Chapter 92 – Fighting Pein II
"Talk"
'Think'
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto sensei.
Naruto was the first to recover and in his Sennin mode; his clone was gathering natural energy when Pein used his jutsu and blew away everything, and everyone including his clone. As a result, the natural energy was returned to him.
Naruto pushed himself and looked around; he saw Akamaru whining and pushing Kiba with his snout, Sasuke and Neji helping other shinobi and-
"Sakura!" Naruto heard Noriko's small voice. He turned and saw Noriko was bending over Sakura's figure. He rushed towards Noriko-
"Noriko! You alright?" asked Naruto.
Noriko gave him a thin smile "I've been better but Sakura…she was protecting me when we were blasted and I-"
"She's fine" said Naruto with one hand on Noriko's shoulder "I'm in my Sennin mode and I can feel Sakura's chakra" Naruto turned and saw Tenzō who was limping towards them "Tenzō, can you take Noriko and Sakura to somewhere safe? I can fight Pein better knowing they are out of harm's way".
Tenzō nodded and said "You'd better win, Naruto".
Naruto nodded and gave him a thumb up "I promise"
"Sensei!" said Sasuke as he saw Hamaki lying with a tantō stuck in his torso.
Hamaki turned and saw the tantō and sigh "Not again. I swear this is the fourth times I've had my stomach pierced by tantō! What's up-"
"Err sensei, shouldn't you get yourself a check-up?" asked Sasuke before Hamaki could rant further "The rest of us can handle Pein"
"Wait, Sasuke. There's something I want to tell you, when I fought him, I noticed that he fought us for five seconds before using his jutsu. This could mean nothing, or could also mean that-"
"He needs five seconds of cool-down period before he can use his jutsu again!" said Sasuke "Thank you, sensei! I'll tell Naruto, go get yourself a check-up!"
Hamaki looked at his student running before wrapping a piece of cloth around the tantō to stop the bleeding and walked towards Konoha when he saw Shin lying on the ground, bleeding heavily.
"Shin!" cried Hamaki as he scanned and saw a sharp rock nearby; Hamaki deduced that Shin might have hit his head from being blasted off.
"Don't die Shin! I have bone to pick with you! This is your tantō that is stabbing my stomach!"
Pein was standing in the middle of the clearing when he saw his target appeared, along with few other Konoha shinobi.
"Only half this time? Come with me Uzumaki Naruto or there will be no one standing next time"
"Then I'll make sure that there will be no next time! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" replied Naruto as he make twenty clones. They surrounded Pein and attacked him, only to be blocked and attacked back by Pein.
'Almost five seconds' thought Naruto, preparing for Pein's jutsu 'Now!'
Nothing happened.
'Hmmm…Sasuke said five seconds. But nothing happened. Maybe he's saving it for bigger attack, alright then' thought Naruto before shouting to his clones "Everyone! Attack him with rasengan!"
All Naruto made rasengan.
"Attack!"
Pein looked at the attacks that were coming from all direction and jumped away when one is about to reach him-
"Ack!" cried Naruto; since Pein jumped away, all of his clones are about to attack each other when he felt a hand grabbing him from behind and pull him back.
"You are an idiot, Naruto" said Sasuke.
"Shut up!" yelled a red-faced Naruto "I honestly thought he would use his jutsu if I attack him with rasengan"
Sasuke's eyes were locked on Hizashi, Neji and Tekka vs. Pein while talking to Naruto "I thought so…but look, he's using taijutsu to fight Neji. I think the bigger the attack, the longer the cool-down period. Listen, let us attack him first and when he used that jutsu, attack him with all you've got…just not at the same time"
Naruto nodded "I won't make that stupid mistake again, Sasuke". He and Sasuke bumped fists before Sasuke took off to join the others.
Naruto noted how skilful Pein was as he fought four opponents at the same time 'Kage bunshin alone won't be enough…I need him to be open to an attack…hmmm…aha!"
True to Sasuke's prediction, Pein used his jutsu and blasted them away. Naruto immediately jumped and shouted "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!".
Hundreds of Naruto appeared and they began to attack Pein systematically.
"What's Naruto doing?" asked Tekka "He's wasting the opportunity we gave him"
"Wait" said Sasuke as they watched Naruto and his clones being blasted away.
Moments later, more clones appeared near Pein; apparently Naruto took the opportunity to turn some of his clones into pebbles right before being blasted. Since there were too many clones, Pein did not notice the changes.
Naruto clones managed to immobile Pein as the original attacked him with a large rasengan.
When the rasengan hit Pein, Sasuke turned to Tekka and said "I've fought with him many times and learnt that, with Naruto, you have to prepare for a surprise"
Naruto looked at the body in front of him and saw a small black rod next to the body. Naruto picked it up, he could feel chakra residue and without thinking, he focused on the chakra. Naruto felt he was travelling through the woods and was shocked when he felt the gaze of the eyes of the dead man. He accidentally dropped the black rod.
"What's wrong Naruto?"
"Jiraiya-ojiisan's message…I think I got it"
"Explain" said Hizashi.
"These bodies…someone is controlling them…I know where he is" said Naruto as he ran towards the direction, followed by Hizashi, Neji and Sasuke while Tekka took care of the dead bodies.
"The real one is not amongst them" said Sasuke remembering the message "The one Neji and I fought seemed real enough"
"But she didn't have the eye nor the black rod" said Neji "The rest got them. Maybe she's the companion"
"We'll find out soon" said Naruto, a bit tersely as they stood in front of what appeared to be a very tall tree.
"Let them enter, Konan" a voice was heard.
An opening was revealed; they looked at each other and Hizashi said "You guys enter. I'll keep watch out here"
The three of them nodded and entered inside the tree.
End Chapter 92
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Shadow Clone
Sennin – Sage
Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Mass Shadow Clone