Forgot to say in the last Wikia that Kisame Hoshigaki was one of Yagura's students. The other two will be revealed in time.

Here's #20.

Chapter 20 - Naruto's Chance

Naruto and the others continued their travel towards the Mountain's Graveyard. It had been awhile since they passed the border and entered in the Land of Bears. Being in a mission to capture members of the S-Rank organization Akatsuki, there shouldn't be a problem with that country's ninjas. Still, they moved cautiously. As the grass on the ground was being less with each step they took, they knew they were almost reaching the mountains and their goal.

"How many miles left Hinata?" Naruto asked.

"About five more, Naruto-kun."

"Nothing happened yet. This kind of situation is just like Naruto, if he's quiet then something is wrong..." Shikamaru stated, while his team kept a considerable distance from Team Nawirama. "Kakashi-sensei..."

"What is it, Shikamaru?" Kakashi questioned.

"Hinata has confirmed that Sasuke is alone. Therefore, we could forget the plan and just barge into their hideout and take him." Shikamaru suggested. "Besides, the longer we move, the closer we get to the mountains, which means less vegetation and less cover for us."

"So, you're actually willing to take the risk?" Kakashi asked, before Shikamaru sighed and reluctantly nodded. "It's true that the field doesn't favor us, so we may as well act faster. We'll join Team Nawirama and move into the Mountain's Graveyard. Even if that Zetsu appears, Hinata should be able to notice him before he tries something. Let's move!"

"Even if that guy appears, everything seems to point out that he's only a scout, so...everything should turn out fine." Shikamaru tried to convince himself. Some meters ahead, a yellow eye blinked in the trunk of a tree.

"So Madara was right...We have visitors." Black Zetsu thought as he saw the two Konoha teams merging once again. "To be travelling separated, they obviously had a plan. They're abandoning it to rush to the hideout, since that girl saw Sasuke was alone. Too bad that the Byakugan can't catch me..."

"Oh, that idea is so much better!" Naruto complimented Kakashi and Shikamaru's decision. All listened to Shikamaru and Sakura trying to scold Naruto, except for Hinata who was staring to the ground. "Full speed ahead then!"

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata charged towards him and pushed him down as half a dozen roots were about to hit him from below.

"Th-thanks." Naruto said, after both of them stood.

"So you were still around...Zetsu." Kakashi spoke while he sliced the roots with a kunai of his. Shortly after, Zetsu appeared in front of them, both his halves united. Strangely, there was no sign of the two large venus fly-trap like extensions that usually enveloped his head and upper body.

"Kakashi and the Kyuubi boy... The girl who defeated Sasori is here as well. Plus, the kids who fought Hidan and Kakuzu." Zetsu then pointed towards the boy from the Nara clan. "You're the one who defeated Hidan, all by yourself. That's an impressive feat you achieved, boy...And the Hyuga girl, I remember seeing her near the place where Sasuke killed Itachi."

"What a drag...We can't even use our plan now, the guy already found us." Shikamaru sighed. "To make things worse, he appears to know everything about us."

"And I have the field advantage...barely." Zetsu silently added. "If they joined a bit later, I wouldn't be able to face them. The rocky fields don't favor my techniques."

"Where is Sasuke? Answer me, you freakin' aloe weirdo!" Naruto furiously shouted.

"Sasuke's resting in the hideout. You won't get to him boy."

"That's what we'll see!" Naruto created a shadow clone, who in turn created a Rasengan, while both were running towards the Akatsuki. Before they could get to him, Nawirama stopped the real Naruto by taking a hold of his right wrist.

"Stop Naruto!" Nawirama ordered. "You know the orders, you're not going to fight."

"Let me go!" Naruto shouted.

"Everything seems to point towards the fact that he's a scout, which means that he's likely weak in direct combat. Therefore, he must have some sneaky tricks to avoid getting involved in a fight. By that, I mean capturing his opponent before he can land a hit." Nawirama pointed to his left side and Naruto stared into the roots that had erupted from the ground earlier. "See what I mean? Then, he's an Akatsuki member, which means he's highly skilled in what he does. If you rush blindly, you'll be captured for sure and we don't want that, now do we?"

"Nope..." Naruto stared down in defeat.

"Can I let you go?" Naruto nodded and Nawirama released the grip. "Kakashi and I will fight. We can't risk losing you."

"Eh, that's what we'll..." Zetsu stopped as he felt Kakashi's kunai against his throat and saw the Kakashi in front of him disappear in a puff of smoke. Behind Kakashi, there was a hole on the ground, hinting that the Copy Ninja had been hiding underground the entire time. "A Shadow Clone? When?"

"It was hard to believe that Sasuke would be alone. Shikamaru there, the boy that defeated Hidan, had considered the hypothesis of you being able to conceal your chakra, since you've been seen using chakra suppressed spores. He also considered that if someone was guarding Sasuke, it would be you. So when we were making plans, he considered two scenarios..." Kakashi explained. "The first, where you would confront the first group, like we wanted. He devised a capture plan that could be used whether it was you that appeared or any other of your comrades."

"The moment Hinata saw only Sasuke, we knew it would be you who would appear. Then, there's what Nawirama said. While he don't know your abilities for sure, we can assume what is their purpose. We knew that you're a scout and that you would learn we were moving separated. That way it would be difficult for you to try to stop us, so..." Shikamaru continued. "...we forced a second scenario, one that is specially directed towards you. We joined both teams, making it easier for you to act and, therefore, to appear."

"My clone would serve a purpose for either scenario. In this one, he just had to stay there while you were focused on Naruto's antics, so that I could move underground to get you." Kakashi spoke again, causing Zetsu to stare back to the Jinchuriki, who supported a large grin. "Yes, Naruto's attempt to attack you was a feint."

"That conversation you had earlier with that boy...that was staged too!" Zetsu angrily stated.

"Of course. That was the trigger to change to scenario 2. We knew there was the chance you could be hearing, so it would actually deceive you. I see it did." Shikamaru smirked.

"I see...but you're missing a few points. You don't know my abilities, so how can you be so sure that I wasn't expecting Kakashi to appear from below?" Zetsu's face supported a smirk as well. Seeing that, Hinata instinctively looked to the ground.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Hinata shouted, causing Kakashi's opened eye to widen. He took a step back at the last second, avoiding the roots that erupted from the space between him and Zetsu. While he slashed through them with the kunai, Zetsu appeared from his left side.

"I know everything that happens in the land. Me being deceived by your actions, was my way of deceiving you!" Zetsu shouted, after kicking Kakashi away.

"Shit! Scenario 3...Shadow Possession Jutsu" Shikamaru's shadow stretched towards the Akatsuki spy but he moved behind the wall of roots, with Shikamaru's shadow connecting with theirs. Zetsu then ran towards the Nara young man, by the side of his stretched shadow.

"I know how your jutsu works. You can only change the shape of the shadow or divide it from its tip!" Zetsu stated, while he prepared for a new attack.

"You wouldn't think I'm that weak, would you?" Shikamaru actually seemed disappointed by Zetsu underestimating him. The stretched shadow divided itself into many protrusions that connected with Zetsu's shadow, before the tip, as the spy called it, connected as well. "Got you."

"Tsk, you wouldn't think the same of me, right?" Zetsu smirked in defiance. "Your jutsu may control my movements, but can it control movements that aren't shown in the shadow?"

"Nope, it can't. That's why you're allowed to speak. But..." Shikamaru shook his head as he saw Zetsu merging with the ground to escape via Mayfly Jutsu. "...you're still underestimating us!"

"Partial Expansion Jutsu" Choji's arms and hands grew and he used them to grab Zetsu's upper body, while his lower body was already underground.

"Grrr...What is that idiot doing?" Zetsu thought.

"I got him!" Choji shouted, as Zetsu's struggle was being useless.

"Good work, Choji!" Ino complimented, before joining her hands together in the characteristic hand seal from her clan. "Time for some mind changing..."

"Oh, it is time alright!" White Zetsu made himself heard as he wrapped Choji's body out of nowhere and started to absorb his chakra.

"Oh no, he caught...What the hell?" Ino screamed desperately, as a white substance that seemed like White Zetsu's body started to grow in her hands. The same started to happen to the other Konoha shinobi, with Nawirama and Kakashi being the first to get rid of their respective parasites. Then, they saw the white part of Zetsu's body fall to the ground and then being replaced by the original one that had just finished absorbing Choji's chakra. As soon as the real White Zetsu merged with his other half, the venus flytrap emerged from their body.

"Wooo! That was nice!" White Zetsu commented, the two different colored halves seemingly invigorated.

"You took too long!" Black Zetsu quickly scolded his other half, before aiming a kick to the fallen Choji. Nawirama made use of his speed to catch the Akimichi before Zetsu could hit him.

"When did you split?" Kakashi asked, after both Nawirama and Choji were at a safe distance.

"Many hours ago. I've been using one of our clones' structure to look like our original form."

"And I just came back." White Zetsu added. "We were really needing this chakra boost after our hard work in these past few days."

"Choji, are you alright?" Ino asked.

"Yeah, but I'm a little hungry." Choji answered, before he swallowed a soldier pill to replenish his chakra.

"Stay back guys! Nawirama and I will take care of him." Kakashi told the younger shinobi, while he lifted his headband to show his left Sharingan eye.

"Only two? Good, we should be able to hold you long enough for Madara to reach here and take Sasuke away."

"I don't know...Wasn't he going to the Land of Water? That's quite a distance..." White Zetsu argued with his other half.

"The Land of Water?" As soon as they heard Naruto's question, both Konoha Jounins and Shikamaru stared to the Jinchuriki who darted forward. "This is my chance!"

"No Naruto, wait! It's a trap!" Nawirama shouted but Naruto didn't turn back. He took the oppurtunity to pass by Zetsu and run in the hideout's direction. "Kakashi!"

"Go! Shikamaru and I will take care of him. Ino, Choji, stay here! We may need your help. The others, go!" Kakashi ordered before turning his attention to the Akatsuki member.

"Be careful!" Sakura told her friends before Team Nawirama turned to follow Naruto.

"You're too many to go!" More roots emerged from the ground and started to reach closer to Sakura.

"Protection of Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms" Hinata blocked and destroyed all the roots, before both girls continued the pursuit.

"We are your opponents!" Kakashi stated, as he and Shikamaru intercepted Zetsu who was about to follow Team Nawirama.

"There are more ways to follow them." Zetsu said as he was about to merge with the ground again.

"Shadow Possession Jutsu" Shikamaru shouted from behind the Akatsuki, as the fake Shikamaru turned into a puff of smoke. Unlike the last time, the angle of the shadow wouldn't let Zetsu disappear into the ground.

"Another of your Shadow Clones, Kakashi?" Zetsu angrily asked.

"No, this one was from Shikamaru himself. Already making use of the Hokage's library?" Shikamaru only grinned to Kakashi's question. A surge of Lightning chakra appeared in the Copy Ninja's right hand, before he ran towards his opponent and drove his trademark jutsu into his chest.

"Finally, all done!" Shikaku shouted as he ended the pile of paperwork that Shizune brought him earlier.

"Finally, lunch break!" Choza shouted. The new Jounin Commander had been waiting for Shikaku to end his job, so they could go to Yakiniku Q, the famous barbecue restaurant. "I was getting so, so hungry!"

"Like always..." Shikaku grinned and raised himself from his chair. To his surprise, Shizune entered the office, almost without breath.

"Ho-Hokage-sama...we have trouble!" Shizune managed to say.

"Oh no!" Shikaku and Choza both said at the same time. "First I'm told about the kidnap of the Iwa kunoichi and then all this paperwork because of the Chunin Exams...What could've happened now?"

"Ao and Chojuro have been taken to the hospital! They met Kisame..." Shizune revealed to both members of the original InoShikaCho trio.

"And the Hachibi's host?" Choza asked.

"He beat them all. The Raikage's men arrived at the battlefield but Kisame already had left with Killer Bee. Two of them brought Ao and Chojuro here while the other went back to report to the Raikage."

"Poor guy...I would never want to be on his shoes when he tells what happened to that troublesome Yotsuki..."

"WHAT?" Ë raised from his chair, punching the table with his only hand, breaking it in half. "AND YOU DID NOTHING?" The Fourth Raikage roared as he lifted Shi by the neck.

"W-we couldn't do aa-anything. Ki-Kisame fused with his blade and de-defeated the Hachibi by, by himself...before we g-got there." Shi continued to gasp for air, even after Ë released him.

"Kirabi..." The Raikage fell back into his chair. He couldn't believe that a single man could have defeated the Hachibi by himself.

"The Mizukage's bodyguards assisted Bee in the fight against Kisame. One of them said they could do nothing when he fused with the blade. He said that Kisame turned into a demon shark and absorbed Hachibi's Menacing Ball."

"That took almost all of his chakra, so Hachibi had no chance..." Ë finally understood how his brother was defeated and raised to his feet again. "The shark should be very powerful himself for Hachibi to use that maneuver."

"What do we do now, Raikage-sama?" Shi asked, while he still rubbed his neck.

"All teams of Chunin and Jounin are to leave to find Akatsuki. When Darui and Sabu come back, you will all come with me to find Kirabi."

"But Rai..."

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Ë Yotsuki shouted and punched the door in order to leave his office.

"Eheh, I'm almost reaching the coast. From there, it won't take long before I'm back in the Land of Water." Suigetsu thought as he kept on running towards the east maritime border of the Land of Fire. Out of nowhere, a swirling orange pattern appeared and Madara Uchiha emerged from it. "You! Wha-what do you want?"

"So, in my way to find the remaining Mist Swordsmen, I come across something unexpected...The sword that you're wielding doesn't belong to you my boy." Madara said to the former Mist shinobi, as he pointed to the bandaged sword on Suigetsu's back.

"Now it does. I killed Kisame, therefore Samehada belongs to me." Suigetsu explained.

"I know how the sword works, but since you decided to remember me, I should remember you that you have a debt to pay to me." Madara calmly said.

"W-What do you mean?" A surprised but also afraid Suigetsu asked.

"You killed one of my most important pawns and for that I should kill you right now." Suigetsu took two steps back as Madara shortened the distance between them. "If you don't want me to do it, join me back in Akatsuki."

"Join you? Why should I?" Suigetsu regretted what he said as Madara continued to shorten their distance. "I mean...you and Sasuke left us to die in the summit." Madara finally stopped to Suigetsu's relief.

"We were out of time and needed to leave immediately. I'm surprised that you survived but that's not why I'm here for. I'm giving you a chance to live boy, so you better tell me if you're with me or not." Madara demanded.

"Where is he, Hinata?" Sakura asked.

"He's not far. We're almost getting to him." A sad Hinata answered. She was afraid that something would happen to Naruto. Nawirama said nothing since they left Team Asuma behind. Sakura and Hinata took some looks at him from time to time and he always seemed like he was thinking at multiple things at the same time. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Sakura, Hinata, you're coming back to help Team Asuma. I'll take care of this now." Nawirama ordered to his partners.

"But you need our..." Sakura couldn't complete her sentence.

"I'm your team leader and you are to follow my orders!" Nawirama shouted with an angry look on his face. "Sakura, tell me what is taught in the academy regarding a team leader."

"Huh?" Sakura seemed surprised at first, but then frowned and stared down. "Whatever the situation, in order to keep the team together, one person gives the orders. That is why we have the rule that states team members must obey the team captain."

"Do you understand, then? I've made my choice. I've issued my orders. Go." Nawirama ordered once again. "Sorry girls. I know how you feel but I can't let you get hurt. If I'm right..."

"Grrr...alright. Let's go Hinata." The upset Sakura said as she was getting ready to turn back.

"No!" Sakura stared in shock at Hinata and Nawirama's expression changed to a surprised one for a second. She had her fists clenched and was shaking in fury.

"I know that you want to help him Hinata but I..."

"In the ninja world, those who don't follow the rules are scum, but those who leave their friends behind are even worse scum!" Hinata shouted and Nawirama's angry expression completely faded.

"Wh-where did you heard that Hinata?" Sakura asked, as she remembered the one occasion when she heard those words.

"Kakashi-sensei told Naruto and Sakura this in their first training together. I was watching that the entire time and that's something I'll never forget!" Hinata told Nawirama. "I don't care what you want me to do, I won't leave Naruto behind."

"I completely agree with that but this is no regular situation. All these kids are great shinobi and they all had great teachers but they are nowhere near the level of what we're about to face. Maybe not even Naruto. Maybe not even me..." Nawirama lowered his head to think for awhile. After a moment, he reached Sakura and whispered something to her. She looked at him and was about to disagree but eventually nodded and went back to where they came from.

"Sakura will go back to help Team Asuma. You'll come with me Hinata but under the condition that you'll do whatever I tell you. Do you agree?" Hinata thought for awhile and hesitantly nodded, causing Nawirama to sigh. "Good. I really don't like to play the bad guy."

"You, you were faking that?" Hinata asked as they resumed their pursuit for Naruto.

"I was expecting you to go back if I played that I was mad but you didn't fall for that." Nawirama smiled at her.

"But why?"

"Can you imagine how Naruto would feel if something happens to either one of you?" Hinata stared at Nawirama before lowering her head. She remembered how Naruto reacted when Pain almost killed her and almost let the Kyuubi get loose. "I wouldn't let you come if you hadn't said what you said. I completely agree with that and my respect for you turned up a notch." Nawirama stopped to think for a moment. "I'll let you know something that I only told Kakashi and I expect you to keep this secret as well."

"What the-" Kakashi's eyes widened as he saw that his Lightning Blade didn't go through Zetsu's body.

"My upper body is protected by a Venus Flytrap. It's a perfect armor!" White Zetsu hysterically laughed.

"So there's no way to hurt him?" Choji asked to his partners.

"Shadow Sewing Jutsu" After a quick Rat-Bird hand seal combination, Shikamaru changed the shape of the shadows that connected him and Zetsu into sharp tendrils that tried to stab the spy from above. Unfortunately, Zetsu countered by closing the flytrap. "Drag...my shadows won't go through it!"

"Then below!" Kakashi shouted as he aimed a new Lightning Blade to Zetsu's legs. As the lightning surge cut through the cloak, it didn't go any further. The Copy Ninja saw that the flytrap had just grown to protect Zetsu's entire body. "So it's not part of his body, but some kind of jutsu that can be changed to fit the situation."

"Let me try. Mind Distraction Jutsu" Ino targeted her opponent but nothing happened. "Why doesn't it work?"

"Ahahah, too bad blondie!" White Zetsu's voice came from inside the flytrap. "Your clan's jutsu isn't so easy to perform on someone whose mind is divided in two, right?"

"I see..." Ino realized what happened and showed a nervous smile, after remembering being crushed by Inner Sakura when she tried to possess her best friend during the Chunin Exams.

"Then we need to open it!" Choji swallowed a green pill and his right fist got way bigger, with chakra surrounding it. He threw a punch to the flytrap but the thing didn't even crack. "Aaaargh!"

"Choji!" Both Shikamaru and Ino shouted as they saw Choji's fist returning to its normal size, with the Akimichi immediately rubbing it in pain.

"You can get as strong as you want by eating those pills, it doesn't matter. Not even Tsunade can break this armor." Zetsu informed. Choji jumped back to the side of his partners, with Ino coming closer to him.

"It's broken." Ino quickly realized. "How hard is that thing?"

"Ahahah, with us hidden inside, that boy can't use his shadows to stop us from making hand seals...Secret Art: Strangling Ivy" The ivies erupted from the ground, binding the three original members of Team Asuma. The tight constriction made Shikamaru lose control over the shadows, allowing Zetsu to walk again.

"Even though you seem to prefer to fight like we thought, your fighting style is still quite peculiar. It seems like the best way to fight is...Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu" Kakashi performed some seals before spitting a volley of small fireballs, while he drew a scroll from one of his pockets. "Control over plants, a resistant flytrap...How is it possible? To create sources of life...no, it can't be that. The clans who use similar techniques, like the Flower Ninja Arts, do it by using Wind chakra to sharpen and transport the plants. He hasn't created anything from his own body yet, so maybe..."

"Secret Art: Seed Barrage" Chakra enhanced bulb bullets came from both of Zetsu's palms and clashed against Kakashi's fireballs. The fireballs consumed the bulbs but didn't reach the Akatsuki member.

"Ok, so he actually creates life from his own body. And the way he merges with the ground doesn't seem like a Earth Style jutsu..." Kakashi rushed towards Zetsu and tried to cut him with his kunai but ivies came from Zetsu's right sleeve and wrapped Kakashi's wrist. Zetsu then launched some more seeds but the Water Clone dispersed with Zetsu getting all wet.

"Water Clone? He must have used that scroll to summon water..."

"He's fast! I didn't saw him activating it." Zetsu turned and saw the original Kakashi in midair, charging another lightning surge.

"Here! Lightning Style: Lightning Hound" Kakashi launched the surge of lightning, shaping in the form of a hound. The Lightning chakra disconnected from Kakashi's hand, so that the chakra bullet would be faster. Zetsu's eyes widened at the speed of the projectile. Instead of closing the flytrap, the strange being separated in its two different colored parts. The Lightning Hound continued to move however, and in the direction of the paralyzed members of Team Asuma. "Damn it! There's no way I can stop it!"

"It's getting this way!" Ino shouted before closing her eyes.

"Done!" Shikamaru was finally able to cut through the ivies that were wrapping him with Asuma's Trench Knives and performed a set of seals. Shikamaru spat a large amount of water that formed a water pillar that surrounded them and blocked the lightning creature. The Lightning chakra enveloped the entire water structure, before all the liquid collapsed to the ground. "It wasn't too big but it was enough to save us."

"That was great Shikamaru!" Choji complimented his best friend, while Shikamaru freed him and Ino. "Where did you learn that?"

"In a scroll that was on the Hokage's library written by the Second itself. I took it and trained this jutsu after leaving my dad's office and then continued last night. Unfortunately, it's still too small." Shikamaru explained as he stared back into the battlefield. Kakashi was facing both of Zetsu's halves in a Taijutsu battle. Due to the numerical disadvantage, Kakashi was losing as fatigue was getting to him. "Choji you stay here and protect Ino. I'll help Kakashi."

"You'll need help, Shikamaru." Choji disagreed and reached for something in his pocket.

"Damn it, Choji! Your hand is broken! You won't be able to help." Shikamaru countered, while he watched the battle between Kakashi and Zetsu. "A scout that isn't afraid of close battle, since he can outnumber and tire his opponent easily. Kakashi forced him into close battle to have the advantage but it backfired."

"Wait, Shikamaru. I will go then." Ino protested.

"No! You're our medical-nin and you need to stay out of Zetsu's reach. Choji, don't let her go!" Shikamaru ordered. Kakashi put some Lightning Chakra in his blows and they seemed to get more effective. When Shikamaru almost decapitated White Zetsu with one of Asuma's Trench Knives, both halves backed off.

"Those blows you delivered seem to be effective. What was that?" Shikamaru asked.

"I saw the Raikage use Lightning Chakra to improve his already great Taijutsu when we were in the Land of Iron. Unfortunately, I wasn't focused on that at the time, so I'm doing it the wrong way. The damage should be a lot greater." Kakashi explained.

"I have an idea." Shikamaru immediately said and whispered it to his partner.

"You almost lost your head there!" Black Zetsu angrily scolded the white one.

"I know, let's get back to our original form." White Zetsu merged with his black half once again. When Zetsu looked up he only saw Kakashi performing some hand seals. "Where's the shrimp?"

"Up here!" Zetsu looked up and saw a dozen of Shikamarus above him.

"Shadow Clones? Easy..." Roots appeared from the ground and swiftly stretched up to the sky, destroying all the clones who didn't disappear but transformed into water that fell upon Zetsu.

"Water Clones again?" With the distraction, Zetsu almost didn't close his flytrap in time, as the real Shikamaru tried to decapitate him once again.

"Now, Kakashi!" Shikamaru got out of the way and Kakashi rushed towards his opponent.

"Lightning Blade" The lightning surge collided against the flytrap that after a moment cracked and was completely destroyed. Zetsu quickly backed up in shock.

"Our perfect defense! How?"

"I saw how the blows that Kakashi hit you with were connecting. He wasn't using it the right way, but they still did more damage than they should. Then I remembered that you were wet from Kakashi's Water Clone from earlier." Shikamaru explained to his opponent. "As you should know, water conducts electricity. So I poured a lot of water upon you and forced you to close your flytrap so that Kakashi could destroy it with his Lightning Blade."

"It takes time to prepare a resistant flytrap like that one...You'll pay for this brat!" Zetsu divided once again and both rushed towards the Konoha shinobi.

"They're faster! That thing was slowing down their movements." Kakashi thought as he battled Black Zetsu.

"What a drag! I'm not a Taijutsu user!" Shikamaru thought as he dodged another kick from White Zetsu and tried to hit him with the Trench Knives. Shikamaru threw one knife to his opponent's shadow, but he dodged.

"Shadow Possesion Shuriken Jutsu...I already saw that, you idiot!" White Zetsu was so focused in insulting his opponent, that he gave the chance to Shikamaru to get in range to cut his head off, but Black Zetsu used his ivies to take his other half into a safe distance. Kakashi tried to cut off the black half's arm but White Zetsu launched seeds to send Kakashi back.

"Hey! This has gone for long enough! Let's end it!" Black Zetsu literally ordered the other half, who also seemed to be furious.

"Secret Art: Seed Barrage" White Zetsu fired the bulbs into the air, allowing Black Zetsu to hit them with the roots, making them faster. Kakashi and Shikamaru avoided most of them, but then were hit by some of the ivies, receiving some light cuts on their arms and faces.

"The roots...they were poisoned!" Kakashi realized almost instantly, as he stumbled and his vision was starting to blur.

"Now to fini..." Black Zetsu's head suddenly jerked up and turned to his other half who nodded. They joined together before disappearing underground.

"Shikamaru! Kakashi-sensei!" Choji and Ino rushed to help their partners as both fell to the ground.

"They've been poisoned!" Ino said after making a quick checkup on them.

"Can't you extract the poison, Ino?" Choji nervously asked after seeing the look on her face.

"I, I can but this is a very lethal one. I...I only have time to save one of them." Ino revealed, with tears rolling down her face.

"Oh no..." Choji fell to his knees.

"Hey guys..." Both quickly approached Kakashi as he called them with a very weak voice. "Save...Shikamaru..."

Next Chapter - Mountain's Graveyard

-Nawirama13