A/N Welcome back to another installment of Red Dawn Rising - Revenge of a Demon. Naruto departs from Amegakure to judge the villages and see if they either passed...or failed. First up is Takigakure, the Hidden Waterfall Village, Kakuzu's home. Let's see what happens hm? Here's the link for Naoshi's picture (Scroll down to bottom of page) Anti_Readen_
Chapter 9 - Vile Blood Curse
Naruto, Akayuri and Kurama found themselves in the dense forest surrounding Amegakure, probably half a mile away from the village.
"The First place we will be going to is Takigakure." said Naruto as he formed veiled straw hats for the three of them along with his Kitsune mask.
"Doesn't Takigakure kinda have a bad history with Jinchuuriki and Bijuu, you know, with persecuting them an all?" asked Akayuri while she placed her straw hat on top of her head and Naruto put on his mask.
"They may have changed, but we cannot let our guard down. When we enter the village, Kurama and I will mask our chakra, considering we're Bijuu."
"We will stay one day and one night in the village to observe only, then once we have our results, we either leave or pretend to leave, returning to kill their current Kage and all who oppose us. We will spread a rumor that a mercenary, a Yokekage, has taken control of the village." explained Kurama while he put on his.
"Let's go." said Naruto, the three of them heading out with him in the lead. Coincidentally they had left at the earliest light of dawn and by mid-day, had arrived just a few miles out from Takigakure.
Suddenly Kurama stopped and sniffed the air, his eyes narrowed. "I smell smoke…" he said, Naruto and Akayuri soon smelling the heavy and intoxicating feeling in their nostrils as well.
"Let's get a better look."
Naruto leaped into the trees, Akayuri and Kurama hot on his heels as they climbed towards the tree tops of the dense forest. Naruto was the first the surface from the entanglement of branches and leaves, along with being the first to see the shocking sight unfolding before him.
Takigakure had multiple large smoke columns rising into the air, fires could be seens ablaze among the buildings of the village, and the giant tree it was centered around untouched, at least for the moment.
"Woah…" said Akayuri as she emerged from the leaves, followed by Kurama. "Takigakure appears to be under attack. How about we go, "Help them out"?" asked Kurama with a smirk, Naruto nodding as he sprinted forward and leapt from the tree tops, easily clearing the distance between them and the village.
A Taki ANBU operative in a light blue cloak was standing on a roof of one of the buildings in the southeast sector of the village with his squad, trying to assess the situation, when Naruto and company landed on the roof behind them.
"Are you Akatsuki?" asked the ANBU after turning around, Naruto gazing up at him with narrowed eyes.
"Is that a problem?" he asked, the ANBU shaking his head.
"Not at all, actually, your help would be much appreciated at the moment."
"What's the situation?" asked Akayuri.
"Our new Jinchuuriki is rampaging through the village. All our attempts to stop him have been brutally eradicated."
"Why is that?" asked Kurama, suspicious of the reason behind it.
"He's emotions are unstable sometimes, and even the slightest bit of sarcasm to him can put him on a rampage. This is the third time this year." explained the ANBU as Naruto started to walk up the slanted roof to where he stood.
"Where is he?" he asked, the ANBU pointing with his finger to a ghastly sight that made even Naruto's stomach turn.
"Over there, in that hell of a mess." said the ANBU, his finger directing Naruto's gaze to the north part of the village where the water around it was blood red and where the most fires and devastation was concentrated. What shook him the most was the four, gigantic blood red tendrils reaching maybe a mile high into the sky, slithering around like a snake and slamming down onto the village, leaving smashed houses coated with red liquid.
It looked like all hell had broken loose.
"What is that?" asked Akayuri when she reached the top of the roof, Kurama having the same reaction before he recognized the chakra emitting from the area.
"It's our Jinchuuriki's Kekkei Genkai, theGeretsuna chi no noroi, the Vile Blood Curse." informed the ANBU, Naruto briefly thinking back to the Akatsuki member Hidan, and how he had ingested the blood of his victim in order to curse them and then kill them.
"How does it work, and what's his name?" asked Kurama quickly.
"His name is Ketsueki Haetoriso, and how the Vile Blood Curse works is that he must ingest the blood of a victim first before he can utilize the Kekkei Genkai. It allows him to use his own blood from his body to form gigantic tendrils like those from his back and form claws from his hands. It's very...ugh, gory, to watch him fight." said the ANBU, feeling a little queasy.
"Alright, we'll take care of this, you keep your men back." said Naruto as he stepped forward and launched himself off the roof, Kurama and Akayuri following behind him.
They landed near the hellzone and walked forward cautiously, eyeing the multiple dead bodies cluttering the streets and blood dripping everywhere.
"We need to hurry, Chomei, the Nanabi, is in distress. She's fearing for her life and worried about her Jinchuuriki." said Kurama, Naruto nodding as they turned the corner of the street.
They were all absolutely horrified at the sight laying before them. Dead bodies, horribly mutilated, were scattered everywhere, bits of rubble and debris spread around the area and blood covering the buildings, streets, everywhere.
"God have mercy…" uttered Akayuri as they walked past the gut wrenching horror scene.
Suddenly a bloodcurdling scream pierced the air, Naruto and Kurama covering their ears in pain as the screech echoed out across the village. Akayuri looked up and the sun became blotted out with red.
"Look out!" she yelled before tackling Naruto and Kurama to the side, one of the gigantic tendrils slamming down through the buildings and street where they once stood, flattening everything. "This is getting worse. If we don't stop him, he may destroy the village for us." said Naruto as the three got up and ran through the bloody streets of the hellzone in search for their quarry. Finally they found him in the center of a large courtyard.
The magnitude of carnage was the worst here, with blood dripping from the massive tendrils flowing out from the man's back down onto the ground, splattering the red liquid everywhere.
Even more bodies were centered around here, some of them Taki Shinobi and ANBU.
Naruto stepped forward and his foot hit a puddle of blood, making a squishing noise.
Ketsueki heard the sound and turned his head to glare at them with rage filled eyes, Naruto being able to get a good look of him. He had slightly tanned skin and rippling muscles, brown shaggy hair, and purple and green hued plant like scales on his body on his wrists and on his back, extending over his shoulders and around his lower chest as well. (Link for picture - art/Feral-Blood-56646120)
Blood was dripping from his lips and down his chin as he growled beastialy at the three Akatsuki members, Naruto rasing his hands.
"Calm down Ketsueki, we don't want to hurt you." he said soothingly as he slowly made his way to the raging Jinchuuriki, Kurama and Akayuri ready to protect him at a moments notice.
Ketsueki growled again as he clenched his fists, three long claws made from his blood extending out from his knuckles.
"We're not going to hurt you. My name is Naruto, I know how you feel Ketsueki. You were ridiculed in the village weren't you? Treated like shit, right?" asked Naruto, Ketsueki's eyes widening as those words hit his ears.
"I was a JInchuuriki as well, I can help you. I've felt that same pain for my entire life, ever since I was born. I can make that pain go away." continued Naruto, the closer and closer he got to the unstable Ketsueki, the more danger he was putting himself in.
"R-Really?" asked the man in a broken voice.
"Yes, just let us help you." said Naruto, now only a couple of feet away from Ketsueki.
"How do I know...I can trust you?" asked Ketsueki, Naruto pausing in his creep.
"Because Chomei, the Bijuu sealed inside of you, she's worried for you."
"Chomei…?"
"It's her name. She's worried about you, she doesn't like you like this." soothed Naruto as he got inches away from Ketsueki.
"Just...Just make the pain...go away…" cried Ketsueki as tears began to roll down his face, Naruto nodding as he placed his hand against the man's chest, right over his heart, and sent a small pulse of his chakra through the man's heart, knocking him out.
Instantly the blood tentacles disappeared and Ketsueki fell into Naruto's arms, his eyes closed and mouth slightly ajar.
The ANBU from earlier and a team of ten other ANBU and Taki Shinobi landed in the courtyard, one of them vomiting at the sight of the carnage.
"God, this is the worst one yet...It's a miracle that you came along. Thank you…?"
"Akuma. Call me Akuma." said Naruto, the man nodding as he sent two ANBU to fetch a stretcher.
"We'll be staying overnight in the village, if that's okay with you." said Kurama, the man nodding.
"I'll send word to our Second Takikage, Shibuki." said the ANBU, sending one of the Jonin Shinobi to send the message.
"*Shibuki...I remember him when I first came here...It would be a shame that Takigakure would have failed and I would have to kill him…" thought Naruto as the two ANBU arrived with the stretcher the other had sent for and loaded Ketsueki onto it to carry him.
"A good day to you." said the lead ANBU as he departed with his team, leaving the three Akatsuki members alone.
"So, what so you think? Are their intentions good?" asked Kurama as they turned around and began to walk away from the courtyard. r
"I couldn't sense any ill intent from any of them, Takigakure may have changed for the better." said Naruto before they leaped onto the rooftops.
-Night-
They had been checked into a hotel in one of the better parts of the village after Ketsueki's rampage.
Naruto looked up at the darkening sky and performed a few hand signs before raisin his hand towards the sky.
"Ukojizai no Jutsu." said Naruto, a clap of thunder echoing out from the clouds as a soft drizzle started to pepper the village.
Slowly, he began to feel all of the chakra signatures in the village, thanks to the small amounts of chakra he fused with the rain drops.
Suddenly he cringed at the spike of ill intent he felt in the center of the village, Naruto looking around until he found to source of it.
The tree.
He raced down the steps to their room and burst trough the door, startling Kurama and Akayuri.
"Something's happening at that big tree in the center of the village. I sense a huge concentration of negative energy there." said Naruto quickly, Kurama and Akayuri quickly leaping into action.
"There's no time to waste, let's go." said Akayuri as they ran out of the room, soon leaping from rooftop to rooftop towards the gigantic tree.
They ran up its side until they entered the mess of branches and leaves, the rain splattering against their faces and cloaks through the leaves.
They burst through a later of leaves to see multiple cloaked figures gathered around a beaten and bloody Ketsueki, chains wrapped around his limbs keepin him pinned against the tree.
One of the men turned and Naruo hissed at him, recognizing his chakra as that of the ANBU they had met earlier.
"What so you think your doing?" Demanded Naruto, his rage growing towards these men.
"We're punishing him for going beserk, he should know his place in our village." said the ANBU darkly, Naruto growling deeply.
"You would join us if you know how we felt." said another, Kurama snarling at him.
"Seems Takigakure still has some sinful people loving inside of it. Allow me to show you my true side..." snarled Maruo as he instantly transformed into his three tailed Version 1 state, almost blowing back the assembles cloaked men.
"He's a Jinchuurikri too!" shouted one before Kurama appeared in front of him and stabbed him through the heart with his hand.
"Fools, we are no longer human nor are we a Jinchuuriki. My name is Kurama, the Nine Tailed Demon Fox! I will murder you all for torturing one of our kin's holders!" roared Kurama, in a flash him and Naruto laying waste to the men.
In just a couple of seconds, the men were slaughtered, blood splattered everywhere, on the branches, on the leaves, and all over Kurama's and Naruto's cloaks. Naruto walked over to Ketsueki and burned away the spiked chains before picking him up.
"Who...Who are you?"
"The one who will get retribution for these men's sins." said Naruto as he leaped away from the gorey scene with Akayuri and Kurama, heading straight towards the Kage tower.
Shibuki was busy dealing with the nightmare known as paperwork when Naruto, Kurama and Akayuri burst in through the door, carrying the barely alive Ketsueki.
"Holy hell! What happened to him?" asked Shibuki as he rushed over to them.
"Some of your subordinates were torturing him for going on a rampage. We eliminated them for their sins." said Naruo as he crossed his arms.
"What?! Well then...thank you for doing that." said Shibuki as he turned his back on them, a very fatal mistake.
A clawed hand burst out of his chest, his still beating heart oozing blood onto the ground in the hand's grasp.
"Your village failed under your leadership, and for that you must pay. I shall be taking over for you while you're away on a permanent vacation." said Naruto as he drew back his arm, letting Shibuki fall to the ground, a puddle of blood accumulating around his body.
Lightning flashes outside and Akayuri, for the first time, saw true rage in Naruto's blazing crimson eyes, making her shrink back in fear. His rage even unsettled Kurama, the Bijuu praying for Konoha that they better be blessed with a quick annihilation from Naruto, and not a slow one, because Naruto would make them feel every single last ounce of pain ever imagined by man before you died.
Naruto kneeled beside the barely breathing Ketsueki and placed his palm on his chest, sending an influx of his chakra through his system and healing him.
Ketsueki coughed and looked up at Naruto with tired eyes and said, "Thank you."
"Of course." said Naruo with a small smile, Ketsueki returning the gesture before falling into a deep sleep.
"So I guess he's going with us?" asked Kurama.
"He's going to be one of our members. His Kekkei Grnkai is interesting and he would be a powerful ally. Plus, he's been treated the same way I had... I can't leave him like this. I owe him that." said Naruto as he hoisted the sleeping Jinchuuriki in his arms and walked towards the door. eu
"Hello? Can you hear me?" asked a feminine voice inside Naruto's head, making him stop in surprise.
"Who is this?" asked Naruto, the voice silent for a second.
"My name is Chomei, I'm the Nanabi. Your carrying my Jinchuuriki." said the voice.
"Ah, of course. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, the second Kyuubi you could say."
"Second Kyuubi? I thought you were Kurama. Where is he?"
"I'm right here Chomei. Naruto's a friend, don't worry. He was once my former Jinchuuriki before he became a Bijuu like us." spoke Kurama, Chomei silent once again.
"Oh, okay. Well, what I wanted to say was thank you for saving my Jinchuuriki, I just couldn't stand to watch him get hurt like that anymore. I'm in your debt." said Chomei.
"Of course. He'll be safe from now on." said Naruto, Chomei saying farewell before her presence in his mind dissapeared.
Suddenly Naruto found himself walking beside Akayuri and Kurama towards the gate of the village, people cowering away from them.
"Woah..." said Naruto while Kurama smirked at him.
"Bijuu telepathy does that to you." he said before laughing, Naruto joining him as they walked out of the office, Takigakure scratched off their list of villages.
They returned to their hotel room as gathered up their supplies before leaving the village with Ketsueki in tow, Naruto being the one who carried him in a gigantic hand made out of his demonic chakra extending out from his back.
A/N much longer chapter, there we go. The character contest is almost over an you guys have made me sad by not entering anything. I'm almost to a point where I might just put the story on pause and wait for you to submit some stuff. Maybe, maybe not, I don't know. Leave a fav and a review an Ill be back.