A/N here ya go folks, the next chapter of WoF I hope and eagerly await you're thoughts on my work and see what you think. i've looked over it as best i could but if you catch any grammer mistakes please feel free to let me know so it's of high quality.
A new moon created a black world for Hiruzen and his team who were now deep within the heavy mist that housed the city of Kirigakure buried at the heart of its vast depths. Many small islands compromised the land, some tall with rocky cliffs, others much closer to sea level, being only ten feet above it. Many of the islands had vastly different ecosystem as well. If they hadn't been on a mission Naruto would have loved to spend some time investigating all the different species that made their home in the series of islands. With their guide Mei Terumi and her Escort Zabuza Momochi, they were headed straight for the embattled heart of the nation.
The team of seven was currently running atop the water, passing through two islands that rose high above the sea sitting so close to each other that they created a natural tunnel of grand proportions. At the end of the natural formation was a fork in the channel. Mei and Zabuza stopped here and motioned for the others to do the same. Mei turned to the Konoha shinobi and curtsied saying, "This is where I must take my leave and meet up with my troops, Zabuza will show you the rest of the way." Zabuza looked outraged but one look from Mei and however he felt about being made the delivery man died right then. With one final curtsey and a last look towards Zabuza that lingered for just a moment Mei shot off down the western channel disappearing all together.
"Come on then we still have some distance left between us and the entrance, we don't want to waste the darkness the new moon provides." Zabuza led them down the eastern channel sticking close to the high cliff faces the others following suit. While Zabuza was not happy about his role he knew he was the man for the job. It was the very same back door entrance that had allowed Zabuza to escape in his last battle with the Mizukage. The memory of that battle haunting him every time he closed his eyes. His iron resolve was not going to let this rebellion fail. With two of the seven swordsmen on their side, it heartened the rebelling Kirigakure shinobi. Of course with Mei as their charismatic and powerful leader nothing could stop them anyway. She was going to be the Kage that put Kirigakure back on the map and it was his job to ensure she got there. He held the team up and hugged the wall tightly signaling the others to be utterly silent.
They stayed there in the shadow of a cliff face for several minutes, when out of the mist a group of ten shinobi, judging by the number of foot pattering, was heard passing by in a blur not fifteen feet away. After a few more tense minutes, that seemed like hours, Zabuza once again started forward. They were officially behind enemy lines, for Naruto reality hit home. This was the point of no return. They really were going to assassinate a Kage. The only saving grace the boy had was that he wasn't alone and his sensei believed in him. 'I can do this, my teammates have our back and I have theirs, I'll be able to sense any enemies coming and we'll be able to deal with them accordingly. We have the element of surprise. For a ninja, that's an extreme advantage.' His thoughts were interrupted when Zabuza once again signaled them to stop and hide, just as Naruto felt another group of shinobi rushing their direction but not their direct position on the fringes of his senses. After a few tense minutes they heard those very same shinobi pass them by.
"This is troubling." Zabuza muttered, "Patrols aren't that close together. That's too many shinobi covering the same area. Something's happening." He told the rest of the crew. He motioned them forward once more only this time he was full on sprinting, and they had no choice but to keep up. Zabuza was unsettled, things weren't adding up, there was no way Mei had started the attack yet, and the patrols seemed to be heading towards the seat of the Kage. There was absolutely no way Mei could have breached the heart already. Something was gravely wrong and Zabuza wanted answers to his arising questions.
Sarutobi caught up with the missing ninja having put on a slight burst of speed. "Talk to me Zabuza, things don't seem quite right here do they?" He asked he too knew that it was simply not a prudent use of shinobi to cover the same area with that amount of shinobi in that short amount of time. He would venture to guess they had been called back to the Mizukage.
"I don't know Sarutobi, Those weren't patrols those were rushing shinobi, and those guys weren't even checking the area as they went by. In civilian terms those guys were in a head long dash to get back to Kirigakure. This couldn't be Mei's work. The timing isn't right, you're not even close to being in position and I haven't even joined up with the group I'm to be leading into battle. Something's going on though." Zabuza said dubiously. It was clear he had no idea what was going on.
"Well than the game just changed, we'll still act according to plan, this could work to our favor. As soon as we've arrived get Mei to start the advanc P. If the enemy is already distracted with another force, than it will be easier for us to swoop in and take out both parties." It was at times like this that the actual age of the Sarutobi clan head shone through. He was calm and collected, didn't even flinch in the face of an unknown. Rolling with the punches and keeping his eye on the prize. Hiruzen fell back to update his shinobi. Zabuza was slightly impressed with the readiness with which they adapted to unforeseen circumstances. 'We just might have a shot at this.' Zabuza thought. The demon of the mist could feel a stirring in his blood, as he always did when about to enter a great conflict. 'This is gonna be fun!' a feral grin played across his lips.
The team traveled for several more hours at a rushed pace, albeit having stop more than several times due to enemy ninja rushing past them oblivious of their presence entirely. Shikamaru just shook his head and muttered idiots each and every time they passed by. To completely ignore one's surrounding was a big no no in the shinobi worlds. It seems that in times of panic even trained shinobi sometimes forget the basics. Well Shikamaru happened to be hyperaware of everything more than usual. His brainwaves were already in full battle mode. His spear that was slung across his back was constantly berating him for not felling every idiotic enemy that dare not take notice of them. Shikamaru mentally sighed for the umpteenth time as they started forward once more, it was a good thing their sensei had been ruthless in training their bodies to be up to snuff. They had been running for hours on top of water, something that required chakra, however small. Over time even small amounts could turn into a large amount. As it was Shikamaru was only feeling a slight strain, and they were nearing the end of what seemed to be a mad dash towards Kirigakure.
"You nervous Shikamaru?" Tenten called quietly, running alongside the dark haired teenage. Truth be told she felt this mission was a bit over their heads. Gennin weren't meant to be sent to assassinate Kage's. Still she wouldn't let her team down, this was just how they rolled. After months of having to fight against one of the toughest ninja in history alongside her teammates they had become quite close. All three of them sharing laughs and cries of outrage at what they endured in the name of training. She was stronger than she had ever been before and she wasn't going to stop growing anytime soon. She would face this head on in her pursuit to prove to herself she was capable of achieving her dream.
"Hell yes I'm nervous, I'd be an idiot not be." Shikamaru replied, the entire time they'd been running Shikamaru's hands had been connected at the tips making a sphere like shape with his fingers. From their time together she knew it to be his thinking pose, he only did that when he needed to draw out his best.
Naruto, running on the other side, grinned like a fool. "Ah Shika don't be nervous we've got this in the bag." Naruto too was extremely nervous but he was damn sure he wasn't going to let it sure. He always had nerves before a fight, but once the fight started all his nerves were crushed when the adrenaline hit his mind. From there on in his only thought was his next move and the one after that and so on.
Shikamaru rolled his eyes and looked towards Tenten; "Like I said I'd have to be an idiot-" He then motioned at Naruto, getting the girl to hold in a giggle at the now indignant looking blonde's direction "-to not be nervous right now." Of course they kept their voices low enough to where only the three of them could hear. The adults weren't masters for nothing though and they too wanted to laugh at the bickering of the younger ninja, it brought what the adults were fighting for home in their minds, cementing their resolve. Youth had a way of doing that. Zabuza stopped them once more, this time in front of a massively tall and wide cliff face and the island stretching beyond their field of vision. This island was probably the largest one in the misty sea. "You ready to climb? There's a cave about halfway up there that will lead us inside the compound that houses the Hall of the Mizukage, where his seat of power is located and where the man himself will most certainly be." After finishing his statement Zabuza wasted no time in leaping as high as he could before sprinting vertically along the cliff, using chakra to stick to the places where no outcropping could be used as a foot rests. He smiled; the others were easily keeping up with him, albeit he was only really judging the young ones. They seemed capable enough but would they have the necessary resolve to face death head on and tell it to back the fuck up. Only time could tell. Even putting on the afterburners so to speak it still took quite a number of minutes just to reach the mouth of the cave. Only becoming visible at the last second due to the extremely heavy fog. It was getting hard to see the hands in front of their faces let alone each other.
"Be careful here, the fog here is artificially created and won't go away, you can blow it any way you like but you'll just blow it around. It's used as a last defense so to speak. No shinobi is better equipped to battle in the fog than a hidden mist shinobi. From here on in be prepared for anything." Their guide warned ominously as he started forward at a more reserved pace than their current head long rush. Dawn would arrive in a few short hours and they wanted to finish the whole operation before the sun came up. They traveled deeper into the cave, which seemed more like they were heading deeper into the belly of the beast, which eventually started to narrow until they were walking single file in a tightly packed passageway. It was truly only meant for one person and they were a group of seven.
The craggy, jagged, tunnel was about six feet in total height in the lowest places and peaking out at seven feet in the tallest. Water dripped from thousands of teeth like stalactites that were barely visible through the heavy fog that enshrouded the fog. The team stayed dead silent as they tread cautiously along the tunnel, though the enemy could only ambush them from two directions, and the lead was a native to the land and the rear guard was Naruto, a vicious fighter to be sure, not to mention his Jinchuuriki status. Eventually they reached the end, where a rope latter led up and out of what looked to be a large bamboo stalking. As they climbed they found it was indeed a freakishly large hollowed and cut piece of bamboo, one of hundreds in the vast courtyard that lay in front of them.
Behind them was a wall that rose ten feet high with spikes jutting outward preventing any Ninja fool enough to try and scale the wall by running up the side of it. "This is where I take my leave. Farewell Konoha shinobi may your blades be sharp and your kills many." Zabuza saluted them and took off in the bamboo field, obviously eager to get back to Mei, whether it was to hurry and start the battle or it was to hurry and get back to the beautiful red head they could not say.
Hiruzen turned to the Gennin he had brought along on this extremely high ranked mission, "You three know what you need to do. Stay here and guard this entrance, when the fighting breaks out don't come help us no matter what. If we're not back by dawn get yourselves out of here." The steely gaze he settled upon each them was returned with equal amount of determination. They were just as mentally prepared as he or any of the other two adults were. "All right then, Anko, Tenzo, Let's go." He turned and smirked at the wall before him, as if such a thing could stop him. With the nimbleness of a predator Sarutobi used a chakra enhanced leap to flip over the wall with seeming ease.
Anko rolled her eyes muttering "show off" before she slowly sunk into the ground via one of her favorite earth jutsu.
Tenzo just grinned and used his chakra to grow a large, thick, wooden vine that wrapped around his torso and stretched up and over the wall depositing him safely and neatly on the other side where his other companions waited. The three nodded silently and crept from shadow to shadow finding their way due to the maps of the compound and surrounding terrain they had memorized last night. The compound was spread out in a veritable maze of buildings and streets that came to an abrupt dead end, with the Hall of the Kage being nestled within the heart. However as they traveled deeper into the heart, it became apparent that all was not well within. The scent of blood hung in the air, leaving a bad taste in all their mouths. They looked at one another and nodded, all thinking the same thought. Something had definitely preemptively struck at the Mizukage and the battle was more than likely still waging. They only had to travel slightly farther inward before they came upon a sight that stopped them dead in their tracks. It was a merciless slaughter, shinobi and shinobi body parts were strewn everywhere. There were so many dead; the ground ran red with blood the entire length of the street branching out farther away and creating still growing rivers of the life giving liquid. Even the mist had a reddish hue, bodies hung of walls, others were burned, others seemed to have been stabbed and slashed, some had pink crystals sticking out in every direction, and still more looked like they had been doused in acid.
It was a horrid sight to see, but one they had all witnessed before. This was the world they lived in and it had a side that had not a single shred of mercy. That was the side the Shinobi lived in and dealt with on a day to day basis. "Be very careful, we don't know who or what caused this." Sarutobi whispered as they started forward once more, moving into the inner sanctum, with the largest building being in the center with a ring of buildings forming the shape of a diamond with what they knew to be the grand hall at its peak. The inner sanctum held even more bloodied and desecrated corpses of shinobi, all of them wearing hidden mist head band. As they reached the center of the courtyard the main door to the inner sanctum opened.
"Welcome to Kirigakure, Hokage-san and his rather pathetic looking guard." The man they were looking for walked out. Standing there with an amiable smile on his face was the Mizukage, his steel grey hair in a messy crop, his pink pupiless eyes held a steely malice that wasn't hidden in the least, a stitched scar running down his left eye a permanent reminder of a battle long past. He was adorned in a green poncho wrapped with a steel grey belt, under his poncho he wore mesh armor, and grey pants the bottoms of which were hidden inside the brown boots he chose as foot wear. His actions and his aura thoroughly confused the Konoha shinobi, why in the hell was the Mizukage smiling when by all rights he should be either dead or battle worn. He looked completely fresh and ready for a fight. The Mizukage walked forward slowly, descending the stairs that led down to the courtyard. a rather sadistic and crazy grin slowly made its way onto his face. "Tell me did you come here to kill me? Three on one should be a good test of my powers." His voice held a slight slither at the end of it that made Anko's skin crawl.
Anko inhaled sharply when his gaze turned on her, it was then that she knew, without a shadow of a doubt what had happened. She knew that fire of hatred all too well, and that kind creepy smile only belonged to one man, no matter what face he currently wore.
"No no it can't be….Orochimaru! Is that you!?" Sarutobi asked incredulously. The instant he heard that slight slither in his speech it seemed to explain the mutilated bodies. He realized he knew those pink crystals, there were reports that a woman utilizing such jutsu ran with Orochimaru.
The Mizukage chuckled darkly, a sinister sound that made the hair of all three Konoha shinobi stand on end. "Figured it out so soon? Such a pity what gave me away? Was it my smile?" Orochimaru always did get a sick pleasure out of toying with his opponents.
Sarutobi's eyes narrowed, "Your stench was all over the place. How could you have fallen so far that you would slaughter in such a manner never mind the atrocity of stealing another mans body." His fists clenched in rage, Orochimaru had somehow taken the body of a jinchuuriki. "So tell me, where's the help?" He knew Orochimaru couldn't storm a hidden village alone and live to tell the tale.
"Well if you must know, my forces have currently taken the fortress and are awaiting the rebels to start there charge, the fools will be all be slaughtered and I will become Mizukage. So you see, you and you're sniveling brats are invading my territory, that simply won't do at all." His grin darkened as Orochimaru unleashed his chakra, a three tailed chakra shroud formed in less than instant. "You will not escape with your lives! I have perfected my body transfer jutsu! Hahaha and don't worry about the children I sent them a play mate that will be more than adequate to handle the job." He cackled insanely as he three tails lashed out with ridiculous speed.
The three Konoha shinobi evaded having only milliseconds to react to Orochimaru's new abilities. Hiruzen dodged at the last minute leaping forward to attack as well, "You haven't learned anything my foolish student. You still underestimate the will of fire!" while in the air the Hokage blurred through a series of hand seals so fast it seemed as if he had only made one or two. Right when he was mere meters from Orochimaru he shoved his hands out "Raiton: Jibashi!" A literal wave of lighting shot out in a spider web pattern from Sarutobi's hands; ripping through the chakra shroud and lancing through Orochimaru who howled in pain until the jutsu came to an abrupt and explosive end as his former student was sent flying backwards skipping across the ground like a rock atop water until he crashed into the stairs, whereupon they came to life and encircled him. Tenzo manipulating the wood to bind the body snatching Sannin.
Anko had already tossed several different poison tipped air borne tools. Many punctured into the man, who turned to water with a splash. A chakra tail snaked through the mist and wrapped itself around Anko's waist yanking her off her feet and slamming her into a wall, too bad she turned into a log. At that point Orochimaru showed himself dead center of the courtyard, a mad glint in his eyes, his tails swishing back and forth like living creatures. "Come on, is this the best the three of you can do?" That lightning jutsu the Hokage used had done some damage, but it was already healed thanks to the Bijuu under his command. All three opponents were currently hidden within the mist and shadows of the night. "Hahaha didn't you call me a coward last time we fought sensei? My how the tables have turned, and as for my two failed experiments don't you want revenge? Here I am! Come take my life if you dare!" He called out laughing, drunk with the power now at his fingertips.
It was this they were going to take advantage of, unfortunately Orochimaru wasn't stupid and drunk on power as he was; the man was still an extremely formidable opponent even before he stole the body of Jinchuuriki. Sarutobi knew his student though and knew which buttons to push. Using a technique to project his voice from all directions he taunted his opponent from the shadows. "What you couldn't body snatch Naruto so you settled for a second rate substitute?" His taunt seemed to work as Orochimaru's face twitched.
Anko chimed in at this point too, also projecting her voice. "Please Hokage-san, Orochimaru has failed in everything he ever did, he couldn't become Kage, couldn't beat Minato, couldn't body snatch the nine tails. He's a second rate shinobi without a true goal anymore."
"SHUT UP!" Orochimaru snarled his tails lashing the ground. "You won't come out I'll make you come out!" Orochimaru inhaled deeply before lurching forward, his mouth snapping open, poisonous miasma spewed forth coupled with a crushing sonic wave that completely destroyed the buildings in the immediate vicinity. The snake Sannin caught movement from various locations out of the corner of his eyes. He grinned as his three tails shot forth once more and latched onto all three. "You can't escape me!" The tails yanked the withdrawing Shinobi back into the field of miasma and slamming all three mercilessly together. He laughed as he jumped carrying his three prisoners and flipped causing his tails to fling them forward and slam into the ground once more, this time however; they retaliated as two giant trees erupted out of the ground, branches reaching out to ensnare him. A roaring dragon composed of blue flames raced towards Orochimaru who just smiled, inhaled once more and bellowed again, this time gale force winds spewed from his mouth ripping the tree to shreds and sending the dragon of fire back towards its creator. It was then he felt the tug of wires around his midsection. When had they managed that? Well it didn't matter as he was yanked towards the ground as wooden spikes sprouted from the ground, racing to reach the sky and impale him.
All they ended up impaling was a wooden log. "Still can't touch me with all three of you combined, face it your fighting a losing battle." Orochimaru boasted.
Sarutobi's voice sounded out in the now inky black mist that covered the area, "Orochimaru, I taught you better than this." His shroud was penetrated as the butt of Sarutobi's staff, which happened to be coursing with electricity, slammed into his temple sending volts of lighting arcing off the staff and singeing Orochimaru, causing him to stumble backwards; this time sharp the wooden spine speared him straight through the gut, Anko followed up by burying one of her many poison kunai straight into his back, right around where his heart wouls be, despite the burns she garnered for such an action.
Orochimaru grinned, his hair shrouding his face from view. Even now he could feel his chakra being absorbed by the mokuton and every cut tissue the kunai had left inside of him. Yet it was nothing to him, such flesh wounds couldn't faze him any longer. With a burst of chakra his wooden binds shattered and the kunai flung itself out of his body, the wounds he had sustained closing not moments later. He leapt forward lashing out a vicious combo at Hiruzen while his three tails went after the other two. Sarutobi was only barely dodging or blocking each blow, a few of them getting through. Jesus his punches were as strong as Tsunade's.
Damn it where was a good seal master when you needed one. Jiraiya would have been much better equipped for this battle. Sarutobi dodged a sharp jab and retaliated with a swipe of his bo-staff only for Orochimaru to duck and a tail to jab forward intending to impale Sarutobi. Just before it reached him Orochimaru was yanked back by a tendril of wood. "You're not the only one who can use extending appendages bastard." Tenzo taunted "Mokuton:sanjaku no seikei ki" eight wooden tendrils of wood snaked back and forth their bases connected a wooden belt around his waist the tips of the tendrils having mouths with sharp wooden teeth, he mentally commanded the tendrils forward and they engaged in battle with Orochimaru's chakra tails.
Meanwhile Anko kept an ongoing barrage of Kunai, senbon, and shuriken to keep him occupied. 'You know you're being utterly useless in this fight right?' Ayane commented idly. 'Shut up I'm not meant to fight head on against a fucking Jinchuuriki, my skills are meant for people that don't have a shroud of energy and a super immune system!' She quipped in the midst of sending a boulder sized fireball to give Sarutobi time to break off from Orochimaru's assault and simultaneously for Tenzo to move in. They were just holding him off, and he wasn't even fighting seriously.
How much of a fucking power jump did snatching the fourth Mizukage's body give him? Beyond that he seemed to already have perfect control of his new body. That just didn't seem possible. 'Instead of being afraid of the man before you like prey why don't you use my power? This was the man that ultimately led to my capture and subsequent sealing. So I suppose I could help you this once.' Ayane said off handedly. As if helping Anko was something beneath her.
Anko seethed the goddess was not helping her focus on the battle. Not to mention she could start to feel the numbing affects of the poisonous miasma that now coated the very air. Her vision blurred slightly for an instant before coming clear again. She didn't have to time to worry about her health as Orochimaru was keeping her busy having to dodge just one tail. One had to admit Orochimaru's mental focus was extremely sharp to keep three highly capable Ninja on the ropes. 'How do I even channel your damn chakra?' Anko asked in her mind. She still hadn't tried tapping into the goddess energy for various reasons. The major one being she didn't know what would happen. 'Ugh like teaching a freaking toddler.' The goddess grumbled before continuing 'Alright I'll keep it simple stupid, just hold your hand out and your palm open, and I'll force my energy through your body.' Anko did as instructed albeit with more than a few doubts.
She then felt an alien energy enter her chakra stream, only it wasn't painful in anyway like Orochimaru's had been, indeed it felt gloriously freeing and a rush of energy coupled with a feeling of major power. Her vision sharpened and shifted, what was before almost an inky darkness became just a light mist, any movement her eyes took in and registered to her brain. Every sound sharpened and clarified, she could now easily hear all three of the men's breathing patterns, the soft pitter patter of their sandals as the light footed warriors danced around the battlefield, somehow staying alive in the wake of Orochimaru's onslaught. Whatever this energy was made her feel warm and empowered; the energy rushed down her arm and out into the palm of her hand and a golden light shone brightly before it grew taking the shape of a golden recurve bow.
'Okay neat trick but I don't have any arrows and how is this supposed to do anything?' Her mental tone may have held more than a bit of sarcasm. Ayane did the equivalent of mentally rolling her eyes, 'Just pull on the damn string and fire at this Orochimaru character.' Anko took a careful view of the progressing fight waiting for the opportune moment from her new place on the battle field a little ways off from the main fight, whilst Orochimaru engaged Tenzo and Sarutobi neither two men seemed to be affected by the poisonous air; bastards must have different methods of neutralizing themselves from poison.
When the moment presented itself Anko snaked the tips of her forefinger and middle finger and drew the string back, a corporeal arrow appearing between her digits. She drew it back to her cheek and then let fly the arrow. It cut through the air before slicing through Orochimaru's chakra shroud and pierced from the back of his Achilles tendon to the front of his foot and anchoring itself in the ground, not a moment later did six arrows follow, one for each limb including Orochimaru's tails. "Aghhh! What the hell is this." The monster of a man cried as he was now pinned in the dirt. Wood also spearing through each joint on the Sannin's body, all three cautiously approached a very angry and very pained looking lunatic.
Anko walked up a little smugly, blow shining prominently in her hands. "A gift from a friend of mine, you like?" She asked in an obviously fake chipper tone. The cheerfulness ran away from her person not a moment later. "You thought I was as good as dead when you were revived. Just like ten years ago when you placed your sick hickey on me. Well I survived then and I survived now only this time I got someone better than you to give the damn mark an upgraded." She sneered drawing her bow back once more an arrow aimed straight at Orochimaru's head.
Orochimaru coughed/laughed out blood at Anko's statement. "You're talking about the Kyuubi I assume, ha I'm sure they botched the job and messed something up with that seal." A smile adorned his bloodied and marred features, his chakra shroud doing all it could to keep the captured snake alive.
Tenzo shook his head at the man that had created him. "You're done Orochimaru, what hope do you have now?" His mokuton was doing its job of suppressing the power of Orochimaru's tailed beast.
Again Orochimaru just smiled, "You fools just don't get it do you. When I take over a body I inherit all their memories, thoughts and abilities. EVERYTHING!" He let out what they thought had been a howl of pain, and it was, but only because he shed his human shell and transformed, breaking all of his bindings, into a giant chakra creature resembling a turtle mixed with a shrimp. It had a large hill like spiky shell and a low pot belly. Two beefy arms protruded from its chest, for a jaw the creature had a large clamp like protrusion. The chakra beast roared mightily the resulting shockwave further tearing up the landscape, and had the three shinobi not used chakra to keep them anchored would have been sent airborne several hundred feet high.
Sarutobi only had one thing to say about all this. "Tenzo, this is why you don't ever fucking taunt a lunatic. You just kill them."
Tenzo looked gloomy at his declaration. "Says the man that let his student escape many a time..." He mumbled to himself.
Anko shook her head, "Boy's are such fucking cowards, I swear. This is going to be a great hunt!" her enthusiasm in the face of such incredible odds somehow heartened the two men. It could also have been the fact that at the same time she arched her back and took aim with her bow, an action which caused her to puff out her chest, a great source of eye candy for the men. She let loose another hail of the celestial arrows only for them to sink harmlessly into the shell before dissipating. 'You really thought that was going to work?' Ayane quipped almost incredulous. 'Not at all, just testing the waters now sit back, watch and let me do my shit!' Anko mentally commanded. The three engaged Orochimaru, the giant shrimp turtle. There was something oddly contradictory and equal parts wrong about that.
~Meanwhile on the outskirts of Kirigakure~
After Zabuza had separated from the foreigners he had hauled ass as fast as he could to meet up with Mei. Needless to say he made it there in record time, seeing many allied shinobi and calling them back. It was time to end the very long and bloody civil war. As he walked towards where Mei was giving orders he looked back and forth between the many soldiers that were in preparations for the battle ahead. For some their eyes were lit with an inner fire of determination, for others a grim acceptance at the atrocities that awaited them on the battlefield, and still others looked sad, probably wishing they never had to fight someone who was supposed to be an ally. He arrived to find Mei conversing with two men, her usual body guards. Ao the older and sterner of the two was currently chewing out his meeker compatriot Chojuro, the second swordsman of the mist in their ranks, for not being manly enough. Of the two swordsman Zabuza of course thought of himself as the stronger of the two, but without a battle to the death they'd never find out. When Mei had heard the words need and man come from Ao's lips she smiled at the man though her words were not friendly by any stretch of the means. "Ao, shut up, or I'll kill you." Ao grumbled but nodded anyway knowing better than to defy her.
"Ah home sweet home. Either way we need to move out something's going on down at Kirigakure that has nothing to do with us. It could be someone else attacking them but I just don't know. The foreigners are already inside the Hall most likely and could already be fighting." Zabuza announced butting in and getting right down to the point.
Mei flicked her eyes over to the man, "Very well. Ao get the word out to start the advance-"before she could finish a dark heavy chakra fell over them like a wave of oppression. "-That felt like Yagura's chakra, but different somehow." Mei could feel a dark taint that was different from anything she'd felt before. It was new and very unwelcome. "Hold that order Ao, tell the men to charge and fire at will. Chojuro I need you to be at the head of that charge along with Ao, let him issue the orders and defend him and yourself. Now go help give the order would you?" She asked with a kind smile, obviously having taken a shine to the boy.
She turned to the new arrival, "Alright we're going scouting, try to stay hidden but if we hit enemies, cut them down. Her eyes were glinting with a steely determination.
Zabuza grinned, "I was already planning on it; tell me where did you place Haku for this battle?" He was curious to know what she was going to be doing with Haku's unique skill set.
Mei smiled up at the man, "Curious about your adopted daughter are you? Well she'll be with the ranged fighters in the back so she'll be away from what I presume would be the thickest fighting." She retorted in a placating manner as they started heading out.
Zabuza rolled his eyes easily keeping pace with the powerful woman. "Stupidity, First of all she's my tool not my daughter secondly she should be where the fighting is thickest. Steel sharpens steel after all. She could have used the experience." Zabuza did not coddle the people he trained, at all. In fact he was probably more brutal on his trainee's than on his enemies. That way he knew without a shadow of a doubt that they could hack it in the real word.
Mei shook her head. "Men." Was all that she had to to say about that, they were now outside the camp and they increased their pace, Kirigakure a light twinkle in the dark of night. "So tell me Zabuza what has you spooked? You're usually so eager to fight and yet you look like you're nervous." Zabuza had always been a bit blood thirsty, but that was because of his fucked up teachers. Granted he certainly didn't seem to mind, but the man still cared about Haku whether he admitted it or not.
"Something's not right here. The smell of blood already tinges the air. There are no shinobi of any sort anywhere to be seen." Zabuza's instincts were screaming at him to run and flee the village, something was there that his instincts didn't want to fuck with. Once at the village gate they easily jumped over in a single running leap, not many people could do that. As they landed Mei became horrified at the sight of the ground cover with corpses and body parts, Zabuza inspected the headbands, and there were two factions, hidden mist shinobi, and another head band with the symbol of musical note on it. "Well there was a battle here but it looks like everyone left alive was murdered. Look some of them appeared to have been shredded. Others are melted into bone meal. I don't know who can do shit like that but I have seen those shred marks before. That is the work of Samehada; I'll bet you a hundred ryo that shark face is here." Zabuza growled, and unsheathed his Kubikiribocho, things just got a lot more complicated, and personal.
"Well I suppose it was too much to hope for that my partners trademark weapon wouldn't give us away." An emotionless male voice called amicably, their heads shot shot up to see a man in a black cloak with red clouds adorning it and a straw travelers hat standing down the edge of the street. "The wounds they leave are far too distinctive I suppose, especially in Kiri too." He walked forward slowly, his head lowered slightly so it was impossible to see his eyes.
Mei was in no mood to play though and this man had just admitted he was partners with Kisame. Thus when he started forward she shot a ball of searing hot magma his way. "You should learn to play nice Mei, my name is Itachi Uchiha, just so you know who it is that killed you." He said from a roof top not too far away, his straw hat missing and his Sharingan blazing. Zabuza was already mid leap to his location ready to chop his head off, however, before he reached the halfway mark Samehada came flying down from the sky Kisame riding on its base, holding on to its handle. The force generated from his sky fall caved the entire building in, Itachi and jumping off at the last second, flipping above Zabuza directly towards Me lashing out with a kick that she dodged and retaliated with a high kick that grazed Itachi's chin. "Good reflexes" The Uchiha commented off handedly.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Mei demanded, the two of them trading a series of blows, each strike blocking the others. Despite appearing rather young Itachi was an extremely capable shinobi, but her Sensei had fought some of the strongest Uchiha to have graced the earth. He had taught her how to fight without getting caught in their damnable gen jutsu. Making sure to never make eye contact with him, only looking down at his feet, and used her other senses help figure out the rest, it also helped that with the new moon, and the dense mist that prevailed this area allowed her an easier time avoiding his eyes but it also made it harder to see his feet.
"We were sent to check on the status of the Mizukage, but it seems as though he's become Orochimaru's new host, I wonder how your little hit squad is handling that. It's certainly not going to be an easy victory." Itachi answered honestly dodging several lunging jabs and a powerful thrusting kick, blocking the kick with one of his own his right leg Itachi shot out in a series of rapid fire kicks all of which Mei dodged with grace. The young man let fly a speedy right hook that Mei twirled around the outside of and lashed out a reverse elbow, Itachi dodged by jumping forward into a roll and coming back to his feet with a single hop. He had no need to lie as it was beneath him. It wasn't as if there was anything she could do to stop them anyway.
Mei's eyes grew icy cold, "You're going to wish you had never come here." Glacial blue chakra outlined Mei and started wisping off of her, her bright green eyes growing a soft blue glow in them.
Zabuza, his original target having flipped over him, changed direction mid air and with a spinning strike lashed out at Kisame who blocked with Samehada. "Hey shark face! I don't know what prompted you to come back here but im going to enjoy gutting you!" Zabuza lunged forward, Kisame swatted his sword out of the way and went in with a hard kick, Zabuza caught it with elbow and with one hand swept his sword aiming to decapitate Kisame, but the shark man was equally as physically powerful as he was, blocking him with Samehada, the power behind Zabuza's blow skidding him sideways a few feet.
Kisame grinned as he flipped backwards lashing out with his free leg and getting Zabuza to get some distance, "What not happy to see the only swordsman capable of keeping up with you?" He taunted as the sound of steel clashing against steel crashed out through the village.
Zabuza attacked with a heaving downward slash that Kisame had to block with both hands, however he used that momentum to swing down and kick Kisame in the chest causing him to stumble backwards, Zabuza twirled coming down with a diagonal slash, Kisame hopped to the left but Zabuza changed direction of swipe mid swing only for the shark like man to cartwheel over it. "Yeah fucking right you're nothing but a traitor to Kirigakure!" He shouted heatedly as the two went back and forth between attacking and defending, neither one gaining an advantage.
Kisame laughed heartily at Zabuza's anger, "That's the pot calling the kettle black don't you agree Nuke-nin?" He taunted with a grin.
"I'm only a nuke Nin because I failed trying to make this country right again, you're a Nuke-nin because you freely slaughtered your allies just for fun. It's funny though; do you know why I was given what everyone assumes to be the weakest of the seven swords?" Zabuza asked, a grin forming underneath his mask. "I'll tell you, it was because my Ken-jutsu was already so powerful they were afraid to give me even more power!" Zabuza's eyes gained a bluish glint in his eyes that had nothing to do with chakra, and everything to do with pure martial fighting spirit. He dashed forward at incredible speed, lowering his sword close to the ground edge point towards the sky, "Shinjinbukai Kata: koku nami!" Zabuza let loose an uppercut slash with enough energy behind it that the emanating shockwave left a cleft in the ground that ran too deep to see the bottom; luckily Kisame had already vacated himself from the danger zone. "What's wrong? Samehade can't absorb my attacks? it's because their pure fighting essence! Not chakra!"
The shark warrior dashed in with a lunge Zabuza ducked it and took a swipe at Kisame's mid section, the tall man jumped backwards out of reach but Zabuza followed leaping forward following through with his swipe. The attack left Kisame with a nasty gash across his torso. Kisame growled"Alright that's it you're a fucking dead man!" Rushing forward before Zabuza could stop him he gripped the cloth of his foes shirt and yanked him closer where Kisame viciously head butted Zabuza, following up with a knee to the stomach and finishing with throwing him away and trying to stab him but Zabuza blocked with the flat of his sword. The strength of Kisame's jab sent the more humanoid of the two swordsman flying back a few feet.
Zabuza landed on his feet digging his heels in as he continued skidding back another foot or so. Kisame was already in hot pursuit but Zabuza was ready this time, when Kisame was too close to abandon his attack Zabuza raised his blade high over head and brought it down, "shinjinbukai Kata: maruchi koku nami" This time five slicing crescent waves issued forth at high velocity, Kisame didn't have to time to dodge but he did his best to shield himself behind Samehada, he still received numerous gashes on the parts he couldn't cover however. "Out of all seven of us, I'm the only one who can use ranged sword strikes without the help of a special blade! It's why I was the bloody fucking leader. You murdered the previous wielder of Samehada and won it by right even though you slew him without a sword, and you still don't know the hilt from the pointy end of a sword." Zabuza taunted of course that wasn't true in the slightest but when you looked at just their respective swordsmanship prowess; Zabuza was obviously putting Kisame on the ropes.
With a roar the two swordsman clashed hidden within the mist, just as they clashed an echoing roar shook the ground, it seemed Orochimaru had become pissed enough to transform into the Sanbi.
~Meanwhile with Naruto's team~
After the adults had left, the teens had started setting up various traps, snares, and detection triggers around the area, they wanted to make sure that anyone coming through from anywhere but the escape tunnel was going to have a bitch of a time getting where they were going to bunker down. They finished that task within the first few minutes, all three of them being masters of setting up traps after being tutored by Sarutobi. Then they each picked a piece of bamboo to hide in and wait. That's all they could do at this point. Their task was to stay put and make sure no one blocked their escape. It wasn't long before Naruto felt a presence on the fringes of his vision, heading there way and it was a signature that was foreign to him. Naruto imitated the sound of a cricket as best he could. Not doing badly either, it was their signal that an enemy was closing in. This way they stayed as inconspicuous as possible and could hopefully get the jump on their enemy.
For Naruto things took a slightly surreal edge as his brain acknowledged the fact that he was about to face another enemy, of considerable skill as well, if the potency of their chakra were anything to go by. Moments later a feminine voice announced the arrival of their enemy. "Awww look at the rookie ninja setting up traps and hiding pathetically. It looks like I'm going have an easy time of this." The woman stood atop the wall, her tone speaking of nothing but maliciousness. Each syllable promising pain, she lazily flicked three shuriken at the teens only for them to go up in smoke. "Wha-?" She started to say but was cut off when Naruto's heel slammed into the back of her head sending her toppling of the top of the wall. Naruto didn't escape unscathed though as her booted heel slammed into the underside of his chin, lifting him and pulling him through the air as the Kunoichi rotated and threw Naruto with a kick towards the ground, a sword flew through the air piercing Naruto's clothing and pinning him harmlessly in a wall. Tenten was now in the woman's face Bo-staff in hand as she flew into a barrage of strikes that the woman blocked or dodged finally catching the bo staff in her hand after Tenten's last strike and rolling backwards through the air as they rapidly approached the ground and heel stomped the bun haired teen right as they hit the ground. Rolling off Tenten, she had to dodge a series of rapid punches and kicks that Naruto sent her way having removed himself from the wall. Naruto overextended a punch and paid for it receiving a harsh kick to his knee that crumpled him to the floor, the woman then formed a pink crystal gauntlet on her right hand and punched Naruto hard enough to send him crashing back.
"The names Guren punks I hope you're ready to meet your maker." She almost didn't notice the shadow creeping up on her, but she was an elite for a reason, "Ha you'll have to do better than that Nara." Guren taunted leaping forward and unleashing a dithering hail of crystal shards in the direction Shikamaru was currently hiding.
"That was just a diversion bitch." Tenten whispered behind her as her Bo staff crashed into Guren's side followed by a jab to the face to get her summer salting through the air and finally ending the combo with a downward strike that hit dead center along her face, torso, and hips sending the dark haired woman crashing towards the ground. Tenten followed her, the two boys rushing in for a tri-pronged attack, only for the woman to encase herself in pink crystalline armor and expel it violently from her body, shrapnel tearing chunks of skin, and creating deep gashes on all three of the rushing shinobi.
"And no matter how much training you've had I'm out of your league." Guren fired back after wounding all three so well. Naruto, an orange blur of motion, shoulder checked Guren, leaping forward to make sure his shoulder slammed her in the face, causing the older woman too stumble backwards, Naruto landed bending his knees and leaping forward once more burying his knee into her stomach, doubling her over. Naruto followed through with an elbow to the back of her head; however Guren caught it in the palm of her hand and then flipped backwards, twisting and breaking Naruto's arm with a vicious twist. His cry of agony alighting her eyes with joy. She gripped his wrist with vice like strength breaking that too, ushering forth another cry from Naruto before kneeing him viciously in the abdomen the strength of the blow enhanced by chakra and sending the boy flying away. Tenten tried to counter attack after Naruto's devastating beating but Guren sent the bun haired girl packing with a spinning jump kick enhanced by crystalline high heel boots. She spun in the air and punched the ground "Shōton: shounyuuseki hara!" Giant pink stalactites started jutting out of the ground in random places creating a field of giant sharp and jagged boulders, effectively destroying any type of traps and possibly injuring one of the brats in the process. She perched herself atop her stalactites and issued forth a challenge, "Come forth young shinobi and see if you have what it takes to bring me down! You're lives are forfeit either way so try to entertain me!" Two small crystalline blades forming at the end of her fists. Tonight she was going hunting, and she had heard these brats were good, so far she wasn't impressed. A roar echoed through the valley followed by a small tremor caused by the powerful sonic blast.
~ Jutsu list ~
Raiton: Jibashi: Lightning wave
Mokuton:sanjaku no seikei ki : Belt of the living tree
Shinjinbukai Kata: koku nami: Heaven style: slashing wave
shinjinbukai Kata: maruchi koku nami: Heaven style; multi slashing waves
Shōton: shounyuuseki hara: Crystal release: Stalactite field
Translator sourse.: Online English to Japanese dictioniary,