Adaption is Key (An Aza Chobei Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty: A Battle for Love

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the distance, the party saw the ship ahead, albeit burning down and breaking in half. 

"So how are we going to stop this?" questioned Mizuho.

"Given the ferocity of those flames... only I can board the vessel." Answered Gabimaru. "So I can take advantage and hold my own. But only me, first."

"Yeah..." Chobei mocked, "just don't leave all the fun to yourself, you bastard."

"There's one problem though..." Gui Fa spoke after wiping their tears, "Rien's Tao is too powerful, even compared to the rest of the Tensen. However, because she's managing the ship, fire, and her puppet, she's losing a lot of her Tao. She's dedicated to reviving her husband Jofuku so regardless, you have to do your best."

"If the Blade Dragon does his job..." Jikka analyzed from the ship's somewhat stable state, despite burning and falling apart, "the enemy will have to devote some power toward keeping the ship intact."

"So I can take advantage and hold my own." The shinobi volunteered. "But only me, first."

"But Rien possesses Earth Tao... so your Fire can't inflict mortal wounds." Sagiri rebuked the Hollow's volunteerism. "I must board as well."

"If Sagiri's going second, then we'll all join!" Mizuho yelled enthusiastically before asking everybody. "Right? We'll defeat Rien and get rid of those eggs!"

Chobei smirked confidently with Toma smiling subtly.

"Yeah, after all..." the Bandit King wrapped his arm around his younger brother's and the ravenette's necks. The older Aza brother then boasted as Toma pulled out two jars with the characters for Wood, "we have these gourds full of Wood Tao." 

"We oughta team up, right?" Nurugai cheered. "If we don't succeed here... we're all doomed!"

"So how about we use the same strat we did for Ran?" suggested Yuzuriha. "The whole 'make 'em use their Tao' thing."

"It's the only way." Gabimaru answered. "And the ones on distraction duty... are me, Toma, the Blade Dragon, Yuzuriha, and Nurugai. Dig deep for this team effort."

"I'm not good at cooperating with any of us, but if it means getting rid of Rien, then sure." Toma groaned. 

"Meanwhile, Shion and I will use our natural Wood Tao to attack her tanden, while Chobei and Mizuho will use the gourds." Sagiri continued.

Shion nodded with a serious face as Chobei laughed.

"Can do, ponytail."

"We can also use our Waitanhua forms in order to increase our skills."

Meanwhile, Jikka was analyzing where he should strike Rien, but was having difficulty based on his intuition.

Maybe a sneak attack...? No, that won't work on that woman... that's wrong. Same goes... for a joint attack. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong, wrong. Always wrong, no matter how you slice it.

"Hrmm.... Impossible, I'd say." The third-ranked Asaemon muttered.

"Oi, old man!" called Toma. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna stick with our boat. Gotta have someone guarding this hunk of wood, yeah?"

"You just can't be bothered to fight, huh?" remarked Yuzuriha.

"Lazy bastard..." groaned Mizuho.

"Who, me?" Jikka asked lazily. "Well, you're not totally wrong. There's clearly nothing I can accomplish here."