Apologies for not being able to update as soon as I promised. I was rather busy with some school club called Speech and Debate. I hope this chapter will be satisfactory.
Disclaimer: It would be nice if I owned Naruto, but sadly I only own a copy of books 1-13 (Wah!).
Chapter 8: A Grueling Battle
The overwhelming stench of blood filled the darkened room in which Team 7 and the Elric Brothers were in. Old, dried-up blood literally caked the floor where numerous shinobi were mercilessly slaughtered, their rotting bodies nailed to one side of the room. On the wall facing them stood a balcony several feet from the floor. The wood was splintered and not very well built to withstand the weight of a human. How could one such as Orochimaru- or anyone for that matter- live in such a dismal hell pit?
Sasuke thought nothing of the scene and focused more on the battle that was soon to come. What exactly did Orochimaru want this time? This operation of his seemed too vast just to capture him again. Did he want someone else from the group? Perhaps he wanted all of them? And when he reached his target what would he do with them? A thousand more questions invaded his mind. His hands unconsciously gripped into fists, knuckles turning white.
His thoughts abruptly came to a halt when a sheet of thick mist enveloped the room. The three chuunins pulled out a kunai knife each and Edward proceeded to transmuting his right arm into a gauntlet wrist blade. Then came the attack.
Jei thrusted his fist into the spot where Naruto was standing before. A crater a meter in diameter was created in an earth-shattering crash. Sasuke threw his foot at Jei's face. All he found was thin air. The mist ninja landed ten feet behind the group of teenagers. Naruto formed his favorite seal, forming seven Naruto clones and charged. Jei knew he couldn't make the same mistake of sparing the original again. Sensing for the one with the original chakra core, he pulled out Kusanagi and decapitated the original… which disappeared in a puff of smoke. He switched at the last second. He used his wrist to block Naruto's oncoming fist. Jei kicked the blond into the air and started forming seals. When he finished, he thrusted his open hand to Naruto's chest. A large prison of ice encased him, plummeting to the ground. Sasuke just grinned as the ice prison shattered. In place of a Naruto clone was an explosion note. It burst into a flower of flames, which took the form of a dragon. The flaming beast collided onto its target. When the smoke cleared, a solid ice shield protected the ice ninja. Ed and Al were on him in a split second.
Breaking the shield with ease, Al punched into Jei's sword while crouching down and sweeping his feet, tripping Jei. Ed slashed at the mist-nin. Jei blocked the oncoming wrist blade, kicking Edward into the air. Sakura, who was right behind Ed, ducked and threw several shuriken at their opponent. The Mist-nin deflected them with ease. That was when the Naruto clones popped into existence where the shuriken used to be. He started to look worried, desperately cutting and slashing all the Naruto clones. It should be time he used… it. He jumped back, pulling his mask down to his chin, revealing his grimacing mouth. He instantly went through the hand seals needed. At last he was finished, and just in time for a charging Sasuke, chidori in his hand. Jei finished with the sign of the rooster, and a flood of water gushed from his gaping mouth, forming into the shape of a dragon. The initial blast hit Sasuke at point blank range. The dragon changed course and now headed towards the others, the raven hair still in its jaws. An explosion of water expanded rapidly as it hit its target. As the flood of water receded, it revealed a globe of solid concrete. The rock shield suddenly dissipated the two shinobi and the Elric brothers safe from harm. The attack didn't stop there.
Before Sakura could move towards Sasuke's unconscious body, twelve clones of Jei rose from the water surrounding them. This was going to be a living hell.
While all of this happened, Itachi watched from the shadows. When he saw Sasuke's body, he immediately snatched it and disappeared.