I do not own anything.
Poison Dove & Maelstrom Fox
Chapter 17 - Dancing Black Chains
Nothing will ever go the way you expect it to.
Such a mundane statement, but one that could stretch for miles upon miles, affecting countless lives with and without their word for the matter. That's what made life what it was. For ninjas, it was arguably one of the few certainties of their profession, no matter how much they hated it.
Akitake Kawajiri hated surprises, but he hated them more when everything seemed to be going just right. Usually, when the unexpected happened, it meant whatever good fortune he'd been riding was about to come to a sudden end. It was the thing he'd been dreading for months, since his village had begun to get back on its feet and was on its way to reassuming its rightful place amongst the shinobi nations. Somewhere in the back of his mind it always seemed too good to be true. Akitake had hoped that when fortunes changed, they'd be ready, they'd have everything they'd need to hold fast against the outsiders that would surely not approve of their rising power. He and the others had reassured their subordinates and themselves that they were secured and ready again and again until the reassurance finally skunk in.
When he was awoken by the first explosion, that reassurance was shattered. Eyes open, he bolted upward, alerting his female companion who cried out as she was nearly pushed off of the mattress onto the floor. Akitake ignored her annoy comments as he ran toward the window, not at all caring that he was stark naked as he threw the window open. Instead of the serene scenery of a village morning, what he saw were smoke columns rising skyward, tainting the view. The green-eyed jonin's blood turned to ice as his enhanced ears picked up the sounds of battle and strife, even from so high up and so far away from the action. His teeth immediately began to gnash.
"Those damn rebels! Where and when! We had them on the ropes and now they're…they're…gah!" A fist rose and fell against the window, the sheer force causing the glass to crack. "How dare they!"
"So, I'm assuming you're going into work today?" Snapped a catty voice from his six o'clock. "And you're going to be there all day?"
Akitake turned to his lover with a half-sneer, half-smirk. "Satoko, I don't believe you're in any position to criticize me, after all, you're going to be working just as much as I will. Perhaps putting in a bit more effort."
The blonde leered at him with a mocking smile on her gorgeous face. "More effort? This coming from the man who was done after only two rounds! Here I thought those grapes would have given you a bit of a stronger stamina boost!"
"I was exhausted from working all day, what can you expect? You're a soldier, I'm an elder and politician, the job can be very stressful." Coolly shot back the male.
Smirking, the naked blonde moved around the bed then threw her arms around him once he was within her reach. Impulsively, he wrapped his arms around her shapely hips, squishing their naked bodies together. The urge to dive back into the bedsheets was strong in both of them. It wasn't like they hadn't woken up to trouble that they couldn't ignore. Only once in the past month had they willingly ignored the crisis outside of their bedroom in favor of their own pleasure. Things had turned out for the best, but both Akitake and Satoko knew that had been a one-time thing; not to mention they'd been chewed out for their decision once dressed and at the village's next meeting. They knew that wasn't an option this time, they could feel it in their bones.
Satoko pulled back, a devilish smile on her lips. "We meet back here when all of this is over. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind doing it in your office, but I want some privacy, and insurance we're not going to be interrupted. You better be up for some action when we get back home, you hear?"
He grinned back, clenching at her exposed ass. "That goes for you too. Then again, these rebels aren't exactly up to stuff so I should be saying make sure you have some interesting stories for pillow talk."
"Hey, my stories are always more interesting than yours', that's for sure. Now come on, let's get dressed."
Neither of them said a word as the high-rise room was shaken by more tremors. Their minds ran the calculations coming to the same conclusion - earth style users. Akitake and Satoko knew the makeup of the village's rebel faction well enough, while there were a few users, none of them were strong enough to do more than shake a city-block or two. Akitake knew his home's foundations were strong enough to withstand a mild to the severe earthquake so if they were feeling something then that didn't bode well. Of course, he didn't say anything aloud as he got dressed, neither did his blonde lover. A few times he caught a glimpse of her sky-blue eyes, now darkened by the thought of what the coming day held in store for them. Forming along her face was something of a light grin; she was taking things in a different way than him. The tremors that shook their home meant that their fellow villagers had mustered a significant amount of strength. Enough to perhaps finally pose a challenge.
Akitake once was like her, and in some ways he still was. Since becoming a village elder, he'd had to leave such emotions behind as the frontlines weren't his place, not anymore. There were times he missed it though. Seeing the excited look on his girlfriend's face as she leaped from the window fully dressed only furthered the feeling.
It was no sooner had she jumped out the window did a messenger bird appear by it. Akitake felt his heartbeat rise a bit as he recognized the bird in question.
Why am I getting a bad feeling about this? Why? It's…it's…almost ominous.
Once he headed out, Akitake was able to understand the feeling better, and discover that it was actually warranted. The Hidden Vine Village was structured with the central tree, the Home Tree, in the center with the upper close living in the trees surrounding it. For citizens like him, it offered quite a view of the village. In times of peace, it was something to be proud of. But in times of war, when the worst occurred, it instead offered the sight of a home under siege. This morning, he was seeing something similar to that - the village under siege by those unwilling to accept the future, and blind to the costs needed for the village to prosper.
After weeks of being on the run and close to outright extermination, they'd suddenly bounced back. Reluctantly, Akitake had to admit so far it was looking to be quite an impressive second wind. At best, they'd managed to hold onto a few portions of the village, portions that they'd been content to let the rebels have until the final mutations using the Blood Grapes were complete; once they were the new generation of Vine shinobi would be sent to wipe them out. They would clean the blood and gore out and carry on with nothing out of the ordinary. It seemed that wasn't going to be quite the case this time.
The rebels had penetrated deeper into the village, likely using old sewer tunnels and the like as was a procedure in case of emergency. Though they'd places guards in such areas, the rebels did possess some skills, enough to overwhelm them and sneak past certain checkpoints. From what Akitake was able to see, they'd done more than just sneak past them - they'd blown right through them. Resounding in his ears were the sounds of the battle, the likes of which made his blood race. A second later and his heart came to a complete stop as something emerged from the outer reaches of the village, something that Akitake could hardly believe with his own eyes.
Outside of the Five Great Nations, there existed what one might call a wide and weird range of techniques developed by a ninja who lived a somewhat harsher life. Akitake liked to think he was familiar with such techniques as he'd faced more than a few, and slayed the ones who'd cast them. Of those jutsu, he knew very few that summoned a colossal skeleton straight out of some B-horror movie.
Rearing its skull back, the outwardly monster roared, an ear-splitting sound that chilled the blood of those who heard it. Given its impressive size, that was at least a quarter or half the village, including Akitake himself. Wide-eyed, he nearly slipped from the building ledge as he stopped and stared in partial awe and horror at the skeletal monstrosity attempting to smash its way down the street, a pike-like blade held in its arms. The weapon cleaved through stone and wood along with vines like a massive cleaver. Focusing his chakra through his eyes, he was able to make out several splotches of blood on the weapon, proof that its rampage had already cost lives. Likely, the lives of his fellow villagers.
"Quite a way to wake up from a night of sex, isn't it?" Came a deep jovial voice that Akitake instantly recognized. "Don't worry though. These skeleton soldiers may be numerous, but they're still bones all the same, and like all things - bones break with the right amount of force. That's exactly what we're doing, it's why we've sent Sadamu to deal with it and the rebels. Relax, this will be over before noon breaks."
The skeleton raised its bony weapon ready to drive it downward into the ground. Suddenly, a mass of red-lined steel-gray tree roots shot out and entangled the sword arm. Resounding through the air was the sickening crunch that came with bones being broken. Akitake could see several small cracks beginning to form along with the sword arm as the massive entity struggled to wrench its arm free. It encountered further resistance as several more tree roots shot out and entangled the massive skeleton, completely immobilizing it. Still, the beast continued to struggle, actually managing to tear away some of the vines. Alas, it was a futile effort as the ground beneath its feet rumbled, then collapsed bringing its mighty form tumbling down.
Akitake turned away, not needing to see any more to know how things were going to end. His green eyes met the cherry-red of his colleague. "For the record, Montoku, it wasn't as hard as you think it was. As a result of all the work you and Shinoda heaped on me, I was quite drained of energy by the time I got back home. Satoko wasn't exactly happy with me."
"Hm, sounds displeasing. Well, that's in the past. Come on, you know what today is." It was natural for Montoku to show little concern in the current battles transpiring across the village. He had absolute faith in their forces, and believed at heart it was only a matter of time before the rebels were wiped out down to the last fighting man. Unlike some, he was advocating for their wholesale destruction. Misguided as he saw them, they were still their fellow villagers and deserved to be shown a bit of mercy. That made him one of the few "moderates" within the village's new government, much like Akitake himself. "Hope you got enough sleep tonight."
"Thanks to you, that's doubtful." Snorted the green-eyed ninja to his red-headed counterpart.
Even as they raced across the treetops and rooftops, Akitake couldn't help but feel a smidge of worry. Every so often his eyes would wander back to the village beyond them. He'd have a better look once inside the central tree, and that's precisely what worried him to an extent. A single question kept gnawing at him - the rebels were determined, but also cautious as they knew they were on the losing end. What sort of help had they enlisted to mount an attack like this? What hidden village or mercenary ninja had they drawn into their village's private reformation?
Not even when they got inside did the bad feeling dissipate, instead, Akitake was willing to wedge it actually got worse. It wasn't at all pleasurable as he was within his village's oldest tree, a living cultural artifact. As with the underground tunnels, in the distant past, the Central Tree had been a haven, a last line of defense for the village and its people. It was supposed to envelop them all in a blanket of security and offer a sliver of hope. Yet it wasn't doing that, not for Akitake at least. Luckily, he was a master at keeping up his poker face while those around him carried out, completely disregarding the battle happening outside the tree's wooden walls.
"Would you mind if I headed to the library before going to the lab?" He finally asked his redheaded companion, who looked at him with a confused stare. "I promise, it won't take long. Trust me on that."
"It better not. I know you've been looking at all those old records." Smirking, Montoku reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. His cobalt-colored eyes twinkled with partial amusement and partial reassurance for him. "Hey, don't look so worried. It's been a long road that hasn't been easy on any of us. The good news is we're almost there. Have we had to suffer a little, yeah, but we're on our way to the top, our village is on its way to being respected. No more being scared of those five overgrown pigs called the Kages. It's a new age."
"Yeah, I know, I've sort of helped usher it in." Laughed back Akitake.
"Then start smiling! Ever since we came in, you've had this look on your face like death's on our tail! If anything, after today, death will be gunning for all those who ever looked down on us! Just imagine it - the looks on their faces when we Vine ninja are the ones calling the shots! It'll be great!"
"Heh, trust me, I am. Maybe it's just me being impatient again. After all, I told you I'd like nothing better than to see the Hidden Sand turned into the same hellhole that it was built on."
"Technically, if I remember right, it was built over an oasis." Montoku lightly chided. "Make no mistake, the place is a giant wasteland, but it's got a few good spots. We can use them as farms to grow more of the Blood Grapes. Not to mention it'll be a good use for the people living there!"
"Alright, tell your brother that I'll be there in a little bit, and apologizes in case I miss the first fruit being cultivated." Akitake proclaimed as he broke away to face the hallway opposite of the way Montoku intended to take.
"Alright then, but I'm sure you'll probably feel it." Added the redhead with a straight frown. "If the prime grapes are as powerful as our ancestors wrote about then you'll probably feel them. I'm…I'm really hoping they live up to the legends."
There wasn't any need to elaborate on his fears, Montoku was far from alone. Though everyone put up a strong front, it was a known fact that the Five Nations still had them somewhat outclassed. Even with the Hidden Sand and Leaf recovering, they were forces to be reckoned with; each village possessed only one Tailed Beast, but such creatures weren't to be underestimated. In the case of the Sand's Tailed Beast, the One-Tail, it certainly wasn't something they wanted ever setting foot into their village and causing havoc as it did in ages past. Were that to happen it would surely take the power of the prime grapes to turn back monstrosity.
It was Akitake's deepest wish that such a day never came. In fact, he hoped as their research into the cultivating and usage of the Blood Grapes continued, they could find a way to overcome the tailed demons that the Five Great Nations so proudly lauded as equalizers. They were no more than beasts on leashes to be set loose when needed, but like all beasts, they could still be put down. As he walked, Akitake toyed with how the demons could be used if by some miracle they were caught. Great strides had been made using humans and animals as nutrients for the grapes, but what if they found a way to grow them using the power of the Tailed Beasts that once ran rampant over the world? Surely the resulting fruits would be charged with their power, and after passing through such a medium, they would be usable for ordinary shinobi?
Such thoughts were only one of the many reasons why he chose to go to the library instead of the central garden that had been set up almost eight levels up, towards the height of the Central Tree.
Literally carved out close to eighty years ago, the Central Library as it was called, was a truly massive bee-hive shaped room containing the village's most treasured books and archives. By exploring some of these old shelves and desks they'd discovered the notes containing the information needed to cultivate the Blood Grapes. Afterwards, all those documents had been brought out of the shadows and places in a special section of their own for public use. Akitake wasted no time in gathering said scrolls and books and finding himself a desk to study them. All that was missing for him was a cup of coffee.
Time had worn down some of the pages, but their content hadn't been completely lost. More so with his enhanced eyesight which granted him visual prowess some had joked could rival the famed Byakugan. One day, Akitake would have liked to put such boasts to the challenge.
"Descended from the Great White Tree, though inferior to its parents, its power is no less deadly. Long for this blacken plant for it is far more benevolent than its white-tinted forebearer. Nurtured with lifeblood from the people, though they both are, only one can bring about prosperity through just usage. Future descendants, use wisely this divine power. For those who abuse it will find they have unleashed an ancient evil upon the world. One that shall not rest until all has been covered in layers of iron-like wood, and all life drained from the world so that a flower of evil may bloom."
As one would have suspected, Motomune had heavily disregarded the warning, on the surface at least. When he'd asked him on what the scrolls meant by a "white-tinted forebearer", Motomune had shuddered. It wasn't a good sign as while he could be…eccentric and at times immoral, even the village's chief scientist seemed capable of showing some restraint. All he'd done was look at him and say it was something "unknown but highly dangerous". Like the other village heads, Akitake had decided to stop there and focus on what they already had, which was plenty.
What the Blood Grapes had offered them was already enough for them to seize power from their neighbors. Reaching across the table, he took hold of an old orange-colored scroll and unrolled it. What greeted his eyes were ancient illustrates of samurai-like warriors whose bodies were clad not in armor but tree bark and twisting roots. It was organic armor, born from ingestion of the grapes that had granted their ancestors the power to topple castle walls, to say nothing of human opponents. Though there's been a cost with all things, such were the times of war. Akitake knew in his heart that's what they were heading back to.
The Hidden Mist is still struggling to put itself back together so they won't be stepping onto the mainland any time soon. They're crippled, which makes them easy pickings for the other powers. Noted the green-eyed jonin, laying his chin atop his folded hands. The illustrations depicted demons, not men. Akitake liked to believe they could go head-to-head against the kekkei genkai ninja of the Hidden Mist Village. Or those that were left. Even now, he couldn't help but shake his head at the thought of a village wiping out its most useful members over something as ridiculous as bloodline prejudice. Complimentary to this, the Hidden Leaf and Sand have lost their leaders. At the very least the Leaf replaced the old fossil with his student, the most gifted medical ninja of the times. Hm, Tsunade Senju, can we afford to leave her be? She could undo everything we've struggled for with her medical knowledge!
Instinctively, his body tightened. Akitake normally considered himself a very lax person, but when it came to matters of his village's security, he took things seriously, very seriously. Long nights had been spent wide awake trying to devise ways to maintaining his village's security against all threats, both domestic and foreign. Over the last several weeks he'd been so preoccupied with domestic threats that he'd almost failed to remember the foreign ones.
"These should be enough for us to repel the rank and file, and perhaps even the Anbu." Muttered the green-eyed man as he peered over the sketches. "If Lord Juntoku really can absorb the power of the prime grapes, harness them to their ultimate form, then maybe we can do more. We can-!"
The instincts he'd gained from the frontlines had never left him. It was a good thing as they helped him to avoid danger; they also reminded him that danger could strike from anywhere, even a supposed place of safety.
"AAAHHH!"
He was racing down the halls before the chair even smacked against the ground, sweat already forming on his brow. Turning a corner, he found the root of his worries and unease; they were right on the money.
Blood had already begun to sip onto the floor from the body of the villager impaled on the bony sword held by the intruder. Said intruder wasn't human, it was a skeletal soldier, a smaller version of the giant that had he'd seen rampaging outside earlier. It was actually shorter than him by a couple of inches, but in the low lighting of the library, it resembled some evil gnome crawled out of a storybook. There was no head, only a jagged jawline that smiled as it threw off the corpse on its weapon.
CRACK!
In a single bound, he destroyed it with a single swing of his arms, all while sprinting forward at near-superhuman speeds. Akitake felt absolutely nothing as his arm smashed apart the magically-animated soldier. He felt nothing as the bones clattered to the ground, dissolving away into bright purple and black-colored particles. There was no time to gloat over his false victory.
"Everyone! Sound the-"
The alarm had already been sounded via the terrified and panicked screams of the librarians and other visitors. Filling the air was the sound of bookshelves being toppled, flesh rending, and bones breaking.
"Dammit all!" Exclaimed the black-haired ninja while his hands moved in quick handsigns. How?! How?! HOW?! This tree is protected by barrier ninjutsu, not to mention guarded around the block! A mouse couldn't sneak in without being spotted! It's just not-no, forget it! It's already happened! For now, we have to contain the threat! Now! Following the last sign, he slammed both his palms into the floor. There was a blue-colored pulse that spread out along the polished floor, then said floor came alive. Jetting out of the ground were several spikes, sharpened tree roots that could have ran through stone if directed to. They easily tore into the skeletal soldiers, breaking apart like paper and saving those they were about to kill.
"Akitake! Akitake! We've got a problem!" Shouted a male voice from the main entrance.
"Yes, Tohisnaka, I'm well aware of that!" Sprinting down the halls, he leaped off the railing, landing on the first level with a solid resounding thud. He rose to meet the wide-eyed stare of his fellow village elder. Toshinaka was older than him by a good twelve years, his age showing in the wrinkles on his face and his graying chestnut-colored hair. "Tell me we have them cornered or secured! Better yet, tell me they're nowhere near the upper levels of the tree!"
Growling, the veteran ninja stomped ahead. "Yes, we're under attack by the rebels the very day our leader is undergoing a procedure that may as well kill him as well as endow him with unimaginable strength! Of course, we're going to leave Lord Juntoku vulnerable!"
Guards rushed past them into the library while they headed out into the hallway. As one would have expected, alarms were blaring in their ears, crimson light flashing staining their faces red while they walked. Beneath their feet, the ground shook; placing their palms against the steel-lined walls they felt the tremors as well. Both men physically gnashed their teeth in sensing the strength of the vibrations; it wasn't anything to brush off.
"You know, I was expecting this to be a relatively quiet and normal day." Akitake sniped mere seconds before the pair were forced to stop as the ground beneath them shook like a raddle. Thrown completely off-guard, they could do nothing but cling to the walls as it felt like the floor beneath them was seconds away from giving out. "This can't be helping!"
"Calm down!" Barked the older of the two as he righted himself. "Even if the rebels have managed to sneak in, we still have them outnumbered and outgunned! Besides, losing our cool will only serve to give them a bigger advantage than they think they already have!" Another tremor nearly knocked Toshinaka off his feet, only by the strength of will was he able to remain standing. "Go, safeguard Lord Juntoku! I will deal with the intruders!"
"But-"
Hearing the walls crack and the low rumble of voiceless growling, the two ninja reacted on impulse. From their arms came blackish-gray wooden spikes that cut through the walls like knives through butter. They also cut clean through the skeletal soldiers that were seconds away from emerging in a surprise attack. Their broken remains skipped on the floor along with the fragments from the wall. Akitake and Toshinaka looked at them in disgust, their noses wrinkled at the foul odor that rose from the puppet-like figures.
"Be careful, alright?" Shot the younger of the duo, to which the older quickly nodded his head before sending him on his way. If Akitake ran into any more trouble, he was capable of handling himself, and then some. It was one reason why he was sent ahead to safeguard the primary lab. The lab in which Motomune, their chief scientist and his cohorts, were carrying out a "special infusion operation" on their village's leader. A small part of Akitake couldn't help but imagine the rebels fighting their way up only to arrive as the operation succeeded and Lord Juntoku was emerging from the operating room - a new super-powered ninja. As heart-racing as it was, he wasn't going to hold his breath for it. This was a reality, not a scripted movie.
Toshinaka turned his back from the running jonin. He had his own matters to contend with, starting with taking care of these infernal skeletons that were infesting his village's brain center. Just the thought that they were now crawling around within the walls like bugs made his skin crawl. A furious fire burned within his chest and ran into his arms, which began weaving handsigns in rapid succession. His rage fueled him, causing his enhanced chakra to pump faster and faster through his veins. It interacted with the supernatural minerals in his body; all taking shape in the form of wooden wire-like tendrils that bore into the walls like drills. From there, they moved like snakes through the walls, guided by his will with the singular intention of finding that which didn't belong in the tree and killing it. In total, he sent out about twelve tendrils, each a wooden serpent capable of ripping a man's throat out provided they got the drop on him; they'd make short work of the skeletal soldiers invading the Central Tree.
Face still twisted into an annoyed snarl, Toshinaka began walking back down the hallway. His old but still highly efficient ears registered the grunts and screams of his men doing battle with the skeletons. He felt little joy in the sound of bones breaking. What he wanted was the controller of these soldiers, the central puppeteer almost.
Fate answered him as his waist-mounted radio crackled to life.
"L-L-Lord Toshinaka! W-W-We need help! Now! P-P-Please! T-T-The twentieth floor! P-Please, y-you have to-GAAAH!"
He nearly crushed the small radio as the dying screams of the shinobi on the other end went silent. Barely reigning in his anger, he sprinted down the hallway towards the stairs. It would have been a waste of time trying to take the elevator and risk getting stuck in there; time was of the essence.
Rather than go the long way, Toshinaka leaped over the railing, free-falling until coming to his stop at which point, he reached out with his arm. Pulling himself up, he bolted through the door and started running. Almost immediately, he stopped in his tracks. His nose uncontrollable twitched as the myriad of smells bombarded his senses.
Having fought in the last Shinobi World War, he knew what a scene of carnage looked and smelt like. Right in the center of his own home he'd stumbled across one.
Black-gray chains stretched from one end of the hallway to another, blood and poison dripping from them onto the floor, forming countless puddles along the way. They faintly shook as Toshinaka attempted to maneuver his way through, being mindful of the sharp barbs on the chains. One look was all he needed to know that a single cut to an unprotected place and he'd be as helpless as a lamb to the slaughter. Along with that, he had to focus the now boiling rage he felt at seeing such a sight.
It wasn't right.
It wasn't right.
It wasn't right!
With each second his eyes scanned the tarnished walls, corridors, and rooms, vile slowly building up in his mouth. There were survivors, though the state they were in could hardly be called better than death. Many of them were still standing up, albeit it was clear that they would have been better off lying on their sides or backs. The chains were keeping them on their feet, barely. They groaned in agony as the poison-tipped barbs on the chains dug into their skin, cutting deeper with every passing second. Every few seconds, a few of them would suddenly jerk, outright tearing into the flesh of the captives thus heightening their pain. Those who'd been latched around the neck were something of a different matter. Whoever was controlling these blacken chains obviously knew what they were doing as the chains merely grazed the skin around the neck. All that meant was the poison on each barb had a super highway into the brain and the heart and lungs. Red and green-colored eyes blinked again and again as their owners fought to stave off unconsciousness; the pain for them would continue rather it was in this world or the world of dreams.
"L-L-Lord…Toshi…naka…please…"
"Gah! GAHHH!"
"IT HURTS! PLEASE, SOMEBODY, HELP ME!"
"Get…these damn…aaarrrggghhh!"
"Stop it! PLEASE, I'M BEGGING YOU, STOOOOP!"
"DAMMIT ALL, GET THESE THINGS OFF!"
"BREAK DAMMIT! BREAK! AAARGGGHHH!"
The more Toshinaka walked, the more disturbed he became by what he saw. By their command, the black iron-like wood in their bodies were branching out, seeping out of their skin and attempting to counteract the chains. It wasn't doing any good; in some cases, it looked to be doing the opposite and making the pain even worse. Upon closer examination, he found the wood was actually dissolving on contact with the acidic liquid that the chains had been dipped in. It made the agony his men were experiencing all the worse as many had the chained barbs stuck in them. No doubt the liquid was now racing through their bodies, attacking the grapes-enhanced cells like a horde of angry insects. Proof of his guess was on the faces of many.
This is…who…who in the Five Great Nations could do this?! All the intel on them we've gathered suggests they don't have a ninja, not even a puppet master, capable of doing something like this? Could it be the Hidden Stone?! Could they have sent someone out this far away as retribution?! In the forefront of his mind and his fellow elders had been the Village Hidden in Stone. It is a more militaristic village they knew. Once they killed some of these shinobi, retribution would come, provided the old Fence Sitter even realized who they were. Had he sent one of his assassins after them? Was this their work?
"Don't worry, I managed to break them even, mostly. They won't die, but I can't say that some of them will ever be ninja again. Quite a sad fate, but one they brought upon themselves by getting in my way."
Female, cold, dismissive, the attacker was a professional. Toshinaka went on immediate guard, his forearms growing two-foot long gleaming blades that could cut through steel and flesh alike with great ease. Whoever this woman was, that was the fate this would be wishing she'd have - a quick and merciless death.
"If you wish to surrender, then now's the time!" Shouted the voice.
Gnashing his teeth in controlled irritation, he searched every hallway and room he came across. He was forced to take great care in moving past the countless black chains that stretched across them. They vaguely resembled spider threads, which made him the unfortunate fly. Toshinaka was not going to be the fly.
"Surrender?! Surrender?! Woman, I have no idea who you are, but you have no idea what you've done! This is our home, our village! Your actions will cost you your life! You will become-"
"Nutrients for your precious little fruits?" Came the unseen woman's catty calls followed by a haughty snicker. "Apologies, but that will not be happening. I've come to this village to rid it of the infestation that's been plaguing it. From what I understand you, Toshinaka Hanae, are a part of that infestation. I will be your executioner."
"Infestation?!" Roared the graying-haired elder. "You dare, you are an outsider, most likely from some big-name village! How could you possibly know of what we've had to endure?! The fear and persecution coming from a small village?! The shame that comes with knowing you were once powerful but you've now become little more than a stepping stone! When such a thing happens, you'll do anything to get it back!"
There was a long silence during which he wandered from one room to another, finding equally grotesque sights. Death was rapidly filling up the entire level of the tree. It pained him to have to look away, unable to help his fellow villagers. With every body he saw each, he found his rage grew.
"You're right, on multiple accounts." The intruder's voice was in a matter-of-fact tone. "I do not come from one of these ninja villages, but from a land far, far, far from this one. I was once a queen of a vast empire that prospered under my reign. As far as I'm concerned, you're nothing but a bunch of ants strutting across the dirt. Honestly, it's quite amusing for me."
"A queen? Then why the hell are you here? Have we done something to anger you?! Did we slay one of your countrymen?" Toshinaka barked.
"Oh, no, I'm simply here on behalf of a few…associates of mine. They're the ones you've angered, not me." She answered back. "Well, I am somewhat interested in these little grapes of yours. I'm something of a poison enthusiast and I was wondering how they could be used in my creations." There was a resounding bout of laughter that rippled across the halls. Toshinaka felt like someone was watching him, a predator waiting for him to slip up and make a mistake. "Ask your villagers, they'll tell you all about how powerful my poisons can be! The ones that can talk anyway. If you want, I can direct you to them! Perhaps get some of their last words out before you-"
"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU SELF-RIGHTEOUS BITCH!"
His entire body had turned obsidian black, red veins pulsating along his arms. The limbs twisted and morphed into spiked tendrils that slammed into the walls and tore through them as Toshinaka swung his body about. Mouth bent open in a scream, he shouted profanities and taunts to the unseen assassin.
"Such foul language and a nasty temper. You make for a poor elder." The unseen woman chided.
Eyes brimming with murderous hatred, he flapped his arms, causing the wooden stocks to grow in size and increase in strength. After literally tearing through the walls, he turned his ire toward the ceiling, peppering himself with splinters and rock fragments; he cared for none of it as he was beyond injury by such things. He felt his wooden spires pierced the floor above him and continue to the ceiling. If he had to guess, it was in a similar state to the one he was currently on.
"You have no right to criticize me or the rest of us!" The elderly ninja roared. "What we've had to do is to survive, what could you possibly know of it!? You're nothing but a filthy outsider!"
"Yes, I am an outsider, but one who's just giving my opinion. Why should that count for anything?" Chided the feminine voice. "I mean, it's not like I have any clot or weight in these matters. I merely ruled over a prosperous kingdom the likes of which you pitiful little village could ever hope to aspire to. Now, I won't lie and say that prosperity didn't involve a bit of bloodshed, I can list the dozens of enemy kings and regents who wanted me either dead or made a slave for what I did to their armies and countries. But at the very least, I can say I never sacrificed my own people on blatant self-destructive ventures such as what you and your compatriots have done. What lies do you tell your own people as you lead them to their execution? That they will literally be serving the village as its 'nutrients'?"
Another roar of fury shook the entire floor followed by another lashing that left the surrounding chamber a pile of rubble. Red-eyed, Toshinaka looked to the hole he'd made in the ceiling.
"Wrench, show yourself!" He hollered. "You speak of your kingdom as prosperous, but I'm beginning to wonder how such a thing could be since it was led by such a cowardly person such as yourself! You sit back and snipe at me while remaining out of harm's way! Where is your honor?!"
"Honor? Hah! Foolish old man, I am a queen, one who rules! I leave the fighting to grunts and servants whose place it is to draw blood and spill their own in the name of their homeland and countrymen! Of course…I know a thing or two myself, about killing that is. After all, I am an Assassin." Fired back the unseen woman.
"Then I will merely drag you into the light, where your frail form will be exposed!" His fingers curled as his arms were stretched out, red veins running up along them. In one swift motion, Toshinaka stabbed his fingers into the ground, dozens of wire-like tree vines stretching from his fingertips into the hard flooring then snaking out in all direction. "If you said is true, then I shall slay my own people than allow them to suffer the sting of your concoctions for the rest of their lives. It is the least I can do for them!"
"A wise choice, but I'm afraid it won't work, at least in regards to flushing me out into the open. When you see my face, Toshinaka, you shall know death."
He'd heard so many boasts like hers throughout the years. The fact that he'd lived through them all to grow gray hairs proved they'd been just that, boasts. Toshinaka planned on living to have a full head of gray hair while his village continued to grow and prosper as it did in ages past. Under no circumstances would he allow this arrogant woman and a few stubborn fools to get in the way of that. All across the twentieth floor sprouted multiple bulbs that crackled with bioluminescence. Their glow illuminated the darkness in some parts of the floor, casting a light on the suffering of the Vine ninja bound in chains. Those who could raise their heads look to the bulks and registered their glowing radiance.
Several muttered a silent thank you to their leader. Others merely whispered their final words, last goodbyes to friends and family and praying for a chance to meet them in the next life.
All across the twentieth floor of the Central Tree, the newly grown bulbs went off, each one exploding with all the force necessary to demolish a living room. One explosion merged with another, and then another, and then another until the entire floor was engulfed in a scented blast of fire, wood, metal, and rock. Bodies were blown apart, some being outright vaporized from the sheer heat; the immobilized ninja felt little more than a blistering heat before their souls departed for the land of the dead. The chains binding them shattered as well, the liquid on them melting from the high-heat borne from the blast while the magical metal gave out.
Toshinaka kneeled in the center of the demolished chamber he'd stopped in surrounded by the wreckage. His ears ring with the sounds of the explosions he himself had caused. All he could hope was that his comrades had been given a quick and painless demise instead of the prolonged suffering the unseen assassin had chosen to inflict upon them. Speaking of the woman, he prayed her death was as painful as imaginable, skin boiling off and bones being vaporized into ashes from the heat. It saddened him somewhat that there likely wouldn't be a body left behind and they'd have some clean up to do with the entire floor, but at the very least they had one less dangerous adversary to worry about.
Pulling his fingers out of the ground, he stood up, ignoring the heavy smoke that now blanketed the chamber. "Now then, to the upper floors."
"And what exactly is up there? Your leader perhaps? The ring leader of this madness? Worry not, I'll let myself in."
Hairs standing up, Toshinaka looked to the hole in the ceiling he'd made and jumped through it, landing on the next level. He was beginning to think he was going to have to collapse the whole floor if it meant stopping this woman. While having no desire to, he knew whoever this woman was posed a clear and present danger to the village. Letting her be wasn't an option.
Reaching to his waist, he withdrew his radio. "Hello? This is Elder Toshinaka Hanae, I need all available forces closing off the twenty-first and nineteenth floors immediately! I repeat, all-"
"It doesn't matter. They're…taking a little nap now, shall we say. Trust me, they won't be waking up anytime soon so save your breath. It's just you, and unfortunately, you're not going to be nearly enough to stop me."
From his back they came, a small platoon of the same damn skeletal soldiers from before, weapons drawn and ready. Snorting in annoyance, Toshinaka leaned forward, then dashed in the direction of the approaching enemies. To ordinary eyes, he looked like a blur, to the skeletons he was a charging bull that shattered their frail bodies on impact. They clattered to the ground into countless shambles. Eyes filled with a mixture of anger and annoyance, he raised his foot and stopped down on a couple. "Are you going to keep hiding behind these puppets forever, are you going to come out and kill me yourself!?"
"Have some patience. As I said, when you see my face, you shall know death. Take the time to enjoy your life while you can, it won't be lasting much longer. Trust me on that."
"I'd rather not! I know nothing about you other than the fact that you're invading my home and slaughtering my countrymen!" Shouted back the old ninja.
There was a brief laugh filled with condescending malice. "You've been doing a fine job with the latter. As for the invader part, I'll have you know your own people came to me, asking me for assistance. It seems not everyone agrees with this new direction you've decided to take your village; truth be told, I can understand their concerns and I am willing to lend an ear and hand to their plight."
"How noble of you." Toshinaka sneered, scanning the floor for her presence. "But it won't be of much good. Those who've pleaded to you, they're nothing but fools! They'd rather have our village continue to rot instead of bloom into the dazzling flower that it used to be!"
"A flower that blooms thanks to the corpses of its enemies…and its own people. Though I will admit, there is some poetry in such a thing, but not enough to sway me. Not to mention I can look into the eyes of some of you and see this isn't about the village, it's about your own personal power. Don't worry though, I have no intention of turning this into a moral debate as I'm not one for such trivial matters."
"Agreed, so how about you just come out and we'll settle this once and for all." Bit back the old ninja.
"…So be it, try to think of some memorable last words." Sounded the female voice.
With his body still armored up and his senses still sharp, he was able to deflect the first coming attacks. However, even with his defenses, his arms felt the sting of the chains, like an annoying pinch. There was little time to ponder the blow as more attacks came, hand-sized metallic projectiles. Rather than use both his arms, Toshinaka held out his right hand, the wooden material jetting out and twisting into a circular shield that absorbed the impact of the attack. All he felt were soft thuds from the attacks.
Alerted to something from the other side, Toshinaka's left hand morphed into a blade that he raised on instinct. The sound of metal clanging against metal echoed through the halls. Narrowing his eyes, he examined the familiar-styled chain that had been seconds away from latching onto his arm. Jetting out from the walls came several more chains.
SLISH!
It was a single cut, but one performed with two arms morphed into a single giant blade; cutting through the walls and air alike, it more than left its mark on the surrounding. Coming to a stop, Toshikana broke his arms apart, his fingers sharpening into claws as his transformed eyes scouted the surroundings. From the hole he'd made in the floor, smoke was steadily beginning to rise up and spread along the floor. It was going to be some time before the sprinkler system kicked in, provided that the intruder hadn't taken it out.
"Dammit it, listen here, you bitch, I don't have time for these-!"
Ears twitching and a murderous grin spreading across his face, the Vine ninja elder spun to his right, arm stretched out and claws gleaming ready to slice apart flesh and bone. He wasn't disappointed. Blood splashed across his face, quickly being absorbed through the pores on his skin filling them new energy.
"Finally, it seems you were nothing but…wha…wha…WHAT THE HELL?!"
Chestnut colored eyes he'd looked into over a thousand times stared back at them, life quickly fading fast from them. An already limp body collapsed as Toshinaka quickly removed his claws, horrified at the blood that he'd so eagerly spilled. "F-F-Fa…ther…fa…ther…why? Why?"
"T-T-To-Tos-Toshi-Toshihisa…I…I…I…I…" Stammered the broken-willed elder as he cradled his son's near lifeless body. Hook-like wounds littered his body, violet-like growths infected the open injuries. His son didn't have long in this world, and thanks to his bloodlust-fueled attack he had an even shorter amount of time. "W-W-What…how…how…why…h-how…w-w-why? I-I don't understand!"
"This is what you've been doing for some time I understand." Came the cold voice of the unknown queen. "Murdering your own people and desecrating their remains.
"YOU BITCH!" Screeched the war veteran, swinging his right arm out like an angry viper. All of his chakra was poured into his sudden attack, morphing his arm from a black limp into a giant mass of thorn-covered branches that plowed through multiple walls, steel, stone, and wood alike.
"Old man, you may want to get your eyes examined."
Though riding high on his anger, Toshinaka was still sane enough to hear the woman's words, and curious enough to listen to them. Face still twisted in a snarl, he looked back to his slain son, ready to choke up again at the freshly dead corpse that had been his child. To his surprise, instead of a corpse, what he found was a beachball-sized ball of light practically floating in his arm. From up close, it was truly a spectacle to look at, so mesmerizing that he almost faded to notice the toxic purple light that was being emitted from the center. Only at the last second did he realize what the flashing light at the center was, but by then it was too late to act.
A mixture of raw force and acid knocked him, for the latter, it had been propelled outward with the force of a small tsunami added to the power of the blast. The touch of the strange colored liquid hurt a thousand times more than the feel of his body crashing through walls, furniture and tree roots. Even when the "ride" came to an end, the pain lingered. In fact, it was actually growing stronger by the second. Strangled breaths left his bloodied lips as he tried and failed to raise his upper body. Toshinaka felt like he had two thousand pounds of weight strapped to his chest, and scorpion snapping at his enhanced skin nonstop. Spitting blood out, he stared upward at a blinking light, struggling to comprehend what had just happened to him.
Appearing before him was a shadowy figure. Making out the finer details was impossible so he focused on what stood out - eyes, copper-like eyes with a single black slit going down between them.
"What…who…"
"Something you're rapidly fading mind can't comprehend. Don't think too much about it. You're not long for this world anyway so merely close your eyes and know that after I've finished killing off the rest of your cohorts, your village will indeed rise again, but the under banner of sane men and women." He recognized the voice, the so-called queen who'd verbally sparred with him while leading him on and on. It appeared he really was the fly caught in the spider's web.
Or perhaps, based on the look in her eyes, he'd been nothing but a mouse on the run from a snake. The chase was now over.
"Who…who…who are you? Who?!" Managed the senior ninja, they were likely the last words he'd ever say as he could feel his lungs beginning to burn like tissue paper. Pure agony had gripped his body and was squeezing tighter and tighter without any intention of letting go until the lifeblood had been sucked out of him. Deep down, Toshinaka longed for it to end.
Chuckling, the female figure raised a hand, a gold-encrusted nail seemingly appearing in the middle of her palm. "Who am I? I've been called many things, but as I said earlier: today, Toshinaka Hanae, I am your executioner. Tell those in the afterlife you met your end by the woman known simply as Assassin. Now…join your ancestors, and tell them of your folly."
Violet light swirled around the nail's tip. Through his deeming vision, Toshinaka saw lettering, ancient writing of a foreign language he couldn't even begin to understand. With the glowing light, he was able to make out a handful of features of his soon-to-be killer. First and foremost, she was quite breathtaking; skin pale as white olives with lips in light pink tint and hair as black as the night sky. It all made for a nice foil to her eyes, coppery yellow that shined with a mixture of hidden malice and amusement. Briefly, Toshinaka focused in on her ears, they were pointed, like some fairy tale creature. But this woman was no fairy tale elf to be found in storybooks.
Seconds before the spike was plunged into his chest, he realized what this woman was - a demoness.
They had unearthed the fabled remains of the ancient "God Tree" that had once dominated the world, and in retaliation, a demon had arisen to punish them all.
Akitake, Lord Juntoku, I beg of you…stop this woman before she ruins our village forever! Before she poisons it! Motomune, please, for the love of God, let your research be the light that saves us! It has to-
With immense ease, the Assassin's palm-spike tore into Toshinaka Hanae's chest, puncturing his heart and injecting fast-acting poison directly into the organ. His whole body jerked as the venom raced through his already crippled system. His mutated cells screamed in collective agony as they were the first thing to come under attack. Toshinaka tried to scream, but his lungs had been burnt out, thus depriving him of the ability to scream, or even breathe. For the last few seconds of his life, all he could do was stare in horror at the copper-no, gold-eyed demon that stood above him. She watched with a cold and disinterested frown as his body movements came to an end, his skin and bones dissolving into a disgusting pile of biowaste that would remain on the floor until cleaned up.
Flicking her hand to the side, Semiramis removed herself from the mess that had once been a Vine village elder. Now, he was no more than another corpse. Turning her head to the nearby wall with its doors ripped off, she began to walk forward. Her heels clicked against the cracked floor. She was going up, toward the central chambers and laboratory that belonged the scientist who'd re-grown the blood grapes. She'd end him, along with the rogue elders and that would be that.
All would be completed before Naruto, Han, and the others could finish their rescue mission.
Finally, Thought the Assyrian Servant with a light grin on her face. I'm able to have some fun again.
Ahem, as you can probably guess, this chapter was really Semiramis showing off how scary and sadistic she could be, from the point of view of ordinary ninja who has no idea who she is or what she's capable of. This isn't the last chapter that'll have a format like this; Naruto's still the hero, Semiramis is just going to be the…darker half of the pairing who handles the more seedier jobs and roles. Partially because as you can guess from the last portion of the chapter, she enjoys screwing with her enemies for her own purposes. One thing I can say about Semiramis is even if she has a decent heart beneath her coldness, she can rock the "evil queen" persona; it helps that Mordred specifically said she reminded her of Morgan le Fay, which speaks for itself.
Next chapter should be the wrap up to the Hidden Vine arc so until then! Leave your thoughts in the comments!