Naruto rebirth! Born again with a system.

Chapter 55: Blood and Lightning!

The forest battlefield erupted into chaos as the two groups collided, their battle cries echoing through the trees. Team 15 might have been exhausted and injured, but they were not defeated. They had faced death before and survived, now it was time to do it again.

Kōzaru's opponent was the so called leader of the group, the one in the middle, a young but lanky Cloud ninja with wild black hair and a cocky smirk that made his blood boil. The enemy's confidence was evident in his casual stance, clearly underestimating the wounded Inuzuka.

"You're barely standing," the Cloud ninja taunted, spinning a kunai around his finger. "This won't take long."

Kōzaru's ribs screamed in protest as he dropped into his fighting stance, but he pushed the pain aside. His chakra reserves were dangerously low, sitting at only 90 out of 160 after his previous battle, but he had no choice but to fight.

"Yuki! Riku!" he called out desperately, his voice cracking with exhaustion. "Man Beast Clone!"

Both ninken barked in unison, their forms dissolving into clouds of smoke before reappearing as perfect copies of their master. The transformation costing him nothing using their own chakra reserves.

"Cheap tricks!" the Cloud ninja snarled, launching himself forward with surprising speed. His kunai whistled through the air toward Kōzaru's throat, but the Inuzuka's enhanced senses caught the attack just in time.

Kōzaru twisted away, feeling the blade's edge part the air mere inches from his jugular. His cracked ribs sent jolts of agony through his body, but he forced himself to counter-attack, his claws raking across the enemy's extended arm.

"Gah!" The Cloud ninja jerked back, blood streaming from four parallel gashes, his cocky expression replaced by one of anger. "You little bastard!"

The enemy's retaliation came immediately—a vicious haymaker that caught Kōzaru in the already damaged ribs. The impact sent white-hot pain exploding through his chest, and he doubled over, gasping for breath.

Why does everyone keep hitting me in the ribs! His mind exploded as the pain shot through him like an electric shock.

[Health: 100/168 → 85/168]

"Now!" Kōzaru wheezed, and his clones struck from both flanks, using himself as the decoy.

The Cloud ninja's eyes widened as he found himself caught in a three-way assault. Yuki-as-Kōzaru came from the left with a sweeping kick, while Riku-as-Kōzaru attacked from the right with claws extended. The enemy managed to dodge the kick, but Riku's claws found their mark, tearing through his flak jacket and leaving deep furrows in his side.

"Damn it!" The Cloud ninja spun with desperate fury, his kunai catching Riku across the shoulder. The ninken yelped in pain, his transformation flickering before he resumed his true form, blood matting his fur.

"Riku!" Kōzaru's voice was raw with anguish as he saw his companion fall. Rage flooded his system, pushing aside the pain in his ribs. "You're dead!"

"Beast Mimicry: All-Fours Jutsu!" Kōzaru roared, his remaining chakra surging through his body as he activated the technique. His form becoming that of a wild beast.

[Chakra: 90/160 → 60/160]

His movements became fluid and predatory, his enhanced speed allowing him to close the distance before the Cloud ninja could fully recover from his attack on Riku. Kōzaru's claws found the enemy's thigh, tearing through muscle and drawing a scream of pain.

"Body Flicker!" Kōzaru snarled, using the technique to appear behind his opponent in an instant, moving too fast for the cloud shinobi to track.

[Chakra: 60/160 → 50/160]

"How did you!" The Cloud ninja spun around, but Kōzaru was already moving, his bestial instincts guiding his attacks. His claws raked across the enemy's back, shredding cloth and flesh alike. The Cloud ninja stumbled forward, blood streaming from multiple wounds as he yelled out in pain.

"Stay still, you animal!" The enemy threw a wild punch that caught Kōzaru in the jaw, snapping his head back and filling his mouth with the taste of copper, taking him by surprise.

[Health: 85/168 → 70/168]

However, Kōzaru bit through the pain and dived forward toward the cloud ninja, ready to unleash his most powerful jutsu at close quarters.

"Fang over Fang!" Kōzaru howled, his desperation giving him strength. with Yuki having moved behind the target, flanking him as they began to spin, their bodies becoming twin tornadoes of claws and fangs.

[Chakra: 50/160 → 30/160]

The Cloud ninja raised his arms in a desperate defence, but the coordinated attack was too much. Kōzaru's spinning form tore through his guard, claws ripping through flesh and bone. The enemy's scream was cut short as both attacks found their mark simultaneously.

When the spinning stopped, the Cloud ninja collapsed to his knees, his body riddled with claw marks and his breathing ragged. Kōzaru stood over him, swaying with exhaustion but victorious.

"This... this is for Riku," he gasped, before delivering the final blow, slashing the cloud ninja's throat and ending his suffering once and for all.

[Cloud shinobi level 10 defeated: Reward 300 EXP]

Tatsuma faced a stocky Cloud ninja with arms like tree trunks and a face that looked like it had been carved from granite. The enemy was a level 8 the same as Tatsuma, but he was in good condition and fresh for the battle ahead.

"Another leaf ninja, eh?" the Cloud ninja said, cracking his knuckles. "You all look the same when you're bleeding."

Tatsuma's chakra reserves were relatively low thanks to his previous battle, sitting at 70 out of 220, and his body was in terrible condition. Multiple shuriken wounds peppered his arms and back, each one a constant source of agony. Blood had soaked through his clothing, staining it dark red, and every breath sent sharp pains through his chest where a blade had grazed his ribs. His left arm trembled from blood loss, making it difficult to form hand seals properly.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Tatsuma called out, his hands shaking as he formed the familiar seal.

[Chakra: 70/220 → 45/220]

A single clone materialized beside him, but its form flickered slightly—a sign of his deteriorating condition affecting his chakra control. The Cloud ninja's eyes narrowed as he assessed the threat.

"Two against one? That's not very sporting," the enemy said, before exploding into motion.

The Cloud ninja's speed was impressive, his muscular frame moving with surprising agility as he closed the distance. His fist whistled through the air toward Tatsuma's face, but the wounded ninja barely managed to duck, his injuries making his movements sluggish. The clone tried to intercept, but the enemy's knee caught it in the ribs, causing it to disperse into smoke from the first hit.

"Pathetic!" the Cloud ninja sneered, his follow-up punch catching Tatsuma in the shoulder, right where a shuriken wound was still bleeding.

[Health: 100/160 → 90/160]

Tatsuma screamed in agony as the impact tore open his wound further, fresh blood streaming down his arm. His vision blurred from the pain, but desperation drove him to counter-attack with a wild haymaker that the enemy easily ducked.

"You can barely stand!" the Cloud ninja laughed, his fist driving toward Tatsuma's solar plexus.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Tatsuma gasped through gritted teeth, his bloodied hands forming the seal with desperate precision.

[Chakra: 45/220 → 20/220]

Another clone materialized, its form more stable as adrenaline sharpened his focus. The Cloud ninja's punch aimed for Tatsuma, but the clone intercepted, tackling the enemy from the side and sending both of them crashing to the ground.

"Get off me!" the enemy snarled, his elbow driving into the clone's back with a crunch, causing it to burst into smoke.

But the distraction was exactly what Tatsuma needed. Fighting through the pain, he pulled out a handful of shuriken with his good arm, his training taking over despite his injuries.

"Now!" he shouted, hurling the projectiles in a spread pattern.

The Cloud ninja rolled away from most of them, but one shuriken found its mark in his thigh, drawing a grunt of pain. As he pulled the blade free, Tatsuma forced his battered body into motion, rushing forward with a kunai in his trembling hand.

The enemy's superior speed allowed him to deflect the clumsy attack, but Tatsuma's training with coordination tactics kicked in. Even wounded, he could still fight smart.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he called out desperately, his chakra reserves dwindling to nothing but embers, only having recovered enough thanks to his Uzumaki perks.

[Chakra: 27/220 → 2/220]

A single clone appeared, and immediately both the real Tatsuma and his copy began a desperate taijutsu assault. The clone went low, sweeping at the enemy's legs while Tatsuma aimed high with his kunai. The Cloud ninja jumped over the sweep, but that put him directly in the path of Tatsuma's strike.

"Not good enough!" the enemy roared, his hand catching Tatsuma's wrist and twisting until the kunai clattered to the ground.

Pain exploded through Tatsuma's injured arm, but he gritted his teeth and drove his knee toward the enemy's ribs. The Cloud ninja twisted away, but the clone was already there, its fist connecting with his jaw in a solid hit that snapped his head to the side.

"Damn it!" the enemy snarled, his backhand catching the clone across the face and dispersing it.

But Tatsuma was already moving, his body screaming in protest as he dove for a fallen shuriken. His fingers closed around the weapon just as the Cloud ninja's boot stomped down, narrowly missing his hand.

"You're finished!" the enemy declared, his fist descending toward Tatsuma's head.

With his last reserves of strength, Tatsuma rolled aside and drove the shuriken upward, the blade finding the gap between the enemy's ribs. The Cloud ninja's eyes widened in shock as the weapon pierced his heart, and he collapsed to the forest floor with a dull thud.

Tatsuma lay gasping beside his fallen opponent, his body wracked with pain and his chakra almost completely depleted feeling the exhaustion set in. Blood pooled beneath him from his reopened wounds, and his vision swam with exhaustion. He had survived, barely.

[Cloud shinobi level 8 defeated: Reward 250 EXP]

Aotaka faced a lean Cloud ninja with short brown hair and quick, darting eyes. The enemy was level 8 just like he was, and like the others, he carried only a standard kunai—no sword in sight. His movements were fluid and precise, but Aotaka's reach advantage with his blade was immediately apparent.

"Nice sword," the Cloud ninja said, his voice carrying grudging respect as he eyed Aotaka's blade. "Too bad it won't save you!"

Aotaka's chakra reserves were at 100 out of 154, having recovered slightly during their brief rest, but his body bore the cuts and bruises from his previous battle.

The Cloud ninja exploded into motion, launching himself up into the canopy with explosive speed, his feet finding purchase on the trunk as he ran vertically up the bark, throwing a few kunai at Aotaka, who used his sword to deflect them before he followed as best he could.

His powerful legs propelling him in a mighty leap twenty feet up to catch a thick branch with his free hand. The forest became their battlefield as the Cloud ninja moved effortlessly from tree to tree while Aotaka relied on his raw strength and acrobatic leaps to keep pace.

"Senju Style Falling Leaf!" Aotaka called out, his movements becoming fluid and unpredictable as he used the technique.

From his perch on an oak branch, Aotaka launched himself through the air, his sword held high. The Cloud ninja twisted mid-leap, kunai flashing as he deflected the blade's arc, but the force of Aotaka's enhanced strength sent him crashing backwards through the branches, taking him by surprise.

"What the hell!" the enemy cursed, recovering his footing on a distant branch before immediately springing toward another tree, his chakra-enhanced feet allowing him to land securely on even the smallest branches, throwing more kunai toward Aotaka to give himself distance.

The Cloud ninja darted between the trees like a phantom, his tree-walking technique giving him perfect balance and grip as he moved through the canopy. He leaped from branch to branch in unpredictable patterns, occasionally running along the sides of tree trunks to confuse his opponent, his kunai gleaming as he sought an opening, continuing his ranged assault.

But Aotaka's Senju strength made him formidable even without chakra enhancement. When the Cloud ninja finally closed in, diving down from above with his kunai aimed at Aotaka's back, the Senju warrior spun with devastating power. His horizontal slash didn't just deflect the attack—it splintered the massive branch they were fighting on. Aotaka caught himself on a lower branch with his free hand, his grip nearly crushing the wood, while the Cloud ninja gracefully landed on the trunk itself, his feet sticking to the bark.

"Too slow!" Aotaka pressed his advantage, using his superior strength to leap between trees with bone-jarring force, his hands gripping branches and his feet finding purchase on the bark through sheer grip strength alone.

Each impact of his landings left near visible indentations in the bark. The Cloud ninja's eyes widened as he realized he wasn't just fighting a skilled swordsman—he was fighting someone whose physical power far outmatched his own, even without chakra enhancement to aid his movement he was still moving at the same pace as he was.

The Cloud ninja threw his kunai with desperate precision while running along tree trunks, his chakra-enhanced feet giving him perfect mobility. But Aotaka's blade swept the projectile aside with contemptuous ease, even as he swung from branch to branch with chakra-enhanced leaps. The enemy's backup kunai met the same fate, metal ringing against metal as Aotaka's superior weapon deflected every projectile while he moved through the canopy on strength and agility alone.

Gripping a sturdy branch, Aotaka channeled his strength into his legs and launched himself forward with such force that the entire tree shuddered. The Cloud ninja barely managed to dodge, rolling along the trunk with his chakra-enhanced footing as Aotaka's blade carved a deep gash into the bark where he'd been standing.

"You're finished!" the Cloud ninja snarled, pulling out a kunai and running up the side of a tree trunk before leaping from tree to tree in an erratic zigzag pattern, his chakra-enhanced mobility allowing him to traverse the canopy with ease.

But Aotaka was ready. As the enemy made his final desperate lunge from thirty feet up, Aotaka met him in mid-air with a powerful leap from his own branch. His Senju strength flowed through his arms as he brought his sword around in a devastating arc. The Cloud ninja's kunai met the blade, but the impact didn't just shatter the smaller weapon—it sent the enemy hurtling backward through the air, his chakra control disrupted by the sheer force. He crashed through multiple branches before slamming into a tree trunk, sliding down as his technique failed him.

"Impossible!" the enemy gasped, sliding down the bark as leaves and debris rained around him.

"Chakra Flow!" Aotaka grunted, channeling energy into his blade as he dropped from the canopy like a falling star.

[Chakra: 103/154 → 83/154]

His sword blazed with chakra-enhanced power, the cutting edge becoming sharp enough to cleave through anything. The Cloud ninja tried to roll away, but Aotaka's enhanced strength had left him too disoriented and battered to escape.

The chakra-enhanced blade cut through the enemy's desperate defense, finding its mark in his chest. The Cloud ninja's expression froze in surprise before he collapsed among the scattered leaves and broken branches.

"That was... easier than expected," Aotaka muttered, his breathing only slightly labored as he landed gracefully on the forest floor. The reach advantage along with his Kenjutsu skill level and his Senju strength had made the fight much more manageable than he had anticipated, even with the added complexity of aerial combat.

[Cloud shinobi level 8 defeated: Reward 250 EXP]

Unlike his teammates, Aotaka had dominated his opponent from the start, his superior weapon and enhanced physical abilities proving decisive against a kunai-wielding enemy. The forest itself had become his ally, his incredible strength allowing him to use the trees not just as platforms, but as weapons in their own right.

The three members of Team 15 stood in the aftermath of their desperate battle, their bodies battered and their chakra nearly depleted. Around them, the forest floor was littered with the bodies of their enemies, testament to their determination and skill.

"Is everyone alive?" Kōzaru asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he cradled the injured Riku in his arms, wishing he had some way to help heal his ninken.

"Barely," Tatsuma replied, his legs shaking with exhaustion as he struggled to remain standing, his chakra slowly coming back to him.

"We did it," Aotaka said, his voice filled with confidance after winning that fight so easily, resheathing his sword, flicking the blood from it before he did.

The three young shinobi had faced overwhelming odds and emerged victorious, but the cost had been significant. They were wounded, exhausted, and pushed to their limits. Yet they had survived, and that was what mattered.

Still the mission continued, with Minato having gone off to take down the last two shinobi, having told them to stay here and wait out.

"I think now might be a good time to take those solider and recovery pills now." Kōzaru said as he put Riku down, seeing that the small ninken pup was putting on a brave face, with Yuki rubbing her head against his to make sure her brother was alright.

"Oh yeah, man I forgot about those things!" Tatsuma almost yelled, reaching into his pouch where he had stored his safe before pulling out the red and dark blue pills.

The others did the same, all looking at them for a moment. "So the red one will restore our chakra and the blue one our health, right?" Aotaka said.

"Guess we will find out." Kōzaru said as he popped both of the pills, chewing them for a moment before he swallow them.

[Health: 85/168 → 168/168]

[Chakra: 60/160 → 110/160]

Kōzaru was amazed as the pills effects kicked in, restoring both his chakra and his health in an instant, feeling his energy come back rapidly and even some of his less minor wounds heal as his health increased by 50 points.

"That's amazing." Kōzaru said, feeling himself being able to move better already, his damaged ribs only hurting a little now compared to before.

Aotaka and Tatsuma did the same, getting the same results as both their chakra and health were restored in an instant.

"Wow... That's impressive." Aotaka said, feeling the effects right away.

[Health: 180/214 → 214/214]

[Chakra: 85/154 → 154/154]

"I mean its no sensu bean, but it sure is handy." Tatsuma said as he felt his own energy come back to him, with some of his more minor wounds help heal, stopping the bleeding from his arm.

[Health: 90/160 → 140/160]

[Chakra: 14/220 → 164/220]

Aotaka laughed at the mention of a sensu bean from Dragon ball Z, knowing how amazing such an item would be in this world.

"Alright, now we are in better fighting shape, we should take a more tactical vantage point encase anymore enemies show up before Minato sensei gets back." Kōzaru said, getting a nod from the others.

"Alright, lets move out. This is still a war zone, so lets be on our guard."