"You got my message."
"Yeah. I got here as soon as I can. How are things now, Hime?"
"Hokage- sama is just about to call forth an emergency meeting. She told me that she might need us to head a few battalions. You, me, Ryo and a few more ANBU captains." Himeko was busy peering outside the window for Ryosuke. " Where is that baka when you need him."
"Sasaki sensei?" Hinata asked.
"I doubt that she will be able to partake in this mission. Her injuries have not fully heeled yet. She might be in the strategist team."
Hinata nodded in agreement. Her sensei definitely had not fully recovered. It would be dangerous to include her in a dangerous mission no matter how skilled she was. At that moment, Ryo stormed through the doors bringing the wind and dust with him. He looked somehow ruffled over something from what Hinata saw.
" Sorry to be late, guys. I had to stop by the main gates on my way here. One of the guards asked me to alert Hokage- sama that the chakra shield at the north zone is rapidly thinning."
"That bad? We better inform Hokage- sama immediately. Let's go." Himeko led the three of them into the building where Tsunade's office was.
Once they reached Tsunade's office, Himeko rapped on the door three times before being beckoned to enter. In the room, at the table sat Tsunade, Shizune on her right, and a number of ANBU captains and jounins. Even Sasaki sensei and the man the recognized as Kakashi sensei were there.
Tsunade looked up from a few important she had been reading since morning. "Ah, Himeko, Hinata, Ryo. Please have a seat. You are just in time for the meeting. "
After bowing to everyone (they were after all younger than all those present), the three seated themselves beside Sasaki sensei. Sasaki was looking better than the last time they had seen her. She had more colour in her now, and her eyes were more alert.
"Hokage- sama."
"Yes, Ryo. Do you have something to say?"
"On my way here, a shinobi from the main gates asked me deliver a message for you. It's about the chakra shield at the north borders."
Tsunade looked a bit disturbed hearing this.
Seeing that Tsunade was silently waiting for the news, Ryo continued. "An ANBU had reported that the chakra shield at the north is rapidly thinning. They calculated that at this rate, the chakra shield would totally collapse in probably another two days."
Tsunade had her forehead in her hands. Things are definitely getting out of hand. The room was in a serious silence. Tsunade knew that they were waiting for her to say something. She had to act fast. Fast was an understatement. They had to take actions immediately. There was no time to plan strategies. Right now, all those in her office were her and Konoha's only hope. She would have trust their decisions and leave it in their hands until she could recruit more force.
"I've made my decision. Each of you will lead a battalion and assist the ANBUs at the borders immediately. Give them all the help you can. Sasaki- san and I will be here to plan and recruit more shinobis. I trust that all of you are experienced in battles and will do your best."
They all nodded. Seen that they understood what they had to do, Tsunade divided the to their respective positions and dismissed them.
Himeko was responsible for the front north border. Hinata had the northeast borders and Ryo was posted to northwest borders. They went home, grabbed all their weapons and things they might need in this mission and made their way to the borders. At the gate, they had several ANBUs waiting to escort them to their positions. Looks like Tsunade was taking no chances. Right now, every single life was important.
-At the Hyuga mansion-
"KYAAA!"
"Good, Neji. Looks like you have improved tremendously since last week. Let's go and have a rest. You look like you could use some tea."
Neji chuckled at his uncle. "That I could definitely use." Over the years, Neji's relationship with his uncle grew closer. "It is very kind of you to teach me Kaiten, Hiashi- sama."
"You are a very talented boy. You deserve to learn Kaiten. I know your father would have wanted you to master it too."
At one corner of the garden, there was tea and some snacks waiting. Hanabi was there too. She had been watching her cousin and her father train in hopes that she would catch a few points for her use.
"You sure are improving tremendously, Neji- niisan." smiled Hanabi at Neji. "Otou- san." Bowed Hanabi.
"Hai Hanabi. Neji is getting better each time right?"
"Hai." Replied Hanabi.
"And you, my dear cousin, are getting more adorable each day. You look more like Hinata each day." Neji complemented as he ruffled her hair. Hanabi just flushed at the compliment. Hiashi just laughed at this teasing game between the two cousins. Indeed Hanabi has started to look a lot like Hinata. Deep down, Hiashi couldn't stop wondering where Hinata is and how is she is doing.
"I wonder how Hinata is right now." Hanabi thought.
As the three of them sat and had tea together, they were suddenly interrupted.
"Gomenasai, Neji- san. But there is a messenger of Hokage- sama here to see you."
"Ask him to come in." that was Hiashi speaking. The Hyuga servant did as he was told.
Later it was revealed that the messenger was one of Hokage's military upper officers, Morino Ibishi. Neji bowed in respect at him and Hiashi invited the officer to sit with them.
"Neji, I'm afraid that you are needed immediately in a mission."
"Immediately? May I ask what mission is it?" Neji didn't like it much by the sound of things.
"Fire country's border is about to collapse due to a massive chakra leak. The Hokage that there are people who are trying to invade Konoha as soon as the have the chance. By whom and when, that has yet to be seen. But we do know that the northern border is already about to collapse."
Neji was shocked to hear this. The chakra shield about to collapse was an extremely serious matter. Hiashi was listening quietly, realizing how bad the state of things was.
"A few Special ANBUs, and jounins have already departed to help reconstruct the chakra shield. Meanwhile, Hokage- sama is trying to recruit as many shinobis as possible in case of future attack. We are going to need you to head a group of chuunins. Shikamaru, Sasuke and the rest of your comrades also have their own teams to lead."
Neji knew that it was right now that he had to do his part as one of Konoha's jounins. He accepted the position and was told to assemble at Konoha's Hokages' monument that evening.
" Ah, yes. Before I forget, your cousin asked me to give this to you, with the message that you carry it with you everywhere everytime." Ibishi handed Neji an inscripted kunai.
"Hinata…why didn't she give me this herself. Where is she actually?" Neji asked.
Ibishi looked at Neji, "Didn't you know? She already left for the borders yesterday. She was one of the Special ANBUs in charge of one of the battalions at the northern borders. Even Kakashi is involved."
Neji, Hiashi and Hanabi were shocked to hear that Hinata had already departed for the borders. What was more shocking was the fact that she happened to be a Special ANBU. Special ANBUs were usually those who were trained under The Royal Academy, and there were not many of them around especially ones that were so young. What had actually happened to her during those four years that she had been gone?
"I see that there is much that you don't know bout her, is that so?" asked the officer. "Even the Hokage has yet to really know these new ninjas (he meant Hinata, Himeko and Ryo) but if you wish, you could speak to her sensei, Kaioh Sasaki."
Hiashi nodded at the officer. It was true that he barely know his daughter especially since her return to Konoha after disappearing for four years. "Yes, I will do that. Thank you for informing us, Morino- san." With this Hiashi bowed as respect, followed by Neji and Hanabi.
"You are welcome. In that case, we'll be expecting you tonight, eh Neji?"
"Yes, sir. I'll be there."
"Very well then. I'll make my leave then." bowed Ibishi.
Hiashi bowed in return.
- Near the northern borders-
"Hyuga – san, the chakra shield won't be able to hold on much longer."
"How much time to do we have?" asked Hinata.
"Probably four to five hours."
Hinata was thinking hard. Once the chakra collapse, everything and anyone that they have tried to keep out of fire country will be able to come and go as they like. Plus, building another chakra shield was not easy. It took an extremely big amount of chakra and not many survived the ordeal. Hinata figured that there was no other way. She quickly took a few scrolls, inscribed something and told a few ANBUs to deliver it to the Special ANBUs guarding the other northern borders namely Himeko and Ryo. The ANBU quickly took off.
Hinata made her way to the chakra shield with three other ANBU officers as back up should in anything happened. It was true, dark chakra was leaking through the shield, waiting to burst it any moment now.
Soon enough, Himeko arrived at the chakra shield followed by Ryo from his post. Hinata told them about the current situation and they both agreed that something had to be done. At this rate, Konoha would probably just another legend in another few days.
"So, are you suggesting that we use the seals?" asked Himeko.
"That's what I thought. Of course unless you have a better idea." Hinata replied.
Himeko thought for a while and gave up. "You're right. It seems like the seals are our only hope."
"In that case, we better get moving. No use in stalling any longer." Ryo decided. Time was against them. They needed to be quick.
"Right. In your positions!" ordered Hinata and they all jumped into three different positions, shaping something like a triangle.
From another post at the western borders, Kakashi saw what Hinata, Himeko and Ryo were doing. He had just got the message from one of the ANBUs of the northern borders.
His eyes widened in shock as he recognized their stance, "It can't be…"
Stepping out of his astonishment, Kakashi quickly ordered his men, "Send back ups immediately. Should anything happen, transport them back to the hospital without delay!" a number of ANBUs quickly went as Kakashi silently prayed for them.
"Hinata. You do know how to do this don't you?" asked Himeko.
"Practically no. But I have read about it at The Academy." Said Hinata. There were all at their respective post, already in their stance.
"It doesn't matter. We'll just take our chances and hope for the best." Said Ryo.
They all nodded and started to concentrate on their chakra flow as they chanted a few mantras. Soon, chakra could be seen flowing about them in different colours. Hinata's white, Himeko's red and Ryo's blue.
"WHITE FALCON!" a swish of falcon- like chakra formed around Hinata as she mentally ordered it to seal the first layer of the chakra shield.
When Himeko saw Hinata's demon finish sealing in the first layer of the chakra shield, she summoned upon her demon to seal the second layer. "RED LION!" a gust of red chakra flowed about her and formed into a lion and flowed into the chakra shield, covering the first layer.
The finishing touch was up to Ryo. Summoning his demon, "BLACK PANTHER!" Ryo's panther- like chakra swished down towards the chakra shield and sealed it.
Now, all they had to do was maintain their flow of chakra as the shield took its time to repair itself. Many ANBUs were waiting around the very area as stand by should anything happen. Chakra sealing was one of the most hazardous task to do, and if not careful, the person involved could loose their life.
Bit by bit, the chakra shield was nearly sealed. Hinata was starting to feel her body tremble but she summoned all her energy to finish the task. The same applied to Himeko and Ryo. They hadn't much energy left but the task was nearly complete anyway. They exerted everything they had into sealing the shield that protected Konoha.
After a while, Hinata felt her body slowly lose consciousness. She didn't realize that her body had fallen from her positions. An ANBU had caught her and as Kakashi had ordered before, the ANBU quickly transported Hinata to the hospital.
Later, Himeko and Ryo too succumbed to tiredness and blacked out. Two ANBUs also transported them to the hospital for immediate attention. Kakashi who had went to the chakra shield to inspect it was satisfied with things and transported to Hokage's office to report to her.