Menma launched forward, the forest clearing became alive with sudden force of his movements. The ground beneath his sandals cracked slightly from the force of his push-off, leaves scattering in a sharp spiral behind him.
Sun Wukong didn't move, he looked completely unbothered.
Menma's first volley came instantly, six shuriken thrown from staggered angles, three from the left, three from the right. Each intersecting at unpredictable vectors, steering towards Sun.
Sun tilted his head lazily. With casual ease, he caught one between one finger. Another between his toes. Two more slapped into his palms. The fifth he snagged mid-spin with his tail. And the sixth. He caught it in his teeth.
Sun tossed them down to the grown and grinned. "Not bad kid. Good form," he said lightly. "But that won't be nearly to hurt me, let alone touch me."
Menma thought to himself. Good it would be disappointing if that was all it took to bring down a weakened Sun Wukong. I guess I can take this a little more seriously.
Menma didn't hesitate as he rushed forward again. He closed distance, kunai already in hand, blade flashing toward Sun's throat.
Sun weaved. The motion was almost lazy, shoulders shifting, hips turning, body bending at angles that felt unnatural. An afterimage lingered where he'd been.
Menma adjusted mid-swing, redirecting into a reverse grip thrust.
But Sun was already somewhere else. Behind Menma as he attacked.
"Not bad, Menma," Sun said, appearing to Menma's right. "But still not good enough if you want to land a hit. I'm starting to think you have bad eye sight if you can't hit me."
Menma exhaled sharply.
"Then dodge this."
Menma hurled the kunai toward Sun's face. Sun merely tilted his head.
The blade missed by centimeters. In the same instant, Menma vanished. Using the Flying Raijin he reappeared behind Sun, fist already clenched.
Before he could strike Sun back, Sun was facing Menma almost instantly. Then he became a blur as fist launched towards Menma.
Menma barely raised his guard in time, as the punch landed. The impact vibrated through his bones, sending him sliding backward several inches across the dirt.
His arms trembled, and his mind reeled.
Damn Sun's shorter than me right now… but he hits like a full-grown man. I can tell he's holding back.
Sun rolled his shoulders casually. " Your to predictable," he said. "You telegraphed that technique so easily. But it wasn't half bad. But with these eyes of mine I saw your little seal on that Kunai."
Menma narrowed his eyes. "Noted. Let's see you handle this." With Kurama willingly giving me his chakra I should be able to use this technique. I just hope I get the right numbers.
Menma's hands flashed through seals. And his chakra surged.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Smoke exploded outward. And when it cleared, a thousand Menmas filled the forest clearing. Tree's were filled with clones of the red haired Uzumaki. Sun was instantly by Menma and his clones.
But Sun only yawned. "Wow. That's alot of Menma's. Talk about one man army. But that was also a lot of chakra being used for sloppily made clones."
"If you think you can do better then be my guest." Menma said.
Sun smirked, and then plucked five hairs from his arm. Flicked them into the air. Then five identical Suns landed around him.
In the moment Menma could feel it. Each of those clones aren't equal to Sun current self, but they are still stronger then him.
Then Sun snapped his fingers. "Get to it, boys."
Then the clash began instantly. Menma's thousand clones surged forward in waves and met Sun's clones. And within moment Menma's clones were being disseminated.
Sun's five clones moved like divine predators. Each of their strikes were basic, but landed at critical points. They knew exactly where to hit. Necks. Solar plexus. Knees. Joints.
Clones burst into smoke in clusters.
Menma gritted his teeth, as his clones were getting destroyed. Then he calmed his mind. Don't get distracted Menma. This is the perfect time to strike. Now's the perfect time to try that. And Sun is the perfect opponent to try it on.
Chakra condensed in his core, and Menma extended his arm. Then three golden chains burst from his back. The Adamantine Sealing Chains.
They shot through the battlefield like living serpents. Weaving through the clones with ease until they found their target. Menma then focused chakra into his eyes. Then Lavender shifted reddish amber.
The world slowed, as Menma began to see chakra signatures of his clones and Sun's. What he saw amazed him. Sun's clones were made up of less chakra then his. But their color seemed radiant. Like the clones had higher quality of chakra.
But among the chaos, he located the real Sun instantly. His charka was the bigger one and was the most radiant.
Menma redirected the chains. They narrowed in and wrapped around Sun's limbs and torso instantly .
Sun's expression changed instantly. "What the...." His eyes widen. "No...."
The chains tightened.
"Not this again!"
I got him right where I want him. Now it's time to test it out. Menma's free hand began forming.
A sphere of chakra formed in his palm. It was small, semi-transparent, and red.
It was Menma's Rasengan.
Menma launched forward, clones parting around him. Sun struggled against the chains but nothing worked. But in the blink of an eye. He was gone.
The chains tightened around empty air. A cicada flitted upward from the coils, and Menma's eyes widened.
He transformed.
The cicada flashed. And Sun reappeared in monkey form behind Menma, he looked relieved.
Menma smirked. He pivoted on his foot, and threw the Rasengan. It vanished mid-flight.
Sun blinked. "That's disappointing." Then Sun realized Menma disappeared as well
Menma reappeared behind Sun. His fist clenched, and armed cocked back ready to throw a chakra infused punch. As Sun raised prepared to strike. Then Sun was slammed in his back from a invisible force.
Menma smirked. The vanishing Rasengan worked like a charm. Sun was distracted wondering how he didn't notice that attack from before. But Menma's punch followed through immediately. "Didn't see this coming, did you?"
As Sun staggered forward slightly. Menma's punch sent him skidding back slightly.
Then Sun straightened, but his vibe and demeanor was different. And Menma's smile faded. I think I might have fucked up. He seems pissed.
The surrounding clones hesitated. Feeling the same pressure Menma felt.
Sun's five hair clones dissolved back into hair follicles. Then Sun reached up to his ear. He pulled something free. Then a staff appeared. It seemed shorter than what I thought the legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang would be. So considering I know Sun is looking for his staff, this is probably a replacement until he get's his original back.
But I does look very solid, and heavy. And a little Ancient.
When I saw Sun's demeanor shifted. I noticed his playful grin disappeared. His eyes hardened, and in one motion. He moved.
The staff spun once. A shockwave rippled outward, and hundreds of Menma's clones detonated into smoke. Until only Menma stood there alone.
The forest fell silent. Sun stood exactly where he'd been at the beginning.
He looked so serious. The pressure in the air was suffocating. Menma felt it deep in his bones. This is… overwhelming. Sun was smaller then him, but the way he stood and the pressure he gave off. Menma felt like he was looking at the Sun itself. Just inches away from him.
He swallowed. It was scary, and incredible at the same time.
Sun exhaled slowly then grinned. "That was clever," he admitted. "For our first sparring session? Not bad. I definitely didn't see that coming."
His gaze flickered to the golden chains retracting behind Menma.
"But those chains of yours piss me off."
Menma lowered his stance slightly.
"Why?"
Sun's jaw tightened. "Because they're a version of the same seal that was used on me. Back in my prime."
I could see Memories flashed behind his golden eyes. I understood instantly.
The golden headband or the jingu quan. And how it was used to keep him under control. I bet he never wanted to be controlled again. So to feel that restraint again, must have been like PTSD for him.
Sun twirled the staff once before shrinking it and tucking it back into his ear. "Let's call it here. I need to calm down. "
Without another word. He vanished in smoke, and the clearing returned to stillness. Menma stood there, chest rising and falling.
Man. I'm… nowhere near him. Not that I expected to be, but I need to make sure I get stronger soon. Our my plans will be up in smoke. But I landed a hit, so that's something.
Menma then walked away from the training field.
Two figures observed silently from the distance. Shisui Uchiha stood with his arms folded, eyes thoughtful. Beside him, Fugaku Uchiha watched with stoic intensity.
"It seems," Fugaku said quietly, "Menma no longer requires the Academy."
Shisui nodded slowly.
"He's already operating at a Genin level. I swear he really is like Itachi."
Fugaku's gaze remained fixed on Menma.
"Then we will act accordingly."
The two figures disappeared in a flicker of movement. Back in the clearing, Menma looked up at the fading sun.