NARUTO
Nox Noctis Ingredior
Naruto Fights the Enemy
"What?!" Kakashi blanched.
"Naruto, you're out of formation, out of line, and out of your league here," Asuma sensei said, stepping forward. "Let Kakashi handle her…"
Naruto frowned and glared more seriously at the woman in front of him, her lecherous smile making him feel a little on edge. He pointed a finger at her accusingly. "You're one of the Seven Legendary Swordsmen of the Mist! Ryoko Takahashi, also known as The Siren of the Hidden Mist! Like all the swordsmen, you are a deadly combatant, and listed prominently in the bingo book; an S-class criminal!"
Everyone was gob-smacked at the attitude and knowledge Naruto displayed, especially those who have known him mostly for being the cheeky, energetic clown of the class, or the 'dead-last'. At least, he wasn't that now, but still maintained his title of being 'unpredictable'. Ryoko grinned at the boy and, kicking the sword's handle she was perched on, flipped it behind and over her and she landed gracefully on the ground, while catching her spinning sword in one hand. The red-haired woman grinned at the blonde.
"You know of me?" she exclaimed. "This is interesting. A brat like you bearing knowledge of the Mizukage's greatest right-hand shinobi…"
"You'd be surprised how much more I know about your lot," Naruto stated.
"Nevertheless, you should listen to your teachers, brat! You're way out of my league!" Ryoko said with a grin. "You're too young to be my opponent, not to mention a mere Genin…"
"Think so, huh?!" Naruto growled. Reaching back to his pouch, he pulled out a small scroll. In one swift movement, he slit a small cut along his front tooth, and threw the scroll open, dragging the paper through the air as he signed a nice line of blood across it. Then, twirling it around him, stretched it open, and in a puff of white smoke, the scroll disappeared, revealing Naruto carrying a pair of weapons in one hand. Twirling them between his fingers, he then threw them at the feet of the girl in front of her, who looked down at the ground between them at the newly laid utensils the boy had in his possession. "Recognize these?"
On a quick, close inspection of the two weapons the boy threw at hr feet, Ryoko raised an eyebrow. She recognized the spiked duel blades, and their signature feel, and glanced back up at the boy. "These are…"
"Raiga's swords!" Naruto stated, jabbing his finger at them before glaring at the girl again. "The Lightning Fang blades: once belonging to the Thunder of the Hidden Mist."
"How did you get these?" she asked.
"I bumped into him on one of my journeys outside of Konohagakure, near some gold mines," Naruto stated, nodding his head. "An interesting fellow, a bit deranged, but I guess it runs in the family. He wanted to give me a funeral, and I simply declined politely… the rest is a story for another time…"
Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai looked at the by in shock as he stepped forward more, grinning back at the girl and throwing both his arms out to his sides. The group of shinobi watched as two kunai shot out from under his sleeves and the twirled them between his fingers, before taking a fighting stance, readying himself for battle.
"I know how the Seven Legendary Swordsmen fight! So far your preferred technique is the Hidden Mist Jutsu, and all of you specialize in water based techniques," Naruto stated. "I know this, because not only did I battle and defeat Raiga, but I was also pursued by Kisame Hoshigaki… another friend of yours I presume…"
Ryoko's eyes widened sharply in surprise and with a growl, brought her sword up and angled it threateningly at the boy standing several paces in front of her. She gritted her teeth, hard. "Don't you ever mention that man's name to me again, brat! He was nothing but a monster; he treated the rest of us like scum! I have nothing but loathing for that shark bastard!"
"Just how many shinobi has Naruto faced in his past life?" Kiba queried, glancing round at the others standing around him, all of them sharing the same looks of shock and disbelief. "Is anyone else besides me finding this situation hard to believe, or am I just a lone wolf hunting in the snow for answers here?"
"I think we're all trying to figure our way out of this debacle, Kiba," Ino murmured dazedly, shocked at the amount of confidence, skill and knowledge Naruto had just displayed right now. "When did Naruto get so smart?"
"You see, this is what happens when you have doubts about someone," Choji pointed out.
"Guys, just stay on guard," Sakura hissed at them, resuming her stance after recovering from her state of shock. "If what Naruto says is true, then we can't be at ease just because we have four Jonin with us and outnumber this woman a dozen to one…"
"You may just be a kid, but believe me when I say this; I won't take it easy on you!" Kyoko said, a grin re-emerging on her lips. "I've come across hundreds like you!"
Naruto grinned back at her. "Yes you have! But count me as your last!"
"Get her, Gaki!" Anko exclaimed, holding her fist up. "We'll cover you!"
"Thanks!" Naruto shouted, suddenly breaking off, sprinting off to the side and pitching the two kunai he held at the woman.
Ryoko immediately batted them to the side with her sword, grinning wildly while expertly spinning her blade around her as if it were nothing. She spun round to meet the boy charging at her full-on, his pace set at a surprisingly faster level then what she recognized as a Genin. He was above that level…
"COME ON!" she roared. However, just as she took a step forward, the ground at her feet cracked and she looked down in surprise, where she saw a kunai shot out of the ground, followed by an arm, and the body. It came as quite a surprise to her to see that it was the boy that emerged from the ground, the same one charging at her. "What?!" Ryoko growled, spinning her sword round and blocking the kunai strike coming straight up at her, debris flying, and the force of the attack driving into her defense. Caught off guard, the swordswoman retreated, pushing off the ground and flying backwards towards the lake behind her. She landed with a light patter, and twirled her sword round her, taking a basic stance. "A clone, huh?"
The Naruto that shot out of the ground got onto his hands and knees, as the real Naruto leapt onto his back, and jumped from it, propelled into the air by the extra momentum given by the copy. Once airborne, Naruto threw his right hand back forward, followed by his left one after the other, pitching a cluster of shuriken in the swordswoman's direction. Ryoko grinned cockily and avoided each of the shuriken, backing away slowly as the blonde plummeted towards her.
"This is nothing, brat!" she exclaimed. "You'll have to do…"
"A lot better, huh?" a voice sounded from behind her, finishing her sentence. Ryoko spun around in surprise, seeing a mass of twenty or so Naruto's charging at her across the water.
"What the?"
"Surprise!" they all yelled, leaping at her one after another, continuing their assault, while circling her at the same time.
Ryoko spun her sword around her, striking at the first clones attacking her. A couple of the puffed away, while more of them drew kunai blades and began lashing out at her with multiple attacks with unexpected skill, precision and speed. The swordswoman, underestimating her opponent, found it difficult to fend off the volley of attacks, while attempting to thin out the enemy's numbers. The two combatants danced across the water, performing a variety of attacks, blocks and counters, with Ryoko being forced into a very narrow, close combat fight, as her sword was a little too cumbersome to be used in point-blank combat.
"He's running on the water?" Choji shouted.
"That's rather surprising," Shino murmured.
"How is he able to do that? Not even we can do that now!" Kiba exclaimed, blinking in shock. "Heck, we're still just learning how to climb trees, dammit!"
"Apparently, Naruto has learned to progress on his own fairly well, without having anyone to teach him," Asuma said, glancing over at Anko across the faces of a shocked Kakashi and a shocked Kurenai. "I guess, aside from his own personal studies, you've taught him a thing or two as well, haven't you Anko…?"
"Every chance I got," Anko exclaimed, crouching low onto the ground and placing her hand on the earth, while watching the battle unfold on the water's surface. Clanging of kunai rang out, along with sounds of fists and kicks making contact as the Naruto clones continued their assault, soon to be joined be more.
"Since when did Naruto learn how to water walk?" Kakashi asked, looking down at Anko. "He's far more advanced then the other students. What have you been teaching your team?!"
"A lot, actually," Anko explained. "I first allowed them to adjust to their new conditions and environment, and am allowing them to bond as teammates! This allows them to build confidence in each other, and their abilities. I have also sent them on a lot of… err… errands, strength building, chakra exercises, and simulated various types of battle situations. I have to say, the three of them are quite strong individually, and not just together…"
"What about Sakura and Hinata…?" Kurenai asked.
"I'm sure they've got a trick or two up their sleeves?" Anko said with a grin.
The Jonin came to a silent, unanimous vote to never like that grin she used…
"Heh! Come on, brat! Is that all you've got!" Ryoko exclaimed, blocking multiple strikes from the kunai wielding blonde, as he came at her with a series of advanced taijutsu attacks, making the woman move her sword around her at impossible angles. However, despite the boy's efforts, the red haired swordswoman found herself toying with the young Genin. Naruto came at her with slash, which she caught in a grappling lock. "You've got good skill! Don't waste it!"
"This fight is just beginning!" Naruto stated, grinning madly. His eyes have taken on that full expression of a dead-man, the look that made his friends quiver and fear. It was one a lot of people who saw it a first time knew, and Ryoko noted this, raising an eyebrow at him. As their weapons grinded against each other, and as they remained locked together in a grapple, sparks flying from the metal and onto the lake's rippling surface, the woman huffed.
"I know that look… how pitiful!"
Suddenly, a shadow cast over her, and Ryoko looked behind and above her to see another clone flying towards her, throwing its left arm back, the blade from the sleeve emerging, poised to strike. With her back undefended, and clearly busy with the real one in front of her, Ryoko looked as though she was about to be cut down. However, just before the Naruto clone could reach its target, the swordswoman decided to lose the training wheels, and take this boy on more seriously. Smirking, she shoved the boy she was locked in a grapple with, away, and then spun around, her sword blade flashing through the air, before cutting through the fake opponent just inches away from landing a killing blow. She took it out, and it vanished in a slash of wind, and a puff of smoke.
"Not bad at all!"
Naruto once again spun in from the guard break with another slash of his kunai, Ryoko met his blade with her own, effortlessly knocking him back with another slash on her next spin-around. She then leapt at the boy, bringing the sword up in two hands and bringing it down onto the boy, only to have him block it with two more kunai, sparks flying as she pressured him with the massive sword. Naruto gritted his teeth as he held her blade back, the red-haired swordswoman huffing as she put more strength and pressure onto the blade, attempting to break the boy's guard. However, much to her surprise, she found it hard to do so.
Grinning, Naruto glanced to his right. "HINATA! GO FOR IT!"
"Huh?" Ryoko also looked, only to see the blur of a palm strike appear out of nowhere, with a slash and a grunt, the woman leapt back, avoiding the strike. Landing away from her opponent, she brought her sword around as a barrage of close-combat blows laced with chakra began bombarding her front the front. Ryoko backed away, bringing her sword to bear and blocking the series of attacks high and low, from this advancing, new opponent. The side of her sword caught all the blows, thumping against the thick metal, and going off with loud thuds and clangs.
"Six Tri-Grams Strike!" Hinata shouted, Byakugan flaring as she thrust two fingers forward, a burst of bright blue chakra knocking the defensive Ryoko staggering back. The young Hyuuga dropped low and watched as her opponent shook out of the attack. "Eight Tri-Grams Palm!" the girl shouted, again thrusting another palm strike forward, the blade of wind emerging from it whacking into the red haired swordswoman like a pulsating shock-wave. However, Ryoko managed to bring her sword up and sliced at it in kind, cutting the force of the attack effortlessly.
"A new opponent, huh?" Ryoko exclaimed. "Bring it girlie!"
It came as a big surprise to all those watching that not only could Naruto walk on water, but Hinata as well, and soon should another…
Ryoko spun her sword and leapt at Hinata with speed the girl was shocked at. Within seconds she was upon the girl, who dropped back defensively. In that instance, Naruto came to her aid, appearing in front of her and bringing up the two, large kunai he had been using before against the swordswoman, the same markings Mizuki had seen etched on their blades and handles. The red haired Missing Nin grinned at the sight of the two Genin glaring up at her as she brought her blade down on both of them.
"Die!"
Acting quickly, Naruto got onto one toe and pivoted into a spin, grabbing Hinata and in a whirl of leaves, vanished. Ryoko's blade struck the water's surface with a splash, and she gritted her teeth in annoyance.
"That irritating, no god brat!" She looked up, seeking out her opponent, but was distracted by a shadow growing around her.
Hinted that someone was attacking from above, she glared up towards the sky to see the outline of the pink haired Genin flying down at her from above, fist curled back and glowing blue with the aura of chakra. The girl's descending speed was incredible, and Ryoko was caught off guard when the girl thrust her fist down at her.
"Take this!"
An explosion of water shot up from the lake when Sakura impacted against it, the fate of her and the swordswoman masked by the walls of water. The Genin looked on in shock, as well as the Jonin, save for Anko, who was grinning proudly as she watched her students tackle on the Missing Nin head-on. It didn't take long for the wall of water to fall back into the lake, and as it was still showering droplets, everyone could see what was happening. Ryoko leapt backwards from the center of the explosion of water, followed by a charging Sakura, kunai held in hand. She lashed out at the woman with controlled attacks, her blade twirling between her fingers on every return, and clanging against the defensive parries made by the red haired woman.
Catching the pink haired girl in a grapple, Ryoko grinned down at her as she held the girl's strike down with the tip of her sword's blade.
"Please… you think you can kill me… you little bitch!" she growled, swinging her sword downwards, knocking Sakura back, who then leapt into the air and performed a flip. Redirecting her momentum, Sakura flew straight back down at the woman, yelling out at the top of her lungs as she prepared for a dive strike.
"Heh…" Ryoko grinned, backing down into a fighting stance. Sword held lightly in her right hand, formed a single hand-sign and, producing the chakra she required, stimulated the water at her feet. The ripples moving outwards from her then suddenly became violent, and a stream of water shot out from the water from behind her, smooth and without any white caps to be seen as it shot straight up at the pink-haired girl.
"Water Style: Water Whip Technique!"
The attack struck Sakura head-on, the force of it echoing out and looking as though it really stung. However, just as Kakashi and Asuma were about to step in to take over the fight, Sakura suddenly exploded into a shower of cherry-blossom petals, the swordswoman furrowing her brow and glaring up at the petals falling around her.
"What the…?" It was then, she suddenly noticed something off about the petals; black ink-marks drawn onto each individual petal. Ryoko took a moment to analyze one of them that had fallen onto her shoulder, and seeing what was inscribed, widened her eyes and glared behind her, seeing the blonde she had been fighting before and his two female teammates accompanying him. With a grin, Naruto held up his left hand and formed a single-handed seal, smirking.
"Katsu…"
BOOOM!!!
Another explosion rocked the lake's surface, sending water everywhere. The students standing by gawked at the intensity of the explosion, with the Jonins also witnessing the explosion nodding in approval. Anko fisted her hand and jabbed it in front of her.
"Hoosha! Way to go, Sakura!"
Kurenai raised an eyebrow and glanced at her friend. "Isn't that Sakura's quote?"
"Who cares?! What an attack!"
"That was quite a good move…"
Back to the three Genin standing on the water and watching the fireworks, Naruto dusted his hands down and smirked as he watched the wall of water cascade in a scattered shower back down to the lake. Sakura and Hinata too joined him in his smiling, and admired their handiwork.
"Naruto and Sakura Combo Attack: Cherry Blossom Fire Shower Technique!" the blonde Genin exclaimed, twirling a kunai in his right fingers and clasping it into a single-handed grasp. "How'd you like that?"
"Moderate Approval," Ryoko's voice sounded from the bellowing smoke and cascading water, surprising the trio as they stared into the aftermath of the explosion, where they saw the figure of the red-headed woman appear, arms folded and a grin on her face. The woman laughed as she came into full, untainted view of the three Genin and the rest of the traveling convoy, all of the gaping in shock that the young teen didn't have any significant damage, only slight tears in her clothes, a bruise or two and a small smudge on her right cheek. "What was that? I asked for a fight, not a children's game! This is starting to bore me…"
"What the… how did she?" Sakura gaped.
"S-She shouldn't have survived that!" Hinata continued.
"All those attacks, and they were for nothing," Asuma said, spitting the cigarette from his mouth and cracking his neck. "Guess we'll have to take this swordswoman a little more seriously. She's a lot stronger than I expected…"
"I agree, but lets not get too hasty, Asuma," Kurenai said, reaching back into her pouch and searching for a kunai or two.
Naruto gritted his teeth angrily, but then kept that in check and grinned a second later. He then started chuckling, much to the chagrin of the swordswoman, who at first, thought she had gotten through to all of them already. But, this one was different. This boy was incessantly mocking her intimidating tactics, throwing them back into her face with his amusement.
Sakura and Hinata looked at Naruto as he laughed, head lowered and body trembling. The other students and the Jonin looked at him as well, watching as the boy giggled and laughed amusingly for the next few seconds before he looked up, eyes glowing darkly and a huge, shit-eating grin on his face.
"I know I may be… different from the others. It was these differences that set me a part from everybody else, and was the basis of me being ridiculed all my life when I lived in the villages, where people knew exactly what I was carrying inside of me," Naruto said, wiping his thumb over his forehead before lowering it into an angled, thumbs-up. "But what are you going to do, deep down you and I are the same… every little bit of us. There is a place where those of us who truly know pain and suffering, and who can walk that path… wouldn't you agree with me… lady?!"
Ryoko furrowed her brow, but then grinned a second later, her expression of insanity and darkness matching that of Naruto's, and she crouched low into a fighting stance.
"You're right kid… you and I both walk that path…" she hissed, brow overshadowing in that familiar, dark-Naruto way. "Suddenly, I'm starting to feel that I shouldn't pity you. Instead… I'll give you my respect…brat…"
Naruto smirked, and with a grunt, pushed off the water, going into a swift charge, with Sakura and Hinata remaining where they were, watching as their teammate took on Ryoko head-to-head.
"Naruto! Be careful!" Hinata shouted after him.
"Naruto-kun…" Haru murmured from behind the Genin protectors, Ino taking especially good care of her, while glancing back to check on the Jiao every now an again to make sure its safe.
The blonde Genin leapt at the girl with lightning fast speed, but the young red-head was already prepared for this, performing a swift variety of hand signs and watching as the boy flew at her. Grinning from ear to ear, a swirl of up-heaving water suddenly began chopping around her in a clock-wise direction.
"Big mistake, brat!"
"WATCH OUT NARUTO!" Anko shouted.
"Too late! Water Style: Multi-Water Whip Technique!" Ryoko shouted, and a dozen or so streams of water shot out of the surrounding whirlpool at her feet and whipped through the air, directly towards the boy. Naruto gasped, and didn't have time to react as the multiple jet streams of water struck him full on and threw him into the trees on the other-side of the lake. The blonde disappeared in a cloud of smoke, debris and splinters. He was thrown right over the heads of his two teammates, who watched him disappear into the woods.
"No! Naruto!" Sakura called out.
"NOW YOU DIE BRATS!" Ryoko shouted, her blurred form suddenly appearing in front of the two Genin. The girls were too stunned and distracted to even reset their guards, and couldn't do anything as the red-haired swordswoman swung her massive blade towards them, aimed to slice their heads off, and end this battle in one move.
She swung, but her blade was blocked with a loud clang by the appearance of the big Jonin, Asuma Sarutobi. With his trench-knives, he held the red-headed girl's blade in a locked position, his arms trembling and teeth gritted as he glared the girl down. Ryoko raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Oh…interesting…"
"Sakura! Hinata! Go find Naruto! See if he's okay!" Asuma shouted. "We'll take care of this!" With a yell, he shoved the young Missing Nin away, with the red-haired swordswoman landing several meters back and taking a stance, watching as she was surrounded by Kakashi, Anko and Kurenai, the four Jonin taking up position on all her sides.
The two girls nodded in understanding and ran off across the water toward the area Naruto was hurled into. They disappeared into the broken trees, to search the branches and undergrowth. Meanwhile, the other students stood guard of the Jiao and Haru, and watched the battle that was to take place between the Siren of the Hidden Mist and the Four Strongest Jonin of Konohagakure.
Ryoko stood in the box made by her opponents and looked around at the four of them, a grin on her face. She was met by the blades of Asuma, the Sharingan of Kakashi, the red-eyes of Kurenai, and the grin made by Anko. However, in spite of the fighting stances they took, and the threat they posed, she could tell they were nervous. The woman chuckled and spun her blade in her grip, swinging it through the air before resting it on her shoulder, taking a stance in preparation for the showdown.
"Ha-ha! I remember when I faced down four Jonin like this before," Ryoko exclaimed. "They were truly impossible odds! Heh…I've done this hundreds of times before… don't think you'll fair any better against me than those who have tried to take me on!"
The four Jonin hardened their glares.
"Enough of this foolishness," Kurenai growled. "We're going to end this here and now!"
"Prepare yourself!" Kakashi stated.
"Or surrender, and come quietly," Asuma said.
"We'll treat you right if you do…" Anko grinned, running her tongue over her drawn kunai.
"Really," Ryoko exclaimed in a happy tone, bringing her blade up to her mouth and running her own tongue over it, mimicking Anko, but instead, cut it against the side. She lapped away the blood on her tongue and moaned in appreciation, before taking the sword into a sweeping grip and slashed around her, a slight gust of wind blasting outwards, and the water being cut where she ran the tip of the blade. "As tempting as that sounds, I think I'll pass. I'LL BE GLAD TO KILL YOU ALL!!!"
TO BE CONTINUED…