A/N
Okay, chapter 37. This one's shorter than most of the others, but that's cuz it's a fight scene. Not much talking, so only like three pages. Yes, Naruto gets captured, but no, he does not die, at least not yet (Maniacal cackling ensues). I mean... of course he's not going to die, what on earth would make you think that? I mean, that'd totally ruin any chances of the sequel that I already have plans for. So... course he doesn't die. Yeah, that's it, xD Read, enjoy, review, the usual. I do take requests, and will take into account any ideas that you guys give me. Although, Danzo-baka isn't leaving, at least not yet :P.
Chapter 37 Recon Failure
Kakashi
Our group of around ten people grew steadily closer to the fleeing company of thirty. Naruto, saving him, was now our priority. I was weary from the fight, but forced myself to keep running. I wasn't going to let them kill the boy. My Sharingan eye blazed like a sunlit ruby, it's gaze flicking from my comrades back to the shadowy forms ahead.
"We don't know what they can do, but Neji and Hinata, seal as many of their chakra points as you can, that should inhibit at least some danger," I commanded, and the two Hyuuga children nodded.
"We need to be on our toes," I continued, "They have a hostage that we can't have killed, and we have no idea why they want him,"
Sakura, pulling something from her coat pocket, looked at me. She handed a beige envelope to me, and curiously, still bounding between tree branches, I opened it. I read through the note, written by the Hokage herself. I looked it over, confused by what it read.
"They tried to assassinate the Hokage?" I exclaimed, Sakura and Hinata nodding.
"Yeah, failed though," Sakura replied, then paused.
"The one they captured, he had no memories, and died upon interrogation," She explained, and I nodded.
I had read what the Hokage had written, the description of the failed interrogation, the page about the Living Clone, and the black jutsu that the ninja were said to use when they attacked. If, in fact, these ninja were Living Clones, then this would be rather difficult. And, if someone was controlling the masses of them, an immensely difficult, nigh on impossible task, then we would have a ridiculously powerful ninja on our hands as well. Still, that didn't explain why they would capture Naruto, or try to kill the Hokage, or the Kazekage for that matter.
"Look, we are approaching the enemy ninja!" Lee called out, pointing ahead.
I followed his pointing arm, and could make out the details of several of the closest ninja. Pulling several shuriken for my pouch, readying for the fight. Several seconds of calculation, and I threw the projectiles, felling two of the ninja. Temari had her fan out, readying for when she was in range. Shikamaru spun two kunai and a shuriken from his supply, taking aim and slinging them towards the enemy. The shuriken whistled in between three ninja, missing completely. The two kunai, however, struck it, and a resounding crack of metal on metal rang out. The kunai shot out to the sides, the shuriken straight forward, propelled by the impact.
The kunai struck one ninja each in the side of the head, the shuriken biting into back of another one's neck. The side two tumbled to the ground, the middle ninja falling straight forward. Several of the other ninja stopped, returning the attack with a barrage of kunai and shuriken. Half of them, or thereabouts, were blocked by a gust from Temari's fan. A few hand signs from one, and a shadow, like Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Jutsu, snaked from his hands. It smacked another two kunai to the side, grabbing Sakura's leg. She was hauled into the air, before the ninja was cut down by a flurry of shuriken.
A ninja leapt at me, followed by three more. My hands became a blur of motion, forming seals and signs, lightning sparking from my hands.
"Chidori!" I yelled, spreading the electrical chakra between both hands.
I dashed at one, flipping over him, at the same time, piercing him through the back. I spun, blue light and crackling energy streaming from my fingertips. I disintegrated a kunai, punching two holes in it's user. The two other ninja attacked with black chakra swirling around their hands. They barely blocked my Chidori, however. My lightning jab shattered through an arc of their energy, slicing through the stomach of one, and I kick-flipped over another, my boot slamming into the center of his neck. The jutsu put a large strain on my strength, and it slowly drained my chakra. A black X shot towards Shikamaru, who was battling another ninja with shadows.
I released a small burst of chakra, changing the nature of my Chidori, whipping a lashing tendril of lightning at it. They collided, canceling each other out. Shikamaru's face was a mask of contorted effort, as he attempted to employ the same method of attack as the ninja. His hands, not glowing with black energy, but surrounded in two black spheres, moved in arcing patterns, launching small, wavering bolts towards the ninja. They were, however, blocked by attacks of the same type, just stronger. I turned to the Hyuuga siblings, who were almost dancing, jabbing chakra points and blocking projectiles. I turned m attention from them to Gai and Lee, brutally combating ninja four to one.
One ninja leapt at Sakura, who was dueling a ninja one on one. Green energy flared from her hands, and her punches cracked trees, but the second one, two kunai in his hands, aimed for her back. Two shuriken with thin razor wire attached dug into his back. He swung through the air, now suspended by the slicing wire and a kunai knife, stuck deeply into a thick branch. Sakura, after landing a crushing blow to her target's stomach, turned, gasping at the floating ninja. Another four shuriken pierced his body, slashing bloody wounds in his flesh. Shikamaru was batted aside by a blazing black arc of energy, flying past me as I aimed a shuriken at another ninja. By now, almost all of the ninja were pouring on top of us. There seemed to be more than there had previously, which worried me.
I was now pressed against a tree, battling four ninja. Asuma, cigarette smoking, chakra blades whirling, slashed another two ninja down, turning to help me. I shook my head, taking the time to point to Shikamaru.
"He needs more help," I barked, and Asuma nodded, bounding in his pupil's direction.
Neji was a blur of moving limbs and flaring chakra, easily combating at least seven ninja. Hinata, by his side, was weaving an extending barrier of her blue chakra. She attacked her enemies with an unusual desperation, several bleeding cuts inhibiting some of her moves. Her Byakugan eyes flared with a violent hatred, hatred and sorrow. I swept the feet from my own enemies, sending shuriken to each of their heads. Only on survived, but he was immediately reinforced by at least seven more. Completely overwhelmed, I leaped backwards to Gai and Lee, who were still fighting, and reignited my Chidori. Gai turned briefly, slamming an elbow into one of my target's back.
My Sharingan absorbed the jutsus that the mystery ninja used, and I made a mental note to try one of them out. A black, spiral wave of energy arced toward me, but was stopped by my Chidori. My chakra was fast depleting, I couldn't hold out much longer. I yelled this to our party at large, finding that several others, including Shikamaru, Asuma, and Hinata were almost exhausted of their own chakra reserves. We had to pull out, but there were still so many ninja, at least twenty of them and bodies, at least twenty more, littered the ground. I panted, killing another, dodging blows from the others. Gai and Lee were still battling hard, having defeated their own enemies, Gai landed between me and my enemies.
"Go hide in a corner, Kakashi. I can handle these wimps," He said, releasing his ridiculous battle cry.
I nodded, thankful. I slumped against the tree, covering my Sharingan. I wanted to reserve what little energy I had left, just in case. I looked wearily past where the jumpsuit clad ninja bashed and smacked at the ninja, to where Temari was fighting off a ninja with her fan. I could see another fifteen or so ninja heading our way, and groaned.
"FALL BACK!" I yelled, pointing to the oncoming wave of enemies.
Everyone looked, then bounded back through the trees. I had to drag Gai from his fight, pulling him with me. We retreated, exhausted and drained, Neji and Temari covering our backs as we went. We pulled back, across the clearing that Naruto had made almost two weeks before, and stopped, panting. Naruto, Naruto was taken, and with the enemies numbers, we could not get him back. Surprisingly, the ninja did not follow us, choosing, instead, to collect their comrades' corpses, returning to the group that held Naruto. We were all sore and tired, and even Lee lay back in the grass, panting and sweating. Hinata was crying, Sakura looked ready to as well. Sakura, however, forced herself to her feet, using her remaining chakra to heal the more severe wounds.
I, myself, was panting, sweat beading from my brow. Sakura healed my wrist, which was caked with blood, a gash cutting deep into the skin. It throbbed, but the wound closed as she finished. She moved to Shikamaru, who had a fairly bad burn on his side.
"W-We, we have to, to get news to, the Hokage," I panted, pushing myself to my feet.
The rest of us stood, readying to go. We left, much to the dismay of all of us. The road slowly scrolled beneath our feet, our weary footsteps sounding through the night. It was going to be a long, tiring walk. At least no one in our party had been seriously hurt, only minor injuries testified our attempt. I sighed, shaking my head.
"Naruto, stay alive,"
A/N
Alright, another chapter. Sorry for not updating sooner, but I like smacking you with like five chapters at a time. This time around, it should be at least four. Thanks to all of you, everyone who reviewed, everyone who read. I think the story's at like 72k words and almost 200 pages. Glad you all like it, and just to quell the fears of premature story ending, I have a plot that extends at least 35 more chapters, after which time, I will take plot requests, or maybe start a sequel. Anyways, ciao, till next time,
~Matthew-Kami-Dono~