Under the oppressive blanket of unnatural darkness, Genso's senses strained. The air crackled with unseen energy, a testament to Edea's mastery of both space-time and elemental ninjutsu. The familiar scent of ozone, tinged with a metallic undertone, hinted at the thunder techniques Edea might unleash.
Genso swallowed another chakra recovery pill, the immediate surge of energy a welcome but temporary reprieve. He focused his breathing, the rhythmic inhales and exhales anchoring him in the disorienting void. 'Thunder Sword Breathing Techniques, Third Form: Thunderclap and Flash Godspeed.'
Even without visual confirmation, Genso could sense the shift in the air, the subtle distortion that heralded Edea's movements within the darkness. He channeled a significant portion of his restored chakra into his legs, preparing for an instantaneous burst of speed. The 'Godspeed' variation of his third form pushed his physical capabilities to their absolute limit, a technique that could bridge short distances with near-teleportation speed, albeit at a considerable cost to his stamina.
A searing heat suddenly erupted to his left. Instinctively, Genso contorted his body, narrowly avoiding a torrent of crimson flames that licked through the darkness.
"Not bad," Edea's voice echoed from an indiscernible location, laced with amusement. "But you can't dodge what you can't see."
Before Genso could fully react, the air around him shimmered violently. A wave of disorienting pressure washed over him, followed by a sharp, stabbing pain in his temples. 'Genjutsu!' he realized, his mind struggling against the intrusive illusion.
Images flickered through his consciousness – his fallen clan members, their faces contorted in agony, the burning ruins of his home. The darkness around him intensified within the illusion, pressing down on him, suffocating him with despair.
But the subtle, persistent disruption of his chakra flow, a lingering effect of Koyoshi's earlier technique, proved to be his salvation. The genjutsu, unable to latch onto a perfectly stable chakra network, flickered and wavered. The faces of his loved ones blurred, the oppressive darkness lost some of its potency.
With a guttural roar, Genso forced his chakra to surge erratically, intentionally disrupting the remaining hold of the illusion. The mental pressure receded, leaving him disoriented but free. He knew he had only a fraction of a second before Edea pressed his advantage.
He unleashed a fan of Stars Shuriken into the inky blackness, not aiming for a specific target, but to create a sensory distraction. Simultaneously, he performed the hand seal for the Flying Thunder God Technique, imbuing each shuriken with his seal.
The darkness shifted again, a subtle ripple in the oppressive void. Genso knew Edea was moving, likely preparing another attack. He focused his inner eye, trying to perceive the faintest disturbances in the air, the slightest change in pressure.
A bolt of pure white lightning erupted from the darkness directly in front of him. It moved with blinding speed, crackling with destructive energy. Genso reacted instantly, teleporting to the location of one of his thrown shuriken, reappearing several meters to the side just as the lightning scorched the air where he had been.
"Impressive," Edea's voice conceded, a hint of surprise in his tone. "You managed to break my 'Dark Descent' genjutsu. Not many can do that."
Genso didn't reply, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He knew Edea was toying with him, enjoying the hunt. He had to find an opening, a way to land a decisive blow.
He took another chakra pill, the energy coursing through his veins. 'Thunder Sword Breathing Techniques, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash.'
He focused his chakra into his katana, the blade humming with barely contained energy. He waited for the slightest indication of Edea's next move.
The darkness writhed, coalescing into a swirling vortex directly above him. From within the vortex, more bolts of lightning began to rain down, each strike aimed with deadly precision.
Genso moved. Utilizing the 'Thunderclap and Flash', he became a streak of lightning himself, weaving through the cascading bolts. He teleported between his marked shuriken, his movements erratic and unpredictable, making him a difficult target to track.
As he dodged, he hurled several explosive tags into the darkness, relying on his enhanced senses to anticipate where Edea might be positioned.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The concussive blasts ripped through the darkness, momentarily illuminating the ravaged surroundings. Genso caught a fleeting glimpse of Edea, his form flickering like heat haze as he shifted between his smoke form and a more solid state.
"You rely too much on speed and tricks," Edea's voice taunted from a new location. "True power lies in mastery."
Suddenly, the temperature plummeted. Freezing air swirled around Genso, and razor-sharp shards of ice materialized in the darkness, hurtling towards him from all directions.
Genso roared, unleashing the Second Form of his thunder breathing technique: 'Rice Spirit.' Five rapid, arcing slashes, each crackling with lightning, tore through the air.
The lightning clashed against the ice shards, shattering them into harmless fragments.
But the ice attack was a diversion. In the brief moment of chaos, Edea launched another wave of crimson flames, this time from multiple directions simultaneously.
Genso had no time to teleport. He instinctively raised his katana, channeling his remaining chakra into a desperate defensive maneuver. 'Thunder Barrier!'
A crackling shield of pure lightning erupted around him, deflecting the searing flames.
The force of the impact sent tremors through his body, and he could feel his chakra reserves dwindling rapidly.
"You're weakening," Edea observed, his voice now closer, more confident. "The darkness is closing in."
Genso knew Edea was right. He was running out of chakra, and the constant onslaught was taking its toll. He had to make his next move count.
He took his last chakra recovery pill, the energy a final surge of defiance. He closed his eyes for a fleeting moment, focusing all his will.
When he opened them, his gaze was fixed on the darkness. 'Thunder Sword Breathing Techniques, Fourth Form: Distant Thunder.'
He didn't move, didn't teleport. Instead, he focused his chakra into his katana with an unprecedented intensity. The blade glowed with a blinding white light, and the air around it crackled with immense power.
Then, with a precise, controlled swing, he unleashed a concentrated wave of pure thunderous energy. Unlike his previous lightning attacks, this was a focused beam, silent and deadly, cutting through the darkness with the force of a physical blow.
The beam struck something solid. A muffled grunt echoed through the void, followed by a hiss of dissipating smoke.
The unnatural darkness began to recede, the oppressive atmosphere lifting. Moonlight filtered back into the ravaged courtyard, revealing the aftermath of their clash.
Edea stood several meters away, clutching his side. A scorch mark marred his clothing, and a thin trail of blood trickled from beneath his fingers. His eyes, however, burned with a mixture of surprise and grudging respect.
"You... you managed to hit me," he said, his voice low. "That technique... it was unexpected."
Genso stood panting, his katana still radiating a faint glow. He had landed a blow, but he knew the fight was far from over. Edea was wounded, but he was still a dangerous opponent, and Genso's own reserves were nearly depleted. The darkness might have lifted, but the battle for survival continued.