The power, and the responsibility that came with that power when one used a technique was great. You had to have strength, so that it would not fail. You had to have control, so that it would not overwhlem you. If you missed one or the other, the jutsu could become dangerous, and not just to oneself, but others as well.
But what if you had both strength and control, and it was still dangerous?
The shrieking of metal and the and sharp tinkling of glass shattering against the ground came to SA_Gohan from everywhere. It echoed down the concourse of North Point Mall, filled the dozens of stores that filled its walls, assaulted him from his left and right, and he could see the cause of the noise directly in front of him.
Undead. Thousands of them. Hundreds of thousands of them. They tore at the walls and doors, pounded the glass and each other, mad in their attempts to get and feast on the flesh of one of the only humans left alive in this city.
The glass caved under their blows countless times, shattering to the ground . . . only to seemingly rewind back into place less than a second later. Some form of magic SA assumed. That or the laws of physics had were radically different from what he was used to.
He turned from the scene, concerned. How long the magic would hold was a mystery to him, but he had a strong suspicion that it would not be forever.
As soon as it failed, he was dead, or would be seconds following. He was a powerful warrior, with a weapon that had yet to have failed him in conflict, but against these numbers and considering their strength he would be but a child's dam made of sand against a tidal wave of endless force.
He knew of only one way to stop this and save himself and what remained of this worlds population. If he could perform that jutsu . . .
Sadly it required two people, and with no one else living around, it was impossible.
Suddenly the now familiar sound of glass breaking came from above as the skylight shattered and a figure dropped from the opening and landed back first at Gohan's feet.
"How fortunate."
***
The figure was a young man not much younger than SA. Dressed in gray pants, blue shirt, sandals, and with a holster strapped to his thigh, he seemed out of place in this world. The colors of his clothes were brighter than those of any of the undead, and the cut of them was radically different as well.
Curious.
At his side lay a kunai, dripping with blood up to the handle.
A . . . warrior?
SA glanced at the man's face. He didn't seem familiar, and his eyes were covered with a set of sunglasses, but Gohan did recognize the headband that held back his hair from his studies. A Konoha Forehead . . . that would make this man a Shinobi from the Hidden Leaf Village.
Where Hidden Leaf was exactly, SA didn't know, but he was quite certain it wasn't local. So how had this guy gotten here?
Well, no matter. He's just the person I need.
He groaned a moment later and turned over on his side, coughing, not noticing SA until he'd recovered from his fall.
He took the hand offered by Gohan and stood.
"How did you get in through the skylight? I thought the barrier was stopping anyone from getting in or out?"
The man brought a hand to the back of his then checked it for blood. "About a hundred of those things knocked me off the edge."
He extended his other hand. "I'm Ryuken."
"I'm SA_Gohan-"
The glass shattered behind him once again, and this time it took a bit longer to reform itself.
Gohan gritted his teeth then looked back at the new arrival. "You've picked a pretty bad place to drop in on. In about 5 five minutes whatever is holding these things out is going to fail, and we're going to be torn apart. The only way to stop them is to send them back where they came from and I know how."
"What are they, some form of magic?"
"They're the product of a ninjutsu gone out of control."
Ryuken seemed suprised. "So you're a shinobi too."
Silence.
"How can I help?"
SA was relieved. As soon as the requirements were met, the dispelling jutsu would require mere moments to perform.
He led the way to one of the structural supports of the mall.
"First, I'll need you to stand right here."
" . . . Ookaay . . . now what?"
Reaching behind him, SA drew Ryuken's fallen kunai into his hand and took careful aim at his face.
"What are you doing?!"
"This is your part . . . mine comes after you're dead."
Ryu's form blurred and vanished, only to reappear hanging upside down from the ceiling moments later.
"What is the meaning of this?!"
SA sighed. Things would have been so much simpler if the guy had just done what was asked of him.
"The jutsu that will send these creatures back requires a blood sacrifice, and that sacrifice has to be substantial, like one's entire lifeforce.
"And you want me to die so that you can perform this technique and live on . . . I don't even know you, and there's not a chance I'd do that now so you better start thinking up another solution."
"There isn't one."
Ryuken folded his arms. "Then I believe we've come to an impasse."
SA took another glance over his shoulder. The longer he spent in here, the more attuned his senses were becoming. He could almost feel the energy of the magic protecting the building . . . and there wasn't much of it left.
Then there's no time left for negotiation."
"Very well. If you will not give your life willing, then I'm afraid I'll have to take. Against me however, will your decision make any difference in the end?"
***
Ryuken somersaulted off the roof and landed before SA, frowning. "I'm not going to die here."
Gohan withdrew his sword with one hand, still holding his opponent's fallen kunai in the other. "We shall see."
In a blur of motion, Ryuken released a hail of shuriken's at SA. The metal stars shrieked through the air at deadly speeds, and even with his impressive speed, it was all the young man could do dodge out of the way of most of them. He leapt backwards then spun to left, avoiding a trio, then flicked his sword in a quick mauever to deflect another quartet, and finally leapt straight up into the air before those that remained could overwhlem his defenses.
Fast . . .
He'd only just somersaulted and adhered himsef to the ceiling before two kunai came flying at him unexpectedly. He only barely saw the glimmer of their blades out of the corner of his eyes and instinctively he allowed himself to fall back to ground to avoid them.
He landed in a crouch and stood up a moment later, barely winded, but secretly alarmed. This guy's speed . . . it was quite impressive. It might even rival his own.
He channeled chakra down into his legs and through the blade of his sword simulataneously and leapt forward. A torrent of wind built up around him as he prepared to launch his own counter. "Gale-"
He was suddenly cut short as a foot painfully connected with the back of his head and sent him flying forward far faster than he'd anticipated. Midair and thus unable to stop his momentum, SA crashed through the window of one of the malls toy stores, knocked over two shelves stocked with dolls and action figures, and finally came to rest within what had been a pile of RC cars.
Blast it. A Bunshin clone.
Ryuken touched down outside the store almost instantly afterwards, his hands blurring as he performed a number of hand seals, then curled a finger above his mouth. "Katon Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
"Suk!"
Flames burst from Ryuken's mouth and flew towards his prone opponent, quickly incinerating anything separating them before enveloping the other warrior completely.
For a long moment, the leaf ninja stood frozen in his position, smoke clouding his vision. Chakra swirled in his belly, ready for him to use again; at the slightest hint that his opponent had survived he was prepared to unleash another attack.
That was why it came as a surprise when a small truck trundled from the ruined store.
He lowered his arm, confused. "What the heck?"
The little vehicle circled at his feet, seemingly unable to decide where it wanted to go, and Ryu scratched his head. What was this thing?
Suddenly it stopped and two more materialized beside it. Dread flared within him. Kage Bunshin-
The explosive notes attached to their undersides detonated and the resulting explosion tossed Ryuken high and far. He landed on the other side of the thouroughfare and skidded to a stop in front of the Gap.
Limping from the fading smoke of the toy store came SA_gohan, his gi a glowing red that reflected the excitement he had of the battle. His hands were empty of all but his katana now, the kunai having been lost in the wreckage of the store.
He gripped his weapon tightly in one hand, the other arm quivering and apparently having been damaged by Ryuken's attack. Regardless of this, he smiled.
He channeled chakra down the length of his sword once more, concentrating it into and around the blade. Air pressure began to build around it, a small tornado that swirled around the weapon, growing larger and more powerful by the second.
Ryuken struggled to stand despite the injuries incurred from the explosion. Blood trickled from his nose and ears, and his body felt strange. I shouldn't have used, so much chakra.
SA raised the Nilliu.
"Gale force!" He shouted. The air rippled with heat and pressure as it was compressed into wave that flew towards Ryu. Still recovering from the last attack, the leaf shinobi had no chance of blocking.
The attack slammed into his chest with devasting force, drawing a scream from the young man as he went flying backwards into the Gap. He crashed through the window and several racks of clothes, the metal of which tore at his clothes and limbs, before rolling to a stop at the main counter, unconscious.
Two minutes left until the magic surrounding the mall would fail. SA sighed with relief. There was just enough time left to perform the sealing jutsu.
Gohan stepped through the window display of the gap, but froze in surprise as his adversary spat blood onto the floor then struggled to stand once again.
His glasses were gone, his muscles strained to support him, and it seemed he didn't even have the strength to stand fully upright, but the smirk that turned up a corner of Ryuken's mouth, and the undefeated fire in his eyes told far otherwise.
He brought up the back of his fist and wiped away the blood trickling down his chin. "I'm not done yet."