Battlefield, The Hidden Rain Village
Hayate flickered on the battlefield, constantly teleporting between the battlefield and the Medical Tents. Ichiko's plan was being executed smoothly as the injuries of the wounded were immediately tended to by the Ninja Medics. Fugaku had also managed to play his part by taming the flame of the Uchiha and ordering other shinobi to throw their ammo of kunais and shurikens instead of wasting their chakra on Jutsu.
From Ichiko's perspective on the top of the tower, the kunais and shurikens appeared like the feathers of a bird that are being flamed then thrown at the enemy. The kunais and shurikens acted as a decoy to prevent the Hidden Stone shinobi from weaving hand signs or performing any form of counterattack.
From that point, the Hidden Leaf made sure to take advantage of the opportunity while the enemy was still distracted. Fugaku, having excelled in Shuriken Jutsu spiraled on the battlefield as he threw his own shurikens and produced his own Fireball Jutsu. Ichiko kept her eyes open in order to watch the enemy's movements carefully, her instincts telling her that she still has to wait before engaging in battle.
Once Hayate made sure that there weren't any more casualties on their side, he rushed head-to-head into actual combat and clashed against Stone shinobi.
While Leaf shinobi engaged in total combat despite their dwindling ammo and chakra supply, Ichiko stood immobile on the peak of the tower, a dilemma suddenly at her hands. What should she do? Should she use the power of her visual prowess?
Her plan was going without a flaw, even the once discouraged and hopeless shinobi stood straight on third feet and marched into combat.
She wasn't oblivious to the fact that most of her comrades will end up overdoing things, which will eventually lead to negative results. Her eyes expanded when the Leaf shinobi accidentally gave the Hidden Stone an opening to release chakra into the ground, ultimately stimulating the rise of the ground, shifting the build of the terrain on the battlefield.
They've officially succeeded in creating a mud barrier.
Inside the barrier that the stone had managed to generate, the Earth Style users assembled together. Ichiko squinted her eyes, trying to get a clear glimpse at what they were doing. She sure was at a high level above ground, but that didn't prevent her from seeing what the Hidden Stone was weaving. She took a quick glance at her comrades and sure enough she went into a panic mode immediately.
The hand signs that the Hidden Stone were weaving behind their mud barrier were of a Jutsu that Ichiko recognized too well from the countless missions she'd engaged in battle with Hidden Stone shinobi.
Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb.
They were planning on bombarding the already exhausted and defenseless Leaf shinobi...
Ichiko's eyes darted to her comrades in fear, a few of them had already fallen on the muddy battlefield from overdoing their performance. At the sight of her fallen comrades and the worst case scenarios that kept executing in head head, Ichiko has finally settled her dilemma and put her doubts aside. Her Sharingan would instantly alter its typical pattern into a more intricate and sophisticated one.
Having unlocked her Mangeykō Sharingan, Ichiko had channeled her chakra into generating the gigantic humanoid avatar known as the Susano'o. A yellow flame engulfs Ichiko's body as the Susano'o spreads its massive wings and levitates in the air. The gigantic humanoid glows in the murk of this never ending night, catching everyone's eye.
Hayate spotted another one of his comrades laying on the ground, clutching the abject wound on his chest. He was about to rush to his side and use his Teleportation Technique to get him the medical attention he needed when Ichiko's voice pierced through his ears, calling out his name in frustration. His heart suddenly skipped a beat when he saw the true powers of the Uchiha prowess demonstrated by Ichiko.
Ichiko flew towards her comrades direction and shouted, "Everyone assemble together right now!", Ichiko felt like she had bruised her vocal cords, but her mind was dead set on keeping everyone in check.
The Leaf shinobi, at first appalled by the sight of Ichiko's new power had simply complied, since her tone of voice and expression hinted that a calamity was about to strike. Leaf Ninja began gathering like Ichiko had ordered, some even dragging their unconscious comrades along with them.
"Hayate!", Ichiko shouted once she landed on the muddy ground, "They're about to bombard us with the Dragon Bomb Jutsu, do what you have to do!".
"What?!", Hayate exclaimed, his eyes widening at this information. There was no time to contemplate he had to act and act fast. Even while his mind was still in shock, his body was still well and conscious. And so it moved on its own. Hayate whipped out another marking kunai and flung it in the direction of the place where Ichiko had ordered the Leaf shinobi to gather. Once the tip of the kunai pierced the muddy ground, Hayate swung about two of his fallen comrades over his shoulder and teleported to the location where his kunai had marked.
"Ichiko- is that the Susano'o ?!", Fugaku apprised in disbelief.
"Yes", Ichiko simply replied, her nerves getting all worked up to properly say anything else.
"Everyone get down!", Ichiko orders, her eyes suddenly searching for Hayate's blue ones. He laid his two comrades on the muddy ground.
"Hayate...", her voice was barely a whisper as she spotted him running in the direction of the mud barrier.
"Don't worry, Ichiko I know what I'm doing", he assures, flashing her his signature smirk.
Much to Ichiko's dismay he was already too far away from her Susano'o's reach. There was no time to examine other possible solutions, she had to act on instinct and trust that Hayate knows what he's doing. Making up her mind finally, Ichiko lands with a thud between her Leaf comrades. She spreads the wings of her Susano'o then engulfed everyone in a barrier as she crossed the Susano's's wings over everyone's head. For now she had managed to shield everyone. The worst was yet to come and she knew it.
"Ichiko", Fugaku's voice cut through Ichiko's mumbled prayers. Her head levels up to meet his face. Her eyes almost tearing.
"So the rumors are true?", an Uchiha gasps as he looks directly at Ichiko's sophisticated Sharingan pattern.
"Mangeykō?", Fugaku inquired and Ichiko's nod confirmed it. She has indeed unlocked her Mangeykō Sharingan.
"Spectacular", someone else muttered under their breath.
Hayate had took this risky leap according to the plan that he developed on spur of the moment. If the Hidden Stone was going to bombard Leaf shinobi they are bound to sustain some of their own damage as well.
"EARTH STYLE: EARTH DRAGON BOMB!"
Ichiko began clutching her pendant for comfort again, but Hayate had an all knowing smirk plastered across his face. There was no way they were going to lose the battle.
The Dragon Bombs were being thrown at the Susano'o's direction one after another. It all seemed endless as Ichiko prepared herself both physically and mentally in order to sustain impact. Hayate, instead of dodging the enemy's attack and finding a safe place lunged right towards it. His eyes burning with passion as he leapt in the air. His heart had no trace of hesitation or doubt. He flared out his palms, bracing himself in order to perform the strategy he came up with.
He extended his arm towards one of the bombs. His fingertips inches away from the enemy's attack. Ichiko's eyes widen as she witnessed what she assumed to be Hayate's demise. No sound eluded her, and color completely drained from her face.
Instantaneously, the bomb that was supposed to put an end to Hayate's life had miraculously disappeared. It took Ichiko a moment digest what was going on. Then, Hayate began flickering through time and space, fast enough that even the open eye couldn't catch sight of him. The more the bombs casted by the Hidden Stone, the more they somehow disappeared.
The first few bombs strikes the Susano'o, rendering Ichiko with more determination than before. She channeled more chakra to keep the Susano'o generated and in perfect shape. Soon there were more to come. Various bombs fell upon the Susano'o's surrounding, making the ground shake.
However, a serious question wandered through Ichiko's mind.
Where did the rest of the bombs go?
Her question was soon to be answered when Hayate finally appeared in sight again.
An explosion from behind the Hidden Stone's mud wall snapped everyone's head in the direction where Hayate stood still and unscathed. That's when it hit everyone what Hayate had done. Not only did he teleport a decent amount of bombs to the other side of the Hidden Stone's barrier in order to prevent damage, but also avoided doing any damage to the barrier generated by the enemy in order for the impact to only affect what's beyond the barrier. Thus, saving his comrades.
As the Hidden Stone got a taste of their own medicine, screams of agony were soon to be followed by the loud explosions on the other side.
Needless to say, Hayate and Ichiko had thought in haste, but performed greatly.
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A/N:- Let me know if you liked this chapter. This battle will be more relevant to the story later on that's why I don't haste and write longer chapters. Don't forget to vote and comment because I assure you that this book will live to the hype. Also, silent readers I see you...
~A