A/N: Special thanks to Midnight Lost for his contributions. Reviews, Feedback, and constructive criticism are always welcome.
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Notice: Chapter Eleven Public Release Date: June 5th
In loving memory of Stan Lee. Thank you for the creation of many favorite heroes and stories. Excelsior!
Chapter Ten: The Darkness within Konoha.
In the Hokage's office, Tsunade could be seen cackling to herself gleefully as she found herself enjoying her new abilities immensely. She had gained a whole new level of balance and agility that she hadn't previously been capable of as she was currently balancing herself on the tip of her pinky finger in an upside-down position.
There were a few draw-backs though, such as her enhanced strength. Even before the bite, she was very well known for her herculean levels of strength, which had now shot through the roof post-bite. It took a while to get used to her new level of power… and a LOT of broken pens as she had to learn to control her newfound strength, fortunately she had gotten around the learning curve after a short while since she had already gone through strength control training back during her days as the Sandaime's student.
It was often said by people that she had the capability of splitting a mountain right down the middle with just a click of her heels, now she couldn't help but wonder just how strong her Chakra Enhanced blows would be capable of now due to her enhanced abilities. She was also kind of looking forward to seeing Naruto's reaction to her new status as well. Speaking of which, he should be due almost any time now for their next counseling session.
There was also another matter of some concern. Most of, if not all of the villages and their Kages always worried over potential threats from outside their respective homes, that they never think to look for inside threats just as well. After her previous encounter with Danzo and the Elders, and that strange sense of danger she felt from the grizzled Warhawk… well, she couldn't help but wonder exactly what manner of a threat he posed and why those old vultures were so interested in learning about Naruto's status. Especially since she knew for a fact that the whiskered teen had never even interacted with the Elders.
There was a knock at her door followed by the voice of her ever-faithful and loyal student and companion Shizune who called out "Tsunade-sama? It's me."
"Come in." The Slug Sannin responded as she ceased her balancing act and planted herself in her chair as her aide entered inside carrying a set of files in her arms. The blackette cleared her throat and then stated in an apologetic tone "Sorry for the wait! I had to do a little digging to find the files you requested."
The Godaime waved off her assistant's apology in a casual manner as she replied "Don't worry about it. Let's see what we've got." The Sannin accepted the files from her aide and placed them across her desk with the files in question being marked 'Koharu Utatane', 'Homura Mitokado', and finally 'Danzo Shimura'.
She looked over the files of the first two, though didn't really find anything substantial or that she didn't already know. Both Homura and Koharu were on the same team as her late Sensei and were under the tutelage of her Grand-Uncle the Nidaime Hokage. They both participated in the First Shinobi war, and afterwards led a rather unremarkable set of careers as they faded into the background and assumed roles as advisors to their teammate. It seems they only gained their positions through political clout and personal connections, most obviously to the Sandaime himself.
She then began to read over Danzo's file and saw a picture of him in his younger days, huh, to think that old Warhawk used to be handsome, though in her opinion, not nearly as good looking as Naruto himself. Moving on, she began reading through the file and mostly found information that she was already aware of. Her Sensei and Danzo had been rivals for many years, both in the Shinobi and Political realms.
Danzo was a participant in at least one of the Shinobi Wars, then faded into the background as the other Elders had, and like them assumed a role as advisor. However, there was something else here. She had long assumed that the old Warhawk had formed Root himself, but it seems that the late Sandaime had given his old rival authority to do so in the first place.
Even in spite of persistent rumors of kidnapping and indoctrinating children to add to Root's forces, her sensei turned a blind eye to it. It wasn't until AFTER the Uchiha Massacre that Root was disbanded by her late teacher. How very suspicious. She was kind of curious as to why the old Warhawk hadn't gotten his records redacted, perhaps he didn't view this information as detrimental to him, perhaps he feared that trying to erase this would make him more suspicious. It didn't matter, she had to pursue this no matter the cost.
Especially since it was also mentioned that both Orochimaru and Danzo had conducted business together in the past. Very suspicious indeed. Seems like there was a potential smoking gun in here.
There was another knock at her office door, making the Godaime close the files and quickly yet neatly tuck them away in a drawer in her desk then gave a quick nod to her assistant as this visitor was someone she was expecting.
"Enter." The Sannin spoke as she laced her fingers together, leaning forward slightly as the door opened, revealing the form of Sakura Haruno, answering her Summons that she had sent out earlier.
"Good afternoon Tsunade-sama, you sent for me?" The pinkette asked in a polite tone, she then glanced towards her teacher's wastebasket and noticed that it was filled to the brim with broken pens to the point that it was almost overflowing. That didn't seem like a good sign at all.
"I did." Was all the Godaime said as she looked her student up and down, reading the Pink haired girl's body language.
"Erm… What is this about? I didn't miss a training session or something, did I? I swear that I check my schedule frequently. Also… there is something a little different about you. Your skin looks more healthy now." The Haruno spoke with a nervous chuckle, her words being both a genuine compliment and an attempt to placate her teacher.
The Godaime smirked while feeling a certain sense of pride and a little vanity for both her appearance and newly acquired youth. The Slug user then cleared her throat as she then asked in a professional tone "The reason why I have called you here is because I have a question for you. Have you spoken to any of the following individuals? Koharu Utatane, Homura Mitokado, or Danzo Shimura?"
The pinkette's whole demeanor instantly became one of confusion as she asked in reply "I'm sorry? Who are those people?"
Huh. That wasn't a reaction that neither the Godaime nor her aide had expected. It seemed as if Sakura was completely clueless, or was she seriously playing dumb? She had to be sure. "They're all members of the Elder Council." Tsunade stated bluntly as quirked up an eyebrow.
"We have an Elder Council? Since when?" Sakura asked, her tone was still that of confusion. Did the Haruno seriously not know or was she pulling her leg?
Both the Hokage and her aide exchanged glances with the latter answering in a somewhat hesitant tone "Since they were originally appointed by the Sandaime?"
"Is this some kind of weird trick question? What purpose does this Elder Council serve?" The Pinkette asked, causing the Slug Sannin to pinch her nose while trying to suppress a snort of amusement since she had been wondering that very same thing.
The Shinobi Council, headed by the various clan heads, maintained peace, order, and security in the village while also representing the interests of their respective clans. The Civilian Council mainly dealt with things such as trade, commerce, and when need be, helping supply materials for the Shinobi who protect them during times of war.
The Elder Council? Aside from their roles as advisors, they don't have any real or practical purpose. Perhaps it was time to do away with the old fossils and appoint her own advisors. Most preferably the sort of people that wouldn't suck up to her, tell her what she wants to hear, or push their own agenda.
Tsunade then cleared her throat and responded in a sickly sweet tone "Never mind. I also wanted to ask you about an incident that a little bird informed me of. Something about an altercation between you and Naruto?" She asked at the end since the pinkette didn't need to know that she had actually been there in person and was spying on the Uzumaki's date.
"What? Who told you that?! Did your 'bird' also tell you that Naruto-Baka threatened to tear my face off after I caught him with that tramp he was with? Why was he even in the village anyway? Isn't he supposed to be training with that pervy old creep?" The Haruno fired back with her own questions, earning a frown from the Godaime.
"I got the information from a reliable source, and given your repeated history of physical violence against Naruto, I'd say he was perfectly justified in finally putting his foot down. The rest isn't any of your business. What I want to know is this: Did you tell ANYONE about what transpired that night?" The Godaime asked in a deadly serious tone, the kind of which that could very easily be interpreted as 'Answer me or else!'
In response, the Pinkette's eyes flicked away as she quickly shook her head in denial. This did not satisfy the Godaime in the slightest since it was easy for her to tell that her pink haired student was obviously lying. With almost inhuman swiftness, the Sannin quickly grabbed the Haruno by the arm and immediately pulled her towards the desk, forcing the Pinkette's hand down onto the top of the desk.
"What are you doing?! Let go! You're hurting me!" Sakura yelped out as she tried to free herself from her teacher, but it proved futile as the Sannin had her in a vice-like grip that refused to budge, and the pink haired girl found herself unable to find any leverage to loosen the Slug Summoner's grip.
"Sakura Haruno. Do you know who I am?" The Sannin questioned coldly, which made the Haruno stiffen up as she felt as if her blood had changed to ice water.
"Tsunade Senju? The Slug Sannin?" The pinkette squeaked out in terror, feeling herself almost shrink down until she was but an inch tall beneath her sensei's steely gaze.
"True, but don't forget, I am also the Godaime Hokage. Lying to me or withholding information from me is a crime, did you know that? Now, let me make this perfectly clear for you. You are going to answer my questions, and you are going to answer honestly. If you refuse to give me what I want or lie to me again, I will start severing your fingers until you tell me what I want to know." The Senju woman spoke with a snarl, holding her free hand expectantly towards her aide who immediately planted a razor sharp kunai into her open palm.
Sakura gulped as the Kunai seemed to glint in the light, almost as if it were taunting her as the Hokage brought it towards the Pinkette's trapped hand. "Put out your fingers unless you want me to take the entire hand." The Godaime demanded, with the pinkette immediately complying as she spread her fingers out.
"Let's try this again. Did you tell ANYONE about what happened that night with Naruto?" Tsunade asked sternly, her tone not allowing for any deception this time as she brought the Kunai over to Sakura's pinky finger, threatening to cut it off if she tried to lie again.
"I told my dad! He saw the marks on my face from when Naruto grabbed me and asked me what happened!" The Haruno girl answered as tears welled up in her eyes due to how scared she was. While Tsunade was known to have a temper, this was perhaps the first time she had ever truly experienced The Slug user's actual wrath.
The Godaime gave a satisfied nod before asking "What exactly did you tell him?"
"I told him that Naruto-Baka was on a date with some weird girl! When I tried to give him a piece of my mind, he grabbed me and almost tore my face off! He also said that he would kill Sasuke-kun!" Sakura answered, earning yet another nod from the Senju woman.
"You only told your father? Nobody else?" Tsunade asked for the sake of confirmation with the pinkette quickly responding with a quick 'No one else!'
Hmm. That was interesting. Kizashi Haruno was not a man that she was very familiar with, only that he and his wife once served in the Shinobi corps at one point of time. For reasons unknown, they left the corps and went to a Civilian lifestyle. Kizashi is now the Head of the Civilian Council quite ironically, having gotten into the banking and loaning business after turning in his Shinobi Headband. Was he perhaps involved with the Elders? If so, then why? What did he have to gain by teaming up with a group of decrepit and washed up old Ninjas?
Tsunade hummed thoughtfully and released the Haruno from her grip, then nodded to her aide. Shizune nodded in return and poured some form of liquid onto a rag in her hand and then quickly pressed it against Sakura's face. The pinkette struggled for a few moments before she went limp in the black haired woman's arms.
The Godaime smirked since being Hokage did have some perks, like having unrestricted access to certain resources. In this case, a drug used by the Torture and Interrogation Division that can be used to put inmates to sleep while also setting back their memories by approximately twelve hours. Very useful for information gathering. Soon enough, Sakura would be planted back in her own bed and it would be as if nothing ever happened. As far as she would be concerned, what had just transpired would be nothing but a bad dream.
Now she had a potential lead to pursue. So then, how does a retired Shinobi turned banker, a practically useless group of old Shinobi, and their apparent interest in Naruto's development all fit together? Definitely strange to say the least.
"I wonder just how many skeletons the old bags have hidden away in their closets?" The Godaime mused to herself as she leaned back in her chair.
"Should we dispatch the Anbu to investigate this?" The black haired woman asked since if there was indeed corruption going on within the village, then it could only lead to trouble.
"Maybe… but I would prefer to keep this 'in house' as much as possible. Less risk of leaks that way. I'll be looking into this matter personally." The Slug Sannin muttered as she cracked her knuckles, it had been some time since she had done any real field-work. It was as good a time as any to get back into the game and shake the rust and dust off.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Shizune asked out of concern for her teacher, with the Senju woman frowning slightly before giving a decisive nod.
"I believe that it is. These people have been holding onto power that isn't rightfully theirs for Kami knows how long. I will not allow them to undermine me, my village, or Naruto. If it weren't for that crazy-ass brat, I would have continued on as an aimless, wandering, and useless drunkard. It's thanks to him that he restored my faith, my confidence, and snapped me out of my own fears and trauma. I owe him and I have to protect him!" Tsunade stated as she clenched her fists with a determined expression.
The Sannin's loyal apprentice blinked her eyes a few times before smiling warmly as she then stated "You really care for Naruto-kun, huh?"
The Slug user sighed as she ran a hand through her hair as she blushed a bit, which was all the answer that the black haired woman needed. She honestly wished that her teacher could find happiness and someone to love her again. While it was kind of a shame that Naruto had already been taken, she knew that Tsunade didn't hold a grudge against the Uzumaki's girlfriend. Even so, it wouldn't stop her teacher from caring for Naruto or protecting him from harm.
There was a knock at the office door once again, making both Tsunade and Shizune raise their eyebrows since they weren't expecting anyone else for today. The Godaime made a shooing gesture towards her aide, making the blackette nod and escape out the window with the unconscious form of Sakura.
"Unless your name is Naruto Uzumaki, then go away! I'm not taking any more visitors!" The Slug Sannin yelled out in mild annoyance. Some people just didn't understand the meaning of 'appointment only' for some reason.
"This a bad time?" Called out a voice that the Slug Sannin was becoming increasingly familiar with lately, prompting the Godaime to give a little smirk and reply "No. Come in."
The door then opened to reveal the form of one Anko Mitarashi, one of the major leading figures in the Torture and Interrogation department, and also former apprentice to Orochimaru as well as one of his many victims.
"Welcome back Anko-San. How goes the hunt for that old pedophile?" Tsunade questioned as she crossed her arms beneath her bust, hoping to hear some good news. Ever since the Oto/Suna invasion, the Snake Mistress had been hard at work trying to uncover her traitorous teacher's hideaways in order to find him and bring him to justice.
"Found what looked like an old laboratory or outpost in Kusa, but it looked like it hadn't been used in years. Did another sweep in the land of Rice Paddies where Oto was built, but still no trace of Orochimaru or his lapdogs. I'm gonna keep on trying though. I heard that Jiraiya finally got castrated. About fucking time if you asked me. Can't tell you the number of times he's tried to get into my pants." The Dango Lover stated, feeling very giddy at the thought of the old pervert finally getting his just desserts.
"Ah. Nadeshiko has been offering me a very generous amount of money in exchange for his genitals. I have been keeping them in a jar. Now then, is there anything else of importance?" The Slug Sannin questioned, while she didn't mind shooting the breeze with the Snake Mistress, she did have some very important things to take care of.
"Honestly speaking? I've… been having nightmares lately. Can't seem to sleep much either." Anko stated, her tone becoming much more soft and vulnerable as she rubbed at the nape of her neck, more specifically where her Curse Mark was located.
"About your Curse Mark and Orochimaru?" Tsunade asked, taking an educated guess, which was quickly proven to be correct as the purple haired woman nodded.
"Yeah. Not many Curse Mark users are left now, especially after the Sasuke Retrieval mission. Haven't heard anything about Pedomaru marking any fresh victims either. If my math is right and if he takes over Sasuke's body… then how long will I have left? I keep dreaming that I am being… absorbed or something. I'm drifting away and everything that is me is just… gone. And all that is left is Orochimaru, wearing my body as his newest meat suit." The Snake Mistress spoke as her body began to pale at the thought.
Losing all sense of self and being overtaken and absorbed by Orochimaru's essence? That was one of the worst fates that she could imagine. The Godaime gave a sympathetic expression as she nodded in understanding and spoke in a gentle voice "I wish there was something I could do. Unfortunately, as you are already aware, there is currently no known method to remove the Curse Mark."
The Snake Mistress rubbed the back of her head as she replied "Yeah, I know. Nobody can remove it and suppressing seals can only do so much, but lately, I have been thinking. We don't really need to remove the Curse Mark itself, do we? All we really need to do is remove the piece of Orochimaru's soul that is tucked away inside of the Mark."
Huh. That was an interesting idea. Technically speaking, the most dangerous aspect of the Mark, aside from its potentially addictive properties was of course the Rogue Sannin's very essence that was sealed within the Mark as well. If that were somehow purged, then not only would the Mark be much safer, the Parasitic Sannin himself would be all the more vulnerable.
For many years, Orochimaru had managed to evade the hands of Death itself on account of his slippery nature and his attempts at achieving immortality. If his cheap attempts at becoming immortal could be neutralized, then perhaps they could finally put him in the ground, permanently this time.
"Intriguing. I definitely like that idea. Now if only there was a way to remove the soul piece. The only technique I know of that might be able to do the job would involve summoning the Shinigami, but unless there is a volunteer to do the deed then…" Tsunade spoke and then fell silent as a familiar chord was struck from her very own memories.
"Tsunade-sama? You look like you might have an idea." Anko pointed out with a raised eyebrow, her expression becoming more hopeful at the thought of finally being free of Orochimaru's influence at long last.
"Maybe…" The Senju woman muttered as she opened the Hokage Office safe and retrieved The Forbidden Scroll. She unfurled it on her desk and began perusing through the various entries. She remembered that the Reaper Death Seal was in here somewhere, but what she was truly looking for was another entry that pertained to the Shinigami Itself.
She ran her finger along the scrolls contents, her eyebrows knit together in concentration as she tried to find the specific entry she was looking for. "You look different somehow Tsunade-sama. Did you get your hair done? New makeup? Something?" Anko pointed out, taking notice that there was something subtly different about the female Hokage.
The Godaime smirked a bit in pride, but didn't answer as she at last found the entry she was looking for. "Eureka! I knew it!" The Hokage almost shouted in triumph as her finger was now pointing towards something marked 'The Mask of the Shinigami'
The Dango lover blinked a few times as she read over the entry, her eyes slowly widening as she read the following text: 'The Mask of the Shinigami enables the wearer to summon the Shinigami Itself to carry out the user's will without needing to sacrifice their own life. The artifact was deemed to be far too dangerous to keep within Konoha even with enhanced security measures and was hidden away so that its powers may not be abused. Its current and exact location remains unknown but is strongly believed to still be within Fire Country's borders.'
Tsunade smirked to herself, if there was anything that could finally solve the 'Orochimaru Problem' then this mask would be it. Though on the flip-side, she would bet the Hokage mantle itself that the mask would be something that her ex-comrade Orochimaru would also have an interest in the mask if he was aware of it, which she was certain that he likely was. No doubt he would likely use it for his own devious purposes or at the very least would ensure that no one else could ever use it against him.
"Anko? Consider this an S-Rank Mission, find that mask." The Hokage ordered, prompting the Snake Mistress to quickly give a salute with a huge grin as she was very eager to find and lay claim to the mask and finally rid herself of the proverbial ticking time bomb that was hidden within her Curse Mark.
The phone on the Sannin's desk suddenly began to ring, making the Medic Nin frown as she muttered "Oh, what now?!" She then picked up the phone with a sigh and spoke into the mouthpiece "What is it?! I am in the middle of… wait… what did you say? She's awake? Who's awake? Who… ohhhhhhh shit."
The Hokage then slowly put the phone back down with the Snake Mistress asking "The hell was that about?"
The Godaime then answered in a grave tone "It seems we have an escaped patient."
Minutes Earlier. Konoha General Hospital, Special Coma ward.
The sounds of medical equipment beeping softly could be heard as a lone female figure could be seen lying in the bed, her chest slowly and steadily rising and falling as dreams flowed through her mind, some good, some bittersweet, though most of them were bad.
From the ceiling, a spider slowly descended on a strand of webbing until it landed on her leg and then immediately bit down on her thigh before retreating back up and out of sight. The girl moaned softly in discomfort as her heart rate began to quicken as displayed on the monitor, beads of sweat began to form on her head… and then her eyes shot wide open as she wildly looked around, feeling as if she had just awoken from a nightmare.
She found herself in unfamiliar surroundings, though from what she could see, she was obviously in some sort of hospital. Kami, she felt sore, and she felt as if her limbs were filled with lead as she found it difficult to move. She had no time to question what was happening, where she was or how she got there as she heard the sounds of a lock clicking on the door to her room.
Without any other options, she closed her eyes and steadied her breathing in order to pretend that she was still asleep. The door opened as she heard the sounds of two sets of footsteps approaching. "So this is her?" Asked a male voice in a perverted tone.
"Uh-huh. Pretty sweet looking piece of ass, huh? This girl was part of the Oto group that came to kidnap Sasuke about a year back." A second masculine voice piped in.
"That she is… wait… kidnap? I heard that the Uchiha went with them on his own." The first voice spoke in confusion. All the while the girl kept on thinking to herself in a mantra 'Go the fuck away!'
"Who cares? That's not our problem. The other Oto nin didn't make it, and this one was found half-buried underneath a whole fucking forest. She's lucky too. A few more pounds of pressure, and she would have been beyond saving. It's a freaking miracle that she's still breathing. The Hokage thinks she might have intel on Orochimaru, so that's why we're keeping her around. Anywho, she's a confirmed virgin, so it's gonna cost you extra." The second voice spoke with a chuckle.
Tayuya had to suppress a grimace and the urge to verbally and literally tear these assholes apart. Just fucking perfect! Her body was being 'sold' into sexual service to some rapist shit-stain.
"Worth it. Always liked deflowering young girls." The 'customer' spoke with the crimson haired girl hearing what sounded like a wad of cash being slapped in the hand of the bastard that was selling her.
"A few ground rules, don't bust a nut in her vagina, no punching or hitting because the bruises will show then we're both screwed, and if you make a mess, you're the one cleaning it up. I'll be back in about twenty minutes." The 'salesman' spoke in a more stern tone.
"Oh, almost forgot. Some condoms and lube on the house." The 'salesman' added as Tayuya heard the 'customer' catch a pair of objects that were tossed to him. Kami, just what was wrong with these sick pervs?
The crimson haired girl's ears perked up as she heard the 'salesman' leaving. The fucking bastard. How long has he been selling innocent girls to be used as sex toys? Wonder what would happen if he were exposed? Scratch that, what would happen if his 'merchandise' decided to fight back?
She felt the bed shift as the 'customer' climbed in to join her, a pair of knuckles stroked her cheek as the smell of bad breath washed over her face, which almost made her vomit. "Been a while since I had a young one like you." The 'Customer' stated as the sound of a belt buckle being undone could be heard.
Tayuya's eyes then snapped open, her would-be rapist surprised by the fact that she was awake which caught him off-guard, she used that moment of surprise to lunge forward, her teeth clamping down hard into the flesh of his neck as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. The coppery taste of blood quickly filled her mouth as her teeth tore through his flesh.
He struggled against her, trying to break her grip and then slammed her hard against a nightstand with the full force of his body weight, which broke her grip as she fell to the floor and knocked a digital clock off the nightstand. Her attempted rapist was currently down on his knees, using his hands to try and stop the bleeding from his neck. The crimson haired girl spat out the chunk of flesh that she had torn out during the struggle and picked up the clock and tore the power chord out of the outlet as she screamed out "I've had enough of you fucking pedophile bastards!"
She mustered her full strength and threw herself at her would-be rapist as she slammed the clock down hard on the man's head, sending him face first into the floor. He weakly struggled as he tried to crawl away, but was stopped as she hit him again with her improvised weapons. She struck him a third time, his body beginning to twitch, then a fourth and fifth time which caused a wet crunching noise as his head was split open. Blood began to pool around the man's now crushed skull as his body began to lose control of certain functions, the smell of feces and urine filling the room.
Tayuya panted tiredly as she propped herself up against a wall, as she tried to get her second wind. If she heard right, then she had been in a coma for a year. If that was the case, it was no wonder that her body felt so sluggish. She groaned as she grabbed at the spot where her Curse Mark was… "Fuck… I'm still alive. Fucking fuck fuck! FUUUUCK! I'm still alive!" She muttered in horror, a part of her wishing that she had died so that she wouldn't have to be Orochimaru's vessel.
In her opinion, it would have been far kinder to simply allow her to die so she wouldn't have to suffer that fate. However… if her count was right, assuming that Uchiha brat didn't make it to the old pedophile in time, then that meant Orochimaru would have been forced to use an emergency vessel to sustain himself. She had been out for a year, but there was still around two years before he would need to take his next vessel, undoubtedly his precious Uchiha fuck-toy.
After that Sasuke bastard's turn, then it would be an additional three years. Provided that the pasty-faced pedo didn't kick the bucket prematurely, this meant that she might have time to find a way to slip the leash.
Usually, there were two kinds of people that served the Snake Sannin. The first kind only served out of fear of becoming materials for his sick and twisted research. The second were die-hards that drank whatever Kool-Aid that Orochimaru served, Kimimaro being such an example. She was part of the former category.
Her initial plan was to split from Oto at the first given opportunity without the Snake bastard or his lapdogs watching her, unfortunately, she had been branded with the Curse Mark before she could get away safely which immediately shut down that plan. So long as a piece of that slimy asshole's soul was inside of her, then she would never be truly safe.
Fortunately, there was a way out. Orochimaru had a strong interest in a particular artifact from a certain clan, and it was somewhere in Fire Country. A mask that was capable of Summoning the Shinigami. If she could find that mask, get it to remove the soul piece in her mark, then she would finally be free! One problem… those assholes from earlier were talking about the Hokage. That obviously meant that she was in Konoha.
If they found her, then she would be taken to the Torture and Interrogation Division where they would do Kami knows what to her. Even if she did try to cut a deal with them, there was no guarantee that they would keep her word or that she would be properly protected. She had to get out, and fast!
She glanced at the bloody and beaten clock in her hands and questioned how long it had been since that other guy had left. He would be back soon, and once he saw this mess and sounded the alarm, she was officially screwed. She tossed the broken clock aside and crawled over, her legs refusing to properly function as she still didn't have her full strength in her limbs yet.
Hell, just beating that other guy to death took almost everything she had. Even so, however exhausted she was, she wasn't going to let that stop her from getting out of her and finally being able to live free and without fear. She dragged herself over to her newest kill and began checking through his pockets for anything that she could use.
She found a wallet that was loaded with a whole bunch of cash. That would be helpful once she made her getaway, her mouth salivating at the idea of food. She reached into the dead man's pockets again and found a pocket knife, she flicked the blade out and found it to be on the dull side, apparently someone wasn't properly caring for their tools. Not the ideal weapon, but could still do some damage.
"Come on…" She growled as she removed the dead man's belt and then crawled over towards the door, fortunately, it opened inward which put her in a blindspot as the other guy entered inside, which in turn would give her an opening to strike.
She licked her lips as she waited, and then heard footsteps approaching, followed by the sounds of the lock clicking once again. The foul-mouthed girl put the belt tip through the buckle, to use as a noose as the 'salesman' stepped through the door with a swagger as he called out "So how was she for you, bud? I bet that sweet virgin…." He fell silent as he took notice of the body of his 'customer' as he could only stare at the grisly scene in shock.
Tayuya let out a war cry as she stabbed the pocket knife into the male nurse's calf sending him down on his knees as she then quickly put the belt around his neck and yanked hard on it, causing the makeshift noose to tighten around his throat. He flailed and thrashed wildly on the floor to try and break free, but the redhead refused to let go as she wrapped her legs as tightly as she could around his waist.
This went on for some moments as the nurse's face began to turn a dark shade of purple, which earned a sadistic smile from the crimson haired girl as she muttered "Lemme guess, your name is Buck and you're here to fuck? What's the matter? You like your girls comatose and helpless, you sick little shit?" She then snarled as she dipped into the power of her Curse Mark for a small boost and yanked hard on the belt, causing it to crush the nurse's windpipe, making him fall limp as his eyes rolled into his head and a dark spot began to form in his groin as his body lost control of its bladder functions.
The Oto Kunoichi sighed tiredly, her entire body almost screaming at her from the exertion, especially since she had only very recently managed to wake up from her coma, but she knew that she couldn't stay. She had no idea how long it would be before someone else came around and found the bodies, so she had to get out of here and hide quickly. She would have to get new clothes, dye her hair to change her appearance, get some supplies and then disappear if she was to have any chance.
She used her Curse Mark once again to give her the extra energy she needed, as she began running through the deceased nurse's pockets, it would seem that he kept his wallet on him as well which was loaded with thick wads of cash from his 'customers'. Ugh, just thinking about it made her feel nauseous, but at least he wouldn't be making a profit anymore, much less taking advantage of girls.
The now Rogue Kunoichi then forced herself onto her feet and began to limp her way out of her room, feeling grateful that her body hadn't atrophied too much during her coma. She looked to her left than to her right, scanning the empty hallways and was grateful that there was no one else around. Just in front of her was a supply closet that was left open, she limped forward and nudged the door open and found a spare pair of scrubs inside… and most conveniently an open window that led outside. Perfect! A quick exit!
She ripped off her bloodstained hospital gown and then slipped on the scrubs, they were a few sizes too large for her, but it was better than running around in a bloody gown with her ass hanging out. Tayuya stuffed her looted cash into the pockets of her new scrubs and then hauled herself through the open window, just barely managing to fit through as she slipped out and landed on the ground with a thump, making her groan in pain.
"Ahhhhh fuck. I hope you die in agony, Orochimaru. I hope your death is slow, brutal, and inhumane. I'm never gonna follow your orders ever again, fucking pedo-creep. I almost fucking died for your new favorite sex toy. Fuck." She grumbled angrily while cursing the Snake Sannin as she forced herself off the ground and dusted herself off.
She didn't know how much time she had, so she needed to get a head start right away while she still could. If she didn't move fast, then the Anbu would catch up to her and throw her in a cell. Taking a deep breath, she cracked her neck and began to walk along the side of the building as she formulated an escape plan.
She then noticed a young woman with brown hair was walking towards her, a Civilian from the looks of it who didn't seem to be paying her any real attention as she was busy reading off some sort of a list, probably a shopping list given that her arms were loaded with groceries. The former Oto Kunoichi paid her no mind and continued on, spying a nearby general store that should have most everything that she needed. Talk about a lucky break.
A one-stop shopping trip and she'd be almost home free! She smirked as she began to cross the road towards the store, only to stop as she heard the sounds of loud voices coming from behind her. Out of curiosity, she looked over her shoulder and saw that the brown haired woman that passed her by was being harassed by a pair of men.
"... Look, I'm not interested! My dad is expecting me back!" The brown haired woman stated as she tried to push past the two men, only for them to grab her by her arms and restrain her.
"Don't be that way! I'm sure we can work something out." One of the men stated, which caused Tayuya to frown deeply. For crying out loud, just what was wrong with the men in this village? Why were there so many misogynistic creeps here?
The crimson haired girl shook her head and was about to walk away, but found herself rooted in place, almost as if something were holding her back. "Just walk away, it's not your problem. Just walk." She muttered to herself as she kept mentally chanting that she had to look out for number one… but she just couldn't walk away from a woman being sexually harassed like this.
She turned on her heel and began to march her way over as she shouted "Hey! How about you assholes pick on a girl that'll put up a fight?!" The two men and the woman they were harassing looked in Tayuya's direction and before they could even react, she delivered a blow directly into the groin of one of them with her knee and then punched the other guy square in the throat.
They both doubled over in pain as they looked up towards the redhead who was flipping them the bird as she snarled at them "What? Am I too much for ya?! You pencil dicks can't get it up for a girl that actually has some bite to her?!" The two men then scrambled away and ran off in terror, which made the former Oto Kunoichi scoff and roll her eyes.
"Figures. Needle dick assholes picking on what they think to be easy prey." Tayuya muttered since she had seen plenty of guys like that, and even some girls, back in Oto that behaved that way.
She then looked towards the girl that she had just rescued who had a grateful expression on her face "Thank you. I don't want to know what those guys would have done to me if you hadn't stepped in." The woman spoke with a soft smile.
"Don't mention it." The flute user muttered before she began to make her exit with the girl she just saved following close behind her while speaking to the redhead "Wait a minute! What's your name? Please! Let me at least properly thank you! Is there anything I can do to repay you?"
The ex-Oto Kunoichi sighed wearily as she turned around and was about to tell the woman to simply leave her alone… but was cut off by the sounds of a loud scream coming from within the hospital, followed by calls that sounded like "Someone get a Shinobi! There's been a murder!"
Tayuya paled as she realized that she had just been made as the woman she had rescued looked towards the open hospital window, then towards the crimson haired and noted the oversized scrubs on her. The brunette gave her a questioning look, feeling torn between calling for help and ignoring the calls since she had just been saved thanks to the redhead.
The flute user didn't have much in the way of options, in her head, she knew that she had to silence this woman, but at the same time… she couldn't harm someone that never did anything wrong to her. She inhaled deeply and then began to explain herself "Please… don't tell. Those guys in there? They were gonna force themselves on me. I had to do it! Just look the other way and let me go."
The brunette blinked her eyes as she processed this, still looking conflicted on whether or not to help her savior as she wondered if she was telling the truth. The crimson haired girl sharply inhaled as she clenched her fists as she now almost found herself basically begging for her life, which is the one thing that she never ever did, not even when she was under Orochimaru's thumb as she whispered desperately "Please… I just want to live. Is that too much to ask for?"
At her words, the Civilian woman stared at her, almost as if she were searching through her soul for any deception but found none. She then pursed her lips and spoke "You probably just saved my life… anyone that would do something like that can't be a bad person. The Shinobi corps will be looking for you soon."
The brunette then grabbed Tayuya by the wrist and added "Come with me. I'll hide you." These words earned a nod of gratitude and understanding from the flute user as she was safely led away… it would seem that her good deed was paying off for her.
Meanwhile. Naruto and Gwen's apartment.
The two blonde's cuddled together in the bed in the usual spoon position, with Naruto taking the position of the Big Spoon as he held his girlfriend close to him. He could hear her sniffling and crying to herself after the emotional rollercoaster that she had experienced, feeling both anger and sadness at the recent events that involved her old friend Miles Morales.
"Hey Gwen, what happened wasn't your fault. You're not responsible for the bad choices that he made." He whispered to her in an attempt to comfort her, but she gave no response or inclination that she had heard him. Kami, he wished that he knew what to do or say that would help put her at ease.
Perhaps his mother might be able to help? Would she have any advice to give? Well… it was worth a try. He couldn't stand to see Gwen cry like this, it made his heart ache to see her this way. He closed his eyes and concentrated, willing himself into his mindscape.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in the familiar surroundings of his mindscape once again. He was about to head off towards the Seal Gates to meet his mother and Kurama but was stopped as he heard the sounds of sniffling, making him look down and see his girlfriend hugging herself while lying on the floor.
"This is new." He muttered to himself since he didn't expect that his girlfriend would come with him in his own mind. Did he subconsciously bring her here without realizing it? As unexpected as it was, it definitely wasn't unwelcome seeing as how he wanted her to meet his mother and Kurama at some point in time, though he wasn't quite expecting it to be this soon.
He leaned down and gently nudged her shoulder as he spoke to her gently "Gwen? Come on. I'd like to introduce you to someone." The blonde drummer sniffled a bit as she looked up at him, and then seemed to finally register that they weren't in their bed anymore as she took in the new and unfamiliar surroundings.
"What the…? What is this place? Some kind of sewer?" She asked as she wiped away her tears as she wondered how they even got here, she didn't recall falling through a portal or anything like that.
"About that… this is my mindscape that exists… well… in my mind. I must have accidentally brought you in here with me." He explained with a sheepish grin, which made his girlfriend blink her eyes in confusion. They were in his own mind? Kind of weird, but then again, being Spider-People, 'weird' was pretty much normal for them.
"Why did you want to come here? Why does this place look like a sewer?" She questioned as she looked around and hugged herself, noting the depressing and lonely atmosphere of the sewer-like structure.
"I think it formed into a sewer because of my childhood. As for why I came… I'll show you." He responded as he took her by the hand and guided her towards the Seal's Gates. She raised an eyebrow at this… then deduced that this must be where Naruto's Bijuu, the Kyuubi, was kept prisoner.
So… she would finally be able to look the beast itself in the eye. The blonde Spider-Woman swallowed, unsure of what to expect, but she wasn't about to show any signs of fear or vulnerability as she wiped away her tears and showed off a stiff upper lip.
As they approached the gates, she saw a lone woman with blood red hair was sitting behind the iron bars, humming softly to herself which made Gwen quirk up an eyebrow. THIS was the Kyuubi no Kitsune? She looked nothing like what she imagined… the Spider-Drummer then recalled hearing tales of Kitsune being tricksters and shape-changers that usually took on the form of a gorgeous woman to entice men.
The red haired woman took notice of the two blondes approaching and had a look of surprise on her face, which quickly became a warm and welcoming one. Naruto cleared his throat and then spoke "Gwen… allow me to introduce to you…" He was cut off as his girlfriend broke away from him and marched up to the red haired woman and then jabbed a finger directly in her face.
"All right, you better listen up fuzzbucket! I don't care that you're some walking calamity on four legs! If you ever do anything to hurt Naruto, I'll personally skin you alive!" Gwen spoke in a threatening tone. To her surprise, the red haired woman gave an amused smile.
"Ohhh, I like you. You're feisty. I am so glad that my child found someone like you. My name is Kushina." The now identified Kushina spoke as she gave a wink to the Spider-Drummer who could only jaw-drop at the words 'my child'.
"Holy shit… your mom is the Kyuubi?!" The blonde girl asked in shock while wildly pointing between the two Uzumaki's which earned some laughs from the two. The whiskered teen couldn't help but chuckle since this was his mistake, he had neglected to tell his girlfriend and the entire Spider-Society about his mother after his meeting with Neith, largely since it was of a personal nature to him.
"That's my mom, but she isn't the Kyuubi." He gently corrected which seemed to perplex his fellow blonde even further until she felt something tap her on the shoulder. The drummer turned around and was met with the form of a small fox-like creature with nine swishing tails.
"Hi there! I'm Kurama! Do you want to be friends?!" The little kit asked with a huge grin, her innocent eyes sparkling like rubies.
"Oh. My. GOSH." Gwen muttered as she picked up the fox in her hands and then whispered "You are the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my life." The blonde drummer then hugged the fox close to her chest, her hands gently stroking the soft fur as Kurama began to giggle and purr quite happily.
The young Spider-Woman then turned towards the two Uzumaki's and stated "I have, like, a million questions right now."
"Don't worry. We have plenty of time to answer them." Kushina answered as she sat down on the floor in the lotus position. It was now time to finally speak with and have a nice chat with her son's girlfriend.
Meanwhile. With Tsunade.
"Kami. What a mess." The Slug Sannin muttered as she took in the sight of the carnage that was before her, with Anko nodding in agreement. This was definitely a nasty sight, and they had both seen all sorts of horrible shit in the past.
The Godaime noted the boxes of condoms and lube, making her frown deeply at the obvious implications. "This may not have been outright murder… but self-defense." Tsunade pointed out with the Snake Mistress nodding in agreement since she came to the same conclusion.
The Hokage sneered in disgust and made a note to have the entire hospital investigated for signs of any abuse that was happening beneath her nose, as this was something that she would not ever tolerate and utterly despised with a passion.
"Tsunade-sama, it is my personal and professional opinion that the Oto Kunoichi couldn't have gotten far, I've no doubt that she'll try and flee the village." Spoke a certain Neko-masked Anbu with distinctive purple hair.
The Hokage hummed thoughtfully as she was of the same opinion, though the question remained… where could the girl have run to? Where did she have to go? Surely not back to Orochimaru? Any sane person would never, in their right minds, go anywhere near the Snake Sannin.
"Find her, bring her directly to me. I want her alive." Tsunade ordered, prompting the Neko Anbu to salute and then disappear in a swirl of leaves. The Slug user looked down at the dead bodies in disgust, a small part of her hoping that the Oto Kunoichi would simply and peacefully disappear and fade into obscurity to parts unknown, but at the same time, that girl had potential intelligence they could use to finally take down Orochimaru.
For the time being though, she would leave the girl to her Anbu, and the Shinigami mask to Anko. As for her part, she had other fish to fry, and it was high time that she found out for herself about the rot and darkness that was seeping into her village. Time to see just what manner of skeletons that the Elders had hidden in their closets.
End Chapter Ten.