Chapter 53: Massacre! At The Hideout
Jumping through the trees I stayed beside Kakashi while the others were behind us hearing Hinata ask Kiba what he was thinking about.
"I was just thinking about the last time we fought against Orochimaru's crowd, and if we'd encounter the same kind of people this time." Kiba said as Kakashi replied, "Getting nervous?"
"Just the opposite Kakashi-sensei, in addition to Shikamaru, word has it that even Naruto beat the Akatsuki, I've been training hard too and have to show the others that I won't lose either." Kiba said as Akamaru barked happily hearing Shino pipe in, "Then I'll have to demonstrate the results of my training too."
"Eh?" Kiba said looking questionably towards him while he replied calmly, "Unlike you guys, I've rarely been on a mission consistently with the same members."
Looking towards him I replied, "I know the feeling, Reno and Hayner keep going on missions, but I never seem to be paired with them, though I seem to be paired with you and Kiba the most."
"Are you still bitter that you couldn't be part of the last mission?" Kiba asked raising his eyebrow to Shino hearing him return back, "That, plus the fact that Naruto didn't even recognize his comrades face."
Trying not to laugh Kiba retorted back, "I'm not surprised, your face is practically covered completely in that get up."
Watching Shino jump towards him he raised his voice a bit saying, "That shouldn't matter among comrades."
"I'll always recognize you Shino." I said giving him a smile as he nodded backing away from Kiba who made a face at him hearing Hinata say, "Let's just do our best together."
"Is your friend always like that?" Kakashi whispered to me as I gave a big smile saying, "Always."
It was late into the night when we reached the general area of the hideout watching Shino's bugs begin their sweep. I sat on the ground besides Hinata as we waited for his bugs to return which didn't take long seeing them fly to his finger.
"They've found something." he said as we all followed behind him making it to a spot of burnt ground seeing Kakashi kneel saying, "This is where the ANBU who sent the message..."
Looking over at him I saw Kiba and Akamaru staring in a direction as I said, "Do you sense something?"
"This is more than just a scent, right Akamaru?" he said hearing the seriousness in his tone while Akamaru barked hearing Kiba say, "The smell of death, there is quite a few dead bodies up ahead."
"Which way?" Kakashi asked standing up watching Kiba take the lead saying, "This way."
Going farther into the forest we stopped again letting Shino's bugs take the lead keeping my kunai ready in case I needed to use my blood. Hearing a buzz Shino nodded towards us that it was safe but Kakashi wanted us to keep our caution up. Going into a little nook we stopped short seeing a man crying out in pain as purple marks began receding from his skin hearing him scream out for help before collapsing.
"A curse mark… this guy has Orochimaru's curse mark." Kiba said hearing the worry in his voice as we watched the marks start to disappear while Kakashi said, "No doubt about it, this is Orochimaru's hideout."
"But what happened here…" I said with a frown kneeling beside the man as Hinata said, "I sense some faint chakra… one… two.. there are so many."
Seeing her worried face as she kept her head towards the chakra Kiba stood up saying, "Let's go Kakashi-sensei."
Hearing Shino's bugs they swarmed out of his sleeve seeing them enter an opening to a mine in front of us standing while Kakashi said, "Be wary of traps all of you."
Following the bugs, we made our way through a dark corridor as I kept my eyes peeled around us seeing Hinata still had her Byakugan activated leading us to the chakra. The farther down we got from the other man the stronger the smell of blood was apparent. Seeing an opening Hinata held up a torch lighting the room noticing hundreds of dead bodies laid out on the ground with different types of injuries.
"What is this?" Kiba asked disturbed by the site as I frowned saying, "It looks like some sort of arena… they must have been made to fight to the death."
"A split in ranks maybe?" Kiba questioned seeing Kakashi walk more into the room replying, "We'd better find out from them."
Hearing Akamaru bark I looked towards him as Kiba asked him what's wrong hearing faint crumbling that started getting louder. Looking up a bunch of rocks and boulders began tumbling down into the room seeing the walls begin to crack under the pressure.
"This way, Akamaru can smell the fresh air outside." Kiba said leading us down a corridor seeing light up ahead moving far back as the hideout began to crumble and flood.
"We'd have been in big trouble if Akamaru hadn't found an escape route." Kakashi said as we watched a whirlpool appear while we stood safely on top of some high boulders.
"To think to lay such a trap in their own hideout…" I said watching it hearing Shino interject beside me, "I don't think the enemy knew that we were close, that trap was set to destroy any evidence and to destroy the hideout itself."
"But there were survivors!" Hinata said worried as I glared at the water saying, "Orochimaru is a cruel man and I expect they were all expendable to him."
After a little while longer the water disappeared completely into the hideout leaving it flooded as Kakashi looked towards us, "We've succeeded in our mission to locate Orochimaru's hideout but..."
"We can't say we succeeded because we can't return to the village without any information about Orochimaru." Shino said as I nodded saying, "He's right Kakashi-sensei."
"We can still gather information, the enemy set a time device here so there must be other people who left this site." Hinata suggested seeing Kakashi nod, "You're right, the enemy who has information is still close by."
"Well then we better start heading their way." Kiba said excited watching Shino raise his arms letting his bugs fly out saying, "Leave the enemy search to me, this is a specialty of my parasitic insects."
Watching them fly off around the area Kiba frowned, "Hey don't forget my Akamaru's sharp nose."
"Even I can look on ahead." Hinata chimed in as I sighed crossing my arms replying, "My blood isn't much use for things like this."
"It will come in handy should we need to restrain our enemy." Shino said making me smile saying, "I guess you're right."
"Oi Shino your bugs could do that too..." Kiba mumbled making me pump my fist at him saying angrily, "Let me be included!"
"Alright you guys enough let's head out." Kakashi said making me loosen up nodding as we began making our way back towards the perimeter of the hideout.
After a while I saw Shino stop moving before changing directions saying, "My insects have detected the enemy."
Making it to a clearing we all stopped as my eyes widened staring at a bunch of pink crystals in front of us, getting a closer look there were people encased in them. I could still see partials of crystals in the air, this must have been very recent to still leave remnants like this.
"A jutsu that ensnares the enemy in pink crystal?" Hinata questioned looking at it with her Byakugan as I said, "I've never seen anything like this before..."
"My insects have been destroyed in the same way." Shino said looking over watching the crystal shatter as did the ones that had people in them.
"What should we do now?" I asked looking towards Kakashi as he poked his finger letting it bleed before doing some hand signs smacking them to the ground.
In a puff of smoke Pakkun appeared looking towards me saying, "Hello mistress Yuna."
Smiling I waved as he turned to Kakashi saying, "What is it Kakashi?"
Grabbing a piece of crystal that had Shino's bug in it off the ground he held it towards Pakkun saying, "Take this to the village and have the Fifth analyze it."
"What is it?" Pakkun asked sniffing it as I replied, "It's one of Shino's insects that got trapped in this crystal jutsu."
"We believe the attack came from a follower of Orochimaru, according to the footsteps there are five or six more we must pursue." Kakashi said placing the crystal in Pakkun's wrapping, "You can count on me."
Watching him run off in the direction of the village my attention turned back to Kakashi who said, "Alright we are going to pursue the enemy, increase the range, spread out and search. Don't miss a single trace of them."
"Right." we all said jumping off to begin our search for the enemy.