Something wasn't right. No matter where they looked, the group of shinobi couldn't make out anything in their fields of view. Waves battered the bridge's foundations as the four stumbled and slipped along the road. Covered by a constant layer of seawater, the constant bombardment of waves almost entirely drowned out Shikamaru and Temari's array of cussing as they trudged along. Both of them had to focus on each individual step, or risk falling over and making themselves the clumsiest pair of rogue shinobi that were targeted for elimination.
Sasuke blazed ahead, not even bothering to glance back at his trailing companions as he crossed the halfway point of the bridge. With a concerned look on his face, Naruto slowed his pace to allow Shikamaru and Temari to catch up to him, no matter how long that task would take to complete. He had to focus on his centre of gravity to some degree, however, as the structure lurched under the force of the giant waves pounding against it. The Great Naruto Bridge was probably one of the best monuments of architectural feats on the entire continent. Now connected directly to the Land of Fire, the Land of Waves was revitalised by the influx of commerce and the ability to export their most valuable resources. It also gave the Land of Water a location that was suitable for conferences with the Land of Fire when they required a neutral meeting point.
Famous for its incredible fishing industry, the small nation was currently a vastly different scene to its usual image. The bay, normally packed to the brim with boats of variously distinct and common designs, was now barren save for the few small rowboats that were now in danger of capsizing in the docks. Bright sunlight that had once flooded the island with its benevolence had now been blocked out by the grey clouds, glittering with the sun's attempts to pierce through the masses of atmosphere that blanketed the nation, smothering its major source of income.
The air was filled with the dreaded thoughts of sailors and fisherman alike. They prayed that this dystopian weather wouldn't last for long, or else they'd begin to starve. It was as if the sky planned to besiege the land beneath it. Waves threatened to join the blistering rain in flooding the empty streets and to riot through the marketplaces that had once been packed with shops that had gotten used to enjoying plenty of business and with it, the endearing smiles of satisfied customers. For the group of four rogue shinobi, it was now one of the least welcoming places that they could have walked into.
Hearing his boot splash against the surface of a puddle, Shikamaru withdrew his foot from the irritatingly deep mass of water and looked around. With the rain and winds pelted into his eyes he couldn't make out much, but Shikamaru still had the feeling that something was out there and that something was watching them carefully, clearly attempting to hide from view. He shuddered at his thoughts. What worried him was that if there was someone hiding, then they must be powerful enough to avoid Naruto and Sasuke's sensory abilities. Even Temari and himself could manage to sense the hidden shinobi with fairly accurate results, but this time the feeling was just that, a feeling.
"Something's not right" he muttered. Naruto looked back at him, raising an eyebrow. Temari almost slipped in surprise at his words, forcing her to steady herself, by wrapping her arms around his.
"What tipped you off, genius?" she retorted, her tone almost seething with her sarcastic reply.
"No, not just the weather but… something else"
"Almost like someone is watching us?" Naruto asked, stopping Temari and Shikamaru from devolving into their usual back and forth conversation filled with snarky comments. Shikamaru nodded at the jinchuriki. Seeing his gesture of agreement, Naruto shut his eyes for a moment before his eyelids gave way to his now slitted pupils. The horizontal voids bored into Shikamaru's almond eyes, revealing a powerful glimmer that shone in the dull grey of the misty surroundings.
After a moment or two, Shikamaru realised that Naruto was barely focusing on the Nara and the kunoichi on his arm. In his sage mode, Naruto could sense individuals' chakra within an astonishing range and with an equally startling degree of accuracy. But as he watched his face, Shikamaru could tell that he hadn't discovered any hidden enemy shinobi. Finally, his eyes returned to their natural azure shade and his face softened slightly. He shrugged his shoulders, telling Shikamaru that he couldn't sense anything, but in his eyes Shikamaru could see his confused thoughts, as if he could sense that they were being watched as well.
Temari quickly recovered her footing, pushing off from Shikamaru. She began to pick up her pace across the bridge, her cussing and tutting following at the same rhythm. Looking up at the Uzumaki in front of him, Shikamaru saw a devilish grin spread across Naruto's face and a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"What's up with you?" Shikamaru asked.
"Oh, nothing really" Shikamaru was anything but convinced by the answer he had just received. He decided it was best to not push the most dangerous man in the world for an answer and chose to just follow after Temari, shrugging carefreely. Eventually, Shikamaru found himself steeping onto the solid ground of the island nation of the Land of Waves. Tapping his foot impatiently, Shikamaru found Sasuke standing with his arms crossed, looking around with cruel intent. Temari had taken up her position away from the Uchiha, standing almost two or three metres away from him but always glancing at him as if she was expecting him to attack any second.
Only the howling of the wind and the clapping of waves on the banks echoed through the empty streets with the smaller splashes of the group's boots on the soaked stone roads. Aside from a select few, many of the shops that lined the streets were completely devoid of evidence that they had once been opened for business.
Sasuke glared at Shikamaru. "Do you always have to lag behind so much?"
"What's the hurry?" he replied, much to Sasuke's irritation.
Sasuke grinned, revealing the blinding white of his perfect teeth. "Well, I'd hate for you to become dead weight"
After his chilling remark, cold enough to make Shikamaru's spine shiver, the group of rogue shinobi walked through the lifeless streets, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. The main issue was that they could hardly see more than fifty metres in front of them. The endless waves of winds and rain whipped at their eyes as they walked. They shuddered as the temperature continuously dropped the more they marched through the Land of Waves. Their cloaks failed to protect them from the harsh conditions as they began to turn blue in their shaking boots. Temari's bunches had almost come entirely undone, her blond locks now beginning to resemble a deeper shade that matched the almond colouring of Shikamaru's irises. Rogue strands were strewn about her brow, plastered across her eyes and obscuring her vision.
"We should have brought Hinata" Shikamaru muttered under his breath. He glanced around at the others nervously, praying that they didn't hear his words.
The thought made his throat dry. Thinking that he might regret not suggesting Hinata to come along with them worried Shikamaru. How could he think that he possibly would regret not asking Hinata to join them? He knew that his plan was for the best, considering that she always had that intense look behind her eyes, almost insane. And Shikamaru was not going to be responsible for unleashing the Hyuga on the Five Great Nations and their innocent civilians. Although he couldn't help but also feel as if her visual prowess would have come in useful right about now, instead of suffering the paranoia that came with wondering if they were being stared at currently. But he reassured himself that he had made the correct decision, keeping his conscience mostly clear, considering his situation.
When the four of them came into an empty square, Sasuke stopped to scan his surroundings with his keen eyes. After a silent half a minute, give or take a few seconds, he finally spoke. "Nothing! There is absolutely no one around! Not a single person!" he said, glaring at Shikamaru and demanding answers.
Shikamaru looked around, glancing out the corner of his eyes. He noticed the low height of the clouds that blanketed the hillside. His eardrums rattled with the rumbling thunder that followed a blinding strike of lightning that struck on the hill. With the elevated land lit up for a split second, Shikamaru had an idea form in the back of his mind.
He turned back to Sasuke. "Let's just split up and look around" he pointed at both Naruto and Sasuke. "Why don't you guys go back the other way to the bridge whilst Temari and me head towards that hill?" he suggested to the group.
"Temari and I" the kunoichi corrected him. He sneered at her in response, prompting her to stick out her tongue back at him. Soon after, Sasuke and Naruto decided to leave the two of them to bicker with each other in private, heading back towards the Great Naruto Bridge. The alternate route that they took to get back the impressive architecture didn't provide any more evidence to prove that anyone was actually around.
Glowing in the dull grey of the misty air, Sasuke's Rinnegan absorbed the surroundings. The kekkai genkai pierced through the obscurity yet the Uchiha still wasn't able to find any other living creature. Naruto's eyes also shined; his pupils had morphed into a slitted cross that became pitch black against the glowing amber of his irises. He couldn't help but feel all of his chakra excitedly move around his limbs, the source of this enhanced activity coming from his abdomen where he had merged his chakra with the intense amount that the Nine-Tailed Fox possessed.
They slowed as they came to the middle of the bridge. Sasuke's irritation stewed as he paced back and forth across the width of the road. Naruto watched, barely able to suppress the urge to smile and snicker at his companion's behaviour. His ability to sense malicious intent sparked off like a radar as he felt a number of powerful presences suddenly appear, almost as if they came from nowhere.
"Hey there! Sasuke, Naruto" a calm voice spoke from inside the parting mist, joined by the humanoid silhouettes of three shinobi. On the left, the figure seemed to act excitedly, bouncing from one foot to the other. The one to the right of them fidgeted nervously, thumbing the grips of their kunai. And the figure directly in front of them seemed to relax their shoulders. From what Naruto could tell, the one in the centre was the leader, the familiar voice matched the taller frame and taking into account the heights relative the central shinobi, Naruto had a pretty good guess as to who the other two were.
"Kakashi-sensei! Lee! And… Ten… uhh… Tentwenty right?" Naruto pointed to each figure as he said their names loudly. The mist quickly gave way, only to reveal the faces of the shinobi he had just named but now they were free from obscurity and clear to both Sasuke and Naruto's vision.
Tenten gripped her kunai even tighter than she had been previously. "My name is Tenten you dumbas…" her voice lowered until it became a lonely squeak under the cruel gaze of Naruto's hungry eyes. In that moment, all she wanted was to disappear. Actually laying her eyes upon Naruto and Sasuke after two long years, Tenten shuddered at their immense presences. Without barely lifting a finger, the kunoichi was sure Naruto could inflict enough pain to make her break. She had always felt inferior being apart of the same team as Lee and Neji, two incredible shinobi. But this was another level of inferiority. She wasn't even sure that she would be able to land one grazing hit with her kunai before they killed her. Naruto must have noticed her trembling knees as he gave her a devilish smirk that made her want to run and hide, yet she could also feel her foot pawing against the ground in some other emotion. One she couldn't put a name to.
Sasuke closed his sleek fingers around the grip of his sword. Prepared to draw at a moment's notice, he glared at Kakashi but also taking notice of Lee who watched him excitedly. "Oi Kakashi! I suggest you get lost before I take that big head off your shoulders"
"And it is so nice to see you too Sasuke" Kakashi's mask hid it, but his beaming eyes gave away his wide grin beneath the fabric.
The strained tension hung between the two groups of shinobi. Naruto eyed the trembling kunoichi, hiding his snickering. Seeing her knees buckling, Naruto wondered if one of the strong winds, that howled around them, would be enough to make Tenten's weakening legs give way. Being under his intense gaze, Tenten seemed to look elsewhere with her darting eyes, searching for an escape. Her lips quivered anxiously. The jinchuriki quickly noticed that she was muttering reassuring words. When he guessed what her inaudible mutterings were, he let a crazed grin spread from ear to ear.
Kakashi watched his former students carefully. He tried his best to appear relaxed and unbothered by the threat that was facing him. But he was still doing his best to stay alert, knowing full well the power of Sasuke and Naruto. He had had front row seats to their displays of ability in the Fourth Great Ninja War. The two main issues he could think of when planning to confront them were, Naruto's unpredictability and Sasuke's ruthlessness. The former made his palms sweat after seeing the insane glint behind his cobalt eyes. Whereas the latter hadn't changed all too much over the last few years: Sasuke still appeared to hold that firm resolve in the eternal darkness of his pupils.
Nervy regret threatened to suffocate Kakashi. He felt the weight of his responsibilities force his shoulders to tense up slightly. The trust that his subordinates had placed in him suddenly felt more like a burden than anything else. They expected him to get them back to the Hidden Leaf Village alive and in one piece. Yet here he was, leading the five of them straight into a dangerous situation like fighting against their old friends, two of which also happened to be the most powerful shinobi in the world. His thoughts strayed to his eternal rival. He had spent a long time taking care of Guy as he tried to accustom to his new life without walking. Now he had taken charge of his pupils, promising he would keep them safe. Each time he saw him, Kakashi could see the pain of losing Neji in his weary face. He couldn't even fathom what losing Lee would do to his best friend.
A howl ripped through the air. The sound pierced his eardrums, making his spine shiver. Its volume was louder than that of the turbulent winds, making Kakashi realise that this howl was familiar. His train of thought turned to another of his friends and her students. Ever since he had told Kurenai the news of Shikamaru's abandonment of the Hidden Leaf Village, Kakashi had taken it upon himself to look out for his old friend. Although, Kiba had taken an intense interest in taking care for his sensei and her child in place of his former comrade. Hearing the powerful howl, Kakashi knew that the other half of his team had encountered enemy shinobi.
Knowing the current situation, Kakashi shifted his stance ever so slightly in preparation for an upcoming fight that he was sure would come to pass. "Both of you are going to come back to the Hidden Leaf with us now!" he warned his former pupils.
Even Sasuke joined Naruto in their amused laughter. An unnerving cackle rattled the bones of the Leaf shinobi. Tenten shifted towards Kakashi, partially hiding herself behind his shoulder. Her kunai shook in her grip, threatening to clang against the stone brick. After seeing Sasuke let loose an evil laugh, Lee took a nervous step back. His former excitement at the thought of a challenging battle against either Sasuke or Naruto now suddenly felt distant to him after witnessing their lack of consideration for Kakashi's words. The squad leader himself felt uneasy, gritting his teeth in frustration.
"I'm pretty sure even you should know that that is never going to happen Kakashi" Sasuke said, staring at his old sensei.
Kakashi drew his kunai from his pouch on his leg. He held it up in front of him in reverse grip, guarding himself. "You're not leaving me any choice here, Sasuke, Naruto!" his grip tightened, and his knuckles began to turn white.
"But Kakashi-sensei there is a choice…" Naruto exclaimed, using his hands to express each word. "… join us!"
For a moment, Kakashi seemingly forgot to breathe. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead from underneath his headband, dropping into his eye. The sting of being blinded brought him back to his senses. "Are you… insane?" the veins around his head threatened to burst as he glared at his former students.
His reply seemed to have been one that Naruto expected, but that still didn't stop Naruto's face from dropping disappointedly. Next to him, Sasuke couldn't help but smirk hearing Kakashi's retort. It seemed like he already knew what Kakashi would say before Naruto asked his question. But what chilled Kakashi more was the glint in Sasuke's eyes, almost as if he was staring at a lost puppy. The smug smirk that pulled at the corners of his lips couldn't be stopped, forcing Kakashi to switch his attention back to Naruto.
When he looked past him, Kakashi became increasingly worried. On the horizon, the clouds began to part slightly, tossing and tumbling together. The wind around them picked up even further, except this increase in the rough weather didn't seem natural to Kakashi, only strangely artificial. Thankfully, Kakashi noted that the wind wasn't as powerful as it was on top of the hill. But he dreaded what his comrades on the hill were dealing with after having a guess at what- or who- was causing the intense winds.
Kakashi resisted the urge to bring a hand to his chest. His heart squeezed in frustration. He hadn't felt this level of responsibility since he was a squad captain in the ANBU Black Ops. Now he had managed to lead his improvised squad into the most life-threatening encounter in their already dangerous lives. Going up against their old friends would be a harrowing experience for any shinobi. But facing the two most powerful shinobi in the Five Great Nations and beyond might as well have been impossible.
Kakashi didn't know, for certain, how much more powerful his former students had become in the last few years. The only thing he could be sure he knew was his own strength. Ever since the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Kakashi had worked tirelessly to become stronger. Now his abilities were now more diverse and easier to use than before he lost his Mangekyou Sharingan; he could comfortably call himself the strongest shinobi in the Allied Shinobi Forces. The only people who could probably match him were Gaara and Lee. The latter could only be included with the condition that he had unleashed the Eight Inner Gates' Eighth Gate, the Gate of Death.
That fact reassured him. If all else failed, he knew that Lee could use his last resort to go toe-to-toe with Sasuke and Naruto. Kakashi locked his eyes on Naruto. He knew he could reason with the jinchuriki, no matter how insane he seemed to be. Whereas with Sasuke, no one could negotiate with the murderous Uchiha, not since before he ran from the Hidden Leaf Village. If they were going to win this battle, Kakashi was certain that he had to face Sasuke one on one, and he would do everything he could to win. One of the many problems remaining was the fact that whilst he was occupied fighting Sasuke, Kakashi would have to rely on Lee and Tenten to fight against Naruto.
Kakashi glanced over his shoulder. What he saw didn't exactly fill him with confidence. Tenten was on the brink of snapping the steel handle. Kakashi wasn't sure if her trembling body was caused from pure terror or the seething rage of watching Naruto wink and tease her constantly. Kakashi couldn't believe what he was watching. The cobalt irises of the jinchuriki roamed over the kunoichi freely. Up and down, the hungry gleam in Naruto's eyes followed each and every curve of Tenten's quivering body.
"You can't even hope to win Kakashi" Sasuke tilted his head, staring at his former teacher with those eyes filled with madness. "But please, I dare you to try…" he tightened his fingers around his Kusanagi. "…I'd love to watch you bleed out"
Fidgeting with his bandages, Lee bounced on the balls of his feet. "We will see about Sasuke, so now let us fight!" his fists were now raised in a guard, similar to a traditional boxer.
Kakashi steeled himself. He took a step towards Sasuke, but to the side in order to obscure Tenten from Naruto's line of sight. He was glad that the wind was blowing so heavily as it muffled the deep breath that Kakashi slowly exhaled after moments of silence. With his mind clearer that it had been seconds before, Kakashi locked his view on the Uchiha. He made sure to follow every single movement of his body, no matter how minute the detail.
Naruto seemed to be the most unfazed by the aggressive stances of the Leaf shinobi. He just watched them shift forward, ever so slightly, with a silly grin on his face. With his lips spread, the sharp points of his canines seeped out. They gave him the image of a vampire. Tenten thought it was apt description of the golden headed Uzumaki as she had witnessed, first-hand, what a monster he could be in battle. No matter how many times she had memorised the game plan, the memory seemed to be lost on her every time she met the devilish glint in Naruto's eyes.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Tenten barely noticed the form of Sasuke shimmer for a moment before… disappearing.
Clang!
Sparks flew. Tenten stared at the tip of the razor-sharp length of steel that was mere centimetres from her face. Looking down the almost metre-long blade, Tenten noted her newfound life debt to Kakashi, who's kunai, at the point where the handle ended and the blade began, had stopped Sasuke from blinding the kunoichi with one strike.
With her eyes focused on the sword, Tenten's noticed her vision blurring as she went cross-eyed. It wasn't until a flash of verdant green flew past them, headed straight for Naruto. Leaning to one side, Naruto barely looked at Lee as he flew past with his leg outstretched as he had aimed for Naruto's skull, originally. Lee tried to pivot in mid-air, arching his back as he spun his leg, trying to sweep for the same target as his first strike. But the jinchuriki was too fast. Naruto raised his fist, intercepting the blow. His wrist stood firm under the heavy impact of the weighted boot. After repelling the strike, Naruto didn't even bother to counter. He simply allowed Lee to land and roll away. He sprang back up to turn and face the Uzumaki.
With Naruto's attention now on the taijutsu specialist, Tenten's mind sparked into life with the memory of the battle plan devised by Kakashi. She ducked away from Kakashi and Sasuke, heading towards the seemingly vulnerable jinchuriki.
She raised her kunai. With the back of his neck exposed, Tenten brought down her blade with the intent to end Naruto's life as a rogue shinobi.
For a second, all she saw was red.
A/N- Hey guys, how have you been? Next time we'll get to find out how this battle turns out. But for now, I hope you enjoyed. As always, if there are any ways you can think to improve, let me know because I'd love to make these chapters as enjoyable as possible for everyone. Anyways, I'll see you next time.
Yours truly,
Signing off