing it does right is look like me.
*Stretch!* *CAAWWWWW!!!*
Its third arm stretches out and threatens to impale me like a tree branch spinning into a point... I grab the arm and- *Snap!* knee into the 'elbow' snapping the twig flesh in half... another thing is its attempted tree copying for no reason, my best guess is that its sucking in natural energy in its surroundings due to my unique blood.
...
But that makes less than any amount of sense one could muster.
*Sm!* *Boom!*
I push my arms into its chest and stomach grabbing tightly before spinning... and throwing it down the street again- I rush past multiple fights between sand, sound and leaf.
*Sm!* *Pow!*
I burst forward with intense acceleration added onto my breathing and lightning boosted speed- punching harder and faster.
*Sm!* *Crash!* *Scatter!*
The thing is thrown onto the street and crashes down it with intensity- *Sp!* I sp away a sand kunai and ssh my wire forward to keep the ninja at bay before turning around and blocking the things tail attack as it stands back up.
These ninja are making it hard to escort myself into a private spot...
*Ssh!* *Zap!* *Pow!*
I throw a dart at a sound ninja about to kill a Konoha one and kill him allowing the ninja to flee, I jump over the things attempted tackle and pierce the leg of a running sand ninja before piercing the back of the copy Kenzo and using the wire to sm into its back.
*SLAM!!!*
Though do I want to? Surely showing everyone that this isn't me is the correct choice now that I have escorted the danger away from the innocents.
*SLAM!* *BOOOOOOOM!*
A giants snake tail sweeps down a building in the street we are on and covers the pce in dust- I hear screams and immediately rush towards those that need help.
*Whiiip!* *Pull* *Wooosh!*
I wrap my wires comfortably around two young adults about to be squashed by debris before pull them away and retracting my wire- I burst forward through the dust and punch my copy Kenzo before sliding under it.
*Woosh!* *Woosh!* *WOOOOSH!*
I slide past three fighting groups and push Konoha ninja with enough force to get them away from the sudden building colpsing before piercing another buildings roof with my wire and sliding around it to keep my momentum.
*Slide!* *Wooooooooosh!*
I slide around the building and up its wall before jumping at its peak- *Whhhoooo* I fly through the street dust and emerge before the giant snake.
*POW!*
I smack it on the head with my fist and my speed plus strength sends the beast smming down to the street level where the Konoha ninja rush to take it down.
I nd near my copy and immediately stomp on its tail- *CRACK!* and gre it down to a whimper.
I don't have time... my power is amazing but limited with time, I cannot exert myself so much without recharges.
I'm already halfway through my energy and all I have done is boost my speed to the maximum and perform some wire moves.
I need to solve that- being the most powerful for only minutes at a time is disappointing.
*Grip* *Toss!*
I grip the copies tail and swing him around me three times before throwing Kenzo at the sky and out of the dust.
*Woosh!* *Crack!* *Creeeaaaak!*
The copied horror cracks the pavement as it nds before me again... I can hear it creak and croak as its skins starts to peel... oh wow... I don't even need to beat it.
I hear its frothing at the mouth and scratching at its own head- I hear it coughing and cwing... I hear it stop moving as the dust settles and I watch the flesh decay into nothing but pale flesh bark.
*BURST* *WOOOOOOOSH!*
The dust clears as a powerful wind jutsu from a sand Jonin rushes down the street and clears it of obstruction- I focus down and catch a Konoha ninja who tumbles down the street and slide myself to a stop.
I look where the creature was and behind me... the bark flesh flew in the wind, I can see the motes of its decaying self fly away, as if never being there in the first pce.
"You okay?" I ask the ninja and pce her down.
"Yeah- thanks, have you seen my mother? She is the head of the Inuzuka cn, I can't smell her in this chaos" She asks as she holds her sides and cracks her shoulder back into pce before whistling and summoning her dogs.
...
I listen intently on the chaos around us... Inzuka head huh...? I can't discern but...
"I hear some Inuzuka concentrated three rooftops away- lots of barks in that direction, unsure however" I reply and she shrugs.
"Good enough- thanks" She replies and flickers off with her dogs.
...
I look around the pce and focus... lightning, I feel lightning- my lightning to the east of my location, this pce is safe.
I flicker across the rooftops and slide fast down the sloped roofs to the next buildings- just under half a tank as I reach the feeling.
My battle-sages are helping out it seems, this pce is one of the entry points for the sand invasion it seems.
*Woosh!*
I nd before them and ssh out my wires as fast and wide as possible, due to the clutter of ninja I manage to get two kills as they bump into each other trying to flee.
"Battle-sages, how are we doing here?" I ask and slide across the frontline to punch a sound ninja in the gut and throw him at my allies sword.
*Ssh!*
The ninja is cut in half and I elbow a sand ninja as I slide back and make him cough up blood.
"Helping out sir- running low on natural chakra sir! Where do you want us?" One of the louder ones report and asks me what to do.
"I'm running low too- didn't expect to be fighting right after a mission... fall back and give me any left over lightning nature chakra understood? Then go and support the civilian protection teams" I order and scuffle with a few sand ninja as I join four Konoha ninja in keeping them back.
"We could use the hands!" One yells.
"I'm better with the energy, plus they will waste it in a minute" I reply and flicker past one of my sages taking their mana and pushing them backwards.
"Understood sir!" They yell and soon I start collecting more and more energy.
"Ryū is it not? Inoichi Yamanaka, you free to follow my orders?" He asks as two sand ninja attack each other with one of his jutsu.
"Wherever you need me!" I reply and take my st sages mana before whipping my wire full of energy into the oncoming sand ninja.
*Flick* *Whip!* *ZZZZZTTTT!*
The lightning fierce and powerful sshes at a few ninja and wound them allowing two others to trap them with earth jutsu and the third ninja using a fire breathing technique to eliminate them.
The fourth ninja- Inoichi flickers to my side and points towards a sand jonin commander of sorts, the one in charge of this invasion point.
"I need to access his mind but the seals block my jutsu- can you get close and remove them?" He asks.
Probably due to my speed and seal knowledge... but my knowledge is entirely based on my lightning nature chakra.
...?
I can just remove them the old fashioned way.
I fuel my feet with intense energy and scope out a path between the chaos of jutsu and ninja.
*Haaaaaa-*
I take a breath in and stretch my bad knee.
*Whoo-Whoo-Whoo*
I breathe out thrice and pnt my foot on the ground before exploding in the path I saw-
*WOOOOOOSH!*
Thanks for reading! :)
Loved writing Kenzo at full power!
