I would like to remind everyone that I do not approve of this story or any of my other fics being taken and shared by anyone else but me to other sites. Don't repost them, don't translate them. Leave them alone. I have my reasons for wanting to maintain some control of that, so it'd be nice if readers would respect them.

Also, I've said it a multitude of times but since some people need to be told again…this story is just to lose myself in a creative hobby. It's not meant to be held under a microscope and relentlessly criticized as if it's some published work. So if you're someone who has only ever commented to nit-pick about my choices with this story, stop. Write your own fanfic to your own specifications. I don't care if you don't like the OCs or think nothing interesting or important has happened. A lot of people are happy with where this is headed, including me.

Chapter warnings: Some brief but descriptive body horror, some gore, very mildly implied assault


The room was already full when Shikamaru arrived, his pushy teammate in tow. Ino had demanded to know what was happening when she discovered he would be assisting in the effort to get Sakura back. And usually, that would have been the very definition of troublesome.

But secretly, he was relieved she had rediscovered a bit of her old fire. After reaching rock bottom, there truly was nowhere to go but up. Finding out there may very well be a difficult but plausible way to return her best friend was all the incentive needed to get Ino going.

Tsunade didn't even look surprised to see the new kunoichi join them, her mouth pulling up at the edge in a faint smirk before she turned back to the assembly. Unsurprisingly, the three members of Team 7 who had known Sakura longest were gathered.

Their reluctant help in the form of Kabuto and Orochimaru were also in attendance, along with the red-haired woman who was always following behind Uchiha. Shikamaru had heard she was some relative of Naruto's.

"So we're all here." she confirmed. "Shizune." Her assistant wove a series of seals Shikamaru knew would block anyone from listening at the door.

"Everyone here has worked hard in our efforts up until now. And, I'm told Orochimaru has a breakthrough to share with us." Leaning against the edge of her deck, the woman shot a pointed look at her old teammate.

"Yes," Ino shivered beside him, eying the sanin with clear disgust. Whether the village's enemy claimed to be reformed or was only attempting to save his own skin, Shikamaru doubted there'd ever be a time where he could say he didn't get a bad feeling in his presence. As if he couldn't feel the looks he was getting, the mad scientist went on professionally, "with the blood samples generously provided by Naruto and Sasuke-kun, the Shodai's cells, and heavy revision of the Second's Flying Raijin…we've done what even I wouldn't have considered possible." Apparently all too pleased with himself, Orochimaru looked up from the documents he was holding with an oily smile.

"Are you going to get on with it?" Naruto huffed. He sat backwards in a chair with his arms folded over the top and his knee bouncing. "We've been the test subjects this whole time, so why's it gotta be all hush-hush?"

"This is delicate information, you understand." Kabuto continued. "We're discussing retrieving a human being from a fixed point in time." He used his index finger to adjust his glasses, "Granted the short trials conducted on rats went well…we sent them back and then forward in time with only one accident. There's no predicting what that kind of strain would do to a human. And we still haven't been able to pinpoint the exact coordinates. This is all our best guess."

"This is right up your special brand of insanity," the Hokage grumbled, visibly a bit disgruntled.

"I beg to differ," Orochimaru pushed some of his hair over his shoulders, frowning. "I always sought a way to gain immortality, but never imagined the answer to that would be journeying into the past. Although now that we've been brought to this line of inquiry, I wonder over the merits of—"

"No." The room snapped as one, causing an amused chuckle to leave his ashen lips. "Don't mind me, only thinking aloud."

"Then think a little quieter." Karin Uzumaki said. "Like hell you're going to get to do whatever you want again."

"She's right," Sasuke agreed, and Karin all but preened. "This isn't about you finding new ways to wreak havoc. Where are the results? This is a sustainable way to go back, but we don't know enough about what time period we're entering. That's a suicide mission."

There was a cold flicker in the air, something ancient and immensely powerful slipping into the room without preamble. Karin's high gasp and the way Ino squeezed hard at his arm confirmed it. Naruto shot up from his seat, eyes bulging. "Old Man Sage!" he exclaimed. "Where've you been?"

The spectral figure that had winked into existence was garbed in all white, horns shooting from his forehead and a red, ringed marking that resembled a Rinnegan in between them. There were deep wrinkles carved into his face, chin almost entirely obscured by the long goatee there. What struck the Nara hardest, was the fathomless knowledge contained in his features. Never, he decided, did he want eyes that deep.

While nearly everyone in the room was silently awed by his arrival, Shikamaru couldn't help but notice Sasuke's impassiveness as he moved toward the sage. "Finally. What do you know?"

"Hm, Sasuke-kun if I didn't know better I'd say you arranged for him to come here." Kabuto's quiet observation drew everyone's eyes to the young Uchiha.

The raven-haired nodded. "I did some research of my own, and managed to draw him back to this dimension. I asked him to assist in the area we couldn't—determining Sakura's exact location. This isn't a mission with a high margin for error."

"Happy as I am you took the initiative, it would have been nice to inform the rest of us," Kakashi sighed, assuming his usual slouch. The jounin lazily eyed the still-seething Naruto. "Though I can understand your reasoning for being discreet…"

"Likewise," Lady Hokage rubbed delicately at her forehead.

"Sasuke's explained what you all are trying to accomplish. The pink-haired lass was lost in time," Hagoromo stated patiently. "It seems she's landed in the era referred to now as the Warring States period."

"B-but from what we learned at the academy that's before the village system was even introduced!" Ino sputtered, shaking her head in disbelief. "I know Sakura's strong, but she'd be fighting for her life every day!" The blonde's misty eyes said it all, speaking volumes of the history between the two kunoichi.

Through their early friendship and the subsequent falling out, all the way up to the current time, Ino had always worried for Sakura. Always complained about Sakura trying to one-up her in front of Sasuke or how the pinkette only came to the flower shop when she wanted something.

He'd never thought it needed mention, but the fussing was obviously for show. Their bond reminded him of his with Chouji. An argument or two wasn't going to permanently damage it so easily.

"That was the time when Grandfather would be in his prime." Lady Hokage remarked. "Madara Uchiha too, of course. No shortage of powerful shinobi in that era."

"Exactly," Ino wagged her finger. "She'd be taking them on by herself if she runs into problems. And Sakura's hotheaded, so we know she won't back down."

"Hey, aren't we getting side-tracked?" It was a testament to her impact on him that talk of Sakura was able to make Naruto of all people refocus. "Old Man Sage has more to say."

A little flustered, Ino dipped her head toward the legendary shinobi, mumbling a quick apology.

Hagoromo smiled kindly, continuing, "Good fortune may have blown in her favor perhaps. She has arrived at a time when the village of Konohagakure exists." More than a few shoulders dropped in relief. "Of course that doesn't mean there are no dangers." His face adopted a more troubled visage, and Shikamaru knew he wouldn't like what came next. "You know of my mother Kaguya, a human who made herself a deity with the help of the God Tree."

"That was the fight of our lives. How could we forget," Kakashi grimaced.

"I regret to inform you that there are beings far more powerful than my mother. Deities who do not derive their strength from the source of Chakra Fruit." The sage squinted, rubbing his impressive beard. "They are whimsical, cunning and incredibly dangerous. It seems one of them may be responsible for Sakura's disappearance."

A thick bubble of tension sucked the air from the room. Shikamaru had been suspended in the Infinite Tsukuyomi during the climactic battle to save humanity from the goddess' clutches.

Coming to, things had already been decided and it was obvious Team 7 triumphed after quite the struggle. Shortly thereafter nearly everyone present had seen Sakura get sucked through a portal suspiciously resembling a reptile's eye. To hear whatever had been responsible would likely make the Mother of Chakra look laughable was no surprise.

"Which one?" Orochimaru asked with more intrigue than concern.

The sage continued to look as if he swallowed something bitter. "As I recall, when I was just a child, when she was lost deep in thought my mother would sometimes mutter a name: Mizuchi. Whenever my brother or I would ask, she would grow incensed."

"A mizuchi isn't so much a deity as a water spirit believed to take the form of a dragon." Kabuto mused. At everyone's surprised reactions, he merely shrugged. "Achieving perfection through experimentation seemed like such a fantastical notion, do you blame me for turning to mythology for inspiration?" He spread his arms wide, the haphazard scales running the length of his arms glinting.

"You're saying a dragon dragged Sakura off?" Naruto blinked slowly. "Guess it explains that eye…"

"It is all my best hypothesis. I wasn't able to gain as much information as I should have." The sage explained softly. "I apologize. As soon as my presence in that time was sensed, something cold and menacing ejected me. Whatever has Sakura does not want interference."

"It had the power to force you out prematurely, which means it's definitely one of these deities." Sasuke surmised, turning to the Hokage. "Now that we know that much, the next step is planning out how to handle things when we travel back. Obviously some of us will be staying behind—"

"I'm going!" The shouts were a mixture of declarations from Ino and Karin, surprisingly. The women regarded each other, sharing a small nod.

"Karin…" Sasuke regarded her calmly, and she slowly lowered her raised arm. "You remember Sakura's chakra, right? You'll help track."

"Who're you talking to Sasuke?" she growled a little, "I know I'm no frontline fighter. I can't do the things you and Naruto can, but I can handle that much." By the end, some of the bite had faded from her tone. "Besides, I need to thank her for saving me."

"I have some things I still need to say to that walking forehead too," Ino grumbled. "Worrying us all for months. Who does she think she is?"

"I wouldn't mind accompanying your group," the Sage proposed, "But my help may be limited. Journeying back means you'll be detected much more quickly. I will watch over you from between dimensions."

"And however those of us who'll stay behind can support you, we will!" Shizune vowed.

"No worries," Naruto clenched his fist, a familiar mischief-laden grin appearing. "Leave it to us. We just gotta time this right."

The plan was set into motion, the high morale palpable as everyone keyed up for their roles. Shikamaru supposed as long as he got a long, long nap when it was all said and done, he could deal with the troublesome development.


After the discovery of the discarded snake skin, the mujina were noticeably tense. Their hair rose from their backs, vigilant as they crept through the dark with Sakura and Tobirama not far behind.

"I'm not mentally prepared for anymore of this," the kunoichi complained softly. "I mean we barely made it out of there."

Komugi, still snuffling around near her feet, looked up with a wry chuckle. "Then you probably won't like what's next. Remember we're all counting on you to get out of here, human! Don't lose your nerve now when the fun starts."

Sakura pulled a face she was positive the mujina could see thanks to her powerful eyes. "It must be nice to think that way about life or death matters."

She got a peek at the abnormally large teeth in the creature's mouth as Komugi grinned. "What can I say?"

"Look alive." Ubagabi called out, "We're almost in the center of the mines."

"The caverns have progressively gotten wider too." Tobirama noted, "And that gives whatever monster left that shedding behind plenty of room for an ambush."

"A-ambush?" Uzuki gasped. "But we halved our numbers. And it must be huge! W-What if we're no match, even with—" Her cynical inquiry faded.

"There's still safety in numbers, and we've got a godslayer with us." Ubagabi reasoned, though his voice was a little strained, unsure.

One of the mujina turned its head, the light emitting from its eyes illuminating the endless tunnel that went to the right. Sakura held her breath, swearing she had seen something glittering as it moved swiftly in the dark.

"I smell iron." Mio announced.

"I smell it too," Uzuki echoed.

"Me too!"

Slowly, the preternatural creatures began murmuring to each other in excitement, some of their enthusiasm rubbing off on the kunoichi. Finally, a chance to collect something that would make the horrible experience worthwhile.

"Stay in the middle and follow us," Ubagabi scampered off up ahead, Sakura hurrying to keep up with a reluctant Tobirama doing the same. The quiet patter behind them a sign more mujina were indeed bringing up the rear.

A few more winding turns through damp caverns brought them to a stop at one deeper than the rest. Inside, Sakura could see massive iron deposits everywhere, a faint glow to the whole area. But as she got closer, she could see not all of it was because of the enchanted metal.

One of the mujina squealed in delight, dashing into the pile of sparkling gems and golden coins. Several others followed, bouncing through the treasure. Cocking her head, Sakura watched them play, certain it was more about the prettiness than greed.

"It looks like we've stumbled on something's treasure trove." Tobirama was beside her in a few measured steps, quietly assessing but reluctant to touch anything. Sakura scoffed at his usual show of restraint, carefully squatting down beside a pile of green and blue gems. Dipping her hand underneath, she cupped some in her palms, only for the beautiful trinkets to begin sparking. She dropped them swiftly, moving away.

"Ah, careful there!" Komugi trotted over with a round orb that swirled with wisps of gray smoke in her mouth. Taking it out to hold between her paws, she turned the mysterious bobble around over and over. "Some of these gems react to the essence of a deity. You're a godslayer, so they'd probably still work for you. Not that you'd know how to use them."

Sakura swallowed, nodding slowly. "I think I should just focus on getting the iron." It was, after all, the whole reason for the detour. Inspecting one of the deposits jutting up to her hip, she tapped it twice, already knowing a chakra-enhanced punch wouldn't dislodge it.

She was fully prepared to transform herself, no matter how her body ached for rest, when a chipper voiced stopped her. "Here! Try using this!" The scrape of metal brought her attention downward, where Ubagabi was easily dragging over a sword by the hilt with his teeth.

Sakura's heart lurched, instantly knowing it was no ordinary blade. "W-Where'd you get that?" Dropping it at her feet, Ubagabi laughed when she kneeled to inspect it.

"You'd be surprised by what gods carelessly lose here in The Under. They treat it as their storage chest but forget about it for centuries. You're holdin' the legendary weapon Kogarasumaru." a silvery mujina explained. Sakura took a closer look at the curved, obsidian blade, flecks of green gem encrusted. The hilt was still tightly wrapped in red binding, a single black feather tied to dangle from a hole in the handle.

"We're really no different." Komugi sat down, some of the coins slipping down the mound at her movements. She fiddled with the orb she'd found, expelling hard through her nose. "You get a little too rowdy once or twice and we're suddenly too dangerous for anywhere but here."

"In the brief time we've known you, I have reason to believe you're understating things." Tobirama challenged.

"We thought we were helping!" Mio defended. "We only attacked a lesser god because he tried to harm Benzaiten."

"We made him suffer first. Scared him witless." Ubagabi's short, bushy tail wagged as he relived it. "I changed into a fiery spirit, like this!"

Before she could protest, the playful mujina was up on his haunches. And ablaze. Sakura threw herself backward, the flames rising into the horrifying shape of a specter right before her eyes.

It looked mostly skeletal, with melting flesh clinging to the gaunt frame. One eye socket was empty, the other containing what could have been the remnants of an eye, which melted out slowly like thick candle wax. A gaping hole with very few teeth moaned in agony, the sound turning Sakura's gut. Reaching up with bony, blistered fingers, the ghost frantically peeled at the sunken, charred skin of its face.

Breath caught in her throat, the pinkette watched with morbid anticipation as the skin flaked and squelched, to reveal a face just as badly burned away, with no mouth, ears, or eyes in sight. The faceless image was somehow more grotesque than the last, and just as Sakura didn't think her heart could take more, Ubagabi was back with a subtle pop. Furry, small, giddy.

"What'd you think?" he asked, hopping into Sakura's lap as if oblivious. "I haunted him for weeks in that form. It helps I had a lot of endurance." He puffed his furry chest in pride. "Once he couldn't take anymore, we closed in." Ignoring the way her body shivered, Ubagabi curled up comfortably. "Bit his arms clean off. He tasted pretty bad though."

None of the other mujna were effected in the least; some hadn't even stopped rummaging around for treasures.

Tobirama made a disgusted sound, and when she turned, his face was ashen beyond its usual color. "You're every bit as monstrous as the other abominations we've encountered." He hissed. "What makes you believe for even a moment you should be allowed to go f—" Sakura leapt to her feet, slamming a palm against his mouth without a care for his feelings about it. Ubagabi tumbled down with a squeak.

He would not give the mujina the idea that they would be left behind. It was the very reason they were lending aid. So they could be set free.

Ubagabi's transformation, and the revelation that it was in all likelihood far from the extent of his abilities was a concern, but not one she wanted to address presently.

He cast her a cutting glare, and Sakura took her palm away with a warning glance.

"It was better than he deserved if you ask me," Komugi yawned. "Attacking our Benzaiten when she was vulnerable was inexcusable. We simply handled it before the gods could pass their judgement."

The shinobi considered that momentarily, and Sakura didn't think she imagined Tobirama deflating a bit. Understanding fully dawning.

If the mujina were implying what she believed they were, exacting their own brand of justice didn't seem all that barbaric. "U-Um, excuse me for interrupting but I think we should try to move on quickly…" Uzuki pointed out. "Tsubute and the others are waiting for us a-and…" she squeezed her eyes shut. "I have a bad feeling about what we saw before."

Right. The snake skin. The leathery, discarded skin extended for what felt like miles, giving further credence to the assumption it was no small snake. Whatever she saw glittering down the tunnel was no doubt lurking too, and if it and their mysterious reptile were one in the same…

Assuming a stance like those she'd seen swordsmen use before duals and gripping the blade firmly, Sakura prepared to take a crack at obtaining some iron. A legendary sword would have to be able to cut through it, right?

"You'll need this too." Mio brought her a beige leather satchel with excruciatingly detailed beading that formed, ironically enough, a dragon preparing to take flight.

Smiling a little at the thoughtfulness, and no longer questioning where it could have come from, the kunoichi picked it up. "Thank you," Opening it in curiosity, she let her hand drift inside. The emptiness was unexpectedly vast. "I… I can't feel the bottom." Sakura gasped.

"There isn't one. You can store a limitless amount and the bag never gets full!" Mio informed her.

Pleasantly surprised, Sakura put the bag's strap across her shoulder and prepared once more to cut the iron. Her swing shook a small amount loose, and she collected it with a skeptical twist of her lips. "Is that all?"

"No, when in the right hands Kogarasumaru can do a lot more damage with its tip than some swords do with the entire length of the blade. You must not have a soul-affinity for it." Komugi theorized.

Sakura lowered the sword, staring curiously at it. "Soul affinity?"

"You're on an errand to get iron for a divine weapon and no one explained it to you?" Ubagabi blinked. "Not that we know a lot…but here goes!" He leapt up, casually reclaiming his spot around her shoulders. "Wielding any sort of enchanted weapon is about more than holding a divine essence. It's about what shape your soul takes when the weapon is forged. But since Kogarasumaru was actually created for the use of a mortal family the gods favored instead of a single godslayer, it could probably work for any human with a strong will and the right affinity for blades."

"I have one of the requirements but not the other." Sakura sighed. "I guess that means I can't keep this when we get out of he—hey!"

Tobirama plucked the sword away, his sharp eyes sizing the weapon up in its entirety. "You thinking about trying it out?" Ubagabi leaned over Sakura's shoulder and sniffed in the Senju's direction. "You're no godslayer, but I can sense you're a human with a lot of—"

In one clean strike Tobirama had sliced the deposit neatly in half, a large chunk falling at their feet. Sakura gaped at the way the sword was humming softly, cloaked in a purple-black glow.

Her lips peeled apart and shut several times as she searched for the words. "No way…"

"That should be plenty for the creation of a single weapon. Collect it and let's proceed."

"Don't you think you could lose the attitude for a little while?" Sakura snapped, tired of pretending it wasn't exhausting. While she stuffed the iron away, she searched the cavern for anything else that looked useful.

"On the contrary I think I've been extremely tolerant throughout this misadventure." Tobirama retorted, keeping the sword in hand as he made for the exit. "It's just between that revolting display by that little menace," he nodded to Ubagabi still perched on her shoulder. "And whatever is clearly stalking us, I prefer not to linger."

Fair point that staying in one place for too long wasn't a good idea in a realm like The Under, but he had an attitude problem long before they got stuck here.

"This isn't ideal for me either, but the mujina are helping us out. The least you could do is…" Coherent sentences fell away to the looming shadow overlapping with Tobirama's. Dulled though his sensory abilities may have been, any shinobi worth their name would have felt it, and he turned in time to thrust Kogarasumaru up and into the wide open mouth of a giant snake head.

A bead of sweat ran down his cheek, chest heaving at the near miss of the giant serpent. Another head came into view, black tongue forked and flickering as he leered at them with beady, red eyes. In total, Sakura counted eight heads, all green, baring enormous fangs, boulder-thick skulls and with the same frightening eyes.

"I've found the mice scurrying through my treasures." It whispered, a low rasp that curled menace through her body. Beside this great beast of a snake, Orochimaru largest reptile might as well have been a worm. Its coiling body disappeared into the dark, but if the snake skin was any indication, it stretched on far, far down. "I knew if I waited I could trap you."

"A new eyesore." Tobirama spat. "Except this one talks."

"You dare address Yamata no Orochi without the proper respect?" It crawled closer, its scales scraping rock and its belly sloshing curiously. "You, a mere fly I could ensare so," one of its heads came uncomfortably close to Tobirama's face, and Sakura noticed in panic the snake truly was everywhere at once thanks to its length, "easily."

"Orochi…guess you're back from the pits of the underworld." Ubagabi called bravely. Given that his cry inadvertently drew attention her way, Sakura wanted to smack him. "Haven't seen you around in a millennia or two."

"And yet it is you who has forgotten the pact, rodent. I nearly halved your numbers before. Or do you forget the pitiful cries of your comrades as I devoured them?"

A harsh bark came from the mujina's throat and he once again abused her shoulders with his wicked claws. "Bastard!" he roared. His fur felt more abrasive on her cheek as it bristled and guttural snarls issued up from the enraged Ubagabi. Sakura caught a hint of smoke on the air, and became acutely aware that the mujina on her shoulder could burst into flames at will. "You went back on the deal first,"

"Be that as it may, there is no mistaking this is my territory you've ventured into." Orochi's long neck slithered closer, contorting so he coiled loosely in the space around Sakura. His head hovered, making her turn her head up. "Do you expect me to simply forgive this transgression?" The head whispered, eyes never leaving Sakura's. She began to feel light-headed, catching her body almost listing to the side.

'What…what's happening? Damn snake!'

"In exchange for your lives, give me this gorgeous bobble." Scales slid against her hip, intrusive in spite of her clothing. "It's been too long since I've had a beautiful woman sacrificed to me." Another head drew closer as the one above her kept her locked in its gaze. The second head let its tongue drift out to scent the air. "And a godslayer, too? Of course. It would explain the delicious fragrance. Perhaps you could be Orochi's bride until I get tired of you."

"Not on your life," Ubgabi's lethal jaws flashed seconds before he leapt, using them to tear at the eyes of the head closest to them. Orochi howled, violently thrashing to loosen the mujina. Another of the heads lunged, but a solid arm around the waist swept Sakura out of the way.

Head gradually clearing, she registered Ubagabi ducking under lashing heads as he ran after them. Tobirama was really doing all the running, though.

All she felt was the breeze as he sped down the tunnel with a fuming Orochi hot on their trail. It probably wasn't the time to notice and be bashful about it but she…had wound up on his back…arms locked tightly in place. "T-Thank you." she whispered, sure he wouldn't hear anyway.

"Do you expect me to give you to a lusty snake and stay in The Under forever?"

Sakura choked on an unexpected laugh. She didn't even know why it was funny. "N-no, but I—" A strange, high-pitched whistle cut the air, the pinkette turning to see Kogarasumaru coming at them. Afraid it would impale them, she prepared to warn him, but the blade zoomed into his outstretched hand.

"It apparently detests being in Orochi's presence as much as I do," he said under his breath. "It's missing its mate, the Nuke-maru."

"It told you that?" Sakura couldn't help but be fascinated by the possibly sentient weapon. It also made her grow a little envious, and she checked to be sure she still had her bag of iron. Returning empty-handed after all this wasn't an option.

Tobirama grunted, spinning on his heel, taking advantage of the spacious cavern. Orochi hissed threateningly, a head preparing to strike them. Sakura squeezed her legs tighter around his waist, wondering if she should be doing the opposite and trying to get out of the way.

The earlier transformation to fight the kraken still had her feeling tired, too tired to do it again anytime soon. This would mainly be Tobirama's fight.

"Haruno, you already know my sensory perception doesn't work to the same extent as usual here. Be my second eyes."

For once, the command didn't chafe at her pride. Sakura nodded wordlessly, and he seemed to pick up on the movement. "Give me that treasure! Give it to meeee!" The kunoichi had no clue if Orochi meant the sword or her, but she was thoroughly repulsed regardless. While Tobirama fended off one head with a spinning kick and a sword slice to the snout, another tried closing in.

"To your left at ten o'clock!" she cried.

The warning allowed him to leap over the head, which dove low. In a move she wasn't expecting, he reached out a hand, tapping its nose before landing on the back of its neck.

A glowing seal appeared, the pinkette marveling that she was seeing his famous Hiraishin no jutsu. In Konoha's history, only two shinobi had ever been able to master it to such a degree. Its inventor, Tobirama, and the Fourth Hokage.

Tobirama ran down the length of the snake's spine, and two heads attempted to get them from both sides. This time he chose to crouch low, making the two skulls collide with a crack. While they were dazed, he jumped up to one, marking it with a seal. The next lifted its head only to be smacked by his palm on the underside of its jaw.

'I get it.' Sakura internally beamed at the strategy. 'Five more heads to go!'

"StAy sTilL!" Orochi nipped, red saliva dripping from his fangs. Tobirama kicked off the side of one head in a glancing blow.

"Underneath," Sakura instructed, and the Senju was able to effectively flip to avoid the head attempting to surprise them from below. He marked its neck. "Now ninety degrees to the right!"

Agile and assured by her instructions, Tobirama lurched hard off one head to evade another, leaving his seal in the process. Five heads had been marked, and Sakura saw mujina now joining in from wherever they had been. Ubagabi and dozens more scrambled to meet them.

"Uzuki!" he called. The timid mujina transformed as she was tossed, becoming a large sickle that had Orochi on the defensive. As he lowered to avoid her attack, the other mujina shimmered, their forms becoming lengths of rope. Bound in place, the serpent screamed in outrage. "Hurry and do what you gotta do!" Ubagabi said through grit teeth. "He's too long to hold down forever."

Sakura could almost feel Tobirama's smirk. "I may have underestimated those talking weasels."

She rolled her eyes and he marked the remaining heads with his seals just as Orochi shook the mujina off in a surge of new energy.

"You tried to restrain Orochi?! You marred my flesh?" he squawked.

"That was only the beginning," The white-haired shinobi informed him.

Sakura sucked in a breath as the world spun almost too quickly for her mind to gasp, and then they were up on the snake's body as Tobirama's sword cut into his side. He wailed, the obsidian blade glowing ominously again. "Its special ability is Wither. Not that I would expect you to know." Just as he said, the snake's skin was withering as if time had sped up, a hole worn clean through, until a sparkling object caught Sakura's attention.

"Hey, it's Nuke-maru!" Ubagabi dashed up to the monster snake, snagging the blade and pulling it out of his body. Sakura grimaced over all the slime that came with it, but the mujina paid it no heed, handing it over to Tobirama. "It was in this asshole the whole time."

Reunited, the partner swords quivered in his grasp. "Now comes the reckoning."

A very fleeting stab of pity hit Sakura as Tobirama prepared to face Orochi, this time with the assistance of two new weapons. Then, she remembered he'd felt her up and tried to make her some prisoner/sacrificial bride, and everything but thoughts of retribution faded.

"Shannaro!" She cried, raising a fist. "Start with his ugly face!"

Acquiescing, Tobirama used one of the seals he'd previously placed to teleport and slash the snake's snout. Blood gushed freely as Kogarasumaru's Wither caused the skin to rot, the blade cutting through the rest of the way as that head writhed in agony.

Before the serpent could think of retaliating, Tobirama had teleported again, slashing another head off at the neck. It fell with a resounding thud that shook the cavernous space, and the snake slowed, the lifeblood spilling from the wound endlessly. They were a flicker, there and then not, the swords hacking through the mutant snake's flesh with precision and without mercy.

Sakura even took advantage of the proximity to swipe up bits of the foliage growing along its back and tuck it safely into the bag. There was no harm studying just what kind of plants could thrive on top of a huge snake.

When it was said and done, Tobirama's shoulders were bunched and his biceps were twitching. Trying to offer aid without being too obvious, Sakura sent a little chakra through them to ease the ache.

Her heart was thundering beneath her ribs, partially from adrenaline, and partially because the sight and thrill of Tobirama savagely wielding weapons to systematically dice the snake apart was as attractive as it was intense. 'This isn't good. I need to regain some control.' Sakura felt her arms shaking as she kept holding on. Sliding down the felled snake's side, the shinobi landed near one of its heads. The reptilian eye weakly drifted over them.

"You've only defeated me…today." A pool of blood dampened the space underneath him.

"That was some impressive sword work for a grumpy fleshl—human!" Komugi whooped. In the face of Tobirama's quickness, the mujina had been relegated to watching in awe from the sidelines. "Shame the lunkhead can probably regenerate after a while."

Sakura loosened her hold, detaching herself from Tobirama's back. "He's diced to ribbons! And you're telling me he's not really dead?"

"For now, yes." Mio stammered. "But he'll be back. It's the curse the gods laid on him, as long as he remains in this place."

Tobirama's face twisted comically. Sakura was sure hers was a perfect match. The creepy snake got infinite lives but one wrong move and they were screwed out of theirs with no chances to do it over.

"Don't make those faces," Ubagabi climbed to Sakura's shoulder. "You got the iron you needed. And you got two weapons that are bound to help us escape." He waved a paw in the direction of the swords. Tobirama flicked some of the blood away.

"And we've also got unlimited access to Orochi's cavern, so we can go in and take as many shinies as we want!" Komugi cheered, dashing right through a spot of blood on the ground. She stopped when no one followed, withering under the blank stares she received. "No? Well, it was just a suggestion…" she grinned sheepishly.


The daimyo insisted they should meet the samurai he employed, and so the group ventured out into the training yard, where dozens of men were lined up and receiving instruction. "We can't let a threat like this stand. Our pride as members of the daimyo's guard is on the line. We'll be upping security, naturally. I want everyone to report in to me routinely."

Clearing his throat, the daimyo himself approached his samurai, and everyone in the yard stood at attention. "I appreciate all of you for taking this threat to the lives of myself and my family seriously. On that note, you'll remember my discussion of aid arriving soon."

Toka could feel the waves of malice rolling over the team. Samurai and Ninja were often at odds, coexisting in a rocky tolerance at best. No doubt many had been put out by the thought of their lord and master requesting additional support from a ninja village. "This is my guard's captain and the man you will receive your orders from whenever I am unavailable, Tokitada Taira." Azusa rubbed his son's head, the small boy staring them down openly from behind his father's robes.

More than use to to silent animosity, Toka bowed respectfully. "I look forward to cooperating with you to ensure the safety of Lord Azusa and his family."

The captain of the guard was maybe only a little older than her, if not the same age. Faint scars marred his pale skin. The worst was a jagged, ugly one that started from his collarbone and disappeared beneath his top. His short sleeves didn't hide the power in his corded arms. Dark brown hair was up in a topknot, tendrils falling from it to touch his damp neck. There was a sword strapped to either side of his waist.

In a pointed display, Tokitada crossed his burly arms and nodded shallowly. Turning back to his men, he scowled. "Where the hell is Kuranoshin?"

"You know how that guy is!" someone called. "He wins a few rounds sparring and thinks he's too good to show up to training."

Toka lifted a brow, wondering if the threat Lord Azusa was concerned about was tied to dissent between samurai in the ranks.

"None of that," the man said firmly. "Keep going with practice. I'll have someone bring Kuranoshin to me and speak to him privately."

The order silenced some of the grumbling, but Toka saw Naoko smirking from the corner of her eye. Hopefully she didn't overstep and blurt out something to get anyone riled. It was already plain to the Senju that they were far from welcome.

"You shinobi should watch my samurai run drills," Azusa suggested, though it didn't sound optional the way he said it. "It'll give you a better sense of how to adapt to their style. And Tokitada knows my estate better than I do." He patted at the samurai's sweaty shoulder, only to wipe his hand off afterwards. The lord of the castle wasted no time gathering his wife and son, leaving them there in the midst of the Taira and Minamoto clan samurai.

Tokitada sized them up, spitting near Kureno's foot. "This the best that fancy ninja village I heard about can do? Pathetic."

The blonde frowned, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "You've already got problems with us? We're supposed to be working together to—"

"Don't need your help." The Taira interrupted. "Lord Azusa rarely makes mistakes, but bringing you here was one of them. Try not to get in my way when my men and I apprehend that criminal."

"What about the drills?" Yurine gasped, indignant. "You're not going to include us?"

"I'm not going to run all our maneuvers with a group of outsiders present." Tokitada shook his head, sneering. "I'd be a fool to let my guard down around you." His men chuckled at the perceived foolishness of the notion.

"Fair enough," Naoko smiled sweetly, "but it would help us if you'd show us the layout of the castle and areas you want us to patrol. We'll manage from there." She threw Toka a look as if to belatedly ask if there were objections to that. But she had nothing to add, seeing they clearly couldn't expect cooperation.

"I guess at least one of you knows how to talk to your superiors." Tokitada's eyes lit up as he sidled closer to the Uchiha, throwing an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. "You're a fox, eh? They don't even have ladies like you at the pleasure house."

The Senju reached for a kunai, intent on intervening, but the ice in Naoko's smile stopped her in her tracks. "You're flattering me, I assure you." She clamped onto his arm and spun out from under his hold.

Surging closer instead of away, the dark-haired kunoichi swept his feet out from under him, jabbing him in the shoulder so that he fell hard to his stomach. All the samurai drew their weapons, but Naoko already had their leader at the point of her spear, cheek pressed stiffly to the ground. "But you should really be careful the way you attempt to woo a woman. The ones like me prefer to be on top." she purred. "And you seem like the kind of man whose ego couldn't take that." Glancing up, she flashed the rest of the samurai a wink. "Stand down, boys. He's all yours."

Although it wasn't becoming of a team leader, Toka felt an enormous bubble of pride surfacing as Tokitada picked himself up, expression darker than ever.


The city was making her skin prickle. Yurine had tried not to let the less than hospitable welcome they'd received get to her, taking the opportunity to try and see the capital. Toka had suggested they venture out and acclimate themselves while looking for clues. She was convinced Goemon Ishikawa was probably somewhere close and laying low. Of course, she'd warned them not to go far.

Her fingers played with the ends of her hair, as she was prone to doing when she was unsure. The castle's atmosphere felt smothering, but she was starting to regret venturing out. The Yuhi clan had at one point resided in a small village in the mountains. Konoha was impressive, and took some getting used to, but it was nothing like this.

It could have been paranoia, but it felt like all eyes were on her, as if they could sense how much she didn't belong. She was only in the market district, but it was so overwhelming. The crowds, the sights, the smells, the sounds. Every five minutes someone bumped her shoulder because she was shuffling along too slowly.

'Am I really going to be okay going on like this?' she wondered. 'I just know I'm going to be the one who costs us the chance to stop Ishikawa. Those samurai are total jerks, and they're obviously waiting for us to slip up. I was worried about Kureno, but here I am, not even able to navigate a market pla—'

"Oh!" A small body collided with hers, knocking her down.

Yurine squealed, collecting herself in time to see the little figure already running off. "You could at least say excuse me next time!" she shouted, brushing the dirt off. Smoothing hands down her sides, she gasped loudly at the realization that the pouch containing all her money had vanished. Scrambling to her feet, she tried to search the street without getting stepped on, but it wasn't nearby.

She worried her lip, wondering if she should call it a loss and return to the castle penniless. 'Unless….it was that kid just now!' Though she hated assuming the worst of a child, it wasn't implausible. 'Which way did they go?' The blonde shoved her way to the crowd, too preoccupied to pay attention to the people suddenly upset about being pushed around.

A flash of the teal colored tunic she thought she saw had her moving in the general direction of her only clue. It was embarrassing to think she was a trained kunoichi who got so caught in her own head, a child had been able to steal from her! 'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' she mentally berated herself. Spinning in a circle and jogging around a little more, she sadly accepted that she had lost her little thief. And all her funds for the trip. 'I could share with Kureno, but he's not going to let me here the end of it.' Really, she could just curl up in a ball.

"Hey!" an angry voice brought her from her internal misery. "Hey, you punk!" Whipping her head, Yurine saw a red-faced man in front of a fruit cart snatching the arm of a child attempting to sneak off with a plump melon in hand. And at his waist…ah, her money!

Happy tears sprung to her eyes, and she hastily made her way over. 'So he just takes whatever he can get his hands on, huh? Stole money from me and still couldn't pay for…' Getting closer, she observed his hunched figure and trembling hands. Kureno would say she was soft, but some protective instinct flared, and she found herself gently reaching for his shoulders before she could stop herself.

"Ah, there you are!" she cooed, tugging the boy closer to her. He stared up at her, visibly shaken. Her guilt compounded when she remembered her earlier anger. Yurine couldn't say she blamed him. For all he knew, he was in trouble twice over.

His short hair was a soft shade of blonde she couldn't help but admire, and his dark skin made her think he was from somewhere far away. His big, pleading eyes were silver, and there was a thick, light blue marking that started at his hair line and traveled over his left eye and to his chin. The clothes he wore had seen better days, shirt slipping down one thin shoulder. "Don't run ahead without me, okay?"

"You telling me you know this thieving brat?" The flustered man snatched the melon back from his little hands, clutching it to his chest like a string of pearls.

Yurine locked eyes with the child again, and she knew what she had to do. "Of course! He's my little brother. I'm sorry for the confusion. He wasn't trying to steal. I asked him to pick out a melon for us, and he knows how particular I am," she cupped one cheek and looked away to feign embarrassment. "He probably got worried I wouldn't like it and wanted to show me before he bought it." Taking the melon back from the cart owner, she hefted it up and down. "Oh, you did a good job. This one's perfect!"

"You really expect me to believe you know him? I've seen the little pest around before, but I ain't never seen you." Noticing he was starting to pay attention to her hitai-ate, which would have given the lie away for what it was, Yurine rapidly shook her head, which made her bangs shift to obscure the metal.

"I usually send him out on errands by himself, but I promise to keep a better eye on him in the future." Placing the fruit under one arm, she gently reclaimed her money from the boy's hip and fished the total painted on the sign out of her bag. "This should cover it. I hope we can put this behind us." The fruit seller snatched it from her, still glaring.

Not giving him time to raise anymore objections, she handed the melon to the boy (whose name she still didn't know) and ushered him away by the shoulders, smiling so much it hurt.

As soon as they were far enough away, Yurine tugged him into an alley and crouched. "Ok, I need a little more information here. Where are your parents? Do they know you're stealing?"

He looked at his feet, refusing to answer.

Sighing, Yurine opted for patience. "I…I'm not angry anymore. But that's dangerous. I may not know how things work here in Ōtsu-shi but I know thieves are punished pretty harshly almost everywhere." His shoulders began to shake, and Yurine paled at her mistake.

"Uh, no! Don't worry, just please be more careful. I'm Yurine," she smiled gently. "It'd be nice to know your name." She didn't have a lot of hope the boy would respond.

That was why his voice, though hardly above a whisper, was such a delightful surprise. "…Tomoharu…"

Yurine brightened. "Nice to make your acquaintance, Tomoharu." Standing to her full height, she patted his head, happy when he didn't flinch.

"Now, I'm sure someone's missing you. Why don't I walk you ho—"

"Tomoo!" A childish voice called. "Tomoo, you around here?! At least squeak or something if you are!"

The boy's eyes gained a little life, his head turning to the mouth of the alley. "Saya!" He began to dart away, and Yurine was fast to follow, afraid he was headed for trouble again. It was plain to see he was painfully shy, but compared to a kid like Danzo, he didn't seem bad at all.

Yurine exited the alley to see him run right into the arms of a slightly older girl, roughly the age of Reira, Kagami and Chisato. Like him, she had dark skin and light blond hair to her shoulders, a small amount pulled up in a side ponytail. Curiously, she also shared the same thick blue line on her face, but over her right eye. She embraced the small boy, taking the melon from him to admire. "Ooh, this looks juicy!"

Only when she spotted Yurine did she tense up, glowering. "Who're you? And why was Tomo in that alley with you? You weren't trying to kidnap him or something, were you?" Admittedly, the blonde was a bit taken aback by her sharpness, but it reminded her slightly of Harihane Kaguya.

"No, nothing like that," she explained patiently. "We were just chatting about the dangers of—"

"Strangers like you?" the girl retorted, stepping in front of Tomo to push him back.

"Saya, are you being rude again?" The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, a much deeper voice asking the question. Yurine's eyes widened at the tall man that appeared between the children.

He had a healthy tan and tousled light brown hair. He was dressed in royal blue samurai gear, a red sash around his waist and a matching bandanna around his neck. His brown eyes were smiling, and his mouth quirked up on one side to follow. "Are they bothering you miss?"

Her tongue felt too heavy suddenly, and Yurine blinked dazedly. "Um, no…they're alright."

"Good. They have a habit of finding trouble when I'm not watching them. Oh, but I don't mean to drag a pretty stranger into our issues. I'm sure you've got better things to do."

Yurine flushed. She'd already involved herself this much.

Impatiently, the girl they'd called Saya tugged at his shirt. "Nii-san, stop flirting. Let's have some of the melon. I'm hungry."

"Patience is a virtue, Saya-chan. It's possible this young lady is lost. She's clearly not from around here."

Yurine sulked. 'I knew it. I knew outsider might as well be stamped on my forehead.'

"Is it that obvious I don't belong here?" she looked at him through her lashes, and his features softened.

"Well, yes," he laughed quietly. "At least when you're wearing this." He gently poked two fingers against her forehead, and she felt a shudder of embarrassment. She'd forgotten about her Konoha headband already! Stepping away, he rubbed at his chin. "Konoha? That ninja village, right? You must be here on the mission at the daimyo's estate."

Yurine gaped. "There's no way my headband told you that much."

"He informed us himself that we could expect shinobi to arrive soon. Looks like you're here," he winked. Registering her continued confusion, he added, "I'm Guren Kuranoshin. I'm the retainer to one of the daimyo's daughters. These two troublemakers are Saya and Tomoharu, my dear younger siblings."

Yurine smiled at the obvious fondness he held for them. "Wait…Kuranoshin? Weren't they…weren't they looking for you?"

"Probably." He smirked. "But I had other matters to attend to, and I know for a fact I left the princess in good hands. Though now that you mention it I guess this is a good time to head back. Suppose I'll see you at the castle, unless you'd like me to escort you?"

Yurine didn't know if she'd survive that trip. Something about this Kuranoshin made her head spin. "I'm sure I'll manage."

"Don't be out late then. Not a lot of nice customers after dark in these streets." He turned to his siblings, tone stricter. "Saya, you take Tomo home now. I'll be by to check in soon."

"You better!" Saya scolded. "You know what a crybaby Tomo can be."

Guren turned on his heel to go, then paused. "It's not much, but, I want you to have this for helping these two out." He pulled a purple plum from his pocket, his hand fully enveloping hers as he placed it into her palm. Yurine thought she might die, and then his lips brushed the inside of her wrist in a delicate kiss and she knew she was headed to the afterlife for sure. "Take care, Lady Yurine."

It wasn't until after all three had left her standing in the street by herself that she had time to wonder when she'd even introduced herself.


"I was starting to think you lost the fleshlings or something." Tsubute was his usual crabby self, whiskers twitching in agitation.

Ubagabi tackled his friend, knocking him to the ground to gnaw on his ear. "That's all you have to say? You have no idea what kind of hell we've been through!"

"Huh. Well I've been through the hell of a long wait." He pushed the other mujina off, shaking out his fur. "And what about you two, awfully cozy compared to before." Sakura jumped away, not having noticed how close she'd been standing to Tobirama.

Tsubute shook his head, grumbling something about human mating rituals as he stalked off.

Tobirama, for once, didn't have a retort for the mujina. But it could have just been that he was lost in thought. He wasn't being overly talkative, but some of the tension from him witnessing her power-up had died down.

"Tsubute, I have to agree with Komugi. After facing down Orochi, I need a break before we keep going."

That got the grumpy mujina's attention. "Orochi? He was in there? Is he coming after us? I'd like a little chat with that slime-ball."

"Can't," Komugi sang. "Tobirama here killed him. At least for the time being."

Tobirama. The mujina were using his name? That was a first.

"You?" Tsubute got up on his hind legs and stared the Senju down. "Took on Orochi and won?" His button eyes found the blades Tobirama had put into their scabbards. It was apparent he recognized them, their power, because he put his front paws to the sides of his furry face. "W-What the hell happened in that mine?!"

"Tell you on the way." Ubagabi offered. "The spring awaits!"

ASiT

Sakura sat down on the edge of a pretty spring the mujina led them to. According to them, the coast was clear and it was safe to have a short break. So as they drank or ran around the edge and Tobirama cleaned his newly acquired blades, Sakura dipped her feet into the cool water. 'Tsubute said from here it's a straight shot to the exit. I'm getting really fed up with this place.' Every obstacle had included some encounter with a horrible bloodthirsty monster. On the other hand, she dared to think she had made some progress on securing Tobirama as an ally…

His eyes met hers from his spot near the other edge of the water. Their teamwork in taking down Orochi had highlighted the fact that she not only admired him, but…deep down she wanted his approval and respect.

There was so much she could learn from him, if she wasn't constantly held at arm's length. Little by little, some of the resistance felt like it was fading. "Komugi, whatever that thing is, stop batting it around." Tsubute commanded.

"Aw, what are you so scared of? It's just a harmless trinket." The female mujina kept balancing the orb she had retrieved on the tip of her nose. "Upset we didn't bring you a treasure."

"You and I know Orochi never collected anything harmless." He swiped it off her nose. Crying out, she pounced, and before Sakura knew it, the mujina were brawling for the ball picked up in the snake's cavern.

Tobirama peered up from studying his swords to grunt his annoyance, and Sakura almost took her feet from the water. She didn't feel like mediating, but they were getting so worked up. The orb slipped from the tangle of fur and bounced once, twice... striking the ground particularly hard and shooting out wild sparks. Alarmed, Sakura did climb to her feet, Tobirama doing the same.

The hot bolt of pain that struck her square in the chest and made her fall back wrenched a moan from her throat. She found herself tipping weightlessly into the water. Faintly, she thought she heard a twin splash.


I'm back, and of course after two months away the new chapter needed to end on a cliffhanger. haha Only a little more left of this arc. It wraps up in the next handful of chapters, but if the development and revelations in this chapter were a lot, you ain't seen nothing yet. I am excited at the prospect of more relaxation time back in my schedule soon as it's been a long time coming. Thank you to everyone who is patient, kind and supportive. Being in healthcare is very challenging for many reasons right now and I enjoy retreating to a less restrictive space as much as I'm sure many of you do.

Additional information for this chapter: Kogarasumaru (sometimes written as Kogarasu-Maru) is indeed a legendary sword. It's actually supposed to belong to a set with its smaller partner Nuke-maru (pronounced Nu-kay-maru). Some translations say Kogarasumaru means Little Crow and some say Little Raven. In legend it was crafted by a revered blacksmith named Amakuni. Supposedly the Little Raven was called that because it was forged from the feathers of a legendary raven from the Ise Jingu Grand Shrine. It was given to the Taira clan (not the same one as the samurai clan here) by the royal family of that time.

Its partner's name usually translates to Quickdraw and it was forged by another famous blacksmith named Ohara Yasutsuna. Pretty unstoppable pair of swords when used together. To clarify, these are sort of quasi-divine weapons, so a bit different. As the mujina explained, they were not forged to be used by a godslayer or deity per se. Those weapons are unique to the wielder and their abilities can't be unlocked unless it was forged for you. Cat's sword Oboro only works for him, as Sakura's weapon would only work for her, and so on. They could be used as ordinary weapons but no random person could unlock the magical properties. In the case of the blades Tobirama picked up, they do contain some sentience and chose him to wield them once again. They are near indestructible and do have special abilities, but aren't one-person-exclusive, basically.

Next, the monster that pops up to attack our unlucky duo and the mujina in this chapter is the infamous serpent Yamata no Orochi. He's commonly known as the monster fought and killed by the Shinto storm god Susano'o He wreaked havoc on villages, forcing families to sacrifice their beautiful daughters to him, and generally just being a pain in the ass. He's described as having one body but eight heads and eight tails, with eyes like winter cherries (orange-red), the length of eight valleys and hills, with moss, cypress and fir trees growing along his back and a stomach that's always bloody and inflamed.

Susano'o was said to have cut the legendary sword Kusanagi (yes there's a lot of those in mythology) out of one of the tails. If it sounds familiar, it's because that's the name of the sword Sasuke uses throughout Shippuden. In real life the Kusanagi no Tsurugi is one of the Three Imperial Regalia of Japan, a national treasure.