If one were to look towards the mountain pass that acted as the border guard to Konoha and Kumo, they would be surprised, that in the wee hours, near midnight they would find a great orange glow, settled near the foot of the mountain visible for miles all round. As one would draw closer and closer the sound of battle would be easily discernible over the normally dead quiet atmosphere that permeated the air at this time of the night.
Fires burned high, spreading across the valley that lead to the encampment of the Kumo ninja.
Naruto had been right, the counterattack, which, coincidentally had been sprung during the shift changes of the perimeter guard, had caught the attacking Kumo ninja almost entirely off guard. Their hastily mounted defense was easily giving way under the first waves Genjutsu aided assault.
Some of the ninja flailed wildly, fighting off invisible enemies as they suffered under the effects of Kurenai's mass Genjutsu. The abrupt wake up, the panic that they had been woken up due to an enemy attack and the general disorientation of the entire battlefield aided her efforts. Currently she was holding Genjutsu over 20 or so ninja, the strain of her effort leaving her vulnerable to attack as she had to hold her hands in a single seal, steadily moving forward as sweat began to line her brow, her concentration stretched to the limit as she was forced to rapidly switch targets, seeing as how the current ones would be killed by the troops after just a few seconds of being under the Genjutsu's disorienting effects. Though a bit out of practice, her skills with illusions was intact and still very very powerful. Even those who could dispel the illusion still took long enough so that they would be killed just a second or so after they were able to escape most of the time
Still because of her vulnerability, an escort of about six Anbu, not including Toushiro surrounded her, blocking any stray kunai that managed to force its way past the advancing troops.
From a nearby ridge Zhuge Liang watched the battle progress. Jutsu, kunai and ninja all clashing with one another in this frenzied chaos. Observing as his men were being pushed back like inexperienced academy students. Callous though he may be, he was working on finding a way to save them, analyzing this attack.
It didn't take him long to realize there was a Genjutsu specialist on the field. Maybe as many as three. They needed to be neutralized if they would have a chance to push back these ninja. He closed his eyes fanning out his senses trying to pin point the sources of chakra that were affecting his soldiers...But...there was something odd...something...wait...there...
There was only one source.
These Genjutsu were all being simultaneously crafted by a single individual...this person was skilled indeed. Zhuge Liang could only recall one person from Konoha who had these skills in his files.
Yuuhi Kurenai.
Interesting. The Sleeping dragon admitted. But frowned as he realized that Naruto's appearance yesterday may have been one of her illusions, crafted with the intent to intimidate.
She would have to be dealt with. As far as he knew, her skill in Genjutsu was second only to his own. And she, unlike him, was not a prodigy. The devotion she must have for the art of illusions was admirable, if nothing else.
Wasting no more time, the sleeping dragon vanished in a swirl of barely visible wind.
Kurenai wasn't sure what had brought her out of her concentration. What had broken it. Weather it was a sound she hadn't completely registered behind her, but that her subconscious had recognized as "out of place". Or perhaps a peculiar sliver of chakra she sensed had alerted her. Or maybe it was just sheer instinct. But something had caused her to suddenly dive to the side, seconds before a blade pierced her shoulder, causing her to cry out in pain, catching the attention of the guards that had been around her. The ones behind her had their back to her, in order to catch "outside" threats, they had never expected someone to have the skill and speed to appear in the middle of their formation.
When they fully turned they only managed to catch a brief glimpse of the Raikage holding what appeared to be a ball of condensed lightning in his hand. Before a shockwave knocked them all away. Kurenai, whom had been closest to the blast, felt the impact full force, the pressure of the shockwave making her feel as if her skull was being crushed, disorientation and nausea easily taking hold as she was bodily launched away from the man, tumbling like a rag doll, her ears bleeding as the world spun.
As she finally came to a stop, her first instinct was to clutch her head, the screams of pain pried from her throat didn't even register in her mind as the vertigo and deafening ring in her ears refused to settle.
Zhuge Liang shot forward like a bullet. She was his main target. A kunai, extended with a wind blade was gripped in his hand, the same weapon he used to injure her just a few seconds ago. His arm reared back, ready to make the killing blow when his senses alerted him to the rapidly approaching danger and he stopped dead in his tracks just as a familiar voice reached his ears.
"NO!"
The Raikage leaned back, avoiding an axe swing aimed to his face before he leapt away. Catching sight of Toushiro as he did, the young Kiri ninja now standing between him and the downed Genjutsu mistress.
"Ahh young Toushiro." Liang drawled slowly. "Come to avenge your father again?" He questioned tilting his head a bit to the side.
Toushiro growled, but inched back, closer to Kurenai. He wouldn't fall for the sleeping dragon's tricks again. He needed to protect her. If nothing else he needed to save her from this man.
Zhuge Liang's eyebrow quirked upwards slightly. An interesting but, not entirely unforeseen development.
The boy had learned from his defeats.
Naruto leisurely made his way up the side of the mountain, already he could hear the battle below well underway. Kimimaro would lead the second wave soon enough. But the battle was only half of his concern. No...the other half was on an entirely different train of thought. On the person he could feel steadily growing closer and closer, seeking him out.
He approached the precipice, eyes naturally focusing on the trails of fire that continued to spread across the valley floor, the embers soaring high into the midnight air. Their faint glow, at times revealing the face behind the shadow of the hood.
His eyes focused then, almost zooming in on the progress of his troops as they kept a steady advance on the Kumo camp.
He scanned the battle for Kurenai, finding her a few moments later, huddled in by several Anbu and Toushiro as they guarded her. She was vulnerable, extremely so, her method of attack was a self sacrificing one, placing her in the highest amount of danger in comparison to her more active comrades, because even though she was "protected" there was always a chance of a stray kunai, or an intelligent/skilled opponent.
Suddenly, the Jinchuriki straightened, his eyes no longer paying attention to the battle at hand instead, focusing straight ahead of him, to the empty sky and expansive forest landscape beyond.
"So." He said slowly, turning around with measured steps to look at the rogue like figure clinging to the shadows directly behind him. "I was right. You have come."
Akina opened her mouth to speak, but words eluded her. What does she do now...as he stands directly in front of her? What does she say? What could she say? Should she say anything?
Naruto, for his part, observed her, watching her shift from foot to foot. His eyes pierced the veil of darkness, watching as her own gaze shifted away from him, down to the gravel covered floor beneath their feet.
"My my." He drawled. "You appear to be hesitating dear sister." He spoke, amusement lilting his tone, a foreign sound though it was cold and taunting in its nature. "Where's your hatred? That determination for my death that was so clear to see during our last confrontation?"
Once again she turned her eyes away, hugging the wool scarf tighter to herself to stave off the sudden chill, hating how his eyes seemed to dissect her with merely a glance.
For a long time the two siblings simply stood there, staring at one another. It was as if, for them, time stood still for this instant and nothing mattered, not the war, not the battle beneath them, not the stark differences of their circumstances. None of it was of concern. They were like night and day, he a specter. The symbol of the Shinobi. The embodiment of a perfect killing device. She...she was a something else. She represented something else. Something he did not-could not fully comprehend.
And because of that... she was something diferent...something that needed to be eliminated, destroyed...silenced.
Yet, he did not draw his blade, did not poise himself for attack. Instead he spoke slowly, drawing out each word as if they were measured doses. "Why have you come here then?"
"I-"...she began, hesitance and unease once again rearing their heads. What had she come here for? What had she hopped to accomplish with confronting him? Battle was not on her mind. She did not come here for a fight. But fighting, for so long had been centered around targeting this man that it was difficult to consider him outside a context of fighting.
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly "You come here-" He began. "Seeking answers to questions you are not even certain of." He stepped forward, eyes narrowed. The extra closeness allowed him to tower over her as he did with most individuals, forcing her to look up in order to meet his eyes.
She seemed to find her voice then. Her tone was soft, but easily heard. "You're right...I'm not even sure why I came here...what I was thinking I could gain from this."
There was a pause...a lull in the conversation which seemed to stifle the air around them both.
"I guess..." She continued, a hint of resignation in her voice. "I guess I just wanted to know why..." She looked up to meet his gaze. "Why is it that you do this?" She let out a single humorless laugh. "Why do I go through the countryside and see hundreds of men and women fleeing their homes? Why do I see cities tear themselves apart because of you? Why...why did you kill everyone..."
Another pause in which Naruto turned his back to her, once again surveying the battlefield as he allowed her to finish what she was going to say. What he knew she wanted to say.
"Why did you kill my parents?"
Naruto slowly turned to face her, drawing his own weapon, his sharp sea blue eyes similar to her own lighter shaded ones. The edges of those eyes was soon burning into the fierce crimson she had come to recognize him most in. And, though she drew her own weapon to defend herself she knew that...He would answer her question.
"Some promises-" He began, drawing out every word, a hidden meaning lacing themselves in his tone...in his body language. In his very words themselves. "-dear sister, must be kept...at all costs."
"A...a promise?" She questioned, her eyes widening in...shock? Horror? He couldn't be sure. "All...all of this..." All of this what? This death? This destruction? This hatred? This...this sorrow...it was all...
"for a promise?"
When his only response was silence and his eyes somehow hardened even further the young woman knew the time for words was over and that now...he would allow no more words. She took up her fighting stance.
Staring resolutely at the young woman who took up her defensive fighting stance with her three pieced staff, his eyes were seemingly piercing straight through her. The intensity that burned within them making slow vines of unease wrap around her heart. "If you intend to kill me dear sister...you had better come at me with your best."
Only a few moments after he finished his sentence the blond rushed forward a low growl vibrating through his chest and into hers' as his blade clashed against her weapon, the force of the attack making her feet skid back several inches on the loose gravel of the mountain.
Akina was soon forced to block a second strike, then a third, Naruto's strikes coming in rapid succession, forcing her to backpedal, struggling to keep her balance against the ferocity that hammered away at her defenses. She felt a stone scrape against her right shoulder as she continued stepping back and she quickly turned in a counter clockwise motion in order to continue her gait and not lose her balance, or her momentum. Blocking a strike to her feet before another to her side.
Parrying the next, she made Naruto stumble for only a second, but could not press whatever opening he left as he quickly lashed out. She leaped high, avoiding his strike and landing on a slightly levitated stone outcropping. She gained only a moments reprieve before Naruto was again on top of her.
He lunged with his sword extended. The force again making her take several steps back before she leapt away. Naruto followed her though, his hand held forward, the tip of the blade centimeters away from her throat.
She hit the ground rolling, narrowly avoiding the blade as Naruto plunged it down onto the ground, the tip grinding down between the loose gravel several inches before it came to a stop. Akina got to her feet, still on the defensive as Naruto's assault continued. He was fast, much to fast for her, she wouldn't be able to keep his pace for long, already her focus was slipping.
Openings in his stance were like bright lights before her eyes, instincts telling her to strike out at them but unable to do so. The openings vanish by the time she thinks to strike, as another attack is nearly lopping off her head.
She lashes out with a kick, gaining some distance between the two of them. She clicks her three pieced staff so that it became a single solid length. Spinning it over her head and behind her back she attacked with a wide, powerful swing. The clanging sound of metal against metal making her ears ring and her hands shake as her brothers guard was unyielding. She swung again, at his legs this time, but the shin guards offered enough protection for him to absorb the blow with little more than a grunt. So surprised was she by his resilience she was unable to react before his hand latched onto her throat, swinging her around like a sack of potatoes and slamming her against a nearby stone.
The pain receptors in her back flared to life, and a gasp escaped her. Earth met sky as Naruto threw her into the air, once again slamming her against a massive stone stalagmite that curved above enough to almost make a ceiling.
Akina forced herself back from the daze, in time to see Naruto's free hand extend itself toward her, seconds before a stream of fire was launched. The flames direction was concentrated, almost like a beam rather than an explosive wide range attack. Akina, quickly formed her hand seals before holding her hands out to intercept the approaching fires. The crackling of electricity soon shrouded the air, the static making the tiny hairs on her neck stand on end as the shield of electricity she had formed around herself became bright enough to light up the sky. Flickering dangerously close to shutting down as the fire washed over it. Akina struggled to push the attack, to redirect it somehow away from her. Soon her defense would give way and she'd be roasted alive.
Naruto for his part, watched her through narrowed eyes, the gauntlet in his hand glowing red hot as the fires increased in intensity, burning his hand within. But he paid little heed to the damage. It would heal quickly enough anyway.
He watched as her shield compressed around her, becoming smaller as she tightened herself into a ball. He increased the pressure of the attack, feeling her chakra spike within the electric bubble she had encased herself in. The power built up, deeper and deeper, more concentrated, gathering at the pit of her stomach until he felt he could almost see it through the fire and light.
Then it exploded, her shield firing out like a shockwave in all directions, sending the fire scattering to die in the wind, and forcing the blond to shield himself, lest he be blown back as well.
Kimimaro's bones shifted under his skin, forming an armor beneath it as he launched numerous bone bullets from his fingers towards the ninja that had just appeared before them, catching a few of them off guard, sending the bullets through their chests, and shoulders before they retaliated by launching several kunai and Shuriken.
The bone user rushed to the side, avoiding the volley as he continued to launch his bone projectiles from his finger tips at the Anbu.
His attention was brought to the area in front of him as one of the Anbu appeared, sword already reared back for a swing. The bone user's eyes narrowed before he threw a heavy bone from his wrist which slammed into the surprised Anbu's mask sending him reeling before Kimimaro appeared semi crouched in front of him, gripping the man's sword arm with his free hand he pressed the finger tips of his other hand against the mans stomach before he let loose another quick burst if bone bullets, filling the mans stomach cavity full of the tiny projectiles. As he moved to pull away however, the man's last clenching grip on his wrist tightened, stopping him from moving.
Another Anbu appeared above the hampered bone wielder, blade held high ready to be brought down.
Extending from his forearm, spikes jutted out, before curving around his arm, making a bracer/buckler shield that the bone user used to block the attack. When the Kumo Anbu landed, it was a bit to the Konoha generals' side. Before he could pull the weapon back to deliver a second attack however, Kimimaro's ribs shot out, piercing the man through and through in several places. Kimimaro retracted the spikes, with a wet squelching sound, the body of his opponent falling limp before he pried his wrist free from the other.
His eyes then caught sight of something, or rather someone. Toushiro, the young Kiri ninja was fighting someone, a man he recognized as the Raikage of Kumo judging from the files he'd viewed.
The younger man was swinging his dual axes in a wild frenzy, though there was direction and focus in his attacks. Most of his opponents he'd been able to defeat through use of his superior strength and aggressive style. But Liang was a completely different skill set, a completely different opponent. The sleeping dragon ran circles around the younger male, dodging his attacks with simple movements, using very little energy in his efforts while Toushiro exhausted himself.
Then Kimimaro saw the Raikage make his move. He circled around the younger ninja standing at his back. But strangely Toushiro continued to attack the area in front of him, and Kimimaro realized what was happening.
Genjutsu.
As Liang threw the kunai that would have struck the young ninja in the back of his neck Kimimaro launched his own projectile from his wrist.
If there was ever any doubt of a bones aero dynamic qualities it was easily proven false this day as the calcium laced projectile struck the kunai, deflecting it and protecting the young Kiri nin.
Liang's eyes snapped to the side surprise etched onto his features before two massive bone spears slammed into the spot he'd been standing on, kicking up dust and debris with their impact. The sleeping dragon emerged from the destruction, unscathed if one disregarded the few stains now present on his white robes.
Kimimaro appeared then between the Raikage, Toushiro and Kurenai, whom was now beginning to recover from the earlier attack. After looking over the two to make sure they were alright he saw Toushiro was beginning to realize he was caught in a Genjutsu and was now working on getting free. Choosing to keep his focus on Liang instead of moving to aid the youth he rushed the Raikage.
Two bone blades sprouted from the back of the Kaguya's hands, his form a white blur to the eyes of any who bothered to look upon him. Four earth clones sprouted to existence at his side, matching his stride as he swallowed up the distance between himself and the raven haired genius.
Liang's eyes focus on the bone wielder, two wind blades sprouting to life from two kunai Kimimaro hadn't even noticed he slipped into his hands. The clones suddenly leapt to the side, surrounding the Raikage before they launched their well coordinated attack.
The Raikage leapt straight into the air, two wind blades held firmly in hand as the clones jumped after him.
The first clone that caught up, was a bit to his left his bone sword raised over his head.
The next thing that particular clone knew the raven haired Kage swung his wind blade, slicing his head clean off.
The second clone, this one, now behind the Raikage who had turned a bit in the air, reared his blade back before he thrust only for Liang to put his foot in the way and, with chakra was able to resist being stabbed much like a ninja resists falling into water. Using the momentum of the thrust he gained some distance between himself and the clones, flipping in mid air, he launched lightning from his finger tips, impacting the clone. He watched the apparition writhe in pain for a moment before it vanished.
The Kage manipulated his fall again, flipping around and dropping down with a brutal axe kick which smashed into the third clones skull, crushing it, and dissipating it.
Then catching sight of the last clone Liang threw both kunai, the wind blades still active it pierced the clones body, letting it vanish in a cloud of smoke as both weapons fell with a clatter to the ground.
When Liang landed on the ground however, he felt the pin prick of a blade at his back, positioned perfectly in order to sever his spine. An instant kill.
"You lose." Was Kimimaro's harsh voice.
The bone wielder readied himself to deliver the blow but then something made him pause, it caught his eye.
The side of Liangs profile shimmered.
Before it fell away. Revealing that he had not been fighting the Raikage at all...but...Toushiro.
Kurenai!
The bone user turned his attention off to the side, removing his blade from Toushiro's side. The younger ninja turned. Confused as to why Liang had removed the blade from his spine but when he saw it was Kimimaro standing there his eyes immediately widened and he turned back to where he'd left Kurenai.
The sight that greeted the two Konoha ninja made their blood boil.
Kurenai lay on her back, a wind blade piercing her stomach, her hands held in the traditional symbol for 'Kai' blood seeping from the corners of her gritted teeth, face scrunched up in pain as she gasped, her chest heaving with every shuddering breath.
Liang turned his eyes from his victim to the two generals. "Indeed Kurenai. You are quite skilled at Genjutsu." He complemented before pulling his weapon out of her, ripping a scream from her throat as she let her head fall limply to the ground. One hand moving to clutch the profusely bleeding wound.
Kimimaro again took up his fighting stance, Toushiro as well, once the young man had gone to pick up his axes, which he had thrown at the clone.
Liang took up his own defensive stance when something made everyone on the battlefield pause.
At the summit of the mountain, bright flashes of light pierced the thin veil of mist and cloud, an orange hue accompanying it. The light flickered in and out of existence, almost like hundreds of tiny lightning bolts were pin pricking across the night.
"What on earth?" Liang heard someone, possibly Toushiro mutter to himself and the Raikage couldn't help but agree with that statement.
Suddenly, the light exploded, so bright some would swear that a star was being born at the top of the mountain.
Then Liang saw something, something bright and orange approaching them, And with a startling realization he knew what it was.
"GET AWAY!" he yelled to his nearby Kumo Anbu mere seconds before the massive fireball descended like a meteor, right between himself, Kimimaro, and Toushiro.
The explosion could be heard for miles.
Naruto's swing was powerful enough to bat her up into the air. She flipped, landing on another stalagmite, her already beaten and tattered clothing now an even bigger mess of rags. She held her three pieced staff defensively watching as his cloaked form bounded up to face her on the same ground. Blade held lightly in his hand.
She met his stare with her own. And she felt, it was a strange moment they shared, a strange...connection. One that she could almost feel in that single instant as he made his way towards her.
Then it was gone, vanished beneath the fire of his gaze as their weapons again clashed with one another.
She blocked, over her head, to her right side, another over her head. Then he swung at her legs. She leapt back with a slight spin, turning completely around before she retaliated, mid jump, with a lightning blast firing from her fingertips.
To her silent horror the Jinchuriki did not 'block' or 'deflect' the attack but rather he "caught" the lightning surge in a spinning orb of wind chakra. Since Lightning was naturally weaker than wind, the electrical current was easily contained within the slowly compressing shell of wind energy.
So surprised by this she didn't even think to put up a defense before he launched the attack right back at her, the ball of wind and lightning smashing into her chest, sending her flying back until her back slammed against another stone, the tiny wind blades exploding outwards in every direction with the impact like shrapnel.
Dozens of tiny little blade sliced at her arms, legs, chest and stomach, cutting up her clothes until they were scarcely being held together, and that was just to accompany the jolt of lightning that came seconds after the innitial impact, leaving her skin smoking as her fingers and extremities twitched spasmodically, blood escaping her lips and staining the scarf still wrapped around the front of her face.
Naruto watched her as the electricity finally wore out, and the wind blades dissipated, watching as her legs gave out beneath her, her strength leaving her body as he saw her eyes roll to the back of her head. Her body falling limp off the side of the stone precipice, slamming back down towards the mountain road with a nauseating crunch of her right shoulder as she landed on it.
Naruto was about to leap down, but as he did he could sense consciousness had returned to her, the darkness's grip on her being only fleeting.
She struggled to roll onto her stomach, blood dribbling from her slightly parted lips onto the gravel covered floor as she got to her hands and knees. Her legs shaking as she picked herself up further. She turned her eyes back up to him as he stared down on her from the ridge.
"As I said, dear sister, if you want to kill me...you had better come at me with your best."
Akina's head bowed, swallowing the coppery taste of her own blood thickly. "Kill you..." She echoed dimly. "Kill you..." She repeated before slowly bringing up her eyes to face him again. "I'm not even sure...if that's what I want anymore...brother"
The title was given so hesitantly so softly...so...resigned. Naruto's eyes narrowed with something akin to anger. But before anything more could be said he saw Akina's remaining functional hand extend to the side. A familiar red claw emerging an instant later and latching itself onto a massive boulder. It must have weighed half a ton.
Naruto's eyes widened minutely as she launched it at him, the massive stone approaching with force he'd liken to Tsunade. Releasing his blade, seeing as how it would be too short, even with a wind extension to cut the stone in two he raised both hands up, summoning his vast control of the winds to his fingertips in hopes to stop it since it was unlikely that he'd be able to leap around it, and even if he did, he'd be terribly exposed in mid air for a counter attack that may very well knock him off the mountain.
The gust he brought to his aid forced Akina to brace herself with chakra, lest she be blown away, her remaining hand moving to cover her eyes as dust and tiny pebbles were kicked up.
Naruto grunted with the exertion, his eyes narrowing as they shifted to Akina who was still bracing herself against the powerful gust. Then, he threw the massive stone back.
He only just managed to catch the widening of her eyes before the boulder slammed over the area she'd been standing on.
The force of the impact seemed to rock the mountain itself. The ground trembled and shuddered beneath his feet, deafening cracks snapping through the air as trillions of tons of stone and granite gave way beneath his feet.
The Jinchuriki leapt high, attempting to get away from what was quickly developing into a massive rock slide. But then his eyes caught sight of her, battered beaten and bruised, but still conscious. She made her way down the mountain with the rock slide, leaping from stone to stone and keeping herself one step ahead of the slide. Her broken arm hung limply at her side, exertion visible on her face as the wool scarf had been lost in the scuffle.
Naruto's eyes narrowed before he adjusted his trajectory, leaping off a collapsing stone pillar he lunged toward his sister.
Akina felt, more than heard him approach, the fierceness of his gaze being more than enough to catch the attention of even a non ninja.
She was getting slower she realized, either by the pain in her arm or the dizziness that came with falling from this altitude, she knew her reaction time was becoming sluggish, her reflexes dulling. Naruto was protected from these effects due to his mask, his breathing was still as easy as it would be on the ground.
She turned to face him fully, another volley of lightning bolts launching themselves from her fingertips.
Naruto drew his blade, coating it with wind chakra to block or at least partially deflect the bolts of lightning. Dully he realized that this was turning out just like their last encounter, only that this time, this fall wouldn't affect him nearly as much.
Through the piercing blackness and flashes of light he was able to see the ground approaching rapidly the impending impact and, under usual circumstances impending death, making itself well known to him.
Suddenly the bolts of lightning ceased, and he realized that she had waited till the last minute to leap away. The force of her jump carrying her a good distance away from the crushing stones. He followed suit, moving through the air as though it was second nature.
She landed on a tree, still continuing her run and Naruto, again pursued, his eyes fixed solely on his prey, closing the distance between himself and the girl.
That is, until the shockwave hit them.
The Jinchuriki realized, somewhere in his mind, as he was smashed through several trees, that he should have felt the massive cloud of dust and debris coming long before it actually hit. Either through sheer logic of calculating the massive amount of stone that had fallen off the mountain and what effects it would have, or simply due to his enhanced senses. But he had allowed his pursuit of this slip of a girl to distract him. Allowed it to distract him enough to make an amateur mistake.
The Kage growled, picking himself up, realizing somewhere in the back of his mind that they had landed near the battlefield. He could see her a few yards away, also picking herself up from where the shockwave had thrown her.
He had lost his blade at some point when he was being bodily thrown through the air, but paid it little heed. He could kill her just as easily without one.
His strides swallowed up the distance between them, watching as she stood up fully, now favoring one leg over the other. She looked up to him, taking a few painful steps back. Her breathing was heavy as her eyes darted left and right, trying to find something she could use for her escape.
He saw as she caught sight of something to his right, towards the battlefield, and a smirk spread across her face. "You..." She gasped. "Should really pay attention to your battle."
Naruto's eyes narrowed before he turned his gaze to face the area she was looking at. His sight quickly finding what she meant and his eyes narrowing at the implications.
"You think you can beat me, and get there in time?" The Kumo Kunoichi questioned gaining her own blood red eyes despite her gasp of pain. Indicating that she still had Kyuubi in her arsenal.
Naruto's eyes narrowed at her, a growl being torn from his throat in warning. "Next time."
Then he vanished in a blur of speed knowing more than feeling her do the same in the opposite direction.
She groaned as her vision returned to her, blurry, unfocussed. She struggled to remember where she was...what had happened. But her thoughts were hazy, her ears were ringing and the fire that danced across her eyes obscured everything.
Pain registered through her mind, sharp and terrible, a hiss escaping her lips as her hand went to her stomach, a warm liquid slowly seeping between her fingers.
Zhuge Liang.
She felt her chest heaving as her breath came in short harsh pants.
She sat back, one hand swiftly going down to the floor to support her weight; another gasp escaping her lips as the injury was jostled.
Her eyes fall in and out of focus.
She's losing too much blood...
There was a sound to her side.
She turns her head. Registering the sight of a Kumo lieutenant. He's leaning down, grasping a kunai knife on the floor, multiple gashes on his head that had allowed for several trails of crimson liquid to make their way down his face.
His eyes turned to her as he straightened, catching sight of her forehead protector, the symbol of her village, the symbol that identified her as his enemy. An increasingly disturbing smile spread across his face. She struggled to get to her feet, but whatever strength she had was currently absent and she could do little more than crawl back in a feeble attempt to get away. Her hand went to her pouch searching for a weapon, any weapon, but apparently it had fallen off at some point leaving her to grasp empty air.
The man, with his demented smile made his way closer, leaning towards her, grasping her throat in his hand, the light of the fire giving his eyes a terrifying glint that sent her heart racing and her stomach churning in unease.
She tries to retaliate, clawing at his hands and kicking at his legs. But she was still so was weak...and even with the adrenaline now running through her system her attacks seemed to do little more than waste her own energy.
"Looks like one of us just got real shitty luck..." When he spoke, gesturing the kunai knife in his hand, his voice was like poisonous acid dripping down her spine. It chilled her to the bone and she couldn't help but shudder as fear gripped her heart.
Then something was there...catching her attention from the very edge of her peripheral vision.
There...beyond the fire and smoke.
The Kumo nin noticed turning to look at what had caught her eye. Only for his own to go wide with his own terror as he saw whom approached them now.
He walked through the fire, like a demon of hell made flesh. Flames danced over his shoulders and back. Slithering, like snakes over his cloak as he came closer. His glowing red eyes melding into their fiery background as his cloak billowed around him, the edges seemingly untouched by the searing flames as he passed over them, suffocating the fire in his overpowering presence.
The Kumo Lieutenant snapped out of his daze, twisting her around so that she was between him and the sight of his own steadily approaching death. He held the kunai to her throat. Trembling now but his voice still emerging strong, a hint of hesitation entering the previously terrifying tones. "STAY BACK OR I'LL SLIT HER THROAT WIDE OPEN."
The Kunoichi froze, her heart going still in her chest.
To both their surprises...he did stop, standing amongst the fire, uncaring of the heat. Not speaking a word. His eyes stared directly into the Kumo ninja's...or was it perhaps hers?
"I'LL KILL HER! I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL KILL HER!" The Kumo nin howled. His eyes were bloodshot, staring at the man that could kill him if he dared so much as blink. Others were coming to now, Kumo and leaf Shinobi regaining consciousness. Both sides struggling to regain their footing enough for a retreat, or an attack.
His fear was almost palpable as he shouted, it filled his voice and drowned out the roar of the fire making the kunoichi in his grip wince as he shouted in her ear.
For a moment the wind seemed to whip towards the two, the flames now licking at her skin. The heat seemed to set the Kumo ninja a bit more over the edge as he pressed the kunai closer, a thin trail of blood now traveling down the young woman's throat. "I'LL DO IT! I'LL DO IT!" He yelled.
Then...quicker than what anyone could comprehend. She was released from the mans grip, falling to the floor in a heap as her legs gave way beneath her.
The world spun, agony raced up her stomach and injured shoulder as she landed on it. But then her eyes came into focus finding the Demon King there and the Kumo lieutenant standing above her. The Konoha Jinchuriki towered over his opponent, one hand holding the mans throat, the other holding his wrist. The firm grip was completely unmoving, held so still it seemed impossible given the man's struggles.
The man paused, and looked up, staring into Naruto's eyes. Slowly, like tendrils of darkness creeping along his vision a true light of horror entered those orbs before Naruto's chilling voice, like a dark poisonous whisper worked its way to our ears and made my own heart freeze in my chest for what seemed like an eternity before it resumed its pace.
"No...You wont."
And with a quick snap, the man's neck was broken, his body going limp before Naruto threw him away. Slowly...ever so slowly, he looked down to her, those glowing red orbs freezing the blood in her veins and making her wish she was still a child, where the wold within her mothers arms was always the safest place for her.
Because here, in his gaze, there was no such place that one could feel unquestionably safe, no such small comfort you could take.
He stripped it of you, tearing it to pieces in the hell of his eyes before leaving it to be consumed by the flames, ruins and ash left in his wake. Finally he turned facing the army that was struggling to decide between a retreat and an attack, stepping past the girl who just found the ability to breathe once again.
As quietly as he had come, he vanished into the searing inferno returning to the hell he seemingly spawned from to come to her aid.
The battle was brutal, destructive, the whole of the world was reduced to cinders with a sweep of his hand.
She closed her eyes and tried to push away the screams
Well hidden and out of sight from the battle Liang surveyed the scene "So...he was here." The Raikage said to himself before looking to the sky. A bird suddenly swooped down, perching itself on his shoulder. The Raikage eyed the animal for a moment before tapping the note on the side of his leg. "You know what to do."
No more words were needed as the animal flew off to the night sky, vanishing into the darkness.