Mythical Night

Chapter X

Fogged Paths

Naruto arrived at the North Gate of Konoha, surprised he had just arrived after Tsume and checking his watch he realised he's ten minutes early. He could have perhaps wasted a little extra time with Ten-chan, but it's better to be a little early than a little late. He doesn't want to be anything like that tardy ex-sensei of his and make anyone wait when he doesn't have to. If he was doing something important it would be another story.

"Hey," he said nervously to the woman as her dog partner just lay to the side napping while she lent up against a tree a little way from the Gate Guards. She probably would agree with him that most of the gate guards are douches, which is why she's not over by them. They're low level chunin, on guard duty because they're not fit for anything else.

"Oh, hey there, Naru-kun," she said with a purr to her voice giving him a wink. She had expected blushing cheeks but was pleased that he isn't that easy to embarrass. "I've been thinking about your… demonic stamina… and since my daughter, Hana most certainly won't be able to cope alone. I sure as hell wouldn't mind… helping out, and I'm sure with that cute little Hyuuga too. You'll have more than enough to tire you out."

Naruto's eyes widened as he realised what she just said and pictured the hot mother and daughter together with him and Hinata. That's a beautiful picture he'll keep with him for a good long while. He had to take a few calming breaths to keep from thinking about how hot that would be.

"I'll… have to stick some confidence in Hina-chan first," he said with a smirk and suggestive eyebrow raise, which almost made her fall over in her wide-eyed shock.

She then laughed but looking him up and down licking her lips. "I like you more and more," she said still laughing. "Most boys your age would have blown," she said walking over to him with a swing to her step before stopping close to him, her large bust nearly in his face, her slanted eyes, hungry.

However, to his credit he didn't move an inch. However, it was hard to keep from getting… well hard, and more so as she cupped his crutch before startling wide-eyed as she felt him and staggered back as she let go. The feel of the older woman's hand on his crotch lingered for a moment as he used all his will power to control himself. He's had plenty of practice with self-control during his 'dreams' with Kyuu-chan.

"J-jokes off the table, you win," she said breathlessly. "That is one mighty weapon you're packing," she said licking her lips.

Naruto just gave a sheepish smirk while his breathing is heavy as he calmed down. "I won't lose when I don't have to, Tsume-chaaan!" he said with a smug grin while she blushed a little here. "Maybe some other time, but Hinata-chan's here…"

She was surprised as said girl walked around a few trees and into view while blushing as Naruto went over to greet her. Tsume couldn't help but feel aroused by that odd little moment. She had originally just been joking… well mainly joking. She is a woman with needs after all, and his age doesn't matter to her.

However, looking at the way he just knew the cute girl was coming. She didn't even sense her, which is a surprise. She rolled her eyes and looking at him more wishing, he is a member of her clan. He wouldn't humiliate her people like Kiba does, but bring them some pride.

She thought back to a second before, her eyes opened wide as she remembered the cute twitch of his nose. He had smelt Hinata arriving, and not only that but before Tsume, and he knew exactly who it was. She was awed if that's true because then he has a better sense of smell than her.

However, Tsume shook away those thoughts as Kurenai turned up from one direction with Shino coming in from another. Therefore, they all headed out up the Mountain Pass through the trees. This path isn't taken often enough to have a proper trail so they had to walk apart. It wasn't so bad, and the walk was nice and refreshing.

Kurenai took the front position with Shino using his insects to scout ahead. This kept Naruto and Hinata in the centre of their team as backup 'heavy hitters' and Tsume at the rear checking out Naruto and wondering about his supposed heightened senses.

He would make for a useful tracker, scouter, and member of her clan. It's annoying because he's too old now. If she really knew about him before now, she would have set him up in her clan with a partner. She might have even made his heir, but thinking about that she could make him heir if her daughter gained an interest in him, and married him, then her daughter will run the clan rather than Kiba with his idiocy.

Naruto was actually making Hinata smile and giggle as he chatted away to her, helping her through the brambles. He was desperate to stop thinking naughty thoughts about Kiba's mum, sister and Hinata. He already has an army of obedient girls, and possibly three girlfriends that know about each other and don't mind, Hinata included, so does he need more? Probably, but he'll try to limit that or he won't know what to do.

It was several hours later that they set up camp and made up some meals and bed rolls, leaving out tents as there's possibly a wild animal attacking people, and don't want to get trapped in a tent.

"It's not far from here… a few hours walk at most, but it's best to rest up for the night to be fresh for tomorrow," Tsume said as they settled down around a fire cooking up a small meal to keep them going.

Naruto settled up against a large tree next to Hinata as they rested he smiled as she had drifted off to sleep and pulled her into his arms to keep her warm. He had easily fallen into dreams and had just spent three weeks training when Kyuu-chan told him they're being approached and opened his senses as he woke to the real world.

It was early morning when he sat up properly, and moved Hinata from cuddling with him and carefully propped her up against the tree before standing. He took a few deep breaths and pulled in several unfamiliar scents and concentrating he could pick up their chakra.

He looked around to see that Kurenai, Shino, Tsume, and her dog were also sleeping like Hinata. It was odd as neither of the older women would be stupid enough to sleep without a sentry. He knew there has to be something wrong and without hesitation, he was in the trees in the shadows as he pulled his hood up shadowing his face.

It was a green wearing ninja that moved from one tree to the next, suppressing his chakra as he stalked his prey, his hood up hiding his face in shadows. It wasn't long until he spotted several men all kitted out in armour and weapons. He held his bow at the ready and loaded an arrow as he watched them, waiting, curious.

"Come on, they're not too far," one spoke out laughing gruffly. "I picked up three females, and two male. Just kill the guys and we'll have a party…"

The following assassin frowned in anger for only a moment before he counted them, fifteen. If only they had stumbled across these wild animals a bit further north. Naruto frowned as he stalked down the tree in a crouch, his bow armed and ready as he aimed.

He got halfway down when he fired at the rear men. His arrow then split into two spikes that stabbed through the two men's throats. They gargled quietly as two end pieces attached had shot off and sliced into trees, high above the ground with chakra infused pulleys, and pulled both gurgling, struggling men up, hanging them in just seconds without the others being any wiser. He just watched the two men for a second, hidden on his tree before jumping over to the next tree and up, hidden in the thick foliage of the trees.

The ninja didn't give his victims much thought as he kept his sights set on the others, his eyes dark and cold. He hadn't taken hardly any time with the two men as they now hung, dead. In fact, he hadn't missed much, if any of their conversation.

"I won't be able to keep them asleep for too long. If we don't capture them quickly and they wake up we might be done for. Konoha Ninja aren't known for their brutality, but they might make an exception with us."

Their shadow had noticed one man had fallen back and fell out of the tree onto his back, his bow switching to a sword and stabbing through his shoulder before he snapped the man's neck all in one go without him crying out. He then pulled him behind some trees in seconds, dumping him in a bush before he was back in the trees with his bow ready.

"Shh, guys, did you hear that?" one asked as he looked around, panicked. "W-wait, are we missing someone…? Where's, Gobi… and… or…?" he looked around more frantic and worried now.

"W-what the hell, where are they?" another asked looking around in panic. "Shit, what the fuck…? Keep your guard up boys," he said sounding braver than he was.

It is dark and their stalker just watched using his enhanced senses as they drew their swords and stood in a circle back to back.

"Who's there, show yourself cowards!?" a fat bruit of a man yelled out.

"I'm your nightmares nightmare!" he answered with a rough voice from the shadows of the night, in the trees letting his voice echo throughout the woods. They had started and looked around more scared than before. It didn't help that they couldn't see very well as they had stopped in a small clearing with foliage blocking out the moonlight.

"Come out here coward!" he yelled again as they kept their back-to-back circle. He didn't seem to notice the irony of that statement, considering he has to put ninja to sleep before he can attack. "I'm going to rip your skull open!"

"You're already dead!"

The voice came from within their circle, and they all turned and swung as a figure seemed to swish and flip up through them, blood-curdling screams emitted with blood flying before there was silence. The remaining men looked down, five of them lay bloodied on the ground, either headless or pierced and blood coated killed by each other in their panic to get this hunter.

"Oh god… who the fuck are you…!?"

"I'm the darkness coming to swallow you, and punish you for your crimes!" he spoke, his voice husky, an echoed whisper that was both cold and empty. "I am your Judge, Jury, and Executioner! I shall punish you as this lawless land would not… swift and without mercy!"

"P-please, no… someone, anyone, help me!" he cried out as another body thumped down next to them leaving six, a green feathered arrow in his forehead.

This is where one went and ran screaming like a coward. It just so happened to be the wimp of the lot, but then maybe the others are too scared to flee. Their shadow just watched him go with a hidden smirk.

"I have your scent. I shall find you… you have been Judged! And you shall be sentenced!" the cold voice followed and echoed through the forest.

One man fell to his shaky knees here begging, another falling next to him, crying and whimpering. "I show no mercy to coward bandits who would hurt the innocent!" the voice whispered between both of them in their ears causing them to piss themselves.

They both gargled to see their own swords through their chests before looking to see their killer had gone and they just keeled over dead. The remaining men looked up as they felt a deathly chill run through their blood to see it, the dark shadow silhouetted hooded figure standing in a tree before they blinked and he disappeared.

"Oh… g… od…!" another gurgled out blood pooling from his lips as has an arrow through the back of his neck severing his spinal cord before he just fell, dead.

"S-so… this is a… a real n-ninja," said one of the last men as he turned to the large man with an oddly designed arrow in his chest, and blood on his lips as a tiny green light blinked twice, it blew up with the large man getting blasted back covered with his dead friends flesh and blood.

The large man was whimpering on his knees as he crawled up, shivering and smelt of urine and excrement, as he looked around shakily, terrified. "P-please… s-s-s-spare m-m-me…"

"Boo!"

The last squealed as something landed on him with a crushing blast of power, a hand crushing his skull in an explosion of strength before he stood up straight and brushed himself down and took a few steadying breaths.

Arrow growled as he looked the way the coward ran before he swished away chasing down the one trying to get away. He hadn't realised any of these 'men' would be so fast as he had gotten far enough that he felt safe enough to rest, wheezing for breath. However, he showed surprise and horror as he found a green-feathered arrow slice into his chest and pierce his heart. He fell down to the ground, dead with a slump.

The archer sighed and went to relax a little when he heard some laughter coming from some men a little way off. Shaking his head, he internally groaned as he streaked through the trees until he came to the sight of five large built missing-nin laughing and sneering. They dragged some young woman by thick silver chains binding her wrists together with red metal cuffs, a longer chain attached like a leash, and a red collar of leather around her neck with a chain attached from it to those around her wrists.

His sense of justice was vexed in moments. She's slender, and has some nice looking curves with long bright green hair down to her butt, and a young but wary face, her expression blank. Her eyes are covered by a steel sheet moulded with her face, strapped around with a key lock, obviously made just for her.

She's wearing a firm, hugging long white all in one suit with some black markings, and with baggy sleeves with black straps on them. He realised that the suit is an all-in-one straightjacket, or maybe straight-suit as he looked to the leg restraint straps tied around her legs and ankles so she can walk rather than tying her legs together as they normally would.

She was bare foot and dirty too as the men had started dragging her along the floor. However, Arrow couldn't understand how she didn't show any sign of caring, but then maybe she has been broken. However, taking in her scent he can't smell them on her in 'that' fashion, which leads him to believe that she is in chains for another reason.

"Hurry up, bitch!" one of the men demanded, kicking her in the ribs, which caused her to whimper and grit her teeth to keep from crying out. "The Mistress will be pissed if we don't get you to town before the morning…" he said angrily before looking over to one of his companions with a look of thought. "What the hell is taking those dicks so long just to bring back those women?"

Arrow grits his teeth in anger from his vantage point. "They're dead…!" his voice suddenly echoed out in rage startling them. The man holding the green haired woman's chains let go, dropping her to lie breathless on the dirty ground, as they all pulled out swords.

"Who the fuck are you? Show yourself!" their leader demanded angrily.

"Release the girl, and I might let you leave!" he retorted, his rough voice bouncing around the woods, creeping them out and making them jumpy as their eyes darted around trying to find the source of the voice. "If you do not, your death is assured!"

"Not a chance, you prick," the leader yelled out some more. "We fear our Mistress too much… she'll flay us, and I'm not talking metaphorically. Anyway, why would you want to defend this pathetic witch! She has magical powers yet she doesn't even use them like she could."

Arrow was surprised but that didn't stop his resolve. "If you bitches are trying to use her powers for your own gain then that is even more reason to rescue her… and by doing so I stop your Mistress from doing bad! If she is innocent, then even a witch deserves my protection!"

The man was startled by that proclamation before he barely dodged a weird looking arrow, near falling as it passed and stuck into the ground just behind him. "Shit, look out, this guy's not like your normal modern day ninja!" he cried out in a hurry. "He's an assassin, you'll be dead before you realise he's there if you're not careful!" he just finished off when the arrow exploded splashing blood from his right arm as he went down.

He might have gotten up if a second arrow hadn't hit him in the face and exploded, tearing his face into mush of burnt flesh keeping him down. The other four men could only stare in horror while the green haired witch just stayed on the ground, laying still and listening. She knows that she should stay where she is, and still to keep out of the assassin's way or risk getting hit.

The other men panicked as they realised this is serious and they're under assault, by one man and loosing. They had started to panic and tried to escape but arrow after arrow sliced into them. They could only scream and beg before they followed their boss straight to hell, if there is such a place.

It was with a swish that the witch flinched as her chains were shattered with a powerful blade, enhanced by chakra as Arrow knew he needed a lot of power to free her as he can sense the magic in them. They shattered, but left a few links on each wrist and on her collar, but she still stayed still as she felt the windblast over her face and the metal over her eyes sliced in two falling apart.

He could no longer feel any magic or power coming from the chains, so figured he broke the enchantments stopping her from getting way. She still had her eyes closed, but they slowly opened to show her lime-yellow eyes blinking a few times as they adjusted on her pretty face as she looked at her saviour.

She shook herself clear of the feeling of restraint as she checked herself over before she pulled herself back to her bare feet looking weak and hungry. "What do you want out of me as a reward?" she suddenly asked without much thought or expression as she gave him a curious look.

"Just to know that you're OK," he replied huskily. "I don't do this for reward or recognition. I do this because I can. Do you need me to escort you home?"

She just looked at him with a small, amused smile as she thought about it. "No… I can find my own way to wherever I want to go," she responded as she turned from him. "Thank you… you are a strange young man… it shall be fun to see what you do next," she said before disappearing in a flash of white light.

Arrow could only stare at the spot she had been in awe before letting out his breath and heading back into the trees. He hadn't even gotten her name, and made a mental note to ask his damsels names straight away next time. Though, he has a feeling that he will be seeing her again, but now he has to worry about this Mistress and has an odd feeling that he's going to come across her very soon.

Naruto sat in camp with Hinata snuggled up to him when Kurenai and Tsume both seemed to wake at the same time and look around in panic only to see Naruto looking at them in amusement.

"You both fell asleep a few hours back," he said rolling his eyes. "But don't worry, I've had some shadow clones out keeping watch," he said smiling as he cuddled with Hinata-chan more while she held him, her body twisted tightly with his.

"I-I've never fallen asleep before," Kurenai said in shock and embarrassment.

"Me neither," Tsume said nervously. "But there's always a first for everything, but at least Naruto-kun's on the ball," she said laughing and trying not to feel foolish.

Naruto would have responded if Hinata hadn't woken, blushing as she realised how she is with Naruto and she blinked sleep from her eyes, but she didn't move from him as he's holding her in return with a smile as he was the first to say 'good morning' to her. It wasn't long after before Shino had woken.

They soon settled down for breakfast before sunbreak when they moved on where they slowly started moving into a darker part of the forest, and despite her embarrassment Hinata was hugging hold of Naruto's arm looking around in fear. He enjoyed her company, and she is too as he didn't tease her, but reassured her. She is so crept out that she point blank refused to activate her special eyes, afraid what she might see.

Though, Naruto didn't say anything about that he couldn't blame her. He knows what could be out there, and he has a bad feeling that they're not hunting a normal animal but rather a hideous monster that might want to eat them

"W-what is that smell, and how long until we're at the Monastery?" Naruto asked after a while. He was getting a bit bored with no attack forthcoming.

"I can smell it too," Tsume said after a moment with a frown. "It smells like… well, death," she said ominously. "The Monastery should just be on the other side of a small town called Grey Hill! We should be nearing the town now. I suggest you all prepare yourselves. This doesn't seem like it's going to be pleasant."

"And this fog…?" Kurenai asked as the forest floor is laden with thick fog and the deeper they travel the denser that it is that its obscuring their vision. "This fog doesn't look very normal…" she said looking around nervously.

"It's not made up of moisture," Naruto said after a moment. "So it's not the Hidden Mist Technique…" he said with his eyes scanning around. "I think I can smell some kind of magic…"

"Be careful," Shino suddenly spoke, agreeing with Naruto with a nod. "My insects say that something is following us…"

They kept on moving still but Naruto was looking to the floor and the fog. "It's the fog… whatever's creating this fog is watching us through it!"

"How do you know?" asked Kurenai while Hinata just squeezed herself into Naruto's arm tighter, and he could feel her shaking.

"I… I can sense it…" he answered slowly as his eyes flickered from left to right, alight and alert. "I… I can sense… well… I cannot explain it. It's like mysticism or something, but… different, kind of… I don't know how to describe it but maybe we should get out of here."

"Too late, we're already here," Tsume said as they came to the open gates with a cobbled stone path leading into the small and creepy town. It has the fog hovering around it making it dark, like night.

Though, they looked back to see the forest was completely obscured by fog and they shivered as they subconsciously knew they are trapped. "I guess this means we're going in…"

"No… we're leaving now…" Kurenai said but trailed to a stop as Naruto just shook his head.

"The fog… it's kind of… alive," he said in thought. "I doubt whatever… controls it will make it that easy, and I don't sense anything living in town, but we… we have to find the cause right? I mean if… I don't know but we… you know, probably can't get out before ending whatever this is…?"

They all jumped moments later as they heard the fierce howling coming from the town and all gave each other nervous looks before finally entering at a slow and cautious pace.

"Gods I'm glad Kiba isn't here," Kurenai couldn't help but say to nods all around.

To Be Continued…