Disclaimer: I have no legal rights or privileges over Naruto, or any character or information regarding the Franchise, those belongs to Mashashi Kishimoto.
A/N:
Here we go; the end of the mission arcs. The next couple of chapters deal with the transition month between these missions and the Chuunin exams. They will have various political aspects on a global and domestic scope as well as some char development scenes if all goes as planned.
I know some of you feel I should get along and move to the chuunin exams, but trust me when I say the next chapters will be worth their content and when the chuunin exams arrive my modified version will be sufficiently fleshed out and hopefully to your reading satisfaction.
Anyhow now for a few announcements:
1) I want to greet a belated happy holidays to everyone, I tried to punch out a chapter for the holidays but I had multiple assignments for the university and spent most of Dec and January ill from various cold and flu streaks, not to mention I'm in the midst of my end of term tests! So I'm sorry for the long absence but life has been too hectic much to my chagrin.
2) On a lighter note, Chapter 13 is almost ready, so I'll send it to my beta soon and it should be up sooner than I expected. I hope that will appease everyone for the long wait.
3) Special Thanks to my Beta: Shelvesinthecloset for her meticulous and patient screening of my work despite her busy schedule.
4) The Prologue has been beta screened and reposted and is now much easier on the eye and properly written. It's a slow process but eventually all chapters from 1 to 10 (which aren't beta tested) will be rewritten and reposted.
5) I have recently joined a forum here on FF (dot) net called "The Guild" It is a community for authors to assist other Authors. It's only ground rule as per the administrator/creator LD1449 is no yaoi – so feel free to visit and assist and be assisted.
Japanese word Glossary
Youki – Evil energy (Demonic chakra)
Tenketsu –Singular or plural for one's Chakra Node/s which consist of one's inner chakra network
Genjutsu – Illusionary technique
Kyuubi – Nine tails
Jinchuuriki – "Power of Human Sacrifice" – the term the ninja use for the containers of the mythical tailed beasts.
Raikage – Lightning Shadow
Hokage – Fire Shadow
Yomi – The term for the Japanese Hell/Underworld in Mythology
Kikaichuu – Destruction Bug/s
Bijuu – Tailed Beast/s
Konohagakure – Hidden Leaf
Ningin – Human
Kumo - Cloud
Amegakure – Hidden Rain
Kumogakure – Hidden Cloud
Yuki no Kuni - Snow Country
Hi no Kuni – Fire Country
Ame no Kuni – Rain Country
Kumo – Cloud
(name)-Teme = That bastard (name)
(name) – Hime = Princess (Name)
(name) – Sama = Lord (name)
Tomoe – Comma shaped design
Hakumei no Kuni – Twilight Country
Yondaime – The Forth
Sandaime - The Third
Otou-san - Father
(Meanwhile, Near a mountain range, eastern part of Yuki No Kuni)
Mitarashi Anko was finding it difficult to keep in character. Emulating the arrogant and depressed princess was quite the chore, more so when she had to consciously maintain her complicated disguise. But thankfully she had been exposed to more than enough of the princess to properly replicate the little prima-donna's behavior and speech patterns.
The younger woman had rebuked, insulted and otherwise spat into the faces of Sandayuu and the people of Yuki no Kuni in the aftermath of their battle. The only thing that held her back from verbally and perhaps physically forcing the blue eyed woman back to reality was the importance of the mission.
Anko knew without a doubt that she could not afford to fail this mission. Hiruzen had sacrificed his share to offer her this chance to redeem herself and she would repay him with success – no matter the cost. That tidbit of information made her current assignment all that more exciting and nerve-wracking. "I hope you know what you're doing, Kakashi."
Currently she was using one of the techniques imparted upon her by the snake clan. It was very similar to Orochimaru's 'Shoushagan no Jutsu' only instead of physically stealing one's face and attributes, she was able to physically mimic her target by growing grafts of snake skin that were colored and shaped like the target's own face.
The skin was glued to her skin by a low tuned layer of chakra. The intricacy and uniqueness of the jutsu was that the chakra ran in between the layers of skin so it was hard to detect or dispel. The only way someone could tell the difference between her skin and the fake skin was if they touched the slightly rougher and colder tissue.
Some black dye, contact lenses and chakra based hair supplements later and she was almost the mirror image of the snow princess. Her breasts were larger than the younger woman's so binding them was tedious and painful, but like any good assassin she sucked it up for the sake of the mission.
The other downside was that the jutsu was quite costly in terms of chakra and was probably one of the reasons Orochimaru never bothered using the technique even though he was familiar with it.
The plan was the byproduct of the snow princess' many failed escape attempts. It was then that Kakashi concocted his plan: infiltrating and removing the snow ninja and their leader – Kazahana Dotou.
Koyuki had scoffed at them – calling them dreamers and fools that would die for their arrogance. Anko had replied eloquently with a wolfish grin that the princess better be ready to remove the stick up her ass when they came back with Dotou's dick on a stick.
Kakashi would be staying behind with their charges as their protective detail. The last scenes of the movies had yet to be filmed but in accordance with Kakashi's insistence the shots were canceled for the day and moved to several days later until they could be sure that security wouldn't be compromised.
The snake summoner's eyes flicked stealthily from side to side as the snow ninja led her through a maze of corridors and stairways throughout a massive fortress carved into the bowels of a mountain.
As they walked in silence she caught glimpses of many snow ninja performing menial tasks around the compound and one glaring fact screamed out to her. "The majority of these ninja are genin level or worst. That means they're completely dependent on that chakra armor for survival…how lame. Looks like it's time I teach them there's no substitute for real power and skill."
"Dotou-sama will see to you shortly, Koyuki-hime," Nadare informed her in a pleasant tone before turning towards his comrades while she sat down on a lavish couch in the richly decorated room. The Jounin sported an impassive face and wordlessly folded her hands in her lap in a lady-like manner and waited for her chance.
"Mizore, Fubuki. Keep an eye on her. This is too easy and convenient – Hatake Kakashi would not have been this careless unless he was up to something."
"But we checked her for genjutsu and we even shook her for good measure. This has to be the real Koyuki," Fubuki countered logically. As if to prove his point he grasped Anko's arm firmly and shook her. "See? No genjutsu. Our armor would've disrupted any chakra field around an enemy."
"None the less, I've got a bad feeling about this. So stay alert while I go see if Dotou-sama has finished his meeting with Saki-san." With that said he left the room.
Mizore sighed and folded his hands behind his head and glared at the ceiling for a moment. "Those Kumo bastards are pretty persistent, I'll give them that. They don't know how to take 'no' as an answer, do they?"
Fubuki scowled and rolled her eyes, brushing away her pink hair as she turned around and looked at the door. "Knock it off, you idiot! You know you shouldn't be running your mouth about such sensitive subjects so casually."
"You worry too much!" the massive snow-nin retorted dismissively and walked towards the door. "I've gotta go take a leak, try not to die of boredom," he taunted with a smirk and slipped out of the room.
Anko waited for several moments before shifting soundlessly and launching herself at the now solitary snow kunoichi. Fubuki's eyes widened only when she felt the slight shift in the air of someone appearing behind her.
She tried to move but it was too little too late. One arm wrapped around the woman's neck and the other hand pushed two fingers behind the woman's ear. Anko's face remained emotionless as she thrust her way all the way into the woman's brain and discharged a lethal dose of chakra.
The woman slumped lifelessly into her arms and Anko quickly dragged her to the corner of the room, hiding her from detection before she heard footsteps approaching and made some hand seals, creating a single clone. "One down…"
"Oi, Fubuki – do you want me to get you something to eat…?" Mizore called out as he opened the door. He watched the princess give him a neutral glance and snickered faintly. "Cocky little bitch, you'll get what's coming to you soon enough, once Dotou-sama gets the hexagonal crystal."
The princess suddenly grinned in a most foreboding manner before vanishing before his eyes. The snow ninja swore and his eyes darted around as he spread his arms to his side, preparing for battle.
He failed to hear Anko drop soundlessly behind him from where she'd glued herself to the ceiling. He played right into Anko's trap as his stance exposed his ribcage, allowing the snake Jounin to easily jab her fingers into the area between his upper left ribcage and flood the area with lethal chakra.
The massive man choked and collapsed into a heap, dead. The snake Jounin could waste an eternity naming all the bad things about Orochimaru, but she had to admit that his cobra style of chakra enforced taijutsu was useful.
She sneered and knelt beside the dead snow kunoichi, her skin cracking and falling off, the paper-like substance now shed and her true visage revealed anew. "I hate this jutsu, it gives me the creeps; but it'll help me conserve chakra so I guess it can't be helped …" she muttered bitterly as she dug her fingernails into the edges of the fresh corpse's unmarred face, using her chakra to carefully begin removing the skin in preparation for her former sensei's favorite kinjutsu camouflage technique.
(Meanwhile, within the silver mines, Hakumei no Kuni)
The Uzumaki felt his mind cloud over against his own volition, his intended seal sequence forgotten as Hinata leaped in front of Neji and took the hit. A sense of outrage and helplessness overwhelmed him and for some reason he was unable to suppress it and carry on – on the contrary it was only getting worst.
He bit down on his lower lip. "Is this a genjutsu…?" he wondered as he tried to hold on to the pain and let it tear him out of the confusing sensations of emotional vertigo.
Then it hit him - the oppressive heat, the sickening chills, the pounding headache and the convulsions could only mean one thing - "Kyuubi!"
Eyes as cold as glaciers narrowed angrily as agony echoed throughout the burning youki's appearance. A hissing snarl escaped Naruto's lips as his body made its initial protest against the toxic, foreign life force, sending him to his knees.
The Jinchuuriki forced himself to his feet shakily, squinting his eyes briefly to accommodate the burning sensation in his eyes. He grit his sharpening teeth as the blue cornea darkened into a bloody red and his round pupils narrowed into slits. "Shit! It hurts like a motherfucker. Damn it, you bastard, I didn't ask for your help!"
Meanwhile, the female assailant was holding an electrically charged Kunai in her mechanical hand and Tenten in her other hand, prepared to eviscerate her. Suddenly, her eyes widened considerably. "What the hell is that?"
Tenten gasped for air, freed from her sticky situation by a wave of kikaichuu courtesy of Shino that forced the female Jounin to let her go and leap away.
The weapon mistress coughed and massaged her throat with one hand but kept her mind in the battle and shot off a kunai with her other hand. The projectile knocked their attacker's kunai off course, saving Shino's life.
Tenten panted slightly and didn't protest as Lee and Kiba stood protectively in front of her as she crawled to a kneeling position. "Why'd she stop? Why would she l-let me go…" Tenten pondered before she followed her comrades' gaze and gaped at Naruto along with them.
A chill ran down the russet haired Jounin's spine as the hunched over, blonde tree-hugger snapped his gaze at her and unleashed a semi-bestial growl. Two murderous crimson eyes seemed to strip her humanity bare as the blue and black clad boy bared slightly longer incisors at her.
A visible blood-red life force flared around him, bathing the dim cavern in unholy light that was accompanied by a suffocating heat wave. "That horrible, evil glare. That tainted, violating presence! Raikage-sama will be most pleased and worried to learn that these self-righteous bastards have a monster of their own…"
Neji was hunched in front of Hinata protectively, his stance stiff in a defensive pose. Hinata's wounds were deep but not fatal from what he could garner, but he didn't want to bet on it. "I knew this would go wrong! We have to get her out of here!"
His silver eyes flickered with slivers of his hidden emotions. His mind was in turmoil over Hinata's behavior, the self-sacrificing act fitting the claims Naruto had laid before him several days earlier.
On one hand he was thankful to be alive, but on the other hand he was both bitter and confused as to why Hinata – the weakling heiress of his oppressors - would sacrifice her life for his own. But his analysis of the situation would have to wait. He was first and foremost an Hyuuga, one of Konoha's elite, and he wouldn't fail his duty – not now, not ever.
A shock wave of blood lust followed by a blinding flash of red caught his attention. His chakra sensitive eyes zeroed in on the source of the disturbance, narrowing in confusion. He watched Naruto's tenketsu pulse with fiery red chakra unlike anything he had ever seen before, the alien life-force spreading through his chakra pathways.
The Hyuuga was both fascinated and disturbed by the thought of what it might mean. "What is this horrible presence? Why is the red chakra merging with the blue chakra as if they were symbiotic? And what why does someone like Naruto have two geometric constructs around a swirl sealed on his abdomen?"
"If I remember correctly, swirl-shaped seals are primarily used for containment and suppression…" Neji reminisced over his rudimentary seal knowledge as he recalled Naruto's cryptic exclaim about carrying a burden as well, filing the information in the back of his mind for later.
Meanwhile Shino's brows furrowed over his glasses as his kikaichuu panicked, buzzing angrily as they retreated into the confines of the Aburame's body.
"Is this what you saw on that day on the bridge that drove you to murder, Haruno Sakura? If so, perhaps my initial blind faith in Naruto was misplaced. That chakra is not human chakra and judging by the heat and presence, it is anything but safe…" he concluded grimly as he watched the tendrils of searing youki lick against the Uzumaki's body.
The Aburame heir frowned under the cover of his high collar as he mentally instructed his insect allies to leave his body. Then something impossible happened and for the first time ever his allies disobeyed him. A chaotic, buzzing cacophony was the only response the bug-user received.
"This is unheard of…" he thought and his mind reeled as he tried to understand why his allies would react like this. He reached for a pair of Kunai and backed away. He edged towards Tenten, Kiba and Lee and noticed the other three seemed as conflicted as he was, one question unspoken but prevalent: was Uzumaki Naruto their ally or was he their enemy?
"This is unexpected. I didn't think I'd meet a Jinchuuriki here of all places. I wonder which one you are…" the woman mused to herself with a sneer and chuckled as she reached and pressed several buttons on her metallic gauntlet.
A crackle roared through the cavern as raw lightning started coalescing around the woman's arm. She spread it across her body and focused her chakra, preparing for battle.
"I can't afford to underestimate you, especially since your youki is even scarier than Yugito's and you haven't even manifested one of your tails," the woman concluded decisively. Her icy eyes flickered with something akin of nervousness before she shifted.
"What the hell is she talking about, Naruto? And what the hell is wrong with you?" Kiba exploded, his voice confused and outraged, vocalizing the concerns of the surrounding genin while Akamaru whimpered miserably as he edged away from the youki-influenced blonde.
"I'll explain later, it doesn't matter. We have to get Hinata out of here!" Naruto spoke in a deeper, harsher tone and purposefully avoided looking at his companions, his face a mask of cold determination as he summoned a shadow clone with a quick hand seal.
"Lee, you're the fastest, so once my clone bursts a way out of here, take Hinata and go!" Naruto declared and started gathering chakra into his body, manipulating it to his will as he sped through some familiar hand seals. "I hope you listen to reason for once, Lee…Hinata's life depends on it…"
"I will not! I won't be a burden and I won't back down! I will save Hinata-san with my own fists!" Lee contested heatedly and charged forth, disobeying the logical request before Neji or Tenten could stop him. "She is faster than I from what I saw earlier but if I open one of the gates I should be able to compensate for the natural gap between us…"
The woman laughed cruelly, "You're not going anywhere, little leaves, except maybe the depths of Yomi," The woman contested cheekily and her metal gauntlet erupted into bright white light accompanied by an ominous humming.
"Shit! What the hell are you doing, Lee!" The Uzumaki shouted angrily. One of the two Narutos thrust all his power into its legs took off after Lee "Shit, I guess the plan just got flushed. Stubborn idiot, can't you tell she's faster than you! Damn it, what do I do now?"
Neji watched as the stationary Naruto started making hand seals. In a manner of moments the little blue chakra that had been hidden beneath the crimson in his tenketsu shifted into a green tainted white "Wind chakra? Interesting, you seem to be full of Jounin level skills, Uzumaki Naruto…"
Lee opened the first of the chakra gates, the additional chakra giving him goosebumps as he closed in on the woman, preparing himself for the initial lotus. "I will prove Gai-sensei was right! I can become a good ninja in my own right!" the spandex clad genin vowed as came into striking range.
He slid against the ground and thrust his foot upwards as fast as he could. Lee's eyes widened as his target moved much faster than before and much more quickly than he had anticipated. She seemed to blink out of his range as she dodged his attack with infuriating ease.
"Too slow, kid," was the mocking phrase uttered behind him just before the woman smashed her shin into his body with bruising force, launching him towards the rushing Uzumaki. With her foot still outstretched she thrust her hand forward, unleashing a massive charge of raw lightning chakra at them both the moment she regained her balance.
Each one of the two Naruto smirked faintly as they shared a meaningful look, an idea forming. The charging Naruto sidestepped, avoiding Lee narrowly before spinning while kicking sideways, aiming his foot at Lee's upper body.
Lee blocked instinctively with his forearm, his face the mask of outrage. Unknown to the taijutsu user the force behind the blow knocked the green clad genin out of the trajectory of the incoming lightning attack. Naruto only had time to cross his fingers and summon a pair of clones before the spear of lightning plowed through him.
"Why isn't he using any of his beast's powers? Is he mocking me or is he just plain stupid? Tch, whatever – no more games!" The woman decided. The russet haired Jounin didn't miss a beat, ignoring her wasted jutsu and gathering her lightning chakra anew while her attack continued its path towards the wall.
She cupped her mechanical hand, allowing the nature chakra to once more pulse through her chakra system as she pulled it back. In a manner of moments electricity collected into a bright, crackling sphere.
"Tenten! Cover fire! Shino, get Hinata. Kiba, help Lee!" Neji finally asserted his command as the oldest genin and reacting in accordance to what he now realized was Naruto's true plan, knowing they had only one shot to pull this off.
Each of the genin obeyed, fulfilling their part of the plan while the original Naruto surprised almost everyone by turning around and unleashing his attack at the wall.
The woman snarled as she clenched opened her hand widely, changing her planned attack into an electric shock wave. The vaulted barrier of lightning flashed angrily, knocking off the various steel projectiles Tenten hurled at her.
The blonde inhaled deeply before spewing a revolving, screeching projectile of tainted red wind "Fuuton: Kaze Rensei Bakudan". The jutsu slammed into the wall, its initial impact small before the wind blades carved deeply into the stone a moment before their assailant's lightning jutsu slammed into the now weakened wall.
The stone gave in, a massive hole punched into the solid stone. The explosion sent ringing through their ears and the assortment of genin shut their eyes as dust and debris scattered everywhere.
"Lee, enough of your inferiority issues, carry Hinata to safety like Naruto said! Kiba, use your nose to lead him to ANBU and get us some backup! Shino, your Kikaichuu are in disarray so you're of no use, go back them up" Neji commanded loudly, shouting over the sound of crumbling rock while coughing harshly in between words.
Lee tried to protest but Tenten cut him off with a pleading look. The bowl cut genin bowed his head before nodding stiffly. Kiba frowned and shot Shino a look, hesitation written over his features. He could finally understand a bit of Shino's doubts regarding Naruto and it didn't sit well with the Inuzuka one bit.
The Aburame's eyebrows rose beneath his black sunglasses. The impact of Neji's callous, if necessary, assessment was emotionally crushing. He felt a knot in his chest and his hands twitched within his sleeves as a bitter realization dawned upon him. "Useless…Uzumaki's made me useless, to myself, to my friends…how can this be…?"
Tenten reached for her weapon pouch and took out several small explosive spheres with a kanji written on them. Shino snapped out of his brief internal monologue and stopped her by grabbing her wrist a moment after he handed Hinata to Lee.
"We are underground and the exits have been blocked, Tenten-san. Any flame based attack will burn what little oxygen is left down here or worse, ignite a gas pocket and bury us alive…" the Aburame cautioned and Tenten gulped, nodding grimly.
"What the hell are you guys waiting for? GO!" Naruto's voice called as two clones burst out of the smoke screen of his dispelled clone. The woman frowned and stepped back as she was engaged by Naruto's Kage Bushin.
Lee and Kiba stirred and got moving as soon as Naruto's urgent cry sunk in. Shino simply obeyed wordlessly with his usual professionalism. Despite his increasingly dark thoughts he had to protect Hinata and Kiba and fulfill the mission and he could only do that in one manner – get away from Uzumaki Naruto.
The three took off into the newly made entrance way. "You aren't going anywhere!" they heard the woman scream behind them and Kiba dared look over his shoulder only to watch the Jounin demolish Naruto's clones easily.
The original Naruto's eyes widened as he felt how the jounin's chakra was climbing up to dangerous levels. Currents of lightning that had previously pulsed through her metallic gauntlet were spreading across her body in a very foreboding display.
"I can't let whatever that is hit! I won't let anyone else die because I was too weak. Besides, I can't let that bitch get her hands on Hinata-chan or the Byakugan…" Naruto decided and suddenly grabbed Tenten and Neji each by the shoulder and shoved them away.
"Raiton: Raikouryu no Inmetsu!" the woman murmured to herself in a pleased tone. The raw lightning shifted and formed a massive electrical construct shaped like a dragon head that opened its maw and unleashed a continuous discharge of lightning.
Naruto thrust his hands outward and roared as he pushed out all the wind chakra that he could, forming a thick, if unevenly distributed wall of raw wind. For several moments it appeared as if the the attack was curbed.
"Shit…I can't - I can't hold on! At least…I bought them some time…" he consoled himself as his watched his imperfect wind barrier, though superior elementally, get pierced by the concentrated lightning blast before his world went white as the pain engulfed him.
"Naruto!" Tenten cried out as the blonde's screams reverberated through the cavern, the lightning chakra devouring the blonde and launching him into the wall with impossible force.
The lightning user smirked. "That was quite a noble gesture, but ultimately a futile one. I'll catch up to them soon enough. Now that it's only us three and your charcoaled friend over there, this shouldn't take too long," she taunted smugly.
Before anyone could move, a deep, bestial growl exploded from where Naruto lay. Deep, blood red chakra exploded angrily from within his body, flinging the debris off him and tearing him from his impression on the wall.
His body seemed to move of its own volition, rising unnaturally into a standing position. His eyes snapped open to reveal wild eyes full of primal fury.
The blonde was hunched on all fours, panting heavily; his upper shirt now gone and revealing his blackened skin and some of the bone and sinew beneath it. Several chunks of mesh armor remained, partially melted into his charged skin, protruding grotesquely from his flesh.
The boy coughed up some blood, his lungs pierced by the searing hot metal, or so it would seem as before they could think over it, the metal was forced out by the Kyuubi's youki.
Skin was knit together, new layers forming and concealing the previous gore and the sickening sound of bones popping back into place was as nauseating as one could experience, except for the rancid smell of his burnt flesh and skin.
The blonde Jinchuuriki growled; the seal on his abdomen visible and flaring with an angry crimson light. Before anyone could realize what was happening the chakra shifted in to the form of a fox around Naruto. Its intensity was partially burning his new layers of skin more quickly then it could mend them.
However, it didn't seem to bother the Jinchuuriki in the slightest as he charged forward, out for blood.
(Meanwhile. border city of Fukoka, border between Hi no Kuni and Ame no Kuni)
Sakura and Chouji, now back to their original appearance with the expiration of the passive genjutsu, made their way to the meeting point in tense silence.
Their snooping around and bribing of the local militia and bounty hunters who were drinking away their paychecks at the tavern had yielded some interesting information that both Sarutobi and Danzou would find most concerning.
It was common knowledge that all the conscripts and samurai that served under the banner of the fire country were screened and selected by agents of the Daimyo from the various cities and villages besides Konoha. These children were then taken from their homes in their youth and trained in the basics of chakra control and sensory techniques.
Thus it was easy enough to assume that these soldiers and those among them that chose the alternate paths of the mercenary or bounty hunter would know a thing or two about the disappearances. A couple of hundred Ryou later and they gained some interesting perspective regarding the investigation.
The red haired kunoichi frowned thoughtfully as they entered the rally point in one of the alleys near the city gates. She weighed over the disturbing information thoughtfully as she and the Akimichi awaited Shikamaru and Ino.
It wasn't long before the other two genin snuck through the shadows, joining them. Shikamaru surveyed Chouji and Sakura with narrowed eyes, catching the underlying tension in his portly friend's body. "Something happened. I wonder…what did that lunatic try to pull that made Chouji so angry?"
"Sakura! Are you alright? No perverts tried anything, right? What were you thinking going to the red light district anyway?" Ino prattled on almost immediately, approaching her childhood friend while bombarding her with questions. The black clad femme's eyes flicked upwards and then to her right, her lips twisting into a thin frown.
Ino's eyes narrowed a fraction as she caught the redheaded kunoichi's facial expression. Green eyes reflected a mirthless gleam and her lips were twisted into a seemingly forced smile; the girl was obviously preoccupied by something and screening her out. "What the hell, forehead? Who the hell do you think you are? Looking down at me…"
While the Yamanaka heiress simmered inwardly at her friend's dismissal Chouji updated Shikamaru on what had happened during their stroll through the red light district.
The Nara rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he filed the information and connected it to the information regarding some cold cases that were left unsolved by the local militia on the outskirts of the village.
"The abductors are definitely ninja then. They kill any witnesses with poison or a strange blade that also shocks and burns the wound. This is bad…we need to find Asuma-sensei." He then secretly followed Sakura's gaze. "What's she…? Oh, I see. How troublesome…"
Sakura's face smoothed out and she smiled faintly as she turned towards the unnamed leader of team ten. "Asuma-sensei is late, maybe we should wait for him on the outskirts of town. I'm sure he won't mind if we improvise a bit, don't you think?"
Shikamaru nodded faintly and shrugged his shoulders. He slipped his hands into his pockets, "Good idea, Sakura."
Ino and Chouji started, the blonde kunoichi even gaping slightly at Shikamaru who sauntered past her wordlessly. She then shared a brief, worried glance with Chouji as they followed silently, perplexed by their best friends' sudden agreement with Sakura.
The four genin bid the guards farewell as they exited the gates, making their way towards the nearby woodlands. They walked silently until they reached the tall trees, seeking refuge within the vegetation.
They stood in tense silence for several moments before Shikamaru suddenly threw his right hand into the air and shouted "Cover your eyes!" His teammates quickly shielded themselves while Sakura simply shut her eyes and flashed through some rapid hand seals as a massive flash illuminated the area.
Sakura finished her seal sequence and with a single shrug released one of the two chains tied around her body. She grasped the metal shackle in her left hand, tugging on it tightly before starting to twirl it around her.
A pained snarl echoed above the genin, profanities uttered in harsh whispers. Ino and Chouji reacted instinctively and spread apart whereas Shikamaru's left hand shot forward, unleashing three small spheres tied to needles towards the tree branches above.
A massive explosion ensued, scarlet flame spreading through the tree tops. The figure above them evaporated in the fiery aftermath of the Nara's trap far too silently to have truly been killed.
The now burning leaves and branches partially illuminated the dark area, casting a haunting mix of shadows and light."Did you get him?" Ino asked, her silvery blue eyes wide as they darted around.
Shikamaru gave no reply as he looked around, following his best friend's gaze towards their red-headed companion. They all watched as she pivoted her body sideways and swiped her weapon behind her, forcing the hidden assailant that was blended within the gloom to dodge via a backward somersault.
"I expected a certain intricacy and skill from one of the Nara clan but not from some nobody kunoichi." The silhouette materialized into a green haired ninja with an Amegakure headband. "It seems I might have more fun than I initially expected…"
"Chouji, Ino. Formation three," Shikamaru called out while assuming the position for his Kage Mane no jutsu. Chouji acquiesced and stepped in front of Shikamaru, pointing an open palm towards the man while channeling his chakra through his arm.
Ino ran through some hand seals, running to the right of her teammates while Chouji's hand and arm expanded and grew massively and shot towards their enemy.
Sakura watched the proceedings and within her psyche her alter ego disrupted the outer persona's chakra pattern. Her green eyes widened a fraction, as she noticed reality flicker and revealed one of the base elements Anko had taught her to detect a mediocre genjutsu – the green haired ninja had no shadow.
"Let's keep everyone ignorant about the illusion. That way it'll make things easier .Don't forget Danzou-teme's orders,"her alter ego suggested urgently – reminding Sakura of her duties.
The Jounin smirked cruelly and pointed his hand towards the genin. Sakura wondered what was so amusing before her eyes tilted upwards as she felt a flash of chakra.
She contemplated what to do for several moments before she made her decision and called out: "It's an illusion, look out!" She tossed several shuriken towards a tree behind the rest of team ten.
While Danzou had clarified exactly what he wanted her to achieve on this mission Sakura didn't feel well with what he requested. So she decided she would modify the method of reaching her goal. "You're making a mistake, Sakura-chan!"
The genin converged with one another; Ino's expression was worried whereas Shikamaru's was grim and determined. Shikamaru immediately assumed his shadow bind stance and send his shadow out as quickly as possible. "I have to make it in time! I won't let you down, Chouji!"
Chouji was not as fortunate as his comrades, considering his arm was still in its enlarged form. He couldn't possible move in time and his eyes widened as a humming sound filtered through his ears.
Shikamaru's face twisted into a horrified expression as he shifted his stance wildly. Chouji's body mimicked his best friend's motion in the nick of time, all things considered.
The Akimichi hissed in pain as a glowing, electrical blade protruded from his left shoulder blade, piercing joint, flesh and tendon alike though it missed its original target which was his heart. Chouji screamed as the electricity shocked him before the man was forced to retreat as Ino charged forth while making quick hand seals.
"She didn't use the dispel seal and she doesn't have a doujutsu. So how did she dispel her way out of that genjutsu?" Shikamaru wondered his dark eyes narrowed. "She hesitated earlier, does that mean she saw him and didn't warn us. If so then why did she…shit, Ino!"
The Jounin smirked and tore the blade out at a different angle, enhancing the damage before kicking the portly genin away. His eyes flickered around him and caught sight of the shifting shadows and so his smirk widened.
"Your tactics are transparent. You rely on the brunt might of the Akimichi, and trapping abilities of the Nara. But how will you distract me?" He boasted and leveled his blade at the approaching blonde, preparing to cut her down.
The man frowned as his body locked down, "Kage mane…when did he? Damn it!" He noticed the shuriken imbedded in the tree cast shadows around him and were the reason for his miscalculation.
"Thanks, Shikamaru. This should earn me some brownie points…'Magen: Hofuku no Akumu'!" Sakura thought as she invoked her planned illusion.
She grinned somewhat cruelly as she forcefully latched onto her foe's psyche with her chakra. The man's body stiffened and his eyes reflected revulsion and fear as she forced his mind to envision scores of centipedes and worms burst from his skin and begin devouring him. "Go ahead, Ino. It may not have been what Danzou-sama requested specifically, but it should appease him none the less"
"Now you're just lying to yourself and to me, Sakura-chan. We both know Danzou-teme will not like this one bit. I hope it was worth it, putting your life on the line for these morons…" her dark persona scoffed balefully. "Just remember I warned you, Sakura," she cautioned and elicited their shared body to scowl angrily.
While Sakura was verbally jousting with her alter ego Ino's normally kind eyes were full of icy fury as she finished the seal sequence to the newest technique her father taught her. Several months ago she wouldn't have bothered with training harder and trying to get stronger.
However, things were different. Her life had changed with Sasuke's death, Naruto's increasing influence and her own feeling of weakness and worthlessness in comparison to both.
And so after much begging and whining her father had taught her the far more useful and powerful family technique: 'Shinranshin no jutsu'. Her mentally controlled chakra invaded the man's tenketsu and steered his arm and hand, pointing the lightning blade towards his own throat.
"Impressive…to think I was beaten by a bunch of genin brats…" He mused, watching Shikamaru remove the shadow bind. He felt his body weaken under the Yamanaka's jutsu, his muscles aching as he struggled to keep the humming electrical blade at bay.
"Ino, stop," a different voice cut in, the figure of Asuma materializing behind their attack and grasping his wrist tightly, holding back the mythical lightning sword.
His breathing was somewhat heavy and his battle attire was cut and filthy from battling through the sewers with three rain ninja of varying degrees of skill and power. Unluckily for them his wind jutsu were quite deadly in enclosed and narrow battlefields as there was no way to avoid them.
"Rokushou Aoi, B-rank missing ninja – I hope you are prepared for your long awaited reunion with Ibiki-san. It was rather cunning of you to have your subordinates ambush me at the exchange point. But we both knew your companions were not enough…" Asuma mused in a cold and menacing manner before smashing his palm into the back of man's head, knocking him unconscious.
"Good job team, Ino, Shikamaru - go help Chouji and bandage his wounds carefully," he commanded and his eyes flicked towards Sakura who seemed relatively uninjured though weary from chakra usage.
The bearded Jounin caught Shikamaru giving him a meaningful look and signaling him to keep his eye on Sakura while mouthing 'we need to talk'.
The Sarutobi heir frowned and his eyes narrowed as he nodded grimly. "Just what did you do Haruno? And what is it your master is playing at?" He scooped up Aoi and observed his students murmur softly, shaken up by Chouji's injury while Sakura only wrapped her chains anew.
All of them failed to notice the hidden figure observing them from a distance. It observed the genin and Asuma for several more moments before melting back into the shadows heading off to report to its master.
(Meanwhile, secret Yuki loyalist compound, mountain top, North of Yuki no Kuni)
Hatake Kakashi sighed as he felt a massive chakra signature approach his location. He was hidden within a safe house known only to Sandayuu and his closest allies on one of the mountain tops.
The fact that there was a poorly veiled chakra signature making its way towards them meant they had a leak. "It seems our location has been compromised. Let's hope you manage to find out in time to escape, Anko-san." He reflected inwardly before pushing a soft sigh through concealed lips.
"Koyuki-sama, Sandayuu-san, do not move. It appears the enemy is approaching our position," the Copy ninja informed the pair as he stood up. "Do not worry, I will protect you with my life."
The snow princess scoffed openly. "You fool! Yuki no Kuni will never be reborn, there is only death and failure in these frozen wastelands." Her eyes flickered with emotion, fear and desperation settling in as horrible memories danced before her eyes.
"Ma ma, calm down, Koyuki-sama, I've got things covered," he reassured before saluting and taking off. He slipped out of the door and made his way in the opposite direction of the hidden compound, surveying the area and skies above.
"Hatake Kakashi, this is the second time you have interfered with my plans. There will be no third. I will have the hexagonal crystal and your life!" a deep and menacing voice called out. The armored form of Kazahana Dotou was hovering, airborne, his chrome armor clashing violently with the pristine surroundings.
Detecting the hidden Konoha Jounin was not an easy task. Luckily, his agents had managed to bribe one of the people on Sandayuu's crew and have him plant a miniature transmitter on the princess' person.
"Dotou, this is a surprise, coming on your own like this. Confident, are we?" The Sharingan wielder frowned under his mask, "That chakra armor seems more advanced and powerful than the usual model. I wonder how powerful it is in comparison."
"Neither Sharingan, nor your Ninjutsu will save you, Hatake. I have no quarrel with Konohagakure so why don't you save us both the time and hand me Koyuki-hime and you may yet live."
The silver haired ninja pulled his headband up and revealed his implanted eye, the tomoe of the sharingan spinning. "My apologies, Dotou, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline."
"However, why don't you consider my counter offer…" he replied pleasantly while making some hand seals and forming half a dozen shadow clones."Regular ninjutsu will not work if that armor is as powerful as it looks. He's a flying opponent that feels superior and is thus careless. This should not be too difficult after all – I know what to do…"
"Your clones will not help you!" Dotou called out while making furious hand seals. He then unceremoniously threw his right palm forward, unleashing a massive chakra construct into the air courtesy of his armor's elemental abilities. "Hyouton: Kokuryu Boufuusetsu!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as the energy formed a high velocity construct of dark blue ice that came racing towards Kakashi.
Kakashi's clone scattered, moving in random directions as the powerful jutsu slammed into the icy earth. Two clones started climbing the mountain top whereas the rest of them formed individual hand seals.
One of them unleashed a massive fireball whereas the other two unleashed cones of wind chakra towards Dotou. The torrents of elemental chakra ignited in a mighty blaze of scarlet, forcing Dotou to maneuver between them. As he dodged fiery death he thrust both his palms to his sides, repeating his preferred jutsu once more – only this time invoking two dragons.
Kakashi's clones scrambled desperately but were unable to escape the double dragon attack, popping out of existence. Only the original managed to avoid the carnage. He was still in mid seal sequence and when he reached its final seal he exhaled a massive cloud of dark mist "Katon: Kasumi Enbu no jutsu"
Dotou covered his eyes with his arm as he halted his dive to flap his mechanical wings, trying to disperse the thick mist. He coughed through the dense gaseous substance, swabbing his tongue within his mouth once he managed to breathe properly.
His eyes widened "This mist tastes…odd." The dictator of the snow country heard a sizzling sound and quickly covered his eyes and mouth as he flew away from the clouded area blindly just as an explosive tag went off. A barrier of violet light flashed defiantly, radiating the intense heat and power of the now ignited combustive mist inferno of scarlet and white.
One of the clones that reached higher grounds had been the one to throw the kunai with the explosive tag. The other clone kicked off its back, dispelling the clone and launching itself towards Dotou.
The dictator opened his eyes in time to see the blurry shape of the Copy ninja far too close for comfort, an open palm smashing into his nose with crushing force. Their accumulated momentum made the blow impossibly powerful, the crunching sound of bone shattering was sickening. "Don't deserve to even be called trash."
Kakashi fell to one knee, slightly exhausted from chakra use as he covered his sharingan eye. He watched the dead or dying tyrant plummeting from the sky before crashing into the icy crusted earth. "It is over…I guess the rest is up to you, Anko-san."
"Y-You just killed Dotou!" The sputtering voice of Sandayuu cried from far away in astonishment. Beside him the brunette princess was paralyzed in a blend of shock and relief.
"Go back inside, I have to deal with something!" Kakashi called out. The shocked princess and her aide obeyed nimbly, still shell shocked from the reality that their tormentor was truly gone.
The Yondaime's protégé smiled under his mask "A job well done, Anko's presence was more useful and helpful with her somewhat more professional and less argumentative attitude. Sarutobi-sama will be pleased that she has seemingly changed," he concluded as he reminisced over the snake jounin's contribution in terms of reconnaissance and combat skill.
He made his way upwards, climbing upon the frozen surface towards the snow dictator's crash site. "Dotou's chakra armor is too dangerous to leave lying around. Besides, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our scientists. Maybe they can study it and back-engineer its design or concept…"
He approached the crater and winced faintly beneath his mask. The pristine ice was stained by the ground and broken husk of the snow ninja's leader. The mechanical armor seemed intact, though the bone and flesh within it was probably mangled beyond recognition.
"I must make sure to keep this armor concealed and reveal it only to Hiruzen-sama. There's no telling what Danzou would do with this kind of technology at his disposal."
He pulled out a large scroll from his flak jacket and sighed as he removed a kunai blade from his weapon's pouch. "I hate this part," he lamented – preparing to sever the limb and remove the cadaver in order to liberate the precious armor alone before sealing it.
Meanwhile Koyuki was pacing back and forth within the small room she occupied along with Sandayuu. The princess was restless and didn't know how to deal with this development. "They really…I never thought anyone would be able to avenge you, Otou-san."
The fact was she didn't enjoy her depressed and dreary outlook on life. The crushing loneliness and constant self-imposed isolation were hard, but she hadn't found a reason to believe things could get better – until now.
As unlikely as it would seem, despite all of Koyuki's complaints, escape attempts and coarse words the two Konoha Jounin had brushed off her scorn and kept on fighting, never giving up even against impossible odds for the sake of their clients, and their village.
"They promised me…she promised me it would be alright and they came through. After you died, I had never trusted another person's word, father. But now, maybe, just maybe there can still be light in my darkness." She pondered and clutched the violet crystal on her neck, shutting her eyes.
Her father's face flashed before her eyes, his warm smile filling her with hope. "This is proof that you were right, so…so now I want to try as well. I don't want to be afraid anymore…I want meaning in my life!" The future Daimyo of the snow country conversed with her departed parent inwardly.
"I'm tired of running, Sandayuu. You were right, I won't let the past define me any longer – from now on, I will try to make my own destiny as Yuki no Kuni's Daimyo…" she declared and flashed a genuine smile, watching with amusement as the excitement and joy filled the bespectacled man's eyes.
"For our fallen brothers and sisters, for my father's memory, let's make the future count, ne? Maybe together we can make reality a bit more close to our delusions of grandeur." she mused softly.
(At the same time, back in the silver mines)
"Shit! This is bad! I think he's lost control of his Bijuu." The cloud Jounin cursed as the demon-influenced blonde stroke towards her, sweeping a clawed hand at her. The Jounin substituted herself with one of the dead hostages.
She felt bile rise in her throat as a blazing crimson appendage mimicked Naruto's motion and tore into the bloated body in a shower of crimson blood and worse.
"What the hell's wrong with Naruto…?" Tenten whispered to Neji, confused and terrified by the sheer violence and blood lust pouring out of the Uzumaki.
"I'm not sure, but don't make any sudden motions, I think the lightning blast did something to him so be prepared for anything…" Neji replied in a somewhat uncertain tone, his mind already quickly grasping the many clues and reaching one conclusion – Naruto was linked to the Kyuubi.
It made sense in a morbid, twisted manner. Naruto was a pariah in a manner beyond any other orphan Neji had heard of or seen. His chakra levels were impossible, his stamina and healing and more importantly the gleam of sadness and shame he tried to hide in moments of turmoil – not to mention his new physical features fit the descriptions and pictures of the demon-fox.
The crimson eyed demon opened its mouth and slowly growled out in a deep, throaty tone, every word seemingly a struggle. He kept his back to Neji and Tenten, protecting them bodily as he crouched low in front of the cloud Jounin. "You…w-won't…touch them…get Byakugan!"
The blonde cursed audibly and grasped his hair. The burning red around him flickered and seemed to flare defiantly as the Uzumaki dropped to his knees and shut his eyes, apparently in deep turmoil. "No! I'm…not…like this! I'm better than this!"
Naruto forced himself to concentrate despite the intoxicating feel of the immortal power of the fox's youki. He shut his eyes for a moment, reaching deep within himself before opening them anew and recognizing the sewer-like mind scape he had visited once before.
"Kyuubi! That's enough, damn it! I don't want your power and I won't have you interfering in my battles!" He swept his hand across his body, head tilted up to gaze upon the grinning demon behind the seal within his mind.
"The moment you unconsciously drew upon my power by giving in to your emotions you gave up all the elements of free will and choice, ningen. Given the fact you seem unable to defeat your foe on your own I intervened and increased the dosage." The ageless entity's eyes grinned malevolently as it watched the insolent mortal grit its teeth and defiantly stand its ground.
"Shut up, bastard fox! I didn't ask for your help! Take it away, damn it! It's too much, it clouds my judgment and control. I won't get any more people killed because of you and your accursed chakra!" Naruto started to threaten before the Kyuubi's miasma exploded around it, crimson eyes now glowing ominously.
"Worthless fleshling, you would've died had I not healed you!" the demon interjected in a deafening tone."You ungrateful simian, at some point you have come to view me in the liking of tool that you can use at will with no consequence. I warned you my power came with a price attached to it and yet you still called upon it." The strongest of the Bjiuu threatened in the most intimidating voice Naruto had ever heard.
"This is MY body – YOUR prison, Kyuubi. Now cut off the chakra or I'll kill myself and take me with you!" Naruto chose not to err on the side of caution as the joint weight of his fear for Neji and Tenten, his outrage at Hinata's injury and Kyuubi's interference finally reached the boiling point.
The demon fox slammed its paw against the sealed gate before erupting into peals of laughter that caused the pseudo sewer to tremble."So be it. Though I know you mortals are unable to carry out such a threat. I'm amused enough to humor your little tantrum. Let's see how long it takes you to realize how weak you are on your own and come back crawling before me and begging for assistance."
The tendrils of murderous life force receded, returning to their source. "Fool, soon you will realize the truth about your pathetic species. And even if you don't, the next time we meet you won't be feeling as victorious as you are now…" the ageless entity vowed to itself inwardly before ejecting its vessel back to the real world via an explosion of youki.
The cloud Jounin smirked "Wrong move, kid. You should've stuck with your monster while you still had the chance." Her eyes flickered with icy amusement, her nerve restored at the sight of Naruto shakily rising to his feet.
She ripped off her sleeve and revealed that her entire arm was equally as mechanical as her forearm and hand. Her eyes narrowed as she felt the wall she erected earlier shudder, something slamming against it from the other side.
"I'll have to hurry, even though they told me not to attempt it, I don't know how long the others can hold on against Maito Gai and whoever that female Jounin is." She pressed two fingers against a blue and white yin/yang symbol. "I can't afford to fail, everything depends on this. Here goes nothing. Maximum power mode charging up… now all I need is to buy a couple of moments. "
"Naruto, can you fight?" Neji whispered and approached him quickly, brushing off Tenten's nervous attempt to hold him back from Naruto.
The weapon mistress was unsure and nervous, the sight of her fellow genin burning with red chakra and those horrible eyes imprinted in her mind. Despite her instinctive inclination to avoid Naruto she followed Neji, but kept a small distance from Naruto.
Naruto nodded grimly and worriedly watched the woman pull her arm back. Lightning crackled to life and coalesced around her limb as the soft humming from before rose in octave and intensity. "Neji…what the hell is up with her arm?"
"I'm not sure, but it seems like the machinery in her arm draws most of her gathered chakra and converts it automatically into lightning chakra," the Hyuuga prodigy explained.
"That explains why she's handing out lightning bolts like hotcakes. Look, I've got an idea, when the time comes you guys'll know what to do," Naruto whispered before he glanced at Tenten.
His now blue eyes momentarily flickered with pain and remorse. "Tenten, I know you're afraid of me but I need your help for this, can I count on you?"
The kunoichi bit her lip and nodded quickly, it seemed whatever episode her fellow genin had undergone earlier was over and she had no intention of dying or endangering Neji or the mission by hesitating. So for now, she would be a professional and contain her doubts and fears.
"I'm in a hurry, so if you kids have finished your little tea party – it's time to die," the cloud Jounin declared and slashed her hand towards the trio, unleashing a discus-like lightning blast.
The genin split apart, each of them leaping to safety and narrowly escaping death. Tenten reached for her weapon pouch while Neji assumed his Jyuuken stance. Naruto however gathered his chakra and made some hand seals, filling the cavern with a sheet of white smoke.
"Kage Bushin again? Is that all you're capable of?" The woman wondered as she gathered her lightning chakra into a compacted sphere in the base of her palm, preparing to blast the tree-huggers to oblivion.
When the smoke cleared it revealed ten blondes and one Kunoichi now brandishing a pair of Fuuma Shuriken. Eight of the clones charged while the other two made quick hand seals and started firing several small wind pellets at the woman.
The woman sneered as she shifted and dodged the hail of wind bullets, ignoring the dust and rock fragments pelting her back before thrusting her hand forth. "Playtime is over, kiddies. It's time to die," she declared venomously as a massive blast of lightning chakra shifted into a dragonhead. "Raiton: Raikouryudan no jutsu."
The jutsu roared forth at break neck speed, the serpentine construct shifting and devouring seven of the approaching Naruto – only one of them cleanly leaping over it and continuing in a beeline towards her.
Tenten used their foe's distraction to hurl the massive ninja star towards her. The woman sneered and covered her body with her mechanical arm, preparing to deflect it only for it to explode into a cloud of white smoke.
"What the…?" she had time to wonder as a high pitched screeching sound deafened her. She instinctively snapped her lightning covered fist towards the source and then screamed in pure, unadulterated pain.
The sound of metal giving in and flesh being sliced shocked her as impossible pain slice through her. It ran down from her knuckle to around halfway through her arm. It was then she noticed that what had carving her open was an uncommonly shaped blade surrounding by wind chakra.
She only had a moment to wonder how she could've been so careless as to ignore the boy's sword before its blade connected with the inner machinery of the lightning gauntlet, causing a chain reaction that unleashed all the accumulated energy at once.
Naruto grunted as the electrical shock wave ran through him and knocked him quite a ways. He shook and convulsed, gritting his teeth desperately against the pain.
He curled into himself, trying to wear out the agony, his mother's blade, Bofuudoki, now stained in crimson as it clattered loudly to the ground beside him. "I knew it would work…just like it did on Zabuza. I almost had her, but cutting off her arm is good enough I guess…"
"You little fuck! I'll kill you!" the woman screamed, grasping the charred, mangled remains of her arm momentarily before growling wildly as she aimed a vicious kick at his approaching clone.
"You are mistaken," the clone spoke far too calmly as it gracefully swerved beneath her kick and assumed an all too familiar Jyuuken stance. In several quick palm strikes and finger thrusts Neji locked off her chakra and knocked her out. "You're fortunate, woman. Killing you would only give your village an excuse to demand sanctions from us. I won't allow anyone to be sacrificed to those bastards like you were, father."
"Nice improvisation with the transformation, Neji. Kick ass throw Tenten!" Naruto murmured weakly and motioned thumbs up with a shaky hand. He shut his eyes and winced, weak and spent from the extensive jutsu-inflicted physical damage and the aftermath of the fox's youki. He shuddered as he felt said bijuu's power pour into his tenketsu and begin healing him by the tingling in his abdomen and chest.
Neji sighed inaudibly in relief and watched Tenten slide to a sitting position behind him. He knelt down beside Naruto and carefully helped him to his feet. "I don't think I would've devised a plan quite like that. I still have questions for you, Uzumaki, but I concede that my initial assessment of you was wrong. "
Tenten was conflicted, unsure how to react as she watched Neji and Naruto seem to get along well. She didn't have much time to think when suddenly the wall behind Neji and Naruto shattered, revealing the slightly winded and weary forms of Gai and Kurenai.
Gai was carrying two men, one on each of his shoulders, obviously the survivors of the enemy force, his face twisted in an uncommonly grim expression. "Neji, are you alright? Where are the others?"
Before the Hyuuga could reply Kurenai and Gai tensed as chakra signatures rapidly approached their location. They prepared for battle once more only to relax immediately as they saw it was a squad of Konoha Anbu that entered through Naruto's makeshift entrance, accompanied by Kiba and Lee.
As the Anbu, Gai and Neji all debriefed one another about the situation. Gai handed over his prisoners to two members of the special ops unit while the rest of them tended and apprehended the nearly amputated Kumo Jounin.
Kurenai was relieved to hear Hinata's injuries were not life threatening. Both Jounin glanced at Naruto when Neji reported what happened during the battle with the Cloud Jounin. An unspoken message ran between them – the shit was about to hit the fan.
Naruto kept his eyes closed and bit his lower lip. With the battle over he knew a new, far more complicated and emotionally draining conflict was ahead, telling his friends the truth about his burden.
"Please, please give me a chance guys. Just give me a chance to prove I'm not the fox, don't turn on me like Sakura did…" he pleaded inwardly. He was already running the possible scenarios in his head, the light in his eyes dimming as he let his depression and skepticism get the better of him.
Jutsu Glossary:
Kage Bushin (no jutsu): Shadow Clone (technique)
"Fuuton: Kaze Rensei Bakudan"- Wind Release: Drilling Wind Bomb – mid level wind jutsu, the user unleashes a condensed sphere or rotating wind, the closer the target, the deadlier the jutsu.
Magen: Hofuku no Akumu – Demonic Illusion: Creeping Nightmare – Mid level Genjutsu that tricks the target into believing maggots, insects and centipedes are gnawing their way out of his body.
Katon: Kasumi Enbu no jutsu – Fire Release: Mist Waltz Technique – Mid level Fire jutsu which has the user exhale a large gust of combustible mist that envelops his opponent.
Raiton: Raikouryu no Inmetsu - Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon Destruction – High level Lighting Jutsu – the user forms a massive dragon head from chakra before unleashing a continuous blast of lightning at the target.
Raiton: Raikouryudan no jutsu – Lightning Release: Lightning Dragon Blast technique – High Level Lightning technique – Forms a maneuverable oriental dragon made of lightning that hunts down and sears/shocks its targets
Magen: Hofuku no Akumu – Demonic Illusion – Creeping Nightmare – Mid level Genjutsu – the user tricks the opponent to believing maggots and centipedes are bursting from their skin and devouring them alive.
Kage Mane (no Jutsu) – Shadow Imitation technique – Nara family jutsu – A jutsu used to entrap one's foe by ensnaring their shadow. The user is limited by range of how his shadow can bend/stretch and how powerful his chakra/will are in comparison to his/her foe.
Shinranshin no jutsu – Mind Derangement technique – Yamanaka family jutsu – The user sends spiritual energy to invade the target's brain and usurp control over his body's physical motions. The target is aware of his actions but unable to resist as his body is hijacked by the foreign chakra.
Shoushagan no jutsu – Vanishing Facial copy technique – a ninjutsu based kinjutsu that allows the jutsu allows the user to assume his targets identity by removing said person's face and wearing it for his/her own.
"Hyouton: Kokuryu Boufuusetsu – Ice release: Black Dragon Blizzard – High level Ice technique, the user will form a massive ether-like dragon using the ice element and send it rearing down at his/her opponent, using it to launch the opponent into the air or crushing it.