Naruto: Tango with Death

To read up to 15 chapters ahead: https://www.patréon.com/SlyOW

-------------

I timed my attack perfectly to not leave him any chance. Had I kept my top speed, I would have ripped the boy's head from his shoulders, while if I slowed down too much, the boy would get saved.

But I timed my attack so to force the mysterious man to choose. He had just reached next to the boy, and he would either protect the boy and leave himself open, or focus on his own defence and leave the boy to me.

However, there was no real choice, because there was love.

Without a hint of hesitation, the man placed himself in front of the unsuspecting boy, who still thought he had gotten me, and received my hand, now closed into a fist, right into the middle of his chest.

I put all of my physical strength into that blow, as well as quite some chakra, turning this into a devastating blow.

Yet, my fist did not go right through his chest. Instead, a hidden layer of protection was revealed as I punched into it, but it mattered not.

The wooden protection was only served to spread the force of my punch throughout his chest as instead of getting impaled, he was sent flying backwards with the force of a train.

He smashed against who I assumed to be his son, yet did not kill him with the impact as he reacted fast enough to create a layer of cushion around his son, protecting him from damage.

This, however, had for consequence to leave him undefended as he crashed through the ruins of the prison.

He was stopped by the many walls inside, and whatever was left of the building finally couldn't hold on anymore and fell on him.

Meanwhile, I looked toward Hideto, and saw that he was still safe, with Hirahisa on his shoulder.

He stood up from the ground and said, "Hirahisa is safe, Lady Shogun."

I rolled my eyes at the use of honorifics but still nodded, and said, "Take care of the headless chicken."

He looked confused at my request, but a couple second later waves of soldiers came running in from all sides, pointing their weapons towards us.

Hideto began, "Stand back! The Shogun…"

But he didn't really get to finish as the one who seemed to be the leader of this platoon said, "What is the meaning of this destruction!"

Shaking my head, I said, "Lower your voice, soldier."

He looked at me defiantly, but he definitely knew who I was as he did lower his voice to ask, "Why in the Daimyo's name would you cause such destruction, Lady Shogun? You may be my superior, this does not give you the right to destroy public property…"

He was stalling for time.

So I simply looked away from him, to look at the prison, just in time to see a tree emerge from the ruins, clearing away the rubble.

However, it was much smaller than the ones I had been cutting down, and with the rubble removed, I could clearly see the situation.

The mysterious man laid down on the ground, leaning against what remained of a wall, his status critical.

The front of his robes were mostly ripped, revealing a mostly caved in chest. The man was coughing blood with every breath, and he was in no condition to continue fighting. Even fleeing would be hard right now.

My punch may not have gone through him, the blow was still deadly.

As for the jutsu just now, it was done by his son, who crouched next to his father, looking at me in hatred.

As for the father, he looked more reluctant than angry. Keeping his eyes on me, he leaned toward his son, whispering something to him.

Meanwhile, still hearing the arguing behind me, I unsheathed my blade, shutting up the soldiers in awe as I started walking toward the father and son.

The father grew more urgent, and I could see the son wanted to escape. So in response, I flared my chakra at him.

However, he didn't freeze like I expected him to, but instead only slightly bent his back. He either had great reserves of chakra himself, or was used to being exposed to such quantities of chakra.

Probably a bit of both, considering his identity.

Well, since plan A is gone…

I put more power in my next step, the muscles within my right leg contracting as immense power gathered into my leg.

The father seemed to notice the minute movements, yet he did not show despair. Instead, he moved his hand towards his side.

I couldn't see whether he was trying to grab something or to touch the ground to summon something, but I knew I couldn't let him.

So I used even more power, this time opening the Five Gates, readying my sword to bring down my opponent.

But right as I was about to move, I saw yet another figure appear, and rapidly approach me.

It was a blond woman, and she was aiming her fist at me. Immediately recognizing her for a variety of reasons, I was forced to stop my attack, and instead of jumping, I stood my ground to block the incoming punch with the side of my sword, placing my free palm against the other side of the blade, and strengthening the whole with chakra.

In the next instant, I felt the most powerful blow I ever faced strike me. For an instant, I managed to hold on, but I received the strike unprepared, so after this instant of resistance I was forced off my feet, flying back.

I flew through a nearby wall, shattering it on impact, along with the second one, and finally stopped at the third one.

Groaning, I grabbed a brick falling towards my head, and got up, rolling my shoulders.

That. Fucking. Hurt.

Nevertheless, it didn't deal any actual damage. Cracking my neck, I sped through the two holes I had created on my way here, getting back where the fight had taken place.

I was pretty pissed at my attacker, but she wasn't the most important right now. Instead, I looked for the two members of the Akatsuki. Unfortunately, there wasn't any trace of either of them left. They had escaped.

My eyes moved back toward my attacker. She was a woman who looked like she was in her late twenties or early thirties, had shoulder lengths blond hair in bangs. She was covered in a green haori, underneath which was a light grey kimono.

Clenching my sword tighter than before, my anger exuded out of my voice as I asked, "What is the meaning of this, Tsunade?"

Who else could it be than the Legendary Sannin?