Chapter 12
His eyes snapped opened, the sudden explosions waking Doffy from his brief sleep. He got off the bed, standing up now. Looking at the window, it was still the dead of night, and the explosions where coming from almost every direction. Firing up his Haki, he checked up on everyone. Vergo and Temari were still okay, and he stretched his Haki out toward Sakura as well. She was still there, but-
The floor beneath him shattered, his strings flying outward as they cut through the wall in his way. He sped through the air, on his way to Sakura's house. He looked around as he went, seeing the Village in flames. The Hokage Tower, the Academy, the Hospital, along with several other structures were on fire, smoke riding into the night. He could hear screams as the people began to panic and ninja scurrying around the village, trying to find the source of it all.
He ignored it all, making his way closer to Sakura. She was still alive, his Haki told him that much, her parents on the other hand…
He couldn't sense them, and he doubted they would be out at night, coincidentally at the same time as the village went up in flames. No, more likely, they were dead. He could see the house now, it had collapsed, flames spreading over the debris. He went there quickly, using his Haki to find Sakura as quickly as he could. Using his strings, he gently pulled the debris upward, freeing Sakura's trapped body.
He picked her up, gently, examining her wounds. There lacerations across her body, the debris digging into her flesh as it collapsed on top of her. She was covered in burns as well, half of her face scarred, it was most likely permanent. His teeth clenched as looked at her, but he didn't have time for anger, Sakura was still in danger.
He moved quickly, being careful not to jostle the unconscious Sakura around as he moved. He stretched his Haki once again, seeing if Tsunade was still at the Hokage's Tower. She was, and he bolted, making it there in record time. The Tower now had gaping holes in it, fire spreading throughout the building, but there were already ninja putting them out.
He went to the Hokage's window, his strings opening it before he crashed through. Tsunade was there, giving orders to various ninja, turning toward him when he appeared.
"Wha- Naruto?"
He ignored her, clearing off the desk and placing Sakura on to it gently. He looked up at her with a determined look on his face.
"Help her, quickly."
She was dazed for a moment but nodded, going to Sakura's side with glowing, green hands.
"Naruto, I'll take care of her. I need you to grab Kakashi and Sasuke, begin searching the village and find out who did this. Kakashi should be heading toward Sasuke's house now."
He nodded, leaving through the window that he entered and back into the night. His anger was starting to build, the fact that someone had almost killed Sakura was sinking in. He hurried his pace, wanting to get to the rest of his team and begin the hunt. Whoever had done this, they were going to pay. He reached Sasuke's Compound, finding his house among the rest of the barren buildings. He looked around for a moment, thinking about Sasuke's home. This couldn't he good for the Uchiha, living among his memories, reminded of the past every day. He shook the thoughts from his head, it didn't matter right now.
He saw Kakashi, but not Sasuke, not even with his Haki. Kakashi was standing in the doorway, looking inside.
'Don't tell me…'
He went up to Kakashi, looking inside. There was blood, but there wasn't a body. The walls and floor had been destroyed, indicating a struggle, a fight between Sasuke and someone else, perhaps multiple people. Kakashi spoke up.
"Five people besides Sasuke. They burst in, taking him by surprise. The struggle stopped for a moment, most likely trying to convince Sasuke to give up. It resumed a bit after."
Doffy accepted Kakashi's analysis, not doubting the experienced ninja. Sasuke had been taken, kidnapped for some reason. It could be a rival village, trying to acquire the Sharingan for themselves, or… He stretched his Haki out once again, toward the T&I building. The guards were scrambling, most likely a response to the sudden assault on the village, or perhaps the missing prisoner. Kabuto wasn't there. He looked toward Kakashi.
"Kabuto escaped his cell somehow, meaning that Orochimaru is probably behind this."
Kakashi looked at him before nodding, turning away from Sasuke's house.
"Let's get back to the Hokage then. We have to report this immediately."
They moved, heading back to the Hokage Tower. The ninja were still putting out the fires throughout the village while searching for the culprit, Kabuto. He gritted his teeth, regretting not simply killing the traitor. Danzo's defeat wasn't worth Sakura's life, and without Kabuto, Danzo would likely get away with his crime.
They made it back, Tsunade still healing Sakura with two other medical ninja beside her. She turned toward them, her eyes narrowing as she noticed their missing team member. She looked toward Doffy first.
"She stabilized for now, but these wounds are pretty bad, Naruto. She'll probably be scarred for the rest of her life."
He frowned at the news, not happy but not surprised either. He had hoped that Tsunade would be able to heal her completely, but the fact she was alive in the first place was a miracle. The Hokage continued.
"Now, where is Sasuke?"
Kakashi gave her an explanation, his voice firm and holding complete seriousness.
"Lady Hokage, when Naruto and I arrived, Sasuke's home showed signs of struggle, and he was nowhere to be found. I found his blood at the scene, meaning he was most likely taken by force. Naruto said that Kabuto has escaped as well, meaning that Orochimaru's men may have taken him."
Her eyes hardened at the news, immediately giving orders.
"Kakashi, I need you to gather a team together and comb through the village. Find and eliminate and enemy ninja you come across. We cannot have this destruction continue so we must make sure the village is secure."
"Lady Hokage, I don't thin- "
"Naruto.", she said, ignoring Kakashi's distress. "This will be your first mission as a chunin. Gather a team together and track down Sasuke Uchiha. Bring that boy home and kill the one's that took him. Kabuto has shown that we can't keep them secured in the village. I want no survivors, understood?"
He grinned at her.
"Crystal clear. Heh heh heh!"
Kakashi continued his earlier statement.
"Lady Hokage, don't you think I should be on this mission as well? Sasuke is a member of my team."
Tsunade merely nodded to him.
"That's true Kakashi, but there is work to be done in the village. As important as Sasuke Uchiha is, the village comes before all else. I know that this is hard, but I trust in Naruto's abilities. He can get the job done, Kakashi."
The Elite Jonin was silent for a moment, before nodding.
"All right, then I'll get to work."
He jumped off into the village, Doffy following soon after. He went back to his apartment first, meeting up with Vergo and Temari. Temari was in Vergo's apartment, probably going there to wait out the situation. He landed in front of the door, opening it with a spare key and walking in.
"Naruto!"
Temari exclaimed, surprised at his entrance. He simply nodded at her, not having time for pleasantries at the moment.
"Temari, Lee, Sakura has been hurt and Sasuke has been kidnapped by Orochimaru. Temari, I need you to head to the Hokage Tower, where Sakura is. Stay by her side until we return. Lee, we're going to gather a team and head after Sasuke."
Temari was visibly shaken at the flood of information.
"W-wait a minute! If you guys are going than I'm going with- "
Doffy interrupted her.
"Temari, Sakura's parents are dead, and I don't want her waking up alone. Besides, I trust you to protect her, we don't know if someone is still going to be after her."
She stared at him for a moment, before nodding, heading out the door and on her way to Sakura.
"Who are we going to get?", Vergo asked, curious.
Doffy looked at him for a moment, before turning around and walking out the door.
"Everyone."
It had taken quite some time to find and gather the rest of the Konoha Rookies. Team Asuma had apparently left on a mission just yesterday, meaning Shikamaru, Choji and Ino weren't available. Luckily, everyone else he was able to track down, bringing them to Sasuke's house so Kiba could get to work.
"Well Kiba, are you going to be able to track their scents?", asked Neji.
Kiba merely scoffed at the jab to his pride.
"Psh, please, of course we can. Right Akamaru?" The dog atop his head barked in agreement.
Doffy nodded at the boy, addressing the rest of his team.
"Alright, Kiba will be guiding us to Sasuke, so I want him leading with Lee and Shino just behind him. Neji and Hinata, you two will be in the middle. I want you to use your Byakugan to scan the area for traps. Tenten will be just behind them with me leading from the back. Any questions?"
Everyone shook their heads, eager to begin the mission. He nodded toward them, a small grin on his face.
"Then start moving, Kiba."
"Alright! Let's move, Akamaru!"
The wild boy laughed, jumping off the ground and into the air. They headed north, to the Land of Sound probably. They traveled as quickly as they could, Naruto sending his Haki out to see if he could sense them, but there was no such luck. They must have been traveling quickly to make it so far in such short time, especially while carting Sasuke around with them. Sasuke must have been taken before the explosives went off, meaning they had less time to get to Sasuke than they thought.
They had been moving for a couple hours now, still moving in the direction of the Hidden Sound. They had to reach them before they got to the border, other wise they would be in enemy territory, and who knew how many enemy ninja were waiting at the border for them. Hinata and Neji used their Byakugan in intervals, trying to conserve chakra for the fight ahead.
Then, Naruto spotted something ahead.
"Everyone, stop."
They did as ordered, Naruto moving ahead of the group and eyeing something in the air, suspended just in front of them in the branches. It was a string, looking closer at it, it seemed to be a web. The only thing that let him spot it so easily was his own experience at tracking and seeing his own strings. He doubted this thing was as dense or as sharp as his own. That still left a question, what was the purpose of it then?
He looked over at Neji, he gestured to the string in front of him.
"Neji, look at this string with your Byakugan, see if you can find where it leads or if there are more."
Neji nodded, concentrating for a moment before speaking.
"I can't seem to find where they lead, it's too far away from here. But, there are hundreds of them all over the area, spread far out. All of them are in front of us, so we must be getting closer to them. There's chakra running through them as well, meaning they're a creation similar to your own strings, Naruto."
He nodded at Neji, thinking about what he had said. They were far too weak to be just a simple trap. They had to have a different purpose than that. More likely, it was an alarm of sorts, a way to detect if they are being followed and to detail how many were following. If it was true, it was an impressive ability. Not even Doffy had that kind of ability, and he would be sure to remember it.
For now, he thought about how to take care of this. If what Neji said was true, they were just entering this area of string, and it seemed to stretch far. To go undetected would mean they would have to slow down considerably, which would work in the enemy's favor. That left them no choice. He looked behind him to the rest of his team.
"All right, we're going to move through these strings. They're probably here to alert the enemy of anyone following them, but we can't afford to slow down. Everyone stay on your guard, we're getting close and could be attacked at any moment. Kiba, let's move."
Kiba nodded, a rare serious expression on his face. Doffy followed from behind, resuming their previous formation. They moved for only a half an hour before the strings went away, and they were getting closer to the border. It was only about a day away, and they were beginning to push it. Fortunately, it seems they caught up. Doffy sensed the enemy along with Sasuke, meaning he was still alive. He grinned, telling his team they were catching up.
They could see them now, Kiba throwing a kunai toward them. The enemy broke left, jumping down into a clearing and they went to join them. They landed in front of them, allowing Doffy to analyze the enemy. There were seven of them, with Kabuto among them. Strangely, he had a new leg, which was start white and barefooted. Some of the others were strange as well, one with multiple arms and two of them melded together, only their heads showing they were two different people. Sasuke was inside of a large barrel, slung over the shoulder of the white-haired one.
Besides Kabuto and the one carrying Sasuke, he recognized the rest of them. They were the ones who had created the barrier during the invasion. He was very happy about Tsunade's orders. He had no quarrel killing these people. Kabuto spoke up first.
"Well, it seems that the Leaf was able to catch up to us, though they only sent a few kids our way. A shame, really."
The white haired-one spoke next.
"Kabuto, we have no time to play with these ninja. We have to bring the next vessel to Orochimaru."
Vessel? What did he mean by that? Was Orochimaru going to take over his body somehow? He continued to listen to their banter, trying to grab more information.
"Alright Kimimaro, relax. Jirobo, Tayuya, you two slow them down for a bit and make your way back toward us."
The large one and the redhead nodded, moving forward to protect their team. The large one, probably Jirobo, made several hand seals and put his hands on the ground.
"Earth Style: Earth Dome Prison!"
The ground around Doffy and his team raised upward in a circle, forming a 'dome prison' as the name entailed. Doffy simply ignored it, thinking of what to do next. The fastest was to get to Sasuke would be to leave some people behind to take care of these guys while the rest moved on. These two seemed to be the weaker ones, based on what his Haki was telling him, so the others would probably be moving even faster than before.
He looked behind him after hearing a loud crash, Kiba trying to break through the barrier. It seemed to be regenerating as he struck. He shook his head, making a game plan.
"Lee, take care of this."
Vergo nodded, calmly walking toward the barrier, directly in front of Jirobo. He reared a fist back, punching forward and piercing straight through it. Vergo had struck the large boy, his Haki sensing the boy flying backward. The barrier began to crumble and Doffy gave out his orders.
"All right, Hinata, Shino, Tenten. I want you three to take these guys on. The rest of us will be moving forward. Once your done, head back to the Leaf Village. We'll be too far ahead for you to help any further. Shino, you're in charge of this group until you return to the Leaf."
They nodded as everyone moved, Doffy leading the way as they chased after Sasuke. He heard the sound of battle behind him but ignored it as he moved forward.
Shino nodded as Naruto, Lee, Kiba and Neji moved on, Tenten and Hinata at his side. He looked over at the enemy, quickly thinking about how to engage them. Jirobo seemed to be a close range and physical fighter. The girl was more likely a mid to long range fighter, a genjutsu user. The best option would be for Tenten and Hinata to fight Tayuya, prevent her from using her genjutsu and take her down quickly, while he fought the other, using his bugs to drain his chakra. He gave out his new orders, and the two girls rushed over to their opponent.
Shino looked at his new enemy, watching as he got up from the ground and walked over to him.
"Hmm, I don't know whether your brave or stupid, fighting me by yourself. Whatever you are, it doesn't matter anymore. You and your friends are about to die."
Jirobo charged forward, a heavy fist flying through the air. Shino jumped back, his bugs flying through his sleeves as they crawled onto the large ninja. Jirobo roared at him as they sucked out his chakra. Jirobo surprised him, ignoring the bugs and charging at him once again. Another fist was sent, Shino blocking it with his arms. The force sent him skidding along the ground, his arms completely numb. Shino backed away trying to stay away from Jirobo as much as possible.
Then, he saw something odd. His bugs were beginning to fall of off him, dead. He called them back immediately, trying to figure out the problem. When they left his body, Shino could see something running along Jirobo's skin, black chains or triangle-like marking slowly spreading.
'Whatever those are, they've made his chakra almost toxic to my bugs, meaning that I'll be less effective against him now.'
That didn't mean he didn't have a plan though. He brought the bugs who had survived the attack and made sure they stayed within his body. Shino pulled out a kunai, abandoning the use of his bugs for now. Jirobo laughed at him.
"Ha ha ha! Do you think you'll be able to beat me with that? Now that your little insects don't work, you don't stand a chance!"
Jirobo charged forward, much faster this time. His steps were cracking the ground as he sped along, reaching Shino a split second later. Shino ducked under the punch he sent, his kunai slashing at Jirobo's stomach. The larger ninja grabbed Shino's wrist, stopping the blade before quickly turning around, throwing him into the air.
Shino quickly turned in the air, throwing his kunai at Jirobo. There was the ringing of metal as it struck stone, Jirobo now carrying a large sphere of stone.
"Earth Style: Sphere of Graves!"
Jirobo threw it, the large boulder hurtling through the air toward him. Shino moved quickly, using ninja wire to grab a nearby branch and pull himself out of the way. The boulder went past him, nicking his leg as it did. He heard a small crack, and then pain. His leg was injured, and as he landed on the ground, he found it was only just able to support his weight. He looked up, seeing Jirobo slowly walk toward him, laughing as he did so.
"Man, you Leaf Ninja sure are pathetic. I throw one little rock and now you can barely stand."
Jirobo was standing over him now, a fist raised as be prepared to bring it down.
"Time to die, kid."
The fist fell, and Shino rolled out of the way, his bugs flying through his sleeves and surrounding the larger boy. Jirobo laughed as the bugs began to feed on his chakra.
"Ha ha ha! You should already know that won- what? What's going on?!"
The bugs were dying, but no where near as much as before, and were draining Jirobo's chakra dry. Shino slowly got up, eager to explain.
"My insects have a very short lifespan, only living for a couple hours, but they can breed extremely quickly. This also means that they can pass on their traits to their offspring, making them very adaptable. I took the ones that had survived eating your chakra and used them to quickly make a new generation of bugs. Those bugs quickly made new ones as well, making an army capable of somewhat surviving your toxic chakra. It isn't perfect, but it doesn't have to be."
Jirobo was waving his arms, trying to get the insects off him. Soon they enveloped him completely, beginning to drain his chakra dry. Shino relaxed at the sight, letting his insects do the rest of the work. He tensed when he saw large amounts of them begin to drop to the ground. He pulled out another kunai, trying to call his bugs back but they all died on the way there. Jirobo was there, but he had transformed.
His orange hair had lengthened, running down his back. His skin was red, having various bumps along his face and shoulders. The sclera of his eyes had turned black while his iris was now yellow.
"Damn you, forcing me into this state… I'll kill you for this!"
Shino didn't see the point in mentioning that he was already going to kill them, using the time to use his good leg to dive to his left, avoiding the giant's fists as they slammed into the earth. The ground shattered, the force of the blow sending Shino a bit further away. He was on the ground, Jirobo quickly making his way in front of him with a fist reared back.
"Just die already!"
The fist launched forward, Shino unable to dodge it. Just before it landed, the sound of a flute was heard, stopping Jirobo's fist. The world around him began to shift, turning red as something began to hold him in place.
'A genjutsu?'
It must have been Tayuya's, and it seemed to be sound based as well. But, that meant she couldn't control who it hit, meaning Jirobo was struck as well. Shino couldn't move, and his chakra wouldn't dispel the technique. Acting quickly, he sent out his bugs, dispersing in the air around his ears and eating the chakra in the sound waves, preventing them from reaching him.
It worked, the illusion going away as it revealed Jirobo's fist in front of him, staying stock still. He pulled out a kunai, quickly slitting the giants throat while he was immobile, and backing away. Jirobo bled out as he stayed still, Shino looking over to see the other battle. It had moved into the forest now, and Shino wouldn't be able to do much there with his damage leg. He limped to a nearby tree, sending his bugs out to help his teammates.
Hinata was in a bind, the fight against Tayuya had not gone well so far. As soon as she and Tenten had gone to fight the girl, Tayuya had retreated into the woods, making it difficult to chase her. The area was littered in various traps, her Byakugan being the only thing that had saved her. Not to mention the large creature that the girl was controlling. It was strong and surprisingly quick as well. One hit from it's studded bat would probably kill them, and killing it was looking to be very difficult. Tenten had covered the thing in weapons, but it just didn't stop.
Now, there were stuck in a genjutsu, the creature was approaching when it struck and would probably be swinging its club at them by now. She kept flaring her chakra, trying to break the genjutsu to no avail, when she heard the sound of buzzing. The genjutsu disappeared, Hinata gaining back her mobility and jumping back ward, avoiding an attack that crushed the tree branch she was on.
Tenten joined her, having regained her mobility as well, with bugs buzzing around her head. It must have been Shino. He was using them to eat the chakra in the air, making the genjutsu no longer effective.
"So, what's the plan here Hinata?"
Hinata squeaked slightly, not expecting for the older girl to look to her for a plan. She calmed her breathing, remembering Neji's lessons on remaining confident, and spoke to ger teammate.
"Well, I don't think we can beat this thing, and it seems like Tayuya is controlling it somehow. We should ignore it and try and go for Tayuya instead."
Tenten nodded at her.
"All right, but I don't think we can just ignore this thing. It's too fast and if we take our ey-, well my eyes than I'm probably dead. I don't have 360-degree vision."
She nodded shakily at her, mentally berating herself at the mistake. Tenten wouldn't be able to track the thing as well as her without a Byakugan, and if they messed up they were dead. She looked over to her.
"Do you have anything that would kill this thing then, something you haven't used?"
Tenten put on a small thinking pose, before nodding toward her.
"Yeah, but I'll need to get in close to do it."
Hinata thought up a new plan, trying to think of a way to take out the ogre.
"Alright, I'll get in close and distract it. With Shino's bugs we don't have to worry about Tayuya's genjutsu, so i should be able to stay up close for a bit."
Tenten nodded, Hinata getting ready to go. The giant jumped toward them, Hinata and Tenten separating as it swung its bat at them. Hinata moved in closer, using her Gentle Fist on the creature's leg. Its skin was tough, and its large size reduced the effectiveness of her martial art, but she continued, pressing her fingers into the creature's legs.
It stumbled around, trying to crush her underneath it's feet but she kept moving as she struck, staying clear from it's attacks. She was able to get behind it, then targeted the back of its knee.
"Eight Trigrams: 32 Palms!"
Her hands blurred as they attacked the joint, bringing the creature down to it's knee. Hinata jumped back, seeing the opportunity.
"Now Tenten!"
There was a yell, making Hinata look up above the creature, seeing Tenten in the air. She had a large scroll waving in the wind, and she was slowly falling downward toward the creature. Suddenly, there was a large puff of smoke, covering Tenten for a moment. When she reappeared, there was a large sword in her hands, falling toward the creature. Well, it seemed like a sword, but it was almost too big to be called such. Looking at it with her Byakugan, it was massive, thick, probably very heavy and far too rough. It seemed more like a heap of raw iron than a sword.
Whatever it was, Tenten roared as it slammed into the ogre's head, blood exploding out as it was both sliced and crushed in half. The sword kept going though, it's mere weight ripping through the creature. Her Byakugan watched as it started to slice through it's ribcage, before giving up and reducing it to dust instead. Tenten sheered through the beast, her sword clunking down into the branch beneath them, as she bisected the monster straight down the middle.
Hinata gaped at her as the two halves of the creature fell over and landed on the ground beneath them, Tenten merely giving a small thumbs up as she was covered in blood.
"Pretty cool, huh? I went to one of the local blacksmiths about a week ago and apparently they hired some new kid. Only thing was that he was really bad and ended up making a bunch of junk. So, i asked if I could have all the scrap that he left over and got it for a real cheap price. Then, I forged it all into a big blade, stuck a handle on it, and this baby was born! Whataya think?"
There were stars in her eyes as she talked, her speech getting faster as she continued to talk. Hinata was at a loss for words, deciding to merely shake her head and focus on their enemy.
"That's really great Tenten but we should probably take care of Tayuya first."
Tenten looked a bit disappointed at her answer but nodded, putting the sword back into its scroll.
"Right, I can't actually lift this thing normally so I have to carry it in a scroll. Listen, that probably won't work again, so if she has any more of those things we'll have to take her down as quickly as possible."
Hinata nodded, using her Byakugan to track down Tayuya. She was behind a tree, and there were marks appearing on her skin as well. She could see dark chakra emanating from her neck, obviously planning something. There were two large puffs of smoke appearing on either side of Tayuya, two more large creatures appearing.
She gulped, trying to think of a way to deal with two of them. Tenten was right, they had to take care of Tayuya quickly, or they wouldn't stand a chance. Tayuya's music shifted, the ogre's rushing toward them as it did. Wait a minute…
She strained her ears, listening closely as she dodged the attack. The music shifted again, prompting the creature in front of her to swipe the claws attached to it's wrist. That was it! She looked over to Tenten, yelling over to her.
"Tenten, it's her flute! She's using her flute to control them!"
Tenten looked over, the brief look of confusion turning into understanding as she nodded. They just needed to get rid of Tayuya's flute, that would stop these monsters and make it so they could fight her two-on-one. Hinata moved, using her Byakugan to track the monster behind her. She weaved through it's attacks, turning around the tree at Tayuya, who was surprised at her sudden appearance. She sent her palms moved forward, aimed at her heart. Tayuya jumped away, playing her flute and making the creature continue its attack. Hinata jumped upward, dodging the creatures slash and kicked off the trunk of the tree, moving closer to Tayuya.
Tayuya stopped her playing for a moment, sending a punch at her as Hinata was in mid-air. Hinata knocked the fist aside, using her foot to kick the flute into the air. Tayuya kicked Hinata in the chest, stopping her forward momentum. She fell toward the ground, looking up as Tayuya jumped upward and reached for her flute. A giant shuriken flew through the air, slicing the flute in half before she could reach it.
Hinata looked over, seeing a smiling Tenten as she rushed over and caught Hinata. They landed on the ground, Tenten putting her back on her feet.
"Thanks, Tenten."
She smiled at her.
"No problem."
They looked up, Tayuya looking at her destroyed flute.
"You guys… are so fucking dead!"
Her body began to change, her skin darkening as horns began to grow from her head. The foul chakra began to permeate her body as well. They both tensed, waiting to see what Tayuya would do. The redhead, launched her self forward, snarling at them as she did. She was faster, much faster, and Hinata barely managed to dodge the back-handed fist aimed at her head.
Tayuya lashed out with a kick, hitting Tenten and knocking her away. She turned her attention to Hinata, her fists flying at her. Hinata dodged, her palms striking at Tayuya's chakra points in her arms as she did. It wasn't working well. The foul chakra coming form Tayuya's shoulder seemed to be pushing through the blocked chakra points.
A punch landed, Hinata being thrown to the ground. She looked up quickly, Tayuya about to throw another before Tenten attacked, a katana in hand as she slashed at her back. There was a hiss of pain from the redhead, who quickly turned around and dodged the next slash. The two were dueling, Tenten slashing at Tayuya who dodged the blade as she sent punches and kicks at her opponent.
Hinata got up, rushing to help as Tayuya pulled out a kunai, blocking the sword strike and kicking Tenten away. Hinata caught her, getting her on her feet as they attacked together. Tayuya was good, very good, and was keeping up with the both of them.
She ducked over sword slashes, slapped away her palms, all while attacking back at the same time. But, she was beginning to tire. A nick there, another chakra point closed there. She was wearing down, and soon enough, someone had messed up.
Tayuya slashed at Tenten with her kunai. Tenten stepped closer, her shoulder hitting Tayuya's inner elbow as her hand grabbed Tayuya's wrist, keeping the arm in place. Her katana flipped around in her other hand, stabbing downward into Tayuya's foot. Tayuya screamed and Hinata saw her chance. She circled behind the girl, her chakra coursing through her as she used the technique Neji had taught to her.
"Eight Trigrams: 64 Palms!"
She struck forward, targeting the chakra points around Tayuya's shoulder and going outward. They began to close at a rapid pace, Hinata quickly closing any that reopened. Soon, Tayuya's transformation reverted, and she dedicated the other 32 palms to her heart. She heard the redhead cough up blood, falling to the ground soon after.
Hinata sighed, exhausted at using the technique. Both her and Tenten collapsed for a moment, catching their breath and letting the adrenaline leave their bodies. A couple minutes later, they got back up, heading off to meet back with Shino.
He was laying against a tree, Hinata's Byakugan seeing the injured leg that was causing him distress.
"I'm guessing you two were able to win", he said, the bugs around their heads returning to his sleeves.
The two of them nodded, Tenten speaking up.
"Sure did! Mission complete boss!"
The two hurled Shino onto their shoulders, beginning the trek back to the Leaf Village. Hinata looked behind her, hoping that everyone else would be okay.
Doffy and the rest of the team kept moving, chasing after the Sound ninja. They caught up quickly it seems, as they had to avoid several arrows that were fired at them from various directions. The one with multiple arms was here, trying to slow them down like his friends. He looked at the others, but Neji interrupted him.
"I'll take this one. You guys move on ahead."
Doffy looked at him for a moment, before nodding. The team moving to get past the Sound ninja. He was standing in front of them, gold stakes made of some type of metal in all of his hands. He threw them, Doffy using his strings to knock them out of the way. Doffy sent an overhead kick at the ninja, who used four of his six arms to block it, the other two sending punches toward him. He brought his other foot down, using it to drive him forward and above the ninja, while sending the ninja stumbling.
He moved forward, Neji turning back to face their enemy and stop him from following. There were only three of them now, Kiba, Vergo and himself. There were still four more enemies on the remaining team and they were getting closer to the border now.
They kept moving, running into yet another enemy, the two headed ones. He grit his teeth, Kiba volunteering this time. He nodded to him and Vergo and himself kept moving. They had to be quick now. They couldn't let them escape and Kabuto and the other were clearly the fastest in the group. They needed to defeat them, grab Sasuke and come back, just incase anyone needed help defeating the others.
They kept running, finally catching up in a large grassy field. The other two stopped, turning around to greet them. Kabuto began to speak first.
"So, you made then, huh? What a surprise, but I wonder if it was worth losing all your friends. First Sakura and now the rest too? What a shame. Kimimaro, take Sasuke back to Orochimaru, I'll take care of this."
Kimimaro nodded, continuing to run toward the Land of Sound. Kabuto's words condemned him. He admitted to being the one who planted those explosives in Sakura's house. Doffy looked over to Vergo.
"Follow him, Lee. I'll take care of Kabuto."
Lee nodded, moving to go past Kabuto.
"As if I'd let you!"
Kabuto moved as well, aiming an attack as Vergo. Doffy moved behind Kabuto, grabbing him by the back of his shirt and throwing him. He gathered his chakra, creating the strongest strings that he could and threw them into the air. They came down, impaling into the ground and creating a small cage, trapping Kabuto and himself inside.
"Demon Strings: Birdcage!"
Kimimaro ran toward the border, coming up to the legendary Valley of the End. Moving quickly, he grabbed the barrel on his back and threw it, turning around to block the punch aimed at him. The fist was heavy, and he brought up the bones in his arms to reinforce himself, blocking the strike. The force still sent him flying, skidding over the water and onto the other side of the river.
He got to his feet, running over the water to meet his opponent, a strange looking boy with a bowl-shaped haircut. Whoever he was, his physical strength was impressive, but his bones were more than enough to take the impact. Looking over, the barrel had broken, a still unconscious Sasuke laying on the ground. Kabuto's sedative was still in effect, and he should be out for a couple days still. This fight would have no interruptions.
Raising a hand, he fired bones through his fingertips, sending them at the enemy ninja. The boy pulled something from his vest, a stick of bamboo, and slapped the projectile out the air. He rushed forward as well, meeting him in the water. Kimimaro made a sword of bone, their weapons clashing at the center of the river. There was a shockwave, the force of their attacks making the water around them fly outward.
Kimimaro quickly sent a bone out from his shoulder, trying to impale his enemy. The other dodged, using his other hand to send a fist at his stomach. Kimimaro jumped back, his bone sword slamming down onto the other outstretched hand as he dodged. He watched in curiosity as the boys fist turned black, his blade striking the hand but doing no damage.
'An interesting technique, hardening his body to such a degree. It went on his clothes as well, meaning he can probably harden that Bamboo Shoot of his too. Such a dangerous opponent, a mix of immense physical strength and unyielding physical defense. I can't afford to get too carried away, Orochimaru is waiting for that boy, but I don't see a way to defeat this ninja quickly.'
The two separated for a moment, Kimimaro using the chance to speak.
"Tell me Leaf Ninja, what is your name?"
The other looked at him for a moment, before holding the bamboo in front of him.
"Rock Lee."
Kimimaro nodded, the first stage of the curse seal spreading across his body from his chest.
"Rock Lee, I, Kimimaro will take great pride in defeating you. You're a worthy opponent, so I won't bother playing around with you."
He had to get Lee away from Sasuke. He needed just a few moments with the boy. It was less than ideal, but he saw no way of getting Sasuke out of here with Lee on their heels. He moved, rushing toward Lee while stabbing his blade forward. Lee dodged to the side, his Bamboo lashing out. Bones grew from his body, bending as they absorbed the impact of the attack. He lashed out with a kick, watching as Lee caught the attack with his hand.
'Even in this state, his physical strength is greater than my own.'
Bones grew from his foot, wrapping around Lees hand. Kimimaro jumped into the air, tilting his body and using his grapple on Lee's hand to throw him toward the water below. Lee began to fall, and Kimimaro stabbed forward again, slightly shocked when the black armor returned again, blocking the attack on his chest. Lee fell into the water, and Kimimaro withdrew the bones so he wouldn't be dragged in.
He jumped away or tried to at least. A hand grabbed onto Kimimaro's ankle, pulling him into the water with Lee. The water was cold, but he forced his eyes opened to keep track of his opponent. There was a fist heading toward him, which Kimimaro dodged as he sent his own, spiked bone replacing his knuckles. Lee used his other hand to nudge the attack aside, pulling his arm back and sending an elbow toward his head.
Kimimaro threw his head backward, dodging the punch as his leg came up. The foot stopped just in front of Lee's face, a spiked bone shooting outward a second after. Lee moved his head to the side, grabbing the out stretched leg and pulling. Lee was below him now, Kimimaro's back to the other boy. He saw his intent and grew plated bones on his back just as a pair of fists thundered into him.
He was thrown out of the water, exploding gout of its surface. He reoriented himself as the plates of bone disappeared, landing back on the water and waiting for his opponent to surface. His hand reached and stroked his back lightly, thing about the strike. That was most likely one of his armored attacks. He felt those plates of bone crack slightly at the attack.
A hand burst out of the water, slamming onto its surface as it pulled its owner up. Lee was back on his feet. He grabbed the floating stick of bamboo and prepared for the next engagement. Kimimaro charged forward again, slashing his sword at Lee. The other dodged, Kimimaro making bones just out from his body to impale the boy. He dodged again, but Kimimaro wasn't done. He kept moving, using his sword and bones to attack his enemy. There was another ability Lee had, a crafty one as well. No one could easily react to the attacks he sent at the boy. The bones he grew from his body had caught jonin off guard. No, Lee was doing something to predict his attacks, most likely reading his intent somehow. So…
He had begun to spin quickly, his bones tearing at the boy as much as he could. He saw a weakness. Even the boys skin seemed to be naturally hard, but the blackened armor required concentration and purpose. If he couldn't see the attack coming, and if even Kimimaro didn't know exactly where his attack was going to land, he could pierce his defenses.
A punch landed on him, heavily impacting his stomach and sending Kimimaro flying backward. He skidded along the water, eyeing his opponent and spitting out the blood that the punch had caused him. There were cuts all along the other boy, but they were minor. Even without the ability to predict his attacks, Lee was skilled to survive such an assault. He needed more strength, if he wanted to open a window of opportunity, he needed to use the second stage.
He felt the transformation and worked on a strategy. He couldn't die here, meaning he couldn't use the second state for too long. He just needed enough to take down Lee for a moment, so he could get to Sasuke and get back to the Land of Sound. He didn't even have to make it back to Orochimaru, the ninja waiting at the border would do the rest for him.
The transformation was complete. He was slightly slower in this form, but only because his bones became denser to provide better protection and more powerful attacks, something that was greatly needed against Lee. He moved forward, abandoning his bone blade to rear back a punch, sending it forward. Lee crossed his arms, the black armor reappearing to protect him. Kimimaro's fist landed, the force of the attack sending Lee flying backward into the waterfall behind him.
Kimimaro chased after him, his bones forming spiked gauntlets around his fists. He considered using his Dance of the Clematis but decided against it. It took a lot out of him to forge the necessary weapons, and he needed to survive this battle. He reached Lee's body that was buried in the rock. Kimimaro's fists flew, closing his eyes so he didn't know where his punches would land. After a few seconds, he stopped, opening his eyes. He jumped backward, eyeing the waterfall and not seeing Lee emerge.
He deactivated the curse seal, moving to Sasuke's body. He reached him and began to work. It took less than a minute, but he was done soon after. Now, he just had to get to Orochimaru. He heard something behind him. Turning around, he saw a fist flying toward him, impacting his ribcage. The bones inside cracked, his body lodging inside the canyon wall due to the attacks force. He coughed up blood, and looked up, seeing Lee standing there.
His trench coat was destroyed, revealing the body underneath. There was a mass of muscle there, a body that a 12-year-old shouldn't possess. His face was impassive, but Kimimaro couldn't help but feel rage emanate from the boy. More worrisome, was the black armor that now covered his entire upper body. The rock under Lee's feet crunched and splintered as he walked, slowly approaching Kimimaro. Whatever Lee was doing, it made him much stronger than before, and he didn't want to test his strength, he didn't have the time.
He moved forward, sending a fist covered in a gauntlet of spiked bone. Lee raised a hand, sending it forward with a single finger outstretched. Kimimaro watched in shock as the bones were pierced, Lee's finger digging into his hand. Gritting his teeth, he pulled his arm back, his bones growing to form a protective cage around himself as he forced his way to Sasuke.
He could feel Lee grab at the bones, trying to pull them apart and get closer to him. He could feel them quickly begin to break and splinter in his hands. His bones weren't strong enough to hold him back for long.
He reactivated the second state of his curse seal, making the bones larger and stronger before Lee could break them. He was just about to reach Sasuke before he felt a pull, Lee grabbing him and throwing back toward the canyon wall.
He landed on his feet, kicking off the wall to give him momentum. He didn't have a choice, Lee was a monster and he needed to get away from him. He formed a drill of bone on to his right arm, made of the densest and strongest bone he could muster. He sent it forward, trying to stab Lee through the chest.
Lee used both his fists, slamming into either side of the drill and trying to stop it. It was working too. Kimimaro landed on the ground, using his legs and tail to force the drill forward.
"J-just die!"
He pushed Lee off his feet sending him into the air and onto the river. His attack didn't land, just merely pushing Lee backward. Kimimaro saw his chance and didn't waste it. He quickly grabbed Sasuke, applying a paper bomb to him and threw him away from them both, making sure that Lee was watching.
As soon as he did, he deactivated the curse seal and ran away, sprinting to the Land of Sound. He could hear Lee rushing to catch Sasuke and save him, giving Kimimaro ample time to escape. He could feel pain running through his body, his sickness and the fight making his body sore and ache. He sighed quietly, not liking how the mission turned out. They couldn't bring Sasuke back, but this would have to do.
Doffy watched as Kabuto eyed the cage curiously, seeming to laugh at his situation.
"Wow, who knew there was so much that could be done with just a few strings. You are pretty impressive Naruto."
Doffy grinned at him.
"Heh heh heh! You know, it seems like you don't really understand what kind of situation you're in, so let me tell you. I'm am quite angry, Kabuto."
The silver haired ninja smiled at him mockingly.
"Oh really, then why are you smiling so much then?"
His grin widened.
"I'm smiling just because I can't get any angrier!"
Doffy raised his palms, molten strings shooting outward to his opponent. Kabuto jumped through the air, dodging the attacks as he moved forward. Kabuto sent his Chakra Scalpels forward, Doffy blocking the attack with a Haki covered knee. He was surprised to feel pain in his leg and jumped back ward. He used strings to repair the damage, eyeing Kabuto curiously who was chuckling.
"Surprised? I saw that armor last time we met, when you had attacked me, but don't think it's gonna protect you now! Want to know why?"
Kabuto removed his shirt, revealing his upper body. His skin was changing colors, the same shade as his new leg.
"Extraordinary, isn't it? The cells of the First Hokage are a part of my body now, making me stronger. But there is a risk you see. I didn't stay behind because I wanted to fight you, Naruto. The leg that I attached to myself was an early prototype, and the First's cells aren't stable. They're slowly taking over my body. I'm afraid I'm going to die soon."
"Heh heh heh! Yes, you are. But that leg won't be the cause of it!"
Doffy charged forward, sending another drop kick at Kabuto. The traitor raised his hand to apply his Scalpel once again, just as expected. A string appeared connected to his shin and thigh, slicing into Kabuto's hand.
"Fret Saw!"
The hand was severed, Kabuto not making a sound as it was removed. Doffy headbutted his opponent, knocking him to the ground with a sickening crack. Kabuto lashed out with his remaining hand, nicking Doffy's side and cutting through his Haki. His strings quickly repaired the damage, Doffy slamming his leg down onto Kabuto's arm. He could feel the bones inside crumble as Kabuto cried out slightly. Doffy jumped back as Kabuto sent a poisonous mist from his mouth, quickly getting to his feet.
"Hahahaha! It's truly incredible, just look!"
Kabuto gestured toward the arm he had just broken, watching the arm twist and turn, the bones inside healing rapidly as the flow of blood came to a stop.
"My own regeneration technique with the First Hokage's cells amplifying it, truly fascinating."
Doffy was done, moving quickly to take down the deranged ninja. He sent a string forward, watching as Kabuto jumped left to dodge it. He was in front of him soon enough, a hand grabbing at Kabuto's remaining wrist. Kabuto was about to open his mouth again before Doffy's other fist rocketed upward, closing it and shattering his teeth. He wrapped his strings around Kabuto's other wrist, pulling and tightening the string, slicing his other hand off.
He headbutted him again, knocking Kabuto to the ground. He sat cross legged on the ninjas chest, sending his strings upward and having them crash down, nailing his limbs to the ground. He looked down at the screaming ninja, grinning at him.
Kabuto made to speak but he stopped that quickly, sending a tendril of string into his mouth and down his throat.
"Heh heh heh! You know Kabuto, there is some joy to be had here. I get to take joy in the fact that you'll be going to hell tonight."
His strings didn't stop, going down his throat and further into his body. They began to get thinner, digging into him as they spread throughout his body.
"But, call me greedy, I can't just let you leave without knowing what it's going to be like."
Kabuto was trying to scream, blood coming out of his mouth and soaking his strings.
"Now, I know what your asking. 'Doffy, what do you mean till you know what it's like?'"
The strings were spread through his entire body know, Kabuto stopping his screaming to listen intently on his next few words.
"Well…"
Doffy leaned in, looking directly into Kabuto's eyes, his grin stretching across his entire face, painfully so.
"I've always wanted to know what it's like, to burn in hell."
He sent fire chakra down the strings, watching as Kabuto's screaming resumed. He did it slowly, roasting the man from the inside. Eventually, Kabuto stopped screaming, getting used to the pain. He sent more chakra, watching with interest as he could see his strings glow through Kabuto's skin.
"Heh heh heh! You know, those healing powers of your sure are incredible! Let's see how much it takes to burn through them!"
Black smoke was coming off him as he writhed in pain, Doffy laughing all the while. He got up, standing above Kabuto and looking down at his face. He amped up the heat even further, now using the same amount as his Overheat attack. It didn't take long after that, his skin beginning to melt and turn black. Kabuto stopped moving, his healing no longer taking place. He was dead.
Doffy removed the birdcage, all his strings quickly disappearing. He looked up, not realizing that he had been torturing Kabuto for such a long time. Time really flies when your having fun. He looked over, seeing Vergo approach with Sasuke in hand.
He grinned at his friend, looking at Sasuke as Vergo approached. He frowned, not liking what he was seeing. He sighed, gesturing for Vergo to follow as they moved to check on everyone else, towing a one-eyed Sasuke Uchiha with them.
They had all returned to the village, bringing an injured Sasuke Uchiha with them. Everyone had survived their battles as well, though it seemed Kiba had the hardest time out of all of them. Still, Doffy had succeeded in his mission, though he wished it had gone better. Orochimaru had the Sharingan, and he would be a dangerous opponent the next time they met.
It had been a couple days since then, and Jiraiya had returned to the village. Neither Sakura nor Sasuke had woken up but Tsunade said that Sasuke's sedative should be wearing off soon. Having been given that information, the rest of the Konoha Rookies had stayed in his hospital room for the last couple hours, waiting for him to awaken. Doffy was in the corner of the room, his arms crossed as he waited, listening to the other's make idle conversation. Sasuke began to stir, and everyone went quiet. They watched as he slowly sat up, looking at the rest of them with his remaining eye, the other side of his face was bandaged up. Sasuke slowly placed a hand on the bandaged side of his face, Doffy stepping forward, a serious expression on his face.
"They took it, Sasuke. Your right Sharingan eye. We weren't able to get to you in time."
Sasuke looked down, the rest of the room silent as they watched. An expression of pain appeared on his face, slowly looking up toward him.
"Naruto…"
His voice was quiet, surprising Doffy. He didn't make a move though, waiting to hear Sasuke's words.
"Help me. Help me kill Itachi, please."
Doffy was quiet for a moment, absorbing the boy's words. He smiled a moment later, offering a hand to the boy.
They were leaving now, Sasuke deciding to go with them to train. Sakura had to stay behind, her injuries had not yet healed, but Tsunade offered to train the girl while they were away, and he had faith that she would be alright.
The girl had cried when she awoken, Temari holding the girl, reminding her that she still had a family. It was a tough decision for them both, but they would reunite soon enough, and be even stronger for it. He looked over to Jiraiya, who was waiting at the gate. Lee, Temari and Sasuke were there as well, waiting for him. There was training to do, strength to gather, and a collection of missing ninja to kill. He walked forward, joining them as they walked out of the village.
He couldn't keep the grin off his face.
Asuma watched as the Nine Tails left the village, deep in thought. He had spoken to Jiraiya, told him about his concerns. The Toad Sage brushed him off, telling him he was being paranoid. It was possible he was right. Naruto really could just be another talented ninja. But still, he couldn't shake the feeling that the eyes behind those glasses hid something dark within them.
"Now he is off, going to gather new strength."
Asuma turned, seeing someone come up behind him. They continued to talk.
"You know, he burst into the Hokage Tower, interrupting a very important meeting just to send a message. Naruto Uzumaki is a wild and dangerous boy. If he is not put under control soon, who knows what could happen."
Asuma was silent for a moment, listening to the other man's words before speaking.
"And what are you suggesting here? That we chain him down and put a collar on him?"
The other man chuckled.
"No, of course not. All I'm asking, is if you will support me, when the time is right. Well, Jonin Asuma?"
Asuma looked the other man in the eye, before returning his gaze to the Jinchuuriki leaving the village.
"Of course, Lord Danzo."
He never saw the Mangekyo Sharingan, spinning underneath the elder man's bandages.
"Well Itachi, how strong is the Nine Tails? Are the rumors true then?"
Pain watched as Itachi nodded.
"So, it would seem. He was able to hold off both Kisame and I. An impressive feat."
Kisame began to laugh as well.
"He sure did! The kid has some interesting abilities. I can't wait to get in a fight with him again."
Pain nodded at him.
"Very well. We will start our temporary disbanding for 3 years. Begin gathering funds however you can and meet back here when I call for you. When it is time to hunt down the Jinchuuriki, we will gather in larger numbers. If the Nine Tails has shown such a large amount of strength already, then we will need as many of us as possible to defeat him after we return."
The rest of the Akatuski nodded, agreeing with his orders.
"Now, dismiss- "
"Now, hold on there, Leader."
His hologram and the others turned, looking toward the newcomer.
"I want to propose a little deal between us. I'll help you grab your Jinchuuriki and grab the Nine Tailed Fox as well. In return…"
He looked down at the figure, slight surprise at the lone Sharingan in Orochimaru's right eye.
"I want Naruto Uzumaki's corpse!"
Author's Note: Alright everyone, now's the time to make any other suggestions you have. Also, we wanted to know of you wanted a chapter or two of the training trip itself. That way you would get a better idea of Doffy and everyone's abilities. Other than that though, we'll see you guys in the reviews and the next chapter!