Chapter Thirty Four
Temari swept her fan out as an enemy vessel tried to broadside her own ship.
Its ballistae fired and were thrown far to the side, the ship itself rocked and Temari felt pretty proud.
It wasn't exactly easy capsizing a ship and it hadn't been her intention anyway. That she had rocked it at all--and rather fiercely she thought--without rocking her own vessel was a testament to her ability.
Moment of personal celebration aside Gaara lashed out, his sand puncturing a giant hole in the side of the ship. It was above the water level--Gaara didn't want to lose any of his sand, it was all he had until they reached the shore--but when Temari swept the ship with her wind again it rocked again and this time the hole went below the waves and rapidly filled with water.
The ship capsized, it was just one of four nearby vessels that were already sinking.
The enemy's reinforcement fleet had come in perhaps hoping to catch the allies without their ninja, in truth all they'd caught was the full force of the fleet's ballistae and catapults.
And of course those ninja still on the ships.
The battle was going to be over quickly, before noon the fleet would be underway again.
And the first battle would have been won by the alliance.
Iwao growled viciously as he shoved a slain Kumogakure ninja away from him.
"They're pushing us back!" The youth shouted, "Where is captain Gammo?"
"I have no idea sir, he and much of our ninja force seems to have disappeared!" The Jounin nearest Iwao reported.
Iwao shook with fury, Katashi had better be in the thick of the fight somewhere because if he and his men weren't fighting with all their might, if they were lost, or running or something like that Iwao would kill them all and sacrifice their families to the serpent shrines.
"Commander we need to fall back," The Jounin with him reported, "They're pushing too hard!"
"That's not possible, they're rebels! We are the servants of the Emperor, death in his service is an honor, they have no honor! They cannot defeat us!"
"Sir, the soldiers are already starting to flee, if we don't--"
Iwao knew if he didn't give the order for the ninja to fall back or at least cover the soldiers' retreat the defeat would be crippling.
But how could they be defeated?
"Fall back captain, take the men. I'll assume a rear guard with two squads, that should buy you time. Reassemble the legions and come around through the trees, hit them at their side and we'll crush their vanguard between us, if you find Katashi's men so much the better!"
It was a long shot of a plan, but if it worked it would force the Lightning army to back off for the day as well and both sides would quit the field with heavy losses.
As it stood now Earth would suffer the worst of it, justhow many squads were with Katashi? The Cloud Ninja were definitely overpowering them; add to the fact that many of the Cloud ninja used the Lightning Element which cut through virtually every Earth barrier and every defense that his ninja could use.
Iwao threw his hands together in a few gestures and summoned as many stone familiars as he could, a small army of stone soldiers.
They leveled their spears and charged the line of Lightning soldiers, several of them were destroyed by Cloud Ninja with Lightning Jutsus, but those that weren't slammed into the Lightning soldiers, ripping through their lines and cutting through the vanguard like a hot knife through butter.
It was very impressive but not the sort of thing Iwao could sustain for very long. The two squads he'd asked for supported him, doing their best to stop the ninja as the soldiers fled.
They were holding their ground, the army just needed to regroup and come to their aid.
The Earth country general was staggering when he ran into a ninja who looked surprisingly healthy. "What are you doing? We have to rally and--"
"Fall back. I've assumed command of the ninja force; I'm assuming command of the army. This enemy force is too strong and we've just received word that uprisings are springing up in our homeland, we must go now, fall back to the Lands of Earth, I'll go try to rescue our rear guard."
The Taisho shuddered; the mere thought that uprising would spring up in the homeland while they were away. They lived in turbulent times indeed.
He swore and raised his sword to his men, "Sound retreat, if our homes aren't safe then victory here won't mean anything!"
The Jounin smiled and slapped the samurai on the shoulder, "Good man, you've chosen wisely."
"Just you save those ninja who guarded our backsides; they're waiting for a rescue." The Taisho said, "Every one of my men left owes them their lives."
"Oh count on it," the Iwagakure captain nodded, "Gammo Katashi never lets a debt go unpaid."
The Taisho nodded and led his men along with some remaining ninja in their retreat, Katashi and his ninja went towards the battle, hopefully they'd save those ninja left behind and buy the retreating army still more time.
The Taisho reflected on the shame of it, four years ago their army had laid waste to Konoha and been ravaged, now here again against the rebels in Lightning they were shamed.
Did this army have no honor left? Did they have no skill or strength?
The men's morale would be crushed, perhaps it was fortunate that rebellion had risen up in the homeland, it would give his men an easy victory.
As for the capital, well the general was certain that the Emperor would just wipe away the enemy with his divine powers if need be.
The trees were a killing field, Tomoko was panting as she leaned against a branch.
She'd killed six enemies, she'd seen four Cloud ninja go down, so by her estimation they were ahead by a bit.
She didn't know where Yuu or Tosa-senpai were, but she had Chiwa with her.
"The enemy must have retreated," The older woman said, "I mean unless they need a breather too."
Tomoko shook her head and got to her feet, "Let's move, solitary targets get killed faster."
"Yeah, yeah . . ." Chiwa followed her as they leapt through the trees.
Tomoko had no idea just how close they were to the enemy though, in no time a tall enemy Jounin lashed out, hitting Chiwa in the neck and knocking her down from the trees. Tomoko raised her defense in time to deflect the attack from the Jounin but another man leapt onto her, knocking her down as well.
She struggled but her opponent wrapped his hand around her neck and squeezed hard as he drew a kunai from his hip and thrust for her stomach.
He'd have gutted her but her chains slithered out and deflected the blade, he prepared to try again but Tomoko's chains wrapped around him like a pair of constrictors.
They crushed him for a bit then Tomoko let the lethal claws at the end of her chains burry themselves in the man's flesh, "Stand down or your comrade gets peeled like a banana!" She shouted to another enemy ninja who was holding a blade to Chiwa's neck.
"You stand down or I kill--"
Tomoko didn't wait, she saw Yuu emerge from the ground and grab Chiwa before the blade could damage her.
So Tomoko spread her arms and called her chains back, the man entangled in them spun violently as he was rapidly uncoiled, he flew into the air and came down on the ground hard.
With a splat.
Conceivably he might still be alive, but that didn't seem very important.
Yuu did something to the other Jounin's insides and dragged Chiwa away as the man keeled over, Chiwa whistled and said "That was close! I'm gonna have to learn that trick of yours."
"That's not possible." Yuu said calmly.
"So what now?" Tomoko asked.
"What do you mean?" Chiwa asked.
"It's over," Yuu said, "At least it's about to be. The enemy is withdrawing; their rear guard is putting up a fight. Tosa-sensei says Taiko-sama anticipated an attack through the woods so she sent me to find you two."
"Just in time too." Chiwa nodded.
"I had the situation under control." Tomoko scoffed as she dusted herself off.
"Your situation, not mine." Chiwa scoffed, "So what now?"
"We rally with Kimiko-sensei and prepare, if the enemy does try through the trees we'll be ready." Yuu said.
"That won't be necessary." A new voice said; it was Tosa-senpai. "The enemy's finished . . . their army is retreating. We're to help mop up the rear guard which, for some reason isn't."
"But couldn't the enemy army just be regrouping." Chiwa pointed out.
"Whatever they're doing they're not going to ambush us through the trees, the main army has already moved into the clearing to regroup, we're to rejoin the ninja force under Raikage-sama and hunt the enemy army, see how far they're running and whether or not assault with the full army is advisable." Kimiko said, "Let's go."
Tomoko nodded and followed, she smiled weakly at Yuu, "Saved Chiwa and not me?"
"You had things under control." Yuu said, sounding embarrassed.
"Still, gosh the gesture you know?" Tomoko scoffed.
"Next time." The young man assured her.
"Oh please, you lost your chance, I'm never going to be in peril again . . ." Tomoko said.
They walked in silence for a while, then Chiwa said "You know I kind of thought an enemy would swoop down after you said that."
"I know, that's like the time they always do . . . I'm disappointed." Tomoko sighed.
Iwao struggled, his ninja were being slaughtered, he was down to two others, one had already made a run for it.
Iwao was wielding a stone spear he'd seized from one of his stone soldiers before the golem was destroyed, his chakra was low and he was out of kunai and shuriken.
He thrust out, piercing the chest of one enemy Samurai. He twisted the blade and tore it free with ferocity, he spun the spear around and slammed the butt of it into the neck of an enemy soldier, then swept it out striking the neck of a nearby man, bringing the blade into play again he slashed another Samurai.
Another Samurai came at him, this one wielding two swords.
They were chakra swords, one alive with wind chakra the other with lightning, Iwao staggered back, the Lightning Samurai charged at him.
Iwao raised his spear in defense, in his adrenaline addled state he forgot it was made of stone, the Samurai's lightning coated blade cut it in two and Iwao barely managed to dodge before the blade split his skull.
He spun around, keeping the bladed end of the broken spear in one hand to strike with and the blunted half in the other to block with, deflecting the Wind blade once and striking out with the spearhead for the Samurai's exposed chest.
Which was replaced with a log, Iwao's eyes widened, he was fighting a ninja, not a Samurai. He spun around and saw his foe descend on him, lightning blade leading. Iwao dodged the lightning blade and struck out with the spear, hoping to impale the samurai--or ninja.
The enemy ninja twisted, his wind blade was still coming for Iwao but the boy raised his stone club again to deflect it.
It had worked before.
But he'd made the mistake of assuming that the blades could only do one thing or another, the enemy's wind sword suddenly cackled with electricity and it shattered the stone protecting him.
The blade came in for Iwao, he had just enough time to think that he should substitute or something before it cut painfully into his shoulder.
It cut so deep he wasn't sure what kept him from just dying right there or at least blacking out but he still managed to stagger back, the blade coming free of his shoulder as its owner refused to let go of it.
Iwao stumbled and turned to run, his last remaining Shinobi guard came to his side but was quickly done away with by the Samurai-ninja, lightning swords cutting through the stone shield the man rose and through the man's outstretched hands, making further Jutsu impossible so that when the blades struck for his heart there was nothing he could do to deflect them.
Iwao saw it over his shoulder as he ran, holding his arm half afraid that it would fall off if he didn't.
He was filled with shame, he'd run from battle he was worthless and a failure in the eyes of the God-Emperor.
He ran and slammed into Gammo Katashi, he felt something hit his stomach.
Somewhere in the boy's head he recognized it as a kunai . . .
And he recognized when Katashi shoved it deeper and twisted it.
Iwao staggered back, gasping for air.
He fell to the ground, sitting in the dirt feeling the warm blood pour from his stomach and down his arm, he looked at Katashi in disbelief as the Jounin tossed away the kunai that he had stabbed Iwao with.
"Looks like I was too late to rescue you." Katashi said with a cruel smile, "Goodbye Juukei Iwao."
Iwao wanted to ask why, but his vision was hazing up, darkness settling in.
His lips moved but he couldn't find the breath to ask Katashi why he had done this; why he had betrayed the empire and even attacked him.
Why he had murdered him, Iwao felt the cold realization grip his heart as it threatened to stop beating.
He'd been murdered, he was about to die and his killer hadn't even bested him in combat, his killer had betrayed him; had betrayed their whole nation . . .
He fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood, he vaguely felt Katashi tare something from his flak jacket, but mostly he felt numb and cold or maybe numb with cold, he didn't know . . . he felt fear creeping over him now . . .
"Ah, the enemy's on their way. I don't have any time to really enjoy this, the bastards. But . . . if you're wondering why . . . just ask my sister when you get to hell, and know that your bastard uncle won't be far behind."
"Em . . . per . . . or" Iwao whispered, and then the darkness consumed him.
His first real battle, his chance to prove he was a ninja worthy of his command and his rank and he'd failed.
And as he died he did not see the Emperor's face smiling down on him, the cold was not replaced with warmth, or light.
There was only darkness and then . . . nothing.
Sasuke staggered backwards, Suigetsu swore and Juugo sprang forward.
The boy who had once been Hatake Kotaro was covered by black marks that Sasuke knew all too well.
A pair of massive snakes shot out from under the deck and intercepted Juugo, they wrapped around him and Kotaro began the hand seals for Chidori.
Sasuke gripped his sword and charged for the snakes, Kotaro sprang for Juugo and Suigetsu grabbed Sasuke by the arm and shouted, "Get back!"
Juugo had lost control, he shook free of the snakes, ripping them to shreds with his spines and claws, he sprang for Kotaro and stretched out his much longer arm.
He caught the boy and crushed his skull before the lightning of Chidori could stab him, but Kotaro dissipated in a cloud of smoke.
"Shadow clone?" Suigetsu demanded but Sasuke saw it had been substitution and now Kotaro was--
"Sasuke-kun!" Karin shouted, throwing a pair of kunai at him.
Sasuke leapt up and the kunai slammed into his shadow and exploded, Hattori Kasumi leapt through the blast and Suigetsu sprang on her raising his sword high to bring it down on her, letting its massive weight do most of the work.
Sasuke came down in the midst of the blast Karin's explosive tags had made and using his mastery of fire he called the flames together and added them to his own Fireball Jutsu, blowing a ball of flame towards the enemy ninja.
The Five were definitely skilled, their bodies could be pushed beyond the point of repair unlike Sasuke's.
Shiroi came at him, Karin tried to stop her but Kurai's insects swarmed over Karin, and she stumbled back.
Back over the side of the ship.
She screamed and grabbed the railing, Sasuke ignored her, focusing instead on not letting Shiroi strike any of his chakra points.
"We're outnumbered!" Suigetsu swore as Kasumi fell into her shadow and emerged behind him, striking for his back with a kunai.
Sasuke knew that, and with Juugo raging and Karin hanging on for dear life with just one hand--a hand quickly becoming covered with insects--Sasuke couldn't see the situation getting better.
Kotaro was nimbly avoiding Juugo, Kasumi was evading Suigetsu, both of them were trying to ware their opponents down, Kurai was focusing some attention on getting Karin to let go but he was also sending part of his swam after Juugo now, no doubt deciding that draining the monstrous Juugo of his chakra would be the best bet to stopping him.
Shiroi was trying to seal Sasuke's chakra points, Yukio was now heading for Karin to finish her off.
He leapt onto the rail and raised his blade, Karin let go with a scream.
She fell off the side of the ship to the cold waters below, Sasuke felt the slightest twinge of sadness at the loss of an old friend but nothing more than that.
Karin had once again gotten herself into trouble trying to help instead of sticking to what she was good at--healing and otherwise keeping out of his way.
Now Yukio spun around and leapt for Sasuke, the Jounin roared and struck out at the younger man with a lightning-clad fist, which Yukio nimbly dodged and Sasuke felt Shiroi strike his right side twice, rapidly, painfully.
She struck out for another hit, striking Sasuke's shoulder and elbow, weakening but not stopping the Chidori.
She used substitution and Sasuke wind milled, trying to hit Yukio with the Chidori.
But Yukio leapt out of his way, Sasuke saw Kurai's swarm descending on him.
He swept his arm out, destroying several of the insects before his Chidori could dissipate, then he swatted more with his left hand.
The situation was getting desperate now, Karin was gone, Juugo was half covered in chakra sucking insects, Sasuke was fighting three opponents . . .
Suigetsu suddenly leapt back, surprising Kasumi who'd tried to emerge behind him again.
He began a Jutsu that Sasuke remembered, and soon from the blood spilled on deck a massive humanoid torso began to take shape.
It was headless, just a torso and arms, but those arms struck out not at the Five but at Juugo, washing him clean of the bugs attached to him and no doubt driving him insane with bloodlust.
Kasumi sprang for Suigetsu but the blood spirit's other hand struck out, grasping the girl in a surprisingly solid grip, holding her head.
It cranked violently, and Sasuke saw through the blood the girl's face suddenly change.
She was no longer an eighteen year old young woman, now she was a woman in her mid to late twenties, her eyes seemed almost to dissolve in her skull and the elemental dropped her.
"That's one down." Suigetsu crowed and Yukio immediately dropped his attack on Sasuke to keep the Mizukage occupied.
They were down Karin, the Five were down Kasumi . . . it was still anyone's game.
Shiroi came at him again, this time obscured by a swarm of bugs. Sasuke inhaled for a Fireball Jutsu to disperse the swarm before he met Shiroi once again in combat.
He smiled briefly and thought I taught them to work together like that . . .
To Be Continued . . .