Author's note – Kishimoto Masashi owns Naruto while Guyver is written by Yoshiki Takaya.
I make no claim to either, I am merely playing in their sandboxes.
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Chapter Twenty-Two
Wave Rising
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"You… did… WHAT?" Kakashi yelled, struggling to escape from Iruka's grasp.
"I sent Naruto ahead to aid Team Ten." Hiruzen repeated. "Now that you have returned, you can lead the backup squad."
Kakashi glared at the Hokage, then nodded slowly. "Alright. Who's the team?"
"We know that Momochi Zabuza is there, so we'll need at least one other person who can counter his style. You have your summoned ninken, but we need someone else."
"You called, Hokage-sama?" Anko said from the door and Hiruzen smiled indulgently.
"I have a mission for you, Anko."
"Oh?"
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"So… you two can hear each other even when you don't speak?" Asuma asked.
"We can." Ino confirmed. "Fortunately, we don't share all of our thoughts, but any time we try to… push a thought, the other one hears it."
"Don't expect me to give the armour to anyone just because they ask." Naruto protested. "As it is, Inoichi's gonna kill me when he finds out that according to the laws of Konoha, I've just either adopted or married Ino."
"Not married!" Ino squeaked and Naruto shrugged.
"Okay, adopted. Sorry, but since you gained what the old man has listed as an Uzumaki Hijitsu, you are now Uzumaki Ino. Besides, I wouldn't want you as a wife."
"What?" Ino hissed. "And why not?"
Naruto looked at her as if she was insane. "I'm due to get married to Hinata. You know her? Sweet-natured, kind, currently living in my house?"
"So?" Ino countered. "Does that mean I'm going to be your mistress instead?"
"Hell no." Naruto said instantly. "I'm not going to risk my relationship with Hinata."
"Ino, calm down." Shikamaru drawled from where he was lounging on the sofa. "Although it's amusing watching you being troublesome, you're working yourself up over nothing. I'm sure that Naruto will allow you to return to being a Yamanaka if you want as a symbol of the new alliance between the Uzumaki and Yamanaka clans. You do remember the stories of how our three clans allied?"
Ino paused, then slumped. "I'll leave it for now, but we are going to talk. You, me and Hinata. So, when do I learn how to fly?"
"That could take a while." Naruto admitted. "The thing I used to give you your armour? It was the orb that let me fly until I re-wrote it. I think it's regenerating, but until it does, I'm grounded and I can't show you what to do."
"Well, that complicates things." Asuma admitted.
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"Zabuza-sama, if you will let me…"
"No, Kimimaru." Zabuza growled. "Get my copy of the bingo book and look up that armoured figure. If I remember right, he's an Uzumaki."
Kimimaru rummaged in the grab-bag, retrieving the tattered booklet and he quickly leafed through it even as a short man stepped through the door behind him.
"Here we are, Zabuza-sama." He declared. "Uzumaki Hiro…"
Zabuza held out his hand and Kimimaru deposited the book into it. Reading it, he growled, then walked over to the new arrival, placing the book in his hand.
"Read it. I can confirm he can fly."
"Flee on sight?" The guest asked and Zabuza nodded.
"The last bastard with one of those orders was the Yondaime Hokage who killed over two-hundred ninja in a single battle. I'm damn good, but this guy? He'd go through me like I wasn't even there. In fact, he already has. If you want to go up against him, you're going to need proper reinforcements. Nuke-nin just won't cut it, unless they're called Orochimaru and even then, I'd have my doubts."
"I'm paying you to take them out!" Gato shouted and Zabuza shook his head.
"Kimimaru, bring out the payment scroll."
"Yes, Zabuza-sama." Kimimaru said as he reached into the grab-bag and pulled out a small scroll. Zabuza took it, then retrieved the Bingo Book, replacing it with the scroll.
"Us nuke-nins don't do suicide missions, and that is what this one turned into." He stated. "You have the money back, Kimimaru and I are leaving."
Gato stood, unable to articulate his protests as Zabuza and his apprentice walked past him and his guards.
"Dammit!" He finally cursed. "Find out just who the hell this… Uzumaki Hiro is and see if anyone wants him dead!"
"Yes, Gato-sama!"
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"So, how do I look?"
Shikamaru shook his head while Choji gave Ino a measuring look.
"You look quite scary." He finally decided. "That color really suits you, though."
"I know." Ino said, the grin evident in her voice. "This head chakra-beam thing is weird, though. I think I'm finally getting the hang of it."
Shikamaru sent a glance at the still-smoking remains of three trees but declined to comment.
"And the arm-blades are just in the wrong place." Ino sighed, looking at the chitin spurs that rose from her forearms up past her elbows. "I have to punch past my enemy to cut them."
"Naruto seems to have solved that problem with that strange style of his." Asuma offered and from the other side of the clearing, Naruto paused in his Katas to give an acknowledging nod. Ino let out an odd, metallic-sounding sigh and clomped across to Naruto?
"So… can you teach me those…whoah!"
The inner ring on Naruto's head-metal flashed gold, a flash that was matched by Ino's head-metal and the armoured girl staggered back a couple of paces.
"Whoah… I know… what is it?"
"Uzuken." Naruto supplied.
"I know Uzuken!" Ino stated.
"Show me."
Ino dropped into a offensive posture, while Naruto took a more defensive stance, then he beckoned for her to attack. Choji whistled as Ino unleashed a barrage of curved punches and elbow-jabs, all of which were blocked or dodged by Naruto.
"Wow, she didn't use to be able to fight like that." He said and Shikamaru nodded.
"We'll need to train harder to keep up with her. Troublesome."
Ino ducked under a spinning kick and replied with a double-fisted punch, only for Naruto to leap into the air, pushing down on her fists as he used her attack to open the distance between them.
"Damn, they're good." Asuma stated as he lit another cigarette. "Having them able to teach fighting that way? Once the clan grows bigger, their genin will be fighting like Jonin as soon as they graduate! And Kami-above knows how scary they'll be once they start learning and exchanging different skill-sets…"
Shikamaru shuddered. "Please, Ino's troublesome enough already."
The two armoured figures exchanged a flurry of blows and kicks, moving so fast that they seemed to blur before leaping away from each other.
"Why can't I hit you?" Ino growled and Naruto tilted his head slightly.
"You are still adjusting to the armour. You don't yet have the feel for it, you don't know how to use it. But all you need is time and training. Now stop trying to hit me, and hit me!"
Ino lunged forwards, spinning round backwards to slash at Naruto's midsection with the tip her arm-blade and Naruto dropped to one knee, jamming his arm into the gap between her arm and blade, briefly locking her into place before she rolled away from him.
"Those blades do look difficult to use." Shikamaru mused.
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"Go on." The Mizukage said slowly.
"The Kyuubi Jinchuuriki is currently in the Land of Waves." The messenger repeated. "Gato offers you the chance to capture him and his armour as well as the location of Momochi Zabuza."
The Mizukage's eyes lit up with an unholy glee.
"Return to Gato and tell him that the team is on its way and he only needs to pay for a C-rank mission, given how much we have to gain from this."
"As you command, Mizukage-sama." The messenger said, bowing deeply. The Mizukage watched him leave, then he spoke.
"Your thoughts, Tsurugi?"
"The armour alone would be a fine addition to the our forces and might aid us in retrieving the rest of the Seven Swords, Yagura-sama." The leader of the Kirigakure Anbu mused. "The chance to gain a third Biju, and the strongest one at that, would aid us in establishing ourselves as the true strength in the ninja world. As for the boy himself… he may know how to use the Uzumaki fuuinjutsu meaning that interrogating him could be profitable. And since it is in the Land of Waves, it isn't as if Konohagakure has an actual claim on the area."
"True." Yagura mused with a smirk. "Send two teams. The first to go against Zabuza, the second to kill all of the Konoha ninja except for this Uzumaki. Bring him back alive if possible, his sealed corpse if not. As for Zabuza, ideally I want him alive, but his corpse and sword will suffice."
"Yes, Yagura-sama." Tsurugi said with a bow.
"Lead the second team personally." Yagura commanded.
"As you command, Yagura-sama."
"If you fail, you had better hope that you died in the mission." Yagura stated as Tsurugi moved towards the door.
"…as you command, Yagura-sama."
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Kakashi concentrated on maintaining his pace through the canopy. Following in his wake were Mitarashi Anko and Tenzo, both of them ready for combat at an instant's notice.
As they rose above the canopy, they saw the glint of the ocean on the horizon.
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"Wow, he's super-strong." Tazuna gasped as Naruto walked past, fully armoured and carrying a large amount of wood, far more than anyone else could possibly move…
Except for Ino, who was carrying a similar amount, her dark-violet armoured form showing no sign of strain.
"Yep, it's pretty amazing what that armour can do." Asuma agreed from behind Tazuna. "Incredible to think that it was the Uzumaki clan who created it and even more incredible that it can duplicate. It must be how they planned to equip all their forces with it. If Uzushiogakure hadn't fallen, they would have become the greatest of all the Great Villages and Konoha would have become their backup rather than the other way around. No wonder they were attacked, the other villages must have got wind of the project and panicked.
"And now Konoha has the Uzumaki Armour and knowledge of how to duplicate it. As long as the Uzumaki clan remain loyal to Konoha, we'll be unbeatable."
"And with my bridge completed, we'll be able to trade with you and act as another sea-port, bringing in even more trade." Tazuna grinned. "We'll all become super-wealthy!"
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Tsurugi looked at the large group of hunter-nin arrayed before him. After several long moments, he started to speak.
"You are here because you are the best that we have. Normally, I would keep you here to deploy against the rebels, but an opportunity like no other has appeared. One of the Seven Swords has been located, as well as a suit of armour that makes the Swords seem weak, armour worn by a leaf chunin. By collecting both, we will be able to end the insurgency for all time, but the chunin is also the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi. By claiming him, we will control three of the Biju, making us the strongest nation on the face of the world!
"Our fastest boat is ready and is crewed by our greatest wind- and water-users. We shall travel to the Land of Waves, arriving within a single day, and then we shall return in glory, bringing a new age, a golden age to Kirigakure and all of Mizu no Kuni!"
Although the hunter-nin were too disciplined to cheer, Tsurugi could feel their excitement. Soon, they would have a second sword back in their possession and be one step closer to recreating the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
"To the ship!" He called before vanishing in a mizu shunshin. Less than a second later, the courtyard was completely empty and from the balcony above it, the Mizukage smirked. Unseen by him, a figure in the room behind him, a figure wearing an orange swirl mask with a single eyehole, gave an approving nod.
"Soon that armour will be mine." The cloaked figure whispered before vanishing in an eye-twisting swirl.
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Asuma shivered.
"What is it?" Tazuna asked as he watched the sun set.
"Just a feeling, as if things are going to get…"
"Very troublesome." Shikamaru said from behind them, making both men jump. "I don't know why, but something tells me to expect trouble soon."
"It's a sense that most ninja have." Asuma agreed. "Well, those that live to become jonin, anyway."
"It's a drag." Shikamaru moaned. "How am I supposed to plan if I don't know what's coming?"