Hinata of the White Lotus
Invasion
The match against Gaara was over.
Yet something foreboding in the air told Hinata that the fight was far from done.
The threat wasn't coming from Gaara, nor the beast inside him. They were thoroughly dealt with and for now posed no further harm to anyone. No, this tension was coming from the stadium above.
Hinata couldn't tell exactly what the threat was, or how big it might even be for that matter. All she could read was the intent. The natural energy all around her was thick and heavy, the worst she had ever seen before.
"Gaara!" Kankuro shouted, causing Hinata to jump. The other two participants from Suna had dropped down to the arena from the waiting box and were running right at her. Even so, the threat didn't appear to be from them either. There was nothing in the air around them that suggested they wanted to attack her. They were simply concerned for their teammate.
In the moment her attention flickered to them, a commotion up top broke out. It started in only a single part of the stadium. There were screams, but not those of excitement. No, this was terror. It only took a second for that panic to spread, the entire audience getting caught in the commotion. Too much was happening at once, and Hinata had no idea where to focus her gaze.
Her vision darted back and forth, trying to make sense of what was happening. Then she finally saw it, two Jonin coming to a halt as their kunai clashed with a metallic ring. One of them was from Konoha; The other from Suna.
The moment she put that image together, the whole picture became clear. Shinobi wearing the attire of both Otogakure and Sunagakure were attacking and the Shinobi of Konoha seemed to be defending. This was an invasion.
No sooner did she figure that out and she was under attack. Two kunai flew at her from above, aimed right at her head. Dodging them would have been easy. She hadn't closed the gates yet and her speed was more than enough to get out of the way in time. She also knew she didn't need to bother.
Genma threw his own kunai, the act clearly visible even though it happened behind her. Such was the power of the Byakugan. The four blades collided mid-air, ricocheting off each other and bouncing harmlessly away.
"Baki-sensei!?" Temari yelled as the man that had attacked Hinata landed on the arena floor. "What's going on? It's too early for the invasion to start." It would appear even the Genin participating in the tournament were in on the invasion plans. Hinata knew there was an opening to attack right now, but she held herself back. Listening and trying to get a sense for what was truly going on took priority.
"Some idiot panicked and jumped the gun." Baki sneered, glaring directly at Hinata as if she was responsible. "They saw Gaara transform and mistook it for the signal to begin. Now nevermind that. What's going on with him? Why isn't he completely transforming?" There were still many missing pieces, but Hinata was also beginning to see the big picture.
"I don't know!" Kankuro answered, shaking his head. "He's out cold… yet Shukaku ain't coming out. I've never seen this happen before." All three of the Suna Shinobi turned to glare at Hinata. The very natural energy around them shifted and she could sense their intent to harm her. It wasn't just anger… but also fear. For the first time in her life, someone was regarding her like she was some monster to be terrified of.
"What have you done?" Baki addressed her now, drawing several more kunai in preparation for battle. Hinata could only shake her head in response, instinctively taking a step back. This man was a Jonin-instructor. The one placed in charge of Gaara of all people. She couldn't underestimate him, and she didn't dare make him more angry than he already was. Yet she also couldn't answer his question.
"Tch," Baki clicked his teeth, glancing back over at the sand siblings. "What's done is done. Get Gaara out of here and wake him up! We need his power for this invasion to work!" It would appear he had no intention of giving up, as things had already begun to snowball. Hinata imagined that even if he wanted to quit, it was too late now.
"Got it- huh?" Temari had started to voice an affirmation, but she was cut off midway. Both her and her brother were standing unnaturally still now, neither one of them able to move so much as an inch.
"Yeah, I don't think so." Shikamaru said from behind them. He was already in his stance, the shadow manipulation jutsu having been cast to trap the two of them. On either side of him were Naruto and Shino, all three having come down just behind the sand siblings.
"Brats shouldn't interfere!" Baki threw his kunai at Shikamaru, attempting to disrupt the shadow paralysis technique. Genma moved to intercept but this time was unable to. For at the same time Baki moved, his own reinforcements arrived. Two masked Otonin landed in the arena and immediately targeted him, forcing him to engage them instead.
"Moku Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called, created a dozen clones of wood. One of them intercepted the thrown kunai, the metal blades burying into the clone with loud thunks. The other clones formed a defensive circle around Shino and Shikamaru. Meanwhile, the original and one other clone charged right at Baki.
"Oi, Shino!" Shikamaru asked, clearly struggling to maintain his jutsu against two enemies at the same time.
"I already know." Shino raised his arms, unleashing a swarm of his kikaichu on the two Suna siblings while they were still immobilized. Within minutes he would have their chakra drained dry.
That was if Baki didn't interfere first. He charged to meet Naruto and his clone straight on. At that moment, time seemed to slow for Hinata. In all of an instant, pure chaos had broken out on the arena floor and three battles had erupted around her. With her Byakugan, it was easy to see them all.
She had to help too.
Genma was outnumbered two to one, but he was a Jonin. She had to believe he could handle himself, at least long enough for them to take care of everything else. Shikamaru and Shino already had their opponents beaten, it was just about making sure nothing interrupted their Jutsu. That was what Naruto was doing, charging a Jonin instructor on his own, no hesitance in his eyes.
"You cocky brat!" Baki yelled, holding out his hand and creating a sword of pure wind. Naruto's wood clone was immediately shredded to pieces, the cutting power of the wind Jutsu too fierce for even the more durable wood clones.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata was on the move before she even realized she had shouted. The second gate was still open too, the force of which she pushed off the ground creating a crater. In under a second she crossed the distance between herself and Baki. He hadn't even finished stabbing the wood clone when her Jyuken struck him in the abdomen.
"Geh," Baki gave a cough of blood, her attack bypassing his armor and striking him directly on the inside. "You damn bitch!" He swung the sword of wind at her, but she could already see the intent. She also knew she didn't need to worry about it.
"Don't forget about me!" Naruto hadn't so much as flinched when he saw his clone get destroyed. Against all logic he continued to charge right in, something Baki clearly hadn't expected. This allowed him to land a clean punch directly to the Jonin's cheek with enough force to knock him backwards.
Baki rolled with the momentum, using the backwards force to leap and put even greater distance between them. As he did that, Hinata took a stance directly next to Naruto and they both prepared for Baki's rebuttal.
"Naruto-kun, I'll do something about his next attack." Hinata said, already reading the natural cues around Baki to determine what he would do next.
"That means you can leave the counter-attack to me." Naruto agreed in the same breath. "My turn to show you a little bit about what I've been learning." He truly was fearless, not for a second believing that he and Hinata would lose despite standing against a veteran opponent. And somehow that same strength of will flowed into Hinata as well.
They could win.
At that moment, she truly believed that.
"Futon: Wind Cutter Jutsu!" Baki called, finishing the seals to the technique in the couple seconds Hinata and Naruto had used to communicate their strategy. He held his hands out, releasing a powerful, sharp gale of wind that shredded everything in its path.
"Hakke: Bansho Ten'in!" Hinata stepped towards the torrent of certain death. She reached up, grabbing the natural tenketsu of the very air. Then she pulled, violently tearing it and causing an anomaly.
The very air that made up Baki's attack was turned into a vacuum, completely canceling out his Jutsu. At that same moment, the air from behind Baki rushed in to fill the void and he was carried along with it. He was lifted off his feet, helpless to do anything as he was pulled towards the two Genin and unable to take control of his flight.
"Mokuton: Wood-Cutter Jutsu!" Naruto took a step forward to once again stand next to Hinata. In his hand was a broken piece of wood previously from the clone that had just been cut down by Baki. Unlike Naruto's normal shadow clones, the wood clones didn't disappear when struck down, but left behind fragments of wood. That was where he had gotten this piece that was changing shape.
It was now a wooden spear as long as Naruto's arm. Naruto launched it like a lance at Baki, who also careened towards it. There was no way for him to dodge. Even if he did have control of his limbs, the combined force of two objects flying at one another simply didn't leave him time to react. The spear of wood hit him in the gut, piercing through his vest and most certainly puncturing flesh as well.
Yet Naruto wasn't done.
"Release!" Naruto held up two fingers, channeling chakra into the new jutsu. The spear of wood sprouted like a tree, branches of wood bursting out of Baki from the inside. Hunks of blood and shattered organs came out with it, draining Baki dry and no doubt killing him instantly. His body ragdolled, hitting the ground and bouncing several times before his twisted corpse rolled to their feet.
"Baki-sensei!" Kankuro and Temari attempted to call out for him, but their voices were too weak from having their chakra drained. Even if Shikamaru released his hold on them now, they were no longer capable of fighting or using any Jutsu.
Hinata barely registered this, still surprised herself by the brutal way in which their opponent had been killed. Not just anyone, but a trained Jonin of another village that had been trying to kill them in return. That was the truth of the Shinobi world. No matter how strong you were, sometimes a bad match-up was all it took.
Not only had Hinata's technique completely made Baki's own speciality useless, it also put him in the perfect position to be hit by Naruto's Jutsu. And even children such as them could be a deadly force.
A lesson Naruto also seemed to be coming to grips with. He too looked down at Baki's mangled corpse, his normally tan complexion somewhat pale. Hinata had no doubt that this was the first time he had ever practically used the Jutsu and hadn't been expecting… well, he hadn't been expecting it to be like this.
"Hey you two!" Genma called for them, having also dispatched the two Otonin that jumped him. "Huddle up, we need to strategize." He was already making his way inside the circle of clones that were protecting Shino and Shikamaru.
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. It seemed as if he hadn't even heard Genma's call. The moment she touched him seemed to be enough to shock him back to reality. He shook his head, before giving her a quavering smile.
"Right, let's go." He turned as he spoke, already moving to join the others. Hinata wordlessly followed him and within moments they were all huddled together. No other enemy Shinobi seemed to be targeting them at the moment, no doubt having their hands full up top. Shikamaru and Shino also released their Jutsu, letting Temari and Kankuro collapse unconscious next to their brother.
"Listen up." Genma started once they were all focused. "The exams are ending here. This is the real thing now." He paused and closed his eyes for a moment, seeming to compose himself. "Hinata." He said, voice strict.
"Y-Yes!" Hinata stood up straight, waiting for any instructions he might have. This was their first time really meeting each other, but he outranked all of them, so it went without saying it was his orders they were going to follow.
Yet it wasn't orders that he gave next.
"Your strength is already at Chunin level… maybe even beyond that." He praised her instead. "However, being a Chunin is about more than that. It's about being able to make decisions knowing that those decisions put your comrade's lives on the line. Now then… you're the one with the Byakugan and you know the strengths of weaknesses of your classmates better than I do. From your read of the situation, what's our next move?"
Hinata opened and closed her mouth. But no words came out. She was the one in charge. The decisions now were hers… yet she wasn't ready. In truth, Hinata hadn't really thought about what it meant to be promoted to Chunin. In the first place, she hadn't joined these exams because she desired a promotion. She was starting with a goal lower than that. What she had needed to do was change herself.
But… hadn't she succeeded in that?
Hinata thought about all that had happened since these exams started. She stood up to Neji, awakened a new power, reconciled with her father, became friends with Naruto, and defeated Gaara of the Sand in one-on-one combat. None of these things were something she would have been capable of without changing who she was fundamentally as a person. So then… in order to lead she just had to change herself further.
She looked around at those that were with her. Naruto smiled at her, believing in her as he always did. Just that alone was enough for her to probably draw the strength she needed, but that was just it; Naruto wasn't the only one that believed in her anymore. Shino nodded at her, ready to put his life in her hands. Shikamaru let out a long sigh, but shrugged. They had faced Gaara together once before, so he knew more than some what she had just been through. Finally, Genma smirked down at her. He wasn't giving her this position as a test, he already knew she could do it.
Hinata felt her confidence swell. Along with that, she finally found her courage. She inhaled deeply, letting out a long breath to clear her mind. Then she shifted her focus.
First, she had to understand the situation around them. The situation in the stands was obvious to everyone. While the spectators evacuated, the Konoha Shinobi fought to defend them. Yet what was happening beyond that? She couldn't see more than several kilometers in every direction, but just looking at the people even that far out told her that the panic hadn't spread very far yet.
If the village was being invaded through the outside too, that would be noticeable. So either the entire invasion force was here inside the village… or more likely the outside force wasn't yet aware the plan had started. Baki had said that someone jumped the gun, which meant preparations from the main invasion force probably weren't complete. So what they needed now was quick, decisive action.
If they beat this infiltration force, it would be much easier for them to then focus on the outside force, as she had to assume there was one. The question now was: How did they change the tide here? From what she could tell, Konoha's forces inside the stands were actually outnumbered, but not insignificantly. That was because they were facing two villages at the same time, while also having to escort the civilians to safety, further dwindling the number of active combatants.
The answer was simple.
"Naruto-kun." Hinata turned to him. Without words he nodded, his eyes telling her he was ready for whatever she needed him to do. "How many wood clones can you make?" She asked, but in truth she already had a rough idea. Just looking at his chakra reserves alone, and taking into account the number of clones he already made, it was no doubt several hundred at least.
"I'll make a thousand if you need me to." Yet Naruto's answer surpassed even her expectations. She thought for a minute he might be bluffing, but she knew him better than that. If he was saying he could make a thousand, she believed that was exactly how many he could make.
"Please, do that." Hinata confirmed. "Your clones do not need to land any decisive blows, but any distraction they can cause will help our forces be able to turn the tide of battle." In addition, Naruto was an easily recognizable existence. Everyone in Konoha knew about him, even if just by reputation as a prankster. That was why this would work. "Please also send them throughout the village. The battle doesn't look like it has spread that far yet, but we need to spread the news as efficiently as possible." The more people that knew about this, the more lives they could save.
"You got it." Naruto stood up, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders. "Give me a second to mold the chakra." He said, taking a stance and forming a seal.
"That reminds me." Genma noted dryly, glancing at the wood clones already standing around them. "We're gonna need to talk about this wood style of yours later. How did you even learn it?" It seemed he at least knew about the wood style in passing.
"Heh," Naruto scoffed just as his chakra flared. "Shinobi aren't supposed to reveal their secrets, y'know!" The very air around him swirled as chakra powerful enough to match Hinata's gates rolled off of him. "Taju Moku Bunshin no Jutsu!"
The entire arena was full of hundreds upon hundreds of clones in the blink of an eye. There were so many of them that they couldn't even all fit, some of them hanging off the walls and stacking on top of one another. The moment they had been created and they spread out. Many of them went out into the village, already shouting warnings as they went. Some of them scaled the walls, jumping into the fray to help their fellow Konoha Shinobi.
Both sides seemed to pause for a moment. However, it didn't last long as the Konoha Shinobi seemed to understand what was happening. Hinata could see it as their morale flared, affecting the natural energy around them. In contrast, the enemy Shinobi were confused, and suddenly found themselves on the back foot as they were pestered by the storm of orange.
Naruto had created too many clones, with too little displacement of chakra for them to be strong individually, but they didn't have to be. They served as the perfect distraction and being made of wood allowed them to tank several shots, not disappearing right away like their shadow clone counterparts would have. That was more than enough for the Konoha Shinobi to turn the tide of battle.
So far just as Hinata had hoped.
"I guess we might not even need to do anything." Shikamaru sighed in relief, plopping his butt on the ground to relax while Naruto sorted everything out. Genma glanced down at him, clearly in disapproval, but he also didn't say anything.
"I would like it if Shikamaru-kun and Genma-san would remain here with Gaara." Hinata mumbled quickly, hoping such a decision would sit well with both of them. "We know the enemy had planned to release the monster inside, so it's possible they will still try to retrieve him."
"In that case, I'll leave behind enough clones to keep an eye on them too." Naruto said, already waving at a nearby group within earshot. As things were, they probably wouldn't even need to do too much else. Naruto and his clones were far more reliable than even Hinata had predicted.
Except there was still one other thing.
"What about us?" Shino asked, stepping next to Hinata so they could talk over the ruckus of the clones. He hadn't missed the fact that she hadn't assigned either of them a task yet.
"That is…" Hinata looked straight up, all the way to the top. The others followed her gaze and even without the Byakugan they could barely see it. There was a giant black barrier placed on the roof of the stadium. Even if they could see it, they had no idea what it was or what was inside. To Hinata it was all too visible.
"The Kazekage took Hokage-sama hostage." She informed them, immediately earning a grunt of surprise from Genma.
"What are the Anbu doing, dammit!?" He cursed, flicking his toothpick upwards. To that question Hinata could only shake her head.
"They're outside the barrier right now… but they do not seem to be doing anything more than observing." She mumbled, still trying to puzzle it out herself. "It looks like they don't know how to take down the barrier… but if I get up there, I think I can do it."
"You think?" Genma asked her. She knew immediately what he was really saying. Hinata was in charge. She couldn't afford to sound unsure of herself in times like this. Otherwise she risked losing the trust of her comrades and if that happened… a real mission would only end in disaster.
Despite the fact she was trying so hard to be confident, her insecurities still showed in her speech.
"I can take it down." Hinata amended. "The barrier has tenketsu points. If I strike them, it should… it will come down and the Anbu can assist Hokage-sama." She had never used her Nichiren Byakugan and the natural energy points for such a purpose, but she had no reason to believe the barrier would be any different than anything up until now.
"You want me to go with you?" Shino asked, his eyebrows rising above his sunglasses. It was obvious that he didn't see why she would choose him to assist her. After all, the only one that could see and strike these tenketsu was Hinata.
"On the way, we'll meet Kurenai-sensei and Kiba-kun." Hinata clarified. "Taking down the barrier is only step one of the plan, but after that we need to be ready to assist Hokage-sama with tracking in case the enemy tries to flee." That was the reason she gave out loud. In truth, she just wanted her team to be there with her. If only to help her feel at ease.
"Sounds like you've got it all figured out." Genma nodded at her, smiling as if full of pride.
"Hinata." The real Naruto called out to her one more time. She turned to him as he extended his fist. "Looks like we're not gonna get our big fight this time… but that doesn't mean I've forgotten about our promise. I'll beat Sasuke one day… and then let's have a match. You and me."
"Naruto-kun…" Hinata couldn't help but smile. Even with everything happening around them, he still found time for that. It really was one of the things she found so endearing about him. She bumped fists with him before turning back to Shino. "Let's go." She said.
The two of them set out at once, scaling the wall and making their way into the spectator seats without incident. The once full stadium was mostly abandoned. Aside from a few stragglers, hiding between the seats and too terrified to move, the only ones left were trained Shinobi. Not counting the dozens upon dozens of Naruto's clones.
With all the chaos, it was all too easy for Hinata and Shino to make their way towards the section where Kurenai and Kiba had been watching.
"Hinata! Shino!" Kurenai yelled upon spotting them. She quickly dealt with the last Sunanin near her and vaulted the empty seats to land in front of them. "What are you two doing up here?" She asked, sounding simultaneously angry at them for jumping into the fray, yet relieved to see them alright.
"We've got a mission." Hinata answered. She explained what was going on up above them and all the information she had gathered up until now. Kurenai listened, lips pursed in a thin line and eyes growing increasingly more concerned. Yet despite the obvious tension, she nodded in agreement when Hinata finished her explanations.
"If you're the only one that can break the barrier, then we have to go." Kurenai agreed. She stood up straight, turning over her shoulder and calling out. "Kiba! We're moving out."
"You got it!" Kiba came bounding over along with Akamaru, who had also transformed into a feral lookalike of his master. Traveling beside them were several of Naruto's clones, who had been catching him up on things. "Hinata! Nice fight down there." Kiba complimented as he saw her. With their team fully assembled, they all prepared to leave.
"Wait!" It was Neji that called out to them, making his way up from the stairs below. "I'll also come with you." His tone didn't leave any room for argument, and they didn't exactly have time for a debate. So Hinata nodded, the now group of five setting out for the rooftops.
"I heard everything." Neji said, following in line with Hinata while they moved. "It would seem you're the only one that can do anything." It was like he was condemning her again for being born special.
"I'm just doing what I can." Hinata replied, her voice more meek than she wanted it to be. In the end, she still couldn't shrug off herself completely.
"...I know." Neji's own reply was unexpectedly sullen. Several seconds of silence passed between them, the sounds of battle all around them even more deafening by comparison. "Listen, Hinata. I'm sorry about telling you to fight Gaara. It was unfair of me… even I can admit that much after watching your fight."
"Neji-nii-san…" Hinata mumbled, not sure what else to say. She hadn't expected an apology from him of all people, least of all right now. Nor did she feel she deserved it, after all she had already put him through.
"After everything is over, let's talk. Along with Hiashi-sama." Neji smiled at her. It was forced and strained, but he was at least giving it an effort. "I met with him briefly already. He's escaped the stadium along with Hanabi-sama, so you don't need to worry about them."
"...Thank you." Hinata was truly grateful for that information. She had lost them in the chaos and hadn't seen where they went. Yet she also didn't dare ask about them for fear of mixing her emotions and the mission. Knowing they were safe removed that little nagging doubt that had been eating at the back of her mind, all thanks to Neji.
Their conversation finished just as they reached the rooftop. Hinata strolled towards the three Anbu standing guard outside the barrier. Several of Naruto's clones were already here as well. As she approached, the middle Anbu turned to her and nodded.
"I've gotten the gist of the information from Naruto. You think you can break the barrier?" He didn't mince words, getting right to the point. Hinata simply nodded, not trusting her voice anymore. In truth, the Anbu had always made her nervous. Despite the fact she could see through their masks with the Byakugan.
"We have to warn you of the risk." The Anbu continued, nodding at the foot of the barrier. There were a couple burnt corpses. "That's what happened to our men that tried to charge in." He noted gravely, before gesturing to the corners. "Even if you manage to break it, the barrier is being maintained by four individuals. We have to assume all of them are above Jonin level in strength."
Hinata turned her attention now to the corners and the four Shinobi inside. To her surprise, they wore the markings of Otonin, rather than Suna. Yet she barely registered that before her eyes were drawn to something else. They each had a marking near their left shoulder blade. She couldn't tell what the marking was, but the energy it emitted… it was almost like it was natural energy, but it also wasn't. This was dark, and evil. It went against nature itself.
Unfortunately, she didn't have the time to worry about that right now, nor the information to do anything about it. Instead, she had to focus on the task at hand.
"There's one other thing…" The Anbu said, before he hesitated to continue. "The Kazekage was just a disguise. The one behind this invasion… is Orochimaru of the Sannin."
"What!?" Kurenai yelled in disbelief, but Hinata didn't understand much about the weight of what was just said. Certainly she had vaguely heard the title of Sannin thrown around before, but it wasn't something she knew enough about to properly feel the sense of dread appropriate considering her teacher's reaction.
However, one look at the figure inside the barrier was enough for her to get an understanding. The very chakra of the pale-skinned figure was sickening. This was a person that had no regard for balance and the natural order of things. The natural energy around him was terrified of his existence and Hinata felt her stomach churn just looking at its unusual flow.
Nevertheless, this was something only she could do.
"I understand." Hinata said, not confident she actually did. Even so, she walked forward anyway. Kurenai was by her side a moment later, a hand on her shoulder as they walked. The Anbu refused to let any of the others get closer than they already were. That was the danger Orochimaru posed all alone.
"Hinata," Kurenai whispered in her ear. "If this works, you're going to be in danger."
"But what happens if I don't do it?" Hinata asked, glancing up at her teacher. The truth was, she didn't like this anymore than anyone else did. She was scared, terrified of taking down the barrier separating her from… whatever that person on the other side was. Every single cell in her body was screaming at her to run. Even the natural energy around her was pointing in the other direction.
Ahead of her was only death.
"...Hinata." Kurenai stopped walking, turning her student to face her. Before Hinata could react she was enveloped in a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you." She whispered, before then pulling back. "You… you really have changed yourself."
"No… that's not exactly true." Hinata quickly shook her head, trying to refute such direct praise. "It's just these new eyes-"
"Those eyes aren't what gave you the courage to stand up to Neji." Kurenai cut her off. "They're not what's moving you forward right now. Every choice you make is because it's something you want. If it was only powerful eyes motivating you, then you wouldn't be so concerned about fixing the rift in your family. Or about helping everyone. Hinata, you've changed, but you're still kind. That's why I'm proud of you."
"Kurenai-sensei…" Hinata was once again left without words. This whole time she had been doubting it. Was this newfound confidence, this newfound strength, even truly hers? Deep down, didn't she know it was just Kali's power and she herself was only borrowing it. She was a cheap imitation. She hadn't wanted to admit that out loud, but it had been her fear.
Yet what Kurenai said just now blasted all those doubts away. Everything Hinata was doing right now, it was because it was what she wanted. These were her desires, not anyone else's. She was going to do this, because it was her own two feet carrying her forward.
"You've got this." Kurenai finished, pushing Hinata the last couple steps.
She now stood directly in front of the barrier. Everyone else was behind her, watching her back. That was why she had to stand tall. She couldn't allow them to see how nervous she was. Hinata sucked in a deep breath, turning her attention not behind her, but ahead.
The Hokage and Orochimaru had been talking between bouts, but the both of them had turned to regard her now. The Hokage appeared curious, but his mind was also elsewhere. The appearance of the one in front of him had thrown his inner balance into chaos. The Hokage, whom Hinata had only ever seen as the ultimate beacon of self-assurance, was on the verge of having a breakdown.
The one known as Orochimaru looked at her with pity. He saw her as nothing more than an insect, and not even worth his attention. That was why his gaze didn't linger, instead turning back to the Hokage and drawing a powerful sword. The material of the blade was special, Hinata could tell just by looking at it. It was like it was infused with the dark natural energy that permeated through the man himself and those seals on his subordinates.
As Orochimaru's gaze turned away from her, she also turned her attention to what had to be done. Studying the barrier and its tenketsu points, she realized disabling it wasn't going to be as easy as anything she had done before now. For starters, the points were constantly moving and just breaking one or two wasn't going to be enough to bring down the whole thing. She needed to strike the natural points of the barrier with a continuous barrage of attacks.
"I can do this…" Hinata whispered under her breath. She had never successfully performed the offensive version of this Jutsu. What's more, she was going to have to use it on a barrier with moving tenketsu. If she missed even a single strike, she was going to end up like the burnt corpses she had just walked past.
"I can do this." Hinata repeated. This time a little louder and with enough force to make herself feel it. "Hakke: Sixty-forty Palms." She stepped back, spreading her stance and raising her palms. She waited another half-second, watching the natural tenketsu move into position. Then she was off.
"Two palms!" Hinata yelled, striking at the barrier with two fingers extended. The natural tenketsu exploded and the barrier flickered, but it held. However, the action seemed to have gotten the attention of everyone on both sides.
The Anbu behind her jumped to their feet, drawing their weapons. The four Otonin maintaining the barrier shifted to look at her, otherwise unable to move. Kurenai smirked, watching as her student actually did it.
"Four palms!" The speed of Hinata's hands increased as she struck the barrier an additional few times. Once again the barrier flickered, this time catching the attention of both the Hokage and Orochimaru. Once more, that strange man's gaze was upon her, this time curious but not yet quite processing what was happening.
"Eight palms!" Hinata continued to speed up. Her hands were starting to become a blur. The faster she struck, the easier it felt like the Jutsu was becoming. She could clearly see the movement of the tenketsu now and knew where they would be by the time she was going to strike.
"Sixteen palms!" She shouted as the barrier began flashing more frequently, losing stability. Orochimaru just now seemed to realize what was happening, his attention shifting from the Hokage to her completely.
"Thirty-two palms!" It was too late to stop her now. Both sides were beginning to move. Orochimaru was charging at her, attempting to somehow put an end to her interference. Everyone behind her was running to intercept.
"Sixty-four palms!" Hinata finished the technique, striking the final tenketsu point. The entire barrier came crashing down, the black energy ripping apart like smoke being let out of a pot.
The moment the barrier fell and she lost her balance. Hinata staggered, stumbling on the tiles and unable to properly grab her footing. She fell to her knees, unable to recover in time. Her vision swam and stomach churned as if she was going to be sick.
The natural energy surrounding Orochimaru was so close now that it spun around her, confusing her senses. She had to stand. She had to get out of the way, do something. Yet she was completely helpless.
Orochimaru was on top of her, his snake-like eyes wide with rage. He screamed at her, but she couldn't decipher the words. Her eyes focused instead on the sword as it thrust at her. The next thing she knew and she was falling backwards.
There was the sound of metal tearing through flesh. Then came the blood.
It was only when Hinata tasted iron that her brain seemed to catch up with what had happened. She was covered in red, but she wasn't wounded. No, she had been shoved out of the way and someone else had taken her place.
That person stood in front of her now, sword sticking out of her back. A couple more inches and it would have struck Hinata too. Yet Hinata barely saw that. The only thing she saw was the smile on her teacher's face as she turned around to make sure she was okay, a waterfall of blood dribbling down her chin. It was at that moment reality resumed and Hinata let out a terrible scream.
"Kurenai-sensei!"