AN
"Blah"- Normal speech
'Blah'- Thoughts
"BLAH"- Jutsu
-Blah- - Radio
"Blah"- Zetsu
Naruto/Final Fantasy VII
Lost Son of Konoha
Chapter 31
Fourth Shinobi War Arc I
A new day began as the sun slowly crept its way over the horizon; bring its light and warmth back to world. But for some their day had begun long before the first light of dawn.
Swiftly Yamato made his way through the tree line, behind him was a small party of ninja that he had been assigned to him. This small team was one of a number of small teams that had been sent out ahead of the larger Allied force, their mission was to probe the enemies defensives and find any possible weak points.
It was a dangerous mission, many of them would more then likely not be coming be coming back, and they knew it. This close to the upcoming conflict even the smallest scrap of information about the enemy could tip the odds in the alliances favor.
"Yamato-san." hearing his name the brown haired ninja glanced over his shoulder to find one of his squad members, an Iwa konouchi, just behind him.
"Something wrong?" Yamato replied as the two of them leapt from one branch to another.
"We've been travelling for some time now and we've not seen even the slights trace of the enemy." The woman replied, "I don't like it."
"Yes, neither do I." Yamato replied. He them pressed two fingers against his ear. "Team 3 to team 2, you hearing me?"
Far away from the location where Yamato and his team another of the scout teams was searching their assigned area, this group was being led by Shino. The Aburame clan member standing atop a branch as his team spread out.
As he watched as his team members along with a swarm of his insects searched the area, the sound of Yamato's voice filled his ear. "I hear you." He said in his usual calm tone.
-We've not found anything in our assigned area.- Yamato told him. –Has your team discovered anything?-
"Negative, things are quiet in this area." Shino replied.
No sooner had he said these words he heard the cries of his squad mates was heard, all of them sounding panicked. "Hold on that thought, we might have something after all." The shades wearing shinobi told Yamato.
Mere moment after Shino had stopped talking Yamato's ear was filled with sounds of cries and sounds of metal piercing flesh. "Shino...Shino, answer me." Yamato called out only to be met by silence. "Damn…"
"Is there something wrong?" The Iwa Konouchi asked.
"One of the others teams has run into some kind of trouble." Yamato told her. "Stay alert, things might not stay quiet for very long."
Moments later the team entered a small clearing in the forest, all around them. Before he could lead his team on Yamato noticed something from out of the corner of his eye. "Hold on." He told his squad mates, bringing them to a halt.
"Come on out, I know that your out there." The former ANBU called out. "Show yourself."
From out of the tree a large Venus flytrap emerged from the trunk, the plant opened up to reveal the half and half form of Zetsu. "Greetings," he told the small party, "I've been instructed to welcome you to Oni no Kuni."
'An Akatsuki member, I thought that the organization had been wiped out with the destruction of Ame…' Yamato frowned. "One of the other teams that was dispatched has run into trouble, I take it that was also of your doing?"
"I may have, I was given orders to run interference." The plant like Ninja replied. "I'm supposed to delay you for as long as possible."
"Really," Another member of Yamato's squad, a Ninja from Kiri, snarked. "And your gonna do that all by your lonesome."
Zetsu chuckled at this, moments later dozens of figures emerged from the underbrush and the tree line. All of them being copies of Zetsu himself, unlike Zetsu these duplicates were solid white. "Is this more to your liking?" He said.
"You had to go and open your big fat mouth didn't you." The Iwa Konouchi hissed at her male teammate.
Zetsu then indicted for his clones to attack, wave after wave of them moved into engage Yamato and his party. As they drew closer Yamato quickly began flipping through handseals. "MOKUTON: YANAGI! Beams!"
The ground began to shake as several wooden beams erupted from it surrounding him and his team reaching high into the air before collapsing to the ground on top of the oncoming enemies. Any sense of … was short lived however as from the collapsed pillars of wood the emerged Zetsu and his army of clones.
"Not a bad move, too bad for your that your not the only one with access to Mokuton jutsu." the black and white Ninja sneered. "Now, where were we…"
Far from where Yamato's team were being set upon by the small army of Zetsu's, Orochimaru along with Kabuto and the others were watching on from their own staging area. "It would seem that Yamato has had run into Zetsu Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto commented.
"Indeed," his pale skinned master replied, he then glanced over to where Madara was. "That was a fine idea to use those Zetsu's to bolster our ranks.
"Of course of it was." Madara retorted, not even bothering to meet the Snake Sennien's gaze. "Your Uzumaki and Sasuke clones and my Zetsu, between them even the combined forces of the Ninja Villages should not be a problem."
"Indeed. Although there is something that I'm curious about." Orochimaru said. "That Zetsu, he intrigues me. I have to know, what exactly is he? How did you come across such a creature?"
Madara chuckled at this. "Wouldn't you like to know." He replied. "That is my little secret I'm afraid."
Off to one side stood Sasuke, a look of disinterest to what was going on with them on his face. Despite being quite aware that of the combined forces of the Ninja Villages and he just didn't care. To him all that mattered was confronting the one who had robbed of his chance for revenge.
For a large proportion of his life, he'd dedicated every single moment for a single purpose: to claim the life of his older brother Itachi, the one who had put him on this path to begin with. And that purpose had been taken away from him. Snatched away by one that he had once called his teammate.
This could not be allowed to stand, no matter what it cost him he would correct this injustice. He would kill Uzumaki Naruto.
"I'm heading out." He told the three older men, walking towards the forest. "Make sure none of your pawns get in my way."
"My my, seems Sasuke-chan is getting restless." Madara chuckled as she watched as he remaining descendent disappeared into the tree line.
"My lords, do you believe it is a good idea to simply let Sasuke go off on his own." Kabuto asked.
"You worry too much Kabuto." Orochimaru told his assistant. "Let Sasuke have his fun, I belive he's earned it."
"Very well." Kabuto responded. "What about Kakashi and the allies forces? Should I give the order to our forces?"
"Yes, do so. I suspect the allied forces will be on the move soon, so let them come." Orochimaru told his assistant. "As for Kakashi and the other Kage's don't worry, I have something very special planned for them."
On the other side, the allied forces were also very aware of what had happened. Many amongst them witnessed the sight and sounds produced by Yamato's jutu and were were conversing amongst themselves, confuse to what had just happened and what it could mean for them.
At the same time Kakashi as well as the other of Kage's had been going over the last minute preparations when the noise caused by Yamato's jutsu was heard.
"We can't wait any longer." Garra told the silver haired, the red haired former Jinchuriki's tone stern. "It would be foolish to assume Orochimaru isn't aware of our presence."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Aoi asked. "I thought we'd agreed to wait until our scouts returned before making any decisions."
"Moving in before knowing the enemies strengths, we could be matching to out doom." Kurotsuchi added.
"That is a luxury that we cannot afford any more." Garra replied. "I would have preferred to have the extra information from our scouts that is no longer an option."
"I have to agree." Kakashi replied. "Whatever last minute preparations that still need to be finalized should be done so quickly, we need to move out as soon as possible."
With that said Kakashi then departed the meeting, emerging from the tent we was quickly met by Tsuande who'd been hanging around outside
"What's going on, are we heading out?" The Slug Sennien asked, her tone serious.
"It looks that way." Kakashi replied as the two of them made their way through the encampment, heading towards to where Konoha's contribution to the army had been stationed. "Orochimaru will know of our presence now if he didn't already."
"Yamato's team has clearly run into trouble, what do you think it is?" Tsuande asked him.
"Who knows," Kakashi told her, "And given who we're up against it could be anything."
"Orochimaru…" Tsuande said, more to herself then to the man beside her. "He should have never been allowed to get this far, if we'd been more dedicated to neutralising him…"
"Looking back its easy to think about all the things we could have done. What's past is past; dwelling on it does you no good. You can trust me on that." Kakashi said, his tone yet reassuring firm. "As for Orochimaru, there is something I need to ask of you."
"What do you need." The sole surviving Senju replied.
"Tsunade, I mean no disrespect by this, but I'm asking you to allow me to be the one to face Orochimaru." He said.
These words brought the former Hokage to a halt, Kakashi's words leaving her stunned.
"Don't take this as a sign that I don't recognize your abilities or your history with Orochimaru, however I'm Hokage, dealing with him should be my responsibility." Kakashi said. "Another thing is that we're about to walk into the possibly the most difficult battle that we will ever be involved in, we both know that casualties on both sides are going to be high. If something were to happen to me I need you to you protect the village until another can be found to take my place."
"Do you really believe that is a possibility," Tsuande asked, "That you won't come out of this alive?"
"I certainly hope not however it's certainly a possibility, one that we must be ready to face should it happen." The silver haired man replied. "If it does then I'll need you. That is until Naruto is ready to assume the title."
"Naruto?" Tsuande exclaimed. "What makes you think that after all this time that he's even still interested in becoming Hokage?"
"Trust me, I know so." Kakashi told her. "I have known that boy since before he was assigned to my team, watched him grow into the man that he has become. Despite all that he's gone through, all the time that has past, I can assure you that his dream of becoming Hokage has not changed."
Back with Yamato and his team the former ANBU were enduring the seeming endless assault of Zetsu and his clones. Whilst his three teammates were doing their best to hold off the clones, Yamato was engaging Zetsu himself.
"DOTON: DOSEKIRYŪ NO JUTSU! Mudslide Technique!" Slamming his fist into the ground the dirt surrounding Yamato rose up taking the form of a wave of soft mud sent towards the black and white former Akatsuki member.
"Pointless." Zetsu sneered. "MOKUTON: CHIKA NO RÜTSU NO JUTSU! Underground Roots Technique!" As the wave closed in on him several large tree roots erupted from the ground in front of Zetsu, entwining with one another forming a barrier that blocked the wave of earth and dirt.
'He really can use Mokuton Jutsu….' Yamato frowned. "DOTON: DORYŪDAN NO JUTSU! Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!" From the soft earth a Dragon like head emerged, firing a barrage of muddy projectiles from its mouth that rapidly pelted the wall of roots in an attempt to break through but was unsuccessful.
'Damn…' Yamato inwardly cursed before flipping through a new series of hand seals. "MOKUTON: MOKURYŪ NO JUTSU! Wooden Dragon Technique!" The ground shook as a large Chinese Dragon made of wood emerged from it and launched itself at the wooden barrier, the wooden creature colliding with Zetsu barrier.
For several moments both wooden constructs held strong against the other, it seemed like neither was able to do anything to the other, the roots wall began to bend against the wooden Dragon before eventually it was able to break through completely.
Gazing through the opening made by his creation Yamato searched for any sign of Zetsu but could find no trace of him. 'Where is he…' The brown haired man frowned as his eyes frantically searched the area.
It was then he felt something grabbing at his leg, looking down he was met by the sight by the upper part of Zetu's torso emerging from the ground, his dark half grabbing ahold of him. From the point of contact an oily black substance began to seep from his touch and slowly crept up Yamato's leg, at the same time he could feel himself growing weaker as if his strength was being sapped.
Reaching up the former ANBU gripped the handle of his sword and drew it from its sheath. Gritting his teeth he then lashed out, the blade of his weapon slicing through fabric skin and bone of his own leg below the knee, severing the blacked limb from his body.
Gasping in pain Yamato hopped back away from Zetsu, blood dripping from the stump of where his leg used to be, till he felt the truck of a tree against his back. Taking a moment he channeled his Mokuton, bark covered vibes emerging from the stump, wrapping around itself as it grew downwards, taking the form of a new leg and foot.
"Impressive," Zetsu said as he emerged from the ground. "I got to hand it too you, I've never met anyone who went so far as to sacrifice their own limb just to resist my Black Cover."
Yamato glared at the half black half white man. "What are you, how are you able to use Mokuton?" He demanded "I got mine for being apart of Orochimaru's experiments, did he create you as well?"
Zetsu chuckled at this. "Orochimaru, you really think that someone as lowly as him is responsible for my creation." He replied.
"If Orochimaru didn't create you then who did?" Yamato said sternly as he gained his balance on his new leg. "Just what the hell are you?"
"Well since you're going to be dead soon I guess there's no real harm in telling you." Zetsu said. "Tell me, what do you know about Jenova?"
"Jenova?" Yamato said sounding confused. "You mean that thing fell to Earth in the Eastern Continent, what about it?"
"I was there, I bore witness when to the moment Jenova fell from the heavens." The black and white man told him. "It took a long time, her gift seeped its way into my roots, filling me, consuming me, changing me."
"Wait, did you say roots…" Yamato cut Zetsu off. "Are you…a plant?"
"It's been so long since I was just a plant." Zetsu continued. "It was a slow process but my form changed over time, I lost my original form, becoming more like the one you now see. My mind however, that took longer but over time I gained intelligence and with it awareness."
"Just how long have you been around for?" Yamato asked, taking a few steps forwards to test his new leg as he did so. "And why are you helping out people like the Akatsuki and Orochimaru?"
"Don't get the wrong idea, I've got no real loyalty for people like them." Zetsu replied. "They're just a useful means to an end."
"And what's that?" The Konoha ninja demanded, confident that his new leg would support him. "What, in your humble opinion, are they good for?"
"Wouldn't you like to know." "Even that Madara guy, he really I'm going along with his insane scheme out of the goodness of my heart. Even he's just a stepping stone."
"Madara, as in Madara Uchiha?" Yamato exclaimed. "That's impossible, Madara Uchiha is dead. He died alongside Hashirama Senju."
"You really believe that, not that I care." Zetsu scoffed. "Whatever, I'm done talking. I've other places to be so what you say we get back to it." As he said these words several spiky growths emerged from Zetsu's body as he began moving towards the brown haired Konoha nin.
A frown spread across his face Yamato as his opponent drew closer, after making one last check to make sure that his new leg would be able to support him he raised his weapon in preparation to engage him.
Back in the Allies camp the last minute preparations had been completed, the armies brought by each of the villages into separated into several different battalions all of whom were waiting for the order to move out.
On one such team Ino Yanamaka was glancing around at the others members that comprised her squad, hoping that she wasn't making it too obvious. The sense of nervousness coming from them was palpable; it was so thick he could practically feel it brushing against her skin.
Some of the others she could tell were professional ninja who'd no doubt seen their share of combat, she could see signs of their nerves not matter what they did to try to hide it.
"Hey Yanamaka, I thought that was you." Hearing her family name Ino looked over and was met by the sight of Kiba, the brown haired Inuzuka strolling over towards her. And he wasn't alone, at his side was Chouji.
"Chouji Kiba." She replied.
"Ino." Chouji said, nodding his head in greeting. "So you got assigned to this team as well."
"Apparently." Ino told her teammate, "Had no idea the two of you'd both also be on this one."
"Today's full of surprises it seems." Kiba said nonchalantly. "So…how you holding up?"
Ino shrugged in response to this. "Bout as well as can be expected I guess." She told them. "I'm actually a little nervous if I'm honest."
"Don't worry, you're clearly not alone in that." Chouji said trying to sound reassuring.
"Speak for yourself. I'm gonna be just fine." Kiba said matter-o-factly. "I'm marrying the girl of my dreams after all."
Ino chuckled at this. "Oh of course. Being with Hinata trumps everything else for you." She joked. "You two set a date yet?"
"Nothing concrete yet, this whole war thing has kind of forced us to put all that on the back burner." The brown haired Inuzuka told her. "Hinata had her heart on having it in the spring."
"A spring wedding huh, that sounds nice." Ino said. "Sooo, anyone know who's in charge of this group?"
"That would be me." Chouji replied.
"Really, congrats man." Kiba said, slapping the larger of the two men on the back. "Kakashi must really have a lot of faith in ya to put you in charge of one of the teams."
"Glad to hear you say that, I'll have to do my best to live up to the trust that the Kages have placed in me."
"What about the other squads," Kiba asked. "Any idea who's leading them?"
"I know Neji and Shikamaru are leading two of them," Chouji informed the pair. "Plus Temari and Samui has her own team as well. As for the other teams, they're being lead by others by people I don't know."
As the threesome talked amongst themselves they were suddenly cut when the sound of what sounded like a horn filled the air, bringing their conversation to a quick end.
"That's the signal, we'll be heading out shortly." Chouji told his fellow Konoha ninja. "
"Hey Chouj, y'know it been a while since we got to hang out." Ino told her teammate. "After this is all over, if we survive, we should get together and just have a night out at the bar or something."
"Sounds like a plan to me." Kiba added.
"I'd like that." Chouji replied. Taking a deep breath a serious look that appeared on the portly man's face. "Alright you lot, I hope you're all ready because we're heading out."
Not long later the army of the United Ninja nations were on the move, tearing through the landscape of Oni knowing full well that somewhere that the enemy were doing the same.
Sweat poured off of Yamato's brow as he dodged out of the way as Zetsu launched dozens of vines in his direction, the mass of twisting tendrils squirming after him as he leapt up into the air and onto the branch of a nearby tree.
Realizing that the vine were still making their way towards him Yamato jumped up to the next branch to try once more to escape them only for them to continue following him. Leaping up several more branches Yamato jumped out of the tree, the vines still coming after him as he sailed through the air.
As he did so Yamato he began flipping through head seals. "MOKUTON: MOKU BUNSHIN NO JUTSU! Wood Clone Technique!" No sooner had he said these words several tendrils emerged from his body that mashed together forming a perfect duplicate of the former ANBU.
As he was doing this, the vines had caught up and began wrapping themselves around one of Yamato's legs. The moment he felt this Yamato formed another hand seal. "KAWARIMI NO JUTSU! Body Replacement Technique!" A puff of smoke erupted from Yamato's body as he was replaced by the clone, the vines wrapping around it and crushing it.
No longer being pursued Yamato dived headlong towards the ground, utilizing the same Hiding in Surface technique that Zetsu had used earlier and dived into the earth as if it were water.
"Not bad…" Zetsu mused aloud as he scanned the area, looking for any trace of his opponent.
Below ground Yamato was taking a moment to catch his breathe before contemplating his next move. Zetsu was proving to be a difficult opponent to deal with. Thinking for a moment an idea took shape and within moments he was flipping through hand seals. "DOTON: DORYŪSŌ NO JUTSU! Earth Throw Spears Technique!"
Above ground Zetsu was still searching for any sign of his prey when the dirt beneath his feet began to shake, catching the black and white Ninja off guard. Moment's later dozens of spike like protrusions rose up out of it. Letting out a curse Zetsu made to try and avoid them however despite his best effort he could not avoid all of them, one of them piercing his left foot a second through his right calf and a final one stabbing him though the back and stuck out of his chest.
Emerging from the ground Yamato was met by the sight of the skewered Zetsu, in one fluid motion his sword was once more drawn and he dashed towards the humanoid plant man. Seeing this Zetsu conjured some more vines, wrapping them around then Konoha Nin's leg and causing him to fall to the ground.
Cursing under his breath Yamato quickly used his weapon to free himself and was back on his feet to see Zetsu pull himself off of the earth spikes, the wounds caused by them quickly sealing themselves up.
"You can regenerate damage as well?" Yamato said sternly. "Looks like I'm gonna have to see just how much damage you can regenerate before I put you down."
"Your proving to be more trouble then your worth." Zetsu growled, a note of pain in his voice. "I was hoping to save this for later, maybe to wipe out your encampment, but instead I'll just do so to put you out of my misery."
The ground once more began to shake, Yamato used the Shunshin no Jutsu to vanish and reappear on the branch of a nearby tree. Moments later the ground seemed to erupt as if by it had been coated by dozens of exploding tags, the large release of energy and heat kicking up a large cloud of smoke, dust and debris.
From the smoking crater left behind by the explosion forms could be seen within the smoke, dozens upon dozens of White Zetsu clones emerging from the smoking hole. And those weren't the only ones as from the tree line a dozen more White Zetsu's appeared, two of them carrying the unmoving bodies of Yamato's teammates.
Yamato said nothing, knowing that he had failed his team left a dull ach in his chest; instead he took stock of his situation and things were looking grim. He was surrounded on all sides, his team was dead and he was out numbered. At any other time retreat would be a more suitable course of action as apposed to fighting however in this case there was no chance to run.
However it seemed that in this case he was to be given very little say in this matter.
At this exchange was going on the sound caused by the Zetsu's erupting from the ground hadn't gone unnoticed. The sound it caused echoed through the area, grabbing the attention of both armies. The sound signaling to everyone the Fourth Shinobi War had officially begun.
Far from the battlefield three puffs of smoke erupted from the ground, just as quickly as they appeared they dissipated revealing Cloud, Naruto and Jiraiya standing there.
"Where are we?" Cloud asked, looking about as he tried to get his baring's. "Are we in Oni?"
"It doesn't look that way." Jiraiya told him. "From the looks of things we're at least a day and a half's travel away from it."
"A day and a half…" Naruto muttered under his breath. He then bit down on his thumb and smeared some blood across his palm before flipping through a series of hand seals and placed his palm on the ground. "KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU! Summoning Technique!"
Three more plumes of smoke erupted from the ground from which three large carthorse sized wolves appeared before the three men. "Come on, we've got no time to waste." Naruto told his two companions as he climbed onto the back of one of the creatures.
Without hesitation Cloud copied the other blonds action, mounting the creature, whilst Jiriaya was hesitant at first but also climbed on the back on the remaining wolf. No sooner had all three men mounted the large creatures they set off, the landscape rushing past as they raced across the landscape.
"Even with these creatures assistance, we're still a good day's travel away from the site of the battle." Jiraiya told his two companions. "Whatever the case we're going to be very late arriving to it."
"You don't think that Kakashi and the others will be able to hold out that long until we arrive?" Cloud asked, his tone firm.
"I never said that." Jiraiya replied, doing his best to sound reassuring.
"They'll hold out, I know it." Naruto told his two companions as the scenery rushed past, his tone serious. 'Sakura…Shikamaru…Kakashi…Baa-chan…don't make me a liar…'
AN And with that another chapter is fini and bring us one step closer to the end.
So yeah this chapter is up a lot sooner then expected, trust me I'm just as surprised as you are, and ended up being on the short side, hope thats not a problem. I guess you can say this one is more of a calm before the storm moment before the real conflict begins.
Hope the fight between Yamato and Zetsu made up for the length of the chapter. So as you all saw I changed Zetsu's origin for this story to make it fit in with Jenova since, as I said in a previous chapter, I'm not using Kagyua in this story.
The Allied forces are on the move but Orochimaru and Madara are ready for them, and what could this 'something something' that Orochimaru has for Kakashi and the other Kage's be? Naruto, Cloud and Jiraiya are back and are are on their way and don't forget that the Genesis has yet to make his reappearance.
As usual thanks to you for taking the time to read this silly little story and for supporting me. Any and all feedback left is gratefully appreciated, the fact that you take the time to do so warms my heart.
Next time the war begins for real. Till the next time, peace out y'all