A/N Hope you've enjoyed the story so far, a longer chapter here, quiet a lot of fighting. If you have any comments or improvements I'll be happy to hear them. I didn't go into too much detail on the political side, as I'm sure you already see that it's mostly an implied war hanging over their heads. Thanks for reading. Only a few more chapters till the end.

Chapter 9 – Proving Ground.

"Who are you?" Hinata asked stepping quickly away from the door and grouping with her Genin.

"No time, Hinata-kun. Where is Anako?" Kakashi had noticed instantly, they where one member short, and a familiar weighty feeling swept over him. Hanabi and Izashi looked confounded but their Chunin team leader just frowned.

"The Jonin killed him," she said, the words hitting Kakashi harder than one of Guy's Dynamic Entry's, "Probably to discourage us from trying to escape. Are you from the Mist village?"

"Who's way of the Ninja have you adopted?" the copy ninja asked. Obviously suspicious Hinata tried to protest. "No time, Hinata-kun. If I am to help you I must be sure it is you."

"I..well..Naruto-kun's." She murmured.

It was her alright, that meant the Anako kid really had been killed. Anger filled him, both at himself for not making it here sooner, and at Lazune. The kid had been killed for no reason other than to set an example. They'd pay.

"In a few seconds the Kunoichi outside is going to come through that door. Don't hesitate, don't think. She comes with the intention of ending you. Your original mission is still on; the weapon smith is on the floor above us. Take him to the port and get yourself out of the Water country. I'll intercept the Jonin and keep him at bay."

Without another word the mysterious black clad saviour was gone and was quickly replaced by their former captor. A vicious mid air kick failed to meet its target as Hanabi appeared in front of her sister, two hands catching the offending foot. The kunoichi balanced against the young girl's weight and tried again.

Kitsuna's follow up left hook met a similar fate as Izashi stepped in and caught her fist. Three sets of eyes stared up it her in that instance, determination and anger burning through her. Their leader stood looking at her for a moment, then she pivoted and her hand flashed out blue with chakra.

With her free hand Kitsuna parried the incoming attacked and flipped off the two defenders. Surprised she slid to a stop facing the three ninja, they had been fairly easy to overpower with the brothers with her, even when there had been four of them.

They had the element of surprise that time, this time they were ready, and worse for her, they were angry. If they could be separated Kitsuna believed she could overcome them without much hassle. But that other ninja was going to be a problem, he'd left the room so fast she couldn't track him, he'd already trumped Lazune at least once, she'd have to be careful.

"I see you've got some fight," she reached behind and removed her two blades, sparks flicking between the steel and scabbard until they were fully drawn, "But all it's going to do is make this more fun for me. You won't accomplish anything; sensei has probably already killed your precious weapon smith, you're just going to end up like the other brat."

"Biiitch!." Izashi screamed, Hinata let the stars pass and be blocked but restrained the Genin when he charged forward.

"Get Sarukumo," Hinata needed to remain in control. Constantly she had to remind herself that Kurenai would not be telling her what to do. It was her turn now, "get him out of her as soon as possible. I'll follow behind you. Take care sister. Izashi-kun? Look after her."

"Hai!" Izashi grabbed the younger Hyuga and pulled her towards the door, when she still seemed reluctant to move he turned her by her shoulders and look dead in her eyes. "Come on girl, this is no time to freeze on me. Hinata-san is strong, she'll be fine. But I...I need you."

As Hanabi squeezed the boy's hands and shook herself from her fear, her older sister had spread her feet and set her hands in the Hyuga Stance. With her Byakugan she watched as the two ninja left the room and raced across the main hall towards the stairs.

She returned her focus to the bladed nin in front of her. Anako hadn't stood a chance against her and from the short but intense display before his defeat it was safe to assume that this kunoichi had strong Taijutsu skills. Could they match with the combined combination of the Byakugan and Hyuga style?

Steeling herself to the coming fight Hinata thought of a lot of things. She thought of her training with Kiba and Shino, and the rigours she'd put herself through. To the time she'd come to their rescue, and saved them from certain death. But most of all she thought of her fight with Neji. She thought of Naruto, standing there calling her name. Hinata! Are you just going to stand there and take that!? You're driving me crazy! Do something!

With Naruto's voice echoing through her mind, anger at the death of one of her team, and her way of the ninja in jeopardy, she faced her opponent with solid determination.

"So you think you can-"

"Stop talking." Hinata interrupted, "And defend yourself."

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Lazune hadn't made an attempt to come through the window a second time. The roof was just as easy access, so he ran the wall to the top and easily burst through the old door to the staircase. Round the first corner and third door on the right he'd just about reached the room with the smith inside.

Kakashi appeared in front of the door, and crouching, slammed an elbow into the oncoming ninja's gut. A second copy ninja vaulted the first aiming a knee strike to the head. Lazune retreated a step and blocked the knee, he retaliated with a sweeping strike from his staff that just missed its target.

The two black figures attacked completely independently and with different styles, every so often one would slid back and cast some throwing blades into the fray. One of the ninja over stretched himself on return punch, Lazune took up the opening and rotated, driving one end of his charged staff between two of his ribs.

As the clone splashed to the floor in a puddle of water, the now obviously real one formed a few quick seals. Kakashi's Water Release: Water Fang Projectile Jutsu sent the water spinning violently and driving towards Lazune like some living drill of water.

Spinning his staff about either side of his body the cloud ninja left two spinning discs of lightening hanging in the air, as his motion finished they followed the end of his staff and blazed through the air, severing the drilling water diffusing the danger.

The two ninja clashed again, staff meeting kunai and sending current arcing all about the hallway. They to'd and fro'd with Kakashi's countering abilities constantly pushing then up the hallway and away from the door.

Every hit that Lazune landed jarred and shocked, causing Kakashi to pause momentarily, every time he was forced to block with his feet, or some other innovative method he only done himself more harm.

"No Mist Ninja would ever beat me," the Cloud nin laughed, he slid away from Kakashi spinning his staff and sending disc after disc of lightening down the hallway. Kakashi gave each of the attacks the slip in turn but his attention was forced in another direction as he heard someone approach.

Izashi and Hanabi came racing from the staircase and headed straight for the right door, Kakashi noted the Hyuga's Byakugan with a smile. Only just in time Kakashi turned to see his opponent launch a flurry of lightning bolts at the Genin.

Each bolt was intercepted by a Kunai or Throwing star and aptly charged each weapon before they imbedded themselves in the wall. Forced to use the last of his tools, Kakashi was now weapon less and facing an armed opponent.

"It's probably time I got serious" Kakashi mused while the Genin entered the room behind him.

"Stupid of that girl to stay behind," the Cloud nin replied, "you know she doesn't stand a chance against Kitsuna, right? When she's done with the bitch down stairs, the kids are next. You'd get yourself killed for a bunch of Leaf brats?"

Anger flared inside Kakashi. How dare you, he thought. That decided it, the cloud nin could not be allowed to live. Any of them, he thought gravely. The chance of Konoha being dragged into this ridiculous feud was too high. Tsunade-sama had obviously intended for him to act this way if necessary.

"You're right," Kakashi began straightening himself to his full height, "A mist ninja would never best you." Using his thumb Kakashi wiped the blood from his lip and places where the staff had broke the skin, and flicked it at the wall.

"My name is Kakashi Hatake," The name struck Lazune like a good right hook, "And I will not allow another comrade to die." Kakashi shunsined to his opponent in time to her him whisper copy ninja? in disbelief, his knee strike knocked the cloud nin into the air. Jumping he turned and landed a back fist and followed with his right foot, sending the other ninja – for the third time – through a window.

This time when Kakashi landed outside the Cloud nin was ready for him, he caught Kakashi with an uppercut from his staff that sent a shock down his spine. Anger over riding pain Kakashi flipped on his hands and landed on his feet once more.

A different tactic was in order this time. Instead of attacking the ninja Kakashi raced at him head on, inviting an attack. Not surprisingly Lazune obliged and slammed a massive spinning blow against kakashi's block. Before it could be retracted Kakashi grabbed it in spite of the pain.

With a rush of adrenaline and a growl Kakashi wrenched it from the others hands and turned it against its former owner. After a few blows Kakashi abandoned the staff and just lay into the other ninja with his hands and feet.

A combination of Lazune's shock at realising he was actually facing The Copy Ninja, and a Kakashi's far superior skills meant more than half of the leaf ninja's attacks hit their mark. Lazune was being worn down under a hail of anger, Kakashi's Will Of Fire unleashed.

Suddenly the cloud nin shunshined away. Kakashi turned in time to catch the kunai fleeting at his head, and to see Lazune flailing through hand seals. Hurrying through his own seals at a blinding speed Kakashi managed to release his jutsu at the same time as his opponent.

The leaf ninja's Mist Waltz Jutsu sprayed a fine haze of highly flammable liquid into the air engulfing almost the entire distance between the two ninja. As the Lightening Release: Elemental Dragon Missile reared its head and flew snaking its way towards Kakashi, the current of its lightening body ignited the fluid and the resulting explosion sent both ninja in opposite directions, separated by a thick black fog.

Lazune clambered to his feet and watched as the fog cleared, that blast had taken a lot out of him, parts of his clothes were still smouldering. As the blackness subsided and Kakashi stood looking almost untouched, adding to the horror he performed a quick hand seal and the air around him shimmered as at least forty Kakashi Hatake's appeared beside him.

Horror clamped the ninja's muscles and he found himself unable to move. Satisfied that his simple clone illusion had been mistaken for Mass Shadow Clone the real Kakashi exploded from the ground in a head hunter jutsu and drove Luzane's own kunai into the underside of his chin, killing him instantly.

"I'm sorry that was late, Anako" Kakashi whispered and sprinted back to the church, he dived through the bottom floor window he'd originally blown out and slid to a stop between benches. Hinata stepped out from the side room, looking tired but alive.

"Hinata-kun!" he called, she turned to face him, still not even sure who he was or why he was there, "Kitsuna?" he enquired.

The hyuga girl deactivated her Byakugan and lowered her eyes to the floor.

"Dead"