Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Rurouni Kenshin. Whelp what can you do, enjoy this latest chapter.
"Talk" Character talking.
'Think' Character thinking.
Blowing up a war blimp was one of the best highlights of Naruto's life. Now he caused many explosions in his life, but the top three were definitely destroying those bandit camps in Wave Country – and creating a massive fireball in the friggin' sky. Destroying Gato's base to where only ashes remained. And now destroying a war blimp with a tyrannical Daimyo on board, he honestly wondered how he was going to top that.
But then came a precarious situation, he was falling very fast towards the earth from almost four-thousand miles in the air, or feet, it was honestly hard to think with the roaring wind rushing past his ears. It also did not help that he had an actual Princess in his arms who was screaming in terror. They were going to die at this rate, so he tried to once again communicating with the furry asshole locked in his belly.
'Furball, hey furball I could use a hand here!' Naruto inwardly shouted.
"Oh so now you call upon me." The Kyuubi growled from behind his golden cage. "What happened to not relying on my power, huh whelp?"
'Relying? Motherfucker get off your furry high horse and listen to me! If you do not give me your friggin' chakra we're going to die! I have come too far to die like a fly splattering against a window. You owe me rent so pay up or I swear to every God out there when we die, I will drag you to hell with me!'
"I will be reborn you insolent whelp! Your seal may bind me, but like every biju I will be reborn!"
'Yea, and you will be as weak as a fox kit. Easily captured by...well anyone, your freedom will last barely a day before one of the major superpowers, hell even the minor powers will get you. Is that really what you want?'
Kyuubi was taken back from that answer, he was the most powerful biju that ever walked the earth, being captured the first time was a grievous insult, getting transferred to a second host was also a great cause for anger, a third time tested his limits and his patience. There was not going to be a fourth time, he would die a permanent death before that happened. "Very well boy, take my chakra. Live another pathetic day like the hairless monkey that you are."
Naruto then felt a surge of power that he had not felt in a very long time. Orange chakra began to surround his body before it took on a sickly crimson color, one tail of chakra erupted from his backside, then two, then three. He dared not go to four, he would be unable to control himself if he did.
Koyuki watched all this happen, up close she saw his blue eyes turn red with animistic slits, his canines sharpened, his whisker marks darkened and his already wild hair became shaggier. Then she saw and felt the arm chakra envelop around her body. When Naruto told her he was Kyuubi's jinchuriki she scarcely believed it, but now just seeing, even feeling it up close made her reconsider her opinion.
"Hang on...this is gonna suck." Even his voice changed, it was deeper, graver, it sent shivers up and down her spine.
They then hit the ground. Naruto pulled her tight against him to lessen the impact and literally left a scar across the land in the form of a massive cut that tore through the frozen ground, melted snow on impact, felled trees, crashed through boulders until finally they came to a stop after skidding over twenty miles from impact.
"Oww..." Naruto lowly groaned in pain when he came to, at the five mile mark he blacked out and found himself waking up in the middle of a field. So far he felt a lot of pain, and what he figured were the elements hitting his bare skin. "Koyuki...you alive?"
"Barely...ow, are you?"
"I think I have a broken leg, a lot of skin torn away, a few more broken somethings...and parts of my clothes are in tatters." He felt the familiar weight of his sword though, so he didn't lose it at least. "How about you?"
"I...I think I'm okay, a little banged up, but those bruises will fade eventually." Koyuki slowly stood to her wobbly feet and looked down at her savior, his right leg was resting at an awkward angle with a bone sticking out of his skin from his shin area, his entire right side was just...gone clothing wise, it was only a miracle that his boxers remained intact by the few threads left in them. Half his face was bloodied, she honestly couldn't tell if that was muscle underneath it or not, his right eye was close shut, but his left eye was looking right at her. He was in a lot of pain, but cared little for it. "Can you...can you walk?"
"I need a hand, get me over to some cover will you." Koyuki did as requested and carefully helped him to his feet. He was uncomfortably close against her, he relied on his left leg as they both awkwardly limped until they came to a tree that was fifty or so feet away from them. When she gingerly set him against the tree, Koyuki looked him over. "What can I do to help?"
"Unless you're Tsunade I doubt you can do anything..." Wincing Naruto took his right leg and with clenched teeth pushed the bone back into his shin, even as blood stained his gloves he tried to straighten his leg, but couldn't do it. He then felt a pair of hands grab his ankle, and he saw Koyuki looking at him. "On three jerk it to the right...one...two...three..." A sickening crack and Naruto's gurgled cry were the only things that echoed in the field. With a shaking hand the blonde reached into his hip pouch and pulled out a scroll. "I got a tourniquet in this...can you-"
"I can." Koyuki took the scroll and opened it, a first aid kit was revealed in a small cloud of smoke, she quickly opened it and took out the tourniquet to wrap around his shin. Each movement sent a wave of agony through him, but he bared with it.
"Ha...ha...you're pretty handy with that Princess."
"I had to do this a few times in my movies, before I was Princess Gale I played a nurse who treated her patients during the Second Great Shinobi War." Koyuki said, tightening the bandage on his leg. "I had to learn a few things about the human body and how to properly do procedures like this."
"I never saw that movie." Naruto gritted out.
A ghost of a smile came over Koyuki's face. "I'm not surprised, it was a box office flop. Definitely a black spot on my career, honestly who wants to watch a triangle love story between a nurse and two shinobi during wartime?"
"Not me, I hate those kinds of movies. But still you're really good, and you said you hated being an actress." Naruto said with a cocky smirk on his bloodied face.
"I always didn't hate being an actress, once upon a time ago I used to enjoy it. To become a character, to live their life, there is romanticism in it, and to see the fruits of your labor pay off after months of hard work..." Koyuki then trailed off, a frown marring her pretty face. "But then there is the dark side to this business, it's not as bad as your life, but behind the scenes..."
"No need to say anything, I've seen the seedy underbelly of crime organizations, and the shinobi world, so hearing that some seedy director or producer has secret sex orgies in their mansion, with opium and forces starlets to do what they want otherwise they won't get work." Naruto replied before spitting to the side, he grimaced when he saw his saliva mixed with blood. "I should know because I killed a few of them in my day." (1)
Her blue eyes widening, Koyuki looked at him in shock. "So you killed-"
"Damn right I did. Gah! Careful, the Kyuubi may be some sort of uber healing monster, but he can't do it if the bone isn't properly aligned, I'd just hate to break it again to reset it."
"Sorry, but I guess that means you lied, when you talked to Hinata and me about your life, I thought you said-"
"Let me stop you there Princess." Naruto held up his hand to stop her. "While I did say I was not going to hold back, there are some things that no one really needs to know about, especially when it comes to no-name scumbags who are rotting in the ground."
"Like Doto?" Koyuki dared to ask.
"Especially Doto." Leaning back against the tree, Naruto rested the back of his head against the bark and closed his eyes. "Listen, I'm exhausted. Everyone should be coming for us. Wake me up when they do...and I dunno have Akamaru carry me to the capital. I'll take the highest award your country has for heroism."
"And here I thought you wanted a kiss." Koyuki said in a teasing tone.
"As I recall I was promised more than a kiss if we survived. And guess what, we survived." Naruto drowsily replied before falling asleep.
"You're such a fool." Koyuki quietly said before reaching out to stroke his messy head of hair. "But you're my fool."
(Snow Country – Doto's Secret Hideout)
Three days after Orochimaru bestowed Doto and Nadare his gift, he ordered Yoroi to take him to one of Doto's hideouts. The Snake Sannin was under no illusion that the former member of their little organization had them hidden all over Snow Country, the former King learned that from him after all. When they found it the guards and scientists were less than inviting when they found their ruler being carried like a pile of garbage, they however were just hired hands and scientists, they did not stand a chance against one of the most legendary shinobi of his generation.
While his newest patients were fighting for their lives Orochimaru was snooping around and gathering some data. He honestly had to admit, while Doto was mad as a hatter his research was phenomenal, even the minor stuff he found, most of his projects were decades ahead of their time. Even he, a man of science was impressed, and he did not impress easily.
"What exactly is this stuff?" Yoroi asked when he looked at a blueprint of what looked like a ship, only it was massive in scale, looked to be made out of steel, and armed to the teeth with multiple weapons that could wipe out whole battalions of men.
"Technology Yoroi, chakra armor, kunai volley guns, chakra blocking blankets, chakra disruption devices, and war blimps are just the start. What Doto has made here will revolutionize the entire shinobi world." Orochimaru shifted a few papers to show several more blueprints. "Buildings several stories tall, devices to store information that aren't on scrolls or books. The problem is we do not have the technology to do this just yet, but imagine it in twenty, or perhaps even thirty years."
"I honestly cannot see that happening Orochimaru-sama. To do that, our way of life will have to change, countries will have to stop sabotaging each other and get along." Not even Yoroi could believe he was saying that. "That's impossible, it will never happen in my lifetime if I ever reach an old age. And when you achieve immortality, even then I doubt it will ever happen."
"Oh ye of little faith, this is what the organization has been striving for." Orochimaru said before pushing away from the table and stepped through a recently cleaned area. "How are our guests?"
"Their fevers still haven't broken, I honestly have doubts that they will pull through."
"They will pull through, you underestimate Nadare's devotion. He truly reminds me of Kimimaro, he would have been a great asset if he didn't choose the wrong side. Doto however..." The Snake Sannin smirked when he felt a familiar power flare up. "Never underestimate a man willing to keep what's his."
True to his word, Doto Kazahana came stumbling into the room, foul purple chakra was pouring from is body and black ice-like cracks appeared on parts of his exposed body and ruined face. The former King of Ice no longer held such a regal appearance, seventy-five percent of his face was horribly burned, it was blackened on the entire right side, bleeding from his contorting jaw muscles and his right eye was gone; the inferno completely melted it away. His hair was in patches, he was missing half his teeth, and that gaudy crown was melted to his head, in fact a decent part of it had seared itself in his empty eye socket with a sapphire taking place of his eyeball.
"Oro...chi...maru..." The man growled out, his voice sounding like splintering wood and grinding gravel. "What ha..ve you done...to m...e?"
"I saved your life Doto, you and your man would have perished in that inferno if it weren't for my timely intervention." The Snake Sannin smirked in reply. "I'm glad you survived my old colleague, the club is getting smaller and small with each passing day."
"You...you...!" Doto took a single step towards Orochimaru, only to be met by his former subordinate and a kunai placed at his throat.
"I suggest you cool your jets you highness, Orochimaru-sama bestowed you a great gift, and you best appreciate this second chance at life." Yoroi threatened him. "Your entire country thinks you're dead, your army is either going to pledge themselves to your niece to keep their heads off the chopping block, or desert completely. You need us right now Doto, to think otherwise is foolish."
"Kukuku, how bold of you Yoroi. But there is no need to worry, in his current state Doto has absolutely no chance to defeat me. Not with the first level of my curse seal. However..." Pulling a scroll from his robe, the snake-like man unrolled it. In a small cloud of smoke was a barrel with several talismans lining it. "This will give you the boost you need."
"W-hy are you...doing this?" Doto demanded, he was slowly getting his voice back, but everything hurt. There was no way around it, he was horrifically burned, and it was due to that blonde brat. "I left your...foolish organization to become the rightful ruler of the world. Why...why would you help me?"
"Don't get me wrong Doto, I'm not doing this out of the kindness in my heart. You have technology that I desire, and should your crazy vision come true I want a seat at the head of your new government. Think of it as a personal favor, because if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have lived another day." Orochimaru flatly stated. Of course he didn't think it was possible for the man to succeed, but being cautious never hurt either.
"And what makes you think I will honor such a deal?" Doto hotly demanded.
"Because I gave you this power, and I can easily take it away. Trust me, I've had years of practice." His golden eyes flashed with malice before he unleashed a great amount of killing intent. The Snake Sannin had a lot of satisfaction watching the weakened tyrant squirm. "And I will end you, it will not be quick, it will not be clean, and it will not be humane. You will float in a vat for a decade as nothing but nerves, being kept alive by machines, in constant agony until I finally pull the plug when I have taken everything from you."
The power Doto had was cut off like strings to a puppet, he collapsed to his knees, sweat poured from any undamaged skin that was left on his body. He was backed into a corner, he knew it, he hated it. But he has absolutely no choice. "What do you want...I'll do whatever it is you ask." He said in defeat.
"Once you and Nadre have gotten used to my gift, you're going to announce your survival and pin your near assassination on the rebels and your niece. I want you to also lay the blame on the shinobi from Konohagakure, telling them that this was an attempt to enslave your country. After that you're going to hand over copies of your blueprints to me and my associate, then you can do whatever you desire with your country." Orochimaru commanded, his arms stretched as he grabbed the former King and dragged him to the barrel.
For three days both Doto, and Nadre were locked in their respective barrels, absorbing the dark chakra provided to them from Orochimaru's curse seal. And when they emerged, that was when Orochimaru's real plan began.
(Yukigakure's Capital – Four Days Later)
It took six days, but Naruto finally managed to regain consciousness and get himself back on his feet. With the tender hands of both Sakura and Hinata, and a good amount from Kyuubi the bones in his body reset, his skin mended together, and he was back his his normal self much to the relief, and chagrin of various members of the group.
"You blew up a blimp." Kiba plainly stated the day he woke up. "A blimp with a Daimyo on it, and survived a four-thousand foot fall. Dude, what the hell are you?"
"An overachiever." Naruto lightly remarked. "What did I miss while I was out?"
"Well...out of those three-hundred samurai only seven are left after that blimp attack. We managed to go from hideout to hideout for the first day, but upon learning that Doto was killed we were welcome in every village with open arms. I tell ya man I have lost count of the times I've been kissed by a bunch of pretty girls!"
"I would say good for you, but that means that I was deprived of some awesome lip action." The blonde sourly replied. "So where are we now?"
"We're in the castle within the capital, the capital dude! There's a parade and a celebration, we're heroes man. Koyuki is gonna be giving a grand speech to the nation in an hour." His faithful canine companion happily barked in joy. "I know buddy, mom's gonna be so proud of us!"
Leaning back in the bed given to him, Naruto stared at the ceiling with a frown on his face. This was far too easy, "What about Doto's soldiers. And this super weapon Sandayu mentioned?"
Kiba's good cheer disappeared quickly. "I dunno about this super weapon, Koyuki has people looking high and low for it. As for Doto's soldiers...some have surrendered, the last count has been calculated as thirteen hundred men and women. The rest have gone into hiding."
"So we have roughly thirty-seven hundred of Doto's loyalists scattered throughout the land. Nuts." Naruto sighed in response, he pushed himself out of bed and found that he was only clad in a pair of boxers, blue boxers instead of the orange he was wearing. "Kiba...who the hell dressed me?"
"Who am I, your keeper? It must have been one of the nurses when we got here, no one wanted to move you out of fear of damaging you any further."
"Then how the hell did I get here? I remember laying against a tree."
"Well of course we moved you onto one of the trucks, Hinata and Sakura bandaged your wounds, pumped some healing chakra into your body. Everyone took turns looking after you, until we arrived in the capital yesterday. After that...well here you are."
"And my stuff, please tell me that it's all intact." Naruto said, looking about the room.
"Your sensei has them in his possession, no one else has touched them." Kiba quickly replied.
"Good, now is there a chance I can get some damn pants?"
After Naruto was given a some clothing that consisted of a pair of black pants, and a thick white long-sleeved shirt that clung to his torso, he was also given a pair of black sandals to replace the ones that had to be discarded. He finally was able to walk through the castle grounds.
He had been in many castles in the past, sometimes it was to meet Daimyo's with Shishio, others it was to assassinate some poor bastard who angered a rival, or steal state secrets. But this was definitely the largest he had seen in a long time, and as much as he hated Doto, even he had to admit the man had a good taste in the finer things. The castle was decked with tapestries, suits of armor, antiques from the Warring States Period from some clan that was now extinct. He honestly wondered if Koyuki would keep some of the stuff or sell it all off to help her people.
"Ah, you're awake. Everyone was getting worried."
Turning his head Naruto was greeted by Koyuki wearing a multi-layered kimono of different colors that were blue, red and white respectively, along with an ordinate headdress. The Hex Crystal was once again around her neck, and she looked like a great load was lifted off her shoulders. She was being escorted by both Hinata and Kakashi who were wearing their usual clothing.
"I needed the rest. Kiba told me exactly what has been going on since I've been unconscious." He said before turning towards them. He first nodded to Hinata and then his sensei. "Thank you for watching over me."
"It's the least I could do." Hinata confidently said
"As your sensei I should berate you for doing something so reckless that it put you in a coma." Kakashi said in a disapproving voice. He took several steps away from his charge and stood in front of his blonde student. The serious expression on his face soon disappeared, and was replaced by an eye-smile. "But at the same time you made the right choice and did your village proud. Just try to be more careful next time." He then pulled a scroll from his vest and handed it to his student.
Naruto took the scroll, unraveled it, and in a small cloud of smoke was greeted by his spare equipment. Slipping the launching device on his arm first, he then put his jacket on, his kunai holster on his right thigh, a hairband to tie up his hair in its usual ponytail, and finally the Mugenjin in its proper place at the back of his jacket. "I'm just glad it's over. Though I guess this means you'll have to give up being an actress, huh?"
"Not necessarily." Koyuki said with an impish grin on her face. "After correcting the mistakes my uncle did, I still plan on acting. In fact I was actually offered a star role by the crazy director who came with us."
"Really now? What is it?" Naruto asked.
"That will be telling, perhaps you'll find out when I ask you to star in it with me." Giving the blonde a wink that caused Kakashi's lone eye to widen, and Hinata to glare a hole in her head, Koyuki took Naruto's arm in hers. "We can discuss it later, right now I have a country to speak to, and I would so hate to do it alone."
"You won't have to do it alone, you got some of the best in the village guarding you." Hinata was the first to speak, she took the opposite side of Naruto and boldly took his other arm in hers.
Kakashi could only watch in amusement, and confusion as both women were glaring daggers at each other as they walked away. Lightly rubbing his chin underneath his mask he could only chuckle. "I know I missed something, but it's honestly none of my business." He then looked up to the ceiling. "You both would be so proud of him, I know it."
In front of the castle a few minutes later, Naruto was greeted by the liberated city. Banners showing Sosetsu's likeness were freely blowing in the wind, the people were cheering, many were crying in joy and relief. He saw the rebels...or what remained of them from various hideouts standing in a line by the stairs, all twenty-five of them, that was all that remained. He saw the members of Team Eight standing together, along with members of his team, but Koyuki insisted on him staying close to her so the cameras directed by the same director and camera crew could zoom in on him, so the people could see the man who killed their tyrant.
At the podium Koyuki slowly breathed out to calm her nerves, this was just like doing an interview, only with tens of thousands of people watching her, no worries at all. She also though she saw the images of her father and Sandayu smiling at her before they disappeared. Smiling at the thought of them she spoke, loudly and proudly, a large screen behind her came to life showing her beautiful features. "Citizens of Snow Country, your day of liberation is now! As of six days ago, my uncle; Doto Kazahana has perished."
The roaring applause was almost deafening, poor Akamaru lied on his belly and covered his ears, Kiba handled it a little better than his companion. "I return home after thirteen years of running in exile...and for that I am ashamed." That stopped the cheering dead in its tracks, and caused the citizens to look at her in confusion. "I ran like a frightened girl that entire time, never once did I think about Snow Country, or the people in it...I failed as the daughter of Sosetsu Kazahana." She was silent for several seconds, the revelation kicking into the hearts and minds of her people. "I cannot change the past. But if you all give me a chance, I swear to you on my life, and my father's good name that I will change this country for the better. We will become a jewel that other countries would aspire to be, for the downtrodden to have hope in becoming more than what they were born into, and I will never run from my problems ever again, to honor those who sacrificed themselves for me, for their ideals, and for the country they loved, I promise I will never run away again!"
The crowd was silent for a thirty of the longest seconds of Koyuki's life, but then the applause and cheering erupted again. Naruto didn't know that if she was fully forgiven, but it looked like she was being given a second chance by her people. Because that is sometimes what people needed...a second chance.
If Koyuki could cry, she would have been bawling her eyes out at that very moment. She may have been unable to cry, but she felt gratitude, joy, and hope flowing through her. It honestly surprised her. For the longest time she was always so bitter, angry, and dead set on running away from this country and its people. But now that Doto kicked the bucket that cold facade was cast away, and in its place was a Daimyo ready to serve her people.
"Well look at you miss Daimyo, ready to take charge of her country." Naruto lightly commented.
"That is Daimyo-sama to you mister." Koyuki said in a hushed tone, her cheeks however twinged a shade of pink. "And now, I am happy to announce the heroes who made all this possible." She then gestured towards Team Eight. "Kurenai Yuhi, the Genjutsu Mistress of Konoha. She kept me safe from a vicious ambush when I was too frozen to run away."
Kurenai had the tendency to look embarrassed, all she did was grab Koyuki and take her to the ship.
"Shino Aburame, the Genin who stood by my side day and night to keep me safe."
Shino made no outright emotion; mainly because he was covered head to toe in thick layers of clothing. He did not have a chance to shine on this mission, he only stayed by her because his insects were hibernating.
"Kiba Inuzuka and his canine companion Akamaru. With their impressive teamwork they decimated soldiers under Doto's command."
Kiba only had a goofy grin on his face, she was certainly embellishing him a bit, he mostly got his ass kicked and killed maybe ten people during the entire mission. Akamaru only had a happy doggy smile on his face.
"And Hinata Hyuuga, the Genin who took struck the killing blow to Mizore Fuyukuma, one of Doto's Lieutenants. We will forever be grateful towards you."
Hinata gave Koyuki a pleasant smile, she did enjoy the nice gesture, even though it was Naruto who did most of the heavy lifting. She was still watching her for any...unnecessary movements.
Koyuki then gestured towards Team Seven, and with pride in her voice she introduced them. "Kakashi Hatake, The Copycat Ninja. Without him I would not be here today, it's because of him I survived, and it's because of him you now have a fair, and just ruler."
Kakashi only gave the crowd one of his infamous eye-smiles. This was one mission that would have to be declassified, but he sincerely doubted that it would matter much, alls well that ends well.
"Sakura Haruno, it was thanks to her that we have not only me in perfect health, but that of the soldiers she saved."
Sakura felt a little uncomfortable with all the attention drawn towards her, she really only saved a couple people. This exaggeration while unnecessary, was however a nice sentiment.
"Sasuke Uchiha. It was thanks to his skills that Doto's soldiers were unable to lay their hands on me, it was also thanks to him Fubuki Kakuyoku was unable to escape her demise."
Sasuke kept his stern look. Inwardly he was cursing his teammate out for taking his kill, he did all the hard work in making that pink-haired wench pay. But the cheers of the crowd boosted his ego, so he let go of his grudge for now. He earned this moment dammit.
"And finally...Naruto Uzumaki." There could be no mistake for the fondness in her voice. "He is the one who changed me for the better, and it is thanks to him Doto, Fubuki, and Nadare Roga perished in that fiery inferno."
Before Naruto could even lift a hand to acknowledge the people, the screen that showed Koyuki's beautiful face cut out, and was replaced by Doto's disfigured face. Several people in the audience actually fainted from it.
"Greetings my loyal subjects...of should I say traitors to the crown." Doto said from wherever he was, his grotesque smile spelled nothing but doom and misfortune for anyone he deemed to be an enemy. "My people, what Koyuki says is a lie. She does not bring freedom, only destruction and enslavement! I fought to make this country what is was supposed to be, the rightful ruler of the Elemental Nation! All Koyuki will bring you is enslavement from Konohagakure! This is the face of the betrayed!"
"Oi, why don't you fuck off Doto!" Naruto barked at him, he was alive, that was something he should have expected. Damn him for not inspecting the crash, it was as Usui always told him, never assume anything unless you see it with your own two eyes. And he blindly glossed over it like a fool!
"Uzumaki...the boy who attempted to rob me of my vision for a new world order!" Doto's voice roared, his lone eye was bulging, almost like it was about to pop from his head. "You will pay for your transgressions!"
What looked like a happy ending in sight disappeared in front of their eyes. The buildings erupted in massive fireballs, people began screaming and running for their lives. And shinobi fanatically loyal to Doto revealed themselves from either bolting from the large crowds, or by throwing off those damn blankets and tried to ambush the newest Daimyo of the country.
Their efforts were thwarted by Naruto getting in front of three of them and unsheathed the Mugenjin. Fire erupted off the blade as he angrily roared out, "First Secret Sword: Homura Dama (Burning Soul)!" The blade struck through the soldiers, and because they were not wearing chakra armor the blade cut through them like a hot knife through butter. All three were cut from waist to shoulder in one fell swoop, and both halves of their bodes caught on fire as they tumbled down the stairs.
The samurai, and shinobi got into gear soon afterwards, they formed a protective circle around Koyuki as Doto's mocking laughter assaulted her ears. "I thought he was dead!" Sasuke barked out.
"So did I, but apparently you can't kill someone like Doto unless you cut off his damn head!" Naruto growled out in anger before he blocked a kunai strike with his blade, the offending shinobi was then eliminated with a quick kunai swipe to the neck by Kurenai. "Where the hell did they come from!?"
"It's the cloth!" Hinata exclaimed, striking an opponent in the chest she pumped her chakra through the hit to stop his heart dead. When he toppled to the side she began to quickly explain. "Back on the glacier I did not notice them. They must have either chakra absorbing materials in them as some sort of blocking device."
"In English please!" Kiba exclaimed, all that techo mumbo jumbo was making his brain hurt.
"I think what she means is that whatever is in that cloth can block out any sensor shinobi or Hyuuga." Sakura filled in the blanks. She then kicked a shinobi away, leaving a samurai to behead him with a single slash of his katana.
"It must be passive then, like any hiding device or jutsu if someone is actively hunting you it could be prone to fail." Shino finally deducted. All of this sounded ridiculous, but this was a country that made technology they had not even seen before, so the possibilities were endless. (2)
"Everyone, I suggest we retreat into the castle, we are too exposed in the open!" Kakashi suggested.
"I refuse to run away!" Another explosion ripped through the city, causing Koyuki to wince as more screams rang through the area. "I have a duty to my people, and I refuse to allow them to suffer when I can do something about it!"
"Spoken like a true Daimyo," Everyone looked to the third floor of the castle to see Doto Kazahana leering down at them. He was wearing a white cloak that was blowing in the wind, his ruined face twitched with each scream. "Koyuki I am taking what is mine."
"You don't have the right to the Hex Crystal Doto!" Koyuki screamed in anger.
"That is where you're wrong, as the King of Ice, I have the right to everything!" Throwing off his white cloak to reveal to their surprised a black colored set of chakra armor. "With the Mark IV chakra armor I am impervious to damage, and with my power I will take what is mine!" Leaping from the castle, the back of his armor transformed into bat-like wings that allowed him to swoop down towards the group. "Ice Style: Tsubame Blizzard!"
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Both Naruto and Sasuke released their respective fireballs, they impacted the large swarm of swallows and destroyed them. However it caused a substantial amount of steam that blocked their view.
"Hinata, Byakugan!" Kurenai ordered her Genin.
Before Hinata could even activate her clan's famed kekkei genkai, a form appeared in front of her and before she could put up a proper defense, struck by a fist that sent her into her sensei. Kurenai caught her student, and moved to tend to her, but felt a terrible pain in her back before she too was knocked to the side.
"Sensei! Hinata! Guys I smell blood." Kiba warned the others.
"Can't have that, goodbye mutt."
Kiba then felt a sharp pain and looked down to see a kunai embedded within his liver, the young Inuzuka coughed up crimson gore as he looked into the eyes of the man who did it. Nadare Roga's burned face was smirking at his as he twisted the weapon in the vital organ. "Go to sleep boy."
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" A massive gust of wind not only struck Nadare, but dispersed the steam to reveal a sight of carnage. Hinata laid unconscious, Kurenai had a kunai buried deep between her shoulder blades, and Kiba lay bleeding out with a kunai in his liver. The armed guards were also decimated, many of them laying dead or wounded. Even a few of Doto's soldiers laid dead on the stairs.
Their circle had been broken due to that one mistake, and Doto himself was holding Koyuki in one arm by the her neck. The man looked at the group with a twisted smile on his face, and his lone eye showed no hint of sanity. "It appears that I have won, as the King of Ice I will be taking my niece and claim what is rightfully mine!"
"Doto, put her down. Your fight is with us!" Kakashi demanded.
"Stay out of this Hatake, your time has passed, a new age is dawning." Nadare commanded the silver-haired Jonin. Unsheathing another kunai from his new pure white Mark III chakra armor, he twirled it by the ring and smirked. "It's a shame your comrades won't live to see it, what a waste."
"Do not attempt to follow us, if you do I will unleash my weapon on this country." Doto commanded, drawing blank looks, he gave them a grotesque smile to show his missing teeth. "I have stored a weapon of mass destruction in the capital, if I catch wind that you followed me I will detonate it. Everyone will die, I will make sure of it." When no one dared to move, the tyrant laughed before the back of his armor powered up and he lifted up into the air, Nadare followed suit son after. "Farewell shinobi from the Leaf, we will not meet again."
"Naruto!" Koyuki screamed as they began to take off. "I know you will find us again, look to the rainbow-" She was gone soon after.
Gritting his teeth in anger, Naruto sheathed his sword and took several steps away from the castle.
"Naruto, where are you going?" Kakashi demanded.
"To find this so-called weapon, disarm it, and then kill Doto." Naruto turned towards his team, and they saw the absolute murder in his eyes. "You can come with me, or you can stay here, I honestly don't care."
"You're not leaving..." Kurenai croaked out, she slowly pushed herself up to her hands and knees, coughing up blood. "We need to make a plan."
"She is right Naruto." Kakashi turned towards his students. "Sakura tend to Kurenai, Sasuke you go ahead and scout possible areas in the city where one can hide a weapon of such magnitude, Naruto...please save Kiba. Hinata is out, and you are one of the few people here that has actual medical training. We cannot rush off, not this time."
Clenching his fists, Naruto looked in the direction Doto flew off with his charge. He was going to keep her alive until he got what he wanted, perhaps even a little longer for whatever reason. He didn't like it, but he would follow Kakashi's decision.
He silently made his way over to Kiba and knelt at his side, the feral boy was pale as a corpse, and his canine companion was whining in worry. "Easy there Akamaru, Kiba is not going to die today." Remembering everything Yumi taught him about medical ninjutsu, and everything else he picked up in his travels, the blonde flashed his hands through two hand seals before the palms of his hands began to glow a soft green.
"I'm sorry Kiba, this is going to suck no matter what." Grabbing the kunai, he pulled it out and was immediately splattered by a shower of gore. Undeterred Naruto placed his hands on the wound and began pumping his chakra into it. "Don't you die on me."
(Water Country)
Zabuza stopped on a thick branch and turned his head north. Something felt...off to him. It wasn't killing intent, he could sniff that out better than an Inuzuka bloodhound, no this else entirely.
"Zabuza, do you sense something?" Gozu asked.
"I got a gut feeling Gozu, something it happening north of us." The bandages on his face crinkled from a bloodthirsty smirk forming underneath them. "Lets go and see what's happening."
"Observe and report?" Meizu questioned with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.
"Yes, we will observe what is going on, and report the number of bodies we leave in our wake."
For the Demon Brothers it sounded like music to their ears, assassination was their bread and butter while on the run. To slaughter their fellow countrymen didn't bother them in the slightest, watching them bleed out was its own reward. They followed Zabuza for well over five miles until they hit a rather thick mist.
"Hidden Mist Jutsu?" Meizu asked.
"Our villages signature technique." Zabuza replied, after using the technique himself since he was a Genin, the former Demon of the Mist could tell the difference between natural, and unnatural mist. He sniffed the air and smirked. "Blood, there was a skirmish here not too long ago."
The Demon Trio quietly leapt from the trees and settled on the ground. It was there they found several bodies with the typical clothing a shinobi from Mizugakure would wear. Zabuza touched one of the bodies and nodded. "It's still warm, the fight ended not too long ago. You two, disperse and find a trail."
"I already found one Zabuza." Gozu said, pointing at a puddle of blood retreating eastwards, "It's a deep wound, near fatal more than likely. Should we follow it?"
"Observe and report." Zabuza said before they followed the trail, it didn't take too long to find the source due to the sounds of battle echoing around them. Hiding in the thick brush, and thick mist they watched as a group of six shinobi were desperately fighting off a dozen others.
"Which one is which, I'd feel really bad if we killed all of them." Meizu said with narrowed eyes.
"We have to watch little brother, it's not like one of them has a kekkei genkai and will use it to reveal-"
"Lava Style: Lava Bombs!" One of the six shinobi flashed through several hand seals, and released several miniature lava bombs from his mouth. He didn't hit a single target, their attackers actually backed off a little bit, and all he succeeded in was setting a tree on fire.
"Never mind." Preparing his gauntlet, Gozu flexed his fingers. "Meizu, chain me."
For the group that supported the bloodline purges, this day was a real treat. They ambushed a small group of rebels, killed four of them before chasing them through the misty forest. Their one single goal was to hunt them down to the last man, they knew that the civil war was coming to an end, and they knew that they might have to defect later, but until that time they were going to follow orders and kill every rebel scum they could find.
Unsheathing his katana, the leader of the group, scarred and embittered by years of conflict spat at their feet. "Do you know who I am?"
Gripping his bleeding side, the single wounded shinobi looked at him with a grimace. "Ketsueki the Demon of the Mist."
"That's right, rightfully earned when I entered three of your hideouts and slaughtered everyone down to the last infant." Ketsueki said before he held up a single hand seal. "I was trained by the best the eradication squads had to offer. No one escapes from me."
"Ketsueki the Demon of the Mist? Don't make me laugh." A chilling voice sent shivers up and down the spines of every man in the area, the mist began to thicken. "Killing unarmed women and children does not give you the right to be called that. You're nothing more than a baby demon."
Ketsueki heard a rustle to his left, and the man who was standing next to him was gone without even a scream, he heard an awful squishing noise and smelled the familiar scent of blood being spilled in great amounts.
"Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, and the heart, these are the most vital kill points of the human body." Ketsueki heard another rustling as another man was dragged away, two more collapsed with their throats literally clawed out. "Now tell me, what vital organ will I damage to kill you?"
"No...no...No! No! No! No! No! It can't be, Ketsueki it's him the real Demon of the Mist!" One of the remaining shinobi had a nervous breakdown, he nervously looked around the mist. "I gotta get out of here!"
"Wait you fool!" Ketsueki turned towards the young man foolishly run into the mist. Thirty seconds later his decapitated head rolled at his feet.
"Tisk, tisk, tisk. Has Mizugakure fallen so low that they forgot to teach their shinobi to not foolishly run into the mist?" The leader of the group barely managed to duck in time, the three others were not so lucky, the thick heavy blade of Kubikiribocho tore the top halves of their head off, spraying Ketsueki in crimson gore. Zabuza then appeared on the end of the infamous cleaver, clad in his Leaf vest, but the rest were Mizugakure's striped wrist and leg warmers.
"Zabuza Momochi...so the rumors are true."
"Of me joining Konohagakure? Yea, they are. It's a sweet gig, the pay is very good, and I get to commit all sorts of violence on people. Like you for example." He said with a smirk.
"I suggest you stay back. I'm apart of the newest generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! " Ketsueki exclaimed. "Your time is done! My time is now! You're alone against four of us and one of you."
"Now who said I came alone?"
This time Ketsueki heard a scream, turning his head he watched in horror as his three remaining men were caught in a chain or shuriken connected by two very familiar gauntlets. He also watched in sickening horror as they were literally torn into bloody chunks. "The Demon Brothers?"
"In the flesh." Gozu smirked behind his mask.
"And blood." Meizu showed off the blood running off his gauntlet's sharp fingers.
"Traitors...filthy traitors!" Ketsueki grasped the blade of his sword with both hands and charged chakra through the blade. "I will take you down, every last one of you. Some come down Zabuza and lets prove who is the real Demon of the Mist!"
"Mmm...no." Zabuza bordly said.
Ketsuki opened his mouth to demand why, but he found his breath cut off when a kunai pierced his lungs. He looked into the angry black eyes of the rebel who held it. "This is for my sister!" He hissed in pure, unadulterated hated. Ketsuki was then pierced through the side by another kunai, another was rammed through his lower jaw, and the so-called Demon of the Mist was stabbed to death by six angry rebels.
"Just like the graduation ceremony." Zabuza sighed in remembrance. He honestly loved these kinds of missions.
(Snow Country)
In the four hours Koyuki had been kidnapped several things had befallen the group of shinobi from Konoha. The good news was that thanks to the combined efforts of Naruto and Sakura, Kiba was going to live to see another day, he was not going to move anytime soon, but he was going to live, and was was Kurenai, the kunai missed any major organs, but she too would not be fighting anytime soon. Even Hinata made a full recovery, suffering a concussion from the kick to her head.
But that was the only good news, after Doto flew away the entire capital was in complete pandemonium, many were evacuating to try and escape from his wrath. Others turned towards looting, rioting, and complete anarchy. The police were overwhelmed, and it did not help that there were supporters hiding everywhere. It also didn't help that Sasuke found no traces of Doto's so-called super weapon.
"Kakashi-sensei, what is the plan of attack?" Sasuke asked.
"We need to find this weapon Doto has and stop it first. After that we need to eliminate any resistance in the capital." Kakashi tactfully said.
"But that will take too long, sensei isn't there something you can do?" Sakura asked.
"Hmm..." The masked Jonin looked at the ceiling in thought, he was veteran who survived the worst The Third Great Shinobi War could throw at him, he had been on over a hundred top secret missions to date, he came was trained by one of the greatest Kage's of his time. So there was something that was buried in that brain of his.
"You know what. I think I may just have an answer." Flashing through several hand seals, Kakashi then slammed his outstretched right hand onto the ground, and a line of kanji sprouted on contact, followed by a cloud of smoke. "Summoning Jutsu!"
When the smoke cleared away it revealed his eight infamous ninja hounds. The smallest, a pug raised his bandaged right leg and spoke in a deep, gruff voice. "Hey Kakashi, what's shaking?"
"Pakkun I need your help."
"Yea, I can tell. Hmm let me guess Snow Country?"
"Yes."
"Oh boy, I always hated it here, it's too cold for my paws." Pakkun whined in dismay. "What do you want?"
Walking over to one of the deceased Snow shinobi, Kakashi tore away apart of the uniform and held it towards his dogs. "I need you to track down anyone wearing this uniform. It should still have the same chemicals as the rest."
When all eight dogs sniffed the fabric, Pakkun visibly blanched in disgust. "We can find them no problem, this will be easy to track. Rules of engagement?"
"We need a few alive, there is some sort of weapon hidden in the capital. If you can't take them alive, take them down. Those are my orders." Kakashi instructed them.
"If that's the case I'm going with them." Naruto finally said, the front of his jacket was bloody, he was irritated, and he really wanted to go on the attack.
"I too shall volunteer." Shino surprisingly said. "Why is this you ask? Because if I remain behind, I sincerely doubt I will be much use defending my team." He then turned towards Hinata, "You should not move with your injury, Sasuke-san, Sakura-san, I must also ask you to remain behind. Your skills will prove invaluable."
"I was planning on it. This is way over my head." Sakura said, looking out at the blazing capital. "I will have my work cut out for me."
Sasuke didn't like it, but he could see Shino's point. Hinata was not going to be able to go out in her condition until a proper doctor cleared her. Her sensei and teammate, not to mention Akamaru couldn't head out either. There were hundreds of terrified people in the palace, and out of the rebel soldiers that remained, only fifteen were able to fight, the rest were injured or dead. "Fine."
Nothing more needed to be said, with a mismatch of hounds, a Jonin, a Genin unable to use his family's unique talents, and an angry blonde they descended into the capital for a search and destroy mission.
(Kakashi)
Upon arriving in the middle of the capital, Kakashi looked at the all too familiar sights of burning buildings, men and women desperately trying to put the flames out, and the bodies littering the streets. The Copycat Ninja clenched his fists looking at the bodies of slaughtered men, women, and children. What was supposed to be a day a celebration turned into a day of tragedy. He was never going to forgive Doto or Nadare.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" Snapping his head to the side he watched as Minato's son flashed through several seals, and a familiar water dragon with yellow eyes erupted from broken hydrants and tore up the streets. But he didn't do it for the sake of destroying, he watched as the dragon impacted the burning buildings and put the fires out. With any luck some of them would be salvageable.
"Impressive Naruto-san, is water your main element?" Shino curiously asked.
"Afraid not, out of all the main elements I only know two for lightning, at least two for earth, four for water, and the rest are wind, fire, and an odd non elemental jutsu here and there. I really need to write down which ones I know, and which ones I still want to learn." Naruto replied before he ended the jutsu, the streets were sprinkled with fine mist, the entire area smelled of smoke and ash. "Sensei, what are we going to do?" (3)
"You two are going to find the weapon." Normally he would never entrust this task to a Genin, but both Naruto and Shino were no ordinary Genin. He could trust them with this. "Do you have your communicators?"
"I do." Shino raised his hand. "With your frequency I can keep you informed. Naruto-san probably lost his a while ago."
"You try keeping all your equipment intact while jumping out of a blimp." The blonde muttered.
"Pakkun will be with you at all times, trust me his nose can sniff out anything. Your mission is to find whatever Doto has hidden, and disarm it. Your secondary objective is to eliminate enemy combatants. We are not taking any prisoners. If you have a problem with that speak up now and head back to the palace." Kakashi's only response was Naruto and Pakkun giving him a dull look, and Shino giving him...well the typical Aburame look. "All right then, good luck, and stay alive."
When the Genin left his sight, Kakashi's aloof demeanor changed. This was the face of one of the most skilled Anbu operatives the village ever produced. "Lead me to them boys."
His remaining ninja hounds raised their noses and each bolted in several directions. He followed Bull, a massive bull dog to the nearest building, unveiling his Sharingan eye he caught movement in the building.
Pumping chakra into his legs the silver-haired Jonin launched himself through the window. Being careful to protect his face with his arms, the glass shattered, and he caught the enemies by surprise. With a quick glance he saw that they were four insurgents, one was wearing chakra armor, the other three weren't. Manipulating lightning chakra in his outstretched right hand Kakashi created the lightning expand to create the form of a blue hound with red eyes. Without any form of mercy he used the thick tendril to manipulate it. The three unarmored shinobi were struck, and they screamed in agony as their joints locked up, and their hearts exploded in their chests.
The fourth was also hit with the attack, his suit overloaded and began expelling black smoke from the cracked yin yang symbol. He was then blindsided by a gigantic bull dog who bit into his bicep and drove him through the wall. Kakashi was on him in a second, and pinned him against the wall with one hand, and produced a kunai with another. "Where is the weapon hidden?"
"Screw off, I ain't telling you nothing!" Kakashi did not like that answer, he slipped the kunai under his armor and stabbed a non-vital area. He would bleed, but he wouldn't die unless he wanted him to. Try as he might the shinobi couldn't bare the pain, he thought he was invincible with his chakra armor, now he saw the folly in his line of thought. "Gah! I don't know! It was a need to know basis, I swear!"
"Why are you the only one wearing armor? I thought Doto had five-thousand men equipped with it."
"Heh...some volunteered to go without it for this attack. Can't exactly blend into a crowd wearing this."
"Good to know." Kakashi then pulled the kunai from his belly and slid it across his throat without mercy. Letting the body drop, both he and Bull exited from the room and began their assault.
Bull let out a bark when one of the doors opened down the hall, Kakashi wasted no time in bolting towards it. He first grabbed the offending wrist and slammed the door onto it and got a satisfying crunch of bone. Quickly opening the door his Sharingan eye revealed a group of six shinobi, none wearing armor. He quickly pulled out an exploding tag, wrapped it around the handle of the kunai and chucked it to the floor of the room and slammed the door shut.
Both he and Bull made it down the hallway when the explosion erupted from the building, and stared causing a cave in on one side. Kakashi only sprinted to the other side of the building with is canine companion, another door opened to reveal a shinobi with chakra armor, bull got him this time by tackling and biting down on his exposed throat. There we no others in the room when he passed by it.
"Anyone else in the building boy?"
Unlike the other ninja hounds, Bull was the only one unable to talk, but with his jowls dripping with blood, he shook his head in the negative.
"Good boy. Next target."
Kakashi followed the nose of his faithful hound, he was met by the remaining members of his dog pack, each looking like they had seen combat. In the next building Bull was the first to tackle and maul a hapless Snow shinobi to death, around the corner the Copycat shinobi grabbed another by the scruff of his uniform and pinned him to the wall. "The weapon, where is it!?"
"Fuck you!" He got a quick kunai stab to his throat before his killer moved on.
Urushi and Shiba were at his sides in an instant, both growling with tufts of fur rising up on their backs.
"I sense them too, get ready."
In the world of shinobi you do not grow old in such a profession by being lazy and stupid, the weak, dumb, and foolish died early. Mistakes were often fatal. But if you somehow lived to be thirty you picked up things, like the "smell" of an ambush, and Kakashi was by now well acquainted with it.
So it did not surprise him when something in the back of his head warned him to jump backwards when the ceiling in front of him erupted in a thick ice icicle the size of a tree, he flipped on his hands and feet several times when three more erupted from the floor and walls. His faithful hounds followed their masters lead step by step and were spared from being dispersed.
"So you are as good as they say." A shinobi looking like some bastard version of Mizore and Nadare said. Placing his own robotic hand in his big meaty fist. "This is going to be fun. Team Avalanche will gain much glory this day."
"You're just going to be another forgotten face." Kakashi dully said before he ran his hand through the familiar seals for his signature jutsu.
(Naruto and Shino – Meanwhile)
"Pakkun...are you sure you smell people down here?" Naruto irritable asked, after following the ninja hound for several minutes they came across a familiar, smelly sewer entrance.
"My nose has never lied kid." Pakkun said in a dour voice. "You think this is bad, it's ten times worse for me."
"Ugh, reminds me of my ninth birthday." The blonde grumbled.
"How does a sewer remind you of your ninth birthday?" Shino questioned.
"Trust me, you don't want to know." Apparently life could not stop fucking with him. Not only did he lose Koyuki, but apparently there were people in the sewers that were in a good need of killing. "Shino, you up for this?"
"I am a shinobi. Handicapped or not this is what I was trained to do."
Typical Aburame answer, but Naruto couldn't help but be proud of him for it. Even though he wasn't much use on the mission so far, that didn't drown his professionalism. Unsheathing a kunai from his thigh holster, the blonde nodded. "Pakkun, we are going to need your help with this. Without Hinata we're at a disadvantage."
"Don't worry kid, I can handle it." The pug summon said. He sniffed the air, scrunched his face, and then bolted down the manhole.
Reluctantly following him Naruto and Shino were in hot pursuit. The smell was horrible, it was dark, gloomy, and humid. Sweat already built up on their bodies, their footsteps echoed with the smell of sloshing water. Naruto reminded himself to burn his sandals and disinfect his feet with bleach later.
"Hold up." Pakkun commanded them.
"Combatants?"
"Yea, I can smell them. A large group, I don't know how many." The pug's ear twitched before grunting. "Forty sets of feet, there are probably twenty people. The odds are not in our favor."
Normally Naruto would tell Pakkun to shove his odds where the sun didn't shine, but the summon was right. They were in a sewer, other than the smell taking root in their brains, they also had to contend with methane gas. His fire ninjutsu and the Mugenjin were not ideal unless he wanted to blow the place sky high, he didn't even want to use wind ninjutsu, there was no use for his sorts of water ninjutsu, and his earth ninjutsu was mostly defensive, as for lightning...that created sparks. "We're going to need to hit them fast and hard, I have a plan but-"
"Naruto-san, if you will allow me but I think I have something that may work." Shino spoke up. "Sorry, it will work."
Color him curious. "What is it Shino?"
"I need you to be a distraction for five minutes, do what you're good at, and I will handle the rest."
"No offense Shino, but we're in a sewer in Snow Country, I'm honestly surprised that this shit hasn't frozen solid by...oh." Realization coming to his face, the blonde looked at his fellow Genin. He could have sworn he saw a smile forming on his face. "Has anyone told you that you got an evil mind?"
For the members of Doto's faction they were dutifully patrolling their given routes, it was a shit job, but their King gave them a direct order and they were going to complete it to the best of their abilities. Out of the twenty of them half were clad in Mark II chakra armor, they were given a higher status since their lord rose from the dead, and many hoped to become one of his Elite like Nadare was.
"Drift Leader, what is your status? Over." Asked the leader of the group.
"Drift Leader reporting in, the package is safe. What's your sitrep? Over." Came the electronic voice of another group.
"Filled with shit, but no signs of the enemy. Snow Leader, what is your status? Over."
"Fubar! Fucking fubar! We lost contact with Avalanche. We're reporting heavy losses!" Came a frantic cry of the shinobi over the headset.
"What's your status, dammit tell me! Over!"
"It's Kakashi Hatake, he's on the war path, he's..." There was a sound of an explosion over the line, causing a hiss of static to nearly blow out the Sleet Leader's eardrum. "No wait, please mercy!" There was the sound of metal slicing though human flesh, and the soft gurgle before the sound of a body hitting the floor and the line went silent.
"Snow Leader? Snow Leader! Report! Dammit!" Sleet Leader called into his headset. Checking the frequencies he found that one after one the people up top were gone. "Drift Leader be advised, Kakashi Hatake is on the move. I can't reach the others. Be prepared to set off the package."
"Roger that Sleet Leader, prepping to set her off."
"Good, for the will of Doto-sama-gah!" Sleet Leader was silenced with a gurgle of blood when a kunai penetrated the top of his brain, and buried through the roof of his mouth. While they were frantically talking over their head sets, Naruto stuck himself to the roof of the sewers and struck like a cobra.
They did not expect him, he was silent as death, Usui for all his flaws trained him well. And while the nineteen others recoiled, Naruto kicked himself off the falling body and swiped at the necks of two others. The neck of one was nicked, but it was in the jugular artery, the other was cut right through and both desperately clutched at their necks. The blonde then kicked an unarmored opponent at the knee, heard a satisfying sound of bone breaking, and before he hit the floor he jammed the blade into the side of an armored enemies leg.
"You little shit!" Cried one of the several shinobi he didn't deliberately target. A good lot of them are armed with katanas and pointed them at his prone form.
One placed the sharp tip at his unscarred whiskered cheek and dug it in enough to draw blood. "You must have some sort of death wish if you came here alone."
"Hehehe, I'm sorry to disappoint you guys." Naruto smirked before raising his hands in mock surrender. Even lying on his back in a sewer, surrounded and about to be killed, he showed not a hint of fear. "But I'm just a motherfucking decoy."
They felt it right then and there, it wasn't stray strands of hair tickling their necks, it wasn't a strange brushing of their clothes, they felt the legs of tiny insect traveling up and down their bodies. Many tried swatting them off, but there were far too many for them to crush. The kikaichu insects struck at once, and the shinobi began to feel their strength leaving their bodies.
In the span of ten seconds half the men fell to the ground, many of them struggling to breathe. The one who had a line on Naruto tried to push his sword through his cheek but found his joints locked up. "What...what is this?"
"Those are my kikaichu insects." Shino informed the shinobi as he casually walked up the path leading to them. "They are parasitic in nature, and I control them, your men are good as dead unless I let up and leave them unconscious."
"H-h-how? It's...too cold." He protested.
"You are correct in that assumption, during this entire mission I have been useless because it has been too cold. But here..." Shino's glasses flashed as he looked around the sewer. "I assume there is some sort of heat generator in the sewage plant, I sincerely doubt disposing of raw sewage when it was frozen would be a pleasant experience. This environment made it possible for my insects to come out of hibernation."
Lowering his hands, Naruto removed the blade from his face and pushed it away and slowly stood to his feet. Yep he was going to burn his entire outfit now, fucking sewers. "You heard him, Shino has you guys at his mercy. Now tell us where this weapon is, we'll leave you unconscious, you'll be put on trial, you might just die in prison."
"Grr...not a good argument...brat." But even as he said this, the Snow shinobi of the Sleet group could feel himself growing more tired, almost like he was close to death.
"Or you could die here in a very painful way, Shino's insects are proven to eat the bodies of their victims...while they are alive by the way." Naruto got close to the enemies masked face and smirked. "That fancy armor may help repel ninjutsu, and keep you safe from genjutsu, but if you were in Fire Country none of you would know you had an Aburame insect on you until you were dancing on hot coals in hell."
Getting eaten alive did not go over well with the shinobi, he was loyal to Doto as every man in his unit, but every man had a line. His was crossed at being eaten alive. "It's underneath the sewage plant! Listen I got a map in my pouch, let me go and I will-" He was cut off with a wet gurgle as a kunai plunged through his throat.
"Sorry but our orders were to take no prisoners. You're no exception." Pulling the kunai out of his throat, the blonde grabbed onto the body as it slumped over and pilfered through the hip pouch. "You almost done Shino?"
"Targets are neutralized." The Aburame stoically replied.
"And here I thought Kakashi was scary when he was a youth." Pakkun lightly remarked as he walked up to the bodies. He heard no breathing coming from them, no heartbeat, they were very dead. "You two take the cake."
"Orders are orders." Naruto dully replied. Folding the map he showed it to Pakkun. "Think you can find where our next targets are?"
"I think that is possible. Come on kids follow me."
The life of a shinobi was a complicated and strange one. On some days you were required to seduce for your village, assassinate an enemy of the state, or in this case follow a pug underneath the capital of another country to stop a dictator from taking over again. And neither Naruto or Shino blinked in response to doing just that, that was their life now, no matter how messed up it was.
In a span of twenty minutes they reached underneath the sewage plant where thirty shinobi were guarding something...that the three were completely lost on.
There were well over a dozen computers on a concrete slab to keep the sensitive equipment from getting human waste all over it. Various lines were attached to hydraulic pipes that were pumping clean water and sewage away from each other, separating it with each slow movement. There were over a dozen people in utility uniforms looking over the screens and typing in amounts of data that didn't make sense to them.
"Hostages?" Shino asked.
"It's possible, Shino any chance you can neutralize the workers and a few shinobi for interrogation?"
"It will spread my hive thin, but it is possible."
"I will leave this to you Shino. From here on out this attack is yours."
His glasses flashing again, Shino unbuttoned his thick coat, loosened his clothing and thrust his arms out towards their enemies. For Pakkun he watched at swarms of black beetle-like insects flew out of the Genin in a disgusting display of unnaturalness. The swarm attacked everyone in eyes sight and many began to scream. The pug watched as the people in utility uniforms fell down first unconscious, then the shinobi toppled like dominoes, a few even fell off the ledges and landed awkwardly on their necks with a sickening crack. For such a quiet person, Shino was really scary.
"How many are dead?" Naruto asked.
"My hive told me all but three of the shinobi have passed into the afterlife. Those workers are unconscious." Even though he was hiding it, Shino was exhausted, he never had to use his insects on this many people before. The bandits in Wave Country were different, they were barely a step up from civilian, these were shinobi and had much more chakra that needed to be drained.
"Remind me to not piss you off." Naruto remarked. He didn't exactly need to fear anything from the Aburame Clan, Kyuubi's chakra was far too toxic for their insects, but they were a good ally to have. No wonder Shishio had such high praise for them.
Shino directed both Naruto and Pakkun towards the shinobi why were unconscious after they made their way into the area. The first thing Naruto did was tie them up with ninja wire, Shino looked at the machines in complete silence.
"I dunno about you guys, but this seems...complicated." Pakkun said.
"Agreed I cannot make heads or tails of this stuff. Shino, you have Kakashi's frequency right?" Naruto asked.
"I do, he asked us this before we split up." If the blonde didn't know any better, he would have thought Shino was sassing him. "Kakashi-sensei, are you there? Over."
The Aburame was greeted with a wet, squishing noise before Kakashi answered him. "I'm here, Shino have you two found anything? Over."
"We have, but it's...unusual. Naruto-san was just about to interrogate the prisoners." Shino only blinked when Naruto kicked on of them in the ribs to wake him up. "Apologies, he is doing it now. Over."
"For Kami's sake stop saying over, we know you both are talking to each other!" Naruto exclaimed.
"It's protocol Naruto, and radio procedure." Shino blankly said.
Kicking the already downed shinobi, Naruto grabbed him by the front of his armor and pulled him to his feet. "Listen here asshole, I am not having a good day. After waking up I was expecting this mission to end, get a reward and go home with a nice fat paycheck." Not to mention possibly bedding an actual Princess if that was what she was alluding towards when they were plummeting to their deaths. "But then you asshole boss had to still be alive and kidnap Koyuki, and I had to go into a fucking sewer. So tell me what this contraption is, how to stop it, and I will not make you eat your eyeballs!"
The shinobi, despite being drained on chakra, and kicked in the ribs looked positively gleeful. "Hehe...kid you don't know what you're getting yourself into."
"Try me asshole."
"What we got here is a bomb, it's set go off ten minutes from now." The shinobi began to cackle. "All that methane will be ignited, and this entire capital will be blown sky high! No one will survive. All for the glory of the King of Ice! Glory to the K-" He was silenced by a swift kunai jab to his neck and tossed against one of the machines. (4)
"I assume Kakashi got all of that?" Naruto questioned.
"Every word. He says we need to evacuate the capital." Shino replied.
"There are over two-hundred thousand people. We can only save ourselves ten minutes from now." Naruto looked over the controls and saw that it was at 8:11 and counting downwards. "I am not a Luddite, I like to think that I know about the latest technology, but I am afraid to even touch this equipment."
"We could just turn it off can't we?" Pakkun asked.
"Do you know anything about sophisticated technology that's beyond what Fire Country has?" Naruto dully asked.
"I know that if you pee on something electronic it'll break."
Both Naruto and Shino looked at the summon with the driest look imaginable. While it was smart, there was no way they were going to urinate on equipment, especially in front of each other. "Shino...do you have a better idea?"
"I think I do." Slowly walking over to the machine, the Aburame's glasses shined seeing 5:05 on the timer. He raised his right hand and his insects crawled out of his sleeves. The six-legged critters scurried onto the expensive machinery, and forced themselves into the nooks and crannies. "I believe I can disable the machines, at the very least make the timer useless."
"Wouldn't the bomb still go off?"
"I do not think so. If I disable the timer the bomb should remain active, but it won't have a firing mechanism to detonate." Shino watched as the timer continued to count down until it stopped at thirty-seven seconds for the remaining time. It did not detonate after that amount of time passed, nor did it after a minute. His insects did the work perfectly. "Naruto-san, the mission was successful."
"Good, contact Kakashi and tell him he needs to bring some guards down here or something. We got two prisoners that need interrogating, and civilian workers who may or may not have been forced to follow in their crazy schemes." Naruto said.
"And what about you kid?" Pakkun asked.
A cruel, malevolent smirk crossed the blonde's features. Shino felt a shiver of dread roll up his spine, and Pakkun took a step backwards. "I'm going to the Rainbow Glacier. I'm going to fight Doto. I'm going to kill him. And then I am going to save the Princess." (5)
Armageddon: All right here is the next chapter. Shit is happening, Zabuza is slaughtering folk, Kakashi shows his Anbu side, Doto and Nadare have a curse seal, Orochimaru is scheming, Shino is not being useless, and an epic final clash is under way. Read and review, I would like some feedback for what I like to think is the most original Snow Arc to date. See you all next time!
(1) That was regarding the third Scream movie. That skeezy director in the movie always left a bad taste in my mouth.
(2) That actually came from OBSERVER0, I may have fudged a few things, but it's all there buddy.
(3) I guess I know what I'm doing after this update, honestly I lost count of how many jutsu Naruto knows in this story.
(4) I based that off the tv show Preacher, I mean a methane explosion wiping out a city...well impractical, but I rather not sit on a toilet and fire literally shoots up my ass to incinerate me. That is just an embarrassing way to go.
(5) In case you forgot, Naruto overheard Doto talking about the Rainbow Glacier last chapter. No way I'm going to just have him guess where it is.