Blind Spot Equals Zero

Reo dropped to the ground with a thud and a cloud of dust. He placed his hands on the neck of the archer he had knocked to the ground. He could feel a faint pulse – which meant he was still alive. Reo began to dash towards the main group. Only their leader knew, huh? Well, it was time to take the fight to their leader.
 
The only problem is that Reo ran directly into a wall of bandits. Reo threw a punch at one’s back, causing him to crumple onto the ground from the force of the blow. As he prepared to perform a leg sweep, Reo was pushed out of the way of an incoming spear by one of his clones.
 
It dissipated into smoke.
 
[Post 20: 127 Words; Clone taking damage. 12 left]

Reo looked aghast at the spot he had been moments prior. That would have been his life if his clone had not noticed it. Reo’s clone had guessed it was the real one by the direction he was coming in. Still…Reo shivered. This was more dangerous than he thought. As the tired monk pulled himself to his feet, he glanced around. Many of the bandits were down by this point. In fact, most of them were. They outnumbered the clones about three to one. Well, that was better odds than he had anticipated. The battlefield had started to shift in a way that was favorable to the bandits and – as Reo watched – another clone was destroyed.
 
[post 21: 120 Words; clone taking damage. 11 Left]

The bandits had separated the clones. Before, they had managed to hold out against superior numbers by sticking together and forming a circle – preventing themselves from being overwhelmed. Now, that circle had been penetrated and the bandits had gotten the clones into one on three fights. That’s where the trouble was beginning. Reo wanted to focus on the head bandit – but Reo could see two clones holding him off – though just barely. Reo could tell that he had a different task ahead of him, He needed to clear these groups so that his clones didn’t get overwhelmed. He could make more with his chakra supplies but it was a draining task and not one he particularly wanted to do.
 
Reo ran forward to a group of three just as they destroyed another clone.
[Post 22: 127 Words;  Clone taking damage. 10 left]

Reo dashed in and replaced the empty spot that had previously been occupied by his clone. The three didn’t seem concerned – did they think that Reo was the same strength as his clones? Well, if so, then they would be sorely mistaken. He was three times as strong as the clones he managed to create.
 
Reo also knew their fighting styles from when his clone had been fighting them. Reo ducked underneath one’s spear thrust and leg swept him. A second swung a sword. Reo casually sidestepped it and kicked the sword out of his hand. Then, the third swung his hammer and this was what Reo had been waiting for. Reo grabbed the hammer midswing and guided it into the sword user’s stomach. He followed this up with a quick knee to the face of that one. Finally, he elbow dropped the one laying on the grounsd.
 
With all three down, Reo began to scan for more targets. Sadly, it seemed his clones weren’t faring as well. Another fell.
 
[Post 23: 170 Words; clone taking damage. 9 left]

A group of six were fighting two clones. Reo ran towards this group. One clone was inches away from having their head sheared off by a sword, but it managed to duck in time. Reo managed to sneak into the empty space and deliver a blow to his stomach. The two clones each took one out in the confusion.
 
The other three stared at their three opponents and seemed to come to a conclusion. They all targeted one clone. Reo tried to deflect the attacks but wasn’t quick enough. The clone took three spears in the chest.
 
There were only eight clones left.
 
[Post 24; 103 word; clone takes damage for me; 8 left]

Reo dispatched those three rather quickly. In fact, too quickly. His clone dove in – enraged like Reo  himself. It took a bandit out itself before the other two dispatched it with spear thrusts. Reo moved with inhuman strength as he grabbed the spear from one of the men and swept it forward. The shaft of the spear caught one on the neck and threw him into his companion. Reo walked casually to the one remaining conscious and slammed the spear down onto his gut.
 
He dropped the spear. There were only seven clones left and…fifteen bandits? Including the large one who was still fighting the two clones.
 
[Post 25: 107 words; clone takes damage; 7 left]

Reo watched as another clone fell. That left six clones and Reo himself against fourteen remaining bandits. The one who had fallen was one of the two facing the large bandit. The odds weren’t good, but they were better than they were at any other point in the fight. Five clones were currently facing thirteen bandits, slightly better than a three to one ratio. The problem was the big bandit. The clone facing him was barely holding on and that man had taken out a handful of clones all by himself.
 
The others were small fry. Reo dashed forward, prepared to fight the largest of the enemies finally.
 
[Post 26: 108 words; clone takes damage. 6 Left]

Reo made it there just as the large bandit swung his hammer threw the clone’s head. He puffed into smoke and his memories flooded into Reo. This wasn’t the first clone killed by this man, but it was one of two that had fought him for an extended period of time. With both of those two gone, Reo had amassed a large amount of information on the mans fighting style. He favored a style similar to Reo’s own. Large and powerful attacks that you could dodge but not overpower.
 
Reo could respect that. As he approached, the big man smiled.
 
‘Are you the real one? I’ve been slaughtering clone after clone. It would be nice if you made my job easier by being real.” The man said as he began to chuckle.
 
[Post 27: 132 Words; clone takes damage. 5 left]

Reo sighed as he looked the man up and down. “I’m the real one. Tell me who hired you.”
 
“Who hired me? No can do. You see, I was paid extremely well for this mission. That scroll on your back. Is it the Ryu Caller?” The man asked, though he didn’t even look at the scroll. His eyes were filled with bloodlust, not greed. No, this man was being paid but that was secondary for him. He wanted blood more than he wanted to be paid for this job.
 
“It is. You aren’t going to call for help?” Reo asked nonchalantly. He was the real one. The clones didn’t matter.
 
“Nope. I can do this alone!” The man yelled as he swung his hammer. Reo focused intently on his helmet and for a second he was incorporeal. The hammer passed through him, though Reo became solid once again shortly after.
 
[Post 28; 150 Words; Helmet for free Evade]

The man’s face changed from a grin to a frown as his weapon didn’t collide with anything. Reo knew all too well that you felt some resistance even when destroying a Shadow Clone. It wasn’t until after it disappeared that the resistance vanished.
 
Reo jumped upwards and threw a knee at the man’s stomach. The large bandit reacted swiftly by moving his hammer’s handle downwards to block the knee thrust. The two forces collided and – for a second – Reo thought he was going to break through. Then, they broke apart.
 
They were equal. Reo tried to take a step forward. But, he was too slow. The hammer was aimed directly at his face.
 
This was the end.
 
A clone jumped in the way.
 
[Post 29; 123 words; clone taking damage; 4 left]

Reo could tell that he was almost out of clones – but there were very few bandits left too. The biggest problem was the boss bandit. He stepped forward, a grin on his face as he stared Reo down.
 
Reo took a step backward. It was unconscious, but after dying to this man over and over again…it was difficult not to be afraid. The only thing holding Reo together was the thought that this was life and death. Not for him, it was life and death for the world. Whoever wanted the Ryu Caller would surely misuse it.
 
He couldn’t let that happen. Reo jumped forward and punched. The large bandit’s face widened in surprise at the sudden shift in direction and received the blow in the stomach. He flew back five feet before flipping over and smashing one of Reo’s clones.
 
Three left.
 
[Post 30:146 words; 3 Clones left]