A/N: Hey hey hey! How is everybody doing? Miss me much? Well here is the latest chapter. I was told to use more jutsu's so I've done just that!  I WILL NOT UPDATE ANOTHER CHAPTER UNLESS I GET 7 REVIEWS ON THE MOST RECENT CHAPTER. That is my most recent policy and if it is not followed, then there shall be no new chapters. Either way, enjoy this chapter because I worked pretty hard on it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But hey, a guy can dream can't he?

CHAPTER 8

Elemental Jutsu

The whips swung fast and wrapped around Shikamaru's neck. "Given up? Good! The interruption knows his boundaries! Now die for your ignorance to your weakness!"

"Shut up."

The man stared for a moment. His eyes became wide. Letting out a shriek that was similar to a cat dying by having its teeth ground on metal. He jerked his had back to snap Shikamaru's neck.

All that happened was that his whips clenched down. Around Shikamaru's neck, a black ring had appeared. "Kage Ninpou, Shadow Production Jutsu," Shikamaru said.

The man stared even more. "An elemental jutsu? There is more than one of you who can use those?" (Remember Sasuke did so as well)

Shikamaru remained unemotional. "All it takes is focus and a battle ready mind." The man swung his arm and had his snake-like whips return to him. Shikamaru closed his eyes and put his hands together and flew through hand signs. He held his hand straight out and yelled into the night, "Kage Ninpou, Waking Nightmare Jutsu!"

Suddenly all the man could see was darkness. He held out his hands and walked about blindly. He stumbled over a log and cursed. "That's it!" he screamed. He held out both of his arms as an eruption of whips emerged from his sleeves. They spread along the ground and crept over trees, wrapping around them crushing them easily with electric strength.

I think it would be best to avoid them, advised Kage.

Really? I hadn't thought about that, came the sarcastic reply. Shikamaru flew through hand signs once more as he sank into the shadows of an elderly tree, before it too was destroyed by the wrath of the writhing whips.

"Where are you little interruption?!" the man yelled into the surrounding darkness.

"A better question would be something like where am I not?" reverberated Shikamaru's voice throughout the woods. "The answer is anywhere there is not a shadow. Thank you though, because all of your whips, I now have plenty of room to move around in."

Shikamaru rose lightly from the shadows of the man's sleeves and cut at his legs. Falling to his knees, the man was finally released from the Nightmare jutsu, as Shikamaru disabled the man's arms as well.

The deranged man looked the dark haired youth straight in the eyes. "Finish me," he begged. Shikamaru gave a smirk and shook his head.

"Agito!" he cried. The man was consumed by darkness. He didn't know where he was, but he had the sensation of moving many of miles. As the darkness faded into light, a man in a dark jacket and dark blue bandana stood before him. The heavily tanned man had scars on his face and unforgiving eyes.

"Time to get started," said Marino Ibiki of the Konoha Investigation Squad.

***

Hinata kept her eyes focused straight ahead on the creature perched over Tenten's prone form. Her bow string was drawn again and an arrow shined, waiting to be fired.

The creature tore the arrows from its arm and crunched them in its claw. It watched as they shattered into shards of light before vanishing. Suddenly, an orange glow seemed to form in its palm. An orb of fire swirled there for a moment and then expanded, larger, and larger. With a swing of its abnormally long arm, the creature hurled the lump of flame at Hinata.

She fired her arrow right at the ball of fire. As it reached the flames, it split into five and they directed around the orb and into the creature's arm once more. The monster howled in pain and lost its focus. The flame died out just before reaching Hinata. She rushed forward and fired continuous shots at the beast

Most of them bounced off of its tough carapace, but a few made it through to the beast's softer skin under its arms and on its biceps and calves. Roaring in agony, the monstrosity rushed at Hinata and knocked her back. She flew back and hit a tree. She looked up but her vision was blurred and as she tried to stand she stumbled a bit.

Quickly remembering where she was she looked around wildly. The monster was nowhere to be seen. Staggering over to Tenten, Hinata fell to her knees and called out a tiny light by saying "Lux." Tenten's ears were bleeding slightly, but having not other real wounds, Hinata determined that she would be fine.

A bone chilling scream cut through the air and Hinata checked her surroundings once more. She turned around and the creature leapt out of the brush and clawed at her. Hinata stepped back and fired three more sets of arrows at the thing which kept up its relentless charge.

Hinata kept retreating in by backpedaling. She did not see the root. She tripped backwards just as the monster summoner lunged at her. She put her hand up as she fell in some last ditch attempt to maintain her balance. Her hand managed to grab onto the beast's face as it passed over her. Thinking quickly, she cried "Lux!"

When the creature finally landed, it was grasping at its eye in pain. It glowed bright white and suddenly burst into many vibrant shards, like the arrows had earlier from its own clutches.

Panting and clutching her arm that she injured in her fall, Hinata got up and walked over to Tenten. Was the path always this wavy? No, I must just be tired. What's that running down my neck? Blood? I'm felling a little light headed. I think… I'll lie down and rest while I wait for Shikamaru to come back… Yeah, that's a good idea.

The last thing she remembered that night was the view of the sky, filled with stars, before she blacked out.

A/N: My apologies if this chapter seemed rushed. I am out of practice seeing as I have been preoccupied lately. Still, I expect 7 reviews, flames or not, and please tell me how to get better so I can make you guys a better story.