Second chapter of the second version of my first story. Phew…
Eleven Sound Shinobi were speeding through the wilderness of the land of Rice Paddies. They were headed to Kabuto Yakushi's last confirmed location. He'd been captured by four Leaf nin. They would rescue Kabuto, but the ninja were their prey.
Two notable opponents—the anbu captain and jinchuuriki—an unresearched medical chunin, and another anbu.
They were ten highly capable chunin. They had no doubts as to their success, especially when one considered who led them.
At their head was Orochimaru himself, clad in the skin of Sasuke Uchiha.
*dattebayo*
Kabuto Yakushi was propped against a tree, wrapped inside the same wooden binding Yamato had trapped him in. He'd repaired his minor injuries from fighting Team Kakashi, but was no closer to escaping. His hands were firmly held away from his body, making a chakra scalpel useless. He couldn't move at all. Finally, he'd been gagged.
Sai and Yamato had been on a quick patrol while Naruto and Sakura stayed with Kabuto. They had moved, and were approximately five miles away from the battle site at the bridge. Any farther would have been a hindrance with Kabuto at the moment, and it hadn't been decided yet whether they would take Kabuto back to The Leaf for interrogation or whether they'd try to find Orochimaru.
Naruto's demon chakra had receded, reverting him back to his normal appearance. He was still frustrated that Kabuto had not said a thing about Sasuke, and had belittled their skills, and betrayed The Leaf, and…well, a lot of things.
Sakura was sitting, with her back against a tree and her knees held against her chest, deep in thought. Naruto stood next to the immobile Kabuto, twirling a kunai on his pointer finger.
Sakura looked at her teammate.
"Hey, Naruto?" she asked.
"Yeah?" he responded, still twirling his kunai.
"What if we don't find Sasuke? What if we lose him again?"
Naruto whipped his head towards at his pink-haired teammate in surprise. Sakura never gave up on Sasuke. She had been the one to reassure him when the retrieval mission had failed two years ago. She had said she would get stronger and she had. He was way stronger than he had ever been. It seemed their chances of getting their teammate back had only improved, so why was she feeling so doubtful and dejected? He could see it in her face; she was genuinely upset.
Naruto sheathed his knife, walked over to the rosette, and knelt beside her.
"What is it, Sakura-chan? We'll definitely find Sasuke and bring him home. You remember? I said that it was the promise of a lifetime." He gripped her shoulders and turned her so that she was looking into his eyes. "I never break my word. We'll get him back."
Sakura gazed into his eyes. Naruto could tell that she knew he meant what he said. She still had that sadness in her eyes, though. It was like the stress of it all had finally come crashing down on her.
"But it's been two years!" Sakura exclaimed, sounding horrified. "Two years, Naruto! What if they've brainwashed him? Killed him? Stolen his eyes, his body? I didn't think of it before, but it's been so long! How many things could they have done to him?" Her eyes grew wet, and the scent of salty tears stung Naruto's hypersensitive nose.
He was a bit scared for Sakura now. He had to put some of these concerns to rest, and quick. He just hated it when she cried. It was like a little piece of him started crying, too. He couldn't stand it. It wasn't right! She was way too pretty to be crying.
Naruto removed one hand from one of her shoulders, then wrapped the other around her and held her to his side.
"Orochimaru has to wait three years to do the body-transfer thing. Ero-sennin told me, and he's good at what he does. And Sasuke has dreams, he has a purpose, it's not like he's gonna let that perverted snake bastard mess with his mind. He's too tough for that." He started stroking Sakura's hair.
Naruto's emotions started conflicting. Excitement that he was holding Sakura, concern for Sakura, wanting to comfort Sakura, hate for Orochimaru and Kabuto, sadness that Sakura felt for Sasuke and not him, anger at the general state of the world. He could really only process one thought as he tried to comfort his crush. Kami, my life sucks.
Sakura ceased her crying and nuzzled into Naruto's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a warm embrace. Why did this beautiful, kind, wonderful person have to feel such pain? He wouldn't have cared about her love for Sasuke if the teme had only returned it. All he wanted was for Sakura to be happy. That was all that mattered.
Sakura let loose a faint sob. Naruto just kept holding her. She almost started crying again. He rubbed her back and whispered comforting words. Okay, best friend status be damned. Sasuke was going to receive a fist to the face when they found him.
Sakura wrapped her deceptively strong arms around Naruto's muscular waist and buried her head in his chest. Naruto felt her hair under his chin. He'd always thought her hair was beautiful, even if it was a bit too unique to be convenient and stood out in crowds. Even after days on the road and a dip in the hot springs, he could smell the shampoo she always wore at home: a mixture of strawberries and cinnamon. He could spend eternity like this, he decided. She was so warm and soft, and smelled so good…he would give anything just to stay like that. Just…holding her.
Sakura had stopped sobbing. She seemed to have finally regained her composure when an eerily familiar voice said "How sweet, Naruto-kun. You seem to really have it good with the ladies, don't you?"
The Kyuubi vessel felt his crush tense in his arms. He bit back a curse. Moron. He was a moron. He'd let this…this…prick—oh yes, he knew exactly who that voice belonged to—sneak up on him. He'd lost his cool, and now he was caught off guard. By a Sannin, no less.
He relaxed his arms, and Sakura started to pull back.
His eyes turned crimson. "Orochimaru," he growled. "Sakura, he's mine."
"What? Naruto, that's—"
"No arguments. He's a Sannin. I might be okay because I've got the fox. You don't." His voice was rough. He knew he was being harsh, but Sakura would not be able to survive a fight with Orochimaru. He might be able to, but it was gonna hurt. A lot.
He started mouthing a count-off. Three, two, one. Sakura jumped back and drew a kunai. Naruto whirled around, his hands already forming the cross sign for his favorite jutsu.
That's when Team Seven's two remaining members got a very good look at "Orochimaru."
Naruto was struck dumb. "What…but…no..."
Sakura stretched her hand out to the man she loved. "Sasuke-kun?"
*dattebayo*
Metal clanged. Then there was a choking gurgle. Blood sprayed everywhere as Sai slashed a Sound ninja's throat. Just as the body fell, a second scout tackled him, knocking his tanto out of his hand. The ninja aimed a kunai at Sai's face, but he caught the scout's wrist and kicked the ninja in the chest, hurling him into the air. Sai hurled a shuriken after the man.
He ran through a few seals before settling the first two fingers of each hand in a cross shape.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu," he commanded. The Sound nin fell to the earth, riddled with throwing stars. He did not move again.
Sai turned and was greeted by the sight of three more ninja charging him. He moved to avoid a trio of kunai, but a follow up fire jutsu seared his leg. He dropped to one knee, gritting his teeth with the pain. He couldn't avoid the fourth kunai that came to cut his shoulder.
The ninja were close, now. The root member grimaced and dragged his ninjustu scroll across his bleeding shoulder. He whipped out the brush and began drawing frantically. When that was done he threw it down and started forming seals at a speed Kakashi Hatake would envy. By the time he completed the twenty-third seal two seconds had passed. He slammed his palm on the scroll and commanded "Secret Ninja Drawing Arts: Crimson Masterpiece."
The blood-tainted ink blasted from the ground like a fountain, intercepting any further assault.
The ink turned a murky purple, and kept lightening to a deep crimson. Sai stretched out his hand at the bloody chakra ink. It responded to his will and morphed into the shape of two small ninjas, no more than children. Both had swords in their hands and Fuuma shuriken on their backs. They were holding hands.
The Sound shinobi stopped ten feet away from their target. Neither could put it into words…but they were utterly terrified. Something about the children's smiling faces, drawn in blood, just screamed death.
Sai's emotionless mask eroded as he gave his opponents a murderous glare.
"This is an ancient technique," he snarled, "combining art and the user's blood into an extension of themselves." The grey-clad ninjas suddenly looked fearful.
"Do you understand?" he all but shouted, before his voice quieted again. "This drawing is the physical manifestation of my soul, and it's about to rip you to pieces." The happy smiles on the boys' faces became murderous grins, the eyes to blood-red orbs, as they charged, screeching, at the Sound chunin.
Sai looked away when the screams began. There was a reason he refrained from using his best techniques. Art is made up of the painter's memories. He did not want to remember.
Yamato, not one hundred yards away, was engaged with the remaining ninja.
He'd caught one with a stone spears jutsu, and the limp body was now suspended off the ground, impaled. The remaining five, however, had dodged the rocks and were closing on him.
"Wood Style: Death Briar!"
A thicket of thorny branches erupted from the earth. One Sound nin couldn't dodge fast enough and was ensnared in the nettles. As the four survivors leapt away and circled around behind him, Yamato formed the snake seal, commanding the thorns to crush their captor.
The screams were muffled as the thicket swallowed the ninja. Blood erupted from the thicket as Yamato leapt to avoid a blast of electricity.
The captain bit off a curse as he landed in the trees. He'd been pretty lucky with the first two ninja, but it was obvious that the other four wouldn't be letting him near the ground. That was okay, though. He could fight them other ways.
As the four chunin started to form seals, Yamato matched them with his own.
"Water Style: Ripping Torrent!"
*dattebayo*
"Sasuke-kun, why do you…you can't be…" Sakura was completely flustered. She had no idea what was going on. Naruto on the other hand, understood far too well. That voice…Sasuke's body…shit, it was unmistakable.
"I'll rip you apart…"
Sakura gasped as Naruto's fingernails shot into inch-long claws. His skin oozed seething bubbles of red chakra. Within seconds they'd formed the shape of a fox around the blonde's body, complete with ears, and single tail that that twitched and waved about.
"Naruto, what are you doing? That's Sasuke!"
Naruto gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. Tears were streaming down his cheeks. His fists were clenched in anger, his claws digging into palms of his hands.
"No, that's not, Sakura. That's Orochimaru. Sasuke's dead."
"You said Orochimaru needed three years!" At this, "Sasuke's" face erupted into a wide grin.
"I don't know how he did it, but that's not Sasuke. If Sasuke were alive, though, I'd feel something." He glared at Orochimaru. "I don't sense Sasuke's chakra at all. I can't smell him either. You reek of snakes."
Orochimaru laughed. "You have become very perceptive, Naruto-kun." He smiled. "You are right. Sasuke-kun is dead." He pretended to wipe away a tear. "It saddens me so much to say it. As to how, it was a lucky mistake on my part. I had a brief moment of foolishness, and tried to possess him early. Sasuke-kun, of course, resisted. I'd expect no less. However, he ended up trapping me inside his own soul."
Orochimaru's manic smile almost split his face. "I butchered his soul. I did it slowly, to savor the experience. The things I did with little Sasuke…oooh, you wouldn't believe half of them. And then, since I was the only one remaining in his soul, I was the only thing keeping his body alive. A bit after that, my entrapment ceased, and, well…here I am!" Orochimaru's smile was one of genuine happiness, but masked with such evil and sadism that it made Naruto's snarl of pure rage turn momentarily to a cringe of disgust.
Sakura was whimpering and hugging herself. Naruto had heard and seen enough. He shouldn't have let the bastard keep talking. He spat angrily.
"Shut your fucking mouth."
"Oh? Is that anger I hear Naruto-kun?" The sannin smiled devilishly.
There was a roar of pure power as the earth underneath Naruto cracked and ground to dust.
Sakura retreated in fear of the sheer malevolence the filled the air. The pressure was insane—Naruto's killing intent was so enormous it was literally suffocating. She couldn't move or breathe outside of short gasps.
Naruto's voice was quiet, eerily calm. It sent a sharp jolt of apprehension through the snake watching from the tree branch.
"You're asking me…if I'm angry…?" The killing intent focused and compressed. Sakura could breathe again, but if anything, she was far more afraid.
"I've never felt like this in my entire life," Naruto continued. "You've murdered more innocents than I'd bet you could even count—"
Orochimaru smiled.
"—you tried to destroy the Leaf Village. You killed the old man, and he loved you like a son." Naruto took a small step forward. "You tried to kill Baa-chan and Ero-sennin." Another step. "You tried to kill me." Another. "Now you've taken my best friend from me. Sasuke was like my brother." Naruto stepped again. He was only a couple feet away from the branch Orochimaru was standing on.
The explosive power of the fox cloak and Naruto's killing intent, which seemed to have been harnessed only a minute before, exploded outwards in a scream of rage.
Naruto's eyes blazed with power as tears cascaded over the thick whisker scars on his cheeks.
"I'M GONNA FUCKING KILL YOU!"
With that promise, Naruto flashed out of sight, only to send Orochimaru flying, his clenched right fist poised right where the Sannin's face had been. The sound of snapping branches echoed as Orochimaru went flying through the trees.
Naruto sounded more fox than human as he growled. "I swore to punch Sasuke in the face when I saw him. I held back on that one, but now," his tears had ceased, and his eyes narrowed in rage, "I'll make you disappear!"
He didn't care what the hell happened to him. He wasn't thinking at all. He heard a crunching noise as the dust settled, and tracked it to its source—a lone figure hurling a thick bough off their back, and standing up.
His hands clapped together. "Wind Style: Falcon Rush!" Wind compressed behind him behind exploding, catapulting the jinchuuriki forward like a ballistic missile, a purple rasengan already formed in his right hand. Orochimaru struck out at Naruto's right wrist with his foot, deflecting the rasengan, but unable to stop the air-to-surface demonic missile that barreled into him.
The roars of a fox mixed with the hissing of a snake as the two grappled in the dirt, fighting like beasts. Naruto wanted revenge. He wanted blood. Orochimaru, on the other hand, was now fighting to survive against a currently physically superior opponent.
Sakura managed regained her composure and stood up. She saw a cloud of smoke and dust rising in the distance. When Sakura had a clear view, she saw a three-tailed Naruto straddling Orochimaru's chest and tearing at the seemingly-unconscious sannin with reckless abandon. Blood and skin splattered on the ground.
It seemed over, but as Naruto raised his chakra-shrouded claws to deliver the final blow, Orochimaru's mouth opened and a second snake Sannin emerged, covered in a film of slime, and Naruto's claws decapitated a lifeless shell of flesh. This Orochimaru had turned his legs into a snake-like tail.
Naruto stood and flung the bloody shed skin aside like it was wet rag. Before he could defend himself, however, Orochimaru had used a jutsu to cover his fist in stone, and proceeded to slam it into the blonde's jaw. As he reeled from the blow, a second stone-encased fist sank into his gut, the force of the blow lifting him into the air. As he came down, Orochimaru spun and drove a stone-encased foot into the small of Naruto's back. A silent gasp escaped his lips as he felt the air leave his lungs. His spine hurt like hell.
Orochimaru let him drop. Naruto couldn't believe this. A chakra cloak with three tails likely put him at almost the same speed as Rock Lee, and he had enough power to rip down trees. The chakra cloak was capable of taking a fireball at the one-tailed state.. But that…weird earth jutsu the bastard had used on his hands and feet had thrown everything around. I can't go toe-to-toe with this guy…no…NO! I have to try!
So he rose to his feet and charged again. He ripped his claws away from each other in a wicked cross cut meant to leave the sannin with no room for recovery. He was going rip that freak's head off! He was close; his claws were almost there…now!
He missed. Orochimaru simply dropped into a crouch, let the slashes fly over him, then wrapped the blonde's ankle in a stone fist and swung him over and into the dirt.
Naruto clawed and scrabbled, trying to get away. Orochimaru backed away, and Naruto stood, then jumped back.
He went through a set of hand signs. "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!" The gust built and released, but Orochimaru smirked and met it with his own, and the overpowering blast sent Naruto flying.
He landed hard. Every muscle in his body ached. "Urgh…" he almost tried to stand, but something flashed into his line of sight and a stone fist came down.