I'm going to miss this story quite a bit.
I don't own Naruto, but I'm going to buy a dog and name it Naruto. Take that system.
Chapter 13:
They met at nightfall.
They were clad in there Jonin gear, however they had on long sleeve shirts that bore the Uchiha crest tastefully on the shoulder. Hinata was honored to be one of the two people that could wear the crest.
They were thankfully not the last ones to arrive. They stood next to Shikamaru, as she felt that he would be the least talkative. He raised an eyebrow at their choice in matching clothing, his own clan shirt tucked under his vest. However, his skilled eyes moved down to her left hand and he wondered no more. He gave she and Sasuke and short nod of approval before minding his own business. She thanked Kami.
Sakura stood next to Shino, seeming to be engaging in a full conversation with the other wise quiet ninja. When she saw them, she gave them both a smile and nodded her head. She and Sasuke nodded back, and Hinata was happy that this chapter of their lives would be closed.
Naruto arrived wearing his usually goofy grin and being too chipper for a gathering so grim. Kakashi was late, just giving a simple "Yo" as an excuse.
"This battle will take place thirty miles away a clearing outside of the village. Your mission will be to hold the enemy there, if even one of them escapes alive we will have failed."
Naruto's words were curt and direct. He received a resounding chorus of "yes Hokage."
Like that, they were off, running full tilt behind Naruto. Hinata had the foreboding sense of déjà vu as she remembered the great war.
This would not be a repeat of that, she would assure it.
They reached the clearing in no time at all; and Hinata saw up close what they would be dealing with.
There were about 250 S-class criminals, most of which Hinata recognized as having a pretty long standing in the bingo book. Rogue shinobi from the Stone, the Grass, the Sand even some from the Sound stood with their weapons drawn; slashes glinting off of their village headbands and twinkling in the moon light. At the center was Hisami; a tall slender man that stood just as tall as Sasuke. The odds were stacked, which was nothing they couldn't handle but chakra conservation would come deadly close, not to mention the unknown ability of Hisami being an unpredictable factor.
However, they had Naruto and Sasuke, plus one of the best ninja medics in the world; Hinata thought as she looked over at Sakura. They also had the infamous copy-cat ninja; not to mention Hinata herself was nothing to throw stones at either. She was not sure how far Shino, Shikamaru, Ino, or Sai had advanced, but she didn't think they'd be standing there if they couldn't hold their own.
Hisami stepped out of position in the front. His outfit was similar to Naruto's in the sense that he wore an imitation of the Hokage robes. This man seemed to think himself royalty. Hinata, who had once been royalty, begged to differ. This man held an aristocratic air with no backing. His monarchy was based off of people he could pay or intimidate into his rule. If he thought, he even stood chance at commanding the people of Konoha; he was very much mistaken.
"I see you rose to the challenge Konoha pigs," Hisami spat, the crowd behind him jeered. Was this a joke? Even Madara hadn't flaunted this type of arrogance during a fight.
"I recall you being a Konoha citizen once as well," Naruto retorted.
"I think it was more like a Konoha slave."
"You want to do this, let's do this, but save me your sob story about my village."
Everyone readied themselves for Naruto's signal.
"Ah well… pigs to a slaughter, advance!" he called.
Before Hinata knew it, enemy ninjas were running at them. She cast one last look at Sasuke who looked ahead but she could see the faintest hint of a smirk on his face.
"See you on the other side Hyuga," he breathed out.
"Likewise, Uchiha," She said in an equal tone. They took off running. Naruto was a glowing aura of orange light as the visage of Karama stood behind him, taking out enemy ninja with the swipe of his giant hand. Ino seemed to be darting swiftly around the battlefield, in her wake enemy ninja started killing each other as she invaded their minds. There was a buzz to the left as Shino's flesh eaters seem to be getting their fill. Shikamaru was pinned down all but a minute as he adjusted to a new strategy that had him using the shadow on the moon to move enemy shinobi like pawns. Sakura had put a massive crater in the ground as she punched through enemies; hopefully, they would not need her medical jutsu. Sai seemed to be calmly ordering his drawn minions to pick people up and drop them from incredible heights. She heard a Chidori crackle and the blinding light flew through the enemy as Kakashi darted around.
Hinata had taken down six enemy shinobi.
She eyed an area with four gathered targets and formed quick hand seals.
"THUNDER FUNERAL: FEAST OF LIGHTNING."
Four thunder bolts irrupted from the ground and struck down the enemy. Upon closer inspection she could see that some of the rouge shinobi, Hisami included, seem to be hanging back from the battle. Most likely letting the pawns go first as with any chess game.
She wasn't the only one to suspect as much as Naruto called out to her.
"You and Sasuke with me, were going straight to the top let's end this."
Sasuke had already summoned Aoda and was sitting atop him. His Susanoo armor was fighting with the shinobi below and those who managed to even reach Aoda did not live long as he flattened them.
Hinata had a thought. Remembering the hand signs Sasuke had used, she bit her thumb and pressed it into the ground. Out of a poof of smoke a marvelous scarlet snake appeared. She got her height from her father no doubt as she was just as giant. However, her color was the brightest red Hinata had ever seen.
"Lady Hinata," the majestic snake bowed her head elegantly.
"Hi Akako, I need your help getting to those men over there," Hinata pointed at Hisami and the others.
"Ah, you have a warrior's heart, my father does not jest. I will help you in whatever your cause as long as your heart remains firm." Akako spoke with a refined cadence that did not match Aoda's at all. It was almost as if Akako had learned to talk from old honor bound Samurai.
"Ah, is that Akako! It's me your father!" Aoda shouted from across the battlefield.
Akako's face hardened and her eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Can't you see I'm working dad, lay off," she shouted back. All traces of her refined grace gone. If Hinata was not mistaken, she sounded like a regular teenager.
"Sorry Honey," Aoda called back once more, averting his gaze back to the humans he was killing.
Akako turned back to Hinata as though nothing had happened and resumed her astute performance.
"Shall we?" she asked, dipping her head so that Hinata could climb on.
Akako was fast, she took off with Karama and Aoda as though it were nothing. Hinata also felt the overwhelming well of chakra that she shared with Akako. This must have been what she meant when she said she could feel Hinata's heart.
As they were approaching, Hisami deployed his reserves. Summons appeared in the form of a giant turtle and what looked to be some kind of armadillo. Aoda and Akako charged forward, twisting their snake like bodies in combat engaging maneuvers. Hinata faced off with the man that stood atop the turtle. He was gruff and had a dark beard and sunken eyes.
Hinata flung herself into the air as she lashed out. Her body somehow knew the perimeter she had to stay in to fall under Akako's range and ability. The man flung his weapon at her, a massive spike that was connected to the end of a long chain. With her Byakugan Hinata could see the chakra of the poison tip. It was strong.
Somersaulting out of the way she dodged his attacks. Flinging out shuriken as a distraction she managed to get closer and engage the man in taijutsu. His weapon, which was long range, was no longer useful when she closed the distance.
He was a pretty good taijutsu fighter, but Hinata had trained with Gaara who was better. Ever since the chunin exams Gaara had dedicated himself to becoming better, the fight with Lee had changed his prospective on life. Also, to add insult to injury, her clan possessed an unfair advantage in any hand to hand combat.
"You're in range," she murmured out of habit as she reached out and locked his chakra with her Juken. With a high roundhouse kick she sent him flying to the ground below. Once the man had died his contract had ended and the giant turtle disappeared.
"Ah, a valiant warrior indeed," Akako appraised her with her mellow tones.
She continued after Sasuke and Naruto who were only just ahead of her after fighting the armadillo contract.
Hisami, to Hinata's surprise, looked unbothered as they reached him. His men had all been more or less dealt with on the battlefield as she could observe. His alpha team had been dissolved by Naruto, Sasuke and herself. He had no hopes of escaping, even if they were close to chakra depletion there was no way the man could go through all of them and achieve his goal.
Then why did his smile make her nervous?
"It's over Hisami," Naruto called out to him. His fist was clenched across his chest. Hinata came closer to Sasuke out of habit and they watched together as the man seamed unphased about his current predicament.
"Far from it Hokage," He laughed, his cackling demented.
Night was at its peak and the amount of the chakra that seemed to slowly be building up around the man unnerved her.
There was a disruption down below and Hinata could see Tsunade bursting through the ranks; and approaching Naruto at a fast pace. She looked frantic, her hair out of its normal ponytails and her green coat was absent. She was clutching the burnt piece of paper in her hand as she ran toward them.
"Naruto!" she shrieked. The blond-haired boy turned toward her as though he remembered every time that voice had yelled at him. He dissolved Karama and made his way toward her. In his absence, Sasuke and Hinata abandoned their height upon their summons and approached the man.
Whatever Naruto and Lady Tsunade had to discuss could be talked about when Hisami was in the forbidden sleep.
Sasuke grabbed the man, who didn't seem to be putting up a fight, and Hinata weaved the hand signs.
"FORBIDDEN JUTSU: ETERNAL SLEEP." She spoke lowly.
Hinata could feel the chakra rebound as she stumbled backward. This wasn't possible, this technique was full proof.
Hisami let a out a booming laugh that echoed across the battlefield like the sound of the thunder.
"That retched jutsu has no effect on me any longer," he explained. His voice was becoming unhinged.
"This is my secret art. FORBIDDEN JUTSU: MASS CHAKRA TRANSFERENCE!"
Hinata wanted to vomit as she felt enormous amounts of chakra surge through the air. She had seen it too late. Hisami knew that they would wipe out his entire force. He counted on it. All of the shinobi they killed were fuel for him. He was just like the Glutton, but worse. He didn't eat an enemies jutsu; he ate their lifeforce.
"AMATERASU."
Sasuke's black flame darted out to cover the man but he did not scream. He just stood there as the flames licked his skin.
Hinata and Sasuke jumped back to retreat landing next to Naruto, Tsunade and Kakashi as they all watched horror as the man radiated chakra.
"All this power after a mere 250 disgraced ninja," Hisami bellowed. ''Imagine how much I'll have after I have devoured all of Konoha."
Hinata paled as the anger welled up inside.
Naruto turned to the other shinobi that had finished dispatching the enemy.
"Return to the village, protect the people. If we don't make it, you know what to do."
Naruto ordered, they obeyed without hesitation and darted back to the village. Only Naruto, Kakashi, Tsunade, Sasuke and herself remained.
"Grandma-Tsunade, tell them what you told me."
"The seal you gave is a counter to the original. If I can get it on him, it will break the tie he has with Konoha." Tsunade explained quickly. "It doesn't deal with the chakra implosion issue."
"One thing at a time," Hinata murmured. She found a deep satisfaction in the fact that Shotaro's ploy to destroy she and Sasuke, would be with saved the very village that the old man hated.
Sasuke nodded his head in agreement as did everyone else.
They took off toward Hisami like lighting.
"Sasuke, Hinata and I will distract him. Kakashi, Tsunade it's up to you to get that thing on him." Naruto called out before jumping into the air.
"RASENGAN!"
Naruto produced two shadow clones that hurled through the air, mid distance one propelled the other toward Hisami, the blue orb swirling in his hands. However, the orb hit some form of shield and both shadow clones disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Hinata propelled herself forward, using Naruto's shoulders she kicked off of him and launched herself at Hisami.
"LIGHTNING STYLE BULLET: IBUKI."
Lightning cracked through sky striking the dome, it rippled along the surface and darted along the edge of the shield. Unable to reach the intended target it spiraled toward the ground. However, it provided the much-needed distraction that Hinata needed.
As she wove the hand signs for a jutsu she had not used in a while.
"HYUGA SACRED ART: CHAKRA DISINTEGRATION."
Smacking into barrier she slammed her palms down on it and a lavender light weaved its way in crackle like formation as the dome collapsed and shattered into pieces.
Naruto and Sasuke wasted no time. The had combined Karama and Sasuke's Susanoo. Hinata briefly marveled at the at the way the two fit together. Sasuke had said that the Susanoo armor was surprisingly not as strong by itself, it was known as "He with the ability to help by all means". Fate was an interesting thing. She wasn't for sure what Sasuke and Naruto had done in their past lives, but she had a very strong belief that they had been together even then.
Moving in a swift motion, Naruto and Sasuke grabbed Hisami before he could react to the breaking of his force field.
Kakashi and Tsunade waisted no time performing the seals that would break the one tying Hisami to the land. Hinata exhaled a huge breath of air as she heard the man scream as the seal was undone. Throughout the battle, Hinata felt they were always one step behind the enemy. Hearing him scream out like that as they put a wrench in his plans was a defining symbol that they tide was turning.
Sasuke and Naruto flanked her. Once the seal was done, Tsunade, who seemed to have used a great deal of her chakra, stepped back behind them to offer support but to not take the front lines of battle.
Hinata's joints ached. Throughout the ordeal the adrenaline had kept her from feeling the exertion she had put on her body. However, she was slowly starting the feel the brunt of it. By the looks of the scrapes and bruises on Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi's face they seemed to feel the same.
This was it. She felt the spike in chakra in the air and could hear Hisami's ragged breathing as he seethed in anger.
"You Konoha rats!" he screamed.
A surge of energy came up for the earth close to where Hinata stood and Sasuke pulled her back in an instant. Naruto and Kakashi flew back as well. Tsunade slammed her fist into the earth and destabilized the man's balance. She was unable to avoid the dark matter attack and screamed as she was struck.
"Lady Tsunade!" Hinata exclaimed, rushing to the woman's side. She felt for a pulse and luckily there it was, steadily beating. Hinata let out a light exhale of air before she clenched her fist and glared at Hisami who was throwing dark energy jutsu at Naruto and Sasuke.
"Kakashi!" Hinata called hurriedly.
Kakashi flashed over, looking at them worriedly under his mask.
"Tsunade needs to be taken back to the village. Sasuke, Naruto and I can handle this."
Kakashi eyed her wearily.
"Hinata this opponent is using jutsu that I have never seen before. I don't know if-"
Hinata smiled at him. It must have looked crazy with the amount of mud on her face, but it was a smile, nonetheless. At some point in the battle it had begun raining and Hinata's bangs clung to her face as she molded it into something that looked brave.
"My children will one day surpass me." Hinata stated bluntly and Kakashi raised his eyebrow at her words. "It is my utmost wish that they do. I imagine that when you first saw Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura that this would be your wish as well."
The heavy rain made thumping sounds on the ground in rhythmic percussion that Hinata felt only she could hear. It sounded beautiful and deadly all at the same time. Hinata's arms continued to clutch the fallen sannin as she looked at Kakashi.
For a moment Kakashi could have sworn he saw the blushing Hyuga he used to catch hiding behind trees as she watched training sessions. He had always admired the girl's steadfast determination at going after what she wanted. He had always wondered why such determination had not translated into more confidence on the girl's part.
However, her change was night and day. She was regal. When the reports had come back that Gaara and Killer B had both trained with the shy girl; Kakashi had been amazed. However, when he thought back to Minato, he remembered fondly how the right teacher could mold even the smallest piece of clay into the tallest tower.
When he looked her, he saw that shy girl, but she had a determined and resilient expression. He saw the same thing when he watched Naruto take the position of Hokage and Sasuke when he had returned to the village to turn the tide of the war. Fate had a way of clicking people into their destiny.
Kami he was getting old.
Kakashi stared at her for a moment, and then on her order, lifted up Tsunade.
Hinata could see Kakashi glaring at the woman's cleavage. "Could you have made these things any bigger Tsunade; you weigh a ton."
He sprinted off back toward the village.
Hinata squared her shoulders. Running back into the battle, Naruto and Sasuke were attempting to use they're combination to fight the dark matter jutsu. However, it seemed to work like the black flame. It would sweep in waves and decimate any chakra that stood in its way. Naruto and Sasuke's attacks were getting smaller and smaller. They were running out of chakra, even Naruto whose chakra wells were as far and as wide as the Suna desert was growing weaker.
At his rate Hisami would destroy the leaf even without the seal. They needed something that would deplete the man's additional chakra or at least control it. They needed…
Hinata grumbled. She hated Forbidden jutsu for one reason.
The Caged Bird Seal.
To Hinata it was beyond disgusting. It did more then lock away the secrets of the Byakugan, it sealed away the users free will. Hinata remembered when her father had laid the curse seal on Neji when he was only four. To the main branch nobles and high council, activating the curse seal was nothing but a game meant for the embarrassment of branch members. When her father taught her the seal when she was named heir, she vowed she would die before she ever used it.
While her opinion of the cursed seal had not changed; her view of its limitations did. Neji used the cursed seal to make him self stronger. Hinata believed that every time Neji completed a mission or achieved a new rank her father regretted reducing him to a status of inferiority. The curse mark was irreversible, and she believed Hiashi Hyuga recognized the mistake he made caging a rare bird like Neji.
As she approached, Naruto and Sasuke made way for her, sensing her steadfast conviction and chakra spike. Hisami had been worn down just enough, which gave Hinata the opening she needed to lock a few of his chakra points.
She heard Neji's voice in her ear.
"Things have come full circle Hina," He whispered, she could feel the breath on her ear. "The very jutsu we both hated will save this village's life. My father was right though…choosing the manner in which you die is very liberating."
Hinata smirked at the irony. It was true, she thought cursed seal many things, but never a life saver.
"You make all of us proud Hinata, I believe only you can make a cursed seal do some good."
She heard Neji chuckle as she felt him disappear once more into the rain-soaked night.
"No more God level jutsu, nothing left to throw at me but a pathetic clan that can see chakra but don't know how to use!" The man had blood streaming down his face as he knelt before her. With the chakra overloaded network the man possessed, her gentle fist would only hold for a few moments before the chakra flooded the block she had placed and the man regained his strength.
But a few moments were all she needed.
Her fingers formed hand signs for the jutsu from muscle memory. Her hands weaving it more quickly then the small hands she possessed as a child.
"Hinata-" Naruto called for her, most likely questioning her safety and little of her sanity. Sasuke must have pulled him back; all Uchiha knew what the cursed mark did. To them it served as mass reminder of the differences between the Hyuga and Uchiha clans. Sasuke knew she wouldn't die, but he did know it would take piece of her.
"CURSED MARK: CAGED BIRD."
Her voice was nothing but a whisper as she placed the mark on the man's forehead. His face remained smug for a second until it traveled through his body and seized control of his chakra network. Normally, when the cursed seal was first activated, the castor would weave another sign that stopped the pain until activated again.
Hinata did not weave that sign.
Turning her back on the man writhing in pain, she went to stand next to Sasuke as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He was bruised and covered in ash, but he was warm and effortlessly comforting.
The caged bird inflicted pain by attacking the chakra network. The stronger the chakra; the greater the pain. Hisami had taken a lot of chakra into himself; that it would be his downfall.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata watched grimly as the cursed mark consumed the man's life.
I toyed with a lot of endings to this. A lot of them involving dark deaths.
Anyway, reveiw.
Stay safe