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The List of The "ANBU" Member:
-ar4ngel
-Lord_Clamiral
-Cain
-Ryan biggins
-Kreios
-Sabo
-Goha21
-Cherudim
-Splendid
-Jacob Mooe
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Every village has its dark side, and there is a need for "special organizations" to handle those unspeakable matters.
In Konoha, Danzō believed he was the one doing such work. Though his methods were dirty, he convinced himself that everything he did was for the sake of the village.
Kirigakure, however, didn't bother with such convoluted structures. The Anbu didn't branch out into "Root Division" or "Twig Division"—those tasks simply fell under the Anbu's jurisdiction.
Because of this, the Anbu needed to be exceptionally strong. Otherwise, if they failed to purge the darkness and instead got eliminated by it, the irony would be too bitter.
'Swish—'
The water-wreathed long blade flashed, and in an instant, Akizuki closed the distance to Katsuramaru.
The sea churned violently, and towering water pillars surged like a colossal dragon, crashing down with overwhelming force.
'This Water Release's power is insane!'
Midorima felt a chill run down his spine.
But upon closer thought, it made sense.
Being near the ocean, with an abundance of water and a light rain falling, the potency of Water Release was naturally amplified far beyond normal conditions.
However, the coastal winds were also fierce, granting Katsuramaru, who excelled in Wind Release, a certain advantage.
A tempestuous gale erupted, sharp as blades, slicing through the water dragon before slashing toward Akizuki.
With no time to dodge at such close range, Akizuki took the blow head-on. The force sent him flying back three or four meters before he stabbed his blade into the ground to anchor himself against the wind. The moment he raised his head—
"Wind Cutter Technique!"
Another attack was already upon him.
Mei swiftly formed hand seals, summoning a spiraling water pillar from the sea to intercept the wind blades.
'Boom—'
Seawater erupted skyward like a firework.
Seizing the moment, Mei lunged forward, hurling several kunai before following up with a flying kick.
The battle raged on, neither side yielding an inch. Surprisingly, Mei managed to hold her own in the short term.
Meanwhile, Midorima was searching for an opening.
Though he had failed his graduation exam and was assigned to the medical unit—making his combat experience inferior to Akizuki and Mei—he was acutely aware of his situation ever since crossing into this world. Before the exam, he had frequently sparred with his peers to sharpen his skills. Moreover, he had once faced Katsuramaru directly and narrowly escaped death.
These experiences ensured he wasn't just a spectator in this fight.
Unnoticed, he maneuvered to Katsuramaru's flank, preparing to strike—
'Whoosh!'
A wind blade forced him to dodge.
"Hey, old man, didn't you say you wanted to die?" Midorima taunted, trying to distract Katsuramaru while weaving hand signs.
"I do! But only if you're strong enough to take my head! Dragging a few Anbu bastards to the grave with me would be a sweet bonus!"
The moment he finished speaking, a surge of compressed air shot toward Midorima.
For an instant, Midorima felt the air thin around him, as if all oxygen had been sucked away.
"Water Wave!"
The jet of water from his mouth collided with the air blast.
The impact reverberated through his skull, leaving his ears ringing. Before he could recover, a figure burst through the falling water—
Katsuramaru's right hand was wreathed in a violently rotating gust.
A-rank ninjutsu: Wind Cutter!
Midorima didn't know why Katsuramaru was singling him out, but he hastily formed more seals. The water beneath his feet surged upward, forming a barrier.
Water Release: Water Wall!
He couldn't afford to slack off. The gap in their strength meant Katsuramaru could easily overpower him if he hesitated.
'Crack—'
The Water Wall shattered under the Wind Cutter's assault.
"You're the weakest link here! Die!"
Just as the Wind Cutter was about to pierce Midorima's body—
Katsuramaru's expression twisted in surprise.
Midorima's form dissolved into water.
Water Clone Technique?
Katsuramaru spun around—Midorima was already ten meters away.
In that split second, a blade flashed.
Akizuki, wielding his long sword, had closed in.
"Good job, kid. You bought me time."
Midorima had no energy left for banter. Using three ninjutsu in rapid succession had left him gasping.
It wasn't that the techniques themselves were overly draining—especially near the ocean, where Water Release was easier to perform. His chakra reserves were in better shape than expected.
But facing an opponent far stronger than himself demanded absolute focus. His hand seals had to be flawless, or he'd end up with a hole through his chest.
The constant tension weighed heavily on him.
By now, the battle had reached its climax.
Thanks to Midorima's risky diversion, Akizuki had cornered Katsuramaru near the shore, with Mei pressing the assault from another angle.
Under their relentless onslaught, Katsuramaru was forced back step by step.
"This time, you're finished!" Akizuki roared.
The sea erupted once more, forming a towering wall of water over ten meters high before crashing down with devastating force.
Waves surged over the rocks and shoreline, flooding the beach in seconds.
Akizuki moved like a sea serpent, blending into the currents.
When he burst through the water wall again, Katsuramaru was right in front of him.
"Hah! You think you've got me cornered?" Katsuramaru bellowed, hurling a scroll into the air.
A violent gust exploded outward from his body.
Unfazed, Akizuki maintained his momentum, his blade aimed straight for Katsuramaru's heart—
'Clang!'
His arms shuddered as his sword struck something solid.
A massive scythe had blocked the attack.
In the next instant, a ring of blade-light flashed around Katsuramaru, forcing both Akizuki and Mei back.
The rain had stopped, but the coastal winds grew fiercer. The scythe whirled through the air, its movements sending razor-sharp gusts slicing through everything in their path.
Midorima, Mei, and Akizuki instinctively raised Water Walls to shield themselves from the indiscriminate assault.
Some wind blades were deflected, but others cut through.
Midorima's shoulder and leg were grazed, though the wounds weren't serious.
When the storm of slashes finally subsided, the surrounding trees and rocks lay in ruins.
Katsuramaru heaved the scythe onto his shoulder.
"Pathetic. The three of you aren't even close to being enough. Especially you—" He pointed at Akizuki. "An Anbu who can't even kill me? Guess that war with Konoha really gutted Kirigakure. Otherwise, trash like you wouldn't have made it into the Anbu… No, wait—thinking about it, you're 'perfect' for the Anbu. Filthy, despicable, soulless, selfish…"
"You know me?" Akizuki's expression darkened as he touched his forehead.
His mask had been split by a wind blade, making it pointless to keep wearing it.
"Wish I didn't. Your old man was no saint either. And you? Just another piece of scum… But then again, so am I. What kind of shinobi 'isn't' scum? Come on—whoever lives or dies today, the world'll be rid of a few more monsters." Katsuramaru spun his scythe once more.
Akizuki tightened his grip on his sword. "I've got no plans to die… and I 'really' need your head."
"Then let's see which is faster—my scythe or your blade!"
Katsuramaru's words made Midorima glance at Akizuki again.
He had only known the man for a few hours. They weren't close—just comrades cooperating on a mission. But in battle, trust was everything.
Then again, Katsuramaru could just be messing with their heads. Psychological warfare was part of the game.
Midorima took a deep breath and pushed the thought aside.