D1: Sandstorm is recorded in front of a live studio audience.
Chapter 8 – Knight of bone
The walls of the leaf village were battered and broke but they still stood high, as if in defiance of the sound village's attacks. Ninja, from Anbu to Chunin, were scattered around and on top of the walls, keeping guard as the sun glared down from high above. A Chunin twitched as something moved in the forest but he dismissed it as an animal. He missed the shadow creeping along the bottom of the wall, leaving explosive tags in his wake. The Chunin stood again as the same movement in the forest caught his eye. He was about to raise attention to it, when a blade erupted from the foliage and buried itself in his neck. He choked and tumbled to the bottom of the wall. An expressionless face watched the ninja the hit the ground and raised a blade with another tag wrapped around it. He hurled the blade at the wall and it exploded before it touched the stone, setting off the other explosives. The stone of the wall crumbled and collapsed, creating a path for the attack. The sullen faced man raised his arm above his head then swung it forward. Large silhouettes materialised from nowhere and dashed into Konoha.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The heads of the Konoha turned as one and they all looked towards the plume of smoke rising over the remaining rooftops. Sasuke cracked his knuckles as several Anbu members rocketed overhead.
"Looks like we're on," he muttered and led the charge.
Naruto and Sakura bounded along side Sasuke as they followed the Anbu. As they reached the scene Naruto had to do a double take, each of the soldiers looked more animal than human. The creature leading the pack had tiger-like fur covering his arms and claws on his fingers. Sasuke's face turned grim as he studied the enemy.
"Orochimaru's test subjects," he growled then turned to the others, "listen up, these creatures aren't human anymore and they're completely out of control. The only thing we can do is put them out of their misery."
The others nodded and they joined the battle. Naruto dispatched the first of the creatures with his chakra blades. Its form became more human as it collapsed. Sasuke launched himself into the air, raining fireballs down on the crowd of creatures. Kiba and Akamaru rocketed through the monsters, scattering them in all directions as Lee kicked another creature into the air, bringing it back down with a primary lotus. Sakura grabbed a monster with crablike armour as it tried to strike her; she swung it over her shoulder and into the ground. Its armour shattered and it lay still. Ruby eyes fixed on lavender as a wolf headed beast saw Neji and lunged. The beast was flung backwards by Neji's rotation, crashing into more of Orochimaru's monsters. Naruto was caught off guard by a scorpion-tailed creature springing out of the ground beneath him. He landed in a pile of sand and looked around to see Gaara leading the sand forces into the attack. Naruto got back to his feet and rocketed at the scorpion again. He severed the creature's tail and slashed its throat. Naruto saw the vast number of monsters pouring through the hole in the wall as the scorpion fell and his face darkened.
"A sandstorm is coming," he growled and flickered, leaving a flock of shadow clones in his wake.
Sasuke made to slam his fist into an enemy but it was sent flying backwards by a yellow blur.
Naruto moved faster than ever before, forming a one-person barrier between the monstrous enemy and the Konoha forces. The Konoha and Suna ninja pulled back and prepared for the second wave.
"Finally found a way to channel his hyperactivity," Kakashi said as he appeared next to Sasuke.
The Uchiha saw Naruto's speed drop and the creatures behind the human wall massing. Kakashi gritted his teeth.
"Sasuke, when the wall falls we'll cover Naruto's retreat."
Sasuke nodded, creating a Chidori as Kakashi formed a lightning blade. Several puffs of smoke were the cue for the lightning wielding Shinobi to rush forward and carve twin paths through the enemy creatures. Naruto appeared next to Sakura, panting heavily and chakra blades flickering. He wobbled; Sakura grabbed him before he fell.
"Naruto, you alright?" she asked.
"Yeah," Naruto muttered, forcing himself to stand on his own.
"Keep it up!" Neji called as he felled another monster, "their numbers are falling!"
The mass of monsters Kakashi and Sasuke had missed thundered towards the Konoha ninja.
"Retreat!" Sakura ordered, launching herself out of the path of destruction, the other ninja following her lead. Sakura looked back and saw Naruto hadn't moved.
"Naruto!" Sakura screamed, "Get out of there!"
Naruto raised his arms over his head, crossing his forearms as he did.
Fox. Chakra. Now! Naruto screamed inside his head.
Naruto felt a blast of red chakra surging down his arms and he shaped it into his blades, adding his wind element at the same time. Orochimaru's monsters continued their advance, oblivious to the Shinobi in their path. With a roar that would have made Shukaku shake, Naruto swung his arms down in a great arc and sent an x shaped shockwave racing towards the beasts. The shockwaves slashed through the crowd of beast, devastating their ranks and scattering them in all directions. Most were dead before they hit the ground. Naruto didn't get the chance to relax as another large crowd advanced on him. Naruto flickered again, dispatching enemy after enemy. From his vantage point, Sasuke's Sharingan saw Naruto was slowing. Kakashi also seemed to have notice Naruto's drop in speed.
"He's running out of chakra," Kakashi muttered.
"Well, at least the enemies are running out," Sasuke noted.
Naruto slammed his foot into a wolf headed creature and it crumpled under the blow. Naruto looked around and found the enemy forces were crushed. His chakra blades faded as Kakashi, Sasuke and Sakura landed next to Naruto. Kakashi looked at the devastation caused Naruto's attacks.
"I think you went a little overboard," Kakashi smiled.
Naruto managed to return the smile before his knees gave out. Sasuke grabbed Naruto, hauled him back to his feet and helped him stand.
"Moron. That's what you get for using all your chakra playing hero," he scolded.
A chakra spike made all four heads looked around as one. The dust and smoke cleared to reveal a figure appeared in the midst of the destruction. His blank stare sent a shudder down Naruto's back. Gaara and Lee appeared in front of team seven, scowling at the last of the sound five. Kimimaro shrugged off his jacket, letting it fall to the ground and started walking slowly towards Gaara and Lee. Naruto forced himself to stand again but almost collapsed.
"Naruto with your chakra drained, you're in no condition to fight," Kakashi warned.
"Lee chose me to fight Kimimaro and that's what I plan to do."
"Idiot!" Sakura yelled, "Do you want to get yourself killed?"
"I won't die Sakura," Naruto grunted, "I haven't beaten Orochimaru into a pulp yet."
Naruto came up behind Gaara and Lee.
"Get out of here," Gaara ordered Sakura, Sasuke and Kakashi, "this will be ugly."
"Watch yourselves," Kakashi said and they vanished.
Gaara's sand swirled around his feet as Kimimaro stopped walking, Lee removed his weights and Naruto's eyes went red. Kimimaro moved as a blur, rocketing towards the team with bones forming claws over his hands. Lee and Naruto launched themselves out of the way as Gaara grabbed Kimimaro with his sand and threw him backwards. The bone over Kimimaro's hands shattered and he launched the shattered remains at Gaara. The redhead parried with sand as Naruto went on the attack. Kimimaro pulled a bone from his arm and held it like a kunai. Naruto slashed at Kimimaro with his chakra blade but Kimimaro blocked with his blade. The sound ninja's eyes went wide as Naruto's chakra blade cut through the hardened bone. Lee appeared behind Kimimaro and slammed his foot into him as Naruto landed a punch. Both leaf ninja cursed as they hit bone and flickered away. As they vanished, Kimimaro saw the cloud of sand hovering over Gaara. The sand clumped together and hurled itself at Kimimaro as sand shuriken.
"Dance of the lily," Kimimaro called, holding both his forearms together.
Bone spread over his arms forming a large shield. The sand impacted against the bone, scattering in all directions. Kimimaro emerged from behind his shield; he separated his arms from the bone and hurled the two halves at Lee and Gaara. Naruto materialised in front of Lee before he could react, cleaving the shield in two as Gaara caught and crushed the other with his sand. Naruto and Lee rushed at Kimimaro again as Gaara hurled more sand shuriken to cover them. Naruto created several shadow clones and flickered with Lee. Kimimaro crouched low to the ground
"Dance of the willow."
Bone lances emerged form Kimimaro's joints, spearing all of the onrushing clones. He was caught off guard by Naruto and Lee landing on his back fee first but recovered and sharpened his spine into more spikes. Naruto and Lee leaped away, landing near Gaara. Kimimaro growled, his curse mark spreading over his body. Kimimaro launched himself high into the air.
"Dance of the cherry blossom."
The white haired man's arms rippled and razor sharp bone fragments emerged from his skin. Kimimaro spun in the air, sending the fragments every where. Gaara's sand formed a barrier against the blades but they ripped straight through it. He cursed as the fragment cut his cheek and right shoulder. Lee and Naruto ducked behind rubble as the bone shards filled the air. Naruto looked out as the rain of fragments eased and died. He saw Kimimaro reach behind his neck and, with a cry, pull his spine out. Naruto rushed at the sound ninja, chakra blades ready. Kimimaro dodged the blade and swung at Naruto, catching him in the stomach. Naruto was sent flying backwards into a wall, blood trickled from gashed in Naruto's chest left by the whip. Naruto flickered as another rain of bone shrapnel was aimed at him.
"Finger bullet drill!"
Kimimaro raised his hands and fired a volley of bones at Gaara. Gaara countered with a wall of sand, but only just managed to stop the bones. Kimimaro snarled and all his skin rippled. The leaf ninja's eyes widened as Kimimaro's skeleton seemed to step out of his skin.
"Bone clone."
The skeleton rushed forward and Gaara raised a sand wall to protect the team. It plunged through Gaara's sand wall, forcing the trio to scatter.
"Dance of the orchid."
Bones emerged along Kimimaro's shins and forearms, sharpening into blades. Kimimaro lunged at Lee, who dodged, using elegant movements to try and slash him. Naruto added wind chakra to his blades as the skeleton chose him as its target. He severed the skeletons arms as it tried to land a blow on him. Naruto kicked the skeleton's skull and sent it stumbling backwards.
"How does it stay together?" Naruto asked Gaara.
"Must use chakra strings?" Gaara muttered.
Naruto leaped forwards and his chakra blade cut the skeleton clean in two. Seeing his clone fall, Kimimaro redoubled his attacks on Lee. Naruto glared at the bone wielding ninja, pooling chakra into his hands and creating a spinning sphere. Kimimaro saw Naruto's actions and kicked away from Gaara and Lee.
"Dance of the rose. Petals"
Bone plates emerged from Kimimaro, growing to for a perfect sphere. Naruto's Sunaarashi Rasengan slammed into the bone shell and erupted into the dome sandstorm. Naruto's smirk faded with his sandstorm as he saw the bone shroud was still whole.
"Dance of the rose. Thorns!" Kimimaro's voice echoed from inside the bone shell.
Naruto launched himself away from the bone sphere just as the surface changed and spines shot out in every direction. Naruto cursed as he rejoined Gaara and Lee.
"His defences are greater than before," Gaara muttered.
The bone shell shattered and Kimimaro rushed into the open. Gaara reacted instinctively making his sand grab Kimimaro's ankle and pull his feet out from under him before hoisting him into the air. Gaara slammed Kimimaro into the remnants of a building, shattering the bricks under the sound ninja. Gaara continued to batter Kimimaro off the rubble and ground in the battlefield, finishing off with slamming him into the ground.
"He won't be coming back after that," Naruto grunted, tying a cloth around his bleeding arm.
Naruto was proved wrong by a tail rising from the dust filled crater. Naruto and Lee readied themselves as Kimimaro struggled to his feet in his level two curse mark state. Kimimaro snarled as bone plates covered his skin, making him look like an armoured dinosaur. Lee and Naruto rocketed towards Kimimaro; they launched a flurry of blows at the bone ninja. Naruto cursed as Kimimaro shrugged of all of his and Lee's blows and lashed out with his limbs and tail. Lee and Naruto were sent flying by Kimimaro, they both landed in a cloud of sand. Naruto growled and rushed at Kimimaro again, blades flaring. Naruto made to ram both chakra blade into his but they only scratched Kimimaro's armour. Naruto flickered, avoiding Kimimaro's blows while searching for a weakness in Kimimaro's defence.
"There has to be some crack in his armour," Lee grunted.
"Naruto!" Hinata's voice echoed over the battlefield.
Naruto looked up and saw Hinata standing just outside the line of fire.
"His joints are the weak points!" she called.
Naruto flashed Hinata the thumbs up and attacked. He flickered, reappearing behind Kimimaro and slashed at the joints on Kimimaro's shoulders. Kimimaro cried in pain and lashed out at Naruto. Naruto vanished again, slashing at his elbows as he reappeared. Kimimaro extended spines over his body, trying to keep Naruto away but he dodged between them and rammed his blade into the back of Kimimaro's knees. Kimimaro collapsed to the ground, glaring up at the trio.
"Make it quick," Naruto muttered.
Gaara surrounded Kimimaro with sand; Naruto saw the cold eyes one last time before he was completely engulfed in sand. Gaara closed his fist and crushed the sand. A single trickle of blood emerged from the sand, spilling onto the ground. Naruto turned away, making his way back to the camp but spun around as a roar echoed from Gaara's sand coffin. Kimimaro burst free from the sand and rushed at Naruto, shedding blood from his wounds in every direction.
"I will not fail lord Orochimaru again!" Kimimaro roared, creating large bone blade on his arms.
"You won't take a hint," Naruto growled as Kimimaro lunged at him.
Naruto forced the little chakra he had left into his right hand and whipped it into a Rasengan as he dodged the crazed assault. Kimimaro launched himself at Naruto, razor-sharp bones ready to cut him down. Naruto braced himself and slammed the chakra sphere into the bone wielder. The sandstorm instantly swallowed up Kimimaro as Naruto jumped out of the path off destruction. Kimimaro stared in horror as his bone weaponry was ground down by the intense sandstorm.
"Lord Orochimaru!" the white haired man bellowed over the rushing wind as he was worn away by the sand laden wind. Hinata started sprinting before the dust cleared. Using her Byakugan, she found Naruto and he collapsed into her arms. Hinata almost fell from Naruto's weight but she kept her balance and helped him towards the medical tent for a rest and a half-hearted scolding about exhausting all his chakra from Tsunade.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hiashi stormed into the HQ tent, flinging the curtain door to one side. His brow was creased in rage and his mouth was a snarl. Jiraiya, perched on Tsunade's desk, looked over his shoulder at the newcomer as Tsunade looked around the toad sage. Naruto stood from his seat in front of Tsunade's desk where Shizune had been bandaging his arm. Shizune forgot about the bandage and backed away from the infuriated Hyuuga. Hiashi's eyes fixed on Naruto and ignored anyone else.
"Where is she?" Hiashi demanded.
"Where is who?" Naruto replied.
"Don't play dumb with me, where is Hinata?" Hiashi's temples bulged as his Byakugan activated. He landed a blow on Naruto's shoulder and his arm went numb.
"I'll ask once more then it's your vital organs, where have you hidden my daughter fox?!"
Naruto snapped and grabbed the front of Hiashi's Kimono with his good arm. Hiashi gasped as he was lifted clear off the floor.
"I don't give a damn if you're a noble or not, call me fox once more and I'll still beat you seven shades of blue. Hinata is hiding because you and the council of morons want to throw her out!"
"Put him down Naruto." Jiraiya ordered the blonde, "Don't give him more fuel for his fire."
Naruto reluctantly lowered Hiashi and stepped away from him. Hiashi smoothed his kimono and composed himself.
"It is the tradition in the Hyuuga family for a woman who marries out of the family to have her Byakugan sealed."
"But what about disowning her?" Tsunade demanded, coming out from behind her desk.
"When she chooses to marry someone against the council's and my decision."
Naruto growled. Hiashi stepped backwards. Tsunade held up her arm to block Naruto as Jiraiya grabbed the back of Naruto's jacket. Naruto scowled at Tsunade. Tsunade lowered her arm and moved closer to Hiashi.
"You do realise I could remove your heart and let you watch it stop beating," she said calmly and quietly.
Naruto's scowl became a smirk.
Hiashi blanched. Was she threatening him? Hiashi Hyuuga, lord of the Hyuuga house?
"Naruto has proven his worth time after time, and not just in this war, in all the time he was with the village. You and the council of morons can't get it through your skulls that he isn't the nine-tails but Naruto Uzumaki, son of Minato Namikaze!"
Hiashi's eyes went wide and his jaw almost dropped.
"Are you saying that that fo…?" Hiashi caught himself as Tsunade glared and Naruto growled, "…that boy is the son of the fourth Hokage?"
Tsunade nodded.
"Show me proof!" Hiashi demanded.
Naruto broke Jiraiya's grip on his jacket and reached inside it. Hiashi thought Naruto would draw a weapon but instead he brought out a folded piece of paper. He thrust it at Hiashi.
"Read," Naruto ordered.
Hiashi snatched the paper, unfolded and read it. His face turned chalk white as he read. Hiashi glared at Naruto, threw the paper at him and stormed out of the tent.
"What was that paper?" Tsunade asked.
"My birth certificate," Naruto replied, picking the paper up and putting it back inside his jacket.
"One nil to Naruto," Jiraiya grinned, ruffling Naruto's hair, "that should really put a wrench in their works."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D1: Phew almost done with Sandstorm. Sorry if I'm a little late with this chapter, but I wrote this chapter and posted this while on holiday in Orkney (a perpetually windy island off the top of Scotland) so I didn't have much time to write. I hope I did justice to Kimimaro (my favourite member of the sound five). I tried to make this chapter longer then normal so I hope you appreciate the effort. By the way do any of you read my little introductions to each chapter? Just wondering.
