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Too Late

Ryuu swooped low as Tobi rose from the ground, beginning to run. Ryuu had sent him to get a briefing from Tsunade when Tsunade had returned Yomo with a note ordering Ryuu and the others to divert toward the lake directly. Apparently, something had come up involving a type of jutsu that crystalized its victims, but she hadn't been specific.

"What did you learn?" Ryuu asked.

"The jutsu completely crystalizes those caught by it, including all bodily fluids," Tobi reported. "It's an instantaneous death."

"I see," Ryuu nodded. "We need to hurry."

Tobi nodded and sank into the ground again as Ryuu flew back up to Fu.

"We've got serious problems," Ryuu said, speeding up, Fu keeping pace and following him. "The jutsu instantly kills anyone who gets hit by it by crystalizing them in their entirety, even their bodily fluids, like blood."

Fu paled slightly. "We need to get there now."

Ryuu nodded. They flew quickly, and after about another day, they reached the lake, only to find a massive area covered by an enormous, dull red crystal cover with round sides and a flat top, covering about three miles. Ryuu narrowed his eyes. He could sense most of Team Ten and Kakashi inside, all but Hinata. He swallowed hard. She wouldn't have left, and they wouldn't have left her behind unless she was injured. Plus, they were all clearly fighting, judging by their fluctuating chakra levels. Ryuu formed a crow clone, passing Kabuto to it before taking a deep breath, forming hand seals.

"Fire Style, Majestic-" he was cut off by a blast of Wind-powered Water Chakra blasting into the top of the crystal, exploding into a giant typhoon.

Ryuu stared where it had come from, seeing Yamato and Naruto's team in the trees off to the side of the crystal. Suddenly, cracks began to spread across the top of the crystal. He wasn't sure if he should be impressed by that or not, since he wasn't sure how durable the crystal was, but it had felt like a powerful jutsu.

"Something's wrong," Fu said. "I can't sense Hinata."

"I know," Ryuu nodded. "We need to work fast."

He shot down at the crystals, his repulsions seals forming just before he exploded down through a crack in the crystal, landing beside Kakashi, only to freeze, staring ahead of them. Ahead of them, the obvious wielder of the crystal jutsu, stood glaring at Kakashi, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru, and now Ryuu. She had her dark blue hair in a messy ponytail, and wore a green kimono dress with a fur-lined collar and the right sleeve short, black gloves, brown boots, a yellow rope belt around her waist, and a white-blue crystal blade formed along her left forearm, attached to it with a pair of struts and the crystal seeming to be spread over her skin slightly. The reason Ryuu was staring was beside her, encased in light pink crystal with a surprised expression permanently plastered across her face. Hinata had been hit with the crystal jutsu.

"Hinata," Ryuu breathed, just as Fu and the others, including Naruto's team, landed on line with Ryuu and the others.

"Kakashi Sensei," Sakura said.

"Is everyone..." Naruto trailed off, staring at Hinata, eyes widening slowly before narrowing as he growled angrily. "What have you done to Hinata!?"

"She's been trapped in a sort of prison technique," Ryuu lied.

Kakashi glanced at Ryuu, then at Naruto, seeing the rage in his eyes. "As you can see, Hinata has been taken hostage. We have to be careful."

"I'll handle the bitch," Ryuu said. "Naruto, you retrieve Hinata. However, do not allow that crystal to break. If it does, the jutsu will shatter Hinata as well. But if we can beat that bitch, the jutsu might be broken and release her. Or, I can use my Sharingan to force her to do it."

"It's not a prison jutsu, is it?" Naruto asked, Ryuu glancing at him.

"No," Ryuu said. "I'll explain it later, but remember that if the crystal breaks, Hinata dies."

Naruto nodded, pale. Ryuu slid his foot to the side, narrowing his eyes and reaching up to his tanto. The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Don't even think about-"

Ryuu appeared in front of her slashing, only for her to block it with the blade on her forearm. Ryuu shoved her arm upward and slammed a push kick into her abdomen, hurling her backward before dropping and sweeping a foot across the ground, a compressed blade of Wind Style Chakra severing the crystal just below Hinata. Then, Ryuu spun again, deflecting a snowflake-shaped crystal shuriken headed for Hinata before stepping forward and blocking the woman's blade again with his tanto. At the same time, Gamakichi's tongue wrapped around Hinata, pulling her into Gamakichi's mouth before he swallowed her, disappearing in a puff of smoke. The moment she was out of harm's way, Ryuu drilled a punch into the woman's gut with his free hand, the repulsion seal on it lifting her into the air two feet before he flipped, slamming a kick into her face and sending her crashing backward into a tree. Then, Ryuu leapt backward as a behemoth of a man with fists double the size of Ryuu's torso exploded into the ground where Ryuu had been, shattering it. He had a dirty, brown, sleeveless kimono shirt, dirty brown pants, and a pair of open sandals.

"You're a strong one," Ryuu said, sheathing his tanto. "I'm going to give you only one chance to get out of my way before I force you to."

"I will not allow you to harm Guren," the man said.

"Loyal," Ryuu nodded. "But unfortunately, I don't have time for this. Your one chance is over."

He shot forward, ducking under the man's fist before placing a repulsion seal on his right fist and drilling it into the man's face, sending him exploding backward along the ground.

"Gozu!" Guren shouted, then glared at Ryuu. "You're more dangerous than I gave you credit for. But you're not going to escape me."

"Does it look like I'm trying to escape?" Ryuu asked, drawing his tanto and trench knife both as Guren formed herself a second blade on her other forearm. "You're the biggest threat to my friends right now, so I'm not leaving until I've dealt with you."

Guren smirked. "Then you won't be leaving at all."

Guren shot forward, slashing at him rapidly and he deflected her blades with his own, backpedaling for a moment before spinning around her and slamming a hook kick into the back of her head, dropping her. Before he could capitalize on her being stunned, Gozu shot forward, roaring in anger and effort as he swung at Ryuu, only for Ryuu to flip over it and drill a kick into Gozu's bloodied face, throwing him away again. As Ryuu landed, Guren slammed her hands into the ground. The ground below Ryuu flashed, but when the crystal formed, Ryuu was already gone. He reappeared beside her and slammed a foot into her side, hurling her. Then, as he turned toward Gozu, who was charging again, Fu grabbed him under the arms, taking off into the air, circling around a tree, and shooting up over them where Guren and Gozu couldn't see him.

"Thanks for the pickup," Ryuu smiled. "Although, I was winning."

"Yes, but Naruto and the others already got away," Fu said. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll get your chance to fight them again."

Ryuu nodded, putting his blades away carefully, then resting his hands on top of Fu's, which were resting on his abdomen to hold him against her. "How's Naruto handling it?"

"Not well," Fu said. "He was freaking out when they left."

Ryuu nodded just as they slipped below the trees through a small gap barely big enough for them to fit, not that Fu had trouble getting them both though without touching the trees, then flipped, slowing their descent before landing lightly with the others. Gamakichi and Gamatatsu were in the process of setting Hinata on the grass gently, so that she wouldn't shatter. Then, a fly flew past Gamatatsu's head and his tongue released her instantly in favor of trying to catch the fly. The crystal hit the ground hard on that side and everyone gasped and froze. No one moved. Ryuu found he was even holding his breath. A crack began to spread over the crystal and everyone watched in horror. Naruto was muttering to himself, seeming to be praying for it not to shatter. Then, it stopped. Ryuu breathed out slowly, walking over and kneeling beside the crystal.

"Gamatatsu you idiot!" Naruto snapped. "You could have killed her!"

"Naruto!" Ryuu said, Naruto stopping and turning back to him. "He didn't mean to. Send them home."

Naruto nodded and both toads exploded into smoke. "What do we do?"

"Damn," a voice off to the side said, everyone turning to see Pakkun. "Guess I'm too late."

"Pakkun!" the original members of Team Kakashi all gasped.

"Lady Tsunade finished analyzing that insect of Shino's," Pakkun reported. "There's no mistaking it. The enemy uses some kind of Crystal Style Ninjutsu."

"Yes we know," Kakashi said, sounding like he might be trying to remain polite, or maybe was too tired not to be.

"The researchers say the effect on that insect was thorough," Pakkun said. "That thing was crystalized inside and out,"

"So it was true what she said," Kakashi said. "Her Crystal Style works on anything."

"Ryuu," Naruto said, kneeling in front of him. "What do we do? How do we save Hinata? You now a bunch of seals, don't you? Don't you know anything that can fix this?"

"No," Ryuu said. "If anything, I'd guess we have to kill the Crystal Style wielder. But I don't know."

Then, a loud crack filled the air and they all spun, staring as the crystal continued to crack.

"No!" Naruto gasped. "Hinata!"

Then, it shattered.

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