Finally managed to find the time to get this new chapter out, enjoy and please tell me what you think by the end of the read, it would be much appreciated.
Naruto CH46: Fight with Dead Leaves
Hiruzen frowned at the sight of how the fifth round was going.
Sakura could go no further against Garra, he was simply proofing to be too much for her and she was now too grievously injured to go on fighting. The match had even been called by Genma after seeing how beaten she was but Garra didn't seem to be paying attention and was moving in to kill her.
Luckily for Sakura, her Sensei had managed to swoop in and save her from the dry hand of death. It was shortly after that, that things began to change and his fears began ringing true.
The Hokage's head turned of its own accord to the Third Kazekage and the man's eyes burned with malice when they met Hiruzen's. Everything became loud noises and thick black smoke an instant after.
Mei gasped and was instantly out of her chair with her guards hovering around her, taking up protective positions in a diamond formation but not daring to obscure her vision of what was unfolding around her.
A moment later Raido fell, a kunai buried deep into his chest, but alive.
The two guards of the Kazekage split in half at the waist and became four, two jumping over head of Takeo.
A big one with an orange mohawk threw a huge fist at the Jonin, Takeo looked on wit alarmed before his gaze evened out and he stepped around the offending fist and wrapped his arms around the meaty limb and pulled. The portly ambusher was shocked when he was hefted off his feet and hurled into his twin headed teammate like a large human club, throwing him and his fellow assailant into a tangle of limbs and shocked yells.
Takeo turned searching for the Hokage amongst the thick lingering smoke. He spotted him with the Kazekage on the roof, above the cloud, taken hostage with a kunai pressed against his throat.
"Hey shitheads quick making out and get up here!" yelled a redhead who has taken a position at one of the corners of the roof. The two ambushers zipped passed Takeo a moment later, apparently having gotten back up on their feet rather quickly and also taking positions at the roof's corners. Takeo became alarmed at the feeling of a detectable spike in chakra and rushed forward.
Purple translucent walls formed from the four ambushers, burning with super dense energy that raced to connect with each other. Each wall connected in a moment, luckily Takeo was a moment faster or else he'd have been bisected by those glass sheet thin walls. He landed, but not silently as a few tiles shattered under his landing, catching the two Kage's attention.
"Takeo" addressed Hiruzen, grimly, the blade at his neck gleaming "you should have stayed outside boy, this is no place for you".
"Oh, come now, let him stay" said the Kazekage, his voice deeper and rougher than even Garra's, two such serious combinations making the Kazekage sound wrong as he spoke with such humour "it'll be fun with an extra player".
Hiruzen grunted, his eyes turning to his assailant "why are you doing this Kazakage? If there are problems between our villages then we should sit down and settle our problems through negotiation" reasoned the Hokage, his voice firm even while pleading.
The Wind-Shadow merely chuckled, briefly closing his eyes only to open them with a new light that was very un-kage like. "Maybe the fear of death makes one more cowardly with age, huh, Sarotobi-Sensei!?". Hiruzen's eyes widened and Takeo's narrowed at this change.
Hiruzen's gaze evened out and for a moment he just looked more at his wit's end than anything else. "So this is all your doing then-" the Kazekage's armed hand reached up and pulled at his face, the skin stretching like rubber before tearing away like wet tissue paper. "Orochimaru" finished the Hokage.
Orochimaru smirked out from under the shadow of the Kazakage's hat.
Outside the barrier, many a ninja couldn't believe their eyes. Mei gasped when she saw this sight "Orochimaru? The Kazakage? The sound village? This attack on Konoha? Whats going on here?" questioned the Fourth Mizukage to herself.
"Lady Mizukage we must-" all words died in her head guard's throat as his eyes went round and wide, cold sweat beginning to break out all over his skin.
Anything else Orochimaru was about to say to his old Sensei too died in his throat as his and Hiruzen's attention was drawn towards the silent Jonin. If anything could be said about the look on Takeo's face it would be two things, wrathful and predatory. The intent waved of him like a red hot tsunami that forced everything into silence, summoning up the primal instincts to do nothing but remain still, alert and silent.
Takeo bared his teeth, his snarl seeming to curl at the edges, making it almost a grin "I thought you were close by the Hokage but I never imagined you were this close Orochimaru". The voice that left Takeo was not Takeo's and Hiruzen frowned at this, Hiruzen shifted when he felt his old student tense behind him. The voice was like a stone that could be described in many ways, strong, deep, smooth and ancient, definitely not Takeo's.
Orochimaru glared at the Jonin, a bead of sweat falling down his cheek "w-who are you?".
The Jonin stepped forward, the movement firm and unwavering, his gaze fixed tauntingly tight with the Sannin's as his hand reached up and grabbed the bandanna by the gleaming plate. In one quick motion, the bandanna was gone, ripped off in a shower of torn cloth, out from beneath it in place of short brown hair long locks of bone white waves came falling out. The leaf plate and what remained of the blue fabric flew over not-Takeo's face, it passed over his eyes and gone were the dull brown now showing a pair of burning bright Sharingan, fairly tan skin now replaced by a slightly more lighter shade.
Orochimaru stared wide-eyed "y-you!"
Hirofumi tossed the remains of the Konoha bandanna away leaving it to clank off the orange tiles of the roof. He smirked, a devilish spine-chilling thing it was "yeah me, care for a rematch?" his Dojutsu shone with crimson light, his chakra darting out and connecting with Orochimaru's. He willed the Sannin's world to be nothing but a swirling pool of tar, attempting to drag him down under into its thick, dark, suffocating depths.
By the time Orochimaru did break out, a mere second later his arms were empty of his Sensei who was now landing a good dozen meters away. The Sannin's teeth slightly pressed together. This was not part of his plan, how did this guy get past him so easily? Orochimaru studied the stranger over, the clothes he wore were not fake, he was indeed decked out in a genuine article Jonin uniform that was previously completed with a bandanna. Orochimaru smirked, "so that's how you did it".
"Where's Takeo?"
Hirofumi didn't turn to answer the village leader "tied up in a closet, unharmed and under a Genjutsu, sorry about that, I had to appropriate his clothes as well". He tugged at the leaf green flak jacket, his lips curving "and I don't think this looks too bad on me either".
Hiruzen held an even expression as pieces fell into place "I see, by taking Takeo's uniform you were able to perform a transformation focused solely around your face, not having to split your attention on making your whole body resemble him. With such a disguise requiring you to only cover up the bare minimum, allowing you to do it with the utmost detail. With that, you were able to slip into my ranks completely undetected by even Three Kage level Shinobi, ANBU and other ninjas". The look on the Hokage's face grew grimmer "how astonishing, you could have made a decent attempt on any of our lives at any moment, the element of surprise was completely in your field".
Hiruzen craned his head, turning to Orochimaru who had yet to make a single move under the keen gaze of Hirofumi "but clearly it's not me your here for" he turned back to the Sharingan user "who are you?".
"A friend" was his answer as he straightened up "I'm here to wipe that scum off the face of the earth" he declared with a pointed finger.
Said 'scum's' eyes squinted a little at that before smirking "oh really? you're here to wipe me out, though" he said, his voice shifting into teasing "I wonder if you're really here, or if you're just another shadow clone like the one back in the Forest of Death?".
Hiruzen frowned in confusion, he briefly turned back to the new arrival "he was in the Forest of Death?".
Hirofumi smirked, the air around him begging for Orochimaru to make the first move "why don't you come here and find out, if your man enough". The Sannin just chuckled, unwilling to take his bait. Hirofumi's smirk fell "Lord Third, please understand that I'm on your side and will do nothing but aid you in this fight, but understand that I'll still try to kill Orochimaru even if you reject my aid".
Hiruzen's face was a blank stone canvas. He moved, steadily walking towards Hirofumi, Orochimaru observed this with a clear dislike for what he was seeing unfolding before him. Hiruzen took place beside the stranger and in one swift motion removed his Hokage robes revealing his battle attire. "Very well, I accept your help in putting down my former star pupil!" Hiruzen gave the white-haired man a side glance "but first, what is your name?".
The ghost smiled "Hirofumi".
Hiruzen nodded "a fine name" he said, a tad more lightheartedly before that dropped from his voice entirely "maybe once this is over you can explain to me why the man who killed Zabuza Momoichi has the Sharingan".
Hirofumi shrugged "maybe, if you're lucky enough".
Orochimaru grinned from across the roof "yes I'd like to know about those eyes of yours as well". The tiles beneath the Sannin began to tremble and crack under the weight of his exuding chakra, his yellow slitted eyes beginning to glint with a sick thirst. "Those eyes of yours! the way they stared so coldly at me have been haunting my dreams, I must know their power!" he ranted, his hair waving in the wind of his own fuming power.
This display of power was not met unmet as both the Hokage and the Ghost began emitting their own chakra, more tiles all across the roof beginning shake and split open under the burden their chakra was placing upon them. The display of raw chakra was soon proofing to be something that even the intense barrier couldn't keep completely contain as the energy and intent for a full Kage level battle began to pour out into the stadium.
ANBU felt themselves buckle under the pressure of it, Mei felt sweat break out over her and her own bodyguards began to choke until she ordered them to get a grip.
Hiruzen was done with all this posturing and decided to make the first move. The old man sprinted off with speed that in the eyes of even the most expecting Shinobi seemed like speed well passed his years, he then weaved signs with the grace and speed of a Kage twenty years his junior. The tiles on either side of Hiruzen began to shake and rattle before they levitated up and flew forward, spinning at Orochimaru.
The Sannin weaved through a few signs, the ground beneath his feet burst open and out rose two thick, heavy looking wooden coffins. The Shuriken tiles pelted into them, acting as a shield for the Sannin behind them who grinned victory as his Jutsu began finishing it's rising. Hiruzen came to a firm halt, he flung an arm out and prevent Hiro from making any further advances.
Hiruzen was gonna explain what was happening but halted when he saw the look on Hiro's face "t-this is..." he stuttered, shock tripping him up until it transformed into fury, his eyes burning with it as he ground his teeth "Edo Tensei!". Hiruzen nodded wearily.
Orochimaru chuckled "so you know of this Jutsu then, the Jutsu created by the Second Hokage".
"A disgusting technique that should have never been realized, requiring a full human life as the cost for its use" explained Hiro.
"Ahhh but it's such a low price to pay in the end.." said Orochimaru, his voice full of twisted glee as he parted his arms and the lids of the coffins creaked open "for these two fine warriors I summoned". With a puff of dust the lids fell down and what was revealed sent chills down the two men's backs, like icicles being stabbed directly down their spines. Orochimaru loved the sight of it "do you like?".
Two minutes.
That's about the maximum time it took for Kakashi to be done with his half of the enemy nin's that attacked him, Sharingan closed all the while. Genma was still dealing with a few of his but Kakashi was just about getting wrapped up. At most the only thing that really got to him was that intense bloodlust from a few seconds ago, but that was promptly ignored and had left more of them wide open for him.
The last invading nin missed him when he jumped above the panicked swipe of his kunai, making him open for Kakashi to lay in a neck-breaking heel to the nameless man's face, leaving his corpse to spiral to the ground. Around the Hatake laid a good dozen nameless ninja, mostly sound Ninja with a few Sand's here and there. Sakura was still laying passed out behind him with no further injuries apart from what she had already suffered.
Kabuto smirked over at him "impressive" the sound of heavy movement and dry growls could be heard coming from within the sphere behind him. The traitor chuckled "I should have known that grunts like those would be nothing for the great Copy-Ninja" the arrogant smirk sharpened into something that set Kakashi even more on edge than he was before, "so how about I give you someone more challenging huh?".
Kabuto slapped his hands together and began weaving through a string of unfamiliar signs, Kakashi jumped back in front of Sakura, his Sharingan eye reopening. Once done the ground before Kabuto burst open and a heavy coffin emerged. Kabuto peeked out from behind it, the light catching his glasses. "This is a wonderful Jutsu Orochimaru decided to entrust to me, along with a special someone that I'm sure your gonna find to be quite the challenge".
Kakashi frowned "what the hell is he on about? What is this Jutsu? Whatever it is I've got a bad feeling about it".
The lid creaked open with dust before it fell forward and slammed into the ground like a crashing wooden beam. Kakashi gasped as the light began to fill the coffin, the man inside was still for a second before he twitched with life and stepped out. The sun barely gleamed off his ocean blue armour, barely showed any life on his dusty pale skin as his thick spiky white hair waved like a lifeless winter forest.
The dead walked forward and observed his surroundings "where am I?" he asked in a powerful but confused voice. He lifted his hands, sharp red flat eyes studying them "Edo Tensei? On me?".
"Why yes Lord Second" Tobirama turned to Kabuto, displeasure showing the moment he laid eyes on him "I summoned you here". His eyes continued to gleam with satisfaction even as the Second Fire-Shadow glared disdain at him "now obey". Tobirama stilled and straightened, Kabuto pulled out a Kunai with a red tag dangling from it.
Kakashi couldn't believe what he was seeing, without a doubt this was the second Hokage, he'd seen his face enough in his life to recognize it off by heart. "This is bad" he thought, his years of being a Shinobi told him that was clear but from here it was anyone's guess what would happen with the presence of a Kage as your enemy. Especially one from years way before you yourself were even an idea. Kakashi was pretty sure his dad was only a baby back when this guy was still alive.
The Elite Jonin watched curiously as Kabuto pushed the Kunai into the back of the seconds head like it was thick watery mud, a second later the deceased Hokage began to steam up. His dusty skin didn't get any better and began to crack like it was earth in drought, his eyes blackened, the sclera turning as black as Sasuke's when he enters the curse state. And like that the Hokage looked less alive than he did before, a disturbing parody of himself.
The Second observed himself, studying the new change this body went through "what this? The Edo Tensei is different".
Kabuto smirked behind him, adjusting his glasses "yeah, I decided to make some alterations to the original formula to see if I couldn't spice it up a bit". Kabuto stepped back and shifted his gaze to Kakashi "now let's see if any improvements have been made to your original formula shall we". With a silent order Tobirama stiffened, his gaze evened out and he sprinted forward with alarming speed.
"Prepare yourself!" shouted the Second Hokage, his warming more like a full-blown order that transcended time.
Kakashi forced all confusion and effort of trying to comprehend what was happening aside and threw himself forward to meet the charging Kage. He would protect his student and village at all costs!
The sound of feet setting foot on tiles echoed inside the barrier as the two new reanimated took in their surroundings "Reanimation" realized the one on the right. His long straight black hair swaying slightly, sunlight being absorbed into his crimson red armour. He turned to the one on the left and briefly look shocked "M-Madara!?".
Madara turned to address the voice, his mane of long wild black hair slightly waving as the sunlight reflected off his own red armour as much as did the one who called his name. "Hashirama" he addressed, not sounding too pleased about it "so this is Reanimation huh?" asked the ancient Uchiha to the long since dead Senju.
Hashirama nodded "indeed, no mistake".
Madara nodded "hmm, I see, so then the one who summoned us is most likely the one hiding behind us then".
Hashirama shrugged "it's safe to say so".
The two reanimated turned to Orochimaru, any normal man, shinobi or not would have crumbled under such a pair of powerful gazes, even if they were as sheathed as they were. But Orochimaru was no such average man and stared back with complete self-confidence.
Orochimaru grinned triumphantly "oh what a sight to behold, two founders of the Village Hidden in the Leafs standing before me in prime condition, here to help me destroy what they built together, two arch-enemies being forced to fight side by side, how poetic".
"Hmm" said Hashirama rubbing his chin, Madara cocked an eyebrow at this "I think the term frenemies would be more accurate" suggested the First.
Madara grunted at that "we are in no way friends you blithering fool!" shouted the ancient Uchiha, his body shaking with the urge to tear the Senju apart but being denied by the ruler of the Jutsu.
Some meters away watching this Hiro and the Third stood silent and weary. Hiruzen's face fell into sorrow as he watched his former sensei bicker with his fellow founder, a tear broke out that was shortly after wiped away to be replaced with a renewed resolve to stop the monster he created. "He looks exactly how I remember, Hashirama-Sensei"
"It's best to try and not think of him like that" Hiruzen turned to Hiro, who was steadily pulling himself into a ready stance "as you know, he's our enemy and is completely under the will of Orochimaru, despite how he's behaving right now, that goes for Madara as well".
Hiruzen sighed, a tired and pained noise "yes" he said before his eyes sharpened and he clasped his hands together, chakra mashing together inside his coils "I very well understand what must be done!". In time these words were exchanged Orochimaru was done placing the tags within his Edo Tensei's who now looked more lifelike than ever before.
Orochimaru's face set into a hateful sneer "now enough bickering and destroy them!".
The two founders tensed up before they stumbled forward, their footing sluggish until a moment later were they started darting forward with wind splitting speed and catlike nimbleness. Sarotobi, long since finished moulding his Jutsu let it loose, summoning forth a river of mud that took the form of a dragons head, the runny mouth breaking open aimed at the charging undead ninja. Hiruzen sent a meaningful look over his shoulder to Hiro before the dragon began firing dense balls of mud.
Hiro didn't waste a second to respond and completed the seals for a fire Jutsu and spewed out a hot stream of fire that caught the flying mud balls turning them into mini boiling hot meteorites. The two undead didn't stop at the danger of the burning projectiles, instead continuing their rush with careless abandon, weaving between the burning mudballs. The most damage the combination Jutsu managed to inflict was stealing the armour away from one of Hashirama's shoulders and slightly singing his hair.
The ancient Shinobi were only a few meters away when the Jutsu that was slowing them down was spent, Madara jumped high when that happened and Hashirama continued his direct rush. They crossed, Hashirama turning for Hiruzen and Madara coming down on Hirofumi in a scissor kick that would have floored him had he not already moved. Hirofumi and Hiruzen split as the Edo Tensei engaged them separately.
Hirofumi paced backwards as Madara attacked, his own Sharingan having bloomed to life while under the searing storm of mud balls. Hiro evaded as best as he could, leaning his head to the side to avoid a punch, ducked to avoid a head-splitting roundhouse kick and flipped back to avoid the flowing axe kick that shattered the tiles he previously stood on. Hiro had only just returned upright when he heard the call of an age-old Jutsu.
'Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!'
Hirofumi didn't much feel like observing the quality of the giant scorching ball of fire and quickly jumped out of its path and over the apex of the roof, cartwheeling in the air and coming to a slight slide on the other side of the roof. His keen eyes spotted Hashirama gradually overwhelming his successor in Taijutsu. Hiro moved quickly, the tiles cracking like glass as he kicked off, coming up right behind Hashirama in a jump.
The Edo Tensei managed to lay a punch in his former students face before noticing Hiro had snuck up on him, the ghost swung a kick around and the former Hokage with astounding reflexes managed to block, protecting his face before he was sent rolling back across the roof. Madara vaulted over the summit of the roof, landing beside Hashirama as he rolled back to his feet.
Orochimaru could be spotted some distance away, balancing perfectly on the narrow spine of the roof, observing the fight with a sharp grin.
The two founders looked ready to attack again but halted, becoming motionless. "Now come on" said the Sannin from a distance, his hand in a ram seal, a glint in his eye "surely two such legendary Shinobi such as yourselves have more to offer me than some meagre Taijutsu and Fire release techniques" with that he willed them to show him more.
Hashirama tensed, a slight struggle and resistance showing in his form as his hands slapped together into a snake seal. The feeling of the atmosphere changed, the ground began to quake too, tiles began to crack and shatter as saplings began to rapidly grow out between the cracks, violently growing and maturing into mighty trees. Not an inch of the roof didn't have some level of foliage beginning to emerge from it.
The creation of life happened so fast that Hiro and Hiruzen were swept up in it like an avalanche, trying to keep their balance on rapidly thickening and ascending branches. Trees growing passed them, sprouting more branches complete with healthy green leafs all surrounding them, making them lose sight of Orochimaru only a few seconds later, the last sight of him being him staring on in complete satisfaction at what he was witnessing.
The branch began to move and shift like a rocking boat on stormy seas, Hiro spotted another thicker branch growing its way over to them like a charging rhino and jumped above it kicking off it to avoid another that was curving around it and would've crushed him between them like a rolling pin. Hirofumi grabbed a branch with a chakra applied hand and swung himself around, landing atop it.
He heard a panicked cry and turned, shocked to find Hiruzen trapped between two branches, he jumped over through the air weaving between any branches that grew in his path and landed beside Hiruzen.
The Third grunted as he tried to struggle his way out, blood dripping from his fingers preparing to summon "just give me a moment and I'll be free" he said. Hiro nodded.
"I moment is something you do not have"
The two men turned to the deep cold voice and saw Madara standing on a branch above them, staring down with his dark flat Sharingan, a dichotomy to Hiro's own. Beside him was Hashirama, looking devoid of any humanity or feeling, and Orochimaru smirking. The Uchiha's hands were held in a horse seal, his lips puckered and a deathly electric spike ran through the two men he was targeting.
'Fire Style: Great Majestic Flame Destroyer!'
With that Madara Uchiha unleashed a white-hot curtain of flames that completely filled Hiruzen's and Hirofumi's vision but their ears, on the other hand, were not filled with the roar of the fire but instead something else. A piercing screech that seemed to come from something truly monstrous and vicious in its own right.
Kakashi rolled to his feet before Sakura after receiving a brutal kick to the chest from Lord Second, his breathing was already beginning to become wheezy. As he should've expected from one of the Hokage, he was no pushover. But neither was he.
The Copy-ninja armed himself with a kunai and threw it forward in a flash of sharpened metal, Tobirama batted it aside effortlessly but straight after the weapon left his sight he was met with the Jonin. Having closed the distance so fast the Senju felt actually a little impressed.
Kakashi threw out a fist, missing the undead Kage by an inch as he moved his head aside, he pulled his fist back and sent in a kick to his side, his foot bashing uselessly against the grounded Kages armour "damn! This armour isn't just for show then!". Before he could retract his leg Tobirama snatched him by his shin and pulled, hurling him off his feet and bringing him overhead.
Kakashi twisting himself in the hold brought his other leg around and slammed his foot into his captures right arm, knocking it off and allowing him to flip free. He hit the ground with a slight skid, his hands having completed a string of signs, he formed a ring with his fingers around his mouth and breathed out. A huge ball of searing fire came rolling out, burning the ground and blowing up dust with the force of its travel.
Not a second after Kakashi had escaped him Tobirama had gotten through finishing a few seals of his own, about four in total and the air around him began to swirl as water rapidly collected. In the time it would take a pin to drop the water had gathered and formed itself into a sizeable snarling dragon of water, the beast pounced at the fireball head first throwing itself into the core and coursing an eruption of steam as the two Jutsu's cancelled each other out.
The air became filled with the sound of static and slight chirping and out from the steamy mist burst Kakashi, Raikiri in his cocked back hand before spearing it forward into the shocked Hokages chest and out his back, causing an eruption of dirt and a grey paper-like substance. Kakashi met the seconds gaze remorsefully "forgive me Lord Second".
The Second frowned at the apology "fool!" he shouted, making the Jonin flinch slightly "can you not tell that I am-" he exploded into smoke and the next words came from slightly below him. "A shadow clone!" finished the real Tobirama, his fist being the first thing to come out of his own clones smoke, uppercutting the shocked Kakashi hard enough to make him bounce off his feet before being punted away with a foot to his stomach.
Kakashi was sent into a skid and roll, trying to find his feet as his head swirled. He shot a foot out ceasing his tumble and skidded to a halt, he blinked away the blurriness, relying on his Sharingan to adjust quicker. He pushed himself to a knee as he refilled his lungs "Lord Second really is no joke, I haven't been hit this hard since Zabuza". His eyes shifted to his passed out student, her position off to his right and smack bang in between them.
"Is that all you've got!?" shouted Tobirama, a disapproving frown on his face "who are you?".
"Elite Jonin Kakashi Hatake Sir, former ANBU Captain" answered Kakashi, respectfully as he stood back up.
Tobirama snuffed at that "you've been given the title of Elite, so far I would say you barely even have the right to call yourself a Jonin after the sorry display I've seen so far, have the ninja of this time grown soft since my passing?".
Kakashi closed his Sharingan, Tobirama's eyes narrowed as he took notice of that "the Village has suffered quite a lot since your time Lord Second, I request that you do not write this generation off just yet" a smile crinkled behind his mask "you've barely begun to see what we can do yet".
Tobirama smirked at that "I hope for your sake that's true because I've barely even begun to test my limits yet". All humour dropped from him "you need to stop me! You call yourself an elite so prove it, protect the village by putting a stop to me, kill the caster of the Jutsu it's the only way to defeat me" ordered the Hokage, each word expressing the direness of the situation.
Kakashi's eye widened "what is this Jutsu? please explain it to me".
"Edo Tensei, a Jutsu of my creation, one I regret making sometimes" he lifted his dull fissure riddled hand "the Jutsu summons souls from beyond the grave to fight for the caster, they are immortal, have unlimited energy, never tire and can regenerate endlessly" he pointed to himself "and that is what I am right now, so do you understand how crucial it is that I be stopped?".
A bead of sweat crawled down the side of Kakashi's face "yes" "bad enough I'm fighting a Hokage but an immortal one too, give me a break". He reopened his Sharingan and briefly scanned the field and cursed, he couldn't see Kabuto "damn it he's gone and concealed himself!". Kakashi kicked himself for letting the little snake slip away.
"Do you think I missed your lack of attention!"
Kakashi's attention was only away for less than a second to scan the field but the Hokage had noticed and since he noticed his body moved, the Jutsu itself knew that in a serious fight with an enemy he would not pass up an opening such as that. Kakashi ducked below the kunai aimed for between his eyes, the Kage trailing just behind it.
In that moment three things happened, the purple barrier atop the stadium lit up like a sun had just been born within it's burning walls. There was a deafening roar that made Kakashi's ears ring and finally, the second Hokage was suddenly what could only be described as run over.
The fire shadow was carried off his feet and slammed into the far wall be some kind of grotesque appendage, with multiple horrid claw-like protrusions sticking out from it. Kakashi followed the thing and found it coming out of the sand sphere in the centre of the field.
Kakashi felt something shiver down his spine as the sphere began falling away, then fear when he realised that the claw was directly over the defenceless form of Sakura. On instinct, Kakashi's lightning blade screamed into life and he charged the sandy limb, driving his lightening armoured hand forward but the tip stopped an inch away when he felt something grab his shoulder.
"You really need to work on your attention span"
"Impossible!" thought Kakashi as he looked over his shoulder and saw Tobirama staring down at his striking form, one side of his entire body cracked and damaged from what just happened to him. His grip became vice like before he turned and hurled Kakashi off his feet, too late to apply chakra to try and keep himself grounded and sent him into the air.
It was during his flight, with the painful clarity of the Sharingan that Kakashi saw the monstrous hand wrap itself around his vulnerable student and pick her up "Sakura!".
Kakashi landed on his feet and saw the sphere completely fall away to reveal Garra.
Gone was the deathly calm boy now replaced by a half monster like thing, his left arm encased with some living fleshy sand, the same arm that was being used to reel in Kakashi's helpless student. Half of Garra's face was no longer his own, now being shared by Shukaku, a yellow eye with a diamond-shaped pupil glaring out and horrible sharp teeth inside a salivating mouth. Half man half beastly growls leaving his sneering mouth as he lifted the passed out Haruno up, his eyes trembling with the barely kept urge to just squeeze.
"Put her down!" shouted Kakashi, Garra turned to him, his bloodthirsty eyes telling Kakashi that his demand fell on deaf ears "damn it!" he cursed as he powered his Rakiri back up and sprinted for the now very obvious Jinchuriki.
"How many time do I have to tell you to focus!" a wave of intense water followed those words, sweeping the Jonin away, his lightning blade fizzingly out as his world became a swirling wet mess, he tried regaining control. His eyes noticed ground and he zipped a hand out with chakra and stuck it to the ground, clinging with all his might as the water washed over him furiously, his body swaying like a flag in the wind until it finally ended.
He fell to the ground like a wet fish, coughing up water, his clothes soaked through, his usual gravity-defying hair swept back. But none of that mattered right now as he forced himself back up. He saw Garra making a run for it with Sakura in claw "oh no (cough, water!) Sakura!" he yelled reaching a hand out as he stumbled after her before finding his proper footing and beginning to run.
"I said focus!"
Kakashi only had time to turn and look at the Second, his eyes pleading, scared for his student's life. A kunai coming right for the Jonin's back, no time to dodge, no time to counter, no time do anything.
'Dynamic Entry!'
One zealous yell and an air cracking impact latter and the Hokage was sent crashing back into the side of the stadium wall, breaking stone and creating thick dust, his kunai left to clank to the ground instead of being jammed into Kakashi as Might Guy stood triumphant. Kakashi's fellow Jonin turned to him, grinning in his usual way "Kakashi my rival! I couldn't help but notice that it seemed like you require some help!".
Kakashi tripped to say what he needed "eh yeah" his head snapped to were he saw Garra going through the stadium wall "Sakura!" he said about to run off.
"Leave her" said Guy in an uncharacteristically serious manner, Kakashi turned to him in outrage until he saw the grin "she already has help on the way". Kakashi looked back and saw three figures running after Garra. "Don't worry, with the likes of them going after her your student is in safe hands Kakashi, trust me" all the lightheartedness then dropped from Guy's voice "but right you need to focus!".
Kakashi nodded.
"That's what I've been trying to tell him"
The Jonin's felt like lightning struck them when they heard the second Hokage voice come from right in between them, in a crouch, they only had the time to slightly turn before he attacked. Jamming an elbow straight into Guy's ribs, kicking a foot out and knocking a leg out from under the shocked Kakashi and sending him onto his back, the Second brought a fist around punching the staggered Guy right in the face without mercy before attempting something in the form of an axe kick on Kakashi that barely missed when the Jonin rolled out of the way.
Guy, still reeling back from the two shocking blows still managed to execute a perfect kick, striking his knee into the Kages stomach hard enough to create new cracks in his armour. Guy roared, his eyes snapping back open charged in at the Kage and threw a haymaker straight at his stoic face which was promptly blocked by a cross guard, but there showed to be enough power behind that punch to send the undead ninja skidding back.
Tobirama dropped his arms "that's some impressive strength you've got".
Guy smiled "why thank you stranger, names Might Guy! Who might you be?" he asked with a very unusual amount of friendliness for someone in his situation.
The undead ninja couldn't help but cock his head at the question "y-you don't recognise me?"
Guy lifted a thick eyebrow at the question, and looked the man over, really studying him but ultimately shrugged "sorry buddy but I don't believe we've ever met before".
"We-well, of course we haven't! But still, how can you not know who I am?" yelled Tobirama in an uncharacteristic outburst.
Guy rubbed his chin "I take it you must be quiet famous" deduced the green beast. Tobirama couldn't help but internally groan in exasperation at what he was hearing.
"Guy" called Kakashi coming up from behind, the addressed turned "that's the Second Hokage" he pointed out blankly.
Every feature on Guy's face was blown up in shock "THE WHAT!?"
Madara hmmd in satisfaction at his work, nothing but scorched wood and black smoke seemed to be left after his Fire Jutsu that would make most dragons green with envy. He smirked "hey Hashirama wasn't that one of your pupils?" he asked, turning to the former Senju Head. Hashirama seemed to be on a shorter leash compared to him because all he got for a response was a slight scowl that could only be reflected in the light of his eyes, not even an actual physical frown. Madara turned away "I guess it must have been".
Something spiked through the Uchiha's instincts and every other ninja on the branch dead or alive, something seemed to shift in the smoke, the sound of wood being crushed echoed out from the behind the smoke before an impossible breeze blew it away. Madara's Sharingan widened and blinked to check that what they were seeing was even possible "that's the...".
Orochimaru leaned forward, head cocked "and what is this?".
Across from them, surrounding Hirofumi and the still trapped form of the Hokage was some kind of ethereal giant composed of flowing silver chakra. It's body nothing but a half-formed torso showing bone, muscle and some barely formed skin. There was a head that ended at a bare jaw bone and one massive arm with an equally massive hand with six fingers placed in front of the two it protected, the skin and muscle of the arm looking particularly scorched away from the attack it just absorbed.
Hiruzen was bewildered by the fact that he was still alive and whatever this was that just protected him, though he felt like he knew it from somewhere. He recalled instantly when Hiro turned back to face him, his eyes now looking different. If one were looking at the man's eyes from a distance you would barely even notice the change, but up close like this it stuck out. Gone were the tomoe now replaced by a set of three razor-sharp magatamas that nearly touched the edges of his irises, burning with new hair-raising power.
"Can you free yourself?" asked Hiro, knocking the Hokage out of his stupor. Hiruzen nodded and performed his summoning.
"This is the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan, only one who has awakened the cursed eyes can ever hope to obtain the power of the Susanoo" said Madara, arms folded as he watched the Third Hokage free himself from within the protection of the ethereal giant and with the aid of the Monkey King Enma. Madara smirked "interesting".
Orochimaru sucked in Madara's words like a sponge, quickly realizing what the dead Uchiha's words must mean "a higher level of the Sharingan, an evolution and that power he just used, Susanoo, is one of its abilities". Orochimaru's tongue slithered out and licked his lips "yes the power of the Sharingan truly is wondrous" he said, his desire for the Sharingan only rooting itself deeper in his core.
Madara turned a sharp gaze to his summoner, but ultimately ignored it, as long as he didn't have any desire of getting his hands on his eyes he didn't care what this guy was after.
Hiruzen, now free with King Enma in his adamantine staff form stood beside Hirofumi as his Susanoo began to melt and flicker away. Hirofumi took a deep breath as this happened, the old man noticing the hard look of focus written on his face. Hiruzen adjusted Enma "your eyes take a toll on you, don't they".
Hirofumi didn't turn to answer "you could say that" was all he said as the Magatama shrunk back into tomoe "control over my Mangekyou doesn't appear to be impossible either, though a challenge".
"Interesting!" said Madara from up above, his Sharingan now shinning a bit "another fellow wielder of the Mangekyou Sharingan, though" he inclined his head smirking "I wonder how good you are with them".
Hirofumi smirked "who knows, maybe I could teach you a thing or two".
This seemed to amuse the Uchiha ancestor "really?" he asked. His Sharingan began to swirl but went no further, Madara turned to Orochimaru, frowning. "You, Orochimaru was it? for your sake I would recommend you begin unbinding my power or else this battle is gonna end in your demise" warned the Uchiha, though it was phrased grievously it was instead delivered with wry interest.
There was a clear debate written on the Sannin's face, trying to weigh the risk of letting such a powerful historical figure let loose more of his power than he already had. If Orochimaru wasn't careful he could lose control over him and he could turn on him if he wanted to. Orochimaru couldn't be sure if Madara was just hiding his intent and was putting up little resistance against his control for the sake of trying to get him to let down his guard.
"He can't use his Mangekou!" realised Hiro before his eyes transformed back and the Susanoo rose up out of him in the form of ribs and a skeletal arm. The snake and his undead ninja became alarmed at noticing this. The ethereal arms lent out, silver chakra beginning to gather and spin until three giant white magatama beads formed and the arm cocked back and hurled them forward right at Orochimaru!
Orochimaru's eye widened at the sheer speed in which those chakra projectiles were coming at him and when he performed the release seal it was no longer to release just more of Madara's power but Hashirama's two. Madara's eyes changed and a chilling dark blue aura rose up around him. Hashirama stiffened, stimulation running down through him and into the small boxed in forest of his creation, making every trunk, branch, leaf and root pulse.
Hashirama slapped his hands together forming a snake seal and the branches moved and grew to protect them, moving and forming too quick for even the magatamas to beat. They struck with the sound of cannonballs, heavy and loud, the magatama beads were also very sharp, so sharp even the best bladesmiths in the world would be impressed, but even with all that all they managed to do was leave splintering craters in Hashirama's defence.
Hirofumi cursed this as his Susanoo flickered away, this time he decided to leave his Mangekyou out "I was too late, he unleashed more of their power". Hiruzen frowned grimly at this.
The wooden barrier began to split apart, branches receding and curling away to reveal the sneering Sannin and the two undead founders. Orochimaru stared with wild murky yellow eyes, his hateful desires completely bare to everyone. "You're both doomed. Here you'll fall, Saratobi-Sensei soon you 'll be dead at my feet" his snake-like eyes shifted and his smirk grew "but as for you, I'll be taking that power of yours".
"Orochimaru, you are truly my greatest failure" said Sarotobi as he readied himself, nothing but disappointment radiating off of him as he addressed his former pupil.
Hiro's Mangekou flashed and spun "you want this power come and get it!" he ground out, one part challenge and everything else wishing the Sannin dead.
Orochimaru wasn't daunted by any of this as he seemed to relax beside his undead minions "oh...I will".
End of Chapter
