Disclaimer: All Naruto characters belong to Kishimoto-san.
Warning: Aside from OOC and mistakes here and there? None.
Author's Notes: We apologize for the late update. The entire blame is on me.
Chapter 9: Bellicoso
"Captain," one of his subordinates called out as they landed on a nearby branch. However, Shino didn't need his attention called for, the team members were already inspecting the same grotesque scene.
Never, in his life had Shino seen something like this.
"More like a massacre than a battle," he heard one of his team members conclude, and he had to agree.
"Search for any survivors and attend to them immediately," Shino commented, but he knew... they knew that they were already too late.
-SasuNaru is love-
Dark eyes quickly scanned the report before he let his hand holding that paper to fall limp by his side while he hung his head low. A second later, he directed his gaze upwards. His cold eyes held a maniacal glint and his lips twitched upwards in a sinister smirk. Everything was going according to his plan.
He threw the report up in the air and unsheathed his sword. After two swift slashes, only tiny, unrecognizable shreds of paper danced from the air and littered the ground surrounding Sasuke's feet.
You see, Naruto, great numbers doesn't mean victory.
-SasuNaru is love-
Shizune burst into the hokage's office, causing Tsunade to frown. Ever since this commotion about the attack on Konoha started, Tsunade was just starting to associate hurried entrances into her office with bad news.
"What now?" she asked before emptying her sake-filled cup to steady her nerves.
"We received reports from the back-up team we sent earlier," the dark-haired kunoichi began. "There were no survivors. They arrived too late." She wasn't surprised when the cup in Tsunade's left hand shattered.
The blonde woman clamped her teeth on her right thumbnail while she seethed. Damn accursed Uchiha brat! Now she had to send letters to all leaders of the dead troops. Knowing that they wouldn't take the news well, diplomatic procedure would have to be in order. Obviously, the brat's fury and thirst for vengeance was so deep that it caused trouble in a scale larger than she anticipated.
She massaged her temples. There was no other choice, but to handle Sasuke and Akatsuki all by themselves.
She straightened in her seat. With or without any backup, there would be a bloodbath, but Konoha would never be annihilated by anyone, especially by an Uchiha.
-SasuNaru is love-
Kiba paused in his run when he noticed a bright spot at the top of the hokage mountain. He snorted. What an eyesore! And he said that to Naruto when he joined him at the top of hokage mountain. He looked down at the village which was absent of its usual activity. It looked so destitute and lonely without its civilians who were all evacuated since four hours ago.
"Ne," he heard Naruto say.
"Hm?" He took a furtive glance at his friend and mentally sighed. He still wasn't used to this kind of Naruto- contemplative, mature and jaded-looking.
"I think I finally understand why my father did such cruel thing to me," the blond said and heavily placed a hand on his stomach. "And it isn't because he loved this village more than me."
He trusted... trusts me so he placed this great responsibility on me.
Instead of saying anything, Kiba remained quiet.
"Finally... f-finally, I understand why he made his decision." Naruto clutched the part of his shirt above his stomach. ... Why Itachi did what he did.
Kiba patted Akamaru's head and continued staring at the horizon that which blue eyes remained focused on. "If you ask me, I won't blame you or be surprised if you leave to be with him." He was so sincere, that he was completely unaware of the romantic connotation of his words and consequentially missed the blond's blush. "For me, it's just natural or to be exact, logical." He shrugged and added, "At least judging from your bond with him."
"But it doesn't work that way."
Jaded.
"I can't always follow my whims."
Mature.
"I guess so," Kiba replied. His eyes darted back to the village which would become a battlefield drenched with blood and littered with corpses by tomorrow. When he thought about it, anxiety settled heavily inside him. "Tomorrow," he said in a strained voice.
"Yeah, tomorrow..." Naruto trailed off and a daunting silence settled on them. He sighed and inserted his hands into his pockets. "It's okay, Kiba. I won't let you die," he said while he passed by his friend.
It took a while for said friend to comprehend his assurance, and when he did, he frowned at such cockiness. Quite offended, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called after the blond. "I'll protect you too." Akamaru showed the same sentiment by barking.
-SasuNaru is love-
Homura brought his cane down to the floor and demanded, "What is the meaning of this, Tsunade?"
The hokage let out a low hiss of breath. It had been three days since the date Sasuke claimed he would attack... a date which he didn't show up, leaving all of them baffled.
"The brat can attack anytime," she replied. "I don't want him to catch us off guard."
"You're wearing your subordinates down by ordering them to anticipate his attack."
"I know," she snapped. She was aware of the psychological effect on Sasuke's failure to show up on that day and her order to maintain 'Level One' on her subordinates, but she had no choice. She knew the game the Uchiha was playing. Like a snake, he was trying to tire them out before attacking and she was trying to draw him out by making him impatient. Her subordinates' endurance was everything in this game.
"We might lose if they become too tired to fight."
"I know what I'm doing."
Homura was about to argue when an explosion cut through Konoha's silence.
Tsunade smirked. The snake was out. Now to lead it to its snare.
-SasuNaru is love-
By a cliff overlooking Konoha, Akatsuki and team Eagle stood undetected.
A gust of wind blew past them - an ominous sign of what should come.
"Failure is not an option," Sasuke told his team before they left for their positions while Madara, on the other hand, just nodded before his own team disappeared, leaving just the two of them.
"The day has come," the older Uchiha commented. He placed a hand on Sasuke's left shoulder. "Everything rests on you. Bring the clan back to its former glory."
It was ironic, Sasuke thought. Years ago, he left the village for power and vengeance with no plans of coming back and yet, here he was, looking for vengeance. Despite the nostalgia that was worming into his heart by looking down at Konoha, his resolve didn't falter.
For his clan who were victims. For Itachi who had been a loyal servant of Konoha, who played the traitor to the very end, who had been a brother to him through and through. For all that was taken from him, for all that he lost.
Madara smiled at the barely controlled murderous aura Sasuke was emitting. It was a good omen.
"Let's not fail the clan, Sasuke-kun."
The lad nodded before he too disappeared.
For Itachi.
-SasuNaru is love-
Reports about the explosion on the east, west, north and south of Konoha started pouring in. Neji's team was on their way to the east side when another explosion occurred in the central square - an explosion which caused a tremor within a two mile radius.
Neji paused and looked back. He saw a silhouette within the cloud of dust that had risen and could barely make out the figure, but he was quite certain who it was.
He looked at his vice-captain. "Proceed."
"Eh? But captain, you can't-" But Neji had already left for the central square with a resolve to accept whatever punishment given to him for disobeying an absolute order. His decision might be reckless but-
For Konoha.
Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one who was headed towards that direction.
The tremor had caught Sakura off guard and she would have lost her balance if not for her reflexes. She squinted as she focused her gaze at the thick cloud of dust enveloping the main square before looking away to continue moving to her position. Her green eyes widened when she saw Naruto whose post should be at the North.
Naruto halted when his gaze met Sakura's and all the commotion around them grew distant until it faded away. In that moment of silence and clarity, he saw her fear and concern. He could even hear her silent plea as if she were shouting it.
He clenched his fists while guilt course through him. He always hurt her. He always, always made her worry. He always, always, always made her cry. He was such a jerk, but now with his gaze, he was apologizing and assuring her that it was okay; that he would, straight away, come back to her, alive.
Hinata dropped beside Sakura and misunderstood the gaze the latter was exchanging with Naruto. Her heart throbbed but now wasn't the time. In any ordinary day, she would have walked away and let them be, but there was a war to be fought.
"Sakura," she said and wrapped her hand around her friend's elbow, tugging her back to reality. She promised herself that she would later apologize to them for her intrusion, but not today.
The pink-haired girl nodded and with one last lingering look to blond friend, they were off.
"Shouldn't you be at your post, Shikamaru?" Neji asked as they both landed on the same rooftop, at the same time.
"I could ask you the same thing, Neji," Shikamaru retorted. "I'm surprised that you stooped so low as to disobeying commands."
The other shinobi snorted. "Isn't this too troublesome for you?"
"But it saves me from more trouble if I fight the boss." Shikamaru mirrored Neji's smirk. They were reckless, but they believed that they were doing the right thing.
They were about to take a step forward when Naruto dropped in front of them. The blond straightened and looked at the ominous sight of a gigantic snake with Sasuke on top of its head. The bastard was standing so arrogantly that hatred throbbed within him.
"I'll take care of him," Naruto informed them.
"But explicit orders-"
"Neji, do you think that that will stop me?" He glanced at them over his shoulder and gave them a thumb-up sign. "I'll fight him... and kill him." A jolt of thrill shot up through his spine when he felt a heavy gaze on him, missing the glance his two friends shared.
Sasuke...
The bastard was beckoning and mocking him. Asshole.
Naruto walked only to realize that his feet wouldn't budge. He looked down then glared at Shikamaru.
"Don't die."
Naruto gave them a boyish smile. "You have my word." The very second that Shikamaru let him go, he leapt forward, towards his arch-nemesis.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke felt Manda tense the moment Gamabunta appeared. Obviously, the reptile had a grudge against the amphibian.
"Do whatever you please," he told the snake before he jumped to a nearby rooftop.
"I'm disappointed that you're still here after the information I had given you," Sasuke greeted Naruto and his black eyes were angrily piercing into the latter. "That's the reason-"
He regarded a very calm Naruto. That expression the blonde had on his face was unrecognizable. Those blue eyes were no longer light and mischievous. In fact, they held a tint of crueltry and darkness- a darkness he didn't know existed in Naruto. He snorted. This was Naruto- his enemy and the man he needed to kill for standing between him and his goal.
Contrary to what he expected, Naruto's heart didn't lurch or did emotions such as sadness gripped him. Everything within him was the epitome of the stillness of calm water. He gazed at Sasuke. He saw darkness, hatred, anger and madness that made him his enemy. "And I thought that you had abandoned your plan," Naruto said sarcastically although they both knew that he- Naruto was lying.
Sasuke perched his right elbow on the hilt of his sword and he spoke in a condescending manner. "It's part of my strategy, dobe." He then tilted his head, "Haven't you heard of a swordsman who defeated his enemy by coming late?"
Blue eyes flashed. Sasuke's words and his Akatsuki robe pissed him off beyond words. "I don't care if it's part of your strategy or just plain tardiness on your part, but I won't let you do as you like."
The dark-haired man snorted quietly. Looking at his former friend, he saw nothing but the flame which he used to have... which all Konoha shinobi carried, and he wanted to snuff it out. So much.
Too bright and yet...
He walked towards him with each of his steps calculating and ominous.
your brightness never lit my darkest places.
Fearlessly, Naruto walked forward too, willing to meet his enemy halfway.
When both shinobi were two meters away from each other, they skipped forward and drew out their weapon- Sasuke with his sword and Naruto with his kunai. They both swung their weapon at the same time, aiming for the other's neck. At the exact, same moment, they caught the wrist of that armed hand in a tight grip.
Their eyes clashed.
At the moment Sasuke's killing aura surged, Naruto felt his chakra -not Kyuubi's but his- flowed in him before his own killing aura burst and collided with Sasuke.
-SasuNaru is love-
Madara maneuvered his way into Konoha. Unlike his companions, his entrance wasn't flashy nor was it accompanied with a 'bang', but he achieved his purpose without any attention from Konoha's defenders.
He quickly leaped in the air when he felt a deadly chakra brushing against his neck. Landing at a nearby branch, he saw the Godaime - a descendant of Shodaime. What a preposterous occasion. "That was close," he stated lightly while gently rubbing the area in his neck which was still tingling. "Just when I thought I went unnoticed, you came."
Like him, Tsunade was completely calm, but her eyes spoke of cruelty.
"If you excuse me, I have a jinchuuriki to kidnap." He jumped back to the ground and took a step, ready to go on his merry way when Tsunade stomped her foot on the ground causing a long crack on the area Madara was about to step on.
"You'll not lay a hand on any of Konoha's villagers," Tsunade stated in a dangerous voice.
Madara sighed before seriously regarding her. "Once again, a Senju stands between me and my dreams." When a devious smirk graced his lips, Tsunade braced herself for the hell such an expression could summon.
I am invincible. An immortal.
-SasuNaru is love-
Kisame stopped running and smirked, mirroring the arrogant one that was on his fated rival's face.
"These green beasts will be your opponent!" Gai declared cheerfully. Gai and Lee then took the time to smile brilliantly and give their opponent a thumbs-up sign.
Kisame unsheathed his sword. "Just as I wished it to be." Quickly, he took them by surprise in the blink of an eye when he appeared behind them, initiating their battle.
-SasuNaru is love-
Karin did a cartwheel to escape the rain of shuriken. She straightened herself and casually tossed a shuriken towards her left. She remained non-plussed when the tag she attached on her weapon exploded.
A second later, her shy opponent surged through the smoke and gracefully landed on the ground. A kunoichi, she mused. Her smirked faltered when the said kunoichi arrogantly tossed her hair over her shoulder. The nerve.
"Not so shy now, are you?" she said sarcastically.
Ino waved a hand dissuasively. "That word doesn't exist in my dictionary." She took out few shuriken and even let one of them twirl around her pointer finger and positioned herself. "And neither does 'defeat'."
Karin was more than ready to deflect Ino's attack and lunged forward to meet the blonde halfway. The sound of their kunai continuously clashing echoed all over the place while they moved from one spot to another.
Although Ino was holding up on her own, Karin was still few step ahead and their skill difference was displayed when the latter managed to break through the former's defense, sending her flying across the clearing. Even then, Karin followed her, constantly attacking, never giving Ino a chance to recover.
Ino tasted blood in her mouth, but that was the last thing on her mind. Everything ached and because her vital spots were hit, standing was an effort. She knew another attack was coming. 'Oh, God!' She knew, but her body was still reeling. She felt like she was being steadied, but it wasn't relief that flowed through her. Those hands that held her by her shoulders emanated malice. She braced herself.
Smirking wickedly, Karin slammed her left knee into her opponent's abdomen and took pleasure in seeing the blood that left the blonde's mouth and how those eyes became momentarily empty. She continued smirking after sending Ino flying like a ragged doll, her eyes following her opponent's body as it broke through two tree trunks before slamming into another one.
Groaning, Ino weakly and slowly fisted her trembling hands. The fight had just begun and the fire in her burned fiercer than before.
Karin scowled. Nobody should be able to stand after an attack like that, but here was her opponent, still conscious; still wanting to fight. Stubborn blonde. She lunged forward, her intention vividly clear. Halfway, she pulled back when there was an explosion between her and her prey. When the dust and debris settled, Karin saw another kunoichi standing on a nearby boulder- the same kunoichi who chased her Sasuke for a long time.
Sakura gave a haughty look at her opponent- Sasuke's teammate, her mind blithely corrected causing her heart to slightly wither. "You seemed to have started this battle without me for a quite awhile, I see." Karin thought she was addressing her and she would have replied if not for the familiar voice that caused her eyes to widen.
"That's because you preferred to be late today of all days," an exasperated Ino replied while she walked forward and stood beside her friend and comrade, she placed a fist over her right hip bone. Minus her dirtied and damaged clothes, she looked as if there wasn't a scratch on her. All the wounds she received from her beating and the pain that was pushing her over to unconsciousness were gone. It was all thanks to Sakura who healed her during that short moment when the clouds of dust blanketed them.
Karin shifted her gaze from Ino to Sakura. This person, she concluded, is something else.
"So you're the girl Sasuke had picked," Sakura stated with venom dripping from her voice.
Karin adjusted her glasses. "Obviously, you couldn't keep him here."
Sakura snorted. "Let's see about that." She and Ino leapt in the air. Although they made it sound like that they were fighting for Sasuke, deep inside, they knew that they were fighting for their pride and honor as kunoichi.
-SasuNaru is love-
Juugo stopped his light run and gently swatted the bird perching on his left shoulder. He remained calm, but warily watched the shinobi who was apathetically leaning against a tree.
"You're here," Gaara who had his arms crossed over his chest, spoke and peered at his enemy with just his left eye. Languidly, he pushed himself from the trunk and blocked Juugo's path.
Juugo instinctively took a step backward. He didn't know why, but the redhead's calm aura caused a streak of fear to strike through him more than his stone-cold emerald eyes. Who was this man and what storm laid beneath that calm facade of his? Was he a monster just like him?
He is a monster, Gaara mused, just like me. He remained serene when his opponent transformed into something like a beast whose eyes seemed to tell him that he had a thirst for blood.
Juugo let out a sharp cry and charged at the smirking Gaara.
-SasuNaru is love-
Suigetsu smiled. Sai smiled wider. Suigetsu widened his smile as well.
In a battle, it is a common practice to introduce yourself to your opponent, Sai recalled a line from a book he read.
"Hello," Sai greeted lightly. "I'm Sai.
"Suigetsu," the other shinobi answered sweetly.
They beamed at each other before in a blink of the eye, they met halfway, their blades crossing fiercely.
"Heh," Suigetsu said, his breath slightly fanning Sai's bangs.
That was the end of their conversation as they leapt from one area to another, their fight having already started.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sasuke placed a hand on the rooftop beneath him to stop his slide backward. He then straightened up.
Naruto straightened from his crouching position, mirroring the other. He smirked upon witnessing the last shreds of Sasuke's Akatsuki coat blown by the wind. "You look better without it," he stated.
For all his sharp intuition, intelligence and observation, it was only at that moment did Sasuke realized that all this time Naruto's attacks weren't half-assed attempts in slashing him, but were actually attacks aimed to destroy his coat. God! What a simple-minded person and yet-
"You really are a dead-last," he commented off-handedly while he brushed a non-existent dust from his right shoulder.
Naruto opened his mouth for a heated retort and stiffened when he felt an arm around his shoulders.
"Dead-last," he heard Sasuke whisper tauntingly from behind before the latter swung his sword.
-SasuNaru is love-
At the gush of blood, Hinata was about to approach Tenten who received another cut on her upper left arm, but the latter held a hand, holding her off. She immediately bent backwards to dodge a deadly paper-attack before using her signature technique.
In a second, all papers moving in the air were cut into two and fell to the ground. Without giving her enemy another chance to perform the same technique, Hinata hurled herself forward.
The two parried. Both of them trying to up the other.
"As expected of a Hyuuga," Konan mused as the girl was keeping up with her at the same time, keeping her defense tight.
Hinata mentally scowled. Her attacks weren't getting through. Her opponent was guarding the areas of her body she was aiming at. Although she wasn't impatient, she wanted this fight to be over as soon as possible. Mostly because she was afraid of what could happen if her opponent would gain the upper hand in this battle.
She flipped backward and caught Tenten's gaze. She nodded and hurled herself towards their enemy who disintegrated into shreds of paper, causing Hinata to halt. In an instant, the paper weapons swooped down angrily towards them, and its numbers caused the two kunoichi to freeze.
-SasuNaru is love-
Blood spurt out from a Konoha shinobi's body as the kunai, which was deeply buried into him, was pulled out. The man above the corpse was about to thrust it into his enemy again when a voice stopped him. "That's enough. There's no need to waste a time on a dead man."
The man dropped the kunai and stepped away. "As you wish," he said and he bowed to his leader whose hood fell from his head, revealing his identity, "Kabuto-sama."
TBC
Kabuto enters... Kukukuku