The Kage tower of Kumo burned, the normally awe inspiring structure, a gleaming white over the horizon that was viewed by those in and coming to the city, now merely a smoldering husk of stone. metal and plaster. The desperate Kumo ninja did their best to hold back their attackers along the seven levels of the tower with the highest level, the roof and office of the Kage himself being the final refuge for the citizens that had fled here.
Kidomaru, skin lined with black markings watched and listened as his men continued the attack on the tower, picking off any individual Kumo ninja he could see through the window with his bow and arrow.
The four limbed member of the elite guards of Konoha turned to face his fellow ninja Sakon/Ukon as the ninja(s) leapt next to him. "Everything is on schedule. Gotta say. Kakashi really knows how ta' aim for the nuts doesn't he? Blowing up the Tower will decimate their will to fight.
"Its not blown up yet." Kidomaru responded. "So don't get too cocky just yet. Besides, the messengers say that the force that arrived from the docks are making their way here. Probably to save the tower or some such idiocy."
"Yea yea." Sakon/Ukon waved him off. "Doesn't matter anyway. We have so many men in reserve they'd need a miracle from the gods to fight us off."
"There's that Ego again." Kidomaru responded with disdain shortly before an explosion to his right sent several Konoha ninja flying over his head, decimating a former Kumo barricade in the process.
Kidomaru, Sakon/Ukon watched as dozens of Kumo ninja poured into the courtyard, Jutsu, kunai, and shuriken flying through the air as the Konoha nina rushed to meet them.
They glanced at each other before they each leaped off to a nearby rooftop, eyes scanning the crowd as they sought out their target.
Bodies and weapons were a blur, faces becoming distorted and unrecognizable in the haze. Kidomaru spat out a new arrow for his bow, the hardened, chakra bound webbing as hard as any steel, notching it into the bow string
Sharp ears caught the sound of an approaching enemy. 'Amateur.' He thought, turning swiftly before launching the arrow. It sailed through the air for barely a second before striking seemingly empty air with a hard thud.
There was a cough before the air became hazy and a body soon formed as the Genjutsu slipped, with the man falling dead, arrow in his chest.
"There!" Sakon/Ukon yelled and Kidomaru turned his sights to where the brothers were pointing.
Pulling his radio from his belt the Spider ninja spoke. "Hatake. We have a confirmed sighting, I repeat we have a confirmed sighting of Zhuge Liang.
The sleeping dragon was currently marching through the courtyard, face scrunched up in concentration as he worked on creating his Genjutsu over the Konoha ninja. Causing disorientation and chaos among those caught in the illusion with neither the skill nor knowledge that they needed to escape.
Kakashi's voice crackled through the radio. "Roger, on my way. Do not engage Liang until I arrive I repeat, do not engage. Understand?"
Kidomaru growled, glancing over the battlefield as he watched the Konoha ninja being cut down like wheat. Unable to organize or retaliate under the influence of Liang's illusion. "Negative." He replied. "Negative, if we don't at least distract him all our ninja will be killed."
"Kidomaru-"
"You're breaking up, out." The spider ninja growled before switching off the radio and putting it back into its holster. He could already feel the tongue lashing he would get from Kakashi and his superiors later."
Forming another arrow he notched it into his bow, pulling back with all his might before firing the deadly projectile at insane speeds. Too fast for normal eyes, the clan (arachnoid/spider better?) ninja watched as the arrow approached the Yondaime Raikage, headed straight for his neck in a downward motion. If it hit it would certainly kill the man.
He held his breath, believing for a moment that the attack would connect before a hooked spear knocked the arrow out of its trajectory with a loud clang before his world went dark
He glanced around, panic momentarily taking over as he stared into complete darkness. The silence oppressive and deafening within the void were deafening before he realized he was under a Genjutsu. "I never even saw him look at me." The spider ninja said to himself before he shut his eyes in concentration. Dark chakra coursed through his body from the curse seal, spreading like a disease, the sick feeling of evil, countered only by the incredible sensation of raw, unbridled power that accompanied it.
He reached up, grabbing his forehead protector before ripping it off, revealing his third eye. Sound and color returned to his world with the chakra fluctuation and he quickly shook off the disorientation as he looked around searching for his target.
He found him a moment later, white robes soiled as he skidded across the floor, apparently having been knocked there by an explosive tag. Quickly looking to seize an opportunity Kidomaru again notched his bow and drew back the string. Ready to take the shoot.
Just as he released the arrow however, a hand swiftly clamped down on his wrist, yanking it to the side, throwing off his aim and the arrow's trajectory.
"I thought I told you to wait!" Came the somewhat irritated voice of Hatake Kakashi.
Kidomaru's gaze snapped up to meet his, finding the spinning Sharingan bearing down on him.
Shoving the spider ninja behind him Kakashi's Sharingan glanced over the crowd, placing his hands in a seal. "Kai!" He yelled as a single bubble of chakra burst from his body, washing over everyone, dispelling the illusion before he looked to an adjacent rooftop where the real Zhuge Liang stood, Yue Ying, Shikamaru, Kiba and Hana at his side.
"Form up!" Kakashi barked, seconds later leaf ninja took up formation near him in a standard offense formation as the Kumo ninja did the same.
Kakashi's Sharingan spun slowly (don't you mean rapidly/fast if it's blurry?) in his eye, the black Tomoes almost blurring together.
Liang would have cursed if it was in his nature. Hatake Kakashi was one opponent he did not want to face. Hell any Sharingan user was an opponent he did not want to face. His Genjutsu was his greatest strength, and though he was more than adept at Ninjutsu and decent at Taijutsu. Genjutsu required so little chakra his reserves were somewhat below average for a Kage Level ninja. Getting into an all out ninjutsu battle with a ninjutsu specialist like Kakashi was not on his to do list. Looking to Yue Ying and the others behind him he spoke. "We need only hold them off for a few minutes, the tower is already being evacuated."
Some of them nodded each readying themselves to take on the Konoha ninja across from them.
Kakashi blinked languidly, his chakra spiking as dozens of possible strategies passed through his head in seconds. "Well now Zhuge Liang...Lets see just how well you can fight without your famous Genjutsu."
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Kankuro grunted, using his massive arm to block a sword strike while bashing the ninja with his other arm. The force sending him across the courtyard like a rag doll, his bones shattered by the suit's strength.
As Kankuro regained his bearings, he was suddenly assaulted by a searing heat at his back, stumbling forward he ignored the flames that now sought to sear his suit, turning to face his attacker, he launched several shuriken from his wrist launchers, wrist launchers, which by his count were beginning to run low on ammunition.
Three of the sharpened stars hit with dull thunks in the man's chest, killing him.
With his attacker dead Kankuro quickly worked through the chakra channels in his suit, pushing chakra through the intricate exoskeleton he focused it on the key converter seal. He turned his chakra from its natural earth element into water, which quickly worked at spraying the suit with water through tiny holes throughout the suit, extinguishing the flames.
With his attacker defeated, and his immediate peril of being roasted abated, it wasn't long before his worried mind returned to-
"Gaara!" He called, glancing around frantically, having lost sight of his younger sibling. He felt a brief moment of panic before finally catching sight of him again.
The Kazekage's sand shield rose to his defense blocking a sword strike before it shifted again, blanketing the attacker before crushing him in its grip, blood spilling onto the cobblestone street as it seeped through the sand.
The shield of sand came to his aid again, blocking several kunai. With a wave of his hand the Kazekage made his own kunai of sand, launching them in retaliation. The ninja threw his kunai again, this time aiming for Gaara's sand projectiles.
The metal cut through the grains with relative ease, the sand loosing its shape and firmness. It dissolved into nothing but dust in the wind for a moment before Gaara swiftly reformed the scattered grains into a single long spearhead, piercing the man through the neck.
Kankuro moved forward, his massive suit pushing everyone out of the way due to sheer size and strength.
"Gaa-" The puppeteer began before something latched onto his shoulders and, unbelievably, heaved him upwards, tossing him through the air. Earth met sky as the hulk of wood and iron spun wildly. When he crashed, it was on a rooftop, the half ton bulk easily plowing through the tiled roof and second story, coming to a halt in the first floor dining room.
Though the padded interior did wonders to absorb the impact of the landing Kankuro's head was still spinning when he began to stand. He would have clutched his head but with the suit on it would have done no good. Looking up through the T shaped visor opening of the head protector. He saw that now, standing among the crowd was a massive, red skinned...humanoid. He wasn't sure if that could be classified as human.
Before any more could be said the red skinned attacker charged forward, smashing through any Suna ninja that got in his way, and any Konoha ninja foolish enough to stumble into his path. His footsteps sent tremors through the earth.
Suna's puppet user braced himself, the hydraulics of his suit hissing as he locked the mechanisms.
When the red skinned giant hit him Kankuro swore he'd been hit by a stampede of horses. The chassis of his suit dented, the hardened planks of wood cracking beneath the strain as his feet dug into the ground, grinding him to a halt.
Grabbing onto his attacker he shoved him down to the floor, driving an elbow into the back of the man's neck.
Jirobu grunted , lashing out with his fist, smashing it against Kankuro's knee joint. The Suit lurched as the mechanisms failed but Kankuro didn't allow himself to waste any time, grabbing Jirobu by his hair he smashed the former sound ninja's face into his knee before punching him with enough force to send him smashing through the wall at his side.
Jirobu lashed out with his foot, kicking the suits chest piece again, sending Kankuro out of the building and into the street, the debris and shrapnel tearing into the people around the blast sight.
"Kankuro!" Sakura yelled, her attention brought to the dust clouded street. She reached for the scroll at her back, ready to summon her own puppets to aid her older friend when a shadow fell over her.
Glancing upwards she saw a massive troll like beast climb over onto the roof of a building, before four others came to her line of sight as they rounded different corners, clubs and massive fists swinging through the air.
The beast grabbed a huge chunk from the building, looking down, almost in confusion as it could not truly distinguish friend from foe in the melee.
Frustrated it roared before throwing the two ton stone into the crowd.
Sakura's eyes widened, looking to Ino who was busy dispatching her opponent she rushed forward, tackling the blond woman to the ground as the stone flew overhead, tearing people apart with the force the massive stone had been thrown with.
The two Kunoichi didn't even have time to stand up before one of the creatures landed in front of them. Glancing up they saw the beast's face, grotesque, black skin with reptilian warts spread across it, its breath was vile and nearly made the two want to throw up as it roared at them, raising its club in preparation to crush them.
A massive fist suddenly smashed into the beasts side, sending it sprawling across the courtyard as Sakura and Ino's attention was brought to Chouji as his hand turned back to its normal size.
The Akamichi wasted no time, looking down to the two kunoichi he quickly moved to help them up. "Come on come on!" He hurried, pulling them to their feet.
Another troll creature rushed up behind Chouji, club at the ready. As it swung a wall of sand rose up from the earth. Stopping the strike dead. The three looked to Gaara, who only gave a brief nod before bringing his attention back to his own surroundings as the three leaped away from the courtyard, looking to regroup somewhere before they looked to take on these monsters.
With Gaara, mere seconds after he turned away from Ino, Sakura and Chouji, the Kazekage's automatic defense rose to his left. This didn't surprise him, it was well known that his sand acted to defend him of its own accord, what did surprise him was when a single bone like tip actually managed to pierce the sand shield. If not for mere reflex more than anything else he would have been killed, instead the fatal blow that would have sliced open his jugular instead cut open his upper shoulder.
Latching onto his attackers wrist with his sand the Kazekage yanked him away, forming more sand to wrap around the man's entire body.
"Sabaku Kyuu!" Gaara yelled tightening his fist.
A hand emerged from the sand, grasping at its surface as the owner pulled himself out of the suffocating grip, dark eyes glaring at Gaara in defiance as black lines glowed on his skin.
'What in the hell are you." Gaara hissed through clenched teeth.
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Tsunade panted heavily as she rushed through the halls of the now ruined hospital building. Now stiff, cold corpses littered the hallway floor, she paid them no mind, face covered in dirt, grime and sweat as she threw open the doors, chocolate brown eyes searching frantically for one particular person.
"Tsunade-sama!" One of the Kumo Jounin yelled out behind her. "We have to leave our perimeter cant hold off the enemy any longer, we have no time to waste.
Tsunade ignored the man as she continued throwing doors open, ignoring the cut open bodies of the patients that had been executed. Every logical aspect of her mind was screaming at her. That if she was still here she had been killed. Or that she'd been taken prisoner and would instead, be killed later. That she had to leave. To escape now in order to fight another day.
But another part of her just wouldn't accept it. She couldn't be dead. She had to be alive She had to be here. And she had to get her back.
"Tsunade-sama!" The man called again, chasing her down the hallway. She could hear the battle raging outside. The screaming, the explosions, the cries for help, to retreat, to attack. But she paid none of it any mind. Simply continued opening doors.
And finally with a resounding bang of steel knob to wooden wall she found the right door.
And the sight sent her to her knees.
Short raven hair, standing out in stark contrast to the white tiled floor, obscured her face from her view. Blood stained the floor around the area she laid upon. Dried to the point of being almost black.
The Kumo Jounin rushed up to her side, hurriedly grasping her shoulder as he pulled her towards the exit. "Tsunade-sama-" He began only to be shoved away by the woman as she stood rushing to Shizune's side. Her hands shook and her features trembled as she reached down, hesitating as she grasped the younger woman's shoulder. Her breathing quickened, tears coming to her eyes before she rolled the dead woman over, removing the hair from her face, fully revealing her features to the sannin.
A scream of pain and just, sheer anguish tore through the man still outside the door, freezing him on the spot.
Tears fell freely from Tsunade's eyes, broken sobs choking her as her head fell onto Shizune's chest. Tsunade cradled the young medic in her arms, crying as she rested her head over hers, sobbing into her hair. "I'm sorry." The sannin said as she kissed her head. "I'm sorry." She repeated through her sobs as she kissed her again.
Over and over the sannin repeated the two words, as if they held the power to bring Shizune back, her voice growing fainter and fainter. As if the strength was being leeched from her very bones.
The Jounin at the door felt pity for the older woman. But he knew that they had to get out of here. Their speed and advantage of surprise is what gave them the ability to even reach the hospital in the first place. They had hoped that there would still be some survivors here but their hopes had been for nothing. Everyone was dead. Ninja, civilians, even the patients were dead. They couldn't remain on the defensive for long, and if they did they'd be cut off and would share the fate of the occupants in this hospital.
So walking forward, hesitation in his steps, he tentatively reached out towards her, grasping her shoulder he felt the woman stiffen.
"Tsunade-sama...please...we must leave. We don't have much time before Konoha breaks through our lines, please..."
Her sobs continued, changing into harsh hisses through clenched teeth, bloodshot, tear-stricken eyes, gleaming with nothing but raw hatred as her shuddering breath continued to tremble.
She stood so suddenly she startled the Jounin, marching to the wall of the hospital she ignored the mans confused questioning as she reared back her fist and with a single great heave smashed the wall to bits, sending chunks of brick and plaster falling down towards the city streets below.
With a scream that held all the pain, anger and loss she felt tearing through her insides the legendary medic grabbed onto the wall at her side, tearing it off before she launched it to the street below.
"Look out!" The cry from below vaguely reached her ears before the deafening, resounding smash of stone drowned it out.
She leaped from the fifth story of the hospital building, landing with a crash, she wasted no time in rushing headlong towards the first Konoha ninja she saw.
The poor man never even saw the hit coming.
"I'll kill you." The sannin hissed under her breath her words barely audible over her own heaving breaths. "All of you!"
Her scream pierced the air like a thousand knives scraping against glass, sending chills down the spines of friend and foes alike. Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
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Kakashi coughed up blood as the wind blade ran him through, the red liquid staining the entire front of his vest and mask before he vanished in a cloud of smoke.
Zhuge Liang's eyes narrowed, hissing in anger as he craned his neck to look behind him as Kakashi exploded from the ground behind him, kunai in hand.
The sound of metal slicing flesh and scraping bone was accompanied by the thumping of Zhuge Liang's body before the body exploded in a great fireball, consuming Kakashi with it. On the other side of the street the battle continued, with Zhuge Liang grunting as he blocked a fierce spin kick from the copy ninja. Instinctively trying to form a Genjutsu over Hatake only for the illusion to be canceled almost instantly.
"No good?" Kakashi questioned almost mockingly before he drew two kunai. It was good that Sakon, Ukon and Kidomaru were keeping Yue-Ying, Hana and Kiba busy, despite the fact that he was nullifying Zhuge Liang's greatest strength, his illusions, it was taking almost all of his skill and concentration to keep up toe to toe with Liang.
Though the signs of Liang's exhaustion were beginning to scarcely show, Kakashi couldn't really risk engaging in a battle of attrition with the Sleeping dragon, despite the fact that it may assure him victory. He wasn't sure how strong, Sakon and Kidomaru's opponents were. If they managed to get the upper hand in their fights then that would almost certainly signify his death if he was too exhausted to fend them off.
Kidomaru for his part was, for now, doing a magnificent job of keeping distance from Shikamaru and Yue Ying with his webbing. He hadn't scored a direct hit on either of them with the sticky mass but the stall tactics were doing wonders for him to get more shots off with his bow. They had been on the receiving end of several close calls with the deadly long range weapon. One slip up and the spider ninja wouldn't hesitate to kill them in a second. All he needed to do was tire them out. His webbing used ridiculously small amounts of chakra. He could go on for hours. The only thing he really needed to be careful for was that Shikamaru's shadow.
As if reading his thoughts the black sliver approached him from behind, just barely catching it from his peripheral vision the spider ninja spun around. "Kikan-hata!" He yelled before a bright flash of light emerged from his eyes, driving back the shadow, giving him time to leap away.
As he landed on another building he quickly needed to use his bow to block Yue-Ying's hook spear, twisting, under the weapon he drove an elbow into the woman's stomach, twisting back into an upright position he notched an arrow into his bow, drawing back the string as he aimed it, the tip glinting right in the older woman's eye.
He released the string as she fell onto her side, a small gash just above her eye to show her close call.
Expecting this Kidomaru leapt back as he spat out a mass of webbing towards the woman who rolled back, getting to her feet and then backpedaling enough to avoid the sticky mass.
Notching another arrow into his bow Ukon turned his sights onto Shikamaru.
As for Sakon and Ukon:
"Come on!" The brother's yelled, their dual voices creating a screeching sound, like nails on a chalkboard.
Kiba and Hana both rushed the brothers snarling with the Hashimaru triplets at the elder Inuzuka's back ready to help their master.
"Haha!" The brother's laughed, with Ukon rushing out of Sakon's body, an after image left in his wake, almost see through but not quite, the background distorted with the colors of Ukon's clothing and hair, it connected the two, and Ukon rushed behind Kiba and Hana. Noticing his movements Kiba paused in his charge turning back to face Ukon, but Hana continued onwards.
The second Kiba turned his head, he was met with a fist to his jaw, and a knee to his stomach as Hana lunged with a Tsuuga at Sakon.
The former sound nin chuckled before his body was seemingly yanked to the side at insane speeds, dodging Hana's Tsuuga and her dog's fangs as his body merged with his brothers again. Adding his own strength to the taijutsu assault
Kiba raised his now prosthetic arm to help block the assault but with the strength of both ninja against him, even the hardened wood could do little to stop him.
Ukon leaped over Kiba, the same afterimage as before left in his wake. Hana, having seen the technique before swung at Ukon this time, fully expecting to hit him, and Sakon once he was yanked to the spot, claws ready to tear through flesh . Instead of Sakon, Ukon was the one yanked back, once again joining his brother's body, and leaving the way clear for Hana's claws to tear into Kiba's back instead.
The Inuzuka male screamed bloody murder as four harsh gashes were carved into his lower back. Hana herself barely held in check her own startled, horrified scream as she realized what she did.
His strength, again doubled, Sakon used the distraction to deliver a crushing spin kick dead center into Kiba's solar plexus, driving the air right out of the Inuzuka as if he'd been hit with a sledge hammer. He flew back, into Hana, sending both of them tumbling to the ground. Sakon moved to chase after them but the three dogs quickly moved to intercept.
Kiba groaned, clutching his chest as he struggled to his knees, blood dribbling through tightly closed teeth.
"Are you alright?" Hana questioned, worry clear in her voice as was her apology.
"Damnit!" Kiba hissed. "Could you be more clumsy!" He snarled as his hand moved to his bleeding back, reeling from the burning sting that raced up and down his spine at the simplest of contact.
"It was an accident." The older sibling tried to explain as Kiba brushed her off.
"Yea whatever." He snarled getting to his feet.
Hana sighed through her nose, deciding it would be best to apologize later once the adrenaline from this battle had worn off and they were both out of harms way.
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A massive cloud of smoke suddenly blanketed the village, blinding everyone in the vicinity. When it dissipated the gigantic form of Katsuyu could be seen towering over the village.
Liang reached for his radio. "Tsunade! Do not commit yourself to this fight there will be people who will need your help later."
Nothing but static greeted his ears in response, looking back up to Katsuyu he realized just where Tsunade was and his suspicions rose. 'The hospital? Did they get Shizu-'
His thoughts were cut short as his attention was brought to his back as seven enormous dogs emerged from the ground, fangs dripping with drool as they reached out, hoping to hold him in place. Forming a seal lightning exploded from his body, sending the dogs reeling with a yelp before vanishing in clouds of smoke.
The technique dissipated, allowing Liang to take a breath, scanning the area he didn't find Kakashi and took the moment to pick up his radio again. "Yugito!"
"Yes sensei!" The kunoichi responded, the struggles of battle apparent in her voice. "Are you near the hospital?"
"Yes but we're falling back. The leaf ninja are swarming over us here, we can't hold them much longer.
"Let the men fall back. But I need you to get to Tsunade!"
"Why?"
"Because I think something may have happened to Shizune. We cannot afford to loose Tsunade here. Get her out of there. Use whatever means you deem necessary."
"You can't ask me to attack her."
"It may come to that. But make sure, both of you get back to the ships. We've lost too many men this day already."
Silence was his answer, until a hesitant "Yes sensei" greeted his ears.
The sleeping dragon put the radio back in his pouch but just as he did the ground in front of him exploded, dust and debris pelting his face and chest, but it was a minor thing in comparison to the lightning shrouded palm headed for his heart.
The spinning sharingan caught all the gorish splendor of the Chidori as it pierced the sleeping dragons chest through and through., blood coating his right hand completely as it stained the Kage's pristine white robes.
Liang's features froze, shock etched onto his face as his skin glowed a pale blue, cracking in places before he exploded in a massive lightning ball, the shock even going as far as hitting several of the nearby ninja, leaf and Kumo alike.
Kakashi flew through the air, righting himself mid fall, his clothing singed with electrical burns. Skidding to a halt he scanned his surroundings with the sharingan.
The soft, almost undetectable sound of a foot landing on the ground directly behind him had Kakashi spinning around in an instant, kunai in hand which he used to block Liang's own kunai slash, aimed for the fourth lumbar of the spine.
Twisting the kunai in his hand the copy nin drew another in his free hand, swiping at Liang's face only for the sleeping dragon to block his swing by catching Kakashi's wrist.
Kakashi again switched the grip of his weapon, plunging it into Liang's forearm. Watching as blood seeped from the injury, and that there was no sudden puff of smoke Kakashi could only assume that this indeed was the real one.
Liang's face scrunched up in pain as Kakashi twisted the blade, but he never released his grip on the copy ninja. In fact the hand with the kunai suddenly released the weapon and latched onto Kakashi's other wrist. Stabbing this limb as well Kakashi could tell that Liang's strategy was to hold him in place for something and so focused on inflicting as much pain and damage as he could on Liang's arms. The sleeping dragon took the pain however, using chakra to dull the pain receptors in his arms while simultaneously increasing his strength to hold Kakashi firmly in place.
Shimmers in the air around them alerted Kakashi to the wind blades currently taking shape as they hovered in the air.
"You are good...if our motivations were switched you may have beaten me." Liang spoke, sweat lining his brow as he breathed heavily. Staring into the sharingan eye that stared straight back in defiance.
The shimmers in the air solidified, becoming vaguely crescent like in shape as they spun in the air.
Kakashi's arms shook with effort as he tried to pull out of Liang's grip, the spinning crescents increased their rotations, almost forming a solid circle.
'Damn!'
Suddenly the crescents faltered, slowing before they faded completely. Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise, feeling Liang's grip slacken over his wrists he wasted no time in slipping free and leaping away. Landing on one knee Kakashi watched as Liang's entire body trembled, his hands moving slowly to grip his chest.
'Is this some type of trick?'
But it was no trick. Liang's vision blurred, the world spun, pain racked his body, knees and limbs growing numb and weak, fingers trembling as his eyes grew heavy. Blood burst from his lips with a retch , heaving over he didn't even have the strength to hold himself up, collapsing on the ground face first as his body shook and spasmed violently before finally falling still.
Kakashi checked several times for Genjutsu. This was just...too...convenient. Deciding not to take any chances he threw one of the kunai in his hand, aiming for the top of Liang's head.
"NO!"
Was the scream that pierced the air as Kakashi's kunai was batted away by Ying's hook spear, standing protectively over her fallen husband.
'This really isn't a trick.' Kakashi concluded, still somewhat dumbstruck by the notion that he had been saved by some freak disease.
An arrow suddenly struck the back of Ying's shoulder. The woman screamed as she fell forward, clutching her bleeding injury, one hand feebly clutching her spear.
"The Raikage is down!"
With that yell from one of the nearby ninja. The Kumo all showed up as if they crawled out of the rubble around the tower. Converging around Liang's body in formation. Shikamaru leaped into the crowd, forming his shadow tendrils to hold back as many of the ninja as possible, his chakra draining like a water tank with a fist sized hole in its side. "Fall back!" He yelled.
With an explosion more leaf ninja suddenly poured into the courtyard, cutting down Kumo ninja like wheat, cutting off the rest from their escape route.
Kiba and Hana made their way next to Shikamaru, guarding him from any wayward kunai that were thrown by the ninja Shikamaru couldn't catch
"Damnit!" Kiba cursed "We can't run!"
"The tower!" Hana yelled over the mayhem of battle. "Hurry inside. Its our only chance!"
The ninja all rushed to the wooden fortification, blocking and throwing kunai in desperation, the gates to the tower were thrown open and sealed shut with a resounding boom.
Kidomaru, Sakon and Ukon were soon at Kakashi's side.
"We got em trapped." Sakon said with a smirk.
Kakashi nodded. "The advantage is ours again. But don't underestimate them. We haven't won yet. Secure the perimeter again. And then burn the tower down."
The three nodded before they leapt away from the copy ninja, ready to carry out their orders and seal Kumo's fate.
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Gaara's hissed as he used a sand shield to block Kimimaro's bone sword, forming a spike over his right hand, he plunged it into the bone wielders chest, only to feel the sand give way beneath the extremely dense bone armor under his skin.
Kimimaro grabbed onto Gaara's robe, swinging him over his head and slamming him down on the gravel covered road. Gaara's sand formed beneath him cushioning the blow before Gaara's sand formed around Kimimaro's throat, lifting the Kaguya into the air before slamming him against the building, and then yanking him out of the rubble and into another building.
"Sabaku Kyuu!" He growled out those words for seemingly the hundredth time in this fight, The sand tightened and tightened, hard enough to crush even the most tempered steel like a tin can. But Kimimaro's bone armor held fast against the crushing force, extending a bone lance from the top of his wrist straight down towards Gaara.
The Kage of suna sidestepped the attack, the lance morphing into a clone of the Kaguya bone bullets shooting out of his fingertips towards Gaara only for the sand to again come to the Kage's defense.
The clone Kimimaro shot forward, rushing as close to the sand shield as possible before he exploded in hundreds of bone spikes which took shape around Gaara, forcing the Kage's sand to cocoon him as Kimimaro's own bones formed a cocoon over the sand.
Kimimaro, from his still hovering position molded his bones, making them grow spikes on the inside, pressing against Gaara's sand with increasing force. His attempt was to distract Gaara with the bones. The cocoon was air tight. That meant that the only sand Gaara had available to him was what was already committed to his defense. And that soon his oxygen would give out. All he needed to do was keep Gaara distracted with the spikes and by the time he realized his oxygen supply was running out it'd either be too late or he'd set his sand to lash out, and thus expose himself to one of the deadly spikes.
And it was working. Gaara could feel the spikes pressing against the sands with increasing, almost crushing force. He focused entirely on making his sand as hard as diamonds. He tried to focus the sand outside of this cocoon but could feel something holding it back.
That meant that whatever surrounded him was enough to cut off his air, that meant he needed to get out of this now.
Gaara was a natural earth type chakra user, as was Shukaku. Though Shukaku also held a slight affinity for wind. But not the wind most ninja used which as for cutting. Shukaku focused on highly pressurized air as a weapon, something Gaara hoped could prove useful here.
Pulling his body into a tight ball Gaara focused his sand and formed a dense wall of pressurized wind into a tiny, almost marble like sphere between his palms. This was his only chance, since this technique used up any oxygen left in this cocoon. "Naiya-Myaku no Jutsu!"
The bones around him groaned and cracked snapping in places before exploding outwards, the sharpened bone shards injuring dozens around them.
As Gaara emerged from the rubble two spikes could be seen protruding from his upper back, with one digging deeply into his right hip. The sand armor cracked with the impacts and stained with blood.
The Kage of Suna took deep breaths, pain burning through his back and leg.
Kimimaro who had slipped out of Gaara's grip with the sudden loss of concentration due to the pain walked up behind the Kage, bone sword in hand. "Pitiful. For you to even hope to fight Naruto-sama is an insult in itself.
He didn't bother to swing his sword, knowing that Gaara's defense was still very much active. This fight would be won by exhausting Gaara, or bleeding him white. Both of which Kimimaro could do. His bones only consumed chakra to move and they were long in place.
Gaara swallowed thickly, the coppery taste of blood in his mouth. "You know the worst thing about sand?" The Kazekage asked rhetorically, smiling a little at his thoughts. "It gets everywhere. Your sandals, your clothes, your hair. Everywhere..." He turned his teal green eyes to face Kimimaro then, glinting with danger. "Even the air we breathe."
Kimimaro's eyes widened in horror as he realized just what the Kazekage meant.
"Sabaku Kyuu!"
The Kaguya suddenly clutched his chest, blood cascading from his lips as he hunched over, eyes wide in disbelief as he wheezed and gasped, trying to suck in a breath, falling onto his knees.
Gaara struggled to his feet, yanking out the bloody bone spike from his hip before reaching back to pull out the other two with a small yell.
Kimimaro's eyes suddenly became bloodshot, his breathing, raspy and weak as it was, growing heavier as the curse seal spread, bones snapping and reforming themselves, denser, stronger than before.
Gaara eyed the now dying sound ninja with trepidation, watching as he pushed himself onto unsteady legs, glaring at Gaara with all the anger and hatred in his being, blood still dribbling from his lips.
A spiked tail sprouted from his tail bone, skin became a charcoal gray, bones sprouting from his back
Breaths coming in wheezing pants he rushed forward towards Gaara, three bone spikes appearing on each arm the Kazekage only had a scarce amount of time to raise up his defenses again, but this time his sand shield gave virtually no resistance to the enraged Kaguya, the bone spikes smashing into Gaara's chest and stomach, cracking his sand armor as it threw him back, with enough force to bowl over several dozen ninja in Gaara's path before the Kazekage plowed through a wooden wall.
Kimimaro rushed through the crowd like a bull on a rampage, his tail lashing out with crushing force, breaking bones like twigs as he rushed Gaara, blood dribbling from his lips.
"Sabaku Kyuu!" Gaara yelled as he emerged from the rubble, his hand tightening to a fist.
Kimimaro stumbled only once in his stride before he picked up where he left off, his breaths now harsher and more strained in their efforts.
Gaara's eyes widened before he used his sand to lift a massive slab of solid rock between himself and the incoming Kaguya.
Again the bone spikes plowed straight through the slab, but did enough to weaken the blow for Gaara's sand to stop him fully this time. Using the moment to smother his opponent with the millions of tiny grains Gaara, moved to push him away when Kimimaro's hand shot out of the mass, wrapping tightly around Gaara's throat.
His sand came to his defense then, holding back the three spikes that had sprouted from his forearm.
But then Gaara felt the pin prick of something pressing against his Adams apple and the Kage soon realized Kimimaro hoped to drive the spike straight through his throat from his palm. He Focused as much chakra as he possibly could into that single point in his sand armor, using his own hands to try and pry free of Kimimaro's rock solid grip.
The bone spike pushed forward mere centimeters against the hardened sand, the minuscule cracks spreading like a spider web around the sides of Gaara's neck, up to his jawbone and nearing his eyes as it spread across his cheeks
Another centimeter, Gaara could now feel the tip poking his bare skin. Teal green eyes widening with panic and fear as he felt the ninja's grip tighten with impending victory before it suddenly slackened.
Gaara pulled himself away from the man's reach, rubbing his throat as he felt the victims strength fade from his sand prison, his body going slack as his heart slowed, his already struggling breath having been cut off having long since fallen silent.
Gaara's heart pounded in his chest, eyes wide as his sand creped away from the body, dark skin was returning to its pale complexion. The bones did not recede however, the white organic armor protruding from the fallen ninja's waist and back.
Gaara glanced around, realizing that the battle had brought him closer to the dock road rather than the defensive ground around the plaza. His eyes traveled to The five giant troll creatures still rampaging through the courtyard. One of the creatures was fighting another and he could see Chouji with Ino's limp body draped over his shoulder. She was using her technique to control one troll and fight the other while Sakura and her two puppets distracted another and the mass of Suna troops held back the other two as best they could.
His eyes then moved to Kankuro as his brother stumbled out of the rubble of a building, one arm of his suit torn off, half of his armor torn away revealing his face and a good portion of his right side. His opponent seemed in no better condition, back riddled with Senbon, kunai and Shuriken. No doubt tipped with lethal poisons all of them.
But still more leaf ninja were arriving in droves, as if the floodgates of their numbers and the flood was ready to wash them all away. There was nothing more they could do here, there were being overrun. The civilians had long since fled onto the ships. Now it was their turn. "Fall back! Back to the ships!" Gaara yelled, channeling chakra into his voice box, to carry it over the crowd.
His men needed no repetition, fleeing the battle immediately, dirty and bloodstained, there was no way they could have stood up to the fresh troops now pouring into the plaza.
"Gaara." Kankuro yelled, his breathing heavy as he stopped at his brothers side. "Come on! We've done everything we can."
Gaara nodded and moved to leave when another voice suddenly yelled out. "Kazekage-sama! Kazekage-sama!" It was a chuunin, a Kumo headband tied around his head, eyes full of panic and fear as he pushed his way past the rushing crowds towards the Kazekage.
"Please." The man breathed, almost collapsing with exhaustion. "Rai-Raikage-sama...they're cut off...At the tower. Please, they'll all be killed. You need to help them!"
"Zhuge Liang?" Gaara breathed, shock clear in his voice.
Kankuro quickly saw the direction his brothers thoughts were taking and gripped his shoulder. "Gaara no. I can feel your chakra. Your exhausted as it is you cant-"
"Get to the ships." Gaara interrupted him as he spun back around to face the charging enemy shinobi.
Clasping his hands together and spreading his legs appart the earth rumbled and shook beneath their feet.
"Sabaku Nadare." The Kazekage yelled as a sheer wall of sand rose up, towering over the village, and even Katsuyu in the distance.
The wall of sand rippled like water, spreading forward and outwards, an ocean of earthen brown crashing over any ninja in its path, crushing them beneath millions of tons of sand. Buildings and monuments torn down in its wake.
Gaara panted, his knee's growing weak as the chakra drained out of him before he channeled a little more of Shukaku's chakra. Turning to face gaping Kankuro he yelled. "Go!"
"But you cant! You'll be killed with the-"
Not waiting for Kankuro to finish his sentence the Kazekage rose into the air, a platform of sand beneath his feet. "Get to the ships, sail out of the docks. Keep the civilians safe. I'll join you with the others soon!" Before anything else could be said he rushed towards the Kage tower, flying over the burning ruin that was now the Kumo village.
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"Burn it."
Kakashi's words seemed to awaken the flames from their slumber, spreading upwards from the first floor, to the second, then the third, the fourth, the fifth, leaving only the last two levels of the citadel, panicked screams reaching their ears in the courtyard below as the black smoke darkened the sky, blocking out the sun.
There was a screech of agony that brought the copy ninja's attention to Katsuyu, as the great summon was lit aflame. The searing fires blistering whatever skin was near it.
The creature split apart, its single massive body becoming several hundred smaller ones. Now this was odd since such extensive damage would drive a summon to explode in a cloud of smoke. But this one was splitting apart...it wanted to remain here for a while longer. That meant it was either carrying a message, hoping to stall some of their forces or something else. Whatever it was it didn't really matter. Kumo was already in their grasp and nothing they could do could possibly change that now.
As if to validate his thoughts several pieces of rubble crashed down over the courtyard grounds, the plaster and cement loosened by the buildings increasing instability.
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Yue Ying cradled her husbands still form, only the wheezing breath and slick sheen of sweat showing that he still held some life in him.
Several medics used their diagnostic jutsu, scanning his body eyes filled with worried panic as they tried to figure out what was wrong with their Kage.
Liang's eyes opened slowly, his eyes squinting in pain against the light before they rose to find Yue Ying's head of soft brown hair. "Ying?" He rasped.
She ran a hand through his raven black hair eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Yes. Its me." She said.
"Chakra poisoning." One of the medics said suddenly bringing Ying's and the other medic's attention.
"But how?" Another of the medics stated after a brief moment. "Chakra poisoning this severe...he would have needed to fight someone with Tsunade-sama's level of chakra control. And with an unbelievable amount of chakra to boot."
"The output would have been unbelievable as well. We never sensed anything nearly as large as it would need to be."
Even through the disorientation of swirling lights and fading sounds Liang still heard and understood what they said and understood. His mind sluggish as it was made dull connections as the answer came to him.
"This is my hour!"
"-aruto" he wheezed out. Was it a fortunate accident on his part. Or...worse yet...something done consciously...a plan of his? His thoughts remained unresolved before consciousness left him again.
He was fortunate because only a few seconds after he fell into darkness again the black, thick smoke of fire began rising from the first floor sending the people into a panic. "They're going to burn down the entire tower!" One of the ninja yelled.
"Damnit." Kiba cursed latching onto the ceiling with chakra before he began hacking away at the wood with his claws and wooden arm. Hana soon joining him.
Shikamaru walked next to Yue Ying, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Come on. We need to go to the roof. If we stay here the smoke will kill us long before the fire does.
She nodded and soon, both Shikamaru and one of the Anbu lifted Zhuge Liang's limp body, leaping through the hole in the ceiling and onto the platform rooftop.
The fires spread through the building's floors like ants swarming over a carcass, rising higher and higher. Files, records, desks and wooden floors consumed by the searing flames. , the heat was now becoming apparent to all of them.
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"Move! Move! Get onto the ships!" Kankuro yelled, ushering all ninja and whatever civilians were in the crowed onto the ships, pushing them along. "Come on move!" He yelled again.
A near ten foot long slug suddenly trudged its way up and around the edge of the dock platform.
Kankuro quickly recognized the slug as Tsunade's summon, Katsuyu and before he could question the massive creature it suddenly spit out an unconscious Tsunade and a half conscious, disoriented Yugito. They were covered in green gunk and stuff Kankuro didn't even want to name.
"Leaf ninja." Yugito coughed as she struggled onto her elbows from her face down position. "Swarmed over us-cough-Tsunade-"
"We got you." The puppet master said reaching forward and grabbing Yugito by her arm, pulling her to her feet as two other ninja grabbed Tsunade, dragging the legendary medic onto the ship. "Raise the anchor!" Kankuro yelled as he got onto the ship, the last of the ninja right behind him "We are leaving!"
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The fires were licking at their feet now, spreading through Liang's office and the final floor beneath them. They didn't have long. They were surrounded on all sides and the few people that had tried to leap from the side of the building had been picked off by kunai, or Kimimaro's arrows.
"Almost there now." Kakashi said to himself as he watched the flames rise.
A shadow suddenly loomed over all of them and brought Kakashi's eyes skyward, finding a floating platform of...sand.
Gaara willed the sand to extend down towards the roof, thousands of little brown grains creating a bridge.
"Its the Kazekage!"
"He's come to save us!"
"Get on!" Gaara yelled hurriedly, watching as the ninja rushed up onto the platform like rats fleeing a flood.
Below them the copy ninja's eyes lit up with something akin to fury. "No!" He yelled before looking to the dozen or so Anbu. "With me! Zhuge Liang dies today and so does this war with him!"
The Anbu nodded before each of them leaped onto the side of the building running up and through the flames, avoiding the ones they wouldn't survive.
Kakashi turned to face Kidomaru. "Take any and all shots you get do you understand me?"
Nodding the sound ninja notched another arrow into his bow as he leaped onto another rooftop to get better shots off.
Kakashi leaped onto the side of the building, fires burning through the walls and windows of the building. The heat was almost suffocating in itself, but he pushed through. Zhuge Liang was in his grasp. He could end this war right now! To just leave him alive without even trying to assure the mans death was a crime in itself.
He jumped over the edge of the rooftop with his Anbu, rushing across the wooden platform several chuunin and Jounin rushed to meet them, including a young woman he recognized as two Inuzuka due to the facial markings and the three dogs that followed them. Then, his spinning sharingan found him, clad in white robes and being carried by the ninja guards onto the sand platform. There was his target.
Gaara held his stance, struggling to hold the sand platform afloat with the increasing weight. There were nearly seventy people rushing onto this escape platform. About 200 pounds per person with equipment and all that was about 14000 pounds and that was pushing it by a lot. His chakra was draining out of him with increasing speed. They needed to hurry.
Two kunai were in Kakashi's hands, cutting down any and all ninja in his path, eyes fixed on Liang's unconscious form.
Finally, for an instant, there was a clear run and Kakashi seized it hand lighting up with a Chidori he rushed forward, the end of the war in sight.
Their reactions to his approach were fast, but not fast enough, they would never be able to get him out of the way in time. He reared back his hand, determination visible in his expression even through the mask.
"Tsuuga!"
The female Inuzuka slammed into his side like a sack of bricks, claws digging into his flesh and sheer force sending him towards the edge of the building. Kakashi righted himself with a backwards roll, legs quickly finding the ground and stopping his backwards motion dead.
Hana claws were soaked with blood, panting with exertion as she stared at Kakashi, glaring at him.
The leaf Anbu were quickly cutting down their exhausted Suna/Kumo counterparts, the splatter of blood becoming an all too easy sound to hear for the remaining ninja's liking. Seeing that Liang was now safely on board the sand platform the rest of the ninja turned tail and ran, the last lines only working on stalling the Anbu as the others rushed past them.
Kiba rushed past Hana, one leg on the sand platform before he looked back. "Hana!" He yelled watching as she kicked one of the Anbu in the face, shattering his mask and sending him reeling from the blow.
The Ninja already on the platform threw kunai and Shuriken, doing their best to stall the Anbu as the last of their comrades rushed onto the platform.
Hana gave one last glare to the copy ninja before turning and rushing towards the platform, her dogs in front of her as Kiba ushered her forward. "Come on!"
Her feet hit the platform and a feeling of safety and security washed over her. It was over. They'd survived.
She saw Kiba, hand extended to grasp her own. Gaara in the center of surprise, watching her, waiting for her. He'd come back from all of them. She'd kiss that man for being so noble once they got to the ships.
She reached out toward Kiba when a sudden, stabbing pain raced up her spine along with the feeling of something pushing her ribs. She gasped, her legs slowing. They felt heavy, why did they feel so heavy.
She looked at Kiba's face which was now twisted in shock and horror, then to Gaara who carried a similar gaze.
She looked to her side, finding an arrow lodged into her side. Strange...it didn't hurt.
She stumbled, her three dogs whining behind her as she collapsed. They grabbed onto her clothing with their teeth. Pulling her gently but firmly closer into the sand platform.
Snapping out of his stupor Kiba moved to rush forward. His sisters name on his lips. Shikamaru, sensing his intent moved his shadow and connected it with the Inuzuka, freezing him in place.
The three dogs dragged the fallen girl closer and closer, Gaara drew back his sand, raising the platform higher before pulling it back, away from the city.
"Let me go! Let me go!" Kiba yelled, struggling with all his might against Shikamaru's shadow bind technique.
With the danger no longer present Shikamaru released his long time friend, his own eyes shedding tears for Hana which he struggled fruitlessly to hold back. He knew anatomy...The arrow had hit her at an upwards angle, judging from its position. It had probably pierced her, liver and right lung, having slipped through the exposed area beneath the rib cage.
She wouldn't survive another twenty minutes. And if she did...she'd be eating out of a tube for the rest of her life.
Kiba rushed to her side, collapsing onto his knees next to her he rolled her onto her back as gently as he could. "Hana?" He questioned swallowing the lump in his throat.
She looked at him then a smile gracing her face. "Hey...you look like crap."
He tried to smile back but it was a forced, fragile thing. "You-you don't look so great yourself."
"Don't make me kick your ass." She breathed.
"You can try." He choked out. "You can try all you want...once we get back to Suna...I promise."
She smiled again, this one bitter sweet. "I think...I'll have to take a rain check on that one baby bro."
Kiba's face scrunched up in pain tears falling from his eyes freely now as he choked back a sob. "No...No you dont. You're gonna be just fine."
One of the medics moved forward, hands glowing with green chakra. Two others soon emerged as well one ushering Kiba away while the other two worked to save her.
Gaara watched the medics work, only half of his mind focused on keeping the platform intact and levitating, having already gotten used to the weight.
The medics worked to the best of their ability, one wounded himself. But it was a hopeless case, they all knew it. Only Kiba, held onto that sliver of hope. Clinging to it, denying its fading shimmer with desperation.
When one of the medics stood, his face easily displaying his growing pity for the younger Ninja, Gaara knew the words before they even came to his lips.
"I'm sorry."
The words sent Kiba visibly reeling, his breath left him as if someone had punched him in the gut.
The hope he'd allowed himself to hang onto fled his eyes, leaving nothing but a broken man in its wake before the hope came back. No. No not hope. Just denial. A desperate denial that would hurt him more than help him.
"No...No." Kiba shook his head, pushing his way past the medic before he knelled next to her, grabbing Hana by her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "Hana. Come on Hana. Wake up. I know your alive wake up!"
He was beginning to scream now and Gaara could take it no more, he wouldn't let Kiba destroy himself with this. Stepping forward he walked up behind the Inuzuka. Placing his hand on Kiba's shoulder he brought the Inuzuka's attention to him. "Kiba..." He said softly. "Stop...she's, gone."
Kiba's face scrunched up in pain before it twisted with rage, gaze fixed on Gaara before he stood, rounding on him. "This is your fault!" He yelled grabbing onto Gaara's clothing. Gaara did nothing to stop him, knowing that Kiba needed this.
"Kiba-" He began only for the Inuzuka to interrupt him.
"You brought us here! You gave the damn order to attack! You killed her!"
"Kiba, you know I never wanted this."
Kiba's fist reared back and though the sand attempted to raise itself to his defense he held it back and the fist hit him full in his jaw, snapping Gaara's head to the side. Kiba moved to hit him again but before he did Gaara rushed forward wrapping his arms around the Inuzuka in a comforting embrace.
And that simply opened the floodgates and whatever emotions Kiba had been holding back were just let loose. Sobs escaping his throat as he weakly punched Gaara's back, sobbing into the Kage's shoulder as his legs grew weak and he fell onto his knees.
Gaara said nothing, his own eyes glistening with tears of his own as they looked onto Hana's corpse.
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Kakashi walked to the docks, watching as the ships sailed away over the horizon. Eyes finding the still body of Kimimaro, Tayuya and Sakon looming over him.
"He's dead." Tayuya said, pain in her voice. Though hidden beneath her facade. "The Kazekage...crushed his lungs...suffocated him."
Kakashi sighed. "Get him onto a cart...we will take him to Konoha. Bury him there. He's earned that much."
"They all fucking escaped." Tayuya growled, her anger at Kimimaro's death directed at the ones responsible.
"They only have one place to go now." Kakashi responded. "And now that their two pronged attack has been dismantled...we can focus everything, at Suna.
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Hours later on one of the ships. Liang lay in the bed made for him in one of the ships, the best medic they currently had on hand attending him. Tsunade had been deemed, unfit for medical duties hours ago. Her exhaustion and current state making her more of a medical liability than an asset.
"Sir...the chakra poison...is...terminal. From the tests I've run, its progressing...and the progression is only accelerated every time you use chakra."
Liang took the news with a flat face. His reaction hidden beneath his apathy. "How long?"
"Six months...if you use...no chakra at all. But...after that...your organs...will begin to fail. One by one until it reaches your heart sir.
Liang sighed.
'Naruto planned this...he must have. With this...I have no time. No time to continue my plans. No time to fight a war of attrition. He's hoping I will become desperate. That I will make a mistake. But no...why would he? If he did this on purpose it meant he never had any intention of killing me during the battle over the Jian Ling. But why wouldn't he want to kill me...it makes no sense. Could it have really just been a fortune on his part.'
"Sir." The voice of one of the Kumo ninja drifted in from the doorway. "Sir the Kazekage is here to see you. Should I send him in?"
"In a moment." Liang responded before looking to the medic. "Go...but tell no one of this. You are sworn to silence."
"Yes sir." The man said with a bow before he turned and left.
When Gaara walked through the door Liang thought he was looking upon a man who just spent three days climbing a mountain.
Though he supposed he looked no better himself.
"Feeling better?" The Kazekage questioned as he closed the distance between them.
"A little I suppose." He answered.
"What was the diagnosis. Anything, long term?"
"Heart attack." Liang answered. "The medic suggests I take it easy but obviously that will not be an option"
Gaara nodded, pulling up a chair before he sat down, the look on his face showing that he had something to say, so Liang waited patiently for him to speak.
"I should have listened to you." The Kazekage said suddenly, head bowed as if he was ashamed.
"What?" The Raikage questioned.
"I made the wrong call..." Gaara clarified. "You were right...we should...we should have left. We never should have gone into the village." He said swallowing thickly , averting his face so as to hide his tears.
There was silence between them for a few moments between the two Kage's before Liang shook his head. "No." The Raikage said. "No...you were right."
Gaara's eyes met his then, a sort of strange pleading within those teal depths. "We are Kage's...the burden of protection...and of leadership falls to us. And this time...this time, our plans have ended in a day of great sacrifice...Kumo and its warriors lie shattered in the wake of the greatest battle of our lifetime. But without you...without your bravery...your leadership Gaara our plans would have ended worse...much worse. What people forget is...that one...does not rule. One leads. And you lead these people to victory today."
"What victory?" Gaara yelled in response, standing from his chair as he began to pace the room. "The fires that burn Kumo are still visible to us on the horizon. Tsunade-sama is...devastated by the sight of this woman Shizune's dead body. Half of my soldiers and all of yours are wounded. And one of my best friends, a woman I could have considered a sister to me we just recently had to throw overboard so as not to risk disease spreading through the ship!"
At the last sentence Gaara threw the chair across the room, shattering it against the wooden wall. Liang remained unfazed by his anger.
"But..." The sleeping dragon continued. "You saved them Gaara."
Silence.
"You saved all of those women and children. Hundreds of them. They will see the new day's dawn because of you. That...that is your victory today."
Gaara took a breath walking next to Liang's bed. "Then why do I feel...as if there is no hope now."
Liang smirked. "Because...You are the hope."
The hacking, raspy cough that came from the sleeping dragon's laying form as the words left his mouth made Gaara cringe in pity for the man. He moved to help only for Liang to stay his movements with a weak hand gesture.
His breathing was heavy, as if he'd just run a thousand miles, cold sweat matting his hair to the sheets and his forehead.
"I can see now." Liang rasped, eyes closed in discomfort before he opened them to gaze straight at Gaara, coal black eyes piercing the Kage from Suna. "You are a man...a man...to be feared Gaara. And...just as I see it...Naruto will see it."
"I dont understand." The young Suna Kage said in confusion.
Liang took several deep breaths and Gaara decided that for the time being, he would stay his tongue despite his questions. Speaking was exhausting the man too much and he needed his rest. The sleeping dragon's next words however, would remain with the Kage of Suna. For a very long time.
"Naruto will fear you Gaara..." Liang rasped, coughing several more times before he fixed his gaze on Gaara's teal green eyes.
"He will fear what you may become."