Chapter 2: Rescue
Naruto sat cross-legged on the cold, hard floor of his dimly lit cell, wrists bound in chakra-suppressing restraints and staring blankly at the damp stone walls. He had long since lost count of the days he'd been imprisoned in Kumo. His once vibrant blue eyes were now dulled by the weight of despair and loneliness. The only sounds that broke the monotonous silence were the occasional distant clinks of chains and the steady drip of water somewhere in the bowels of the prison.
The echoing footsteps that approached his cell door were a familiar rhythm. He didn't bother looking up, already knowing who it was. The heavy door creaked open, and Killer Bee, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, stepped inside. Despite his usually upbeat demeanor, there was a seriousness in Bee's eyes that Naruto had come to recognize over the years.
"Yo, Naruto," Bee greeted, his voice tinged with a somber note. He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms.
Naruto looked up slowly, meeting Bee's gaze. "Bee," he replied, his voice flat and lifeless. "What brings you here this time?"
Bee sighed, pushing off the doorframe and taking a few steps closer. "I got some news, and it ain't good, man. The Raikage's made his decision. They're gonna extract the Nine-Tails from you."
The words hung in the air like a death sentence. Naruto felt his heart sink, the faint flicker of hope he'd clung to snuffed out in an instant. "So, that's it then? I'm just a weapon to be used and discarded?"
Bee's face softened, and he shook his head slowly. "I tried to talk him out of it, but the Raikage's mind is set. He ain't trustin' you to defect anymore. I'm sorry, Naruto."
Naruto's shoulders slumped as he leaned back against the wall, the weight of his situation pressing down on him like a physical force. "I guess this is the end of the line for me," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Within him, Kurama stirred, his deep voice rumbling through Naruto's mind. Tch, these humans… They treat us like tools, passing us around as they please.
Naruto closed his eyes, trying to block out the overwhelming sense of hopelessness. "What am I supposed to do now, Bee? Just wait for them to kill me?"
Bee knelt down, bringing himself to Naruto's level. "I know it ain't fair, but you gotta stay strong, ya feel me? Maybe there's a way out, even if it ain't clear right now."
Naruto opened his eyes, looking into Bee's. "How am I supposed to stay strong when every day just brings me closer to being a sacrificial lamb? I've tried everything to show them I'm not a threat, that I could be loyal to Kumo, but none of it mattered."
Bee's eyes reflected a deep empathy. "I get it, man. More than you know. Being a Jinchuriki ain't easy, and it ain't fair. But we gotta find our own strength, even when it seems impossible."
Naruto's gaze drifted to the small, barred window high on the wall, where a sliver of moonlight filtered through. "This is really it...this is how everything ends for me.""
Bee followed his gaze, the moonlight casting a faint glow on his face. "I wish I could do something about it, but it's out of my grasp kid... I'm sorry."
A silence settled between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts and shared burdens. Bee stood up, his expression resolute. "I'll come back when I can. Just hang in there, alright?"
Naruto nodded slowly, watching as Bee turned and walked towards the door. As Bee's footsteps faded away, the oppressive silence of the cell closed in once more, wrapping around Naruto like a shroud.
Kurama's voice broke the silence, filled with a rare note of sympathy. Don't even think of giving up yet, brat. There's still a chance, even if it's small.
Naruto let out a shaky breath, feeling the weight of his situation press down on him even harder. "I don't want to give up, But it's getting harder every day."
Alone in the cell, the fox's presence within him felt like a steady, if distant, source of warmth for Naruto. I don't trust these people enough to allow myself be handed over to them and made another tool for that Raikage.
Naruto nodded, closing his eyes and trying to find some small measure of peace in the darkness. Despite the bleakness of his situation, he clung to that fragile thread of hope, determined not to let it slip away entirely.
The moon hung low in the night sky, casting a silvery glow over the hidden village of Kumo. High above the village, nestled among the mountains, the Raikage's compound stood as an imposing fortress, its walls bristling with defenses. Few dared to challenge its might, but tonight, a team of elite Konoha Anbu operatives moved with deadly precision, their mission clear and perilous: infiltrate the compound and rescue Naruto Uzumaki.
Hinata Hyuga led the team, her Byakugan activated, the veins around her eyes bulging slightly as she scanned the surroundings. Her heart pounded with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. The past four years had been a relentless drive towards this moment, fueled by the hope of bringing Naruto home. Beside her, Kakashi Hatake moved with the same practiced stealth that had earned him his legendary reputation.
"Hinata, what's the situation?" Kakashi's voice was barely above a whisper, a mere breath of sound carried by the wind.
Hinata's gaze pierced through the walls and buildings, mapping out the positions of every guard and patrol within the compound. "Three guards at the main entrance, two more patrolling the perimeter. There's a heavy concentration of guards near the underground cells."
Kakashi nodded, his masked face impassive. "We'll take out the perimeter guards first. Silence is key." Looking around at his team, he gave the order. "Scatter."
The Anbu team split into pairs, moving with ghost-like silence through the shadows. Hinata moved with a fluid grace, her senses attuned to every sound and movement. She notched an arrow to her bow, drawing back the string with practiced ease. As a guard turned the corner, she released the arrow, the shaft flying true and striking the guard in the throat. He fell silently, the only sound the faint thud of his body hitting the ground.
Kakashi and another Anbu operative dispatched the remaining perimeter guards with swift efficiency, their blades cutting through the night. Within minutes, they were inside the hidden village, the guards eliminated without raising an alarm. With a friendly anbu by his side, Kakashi whispered into his radio.
"We're inside," Kakashi announced. "Proceed to the underground cells."
"Roger." Came the feminine voice from the radio.
Signaling her squad mate behind her, Hinata slipped into the shadows, making her way towards the Raikage's compound.
The two teams moved in sync, each stealthily moving through the shadows and avoiding the searchlights that swept across the compound. Hinata led the way, her Byakugan guiding them through the gaps in the Raikage's tight defenses. As they approached the entrance to the underground cells, the tension in the air thickened. This was where the real danger lay.
Hinata raised a hand, signaling for the team to halt. "Heavy guard presence ahead. We have to push through them."
Kakashi nodded, pulling out a pair of binoculars. "On my mark, we will move in and secure Naruto." He studied the guard patrols, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Finally, A trio of guards made their way from the entrance inside the facility itself, leaving just two men on guard.
Kakashi turned to Hinata. "Handle the two guards stationed right at the entrance, we can ignore the rest stationed around."
"Right" Hinata whispered, steadying her self on the tree branch she was perched on. Drawing an arrow on her bow, she steadied her aim on the guard on the left, taking deep breaths to calm herself down. After a moment, she let fly, striking the first guard square in the throat. The man silently collapsed on the floor, muted screams coming from his mouth. His partner never noticed his death however, his attention was on something in the sky. Hinata quickly punished him for this, sending her next shot into his exposed neck and watching him drop to the ground.
"Beautiful." Came Kakashi's voice from the radio. "Gather at the entrance and wait for my instructions"
The team made their way to the secured entrance, quickly hiding the bodies of the two slain guards and giving Hinata the chance to see her victims up close. One of them, the one looking at the sky, was barely older than her, and her heart stung at the possibility she just ensured a proud mother would never see her son again. Suppressing the growing feeling of guilt she felt in her heart, she moved inside the dungeon, such was her duty.
"Oi, Inumaki," a prison guard called out, making his way towards the entrance. "Time's up, we're meant to-"
A hand covered his mouth, pulling him into the shadows as the assailant dragged a blade across his throat before he could react to what was going on. The guard struggled to free himself, holding his bleeding throat and found himself handed over another person. The searing feel of cold steel lodged in his chest silenced the man for good, and the last thing he saw was a face with a headband slanted over it's right eye….
"Move." Kakashi ordered, gently settling the dead guard to the floor and returning his dagger to it's sheath. The team rallied behind behind Hinata for guidance through the unfamiliar location.
Hinata's Byakugan locked onto a cell deep within the underground dungeon. "This way!" she whispered, leading the team through the elaborate system of corridors. The team managed to make their way undetected, expertly making use of any available cover they could find. Hinata's heart raced as they navigated the narrow corridors, her Byakugan guiding them through the maze. Finally, they reached a heavy iron door, reinforced with chakra seals.
"Stand back," Kakashi ordered, forming a series of hand signs. "Release!"
The seals shattered under Kakashi's command, the door creaking open to reveal a dimly lit cell. Inside, Naruto sat hunched against the wall, his eyes widening in disbelief as he recognized the masked figures.
"Anbu…?" Naruto's voice was hoarse, filled with a mixture of hope and confusion.
Hinata's heart ached at the sight of him, but she maintained her composure. "Grab him," she ordered, watching as two of her squad mates made their way towards Naruto inside the cell.
Naruto stood, his movements slow and stiff from long confinement. "Hinata…?" he whispered in disbelief, swearing he heard her voice through the mask.
Before Hinata could respond, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the corridor. Yugito Nii and Killer Bee appeared, their expressions a mix of surprise and determination.
"Looks like we've got company," Bee said, cracking his knuckles. "You really thought you could just walk outta here?" He drew out eight swords from their sheaths on his back and tossed them in the air, wielding them all as they settled down in a peculiar stance.
Kakashi stepped forward, his Sharingan eye blazing with intensity. "We're not leaving without Naruto."
Yugito's eyes narrowed, extending her claws from her fingers. "Then you'll have to go through us, intruders."
The air crackled with tension as the two sides faced off. Hinata could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on her, but she pushed it aside, focusing on the mission. She nocked an arrow, her gaze locked on Yugito.
Kakashi and Bee clashed first, their movements a blur of speed and power. Kakashi struggled against Bee's lightning-fast strikes, the clash of metal ringing through the corridor. Wielding his kunai close, he deflected a sword from his opponent only to find himself having to deal with five more slashes coming in rapid succession. An anbu rushed behind Bee to catch him off guard but found himself slammed against the wall by a massive tentacle that shot out of his leg in mid air. The other Konoha shinobi rushed towards be, sword lowered for an attack, evading a slash from the jinchuriki, he aimed for Bee's side with a powerful cut, but found his blade blocked by a sword being wielded in the bend of his knee.
"Shit!"
Killer Bee shot out a burst of ink at the anbu's mask, obscuring his vision and aimed for his neck with a slash from one of his swords. But he caught movement in the corner of his eye, seeing Kakashi rushed towards him, hand crackling in electricity.
[Raikiri]
Kakashi lunged at the Jinchuriki but Bee was up to it, evading his attack just in time and sending Kakashi flying into a wall with a powerful kick.
Hinata loosed an arrow at Yugito, but the Kumo Jinchuriki dodged with inhuman speed, closing the distance between them in an instant.
Hinata barely had time to draw her kunai before Yugito was upon her. They exchanged blows, Hinata doing her best to defend herself from Yugito's raw power. But it was clear that the Anbu team was outmatched. Bee and Yugito were relentless, their combined strength overwhelming. Overtime Hinata found herself leaving more and more openings against Yugito, and a potentially nasty slash to her side sent her falling to the ground, wincing in pain. Luckily for the Hyuuga, her jacket took most of the damage.
"We can't win this," Kakashi grunted, parrying a powerful strike from Bee. "We need to retreat."
Hinata's heart clenched at the thought of leaving Naruto behind again, but she knew Kakashi was right. "Fall back!" she called, covering their retreat with a flurry of arrows.
The Anbu team moved with practiced efficiency, retreating through the corridors and back towards the surface. The alarm had been raised, and the compound was swarming with guards. They fought their way out, the clash of steel and the hiss of arrows filling the air.
Finally, they burst through the compound's outer gates, disappearing into the night. Hinata's heart pounded with a mix of relief and anguish. They had failed to rescue Naruto, but they had survived. For now, that was enough.
As the Anbu team regrouped in a hidden clearing, Kakashi turned to Hinata, his expression grim. "We'll get another chance. We have to."
Hinata nodded, her resolve hardening. She wouldn't give up. Not until Naruto was safe.
Back in the dungeon, Naruto's heart sank as he watched the Anbu team disappear into the darkness. His brief moment of hope was shattered, replaced by a crushing sense of despair. But then, a hushed conversation between Yugito and Bee caught his attention.
"We can't miss this opportunity," Yugito whispered urgently. "I'm not sure we'll ever get a better chance."
Bee lowered his gaze, his expression serious. "Are you sure? It's a bit early to-"
"Bee! It's now or never," Yugito interrupted him, stealing a glance at Naruto in his cell. "We don't have much time left."
Naruto's eyes widened in shock as Bee unlocked his cell. "What's going on?"
"Just trust us, kid," Bee said, his tone firm but not unkind. "We're getting you outta here."
Naruto shuffle backwards into his cell. "What….No! What are you trying to do with me?"
"Do you WANT to sit around here till you die in a week?" Yugito barked at him, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. "Come on idiot, move!"
Naruto hesitated for a moment, but the urgency in their voices spurred him into action. He followed Bee and Yugito through the dungeon, slipping past the guards and out into the night. As they moved through the shadows, Naruto couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope reignite within him. Maybe, just maybe, he still had a chance to escape this nightmare.