Chapter 10: Status Report
It was three days since Sakura left Konoha for Suna, three days since she told Wiseman of Strag's fate, and four days since that fate was met, and Raven took his leave. Sakura was now approaching the gates of Konoha, her squad of ANBU flanking her. Raven's sword slapped idly against her back as she ran and Sakura found herself hoping Raven hadn't returned yet. She also hoped the three days Wiseman had was enough to get over Strag's loss enough to tell her what happened.
The ANBU stayed with Sakura until she was back in her office. She dismissed them and entered her office with a sigh tossing her small bag onto the couch at the side of the room as she walked up to her desk. Sakura took the sword off her back and set in on her desk before walking to her bookshelf and taking a large scroll off the topmost shelf. She set the scroll on her desk and unrolled it to an open space; nearly every inch of the rest of the paper was covered in seals.
Sakura put Raven's sword on the empty space and traced out a seal over it with her hand before making a hand seal. In a puff of smoke the sword was gone and a new seal was on the paper with the others. Sakura rolled the scroll back up and returned it to it place before turning to the empty office, an office that shouldn't have been empty when she got back… 'Tsunade-sensei's gunna have a lot to answer for if she's drinking again' Sakura thought as she left the office in search of her old teacher.
x-X-x
Sakura entered the hospital room several minutes later. Tsunade had been busy in surgery when Sakura got back, which was why she wasn't in the office. When the Surgery was over Tsunade had filled Sakura in on what happened while she as gone, which wasn't much. After which Sakura was given the chance to come here to see if Wiseman was in a talking mood.
He looked up at Sakura when she entered the room and kept his eyes on her as she shut the door and sat in one of the chairs, Edge was sleeping. "Here to ask me again?" Wiseman asked after a slight pause.
"I'm sorry Wiseman-sama, but I really need to know what happened," Sakura said calmly.
Wiseman nodded, "I can't tell you everything, Strag was still fighting when I went unconscious," Wiseman said sitting up a bit, Sakura nodded her understanding. "Alright, this is what happened…"
x-X-x
A clear forest, trees everywhere and nothing to disturb the tranquility. That is until Zetsu shot out of the ground and smacked into a tree. He landed on his feet as if it hadn't happened and looked back at the one who threw him from the ground. Strag stood on the ground before him and Wiseman rose from the ground beside Strag.
"You are the ones sent to kill me?" Zetsu asked hungrily.
"No, we're the ones who saw you in our village, but we will be killing you," Strag said confidently.
"I am rather hungry, let's see if you can satisfy that," Zetsu said taking a step towards the two, both of which dropped into fighting stances.
"You ready for this?" Wiseman whispered to Strag as he drew his swords.
"I have no plan if that's what you mean," Strag said as his hands became blades.
"Then we better do this fast," Wiseman said running towards Zetsu, Strag following behind.
Zetsu didn't move as the two charged him when Wiseman reached him and swung his blade at his head Zetsu bent backwards at an impossible angle and snapped back upright one Wiseman had passed. Strag was right behind Wiseman and as he got close Zetsu bend low again, but Strag stopped short and turned his wide swing into a quick jab aimed at Zetsu's newly positioned chest.
A foot shot out of the oddly positioned folds of Zetsu's cloak to kick Strag in the stomach before the hit could land. Strag stumbled back a few steps form the hit allowing Zetsu to straighten up and look at him, Wiseman now positioned behind him. Zetsu's eyes remained on Strag and he seemed to be waiting for him to make the next move.
It was Wiseman who made that move, quickly and silently he started for Zetsu again, this time, he was unseen as well. Wiseman was steps away form him when Zetsu seemed to explode. His cloak was shredded and sent in all directions, the force causing Wiseman to stop and bring his arms up to guard his face, an action Strag mimicked.
The cause of the apparent explosion was revealed at the same time of the explosion, the green flytrap-like thing around Zetsu burst open. Its motions didn't stop at opening, as soon as it was freed of the cloak it shot towards Wiseman and in the shock of the incident snapped shut around him. Moments after it closed the flytrap was slit to shreds as Wiseman cut his way out.
As the remains fell to the ground Wiseman had just enough time to notice the single blue chakra string connecting the flytrap to the base of Zetsu's back before the sting vanished. Zetsu himself remained unmoved by all that just happened; he stood before the two with a completely bare upper half, black ninja pants and the same black sandals and white band as the rest of Akatsuki. There was no kunai pouch or supply pack on his person, no weapon of any kind and no clue as to what his home village is.
Wiseman and Strag started moving around Zetsu towards each other, neither getting any closer to their enemy and neither taking there eyes off him. "Don't remember reading that ability," Wiseman said as he got beside Strag.
"It said he was a cannibal, I'm guessing that's how he does it, just after the persons dead," Strag said raising and eyebrow at Zetsu.
"Wonder how many more near truths we got on him," Wiseman muttered.
"One's too many," was Strag's response.
Before Wiseman could say anything else Zetsu charged the pair with his arms spread out wide. Wiseman and Strag dodged in different directions and when Zetsu reached where the two were he stopped and turned to face Wiseman, his left arm extended towards him. Zetsu's left arm morphed into a large green vine that shot out at Wiseman and followed him along as he ran.
Wiseman stopped when he noticed it was following him and turned to face it, letting the vine pass through him before cutting in clean in two. Zetsu seemed to flinch in pain and retract the vine, when it returned to the normal length of his arm it changed back, not damage visible.
As soon as his arm was back in place Zetsu was forced to duck low as Strag took another swing at him. Zetsu kicked out at him again but Strag jumped over the kick to be directly above Zetsu and thrust downward again with his bladed hand. Zetsu shot his left arm backwards to face straight up and it morphed into a vine again growing in length and catching Strag in the chest, pushing him up and out of range, but Zetsu kept lifting Strag until he was above the treetops.
The vine would have continued growing but Wiseman appeared beside Zetsu and cut through the vine before it could be moved or retracted. Zetsu voiced his pain and jumped back, the vine reforming and arm, his right shot out at Wiseman and took the warrior by surprise as it became a large solid log. The log caught Wiseman hard in the gut and extended to slam his back against a tree, pinning him between the two blocks of wood before it retracted into Zetsu's right arm again.
Strag fell from the sky like a rock and slammed hard into the ground only to bounce up about five feet and land awkwardly on his knees. He shook his head as he got to his feet, "glad I can still do rubber," he muttered to himself before turning his hands back into their blades.
"Wish I could," Wiseman said and he forced himself to his feet and wiped the blood from his chin, both his swords were knocked from his hands by the hit. "Watch the right arm, it's a log," he added eyeing Zetsu who once again, stood still watching his enemies.
"I know," was all Sin said before he charged Zetsu again, Wiseman right behind him.
As the two ran at him Zetsu's right arm became a log again and swung at the two attackers. Strag jumped but got caught in the leg and hit the ground; Wiseman just went intangible and let the log pass through him not slowing in his run. Once the log was through Wiseman it started to retract, and Zetsu's left leg melded into the ground. As he ran something caught Wiseman's leg forcing him to stop, his momentum forcing him forward another step, and that foot was soon caught as well.
Wiseman looked down at his painfully spaced feet then back at Zetsu, realizing that his legs were caught in whatever Zetsu's left leg became. Strag was back on his feet and headed for Zetsu, but the vine arm launched out at him again and Strag was forced to dodge away. Zetsu kept his left arm lashing out at Strag keeping him away form Wiseman and himself. Wiseman had tried going intangible but whatever had his feet went with him, and kept their grip, and with whatever was holding his feet being Zetsu, meant Zetsu was intangible when Wiseman was.
This simple fact meant that when Zetsu's right arm was a log again and came swinging down at him form straight above Wiseman had nowhere to go and no way to block. Wiseman was hit dead on and forced to the ground on his stomach. The log lifted up and whatever had Wiseman's feet let him go, letting him get to his knees and look at Zetsu. Before he could react Wiseman was hit head on in the head and shoulders by the end of the log and was pushed back to slam into a tree. After impact Wiseman slumped to the ground and Zetsu pulled the log back.
x-X-x
"And that's all I remember, that hit knocked me out," Wiseman said looking at Sakura.
Sakura nodded and stood up, "thank you Wiseman-sama, I know it was hard for you to tell me. I'll write it myself, don't worry about that," she said pushing the chair back to where it was.
Before Wiseman could thank her for that the door burst in and a chuunin rushed into the room, "Hokage-sama, you have to come with me," he exclaimed stopping in front of Sakura.
"What? What's wrong?" she demanded giving the chuunin her full attention.
"Zetsu, ANBU scouts found him in the forest, they're bringing him in now," the Chuunin nearly shouted.
Sakura glanced back at Wiseman before turning to the chuunin, "explain on the way," she said motioning for the chuunin to lead the way and following him out of the room when he had.
"What was that about?" Edge asked sitting up and looking at Wiseman.
"We just caught the man who killed Tunos. How long you been awake?" Wiseman asked looking sideways at Edge.
"Since you started the story," Edge said grinning slightly.
x-X-x
Once Wiseman hit the ground Zetsu pulled back the log and the vine as well as unmerged his left foot so that he was back to his normal self. When the vine was pulled back Strag hand the chance to run over to Wiseman. Strag checked his pulse and sighed in relief when he felt it; Wiseman was still alive, just unconscious.
"He shall make a good meal," Zetsu said without moving.
"The only way you're gunna eat him is over my dead body," Strag said taking a few steps towards Zetsu as if protecting Wiseman's body.
"Very well, I'll eat you first," Zetsu said calmly.
"I wouldn't recommend that, might give you indigestion," Strag said grinning, he had a plan now.
Zetsu's response was launching his log of a right arm out at Strag. Strag ran straight ahead and jumped when he reached the log, running along it. Zetsu quickly retracted the log unsteadying Strag's feet and causing him to fall. Just as Strag got his feet back under him he was grabbed around the waist by the vine again and lifted high into the air before slammed into the ground.
Once Strag hit the ground the vine was pulled back again allowing him to slowly get up. Strag never reached his feet because as soon as he looked at Zetsu he saw the front of the log shooting straight at him. Strag had just enough time to bring his arms up to cover his head before the log hit him and smashed him into a tree. When it pulled back Strag fell limply to the ground, his hands back to normal.
Zetsu walked over to the remains of his flytrap and started doing a few seals, when he was done he aimed his hands at the pieces which started to glow blue with his chakra and pull together. When the flytrap had reassembled itself the chakra string stemmed from Zetsu's back and connected to it again. With his flytrap back in order Zetsu started walking towards Strag, he had said Wiseman would only be eaten over his dead body.
The flytrap moved in on Strag and the warrior clenched his fist in agitation, he wasn't sure it would work; he only hoped that his last plan would be as flawless as all that came before it. The flytrap scooped Strag up into itself and started clenching tight, Strag could feel himself disappearing, though it didn't hurt that was a small consolation. After a few moments, when Strag didn't know if he could hold on any longer he turned his whole body into a giant ball of spikes.
The flytrap was instantaneously shredded into nothing and the chakra string vanished. Zetsu voiced his pan and fell to one knee, both hands grasping his stomach as blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Zetsu looked around, nothing of Strag remained and the pain in his stomach would keep him form reforming his flytrap. Voices and other noises from the direction of the village alerted Zetsu to the fact that ninja would soon be there, and he had to go. He forced himself to his feet and took to the trees. After a little bit he heard the ninja closing in so he stopped and melded into a tree letting the ninja pass him.
Once they were gone Zetsu reemerged from the tree and coughed a large amount of blood onto the branch he was standing on. The pan in his stomach prevented him form moving once melded, it also made simply melding very painful. Zetsu stomped on the branch hard causing it to break and crash to the ground, taking his bloodstain with it. After doing that Zetsu took off in a different direction, he couldn't return to base inured, Vox had killed Vin, and that was his own man.
After a few more hours Zetsu couldn't move any further and jumped to the floor. He stumbled around a bit before falling to his hands and knees and coughing up even more blood. Moments later he crashed to the ground and didn't move again, blood continued to pour form his mouth.
x-X-x
"He was dead when the scouts found him," the medic in the room said once Sakura entered.
"Did you find the cause of death yet?" Sakura asked approaching the body.
"No, I was waiting for you before cutting him open," the medic replied calmly.
Sakura nodded to him and the medic took a scalpel and cut Zetsu from the base of his neck to his navel. Sakura walked over and reached into the seam at his chest, and pulled them apart, several of the ribs cracking as she violently opened the body cavity.
Everyone stepped back at looking inside Zetsu's body cavity, "I think we've found the cause of death," the medic said shakily, Sakura only nodded, her face paling slightly.
There, in his chest, what should have been Zetsu's stomach was nothing more than a large sack of spikes. The spikes shot all over the cavity, and the only thing in there not hit in some way was his heart, and even that was nicked. There was no doubt it was Strag, and if any had heard his last words, they would all agree that Zetsu had one hell of a case of indigestion.
x-X-x
Vox sat in his chair behind his desk, Zool stood off to the side having just handed Vox the two rings he now held in his hand. At a knock at the door Vox put the rings in a drawer of his desk and called for whoever it was to enter.
Pein walked in, not even bothering to close the door. He reached Vox's desk and stopped, "we have a problem," he said calmly.
"I know, Master Zool has just informed me. It seems only us three and our three captains remain, and we haven't reached that part in the plan yet," Vox said standing up.
"Who's Zool's captain?" Pein asked looking at the black draped man.
"Itachi. Turns out he was left alive for some reason, if he had escaped he'd have returned, he is no longer among us, though he remains alive," Vox said.
"What do you intend to do?" Pein asked looking back at Vox.
"Simple. We've been forced into phase two, you can tell your captain the plan, I'll tell mine if he returns alive, he's to be sent out next," Vox said walking around his desk to his door.
Pein didn't say anything as he watched Vox leave, and waited until he was gone before leaving himself. Once they were both gone Zool followed, closing the door behind him.
x-X-x
Wiseman, Sin, Grim, Sage, Jiraiya, and Tsunade all stood in Sakura's office; Edge was still in the hospital. She had told them everything she knew and had about Raven, even about his sword. The only thing she left out was Itachi still being alive; so far she had only confided that information to Jiraiya and Tsunade.
Sakura had finished giving them the information as was waiting on any questions when the doors burst open and Raven strolled in a grin on his face. He was dressed differently now, though he still wore the black sandals his pants were now dark blue ninja pants. He wore a sleeveless black over coat open exposing his bare chest and fingerless ninja gloves on his hands, his hair was also cut shorter so that it barely had any length at all.
"Hokage, have you got my item for me?" Raven asked upon entering the room.
"And this is him, this is Raven," Sakura said gesturing towards Raven, all the others turned to look at him.
"What the hell's going on?" Raven asked looking around with a raised eyebrow, his grin gone.
"I was informing them of who you are and the agreement we've made," Sakura said standing. "Have you taken care of what you left to do?" she asked eyeing the immortal.
"Yes, but as I said, my item first, that and I don't want any around when I tell you about it, for obvious reasons," Raven said nodding once.
Sakura sighed and nodded before going to her book case and getting the scroll she had sealed the sword in. she walked back to her desk to find Raven standing at the other side of it expectantly, a giddy grin on his face. Sakura set the scroll on her desk and unrolled it to the seal Raven's sword was in. Raven was eying the seal expectantly.
"If I give you this blade, how do I know you'll keep your word and follow mine? How do I know you won't go on another killing rampage?" Sakura asked placing her hands on either side of the seal and looking at Raven intently.
Raven returned the stare before raising his right pointer finger, glowing blue. The glow extended past the finger tip and Raven held his left arm over Sakura's desk, but careful to not have it over the scroll. Everyone was looking at him curiously and Tsunade let out a gasp when she saw what he was doing. Raven quickly brought his finger to his exposed forearm and cut deep into the flesh, blood pouring from the wound onto Sakura's desk, "I swear, on this blood I spill at your feet, that I am yours to command until this same blood, drained from the veins of my brother, lays at my own," Raven said staring into Sakura's eyes.
The wound sealed up and Sakura glanced at Jiraiya and Wiseman, both of which nodded. Sakura sighed and bit her thumb tracing the blood across the seal and doing a single hand seal. In a puff of smoke Raven's sword was on her desk. Raven grinned widely and took it in his hands, spinning it around and getting used to its weight again before putting it at the back of his coat where it stayed.
Grim raised an eyebrow at the gravity defying feat, "how?" he asked pointing at the suspended blade.
Raven glanced back at Grim and jabbed a thumb at his sword, "magnets, lots of little strong ones," he said before turning back to Sakura, "you want my intel now?" he asked.
Sakura nodded, "yes, you are all dismissed, thank you," Sakura said nodding to everyone. They all, save Raven, returned it and started leaving. As they left Sakura returned the scroll to the shelf. When she returned to her desk all Raven's blood was gone, she was going to ask, but decided against it.
Raven waited for the door to shut at Sakura to sit before he began, "aside from the ten member of Akatsuki Vox has four men working with him. There are also servants, but they are of no worry. Two of the others are dead, as are six of Akatsuki," Raven said simply.
"Seven," Sakura corrected.
"Right, as far as the public knows, seven," Raven said with a grin.
"No, as far as the public knows eight, seven in reality. Zetsu was killed, we recently recovered his body," Sakura said.
Raven seemed shocked by this, but quickly surpassed that, "one off the remaining two, Wrok, Itachi ranks at about Kisame's level, though he believes it is actually higher. The other, whom Itachi said Vox refers to as his Master, is a complete unknown, but I can guarantee he'll be a challenge for any but myself," Raven said with a straight face.
"Did you get the location?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, according to Itachi they are in the Rice Country, using one of Orochimaru's old caves, the second your village found in the area," Raven said simply.
"How does Itachi know what order we found Orochimaru's caves?" Sakura asked.
"No idea, he wouldn't tell me his source for that," Raven said shrugging.
Sakura sighed, "alright, you can go, I'll let you know when we're going to make our move," Sakura said nodding at Raven.
Raven returned it at left the office without a sound. Sakura signed again, she really wished this was easier, Tsunade would know what to do…
x-X-x
AN: Merry Christmas! This was actually done in time for Christmas, but I didn't want to update until after so here it is, after. Hope you liked it.