Chapter 1-32

Gate one and two still pushing my body and mind into fight and flight mode I somehow held everything together with big but steady lungs of air and an iron will focused on the bare minimum. Survival, objectives, and priorities were in the front row while feelings were ruthlessly crushed, simply being deemed obstructive in the current situation.

Chest expanding, muscles taut, my eyes disregarded the bleeding corpse of my teacher and scanned the room in what felt like milliseconds.

Orochimaru far to my left stood relaxed with a straight, double-edged sword in one hand while the other was hidden behind the head of a huge snake that seemed to originate from his sleeve. The blood on the blade was just as quickly noted as the blood on the fangs of the snake and the corpse of the ANBU with gruesome puncture wounds on his neck at his feet.

Ao and Zabuza were also to my left, their backs partially to me while they were facing the San-nin. Tense but visibly uninjured.

"They are getting away, Daiki." my eyes, which had drifted to the exit across the room instantly snapped back to the chuckling missing-nin.

Despite my best efforts, my pulse has risen even further, I could feel them get away, but…

"You die before you step into that hallway!" Zabuza snarled, still facing away from me, but partially covering the exit along with Ao.

Caught in this unexpected stand-off I couldn't help but feel the twitch in my fingers, desperate, itching to get out of this situation.

A sudden movement by Ao caught my attention however and…

'NO!'

My hand flew into my own weapons pouch to intercept him, but by then it was already too late.

The tell-tale whistle of a flying kunai and the sizzle of exploding tag were the last things I heard before I watched the chamber entrance collapse in a shower of rubble.

'NO! No, no, no!'

"Oh my," I heard Orochimaru tease and could practically feel his gaze on me, curious if I had a plan.

Taking a mental step back, I let my eyes wander from the rocky obstacle to Orochimaru and then to the Kiri rebels, taking stock of the situation and setting my priorities right.

Konoha involvement!

My survival!

In that order!

Simple!

Which meant I had to get out.

"Show me what you can do, Daiki!" Orochimaru hissed, interest and demand clear in his voice. "Show me what Konoha has to offer!" he continued, perhaps sensing my growing resolve.

My chakra was still plenty…something that would change…

No matter. Priorities!

'Shadow Clone Technique'

A perfect clone with half of my chakra popped into existence, plans of an old combo already installed in its mind, and water release already beginning to circulate in its system, while my hands flashed through hand seals for the necessary complementary technique.

I almost stumbled when from the corners of my eyes I saw Zabuza leave his position and race towards me. Murderous intent poured out of every pore and preceded his imminent attack with the giant sword already poised for a devastating strike that would surely cleave me in half.

About to abort my preparations a sudden pressure rolled through me, and I saw the integrity of my shadow clone waver for a split second.

A shiver went down my spine and time seemed to grind to a halt.

Zabuza was just a handful of feet away, rooted to the spot, not moving a single muscle.

My gaze shifted slightly and there he stood.

Directly behind Zabuza stood Orochimaru, his posture almost lax, but his face…

His eyes were wide and alive, his yellow animalistic iris glowing with menacing intent, directed at the back of Zabuza's head.

'Did I just got hit by a portion of his killing intent?' I thought in horrified disbelief, everything I had been doing paused, not daring to even breathe.

I didn't even feel him move!

My gaze shifted minutely again when I heard the rustle of cloth and saw the reason why Zabuza was still as a statue.

Impossibly, my eyes widened even further.

A snake the width of a grown man's thigh began to slither up Zabuza's torso, its head wide and flat.

And when it reached shoulder height it opened its maw…wide.

I saw little, but Zabuza was forced to gaze directly down a gullet full of cruel teeth and muscles.

Just a bit further I saw Ao equally motionless, apparently having tried and failed to intercept the San-nin, undecided on how to carry on with his only remaining comrade in such a hopeless situation.

"Proceed." the white-skinned man hissed.

My heart was beating against my ribcage and my breath was becoming short, even the edges of my vision were growing fuzzy. My control over the gates was slipping and the strain was increasing, I felt myself racing to the brink…

'Keep it together!'

Desperate I clung to a simple thought.

Objective: Kill kiri witnesses!

With that, I restarted my hand seals and gave a nod to my clone.

'Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave'

About to hit the last seal I watched my clone begin the sequence for his technique and dimly felt it pour every last drop of its chakra into the jutsu.

'Water Release: Water Fang Bullet'

As the clone sped through seals of his own, I spat out a fountain of water, which was immediately hijacked by my clone's technique.

Not a single drop had reached the floor when my hands seamlessly flew into the next technique. Despite the years, I felt my elemental control answer my call like an old friend.

'Wind Release: Breakthrough'

Crude but powerful.

A water sprout compressed to the width of a tree, a hurricane indoors, blasted across the room and into the rubble blocking the hallway.

Breath stolen by my own technique and fatigue I simply couldn't witness the results as more and more black dots entered my vision and I felt myself sway for a horrible moment.

Years and years of training set automatisms in motion and I immediately snacked one of my precious few soldier pills.

Fatigue buried under drugs I finally noticed the aftermath of my combo and the fact that I was to my shins in water.

Water that gently flowed back out of the hallway brought with it tiny pebbles and rocks, that had been the remains of solid masonry before it was literally torn apart.

More importantly…

My path was clear and my objective within reach.

Ignoring the first warning signs of my body and the other occupants of the chamber I blitzed towards the exit, apathetic single-mindedness sending me after my prey.

The staircases too narrow for Shunshin I conserved as much chakra as possible until I reached the snake-shaped dungeon entrance.

Eyes and ears took a backseat as my sensing zeroed in on the three signatures threatening to leave my range.

Short breath and clammy skin were just as much ignored as my burning tenketsus, which were forced to push as much chakra as possible into my legs and the still very much flawless Shunshin.

They were fast…

Mud and bark exploded under my feet, as focused as an arrow let loose, I went through these dense woods like a vengeful wraith with zero grace.

Soon I sensed their formation.

Demon Brothers left and right, led by Chōjūrō front and center.

Soon I sensed the tenseness of their chakra.

Scared, confused, but determined.

Mind blank, wind release began to gather and twist around my right hand.

Soon…I was among them.

The chakra around my outstretched hand had formed a cone-like shape by now.

Gozu, and Meizu were ignored and overtaken in less than a heartbeat.

Chōjūrō, in a display of prodigal skill, somehow managed to twist his torso midjump, a tanto already summoned in a reverse grip in his left hand, ready to bite into his attacker despite my incredibly sudden appearance.

And yet…

I was already on top of him, midjump as well, my chakra-coated hand came around in a right hook just as his gaze met mine.

'Kaze no Yari' (Spear of wind)

The tiniest resistance, that told me that my technique was far from perfect, was followed by wet bloody chunks of bone, flesh, and brain that splattered across the side of my face before the remainder of my momentum thankfully carried me past the now headless corpse of the kiri shinobi.

Feet barely touching the ground a minute shift of balance allowed me to skid backward and face my remaining enemies, who, in a display of supreme lack of subtlety, received two kunai haphazardly wrapped with exploding tags to their faces.

Blinded, deafened, and disorientated they managed to evade the worst of the blasts…

Only to be put down by two more kunai, that raced through the smoke laser-guided by my unaffected sensing.

And then…

Then there was quiet, and I stared.

In front of me was the corpse of a teenager.

The side of my face and neck felt warm and slick…

Incomprehension was lifted like a curtain as the pool of blood continued to grow.

Chōjūrō...

"What have I…" this time my swaying was worse, and I had to brace myself on a nearby tree.

He had been the good guy!

I simply couldn't look away.

He had been a genuinely nice teen, that simply had wanted to help his country.

My eyes drifted from my unblemished right hand to the remains of his head at my feet.

Who…what am I?

"Taking inspiration from young Kakashi, didn't you?" a voice mused from directly behind me and I felt a hand on my shoulder.

Too hollow, too defeated, I…just couldn't…anymore and remained quiet.

"The loss of my little hideout is unfortunate, but I truly enjoyed the amusement you brought me." The voice continued in a friendly manner. "Not to mention the marvelous swords." He added with a chuckle and a little affectionate pat on my shoulder.

I just felt so incredibly tired...

...

Eyes closed, I gathered the last of my chakra…

'Body Eliminat…'

"Oh no, Daiki, that won't do." the hand clamped my shoulder hard and instantly broke my concentration, even worse, I felt my chakra being drained to the point of becoming lightheaded.

"I wonder…" I heard the voice only dimly before…

Pain