Naruto, Heart of Sword Chapter One
"KENSHIN, WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET THERE?" Yahiko exclaimed. "WE'VE BEEN TRAVELING FOR DAYS."
The Kamiya dojo had burned down about a week ago, so the group thought it was time for a move. Kenshin and Sano had met with someone from when Kenshin was still Battousai, and they decided to move to his village. Yahiko had been fine with this, until he found out how long it was going to take. First they had to leave Tokyo to Kyoto to catch a ship, then leave the Japanese islands to head toward another group of islands that were said not to exist and were not shown on any map.
Yahiko had inquired about this, and Kenshin had said that they where known as the elemental countries, and that something called Genjutsu was used to keep them hidden. "They do not wish to continue with the rest of the world, that they do not" had been what Kenshin had said.
After arriving in a country known as 'Wave', they were now in a huge forest that seemed to go on forever.
"WHEN ARE WE GONNA GET TO KOHANA!" Yahiko yelled.
"IT'S CALLED KONOHA YAHIKO, AND HOW THE HECK SOULD I KNOW?' Kaoru yelled back.
"UGLY!"
"BRAT!"
"Now now," Kenshin said, trying to keep the peace. "We should be there soon, that we should. Please stop this senseless arguing."
"And how long is soon Kenshin?" Kaoru asked.
"About two hours, give or take 30 minutes." Kenshin said sheepishly. "It should not be much longer, that it should not" 'at least this one hopes not' Kenshin murmured inwardly
"Alright," said Yahiko, "but tell me two things, why isn't Sanosuke with us, and who was that guy you met up with to get us to come here?"
"Well, to answer the first question, Sano has some business he needs to settle before he could join us, and the man was a messenger from Namikaze Minato, the leader of Konohagakure, a position known as Hokage."
"Well that settles it," said Yahiko, "we won't see Sanosuke for the next for years."
"Be quite, Yahiko!" said Kaoru. Then she asked, "How did the two of you meet, Kenshin?"
"Unfortunately, we met on the battlefield that we did. One day, after a bloody battle with the Shinsengumi, I was somehow teleported to a huge battlefield full of thousands of ninja. I believe a summoning went badly, and I was in the middle of another war."
Kaoru was shocked and intrigued, "So what happened then?"
"Simple, I drew my blade and began fighting. It was out of defence, but I still carried the name Battousai then so much blood was shed. The real problem I faced was that I was not on any one side and thus fought against both. I slew hundreds of men, until I fought Minato. Fighting him was one of the hardest battles I have ever had, as he could perfectly match my speed."
Yahiko gawked, "but how, you're like the fastest guy ever, only a few people have ever come close, and they all trained just to kill you."
"Let Kenshin talk Yahiko, your being too loud." Kaoru said, "Please continue."
Kenshin smiled, "well, we fought for a good 45 minutes, before we saw we were going nowhere fighting. So we broke off, and he asked for my assistance, which I offered.
After the battle was over, he said if I ever needed a safe place to live, away from the outside and that I could come to his village. He gave me a scroll that when opened would summon someone that I could make arrangements with."
"But Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed, "How can a scroll actually summon someone, that's not possible right?"
"Not normally no, but the ninja in these countries have powers akin to Feng-shui, and summoning is one of them." Kenshin answered.
"Wow, that's cool, do you thing I'll be able to learn anything like that?" Yahiko asked.
"We will see, said Kenshin, "Now let's be on our way"
Unknown to them, a man was watching them. 'Kukuku, so this is the Battousai, eh. Well I'll need a new body soon, and his is perfect.' The man thought. Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin prepared to strike. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" 'perfect,' he thought, 'this should catch them off guard, kukuku!'
Kenshin and the group continued to walk, until Kenshin sensed that something was off. His eyes widened. "EVERYONE DOWN!" he yelled. Too late! All of them were caught in a huge blast of wind that sent them flying. Kenshin was on his feet instantly, but Kaoru and Yahiko were badly hurt and couldn't stand. "Kukuku" he heard a strange laugh from behind him.
He turned around to see a man resembling a snake in appearance. The man was standing on the head of a huge snake, maybe 30 meters long.
"Who are you?" Kenshin demanded, "And why have you attacked us?"
The man laughed, "Kukuku, so hasty! I'm here for you or more specifically, your body. You see, I'm not going to be young forever, so I'm always looking for a new body to possess, I find it will keep me young forever, and what better body the body of the legendary manslayer, Himura Battousai."
"And just what makes you think you can have my body?" Kenshin yelled. "I don't simply plan on handing it over, so how do you plan to use it, when I'm dead?"
"I'll show you." Orochimaru pulled down his lower eye lid. "White Snake Possession Technique!"
'A mental attack,' thought Kenshin. He was frozen for a moment, and the Snake Sannin's neck stretched toward Kenshin, fangs out. Kenshin broke the attack, and drew his blade.
"Hiten-Mitsurugi-Ryu: Ryu Kan Sen - Kogarashi", Kenshin struck Orochimaru's oncoming head with his sword, sending the Sannin off of the snake he was standing on. Orochimaru smirked. "So, the tales of your speed and power are true after all. Good, I'd be disappointed if they were not. Shall we take this fight up a notch?"
Orochimaru then noticed Kenshin looking over at Kaoru and Yahiko. "Kukuku, if these weaklings are distracting you, I guess I should get rid of them.
"DON'T EVEN TOUCH MISS KAORU OR YAHIKO!" Kenshin yelled.
"Or what," the Sannin replied, "You'll kill me, ha! as I recall you swore off killing, remember?"
"And how exactly do you know that?" Kenshin asked, "I didn't tell you that."
"Not to my face, but I've been watching and listening to you ever since you arrived in Wave Country," Orochimaru replied simply, "and your Sakabatou is proof of that. I think you'll be fine without them." With that, the giant snake he summoned attacked Koru and Yahiko.
"MISS KAORU, YAHIKO!" Kenshin turned the Sakabatou around and cut the snakes head off, It disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Kukuku, very good, now lets see you beat me!" Orochimaru opened his mouth and a snake came out, that snake also opened its mouth, and from that came a sword. "Well, Himura lets see how you stand up to my sword, Kusanagi."
Orochimaru drew the sword from the snake's mouth and charged at Kenshin. Kenshin sheathed his sword quickly, "Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu: Ryu Mei Sen." The force of the action pulled the Sannin closer to Kenshin then he had originally intended. "Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu: Ryu Sho Sen" Orochimaru found himself being barraged by constant strikes to the head. He weaved his head to avoid the strikes, but got hit by the last one. He was sent into a tree several meters away. "Kukuku, Himura, I'm impressed, Hiten Mitsurugi-ryu is everything it is cracked up to be. Shall we continue? Oh yes, before I forget…"
Orochimaru pulled his arm back, as if to punch, before announcing his Jutsu. "Sen'eijashu!" he throw the punch forward, and a barrage of snakes came out of his hand. Most of the snakes rushed at Kenshin, who was forced to dodge, the others went directly at Kaoru and Yahiko.
"MISS KAORU, YAHIKO, GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Kenshin cried, but to no avail.
Orochimaru sneered "You fool, that Genjutsu I used earlier was not just for you, but them as well, and it would appear they could not get out!" At that moment, Yahiko and Kaoru were bitten by the snakes that had ignored Kenshin. "Good, now that that is out of the way for the moment, I have your undivided attention. I can't test your strength if you are preoccupied." But as he looked at Kenshin, he was suddenly struck head on at godlike speed, The face he saw was not the man from a few moments ago. Amber eyes that promised death and lingering pain stared at him with an inhuman hatred.
"You damn bastard, you just made a huge mistake. I'm your last mistake, actually, as when I'm through with you, hell will welcome you with open arms. TIME TO DIE. Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu: Kuzu Ryu Sen!"
Orochimaru felt himself suddenly bleeding all over his body slashes appearing all over it. "AARRHHH, WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME, BATTOUSAI!"
"There are nine points in kendo that are aimed at: Head, Shoulders, Body, Arms, Groin, and Legs. I merely struck and cut all those points at once." Battousai stated simply, "Now to end your pathetic existence!" Kenshin lifted his sword high above his head and brought it down.
Orochimaru's mind was reeling. 'How did this happen! He should not be this strong! Where did I go wrong? I have only one way out of this!' Using all of his remaining strength, he caught the Sakabatou, and prepared a hand seal. "Man to Beast Transformation Technique."
Kenshin was caught off guard, "What are you doing to me, AARRHHH!"
Orochimaru slowly got to his feet. Breathing heavily, he said, "that jutsu is usually used to make the user more beastlike, but I find that using it on the opponent without a nin-partner turns them into a animal based on power and personality. Let's find out what you become.
"AAAAAAARRRRRRHHHHHHHHH!" Kenshin screamed, The pain was unreal! His entire body felt like it was on fire, Then the pain stopped and all he felt now was rage. Rage for the death of Kaoru and Yahiko, rage at the snakes who slew them and rage in general of his entire being only rage remained.
Orochimaru was on the ground again, mouth opened in a silent scream. He had planned on turning Kenshin into some animal and escaping. He had not expected that animal to be 200 meters tall. He could only stare in aw as he stared at the manslayer, who was now a nine tailed fox demon larger and more terrible then even Manda, who he couldn't summon right now, even if his life depended on it, which, sadly enough for him, it did.
'I can still escape' he thought weakly. He summoned a small snake, and then splashed some mud from the nearby river on himself. 'Hopefully, he'll follow the snake, and leave me be.' He thought before passing out.
The snake slithered away, the fox following a few moments later, following the snake, right toward Konohagakure…