" Kiba, get yourself and your mobile petting zoo in gear!" shouted Asuma. The team was outside of the Inuzuka manor waiting for Kiba. They had been given a mission to guard a merchant heading to the border of the Wind country, and as usual Kiba was running behind.
" Asuma-sensei, when I can I learn about the other types of clones?" asked Naruto.
" Naruto, for the last four days I tried to get you to start learning those." Asuma sighed. " Why did you finally get interested now?"
" I donno." Naruto said blankly. Hinata had to suppress a smile.
" Fine. We got a while." Asuma said, taking a seat on a rock. " The first type, and one that you'll not find really useful are water clones. They have 1/10 the ability of the creator, but take very little chakra to create. Since chakra isn't your problem, no point learning them. The second type are mud clones. Unlike shadow clones, which create a replication from pure chakra, mud clones are animated soil. Since they have real mass its harder to destroy them, which means they can fight for longer. The downside is the more you form, the slower they are, and you can only form one clone at a time. I think these are the signs." Asuma formed the hand signs for the technique. " Take a while to memorize it, then try it."
" All right!" Naruto started performing the motions over and over.
" So, Hinata, I havn't really helped you much lately." said Asuma, apologetically. " I know what Kiba and Naruto are doing, so what have you been doing."
" Mostly I have practiced the Heavenly Palm and Jyuuken, sensei." Hinata said, gazing to the ground. " I have not attempted many new things."
" Well, better to do a few things good than many things bad. And, medical techniques are the most difficult ones, so don't feel bad." Asuma said, looking back at the manor as Kiba came running out.
" Sorry! I couldn't find my blank scrolls." Kiba apologized.
" What, are you going to make some new ones while were on duty?" asked Asuma.
" No, I just wanted some extras." Kiba said, pointing to several unmarked scrolls on his pack.
" What do all these do, anyways?" asked Asuma, pointing to the scrolls.
" These all let me summon birds and stuff for scouting." said Kiba, pointing to the scrolls on the right arm strap. " The one's on the left are all weapon and supply scrolls."
" Weapon scrolls?" said Naruto, looking up.
" Scrolls with weapons sealed in them that you can summon. Ten-Ten uses them." Asuma explained. " That's actually good thinking. You don't have to carry all the weapons that way. Why so many scouting scrolls?"
" Well, I figured it's good for variety. If you keep seeing the same animal following you all the time, you might think something's up." Kiba said, trying to sound intelligent and surprisingly, pulling it off.
" Any combat summons?" Asuma said, preparing new tactics.
" No. I was going to start on that next. The amount of detail those scrolls need is crazy and chakra you have to use to summon anything decent looks pretty tough." Kiba said, looking somewhat downhearted.
" Well, that's okay. Let's head out. They're waiting by the west gate." Asuma said, standing up and leading the way.
---
" My guards, good to see you!" said Obori, the fat merchant that had hired them. He was dressed in a cloak in the style of the Wind country. A wagon full of barrels, pulled by a single horse, was behind him.
" Uzamaki Naruto, reporting for duty!" proclaimed Naruto, stopping in front of the man.
" Sorry if were late. We got a little held up." Asuma said, apologetically. " This is, as you have heard, Naruto." Asuma motioned to Naruto, then to the others. " This is Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Akamaru." At the mention of his name, Akamaru barked. " We'll be escorting you to the border."
" Good to meet you all. Let us get underway." Obori got onto the cart and whipped the horse onwards.
" Hinata, take the lead and keep a eye out. Kiba, Naruto, and Akamaru, take sides. I'll bring up the rear." Asuma commanded. Everyone took their placed and followed the wagon out of the village and onto the wooded road.
" So, how are things in your village?" asked Obori. " I wasn't there long enough to get the news of the day."
" Things are fine." said Asuma. The genin all knew to keep tight-lipped about the village. " Not too much has gone on lately."
" Really?' said the merchant in a amused tone. " I had heard there had been some trouble and the Hyuuga clan leader had been executed."
" Well, that's true." Asuma said, faking an apologetic smile. " I think the clan's better for it, though. The new leader, well, I think she's doing a better job. Wouldn't want to say anything bad about her with a member of the family here, though." Asuma said, nodding to Hinata. " I'd hate to get her mad at me."
" Really?" Obori said, glancing to Hinata. " I had heard she was rather young."
" Young, yes. Weak, no." Asuma said with a laugh. " First time outside the village she run's into one of the Eleven Masters near the border of the Stone village. I hear it was a pretty quick kill, too."
" Really." said Obori. He looked interested at the information. " That's quite interesting."
There was something in the man's tone that made Naruto take a instant dislike to him.
---
It was past midday when Asuma spotted movement in the trees.
" Everyone, form up." Asuma said, drawing his knives. " Hinata, Byakugan."
Hinata moved close to the wagon and activated her eyes. She scanned the forest and found three individuals hiding about twenty meters to the right of the road. She signaled the number to Asuma.
" Naruto, send in some scouts. I want to know how tough these guy's are." Asuma ordered.
Naruto performed the jutsu, forming three clones, which took off in the direction Hinata pointed. They sped around the trunk of a large tree and spotted the three waiting attackers. Each wore a black bodysuit, a mask, and a Grass village insignia.
" Hi, wimps!" shouted clones, diving into close combat. They only managed a few attacks before being destroyed.
" We can take them." Naruto said as the memories came flooding into his mind. " I hit one of them before the clone went down and it looked like it hurt. Their taijutsu was nothing special, either."
" All right, Naruto, Kiba, your with me. Hinata, guard Obori." Asuma said, rushing forward.
The three grass ninja appeared at the roadside, obviously giving up on the ambush. Asuma dove forward in a vicious tackle, hitting the ninja in the chest and flying back into the trees.
The other two sped towards Kiba, trying to take him out quickly. The lead one threw a flying kick at Kiba, forcing him to dodge to the right, but the other lunged forward with a kunai. Kiba was faster, however, and grabbed the ninja's arm and threw him backwards. He landed on the ground with a heavy crunch. Kiba swung a heavy punch at the other which connected with his face, knocking him back.
Asuma stood up, looking down at the ninja he had tackled. There were two deep gouges in the man's chest where his blades had struck. However, when he looked closer, he saw no blood, only a dark, gunky substance. The man leapt to his feet and swung at Asuma. The attack was laughably slow, and Asuma was able to dodge and sever the mans arm at the elbow. Confirming his suspicions, no blood came from the wound, only more of same substance. He leapt backwards to the wagon.
" These aren't real. They're mud clones. Really good ones too, if they fooled Hinata's Byakugan." Asuma explained as the two ninja Kiba had downed got up. Asuma beheaded them quickly. They collapsed heavily to the ground and transformed back into mud.
" More are coming!" Hinata called. " From every direction!"
" Dammit!" Asuma swore. " Naruto, as many clones as you can, now!"
" Right!" shouted Naruto eagerly, slamming the seal together. A large crowd of clones appeared and formed a perimeter.
" So, we just beat them until they fall apart?" Kiba asked excitedly.
" That's the plan. " Asuma said, settling down.
" All right! Akamaru!" Kiba said, motioning to the dog. Akamaru ran over snapped a soldier pill Kiba tossed to him. They quickly performed the Beast Clone technique. " We'll be back!" shouted Kiba as he ran into the woods.
Kiba spotted a group of clones and motioned. He and Akamaru charged, scattering the clones. Kiba hit the first one in a heavy punch to the gut, knocking the clone backwards. Akamaru gashed one's face with his claws before jumping and landing on another, snapping it's neck with a loud crunch. In unison they performed the Piercing Fang technique and struck several others, shredding them instantly and sending mud flying.
Back by the wagon, the clones had begun to assault the perimeter. Shadow clones piled upon the mud clones, slashing them with kunai and bludgeoning them with dozens of fists. Hinata sliced one with a Jyuuken strike, spinning past the counterattack and facing another. The clones were slow, but their attacks would hurt if they connected so Hinata fought defensively. She downed another clone with a hit which liquefied it's head before racing to help a lone shadow clone that was threatened by two mud clones.
" Hinata, how many can you see?" Asuma asked as he punched though another. He was fighting near the wagon, keeping the merchant safe. The man huddled in the wagon, terrified.
" I can see nearly a hundred clones!" Hinata shouted as she eviscerated one.
" That's it? That's not to impressive." Naruto said with a smirk as he formed another platoon of clones. " We'll outnumber them in no time."
" That's the spirit, kid!" Asuma shouted as the clones near him were pummeled by a wave of orange.
Akamaru ripped though another clone with the Piercing Fang before landing. " Eighteen!" he barked.
" Twenty!" Kiba yelled back as he smashed a clone into a tree, splintering the bark and killing the clone.
" That last piece of jerky's gonna be mine!"
" Not!" Akamaru shot back as he spun into a trio of clones. " Twenty one!"
" Damn!" Kiba swore as a clone landed a kick to his back, knocking him down. He rolled away from the next attack onto his feet, drawing his shuriken scroll. He brushed his hand against the seal, triggering the chakra. In rapid succession he began summoning and throwing shuriken at the nearby clones, mowing several down. He rolled the empty scroll back up and put it back.
BAM! Another clone fell to the ground as a shadow clone landed a kick from the air. Immediately a team of clones mobbed it, bludgeoning it until it reverted to mud.
" Not a good idea, taking on the future Hokage!" Naruto taunted as he punch a mud clone. " My clones can take yours on with no problem!"
" I have to admit, they suck compared to your clones." Asuma shouted to Naruto, knocking a clone sprawling with a powerful strike. " They either really are weak to start with or used less chakra so they could make more to outnumber us."
" Hah!" Naruto cheered as he flipped over a mud clone, jamming a kunai in it's back. " They shoulda just fought us directly. No way you can outnumber my shadow clones."
" Right, Naruto-kun!" agreed Hinata. Five mud clones charged her. She turned to face them, entering the pose for the Divine Sixty Four Strikes and channeling the chakra. The world slowed and she ripped though the clones with dazzling ease. She continued the jutsu as she charged forward, slicing though several ranks at lighting speed.
" I'm out of chaka!" yipped Akamaru as he transformed back into his canine form. He landed and leapt for the nearest clone, biting down on its throat and pushing away. The clone gurgled as it's neck was ripped apart and collapsed. Akamaru bounded towards Kiba, spitting out the mud.
" Yeah, same here. And, I lost count again." Kiba said as the Beast Clone jutsu collapsed. A lone clone charged him, but he dispatched it with a kick to the face. " Let's head back." Kiba said, turning and heading back to the others.
" Hey, were back! We took out at least fifty!" Kiba shouted as he and Akamaru landed on the back of a pair of mud clones. Akamaru bit down on the neck again while Kiba slit the clone's throat with a recently summoned kunai.
" I got forty nine!" Asuma shot back as he sliced a clone open. " My mistake, fifty!"
" We were counting?" Naruto asked, confused. The mud clone he was fighting swung a punch at him, but a shadow clone intercepted the arm and flipped the clone.
" It doesn't matter!" Asuma shouted. " How many left, Hinata?"
" Only eight." Hinata replied. A quick scan revealed eight clones in close proximity.
Seconds later, the last mud clones were stabbed, punched, and Jyuuken-slapped to death.
" Woo." said Kiba leaning against the wagon.
" All remaining shadow clones, go look for the real guys. They should be nearby." Asuma said, walking over to the wagon. The clones eagerly ran off though the forest. Naruto, Hinata, Kiba, and Akamaru, despite their fatigue, took positions around the wagon, watching for more assailants. " Obori, are you okay?"
" Y-yes." replied the portly man as he sat up.
" This is a C-Rank mission, so I'm rather surprised that we ran into enemy ninja. You have anyone after you?" Asuma said in a intimidating tone.
" Well…." said the merchant, casting his eyes down. " I may have sold some faulty merchandise in a Grass village. I didn't think they'd be able to find me, though."
" What was it?" Asuma asked dryly.
" Explosive tags. I picked up two hundred of them from a man I know. The seals weren't perfect so they didn't always explode. I may have…forgotten to tell the buyer that." said Obori, sweating under Asuma's gaze.
" Hinata!" Asuma called. " Check out the barrels. I want to know what's in them. Hell, check the whole wagon."
Hinata nodded and activated her eyes.
" Seven of the barrels are only full of water, but one of them also has a cask full of papers in it." Hinata reported as she searched.
" What are those?" Asuma asked, eyebrows raised.
" They-they are my contracts and receipts. I have to keep them safe." Obori said nervously.
" Asuma-sensei, he is lying. They appear to be maps and reconnaissance reports on the Grass country." Hinata said, turning to her instructor.
" I found them." said Naruto cracked his knuckles loudly and startling Obori.
" Well, our mission just changed. Kiba, break open the barrel and get the cask. Hinata, deal with him." Asuma made a motion to Obori. Before the man could react she paralyzed him with several Jyuuken strikes. " Once you have the cask, you two head back to the village and get the information to ANBU. The spy here might have saved us several months of surveillance work. Naruto, me and you have some Grass ninja to take out."
" Why? I thought they were after fat boy." Kiba said as he pulled the cask out of the water.
" They want the information. We'll take them out so the Grass village doesn't know we have it. We'll pick you up on the way back, so stay put." Asuma said, looking down at the immobile Obori.
" I'll send him with them." Naruto said, forming several clones who picked Obori up. " No sense leaving him here."
" Good idea." Asuma said, patting Naruto's shoulder. " All right, where are they?" Naruto raced off in the direction of the Grass ninja, Asuma following.
" Man, I wish I was with them." whined Akamaru.
" So do we. That sounds better than hauling fatty here." said one of the clones.
" L-lets head out." said Hinata, assuming command.
---
" They were near here!" Naruto said, landing on a branch. Asuma positioned himself in a nearby tree. " I'll send out more scouts."
" No need." said one of the Grass ninja, landing near them.
" You ready to get your ass kicked?" Naruto shouted to him, confidently.
" No." the ninja said, staring intently. " I'm here to offer you a chance to get out of our way."
" And why would we do that? Your clone army's gone. I doubt your much tougher." Asuma said drawing his chakra knife. The man took a combat pose. Asuma heard rustling and sup. Behind them were three more black clothed ninja. These, however, were armed katana's, and from their movements they didn't look like pushovers.
" All the clones were mine, and I'm the weakest on our team. My teammate's will tear you apart. Now, surrender nicely." said the first grass ninja, drawing two shuriken.
" Heh. I bet you don't have much chakra left." Asuma said, stretching. " I'm sitting pretty near full, however, and Naruto, well, I don't think he's noticed the drain yet. Naruto, I'm going to want ten clones on each of these guys."
" Right!" Naruto complied, forming the jutsu. There was a blast of smoke and the air was filled with clones. The grass ninja quailed for a moment, but then rallied and charged.
Asuma felt sorry for the first Grass ninja, who helplessly threw his shuriken into two clones before Naruto and eight copies smashed his face into the dirt. The Grass ninja with the katana's also sliced though several, but they were quickly overwhelmed.
Then, a fifth ninja appeared.
The ninja grabbed a handful of leaves as it descended, performed a jutsu, then threw them like shuriken. The leaves cut though the clones pinning the others down, freeing them. Asuma jammed chakra into his legs and leapt at the new ninja, who blocked his strike with a metal arm guard, sending them both hurtling to the ground.
" Get the kid, quick!" shouted one of the ninja facing Naruto. They charged quickly, but unfortunately weeks of training with Kiba had given Naruto practice against faster foes. Naruto formed a barricade of clones and leapt away. The ninja crashed into the clones and began to hack their way though, getting mired in the numbers. The real Naruto leapt onto a high branch and began hurling shuriken into the fray. He hit one of the ninja in the shoulder, causing him to stagger and drop his sword. His was instantly hauled down by the clones.
" Shit, run!" shouted one of the ninja as his comrade disappeared in a sea of clones. Naruto leapt down into the mess, landing on the captured ninja's flailing hand with a crunch. He grinned and formed more clones, which gave chase to the horrified ninja. He set after them as his clones pummeled the prisoner.
" You are the Thirds son, a close quarters and fire jutsu specialist." said the ninja, dodging away from Asuma. She had to be a ANBU level combatant with how she was fighting. She landed on the ground and placed her hands flat on the grass. Suddenly, the grass stood up straight and began gleaming like metal.
Asuma breathed deep and released another cloud of flaming ash as the grass shot upwards like a thousand needles. Most burned in the cloud, which set the trees aflame, but some made it though. He dodged backwards, but he was hit in the upper leg and arm. He landed and stumbled for a moment.
A instant later the ANBU ninja was upon him, delivering a punch to his jaw with her metal covered arm. Asuma staggered back for a moment. Before she could attack again he recovered and channeled chakra into his knives, sending whirling, sword shaped wind chakra out. He had reach on her now and slashed. She dodged, casueing him to chop a large section out of a tree. She landed nearby and threw a kunai, which he deflected. A moment later he noticed the explosive tag and leapt backwards, avoiding the blast.
" Damn!" he swore. He had barely landed before she came in with a flying kick. He blocked the kick and she fliped backwards, grabbing more leaves as she spun. She threw the leaves at him with lightning speed, so Asuma released the chakra in the knives, sending a blast of wind forward to scatter the leaves. She dodged behind the damaged tree, which was struck by the wind chakra and covered in deep gashes.
This was going to be a long fight.
---
" We are being followed." Hinata called to Kiba as she leapt off a branch. " Three more Grass ninja. These are not clones."
" Crap. Me and Akamaru are almost out of chakra." said Kiba, leaping alongside Hinata. The clone team was following along the ground, unable to run as easily with their hefty prisoner.
" My reserves are only half gone. I will engage them so you can continue." Hinata said, landing.
" No way! We'll help!" Kiba cried in protest.
" You can't! You need to get that back to Kohona like sensei ordered!" Hinata argued.
" Fine, but gimme a second." said Kiba, landing and setting the cask down. He drew out the bird scroll he had created and channeled the last of his chakra into it. In a puff of smoke a six small birds appeared. A red one hopped forward.
" Oi! This better be summat or I'll stop commin'!" it said.
" It is. You guy's help her out by distracting the attackers or something." Kiba told it. They birds all took off and started flying around importantly. " Its something. See ya later." Kiba said with a shrug before he and Akamaru continued onwards.
Moment's later the three pursuers came into view. They spotted Hinata in their way, but didn't slow down, obviously not expecting a large threat. One broke off and headed towards her, diving towards her with a kunai. She pirouetted away from the strike and jabbed forward with a Jyuuken strike the ninja barely blocked. He made the mistake of using his arm, however, and recoiled in pain as the nerves and blood veins were severed. Hinata jabbed him twice more in the chest, sending him falling to the ground.
" You follow the other, I'll catch up!" said one of the two ninja, turning back. Hinata raced across the branches towards the ninja who remained. He, however, dodged away before she could get close, hurling shuriken and kunai towards her. She deflected and dodged them all, but she didn't notice a explosive tag on a kunai until it landed in the tree by her. It exploded, sending her flying forward in a spray of flaming splinters.
She tumbled downwards, catching a branch more though luck then effort. She tried to swing onto it, but there was a large chunk of wood in her right leg which madeit had to move. The ninja landed by her, drawing a kunai for the kill. Before he struck, however, the birds swarmed his head, pecking at him.
" Fuck!" he swore, stumbling back. Despite the situation, Hinata blushed and she forced herself onto the branch. The birds assailed him as he swung the kunai at them. The red one darted in and dove for his face. It pecked them mans eye from his socket before being slammed by a flailing arm and disappearing The other birds also vanished, the summon wearing out.
" My goddamn eye!" The man said, clutching his face. " You bitch! I'll kill you!" He charged forwards with the kunai, swinging it at her in a rage. She stumbled backwards, avoiding the attack but losing her balance because of her weak leg. She fell backwards, managing to grab onto the man as she fell. He tumbled over her, hurting towards the ground. He swung the kunai back, planning on killing her in midair when she couldn't attack.
Suddenly the air went dark and the world slowed. The green pentagram of the Divine Sixty Four Strikes appeared around the man and Hinata struck forwards, paralyzing his arm with her first attack. The following attacks stuck the mans chest, liquefying his internal organs. The force of the hits propelled them downwards even faster, sending them crashing to the forest floor. The ninja's corpse stuck with a unpleasant squish a second before Hinata his the body, which cushioned her fall. She rolled to the side, groaning in pain for a moment before slipping unconscious.
---
" There's still someone there!" Akamaru barked, ears flapping in the find.
" Hey, clones, catch!" Kiba said, tossing the cask down. One of the clones let go of Obori and caught it, nodding and racing onwards at top speed. Kiba and Akamaru halted. Kiba drew a soldier pill for each of them and tossed one to Akamaru before swallowing his. " Any ideas?" asked Kiba as the lone ninja jumped into view.
" One!" woofed Akamaru, bounding forwards. " Stay back a bit!" he barked back.
" Right!" Kiba leapt upwards, catching a high branch and flipping onto it.
The ninja swiped at Akamaru with a kick, but the dog leapt the attack and landed behind him. As the ninja turned, setting himself to face Kiba and Akamaru, Akamaru took a breath. He then let out a high pitched, whining bark made Kiba's teeth hurt, even from forty feet away. The nina, mere steps away, recoiled and fell.
" All right!" cheered Kiba, leaping towards the dog. Akamaru panted in a raspy tone, his vocal cords strained by the attack. " Pakkun teach you that?" The dog nodded, looking proud. Below they noticed the ninja struggling to his feet.
" He's…still okay, but…messed up." Akamaru rasped. Kiba nodded and leapt down to face the ninja while the dog rested.
Kiba landed and raced towards the stunned ninja. While the man wobbled, he jammed together his hands forming a jutsu. The branch under Kiba's feet suddenly rotted, breaking under his weight. Kiba tumbled for a moment before grabbing onto a tree. The ninja leapt down clumsily and sung a off balance punch. Kiba dodged and countered, striking at the man's midsection. However, the ninja was wearing a metal armor plate under his uniform, and when Kiba's hand connected he could feel it break.
" Shit!" Kiba said, staggering back. It felt like his wrist was full of glass. A second later he was knocked to the ground by a heavy kick from the ninja, who lost his balance and fell with Kiba. They landed on the ground heavily and each staggered to their feet.
Kiba's right hand was broken and his left arm, which had been hit, felt dislocated. The ninja staggered towards him, blood streaming from his ears and nose. While the man was heavily dazed, without his arms Kiba couldn't fight back, which put him in a bad spot. Akamaru was above and winded so he couldn't expect much help there.
Suddenly, Kiba tasted blood.
Dammit…he thought as he felt the pain. He had bit the end of his tongue as he fell. In a flash of inspiration, he realized how to win.
Before the ninja could react, he leapt forward and bit down on the man's jugular with his famous Inuzuka teeth.
---
" Come on!" shouted Naruto, still chasing the fleeing ninja. " Just give up and fight me!" He dodged a hastily thrown kunai and put on a extra burst of speed. He and a squad of clones had almost caught the fleeing ninja.
One of the ninja turned to make a stand, while the other kept fleeing. The braver ninja decapitated a shadow clone with his sword, but was hit in the midsection by a flying tackle and tumbled into the brush.
" You guys have him!" shouted Naruto as he followed the fleeing ninja. He raced forward another hundred feet before finding the man trapped at the edge of a chasm. " Got you." Naruto said, landing triumphantly.
The Grass ninja formed the sign for the mud clone and out of the ground rose a copy. They readied their swords, qualing slightly.
" Let's try that out…I want to see if mine are any good." Naruto said, forming the jutsu as well. A identical copy rose from the ground, smiling ear to ear. " Success!" cheered the clone.
" How…how can you make so many clones?" said the ninja, backing towards the edge of the cliff.
" It's my specially." Naruto said, smiling. The clone Naruto raced forwards. The ninja's clone met the charge and swung the blade in an arcing downwards slash. The mud clone nimbly bypassed the attack and delivered a bone crunching punch to the other clones chest, causing it to revert and splatter.
" Woah, these hit way harder." Naruto said, blinking. The clone leapt forward in a kick at the man, falling faster. " Oh, I get it! They're heavier too!" The ninja rolled to the side and the mud clone went flying into the chasm, flailing helplessly. " Eh, I like shadow clones better, but that's pretty cool." Naruto formed his favorite jutsu and ten clones appeared.
" I surrender!" said the ninja, throwing down his katana. Naruto smiled widely as two clones grabbed the man's arms and began to lead him away.
" Look out!" shouted a clone, which threw himself in the path of a shuriken which would have struck Naruto in the back of the head. Another zoomed past, however, striking the captured ninja in the heart. He fell to the ground lifelessly.
" I know which of you is real, so I can kill you!" yelled the braver ninja, falling from above and landing in the middle of the clones. He swung viciously towards Naruto, who barely ducked the blade. A clone tackled the ninja from behind and pinned him to the ground. There was a puff of smoke, however, and the ninja disappeared, leaving a log with a explosive note on it. Before Naruto could dodge it detonated, sending Naruto flying off the edge of the cliff.
" Mass Shadow Clone!" Naruto yelled in a panic, forcing the jutsu together. Twenty clones appeared in midair, grabbing each others ankles like a whip and catching Naruto. They swung in a chain and flung Naruto onto the Cliffside before vanishing.
" Nice try!" Naruto shouted, diving forward. The ninja faced him from a short distance, panting and holding his katana wearily. He looked heavily beat up from fighting his way though the clones. " But the future Hokage isn't going down that easy!"
" A kid like you…" said the ninja, gripping the hilt of his sword and settling into a combat position. " There's no way you should be able to do all this." The man watched tensely as Naruto formed another team of shadow clones.
" Yeah. It's kinda unfair, isn't it?" Naruto said, smirking. The ninja charged again, prepared for a stabbing attack. " Hey guy's, I have a idea!" Naruto formed a mud clone. The other clones caught on instantly and ran to the mud clone picking him up and threw him into the air. Naruto then leapt into the air and grabbed the clone by the ankles. The clone twisted forward as Naruto flung it, sending the clone hurtling towards the surprised ninja like a missile. Unable to stop himself the ninja was struck by the heavy mud clone and sent crashing to the ground under the weight of the reformed mud.
" All right! We'll call that the Clone Catapult or something! Let's head back to Asuma-sensei!" Naruto said, pumping his arm into the air. The clones cheered with him and raced off.
Under the mud, the ninja stirred, crawling out and gasping for air.
---
Asuma felt woozy.
He has to deep cuts, several blades of grass imbedded in him, and a lower chakra reserve than was comfortable.
It was moment like this that made him feel alive.
He dodged right, avoiding a slash from the ANBU ninja's sword. He slashed backwards with the wind chakra as he did, but the ninja dodged. She landed on burning branch and dove off. The fire from all Asuma's techniques had started a decent blaze. The smoke had begun to provide a decent amount of haze, and the heat was starting to get distracting.
" Here goes nothing." he said, building up a mass of chakra in one of his knives. He had stored almost as much as he could when he spotted the enemy ninja in the lower branches. He hurled the chakra laden knife and dove for cover. It shot like a bolt of lighting past the ninja, but the shockwave that followed sent the ninja hurtling downwards. The knife struck the ground and the chakra was release, sending a massive wave of uncontrolled wind chakra in every direction. The ninja was propelled into the blast wave and disintegrated by the attack as it ripped though the trees. The fires were blown out by the massive gale.
When the attack subsided Asuma jumped down to the ground. He limped forward into the crater and picked up his knife before hobbling in the direction of Kohona.
" Hey, sensei, wait up!" said an ash covered Naruto, bounding into view.
" Naruto, how'd it go?" Asuma asked before swallowing a plasma pill.
" I got them all, sensei. What happened?" Naruto asked, surveying the damage.
" I had to use one of my big attacks to win." Asuma said with a smirk. Naruto looked up at him in amazement. " Come on. We need to find the others. "
They moved forwards as quickly as they could. Eventually they came upon Hinata, who was sitting by two unmoving ninja.. She was attempting to heal her leg and pull out several embedded chucnks of wood.
" Asuma-sensei, Kiba and Akamaru went on ahead while I fought these two." Hinata said, motioning to the corpses. " One slipped past me, though."
" Naruto, go check on it." Asuma ordered. Naruto leapt into the trees eagerly. " How are you?" Asuma said, taking a seat to rest.
" I am in decent shape. My leg is hurt the worst, but I think my arm's bruising from when I landed." Hinata reported, holding forward her left arm and wincing.
" I hate to ask this, but could I get you to heal a few of my cuts first? I'm pretty beat up." Asuma said. Hinata nodded and quickly set to healing the wounds. " Good job on those two, Hinata."
" Thank you, sensei." Hinata said, focusing on her work but enjoying the compliment none the less.
---
" Kiba!" shouted Naruto as he ran though the forest. " Kiba!"
" I'm over here!" called Kiba. Naruto turned and headed for the sound of Kiba's voice. He came upon Kiba, who was sitting on Obori, the clones nowhere in sight. Akamaru was sitting nearby with the cask. " The clones disappeared after we beat the last ninja."
" Sorry." Naruto said with a laugh, walking up. He noticed Kiba's face was covered in blood and his arms were hanging limply. " Are you okay?"
" Broken arm, dislocated arm, and I had to bite a guy's neck like twenty times to kill him." Kiba said, wincing. " What happened to you?"
" Huh?" asked Naruto, looking at himself. He was covered in ash and debris from the explosion. " Oh, I got hit by a bomb and fell off a cliff."
" Damn." said Akamaru, wagging his tail.
Twenty minutes later Hinata and Asuma hobbled into view.
" Hey!" Naruto called, bringing them over.
" Kiba, what's with the blood?" Asuma asked, siting down heavily.
" I totally bit a guy to death." Kiba said. Hinata and Asuma stared at him for a moment.
" Okaaay then." said Asuma shaking his head. " Let's rest here for a bit. Kiba, could you help me with some bandages?"
" I'd like to, but I can't move my arms." Kiba said, moving his torso slightly.
" That explains the biting." Asuma replied as Hinata went over to Kiba. She examined his arms.
" I'm not good enough to fix your broken hand, but I can do a little." Hinata said, performing the jutsu and mending the bones slightly. " It'll hurt less and won't get any worse."
" Thanks, Hinata. I think the others dislocated." Kiba said, looking at the other arm. Hinata rolled up his sleeve and looked at the shoulder. She suddenly grabbed his arm and shoved it, setting it into place. Kiba bit his lip as his eyes moistened, trying not to cry.
" I think I'm the only one that didn't get hurt." Naruto said. " That stinks."
" Why, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked, voicing everyone's question.
" Because I don't get to have you heal it." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head.
Hinata blushed deeply, walked over to him, and kissed him on the cheek, leaving a imprint in the ash.
---
It was a quiet morning at the west gate.
Neji liked that.
Guy had gotten his team a mission as the gate guards for several days, filling in for the regulars. Lee and Guy weren't doing much of a job, but they were training slightly farther from Neji than usual, which always made for a good day. So far, he and Ten-Ten had sat there for three hours and hadn't seen anyone.
" The strange part is," sighed Ten-Ten, looking over a weapon scroll for the millionth time. She was somewhat obsessive about checking to make sure it was in order. " Since the chunnin exam's are so near, I'd rather be training."
" Please be quiet. I am trying to meditate." replied Neji, his eyes closed. Ten-Ten sighed, wishing she had been assigned to a less defective team. She looked up and spotted a ragged looking group coming up the road. She focused and realized who it was.
" Neji, wake up!" she said, shaking Neji's shoulder. He broke his meditation grumpily and looked around. He spotted Asuma's team walking towards them, Naruto frog marching a man like a prisoner. Everyone looked beat up, injured, and dirty.
" Here." said Asuma, plopping a wooden cask down on the guards desk. " Take this and Obori here to the Hokage. This has a bunch of maps of the Grass country in it and he's a Wind country spy. Tell him that were going to the hospital and we'll fill out our reports when were not suffering from blood loss." Asuma slumped offwards as Naruto pushed the obese man towards them. Neji stood up and grabbed the mans arm, watching the other team walk away.
" That looks way better than guard duty." mused Ten-Ten.
" Hey, can we go by the ramen stand?" asked Naruto.
" No, Naruto-kun." Hinata said, stopping the idea there.
" Aww." sighed Naruto.
---
Off in the Grass Village, a mud covered, severely beaten ninja drug himself into the gate. Guard's rushed over to help the man.
" Report." asked the jounin on guard.
" Our teams…catch Obori….kid…orange…clones….Leaf…" rasped the man before falling still.