I ran through the trees at a comfortable pace, only slightly burdened by the large storage scroll resting across my back.
I'd left Konoha not two days ago and not under the best of terms. Genki was still mad beyond belief at my manipulation of the All Seal's decision. The Hokage had been more welcoming and amiable to the idea though I was sure that, rather than being happy of my own initiative in the war effort, he was happier to have another pair of eyes watching his old team's backs.
It was easy to tell where the Hokage's team had been, and not just because of the bi-weekly reports Jiraiya's toads ferried to me. I could easily track the three thanks to the war path they carved, allowing their comrades to set up outposts in safety as they pushed the front deeper and deeper in Ame.
Each victory was hard won and even harder kept, though. Konoha shinobi were falling in spades to death, injury, and, in a few rare cases, enemy capture. Tsunade and her team simply couldn't cover the entirety of the border and wherever they weren't suffered massive casualties as the battle devolved into a bloody stalemate marked by guerilla and trench warfare.
I tried hard to not get distracted as I completed the Corps' rounds to the outposts but it was hard not to feel for the shinobi stationed there. I had arrived at one outpost too late, just in time to see it burned to the ground. Those who had survived were few and far between, regrouping and waiting desperately for relief from a larger outpost to the south. I stayed with them, delaying my own mission, long enough for the relief to get there but there was little I could do aside from strengthening their defenses and help around the makeshift camp where possible. Once the reinforcements came, I set off again, following the rugged trails and roads into disputed territory.
I knew exactly when I had finally caught up to the Hokage's team. I stood from an overhanging cliff, just gaping at the scene before me, overlooking the monstrous battle taking place before me.
The field before me was strewn with both Konoha and Ame dead and pockmarked with craters showing indiscriminate use of ninjutsu and explosive tags alike. The battle, which was dwindling down, had long since passed its climax and the four remaining fighters were quickly leading themselves into a stalemate. My blood ran cold as Hanzo and his giant salamander summons loomed over Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. The three jounin looked exhausted but Hanzo hardly seemed winded. I wondered how long they had been fighting before Hanzo joined his forces on the field.
"I'm surprised," I could hear Hanzo comment, his voice carrying over the steady rain as if amplified. "You three have survived against me longer than most. Perhaps I'll spare you, let you fight another day..."
His salamander leaned towards the three, opening its mouth as if to swallow them but Hanzo laid his hand against the beast's head, calming it. Hanzo returned his attention to the three jounin.
"As a reward for surviving, I'll name you the Densetsu no Sannin. Get stronger, little Sannin, and maybe you'll be able to survive this war." His voice was patronizing at best and I winced when Jiraiya took a step towards him.
"So you're just gonna run away then?"
Idiot, I grumbled to myself as Hanzo's expression changed from amusement to anger. I sprang into action, jumping in front of Jiraiya just as the massive salamander took a deep breath. I shot a kick at Jiraiya, who was too drained to defend himself in time, and knocked him out of danger as the salamander exhaled, launching a poisonous cloud directly at me.
"Fool," Hanzo spat. "This isn't your fight, little girl." I glared up at Ame's leader.
"Your tetrodotoxin doesn't affect me. Jiraiya," I said, only turning my head slightly to keep my eyes on Hanzo. "Get out of here. Tsunade, Orochimaru, you too. I'll catch up later."
"Suki, you can't!" Tsunade shouted to me, taking a step forward despite the quickly spreading poisonous gas. "He's too strong!"
"If you interfere, I'll never forgive you. This is personal." I turned my gaze onto Hanzo who studied me carefully before chuckling darkly.
"That hair... It seems one little mouse escaped. Don't fret. I'll be sure to remedy the situation, girl, and you will be reunited with your clan."
"I am Uzumaki Suki, the Umi Ryokou. Remember that well, Hanzo," I spat, going through a familiar set of hand seals before slamming my palm on the ground. Smoke surrounded me as I felt myself being lifted up.
"Great. An upstart newt," Koukyo growled. "You sure know how to pick your battles, kid."
"A toad?" Hanzo sneered. Koukyo stiffened beneath me and I grinned, drawing a kunai.
"Nobody calls me a toad," Koukyo snarled, drawing his katana. "Kid, ya might wanna get off."
In hindsight, challenging the legendary Hanzo of the Salamander to a one and one fight was probably not the wisest decision I could have made. He had years of experience on me and it was only my own creativity and sheer dumb luck that kept me alive and mostly uninjured long enough to buy the newly named Sannin the time they needed to hightail it out of there. I was close on their heels, though, busying Hanzo with an army of shadow clones and trapping the ground every three feet as I followed the Sannin out.
Still, it was a battle that needed to happen. Now I knew how much stronger I'd have to get to fight him on even terms and I was happy to note that it was a margin I'd be able to fill with a few more years of experience and training. Assuming I survived the war, that is. I already would have a new scar thanks to Hanzo, who had managed to carve a jagged gash into my arm just beneath my mastery tattoo.
As soon as I was out of the battle, a tiny white slug had appeared in my path, introducing herself as a summons of Tsunade's. With Katsuyu's help, I found my way to a somewhat sheltering rock formation.
Relief seeping into my bones as my eyes found the small and distinctive light of a campfire, I staggered towards it, the days of running only catching up to me now.
"Suki!" I smiled at Tsunade's worried voice as the blonde rushed forward, her hands already glowing a dull green as she caught sight of my bloodied arm. "I can't believe you did that! That was so reckless!"
"Well, I can't let Jiraiya always be the stupid one," I joked as Tsunade's teammates joined us in the rain.
"You shouldn't have done that. I'm saying that was a reckless move," Jiraiya said seriously. "How did you get out?"
"Come. We have some rations left," Orochimaru, ever the cool character, informed me calmly. "You should get dried off."
"Thanks, Oro," I nodded absently, letting Tsunade gently pull me towards the rocky shelter. The medic nin had me sit beside the fire and Jiraiya took a seat next to me as Tsunade continued to heal my arm. Orochimaru sat across from us, studying me closely.
"So how did you get away?" Jiraiya asked after Tsunade had finished bandaging my arm and I'd been given a bowl of thin soup by Orochimaru. I smiled weakly.
"A hell of a lot of clones and traps mostly. I sort of swarmed him and escaped in the smokescreen created when the clones dispelled."
"But you only got a scratch," Orochimaru frowned thoughtfully.
"I wouldn't call it a scratch," Tsunade grumbled. "She'll be lucky if she can form two handed seals by the end of the week."
"I'll be fully healed after a couple of days," I said, shaking my head. "Uzumaki healing and whatnot."
"So, how exactly did you get this far from Konoha? Doesn't running everything for Uzushio's finest kind of keep you tied down?" Jiraiya asked. My thoughts went to Genki and I winced. He hadn't come to see me leave.
"I abdicated the leadership to Genki. He's not too happy about it, but he'll keep everything under control until he finds a way to blackmail me back into the office."
"You don't want power?" Orochimaru asked. I shook my head.
"Not if it means that I'm stuck like that... I'm better in the field then signing papers all day."
"So you just did it to avoid paperwork?" Tsunade teased lightly. I shrugged with a wry grin.
"Among other things."
"That's surprisingly irresponsible, Suki-san," Orochimaru chided. I shrugged, wincing as the bandages tightened around my upper arm.
"You're going to get yourself killed out here," Tsunade murmured. I raised an eyebrow at her.
"And you're not? I think Hiruzen only let me leave as easily as he did is because he knew I'd be coming to back you three up. He gets worried about you guys."
"Aw, Suki-chan cares about us," Jiraiya grinned. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't read too much into it, baka."
"Hey!" He pouted sadly.