R E S I S T A N C E

M O N S T E R W I T H I N

A/N: Warning, this chapter is a long one.

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"We can't kill the jinchuriki, Suigetsu," Jugo scolded. "Is that what the Akatsuki told us?"

The dust and dirt in the air was thick, but I would bet money that Suigetsu was rolling his eyes in defiance.

"It's alright," Karin added. "I can still feel his chakra."

Nodding to confirm her words, I continued taking in energy from the nature around me. It's warmth filled my veins, allowing me to send extra chakra to my eyes in an attempt to see clearly through the debris in the air.

As the dust cleared, I could just make out the man holding Suigetsu's blade with his bare hands. He kept it at arm length above his head, preventing our comrade from slicing downward and cutting him in two. He didn't seem to be struggling at all, but Suigetsu was slowly being pushed back and his face was contorted into a mixture of confusion and anger.

"Why you...!"

"The only one who gets to dig is me..." the jinchuriki said. "So scram, ya fools! Or I'll blast y'all! You fools, yeah!"

I had to resist the urge to sweat drop as he continued to speak. Was this how this guy always was then? This wasn't an act?

Man, how do the cloud ninja deal with him?

As my thoughts raced, the jinchuriki suddenly overtook Suigetsu's sword and threw it up into the air with a swift spin. I watched in awe as the mighty blade fell back to the ground heavily and stuck itself in the rubble right next to the man.

"Suigetsu, get back," Jugo demanded, stepping forward.

The mist ninja did as he was told and jumped back to our formation. I glanced over at him quickly, watching his face contort in disbelief. As I turned back, the odd man quickly grabbed the Executioner's Blade and lifted it in front of him, peering at us through the hole towards the end.

"I'm peeking through, and see you alive... But y'all are so brainless!" He taunted, studying each of us through the hole.

"Stop joking around!" Jugo yelled, finally losing his patience and running towards the man.

"My thirst for blood is my courage," the man began singing again, swinging Suigetsu's sword around his neck in a silly fashion. "Making me so optimistic. My blades are swirlin', but my store's a closin'."

He was facing Jugo's oncoming attack now, and I took this opportunity to try and catch him off guard. I made some fast hand signs, using the fact that I was out of his line of vision to my advantage as I crouched behind Karin and Sasuke. The ground began to boil at his feet before sharp, stalagmite rocks began jutting from the ground below him wherever his feet landed. He was quick though, and with the giant sword still spinning, he jumped up and danced around them as if he knew exactly where they were going to emerge.

"Making for a blow-out sale for my performance!" He continued his song, dodging my attacks and Jugo's fists simultaneously in a weird prancing fashion. I couldn't contain my annoyance as I silently cursed under my breath and glared at the man. How was this possible?

Then, my eyes shot open as something clicked in my mind. It was so obvious, I couldn't believe I missed it. He wanted people to underestimate him. That was how he was beating us. His annoying persona with his crappy rapping was something he used to his advantage, whether he was aware of it himself or not. I narrowed my eyes as I continued to study this man. He had to have a weakness, and I couldn't let his childish antics distract me.

"Yeah...!" The man bellowed out, continuing to sing as Jugo began his transformation. Gray covered his left side of his body, turning his eye black and his arm into a massive, unpredictable weapon. He ran forward with incredible speed and grabbed the hilt of Suigetsu's blade as it continued to spin around the jinchuriki's neck, pulling it off of his form and swinging it on him at close range.