Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Witchblade. Naruto is a manga property of Masashi Kishimoto. Witchblade is a comic property of Top Cow Productions.
Summary:The beginning of an original storyline: the Cloneblade arc. This will be a long saga consisting of a few smaller arcs. All of them will entail the Cloneblades. Events will diverge from their originally intended path. Dark Sakura theme. Couplings: Officially NaruSaku. Possible ShikaTem and NejiTen.
A/N: Eh, what's there to say? The battles will unravel. Tenten shares one half of the Witchblade with Sakura. They're gonna throwdown with Kira and Kisa. Naruto is going to throwdown with Kabuto. The Darkness' own influence is spreading and searching for a meat puppet. The Darklings are ready to spring an attack.
Whew. A lot of crap is going to go down.
Counting this chapter, there should be just two chapters left before the Dark Star arc concludes. I'm glad you guys are still sticking with this story. I have more surprises and awesome fights in the forthcoming arcs.
Anyhow, read on.
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Chapter 44
Arc IV: Cloneblades
Part III: The Dark Star Arc
Sakura and Tenten vs. the Twin Blades; A Rumble in Hoshi!
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Near the Training Center and Resting Quarters/Hoshigakure/Bear Country
Witchblade Tenten twirled the katanas in her hands and charged toward Kira. Sakura quickly headed off, catching up with Tenten. As Tenten lunged at Kira, the Cloneblade quickly retaliated, her fingers extending into long tendrils. Tenten repelled the tendrils while twirling her katanas as she maneuvered through the deadly vine-like tentacles. Tenten responded as long, red tentacles shot toward Kira. Kira jumped right out of the tentacles' reach and flew up into the air.
However, Witchblade Sakura sprang up as wings opened across her back. Gliding upward with her wings, Sakura caught up to Kira and shot her right knee into Kira's abdomen.
"Ugh!" Kira grunted, her abdomen absorbed the impact of Sakura's kick.
Sakura snarled as she seized Kira's neck. "Going somewhere?!"
Kira chuckled through her gritted teeth. "Ehehe."
"Ugh, that laugh of your is ANNOYING!"
Kira retorted as she clasped her hands around Sakura's arm, digging her claws into the wielder's skin. "And I hate pink. Your hair color nauseates me." As she dug her claws deeper, she forced Sakura to relinquish her chokehold and threw her whip across.
Witchblade Sakura raised her left arm, letting the whip snatch her wrist.
"Now, I've got ya!" Kira giggled, licking her lips while channeling surges of electrical chakra through her whip. "Denkou Kei!!"
Sakura screamed out in pain while the electrical chakra outpour entered her body. Her entire body was electrocuted from all over.
"SAKURA-SAN!!" Lee cried out as he prepared to intervene.
Suddenly, Witchblade Tenten jumped up with her katanas and slashed through Kira's whip. Kira snarled angrily, yanking away what was left of her whip. Sakura groaned and fell, her entire body still quivering in pain. Tenten dove down and caught Sakura, preventing her fall.
"I've got you, Sakura."
The pink-haired wielder coughed, rolling out of Tenten's arms. "Thanks, Tenten." She landed on her knees and slowly tried to stand up. Fortunately, her Witchblade reacted in time to cover up all of Sakura's exposed skin with extra armor. "If the Witchblade didn't react in time... I would've been fired for sure."
Tenten looked down at her own body. "You're right! I didn't even notice the gear I'm wearing! No wonder I felt a bit of a draft around me."
Witchblade Sakura teased her. "You just noticed that NOW?"
Tenten's agape mouth curved into an evil, perverted smile. "On second thought, damn... I never looked good." She grasped her revealing, well-endowed chest behind her bikini armor. "And he made my bust bigger. Just like you... why?"
Sakura sighed while shaking her head. "Because, the Witchblade is such a sad little pervert. He may be a power-" Suddenly, she noticed Kira flying down toward her and Tenten. "LOOK OUT!!" She grabbed Tenten, pulling her to the side. Sakura lunged out at Kira, seizing her right arm and swung her around hard. "Enjoy your flight!" She shouted, flinging Kira nearly 30 feet into the deep forest.
"Nice throw, Sakura," Tenten smiled deviously at her pink-haired colleague.
"Tenten! Sakura!" Neji called out as he, Lee, Sai, Kakashi, and Yamato hurried over toward the wielders. He turned toward Tenten, gazing over her half-nude armored figure. "...Tenten."
Witchblade Tenten smiled devilishly as she faced Neji and walked toward him.
"Sakura, how did you manage to share your half with Tenten?" Yamato inquired, baffled by the transfer process and Tenten's immediate transformation.
Sakura quickly answered. "The Witchblade did all the work. All he wanted to do was share half of his power with Tenten for two reasons. One: to heal her injuries. Two: to get her to understand the meaning of its power and to understand the hardships a wielder must undergo." She nodded firmly as she watched Tenten slowly walking toward Neji. "Heh, so what do you think, Tenten? Do you savor the power? It's addictive, isn't it? I can see the Witchblade has brought your inner most sexual desires to life."
Tenten licked her lips as she put her hands on Neji's shoulders. "You have no mind, Sakura. Thank you. This is something I've wanted for a long time." She lifted her left hand over Neji's head and closed her hand, opening it to fully display her clawed fingers. "This power makes me warm inside."
Rock Lee roared out. "Tenten... this outfit... it's glorious! It really brings out a new you... a SPLENDID and BEAUTIFUL new you!" His eyes burned with the passionate flames of youth. "You've a WHOLE new meaning to the power of eternal youth! Just wait until Gai-sensei hears of this!" With that, he struck his 'Nice Guy' pose, expressing his approval of Tenten's new look.
Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai were speechless as they remained silent on the issue.
Neji, on the other hand, mumbled irritably. "Lee... you're not helping..."
Suddenly, as Witchblade Tenten came closer, the Hyuuga clan member gulped as he gazed at co-wielder. The (now) red-haired kunoichi lowered her right hand across her face and licked her clawed fingers, causing Neji to gulp.
"Man, you're a naughty one, Tenten. I had no idea," Sakura snickered.
Tenten placed her right hand under Neji's chin and stroked it with her index finger. Neji froze in place as Tenten's finger tickled him a bit. The co-wielder leaned her head next to Neji's left ear.
"What's the matter, Neji? It's just me," Tenten purred, making Neji's left ear twitch. "Relax. Isn't this the side of me you've always wanted?" As she stared at Neji's face, she and the others noticed the Hyuuga clansman's cheeks flushing. This garnered stifled laughs from both Sakura and Lee. Tenten giggled, amused by Neji's reaction toward her sexual approach. "You know you're blushing like Hinata-chan, Neji. You look really cute." She drew her face away from Neji's and giggled evilly.
"Everyone, stay on your toes," Kakashi advised the group while scanning his surroundings. "They can be anywhere. Neji, can you see them?"
Neji quickly snapped out of his entranced state. "Tenten, could you please…"
Witchblade Tenten moved aside, letting her teammate activate his Byakugan to scan the forest ahead of them. However, it didn't take long for either Sakura or Tenten to see the Twin Blades emerging out of the forest. Kisa walked out, carrying Kira over her left shoulder.
"Thanks, Kisa…"
"What are sisters for?"
Kira pulled herself off Kisa's shoulder and straightened her posture. "So, Kabuto's here and fighting the Kyuubi boy. That just leaves these two to us."
Kisa giggled devilishly, shifting her gaze toward the co-wielders. "Ah, two on two. Sounds like fun to me. I'll take the self-proclaimed weapons mistress. Hmmm, my, my, she looks really serious."
"Don't take your eyes off her. Her strength is equal with Sakura's now. I'll take the original one," Kira warned her sister.
As she knelt over to pick up her katanas, Tenten twirled them around and pierced a menacing glare at the Twin Blades. Sakura summoned a long sword out of her right arm and grabbed it, holding it firmly in her grasp.
"I'm getting bored! You two better come at us!" Tenten dared the Twin Blades to attack right off the bat.
Sakura turned toward everyone. "The rest of you get back. This is our fight now."
"Nonsense, we're going to aid you," Neji insisted as he stepped in between the co-wielders. He took a stance, putting out his right palm in front while his Byakugan remained activate.
Lee quickly added, walking up by Sakura's side. "We are not backing off from this fight. Sakura-san, please, allow us to assist you."
Sakura smiled. "Ok, but watch out for their blades, you two."
Without haste, the Twin Blades raced across while heading off Sakura and Tenten. The co-wielders quickly charged against Kira and Kisa, quickly attacking them with their bladed instruments. Kira and Sakura's blades met contact as they pushed each other back. Kisa jumped in front of Tenten and attempted to cut her in two with her blade. The weapons mistress raised her katanas, crossing them into an 'X' to counter Kisa's attack.
Neji and Lee moved right in, finding the right opportunity to assist the co-wielders.
"Incredible, their movements are too quick that my Byakugan is somewhat having trouble… just keeping up with them," Neji remarked as he watched Tenten and Kisa striking each other with traded blade strikes. "Tenten…"
Lee added. "Yes, but we should be able to keep up. I'm ready to assist Sakura-san!" With that, the Taijutsu fighter charged right in to deliver a spin kick at Kira, which the Cloneblade sidestepped at the last second.
Neji frowned. "Here I come, Tenten."
Meanwhile, Kakashi, Yamato, and Sai watched the four Konoha-nin combating the Twin Blades. In the meantime, they carefully watched over the Hoshi-nin. Natsuhi tended to her son, who felt weakened and was on the ground shivering.
"Sumaru's coming down with a slight fever," Hokuto replied while putting her hand over her friend's forehead. "And he's coming down with chills!"
"It's the effects of the meteors," Kou stated as he noticed the cold sweat covering the boy's face.
Natsuhi held the boy in her arms. "The toxins are slowly beginning to erode his internal organs. My husband…" She shed a tear, holding her son close to her. "My husband died the same way."
"Mother…" Sumaru weakly muttered as he coughed.
"Sumaru?" Natsuhi gasped while shedding tears. "Please, don't leave me! Stay strong, my son!" She pleaded with all her might as Hokuto remained by her side.
"Sai, you stay here with them," Yamato advised the Root member as he turned toward Kakashi. "Naruto's over in the meteor's crater."
Kakashi acknowledged as he nodded. "He's been in there for a while. It's best we take a look. Sai, hold the fort here until we get back."
"Right," Sai replied as he stood over the Hoshi-nin group.
With that, Kakashi and Yamato raced off toward the crater where another battle was currently taking place. Little they did know that Excalibur Naruto was facing the man behind the Otogakure's current movement.
Sai observed the skirmish occurring several yards away. Sakura and Lee engaged Kira while Tenten and Neji were taking the fight to Kisa. The Twin Blades regained their momentum while managing to hold their ground against their Konoha-nin opponents.
Kira sidestepped Sakura right punch, but was then kicked aside by Lee. The Cloneblade sprang upward, shooting two long tentacles at Sakura and Lee. Sakura countered Kira's attack, swiping the tendrils away with her blade. She managed to slice off one tendril much to Kira's dismay.
"Nice work, Sakura-san."
The pink-haired wielder scoffed as she eyed Kira hovering over them. "It's not over yet."
Meanwhile, Kisa attacked Tenten head-on and traded blade strikes with her opponent. Tenten counteracted Kisa's double blades, matching her every move. The weapons mistress swung her katanas around, blocking Kisa's attacks. As Neji rushed up from the side, Kisa launched a network of long tendrils at Neji. Kisa sprang up and took to the air, unleashing more tendrils through her fingers and hair.
"Neji!" Tenten called out as she rushed in to save him.
Neji stopped as he firmly planted his feet down. His Byakugan eyes acutely observed every tendril coming in at one single target: himself. Quickly delivering perfect palm strikes, Neji swatted away each tendril.
"Two! Four! Eight! Sixteen!" Neji roared as he swatted more tendrils, many others retracted and recoiled back at Neji in hopes of striking him. Neji kept the momentum going and didn't stop. "Thirty-Two!" He continued with no signs of stopping, Kisa kept the attacks coming. "Sixty-Four!"
Tenten jumped right at Kisa and threw one of her katanas at the Cloneblade. Kisa whirled around and seized the blade with a tendril. While pulling the katana toward her, Tenten flung a paper bomb at Kisa. Surprised by Tenten's underhanded tactic, Kisa flew away from the paper bomb. As she distanced herself, the paper fuse didn't go off and threw Kisa completely off.
"You... tricked me!" Kisa snapped.
Suddenly, Neji jumped right over Kisa and delivered successive palm strikes at Kisa. The Cloneblade crossed her arms in front, attempting to shield herself from Neji's rapid blows. However, she was on the receiving end of Neji's strikes and was knocked to the ground.
"Ugh!" Kisa grunted while trying to move. She raised her head and observed her twin sister having still engaged with Sakura and Lee. "Sister, we mustn't give up... we can't leave without the Witchblade..."
Kira scowled while swaying around Sakura's punches. "What the fuck do you think I'm doing?! Get your ass up and help me!"
Sakura stifled a small, haughty laugh. "Awww, am I seeing a sibling dispute?"
As Tenten landed, she chuckled at the twins' dismay. "Perhaps we should let them resolve their differences, Sakura. What do you think?" She winked to her co-wielder.
Witchblade Sakura laughed. "Yeah, sure!"
Kira and Kisa both growled simultaneously, sharing their disgust against the co-wielders.
"Tenten! Stay on your guard!" Neji called out to his teammate. "She's not done yet."
Lee landed by Sakura's side and eyed Kira carefully. "Likewise, Sakura. These two are proving to be tougher than we thought."
As Sakura tilted her head, she gazed toward the crater in the distance. Although she was intently focused on the Cloneblades, she couldn't help but wonder how Naruto was doing. Naruto, I still feel your presence, but why are you stalling? What's going on in that crater?
xxxxx
Klank!
Excalibur Naruto stopped Kabuto, raising his sword to keep the man from ensnaring him. A creepy smile adorned Kabuto's face as he reached out for the Excalibur gloved armor on Naruto's right hand.
"I know you're wearing the shard, Naruto. If you'd be so kind as to hand it over..."
Naruto snarled as he pushed Kabuto back and lunged at Kabuto. "Up yours, freak." He thrusted the blade forward and missed Kabuto. He quickly turned up and watched as the silver-haired man unleashed barrage of snakes. Excalibur Naruto caught Kabuto by rotating himself around the man and created a maelstrom. As he rotated faster, the maelstrom continued turning and lifted Kabuto into mid-air. "Senkuureppa!!" Naruto roared as sent Kabuto flying twenty feet up. "This one's for Sasame!!"
The Excalibur-wielder flew up as he reached Kabuto. He dropped down in front of Kabuto and blasted him with a right-handed fist. Kabuto's head jerked back from the vicious punch. Naruto followed it up, kicking Kabuto in the stomach and sending Orochimaru's right-hand man plummeting to the ground.
Excalibur Naruto still wasn't satisfied. He wanted to severely punish Kabuto for the horrible acts he's committed, especially turning Sasame and Isaribi into tools for his and Orochimaru's selfish needs.
Taking no chances, Excalibur Naruto dove toward the fallen Kabuto and uncoiled numerous tendrils out of his hair. The tentacles grabbed Kabuto's limbs and yanked him off the ground. Naruto firmly held Kabuto in place as he raced over and punched the man's face. Kabuto's head snapped to his left side as blood dripped from his mouth.
"And that's for Isaribi, you bastard!" Naruto growled as he continued punching Kabuto, knocking the man's glasses off the ridges of his nose. The Jinchuuriki nailed a straightforward punch, breaking Kabuto's nose in the process. The sound of Kabuto's nose being broken didn't make Naruto flinch for a minute.
Kabuto wheezed under his breath, finding it hard to breath with his nose broken. Blood poured out the nostrils, spilling to the ground. However, this didn't cease the sadistic man from chuckling. Excalibur Naruto's face contorted with irritation as he punched Kabuto in the stomach.
"What the hell are you still laughing at? HUH?!"
Between his coughs, Kabuto still managed to snicker. "You're... a fool... Naruto. You're... not the loser like you once were... I'll grant you that, but how is killing me going to bring back Sasame and Isaribi? They served as a means to an end... to serve as instruments to gauge the strength of the Witchblade. Unfortunately for those two, they were failures... they let their own feelings corrupt the Cloneblade weapons they possessed."
"Shut up..."
"Why? Because I'm telling the truth?"
WHAM!!
Excalibur Naruto punched Kabuto's left cheek. He pulled his fist back and prepared to strike the man again.
"You don't have it in you... to kill me..."
The Excalibur-wielding Jinchuuriki pointed his sword directly toward Kabuto's face. As the tip of the blade was inches from his head, Kabuto stared at the pointed end and remained still. Naruto gritted his teeth, gripping the sword firmly.
Naruto cruelly smiled. "Eh? What was that about not having it in me?"
"You wouldn't..."
"Try me, you sick freak."
Kabuto scoffed. "The only freak I see... is you... now, you truly look like a human manifestation of the Kyuubi itself. You don't even look like yourself anymore... you should be thankful the shard has augmented your overall strength. GACK!"
Excalibur Naruto squeezed his grip around Kabuto's throat. "You talk too much." With that, he thrusted his sword toward Kabuto.
Then, initially responding to Naruto's deadly strike, Kabuto summoned a torrent of snakes out of his cloak. The barrage of gray and green snakes bombarded Naruto, knocking him several feet back. Excalibur Naruto didn't waste time as he relentlessly skewered the snakes, swinging his sword to cut down the snakes into pieces. Then, with Naruto preoccupied with the snakes, Kabuto's mouth gaped while a blade protruded out . Kabuto grabbed the sword and charged toward Excalibur Naruto. As Naruto cut off the last snake's head, he whirled around as Kabuto thrusted the Kusanagi sword into Naruto.
Clank!
Naruto tilted his sword, lifting it vertically as he countered Kabuto's blade. Naruto and Kabuto quickly clashed head-to-head, pressing their swords against each other.
"Even with Excalibur and Sakura's Witchblade, you'll never defeat what I've become!" Kabuto hissed.
Naruto growled intensely. "Feh, you're nothing. So, you've implanted that freak's parts into you... so what? Sakura humiliated Orochimaru... what makes you think you'll take us both?"
"Heh, you and I both know the only reasons she was able to cripple Orochimaru-sama... simply, because we had no such knowledge of the Witchblade's existence and because Orochimaru-sama's old body was beginning to weaken."
Excalibur Naruto frowned as he pushed Kabuto back. "Excuses, excuses." He lunged at Kabuto and stabbed him in his left side, piercing his blade through the man's hip. "Without your precious Cloneblades, you can't hope to win. Now, we have a third partner wielding half of the Witchblade. I can feel it... Tenten's kicking ass right now."
Wincing in pain, Kabuto managed to taunt Naruto. "No matter. Kira and Kisa can take care of those two..." He grabbed the wielder's blade, yanking it out of his side. He sprang back, distancing himself from Excalibur Naruto and put his hand over his wound. Before he could finish healing himself, Excalibur Naruto stampeded forward with his sword. "Fool... still as headstrong as ever..." With that, he pressed his hands into the ground.
Then, as Naruto was three feet from Kabuto, a wall of snakes popped out of the earth.
Startled, Excalibur Naruto pierced his blade through the snake wall. He turned and watched as a construct made out of snakes encompassed Kabuto, confining the silver-haired man within. Excalibur Naruto stepped back as performed a hand seal, summoning twenty clones.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!!" Naruto howled as twenty clones stampeded toward the snake walls. In the meantime, Naruto lowered his right hand and collected enough chakra to mold a blue sphere. "Those snakes aren't going to protect you for long."
As the Excalibur Naruto clones hacked away at the snake barrier, Kabuto healed his wound. He stood up, completely healed and ready to engage Excalibur Naruto. However, before he implemented his next move, a pair of long orange tendrils popped from underneath Kabuto's feet. Kabuto sprang up and discerned the tendrils coming toward him.
Turning his hands into chakra scalpels, Kabuto sliced through the tendrils that tried to ensnare and skewer him. He landed on top of his snake wall construct and looked up as the real Excalibur Naruto reached him.
"It can't be...!" Kabuto gaped in horror.
Excalibur Naruto devilishly smiled and spat out. "You shouldn't have taken you eyes off me! RASENGAN!!"
BAM!!
"UGH!!" Kabuto shouted, his chest was bombarded by Naruto's spinning blue condensed chakra ball.
Kabuto cried out as the Rasengan sent him flying twenty feet across, the force of a whirlwind blasted him all over his body. As Kabuto hit the side of his own snake wall, the entire construct tumbled and broke apart. The snakes all slithered right back to Kabuto, sliding underneath his cloak. Excalibur Naruto scoffed at the fallen Kabuto.
"Well... done, Naruto-kun," Kabuto mumbled as he felt spasms emerge from his body. "You've gotten... much more clever and tactical. I suppose this is the Witchblade's doing."
Excalibur Naruto corrected him. "No, just my training." He walked toward Kabuto's fallen body and waited for the man to stand upright. "You're damn persistent. This is getting annoying."
"C'mon, Naruto... cease these pitiful acts of heroism. With the Witchblade Shard and the Kyuubi, you could become a god. No, you can easily kill Sakura... even her Witchblade won't be enough to challenge the enhancements you've been implemented..."
Naruto growled while raising his sword. "Too late trying to win me over. I'd never betray Sakura or my friends."
As Kabuto slowly stood up, he grabbed his left arm and panted. "Wait, Naruto... if you kill me..."
"That's exactly what I'm going to do. Now shut up and die already," the Jinchuuriki deeply hissed, his tone dripped with explicit hatred. "The shard and the Witchblade stay with us."
Kabuto frowned as he slowly backed away. "So, you say... wait... you don't have to do this..."
"But, I am. I'm tired of playing around. Sakura and the others need me," Naruto reaffirmed while closing and reopening his eyes, both of them became Kyuubified in nature. However, he maintained his human composure and calmly paced toward Kabuto.
Kabuto stepped back, keeping his distance from Naruto. "Those eyes..."
Naruto snarled as he proceeded to stampede toward Kabuto. The twenty or two clones charged right in toward Kabuto. Taking no chances, Kabuto ejected snakes out of his arms and allowed them to attack the Naruto clones. This gave Kabuto time to produce more snakes, many of them expelled out of his body and spilled all over the battlefield. The real Naruto and his clone army immediately cut away at the rain of snakes pouring all around them.
"Get back here!!" Naruto roared out as he and his clones continually slashed away at the snakes, cutting them up into tiny pieces. He turned and watched his clones collecting chakra in their hands. "Let's clear the path!"
"RASENGAN!!" The clones shouted out in unison.
As each clone launched the condensed chakra spheres, they quickly took out each snake that poured from where Kabuto was. Snakes exploded as the Rasengan blew them apart. Excalibur Naruto noticed a cloak falling in front of where. He raced over and picked it off the ground. It was the same cloak worn by Kabuto earlier, but he was nowhere to seen. Excalibur Naruto whirled around as he spotted Kabuto coming up from behind him. Kabuto attempted to grab Naruto, but the Excalibur Naruto stopped him dead cold and swung his sword across. Kabuto ducked under Naruto's sword swing and tried to strike him with a chakra scalpel. Naruto retaliated as he expelled tendrils out of his hair, which repelled Kabuto from grabbing the Jinchuuriki.
The Excalibur-wielder miffed. "Just give it up, Kabuto! You can't get me as long as I hold this shard in me. It's the only thing keeping me from going berserk. Of course, I doubt you'd want me to rip you to pieces." Naruto turned as all of his clones turned into smoke clouds and vanished from the vicinity. "I don't need clones to kick your sorry ass, Kabuto. Now, time for you to die." Excalibur Naruto channeled the chakra through his sword and narrowed his eyes intently at Yakushi Kabuto.
Kabuto looked over behind Naruto and noticed Kusanagi laying on the ground. That's what you think.
With one wave of two fingers, he 'lifted' the Kusanagi off the ground and motioned it toward him.
Orochimaru's legendary sword floated off the ground and flew right directly into Kabuto's reach. The silver-haired man snatched Kusanagi and backed off.
"So what? That sword of yours isn't going to cut it..." Excalibur Naruto scoffed as he sprinted ahead and vanished from Kabuto's view.
Kabuto blanched in shock as he whirled around. His eyes twitched, turning from every corner while discerning his surroundings.
Then, he felt the tip of a blade being pressed against his throat.
Kabuto didn't move an inch as he turned... and saw Excalibur Naruto. The wielder's sword was inches from slitting Kabuto's throat.
"Don't move," Naruto growled. "Don't fucking move, Kabuto."
The silver-haired man gritted his teeth, his face was covered with nervous sweat. His eyes lowered, gazing over the blade that was closing in toward his throat. "Well done, Naruto-kun." He tried to gulp, but not without the risk of losing his head. "...go ahead. Kill me."
Naruto smirked evilly. "No."
"What...?" Kabuto questioned the Jinchuuriki's motive.
"You're not worth killing to me. Though, I can't say the same for those two sluts. Sakura and Tenten will take care of them."
"If you don't kill me... I'll keep coming after you... to take the shard and the Witchblade."
Excalibur Naruto snorted as he placed his hand behind Kabuto's back. "I'd like to see you try."
"Well done, Naruto. We'll take it from here," a voice belonging to Yamato interrupted Naruto.
As the Jinchuuriki looked up, he saw Kakashi and Yamato standing near the edge of the crater. Yamato already pressed his hands on the earth, quickly summoning wooden bark out of the ground. Excalibur Naruto sensed tremors underneath his and Kabuto's position. He sprang back as pillars of wood sprouted out of the earth.
"Mokuton: Shichūrō no Jutsu!!" Yamato shouted, completing his specialized Mokuton jutsu.
The pillars of wooden intertwined and formed into a caged prison, which sealed Kabuto inside.
Excalibur Naruto sheathed his sword and popped his head. "Ah, look at the caged freak. Very appropriate if you ask me." He cracked an evil smile, folding his arms in a calm manner. "Being caged up suits you just fine."
"Well, well, long time no see... Kakashi. Yamato," Kabuto smirked as he eyed the two Jounin.
Kakashi narrowed his eye and pointed his kunai at the imprisoned man. His face contorted with disgust, staring at the now disfigured form of Kabuto's body.
"Look at that," Yamato pointed out.
Kakashi discerned Kabuto, observing the man's white, scaly complexion. "What have you done to yourself?"
"I have no reason to tell you, but just know that Orochimaru-sama will continue to live on... through me."
"Ugh, creepy. You have a sick fixation with that freak," Naruto shuddered.
Kabuto rebuked at the Jinchuuriki. "You're one to talk about freaks, Naruto-kun."
Excalibur Naruto pulled out his sword, pointing it at Kabuto in a threatening gesture. His cold eyes narrowed, preparing to cut through the wooden pillars.
"That's enough, Naruto," Yamato scolded the wielder.
Naruto sighed. "Sakura and the others. I have to go back there and help them."
"Then go. Leave Kabuto with us," Kakashi advised the Excalibur-wielder.
With that, Naruto dashed off toward the cliffside and sprang up out of the crater. Kakashi and Yamato shifted their full attention to their prisoner, who remained inside the wooden imprisonment.
"It's been a while since we've last met, Kabuto," the Copy Ninja twirled his kunai. "How about we catch up on old times?"
The sly silver-haired Kabuto scoffed, trying to bluff his way out. "Don't think I'll give you the secret behind Orochimaru-sama's secret techniques." Damn you, Uzumaki Naruto. Kira and Kisa, it's all on you two now.
xxxxx
As Sakura came down, she smashed her fist into the earth and created a fissure that ran along Kira's direction. The Cloneblade was knocked thirty feet back as she rolled across to where Sai and the Hoshi-nin gathered.
"Kira! Get your ass up!" Kisa shouted while ducking out of Tenten's katana slashes.
As Kira slowly lifted herself off the ground, she coughed and muttered. "Shut up, Kisa. Hurry over here and give me a hand..." She raised her chin and faced the group gathered together. She sneered evilly and set her target on the group. "You... you're in the way!"
Sai stood in front of the Hoshi-nin group and drew out three lions out of his scroll. "Chōjū Giga." With that, he summoned the three beasts out of the scroll.
"Kou, stay here with my son," Natsuhi advised the man as she set Sumaru next to the medic-nin.
Hokuto stood up and walked by Natsuhi's side. "I'll join you."
"No, you mustn't..."
"I have to. Sumaru and Mizura are both ill. They're my friends and I'll die protecting them. I can't... I won't let you fight this monster alone."
The woman's frown faded, now replaced with a calm smile. "All right then. You've convinced me enough." She shifted her sights toward Kira. "Time to protect our loved ones. ready?"
"Yes!" Hokuto declared.
As Kira slowly paced forward, she watched Sai, Natsuhi, and Hokuto directly facing her. All three positioned themselves to attack at any given notice. Kira glanced over her shoulder as she noticed Witchblade Sakura flying toward her.
"I'll make this quick," Kira hissed while unsheathing her double blades. "C'mon! Who wants some first?!" Wasting no time, Kira charged toward Sai and his lions. Two lions lunged at Kira, who slashed through the ink beasts with her blade. The third lion tried to ambush Kira from behind, but Kira quickly fired a rapid beam through her palm. "Pathetic!" She hissed, incinerating the beast.
As Kira turned around, Sai was gone. However, Natsuhi and Hokuto moved right in to attack Kira. Natsuhi formed a hand seal while chakra feathers branched out of her aura.
"Kajuku Myōhō: Kemono!!" Natsuhi shouted as she converted her feathers, changing its shape into a wolf-like beast's body. Concentrating on her meteor/star-enhanced chakra, she summoned another beast to complement the other one. "Kujaku Myōhō: Gō!!" She formed a few successive hand seals, successfully merging the two beasts into one, massive beast.
Kira stopped as she ejected a network of tendrils out of her hair. Unfortunately, her tentacles ricocheted off the beast's dense skin. The large beast charged forward as Kira flew out of its path. Kira took to the air, avoiding Natsuhi's summoned beast. While scanning the area under her, she set her sight on Sumaru, Kou, and Mizura.
Before she could implement her attack, a long, thick black thread seized Kira's right arm.
"What's this?!" Kira cried out. She lowered her head as she spotted Sai sitting behind branches of leaves. "Damn you! Masking yourself like that...! You're going to pay!" She yanked the thread, pulling Sai forward. As Sai was launched toward her, Kira let her right-armed blade extend further and prepared to deliver a fatal stabbing blow.
Shick.
Kira's blade pierced through Sai's chest, catching the Konoha-nin like a dangling piece of meat.
"Gotcha.... eh?" Kira's grin faded, replaced by gaping mouth. 'Sai' turned into a mass of ink and plopped to the ground. A clone?!
With Kira's preoccupied, the real Sai sprang up behind Kira. The Cloneblade gasped as she turned around. Sai lifted his sword over Kira's back and stabbed her in her right shoulder. Kira's face contorted with pain, reacting to the piercing blow Sai inflicted to her. He ripped the sword out of Kira's shoulder and kicked her in the back, causing her to land on the ground.
Kira grasped her shoulder and angrily gazed at Sai. "You dare to wound... ME?! YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!!" She directed her left hand toward him, quickly extending her fingers to stab him in retaliation.
Suddenly, Kira noticed her left hand was still and unable to move. What stopped her finger attack was a long, lavender thread. The chakra thread ensnared Kira, seizing her left arm in place. Kira turned as she spotted Hokuto, who was adeptly utilizing the chakra rope.
"C'mon, Kisa! I'm getting gang attacked here!"
Natsuhi walked forward with her chakra beast sitting by her side.
Witchblade Sakura arrived at the scene and extended her right-armed blade. "Not looking so hot, are you? Well, don't worry. You won't have much longer to live anyway." She licked her blade and stampeded toward Kira. "Now, die!"
Gritting her teeth, Kira trembled with anger swelling within her. She couldn't... no, she wouldn't accept defeat.
"Damn you all! I won't... LET YOU KILL ME HERE!" Kira screamed out, causing all around her to wince and cover their ears from the Cloneblade's ear-piercing high frequency screeches.
Witchblade Sakura, Sai, Hokuto, Natsuhi, and the other Hoshi-nin covered their ears. The screams were enough to cease their initial assault on Kira. Even Sakura couldn't finish off Kira without uncovering her ears.
"Ugh, my ears! Damn, make it stop!" Sakura cried out.
Even Lee, Neji, and Witchblade Tenten were paralyzed by Kira's screams. Kisa, too, was forced to cover her ears.
Kisa scoffed. "She's using our secret jutsu. Ugh, even I can't stand listening to our own screams!"
Shifting her attention toward Sumaru and the other Hoshi-nin, Kira flew toward her targets. Kou stood up in front, providing as a human shield to protect the boys from Kira's blade.
"NO!!" Natsuhi shouted as she moved in and threw herself in front of Kou. "All of you must... LIVE!!"
"MOTHER!!" Sumaru screamed.
Shick.
Kira stopped as her blade made contact with human flesh.
However, her blade pierced Natsuhi instead. The blade's edge jutted out the other side of Natsuhi's chest, drawing out blood. Natsuhi's eyes slowly faded as blood spilled out her mouth. As Natsuhi grabbed her impaled chest, her chakra beast faded while her own chakra weakened in the process.
"Mother...? No... MOTHER!!" Sumaru shouted out in horror as he, despite his condition, reached out and grabbed Natsuhi's hand.
Pulling her blade back, Kira watched as Natsuhi collapsed on the ground. Sumaru caught his mother and lied her body down.
"NATSUHI-SAN!!" Kou cried, quickly kneeling down by the woman's side. "Sumaru, get back! I'm going to try and heal her!"
Hokuto hurried over toward Sumaru. "Natsuhi-san! Please, Kou-san... try and save her!"
Withdrawing her armed blade, Kira licked the woman's blood from the tip. "If you had given us the meteors, this wouldn't have happened. Eh, oh well. One loss of life doesn't amount to mu-"
"YOU MONSTER!!" A loud roar echoed out of nowhere, catching everyone by surprise.
Before Kira had time to take notice, a closed fist caught her across the face and knocked her thirty feet back.
Witchblade Sakura was the first to notice Kira's attacker and smiled with relief. "Naruto!"
Excalibur Naruto returned to the battle front, but he was too late to stop Kira from mortally wounding Natsuhi. His eyes reddened while facing Kira, who was knocked thirty feet from where she stood. The Cloneblade groaned, barely getting up on her feet. Kisa glided toward her fallen sister's side and helped to her to feet.
"Natsuhi-san," Naruto glanced over and noticed the woman, laying with a fatal wound in the chest. He vexed at the sight and shifted an infuriated glare at the Twin Blades. "You two... you're not getting away with this."
Witchblade Sakura walked by Naruto's side and extended her right-armed blade. "Tenten, let's finish these cows off."
As she uncovered her ears, Witchblade Tenten scowled. "You don't have to tell me twice."
Sakura looked over and saw Kou trying to heal Natsuhi. "Naruto, I'm going to give Kou-san a hand. You and Tenten take care of those two." With that, the pink-haired kunoichi raced toward the Hoshi-nin group.
Excalibur Naruto and Witchblade Tenten both stampeded toward the Twin Blades. The wielders attacked the twins head on, striking them with her blades. Kira and Kisa flew back, distancing themselves from Naruto and Tenten's reach.
Meanwhile, Sakura knelt over to offer Kou assistance. Then, she saw Sumaru and Mizura. She placed her hands over Sumaru first.
"Relax, Sumaru. I'll heal you first," Sakura offered, her hands were imbued with green chakra. "Kou-san, can you heal Natsuhi-san?"
"Yes, I'm doing all I can, Thank you, Sakura..."
Hokuto knelt by Sumaru's side as she noticed black smoke being extracted out of Sakura's Witchblade. "Hey, what's that?"
Sakura's eyes caught the smoke being absorbed out of Sumaru's body. Then, she saw the same black aura being siphoned out of Mizura and Hokuto's bodies.
"What's going on? The Witchblade's... removing... the toxins?" Sakura was taken back by this startling discovery. This... this must the Darkness energy. Witchblade, you're removing the Darkness toxins out of their bodies?
'Yes, it's best I remove the toxins out of them now before they...'
What? Tell me.
'I can't save the woman. I'm sorry... it's too late. The other students, too... their fates have already been sealed.'
Sakura didn't like the sound of the Witchblade's ominous warning. What do you mean? Quit being so ambiguous with your warnings. What is it now?! Why can't I save the others?!
The Witchblade offered no clear answer. Just another vague hint. 'The Darkness' power is growing ever stronger... these people have already been tainted.'
Tainted?! You mean... tainted with the Darkness energy? Can't I just remove the Darkness power from these people?
Witchblade Sakura shifted her focus at her co-wielder and Excalibur Naruto engaging the Twin Blades. He looked over toward the bag containing the two meteors. She reached out, snatching the bag.
"Sakura, what do you think you're doing?" Sai asked as he noted the pink-haired kunoichi grasping the bag.
Tearing open the bag, Sakura grabbed the meteors. She eyed the two tainted stones and clasped her hands around the space rocks. She raised the meteors overhead.
Looking over toward Sakura, Kou noticed the wielder holding the meteors. "What is she doing?"
"...destroy... the stars..." A voice weakly muttered.
The listless voice came from Natsuhi, who managed to gather what little strength she had. She turned her head and coughed, blood spilled out of her mouth.
"Mother! You're... alive!" Sumaru exclaimed in shock.
"Not... for long... Sumaru... I'll be joining your father very soon, but listen... don't give up my son," Natsuhi stated her final wishes to the teen. "You... must become... Hoshikage... one day... but... the meteors must be destroyed... ensure that a better and safer training... regiment is improvised. You and the current generation... will have to make our village grow... the right way."
Sumaru grabbed his mother's hand and felt tears in his eyes. "Sakura removed the Darkness from me... I think. I don't feel weak anymore."
"That's good. Sakura... will destroy the stars. Haruno Sakura, do it... destroy the stars!"
Witchblade Sakura frowned with determination. "You don't have to tell me twice, Natsuhi-san." With that, she smashed both meteors to the ground and cracked them open. As the stars shattered, black smoke emerged from the meteors. Sakura quickly drew her right hand out, utilizing the Witchblade's red gem. The smoke was quickly drawn to the gem, which absorbed the Darkness energy and vanquished it in the process. "I've destroyed the meteors. The Darkness' shell has been destroyed."
"Thank you, Sakura..." Natsuhi smiled, her eyes became still and almost lifeless. Her eye color started to fade, but she managed to give her final word to Sumaru. "Sumaru, my son... please take care of yourself... hopefully, one day, we will see each other. I love you, my Sumaru..."
Kou uttered a deep gasp, grasping Natsuhi's other hand. "Natsuhi-san... Natsuhi-san! Stay with us! Please, my friend!"
Sumaru lowered his head, tears streamed down his face. "Mother... no..." His hand tightly grasped his mother's.
Witchblade Sakura stood up, lowering her head as she uttered a prayer. I've honored your last wish, Natsuhi-san. The meteors can no longer harm anyone else ever again, especially the one tainted with the Darkness.
'Yet, you don't have anything to take back and show your Hokage.'
This is for the best. We can't risk taking the one that once contained the Darkness... you said yourself it's tainted.Sakura thought as she turned back toward the skirmish taking placed. "There's still unsettled business here."
Once Kira and Kisa realized what happened, they cursed with frustration over the loss of the two meteors.
Kira flew away from Excalibur Naruto's grasp and hissed directly at Sakura. "Ugh, you bitch! You just had to make this trip of ours a waste of time! Kabuto is seriously not going to like this."
"We lost the meteors, but we can still take the Witchblade and the shard!" Kisa slid away from Tenten and popped both sets of her fingers. "Let's kill these three, sister!" She extended all ten fingers directly at Tenten and tried to dissect her quickly.
Witchblade Tenten sprang up and repelled the repels, slashing them with her katanas. She timed her blade strikes well, battering each tendril aside with her weapons.
"Oh, too bad. Looks like you won't be going home without your prize!" Tenten devilishly smiled, purring while licking her lips.
"SHUT UP!!" Kisa snapped as she bumrushed Tenten and attacked her with claw strikes. "Kira and I will show you why we're better suited as a team! You and Haruno Sakura are NOT sisters like us! Kira and I are one! We fight as one!"
Growing irritated with the Twin Blades, Witchblade Sakura walked forward. She didn't even give Sai a single glance and yet still garnered his attention by raising her tone. "Sai, look after Sumaru and the others."
"You, Naruto, and Tenten can't possibly beat them..."
"Believe me. I'm more than motivated enough to kick these two hussies' asses. They've been worn down and look tired to keep going," Sakura analyzed the Twin Blades, observing how fatigued the two were becoming. "We're going to finish this. Right now." As she summoned her right-arm blade, Sakura rushed back into the fray. "I'm not going to let Natsuhi-san's death be in vain, Sumaru!"
As he set his mother's cold hand down, Sumaru raised his head and felt a rejuvenated surge of self confidence take over. He turned toward Kou, Hokuto, and Mizura while nodding his head firmly. Sai remained on guard duty, protecting the Hoshi-nin from getting near the battle. Sumaru clenched his hands tightly and observed the wielders taking the fight to the Twin Blades.
As Witchblade Sakura returned to the battle, she jumped in and kicked Kira in the back. The Cloneblade cried out as she was kicked right into Excalibur Naruto, who slashed her across her chest with his sword. Kira screamed out in bloody murder as blue ooze spilled out the deep gash inflicted across her chest. Witchblade Sakura swiftly moved right in front of Kira and punched her in the face.... HARD. The wielder's strong punch knocked the Cloneblade sixty feet across, sending her far off near the crater in the distance.
"Nice one, Sakura!" Naruto hollered.
Sakura smirked. "That one was for Natsuhi-san."
"SISTER!!" Kisa cried as she flew off to where her sister was laying.
Witchblade Tenten scowled angrily as she sprinted off in pursuit of the Cloneblade.
"Hey, you two lovebirds! We can't let them get away!" Tenten exclaimed as she raced off ahead.
Naruto and Sakura called out. "WAIT FOR US!!"
As the trio dashed ahead after Kisa, Neji and Lee hurried over to check on Sai and the Hoshi-nin. They turned toward Natsuhi's body, which stopped moving a few minutes ago. Sumaru wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Sakura-san destroyed the meteors," Lee affirmed. "Neji, I know our mission was to retrieve the source of the Darkness, but I believe this was the right thing to do."
Not so surprisingly, Neji concurred. "No question about that, Lee. We couldn't risk bringing objects tainted with toxins, especially if ONE of them once contained the Darkness itself." He activated the Byakugan, scanning the shattered remains of the meteors. "I can no longer see any trace of energy in these stones." He turned, shifting his Byakugan eyes while probing the inner chakra systems of the Hoshi-nin. "What's this? You three... the Darkness energy was removed from out of your bodies?"
Sumaru confirmed. "That's right. Thanks to Sakura and that thing on her arm. The Witchblade, right? Yes, she used it to remove the energy... I think." He closely observed Mizura, who no longer seemed ill. "Mizura's looking better."
"That much we can tell. He doesn't look like he's dying," Hokuto sighed. "I'm glad and I think the energy has all but been removed out of me, too."
"But, the other students are still infected with the toxins," Kou replied.
Neji frowned, folding his arms. "That can't be good. Sakura... if they can just stop the Cloneblades quickly, then she might even save your friends. The Witchblade is the only thing that can permanently remove this Darkness energy and eradicate it." Shifting his view ahead, he watched Sakura, Naruto, and Tenten preparing to engage the Twin Blades near the crater site. "Tenten... I mean she..."
"...was wonderfully spectacular!" Lee howled exuberantly. "I mean... did you see her?! She really blossomed out there!"
"And... her overall appearance changed. Does she really feel that way about me?"
Lee added. "According to what Sakura-san told me, the Witchblade brings out the inner most desires of a girl's wishes. For Sakura-san, the Witchblade gave her a sexier body and a well-endowed chest." He went on, explaining in detail. "Sakura-san has a low self-esteem when it came to her own body. In addition to becoming a better ninja, she truly wanted to blossom like a true flower of youth. Sakura-san has indeed blossomed."
"Then, Tenten... her inner most desire..."
Lee's smile widened as he flashed a 'Nice Guy' grin for his friend. "Tenten has the hots for you."
Neji palmed his face. "That's an biggest understatement of the year, Lee."
"In any case, Tenten, Sakura-san, and Naruto are going to require our help. With the meteors destroyed, there is no other reason for us to remain here, but to defeat these Cloneblades! Let us go, Neji!"
"Wait, you two..." Sai said as he approached the two.
Taken by surprise, Neji faced Sai. "Why stop us?"
"This battle is going to end soon. Those two Cloneblades are already going to give out soon," Sai confirmed as he turned and watched the battle from afar. "It's three against one now."
"Which means Sakura-san, Naruto, and Tenten are going to finish them off for us," Lee smiled with relief. "Don't worry, Neji. We did out part in damaging those Cloneblades. They did take on all of us at the same time."
Neji muttered. "I hope you're right, Lee."
Meanwhile, as the group observed the battle possibly coming to a close, a pair of yellow eyes glowed behind the thicket of the forest. The eyes lowered down as another set of glowing, yellow eyes appeared. They watched Natsuhi's body, noticing the woman's hands were turning dark gray and leathery.
Sumaru and the others haven't noticed yet, but they would soon enough.
xxxxx
Diving toward Kira with prodigious speed, Witchblade Sakura caught the twin and punched her in the stomach. Kira doubled over, feeling her ribs being crushed by Sakura's vicious blow.
xxxxx
Witchblade Tenten grabbed Kisa's right leg and tossed her against a tree. As Tenten charged at Kisa, she summoned a long spiked chain out of her hand and threw it across. Kisa barely sidestepped the chain, which wrapped around the tree. Tenten gripped and jerked the chain back, letting its sharp spikes cut through the thick wood like a hot knife cutting through butter. With one pull, the tree was cut down. Kisa bit into her thumb and pressed her hand into the ground.
"Summoning: Raikou Kamariki!!" The Cloneblade shouted, quickly bringing out her and Kira's mantis mistress, Kamariki. "Kamariki, let's finish these annoying brats off!"
Kamariki tilted her head, her eyes gazed toward Tenten and Naruto. Her mandibles twitched as she spoke. "Kisa, realize that I don't devour women. Even if they are my enemy."
"Then, you can make a meal out of the fox! He's over there!" Kisa pointed directly to Excalibur Naruto.
"Two can play it that way!" The Excalibur wielder scoffed as he bit his right thumb and pressed his hand to the ground. "Summoning: Gamakichi!!"
Out of a giant cloud of smoke, the oldest son of Gamabunta returned to the battlefield.
"Again this soon?!" Gamakichi griped.
Excalibur Naruto jumped atop Gamakichi's back, holding his sword in his right hand. "Quit complaining. Our mantis pal is back."
"Ugh, really?" Gamakichi groaned while shifting his toad eyes, gawking at the giant mantis. "She wants some more of us?!"
The Excalibur-wielding Jinchuuriki nodded. "That's right, but we're more than ready to finish them off."
Kisa hissed as she jumped atop of Kamariki's back. "That's what you think! Get them, Kamariki!"
The giant mantis hissed, raising her long limbs overhead. "You don't have to tell me twice! Come here, froggie! I'm gonna eat your head first!"
Gamakichi quipped irritably. "I'm a toad, ya head bitter."
Witchblade Tenten charged right into the battle as the two summons collided. Kamariki towered over Gamakichi, preparing to deliver vicious body blows to the toad's back. Excalibur Naruto sprang off the toad and extended long tendrils out of his back. Kisa countered as her fingers extended like grappling hooks and ensnared Naruto's tendrils. The two yanked, pulling each other back in a tug of war. Naruto overpowered Kisa, quickly yanking his tendrils back and reeled the Cloneblade toward him. Excalibur Naruto pounced at Kisa and punched her in the face, sending her plummeting to the ground. Witchblade Tenten stepped over Kisa and summoned a long metal bo out of her left hand, which her Witchblade half produced for Konoha's 'Weapons Mistress.'
Tenten whirled the bo around precisely and waited for Kisa to stand.
"Get up, you bitch."
Pulling herself off the ground, Kisa raised her head and saw Tenten standing tall over her.
Witchblade Tenten smiled evilly. "Yeah, what was it you and your cow of a sister called me? A poor excuse of a weapon's mistress?" She slammed the bo down on Kisa's right hand, breaking her arm blade. "You picked the wrong kunoichi to mess with. Now, you're going to know how it feels to be on the receiving end of an ass kicking." She seized Kisa's right hand and lifted her off the ground. Tenten whirled her bo around and slammed it across Kisa's left face. She rotated around, slamming the opposite end of her bo into Kisa's abdomen. "Pow! Right there! How does it feel?!" She lifted her bo upward, striking the Cloneblade's bottom jaw.
Kisa cried out as the bo nearly shattered her jaw. "GAH!"
Tenten slammed her bo down and jumped up, swinging herself around. She shot her right foot out, striking Kisa's face.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
And a fourth time!
The last kick knocked Kisa into a tree.
Witchblade Tenten closed her left hand as the Witchblade produced ten shuriken for her. The red-haired co-wielder flung the ten shuriken at Kisa. All ten projectiles caught Kisa, striking her all over her body. Kisa hissed as she fell to one knee and proceeded to rip each shuriken out, one by one.
"Not good enough," Tenten said with displeasure. "No, no, I can do better than that." The Weapons Mistress lowered her right hand as the armored gauntlet turned it into a battle axe. She raised her hand axe and smiled with satisfaction. "Oh, yes. Instant gratification. How about I cut off your head?"
Kisa ripped out the last shuriken and struggled to stand upright. The wounds on her body were hindering her battle performance, effectively weakening her as she noticed cracks appearing in her armor.
The Cloneblade gasped upon seeing her armor deteriorating. No, I can't keep up... much longer. Going to need to stop drawing power from my gauntlet or I'm dead!
Suddenly, Gamakichi sprang up and headbutted Kamariki's face. The giant mantis collapsed on her right side as Excalibur Naruto slashed her right leg off. Gamakichi squished oil in his mouth, opened and spewed out a combustible burst of flames.
"Katon: Endan!!"
Kamariki screeched as she was once again consumed by the toad's flames.
Following Gamakichi's attack, Excalibur Naruto dashed right at the immobilized mantis and stabbed the insect. The mantis brought down her left arm as electrical chakra imbued around the edge of its limb. Excalibur Naruto yanked his sword back and delivered a criss-cross slash (vertically and horizontally; similar to Cloud Strife's Cross Slash); finally, he jumped up and fell down while slashing open Kamariki's chest.
Excalibur Naruto dropped down, holding his sword in hand. Finishing the mantis off, he lunged at Kamariki and delivered a forward thrust. He pulled out the sword and swept the insect off her feet with his sword. Naruto rotated around in a tornado-like fashion and dove directly at Kamariki, immersing his thoughts clearly while aiming for her head. The sword itself was surrounded by an outpour of wind chakra.
"Bouseki Kazeken!!" Naruto roared as his sword was imbued with a combination mix of his Kyuubi and Wind Affinity chakra, in addition to the Excalibur's power that augmented his sword.
With one piercing strike, Excalibur Naruto stabbed Kamariki's head and tore right through the giant mantis. Kamariki's blood-curled screams echoed as Naruto's wind-powered blade ripped her to shreds and blew her apart.
"NO! KAMARIKI!!" Kisa cried out as she swayed away from Tenten's hand axe strike.
Gamakichi hopped over to the remains of Kamariki, which the ground was littered with green ooze and shredded exoskeleton parts. He shuddered while gawking over Kamariki's remains.
"Yeesh, you really went all out on this bug!" Gamakichi remarked.
Excalibur Naruto smirked, glancing back to see Gamakichi behind him. "Yeah, but we took care of her together. I'm just going to take all the credit, that's all."
The toad scoffed, shaking his head. "Jerk. Ever since ya started wielding that thing, ya been acting like a jerk!" He stuck his long tongue out, sticking it to the Excalibur-wielder. "BLEH!"
"Heh, calm down. I was just kidding. I couldn't have done it without you."
Gamakichi folded his arms. "Much better."
Seizing Tenten by her arm, Kisa threw the co-wielder over her right shoulder and sent her flying toward Naruto.
Excalibur Naruto caught Tenten just in time, but Kisa quickly raced up to them both. Kisa extended her fingers, stabbing both Naruto and Tenten through their right shoulders. Naruto and Tenten fell on top of each other as Kisa pressed her right foot on top of them.
"Hey! Get your foot off my pals, ya crazy bitch!" Gamakichi bellowed as he flung his tongue out, ensnaring Kisa by her right arm.
Annoyed by Gamakichi's intervention, Kisa surprised the toad and slowly pulled him forward. He was taken back by Kisa's augmented Cloneblade strength, quickly resorting to digging his toes into the earth. Kisa snarled while competing with Gamakichi in a tug-of-war struggle.
"I'll kill you for being instrumental in Kamariki's demise!"
"Kess mai waartie bett!!" The toad quipped, though he was unable to speak clearly with his tongue still attached to Kisa.
Amused with Gamakichi's tongue-tied insult, Kisa giggled devilishly. "How cute. Well, how about I remedy that tongue-tied problem of yours? Oh, right. With this..." The Cloneblade used her other blade and prepared to cut off Gamakichi's tongue.
Gamakichi belched, spewing black oil all over Kisa. The Cloneblade shrieked out in disgust and release the toad's sticky tongue.
"Ugh, my stomach..." Gamakichi groaned, feeling light-headed as he wobbled a bit.
Kisa screamed while wiping the oil from her face. "DISGUSTING! UGH! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU... OH, YOU. ARE. SO. DEAD!!" She charged forward, attempting to stab Gamakichi with her blade.
Suddenly, Witchblade Sakura flew toward Kisa and punched her aside. Kisa was knocked ten feet back, falling on the ground in a heap.
"Gamakichi, are you okay?" Sakura asked the toad.
"I'll manage..."
The pink-haired kunoichi raced over toward Naruto and Tenten. She helped them to their feet as the two grabbed their wounded side, which Kisa stabbed earlier. Sakura took the necessary time to heal their wounds, but she abruptly ceased treating them. The reason being: Kira flew over the trio and landed over by Kisa's side.
Tenten's face contorted with absolute disgust. "That smell reeks."
"If you ask me, it suits her just fine. Nice work, Gamakichi," Naruto chuckled a bit, amused by Gamakichi's last resort of self defense.
Sakura covered her nose. "If only it wasn't the most disgusting form of self defense one could deploy."
As Kira helped Kisa to her feet, the twins turned toward the wielders.
"Can you still fight, Kisa? Your Cloneblade seems to be weakening..."
Kisa snorted, pushing her sister aside. "...those bastards. I don't care how we do it... they need to DIE!"
Kira smirked. "There's one way we can do it. Ready to perform our greatest hit?"
"I never thought you'd ask. This would've surely killed Haruno Sakura and her little girlfriend if they didn't fall off that cliff."
Kira added as she put her back to Kisa's and raised her right arm. "Let's make up for our last miscalculated attack."
"Let's do it, sister."
As soon as the twins put their backs against each other, they whirled around and pressed against each other (their chests facing one another). They grasped each other's hands, extending their jointed hands outward while forming a 'finger gun' gesture.
Sakura and Tenten quickly recalled this attack, which knocked them off a crevice and nearly killed.
"They're going for that attack!" Sakura exclaimed as she turned toward Tenten and Naruto.
Witchblade Tenten scoffed irritably. "Not this time. We're ready for them, but what kind of weapon could I counter their attack with?!" The co-wielder thought for a moment, but time was an even bigger issue.
"Well, you better hurry up and come up with something! They're about to shot!" Gamakichi yelped out.
Excalibur Naruto pressed forward, preparing to summon another wind-based sword technique. However, Tenten stopped him as he jumped in front of Naruto. Sakura was taken back by her co-wielder's approach and demanded an answer from her.
"Tenten, why?! They're about to blast us away!" Sakura snapped.
Tenten smirked as she raised her left hand. "Because the Witchblade offered me a really wicked idea. Stand back, you two."
Sakura and Naruto blinked with befuddlement, witnessing Tenten at the forefront of the battlefield.
"You two are gonna be totally blown away by this!" The Weapons Mistress called out as a long, rectangular extension protruded out of her left shoulder armor. The armor extended, taking on the full shape of a giant cannon!
Both Sakura and Naruto were struck with overwhelming disbelief at Tenten's weapon of choice.
"A CANNON?!" The two teens' gaped in shock, their reactions were priceless.
The Twin Blades, too, were overwhelmed with disbelief. "HUH?! NO WAY!"
"Say hello to MY new toy. This is what I call my ultimate weapon," Tenten carried the weight of the cannon on her shoulder. "I've got it charged and ready to go, but I could use your help... supply your energy to my cannon."
Sakura smirked as she faced Naruto. "Hear that? Let's give her a hand."
"Heck, I'm with ya. Let's do it," the Excalibur-wielder replied.
Once the two joined Tenten, they channeled each of their artifacts' powers into the cannon. The cannon gathered assorted energy from all three wielders, the source of the energy grew exponentially.
The Twin Blades finished combining their chakra and Cloneblade energies.
"Let's end this in one shot, Kisa."
"Yes, then we'll take what we came for!"
Holding the cannon on their shoulders, Sakura, Tenten, and Naruto focused solely on the Twin Blades. The giant cannon was precisely aimed for the twins as an orb of red light coalesced into a giant, spinning ball of black energy.
Kira whispered like the wind. "Sister..."
Kisa chanted. "Share as one..."
"Through our fingers..."
"Destroy them all..."
Tenten shouted. "READY..."
Sakura and Naruto cried out in unison. "AIM..."
"DOUBLE CANNON BURST SHOT FIRE!!" Kira and Kisa roared out with unyielding authority.
"BALANCE MEGA SHOT!!" The wielders screamed out in unison, firing off a concentrated giant beam out of the cannon.
Shoom!
Shoom!
Two ensuing explosive blasts connected from both sides.
As for the end result, it was Tenten, Sakura, and Naruto who successfully implemented their attack.
The wielder's cannon shot overpowered the twins' big beam. With the cannon shot being stronger, it absorbed the twins' attack and shot forward. The Twin Blades were caught by the beam. However, it was Kisa who took the worse of the ensuing beam.
"GAAAAAAUGHHH!! KIRA... AVENGE ME!!" Kisa howled out her final screams as the beam engulfed her, disintegrating her down to just crystallized sky blue dust and her Cloneblade arm gauntlet.
Luckily for Kira, she was knocked away as she rolled across the ground. She gasped in horror as she witnessed her own twin disintegrated before her very eyes, further infuriating her.
"Kisa... no..." Kira gritted her teeth, incensed with the death of her sibling. She directly glared at the trio. "You... three... BASTARDS!!" Springing to her feet, Kira clenched her fists and screamed, her high-pitched cries turned into a fit of rage. "I'LL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE!!"
Witchblade Tenten scoffed. "Whining like a bitch isn't going to do you any good." She deeply inhaled and exhaled, panting a little much to Sakura and Naruto's confusion. "Sorry, but I doubt we can fire off another shot like that. This was only meant to be used once... we'll need more time to recharge this baby."
Sakura nodded. "That's fine. Besides, I think she's already worse for wear."
"Yeah, can kick her sorry ass now," Excalibur Naruto proclaimed as he watched Kira driving her right hand in the ground, releasing discharged electrical chakra to make the ground explode.
Kira left the three wielders and Gamakichi distracted by the explosion, allowing her to make a quick escape toward the crater.
"That screaming nutcase is getting away!" Gamakichi cried out as he pointed toward the direction Kira escaped towards.
Witchblade Sakura growled as she coughed, waving the dust away from her face. "She didn't too far. Let's head out and follow her, guys."
"Right," Tenten added.
"She went right back to the crater. Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-taicho have Kabuto detained there. She's going for Kabuto before she escapes! We better hurry!" Excalibur Naruto exclaimed.
Shocked over hearing the mention of Kabuto, Sakura gasped. "Kabuto? He's here?!"
"Yeah. We're not letting HIM or that Cloneblade get away."
"Let's move!" Witchblade Sakura declared as she and Tenten flew off.
Naruto hopped on Gamakichi and followed the Witchblade co-wielders down the same route they took.
Once the battlefield was cleared, there were red and yellow eyes glowing behind the thickets of the local forest. Loud impish giggles were heard, indicating that the 'creatures' were coming out of hiding to 'play' with their 'food.'
The Darklings were ready to advance into the fray.
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Back in the crater, Kakashi and Yamato still carefully watched the imprisoned Kabuto. They didn't realize that they were all being watched from within the resting quarters. There was a strange occurrence taking place with the students inside, but the Jounin didn't pay any attention to this. Their attention was fully immersed with the captive Kabuto, who was responsible to keeping Otogakure active.
Suddenly, the Jounin quickly turned as they spotted Kira flying over the crater.
"Kakashi-sempai!" Yamato warned the Copy Ninja.
Kakashi narrowed his eye and watched Kira land. "I know. But, it's just one of them."
"...Kira..." Kabuto hissed, grasping the wooden bars tightly. His snake eye shot an incensed glare at Kira. "Where's your sister? Did you manage to collect the Witchblade, the shard, and the meteors?"
Kira shook her head, which didn't set well with Kabuto. "Kisa's gone. They killed her... they still have the Witchblade and the shard. The meteors... they were destroyed by Sakura! We failed."
"No, you and your foolish sister failed..." Kabuto growled.
Just then, Kakashi interjected in their soon-to-be heated argument. "Ok, that's far enough." The Copy Ninja drew out his kunai and pointed it in a threatening manner. "Now that we have Kabuto, you'll have no one else to turn to."
The Cloneblade hissed. "We'll see about that!" Just as she drew out her wrist blades, Kira looked behind her as Sakura, Naruto, Tenten, and Gamakichi appeared behind her. "Fuck."
Witchblade Sakura called out, threatening Kira with a full-on assault. "Give it up. You and Kabuto are done here. Even you two can't stop us wielders." Clenching her right hand, an orb of red energy formed in her palm. "Don't try and pull off any cheap parlor tricks... or, bang. You're dead."
Kabuto scowled as he backed away from the prison bars. "Stupid Kira. Now, my chance to reviving a Cloneblade army has all been shot down. MY dream... Orochimaru-sama's dream! You and your worthless sister flushed it down the toilet! I don't know why I had to rely on you two and now Kisa is gone." The silver-haired man gritted his teeth, incensed with the Twin Blades' failure of their mission. "I can't rely on whores to do a simple task."
Upon hearing Kabuto's disparaging remarks about her and her sister, Kira's face darkened. She turned around and opened her right hand, releasing tendrils that grabbed the wooden bars. She ripped the prison bars with an easy pull. Kabuto fell back in shock, overwhelmed by Kira's assault against him.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Kabuto snapped.
Kira rebuked as her tendrils retracted to her fingers. "I'm tired of your bullshit, you four-eyed bastard. Do this... oh, do this... collect this... Fuck it. My sister and I practically gave our own bodies up for your sick perversion. We were YOUR whores, Kabuto! And now just like cheap prostitutes, you're going to cast us aside for one failure?!" She walked past the Konoha-nin, completely ignoring them as she redirected her sights on Orochimaru's right-hand man. "We served you loyally. US! Tayuya and Karin betrayed you... we were the only Cloneblades you could depend on. Now, look at you... a pitiful man clinging to an unyielding, sick lust for a man who's practically dead! Your obsession for Orochimaru... ugh, just sick. Well, I'm not going to get casted aside this easily. No, Kabuto... it's time you pay up for what you owe me."
Kabuto backed away, a fake smile adorned his face. "Kira, please... all I asked for was..."
"I hope you're ready to die, Yakushi Kabuto," Kira hissed, raising her right hand as tendrils coiled around it and turned her hand into a long, sharp blade. "Kisa's gonna be pleased when I take your head."
Just as Kira advanced toward Kabuto, there were loud shrieks coming out of the resting quarters and the neighboring forests.
The Konoha-nin, Kabuto, and Kira all shifted their eyes toward the resting quarters. Standing in front of the quarters were the other Hoshi-nin students. Then, they spotted a few of the villagers standing along the edge of the crater.
"What's the meaning of this?" Yamato inquired, carefully scanning around the crater.
Witchblade Sakura gritted her teeth, sensing familiar dark vibes from each villager facing them. "Naruto? Tenten?"
Naruto growled, his eyes turning red. "Yeah, I'm getting this bad feeling, too. It's the Darkness, isn't it?"
"Darkness? You mean all of these villagers... they all have been exposed by the second meteor?" Tenten asked, uncertain about the wicked energy she was probing. "Look!" She pointed toward one of the students.
Before everyone's eyes, they watched as student screamed while a black aura surrounded him. The black aura expanded, enveloping the student in dark smoke. The student's cries turned into blood-curling screams, which made Tenten and Naruto cringe. The student's skin seemed like it was being ripped away as his human skin was replaced by a leathery, black complexion. The student's face became impish, his eyes glowing crimson and the teeth were long, jagged.
Soon, one by one, each of the students were turning into impish creatures.
Kakashi and Yamato gawked in absolute horror.
Even Kira and Kabuto were taken by surprise.
"What in the hell is going on?!" Kabuto exclaimed, he slowly turned toward Kira. I have to get out of here.Before making his escape getaway, he pulled out Kusanagi and thrusted his sword through Kira's chest.
Shick.
Kira gasped as she lowered her head, seeing Kabuto's blade pierced through her chest. As she turned, Kabuto yanked the sword out and reached out to grab him.
"Bastard..." Kira hissed as Kabuto formed hand seals.
"Farewell, my dear Kira. You may join your whore of a sister in the after life..."
Before Kabuto completed his escape jutsu, Kira surprised everyone as she extended her fingers at Kabuto. The tendrils stabbed through Kabuto's arms and chest, allowing Kira to ensnare the man.
"Kira... you bitch!!" Kabuto snapped as he struggled to break loose.
Kira evilly smirked. "...can't kill me that easily... heh." She lunged at Kabuto and pushed him through the other side of the wooden bars.
Witchblade Tenten scoffed as the two Oto-nin left to settle their differences. "Well, their partnership sure fell apart quick."
"They don't matter right now," Kakashi reminded the group.
Excalibur Naruto gripped his sword and snarled. "We have even BIGGER problems to worry about."
Witchblade Sakura concurred while watching each villager turn into impish creatures. "There's no mistake. The Darkness is in our world." She clenched her fists, her entire body visibly trembled while feeling the Darkness energy amidst the crater. She whispered the name of the creatures, which the Witchblade was very familiar with. "The Darklings have come out to play."
xxxxx
Back from afar the crater site, Sai, Neji, and Rock Lee were gathering the Hoshi-nin. They were getting ready to return to the crater to assist Sakura and the others.
Just as Sumaru sat up, he felt a cold grasp on his left arm. This alarmed the boy enough for him to turn around. His face contorted with shock and disbelief.
"Mo...mother? You're alive...?!"
Natsuhi rose up, turning her face as she transformed into a fully impish demon. Her human skin and clothes were ripped away by an encompassing cloud of dark smoke, which allowed her to take on a new demonic form.
Hokuto screamed as Neji, Lee, and Sai formed a defensive barricade to shield the Hoshi-nin.
"Na... Natsuhi-san?!" Kou exclaimed.
Sumaru trembled with fear. "Mot...no you're not mother. You're not her!"
The creature quickly stood upright, bearing its sharp claws and teeth. It spoke with a deep bellow. "Natsuhi is dead, boy. I am only a servant of the Darkness. The time draws near for our master to select the suitable meat puppet." The Darkling chortled as it crouched down on all fours. "For now, it's time to feast on human flesh."
xxxxx
To be continued...
Next time
Chapter 45: The Children of the Dark Star; the Darklings' Incursion!
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Witchblade Sakura Omake by Kanius
"Welcome again, everyone! It's that time again for the Witchblade Encyclopedia Segment. I'm Ichimaru Gin, your wonderful host," Gin smirked, formally introducing himself. He turned and pointed to a large screen behind him. "Today, we'll be continuing our lecture on the Cloneblades. Our guests at this time are the two lovely girls who have adopted the 'Spider' gimmick. Ah, yes, you already know the adorably sweet Fuuma Sasame."
Sasame walks in from the stage door and sits on a chair.
"How are you doing, dear Sasame?"
The girl answered politely, blushing. "Well, I've been pretty bored since I died in the story. Being dead sucks."
"At least you don't have to deal with the burden of pressure for being a main character."
Sasame sighed. "Yeah, but... I admit was kinda fun to be a Cloneblade. I just wish I became an ally to Sakura and Naruto..."
"Can't always get what you want, but I digress. Our other guest, you already know her as Nora from the Witchblade anime. Ooooh, Nora, you can come in now."
Right on cue, Nora enters the set and turns her nose up, gawking at the young teenage girl sitting in the chair.
"The predecessor and the successor finally meet. So, Nora, how do you approve of Sasame-chan being the successor of the 'Spider' title?"
Putting up an arrogant front, Nora frowned with disgust. "You mean to tell me this child is MY successor?"
"Um, yes... she is... you sound disappointed, Nora."
"How could I not be? My successor is nothing but a mere child," Nora snorted, annoyed by Sasame's presence. "Look at how beautiful and sophisticated of a woman I am. I am top class and my body is fully developed. This girl looks like she barely even reached puberty and her chest is much smaller than mine."
Sasame frowned, disapproving Nora's conceited behavior. "Looks don't make a woman beautiful. Their personality makes the whole package."
"Talking big for a little girl. How cute," Nora gave a haughty laugh.
"You might be beautiful, but your attitude sure stinks."
"Take that back you little brat."
Sasame smirked, snidely insulting the woman. "At least, I don't go around acting like I'm queen of the universe and being jealous around my sisters. Your own petty rivalry with Reina caused your downfall. Karin, the Lady of our group, is someone I treated with respect and she cared for me. Even when I died, she still cared for me. I doubt Reina gave you any second thought when she killed you."
Nora growled. "You mouthy little bitch... you better learn to respect your elders."
"I do, but not for conceited, depraved women who only put themselves over the well being of others. Quite frankly, I'm disappointed you're my predecessor."
Nora scoffed and turned around. "Well, unlike you, I was able to control my carnal impulses when I transform. Your child-like, immature mind couldn't even fully grasp the power of a Cloneblade weapon. Yours was a defect while mine was perfect. So, I win in that category."
The Fuuma clan member furrowed her brows. "At least, even after death, I still have my friends and family keeping me company in the afterlife, especially my cousin Arashi." A sly smirk adorned her face. "You don't even have any friends, because you killed any chances of gaining friendships. Oh well, you lose. I win."
Nora scowled as she transformed into her 'Spider' form.
Sasame did the same, fully assuming her 'Spider form.'
Gin gulped. "Um, ladies... please not here..."
"Sasame, you're NOT better than me!"
"As a human being, I am."
Gin backed away, turning around as he faced the camera. "This ends our third segment. Next time, Isaribi will be on hand as our nest guest. Good day, everyone!"
Before the camera shut off, Sasame and Nora tackled each other as a Cloneblade catfight broke out.
End of segment.
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Translation Notes
Mokuton: Shichūrō no Jutsu/Wood Release: Four Pillars Prison Technique
Type: Kekkei Genkai. No rank. Supplementary.
Range: Short-range (0-5 m)
User(s):Yamato
Yamato uses this jutsu to create a giant wooden prison to hold captives. Unlike the Mokuton: Shichūka no Jutsu/Wood Release: Four Pillars House Technique, this jutsu does hold a practical use in combat as it is a quick place to hold captives when there are no available holding cells.
--
(Fanon) Bouseki Kazeken/Spinning Wind Blade
Type: Offensive. A-Rank.
Range: Mid-range (5-10 m)
User(s): Uzumaki Naruto
While summoning his sword draw from the Excalibur armor, he utilizes his chakra and intertwines it with the Excalibur's power to empower the blade. When used, the sword unleashes a devastating wind pressure that rips through enemies.
--
Kess mai waartie bett/Kiss my warty butt
Just had to throw this one in here. Lulz.
xxxxx
A/N:So, who wins? Sasame or Nora?
What did you all think of Witchblade Tenten? That Witchblade has such a 'creative' (perverted) way to alter his wielder's personalities. He's brought Tenten's inner most perverted desires out to the surface. In the end, she came out wanting to get into Neji's pants. Hehe. Not to mention she's making full use of the weapons available to her thanks to the Witchblade. =)
As the next chapter title implies, the Darklings are ready to attack. Just then you thought things couldn't get any worse, this happened. Sakura, Naruto, and company will have the imps to worry about. Meanwhile, Kira and Kabuto have just about ended their partnership (their differences will be settled in the next chapter).
Chapter 45 will finally conclude the Dark Star arc. I will write the next chapter pending this one being posted and will have it out by next week. After that, I will take a short break from writing Witchblade: Sakura and focus on writing chapters for one of my forthcoming fics (non-Naruto related). By short, it could mean a few weeks to a month. We'll see, but hey at least I'm going out of my way to finish this arc first. That's more important to me. =)
Anyhow, the next chapter will be a long one. Just so you all know ahead of time.
Send a review when you're done reading. Take care and stay gold. =)
