Chapter 18 The trap is sprung
Jiraiya's gaze narrowed on the silhouette of the voice.
"I could ask you the same thing…Orochimaru."
The figure walked into the light, revealing the scaly skin, and snake eyes of his old teammate, who had a firm smirk across his face.
"Now now Jiraiya, I asked you first. But I will entertain you this once, I am here searching for an item extremely valuable to me. Could it be you are searching for it as well?"
Jiraiya's eyes further narrowed.
'His own spies would have told him about this place…what is going on? What precious item could he-'
Jiraiya's eyes widened in understanding, and then narrowed again at his old teammate.
"The sword of Kusanagi is not enough for you is it? No, you're never satisfied with what you currently posses, it would make sense that YOU of all people would be searching for the Totsuka Sword as well."
Jiraiya spat in disgust. He was greeted by Orochimaru's laughter.
"So it appears you indeed are looking for the sword as well…that doesn't seem like you, but none the less, it appears our spies find the same information. This further intrigues me to believe that the sword indeed is here, kukuku. "
'Well that pretty much confirmed it…but what is going on? This is meant to be an Akatsuki outpost, not a possible location for a mythical sword?!'
"I see you didn't bring little Naruto-kun with you, it is a pity as I am interested to know how much the kyuubi kid has grown." Orochimaru said, his voice traced in amusement.
"He is of no concern to you!" Jiraiya barked in rage.
"No matter, I didn't bring Sasuke-kun with me either…is little Naruto-kun still believing in the fantasy that he will bring him back?" Orochimaru chuckled.
"Naruto can do anything his mind sets him to, no matter how impossible the situation looks, Naruto will save the confused brat before you get your claws on him." Orochimaru burst into laughter.
"Jiraiya, I see your humour still is as good as back in the day. Only just under a year now Jiraiya, and the Sharingan will at long last be mine!" He resumed his crazed, sadistic laughter.
Oblivious to the two cave dwellers, outside was the ex ANBU member Ronan. Ronan was wearing the same attire as Araiki and Thomas, but underneath his black vest was a long sleeved brown shirt. Ronan's mask was ceramic white, with fine black shaded fox whiskers drawn along the sides. Ronan rifled through several seals and placed two fingers on the boulder. Within moments the Tag lit a bright red, and the boulder began sliding in front of the entrance, making a small tremor as it slid.
Jiraiya span around and looked at the quickly fading light wide eyed. He didn't have time to think as he heard the familiar slither of several dozen snakes approaching him from behind. Jiraiya burst into action flying through seals before turning back and facing the swarm of snakes piling over one another, in a desperate attempt to reach him.
"Katon, Dai Endan!" Jiraiya shouted as the flaming hot chakra began to build up in his stomach, and then opened his mouth wide spewing out the large stream of fire at the snakes. The snakes emitted small hisses that could be heard over the sound of the fire as they were engulfed by the flame.
Jiraiya took advantage of the bright light illuminating the entire cavern to search for his ex teammate, until he felt a presence coming from underneath him. Jiraiya barely had enough time to dive to the left, barely missing the sharp tip of the Kusanagi sticking through Orochimaru's mouth.
Jiraiya didn't waste time as he ran through the seal set for summoning a toad, as he glared at Orochimaru, prepared for the snake user to attack again. Orochimaru didn't seem to care, as the Kusanagi retracted back into his throat. Once the entire sword was no longer visible, a loud gulp was heard from Orochimaru, and then he licked his chops with his snake like tongue.
"Once I am done with you, the sword of Totsuka will be mine. Such a pity, it seems Naruto-kun will be all alone now, maybe Sasuke-kun can pay him a little visit, kukuku."
Jiraiya finished his chain of seals and readied his hands to place on the hard, rough surface of the cavern, but before he did he said with a smirk.
"Keep dreaming snake eyes, while I came here for other matters, I will show you the true power of a shinobi that achieves things the right way. You should be more concerned about your precious 'Sasuke-kun' keeping his eyes than your pathetic sword right now."
'And the gaki is not alone...not any more.'
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Ronan stood several meters away from the sealed cavern, standing on top of the water stream. When he heard an explosion coming from inside the cave he nodded his head to nobody in particular and then shunshined out of view, his figure blurring towards the direction of the forest. Ronan reappeared up in the branches of the trees, and took off through the forest. On his way through, he had another three members trail behind him.
"Have the spies been taken care of?" Ronan demanded, the member to his left promptly replied.
"Hai, they have received their rewards as planned."
"Are the bodies disposed of?" Ronan asked. The same person responded.
"Hai, nobody will know what happened to them"
"Then it is all up to Araiki and Thomas now, the opportunity we have been setting up for so many months is at last in place."
The member to his right asked "What will we do now, Ronan taicho?"
Without looking back at his subordinate, Ronan replied "We will head back to the base near Wave, by then Araiki and Thomas should have completed their mission long before then."
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Naruto smiled at Lee. "So fuzzy brow's you really will give me one of those spandex's?!"
Lee gave Naruto his nice guy pose. "Absolutely Naruto-kun, there is no other attire that can match the flexibility of the green spandex...but sorry this winter one is the only one I have."
Lee proclaimed. The winter spandex was very similar to the ordinary spandex, only its green was less vibrant in comparison to the others, the extra thickness was only really noticeable at its cut offs. Naruto didn't seem fazed at the news.
"YOSHA, this is so awesome! Ero-sennin said he lost my other one before I got a chance to wear it but this time I will finally join the club of the awesome span-"
"NARUTO!" Sakura shouted from behind him in her demonic voice, causing Naruto to jump off his feet.
To Sakura's amusement, she discovered that if she spoke in that tone, it always resulted in Naruto listening, regardless of the blonde's opinion.
"If you even think of accepting that spandex..." Sakura let it hang for a little while, until Naruto tried to stagger a reply, where she then replied cheerfully with the rest of her threat.
"I will destroy my scroll holding the last two bowls of miso pork." Naruto pouted like a child before turning to Lee.
"Umm...sorry fuzzy brows but I cannot accept your offer dattebayo." He replied in a monotone.
Shikamaru made his presence known with a sigh. "We have come to join you, Sakura please do the honours." Sakura reached into her weapon pouch and presented Lee and Naruto with a strange pill.
"This soldier pill will keep you awake for today, after though you most likely will sleep like a rock when the ailment wears off." Naruto and Lee nodded in understanding as they swallowed. During yesterday's meeting, Shikamaru decided that it would be too risky to have half the team down from tiredness, and requested Sakura to make a pair of soldier pills that would temporary keep their bodies awake.
The only downside was excessive usage of the pill would cause the brain to crash, possibly putting them into a coma for several days, which is why they are only used by shinobi if necessary.
"YOSHA! I feel like taking on an entire village now, thanks Sakura-chan, dattebayo!" Naruto beamed, with seemingly more energy in his hyperactive voice.
"Your welcome, and you're a baka." Sakura replied with a grin. Shikamaru decided to casually add his input.
"This is coming from the person that was seeing if she could make a Rasengan ball bounce on the water the other night...you know little rocks I hear work well...and are less likely to cause bodily harm." Sakura flushed denying it, although Naruto's mumbles of 'that was so cool!' made the lie clear.
Shikamaru decided to cut the immature insults short. "Today is the day of the deadline, we must be very vigilant and be prepared for anything. Tazuna-san's family has already relocated to a secret location, so we shouldn't have to worry about that. Naruto, I assume your kage bunshin's don't get the effects from the soldier pill, so please dispel them and recreate them."
"Yosh! Taju Kage buns-"
Naruto couldn't finish the announcement of his jutsu as Lee tackled him to the ground, dodging the gigantic slimy and organic looking object that swept across the bridge in a blur like a whip, soaking the place in water dripping from its hide. Shikamaru and Sakura followed, as a violent splash was heard when the thing retreated to under the bridge.
"What the hell was that?!" Naruto shouted out in shock, while looking around to see if he could see what on earth had tried to hit them.
Shikamaru's eyes widened when he looked ahead to where Naruto and Lee were standing.
"Lee behind you!" He shouted. Lee barely got to retract his spear in time as the spear blocked the hard down swipe of a katana that would have cut him square down the shoulder.
Sakura's eyes widened at Lee's attacker. 'Those masks...ANBU?! Why are they attacking us?'
The tall ANBU jumped several feet back from Lee and stared blankly at the group. Naruto was the first of the group to shake off his surprised face and growled at the stranger.
"What the hell are you doing?! Your Konoha ANBU, why are you-"
"Silence Jinkuriki!" The ANBU hissed with is voice dripping with venom. Sakura's shock suddenly filled with fear at the mention of 'that' name.
'Oh no...'
Shikamaru and Lee shared the same confused look. 'Jinkuriki? What is he talking about?!'
Although Naruto couldn't see behind the mask, he could tell the ANBU was glaring behind that mask, and he could feel the killer intent directed at him.
"Today you die...KYUUBI KITSUNE!"