Chapter 84.4- One Thousand Hands

“Some version of the Explosion release, most likely” She said, taking note of what that meant in her mind. Earth and lightning release. The clay was probably going to mean it leant more to earth than lightning. A weakness to either lighting or wind was possible. The former, she had, the latter, well Orochimaru could call down Fujin himself if the mood hit him.

“Formation—“ She never managed to finish her words as several insects flew at them again. She jumped backwards, able to easily dodge now that she had some forwarning. And then the puppets appeared. One of them a collection of blades all over— poisoned, most likely, moved towards Jiraiya, while another headed in Orochimaru’s position. A man fell from the bird next, standing in front of her.

He wore heavily ripped monk’s robes that huffed a very muscular form A gold aura appeared around him…interesting, and then he pushed straight at her. It had been a while since anyone engaged her so foolhardily in taijutsu, she thought to herself as she allowed his right hook hit nothing but air. Her foot moved for his knee, and she struck with enough force to cleave a mountain in half. The golden aura did not budge. And then he was punching at her. She moved her hand in the way, and the ground around them shattered. Strong, she thought to herself.

But she had fought strong before, and her strength was only half the reason she was a nightmare to face in taijutsu. She stepped backwards, allowing his follow up waste itself against the air. And then she grabbed on to his wrist before he could retract it. She spun, twisting her waist at the perfect time to flip him over her and into the ground. Then she thrusted a knife hand straight into his chest. She didn’t need her cousin’s byakugan to fuck up some organs with her own version of the gentle fist. As she blew up his heart, and as his strength left his body, she turned, about to head for the puppeteer again.

That proved to be a costly mistake in the end. His feet lashed out, and caught hers. She hit the ground. Hard. And then he was on top of her. One. Two. Three. Four. It took only three punches for him to break through whatever guard she could bring to bear and the fourth had her head ringing like a bell. She moved chakra there to heal it instantly and then Jiraiya was there…or rather his hair was, slapping the man off of her with a burst of effort. She stared straight ahead. The sky was marvelously blue today, she thought.