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.Heaven's Gate: Princess.

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Chapter Twenty-Six: Death and Reinforcements.

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Sasuke walked in front as they entered the hole.

"Keep alert," Kisame warned. Sasuke nodded and they walked one step at a time, carefully.

Suddenly, the black shinobis came out of nowhere and started attacking them.

"Che!" Sasuke cursed. He jumped and dodged an arrow shot by one of the shinobis. He took a deep breath and yelled: "Katon, Gokakyu no jutsu!"

A big fireball shot out from his mouth and they burned the ninjas. Kisame ran toward the ninjas and swung his big sword. The bandage around the sword ripped and the sharp edges of the sword cut through the shinobis.

"Wow," Sasuke managed to mutter as he caught a glance at Kisame's sword.

"I know, I know," Kisame grinned.

"You're not that cool," Sasuke said before he got to finish. Kisame pouted but continued killing and beating more of Kuno's ninjas.

It took a while until all the ninjas were completely on the ground.

"More would be coming," Sasuke huffed. "We should get out of here."

"Or get in there," Kisame corrected.

Sasuke looked at the big hole and frowned.

"Doesn't seem right," he said. "Feels all weird."

"Illusion?" Kisame asked.

"The best guess,"

"Che, we're so dumb,"

"I don't think pointing that out is necessary,"

"Like brother, like…" Kisame paused, knowing he just said the wrong thing. "What I mean is that you and your brother are so alike. Arrogant."

"No need to point that out either," Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Why not? It's fun."

"You're crazy."

"Kai!" Kisame yelled.

Their surroundings blurred and then the real thing appeared. They were on the edge of a cliff and was about to fall.

"Damn!" Kisame cursed, shocked. He fell backwards onto a safer spot.

Sasuke looked down the cliff and smirked.

"Look," he pointed. "There they are."

Kisame crawled to the side and looked down. He nodded.

"They must've known we're here," he said as he stood up.

"The very reason why we should double the careful and cautious," Sasuke said. Kisame nodded and they both jumped down, grabbing onto trees, stopping to check the situation, and then finally landed on the ground.

"Let's go," Kisame grinned as they entered a cave. Sasuke nodded and walked a step forward.

Suddenly the cave shook and a rumbling noise was heard. Sasuke gasped as he looked up and saw a big square block coming down toward Kisame.

"Ki—"

Kisame looked up at the boulder. He didn't have time to blink or even realize what was coming.

With a loud 'boom', the square hit the ground, and blood splattered everywhere.

"Ah—" Sasuke gasped after a few seconds delay. His knees gave out and he was on the floor. His eyes looked empty and distant from the shock and loss. The tears were unable to drop from all the blow he just received.

It took hours until he got hold of himself. He stood up and continued walking in the cave. It went on endlessly but the tiredness had long left him.

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Matsuo Tabi froze as he stared at the four Keepers standing in front of him. He looked around and frowned as he saw no sign of the Princess.

"The Princess is no longer a threat," Neji said. "You can ask your ninjas to leave now."

"What do you mean?" Matsuo Tabi frowned.

"She had said the words that released us from her body," Lee said.

"Where is she now?"

"Dying," Gaara's jaw tightened.

"Oh," Matsuo Tabi's expression changed.

"Where is Sasuke?" Suigetsu asked as he looked around. "He should be with the Princess, are they okay?"

"Thank you for your concern, but I'm afraid they will be useless now," Neji said. He turned to Naruto who nodded.

"Take her back safely," Lee patted Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto nodded and leaped off.

"Where are they?" Karin demanded, her voice rose in panic.

"Hideyoshi Kuno kidnapped her," Neji said. "He either don't know that we're out of her body, or he knows and he want us to go there so he can get us."

"You're Gods, he can't get you," Karin said, confused.

"But we can't harm him either," Neji said. "Lee, ask permission from the High Gods."

Lee nodded and then he was still.

"This world of yours and ours are confusing," Neji said. "The rules changes every time… and we're lucky enough if we are given the permission to harm Hideyoshi Kuno. The High Gods are fond of the Princess. They might be nice enough…"

"Then it would be a piece of cake," Karin smiled. "Sasuke won't even need to do anything."

Neji nodded.

"But… Sakura's attacked by another attack from her sickness when she was kidnapped," Neji said. "I hope the attack lessen so she won't suffer a lot. But she'd be dead by the end of tomorrow if the attack becomes regular."

Matsuo Tabi looked away at the sky for a second. And then he nodded to himself and turned toward Suigetsu.

"Go," he said. Suigetsu grinned and nodded and leaped away.

"What is the meaning of this?" Gaara frowned.

"We'll help you rescue the Princess and fight off Kuno's men," Matsuo Tabi smiled. "After all, she's no longer a danger."

"She has never been one," Gaara growled, furious.

Matsuo Tabi nodded once.

"Go with the red hair, Juugo," he said. "Karin, go with the black hair."

"My name's Gaara," Gaara snarled, angry. "He's Lee and this is Neji."

Matsuo Tabi nodded.

"Go, Gaara," Neji said. "Be nice."

Gaara rolled his eyes and leaped off, followed by Juugo. Lee and Karin leaped off also, toward the Western side of the town.

"I hope you do understand that the Princess has never been a threat since the beginning," Neji said. "You're just being a coward. She has done so much for the country. Even the High Gods believes she could bring peace to the world."

"I'm mistaken, then," Matsuo Tabi nodded. "I'm sorry."

"You better mean that," Neji said. "Your oh-so-wise behavior has beginning to annoy us."

"Us?" Matsuo Tabi smiled.

"The Gods," Neji narrowed his eyes. "Don't look for trouble with us, or the Princess, or the country. We know you wanted peace, but you should trust her since the beginning and really become our ally."

Matsuo Tabi nodded.

"I think I'll be able to understand the more time I spend here," he said. "Now, shall we?"

Neji sighed and then nodded. They both leaped off toward the Southern side of the country.

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I'm so sorry the chapters have been crappy! THIS ONE IS THE CRAPPIEST!

I'm so sorryyyy…

I really want to try and finish before next week. But I think it's impossible.

Until next chapter.

Day-Dreamer Dango.