Chapter 36: The Scrolls of Higher Heaven: Summoning of Hope
It's funny how the last chapter took me like a week to do and I popped this one out in like an hour! Well, I hope you enjoy!
Naruto and the rest of the chunin took off quickly towards Konoha. The latest turn of events was puzzling. He never figured that Tsunade would order a retreat. The Convictors didn't seem too interested in pursuing them. They seemed only interested in getting to Konoha, and destroying all in their way. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his fellow chunin attacking the Convictors while they took off at top speed towards the village. He wasn't really focusing on that, though. His thoughts were turned towards other things.
"I wonder how Kayume is doing. And Kakashi-sensei, too. I really hope they're all right…"
As a matter of fact, they weren't doing to well at the moment…
"Forbidden Art: Thousand Fanged Mutilation!"
Everything in front of Kayume and Kakashi was ravaged by a terrifying force. The two sprinted as fast as they could in the opposite direction. It didn't seem to matter how far away they got. The ravaging force still seemed to pursue them. Kayume looked back and noticed that Karasu's hands were still in place, as if holding the jutsu. Kayume summoned her Ethereal Blade (a katana) and slashed in Karasu's direction. The attack passed through at the speed of light and sliced at Karasu, breaking the jutsu. The two stopped to catch their breath. Karasu sensed their weariness and decided to quickly follow up with another attack.
"This should do it…"
Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai made their way to Konoha at top speed. They were having a difficult time outracing a pursuing Convictor. Asuma suddenly heard a cry and turned to see Kurenai stumble and fall. He rushed to her and found a senbom in her ankle, which the Convictor (the rider is called the Convictor, the snake is just the snake) must have thrown. Finding that she couldn't walk on it, Asuma quickly snatched her up and ran with her towards the village. Gai hurled a kunai at the Convictor before following. Asuma buried her head in Asuma's chest.
"I didn't want you to have to burden yourself with me," she whispered.
"Relax," came the reply. She looked up to see Asuma smiling at her. "I've always wanted to hold you this way." She couldn't help but smile herself.
"So have I."
The chunin felt like they were hopelessly getting nowhere. Kiba turned to Hinata.
"Hey, Hinata, can you see if we're getting near to Konoha?"
Hinata nodded and put her hands in place.
"Byakugan!"
Hinata gazed ahead and then returned her eyes to normal.
"We're approaching the gates. They're about half a mile ahead."
Everyone was cheered by the news, but a hiss from behind alerted them to their current predicament. To everyone's surprise, Gaara stopped and turned back towards the forest. When everyone stopped, he said in a clear voice:
"Go to Konoha. I'll hold them off."
Everyone was shocked. Temari stepped forward but was held back by Kankuro. "Gaara, you can't do this!" Temari pleaded. Gaara shook his head in disapproval and planted his feet firmly.
"It's times like this where I almost wished Gaara still had the- well, you know.." Kankuro said said softly. Temari shot him a look of murderous disapproval.
"I'm with you, kid," said Zaku as he stepped out from the rest.
"No," said Gaara sharply. "I need to do this alone. Now, GO!"
The others turned and continued on to Konoha. Gaara glanced back for a moment, and then turned towards the wide open mouth of the Convictors monstrous snake.
"It's time I make amends…"
Karasu began to perform more handsigns.
"Forbidden Art: House of Flying Daggers!"
Instantly, Kakashi found himself surrounded by mirrors all around him.
"This jutsu…it's like Haku's Crystal Ice Mirrors," Kakashi said.
"Yes," Karasu said as his image flashed on every mirror. "But this jutsu works a little differently. First, I reside in only a single mirror that masks my chakra so you can't detect me. The jutsu causes the mirrors to replicate my attacks, causing a lethal barrage of attacks. Also, the mirrors are indestructible, except for the mirror that I am in. But it won't matter since you won't find it."
The mirrors flashed and Kakashi covered his head as more senbom then he could count showered him from all sides. Unlike, Haku, Karasu was aiming to kill. Kakashi couldn't afford to sit and do nothing. He carefully got off the ground and pulled out three kunai, placing one in his mouth and the other two in his hands.
"Sharingan!"
Though he couldn't detect Karasu's position, the Sharingan still made it easier to block Karasu's attacks.
"Kayume!" he shouted.
On the outside of the mirrors, Kayume stood worried, unsure of what to do. She had heard Karasu's words and was sure that they had gotten stuck now.
"Kayume!" she heard Kakashi yell.
"Yes!" she replied.
There was a pause before she heard him say, "I need you to attack from the outside!"
"All right!"
Kakashi moved his kunai quickly, deflecting as many senbom as possible. He winced as one lodged in his shoulder. He whirled his kunai as a new wave came flying at him. He knocked them away with the two in his hands and twisted his head around to hit the others away with the one in his mouth. He was silently waiting for Kayume to find Karasu's position. As he assumed, Karasu's jutsu only worked from the inside, so his chakra wouldn't be masked from those on the outside.
Kayume tried frantically to find Karasu's position. "Urgh! Come on! Okay, calm down Kayume. You can't use jutsu properly if your all spazzed out."
She started using jutsu and said, "Secret Art: Scenting Chakra Jutsu!"
Kayume could see a blue trace of chakra ("Kakashi's" she thought) and a foul red trace of chakra ("Only Karasu's"). She could see it emanating from a mirror on the far left side.
"Kakashi, on the far left side!"
Kakashi heard her and slowly inched towards the mirror on his far right side (or her far left). The closer he moved, the faster and more ruthless Karasu's attacks became. When Kakashi stood a little more than a foot away, he could barely move for an attack.
"Ready, Kayume?" he shouted.
"Ready!" came her reply.
Kakashi and Kayume charged their hands, and then pressed them against the mirror, shouting simultateously, "Lightning Blade/Ethereal Blast!" The mirror quivered, then shattered under the force of the jutsu. Karasu was flung to the ground, causing the other mirrors to shatter. Karasu quickly picked himself up and began to use more handsign.
"Forbidden Art: Demon Treebind Jutsu!"
Kayume screamed as she saw Kakashi suddenly ensnared by Karasu's attack. He was pinned to a strange tree in the middle of the clearing, bound to it by the several branches wrapped around his arms and chest. As he struggled, he didn't notice Karasu begin to emerge above his right shoulder. Karasu revealed a kunai and poised to strike Kakashi in the throat. Kakashi was suddenly aware of Karasu's presence and saw Karasu attempt to stab him. A shuriken flew through the air and swiped across Karasu's mask. Karasu wavered for half a moment, and then dropped face first to the ground. (that seems to happen a lot, huh?) Karasu struggled to get up, and Kayume and Kakashi both knew that this was the best time to finish him. Kayume began to use handsigns and said:
"Sacred Art: Celestial Whirlwind Jutsu!"
Karasu was encased in a violent whirlwind of brilliant flashing white chakra. The flashing was so intense that Kakashi had to almost totally close his eyes. The jutsu finished with a blast that hurled Karasu backward. He caught himself and stood staggering. Kakashi began to charge his hand for the final attack. His hand shone with an intense blue chakra, sending off incredible bursts of chakra all around. Kakashi's feet were surrounded by a swirl of intense electric chakra. Kakashi's eyes locked onto his opponent and shot forward for the attack.
"Lightning Blade Raikiri!"
Kakashi's hand flashed and the incredible chakra force blasted right through Karasu and out his back. Karasu gasped and his eyes pulsed.
"N-no….can't let it end like this…I won't die…EVER!"
"Forbidden Art: Shadow of Immortality Jutsu!"
Kakashi was thrown back by a terrific force. Karasu's body was enshrouded with darkness, sending off pulses of demonic chakra. He removed his mask, grinning wickedly. His twisted Curse Mark activated, covering his body in horrifying black markings. The hole in him healed, and he looked more powerful than ever.
"I have unleashed the true extent of my power! I will send your souls to the Netherworld!"
As he spoke, horrifying black wings emerged from his back. Realizing this new advantage, he flapped the terrifying wings and began to hover before his prey. He summoned his dark chakra and revealed a demonic spear of terrifying appearance.
"We only have one hope now."
Kakashi looked at Kayume and she extended her hand towards him. He understood and revealed the Scroll of Higher Heaven that she had given him. She revealed her own and unfurled the two. Holding one in each hand, she began to twirl them about in a complicated ritual. She finished by placing them both on the ground, crisscrossing each other.
"Kakashi, the White Fang must seal the ritual."
Kakashi nodded and revealed the White Chakra Sabre. He looked to Kayume for direction.
"Thrust it into the middle of the two scrolls."
Kakashi approached the two scrolls and thrust the blade in the middle. Kakashi's hand stung instantly and he let go of the blade. He stepped back and joined Kayume. The blade and the letters on the scroll began to glow a faint glow. the glow grew brighter and brighter, enveloping the woods in a flash of light. Once it passed, Kakashi opened his eyes and gasped. In place of the White Chakra Sabre, lying on the two scrolls was the key to their hope and victory…
…The Twin Blade of the Heavens.
Nightshroud: Good God! After thrirty six chapters, you finally see how the story got its name! Well, next chapter's the final part of the battle. Please R&R. I want to get 100 reviews before the end of the summer, so please help make my dream come true!
Next chapter: The Blade that Cleaves the Sky in Two