CHAPTER IX: SHADES OF THE HEART

DISCLAIMER: I claim NO OWNERSHIP to ANY of the characters in this story except (for in this chapter) Tojiro "Neo" Ankoku, Kasumi Moriko, Cassandra Shukumei and Jason Hi. All other characters belong to their respective creators/owners.

Near Seito High School, 8:10 pm

Walking through the forest and on their way to meet Kanu Unchou was Hakufu Sonsaku, Koukin Shuyu, and Bachou Mouki.

"She called us for something important Hakufu. So stop complaining!" Koukin insisted.

"But WHY! It makes no sense!" she whined.

"Honestly, you've been complaining ever since we left your house!" implied Bachou.

"Jeez you two! I'll quit if YOU calm down first!" Hakufu insisted stupidly.

"She truly doesn't get it, doesn't she?" Koukin said in mental thought.

"Koukin! Look there!" said Hakufu, pointing up at the night starred sky.

A quick red meteor shot over the sky, in it was the infamous Cloakmaster. He saw Seito High School ahead in the distance and stuck his feet out. Tojiro landed on the ground with a loud boom, the red aura vanishing from around his body. Tojiro took in a desperate breath of air, marching towards the school.

"I sense something here. Something pure…something…that should've been silenced." he muttered, readying the kusarigama blades known as the Chains of Fear, in his hands.

Kanu was behind the school with Chouhi.

"It's been only a day, Kanu. I'm sure that guy won't come back to fight." said Chouhi.

"It doesn't matter. It was more like a threat to me. If Gentoku is in trouble, than this school is in trouble." replied Kanu.

"Are you even sure that man should be here? He seems slightly…strange." cautioned Chouhi.

"He said he knew the person who came here yesterday. If he's here, he can tell us anything we need to know about that intruder." explained Kanu.

A loud boom sounded. "Looks like we're up!" said Chouhi, heading off to the location of the explosion, with Kanu quickly following after her.

Tojiro kicked down the front entrance of the school, and stormed inside.

"Ominous? Yet, I remember this scent. A very powerful potent, but from who?" he questioned, as the Cloakmaster decided to run through the halls to locate the source of this scent.

Tojiro then heard a sudden scream. Tojiro then shot forward with super speed, ultimately coming to a stop in front of one single door. He jabbed the Chains of Fear into the door, and tore it down, jumping inside, there was the so-called "source" right in front of him; a cloaked individual sitting on the ground, and right next to that stranger was the familiar scent he smelled, Haruhi Suzumiya.

Tojiro let his arms loose, and shook his head with disappointment, placing the Chains of Fear back in their holders.

"Hey, who are you? You can't just barge in like that! You nearly scared her!" Haruhi implied.

Tojiro lowered his hood so he could get his message across without any words.

"Tojiro! Tojiro? What in the world happened? Did you get hit by a train or something?" said Haruhi in sudden amazement.

"Hardly." he said, looking at the cloaked person sitting on the ground away from Haruhi.

The person's face was hidden by a black veil. The individual turned around, as if it was embarrassing to look at Tojiro. Tojiro's eyes suddenly strained themselves at what he saw on the back of that person's cloak.

"I just found this girl wandering through the forest. She said she got lost and couldn't find her way back to her house." Haruhi explained.

"So…what's your excuse then?" questioned Tojiro.

"I was with Kyon and Mikuru, and I persuaded them to just travel up through the forest!" she said happily.

"Wow. Joyous at its best." said a mortified Tojiro.

Tojiro, however, turned his attention to the cloaked person. He swung his hand, using Chaos Control, to make the cloak vanish from the girl's body. Haruhi's eyes widened a bit, Tojiro grabbed the girl by the neck of her shirt. The girl was in a priestess outfit. The top was its normal white, but the bottom half was black with two white stripes going down the sides of it. Her hair was a long flowing raven blue. Her eyes were cringed close, and it appeared they refused to open.

"Open your eyes." said Tojiro in a pitiful tone for the girl. Her hands were still holding his metal arm, which he was holding her up by.

"Maybe it'd be a good idea if you put her down." Haruhi commented.

"Very well." he said, putting her down.

The girl then opened her eyes. Tojiro raised an eyebrow as her light yellow eyes looked at him.

"I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to intrude or anything! I hope you don't do anything rash! Haruhi was really nice to take me here, so could you please-" Tojiro put his left hand over her mouth.

"I…get it." he replied, then removing his hand. The girl's voice was as enthusiastic as Haruhi's voice, yet it had the slight innocence of Mikuru Asahina's voice in it as well.

"I'm glad it didn't turn about so bad." said the girl.

"What are you speaking of?" asked Tojiro.

"Oh! It's nothing at all! I just thought you'd be a bit more…careless? I suppose?" said the girl, letting out a fake laughter afterwards while putting on a cute open smile. Haruhi was smiling as well, to Tojiro on the other, it was extinct for him to ever crack a smirk.

Both Kanu and Chouhi barged into the room.

"Hi guys!" swayed Haruhi with her waving arm.

"What-what's going on?" said a confused Chouhi.

"You don't need to worry. This guy is my friend." Haruhi stated.

"Hey! That cloaked person is a girl?" said Chouhi, pointing at her.

"I'm sorry I was so silent when me and Haruhi arrived. I was just waiting for him to arrive." said the girl.

"Waiting for who?" asked Kanu. The girl turned towards the ebony hedgehog, with his blank white eyes blinking slowly.

"You…Tojiro Ankoku." she said.

"For what purpose is this?" he asked. The girl turned around, revealing the black symbol of the Great Shade Empire on the back of her clothes.

Tojiro's eyes remembered seeing this on the back of the girl's cloak.

"Are you…are you truly a…" he stumbled. The girl turned back around with a smile.

"My name is Kasumi Moriko. I, too, am one of the last survivors of the Great Shade Empire." she announced officially.

The Cloakmaster remained in silent awe. He truly wasn't the last of his people! The Demigod of Death refused to even consider any of the Nine Hell Gods as his family, more or less a part of his peoples' nation.

"I don't know what to say. How have you been alive all this time?" said Tojiro curiously.

"I'm kinda' like you, Tojiro. I don't age." replied Kasumi.

The young priestess appeared around sixteen or fifteen years of age.

"This is very interesting. I can say for once in my life, that…I am truly relieved." spoke Tojiro.

Kasumi smiled in response, with her hands clasped behind her back.

"So Tojiro, how'd you end up here anyway?" asked Haruhi quickly.

"Matters of reprisal, Haruhi. This is the location I was heading towards before I was sent into another world, you could say." explained the demon.

"Awesome! What did it look like?" she asked intensively.

"Just…a regular old school." he answered, his eyes wandering left and right.

"That's stupid. Oh well!" Haruhi replied.

"If you wouldn't mind Haruhi, I'll send you back to Kyon. I'm very sure that boy's foolish mind is worrying about you." said Tojiro, lifting up his right arm.

"What? Why can't I stay here…with you?" she exclaimed. Tojiro tilted his head an inch, surprised by such persistence.

"Think of it this way Haruhi, once my tasks here come to an end, I shall come to North High." he said.

Haruhi immediately put on a smile, "Sounds great! See you then!" she said. In a quick flash, Tojiro used Chaos Control to Haruhi back to wherever she last left Kyon.

"Now then, I've heard of this school just once. And I have heard of the numerous accounts of you fighters causing strange events in time. Could one of you care to explain?" asked Tojiro in a stiff voice, turning around to Kanu and Chouhi.

"You intrude on our school grounds and demand answers? You're nothing but a fool from my angle." said Kanu.

"Say what you must…I don't care. Tell me what you know." said Tojiro.

"Are you threatening me? Or this school? Pick one." implied the resilient Kanu.

"Either shall work for me." said Tojiro angrily.

"KA-NU!" said a sing-song voice coming in. It was Ryuubi Gentoku.

She held a book in her arms, and her eyes looked at everyone with confusion, yet she still kept a smile on. Her mouth agape, Ryuubi didn't know how to react to the condition she now faced.

"Should I…come back later?" said the nervous Ryuubi.

"Not at all." said Tojiro, walking towards her. Kanu instantly jumped at Tojiro, kicking him directly in the back of the head, which launched him through the wooden wall, and outside onto the dirt.

"Uhhh, what the heck is going on?" said a confused Ryuubi.

"Stay by Chouhi, Gentoku. I'll handle this intruder." said Kanu, carrying her spear in hand, and out the hole to the Cloakmaster who lie flat on the ground. Tojiro dug his fists into the dirt and rose on all fours, his eyes burning angrily. Kanu stopped where she stood, and watched the Cloakmaster rise to his feet.

"Not like I warned you…but…" he said.

Kanu's eyes tightened. The Cloakmaster turned around, shooting a sphere of red Chaos energy at Kanu. The blast hit her directly, and forced her to the ground.

"What did he just do?" said Chouhi surprisingly.

"I've never seen anything like that before." Ryuubi added.

Kanu rose up, and immediately charged forward. Tojiro grabbed the front of Kanu's spear, but Kanu elegantly put herself into an upside down position and stretched her right leg right into Tojiro's face, throwing him far across the ground. Kanu landed on the ground then charged once again. Tojiro rose to his feet and growled. Kanu leaped up into the air, then down at the Demigod of Death. Tojiro spin dashed Kanu in the chest, knocking her higher into the sky. Tojiro bounced off the ground then shot back up at Kanu, exiting his ball form. Tojiro then grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her down towards the earth below. Tojiro then dove back down at Kanu's body, his whole body being surrounded by dark red Chaos energy.

Tojiro stuck his feet down and impacted Kanu in the gut, creating a loud and quake powered boom. Tojiro landed in front of Chouhi, Ryuubi and Kasumi, the wind passing by him discretely.

"Did he really just beat her that easily?" gaped a shocked Chouhi.

"No. Not at all." said a familiar voice, to Tojiro.

The Cloakmaster quickly unsheathed the Blade of Darkness and shot a large straight beam of red Chaos energy at none other than the master of the second circle of Hell, Cassandra. Hanging over her left shoulder was surprisingly Hakufu Sonsaku.

"That's her alright." thought Tojiro to himself.

A sudden chi blast shot up and hit Cassandra in the leg, causing her to drop Hakufu.

"Who dares to attack my beautiful body?" shouted the angry Cassandra.

In the dust below, stood Kanu with an emanating green aura around her. Tojiro quickly leaped up, catching Hakufu. Once he landed on the ground, he set her safely on the ground.

"Master! Master!" called a voice from the forest. Tojiro stood straight up, seeing Bachou and Koukin arriving from the darkness of the forest.

"This ceases to surprise me." muttered the Cloakmaster.

The Demigod of Death turned around, only to see Kanu's spear pointed directly in his face.

"Don't move." she threatened.

"Fool. You left your side wide open." he revealed.

Kanu raised her eyebrow confusingly. Tojiro pushed Kanu away, and then suddenly a large yellow beam of Chaos energy smashed upon Tojiro from above.

"Now he saved her life? What's up with that?" exclaimed Chouhi.

The light of the blast vanished, and in the middle of the clear smoke stood a crippled Tojiro.

"Figures you'd try such a coward us attack. Now…IT'S MY TURN!" roared Tojiro, shooting a single huge Chaos Spear up at Cassandra.

Cassandra readied the Whip of Tortured Souls and wrapped it around the Chaos Spear, then literally spun it around, back at the Cloakmaster. The Cloakmaster used Chaos Control. He suddenly appeared, coming up at Cassandra, kicking her in the chest, then smashing his fist down on her stomach, shooting her down like a speeding meteor into the earth below. Tojiro reappeared through Chaos Control on the ground, holding the Blade of Darkness tightly in his hands. Hakufu slowly awakened, holding her head.

"What…what the? Where in the hell am I? Koukin! What happened?" questioned the fighter.

"You were captured by my whore of a sister in law…supposedly my sister in law." Tojiro answered.

"Why…WHY YOU LITTLE PUNK! I'll show you TRUE pain!" screamed the angry Cassandra.

She launched the whip down at Tojiro, which he held up his blade for. Cassandra smirked, and sent a dangerous surge of Chaos energy down the whip to horrendously do damage to the Cloakmaster. An explosive occurred afterwards, sending the Cloakmaster flying out of the smoke. Cassandra flew down after Tojiro's flailing corpse. She quickly grabbed him by his hood and flew towards the school. He smashed him against the window, then ruthlessly smashed the demigod through the window, shattering it completely, leaving almost every bit of glass in Tojiro's body.

"You should've estimated such odds dear brother. Why didn't you just listen to your superiors?" she said, stroking his cheek.

His eyes snapped open, and he grabbed Cassandra by her neck.

He got right up in her face, "Why don't you realize death when you see it?" he threatened.

Cassandra was shot out like a rocket, flying out of the Seito High School roof. "Is this getting too out of hand?" said Bachou.

"I don't think so." said Koukin.

Without mercy, a huge red beam of Chaos energy shot out of the school and exploded against Cassandra, who created a defensive barrier sphere around herself.

"I suddenly take that back. It's getting worse by the minute." said a nervous smiling Koukin.

With her barrier, Cassandra turned it into the head of a snake. The Chaos energy made beast shot down at Tojiro. The Cloakmaster came flying up at it. He thrusted his sword down its half, causing the beast to tear completely in half. Cassandra was then hit by an explosive hit by Tojiro's Blade of Darkness. Cassandra quickly stopped in mid air, defending herself from a series of extremely skilled punches by the Cloakmaster. Cassandra kicked Tojiro in the gut, then grabbed him by the neck of his cloak. Tojiro surged a blast of blue electricity out of his body and into Cassandra, shocking her painfully. Tojiro then grabbed Cassandra by the neck of her clothing. Tojiro threw her forwards, then began a ferocious series of kicks to her chest. Tojiro ended with a spin, with his right fist glowing with a fierce orange aura. He sent it right into Cassandra's face, exploding on impact. Down below, everyone watched in surprise and amazement, never seeing such fierce fighting before in their lives. The Cloakmaster suddenly appeared on the ground, a wild orange aura emanating around his body.

"Say Koukin, do you know that guy by any chance?" asked Hakufu.

"No way I've heard of him before. But he's definitely a whole new level of fighter!" said Koukin.

"He's more than that." intervened a calm Kasumi, suddenly appearing by their sides.

"Where the hell did you come from?" shouted Bachou in a freaked out pose.

"You know him?" asked Koukin.

"I do. Yet I am surprised you've never heard of him." she replied.

"Just who is he?" asked Bachou persistently.

"The manifestation of darkness and death in one single body; he is Tojiro Ankoku. The last Nightshade." said Kasumi in a proud manner.

Tojiro sheathed the Blade of Darkness, which ceased the glowing aura around his body. The Cloakmaster's hood was down, as his bandaged head raised many questions to everyone around him.

"He sure is a short little guy. How is he so strong? He makes me look tall!" said Bachou.

"That's just the form he was given. He rarely comes out in his-" Tojiro appeared in front of Kasumi to interrupt her sentence.

"I dare you…finish that sentence." he threatened.

"No-n-n-no, I'm good! My bad Tojiro!" Kasumi said, stepping back nervously.

Tojiro huffed, looking away from Kasumi, and down at Hakufu.

"You best stay away from her Sonsaku. She's mine to slaughter, that goes for all of you." Tojiro stated.

A sudden blast of red lightning shot down towards the group. Tojiro's eyes immediately set to it. Tojiro waved his right hand, smacking the bolt off into another direction where it exploded against hitting a tree. Spawning a blazing fire, Tojiro stuck his right hand out at it. "What are you planning you fool? Trying to burn down this whole forest along with yourself and me?" said Cassandra.

Tojiro huffed, "A few third degree burns truly don't matter to me, as long as you suffer…I'll be fine." engulfed Tojiro's hatred bred voice.

The whole fire flew towards Tojiro's palm. He held the humongous fire ball over his head and shot it up at Cassandra with intimate force and no hesitance. Cassandra placed her palms together, forming a spiraling wave of blue Chaos energy around her, in the shape of a sphere. She then carelessly charged for the fire ball. Tojiro bent down, his right fist glowing a fierce red aura. Tojiro launched off the ground, flying up towards the fire ball he released.

"You're nothing but a damn fool, little brother! YOU ALWAYS WILL BE!" screamed Cassandra.

"I determine my own perception, you scum! THIS IS MY WAY!" roared Tojiro, delivering a Chaos Punch to his fire ball, turning it all into red swirling flames.

Cassandra's eyes widened with surprise, but above all else, fear. The massive ball collided with harsh intention, summoning a large and powerful explosion to form in the air. On the ground, everyone looked in awe until the light and flames died down. Landing on the ground before Hakufu and the ones around her was a smoldering Tojiro.

"Huh. She's gone…yet still here…lingering." muttered Tojiro to himself.

"Tojiro!" called Hakufu.

The Cloakmaster kept his fists clenched, and turned halfway around to see her, Koukin, and Bachou running over to him.

"Good to see you all in one piece. At least you know when to stay out of the way." scuttled Tojiro without surprise.

"Just how did you do all that?" asked a curious Koukin.

"That's a fools question for those who have no time…and I don't. I probably never will. All of you…it would be wise to leave this forest…now." Tojiro responded in a figurative angrily manner.

"But…Tojiro." mumbled Kasumi.

Tojiro then looked at the priestess, her head lowered. Tojiro grumbled to himself for a moment.

"Are you truly going alone on this journey of yours? Why can't I be of assistance?" she asked, looking forward at the Demigod of Death.

"I didn't say you weren't. Stop being so foolish and putting words in my mouth. There's a good reason I'm on edge about you coming with me, Kasumi." stated Tojiro, turning towards the group with his arms crossed.

"Really? And what would that be then? Hmm?" questioned Kasumi. Tojiro was taken back by this sudden revelation of nerve the priestess showed. It was powerful, it was enduring and determined, there was a purpose in her words, the Cloakmaster could tell.

"Kasumi…I-" Tojiro began. The sudden appearance of Cassandra swooped down from the left, grabbed Tojiro by the side of his head, and flew towards a red Chaos portal.

"Kasumi!" called out Tojiro, as he was taken into it's vortex, unaware of where he would end up, and what challenges and complications…he would have to face. It was something that hadn't surprised him much, it was practically a part of his life that he had to deal with in constant intervals…believe it.


Unknown Dimension, Large Forest Area, 9:30 pm

Tojiro and Cassandra went flying down towards the tree canopy. Cassandra spun in a circle, and tossed Tojiro down towards the forest. He crashed through the tree brush and crashed into the ground below. Tojiro angrily rose to his feet, and shot a beam of yellow lightning Chaos energy. Cassandra used Chaos Control and quickly avoid the blast. She reappeared, coming down at the Cloakmaster with fierce speed. Tojiro quickly grabbed a large log with both his hands, and smacked Cassandra with it, launching her far to the left. Tojiro then lunged the log after her, just like you would throw a spear. Cassandra, swung her hands, shredding the log with just her nails. Tojiro immediately appeared behind the log to give a powerful Chaos Punch to Cassandra's stomach, launching her further through the forest.

"You're going to ultimately regret ever getting in my way!" yelled Tojiro, walking over to the spot she landed.

Cassandra easily rose up from the attack and she then looked behind her, seeing the way out of the forest, but also something else. Cassandra immediately turned around and began running towards the path out of the forest.

"You damn fool. ARE YOU SO AFRAID OF ME? AFRAID OF DEATH ITSELF!" Tojiro roared, before taking part in the chase after Cassandra.

Turning around, Cassandra jumped backwards through the air, and out of the canopy tree line. She then shot a barrage of harpy shaped forms of Chaos energy. The glowing green beasts stormed down upon the forest. Tojiro immediately readied the Chains of Fear, and stopped where he stood. He held the two blades up then drove them into the ground, while the harpies impacted all around Tojiro, or exactly on him. The harpies impacted with an explosive force, creating mile high clouds of dirt and flames. Cassandra waited in mid-air, hovering. She lightly chuckled, watching the fires begin to spread out amongst the trees.

"That's chaos." slithered her voice.

The flames, they all suddenly sunk into the forest as if they were drawn in.

"What? HOW?" exclaimed Cassandra mentally.

"CHAOS DRAGON INFERNO!" called Tojiro's far away voice from the forest below.

Shooting up at Cassandra was a large fiery dragon with piercing green eyes. It crashed right into, exerting a fire ball fury of meteors that shot out amongst the land. A series of water tentacles suddenly shot up and doused the incoming fireballs, it was Tojiro of course. Tojiro exited the forest, coming up to Cassandra who was lying out in front of a very large green gate with a Japanese letter symbol on both sides of the door. Tojiro placed the Chains of Fear back in their holders as he marched up to Cassandra's body. As she rose, it was in pain from Tojiro's intense technique by combining Firebending with Chaos energy.

"You're so simple minded…you know?" she complied.

"Well, my clueless mind is about to kill you. How about that?" replied Tojiro.

Cassandra smirked with her head lowered, she then clapped her hands together, performing a hand signal. "I'll be the judge of that accusation." she said in a sly tone of voice.

On the other side of the gate, there was a small stand with two men, with headbands wrapped around their foreheads. On those headbands, was the symbol of this village. The two looked to see two individuals walking towards the gate.

"Naruto no doubt, huh?" said one of them.

"Definitely. They're out to go find Sasuke I'm sure." replied the other. Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno were heading towards the large gate. It had been about just a day since the invasion of Pain, and the Hidden Leaf Village was undergoing some serious repair since then.

"It's good to see the village getting back into shape….but the people in it. That's a whole different story." said the one on the right.

"I'm sure Naruto and Sakura know what they're doing, but what's beyond this gate, I'm not sure." said the other guard.

Naruto and Sakura approached the guard stand, "Afternoon you two. Where you headed off to?" asked the left guard.

"I'm heading off, that's what. It's important that I get the permission of the other Kages to truly go after Sasuke." said a very serious Naruto.

Sakura looked at him without question, but not without concern either. The two guards remained at an adequate mode of silence as well.

"I'm surprised you wouldn't want to stay and let the others see you off, but knowing you Naruto, I guess there's no point." said the left guard with a calming smile. Naruto put on a smirk, feeling respected.

"What about you Sakura? You heading off with him too?" asked the right guard. Sakura was busy staring at the ground to even answer a question. Naruto's head was turned to her, his eyes appeared confused, expecting a swift answer from his fellow comrade.

"Actually, I-" she began. The sudden sound of an explosion from on the other side of the gate silenced her words.

From the middle point, Tojiro crashed through, but landed on the ground safely.

"Damn idiot. I can't believe she resorted to that form." muttered Tojiro.

Tojiro looked over his shoulder quickly, seeing Naruto and Sakura. Tojiro's eyes remained a bit glued on them, appearing surprised. Tojiro quickly turned his head back to the door, a large beam of orange and red Chaos energy bursting the door down, aimed for Tojiro and the ones behind him. Unsheathing the Blade of Darkness, Tojiro performed an excellent backflip and landed in front of Naruto and Sakura who remained where they were. Tojiro lodged his blade into the ground, spawning a spherical barrier to surround him, Naruto, Sakura, and the guard stand. The large beam hit with intense force, creating a humongous cloud of black smoke. Once it cleared, the barrier Tojiro created immediately lowered, and he sheathed the Blade of Darkness.

"To warn the Shinobi behind me, stay outta' this fight." he said out loud, raising the right sleeve of his cloak, revealing his entire metal arm. Tojiro charged forward into the large cover of smoke.

"No matter what happens, I'm going to make sure this village stands." he said, turning the dial three clicks, and jumping through the smoke cloud that enveloped the gate entrance.

Naruto and Sakura curiously took their steps towards the smoke shrouded entrance. A humongous harpy's head came out, attempting to pick at the two Shinobi, but a larger metal hand came out and grabbed the harpy. The harpy was actually Cassandra in her true beast form. Similar to the harpies Tojiro faced previously, only difference was that Cassandra was three times larger than that of those the Demigod of Death had clashed with. Tojiro came through the smoke, sixty feet tall in his Werehog mecha form. He bashed his right fist against Cassandra's hand without mercy. Cassandra suddenly turned into nothing but feathers. Tojiro angrily looked around, not trying to crush any of the buildings around him. From above, Cassandra crashed down onto Tojiro, creating a massive shockwave that sent Naruto and Sakura flying back. The two smacked into the ground, sliding to a halt. Naruto was first to rise up, and he then helped Sakura up to her feet.

"You all right there, Sakura?" he asked.

"Just fine. What in the world are those things?" she said in a quick change of tone.

Tojiro was on the ground, with Cassandra on his back, pecking her beak into his armor, spurting glowing red energy, unaware that it was discharge from his system. In other words, his blood was becoming either tainted or wrought with unstable power. Cassandra, however, wasn't affected. She duck her claws into him and began flapping her large black wings. Tojiro was lifted off the ground, and taken to the center of the village.

"Come on Sakura! We have to do something! We can't allow these two to damage the village any further!" said Naruto, charging off after the flying harpy.

Tojiro's fierce orange eyes sprang open. He then reached back, and pulled on Cassandra's right wing, forcing her to fly down to the right side of town. Tojiro's eyes tightened, and he watched as the two plunged into the village buildings, shattering and crumbling anything that stood in their way. At the Hokage quarters, Kakashi Hatake and Shizune came out onto the balcony to witness the destruction. They saw the massive harpy rise out of the smoke, and the metal armored Werehog rise up as well, shooting a large breath of fire from its mouth. Cassandra swung her wings forward, shooting a blast of wind to disrupt the flames. Tojiro leaped up, grabbing the beast by it's wings and forcefully pulling Cassandra into the ground, then began violently punching her, shaking the ground. It was so strong a force, that Kakashi and Shizune could even feel it beneath their feet.

"Shizune, do you know where Naruto went?" asked Kakashi.

"I know Sakura went to go see Naruto off…but…" she stopped.

"They're both out there. We must hurry!" said Kakashi, leaping off the balcony, and onto a building below.

Tojiro grabbed Cassandra by her feathery throat.

"What's the point of mastering such a force when you know it cannot be mastered?" she said.

Tojiro's angry orange filled eyes only strained with hate as he reeled his right fist far back. In a sudden second, Cassandra shot over a thousand of explosive Chaos Spears out of her mouth, which forced Tojiro to slam down into the ground. Cassandra lifted off the ground, preparing to flee.

"You're not going anywhere!" roared the angry Cloakmaster, jumping up, and grabbing her feet.

Cassandra screeched with hate, looking down at Tojiro. Tojiro, with his right hand, shocked Cassandra with a surge of devastating orange electricity which electrocuted her whole body. Tojiro reached up with his left hand, digging his claws into her feathers, which led to the flesh tearing as they comfortably dug deep into Cassandra's skin. An angry screech exerted itself from Cassandra's mouth, and she let out the Chaos Blast. The blast forced Tojiro to fall, but he quickly reverted to his human form, smacking into, hearing a sudden snap from one spot on his body. His ears distinctly heard it, he didn't even know where it came from in the first place. Using the power of friction of that Chaos Blast, Cassandra astonishingly caused Tojiro to literally fracture; his left arm. As he rose up, his left arm hung like a wet towel, blood dripping from where the arm bones connect. He simply touched his elbow, but his eyes cringed angrily. Cassandra came down in her harpy form, her talons aimed for the Cloakmaster. Tojiro's orange eyes set pace, and he immediately performed a jump upwards, towards the talons! Tojiro spun in-between her toes, and then shot a piercing red beam of Chaos energy into Cassandra's belly, causing a multitude of ferocious explosions. Tojiro held his left arm to his chest, and decided to keep it that way. His eyes of course were no longer red, his head remained bandaged, and his eyes studied Cassandra, curious of what she was plotting to do in such a form.

"What are you trying to accomplish, huh?" shouted a sudden voice. Tojiro looked forward, seeing Sakura, with Naruto standing behind her.

"I don't have time for this!" he exclaimed in his head.

"You can take you and your oversized pigeon and fight somewhere else! This village has already suffered enough!" Sakura declared.

"GET THE HELL DOWN!" roared Tojiro, charging towards them.

The loud screech from Cassandra echoed as she came down towards the two ninja. Tojiro stood in-between the two Shinobi, and stuck his right arm straight up, creating a pillar of earth to spurt out of the ground and punch Cassandra in her stomach, causing her to regurgitate a few unnecessary meals. Tojiro simply waved his right arm, burning the balls of disgustingness away, and watched the gagging Cassandra fly higher and higher. Tojiro clapped his hands together, spawning globs of fiery red Chaos energy to form around his hands.

"I've had enough of you Cassandra! Come down here and face me!" shouted the angry Cloakmaster, shooting the large combined force of the Chaos energy that enveloped his hands.

In a large blast of white light, Cassandra vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. Tojiro lowered his hands, which caused the blast he fired to vanish immediately as well.

Cassandra surprisingly reappeared behind Tojiro in her human form, whipping the Whip of Tortured Souls around Tojiro and shocking him with a damaging surge of unstable dark purple Chaos energy. Tojiro dropped to his knees, his eyes snapped open, appearing full of red gleaming hate. Tojiro grabbed the whip that was wrapped around his belly, changing the voltage to a deep red, which traveled across the outstretched weapon and went to shock Cassandra. However, Tojiro was also bringing harm to himself, the worse pain a Nightshade can ever feel. Tojiro ultimately performed the always dependable Chaos Control to free himself, and let Cassandra drop to all fours, while small bolts of red electricity sparked around her. Tojiro reappeared standing in a crippled stance. His legs bent, as he held his broken left arm in pain.

"You damn brat…I'm going to personally make sure you learn respect for your superiors!" yelled the angry Cassandra, rising to her feet again, cracking the Whip of Tortured Souls once which sparked purple Chaos energy from it.

Tojiro punched the ground with his right fist, causing the ground beneath Cassandra to send her flying into the air. Tojiro then quickly performed a massive backflip, flying over the flinging Cassandra. Tojiro began a series of intense, ruthless, and off the wall martial art moves across Cassandra. He finally bashed his right red glowing fist right into her gut, which sent Cassandra flying towards the village entrance, smashing through the walkway above the gate, and smashing into the ground outside the gate. Tojiro landed back on the ground, getting onto one knee, holding his left arm to his chest, while the snapped bones caused it to bleed on and on.

"I'll…I shall…I shall return to this village. I will not continue without her." he mumbled to himself, raising his right hand, and using Chaos Control to leave Konoha behind, but leaving it alone on his quest for revenge and redemption.


Seitetsu Gakuin High School, 11:30 am

Tojiro finally appeared on the roof of this very large school in Japan. In his human form, the Cloakmaster lowered his hood, and ruffled his metal fingers through his black hair, grumbling silently to himself.

"This is completely out of my attention. My damn arm…all the Chaos energy in it is dead. It'll definitely take a while for it all to come back. Lucky me!" announced the sarcastic Tojiro in desperate thought.

Tojiro took in a sudden desperate breath of air, and walked over to the railing that surrounded the school's roof. Tojiro looked over the edge, suddenly seeing the flash of an individual past right up in front of the building. Tojiro watched as the blue haired girl landed on the far side of the school building.

"What's going on this time?" he said carelessly. A series of bullets suddenly shot down at the blue haired girl, to which she dodged away from. A red haired girl with a gun landed in front of the blue haired one, aiming her gun down at her.

"You stupid little whore! How many times have I ACTUALLY told you to not let that thief get the best of you!" screamed the girl with the gun.

"A-A-Akane-chan! Please, calm down! I was just using the bathroom and she came in and-"

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" screamed the girl named Akane Mishima.

The one on the ground being threatened was Natsuru Senou. Tojiro was busy curiously watching this scene unfold, but he kept a dumbstruck face, which he immediately shook off. Natsuru quickly rolled over to the right, jumped to her feet, and ran towards Tojiro, who hadn't noticed him before.

"Eh? Who in the world could that be?" sparked the girl's frozen body.

"You damn bitch! Get the hell back here now!" screamed the angry Akane. Tojiro tilted his head to the side, watching Natsuru stop right next to him, breathing with extreme discomfort.

"Just how long has that girl been chasing you?" he asked.

"You…you have no…idea!" panted Natsuru. Akane began firing wildly at the two. Tojiro simply flanged his hand up, which knocked the bullets away with Airbending.

"That's interesting. Yet is that all you have to offer?" bothered Tojiro.

"Keep talking you smartass! I'll blow your damn head off!" shouted Akane viciously, as she continued to fire bullet after bullet at the two.

Tojiro pushed Natsuru behind, as every bullet penetrated through his flesh, which he didn't move an inch from.

"What the hell?" said Akane, firing more bullets at the Demigod of Death. No damage inflicted the Cloakmaster, that is until one bullet hit the ligaments that held his left arm together, but not snapping it. Tojiro's eyes turned into a furious red, as he gritted his teeth in anger.

"You…you…stupid…ignorant…scum." mumbled the Cloakmaster with fierce hate in his voice. Tojiro unveiled Black Death.

"I'm in enough damn pain as it is! NOW…THIS IS HOW YOU SHOOT A GUN!" roared Tojiro.

Thick shots of lead covered with Chaos energy shot at Akane, which exploded the ground she stood upon, launching her into the air. Tojiro then kept his finger on the trigger and fired a large spherical blast which exploded against Akane in mid air. Tojiro's eyes halted their glowing red, and his orange pupils reappeared in his eyes. Tojiro placed Black Death back in it's holster and angrily marched over to where the injured Akane lay. Grabbing her by the back of her head, Tojiro pulled her off the ground, and stared her in the face.

"Foolish girl. You're going to regret trying to attack a Nightshade." threatened the simmering Tojiro.

A blast of Zauber shot from Natsuru launched Tojiro forward, while dropping Akane at the same time.

"Akane! Are you okay?" asked a concerned Natsuru, kneeling down by the Kampfer's side.

Tojiro rose to his feet, his left arm was still bleeding consistently. Tojiro tore off a piece of his cloak, which suddenly regenerated and replaced the missing piece. He created a sling out of it to hold his arm in a tender and protective position.

"It's not my best decision…but hell…at least it works." said Tojiro, clenching his right fist, staring off to the right.

The demon god rose to his feet, turning around in the process at the same time as well. Tojiro marched towards the two. Natsuru quickly shot a blast of her Zauber magic. Tojiro caught it in his right hand and shot it back with quick speed! Natsuru quickly picked Akane up and jumped off to the side to avoid the blast.

"This is getting pointless, you know. Even when I first arrive here and simply see this violence erupt…you attack me? My arm is fractured, and that accursed girl you're protecting shot a lucky bullet right in-between my broken bones…so it's only fair I return the favor by turning her skull into a jigsaw puzzle. But don't worry…you won't need to put anything together afterwards." said Tojiro, readying the Blade of Darkness in his steady firm grip.

"This is definitely not part of the plan." whispered Natsuru to herself.

Tojiro's eyes flickered, and he immediately vanished with the use of Chaos Control. Five chain shot swords hit the ground where he previously stood. The Cloakmaster reappeared a few feet in front of Natsuru and Akane.

"So, who are you to attack these two?" said Shizuku Sangou, holding her weapons in hand.

"This vague world is interesting. Looks like I must silence her as well." constituted Tojiro, turning around to Natsuru and the unconscious Akane.

"Just who are you?" asked a quick Natsuru.

"My identity is no business to you…especially once you'll be dead." descended Tojiro's voice.

The Cloakmaster held the Blade of Darkness over his back, which blocked Shizuku's attack. Her chains blades were wrapped around the blade, and he merely jerked forward. Turning himself around in the process, Tojiro punched the incoming Shizuku in the stomach, and he quickly swung his sword loose of her chained weapon, and set her free flying across the ground. Tojiro turned around to see Natsuru send her Zauber covered fist right into Tojiro's face, which exploded on impact and launched the Demigod of Death high into the sky. Akane's eyes slowly began to crack open, and she looked at Natsuru, instantly blushing.

"Get the hell off me!" she exclaimed, pushing Natsuru away.

Tojiro smacked into the ground from Natsuru's intense attack, with smoke trailing from his face. Tojiro's face looked forward at the two Kampfer's ahead of him. Tojiro rose to his feet, ultimately taking three stab wounds in the back from Shizuku's thrown weapons. Tojiro angrily turned around, which caused Shizuku to fall forward onto the ground. Tojiro intensified the heat of his body to melt the blades that were impaled in his back, as he marched towards Shizuku. Tojiro grabbed Shizuku by her hair, turned around and angrily tossed her at Natsuru and Akane, who slid to a halt right in front of the pair. Tojiro pointed the Blade of Darkness at the three.

"Natsuru-san!" shouted the voice of Kaede Sakura.

Tojiro glared off to the side to see the surprised girl with her hands clasped together at her chest, looking in fear. Tojiro turned towards her, then took a quick gaze at Natsuru and the others, who were preparing to make a move, however, Natsuru was helping Akane stand up still. Tojiro immediately took march towards Kaede. In fear she began to step back, over to the edge of the building. Akane began firing her gun wildly, and Natsuru shot her Zauber magic as well. While he still walked, a curved barrier of Chaos energy formed on Tojiro's left side, which protected him from the attacks. Kaede was up against the railing, looking over her shoulder at what waited below, a very steep drop. Tojiro then sprinted forward, dropping his Chaos energy barrier.

"Sakura!" screamed Natsuru.

Kaede gripped the railing bars tightly with her hands. Tojiro drove his blade back, then straight forward at the frightened girl. Natsuru, Akane and Shizuku all looked in pure awe at what they were all looking at. Kaede finally opened her eyes, seeing the Blade of Darkness right next to her head, and into the true target behind her. Kaede was suddenly pulled by the neck of her shirt by Tojiro, then pushed to off to the side. The target Tojiro had impaled; another former Nightshade, and another part of his so-called twisted family.

The cloaked man grabbed Tojiro by his face and shocked him with a violent surge of Chaos energy, which launched Tojiro across the floor. The cloaked man removed the blade from his stomach and launched it at Tojiro without hesitation. Tojiro stopped on his legs, but wasn't able to dodge the Blade of Darkness from piercing straight through his gut. The Cloakmaster of darkness dropped to his knees in pain, feeling the sting of his own blade, and his own power within his veins.

"Dear nephew…I honestly thought you would be much more stronger than THIS!" said the voice of the cloaked man. His voice was etched and sounded like a madman. Tojiro's 'nephew' touched down on the roof, and he lowered his hood. He was a tan skinned man with a bald head, and a sharp look in his schizophrenic look.

"I am Jason Hi. The god of fire and watcher over the seventh circle of Hell; Violence." he began respectively.

NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW!

Tojiro: There's something about this power...this feeling...this hellish force that continues to strip its way through my mind!

Himari: You needn't worry, Tojiro. The Young Master gets in situations like those many times!

Yuto: Is that suppose to be some kind of compliment Himari?

Rinko: Guys, I hope you realize that this trip we're going on doesn't involve him. It could be dangerous if he follows!

Yuto: He won't do anything bad, Rinko. We can still use that Dark Ball, right?

Ryu: I'm afraid the Cloakmaster has more to worry about than a mere camping escapade, my friends.

Himari: Such as what Master Ryu?

?: You know what to do, correct Kuro?

?: I shall see it fit. No matter the cost of who stands by Tojiro's side, Alma.

NEXT TIME!

CHAPTER X: SHADES OF THE MIND