DECLARATION OF WAR – THE BEAST PRINCESS
Near the Volcanic Ring
Ming Dai gasps for air as Minato teleports him to safety. Both Kushina and Himawari are shocked at the severity of his injuries, the former insisting that Ming Dai receive medical attention immediately. While they are unable to depend on Naruto, Kushina is the most adept medic amongst them, so she does her best to prevent Ming Dai's injury becoming fatal.
She has very little medical experience to call upon and this injury is more significant than she was expecting. When Shao Chin arrived, he was obviously a proficient warrior with many tricks up his sleeve, but Ming Dai had an apparent power advantage and surely had an experience advantage being Headmaster Sora's student. She does her best to bind the flesh around the wound on his back but was never ready for this. In the circumstances though, what choice do they have, none amongst them can stand up to Shao Chin if he continues to pursue them other than Dai.
"Listen to me," Ming Dai gasps.
"Shut up!" Kushina shouts at him, "If we're not very careful this wound is going to hamper you for months. So, let me concentrate."
"We have to get… to Taigai," Dai continues. "It's urgent. We're no longer… safe here but… there's a man there… he can keep us safe."
"I told you to be quiet!"
Kushina continues to mutter about Ming Dai, scolding him for his bad behaviour in spite of the situation. Himawari, while propping their guardian upright, wonders if this is the best time, but she has gotten to know her grandmother well by now. Kushina has rarely been a picture of such concentration in their time together. That is the situation they are in, desperate for Dai to get back on his feet.
Himawari looks to her grandfather, who has his daughter tightly in his arms. The chakra of the nine-tails which formerly accompanied Kushina, now cloaking his entire body. His orange hue reminds Himawari of her father, the last member of their group. She looks to him, sat on the ground, still meditating on his element.
'Dad, please hurry! We need you. Everyone needs you!'
Ming Dai cries out in pain as Kushina works on his wound.
"Stop being such a baby!" Kushina shouts.
Himawari activates her byakugan and observes that the work her grandmother is doing isn't exactly that of a master healer. She's barely at an acceptable standard, so it's no wonder Ming Dai is feeling pain. If Naruto were up and about to do this it would be much less trouble, it would be over in a few painless seconds. Unable to do anything to make it better herself, Himawari decides to take Dai's mind off the pain.
"This person in Taigai City, you know him well?"
"I know him by his reputation."
"And does he know you?"
"I doubt it, but he definitely knows my master. When he finds out that I'm the pupil of Muto Sora I'm hoping that he will help us."
"And if he doesn't."
"Then we have to hope that he's heard Naruto's name. If he's not even willing to help Naruto, then stopping Furst is going to be a lot harder than we thought."
Himawari looks back to her father once again. The Hero of the Hidden Leaf Village, just one tiny village, much smaller than any of the cities in Homeworld. He comes from a small pocket-world through one of many portals. An insignificant world compared to this one, yet he is the most important figure in the world to so many people. If he isn't the one to stop Furst Jonas, then surely doing so will forever prove impossible.
Ming Dai is praying just as hard as Himawari that Naruto awakens soon. That tussle with the hunter was the perfect example of why he depends so much on Naruto. The 7th Hokage's combat experience is far beyond his own, and he would never have allowed himself to fall into a trap like that. No matter the situation, he always finds a way to survive, a way to defeat his opponent. Since he came to Homeworld everything has changed, but since he started to meditate everything slowed down. Only when he is with them once again can steps be made towards freedom.
"Alright done," Kushina declares as she steps away from Ming Dai.
'Done?' Ming Dai had expected it to hurt a lot less than this, but he will have to make do with what he is given.
"Minato listen to me, right now I doubt I can fight that guy off so you need to act," Dai explains.
"I can teleport us away, but I only have enough energy to carry six people so far, what then?"
"After that, will you still be able to run?"
"Yes."
"Then you and Himawari will have to carry Naruto and I. We need to lose him, at all costs. Is there anything you would do differently?"
Minato was once looked at as a great hope for the Hidden Leaf Village, a shining beacon for the future. He never imagined that one day in another world the most he could offer would be to help with running away. There is nothing to be done about it though, that is all that he can offer right now.
Minato, Kushina and Himawari all agree with Dai's plan in quick succession. The 4th Hokage binds them all together using Kurama's chakra and he uses the flying thunder god technique to teleport them all away. As they run, Himawari keeps her byakugan active, looking for someone following them. While he naturally cannot keep up with teleportation, for the split seconds in between, Himawari notices that Shao Chin is catching up with them.
No matter how quickly they go, no matter how far they run, they won't be able to get far enough away to truly escape from him. She points this out to her comrades and suggests that there is only one hope left for them, and that is for Minato himself to fight. She says that they should stop running so that he can use the flying thunder god to confuse the hunter in the battle.
Ming Dai is reluctant to stop running, but even if they kept running until their legs gave out there would not be enough time for him to effectively recover. Himawari is right, Minato taking the fight to the enemy is the only chance they have. He gives his OK to the plan and they all stop.
It takes only two minutes before Shao Chin arrives, but in that time, Minato manages to place his mark all around this area. Now there is practically no limit to his teleportation abilities within this small space, nevertheless, he keeps a marked kunai in his hand just in case.
As Shao Chin steps down in front of them, he moves his grey hair from in front of his eyes and smiles. Clearly, this is their last stand against him. Clearly the one who looks like Naruto is going to be his final opponent before he reaches his prey, he assumes correctly that Minato is Naruto's father.
A golden 'wind' cloak surrounds Minato's person, combining with his nine-tails chakra mode to give him his maximum class 6 energy output. He waits for Shao Chin to take a first step forward before forming a rasengan in each hand. Teleporting to the hunter's front, he uses the first rasengan to strike upwards into his chin. As Shao Chin raises a short way off the floor, Minato teleports a short way into the air before pushing the second rasengan into his opponents face. Using gravity along with the power of the energy ball, he pushes Shao Chin back down into the ground as powerfully as he can.
After a second of being pushed down, Shao Chin's hand grips Minato by the wrist. Pushing it back a short way, he gives himself relief from the pressure of the rasengan and finds himself looking into the blue eyes of the 4th Hokage.
"I've got you."
Shao Chin gets to his feet and Minato panics, clearly the former has realised that maintaining a grip on him is the way to negate his most troublesome techniques.
The hunter rises and Minato sees only one way to free his grip, he forms a 3rd rasengan, now having one in each hand again. He slams this rasengan into Shao Chin's arm but is shocked by how well the hunter maintains his grip even as he is attacked. There is a whole class between the two of them, not something that Minato can bridge with strength alone. The Hokage returns to relying on technique, he slams the 3rd rasengan against the one in his other hand, exploding the energy in both their faces.
Shao Chin, for just a moment, releases Minato's hand.
Minato uses this moment of separation to teleport to Shao Chin's rear. He prepares his most devastating variant of the rasengan, the rasen-bomb. After a second it is ready and with a loud battle cry, he moves it powerfully towards Shao Chin's rear.
Shao Chin is too fast for Minato though, sidestepping the attack, he raises his blade, landing a clean strike on Minato's arm.
The 4th Hokage loses control of his attack completely and while he is trying to recover it, he realises that it is too late. Mercifully, his opponent did not strike with the knife again, but did deliver a powerful kick to his chest. For a second it looks like the whole world is spinning before it comes to a violent stop as he hits the ground, a foot shaped pressure right above his heart.
Minato tries to force his way up, but Shao Chin raises his other foot and stamps powerfully on Minato's shoulder, effectively rendering a second arm useless after the knife attack from before.
The 4th Hokage is down.
Himawari does her best to get in Shao Chin's way, but unlike with Minato it takes Shao Chin only a single strike to knock her down to the ground. She gets up and watches as he advances on her father, knowing that there is nothing she can do to salvage the situation.
Ming Dai forces himself to stand in Shao Chin's path once again, while Kushina defends her other child, he becomes the last guardian of Homeworld's greatest hope.
"Move aside, or I will embarrass you a second time," Shao Chin threatens.
Ming Dai does not move.
Shao Chin rushes towards him with a speed that Dai cannot react to in his present condition. He does not strike with he knife but lands a single powerful blow to the gut, driving the wind from Dai's body and leaving him on the floor, gasping for air once again. Defeating the student of Muto Sora proves a lot easier the second time around.
Now there is nobody left to stand in his way.
Nearby, an Imperial Guard Camp
One of the lower-level colonels approaches Colonel Zahra as she stands over the maps of the local area in the command centre. She looks around, content that this is the perfect hunting grounds for someone like Shao Chin and that she has successfully concealed information about this hunt from General Rana.
If Shao Chin were to be successful, she would most certainly be receiving her promotion to general. However, given other reports she has just received it looks like that isn't going to happen.
"Colonel Zahra," the low-level colonel asks.
"It looks like this is the end for Uzumaki Naruto. Why are we not moving in to arrest him? Surely doing it yourself would be more impressive than allowing this hunter to do it."
"I agree with you, but luck is not with us right now."
"Luck isn't with us? What do you mean ma'am?"
"I just received a report about a dangerous figure hunting in these parts, a hunter with more prestige than Shao Chin," Zahra reveals, "Make sure all of your subordinates are safe and keep close to me.
"The Beast Princess approaches."
Near the Volcanic Ring
Ming Dai stares at the glowing white eyes of his prey. There has been a lot of excitement about this man from what he has heard, and if he were to awaken, he too would be a class 7 warrior. He feels it's a great shame that he cannot wait for that to happen, it would be the most glorious hunt of his life. Alas, if he were to let Naruto and his group go now, he would most certainly be executed by the imperial guard or the royals.
He readies his blade and kneels before Uzumaki Naruto. He raises his blade to the 7th Hokage's neck and laments what the hunt could have been.
Then he hears it.
A deafening roar.
The smell is faint but is growing stronger at an incredible rate, and he can feel the rapid tapping of steps on the ground, he can see the shaking of the trees and the leaves in front of him as something rushes over the top of the hill.
Before he can execute Naruto, the creature bursts forward, moving straight through the tree as if it weren't there and grabbing at his chest. He just manages to raise his hand-crafted blade in time to stop half of the beasts claws before it's heavy paws strike him and blast him backwards through another couple of trees.
Minato had managed to mark the entire clearing, making it his domain, but this creature decided on a domain far greater.
"Four legs," Minato mutters as Himawari drags him to his feet. "A dog. No, it's a big cat of some sort."
"Yeah, it's a leopard," Himawari notes, "Grandpa, we were just saved by a leopard."
"Stop calling me an 'it'," the leopard demands.
"And she can talk," Minato adds.
"The Beast Clan of Homeworld can all talk," the leopard comments, "And we prefer to go by our names. You can call me Emilie, pocket-worlder."
"Right, of course, thank you Emilie."
Minato isn't in a rush to ask any more questions. To his surprise, this leopard just arrived out of nowhere and saved their lives for some reason. How does she know that they are pocket-worlders? Why did she save them anyway? Does she have some sort of grudge with this hunter? Whatever the case may be, for the moment she seems to be on their side, and that can only be a good thing.
Shao Chin smiles after a moment and lowers his centre of gravity, crouching very close to the ground and placing one of his hands on the floor.
"I am the hunter Shao Chin. I look forward to hunting you Emilie."
"Do you not know who I am?" Emilie asks.
"You are my prey," Shao Chin answers.
Shao Chin begins his latest assault. With his one hand that is not on the ground, he throws his blade forward at Emilie and begins to rush towards her. Animals typically have less control of their reactions than humans, he intends to use her moment of hesitation in the face of his attack to strike her from up close.
This does not go according to plan.
Before the knife has even got halfway to Emilie's starting point, she has dashed forward and grabbed out from the air using her jaw. To Shao Chin's shock, she displays a human-like dexterity as she leaps and shakes her head to launch the blade back towards him.
Shao Chin is able to dodge but, in the time he takes to do so Emilie is already in front of him. He barely avoids the first strike from her claws but is unable to avoid the subsequent blow delivered by Emilie's hind legs. He is sent scuttling backwards once more, fearing that he will again be unwillingly felling some trees.
Before Shao Chin has even hit the trees behind him Emilie is in his path. She slams her paw downwards into his chest, pushing his body violently down into the ground.
Shao Chin is unable to make sense of this all, but at this close range he has a distinct advantage. Having spent years hunting all manner of beasts, he knows that a leopard's leg can be used as a weak point if you target it in the right way. He lifts both his hands, gripping Emilie's leg, preparing to disable it for the remainder of the battle.
Emilie confidently pulls her leg free of Shao Chin's grasp, and as she sees him reach for an arrow, she moves backwards quickly. Two quick diagonal bursts left and right. Shao Chin watches them and for the first time in the fight realises what he is dealing with. He has been secluded in the Jakka forest for many years and has never encountered a beast like this.
Emilie's element is 'speed'.
And Emilie is a class 8 warrior.
"You may have spent your life hunting members of the beast clan," Emilie muses, "But I have also spent the entirety of my life hunting humans such as yourself. So, ask yourself if you are qualified to act so arrogantly in front of me."
Shao Chin gets to his feet and staggers backwards, moving until his back bumps into a tree.
"Who are you?" Shao Chin asks.
"I am the next in line to the throne. I am the second in command of the legendary Beast Clan of Homeworld. I am the Beast Princess. I am Princess Emilie."
Shao Chin smirks. Lately he seems to have been blessed with the most challenging prey the world has to offer. It's as if the heavens have conspired against him, and his reputation us a legendary hunter is to be taken from him. If there is one thing he can tell after this very brief encounter, it's that he's not ready to take on Princess Emilie in a head-to-head confrontation.
"Pleased, to meet you Princess Emilie. Perhaps some day you and I can do this again."
Shao Chin uses the edge of his hand, swinging it into the tree with such speed that it acts as a blade, cutting through its thick trunk. As the tree falls towards Uzumaki Naruto, Emilie is quick to drag the pocket-worlder out of harm's way.
By the time she looks back, Shao Chin is gone. She is met by grateful looks from the others though.
The Beast Princess just saved their lives.
Author Note
Hi All,
As the name Mito has been approved by three individuals I will be going with that.
Thanks for suggesting the name sarada chan san.
Thanks for approving it Yatsuhiro Ryko and Anon.
As well as this I'd like to thank , Namikaze Valor and ultimusred.
I liked your suggested names too.
Thanks for reading all, stay safe,
Me
In Response to todor996's Question
About planning for part 11
There are really two stages to my plans.
First, I create a document containing a story plan.
Second, I create a chapter content plan for each individual chapter.
This week I have completed the first part. I hope I will complete the second part soon but realistically I can't say how long it will take.
I will keep you updated.
Thanks for reading.
In Response to jenuzumaki's Question
About Various Topics
Shao Chin is level 7, he is the same level as Ming Dai however he is currently more skilled. The reason for this will become clear eventually.
I can't make any detailed comments on Naruto without giving spoilers, but he was class 6 when he began meditation.
Thanks for reading.