"WHIRLWIND KICK!" Tanya roared as she suddenly leapt into the midst of the Shadow ninja, balanced her weight on the staff and performed a powerful roundhouse kick that sent the Shadow ninja flying in all directions.
The girl opened her eyes to see what happened.
"Tanya?" she stared in shock.
"Get inside the Temple! We'll handle things here!" Tanya ordered.
"Did...you do all this?" the girl asked looking at the beaten Shadow ninja.
"That...felt nice!" Tanya said with a satisfied smile.
"You're a great ninja Tanya" the girl praised as they ran towards the pub.
Tanya rushed into the centre of the battle.
Meanwhile...
"SIXTH BEND KEN! FROM HERE, IT'S ASCENSION! THOUGH IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'LL ASCEND! TAKE THIS! FIRE ELEMENT! MIST-FLAME DANCE JUTSU!" Ryu yelled.
"WE'LL SEE RYU! WIND ELEMENT! MEGA CYCLONE BLAST!" Ken yelled.
Once more, their elements cancelled one another when they clashed.
On the ground, bewildered Dark ninja stared in shock at their decimated forces.
"What's happening? Our forces have been reduced drastically! Don't tell me we were taken out by two racing brats or...is this what they planned from the start?" a bewildered captain stared at his defeated troops.
"They're pretty slow aren't they Ryu?" Ken asked.
"Yep, to have only realized our true intentions now. Heh! But we are racing for real!" Ryu smirked. "It's ascension!" Ryu called as he rose with Molten.
"WHOO-HOO! I'VE NEVER HAD SO MUCH FUN BEFORE! TAKING OUT THE DARK NINJA WAS AN ADDITIONAL BONUS!" Ken chuckled evilly.
"Don't be silly! I'm the most fun ninja you'll ever meet!" Ryu laughed.
"For once since this race began, you're right!" Ken smirked.
Suddenly, Ryu opened his eyes in surprise.
"KEN DIVE!" Ryu ordered.
"What?! But we're supposed to..." Ken was saying.
"I know but there's no time! Do it now!" Ryu ordered.
"OKAY BRO!" Ken said with complete faith in Ryu's order.
"FIRE ELEMENT! GRAND BLAZING FIREBALL JUTSU!!!" Ryu called as he released a gigantic fireball.
Ken looked up and saw the reason Ryu had ordered him to dive. A gigantic ball of water was heading straight towards Ryu. If Ken hadn't dived, he would have been hit. The fireball and water ball crashed. There was a sizzling sound as the two elements turned into steam and disappeared. Splashes of water fell on Ryu and Ken. Immediately the water touched Ken, he opened his eyes in shock.
"Oh no! Ryu, this water ball came from the village! It's got some cloud-like essence in it meaning rain clouds" Ken said. "So?" Ryu asked.
"Ryu, it never rains in the Wind Ryu. We're above the clouds, literally meaning..." Ken paused.
Ryu scowled.
"I see. Their aim was the Wind ryu after all and they've managed to reach it" Ryu growled.
Ken looked up and opened his eyes in terror.
"Silence Ryu...Mist Element, Mist concealment jutsu" Ken whispered as a thick mist covered he and Ryu.
"What's wrong Ken?" Ryu asked.
Ken made a hole wide enough for them to see through.
"Look, Dark mongerers, eight of them and they're moving towards the village. Ten years ago, it took only three of them to destroy our entire village. Eight of them means, Nemesis wants to crush the Wind ryu for good" Ken explained.
Ryu stared at the terrifying beasts. They were about the size of a normal dragon. They had terrifying jaws and breathed darkness. Their eyes were sinister and their wings had spikes all round them. They had dark feathers that resembled scales around their bodies and four feet. The hind feet resembled dragons feet and possessed terrifying claws. The forefeet resembled the feet and talons of an eagle though they were more muscular in appearance.
"Those things there sure are freaks of nature" Ryu said.
"You don't say. Their only weakness is light" Ken explained.
"That explains why the clouds are so thick" Ryu said.
"Fire can also hurt them because it generates light" Ken said.
"Okay Ken, new plan. Take down as many of these as you can" Ryu stated the plan.
"You'll definitely win. You've got fire-power. I'm a wind-type ninja" Ken looked glum.
"Ken, I guess now is the right time to tell you about my promise. Atlanta...well...I died and she brought me back to life by making a terrible promise. To save her from keeping that promise, I promised to create a jutsu more powerful than Gaiden's on the condition that she'd be freed from having to keep her promise. The others may see this journey as a journey to save the world. To me, this journey is all about my promise to Atlanta. I guess that's why I've stuck with it so long or I'd have abandoned this mission a long time ago" Ryu said.
"A jutsu...more powerful than Gaiden's? ALL THE FIRE JUTSU MUST HAVE COOKED YOUR HEAD!" Ken exclaimed in astonishment.
"Not you too..." Ryu was saying.
"I might have said that before I met you but...if it's big brother Ryu...I know he can definitely do it" Ken said with a smile.
Ryu smiled warmly.
"Thank you Ken. It means a lot to me that at least, one human being believes in me" Ryu said gratefully.
"Well said!" Molten agreed.
"So why'd you choose now to tell me about your promise?" Ken asked.
"Well, we're duelling with techniques and it's giving me ideas. I'm learning a lot from studying your dual techniques with Tornado and mine with Molten. Maybe one day, I can turn them into solo techniques" Ryu said.
"So you've been trying to keep your promise this whole time. You're really something Ryu" Ken said.
"LET'S GO!" Ryu ordered as the two boys flew out of the mist.
The Dark mongerers flew on, directed by a Shadow ninja on the back of each. As they neared the Wind ryu, they began to separate. Four of them flew straight onwards, two turned towards the east, the remaining two flew westward.
"LET'S GET THE TWO MOVING STRAIGHT FIRST! THEY'LL ENTER THE VILLAGE BEFORE THE OTHERS! QUICK KEN!" Ryu ordered.
At this order, the Dark mongerers turned. They hissed ferociously and blew Dark breath towards the boys. Ken and Ryu dodged in opposite directions. The dark breath missed them and they united again.
"DUAL JUTSU!" the boys roared as they drew out their chakra.
"Any ideas?" Ryu asked Ken.
"Only one, it's going to be a real blast!" Ken said as he compressed a huge amount of wind.
"I'm feeling you!" Ryu said as he coated the wind with thick fiery flames. The ball now looked like a miniature sun! Ryu and Ken pushed the ball towards the Dark mongerers with their combined chakra. The ball moved into the midst of the Dark mongerers. They began to sear and shriek in pain. Ryu and Ken formed their seals.
"SUPERNOVA JUTSU! EXPLODE!!!" they roared as the ball exploded and turned the four dark mongerers to ash in an instant.
"Two more in different directions. In total, four more to go!" Ryu exclaimed.
"Ken! Attack the ones that moved eastward. I'll attack the westward ones!" Ryu ordered.
"But I won't be able to hurt them! I've got no fire power!" Ken protested.
"You do! You've got Tornado. He can use fire!" Ryu shouted to Ken as he diverted from their route.
"Is this true Tornado?" Ken asked.
"TCH! What kind of dragon would I be if I couldn't breathe fire! It's common knowledge that dragons breathe fire! That's what makes us dragons in the first place!" Tornado said.
"I get it. Please don't lecture me" Ken pleaded.
"As long as you understand. All we need to do is create more supernova bombs but it's amazing how you were so in sync with Ryu. It's almost like you were really brothers!" Tornado praised.
"What are you saying, we are brothers! Brothers in chakra that is! Heh!" Ken said with an unpleasant chuckle. "OKAY! FOR THE WIND RYU! FOR THE VILLAGE! FOR THE WORLD!" Ken declared as he diverted eastward.
***** ***** ***** ***** ****
Meanwhile, on the ground, there was chaos. The villagers had done their part. Now, the Wind ninja fought to protect the pub and the Temple where the villagers were seeking refuge. In the skies, the Creeping mist roared as they leapt into the sky and spun violently. A tornado of mist began to form around them. The tornadoes they created were sucking up the clouds.
There was a sudden scream as a chuunin pointed towards the sky.
"OH NO! DARK MONGERERS!!!" Lee exclaimed in terror.
Suddenly, four dark mongerers stopped and turned. Then, they started moving backwards. A ball of fire came into their midst and exploded thus destroying them.
"What just happened?" Atlanta asked.
"Fire, meaning...Ryu!" Michael yelled more in anger than excitement.
A red dragon flew westward. Another dragon flew eastward.
"And Ken!" Lee called.
"Ryu! Where have you been?! Do you realize just how much danger you put the village in by leaving?!" Michael roared.
"I thought you guys...didn't have time for me!" Ryu yelled as he flew past, ignoring Michael's orders to enter the Jinn State and help.
The two westward Dark mongerers were wreaking havoc, devastating buildings and causing confusion to the defensive units. Ryu was catching up with them.
"MOLTEN! LET'S END THEM! FIRE ELEMENT COMBINATION! DOUBLE DRAGON FIRE JUTSU!" Ryu yelled as he breathed intense flames with Molten.
Their breath united and released a tremendous amount of fire that immediately destroyed the two Dark mongerers. Just at that moment, an explosion from the east announced the destruction of the remaining Dark mongerers.
"KEN! TORNADO! THEY DID IT!" Ryu yelled in excitement as he rushed towards Michael and the others.
"The Dark mongerers are out of the game, now what's left to do?" Ryu asked Michael.
"GAME?! You think this is all a game?! You idiot! Enter the Jinn State and clear the damn clouds!" Michael yelled in anger.
Ryu felt hurt but he shut his eyes for concentration. Nothing happened. He opened his eyes, there was no Ryuugan.
"I-I can't!" Ryu looked at them in shock and fear.
"What do you mean you can't?! You entered it with your own will twice!" Michael stared angrily at Ryu.
"Th-The Dragon Zone. I can't feel my connection to it. It's...It's severed!" Ryu said fearfully.
"If this is because of what happened earlier..." Michael was saying.
"What?! You actually think I'd put the villagers in danger because I'm mad at you guys?!" Ryu yelled in anguish.
"Ever since you returned, you've been different. You've become selfish and unreliable. I can't trust you Ryu. We just can't...if we had depended on you now, everyone would have been dead by the time you returned" Michael said.
Ryu felt a shock pass right through his heart. He recalled his parents. Their deaths were his fault, he thought. He had always known that, no matter how many times Michael had told him that it wasn't true but now...even Michael had admitted it.
Ryu was in tears now.
"Tell me it isn't true and I'm only dreaming this part...and we're still sleeping in the Temple, preparing for the get together" Ryu pleaded.
"Face reality for once in your life Ryu! Michael's right! Lately, you've been so selfish!" Atlanta said firmly.
"Yes, we know you tried to run away" Nadia said.
"I was in a rage but...I didn't. Is that why you're judging me so unfairly?" Ryu said as he examined his companions' faces for signs of understanding but he found none that understood him.
"I see" he said sorrowfully.
"Suddenly, the rays of the sun shone over the village.
"No more crocodile tears Ryu! Come on guys, obviously, all he thinks about now is himself!" Michael ordered.
On the ground, the power of the Shadow ninja had completely vanished. Michael swooped down from the skies.
"THEY'RE POWERLESS NOW! ATTACK!!!" Michael ordered.
There were cheers as the Wind ninja now assembled and chased the Shadow ninja away. The fallen Shadow ninja burst into flame and disappeared. The others retreated in a cloud of shadow. There were loud cheers coming from the Wind Ninja. The Creeping Mist stopped spinning and descended from the sky on clouds of mist.
The villagers now came out of their places of cover. Ken approached Ryu on Tornado. Ryu was in tears.
"What's wrong Ryu?" Ken asked.
"I wish I had remained dead Ken. I wish I'd never come back" Ryu wept.
"What are you talking about? We won! We saved the village!" Ken said.
"I know, but...all that doesn't matter if the others don't trust me" Ryu said.
"Let's go down" Ken suggested.
"The villagers will appreciate us. They'll treat us as heroes now, let's go!" Ken said.
"Y-you really think so?" Ryu asked uncertainly as he wiped his face with the back of his hand.
"CERTAINLY! NOW LET'S GO BRO!" Ken said confidently as they descended.
When they landed on the ground, the boys dismounted their dragon partners.
"We need to go back Ryu. We need to strengthen ourselves through meditation Ryu for I fear...darkness is approaching. Be strong Ryu" Molten said.
"Why couldn't I enter the Jinn State, Molten?" Ryu asked.
"You'll soon find out" Molten said with a sorrowful look on his face.
A moment, later, the dragon saints faded away.
"You couldn't enter the Jinn State?" Ken asked in shock.
"Yes, I don't understand. I feel so...empty" Ryu said.
"RYU SAVED US! RYU CAME!!!" someone shouted from the crowd.
The Wind ninja glared at Ryu in spite.
"Ryu...did nothing!" the chuunin girl yelled in anger. "We won totally because of our own efforts! All Ryu did was run away and return once the fight was over!" the chuunin girl declared.
"WAIT A MINUTE! RYU...!" Ken tried to defend Ryu.
"No Ken! Let them blame me all they want!" Ryu spoke out loudly.
Suddenly, a water dragon hit Ryu to the ground. Ryu turned towards the source of the water in shock.
"MIKEY?" Ryu stared at Michael in hurt.
"Get up Ryu! If you wouldn't enter the Jinn State just because you're mad at me! Let's settle this now!" Michael yelled as he sent another water dragon towards Ryu.
"Guys?" Ryu stared at the others.
"Don't look at us, we're not going to help" Nadia said.
"Serves you right" Atlanta scoffed.
Ryu looked down dejectedly. He didn't stand up.
"What's wrong you false hero?!" another person shouted.
"Stop this at once! It's not right! Ryu didn't run away!" Rokkan stepped between the crowd and Ryu.
Ryu finally stood up.
"No Rokkan, let them continue. Thanks for being there for me anyway. If they should kill me, I'd be happy" Ryu said.
"Kill you? We'd rather let you suffer from shame coward!" another insult came.
Ryu ran into the Temple and closed the doors on himself. He was all alone in the Temple with the angry mob outside. Inside, he fell to the ground and cried in anguish. Tanya walked up to Rokkan.
"This is...terrible" Tanya said.
Rokkan turned to see her.
"T-Tanya! You're okay!" Rokkan exclaimed in joy.
"You kept your promise Rokkan, here" Tanya said as she removed Rokkan's pendant.
"No...I want you to keep it. I don't need it anymore. It gave you strength and confidence. I saw you fight Tanya. I was scared that you'd get hurt but...I was proud of you" Rokkan said as he placed the pendant around Tanya's neck again.
Tanya stared at him.
"Don't worry, I won't miss it anyway" Rokkan smiled.
Tanya blushed shyly.
"Let me walk you home. I can't bear to see how they're treating Ryu" Rokkan said as he led Tanya away from the Temple.
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