Still don't own Naruto
Chapter 96: The Losses Begin
Smoke was rising high to the west, the ninja of division three all looked ominously at the smoke, they knew that it was their destination and once they made it the first major battle of the Fourth Shinobi war would begin, and they were determined to make sure that it ended in victory.
At the front of the group Kakashi Hatake was leading them, refusing to let up on the pace he had set, as the longer he took to arrive at the scene the more time Madara's army had to harm the members of the Ambush Division. 'We're on our way guys, just hold out a little longer' the copy ninja thought as he pushed off from a tree with the large army following close behind.
(Meanwhile)
things were were not going too smoothly for the Ambush squadron more Edo ninja had shown up along with what appeared to be the first wave of the white Zetsu, while the Zetsu were not all that much stronger than the average chunin their numbers made the difficult to deal with, and because of this the sealing of the Edo ninja had become far more difficult.
Sai was causing some rather welcome problems for the Zetsu army as he would drop kunai with seals created by Naruto that would explode and destroy large groups of Zetsu and forcing several Edo ninja to reform.
Kankuro was currently controlling three puppets that were slashing through the enemy, every so often they would be forced to return back to protect the puppeteer from the approaching waves of enemy forces.
They had been fighting like this for almost half an hour before a ink bird landed on a blank piece of paper containing information from Sai. More enemy waves incoming. Eastern defensive bunker almost over run. Kankuro read the letter again while his puppets engaged another large group of Zetsu clones. 'Fucking hell, this is insane, we need to fall back, but at the moment we just can't! There are way too many of them to retreat safely and I doubt Madara is one to take prisoners' the leader of the Ambush division thought angrily.
(Unknown Location)
Sasuke sat with bandages over his eyes while Sakura sat beside him her hands glowing green from the medical jutsu she was using to help heal the avengers eyes.
"How are you feeling Sasuke-kun?" the Pink haired medic asked.
Sasuke clenched his fists in frustration. "I feel like I am wasting time here, how long until my eyes are ready?" he asked angrily.
"It should be ready by tomorrow morning. Then you will be able to leave, and I promise I will follow you no matter what you have planned" Sakura said.
"Hn, I guess it is useful to have a medic around. But if you get in my way I will leave you behind. You're expendable after all" Sasuke said coldly.
Sakura didn't seem to mind the Uchiha's attitude in the slightest and just continued to examine his eyes through the bandages, aiding in the healing process. "So what are we going to do once your eyes are healed?" she asked lovingly.
"I'm going to burn Konoha to the ground and kill the Dobe. And once everyone from Konoha is killed, my revenge will be complete" Sasuke said.
"Then we can be together, we can even start our own village" Sakura said picturing her with Sasuke who was leader of a village like Konoha.
"Hn" was Sasuke's only response, he clearly didn't care about anything other than the complete destruction of Konoha and everyone who still had connections with the place.
(Back with Ambush Squadron)
things were looking bad for the Ambush squadron, two more outposts had fallen and they had lost at least ten ninja already.
Kankuro was just about to order Sai to use the Hirashin kunai when a massive hail of regular kunai fell from the sky taking out a huge portion of the enemy that were currently fighting. "Good to see you guys are still in fighting condition" Kakashi said dropping into the clearing his division following close behind.
"Oh thank Kami you guys are here Kakashi, we were about to call Naruto to come and buy us some time to retreat. It would have been kind of embarrassing to need to call him for the first battle of the war, thanks for the save" Kankuro said.
"Well it's a little early to be celebrating just yet, these guys are all extremely dangerous, they would hve to be considering Kabuto chose them to fight for him" Kakashi replied.
"Kakashi Hatake? Of all the people to meet out here. I knew I would end up fighting someone strong when I was summoned but I never imagined to see you of all people" an Edo ninja with a massive cleaver like sword said with a smirk.
Kakashi's exposed eye went wide when he saw who it was, he had been there when he died the same went for the younger ninja standing beside him. "Zabuza? They even called you back?" he asked his voice shaking knowing that the graves of the two ninja that he helped bury during his first big mission with team seven had their graved disrespected by someone like Kabuto.
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "I guess it looks like we are enemies again. But this time its not by choice, I hope you can find a way to kill me because so far these guys have failed horribly".
"Looks like we will have to fight at least once more eh Zabuza" the copy ninja said as he lifted his forehead protector to reveal his hidden sharingan.
Kankuro pulled his puppets back into a defensive position so he could freely give out orders to his troops. After giving them their new assignments he turned to Kakashi. "How are the other units doing? We haven't heard any news since we met the first wave of attackers" he asked.
"Well, it seems there is a large enemy force that is moving underground. Division two has moved to intercept them before they get behind our lines. It also appears they are moving through the water, Darui's division is waiting on the coastline to deal with them as they arrive. What ever these white creatures are they don't need oxygen or at least they don't need to get it from the air" Kakashi informed Kankuro, not taking his eyes off of Zabuza.
"What about Gaara? What is the status of his group?" the puppet user asked clearly worried about his brothers safety.
"At the moment they have not been challenged. Although I doubt they will be allowed to move forward freely for much longer. Still nobody else has engaged the enemy yet" Kakashi admitted.
"General Kakashi what are your orders?" a squad captain asked as armies on both sides gathered at either side of a clearing.
Kakashi didn't answer he just looked across the field right into the eyes of the Edo Zabuza. And it was Zabuza who spoke first. "Well I can see one of your students there, he's the one that uses ink right. But where is the boy who defeated Haku, I bet he's pretty famous now after helping defeat us" the former Kiri ninja said.
Kakashi chuckled. "Yeah you can say that, they named a bridge after him. And now he is considered a hero in Konoha"
"Hm he must be strong then, I knew that kid was something special. And what about the other two?" Zabuza asked.
"Traitors, Sasuke abandoned Konoha to join Orochimaru and kill his brother. And around a month ago Sakura joined him, they are working with the person who summoned you" Kakashi admitted bitterly.
"I see, I can't begin to imagine what that feels like to have been the sensei to traitors, although I am hardly one to speak about that, I was a missing ninja myself after all" Zabuza said.
Behind Zabuza another Edo ninja began to speak, it was a kunoichi but the voice was that of Kabuto "As touching as this little reunion is, I believe we have a war to fight, I'm sure you understand Kakashi"
"Kabuto! You cowardly snake, why don't you come out and fight for yourself" Kakashi said.
"Now now Kakashi name calling doesn't solve anything. Although I'm betting you are wishing that you had killed me years ago, I mean you were so close after all when we were in Sasuke-kun's hospital room" the kunoichi with Kabuto's voice said.
As if a switch went off Zabuza's eyes widened and he began running through hand seals for a jutsu. "Kakashi, you must stop me! don't let the man controlling my body get away with what he has done" Zabuza stammered as if he had to force the words out and it was causing him great pain to do so.
"You heard him... Charge!" Kakashi yelled and Kakashi jumped forward with his men following close behind.
The two armies met in the middle of the clearing, Kakashi clashing a kunai against Zabuza's giant cleaver but was somehow able to told the gargantuan blade back.
The Edo ninja were more than formidable, losses started piling up on the Joint Shinobi side, most of the ninja Kabuto was using in this area had bloodline limits and were very skilled in there use.
"Stay focused, any lapse in concentration will lead to more casualties. These ninja will be far easier to seal if we injure them first, but we need to have people ready to place the seals" Kakashi said as he and Zabuza again clashed blades.
(Meanwhile)
Miles away from where Kakashi and his division three had started battle the second division and general Kitsuchi had reached their staging area. It was a massive field allowing for optimum control over the battlefield. "This is the place, I need any Doton users to move to the front line so we can get the bastards out of the ground" Kitsuchi informed his units.
Kurotsuchi quickly ran up to her father along with a Hyuuga and several other ninja the majority of which were from Iwa. "Dad, we got the latest report, Kakashi Hatake's Division has engaged the enemy forces. Also we are not likely to run into many of the Edo ninja at this front due to the army moving through the ground" Kurotsuchi said handing over the note with the latest intel on the war.
Things were eerily quiet, the only sound was that of a strong wind blowing across the field. The Hyuuga that had come to the front with the Doton users had his Byakugan activated as was constantly scanning the area.
The seconds crept on and still nothing had happened, the waiting was causing quite a few ninja to grow even more anxious. Suddenly the Hyuuga on look out raised his arm.
"That's the Signal. Dig those bastards out of the earth and don't let a single one escape alive!" Kitsuchi yelled.
The Doton users all began to lift the earth in front of them and suddenly thousands upon thousands of white Zetsu shot op out of the ground.
Not wasting any time the joint shinobi army troops charged to take advantage of the white Zetsu's confusion. Kitsuchi quickly turned to the Hyuuga who had helped discover the enemy. "Tell the intel squad to inform Head Quarters that we have made contact with Madara's forces" he said and without any further orders jumped off to join the others in battle.
(Division Three)
Kakashi and the rest of him troops were making some decent headway, they even managed to seal a ninja from Iwa with Blast release and two ninja from Suna. Suddenly acting as though he were a puppet Zabuza was yanked backwards while performing some hand seals and slamming his hands to the ground.
Rising from the ground in front of the Demon of the Mist were six new coffins. "What! How can Kabuto summon more Edo ninja in the middle of a battlefield" Kakashi asked nobody in particular.
"Everyone target those coffins, don't let them come out without taking a hit" Kakashi yelled the order to his troops and kunai filled the air casting a dark shadow across the field.
They all hit, or at least appeared to until a moment later when kunai and shuriken were scattered all around the area leaving just seven ninja standing across from them. "That's..." Gai began but his sentence was finished by Kakashi "The last incarnation of the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist! This generation was said to have been the strongest but in the end they broke up and now the sever swords a scattered all over the elemental nations. Zabuza went rogue and then Kisame killed the former owner of Samehada, Fuguki Suikazan. After that the others seemed to disperse not agreeing with Yagura's purging of the bloodline clans but I had no idea that they had all died".
"That's right I was the last one left" Zabuza said with a smug smile.
"Figures,you never fought head on if you could help it" the tallest member of the swordsmen said.
"Ninja don't always fight fair Kushimaru" Zabuza replied.
The Joint Shinobi army seemed to hesitate, attacking the odd Edo ninja or a group of Zetsu were one thing. But these were seven of the strongest ninja Kiri had ever produced that were used to working as a team. "Uh this is nuts, one of the Seven Swordsmen is bad enough, how are we supposed to fight all seven of them!" a chunin from Kiri said.
"Don't think about their reputations, they are ninja just like all of us, we can beat them!" Kakashi said.
"That's easy for him to say, he's Kakashi Hatake, the Copy Ninja. Probably the only one of us that can go toe to toe with those guys" a Kumo ninja said.
"That's not true we can all fight against them on equal ground, all we need is the full spirit of the springtime of our youth!" a certain green spandex wearing jounin yelled upon hearing the Kumo ninja.
"You are absolutely right Gai sensei, I'm not afraid to fight because it is to save my friends" Lee called out from somewhere in the mass of ninja behind Kakashi and Gai.
"That a boy Lee" Gai replied.
Kakashi and the seven swordsmen all stood dumbfounded as Gai searched for his favorite pupil so they could embrace in a manner more disturbing than all of the beatings Jiraiya had received from Tsunade combined. "Eh Kakashi your friend there is a little off" Zabuza said with a sweat drop.
"Yeah, just pray he doesn't actually find his pupil nobody needs to see what happens" Kakashi said with a sweat drop of his own.
"That's enough playing around, kill them already" Kabuto's said though one of the Edo Swordsmen and once again acting as though he were a puppet Zabuza ran through some hand seals and a think mist filled the air.
Kakashi looked around for any trace of the swordsmen as the mist obscured his view. 'Damn, not good. I really don't want to have to call Naruto for something like this, I need to think of a plan and fast' he thought as he prepared for an attack.
Kakashi waited and finally he heard some movement he deftly ducked under Zabuza's giant cleaver. "So you're just as skilled as before it seems Kakashi" Zabuza said from inside the mist just out of sight of Kakashi.
"Well it wouldn't do to let my skill drop, I have people I need to protect after all" Kakashi replied.
"Heh you sound like Haku, let's just hope you a powerful enough to stop me this time!" Zabuza replied before sending his blade back at Kakashi who blocked it with a kunai at the last second.
While Kakashi may have been doing decently well against Zabuza the others were not having the easiest of times up against the other swordsmen and he could hear the pained calls of his men as they were being taken apart by the other swordsmen. 'things can't keep up like this, even if we are able to take Zabuza out the other swordsmen will be able to take out a large chunk of our men before we are able to stop them' the copy ninja thought. "Looks like we are going to need help after all. Sorry to do this Zabuza but we are going to call in our trump card" Kakashi said grabbing a three pronged kunai from a separate pouch.
Zabuza gave a skeptical chuckle from within the mist. "Oh really, and what might that be? From what I can tell your men are not faring so well against the other swordsmen so you are going to want it to be a game changer" the 'Demon of the Bloody Mist' said using a jutsu to make his voice sound as though it was coming from multiple angles.
"Don't worry he will be able to take care of the others. But I think we should finish this off ourselves" Kakashi said. Before he removed the three pronged kunai and tossed it into the mist.
There was a yellow flash and a huge surge in the chakra in the area, so much so that many of the weaker ninja were forced down onto a knee, and all fighting came to a halt.
"Yo! Fool I cant see through the mist, I think you got mixed up when you and the kitty kissed!" the voice of Bee shot through the mist.
"Shut up Kirabi!... there is a lot of chakra signatures around. And it is impossible for Naruto-kun to transport far from the battlefield!" Yugito yelled back.
Naruto was looking around, he felt the chakra signatures of most of the people around him, but then he noticed something, there were sources of malevolent emotions that were not giving off a chakra signature at all. 'Hm it seems that the Edo Tensei ninja have no chakra signatures, also I think there is something strange about this mist... it has chakra in it, I can feel it. But it also feels somehow familiar...' "Zabuza!" Naruto finished his thought out loud.
A chuckle rose up from the mist again. "Wow what strong chakra signatures I'm not the best sensor and I can feel it as though he is standing right beside me...too bad he will never be able to find us and we know exactly where they are" Zabuza laughed.
"Actually I know where you are Zabuza" Naruto said tossing a kunai into the mist that landed at Zabuza's feet. "Boo" the blond whispered into his ear shrouded by his Kyuubi Mode chakra cloak.
Zabuza was stunned he hadn't expected Naruto to not only find him but appear behind him so quickly. "What the fuck!" he yelled once the initial shock wore off, luckily for a seasoned warrior like Zabuza it took barely a second for him to recover. And jump away from the blond.
Naruto's chakra cloak shone like a yellow beacon that told Kakashi exactly where Zabuza was. Wasting little time Kakashi jumped forward landing in front of the Kyuubi jinchuuriki. "Naruto I can take care of Zabuza can you clear the mist and help the others take out the other swordsmen!" the cyclops ordered.
"Huh no problem Kakashi sensei! First I will take care of this mist" Naruto replied and slowly the wind picked up around him circling around him. "Uzumaki Style Fuuton: Whirlpool Tornado!" he yelled as the wind picked up more and more speed until a large column of air arose around him and the mist disappeared completely, blown away into nothing more than a light haze.
"Yo fool! That wind's totally uncool!" Bee rapped shielding his eyes from the dust that Naruto was now picking up.
The tornado stopped to reveal Naruto scratching the back of his head in embarrassment. "Ah sorry Bee, but at least the mist is gone" he said sheepishly.
"That' true but keep wind away, we cool?" Bee replied.
This is no time for complaining Kirabi, let's get to work already" Yugito said as her hair extended into a shield around her with several strands that whipped out slicing anything they came into contact with showing that they were as hard as steel.
Naruto and Bee both looked on highly impressed. 'Wow Jiraiya sensei has really taught her well, that might even be a better defense than even Gaara has' Naruto thought.
The Swordsmen who had momentarily stopped their attacks due to the shock arrival of the three jinchuuriki at the battlefield, and it didn't take them long to change their targets to one of the three.
They were paired off two swordsmen against one jinchuuriki. Mangetsu Hozuki, and the tall Kuriarare Kushimaru charged at Naruto. The former owner of Samehada charged Bee after seeing his old blade that had betrayed him to Kisame. Joining him was Akebino Jinn who was wielding a hammer in one hand and an Axe in the other. This left Yugito facing off against the duel sword wielding Ringo Ameyuri and Munashi Jinpachi who was holding a cleaver not all that different from Zabuza's Kubikiribocho.
"Well I guess if they want a Kenjutsu match I should at give them what they want" Naruto said quickly biting his thumb to draw some blood and running it along his right arm just as Kushimaru struck with his longsword. He was shocked when rather than the sound of tearing flesh he heard the unmistakable clang of steal on steal. There in Naruto's hand was the blue blade of the Uzumaki clan.
The moment Mangetsu saw the blade he stopped dead in his tracks. "That's the Uzumaki clan's 'God of the Sea! It's been lost for decades, ever since the destruction of Uzu. The Sandaime Mizukage desired that blade even more than the Nidaime Hokage's Raijin due to it being the great Water Element sword" the brother of Suigetsu stammered in shock.
Naruto nodded as he kicked Kushimaru back slightly. "I take it that's why he helped Iwa in their attack on the Uzumaki clan?" Naruto asked.
"I believe so, after all Muu was not all that well liked by people in Kiri... but that blade will be a great replacement for me after all I already have mastered the seven great swords of Kiri" Mangetsu said with a smirk.
Naruto remained calm and it was a good thing that he did because a second later he saw a thin wire that was about to slice him through the middle. Ducking the blade he saw that it was a trap that had been set by Kushimaru when he had kicked him back. 'These guys are good, if I go easy on them they will kill me, even if I am a lot stronger than they are,' he thought and began channeling chakra into his Katana and a thin layer of razor sharp water surrounded the blade. "Alright, let's do this!"
End Chapter!
I bet you all hate me for not updating in so long... Sorry about that, I just really want to find out how this war arc ends so I don't miss any key points while I'm putting my spin on it. And on to the next thing you will hate me for... The cliff hanger at the end especially seeing as I have not been able to produce the chapters as quickly as my other story right now... Anyway if you can look past those things I hope you liked the chapter and next chapter will consist of three two on one battles... four if you include Kakashi vs Zabuza and Haku but I don't see that going all to differently from the cannon.