The sun was just beginning its ascent over the horizon, though relatively dim, its light was enough to shed some warmth on the forest's massive canopy. The light crawled across the tangle of boles, fought to reach the darker recesses of the flooding ravines, then finally came to rest on the pouring streams and tree-sized roots of the boles. So perfect was the canopy, one would think that it must have owed its existence to some ninjutsu rather than strictly natural formation.
Then, as the sky grew steadily brighter, the canopy began to move. Anyone observing the infinite plexus would have been startled as the landscape seemed to erupt, sending the rain and moisture flying skyward in a great burst of white particles. A large lizard-like creature began pulling back its legs, and its awesome bulk slowly rose from its flooded tree bed.
It paused briefly in the windy air, then it continued on its morning mission across the plexus.
Disuke and Yosuke had both been heavily armored at the beginning of their quest. This armor was specifically designed for warfare. But, this morning the two men had discarded the bulky armor, and were moving forward as if they were on a reconnaissance mission, walking above the expansive landscape, and arcing over valleys that shifted down into gorge-like ravines.
Although the armor did as it was designed to do, both had decided it was better to be agile and nimble without the rustling of armor throwing off the silence.
Disuke's weary eyes took in the landscape, he was hoping that he would find the objects of his search before he lost himself to exhaustion again.
He heard Yosuke chuckle.
"I've got something! Not much it would seem...It could be a sign of fresh water. I'm closing in." Frantically working through the tangled mass of vines and branches, he increased his speed and banked himself over a long drifting hill. As the infinity of the terrain streaked under them, both welcomed the sudden G-force pressing them, the tangled plexus passing them by in a blur.
Yosuke allowed himself to relax slightly, feeling himself carried away by the wind. "Do you feel it? Do you smell it?"
"It sounds like a waterfall is close..." Disuke responded after a moment, eyes observing the terrain carefully as they glided.
"Hope we didn't get you up too early. We should be able to move around without much trouble from the monsters in here at the moment."
They both pulled inward, fine tuning chakra. Then they further reduced their speed, flipping over a layer of branches, bringing themselves down close enough to the surface so that they could better see a small object standing out against the green expanse. The object, a giant lake with flowing streams, ponds, and a small waterfall laid ahead, the terrain like a pillar around it.
The waterfall itself was packed with wood, stone, mud, and other earthen materials. They came to a rest gingerly against the upper part of the waterfall, taking note that there was a makeshift path leading up and down. It wasn't the most welcome sight, because that meant there was something moving through here large enough to cause great depressions in the vegetation.
Even more strange to their sight was an unfamiliar human figure standing in front of the gorge opening by the lake, as they dipped for a landing, Yosuke felt overwhelmingly grateful that at least the strange creature had enough presence of mind to evade.
Disuke noted the gesture from the younger man as well as what he had seen. He didn't take a look at him, but he did wonder if the momentary image of that strange creature would develop into something worse.
That's why he always accelerated in sensory. He seen life beyond normal vision, constantly moving, but the truth he sought was always in what he could feel. A few feet ahead Yosuke froze. He turned and shook his head, pointing ahead at the clearing several hundred meters away. There was an even wider pool of water being fed by the river.
There was a small island near the center of it, covered with logs, grassy ferns, and small trees. Smaller birds soared around the island, digging at the ferns, pecking at the grass, and chasing after large insects.
"What are you sensing?"
Yosuke pointed at the island. "Something massive. Probably what was causing those depressions in the ground we seen before."
Disuke looked closer, quickly fine tuning his sensory perception. It was almost as if he brought a lens to his eyes and looked closer, because he could feel the subtle life force there that his comrade could as well. Ripples were beginning to break out and traveling across the large body of water, ferns and logs rode the ripples, and giant frogs leapt on and off the island adding to the splashing sounds.
Disuke noted all of it while refilling his canteen with fresh water. "Focus. We need food and water. Lots of water."
Yosuke nodded at the reminder, quickly doing the same thing. "I hear you. This place is full of surprises."
Disuke nodded, taking a long drink. "It's different with just the two of us. I'll admit that much."
The island began to move. Yosuke shifted his footing as the island began to move from the water. It felt like the ground was going to drop beneath his feet. His eyes were seeing it, his chakra sensory was pricking it like a needle, but his mind had yet to fully grasp it.
He rooted himself with his chakra, purchasing on the ground, and he swayed to remain upright.
A huge, burly buffalo slowly rose from the water. Plants from where it had been submerged, grazing most likely, trailed from its horns that must have been thirty feet in length. Yosuke noted, that where the horns met was a huge, hard developed part of bone that formed a helmet shape.
If that thing charges anything that gets in its way is down...Is it solitary or with a pack...
It turned and stared at them.
"This thing is huge." Yosuke muttered.
Disuke nodded in response, noting the sense of wonder in the younger man's eyes. "Looks like we're clear for now. I don't think it's a threat. We'll move slow in any case. Don't want to cause it any alarm."
The buffalo snorted, and it reminded Yosuke of the sound water jutsu would explode with when they made contact. Yosuke could smell it now more than before. A damp odor mixed in with something like algae and mud fields. It kept a steady watch of them as they moved around the edge of the massive pools of water, turning its head slowly away from them as it continued chewing.
Disuke took a breath, sighing audibly in relief as they continued their trek.
Thankfully Yosuke seemed to be more alert about their surroundings than he had been before, and far less engrossed with whatever was going on in his own head and the greater expanse of terrain. That relieved him. He knew all too well now, that if their attention was on this creature, something else could be honing in on them.
Seeing that huge buffalo wasn't the first time Yosuke considered what else they could encounter. There was far too many beasts and monsters to name. The apes, the centipedes, that horrible shaggy haired creature that seemed to move in groups, the pack hunters that varied in size, those long neck monstrosities that smashed through everything...
There were the ones with two long horns as well with that strange head shield that fanned out around them...
The one that had the huge clubs of bone on its tail, that he had seen smash through all of its attackers and shattering their jaw bones.
This place could be home to other unknown creatures.
The terrain grew more hazardous, and soon the pool was lost in the jungle behind and below them. Everything rose and fell, plants grew thicker, boles grew into knots, branches spiked like roots, and both Yosuke and Disuke had to work with thrice the effort to clear a path just to breathe without getting tangled up.
They tried to move side by side and fine tuned their chakra sensory, Yosuke stopping frequently to look around and get a better survey of everything. The sounds of the plexus and the smells of the high canopy swept all around them. It brought Disuke a measure of relief. It was when the constant sounds lessened that they'd need to stop and get ready for a fight.
The plexus knew when something was about to happen and warned them. Ahead of them was the path Disuke had been cutting through, leaving vines tangled where they had been sliced through. A few snakes hissed at the intruders and curled away. Large shadows of insects and bugs flashed away into fallen boles and leaves.
"What is it?" Yosuke asked.
Disuke pointed back through the vines he had just cleared through to the best of his abilities. Deeper in, Yosuke could make out patches of depressed foliage along the trees.
"Those are from human feet. They were wearing zori sandals. They're not new. Must be a day old. That means..." Yosuke trailed off, looking at the older man.
"Look closer..."
Yosuke gauged his eyes carefully and narrowed them. "The humanoid creature we seen before...There's more of them...As well as..."
"No can move quickly in this place. Not even them. Let's keep moving this way, if they see this opening maybe they will take our bait. After all..." Disuke smirked slightly while he glanced back where they had been.
"They should have company here soon."
They slowly began to move their way up a steep slope towards the tree smothered ridge line. There wasn't much to be seen from that high up. The foliage and canopy were so thick it became hard to distinguish one from the other. Yosuke fine tuned his sensory, something he could now do almost like breathing, while Disuke kept shifting direction, checking branches and leaves, looking at the ground in certain areas for depressions and other anomalies.
Yosuke stayed close, observing and keeping the flow with his own chakra, even when they could sense slight tension as they looked across the valley that opened up before them, Yosuke kept himself from losing it when another startling truth began to hit home.
"We got a lot closer than we thought..." Disuke noted what the younger man had observed.
"Yeah. I wasn't counting on it." Yosuke nodded, his expression showing some surprise.
Vast structures of rock, almost gray in some places, and high walls of roots filled the nearby terrain on either side. Undergrowth smothered everything that it could, but the higher parts of natural terrain remained clear of so much vegetation. Yosuke could make out a pattern to all of these scattered landmarks that connected them into one overall landscape.
There was writing on the mountain side they were familiar with.
It was the kanji for faithfulness.
"That is the kanji for faithful." Yosuke said, keeping his weapon held by his side.
Disuke felt a slight unease. Domou and Uchiha...Could be the Subatsu, Mo, and Hagoromo as well...
The jungle around him looked the same as always, but there was something beginning to change. Almost too fluid for him to see with his physical eye. In fact it would've fooled the physical eye. It made them stagger and hunch over to regain their breath. The heat and rain that stuck their clothes to their bodies faded.
"Something...Is...Watching..." Yosuke trailed off, leveling his weapon for a two handed thrust.
"Are you sure?"
"If it was a person...I wouldn't take this stance."
The trail ahead of them was gaping with vegetation, Disuke noted that there was solid ground before them and not the marsh he had grown used to seeing.
That was good.
A loud, ear piercing roar, nearly knocked him and Yosuke to the ground. He nearly tumbled but caught his balance, as a bunch of land fell loose just a few meters away from him, sliding across the ravine Disuke aimed his weapon carefully with one hand, but he did not ignite his chakra. He moved slowly, down and around a bend in the winding path.
There was a serene calm that came over him when he saw the large, lizard-like creature, its huge fangs dripping of saliva and drool.
It stood on four strong legs, its tongue twitching eagerly.
Disuke's chakra hummed inside of him as he darted to the side, slashing back with a quick extension of chakra as he rolled, opening the side of the creature's mouth with a shallow, but still pretty gruesome wound. The creature landed a few meters away unfazed by the attack, and tried to turn, but Yosuke locked its leg in an earth jutsu, forcing it to overbalance and slide off the trail, plummeting hundreds of miles into a nearby bole. Neither of the two had time to watch the spectacle of the downpour, as another group of the beasts appeared, coming at them fast with guttural roars, their toothy maws open wide.
Yosuke filled their maws with his chakra, shearing, slashing, and cleaving through teeth, gums, before forcing his earthen spear right through the back of his attackers' heads when they tried to pin him against a tree branch out of sheer fury. He pulled hard to the side, contracting his chakra as he did so, allowing his weapon to tear right through the four of the beasts' skulls like butter, and turned to face yet another leaping beast.
I'm slightly off balance...
He threw himself back and down, letting the beast fly past him in its vicious lunge, then he sprung up immediately into a somersault, allowing his chakra, rather than himself to start the pursuit, whirling with a quick pivot, he reversed his grip, and forced his weapon to contact, impaling the fourth, fifth, and sixth creature before they smashed hard into nearby boles. He spun seething his chakra, and flipped the weapon from his right hand to his left, then snapped it out to the side of the dying beasts' necks as he completed his arc, causing another rupturing of the landscape to force them to find purchase.
Yosuke clenched his teeth, coming right around to face the one that had managed to get past his first and second assault.
"Handle it so we can eat them." Disuke said from the side, eyes narrowed to slits as he put a few of the downed beasts into a sealing scroll.
Yosuke considered it for a second, then nodded. "They are big. We need to eat."
He shifted his footing as the creature circled around slowly, sizing him up, drawing its talon-claws into the ground and ripping it through as it exerted its power. Unfazed by the display, Yosuke turned with it, but kept his eyes and ears scanning the area. Even if Disuke had him covered, he knew too well, that were creatures out here that could slip past their perimeter they always formed.
The creature wasn't going to back down. With many of its fellows dead on the ground, hanging from trees, and some even tearing trenches as they were flung around into trees, he was hoping it would think better and flee. It didn't.
The fierce beast lunged, jaws snapping. Yosuke sidestepped, and arced an overhand slash sending the creature's head rolling free on the ground not even a second later.
"I'm starting to get used to this." Yosuke remarked after a while, when he was confident that no more of the creatures were about.
"Looks that way to me." Disuke agreed with approval.
Yosuke nodded at that, calming his chakra, put his weapon by his side, moved along, and soon after rounded the corner of the plexus. A great jungle spread before him with many tall jagged shapes that were mountains dotting every few feet, even in the far distance, indistinguishable in the cloud patches and plexus of plains just nearby.
Disuke found a serene calm as he peered across the plain. He saw a cluster of boles with towers-not natural canopy knots like those he had seen tangling across the landscape, but shaped structures that had be to be made through another means that wasn't natural.
A roll of his internal focus increased his sensitivity, allowing him to get both size and available chakra, and he scanned slowly. Something humanoid, but not human...There were scores of them, lining the region, settled on these strange platforms. Yosuke watched in amazement while Disuke watched with a scowl, as another platform blew out from its leafy cover and dozens of hairy humanoid creatures stepped off it and into the labyrinth below it.
"They're taking battle formations...It's almost as if..." Yosuke muttered and he looked to the canopy, gauging the flow of chakra, wondering if they could fight this strange group of creatures. Perhaps they'd be able to avoid each other, so long as he didn't work his way down the path into their domain of the jungle, it was a slight advantage for them not to.
Yosuke shrugged and stepped ahead, closing his eyes and finding his power in the surroundings. Then he leapt out, lifting himself with chakra. He hit a branch many feet down, sprang away, flipped, flipped again, half bouncing, half flying his way down to the dark plain below. The sun was starting to send out its hotter rays, and the land was beginning to lighten around him.
The entryway to the jungle was heavily guarded by larger humanoid creatures, but Yosuke nor Disuke didn't want to stray that far from their current position. Using chakra, and his own conditioning, they scaled lower, until they came to a opening in the jungle that was growing out the side of the nearby cliff.
They slipped in silently and moved from shadow to shadow, then ducked behind massive boles as they heard the approach of a pair of strange-looking humanoid creatures...
The humanoid figure from before was back, with more of its kin. Their movements were so smooth they almost blended into the shades of green and brown around them. They would've been invisible if it wasn't for their dark hairy bodies. A few meters away, there were more of them moving towards the front from the surrounding terrain.
Their bodies weren't so camouflaged that they could blend in with smooth movements.
They began to aim sharp wooden projectiles at the duo, sizing them up.
Yosuke raised his weapon, and Disuke moved his to his side, body relaxing as he shifted into the beginnings of a quick draw.
"I sense something over here!"
"That's where the explosions-That was ninjutsu!"
The humanoid figures tensed before they looked in the direction the roaring voices came from.
"I sense it too! We're close, let's keep pushing! Alert the others!"
"Come on!"
Disuke glanced at the creatures. Their faces could barely be seen, but they were impassive. He was adept at reading expressions, knowing long ago that the eyes and face told more about a person's intentions before they followed through with actions. It saved his life more than once.
These creatures were almost inscrutable. They appeared calm, but their eyes reflected anger and their faces gave nothing away besides a brief intelligence.
He bit his lips, thankful for the metallic taste of his own blood.
Then he was on the move. For a terrifying moment he thought he was going to be stuck in the middle of whatever clash was coming, with more than an uncertainty of walking out of that alive. Chakra pushed him further and further.
"Don't forget about our kills." Yosuke reminded.
Disuke nodded with a smirk.
It was definitely an improvement.
Just minutes later Katsumi, Hikaku, Mitsuki, Shin, Isami, and Chiasa stormed through the area, their steps broad and swift. Their respective units came rushing through, dispersing in every direction in front of them until they covered the perimeter, and loomed around the area, ready to unleash their pent up fury at the trespassers.
Just above them Katsumi examined her blade as the light gleamed off her black war helmet.
She stood near motionless as if she were in deep meditation.
As Hikaku approached her at his steady pace, her eyes adjusted as she came back to the present. The man definitely had a powerful aura emanating from him, something that could've sent uncertainty into the mind of someone with less experience.
She waited for the younger man to approach her.
He took a step forward.
"Hikaku?"
"Katsumi." The younger man replied, keeping his tone respectful. "The creatures are slowly retreating."
Katsumi turned to face him fully, her armor swaying against the wind. "So, the Senju managed to evade just seconds..."
"I'm not sure if it was...It could have been those humanoid creatures that are still holding their ground against us. They're more than apt enough to fight us...I can sense a strange..."
"There is an intelligence there with them that shouldn't be underestimated. We will need to handle them if they want to become a problem." Katsumi said, breathing heavily.
"As for the Senju they are crafty. We are going to need to get ahead of them." Hikaku said, eyes narrowing to slits.
"A ninjutsu collaboration is impossible from our position. We should prepare for a surface attack. Two people taking priority is unthinkable." Isami noted, keeping his eyes on their current opposition.
"They are Senju." Katsumi noted, keeping her tone leveled with respect.
With the utmost precision, Mitsuki turned and marched out of the nearby area, leaving behind an enraged Katsumi and the others. Katsumi took a deep breath, calming herself until she could see a brightly lit image of the vast terrain.
Masa stepped forward, sensing that Katsumi was going to need her. There was anger in Katsumi's voice when she spoke again.
"We just missed them...Now we're stuck here dealing with these creatures...Not to mention everything else they've enraged..."
Masa's reply was addressed to Hikaku. "Hikaku..."
Knowing better than to delay, he stepped forward instantly as the others moved to the edge of their high point, his hand automatically reaching for his blade.
"Shall I cut them?"
"This is one fight we can't handle like that...We are going to space our units around the area. We may need more with us." Katsumi deduced.
"Then the others will converge here at some point so that nothing can get out of our perimeter. It should work to our benefit." Hikaku noted, eyes shining as they glared red with the Sharingan.
Masa was pleased and unsettled by this news. As she turned to carry out the orders, she saw a figure that might someday be herself. Whatever creature had been trying to delay the two Senju's intruders was hideously contorted as it fought for one final breath of air.
Then it dropped with a thud.
"They're not going to delay this any longer than they have..." Katsumi said, eyes starting to blaze.
Hikaku and Isami were conferring their strategy when Bunji and Izuna stormed into the area, their weapons drawn and eyes glowing crimson. Katsumi, who had been listening to the two, turned in anticipation at their approach. A roar blared across the landscape, almost as if it had come from the huge ravines located everywhere around them.
"Are you two clones or the real deal?" Mitsuki called, coming from a patch of forest close by, her sword drawn and stained with blood.
Grimly attentive, Hikaku met her approach and noted her blade.
"You need to stop doing that."
Mitsuki just met his gaze before looking back at Izuna.
"I'll handle the rest." Hikaku said, his tone stern.
"Real deal. Had to get back here and get with you guys." Izuna said while the two continued their exchange, looking behind him with an irate expression.
"Saki insisted that we got back here...While she took care of those pack hunters. She took it personally. I wasn't expecting her to be as swift as she was." Bunji said, tone showing respect for what he had seen.
"I think I got a read on the trespassers despite all of that commotion. I've picked up something outside the 11 o clock position. The trajectory is changing wildly...It's moving east. That has to be them."
Mitsuki's eyes narrowed. "Then it can't be one of those creatures that are still priming to battle with us."
"Could it be..." Isami trailed off, looking into the distance. "A straggler?"
Katsumi shook her head. "Doubtful. There are two Senju and that is it. There's a pulse of chakra in that direction, very weak..."
Walking as rapidly as she could, Katsumi approached the center of their nearby landscape. Her sensory perception tuning in the faint signals.
Just then Izuna shot up and moved quickly towards his flank. "There's something coming. It's just over the ridge. We should have visual contact in about—"
Without warning the terrain shook with a roar.
Izuna frowned, noting how his stomach did a flip. "Whatever that thing is...It isn't friendly."
Even before Izuna, Isami, and Masa were out of the area, Katsumi had dispatched more units of clones to trail the pulsing chakra signals and the humanoid creatures that remained persistent in holding their ground.
She slowly folded her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes to slits. "Acquiring information is your objective is it?"
If Hashirama's objective was information gathering...
If Madara and Mikito just wanted to fight Hashirama...
What was Daishiro's objective in all of this...
Was there something more?
Something she was missing?
This is perturbing...
The Hokage Building occupied a position of great prominence in the village situated right behind the great mountains that oversaw the expanse of forest. The multi-story building was larger and even more impressive than the five tiered Imperial Castle with the Imperial Army guarding it.
There was cool confidence in the heart of every member of Konoha, especially among those gathered within the Hokage Building.
But, there was something that blazed within their souls.
Uncertainty.
In what seemed to be an endless moment, no sounds except those from the surrounding wilderness and the loud gales rushing around could be heard shuddering against the foundations. Hashirama watched the endless array of paper work pile up, while Kiyoshi moved towards him quickly, carrying a message for a damiyo guard, who was stationed at the gate.
"I think we've found something in the Tea country." Kiyoshi announced, looking from Hashirama to the message.
"The report we have is only a fragment according to Tobirama and Koichi, and it is from their clones that are searching the entire territory as we are speaking."
"There could be thousands of clones searching everywhere as we speak." Tadashi broke in angrily.
"You found something?" Hashirama asked, his voice somewhat quieter due to keeping his composure.
Kiyoshi respectfully nodded at the younger man, measuring his words carefully. "Yes...It would seem there's been visuals of battle. The territory does appear to be devoid of human life and everything else. It's like a ghost town."
Hashirama was no longer listening. He turned his focus inward. The image beamed-an image of an attack force streaking above through the country. An attack force headed by the man he still considered his good friend deep down. "That is good. We will go with that."
"You are certain." Tadashi protested.
"It could be a genjutsu." Tadakki warned.
"That might be even better for us. If we break it. We can see what's really going on."
"I am in agreement. I know for certain." Hashirama insisted, clenching a fist.
"If it's a genjutsu why haven't Koichi and Tobirama been able to break it?"
Hashirama hid his grim expression, his eyes gleaming sharply. Madara and Mikito...
Kiyoshi looked at Tadashi with a calm gaze. "Depending on the strength of the genjutsu, it may not be easily broken. I know Uchiha have one of the most powerful genjutsu. If our reports of recent movements are current and valid, that would mean..."
"Bring in the patrolling squads. Kiyoshi, I'm going to need you to handle things on my end for just a little bit. Set our course for the Water damiyo and those clans battering the coast." Hashirama said with hesitation.
"The Kurama and Yuhi were said to have relocated..." Tadashi noted with a grim tone.
"I got it." Kiyoshi nodded at Hashirama, his expression growing more serious.
Hashirama looked toward Tadashi. "Inform the others who aren't helping in building. Prepare your best men and clones."
As soon as he had spoken, everyone set about to launch his plan.
"I have Informed the damiyo that I will be coming to visit in a fortnight. The battles shouldn't get too severe on our end until then. Danzo explained how the traps were designed and their long lasting effects-the Shimura were a mysterious clan, but they were genius with explosives." The guard explained.
Hashirama nodded his understanding, slowly setting the message aside in its designated spot. "I need some of the Imperial guards stationed here. Maybe there could be a checkpoint for a halfway point between here and the capital."
The guard stared for a long moment before nodding his own understanding. "Very well."
Hashirama couldn't hide the slight smile that crossed his face. He couldn't quite bring himself to be completely upset. This is the end result he wanted. He'd get to see his childhood friend, Madara, and someone who he considered to be a powerful adversary in Mikito.
I wonder how much you've changed since the last time I've seen you...Have you really given up on our dream, or is there more to what you were saying before...
About showing our guts...
Disuke ran around behind the monster's long limb, then snapped the spear into the elbow joint of the furious monstrosity. The beast screeched in pain and slapped the struggling boles aside with a quick sweep of its left limb. Just next to him, Yosuke continued to knit and flick the earthen spear as the pack hunters regained their balance and began to stalk back toward him for a renewed assault.
Finally, they were clear from the humans, but that lead them right back towards the beasts and monsters of the plexus.
But the large bear-like creature was right below them, looking up, roaring, drool spilling from its canines as its jaw continued to extend. It stood on its hind legs, leaning them against the boles, claws tearing into the vegetation and it began to heave its weight and slash at the pack hunters.
It soon found itself flung and smashed into the ground by Disuke and the long arm, ape-like monster he was in death combat with.
"You okay?" He called.
"Sure."
Disuke smirked and motioned back to the plexus, and Yosuke turned to see why he was smirking. It didn't surprise him. Pack hunters. Hundreds of them ran out from the cover of the vegetation. They surrounded the bear-creature, the long arm-ape monster, and the two of them, and opened their maws with shrill roars, giving Disuke no choice but to pull back hard on the makeshift rein and snap the fist of the ape creature into a section of them.
"You see?" Disuke calmly asked, pointing at the elbow joint where some of his jutsu remained protruding out.
The man's expression changed, just for a moment, as a familiar hum began right behind him. He glanced to his right slowly, to see a bright blade right beside Yosuke's neck, then turned slowly to regard the wielder.
She was a short woman with olive tanned skin and light brown eyes. She had knee-length dark brown wavy hair kept in a high ponytail that made her bangs rest over her left eye. She wore the standard Domou uniform consisting of a blue haori, black kimono, gray hakama, white obi, and white zori.
As another layer of protection she wore black armor, each section of armor protected her shoulders, thighs, groin, back, and posterior.
"Mizuki Domou...I didn't think it would be you that would find us. I guess we're lucky. If it were anyone else we'd be fighting already." Disuke said with his calm tone, eyeing her carefully.
"You're just in time. I wanted to test a new jutsu." Yosuke said, unable to keep the arrogance out of his voice.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that jutsu." Mizuki replied, her cool confidence remaining firm.
Disuke turned slightly. "Perhaps a foolish notion."
"I don't think so...If that were the case you wouldn't be here right now." Mizuki countered.
"One Senju has to be worth a hundred shinobi." Disuke glanced about the terrain, his smirk widening.
"How well do you think one Senju will match up against more units than just mine?"
She had timed it perfectly. Just as she finished, a line of pack hunters raced out from the cover of their surroundings, their maws gaping open. Mizuki reacted in an instant, drawing, slashing diagonal, and spun sd she arced away, turning the maws back on her attackers before bisecting them. She was aware that these pack hunters were the least of her troubles right now, though, as she glanced around he saw the source of Disuke's unshaken confidence.
Thousands of pack hunters and other beasts were running along every path.
Right towards them.
The fight began immediately, the terrain filling with screaming blades, roars, leaping and spinning, trying to close into tight defensive groups, their blades deflecting the teeth and claws wildly. Smaller beasts scrambled all about in the melee, some trying to attack the trio, and dying for their trouble, while others just kept scrambling to get out of the way of the fight.
Mizuki spun about after arcing through three pack hunters, shifting her blade to the side, she recognized that her most dangerous enemies were behind her.
Two humans.
She faced Disuke and Yosuke-and found herself looking through the corkscrew burst of flames, rapidly reaching out for the her, igniting the air around her with such ferocity she had to squint. With both of her foes so close, and the terrain not being so open, Mizuki leapt away, lifting herself with a burst of chakra to fly from the ground and land several meters away. She pulled the burning corkscrew that followed her away with a wall of water, throwing both aside with a quick shout as she found purchase on the ground again.
Mizuki was a blur of motion once more, working her blade furiously to turn back the storm of teeth and jutsu screaming at her from the multitude of beasts, Yosuke, and Disuke. Yosuke joined Disuke and Mizuki near the center of the chaos soon after, and back to back, they went into action, surging into the crowds of pack hunters and beasts, hewing hundreds, turning and whirling about, only to lunge at each other in the next heartbeat.
Yosuke rocketed towards one group of pack hunters, with his weapon low, but when his targets lifted their defenses, Mizuki turned about in her own rotation, coming around with her blade high, while Yosuke parried, letting her blade shear the pack hunter in half.
Mizuki shifted, stabbing ahead and turned her blade, arcing it through teeth and gums as it accelerated from the sheer momentum, just behind her Yosuke and Disuke were back to fighting with their backs facing each other, with Yosuke working his jutsu and weapon in defensive barriers, deflecting all the attacks coming at him and Disuke, while the older man picked his targets carefully, taking down beast after monster.
Despite all the efforts, despite the mounds of slaughtered enemies, pack hunter and monster alike, the outcome was beginning to show clearly from their position, as the trio were being pushed back by sheer numbers, not to mention their own growing stalemate due to focusing on the sheer numbers around them. The movements began to flowed toward the ravines, the cliff edges where there were any, though that area would provide very little respite.
Mizuki slowly shifted her stance, maintaining her internal pressure as she began scanning the area of her enemies. "You two made a mistake coming here."
Yosuke smiled nastily. "I'm surprised you found us. Where are the others? You're Domou, I know there's more of you around."
"Your distractions are causing them to delay. You've stirred up some humanoid creatures that are moving towards battle as we speak. Hopefully there aren't more of them getting the same idea."
"Ever see what a contraction does with a weapon like this?" Yosuke interrupted, showing off the long weapon Disuke had gifted him.
"I wonder about that confidence you have. You must be relatively new to use such a technique with jutsu to boast about it in that manner."
"I'd love to show you." He responded.
"Yosuke..." Disuke warned with a stern tone.
The younger man tried not to scoff, and managed a slight nod.
Mizuki analyzed the two with her observant eyes before she allowed herself to relax just slightly. "In any event, you're going to come back to the compound with me."
While Yosuke was trying to make sense of this woman, and what she said, Disuke cut in.
"Of course, Daishiro and some others want us alive. I can only presume they're going to have the counter strike in play. It seems like it's become a contest of who becomes the quarry."
Yosuke was too stunned to respond.
"You're sharp. I expect nothing less from Disuke Senju. It seems you're going to be more difficult than your younger friend here. I'd have to deal with you first, but this mouthy one is a little too quick with his chakra flaring." Mizuki's statement fell on deaf ears.
Yosuke was already igniting his chakra.
"So be it..." Mizuki trailed off, shifting her stance to Migi Gedan as she brought her heel closer to level ground, maintaining her internal pressure.
"I have seen that stance before battling against your kin and Uchiha...It's been a while since I've got to fight one of you...Domou. I remember you hewing through my comrades in one battle." Yosuke commented, his tone becoming more stern and abrasive.
"Don't waste your energy getting upset. Do not make me warn you again, Yosuke. Remember our mission. You need to be wary of what ninjutsu she can unleash if she's pushed that far judging from that water wall she was able to form...Focus on the terrain and not your rage."
Yosuke scoffed, trying not to glare at Disuke. "Are you saying?"
"Enough! Remember our objective. Any little distraction is enough to get caught by this woman...Give her the proper respect. You are Senju."
Yosuke glowered.
"If her objective is to capture us alive that what she's going to do. We're just going to give her a hard time so she can't do that. I have enough information that this wasn't a complete debacle. We should be able to deduce enough from what I've gathered." Disuke said as he followed the younger man's step, and ignited his chakra into his weapon and focused it, letting it stab into the ground.
"I'm going to use a earth jutsu." Disuke said, giving Mizuki a hard stare.
"Hmph. It feels like you're trying to create a new landscape. You're one to cause distractions. You both can come at me at the same time. Let's go." Mizuki replied.
"Good. I thought you were about to say hand ourselves over."
Disuke was annoyed enough that he could smack Yosuke upside the head. That would be the better option...I'm not sure if Hashirama wants to gamble that risk...I'm not sure if I want to either...He was counting on someone capturing us alive. I'll have to improvise from here...
What are you driving at Hashirama...Is it more than just information, or could it be that...