Chapter Thirty-Six: Back to Konoha
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Neji smirked as the Sound shinobi drew nearer.
"Do you care to rethink this assault?" He asked.
They didn't reply.
"Very well." He said, forcing his chakra through his tenketsu and spinning--sending all twenty into a nearby grove of trees which promptly exploded as Shikamaru released an explosive tag.
Behind them, TenTen was finishing a squadron of weapons users.
"The front lines are weakening, we have to hurry!" She panted, sprinting into the trees with Neji close behind.
Sakura cried out in rage as she pried the hand of a Sound ninja off of her arm and spun, sending him flying. Tossing a kunai at the kunoichi coming at her left, she slammed her chakra-honed hand into the chest of another, severing the aorta of his heart.
"Sakura!"
She turned to see Naruto fending off wave after wave of attackers with Rasengan.
"Shizune's cornered!" He cried, crouching on top of a lamp post as he parried a shuriken away from his face.
Sakura nodded, leaping over the gate and vaulting herself into the fray now threatening to spill over into the village.
'Anko still doesn't have all of them out yet!' She thought.
And there wasn't much she could do but hope that they could hold out just a little longer.
Shino sat back and let his insects take care of his opponents before turning to help Kiba--who consequently was having fun...
Shaking off his annoyance, he went back to cover Hinata's back as she rushed a small huddle of enemies.
Shizune slid forward, her sleeve pulling to the right as she tugged the strings on the firing device centered on her arm. The poison running down the senbon quickly took care of who ever it hit...but she was running out of stamina and weapons.
"Shizune!"
The cry accompanied a pink and black blur that scrambled from the roof top, her leg extended. A moment later, the ground erupted, sending the enemy shinobi flying. Without missing a beat, Sakura withdrew five senbon from her shirt and snapped her wrist--her opponents were dead before they hit the ground.
"Sakura!" Shizune gasped happily.
"Sorry it took me so long!" Sakura smiled, hugging her former mentor.
Sasuke marched forward methodically...he didn't have long to choose where his allianced lied...
TBC