'Thoughts' "Speaking" Author's Notes "Bijuu Speaking" "Telepathic Talking"
=Chapter 23: Danzo pushes it too far...=
"50 bowls of ramen says I can beat more of these than you."
"Bring it!"
Under the hood, Dragon's eyes turned blue, with the white centre starting to throw out the patterns of a flower. Kitsune looked at his crewmate in confusion
"You're activating it?" Dragon said nothing, but turned round and channelled chakra into his sword. A split second later, they raced through an ANBU and cut straight through them.
"They're emotionless. Death means nothing to them," responded Dragon, dodging another kunai and cutting through another of Danzo's ANBU. "Anyways, by the rate this is going, you won't get your ramen-"
Three ANBU were sent crashing into a tree, with Kitsune holding his sword in front of some more charging in. "Would you like to repeat that?"
"Oh you're on!"
Only the sparks of swords and metal clashing could be seen flickering throughout the woods as more and more ANBU were sent onto the ground. Mainly Danzo's ANBU. The two swords turned yellow and cyan, before continuing to rip up the landscape and destroy more and more ANBU.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" An ANBU appeared behind Kitsune, only for it to be turned into air and with Kitsune to bring their second sword out.
"You have the honour of being taken down by kaa-san's sword." Kitsune flicked off the ANBU's mask, before kicking them up. "Uzumaki Dual-Wielding Formation: Earthquake!"
Both swords flashed yellow as Kitsune placed the tips in the ground, churning it up and de-rooting everything around him. The symbol of his clan appeared beneath both swords, again before blocking a hit from an ANBU and finding this one wasn't the weakest.
The two started to exchange blows, Kitsune parrying all of their attacks and landing blows in vital spots. The ANBU staggered back and cast a jutsu, making something fall out of the sky above Kitsune. Kitsune only smirked, before pointing both swords up and channelling wind chakra into them.
He threw one of them up into the descending object, before sticking the blade of the sword inside of the falling object and eating away at the sides of it. Kitsune blocked another blow with his free sword as the falling object disappeared in smoke. Kitsune easily broke the incoming ANBU's weapons and grabbed his other falling sword.
"Water Style: Water Dragon-" The ANBU was cut off from point-blank range by Dragon kicking them to the side. The two scanned the area for anymore ANBU, finding out that this wasn't the end.
One of Danzo's ANBU charged out of the tree, holding out a wind-chakra enhanced sword and slashed Kitsune's cape, cutting off some of the bottom of it. Kitsune blocked more strikes with their swords and motioned for Dragon to stay up in the trees.
"You're wind chakra as well?" The emotionless ANBU continued attacking Kitsune who somersaulted backwards before chucking a few kunai with explosive tags attached to them towards the ANBU. The tags flashed yellow before exploding, only making the ANBU slide back.
"You're interesting aren't you? You seem more skilled than the others-" The ANBU flashed in front of Kitsune, the emotionless eyes staring deep into his soul. They impaled their sword through Kitsune, only for them to disappear into a puff of smoke and for the ground beneath the ANBU to give way.
Kitsune dragged the ANBU underground as they were impaled multiple times by orange chains that were patrolling the underground. The ANBU disappeared in its own puff of smoke, and for a roar to echo throughout the forest.
"I was proved to be wrong. They were only slightly more skilled."
Kitsune almost put their sword back into its case before a white tiger, black markings jumped out behind Kitsune. Only instincts managed to make it so that the Orange Flame cut the tiger and block the incoming attack of shuriken and wind waves.
'So the old Hokage is helping his troops? Not to mention-' Kitsune grabbed a kunai and diverted its route to the ground. '-it's time to meet an old friend of mine...'
A shadow loomed its head over Kitsune, and the ninja looked up, seeing a white bird with black markings hovering above him. On top, he could make out a masked ANBU, pale-white arms and body as the only visible parts from where he was. The bird let down a rain of explosive orbs, detonating above Kitsune and uprooting more and more trees.
The bird disappeared into the distance, only for a massive elephant roar to sound in the distance and Kitsune felt himself be sucked towards Danzo's chakra.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Blast Barrage!" Kitsune felt Danzo's chakra form into multiple several blades of wind that sliced through trees and rocks on their way to Kitsune while the rogue was still being pulled towards Danzo. A large gust of wind rang throughout the forest as the waves cut through Kitsune's cloak, narrowly missing some of their internal organs.
Steam poured out of the wounds as the cuts repaired themselves, the ground shaking in response to something approaching. The trees fell apart and got squashed underground as giant elephantine chimera, possibly big enough to dwarf a level two Susano'o.
"Baku!"
The beast roared before stomping all around Kitsune, effectively trapping the Orange Flame beneath the mighty beast. He felt Danzo's chakra build up and decided it was now or never.
"Uzumaki Dual-Wielding Formation: Typhoon Rage!"
=Mount Myoboku=
"What do you mean they've learnt some version of Hiraishin?!" roared Dog, a tic mark forming on their cloak and them raising their fist up.
"I mean, there's a sealing formula by there and they seem to be summoning supplies out of nowhere!" squeaked out Boar hoping for not the worst punishment. They braced themselves but no punishment came as Dog sighed.
"It was bound to happen. Danzo would want to find some way of travel so of course he'd look at the secrets of the Hiraishin," mused Dog, turning back to Boar. "You're lucky I expected this. Anything else and well..."
"G-got it ma'am!"
"Snake, wake up!" Nothing happened as the cloaked kunoichi still lay sleeping on the poisonous mushroom without a care in the world. It would be torture to wake them up by force, as you'd have to deal with the sadistic nature followed by poisons and paralysis potions, even for someone who can turn into paper.
"Huh, well... I wonder what else Danzo has up his sleeve?" wondered Dog before she peeled into paper and disappeared into the wind.
Out in the distance, some construction started, possible a fort but who knows. All that could be guessed that was Danzo was gonna get hell delivered right to his front door.
=Kitsune=
"Uzumaki Dual-Wielding Formation: Typhoon Rage!"
Baku was thrown high into the sky and landed on their back with a thud behind Kitsune as bright blue patterns spread out across the ground. Lines joined up with each other before swirling clockwise and summoning the heavens down on the battleground.
Baku lumbered to its side and stood up, taking in large breaths before releasing it in one massive blast, followed by a raging wall of fire backing it up.
"You finally need some help? I've been sitting here bored watching you wreck them," said aloud Dragon from his perch. Nothing interesting, only Kitsune throwing about a massive elephant.
"No, I'm good," replied Kitsune nonchalantly, completely disregarding the blazing wall of fire behind him. "Besides, you really think something like this will defeat me?"
The wall of flames washed over Kitsune and Dragon, setting the trees alight and burning them down to the roots, as well as taking out all of the moisture from the land. Not even a second later, multiple shuriken and kunai came out of the smoke, a green aura surrounding them and being sent into the locations of both Kitsune and Dragon.
"Yeah, I don't think they succeeded, do you?" They watched as Kitsune re-sealed their swords into the scroll, a slight tingle of red on the tips.
"Nope, I'm completely fine. Honestly, and here I was thinking I'd let him out to play for a bit!" The ground shook as smoke swirled around in the distance, the outline of Baku rushing towards the two Orange Flames. Kitsune brought out their hand towards the head and stopped the charging beast, lifting them up and merely pushing them to the side.
The hybrid look at Kitsune in fear before disappearing in a poof of smoke, back to wherever it came. A whistling sound could be heard as Kitsune looked up, Dragon walking towards them. Dragon placed their hand on Kitsune's shoulder before motioning up.
"Sure, you take care of it."
"Fire Style: Chaotic Dragon!" Flames leapt all around Dragon before forming a head and releasing up into the sky into the falling object's path. The bright red tail trailed behind it as it climbed higher, only for a gust of wind to make it disappear and for the dragon to disappear.
"The hell?!" The two Orange Flames leapt out of the way as a massive iron construct lay where they once stood. A sound of birds chirping in the distance suddenly appeared and a ninja charged towards Kitsune.
'Sensei?' Kitsune's eyes widened as they saw the gravity-defying hair of his sensei charging towards him, the red Sharingan eye spinning and eyeing Kitsune. 'What are you-'
Kitsune dropped under the attack of lightning, with him getting kneed in the head and sent back into the iron construct. It disappeared in smoke and Kitsune fell into the floor it made as a shadow loomed its head over him.
The suns rays bounced off, revealing a water dragon which charged towards Kitsune on command of Kakashi. Kitsune looked into his eye and saw pain and horror in it. Blood vessels creeping around the edge of the blazing red eye. Just like that dream... It was just like this.
He was stuck on the floor just like this. His enemy stood over him, their eye blazing. Just that it was yellow. All was gone around him. Another shadow stood over Kitsune, their cloak waving in the wind as the water dragon made contact, drops of water waking up Kitsune from his trance. 'No, its not his choice.' He eyed Danzo with a growl before sharp pains shot through his head.
"What happened now?"
Kitsune clutched his head. "Don't kill him..." He weakly pointed at Kakashi before collapsing. Under the hood, the eyes turned bloodshot red, the pupil turning into a slit. The whisker marks grew more rugged and feral, the teeth and nails growing longer.
"Hello again Kurama. How's your day been?"
Kitsune-Kurama grunted as they looked over Kakashi. "He hasn't changed one bit has he? I see that stupid orange book of his in that pouch. Whatever, you do this. I don't think I can hold back, considering that that stupid alien came down. I will however..." Kurama eyed Danzo in the distance through Kitsune's body. "...I will attack them."
"Just don't die." Dragon walked towards Kakashi, the two eyeing each other down. "So you're his sensei? I've definitely heard of you, Hatake Kakashi-san of the Sharingan. It's a shame, I know so much more about your gift than you-"
Dragon instantly found himself on the floor, Kakashi stepping a foot on his back. "What did you just say?" Their hand crackled into life, poising to strike Dragon through the back.
"Oops, well I should've expected this. Pity Konoha doesn't know all of this. Strongest village, please. If they were strong, they'd actually be able to land a hit and take down the Akatsuki!"
"Lightning Blade!" He pierced his attack straight through Dragon's heart, only for the body to fade away and him to find himself awfully refreshed.
"So much for the unbeatable Sharingan, although, I've only heard of it from one person. They got themselves in a pickle though," taunted Dragon. "Here I was thinking it could see through Genjutsu but apparently not- Release!"
Dragon turned almost in time to block a kunai strike from Kakashi behind him, the body he thought was real disappearing. Dragon blocked with their own kunai, although Kakashi managed to cut through the cloak around and land a few cuts on Dragon's arm and hand.
"Well, that was unexpected. Whoever thought there would be a Genjutsu that would evade even these?" Dragon jumped back and motioned to their eyes under the hood, which Kakashi could make out having a glow. He could feel the chakra going to the eye and found only one thing. Dojutsu.
"Dojutsu?"
"Heh, now ready for Lesson 1?" jeered Dragon, stepping closer to Kakashi. He could see the smirk behind Kakashi's mask as they both called out the word.
"Taijutsu!"
The two ran at each other as they each blocked each other's blows. Kakashi swung under the fist, only to be kicked backwards by a foot. Dragon ran towards Kakashi, the ex-ANBU stabilising themselves and giving a returning blow.
Chakra cloaked around both fighters as they dived into another bout of fists. Dragon kicked up, blocked a blow from Kakashi's arm as fists collided in midair. Kakashi's chakra seemed to spike as he emitted immense power from which Dragon had only seen a few times before.
"You can open the First Gate?"
"I may not be as strong as Guy but..." Kakashi appeared behind Dragon and kicked them forward. "I'm still strong!"
Kakashi chased Dragon around the battlefield, jumping over rocks and eventually catching up to him. Dragon blocked the first punch but not the second as he was hit square in the face, their hood being thrown back. Their black hair waved in the air, as their eyes shined a bright blue.
'It's definitely not Byakugan...' thought Kakashi as he admired Dragon's eyes, taking in as many notes as he could. Danzo would be after him he didn't. "That's one Dojutsu I've never seen before, what is it or do I have to get answers myself?"
The Hokage and his party had been a few miles away and rushing away from Sunagakure so they did not see the fight that tore up the landscape, however they did feel the chakra waves sweeping over the land. They maybe would have echoed almost to Konoha, such was the power.
"If I told you, you wouldn't be able to get any information on it whatsoever so I'll give you one thing. Tenseigan." Dragon's eyes widened as they cast a Genjutsu over Kakashi.
"You want to jump to Lesson 2 already? We haven't even finished Lesson 1." Kakashi broke out of the low-level Genjutsu and brought up their arms in time to block the charging Dragon, with them jumping backwards and regrouping.
Dragon was punched into the air by Kakashi, followed by more strikes and making them spit out blood. They clutched their chest in midair and forced themselves round, only for Kakashi to disappear and kick them down. Dragon fell face forward into the ground, forming a small crater and making smoke fly into the air.
Kakashi landed on the ground in front of the crater and blew all of the smoke away with a simple wind jutsu. He looked upon the body of Dragon, the first gate closing in his body and bringing out a kunai.
"I have my orders." They brought out a kunai and stabbed it straight through their heart once more, the body laying on the ground and blood seeping out of the heart. Kakashi brought out a scroll to seal the body away, only for it to disappear in smoke and him to fall right where the body was.
"Something like that couldn't take me out in a million years. So.. Lesson 3?"
Lightning crackled around Kakashi's hand as he lunged back towards the Orange Flame, then merely moving to the side to dodge the attack.
"Localised Reincarnation Explosion!" called out Dragon as Kakashi was still flying through the air in front of them. A green orb formed in their hand as they chucked at Kakashi, sending the Jonin to the side.
'I'm forgetting my mission. Dragon here is merely acting up as defence for Naruto over there.' He looked over to Kitsune while catching his breath and wondering, why did he still have the cloak on. All of Konoha knew his identity. The other nations would have heard if someone leaked it but maybe Danzo put an end to them.
Calling upon his chakra reserves, Kakashi's left eye spun into the three sided pinwheel and looked directly at Dragon who was standing in his way. "Your going to have to get out, Kamui!"
Dragon quickly replaced himself with a rock as it was sucked into the realm of Space-Time belonging to the eye. Dragon put his hood back on and watched Kakashi run around him, then head to Kitsune who was currently meditating.
"Oh I see. I guess I should take you out then, since that was his orders." Kakashi grabbed two seals from his pockets and continued running towards Kitsune, dodging Dragon's launch of kunai and shuriken. Both seals are needed to suppress his power.
Dragon grit his teeth as he chucked more and more at Kakashi, the Jonin somehow flickering between each onslaught and get closer to his target. He saw their plan instantly once he saw the sealing tags.
Dragon instantly followed Kakashi and jumped over rocks, sending them into dust and jumping all around the Jonin. He had to rely on his leader to recover. His companion respects his wishes so what would happen to him?
A blur of green later and Dragon jumped away from Kakashi who was now currently standing over the meditating form of Kitsune. No pressure was felt coming from him so obviously he had something planned. Dragon looked at his new opponent, his blue eyes shining brighter. No killing. No killing. No killing at all.
"Kakashi, get him out of here. We don't know how long until reinforcements arrive."
Another Jonin dropped by Dragon's new opponent, obviously from Konoha. A female Jonin at this, blood red eyes and long black hair. Konoha's Genjutsu Mistress, Yuhi Kurenai.
"It's only one of them right now, let's take them out, Gai!"
Dragon's eyes glowed a blue brighter than before, the white centre starting to spread out to the edges of the iris. The pale yellow in the centre turned brighter as he only watched Kitsune be brought away by Kakashi.
'Naruto, I hope you know what you're doing...'
"Youth!" Dragon ducked down and moved to the side as Gai brought his foot down above him, followed by a barrage of punches which Dragon flickered in and out of. This was all going wrong, extremely quickly. Granted they had used most of their chakra the fight before, but this was pushing it too far.
'I'll be happy once Danzo gets sent to hell. Then we'll revive him and torture him some more.' The sadistic nature of Dragon crept its way to the front of the mind as they started grinning madly. The world around them seemed to change, as he realised he was stuck in a Genjutsu. This was awfully obvious for a Genjutsu Mistress but he wasn't complaining.
He broke out of it and ran towards Kakashi, bringing out a kunai and surrounding it with a cyan-green chakra. He threw it straight at the Jonin, only for it to be knocked out of flight by Gai who had unlocked the first three gates. Dragon skid backwards, summoned his chakra and flared it into the surroundings.
Time was running out quickly. Too quickly for his liking. He coughed out blood again as he was sent into a painful Genjutsu of torture and broke out a bit later, only to be rewarded with Gai hitting him with a barrage of punches.
"I surely expected more from the legendary Orange Flames of the Sun," spoke Kurenai. "You seem to be showing some skill but not a lot. It turns out Konoha's not so weak, is it?"
"Konoha can be flattened to the ground for all I care. Maybe even dug a deeper hole." Dragon wiped blood out of their mouth and screamed, an 'X' mark forming beneath him. Separate segments started glowing red, green, yellow and brown as the sky started darkening.
"Gate of Joy: Open!" Gai's skin turned red, his eyes turned complete white, his hair stood on end and a green aura surrounded him. He instantly started punching the air with fireballs erupting out of pure friction and heading towards the screaming Dragon. The fireballs landed all around him, the battleground burning more and more, making the markings disappear and Dragon to be sent flying back.
'He wasn't this powerful before, no, they weren't. What could have happened when we were gone?'
His eyes faded away back to onyx-black, his Dojutsu receding as he forced himself up. His eyes reflected the incoming storm of fireballs as they approached closer and closer. He closed his eyes and summoned his chakra once more.
His eyes opened once again to the blazing blue of Tenseigan and he held out his right hand. It was time to reveal why the Tenseigan was similar to the Rinnegan. His arm stood strong as the fireballs came closer and closer. He clenched his fist and yelled his attack.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The small defence was enough to protect himself from the storm of fire, but wasn't enough to shock his opponent as Gai has already appeared behind him, his fist getting ready to punch. Dragon dodged to the side but was sent backwards again from the shockwave of the fist hitting air, making him fall on the ground again. He felt himself fall into another Genjutsu and found no strength to break out of it. His eyes turned back to normal as he tried to figure out what the hell was going on.
Outside of the Genjutsu, Gai was standing over him, rearing their fist back to hit Dragon. Kakashi had completed his mission, under the command of Danzo. Capture Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto.
Gai sent his fist forward only for to start to slow down and ice to form on it. He looked in the distance and saw three more cloaked figures approaching. One of them was holding out their hand and he remembered that person from the Orange Flame's first appearance. Hare.
"Kurenai."
The Genjutsu Mistress cast her illusion over the incoming Orange Flames, two of them stumbling down being caught but the other one quickly breaking them out of it. Obviously reinforcements. Gai backed away next to Kurenai as the Orange Flames stood over their fallen comrade.
"Where is Leader-sama?" demanded Hare, unsheathing her weapons. Icicles started to branch of the staffs as well as Bird drawing out his sword and it glowing red.
"Tell us Konoha!" The two stood guard over Horse who was applying medical ninjutsu to her comrade as one of Danzo's ANBU appeared next to the two Jonin.
"Danzo-sama's order: we have captured the target and we are to retreat to Konoha immediately," spoke the ANBU in its emotionless voice. The two Jonin sighed before running off, the Orange Flames stunned at this.
"Captured the target?"
"Leader-sama!"
"Bird! Hare!" commanded Horse as she finished her temporary healing on Dragon. "Delay them! I've got Ryutsuki! I'll take him back to Mount Myoboku and get back here as soon as possible. I have a bad feeling about this!"
The two merely nodded before setting off after the Konoha party to create true mayhem. Hare slid on her ice through the ground, Bird following behind on his sword.
Over at the Konoha Party, the group were currently dashing straight through the trees with the rest of the group ahead. Danzo's ANBU flanked at every corner, surrounding Danzo and the three Jonin. On Kakashi's shoulder lay the cloaked figure of Kitsune, still unconscious and not knowing of the world around him.
So... How'd I do? Good? Bad? Awful? Trash? Amazing? Tell me!
Before I kick things off, I thank the 51 or so people that continue to read my story! :D
Alright so I'm just going to put it out there right in the open, do you guys not like the chapters: 'Finals - Part 2' to 'Arrival, Orange Flames of the Sun!'? I've noticed that you guys have been using the voting less but don't feel bad. It may just be that the delay was so long between chapters 17 or 18 that 100 and so people left the story.
So... what else to put? Eh, nothing that I can think of right now.
If you have any suggestions, let me know and I'll incorporate them if I like them!
And that's all for now!
See you later: Ja ne!
