Chapter 21: Enter Massive and Gemini Clones; Eight, Three and Four.

Shinjin bounced off the tree as Ukito was sent flying up and over the lowest limb. Shinjin go to his feet only to have Kairi slammed into his body and crash back into the tree.

"Well that worked great." Ukito shook his head as the giant man before them laughed hard. The smaller men on his shoulders began to laugh as well. "Any ideas there Shinjin?"

"Well rushing them worked so great," Shinjin pushed Kairi's off his lap and stood up, "Let's try it again?"

"How about no!" Kairi yelled standing up and punching Shinjin's arm. "That's ridiculous!"

"I don't hear you coming up with anything!" Shinjin shouted back.

Squads Seven and Nine appeared next to the three other genin. Susuke walked pass Shinjin and pulled out a large shuriken. He flung it towards the massive man before him, who didn't budge. As the shuriken flew through the air and came closer to the large man, the two smaller men on his shoulders, leapt into the air and each did hand signs.

"Twin..."

"Style..."

"Double..."

"Hurricane..."

"Jutsu..." The two men spoke each word separately. As they finished their hand signs they grabbed each other's arm and released a large gust of wind that knocked the shuriken out of flight and sent it into a nearby tree.

"Twin Style?" Ukito looked impressed. "We're have to keep those two separated if we have a chance here."

"What about the other one?" Shinjin asked as he large man held up his hands. The giant made three hand signs before holding his hands in front of his mouth. "I don't think he really relies on the others that much!"

"Earth Style," The large man spoke loud and slow, "Earth Collapse Jutsu." He lifted each fist high into the air and slammed them down hard causing a large tremor to knock the nine genin from their feet and in different directions.

Shinjin looked up to see large pillars of earth surrounding him and his squad, with the giant man before them. Kairi stood up slowly and looked around seeing the giant pillars as well, that blocked them from the other squads.

"Ukito got any ideas here?" Shinjin pulled the black katanna from his back and held the blade before him. "We need something here!"

"He's slow." Ukito said from his position behind Kairi and Shinjin. "If we rush him back to back he won't be able to block all of us."

"So my plan just not all at once?" Shinjin pointed out. "Well glad I could help here."

"I don't like any plan that involves rushing that thing!" Kairi placed her hands on her hips and looked between her squad mates. "Think of something else."

"Ok," Shinjin grabbed Kairi with his free hand, "Get him girl!" Shinjin tossed Kairi with all of his might across the gap between them and the massive man before Squad Four.

Kairi screamed as the man moved to catch the screaming daughter of the Hokage. She opened her eyes just enough to see a flash of black metal and the arm coming towards her fall to the ground lifeless. She flipped in midair and found herself skidding across the ground behind the giant man.

Shinjin skidded to a halt next to her whipping the bloodied blade of his sword against his gauntlet covered right hand. He looked over to see the massive man staring down at his disembodied arm.

"Hmm. It seems you've seriously handicapped me young Sand Nomad." The massive man stood up straight. To the sheer horror of Squad Four he was even more menacing now. "It will take Lord Kabuto many of hours to grow me a suitable replacement."

Shinjin and Kairi looked at the tall man then to each other. Ukito stepped forward and rubbed his temples. "You're not a Neanderthal it seems."

"Of course not." The man shot back defensively. "I am a clone of Orichimaru after all. I have a very high intelligence."

"Another fucking clone?" Shinjin narrowed his eyes. "So you know where Kabuto's secret lair is around here then?"

"I wouldn't be a very good servant if I didn't know where to return home now would I?" The giant man bowed low the regrouping genin and waved his one arm over his head. "You may call me Eight."

"Eight?" Kairi asked confused. "You don't have a name like Hurigo?"

Eight's eyes shot towards the young girl and his face flinched at the name. Ukito looked to Shinjin who nodded his head and smiled. Kairi saw it also and smiled as well. She looked to Ukito who ran his hand through his hair in response. Eight stood up straight again and rammed his fist into the ground.

As the earth began to shake beneath their feet, Shinjin followed behind Kairi. Kairi began to form the Rasengan in her hand, as Shinjin formed the Shadow Rasengan behind her. Ukito leapt into the air and through four kunai at Eight to distract him from his teammates.

Eight waved his massive hand and swiped the tiny knives away as though they were bugs. As he moved his hand back down to his side Kairi and Shinjin jumped up into the air and rammed both rasengans into the massive man's chest. Eight took a step back smiled as he flexed his chest and reversed the flow of the twirling chakra balls and sent them flying back into the hands of Kairi and Shinjin.

Shinjin flew through the air and hit the earth wall behind Ukito, while Kairi landed right in front of Ukito. Kairi rubbed her hand and looked over at Eight who stood before them laughing.

"I'm a master of taijutsu." Eight said confidently. "My body was designed to take blows as well as give them out. Direct physical hits, even those with the strength of the Rasengan and Shadow Rasengan, have no effect against me. But by all means feel free to continue to try," Eight's eyes showed his confidence and his voice showed his venomous evil side, "I love watching ants try and fight their own deaths."

Shinjin stepped in front of his squad and dropped the black jacket and pulled the mesh armor shirt over his head. He cracked his knuckles, back and neck before dropping the gauntlet over his right arm. Across his back Shinjin had another tattoo, that neither of squad mates had seen before.

Kairi and Ukito looked at the swirling black dragon that seemed to come from the base of the young Sand Nomad's neck. The dragon swirled all over his back, its wings covering Shinjin's shoulders, and its head resting across Shinjin's collar bone.

"Stay back and do not get in front of me." Shinjin closed his eyes and pulled the gourd from his thigh and held it before him. "If physical attacks won't work then I'll just end him."

"If you're thinking about THAT technique," Ukito said standing up and placing his hand upon Shinjin's shoulder, "Then I won't let you. You told us it was banned."

"You're not are you Shinjin?" Kairi asked covering her mouth.

Shinjin smiled and let the black sand begin to snake its way from the gourd and cover his arms and exposed chest. "I'm not suicidal guys." Shinjin watched as the sand formed dragon claws over his hands and felt the sand snake its way over his exposed scalp and covering his tattoo, across his head. "I just thought I needed a boost."

"Ukito what is this?" Kairi pulled Ukito back next to her as Shinjin's appearance changed into that of a black dragon before their eyes.

"The true version of the Black Sand Strike." Ukito nodded his head. "Shinjin used just the simplest form of the jutsu; this is the full exposed version."

Shinjin opened his eyes, the black iris showing the smile that was hidden under the dragon like face mask. "Yamamoto Secret Technique 2: Black Sand Barrage!" Shinjin shot from his place and appeared right before Eight.

'No one is that fast!' Eight went to lift his one arm to block the oncoming assault. 'Not even Rock Lee of the Hidden Leaf Village can move like that.'

Shinjin stepped over the massive arm of Eight and slammed both of his fists into the giant's skull. Shinjin then turned in midair and began to twist, slamming each foot into the face of Eight over and over again. Eight tried to gather his chakra to block the blows from connecting, but the moves came so fast that his chakra couldn't keep up with the strikes. Shinjin dropped low to the ground and leapt up again bringing his knee up into the chin Eight.

As Eight lifted up into the air Shinjin made quick hand signs. "Secret Technique 1: Black Sand Dragon Jutsu!" Shinjin felt the black sand disconnect from his body and form in his hand. Shinjin took aim and released the sand out and felt the sand tear and eat at his exposed right hand.

"He's using it without the protection of his gauntlet?" Kairi grabbed Ukito's collar and began to shake him hard. "Does he have a death wish? What is going through his head? Ukito tell me something! Why aren't you talking?"

"You're shaking me to hard!" Ukito said as he visibly turned greed from the back and forth shaking of Kairi.

Shinjin watched the black sand envelope the giant clone before him. Eight yelled in pain as the black sand began to tear and rip at his flesh. Finally the sand returned to Shinjin's gourd at his side and Eight hit the ground hard, his eyes lifeless.

Shinjin Ukito and Kairi stared over at the massive corpse of the fallen clone in shock. The clone began to smoke and disintegrate as the last of the life drained from it. Before long only a large massive skeleton was left resting on the ground at the feet of Squad Four.

Review and comment. I'm posting these three chapters back to back like this to make up and give me time to finish this. I'm tackling three stories at once.