I personally liked how last chapter turned out. :)
Rain Dove: I haven't gotten over that either. I just needed an excuse of some sort to get the clan massacre out of the picture so I wrote that hastily, I admit. Anyway, the story is over 40 chapters now so hopefully readers will be appeased with the later chapters if they get mad with that. Thanks for the epic review!
The True Not Important: Who's ending up with Naruto?
Charrmed: Tsunade-hime will definitely appear :)
Thanks to Babyhearts, merry1995, Corpj123, Rain Dove, zarethuzumi, S.R.457, The True Not Important, tamu and Charrmed for the reviews!
"Nice try." Ukon dodged Neji's strike and kicked him to the ground.
Neji frowned as he got up, his entire body aching.
I've been absolutely poor in this fight. Once I get him with the Gentle Fist, the battle's over, but he's too fast for me!
"What, are you trying to think up a battle plan?" Ukon appeared behind him. Neji was instantly alert, turning round and attempting to hit the Sakon lookalike, but Ukon ducked and tackled Neji down.
Aside from speed, battle skills, extra limbs and the ability to separate himself, this guy... or these guys... they don't seem to have any other special technique, Neji noted. Since they've separated, it might be safe to assume that they don't have the ability of extra limbs anymore.
Ukon charged at Neji, ready to strike him down again as he got up.
"Eight Trigrams Palm... Rotation!"
"What?!" Ukon grunted as he was thrown back violently. Neji stopped the technique.
Let's assume that this guy is a stranger and has just entered the battle. Neji thought. He doesn't know anything of my techniques, while I know his, or at least I think I know the full extent of his.
"Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
Ukon felt the pain of a palm slamming into his chest. He was then pushed back and off his feet.
Shino's gaze went to Neji and Ukon's battle, but his attention went back to Sakon quickly. The feminine-looking ninja was relentlessly dodging his kikaichu insects.
"Return." Shino spoke the command, and his insects did just that. "Parasitic Insects: Spear!" The chakra drainers combined to form a spear once again, and threw themselves at Sakon.
"You think it's that easy?" Sakon laughed, easily dodging the spear.
"No." Shino replied.
An Insect Clone of Shino landed on the unsuspecting Sakon from above, with the clone knocking the Oto nin to the ground and pinning him down.
"A clone..." Sakon growled.
"Sometimes, when you are dodging an attack, you can't see another one coming." Shino had only a hint of a smile on his face. "While you were busy evading the Parasitic Insects: Spear, I created an Insect Clone and hid it in the tree above you over there."
"How did you know I was going to be at this spot?!"
Shino shrugged. "Lucky guess."
"Grr." Sakon tried to throw the clone off, but it suddenly dispersed into insects that ravaged his body. "Noooo!"
"Hidden Jutsu: Insect Sphere."
"Waaaah!"
The insects continued their feast.
That was, until Sakon got back up on his feet and brushed away all the insects with a roar.
Shino stepped back, an evident look of shock on his face.
Sakon's hair was now long and his skin had turned a dark shade of red. A single horn had also grew on his forehead and he now resembled a bit of a true demon.
"So you made me use the next level of the Cursed Seal..." Sakon chuckled. "Well, whatever. Now you've forced my hand, I'll ensure you die a brutal death. How's that?!"
"I'd really rather not." Shino raised his arms, prompting more of the parasitic insects to enter the atmosphere. The bugs raced to the now demon-like Sakon, who made no attempt to dodge them.
"Eat all you want, you little bastards," Sakon grinned, as the insects flocked to him. "My chakra levels are so high now, I can't give a damn."
Shino's eyes almost popped out of their sockets as Sakon charged towards him, ignoring the insects surrounding his body like they were nothing.
He dodged, but the second he moved was also the second he got a fist up his face.
Shino's glasses almost fell off as he fell off his feet.
His speed... and strength... they seem to have increased.
Neji jumped into the air as Ukon tried a low punch. In mid-air, he tried a flying kick, but Ukon blocked his foot easily. Neji seized the opportunity to use a Gentle Fist move, but it was evaded.
"You aren't putting up much of a fight, you know," Ukon complained.
Damn it. I can't get in range enough to use that technique...
"Ukon!"
Ukon turned and smirked.
"So you've entered the stage two, brother? It looks like your opponent was much stronger than mine, then."
"I want you to come back into my body." Sakon jabbed a finger towards himself. "I can handle these two guys alone."
Ukon growled at him. "Bossing people around, like always. Feeling confident now you're in stage two?" However, he relented. The black marks faded from Ukon's face as he re-merged with his sibling. Shino watched in mixed feelings of disgust and surprise.
"Neji, are you okay?"
Neji turned to look at Shino. "Yeah, fine."
Somehow, I don't think we'll get out of this without being at least heavily injured.
Sakon roared as he advanced.
I'll have to use every bit of chakra I can for this, Shino thought. He raised his two arms. "Parasitic Insects: Swarm."
Sakon stopped in his tracks as a mass amount of kikaichu surrounded him.
"I told you I won't be neutralized by these insects anymore," he sneered, about to continue his run, but then the insects closed in on him, and Sakon soon found out the true purpose of the technique as the purple creatures attached themselves tightly to his body.
"I know." Shino muttered.
"So the purpose of this technique is to paralyze opponents..." Sakon frowned.
"You should not tell your opponent about your abilities until confirmation of said opponent's defeat." Shino placed his arms forward. "Parasitic Insects: Pupa."
More kikaichu spread from Shino's sleeves to surround Sakon, but this time trapped him in a purple bug-created tornado shaped like a real pupa.
Shino's hand balled into a fist, and the pupa minimized swifter than Lee without his weights.
"You crushed him," Neji observed.
Shino frowned. "Not yet."
Sakon returned to sight, leaping into the air out of Shino's pupa. The kikaichu returned to their hive's sleeves.
"Impossible." Shino was genuinely shocked. Even after I stopped his movements with the Parasitic Insects: Swarm... he managed to escape my technique! The Pupa is supposed to be a one-shot kill jutsu, too... This guy...
"Disappointed your little jutsu didn't work?" Sakon cackled.
Neji glared at Sakon.
"What's with that glare, pretty boy?" Sakon jumped towards him. "For that, I'll kill you first."
Neji placed his palms in front of him. "Eight Trigrams Air Palm!"
"Graaa!" Sakon growled as he was flung back. "What was that?"
He got up on his feet, and used the speed granted to him by the Cursed Seal to swiftly zip behind Shino. Attempting to grab hold of the Aburame's head and break his neck, Sakon only ended up holding a log.
A sharp pain invaded his back. Sakon felt blood leaking from his lips as he turned back to see one of Shino's insect spears stabbing into his body, narrowly missing his spine.
Not bad... the demon-like ninja mentally admitted.
"You think that will kill me?" Sakon laughed, feeling weaker by the second. However, he also felt the Cursed Seal's regenerative powers working it's magic.
"No." Shino replied honestly.
Neji suddenly appeared in front of Sakon. "Now I've got you right where I want you." He said coldly.
"Hm?" Sakon frowned.
"8 Trigrams..."
Neji lowered one of his arms. The other arm was raised, and he got into a crouching stance.
"... 128 Palms!"
Naruto looked up ahead.
Kimimaro was in sight, but far off.
Growling, the blonde Jinchuriki pushed more chakra into his feet and continued the chase. Suddenly getting an idea, he made a hand seal while running. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Three pairs of hands were soon lifting him into the air and tossing him towards Kimimaro.
"Hm?" Kimimaro turned back as Naruto flew into his face.
He ducked just in time as Naruto flew over him.
"Finally caught up with ya!" Naruto glared at him. "Give Sasuke back!"
Kimimaro placed a hand on Sasuke's container, setting it down. "Leave if you do not wish to die."
"That's what I should be telling you!" Naruto roared, drawing a single sword and channeling Wind chakra up to the blade.
Kimimaro crouched and placed his hands in front of him with a cold look. "If you wish for death, I have no problem in quickening the success of that desire for you."
"Kaaaaaah!"
Sakon took deep breaths, looking down at the puddle of blood he'd made beneath him. Neji smirked, his hand still pressed onto Sakon's abdomen. Shino's insect spear disappeared.
To the duo's amazement, Sakon gave a roar of rage. "Fist Barrage!" He punched Neji furiously, and slammed his entire head into the ground.
Shino's earlier frown returned.
"Y-You..." Neji struggled to speak. "... can still move?"
"So this is what your attacks do." Blood leaked from Sakon's lips again but he brushed it off. "They cut off an opponent's chakra." He then broke into devilish laughter. "That isn't going to stop me!"
"W-What?"
"Most of my techniques don't utilize chakra," Sakon continued laughing. "You guys picked the wrong opponent!"
Neji grunted in pain. I see...
The double-headed nin turned to Shino and smirked.
"Shouldn't you at least be a bit affected by my spear stabbing through you?" Shino quizzed, as his insects began to fly around him protectively.
"Ha, you wish." Sakon leaped towards Shino. "A little attack like that can't hurt anyone!"
"Insect Wall Jutsu!"
Shino's shield of insects surrounded him, but Sakon burst through the wall without a care in the world. "Feet Barrage!" He screamed, slamming two pairs of feet into Shino's face, completely shattering his sunglasses and temporarily blinding the Aburame.
"Fist Barrage!"
Shino felt another two pairs of arms ramming themselves up his gut, and soon after he fell to the ground.
Sakon placed his foot on Shino's ripped open jacket, his arms folded. "Looks like I win."
"Not yet!" Neji shrieked, rushing forward.
"Haven't you had enough?" Sakon mock-yawned as Neji tried to attack him. He blocked the first strike and grabbed onto the Hyuga's hand. Another hand appeared and punched Neji in the face.
The Branch member couldn't find any strength to get up and fight the enemy again. He closed his eyes as Sakon walked over to him, preparing to deal the final blow.
Hopefully we held this guy back enough. Naruto's probably gotten Sasuke by now. That's a relief.
I never thought I would die on such a mission.
But I guess it's a good way to die, eh? Helping out a comrade...
"Sand Coffin!"
Sakon gasped as he found himself enveloped by sand.
Eyes widening, Neji looked up. Is that...?
The demon was lifted up into the air. He struggled violently, and two hands broke out of the coffin-style prison.
"Sand Burial!"
"Haaa!" Sakon burst out of the sand, just in time as it compressed.
"Hm?" The voice that had called out the name of the technique was one of surprise.
"So, he dodged Gaara's ultimate technique, huh? Looks like a toughie."
"Kankuro, don't let your guard down."
"Don't order me around like that!"
Sakon growled. This is troublesome... reinforcements?
"W-Who...?" Neji coughed, unable to look much higher than the newcomers' feet from his position on the ground.
"Who are you?!" Sakon demanded, and caught sight of their forehead protectors. "Sunagakure...?"
"Who we are, huh...?"
Sakon studied the new group, their intense stares getting to him.
"Gaara..."
"Kankuro..."
"Temari."
"The Sabaku Siblings, ninja of the Sand, allies of the Leaf!"
That was a pretty weird way to end it, but hope you liked the chapter. I prefer Sakon and Ukon fighting as one, so I didn't show the two fighting separately much this chapter. I might in the next one though. Yes, it seems a little weird that the Sabakus arrived earlier than Itachi, but meh.
Question for today: Character bashing - yay or nay?
In the next chapter, the Sabaku Siblings face off against the duo of Sakon & Ukon. Meanwhile, Naruto's showdown with Kimimaro commences. Until next time!