Chapter 49

A large smoke bomb suddenly goes off in the upper stands drawing my attention up to it as well as everyone else who had managed to release the Genjutsu. "Lord Hokage!" Guy shouts next to me before he and Kakashi move to run in the direction of the smoke.

"Leave it to me!" A familiar male voice calls as the owner of it along with other Anbu members quickly move up to the smoke. -The Hokage?- I silently question finding I could not quite decide if I was happy he was being attacked or not. As if to answer my own inner struggle the image of him standing before me while I was strapped to that chair flashes through my mind. Turning my attention away from what was happening became easier than I thought it would have been. With the majority of the audience asleep it was now easier for me to move towards the railing in silence as I look down at the arena.

The sand genin disappears with Gaara as my eyes find Sasuke kneeling behind the exam proctor. A sand ninja standing before the proctor as if squaring off and preparing to fight. Orochimaru began the assault sooner than I had thought but it was still happening. The village will be under attack sending the shinobi in many different directions as they attempt to regroup before even trying to gain control over the situation. I am a chunin now on top of being one of the only ones still awake in the stands. I can already guess I will be instructed to stay here to help protect the unconscious citizens. Sasuke glances up towards the proctor before following the sand genin causing me to sigh. So the proctor sent him after those three on his own probably with the promise that reinforcements will follow.

I grip hold of the railing tightly before I manage to take in a steadying breath. I can still feel a part of me wanting to follow him so I may protect him. -"Don't die for me. I need to become stronger and you protecting me all the time isn't helping."- Sasuke's voice echoes in my mind. Rationally I know that was just his fear talking from the situation we had found ourselves in at the time. Yet, I couldn't help but feel he may be right. What if my always being there to back him up is indeed hindering his growth? If that is the case then… "Why are you here?! Lord Hokage is in danger!" Guy's voice pulls me from my thoughts causing me to turn around only to see the familiar black cloak of an Anbu. From his shouting, I can only figure I already knew what the mask would look like. I watch his arms raise in a hand seal just as four sound ninja land next to him.

"What a nuisance." Kakashi mutters as Guy glares down at the ones now in front of me.

"An enemy masquerading as Anbu black ops. So he was using Genjutsu." I sigh at Guy's words as my hands move towards my blades' handles.

"Yes, there is no mistake."

"Kabuto." I mutter nearly smirking. Looking up at where the smoke had been I now take notice of a barrier covering the top of the high rise. -If I protect the village does that mean I have to protect him? What am I even thinking?- I silently ask myself as I shake my head. Walking around Kabuto and the sound ninja silently ignoring the feeling of eyes upon me. I move over to Rock Lee who was laying in a heap on the ground. -No, it's not a matter of protecting the village.- I kneel and pick Lee up moving him to the nearest open seat and setting him upon the bench. -It's the matter of protecting those I care about. Like Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi… Lee.- Pulling a kunai discreetly while Kakashi and Guy are looking up towards the high rise again.

"Orochimaru." Kakashi points out just before Sakura shoots to her feet repeating him in a disbelieving tone.

"Sasuke!" She yells shortly after as she turns towards the arena. I shake my head pulling a second Kunai as two sound ninja leap toward her. Throwing the kunai up with a glare. I watch as their attentions are momentarily distracted from having to block my attack. Giving Kakashi enough time to land above Sakura and strike them before they could reach her. I watch as the Sound ninja fall to the ground with a loud thud. Before I am able to gather enough of my bearings as to the current situation, to notice the foot that was now colliding with my chin. The force of the impact rattles my brain as I am sent flying back and over the railing.

Well, this is annoying. I shake my head trying to straighten my thoughts out before I throw my body around. Flipping in mid-air just in time to land on my feet. Bending my knees I cushion the impact that still sent a slight pain through my legs. Growling I raise my blade in time to block the Kunai of the ninja that had sent me plummeting into the arena. His entire weight upon me nearly causes my arm to give out just before I leap back so he lands on the ground in front of me.

Spinning on my toes I send my chakra into my foot just before I make an impact with his stomach. "That is to repay you!" I growl pulling my second blade before leaping forward after him with both of my hands gripping my weapons. Finally smiling at the thought of releasing some of my pent-up anger, I revel in the feeling of my veins humming. Burying my blade in the chest of the ninja I had knocked silly. I finally laugh as the humming reverberates throughout my entire body noticing how I had become surrounded.

Settling my sudden boost of intoxicating euphoria I tilt my head from side to side causing my neck to pop. "Come on then, I've been in a bad mood, anyway."

*

"Sakura, it was worth teaching you Genjutsu, you truly do have a talent for it." Kakashi says with his back towards a curled-up Sakura who was trying to make herself as small as possible in order to try and avoid being attacked again.

"Huh?" She makes a sound of question as she looks up towards her sensei's back. Trying to figure out what Kakashi was trying to say.

"Release the Genjutsu, wake Naruto and Shikamaru." Kakashi continues causing Sakura to glance back towards the two who were lying where they had previously been standing. "Naruto will be delighted, he will be getting a mission after such a long time."

Sakura looks back towards Kakashi taking her eyes off of the two on the ground in confusion. "What kind of mission?"

"You'll have to be careful on this one. It's the first A rank assignment since the land of the waves." As Sakura gasps in shock Kakashi ducks before knocking away a sound ninja that had been thrown in his direction.

"But Sensei! What are you doing?! With this battle going on why send us off on some mission?!"

"Sasuke is chasing Gaara and the other sand ninja."

"What?"

"Sakura, release the Genjutsu. Wake Shikamaru and Naruto and follow Sasuke." Kakashi informs her as he slices his thumb open feeling uneasy about the weird chakra that had come from Gaara when he had encased himself in a sphere of sand.

"But, umm. Shouldn't we bring Kira? Or wake Ino and Choji and go in a group?"

"Kira is down in the arena already fending off sound ninja herself. There is no time to wake the other two. I suspect that the sound and sand shinobi have already infiltrated this village, besides if you have more than the essential ninja in a squad it's more difficult to get anything done and even more difficult to hide from the enemy." Kakashi looks around them as he speaks making sure no other ninja tries to attack them while he is explaining this to her. "You did learn that in academy patrol training didn't you?"

"Huh! Of course, with four squad members that means you'll be coming with us right?!" Sakura's heart nearly leaps to her throat as she silently hopes she is correct. Kakashi begins doing his hand signs for the summoning jutsu before answering her.

"No, I can't leave here…. Summoning jutsu!" Kakashi calls as he slaps his hand onto the back of the civilian in front of him.

*

"She's just one chunin! How difficult can she be?!" One of the men around me shouts towards another that was looking at the mess of their men on the ground around me. Taking in a deep breath I place my left hand on one of my blades' hilts I had returned to their sheathes in order to enact my last jutsu. I'm wearing down. Slowly but surely they are whittling down my reserves. My eyes nearly widen as a thought creeps its way into my brain.

"Underestimate your enemy and you will surely die but.." I smirk as I chakra step up behind one of the men. "I need a boost." I speak just as I come up behind him with my arm already curling over his shoulder and pulling him back so he would be near my height. Ignoring the gasps around me I sink my fangs into the ninja's neck without hesitation. Closing my eyes as the warm sticky substance spills into my mouth. Not wishing for my feeding to be disturbed I shove my energy outwards, feeling as my prey and I are coated in a thick layer. I laugh inwardly when the man in my clutches attempts to struggle as he questions what the blue light around us is.

As the man's pulse ceases to push his blood into my awaiting mouth I release him letting him drop like a sack of bricks in front of me. Smirking I look down at the one who had been my meal as I reach up and wipe the blood from my chin. This time just three months ago I would have been upset with the thought of so many dying by my hands. It would have bothered me. Yet as I look at his unmoving body all I can think about is I had nearly forgotten how much more filling blood from the vein is. I could feel his power rolling through my body sending my healing into overdrive. He tasted nothing like Light though, whose blood had a calming effect on me where I could lose myself in peace. I sigh remembering the moment in time when I had lost the fear of harming another that had slowly grown within me over the eight years that I had been here.

-My eyes widen as I look towards our downed teammate, and seeing Sasuke already in route to protect him. Chakra stepping my eyesight becomes darkened with red as a throb of pain in my throat threatens to drop me to the ground. Pushing forward I narrow my eyes to focus more of my attention away from the pain. This has taken too long. I don't care what part of me must be cast aside, I have to protect him!-

-Running up to Sasuke I position myself in between him and the oncoming Haku. Closing my eyes I feel as if time had slowed to a mere crawl as it felt like minutes were passing. Haku's advance towards me left my heart pounding in my chest. Can I really kill this boy to protect my team? A boy so much like myself. A boy that if we were in the death note world our roles would have been reversed from my will to protect Light. To be there for him, to give up everything so his dream could become a reality. Everything I had done was for him just as everything Haku does is for Zabuza. Opening my eyes I dig for the resolve I once had. I will kill anyone who threatens those I care about. I will gladly cast my soul further into darkness so I may preserve theirs! Thrusting my arm out in front of me I tighten my fingers not caring if this impact would break them, for they would just mend right away. At that moment I felt Haku make contact, the momentums from both of us further guiding my hand into his body. Surrounding my open flesh with his warm sticky interior.-

Feeling something hit my thick layer of energy around me I look up to notice one of the other ninja with their eyes wide. The shuriken they had thrown at me hits the ground from having bounced off of my shield. "I see. You're in a hurry to die. Let me help you with that." I smirk as my body begins to feel as if it is moving and speaking on its own. Running towards the ninja that I had just threatened I feel my energy pull more tightly against me. A laugh reverberating through me as he pulls a kunai preparing himself to block. However, instead of attacking him with a kick like I had thought I was going to. I stop directly in front of him. My energy shoots out from around me with enough heat I thought it would scorch me too.

-Wait, this is like when I was fighting Orochimaru.- I silently mutter as I watch him burst into blue flames. His blood-curdling screams echoing around the arena as I tilt my head. I look down at my hands as I open and close them into fists. -It seems I have control back, but what the hell just happened?- Feeling another running up towards me I take in a breath pulling my energy back within me unsure if I should leave it around me like that. -Why did I lose control?- I reach into my pouch and retrieve some of my ninja wire. Wrapping both ends around my hands I nearly smirk before running towards the oncoming ninja. -Now's not the time to worry about it. Now I have to fight. I have to protect those I care about.-

Dropping to my knees I avoid a swipe the ninja had made with his kunai sending me into a slide. I catch his foot with my wire and pull dropping him to the ground. Planting my hands on the ground to stop my slide. I throw myself onto the now downed ninja as I bring my wire around his neck. *- "I don't see why you like ninja wire so much cuz. It's sharp and cuts through your skin as you hold it." Aphrodite says to me as she stands next to me looking towards the tree that was now sporting fresh marks from where my wire had dug into it. "You should at least wear gloves when you handle it." She mutters causing me to shake my head and look down at my blood-covered hands. "Why? I heal quickly enough it's not like it matters much."- *

I pull the wire more tightly causing the ninja beneath me to begin gurgling on his own blood. -How I hate when she's right.- Rolling off of the ninja I had just finished off, just as another flies through the air towards me, narrowly missing another foot to my face. Pushing myself to stand I look around me with a tilt of my head. -Three down, two to go.- Running forward I use the ninja who had tried to kick me as he was in the process of standing back up. Releasing more of my wire in my hands I let it drag behind me as I leap off of his shoulders and into the air, with a flip catching his neck as I wrap it more tightly with each passing flip. Landing on the shoulders of the other ninja with my knees I yank my arms as I pivot my hips hard. The sounds of a neck-breaking barely reach my ears as I feel it between my thighs reminding me of when I had been attacked in the death note world.

Dropping to my feet on the ground when the one I had been on hit's the grass. I pull in the slack on my bloodied ninja wire. Not even wanting to glance towards my beheaded opponent I run to the wall of the arena. Sending my chakra into the soles of my feet before leaping up onto the wall. I continue running feeling the humming throughout my body pushing me to move faster. To feel the wind tug at my ponytail. So faster I ran.