AGE OF SHADOWS (war at dawn)

"man, we are cooked ", Sora breath out.

"There's something we can do about this, right? Sora", Kaguya ask knowing he was the only one with an analytical mind.

" Maybe we should just go up to him and let him get rid of us ", Shinra said sarcastically.

" Just because you have no brain doesn't mean you should make things worse ok? ", Sora gave Shinra a weird look.

" Who told you I have no brain, I only said that because I know his first kill would be Shinokaze ", Shinra said bluntly.

" Hey!! Don't piss me off more than I already am", Shinokaze warned.

" You know it's the truth ", Shinra refused to hear his warning.

" Shut up ok? And address me as Lord you menace ".

" Fine, fine, lord you menace ", Shinra called out.

" What did I just hear you call me? ", Shinokaze snarled.

" Exactly what you ask me to address you with, now quit complaining ", Shinra yelled.

" No you bastard, it's lord Shinokaze ", Shinokaze correct him.

" Wrong Shinokaze? Now you admit that you are not the right Shinokaze ", Shinra squeal his eyes and Shinokaze's head turn red in anger.

" Can we concentrate here, he's giving us some time so it would be better to plan something out, because one way or the other we have to make him feel impressed and he might really take us as the members of his code and we can achieve our dreams, that's if you guys have any ", Sora said to them.

" Who doesn't have a dream? Everyone does ", Kaguya said.

" Not really, I don't think Shinokaze has one", Shinra said with a raised hand.

" Why are you always on my back? ", Shinokaze ask in annoyance.

" How did I get on your back when I'm three feet away from you? ", Shinra raised his voice.

" Can you two please listen to the plan I have, I really want to go home, I'm hungry as hell ", Sora grumbled.

"now that you speak of it, I have forgotten that I haven't eaten anything since morning", Shinra deadpan.

" Same ", Shinokaze and Kaguya mumbled simultaneously.

*Ugh* Shinra look up in disbelief, the others followed his line of sight to see why he had such reaction.

*Ugh* they gasp as well, Hayate was falling down from the sky with a devilish smile and a fist ready to cause destruction.

" Time to dismantle you runts for good ", Hayate throw a fistful, the teens all fell off the snake before the snake was pound to the ground, the force of the attack sent them crumbling into the nearby river.

They where able to balance on the flowing water, Shinra was the only one who sank in, "hey! Shinra!", Sora cried out, "(damn)", Sora glanced at his summoning animal as it raised his head, Sora could tell it suffered some injuries from Hayate's attack *tch* Sora made some hand signs, "ninja arts: reverse beast summoning", the snake then disappear into thin air.

"Good thing you released the technique, that thing was pathetic, too weak it could not even withstand a little punch", Hayate mocked, he was now standing on the water as well.

*Huff Huff Huff* Shinra was panting heavily as he surface from the water, his hair was covering his face so he shook his head to get rid of some water, "(I need to get out of here at once before that maniac decide to act again)", Shinra started swimming out of the water.

"Do you mind getting off the water?", Sora ask.

" What does it seem to you that I'm going? Idiot ", Shinra continue swimming.

" Just get on the water ", Sora yelled.

" I can't walk on water ok? ", Shinra yelled at the Nosuke boy.

" You can't? What kind of a ninja are you? ", Kaguya ask in disbelief.

" A sexy gloomy one I guess ", Shinra smile.

" This guy is a aloof ", Shinokaze spat out.

"Why waste your time with that brat, the only thing he can use his reiketsu for are his physical abilities, which every genin can do, when it comes to ninja art he's a loser", Hayate snickered.

Shinra finally got to the ground and turned to face the kōjin level ninja," you think so? I'm going to prove you wrong!", Shinra made a few hand signs, "ninja arts: clone!", dozen of Shinra appeared and also disappeared instantly *huh ah!!* "Not again!", Shinra pulled on his hair.

*Hahaha hahahaha* "brat you really are hilarious", Hayate laugh at Shinra's misfortune.

*Tch* "ninja arts: clone!", Sora made the same hand signs as Shinra.

"Ninja arts: clone!!", Shinokaze and Kaguya followed after, Sora and Kaguya both made seven clones each while Shinokaze made fifteen.

"Let go", Sora and his clones took off after Hayate.

" (The strength of our reiketsu varies )", Shinokaze smile with pride as they all charge after the kōjin.

*Oh* " now you are talking, come after me with all your might", Hayate smile widely.

Sora and his clones were the first to get to Hayate, they were throwing punches and kicks which Hayate easily navigate through without being touched, Shinokaze tried to swipe him off the water but Hayate leap of the water, Kaguya attack in the air with her fist and Hayate deflect them, another Kaguya appeared behind Hayate with a kick which was stop, Hayate then toss her into the first Kaguya and they crashed into the water.

Hayate land on the water and caught the incoming fist of Sora and Shinokaze, he spun around throwing them to the opposite direction, Hayate then closed his eyes, three Shinokaze advanced forward and relentlessly attack Hayate, with his eyes remain closed he was dodging their strikes effortlessly, he side step avoiding Sora who appeared behind.

"Geez they are nailing it right there, and no one has been able to touch him even with his eyes closed", Shinra was still watching from the shore, "I need to join in on the fight, but I can't walk on water", he growl in frustration.

"(Even with our simultaneous attacks, we just can't)", *tch ah!!!!* Sora dive after Hayate, he switched position in the air and threw a powerful kick, Hayate dodge and Sora's other leg struck Hayate, he lift his feet off the water allowing Sora's kick sailed past, another Sora quickly threw a punch which went through the air *huh*.

"He's behind you!", Kaguya alert, Sora turn around only to receive a punch to the stomach which knocked him overboard, he then disappear into thin air.

"(It was only a clone)", Shinokaze thought.

"Your clones are all a wimp just like you brats", *hm* Hayate scoffed.

"You only said that because you are a kōjin", Sora made a hand signs, "release", his remaining clones then disappear into thin air, Shinokaze, Kaguya, you and your clones should attack with all you got, I need a way to get pass this guy", Sora said staring at Hayate who's eyes were still closed.

" Don't give me orders ", Shinokaze and his clones took a fighting stance, Kaguya observed Hayate for a while and launch forward with her remaining five clones *tch* Shinokaze and his clones also attacked.

They encountered with Hayate again in a hand to hand combat, Shinokaze's fighting style was his usual palm fist and kicks, his move were quick, sharp and powerful, Kaguya on the other hand was a flexible fighting, her swift and flawless moves were smooth and gentle yet powerful, the battle continues as they effortlessly tried to hit the elite ninja.

"Keep trying, backing down is not in a ninja's system", Hayate said to them.

"(Come on I need to think of something, anything)", sora was watching their every moves, looking for a way to charge in," (all i need right now is speed, an unmatched speed, man, how much reiketsu are we going to burn just to impress one guy?)", Sora pulled out his kunai and cut himself.

*Huh* Shinra gasp at the sight, with just his ears Hayate was able to figure out what Sora was doing.

"(Ninja arts: beast summoning)", Sora made a couple hand signs and leap off the water, from Sora's blood a large falcon appeared and Sora land on it's back.

*Wow* "Sora you are amazing!", Shinra cheered.

"(It's a bird, and it's big enough to carry two people on it back)", Kaguya was amazed, she then return her attention back to the battle at hand,"(what ever your plans are, please act fast)".

" (Who does that guy think he's trying to impress pulling tricks upon tricks like he's really good)", *hm* Shinokaze scoffed as he continue fighting.

The falcon flap it's wing and took off into the sky, this got Shinra puzzled, "hey! Where are you going?", Shinra ask, the falcon continue flying upward.

"(This has to work, she's the fastest I have in my arsenal, if we descend down from the level of the cloud which is approximately seven thousand meters to the ground then our speed will be enough to knock him down, and at the same time we will suffer some effects ourselves or even die if we miss and hit the ground)", Sora thought as the falcon continue into the sky, "come on girl, we can do this, you and me", Sora pant the falcon.

" (Geez, he just disappear into the sky)", Shinra shield his sensitive eyes from the sun as he search for his brown haired friend.

" (How much longer are we going to hold, this is beyond our strength, I don't know how much hits my clones are going to be able to take before they dispelled)", Kaguya and her clones threw some needles at Hayate who move out of the way with ease," (i don't know what Sora's plans are, so we just need to keep lord Hayate at bay)".

*Ugrr* Shinokaze and his clones continue pushing forward trying to lay a hit on the older ninja.

After a while of flying the falcon spun over and started falling down in an incredible speed with it's wings closed a bit," (this is it)", Sora squeal his eyes due to the wind blowing through.

*Huh* Shinra look up when he head the descending sound of the bird.

*Hm* Hayate smile knowingly, with a lightning fast speed the falcon went straight to Hayate, it maneuver past the teens and their clones without hitting them, Hayate skillfully made a flip over Sora and his summoning which was a shock to all of them, Sora look up at Hayate as he flip over with a smile and the most shocking part was that his eyes remain shut.

The falcon took off to the sky spinning like a missile before descending back down, "this time there's no dodging it!", Sora grit his teeth, his plan was to run Hayate into the water, for the second time Hayate dodge by leaping back as the falcon dive into the water, it then burst out of the water right in front of Shinokaze, Kaguya and their clones, "man we miss the shit, this guy is just too good".

"There's no doubt about that",*Huff Huff* Kaguya was panting with her clones.

" You guys are weak, that's all", Shinokaze said.

"Speak for yourself", Sora restored.

"You kids are kind of amazing", Hayate smirk, "but now, it's the time for you to get a taste of me", Hayate raised his hand at them.

*Ugh* they gasp as a gust of wind came from nowhere knocking them away *ah!!!!* Sora and Kaguya cried.

"What kind of wind is this?", Shinra plant his feet on the ground to hold himself against the wind, the teens then crash into the shore along the falcon *huh* Shinra rush over to them, "are you guys alright?".

The falcon who had use it's body to shield sora and Kaguya got up and shook it body, Sora and Kaguya the got to a sitting position.

"That hurts", Kaguya whine in pain.

"I think my ribs is broken ", Sora was holding his side," (if she had not shield us from hitting the ground I wonder what would have happened... Thank you)", Sora smile at the falcon, the falcon spread it wings and flap them while releasing a crying sound.

" It seems like Shinokaze and his clones are still standing ", Kaguya said.

" You seemed unfazed by my attack, that's stunning ", Hayate marveled.

" Such weak attack can't do either I or my clones any harm, play time is over, now, let's dance for real ", Shinokaze dispelled his clones and stood alone with the orange colored haired ninja.

"Well well, your fighting spirit has elevated, please make me enjoy this, will you?", Hayate ask with a scary look.

"You are going to feel the true strength of the Hoshino clan", Shinokaze slowly took a fighting stance.