Chapter 60: Chapter 15:Gato's Death.
The mercenaries charged forward, weapons raised in a chaotic frenzy. Yuto's eyes flickered with determination as he locked eyes with his team. A reassuring nod to Hitomi, Haku, and Naruko signaled his readiness. He darted forward, his footsteps light and precise, moving like a shadow.
"Stay close and watch your backs," Yuto muttered, his voice steady as he sprinted ahead, joining Kakashi and Zabuza.
Zabuza, with his trademark sword, sliced through two mercenaries in a single motion, the blood splattering onto the cold bridge. Kakashi was swift with his kunai, slitting the throats of two more, his movements graceful but deadly.
Yuto's Kamigan flared to life. His eyes glowed ominously as a fireball illusion appeared in front of the mercenaries. They immediately shifted to dodge, but Yuto's smirk grew as the illusion shattered, and deadly poison beams shot out from his eyes, eliminating three mercenaries in one swift motion.
The mist from the poison shimmered as their bodies crumpled, leaving only the scent of death in the air. 'No holding back.' Yuto thought to himself, 'These people made their own deathbed the moment they sided with Gato.'
His gaze flicked to the others, assessing how they were faring. Hitomi was quick on her feet, her hands dancing through a series of hand signs. She summoned 10 lightning balls in the air as they hit the ten mercenaries, killing them instantly.
Naruko, with a fierce glint in her eyes, had already drawn her kunai, cutting down two mercenaries with ease. She hesitated for a split second before remembering Yuto's words. 'This is what it means to be a ninja. Protect the innocent and eliminate threats.'The hesitation vanished as she made 10 shadow clones that also drew their kunais to kill the mercenaries.
Haku, despite her internal struggle with her vow to not kill, was caught in the heat of battle. Her ice release abilities flared to life, creating sharp icicles that pierced through her enemies. She winced as she saw the blood spill, but she pushed forward, knowing that in this moment, survival was paramount.
Zabuza and Kakashi continued to cut down mercenaries with ruthless precision, their partnership surprisingly smooth despite their history. The mercenaries were dropping like flies, but Gato's men just kept coming. "They won't stop until they see us all dead..." Yuto muttered to himself, glancing over at Kakashi and Zabuza.
Kakashi's eyes met Yuto's for a brief moment, he nodded at yuto when he caught the hand sign he made.
Yuto gritted his teeth, the pain in his arms making every hand sign a challenge. Despite the searing discomfort, he pushed through, his resolve unwavering. Completing the final sign, his body exploded into a flock of crows. Thousands of crows materialized in the air, circling ominously around the mercenaries. Their cries and fluttering wings filled the battlefield, creating an overwhelming cacophony.
The mercenaries froze in shock, their weapons momentarily forgotten. "What the hell is this?!" one of them shouted, his voice trembling with fear.
From the chaos of the crows, Kakashi's voice rang out. "Naruko, now! Follow my lead!" Kakashi rapidly formed hand signs, his movements fluid and commanding. Naruko, catching on immediately, mirrored his actions.
Yuto, standing apart, conjured a massive Poision Ball. The Greenish Balck sphere hovered above him, pulsating with deadly energy. He grunted from the strain but held his focus. "Here it comes," he murmured, steadying his stance.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Kakashi and Naruko shouted in unison, releasing a powerful gust of wind. The currents surged toward the energy ball, merging with it. The poison-infused ball fragmented, transforming into a raging torrent of greenish-blue winds that tore across the bridge.
The mercenaries screamed as the winds enveloped them. They couldn't even dodge because of the flock of crows disorienting them. The gusts carried razor-sharp edges that slashed through their bodies, leaving deep, bloodied cuts. The poison in the wind seeped into their wounds, spreading rapidly through their systems.Their screams grew weaker as their bodies succumbed, collapsing lifelessly onto the bridge.
Naruko stood frozen, her kunai trembling in her hand as she watched the aftermath. "Did we... really do that?" she whispered, her voice barely audible as she felt nauseous.
Yuto, panting heavily, glanced at her. "We had no choice," he said, but he was also barely controlling himself from puking then and there.
Kakashi stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Well done," he said, his voice soft. "This is what it means to be a ninja. You acted decisively when it mattered most. Though killing for the first time is unbearable, you will be able to learn to push through it."
Zabuza, observing the carnage, let out a low chuckle. "Not bad, brat." He said, his tone begrudgingly respectful. "Looks like you Konoha shinobi have some bite after all."
Haku, however, turned her gaze away, her expression conflicted. 'So much death... is this really the only way?' she thought, her heart heavy.
Yuto's gaze was cold and unwavering as he locked his Kamigan eyes onto Gato, who was trembling on the ground. The stench of fear surrounded Gato, and his stuttering pleas for mercy only deepened Yuto's resolve. Memories of the children he had saved flashed in Yuto's mind—of their frightened, emaciated faces and the unspeakable cruelty they had endured under Gato's rule.
"You…you can have all my money!" Gato stammered, his words tumbling over each other in desperation. His pants were even stained by his piss as he was shaking in fear. "Just let me live! I swear I'll leave this place!"
Yuto didn't respond, his silence cutting deeper than any words. Slowly, he formed a ball of swirling, green poison in his palm. Gato's eyes widened in terror. "No! No! Please! I'll change! I'll do anything!" he screamed, tears streaming down his face.
Yuto's voice was low, barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of his disgust. "Did those children you tortured beg like this too? Did you listen to them?"
Gato's cries grew more frantic, but Yuto's resolve did not waver. He tilted his hand, letting the poison ball drop into the puddle of water that had formed on the bridge. The liquid hissed as the poison diluted slightly, forming a noxious, glowing puddle. Without another word, Yuto stepped forward and kicked the poison-infused water onto Gato.
The effect was immediate. Gato writhed on the ground, his screams piercing the air. His body convulsed as the diluted poison took hold, spreading agony through every nerve. Unlike the mercenaries who had died quickly, Gato's death was slow and excruciating. He clawed at the ground, his voice hoarse from screaming.
It took five long minutes before he finally went still, his lifeless body a stark reminder of his crimes. Yuto stood over him, his stomach churning. The weight of what he had done crashed over him like a tidal wave. He stumbled to the side of the bridge and vomited, his body trembling with guilt and revulsion.
Kakashi approached Yuto silently, placing a comforting hand on his back. His voice was soft but firm. "It doesn't get easier, Yuto. But we do what we must to protect those who can't protect themselves."
Nearby, Naruko and Hitomi were doubled over by the riverbank, their own guilt manifesting in waves of nausea. Naruko wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, tears streaming down her face. "Is this what it means to be a ninja? To kill like this?" she choked out.
Hitomi nodded weakly, unable to find her voice. The sight of so much death had shaken her to her core. Haku stood with her eyes closed, her face pale. Zabuza rested a hand on her shoulder, his voice surprisingly gentle. "You did what you had to, Haku. Remember that."
As Yuto straightened, his eyes lingered on Gato's lifeless form. The stench of poison still lingered in the air, mingling with the metallic scent of blood. He clenched his fists, the pain from his injured arms barely registering. "It's over," he murmured, though his voice carried no triumph.
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Naruto:Eye system)