The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of scarlet and gold. A hot spring sat in a clearing surrounded by dense forest, creating a tense atmosphere. Among the silent trees, Gabimaru stood face to face with Chozoi, known as the "Golden Poison." Gabimaru, known for his calm and martial arts prowess, was prepared for the coming battle. His gaze was steady, his breathing even. Chozoi, on the other hand, radiated malice and cruelty. His eyes glittered in the light of the setting sun, and his muscles tensed, ready to attack.
Without warning, one of the most cunning shinobi of this generation lunged forward. His movements were swift and deadly. Gabimaru reacted instantly, dodging the initial attack and countering with a swift straight leg kick, which he created after falling to his knees. With that leg, he knocked out a small double-edged dagger, snatched it up, and leaped. Their blades clashed in midair, producing a loud clang of metal.
Chozei smiled, feeling the adrenaline rush, and increased his pressure. His attacks grew increasingly aggressive, every move aimed at destroying the enemy. Gabimaru, however, remained calm and focused, his movements precise and effective. He spent most of his time attacking the tendons, but the enemy seemed to know everything ahead of time, so he injected himself with some kind of powerful anesthetic before the fight began. It completely blocked his pain receptors, making Chozei look like a living corpse, and most importantly, he was smiling.
The battle continued, and both fighters entered the final stages of their shinobi mastery. Gabimaru used his unique nintaijutsu techniques. This was the peak of any shinobi's development; anyone who could combine their ninjutsu with taijutsu automatically became the strongest. His Ascetic Flame flared, enveloping the blade in flames and creating fiery vortices around it. But faced with an even stronger defense, Gabimaru retreated.
He then kicked the ground, shattering the earth and sending rocks flying up to Gabimaru's head. He leaped up and, with a shoulder-swinging kick, launched the rocks forward with the sole of his foot, igniting them. Chozei, in turn, demonstrated his poisonous power. His strikes were imbued with poison, or rather, he drained it from his body, just like Yuzuriha. However, there was something unusual: every time he retreated to rest, he oiled the cutting edge of his kunai. Each time, his blade threatened to be fatal.
He used his cunning to deceive Gabimaru and deliver a surprise blow with the blade straight to the spleen. But Gabimaru saw everything Chozei had planned, so, clasping the approaching hand above the wrist, he dropped to one knee, then rolled behind him. Thanks to this action, Chozei's kunai slashed right across his calf muscle.
"Ahahaha!" Chozei laughed, tripping him with his uninjured leg. But after noticing Gabimaru dodge it with a simple backstep, he frowned and, transferring the kunai to his right hand, threw it without a swing.
In the midst of battle, Gabimaru recalled his past. Images of his wife, his mission, and his desire for freedom flashed before his eyes. These thoughts filled him with determination and strength, and he felt his fire grow brighter and more powerful. Gabimaru gathered all his energy and summoned a powerful Ascetic Flame. His body was enveloped in flames, and he unleashed a powerful fiery blast towards Chozei. The enemy was thrown back, his body engulfed in flames.
"Ahhh. So hot!" Chozei screamed in his mind. "Who cares, he didn't notice the poison from the kunai entering his wound, and who cares if you dodge it. My next blow will be your death."
Chozei rose to his feet, his body covered in burns, but his will remained unwavering. He launched a final attack, determined to destroy Gabimaru at any cost. Gabimaru raised his dagger, and their blades crossed again. At that moment, Gabimaru unleashed a concentrated blast of fire, aimed directly at Chozei's heart. The explosion of fire was so powerful that it lit up the entire clearing, causing his enemy to collapse to the ground. Chozei was breathing heavily, his body battered and burned. He knew he had lost, but his eyes burned with hatred and contempt. Gabimaru stood before Chozei, his gaze empty as space.
***
The sun was setting. "Was I caught in a genjutsu?" Gabimaru asked, stunned, as his gaze became more focused. "You just noticed?" Chozei paused. "You spent the last four minutes of the fight on pure reflexes. I was told you were the strongest shinobi, devastated Gabimaru. But you turned out to be a common weakling. You didn't even notice you were caught in a genjutsu, but don't worry, the poison is already in you."
Once you die, our village hidden in the Mist will attack the village hidden in the Stone and destroy it. With these words, Gabimaru and Chozoi continued their fierce battle. Gabimaru didn't care about his wounds; he wanted to protect his wife. Their blades gleamed in the last rays of day, the air around him filled with the sound of metal and the smell of ash. Gabimaru felt his strength begin to fail him, but he fought to the last, his heart burning with determination. Chozoi, on the other hand, radiated arrogance and superiority, his attacks becoming increasingly aggressive and merciless.
Finally, Gabimaru felt a powerful blow that sent him flying backwards. Pain shot through his body, and he fell to the ground, feeling his strength draining away.
"So you planned this all along?"
"I see, haha, I feel that you sharpened that katana very well; it pierced my lung perfectly," Gabimaru asked, choking on blood, casting a fleeting glance at Chozoi, who had appeared behind him with a katana in his hands.
"I don't care. But please tell me, when did you put me in genjutsu? I didn't notice any movement of your hand, and I didn't even see any powder hit me."
"Hahahahahahaha." The legendary, devastated Gabimaru didn't notice the hallucinogenic powder flying at him. Shame. Especially considering I can secrete hallucinogenic poison. If you're all like this in Hidden Stone, consider your village fallen."
"Exactly! The moment I pulled the kunai away from your spleen. Yeah, right, and I'm wondering where you got that burn on your right hand, and that kunai cut my muscle. Sigh! Still, my only regret before I die is that I never met you, Yui," Gabimaru whispered his last words, closing his eyes. "But I hope you love me as much as you did before."
Ninpo: Firestorm: Complete Calm!
He lay on the cold ground, feeling his blood stop circulating. Images of his wife, his mission, and his desire for freedom flashed through his mind. Gabimaru realized this was his end. He closed his eyes, accepting his fate. And even on the brink of death, he didn't betray the shinobi ideology and took his killer with him to the grave, burning the entire nearby forest in the process, reaching that very same hot spring. From that moment until the end of the universe, not a single blade of grass will grow in that spot again.
A devastated Gabimaru fell!
***
Gabimaru opened his eyes and found himself in a completely new and unfamiliar world. He was lying on soft grass, surrounded by dense trees through which the sun's rays were filtering. Somewhere nearby, traditional Japanese buildings were visible. His mind was in chaos, and he tried to figure out where he was. Slowly rising to his feet, Gabimaru looked around. Everything around him looked different, different from what he had seen before: unfamiliar plants, a strange energy hanging in the air—all of it filled him with a feeling of unease and confusion.
"Where am I?" he whispered, trying to collect his thoughts.
Suddenly, he felt a powerful presence. A tall man with white hair and a black blindfold was walking along the road. His gait was confident, and the energy emanating from him was almost tangible.
"Megumi-kun is probably already training? How late am I?" — the white-haired man thought, but stopped abruptly.
— Who are you? — the man asked, his voice even and confident.
— Stop hiding! Yes, it's you, the one in the treetop.
— How did he notice me? His eyes are closed. — Gabimaru felt his heart beat faster. He didn't know what to say. False thoughts began to form in his head, as if someone was suggesting that he was here for a specific purpose. These thoughts confused him, but he tried to remain calm.
— I... don't remember, — he said, his gaze confused. — What is this place? Who are you?
Gojo Satoru looked closely at Gabimaru, his interest obvious. He sensed that someone unusual was standing before him, and decided to get to the bottom of it.
— Interesting, — Gojo said thoughtfully, coming closer. — I sense great potential in you. But first, we need to understand where you come from and how you ended up here?
Gabimaru clenched his fists, his shinobi instincts telling him to be on guard. He didn't know who this man was or what his intentions were. Deciding to follow the old traditions—capture and subsequent torture—he lunged forward at lightning speed, his fist aimed straight at Gojo's face.
"I don't know! But I need you to get information."
Gojo remained unfazed. Just as Gabimaru's fist was mere centimeters from his face, the blow stopped, colliding with an invisible barrier. Satoru's Infinity had worked flawlessly, blocking the attack.
"Hm, interesting," Gojo said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "But that's not enough." With incredible speed, he grabbed Gabimaru's arm, lifted him off the ground, and, grabbing his leg, threw him to the ground. Before Gabimaru could recover, he activated his technique.
"Ascetic Flame: Ignite!" he shouted. He still doesn't understand how it happened; perhaps it was a reflex honed over the years, perhaps fear of the unknown aura, which seemed colorless even to him. Eventually, the small flame grew to cover his entire arm, causing him to smile. The flame stopped where it had hit the rest of his body, but had encountered the barrier.
"You really are interesting," he said, his voice calm, his arm already beginning to regenerate. "But you still have a lot to learn, like how to properly control your cursed energy."
Something suddenly popped into Satoru's head. "He's strange, too. The way he uses his technique—even with such terrible control, I couldn't do much. It's as if he was just born, or just acquired cursed energy. And that hand-to-hand style. No, something's not right with him. We'll see what happens..."
"Cursed energy? And don't underestimate me!" Gabimaru replied. His eyes remained emotionless, and they weren't there even when Gojo revealed Infinity. Gabimaru charged, this time using his speed and agility to deliver a series of quick, precise strikes. Gojo easily dodged each blow, as if anticipating Gabimaru's movements. His reactions were so good that it seemed he was simply toying with his opponent.
"Fast, but not enough," Gojo said with a slight grin. "I'll try to provoke his emotions, though he doesn't look like one with any."
Gabimaru pulled his mask down over his nose, deciding to use more powerful attacks. He gathered his energy and summoned a fiery vortex that surrounded his body in a circle.
"Ascetic Flame: Fire Storm!" he shouted, releasing a powerful fiery blast towards Gojo. The wave of fire rushed towards Gojo, but he remained unfazed. Just as the fire approached, Infinity prevented it from touching the fire, and the storm dissipated.
"Your attacks are impressive," Gojo admitted, "but you'll have to try harder." Satoru leaned forward sharply. "He doesn't look like someone who's just awakened his technique, but then why is the cursed energy so unstable? It even has more than Yuta-kun's." This is very interesting, perhaps this is another Special Level. If I can come to an agreement with him, then I'll definitely be able to change this world. I'll make it the way you wanted, Suguru, so that good people can live, and of course, I'll make fun of those old men! Ahahaha!
Gabimaru realized,That his usual techniques were ineffective against Gojo, he decided to use his most powerful technique. Clenching his fists, he began to concentrate all his flames, which seemed unusual but obeyed perfectly, into a single point.
"I wonder if it's just me that his energy doesn't obey him? I don't know. He's too unusual. There's nothing to latch onto," Satoru stood and waited for the next move.
"That's it!" Gabimaru declared, his voice full of determination, his mind prepared for all the dirty tricks he felt with his entire body.
"Ascetic Flame: Armor of the Fire God!" Gathering all his energy, Gabimaru covered his body in fiery armor, enhancing his attacks and defense. He felt his muscles fill with powerful energy, and the fire around him grew even brighter. At that moment, Gabimaru realized that a strange energy was flowing through his body, echoing the past. He remembered a small moment in his life when the Dao worked similarly. Realizing this, he decided to harness this energy and coated his muscles with cursed energy.
"Why? Why can't I remember anything? It's as if I've forgotten the most important thing in my life! Okay, the main thing is, I remember who I am! I am the devastated Gabimaru, and I am the strongest shinobi in the Hidden Stone," Gabimaru thought, frowning.
"This is something new," Gabimaru whispered, feeling his speed and strength increase. He began moving with incredible speed, confusing Gojo's Six Eyes. Gojo lost sight of him for a moment, and he paid for it. Suddenly, Gabimaru appeared in front of him and struck him with his heel.
"This is what you get for underestimating me!" Gabimaru shouted, his heel rushing toward Gojo's face. At that very moment, unexpectedly, Gabimaru released black lightning, which enveloped his leg and added even more force to the strike. The blow landed squarely, forcing Gojo to stumble back.
Gojo lost his balance and swayed slightly, his expression a mixture of surprise and admiration.
"Not bad, not bad at all," Gojo said, his voice calm but his eyes blazing. "You surprised me."
Mentally slapping himself, Gojo came to his senses. "Damn! He's definitely a talent even greater than me. He just used black lightning. Which means not only can he control his enormous source of energy, but his control and understanding are at a level one level."
Gabimaru was breathing heavily, his body exhausted, but he felt proud of himself. "So, I take it this is the cursed energy? Well, it turns out I'm a genius at controlling the Dao, and these energies are very close to each other. And then there's this black lightning. I think I've become even more sensitive to this energy; now I think I can control the cursed energy without straining myself. Wait… How did I know what the Dao is?"
I don't remember, I have a feeling something happened on the last mission, but for the life of me, I can't remember anything. It's strange, I need to observe everything even more clearly!
"You really are strong," Gojo admitted. "But you still have a lot to learn," Gojo said, raising an eyebrow slightly.and Gabimaru noticed it even through the mask. "Perhaps you don't understand anything from your actions. Well, perhaps I'll tell you everything in detail."
Gojo walked over to a tree and began to explain: "We are at the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Magic, a place where they teach shamanism and the fight against curses. This place will help you understand who you are and what you're doing here, if you want it, of course."
"We absolutely must get him into the college!" Gojo exclaimed.
Gabimaru became wary, his gaze piercing. "Where is this Tokyo? And why should I believe you?" he asked, clenching his fists. "What is Tokyo?"
Satoru placed his hand on his chin. "That's not important for now."
"As for the second question, because you have no other choice," Gojo answered, his voice calm, but even in this mood, he ignored Gabimaru's displeased gaze, which was ready to kill him.
"Who are you and where did you appear from under the barrier?"
"I already said that I don't remember," Gabimaru replied coldly. "I know that shinobi is my profession and what the Dao is. Well, I also know… what Tokyo is! Where did I get this information? Is this all your doing?"
Gojo lifted the blindfold, showing his eyes: "No! Are you saying that you know everything that's happening now?"
"Yes! I only imagine what I want to know, and it all immediately comes to mind," Gabimaru sat down in the lotus position. "But I can say with one hundred percent certainty that this is not true, I can't know all of this. I'll even say more. I think I've forgotten something, the most important thing in my life."
"I understand. Memory loss is serious." But you're missing one thing. You should know that as soon as you activated your technique, you revealed yourself to the entire world. — After waiting for Gabimaru's nod, Gojo continued, — That's why you should accept my offer. We'll go to college, I'll settle you here, you'll learn everything you need, and I'll also help you find what you need. Most importantly, help me change this world. — Seeing Gabimaru's interest, Gojo frowned and decided whether to reveal the information or not. — You see, I'm about to say something stupid, but any world will be mired in corruption. I'm sure you understand this well. Be that as it may, the government will eventually become conservative, and that's what happened. And the worst thing is that there's no justice in such a world. It's true. As soon as they sense danger, they'll try to eliminate it to preserve their position. In short, I know this, I felt it recently, so I want to change it...
Gabimaru thought, his thoughts full of doubt. He didn't know if he could trust this man, but his shinobi instincts told him to look for information that would confirm this strange man's words.
"And what will happen to me if I agree?" he asked.
"I'm afraid, with your level, you'll be executed, at the very least. Don't be surprised, as I said, the top of the magical world is mired in filth. That's what they'll do to you, I know for sure: they'll destroy you. You're a potential problem for them."which will hinder them, it always has been, and it will be now. So join me, please, help me. Of course, I don't fully understand why I'm telling you about my plans, but I don't care. I'm the strongest, I do what I want.
— But then wouldn't it be easier to kill off this top brass of yours?
— What's the point? You kill some, and even worse ones will take their place. That's why I have a different path. I wonder which one? No? But I don't care, I'll tell you anyway, I'm trying to raise those equal to me, who will know what we need so that the death toll decreases.
— Fine! I agree, I will help you, but you must give me any information I need. I need to remember everything! I want to remember! I assume that the information you have will be useful to me. And also, a strange memory arises.
— You will find the answers to your questions, — answered Gojo, his voice was firm.
"I'll also teach you shamanism. And everything I know. Although, yes, I have nothing else to give you, I can't even help you understand cursed energy, because in my memory, you're the first person who was able to create black lightning on the first use. Don't be surprised, I'll tell you everything later, and you can tell me what kind of Dao you mentioned."
Gabimaru felt that although this guy was strange, revealing his plans to the first person he met, he could be trusted. Gabimaru was an expert in trust, after all, someone had taught him this skill. But who?
"Okay," he finally said. "I'll go with you. But keep in mind, I don't trust you completely."
Gojo smiled, his eyes glittering. "That's normal. Mistrust is part of the path to truth," he said. "Come on, we need to talk to the college principal, his name is Yaga Masamichi."
Gabimaru nodded and followed