Before I start, I want to address a review from a guest, if you are reading this, I want to thank you for your time and address the commentary; I took your review at heart and focus on the parts where there will be room for character development, not just for the main characters but also for other supporting oc.
This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Naruto, which is trademarked by Masashi Kishimoto. Everything aside from the original characters are created from the wonderful mind of Kishimoto.
Most of the following unrecognizable are original characters of mine.
Comments, suggestions, criticism, even just simple messages are welcomes, please feel free to message me anytime.
Thanks for reading!
Chapter 31 :
"You need to calm down, or you'll pee yourself before the battle even begins" Natsume pinching Omoi's cheeks hard as she sat next to Omoi in their hiding place at the camp, where they waited for anything to happen really, they were the small commando team in charge of advancing and ambushing the enemies' ranks, they aren't going to allow the enemy to take them. Of course Akatsuki wasn't making things easy for them since they just upsized their ranks with Kabuto, and it may seem like a null advantage, but the scholar had perfected his master's technique, and with him, came an army of dead elites, who were already powerful alone in their lives, what more if they reunite under one unshakable reign.
The most daunting part was that if they manage to land a deathly blow on the enemy, it would only take them a coulple moments to recover, but when one of them dies, that's it.
Of course, taking the nature of their enemy into consideration it didn't long, as a member of Konoha's ranks who Natsume earlier dubbed as airy Zaji detected something, but it wasn't an enemy, but a comrade. So despite Kankuro's orders, he bolted out of his position to rescue said comrade.
"It's booby trapped out there, I'll bring him back!" Zaji bolted for him, but Hoheto confirmed with his byakugan the imminent danger, up ahead, it only took the mention of her name from Kankuro for Natsume to bolt from her trench and retrieve the reckless idiot.
"Let go!" Natsume yelled as she tried to drag Zaji who was persisted to bring back the Aburame who literally had a bomb on his back.
"Damn it" Natsume noted the chakra strings of a puppeteer, so she had to ask fast, especially since out of his control the Aburame clansman dragged them back towards their camp. Natsume slipped her small frame out of their hold grabbed on Zaji and kicked away from Muta, trying to bring as much distance between them as much as possible.
But even as they lunged farther away, they were at a disadvantage, Muta didn't need to land on his feet before launching for them once more, no, his puppeteer only needed to pull a couple of strings with his fingers and it would spell imminent death for her and the whole unit, she has to act and she has to do it fast.
Thankfully Kankuro wrapped his chakra strings around them, and Muta, giving her the confidence to blow up Deidara's clay prematurely before it even reached camp, mustering her flames in her free hand, she sent one small but solid ball of flame towards the large jar tied behind his back, plunging them in a blanket of smoke and sound.
Coughing, Natsume stood to find herself at camp, or rather at the camp, only several meters below surface.
"Good call," Natsume stood up dusting her clothes as they look up to their assailants, who stood above them, with an unexpected look on their faces.
"He didn't make it" someone said said as they inspected both Zaji and Muta, unfortunately Muta did not make it.
"Damn it" Natsume clenched her fists in anger, glaring at their enemies whereabouts above them.
"Can't we even take a moment to mourn our dead in the war?" Omoi grunted as he looked over to the injured Zaji.
"Focus Omoi, this is war, and the enemy will use every moment's sparse to take advantage of anything." Natsume warned as they two figures attacked from above them, only to find that these were alive comrades as well, being manipulated to fight both physically and to manipulate emotionally, good thing Sai landed right in time and right on the spot.
"We'll never forgive you!" Zaji exclaimed
"Sasori, I know you're there, come on out" Kankuro challenged, but despite his urgings, a puppeteer will always remain behind his puppets.
While Kankuro and Deidara exchanged a words on how their battle as both commando unit will determine the outcome of the war, Natsume had walked closer to Omoi.
"Prepare for contact" Natsume whispered as she began collecting chakra on the palms of her hand.
"Run away, Ototo, are bodies are indestructible, there is no way you can win" Sai's brother Shin confirmed their worries, that there was no other way to defeat them but to seal them.
"Damn, I sure do hope Misaki was around" Natsume sighed as she and Omoi dodged the human puppets going at them.
"Omoi!" Natsume called ou.
"Got it" he answered and jumped higher and away.
"Katon: Dancing Dragon" Natsume punched and from her fist emerged an angry cold fire of blue, that went straight for Deidara, who easily dodged the blue dragon, causing it to crash against the call behind him.
"Flashy, but useless, Un" Deidara criticized, but did not receive any backlash from the flame user except a smirk.
"Kumo-ryu: Black Slice" Omoi appeared out of nowhere and sliced at Deidara. Their mistake, is using the puppets to chase after Omoi, giving him the chance to successfully execute his technique. Misaki's smirk turned to a grin as everybody was so caught of guard with Omoi's technique she was not going to let the opportunity go to waste.
"Katon: Dragon Encore" and on queue, exactly where Natsume's earlier attack landed, a dragon head burst forth from the wall and swallowing Deidara whole, letting his undead body burn in its belly.
"Dying made forgetful Deidara, the flames of a Hino, will only die when we want them dead" Natsume reminded the blonde bomb enthusiast as she high fived Omoi.
Kankuro who was also waiting for an opportune time to strike, immediately connected his chakra strings with Sasori's severed ones, pulling him down, while simultaneously ordering Ittan from Omogakure to raise the core right back up.
Needless to say, Sasori took a mighty great fall…
On top of Deidara's scorged body..
*_-+% =o#$*_-+% =o#$%$%$W$LINEBREAK*_-+% =-+$% =o#$*_-+% *=o$
"Well you look cheaper for someone who nearly exhausted herself earlier" Akihiko greeted Misaki as she approached his lunch space.
"I recover quicker, it's in the genes I guess" Misaki shrugged sitting down next to him and taking one of his onigiri, much to Akihiko's dismay, whose tears streamed down his face for his stolen rice ball.
And for a while, everything seemed peaceful on the surface, while internally, both were actively avoiding the subject of the war outside the barrier, or the two bijuu jinchuriki they are keeping inside the barrier.
"I heard that Kabuto had joined the Akatsuki, and is raising an army of the undead to fight their cause" Misaki began.
"Why am I not surprised" Akihiko said solemnly, going back to the time they last witnessed the Edo-Tensei, it was just days before their sensei had suspected something against the rival village.
"You think he'll show up too?" Akihiko asked.
"To be honest I'll be more surprised if Kabuto wouldn't, a detached scholar like him can stomach taking advantage of his enemies' emotions" Misaki pondered.
"I wonder how that feels like, a life detached from emotions, watching from the side lines interested only, in the results, never taking care of what and who is damaged or lost in the process" Misaki continued her thoughts, laying down on the ground and watching the genjutsu induced skies.
Akihiko looked at her old friend, for a moment remembering the little girl (not that she grew that much) who spent more time deep in her thoughts than what others thought of her.
"These are beautiful, was this from a memory?" Misaki inquired about Akihiko's projections above them.
"Yeah, after Kazuhiko beat me up for trying to kidnap you, I just ran, I don't really remember how long I was running or how far, but I stopped when my body surrendered to me and I just collapsed. When I woke up, I was just there, lying in the middle of a valley littered with tall grass, and the first thing I saw was this sky, and how different it was from the dark skies when my family died, and I figured, maybe it's not all bad, maybe I was focusing too much on the bad that I missed most of the good that has been happening" Akihiko laid down next to Misaki, hands behind his back.
Misaki smiled wistfully, longingly.
I wish he had been the same….
"By the way, how do you plan to react when Naruto finds out?" Akihiko suddenly bolted upright.
"He needs to know that sometimes, those who don't have enough power need to learn to stay put to protect everyone else" Misaki answered closing her eyes and taking a nap.
*_-+% =o#$*_-+% =o#$%$%$W$LINEBREAK*_-+% =-+$% =o#$*_-+% *=o$
It was around this time that the headquarters received Aburame'Muta's intel that the Akatsuki has an army of living organisms moving underground, trying to bypass everyone else.
"Yoko!" Ao called out to the young girl.
"I'm already on it" Yoko nodded and took a deep breath before spreading her hands, expanding their water bubble even more, allowing them to detect the validity of the given infromation.
"A large army is indeed moving underground, we would have missed this if it wasn't for the intel received." Ao grunted.
"They're going to try to surprise us in the rear" Itachi speculated.
"Use earth style to dig them up!" the raikage ordered.
"Notify Kitsuchi immediately!" the tsucikage added.
"Wait!" Yoko called out.
"These things are dangerous, even we still don't know the extent of its abilities, with your permission, may I request Hino Natsume to reinforce the company before they start digging them up" Yoko appealed.
"Why do you think it's necessary?" Tsunade asked.
"She is right, Tsunade-sama, the White Zetsu has the ability to imitate a person completely, so far we haven't seen anyone successfully detect them so, it's best to send sensors and trackers to the company. it would be best to use the Hino's infamous all consuming flame to extinguish them before they can copy anyone and " Itachi supported Yoko's appeal.
"Intel Unit, you got that?" the raikage validated.
"On it!"
*_-+% =o#$*_-+% =o#$%$%$W$LINEBREAK*_-+% =-+$% =o#$*_-+% *=o$
Before the entire company, a father daughter tandem stood ready to accomplish their orders.
"Is that Hino girl here yet?" Kitsuchi double checked with his company.
"Not yet sir, but she says she'll be here soon enough" the intel squad answered.
"Well, then" he nodded to his daughter and in unison.
"Doton: Erupt" and from the the ground volcano was formed, only this time it erupted the white gremlins their enemy had collected throughout the years, it was so many it easily mirrored an actual volcano exploding lava, all it's missing is fire.
"Katon: Gluttonous Dragon" out of nowhere a voice rang throughout the company and from the rear, a bulbous dragon rushed just above their heads, making its way to the man made volcano, and swallowing as much of the white zetsu as it can.
"Hope that makes up for being late" Natsume jumped down from the bird Sai drew for her to arrive quicker.
"No, you were just in time" Neji approached her, and for a moment, the rash flame user forgot to speak, her ears deaf to everything but the sound of her heart beating faster against her chest.
"Eh, what's wrong your face got red all of a sudden" Kiba asked beside her.
"Not it isn't" Natsume grubled and stomped away, literally breathing fire and pouring all her frustrations on the Zetsus.
"I wonder what's with her" Kiba asked Akamaru, who shrugged, only Hinata, was able to give a small smile at the situation.
*_-+% =o#$*_-+% =o#$%$%$W$LINEBREAK*_-+% =-+$% =o#$*_-+% *=o$
Kaede stood in between Kakashi and Guy waiting for anything to happen, all three were aware how unexpected everything can be as they have fought in wars before. For the past few moments, the surroundings have been pretty noisy, they suppose that the commando unit has already made contact with the enemy, so everyone was already on their toes, and as much as Kaede wanted to gravitate towards Kakashi, she needed to assert herself, to make sure in this war she doesn't get cold feet and turn her back on the people who need her, her comrades, her family…
and to the she might be carrying…
Kaede knew it was a risky move, not telling anyone that she suspects that she is pregnant, especially since she was going to join among the ranks of ninja fighting in the war, but her pregnancy was still uncertain, but the certainty of war is already before her. That's why she chose not to tell anyone at the risk of not being able to join the ranks to fight.
And this war was already several hundreds of men too short against the enemy.
Kaede was snapped out of her reverie when a signal fire shot through the air, red smoke, it means the enemy is indeed headed for them.
"Kakashi!" Exclaimed when they say Sai's group of birds was struck down from the sky. Kakashi nodded and together they all bolted towards the direction of their landing.
Standing against them were all esteemed shinobi known for their kekkei genkai, and a man who was once known as a demon of the bloody mist. Kaede took a step back, her heart thumping, breath staggering, and her hands shaking. It was one thing to hear that their enemies would be an army of undead and clones, yet it was another to see it in person, to have the fear for life knowing that their enemies have unending ones.
Kaede's nerves went haywire through the roof when Zabuza engulfed everyone in his cold mist, a feeling she was familiar with, her throat was beginning to shut tight, so much she can barely swallow her own saliva in an attempt to calm herself, her whole body exhibiting clear signs of an imminent hyperventilation, as a medical expert she knows the importance of calming herself but she just can't.
It was going to happen again, she was going to lose everyone again, and she won't be able to stop it. Kaede looked down on her hands and was immediately taken back years ago to her first war, the body of her comrade dead beneath her hands as she tried to resuscitate him, while Soichiro desperately fought of the enemies in an attempt to buy her time to escape.
"Kaede run, go now GO" the young Hyuuga cried out for her to live, and in desperation to force her, he shot a kunai at her, grazing her cheek shocking her whole body to retreat.
"Kaede, Kaede, KAEDE!"
*_-+% =o#$*_-+%=o(#$%$%$W$FIN*_-+% =o#$*_-+$ % =o#$*_-+% *=o$
Ten Ten Teeeeeen!
Chapter 31 everyone, it's going to be a bumpy ride from here on then guys, thanks you so much for supporting this humble fanfiction of mine, and I hope it reaches your expectations.
That being said, I want to know what you think of the subject that Kaede might be pregnant? Also what situations do you want to transpire between Misaki and Sasuke? Private message me for your answers! I'd be more than happy to receive and read them and promise to reply!
Anyways, thanks so much hope to see you next chapter, also chapters from here on then would be shorter than usual, this is in order to upload faster and keep the war's momentum going…
That is hopefully.