The river poured over the edge of the world, dripping into the darkness beneath the sky.
Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder. "That being said, I'd prefer a better place to die than this." He sprinted rapidly away from the clearing. "You guys—"
"Yep." Ino rose to her feet, running in the opposite direction.
Chōji rolled away rapidly.
Kakushiro's brow furrowed. Do they think I'm a moron? Obviously, they're trying to trap me. I'm not as stupid as Hidan, nor can I be tricked that easily. This location is probably fine, given that I arrived here before they did.
Shikamaru clapped his hands together. All right. Here goes nothing! His eyes narrowed.
The exploding tags burst into flame.
Kakushiro's eyes widened. She flew sideways through the air, exploded by the impact of the tags. "Hmph. You really thought you could damage me that way?" She glanced around, her eyes suddenly wide.
Shikamaru nodded to Ino.
Strings hung around the room, hanging tags dangling from each location.
"Blow me up? Aren't you familiar with Earth Style: Domu? It's impossible to penetrate my skin!" Kakushiro smirked. Her fingers wove together rapidly, light gathering around her fingers.
Shikamaru's hands clapped together rapidly.
The tags exploded again.
He's a one-note opponent. He's not going to be so easily coerced, I guess—but it wouldn't hurt to see what terror will befall him. I'm getting a little annoyed by this crap.
Shikamaru exhaled tightly. "He's slow," he remarked after a moment. "Two seconds slow. This really isn't a good sign." Sweat dripped down his forehead. "My luck is really, really bad right now. It's obvious after that. At this point, he should have shown up by now."
"Eh?" Kakushiro's brow furrowed.
The trees suddenly exploded. Chōji, spikes out, rolled toward Kakushiro.
Kakushiro's eyes widened. She raised a fist, her hand trembling slightly. She punched Chōji hard, forcing him a few steps up the mountain.
Chōji screamed loudly, his eyes wide with shock.
Shikamaru slashed his arm downward.
Ino nodded. Her hands clapped together. "Mind Lotus Technique!"
The pair traded places rapidly.
Ino, now inside Kakushiro's body, stated, "Give up. I'll defeat you here."
Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. She reached to one side, grasping a kunai and pressing it against her throat.
Ino's eyes widened. She gasped.
"If I slash your throat right now, you've got nowhere to go back to."
Shikamaru's brow dripped with sweat.
"The technique ends, right? Sure, Mind Lotus is more powerful than its other variants, but it has a disadvantage. Ideally you'd want someone ready to restrain its user's body."
Shikamaru glanced toward Ino. He hesitated, then stated in a reluctant tone, "Switch back. We'll figure out what to do with a plan B."
Ino nodded. She clapped her hands together rapidly, transferring once more into her body.
Shikamaru sighed heavily. "That diamond thing screwed up most of my estimates. I'm not really sure how to handle you, barring a direct attack."
Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. He's bluffing. Chances are he's already worked out two alternate methods of defeating me. She hid the bleeding on her right arm with one hand. It doesn't help that I left behind a clone, but then again, what the hell was I supposed to do? I wouldn't say there's a strong chance of my dying here, but if it's even one percent, I can't afford to take the risk.
Shikamaru sighed. "I'm not giving up here, though," he stated almost meditatively. "Let's see. You're still trapped. And evidently, you were worried about Chōji hitting you dead on. That means you have a weakness somewhere in that body of yours. Now—"
Kakushiro's hands laced together rapidly.
Shikamaru's eyes widened.
"Wind Release: Atsugai! Flame Release: Zukokku!" Kakushiro shouted.
Gouts of flames engulfed the forest, destroying portions of the canopy in the bursts of energy.
Shikamaru screamed loudly, his eyes wide.
The flames raced up around the battlefield.
Fuck! Shikamaru groaned loudly. This is totally outside my expectations. She's not supposed to have this kind of destructive power.
Even a rat, when it is cornered, can express a great deal of fury. Kakushiro smirked. And I'm far stronger than a rat, a level beyond your understanding. I'll burn you all to death. Flee me or die—to me it doesn't matter much either way. Come, then! Pursue me to your graves!
Shikamaru leapt backward, landing on the twisting branch of the tree. "Chōji!" he shouted, staring into the flames with a rushing fear.
Chōji, wreathed in flames, let out an enormous yell, charging toward Kakushiro.
Kakushiro's foot spun outward.
Chōji slammed against the trunk of a nearby tree. He groaned, his hand tightening on the bark with a loud scream.
"It's useless. You can't cut me. You can't touch me. No matter what you do, you can't touch me." Kakushiro smirked. Her arms spread wide. "No matter how you try. It's useless!"
Shikamaru gritted his teeth. Not even Chōji worked. We're seriously going to die here?! Sweat dripped down his forehead. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! He paused. No, there's still a chance. "Shadow Mimic Technique!"
Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing?"
Shikamaru exhaled. "I don't know how you do against falling off a cliff, but we're going to find out." He walked sideways.
Kakushiro followed Shikamaru sideways. Her eyes narrowed. "This is a waste of time, you know."
Shikamaru smirked. "Hey, now. You realize I can't take your word on that." Sweat dripped down his forehead. At the least, Sai should have an open path to Naruto now. I can't verify that we're going to win, but we can at least get him back to Hidden Leaf. This is basically just playing a game now—just buying time.
"It's a pity about your friend." Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. "The organization picked him up this morning."
Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock. His hand slipped slightly.
Kakushiro's hand rose.
Shikamaru exhaled. "You're bluffing."
"You're sure?" A faint, cold grin crossed Kakushiro's face.
"Fairly sure. Logically, if you were capable of doing what you just said you were, it wouldn't be necessary for you to waste your time here." Shikamaru's face grew stern.
"You are after the kid, though?"
Shikamaru cursed in his head. His face remained distant outwardly. "I don't think you're in a position to be asking questions." His hand shivered. He took another step.
"This isn't going to kill me." Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. "How many times do I have to say it? My life isn't going to be taken up by such actions personally!"
"Can you blame us for trying it?" Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder.
Ino dragged Chōji to a nearby tree. She placed her hands on his chest. Green light flowed outward rapidly.
"Hmph. Don't be so calm."
The flames rose upward, darkness swallowing up the sky.
Kakushiro tumbled over the edge of the cliff.
Shikamaru exhaled hoarsely. I can keep up the lock for another minute or so. After that I'll be out of juice. Hopefully Chōji can recuperate by then—
A burst of flames rushed up the wall.
Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock. Eh?
Black tendrils snapped up the ravine. Kakushiro forced herself upward, dark flames rushing up around her body.
Shikamaru swallowed tightly.
Kakushiro raised her arm. "You've spoken too much." She circled around so that Shikamaru's back was now to the cliff. "And now—"
A tall man approached from behind Kakushiro. The flames rushed upward behind him, casting his jaw in shades of red. Smoke rose around his body, setting a mood as he approached.
Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock.
The man caught Kakushiro's arm, his expression serious. "Kakushiro! For my friend, my well-remembered friend, and for the many sins you have committed in your life, I now sentence you to death! Prepare yourself!" His rose-red glasses glimmered in the reflecting images of the fire. Light rose off his body, a solid crimson.
Kakushiro's brow furrowed. "Who—"
"NŌTŌ!" Shikamaru shouted, his eyes wide with shock.
Ino sobbed, a faint smile of hope forming across her lips. "The heretic priest! He really came!"
Chōji's back straightened. He sat upright, his face confused.
Shikamaru's face tensed. There's a strong chance with this guy that he'll be able to overturn the strength of that guy.
"ORARARARARARARARARARA!" Nōtō's hands blurred through the air, his palms slamming into Kakushiro's back. An aura of pink light blasted upward around his body.
Kakushiro turned in a circle. Her body vibrated briefly as the impacts resonated through her body into her heart.
"Kakushiro—I have struck the most destructive of pressure points! You'll be destroyed in three seconds!" Nōtō's merciless eyes glinted behind the glasses.
Kakushiro raised an eyebrow. "So that's what the secret technique Susano'o Mikoto feels like?"
Nōtō frowned. "You are already—"
Kakushiro's foot spun in a circle.
Nōtō's eyes widened.
Kakushiro snorted. "My medical techniques are more powerful than that!"
Shikamaru exhaled. "I figured it wouldn't go that easy, but even so, having you here will make things a damn sight easier."
Nōtō lowered his hands. He nodded. "I don't intend to lose." He glanced toward Chōji. "I wasn't expecting to find you all here, but in terms of fate, I suppose it's acceptable." His glasses glinted a solid white. "Besides that, I have been looking forward to putting an end to the life of this immortal."
"Keh. I wonder if your heart would work, too." Kakushiro's eyes narrowed. Seriously, though—maybe I ought to consider praying to Jashin, the way things are going. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio, and the Heretic Priest? There aren't words for the extraordinary level of idiocy here. He doesn't even have a bounty on his head. None of them do. She closed her eyes for an instant. Yet, somehow, they've all come here to fight me to the death. It's an amazing little feature.
"Kakushiro… You've lived a long time, or are an heir to a long lineage. Either way, I'm putting an end to it here!" Nōtō exclaimed forcefully. His fists glimmered.
Shikamaru nodded. He rose to his feet. "There's something I'd like to say, as well." He exhaled. "Kakushiro. My name is Nara Shikamaru. For the sake of my mentor, I'm sending you to hell!"
Kakushiro's brow furrowed. "It's pretty annoying to hear these speeches over and over again." Her fists rose in the air. "Fine, then! I'll send you all to hell myself!" Her eyes narrowed.
This is interesting. Her pressure points didn't react properly. Backwards, maybe? No, that doesn't fit the pattern. At a guess, it's something more complex than that. Nōtō's eyes narrowed. "What have you tried so far?"
"Two explosions, Chōji from the top of the mountain, and Ino. The last two actually worked."
Ino raised her hand. "Um, Nōtō, sir? Can you let me swap out with you?"
Nōtō shook his head. "Susano'o Mikoto is a technique that takes mental as well as physical balance. If you see an opportunity during the middle of the battle, take it." He raised his fingers. He inhaled rapidly, energy flowing once more into his body. "In that case, I'll keep her busy while you attempt more methods of killing her."
"Hmph! You shouldn't reveal your plans in public so. It'll be the death of—" Kakushiro started.
Nōtō leapt forward. His feet planted in the ground. He inhaled again. "You shouldn't be so sure of yourself. Shrine Maiden Entry." His fists drove forward rapidly.
Kakushiro's eyes widened. The same thing? This is dangerous. I should incapacitate him as quickly as possible— She gasped in shock as her hands laced together. Why can't I feel my chakra? She clutched at her heart. I—am I dying? Is my technique failing?!
Nōtō's brow furrowed. She's stopped moving?
No, no. Hold on. I still have my body. The trouble—the trouble is— Kakushiro exhaled. The elemental portions of my powers are screwed up. Or maybe that one has lasted long enough, and it's automatic. Either way— She lunged forward. Her fist drove toward Nōtō's chin.
Nōtō dodged backward, his heart pounding. She's strong, after all. That Domu thing is still active. Well… He focused his attention, his feet motionless. If it comes down to that, I'm not weak in that regard either.
I'd heard about how this worked. The power of Susano'o Mikoto is the power of gravitational force. The moon, or something like it. Shikamaru shook his head. Okay, we need to figure out other things to test on her. As is, we've done no damage—
A drop of blood fell from Kakushiro's arm, beneath the fingers. She gritted her teeth.
It could be a trap, but there's a definite sign of weakness there. We might actually be able to do this. Shikamaru exhaled. Now, we need to figure out why he wasn't able to impact her with the technique. One worked just fine, the other didn't. What's different between those two? There must be a distinct separation that resulted in this outcome. What's the cause behind the effect?
Chōji cleared his throat. "There's something that's been bothering me," he said in a soft voice. "There's got to be some reason behind what I saw. It might just be weird, or it might just be some coincidence that has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual facts, but—"
A/N: For now 7:30 release time seems to work best. I'll update with changes if necessary.