Chapter VI - The Dance Between the Cultivated & the Stolen
Hemlock slowly unsheathed his weapon and much to her surprise, it was invisible.
'If I note the sheath he has on his hip, an invisible blade?'
"Where'd you get such a beautiful creation? Or did you pry it from your master's cold unfeeling hands?"
He shrugged, "He refused to relinquish his position and wanted the sword buried with him. So I decided to send him off the mortal coil, just without his prized blade that I make fair use of."
Naruko jumped off the roof of the slumped-over building, she nodded, "Not bad-" She then avoided multiple strikes in quick succession only to have the right sleeve of her jacket ripped off and pierced into the ground as she moved two buildings down south from his position.
She whistled as she brushed a finger against what remained of her sleeve.
"You're quite fast. I was hoping to at least cut you," He quipped, his eyes boring holes into her head
"You got my sleeve, that more than most at least. But I'll tear the damage out of your hide, this is one of my favorite coats."
She rushed forward aiming to crave a line through him only for him to block it and she noted the sound, 'Glass? A glass blade?'
Then it clicked for her, "You have the one-hundred-sided blade?"
He grinned, "Aren't you well informed? No wonder they put such a bounty on a young head such as yours." He then kicked her away as she flipped to regain her momentum before charging forward.
Hemlock smiled as he met her charge with his own, he made to behead her only to be blocked as she forced his arm back to get at his neck only for him to duck and force her back with a palm strike, she winced as he refused to let up as he made to bisect her only for her to twist out of the way.
This dance continued throughout the village, the clang of steel against steel rang out in quick succession, lines carved into the ground laced with chakra-enhanced slashes, shattered windows caused by blocks of chakra-enhanced strikes made civilians shriek and curse as they ducked for cover less they get turned into cold cuts or riddled with holes due to debris.
Shinobi and kunoichi in the area could only force civilians back or pull them out of the way as they watched the battle unfold before them, the air started to grow thick with slowly mounting killing intent and chakra output, which caused various civilians to cough, choke, and collapse on their knees or faint foaming at the mouth. The battle continued to rage on as both of their attacks started to affect the area around them.
Buildings started to crack from the output of chakra and the force of their combined strikes, the force of the two made the surplus of civilians in the area too terrified to move, Naruko could only sneer at the more work she had to go through, as she made to force him back only for him to catch her side in a way that caused blunt damage as she braced herself to lessen the impact of the blow as she smashed through the front of a random shop.
"AAAaahhh!" / "EEeekkk!" Two women shrieked as they hugged each other as they ducked underneath the counter.
Hemlock tutted as stepped inside, not even glancing at the two women who were inches away from staining the floor yellow.
Naruko snapped her neck to clear it of all the kinks as she stood up, as he watched her, "You're holding back."
"At least you're smart enough to catch on, sadly I'm on somewhat neutral territory and I made a promise to a certain someone that I don't intend on breaking unless I have to."
"It seems I need to push you to show all your tricks, I'd like to have you at your peak before I crush you and I'll make sure to add you to my prime collection right next to my master when I tear off your head."
"Don't you say the sweetest things, but since you interest me so I'll do my best to entertain you."
She then vanished from his sight and senses, much to his shock as he looked around and extended his senses only to find no trace, until she grabbed a fistful of the back of his shirt and he found himself tossed far away, through the front of the store, leaving a massive hole as he was dropped rather forcefully on the ground of an isolated area next to the slums.
Naruko yawned as Hemlock collected himself, looking around, "Where are we?"
"The edge of Konoha, next to the abandoned part of the slums," She quipped as she rolled her shoulders
'She tossed me from the area near the center of the village to the edge of it?'
He dusted himself off, "A rather interesting playground for the supposed eldest daughter of the esteemed Fourth Hokage?"
"Really? I find that it suits me more, I never liked the cunty upper crust anyway, and besides it's a rather fitting place for you."
"And why is that?"
"Because it will be a perfect resting place for someone who takes what doesn't belong to them, such as you do." She then made to attack him once more, lashing out at him as he deflected and avoided her strikes, noting that she was faster and her attacks had more weight behind them.
First, she made to behead him only for him to block then return seven strikes in quick succession only for her to block his strike aimed at the junction between her neck and shoulder only to return it with an attempt to bisect him before they stepped back as he made to attack her. She surprised him with a hard fist to his face, forcing him back, letting out a violent crack that echoed through the air.
Shiro just winced and hacked out a wad of popcorn she nearly choked on before spitting out what remained, "Fucking hell, I thought I'd never hear that sound again. Or see those out in sunlight."
Naruko had a wicked, sharp-toothed grin as she cracked her knuckles, and appreciated her hard work crafting the new weapon she was wearing on her hands.
He spat, "What the fuc-" He coughed before vomiting as he fell on his knees as he made to center himself from the nausea.
"If you're wondering, dear intruder, these are Knuckle Guard Tactical gloves, hard as diamond and hurt like an absolute bitch."
"No fucking shit," She then nailed him with another hit that he barely managed to brace himself against.
He got some distance and glared at her, "You aimed for my teeth this time, remorseless little bitch, aren't you?"
"I try."
He layered chakra into his blade, "From a single blade to knuckle gloves."
"Knuckle gloves are more personal and fun."
"Very well, then let's see you play with them," He then bit his thumb, drawing a bloody chakra-enhanced line in the air horizontally before pulling at it causing a fissure with a multitude of cracks that created an opening as a variety of playmates began to spill out and spread out, encircling them both.
She whistled, "Well, well, more people? And this is what you meant, having your own fallen enemies do your bidding?"
"Call it what you like? Let's see how you fare against them," He then jumped out of the circle to watch the scene.
Ten men of varying sizes and from multiple regions, all were semi-transparent, she noted that some of them had strange scars that glowed brightly, some scars were small being the width of a katana blade, and others stretched across an entire torso through their clothing or wrapped around their necks.
The first one was wielding his katana, with a slew of hidden weapons hidden underneath his clothes, he stood in his mid-fifties awaiting any order to attack and she noted the tattoo of a pair of black and gold koi fish on his left bare bicep as his eyes bored into her, she noted the deep line carved into his neck glowed. She could note his long hair pulled into a high ponytail as he wore a dark brown yukata with gold trimming with a pair of off-white pants and sandals. He was an older man with metallic gray eyes and she could see in his eyes, along with the rest of them that scraps of humanity still remained. The desire for true death and to be with their loved ones.
The second one looked to be in his mid-twenties, he was covered in old scars but the one that glowed was the largest scar that started from the right shoulder and stopped at his left hip. She could see his dark tribal tattoos on his right hip where the rest were hidden by his pants that were held up by a red obi with three gems on each string. He was barefoot with bandages wrapped from knuckle to elbow. His fists were clenched as he gritted his teeth to stop bouncing on the balls of his feet from a near-lifelong habit.
The third one was one of the taller members of the ten, his body was bulky, as he wore a tattered version of the Monk's uniform of his Temple, she didn't recognize it, but its color was a golden tan with various markings and wore a beaded necklace. His head was shaven and he had a pair of cold, defeated dark eyes as if he was seeing the beginning of a horrible show about the playout for the hundredth time. Heaved over his shoulder was a large battle ax in the grip of his right hand. On his feet, he wore a pair of geta sandals as he just stared ahead, waiting until this miserable sordid affair was over.
The fourth one was one in his forties, a bit rugged and broad-shouldered, his hair was dark chocolate brown and spiky as he wore a red headband with pink accents on his forehead, and his arms from his forearms to his knuckles were bandaged along with his feet. His eyes were a dull navy and he had a 5 o'clock shadow and wore a dark karate gi, he stood with a solemn stance with his arms crossed over his chest. She couldn't see any glowing wounds, so she noted they must be on his back.
The fifth one was one that looked to be in his fifties, he was armor over his chest and rather bulky with sun-tanned skin with his hair pulled into a tight braid to keep it out of the way. His eyes were dark and rather unfocused as if he was under the influence of liquor, she saw bright lines across the insides of both of his arms and his rather portly stomach, signaling that he was killed sometime after being bisected and rendered to a less hostile state and he was barefoot with pierced ears.
The sixth one was rather young looked to be in his late teens with a darker skin tone, slate gray eyes, and a massive glowing scar on the top of his forehead most of which was hidden by his blond bangs, he was yawning, he was shirtless and wearing blue-striped pajama bottoms with combat boots. In the middle of his forehead was a glowing wound the width of his one-hundred blade.
The seventh one was wearing simple street clothes you'd wear on a lazy day out on a vacation, the way he stood just screamed shinobi, but he was slouched, leaning more on one side in an unconscious effort to protect an injured side, he was fair skinned with black eyes and black hair shaved in an undercut. Another thing to note was his wrists, there was the glowing mark again.
The eighth one was in an off-white standard Chinese-style top with matching hakama pants with sandals, his head was shoved and his eyes were a dull hazel that had lost the luster of life from them, he was fair-skinned and in his right hand held a katana. His glowing wound was on his back from his right hip to his left shoulder with a stab wound in the center of his heart.
The ninth one was wearing a pair of dark pants with a matching shirt underneath a blue kimono jacket that was tied together at the waist with a collection of belts with a pair of boots. His hair was honey brown and long, being pulled into a high ponytail with dark brown eyes and lightly tanned skin. His katana was in both of his hands as he had his left foot pointing forward while his right was slightly behind him pointed perpendicularly away from him.
Finally, the tenth one was wearing a navy-blue Chinese-style martial artist uniform with a pair of daggers in his hands as he twirled them around between his fingers. His skin tone was fair-toned with baby blue eyes with strawberry blond hair that was pulled back and tired in a loose braid. On his neck was the beginning of the glowing wound that must have torn through the center of his throat before ending at his collarbone.
After taking in her fill on the group of ten, she turned to Hemlock, "It seems you're not as badass as I thought, your bounty must be high due to how much of an absolute scumbag you are. What's wrong, can't you fight your targets on even ground, you pussy?"
He spat out a glob of blood at her mocking tone, "Think what you want little girl. Soon you'll be just like them, nothing more than a mere puppet to unleash on my next target."
She snorted back, "I think have the perfect punishment in mind for you, I'll make sure you spend the rest of your miserable days amongst the sands of time."
"Hmph, I'd like to see you try. Kill her, now."
The ten charged forward only for her to escape their well-rounded pincer attack to corner her as she flashed out of their circle, she noted that they were like puppets, but that some had more soul than others that just allowed their bodies to be used.
'Maybe some are more recent than others. No matter, they'll die all the same.'
"Hmph. I have no time for mind-controlled puppets."
She snapped her fingers before summoning three shadow clones and said, "You want to have puppets fight? Fine. Let's see if they're actually worth something if they can defeat the shadow of the actual thing."
He was a bit stunned, "I haven't seen someone respond to them in that way before."
"I ain't most people and if you want to be lazy like a certain arrogant shithead I, unfortunately, know, I get to be lazy too. At least you don't read fucking 3rd-rate porn from a 4th-rate fuckwit."
He huffed as he sat cross-legged and watched the scene along with Naruko as she floated above the battlefield, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, as it was Naruko's three shadow clones vs. 10 of Hemlock's captured puppets.
[Battle Music: NOTORIOUS - NEONI]
NSC#1 yawned as she stripped herself of both her jacket and dark protective shirt, leaving her only in her bandages and fishnet shirt where she stretched her back before pulling out a bottle, twirling it in her hand.
It was a compound medicine that was perfected under the tutelage of Lady Debauchery, it caused the body to secrete a large amount of body fluid that mimicked the medicine's properties, or in this case, its poisonous properties without damaging the user due to poison tolerance from frequent digestion of similar poisons. The body fluid that is secreted has the strength to rip a grown man to pieces.
"What an interesting trio before me," She commented, her eyes boring into the three before her.
The 4th puppet tried to aim a right punch at her head, if it was anyone else and it connected it would have caved in their face at the worst or given them a heavy concussion at best, it didn't help that his knuckles despite being wrapped looked to be calloused over from decades of constant training and fighting, but alas it didn't work out that way.
NSC#1 caught the punch which caused an indention in the ground from the force of the punch, "I guess you aren't big on introductions, huh?"
He made to attack, attempting to injure her with a hard side kick to the stomach and remove her grip on his hand as her grip only grew tighter, he started out with a low sweeping kick to sweep her off her feet to get her at a disadvantage but she avoided it as lifted her body to avoid it and strike out with her own kick that missed his face.
The fourth continued to strike out with his legs, aiming at any area he could strike only for them to be blocked or avoided, until she released her grip on his hand and forced him back near where he first stood with a kick to his chin, causing him to land on his back near #10 and #6 where both of them were still observing the scene.
A growl escaped from #4 before he looked down at his hand and was shocked to find it disfigured, all of the metacarpal bones were crushed causing his palm to be one-half of its usual width with the phalanges sticking out in a variety of different painful angles.
She sadly smiled, "This is why I'm not a fan of puppets of your type, you have no concept of pain. You'll just continue to dance pitifully until I snap every single one of your limbs."
NSC#1 shook her head as she made to swallow the contents of the bottle still in hand before she crushed it to dust, a sigh escaped her once she finished, "A martial artist, a street brawler, and karate practitioner. This will be very amusing."
The fluids then started to flow out from her body, creating a slick shine over her skin as fluid created strings that had the consistency of mucus while its' length stopped at her elbows.
She slowly made her way toward them as the three before she stretched out her right hand and curled a finger towards them, "Come forward. Let me send you off this mortal coil for good."
The sixth met her challenge with a spin-kick aimed at her head, but she ducked under it only to return it with her own he avoided the strike, but the body fluid struck his nose, ripping it completely off his face, if he was alive, he would have squealed like a pig, but all this puppet did was clutch the bleeding hole in the center of his face.
The tenth and fourth jumped into the fray, attacking in a series of punches and kicks that were met with punches that ate away at the skin, mere grazes from strikes sliced flesh like that of a hot knife through butter, grabs to misdirect strikes melted cloth and flesh alike, leaving only red flesh exposed.
The sixth joined into the madness only to meet with a wind-enhanced kick that ripped through his lower torso that caused his intestines to fall before him, filling the air with a foul stretch compounded with now spilled intestines rotting from being in contact with her poison concoction.
By the time, NSC#1 stepped back, her three opponents looked more like newly turned zombies without the hunger for flesh. She decided to end it quickly as the three continued to fight against their will, but it was more sad than challenging, she jumped up into the air and spread fluid-like whips surrounding them, they couldn't get out as the only amount of space they had was where they stood.
NSC#1 gathered the fluid bindings and pulled at them, forcing the three puppets together, her body fluid bindings eating through what remained of their clothes and flesh, as the air now had the sound of sizzling flesh as they couldn't struggle in their sticky prison.
"Enjoy the Embrace of the Black Viper," She whispered, they couldn't even scream as she bound their necks with her liquid binds and they quickly ate through their voice boxes. When they couldn't support their weight on their destroyed legs they collapsed which allowed NSC#1 to tear through them with a twirl that ripped them to nothing more than meaty decayed chunks.
She grinned as she forced the fluids off her body with a mere pulse of chakra and dropped it on the chunks that looked like they were pitifully trying to reform themselves as she clicked her tongue and set them a light, turning them to ashes before she grinned at the original who thought, 'One group down, two more to go.'
Then she dispelled.
[Battle Music: DISEASE - HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD]
NSC#2 cracked her neck from the left to the right and rolled her shoulders before she slowly put on her Knuckle Guard Tactical gloves on her hands, clenching and flexing her fingers, "What a haul, a swordsman, a bare-knuckle boxer and a drunk-style practitioner. Let's see who should I pick off first?"
The second charged at her and NSC#2 met his charge with her own as they struck out with their fists, which led to a flurry of punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. The crack of hardened knuckles against protective knuckle gloves would make a civilian wince and flee the area. Hardened and calloused knuckles that struck skin created lacerations with quickly forming bruises, knees were either blocked or met with a combo of jabs and air-piercing strikes that would tear a hole through a human skull.
NSC#2 simply went through the motions before she had the chance to deliver a hellish palm strike to the center of his torso which forced him back as the second's sternum shattered to the likeness of broken china which made him instinctively curl in on himself to where NSC#2 soon delivered a hook from hell that wrenched off the second's head off their neck, sending it ten feet away from their body.
A sigh escaped her, "Not bad. Could be better."
She then avoided the overhead strike from the ninth who tried vertically bisect her only to be stopped with two fingers, "Wonderful technique, but no prize, good sir."
NSC#2 then forced him away from her circle with a spin kick to the gut that sent him flying as she used a body flicker to get away from the fifth's attempt at a drunken fireball that exploded when it reached a certain distance. The flames weren't the usual red and orange flames, they were more fluid and sluggish with a blue-white tint to it and it quickly blackened whatever it touched as if it were corroding it.
She viewed the drunken fireball explosion with a low whistle, "Damn, so you're not the average drunken brawler."
He responded with a barrage of drunken flames that painted the field white, only for NSC#2 to gather a collection of chakra that formed a very familiar spiral chakra orb before she reversed the collecting process which turned the signature blue glow of chakra of the Rasengan as black as night.
She stretched out her hand with one finger pointed to the center of the flames with a black orb floating mere centimeters away from the tip of her finger and she said, "Yang Release: Black hole."
All the flames were sucked in and once the flames vanished for a bare amount of three seconds she commented, "Release," spewing the concentrated flames that were twice as hot over all three opponents before she snapped her fingers which made them vanish, leaving three of them burnt as charcoal.
She landed on the blackened ground and stretched out her back, "Let's wrap this shit up, shall we?"
The three made to strike her down, but she forced them back once again and she flipped through three-half handsigns and unlocked the natural limiter of her strength, sending it to 100% to where she stomped, causing a massive fissure in the ground as she quickly weaved through seals in the air composed of yang half of chakra before impressing it on her skin that quickly caused the ground to crumble as her body was now surrounded with yang chakra.
She stared at her opponents before she vanished and made to attack as the ninth met her charge in a series of slashes NSC#2 snapped his blade into pieces that rotted away before she made to cave in his face only to switch with the second who took Belch from Hell that ripped through the air and ground, that smashed what poor remains of the second into the base of the Hokage monument. Considering the corrosive effects that massive belch had on the surrounding area, if it was anyone else they would feel safe to assume that the second has now left the playing field. However, NSC#2 learned from the mistakes of history, always make sure any opponent you face is dead.
That belch caused all the birds to immediately flee the vicinity and gave at least one poor bastard who was nearby hearing loss.
NSC#2 blew out a low whistle, "Damn, what a burp and it sent them all the way over there. But I can't let you do that again."
She then pierced through his skull before ripping her arm down, as she ripped him to pieces, then she went after bare knuckles and crushed his head, with the help of the corruption text now turned his head width to the size of a pitiful bologna sandwich on white bread that was now rotting at an accelerated rate.
There was now no one standing before her, leaving nothing but an empty battlefield marred by techniques.
The second was trying to reform through the eyes of a nearby bird and she ordered it to destroy the struggling remains of the second.
Once all the pieces ceased their struggle, she dispelled.
[Battle Music: I'M NOT A VAMPIRE - FALLING IN REVERSE]
NSC#3 stared at the four before her, 'A swordsman, a Muay Thai practitioner, a Battle monk, and finally a samurai. So the seventh and third are the most troublesome of the group. I'll make sure to crush them first.'
They all stared at her before the third made to strike her with his battle ax which she avoided, but the ax quickly changed directions and aimed to bury itself in her head, she once again avoided it and she kicked it away, sending it into the dirt.
Then the seventh made to cave in her skull with a flying axe kick, but NSC#3 made to go on the defensive as from the failed axe kick, he turned to force her back in a series of feints that were followed up with knee strikes, toe kicks, and punches that were meant to keep her preoccupied.
However, NSC#3 escaped the twin slash from the first and eighth attempts to cleave through her from behind her, but she made them pay as she quickly flipped through handsigns and said, "Yin style: Black coffin jutsu."
A massive black box materialized and managed to entrap the first, seventh, and eighth figures within itself and she snapped her fingers, which caused countless black spears to pierce the black box in various directions until it dissolved, leaving the three a complete mess of shredded parts unable to move before she quipped, "Fire Style: Hellblaze jutsu!"
She blew out a torrent of purple and black flames that rendered the three into ashes, her flames continued to eat away at them until they disappeared and she ducked under the summoned battle ax as it settled into the third's awaiting grip.
NSC#3 turned to face him.
"Come on, you," She summoned a 1.5-meter Warhammer from the shadow underneath her and twirled the base around her hand before resting it on her shoulder, "Let's end this farce."
The third made to attack in a slew of strikes to slice her in half, but she avoided his strikes and just waited for the right moment, his battle ax was truly something if it didn't strike its intended target, it released a variety of chakra sickles cleave into her.
They were easy to shatter, but the real issue was the fact that the sickles when they struck her weapon, caused miniature fractures from within, if she wasn't careful, it would destroy her weapon, she could assume that those chakra sickles had the same effect on flesh and bone.
The ground had so many slashes within it as NSC#3 kept her distance until she put all her weight into a swing that struck his left as he was about to unleash a flurry of chakra slashes, he froze, his battle ax heaved over his head slipped from his grip and landed with a thud on the ground.
A collection of cracks started to bloom from the left side of his body as they glowed brightly before fading, his eyes regained some of their former humanity as he gave her a smile as he mouthed, "Thank you, young one."
He closed his eyes before his body shattered to pieces, leaving nothing but the scent of salt and sulfur.
NSC#3 stared at the remains for a moment before she whispered, "May you finally rest in peace."
She then dispelled herself, leaving a now silent battlefield.
[Battle Music Ends]
The real Naruko sighed from her position, catching Hemlock's attention, "All interesting people, but I'll give you a 1 out of 5 for your attempt with puppets. But it seems they are just not up to snuff. I bet they were absolute bastards when they were alive and fought under their own power, such as a shame you fucked them from behind."
Hemlock scoffed as he stood up, brushing himself off, his blade now in his grip, "Any more lewd comments to spew before I lop off your head?"
"I have several hours worth just for you, but it'd be wasted, so I'll just settle for tearing you limb from limb and shoving your powdered bones within my hourglass," she quipped as she made to stand before him.
He grimaced before he pulled his own disappearing trick and aimed the strike to pierce through her throat only for her to twist out of the way and aim a violent kick towards his mid-section, breaking two of his ribs as he smashed through a nearby rock formation.
"Guk!" He spat up a glob of blood as it trailed down the corner of his lips, his teeth were now bared, his eyes wide from pain and shock.
'How the fuck did she do that?' His gaze bore into her, 'Is this what De Vil meant by she won't go down easy?'
She cracked her knuckles, "More blitz attacks? Come on, now. I know I shouldn't expect anything honorable from someone who beheads their own master for their own greed, but I'm getting sick of looking at that mug of yours. Anything you want to show me before I pluck your bones from your flesh?"
"Only how you'll die painfully for causing me this much trouble."
He made to attack her once again but Naruko ducked and avoided his strikes, as she back-flipped out of his striking range, she let her hold on her emotional processing ability unravel a bit, allowing his frustration to buzz through her mind, it felt like she got a mouth full of pepper jelly.
'Oh, spare me of your posturing, the only one that is going to die in this battle is you and you alone.'
Naruko couldn't stop smiling with each failed attempt to hit her, Hemlock thought he was fighting a different person from before, 'She was hiding her strength?' Then it clicked for him, she was bored, that's why she started off slow and slowly gained strength throughout the fight, why she had her clones fight his puppets as she stared at them with barely any interest.
This little girl considered him nothing more than a way to kill time, it made his blood boil, and his teeth were clenched so hard they ached, 'Damn you.'
"DAMN, YOU! I AM NOT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT!" He screamed as he raised his sword to bisect her only for her to step out of the way as he continued to attack until he finally had the opportunity and paralyzed her with his innate ocular technique, Naruko found herself frozen, covered in a slew of unfamiliar orange chakra.
He grinned, his eyes glowing from the input of chakra as he made to behead her quickly, as time slowed to a crawl.
5
Naruko's eyes went wide and dilated as her eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
4
'The head of the daughter of the 4th Hokage will be mine, I'll make sure to put you to good use along with your bounty.'
3
Naruko quickly gathered her chakra to the center of her chest, saturating her muscles as she focused on the chakra keeping her pinned.
2
The sword was mere millimeters from her neck, he couldn't wait to see the splurt of blood paint the air as her head was sent flying.
1
"Die!" He shouted in near glee with a hint of madness
CRACK! / SNAP!
A scream filled the air as he jumped back, clutching his left eye as blood and ocular fluid trailed down his left cheek while his right eye was red and extremely irritated like he got the Hell's version of Pink eye. He glared at her with his right eye with all the loathing he could muster within his pain and she made to repay him for paralyzing her as she snapped the spaded tail part of her belt off and forged it into a curved blade with a zigzag design at the base as she descended upon him like a slew of hungry zombies before a pinned meal as she carved him into the likeness of a Thanksgiving turkey.
He made to defend himself but the blade Naruko wielded was as flexible as a ribbon and began to tear into him from all directions with each strike, filling her with something other than elation, she felt as if she got a good case of heartburn and jumped back as Hemlock was finally out of the range of her demented weapon to catch his breath, he collapsed to his knees as his wounds, some looked as if someone ran a jagged knife through his body while others looked as if the flesh off his shoulders, biceps, and side of his torso were scoped off his body with a hot spoon through butter.
As if the pain wasn't enough, his wounds were smoking, leeching something out of his body like that of smoke off a hot meal which made him feel weaker by the second.
"What the fuck? What the fuck did you do?" He demanded his remaining eye wild from the pain, blood loss, and drain of his chakra.
Naruko was silent for a moment as she remained focused on the feeling as she pressed a hand to her chest before she licked her lips, a unique taste had soon fallen on her tongue after the feeling that felt like heartburn receded. It was as if something unlocked within her, the unfamiliar, unique taste, the feeling of heartburn, then...
She barely squinted her eyes in elation as she felt rejuvenated with buzzing at her fingertips and toes.
'So that's what it was.'
Naruko couldn't help but chuckle, "Well, well, that's interesting. I have to thank you, Hemlock. I didn't think it was possible and yet you made it come true. Another Uzumaki ability. This is going to be absolutely delightful."
He clenched his teeth so hard he could feel his molars creaking, he recalled the warnings from his old master, that Uzumakis have an explosive potential for constant growth within the heat of battle, stretching out a battle with one of them is practical suicide.
"Dammit."
[Council room]
Both halves of Kurama were laughing their asses off from within their separate containers, they couldn't help it.
Mito grits her teeth, 'Would you shut the fuck up you damn fox!'
"Fuck you, brat. This is absolutely hilarious, your sister or should I say your absolute better has unlocked a Uzumaki ability that only four others in that damned clan of yours could handle. I can feel it even from within this damnable prison you have for a head. The distance between you and your shithead of a brother and her just got larger than ever."
She felt her blood boil over the Yin manifestation of the fox's chakra and swallowed the bitter feeling as she glared holes at Naruko smirking at Hemlock.
Memna wanted to vomit, he really did over the entire situation, the smug look of his sister that was supposed to be his lesser, she was supposed to be weaker than him, she never fought back either verbally or physically, but the moment she got her headband life turned upside down. Even the fact that Iruka stated she could have easily done away with them if she wanted.
"Has it finally sunk in, you miserable idiot? You're so pathetic it's not even laughable anymore. You're a joke that people cringe at. Your better is now leagues ahead of you and it just burns you, doesn't it? Maybe you'll get so angry you'll get a stroke and die in a pitiful way that resembles a pregnant cockroach that got stepped on. That sounds lovely."
Memna muttered, "Eat shit."
Kushina roughly tugged on his ear as a warning as he was already on thin ice and so he just kept his head down.
She turned her focus on her estranged daughter, the feeling she gave off resonated even from where she stood, it was similar to the feeling of Mito, the previous container of the fox.
'I never thought I would be able to witness the ability in this generation. Was it random? Was it a certain set of requirements that Naruko completed that allowed Naruko to unlock it? I need to go through the Uzumaki archives later.'
[Back to Naruko]
A large leer lit up her face, "I have to say this new technique is wonderful, you are practically down and out already, why don't you make it easier for yourself and let me rip off your head so I can move on with my day?"
His grimace twisted his face even further as he stood up as he removed all his restraints as poured every amount of frustration and loathing out as his chakra enveloped him, cracking the ground, "You've caused me enough trouble, I'll make sure to pull that head of yours off your neck slowly as I hear you beg for mercy."
Naruko could only laugh as she reattached her sword to her belt as it took the form of a spaded tail once more, "Get in line, mister. Do you know how many people have said those exact same lines? You fuckers need some originality."
She matched his chakra output with her own, it made the air thick, and it silenced nature as all beings stared in their direction or got some distance to get far away from the mounting threat.
Within the chakra output of the two opponents was the sound of howling and growling of two beasts staring the other down, Naruko grinning while Hemlock was scowling, the howling of the two echoed throughout the village, a variety of civilians collapsed, Anko shivered from the rooftop she was sitting on, a variety of jounin either retreated within buildings or bundled up in even larger groups to watch.
The two then flipped through multiple handsigns in quick succession, before slamming their palms on the ground creating a seal and a puff of smoke.
Hemlock brought out his army, the thousands of people he had killed with his own two hands.
However as the smoke cleared, both he and his puppets found themselves in an unfamiliar place, it was a massive oasis that swallowed the majority of the slums and turned it into an area filled with dark lush greenery, and a variety of different trees and plants filled the borders of the oasis brought into reality.
Hemlock stared at the girl before him in a bid of slowly mounting horror that pierced through his dawning madness, he tried to dispel it but it wouldn't give.
"Don't bother. This is something that can't be dispelled unless you kill me and you've already proven to be utterly inept at doing such a thing. Please, take a moment to bask in the peaceful scenery, it will be the last moment of peace you will get on this mortal coil."
Hemlock found Naruko leaning against the base of a massive tree that could have touched the heavens, it could be seen all around Konoha, and within the middle of it was a massive hourglass filled with white-silver sand. Ten minutes have already passed within the hourglass, leaving only fifty minutes left with time counting down.
"I'm so happy you brought out all of your puppets to play, as much as I'd like to spend the day fucking you over, I'm getting rather hungry so I'll devote the remaining time in this hourglass to destroying your sanity and will to live, dear Hemlock. This beautiful oasis is a form of my appreciation, please savor it until the end of time."
Twenty women came out of the shadows wearing short, but beautiful battle kimonos and sashes, with a variety of designs, some were sleeveless, while others had long ones that covered their arms, their skin was pale with black veins, and their hair was pinned up as it varied from medium to down their lower back with a section of it made in such a way to resemble horns.
Ten stood before Naruko while the remaining ten stood behind Hemlock's puppet army to prevent them from trying to escape into the slums and further into the village. They moved with an inhuman grace as they all curtsied at once.
"My Hell-blessed Oirans... Please give them a show they'll scream to the Heavens about."
Hemlock snarled, "Kill her!"
The puppets screamed and charged in mass as he aimed for her only for Naruko to snap her fingers and point, the twenty oirans attacked in a fierce screech that resembled a banshee as she watched the slaughter for a mere two seconds before she jumped into the fray, tearing into the puppets with glee.
Kicks pierced through bodies, shattered ribs and limbs alike.
Punches that wretched off jaws and heads, sending them flying.
Claws rendered through flesh and tore off limbs.
Slashes slit through throats or pierced through torsos.
Bindings ripped and twisted limbs to uselessness
Poison rendered the biggest foes incapable of moving before being ripped into pieces.
Fire jutsu filled the air with the awful stench of burnt flesh mixed with salt and sulfur.
Water jutsu pierced through puppets with no mercy or pity, creating only a miserable puddle.
Wind jutsu tore through puppets leaving no part of the body undamaged.
Earth jutsu crushed all enemies that were foolish enough to stand before it.
Her once beautiful oasis was now a mushy battlefield filled with viscera and shit, Hemlock's puppets tried to tear into her but they were stopped and killed immediately as the oasis fought with her and protected her, as flowers started to bloom where she once stood and out came a beautiful woman, unknown to the people watching, it was a younger Lady Flowers.
She was a beautiful woman in her prime, her hair was silver and long, well down to her knees before she cut it short and pinned it up in her twilight years. She wore a flowing white dress as she stared down at the battlefield with a glare, her purple eyes squinted in disdain while her mouth twisted into a scowl.
Her voice echoed throughout the oasis, it was soft and yet had a hard tone.
Hands that dared to strike against their betters will be rendered useless.
The oasis rippled as Lady Flowers snapped her fingers and a multitude of people had their hands explode, rendering them useless and they were quickly descended upon by the oirans to be ripped into.
Legs that dared to trample on sacred land in defiance will be torn asunder.
The oasis altered once again, causing certain areas within the field to dip in certain sections which created sinkholes that had a fierce whirlpool pit hidden within that ripped apart those foolish or slow enough to not get out of the way.
The whirlpool ripped legs apart or destroyed them immediately upon sinking in.
Mouths that spewed malice will be ripped from ear to ear.
The oasis had vampire vines pierce out of the ground and trees as they ripped through his puppets, Hemlock got struck in the face that tore open the left side of his mouth, furthering his madness as the pain completely unraveled his mental stability.
He stood and screamed like a madman, cleaving through, running, and jumping as focused on attacking Naruko.
Eyes that dared to glare will be popped with no remorse.
Multiple puppets had their eyes popped or ripped out of their sockets through the vampire whips or the oirans as they were quickly mowed through.
Hemlock cleaved through them as he raced towards Naruko only to be blocked by one thing or another oiran
Thirty minutes have passed / Twenty minutes remain
It was an absolute nightmare, viscera and shit mixed with the scent of perfumed flowers as Naruko lashed out brutally, rendering his thousands of puppets, down to mere two-hundred forty-five men while the rest were down for the count.
"Oh, it's an absolute pleasure when an army is whittled down to nothing, that's always great to see."
Hemlock turned absolutely feral and foaming at the mouth as he attacked, carving through both his puppets and foe to get to Naruko who raised a hand, stopping the oirans from intervening as she met his charge and attacked as she savored the battle of a man pushed well past the brink of sanity, struggling with all his might to survive and kill their opponent. Disheveled and wild in his attacks, it was fun like taunting a raging bull with a red cape.
Forty minutes have passed / Ten minutes and counting
Naruko quickly flipped through handsigns as she activated one of the lower tiers of the Lust series, as she said, "Lust Style: Rabid Bliss."
At her words, the filthy oasis quickly grew poisonous as the air grew thick with a poison of her own creation, her hell-blessed oirans turned as red as Onis, twisting and growing thicker muscle as they screamed before descending upon the poisoned collection of the remaining puppets, as their flesh melted off their bones or fell into the same state of madness as the oirans as they ripped each other apart.
The poison from the jutsu was based on Rabid Dog Saliva, an old poison that if one came into contact with that took the aggression symptom of rabies within humans and ramped it up to twenty, turning them into nothing more than feral monsters that would attack anything or anyone until their body decomposes due to the massive production of heat from the immune system or they are killed with a lethal strike to the chest or head to point of make the body unable to function.
The vampire vines slithered throughout the visera-covered field while the oirans after they tore apart the last one, watched the battle with Naruko and Hemlock with unblinking eyes before they vanished into the trees, out of sight but still there.
Then Naruko kicked Hemlock further into the field as he sliced through the vampire vines before jumping to rip through her only to be restrained by the vines.
Naruko smiled, "Too late, your hour is up," she then pointed at him before snapping her fingers, the oasis then melted into a dark gooey substance before receeding towards the Great tree as it started to whither before it took the shape of a man in a cloak with a massive scythe blade, which the figure quickly pierced through him, a sliver of his sanity peaked through that twisted his face into a variety of emotions before he painfully disintergrated, not evening being to voice his anguish before being nothing more than another gram of white-silver powder into her hourglass before the massive figure shut it and flipped it, restarting the hour.
The last thing Hemlock saw before he turned to dust was Naruko smiling and waving at him.
Naruko turned to the massive figure and bowed, "Thank you."
The figure then vanished as the oasis itself vanished, leaving nothing more than the slums and she let herself fall before landing gracefully on the ground.
She whispered, "I told you, you would be amongst the sands of time."
[Around the Village]
Naruko's old team felt the familiar burning of the tattoo that was branded on them, telling them that De Vil wanted them to return to his side.
As they made their way back, they all met up and walked as one group, they were all in a good mood.
Cat stretched out her back, "Fuck, big sis got even stronger. I nearly spat out the drink I bought when I saw that massive tree."
Croc nodded with his hands behind his head, "Right? Like holy shit, and then that massive spirit with the scythe just turned that fucker to dust, that was amazing."
Monkey just chuckled, "It seems she has grown more powerful since we've last seen each other. If I had to do it all over again, I'd gladly pick her."
Rabbit signed, "As if there would be anyone close to Naru's tier."
Dog quipped, "I bet everyone who had crossed her when they hear about this will be shitting bricks. They were all joyous and loved to poke fun at her behind her back, but they always shut up when the dear princess came into sight."
Croc said, "That's because Naruko ripped each naysayer a new hole to shit through. Even her memory still haunts plenty of them, not that I'm surprised."
Rabbit signed, "Do you think that prick will interfere?"
Monkey sighed, "To close the chapter on Naruko and us for good? Absolutely and that will be the last mistake he'll ever make."
Cat scowled at the thought of the miserable prick and his lackeys, "I bet that fucker is still aching he could never get Naruko to abandon us, he never understood how his Hound Dogs bloomed under Naruko's command and even now the majority treat her as the Head of the pack."
Rabbit signed, "If they got the chance, they'd abandoned him in a heartbeat to be under Naruko's command."
Dog nodded with a grin at the thought, "It's not really high of a bar, considering the ex-Head's main introduction into his forces was submission through rape, Naruko just shattered his teeth when he attempted to do the same to her. She just bid her time and tended to the wounded, made sure they were safe, it's no surprise they all turned on him and ate the fuck alive. He died like the bitch he thought everyone else was."
Rabbit could only silently snicker while Croc had a cold smile over that memory, they recalled that miserable prick screaming for mercy that he denied so many others only to be violently silenced.
Croc thought, 'May he rot in Hell.'
Monkey groaned with a shake of her hand, "That fucker and his damn need to tie up loose ends, you'd think in this line of business you'd know not to cross certain people."
Rabbit signed, "It doesn't help that need, got him a spot at the High Table."
"Ah, but haven't you heard?" Dog quipped
"Heard what?" Cat commented
"His position is faulty at best, now tell me, what happens if he interferes on the surface with this clusterfuck happening?"
A wicked grin fell on every face.
"I hope he dies screaming."
Monkey grinned, "You, my dear Kitty are preaching to the choir. And knowing Naru-chan, he will most definitely die screaming, him and all his associates."
They soon arrived and spread out to do their usual rounds as they collected themselves.
[With Naruko]
She rolled her shoulders and removed all the kinks in her spine as she was drenched in sweat from the battle.
'That was fun.'
She yawned as she walked out of the slums, the people that lived in the area quickly hid themselves among the ruins, shivering in silence as Naruko passed their hiding places.
'Maybe now you fucks will leave me alone.'
As she walked the junction that connected the slums to the rest of the village, she stopped and sighed, "He's gotten even stupider if he thinks he can off me with mere grunts, how pathetic."
She looked up at the sky with a bored expression and clicked her tongue, which dispelled their invisibility jutsu.
"How sad, you all should have run when you had the chance."
Twenty figures dressed in black battle gear encircled her with a simple tanto blade in their dominant hand as they got into their stance, but Naruko simply smiled at them before snapping her fingers, causing them to explode.
Bloody chunks, torn cloth, and leather filled the pathway.
"You just got to love fine-tuning, it's such a bitch to learn but when you get it right, it is so efficient. Now, then, what's with this familiar rancid smell?"
A young man immediately took off, forgoing the invisibility and sound-damping jutsu for pure speed.
Naruko simply chuckled, "It's always a pleasure when they run."
She quickly followed the trail and was on top of him, she just waited until he was so close to the gate that led to outside the village before she kicked him in the chest, breaking his ribs and sternum, sending him into a building.
Naruko could only snicker at the pathetic state of the piece of shit before her, "Hello Byron, the little arrogant bitch of Akra Nishay, the incompetent little brother of the late Minka Nishay, I can feel her weeping in Hell from here."
Byron coughed and hacked, spitting out a mixture of blood and saliva as he clutched at his chest, every breath was pure agony.
He could barely croak out, "Naruko."
"The one and only, it seems you've grown since we last met, especially since I gave you a warning of what would happen if I saw you again."
"We're on the surface, you can't without interfering with the deal that was made."
"Stupid, stupid boy. That deal died when you stepped in and had twenty grunts try to kill me. I knew his habit of tying up loose ends would bite him and it just did. And considering his wretched personality, his position is basically on a two-legged stool. I swear, I feel nothing but pity for the Nishays, they had a top contender that was killed over an incompetent fool whose only use was to produce sperm and had all the resources to sit down, shut it, and enjoy luxury the majority of world can't even imagine but he can't even do that."
"Do you think- *cough!* you can shit talk him like that with no consequences?"
"I think he'll have bigger things to worry about."
"What are you-" Then a massive harpy eagle screeched as it passed by them overhead.
"Well, well, would you look at that."
Byron turned pale as a sheet, "No! It's not possible."
"The harpy eagle says otherwise. But here's something we both are wondering, what the fuck is it doing here in broad daylight?"
Then Naruko immediately caught a black leather attache case with her left hand, she noted the golden accents and Byron looked to be ten seconds away from shitting himself.
"Wow. It's really not your day, huh?" She placed her right palm in the center and received a coded message transcribed into her mind, making her grin as she opened it and found a slew of gold within it and it was 1 of 10 briefcases chockful of gold that would be in her grip if she accepted as if she wouldn't. She sealed it shut and placed it into a scroll.
"Well, what to do with you?"
"P-please, have mercy."
"Mercy, I'm not a fan of the term when it comes to rodents like you. And considering how you are, you and your little shit nuggets have been insulting my men at any and every opportunity. I can tell just by looking and it pisses me off. I want to break your will to live."
Then he pissed himself.
She rolled her eyes at him, "How fitting. But, since I'm in such a wonderful mood, I'll let you go."
His head snapped up to meet her gaze, "Really?"
"Yes, I need one thing, I'll even make sure the bleeding is minimal. Or I can take you to a certain room and we can have a very interesting talk."
He shuddered, he knew there was no talking when it came to Naruko unless you were a civilian, a neutral, or someone she respected, he was none of those and he was far weaker than she was. Fleeing in his current state would only lead to her choosing the second automatically.
Byron took a deep breath and said, "The first option and you'll let me go."
Her grin was wide with all teeth, "Yes. I do keep my promises, now hold still."
She pulled out a long welded garden hoe and charged it with yin chakra, which made it glow with a dark light.
He froze, "What are you going to do with that?"
"I think you know exactly what I'm going to do with it, I told you what would happen if I saw you again. Did you really think I wouldn't do it in broad daylight with people watching? Who cares."
Then the sound of the hoe striking dirt and then the scream of absolute anguish rang through the village as the birds of the village left the surrounding area, Byron couldn't even clutch his crotch without wanting the chakra to affect his hands and rendering him useless.
Naruko just smiled at the miserable look of the rat squirming before her.
"Now, then, tell the arrogant fuck his days are numbered and to be on your best behavior on your way out, or you may just trip across some ROOTs and disappear."
She then vanished, leaving Byron to pick himself only after he vomited from the absolute agony as he caught his breath, he scowled, 'She's such a vindictive bitch, I need to warn him.'
He got a glass bead and smashed it, transporting him out of Konoha and hopefully, he would be able to receive some medical aid, he was unaware however that when Naruko kicked in his chest, she implanted a dermal tracker that sunk into his skin which would embed itself into his very marrow. He'll be a homing beacon for her attack, not to mention it was infectious as well, so soon she would have eyes on all of them, especially the head bitch himself.
Naruko flashed to the outskirts of the village and made to walk until she reached her destination.
[Bountiful Acres]
A hard, raspy voice rang out, "You?!"
"Hello, old bitch."
She scoffed as Naruko simply smiled as she sat on the fence near the 68-year-old woman who was chewing on a strand of wheat only to spit it out with a grimace, "Ugh, too chewy, it ain't ready yet."
She then out of habit pulled out a cigarette and put it in her mouth.
"Need a light?"
"To send me closer to death's door?"
"Eh, one for the road?"
"Fuck you, brat."
"I thank you, kindly."
The old woman snorted as Naruko took in her features, an old woman who stood at 5'9", her skin was tan and leathered from years of harvesting and tending out her farm in the sun, and her hair was wild and cropped short with a pink and orange stripped bandana to keep various strands and sweat out of her eyes as she wore a light brown cowboy hat that protected her from the sun. Her eyes were a solid gray with a pair of thin lips and a small nose.
She was wearing a light red shirt with the sleeves rolled up a pair of shorts underneath a pair of denim overalls and a pair of boots.
If you could describe the woman before her in three words, it would be a crotchety old bitch.
She didn't look at Naruko as she stared out towards her land, "I heard the absolute hell you've been causing all over the village and that trice-damned tree. You nearly made me shit myself when I saw that big ass fucker with a scythe, I bet you killed at least ten people from shock of that accursed thing. Finally living up to your reputation, are we?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "Eh, what can you do? Also, the fuckers started it first."
"As you already know that I mind you being here, but shouldn't you be stopping whatever is causing the absolute shitstorm within the village?"
"I offed most of them, it's just a handful and I'm taking a damn break. If you're wondering why the forces haven't been silenced it's because of the damned civilian council who placed a massive bounty for my head."
"Eh, the fuckers got some guts, but they're still stupid. So for how long, should I crack your head open to get my own cut?"
"As if you could, you know what to do if you want to make me pay. Are you willing to make another bet?"
She sneered, "Like hell you greedy, vindictive bitch. I'll never pull another bet with you, you're like the Anti-Tsunade with hell-blessed luck. You killed my favorite rooster, you raided my farm and you took 80% of my entire savings I have collected for the past 45 years."
She slightly bowed, "I thank you kindly and I could have easily done far worse, I left you that 20% for a reason, and that Devil rooster of yours was ten times worse than Tora could ever be. He tasted delicious with caviar by the way."
The old woman gave a harsh snort, "Fuck you, brat."
"Not on your life, old bitch."
"Besides, you still have your lovely farm and you will probably outlive everyone, you are much too vile to die easily, your hatred keeps you going. Just like Danzo."
She shook her head in disgust, "Don't you fucking compare me to that old fuck, he ain't man enough to fuck me when I was in my prime than he is now, him and his creepy-ass dolls he has for men can fuck off the Third's head."
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The pair heard the familiar sound and a tongue darted out from the distance before Naruko threw an exploding kunai at it, which wretched it back to where it came as the thuds quickly grew quieter and further away.
"What the absolute fuck?"
"Ah, apparently, someone took up that cunt's mantle of making giant toads."
"I thought I killed that bitch and slew her brood of them, they were ruining the crops around the outskirts and stealing multiple animals. Hell, some children even went missing the last time."
"It seems that someone has taken up her mantle."
"Son of a bitch! Wait, I have an offer?"
"It better be good, you know I hate snot-nosed brats like you on my property?"
"But you love watching those same snot-nosed brats suffer more?"
She couldn't deny that she looked interested, "...I'm listening."
"Use your yearly demand for a mid-C rank mission for the genin to take care of the toad harvest."
"You know damn good and well, that for brats like that it's practically an high B at least and low A at best. Also they stink to Hell and back."
"That's the point, it will be fun."
"You just want to see them miserable, don't you?"
"It will be a wonderful way to pass the time, so you in or not?
The old woman shook her head, "Why do I feel like I'm about to sign a deal with the Devil?"
"Because it gives you more fun also I'm a bit nicer than the average devil."
She gave a harsh snort in response, "A bit being the keyword here, you Uzumakis could give demons a run for their money."
"Eh, what can you do? Now, when are you going to tell me your actual name?"
"You know you can only address me at Head Bitch."
"Nah, old bitch is more fitting."
"Tch, I suppose that's the amount of respect I'll get from you, huh?"
"Pretty much, besides, if they go through that then I at least get to have fun, now I'm off to raid your farm once again," She then blinked out of sight
The old woman screamed, "Damn you, Naruko!"
She just groaned but knew she wouldn't get a response, 'That brat is a menace, fuck it I ain't willing to put myself in an even fouler mood, I'll check the damage after my nap."
As she made her way toward her farmhouse, Naruko made her way toward Butterfly Haven, it was a mini-garden filled with flowers of every type and a slew of butterflies that blossomed here, you could only enter here if you were a shinobi and one of the places that was forbidden from being altered under penalty of death. That degree was past down from the Second, the Third, and currently the Fourth.
Any attempts to alter or destroy the memorial would meet a violent end and the civilians knew better than to push when the Third violently executed a man who shall not be named on the civilian council for saying the monument was worthless, he was then buried and given a nameless tombstone made into the likeness of a pile of shit.
Was it petty? Absolutely, but it solidified his point and no one has touched it since.
[Butterfly Haven]
She deeply bowed toward the dark stone memorial of twenty women.
"May you all rest in peace."
She pulled out a blanket and sat on top of it and made to eat a feast as she pulled out her food storage scroll, she snagged a couple of mayo birds and since she was in a good mood, she decided to not take her biggest Mangalista pig and only took two of the smaller ones, she would carve it up later along with taking several of her bright mayo birds, they weren't like the usual birds you seen in farms, the old bitch made them a certain way so they were large and she kept them well-fed. No one knew how she or her family created them or the animals on her farmland were far tastier as it was a kept secret since the dawn of the Second reign on the village.
'I know Blue would enjoy a mayo bird, he's been craving chicken for a while now.'
She pulled out a massive bowl of a literal feast of meat, which had a steaming bowl of rice with a slew of salmon roe within each layer with a variety of different cuts of meat within it topped with a perfect soft-boiled egg. She also fried the rice in leftover drippings of the meat and a hint of hot honey.
What was pulled out next was a large slab of ribs on a platter, rabbit stew in a large pot with sweet butter-filled hot buns. A plate of large eggrolls, extra juicy steamed buns with a mint parfait, and a cream soda for dessert.
She gave thanks and dug in with gusto and a smile before she sighed after she swallowed another butter bun.
"I know you're there, man. Can't you give me five minutes, I'll crush you shortly after."
He made his way towards her and out of the shadows, showing it was Aramaki.
His voice was deep, but light with interest, "I'll give you however long you need. You truly live up to your bloodline."
She huffed and continued to eat while he took a seat a bit away and just made to fine-tune his guitar and strummed several gentle tunes that filled the air with sweet music. It was comforting and she handed him a plate, much to the raise of his eyebrow.
Naruko shrugged her shoulders, "You can leave it if you don't want it and I swear on my life I didn't poison it. When I kill you, it will be with my own two hands."
He snorted, "You are one of a kind, you know that, kid?"
"Eh, what's wrong with living outside the line of normalcy, if we were forbidden from doing such we wouldn't have free will, would we?"
"No, apparently, not."
He took his meal and ate it whole.
"Last meal offering?" He quipped
"Who knows, but it's good right?"
"It is, but I can tell the meal is a peace offering for more time."
"It kind of is, I want to take care of an ugly old fuck who has the run of the land for a bit too long."
"And you want to take him out before me?"
"It's not that he's stronger than you, fuck no, he just has something I want and crossed me something fierce so I have to make him suffer."
He laughed, "You sure are interesting."
"So, can I?"
"Eh, you make good food, sure fuck it why not. You are the most interesting target I had so far and who am I to deny a last wish?"
She snickered as she cleaned up and sealed the empty plates and blanket before paying her respects to the memorial, she then nodded at him and stepped out of sight.
Once she left, he got up and stretched before he saw the memorial.
"To the twenty who gave their souls and bodies to destroy what would have destroyed us all, may you all be forever cherished."
He smiled, 'Hmph, may you all rest in peace.'
Then took his leave only to be confronted by a young man dressed in white with gold accents with a smug grin.
"Who the fuck are you, brat?"
[The Council Room]
The room was dead silent, staring at the screen as Megumi crossed out Hemlock from the rest of the termites.
"Alright, Iruka, spill it, what the fuck have you been feeding her?"
"I'll have you know all she eats are her own meals and she eats in large amounts, it doesn't help that she uses an Akimichi cookbook, well, an old version of the Akimichi cookbook."
"What do mean by old version?"
He shrugged, "She found it in the library, it was a book of recipes from the late Emma Akimichi."
The name rang alarm bells within Choza, "The late wife of 5th clan head. How did it end up there?"
"I think you need to talk to your clan, for that answer."
"I see, then Ms. Megumi?" He asked, looking at the pink-eyed Naruko clone.
"Yes, Lord Akimichi?"
"When will be an appropriate moment to have that book returned? I understand that you have found it, but I would appreciate having it back."
"Ah, I see. No worries."
She snapped her fingers and the book appeared in hand, she tossed it to him, which he caught.
"Thank you and tell the original, thank you as well."
"Duly noted, she already knows the recipes by heart, that woman is something else, embedding healing chakra into food, some idiot probably threw it away thinking it was just a fool's dream."
"Wait, you worked out how she did it?"
"It takes a lot of control, she was a healer while she was alive and she probably enhanced her cooking with healing chakra instinctively as a way to protect her husband on the battlefield and as a show of love."
"She did have perfect chakra control while she was a healer."
"That's probably it, makes sense no one was able to do what she could, if you don't know what you're doing you can easily make someone sick, even if the meal looks normal."
"Good to know for the future."
Megumi nodded.
Minato could only watch silently, his shame over not knowing his daughter at all, steadily growing heavier in the pit of his stomach.
'I'm not going to get much sleep, but I can only wonder what else Naruko will show off and that conversation with Iruka is going to be one interesting one.'
[Meanwhile in Konoha Hospital]
Obito collapsed on the floor in a dead faint as Shizune was tending to him, in spite of her own shock as she could only tug at her collar, the image of that massive dark figure wielding a scythe before disappearing would stay with her for the next two months.
'Oh Tsunade, Jiraiya, I don't know what the hell either of you two has done, but I hope you don't get her mad enough to have that accursed thing come out again.
Around the village, people barricaded themselves within their homes or shops for protection, Naruko was now completely off-limits, but they would have no idea how far Naruko's powers actually went. Some people wished they never got out of bed today.
A scout toad who was watching hidden amongst the grass was terrified and immediately poofed back to the summoning realm to inform his findings to the rest of the toads of what happened so far.
Ending the chapter, I hope you all are wonderful, I'm recovering from a brutal ass-kicking from med. school style exams, they are absolutely mind-numbing but like all things, I'll get used to it. I fully plan on updating other stories, I'm just updating this one first. Who knows when I'll post this, so take care. Also, remember that samurai and swordsman are different, samurai are a different type of swordsman compared to the broad term of it. Also, the battles between Naruko's three shadow clones and Hemlock's ten puppets are concurrent with each other, just to be clear, they aren't one after the other. Also, I had to, no joke, re-write the fights at least seven times I swear my muse is like a damn cat at times. Some days, I want to finish it and upload it, and then nope, not today. On top of my damn grammar checker being on the fritz, it slowed me down to a literal crawl.
Also, I recommend Titanfall: Rise of the Iron Shinobi by SinbadThe3rd, I swear top pick for the absolute destruction of Konoha and of an arrogant Minato as well, nothing damns a human more than their own fears hidden amongst the dark. It's only 6 chapters but God, the last chapter. I'm almost jealous, I need to read more horror for good punishments. Take care and be safe, my sincerest apologies for the long wait.
*Blue is the name of the creature that slew Danzo's ROOTs who were trying to ambush Naruko at her house in chapter 4: Fatal Arrogance, let's say dear Blue is a canine-based creature that is a mixture of Alucard's Baskerville & the Fox Devil from Chainsaw Man.
Thank you for your reviews
dannyrockon122 - I'm happy you enjoyed the chapter and I hope you will enjoy this new update.
Zero fullbuster - Thank you!
Guest #1 - It would be a funny short, maybe I'll make a small scene at the end of the chapter if I get the chance. It would be funny, but where to start is the actual question. Eh, we'll see when I get there.
starravenwolf - I'm happy you enjoyed this chapter, it makes me really happy, Naruko is able to cause a lot of havoc when she puts her mind to it. Kurenai's punishment is going to be at the hands of the one she screwed, I'll give you a hint, she's the lady who Iruka and Megumi were chatting about. Naruko's summons is Grimm and you'll see them in action in this chapter as she squares up against Hemlock, who will not be easy like the others seen so far as he'll make her work for his head. You'll see Tsunade's punishment after the massive clusterfuck of the day is over, she'll wish she didn't get out of bed when she gets confronted with an angry Minato. The guilty will wish they fled the night before, and thank you for the last part, that was sweet.
Reedz22 - I'm happy you enjoyed it and hope you will enjoy it.
917brat - Damn straight she does, the rookies will be counting their blessings when they see the aftermath of her battle, especially the massive slaughter of bodies near the Uchiha compound, and know the only reason they are still alive is only due to the wrong circumstances and time for it. And that none of them, even if they pooled every resource they had had to fight her, they would lose and suffer for attempting to do so. The siblings are malfunctioning over the fact that the girl they mocked and treated as lesser, didn't give them any hint of her actual skillset and she was above them like she was on clouds while they were on dirt and the distance between them will only be higher, regardless of their halves of the Kyuubi. The Kyuubi himself would be nothing but amused over the situation but find himself curious about the eldest, but we'll see more of him later.
Red Mage of Balance - A one-way ticket to Hell indeed, no one who's on her list is gonna make it out alive, and no one will forget this day for a very, long time.
Gammagyro - Sorry, it ain't and the timeline is pretty much correct, it was just a cycle of a snake just eating itself over and over again. I'll make sure to read that soon. Shikamaru, Mito, and Memna cannot be trusted, Mito and Menma through their actions, Shikamaru knew what was going on and didn't do anything. Satsuki followed the status quo as Mito dictated and Sasuke has an interest in Naruko that isn't reciprocated due to his primary actions when Naruko introduced herself. Naruko can't trust the rest of the rookies due to their actions or inactions. Regardless, Naruko's trust is non-existent from what you said and Inoichi can only hope her head isn't as much of a mess as thinks it will be. Thank you for the review and take care, be safe, and have fun.
naes151 - Sorry, if it was a bit confusing, but I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I'm glad you like the scene between Naruko and Rose. At the end of this, Naruko will have her own group of fans in spite of her brutality.
darkangelflame - I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter and well, the rookies including Hinata aren't going to come out clean from this and it's gonna leave them aching for a while, if for years if I feel like it.
jeremiahkelley93 - Have a great year and thank you!
ParadoxTheory374 - Thank you!
Guest #2 - Believe me, when I say, Naruko is worse than Anko on her worst day, but she would be interested in her skills and wonder how to approach her on the idea of being her apprentice.
Crio Yaroi - That depends on the character, I'm glad you enjoyed the bloodbath and well, she'll have a nice break later on. And thank you for the well-wishes, you take care and be well.
Aclux - Oh you'll see their punishments and they're gonna regret starting it in the first place, especially when they get the entire story from the rookies and how it started. With the civilians, you'll have to wait and see, but Minato is going to dish out vile punishments and it won't be pretty, for certain individuals, namely Yuuhei and Tsunade. And well, you'll see them later, won't you?
Guest #3 - You'll see won't you?
Skull Flame - I'm glad you enjoyed it and yeah, the entire scenario in this chapter happened before she arrived at the council chambers, it would be better for her to clean house first, leaving the main dishes with no interference from gnats. I'm glad you enjoy the way I write my antagonists, it takes a while but I'm glad you like it. It does mean horrible suffering, blood eagle could be just one of many ways to go about it. It's a mixture of both, the twins isolating Naruko from her peers, the pranks around the village being pinned on Naruko with no one to believe her, and constant punishments mixed with jeers from what were supposed to be her peers had her in a constantly agitated state of rage/annoyance. The outliners of civilians made to 'teach' her a lesson, Naruko defends herself against them and gets punished and this grows and spirals out of control which wraps the majority of the village in it. The fault lies on both the twins and the civilians.
Pravus666 - First, I'm glad for you updating your story, it makes me happy as you made Mizore and Toshiro just as repulsive as you said they would be and I can't wait to see their downfall, especially Mizore's downfall as everything she did was in the name of 'supposed' love for Naruto, when in fact a starving river otter would make a better relationship than anyone of them. I'm happy you enjoyed Naruko reeking a bunch of mayhem and she would grin at your standing ovation. Now, to answer your question, Iruka chooses to stay a chunin instructor as a sort of penance and to pass down the torch. As in the academy, he was recruited into the ANBU forces by an ANBU turned chunin to watch over the children who raise flags in terms of ability. Iruka in his genin days was recruited when he met the criteria, he had a lot of rage over the loss of his parents to work through, and he filtered it through both healthy and unhealthy ways. After working through it, he made to help those in similar situations, hence his connection with Naruko. Being a jounin wasn't his cup of tea and he had more than enough money from his head-hunting days from both missions and bounties. Iruka being a chunin gives him more freedom and the illusion of being weaker which allows people not to look too closely and get the jump on enemies. He has no desire for power and is made to help those who need it, case in point with Naruko. I'll think about the Danzo case, but the muse wants what it wants. And for Orochimaru, I'm still thinking about it. Also, following your recent updates, can get inspiration from your Pokesage fanfiction where you took out Iwa? Because that shit was amazing but I want to use Tanya the Evil and my own demented twist with it with your permission.
littleditto - Thank you!
Arsao Tome - Thank you for your well-wishes!
Shadow Walker of Fire - I'm happy you enjoy it and I hope he would be of Naruko.
[guest] Mr. Bumpity - I hope you will enjoy the update and I'm happy you enjoyed the show so far. For Naruko's friends, you'll have to wait and see, but I have plans for them. The council, especially the Elders and civilians are going to regret ever waking up that day and thank you for the well-wishes. I wish the same for you.
Logicalillogical - I thank you for the review and well, we will see, after all, you can't get all at once can you? Forgiveness for Naruko is through action and the problem with forgiveness in those fanfics is that barely anyone works for Naruto's forgiveness, they are just sorry and feel guilty and Naruto forgives them for the plot. In this story's case, people would have to work towards forgiveness through action and meaningful apologies, relationships, and forgiveness are like trees, they can be tumbled down and built back up with time and care. Who Naruko will forgive, I won't say but it will take a long time and certain relationships won't be the same. For Mito and Memna, well that would be telling.
kingkian098 - I'm happy you enjoyed it, thank you for the review!
Kitsuneforlife0 - I hope you will enjoy this chapter.
Phoenix Warehouse Productions - I can't wait to write out that scene myself, that will be fun, but there are more battles to be had before then. And well, for dear Taylor, I'd absolutely love her to crush those three miserable cunts first and foremost, but wait and see, dear reader.
~Kourtney Uzu Yato!