Book 2: The Three of Us

Chapter 39: Back Into The Fight

Despite the two decades of experience as a shinobi that I had, nothing was quite like this. There was something especially unsatisfactory about war. As someone who thrives in the midst of bloodshed, embraces it and finds joy in it, the moment when I was in battle and I didn't enjoy it always felt especially...off. It was just wrong. Something about it just simply didn't sit right with me. Maybe it was the circumstances of the war. A small overpowered faction against the rest of the world. An enemy over come by delusion and with a warped idea of what they were fighting for. The idea of ever lasting peace was laughable, especially in the idea of putting the whole world in a genjutsu to achieve it.

For so long my life has been nothing but violence, and for many years it was something that didn't bother me. In fact, I never thought much about the reason behind any of the hardships I'd been forced to live through. Even now, the reason behind it all doesn't seem relevant. However, it was an undeniable fact that the enemy we are facing now was the cause behind so much of it. The civil war that plagued the hidden mist, the death of my family, clan and people, them playing with me and using me to transport the information necessary to successful take down my family, them seeing it as nothing more then a game to see how far it would push me. From there they then tried to recruit me, hoping to use my pain and despair against me in a moment of weakness.

All of that was caused by Madara and Obito Uchiha, for reasons I'd never care to figure out because it happened and there's no changing it. The past has already come and gone, and all that's left now is the future. Everything has now brought me to this moment, fighting against a enemy that has united the world. Shinobi from the five great nations were all fighting as one and sometimes I felt as if I was in a dream. The only reminder that it wasn't was the knowledge that I knew my own mind couldn't come up with something as ridiculous as this. That and the way my natural senses - what I have now come to learn that others call sage mode, or something similar - take in all the pain and suffering of the people and the earth around me.

There was no time in dwelling on the screaming of the earth around me as it's ripped apart by ninjutsu and biju bombs. I'd given myself the privilege to block it all off, to cut myself away from it all, when Konoha was attacked. However, at this time I'm needed at full strength, and that involves using all the skills at my disposal. I'd never in my life before this moment allowed myself to completely open up my self to my connection to the earth while surrounded by this much chaos. It was something that we were warned against as children because it could be detrimental if you weren't strong enough to withstand it.

The opening of the connection allows more of natures energy to flow through me, and as it strengthens, even more of the energy is allowed through. It heightens your sense of smell, as well as hearing and taste. Your vision stays the same but the extra protective layer, a second eye lid present in all Hoshiki people, thickens and allows for greater protection of the eyes. As I feel the power run through every part of my being, it becomes even harder to control. My sharp teeth become even longer, even more so resembling those of a shark. My skin thickens, scales forming but also blending in around the gills on my body. Reaction time increases and my energy lasts for longer, allowing me to fight for much longer then usual. The rate of healing increases for skin and muscle, but not for bone. Good to prevent you from bleeding out but increases the chance for broken bones to be healed improperly.

Which brings me to this moment, pushing a large rock off my leg, one of many boulders that came flying in my direction after a biju bomb had once again hit the earth and sent it exploding in all directions. Being unable to get out of the way in time, I had to make due with hoping I'd be able to avoid most of the projectiles headed my way. In the end I had to make a choice between being crushed by a large rock or being pulverized by a giant boulder. There was only one obvious choice, even if it really was the more painful one. Pain was better than dead.

My right leg was already starting to stich itself back together, even before I was able to remove the rock from it. It wouldn't be long until the bleeding would stop and the only evidence left of any injury was scars and blood. Which my pants seemed to do a decent job at hiding, even if they were torn up. None of that could stop the agonizing pain that left my leg throbbing and feeling like it was on fire. Bones were defiantly broken and there was nothing I could do about it at the moment. With immediate care everything could be returned to normal, someone there to set the bones properly and to avoid any scaring from building up around the joints. However, processional medical attention would be impossible. It didn't take but a second of contemplation to know that my leg would never be the same. There was some damage you just couldn't fix if it wasn't seen to right away. This injury was one of those cases. If I had normal healing, there wouldn't be a problem. Everything would heal properly, and yes, I'd be unable to fight anymore until it was healed but it would heal and function normally again. This wouldn't.

There was a momentary lull in the battle directly around myself as I surveyed my surroundings. Not far off many groups of shinobi were fighting off white zetsus, sealing as many of them as they could. Farther off, the battle that Naruto and Kakashi were leading against Obito and Madara that once was where I am now, had increased in intensity. I needed to be over there as soon as I could to help them. Sakura and Itachi cared about these people greatly and because of that, it was my duty to care for and protect them as well. Just a little bit longer and then I'd be able to get back up again. Greatly favoring one leg and in a massive amount of pain, but never the less, put together enough to help in the fight.