Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.
AN: Chapter title: Reinforcements?
"He is up ahead!" Lee truly did shoot down the hall then. Shikamaru didn't even bother with trying to keep up with him and Sakura made half the distance between the two before she seemed to realize the same and slowed down. He, Sakura, and Choji arrived just as Ino was let down from Lee's shoulder.
"Sasuke!" The Uchiha was sitting on the ground, one of his hands used to cover his eyes from their sight. His other hand rested on the ground in a fist. Rivets of blood ran down his fingers and struck the ground. He didn't look up at Ino's voice but his body tensed. "I'm actually happy to see you for once!"
"What?" Sasuke removed his hand from his eyes, unfocused eyes looking into Ino's bright blue. The red and black of the Sharingan took hold a moment later and he rose to his feet. "Ino?" He looked at her with a strange level of confusion, his mind for some reason unable to connect her presence in front of him and her voice. "What are you doing here?"
"There's no time for this Sasuke." Ino wobbled slightly where she stood, something Sasuke noticed. His eyes, the Dojutsu famed for its ability to predict every move of a foe, seemed to just take note of the fact that the platinum blonde no longer had her crutches from before. He only looked at her even as she spoke to him. "We need your help right now. The village is being invaded."
"I-What?" He shook his head, his eyes going unfocused once more as he at last seemed to compose himself. The famed eyes of the Uchiha Clan we're fully focused on Ino at last. "I see." He crossed his arms over his chest, briefly closed his eyes as he fell into thought. "You and your team will need to get out of here before things get any more dangerous than they probably already are. Three clan heirs without protection will be prime targets for any invaders. I can't have you going by yourself so give me a moment."
Sasuke opened his eyes and lifted a hand to his ear. He seemed to remember his lack of a helmet then and his free hand curled into a fist.
"Centurion Uzumaki of the First Cohort, this is the Legate, what has happened since Caesar battled Suna's mad dog."
"We almost believed you were dead for a moment Legate." A Centurion spoke to him with an almost chuckle. "The village's defenses are holding, Caesar's teacher reinforced the gates with powerful summons to deal with a number of snakes summoned by the attackers. Oto forces have so far been held in the reserve, Suna forces engaging Konoha's for the most part. Konoha's Sensor Division HQ is destroyed, an act of sabotage no doubt behind it, but the attack was inefficient. The Hokage moved much of the forces present in the village just prior to the attack, just before he departed to the Chunin Exams. Some areas have fallen completely under enemy control, outlying areas where the walls were breached by large summons, but the arena remains the most contested area. Beyond that, a team of Sunagakure ANBU attempted to kidnap Hinata Hyuga. The Praetorians assigned to her protection suffered casualties but they are moving her and Neji Hyuga across the rooftops even now as we speak. They will arrive to the tower soon, several of my additional centuries have moved to secure the outlying area of the district in preparation for their arrival."
"Is that all?" Sasuke searched his side with his free hand and seemed to finally remember he had lost his blade when anger crossed his face. It was quickly suppressed.
"No." The tone of the Centurion of the First Cohort suddenly shifted. Worry actually came to it. "The White Snake battles the Toad as we speak. That battle is one Caesar's great Legion will keep a distance from."
"I see." Sasuke understood the unspoken reasons. "What of Caesar, I must speak with him to better coordinate his glorious Orange Legion."
"You will have full authority over my magnificent Legion and I will contact you when I am ready to join the battle Legate. The Jinchuriki prepares himself and I shall do the same for now." Naruto's voice was unexpected but the Uchiha didn't allow any of his shock to leak into his voice. Besides, Sasuke could nearly hear his grin. "I look forward to seeing your performance in this battle without my guidance."
"I will show you how well your choice of Legate is Caesar." Sasuke shared the grin Naruto no doubt wore on his face. "I will crush these invaders and show them the power of your Legion."
"I will not let you have all the glory Legate nor will I take it all from you, I will await the Jinchuriki's attack. Once it begins, I and you shall face such power and put the mad beast down." Naruto's words brought an even bigger grin from Sasuke and the Uchiha had no doubt the Uzumaki's own grin had grown as well.
"I shall eagerly await such a thing Caesar." Sasuke brought his fist to his armored heart, let the sound of the strike reach the ears of Caesar. "You Legion will know only triumph! This I swear Caesar!"
"I expect nothing less but victory Legate." Naruto answered back, bringing his own fist to strike his armored heart. "Join me in glory."
"I shall Caesar." Sasuke dropped his hand to his side and removed his finger from his ear. He looked to his arm, the one bearing Caesar's seal, and chuckled. "I shall." His voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
"Um…Sasuke-kun?" Ino had stepped closer to him during his conversation and waved her hand in front of his face. His eyes snapped to her and were unreadable. "Are you done with…with whatever that was?"
"You still don't understand the power of Caesar's Legion." Sasuke shook his head as his eyes drifted to the company Ino had arrived with once more. "None of you do but you soon shall."
"Can you help us out here or not Sasuke? We're kind of on a time crunch thanks to this invasion, if you haven't already noticed." Shikamaru stepped forward, offering his shoulder to a still unsteady Ino. Dark eyes looked into the red and black of the Uchiha's famed Sharingan. "We need to get the people out of this stadium before anymore die."
"The people are still here? Why?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow in confusion at the words from the Nara. "What has kept any of them here? Is a barrier in place? Is the Jinchuriki trying to kill them all?"
"Were you asleep or something when all this happened? Some guy used a Genjutsu to put everyone here asleep. All the civilians that were inside the stadium are unconscious." Shikamaru's words brought nothing from the Uchiha, he had quickly schooled his features into showing nothing once more. He moved past the sudden information and withheld the urge to sigh.
"Your bleeding hearts won't let me leave them, will you?" Sasuke didn't need an answer. He turned away from them and lifted his arm out in front of him. In a burst of smoke, one of Naruto's centurion appeared in front of Sasuke. The only tell of his curiosity was the lifting of his eyebrow beneath his helmet.
"Legate." The centurion spoke the single word in greeting, his fist raised to his armored heart in the customary greeting.
"Gather your century and three others. Spread out and move the people from this stadium to a safe location, awake them there, and push them towards the shelters for the villagers." Sasuke spoke his order swiftly, the centurion not showing anything at it. He waited for Sasuke to continue but when he didn't he offered the salute of the Orange Legion once more.
"I and my legionnaires will begin the evacuation shortly." The centurion nodded to the Uchiha. "I will call more of Caesar's Fifth Cohort to my aid when the time comes Legate."
"See that it is done to the standards of Caesar's Legion Centurion of the Fifth." Sasuke dismissed the Centurion of the Fifth Cohort when he issued the salute of the Orange Legion once more. He turned away from him and towards the five Genin that had come to find him. "We need to leave."
A new blade appeared in his hand without another wasted moment, he looked at it with some annoyance before he placed it at his side. He began walking then, not waiting to see if the others followed him.
"Sasuke, wait a minute." Sakura's voice called out to him but he ignored it, he merely rose a hand and bid for the Genin to follow after him. "Sasuke!" Her voice was louder but he still ignored it, the centurion was remaining in the hall but would soon be departing for the stands. He had given instructions to his decanus and would summon his century in a few more minutes. "Sasuke!"
"I already told you all I would escort you to safety." Sasuke didn't stop as his voice carried back to the five Genin that still had not moved. "Talking while we walk is not impossible for you, right Sakura? Shall I summon some of Caesar's Legion to carry someone like you at my side?"
"…" He smiled at the silence his words brought.
"Let's just go with him." Shikamaru stopped the incoming argument with his compliance, walking to catch up with the Uchiha while Ino kept using his shoulder for support. "We need to get out of here anyway."
Two of them leaving made the other three follow the Uchiha's armored form. He didn't stop as he continued on his way.
"A Yamanaka heiress, a Nara heir, and an Akimichi heir all traveling in one group with two other Genin." Sasuke couldn't help but shake his head as he continued forward, all five Genin catching up to him. "This little group you've made is nearly too big a target without my presence among you."
"So what about with you then?" Ino was surprised when the Uchiha came to a stop.
He glanced to her and seemed to consider something.
"Your leg is going to slow us down." He stepped towards her, Shikamaru's shadow sharpening the moment he did so. Sasuke withheld the desire to roll his eyes as he came to a stop. "I'm going to help her Nara. From what Caesar spoke of your battle, you forfeited because you exhausted your Chakra." He locked eyes with the Nara. "I will carry Ino. You're likely to collapse and that will slow us down further. We cannot afford to be slowed down when the village is under siege by so many of these invaders."
"I can keep up, trust me." Shikamaru didn't look away from the Sharingan of the Uchiha. They both knew Sasuke wouldn't be using Genjutsu to win this argument.
"I don't." Sasuke grabbed hold of Ino beneath her arm, ignored her shout of surprise, and placed her on his back. "When we get out of the arena, I'll let you try to carry her again." The Uchiha moved without slowing down.
"…This is too much effort." Shikamaru followed after the Uchiha. Choji quickly moved to his side. The two long-time friends shared a single glance before they continued following the Uchiha.
They reached the steps that would take them down, traveled down them to the ground floor, they walked to the main entrance of the stadium for the Chunin Exams, and Sasuke at last came to a stop.
He gave a pointed look to Shikamaru and he came forward, helping Ino down from his back. He threw her arm over his shoulder and Ino narrowed her eyes at Sasuke.
"What are you planning?" Ino's question only made the Uchiha sigh. He crouched down to the ground and drove a number of kunai into the ground.
"You three need to get to the shelters." He pointed to a kunai that clearly marked their position on the ground. "I can move you through the worst of the fighting but I also need to head to where I am needed." He pointed to two different kunai. Shikamaru noted the kunai representing where he needed to be was by the deserted Uchiha district. "Luckily for you three, the Praetorians assigned to the Hyuga are moving them both as we speak. They didn't leave too soon ahead of us. I'll take you to them before I leave."
"And where are you going?" Ino seemed more than determined enough to get answers. Sasuke didn't answer them of course. He wanted to treat them as if they had never been asked.
"That's none of your concern. Once I take you to the Praetorians I expect you to listen to them and do as their leader says. I won't be there to tell him to keep most of you alive so don't push your luck. Especially some of you." Sakura's didn't wilt under Sasuke's stare. He chuckled at such a thing before he drew the kunai into his hands. "I'll take you as f-"
He was cut off when a senbon nearly pierced his neck. He moved in time to dodge it and was ready to fight when something strange happened all around them. A sudden vacuum tore him from his feet, pulled him away from the Genin standing with him. He quickly freed the cape from around his neck, the cloth nearly strangling him. He also used a pilum summoned to his hands and driven into the ground to arrest his movement.
A clanging reached his ears a moment later before what could only be described as a wall of sound struck him. He was punched through the walls and rolled across the grounds outside. He was quick to move his feet behind him, force himself to stop. He also correctly predicted what came next.
A senbon with a bell.
He severed the bell from the senbon with his own senbon.
"I see you three didn't learn your lesson from the last time you were here." Sasuke didn't rise from the crouch he had come to a stop it. His red and black eyes were focused on the three figures approaching him from within the stadium.
"You're not the guy I want to kill but you're the next best thing Uchiha." Zaku Abumi hadn't changed much since his defeat by Naruto in the preliminaries a month ago. He had traded in his past attire for the dark gray top and camo pants of most Oto Shinobi in addition to a black flak jacket. The only thing of note was the increased number of tubes emerging from his palms, two for each now. "Get ready to be a damn punching bag until I kill you."
"You'll get him after me." Kin Tsuchi was dressed the exact same as last time minus the inclusion of a black flak jacket like Zaku. Something Sasuke made note of were the strange objects on her wrists. They looked like bulky bracelets, a trio of boxes resting on top of each of her wrists. "I get to torture him for as long as I want first."
"Both of you focus on the mission." Dosu Kinuta was the most changed. His second arm was gone, replaced by another Resonating Echo Speaker. He was dressed identically to Zaku, forgoing the clothing he had worn in the Chunin Exams. "We've been assigned to capture this boy for Orochimaru-sama."
"Too bad he'll die before that!" Zaku threw one hand forward and Sasuke saw the Chakra channeled to his arm immediately change. A mark located in one of the tubes in that arm burned with a very familiar Chakra to the Uchiha. "Let's roast him!"
Zaku no longer just fired pressurized air from the tubes in his arms. He seemed to have upgraded to flamethrowers judging by the the torrent of fires that raced towards the Uchiha.
Sasuke immediately threw himself out of the way of flames too hot and too great for him to match and caught sight of Zaku's mad grin before his view was obstructed by a dark vest.
Dosu was in front of him in a surprising display of speed. He brought his arms together with a roar as Chakra raced through both.
"Resonance Blade!"
Sasuke was lucky for his armor. A blade of sound was the only way to describe the force that struck him. He was lucky it seemed to be more physical than anything else as he was thrown back with a large crack in his armor. The only reason he wasn't dead was because of the craftsmanship of the armor he wore.
He recovered enough in midair to avoid the second Resonance Blade Dosu unleashed on him. He heard Zaku call out his technique as he unleashed a wave of pressurized air forward and threw an explosive tag laden kunai towards him. The force of the blast dispersed the approaching wall of air. Sasuke landed on the ground a moment later and the shield vanished. A blade and a pilum were in his hands instead.
"Impressive tricks." Sasuke was talking to Zaku and Dosu as the two moved on either side of him but his eyes stayed focused on Kin. "I wonder what you can do now."
"I'll be happy to show you." Kin lifted both her wrists and Sasuke's Sharingan saw the Chakra she channeled to one of what seemed to be many seals within.
Tenten would be proud at the hundreds of senbon that surged through the air from the six boxes.
The Uchiha wasn't as appreciative since they could very easily kill him. He threw the pilum forward as Chakra completely enshrouded it. It erupted and the blast it produced threw most of the projectiles away. The rest he dodged as he channeled Chakra to the blade in his hand before slashing.
A blade of Chakra ripped through the air only for Dosu to step forward.
"Sonic Barrier!" He brought his arms in as if he was gripping the very air, his hands meeting in the middle. He tore them back and Chakra flooded through the twin Resonating Echo Drills he now wielded.
Waves seemed to ripple through the air, laced with Chakra, and the Uchiha's Sharingan saw his attack effortlessly stopped before the barrier was gone. He quickly recovered and charged forward as he focused the necessary Chakra for his clan's signature technique.
"Kat-" He was interrupted when ringing filled his ears. The Genjutsu was brief but it shattered his concentration and his Chakra was wasted before he could even make use of it.
"You still want to challenge an Uchiha with Genjutsu?" Sasuke came to a stop as he looked to Kin with almost disbelief. "Don't you remember what happened last time you thought you could match the Sharingan?"
"Resonance Drill!" Dosu threw both arms forward from his side and two drills of sound upturned the ground as they fired forward.
Sasuke avoided the impact but his balance was shot long enough for Zaku to grab hold of one arm with his other hand and level it at the unbalanced Uchiha. He saw Chakra flood the arm with his Sharingan and then a wall of air hit him.
And then another.
And another.
And another.
And another.
And another.
By the end, he was slammed through the side of a building and had to rip himself free from the walls inside. He struck the ground on a knee and the crack in his armor had spread. He was about to move when Dosu fired a much larger than average Resonance Drill into what had to be a store and tore it down around him.
Zaku assisted him when he once again made use of his newly installed flamethrowers to set the rubble on fire.
Sasuke broke free of the burning rubble before the fires could reach his armored form and breathed out a dozen fireballs. He was simply sending them scattering with it as he landed on the ground and let the blade he had summoned vanish from his hands.
Zaku unleashed another torrent of fire as Dosu released what had to be a dozen of his Resonance Blades as he slammed his arms together. Each were sent through the flames and were wreathed in fire as they soared towards Sasuke. He avoided the visible blades and ran straight into a storm of senbon from Kin. A shield was on each arm as he slammed them into the ground in front of him. The senbon clattered to the ground as they failed to pierce the shields in front of the Uchiha. He prepared the seals hidden at his wrist before he dashed off to the side. He unleashed a barrage of shuriken and kunai on Kin to keep her from attacking. He leaped over Zaku as he charged towards him with his palms raised and avoided what would have been a fatal amount of force in his latest attack. The Uchiha landed behind the Oto Genin and a pilum appeared in his hands.
Chakra surged down the length of it in the moment it took him to draw it back.
"Resonance Hammer!" A blunt burst of sound threw him off his feet, sent him crashing into the glass of the arena's entrance.
He broke through it and rolled to a stop in front of the group of Genin.
"Need a little help?" Shikamaru asked the obvious question as Sasuke panted on the ground and was clearly in pain.
The glare the Uchiha shot the Nara for his answer was nearly murderous. He forced himself to get back on his feet and a pilum appeared in one hand followed by a new blade in the other.
"I do not need help." He threw himself forward and back into battle.
AN: Honest opinion? This chapter could be better. Far better. Couldn't get it there. I enjoyed introducing the Sound Three again through. Figured upgrading them would also be fun (and fit with Orochimaru's idea of enhancing Shinobi) so decided to go with it. And Sasuke at last returns to the story. It was fun having him thrown through buildings. Anyway, I figured this was it for this chapter. I don't want to elaborate on the fight any longer as its served its purpose. I did what I wanted with the Legion as well.
The Genin? I could have done better. May do better later.