Hello Everyone,
I'm back! I would like to first as always thank all those who reviewed. And special thanks to Uzimaki Ricky who kicked my ass in gear to get the next chapter ready. But regardless I've been a tad busy lately and this did get pushed back further than expected. All in all it's done and here is the chapter. I hope you guys like it and please review. wish to hopefully break the great fifty mark...hopefully i guess.
Thanks again,
Take-It-Easy
"Um Hinata," Naruto asked as he looked down at the giggling girl in front of him. "What are you doing?"
"Just practicing something that Master Anko taught me," She said with a sly smile as Naruto's feet touched the ground. "I'm sorry, you just happened to be only one in the area that I could try it on."
"Lucky me," Naruto said as he scratched the back of his head. Naruto looked down at the beautiful girl before him and got lost in her lavender eyes.
"So," Hinata said after the long awkward silence. Naruto snapped out of his stupor and laughed nervously.
"Right I need to hit the showers I had a long day of training," Naruto said finding any excuse to get out of the uncomfortable situation. Naruto turned to leave with a wave good bye.
"Is it common where you come from to not escort a young women home?" Hinata asked stopping Naruto in his tracks. Nartuo turned and grinned looking at the young Hyuga who crossed her arms over her chest.
"Where are my manners?" Naruto said as he extended his arm which Hinata took with a giggle.
"Today we will be sending two teams on a retrieval mission," Said Saratobi as he touched a button that activated a hologram of what looked like a temple. "The mission is simple, infiltrate and retrieve one of the three scrolls that are essential to stopping that Snake."
"What are on the scrolls?" Asked Anko as she fiddled with her nails.
"Each scroll has a code that alone is useless," Saratobi started . "But together they unlock the location of a gateway that's said to lead where the Darth Kyubi has been sealed."
"So we get these Scrolls and destroy them," Kakashi said as he looked around the room.
"Team Alpha," Sarutobi said as he looked around the room. "Lead by Kakashi and Guy. Will lead Naruto, Lee, and TenTen. Team Bravo will be lead by Asuma and Anko. Will lead Shikamaru, Choji and Ino. Kurenai and Hinata will be back up at the ship."
"Not very fair," Master Kurenai said as she crossed her arms and glared.
"Don't worry Kurenai," Anko said with a grin. "I will take good care of Asuma for you."
"Why you..." Kurenai snarled.
"A lot of people going to a deserted temple Master," Shikamaru said gaining everyone attention. "I assume that you expect heavy resistance?"
"Your right," Said Sarutobi. "This will not be easy but it is a must if we stand a chance of stalling them. Now get your gear we you leave in an hour."
Naruto jumped from the pod and looked up that the run down temple that held the scrolls. The temple looked to be completely covered with moss and other plant life. The old steps that lead up to the temple looked like a small rapid as a steady stream of water ran down from the temple itself. Nartuo looked around and noticed no signs of life besides the strange yellow birds that lived in the trees. Naruto followed the others as they made there way towards the entrance.
"Team Bravo," Kakashi said as he looked over at Anko. "You guys stay here and make sure no one follows us in. If you hear blood curdling screaming do come and help out."
"Sure thing," Anko said as she looked around nervously. "Something is off if I do say so. Please be careful."
"Anko I'm scared you must be coming down with a fever," Asuma said as he put a hand to her forehead. "I would almost say that you have a heart."
"Can it lover boy," Anko said as she looked out into the forest that surrounded them. The trees were so tall that they blocked out the sky and the forest floor was covered with high shrubs and other plant life. "This just doesn't feel right, again."
Kakashi looked around also seeing that they were indeed in a very easy ambush spot. This would prove tricky if they were attacked on both sides so it relied on timing. Kakashi looked at Guy who came to the same conclusion as Kakashi, and nodded.
"Guy and Lee will move a head as a scouting party," Kakashi said as the two nodded eagerly doing the Nice Guy thumbs up. "The rest of us will search the main hall quickly. Guy if you find the scroll take it and get back here as soon as possible. If you run into trouble retreat back to the main hall."
"Ready my Youthful Padawan?" Guy asked looking down at his clone. They took off with inhuman speed into the Jedi Temple. Kakakshi and the others followed.
"Wow," Tenten said as she looked around the giant room.
It was filled with golden statues and the roof was painted of an epic battle between Jedi and Sith. In the middle of the room was what looked like a natural spring that burst through the ground gushing water all over the floor. The room's natural glow was from what looked like golden crystals that lined the columns around the room. Naruto felt a what could only be described a touch on the back of his neck causing him to spin on his heel and look behind him. Seeing nothing impaticular he turned back and continued to explore the room. Kakashi seemed to feel the same feeling for his saber somehow found its way into his hand but wasn't active. Naruto following his Masters move pulled out one of his sabers as well. There was a loud explosion and the three spun around to look at the entrance. It looked like it was caved in by an explosion on the outside.
"Team Bravo Report!" Kakashi yelled into his transponder. Static and white noise was his only answer. "Naruto get ready. Tenten you fall back and provide support from a distance."
"From who?" Tenten asked as there was an explosion in the middle of the spring and two figures raced out of it heading towards Kakashi.
"I believe these..." Said the first figure that had a mask covering his left eye.
"Should be fun to kill." Finished the second figure who had the same mask but it was covering his right eye. They both had the same grey cloaks and what looked like Vibroblades that were attached by a long chain to one another.
They wrapped the chain around Kakashi's neck who let out a slight gasp. Naruto reacted quickly and sprinted forward with his saber active. He cut threw the chain before the two figures could finish their attack. Kakashi grasped his neck as he undid the rest of the chain and coughed blood on the floor. He looked up at the figure with the left eye covered and smiled a bloody smile. Naruto turned his attention on the other figure who looked a bit dumbstruck at the young blond that interrupted his attack. He pulled out another blade that looked to be a shorter Vibroblade. With an unspoken agreement both Kakahsi and Naruto charged forward towards the two figures.
Kakashi flipped his opponent and lashed out with his saber which was easily blocked by the Vibroblade. Kakashi landed but wasn't done with the attack and launched a back kick which connected with the man's chest causing him to flay back. Then without warning the man was shot the other direction and into one of the columns by a strong force push via Tenten who was smirking. Kakashi raced towards the dazed man and slashed out with his saber. The man rolled and came up to strike Kakashi in the chest but the Jedi Master twisted in mid-swing and his saber came from no where to cut cleanly through the others arm. The sound that followed stalled everyone for a second as the man before Kakashi dropped to his knees and screamed holding his now nub of a arm. Kakashi picked up the man and slammed him into the column. Kakashi placed his saber close enough to the man's face that it singed the man's visible nose that was poking threw the mask.
"You're one of the Demon Brothers," Kakashi stated looking at the man's getup. "You're said to have been working with one of the Blood Seven blademasters. Is this true?"
"Why would I tell you?" The Demon Brother asked as he struggled to breath. "You'll just kill me anyway."
"Your right," Kakashi said as he stabbed his saber into the man's arm causing him to cry out in pain. "But depending on how our conversation goes, I might be generous and be quick about it."
Naruto jumped back as the man lunged forwards and tried to cut the young Blond. Naruto smirked as he watched the man in front of him lung forward right into the trap that Naruto wanted. But what Naruto didn't expect was him to throw his second blade at him causing Naruto to forgo his attack and try to evade the blade. The blade slid into his arm with unimaginable ease, causing Naruto to flip back and drop to one knee. He looked left at his limp arm and proceed to yank the blade free. He looked up to see Tenten hand come to his aid by jumping in front of him with her saber flared and ready. She glanced back at Naruto as he stood up.
"I will finish this Tenten," Naruto said as blood started to flow freely down his arm. He could feel something wrong with his vision and he looked over at the now laughing masked man.
"You should be dead in the matter of minutes," He said with another evil laugh. "I've put enough poisions on my weapons to kill with just a scratch."
"Wha.." Naruto grunted as he slipped forwards and fell to one knee again. A weird feeling in his stomach arose. It was the same feeling that he felt when he was about to be gunned down by clones. Certain death. He knew that there was nothing he could do about it. "You said minutes..."
"Yeah two, tops," Crowed the man as if it was the funnest joke he's heard. Tenten knelt beside Naruto and started to use the some medical treatments on his arm hoping for the best. "You should have seen you face..."
"Naruto..." Tenten said with tears in her eyes. "There's nothing I can do. The poisons are just too much. I'm sorry."
"Two minutes is all I need," Naruto said, more to himself than to the others. Naruto became incoherently giddy and he stood up and released his saber. Gold, he looked down at it and smirked. It was truly a good way any Padawan would want to go out. Naruto charged past a crying Tenten and landed a quick slash across the man's chest who let out a roar of anger. The man flipped back and looked down at the burn mark that seared across his chest.
"You shouldn't be able to even move!" Exclaimed the shocked masked man. "How are you doing this?"
"You're wasting my last minutes with your talk," Naruto said with a new tone of voice. With a flash Naruto closed the distance between them and traded blows with the masked man. Naruto flipped back after the Masked Man try and cleave him in half. Naruto landed and sprinted towards the man who had a look of shock at the approaching Padawan. Something was playing behind the man's one visible eye as Naruto closed the distance.
"Minto?" The man questioned as he stared down the boy but his thought was cut short as the vertical slash cut the man cleanly in half. Naruto turned away as the man slowly fell apart and hit the floor with a sickening thud.
Naruto slowly made his way back to Tenten who still had tears in her eyes as Naruto fell forward. Tenten caught him and slowly laid him on the floor and fanatically started to try and extract the poison. When she looked at the open wound on his arm she couldn't help but gasp.
"MASTER KAKASHI!" She yelled as the other Jedi tossed aside the other Demon Brother and looked over at Naruto. Kakashi sprinted over and came to a sliding stop in front of the young boy.
"What is happening?" Kakashi asked as he looked down at Naruto.
"He was stabbed by one of the blades," Tenten said while she continued to look down at the wound. "His body is going into convulsions."
"Shikamaru," Asuma said as he dodged another shot by the group of clones that approached the temple. "Chance a look to see if Anko and Choji have made headway with getting the entrance cleared."
"They're making decent headway," Shikamaru said as he cut down a trooper and turned to another and launched his signature force move. The Clone trooper was frozen in place as Ino swept in and stabbed him square in the chest.
"Ino don't venture too far out!" Asuma said as he threw his saber into another clone.
"Yeah yeah," Ino said as she cut down two more Clones with her light purple saber. She had the same look Anko had when in the heat of battle. One that could be very bad if she didn't keep a cool head.
"Asuma we've ran into a problem," Said Anko's voice as she landed next to Asuma. "It seems that they are attacking from all sides. We need you guys to fall back to the main entrance and help cover Choji."
"Right fall back," Asuma said as he and the others jumped back. "Anko can you get them off our backs please."
Anko and Ino smirked as they threw out thermal detonators in mid jump. They watched with a thrilled look as Clones and Clone parts were sent flying into the air as the bombs fried everything in the area. Anko and Ino landed on the front steps of the entrance and smirked at each other before turning to the others.
"Excessive," Shikamaru said with a smirk. "But worked. They are regrouping, so we have sometime."
"Choji no more holding back," Said Ino as she walked over to him as he hefted two boulders out of the way. She smirked at the big lug and couldn't help herself as she gave him a quick peck on the check. "Bust this bitch open."
"I don't want to bright the whole temple down," Choji painted as he whipped sweat from his face and blushed from the small kiss.
"What are you talking about?" Asuma asked looking down at Choji.
"Choji be a dear and just make an opening and lets get our friends out of that temple," Anko said as she pinched his cheek. "And don't let me catch you ogling my Padawan."
"But...Sh..fine," Choji said his face beat red. Choji reached back and grabbed his two saber axes and activated them.
Choji crouched back like a sprinter then took off in the air. He was rotating so fast that he just looked like a blur of blue and when he hit the boulders that were blocking their way the entire temple trembled from the amount of power behind the attack. Asuma stood dumbstruck, then was blasted back as a shock wave emitted from Choji causing them all to fall to fall back. When the dust cleared Choji stood panting and covered in dust. The result of the attack was clear as there was a giant hole in the middle.
"Good job Choji," Shikamaru said as he clasped a hand on his shoulder. "You finally mastered that attack huh?"
"Yeah," Choji said as he sat down. "I'm a bit hungry now."
"We will get you a whole feast once we get back," Asuma said as he walked inside the hole followed by the others. He located Kakashi and walked in his direction.
"Kakashi did you locate the scroll?" Asuma said as he approached the other Master.
"Master Guy is on his way back," Kakashi said as he looked up at Asuma. "The scroll was already gone according to one of the Demon Brothers."
"Right you were my Youthful Rival!" Exclaimed Master Guy as he appeared next to the other masters.
"What happened to Naruto!"
"He was stabbed by one of the Demon Brothers," Kakashi said as he looked over at Asuma. "We need to leave now!"
"Master Kakashi..." Tenten's voice came. "Something's happening!"
Naruto's body began to slowly float off the floor. As soon as his body came to the middle of the room a dark blue light erupted from his chest causing and explosion of Force that knocked everyone to their backs. The blinding light that followed caused them to shield their eyes and grunt. Slowly the light started to subside and flow directly into Naruto as he slowly started to descend towards the ground. Kakashi looked up at Naruto and gaped behind his mask. He noticed strange blue markings covering his skin like tattoos and his eyes were completely glowing deep blue. His arm that had the wound seemed to be glowing dark blue and slowly one could see the skin slowly repairing itself. As soon as his arm was fixed he slowly started to loose his glowing tattoos and his eyes returned to normal. Naruto looked around at all the wide eyes. Then his stomach seemed to lurch and he turned and vomited on the ground.
"What happened to me?" Naruto asked as he looked around. "The poison...I should be dead right now."
"But your not and that's good," Said Kakashi still a bit dumbfounded on what just happened. "We need to leave. Radio for a pick up."
"But what about what just happened?" Naruto asked looking at his Master with a questioning look.
"We need to ask the others but I think you just unlocked something that I've only seen once," Kakashi said looking at Guy who nodded in agreement.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru said as he cut down a Clone that made its way into the room. "Could we hurry I don't much find this place an appealing place to die?"
