Sweat dripped from his temple as Tobirama ducked beneath the blade aiming for his neck and drove his shoulder in to the body before him, knocking Izuna back enough that he had room to stand again. They stared each other down as they both adjusted their grips and rushed in once more, swords meeting in a shower of sparks that shone brilliantly in the unnatural darkness around them.

Noon had only just passed and yet the sky was black above them, the first portent of an incredible rare phenomenon Tobirama hadn 't seen since he was a child. He would have much preferred to experience it from somewhere safe instead of here on the battlefield but life had taught him the lesson long ago that he couldn 't always have whatever he wanted. Disappointment was ruthlessly shoved away as so much useless distraction and Tobirama refocused on twisting aside from Izuna 's parry and flickering his fingers through the seals for a water dragon.