Chapter Fourteen: The Battle to Protect

Who goes there?

After the Goddess bomb shook both heaven and earth, a cloud of smoke filled the tower. Then, there was the almost endless silence. Then came the light.

The jutsu broke the tall, white pillar and most of its pieces had turned to large chunks of debris that slowly shifted around inside of the sacred tower. No one had lost their lives, but no one was unharmed either. Only the sword of the deity remained in its original position.

Yasu had protected her comrade kunoichi under the shield of the Goddess which she had acquired from Lord Kichiro. She did not protect them because she cared for them, but because she saw protecting as her duty to her lord. Kichiro wanted his kunoichi to at least have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in battle, if only for a few minutes, before they died.

Tenten and Ino stood on the platform with their backs to the Goddess's sword. Several cuts and bruises decorated Tenten's body, but only Ino's hands had taken any damage.

"Gotta work on my chakra control," Ino thought to herself as she tried to catch her breath. Everyone seemed to understand the same thing; the next person to speak would signal the beginning of a battle.

Tenten looked up as the smoke cleared out through the hole in the tower. She then slowly walked to the edge of what had been the platform of the large, white pillar. Tenten then looked down among a few debris stones to see the enlarged shield her enemies were taking cover under.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Tenten said as she spoke down to the ones beneath the deity's shield, "There are two of us and about ten of you guys. There's nothing to be afraid of. If anything, we should be afraid of you."

Tenten raised her head back up to give Ino a go-time look. The shield then shot up far into the air, almost exiting through the opening in the top of the tower.

"Keep your eyes on them, I'll back you up," Ino communicated to Tenten.

Kichiro's kunoichi soon leapt back up on the platform, but by that point, Tenten had already had her kama in hand. Tenten's kama blazed orange as she spun it around in preparation for her attack. Three kunoichi attacked her first while the others looked for an opening. Yasu caught the shield which had fallen back down into her hand. Ino stood back as she prepared to use another jutsu.

Tenten flipped around the attacking kunoichi with ease. She could sense their commitment to beat her, but she knew they would miss no matter how they would decide to swing. She swung her kama around them and before they could blink, she had wrapped the three of them up in the kama's chain. With a graceful backflipped, she swung the chain over her head and released them from it. In doing so, Tenten had flung the three enemies into the bottom of the tower, which at that point resembled an abyss.

Fighting? In my place of rest?

Yasu kept her distance as another kunoichi ran toward Tenten with a sword in hand. Tenten swung the kama around the girl's hand before the girl could even raise her sword all the way up. Tenten then pulled the shocked kunoichi toward her by tugging on the chain of the kama and kicked the girl in her stomach before swinging her off of the platform into the darkness below.

"That's four. Ino, are they landing okay?" Tenten said.

"Yeah, they're suspended near the bottom, don't worry," The bomb jutsu Ino used earlier had not only shook the entire island, but it also gave her control over the area inside the tower. For a limited amount of time, Ino could manipulate everything in the tower from the broken pieces of the white pillar to the bodies of the enemy kunoichi.

As another wave of kunoichi attacked, Ino raised her arm in their direction, and with a flick of her wrist, she knocked several of the enemies out which caused them to stumble back and off of the platform.

With only a few kunoichi left on her side, Yasu decided to strike.

With the shield back to its original size, Yasu ran toward them with her usual, neutral expression. She chose not to use her own sword at that time.

"Art of the Goddess: Scatter!" Yasu said.

How dare you...

Ino grabbed Tenten just before they were knocked back and off of the platform. Ino control their landing and put herself and Tenten on a piece of pillar near the middle of the tower. The power of the Goddess's shield had interfered with their chakra networks, and it took them a moment to recover from the dizziness. Ino could sense Sakura getting closer and turned to Tenten.

"They're fifteen others besides Sakura and Kichiro approaching right now. We got to kick up our power. Remember the lessons of the second rebirth?"

"Yeah, the one on speed. How could I forget that, I almost died permanently," Tenten responded.

"Yes, we're going to increase our speed, and attack again," Ino said, "Also, unless we get that shield, our attacks won't work against their little squad leader. Ugh, there's so much to think about!"

"Don't worry, just stay focused and keep your mind connected to mine," Tenten said, "And no matter what, do not stop moving. The genjutsu caster is definitely going to play some mind games with us. Keep the Goddess chakra speeding through your body and we should be able to break any genjutsu she hits us with."

"And Sakura and the others, we need to factor them into this," Ino said.

Tenten thought for a moment and then looked at the platform above.

"I'm going after the sword," Tenten said.

Here you are in my place of rest, without invitation...you scum.

Before Ino could protest, Tenten made the hand signs that allowed her to increase her speed. She then jumped to climb the pieces of pillar to get back to the platform.

As expected, Yasu had casted a genjutsu that would disrupt their sense of space and time. As Tenten climbed, the platform appeared to be getting further and further away. Ino, who was following behind her, noticed the same thing. Ino broke the genjutsu's control over her senses, and then used the limited telekinetic power the Goddess's bomb jutsu gave her to propel both of them up to the platform. This move also freed Tenten from the genjutsu.

Such disrespect, what a disgrace...

When they both landed on the platform, they were surprised to find three Sakuras ahead of them. Tenten and Ino had been caught in two different genjutsu, a weak one that had distorted their perception of distance and a much stronger one that duplicated the image of their friend. The absence of the shield made it difficult for them to identify Yasu among the Sakuras. The Sakuras looked very realistic and the second genjutsu was not broken immediately despite Tenten and Ino's attempts to release it. The two did not have time to be confused by what they were seeking, they just had to keep moving.

The first Sakura to attack swung at Ino, but Ino's speed helped her avoid getting hit. Ino took on that Sakura and a second one, while Tenten faced-off with a third. Tenten threw a scroll up in the air and summoned a long brown staff that soon became covered in flames. Tenten charged toward one Sakura, who countered the hits of the staff with her bare hands.

Despite her speed, Ino soon received many blows to the body from her fight with the two Sakura. Each hit that landed on her seemed to hurt more than the one before it. Even so, Ino was able to keep fighting. Tenten attempted to break the genjutsu again, but failed once more.

"We need more power", Tenten thought. She then communicated that thought to Ino using their telepathic link. Their close range fighting made it difficult for them to move up another power level, and they attempted to create a distance between them and their foes to weave the necessary hand signs.

Suddenly, everything stopped. All fighters on the platform froze as something shifted in the darkness below them.

How disgraceful.

They heard her before they saw her. A loud echoing yell of a kunoichi traveled up inside of the tower to the platform. Ino felt a sharp pain in her stomach and Tenten's heated body cooled down in an instant. A new energy filled the tower and it was deadly.

The false Sakuras faded away and made room for the real one. The Leaf's latest rogue ninja appeared before them. She had leapt from way down in the darkness onto the platform with a frightening ease.

"Hello," the original Sakura Haruno said. Her voice was cold and a hood obscured her face, "It's nice to see you both. Shall we begin?"

Sakura threw back her hood to reveal her face. Her neck was covered in tattoos, one of which was a curse mark that Ino and Tenten did not even see because it was hidden under the ink on her neck.

Yasu and the remaining couple of kunoichi made themselves visible, and stood near the original Sakura.

Ino and Tenten didn't move.

"So, should we revisit Rebirth Lesson Five?" Ino asked telepathically.

"Oh, you don't even have to ask," Tenten responded.

Sakura threw open her cloak to retrieve the other Goddess shield that had been in Kichiro's possession. He had given it to her after she had brought him his "souvenir". He had also given her a gift of her own in the form of a curse mark which he had put on Sakura with the help of Lord Orochimaru's associate, Karin. Karin had acted in Orochimaru's absence to stabilize Sakura as Kichiro applied the mark, and Kichiro was satisfied with the results. Tenten and Ino, however, were far from satisfied with the Sakura they saw standing before them.

A shame. How dare you...

Ino and Tenten jumped back off of the platform to the surprise of their opponents. The jump created a distance that would allow them to weave the proper hand signs to power up again.

"Saku's Kakashi, if you can hear me, please help us out in any way you can," Ino sent that psychic message to the Kakashi in Kanoko's time-space. Then, she and Tenten activated the jutsu that sharply increased their speed and strength. Immediately, Ino and Tenten flew back into the platform ready to fight. An orange light surrounded their bodies, and they charged their enemies.

When Sakura and Ino exchanged blows, the platform cracked in several places and the other kunoichi stumbled around.

What's this? A familiar scene...

Tenten looked at the sword encased in the orange glass. For some reason, she felt as though it was calling her name, and she became even more determined not to leave without it.

For a second, her focus on the grand sword almost made her forget her enemies, who were now increasing in number thanks to Kichiro's arrival. The boss himself had not made an appearance, but Tenten knew he was lurking below in the shadows.

Tenten used her nunchaku, which she made just as fiery as the staff, to fight her way through a line of kunoichi. She fought them off swiftly, that was until she clashed with Yasu, who stopped her attack with the Goddess's shield she possessed. Tenten moved swiftly to avoid another clash with Yasu. After Tenten had defeated the last of the seemingly nameless kunoichi Kichiro had sent up, just she, Sakura, Ino, and Yasu remained at the top.

Their movements were too fast for the naked eye to see. Even so, Tenten and Ino's attacks were consistently blocked by the shields, and their own weapons, even though they were infused with the Goddess's chakra, became ineffective.

Luckily, the Kakashi in Kanoko's time-space had already sensed that they needed help.

"Severe Leaf Hurricane!" they heard a voice from above them say. Just then, a kunoichi in a green jumpsuit came speeding in from the hole in the tower top.

"Wait, is that-" Tenten began.

"It is me! Ruby Lee!" the kunoichi said, "The Hidden Leaf village's Beautiful Blue Blossom!"

Ruby Lee landed a kick on Sakura that was so intense, it put several more cracks in the breaking platform. Ino and Tenten stood wide-eyed.

Where did this one come from, I wonder.

"Don't be so surprised that you forget to be on your guard," the voice of a young man said. Tenten and Ino turned their heads slightly to see a tall young man with short, dark blue hair. It wasn't Kichiro. This young man possessed the Byakugan.

"No way," Ino said, "You're-"

"Hiroto," the young man said, "But that's not important right now. Get ready, Ruby Lee!"

"I am already ready," Ruby said. Quickly, Hiroto faded from their view and Ruby Lee opened the Gate of Pain. By the time Hiroto reappeared, he had disabled all of Yasu's chakra points. She fell to the ground, and screamed out in frustration. Ino could sense Kichiro approaching the platform.

At first, Tenten was too shocked to move, but Ino urged her to snap back into action. Ruby Lee and Ino engaged Sakura at their enhanced speed, and Sakura was having difficulty keeping up with their attacks. Tenten lunged toward the sacred sword, hoping to smash the glass with her fiery nunchaku. Unfortunately, she was not the only one who desired to reach the sword at that moment. Lord Kichiro had teleported himself to the location at the same time.

This man...what a strange aura.

"You're a bit of a slow one, aren't you," Kichiro said to Tenten. Hiroto grabbed Tenten and moved her back as Tenten flung her fiery nunchaku at Kichiro. Kichiro caught the nunchaku and absorbed the Goddess chakra in them before breaking them with one hand.

"Thank you," he laughed "you are quite generous for an enemy."

Ino was distracted by Kichiro's sudden appearance and almost took a hit to the face from Sakura. Ruby Lee managed to block that hit, and Ino refocused on her own fight.

"Now, enough playing around, children," Kichiro said, "It is time for me to collect what is owed to me. Yasu, shame on you! I'll deal with you in just a moment."

Yasu struggled to try and lift herself up, but could not succeed. Although, frustrated, she would not cry. She could not cry.

"M-my, my lord," she said faintly. Disappointment and embarrassment flooded her body.

Tenten went to charge Kichiro again, but then Hiroto stopped her.

"Don't," Hiroto said, leaning down to whisper to her, "Let him dig his own grave here, he doesn't know what he's up against."

They watched as Kichiro placed his hand on the glass around the sword.

"Oh, great Goddess, I have but one request..."

I have had enough of this.

Several beams of light shot from the glass, blinding all of the shinobi. A humanoid figure made of flames appeared where the sword had been.

"You mortals, why do you disturb my rest?" the figure exclaimed in a booming, feminine voice.

Although Ino could not see, she could sense the bodies around her. She took advantage of the brief moment Sakura was off guard to send her flying back and down off of the platform with a single kick. Hiroto was able to use his Byakugan to see the chakra of the being before them, but even he could not look at her for very long.

"Goddess!" Kichiro said, "I am blessed to be in your presence. I am here because I wish to request your power. I intend to renew this world, and I can only do so with your assistance. I ask that you lend me your strength so that I may carry out my mission."

The figure of fire looked at Kichiro for a moment.

"You...you smell," the figure said, "And you appear to be of the Land of Water. Though I reside in this land, I am not the one you should seek. In truth, I am not a Goddess, but a guardian of hers. I serve her and her alone. Also in truth, you are not worthy of even an ounce of the power I possess. Your arrogance offends me. Be gone."

The guardian swung her hand, and everyone on the platform flew off of it. The force of her swing made a large hole in the tower wall and, against his will, Kichiro exited through it. The other shinobi who flew from the platform fell downward into the dark, except for Tenten who had channeled all of the Goddess chakra within her into her feet.

"Please!" Tenten said, "We don't want to offend you. My mission isn't to use your power, actually, I want to help preserve it."

The guardian stared down at Tenten. Her flames became less intense, but Tenten still could not look at her directly.

"How shameful. You? Am I to believe a weak soul like you could protect anything that belongs to my Mother Goddess? Am I to believe that you have any sort of true power?"

"I can and I have," Tenten continued, "The Goddess of Fire's chakra is within me. But that's not all."

Tenten reached to retrieve the scroll with the burnt edges which held the Goddess of Fire's chakra.

"I've had this for a while now, and I think this might help me make my case."

She weaved hand signs slowly. Then, it emerged.

A fire dragon shot up from the scroll with a roar. It moved its massive body around the inner tower, and then rested its head on the platform.

"Please hear me," Tenten said, "I read that each of the other Goddesses have guardians and those guardians are responsible for watching over beasts made from Goddess chakra. I've held on to this one for months, but I think it's time I handed it over."

The fire dragon exhaled smoke and nudged Tenten's body affectionately. The guardian let several long seconds pass before she responded.

"This is not for me to care for," the guardian finally said, "This beast appears to be born of a jutsu that only required its limited use. It should have disappeared soon after it was used to attack an opponent. Not even a scroll should have been able to capture its essence and maintain it for so long. Only guardians tend to be able to hold on to such things."

Tenten gulped. She was not sure if the guardian was impressed or disgusted.

"My weapon actually absorbed it originally, then I sealed that weapon in a scroll and-...not that that matters."

"Hmm," the guardian said, "Well, mortal, perhaps you are not as weak as you appear. But there is only one way to know for certain if you truly are worthy."

The Goddess shrunk down to Tenten's size and took on Tenten's physical appearance.

"Battle me, and we shall see what type of being you truly are," the guardian said.

Tenten stood up, finally able to look directly at the guardian because she had taken on a form exactly like Tenten's. The guardian revealed the encased sacred sword and broke it out of the orange glass so that she could use it as a weapon.

Tenten jumped over to pick up the Goddess's shield that Yasu had used. She made the hand signs for the tenth rebirth jutsu before summoning her fiery staff once again. Tenten then absorbed all of the massive dragon's chakra into the staff. Finally, she was ready.

Wasting no time, Tenten and the guardian ran at each other with the intent to kill. When their weapons struck each other for the first time, the force of that strike disintegrated the tower walls completely. After they had destroyed the tower, the whole island became their battleground.