ALL NOVEL 107. Hikari’s Stand Against The Hidden Mist Swordsmen (3)
As Hikari's Rotation dwindled and he attempted to retreat, he found himself ensnared in another well-laid trap, and another wave of attacks from all sides, just after dispelling the previous one barely.
Kushimaru, wielding his infamous Nuibari, and controlling it with his chakra from great distances, while also moving his body from one side of the battlefield to another, at great speed, had skillfully cast an extensive network of the sword's sharp wire around him that would be invisible for him had Hikari not had Byakugan.
The metallic wire, known for its ability to pierce and stitch enemies together, glinted menacingly as it closed in, threatening to bind Hikari in a deadly embrace. Its sharpness was so refined it could slice through the chakra itself, making it a formidable tool for capturing or disabling an opponent.
Hikari's heart raced as he realized the precariousness of his situation. Kushimaru's control over the wire was masterful, manipulating it like a puppeteer with deadly intent. The wire's ability to extend indefinitely posed a significant challenge, as it allowed Kushimaru to maintain a safe distance while still wielding effective control over the battlefield and the more time passed on the greater threat its length, hence the threat it exhibits could be.
Then, in a quick bid for freedom again, Hikari activated his "Rotation Armor," a less intensive version of his full Rotation technique, which he could sustain longer but offered a weaker defense, as his full-on Rotation would still be 'on a cooldown' for a few more of seconds after the previous use.
This barrier of swirling chakra was his best immediate defense, a shield meant to repel physical attacks as he sought to extricate himself physically from the wire's tightening grip.
However, the exceptional properties of Nuibari proved challenging even for Hikari's chakra-infused defense.
The sword's wire was unexpectedly resilient, its thin yet extraordinarily hard material resisting the shearing force of Hikari's chakra armor.
Struggling, Hikari exerted more power, pushing his chakra to its limits to create enough force to propel himself forward through the constricting wire.
Just as Hikari began to make headway, he caught sight of Fumetsu and Kiba rapidly approaching, ready to capitalize on his compromised position.
The timing left him little room to maneuver, and his focus on escaping Kushimaru's trap meant he had scant moments to prepare for the new threat converging on him quickly.
Hikari's mind raced with calculations and strategic adjustment, 'The basic Gentle Fist techniques I mastered as a child are ineffective at this level of combat against such elite opponents. I must rely on my specialized and advanced arsenal fully...', Hikari concluded.
Currently faced with the immediate threat of Raiga, who was rapidly spinning toward him in a mid-air whirlwind created by his twin Thunderswords, and with a small but sharp radius, at extreme speeds, appearing like a blinding light of fierce, thunderous chakra, Hikari acted.
Despite his Hyuga advantage, Raiga's twin Thunderswords posed a unique threat, in close combat, even for him. Known as the sharpest blades in the world, these weapons could potentially 'cut' through and 'defeat' chakra itself with ease, much like Jinin's Kabutowari had proven capable. With this in mind, Hikari was cautious.
These 'Kiba' twin swords, known for their unmatched sharpness, could channel and amplify lightning chakra, making them a lethal weapon in skilled hands. Raiga's maneuver, a horizontal tornado of lightning chakra, was not only a defensive barrier but also a deadly attack. It used not only Raiga's own Lighting Release but also the sword as an amplifier.
Hikari had already witnessed the unexpected capabilities of Jinin's weapon; making the same mistake with Raiga's swords could prove disastrous. Determined not to confront the spinning vortex of lightning head-on, Hikari, therefore, executed his next strategy swiftly.
He first launched the two "Celestial Rotation Spheres" toward Raiga in mid-air, who was rapidly approaching in a deadly, spinning descent. The spheres, designed to expand into full Rotations upon impact, were aimed to intercept and disrupt the swordsman's charged attack.
As Raiga spun, attempting to fend off incoming attacks with his chakra-charged tornado, and then tried to maneuver mid-air to dodge, Hikari's 'Rotation Spheres' closed the distance swiftly, premeditatedly accelerated to the maximum with Hikari's Wind Release mastery.
Despite Raiga's attempts to pivot and counter the incoming threat, the spheres struck true, expanding explosively into Rotations that disrupted the flow of his technique and halted him.
The impact of the spheres forced Raiga to cease his attack, momentarily throwing him off balance and neutralizing one of the key threats from a distance temporarily. With Raiga momentarily neutralized Hikari then quickly readied himself for the next planned move.
As the battle unfolded, Hikari recognized a crucial moment to shift the tide. Fumetsu, momentarily isolated from his comrades, became the perfect target for a decisive strike. Hikari's smirk barely flickered across his face as he prepared to exploit this opening.
Fumetsu, wielding the formidable Shibuki, attacked with vigor. The Blastsword, notorious for its ability to generate relentless explosions, was a terrifying weapon in close quarters.
Each swing of Fumetsu's sword was accompanied by a burst of explosive energy, designed to devastate an opponent upon contact.
The sword's unique mechanism re-applied explosive tags automatically, ensuring continuous destruction with each strike.
However, Hikari, leveraging his Byakugan's enhanced perception, dodged with an agility that betrayed his calm demeanor.
As Fumetsu's blade came crashing down, Hikari ducked low, narrowly avoiding the explosive onslaught.
In the same fluid motion, he tapped into his deep reservoir of chakra to launch a precise counter.
From several unexpected points across his body, Hikari projected chakra projectiles, targeting Fumetsu's legs.
These projectiles, aimed with pinpoint accuracy, hit their mark, temporarily sealing the movement in Fumetsu's legs.
With his opponent immobilized, Hikari seized the moment to end the confrontation decisively.
Swiftly circling to Fumetsu's back, Hikari prepared his final move—a technique he had honed over recent months, using of course his special vision of natural energy.
Channeling natural energy along with his chakra externally, he pressed his palm against Fumetsu's back.
The energy mixture, carefully balanced, was designed not just to incapacitate but to transform.
As the chakra and natural energy permeated Fumetsu's chakra pathway system and circulated alongside it everywhere in a recycling motion, it began to react with his physical form, calcifying his tissues and turning him into stone gradually.
The swordsman, known for his explosive assaults, had not anticipated being so thoroughly outmaneuvered and immobilized.
His expression twisted into one of shock and horror as he felt the unusual surge of chakra and natural energy envelop his body.
As the chakra infused with natural energy began its work, Fumetsu's eyes widened in helpless terror. The transformative energy that Hikari commanded seeped deep, turning muscle and bone to stone from the inside out.
Fumetsu's attempt to move or counter was futile; his body stiffened unnaturally, his features setting into a permanent, petrified scream as he was calcified completely.
Hikari wasted no time as he approached Fumetsu's petrified form. He swiftly retrieved the valuable sword, Shibuki, from the stone grip of his opponent. Recognizing the strategic and material value of the weapon, he carefully wrapped the sword in a sealing scroll, executing precise hand signs to ensure it was securely stored within the scroll's chakra matrix.
As Fumetsu's stone form stood as a silent, morbid statue amidst the chaos of battle, Hikari turned his attention back to the remaining swordsmen, ready to continue the fight with a clear message sent about his capabilities.
Hikari stepped away from the petrified form of Fumetsu, and a flicker of satisfaction crossed his composed facade, 'It seems that this technique also works perfectly in real battle. Excellent.', He thought, acknowledging his success in adapting the move to combat conditions.
He had deployed this particular move under immense pressure, knowing that the brief window before the arrival of the other swordsmen was his only chance to 'secure a kill'.
The usual arsenal of Gentle Fist techniques, effective though for incapacitation and chakra manipulation, would not have sufficiently neutralized an opponent of this caliber.
His methods of sealing tenketsu, injecting Yin Release genjutsu, or employing juinjutsu micro-markings were excellent for disrupting an enemy's chakra flow but lacked the immediacy of lethal force required in this situation.
This new technique, which combined his chakra control and mastery of natural energy to induce rapid petrification, significantly escalated his combat repertoire. It allowed Hikari not just to incapacitate but to eliminate a high-threat target within seconds decisively.
Pleased with the effectiveness of his adaptation under real-world conditions, Hikari prepared himself for the continuation of the fight, now with a proven and potent weapon in his arsenal.
Meanwhile, as Hikari was quickly securing the Shibuki within the scroll, Raiga, Kushimaru, and Jinin watched from a distance, their expressions apprehensive and with a mixture of shock and rage as they exchanged glances.
Huddled together, the remaining swordsmen quickly conferred in hushed tones, their expressions grave as they discussed their next steps.
"Did you see that? Just one touch and Fumetsu was... turned to stone. What kind of technique was that?", Raiga asked, his expression full of surprise and filled with anger.
"It must be some advanced Hyuga clan technique, or something even rarer. We can't let him get close enough to use it again if we engage in any way...", Kushimaru tightened his grip on Nuibari, his mind racing to devise a strategy that could exploit any potential weakness. However, his blood-lust skyrocketed and was already seeping out from beneath his mask.
"We can't back down now that he also took one of our prided swords and humiliated us again in such a way, killing one of us in front of our eyes when facing four of us together at the same time.",
"It will be really bad for our morale if this leeks out. We need to somehow salvage this situation by killing him, or at least try to do that.",
"However, if we drag this out into a 'war of attrition', then we might win. While we rely on our special swords and kenjutsu which don't drain our chakra as much. He uses dense chakra techniques. If we play it long, he might deplete his reserves before we do...", Jinin analyzed.
