Naruto - Azure Awakening

Kaoru, Akane, Mizuki, and Mei flickered through the dense forest, moving in near silence as they approached their target. Their mission was to eliminate Kirigakure's patrol team.

Takimura had deployed several teams with the same objective. After being on the defensive for so long, they were finally taking the initiative.

The group landed behind a thick line of bushes, crouching low as they surveyed the enemy camp. It was a full moon night, far from ideal for an assassination mission, but they had no choice. They had to make it work regardless.

The camp, just a few hundred meters ahead, was very silent. Unlike bandit hideouts that Team Shin had cleared in the past, there were no drunken guards slumped over fires. These were trained shinobi. Their movements were disciplined and their camp was well-kept.

"Our objective is to eliminate every single one of them. If even one escapes, the mission is a failure."

Said Mei as she kept looking at the dim light coming from the campfire ahead, then she turned to Kaoru.

"How many are there? And what are their chakra levels?"

Unlike typical sensors who had to expand their sensory field, all Kaoru needed to do was activate his Suijingan. With it, he could see even those who were trying to suppress their chakra. His range was more limited than a skilled sensor-nin's, but at close range, his ability was far more precise.

Kaoru focused his eyes for a brief moment they soon started glowing faintly in the dark.

"There aren't many traps and the main entrance has even fewer. We can bypass it entirely by leaping in from above, one of the trees has a direct path inside.

"As for the enemies - there are thirteen shinobi in total. Two are jonins. Though one might be a special jonin, his chakra levels are significantly lower than the other. Two elite chunins and the rest are standard chunin.

"There's a large tent where three kids appear to be held and the jonins are nearby."

Kaoru had learned his lesson after his encounter with Senju Toji. He no longer made assumptions based purely on water particles volume. He knew better than to underestimate someone just because the water particles in their body were lacking.

If the weaker jonin was suppressing his chakra, then he was definitely a fully fledged jonin, if not he was at the very least on special jonin level, meaning that he was not far from becoming jonin.

Mei nodded as Kaoru finished his report.

'Thats weird, there should have been twelve shinobis, not thirteen…' Mei had a bad feeling about this, but she was not going to abort this mission.

"I'll make the first move. That should eliminate most of the chunin, and I'll also target the stronger jonin and elite chunin."

Since her defeat against Maki, Mei had dedicated over two months to rigorous training. Now, she was above an weaker elite jonin.

She turned to Kaoru next.

"Your target is the special jonin. Your priority is the safety of the kids and yourself, but under no circumstances let him escape. You don't need to kill him, just stall for time until I've finished with my targets."

Kaoru was already above chunin level and everyone in the team knew that. However, he was farm from becoming jonin as his biggest weakness, his chakra reserves, were holding him back and limiting how long he could fight at full capacity. Against a more experienced shinobi, it was a dangerous disadvantage.

But Kaoru wasn't expected to win, only to hold out.

"Akane, you're taking the elite chunin. Focus on defense, and only go for the kill if you're confident you can take him out."

Finally, she looked at Mizuki.

"Mizuki, use your new technique to eliminate any chunin who survive my initial attack. But don't spread your butterflies right away, we need to lure our targets away first. If we're caught in your field, we'll be just as trapped as them.

"If you finish your fight before the rest of us, go help Kaoru."

The plan was set. At first glance, it seemed solid, but in reality, it was too risky.

Kaoru against a jonin, or even special jonin, was a dangerous mismatch. Akane could probably hold her own against the elite chunin, but Mizuki would be up against multiple chunin at once. Her domain technique was powerful, but it required time to spread, and in a fight where every second mattered, that was a serious drawback.

'This is risky… but Takimura can't afford to keep playing it safe. If we only take on missions we're sure we can handle, we'll never grow strong enough. We need to take on challenges that push our limits, even if we think we're not ready.'

This was the second time Mei had been given a team to lead in the past month. The first mission had ended in failure and her reputation had taken a massive hit because of it.

While Takimura was ruled by a council, everyone knew that at some point, they would have to elect a Kage. A council was effective for managing the village, but when it came to war and survival, it was too slow. Decisions needed to be made in an instant, and a single leader would be inevitable.

And right now, that leader would most likely be Maki. She had never failed a mission and she was stronger than Mei, even now after her intense training.

Mei respected her and she would never do anything that would harm Maki or Takimura, but to achieve her own dream, to unite the Land of Water and crush the bloodthirsty rulers of Kiri, she needed to be the one making the decisions.

But Takime Clan's growing power, thanks to their incredible new generation, combined with Maki's flawless record and immense strength, was a threat to that ambition.

If she failed this mission, she might as well forget about ever leading Takimura.

The moment Mei received nods from her team, she charged.

All four of them climbed the nearest tree in swift, silent movements, positioning themselves above the camp. They waited, as Mei prepared to initiate the attack.

She leapt from the branch and the moment she was directly above the enemy, her hands made hand seals in a blurry speed.

"Lava Release: Lava Dome!"

The air above the camp twisted with heat as deadly magma poured down, spreading like a burning curtain.

The moment Mei unleashed her chakra, lifting the supression, the jonin below immediately reacted.

"We're under attack!"

"They're attacking from above, regroup near the entrance!"

"We can't regroup in time… just run!"

"Someone help me!"

"This hurts…!"

Panic set in as screams replaced orders. The first wave of Mei's attack wiped out six chunin instantly, leaving only three for Mizuki to handle.

She had intentionally expanded the range of her jutsu, spending extra chakra to maximize her kill count. The fewer chunin left, the better Mizuki's odds in her fight.

However, she couldn't engulf the entire camp. The children in the large tent were too close. If she expanded any further, she would risk killing them too.

Even after slaughtering six enemies, Mei wasn't finished. Her hands flickered through more seals.

"Lava Release: Lava Clone!"

Two identical clones formed beside her, each coated in scalding magma, radiating deadly heat.

Both clones launched themselves toward the elite chunin, engaging him immediately.

"Attack!"

Mei's signal was all the team needed. Kaoru, Mizuki, and Akane flickered forward, each rushing toward their designated target.

<<<>>>

Akane was the first to engage.

Her opponent was a woman in her forties with an eyepatch and wild, spiky hair that almost resembled a hedgehog.

Unlike most Kiri shinobi, who favored heavy weapons, this woman immediately pulled out her chakra blades. They were uniquely-designed trench knives, worn like brass knuckles, their edges gleaming with chakra.

She wore a sleeveless black tunic, a standard shinobi jacket over it, but even that couldn't conceal her broad, muscular frame and huge bosom.

Akane charged, wielding her slightly curved nodachi, the blade glinting under the moonlight.

Like Kaoru, she had been training her Chakra Rotation technique, and unlike him, she had already completed the pathways for all her limbs.

'What the hell is this strength?'

The Kiri shinobi's eyes widened in shock as Akane's sword clashed against her chakra blades. She had expected force, but not this much. Even though she had successfully blocked the strike, she still felt the impact reverberate through her arms, a dull ache settling in.

'Her attacks send shockwaves… this brat is dangerous.'

Without hesitation, she retaliated, swinging her leg toward Akane's waist, forcing her to retreat a step back. That brief pause was all she needed to shift the momentum, and she immediately charged forward.

Unfortunately for her, Akane was stronger in close combat.

The Chakra Rotation Technique was proving to be a game-changer. When the Kiri kunoichi came in with a strike, Akane met it head-on, easily deflecting the blow and delivering a powerful kick in response.

Her opponent barely managed to block with her arms, but once again, the impact was not fully negated.

'I can't just block her attacks, she still damages me even when I guard.'

The Kiri shinobi quickly adjusted her approach, analyzing Akane's strengths.

If she couldn't block, then she had only one option, she had to dodge.

"Wind Release: Wind Clone!"

A swirling gust of air took form beside her, shaping into an exact duplicate.

Akane reacted immediately.

"Fire Release: Fire Clone!"

She didn't overcomplicate it, she simply countered with an identical move.

Both clones rushed forward, engaging in their own battle while the real fighters exchanged blows once more.

The Kiri shinobi moved faster now, weaving around Akane's attacks instead of trying to match strength with strength. Her movements became sharper and lighter. Akane did not expect such speed from someone of her body frame.

However, Akane adapted just as quickly.

She shifted her stance slightly, minimizing unnecessary movements, making her reactions more precise. She wasn't as fast as her opponent, but the Chakra Rotation technique allowed her to sense strikes before they fully landed, letting her redirect attacks and counter with devastating force.

While Akane's attacks carried much more power, Kiri Kunoichi was faster and that compensated for gap in terms of speed. However, her biggest advantage was not speed either.

Kiri kunoichi swung her blade towards akanes face, akane swiftly dodged it as the tip of the blade did not even graze her however soon akane felt a sharp burn on her cheek and noticed that she was bleeding. After taking a closer look she realized that kiri kunoichi was reinforcing the chakra blades with her chakra expanding their range as a result.

So while Kiri kunoichi needed to dodge akane's attack's and akane on the other hand had to block them or dodge in a way that would leave big enough space so that blade's increased range would not graze her.

For a while, it seemed like neither side had the upper hand.

Slowly, the momentum shifted.

The Kiri kunoichi was dodging more than attacking, her movements becoming more defensive as the fight dragged on. Akane's strikes were landing more frequently, each one forcing her opponent into an increasingly narrow position.

But what truly made the difference was Chakra Rotation.

Unlike other chakra-enhancing techniques, Chakra Rotation did not consume chakra once the body adapted to it. It flowed naturally, enhancing her physical abilities without draining her reserves further.

Her opponent, on the other hand, was using chakra-enhanced trench knives, steadily burning through her energy with every exchange. As time passed, her reserves began to dwindle.

Akane seized the opportunity.

She flickered beside the kunoichi, closing the gap instantly, and swung her blade with full force, aiming directly for her neck.

The Kiri shinobi's eyes widened.

She couldn't dodge, Akane was simply too close.

Realizing this, she poured more chakra into her blades, fortifying them with a final burst of strength, and took the hit head-on.

The shockwave from the impact rippled through her body, sending a deep ache through her arms. But it wasn't enough to break her.

'It looks like I'll have to go all out to defeat this brat.'

Gritting her teeth, she lunged forward, delivering a powerful kick to Akane's stomach.

The sudden burst of speed caught Akane slightly off guard. She managed to brace herself just in time, but the force still sent her skidding back.

The distance between them widened.

Akane steadied her breathing, but before she could prepare for another attack, her opponent reached into her pouch, pulled out a small red pill and swallowed it in one motion.

Immediately, her chakra flared.

Bulging veins appeared across her body, thick and pulsing, while her skin darkened slightly, taking on a reddish hue.

Her already rough features became even more twisted and grotesque, but none of that mattered.

Because her chakra, that previously was at its limit, had suddenly surged to a level rivaling a jonin's.

"The real fight begins now, kiddo," the Kiri kunoichi sneered, rolling her shoulders as she adjusted to the newfound power coursing through her veins.

Akane watched carefully, her grip on her blade tightening.

She didn't panic.

Not even for a second.

'I have to finish this. If I don't, she'll become a problem for my teammates as well.'

Her eyes were even more focused and practically radiated the determination.

This fight was far from over.

**

A/N -

I'm considering developing Akane into a pure kenjutsu fighter, with her signature technique being the Shifting Flow Sword Style that Kaoru discovered. I haven't fully decided yet tho…

Small Request – If you're enjoying the story, consider gifting Power Stones to help it reach more people, it would help me a lot!

Character Notes:

Akane - Determined - 'I'll never be a liability!'

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