"One last thing. People's lives don't end when they die. It ends when they lose their faith."
Hanzo
Mikito was still vexed. The audacity of the damiyo to even speak of such things in front of Madara and Izuna no less, well she was more than angry. However, she calmed herself down though and focused on the task at hand. They'd be meeting the Senju brothers and Haji and Syrus within short of a few hours. She heard rumors of the powerful duo-well familiar with Syrus and Haji. Hashirama and Tobirama however she knew on reputation alone, besides several centuries ago there had been little conflict with the Senju clan.
She listened to Madara talk about a plan. It was complex to her, and incomplete since Hikaku and Mitsuki weren't present. But, she couldn't scoff at it. Madara was a tactical genius and any plan was sure to work-she gave her input when she thought it was needed and the end result was simple and sound in nature.
Madara would take Hashirama while Izuna took on Tobirama. She'd handle Syrus and Shin would confront Haji. She already knew she'd be fighting Syrus it was engrained into her mind that they'd battle. While they took on the powerhouses the rest of their units would swarm the battlefield and start picking off their numbers. Mikito was already dressed and ready for combat having not removed her armor since she arrived, several of her kinsmen and Madara's respectively were strapping it on.
Izuna stood with his arms folded overseeing the entire thing. He strangely wore a serious expression, much too serious to be on him if Mikito had to say. He was normally jovial and cheerful constantly joking.
He was dressed similarly to Madara except his high collared top was a bit darker and he had several swords holstered on his hip and back-while Madara hand a gunbai strapped on his back. Izuna paced back towards Madara once the rest of his unit were clad in armor. "We should head out soon." Izuna commented, staring at the sun for a long moment.
Mikito sat comfortably atop a tree branch, her blue haori signifying her instantly. She had four swords two on each hip tucked under her obi, and two more crisscrossed behind her back. She had retreated to this post about an hour ago. She was sharpening her blade with a whetting stone when she caught Madara's gaze pointing towards her. "I'm coming!" She called down, leaning back and tucking, flipping and landing on her feet. She pocketed the stone, strolling towards Shin who stood a few inches from Madara going through a mental checklist.
She sheathed her sword slowly, sliding it on her right side underneath the obi. "Ready to go!" She looked to shin who nodded in confirmation and true to his word their unit was donning armor ready for combat.
Madara nodded looking over Mikito for a moment, and turned his gaze away just as quickly. "We all know the plan, so let's stick to it." Madara said succinctly stepping to Mikito's side. I'll lead and you flank. Izuna, take my other side." He looked at Mikito for a moment.
Izuna nodded.
"Let's go!" Mikito chorused, tying a long red band around her forehead, giving the two ends a tight pull. She knew Madara was questioning if she was okay, more importantly if she was capable. Of course she was, she was focused on the task at hand, and besides a good fight was always a good reliever.
Madara took note of the new addition, but didn't say anything.
"Let's move out!" Izuna shouted, taking the helm alongside his brother and Mikito before splitting off b a few feet.
It had been nearly a month maybe more than two months. The training was still intense and difficult, she adjusted to the weighted clothing after a long and grueling process. She could walk, run, sprint, jump, lunge, etc as if she were wearing regular clothing. Her training advanced and was rather strange, but they were beneficial she could feel more power behind her hits. Her Sution ability improved considerably she could now perform a few jutsus nothing too major or large scale but it was more than enough to keep her alive.
That didn't stop Yuko however as she sought to improve. She grew anxious some days thinking about Izuna. Was he okay? Was he thinking about her like she was every day? Her mind had been heavy, but her training regimen kept her busy and occupied.
Yuko parried a swift straight punch from Ahiko, turning and spinning out with a kick which the older girl jumped over lashing out with her own kick. Yuko's eyes widened, and she flipped back, distancing herself from her opponent. Another thing she had worked on was keeping her Sharingan activated for extremely extended periods of time. At first she would be drained and her eyes would be strained, but after a few weeks she was able to keep them active all day without any effort. In fact it became an instinctual almost sub conscious action to activate her Sharingan the moment she opened her eyes.
Ahiko smiled lightly, loosening her stance and standing straight. "You're not focused, Yuko-chan." She said, not with disdain or anger, but simply stating it.
"I was just thinking." Yuko replied a bit absently, slightly relaxing.
Ahiko slid back into a stance. She knew Yuko wanted to finish this sparring session, she made it a point to go until the very end. "'Kay!" Ahiko said. Ahiko dashed forward, moving forward with a left, Yuko seen the strike coming already and stepped to the side. Ahiko turned raising her knee up. Yuko strained ducking under the flying strike, Ahiko spun to a stop before she hit the ground, sliding to a stop.
Yuko contemplated her next move, Ahiko wasn't nearly as strict as Souji, but she did hit her with enough force to remind her to keep her guard up. Yuko felt comfortable around her and developed a close friendship with her. That said she knew a good deal of the girl's moves, and their spars came down to endurance or speed. Yuko narrowed her eyes slightly, launching a kunai forward with deadly accuracy, Ahiko parried the projectile feeling it whistle passed her. Yuko took advantage of the opening and sprinted forward, darting in from the left. Ahiko surged chakra into her legs and jumped, Yuko shot under her arm fully extended. "I think it's time we take a break." Ahiko landed silently on the grassy plain they were sparring in crossing her legs.
Yuko sat a few inches from her throwing her back on the grass and letting out a soft sigh.
"I'll check with my brother to see if you could leave the compound to do some investigating." Ahiko said after a few minutes. Yuko turned to her with some hope in her eyes, truth be told she was eager to discover the truth about her mother. "Normally no one is allowed to leave who hasn't completed their training, but you handle yourself well." It was one of the rules that had been in place ages before she had been born. No single individual was allowed to leave the compound until they completed their training. That way they had the necessary skills to survive.
"Ahiko-chan, you don't have to..." Yuko felt a bit guilty. Souji had been extremely busy sending out units to explore the wilderness in the north where there were reported to be the Sarutobi clan and the Nara. He was also contacting several lords and damiyos that required their protection or service. When he wasn't doing that he was overseeing the clan's inner workings making sure every man, woman, and child was powerful and vital.
"Don't sweat it too much." Ahiko shrugged with a light laugh. She knew that certain things never went away unless you delved further. Also, it'd give Yuko closure and answers to her questions. "Just be ready for a mission, regardless. You'll still be needed and may be sent to a battlefield."
Yuko nodded with a grim expression. That didn't sound like the most pleasing thing, but she traveled through hundreds in the Water country barely escaping with her life at times. If one didn't adapt-if one even blinked that was the difference between life or death. "I understand."
Ahiko nodded. "Let's go back and wash up."
That sounded like a plan if Yuko had to say so, she was drenched in sweat and her clothing stuck to her skin.
The sun almost completely set in the west casting the sky in brilliant shades of orange, red, and yellow. Everything was completely still and eerily silent. Usually rodents and critters would be scurrying about in the trees or around the ground, but there wasn't a single click or clatter. The wind was light bringing coolness to a rather hot day. Temperatures climbed as high as one hundred and six in the Fire Country. Tobirama stared off into the plain just below their position expanding for several hundreds of thousands of miles. It was an enormous patch of land in the divide between the Grass, Fire, and Waterfall countries that was actively used for war, the natural conditions of the area wiped most of the carnage away but the telltale signs of battle were all around.
It was quiet way too quiet. Tobirama peered off over the horizon, the sun casting deep shadows around his chiseled face.
He turned to Hashirama who was consulting with Osen and Toka. They'd provide support and attack from the side. Toka was skilled in genjutsu so if push came to shove she'd knockout-kill someone with genjutsu alone. Osen was skilled in a vast array of weapons and poisons which she used to contaminate her weapons. It was one thing Ryoku always made a remark on.
"I feel tense." Syrus spoke a loud clad in dark red almost brick colored armor and had two swords on his hip and one particularly massive one on his back.
"They're close." Hashirama turned to the horizon with a solemn expression on his face. Strapped to his back was a giant scroll filled with weapons of all sorts to be used in tandem with his Mokuton based ninjutsus. Haji moved off to the side tracking something, and came to a stop just several feet away.
"I know..." Syrus narrowed his eyes. I can feel her presence... He walked to the edge of their perch, eyes zoning over the horizon. Tobirama narrowed his eyes as he felt a flurry of chakras and four of them were gigantic!
"Madara..." Hashirama muttered as he seen a head of spiky hair in the distance.
"I'll start things out!" Hashirama called to his comrades, slamming his hands together and clasping them tightly forming the snake seal. He channeled his chakra, nearly shattering the ground around him as he let it flare without any restrictions. If one felt his chakra at this moment they'd faint and pee their pants, it was so massive and enormous it was unbelievable. Mokuton: Kigi no umi! Hashirama's chakra flared even more bristling his strands of hair hanging over his forehead. A sea of branches and rapidly forming trees encompassed the horizon.
Madara took a deep breath as he entered the field with Izuna flanking him and Mikito up a few inches. His crimson eyes gazed at the sun as it set, noticing several figures on a cliff up ahead. He smirked slightly as his senses flared his eyes snapping upward straight ahead. That chakra it was unmistakable. Hashirama!
Hundreds of thousands of thick branches spiraled and coiled towards them in large knotted groups, it was literally too giant to evade or dodge. Mikito could hear the branches cracking as they grew and expanded growing large bushes of leaves and coiling upwards. Besides the wall of trees hurling towards them she felt the unmistakable chakra of Syrus and Haji, but there was massive one, and then there was one that continued soaring. She took a deep breath, a small smirk creeping its way onto her face. "Guess those two are all the hype the rumors make them out to be." She muttered to herself, measuring the insurmountable wall of branches and trees getting closer and closer.
Izuna flashed through two hand seals, leading his chakra to scorching heights, and inhaled deeply. Katon: Goka Hakai! Izuna opened his mouths expelling a torrent of flames that quickly swept outwards immersing itself into a giant wall. This was a small variation of his brother's Katon: Goka Mekkyaku except instead of focusing on range it was sheer destructive force.
Madara formed one hand seal, the tiger hand seal. Inhaling briskly as he kneaded his chakra converting it to fire. Katon: Goka Mekkyaku! He opened his mouth expelling a vast torrent of powerful flames that sprung outward and forward propelled by their own force, they grew in intensity as they lengthened out to the side, fusing with Izuna's fire jutsu.
BOOOOMMM! The wall of fire smashed into the sea of trees and branches ferociously attacking the torrent with resounding shockwaves that rocked the landscape around them. Hashirama's just continued forward albeit with burning, fractured, and severed pieces. Mikito narrowed her eyes setting her hands in the bird seal, Madara and Izuna's combined Jutsus continued smothering the torrent, charring the earth below and sending black stacks of smoke into the sky above.
Kaze no kuchiku-kan! Mikito inhaled deeply, kneading her chakra, and exhaled with great force, unleashing a wall of gusting wind. The wall shot forward at unbelievable speeds, coiling and twisting in on itself giving it more speed and power, the two jutsus clashed and this time there was a deafening boom as the combined force of hurricane force winds and walls of fire plowed through the Mokuton jutsu throwing up debris for hundreds of feet. The air was a lit with fires and charred projectiles.
Her jutsu has finishing power. Madara noted with approval. He focused chakra into his legs and charged forward leaping over a piece of flaming debris in a very graceful even beautiful manner. Cleared a path straight to Hashirama! He glanced over to his side, catching a blur that was indeed Izuna flying and dashing about in a clash of metal, he nodded once focusing his attention on Hashirama. Izuna could handle himself fine, and Syrus and Haji were already being taken care of. "Hashirama!" Madara shouted, jumping straight in the air, swinging his gunbai in a looping arc.
"Madara!" Hashirama jumped from his perch, soaring down towards the spiky haired Uchiha. He clasped his cleaver like sword with both hands, swinging it down with practical ease.
They clashed, gunbai and sword resounding with a blistering clap, both pushing against the other for superiority.
Tobirama was fast. Perhaps that was being too light about his quickness but it explained it thoroughly. He was concise and precise in his attacks every block and parry lead to a counter, every dodge lead to a strike, there was no wasted motion. Izuna easily kept pace him blocking and deflecting his barrage of stabs and slashesaiming for the legs and torso to press him back.
Unfortunately for him Izuna evaded the low stabs and swayed around the higher ones, his Sharingan gave him a scene of one hundred and fifty different possibilities, every small opening glaring at him. This didn't deter Tobirama however as he only upped his speed and power, sandals digging into the ground for purchase.
Izuna dashed forward slashing upward with one hand, Tobirama deflected the move that would have sliced through his chin. Izuna drew a second sword with super speed swinging it in a tight arc, Tobirama dodged the downward slash easily enough, flipping back to distance himself from his opponent.
Tobirama shot forward aiming low with his sword, as he expected Izuna jumped into the air tucking his legs in as he spun overhead. Tobirama was quick to act skewing his aim skyward just missing Izuna by an inch who transitioned gracefully in mid air landing on his feet firmly. Izuna was ready to press his attack, but a flash of motion caught his attention and he spun on a dime sending a third sword flying to the side where it pierced through a Senju shinobi's chest armor spluttering blood.
Tobirama snapped his hand to his belt, and lashed it out in a blur. A kunai whistled forward, taking the Uchiha shinobi by surprise digging several inches into his neck. He dropped to the ground shaking and bleeding out.
A kenjutsu technique that forces the opponent to jump by attacking their legs and torso areas. In doing so you have the opening to stab through their spine from the kidneys. Izuna thought knowing he evaded an extremely deadly technique. It was one that was rarely executed and when it was it had tremendous results, it allowed one to transition from defense to attack or vice versa, as well as delivering a one kill shot in the process. Hard to time perfectly, but when learned and perfected it was an excellent move to have.
He had two choices. He could battle with genjutsu which wouldn't be favorable at this high pace or ninjutsu. Taijutsu like kenjutsu would only result in them coming to a stalemate. Izuna smirked for a moment as he took a wide breath, kneading his chakra. Katon: Kyodaina hi no nami! Izuna mentally shouted as he opened his mouth, unleashing a wave of ferocious flames. The flames burst forward in a frenzied stampede scorching the grass it came across.
Sution: Mizu no nami! Tobirama kneaded his chakra forming one hand seal. With a grunt he exerted his massive chakra shattering the ground around him. Slowly water coalesced in a spiraling stream shooting forward propelled by his chakra and its own force. It grew in length and height. This jutsu was a variation of his water wall which was a continuous rotating stream of water, this jutsu was one giant rotating wall of water.
BOOOOMMM! The two jutsus smashed into each other with ground shattering force, the two jutsus caving the other in before exploding in a blaze of light; the deep hiss of steam and covering of smoke quickly enveloped the area around them. Izuna allowed a smirk to grace his face as he caught a flash of steel and swayed away from it, turning and swiping from the side. Tobirama evaded the slash, scowling and flipped back while Izuna gave chase.
Sution: Roringu mizu no kabe!
Katon: Renzoku kaen hōsha-ki!
Haji dashed back and to the left, evading Shin's swiping blow, planted his feet on the ground and lunged forward. Shin was extremely proficient in ninjutsu, it was a sound plan to push the pace and not allow him to form any seals.
Shin clutched both of his swords, taking a giant leap forward and spinning on a low axis, one arm lashing out. Haji ducked under the swipe that would have taken his head right off, and dashed to the side, jumping forward into his guard. Shin completed his spin, swaying to the side and letting his left arm come with added velocity, deflecting the stab.
Haji grunted, jumping back. This is why he chose to fight Shin directly and alone he had such a wide array of skills even among shinobi standards and his clan's standards. He could use just about any weapon, execute high level ninjutsu in rapid succession, and was a tactical and precision fighter when it came to taijutsu. Haji surged chakra through his body, and jumped forward going for a low stab. Shin moved to dodge, and Haji snapped his left foot on the ground, boosting him forward, and he lashed out with a swiping slash.
Shin surged chakra through his body, cracking the ground around him. He pressed the ball of his back foot into the ground bracing to strike or dodge. He was certain it'd take Haji only a second and no less to close their gap and deliver what would be a finishing blow. Shin recognized the technique as something he'd do to goad his opponents into attacking and then he'd strike in that millisecond. He could dodge, but there was a chance Haji would skew the trajectory of his attack and catch him before he was balanced.
With chakra surging through him augmenting his strength and speed he held his ground, and at the very last second sped forward swinging with his right arm first, Haj rolled evading the cutting attack, and turned out swinging in a tight upward arc. Shin narrowed his eyes, swinging forward with his left hand, feeling resistance on the other end and a loud shriek burn his ears.
Haji landed on the ground with one foot, turned, and faced Shin with a steady glare.
Shin glanced at his now broken sword, sheathing it back into its scabbard. He slid into a stance keeping his sword diagonal and in front of him slightly.
Looks like I'm going to need to use ninjutsu if I want to get through his defenses. Shin thought, and it seemed Haji had the same thought as he flashed through three hand seals ending with the snake seal. Shin flashed through two hand seals ending with the boar seal. Doton: Chikyū no purizumu! Shin narrowed his eyes surging more chakra forward.
Raiton: Kaminarai burasuto! Haji focused his chakra into a single point, jumped forward and extended his arm with his palm facing outward. Lightning crackled and surged around his hand before hissing with venom, bursting forward in a blast of light and crackling with vehemence. The ground in front of Shin shook for a second before cracking in every direction as a triangular cut of earth shot upward into the path of the blast. BOOOOOMMMM! The explosion was deafening and rocked the area they battled in.
Doton: Kiretsu o jikkō shite iru! Shin flashed through two more hand seals, slamming his hands onto the ground. Haji was instantly alert as he felt Shin's chakra surging in the ground around them. And like a switch was turned on the ground in front of shin began to split-small and minute at first, but after several moments the cracks turned into gaping gashes; the cracks spread out around them changing the landscape and tearing fissures into the earth.
Haji scowled ready for an attack.
Shin had the opening.
Syrus and Mikito dashed and danced around each other, blades swinging and limbs lashing out in quick successions. Syrus pressed his offensive barrage lashing out with numerous kicks adding quick spins and twists to skew their trajectory by a fraction. Mikito dodged and swayed passed the strikes gracefully pushing kicks away when they got too close. Their styles differed greatly; Syrus was abrasive and vicious never leaving her any ground to recover-if she even let her mind wander for a fleeting second it meant defeat or death.
Mikito was fluid, swift, and ferocious in her attacks. She'd lash out with a multitude of slashes and stabs followed by jumping kicks and elbows. She wasn't as abrasive as Syrus was, but she was just as intense putting every ounce of strength in her block to crisp footwork. Syrus smirked jumping up and spinning rapidly lashing out with two swift kicks, Mikito swayed passed the first one, jumping back and away from the second, raising her guard as she caught the sight of Syrus's wild hair.
Mikito grunted, pushing upwards and away from herself. Swords screeching with sparks as Syrus and Mikito battled for dominance. Finally, it was broken as Mikito pushed up and dashed back distancing herself. Mikito dashed forward, springing to the side and lunging in. Syrus read her movement, swinging himself to the side evading her blade, he grunted spotting the metal saya flying right for him. He grunted, surging chakra through his body. Syrus spun swinging an arm down smacking the saya away as he launched himself away.
Syrus slid across the ground, looking upward suddenly. He put on a burst of speed dashing back and to the right as Mikito smashed into the ground with shattering impact. In fact it was shattering impact, the spot where Syrus had been standing previously erupted with chunks of debris that flew skyward as far as his eye could see, the ground cratered and pressed in on itself spreading outward rapidly, smoke and dust covered the center where Mikito was.
With a step Syrus stopped at the edge of the crater, glancing from side to side. He'd say he was surprised at how big the crater was-just how deep and massive it was, but he wasn't surprised. Raising his head and glaring at the center he waited for the smoke to clear recede. Mikito slowly brought her fist out from the hole it made, looking it over for a second before turning her focus upward, spotting a shadow in the smoke. She allowed a smirk to grace her face, she was enjoying this way more than she should have.
"It's always something to see." Syrus said as the smoke finally receded, revealing Mikito. "Your strength..." He jumped back as Mikito blurred into motion, sliding several feet back from the crater he stared at Mikito as she landed at the very edge of it. "Is of titan caliber." He finished with a dark look in his eyes.
Mikito resisted the urge to retort, but it was the right thing to do in this situation.
"Perhaps that's one of the many reasons why I'm called a 'witch'," Mikito gave a soft smile, that didn't look genuine and was eerily frightening to anyone who wasn't trained or experienced. She changed her expression to something akin to neutral. "You've allied yourself with the Senju, I see."
Syrus scoffed at her tone. "And, you've allied yourself with the Uchiha..." He leveled a glare with her. "Those with devil eyes. It's not surprising you'd ally yourself with them."
"How crude of you to speak of my comrades with such belligerence." Mikito said with a low tone, exerting some of her chakra forward flashing her hands through two seals ending with the dragon seal, she grunted softly, surging more chakra forward as she rapidly kneaded it, her hair waving around her.
Syrus smirked forming a hand seal and inhaling deeply, kneading his chakra to great heights. He could hear anger in her tone, perhaps it was annoyance. It had nothing to do with him in particular, but he was adding to it. Katon: Kasai Hakai o arekuruu! He exhaled harshly, expelling a giant well of flames that streamed forward rolling and combing the ground scorching it with its blazing heat and fury. This was one of his signature jutsus, it covered a wide area as well as having a good destructive ability, he could adjust the intensity of flames and heat with a mere impulse.
Kaze no shoheki! Mikito opened her mouth unleashing high speed winds, the individual arcs coalesced into one spreading outwards as it rocketed towards Syrus's fire jutsu. Wind jutsus enhanced and strengthened fire jutsus, and it was ludicrous to counter a fire jutsu with wind jutsu, however Mikito had an idea. BOOOOMMMM! Their jutsus smashed into each other feeding off the other in a turbulent cycle, Mikito channeled more chakra into her attack widening the arcs and increasing their speed. Slowly the orb of fire and high speed winds 'wobbled' in on itself, exploding in a blaze of light and power rattling the ground.
Syrus formed the tiger hand seal, surging more of his chakra forward. Tochiton: Rippuru no nami!
Mikito's eyes widened for a moment as she flashed through two hands seals, inhaling deeply. Katon: Sōdaina hi no kuchiku-kan!
So much happened in the span of a few minutes. Their battle was perfection and grace. Gentle and abrasive. High speed and break neck. Dozens upon hundreds of blows were exchanged and blocked. Hashirama surging with chakra like a burning beacon dashed and flipped around the torn battlefield with Madara in quick pursuit, eyes burning crimson. Hashirama and Madara spun and twisted, gunbai beaming and cleaver sword arcing in rapid traces, colliding at every pivot and turn.
They broke apart, dashing back in with a punch. Madara swayed his head to the side dodging the blow and curling up launching a knee forward. Hashirama spun on a high axis evading the swift knee strike, planted his hand on the ground and flew back, hand planting several times escaping blasts of wind from Madara's gunbai. Hashirama slid to a stop, snapping an arm forward, smacking aside a powerful blast of wind, forming a hand seal.
Madara jumped up to avoid a branch that sprouted from the ground in an instant. His eyes beamed and flickered as he dashed and jumped from branch to branch flipping to avoid being impaled or tangled up. He tensed his core, propelling himself down towards a branch and with a shout sliced clean through it, using the stump as a launching pad. Hashirama tensed for a moment before dashing back, Madara's body moving in a tight arc one arm extending outward as he turned on the ball of his foot. Hashirama had no time to think as Madara sprung forward lashing out with his gunbai.
Hashirama blocked the attack with his cleaver sword, pushing forward with tremendous force. "Madara!"
Madara growled as the man spoke his name. Madara pressed forward, spinning out with a kick, pressing Hashirama to dodge. Hashirama seemed to deliberate for a moment before jumping up and away from Madara. Pushing the pace of the battle Madara inhaled swiftly, kneading his chakra, as he felt Hashirama's chakra flare again.
"Mokuton: Kigi no tochi!" The leader of the Senju exclaimed, pouring his chakra and very life force into the expansive jutsu. This was similar to the Nativity A World Of Trees jutsu, but it was more widespread, the branches matured to trees and the trees matured to forests several times faster as well. He narrowed his eyes clasping his hands tighter. The ground cracked before him, exploding in a violent plum cloud as dozens upon hundreds of thousands of branches shot forward.
Madara stood unshakeable before the torrent of wilderness, his Sharingan glowing, tomoes rotating rapidly as he searched for weak points. It was hard to say or determine what a weak point was, as he had an entire forest spear heading right for him repeatedly coiling and twisting outwards as the individual segments fought for room.
Katon: Goenka! Madara shouted mentally, surging chakra through his body, catapulting himself into the air. He exhaled briefly as he snapped his arms out, dozens of fireballs surged to life around him and his sides, burning the air itself with its potency. With a mental command, Madara unleashed the barrage of fireballs forward. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The jutsus crashed into each other, fire scorching and tearing through wood, as wood plowed into and through fire spilling debris all around them, the ground shook for miles around. Madara bolted forward, swinging his gunbai with great strength, unleashing a blast of wind.
Hashirama dodged the blast of wind, quickly blocking a punch. Madara grunted pushing forward and swung his sickle. Hashirama dashed back before the attack could reach him, blocking and dodging with expert precision as he retaliated with his own barrage of strikes, they spun and flipped across the ground forcing the other to adapt. Finally, Madara blocked a strike from his sword, lashing out with his leg, Hashirama spun swiftly snapping his leg out colliding his heel with Madara's shin. He clenched his hands into the snake seal.
Hitomi laid flat on her back, staring at the ceiling with a scowl on her face. This was ridiculous! What had she ever done to deal with this kind of treatment better yet deserve it. She wasn't as pompous or condescending as her parents and nowhere near as spiteful as her older sisters. She guessed it to have been close to night time, the room that was unbearably hot was cooler now. She listened for any activity around her prison, hearing muffled whispers and someone entering and leaving providing her with food there wasn't anyone by her for long.
Haji. What she would give to have him come busting in with that small scowl on his face and then proceed to chastise her for being so careless. She would rather be at the palace than dealing with this brute of a human and living in these... Filthy conditions. She may have been born and raised a noble, but even she knew that was definitely not acceptable. Either Cho didn't care or shinobi really were filthy. She took a breath, covering her mouth and nose with her hand to prevent herself from breathing in the dust and dirt.
There had to be someway to get out of this damned prison! Hitomi rummaged through her pocket pulling out a medium sized what appeared to be bomb wrapped in some sort of fabric. It was the last thing Haji gave her before he took his leave. She had been hesitant to take it, she was by no means a fighter and wanted to stay far away from bloodshed. Haji countered her argument stating that she was a fool and that one day she'd need it, whether she liked it or not.
She scowled as the memory stuck longer than she wanted. She hated how he'd just talk to her as if she was a child she was 15! She was already considered an adult, yet every time he gave her a lecture or explained something that was important she felt like a spoiled child being chastised. However, she noted to thank him later when she got out of this rat hole.
Hitomi stood up, making her way over to the small opening that was just above the ground. It wasn't large enough for her to crawl out of, but it could be widened with the right touch. She surveyed the small room spotting two more openings and the same old wooden bars she was hitting in fury before. The other two openings were of different sizes, one was larger and could be used to crawl through but it lead straight to a unit of Inuzuka from her observations and the second one was even smaller than the first.
She got on her hands and knees padding around her sleeping area. Her kimono was tarnished and dirty already so she didn't care too much about that. Her slender hands caught specks of dirt and dust leaving a thin layer of debris on her. "There it is!" She said cheerfully, snatching up several pins she used to keep her in place. She was about to go and start her escape but a heavy footstep snapped her back to attention. She sat against the wall scowling with hatred.
"Hey noble." It was Cho.
"Get lost you filthy-"
"I was just letting you know you've got sixty more minutes." He cackled slamming the door shut.
"Asshole." Hitomi muttered, standing up and moving towards the first opening she spotted. "I need to get out of here, that man is not going to touch me!" She peered through the opening searching for something that she could use to her benefit. Unfortunately she couldn't find anything and that forced her to improvise. Closing one eye she pushed her pin in through one of the metal bindings. She recalled stealing some of Haji's ninja wire and getting the silent treatment for a good six hours. She fished through her pockets pulling it out and tying it to the end of her pin. She pressed another pin into a second binding tying the wire together, lastly she secured the knot.
"Now that I got that finished I just need that stupid oaf to come back in." Hitomi said to herself, she didn't have the strength to yank down this binding, she needed someone that did. And, she was certain Cho was arrogant and stupid enough to go with it.
Several minutes passed and silence was the only companion Hitomi was graced with. It wasn't uncommon she had spent all of her time alone nearly dehydrated and starving when Cho first caught her, now she was fed and had her strength back but it didn't make her any happier. He was only toying with her.
Hitomi balled in on herself as a draft swept around her drawing a shiver from her. It was definitely night time now, that bitter cold was unmistakable and while her yukata was thickly made it couldn't do much to withstand this. "What in the world is going on?" She asked out loud as the ground shook beneath her knocking her down flat on her back.
Forty five seconds ago
"That's where she is..." Daji said as he eyed the compound several feet away from him. "I'm certain."
Usagi nodded, standing next to him. "You're positive."
"Like the last time?" Tsugi asked sarcastically.
Daji ignored the man's jab, looking to Usagi with a stern gaze. "I'm more than positive, I can smell her scent mixed in with those mutts." He growled softly, turning his focus forward for a moment. "Well, brat."
"I'll provide a distraction." Usagi said. "While they're focusing on me Ryoku and Tsugi will attack from the sides. Daji you're with me!" She looked to her lifelong companion who simply narrowed his magma eyes slightly.
"Got it kid." Tsugi nodded.
Usagi turned her focus forward as Tsugi and a few members of their unit shifted off to the side vanishing completely after a second. "Okay! Time to give them a good knock!"
Present time
Hitomi's heart raced as she inhaled the pregnant stench of smoke-she knew there was a fire close by. She was almost certain it was caused by another shinobi. She bounded for the opening, giving the string a powerful pull. She gasped as she fell back, slamming the back of her head on the ground as she rolled to her knees. "You weren't going to run away were you!?" Her heart stopped dead as she seen Cho's form hovering outside the bars.
Hitomi lost all of her composure as he snapped a bar without any effort. "No! Stay away from me!" She cried pressing herself to one corner of the cell clutching the smoke bomb tightly in her palm.
"Now don't be like that!" Cho cackled as he entered the chamber, leering at Hitomi with hunger in his eyes. "You're willing to be with Haji so don't play hard to get!" He caught her fist, pushing her wrist back until he felt the bones buckle in her wrist. She cried out brought to the ground by the pain. "You've got a lot of fire I like that." He licked his lips inching closer towards Hitomi. "You lack any strength and skill though." He pushed back again, and Hitomi cried out in agony. "Now open your mouth you stupid whore!"
"Never!" Hitomi screamed, tears running down her cheeks. "Never!" She thrashed against him, rewarded for her efforts he slammed her against the wall pinning her to the floor. Now, Hitomi lost it completely and screamed, struggling against him to no avail. "Get off of me!" She shrieked swinging her legs up aiming for his groin.
"You're stupid..." Cho laughed. "I'm going to be in you!"
"No!" Hitomi shrieked shrinking away as he pulled down his trousers. "You filthy bastard!" She exclaimed, pressing down on the bob with all of her strength. The smoke bomb exploded smothering the room in a cloud of blistering hot fumes. Cho reacted instantly retching as she dropped to the floor gagging and clawing at his nose and eyes. Hitomi wheezed painfully staggering up and running as fast as she could out from the chamber.
"You bitch!" Cho roared, smacking a row of bars into splinters. "You're mine, there's no escaping!"
"Just watch me!" Hitomi shouted banking right.
Burning cinders lit up the night sky around the compound, several Inuzuku raced to try and extinguish the flames while many others swarmed around the entire compound searching for any threats. Everyone was on full alert. Two Inuzuka shinobi raced to the front gates, weapons raised, before seeing a flash of white and gleaming steel followed by a rumbling snarl.
"Compound has been breached!" One of them shouted before smacking the ground with a thud unmoving.
Usagi drew her sword in an instant hearing the footfalls coming towards her, feeling the chakras rushing towards her. She snapped her head towards a corner where at least a dozen Inuzuka charged towards her. "Daji!" Usagi called fir the white wolf, the summoning quickly reaching her side with blood staining his fur glaring at their opposition. "I'll flank you!"
"Just stay out the way!" Daji roared charging forwards.
Okay, so someone or people may be wondering about some of those jutsus names. That's easy. It's the literal translation not the romanji for it-if you are curious I did compile them and list out some details.
Yeah... Until the next chapter.