Hello my little readers. I have another chapter for you which I bet was highly anticipated. I don't really much to say so on with the chapter.

Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto or Sengoku Basara.

Chapter 12~

Narumi slowly opened her eyes, her back beginning to ache as she sat up. She blinked a few times as she looked around at her surroundings. She saw the run down and broken statues laying all around her and smoke rising from the raging fires. She grit her teeth.

"Man, what hit me," she said rubbing the back of her neck in discomfort. She tried to lift her self up from the ground, but couldn't on the count of tight ropes tied around her arms and legs. "What the heck," she uttered in anger at her situation. She started to wriggle around, trying to move her hands to her tool pouch for a kunai, and when she was finally able to reach it she stopped at the sound of footsteps. Blue eyes widened in surprise when she felt someone grab her and pick her up. She gasped at the sight of Sasuke Sarutobi smiling at her and giving her a wink.

"Aren't you lucky I found you out of harms way, Narumi-chan," he proclaimed with a wry grin. Narumi sighed in relief and smiled back at him.

"Thank Kami, I thought you had gotten hit in the explosion." Sasuke shrugged.

"I'm not someone who you should underestimate. Now, lets get these ropes off of you." He set her back down on the ground, and with one swift strike the ropes broke apart. Narumi smiled and stood up and stretched.

"Whoo, okay now I'm ready to kick that Matusnaga guys behind, and the guy who tied me up," she said clenching her fists, her eyes narrowing into slits. She could here a brief comment from Kurama about 'not giving the guy any mercy'. At some point she would have told him no, but she let his comment slide.

Matsunaga would pay dearly for this.

Matsunaga stared down at the fallen men before him, watching in amusement as the right eye tried to get up.

"Life, death, all things repeat this cycle of being born and being broken," he began as he made his way down the steps. "If you know that everything is temporary, do not resist what you desire. Take it. Appreciate it. And in the end destroy it freely as you wish." He looked over at Koujirou then down at Takeda's armor, kneeling down next to it and moving it towards him.

Koujirou glared up at the man, groaning as he tried to get up. "M-Matsunaga."

"You're free to go now, the men you came to save are no longer, and your ninja is no longer here. Fighting me will do you no good." He stared blankly, seeing Koujirou stand, electricity and his blue aura flourishing around him.

Matsunaga's eyes narrowed a bit at the sight. "Well, don't you look to be in a foul mood. I don't understand why you're so upset. I obtained that which I desired, that is really all there is to it," he said, his gloved hand touching the helmet of the armor.

"Darn you Matsunaga! Now I'll show you how to open the gates of hell!"

"You clearly feel a need to take my life...so be it." Matsunaga stood up from the ground and stared at the angered right eye. "Take as your desire dictates. It is the worlds only truth." He unsheathed his sword and swung it outward, signaling the men hiding in the bushes. Men in black, carrying giant bombs on their backs ran towards them with battle cries, but were thrown back by Yukimura sending then and the bombs away. More of those men with bombs came out with battle cries.

"Never before have I fought anyone like these men. I sense nothing even resembling fighting spirit in them."

"That's because Matsunaga is paying them. He can't possibly have any loyal retainers." Hit after hit, both Koujirou and Yukimur sent the men back, the bombs strapped one the men's backs hitting the ground and exploding.

"Matsunaga! You're acting like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum! It's time to send you to bed," Koujirou cries out as he ran towards the hermit.

"I hate to ruin the moment, but how could you possible win in your condition." Koujirou stopped at those words and moved his hand to his mouth, coughing from the strange smoke around him. "The incense, of agonizing death. A secret preparation I'm fond of. It grows quite lethal when combined with the poison you breathed earlier," He stated as he ran straight for the man in an attack, easily dodging and hitting back his opponent. "You two can not win!"

"Master Katakura," Yukimura shouted heading to save the man, but was stopped by another bomb sending flying. Two figured jumped into the air, one catching Yukimura and the other heading for Matsunaga.

Narumi growled at the sight of Matsunaga getting the upper hand. She looked over to Sasuke and saw that he had managed to get Yukimura safely. Giving him nod she ran over to Koujirou's aid, kunai in on hand and shuriken in the other.

"Neither the Dragon nor the Tiger can avoid to hold the tips of their tails to deep. Against a devil who devours all in his sight, I find it difficult to survive. Much less cease this country from his bloody talons. Even against me, a withered, greedy, old hermit." Koujirou groaned with struggle as he stared up at Matsunaga, seeing him smirk in victory. "You have no chance of victory."

"I'm sick of your pompous rambling," Koujirou exclaimed with struggle.

"Hah," Narumi yelled as she threw her kunai at Matsunaga, that was followed by Sasuke throwing small bombs that exploded with green smoke, and Yukimura's brisk attack. She landed next to Koujirou who had gaped at her arrival then to the other two men.

"Master Katakura, that smoke has the antidote, breath in deeply," Sasuke ordered, giving Narumi a thumbs up. She nodded at him. She saw her second command giving her a once over, and chuckled as she saw him breath a small sigh of relief.

"I'm fine Koujirou. I'm not really the one you should be worried about right now," she said as she saw Matsunaga approaching, "That man needs to pay for what he's done here...I would do it, but it looks like you need this." With a smile she gave the man a thumbs up.

"Kick his butt Boss Katakura!" Koujirou smirked and turned his attention to the man in a few feet from him.

"You're mine now Matsunaga...in the pitch black night a single ray of light!" With a powerful strike head on, he sent the man flying and crashing into one of the head less statues.

The hermit winced in pain and chuckled as he saw Koujirou walk towards him. "Heh, it's a shame, but someday you will fade from this world as well. For in the end we all turn into nothing."

"We will not just fade away," Koujirou began, "Though there is no way to know how long it may last, we will leave our mark on this world."

Matsunaga chuckled again. "There is no treasure you can take with you to Nirvana." Narumi scoffed at his words. He thinks that's where he's going? For what he's done, no way.

"You needn't worry, that isn't where you go from here. But I'll meet you in hell," Koujirou voiced, no pity or sympathy in his voice as he spoke.

"Yes you will. A brief fair well then...Right Eye of the Dragon," Narumi heard the hermit say and stepped back when the statue exploded. She held no regard to the man at all, even if were better to have some sort of pity for the dead, but from what she experienced here tonight, she held none at all for him. The man had blown up her comrades, her friends and without any remorse.

"Yoshi-kun, Same-kun, Mago-kun," she muttered under her breath as she looked at the raging fire before them.

"I am in your debt," Koujirou spoke as he stared at the fire.

Yukimura at the man then at Narumi whose eyes were covered by here blond bangs. He frowned and closed his eyes. "No I am as disappointed as you must be."

"I'm so sorry, it was all I could do to get out in one piece myself," Sasuke said in remorse.

Then out of nowhere, within the fire stood a dark figure that slowly turned into three. Koujirou, Yukimura, Sasuke, and Narumi looked up in surprise thinking that it was someone else, hopefully not Matsunaga. But what they heard next was an even greater surprise when they heard three voices speak out.

"Ma-tsu-na-ga," the three voice shouted, revealing it to be Yoshinao, Samenosuke and Magobei. Narumi stared wide eyed at their appearance, feeling relieved that they were still alive. She giggled when she saw that their hair was sprung out and poofy.

"Don't you even think you can kill us so easily!"

"Yeah, what else ya got."

"Big Boss' swords, you can't have 'em!"

"You guys," Koujirou said getting over his brief shock.

"Boss Katakura!"

"Where is that Matsunaga guy?" The three retainers looked back and forth for the man, then frowned when they saw that he wasn't there.

"Aww, don't tell us," Magobei whined.

"Is it over already," Yoshinao asked.

Koujirou smiled down at them with a tilt of his head. "It is."

Narumi giggled and walked over to them." You guys missed everything. Shame on you," she scolded lightly with a smile quirking on her pink lips. They groaned causing her giggles to turn into laughter.

"Man," Yukimura said still in shock.

"You got to be kidding me," Sasuke said with disbelief.

"Boss Katakura we're so sorry."

"We're so ashamed sir." Koujirou knelt down in front of them with a smile still present on his lips.

"You guys, did well," he said proudly. The three men smiled up at their second commmand.

"Your the one who said Boss Katakura-"

"-this isn't the place where we're meant to die-"

"-not until the Big Boss conquers the whole country."

"Yeah, that's the spirit."

Narumi smiled and knelt down next to the men catching their attention. "I'm glad you guys were able to make it out okay, or else I wold have gone to the after life to beat you up for dying," she expressed with a sweet smile on her face making the men flinch at her words and expression.

"N-Now Naru-chan it wasn't our-" Yoshinao squeaked at the pull of his ear. Samenosuke and Magobei chuckled nervously, scooting back slowly as they watched Narumi punch the pompadoured man over and over.

Koujirou sighed and moved his hands to pull Narumi back, or else she'd kill the man. "I do not think that is necessary Narumi. The poor man will die if you keep up with your punches." The blonde pouted and reluctantly moved back from Yoshinao, who laid on the ground with swirls in his eyes.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I was just so worried, so worried that I was willing to risk everything to get them back...even myself."

"Speaking of that, do you have any clue as to why Matsunaga wanted you, anything at all," Sasuke asked her. She shook her head. "I see. I guess it's nothing but a mystery now."

"...We should get out of here," Koujirou said, vocalizing everyone's thoughts.

"Yeah, I don't want to be here for another second," Narumi spoke, tensing at the sudden chill in the atmosphere that she was feeling. She didn't want to say anything but it felt like someone was watching her.

A top one of the statues stood Kimiko, staring down at the group with a look of annoyance and bitterness. She bit her lip as she watched that blonde bimbo walk along side those obstacles called men (These are her thoughts folks).

"That darn ninja, he got in my way," she seethed clenching her hands tightly. If only she had realized that man's treachery from the get go, then she might have been able to finish Narumi quickly. Her chakra flow was blocked, but it seemed like before that there was something wrong when she blocked it.

"I might have blocked her second mode of chakra, not the one that was meant to kill her...maybe this isn't as bad as I thought it to be." She had heard around that this so called 'devil king' was after Narumi. Probably for something she did not want to say, but if she managed to get good graces with that man then maybe, just maybe, she could finally be rid of that blonde demon.

For good.

I'm done! I am so happy. Hope you all liked this one cause it's only one for today. I've decided to do a chapter either on Monday's or Tuesday's of every week. This is a start fro me since I'm not really one for scheduling update days, so wish me luck. As always R&R.

~Anime hotty lover. 18