Chapter 12: Race against the Clock
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story.
Sasuke was moving at speeds he never thought possible as he headed toward where he thought he would find Itachi, now while the Red Lantern rings turn whoever wears them into mindless animals, Atrocitus had learned from his previous mistakes and decided that this time around, any new recruits would be permitted to retain their rationality and sense of composure. However as Sasuke continued to fly faster, his ring started blinking which caught his attention.
"Alert: Red Lantern signals located rendezvous necessary." It told him as he flew off towards where the signals were coming from. Later he found where the signals were coming from and spotted four familiar at least to him faces the only difference was that this time all four of them (or five if you want to count Sakon and Ukon as two separate people) were now wearing the standard Red Lantern uniforms.
"Who the hell are you guys?" Sasuke asked.
"We are your means of escort to Lord Atrocitus. I am Jirobo of the South Gate." The tall hefty set red head said.
"I'm Kidomaru of the East Gate." The six armed spider ninja said.
"We are Sakon and Ukon of the West Gate." The two headed blue haired ninja said.
"I'm Tayuya of the North Gate and we're the Red four you little shit stain." Tayuya explained with her usual foul mouth.
"Please Tayuya that's no way for a lady to talk." Jirobo reprimanded her.
"Oh why don't you just be quiet fat ass?" Tayuya said back.
"Wait who is this Atrocitus?" Sasuke asked.
"In case you haven't figured it out Sasuke, with Orochimaru and Kabuto gone someone had to take charge of the Sound and sure enough in comes this big guy wearing a red suit with a red ring, and skin that reminds you of the devil himself." Kidomaru explained as they further explained how Atrocitus over rode their curse marks and replaced them with the red rings since the curse marks end up causing massive physical and psychological damage to the user overtime. Curious as to how could Atrocitus be more powerful than Orochimaru, Sasuke thought about for a few minutes and then smirk evilly.
"You've got my attention, take me to this Atrocitus." He said as the five flew off towards the former Village Hidden in the Sound now renamed The Village Hidden in the Rage.
Meanwhile with the retrieval teams, the lanterns and regular ninja were following the trail left behind and watching out for various booby traps left by the enemy while they were travelling Sakura got curious about something. "Naruto what do you know about this Atrocitus guy?" She asked the Blue covered blonde.
"To be honest Sakura I don't know much but from what Walker-sensei told me he's in a lot of ways like Sasuke." Naruto said as the others gave him a look that asked him to elaborate Naruto sighed as he told Atrocitus's back story.
Flashback
The flashback showed an army of robots travelling across the galaxy and destroying numerous worlds. "Long before any of the Lantern Corps were established, the guardians of the universe; the guys who run the Green Lantern corps, thought that robots would be good peacekeepers they called this elite unit The Man hunters; they were never swayed by emotion, they only knew right and wrong. Sadly that was the flaw in their programming. They wiped out countless worlds and races in galactic sector 666 because of their inability to interact with emotional beings. That sector is now known today by another name; the forgotten zone; very few survived the catastrophe and Atrocitus was one of them. In his rage he began to master Hemomancy, until one day he found a river colored the darkest red imaginable and with it he made a ring and lantern of his own embodying the rage and hate he carried towards the guardians of the universe and any and all who fought alongside them " Naruto said as the flashback ended.
"So we could probably face an intergalactic criminal berserker with an entire army of like-minded individuals?" Shikamaru asked as Naruto nodded in response before he sighed; "This is going to be such a drag."
"Cheer up Shikamaru we'll find Sasuke and stop him before he gets to Atrocitus, right Akamaru?" Kiba said and then asked his dog who replied with a bark.
"Well even if we do Kiba there's no doubt that his status as a shinobi will be revoked and the worst he'll suffer is a life sentence in prison." Neji said in response to the semi-overly optimistic attitude of the Inuzuka heir.
Later, the eight ninja had just caught up with the enemy and were about to engage them until they felt a set of red wires and webbing trapping them, thankfully the four lanterns were fine since their power rings could protect them but the same could not be said about the four non–lanterns as they screamed in agony from the searing rage burning their flesh slightly.
"Well look what we have here, eight little turds all tied up with no where to go." Tayuya boasted as Kidomaru's web held them in place.
"You losers should have never come after me, especially you Naruto." Sasuke said with an arrogant smirk.
"One question Sasuke why would you do this?" Naruto asked although he had a good guess at what the answer would be.
"It's simple really; I want the power I need to take my vengeance against Itachi but I can't do that in a village of weaklings like the Leaf, when Orochimaru gave me that curse mark I relished in the power as it coursed through me until you stole it from me Naruto using that ring." Sasuke said before Naruto cut him off.
"That was the ring acting within its programming I had no choice!" He shouted.
"That doesn't matter anymore, once I come face to face with Atrocitus, he will train me to use my rage, my hatred and my disgust as the most powerful tool possible and then I will finally be able to take my vengeance on Itachi, and eventually Naruto you." Sasuke said sadistically.
"Not if we stop you first!" Lee shouted as his willpower caused the webs to explode. He fired his ring at Sasuke forming a chain that wrapped around the Uchiha but just as he was about to pull him in a red stone laced fist struck him in the face courtesy of Jirobo allowing Sasuke to fly ahead.
"Naruto, Sakura go after Sasuke we'll hold them off as long as we can!" Shikamaru called out so reluctantly, Naruto and Sakura nodded and flew after Sasuke.
Meanwhile the others fought valiantly against their opponents but it would come at some high costs; Chouji and Lee bested Jirobo but it took Chouji consuming all three of his clans special food pills that gave them massive chakra increases but had nasty side effects that increased with each pill, and if one were to swallow all three the odds were high that you would die. Lee on the other hand resorted to opening the 5th inner gate and getting approval from his ring to kill his opponent since unlike Naruto's ring which would never allow it's wielder to kill, the Green Lantern ring would allow its bearer to kill but only as an absolute last resort but either way both were completely wiped out however Lee was still able to get back up on his feet, "Hang on Chouji, I'll have you back to the leaf in no time." He said wearily before looking at his ring. "Ring power check." He commanded it.
"Warning Power levels low 4% remaining" . His ring told him Lee sighed and pulled his lantern back out and placing his ring in it. "Okay I better hurry; In Brightest day, in blackest night no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evils might beware my power Green Lantern's light." Lee said as he grabbed Chouji and flew back as fast as he could to the Leaf.
Neji and Hinata were able to stop Kidomaru but it nearly cost Neji his own life as one of Kidomaru's weapons hit Neji in the only known blind spot of the Byakugan and an another one went all the way through his shoulder, Hinata did suffer a few bruises and cuts but other than that she didn't take to much damage, however her concern now was her cousin's life hanging by a thread. To save whatever amount of it that she could, she placed him in a stasis box to keep his condition from getting worse than it already was.
Kiba, and Akamaru were in the middle of tag team war with Sakon and Ukon who tried to use their parasitic jutsu to cause damage to Kiba but Kiba was able to out fox the brothers however the fight took its toll on Akamaru especially after their combo attack the double headed wolf Jutsu failed to put the duo down. However, even though Kiba and Akamaru forced the devious duo to use up the power in their ring, and get rid of their lantern, the duo still did a number on them breaking and bruising several bones and muscles as the price for their struggle, then just when things seemed to be hopeless an unexpected savior arrived in the form of Kankuro. Kankuro easily did away with the two by trapping them inside Karasu his puppet and then skewering them. Shikamaru and Tayuya had more or less been in a stalemate with Shikamaru trying to constantly grab her with his shadow possession Jutsu but Tayuya kept him at a distance and used her flute and ring to disorient him, but Shikamaru would not give up until he managed to catch her with his shadow strangle Jutsu and forced her to throw her lantern to the forest floor but that only succeeded in making her angrier and he had to break his index finger in order to do it but thankfully Temari arrived and blew Tayuya away literally. "She's even scarier than my mother." Shikamaru said to himself in regards to Temari's temper.
Meanwhile Naruto and Sakura had just caught Sasuke by trapping him in a blue energy bubble heavily reinforced with some violet crystals.
"Sasuke it's over; it's time for you to come home with us to the leaf." Naruto said as slowly but surely the effects of both rings were taking their toll on Sasuke's mind; unfortunately Atrocitus had one last surprise for our heroes in the form of Kimmimaro last of the Hidden mist's Kayuga clan. This clan was known for being bloodthirsty and vicious, in addition their bloodline limit enabled them to manipulate any aspect of their skeletal structure and even re-grow any that they pull out of themselves to use as weapons anyway with a Red Lantern ring on his finger he charged at Naruto and Sakura with a rage infused bone sword that caught Naruto on his ring hand and then he kicked Sakura in the ribs sending her to the ground and enabling Sasuke to escape.
"Sakura you okay?" Naruto asked the Star Sapphire.
"I'll be fine Naruto don't worry about me just go and stop Sasuke." She said as she stayed behind to fight Kimmimaro while Naruto chased Sasuke down.
"You have such confidence in your friend, but sadly Sasuke will make his way to Lord Atrocitus." Kimmimaro said bluntly as Sakura stared him down, she threw a construct fist at Kimmimaro and at first it seemed to hit him but upon closer inspection the guy didn't even budge.
"Was that it?" Kimmimaro asked as he pulled out his funny bone and sharpened it to make it more like a sword. "Dance of the Camellia." He said as he charged at Sakura who brought up a shield from her ring but Kimmimaro seemed to find a way to get around it and leave more cuts in Sakura's costume and body. Sakura tried to get close enough to throw a punch at him but his entire rib cage bulged out of his chest forming a spike-like chest plate forcing her to pull back her fist and dodge. Kimmimaro then aimed his fingers at Sakura and fired the bones in his ring hand form his fingers with red rage energy that moved so quickly that they got through Sakura's shield causing it to shatter and crack a few of her ribs sending her to the ground.
"So that's it well I guess this is farewell." Kimmimaro said as he lifted his bone sword while Sakura closed her eyes waiting for death to come, only for the death blow to be cut off by what appeared to be green sand.
"Sorry but I can't allow that to happen." A voice said as the two looked up to reveal Gaara wearing a Green Lantern uniform and wearing the ring on his left ring finger as he floated down towards the fight.
Flashback
Gaara had obtained his ring when he returned to Suna with his siblings; at first he thought things would go back to the way they were before he met Naruto, however that was not the case as the people who initially feared him, began to see that now he was more open, willing to be around them, and most of all less irritable. "I must thank Naruto for saving me from myself, and giving me the courage to forgive these people who scorned me for years." He said to himself as he looked at his reflection in the mirror in their bathroom at home. Suddenly a flash of Green entered the room; "Gaara of the Desert of sector 2814; you are able to overcome great fear." The voice said to reveal another green lantern ring that slipped itself on to his finger. He then put his ring into the lantern said the oath and transformed into Suna's Green Lantern. Just then Temari entered the room and saw Gaara with the ring on his hand when she recovered from her shock she explained they had a mission to complete; back up the retrieval teams sent out to recapture Sasuke if they met resistance.
"Ring activate protocol 3: Permission to kill if need be." He told his ring.
"Request acknowledged, permission granted, protocol 3 approved." The ring said as Gaara and his siblings rushed to the aide of their allies.
"Are you alright Sakura Haruno?" Gaara asked the Star Sapphire who was busy healing her wounds.
"Yeah I'm fine now, thanks Gaara." Sakura replied as Gaara looked at her and nodded before turning to Kimmimaro.
"So yet another lantern has come to fight me I shouldn't be too surprised that it's you Gaara of the Desert." Kimmimaro said staring down the shield of will enforced sand.
"Sakura, it would be best if you caught up with Naruto and Sasuke, hopefully you can get to them before it's too late." Gaara said as Sakura nodded.
"Be careful Gaara he can manipulate the density of his bones making them as hard or as flexible as he wants them to be." Sakura said as she flew off while Gaara stared down his enemy.
"You truly believe that Atrocitus would even help you?" Gaara asked the bone weapon user.
"I believe he would now let's get started; Dance of the Fern." Kimmimaro said as he charged at Gaara who put his ring up forming a three pronged Katar to intercept the strike. The battle raged with Gaara first burying Kimmimaro with his giant sand tsunami jutsu using his chakra combined with the minerals in the ground to create more sand to perform the Jutsu but that just made Kimmimaro mad as he powered up to the first state of his curse mark which was three comma lines retracting outward on his chest and his ribs formed the same armor that stopped Sakura earlier in the fight, Kimmimaro charged again but this time Gaara tried trapping him in a pit of quicksand and then trap him in his Sand Coffin but before he could finish him, Kimmimaro just broke out with his second stage curse form however finally his disease caught up with him and he after battling with Gaara for so long that he collapsed dead. "Red Lantern Kimmimaro deceased searching for suitable replacement." The ring said as it flew off searching for a new person to possess it.
Meanwhile, Sakura and Naruto had caught up to Sasuke who had stopped at a waterfall with cliffs shaped like two familiar figures, Sasuke stood with his back turned to the two lanterns on the cliff that resembled his ancestor Madara Uchiha on the left while Naruto and Sakura stood on the cliff in that resembled Naruto's ancestor Hashirama Senju the 1st Hokage.
Oh boy now things are starting to get tense next time it's the battle in the final valley read and review folks.