A/N: It's been a while since I last update my story. I really appreciate all of you patience. Life gave me a good beating for the past few months, but I survive. And this new chapter is proof that I'm still alive. Enjoy...
- That's their secret hideout? Stealthy, isn't it? - Mikey said sarcastically.
Before them was what seemed to be the entrance to the shadow clan's lair. It was twice the size of the gate that leads to the Daimyo's castle, and the sinister atmosphere emitting from it was unmistakable. Even the plant withered around it.
- Do not let look deceive you, Michelangelo-san - Neji reminded him - What appears in plain sight conceals a much bigger fortress underneath. It stretches out far and wide, all the way to where Tenten and Raphael-san escaped.
Crouched to the ground, the white eye boy quickly drew a sketch of what his Byakugan could take in about the lair of their enemy. Ue gasped at the scale of the picture:
- How could they develop this much without being detected? What have those royal guards been doing?
- Do not blame them, Ue-sama - Neji said - It was carefully hidden by some sort of barrier. Even my eye had a hard time locating it.
- With a stronghold this big, they can take over the Battle Nexus anytime, what's holding them back? - Leo asked.
- It is probably thanks to the barrier of the Daimyo - Usagi guessed - And do not forget that he possesses the War Staff which they all fear.
- Alright, now that we got a good look of what they have, can we get a move on here? - Raph was practically jumping between his feet.
- If you want to rush in there and be the first victim of the War Staff, be our guest.
Tenten's remark cooled the hothead turtle down a little, which also raised another question to them all: how to retrieve the most powerful weapon in this multiverse?
- It takes years of experience and a great deal of power to control the staff - Leo speculated, remembering how the weapon got out of control in the wrong hand - I don't think they can handle it efficiently, giving the short time we allow them.
- It can be more dangerous that way - Neji shook his head - If they can't control it, should it go berserk we'll all be in danger.
- But the more we wait, the more they'll know how to solve that problem - Lee argued - I suggest we strike now. The chance of success would be higher.
Everyone went silent to think over what Lee said, even Raph. The Konoha ninjas were all in the unknown about how powerful the staff can be, while the turtles still couldn't shake of the chill experiencing its power first hand. Suddenly, Mikey perked up:
- Neji, can you see any other entrance?
- Many. They probably use them as escape routes in case of danger, but the closest is still far away from here.
- Ooookay. I think we can work this out. All we need is a diversion.
- What do you have in mind, Mikey? - Leo arched an eyebrow, but all he received was a confident smirk...
:::
- Be quick with it, sorcerer! - The shadow clan leader demanded - We have little time before they come after us.
- Please be patient my lord, I'm working with my best effort here.
Even saying that, the shadow sorcerer's progress in controlling the War Staff was irritably slow for his leader's impatience. They both grew more frustrated with every passing minute, and the assassin lord was all but to rip his subordinate's head out to control the weapon himself. He was about to burst another urge when the shake of the whole lair sent them both to the ground. Moment later, an assassin minion rushed in, only to be choked by his angry superior:
- Insolent fool! I specifically ordered not to be disturbed under ANY circumstance! - He growled.
- Ack... my lord... the kame...
That last word caused the hand of the mighty assassin to tighten, blocking the next word and also cut off the poor minion's way of breathing.
- Impossible! How could they discover this place so soon?
He yanked the sorcerer by the neck, dragging them both outside the dark room, only to be welcomed at the sight of the turtles, along with their Konoha ninjas friends, laying waste to his hideout.
- YOU! - He roared - How dare you...?
- What? If ya think we didn't wanna take that staff back, ya got another one coming! - Raph cut him off.
- Don't even think you can escape my eyes, filthy assassin! - Neji struck down another incoming enemy - Return what you have stolen, and your life will be spared!
The assassin leader's eyes boiled with anger. He pushed the sorcerer forward despite his poor minion cowering in fear. The sorcerer knew he had no choice, so he simply pointed the War Staff toward the turtles, concentrating on unleashing its power.
- Watch out! We can't let him use that thing! - Tenten shouted out the obvious.
The young kunoichi launched a handful of shuriken at the dark creature, only to be reflected back by a crimson barrier.
- I did it, master! - The sorcerer cried in triumph - We have the War Staff under control.
- Excellent! Now KILL THEM ALL!
Blasts of dark red energy shot out from the tip of the staff, meeting the retrieving team head on. Don punch hard on the ground, and a stone wall erected just in time to block the incoming attack. It soon crumbled by the devastating force, but the turtles and the ninja team had enough time to scatter around, continuing to advance and distract the sorcerer. The shadow leader joined the fray immediately and tackled Leo, but he was blasted away by a simple lightning bolt. He didn't even have time to fall to the ground, cause Neji's kick in mid-air sent him to the opposite direction.
The sorcerer continued shooting out energy beam, but he did more damage to the lair instead of his enemy, since Lee, Mikey and Tenten were too fast for him to keep up. The red clad and the purple clad turtles seemed to be easy targets at first, but the impenetrable emerald skin and the rock armor Don used to cover himself proved otherwise. Both of them advance at a steady pace toward the dark wizard, occasionally knocking away any blast he sent toward them.
The shadow clan leader took in the battlefield before him with a furious eye, before turning to Leo and Neji. He vaporized himself and shrouded them both, forcing them to stand back to back. Neither could do any harm to him at this state. Neji covered his face with one hand:
- Don't inhale the smoke, Leonardo-san! The dark ki can be poisonous.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the Hyuuga prodigy. He looked down to see his side was dyed in red. Two sharp blades shone in the dark creature's hands, dripping with his blood.
- You will all perish here, pathetic maggots! - The triumphant voice rung around them.
- We'll see about that! - Leo countered, and focused on his inner power.
Light from the blue lightning on his body shone brighter than ever, but he still maintained the turtle form. Don's theory was correct, for out of the corner of his eye, Leo saw the light on his brothers resonated with his own, flickered and strengthened their abilities. The assassin could see what's happening as well and dove in to take Leo out, but Neji jumped in between and chopped the blades off with his chakra-covered hand.
- Do not stop no matter what, Leonardo-san!
- Not when you're bleeding like that! Stay back! I'll take care of him!
Not even wait for Neji to argue, Leo shot a fist pass the boy's face and straight to the dark cloud surrounding them. A painful cry pierced their ears as the smoke recoiled and solidified back to be the assassin leader, one hand clutched over his chest.
- How... how can this be...?
- You don't need to know about that! - Leo countered, though he didn't know the answer himself either - Give it up, or we'll have to end this the hard way.
The shadow master looked over his sorcerer and those jumping around him. His chest wouldn't stop throbbing from the searing pain. He yelled to the dark wizard:
- Sorcerer! Assist me! Give me power from the War Staff!
The sorcerer stared down at his battered master, his hands moving on their own in controlling the War Staff, which was getting more and more accurate with the attack to suppress the turtles and the Konoha ninjas. He spoke, his voice dropped an octave:
- I shall assist you, master... to send you to the AFTERLIFE!
A red beam of light burst out from the staff and hit the assassin leader right on his chest before the stunned eye of everyone. The dark creature made a perfect arc, then hit the ground hard, unmoving. Leo immediately grabbed Neji:
- He's gone out of control! We need to get you out of here!
- It's only a light wound, I'll be fine - Neji tried to push him away, one hand clutching over his side to stop the bleeding - You should keep distracting him.
- I'm not leaving you alone like this. Get over here!
Despite the white boy's resistance, Leo hauled him over to a corner with not much obstruction, since the remaining assassins had started to panic due to the sorcerer's mutiny. He put Neji down as gently as he could manage while the boy still thrashing around.
- Stay put, or your wound will get bigger. I don't want to explain to your sensei if you give out on us.
Just to make sure, right when Neji was about to stand up again, Leo swiftly struck his pressure points, immobilized him. pulling out the shell cell, he called out to his brothers:
- Raph, Mikey! Keep the sorcerer busy! Donnie, I need you to barricade Neji here.
Don now had to dodge the blasts coming from the War Staff, but with just one punch to the ground, rock start to form around Neji, hiding him from undesired attention and the misfire. Now Leo could get back to the battlefield without worry. He charged up his mystic power, and shot a lightning bolt to the dark wizard. The bolt met another red beam and they dispersed each other. Raph called up to the sorcerer:
- Not much of a loyal dog now right, when ya got a weapon like that?
- Do not mock me kame! I will let you join my former leader soon, and then I can take over this multiverse!
As if he went berserk, the rebellion wizard wave the staff to make an arc, and the shockwave sent everyone to the opposite side of the lair. Tenten snapped:
- Nice going, tough guy! The last thing we need is for him to go wild!
- Hey! We need ta keep occupied, remember?
- Everyone watch out! - Mikey yelled - Here he comes again!
- Not if we can help it! - Leo reassured them - Change of plan: Hit and run!
The gang got back on their feet and scattered around immediately, evading the deadly beam by a hair's breath. Lee and Mikey practically bouncing off the walls, driving the sorcerer furious for missing them constantly. His others targets weren't an easy lot either, since he had to shield himself from the onslaught of Tenten and Don. In the meantime, Leo had dragged Raph back much to the hothead's confusion:
- What are ya doing? I ain't gonna be left out from this fun.
- I know, that's why I just want to give you this.
Without any more word, Leo put his hand on Raph's plastron. Both flame and lightning burst up from their bodies, the blue clad turtle had to gather till the last ounce of his mind to control the resonance of ki.
- Now we're talking! - Raph punched the air in excitement and bolted to the middle of the sorcerer's counterattack, barely caught what his brother said from behind:
- Remember the plan, Raph! Try not to kill him!
The columns of fire and lightning were hardly missed by the dark wizard. Seeing the red clad turtle advanced toward him with a steadfast pace and a smugly grin of his face, he ignored the rest of the retrieving team and pointed the staff at Raph. Dark red lightning started gathering around its tip, and shortly after a huge beam of red light shot out from it, meeting the emerald ninja head on. Raph just calmly held up his hand, the red light blasted right at him.
BOOM!
The shockwave drew cracks to the lair. Don gasped:
- Leo! What were you thinking? Why didn't you stop him?
- Because I don't have to - Leo answered confidently - Look!
Smoke sizzled around Raph's hand and the ground where he stood, but other than that, there's nothing else indicating that he was hit by the most powerful weapon in the Battle Nexus. Leo gathered up two more shot on each hand and signaled for Don and Mikey to meet him. with just one clap of hand, purple and orange light enveloped the two. Mikey swiftly vanished, the only trace left was his ecstatic cry "Cowagunga". Don covered himself with the rock armor much harder than the previous one, but then he noticed something strange from his blue clad brother:
- You're overdoing it again, aren't you? - He narrowed his eyes as Leo wiped a beans of sweat off his face - You're paler than usual.
- This is nothing. What matters is we hold him long enough. Now DUCK!
They pushed each other out of trajectory of another beam, then launched their own signature attack simultaneously at the sorcerer. The wicked mage had no problem blocking them all, but he grown frustrated with each passing second, since he could do little to no damage to those invading their lair. The constant movement and dodging caused him to miss most of the time, result in the lair itself taking the blasts. Tightened the grip on the War Staff, he slowly let his mind be consumed by rage, and the staff's crimson glow started to turn dark purple. Its light intensified as the turtles and Konoha ninjas kept jumping around without trying to snatch the weapon away from the dark being. If he couldn't destroy them one by one, then it's better to wipe them all out in one shot.
Suddenly, a sphere of darkness engulf both him and the staff, the next thing they knew, all those around him, assassin or ninja alike were blown away in a frightening explosion. Raph was all but shocked when he himself was swept off his feet and met the far end wall with a bone crushing thud, along with his brothers and friends. The unfortunate assassins caught in the explosion were all gone, vanishing into thin air. Around them, debris and rubble came crumbling down from the wasted underground cave. Sunlight made its way to them, shining the sorcerer in the middle of it all, his body wrapped by dark purple light. He cried ecstatically:
- NO ONE CAN STOP ME NOW! NOT EVEN THE ALMIGHTY DAIMYO!
Tenten clutched at her side, some ribs might have been broken:
- How come he's gotten so powerful all of a sudden? I thought that thing can't be controlled that easily?
- It must have something to do with his dark power - Don straightened himself up with his bo staff, the rock armor long since gone - it caused the staff to go haywire and it affected his mind as well, making him gone berserk.
- And the first victim was his leader, figures - Raph spat out some blood.
All of them somehow managed to pull themselves together and got back up, but the sight of destruction around them, plus the energy gathering around the dark wizard for another shot made all hope withered away. Without saying, each darted their eye to Leo, then to Neji who wasn't protected enough, blown toward them in the process, looking for some kind of instruction. But Neji was hardly conscious, and Leo got nothing on his mind. He made a promise to Lee and Ue not to use the backup plan until the last minute, but if this wasn't the last minute, when would it be then?
- Farewell, kame. You've been thorns in our eye long enough - The sorcerer cried, raising the staff high above his head.
- Not so fast, assassin! - A voice from behind pulled him back to reality.
The sorcerer spun around just in time to receive a kick right in the middle of his face, at the same time a pair of hands reached out and yanked the War Staff from him. The mage flew a remarkable distance, before landing hard on the dirt and skidding to a stop with his face buried deep to the soil. Standing where he was before was Usagi and Ue, the young warrior's hand gripped tight around his father's weapon.
- Took ya long enough! - Raph scoffed.