[Kukui Tanku]

Something was off. Like really off. 'Someone's watching us. I can feel it.' I looked around and stretched my senses. I couldn't let anyone get hurt or killed. Kokushibo coming for us had haunted me. He had snuck up on us the last time. He may be dead but who's to say that this time there wouldn't be someone stronger or someone who won't go down as easily? We got lucky last time. It won't happen again.

Choujuro began looking around as well, "Whats wrong, Kukui?"

Everyone else also began looking around, "Yeah whats wrong? Sense anything?" I didn't sense anything inside of my area. But the eerie feeling of being watched was still here. Call it a hunch but someone, or multiple people are after us.

"Not yet but I feel like we're being watched," My sensing area wasn't that large. I could sense every one of us now because we were relatively close. Close enough to where I could sense them all. Their chakra was very telling of how they felt. They were on edge as well.

Sanemi put a hands on the hilt of his swords, "Someone's probably coming then. Should we run?" Running was probably a very good idea right now. One that I wish I had myself because we had Tayuya with us. A child. One that barely knew how to mold chakra.

I nodded, "We should," I looked at Himiko who had her Ketseryugan activated already, "Be ready, Himiko. If this one isn't a Hozuki then we can kill him or her with a cut alone," Himiko's power was one of the most broken powers in this universe. Most opponents bled. All we needed was one tiny cut and then they were dead.

Himiko nodded and bared her teeth, "This time I'll be useful! Don't you worry!" She then looked at Tayuya, "If we tell you to run, please do it little Tayu-chan. We can't let you get hurt," I looked at Tayuya as well who shook her head.

"No! I can't leave any of you! If some jerk comes for us then I'll just have to show them some nightmares!" Oh yeah, Tayuya had a genjutsu now. After Jiraya left a few days ago we'd all been training. Tayuya had a real knack for genjutsu and managed to learn one. The Demonic Viewing Technique. A classic.

I stood closer to Tayuya, "Don't make me yeet you away from us if we fight," I forgot yeet wasn't a word in this world... oops... Everyone looked at me with a look that said 'What the fuck are you talking about.' Written on their faces.

Himiko raised an eyebrow, "Yeet?"

I shrugged, "New word I just made up. I meant I'd throw Tayuya away from us if need be," I internally sighed a sigh of relief. 'What a save, Kukui, What a save.' I had been extra careful to not use words from my world just so I wouldn't have to explain them away to anyone I met.

"Oh," Himiko then looked to Tayuya, "Yeah we'll yeet you if you try to fight. Your too precious to die," Damn right. Tayuya needed to be protected at all costs.

Sanemi nodded, "Yeah! We can't let you die, Your just a chibi child,"

'Uh guys," We all looked at Choujuro, "Shouldn't we be focusing on not dying to someone trying to hunt us?'' Oh yeah. We shouldn't really be focusing on the precious child right now. We yeet the child later. When we are about to enter a battle where we might die. 'Don't wanna think about that.'

I nodded, ''We should. But we just need to make sure Tayuya is prepared to be literally thrown away from the fight that's likely gonna happen.'' I shrugged, "Okay Tayuya, you ready?'' I looked at where Tayuya was... wait was? "Tayuya?" I looked around. I couldn't sense her chakra anymore.

"Wait!" Himiko pointed, "A note!" Himiko grabbed a note where Tayuya was, "Meet me at the Valley of Creation. IF YOU WANT YOUR BRAT BACK OF COURSE!" Himiko passed the note to me, "How the fuck didn't you sense anyone?" Wasn't the Valley of Creation the Rip off version of the Valley of the End? I remember talking about it one day. It was near here...

I read the note at well. There was a feint chakra signature on it... How didn't I sense it before? Was he too fast? "Him... How is that bastard alive?" I looked at everyone, "That bastard Hozuki from before is still alive somehow," The Valley of Creation was where we had to go too. 'How didn't he die? I shocked his fucking head.' This is my fault... I looked at Himiko directly, "No fucking idea how I didn't sense him but I sense his chakra here," Okay. We beat him once, we'll beat him again. 'Why... Why Tayuya and not me?' I gripped the note.

"That doesn't matter. We just need to get Tayuya back," Sanemi piped up, "Pity yourself later, Kukui. We thought he was dead too and at least you did something to keep him out of commission. This time we'll finish the job."

Everyone nodded and I threw the note away. Wordlessly, we all began to run to where we knew the Valley of Creation was.

[Quest; Kill Kokushibo Hozuki

Rewards: New perk, + 2 to all stats, + 0.5 chakra control]

[Tayuya]

"Listen here you little shit, stop squirming and I'll let you go eventually," The bad man said. Tayuya didn't know where the bad man wanted to take her or what he wanted to do with her but she knew it wasn't going to be good. Naturally, hating adult figures, Tayuya continues to try and break free of his grasp. The man sighed, "Fuck you too I guess,"

Tayuya squirmed and continued to thrash around, "Let me go Fucktard!" She was tempted to bite him but he didn't know what kind of germs he had on him. No way was she getting sick off of this shithead. He could have rabies.

The man smacks her head and Tayuya stopped moving, "Be glad I need you. That would have caved your head in otherwise. I wished I could have killed you too because you are annoying as fucking hell," The bad man was admittedly starting to scare Tayuya but she was a big girl. She couldn't be scared of a prick like him.

'This jerk is too strong for me to do anything too... What would Himi-chan do?' Tayuya wished her hands were free so she could make this guy piss himself with her genjutsu. 'This guy has to be the bad man they fought before so this means he's real tough...' She had heard a story from Kukui about the battle. 'If only I could use lightning, damnit.' She knew she'd be chided for using the words Himi-chan taught her later but she felt like using them. This situation was particularly stressful. She was being kidnapped by a man who could beat her... siblings? Parents? Friends? 'What the fuck are we even anyways... Siblings will do I guess.'

"Don't worry brat we're almost there." The bad man suddenly said. A twisted grin then popped up onto his disgusting face, "Then once your little bloodline supporting scum friends come, I can kill them and you!" The twisted look of glee on the man's face made the redhead feel sick to her stomach. She wanted to at least punch him in the face. The racist fuck deserved it.

An idea then came to Tayuya. Her body was stuck, wasn't it? But that didn't mean her head couldn't move. Turning her head, she realized she could bite into the man's abdomen. So, She did just that. Biting as hard as she could.

A yelp of pain came from the man and he let her go. He then looked at her as Tayuya began to run. Where? She didn't know. Just somewhere safe, "Get back you little shit! That hurt a lot!" Suddenly, Tayuya felt herself be knocked down. A foot was placed on her chest, keeping her there. She flailed around but it was no use.

The bad man sighed again and applied pressure to Tayuya's chest, making it hard to breathe, "Little shit. You little fucking shit. That hurt a lot." He glared back at the child, "I'm going to be nice since whilst your with them you are a child. Don't move, Cooperate with me and maybe. Just maybe I'll dump you off somewhere in Hako town. Maybe the orphanage if you're lucky instead of killing you,"

That made Tayuya spit in his face. He was going to kill the people she held dear. And probably her as well. She wouldn't listen to the fucker, "Fuck you, I won't take your pity,"

The man sighed again, "I hope my child isn't like you. I pity you actually. Taken by bloodline scum after being orphaned. Now you're here. Trust me there's nothing more I want in the world than kill you just to make those bloodline supporting scum feel an ounce of the pain I did when I saw the light in my best friend's eyes fade. But you are but a mere child. Not even a shinobi. So that's why I am pitying you." He crouched down and flicked Tayuya's forehead.

Tayuya stuck out her tongue and glared, "Kill me then you bastard. You want to so bad right? Well then do it. I don't want your pity," She said it once already, did she not? The fucker could take his pity and shove up where light doesn't shine.

The man facepalmed, "One thing I'll give you is that you're really good at pissing me off. It may be because I'm in a bad mood though," He shrugged, "Oh well. Must be a learned skill as your little friends piss me off as well."

He hummed for a second, "I think I'll just knock you out now," Wait what?

Before Tayuya could protest, she felt a chop on her neck and a cold black taking her sight.

[Kukui Tanku]

I sensed it. His chakra, "We're here," I looked around. I couldn't pinpoint it exactly but it was there. We were at the bootleg Valley of the end, Plenty of rivers for the bastard to use. I then looked at Himiko, Sanemi, and Choujuro, "This time we finish the bastard," Everyone nodded. I made the mistake of not shocking him until I was out of chakra. I wouldn't make that mistake again.

Himiko pulled out a knife, "Yeah! And this time we make sure he's dead!" I really hoped we wouldn't have to deal with this cunt for a third time. That'd really suck.

Suddenly we heard laughter, "You think you can beat me again?" We looked up and saw the man I currently despised sitting on a rock. He had an infuriatingly smug smile on his face. What was more infuriating however was seeing Tayuya tied up on the rock, "Oh you want her back? You'll die before you can get anywhere near her,"

Sanemi growled like he was a feral animal at the man, "Kidnapping is a new low even for you, you bastard!" I had to agree with my friend. This was just low. Kidnapping a child, one uninvolved with his anger was just not right. He had a problem with us. Not her.

I glared at Kokushibo, "I may have made the mistake of leaving you alive last time. But this time, we're all stronger. We can and will beat you," We were all far stronger. At least in my eyes, "By the way, its really untasteful to kidnap a child you failure of a man,"

Kokushibo rolled his eyes, "You beat me because I was cocky and filled with anger. Now I have a strategy," He then cycled through a very familiar set of hand seals, "Water style: Water dragon jutsu!" He spat out a massive wave of water which formed into a dragon, " Mainly it involved luring you here!"

The dragon roared and began coming toward us.

I cursed, "DISPERSE!" We all jumped to the side as the dragon hit the floor, dispersing inter a giant puddle of water. I looked at where Kokushibo once was and he was gone. 'Shit.' I grabbed my swords and sensed chakra in my vicinity, I blocked a strike from Kokushibo and glared at the man who seemed surprised by my initial block. Quickly I shifted to the side and tried to strike the man's side with my second sword. Kokushibo flinched back.

I saw a strike of wind his the man's back but went through it. I quickly jumped out of the way before I got a wind slash to the chest. Kokushibo then did a single hand-seal, "Water clone jutsu," Three water clones rose out of the puddle beside me. All four Kokushibo rushed toward me.

A knife pierced one of their heads and a few dozen water bullets rushed toward Kokushibo. Himiko ran through the water clone she just killed and jumped at Kokushibo. The other two clones were rushing at me. I went through a set of hand seals myself and created three lightning shuriken and threw them at the clones. One ducked but the other was electrocuted.

Meanwhile, Himiko parried a hit from Kokushibo as Sanemi and Choujuro shot dozens of ice bullets at the latter. Kokushibo dodged and called for the other clone who quickly came to its original's aid, I rushed at both of them The original swapped places with its clone and went through a set of hand seals. I also began cycling through a set of hand seals.

I finished mine first and grabbed my swords, "Lightning style; Electromagnetic murder!" I sent two blasts of lightning at the man through my swords and continued to rush at him, activating running for the extra speed boost.

He finished his set of seals and grinned, "Water style: Wild water wave!" Kokushiob spat out what seemed to be a waterfall at me. It hit me square on and sent me into a rock. I felt a stabbing pain in my ribs but quickly dodged a sword slash to the eyes, then I jumped out of the way of another attack as Choujuro jumped in and blocked it.

'Fuck that hurt... Thank god I have a high pain tolerance.' This was nothing to tuberculosis! I threw three shuriken at Kokushibo who used wire to grab them and fling them out of the way and at Himiko who dodged the shuriken and made three water clones, All of which rushed Kokushibo along with Himiko. Kokushibo ducked under a strike from each of the clones and let one pass over him which hit Choujuro's blade. Sanemi rushed at the three and Kokushibo jumped into the air and went through a hand seal and spat a wave of water at the ground, Most of the splashback, hitting Sanemi away. I saw the boy hiss in pain. Yep he broke something.

I deactivated running and used Electromagnetic Murder again to which Kokushibo dodged and threw a kunai at me. Quickly I moved out of the way but felt it graise my arm. Suddenly I saw a log swinging toward me and I jumped out of the way, dodging another log. 'Traps. That devious cunt.' I looked at everyone else who redispersed, "Be careful! He placed traps!" Originally I wanted to just go free Tayuya so she could run away. But that was off the table now.

Kokushibo laughed, ''I SAID I WAS READY THIS TIME!" He then went through a set of hand seals, "Water chains!" A set of water chains rushed at the closest person to them, Choujuro.

"Guys, I need a bit of help here!" He tried to cut the water chains but they just kept reforming. Sanemi slashed the air once more and sent a wind slash at the chains, which severed it. Kokushibo then kicked Choujuro in the face before he could take advantage of the potential for escape. Kokushibo then stomped on Choujuro's

Kokushibo raised his sword into the air, "Time to die brat one!"

'Shit.' I activated running again. As Kokushibo lowered his sword, Himiko blocked the strike with a knife and tabbed one not Kokushibo's leg. And it pierced. "Yes!" I reached the two and swung my sword at Kokushibo's face to which he turned it into water and the blade went through.

Kokushibo kicked me in the ribs with his good leg, "Fuck that hurt," He pulled the knife out of his leg and kicked Himiko away who had grabbed onto Choujuro, together they both hit a rock which looked painful, "This is going to only be a minor setback," He grimaced despite what he just said as blood seeped out of the wound. He pointed his sword at Himiko and CHoujuro as I ran toward the two to try and recover them, "Water spear jutsu,"

I quickly created a lightning clone which took the brunt of the impact and I looked around and saw a log swinging toward us, I felt us getting pulled away and a log replaced us. I looked at Himiko who grinned, "Thanks. Where's Sanemi?"

I shrugged, "I don't know, I can't sense his chakra. Could you take care of Choujuro?" He looked injured and he took the brunt of the rock impact. This felt a bit like Deja Vu to be honest.

Himiko nodded, 'I'll get him back into the fight in no time!" Kokushibo wouldn't let us talk. So he was planning something. I looked and saw him going through a few familiar hand seals once again. '

'That has to be his favorite jutsu.' I grinned, "Good, Now I'll cut this dragon and this guy's stupid face off. Lightning clone jutsu!" I created three lightning clones as they proved vital to my plans last time. 'If Sanemi could show up that'd be nice.' Himiko nodded and I began to rush Kokushibo and his water dragon with my clones.

Kokushibo simply just laughed, "You think your pathetic clones will help you?" Two of my clones jumped in the way of the dragon and knocked it off its path, making it hit a rock, "Okay they did but that won't affect the outcome of this fight!" I almost laughed there.

Suddenly a slash of wind came, Hitting Kokushibo in the back and making him yelp in surprise, "NEVER FEAR, THE CALVERY IS HERE!" I saw Sanemi, with Tayuya on his shoulders... I'm going to kill him when we're done killing this bastard for not taking the literal child to safety.

Kokushibo growled, "Okay you're really starting to piss me off," He looked at me, "I'll kill you first and then the brat that sliced me!" He rushed toward me with his sword unsheathed. One moment he was there, the next he was in front of me. I leaned back as far as I could but I felt something slice my forehead. Blood seeped into my vision and I cursed.

'Shunshin.' I jumped back. I stood still for far too long. 'His chakra is coming.' I couldn't see anything. But I can sense him. I ducked and felt air go over my head. I kicked and felt the kick connect, "Need a little help here! Fighting blind isn't fun." I never wanted to lose my eyes. Nope, not for me.

"On it!" I heard the shout of Tayuya and then a clang of swords. I quickly rubbed the blood out of my eyes and saw Sanemi blocking hits from Kokushibo. I also noticed I was pretty bloody looking right now.

'This is gonna suck to get out for sure.' I rushed toward the fight and created three more lightning clones, sending one away. It'd know what to do. These were likely the last lightning clones I could make at the moment as I felt my reserves begin to run dry. 'Alright let's go for lightning clones two, electric boogaloo.' Me and my clones quickly jumped over a log trap that would have probably caved my chest in and rushed toward Kokushibo who kicked Sanemi away and turned around to us.

"That trick won't work again," The man put on a sick grin, "Not even three clones this time? Weakling," I raised my sword for a downward slash as my clones began to try and suicide. Kokushibo weaved out of the way of all my attacks and quickly put his hand into a finger gun shape.

"Water style: Water gun jutsu!" Water bullets then begun shooting from his hands. I saw Sanemi and my clone rushing Kokushibo and I grinned. I tried to dodge as many water bullets as I could manage. I felt immense pain in my arm and noticed a hole in it. I then sensed that a water bullet was on a trajectory for my head. And I wouldn't have enough time to dodge.

'Fuck.' Before I met a gruesome death via water bullet to the brain, A chain grabbed me and pulled me out of the way. I was over near a rock with Himiko and Choujuro who was still out of it, "Thanks for the save, "The chains dispersed and a bit of the blood on me began to move around. I looked at where Kokushibo was, he was beginning to rush us with Sanemi close behind.

Himiko grinned, "No problem. And since all of this blood is out of you're body, mind if I use it?" I shook my head and Himiko grinned and the blood formed into a senbon, "Thanks!" She then glared at Kokushibo whom was dodging wind slashes, "He's getting slower. If I can hit him with my senbon I can paralyze him and then you can kill him,"

I nodded, ''Sounds good to me," I began running back at Kokushibo. 'I'll kill you this time!' I saw a senbon fly past my head. 'Perfect.' Kokushibo saw it too and he tried to bat it away with his sword, I parried the attack and the senbon maneuvered around Kokushibo.

He reached around him and tried to grab the senbon. I saw a wind slash fly at his hand as he successfully grabbed it. His hand turned to water and suddenly he locked up. I also locked up and looked down. 'Kunai to the fucking stomach... I don't feel so good.' Ignoring the fact I was likely not in for a fun time and I wasn't having one now either with more blood pouring out of me, I realized I didn't have enough chakra to use a lightning attack.

I pinned Kokushibo to the ground and looked at Sanemi and Tayuya, ''Could you cover her eyes and get me a rock?" The look of Horror on Kokushibo's face as he realized what I was going to do made me feel bad. Although that might just be the blood loss speaking.

Sanemi nodded, ''We need to patch you up, you sure I can't do this instead?" I was happy that the blood was covering most of my injuries. I grabbed four Kunai and pierced Kokushibo's arms and legs, pinning him to the ground.

I shook my head. 'God bloodloss feel's terrible. Maybe I could cauterize it with lightning?' That was a problem for future me as I pulled out the kunai in my stomach and pierced Kokushibo's. I was also handed a rock, "Thanks. I'll do this and then I'll get medical attention," I needed to make sure the bastard was dead this time.

I looked at Kokushibo who was glaring at me. There was also something else. Fear. He was afraid of me. A mere child. I looked at Himiko and Sanemi in succession, "You two should close your eyes," This was going to be brutal.

Himiko shook her head, "No I wanna watch to make sure he's dead!" It kinda made sense with her being a Chinoike and all and probably having an obsession with gore... I wasn't gonna ask.

Sanemi looked away, "I don't wanna watch,"

I nodded and looked at Kokushibo and took a deep breath, "I'd ask you if you had any last words but to be honest. I can't find it in me to care," I raised the rock high into the sky. I could have pierced his skull with my sword but this was a surefire way to ensure he was dead. 'This is it I suppose.' With that last thought I lowered the rock as fast and hard as I could, smashing it into the mans face. I repeated the action several times.

I looked at the disfigured man. His skull was fragmented and his brain was mush. A pretty dark red color showed itself as the mushy brain began leaving the base of the skull and spilling onto the ground. His eyes were nowhere to be found... it was almost fascinating in a way, seeing a dead body up close. A fresh one that is. 'He deserved it... he was trying to kill us.'

[Quest complete: Kill Kokushibo Hozuki

Rewards: + 2 to all stats, New perk unlocked; Survivor, when facing opponents that are vastly superior to oneself, power increases by 5%, Chakra control went up to C+]

I felt a tear drip down my face. 'Its over.' I then was brought back to reality by a stabbing pain in my stomach. 'Oh yeah, I was stabbed. I need to get patched up quickly don't I?'

"Hey!" I turned around and saw someone I hadn't seen in literal months. Ito Kaguya... And she was with Kushimaru Kuriarare.

The man's presence was enough to send every little survival instinct off. Before I could run and grab my friends, I felt darkness overtake me.

[Ito Kaguya]

They were almost there. They had just killed an anbu that was tailing them and they were so close. 'Hopefully their okay,' Ito and Kushimaru managed to get some info out of the anbu, which told them that he was following a hunter-nin hopeful who was on a mission to kill four brats. He was going to intervene soon but he slept in and he was heading to where he knew the man was. The Valley of Creation.

Ito was excited. It had been a long few weeks, tracking down her (hopefully) new allies. She was excited to see how strong they all were. How much potential they all had now! It was going to be great. They were going to be there soon and hopefully not see a bunch of bodies.

Before long Ito could smell blood. lots of blood, "Kushimaru-Sensei?"

The masked man looked to Ito, "Smells like ocean water mixed with Copper... A Hozuki," That could or Couldn't be good. Ito didn't know which it would be, "Lets go faster," Ito nodded and she and Kushimaru picked up the pace. They couldn't let their efforts go to waste!

When they reached the opening that led into the Valley, Ito saw blood. Lots of it too. There was one thing that stood out to her. 'Holy hell he did it!' Ito saw the person that pretty much started it all. Kukui Tanku. He was sitting ontop of a man with a rock in one of his hands. The man's head was... not in the best of conditions. Kukui didn't look good either. Ito looked around and saw four other people. One knocked out, one with... Ketseryugan?(Oh god that was fantastic! The pleased noises from Kushimaru suggested he thought the same) One who was holding a child close, And said child. The child and the silverette looked okay. The other three looked like shit though.

Ito grinned. They had survived though! "Hey!" She waved and saw the bloody boy look at her. That let her take a better look at him. His forehead was slashed with blood seeping out of it, There was a hole in his arm, his chest looked lumpy, and his stomach looked deep red. A sign of it being stabbed.

Before the boy could get up he suddenly blacked out.

Suddenly the blond with the Ketseryugan rush toward Kukui and between her and him. Ito raised her hands, "We're friendly," To prove that they were, Ito used her Kekkei Genkai. and had a bone poke out of her arm. It was then the girl backed down.

Now they needed to patch everyone up.

[Chapter end]

This chapter is over five thousand words long. Fuck man its been a while since I've made something that long. I'm not gonna lie to you all, I was originally gonna put a full Ito POV at the end of the chapter and then after that no pov from Ito but I decided to do a small one. Anyways, holy shit it feels good to be back. I kinda took a break from writing this fic for a while since I really wasn't looking forward to this chapter. Fight scenes are the bane of my life lol. This chapter literally took over a day to write because of that. Also part of the reason why I don't want to make this longer.

Anyways, life has been a bit hectic. I'm planning on buying a new computer soon. Its a piece of shit but it'll get the job done. Also I've kinda been trying to make more ideas. Creative ones... I've mostly failed though lol. And most of them are for a different fandom. Anyways, I'm trying to write more and do more. I want to hopefully have two fics I consistently write for weekly.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a review if you liked the chapter! I feed off of reviews!

Also for the guy who mentioned why is Kukui's chakra control still a C(on FFN), Well let me explain it. In my fic the teirs of chakra control are; E) None D) Leaf concentration C) Water walking and tree walking B) Full elemental affinity mastery and ability to use medical jutsu A) Second elemental affinity and or the ability to use medical jutsu efficiently S) Three Elements and or Mastery of medical jutsu. Anything in between those like B+ for example is either from a quest reward, person gets better at one of the requirements for the next stage, or you have met half the conditions of the next level. Hopefully that answered your question!

Edited to add: So I'm working on a new story. Well not new but a spiritual successor to an old one. Unlike all my last fics its at chapter five already. So expect that to comeout sometime soon if you wanna torture yourself with my writing some more. Also uploading every seven days now to get more of a chapter stockpile built up again.