Chapter 11

Payback

The two glared at each other. Or at least the Hyuga clan leader did. Still, one could say by an uneasy feeling that the masked man was too. His team didn't show it, but they were incredibly tense. Never before have they seen their master like this. His sheer aura felt like the incoming terror itself. Their minds could already imagine dozens of bad things Gold would do to his prey, yet had no doubt it all paled to his true intentions. Guren had a single drop of sweat run down her cheek looking at the scene.

Gold roared to the team "Secure the perimeter! No one is to interrupt us!"

"Yes, Master!" Team Jewel answered and scattered. All except for Madarame, who jumped to the side and gutted two Hyugas, who intended to support Hiashi.

Gold kept looking at the Hyuga leader, while removing his hood, exposing his short dark brown hair. "I've been waiting for this moment, Hiashi. When we were younger, I've been suffering your injustice and cruelty for years. I've suffered for just breathing. But now the universe rings us for your downfall."

Hiashi glared at him. What was he talking about? No, asking himself this question was his own lie now. In the past, Hiashi was indeed rather cruel than harsh. He really was torturing and abusing the branch family for even the slightest of things.

"Your right." he said, surprising the masked man. "I was far worst than unfair. More than once have I proven myself more of a tyrant than a leader." Hiashi looked up to the man with the look of sorrow. "But that cost me my family. Even now I'm not perfect. I'm still likely see as a ruthless bastard-for-a-leader. But I hold no delusion that's how history will remember me. If I can make redeem myself at least a bit, than that is enough for me."

"You wish to redeem yourself?" Gold asked. Hiashi couldn't tell whether the question was serious or was the Hyuga in the golden mask mocking him. "Can you remove the Caged Bird Seal?" he asked in a serious manner.

That shocked Hiashi, as well as it provoked him. "YOU DARE ASK ME TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT?" he roared, activating his byakugan. "DON'T GET SO COCKY, YOU FILTH! YOU KNOW PERFECTLY WELL THAT SEAL IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU, THE BRANCH FAMILY, IN CHECK!"

"You're a damn, arrogant fool, Hiashi!" Gold answered with a roar "You just fear for the position at the price of family bonds!"

"And you know why!"

"I know the history of the seal! I remember Muramasa the Tengu! It is because of him the seal was developed. But you fail to see what it did to this clan!"

"And you think removing it will set things right?" Hiashi raised his hands, ready to strike.

"You turned your own family into cattle, Hiashi! How many more have to be treated like none-Hyuga before they are family to you?"

"Enough!" Hiashi made a hand seal. "I will not be bullied by a dog, who forgets his place!" He started channeling his chakra, activating the Caged Bird Seal. Gold grabbed his head, trashing from one side to the next, crying in pain. Hiashi kept this up, slowly approaching the man. Finally Gold leaned by the wall, as Hiashi stopped just a few feet away from him. "Time to end this. Your punishment is death." He made a slightly different hand seal. "Destroy!" Hiashi called. And Gold's body went numb for a second before it fell. Hiashi walked closer to the masked Hyuga wanting to remove his mask. But as he was just 5 feet away from him, he realized something. Gold's minions haven't moved at all. Before he could realize what was going on, could get on his feet quicker than Hiashi could react.

"8 Trigrams Gentle Fist: Full Body Blow!" Gold called, hitting the can leader in the chest with his finger tips. Yet Hiashi flew with blinding speed, hitting the tree some distance away. His whole body ached. Not from hitting the tree, but from the blow the rogue Hyuga delivered.

And that brought a new question to Hiashi's mind. "How… is that possible? You should be dead."

"Really? Well that's funny… I didn't know." Gold answered in a mocking fashion, slowly approaching Hiashi.

At Gold's hideout, the prison cells

Naruto tried again. This was about twentieth attempt to break the chains. But still, nothing happened. For some reason, he was weak. This was strange. Why was he this weak? He could feel it. As if he couldn't regain all of his strength. Was he drugged? Or maybe this cell has some seals? Or maybe it's him who just doesn't want to get free? What ever the reason, he had to get free. And fast. So he tried again.

With no result.

"Give it up already, brat." A sinister voice spoke. Naruto blink and found himself in his mindscape. As usual, the place was like a sewer. And down the tunnel, there were huge bars. In place of a lock, there was a tag with kanji for 'seal' written on it. Naruto slowly approached the cage, looking at the huge, glowing eyes with a slit. "No matter what you try, you just can't break these chains." The voice said again.

"I told him that already, you canine." Another voice said. The blonde didn't even have turn around to know whose voice was that. Dark Naruto just passed him. "But as always, Idiot doesn't listen."

"That's just sad, brat." Nine-tails said mockingly. "You are still going to hope that she's going to free you?"

"That would be nice." Naruto answered, balling his fists. "But why should I. It's clear that Tokoyo won't free me. I just fail to understand why she would betray me."

"It's obvious, stupid." The demon fox replied. "She works for that masked man. She was ordered to bring you to him. Family ties she has with you mean nothing to her."

"That can't be it." Young Uzumaki almost barked. "She wouldn't have…"

"She pretended to accept you as the brother." Dark Naruto commented.

"And used the blood bonds to get you." Nine-tails finished. "That's how it is. For you humans, the blood ties are merely half the thing. You always fail to see the deeper stuff about living beings. You learned that you have a living sister in this world and didn't care about the rest."

"Shut up." Naruto growled.

"You mortals are so pathetic. Aside from gender, body type, skin color, believes, blood bonds and homeland you do not look anything deeper within others. Thus you discriminate them or accept them like naïve children. You are such a failure."

"SHUT UP!" Naruto roared. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ABOUT US?" Naruto jumped at the Nine-tails. The demon's eyes grew in size, as if in horror. "ALL YOU EVER DID IN YOUR INTERRACTIONS WITH OUR KIND WAS DESTRUCTION!" Naruto touched the Fox on the very centre of its forehead. A strange light engulfed them.

When Naruto opened his eyes, what he saw, was terrible. What he saw was the Nine-tails in a far smaller form, resembling that of a cub. The cub was, while growing into adulthood, throughout the ages, was being tormented by humans wherever it appeared. The Nine-tails couldn't even call one place his home, as humans, if they ever ran into it, would attack, burning the place. No matter whether it was a cave or an abandoned temple. As the creature was growing, the attacks were more and more intense. Finally, one day, a group of ninja from Hidden Cloud, tried to capture the Fox. The Nine-tails finally lost it on that day and fought back. Only two people were left alive. The two looked similar, with feathered headwear with horns. One of them was more muscular then the other and had a kanji for 'gold' tattooed on his arm. The other had the kanji for 'silver' tattooed on the other arm. They jumped at the beast, but were devoured. Then there was a black haired man in a red armor and the sharingan hypnotizing the tailed beast.

Naruto finally flew away from the beast and hit the water. He pulled himself together and found the Fox glaring at him like never before. It wasn't happy about what just happened.

"You suffered… Then you're just like…" Naruto tried to speak his mind, but the Fox roared so loudly he interrupted the blonde.

"You dared to see my memories, you brat?" The tailed beast growled. "You will no longer have my support in time of trouble! From now on, if Dark Naruto tries to take control, I will gladly help HIM!"

The beast's eyes disappeared. Dark Naruto smiled insanely before laughing and finally disappearing in a fog. Once it cleared, Naruto found himself back in the cell. Now he felt even weaker. Him head dropped. He just made himself an enemy because of accidently accessing his memories. The blonde once again took hold of the chain.

And he pulled.

With Raiga

Another group backed away. Many of the shinobi were badly injured. Raiga was just smiling more and more. Kami or some other god must've taken a like for him to give him this many people to kill. It has been so long since he last had this many funerals. Now h could go on a rampage. Two ANBU approached him from behind, but weren't fast enough with their blades. Not only did he ex-Mist ninja block them but also shocked them. The fountain of blood rushing from their necks after he decapitated them made him chuckle. He charged the spiked blades again, ready to unleash another lightening. Everyone backed away, though they knew escape was pointless.

"Dynamic Entry!" someone shouted. Then Raiga got kicked in the side of the face and sent flying. He hit the side of the building. Once the dust fell and the swordsman got on his feet, he saw he one to kick him. It was a tall man with the hair cut in a bowl and thick eyebrows, wearing green tights and orange leg warmers.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" Raiga asked trying to stay calm.

"I am the Leaf's Beautiful Green Beast, Might Guy." He introduced himself with a spark in his teeth.

"Beautiful Green Beast, huh? Well then..." Raiga pulled himself together and stood up, picking up his blades. "…I must grant you a great funeral. Thunder Dragon Dance!" he called, creating a tornado, which then turned into a dragon. The swordsman launched the jutsu at the taijutsu specialist, forcing him to dodge. But the rogue ninja didn't stop there. He just followed with shooting lightening bolts from the blades. The spandex-wearing ninja kept dodging them, hoping to find an opening. Something told him this wouldn't be as easy as he had hoped.

With Kaimu

Another band of shinobi arrived. Including Kakashi. When the jonin noticed the number of summoned mantises incoming, he gestured everyone to engage them. As they all spread, Hatake pulled out a kunai, ready to dash at the pirate. To his surprise, Kaimu seemed rather bored. This got Kakashi a bit confused. Why would The Devil Eye not be happy to fight him again? "Something the matter, Kaimu?" the jonin asked, ready to engage him.

However, Kaimu just rested the blade against his shoulder and glared at the Copy-Cat ninja. "This is not in my contract." He said in a bored manner. Then, Kaimu just turned around and made his way towards the gate. "This is your lucky day, Hatake Kakashi. You'd better hope we never meet again. Otherwise, I won't spare you."

"Not so fast!" Kakashi dashed towards him. He could let him go, but he pirate was a criminal, wanted even in the ninja bingo books. He had to be caught. But as Kakashi got near him, he barely dodged the Godzilla Deathfang, the pirate's sword. Barely, as the jonin's cheek was badly cut. Kakashi was about to pull out his kunai, when Kaimu kicked him into the door of the nearby building. Kakashi for a second couldn't understand what happened. But then he remembered. Kaimu was able to fight shinobi even though he wasn't one. He quickly collected himself and jumped out. He looked for the pirate, only to find a mantis swinging it's blade at him. The jonin managed to block it only thanks to his instincts. He struggled for a while, before finally pushing the creature away and stabbing it in the torso, forcing it to disappear. Kakashi looked around for Kaimu. But he was long gone.

Then Kakashi felt something. He looked down to find a note at his vest. He took it into his hand and read it. It said: 'The Hyuga are the target'. He didn't truly understand what was that supposed to mean. Actually he knew, but couldn't understand why Kaimu gave him this information. What was his game?

Kaimu has already passed through the gate. And as he was getting further away, a sinister smile grew on his face.

With Neji's team

Anko and Tenten were looking around or the rogue ninja. However, the longer it took, the more troubled they felt. Neji, knowing full well how serious the fight must always be taken, activated his byakugan. He learned that after his fight with Naruto during the Chunin Exams last year. It is better to waste some chakra to be safe rather than spare it just to die. And now he was thankful for that lesson.

"At six o'clock!" A Hyuga genius cried, alerting the girls. Everyone managed to jump away just in time to evade number of fireballs. All three landed on the street. As they looked up, they saw the enemy walking towards the edge, making each step like a machine. He reached for his pocket. The three got in their stances, ready for the attack. But was not a weapon he pulled out. Instead, Haken pulled out new pair of sunglasses. Now they all notice he wasn't wearing them now. The rogue ninja put them on and made two hand seals before gazing at them.

"Fire Style: Schwarzen Feuer Jutsu!" he roared and dark, near black stream of fire blew out of his mouth onto the Leaf ninja. The three quickly jumped sideways to avoid the flame. However, Haken without stopping the jutsu followed Tenten. Anko aw that as an opening and dashed towards the building were the enemy was stationed. She made a leap. She pulled out a kunai, but she quickly dropped it when Haken caught her by the neck. The stream of flames stopped. When he turned to face the purple haired kunoichi, Anko noticed the flames still in his mouth. It's likely that this jutsu will only stop once he closes his mouth.

"That was foolish of you, girly." He said. Anko was right. Despite him finishing the sentence, he still had his mouth open. "Now you will burn." He was ready to blow. Anko closed her eyes, when she suddenly felt a strong breeze. Afterwards, there was pain. She opened one eye to see what happened. Apparently, Haken used her to fight Neji off, who came to her rescue. Afterwards she saw him catching one of the incoming kunai, while avoiding eight more.

Tenten was about to throw two more, when Haken showed her Anko. No, he wasn't showing her. She was wrong. He was using her as a shield. Damn bastard. A cowardly tactic. Although effective. The enemy used that as an opportunity to throw two kunai of his own. Tenten dodged them easily, though what hit her next was a surprise.

As Haken threw his kunai, Neji tried to hit him from behind. Unluckily, the rogue ninja was alert and moved a side, making the Hyuga overreach. Then, the muscular man used Anko to hit the young Leaf jonin, sending him towards the kunoichi below. Tenten was so surprised, she got hit. The two tried to move, when Mitarashi landed on top of them with great force. None of the three could catch a breath. And when they managed, Haken landed on top of them, creating a crater and forcing the air out of them. As the three gasped for air, they felt that each of them had at least one broken rib. The muscular rogue ninja made a few hand seals and was ready to finish them of. Terror was clear in their eyes.

"Hey, ass-face!" someone called. This surprised everyone. They all turned to find someone coming out of the cloud of smoke. As the burning building collapsed, a silhouette stepped out, holding two summoned mantises in his hands. A few seconds passed before he could be seen clearly. A tall and muscular jonin, with feline features and spiked bracelets. Neji whispered 'oh, no.' under his nose. If Kuromaru was here then this was butchery, not a battlefield. I've got an offer for you!" Nekokage called, throwing the humanoid insects aside.

"I don't talk with over-muscled guys, but talk." Haken said. The tanned jonin smirked.

"How about we see which one of us is the true terminator, huh. Like man to man." He dared the rogue ninja. Then added with a serious face. "That is… if you're MANLY at all, princess girly-girl."

Veins appeared in his eyes. Then on his temples. What did that guy just say? Did that Leaf ninja just claimed that he, Haken, one of Gold's strongest warriors, wasn't a man at all? That just hit the nerve. It insulted him so much, that he roared ripping his clothes. His arms got all red doing so, as the leather jacket was special design to endure battles. The jonin-sensei of Team 12 didn't stay behind. He just tensed his muscles and in a manner of few seconds his shirt and vest ripped. His entire torso was naked, revealing his dark skin with some pale stripes. Then, he tensed his muscles more, having veins cover his arms, shoulders and chest.

The three younger ninja, who were still n the ground, had their eyes grow in size. "Is it just me or have their brains burned from testosterone's sudden spike?" Tenten asked.

"This is ridiculous!" Anko commented. "What's wrong with this story? Where the freakin' hell is this fan fic heading to?" Her comrades gave her a weird look. That's right: a weird look. What was she talking about?

Meanwhile, the two muscular men faced each other, each trying to guess the other's move. The mantises arrived, ready to attack. But as one was about to make a move, Haken signaled them to stop. It was obvious that he wouldn't let anyone interfere. Kuromaru was the same, letting the three young ninja know to get away.

Then the two dashed at each other. As they ran, one could see every single muscle in their body strained, ready to explode. None of the two was going to hold back. Their battle cries were so loud half the village could here them. And still they had the air to run this distance between them. As they finally got close, both delivered a powerful blow to the faces. The power behind their blows was so intense that a small cloud of dust formed around them. Afterwards, the two backed away and delivered a strong head butt. For the next few seconds, Kuromaru and Haken just stood like that, not moving an inch. They looked as if time froze.

Neji, Tenten and Anko managed to collect themselves, looking at the jonin. Finally Tenten's danger sense kick in. she pulled out a kunai just in time to block a mantis's blade. Her comrades noticed the situation and immediately returned to reality. Pain or no pain, they needed to engage the enemy and push him back. As the three started their fight, the two giants head butted each other again.

Academy grounds

Iruka's shocked expression widened Mizuki's smile. The white-haired ninja focused and the silver blade on his back backed from the ANBU he just pierced. As the dead masked ninja fell, the rogue's shirt shredded. What the chunin saw horrified him. Mizuki's entire upper half of his back was covered in a liquid metal, which in some places seemed to be coming out from his body. Mizuki straightened up and pointed at his former friend, making some of that metal run along it and form a blade.

"You like it, Iruka?" Mizuki asked.

"Wha… What the hell is this? Mizuki, what have you done to yourself?" the chunin asked.

"I have Gold, my current boss, to thank for this." The white-haired man answered, looking at the blade and the small stream of silver on his arm. "The man's a genius in matter of genetic abilities. To my surprise, he was even able to awaken one that was slumbering within my genes. I give you warblade!" he roared, forming another blade on his other arm and three six more on his back and shoulder. Then he charged at Iruka, ready to slice him to pieces. The chunin pulled out two kunai out of his pouch and parried the blades. The fight lasted like for a while. Mizuki would try to cut Iruka, the latter would parry or block. Then the rogue ninja smiled when the reinforcements arrived, ensuring no one would interfere. He pointed the blades at his former comrade and, much to Umino's surprise, shot the tips at him with blinding speed. Iruka managed to avoid them, but that was exactly what Mizuki wanted. Before the Leaf chunin grasped the situation, a chain wrapped around his leg. Then Mizuki pulled and badly injured the man's leg, shredding the flesh halfway to the bone.

Iruka fell crying in pain. He couldn't move. He looked up only to see his opponent slowly approaching.

Meanwhile, Izo was made more hand seals and the beast spitted more lava, hitting the academy. The building began to burn. Under his mask, the treacherous ninja smiled wildly, before looking at the incoming group of Leaf ninja, lead by Asuma. He made even more hand seals, calling: "Volcanic Style: Sulfur Stream Jutsu!" And the Beast blew a stream of yellow smoke. The group fell right into it. Only Asuma managed to jump out, though not without some burns. He looked up at the enemy, who was already siphoning chakra from one of the captured jonins. So what he heard from Kakashi and his father was true- that mask grants great power but devours any chakra from any living thing. This was going to be a tough fight.

Gold's hideout

Naruto hit the ground in exhaustion. He was all sweated and breathing hard. He couldn't feel his arms anymore. But he needed to get out. But how? He couldn't break the chains. For some reason he was weaker. He looked around, hoping to find a way to escape, but found nothing. Now he thought back about the betrayal. He still didn't want to believe that Tokoyo did this to him. He was about to cry. He didn't want to accept the truth, but deep down he knew he was fooling himself. A tear ran down his cheek.

Then he heard some noise. He looked up to see the source of it. A kunai landed next to his face.

Hidden Leaf Village, Hyuga compound

Hiashi hit the wall again. He looked like a mess. Never before has anyone given him such a beating. He looked back to find the enemy dashing towards him, ready to deliver another blow. The clan leader managed to avoid the incoming attack and deliver a counterstrike. Gold was pushed back some distance, before he managed to find his footing. Yet he was calm enough to block another of Hiashi's attacks. The man was irritated for having so much trouble with some branch family member. Then he saw the masked man through a few shuriken and jumping behind them.

"Rotation!" Hiashi created a spinning dome of chakra around himself, bouncing off the projectiles. He believed he'll bounce the traitor away as well, to deliver a killing blow. However, Gold seemed prepared. He pulled out a short blade with a tag tied to a hilt. Then, much to Hiashi's shock and terror, Gold just sliced the dome, making it vanish.

But that wasn't the only thing that got his attention. Gold prepared his attack, joining his hands together, with the palms facing the clan leader.
"Gentle Fist: Lion's Glory Strike!" he called, forming a lion's head of chakra before delivering the blow and sending Hiashi flying across the courtyard. The Hyuga clan's head broke through the wall and bounced off the floor, hitting another wall. He fell, whole covered in bruises and cuts. His entire body ached. He tried to pull himself together, but it was even more painful, not to mention he couldn't catch a breath. He tried to activate the caged bird seal one more time, but it still didn't affect the rogue Hyuga.

Speaking of the devil, Gold entered the mansion through the hole, slowly walking towards his victim.

"You still can't accept that I'm better, can you?" the masked Hyuga asked mockingly, as if knowing how Hiashi would answer. Hiashi could only ask him this one question.

"How is this… possi… ble…?"

Gold just let his head down. Hiashi could guess by the body language the man was glaring at him.

"You didn't recognize my own jutsu?" Gold asked. "You were so jealous because I would always beat you with it."

"Hitashi?" That's when Hiashi's eyes widened. What he said took his mind back into the past.

Flashback

Hiashi and his twin brother, Hizashi, were both waiting under the mansion's main door, waiting for their parents return. It was quite unusual for two three-years-old boys to stay up this late. But they were worried about their mother, who was taken to the hospital a few days ago. And since father has returned from a mission just a few hours ago, they really feared something bad happened.

Their worries disappeared when both their parents have finally returned. They dashed towards the pair.

"Mommy! Daddy! Your back!" Hizashi cried in joy. "We were scared you'd never come back."

"What is this, mother!" Hiashi asked, noticing that their mother was hold something wrapped in a blanket. The woman smiled widely and kneeled to show the what she was holding. To their surprise, it was a baby.

"Concratulations, boys." Their father spoke, getting the boys attention. "Now you have a younger brother."

"A little brother?" Hizashi asked. Then he smiled. "What's his name, mommy?"

"Hitashi." She answered with an warm voice. "And his going to be strong one day."

"Boys!" the clan leader caught their attention. "Since now you have a younger sibling, it is your responsibility to watch over him. Can I expect this much from you?"

"Yes, father?" Hiashi answered, bowing.

"You can count on us, daddy." Hizashi followed.

The upcoming future however had more things coming. The events, that would set the present battlefield.

To be continued…