Chapter 29: A Battle Of Wits
"Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like to do next."
― George R.R. Martin, A Storm of Swords
Valley of Clouds & Lightning- Sasuke
'This is going wrong.'
He knew the Eight Tails was going to be a difficult target, knew he wasn't going to go down without a fight that would potentially leave both of them bloody and bruised.
The air is charged with lightning and heat, sky blotted out with haze as B circles closer.
His strength is on another level, despite his goofy banter, it's clear his intentions are as equally deadly as his own.
He has an unorthodox fighting style that annoyingly reminds him of Naruto in a sense being unable to fully read what his next move is going to be. Sharingan is of little use with a man this unpredictable, easily dodging his bursts of flame and lightning with speed along with his own arsenal of blasts of electricity to counter his own.
Jugo lays crumpled on the ground, left arm hanging limply off his shoulder, teeth set in a grimace as he forces his body to get back up into the battle.
"Sasuke, we have to fall back; now." Suigetsu demands from the opposite end, trickle of scarlet at both his mouth and legs.
"Not yet." Sasuke mutters, funneling lightning into his sword.
He'll match him sword for sword.
B chuckles as their swords briefly clash, this kid has guts taking him on like this he'll give him that. Though he's getting in the way of his vacation time and packing up some belongings before A finds out what he's up to, returning the favor channeling lightning into his own blades.
"This fight is getting a bit stale and pale for me ya fools! I think it's time to send an end to this game!"
His swords jab into him from all sides too fast for him to block and the taste of blood instantly fills his mouth.
"Sasuke!" Suigetsu and Jugo cry out in alarm as he topples backwards.
Jugo is instantly by his side despite his own injuries, healing and pulling out the swords quickly. He doesn't have Karin's healing capabilities however, his chakra is winding down and Killer B has yet to be fully immobilized.
He balls up a fist as Killer B looks away from him towards the gray sky, bored with this fight clearly, sees him as nothing more than a nuisance.
He activates his sharingan once more as B tries to leave through the smog, smirking with he pins him in place as their eyes meet again.
'Now I can secure him.' Sasuke straightens himself to move in closer.
But his genjutsu breaks almost as soon as it was placed, coat of scarlet chakra coming over B's figure. Sasuke clicks his tongue leaping back, his tailed beast is cooperating with him, keeps him calm and in control of the situation so unlike how he's seen Naruto and other jinchuriki go berserk.
"Man, ya fools can't just let me be? Fine, time to show ya the drill and go for the kill!" B proudly exclaims, rushing forward.
"Lightning Release: Lariat!"
It happens in a second, a piercing blow to the chest that knocks him down too fast for him to avoid, crunch of bone and muscle tearing ringing in his ears.
He unleashes Amaterasu just before the blow fully jabs through him, maybe Suigetsu can cut off one of the tentacles before B escapes.
Sasuke attempts to sit up again, though his mouth is filling with the taste of blood and bile now, a haziness now clouding his vision.
Shit.
"Stay still! We need to make sure your organs stay in place!" Jugo rushes in once more to stabilize him.
Damn it, they need Karin's support and abilities.
And of course needing her would come up when she's currently locked up hundreds of miles away.
Suigetsu meanwhile puts up a shield as B fires off a tailed beast ball, rampages as black flames dance around the ends of his tentacles. It isn't enough though to fully stop him, the growing smog coats his figure as he leaps away into the rocky terrain.
"We need to retreat; now!" He snaps when he catches Sasuke's gaze knowing he may still try to go after the Eight Tails.
Sasuke blows out a crackled breath, slams a fist down to the dirt causing rock to crumple in his hands.
Jugo hauls him to his feet, pressing at his gaping wounds.
"Don't pass out just yet, not until we get back to a base and can fully assess your wounds." He orders, words blurring together in his ears.
The realization is painful, he needs their team's healer back.
Though he highly doubts Karin is going to come back to the squad after how he treated her, even an short apology may not be enough to change her mind, weighing with his next choice.
It should bother him how quickly she invades his thoughts, perfectly picturing her jade orbs and coral pink hair.
Sakura.
A better healer than even Karin in spite of not having a healing bite to replenish chakra.
But her normally casual smile will be twisted in a frown, rage darkened her features at what he's done.
At what he plans to continue to do.
He can get her to come to him though, willing or not.
He gazes down to his red thread, feels a small smirk rise up despite the danger he's still in, one thought coming to mind just as he passes out.
'This will get her attention.'
Sakura
Ink bleeds off the edge of the paper into a puddle at her feet. Her pen follows, clattering to the ground.
"...Haruno? You okay?" Dr. Nobusuke questions, glancing back to her in concern. He's heard many stories and rumors of Sakura Haruno's prowess and skill on and off the battlefield. That she is the perfect candidate to become head doctor among their board of intensive and emergency care physicians. Unlike his colleagues who hesitate or are outright cruel in refusing to give her harder cases, he believes Lady Tsunade's decision was right in bringing Sakura on board.
If only she wasn't held back by that red thread of hers...
Her teeth chatter, wrapping a hand around her stomach.
No, Dr. Nobusuke is surely going to think she might've caught something from one of their patients or worse, assume maybe that she's on her period and should be sent home early from this rotation to relax.
"I'm fine." Sakura manages out, pushes on a smile she hopes doesn't look more like a grimace.
'What in the hell did Sasuke just do?!'
It's worse than the pains she gained during the days he trained with Kakashi-sensei for the chunin exams, throbs ten times more than whatever crazed experiments Orochimaru put his body through once he defected from the village.
This is a pain that reminds her of death; a mortal wound.
Dread turns her stomach to ice.
"I-I need 5 minutes. Let me wash my face and get some water." Sakura straightens herself quickly, ignores the worried look in his hazel eyes as she rushes for the nearest bathroom.
"What is that idiot doing?!" She whisper-yells once she's sure she's alone.
There's no way Sasuke Uchiha is out in some lone field somewhere gasping his last breaths.
'This is your fault. You didn't break your red thread and now he's up to something again while you too face the side effects from it.' Sakura reprimands herself.
Her wasps flock out of her hair in concern believing her under attack, Sakura sending the Yellowjackets a tight smile.
"It's alright, I'm not injured you guys! See?" She pulls up her top, skin free of any blemishes, cuts, or bruises.
This pain isn't one they can fight anyways. A red thread bond is a force whether civilian or shinobi one just has to deal with when the other is injured physically or going through extreme emotional turmoil.
She rubs at her stomach, trying to soothe the phantom aches and pains.
'Sasuke must've taken a blow to his chest or gut straight through. Normally he would be fast enough to dodge such a thing, especially with his sharingan.' Sakura considers.
What made this time different?
Sakura studies her reflection, rage bubbling in her veins that this isn't something she can easily predict or read up on. She splashes hot water on her paling cheeks until some color thankfully starts to return to them.
Her oldest wasps gather at her navel to double check there's no wounds, Sakura patting the tips of their wings.
"Thank you. Nothing I can't handle." She promises the younger ones as well.
Still she feels her stomach churn, spitting up into the sink part of her breakfast and the coffee that was meant to get her through Dr. Mitaki's lecture for noon.
Perfect.
She studies her red thread, surprised to see it glowing brighter than normal.
Like a beacon, calling out to her.
Sakura shakes her head, splashes her face with another handful of water not caring if she's wetting her coat in the process.
Instead of comfort, alarm bells start firing off in her mind.
Sasuke needs something from her, probably expects her to seek him out, but she's far too busy here assessing that each chunin and jonin is physically and mentally fit enough to be added to the War registry.
She has no idea why or when he may come if she ignores this call.
Naruto, Hinata, & Kakashi
"Hmm, seems nobody is home." Kakashi considers.
He glances around at the surrounding deep forests and crisscross of vines behind the house. It's clear they aren't alone here as a flicker of glowing yellow eyes watches them cautiously from the darkness.
"There's only one Turtle Island though, right?" Naruto ventures to ask as he looks around.
This is where Kumogakure's Tailed Beast supposedly lives.
The waters behind them are too treacherous to go back into right now having turned a haunting greenish-blue, sea foam and waves chopping at the boat where it's docked.
It was hard enough to get here after dealing with the island's squid guardian, stormy weather turning the sky a mix of swirling grays and blacks the closer they approached. Now at least the sun has managed to peek through the clouds, yellow-white light pouring across the entryway.
Hinata activates her byakugan as noises in the forest's canopy and underbrush come further alive, strangers on their island home. Even meters away she can sense anger simmering up in these creatures, crackling lightning through her fingers in preparation. Naruto straightens in alert as well, forming the beginnings of a rasengan.
Kakashi shakes his head, ordering the pair to stand down. "We're not going to ease the relations between Konoha and Kumo by outright attacking the animals when we're the ones coming into their territory and home."
Naruto scowls, but does as he asks. "Well we can't just let ourselves get beat up or eaten y'know!"
Kakashi sighs at his remark, his patience already growing thin at the lack of any human presence around besides themselves. He doubts they'll be able to truly hide and protect Naruto and B here as most of the Shinobi Alliance want to do when Naruto has never been one to sit still.
'Well, this isn't just for his protection; he needs to master control of the Nine Tails.'
But that can't be done alone.
"Yo, what are 3 strangers doing creating danger around my house?! Ya'll better not have been snooping or planning on duping me with some trap!" B abruptly declares from behind them.
Motoi walks up beside him, sighing. "They're the guests from Konoha I told you were in transit to arrive today. Of course, you didn't catch any of that during the last meeting we had."
Naruto's brows raise at whatever B just said. 'I didn't catch any of that.'
He glances to Hinata hoping he isn't the only one perplexed, however Kakashi nods to the man in greeting.
"Ah, you must be Killer B, the Raikage's brother."
'The Raikage is related to this weirdo?!' Naruto pauses, Hinata sending him a look to not say what's running through his mind.
Right, he has to do this politely or he's going to get nowhere with his training. He steps forward giving a slight bow as well, hopes he's agreeable enough to helping him considering the circumstances they're both facing.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. Beside me is Hinata, my girlfriend and red thread. I came here to get training for better control and access to the Nine Tail's chakra." He begins.
B barely spares him a glance, looks at Hinata curiously for a minute longer before shrugging. "I don't care about your lame name or your girl with a blessed chest, I'm about to head out for a well needed vacation and to see Master Sabu to discuss my raps!"
Whatever patience Naruto had rather as well have been tossed out into the sea.
Hinata reddens while Naruto stomps forward, blocking his path.
"What?! First things first, don't look at Hinata that way, y'know!" He commands. Maybe he should've gotten his defenses down with the sexy jutsu, though telling from his crossed arms and bored demeanor, it's likely said tactic wouldn't have worked.
B waves him off. "Relax, I prefer my ladies older and bolder than your little red thread here."
Hinata clicks her tongue. "Older in like you want a 'cougar' type of woman?"
Naruto gazes back to her, grinning cheekily. "Wow, didn't expect you to ask that Hinata!"
'Ah I'm no better than Naruto being rude! I just wanted to question what he defines as older when he himself looks to be in his mid-30's!' Hinata realizes too late, Kakashi as equally surprised at her question.
B chuckles, at least not offended by her blunt question. "Yeah I guess you could say that! I don't need a red thread or to be dealing with a bonehead like you kid!"
Naruto peers back to B, forcing them back on topic.
"Anyways, second of all, why not? You know we're both being targeted by the Akatsuki; right?!"
B yawns, the news isn't really all that shocking. Though it does explain that other boy from earlier who interrupted his training in the valley, the organization must be closer than what A originally believed.
All the more reason to make his escape now!
Motoi hums his agreement with Naruto's concerns, not like B is going to listen to any of them though with his mind made up.
"Nah, I don't got time to waste when you have all that bottled up darkness inside you ya fool. Get rid of that and come up with a convincing rap and maybe then I can be of help once I come back." B decides.
Nobody bothers in trying to stop his leaving the area, heading for his house.
Naruto yells out after him, scowling at his indifference. "Wait, at least tell me how I get rid of this darkness, y'know!"
B turns to give him a final glance.
"Head to the Waterfall of Truth going north. Face all that rage you've kept in a cage no matter how upsetting it is."
Hinata
'What darkness is he referring to? The Nine Tails itself or Naruto's childhood?'
Such a cryptic message.
Nobody told them Killer B is the type to speak in riddles and raps.
She can feel Motoi's stare on her in particular as they head for the waterfall, twisting her gaze to him as Kakashi and Naruto move ahead.
"Is there something you need to tell me?" Hinata asks straight out, sure from the way his eyes bore into her pearl he knows about the Hyuga's past involving his home village.
Motoi shrugs, lips flattening. "Nothing, it's just...highly unusual for a jinchuriki to have a red thread. All the stories I heard growing up were that jinchuriki weren't allowed red threads for fear of them rampaging should they be killed or kidnapped. The closest thing red threads get if they're lucky is a connection via a family member in power to prevent them escaping their village. As well, I've never seen a pair be practically glued at the hip like this."
Hinata feels a frown arise before she can stop it. "I didn't just come here with Naruto simply because he and I are red thread matches; I came to improve on my own skills as my nature affinities are fire and lightning."
Motoi's brows raise in semi-interest then. This girl his village kidnapped so long ago, the very daughter of the man who killed some of their best shinobi has returned to train.
"What makes you think you'll find a suitable tutor or mentor?" He questions.
Hinata smiles then, cracking lightning along the tips of her fingers down into her palm the same way she saw him do briefly against the giant squid right before they had docked in.
"A lot can be learned from simply observing the work of others or reading up on it."
Motoi smiles thinly in return. "That little burst of lightning won't be enough to even take out a genin, though I won't stop you from being here as clearly B doesn't care. Good luck, I'll be back before day's end to give you all a better tour of the area."
And with that he turns to head back for Kumo's mainland, bad enough he has to deal with the headache of B leaving on top of A's sure foul mood to come when he realizes his brother has run off now of all times.
'Not the first time somebody hasn't believed in me.' Hinata notes, Kakashi placing a hand to her shoulder.
"Perhaps your teacher doesn't necessarily need to be human. While I can help you with some of the basic lightning techniques you may not know, the more advanced ones in my arsenal I don't think are suitable to your fighting style." He regards, pointing at himself and then to the curious animals still watching them from the forest's shadows.
Hinata looks out into jungle-like environment then to Naruto who eagerly waves at her goodbyes for now, peering up at him as a thought occurs.
"This...This trip isn't just about Naruto learning to control the Nine Tails; is it? We're meant to stay here until the war is over, right? Lest Naruto be captured by the Akatsuki?" She ventures to ask.
Her stomach tilts, it would explain why Father was so relatively fine with her departing the village. Especially considering how things went when he tried to keep her locked in the manor during Pain's attack...
Kakashi coughs, well it was likely Hinata would figure things out first before Naruto did on their true reasons for coming to the island.
"Don't look at it negatively. You both require protection. Naruto for being the Nine Tails jinchuriki and you being tied to him as his red thread which has been proven can affect his physical and mental state should you be harmed."
Hinata merely smiles. "Naruto isn't going to like that once he connects the dots."
Kakashi nods, already picturing the blowback and huffing he'll receive. At least Gai and Aoba should be arriving as further backup by the end of this week knowing the Akatsuki can and probably will eventually pinpoint their location.
"That's why I'm hoping you'll keep this a secret for now. I'm sure you know Naruto doesn't need this additional information weighing on his mind."
Hinata nods her understanding as she strides deeper into the forests. She's used to having Shino's insects crawl over her for protection or to memorize her scent for disguising them from an enemy shinobi they're tracking. And of course they've crossed paths during various Team 8 missions with animals that wanted them for their next meal, however none of that compares to the creatures of Island Turtle that range in size to as tiny as beetles to as large as towering oak and sycamore trees.
A tiger watches her from above, goldish-green eyes watching her carefully as she crosses over a log laden with moss.
Hinata observes it back as it leaps down just a few feet from her, circles her curiously with a tentative sniff to her hair and legs.
"I'm not here to disturb you or your home; I promise." Hinata assures the beast.
B seems friendly enough with these creatures, but she doubts that behavior will pass on to her and Naruto so easily.
It bares its fangs, Hinata taking in it's impressive set of teeth, fur a golden-orange that reminds her of the sun.
Of Naruto.
The tiger studies her for a minute longer before lumbering westward, pausing and glancing back to her once more when she stays rooted in place.
And that's enough for Hinata to realize it wants her to follow.
Elsewhere- Akatsuki
"It's a fake." Tobi grunts.
Maybe he shouldn't have had such high hopes from Sasuke.
"B" disintegrates back into a tentacle, wiggling about until Kisame stabs it still making it poof away.
"So much time wasted." Zetsu murmurs under its breath, sliding back into the darkness of the tunnels.
Kisame gazes back to Tobi, chuckling despite the tense mood in the air.
"So what now?"
Tobi waves him away. "We get the real one of course. I don't know where he's gone off to, but intercept him. He can't be too far from Kumo, though be prepared for potential back up he'll have."
Kisame nods, grin widening revealing a row of polished shark-like teeth.
He'll get there fastest via the sea, can hopefully find where they're keeping the Nine Tails hidden as well.
"Don't worry, one way or another I'll get the Eight Tails or some critical information we need on how the nations are planning to proceed." Kisame promises.
And with that, he takes his leave.
Tobi watches him go, gritting his teeth.
"Plans not going how you want to, huh Obito?" A voice purrs from the dark.
Tobi doesn't bother glancing Kabuto's way.
'Why is he showing his face now of all times?'
"That isn't my name." He hisses lowly.
Sasuke left him alive after Orochimaru's death for some reason, not bothering to go after him as he went into hiding.
And now he's returned, skin an ashen white and scaly, eyes narrowed into the yellow slits of a snake.
"Experimenting on yourself? You'll never be Orochimaru you know." Tobi sneers.
Kabuto shrugs, smirk arising to his lips.
"You're right. I never will be because I'm surpassing him now! Where Master Orochimaru failed, I have succeeded. It took months involving multiple stages of study, research, and experimenting, but I've finally achieved it." He proclaims.
His boast is enough for Tobi to gaze at him fully as Kabuto beckons him to follow him to his underground lab.
"You should be happy with this news, how much it will broaden your future goals, turn back time to put it one way." He relates.
"Meaning what?" Tobi interrupts until he sees the figure upon the table.
His chest sinks in, heart pounding loud in his ears.
'Rin?'
Though the sclerae of her eyes are dark, she still holds that same light smile and purple lines marking her cheeks. Same short auburn hair too that bobs as she takes a tentative step closer and he feels 12 years old and hopelessly in love all over again...
Kabuto smirks at his features, impeding him and Rin from getting closer. If this is his reaction just to her, who knows how the up and coming Allied forces will react to seeing more prominent dead shinobi back in the flesh.
"You like it; I can tell from your expression! It certainly tugs at your heart, doesn't it? And her along with everyone else I resurrect will tug at any shinobi's heart as well to see their loved one or fellow comrade alive again. This is what I've been working on, bringing the dead back to life."
-x-
Happy July 4th weekend to my US readers! I hope everyone is gets some R&R! I'm changing the dynamics of canon interactions at this point, especially with Sasuke & Sakura and Naruto & Hinata's training. Look forward to that!
In terms of my Pa-tre-on, I've posted my first major original work called A Curse Of Flame & Bone based off my old work Call Me Tonight and another NSFW NaruHina! I also posted some of my anime sketches/drawings there too. They aren't perfect, but according to my cousins and my brother they look good enough to make them smile so there's that lol! So far I've drawn Izuku Midoriya and Ochako Uraraka from MHA followed by Shinobu Kocho from Demon Slayer so check them out, I want to improve my drawing in addition to my writing! I go by The Lovely Midnight Writer!
Otherwise, back To Repeat and Return for July writing along with my originals. Let me know your thoughts as always!
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!
