Naruto Shippuden -H-: Chapter 030: Hell is What They Raised!
Evening had came forth on the sixth day since Naruto and his team had left Konoha and began their mission.
"Alright folks, we will be camping out here for the night, this is the last night we will probably be able to take it easy though, man what a drag." exclaimed Shikamaru to the rest of his team.
"You sound distressed Shikamaru, but I guess that is because you are taking this mission seriously, as am I, even though I miss Ino more and more as the days go on." said Sai as he could identify with what Shikamaru was feeling.
"Well, it has been a while since I have seen Hinata as well, but the sooner we get to Lazarus tomorrow, the sooner we can return home and forget all of this mess." said Naruto with a sense of urgency.
"This area by the lake should do fine for a camping spot, don't worry about tomorrow until it comes, I faced Jesei and I know what kind of person he is trying to present himself to be, I almost felt sorry for him, but I cannot forgive that motherfucker with the brown hair for that Wood Release jutsu that he used to kill off those innocent villagers." said Sakura with an angered tone.
"Now that you bring it up, how is it that he was able to use the Wood Release ninjutsu, was he experimented on by someone in Lazarus, Yamato and Danzo were as well, but theirs was not on par with the edo Madara or the First Hokage." said Sai.
"He could have copied the ability via some kind of surgery or bio implementation, but he might be a true heir to the ability for all we know." said Shikamaru as he laid out his bedroll and sat on it, deciding to take a smoke break.
"Even if he is a true Senju, I will not let him or any of those others continue to undo what the Allied Shinobi Forces have worked so hard to achieve." said Naruto as he laid down on the grass and looked up into the late evening sky.
"Still, you have to wonder what they are trying to do, or even why no one has ever heard of this Lazarus place before, were they hiding in the fog of war for the past thirty or so years, or have they simply been waiting for no other factions to exist before they began to act?" asked Sai with a sense of worry.
"No matter how many times that question is asked, the only sure fire way to know is to meet with this boss of the Knights of Dawn, I will be sure to give him the questionnaire of his life." said Naruto with a smile.
"You sure look peaceful Naruto, I am glad you can relax even in a moment like this, you deserve it after what has happened in the past four years." said Sakura as she smiled thinking of all of the heroic deeds that Naruto has accomplished.
"It is not just me Sakura, the rest of you were there too, we should all be at peace tonight, don't let any ill wills keep you up too late, just fall to sleep thinking of the mission ahead." said Naruto as he seemingly fell sound to sleep.
"That does sound like a good idea, I am hitting the hey too, but if anything makes a move, even the slightest, I will be as wide awake as one can me." said Shikamaru as he and the rest of his team laid low for the night, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next morning.
Elsewhere in Iwagakure, Ohnoki had received word of the events in Amazeo Village, as well as the death of Joakim and his battalion.
"So, you are sure they have all perished?" asked Ohnoki to one of the Hidden Stone's ANBU.
"Yes Lord Tsuchikage, all of the men, women, and children in Amazeo have been killed, and most likely by that group that you told us all about three days ago." said the man recalling when he heard of the news that Sasuke relayed to the Tsuchikage.
"This is just not right, all of those people, dead, I don't care if they were not part of my village or not, they will pay for this, Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, come in here now!" yelled Ohnoki as the two shinobi ran into the office at a great pace.
"What is it now, ya old fart, there is nothing else we can do about what happened in Amazeo until the next Five Kage Meeting is commenced." said Kurotsuchi to her grandfather.
"Now that you mention it, when is the next summit, tomorrow, next week, next month?" asked Akatsuchi with curiosity.
"Well, after learning that these freaks could be in our own Land of Earth, I am scheduling it two days from now, and the other Kages have all agreed to it." said Ohnoki.
"I see, and you will be wanting us to come with you again, right?" asked Kurotsuchi to her grandfather.
"Yes, after hearing that the Mizukage was attacked by one of those Knights of Dawn, we all have to be prepared for the worst, especially with the concern of who their leader might be." said Ohnoki as a drop of sweat fell down his brow.
"Well then, it is settled, I will report back to my post and inform everyone there, good luck you three." said the Iwa ANBU member as he ran off towards the outskirts of the village.
"Let's get all of our reports over the past week collected, two days goes by quickly at my age." said Ohnoki with a sense of duty.
In Konohagakure, Hinata had finished washing her clothes, and decided to sit outside on the bench in front of her and Naruto's home.
"It seems like forever since you left, I just hope that you are doing alright, Naruto, six days have now passed, hopefully you will be back within the next week." thought Hinata to herself as she looked up into the night sky thinking of Neji, and her sister, Hanabi who was away on a mission.
"Is everything alright?" asked Konohamaru as he sat down on the bench next to the one Hinata was at.
"Oh, you miss Naruto too, it seems like forever since he left, and we don't know what kind of trouble he could be in." said Konohamaru with worry.
"Hey, you should have more confidence in your rival, he will be alright, Shikamaru, Sakura, and Sai are with him, and I heard Sasuke and Killer Bee will be helping out as well." said Hinata with a tone of optimism.
"Heh, you are right, I don't know what I was thinking, but I have also began to miss Hanabi as well, do you know when she is coming back?" asked Konohamaru with a slightly more upbeat demeanor.
"Tomorrow at the latest as far as I know, she sure does talk a lot about you to me, she has nothing but good things to say about you." said Hinata with a smile towards Konohamaru.
"Really, she said that, and here I thought I was no good for her, that I was just a third rate ninja, but ever since becoming a Chunin, I have been working hard to become a Jonin by next year on my sixteenth birthday, and then I will never let anything happen to her." said Konohamaru with a smile.
"That sounds just like something Naruto would say, and I believe you." said Hinata.
"Thanks, I am going to go wait for her by the village gate, even if it takes another whole day, see ya later." said Konohamaru as he ran off towards the eastern gate of the village.
"Be careful out there Naruto, don't get too reckless." thought Hinata as she went back inside thinking of the next time she would get to see her husband again.
Sasuke and Bee had arrived at the border of the Land of Earth from the Northwest region, putting them only one day behind Naruto and his team.
"Man I am beat right now, I am more worn out than a coffee-deprived owl, fool, ya fool!" said Bee with a eccentric tone as he sat down next to a waterfall pouring from the bank of a nearby ocean as Sasuke sat down in front of a tree trunk.
"We will be there soon as well, we have not ran into anymore trouble since we encountered that piece of shit back in Kirigakure, so maybe they got our message." said Sasuke to Bee.
"I have the best Wine one could hope to find, want to sip it with me and unwind?" asked Bee to the somber Sasuke.
"No thanks, I need to meditate for a while, there is something else on my mind, you just stay here and relax, but try not to get too drunk, we will need to head out early tomorrow." said Sasuke to Bee as he walked up the bank of the nearby ocean and sat on the beach.
"He is right Bee, you do not want another hangover now do you?" asked Gyuki to Bee in his mind.
"Man always getting in on my mind, you really know how to ruin a good time." said Bee to Gyuki as he only took a few sips out of the bottle before laying back and thinking of what he and Sasuke would be doing the next day.
In Kumogakure, A and Darui were discussing the plans of what actions to take, after just receiving a message from Ohnoki regarding the Amazeo Village Massacre.
"What a bunch of scumbags we are dealing with this time boss, they raised hell in the Land of Earth." said Darui as he was taking a sip out of his large coffee cup.
"Hell is exactly what they raised, and if they are closest to Ohnoki and his village, then we must send some of our own forces over there to assist Iwagakure in a possible invasion, just like the one that Konoha had over a week back." said Raikage with concern.
"I am worried that Bee and Sasuke get captured by the scary boss of these Warriors of Eve." said Omoi as he walked in half awake, straight into the middle of the Raikage's office.
"It is the Knights of Dawn, Omoi, and I would not worry about those two, Iwagakure is part of the alliance, and the Land of Earth is also part of it, we must make sure no more innocent lives are taken." said Raikage to Omoi.
"I know, I know, but you know how I worry about things, at least I have gotten more composed as of late." said Omoi as he sat down next to the water cooler in the Raikage's office.
"I don't like the idea of any unknown foe being in the shadows, I mean we don't even know who their leader is, he must be a drab man for sure." said Darui.
"Regardless, we hold the next Summit the day after tomorrow, and you two will be my escorts." said A.
"Gotcha' boss, I will be right with you." said Darui with a sluggish, but dutiful tone.
"I will too, just let me get all over this carbonated fruit water for the next day, it is great, it washes all of the worries away!" said Omoi with a joyful tone.
"I guess soft drinks are your salvation, hahahaha." laughed the Raikage as he got back to his own reports for the night.
The night passed by at a brisk pace as birds were chirping and mist was hovering over the forest where Naruto and his team had taken their rest for the night.
"I feel good this morning, it is still only five and the sun has not even risen yet." said Naruto as he did many push ups in a row to warm up for the inevitable meeting with the boss of Lazarus.
"I actually do not feel too bad this morning either, must have been those new cigars I brought with me, forgot I had them until yesterday though." chuckled Shikamaru as Sakura returned with a pitcher of water.
"Anyone feeling dehydrated besides me, this humid weather is horrible." said Sakura as she gulped half of it down.
"Oooh, I get the rest!" said Naruto as he snatched it from Sakura and gulped down the other half.
"I brought Sake with me so I am fine." said Shikamaru as he lit a cigar and looked over his plan of attack for the day.
"I kind of have some rose water from Ino's shop, but it tastes like heaven, I will be fine too." said Sai as he never thought to think that it was only for plants.
"Man, we must have been really dehydrated, eh Naruto, hehehe." laughed Sakura as she started to feel sick.
"Ughhh, maybe we drank it too fast, ughhh." said Naruto as he sat down to let his stomach settle for a while.
"Goodness, what a drag, once you two feel better, we will go over the plan to approaching Lazarus one last time, okay." said Shikamaru as Sakura sat down due to a stomach ache.
Tetsuga had returned to the Watered Grounds of the caverns on the far end of Lazarus, where it always rained, and fog surrounded the pine trees and other forestry around the area.
"Greshem, me and you will be looking for this poacher together, whoever he thinks he is, he cannot escape my sight." said Tetsuga with a calm tone.
"I would rather be at the hot springs right now, but oh well, finding this rogue spy is more pressing, it could be someone else trying to avenge Amazeo Village." said Greshem to Tetsuga as they walked through the pouring rain, and entered an oak forest, which was past the pine tree forest they had traversed prior.
"No, this is the same chakra signature I have been detecting, I just don't know who it exactly is, and I have also detected it before we invaded Amazeo, so that cannot be it, let's split up, you head out towards the Genesis Ocean to the north of here, I will continue to explore this area, Lehourihm and Dreatoen will be keeping watch at the cemetery as well." said Tetsuga to Greshem.
"Well, the rest of Camp Abraham are getting ready for another assault as I speak, so if we can find this spy quick enough, I can participate with them as well." said Greshem with a tone of excitement as he headed off towards the ocean.
"Heh, this will be fun, whoever this spy is, they dare trespass on Lazarus' holy territory, The Apathetic Judge will not tolerate this heathen act!" yelled Greshem as he did not want to let Tetsuga down.
"Lets' see, it is only a few more miles ahead, I am not a sensor, but I can track signs of intrusion down well, whoever could be around here, they will be at my mercy soon." said Greshem.
"Good, then you can be at mine." said a voice as Orochimaru appeared directly behind Greshem.
"You, are you the spy perhaps, huh, wait, what the hell are you?" asked Greshem as he fell to the ground, afraid of Orochimaru's presence.
"How is Hirudeguarn treating you lackeys, let me show you how he should be doing it." said Orochimaru as he walked towards Greshem with a devious look on his face.
"Multiple Explosive Specter Bombs Technique!" yelled Greshem as he created ethereal looking orbs that all surrounded Orochimaru.
"Alright you snake looking freak, I don't know what you are doing here, but the Apathetic Judge will not tolerate tresspassers and sinners like you!" yelled Greshem as all of the orbs around Orochimaru blew up, creating a decent sized crater.
"He, despicable goons, not worth the worry of our kind and wonderful god, and our leader's worry." said Greshem as he was about to continue on his trek to the Genesis Ocean to look for any more intruders.
"So, you think that I am a sinner and a heathen, that is a pretty accurate assessment, but as for you, I can be a good judge of things as well, and I can judge your fate right here you little rodent of talentless decree!" yelled Orochimaru as he raised his left hand towards Greshem with a look of joy on his face.
"If only your boss could see the look on your face right now, kukukuku!" laughed Orochimaru with glee.
"Look man, whatever you have planned, it will not work, do you hear me, and if you plan on getting any information out of me, then piss off, NOT TODAY!" yelled Greshem as he quickly picked up a a kunai that he dropped on the ground and without hesitation, slit his own throat with a smile on his face.
"I see, you would rather take your own life that spill out any information to me, hehehe, brother, you have some praise worthy associates indeed." said Orochimaru as Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu also emerged from the nearby woods.
"I cannot believe he killed himself like that, how horrible." said Karin with a look of sadness on her face.
"Don't tell me you feel sorry for this shithead, he was going to die by Lord Orochimaru's hand, he just made it easier on himself." said Suigetsu.
"In any case, we are very close to Lazarus, and I sense a very powerful chakra nearby, much more potent than what this guy had." said Karin with a look of distress.
"Then we will all four fight it together." said Jugo.
"No, I will take care of this alone, for my brother must know that only I was enough to foil whatever worthless plan he has devised, you three can find that spy and see if he or she is on our side." said Orochimaru as he sealed Greshem's dead body into a scroll and headed towards the direction of the Watered Grounds.
"Well, the three of us have our own mission now, let's go." said Jugo with a stern voice.
"Whatever, maybe someone out here might be a Swordsman of the Mist!" said Suigetsu with glee.
"Still, I am sensing something much more deeper than just what everyone else believe to be on the surface, and I just don't think we are going to live guys." said Karin as she suddenly fell to her knees.
"Whoa, Karin, what the hell, are you okay?" asked Suigetsu with a worried tone.
"No, and even Lord Orochimaru will not be okay if he does not turn back now, I think I just sensed Hell, and Hell might just be what we have gotten ourselves into." said Karin as she was shaking with true fear.
-To be continued next time with Chapter 031...-