Naruto Genkyouien
- ???- ????
Chapter Twenty-two: Phantom Menace Party, Last Part û Bhava-agra of Youkai and Humans
*******
ôListen to me carefully.ö
It was a blessing that the barrier that contained her did not block out sound. Kurosaki Sayoko maintained a cool composure despite her circumstances. It was not that oddùexpressiveness has never been one of SayokoÆs qualities.
The large crowd of mostly human shinobi gathered in the wide road leading to KonohaÆs main gate listened without complaint following the Third HokageÆs cue. The old man knew better than to ignore the words of Higashiyama YuriÆs friend and attendant.
ôThe Emissary of Oblivion is a heavily armored Void creature; it can take lots of damage before it breaks down. Furthermore, an Emissary is immune to almost all kinds of damage, with two exceptions. The first is, of course, Kouton Jutsu.ö
Yuri shook her head the moment she felt her granddaughter YurinaÆs eyes on her. It would be beyond unreasonable to pretend the little two tails could fight that monstrosity.
SayokoÆs attempt at finishing her briefing was interrupted the moment she detected activity from the EmissaryÆs immense form.
ôItÆs coming!ö
The beastÆs thick carapace, truly like a set of armor, expanded outwards in a slightly mechanical motion, further contrasting the EmissaryÆs smallish head with the rest of its humongous body. Strange bulges of the same black ichor that seemed to make the whole of its body began to pop out of what they guessed could be called its neck.
ôBurst rangeÆs three meters!ö Sayoko shouted with a slightly hoarse voice that was not use to speaking loudly. She needed to minimize her word count in this situation. ôDodge!ö
The bulges finally burst out of the main body of the Emissary, tracing an ordinary parabolic arch in the air before raining upon the humans and Kitsune like ants. The people there did not have to be told twice, all of them either jumping or relying on their individual high-speed movement techniques to get out of the way. It was fortunate that the bombardment was slow and its trajectory predictable, and thus almost everybody managed to escape.
The poor two nameless shinobi who either did not hear or failed to pay heed to or understand SayokoÆs words showed everybody else the true power of the EmissaryÆs simplest bombardment.
The small black balls fired from the abominationÆs neck were not really missiles, but proximity mines. As the approached the ground and detected life in their immediate vicinity, they exploded into orbs of the deepest darkness that engulfed everything within three meters, utterly erasing it from existence. One of the unfortunate shinobi did not even get the chance for last words; having dodged merely by taking two steps away, he was immediately swallowed and consumed by the Void. The second one was even less fortunate, for he had moved away just enough to lose only half of his body. The most inexperienced and sensitive among the presence quivered at the poor manÆs last pitiful moans as his internal organs poured out of his incomplete anatomy. Yurine shrieked and buried her face in the sleeping SayuriÆs fluffy tails, while Yurimi averted her eyes and the twins Yuriko and Yurika made faces of disgust.
A stream of flames surged out of somewhere and engulfed the EmissaryÆs left foot. Most eyes sought the distraught shinobi who had chosen to attack, but it quickly became obvious that the fire Jutsu had no effect on the massive being.
The EmissaryÆs response was swift and utterly merciless. The same bulges that popped out of its neck earlier suddenly appeared all over its body like warts. For a second it made for an amusing and slightly unsettling sight, until they exploded, this time not as flying bombs, but as spear-like projections extending in all directions from the EmissaryÆs body. It was a tremendously swift attack, and the Void spears did not lash out recklessly. Even if the huge monster did not move an inch, the spears were carefully aimed in the direction of each and every single person in the vicinity.
Shinobi and Kitsune scattered in all directions, most of them dodging the barrage. Sarutobi Hiruzen could only pretend not to hear the screams of those not as successfulùfour, no, five of his men. What struck him as even more important was the distribution of how the dozens of dark spears had been aimed. Glancing from the corners of his eyes, he could see Jiraiya leaping from tree branch to tree branch to avoid a sequence of consecutive attacks aiming to impale his body, just like he was too subjected to a ceaseless assault. On the foxesÆ side, he could also see Higashiyama Yuri dancing around dozens of the things, relying on some sort of instant movement technique to dodge the most dangerous attempts at piercing her through.
Why were these spears so intent on attacking him and Jiraiya, while content with trying only twice or thrice against other ninja? It was likeà
A shrilly cry almost ended up with Yuri impaled, but she got away with Ghost Step and looked at the prone form of her daughter, Yuriko, with a measure of alarm. Her sister and lover, Yurika, leaned over the other girlÆs moaning and crying form with the terror of hopelessness. One of the Void spears had struck Yuriko on her left shoulder, consuming it almost in its entirety. She clutched at the missing section with desperation, for it seemed like her arm could fall off her body if she did not hold it.
The former Matriarch quickly looked for her successor and the rest of her family. In a bout of good insight, Yurimi, Yurisa and Mayuri had sought cover behind the crystal cage that trapped Sayoko, which the Void spears apparently avoided for some reasonùif Yuri had to guess, it was so that the prison itself would not be weakened, allowing Sayoko to set herself free. Then, Sayurià
A sphere of golden radiance protected the sleeping Sayuri and her temporary caretaker, who was currently panting at the exertion of blocking the attacks. Indeed, while most barriers would be useless against the all-consuming Void, the powers of Celestial Kitsune were a foil to the dire powers of Oblivion.
YurinaÆs Aegis of Splendor flickered and finally died out, the twin-tailed blonde panting as she felt the drain on her chakra. Anybody could tell she would not be able to do that again, not for some time.
ôYurina! Take Sayuri and make some distance!ö Yuri commanded. At the same time, the Emissary unleashed a second round of its spherical bombs. Now that they knew how they worked, the Konoha ninja could easily avoid the slow attack, though. Yurisa leapt out of the safe spot behind SayokoÆs prison to grab Yuriko before she and her sister ended up stupidly swallowed by the Void bombs.
SarutobiÆs Shunshin no Jutsu brought him to where Sayoko stood surrounded.
ôHow do we kill that thing?ö It was not rudeness that drove his succinct words; the situation demanded it. Four of his shinobi were already dead and two more severely wounded.
ôI donÆt know,ö Sayoko said, but quickly made herself clear, speaking loud enough for hopefully everyone to hear. ôBesides Kouton Jutsu, every Emissary has a unique second weakness. YouÆll have to try different forms of damage until you find what works.ö
The Third Hokage nodded. ôThat thing, it can somehow tell our individual strengths.ö
Sayoko nodded. ôIt perceives æthe size of a personÆs soulÆ, which is connected to physical vitality, chakra capacity and life experience.ö The explanation was more complicated, but they had no time for details. ôStealth will not work against a Void Creature. Neither will Genjutsu. Also, people with Doujutsu should not try to use their eyes against it.ö
ôWhat else can you tell me?ö Sarutobi demanded. Any intel in such short notice would be critical.
A explosive tag attached to the EmissaryÆs leg activated, drowning the battlefield with dust and roaring sound for a second.
ôThatÆs not good!ö Sayoko called out. ôEven if explosions were its weakness, thatÆs just too weak to affect it anyway!ö She quickly turned to the Hokage. It was critical for him to organize his ninjasÆ assault before they exhausted themselves fighting futilely. ôRather than a living beingÆ, the Emissary is more of an automatonàa puppet,ö she said. ôIt is predefined to attack in specific ways and response to external disturbances in specific ways as well.ö
Sarutobi and Yuri nodded. They could get what Sayoko was trying to say.
The Emissary raised its armored, stubby arms straight ahead.
ôThat patternà!ö Sayoko recognized the threat. ôGet away from it!ö
ôEveryone!ö The Hokage roared as Void-stuff coalesced like black tar in the space between the outstretched ôhandsö.
It was what in some circles would be called a ôcrowd-controlö attackùa technique to clear all threats in the immediate vicinity. Unlike the previous attack, the spears that shot out of the spherical ômassö of Void-stuff were not aimed at any specific target. It was instead ôcarpet-bombingö; a reckless barrage of piercing shadow death from above. Density and speed were both off the charts; the only way to avoid that ridiculous assault was not being within its area of effect.
Yuri considered summoning his eldest daughter. HimeyuriÆs powers would be a tremendous boost to their present combat potential. However, at the moment the priority wasà
Hiruzen managed to catch a glimpse of Yuri reaching under her garments. When the hand came out again, her fingers were stained in blood. It was the same wound she had taken from her fight against the First and Second Hokages, which had threatened to disrupt her concentration while engaged in the mental exchanged against Yumemigahara Himawari. As for the aged Hokage, his priority was getting his people in order, pulling the wounded out of the battlefield and organizing an assault on the monstrosity.
Yuri idly thought about teaching Yurimi the Summoning Technique. However, her second youngest did not have the chakra capacity to make good use of that jutsu. Yuria, on the other sideàthen again, the half-Mountain was not one for delegating fighting tasksà
It was something worth thinking about in due time.
ôKuchiyose no Jutsu.ö
The familiar cloud of white smoke announced the arrival of yet another lily of Higashiyama.
ôHorere?ö It was a rather befuddled Higashiyama Chiyuri who stepped out of the smoke, her huge twin-tails swaying merrily under the weight of the large ball-like ribbons hanging off the ends. The fact she was wearing a full-length yukata caught her relativesÆ attention.
ôWhaà? I was summonedùbwa!?ö The four-tails instinctively took a step back the moment she saw the Emissary of Oblivion.
ôWo-hoho!ö Jiraiya laughed boisterously and perversely some distance away, and a good portion of the present rolled their eyes.
ôOh, be serious, Jiraiya,ö the Third Hokage scolded. For some reason, the Emissary had stopped attacking after that latest barrage. Hiruzen wondered if it was because everybody had moved away. Maybe there was a certain ôthresholdö distance that triggered its offensive patterns?
ôChiyuri,ö Yuri called out and stood before her first granddaughter. They made for an intimidating picture, the two lilies with the largest bust sizes. ôI apologize for the suddenness, but the circumstances are dire.ö
ôBu-but, Yuri-sama!ö Chiyuri retorted in a supplicant tone. ôYurieÆs out of her bedroom!ö
There was a bit of a heavy pause. Even the unrelated and unknowing humans could feel the unsettling feeling simmering amongst the Kitsune.
ôThatÆsàthatÆs worrisome, indeed,ö Yuri admitted. ôBut this situation remains priority, and Himeyuri can control her daughter just fineùö
ôBut Byaku-rin-rinÆs in the shrine too!ö
ôàwhy is the Matriarch of Kinoshita in our shrine?ö Yuri had to ask.
ôHauuuàö Chiyuri shrunk under her grandmotherÆs stare, her eyes seemingly about to burst into tears.
The Third Matriarch of Higashiyama shook her head in dismissal.
ôWhatever, weÆll trust your mother to take care of things there. Chiyuri, please do something about the wounded here, starting with Yuriko.ö
Chiyuri gasped deeply at the sight of her fallen auntùwho, it must be noted, is youngerù, but then stared at the massive figure of the Emissary of Oblivion.
ôYuri-sama, if thatÆs a Void creature, thenàö
Yuri nodded. They both knew that things which have been claimed by the Void cannot be recovered, ever. YurikoÆs shoulder was gone forever. It could not be regrown or regenerated.
ôJust do what you can, and then assist the humans as well.ö
ôAh, um.ö
While the half-Forest hurried to provide assistance to Yuriko, Yuri walked past the imprisoned Sayoko to join the human soldiers.
ôYuri-sama, the EmissaryÆs attacks can be faster,ö Sayoko warned. ôPlease be careful.ö
ôPlease worry about yourself now, Sayoko-san,ö Yuri replied. ôWeÆll take care of things here.ö
Sayoko nodded. The moment she set herself free from this unnatural prison, she could set everything right with little effort.
While the shinobi stood in a wary semicircle around the unmoving Emissary, Yuri approached the Hokage and Jiraiya. Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, Mitarashi Anko and Morino Ibiki stood nearby.
ôShe isà?ö Hiruzen spoke, glancing at YuriÆs latest summon.
ôMy granddaughter, and HigashiyamaÆs healer,ö Yuri explained. ôSheÆll provide assistance, but donÆt count on her for much. Void damage is irreparable.ö
ôSo,ö she continued, turning her attention to the Void monster. ôAll other attacks I saw you doing were too weak to count as references. We need all sorts of different attacks, all of them strongùö
ôRun away!ö Sayoko suddenly cried out inside her prison, her voice raw desperation and her eyes wide like never before as her hands banged the chakra cage futilely.
Their mistake was forgetting a simple fact: all creatures of the Void aim for the annihilation of everything that exists. If the targets wonÆt step into the danger zone, the Emissary will simply seek them out.
With swiftness that could not be natural for its tremendous size, the abomination literally slid along the ground, its legs never making the motions for natural bipedal steps. As if propelled by invisible engines, the gargantuan monstrosity dashed towards the group of shinobi and youkai, its chest carapace stretching out like before and its stubby fingers growing into disgusting black tentacles, each of them thicker than JiraiyaÆs bulk.
ôSo fastù!ö Someone cried out a second before a line of Void-matter devoured his head.
Of course, the moment it moved a meter, it meant everybody was within its range of reaction. The barrage of Void spears began in earnest, accompanied by artillery in the form of omnidirectional Void bombs and the new addition of those tentacles, lashing recklessly like gigantic whips. A strange, artificial-sounding moan echoed out of its comically small head as it moved to the offensive. It did not aim for anybody, as it could attack anything and everything. Even the nearby trees, by virtue of being alive, became targets as well.
Everything beforehand was merely a prelude.
The battle began in earnest, accompanied by the screams of the unfortunate.
- ???- ????
Chapter Twenty-two: Phantom Menace Party, Last Part û Bhava-agra of Youkai and Humans
*******
ôListen to me carefully.ö
It was a blessing that the barrier that contained her did not block out sound. Kurosaki Sayoko maintained a cool composure despite her circumstances. It was not that oddùexpressiveness has never been one of SayokoÆs qualities.
The large crowd of mostly human shinobi gathered in the wide road leading to KonohaÆs main gate listened without complaint following the Third HokageÆs cue. The old man knew better than to ignore the words of Higashiyama YuriÆs friend and attendant.
ôThe Emissary of Oblivion is a heavily armored Void creature; it can take lots of damage before it breaks down. Furthermore, an Emissary is immune to almost all kinds of damage, with two exceptions. The first is, of course, Kouton Jutsu.ö
Yuri shook her head the moment she felt her granddaughter YurinaÆs eyes on her. It would be beyond unreasonable to pretend the little two tails could fight that monstrosity.
SayokoÆs attempt at finishing her briefing was interrupted the moment she detected activity from the EmissaryÆs immense form.
ôItÆs coming!ö
The beastÆs thick carapace, truly like a set of armor, expanded outwards in a slightly mechanical motion, further contrasting the EmissaryÆs smallish head with the rest of its humongous body. Strange bulges of the same black ichor that seemed to make the whole of its body began to pop out of what they guessed could be called its neck.
ôBurst rangeÆs three meters!ö Sayoko shouted with a slightly hoarse voice that was not use to speaking loudly. She needed to minimize her word count in this situation. ôDodge!ö
The bulges finally burst out of the main body of the Emissary, tracing an ordinary parabolic arch in the air before raining upon the humans and Kitsune like ants. The people there did not have to be told twice, all of them either jumping or relying on their individual high-speed movement techniques to get out of the way. It was fortunate that the bombardment was slow and its trajectory predictable, and thus almost everybody managed to escape.
The poor two nameless shinobi who either did not hear or failed to pay heed to or understand SayokoÆs words showed everybody else the true power of the EmissaryÆs simplest bombardment.
The small black balls fired from the abominationÆs neck were not really missiles, but proximity mines. As the approached the ground and detected life in their immediate vicinity, they exploded into orbs of the deepest darkness that engulfed everything within three meters, utterly erasing it from existence. One of the unfortunate shinobi did not even get the chance for last words; having dodged merely by taking two steps away, he was immediately swallowed and consumed by the Void. The second one was even less fortunate, for he had moved away just enough to lose only half of his body. The most inexperienced and sensitive among the presence quivered at the poor manÆs last pitiful moans as his internal organs poured out of his incomplete anatomy. Yurine shrieked and buried her face in the sleeping SayuriÆs fluffy tails, while Yurimi averted her eyes and the twins Yuriko and Yurika made faces of disgust.
A stream of flames surged out of somewhere and engulfed the EmissaryÆs left foot. Most eyes sought the distraught shinobi who had chosen to attack, but it quickly became obvious that the fire Jutsu had no effect on the massive being.
The EmissaryÆs response was swift and utterly merciless. The same bulges that popped out of its neck earlier suddenly appeared all over its body like warts. For a second it made for an amusing and slightly unsettling sight, until they exploded, this time not as flying bombs, but as spear-like projections extending in all directions from the EmissaryÆs body. It was a tremendously swift attack, and the Void spears did not lash out recklessly. Even if the huge monster did not move an inch, the spears were carefully aimed in the direction of each and every single person in the vicinity.
Shinobi and Kitsune scattered in all directions, most of them dodging the barrage. Sarutobi Hiruzen could only pretend not to hear the screams of those not as successfulùfour, no, five of his men. What struck him as even more important was the distribution of how the dozens of dark spears had been aimed. Glancing from the corners of his eyes, he could see Jiraiya leaping from tree branch to tree branch to avoid a sequence of consecutive attacks aiming to impale his body, just like he was too subjected to a ceaseless assault. On the foxesÆ side, he could also see Higashiyama Yuri dancing around dozens of the things, relying on some sort of instant movement technique to dodge the most dangerous attempts at piercing her through.
Why were these spears so intent on attacking him and Jiraiya, while content with trying only twice or thrice against other ninja? It was likeà
A shrilly cry almost ended up with Yuri impaled, but she got away with Ghost Step and looked at the prone form of her daughter, Yuriko, with a measure of alarm. Her sister and lover, Yurika, leaned over the other girlÆs moaning and crying form with the terror of hopelessness. One of the Void spears had struck Yuriko on her left shoulder, consuming it almost in its entirety. She clutched at the missing section with desperation, for it seemed like her arm could fall off her body if she did not hold it.
The former Matriarch quickly looked for her successor and the rest of her family. In a bout of good insight, Yurimi, Yurisa and Mayuri had sought cover behind the crystal cage that trapped Sayoko, which the Void spears apparently avoided for some reasonùif Yuri had to guess, it was so that the prison itself would not be weakened, allowing Sayoko to set herself free. Then, Sayurià
A sphere of golden radiance protected the sleeping Sayuri and her temporary caretaker, who was currently panting at the exertion of blocking the attacks. Indeed, while most barriers would be useless against the all-consuming Void, the powers of Celestial Kitsune were a foil to the dire powers of Oblivion.
YurinaÆs Aegis of Splendor flickered and finally died out, the twin-tailed blonde panting as she felt the drain on her chakra. Anybody could tell she would not be able to do that again, not for some time.
ôYurina! Take Sayuri and make some distance!ö Yuri commanded. At the same time, the Emissary unleashed a second round of its spherical bombs. Now that they knew how they worked, the Konoha ninja could easily avoid the slow attack, though. Yurisa leapt out of the safe spot behind SayokoÆs prison to grab Yuriko before she and her sister ended up stupidly swallowed by the Void bombs.
SarutobiÆs Shunshin no Jutsu brought him to where Sayoko stood surrounded.
ôHow do we kill that thing?ö It was not rudeness that drove his succinct words; the situation demanded it. Four of his shinobi were already dead and two more severely wounded.
ôI donÆt know,ö Sayoko said, but quickly made herself clear, speaking loud enough for hopefully everyone to hear. ôBesides Kouton Jutsu, every Emissary has a unique second weakness. YouÆll have to try different forms of damage until you find what works.ö
The Third Hokage nodded. ôThat thing, it can somehow tell our individual strengths.ö
Sayoko nodded. ôIt perceives æthe size of a personÆs soulÆ, which is connected to physical vitality, chakra capacity and life experience.ö The explanation was more complicated, but they had no time for details. ôStealth will not work against a Void Creature. Neither will Genjutsu. Also, people with Doujutsu should not try to use their eyes against it.ö
ôWhat else can you tell me?ö Sarutobi demanded. Any intel in such short notice would be critical.
A explosive tag attached to the EmissaryÆs leg activated, drowning the battlefield with dust and roaring sound for a second.
ôThatÆs not good!ö Sayoko called out. ôEven if explosions were its weakness, thatÆs just too weak to affect it anyway!ö She quickly turned to the Hokage. It was critical for him to organize his ninjasÆ assault before they exhausted themselves fighting futilely. ôRather than a living beingÆ, the Emissary is more of an automatonàa puppet,ö she said. ôIt is predefined to attack in specific ways and response to external disturbances in specific ways as well.ö
Sarutobi and Yuri nodded. They could get what Sayoko was trying to say.
The Emissary raised its armored, stubby arms straight ahead.
ôThat patternà!ö Sayoko recognized the threat. ôGet away from it!ö
ôEveryone!ö The Hokage roared as Void-stuff coalesced like black tar in the space between the outstretched ôhandsö.
It was what in some circles would be called a ôcrowd-controlö attackùa technique to clear all threats in the immediate vicinity. Unlike the previous attack, the spears that shot out of the spherical ômassö of Void-stuff were not aimed at any specific target. It was instead ôcarpet-bombingö; a reckless barrage of piercing shadow death from above. Density and speed were both off the charts; the only way to avoid that ridiculous assault was not being within its area of effect.
Yuri considered summoning his eldest daughter. HimeyuriÆs powers would be a tremendous boost to their present combat potential. However, at the moment the priority wasà
Hiruzen managed to catch a glimpse of Yuri reaching under her garments. When the hand came out again, her fingers were stained in blood. It was the same wound she had taken from her fight against the First and Second Hokages, which had threatened to disrupt her concentration while engaged in the mental exchanged against Yumemigahara Himawari. As for the aged Hokage, his priority was getting his people in order, pulling the wounded out of the battlefield and organizing an assault on the monstrosity.
Yuri idly thought about teaching Yurimi the Summoning Technique. However, her second youngest did not have the chakra capacity to make good use of that jutsu. Yuria, on the other sideàthen again, the half-Mountain was not one for delegating fighting tasksà
It was something worth thinking about in due time.
ôKuchiyose no Jutsu.ö
The familiar cloud of white smoke announced the arrival of yet another lily of Higashiyama.
ôHorere?ö It was a rather befuddled Higashiyama Chiyuri who stepped out of the smoke, her huge twin-tails swaying merrily under the weight of the large ball-like ribbons hanging off the ends. The fact she was wearing a full-length yukata caught her relativesÆ attention.
ôWhaà? I was summonedùbwa!?ö The four-tails instinctively took a step back the moment she saw the Emissary of Oblivion.
ôWo-hoho!ö Jiraiya laughed boisterously and perversely some distance away, and a good portion of the present rolled their eyes.
ôOh, be serious, Jiraiya,ö the Third Hokage scolded. For some reason, the Emissary had stopped attacking after that latest barrage. Hiruzen wondered if it was because everybody had moved away. Maybe there was a certain ôthresholdö distance that triggered its offensive patterns?
ôChiyuri,ö Yuri called out and stood before her first granddaughter. They made for an intimidating picture, the two lilies with the largest bust sizes. ôI apologize for the suddenness, but the circumstances are dire.ö
ôBu-but, Yuri-sama!ö Chiyuri retorted in a supplicant tone. ôYurieÆs out of her bedroom!ö
There was a bit of a heavy pause. Even the unrelated and unknowing humans could feel the unsettling feeling simmering amongst the Kitsune.
ôThatÆsàthatÆs worrisome, indeed,ö Yuri admitted. ôBut this situation remains priority, and Himeyuri can control her daughter just fineùö
ôBut Byaku-rin-rinÆs in the shrine too!ö
ôàwhy is the Matriarch of Kinoshita in our shrine?ö Yuri had to ask.
ôHauuuàö Chiyuri shrunk under her grandmotherÆs stare, her eyes seemingly about to burst into tears.
The Third Matriarch of Higashiyama shook her head in dismissal.
ôWhatever, weÆll trust your mother to take care of things there. Chiyuri, please do something about the wounded here, starting with Yuriko.ö
Chiyuri gasped deeply at the sight of her fallen auntùwho, it must be noted, is youngerù, but then stared at the massive figure of the Emissary of Oblivion.
ôYuri-sama, if thatÆs a Void creature, thenàö
Yuri nodded. They both knew that things which have been claimed by the Void cannot be recovered, ever. YurikoÆs shoulder was gone forever. It could not be regrown or regenerated.
ôJust do what you can, and then assist the humans as well.ö
ôAh, um.ö
While the half-Forest hurried to provide assistance to Yuriko, Yuri walked past the imprisoned Sayoko to join the human soldiers.
ôYuri-sama, the EmissaryÆs attacks can be faster,ö Sayoko warned. ôPlease be careful.ö
ôPlease worry about yourself now, Sayoko-san,ö Yuri replied. ôWeÆll take care of things here.ö
Sayoko nodded. The moment she set herself free from this unnatural prison, she could set everything right with little effort.
While the shinobi stood in a wary semicircle around the unmoving Emissary, Yuri approached the Hokage and Jiraiya. Hatake Kakashi, Maito Gai, Mitarashi Anko and Morino Ibiki stood nearby.
ôShe isà?ö Hiruzen spoke, glancing at YuriÆs latest summon.
ôMy granddaughter, and HigashiyamaÆs healer,ö Yuri explained. ôSheÆll provide assistance, but donÆt count on her for much. Void damage is irreparable.ö
ôSo,ö she continued, turning her attention to the Void monster. ôAll other attacks I saw you doing were too weak to count as references. We need all sorts of different attacks, all of them strongùö
ôRun away!ö Sayoko suddenly cried out inside her prison, her voice raw desperation and her eyes wide like never before as her hands banged the chakra cage futilely.
Their mistake was forgetting a simple fact: all creatures of the Void aim for the annihilation of everything that exists. If the targets wonÆt step into the danger zone, the Emissary will simply seek them out.
With swiftness that could not be natural for its tremendous size, the abomination literally slid along the ground, its legs never making the motions for natural bipedal steps. As if propelled by invisible engines, the gargantuan monstrosity dashed towards the group of shinobi and youkai, its chest carapace stretching out like before and its stubby fingers growing into disgusting black tentacles, each of them thicker than JiraiyaÆs bulk.
ôSo fastù!ö Someone cried out a second before a line of Void-matter devoured his head.
Of course, the moment it moved a meter, it meant everybody was within its range of reaction. The barrage of Void spears began in earnest, accompanied by artillery in the form of omnidirectional Void bombs and the new addition of those tentacles, lashing recklessly like gigantic whips. A strange, artificial-sounding moan echoed out of its comically small head as it moved to the offensive. It did not aim for anybody, as it could attack anything and everything. Even the nearby trees, by virtue of being alive, became targets as well.
Everything beforehand was merely a prelude.
The battle began in earnest, accompanied by the screams of the unfortunate.
