Kunoichi Rumble:

Journey to the Land of Whirlpools

Chapter 12

Wrath of the Storm

Neji spun around and formed a barrier, blocking the burst of energy sent from the sky. He was pushed back into a wall but managed to stop himself from injury. 'The demon's chakra is so powerful that even the Byakugan can't track or block it.'

"Neji-san!" Kiba shouted. "Are you okay?!?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. We've gotta get to safety. There's no way we can survive in this battle."

Kiba had a bad look on his face. "Aren't we safe if we're this far away?"

Akamaru barked at Kiba, warning him to move away. Kiba turned only to be hit by the blast's full power. "Kiba-kun!" Neji cried as his comrade went flying off the building. He and Akamaru dived down to save their partner.

//-\\

\\-//

Mira collapsed halfway across the cavern. Ino turned around and cried, "Mira-sama! We have to hurry… the exit's closing!"

Mira took a deep breath and tried to stand up. "Ino-chan, leave me. Save yourself, you deserve to live. I'm just an old hag… you're too young to die. Go!"

Ino shook her tears away and pulled Mira past Kitsun's body. "No, Mira-sama. I won't leave unless you come. You have to! We can still make it!"

Zetsu appeared at the entrance with a smirk. "Two kunoichi, completely underestimated. That is the price, Kitsun."

Ino gasped as Zetsu entered the dimension. Mira put up a dirty look. "He's gonna block us from leaving. Ino-chan, run! I'll keep him busy!"

Zetsu roared with laughter and flung at the ground in front of the pair. Ino saw the explosive tag and quickly sent the weapon back. "Mira-sama, I told you that I won't leave unless you come with me. I'll need your help to take him out."

Mira put up a weak smile and stood up. "Ice Style: Ice Shard Technique!"

Zetsu absorbed the jutsu with another grin. "Is that all you have. I'm surprised you took Kitsun down."

Ino charged at him head-on. "Get out of the way… I can't stand the likes of you!"

Zetsu produced a massive weapon and smacked Ino across the face with it. A huge mark was left. "Come on, you think I'd fall for something like that?"

"Of course not!" Ino screeched. She suddenly appeared from behind and swung her leg at Zetsu's head. "This is for everything that you dumb people have done to the world!"

Her leg was caught, and Zetsu was now facing her. "Nice try, but it didn't work. And Mira, don't expect to try hitting me from behind."

Ino threw her fist this time, but Zetsu blocked it as well. "Then I'll just throw my whole body at you!" Ino cried as she did so.

Zetsu had somehow blocked her entire barrage of attacks, but he didn't expect Mira to come down from above with two ice kunai. "Here does it!"

Zetsu's head was sliced off, leaving the two kunoichi to exit the mysterious rift that had stayed the same since Zetsu's appearance. The same powder spilled in earlier floated around, and Zetsu grinned. "They're not bad, but nowhere near the level of Akatsuki fighting. It seems as though my task is nearly complete. However, Pein-sama is just getting started."

//-\\

\\-//

"Mira-sama, are you okay?" Ino whispered. Mira looked weak, but she pointed up into the sky. The storm had expanding over the entire city. "What is this?"

Mira crawled to a building and rested on the wall. "We've all changed since we've come. At least we know now that it's all coming to an end. I remember coming here with a childish manner, but now I think I've finally grown up. Ino-chan, you taught me a lot. Perhaps that's how my own story will end."

Ino's eyes bulged, and she began to cry. "Mira-sama. It's not over! We can't give up yet. Naruto-kun is fighting the Akatsuki to defend the entire shinobi world! Please tell me what's happening so at least we can both help!"

There was a flash in the sky, and hundreds of blasts came down all at once. Mira looked up and sighed. "Ino-chan… this is it. This is the end. The Akatsuki has prevailed, even if they are losing this battle."

A burst of light occurred, and Mira opened her eyes. The sight was horrific. "Ino," she whispered softly. "INO YAMANAKA!!!"

Ino stood above her, motionless, smoke rising from her body. She had taken the hit directly. "INO!" Mira cried. "Why?!?"

There wasn't any more talking. Ino collapsed there, and she wouldn't get up any more.

//-\\

\\-//

"Kiba-kun!" Neji cried. "Are you okay?"

Kiba moaned as he lifted himself up from the ground. Blood was spilling out from his head. "Neji… Neji-san. What's going on?"

Neji turned back to look at the sky. 'This storm is unbelievable. We need Yamato-san here as soon as possible… but it wouldn't work like that. Just getting the message back would take enough time.'

Naruto tore through his storm and pushed his palm forward, sending a wave of his own demonic chakra at the tower where Pein stood. Four of his opponents leaped into the air while the original Pein rapidly rotated his arms around his body, forming a barrier of blue chakra. The bubble around Pein sucked the wave inside and gave it more power for itself.

This time, Naruto himself attacked Pein head-on. Both of their coats of chakra matched equally, meaning it was a thundering battle of taijutsu until either activated a jutsu. Naruto spread his arms out wide and burned off even more chakra, causing the storm to destruct more. The same attack sent at Ino was now heading towards Neji. "Shit!" Kiba shouted. He tried to move, but he noticed his leg caught in the ground and his wounded chest. "Damn it… I can't move. Akamaru, get out of here!"

Akamaru whined in a sad way, trying to pull Kiba out of his spot. "Akamaru! Go before you die! Leave me, it's impossible for me to get out!"

Neji shook his head and jumped into the air. "Neji-san!" Kiba cried. "What are you doing?!?"

"Byakugan Release: Reverse Rotational Trigrams!" he hissed as he spun at a body-flickering speed. The entire blast that came at him caught inside his rotational sphere and shot back out straight at both Naruto and Pein.

Naruto, without even looking back, managed to catch it all into a spiral sphere in his hand. "EXPLOSIVE RASENGAN!" he roared, sending the newly formed attack at Pein.

"Lunar Elimination!" Pein responded. The Rasengan bounced off his body and flew a different direction. Everyone in the city watched it move towards the center of the supercell.

(slow-motion) Neji whirled around and swept Kiba up onto Akamaru. The two began moving as fast as they could away.

Mira, as if being pushed by her own will, grabbed Ino and too began running. A few of the villagers, including Shushon with Kushina, tore out of their hiding place and followed Mira away. (back to normal speed)

The entire storm exploded more than it had done before. Inner folds of the supercell began tearing out, releasing all of the chakra into waves that expanded out in all directions.

//-\\

\\-//

Tsunade, Sakura, and Shizune stood on the balcony, enjoying the breeze. Sakura's eyes bulged, and she pointed out a blur of red in the horizon. "Tsunade-sama… that's where the Land of Whirlpools is, isn't it?"

Shizune put her hands over her mouth. "Red in the horizon… at the Land of Whirlpools. Tsunade-sama, don't tell me… Naruto-kun can't be…"

Tsunade inadvertently slammed her fist upon the railing through her own rage. "Damn it! I never expected the Akatsuki to be heading there at all. Now… Naruto will be dead once he's done with the transformation!"

Tears flowed down Sakura's cheeks. "Na… Naruto-kun! Tsunade-sama, wouldn't you have sent Yamato-san with him even if the Akatsuki wasn't there?!?"

Tsunade shook her head. "I… Yamato was out on his own mission… I trusted that she would keep him under control… Kushina… his mother would be the one who could calm him no matter what. This would mean one of two things," she cried shivering with fear.

"That either his mother isn't even there, or she has been eliminated by the Akatsuki, leading Naruto into rage over his mother's loss," Koharu said, finishing her line. "Tsunade, it's done. The leader will take advantage of his wild state and wait till Naruto can't go on anymore. Konoha's Jinchuuriki is finished. And who's fault is it for sending him out on this mission?"

"But he isn't the only concern," said Homura. "What of those who were with him?"

"Neji, Kiba, Akamaru…" Tsunade whispered.

"Ino!" Sakura cried. "No. Tsunade-sama!!!" Sakura suddenly screamed out. "We can't just be standing here. We need to send out a rescue team at once!"

"And what will happen when you enter the battle? Naruto would be dead or he'd kill you without knowing anything!" Tsunade screeched. "Sakura, if you're thinking about going out to get Naruto back, you're…"

"Absolutely correct," Koharu interrupted. "Tsunade, her plan is much better than yours. Send out a rescue party at once, and perhaps we could save those who are with Naruto."

Tsunade glared at her elder and shook her head. "No. I agree with sending them out to rescue, but there isn't even a jonin! What would happen if Itachi Uchiha, or Kisame… or even that Tobi were there as well? We need at least two professional jonin, those past the regular level!"

A voice laughed at Tsunade, making all of the heads below look up. Yamato and Kakashi sat upon the roof, waiting for Tsunade to give her approval. "Don't worry, we just got here," Yamato smiled.

Kakashi flipped another page of his book. "Well, I guess it isn't a time for reading anymore," he said, smacking his novel shut.

Tsunade nodded with a smile and turned to Sakura. "You have fifteen minutes to recruit as many chuunin and jonin as possible. Once the time is up, get moving!"

Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura shot out into three different directions as their clock began to tick.

Naruto and Pein continued sending jutsu at each other as the wrath of the storm engulfed them.

Neji, Kiba, and Akamaru, and Mira, Ino, and the villagers, zipped over buildings away from the village whilst the storm 'avalanche' came crashing behind them.

Konan, now safe upon a distant mountain, put on her straw hat and slowly ambled back and forth. 'Pein-sama. Even if your body is destroyed, you have four more. Defeat the Jinchuuriki. Meanwhile, it's time I called a few of our friends.'

Hundreds of miles away, Itachi turned around. Kisame gave him an awkward look, asking, "What is it, Itachi-san?"

"The leader is calling," he whispered. "Let's go."

The two flickered away, leaving one last figure in the scene. Tobi emerged from behind a pillar with a puzzled look. "Hmm, Pein, what would he want now? Perhaps he needs help against my old friend."

The wind blew lightly upon his body, leaving him to suddenly roar out, "RONDAE MADARA! Once I get you back, my power, the power of Madara Uchiha, will return!"

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Happy Holidays! Happy New Year to everyone! Hope you're enjoying the story, for it's nearing a close.

As Sakura and Kakashi make their team, the Village Hidden in the Whirlpool suffers the wrath of the demon fox's powers. Pein and Naruto go in for one final clash. And who is Rondae Madara? You will find out in some time, XD

Don't forget to review!

Everything, everybody is centering down to a big battle in the Land of Whirlpools… the Land of the Uzumaki.