The Curse
Chapter Eighteen: The Twisted Valley (Part I)
Sakura absently traced the rim of her ceramic cup with her right index finger, the steam of her tea dampening the palm of her hand yet warming it against the chill of early morning. Her emerald eyes were unfocused, pink brows furrowed, and lips pulled downward in deep contemplation. A lock of pink hair, wet from her early shower, fell from her ear and the Medic distractedly swiped it from her vision, sighing softly when it stubbornly returned to her view.
Sasuke sat across from her, equally as silent as he studied his own cup of tea, his expression smoothed of emotion, dark eyes distant and lips grim. Sakura's sudden scoff raised the Uchiha's attention towards her, a single brow quirking with curiosity to find a scowl now marring her features, her green irises glaring at her tea, still lost in her thoughts.
Before Sasuke could inquire about the disdain of her scrutiny footsteps sounded on the staircase and Naruto stumbled into the Dining Room, blonde locks wet from his recent shower and blue eyes bleary with tire. Sakura's focus returned upon his entrance and Sasuke watched with disinterest as he staggered into an empty chair and lethargically poured himself his own cup of tea.
"…It's too early…" Naruto mumbled into the silence, glancing out the window to see dark skies before taking a generous sip of the warm liquid.
"The tea will help," Sakura answered with a soft smile.
Naruto grunted and the Medic's smile broadened with increased amusement. She shifted her stare towards Sasuke and found him watching the blonde with apathy.
Sighing once more, Sakura stared intently at her cooling tea, both hands curled around the cup to retain its warmth, expression pensive, "…What did you two learn yesterday?"
Sasuke looked towards her once she had spoken her query and Naruto looked towards the Uchiha. The blonde realized that the Sharingan-User wasn't going to speak as his onyx eyes critically studied Sakura while she fiddled with her cup.
Naruto exhaled heavily, a slight shrug lifting his shoulders, "The Plan is to try and cut through to the Twisted Valley using whatever means necessary. Teams were formed based on abilities and compatibility – at least one Medic and one Fire Jutsu User on each squad."
Sakura looked up to regard both her teammates, "…I have a feeling we've been separated onto different teams…"
Sasuke blinked and then nodded, "Akiyama felt that, instead of putting the three of us together, our survival will be increased if we were each teamed with someone that has had experience with The Curse."
"Understandable," The Medic stated, "So, who are we each teamed with?"
"I'm tagging with Akio and Kasumi-san," Naruto shared thoughtfully.
"I was assigned with Akemi and Akiyama," Sasuke drawled; he looked at Sakura meaningfully, "You've been teamed with Daisuke and Souta."
Sakura nodded, though her features had noticeably pinched with consideration, "I've worked with Dai-san before, so that's another logical choice."
"Keep an eye on those two," Sasuke stated seriously, "Don't let your guard down, even around them."
Naruto quirked a brow with curiosity; Daisuke and Souta – especially Souta – seemed harmless to him; but when he turned to Sakura, her brows were also steeply furrowed and she even looked angry.
"I know, Sasuke," She answered just as gravely – surprising the Uchiha since he had been expecting the young woman to come to the two's defense, "I'll be careful," She looked up to glance between her teammates, "The same goes for the both of you."
'Even if I do have my suspicions about Dai-san, especially with that residence I found yesterday…' Sakura thought, 'We need to be mindful of everything…and everyone.'
"Am I…missing something here?" Naruto asked unsurely.
"Just be aware, Naruto," Sakura advised as she stood up from the table – enough signal for the three to start heading towards Base, "Keep your guard up. As much as I hate to say this, even if we do have allies…they could also be our enemies in disguise…"
Naruto pursed his lips but agreed nonetheless, "Alright."
Sasuke followed Sakura and Naruto to the house's exit, "We have a lot to talk about concerning the shinobi we're working with. All we need to know for now is that we can't trust them entirely. We'll discuss everything when we get back tonight, but for now, we'll fill you in on what Akiyama and his team told us of the creatures' attack patterns."
Sakura nodded, stepping out into the cool, early morning, the skies still darkened and the moon still bright, "Fair enough."
Team Kakashi entered Base grimly, their eyes hooded, their forms taut, and their mentality completely determined. Each were equipped efficiently: Sasuke was armed with kunai and shuriken pouches on his belt and his Kusanagi was strapped securely to his back; Naruto was stocked with various Summoning Scrolls and his own weapons' pouches; and Sakura was heavily tailored with her Medical Pouch, Summoning Scrolls, and weapons' holsters.
Several pairs of eyes followed them upon their arrival. Sakura's own stare warily flickered between the figures standing in the Courtyard under the moon's dying shine, her expression giving away nothing as she and her teammates came to a stop in silent readiness for their departure.
"Morning," Souta called out weakly, tiredly waving a hand in greeting. The younger male was dressed in prompt preparation for their planned entrance into the Twisted Valley as opposed to the older man standing beside him – Kobayashi Masahiro was still dressed in his night clothes, charged with watching over Reika while The Plan commenced.
Naruto grinned with response to the welcome, his blue eyes sparked with eagerness. Sasuke remained silent and Sakura nodded in acknowledgement. The Medic twisted her head, examining The Suzuki Twins as they performed stretching exercises – Akio was smirking with clear anticipation and Akemi was frowning uncertainly. A few meters away from the siblings Takeru stood in isolation, arms crossed over his chest as he stared resolutely towards the East.
Shifting her gaze, Sakura found Dai and Isamu at the front of the house – the former was counting through a stack of ofudas and the latter was sitting languidly on the lower, front steps of the veranda.
"We're missing fifty ofudas," Dai muttered, frowning, "Looks like Toki-sama is having trouble getting more people to volunteer their chakra."
"It's time consuming," Isamu sighed, lips twitched downward in concern, "Capitol shinobi can't waste a day giving chakra since Bird Country's roster is still so new and small. The shinobi are needed for other duties and assignments."
"Which means we're running out of time before chakra isn't offered to us at all," Dai pointed out, "And our trips into the Tri-Point Forest have to count so we don't waste the ofudas that we already have."
Sakura watched as the brown-haired male sighed before pocketing the wards into a side pouch of his bag – she couldn't help but narrow her eyes suspiciously at the man; the recent memories obtained from the day prior momentarily blinding her from the present.
"The sun is about to rise…" Akemi murmured softly causing everyone to follow her worried gaze to the steadily lightening skies.
"Which means it's almost time to go," Raiden responded as he walked towards the center of where the group of people were situated; he was followed closely by Shin and Kasumi, the darker haired male rolling up a piece of parchment that Sakura assumed was a map of the Tri-Point Forest.
As the three older shinobi came to a simultaneous stop Sakura couldn't help but observe them with rapt interest and growing curiosity. Akiyama Raiden, with his shoulder-length white hair and two broadswords strapped at his belt, stood with an aura of authority and stern confidence, his dark eyes piercing as he panned his attention along the group of gathered ninja.
Watanabe Shin, with his cool and apathetic demeanor, also exuded an air of calm collectiveness and sharp intelligence. Unlike Raiden's black irises, Shin's were a dark grey and they expressed his emotions more than the physical shift of his features. He wasn't armed with visible weapons but he did have a number of scrolls on his belt.
Kasumi, Sakura noticed, was a very beautiful woman. It was the first time she had seen the woman and a spike of envy couldn't help but shoot through her with the beauty and grace the kunoichi possessed just by standing beside her teammates. Shining, platinum-blonde hair cascaded in silky waves to her waist, her sky-blue eyes were so bright and even lighter than Naruto's own royal blue; and her fit and attractive figure was modestly covered by a lilac kimono, weighed down only by a collection of silver rods in her obi that the Medic couldn't identify. However, what Sakura noticed the most was that her beauty was matched by the severity of her eyes. While her aristocratic features were smooth and unblemished, her lips were straight and her irises were icy. Just by examining her, Sakura could already discern that the woman was an aged soul – probably the most silent and serious of her team.
If there was a word that Sakura would use to describe the particular set of shinobi she would undoubtedly choose intimidating. They were admirable leaders based on the looks those of The Group gave them – they were respected; figures of authority people couldn't help but follow without doubt or debate. Seeing them stand before her, Sakura couldn't help but respect them herself – maybe it was because they were older than her; maybe it was because of everything they had been through. She couldn't help but feel trusting of them – to an extent – and felt that they would genuinely look out for them, and that knowledge slightly put her at ease.
It was just too bad that she wasn't assigned to any of them. She directed a short glance towards Dai and Souta – Dai was continuing to pack the rest of his supplies and Souta had bounded towards Isamu, playfully nudging the Rain Ninja's shoulder as he teased him about his allocation with the indignant Takeru.
She briefly shifted her attention to Naruto and Sasuke – both observing The Group just as intensely as she had been.
'Though…I feel better knowing Sasuke and Naruto are at least assigned to them…' Sakura thought, 'They've never encountered these creatures head-on. At least I have some experience to hold my own…'
"Everyone to their assigned teams," Shin directed steadily.
Before Sakura moved she turned to both her teammates and lightly grasped their arms. The thought of separating from them, even for a short time and in the safety of daylight, still concerned her. If any of them got hurt she wouldn't be the Medic to heal them. If anything were to happen they wouldn't be there to watch the others' backs.
"Please be careful…" Sakura whispered, squeezing their arms fractionally for emphasis.
Naruto stared at her before grinning in assurance, placing a hand over the one gripping his arm, "We'll be okay, Sakura-chan. You be careful too."
Sasuke blinked down at her before nodding his head in affirmation, "Hn."
Sakura smiled before nodding her own head, turning away to join her assigned team only to be stopped by a steady hand on her shoulder. She twisted her head to find Sasuke staring at her firmly.
"Don't let your guard down."
His dark gaze fleetingly glanced behind her and Sakura immediately realized his concerns. Patting his hand, Sakura gave a final nod of her head before walking away, feeling his warm palm and fingers slowly slide away from her shoulder.
"We will be searching the entire Twisted Valley's edge," Raiden began as everyone gathered towards their respective assigned teams, "Dai has already given the Team Leaders one hundred ofudas each for precaution; Akio has also distributed five flares to each team – used only for emergency purposes or if a pathway has been successfully forged; and Shin is currently handing out radio devices – we will all be on the same frequency. Teammate communication will be without problem since you will be within the same vicinity; however, distance will prevent teams from patching through to each other. Though, it will be useful should our respective ranges decrease and immediate help or aid is needed."
Shin handed everyone the tiny, electronic devices and Sakura instantly felt better knowing she could attain some kind of communication with Sasuke and Naruto should there be a need for it.
"Those farthest from the Bird Border Village will stop working four hours before the sun sets to allow enough time to return," Raiden continued, "However; if complications arise you will take shelter at the Rain Border Village and use the provided ofudas for protection."
Kasumi nodded her head towards Masahiro who helpfully unrolled a map – larger than the one Raiden carried – decorated with various lines and markings; she stepped up to the parchment and pointed out four red dots marked along the Twisted Valley's edge, "Four points: A, B, C, and D. Each point covers at least a ten mile radius, the scope that the team assigned is in charge of examining and finding a breach location," She pointed at the red dot closest to the Bird Border Village, "Point A will be covered by my Team. Point B will be covered by Raiden's Team. Point C will be covered by Dai's Team. And Point D," She placed a slender finger to the dot closest to the Rain Border Village, "Will be covered by Shin's Team."
"Find anything at all," Raiden started, his dark eyes addressing everyone firmly, "You contact by flare or radio communication. Clear?"
Everyone nodded their understanding.
"Any questions?" Raiden asked. Silence was the Bird Jounin's answer and he offered a reassuring grin as he signaled for their departure from Base, "Let's head out."
"This is going to change everything," Akio murmured determinedly, "I just know it."
"You all come back safe now, you hear?" Masahiro hollered, his older features creased with obvious concern.
"Keep Reika safe and calm; don't let her worry too much," Dai responded.
"You're asking the impossible, Daisuke-boy," Masahiro joked half-heartedly, "…But I'll try."
"…It's really happening now…" Souta muttered quietly as he fiddled with the tantō at his belt, "Isn't it?"
"Don't worry, kid," Isamu guaranteed as he ruffled the boy's brown hair, grinning; "The sun's about to rise. We'll have plenty of time to find what we're looking for."
Akemi frowned, her fingers curling worriedly through her red tresses, "…You forget the dark shadows in the Twisted Valley, Isamu-san. You never know what can be hiding in there."
"Will you all just shut your traps?" Takeru scowled.
Akemi and Souta glared at him in irritated answer.
Sakura remained silent as she walked beside Sasuke and Naruto, trailing Raiden, Shin, and Kasumi. Her fingers clenched and her jaw locked tightly.
The group of shinobi left Base and Masahiro behind. The closer they walked towards the Patrolling Facility and the Tri-Point Forest beyond it, the quieter the comments and muttering became until only silence reigned altogether. The tension was thick – anticipation keeping their bodies stiff with heightened awareness and wariness.
They all stopped at the Tri-Point Forest's edge, listening to the fading groans and haunting laughter within. Minutes passed before only the wind's soft whistling remained and the relieving sun broke over the horizon, slowly bathing the land in orange and gold.
Raiden, who had closed his eyes and tilted his head up as he basked in the warmth of the sun's morning rays, finally opened his eyes and took a single step forward.
"Alright…Let's go."
The twelve shinobi traveled as a massive group before they broke off to their assigned points. Naruto was the first to be left behind, heading to Point A with Kasumi and Akio. A meaningful glance was shared between the teammates of Team Kakashi before the blonde veered away and disappeared into the thickened brush.
Sasuke, Raiden, and Akemi were the second team to dispatch two hours into their travel time. The Uchiha gave Sakura a hard stare and a subtle glare towards Dai before he too departed with his team deeper into the foliage.
Three hours of travel and Dai signaled both Souta and Sakura their withdrawal. Takeru traveled unwaveringly ahead, Isamu offered Sakura and Souta a grin, and Shin gave a short nod before the final team headed off for an additional hour of increased distance.
"Be careful out there," Dai stated into his radio device as he, Souta, and Sakura slowed the closer they reached the Twisted Valley's edge, "Your team is the farthest and there's a higher chance of you taking shelter in the Rain Border Village. Don't hesitate to call for our help."
"We won't," Shin answered back shortly.
"Thanks for looking out," Isamu stated, his smile evident in his tone.
Sakura remained silent as she followed Souta and Dai into the dense forestry. The sun still wasn't at its peak – it was still early morning – but the weather was already proving to be rather heated and would continue to warm with the day's progression. While the canopies of the surrounding trees provided enough shade Sakura knew that the rigorous work she and her team would be performing would drench her in unwanted sweat and cause her body to move with undesirable sluggishness.
Several moments passed before the team of three came to a halt, stopped by the darkened entrance of the Twisted Valley. Souta eyed the spectacle of twisted trunks and branches warily and squinted his chocolate-brown eyes to try and see beyond the darkness and shadows – his subsequent pout signaled his unsuccessful results. Dai stood feet away, frowning down at a map in his hands before looking around to make sure his coordinates were correct.
Sakura stepped forward, closer towards the tangle of tree limbs and its ominous darkness instantly causing Souta to eye her with worry – worry that something would snatch her up and take her away.
"Sakura-nee-chan…" He started softly.
The Medic ignored him but kept her steps slow and cautious to placate him; her emerald eyes studied the openings among the twisted limbs of bark, too small to climb through even with her lithe figure – it was too big of a maze and too dense of a pathway. Spreading her chakra, Sakura was intrigued to find that there was an aura present among the shadows, faint but circulating – though she didn't have the abilities to identify it. It reminded her of the grey haze she experienced when she had been studying the Corpses at the Patrolling Facility. Perhaps Naruto could identify it in his Sage Mode.
Reaching out a tentative hand, Sakura placed a palm against the closest tree limb she could touch, her heart escalating as she felt a warmth travel from her fingertips throughout her entire body. The aura she had felt before was even more prominent with the simple contact; she could feel energy running through the bark right into the very ground.
"It feels…alive…" She whispered as she caressed the rough bark before removing her hand entirely.
"Alive?" Souta repeated uncertainly.
Sakura nodded and took a single step back, examining the area thoughtfully, "…So, how do we plan on cutting through this? It looks too dense…"
"Various methods," Dai answered, "We'll try different Jutsu and different weapons and determine which will work best."
"What's first then?" Souta asked as he cracked his knuckles.
"Fire Jutsu," Dai responded as he placed his bag against a tree, navy eyes sharp with thought, "Go for it, Souta."
The youngest nodded, positioning himself in a firm stance before executing a series of seals, "Katon: Endan!"
Sakura watched as Souta inhaled deeply before exhaling in quick puffs, allowing several medium-sized fireballs to shoot from his mouth and collide into the limbs and branches of the Twisted Forest. Hot flames licked the timber, charring the first layer of wooden obstacles and causing a sudden rush of anxiety to fill Sakura's body, the wind picking up as it blew in strong currents against her back – as if pushing her towards the darkness, howling against her ears, as if in pain.
'Alive…' Sakura couldn't help but think again as Souta's flaming assault ended.
The smell of burnt wood and the cackling of dying embers against scorched timber left the three shinobi to stare in equal irritation and discouragement – the fire had done little to clear a path; it had only blackened the bark and possibly weakened the material. What concerned Sakura the most was that it hadn't caught fire. Wood was supposed to be weak against the element – it should have caught ablaze and caused a reaction of burning foliage that should even prove difficult to stop.
Instead, the flames had died out – completely.
"Strange…" Dai echoed.
"Let's try again," Sakura suggested, "Together now. Increased heat."
"You know Fire Jutsu?" Dai asked as he took a stand beside her and Souta.
The Medic smirked smugly, "I've picked up a few tips and tricks."
Souta grinned, "Cool!"
Sakura gestured to the area Souta had previously set fire, "Alright, on three. One…"
"…Two…" Dai followed as he readied his hand to complete the necessary signs.
"Three!" Souta shouted eagerly.
Three pairs of hands moved in simultaneous alacrity and Sakura, Souta, and Dai inhaled deep breaths.
"Katon: Endan!"
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"
"Katon: Hirappa!"
Several fireballs consecutively emerged from Souta's mouth; Sakura watched as a steady stream left her own lips before forming the giant fireball she had spent hours practicing on with Sasuke; and Dai's Jutsu left his mouth in a fast, pressured stream of fire that violently collided with their target.
For as long as the three could hold their respective breaths the heat of their combined assaults blazed brightly and warmed their skin to the point of evoking sweat. All three pairs of their eyes squinted against the burning orange and red of the flames, feeling the wind once more blow just as violently against their backs, wailing loudly in their ears.
When their attacks diminished Sakura stood to her full height, emerald eyes narrowed critically on the damage done, feeling fractionally encouraged that the first layer of bark had burned and melted with the increased heat of the three concurrent Fire Jutsu.
"It made a small dent…I guess…" Souta stated as optimistically as he could.
"Doing this will take the entire day and will exhaust our chakra…" Sakura noted in resignation, "This isn't the best method."
"I agree," Dai sighed as he looked at the rising sun, "We have other approaches to experiment with and another ten mile radius to explore. Let's keep at it."
Sakura nodded and Souta sighed, "Right."
"Rasengan!"
Naruto retracted his hand, allowing his arm to fall limply at his side, eyeing the splintered bark with a scowl. Around him, the winds died down and the blonde's escalated heart rate steadied. He blinked golden eyes, tracing the dense foliage of the Twisted Valley's edge, studying the currents of natural energy running through the tangled limbs deeper into the mysterious darkness.
"This natural energy isn't as strong as the energy I sensed with the Corpses," Naruto muttered, "It's weaker…More dormant…But it gets a little stronger the further in it goes…"
Naruto outstretched his palm, calling up wind chakra effortlessly once more, feeling the currents swirl around and steadily gain strength.
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto leapt forward, throwing his dangerous hand at his farthest reach towards the point he had just attacked minutes prior, "Rasengan!"
The swirling mass of chakra made contact against the wood and it splintered in a controlled explosion, though Naruto's teeth grit in frustration when he met resistance. Around him the winds bayed and his Sennin Mode immediately felt a shift in energy. The natural energy he felt running through the weave of tree branches and trunks began to circulate towards the point of his attack – almost like a chakra cushion if he were to make a comparison. It was still weakened energy if he was able to splinter and break through a layer of twisted bark but if it had been regular foliage he would have easily cut through half a mile with his Rasengan.
He pulled back with an irritated grunt, his golden eyes narrowing as he watched the erratic energy within the trees begin to steady with his assault's end. The winds had calmed also and the area was plunged in silence.
"Damn it," Naruto growled, "What the hell are you? What the hell is this?"
The static of his radio earpiece broke through his frustrated thoughts.
"We've been scouting our perimeter for an hour now," Akio complained impatiently, "I can't find any openings or potential pathways and my Fire Jutsu are hardly effective. Any luck on your guys' end?"
"No," Kasumi answered simply, "My Jutsu are proving ineffective also. All points in this section are too dense to physically explore through. Uzumaki-san?"
Naruto sighed before pressing into his communication's device, "No success here," He eyed the splintered bark in front of him, "My Jutsu are hardly making a scratch but the natural energy I feel is strange…"
Static sounded before Kasumi responded, "How so?"
"The energy is distributed to wherever I perform my attacks," Naruto answered, "It's like a defense mechanism."
"So how the hell are we supposed to get through?" Akio growled, though his anger wasn't directed at Naruto but towards their problematic situation.
"I don't know," Naruto shrugged, "It's not a powerful mechanism, I mean, I'm still able to cut through little by little, but that'll take forever…" He frowned, "Any suggestions?"
Silence dominated the conversation for a short time before Akio replied in defeat, "I've got nothing…"
Static crackled again and Kasumi's voice filtered through, "Let's regroup and re-strategize."
Akio voiced his agreement and Naruto gave one last disdainful glance in the direction of his last attempt of breaking through before scowling and heading towards the coordinates Kasumi relayed through his earpiece.
Sasuke silently observed the display before him. The pale skin of his face and the darkness of his eyes were alternatingly painted by flashes of red and blue. His left arm was warm with the continued use of his Chidori, though, to his immense annoyance, his Lightning Technique had offered little damage to the compact verdure that the Twisted Valley was made up of.
"Cut through already, damn it!"
The Uchiha looked up, watching as Suzuki Akemi slashed her twin sai across the barricade of tree limbs, silver blades bordered in lightening chakra – the added auxiliary helped a fraction but her efforts were just as in vain as when Sasuke had tried the same with his Kusanagi.
Shifting his dark gaze, Sasuke observed Raiden yards away, using his Fire Jutsu Techniques and also resorting to bordering his dual broadswords with flaming chakra for a hopeful advantage against the stubborn tree bark. His methods seemed to be proving futile also.
"This is getting us nowhere!" Akemi complained as she holstered her sai, stomping her foot angrily as she glared olive-green eyes at her thwarted efforts; her glare lifted to the skies and her frown deepened, "And we're running out of time!"
Sasuke couldn't help but agree with her. They had already tried various methods – combined attacks, chakra-coated weapons, everything – and they were no better off in getting through than when they first started.
"This is impossible, Raiden," The red-head continued desperately, "Nothing is working!"
The older male sighed as he ran a hand through his white locks, staring contemplatively at the impenetrable barrier before slanting a look at the sole female of their squad, "So pessimistic, Akemi. Maybe if you tried being a little more positive we might actually get somewhere."
"This isn't a time to be joking!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "We've already spent half the day with no results! I don't want to be out here still when night falls!"
The amusement in Raiden's eyes faded and his small smile flattened, "This is proving a problem. However, I noticed the most efficient method was when we used a combined attack…The only problem was our expended chakra."
Sasuke stepped forward – which instantly caught Raiden's and Akemi's attentions – scrutinizing the mass of charred branches with narrowed eyes.
"Sasuke-san?"
Frowning, decision made, Sasuke knelt down, eyes now shifted intently on the floor as he bit into his left thumb – effectively drawing blood. Molding his chakra, the Uchiha began to reluctantly execute a series of hand signs before placing his blood-marked hand to the ground, an array of black characters fanning out quickly beneath his palm.
Akemi and Raiden both stepped towards him – the former confused and the latter curious, "…A Summoning Jutsu…?"
Sasuke ignored them, his frown deepened as he poured his chakra into the seal drawn out before him. He hadn't used the particular summons contract in years – preferred not to actually – but he was still willingly tied to the summons agreement – a just in case; a reminder to stay on the right track.
Admittedly, the Head of the particular Summons would have proved far useful, given his size, but the previous time Sasuke had called for him it was to his demise and for Sasuke's personal safety.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."
A pop of smoke emerged and Sasuke calmly removed his hand from the ground, patiently waiting for the white residue to disperse before he clearly looked down upon a small, brown and black-spotted snake, its dark eyes staring up at him expectantly as its tongue flicked in and out.
Akemi frowned and stepped away while Raiden's brow quirked.
"Investigate what's through those trees," Sasuke stated bluntly as he pointed a finger towards the Twisted Valley, "Bring back anything that you find. You have half an hour."
The snake blinked, bobbed its head once, and then slithered without a word into the darkened foliage. Sasuke stood, following its trek with his eyes until its tiny form disappeared from view.
"Good idea, Sasuke-san," Raiden finally commented, "Perfect size to travel through there also."
"…What if something happens to it…?" Akemi asked.
"I will release the Jutsu if it doesn't arrive in the given time and then summon it again," The Uchiha explained; inwardly knowing that Sakura would have scolded him for being so callous with his Summons; he sighed, "Now, we wait."
Sakura frowned as she swiped her arm across her forehead, feeling the sweat cling to her skin uncomfortably. Her emerald eyes remained transfixed on the display of her and comrades' numerous attempts through the Twisted Valley, noticing that they had only successfully plowed through a few meters into the darkened brush. She was currently seated on a raised root, a water bottle clutched in her right hand.
"This…" Souta sighed as he dropped tiredly to the ground beside her, "…This is not cool."
The Medic couldn't help but heavily exhale her own agreement. Dai stood nearer to their alcove of charred and splintered branches and tree limbs, examining their labor with a deep frown and furrowed brows. Sakura switched her gaze to her large Battle Axe, resting beside her. It had been their most recent method of cutting through and it proved pretty successful with her added strength – unfortunately, it fatigued her more with both the force of her hacking and the continuously expended chakra.
However, their team was encouraged that the process had allowed at least five meters into the Valley in just twenty minutes – as opposed to the inches they accomplished with their Fire Jutsu.
"I don't think we'll be getting through today," Souta lamented solemnly, "…What a disappointment."
"…Don't give up yet," Sakura offered softly as she stood from her seat and dropped her water bottle atop her pack.
Souta's chocolate eyes tracked her movements watching with curiosity as the Leaf kunoichi removed her black gloves from her hands and pocketed them in her belt.
"Chakra…Chakra…" Sakura whispered thoughtfully to herself, "Something…Something is causing the difficulty to break through. Elemental affinities have at least some effect…It's only more effective when they're combined. But we noticed…" Sakura stepped forward and touched the bark with her bare hand, feeling the muted energy within, "…We noticed that when I performed it alone – with my Battle Axe – we got farther in…"
"Yeah…" Souta cut in thoughtfully, "Why is that?"
"Elemental affinities use chakra, but it's a manipulated chakra," Sakura explained, "But when I was using my Axe, I had been using raw chakra, not only in the strength of my throw but on the blade of my weapon…And I think that is what disrupted the energy running through these trees…"
"…So…?" Souta started, listening intently, noticing that Dai was also examining her as she spoke her theory aloud.
"So," Sakura continued as she curled her fingers tightly into a fist, "If I channeled all my chakra towards the blade of my Axe rather than channeling it to the strength of my strike…Or remove my Axe altogether leaving only my raw chakra…Then the disruption…" Sakura cranked her hand back, blue chakra bordering her fist before she threw it forward, feeling her bare knuckles make contact with the bark of the tree and feeling it splinter easily under her assault; the momentum of her attack brought her at least a meter forward, her chakra-bordered fist breaking the barrier without too much resistance.
Dai's navy blue eyes widened and Souta's jaw dropped with both disbelief and awe.
Sakura smirked as she eyed the destruction of her single fist, standing straight up as she examined her opened hand with new vigor, "Then the disruption of chakra causes it to break." She turned to regard her comrades, smirk a little wider, "It's almost like a shinobi's chakra network. If someone's chakra were to enter my chakra network my body would rebel against it. If the invading chakra is stronger than mine then my body will shut down – it won't stand a chance. Since my chakra is so controlled it holds more power which easily overwhelms it – that's why I was able to break through." Looking back to the Twisted Valley she tilted her head in wonder, "This forest is like a chakra network. You are alive…aren't you?"
"…So you're saying you're the only one who can cut through this place…?" Souta asked; he blinked at her, "Wow…You're awesome, Sakura-nee-chan."
Dai smiled and Sakura blushed, shaking her head before scrutinizing the recent pathway created, holding up her palm and allowing green-chakra to now coat her hand and elongate into a chakra blade, "No, I'm sure there are others. Medics, like myself, who have similar chakra control. A Hyuuga, possibly, with the use of their Juuken fighting style could break through," She sliced her newly created chakra-scalpel, grinning when it cut cleanly through the branch – the wind currents strengthened and howled so she took a step away, allowing the scalpel of her hand to recede, "Medical Ninjutsu and the Juuken fighting style affects the chakra of its targets. While my scalpels can also cut through skin and bone it can also cut through chakra and nerves without severing skin and bone, that is, if the chakra is controlled enough. Essentially I'm controlling my chakra to cut through skin, bone, and chakra which is probably why I'm able to cut through these trees. I'm pretty sure it's chakra that's making it so difficult to cut through…"
Souta blinked again, "…Wow…Okay then! So now we have a way to get through!"
"It's a way," Sakura agreed, "But there might be other ways too. Perhaps even an army of Narutos using Rasengan."
"You think he's tried yet?" Souta asked eagerly, excitement brightening his eyes.
"Maybe," Sakura voiced, "But, whether he has or hasn't, we'll need to find him to work together. I can't cut through it alone; my chakra reserves are limited. Kasumi-san and Shin-san could help; you mentioned that they know basic Medical Ninjutsu? Their level of chakra control will probably be sufficient enough."
"We'll have to radio contact them," Dai informed, "Unfortunately, we're out of range. If we want to gather together we'll have to split up – someone to notify Shin at Point D and someone to head to Points A and B to let Kasumi and Raiden know too."
"Before we split up or call anyone…" Sakura began pensively as she stared at the small opening that took half a day to create, "…There's something that's been bothering me…Something that I really think we should check out."
Dai tilted his head, questioning, "What's that?"
"That trail," Sakura answered strongly as she locked gazes with him, "The one at the Rain Border Village; the one we found beside Yoshiro-san's blood tracks. I remember it being so clear and…even inviting; if that makes sense. It had led to a particular entrance at the Twisted Valley's edge…"
Dai's brows immediately furrowed with memory and Souta looked between the two, completely lost from the conversation.
"Perhaps it was another trap?" Sakura asked softly, "They've stated before that they want me. Did they want me to follow the trail? Did they want me to find them?"
"…It's really creepy how much attention they're putting into you, Sakura-nee-chan…" Souta voiced softly.
"It is," She agreed, frowning, "And I'm starting to really think that that's what they wanted me to do the first time I found the trail. They wanted me to go in there. I think they even placed Yoshiro-san's blood tracks to separate me from you, Dai-san."
"What if I followed the Creature's trail instead?" Dai asked.
Sakura shrugged, "It was a fifty-fifty chance. Besides…" She frowned contemplatively, "…A part of me didn't want to follow Yoshiro-san's blood trail. It covered everything I owned; I heard his dying screams…I unconsciously didn't want to follow the path of his death. Instead, I think I was more curious of the creatures that attacked us; I was more interested in the mystery of what I was thrust into…"
"They can't know that much," Dai argued, "They can't be smart enough to predict your decisions."
"Maybe not…" Sakura whispered, "…But they seem intelligent enough to manipulate fear. Your comrades fell to it with their taunting whispers and haunting laughs. Yoshiro-san fell to it by leaving the safety of his Hospital Room," She closed her eyes, remembering the time Sasuke had helped her sleep; remembering the emotions evoked seeing Naruto in pain and the Stone shinobi brutally killed at the Patrolling Facility, "They arouse reaction and fear out of us…It's their greatest weapon…And they know how to use it…"
Souta audibly gulped. Dai remained silent by the truth of her words.
"I think we should check it out," Sakura said, walking up to her Battle Axe and returning it to its Summoning Scroll, "It's our best bet…I can feel it…"
"It's in Shin's section," Dai pointed out, "And the trail may have disappeared already."
"I left markings, just in case," Sakura assured, "We'll be able to easily find it from the air."
Dai nodded, "Then we'll use Torio," He turned his gaze heavenward, tracking the sun's position, "This may be a new lead. And there won't be enough time for everyone to meet up. We'll just check it out, meet up with Shin's team, and fill everyone in when we meet back at Base tonight."
Souta nodded, "Alright. Sounds like a plan!"
"We've wasted our entire time scanning our damn perimeter…And we've found nothing! Not a damn thing!" Akio glanced through his shaggy, red bangs towards the sky, frown deepening on his lips, "And even if we did find something, we only have about three hours before we have to head back!"
"No one said this was going to be easy, Akio-san," Kasumi responded calmly. Her icy blue eyes remained on the Twisted Valley, arms crossed over her chest as she examined the little progress her and her team had accomplished.
"Well, Isamu was right when he said it was going to be a heck of a lot frustrating," The teenager muttered.
"Uzumaki-san," The older woman acknowledged softly, opting to ignore the grumbling youngest of the group, "Any thoughts?"
Naruto sighed with a shake of his head before he pushed off the trunk of the tree he had been leaning against, "All I can tell you is what I found out through my Sennin Mode. It's chakra that's preventing us from cutting through as easily as we should be…I'm not sure of a way to get past it."
Kasumi blinked up at the skies, "Perhaps the others have found a way to get through."
"I hope so," Akio grouched, leaning his chin into his palm; he sighed heavily and cast his sights to the floor, "I just–I just want us to start getting somewhere, you know? No more dead-ends, no more questions – just answers, or even just new leads. I'm sick and tired of getting nowhere."
Naruto observed Akio's facial features slacken from the earlier irritation he had been expressing. He recognized that the boy was tired – far more tired than a boy his age should be. When he shifted his attention to Kasumi he noticed no real shift from her apathetic features but her light blue eyes were slightly dimmed – the motivation shining there before lessening with continued time and failure.
"We'll only get nowhere if we stop trying…" Naruto stated as he turned and began walking towards the Twisted Valley's edge. When he was only a few meters away he took a comfortable seat on the ground and closed his eyes. Kasumi looked on with mild curiosity and Akio tilted his head in confusion.
"So…" The blonde began conversationally, "What do you make of this, Kyuubi?"
Naruto could feel the slight shift in his chakra, heard the derisive snort and growl echo in his head, "Now the brat seeks my help. What makes you think I'll give it?"
Naruto shrugged, though his lips twitched into a tiny smirk, "Sorry for not asking sooner; thought you might like to sit back and enjoy the ride, as usual. Besides, whatever this is has an effect on the both of us. Think you got an explanation for it?"
"…You're referring to your teammate's test in the Patrolling Facility," The Kyuubi recalled distastefully, "The only thing that can affect my chakra like that is another Demon's chakra or a chakra source equally as powerful."
"So you're saying it could be another Demon – a Tailed-Beast?" Naruto asked, brows furrowed with concern.
"Or 'a chakra source equally as powerful', don't you listen, brat?" Naruto scowled half-heartedly, but didn't retort, "That chakra, the one that is making it difficult to get past those damn branches, it's old – really old. Ancient chakra that's as old as or even older than me."
"But you don't know what it is?" Naruto pressed.
"It's not a Tailed-Beast, that's for sure; we took care of those when we fought Uchiha Madara," Kyuubi answered flippantly, "But I can't tell you what Ancient chakra it is either. Before humans harnessed and used it, chakra was everywhere, grew into many forms, and is found in many things. Until you find the source, you won't know what it is. I sense it, it's familiar, but I don't it make a point to memorize every chakra signature I come across."
"Wow, you're a huge help," Naruto complimented with dripping sarcasm.
"I could stay silent, boy," The Nine-Tails threatened.
Naruto pursed his lips, "Okay, so what about this, Kyuubi – do you think all this stuff that's happening is a Curse?"
Kyuubi snorted once again, amused, "Chakra is a fickle thing, Naruto. Powerful, yes, but can be manipulated in so many ways. If Orochimaru was able to bring people back from the dead, then I don't see how impossible it is for nature – which is the same age as chakra – to influence it also. Anything's possible…It's a matter, however, to keep the balance."
"And to keep the balance that means we got to stop it from happening," The blonde stated, "But to do that, we need to find out what's on the other side of this Valley. Your chakra's powerful, Kyuubi, think you can break through it?"
"Using my power will only obtain the same results as the Patrolling Facility," The Fox answered somewhat sulkily; "You'll have to avoid using my chakra when facing these creatures. The chakra they use clashes with mine and I don't know what will happen if you happen to use it again and for a longer amount of time. It could kill you."
"How?" Naruto asked warily.
"I'm contained within you, boy," Kyuubi answered condescendingly, "Proximity causes my chakra to take away their chakra and their chakra to take away mine. Too much of it going in and out of your body will lead to a rather…messy consequence."
"Oh," He grimaced, "Well, any other ideas on how to get through this maze of trees? How about if I summoned Gamakichi – or even Gamabunta! He's huge, one step and we can get through–"
"I doubt an Animal Summons will help you," Kyuubi interrupted.
"What? Why?" It was getting frustrating that all his ideas were being shot down.
"You don't know what's in there and what that Ancient chakra can do. Haruno already mentioned that the Creature cannot touch a human, do you want to take that chance with one of your toads?" Kyuubi sighed, growling softly as it stretched out his body in his limited space, "Sending a Summons in there is a bad idea. Their chakra pattern is similar to my own. If I can't do anything, I doubt they'll be much help either."
"So what the hell do I do?" Naruto muttered as he crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the twisted limbs just meters away from him.
"Think, kid," Kyuubi answered, exasperated, "It's all you can do until you figure something out."
Suddenly, Naruto grinned, an idea materializing steadily in his head as he recalled their past attempts in breaking through the dense foliage.
The chakra. The flow of movement. The defense mechanism cushion.
Kyuubi followed his train of thought and nodded his approval, "That might do it."
Naruto grinned, standing up and putting his hands together in a single seal, "Okay, let's try it then! Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
A/N: Okay, it's Saturday, I'm ONE DAY LATE…+SIX MONTHS! I'm so sorry! It's been a pretty hectic past six months – I mean, two jobs, an internship, tennis, moving into a new place, holidays…Life pretty much, blah. I sincerely apologize for the long wait! But, good news, your next update for The Curse will be between tomorrow and next Saturday. This update took so long because I had some serious Writer's Block, but now that I've plowed through it, updates should be coming along much more quickly! And the scares, I can't wait until I get to the SCARES, Muhahahahaha!
SO…Please let me know what you guys think, even if this chapter was very filler…Next chapter will be MUCH BETTER! PROMISE!
On Another Note: Please re-read the Chapter 15: Patrol Duty (Part II). Nothing has been changed but some readers are confused so I'm going to elaborate. Team Kakashi, Sai, and Hinata are heading to Earth Country to meet with the Tsuchikage. Karin is staying behind in Konoha as head of the Research Team. She isn't traveling with the others. But she will be relaying her findings to them and Team Seven through Hawk Communication - or at least, that's what Tsunade has planned. Readers have been thinking that Karin is traveling to Bird Country, but she's not. Just wanted to make that clear so people aren't confused when POV changes to Kakashi, and Karin isn't there.
An Extension to That Note: Kakashi, Sai, and Hinata haven't made an appearance yet because they are still traveling to Earth, which is pretty uneventful. It's only been a day since they got Sakura's report and it's about a 4-5 day travel time to get to Earth. I'm being realistic with time and stuff here, so keep in mind that I didn't forget about Kakashi and friends, it's just not relevant yet. Besides, this is more Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto focused anyway. So, just wanted to clarify!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and Company.
Next Chapter: The Twisted Valley (Part II)
Next Update: Between 1/8 and 1/16
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