Thank you for the support. Hope you continue it.
It's been a while since I updated, the only thing I can say that I was going through quite a tough phase of life.
The very first time I dreamed of this story was through this chapter and through it was born the main character.
It's also a small tribute to the men in uniform, irrespective of which flag they fight for.
The near perfect description of the Spartan's combat uniform can be matched with that of Blackwatch soldier's from Prototype 1 game. You can google it in case you are curious.
Music Recommendation for this chapter (All Available on Youtube): Red Alert Hell March HQ
20 Never, Never, Never Give Up - Lone Survivor Soundtrack
Chapter 28
Operation Thunderbolt
(One Week Later: Behind Enemy Lines- Land of Lightning)
Nagato and his platoon landed back at their temporary base camp created on one of the most harshest and coldest mountain in the entire sector. It's harsh terrain prevented the enemy from establishing anything more than a checkpoint at the base of the mountain since temperatures at the top were unbearable for their shinobi, however the Spartans were genetically enhanced to survive in harsh weathers such as the one they were currently under. Moreover, their strong Fuinjutsu barriers prevented the worst of the environment from affecting their base camp.
It had allowed them to launch scouting missions in an effort to locate Hashirama but only during the darkness of the night. Trying such a thing in broad daylight would be suicide.
Intelligence had really messed up big time with their highest estimate of enemy forces not even coming close to the ground reality.
The nearest harbor bordering the ocean was a fortress manned by a heavy garrison. That eliminated the possibility of them managing to sneak in undetected and evacuating their target via the port overboard a civilian vessel, preferably one of trade.
The rest of the entire sector had checkpoints and small garrisons stationed everywhere since the extremely important diamond mines that were one of the key wealth generation source of this nation were located in this region. All of it was controlled under the strict supervision of a base command located in the Shadow Valley.
Approximate enemy presence was anywhere between 3,000 shinobi and another thousand non-shinobi fighters.
The nearest border leading towards the Land of Fire was located a thousand kilometers away, manned by rocky mountains and impossible terrain full of dangerous swaps, cave ins and hidden valleys.
It was a death trap.
The deeper one went in, the harder it would be to get out.
It would have been a suicidal mission for a ground rescue unit, but for a para-military force like the Spartans -this was only another challenge they had to overcome.
Nagato found his sibling in his tent completely invested in studying the latest mission report in his hand.
"How are we looking?"
He chose not to smile or comment on seeing Kushina present there as well, sitting on the other side of the tent happily eating her dinner. His brother saw right through him and glared which only made Nagato smirk victoriously for being the one who pushed these two idiots to accept their feelings for each other. Most of the other Spartans knew about it by now, but either didn't care or were sensible enough not to piss off their Captain who had displayed his ruthlessness on quite a few occasions.
"Still not close enough to finding Hashirama. Kami knows where the bastards have kept him prisoner" cursed Minato, as he frustratedly tossed the report aside having gained nothing of importance from the paper.
Nagato set that paper on fire and turned it to ash without a word or hand sign earning a thankful nod from his brother.
"Let me scout the main base command in Shadow Valley. There are rumors of a secret cave there deep inside the mountains, Hashirama could be there" proposed Nagato,
"No"
His jaw clenched on hearing the outright denial and the stone cold refusal in his brother's gaze.
"Elder Brother, we chose this mission. We must walk on it till the very end for the sake of our village" pleaded Nagato, trying a peaceful approach instead of calling out his brother's emotions that were affecting his decision. If it had been any other Spartan making the same proposal, the blonde would have atleast heard them out instead of the flat denial that Nagato had received.
"Then I will do it" replied Minato stubbornly,
"You're our Captain, the chain of command must remain intact. More than that, this task does not require speed but stealth. Something which I am better at than you"
The redhead turned himself into smoke and spread across the entire tent erasing any physical evidence of his presence in the area, but he was there closely watching their each move.
Minato clenched his fist on being reminded of his brother's unique powers, the Captain in him not being able to deny the usefulness of this ability. It was far better to send in an operative like for recon this instead of an entire squad.
They needed information before making their move.
This was the way to get it, he looked at Kushina and saw she shared his dislike for this route of action being proposed by Nagato. However, the redhead still gave him a reluctant nod which made the decision for him.
"Find him"
Nagato smiled and offered a respectful salute, his brother gave a simple nod in return but the worry in his eyes clearly didn't go unnoticed by the younger redhead.
"I'll call for you if I'm in trouble" promised the boy as he pointed at the Hirashin mark on his shoulder, and was relieved when his brother relaxed at that reassurance.
"You better. I plan to enjoy our retirement days after this war experimenting my cooking on you" warned Kushina playfully,
Minato smiled on hearing his brother's nervous laugh at that demand/threat made by their female friend. Kushina was many things but she had a long way to go before being able to cook anything not life threatening.
Minato waited at the edge of the forest near the enemy's headquarters alongside Hayate and Kasumi with a few of their troops. The group was keenly observing the heavily fortified area where Nagato had just sneaked into much to the Spartan leader's worry even if he was trying his best to conceal it.
"It's strange the way they gave our codenames, Captain. The brass sure has a twisted sense" commented Kasumi playfully,
"What do you mean?" asked Minato curiously, momentarily brought out of his worries.
Hayate smiled at his fellow Spartan's tactic of easing their leader's stress and decided to join into the ongoing conversation.
"Yeah. They named you Fox despite knowing your family's connection to another animal" said Hayate, having heard a few stories of Inoue Namikaze and her wolf summoning contract. Rumor was that one of her sons had inherited that animal contract much to the village's delight.
"What more can you expect from bureaucrats and politicians, lazy assholes" complained Kasumi, drawing an amused smile from the blonde Namikaze.
"Thank you, both of you" replied Minato sincerely,
"Does this mean we get to snatch some of those diamonds? Could be a good retirement source" suggested Hayate with a smirk,
"We are going to destroy the mines"
Kasumi sighed at their dear leader's decision even if it made the most sense. It was all about strategy and long term vision for their Captain.
"You want to cripple these bastards financially?" asked Hayate,
"Saving Hashirama won't be enough as long as these bastards can again gather up the money required to start another war. Your platoons are to carpet bomb the mines, checkpoints and small garrisons in the area. Keep any reinforcements from reaching their base command in Shadow Valley while making them assume it's an all out attack instead of precise counter-strikes. Once you have accomplished that goal, you are to fall back to base camp and wait for me and the remaining platoons to link up with you and the HVT (High Value Target)" instructed Minato,
"I assume stealth is not a practical option?" quizzed Kasumi,
"Don't underestimate the enemy's capability too much like our elders did, Hawk. At some point we will be discovered one way or another and I want it to happen on our terms in order to control the field situation"
"Understood, Captain"
"So we light up the mines and garrisons making base command here send reinforcements to their aid which allows you and the others to sneak through in order to grab the HVT. Sounds like a lot of work and risk to me" teased Hayate playfully, earning a challenging glance from his Captain.
"Are you complaining?" asked Minato curiously,
"Nope" answered Hayate confidently, earning a nod from Kasumi as well.
Minato looked at his officers and behind their heavy silence was the weight of the risk they would be undertaking. It had to be done and they knew it, but still...
"We'll be fine, Captain. I'll get our boys out of there safely if things get too hot" promised Hayate confidently,
"Same with me and my girls" assured Kasumi with a smile,
"Thank you"
It was all he could say in the current situation, a truth which his officers accepted with grim nods.
Nagato found himself surrounded by his brother and every other Spartan once he returned to their base camp. In their eyes he could see a series of questions for him and he decided it was better to tell the full truth.
"I found him"
Excitement spread across the crowd with only Minato looking at him with a knowing gaze, his brother had caught on to the concern that Nagato was trying to hide.
"He is guarded by the Kinkaku"
The hammer was dropped and to their credit not a single Spartan flinched or cowered, but their excitement did vanish quite quickly, being replaced by a sense of foreboding. They only became more somber once Nagato revealed additional details of what they were actually going up against.
The heavy silence that followed was making quite a few of them uncomfortable until their Captain stepped forward.
"Myself, Tiger and Ghost alongside a portion of their platoons shall rescue the HVT by infiltrating the enemy base command" ordered Minato, referring to Nagato and Kushina by their codenames.
"The rest of you shall attack the diamond mines, checkpoints and garrisons under the leadership of Lion and Hawk. Your objective is to cause havoc and act as a credible diversion. Draw as many of the enemy troops away from their base towards your locations to allow the Infiltration team to get in and rescue the HVT. At some point, we will encounter the Kinkaku and I want their reinforcements to be as minimum as possible in order to deal with them. I'm attaching one-fourth of Spartans from Tiger and Ghost platoon to your group to bolster our ability to fight here. Understood?" asked Minato seriously,
"We will get it done, Captain" promised Kasumi (Hawk) with a salute, earning confident nods from her platoon members.
"As planned we will cause as much destruction possible followed by drawing the enemy towards this mountain in order to reduce the pressure on the Infiltration team. The traps that we have set these past few days should help us hold them off long enough for you guys to link up with us. Together, we can execute a pincer move with you attacking them from the rear and us from the mountain top, followed by us taking to the skies with the HVT and accomplishing the mission" explained Hayate (Lion) in a crisp and professional manner,
Minato didn't miss the way in which the morale of the troops was bolstered when they heard Hayate's explanation of their strategy, his confidence and inner strength. The higher ups may have messed up with their codenames in most cases but there was none that could be more suitable for this Spartan in front of him.
"Lion, you'll be in charge of this move. Hawk and her troops shall also follow your command"
Hayate Uzumaki blinked at that decision and was even further surprised when Kasumi accepted to be under his command even though they were of the same rank. He looked at his Captain and was reassured when the blonde gave him a firm nod.
He thumped his fist against his heart accepting the decision.
Kushina watched Minato step forward and shake hands with each Spartan as was the custom they had established before embarking into any battle. He hugged each of the officers before looking at them all with a fierce determination in his eyes that made them all stand more taller and feel stronger.
"No matter what happens from here on out, whether we live or die- Kumogakure shall remember that 125 Spartans did the impossible tonight! That upon this land we fought for the freedom of our nation, that for its tomorrow we gave our today. The end of this war shall be our tribute to our nation as its loyal shinobi!" roared Minato, as he thumped his fist against his heart.
The cold mountain air cackled as the Spartans saluted back.
Minato nodded at them one last time before turning around and charging fearlessly towards the mountain's edge flanked by Nagato and Kushina, and followed by Hayate alongside Kasumi and every Spartan behind them.
(Half an Hour Later)
The sound of explosions rocked the entire valley.
Minato saw the plume of smoke rising in the distance, a proof of Hayate launching his attack. Determined, he looked at his men and received firm nods in return. They looked down from the skies to see the enemy headquarters springing to life with hundreds of ninjas emerging from their barracks, stations, and perimeters to counter the threat.
He gave a warning glance to Nagato whose hands twitched with the intent to rain fire and blood upon the enemy from the sky. Reluctantly, the boy pulled himself back allowing the gathering enemy forces to rally around their leaders and charge towards's Hayate and Kasumi's direction.
"Execute"
Kushina and her 10-strong squad performed a long set of hand seals before forming the Ram sign in unison.
"Barrier Arts: Dome!"
A light red colored dome emerged from all directions and quickly enveloped the enemy headquarters except for a small portion of the top much to the alarm of the remaining defenders of the base.
Nagato grinned when his brother's cold merciless eyes looked at him.
"Leave them to me, Fox!" promised the redhead, as his hands stretched outward unleashing a wave of ash like chakra from his body.
As the darkness descended upon the enemy, they were further alarmed when their attempts to call back some of their comrades failed as the dome around their headquarters blocked all their communication. Few of the shinobi tried to use wind based defensive moves in order to disperse the incoming wave of darkness but only met with failure.
"Burn!"
One of the Kumogakure Jounin's eyes widened when the ash like chakra ignited engulfing large swaths of their base in its fury. Men and women screamed in agony as they were burned alive and from amidst the smoke and ashes descended a different wave of attack.
Nagato's unit joined the battle and engaged the shocked enemy into close quarter combat. The ash like chakra had spread everywhere thereby reducing visibility to almost zero and making the remaining enemy soldiers fear for their lives as any moment it could reduce them to dust.
It was why they could not respond in time in most cases when the Spartan forces swarmed them at the speed of nearly 50 kilometers per hour. Most enemies had long left the world before their slashed necks or severed heads hit the ground.
Minato watched the unfolding battle and noted the way Kushina and her group were not only maintaining the barrier blocking the enemy from calling for help, but also supporting Nagato's sweeping advance with accurate cover fire from their kunai launchers.
It wouldn't be long before they cleared the outer base of all threats, that left him with the most difficult task.
He glanced at the mouth of the cave hidden inside the side of the mountain where the HVT was being kept.
"I'm going in!"
He flew across towards the mouth of the cave shredding its perimeter guards in a hail of kunai fire. Within seconds, Nagato and half of his 10-man squad joined them as Kushina took over the other half of his men alongwith hers in leading the elimination of the remaining outer base defenders. Together, they stacked up against the entrance with Minato and Nagato at the front of their respective columns.
"Breach!"
Nagato blew a hole clean through the now sealed entrance courtesy of the 'Explosive Seal' he had placed upon the rock. Two Spartans from each side leaned towards the hole and fired a volley of smoke bombs as the Namikaze brothers charged in.
The first thing they saw were a bunch of disoriented guards who were instantly silenced with two kunai to their hearts and one to their head. Even before the bodies hit the ground, more enemies came rushing out from hidden corridors but were cut down by the Spartans following the two brothers.
"Clear Left!"
"Clear Right!"
"All Clear!"
With their immediate area of engagement brought under control, the blonde Spartan looked at his sibling.
"Lead the way"
Nagato nodded at that command as he took the lead towards the area where he had last seen Hashirama being kept prisoner. Along the way, they came across a series of well laid out traps in the forms of hidden spikes, secret underground tunnels and trip wires connected to explosives. Had Nagato not scouted the location in advance there was bound to be some damage the Spartans would have incurred as they stormed further and further inside the cave network.
Everyone was on edge and ready to unleash hell knowing the Kinkaku would meet them in battle sooner or later. If their past encounters were any indication, it was not going to be an easy fight.
Certainly not without losses.
They all paused when Nagato raised his fist and slid to one knee.
Minato sensed a foul aura rapidly advancing from all directions in the cave network. His troops felt the danger as well, judging from their alert stances. He saw his brother looking at him with a question in his eyes.
"Go Dark" whispered the blonde Spartan Captain,
Nagato nodded as he performed a series of quick hand seals releasing ash like chakra from his body that quickly surrounded his entire group. Within seconds, their very presence was masked to the naked eye. Even their scents were hidden underneath the aura of Nagato's special chakra that mixed well with the foul chakra approaching towards them.
The squad jumped towards the top of the cave and watched as howling creatures came charging out of the cave network.
Minato grimaced as he recognized just what they were going up against as he saw the creatures crawling on all fours. Their entire body was covered in malicious chakra giving them a monstrous form. Few even had small tails of the same energy. Their demonic eyes seeking only one thing.
"Food" whispered Nagato, earning a grim nod from his elder brother.
"So these are the failed human experiments of the Kinkaku program. Shinobi and warriors who couldn't master the Biju chakra that was implanted in their bodies. Their bodies and mind now completely overtaken by the foul energy whose only aim is to make itself more stronger by feeding on the chakra of others. Our enemy must be quite desperate and taken by surprise with our attack if they are unleashing these monsters so openly near Hashirama. We must move quickly before they extract him" thought Minato seriously,
His eyes became red as he ordered Nagato to take the lead once more.
Together and with great caution, the squad advanced further and further towards the eastern side of the network where there was a great cave in leading several stories down. Minato cursed when he saw one of the Kinkaku beasts actually started to crawl upwards towards the top. Few more followed suit and were now approaching towards their direction, they didn't seem to be aware of their presence yet, but would soon if the Spartans decided to continue their walk down the cave in.
Minato was the first one to let go and fell right down the hole, not a moment later he was flanked by his brother and the rest of the squad. Nagato raised a hand sign making his chakra currently camouflaging his comrades to grow small wings across their backs that quickly pushed outwards against the air thereby slowing their fall and making them land quite gracefully on the ground.
"Nicely done" whispered Minato encouragingly, as the blonde saw the Kinkaku beasts roaming at the top for a few more moments before losing interest and running off in another direction to search for their prey.
The Spartan Captain narrowed his eyes when he came across a narrow corridor marked by multiple cells on each side.
Not surprisingly, a team of enemy agents were entering the area in order to extract their prisoner.
Nagato fired from his kunai launcher unleashing one sharp projectile right towards the alerted enemy troops. A whistling sound passed through the corridor as the sailing kunai was easily avoided by the troops only for a blonde shadow to emerge from the darkness over the flying kunai.
Muffled screams and showers of blood erupted from their sliced throats as the entire team was taken out.
Minato sheathed the twin blades across his back after wiping the blood from its steel, the twitching corpses of the Kumogakure team staring at him blankly.
Nagato gestured towards the cell on the far right end corner and the team stacked up against it on both sides.
Just when one of the Spartans was about to place a "Breaching Seal" on the door, their Captain stalled him.
"What is it?" asked Nagato, as he saw his brother's red eyes fixated on the top of the door.
"Sound Trap. A hidden seal is entwined with this door that will set off an alarming sound of our presence. Every goddamn one of those monsters will be upon us in less than a minute. The Kinkaku probably want to tire us out before launching their attack" warned Minato,
"Have got enough firepower to light them all up" reassured Nagato, earning firm nods from his squad members.
Wordlessly, they took up defensive positions as Nagato gestured for his brother to proceed with the task at hand. Minato had to remind himself that these were the finest Assassins he was fighting alongside with among the entire Spartan program. Not to mention Nagato himself, if only the enemy knew the true extent of his powers they would think twice before engaging him and his squad in direct combat.
"Very well. I'll get Hashirama out, he may not be in a good condition. Kushina will have placed the markers I gave her by now, 1st trip with the HVT. Next ones, I am coming back for you guys. Hang in there until then!" ordered Minato,
"Acknowledged, Captain" chorused the entire squad,
Minato steeled himself as he slapped the Breaching Seal on the door and followed through with its controlled explosion. A piercing sound tore through the entire corridor making everyone wince for a few seconds; even before the echoes had died down in the cave network- a series of more terrifying roars descended upon them. The Spartan Captain focused his attention to the task at hand as he stepped inside and was thankful for his gas mask as the odor inside would have made him vomit otherwise.
Piss, Sweat and blood was raging in the entire cell, and there in one of the dark corners lay a man that was once called "God of Shinobi". Minato was quite baffled on seeing the amount of Suppression seals slapped all over the First Hokage's frail and scarred body in the form of runes. He was chained from head to toe and one of his fingers was missing. Physical and mental torture were inflicted on the man without mercy judging from his bruised body and dazed expression. Probably drugs were used as well.
"Tobirama..."
He winced on hearing the Hokage whisper his younger brother's name, a person who was Minato's own biological father. He had kept this secret from everyone including Nagato and Kushina despite his mother's wish of him seeking out the Senju heir. If word got out about his connection to Tobirama and through him to Hashirama-The First Hokage and an important figure in the Land of Fire, then the Uzukage and the highers ups may use this knowledge for their own gains. Something which could place his loved ones in harm's way.
"Captain Fox, USFC Spartan" he introduced himself, referring to the short acronym of their force. (USFC-Uzushiogakure Special Forces Command)
Minato didn't wait for a response and got to work in freeing the hostage by pushing aside any personal thoughts or emotions. He had to as the roars of the beasts were getting closer.
A fierce exchange started when Nagato and his Spartans opened fire outside that was quickly followed up by painful screams and deafening explosions.
Minato freed the hostage and lifted him atop his shoulders which was no easy task considering the difference in their body frames. Hashirama was a foot taller and more broader, his weight was manageable but the stink on him was strong enough to even make the gas mask protected Spartan gag.
He stepped outside to see Nagato enveloping a large mass of the Kinkaku creatures with his special chakra.
"Ash Release: Scorching Inferno!"
The remaining Spartans continued raining down kunai fire upon the enemies. The creatures however had lost their sense of pain as they kept on coming despite being shredded from head to toe. Their bloodlust overpowering their sense of preservation.
"CQC!" commanded Nagato,
His Spartans instantly threw the blades sheathed across their backs towards the approaching creatures as Ash like chakra enveloped the weapons which set the steel on fire. Five Spartans charged forward until they suddenly vanished from the sight of the approaching monsters.
The beasts were quite surprised when the burning swords crashed among their midst only for the previously disappeared Spartans to emerge suddenly and unleash a bloody dance of murder. The nearest monsters were sliced in half as the five commandos executed a 360 degree turn with their scorching blades in unison.
"Fire Style: Raging Shockwave!"
A stream of flames were fired from the burning blades that hit the second line of monsters right in the eyes. Before they could even scream in agony, the same blades were stabbed clean through their necks as the Spartans pushed their advance further fearlessly.
Minato nodded at his brother on the fine execution as he raised a single hand sign making himself and Hashirama disappear from the cave.
Just when Nagato turned back towards his squad, his eyes caught sight of a metallic device falling from the top of the cave. A shockwave sent him and his troops alongside the monsters sailing away. They all crashed upon each other with Nagato instantly finding himself in a fight for his life as the mindless creatures tried to eat his head off even while dazed and entangled with them all in a mass of limbs. One of the Spartans cried out in pain when the foul creatures bit his shoulder and ripped the flesh clean to the bone. To his credit, the teen fought back and buried his kunai launcher in the beast's face and unleashed one kunai right between its brain.
Nagato roared making more chakra escape from his body and envelope all creatures currently keeping his squad pinned. In less than five seconds, they were all set on fire as the now shaken squad got back up on their feet to see another wave of creatures charging towards them.
"Shredder Rounds!" ordered Nagato quickly,
They all raised their kunai launchers once more and locked in the 2nd magazine before unleashing a barrage in unison. The weapons sailed towards the enemy and disintegrated into hundreds of smaller metallic fragments that rained upon the charging creatures who howled in pain but still continued their advance despite a few of their own at the front getting trampled.
"Lizard! Rat! You're up!"
The two Spartan operatives joined one of their hands together while performing a unique set of signs with the other pair.
"Wind Style: Thousand Blades!"
A powerful gust of wind was unleashed through the narrow corridor shredding through skin, flesh and even bones of the charging monsters. Blood and guts flew everywhere alongside horrifying screams until it was all over.
The two Spartan operatives grimaced when another mass of creatures landed in front of them.
The first of the creatures fell against the hail of poisoned kunai launched by the two Spartans and yet their remaining monster brothers continued charging forward. As the Spartans prepared for close combat once more, they were surprised as a blur emerged from the approaching monsters and zoomed past them at inhuman speed.
When they looked down, pain and disbelief overcame them as they saw their stomach be ripped open and blood rush out wildly. Their eyes widened in shock when a shadow appeared behind them with its sword ready to rip their heads off.
Kinkaku.
The sword advancing to end the Spartan's clashed against a metallic fist guard instead of flesh. The Kumogakure operative saw a blonde shadow appear beside him and its red eyes peered into his very soul.
Minato sliced the enemy's head off before disappearing once again. Even before the body hit the ground, the Spartan Captain appeared in front of the charging creatures with that severed head in one of his hands. Slapping a seal against its back, he threw it straight towards the approaching monsters who leapt at it mindlessly only for the explosive seal to erupt and end their miserable existence.
It wasn't the end of the battle as another wave of creatures had already taken formation and among them Minato saw several pair of haunting demonic eyes looking at him with an intelligence that the others beside them didn't possess.
Minato quickly flashed beside his two wounded operatives while looking at his brother and his remaining men.
"I'll take these two first. Scram, I'll be back for you in a minute. MOVE!"
As Nagato nodded and disappeared down the corridor with his three remaining comrades, Minato grabbed both his critically wounded operatives who were moaning in pain while trying to prevent their guts from spilling out. The Spartan Captain glared furiously when the enemy charged at him.
He closed his eyes before slamming his right hand on the ground.
"Water Style: Shockwave!"
As soon as the blonde vanished from the area, huge swaths of water emerged in full force from multiple points in the cave hitting the approaching enemy.
By the time Nagato and his remaining men found themselves transported outside the cave, they found a full fledged battle raging all around them. The redhead immediately caught sight of his two wounded troops currently being tended to by Kushina. He attempted to help her only to be pulled back by his brother.
"Tiger, tighten our circle!" commanded Minato,
Nagato saw most of their forces had been spread at a distance courtesy of them trying to clear out the outer base defenders sector by sector earlier. Now with those creatures swarming them from all sides, it was difficult to effectively counterattack when they were spread so thin.
Rage coursed through his heart when he saw one of his critically wounded commandos breathe his last in Kushina's arms before slumping down to the ground lifelessly.
"SPARTANS, ON ME!"
The war cry was heard by all as the redhead launched a tidal wave of fire that stopped the advance of the beasts for a moment. He then looked at his brother who nodded at him.
Minato flashed beside Kushina as Nagato charged forward leading their counterattack against the enemy.
"Status!" commanded the Captain,
"One KIA. One critical, he won't last long without surgery since all his insides were sliced apart. HVT is in an extremely weakened state and at a risk of suffering from drug overdose. I am trying to stabilize them but I need more time!" replied Kushina without breaking her focus on her two remaining patients,
Minato saw a few enemy squads had returned and were now trying to break through the barrier surrounding the base from outside.
Reinforcements.
He also felt the approaching chakra signatures of the Kinkaku Commandos from the cave.
He then looked at his wounded Spartan and instantly realized that teleporting or flying him out any further was more likely to kill him instantly if the blood loss didn't do him in any sooner. The Spartan knew it too as he weakly raised one of his hands towards the blonde.
"Captain Fox, we're in trouble! You need to get out of there now!"
Hayate's stressed voice over the communication channel made the decision for him as he grabbed a small pouch from his back and slapped it into the Spartan's hand. Minato then gently lifted the boy upwards as he grunted in pain, Kushina helped him stand up as well and armed him with his kunai launcher once again.
"Go...Captain"
Kushina averted her gaze even as she saw Minato clenching his fist painfully.
"How...can...I...leave...my...partner...behind?" asked the Spartan named Rat, as he glanced at his partner whose body lay cold on the ground.
Another series of explosions made the barrier falter as Kushina looked at Minato in alarm.
"They may have named you Rat but I will remember you, Jiang-the loyal" said Minato somberly, as he thumped his fist against his heart.
The Spartan nodded respectfully as Kushina picked up a delirious Hashirama while signalling the order to retreat. Nagato intensified the fires protecting their perimeter thereby increasing the smoke and ash in the area which completely reduced the line of sight of the creatures.
Using the momentary lapse, the Spartans retreated in full haste with Minato being the last one to evacuate moments before the barrier's collapse.
His red eyes watching Rat drawing more and more enemy towards his position before detonating the Explosive seal and posthumously taking with him nearly half of the enemy's base command.
By the time they were close to reaching the mountain which was the rendezvous point, Minato realized that the enemy had counterattacked quite strongly. It was more clear than ever when he saw the majority of his force led by Hayate and Kasumi fighting a desperate retreat through the forest on foot and still quite a few kilometers away from the mountain.
"We must help them!" urged Nagato, as he saw hundreds upon hundreds of enemy fighters on Hayate's rear.
"Ghost, take the HVT and our entire force to the rendezvous point. Tiger and I shall help Lion and his troops retreat safely!" instructed Minato,
Kushina looked at him searchingly for a moment but relented on seeing his unwavering gaze.
"You are to evacuate with the HVT should we not return in thirty minutes" ordered Minato, looking at Hashirama's passed out form currently being carried by Kushina.
The redhead nodded reluctantly as she signaled the remaining Spartans to follow after her towards the mountain leaving the brothers to carry out their task.
"We'll hold the line and allow the others to retreat" decided Minato,
"Maybe I should be the one to do it-"
"That's an order. Obey"
Nagato flinched at that icy tone and the sheer anger burning in his brother's red eyes was enough to make the redhead pause instantly. Without wasting another moment, the blonde Spartan flew towards the forest making his brother follow quickly on his heels.
"Don't! It's a trap!"
Kasumi's voice had barely reached their communication channel before a blinding light seared through their vision quite painfully. The brothers grunted in pain when they felt themselves getting hit by thunderous lightning raining from the skies. Their winged devices were instantly destroyed due to the sheer heat of the attack which then burned through their armor and was about to seep into their uniform before Minato managed to make a hand sign making himself and Nagato teleport away.
Hayate cursed when he saw his Captain and Nagato flash beside him tumbling gracelessly across the ground. A few of the nearby Spartans grabbed the two and helped stabilize them.
"You okay?" he asked, even as the men around him continued to engage the swarming enemy forces.
"The fuck was that?" asked Minato with a cough, as he tried to get his movement back in order by flexing his arms and legs.
"Lightning Strikes. Fried our winged devices in one single strike hence the retreat on foot" replied Kasumi as she helped the blonde stand back up as few of the other Spartans did the same for Nagato.
Minato looked at the entire force and was alarmed when he saw the truth in those words. Each and every Spartan beside him was missing their winged devices thereby reducing any chance of them flying out of here as originally planned.
"The enemy expected us to rescue Hashirama and made sure to develop countermeasures for such an event" deduced Minato, unable to help but recognize the competence of their foe.
"What do we do, Captain?" asked Kasumi seriously,
The blonde glanced around and took stock of the battlefield quickly. They were being swarmed from multiple directions thereby making the Spartans spread themselves thin reducing their strength. The enemy was also making the situation more difficult by switching the strength of the attack from each direction every now and then keeping the Spartans on edge and confused. This was having a direct impact on the morale of the Uzu warriors and tiring them at an alarming pace.
The tactics were slightly different but more of the same with regular Kumogakure shinobi and civilian fighters bearing the brunt of the damage while exhausting the Spartans.
Sooner or later the true masterminds behind this strategy would reveal themselves when the time was right and then it would be over. The fact that they had destroyed the Spartan's flying ability was a proof enough of their intentions.
"Tiger, how much chakra you have left?'' asked Minato,
"Enough to burn a large part of this forest down" replied Nagato fiercely,
"Do it"
Minato didn't miss the way in which his three officers blinked at his command and decided to elaborate his plan further for their understanding.
"Hawk, have your marksmen continue to keep the enemy engaged in order to make them assume their plan is working. Lion, have your troops carefully deploy explosive seals in these areas while Tiger will spread his chakra across the forest slowly and wait for my signal to start the inferno" explained Minato, pointing at the locations where he wanted all three officers to execute his orders.
Kasumi and Nagato nodded in unison as their part of the plan was quite simple to understand, but Hayate while silent gave his Captain a knowing look. However, he didn't mention his thoughts until the other two had left to carry out their orders.
"Placing the explosives like this only leaves a narrow path for the enemy to follow through upon to reach us. A choke point which will have to be defended by a small force which shall allow the majority of us to retreat. A textbook delay tactic which would have worked flawlessly had our wings not been destroyed meaning the ones to stay back and hold the enemy in check will meet their end here" said Hayate calmly,
"No. I won't let that happen. I'll stay behind with a bunch of clones and hold them off long enough for you guys to retreat to a safe distance or close to it." promised Minato resolutely,
"You're our Captain!" protested Hayate in alarm, making the blonde lower his gaze guiltily.
"All the more reason it has to be me. Don't worry, I'll catch up with you guys with my Hirashin" reassured Minato with an eye smile,
Hayate clenched his fist tightly and glared hatefully at the enemy before looking back at his friend desperately.
"What about reinforcements? I'm sure you must have signaled headquarters to send them in when we discovered the Kinkaku were here" pointed Hayate, glancing at that sealing scroll on Minato's hip which allowed them to transfer limited messages to their headquarters and receive orders in return although at long intervals depending upon their distance. It was a highly classified piece of Fuinjutsu developed by their kage himself.
The blonde Captain showed his friend the scroll shocking the boy when he saw the code for Reinforcements clearly mentioned on the special paper by Minato but there was no reply in return.
"We are on our own"
The fleeting look of betrayal that passed through Hayate's eyes was not something Minato would ever forget and yet the very same man steeled himself and reloaded his weapon moments later before pointing at their comrades.
"Let's get our boys home ourselves then!"
Minato nodded fiercely, some of his own resolve and determination flaring back to life on seeing the courage displayed by his friend and fellow Spartan officer even when their own motherland had left them to die.
Hayate quickly got to work and lead his men in placing the explosives in the areas directed by his Captain.
As the final preparations were underway, Minato glanced at his sibling currently fighting fiercely against a squad of Jounin. The other Spartans were rallying behind him and were actually pushing the enemy back further and further. It made the decision for him as he glanced at the Captain insignia on his right arm.
"Forgive me, Kushina" he whispered sincerely, glancing back at the mountain where the redhead was waiting for them.
With a warcry of his own, he jumped into the battle.
"Water Style: Tidal Wave!"
He unleashed a massive water wave that swept away trees and the entire frontal line of the enemy force.
"Tiger, NOW!"
Nagato slammed his hands together making the Serpant hand sign and glanced at the dazed enemy troops trying to recover from his brother's powerful attack.
"Ash Release: Inferno!"
A whistling sound pierced through the entire forest before a shockwave sent most of the Spartans flying backwards. A moment later their vision went blank when a blinding light spread everywhere followed by screams of nearly a hundred enemy shinobi echoing in horror and agony.
Large swaths of the forest were set on fire engulfing nearly a hundred enemy shinobi in an instant. Many others tried to put out the fires trying to engulf them but met with only limited success as these were no ordinary flames.
Nagato weakly grinned at his success before collapsing to his knees due to sheer exhaustion, his chakra reserves being reduced to dangerous levels. He quickly gulped a soldier pill to restore his energy but it would still be a few minutes before he could fight at full capacity once more.
"Retreat! Hawk, Lion grab Tiger and our men. Go now!" yelled Minato quickly, when he saw the disarrayed state of the enemy forces.
Kasumi nodded as she signaled all Spartans to retreat while picking up Nagato herself who weakly protested while glancing at his brother who was still laying down suppressive fire on the only route that was left for the enemy to advance upon.
"Go, we'll get him!" promised Hayate, as 8 of his Spartans joined him.
Kasumi looked at her friend worriedly for a moment but he gave her a reassuring smile before gesturing her to follow the orders given to them. She nodded and took off with their remaining forces and Nagato in tow ignoring the protests made by the weakened younger redhead.
Minato looked up when Hayate appeared beside him even as his 8 Spartans formed a defensive line towards the only way the enemy could charge towards them from. They even formed a large barrier that blocked the entire path.
"Go to your brother" said Hayate quietly,
"This is not what we planned. You know-"
"Stop fooling yourself, brother. You will have to make hard choices to see this through for all of us. It's the only way to save our nation and its future" whispered Hayate sadly,
"Why go so far when the very nation abandoned us in our direst hour!" yelled Minato furiously, unable to control the sea of raging anger burning in his heart all this time.
"The village may have its drawbacks but I am still Hayate Uzumaki of Uzushiogakure. More than the land or the leadership; we swore to protect our clansmen, our people, our families. A good soldier must be ready to sacrifice it all when the time comes" said Hayate honestly, as he removed the tanto from his back and gave it to the blonde Spartan.
"Give it to me my little brother. Tell him, it's his turn now"
A lone tear slipped from Minato's eyes as he accepted the weapon and got up on his feet to look at his friend who smiled without any regret on his face.
"It's been an honor, Captain"
Hayate was surprised when Minato hugged him fiercely even as tears openly fell from his eyes as he looked at the other Spartans also maintaining their barrier keeping the regrouping enemy forces at bay.
"Are you sure about this? Think of your brother" begged Minato, only to have Hayate pat him gently on the back before the boy broke the hug and marched towards his troops.
"I'm already with my brothers"
A shrill of terrifying screams tore through the burning forest as the cursed creatures emerged from the ashes and collided head on against the barrier. Everyone of them was set on fire but more and more were already coming. The Kinkaku were making their move now that their conventional troops had suffered a heavy blow.
"SPARTANS! Prepare for our final battle!"
Minato lowered his gaze at Hayate's warcry and his resolve before giving one last salute to the entire squad that chose to make the ultimate sacrifice for their comrades, their people and their nation.
The last thing he saw before he flashed away was the sight of hundreds of Kinkaku Commandos emerging from the rear lines and charging straight towards the barrier.
Kasumi blinked in surprise when their Captain appeared beside her in a flash, his haunted red eyes burning with sorrow and guilt.
"Where's Hayate?" she whispered in a trembling voice, her eyes already becoming moist.
Nagato saw the way in which the remaining Spartans deflated on seeing their Captain's crushing silence which was followed by the sounds of explosions rocking in the devastated forest.
"We don't leave men behind! Fuck this, 2nd platoon on-" protested Kasumi furiously, only to be stopped by her Captain's stern glare.
"Spartans, push forward. Honor the sacrifice of our valiant brothers by seeing this mission through" ordered Minato stoically,
Kasumi glared hatefully at the blonde and her words tore right through Minato's heart.
"Will the blood we shed tonight be valued at all?"
It was also enough to stir away the despair in the blonde's heart and be replaced by a new sense of resolve to protect the remaining Spartans looking at him.
"What's the plan now, Captain?" asked Nagato sympathetically,
"Link up with Ghost's group and the HVT. She'll scout ahead through the skies and point the safest route we shall follow towards the Land of Fire. Our objective is to now charge towards friendly lines. I am asking the Uzukage to request Konoha to keep their forces ready for our rescue, their best available fighters. As many as possible" directed Minato,
"If they gave a damn about us they would have sent help by now or kept it ready. The lack of a reply on that scroll tells how much our lives are worth to them" spat Kasumi bitterly, looking at the communication scroll that Minato had opened up now.
"Hawk, you have every right to feel betrayed but more importantly we must focus upon our current situation and get our forces out of here. That's our duty as officers otherwise Hayate and his squad's sacrifice shall go in vain" reminded Minato patiently, breaking protocol by calling out the Spartan officer by his name.
It had the desired effect as Kasumi backed down reluctantly; she had always been a cynic and a heavy critic of the leadership. It was rumored the elders had chosen her sister for the Spartan program but Kasumi had volunteered instead to save her sibling from such a life. The pain and hardships she endured all these years alongwith the near suicidal missions their leaders sent them upon only made her dislike for them even stronger as she never saw her own Uzukage caring for their future.
And yet she had found in her heart enough compassion for her fellow Spartans whom she was fiercely loyal to, especially her closest friend who had now stayed behind to save her life alongwith everybody else's.
They continued their retreat for another ten minutes and were now nearing their rendezvous point.
"Captain Fox...our lines are breached...We can't hold much longer"
Hayate's pained and desperate voice mixed with the sound of explosions alongside the screams of dying men reached their communication channel.
"My...Squad...is...finished. Last...mag-"
Minato flinched as he heard an explosion go off at close range and Hayate's muffled scream before he fell.
"Hawk...I'm...sorry...for...being...an...idiot...all...this...time...but...this...is...it...Forgive...me"
Nagato grabbed Kasumi and stopped her from responding back which might give their position away if the enemy had captured Hayate's equipment. The girl sobbed in his arms as they heard heavy footsteps surrounding the heavily breathing Spartan officer.
"Ginkaku, we got a live one here. Let's take him prisoner!"
The footsteps were getting dangerously close even as the sound of few kunai bursts from Hayate's weapon were heard.
"Brother!" warned Nagato, knowing the risk of the enemy taking a fellow Spartan officer captive. To his surprise, the blonde Captain looked at the sky with his fists clenched painfully.
"Platoon...leader...Lion...signing...off"
The Spartans stopped and turned back to see a large black sphere rising inside the ruined forest consuming everything in its path before it shrunk back rapidly and sent a devastating shockwave in all directions.
"Reverse Four Symbols Sealing..." whispered Nagato sadly, as he tried to console Kasumi who fell to her knees in despair.
He saw his brother's hands trembling and his red eyes desperately trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to drown him in guilt. Fighting against that pain, he took a deep breath and looked at them all.
"Keep moving forward"
Kushina was rendered speechless as Nagato finished recalling the tale of what had happened. She saw Minato having a look at the unconscious Hashirama even as few of the other Spartans tried to comfort Kasumi who was recovering from her shock. Fortunately for them, Kushina had already taken out the small outpost at the base of the mountain making their retreat safe and without any further engagements with the enemy.
"Hawk mentioned that their Spartan wings came under a sort of aerial attack the moment they entered the diamond mines perimeter. It was too precise and swift to be a random attack, her assumption is that it could be a defense system controlled by the Kinkaku. A sort of barrier that detects and pinpoints any intruders followed by them launching lightning strikes from the skies to neutralize the intruders. It fried our Spartan Wings meaning it's a technique which the enemy is able to execute as long as we are in their range" explained Nagato worriedly,
"Seems they have learnt from our past battles and developed countermeasures" suggested Kushina,
"They expected such an attack and were ready for it" said Minato, as he walked towards them.
"Why the mines and not their base command? Why not protect both targets with such a jutsu?" asked Kushina,
"Perhaps this jutsu is known to only the two Kinkaku brothers. We heard the enemy calling out Ginkaku to request Hayate's capture and since he wasn't there at the base means he was stationed with a portion of his units near the diamond mines. The Raikage must have been pretty confident in his Base's defense and more worried about saving himself from the Daimyo's wrath should anything happen to the diamond mines so he stationed them there. That's what I am able to assume, but I could be wrong" proposed Minato,
"Fuck! What about Kinkaku? Where is he?" asked Nagato frustratedly,
"Out there somewhere searching for us, same as his brother. I can order Kushina to escape with the HVT while the rest of us try and retreat to friendly lines on foot since our Spartan Wings are destroyed" suggested Minato, earning a furious glare from his redhead lover.
"You think I'll leave you here? You're out of your mind!" she cursed furiously,
"It's too risky, Elder Brother. If the enemy catches sight of our airborne forces again, they can neutralize them and the HVT can get killed in the crossfire. Also Hashirama does not seem strong enough for such a flight right now! Our mission fails if that happens and Hayate alongside our fallen brothers died in vain!" warned Nagato,
"He's right"
They all looked up when Kasumi walked towards them and knelt by their side, her cold eyes glaring at the forest where her best friend had died with his squad.
"We need to retreat on foot, Kushina and her group can only take to skies with the HVT once we are completely safe from any enemy detection which won't be possible in this sector. The only place where we can do this is near the Khyber Pass located here" suggested Kasumi, as she pointed at the rocky mountainous terrain on the map that had a route leading towards friendly lines.
"We can reach the Land of Fire's border faster if we are to take the eastern approach. We may have to be careful to avoid the swamps and hidden cave ins but an aerial recon could help us avoid those threats" countered Kushina with a frown,
"Too risky. The enemy knows the terrain better than us and they can set up ambush points. We also don't have time to recon, Hashirama's vitals are still too weak and he needs a hospital quick. We'll do what we can to heal him, he can turn the tide in our favor quite heavily if he joints the fight but that won't be for a while. Till then it's upto us, we should reach Khyber Pass and secure a foothold at the top of this mountain. Kushina can evacuate with the HVT alongside her group from the skies there as the enemy will have very little visibility and harder time aiming at her at such a height, while the rest of us sprint towards the nearest Land of Fire's outposts. What do you guys think?" asked Minato seriously,
Nagato and Kushina nodded in consent making the blonde Captain look at his last officer.
"It's still nearly 500 kilometers to reach Khyber Pass. Our troops will need to rest, some are wounded and few are low on chakra" pointed Kasumi, making the other three officers look at the state of their remaining force.
While a large majority of their troops were still in fighting shape and alert, there were nearly a dozen that needed rest just as Kasumi was suggesting.
It was a luxury they could not afford under the current circumstances.
They all got up on Minato's signal who then went on to command their entire force down the base of the mountain with the HVT. Wordlessly, he performed a familiar set of hand seals before slamming his hand down on the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Snow and dust flew in the area but by the time it cleared the Spartans were standing in front of an entire army of canine creatures the size of horses.
Minato weakly grinned before falling to his knees as he coughed up blood making Nagato lend him support as a dark black colored wolf approached them.
"It's been a long time, pup" said the Wolf,
"It has, Shera. How's the old man these days?" asked the blonde with a cheeky grin, earning a toothy smile from the alpha of the hundred strong pack of wolves.
"Still bitchy as ever. Keeps on harping about the good old days when there used to be real battles fighting alongside your mother" commented Shera with a crude laugh,
"I'm afraid I need your help"
The dark skinned wolf looked around before scoffing at the boy in front of him.
"I bet you do. Should be pretty serious for you to summon nearly half of our entire clan"
Nagato explained the situation and the Wolf was quite shocked when he saw just whom the Spartans had rescued and were now trying to evacuate to friendly lines.
"I've already lost 1 Officer and 10 Commandos. The rest of my force will need your pack's help to reach friendly territory in time while fending off the Kinkaku and their allies who are on our tail. Our first objective is to reach the Khyber Pass so Ghost can take to the skies with Hashirama, the rest of us can then continue on ground since our Spartan Wings are destroyed" explained Minato honestly,
"You're asking me to take quite the risk, kid" said Shera seriously, looking the boy straight in the eye.
"I am"
"Our clan has been allied with the Namikaze family for centuries. But when they fell, most of my clan was wiped out in the genocide as well defending their summoners. My old man nearly died during your mother's final battle and now you're asking me to risk the lives of half of my remaining family" pointed Shera without hesitation,
Minato lowered his gaze on being reminded of the sacrifice made by these creatures for his family. By all rights, they could have severed ties when the Namikaze clan was nearly wiped out save for his mother. Yet they stayed loyal to her and then to her elder son, but this mission could further endanger their own survival.
He could not fault the Wolf for raising these concerns, Minato would have done the same in his stead had he been placed in a situation like this. Looking into the beast's eyes, he realized words would not be enough this time like the past summoners.
"Without your help, we probably won't make it. I promise to fulfill any request you may have in return for this aid" promised Minato sincerely,
"If we help you today, then you will refrain yourself from calling for our aid in the future until we say so" proposed Shera frankly,
"That's bullshit!" protested Nagato, as he realized the beast was nearly severing the contract without actually doing it.
"Tough luck, pup. We thought a better world would follow since the Clan Wars ended, but conflict has only became worse and more deadlier. My old man is quite emotional and still believes in honor, but I need to look after my family. I need to keep them safe and prevent the few that remain from dying in this unending war, atleast until we rebuild our clan. After that, they are free to fight and die alongside their human summoners" explained Shera calmly,
Before anyone else could speak or protest, Minato got back on his feet and swallowed a soldier pill which restored a portion of the chakra he had just spent. Taking a deep breath, he looked the beast right in the eye.
"You have my word" vowed Minato with a short bow,
The wolf gave a subtle bow in return as his entire pack approached the haggard Spartan taskforce. Within a few moments, most of the Spartans were seated atop the beasts with Shera taking on Kushina and Hashirama.
"Tiger and I alongside Ghatak Squad shall defend your rear. We'll make a tactical withdrawal and prevent the Kinkaku from assaulting our main group led by Hawk and Ghost. Your objective is to reach the Khyber Pass and secure the mountain first for HVT's extraction" ordered Minato, as 12 Spartans alongside Nagato joined him.
The rest of their 100 strong force were mounted atop the Wolf Pack led by Kushina and Kasumi under Shera's lead.
"Hawk, you're in command. Make sure our force secures that mountain at all costs and we will ensure nobody reaches you before that happens" ordered Minato,
"Understood, Captain. Try not to get killed" said Kasumi hesitantly, and blinked when the blonde came forward and hugged her while also passing the communications scroll in one of her pockets.
"I'm sorry about Hayate. I know how precious he was to you" he whispered, as she tried to fight back the tears arriving in her eyes.
"Fallen. For Uzukage, clan and country" she miserably whispered, unable to conceal the bitterness she now felt deep in her heart. Their friend's final moments still echoed in his ears and would haunt him for the rest of his life.
As Kasumi went away, she didn't see the crestfallen look on the blonde's face before he steeled himself once more and went on to do his duty when everything and everyone else was fleeting away.
Ginkaku glanced at his surroundings while moving forward across the forest alongside his entire force. Their front line was now composed of his battle hardened warriors followed by their slave creatures and in the rear were the remaining regular shinobi and civilian forces trying to keep up with the elites. Many were already left behind but he didn't care as time was of crucial essence.
He regretted underestimating the Lion masked Spartan officer, he wouldn't have lost close to 50 of his special forces troops had he not ordered the capture of that Uzu soldier. It was a testament's to the fallen boy's resolve and warrior spirit that he fought so valiantly in a battle that he was never going to win.
They had caused Spartans casualties but the enemy was still a step ahead; they had been able to rescue Hashirama making a mockery of all the defenses Ginkaku and his brother had setup. If they managed to escape, the Raikage would have everyone's heads.
"Sir, we should be able to catch up with them in another twenty minutes" reported one of his Commando, his eagerness for a fight not going unnoticed by the said leader.
"Don't be hasty or have you forgotten whom we are facing?" warned Ginkaku,
"I know who they are, Commander" answered the Commando without hesitation, earning just a cryptic nod from the older man.
They continued their chase for a few more minutes until suddenly explosions went off in the frontline reducing two dozen of his men to dust. He ordered an immediate halt and as the smoke and dust cleared, he saw two enemy Commandos standing right in front of them across tree tops.
One of them had dark wings of chakra across his back and the very same energy swirling all around him.
The other's chakra was quite familiar from their past battles, from the way he held a blade in one hand and a kunai in the other made his identity even more easy to recognize.
"The Namikaze Brothers..."
More and more shadows joined the duo until Ginkaku and his men found themselves facing an entire squad. He grimaced when he saw a small but familiar arm patch worn by the Spartan squad. They had fought once before and the painful scar on Ginkaku's back was a living proof of his battle with these warriors.
"Not another step. You are done here!" warned Nagato,
Ginkaku cursed when he felt their target getting further and further away with these warriors buying them precious time. He recomposed himself when his own warriors joined him and their fierce gazes yearned for blood.
He looked at the Spartan Captain who stared back at him, both knowing the consequences of the inevitable battle.
"CHARGE!"
Author's Notes: End of chapter.
Hope you guys liked it.
I hear some of my readers loud and clear, by next chapter we will be returning to the main story in the present. These chapters were essential in establishing the main protagonist, I remember few readers asking a while ago about the distinction between Minato/Naruto and who he is in reality. This backstory should answer that question alongwith setting up the premise for the later arcs.
If this was an anime, I think you guys would have loved this even more.
In my opinion, out of all my stories this particular mission's tale was probably the most toughest to write.
I hope you enjoyed the action and don't forget to review.
Until Next Time,
Blackwolf501
