Hiya!
Glad to be back, work got in between of me working on the story for last couple of weeks and I really didn't want to upload a new chapter without making significant gains on the chapters I'm currently working on.
Ah well!
A big thank you to: Acoppelman7, A3rios, Cassidy Lokidottir, DCmanning96, Osiris Sundavr, Killfith, 1, Abesome, Flring112, Krollewnasniezka, Dioblo277, leksanameste, SonofPoseidon2018, RedAssassin42, Bloxraider17, Phantomheartx, 3131ljk, SupremumDracoAureusImperator, Ragda, Teonreads, Wayne Chattillon, PhoenixBlaze12, Ichi'nukenin-Namikazemaki, Thecrispyd, Tristanc10290, Namikaze18, Me224610, Matt Bustos,
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KingYamYam: glad to hear you enjoyed the chapter! Personally, I prefer it this way, no easy fixes to a problem, plain old struggles for our favorite shinobi!
DracoBK: I'm happy to hear you've enjoyed the story thus far! Let's delve into your question, as far as I can without spoiling anything. The Biju are here, they never left. The Kyuubi died due to the seal that Naruto interacted with, early in the story and Gaara got his Bijuu sucked out of him by the Akatsuki. Story wise I haven't elaborated on the other Bijuu, whether they survived the war or not. However! No, the biju wouldn't be able to wipe the floor with the might of the Reaver forces. Would they be effective? Definitely! Would they stand a better chance? A hundred percent! Would they turn the tide? Maybe, maybe not. That is something that will be elaborated in the chapters to come.
If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask! I love answering them!
Stalker1: haha! Rip indeed! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter as well!
Maalik Ibn Anas: I think you're referring to the first chapter! And I don't really agree with you. Throughout the story of Naruto (canon) it's been shown, or mentioned that Naruto lived a harsh life, and mainly because of hatred the villagers had for him. I hope you're enjoying the chapters though!
Guest: Bruh…Thanks! A most excellent review :) enjoy this chapter!
Zigmas: oh, I consider that story to be an absolute farce, sorry if I offend you, or anyone else with that! I absolutely hate that they went in that direction with the story. The Ōtsutsuki arc will not be part of the story.
Gamesdean1: thank you for your kind words, it's greatly appreciated! The Shinigami explanation thingy…*zips his mouth shuts*
Sorry man, can't go into it…but don't worry ;)
Kingdomice: I don't think he would've. He does consider Naruto his close friend, regardless if our blonde feels the same. But I don't think he would awaken his Mangekyo. It's been 7/8 years. They aren't the same people from canon. Not with the direction our story went.
And yeah, Naruto managed to survive insurmountable odds before…It was only a matter of time.
Thank you all for reviewing! I absolutely love it!
A different chapter than we normally have, slightly shorter as well. I hope you'll be able to forgive me! I did quite enjoy writing this though. I also apologize for any grammer/spelling mistakes. Its 02:30 in the morning and I didn't want to wait another day before posting. Normally i do one extra reread to double check for any mistakes.
enjoy!
Konoha's stand - part five
Danzo and Tsunade's plan worked like a charm, even better than intended. They would never know what hit them.
Sector 7 had slowly and covertly been pulling men back, making it seem like they were running out of reinforcements. The Reavers didn't hesitate, and they poured out into the village like a swarm.
Hyō had been holding up his hand, ever since the Reavers started entering the village. His calculative eyes took in the intimidating sight in front of him. Not that it scared him. He hadn't felt emotions in years, as per Root requirements.
"Taicho, everyone is green on the board. Waiting for the order."
He gave the tiniest of nods. His hand didn't waver. Instead, he watched as more Reavers entered and started nearing their perimeter. He waited even longer.
his hand dropped.
Almost instantly a barrier sprang up and encased the advancing Reavers, effectively trapping them inside.
"Proceed."
His subordinate gave a curt nod and gave a wave with his hand. From every corner, Aburame root agents appeared and gently pushed their hand through. From their sleeves, insects poured out by the thousands and swarmed the trapped Reavers.
Before the Reavers could attack, the Aburame pulled back, and watched as their insectoid allies started leeching the chakra.
The Reavers realized what was going on but could do little. The number of bugs was staggering, rapidly increasing the pace at which they were stealing their chakra.
There were nucleus discharges, but it did nothing to stop the attack. Within minutes the Reavers were lying dead on the ground.
Hyō stood up and reached for his microphone. "Command. Ambush has been successful."
~Casualties? ~
"None"
~Estimated number of kills? ~
His eyes roamed over the bodies, just as the barrier was dissolved. He tapped the button while responding. "Roughly 300."
~Good job. Stand-by for new orders. ~
Hyō motioned for his subordinate to join him. "Get everyone ready to move. Is the sector up and running again?"
"It is, Taicho."
~your orders are as follows: Infiltrators have been spotted at various locations throughout the village, it's becoming too much to bear. Split up your taskforce into two teams. One to plug the holes, the other to clear the village. ~
"What location is under imminent threat?" Hyō asked.
~The hospital, and the Hokage tower. Both are crucial. ~
"Understood. Itoke out," He released the button and turned to his colleagues. "Torune, take the second squad and stop the Reavers from entering the village. Contact Sector 7's hub for more information."
Torune stepped forward and gave a short bow. "Understood, Taicho."
"Everyone else. Form up with your team and head into the village. Soka, Dai, you're with me."
The dark haired Hyuuga woman stepped forward. She gave a short nod. To her side was a tall, bald man. He too gave a nod. Hyō returned the gesture and waved with his hand. The Root agents dispersed, leaving the three behind.
"Where are we headed?" the woman, Soka asked.
A thunderclap erupted from above, and the downpour started once more. Giving the village a dark and eerie look. Hyō ignored it. "Towards the hospital district. There are Reavers in the vicinity. We have to clear the buildings around it."
"They haven't breached the hospital perimeter?" Dai's emotionless voice asked.
"Not yet. They've tightened security, but that's allocating men that don't have."
Hyō straightened his white coat and hopped onto the next roof, quickly increasing his speed. He didn't need to look over his shoulder to know that's his teammates were following him.
His career within root had been an interesting one. He had started as a regular root-agent, carrying out assassinations of individuals that could pose a future threat to Konoha. He eventually got spotted by Danzo-sama himself. And it didn't take long for him to rise through the ranks. Saving Danzo from an assassination attempt was what guaranteed his promotion. He hadn't expected it. But he did feel something akin to pride upon receiving the rank of captain.
his feet rolled of the edge, and he dashed onto the next rooftop, taking into effect, the possibility of slippery rooftops.
His eyes darted from left to the right. Taking in the scenario that was unfolding in front of him. Two Hunters and an Akatsuki agent were fighting off the Reaver, Kenpachi. The Reaver was relentless in his assault and was putting the pressure on the bald-headed hunter.
"Soka. Alternate route."
Soka quickly took the lead and dashed to the left. She had been assigned as his tracker, and as such was kept up to date with the most relevant info available. Hyō followed suit, with Dai taking the rear.
They dropped into an alleyway, and they resumed their trek towards the hospital. A few moments later, they neared it.
"The buildings up ahead…I can feel a demonic chakra. Multiple." Besides her invaluable eyes, she had the rare talent of a sensor, making her a rare breed, someone Danzo quickly managed to recruit.
Hyō gave a curt nod. "What about the other teams."
"I detect other chakra signatures further to the west. They have engaged."
Hyō straightened his coat and pointed to the nearest building. "That one?"
"Hai. Two signatures, suspected Shifters."
"Dai, prepare for entry. Soka, provide support. "
Hyō took the lead again, unsheathing his katana. They quietly hopped onto the roof, next to a window. Inside he could hear muffled voices. He locked eyes with Dai. He held up a hand sign, and then held up two fingers. Dai understood and quietly started going through hand signs, before locking in the final one, waiting for his captain.
Hyō mimicked his move set and locked into the final hand sign as well. "Fūton: Shinkūdama!" he whispered. Dai quickly followed.
Both attacks slammed through the rooftop and pierced the rest of the building. Screams of pain erupted from inside.
The captain jumped in and took in the surroundings. The top floor had been ruined, revealing the floor below. One Reaver lay dead in the corner, but the other was trying to get back to his feet. Sprinting over, he poised his blade forward, preparing to strike the Reaver down.
A discharge of red nucleus blew the outer wall apart and sent him soaring into the house on the other side. "Dai, Soka. They are capable of suppressing chakra, confirm."
"Understood, enemy can suppress chakra."
He flipped back onto his feet and sent his fist forward, stopping the advancing Reaver dead in her tracks. "Dai. Kill the crippled Reaver. Soka, on me!"
Exchanging blows with the Reaver, it was clear that his opponent was of a superior caliber. Ducking underneath an outstretched limb, he countered with a knee into his foe's stomach.
A grunt was the only reaction he heard, but knew it wasn't enough. His white coat danced along with his movement as they reached the dining room of the house, they were currently fighting in. He kicked up a dining chair and sent it toward the Reaver who dodged it and jumped over the table.
A flurry of handsigns before holding out the palm of his hand. "Fūton: Reppūshō!"
The reaver tumbled back over the table and landed on the wooden floor. Before he could get back up Soka appeared behind him, ending his life with a well-placed kunai to his skull.
Hyō stared at the body, towards the gruesome claw in particular. "Next target?"
Soka narrowed her eyes, trying to find their next target. She nudged to her right. "This way."
The red head once more took the lead and with the three of them they cleared a series of buildings, all within direct range of the hospital. Only because they had the element of surprise did they come out of the fight unscathed. Hyō doubted any would've come out alive otherwise.
The other team had been successful in stopping further Reaver infiltration. He knew that they had allowed the infiltrations to happen in the first place. Better to lure a few in and take them out, then to face their entire horde. Which, in Hyō's mind was inevitable regardless.
Dai crouched down next to him, looking at their last target. It was one of the houses that was connected to the main road. "How many?"
"Four."
"I don't like those odds." He responded.
Hyō was inclined to agree. "Status of the other teams?"
Soka briefly spoke into her mic, giving Hyō time to look into the sky. The weather had cleared up, showing a clouded morning sky. The battle had started a little over 14 hours ago. Considering how long Suna had lasted, it was remarkable.
"Taicho!" Dai hissed, causing Hyō to snap his focus back on the matter at hand. "Problems."
He followed his teammates gaze and saw a wandering group of wary and exhausted defenders, making their way to the hospital.
"Soka?"
"Other teams are occupied," her pale eyes widened slightly. "It seems they've spotted the group; they're heading towards the windows. I think they're preparing an ambush."
Hyō's eyes darted between the haggard looking shinobi, and the building. He gave a near imperceptible sigh. "Initiate clearing sequence 'Tota'."
He flew forward, tossing two kunai, attached with exploding tags through the window. Dai did the same towards the roof. Three explosions in short succession blew apart the window, and the roof.
Hyō dived through the hole in the wall, joined by Soka. Dai headed to the roof. Inside, vision was limited, but he could still hear their coughing and frantic shouts. He neared the closest one and kicked him out, the way he came in. Dai stood atop; kunai poised in both hands to strike the first that would come flying out. He was dead before the body hit the road.
Soka slammed her palms into a Reaver on the left but was quickly countered by another Reaver. The air got knocked out of her as he kicked her down the stairs, onto the ground floor. There she lay, dazed. Still, her hand snapped up. "Hakke Kūshō!" a burst of chakra flew up and hit the Reaver, sending him back into the bedroom from where he had come.
"Dai. I'm clear…Taicho?"
There was a shuffle upstairs before she heard a body land outside. "I'm outside. Do it."
Both Dai and Hyō were weaving through handsigns, the captain put up a doton wall, blocking their escape route out of the house, while Dai performed a Katon jutsu, setting ablaze everything and everyone in the top floor.
Soka saw the flames reach the top stairs and was rapidly encroaching upon her. She scrambled to her feet and made for the exit, slamming her shoulder into the door, which gave way under her strength.
The screams of the dying did not unnerve them, nor did the smell of burnt flesh. They were Root after all, and root agents had no emotions.
Hyō turned away and contacted command, to let them know that the houses around the hospital had been cleared and were now stand-by for new orders.
~ Hyō. New orders. Reavers have been spotted, setting up explosives all around the main supply hub. Clear the Reavers so we can send in a demolition expert. ~
"Estimated strength of opposition?"
~At least a squad size. ~
"Understood. Hyō signing off."
Behind him he could hear a shuffle of feet, he didn't bother turning. "New orders. They are setting up an ambush to hinder our supplies. We need to take care of it."
"Do we know where exactly?"
"Near the supply hub, no exact location."
"So, their aim is the genin?"
Hyō quirked an eyebrow, but kept it hidden. He checked his pouch and the straps of his vest. "They are focusing on the shinobi handling our supplies, yes."
The remark the captain made was clear cut. It didn't matter whether or not they were genin. Thinking about that would only create more problems down the line. They couldn't afford to have emotions running amok.
Dai had taken exceptionally well to the purging of his emotions and gave a resolute nod. In his eyes, along with every other root member, genin were no less a shinobi, than a Jonin. Shinobi meant the same to them, regardless of rank. "I'll take point."
Hyō's eyes lingered on Soka. Her question, however subtle, still held the underlying tone. Concern. It was something he would have to discuss with Danzo-sama, when this fight was done.
He followed Dai's footsteps, with Soka taking up the rear, her Byakugan ablaze.
Upon arriving, they had quickly deduced that they were too late. A smoldering heap of twisted metal and mutilated bodies was what remained
Hyō looked down at the body of a boy, no older than 13. "Soka, what do you see?"
She was looking around, her eyebrows furrowed. "Three blocks from here, a Reaver squad."
"It must be them. File formation. Soka take point. Dai you will be support, applying with smoke bombs. We shall follow up with Soka taking them out. I shall remain in the rear and provide help in case you need it. Move out."
"Hai!"
They executed the plan nearly perfectly, until they reached the final Reaver. the smoke bombs covered the Reavers in the alleyway. Soka dropped from above and had killed the first two, before they realized what was going on, proving once again just how invaluable her byakugan was. The third sent out a blast of wind to clear the alleyway of smoke. He dropped to the ground shortly after.
The final member roared in anger at seeing his fallen comrades and charged forward. Soka put up a cross guard, but he still broke through it, sending her flying through the back of the alley and into the building at the end.
Hyō dropped from the rooftop and engaged the Reaver. His first attack with his katana had done little, and he had quickly followed up with a series of quick and precise slashes.
The Reaver, a shifter proved his superior caliber once more and retaliated with an electric current, discharged from his feet, paralyzing the Taicho.
Just as he was about to snap his neck, Dai came barreling in, and used his broad shoulders to slam him away. His hand flew through the signs. "katon goukakyuu no jutsu!" a ball of flame crashed into the shifter.
An inhuman roar, followed by a wave of red chakra, sent the jutsu flying down to the right, where it eventually destroyed a store.
Holding out his hands, their opponent created another wave of his demonic power. Threatening to kill Dai and his teammate, Hyō.
"Hakkeshō Kaiten!" Soka appeared in front of them and created a torrent of chakra, repelling the attack. It had cost her a tremendous amount of strength, but she prevailed and sent it straight back to their foe. He couldn't the attack and got engulfed by it. When the attack dissipated, there was nothing but destruction.
She fell to her knees, panting, clutching the fabric of her trousers. "That was a very powerful attack."
Dai stared at her. "You did well. Arigato."
Hyō agreed. When she revealed that she had learned the ultimate Hyuuga defense, he had been surprised. It was a technique that only belonged to the main house, not the branch members. How she had done this, he didn't know, nor did he care for it. "Impressive. You've killed everyone."
"Everything for Konoha." Was the automatic response.
"Everything indeed." He softly repeated. He sheathed his blade and contacted command while Soka was trying to catch her breath.
Dai held out his canteen. "I noticed yours was empty."
She dipped her head in thanks, reaching for his canteen. As she took a sip, the captain turned back to them.
"New orders. You okay, Soka?"
She wiped her lips clean and handed the canteen back. Her eyes turned to Hyō. "I'm good to go, taicho."
He held up his hand and watched it. It didn't shake. "Kenpachi's fight with the second Tokubetsu squad is nearing its end. We need to take over."
Soka stared at him. "We aren't capable of taking him on."
"They are compiling a third squad. We need to keep him busy." He answered.
Dai straightened his cloak. "Where is he?"
"West of the academy. Near sector 2."
Soka spoke up. "I'm ready."
Hyō looked at her hands. Hers were shaking. "I'll take point."
They dashed from rooftop to rooftop. They didn't say anything to each other. They rarely did outside of battle plans. Still, it was Soka who broke the silence.
"Do we have a chance?"
Hyō's head turned slightly. "Unlikely. But the second squad is still alive. They need to be extracted so they can recuperate."
"What happened to the first one?" She pressed.
"They died."
"Who was part of the first squad?" Dai asked.
"Uchiha Itachi, Hoshigake Kisame, and Uzumaki Naruto."
"All kage level shinobi…" Soka said, barely above a whisper.
Dai heard what she said. "So is the other squad."
"Kenpachi has defeated six kage level shinobi?" She asked, eyes widening by a fraction.
Hyō saw that they neared the designated area. "Focus."
Ahead they saw three figures darting at the main road, clashing with each other. A large broad figure was holding off two others.
"I'll go in first, stagger him. Dai follow up with an Katon jutsu of your choosing, use his stagger to your advantage. I want a smoke pellet dropped upon your retreat. Soka, you finish up with Juuken. Aim for a fatal strike, if that's not an option, hinder his chakra pathway."
"I have just the thing."
"Good."
He pushed off the second to last rooftop before the fight, leaning forward, his hands outstretched. Hyō reached for the tip of the last rooftop and pushed off with chakra enhanced hands. He blasted forward with immense speed; feet snapped together.
His feet impacted against the head of the imposing Reaver, sending him flying a decent distance away, clear from the other fighters. He landed gracefully on the ground, in front of a bald man, wearing hunter robes. Looking up, he saw Dai flying past, a series of fireballs impacting against Kenpachi.
As his teammate was going for the retreat, he noticed the smoke pellets landing at their foe's feet, obscuring him from sight within seconds.
Soka landed in the smoke, and he could hear her yell. "Jūkenpō: Hakke Sanjūni Shō!"
As Soka went to work against Kenpachi, Hyō turned to the man in front of him. "I am operative Itoke. We are here to take over."
Another figure landed next to the Hunter. He was bleeding profusely and was clutching his arm. "H-he's…"
Hyō held up a hand. "We are aware. Regardless, you need to extract immediately. Report to command."
"You know you're throwing away your life, right?" the other man said, one of his eyes shut tight. He too had multiple gashes and other wounds across his body.
"We are expendable. You are not. Report to command." He briefly glanced to Soka and Kenpachi. She had just finished her attack with an extra chakra burst, which sent Kenpachi staggering away.
"What are our orders?"
"Recuperate."
The two hunters glanced at each other, unsure what to do. It was Hyō who spoke up again. "This is an order from command. You will obey it."
Hawke narrowed his eye and was about to speak up, when Sasori landed next to them, his red hair was the only real indication that he had been in a fight. He looked emotionless otherwise. "Konan reiterates this. They will take over."
Rome looked past the Root-agent. Kenpachi was stepping out of the smoke, none to worse for wear. "He killed a lot of good…good men today."
"You can't be s-serious! We need to make him pay for what he's done!"
"He will, Hawke, but they're right, look at you. You can barely stand."
Hawke let out a loud 'tsk' but didn't press otherwise. "Fine."
Hyō tuned out the rest of the conversation. He did a quick 180 and dashed towards Kenpachi, his blade in his hand. "Dai, on my left. Soka, fall back and form up on my right."
In a matter of seconds, the two were at his side and they charged straight for the fearsome Reaver, who was paying more attention to the retreating form of Rome.
The captain noticed the same thing. "Shuriken, now."
The shuriken flew forward, a dozen at the least. Kenpachi barely gave it a glance and dodged the attack. He stepped forward himself and held out his claw. A red glow emitting from it.
"Split!"
Dai jumped to the left, but still heading for Kenpachi, While Soka did the same. the squad leader remained on course, but when his left foot hit the ground, he muttered a few words. "Doton: Doryūheki." Shifting his weight on the left foot, his jutsu sent him airborne, twirling in mid-air, before dive-bombing straight down, his blade poised to strike Kenpachi.
From the left Dai was approaching, and from the right was Soka. They would all arrive at roughly the same time.
Kenpachi's arms snapped outwards, his palms blocking the flanking attacks. Exposed from the top, Hyō committed to it, too late to veer off course.
Kenpachi twisted his left hand, letting Soka slip past him, losing her stability by the sudden change. He grabbed her passing limb and threw her upwards, straight into the blade of Hyō.
The Root captain's eyes widened by a fraction, unable to do little else. His blade pierced Soka's neck from the top down. Scraping past her collarbone.
He hadn't anticipated this, but still managed to adjust. He let go of his blade and flew past Soka, his hand clasped together, hammering Kenpachi into the ground.
Soka dropped to the ground next to him. He briefly glanced at her, noting the fear in her eyes, knowing full well that death was imminent.
Repeating his earlier move, he formed quick handsigns. "Doton: Doryūheki!" Kenpachi was sent upwards, straight into his aim. It seemed the Reaver was prepared for this and already held up a guard.
But Hyō had anticipated this course of action and was already flying through another series of seals. "Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!" His fist got encased in rock, drastically increasing the power behind it. He slammed his 'hardened' fist into Kenpachi, sending him flying away several feet. Not the distance he had been hoping for, but enough to catch their breath.
Dai looked down at Soka. She was gurgling up blood, her hand trying to reach something. He crouched down next to her. He stared at her hand for a moment, until he conceded and grasped it, comforting her.
Hyō's eyes turned back to Soka. "Operative Soka Hyuuga, codename; Dove. You have fulfilled your duty. You have made your village and Hokage proud. You have made Danzo-sama proud. May you rest easy."
Soka never heard the last part. She had passed away before the name of her superior, Danzo reached her ears.
Dai stood back up. "Everything for Konoha."
"Everything indeed." Hyō droned back.
There was the sound of air being displaced. The duo jumped back, and barely managed to avoid the monstrous Reaver.
"This is not the first time I've come across mindless drones, nor will you be the last." Kenpachi's voice rumbled.
Dai and Hyō stood shoulder to shoulder. "Reaver, Kenpachi. You have been sentenced to death for crimes committed against Konoha and her allies. Do you yield?"
Kenpachi let out a chuckle. "Typical."
"Charge forward and flank from both sides, make sure he won't be able to repeat the same course of action." Hyō softly said, reaching for his pouch. His katana was still embedded in his teammate.
They sprang forward at an impressive speed, each dashing to the left and right. Both held kunai in their hands.
But this time Kenpachi wasn't waiting for them. He charged straight for Dai, slapping away the kunai, grabbing him by the side of the head and battered him into the ground. Planting his feet on his chest, he aimed his claw at the struggling root-agent. A continuous discharge of demonic nucleus hit Dai, enveloping the top part of his torso.
When Kenpachi stepped away, only the lower half of Dai's body remained.
In a manner of seconds, Kenpachi had taken out two of root's strongest agents, barely anything more than a slight hurdle to overcome.
Hyō's eyes narrowed, but he didn't slow down. He knew that this was inevitable. He quickly summarized what he was still capable of. Jutsu was not an option. The last jutsu had expended the remaining chakra he had left. He also knew that close range was inadvisable. The Reaver was a powerhouse, capable of taking on multiple at the same time.
Regardless he knew that there was no other option, but close combat. Mid-step he reached for a second kunai and stepped into Kenpachi's guard; the kunai aimed to pierce his chest.
The tip of the kunai was inches away, when his foe grabbed his limb and snapped it in half. A wave of agonizing pain flooded his mind, but he didn't react. His other kunai shot up and let it slide across Kenpachi's lower arm, slicing it open.
Root operative Itoke was well aware that he could do little as Kenpachi's claw got shoved in his face, his mask blocking it for the moment, feeling it crack under the pressure. He could hear a strange crackling noise, and a moment later, a bright glowing red light was all he could see before his world went dark.
Very abrupt and a tad bit short, as mentioned before, but I really wanted to reiterate the sheer difference in power between Kenpachi and other shinobi.
I hope you've enjoyed it regardless!