Naruto raging whirlpool

Ash and Shino stood their ground, tension thick in the air as a clouded aura seeped out from underneath the masked figure's dark cloak. The crimson mask concealed all but a pair of deep red, calculating eyes. The worn cloak shifted in the wind, heavy with unspoken malice.

Above them, gaunt figures crouched among the branches, their bodies wrapped in filthy, blood-stained cloaks. Their limbs hung at unnatural angles as they clung to the branches with unsettling ease. Though motionless, their hollow eyes locked onto Ash and Shino, patiently awaiting the signal to act.

With a slight twitch of the masked figure's hand, the bandaged figures silently dropped to the ground and rose in unison, their bodies moving with the precision of marionettes. No words were spoken, yet the order hung in the air, etched into their very beings.

"Lambs of the cult," the masked figure's voice echoed, low and distorted, each word laced with authority. "Bring them to me, They shall be the lucky chosen, given the privilege to offer their blood to our great, Lord Jashin."

At the command, the bandaged figures rushed forward with silent purpose, their blood-stained cloaks trailed behind them like ghostly banners. The name Jashin, struck Ash like thunder on a sunny day, freezing him mid-thought. The name gnawed at his mind, familiar yet elusive, scratching at the edges of recognition, just out of his reach. For a moment, he stood still, paralyzed by the weight of the forgotten name clawing at him from deep within his subconscious.

Shino moved instinctively, weaving his hand signs with practiced precision. A thick cloud of beetles burst forth from beneath his sleeves, swarming the charging enemies in waves. As the insects brought the bandaged figures to a temporary halt, he turned toward Ash. "Snap out of it, whatever it is, it can wait" he said calmly, panic void in his voice.

Ash blinked, the sound of Shino's voice pulling him from his daze just as the Red Hooded beings broke through the insect blockade. His hands moved swiftly, Inu, Tori, Hebi, Hitsu. Water gathered from the damp air around them, swirling into existence at his fingertips. With a tightening of his fist, the moisture solidified into a sleek sword that shimmered within his hands, Toad's Mist Arsenal, his weapon of choice.

"Frogaaa!" Ash bellowed, leaping into the fray. He swung the water-forged blade with fluid precision, the weapon sliced clean through one enemy's shoulder as a ripple of blood splattered over the ravaged earth, courtesy of their battle with kidomaru.

The severed figure crumpled, but the others pressed on undeterred. Shino's beetles buzzed through the air, intercepting enemies, eating away at their chakra and flesh with ruthless efficiency. Yet even as bodies hit the dirt, their injuries began to mend, the masked figure's dark aura knitting them back together like an artist repairing cracked porcelain.

Ash cursed inwardly. 'They're not normal, an undying horde...' he could feel his chakra draining from his body the longer he fought. 'I can't afford to use a technique like Water Fang Dragon Fang anymore, especially against an enemy like this." his grip loosened on on the vapour blade, knowing he'd have to fight smarter.

He spun on his heels, drawing water from the nearby turbulent river. Several swirling masses of liquid formed around him, their forms shifting into that of kunai and shuriken that shimmered like the jewls on a sapphire chandelier.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, Ash sent the floating kunai and shuriken spiralling toward the enemy, their watery edges gleaming under the sun's light. As the projectiles whirled through the air, Ash darted forward, jumping into the fray with fluid precision.

His movements were a blur, one moment he flipped through the air, deflecting a Red Hood's strike with a swift kick, and the next, he landed in a low stace, sweeping their legs and knocking another off balance. Without breaking rhythm, he spun once more, launching another barrage of water-forged blades, each slicing cleanly through his foes. The Red Hoods fell in his wake, but their bodies stirred moments later, unyielding in the face of death.

Shino fought by Ash's side. Whenever Ash overextended, his beetles swarmed and covered the gaps in his defenses, forming a shifting wall of wings and pincers. When a Red Hood slipped into Ash's blind spot, the swarm diverted without hesitation, shredding the assailant before they could land a strike.

Ash had Shino's back just as fiercely. The moment Shino was cornered, Ash was there his vapor blade flashing in an arc, cutting down enemies with ruthless efficiency. When his beetles weren't enough, Ash's water shiruken found their mark, thinning the wave of attackers. Their movements wove together like clockwork each trusting the other completely, their strikes and defenses meshing seamlessly, an unspoken rhythm honed through their shared camaraderie.

For a moment, it seemed they had the upper hand. Red Hoods fell one by one, their bodies collapsing under the relentless assault. But it was fleeting. With eerie grotesque sounds, the fallen rose again, their wounds sealing before Ash's eyes as if the battle had never touched them.

"Behind you," Shino said in flat tone, Ash reacted in an instant, whipping his tongue out like a lash. The sudden strike coiled around the neck of a Red Hood lurking behind him , yanking him towards Ash and into the path of his watery sword, which cleaved him apart with a decisive arched slash.

The masked figure grew impatient, their voice sharp and venomous. "Pathetic... Do you crave suffering that much?" The words lashed at the Red Hoods like a whip. "Once this is over, I will show you what true pain is".

At her threat, a flicker of emotion finally broke through their dead stares, fear.... It was faint but undeniable. The Red Hoods, unmoved until this point, charged towards an enemy that ripped them apart without a spread of fear but apon their masked leader's words, Their eyes shook under the weight of the promise, an attempt to escape their fate, but it lasted but a mere moment longer before they once more had their will stolen from them.

Suddenly, the masked figure moved. Their legs covered in a crimson aura as they shot forward at bluring speeds. The ground hissed beneath each step, glowing red hot footprints trailed along their wake like embers scattered in the wind. A plume of dark smoke rose behind them as the very ground burned underneath their bare feet. Dust and debris spiraled into the air

Ash's heart raced. He spun, water swirling from the river's surface, molding into a sleek spear in his grasp. The dark figure was on him in an instant. He barely made it in time, his spear meeting a fist covered in that same crimson aura mid-strike. The force behind the blow ruptured outwards, vibrations spread through the shaft of the spear, sending Ash skidding back several feet, the soles of his feet digging into the ground.

Shino moved without hesitation, aending his beetles into the fray. The insects swarmed toward the masked figure, their swarm surrounding the figure in every dirrection, But they were faster and stronger than they could handle. They pivoted effortlessly, their glowing feet a blur as she kicked through the swarm with a resounding blow, scattering the beetles mid-flight as if they were never there to begin with.

Shino directed his beetles that had burrowed into the ground toward the figure. They swarmed, but the figure effortlessly avoided their attacks, scattering them with powerful kicks to the ground, caving in their tunnels, burying them alive. Ash seized the only opportunity he might get and dashed forward, his vapor spear piercing through the air.

The blade connected with the edge of the mask, cracking it with a sharp snap. The sound echoed across the battlefield as a jagged fissure split the crimson surface. But the masked figure stood unfazed. The blow that should have at the very least stunned them, left them standing completely unharmed.

As the dark figure focus narrowed down on Ash, they unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, each strike empowered by the same crimson energy. The sheer force behind the attacks sent shockwaves through the air, leaving Ash struggling to keep up. He was outclassed, by their overwhelming power of unpredictable movements.

The masked figure was unforgiving. Their burning trail cut jagged paths across the battlefield, their strikes a blur of calculated attacks and parrys, as they collided, each punch and kick crashed down on Ash's spear with devastating power, every impact amplified by the crimson energy that pulsed through her limbs sending a wave of heat through the spear in his hands boiling it's contents. Ash and Shino fought desperately, but it was clear—they were outmatched.

Ash grit his teeth, fatigue setting in as the toll of the fight began to weigh on him. His chakra reserves dwindled, every weapon he conjured drained him further. The spear in his hand faltered, water droplets splashing to the ground as his control wavered under the dark figure's assault.

"This is unexpected, I'd only expect this kind of speed and power from someone on the level of a jonin" Shino's voice cut through the chaos.

"We cannot win this, this person is far too dangerous!" Shino watched as his insects dwindled in number every passing second, his steady voice held an urgent undertone. "We need to retreat."

Ash nodded, his breath ragged. Employing the body flicker technique he appeared behind Shino, The masked figure a fair distance away attempted to reach them but they were too far, although they were fast their speed did not compare to the body flicker.

Ash wove a set of hand signs and slammed his palm to the ground. A swirling white plume of smoke engulfed them as the Reverse Summoning took hold.

They reappeared in the familiar forbidden zone of Mount Myoboku, they gasped for air, the tension of the battle fading into the dense forest that surrounds them.

Back on the battlefield, the masked figure stood still, the crack in their mask deepened. A large jagged piece fell away, revealing part of a young girl's face. Fiery red hair spilled from the broken mask, and though most of her features remained obscured undeneath a set of bandages, the rubies that were her eyes were revealed to be a deep beautiful red. They burnt with a fanatic passion.

"How ungrateful..." she whispered, her soft voice filled with venom, marking the end of the confrontation.