Naruto peeked around the corner. The Konoha aquifer was a large reinforced structure. Great water storage tanks on top of the building. Naruto frowned, it was clear the place was being used as a staging point. 'I should not be surprised, it is an important structure…'
Doubt began to set in 'Does that woman really think I can destroy this alone? I can't turn huge like Gaara does. I just need to trust Kyuubi's power.' He frowned further. 'I am trusting myself to the fox a lot lately.'
Shaking off his thoughts, he walked up into the entrance. The squad of ninja frowned. He raised his hands in surrender. The group quickly exchanged glances, before one of them wearily made his way towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder and sending a pulse of chakra through Naruto, confirming he was not henged.
The man scowled "Shouldn't you be fighting your fellow demon over there." He said snidely, waving roughly where Shukaku was trashing the village. "I will" Naruto replied calmly "As soon as the rest of the squad is here."
"Rest of the squad?" The man asked dubious. Naruto rolled his eyes, mimicking expesration "To hunt demons, you make demons." He replied cryptically, brushing past the men into the building. Inside the halls where more Konoha ninja, some wounded, some regrouping and rearming. Naruto walked all past into the pump area. He saw no noticeable weakspots, and there were a few ninja around.
He walked through an emergency exit, emerging outside to a tiny courtyard. Quickly glancing around, he realized he had cut straight through the building. Scanning the area, he saw no-one. He gulped. 'It is now or never'
Naruto started to pull Kyuubi's chakra. Is it time the beast demanded impatiently. He might not like Naruto, but he disliked Konoha a whole lot more, the idea of aiding in it destruction, even indirectly made it quite a happy fox. 'Yes, it is.'
Power exploded from Naruto, a red cloak of chakra quickly wrapping around him. One tail sprouted from his back, long, pointy rabbit red chakra ears formed on Naruto's head, his whiskers marks on his face thickened, canines formed in his mouth. A second tail joined the first, more power came into the ear. Naruto started to form handseals, slowly and deliberately. A shout of "Traitor" did not stop him. The last handseal, formed, wind compressing into a visible into a sphere in front of him, tainted slightly red. The third tail sprouted. Something bounced off his chakra cloak.
"Fūton: Daitoppa!"
Naruto lack of control over the jutsu, further compounded by super-charging it with Kyuubi's chakra meant that instead of a controlled powerful gust, it exploded barely controlled into the building. The overpressure slamming through the thick walls, the wind and the debris destroying the machinery inside. The fighting men and women inside crushed by debris or pressure alike. Vital supporting walls gone, the massive water tanks on top of the buildings crashed down. Water washing away or drowning the survivors.
Naruto backpedaled away from the destruction, aghast by what he just had done. He suddenly felt Kyuubi's chakra claw slash at something, he turned around. Looking straight into the impassive face of Ibiki, but his anger and disgust radiated off him. His eyes promised untold tales of pain.
Naruto fought to control his bowel movement.
Kushina followed her snake, ignoring the fights around her. She frowned, she realized she was heading towards the Hokage tower, a major assembly point for Konoha's forces. If Danzo made it there, Kushina would be forced to fall back and let the man live.
'Dammit old one eyes bastard, you are not getting away dattabane!' she thought furiously, memories off that bubbling to the surface. Kushina crushed them down, and in the distance, saw a bandaged man fiddling with golden bracers.
Ignorant of the few civilians milling around the area, Kushina launched a barrage of chains from her back, the chains arced forward, and slammed into the ground in front of Danzo, impact points going up in blaze, forming a blazing barrier.
Danzo turned around, and from the shadows, two people with black and white masks shot forward to Kushina, drawing tanto's as they approached. Kushina reached for the seal on the back of her dress, revealing the Kusanagi. She made a one handed horizontal swipe, extending the blade as the swipe went. One of the ROOT members attempted the block, but the Kusanagi cut through his tanto, and bit into the men.
The other ROOT used the time it took the Kusanagi to cut through his companion to duck under the attack, and swiped at Kushina. Kushina had raised her other palm, and formed spike less chains, who formed a round shield in front of her. The tanto clanged against the chains. She willed the chains forward, wrapping around the sword, the man, and then throttled him.
Stepping over the chocking man, hand now pointed backwards to slowly kill him, Kushina extended her sword and slashed at Danzo right hand, who was trying to free the last golden brace, shallowly cutting into the bandaged left arm as she cut the brace apart.
"Era era, are you sure you want to show your stolen arm to Konoha Danzo?" she asked. The man glanced around for an escape route, before he could move, Kushina launched more chains from her back, forming a large cocoon around the pair, chains ripping through the buildings.
On Kushina's arm an alert seal burned 'Shinkiro is in trouble' Her plans to torment Danzo cut short. "I don't have time to play with you" She said as she shot forward, chains still attached to her back. Danzo's lone eye widened, before the blade bit into his heart. He toppled backwards, dead.
Kushina released her chains, uncaring she set a neighborhood ablaze, and rushed back the arena.
She never noticed the subtle shift in reality.
Ibiki was rushing to the aquifer building. Shortly after Jiraya and his summons started to clash. He captured a Suna chuunin. A short, extremely painful torture session later, Ibiki managed to figure out most targets.
For an experienced T&I expert, it was the usual rote, which infiltrators usually aimed for, clan heads, division heads, supply storages, clan secrets etcetera. But one, in Ibiki's opinion, major weaknesses was never targeted, the water supply, vital for both Shinobi and civilian, was not target according to the chuunin. Konoha only had two sources that could truly provide all its needs. The nearby naka river flowing through the Uchiha lands, and the aquifer inside the city.
That worried Ibiki, and the only conclusion he could arrive to is that the enemy had a high-ranked infiltrator poison the supply somehow. He approached the building from the back, leaping on top of a building, he saw a familiar blond looking contemplatively at the structure.
Ibiki glanced towards the Ichibi rampaging to his left 'Why isn't he fighting that?' he couldn't help but ask himself. Suddenly red chakra burst from Naruto. A tail formed, the boy started to form handsigns. 'Why would he… friends with Kabuto.. a proof of loyalty!' "Traitor!" Ibiki roared, throwing a kunai with lightning quickness, only for it to be blocked by the chakra cloak.
Ibiki leapt forward, another kunai in hand. The boy unleashed the jutsu he was forming, and a devastating wind tore into the building, collapsing it on itself. Smoke, water vapor and debris clattered away as the boy retreated from the building. 'Rookie' Ibiki though dismissively, aiming for a knockout strike, so he could torture the boy later for the crime he committed.
A huge red claw slashed at his face, appearing suddenly out of the back of the boy. The boy whirled to face him. And with some satisfaction Ibiki noticed he struck some fear in the boy. Ibiki rushed through some hand seals, and slapped his palms on the ground.
"Kuchiyose: Aian Meiden" Ibiki shouted as a gigantic white cat statue arose from the ground. The thing split open in the middle. Right paw raised in the air, red ears pointing to the sky.
The kyuubified boy snapped out of his stupor as the statue started to close on him, the pikes threathing to impale him. Red tails and claws lashed out, ripping through the spikes, tearing into the walls of the statue. Naruto soon busted through the side as the thing started to sink into the ground.
Chains shot from the boys back, arcing over the boy, they bombarded the area around Ibiki, who used a kunai to block the ones threating to impale him. But more homed in on his position, driving him back.
Ibiki cursed as he was forced to block the next chain with his fore arm, gauging a deep wound in it. An idly thought formed in the back of his head 'That will be another scar'. He dived to the left, avoiding a sudden claw formed out of chakra as Naruto shot forward. He was then forced to roll on his side to avoid impalement by an tail.
He decided retreat would be most prudent, he had no guarantee any of his other attacks could pierce the cloak, and with all the extra limbs Naruto could form without looking at him meant his superior speed and strength where successfully negated. His capturing methods were inadequate to deal with the extra limbs. Pushing himself to his feet, leaping away before Naruto could properly close the distance again, he swore he would get the boy back as he flickered away.
'Just you wait, you successfully fooled me boy, but I will my private time with you in an interrogation room.'
Anko stepped into the nearest shelter from the arena, suspecting the elder council would have made their way inside. She was right, and she saw the pair conversing with an hapless genin, trying to find out what was happening.
"Honorable elder council" Anko said, drawing their attention while she did her best not to choke on the title. "Anko" Homura replied "What is happening outside?" she demanded. "The battle goes well" Anko lied smoothly "However the enemy left an seal of unknown design. I am ordered to gather all the seal experts I can"
The elderly pair nodded their understanding. "Very well, lead the way"
Anko soon led them outside, and quickly into an empty the building. She waved to the door of an empty room "The seal is inside here" she lied. The pair soon entered "Where is the seal then Koharu?" managed to ask, before the pair where suddenly enveloped by snakes.
"Anko, what is the meaning of this?" Homura demanded.
"You two" Anko said, a blood thirsty grin making its way on her face. "…are going to answer some question I have. You see, a nice lady removed this seal the two of you left on my neck." The elders blanched at the implications. "Dammit" Koharu cursed "I knew keeping the snake's whore to keep the contract was…" she was interrupted by a kunai slashing her cheek.
"Now that was some interesting information, but I have more questions…"
The elderly pair gulped.
Kakashi cursed as a suna jonin proved to be an actual challenge. After fighting clear through the arena, turning it into no-man's land. Kakashi, Guy and some chuunin where suddenly beset by a wave of suna troops.
During the hectic street to street fighting, he lost the energetic Guy, who probably spotted a strong opponent to test his mettle against.
He was further annoyed he did not know how his students were doing. He saw the transformed Ichibi, its sandy body informing Kakashi who exactly the container was. Since there was no Kyuubi trashing around to defend its turf, Kakashi presumed the cursed boy died before he could be useful.
Ducking under a flying rock spike, Kakashi returned fire with a fireball. Since the Ichibi was rampaging around, that either meant Sasuke succeeded killing Gaara, setting free the beast, or the boy had control over his monster. Still, it meant his star student was at ground zero, and Kakashi knew Sasuke was not quite ready yet to deal with a full-blown bjuu.
He hoped the boy survived unharmed.
Sakura never crossed his mind.
Iruka frowned as the barrier he erected with several other barrier specialists shuddered with the impact of another long range sand projectile. The enormous Ichibi was still focused on burying the industrial sector, but from time to time and started throwing large sand projectiles far and wide into the city.
As far Iruka could tell, there were no specific targets, but the Hokage office with the academy attached to it presented a large target.
Proud ninja of Konoha where assembling below, the Ino/Shika/Cho trio arrived earlier, taking command. They had cleverly outmaneuvered several kill teams who seemed to be hunting them.
The special jonin turned chuunin instructor for a certain jinchūriki to help the boy form bonds for the village couldn't help but worry for the students in his class. He knew some of them, like Sasuke and Shino would be fine. He hoped the instructors would be able to protect the others.
He wouldn't say it out loud, but he was worried for Naruto, despite declaring to be his friend, he knew he did not pursue the friendship properly. But he honestly did not know how to get closer to the boy. Thanks to his treatment by the village, every word an adult said to him was heard with weariness.
Iruka vowed to himself he would organize a get-together for his graduated class, the kids would need to share their experiences with each other to process the horrible thing that was war better.
Asuma was carrying Kurenai bridal style towards the hospital. A couple of fellow chuunin and jonin with various injuries right behind him. He managed to stop the bleeding, but she was very pale, her breath shallow. 'Come on Kure-chan, don't die on me!'
As they approached the hospital, they saw Oto and Konoha nin dueling around the structure, but it was clear the invaders already made it inside. As the wounded troop approached, the hospital burst into flames.
Their objective complete, the Oto nin started a fighting retreat. Konoha allowing them to in favor of attempting to salvage as much as they could.
The surviving medical personnel quickly commandeered a nearby store and started a triage. Too Asuma's dismay, that meant he had to put Kurenai down on the second floor, and hope she could pull through on her own. Her wound meaning she was in no state to fight again anytime soon.
As Asuma exited the provisional hospital, a large sand projectile crashed nearby, destroying a couple of buildings, deepening his worry for the woman he started to love.
Jiraya breathed an oath as he reached the edges of the industrial district, between fighting the invaders at the gate, and toying around with the kill team. Ichibi had plenty of time to trash the area, turning it into a mini desert thanks to all the sand the beast had thrown around.
Jiraya wasn't sure if he should be happy by the lack of Konoha ninja, either alive or dead. It either meant they were smart enough to stay away from the giant beast, too afraid to fight beast or worse, they did fight the beast and are now all buried beneath the sand.
'Doesn't matter, I can deal with it now' Jiraya thought confidently as he formed the handsigns for summoning.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
In an enormous puff of smoke, a large red toad, slightly smaller than the Ichibi appeared. The toad had scar over the left eye,dark red markings over its body. A pipe was in its mouth, slowly puffing out smoke. It held a sheathed tanto in its right paw.
"Jiraya" Gamabunta boomed to Jiraya on his head "Why are you involving me into your dangerous fights!" "No time for joking 'Bunta, that thing is thrashing Konoha." Jiraya replied, stern look on his face. Gamabunta taking in his surroundings, grimly drew his tanto.
Ichibi, hearing the arrival, turned towards the pair, a big grin making its way on the toothy jaw.
AN: Before you go 'Kushina cares to much about Naruto to give him such a risky mission!' wait until the post invasion. I have thought about it!
Honestly, I am not sure if the Naka river flows inside Konoha or not, some of the long range shots over Konoha (such as Pain thrashing Konoha) doesn't show it. Or I missed it, I am not claiming perfect knowledge of canon here.)
I hope it's not unbelievable it took so long for Konoha to start getting its stuff together.
Oh man.. writing a good fight between Shukaku and 'Bunta is going to be hard.
Ah drat, breached the 40k word barrier with the last chapter, another late celebration!
Ncpfan: In hindsight, I suppose the reason is weak is on the surface, I'll explore it further during the apology. Thanks! Sorry to disappoint on the Danzo confrontation, but the reason why should be pretty clear.
As for Minato, let's say I have some looooooooooong term plans. *evil teasing laugh*
Wyrtha: Perhaps it was a bit unclear, but she unsealed 2 coffins, and the set of control kunai (thus 3 pieces needed, coffin, coffin, kunai) Also, 3 voices? *confused*
I had considered killing Anko, but decided not to, why? Well, read on ;) The entire story behind Oro/Hiru is a bit more complex.
Honestly, the brainstorming of 'I got a character who has spiky, telepathically controlled fiery chains of d00m. How can this character murder stuff with them' was quite fun…. And I haven't even used the couple of named attacks I got in mind. Those will appear much later in the story. *evil teasing laugh*