The mission was a cakewalk as he had expected. Escorting merchant caravans normally was outside of a war. The Third Great Shinobi war was not something he liked to think about. So many of his friends and kinsmen died. Out of 12 of their clan to escape the destruction of the Hidden Whirlpool, only 7 were still alive. The four who had been their escorts and eventually guardians had somehow managed to survive the Second and Third shinobi world wars, but the younger generation got whittled down. Aunt Rika and Uncle Asuka were the only ones besides himself and Honoka of the kids to survive to adulthood. Neither Honoka nor him had kids yet, but at least his aunt and uncle started, though Uncle Asuka had been killed by Hidden ninja just prior to the end of the Third war, with him and aunt Rika managing to have one kid, Karin.
He looked at his younger cousin. Who was chatting with Iada about something, probably doing some taijutsu training when they get back to the village. Karin, always looking to improve herself. No wonder why she was considered the great prodigy of the clan and likely the key to their future. The clan's kekkei genkai expressed itself almost fully. Her sensory skills were better than anyone else alive in the clan. Her chakra reserves were massive and potent, with a particularly strong life force. She almost certainly had the ability to heal others by allowing them to bite her, though given her age and permanent nature of the marks, they didn't want to test it yet. The chains came with strong emotions. He and his twin were too young to really take note of it but elders said her chakra was on par with big sis Kushina's and Lady Mito's. Which meant that she would have been the perfect candidate as the host of the Kyuubi.
Which is probably why the elders insisted on betrothing her to Naruto. To ensure that the Kyuubi could be contained if the beast's chakra ever got too much for Naruto in any way. It would also ensure that their children and future descendants would be suitable to be the next host.
He chuckled at that. Naruto, the goofball that he was, didn't understand what a betrothal was and it completely flew over his head when the elders tried telling when he approached the age to start taking an interest in girls. Which instantly became the running joke within the clan. Even Karin found it hilarious.
He didn't know if they would love each other as Kushina and Lord Fourth did or Karin's own parents did, but it was good that they got along. Well as much as hot blooded Uzumakis can get along with each other. There was a reason why the neighborhood around the Uzumaki compound had such cheap rent. They were a noisy and rowdy bunch in everything they did.
They made camp on the top of a small hill as night fell. The merchant's caravan did their normal procedures, circling the wagons and tying up the oxen. His team set up a small fire and boiled the water for their food.
As the merchant caravan prepared for bed, Hayate said, "Alright, you guys get some rest. I'll take the first watch".
As expected, there was nothing going on except for the sound of crickets chirping and the occasional hoot from an owl. He took a sip of tea, wondering if Naruto passed his graduation exam. He hoped that Naruto passed. Naruto suffered enough. He should have some good in his life beyond the small circle of people who cared about.
As he wondered about his goofball of a cousin, the night soon became eerily quiet. Hayate sensed the sudden silence, followed by a sense of impending evil.
He sensed something coming at him, coming fast. He hit the deck, barely avoiding whatever was coming at him.
BOOM!
His ears rang like a temple bell. A sonic boom? Who the hell was attacking them?
He leapt to his feet and reached out with the mind's eye of Kagura.
He detected two signatures. Both were cold and felt disgusting, but they were strong.
He yelled out to his team, "RISE AND SHINE WE GOT INCOMING"!
His team quickly woke up and took up their positions behind him.
Hayate said, "Two hostiles incoming at 12 o'clock. Wake the merchants and protect them".
They said in unison, "Yes Sir"!
Disappearing in the blur of the body flicker.
Hayate drew his sword. A silver and black dao that was designed to be used as both a single dao and pair dual daos.
A second projectile was coming. Hayate took a deep breath and said, "Wind Style: Wind Breathing; Sixth Form: Rising Thermal".
He sliced the projectile in half, diverting it up into the air in the process. A temari? How the hell does some throw it so fast that it creates a sonic boom?
One of the evil signatures stood at the edge of the forest, laughing. A very pale young woman with short hair as black as midnight except for the orange at the ends. Wearing a black robe over her orange kimono. Eyes of a predator. Her smile filled him with a sense of uneasiness, especially as he saw her fangs.
The woman said, "I knew I sensed a pair of marechi. That red hair is just so obvious. I've gone so long without feasting on a marechi's flesh and life force".
Hayate remembered the legends of his childhood. Days long gone when the Uzumaki and Rengoku clans were second only to the Senju and Uchiha clans in employers seeking to hire them. Though often for a different reason. The days when seal masters and swordsmen wielding nichirin blades were more prized than a shinobi's pure strength or skill at infiltration. They were demons.
He sheathed his sword and formed the seal for shadow clones. A pair of shadow clones appeared.
Hayate said to the clone, "Set up a barrier around everyone and tell them that this fight is Uzumaki business".
The clones ran off with the body flicker.
He drew his blade, taking up a guard stance. Hayate said, "I've never had the pleasure of killing a demon before. This will be fun".
The creature said, "Cocky marechi aren't you? Don't know why you're so cocky. There don't seem to be that many of you left".
Hayate replied, "Not by your kinds' hand".
A pair of temari appeared in the creature's hands and she bounced them against the ground. She threw them at him.
He swung his dao in arcs to build up momentum and parried the first away and tried to dodge the second with a quick spin but it followed him. He brought his sword down on it just in time. Splicing into two, which hit him, but with nowhere near the force it would have otherwise.
The demon said, "Not bad. Now let's see if you can really play".
It disrobed the outer robe followed by the top of her kimono. From there she spouted four more arms. Each then calling forth a temari.
Hayate sensed that she had powered up. He readied himself for the next attack.
The attack came even faster than before.
Quickly, Hayate took a deep breath and said, "Wind Style: Wind Breathing; Third Form: Cyclone Dance".
Quickly separating his dao, Hayate executed the technique's rapid spins and twists. Building power and generating a powerful cyclone around him and the blades. Cutting and parrying the temari while moving too fast for them to hit him with the reduced power and speed. It took him off the hill and onto the forest floor at her level.
The demon created more temari. Throwing it at him as soon as she created them.
She said, "Demon Blood Art: TEMARI BARRAGE"!
Hayate went to a different technique, "Uzumaki Hidden Technique: Spiralling Dragons' Blade Dance"!
Like a pair of dragons, his swords moved like a raging Eastern typhoon yet was graceful as an angel. The beast's barrage was slashed again and again. Every moment he was gaining ground until he was in range. He slashed upwards, cutting off her arms before somersaulting above her. As he came behind her he twisted his body around bringing his daos back together and cut her legs off.
At the same time one of the clones had finally forced the creature out of hiding. Slamming it into the earth with his chakra chains.
The demon said as it got up, "How dare you get my clothes filthy human! You will pay for this"!
His clone tackled the demon back into the earth before saying, "Time to switch partners".
Hayate said as he leapt toward the pretentious demon, "Pretty sure being a demon makes her a zero".
His clone replied, "Jackass".
Laughing, Hayate said, "Well, you're my clone".
The pretentious one got up, as Hayate was closing in for the kill.
It yelled as it raised its hand, "STAY AWAY FROM ME, FILTH"!
The hand opened and revealed an eye with an arrow. Throwing Hayate's footwork off. It followed up with the other hand with an arrow pointing in a different direction. Which sent Hayate flying in that direction.
Hayate thought to himself as he flew, "I see now. He was the one guiding the temari and giving it its spin for added power".
As hit the ground he sensed that the clone had been defeated. The temari demon heals fast.
He ran back to the fight. Even with his other clone protecting everyone with an adamantine chain barrier, he didn't want to see if the temari demon could eventually break through the barrier.
The pretentious one's abilities are linked to the eyes in his palms and the direction of the arrows on the pupils.
Hayate said, "Not bad, monster. But it will take more than that to beat me. I am a Hahira of the Uzumaki Clan and one of the last scions of the Rengoku clan. I am your bane, demon".
The demon angry launched another attack.
Hayate thought to himself, "I'll need to redirect the force of his attacks, to move like water. Hmph. I was never really good at Water Breathing, so I'll improvise".
Hayate performed the cyclone dance again. This time rather than using the next step to alter his angle of attack, he used the energy of his opponent's attack to increase his own momentum. Spinning himself and his blades faster and faster. He sensed the feeling of fear in the demon, and the opening.
Hayate took another deep breath, and said, "Wind Style: Wing Breathing; Eleventh Form: Crosswind Slash"!
Perfectly crossing his arms and swords while maintaining their spinning arcs he executed the attack. Taking the monster's head in a vicious slash.
Even as the monster's head hit the earth, it still cursed him.
Hayate said, "Yeah yeah, take it up with the Shinigami".
Admittedly he got cocky. As the creature still could control its hands as its body burnt up. Throwing Hayate in almost every direction imaginable. Hitting trees, boulders, and finally the hard ground. He was able to blunt the damage somewhat, but he still felt a rib crack. Not debilitating by any means for an Uzumaki but something he would have preferred to have not experienced.
He ran back to fighting. As he was running back he sensed the memories of his remaining clone return to him. Shit. The temari demon broke through the barrier. He sensed Karin's chakra flare. It was like the rising sun. Then flickering like she was exhausted. The demon's energy was muted, almost too muted for him to sense.
When he arrived, he was surprised at what he saw. Karin had awakened the adamantine chakra chains. Still incomplete but, this was a very good sign. The demon looked like a dehydrated husk.
He still approached with caution and dispatched with a quick decapitating slash.
Hayate said, "Karin, I'm proud of you. You did an excellent job. Relax your muscles and your mind to recall the chain".
She did as she was told and recalled it easily. Much easier than Hayate or even his twin had when they awakened their chains. Still this was a proud moment for the clan. They would have a lot to celebrate when they get back.