A/N about update schedule: Since my exams are coming up here comes the expected delay, though this time it might get a bit more delayed because I haven't had much free time to write and my backlog is draining fast. I may take a couple extra days trying to write a couple more drafts but it won't be too long. I'm really excited to have the story go back to focusing on finding out the secrets and Itachi re-entering the story so I'll definitely upload again soon.
Chapter 40: Raging storm
To succeed in life, Miroku had long since learned, there was a certain set of skills that were absolutely necessary to obtain.
Being able to observe a situation, analyze the variables, create a comprehensive plan A, closely followed by a plan B and C, and be to adapt and improvise when they all inevitably crumble to the ground; were all essential to survive and thrive in a clan like the Taisho. So many times had they been forced to improvise that the young con-artist didn't even bother to keep count. And yet...not once had he thought things could get so out of hand as they had in this seemingly easy mission.
The high-pitched scream of fear from the pink-haired genin beside him as the ground itself seemed to tremble was yet another reminder of how far out of their depth they were. Honestly, this would usually be when Sesshoumaru would intervene and take over the fight with biting comments about how useless they were for the job. It would likely also be one of those few instances where his silver-haired friend would gladly keep quiet.
"Shit!" Inuyasha's cursing expressed his own thoughts quite well. "Will this even work?"
Violet eyes glanced quickly at his teammate, concern laced his words, and the young teen couldn't say he blamed him. There was a reason Miroku's family was infamous within the clan. It was the same reason his ancestors chose to take the offered hand offered to them by the first Taisho head. Power was everything, and if the ability within their blood had the risk of accidentally harming their own allies...well, as long as they could learn to control it, no one really cared. Sango and Inuyasha trusted their lives to him without a second of hesitation for the inherent risk. Even now, his silver-haired friend worried more about the fake monk's safety than his own.
"It should be fine."
Before another word could escape, their charge landed in the branch next to them, her faithful shadow following right after. A breath of relief threatened to escape him. There were some scratches here and there, and part of her braid had come undone, but it looked like Kagome-sama had suffered no major damage. Her fight might've proved her more than capable, but this whole thing was just one big unknown. Having her act as bait was far too risky of a bet. Even now, the thought of the potential consequences had the girl gotten seriously hurt...Miroku would rather not pause too much on those. Failure was failure.
"What the hell was that chakra?!" Another tremble made their footing shake.
"Does it really matter right now?!" Oh, the girl definitely knew what was going on. "Does your jutsu still work with that?"
"It's still doable," Miroku answered the obviously redirecting question. "Our window of time is smaller, though."
"Wait...have you lost your minds?!" There was a hint of hysteria to the pinkette's words. "That thing is a monster! What can any of us even do?! Naruto has it handled
"We should do just what?!" The fake monk's shock was reflected on the others as the Higurashi heiress turned on the pinkette, anger making her words burn. "Do nothing but sit idly by and pray Naruto doesn't die before stopping the threat in front of us?!"
"I-I'm just being realistic..."
"If you're going to be useless, at least don't get in our way." The Uchiha's hand had quickly turned to grasp the girl's shoulder with surprising gentleness in an attempt to calm her.
A pained expression painted the Haruno girl's features as soon as the vitriolic words were out of Sasuke-san's mouth, and there was no need to even guess why. Whatever animosity Kagome-sama had managed to hide during the prelims was now there for all to see. It was clearly not something as simple as the pinkette's infatuation. Back during the prelims, despite being in a far better condition than most others, the girl had done nothing but simple taijutsu. No other talent had been shown; no special bloodline came from her. Considering her attitude, Miroku wouldn't be surprised if the girl agreed to be here in the first place was because they were supposed to retreat. Haruno Sakura did not expect to fight; if anything, she expected to be protected.
And had no problem shoving the Higurashi heiress friend into danger.
"Haruno-san, was it?" With a smile, Miroku turned to the teen. "A km or two south from here should be safe enough."
"Wha..."
"Considering none of our superiors could've known how dangerous this would be, no one should be forced to remain here."
"You're telling me to run away...!"
"When you said to be careful when we attack," There was still a hint of irritation within Kagome-sama's word as she purposefully interrupted the other girl. "How fast do we need to get out of the way?"
"It takes a couple of seconds to stop my ability, but I should be able to redirect it almost immediately. As long as you try to go in the same direction, we should be fine."
"Right, because being vague right now is the best thing to do."
Another tremor silenced the Uchiha's words, forcing all of them to grip the place they were standing on. Fuck...this would be the riskiest bet they'd taken so far, wouldn't it?
"How long can he keep that up?!" Inuyasha had to scream to be heard over the giant fighters.
"I don't know!" Not the answer Miroku had hoped for, but at least they were being honest. "He learned this jutsu for the exam, hasn't really trained with it!"
"He'll keep it up for long enough!" The confidence in the boy from both clan heirs would need to be enough. "If there's something the moron has in spades, it's chakra!"
"We'll make do then!"
"Hey, Inuyasha!" The Higurashi heiress turned to his friend. "How close do you have to be for your jutsu to work?!"
Golden eyes flickered towards him. Looking for a cue on how much information was okay to give up. A quick nod was the only thing Miroku could manage before another quake threatened to send the trees they were standing onto the ground. There was no point in keeping things quiet when the choice to not act wasn't even on the table anymore.
"With a target that size, there shouldn't be any issues as long as he gets him into his sight from any direction should be good enough, doesn't need a lot of set up either," Miroku answered, while the other boy nodded in confirmation.
"I need you to carry me to the top of that thing!"
"What?!" Sasuke-san's shocked surprise mirrored his own.
"I need to concentrate in order to pull that much reiki, and the Chidori gives you no way to get me there!"
"I see. That would probably work well with Inuyasha's ability." And effectively place all of them in danger, all for the sake of one shot.
Miroku could see reason battling conflicted emotions within the still crimson eyes of the Uchiha for a long second before he gave a reluctant nod.
"Sure," Inuyasha huffed. "Are we aiming to kill?"
"No!" A panicked scream was the Higurashi heiress' answer. "Gaara's being possessed. I have no idea what will happen to the spirit if the host just dies like that."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning unless we want to take a gamble and risk fighting that demon without his current limitations, then we have to hit everywhere but his vitals, am I correct?" As worrying as it was, Miroku had to agree with the girl.
Blood seemed to drain from his friend's face, and for a second, the fake monk was glad Sango stayed behind. Fighting a puppeteer on her own was dangerous but nowhere as close as this half-suicidal plan of theirs was.
It was the one plan they had.
"I'll try to get as close to them as possible; as soon as you notice his movements have stopped, shoot him with all you can!"
"What's the matter with you?" The old monkey almost sounded annoyed. "This just ain't like you..."
"Sorry..."
And to think that, once upon a time, those two had actually been so close to spelling his end. Back when age didn't weigh heavy on any of them like the chains time was and Orochimaru's own strength still in its early stages. They had been so close when he was still trying to achieve his goal while still within the confines of the village, scrounging for ingredients and materials, all while knowing sooner or later someone would catch up. There were only so many disappearances that could go unnoticed inside a shinobi village. Thinking back, it took far longer than he would've expected.
Surrounded by the proof of his crime with ANBU on all sides and Sarutobi-sensei in front of him. Orochimaru had actually wondered for a second if he'd finally reached the end of his endeavors. His bet on the old man's emotional weaknesses had proven fruitful. The great Sandaime Hokage did nothing but stand still, gritting his teeth as one of the great Sannins slaughtered the men around them. Even after stopping his retreat to look back, his sensei didn't move a finger.
"I'll kill you now and correct my past mistakes!" Placing his hand on top of the transformed summon, the old man visibly prepared himself. "Let's go!"
The cage around Sarutobi-sensei vanished, and it was all Orochimaru could do not to burst out laughing. This was too little, too late. Any chance of losing was well gone now; honestly, it had been gone for a while. "You've already lost!"
Only silence met him; determination was shining once more within those old eyes. Had the old man come up with something? Some jutsu that could paralyze the siblings, perhaps?
Smoke came up and dissipated to reveal...clones, two kage bunshins standing by his side.
"Wha..." Jiraiya's surprised voice was beginning to panic. "Clones right now are..."
"Ha, you've really grown old. To think you'd shorten your own lifespan out of impatience."
"It...It can't be, you...!"
Confusion was seeping in; his old teacher wasn't even bothering to try and be quick while forming the hand seals. Nine of them, woven in a slow purposeful succession, for once, Orochimaru had no idea on what this intended jutsu was.
"It's already too late." Gloating was the only thing he could do as a reply. "No matter what you do, I've won. Konoha is going to be demolished!"
"Konoha is my home! The Hokage is the only one who continues to act as the main pillar of the house, protecting it! He's the one who carries the will of Konoha, entrusted with it." This...was not the voice of a man in death's door. "It won't be that easy for you!"
It was getting annoying.
"What absurd nonsense...you're just for a short while, one of the leaders in the history of the organization called Konoha. Even the remains of the rock portrait will eventually fade and crumble."
"Hmph, to me, Konoha isn't just an organization." Despite the Shodaime's genjutsu, the old man continued talking. "Every year, there are a lot of shinobi born and raised in the village. They live, fight to protect the village...and to protect what's precious to them they will go to their death. Even if we are not related by blood, those of Konoha are my most precious...most important...family!"
"Hahahaha, well, in that case...I'll break you in half, the main pillar that you are, and destroy the house that is Konoha!"
"Even if you were to kill me, the beams won't break." Why...why was he still so calm? "I'm the man who inherited the will of Konoha, the will of the Shodaime-sama, and Nidaime-sama...I am the Sandaime Hokage!
"No matter how much you target the village, there will be a new Hokage that who'll inherit my will...and become the new pillar that will protect the house of Konoha!"
Really, for someone with one foot in the coffin, Sarutobi-sensei sounded way too overconfident. A complete opposite to Jiraiya who was now pounding on the shield like a barbaric idiot who'd forgotten this kind of barrier would not break with brute strength. Frowning, Orochimaru pushed down his curiosity; playing with his prey was fine, but it would seem it was time to go for the kill.
"Orochimaru!" The clones seemed to be talking at the same time. "From now, I'll show you a special jutsu that even you don't know about!"
"A jutsu I'm unfamiliar with?" So the hand seals were finally going to do something? "Please, show it to me, this so-called jutsu."
Simple orders had the siblings moving once more. He would give his former teacher some credit. To be able to block while submerged in a world of darkness wasn't a feat most people would be able to manage, top shape or not.
Not like it would make any difference.
Sooner rather than later, it would be too much for him to handle.
"What's the matter...do you intend to let the former Hokages kill you bit by bit as they toy with you?" His amusement was admittedly more forced than he would've liked as the snake Sannin pushed down the irrational fear that was beginning to take form. "Please, hurry up and present that jutsu to me."
"Orochimaru!" Had Jiraiya recognized it? There was certainly more panic to his yells now. "Stop this madness! You've lost your mind!"
"Oh, but aren't you curious, Jiraiya?" he forced out a laugh. "To have sensei teach us one last thing before he bites the dust."
Blood dripped from the numerous cuts on the old man's limbs, his breathing ragged and pained. Had he taken this seriously from the start, this would've been over already. Nothing could make a difference at this point; his teacher could send his clones trying to attack at random directions and pray to find the reanimated corpses. The sound of flesh being violently pierced reached his ears, accompanied by the splattering of blood, yet...it didn't feel like the old man was trying to move away. Was sensei really trying to pull a bluff at a time like thi...
The darkness disappeared.
Was it not a bluff, after all?
With his sight back, Orochimaru could properly see it all now. Two of the clones stood right in front of the former Hokages, holding onto their arms despite the heavy wounds.
"Sorry, Sarutobi..."
"We've caused you a lot of trouble."
The corpses' personalities seemed to have returned, overriding his commands.
"Please, forgive me..." Something was not right. "Shodaime-sama! Nidaime-sama!"
This was...not possible.
A technique of this level couldn't be dispelled so easily; however, there was no denying the fact that he could feel his chakra coming back to him. The bodies were breaking down, losing their form, and returning to what the original corpses had looked like.
"You treat even the life of your subordinates so lightly..."
Holding on was...not easy. It might have been obvious, but the blond couldn't help but be surprised as they jumped far higher into the air than should've been possible. This speed, this was ridiculous, and yet it didn't look like they were doing any damage at all.
Water and sand filled the air in violent projectiles.
It was insane.
Not even Kakashi's fight against Zabuza had managed to reach this level. Cerulean eyes widened at the sigh of a left-over projectile aimed right at them, hands tightened around the admittedly slippery skin of the giant toad. They could not avoid it.
"This is bad, boss!" And his warning likely useless. "There's still one left!"
Naruto could feel the force of the hit as Gamabunta was thrown back, the sound of the crash deafening even as the giant toad began to move again.
"Yeah! I did it!" The monster's screams were sadistically loud. "I killed him! I killed him!"
"That hurt!" For all of the anger in the toad boss' voice, it was painfully clear he got hurt. "You pumped too much damn chakra into that thing!"
They were never gonna manage to hold him back at this point. Their attacks could barely do a damn thing.
"Even I can't take many of those things." Yeah, Naruto could tell.
"We have to stop him from moving!" It was not about defeating him, just immobilizing him.
"For now, rough up that medium kid!" Gamabunta's words left no room for discussion. "I have a plan!"
"How?!"
"We'll get close to that stupid badger and stop him in his tracks. We'll do it when his guard is low!"
"I'm asking you how exactly are we going to do that?!" Because there was no way doing that was going to be as easy to do as it sounded.
"I'm just a toad, so I don't have any claws to stop him!" Yes, the blond had functional eyes; he knew that. "Using a henge, I'll transform into something that does!
"I'm no good at transforming though, you have to be my will and do the in for me. I'll lend you my chakra! It'll be a combo henge; you're probably out of chakra since you summoned me!"
"Huh?! Something with claws and fangs..." His hands faltered for a second as the boy racked his brain for an answer.
"Here we go!"
Panic flooded him; there was no time to think. He could feel the chakra building up, and he had to think of something, anything. This was what he was supposed to do. His friends were relying on him, trusting him to do a vital part of the job. The image came to him before he noticed it.
Smoke was everywhere for what felt like less than a second before fur replaced slimy skin and crimson painted his surroundings. The sight of the monster he met within himself was somehow comforting as much as it was terrifying.
There was no time to get used to change as his fingers tightened around the crimson fur. Gamabunta was moving, racing forward to sink transformed claws in the badger that now looked ready to jump back...shit. Naruto wasn't sure how much chakra the boss had, but they couldn't afford to chase him...and then, the wind was being sucked towards them, the movements of the demonic badger slowing down as it fought the sudden vortex that was pulling the trees towards a place near them.
Was that...
The monk wanna-be did say he had a way to slow Gaara down. Was this it?
If it was, then...the older boy had to be really close to them, actually placing himself in between the two sides not to risk affecting them as well. Shit, there was no way for Naruto would be able to complain about the Taishos after this.
The boss moved, ignoring the danger he was putting his ally on. It was now or never. Claws dug into the sand body, fangs biting deep as the trees flew downwards, being absorbed by whatever technique the fake monk was using.
"Do it now!"
Not thinking twice, Naruto jumped. Refusing to stop his momentum as his feet registered the change of the ground beneath them, the blond pushed forward, fist extended. Numbness began to spread after his knuckles connected, sending the shorter redhead violently swinging from where the sand still held him.
Not yet.
The stupid thing was still trying to get away from the hold of the transformed fox and resisting the wind pulling him back. He lost his footing, sliding down, desperately trying to push any amount of chakra he could to his hands in an attempt to grab onto the sand.
Not yet.
His legs burned as they moved, forcing his body to move forward again, a scream leaving his throat.
And then, he sunk.
Sand was moving around him, moving from all sides, and his foot was still stuck, and no matter how hard he pulled, he was not moving an inch. Pink covered his vision as a long tongue wrapped around him, the sound of the sand hitting against it and dissolving reached his ears. The boss was trying to protect him, but the sand under his feet began to move once more, swirling around him and climbing up. It was moving slowly, but if he did nothing, then...
His friends had to be on their way...maybe, if he waited for them...
No.
"You're going to be killed by me." Gaara's voice was still jarring, dripping with hatred. "My existence will continue!"
No, he would not wait. He could not become a burden, not this time.
I'm begging you...all I need is a little bit...give me enough so I can protect everyone, give me your chakra!
Heat moved through him, energy flowing everywhere, somehow drowning the sound of chirping getting closer. Sand was falling all around him, a crimson haze covering him, but Naruto could still think...he was still himself. The tongue was no longer covering him; Gamabunta was probably no longer behind him. It didn't matter. Naruto was not a burden; his friends would get the chance they needed.
Sesshoumaru glanced back for only a second.
The darkness that had covered the barrier seemed to vanish, but the Taisho heir continued walking away from the stadium. Whatever the result of the fight was, they were sure to find out soon, once all the panic died down. That said, it wouldn't be surprising if his mother had already predicted the outcome of the battle. Of course, in this particular situation, it wasn't that hard of a guess. He'd only seen the first few moments, but the ending was pretty much decided from the beginning. The Hokage was too old to survive the fight. Leaders should not rule past their primes.
Weakness at the head of a group only ever invited disaster.
This was not a fight worth watching.
His orders had changed, after all. Watching from a distance was no longer an option; instead, they were to offer assistance. Whatever it was the Taisho matriarch had gotten out from the reports, it would seem the clan was to try and establish a more amicable relationship. Sesshoumaru supposed it was only to be expected. Orochimaru was a definite threat when talking about the Higurashi heiress, but he was a known one, and even without them in the vicinity, the village should be capable to keep her safe. The real problem was not that...
They were not the only outside force interested in the Higurashi survivor.
It was one of the few things his mother had bothered to reveal during their stay. Someone else was looking for her, had likely been looking for her for longer than their clan had. Someone who was not to be allowed anywhere close to her.
Cold irritation had swiftly piled on to the steady boiling frustration he felt since this mission started. There was far too much he was not being told; his parents had simply decided their heir did not have enough clearance. Doubting his leaders' decision wasn't something the young man made a habit of. As annoying as his parents could be, there was a reason why they still hold their titles. In this situation, however, the Taisho heir couldn't help but feel his anger building up at being used as little more than a pawn.
Golden eyes narrowed as they passed over corpses littering his path. The number of Suna invaders was far too large for them to be easily overlooked. Just how much had these people allowed complacency to turn them from one of the strongest shinobi villages to this? If his mother wanted to keep the Higurashi heiress alive, well, having her in this place could make things difficult.
The sound of metal being drawn caught his attention.
Speeding up, Sesshoumaru could only raise a brow at the scene before him. A single woman stood, fan in hand in the middle of a perimeter made of still bleeding corpses. Her uniform was the one used by nobleman's guards...and noblemen were not allowed to bring shinobi guards with them into Hidden Villages during the examination exams.
"Identify yourself."
"And why should I?"
Unimpressed with the show of bravado, the young heir took another step towards the woman. There was, technically, no reason for him to be suspicious. Nobles who broke accords with the shinobi villages didn't matter to the Taishos. This was a lone kunoichi, however, with no one capable of breath in her vicinity. It made no sense. No lord would take a shinobi they went through the trouble of smuggling and send them away in this chaos.
Someone else was after the heiress.
And his parents could give him no description of what to look for.
"You will answer..." Killing intent seeped into his words. "or you will die."
"Hmph, quite arrogant, aren't you?" Vermillion eyes glared at him.
"Make our choice."
"Oh my, no one likes a pushy guy." The woman rose her fan, her movements too fluid and practiced. "Fujin no mai!"
Wind came at him, invisible blades leaving scars on the ground as they moved towards him. Sesshoumaru almost felt offended. A burst of speed had him behind her in a heartbeat, arm raised and poison pooling at his fingertips...only for the wind to push him back.
Chakra pooled at his feet to stop himself from being blown back, his raised arm now moving to block the gust of air. No blades sliced his skin, though. The wind simply pushed back, forcing him to strain his eyes to see the unknown kunoichi pull a feather out of her hand, one hand moving through seals before jumping in the now giant feather.
Definitely more than a standard guard.
Likely weaker than him and aware of it.
Which still didn't explain her presence here. Turning around, uncaring about the corpses surrounding him, Sesshoumaru made his way to the center of the village. There was no chance this woman was the danger he'd been warned to look out for. Whoever had been pulling her strings, however, might still be inside the village.
The possibility was slim, but it made no difference. His mother had been right.
There was more than one threat they'd had to be wary of.
"They Kyuubi..."
"What the hell is that thing?!" Inuyasha's scream held a tinge of panic he'd never acknowledge out loud.
The roar of the crimson fox lunging above them was not something he was expecting.
"A henge!" No, no, the girl knew something more. He'd heard her whisper something just now. "This is our chance!"
Right...wind was already being sucked towards the now transformed fox. Miroku was already doing his job, making sure the sand monster would not be able to put too much of a struggle or manage to get away. Which made the fact that despite the wind tunnel and the claws digging into the monster, their enemy would get free sooner rather than later all the more infuriating.
Rushing, the young Taisho knelt in front of the girl. They had to hurry. The Uchiha was likely already preparing his own attack.
"I need one arm free!"
"I can hang on, as long as I don't have to focus on moving!"
Her weight settled on his back, legs tightening around him to make sure her balance would not be easily lost. Good, he may not need to focus too much to use his own jutsu, but having to worry about her falling would slow him down. They were all pretending this was an easy thing to do, but both clan heirs would place themselves right in front of the spot Inuyasha would be aiming for. If he failed to properly time his attack, there was a very real chance he would hit them.
"Hold tight!"
Jumping was easy; pushing chakra to his legs was almost as natural as breathing while he rushed towards the place the giants had finally stopped. He'd need to go high to drop the girl, high enough to give him the time to send his own attack.
It would be fine.
He could make it. Had made taller jumps than that. And it would seem like the stupid sand demon was properly restrained.
Warmth seemed to gather at his back, the foreign energy of the Higurashi heiress' blood limit being at a surprising speed.
For weeks, they'd sparred with the two of them, yet not once had either of them shown a hint of the extent of their abilities. It was...different, the feeling of reiki so close to him, somehow unknown and familiar all at the same time. The same feeling that had come, guided by something he could not explain...until now, at least.
His father had to be hiding something. There was some connection between their two clans.
The loud sound of chirping forced his thoughts to go back to the present.
Tsk, the Uchiha worked fast.
Golden eyes widened as they fell on the sight of the blond genin. The boy was supposed to be controlling the summon, but instead, he was very much on top of the sand monster and racing towards the vessel. Shit. Chakra pushed him upwards. Timing, the stupid timing was way more important now. His arms moved, rearranging the girl on his back. He'd have to throw her down, add his own force to her momentum, or she wouldn't make it at the same time her teammate reached the redhead.
The sound of chirping was closer now.
"Now!"
Pink light almost blinded him as the Higurashi heiress fell straight down, her weight easily launched as Inuyasha twisted his body in midair. A firm grip closed around his family's sword, chakra pooling in a blink, moving to the steel as the blade slid out of its sheath. The power his father once commanded pulsed through him, wind gathered around him, waiting for the moment of the explosion.
Those idiots better move away and fast.
"Kaze no Kizu!"
A/N: Finally, almost done with the invasion arc and back to those two planning their escape from the village and all that it comes with. This chapter is a bit shorter than usual but honestly, it felt like the right place to stop, juggling all the characters POVs is a bit challenging but hopefully I'm not terribly breaking the tension from one scene to the other.
As always thank you guys so much for reading, and any review/criticism/comment is greatly, greatly appreciated.