The answer took a day and a half to arrive. Shikamaru had his eyes glued to the horizon almost the entire time. He was aware that he barely spoke, and his face wasn't exactly that of a calm person, but there was nothing he could do about it. All his time was spent watching and hoping to see Sai's griffin silhouette through the clouds. When he finally did see it, he wanted nothing more than to run to him and get his answer as soon as possible, but he managed to control himself and waited, standing at the border.
When the griffin hit the ground, Shikamaru's patience finally ran out and he sprinted past the border guards to get to Sai. The artist climbed down from the huge ink beast and handed him an envelope. Shikamaru didn't waste a second. He ripped it open to get to the letter.
Inside there was a small note accompanied by the results of the laboratory analysis. There was a small list detailing the elements detected in the samples and their percentage in the solution. There was the ricin, quite diluted, but present. The toxin had no other way of getting into those lakes without someone putting it there.
The paper trembled between his tense fingers, and Shikamaru closed his eyes and took a few deep calming breaths. There it was. He had been right all along. Forcing his body to stay relaxed, he opened his eyes to read the note from the Hokage that accompanied the report. It said they would take care of things from this point on. Squads had already been dispatched with shipments of clean water. Shikamaru's team was to return to Konoha.
The Nara sighed. He nodded at Sai trying to convey his gratitude for his efforts. The boy returned the gesture, and the pair walked back toward the border. Gushiken and Neji were waiting for them, eagerly awaiting the results.
"Is it positive?" asked the captain as Shikamaru approached. The boy simply nodded.
The three of them met atop the watchtower where Gushiken had his office. Shikamaru explained what the Hokage had arranged while the two shinobi listened carefully.
"We're leaving now," Shikamaru said determinedly, starting to walk towards the door. He had to gather his team and get back. He wanted to talk with the Hokage personally to see what their next step would be.
"Wait," Gushiken interrupted. "You and your team just thwarted the plan of some very dangerous people. Hisao saw you investigating, so he'll know it was you who did it. It is very likely that there may be enemies lying in wait for you."
Shikamaru thought it was likely too, but he didn't mind running into those psychopaths. Truth be told, he was eager to come face to face with them. "We can handle them," he assured the man.
Gushiken frowned. "We will not take that risk. Neji, go with them. You can use your Byakugan to ensure the path is safe. Come back when you finish."
Neji nodded firmly. Shikamaru had nothing against the Hyuuga coming with them. In fact he was quite pleased with it. That way he could make sure the Hyuuga was out of danger, so he didn't object. The three of them went down the stairs together to gather the team that would return to Konoha.
The trek back was uneventful. They didn't come across anyone except the squads that had left Konoha transporting the clean water and supplies for the Tea inhabitants. Knowing that help was on the way was a relief, but Shikamaru had no doubt that things were far from over.
After a long journey they finally spotted the village entrance in the distance. Once in Konoha, the team members began to disperse. Shikamaru stopped Shino before he left and instructed him to inform him if his insects detected the slightest change in Hisao's position. Shino assured him that the man had returned to Konoha and that he was still there, but if that changed he would notify him immediately. He seemed proud to be needed, and committed to do the job right.
Once everyone left, Shikamaru prepared to walk towards the Hokage mansion, but he realized Neji was still there.
The Hyuuga was watching him blankly, standing in the middle of Main street. Shikamaru remembered his orders were to return to his post once they arrived. He approached him. "Are you going back to the border immediately?"
Neji shook his head. "I will see Gai sensei first." He studied the Nara's face for a few seconds. "Are you going to speak with the Godaime now?"
Shikamaru nodded. There was no reason to lie. Neji knew how eager he was to continue the investigation that he had begun. Without saying anything else, they started walking towards the Hokage mansion.
When they got there they parted ways. Shikamaru suppressed the desire to turn his head and watch Neji's slim figure walking away through the streets of Konoha. Maybe they could still have a moment alone at the forest house before he left again. But for that he had to hurry. He picked up his pace toward the Hokage's office.
Tsunade was happy to see him. Thanks to his theory they had prevented a complete massacre in the land of Tea. She told him that, according to Gushiken's latest report, new cases had "magically" stopped when the water shipments arrived. The population was now safe.
"It was necessary to mobilize a lot of shinobi for this. Consequently, I was forced to notify the Council," the Godaime explained. "They now know that the monks were involved, but they are still unaware of the Hyuuga clan's involvement."
Shikamaru nodded. "I think we should keep it that way until we catch the ambassador. If you are okay with that." Hearing these words Tsunade frowned. It was clear that she doubted his plans, and his motivations. Shikamaru had kept information from her for a long time, and he could still be doing it. But accusing the Hyuuga clan could trigger retaliations.
If they decided to use the Curse Seal on Neji before he could execute his plan, all his effort would have been in vain. For now he needed to delay the confrontation with the Hyuugas until he could implement his greater strategy. "If we accuse them now, they will try to erase the evidence of their involvement," he added.
Tsunade didn't look convinced at all. She studied him for a moment, but finally seemed to accept that she would get nothing more out of him. She indicated that he was dismissed. "I will inform you if anyone makes a move and we will go from there."
Shikamaru left the Hokage mansion wondering what Hisao, the Hyuuga clan and those disgusting monks would do now to gather the chakra they lacked to fulfill their goal. He started walking towards the forest hause. Neji would probably stop by before leaving to say goodbye. Shikamaru considered suggesting that he stay just for one night. He was imagining how to ask it when he heard a distressed voice and hurried footsteps behind him.
He turned to see the alarmed face of Hanae, who was running towards him carrying her little brother in her arms.
"SHIKAMARU! SHIKAMARU!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. She stopped in front of him, breathing hard. "Kami, I've been looking for you everywhere. You have to help us!"
Shikamaru extended his arms towards her to calm her down. She looked terrified. "Easy. Tell me what happened."
Hanae took a second to regain some composure, but immediately kept talking. Her words came out fast, and were mixed with sobs and moans of despair. "Branch House members are disappearing. First there were only a few who were taken out of the village by some Main House members. But now there are many more, and they're just disappearing without a trace." She stopped. Tears had started to trickle down her cheeks into thick silver rivers. "I don't know what's going on, but I fear for my brother."
Shikamaru looked at the two kids in bewilderment, trying to assimilate what he had just heard. Why could Branch House members be disappearing? But a second after asking himself that question, the answer materialized before his eyes with absolute certainty: the chakra. Now that the supply from the Tea villagers had been cut off, those madmen were going to take it out from the Branch House members. After all, Hyuugas had a lot of chakra, and they must be close to gathering all they needed to open that stupid mystical temple. Meanwhile, innocent people were being taken away to be murdered.
His heart slammed like an iron hammer against his chest, causing his breath to catch. Neji's face appeared in his mind, and he realized that now, Konoha was the worst place for the boy. He had to find him, and fast, before the Main House members tried to take him too.
He shook his head to get out of his stupor because there was no time to lose. "I must find my friend," he said to Hanae, and he was already starting to turn to leave when one of the girl's shaking hands grabbed his arm.
"You can't leave us!" she implored. "If they come for Hoshi, I won't be able to stop them alone! You have to help us! Please!"
Shikamaru froze, watching the girl's pleading face, and the frightened expression in little Hoshi's eyes, who was looking in all directions, as if afraid that the Main House would appear at any moment to take him. It was true, he couldn't leave them alone at the mercy of those lunatics. He decided that the sooner he got those two children to safety, the faster he could run in search of Neji. He released his arm from Hanae's fingers and took her hand. "Come with me."
They started running towards the Nara forest as fast as their feet would allow them, but it wasn't enough. Shikamaru took Hoshi from Hanae's arms and carried him so they could move faster. When they finally reached the house in the woods, he ordered them to stay there and not to leave until he returned, no matter how long he took. Without wasting another second he ran off again to find Neji.
He had barely crossed the line of trees that surrounded the Nara forest when another voice calling his name made him stop. He was going so fast that he almost fell, face first, to the ground. When he regained his balance, he looked up towards the sound. Shino was approaching at top speed, his arms flailing above his head. Shikamaru's heart thumped against his chest again like a huge wrecking ball. Imagining what the Aburame was about to tell him, he rushed to meet him.
"The males are anxious," Shino said out of breath. "The female is moving away. He has left Konoha."
It was exactly what he feared. Hisao, and perhaps other Main House members, had taken a good load of Branch House kids to sacrifice them for their chakra. They had to catch up with them before they did it.
"Come on!" He yelled at Shino, and together they started running again. Shikamaru felt the blood pooling in his ears, pounding his eardrums in a steady, resounding and relentless rhythm, like the inexorably ticking seconds on the clock. Time was running out.
Sweat rolled down his entire body in cold torrents, but Shikamaru paid no attention to it. He had to make sure Neji was still in the village, that he hadn't been taken away too.
What he saw as they approached the Hokage mansion gave him such relief that he might have passed out right there, but he couldn't afford it. Neji was standing next to Lee, speaking quietly. Not far from them were Sakura and Tenten. Seeing Shikamaru and Shino approaching so fast, everyone understood that something had happened. The two boys didn't stop, and passed them without saying a word. But as he went through the great gate, Shikamaru stopped abruptly and retraced his steps to look at his friends.
"Hisao is on the move," he told them breathlessly. "Find the others and meet back here. We will leave immediately."
The four shinobi nodded and parted to search for the others, but before Tenten could walk away, Shikamaru took her tightly by the arm. The girl looked at him with surprise and alarm.
"Go with Neji," he whispered. "Do not let him out of your sight."
Tenten's eyes widened. "What? Why?" She asked, suddenly terrified.
"Just do it," the Nara replied harshly. "Go!"
Panic spread across Tenten's face. Her eyes widened, and then she turned to run in Neji's direction.
"Shikamaru, we have to hurry," Shino said behind him. "If we let him get too far away, I won't be able to follow his trail. And they are moving fast."
The clock lodged in Shikamaru's ears chimed again, agreeing with the Aburame. He turned back to the Hokage mansion and started running through the halls.
He didn't pause, not even to knock on the door. Instead, he slid the tatami door aside with such force that he almost pulled it off its axis. Tsunade listened carefully as he hurriedly reported what had just happened.
We're wasting time, we're wasting time. That was all he could think of. He could almost see in his mind the wretched group of Branch House members being guided to their death by Hisao.
Tsunade ordered him to gather a team and leave immediately, and Shikamaru stormed out of the office again, followed by Shino. Once the entire team was reunited again they prepared to leave, although it had only been a few hours since they had returned from the border. They headed to Konoha entrance, but something stopped them once again.
This time the person who approached screaming was Hinata, and she was yelling Neji's name.
The Hyuuga approached her and grabbed her shoulders to try to reassure her. Like Hanae a few minutes ago, her face was covered in tears. Shikamaru knew what she was about to say.
And he wasn't wrong. Hinata explained through desperate sobs that many Branch House members had disappeared, meaning that Neji was in danger too. She held onto her cousin with all her might, as if she feared he would vanish into the air without warning. Neji looked at Shikamaru, and the Nara wondered how long it would take for the boy to put it all together. Neji was considered a genius himself, so he figured it wouldn't take long.
"Hisao must have taken them away," Neji concluded in a cold voice. "We have to go immediately."
"NO!" Hinata begged, clinging closer to her cousin's clothes. "If they catch you they will kill you! You can not go!"
Shikamaru had thought of making the same suggestion, but he knew it would have been useless. Nothing would stop Neji from coming to the aid of the other Branch House members, and because there was no way to convince him, he prefered to have him by his side at all times.
"I cannot just stay here and do nothing," he said to Hinata with dismay. "I must go."
"I'll go with you," the girl assured, straightening and trying to look strong. Neji tried to persuade her to stay, but she refused. If her cousin went into the wolf's mouth, she would too.
Finally they left the village, with Shino leading the way, following the trail marked by the small insect hidden in Hisao's clothes. Some of them ran through the bushes, others leaped from branch to branch among the trees. Time kept ticking on, and it wouldn't stop to wait for them. Shikamaru stared at the road in front of them, with the horrible feeling that it was too late. They had taken too much time to follow Hisao.
They kept moving forward, and the fact that Hinata and Neji still couldn't see their targets with their Byakugans told the Nara that they were still way ahead of them. It was done. They were all dead already. We lost too much time. Even if we reach them, it is done. It was just a feeling, but Shikamaru was terrified that it was correct.
How the hell had he not foreseen this would happen? It was evident that by losing the chakra coming from the villagers, the monks and their minions would seek another source. Shikamaru knew that Hisao had taken Hiro's chakra after killing him. He had seen the Gasei Seal on his chest with his own eyes. It was obvious that nothing would stop him from sacrificing other Branch House members. This was all his fault. He should have seen it coming.
After several hours of swift pursuit, Shino signaled to slow down. The female seemed to have vanished. Perhaps Hisao had detected her and killed her. They stopped running, but kept moving forward, assuming they were still moving in the right direction. Shikamaru cast a quick glance at Neji, who was frowning with his lips tightened. Had he understood what was about to happen? Or what had already happened ...
In response to his question, the Hyuuga slowly approached him.
"Hisao took them to extract their chakra?" He asked in a shaky voice. Shikamaru didn't reply, and kept his gaze straight ahead. "They can't use the villagers anymore, so it would make sense..." The Nara still didn't speak, but Neji didn't seem to need an answer. He was simply saying out loud what he already knew. "Kami, we must stop them. We must reach them before… "
At that moment, Shikamaru stopped short. Neji did as well, and watched him, not understanding. "We're too late," the Nara said in a cold tone, staring at the ground ahead. Neji's eyes followed his.
In front of them, just a few meters away, a small creek ran. Beside it was a huge hole opened in the dark earth. The dust that covered it was churned, as if it had been recently laid, and strange shapes could be discerned just below the surface. Neji took a couple of hesitant steps forward.
He didn't want to look, but at the same time he was unable not to. The shapes looming under the ground were human bodies. Or at least what was left of them. Petrified, Neji looked at them. There were dozens of them. If he had been able to see their faces he would have recognized them all, but none of them had a face. Where their faces should have been, there was only a huge gaping hole. Neji knew that wound perfectly: they had all died because of the Curse Seal.
He put a hand to his mouth to suppress a cry of horror. Behind him, Tenten screamed, Ino and Sakura cried, and Kiba and Naruto cursed helplessly. He even thought he heard someone vomit, shocked by the terrible scene. Neji tried to tear his eyes away from the mass grave, but couldn't. His body was frozen with fear.
The only person who got closer than him was Shikamaru. He passed Neji with a cold calm that was extremely disquieting, and crouched in front of the scene. With detached calm he reached out his hands and began to remove the earth, just as he had done in the cemetery in the land of Tea. Neji watched as his fingers grasped the inert body of one of the Branch House members and pulled it towards him to analyze the mark that glowed on the pale chest. The same brand they had seen on the villagers of the Tea.
Neji wanted to cry and scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. He closed his eyes, feeling his entire body shudder. Those Branch House members had been slaughtered by their own clan, and now they were gone forever. Some were just children. This vicious act was unforgivable.
He didn't know how long he spent in that position, standing in front of the well, with his eyes closed and one hand over his mouth to keep from screaming. When he finally opened his eyes again, Shikamaru was still kneeling in front of the well. He couldn't see his face, but he knew now that the Nara knew what they were going to find from the moment they left Konoha. After all he was the most intelligent of them, and he had made all the connections long ago.
After quite some time, Shikamaru finally got to his feet. He turned slowly and walked over to his team. His face met Neji's, and the Hyuuga could see a dark shadow covering his eyes. The Nara blamed himself for not having foreseen this would happen. Neji wanted to reassure him, but the pain he felt at the unjust death of the other Branch House members made it impossible for him. They looked at each other without saying a word, until Ino's distressed voice broke the silence
"How could they do this?" Neji didn't need to look at her to know that she was still crying. The question hung in the air, losing itself. Shikamaru's answer came, although it was not addressed to Ino, but to Neji.
"They drained their chakra, just like they did with the villagers of the Tea." His voice was distant and sinister, as if it came from a cynical assassin rather than the sweet boy Neji knew. "The Main House has always used Branch House members as coins. To them they are nothing more than a reserve of gold. That is the usefulness of the Curse Seal, using human beings as currency to exchange them for anything they want."
Neji knew it. That it was horrible didn't make it any less true. He cast one last look at the well, where the remains of the Branch House members lay. He closed his eyes once more and bowed his head in farewell.
Shikamaru walked past Neji, heading towards the rest of his team. They were all staring at the ground. The reality of the scene had overwhelmed them. He looked at Shino, silently asking if he still was unable to feel the trace on Hisao. The Aburame shook his head sadly. They had arrived late, and lost their tracker. There was nothing more they could do here.
"Let's go back," Shikamaru said dryly, starting to walk towards Konoha. The team members began to follow him slowly, when suddenly a strange wave of energy stirred the air around them.
They all looked at each other in bewilderment. What the heck was that? It didn't feel like chakra, but it still felt strangely familiar. Shikamaru scanned the area around them, but couldn't see anyone outside his team. If there was someone other than them there, Neji and Hinata should have been able to detect them.
The energy rippled stronger, swirling between them, making the atmosphere vibrate strangely. Someone or something was about to attack them. Shikamaru opened his mouth to order them to disperse, when a powerful pressure closed around his arms. Unable to do anything to stop it, his wrists were forced together behind his back, as if a mysterious chain had bound them.
He looked at his companions. They were all struggling as well. Something held them by the wrists as if they were sentenced to prison. Shikamaru couldn't see his hands or those of his companions, but he knew something had caught them.
"It's as easy as hunting a group of kittens," said a laughing voice behind him. Shikamaru looked back over his shoulder and saw Hisao's nasty face. He was smiling with self-satisfaction. Next to him stood a man he had never seen. They were both watching the shinobi with a satisfied expression. A strange yellow glow surrounded them.
"You are a good vassal, Hisao," said the man. "Well done."
Hisao leaned in for a deep bow that made Shikamaru's stomach turn. "My pleasure, Sir."
That disgusting gesture of respect told the Nara who that individual was. He was the ambassador, the person who had started this whole mess. The person in charge of the redistribution of land to plant the seeds of the Hyuuga clan, of the production of Gasei Seals, and of the massacre of the inhabitants of Tea and the Branch House members. "You..." Shikamaru whispered. Abhorrence escaped between his teeth in a hiss.
"Me." The man replied. He took a step towards them, and the yellow aura surrounding him glowed brighter. "I am honored to meet those who were on the verge of hindering the divine plan. I don't judge you little ones. You didn't know what was at stake. Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of the Hyuuga clan, we have been able to fix the mess you have made. No need to worry now. We will give you peace. As the gods dictate, the Chosen One must be merciful."
His huge smile had grown wider, and now occupied almost his entire face. It was a maniacal smile, from a completely insane person. Shikamaru struggled against the ties that gripped his wrists, but couldn't get away. Those idiots were going to kill him and his entire team if he didn't do something.
"Do you really think you are the son of the Gods?" He asked contemptuously. "The gods would never order a massacre like the one you have caused. Do you really believe that this will achieve you enlightenment?"
The man threw his head back and laughed out loud. He seemed truly amused by his words. When he finished laughing, he turned his gaze back to Shikamaru, and spread his arms as if he were the great redeemer of mankind. "Enlightenment has already arrived, my dear child. Don't you see?" The glow around him stirred, and Shikamaru got the feeling, again, that he had felt that energy before. Those words meant that they had already opened the temple. Beside him his friends kept trying to free themselves, but to no avail. Observing them once more haughtily, the ambassador turned around. "Take care of them," he ordered to Hisao, and then walked until he lost himself among the trees.
He was escaping. The damn ambassador was calmly walking away, and there was nothing he could do to stop him. Hisao approached them, a hideous smile plastered on his arrogant face. Shikamaru took a step towards him, fighting the strange energy to stand between the threat and his team.
"Are you also some sort of religious maniac like that idiot?" He spat angrily at Hisao.
The man let out a soft laugh. "I understand that you think that, but no," he replied calmly, as he walked past Shikamaru and continued to advance towards the others. "Hyuugas are not spiritual, child. We only care about money and power." He paused. "Oh, and there is one other thing..."
After saying these words, he extended an arm forward, towards Neji. Shikamaru watched in horror as the boy was drawn by that mysterious force in Hisao's direction. He tried to get rid of the energy that imprisoned him, but his chakra was useless against it. When he was close enough, Hisao put his arm around Neji, standing behind him. The boy tried to pull away, but it was impossible. "Hyuugas like pleasure too, right Neji?" The man brought his face close to Neji's delicate neck, to smell his hair unpleasantly. "You have grown so much in the last years, but you are still just as beautiful."
"GET OFF ME!" Neji yelled with all his might. He struggled to free himself from the man without succeeding.
"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Tenten yelled.
Lee joined her: "GET YOUR HANDS OF NEJI-KUN!" They were all trying to break free to run to his aid, but Hisao ignored them.
"I think it would be a shame to kill you before having you one last time, don't you think?" He whispered lasciviously against the smooth skin of Neji's neck. "And it will be even more arousing to have such a captive audience." He chuckled, obviously amusing himself with his play on words.
The boy fought back harder, and Shikamaru could see the hatred, shame, and terror mixed on his face. The worst experience of his life was about to repeat itself, and in the presence of his friends. Hisao was smiling with satisfaction. "I see you still resist, like in the old days. That makes it more amusing."
The man's hands began to run down the sides of Neji's body, who let out a scream of despair that pierced Shikamaru's ears like a sword. The Nara looked around, desperately searching for something that would allow him to stop Hisao. Beside him, his friends kept yelling at the man, threatening him to let go of Neji. Even Kiba exclaimed in disgust "LET HIM GO YOU FUCKING PERVERT!" But the strong bond that held them immobile didn't weaken.
As he laughed shamelessly, Hisao's fingers searched through the folds of Neji's clothing, determined to undress him. The boy screamed louder, and Shikamaru had to close his eyes to keep from screaming as well.
DO SOMETHING, DO SOMETHING! His brain ordeder, but he didn't know what. He focused on the energy that was holding his wrists, trying to understand it. If he didn't act fast, Hisao would rape Neji in front of them, and then kill them all. He opened his eyes again, only to see Hisao starting to slide Neji's robe off his shoulders. The boy struggled desperately. Not knowing what else to do, Shikamaru tried to gather all of his chakra around the loop of his wrists, trying to break it. But it didn't work. Why didn't chakra affect that energy?
And then he understood. It was natural energy, that's why it was so familiar to him. That was the enlightenment, it was what the monks and Hisao had found inside the temple. A source of natural energy, like the one in the Nara forest, and something that allowed them to control it. That's why Neji and Hinata hadn't detected them, because the chakra was hidden by the energy, the energy that surrounded them.
Suddenly Shikamaru realized that he was not at a disadvantage at all. He could control natural energy, and Hisao had no idea. He thought he had them all under his control, but Shikamaru had enough reserves of his own natural energy to deal with it. As fast as he could, he spread a layer of chakra over his entire body, just as Rahja had taught him to do. Then, he concentrated all the natural energy he had around the noose that held his wrists. It didn't take long. Hisao was inexperienced with natural energy, since he had just received it. In a flash, the chains holding Shikamaru's wrists broke with a thunderous noise that echoed over Neji's screams.
At hearing it, Hisao turned to the Nara. His face suddenly paled. Not only had he heard the sound of the chain breaking, but he had sensed that he had lost control over Shikamaru. In his face the boy could read that he understood his situation had changed. He was a new user of natural energy, and his life had led him to face someone who was more proficient at using it than him. They looked at each other for a few seconds. Hisao's eyes were those of a rat about to be attacked by a predator. Shikamaru's were those of a tiger about to pounce on its prey.
The Nara shot forward with such force that he had to put his hands on the ground to keep from falling. He ran towards Hisao, but the man already knew that his only option was to escape. He threw Neji to the side and started running. It was a smart move, because it forced Shikamaru to stop to catch Neji before he fell to the ground. The ties that bound the rest of the team disappeared as well, and they all approached.
"He's getting away!" Naruto yelled as he pointed a finger at the figure of Hisao, who was starting to get lost among the trees.
With cold calm, Shikamaru gently put Neji on the ground and stood up. Slowly, he walked a few steps in the direction of Hisao and stopped. They thought they were gods for being able to manipulate only a small part of the world's energy. They felt special because of it. But, what a surprise, this simple boy without any special abilities could handle it too, and Shikamaru was sure there were many people much more powerful than himself capable of it as well. He fixed his eyes on the back of Hisao, who was moving farther and farther away, and spread all the fingers of his right hand as wide as he could. A circle of shadows parted beneath his feet, and a single black tentacle emerged, growing and growing, swaying sinuously, ready to follow its master's orders.
When the tentacle was thick and powerful enough, Shikamaru stretched his arm towards the target, and the tip of the black shadow serpent shot forward, chasing it. In a few seconds it reached Hisao, and with nimble and accurate movement, it grasped one of his ankles. Shikamaru pulled his arm back forcefully, and the shadow lifted the Hyuuga into the air. He fell shortly after, hitting the solid ground. But the tentacle kept receding. It dragged him by the ankle roughly, making him bounce over and over again. Hisao screamed as rocks bruised him, sticks stabbed him, and his clothes ripped into tiny pieces.
Shikamaru watched him approaching against his will. He didn't care if he had to use all his natural energy and all his chakra. He was going to give that asshole what he deserved. Impatiently, he licked his lips.
The tentacle brought Hisao obediently. It lifted him by the ankle several feet above the ground and then dropped him. The man's skull made a thud as it hit the ground. Shikamaru directed the tentacle again with his hand. This time, he sent it to Hisao's neck. The black snake flew to the jugular and held onto the man mercilessly. Then he lifted him up, forcing him to stand.
Hisao could barely lift his hands in front of his body to try to protect himself. He was covered in cuts that bled profusely, and he staggered, dizzy from the blows. Shikamaru studied his face. It was certainly pathetic, but not enough. He walked over to him and hit him hard in the mouth with his fist.
Hisao fell backwards onto his back. The tentacle let him go, but Shikamaru didn't. He lunged at him and continued to pummel him with his fists, trying to get his knuckles to crack the bones in those arrogant cheekbones. It had been a long time since Hisao wasn't able to do anything to defend himself, but that didn't stop Shikamaru. What stopped him was a hand on his shoulder.
"Dude, stop." It was Kiba's voice, calmer than it had ever sounded. "He's done."
As if he hadn't heard, Shikamaru delivered another punch to Hisaos face. A much larger hand grabbed his other shoulder. Before hearing the voice, he already knew who it was.
"Please, Shikamaru," Choji implored in a sad whisper. "He is beaten."
Delicately, though with great force superiority, Choji forced him to turn away from Hisao and stand up. The Nara allowed himself to be pulled away, although it was more because of the calming power that his best friend had over him than because he had regained his composure. He was still furious. He looked at Hisao's face, writhing in pain at his feet. His eyes were open, and he was still conscious. The lesson continued.
He broke free from his friends and went back to Hisao. "I'm not done yet."
This time he didn't pounce on the man, but instead spread his hands slightly to create a good number of small tentacles, which looked thin and fragile but were incredibly strong, and could change size and shape at his command. The shadow snakes crawled toward Hisao, binding at his ankles, wrists, neck, and hips, immobilizing him completely. A tentacle snaked up to his mouth and slid into it, making him gasp. Others slipped through the pleats of his pants to reach his genitals and butcheeks. Shikamaru clenched his fists tightly and the tentacles pierced the barriers of Hisao's body from all the entrances they found, causing him to scream in pain (somewhere in the world behind him, some members of his team screamed as well). As his mouth was obstructed, the sound emerged from the man's lips in a strange way, although it was also because he was crying. Perfect, that was what he was looking for. Shikamaru retracted his tentacles and knelt next to Hisao.
That had been the warning. Now the last detail was missing. The most important one. A clear message: stay away from him or I will end you.
He reached out a hand and tangled his fingers in Hisao's hair. Gripping him tightly, he dragged him across the land toward the creek. The man kicked and tried to free himself, but failed. Shikamaru took his prey to the edge of the stream and without giving him time to prepare, he buried his face in the cold water. Hisao's body jerked as he fought not to suffocate. After a few moments, Shikamaru pulled from his hair again to lift his face out of the water, but he sank it again as soon as Hisao took a single breath. He repeated this a couple more times, before the stunned gaze of all his friends, and Neji. But Shikamaru had completely forgotten that there were other people there. He had to make sure the message was crystal clear.
He held Hisao's face above the water and brought his mouth to his ear. What he was going to tell him would stay between the two of them and no one else. Shikamaru was going to make sure that that idiot was looking over his shoulder for the rest of his life.
"Don't ever touch him again," he said clearly. Hisao groaned, and Shikamaru dug his nails into his skull. "If you want to rat me out to your beloved clan, go ahead. Although I don't think you want to tell them what I did to you. Regardless, you tell them, I will come for you, understand?" He dug his nails harder. "And always check your toilet. My shadows travel quite well through pipes." He said the latter in an icy humorous tone. Hisao squeezed his eyes together and wept silently. It was enough.
Shikamaru let him go, and the man's face hit the water again, but he rolled over to breathe, and simply lay there, unable, or unwilling to move, his body torn and aching. The Nara looked at him for a moment, but soon grew weary of the horrible pathetic image. He had given the bastard a small idea of what it was like to be on the other side, and he felt victorious. It might be silly to think about, but Shikamaru believed that Hisao would never forget his face. And though he might never admit it, he would always check his toilet before using it.
He turned to meet his team's gaze. Too many times his friends had looked at him with concerned and dismayed eyes in recent days, and this was no exception. Everyone thought that something was wrong with him, that this mission was driving him crazy, and what he had just done affirmed that. They too had despised Hisao for his actions, and they surely understood in that moment the things that the man had done to Neji in the past. But it would have been enough for them to catch him. They hadn't gone beyond the limit of cruelty to punish him, like he had done. Because for them it wasn't personal.
He looked at them all, one by one. Most of them didn't seem to recognize him. It was as if he had transformed into someone else, or a beastly, ruthless version of himself. He didn't know what to say. Actually, he believed there was nothing to say. What they had seen was also part of him, it was his darker side, more bloodthirsty. The part that demanded justice and revenge. He had never known he had that side until Neji changed everything. And now he was this person who could do incredibly terrible things just to make those who had hurt Neji pay for it. After what they had just seen, what was the point of denying it?
He walked over to his team, slightly aware that he was swaying a bit. He looked at Neji, who was still on the ground, now sitting. From there he had witnessed the entire sequence of punishment, along with Tenten and Hinata, who had knelt next to him to assist him. His eyes were wide, and he was looking at the figure of Hisao still breathing heavily not far from there. He didn't seem angry, or sad, or happy. His face was a white mask of puzzlement.
The mission, a voice whispered inside his head. Right, the mission! The lunatic ambassador had opened the temple, and now he and his followers were walking around with unknown amounts of natural energy. Fortunately, they still didn't know how to handle it well, because if they did, they would undoubtedly use it to make themself venerated.
It only remained to decide what to do with Hisao. For a moment Shikamaru considered leaving him there. He liked the idea of the man crawling for days on the ground looking for help, because he certainly wouldn't be able to walk for a while. But he had to hand him over to Tsunade. Either way, whether they took him with them or not, what he had done to him would certainly unleash the fury of the Hyuuga clan. The confrontation was about to happen. Shikamaru knew that he could have delayed it a bit longer if he had only just caught Hisao, but he hadn't been able to contain himself. It was already done. The battle would happen soon, and he would be ready.
"We must go back and report to the Hokage," he said in an almost robotic tone. Then he turned his face towards Choji and gestured very briefly with his eyes towards Hisao. The Amikichi understood the signal though, for most of those present it was imperceptible. Lowering his head heavily, Choji slowly approached the man who was still lying on the ground, now unconscious. After watching him for a few moments with pity, he picked him up and placed him on his shoulder.
His friends looked at each other, but Shiamaru only looked at Neji, silently asking if he could get up. The Hyuuga finally averted his eyes from Hisao and looked at him. The puzzled expression was still there. He still couldn't process what he had seen. Shikamaru wanted to ask him what he was thinking, but he didn't. After a few seconds the Hyuuga got up.
The team headed back to Konoha. Nobody spoke. The only sound came from their footsteps on the damp earth. Neji was partially aware that his teammates now knew about the abuse he had suffered at the hands of Hisao years ago, but he was so shocked that he still couldn't think about it. The thoughts that plagued his mind were others: first, the memory of the terror and despair he had experienced when he felt Hisao's body against his again, beginning to undress him as he had done many times in the past. The possibility of it happening again had occupied a central place among his nightmares. And suddenly it had returned, leaving him scared, feeling helpless and impotent. The other thought was more intricate. It had to do with Shikamaru's reaction. Neji had watched from the ground as the Nara unleashed his fury against Hisao, leaving no room for mercy. The scene had been incredibly bloody and violent, but still he hadn't looked away. Seeing his attacker suffer and be so brutally punished had unleashed within him a series of conflicting feelings. He firmly believed that the man deserved such punishment, and perhaps even worse. As he watched Shikamaru's fists falling over and over on his face, tearing drops of blood with each blow, he had felt a small hint of compassion. But then he had remembered Hiro, that poor boy who had been forced to take his place to fulfill Hisao's desires, and then had been mercilessly murdered. Yes, the man deserved that, and much more. But while he was grateful that someone had finally made him pay, two sensations haunted his mind like poisonous wasps threatening to sting. The first one had to do with revenge. Hisao's revenge. Being penalized in such a way for his actions would certainly make him angry, and if he managed to free himself, nothing would stop him from going after Neji when he recovered, to assassinate him with the Curse Seal. The second was about Shikamaru. After all the time they had spent sharing that secret relationship (Neji was surprised to realize that years had passed since their first kiss in the forest cabin) he believed he knew the Nara almost better than himself. But he was wrong. Shikamaru had proven capable of atrocious cruelty that Neji had no idea about. Was that cruelty justified, under the circumstances? If it wasn't, why had he done it?
Because he loves you, a voice said inside his head. If he didn't kill Hisao this time, he will the next one.
He raised his eyes, which until then had been fixed on his own feet, to look at Shikamaru. The boy walked ahead of the team, leading the way. The thought that he loved him filled him with a warm and pleasant feeling, but at the same time made him fearful. What other things would Shikamaru be capable of in order to protect him? Neji didn't dare to imagine the answer.
But don't you love him? The voice in his head asked. Of course he loved him, in a way he had never loved another human being. But at the same time he had the feeling that this love between them could corrupt the Nara's personality, stripping him of his humanity. Like poisoning him. He wants to save me, he thought. But to do so, his being had been transformed into a blind vengeance machine. At least for a moment.
That side of Shikamaru scared him. His face had lacked any trace of emotion as he took out his anger on Hisao, except for one: hatred. That was a feeling he had never seen in the Nara's eyes before, and he felt guilty about it and at the same time worried. How far could Shikamaru go to try to protect him? And what would the consequences be?
Provoking the Hyuuga clan endangered Neji's life, and Shikamaru's as well. If the Nara was hurt by the Main House for trying to protect him, Neji would never forgive himself. He had to talk to him. He would try to make him give up his attempts to keep him safe, even though he knew it would be very difficult. Perhaps impossible.
Chapter 15 it's finally out! I hope you guys have enjoyed it.
I want to thank my editor Miranda Z because her edits were so good I have no words to describe them. If you think this chapter is well written, it's mostly thanks to her.
Till next chapter!