V 10 Ch 6

Defiance

Saori Nara waited underneath the ground, her eyes trying to see into the darkness. She could hear the commotion above her of the Lightening-nin trying to pursue her. Saori let the giant worm puppet lay on the dirt in the tunnel. To use such an enormous contraption drained her of large amounts of chakra. She breathed hard, ears focusing on the sounds in the darkness. If they know what's good for them, they'll back off. I just need time calm down.

Kegasu wasn't about to let Saori make a fool of them. He jumped down into the hole his heavy form causing a thud. His stature straightened arms out. Ahead of them was darkness. He and Taraeru were at a disadvantage. Kegasu started to walk forward, his arms swinging in a gruff growl. "That brat is in here somewhere. She can't stay hidden for long."

Taraeru smiled as he narrowed his eyes looking around. "I wonder how she expects to hide such a large weapon under here." He started to move his finger in a circle next to his face. A small whirlwind swirled above the tip of his finger. "We can just trap her in here with a cave in."

Kegasu started to like that idea. "Don't forget there are two others up there. She has backup." He started to run down the tunnel, his arms out as if he were trying to grab something. "Come on, little girl, we know you're down here!"

Saori stood her chakra strings coming back into focus. "Alright, they're coming. Now for a way to get them out of our village!" Saori lifted the large head of the worm, its mouth opening and closing. There's no room for error in here. The puppet is so big they won't be able to get past him unless they want to get squished. So it's going to be head to head.

Kegasu was hot on Saori's trail, his feet hitting the ground hard. Taraeru stopped behind him. "Finish them off," he said. He left Taraeru to it.

Taraeru bowed before he started to grin. Spreading his arms out, the wind around him began to increase. He started to laugh manically as the dust from the tunnel picked up. "Ahahahaha!"

Sasuke heard the tunnel erupt in the darkness. Manda lowered his head attempting to push through it. "He's a wind user!" Moving his arm up to his face, he tried to block the dust from hitting his eyes. The large snake was tense, its body recoiling to keep itself from being pushed back.

Izumi hunkered behind the snake's scales. The wind blew hard above her head. "So this is how they are going to play. One left to deal with us, or distract us while the other gets Saori."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes in the darkness. "Manda, push ahead," he ordered. The snake hissed his attitude about pursing the wind user ahead of them. "I don't care! Get closer to him!" The snake uncoiled its large body. Manda pushed ahead of the wind with Izumi and Sasuke following straight behind him, their hands on the back of his scales to keep their footing. "Izumi, summon Suiren!"

Izumi formed hand seals, the light around her growing as the seals appeared on the floor. Her lavender eyes became hollow as the wind whipt her hair around. "Summoning jutsu!" A large black water moccasin formed out of the light, her head lowering to crash into the dirt. Suiren turned her form into water so she could begin to move under the ground in the form of water molecules. The snake slithered swiftly her tongue flickering to acquire the scent of the man controlling the wind against her Master.

Up ahead, Taraeru swooped his arm down creating a whirlpool of wind. He sent the twister down the tunnel headed straight for Izumi and Sasuke. "I'll crash the both of you into the earth," he cackled.

The wind twister hit Manda hard. The snake tried to push against it but was lifted off of the ground in the tunnel. He swore in his own language. Izumi was lifted off of her feet flying backwards with her body outstretched. She couldn't feel anything to grab a hold of. "Sasuke," she yelled.

Sasuke Uchiha was also airborne. He could hear his wife yelling for him, but in the darkness he could not find her. He took out his grass cutter sword slashing it around him in an attempt for it to lodge into the wall or the ceiling of the tunnel. Sure enough, it hit the ceiling. His fingers tightened around the hilt, his hand outstretched. "Izumi!"

Izumi frantically focused on his voice amongst the deafening sound of the wind. He was above her and behind. She reached her hand up, fingers up to grab onto something. Then she felt it. Izumi grabbed onto her husband's ankle as hard as she could, her nails going into his skin. Her body lifted up just in time to feel Manda brush past her. The large snake was being blown backwards. She heard him crash in all sorts of directions, his body winding around in an attempt to stop himself from moving. "This bastard is able to create tornados in a small space," she yelled above the turmoil.

"Tell me something that's not obvious," Sasuke said reaching down at the same time he was lifting his leg. He felt along his leg for Izumi's wrist. Latching his free hand around her, he grunted pulling her up towards him. She was trying her best to latch onto his clothes. "Don't grab there," he said afraid the wind would rip his clothes off along with Izumi's weight.

Izumi swung her arm managing to hook onto his neck. "This is ridiculous," she said annoyed with now they were swinging and hanging in the air. She could only hope Suiren was able to disable the wind currents coming at them.

Sasuke lowered his head saying into her ear, "What's wrong? You don't like being this close to me anymore?" He could sense her face flushing of embarrassment. The wind died. Sasuke winked his eye letting go of the grass cutter sword. He heard Izumi yelp as they fell back down to the earth. Sasuke put one foot out to stabilize himself as he kept her from crashing down. He let go of his wife, darting forward at a high speed. He shot several kunai into the darkness ahead of him.

Taraeru was busy fending off the black snake in the darkness before he realized he was being attacked by Sasuke. The kunai hit his arm. Taraeru brought his weapon up to block the snake's mouth from biting his head off with one arm. "Oh, no, you don't!" He dug his heels into the ground, pushing his body upwards. His body began to charge. "Moronic beast, I'm still a lightening user," he yelled as he electrocuted Suiren. The snake's head went back, mouth open, as it swayed before falling. He turned his attention to the man that was coming up on him. Taraeru took the kunai out of his arm with forceful pull. He twirled it in his fingers. "That was a little sneaky," he said as he met the kunai of the other man.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes pushing his own force against Taraeru. "It's funny to think you're alone," he said as a warning. Izumi popped up beside Taraeru. His wife swung her leg out making contact with Taraeru's abdomen. He heard the breath go out of the man right before he slammed against the wall.

Izumi moved her arms, water droplets forming out of the ground. They came together connecting into a puddle she could use. The moment Taraeru breathed, she sent water at him in the form of a fist. The long arm shot out, pelting him straight in the nose. Izumi wasn't satisfied until she heard the large crack. The man's body fell forward. "That's for Suiren," she said.

Izumi turned around jogging to her snake. She knelt checking on the reptile as it lay on the ground, its tongue out. She moved her fingers down the neck of the snake until she found the vein she was searching for. "She's alright, but unconscious. Damn him," Izumi said annoyed.

Sasuke kept his eyes straight ahead, his mind focused on the vibrations coming from deep within the tunnel. "Izumi, can you fetch my sword," he asked. He had to draw her attention back to the problem up ahead.

Izumi shot the water arm out into a thin stretch. It began to move around in a curve searching the roof of the tunnel for grass cutter sword. Soon she heard the water slap the hilt of the sword. Izumi clenched her hand into a fist. She yanked her arm back, the grass cutter sword coming loose. With another whip of her hand, Izumi let go of the sword.

Sasuke heard it dig into the dirt in front of his feet. He bent down plucking it from the ground. "You know, you could have taken my foot off." He heard her smirk. Yeah, that's why I married you. "Make sure Manda is alright," he said in an authoritive manner. Sasuke ran forward into the darkness.

Izumi stood up slowly. She put her hand on her hip, her body half twisting to walk away from Suiren. "Mama will be right back, Suiren. Don't try to move," she said in case the snake was able to hear her. If Manda was injured, she wasn't going to be able to attend to him. The fact Saori was alone in the tunnel fighting a valuable adversary was enough to cause alarm to her husband.

(Scene Change)

Saori Nara brought the worm puppet up to its full height. Kegasu was punching the mouth of the worm in a direct blow. She gritted her teeth, the force of his steel punches creating cracks on the wood. If I don't stop him, he'll break the worm's mouth before I can attack him. An idea hit her. Raising the worm even more, its head hit the roof of the tunnel. She showered Kegasu with a dirt bath. Now that I've got him distracted… Saori formed hand seals. She had a hidden talent only a select few knew about.

Her pride in becoming a Puppet Master shadowed her true ability. Saori started to laugh lowly. They were in complete darkness. This meant she had the upper hand, unknowing to Kegasu. The shadows branched out in all directions from the worm. "Your ass is grass," she gloated.

Kegasu shot forward with his fist in a swing. "This'll teach you to boast," he yelled at the girl, his fist hitting the worm straight on. It cracked in all directions, his fist going straight into the hollow body. Yanking his hand back, he ran upwards in Saori's direction.

Saori felt his movement throughout the shock of his body coming into contact with the worm puppet. The shadows latched onto him in seconds. "If I were you, I wouldn't have showed my position," she warned. Saori stood up, causing Kegasu to stand with his arms out as if he were fixing to do jumping jacks.

Kegasu wasn't able to control his own body. "What is going on," he shouted gruffly. He tried tugging in all directions, but he was being controlled. "What kind of witchery is this?!"

"Ah, it's my family's special jutsu," Saori said. "You see, puppet training is only my hobby. It's not part of my real talent." She moved her hands upwards to her own throat. Saori began to tighten her grip. She heard the man gasp for air. "Who are you working for," she demanded. "Your colleagues hurt my boyfriend!"

Kegasu tried to laugh despite his own hands strangling him. "Like I'd tell a Konoha brat," he said with a gasp of air. "You're not going to get anything out of me."

"No, but how about me," Sasuke said landing on the worm puppet his grass cutter going straight for the man's throat. "Lets see how far that jutsu of yours goes," he warned. With a flick of his wrist he was already putting the sharp edge of the blade against the man's hand. He pressed hard. It tinged.

"You won't be able to defeat me that easily," Kegasu said flexing his throat. His fingers clenched but it wasn't enough to kill him. "Some piece of work you are," he said ignoring Sasuke who kept pressing the grass cutter sword against his body. "I don't bleed on contact for anyone!" He stared straight at Saori. Kegasu directed his chakra downward while he stood on top of the worm puppet. Just because his body couldn't move, didn't mean he couldn't harness his chakra elsewhere. The puppet's body began to crack.

Saori watched as Kegasu's body fell through the top of the worm puppet. She swore loudly, her anger apparent. Sasuke was already jumping through the hole, his grass cutter sword behind him. "Sensei!" She ran forward, loosing concentration of the shadow jutsu. It was already dark in the tunnel. Seeing was a factor when going against your opponent. She, too, went inside the worm puppet. Her feet hit the bottom. Saori Nara held her breath, ears listening.

Being in total darkness with Sasuke and Kegasu made her feel uneasy. The only one on her team who could decipher where a target was without looking was Daiya. Daiya was able to use his chakra and Kekkeigenkai to pinpoint people's energy levels. Man, I'd give anything to be able to do that right now. Her heart was racing out of her chest. Keep calm, Saori. Sensei is in here somewhere.

Saori began to move her feet cautiously, feeling the wooden puppet's body with her hands, crouching low. She knew better than to stand fully upright in this sort of situation. Her head turned, ears continuing to listen. She wondered if the two of them were feeling each other out, or trying to locate the other's position.

Sasuke knew his Sharingan was of no use in this kind of situation. He narrowed his eyes. Kegasu was not a fool. He knew the man was probably waiting for them to make a noise. He sheathed the grass cutter sword. Well, might as well give him what he wants. Sasuke formed hand seals. He created three dopplegangers of himself. The three copies of himself shot off in different directions.

Sasuke himself activated the cursed seal on his shoulder. His body shifted to that of a sinister form with flesh like wings on his back, long hair spiked out everywhere. His dark eyes waited patiently for the man to strike.

Kegasu raised his hands over his head coming down upon the bottom portion of the wooden puppet. The puppet cracked under the pressure. Splinters of wood shot up and away from his position. He darted to another area where the puppet was still secure. They were coming for him.

One of the clones was hit by the wooden shrapnel, its body flinging backwards. Saori ran forward sensing something coming at her. She ducked to hear a loud pop. Her hands went over her head. Was that a copy? Again she heard Kegasu start to break apart her puppet. "I worked so hard on it!" Saori was caught by the arm by someone's hand. She became wrapped up with a person who shielded her from another assault of the wooden shrapnel.

Sasuke raised his head, one of his wings catching the attack. He flexed the wings, the wooden pieces dislodging. "Be careful," he said releasing his student. "He's fighting like a trapped rat."

"Sasuke sensei," Saori said bewildered.

Sasuke looked down at the girl trying to see her face in the darkness. He moved his hand up flicking the top of her forehead. "Get moving," he said pushing her away. Another assault attack was coming. His keen ears could hear the wood soaring through the air.

Saori darted away from the location. That idiot is trying to get us from all angles. He really is fighting like a rat. Saori formed hand seals running up the side of the puppet in an arch. He's a dimwitted fool. He seems to have forgotten I can control the shadows! Saori crouched .

Kegasu threw what he determined to be Sasuke away from his body, his heavy, strong arm punching man hard in the chest. "I'll break every bone in your body!" Sasuke popped taking the hit. "A clone?!" Suddenly another being was coming at him, he whirled around kneeing the form with all of his strength as his fingers clutched the grass cutter sword. "I'm not falling for that!"

"Or are you," Sasuke said from his real position. The clone popped as soon as it was attacked. Right as he felt Kegasu's eyes on him, Saori had him. The movements of the metal man slowed down. "Good girl," he said in his monotone voice. "I'll take it from here."

Sasuke approached the man with a slow gait, his ears and eyes watching and waiting. "Not so tough when your strength can't back up your mouth," he said. He unsheathed the grass cutter sword aiming it at Kegasu, several feet away. "Lets try this again. Who are you working for," he asked with little patience in his voice.

Kegasu smiled his body frozen in place. "I'll die before I tell you. There's more of us than you can imagine." It was true. Gekido operated from the shadows sending out his elite ninja to finish certain jobs while leaving the others behind at the hideout.

"Wrong answer," Sasuke said. He sent his chakra out electrocuting Kegasu. The man's body fell over like a tower. "Kind of stupid coming from a man hiding behind metal. It's like he wanted to get fried." The worm puppet crumbled over head and around them. Now there was a gaping hole of a cutout in the worm's body.

Saori clenched her fists, her head lowered. "Sensei," she said angrily. It had taken her many months to create Uchi. She was not a happy girl.

Sasuke sighed, lowering his sword. He half turned to glance at Saori's darkened form. "I'll help you rebuild it." That was rather careless of me.

"You're damn right you will," Saori yelled.

Sasuke turned back to Kegasu's fallen form. The body of steel crumbled. He flinched. "Damn, he got away..."

(Scene Change)

Daiya lifted a man over his shoulder grunting. "You, too, come on," he said reaching his right hand down. The injured man shook his head. "Stubborn old man," he said latching onto the man's arm. He pulled him up lowering his spin with a tilt to lift the man onto his free shoulder. Daiya half struggled to keep his balance as he jogged down the street. People were trying their best to remain hidden. The only ones out fighting were the Shinobi, ANBU, and Jounin. Medic-nin flew over head. Daiya put his fingers to his lips, whistling as loudly as he could. They came back. "Take them," he ordered.

Another explosion went off near his location. His eyes narrowed. A metal scorpion created a hole in a wall as it busted through it. Buitai cackled as the debris fell.

Daiya went straight after him. "I'll give you something to laugh about!" He punched forward sending a lightening wave at the man and his scorpion.

Buitai was knocked off his feet, the charge throwing him through the air with sheer force. Kyu's gears froze. His tail became locked. One of his eyes blew out. Buitai dropped to a crouched position, his clothes smoking from the heat. Buitai lifted his head, eyes zeroing in on the boy. "You're a lightening user," he said with a scowl.

"Give the guy a prize," Daiya said darting left and right towards Buitai. Flipping the casing on his back open, he took out several metal rods. He threw them in various places ahead of him, the rods lodging into the buildings and ground. Daiya erupted again causing the area around him to bake like a microwave.

Buitai hadn't fully recovered from the first attack. He yelled in pain. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. Daiya watched as the man fell over, his forehead hitting the ground, hard. Kyu smoked so hard, his back side blew out. The scorpion's metal body was seethed with blackness. "Moron," Daiya said.

"And reckless," Shikamaru said out of nowhere. Gin stood next to him with a small wave. "We've been after that guy for a while. He went after Takeru and Ryu. And now Eiyu's in critical condition." He flicked his cigarette aside. "I'm tired of fighting these idiots. I need a nap."

"Take one," Daiya said reaching his open hand out. The metal rods dislodged from their holds. Lightening brought them closer to him. He put them back in the case on his back. "Venus and I can handle these idiots."

Gin trotted after Daiya. "Um, what kind of plan do you have?" She knew Daiya's gruff way of handling things always led up to a plan. He was an observer in a lot of situations. Daiya knew when to keep his mouth shut and when to act.

"We're going to trap them," he said pinching Gin's cheek. "Your specialty." He had had quite enough of the enemy destroying his home and memories. "Those bastards have no idea who trains me," he said the threat in his voice growing.

(Scene Change)

The Forest-nin saw Ryokuzu coming at them dancing with his arms out. For a moment, they were taken aback by his strange antics. The Morikage was being held in his home at the protection of the Shinobi. Ryokuzu was in a rather joyous manic mood. He danced from one foot to the other, performed a twirl, then poised with his hand out as if to lead the men in a number of ballet.

"Fine day for a feast," he exclaimed his eyes going wide with a powerful hunger lust. Ryokuzu leapt over the Kasha that came too close to the Morikage's home. "Tsk, tsk," he laughed manically. "You're not gonna stop me!"

Kinari kept his attention on Idai. Ateru had instructed him to make sure Ryokuzu caused no harm to the ninja - only kept them preoccupied. The ninja on guard were unsure how to respond. They were there to keep the Morikage safe. Too bad they were unaware the very person they were sworn to protect, wanted them all dead. That really isn't Idai.

Ryokuzu dragged two of the Kasha with him as he came closer to the guards. "Want some," he asked thrusting the carcasses at the men. The ninja immediately grabbed their weapons forcing Ryokuzu to back track.

The demon moved his head left and right to avoid the hits. He smiled the entire time they fought with him. "You don't like raw Kasha meat? It's delicious! We can always roast yours," he said laughing the entire time as the blood was smeared all over Idai's face.

Guards stationed inside the house came out to keep the Kasha away. They thought the Kasha were invading to the point of passing the men on duty outside. "What is going on with that kid," one man yelled. "We're at war and he's dancing around like a buffoon!"

"Ty him up," the other guard said as he thrust a spear into a Kasha's side. "We don't have time for this!" He kept lunging at the demons. "Why are they not fighting back? They could take us all out right now!"

"Why indeed," Kinari said. He suspected the Kasha were playing a role given to them by the Morikage. If they got killed, it was for the greater good of their body as a whole unit.

Kinari noticed something strange. Ryokuzu was playing with the two guards who were keeping him at bay. And as he was doing so, his hands were busy snatching up Kasha body parts. The demon plucked them throwing the parts off in a certain direction. Seriously, what does he know that we don't? Kinari sighed. He was going to have to go against Ateru's orders.

Kinari left his hiding spot. He took out the chrome sais he fought with twirling them around in his hands as he ran straight at Ryokuzu. The men who were fighting the demon had no idea what his real motive is, but they were being distracted from their duty of killing the Kasha. "Back off, you monster," he yelled his chrome sais coming around to strike at Idai's side, a vulnerable point where the liver was.

Ryokuzu sneered. His fingers tightened around the prong of the chrome sai, blood exiting Idai's fingers. "Now, now," he said, "You're no fun. We can't have one brash child destroying everything, now can we?" Ryokuzu moved his free hand to block Kinari's other strike with one of Idai's swords. He pushed the boy off.

Kinari sailed through the air, crashing into several Kasha. He shook his head. The power Idai had when he was overrun with Ryokuzu was like nothing he had ever witnessed before. The Kasha were on top of him snapping their jaws. Kinari growled fighting them off.

That ought to keep you busy little brat. Ryokuzu turned his hardened gaze back at the ninja who were running towards him. "False move," he said rotating the sword in his grasp. A blast of wind was sent straight at the ninja, flinging them backwards. He laughed again rather enjoying himself. "This is fun! Try it again!"

Kaiya Raikataji lowered the goggles on her hat to her eyes. She soared down the bark of the large tree with Hax, her puppet in front of her. "Alright. I can see every one of you clearly!" The heat signatures her goggles picked up told her every position of the Kasha. A few were trying to elude her or attack her from the shadows. She turned around in mid-air throwing kunai straight at them. They hissed, their bodies doubling over as they fell. Behind her, Hax was already being pulled to attack.

Kaiya used her chakra strings to open the slots on his arms and legs. Sharp blades came out turning Hax into a butchering doll of destruction. She sent him after the Kasha shredding the demons into pieces.

Meanwhile at the Morikage's building, Yanagi swung her body towards a balcony as she soared high above clutching tightly onto the legs of one of the butterfly scouts. Two men stood watch. They threw kunai at her once they noticed she was trying to get inside. Yanagi let go of the butterfly scout, spinning her body to avoid them getting a clear hit at her. A kunai managed to slice her bicep. With legs tucked in, she rolled through the air, then outstretched her legs to hit one of the guards. He was nailed in the abdomen, the wind knocking him out.

Ateru appeared over the balcony just in time to assist Yanagi with the other guard. He put his hand on the floor causing the flooring to get hot with an intense amount of heat. The flooring began to dip down, the guard's weight causing him to slip through the hole. "You alright?"

"It's not a big deal. We have more important things to take care of," she said entering the building. Yanagi felt Ateru pull her backwards. She looked up at him.

"Watch it. We're going to be fighting the Morikage. Notice how there were only two guards on the ledge? There is no one else stationed in the hall." Ateru formed a ball of magma in his hand. He blew on it to cool it quickly as he rotated it. Once it was hardened, he threw it down the hall. Panels above the flooring opened to release shuriken quick and accurate at the floor. He saw the look of disbelief on Yanagi's face. "I can create a shield to get us pass them. That's not a problem. However, we need to close those panels."

Yanagi nodded. She opened the casing on her leg. Once they were running, she'd have to strike each panel to close it. After all, they had to make sure the others on Team 11 could get inside the building without being targeted. "Ready," she said.

Ateru opened his hand heating up. The heat in front of his hand started to smoke. He formed hand seals, beginning to generate heat combined with earth. Fire and earth molded around him encasing his body. His eyes were shielded with a layer of crystallized rock to keep the heat from burning his eyes out of their sockets. Ateru's molten rock body shifted, causing the flooring to creak at the extra weight he had put on. He moved his hand pointing to Yanagi to get under him.

Yanagi had to be cautious of where she stood when near Ateru in his new form. His body was raging hot. She could feel the heat singeing her skin through the ninja vest. Ateru bent his body to an arch. Yanagi was going to have to throw the shuriken near his head and neck area. It was the only opening above her.

Ateru began to move his legs in a quickened pace. Sure enough, the panels overhead opened. The kunai rained down onto his body lodging into the molted rock. Yanagi was throwing the shuriken as accurately as she could to keep the panels closed. The faster he moved the more trouble the girl had to aim. He wasn't leaving her any openings. As they neared the end of the hall where another corridor was, panels on the sides opened. Ateru's eyes widened. He picked Yanagi up with his hot molten hand throwing the girl quickly in front of him.

Yanagi yelped as the heat from Ateru's body touched her abdomen. She rolled around on her side on the floor until her shoulder hit the wall. Yanagi panted her heart bouncing around in her chest. Ateru stepped out of the hall his body covered with kunai and shuriken. "Ateru sensei," she said as he looked at her rather oddly. Her stomach was on fire. Yanagi lifted the vest and hoodie she wore to see burn marks.

Ateru's body slowed down even more, his body starting to become stiff. The molten lava cooled creating a casket with him inside of it. The crystal over his eyes darkened. He grunted knocking with his knuckles at the material around his body. Yanagi sprang up with a kunai in her hand. She began to target certain points of his body. The cooled rock cracked in all directions. Ateru stretched, the material on his body falling off. He shook his head. "That's better."

Yanagi turned her head to see Nuguru fluttering at the end of the hall, his body turning the fluorescent blue on and off. Tachiba jumped over the side of the balcony, his eyes looking down the hall. Before Yanagi could alert himself to watch out for the panels that she wasn't able to close, Tachiba took down the hall with Nuguru zooming around. "He's showing him the path."

Tachiba lifted the Kwanda sword over his head twirling it. Kunai pinged off the weapon as he followed Nuguru's path. When it came to the end of the hall, Nuguru went around in several circles really fast. Tachiba jumped high in the air sticking the Kwanda sword into the ceiling. He slung his body forward lifting his legs high as the shuriken in the side walls shot out. Tachiba let go of the Kwanda sword landing on the other side of the corridor. He stood up. "Hey."

Tachiba turned around taking out a grappling hook from the pouch on his rear. He rotated the hook then launched it forward at his Kwanda sword. The hook caught around the staff. He pulled freeing the sword. It snaked along the floor until it was back into his hands. Tachiba lifted it placing the staff on his shoulder. "Well?"

"Right," Ateru said. "Guards up, kids." Ateru ran down the corridor with Yanagi Lee, Tachiba Uetake and his pet bunting, Nuguru. Outside, Kinari Narato was fighting the Kasha with Kaiya, the team leader of team 11. Ryokuzu swirled around with his arms out, picking the Kasha off one by one, his blissful enlightenment at the slaughter engulfing him.

(Scene Change)

Naruto Uzumaki, Hokage of Konoha, took off his hat and his robe, his anger seething. The lightening-nin that assaulted his village were not leaving. The ANBU were constantly in pursuit of the trespassers. It seemed the lightening-nin knew every which way to avoid being captured. He turned his hard gaze on the two ANBU that stood near him as guards. He had been giving orders to everyone since this all began, but now it was time for him to react. Naruto's home was crumbling under his feet. People were dying. He had hoped it wasn't going to come to this, but he had to react. Even his best friend, Sasuke Uchiha, was missing.

Naruto stared hard at the photo on his desk. It was the same photo of he, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi that he kept dear. "Aoi," he said getting the Captain of Squad C to snap to attention. He held the precious photo out to the man behind the Dragon mask. "Secure this," he said holding his hand out.

Aoi took the photo. "Sir," he asked a little confused. It was an older photo, a memory of the Hokage's. He did not understand.

"Put the photo in a lock box in case any further damage happens to the tower," he said of where he and his family lived. "That photo is a reminder of the past and what it took for me to get here." Once Aoi understood, the man secured the photo in a metal box closing it. "I'm going out there," he said zipping up the green vest. Naruto looked at his men who were a bit struck to why he would want to endanger himself. "I'm not just the Hokage. I'm one of the people in this village. I will not see people get killed trying to protect me any further."

Naruto went past Captain Aoi and Jigen. The men followed right after him. Naruto began to run down the hall as another shockwave shook the tower. The lightening-nin were throwing out all of their skills to annihilate the people in the village. Once he regained his balance, Naruto headed out with the two ANBU. "Protect yourselves," he said as a final warning. "If this is our final hour we're going to give them one hell of a last fight!"

Captain Aoi of Squad C stayed on the Hokage's left making sure no attack was coming from the side. Jigen, from Squad B was on the Hokage's right. They ran with their leader, guards up. Sure enough, Aoi felt them being targeted. He signaled Jigen to protect the Hokage at all costs.

Jigen soon saw his target. A figure appeared moving fast amongst the debris that surrounded them. The Hokage was between he and Aoi moving fast. A man with red hair in a high ponytail was targeting the Hokage with crescent shaped weapons. Jigen formed hand seals getting between the two. A black mass formed from a small nub to that of a black funnel shape. The flapping of wings and squawking surrounded them. "Raven swarm!"

The cyclone of black ravens started to disperse, their movements swiftly shifting through the air, straight at Tsuihon. He rotated the crescent weapons in his hands. Lightening began to crackle down his arms onto the metal devices he used in battle. As he sliced through the air, he flicked his wrists, lightening coming off into crescent shapes cutting through the raven shadows. He moved his arms again striking in an up motion as if he could slice down the middle of the swarm to eliminate them. But as he was doing so, the shadow birds moved in all sorts of directions to avoid him.

"Sorry, but these birds don't move as one," Jigen said bursting through a patch of clustered shadows. He swept his scythe at Tsuihon in a close range frontal attack. His weapon was stopped by the man's own weapons. He smiled under the tiger mask, his red hair bobbing as his body pressed on the staff. He could tell Tsuihon was struggling.

Tsuihon moved his leg upwards to kick Jigen back so that he could free himself. As the point of the scythe came down he flung himself backwards. His feet danced on the ground as Jigen came at him again. The ANBU wasn't leaving him any time to charge himself to strike. Jigen was trying to finish him off quickly, or disarm him. "I know what you're doing, but it won't work," he said.

"Don't assume," Jigen said. "It makes an ass out of you and me." The swarm of ravens circled around, their legs extending to reveal shadowed talons. As Jigen kept Tsuihon busy, the ravens had enough time to get closer. They dived towards them, wings folding. Their mouths opened to emit bird squawking.

Tsuihon brought up his arm to shield him as the ravens moved around him making their ear splitting cries. He couldn't see Jigen with his vision obstructed. Also, he could feel something tugging at the weapons in his hands. "Get off of me!" The birds kept flying into him causing his body to feel as if he were being punched over and over again. So this is what the whole point of this jutsu is! It's a distraction and disarm technique!

Jigen went straight after Tsuihon once he was disarmed. The swarm of shadow ravens evaporated, their job fulfilled. He took the curved end of the scythe and jutted it down. As his hands gripped the staff, he swung his body around in an upside down windmill kick. His feet made contact nailing Tsuihon straight in his tattooed face.

Tsuihon was knocked off his feet, his body hitting the ground. He looked back up to see Jigen in a crouched position air born right at him with the scythe twirling. Tsuihon's anger hit. He erupted so quickly that Jigen was hit right before he was able to slice Tsuihon's head off.

Jigen's motion was stopped, the lightening hitting him in a front assault. His body stiffened, his metal armor not letting him drop the scythe or get away. His teeth were grit, eyes protruding out of his head. The force of the lightening finally sent him backwards with sparks flying out all over his body.

Tsuihon got up breathing a bit hard, his eyes focused heavily on the ANBU he had been fighting. He walked towards him kicking away the scythe. Jigen's skin was bubbling all over from the heat caused by the electricity. "Now lets see what you look like under that mask," Tsuihon said wanting to know the man's real identity.

Boton opened her arms just as she jumped from the building overhead. Jigen was in serious trouble. The wind went out from under her arms, increasing as it spread its strong currents. "Wind strike!"

Tsuihon swore the moment he sensed her. His fingers had been just about to lift the ANBU mask off of Jigen. His head turned just as the wind pelted the area around him. Tsuihon lunged at the girl with his crescent weapons once she was close enough to him.

Boton slowed herseld down with the wind jutsu in order to stop her body from descending any faster. Concentrating hard, she was able to shift the front of her body, turning it to the side. The weapons missed her by mere inches. She formed hand seals as she spun around behind Tsuihon. His back was exposed to her. "Fire tunnel," she said as a gust of fire went out modling with the wind into a spiral of heat.

Tsuihon couldn't deflect fire with his lightening abilities. He poofed instantly to save himself from being barbequed alive. The fire hit the log as he bailed to get back to his squad.

Boton kept her defenses up. Jigen greoaned behindher. I don't sense anyone else around. The rest of the squads must be fighting them off. Her head turned. Jigen was trying to move.

Boton ran to him suddenly falling on her knees, the outside world forgotten so she could attend to him. "Jigen!" His skin was burnt, flesh bubbled on the top of his arms. He must have gotten too close to that guy. It looks like Jigen wasn't fast enough to perform his attack. Her eyes softneed.

Boton opened th epack on her rear. She took out the bandages, her hands unraveling a spool. I know I shouldn't be doing this out int he open. Boton tried to hurry. She gently started to wrap the exposed skin.

He felt someonetouching him cautiously,fingers brushing pass his armor. Jigen's eyes fluttered open searching for the culprit. At fist, he thought he was getting robbed by Tsuihon. but when eh saw the ANBU wearing the sheep mask, he eased if only for a brief moment. "Get out of here," he said. Jigen lifted his arm pointint off to the distance. "They need you."

Boton igorned him continuing to doctor his wounds. "You need me," she said rather serious not willing to abandon him. Putting the lieftover bandages back in her pack, she extended her arms. "Arlight, come n. WEeve got ot get out of here."

Jigen didn'tknow what ether to be iimpressed or concerned. Boton was normally a giggly aloof kind of girl. However, under te mask, he suspsected her to be takig her position quite professionally. "This is no time to be worrying about one person. You have to help the Hokage."

Boton ignored him lifting Jigen's body onto her back. She could feel the heat from his armor. "The Hokage wouldn't be the Hokage if he wasn't the strongest man in the village." Jigen yelled in frustrating pain. She knew he was in no position to argue with her. Boton sped off.

(Scene Change)

Aoi poofedon contact the moment the lightening waves bore down on him. They were intensly powerful enough to tear down anything in their path. Rubble rained down on him. Large boulders barely missed his head as he darted around moving his feet swiftly in a sprint. Where is he? Aoi's eyes searched behind the dragon mask he wore as Captain of Squad C.

There was no place for him to hide out here. Going higher would only give the man reason to chase him harder, and more deadlier. Lightening attacks were one of the quickest skills to be obstructive as well as precise. They could cut through almost any barrier, as well. If he tried to flee, he would be leaving his back exposed. It was best to keep his eyes on the front.

Mabuta's eyes were fixed on the ANBU. "So you're one of Konoha's top ninja," he said not really impressed. He walked forward knowing there was nothing the man could throw at him he couldn't deflect. The ANBU only watched him calculating his next plan of attack. That he was sure of. "You're cornered," he said.

"Don't be so sure of yourself," Aoi said. Only a fool shows his true position in a fight. The earth shot up in front of him blocking Mabuta's view. Aoi put a wall between him and his opponent.

Mabuta came from behind the man throwing several shuriken in an arch formation. They sunk straight into the man's legs and arms. While he was at it, he sent a lightening wave at Aoi. Mabuta wasn't entirely finished. He didn't like being made a fool of. He charged Aoi in a frontal assault, the lightening around him increasing as he got closer. He wanted to fry Aoi so badly that his body would be unrecognizeable.

Aoi's form was flung around like a rag doll as the lightening pelted him from each possible angle. Mabuta came straight at him with a left hook, his fist making contact with the mask on Aoi's face. But just as he connected, the form poofed. It was a clone. "Where are you," he yelled. Mabuta's eyes searched around for any sign of the man's whereabouts. There was no one there.

Aoi crouched high on top of the earth wall. He slowly and silently took out his tonfa. "Only an arragont fool shows his true location." Once Mabuta looked up, Aoi blew outward, the air laced with poison.

Mabuta felt his body tingling all over in a matter of seconds. Dammit! His eyes widened. Without warning or reason, hecouldn't move his arms to attack Aoi. Pain shot up from both of his arms until it crept towards his chest. He gritted his teeth. Mabuta collapsed on the ground, the pain increasing. His heart started to freeze in place.

"Not all attacks are flashy, but simple and have more meaning," Aoi said. He kepthis sword out, ears peeled to the wind, listening for any signs of Mabuta having backup. "You only have a few more seconds left of consciousness. And by the way, my name is Aoi. Pleasure," he said bowing before Mabuta blacked out.

"One down," Aoi said. He held his fingers up to his face. Smoke appeared around his form. He popped from the location.

(Scene Change)

Naruto's eyes changed to Sage Mode. He sensed a strong chakra close to his position. The ANBU had their hands full driving out the lightening-nin. Naruto bit his thumb forming hand seals. He wrote the summoning jutsu on the ground. As Gambuta appeared, the remaining rubble in his area crashed to the ground. Naruto rose into the air. "I hate cowards. You've been sending out your minions to do your dirty work while you searched the village from the shadows! Come out of there, you pathetic piece of crap!"

The rubble shifted falling away from each other as a figure rose to meet Naruto height to height. The Baku demon's lion head roared its defiance, hooves striking the ground, ready to start whatever its master commanded. General Senko held onto one of the lion's ears his eyes focused on the Hokage. "My, you are observant for such a young Hokage," he said. "I hate to cut this conversation short, but where is the girl with the phoenix contract...?"

Naruto stood his ground not feeling at all threatened by the man who had chosen to attack his village - his home. "It doesn't matter what I say. You won't believe a word coming out of my mouth. Why don't you direct your question at the one in charge of her."

Sasuke Uchiha rose showing himself as Manda lifted his large head. So this is the real General. Good job,Naruto. Sasuke reached behind his back releasing his grass cutter sword from its confinement. "No one attacks the Uchiha. You will not leave here alive."

General Senko felt his time was being wasted. "I won't repeat myself. That contract is ours by the law of the clan we operate from."

"Wrong," Sasuke said his eyes going into that wild beast mode of his as he looked at the man coldly. "It's mine. She owes me her very life. And that is mine to claim."

General Senko walked forward a bit to get a good look at the men in front of him. He pointed at Sasuke. "So I kill you and gain the contract. You are agreeing to the words that came pouring out of your cocky mouth."

"That's what you think," Shikamaru said already having lit another cigarette. He clenched it between his teeth as he stood from his standing point. "She owes me as well."

"And me," Rock Lee said of his former student who had left the Chuunin Exams a long time ago on the back of the phoenix.

"And I," Naruto said of his leader position. Without his approval, Onari wouldn't have been allowed in the village. He chose to let her be part of it, to belong somewhere. And, it was his responsibility.

"If you want the contract, you'll have to fight all of us," Neji said. "I won't have you waltzing in here expecting any of us to just hand you something you want. You're a spoiled child."

"So this is how she was able to escape the snow village," Senko said his head tilting to regard all of them. "Very well. I don't mind increasing the body count. Although, Hokage, you're running out of ninja to defend yourself." He smiled at all of them. Senko formed hand seals, the area around him becoming a lightening storm. "Besides, I'd like to hear all of you yell my name as you die!"