Chapter 9: Assault Pt. 1 – Plan of Attack
Kimimaro stood next to the edge of a pier near Tazuna's house. They arrived in the town yesterday. It was drizzling, but he could see that the rain was starting to pick up along with the waves becoming more and more agitated. To him, the rain brought about many things. It can be a sign of good fortune, a sign of mourning, or a sign of a disaster. Right now, there was this strange feeling in the back of his mind that something big was going to happen…something cataclysmic. The downpour made that feeling heavier. He closed his eyes and recalled how he ended up here in the first place. It wasn't long ago that his clan was wiped out during the Bloodline Purge back in the Land of Water. Although barbaric, the Kaguya Clan were still his family, and seeing them get slaughtered was painful for the bone-user. All his relatives were killed after they murdered the previous Water Daimyo. He was part of that assassination and if it weren't for Yoruichi saving him that day, he would've been executed with the remainder of his clan. Kimimaro owed a lot to the Shihōin. Much like his team-mate Hinata, he too wanted to change the ways of his clan. He understood that ninjas were meant to fight if need be, but wanton killings and pointless bloodshed was something he wanted to stop. Now in the Hidden Leaf, he has that chance for change…and he'll do anything to make it happen.
"What are you thinking?"
The Kaguya opened his eyes to see Haku standing beside him, gazing at the now raging waves. He sighed before letting out a smile and answered, "A lot of things."
"Oh?" the young shinobi expressed interest. "What would that be?"
"I think something big is coming," Kimimaro answered, his voice tinged with a bit of worry.
"I see. Is it about the upcoming attempt to overthrow the current Mizukage? You do know that with Lady Yoruichi helping the resistance, all hell would break loose."
"There is that. But there is something else that's been troubling me. Something tells me that somewhere down the line, a flood is coming."
The Yuki glanced at the Kaguya curiously. "A flood?"
"I don't know how to describe it, but I'm getting a feeling that the civil war in the Land of Water was just the start."
"I have to agree. I, too, have this nagging feeling that something terrible is coming." Haku then remembered why he was there in the first place. "By the way, I came here to tell you that Lady Yoruichi, Zabuza, and I are leaving for the Hidden Mist."
"Is that so? Well then, good luck. I hope that the Land of Water may change for the better."
"I hope so too." Haku and Kimimaro faced each other and held one another's forearm the same way they did previously. "It was good seeing you again, Kimimaro. I hope you revive your clan in the image you always wanted."
"Likewise, Haku. Until next time." As Haku left the bone-user to himself, Kimimaro muttered, "I know you're there, Lady Yoruichi."
The image of the female soul reaper flickered into existence right before the Kaguya's eyes. "You're becoming more and more perceptive, Kimimaro. Even if I don't have chakra, you can still detect my presence."
"That's because you purposefully made yourself known," the young man answered sarcastically.
"True. It also seems that your social skills are improving," she commented while slowly approaching the boy. "It's good that you're already interacting with people around you, even if just a little."
"Thank you, milady."
"Please," the female groaned. "Drop the honorifics. Even if I'm at least three hundred and fifty years old, you're still making me feel like an old lady."
Kimimaro couldn't help but chuckle at the comment.
The sight of the young bone-user chuckling made Yoruichi glad that the boy was displaying some emotion after the events that happened in his past. "It was a good choice of putting him in a genin team." Her expression then changed to a more serious one. "How are you feeling, Kimimaro?"
The Kaguya understood what his sensei asked and promptly answered. "I feel fine, milady. There are still some fits of coughing from time to time, but compared to before, I feel a lot better now."
"Are you still taking the medicine Kisuke gave you?"
"Yes, I do."
"That's good to know. Wait a little longer, Kimimaro. We will get Tsunade or an associate of mine who's a medical expert to look at your condition. We will get you cured, one way or another."
Ever since he could remember, no one has ever treated him as anything more than a weapon. His clan, although family, viewed him as someone expendable. When the trio of soul reapers found him, it was the first time he was treated as anything other than a tool. When they found out he was sick with an unknown disease, they did everything they could to lessen his pain. For the first time, Kimimaro felt an emotion he has yet to feel…acceptance. "Thank you, Lady Yoruichi," he said as a small tear rolled down his cheek.
"Now remember team, you are to follow Kakashi's orders from here on out until I get back. Kimimaro will be a team leader as usual."
Yoruichi had been barking out orders and instructions for a good ten minutes to make sure that whatever she said will be drilled into the heads of her genins. Judging by how attentive the three were, she knew she was getting her point across.
"Yoruichi-sensei?" the timid Hyūga called.
"Yes, Hinata?"
"When will you be back?"
"I'll be gone by a week at most. Until then, you will train. Naruto!"
"Yes, sensei!?" the blonde exclaimed in fright.
Yoruichi saw this and gave the blonde a curious expression. "What's the matter, Naruto?"
"N-Nothing sensei," Naruto replied sheepishly.
"Okay. During the week, you will meditate."
"Meditate?" the jinchūriki questioned in confusion.
"You will spend most of the week meditating. It is one of the ways to communicate with your zanpakūto."
"Why do I have to communicate with my zanpakūto, Yoruichi-sensei?"
"That's a good question. The zanpakūto is the representation of yourself, not just a mere extension. The more you communicate with the weapon's spirit, the more you'll understand not just your weapon, but yourself as a whole."
"You said that meditation is just one way of communicating with my zanpakūto. What's the other?"
The Shihōin heiress grinned before answering. "Simple. It's fighting."
Curiously, Naruto asked, "How is fighting a way of communicating with my weapon?"
"No person fights the same way, Naruto. Even if you were taught by Kisuke, Yūgao, and Hayate, it doesn't mean that you strike or swing your sword the way they do. The same applies to Hinata and Kimimaro. I may have taught the three of you how to fight, all three of you fight differently. Do you get where I'm getting at?"
Naruto pondered on Yoruichi's words before finally understanding. "I think I get it, Yoruichi-sensei. When we fight, we express ourselves. Each swing, each strike, and each thrust contains all our goals, desires, and intentions. We pour all of those things I mentioned in battle, and in turn, communicate who we are to our opponents." Naruto looked at his sheathed sword before adding, "And since my zanpakūto is a reflection of myself, it feels the joy that it can express itself."
To say Yoruichi was impressed would be an understatement. For one so young to understand the bond between the sword and the wielder. She wasn't just impressed, she was proud. "Very good, Naruto. Not everyone can comprehend the bond shared by the soul reaper and the sword spirit, but for you to understand at such a young age is a feat all on its own. Be proud of yourself, Naruto." Before leaving, the female soul reaper ruffled the head of her genins and bid them goodbye.
"Took you long enough," Zabuza grunted when the Shihōin heiress emerged from the bridge builder's house.
"Don't get your bandages in a bunch, Zabuza. We'll be there in no time, just don't throw up when we get there."
A vein popped on Zabuza's at that little jab. He really can't do anything to her even if he tried and instantaneous travel makes him nauseous. So, the only thing he did was to suck it up. This in turn made Haku chuckle before being silenced by a hard glare from his father-figure.
"Just make sure we get there in one piece," barked the Mist rogue.
"I'll do what I can," the former division captain teased. "Grab onto my shoulder." As the two rebels put their hand on Yoruichi, the female soul reaper asked one final question. "Is the rebel base still located in the same area?"
"Yeah," Zabuza replied. "Mei's been giving me updates while I was on the run. They recently sent me a message that everyone in the rebellion is preparing for an all-out assault on Yagura's stronghold."
"This is going to be exciting," Yoruichi remarked with a wide grin on her face that sent chills down Zabuza and Haku's spines. They knew from their last encounter with the female soul reaper that once she smiles like that, it's going to be bad news for anyone that gets in her way. "Hold on tight!"
In a flash, they disappeared.
A small patrol of rebel Mist ninjas was doing their rounds guarding the hidden rebel base. Ever since the start of the revolution, the forces loyal to the current Mizukage have been staging attacks on the opposition. Three bases have already fallen to these attacks and the one being guarded by the mentioned group is the final stronghold. So far, none have found its exact location.
The leading ninja in the patrol felt something off like an object was fast-approaching at incredible speeds. "Something's coming guys. Keep your guard up," he warned.
Right on cue, three people flickered into existence right before them. They immediately recognized one of them to be Zabuza Momochi. They guessed that the young man with him must be his apprentice, Haku. The third, however, was someone they never met before. The person was a dark-skinned woman wearing an orange jacket and black pants.
"Zabuza! It's good to see you," said the patrol leader.
"It's good to be back!" exclaimed the Mist swordsman.
"Lady Mei will be expecting you."
"I know she will, and I'm more than confident that she's going to like the news I have for her."
"Any information that will help the rebellion will surely be accepted by our leader." The patrol leader then looked towards Yoruichi's direction, taking an entire minute of admiring the woman before snapping back into reality and asked, "Who is this woman, Zabuza?"
"This is Yoruichi Shihōin. She'll help us overthrow Yagura from his position and end this damn civil war."
"I see. Please, let us escort you to our hideout."
"Lead the way then."
The travel to the hideout didn't take too long for them to reach. From a distance, all anyone can see is a waterfall. There are multiple layers of genjūtsu that are hiding the actual stronghold. When they went inside, there were hundreds of rebel shinobi preparing for the upcoming assault to take the village.
They were led to the meeting chambers where the rebel force's leader, Mei Terumi, was discussing the final plans with her trusted advisor, Aō, along with her generals.
"Lady Mei. Zabuza Momochi has just arrived with crucial information. He has also brought someone who will help us take down the current Mizukage."
The meeting was stopped for a moment to recognize the presence of the three newcomers. All eyes were then diverted towards Zabuza, Haku, and mostly Yoruichi since she was an unknown individual.
"Welcome back, Zabuza," Mei greeted the Demon of the Mist.
"Thanks, Mei," replied Zabuza.
"Hello Haku," this time, the redhead rebel leader called the young apprentice.
"Lady Mei," Haku replied with a bow.
"And who are you?" Mei asked the former captain with a slight tone.
The tone didn't escape Yoruichi's ears and merely let out a mischievous smirk. She knew the reason behind it since she was a woman and decided to push the redhead's buttons later. "My name is Yoruichi Shihōin. I have some important information you might want to hear out first."
Mei looked towards Zabuza for confirmation and received a nod. "Okay then, please join us at the conference table." After convening back at the meeting hall, Mei asked the new arrivals the most important question, "So, what is this information you three have for me?"
"The Mizukage is currently under a powerful genjūtsu that even jinchūriki are vulnerable…and I know who is behind it," Yoruichi answered without a second thought.
The entire conference went silent, trying to comprehend this new piece of information. "That is quite a claim," remarked one of the rebel generals. "Do you have any proof of this?"
"I do," the former captain replied before lazily adding, "…but I don't have it."
"WHAT!?" one general shouted. "You come here claiming that the Mizukage is under some genjūtsu but don't show any proof of it!?"
Yoruichi raised her hand, effectively silencing the angry man. "I don't have it, true, but it doesn't mean I can't show it." She then reached into her pocket and pulled out a device and placed it on the conference table. The said device flickered to life and projected a screen with a man with blonde hair in a bucket hat.
"Is this thing on?" the man on the screen said trying to fix himself, making Yoruichi slap her forehead with her hand. "My name is Kisuke Urahara and I'll be giving you all the details regarding the circumstances behind the Mizukage's madness as well as our mysterious enemy."
Most of the people in the conference hall, excluding Yoruichi, were somewhat curious about the little device. They have never seen anything like it before and were amazed that it can project images of people.
Deciding that the intel was worth more than the device, Mei coughed to get the attention of her subordinates before acknowledging the man on the screen. "Greeting mister Kisuke. I'm Mei Terumi of the Mist Rebel Force."
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Mei," Kisuke replied.
"Likewise. Now, what can you tell me about the Mizukage being under a genjūtsu?"
"As you have observed during the events leading up to the Bloodline Purge and the civil war, Yagura Karatachi has behaved strangely. All of you served under him in the past and based on what Zabuza has told Yoruichi, you had great respect for the man before his eventual madness. Am I correct?"
Everyone in the room concurred with the words of the blonde man on the screen. Yagura was a just man and a good leader they all respected. To see his behavior was a puzzle they could never figure out. "That is true. We did respect Yagura before the purge. Still, how does this relate to anything?"
"His behavior change is the result of post-hypnotic suggestions. This wasn't done overnight, but gradually over time. His status as a jinchūriki made it difficult for the perpetrator to cast the genjūtsu so he had to do it regularly until the Fourth Mizukage was completely under his control.
"Based on my research, there are only three methods to subdue a tailed beast or a jinchūriki. The first one is the Wood Style unique only to the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, Hashirama Senju. The next would be the Adamantium Chakra Chains of the Uzumaki Clan. Finally, the other method is the Sharingan of the Uchiha. Since no other Senju has exhibited the Wood Style and there is only a handful of Uzumakis left and not to mention rarity with the said ability, that leaves only the last method to be the most logical reason."
"So, what you're saying is that an Uchiha is responsible for Yagura's change as well as the Bloodline Purges?" Mei asked, eager for this precious piece of intel.
"Yes," Kisuke answered. "And I have a name to our mystery Uchiha."
"Well don't keep us waiting! Spit it out!" yelled the rebel leader.
"The man responsible is Madara Uchiha."
Silence.
Everyone was quiet once the dreaded name was said. They all knew who this man was and his exploits during the founding of the shinobi villages and the first war. He was a legend and a feared man whose power rivals that of Hashirama Senju.
"Are you sure about this?" Mei asked with fear in her voice.
"Positive," the soul reaper answered. "For years, he has been manipulating the Fourth Mizukage using a powerful genjūtsu conjured by his Mangekyō Sharingan."
"This…is a whole new development for the resistance. If what you said is true, then we would be at the losing end of this conflict."
"Not quite."
The redhead looked to the screen in confusion. "What?"
"There is a way to break Yagura from his hypnosis. However, he needs to be taken down for that to work. This is where Yoruichi comes in."
"Please, continue."
"Of course. Yoruichi will fight Yagura Karatachi alone."
"Are you serious?" Mei asked in disbelief. "I'm the strongest fighter in the whole rebel alliance and even I can't beat Yagura."
Kisuke smiled at everyone. They were underestimating Yoruichi of all people. Oh, how he's going to love their reaction once his fellow soul reaper lets loose. "She'll put on a show for you once she goes all out. Trust me, none of you would want to be at the receiving end of anything she dishes out."
"You shouldn't underestimate her, Mei," Zabuza remarked causing everyone to look in his direction. "I fought her once and I never even got a hit on her."
"You vouch for her skill, Zabuza?" Aō asked, still hesitant about the proposal.
"I do," the bandaged Mist swordsman answered. "She beat me without me seeing her movements. It felt like I was fighting the Yellow Flash of the Hidden Leaf."
"She's that good?" Mei inquired.
"She is," Kisuke's image on-screen answered. "From where we come from, we called her the 'Goddess of Flash'."
Mei thought hard about this. She didn't even know if what this Kisuke character is saying is true. Yagura being under a genjūtsu was plausible, but for someone to take on a jinchūriki alone is suicide…especially a perfect one. The title of "Goddess of Flash" sounds exaggerated, but since Zabuza vouches for Yoruichi then there's merit in her skill. There wasn't any other choice. This assault on the village to overthrow Yagura is all or nothing and the alliance needed all the help it can get.
"There is a catch in this, isn't there?" the redhead asked the blonde on the screen.
"Perceptive," Kisuke remarked with a smirk. "There is. My conditions are simple and easy to fulfill."
"Name them."
"The first is a business proposal. I'm a businessman and an inventor at heart. I make high tech devices that could be useful for your forces…this projector is an example. All I ask is permission to establish a store in your village once you manage to overthrow the Fourth Mizukage and things stabilize."
"That sounds reasonable," Aō commented getting a nod from his superior.
"That it is," Mei remarked. "You said conditions. What else do you want?" she asked Kisuke.
"This concerns Yagura."
"Go on," Mei urged the blonde.
"Once the current Mizukage is broken free from his hypnosis, he needs to undergo mental therapy. The strain such a genjūtsu can do to an individual isn't that severe, but since he was subjected to it for years, it's best to hand him over to us so we can help him recover."
"What makes you think we will just give him to you?" one random general questioned.
"That's an easy question to answer. You can't cure the damage the genjūtsu has on his mind. I, however, know of people who can help him. People who are pretty much like Yagura."
"Are these people jinchūriki?" the rebel leader inquired.
"No, they aren't. They do, however, share the same condition as jinchūrikis."
"How do you know them? Can we even trust these people?"
"Yes, we can. Both Yoruichi and I have worked with these individuals in the past."
Again, Mei thought hard about these options. If one were to examine the blonde's conditions, they were all for the benefit of the rebel force. One would be stupid if they'll pass up such an offer. Still, some things need to be cleared but time is of the essence.
"These people…," Mei inquired, "…can we contact them once the rebellion is over?"
Kisuke tilted his head and smiled. "Of course. I know that once this problem is over, you'd want updates on Yagura's treatment. Their de facto leader, Shinji Hirako, will contact you once everything is settled. Until then, I wish you luck in your upcoming assault to retake the village." Before Kisuke disconnected his transmission, Mei called him for one final question.
"Why are you helping us?" the redhead asked.
The blonde's expression turned serious, which didn't go unnoticed in the assembly. "A flood is coming…and I'm offering you a place on the ark."
Routine rounds of the patrol were common near the outskirts of the Hidden Mist Village. With the ongoing civil war, the current Mizukage made sure that no rebel scum would try to cause trouble in his village. Ever since the last attack from the rebels, things have gone quiet for the shinobi loyal to Yagura. Most of the younger ninjas serving the Three-tails jinchūriki think that this was a good thing. The more experienced ones, however, knew that something was up. They knew that Mei wouldn't just give up so easily. It isn't in her character. If anything, they had a lingering suspicion that redhead was planning something big. Sadly, for them, their thoughts were proven correct as a thick fog slowly covered their vicinity.
"This is bad," said the patrol leader.
"You got that right," said a gruff voice within the mist.
Recognizing the voice, the leader called to his squad. "Prepare yourselves! It's Zabu-." He didn't get to finish when he felt something cold and metallic course through his throat. His head slid down his neck from a clean-cut and fell to the ground. His eyes were still wide open for his unfortunate team-mates to see.
"Fuck! We need to get out of here and warn the Mizu-." Again, another mist patrol shinobi got his head lopped off.
One by one, each member of the patrol team had their heads detached from their bodies. They dropped down to the ground and lay in the pool of their blood that was gushing from their throats.
When the mist finally cleared, Zabuza stood among the corpses holding the bloody weapon that was the Guillotine Sword. Reaching for his earpiece, he called the rest of the attack force. "All scouts and patrols eliminated. Phase 1 is now complete."
"Roger that, Zabuza. Phase 2 will now commence," replied the voice behind the communicator.
"Copy that." And with that, he flickered away to the Hidden Mist.
The Village Hidden in the Mist wasn't what it used to be before the war. With the conflict between the rebels and the loyalists, it was clear that the village as a whole would suffer, none more so than the civilians. The state of living for the common folk has plummeted during the Bloodline Purge and only worsened as the turmoil went on.
Yoruichi stood above the once prosperous village will a look of pity. She understood that sometimes, changes should be drastic. The only comfort she has right now is knowing that after all of this, things will get better.
"Come in, Yoruichi. This is Mei."
The soul reaper's thoughts were disturbed by a call from the redhead.
"This is Yoruichi," she replied.
"Phase 1 is now complete. Are the charges set at your end?"
"Copy. All charges have been placed and primed for detonation. Phase 2 is ready. All we need is the go signal from you."
"Then let's not waste time. Commence with Phase 2."
"Understood," Yoruichi answered before changing the channel of her communicator. "This is Yoruichi giving the signal for Phase 2. Blow them up."
Immediately, a series of massive explosions shook the unsuspecting village.
Everywhere Yagura looked, there was chaos.
The streets were filled with shinobi fighting fellow shinobi. Jūtsus were flying left and right, causing massive damage to the already destabilized village. The civilians were running around in a panic, trying their best to avoid the conflict raging on across the streets. It was absolute turmoil.
The rebel forces attacked strategic parts of the village vital to the mobilization of its forces. The charges placed by Yoruichi were in key structures such as the covert operations barracks, communications division headquarters, and finally the intelligence division office. Taking out these key places as well as striking in specific locations in the village ensured that the rebel force could deal the most damage to Yagura's troupes and let the civilians escape the ensuing conflict.
"What the heck is going on!?" Yagura yelled at his subordinates.
"Lord Mizukage, the rebel forces are attacking the village!"
"Quickly mobilize the troupes to suppress their advances! Get me communications division and intel office for details of the current situation!" the Mizukage ordered.
"Sir, the rebel forces took down both the coms division and intel office! Not only that but they've also taken out covert ops!"
"WHAT!?"
BOOM!
Everyone in Yagura's office looked towards the direction of the explosion to see pillars of steam and lava rise from the area in question.
"Damn it! Gather all available shinobis and mount a counter-offensive. Assemble my best men to fight Mei's squad. I want every rebel shinobi dead by the time this is over. Understood!?"
With a loud cry, all shinobi answered, "YES SIR!"
"What about you, Lord Mizukage?" one Mist ninja asked the furious jinchūriki.
Yagura unleashed a massive killer intent that was felt by everyone close to his proximity. Slowly, a bubble of red chakra engulfed his entire body. He grabbed his staff before replying to the shinobi.
"I'm going to make them regret stepping into the Bloody Mist."
"Goddamn these rebel scum!" a shinobi loyal to Yagura exclaimed as he cut down an enemy. "Why don't you just quit!? You're all going to die anyway!"
"We'd rather die fighting than live a life of being hunted," a young man's voice echoed through the battlefield. Suddenly, large mirrors made of ice encircled a group of twenty loyalists, creating a dome-like structure. "Even if we're killed trying, at least we fought our hardest. If we didn't, then the only other option is to lie down and die." The masked image of Haku appeared on the mirrors and began throwing ice needles at the trapped ninjas. Being trained in human anatomy, the young Ice Style user was proficient at aiming for the human body's vital spots with deadly accuracy. Utilizing these skills, he made quick work of his enemies.
Nearby, Zabuza was having a field day hacking and slashing away any enemy ninja that got in his way. Each strike and swing with his sword fed the said weapon with the blood of his victims…and he was enjoying it. "If things go like this onward, we'd be done in no time!"
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Master Zabuza," remarked Haku.
"I know," the sword wielder agreed, "It's just that it seems too easy. We've met some opposition but nothing anywhere near Yagura's top shinobi."
"Weren't you supposed to be part of that?" the boy jokingly asked.
"Most of the Seven Swordsmen were until Yagura went batshit crazy."
"How are things going, you two?"
Zabuza and Haku looked to see Mei holding an unconscious ninja by the collar of his shirt.
"So far we haven't met any of Yagura's elite shinobi. That said, I'd recommend being on guard for any surprises that little prick has in store for us."
And by some unfortunate luck, a massive wave of killing intent washed over the trio. The sensation was all too familiar. Its demonic and malevolent nature assured them that the person approaching was their intended target. "Yagura," they all thought at the same time.
The source of the power landed in front of them with his hooked staff in hand. Beside Yagura was his loyal elite shinobi. "What a surprise," the jinchūriki remarked in jest, "It must be my lucky day if the leader of the rebel force and the man who started this whole mess were presented to me in a silver platter like this by fate."
"Well…shit," was all Zabuza could say.
"Yagura," Mei called with venom in her voice. "This is the day your reign of cruelty ends!"
"My reign of cruelty?" the Mizukage questioned. "I did what was necessary to ensure the village would stay strong! If you want to blame anyone then blame the Kaguya Clan for killing the Water Daimyo! It gave me all the more reason to fear the power of people with bloodlines. I'm simply trying to extinguish potential threats that will harm the village in the future."
"Threats!? Only the Kaguya were threats!" Mei retorted. "The other clans would've happily helped you quell the situation with the daimyo! Instead of accepting our help, you ostracized us and went so much as too, hunt us down like animals!"
"BECAUSE YOU ARE ANIMALS!" Yagura yelled in fury. "Your kind killed the daimyo, destabilized the entire Land of Water, and massacred innocent people all in the name of power! What I did was simply a pre-emptive strike."
Mei remembered Kisuke's words. With how Yagura was talking, she did not doubt that her once just leader was truly under someone's control. The Three-tails container had the right intentions for his village, but his decisions and actions were not his own. "Yagura," the redhead asked with worry. "What happened to you?"
"Mei!" Zabuza called, quickly snapping the woman out of her concern-induced rant. "He isn't himself. If we want to save him from whoever is in control of him, then there's only one way to do it."
Mei couldn't help but agree. There were no options. They had to fight him to save him.
"Kill them," Yagura ordered with a cold voice. "Leave no survivors behind."
With weapons in hand, Yagura's forces charged at the rebel trio. Quickly, Mei went through a series of hand signs to perform a technique. "Lava Style: Molten Lake Jūtsu!" She slammed her hands onto the ground, turning the earth beneath the charging enemies into the lava. Some unlucky souls burned to death while most managed to escape.
One overzealous ninja tried to cut down Mei while she was recovering from performing her jūtsu but was cut down by Zabuza. "Water Style: Water Clone Jūtsu!" Five identical copies of Zabuza emerged from the ground, each with a copy of his massive sword. All clones charged at the incoming enemy ninjas to do battle with them. "Haku!" he called his apprentice, "You and the clones deal with those ninjas. Mei and I will face Yagura." This earned him a nod from the young Ice Style user before the boy headed straight to one of the enemies.
"You think you have what it takes to beat me?" Yagura mocked smugly.
"No," Zabuza casually replied. "It's not like you're going to let us go anyway."
Yagura disappeared from their view only to appear in front of the former Mist swordsman with a vicious swing of his staff. Zabuza managed to block the attack but the hooked end of the Mizukage's staff almost caught him in the eye. Mustering all his strength, he pushed away Yagura to deliver his attack. The human vessel ducked under the swing and latched the hooked part of his staff onto Zabuza's leg. With a strong pull, the bandaged shinobi got tossed into the air before crashing into a nearby house.
Mei lunged towards the distracted Mizukage for a sneak attack. Yagura caught wind of this and blocked. The redhead smirked before she exhaled a cloud of thick steam into Yagura's face.
"ARGH!" Yagura yelled due to the severe discomfort from the steam hitting his face. "I'm going to enjoy killing you!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it! Lava Style: Pyroclastic Breath Jūtsu!" Mei roared a torrent of lava heading towards Yagura.
The human vessel pointed his staff forward and drew a circle in mid-air. The action caused water to come out of his staff and formed a mirror. Mei's attack made a direct hit on the object but instead of shattering the thing, her lava attack was redirected back to her. Quickly, she jumped to the side in an attempt to avoid her technique, however, Yagura was already on her waiting for an opening. With a powerful swing, the rebel leader got a hit in the abdomen, breaking a few ribs and sending flying into a random wall. Not finished, Yagura weaved some hand signs and launched a high-speed water bullet in her direction. She barely managed to avoid the attack when jinchūriki was on to her again. Luckily, a large broadsword landed in front of the Mizukage. The weapon in question nearly cut him in half if he noticed any later.
After throwing the Guillotine Sword, the Demon of the Mist charged at Yagura while going through some hand signs. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jūtsu!" All the water in the vicinity gathered to conjure a massive water dragon that roared ferociously before lunging towards its casters target. Yagura wasn't able to erect a deflection mirror in time and took the brunt of the attack head-on, sending him crashing through the very same wall Mei was plastered before. Not yet done, he quickly grabbed his massive weapon and charged towards his adversary with Mei right behind him sporting a kunai. He coiled his hand back for a powerful strike. With all his might, he swung his sword down to Yagura.
CLANG!
The loud crash of metals echoed throughout the battlefield. Yagura managed to block Zabuza's powerful swing with his staff. He kicked his former subordinate in the gut, pushing Zabuza back a few feet. Regaining himself, the container of the Three-tails went through his series of hand signs. "Water Style: Water Vortex Jūtsu!" A massive vortex formed in front of Yagura and surged towards the enemy. Unfortunately, the jūtsu did not reach its target. A wall of lava intercepted the water vortex, stopping it in its tracks. Both men looked to where the molten wall come from and saw Mei panting heavily while clutching her sides. She was still reeling from Yagura's previous attacks.
"Nice save!" Zabuza remarked to his companion.
"Don't mention it," Mei replied.
Suddenly, the ground where Yagura was standing slowly froze. The water on the jinchūriki turned to ice, binding him to the ground. He tried to struggle but what bound him wasn't normal ice.
"Ice Style: Thousand Deathly Needles!"
All three looked up to see Haku on a rooftop manipulating thousands of water droplets and freezing them into needle-like icicles. With one motion of his hand, all ice needles rained down on Yagura. The target created a defection mirror with his staff, but it only deflected the attack from one direction. The rest of the needles still managed to hit their target, turning the Mizukage into a pincushion.
"I'm not done! Secret Ice Jūtsu: Demonic Crystal Mirrors!" Haku yelled as he summoned a dome of ice mirrors around the jinchūriki. Again, he conjured icicles, but this time they were much larger. "Secret Ice Jūtsu: Frozen Iron Maiden!" Said icicles dropped towards the ice dome and penetrated the structure. They all heard screams of agony from inside the ice dome. "Hurry!" the young Ice user called Mei and Zabuza. "FINISH HIM!"
Zabuza and Mei looked at each other and gave one another a smirk.
"Just like old times?" Mei asked.
"I thought you'd never ask," Zabuza replied.
In perfect synch, both elite shinobi weaved through a series of complicated hand signs. Their chakra gathering in their hands as their hand speed increased. In unison, both slammed their hands on the ground. "COMBINATION JŪTSU: RAGING LAHAR TORRENT!" they yelled together and summoned both water and lava. The two flowing torrents melded together to create a scorching hot muddy-like substance that sped towards the ice dome.
Haku released the ice structure to reveal a wounded Mizukage. Yagura saw the incoming attack and went wide-eyed. Bracing himself, he took on the full power of the combination attack and got swept away from the three, rebel shinobi.
Haku jumped from his perch and landed right next to his superiors. "Did we get him?" he asked.
"I hope so," Zabuza answered.
"Me too," Mei concurred. "I'm almost at my limit. If another fight breaks out, we won't make it out of here alive."
"Your right about that."
The three rebels felt a wave of malevolent killing intent wash over them. They looked towards the source and paled at the sight. From the rubble rose Yagura, badly beaten and burned from the last massive attack. However, he was covered in a chaotic bubbly red chakra that was slowly healing all his wounds.
"Too bad that last attack took almost all of your remaining chakra," the Mizukage said with a scowl indicating that he had enough. In a blur, he disappeared from view only to land a solid blow to Haku's stomach.
"ACK!" the boy grunted as the punch sent him twenty feet away.
"HAKU!" Zabuza cried out in worry after seeing his apprentice attacked. "DAMN YOU, YAGURA!" In a blind fury, he picked up his gigantic sword and headed straight for an attack on the now powered enemy. The effort proved to be futile as he was swatted away like a fly and landing next to Mei.
"Zabuza!" the redhead yelled before a hand began squeezing her throat. She winced in pain as her breath began to harden. Luckily out of nowhere, a pair of ice needles hit Yagura's hand, forcing him to let go.
It turns out Haku managed to recover from the punch he received. Unfortunately, it only infuriated the container of the Three-tails even more. In seconds, Yagura was onto the Ice user and kicked him. Haku was able to put his arms up to block the attack, but the force behind the kick was so strong that the bones in his forearm cracked.
"ARGH!" the boy yelled in agony while clutching his broken arm.
Yagura wasn't done though, as he grabbed a lock of hair on the boy and shoved a knee into his face. This left Haku with a bloody nose. The angered Mizukage then threw the unconscious boy towards the other two before weaving through a series of complicated fast-paced hand signs. "This is the end for you!" he cried in fury after finishing weaving the necessary hand signs. "Wind Style: Demonic Drilling Hurricane Jūtsu!" A massive vortex of highly dense raging winds powered by tailed beast chakra emerged from Yagura's hands. The attack tore through the area it passed through while making its way to its caster's target.
Mei watched as Yagura's wind attack made its way to her, Zabuza, and Haku. Her chakra reserves were depleted, so too, were Zabuza and Haku. The Mizukage, on the other hand, had just recovered from the most powerful attack they could come up with and is now revitalized by the beast inside of him.
"I guess this is it," she thought to herself. All hope was gone. The assault was a failure. Resigning to her inevitable fate, she clung to the two unconscious men and braced for certain doom.
"Binding Spell #81: Severing Void."
A transparent wall of energy appeared in front of Mei and the sleeping forms of Zabuza and Haku. The wind attack made an impact on the clear barrier and completely dissipated, leaving both her and Yagura wide-eyed at the strength of the barrier. They both looked to the caster and saw a dark-skinned purple-haired woman crossing her arms with a mischievous grin on her face. Said woman was standing on nothing but thin air.
"And who are you?" Yagura asked, clearly unpleased that he was denied the chance to kill the insurgents.
With a casual tone, the woman answered, "The name's Yoruichi Shihōin. Nice to meet ya'."
A/N: Hello everyone! I have to apologize for not posting a new chapter in the past three weeks. I still had a lot to juggle because of my work but now, I can honestly say that I've finished most of the things I'm supposed to do at school. With that, I'll try to post new chapters back to just once every week. By the way, I did promise that this chapter was supposed to feature an epic lash between Yagura and Yoruichi. Sadly, you'll see that fight in the next chapter.
When I first thought about this arc, I thought that the assault on the Hidden Mist would just take one chapter but I was wrong. The whole scenario surrounding the rebellion was just too long that I had to divide it into two. It was a necessity.
I've read in the latest comments that I shouldn't include Aizen in this storyline. Everyone reading should understand that this story takes place during the blank period after Kisuke, Yoruichi, and Tessai were banished. So it's clear from my set up that Aizen won't appear in this story. He'll get mentions, but nothing more than that.
As for those who asked why the noble families sealed the soul king, that will be explained in a coming chapter that will serve as a filler before the end of the Wave Arc.
Anyway, it feels good to post a new chapter after a long time and I can't wait to follow this up with my promise of the epic fight. As always, leave a review of the story. If you like it then drop a positive review and if you see anything worth mentioning just leave some constructive criticism.
Until next time.