Chapter Fourteen: The Forest of Death
The proctor assistant opened the gate to their entrance of the forest. Ren, Tayuya, and Haku readied themselves to move.
"All right brats!" Roared Anko. "The next phase of the chunin exams begins, NOW!"
Team thirteen and all the other participants rocketed into the forest and began their descent into its depths. As they traveled Ren pondered what he could possibly do about the coming events. He knew as strong as he was, he couldn't beat Orochimaru, not by a long shot. He figured the best course of action would be to get a hold of an earth scroll as soon as possible. Then try to locate team seven quickly. With team seven being so much stronger this time around, from the canon timeline. It wouldn't take them long to get the scroll they needed and make a straight shot for the tower. Hopefully, they could link up as a big group and make it to the tower together. While he knew even with all six of them, they still couldn't beat the snake sannin. Maybe, just maybe, they could do enough to escape. Before Orochimaru could get his hands on anyone, that was the hope at least. Granted, Ren knew to make t happen some serious strokes of luck would be needed. What else was new?
After a few more minutes of travel, they all stopped to plan their next move.
"Here's what I'm thinking, we grab the scroll we need and make to the tower as quickly as we can. Shouldn't be that hard, the only teams that pose any real threat to us. Is team seven and the team from Suna." Explained Ren. He didn't want to mention trying to find team seven. That would seem too suspicious and he knew Tayuya was more than smart enough to pick up on it. He had to play his real plans secretly after all.
"Team seven I understand, but why the team from Suna?" Questioned Haku from behind her mask.
"Because the redhead with the gourd is a jinchuriki like me, Naruto, and Fū."
"You're shitting me?" Tayuya wondered.
"I wish but I'm not. He's also mentally unstable, which only adds to the danger. I'd prefer to avoid him as much as possible. Dealing with him would be more trouble than it would be worth. In this stage of the exams." The Yamanaka stated.
"Agreed, then let's get moving and try to locate another team." Haku spoke.
"How do we know whatever team we find will have the scroll we need?" Tayuya questioned.
"We won't until we actually take whatever scroll they do have." Ren replied. "Just the nature of the game, not to mention. Having duplicates of the same scroll could prove handy. At the very least it would ensure less competition for the next round as well."
"How do you suggest finding another team in a timely manner?" Asked the ice wielder.
"I have just the thing for that." Ren retorted as he made a hand sign. With a burst of smoke suddenly six shadow clones of Ren had appeared. One of the biggest upsides of being a jinchuriki. Was the stupidly huge chakra reserves that came with it. It allowed Ren to perform techniques no genin otherwise would be able to due to the chakra requirements. As well as use techniques to a much greater extent, that otherwise wouldn't be possible. The shadow clone jutsu being one of them. Ren could spam shadow clones pretty reliably now. Not as much as Naruto of course but then again. Who the hell actually could?
"I'll send shadow clones out in various directions. If they locate someone, I'll automatically know. In the meantime, we'll keep moving and see if we can't find another team as well."
Haku and Tayuya nodded in agreement. With that settled, Ren sent his clones out in various directions. Then, team thirteen took off once more. After around forty minutes of further travel through the woods. Ren suddenly stopped in place upon receiving memories from one of his clones.
"What is it?" Inquired Haku.
"One of my clones found a team. Not far from here either, it's a team from Taki. Nothing special to note about them. They've stopped in order to set up a trap of sorts. If we make it there fast enough, we can catch them off guard. While they're still in the middle of setting things up. My clone observed from a distance, them deciding who would be the one to guard their scroll. My clone noticed they had an earth scroll."
"Perfect, let's get a move on." Chimed Tayuya.
They traveled through the forest for about ten minutes before coming up upon the target location. Creeping quietly through the trees, team thirteen spotted the other team. Just as the memories from his clone had shown. The genin team from Taki really was as generic-looking as they came. They were still setting up some kind of trap and were completely unaware. That they were being stalked by another team.
"How do you want to approach this?" Haku questioned.
"I have an idea." Ren replied after a few moments of thought. "Haku cover the area in a mist, as good as I am at doing now. You're still better than I am at it. Tayuya, watch the area just in case anyone else decides to show up. Haku keep me covered as I deal with these three."
"What exactly do you have planned?" Haku asked.
"If you're alright with it. I'd like to take a note out of Zabuza's playbook."
"Really?" Haku spoke with a raised eyebrow of curiosity from behind her mask. "Go ahead, I'm rather curious on just what you plan on doing?"
"Just a little good old-fashioned psychological warfare is all."
With the plan in place, everyone took their positions. Haku deployed the mist which covered the area thickly around the Taki genin team. Ren moved into position within the mist. He could hear the Taki genin move into formation and mutter to themselves about what was happening. Even if Ren couldn't see them, he could pinpoint exactly where they were. Just by the noise, they were all making. All the training he had done with Haku. Learning how to properly locate targets in non-visible environments was really paying off. It was time to start.
"Eight points. Eight vital points to the body." Ren's voice echoed around with a dark edge. As the mist became even thicker. He even began leaking out some of Isobu's killing intent for added emphasis. "Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. Now I wonder….. which one will I pick? Or perhaps I'll dispatch you in another manner? While you're not much, in the end. Prey is prey I suppose?" Ren could literally hear the sounds of the Taki genin beginning to shake in fear. He had them completely rattled now, good. He pulled down his mask and grabbed his ocarina.
Haku deployed the mist and waited to see what Ren was exactly planning. She was suddenly caught off guard. When she felt an inhuman wave of killing intent emanate in the area. She was momentarily shaken by it but quickly recovered. She quickly realized Ren must have been using the Sanbi for added effect, a smart move. Then she heard his little speech and realized what the Yamanaka had meant by taking a note out of her former teacher's book. It was actually rather impressive how he delivered it. For a moment Haku honestly thought Zabuza, had somehow returned from the dead. Then she heard music from within the mist.
Kokoro had no idea what was even happening at this point. She and her team had just been setting up traps. Hoping to catch another team and get their scroll. During the middle of it all, a sudden unnatural mist blanketed the area. That immediately put them on guard as they grouped together for protection. It was what came that truly scared the three of them. A chilling voice called out to them, from somewhere within the mist. Delivering a message that promised death and despair but that wasn't even the worst part. A wave of killing intent washed over the area, that froze them to the bone in fear. It didn't feel right, it didn't feel natural, it didn't feel human. What sort of monster had cornered them? Then they heard something she never would've expected. Music began to play throughout the mist.
But just like everything else with the situation something was very wrong. The music in question sounded dark, foreboding, and filled with woe. Then she something that somehow managed to unnerve her even more. Even with the thick mist, she could still see what it was a few yards in front of her on the ground.
It looked large black pool of liquid had suddenly appeared on the ground. Before Kokoro could even question where it had come from. It suddenly began to move around in its area like it was alive. Then suddenly a pair of red like demonic eyes appeared in the puddle. Then more and more, and more showed up. Until the puddle was filled with them. They all looked at Kokoro and her teammates who were also frozen at the sight. With the look of a ravenous predator, staring down its next meal. Then the puddle began to bubble and something began to rise from it. Growling and snarling as it did until fully formed in front of her and her teammates.
It towered over the Kokoro and her team like a wolf would a rabbit. Which was appropriate seeing how it looked like a gargantuan sized wolf. Only it was of a genuinely monstrous appearance. Its fur was as black as it could ever be, it dripped with some sort of black ichor. That darkened and seemingly poisoned the ground as it touched. Its head was as large as Kokoro's whole body and covered with dozens of red eyes. Its jaws were lined with a seemingly endless amount of razor-sharp looking teeth. Its mouth salivated, uncontrollably as the beast continued to stare down its apparent meal. Then the monster let out a howl an unearthly howl, a howl of a creature that shouldn't exist in the plane of the human world. No, the howl belonged to something that should only exist in the deepest bowels of hell itself.
If Kokoro and her team were already frightened, now they were completely petrified. None of them even registered they had since dropped their weapons out of fright. All three stood there quivering and shaking in their terror. Kokoro was oblivious to the fact she had begun to cry uncontrollably. Due to the massive sense of fear the situation had buried her in.
The beast then dug its paws into the ground and pulled its mouth into a snarl. As it let out a menacing growl. Then without warning, it charged and quickly closed the gap between itself and them. It opened its jaws and brought down its maw upon the Taki kunoichi and her teammates. Kokoro could only stand frozen in terror and let out a blood-curdling scream, as her world went black.
Ren ceased playing and put his mask back on and returned to Haku.
"Decided to use your ocarina, this time eh?" Haku mused as she ceased the mist and it began to disappear.
"I felt like changing it up a bit." Ren replied.
"We better go see the damage and collect what we came for." Tayuya cut in as she rejoined them.
Nodding in agreement, the three descended from the trees to the ground where the Taki team was. They approached them and saw all three were on the ground, eyes rolled into the back of their heads and foaming at the mouth.
"Holy shit, I think you killed them out of fear with your genjutsu." Tayuya remarked.
Ren dropped to a knee and did a quick check of the vitals on all three. "They're not dead, just unconscious. Though I highly doubt they're going to be an issue for anyone else in the exams after this." Ren searched them and found the earth scroll. He then pulled out the heaven scroll and a small storage scroll. He stored the other two scrolls in the storage scroll as extra security and placed it back in his pouch. "We have what we need, let's get moving. The sooner to the tower the better."
Nodding in agreement, the two kunoichis followed Ren through the forest. With Ren at the lead, he took a path that while it did lead in the general direction of the tower. It also took a bit of a long way about it. Ren was hoping he could find team seven in time and hopefully get to the tower together. They traveled for roughly another hour without a sign of anyone else.
"STOP!" Ren shouted as he noticed a massive whirlwind trying to intercept their path. The whole team paused in place, allowing the blast to pass by in front of them.
"My, my, you seem to be a sharp one?" An inquisitive female-like voice spoke.
"Oh shit." Was Ren's singular thought as he turned his head in the direction of the voice.
Wearing plain grey garbs with a black polo and pants underneath, a thick purple rope belt tied in a large knot behind the back, blue tomoe-shaped earrings, and shinobi sandals with bandages around the calves. With long black hair, wearing a Kusa headband, and wearing the face of a Kusa kunoichi.
Orochimaru, the snake sannin and arguably the most contemptible bastard in the whole series.
Ren immediately activated his Ketsuryūgan, drew KubiKiribocho, and assumed a fighting stance.
"So quick to fight already?" Orochimaru spoke in amusement.
"Oh spare me, I can tell by the presence you're giving off. Something isn't right about you. What the hell do you want!?" Ren growled out as Haku and Tayuya both took positions on either side of him.
Orochimaru chuckled at the whole display. "What do I want you ask? What I want is quite simple. I desire you Ren Yamanaka and those beautiful eyes of yours." Orochimaru finished with a seductive like tone and licked his lips with his snake-like tongue.
Ren couldn't help but have a shiver of disgust run through him at the sight. He had a feeling that was going to be a very common reaction for some time.
"Now then, shall we begin?" Orochimaru spoke playfully, as he then emanated his killing intent.
The Killing intent hit them and all three froze in place and a cold broke out on all of them. Even Tayuya despite having been around it enough back in Oto. Haku while familiar with the intense killing intent Zabuza gave off. What she was feeling right now, far exceeded that. Ren meanwhile being able to give off the Isobu's killing intent. There was a huge difference in giving it off and receiving it. Being on the receiving end of such monstrous killing intent. Was like having a clamp firmly on his throat.
Orochimaru then summoned a large snake. "Let's see how good of prey you are?" The snake lunged forward at them, ready to strike.
"Move…move…I have to MOVE!" Ren roared mentally, snapping himself out of his stiffness. The snake sannin's killing intent caused. He moved forward to intercept the massive snake. He moved to the side avoiding the snakes' strike. As he did he quickly brought his blade down and with a single swift swing. He decapitated it cleanly, as the head detached and the body wriggled in death spasm's the snake's blood pooled heavily all around.
"Impressive, how easily you handled my snake." Orochimaru spoke a smile on his face.
"Phrasing!" Ren retorted.
Orochimaru smirked and charged forward at a speed, Ren could barely track. Even then he knew the snake sannin was simply playing with him. He swung KubiKiribocho, Orochimaru easily dodged to the side. Ren tried to bring his blade back around. However, he was stopped mid-motion, when Orochimaru grabbed one of his arms. Not wanting to waste any time, Ren released his free hand from his blade's hilt and went through one-handed hand signs. Focused his chakra a bit and slammed his foot into the snake blood that was all around.
"Water Release: Thousand Needles of Death!" Ren cried out as his dojutsu allowed him to utilize the snake blood for a water jutsu seamlessly. A massive amount of blood needles circled Orochimaru before descending rapidly. The was a huge explosion of crimson liquid. Once it settled, Orochimaru was a distance away having avoided the strike.
"So the blood controlling properties of the Ketsuryūgan, are true then. Excellent, show me what else you can do boy." Orochimaru hissed in enjoyment. The snake sannin suddenly jumped back to avoid a flurry of senbon. Haku and Tayuya rejoined Ren.
"Apologize for the delay Ren." Spoke Haku.
"Me and ice queen weren't expecting such killing intent." Tayuya cut in.
"It's fine but we have our work cut out for us with this one. This isn't a fight we can win, our only hope is to try and escape." The mocha-skinned blond stated.
"Tayuya is playing her role just like she needs to." Thought the snake sannin. "I've no interest in you two I'm afraid. The boy is my only focus, though I suppose you'll just be in my way. As I try to have my fun with him, so I'll just dispose of you now." Orochimaru spoke with a threatening edge. The snake sannin then took off at a speed not even Kakashi with his Sharingan would have been able to properly track.
Haku never even saw Orochimaru move in the slightest before a fist unceremoniously hit her in the gut. Her eyes bulged from behind her mask, her mouth opened agape, a choking like noise escaping from it. She flew through the air from the force of the punch before crashing into a tree trunk. A crunch like sound could be heard from the collision. Haku's body fell to the floor, unmoving, an indent left in the tree trunk from the force of the crash.
"Haku!" Ren yelled but before he could do anything. A kick planted in his chest, tossing him back and crashing across the ground.
"I'll get back to you in a moment." Orochimaru said teasingly before looking towards Tayuya. "First, I need to deal with you." Orochimaru said with narrowed eyes.
Tayuya didn't even have the slightest chance of trying to escape before a foot collided with her chin. Knocking her into the air but before she could fly too far. Something grabbed her by the foot and slammed her into the ground harshly. Before she even fully realized what was happening, a fist struck her dead on in the center of the chest. Her eyes widened and she coughed uncontrollably from the hit. She could feel what was no doubt blood sputter slightly from her mouth as she coughed. She could only lay helplessly on the ground as Orochimaru stood over her with a twisted grin.
Then Orochimaru's mouth opened and a snake appeared. The snake's mouth then opened and a sword appeared that Orochimaru took a hold of. It was the sword of Kusanagi. "I wonder just how much the boy desires to keep her safe?" Orochimaru thought in amusement as he raised the blade to strike.
Tayuya could only look on in horror at the fact her master apparently had no qualms about killing her for the sake of testing Ren. Before she or even Orochimaru knew what was happening. A three-pronged kunai with a seal written on it suddenly appeared next to them. Ren then suddenly appeared, already swinging his sword at the snake sannin.
Orochimaru caught by surprise only just managed to bring up his own sword to block the hit. The snake sannin jumped back a fair distance to examine what had just happened.
"Re…Ren…" Tayuya weakly spoke.
Ren looked at Haku and Tayuya's beaten forms, his blood boiling at the sight. Of people, he cared for being in such a state. Even Isobu was growling in fury from it all.
"Try not to speak too much Tayuya." Said Ren, trying to keep himself in control. "If you can, tend to Haku. I'll do what I can with this one."
"Ren…you can't….you can't win." Tayuya tried to argue.
"True enough but I'm not being given a choice in this matter by the looks of it. Just stay back, I don't want you two getting hurt anymore for me."
"I don't want to see you get hurt anymore for me." Tayuya replied in a whisper that only Ren could hear.
"I know." The Yamanaka replied in an equally quiet whisper before turning to face Orochimaru. Tayuya gently pulled herself up and made her way to Haku.
Orochimaru, ignoring his undercover subordinate, putting his full focus on the Yamanaka boy in front of him. A grin of pleasurable satisfaction crossed his face as he realized what the boy had done earlier.
"That kunai, and the speed that you suddenly moved with. You've somehow managed to achieve usage of Hiraishin, haven't you?" The snake sannin began laughing in delight. "Yes that without a doubt settles it, I will have you. I don't care if the Sanbi poses a risk, I'll find a way to deal with it. Your eyes, your body, they shall become mine to use for my desires and pleasures. Whether as my servant or my next vessel I will have that body one way or another."
"Fucking kami, you're all sorts of sick in the head." Ren growled. "If you want me so badly, then come and catch me." He then sped off to take the battle away from his teammates.
"Oh, I very much intend to little boy." Orochimaru spoke to himself, with a lick of his lips. As he then took off to follow the Yamanaka. Orochimaru quickly caught up with the mocha-skinned blond. He brought Kusanagi around and swung at the boy. Ren replied and brought his own sword around and blocked the snake sannin's sword. They were blade locked with one another when suddenly a three-pronged kunai landed right behind Orochimaru. Then another Ren was right behind the sannin with his sword strapped to his back. This Ren thrust a hand forward right against Orochimaru's back.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!" Ren yelled as lightning chakra launched from his hand right into Orochimaru. The Ren blade locked with Orochimaru disappeared, it having been a shadow clone. The lightning engulfed the sannin who let out a yell of pain. As the lightning took the shape of a dog and carried Orochimaru a distance away before slamming into the ground with a large blast.
"Lightning Release: Feast of Lightning!" Ren released the jutsu not wanting to waste a potential opening. The bolts traveled at high speed and crashed into the spot. With another massive blast of lightning chakra. Ren then quickly reached into his tool pouch with both hands and pulled out multiple exploding kunai in each hand. The tags on these could blow out a decent sized room. He tossed them all at the blast zone. They exploded in a huge display and the blast shook the ground around the area. Ren then picked up his Hiraishin kunai on the ground and held it at the ready. He didn't think he had actually killed the snake sannin but he could hope…right?
The smoke disappeared to reveal a blast zone, with huge holes and scorched earth but no sign of Orochimaru. Suddenly arms jutted out of the ground faster than Ren could react to. They grabbed his wrist and squeezed hard enough forcing him to drop his kunai. Then slowly rising from the ground looking at the Yamanaka with a pleased look was Orochimaru.
"Such an impressive little display. You almost got me there for real I must admit." The sannin spoke.
"Goddammit, let me go!" Ren growled.
"I'm afraid I can't do that just yet." Orochimaru said before leaning his head towards Rens and whispering into the Yamanaka's ear. "First, I must give you a very special gift of mine." Orochimaru then pulled his head back and activated the Temporary Paralysis Technique. Effectively freezing Ren in place, helpless to do anything. The snake sannin then released his grip on Ren's wrist's, he then pulled the Yamanaka's mask down. He took a hand and cupped the boy's chin and took a good look at Ren's face. He smiled at Ren with the look of someone who had found someone they found very appealing. It sent a revolting feeling of disgust through Ren. Even more so since he was still unable to do anything. Orochimaru then made a hand sign, his fangs elongated. "Just so you know, my name is Orochimaru, a pleasure to meet you." He said, then he leaned in and bit into the right side of Ren's neck.
"GAAAHHHH!" Ren cried out in pain as the fangs sunk into his flesh. He then felt a horrible burning sensation at where he had been bitten. That then began to spread through his body.
Orochimaru pulled his head back to see what curse mark had taken root on the boy. "Oh, that is magnificent." He said in satisfaction. The mark that had appeared on the back right side of Ren's neck. It consisted of three slightly curved lines, which spread in a rip-like pattern. The Cursed Seal of Earth.
Ren continued to cry in pain as the curse mark took hold. The feeling of it all became too much and he blacked out, his body going limp. Orochimaru caught the now unconscious boy, he held him and inspected his work in sadistic glee. He stretched out his tongue and licked up the blood around the bite. In an almost sensual manner as then ran a hand through the Yamanaka's blond hair in an almost playful manner. "Oh yes, such a delectable boy, a handsome boy. You will be wonderful to have at my leisure in whatever form that takes."
Tayuya was looking over Haku, the ice user was still was out cold. Will probably continue to be too for quite some time. Though she seemed to suffer from some bone fractures that was about it. Tayuya was in much rougher shape, it hurt a bit to breathe, and moving around sucked currently. While she could still fight if she had to, she wouldn't be able to at her usual level. It would take at least a few days of rest before she had healed enough to fight at her usual level to some degree.
"You played your part well Tayuya, well done." Orochimaru spoke as he approached.
"Lord Orochimaru." Tayuya replied quickly as she bowed her head. Orochimaru laid the unconscious Ren next to her, she saw the curse mark that now adorned him. "It's done then."
"Yes, now only time will tell if he survives the process. Though if the boy has the strength, I think he possesses, he will survive." Orochimaru then took out and ate some chakra pills. "I'm going to deal with the Uchiha boy while I still have the time to. I leave this one in your care Tayuya." With that said the snake sannin disappeared.
Tayuya then looked to Ren once more. His body had broken out into a sweat and shifted painfully in his sleep. As the curse mark did its work. Tayuya's hands shook slightly and a tear rolled down her face. "I'm so sorry." She simply whispered.
Six hours had passed since then, Tayuya had moved Ren and Haku to a safe location. She could have carried them to the tower but she decided against it. Once Konoha learned of Orochimaru's presence, it wouldn't take long to find out where he had been up to. He had put one of his curse marks on the Yamanaka and supposedly the Uchiha. Ren was still going through the process of the curse making its way through his system. While he was still sweating and fidgeting in his unconscious state. His condition hadn't changed for the worse in any way. She suspected his tenant had something to do with that. She had no idea just how right she was.
Within Ren, Isobu was for a lack of better words, royally pissed. While the relationship between them hadn't been going on for very long. Isobu had genuinely come to care a great deal for the boy. To see him suffer in such a way at the hands of that treacherous snake. Was one of the few times the turtle became legitimately angry. The effects of the curse mark were spreading throughout Ren's system. While Isobu couldn't stop it, he could minimize whatever negative effects. Came with the initial implantation process of the damnable curse mark. While the Sanbi couldn't remove the mark. He could feel the corruptive influence of the snake within it. That however he was confident he could do something about. However, he would have to wait until the mark and Ren's body stabilized.
Tayuya continued to watch over teammates, as she did. All she could do was think to herself as she waited.
"This was all a part of the plan and yet, I feel terrible about it." Tayuya thought to herself as she was being eaten away by her own guilt. "Ren probably doesn't even have the slightest idea that I'm actually a spy. He sometimes acts way too nice to be a shinobi and yet he does so much for the sake of others. It's impossible to not like him for it." She thought about everything Ren had done for her since she came to Konoha. How he gave her a real place to call home. Became someone she could share her passion for music with. Someone who cared for her for who she was as a person. To the point of even risking his life without a second thought for her. At that thought, her guilt became even heavier. Not once but twice he had put himself in unavoidable danger for her.
What had she done in return? Lie and in essence betray him. He had done nothing to deserve it and she knew it. Her mind thought back to the encounter with Orochimaru. "I knew I had to keep up appearances and that meant getting knocked around by Lord Orochimaru. Even so though, if Ren hadn't stepped in when he did. I would've…I would've been killed. No doubts about it, I'm one of Lord Orochimaru's elite, one of his personal guard and yet he tried to kill me. As a means of testing Ren. If he had done so too, he wouldn't have cared at all." Her fists tightened as the weight of that became apparent. "Despite being brought up and made to believe I was one of his most valuable shinobi. He was gonna toss me aside, without a second thought. Regardless of all my service and loya-…am I even loyal to Oto anymore?"
She shook her head, the incident earlier had finally after some thought. Awakened her to the truth of things. Konoha was a place she wanted to truly belong to. It had more to do than just the independence and freedom she was granted. Without Lord Oro-… no it was just Orochimaru now, shadow looming over her constantly. It also had a lot to do with the people she had met. Haku, Ino, Naruto, Kairi, the rest of the rookies, and so many more. She had people here in Konoha who truly cared about her and wanted her to happy in her own ways. Nothing like that had ever existed in the slightest back in Oto for her.
She looked down at the still unconscious blond, the recent events had also made her realize something else. Just how much Ren meant to her, not just as a teammate or friend. But as something on a much deeper level, someone she could love. It was such a weird concept to her she had never felt such a thing before. Not to mention Oto wasn't exactly the kind of place that encouraged such things. Hell, she had spent the last month practically slamming her head against the wall, trying to figure it all out. It wasn't until now, seeing Ren in his current state and ache in her chest she felt from it. Did she finally come to realize and accept how she felt.
Even with that feeling put to the side. The fact was Ren, Haku, and everyone else had become the closest thing to a family she had ever had. Since she was a little girl living with her grandma. Konoha had become her home, a place she wanted to protect, a place she wanted to see prosper. She was gonna see that was precisely how things were going to be. She knew that would mean she would have to come about and reveal her now former loyalty to Oto. But that would have to wait until the time was right. Too soon and Orochimaru would become aware and have her dealt with. She would have to wait until it was almost the time of the planned invasion with Suna. Her information on that as well everything else she knew on Orochimaru and Oto. Would be at least be enough buy her a probation of sorts from the Hokage, she was sure of it. That would all have to wait till later. For now, she had to make sure Ren, Haku, and herself made it to the tower without any further trouble.
A few more hours had passed when Haku finally began to stir.
Haku began to stir with a groan, she tried to remember what had happened. All she could remember was this threatening Kusa shinobi who seemed far more dangerous than they should have been for a genin. They moved at a speed even she thought was impossible, then everything was blank. Went to sit up and sharp pain in her gut became apparent as she did.
"Ow, what exactly happened I wonder?" Haku muttered to herself.
"Ice queen you're awake!" Tayuya spoke, drawing the Yuki girls' attention to her. "You got punched so hard into you flew a tree trunk and left an imprint on it. You've been out cold ever since." Further explained the redhead.
Haku nodded and turned her head to see Ren unconscious. "What happened to Ren!?"
"That weird Kusa ninja did something to him. He has this weird mark on the back of the neck now. He's been out more or less as long as you have." Tayuya stated, then as if on cue. The Yamanaka began to stir.
Ren groaned a bit and opened his eyes groggily if he had to summarize his current condition. Well, he felt like shit. He sat up getting his bearings and remembering what happened. Orochimaru had attacked them and had been focused on him. He fought him or rather tried to at least and then…. Ren's drowsiness left him instantly as remembered the final bit of what happened. He reached for the back right of the neck nervously. He rubbed his fingertips around and then he felt it, the curse mark.
"Well, that's not good." He muttered.
"Ren?"
The mocha-skinned blond looked and noticed his teammates staring at him with concern. "How are you two doing?" He asked.
"Roughed up but ok more or less. The real question is, how are you doing?" Inquired Haku.
"About as well as one could hope to be. After receiving the world's weirdest and most un-wanted hickey. From a creepy pedophiliac snake person. How long have I been out for?"
"It's now the morning of the second day." Explained Tayuya.
"I see, let's take a moment to rest a bit more and eat and such, then let's make for the tower as quickly as we can." Ren suggested.
The other two nodded along, wanting to focus on getting through the test before they start worrying about other things. As they went about this, Ren was having some of his own thoughts about the recent turn of events.
"Great, I have goddamn curse mark. That's one thing I really could have gone without. I wonder why I didn't go bonkers upon waking up. Or have some weird-ass nightmare while the mark was settling into my system." The mocha-skinned blond thought to himself.
"I can explain that hatchling." Cut in Isobu.
"Alright shoot."
"While could not stop there spread of the mark. I was able to lessen its influence on your system. Hence why you didn't go crazy upon waking up or suffer any nightmares. From the marks corruptive influences for the moment anyway. I can only keep it's more corruptive properties at bay for so long. Though I think I have a means of ridding the mark of its corruptive properties entirely."
"I'm all ears, explain."
"In theory, due to our connection as bijuu and host. I should be able to use my own chakra and forcibly destroy the snake's personal influence within the mark. The mark itself would still be there and you would be able to draw upon its strength if you so choose."
"Though I wouldn't have to worry about the brainwashing like elements of the mark. Granted I might be susceptible to the rising of aggression and whatnot the mark still would bestow. This idea is worth trying Isobu, I refuse to allow myself to be enslaved by Orochimaru. Not without a fight anyway. Once we get to the tower, we can try your idea." Ren finished thinking, as he then stood up.
"Alright if you two are ready, I think it's time to head off to the tower. The sooner the better. It's unlikely we'll run into anyone near it trying to lay a trap while still this early in the competition." Ren mused, getting nods of agreement from the other two. Soon enough all three took off, as fast as they could. After an hour's hard run, they managed to make it to the tower without any further trouble. They entered the tower and Ren took out the storage scroll with the heaven and earth scroll inside it. He unrolled the two scrolls and tossed them on the floor, with a poof of smoke. A random leaf chunin greeted them and congratulated them on completing the second phase. They had the next few days of the remaining exam time to recover and relax in the provided rooms and so on. They were also informed they were only the second team to arrive. The Suna team had arrived on the first day. With all that handled, team thirteen went off to the spare rooms, Ren took one, while Haku and Tayuya took one right next to it.
Once Ren was settled into his room, which resembled a decent hotel room with a pair of twin beds. He decided it was time to see what Isobu's plan for dealing with the curse mark was.
"So what's the plan here Isobu?" Ren thought to his tenant.
"Simple in truth, I will use my chakra and essentially burn out the snake's presence within the seal." The Sanbi explained.
"Sounds fun, let's do this thing."
Ren then proceeded to lay on one of the beds. He also just on the safe said took a spare cloth, rolled it up. Then stuck it in his mouth to avoid accidentally biting his tongue and so on. He was confident Isobu's plan would work and also pretty sure it was gonna hurt like hell.
"Alright Isobu, I'm ready to rock on my end."
"Very well, I'm beginning."
Nothing happened at first but then he felt an intense burning from the mark. As Isobu's chakra went to work on it. Ren bit down on the cloth and his whole body tensed and broke out into a sweat. He gritted and growled through the pain with the cloth in his mouth as the process continued. The process lasted a good fifteen minutes. By the end of it, Ren had sweated through his clothes and was breathing deeply but the process had been a success. Isobu had informed him.
"Good job Isobu." Ren thought to his tenant after regaining his bearings. "Will this work for others with curse marks?"
"No hatchling, this only worked for you because of our unique connection. Trying it on anyone else would likely prove far too straining on their body."
"Damn, that's unfortunate but understandable." Ren thought before he then cut off the mental link and stood up from the bed and headed to the bathroom. He really needed a shower.
While Ren had been dealing with his business. His two teammates were dealing with some business of their own. Tayuya was getting dressed in some casual clothes after getting out of the shower, Haku had already showered and dressed before her. After getting fully dressed she sat on her respective bed. She thought about her recent discovered feeling for a certain blond. Which also in turn made her think about the ice wielding kunoichi across from her. Tayuya wasn't completely clueless, she saw some of the looks Haku tossed at Ren on occasion. She knew exactly what it meant. She figured now was as good as time as any to address it.
"Hey Haku, can I ask you something?" Inquired the redhead.
This got an eyebrow raise from the Yuki girl, mostly because Tayuya used her real name for a change. "By all means Tayuya, ask."
"Do you like Ren?" Tayuya asked. "Like as someone you could love on a personal level?"
Haku was caught off guard by the question but didn't let it show. She quickly concluded why the redhead would ask such a thing. "To answer your question, yes I do. I can only imagine you're asking me this is because you also feel the same way towards him?" Haku questioned in return.
"Yeah, I do." Tayuya replied without missing a beat.
"Then I suppose we should discuss this a bit then?" The ice user mused.
"Look Haku." Tayuya began looking directly at the Yuki. "Let's just set up a plan of sorts here. You like Ren and so do I. However, all the crazy bullshit that is the chunin exams currently is. Would be a terrible time to really dig into all this. So let me propose this, we let the exams play out, and once they're over with. You, me, and Ren all have a nice private sit down chat. And we go about putting all our feeling out in front of one another and talk it out. By the end of it all, we'll see where it takes us. How's that sound to you?"
Haku thought about the suggestion in silence for a few moments before nodding her head. "Very well, however, I have one condition to this agreement."
"Name it."
"No matter what, still friends." Haku replied with a small smile and extended her hand.
Tayuya gave a small smirk in response. "Deal ice queen." She spoke as she then shook hands with Haku.
The next few days were spent by team thirteen simply relaxing and recovering as much as possible before whatever came next in the exams. Gradually more and more teams filed into the tower. Ren didn't catch all of the ones that arrived, but he did see a few. Kasumi's team had made it on the third day. Ino's team had arrived late on the third day. Hinata's team arrived late on the second day. He greeted them as he caught their arrival. He made sure to keep his mark hidden from view, no need to dig into that until needed. Though he had explained what Isobu had done, to Haku and Tayuya. Both were rather relieved at that news. It wasn't until late into the fourth day. Before the final morning before the next phase started did team seven arrive. They all looked pretty damn rough needless to say. After talking with Iruka who had appeared from the scrolls. Ren went down to greet them.
"Ren!" Cried out Naruto at his fellow blond.
"You've been here a while at the tower, from what I can tell." Sasuke mused.
"Hi Ren, glad to see you made it." Sakura spoke a bit sheepishly.
"Good to see you all here on time. I got here about midday on the second day. Surprisingly, seeing how my team had some real bad trouble on the first day." Ren explained.
"Like what? Hard to imagine your team having such trouble." Questioned Sasuke.
"Orochimaru." Was the Yamanaka's simple response. He noticed all of team seven stiffen up at the name. "You had an unfortunate run-in with him too then. What happened?" Ren questioned, looking to Sasuke. Knowing that he must have gotten a curse mark as well.
"It's hard to explain exactly but…" Sakura said as she then turned her body slightly. Ren's jaw would have hit the floor, if not for his mask. Sitting there on the back right of Sakura's neck. Was a seal that consisted of three tomoe. The Cursed Mark of Heaven.
"It happened towards the end of the first day…" Sasuke said beginning the story.
Sasuke couldn't believe what was happening right now. This creepy Kusa ninja showed up and attacked them all. Despite their best efforts working as a team, they couldn't do any kind of real damage. It was quite obvious whoever this person was, they were plaything with them all. They also had a very creepy obsession with him. Naruto had been knocked unconscious and now he and Sakura had been cornered. Tired, beaten, and barely able to do much of anything.
"You've done well Sasuke." Spoke the Kusa ninja. "As expected of one, I've had my eye on for so long. Now then, allow me to bestow you a very special gift." The Kusa ninja made a hand sign, fangs sprouted from their mouth. Their neck stretched out and their headshot forward at an incredible speed. Aiming directly for Sasuke.
Sasuke tried to move but didn't have the leg strength to possibly move out the way quickly enough. As the bizarre attack neared him something happened he didn't expect. He suddenly found himself knocked away by Sakura. Who had found what little strength and will she had to shove Sasuke out of the way with her shoulder. Unfortunately, there was no hope for her to escape or for the attacker to stop their strike in time. Sakura screamed in pain as the fangs pierced her flesh at the neck.
"Foolish girl!" Said the Kusa ninja in anger as they pulled away. "Do you have any idea what you have done!?" Suddenly the Kusa ninja's anger was replaced with curiosity. "Well now, this's an unexpected turn of events. To think you would garner the cursed mark of heaven. Perhaps, you'll prove to be of some use to me? If you survive the initial process that is." The Kusa ninja then turned to leave. "The leaf will undoubtedly be on my trail by now, so I must take my leave. My name is Orochimaru, I will be seeing you again Sasuke. Hopefully, I will see your pink-haired friend as well. That mark is so rarely seen, after all, it would be a shame if it went to waste." With that said, Orochimaru disappeared.
"After that, Sakura collapsed and I had to drag her and a still unconscious Naruto away. About a day later, they were both still out cold, when that sound genin team attacked. I was holding my own pretty well when Sakura awoke. With this dark chakra aura and these marking covering half her body. She was completely out of it too. She proceeded to dismantle the sound team all by herself. She even broke both arms on one of them, it was starting to get out of hand. I had to literally slap her back into her senses, the sound team then retreated. Naruto awoke not long after and we took some time to recover and then headed out. We searched around and eventually found another team with the scroll we needed. Then we came here." Sasuke finished explaining.
"Damn that's nuts." Ren replied. "Well before you start asking, let me show you what happened with my run-in with that snake faced bastard." Ren turned his body and showed his own curse seal. Much to the shock of team seven, before they could start any sort of tangent. Ren held up a hand to silence them. "Look you guys are tired and beat right now. Nothing can be done further about the curse mark situation. I'm sure though, our jonin-sensei's will have something to say to us about when we see them again. For now, just focus on getting what rest you can before the next round starts tomorrow."
"Alright then." Spoke up Naruto, after an awkward pause of silence between them all. Team seven then walked off.
"Things just keep getting more interesting." Ren muttered to himself.
The next day team thirteen was geared up and ready. Heading to where the next phase of the exam would be held. As they neared the entrance to the battle arena, Tsume was there waiting for them.
"Hey, you three, glad to see you made it this far." Tsume said with a smile before turning more serious and looking at the Yamanaka. "Ren, we need to discuss your situation."
"That's already been handled Tsume-sensei" Ren replied. "My tenant was able to destroy the corruptive influences of the seal. So no worries about any kind of craziness in that regard. I can essence tap into its power without fear of me being slowly going nuts because of it. It's something only a jinchuriki like me can pull off sadly. So I can't use that method for Sakura."
Tsume looked at her student a little dumbstruck at the statement but knew he was telling the truth. "Well okay then." Tsume said with a slight shake of the head. "I'll relay what you said to the people that need to know. You three get in there and be ready for the next phase. I know you all will make me proud." Tsume then disappeared in a body flicker.
With that business handled, team thirteen entered the battle arena and took their spots amongst the other genin. There were quite a few more teams than there had been in canon. There were all the rookie nine and team Gai. The sand and sound teams had made it as well, also Kabuto's team who had Fū. The new additions were Ren's team, Kasumi's team, and a team from Kusa. All in all, there was thirty genin in total.
As the Hokage began giving his speech about the true meaning of the exams. Ren studied the Kusa team out of curiosity. The only one that really stood out, was the girl with red hair and glasses. It had to of been Karin Uzumaki, no doubt about it.
"Well I'll be damned, Karin's team made it through the forest, that's something." Ren thought amusingly. Then Hayate showed up to explain the preliminaries, Ren gave a quick wave of hello. To his former sensei in swordplay, which was returned with a nod of acknowledgment. When it came time for dropouts, Kabuto did as expected and one of Karin's teammates did as well. Leaving only twenty-eight genin. It was finally time for the first match of the preliminaries, everyone looked to the screen as it shuffled through names. It eventually stopped on the first two fighters.
"Oh…..well fuck." Was Ren's simple reaction to what the screen read.
Ren Yamanaka vs Gaara
A/N: Hello readers! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the story thus far. A ton happened in this chapter. First off, as of the writing of this chapter, this story has over 300 follows and over 230 favorites! This story has only been out for like less than six months. It means so much to me for it to have so much support in such a seemingly short time. Thank you all so much!
We finally got to see Ren's ocarina genjutsu in action again. I know some of you have probably been really wanting to see that make its return in the story. I hope what I gave you made it worth the wait. Some of you may have figured out what the genjutsu creature was. For those of you that may not have, it was the hound of Baskerville from Hellsing. The song that inspired Ren's music was a song titled "Lullaby of Woe". For those of you who might have been curious about that.
We got Orochimaru's big active appearance in the story and all kinds of curse mark shenanigans. Orochimaru by his design was always meant to be a really creepy character. I wanted to see if could successfully raise his creep level by a notch or two. Hopefully, I succeeded in that regard. As for the curse mark stuff. I imagine most of you either like what I did or hate it. Giving Ren a mark was always a part of the plan as was giving one to Sakura. I noticed a ton of fics either play the curse mark stuff, either completely straight, and Sasuke gets one like in canon. No one winds up getting one for whatever reason, someone other than Sasuke gets it. Nine times out of Ten that winds up being Naruto it seems. Sakura getting a mark seems to be something very rarely done in FF stories, from what I've been able to find. I felt I wanted to throw a real curveball when it came to the curse mark and this was too good to pass up once I thought of it. I already know where I'm going with curse marked Sakura.
Now the preliminaries are starting and starting off big. I won't lie, only a few fights are going to any kind of actual in-depth showing. Otherwise, preliminary fights would stretch for like three chapters. I highly doubt most people want that. so most of the fights I'm gonna more or less shotgun through. Anyway, please review as they do help with giving me the motivation to write. Please like and fav if you haven't already. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy and, I'll see you next time. I'm out!