Chapter 39
Chapter 39
‘Do not eliminate Gato unless he makes a move on you directly. The mission is to continue as is.’ Sakura read the short message her tiger had retrieved for her and let out a tired sigh. Kakashi-senpai was awake now and incredibly confused as he watched Naruto wobble along the surface of the river while Sasuke worked with creating a functioning chakra string.
“Maa, kouhai what happened while I was asleep?” Kakashi could smell fox in the air, kitsune specifically though the scent was feminine and devoid of the itching, burning chakra of the kyubi. The only explanation was a summons, though to his knowledge none of his genin had summons and Sakura had the tiger contract.
“While you were resting I guarded the bridge and left a summons to protect the boys while they trained. A tiger, naturally.” Sakura lied and Kakashi nodded along. They both knew she wasn’t telling the truth but Hound wouldn’t abandon his teammates and outing Sakura as a kitsune summoner would be exactly that, politically speaking. People were already afraid she’d be the next Uchiha Itachi after all.
“Naturally,” Kakashi kept his tone light and relaxed. Sakura could feel his chakra twist in curiosity and acceptance, her ability to read the emotions of others increasing with every year that past. “And Zabuza?”
“Hasn’t shown up yet, his compatriot is a Yuki, he’s kin. I know it’s a lot to ask but, I want to take him alive if possible.” Sakura still struggling against the burdens of knowing the future. It was an ever present weight around her neck, merciless dragging her down towards depression and rage. It was a miracle she hadn’t succumbed to the curse of hatred yet.
“If possible,” Kakashi replied and ruffled her hair. “No frilly pink skirt today?” Kakashi’s question was in good humor as his eye crinkled happily. Sakura rolled her eyes in response, her clothes replaced by a mishmash of armor both modern and traditional. An old school breastplate made of chakra conductive metal complete with kusazuri was paired with modern ANBU style armored pants and knee high boots. Gauntlets covered the backs of her hands and all the way to her elbows, though her shoulders and upper arms were covered by the shoulder length black ANBU gloves, which was unusual but made sense considering Sakura would need every bit of reaction time she could get against Zabuza.
“A kusazuri is kind of like a skirt and pink is really just a darker shade of red…” Sakura trailed off, grinning impishly at Kakashi who couldn’t suppress a fond chuckle. Being with his team was painful, they constantly reminded him of his many failures but Sakura at least he could stomach. She was just different enough to avoid association with his many dead comrades and she was nothing like Itachi. “Anyways the current plan is to have Naruto guard the family, while you me and Sasuke guard Tazuna.”
“You don’t think both boys should stay here?” Kakashi asked and Sakura glanced over at the two genin, watching them train. She wasn’t aware of Sasuke’s soul searching, nor was Kakashi, not yet at least. What she did know was that Sasuke had the sharingan and would actually gain something from watching a higher level fight between shinobi even if he didn’t take part. The sharingan was a genuine cheat, allowing the user to steal techniques and abilities with ease. For a fresh genin with the sharingan, watching jounin fight seriously would provide months worth of growth.
“I think so long as Sasuke doesn’t end up forced into the fight, it’ll all work out.” Sakura replied and Kakashi hummed before looking over at the two genin. He weighed her words before giving her a nod, accepting her decision without complaint. “I expect Zabuza will make his appearance in a day or two. It’s been nearly a week after all.”
“I’ll take your word for it doc. Now if you want to take that Yuki down alive I suggest you go make preparations.” Kakashi drawled and Sakura gave him a grateful look before applying a quick henge over her armor to hide it and then darted off into the forest.
***
“Again!” Sakura barked out as Izuna gasped for air on all fours. The boy had demanded to start training with her and Madara. Tajima had left it up to the three of them to work it out and Sakura found she wanted to include Izuna after their previous conversation while Madara physically couldn’t say no to his little brother hence the current situation.
“Dammit, how are you two so strong?” Izuna asked, pushing himself to his feet and gripping his sword. His sharingan spun to life and Sakura’s came to life as they met in a flurry of blades, sparks flying around them. Lightning danced along Izuna’s chakra conductive blade, which Sakura was forced to cancel out with a neutral sheath of her own. Izuna was far more advanced then most ten year olds, even well trained ones but he was two years younger than her and lacked perfect chakra control.
‘He’s where Madara would be without our control.’ Inner noted as Sakura sped up, her perfect control allowing her to reinforce her muscles and enhance her nerves until she could move faster then most adults. It was still a work in progress but she had nearly caught up to Itachi, or at least where he’d been before that night of nights.
“Chakra control and training, you have more chakra then I do but you waste it.” Sakura replied, parrying a strike and stepping into Izuna’s guard, her blade scraping along his as she grappled him and hurled him to the ground, his sword cartwheeling away before landing tip first and digging into the soil like a grave marker. “You’re lightning natured, when grappled you need to surround yourself with lightning immediately.”
“I can’t use lightning without hand seals!” Izuna growled and punched the ground in frustration. He’d known Madara was stronger then he was but what he hadn’t known was just how large the gap was between him and the pink haired youkai.
“Uchiha learn to wield flames with minimal hand seals, shaping it with one or two signs. Instead of katon though, your nature is raiton and you will have to work to master it to the same degree.” Sakura offered Izuna her right hand which he took while her left lit up with emerald chakra and she began to heal his various bumps and bruises. Izuna let out a relieved sigh as the minty chakra that felt so much like the trees and forests filled him, easing away his pain. “You’ll get there.”
“It’s frustrating.” Izuna sighed and Sakura gave him an understanding look. Izuna raised an eyebrow and Sakura shook her head, a self depreciating smile appearing on her lips.
“My parents weren’t shinobi, I might be descended from clans but my parents were merchants. I was born with very, very small reserves, hence my perfect chakra control. I worked hard, exhausting myself every day to build up my chakra supply. Fortunately my chakra control appears to be genetic but I built upon it, going from near perfect to perfect.” Sakura explained and for the first time Izuna actually listened. Perhaps she was a youkai, but clearly that didn’t bar her from having a past and a childhood. He’d seen her grow up, knew thanks to his sharingan she wasn’t hiding her appearance under any illusions or jutsu. It was humanizing in a way he’d never experienced before and he nodded, taking her words to heart.
“Thanks,” Izuna mumbled softly, suddenly feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment. He’d been suspicious of Sakura for so long being nice to her suddenly made him feel the fool. Instead of teasing him or gloating however she just gave him a subdued smile as she pulled her healing hand away, his wounds gone.
“You’re plenty welcome. You’re family after all.” Sakura said softly then looked over to Madara and grinned. “May I have this dance?”
“You may,” Madra smiled back as he drew his sword, his sharingan blazing to life a moment before they met with wild, matching grins. Sparks flew from steel, chakra filled the air and the ringing sound of battle was joined by delighted laughter as the two twelve year olds moved through a lethal dance, every blow matched, every thrust parried and repose blocked. Izuna watched in awe, his sharingan informing him neither fought with a pattern he could copy. They were two sharingan wielders, if either used standard kata, the other would catch on and counter so instead they reacted organically, trying to outplay the other with nothing but skill.
“Beautiful.” Izuna whispered as he watched them dance, a mix of longing and jealousy squeezing at his heart even as awe swept through him. Unseen, ancient golden eyes watched the three children, plotting and planning.
***
Mist slowly crept over the village as Sakura, Kakashi, Sasuke and Tazuna walked towards the bridge. Chakra lingered in the fog, intensifying it and giving the three shinobi all the warning they needed. Tazuna quickly read the mood and slowed his steps, letting the group casually surround him as they talked quietly about what they’d be doing for the day. The idle conversation was poor cover, after all everyone knew they were walking into a fight and Zabuza wasn’t even trying to be subtle.
“No,” Tazuna gasped as they reached the bridge. The crumpled form of his workers, friends, littered the bridge, motionless.
“They’re alive,” Sakura stated calmly, taking her scythe off her back. Against a fighter like Zabuza she’d need its mass and leverage just to have a chance. “They’re all unconscious but they’re alive.”
“Decided to abandon the ridiculous pink dress?” Zabuza asked, appearing from the fog as the sun pierced the gloom. He was standing at the edge of the bridge, the fake hunter-nin at his side and kubikiribocho strapped to his back.
“Well, I realized pink wasn’t my color.” Kakashi drawled, pulling a barking laugh from the missing-nin. Zabuza’s bandages shifted as he grinned, his eyes sharpening as killing intent flooded the bridge.
“Can it Hatake, you’d be fish food without the little brat.” Zabuza smirked as several water clones landed around the three members of Team 7. Sakura felt the pulse of chakra as they formed and Inner was ready for them. Her chakra flared outwards, going to active sensing and allowing her to see at shunshin speeds even without her sharingan. She blurred through the clones, her scythe drawing a pair of arcs as she cut them down, her after image vanishing the moment she came to a stop, making it appear as if she’d simply teleported and attacked all the clones simultaneously.
“You know, I think I remember a report a few years back about an up and coming prodigy in Konoha. A student of Shunshin no Shisui, a pink haired student. The bounty for a live capture was quite the pretty penny.” Zabuza drawled and Sakura growled, her lips pulling back to reveal her fangs. Zabuza chuckled, his own beady black eyes meeting her gaze with amusement. “Haku, why don’t you keep our lost and confused countryman company?”
“Very well Zabuza-sama,” the cool androgynous voice of the hunter replied and Sakura felt the pulse of chakra that accompanied a shunshin. The fake hunter was fast, almost as fast as she was and she barely had time to spin her scythe as a rain of frozen needles shot her way. “You’re quite talented, it is unfortunate you had to cross our path.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Yuki-san.” Sakura replied twirling her scythe then launching it at the hunter-nin. Sakura felt the surprise flash through the other shinobi’s chakra as they ducked the blade and she flickered forward, chakra sinking into her muscles and pooling in her fist as her feet carried her across the pavement in a blur of speed.
“Shannaro!” A blast of compressed chakra flashed into brilliant blue flames as Sakura unleashed her punch. The shockwave of fire and compressed air burnt away at the mist, heat seething visibly across the asphalt road but for all the drama her attack had failed to do any real damage.
“Impressive, you are truly talented.” Haku said, discarding their burning outer kimono top and revealing the insulated padded gambeson underneath. “Unfortunately that won’t be enough.” Sakura drew her wakizashi without a word as Kakashi and Zabuza clashed further up the bridge. She saw her senpai duck under the massive sword of the missing-nin, her eyes leaving Haku for only a split second but it was enough.
“Careless,” Haku’s voice sent a shiver of fear down Sakura’s spine as the boy rocketed past her. The world slowed to a crawl as her sharingan spun to life, Sasuke’s life was far more valuable then her secret after all. Her chakra pulled inwards, giving her a further boost in speed as she chased after Haku. Ahead of her, Sasuke drew a kunai and a brace of shuriken, launching the stars towards the Yuki.
Sparks flew off the senbon Haku used to deflect the volley of steel. The Yuki delivered a clean kick to Sasuke, slipping past the genin’s guard and sending the Uchiha sailing backwards. Sakura slashed forward, intent on severing Haku’s left leg but the boy substituted with an I-beam, the metal screeching as her blade cut clean through it.
“Keep up,” Haku warned, tone cautionary and Sakura saw red. Sasuke would not die for her mistake and she sent her chakra racing outwards. The moment it gripped Sasuke, she substituted, trading places with her little brother. Wind met Sakura’s face as she arrived, Haku mere inches away from her. “Sharingan?” Haku’s surprise nearly left them open for a crushing blow to the cheek, which was only narrowly avoided. Flames licked the painted armor of the fake hunter mask as Sakura’s fist skimmed along its surface.
“Your dancing with me Yuki,” Sakura’s voice reverberated in her chest like a tiger’s growl and the Yuki’s dark amber eyes met brilliant crimson. The two prodigies darted apart, Sakura skidding to a stop beside Sasuke while Haku stood across from them. “Your clan would cry if they saw you right now Yuki Haku. They were honorable defenders of Uzushio, not murderers and tools of oppressors.”
“I have never met any of my clan kunoichi-san, they were hunted into extinction by Yagura and the people of Mizu.” Haku’s chakra froze over with pain and sadness. The words hung in the air between them as Sakura felt a pang of regret. “You are kind, aren’t you kunoichi-chan, to feel for an enemy, even one who disgraces the clan.”
“My kin were allies of yours, I would vouch for you if you lay down your weapons. I could take you to Konoha, you would be safe.” Sakura offered and watched as Haku shook their head. Their expression was hidden but Haku’s chakra was open and honest. They were touched by the offer but it was too late, Haku was committed to fighting alongside Zabuza, the bond between them far more real then the intangible bonds between old allies and dead clans. “Very well, then I will beat you down and drag you home.”
“You are free to try, Kunoichi-san.” Haku’s voice was light, almost happy as they brought their hands together. Sakura moved her own fingers through a quick set of seals and a spike of ice was met by a roaring water dragon, the two attacks colliding over the bridge and splattering water that snap froze the moment it hit the asphalt.
Even as the two chakra constructs continued to clash, both shinobi launched themselves at the other, meeting in a flurry of blows and slashes as they tried to gain the upper hand. Sakura grinned viciously, revealing all her razorsharp teeth as she began to push Haku back. The Yuki was fast, but she was trained by Shunshin no Shisui, Sharingan no Itachi and spared against Madara daily. There were few her age who could even hope to match her and while it was clear Yuki Haku was one of them, he lacked her sheer staying power.
***
Three separate killing intents swathed the bridge and ground down on the wills and minds of everyone present. Sasuke gasped for air, unused to such intensity despite their training with Anko. The purple haired jounin threw killing intent around freely in spars but there was a clear difference between practice and live combat. ‘Stop shaking,’ Sasuke gripped their right wrist with their left, fingers clenching tight to ward off the constant shivers.
Sharingan spun in Sasuke’s eyes as the Uchiha watched Sakura and Haku clash, the two little more then blurs to one tomoe eyes. Sakura was a prodigy, but it was clear her opponent was skilled as well. Sasuke’s fingers tightened around a kunai, knowing it wouldn’t be enough if the fight headed their way. Looking towards the hunter-nin, their gazes met briefly and Sasuke knew it was e a mistake to draw attention their way once more, however accidentally.
The hunter blurred forward, Sakura cutting them off with a volley of half molten shuriken which splattered the concrete with near liquid steel, sparks and bits of burning hot metal spraying into the air and ending the hunter-nin’s charge. Chakra surged from the hunter as Sakura closed in on him from behind, her killing intent growing so intense that Sasuke’s vision started to gray and their ears began to ring. Behind the rosette, a massive white tiger seemed to materialize, roaring its thunderous fury as her blade came down on the hunter.
“Makyou Hyoushou,” Haku’s soft voice seemed to come from the frosty air and mirrors made of solid ice rose from the puddles in dome shaped array, trapping Sakura and Sasuke within it. “You are strong Kunoichi-san, but can you defeat me while defending your comrade?” Haku’s question was immediately followed by a barrage of steel and Sasuke’s world slowed to a crawl.
Sakura swept in front of her sibling, teeth bared in a furious snarl and chakra thrumming through her veins as her tomoe spun wildly in her eyes. Shame exploded in Sasuke’s chest as he noticed the scrapes now decorating the lacquer of Sakura’s breastplate, she had been unable to block everything and had been forced to rely on her armor to protect her.
“You won’t touch him while I draw breath.” Sakura’s words twisted the dagger of shame currently impaling the young shinobi. Sasuke was a burden, a weakness and it was just like that night all over again.
“That can be solved,” The yuki replied and Sasuke watched, horrified as they peeled off from the mirror. Sakura met Haku midair, her fist catching the fake hunter-nin in the mask and shattering the porcelain plate. Water splashed over the rosette as the clone disintegrated and Sasuke felt a whisper of wind on their back. The familiar sensation of Sakura’s chakra latching onto their drew Sasuke’s eyes to the girl, her expression one of utter certainty as they felt a sharp jolt in their navel as the substitution jutsu went off.
Silence fell over Sasuke’s world as they watched well over a dozen senbon rip into the gaps of Sakura’s armor. Several pierced her throat and her body dropped without fanfare, her armor clanging as she hit the ground.
“No, no no! Why? Why did you protect me? I can’t beat him!” Sasuke screamed, hands shacking as they scrambled to Sakura’s side. No needles flew towards them, though the reflection of Haku in the mirror remained watching. Sakura’s eyes faded back to bright emerald as her mouth opened, her lungs struggling to pull air down her throat as she forced herself to speak.
“You’re family,” Sakura rasped, her voice frail and weak. Her chakra was guttering out of her, trying to heal the damage but failing as the senbon remained lodged in place. “I love you so much it burns.” Sakura’s whisper was followed by a soft rattling sigh as her chakra burned away, her lungs going still and her pulse fading to nothingness.
A steady, repetitive thunder hammered away in Sasuke’s ears as they looked down at the motionless body in their arms. The cold air already had Sakura’s skin feeling clammy and cold, like she’d been destined for a grave and her eyes were blank, still open but sightless. Chaos burned through Sasuke’s chakra and the world seemed to freeze as the Uchiha shifted their head up towards the mirrors surrounding them. Everything hurt, their skull felt like someone had cracked it open and poured molten metal inside. Sasuke’s eyes were on fire and the tears that rolled down their cheeks felt tacky and hot, biting and stinging the skin as they made their way towards the ground.
“You killed her,” Sasuke whispered as Haku slid from a mirror. The world was moving in slow motion, nothing seemed real but Sasuke knew this was reality. Sakura was dead, Sasuke wasn’t fast enough to protect her, they had been too weak. Sasuke needed strength, the strength to ensure this never happened again. Nobody would ever touch their loved ones, not Danzo, not Haku, not even the Sandaime himself. “I’ll kill you.”
Haku closed in on Sasuke as the young shinobi’s chakra suddenly compressed then erupted outwards. Senbon were deflected as a purple projection of ribs shrouded the genin and Sasuke slowly rose to their feet, tears of blood running down deathly pale cheeks. The chakra construct vanished briefly as Sasuke reared back their hand, formed a fist then hurled it forward. Purple flames erupted from their body as a rib cage appeared around them, a skeletal arm rushing out towards the mirror Haku had just retreated into and shattering it with ease.
“I’ll kill you!” Sasuke screamed as Haku flew backwards and skid along the bridge. Sasuke didn’t see the fight between the two jounin freeze momentarily but he heard the chirping of a thousand birds as Kakashi rocketed towards Zabuza. Haku’s head snapped to the side, eyes on the other fight but before the hunter could shunshin, a hand of pure chakra wrapped around them. “Die!” Sasuke screamed the arm rising into the air and slamming into the asphalt as Kakashi’s hand plunged through Zabuza’s chest.
“Zabuza-sama!” Haku screamed, voice cracking as his mask shattered against the pavement. The skeletal arm reared back, preparing to drive the fake hunter into the ground until they were nothing more then a bleeding mess when a small army of footsteps interrupted the fight. Sasuke’s grip on Haku tightened, even as his chakra began to wane and Kakashi ripped his hand free from Zabuza’s smoking corpse as he turned to face Gato and his army of goons.
“Useless, can’t even take care of anything.” Gato growled as he looked over the weapon strewn bridge. “And he didn’t even kill the workers, truly pathetic. Kirigakure no Kijin? Give me a break.” The man’s eyes roamed the bridge before landing on Sakura and he raised an eyebrow. “Well it looks like it’s not all a waste. Anyone who brings that kunoichi to me alive gets a five thousand ryo bonus and first dibs once she’s healed.”
“You…” Sasuke’s chest heaved as he forgot Haku, the chakra construct vanishing as the Uchiha turned their bleeding eyes onto Gato. Sasuke’s skill ached and their instincts were running wild. They wanted the fat, ugly little man to burn alive, to suffer and die screaming. Pain exploded through Sasuke’s eye but they didn’t feel it, not yet and their chakra rapidly began to dwindle. “You’ll burn for that, all of you.” Sasuke promised, their words followed by an ominous flicker of smoke from Gato’s jacket before black flames erupted around the man, consuming him instantly. More soon leapt into existence, spreading across the area Sasuke had looked at, the entire front line of the mob suddenly consumed by the chakra inferno.
Sasuke didn’t see Kakashi slam Haku into the ground, a pulse of lightning chakra to the back of the skull sending the boy unconscious as the copy-nin put an end to the threats facing his team. Instead, he walked on unsteady feet over to Sakura’s side and gathered her up into his arms, hugging her to his chest before letting out a pained scream.
“Sasuke,” Sasuke could almost hear her voice, tired and still worried for them rather then concerned with her own health. Sakura was vicious, mischievous and lethal but above all of that she was loving and fiercely protective of her own. She would always put her family, her clan first, even if she was dead and lingering rather then making that final journey to the pure lands. “Sasuke, the senbon.”
“Sakura?” Sasuke paused, eyes widening as they took in two alert emerald eyes set in a deathly pale face. Sakura was awake, alive, somehow and they gently held her away from them so as not to jostle her wounds. “What do you need?”
“Just keep me upright.” Sakura managed, her hands lighting up with sputtering green chakra as she removed the senbon one by one. The iron tang of blood danced across Sasuke’s nose, their sharingan drinking in the sight of their wounded sister, but she wasn’t dead and that was all that mattered right now. Sakura didn’t make a sound as she pulled the senbon free, even though they were buried in nerve clusters and her hands only shook from exhaustion and numbness. It was horrifying to witness just how used to being injured the rosette was and Sasuke wished they’d been ignorant about this particular fact just a bit longer.
“Thank you Sasuke,” Sakura’s voice was weak but she still pushed herself upright, her legs wobbling slightly as she pulled a chakra pill from her pouch and crushed it between her teeth. Sasuke rose to their feet, ready to grab Sakura the moment her strength flagged while Kakashi walked over to them, Haku tossed across his shoulder. “I have sedatives.” Sakura offered the other jounin a vile but Kakashi didn’t move, both of his eyes remaining fixed on the small smears of blood where she’d been impaled.
“You’re not allowed to die kouhai,” Kakashi’s voice was utterly blank, his chakra a near void of emotion but there was a hint of hysteria underneath it all. Sakura took in a sharp breath and nodded, recognizing Kakashi’s reaction for what it was, remnants of Root conditioning. A familiar burst of chakra at the end of the bridge was joined by the sounds of battle and screams. Sakura could feel a wave of Naruto’s bright, warm chakra. It wasn’t happy right now, instead angry and burning though nowhere near what Sasuke’s had been. Naruto was in control but something had him upset and Sakura intended to kill it.
“I won’t but whatever upset Naruto is about to. Sana is with me, Uchiha blue hair, blue eyes, smells like a fox.” Sakura answered as she felt a sudden rush of barely controlled chakra. The infusion from chakra pills was always electric, all antsy energy eager to be spent as long acting combat stimulants flooded her veins. A fresh wave of blood lust swept outwards from the rosette as her heart began to race against her rib cage and a feral smile split her lips. “If you’ll excuse me.”
***
Naruto sat atop the roof of Tazuna’s house, hidden somewhat by the balcony overhead. The roof was orange, so for once his clothes weren’t an active hindrance though he couldn’t find it in himself to grin about the humor there. Instead, the blond’s expression was serious as he watched two men walk down the boardwalk towards the house.
Both of them were smirking and the look in their eyes was familiar to a child of the akasen. They were both gazing through the window into the kitchen where Tsunami was preparing lunch for the work teams out on the bridge.
“You think we’ve got time to have a bit of fun before we head to the bridge?” One of the men asked. He was tall and had a beanie and clan markings streaking down from his eyes. The sword hanging at his waist, along with a lack of shinobi weapons marked him and his partner as a samurai, though Naruto didn’t really know much about the other group of chakra wielding warriors.
“Gato’s waiting for Zabuza and the Konoha scum to kill each other so we’ve got time. This is just insurance anyways.” A shirtless man covered in tattoos replied, one of his eyes covered by a patch and scars crisscrossing his body. Neither of them noticed the blond child or the three tailed fox watching them as they reached the front door of the home.
Naruto grit his teeth, his sharp ears catching the words of the two men as he dropped down from the roof, kunai in hand. Before either could notice him, Naruto brought the ring pommel down on the white haired samurai’s head, a sharp crack traveling through the steel and up his arms as the man hit the boardwalk. The other rounin turned towards Naruto as Sana flickered behind him, a seal in her palm as she slammed it into his back. A strangled scream ripped from the samurai before he hit the ground, deathly still.
“I do not enjoy killing but I do not think these two deserve to live.” Sana said softly, nudging the silver haired man’s head and scowling as she noticed his chest rising with breath. The kitsune turned her blue eyes to Naruto and raised an eyebrow. “Well Naruto-san, what shall we do?”
“What’s going on?” Tsunami opened the door as Naruto opened his mouth to answer and immediately spotted the two unconscious armed men in front of her. She looked up at Naruto who was still angry and then shifted her attention to Sana who was serene as ever despite her scowl.
“They were going to use you as a hostage and…” Naruto cut himself off, face twisting with anger. He’d seen enough during his childhood in the akasen to understand exactly what the two men had been planning. “Where is Inari?”
“He’s-” Tsunami was cut off as her usually gloomy son burst into the living room, crossbow gripped firmly in his small hands.
“Mom I saw two of Gato’s men-” Inari was cut off as he saw the two samurai sprawled out on the deck. The boy’s eyes moved from the downed men to Naruto, his eyes growing to the size of saucers. “You actually beat them?”
“Of course ‘ttebayo!” Naruto flashed the boy a grin as he looked to Sana. The kitsune was still keeping her tails and ears hidden, but all of his senses still read her kin, family and that unsettled Naruto more then he’d like to admit. He wasn’t the kyubi, just its cage but clearly the bijuu’s imprisonment had an influence on him beyond his whiskers and rapid healing. “But I think I’m going to have to head to the bridge now, Gato’s men are going to attack my team.”
“You’re not going alone, Naruto-kun.” Tsunami stated firmly, her eyes hardening. “Gato and his goons have taken enough from this town.” Tsunami bent down and pulled a katana free from one of the downed samurai before slashing it through the silver hair man’s throat. “No more, enough is enough. We’ll gather the townspeople and drive them into the sea.”
Naruto looked down at the blood rapidly spilling from the freshly dead man’s throat as it dripped through the boards and down into the water below. The man had been intending to rape Tsunami before taking her to Gato and whatever happened to her after Tazuna was dead wouldn’t be pleasant. The blond grit his teeth, angry he couldn’t find a better way. Sometimes people had to die, they were beyond helping and didn’t even want to be saved. The realization was maddening but Naruto knew he didn’t have time to dwell on it. Turning on his heel he ripped his eyes away from the two dead samurai and nodded for the mother and son to follow him.
“Come on, let’s go save the island.” Naruto was surprised his voice was steady as he spoke and Tsunami quickly joined him, leading the way into town while Inari walked behind them, eyes peeled and crossbow held in a white-knuckled grip.
Naruto had no words for the seen unfolding before his eyes. The moment they reached the town, Tsunami had started barking out orders, demanding people fetch weapons and obey her. Gato’s goons on patrol quickly swarmed her but before they could reach her, he stepped forward. The mercenaries were all slow, painfully so and he easily sidestepped a punch before driving his fist into a fully grown man’s stomach, sending him tumbling to the dirt where he immediately retched up the contents of his stomach.
Sana was far less merciful as she appeared behind another merc and drove her sword through his heart before pulling it free and flicking the blood into the eyes of his companions. The distinctive hiss of an explosive tag followed and the smell of chakra smoke and scorched flesh filled the air. By now a crowd had formed, many holding weapons having just returned after hearing Tsunami’s demands and they stood, all eyes on the shinobi and kitsune.
“This is just the start! We’re driving Gato from the island! Grab your weapons, we’re heading to the bridge first and then taking down his mansion!” Tsunami’s shout echoed over the crowd and was immediately followed by deafening cheers. None of the villagers were a picture of health, all of them looks somewhat skeletal and unwashed. The bath houses had long ago been taken over by Gato’s men and the townsfolk had been forced to bathe in the local rivers. Food was scarce and medicine unavailable, but rage more then made up for their poor condition and they descended upon the bridge where the mercenaries had gathered like a storm.
Naruto lead the charge, shadow clones knocking people out and hopefully saving lives as black flames burned across the bridge. Nearby Sana moved through the villagers, blocking blows from fleeing mercenaries and protecting the people of Nami as was her duty as the defender of Inari’s temple. The battle was already won, but those who had languished for years under Gato didn’t just want to drive his men from their shores, they wanted blood and now that their spirits had been set ablaze they mercilessly hunted down the panicking thugs, cutting them down and pursuing them all the way to Gato’s headquarters.
Naruto didn’t leave the bridge however, instead he looked towards the black flames and watched as they slowly disappeared to reveal an exhausted and far too pale Sakura leaning over a large scroll covered in a complex katon seal. Beside her Sasuke was looking equally shaken, face smeared with blood but otherwise uninjured. Kakashi slouched nearby, unreadable as ever but as Naruto got closer he could see the relief on his team’s faces.
“You’re alright,” Sakura’s voice was rough and thoroughly exhausted as she rose to her feet, pushing off her knee with her arm to aid herself. Beside her, Sasuke moved to support her, taking her elbow while Kakashi rolled up her scroll.
“Yeah, looks like you guys took the harder job.” Naruto wasn’t bitter he’d missed the fight. If he hadn’t been at Tazuna’s house, well, what would have happened to Tsunami wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on. Instead he looked over his teammates carefully, noting the way Sasuke seemed to lean in towards Sakura, their hand casually wrapped around her wrist, checking her pulse. Sakura was deathly pale, her usual rosy complexion ashen and ghost like, small smears of blood covering various parts of her body though there weren’t any visible injuries. “So want to talk about what happened?”
“I think,” Kakashi began, eyeing the mob Naruto had helped to unleash. “That’s probably something best handled after we’ve all caught our breath.”