Chapter 6
Grave of the World
Music
Creeping Shadows; Bleach OST, Raw Breath of Danger; Bleach OST, Nothing can be Explained (Vocal version); Bleach OST
Naruto stepped out of the gateway and took a deep breath. He was in the living world again, and even if it was only for a brief moment he wanted to savour it. Heck if he could bottle it and keep it in his dorm room he would.
It was night, stars and a crescent moon visible in the clear sky, casting an eerie twilight across the landscape. The position of the examination appeared to be the ruins of an old town, possibly even a city. Half of the structures were in ruins, some had partially collapsed, and others were nothing more than piles of rubble.
This scene quelled his enthusiasm, but he admitted that the perfect place to hunt hollows was a place where the living where scarce.
"Naruto" Sakura appeared beside him, starring at him quizzically "Hey, earth to Naruto"
"Hmm" was his only reply.
"We're moving out"
"Oh, right" he said and hurried after the small group.
After a brief introduction by the Vice-Captain, and Naruto was happy to say brief considering it only lasted five minutes, he handed out small strips of paper and asked that they be passed around. Each scrap contained a symbol and those with the same symbol would be placed in a team of three, with a Shinigami overseer.
The reason for this was to test the students to see how well they could cope to being placed in a squad with strangers. That's what Aizen said anyway. Luckily enough he was in the same group as Sakura, but the third and final individual was not someone who would be his first choice, in fact he wouldn't have been his second, third, fourth or nineteenth choice.
The man in question loved fighting, really loved fighting, to an almost fanatical degree. In fact he and Naruto had knocked each other senseless quite a few times during their three year tenure.
His name was Ikkaku Madarame, a bald, violent, daredevil lunatic whose idea of a good night out was getting wasted and having a few punch ups with bouncers, fellow customers, barmen, the owner of the pub, the nine Shinigami who had to restrain him and basically any innocent bystanders who were passing by.
It was the first and last time Naruto went out drinking with that man, ever!
He was also a damn brilliant swordsman. Couldn't do a Kido spell to save his life though, in fact him performing a spell would be his version of suicide. He was aiming for the Eleventh Division, which in Naruto's opinion was a good match. Send the lunatic into the asylum.
"Hey you lot" their Shinigami overseer growled "Keep up!"
------
The area in question was perfect for the examination. It was the ruins of a city. The two to three storey high structures that remained intact had holes punched into their walls. Some were crumbling, ceilings had partially collapsed. Some of the buildings had collapsed into piles of rubble and twisted steel work. Just by looking down upon the abandoned pocketed and cratered streets he could tell that the settlement had been recently abandoned.
Sosuke Aizen looked down upon the deserted town, standing on thin air a hundred meters above the surface, watching the spectacle begin below. They had begun fanning out, searching for any Hollows. Their Shinigami squad leaders holding their position on high ground, standing or sitting on the rooftops of buildings or on the heads of flickering lampposts, keeping a close eye on their charges.
Many of these students weren't anything special, many would make it into the ranks of the Gotei, but most of them would be lucky to make it into a seated position. He was interested in only one person.
Naruto Uzumaki.
His past was kept top secret, only Captain-class Shinigami were allowed to view his files. That excluded Vice-Captains such as himself. Luckily he had plenty of contacts who were able to send him the needed information. Aizen was impressed, and he wanted to see how powerful this kid truly was.
He reached into his robe and pulled out a small round object, it was Hollow bait. Using it to attract Hollows to the examination area was standard procedure. But this wasn't your normal bait. He had laced it with a special ingredient to only attract certain Hollows.
"Naruto Uzumaki" he murmured "Just how strong are you?"
With a simple flex of his muscles he crushed the bait in his hand and allowed the dust fragments to scatter from his reach. He turned around and began walking from the city centre, a smile crossing his features when he heard an unnatural roar reverberate through the air.
Let the 'exam' begin.
------
The Hollow was a grotesque creature. It stood twice the size of a man with dark green skin of pure muscle, a body shaped like that of an ape with huge arms and paws, small stubby legs and a broad chest. Blades of bone stuck out of its elbows, looking perfectly capable of stabbing through meat and bone. A curved white mask covered its face. The holes for its eyes were a black abyss. When it opened its mouth it revealed a smaller human mouth, and when it roared the sound was what nightmares were made off.
Naruto and Sakura ran at the beast together, their guardsmen Zanpakuto's drawn and ready for battle. The creature lashed out with one paw, slamming it into the concrete where Sakura once stood, leaving a crater in the ground.
His teammate was able to jump to the side in time, leaving the creature to attack him. It attacked with its other giant hand, but unlike Sakura he stopped, braced himself and brought up his sword to parry. The fist met the steel, sending him skidding back a few feet.
It was then that his last teammate made his appearance. He rushed past Naruto, getting through the creatures defences and slashed a long gash across its chest. The Hollow reeled back, screaming in pain. Sakura took her cue, jumping up behind the creature and stabbed her Zanpakuto through the back of its head, exiting through the mask.
The Hollow gave one last moan before its mask cracked, and it vanished into nothing.
Sakura walked through the dissolving mass, raised her hand and gave Naruto a high five, she looked like she was enjoying herself "That's four"
"Two to you, one to me" Naruto said with a grin "And one too-"
"Ah shut up" Ikkaku growled, sheathing his sword "I had something in my eye that time"
"And the time before that" Naruto murmured.
"And the time before that" Sakura added.
Both looked at each other for a moment before they started to snigger.
"Keep talking" Madarame shot back lightly, lifting his sheathed sword and leaning it against his shoulders "The next one is mine"
"Okay, okay" Naruto conceded, getting his laughter under control "We'll keep the next one busy and you go for the kill shot"
"You better"
"He doesn't go back on his word" Sakura replied, clasping her hands behind her back and leaning forward "That's just his way, isn't that right Naruto-kun"
The blonde nodded "Mm-hmm"
"Good" their squad mate replied "Now let's find our fifth kill"
As the three started walking down the street Sakura looked up at the damaged rooftops, and frowned "Where's our examiner"
"Eh, he's around here somewhere" Ikkaku replied uncaringly.
------
She didn't even see it coming. One moment she and her two teammates were finishing off a Hollow. Then there was a scream from nearby. She and her squad mates looked up in horror at what they saw.
A huge Hollow floated above them, its form that of a sinewy white snake with a frilled dragon mask covering its face, a tangled long mane of dark blue hair reaching down its back. Its eyes glowed feral red, the same shade of crimson which coated its incisor like teeth.
Caught in its maw was the limp form of their Shinigami squad leader. He looked up, his wide eyes leaking blood, blood which flowed down his Shihakusho, slipped down the long chin of the beast and dripped to the ground. Then he managed one last scream before it clamped down with its jaw, slicing his body in two with an explosion of gore.
The bottom half of their instructor, two legs and what were left of his hips landed on the concrete with a wet, bone snapping slap. Her two squad mates took a step back, swords in their hands, but their forms were shivering. Sweat glistening down their brows.
"Calm down" Temari called, mentally cursing her voice for sounding so damn afraid.
Her two squad mates were Kentaro Sohma and Akemi Sasaki. She had known them for three years. Kentaro was a big mouth and self obsessed with that rug of brown hair, but his Kido was ranked ninth in the class. Akemi had a more easygoing personality, more laid back like Shikamaru, but she had a natural talent in Zanjutsu.
"Listen to me" she shouted, knocking the two of them from their fearful trance "Kentaro, get a spell going, the strongest Hado you can. Akemi, you and me will keep it busy!"
The girl nodded. Kentaro nervously began wording a silent chant. While he whispered the spell Temari and Akemi charged the Hollow, who reeled back and roared its fury at the world. Then it lashed out, so fast that it didn't register to her senses. She heard a sickening crunch and turned her head to see Akemi, impaled through the chest by a long bladed tail.
She sputtered a wordless cry before her body was lifted off the ground and thrown to the side of the street like a ragdoll. She landed with a bone crunching thud, dead before she hit the wall.
Temari could barely react when the creature screamed past her. She took a swing at it with her Zanpakuto, only to see the blade screech harmlessly off its armoured back. It opened its mouth and caught Kentaro in its maw. The kid had time to cry for help before it tore him to shreds. Blood spattered everywhere and terror finally gripped Temari's heart when she found she was all that was left.
Gritting her teeth she took a stance and raised her sword. The Hollow looked up at her, its feral eyes emanating an unnatural hunger for her flesh, her blood, her soul.
"Come on you fucking monster" she shouted before screaming a battle cry and charging.
------
It was the roars which gained their attention first, dozens upon dozens of cries and calls, like a symphony of tortured souls crying out in anger and pain at the world. Then there was the clashes of steel, the screams of panicking students and the calls of Shinigami to run.
Then the Hollow exploded from the ground, barely twenty feet behind them, sending dirt and shattered concrete in every direction. The creature had the long white body of a snake, with a frilled mask shaped like an ancient dragon of legend, a long mane of black snaked down its back and its maw of razor teeth looked capable of cutting a person in half.
It looked at their backs with feral eyes and rushed forward, aiming for Sakura. She turned to see nothing but a long snout full of teeth. Then a force threw her away. She landed hard on the concrete ground, jarring her right arm. Pained she looked up to see Naruto stopping the creature with his sword, but it was only just, the strength behind the assault sent him skidding back several feet. He must have pushed her out of the way.
Cursing herself she rose to her feet, gathered her rietsu and whispered a chant "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and tear out your own throat, Bakudo Kyuu; Horin (Way of Binding 9; Disintegrating Circle)!!!"
A spiralling yellow tendril erupted from her hands and shot across the small distance to the Hollow, wrapping itself along its sinewy body and tightening. The creature struggled for a few moments, roared in anger and fell to the ground. But it continued to struggle, bucking and thrashing against the spell which entrapped it.
Ikkaku jumped in the air, his sword raised over his head for a downward stroke. He slashed across the Hollows neck, severing its head from its body, and with one last tortured cry it disintegrated.
"You saved me Sakura-chan" Naruto said, withdrawing a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Idiot" she cried "That thing could have killed you! What we're you thinking!?"
He looked at her in surprise, before muttering in a small voice "I was protecting you"
Sakura stopped, unable to muster a retort. They stood like that for a few seconds, but for them it seemed like an eternity.
"Hey guys" they turned to Ikkaku "I don't want to interrupt your moment but, here comes another one!"
Another, almost exact copy of the one they just defeated came barrelling down the street, its huge jaws opening for a savage scream. Sakura jumped back, already murmuring the words of another binding spell. Ikkaku and Naruto held their Zanpakuto and stood between the beast and their squad mate.
"This one's mine" Naruto said.
"Fair is fair" Ikkaku replied "I'll be the bait this time"
------
A horizontal slash across its mask was all it took, the Hollow screamed before disintegrating into dust. Another one tried to spear him from behind. He sidestepped its attack and stabbed his Zanpakuto through its reptilian shaped white mask. A third, this one shaped like a praying mantis tried to take his head off with its scythed arms, he stopped the blade with his index and middle finger, before cutting the offensive creature in half with a vertical slash from the top of its head to its pelvis.
Sosuke Aizen watched as the three Hollow slowly turned to nothing. The fight had lasted for barely a second, and in that time he was able to take out three of them with one stroke, barely exerting any power at all. To any normal Shinigami this would have been amazing.
A snarl caught his attention and he looked down to see one of his creations, floating in midair thirty feet below him, its long body coiled up and starring at him with vicious, hungry eyes. It pounced, its dragon like head opening its maw for the kill. It met with nothing but an afterimage, one strike from Aizen and the creature joined its three comrades.
"Hmm" he muttered "It seems you are a complete failure. I have no need of pets that turn on their master" he felt a spike of power and smiled "He is good, with that kill that makes three. Only another seven to go Naruto-kun"
------
He threw himself away just as the creature buried its long snout into the dirt, rolled across the concrete and came up on a knee, by then he had already spoken the necessary incantation for the Kido spell he was preparing. He brought his hands together and concentrated.
"Hado Shi: Byakurai (Way of Destruction 4; Pale Lightning)!"
A concentrated bolt of powerful blue lightning burst forth from his hands, striking the creature in the midsection, the bolt was no where near as powerful as that used by his instructors, but it was still enough to send a powerful electric jolt through the Hollows form and send it tumbling to the ground, screaming that terrifying scream.
Without giving it a second thought Shikamaru got up from his crouch, turning to the only man who had stayed with him he shouted a simple word "Run!"
As he ran down the street and turned a corner he heard that banshee scream and knew the Hollow was back up.
His mind was working a mile a minute, processing the information he gained from that small skirmish. It was obvious that these Hollows were aiming for the Shinigami proctors first, so he guessed that they had a grasp on tactics. Without the Shinigami most of the students would turn tail and run, leaving only a handful of the stronger students to fight, and die by these creatures hands…claws.
And it just so happened that he was in the stronger student's category, or at least he was on the list for stubbornness and stupidity.
That god awful scream assaulted his ears again, making him look up in time to see a Shinigami charge one of the Dragon Hollow. The two surged towards each other and met in a hail of sparks as the katana collided with the creatures serrated teeth. The two then separated, backed up and circled each other.
He rounded a corner to ran into Naruto and his team, colliding with a bald dude with red eyeliner and landing in a heap of flailing limbs "Ah this is such a drag!!!"
"Hey get off my foot"
"Then get your elbow off my gut!"
Still flailing, the two rolled off each other and got to their feet, starring murder at one another. Naruto broke the palpable silence "Where's the rest of your squad?"
"Our proctor is dead" Shikamaru started "And half of my squad mates ran off like a couple of scared goats"
"Hey Yumichika" Ikkaku greeted to the man behind him, raising his hand in a wave
Naruto looked up and stifled a grown, of all the people he had to run into it had to be this guy. Yumichika Ayasegawa was Ikkaku's running buddy, the two of them were close friends, but unlike his bald companion he wasn't much of a fighter, he had talent, but didn't care enough to use it. He was also a creepy individual, constantly fretting over his looks and always picking on people whom he considered ugly. But he was smart, and could be completely serious when he wanted to be.
"The Hollow aren't your garden variety" Yumichika spoke up "They're faster, smarter and stronger than the one's we fought at the beginning"
"It seems that they're targeting the Shinigami first" Shikamaru added "Killing them off then moving onto the students, without the proctors they'll start to panic"
"They've already started to panic" Sakura chastised "We need to gather as many as we can and try and survive long enough for the Soul Society to send a combat squad"
"That'll take too long" Naruto shook his head "This exam is supposed to last for another two hours at least, it'll be three before they even start to assemble some kind of response, probably a Patrol squad"
"Then there's only one option" Ikkaku said, leaning his sword against the back of his neck "We kill them before they kill us"
No one voiced any objections, and after a moment of silence Sakura spoke up "If we're going to fight then we do it together…and we're going to need a squad leader"
"I vote Naruto" Shikamaru said.
"Me too" Sakura added, raising her hand.
"I don't really care either way" Ikkaku muttered.
"Fine, fine" Yumichika agreed haphazardly "What are your orders oh stoic leader"
Ignoring the sarcasm Naruto spoke up his plan "We fight together…Sakura-chan, you're our Kido expert, stay out of the main fight and hit them with spells. Shikamaru, you're our strategist, stay back and guard her flank. Ikkaku, Yumichika and me will be the front line troops, the rule is simple, any Hollow attack us we engage"
Sakura and Shikamaru nodded.
Ayasegawa shrugged.
Ikkaku grinned like a madman "That's what I wanted to hear!"
"What about Temari-san" Shikamaru asked.
"We'll look for her" Naruto said "If I'm right her squad was in the next sector across from yours"
A voice, weak and shivering whimpered from the shadows "Shika…maru"
Everyone spun around, Zanpakuto drawn and ready. What they saw made their eyes widen in shock. Temari was leaning against a half demolished wall, dragging herself towards their position. Her left arm hung limply at her side, blood dripping from her fingertips and plopping onto the concrete. As she dragged herself along the wall Naruto could see a long smear of blood.
Shikamaru was the first to move, he rushed past them and caught her as she fell, her sudden weight causing him to fall to a knee "Temari, speak to me" when all that came from her lips was a ragged breath he began to panic "Temari!"
A shadow fell upon the two of them and the former Konoha Shinobi looked up to see the long sinewy body of one of the snake Hollow, its head coiled back for a killing stroke.
On instinct Sakura acted "Bakudo Ichi; Sai (Way of Binding 1; Restrain)"
The long jaws of the serpent suddenly clamped shut, almost like an invisible rope had been tied around it. It began to growl and struggle against the restraining spell. Naruto knew that it wouldn't last more than a few seconds. It was the weakest binding spell.
He rushed up to his two friends and quickly checked Temari's condition. She had been in a really bad fight. Her hakama was cut in several places. He could see slash wounds underneath, deep and oozing blood. Her eyes were glazed over and he could tell that she was going in and out of consciousness.
"We got to move" he said firmly to Shikamaru, grabbing his shoulder and shaking it "Pick her up Nara, she's your girl isn't she!?"
The words shook his friend from his trance, gritting his teeth he put his arms around her and picked her up off the ground, dashing back towards Sakura as fast as his legs could carry him. Naruto remained, his Zanpakuto unsheathed and held in his right hand, the blade flickering in the low light.
Ikkaku and Yumichika stepped up to the plate, flanking him, they're own Zanpakuto drawn and ready. The spell lost the last remnants of its power, there was a fizzle of static and the creature's mouth snapped open. It reared back and gave a spine chilling squeal of anger, before looking down and locking eyes with the three students standing defiantly before it.
The three fell into defensive stances, eyes locked with the monster "We'll take it together" Naruto whispered "Yumichika-san attack it from the right, I'll go down the centre, Ikkaku-"
His strategy was rudely interrupted by a war cry as Madarame ran past him, jumping into the air and swinging his blade at the creature's mask. Naruto saw the bloodthirsty smile and the twinkle of mirth in his comrades eye, and knew that any strategy would be impossible to follow for him.
"Change of plan" he growled "You go right, I'll go left, that suicidal fool will go down the centre!"
The madman lashed out with his Zanpakuto, only for the blade to meet with the rigid scales of the Hollows tail, it brought it up as a shield to protect the mask. It then thrashed the tail back and forth, throwing Madarame off. He flew back and slammed into the far wall, the impact causing it to collapse on top off him, trapping him in a pile of rubble.
Yumichika was next, jumping in from the right, stabbing out with his Zanpakuto. The Hollow moved to the side, just a fraction but enough for his second opponent to slice through a few strands of its dark emerald mane. It then lashed out with its barbed tail, catching the trainee in the sternum and sending him skidding across the ground, he landed in a heap and didn't get back up.
"Damn it" Naruto roared as he jumped into the air, coming face to face with the Hollow. He swung his blade in an arc, slashing the side of its mask, the cut was too shallow.
It roared and swung its long tail, unlike his comrades Naruto saw it coming and twisted his body round, planting his feet onto the appendage and using the momentum to throw him clear. He landed in a crouch, skidding several meters across the floor to within a few yards of Shikamaru, Sakura and Temari.
He jumped to his feet and skipped back a few more steps, not letting the Hollow out of his sight "How is she?"
"Barely breathing, losing blood" Sakura replied, using her hands to try and stem the tide of crimson from the largest wound, a slash mark across the Sand Nin's abdomen. She closed her eyes, muttered an incantation and placed her blood soiled hands over the wound, they glowed a feint green as the healing spell came into effect.
Shikamaru looked torn between staying with Naruto or going to her, he grabbed his shoulder "You're the strategist here, think, help me!!!"
"What do you want me to do!?" he snapped back.
"Be the Ninja you were" Naruto replied "Think of a strategy that can get us and Temari out of here alive!"
Shikamaru glared at his friend, then closed his eyes and took a few deep, cleansing breaths, when he opened them again his earlier fear and anxiety were gone. He turned to Sakura "I need another Bakudo, something that'll keep it busy for a few seconds!"
Sakura was silent for a moment, and only spoke when she finished healing Temari's stomach wound "I can do that"
"Naruto, we'll attack it from two sides with the strongest Hado spell we've got" Nara said to his former superior "Ready?"
The blonde nodded, and with one final glance the two of them ran in separate directions, just as Sakura unleashed her restraining spell "Disintegrate, you black dog of Rondanini!! Look upon yourself with horror and claw out your own throat! Bakudo Kyuu; Geki (Way of Binding 9; Strike)!"
A harsh red light encompassed the entire Hollows form, immobilising it from making any moves against its attackers. Both Naruto and Shikamaru came at it from different sides, each one muttering a destructive incantation.
Shikamaru chose his spell and gathering his power into the palms of his hands began his chant "Ye lord, mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man-"
At the same time Naruto had decided upon his move, and gathering what he needed into the middle and index fingers of his free hand "Ye lord, mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of man-"
"-Inferno and pandemonium-"
"-Truth and temperance-"
"-The sea barrier surges, marches on to the south-"
"-Upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws-"
"-Hado Sanjuuichi; Shakkaho (Way of Destruction 31; Shot of Red Fire)!"
"-Hado Sanjuusan; Sokatsui (Way of Destruction 33; Blue Fire, Crash Down)!"
From Shikamaru's palms came a blast of red light, a ball of energy the size of a melon but with enough destructive power to blow a hole through the strongest material. Naruto fired a burst of blue energy. It was released from his fingertips in streaks of burning electric fire. The two deadly Kido spells struck the Hollow within a moment of each other. The creature screamed in pain before being encompassed in white smoke.
When the smoke cleared an eternity later the Hollow had a massive hole blown through its right side by Shikamaru and half of its mask burned away by Naruto's blue fire. The Nara finished it off, jumping into the air and bringing his sword down upon the cracked remains of its mask, slicing it in half. The Hollow gave one last, pitiful screech before it disintegrated into dust.
Shikamaru landed in a crouch, and looked back at Temari and Sakura. His eyes widened in horror and Naruto forced himself to turn. Sakura was kneeling next to Temari's prone form, eyes closed, giving her all into healing spells to try and save her friends life. She didn't notice the serpent Hollow behind her until it coiled its tail around her and hefted her into the air. She screamed.
"Sakura-chan" Naruto cried.
Both of them charged the Hollow, roaring battle cries to take its attention from Sakura's squirming form. Shikamaru was first to get there and jumped, bringing his sword down. He was thrown aside by the creature's long sinewy neck, landing with a painful thud onto the pavement.
Naruto was next and swung his Zanpakuto, making contact with the rigid scales, there was a spurt of red and the Hollow screamed. He jumped back, sword held at the ready as it looked his way. Demon eyes boring into him, he refused to back down.
"Naruto" Sakura cried "Look out!!!"
He didn't see the second Hollow, couldn't sense it until the bladed tip of a tail stabbed through his back and exiting through his side, spurting blood onto the already blood soaked pavement. He looked down to see the long tail exiting from his stomach. It dragged him into the air and threw him to the side. The last he heard was Sakura's cry.
"Narutooo!!!!"
The new chapter is up, hope you guys enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who voted on my character poll, and for those of you who voiced your own ideas for the name of Naruto's Zanpakuto, over 80 people voted, democracy works!!! The poll is officially closed the moment this chapter was uploaded. Results will follow in the next chapter.
