Naruto Tenseigan Reborn: Toneri's Time-Traveling Romance

38

Toneri flowed between scorching gouts of dragon flame, feeling their blistering heat through his trailing robes. With a pulse of will, a shimmering shield materialized to absorb the blistering torrent before winging the refracted wave back at its caster.

Hiruzen swiftly erected an earthen barrier, though the redirected blast shuddered its much greater mass.

Such casually fluid skill...

the Professor marveled.

He redirects my strongest offensive technique with mere gesture!

Wasting no time, the wizened leader flashed through seals to summon Enma - his stalwart simian ally. In puff of smoke the hulking chimp brandished his staff, immediately mirroring his longtime partner. This foe necessitated an all out assault from the start.

Simultaneously, shadowy forms erupted around Toneri, revealing a full squad of Anbu unleashing ruthless barrage. But faster still, six shimmering orbs materialized grinding attacks to a halt with intervening shields and pulses of invisible force scattering the elites.

"Come now Hokage, let us not degrade this contest with unsporting gambits.” Toneri’s tone held calm amusement. “Surely between just we two titans, the needed measure can be taken fairly?" His raised hand kept the groaning operatives pinned helplessly to the ceiling.

Hirzuen gestured concession despite his ally's outrage. “Stand down everyone. Our guest makes a reasonable request.” He settled into a high guard, limber despite his aging joints. “I apologize Toneri. Please release them so we may continue unencumbered.”

With a magnanimous bow, Toneri freed the agents before recalling his orbiting spheres. “Most kind. Now then shall we proceed?”

Without awaiting reply, his hands began tracing an unfamiliar sequence. Hirzuen’s eyes widened as as the very air seemed to warp and compress around those gesturing appendages.

He employs no hand signs yet moulds attacks beyond any current Nature forms! Even my prodigious library of techniques may prove wanting here...

Just as he felt force building towards a breaking point, Hirzuen intervened by slamming both palms down, unleashing fissuring destruction racing towards his opponent who deftly evaded the rupturing floor. Pressing the assault, Enma transformed his staff into an extending polearm hoping to overwhelm their aerial mark. But Toneri merely spun laterally while summoning a radiant green orb in one hand then hurtling it unerringly at the duo.

The molten sphere exploded against their crossed guard, shearing through Enma’s vaunted Diamond Staff to blast both combatants backwards in steam and debris.

His power continues escalating!

Hirzuen realized while regaining his footing much less steadily than before.

Soon my own limits shall be tested...

Gritting his teeth, the Professor prepared invoking Shiki Fūjin as ace-in-the-hole should need arise. This contest was accelerating beyond expectations...

For long moments, both regarded the other warily across the decimated arena that once was a stately office. Toneri studied his opponent with clinical interest while absently tracing contortion patterns around yet another swelling spatial distortion. Truly the elder warrior lived up to legend if he yet stood against progeny arts utilized by demigods of prior eras!

"Let us finalize this then." Toneri loosed the pulsating mass which erupted towards the bracing duo as a blinding pillar that sheared through intervening space itself. Just before engulfment, Enma tackled his partner clear, though the beam grazed his broad shoulder to cleave deeply through dense muscle.

"Stay behind me Lord Third!" the seething chimp commanded while favoring his mangled limb. Never before suffered such grievous harm short of battle with the Nine Tails itself!

But Sarutobi knew such guardianship invited evisceration. This contest rapidly approached the point where only self sacrifice could shield Konoha from this juggernaut. Steeling himself, he placed a conciliatory hand on his agonized cohort.

"Stand aside brave one. Our opponent has made his point resoundingly." Nodding towards the smiling specter serenely preparing another apocalyptic salvo, Hirzuen sighed in acceptance. "I must now take drastic measures if any hope remains protecting our homeland." His hands began the fateful seals that would end this confrontation at the cost of his soul...

Sensing the spiking chakra, Toneri urgently intervened. "Hold Lord Third! This final art remains unnecessary." His earnest tone stalled the binding ritual. "I apologize profoundly for exceeding your generous bounds in this contest." Toneri manifested his glowing spheres in silent bodyguard formation. "My restored lineage affords melee scope far beyond mortal norms as you've witnessed."

He floated down bowing contritely before the battered duo. "But I shall never wield such terrible arts against Konoha nor you its stalwart steward." Straightening formally, his closing words resonated with conviction. "You have my solemn vow Lord Sarutobi. This village and its people are sacrosanct under my vigilant protection."

Proffering a hand, his youthful face broke into a beatific smile. "Let us end this destruction then in the spirit of fellowship rather than fear. Please accept my loyalty in guarding these blessed lands against any who dare raise sinister hand."

Hard eyes gauged the earnest figure hovering amidst the settling debris. After agonizing consideration, Hirzuen grasped the proffered hand while waving Enma to stand down. Though nearly bested this day, his shinobi intuition saw truth in bold claims of championship from this scion of mythic ancestry. Konoha's fortunes seemed assured...