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Dragonheart	By : UmbreonMessiah Category: Naruto > General Views: 1644 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Dragonheart

Chapter 10

            Tsunade�s feet clattered across the rickety
wood floor of the small apartment complex. She normally didn�t find time to
escape the office to make visits, but she figured that the current situation
called for some extreme measures. It was times like this she marveled at her
own abilities, thanking the stars above for the Kage Bunshin. Perhaps it would
keep Shizune fooled for an hour or two, which was all the busty blonde really
needed. She wouldn�t be here for too long.
            It hadn�t taken her very long to find the right
building despite never having visited it before. All she had to do was ask a
few questions on the street to get all the information she needed. It wasn�t
very hard to locate the abode of the most rambunctious and annoying shinobi in
Konoha. People were more than willing to point out the location, as well as
letting a few curses and harsh comments decorate their speech. Tsunade made a
mental note of a few people who were going to be receiving some surprises in the
mail.
            The Hokage approached the door and knocked on
it a few times. She wasn�t waiting for the blond to answer it however. She
knew the boy to be retrieving his own lover�s suitor, a mission she abhorred
sending him on. There was little she could in the matter though. Sacrificing
the rest of the village just for Naruto and Hinata�s sake may have sounded
glorious, but it was not something she planned on doing anytime soon. She loved
the poor boy dearly, but even she knew where to draw the line between devotion
and reality.
            �Who is it?� the soft voice of Hyuuga Hinata
called from inside.
            �Open up before I open it myself,� Tsunade
grumbled. She was used to being short with others thanks to Naruto, even when
she didn�t want to be.
            �G-G-G-Gomen!� the white-eyed girl returned in
a manner that was reminiscent of the way she�d acted before she and Naruto had
gotten together. �I-I�ll be�right there!�
            Tsunade�s ears picked up the sounds of
shuffling and cleaning from within the tiny living space. It was easy to tell
that Hinata had not planned on leaving the apartment that day simply from the
scurrying that was going on behind the closed door. Tsunade could understand
the young woman�s want to remove herself from the world right now. It was a
harsh place to begin with, let alone with all the horrible things that were
going on in Hinata�s life right now. It was for precisely that reason that
Tsunade had decided to leave her paperwork behind for a little while.
            The door clacked as its lock was disengaged.
The handle turned slowly before the wooden frame was pulled back to expose the
disheveled Hyuuga Hinata. The teenager looked worse for wear, her hair a
tangled mess and eyes reddened from tears. The smile she forced onto her face
was not even the least bit deceiving. Tsunade imagined the only reason it was
there was thanks to years of personality grooming done by the Hyuuga Clan to
make sure that its heir was a �proper woman�. The more she dealt with the inner
workings of the clan, the sicker Tsunade became of them.
            �You look terrible,� the Hokage mentioned.
            �G-Gomen Hokage-sama,� Hinata replied quietly.
�I�I feel terrible as well.�
            �May I come in?�
            Hinata turned her body to the side and
displayed the apartment with her outstretched hand in acceptance of the blonde
woman�s proposal. Tsunade entered slowly and let her sandy eyes survey the
immediate area. She had never known what the inside of Naruto�s home had looked
like before and guessed that the only reason it wasn�t the pig sty she had
imagined was because of Hinata. She smelled the pleasing and familiar aroma of
cleaning fluid in the air, relishing in the refreshing scent that permeated the
apartment. The space wasn�t stuffy either, meaning that someone had been making
sure to allow fresh air in every once and again. It was much more well-kept
than the Hokage had ever dreamed it being.
            �You�ve done a great job with the place,�
Tsunade said, complimenting the younger female. �I wouldn�t think Naruto even
knew he had floor cleaner.�
            �A-Arigato Hokage-sama,� Hinata stuttered. �I
thought it would be�good if I got some practice��
            Hinata didn�t need to finish that sentence for
Tsunade to get the point. The blonde shot the teenager a somewhat fierce look
which caused her to flinch.
            �How can you even think of saying something
like that? Are you just going to resign yourself? You�re going to give up, is
that it?�
            �G-Gomen,� Hinata�s body shook. �I just�it�s
just��
            It all went to hell and back in that moment.
The Hokage may have been the most powerful shinobi in all of Konohagakure, but
even at times she could be reckless and blind. Her merciless attitude had
shattered what little control Hinata had gained over her emotions in the last
little while, causing her to break out into visible sobs. Her eyes fastened
shut as tears began to stream out of them and down her cheeks. She wept
uncontrollably in front of the Hokage, making the senior woman feel more guilt
than she had felt in almost her entire life.
            It was that guilt that prompted Tsunade to
reach out and pull the crying girl into a hug. The younger woman struggled
against the embrace and life itself, trying to strike at something as sadness
and rage filled her. In her mind she was powerless, a pawn to be used in a
twisted game. Knowing she was unable to do anything made everything seem
hopeless and worthless. She tried to strike out at her misery, to attack her
failure. Instead what she hit was Tsunade, the smaller shinobi�s fists
colliding with the Hokage like clubs. The elder woman ignored the small attacks
and held the girl even more, stroking her head in a soothing fashion while
softly whispering to her. Tsunade couldn�t tell where her mothering instinct
had come from, but she let it run its course. Eventually Hinata buried her face
in the older woman, trembling as her fury and grief dissipated.
            �Are you okay?� Tsunade asked.
            �G-Gomen Hokage-sama,� Hinata sniffled, �I
didn�t mean to��
            �It�s alright,� the blonde smiled, �I
understand.�
            �Everything�seems so hopeless�I can�t see
how�how it can possibly work out right. No matter what I say or how I act�I�m
scared.�
            �It�s normal to be scared,� Tsunade said in a
soothing tone. �Don�t feel bad because you are. What�s important is that you
keep on trying until the very end, understand? I don�t think Naruto would
forgive you if you gave up while he was trying so hard.�
            The mention of her lover�s name caused Hinata�s
face to light up. She pulled herself from the Hokage and stifled more tears,
summoning her breath and courage to create a real smile.
�Y-You�re right,� she said. �I
have to be strong�for Naruto�s sake.�
            �That�s more like it!� Tsunade grinned. �Now
let�s get you out of this place and into some fresh air. I think I�ve got a
while before Shizune notices I�m missing.�
            The two women nodded and smiled, closing the
door to the apartment behind them as they left. Hinata�s mind drifted towards
Naruto, wondering exactly where he was and how he was doing.

            Naruto kept well ahead of the rest of the
team. He was in a state that was part anger and part hopelessness. Not only
did he not want to let the others see his face at the moment, but the closer he
got to Kongouseki Katai the harder it was for him to remain indifferent. Being
on the mission alone was bad enough for him. He wasn�t about to give away his
principles and talk to the man who was set to marry the woman he loved. No,
that would be far too much for him to bear. It was one thing to have to escort
the man across two countries. It would be another thing entirely if anyone
expected Naruto to converse with him.
            That was the only reason why Shikamaru hadn�t
drawn him back into the group. Naruto�s position in Shikamaru�s perfect
formation was on the inside as a guard. Despite what personal feelings were
attached to this mission, Naruto�s placement could not be changed. Sadly the
strategist realized that there would be no way to convince Naruto to follow an
order such as that. Katai was their responsibility to protect now, which meant
that he would also be in the middle of their configuration. The
pineapple-haired chuunin sighed exasperatedly as he found himself presented with
another hopeless situation. If it weren�t for the pay this mission would be too
troublesome for his own liking.
            Katai was keeping mostly to himself. He
offered a curt nod between the people set on delivering him to the Fire Country,
but other than that he seemed to keep quiet. Even while wearing the
beige-colored vest and tool pouch it was easy for those who had just met the
young man to forget that he was a ninja. His professionalism seemed a bit ahead
of the rest of theirs, stemmed from many years of focus and hard training by the
Tsuchikage. In all he seemed like the kind of person one would not expect to
socialize or make many friends. His eyes remained focused on the rocky terrain,
hardly ever straying from that path.
            The silence bothered Sakura too much. Finally
the pink-headed girl couldn�t take it any longer and closed the distance between
herself and Katai. It wasn�t the only reason she was set on talking to him
though. In reality she had a few questions for the noble shinobi and hoped that
he would be quite forthcoming in answering them.
            �Can I help you Haruno-san?� Katai asked as she
approached, remaining very formal.
            �Please, call me Sakura,� she said first. The
idea of anyone calling her �Haruno-san� made her a bit uneasy.
            �My apologies. Is there anything I can do for
you, Sakura?�
            �I had a question that I wanted to ask you
yesterday. When you killed that traitor the other day�what you did, was that�?�
            Katai�s face turned into a beaming smile at
Sakura�s words. It was as if he�d been waiting for one of them to have the
courage to ask him and now he could relish in giving them what information he
held.
            �Yes�this�� he said as the skin on his
outstretched hand slowly hardened into a thick black substance. �This is my
Kekkei Genkai, the Hishigata Hada. It is a dormant gene in my clan that only
rises up in a few of us. When I use it, my skin changes into black diamond. It
was the reason the Tsuchikage chose me as his apprentice. It is one of the
reasons why I was chosen to be Hyuuga Hinata�s suitor.�
            �It seems like quite the amazing ability,� the
medic mused, her gaze transfixed on his hand.
            �The ability to turn my body into black diamond
is not without its charms,� came the chuckle. �Sadly it seems to me that it may
have been too much of a deciding factor in my selection as a suitor.�
            �What do you mean?�
            �This marriage is a way to gain peace between
the Earth and Fire Nations.� He sighed deeply. �Were it for any other
reason, I would have declined instantly. But the prospect of my country
regaining what it once had is too much for me to say no to.�
            �That seems�noble of you.�
            �Thank you,� the suitor sighed dejectedly. �I
feel like I�m cheating myself with logic like that though. Still�one who will
be Tsuchikage cannot simply stand by and let an opportunity to help his people
go unnoticed, can he?�
            �I wouldn�t think so.�
            �That�s why I knew I�d like Naruto the moment I
met him. He seems the kind to succeed�where most times I can only hope to.�
            �Katai-sama�� Sakura murmured
            �Naruto doesn�t believe in failure,� Shikamaru
said suddenly from behind them. �He has unshakeable determination and faith.�
            �If he ever becomes Hokage,� Katai said with a
smirk, �then your country is in for quite an experience, I�m certain.�
            �You probably don�t even know the half of it,�
Sakura said with a laugh. As soon as she started to chuckle, Katai joined her.
The noise attracted Naruto�s attention, causing him to turn his head in the
direction of the laughter. Seeing his teammate sharing a smile and a laugh with
the man who was the center of his frustrations made Naruto more furious than
he�d been in much of his recent life. His anger fueled his feet, propelling him
far ahead of the group. Eventually they lost sight of him altogether as he sped
off ahead of them.
            �Shouldn�t you go after him?� Yakusho called
out to Shikamaru.
            �Leave him,� the lazy Chuunin sighed. �He�ll
come back.�
            �Now that Sakura has voiced her question,�
Tenten started up suddenly, moving in closer to the rest of the group, �I have
one of my own.�
            �Well I�m in the mood to answer questions,�
Katai stated, �so shoot.�
            �When you greeted us yesterday, you didn�t ask
for Yakusho�s name,� the bun-haired girl said. �It almost seemed as if you knew
him.�
            �That�s because he does,� Yakusho answered.
            �Yakusho and I are old friends, actually,�
Katai smiled. �He kind of owes me his life.�
            �What?!� Sakura and Tenten shrieked in unison.
�It�s true,� Yakusho grinned.
�When I was young I came to the Earth Country with a little less than the
clothes on my back and my sword. I had no real money, so I had to rely on theft
to get what I needed to live.�
            �One day he ended up stealing a priceless
heirloom from the Tsuchikage�s family,� Katai continued. �They caught him
rather quickly and almost sentenced him to death on the spot.�
            �Of course, Katai here came up and saved my
ass. Not only that, but he also convinced the Tsuchikage to give me a place to
stay. I lived with them for about five years before going out on my own again.�
            �Wow, that�s incredible!� Tenten gasped. �Why
didn�t you tell us sooner?�
            �Do you honestly think that would�ve helped the
situation?� Yakusho sighed. It was obvious that he was referring to Naruto, at
which point both females sighed and relented.
            �I don�t exactly know what you�re all talking
about,� Katai said, �but in my own defense�I made a bet with Yakusho to see how
long it would take you to ask. Looks like I win.�
            �Prick,� Yakusho snickered.
            �You�re just sour,� the suitor smirked.
            �I don�t intend to spoil a good mood or
anything,� Neji spoke up, �but just in case it happens to interest you all,
we�re being followed.�
            �What?� Shikamaru grumbled. �Hmph,
troublesome��
            Shikamaru developed his characteristic look of
thought. It was hard for him to give one hundred percent of his focus as they
moved, but he managed it all the same. A moment later his eyes opened before he
turned his face to the group.
            �Keep moving until we find some more suitable
terrain,� he said sharply. �If we fight them here in these cliffs we�ll be at a
disadvantage.�
            It only took the group a moment to find a small
flat where they could fight. The area was devoid of the prominent rocky
outcroppings that littered the Earth Country. In the middle of the large space
there was a sizeable boulder twice the size of Yakusho. The ground was as solid
as the rest of the mountains around them, giving them only a slight advantage.
It was the only place that they would have any advantage at all, so they stuck
to it without hesitation. Once they made it to the middle of the flat they made
a large circle around Katai, creating a defensive barrier surrounding their
charge.
            �Are you attempting to remove me from the
fight?� Katai asked.
            �You�re our responsibility,� Shikamaru
muttered. �If you don�t make it to Konoha safely, we don�t get paid and this
alliance will probably fall to pieces.�
            �What makes you think that I won�t make it
there safely if I fight?�
            Katai�s question was marked by a loud cracking
noise as his skin hardened into black diamond. It made him look completely
different from the way he had before, giving his jaw a more solid edge. He
looked bigger and more masculine with the hard substance coating his body, as
well as nigh indestructible.
            �Be that as it may, I�m still not about to let
you get into trouble,� Shikamaru stated.
            �I promise I won�t let you down,� Katai
responded.
            The group waited for the party tailing them to
arrive. Shadows darted into the large rock clearing and surrounded the small
circle of Konoha shinobi, cutting off their escape routes. Running away was not
an option now, nor had it been from the start. The ninja dug their heels into
the rock and stood their ground. They stared back into the faces of seven
shinobi, each and every one wearing an Iwagakure hitai-ate. Each of them also
had a hitai-ate strapped to their biceps, the symbol of three falling rocks
engraved on the plates. Other than those distinctive features, the majority of
them were dressed like regular Iwa-shinobi.
            �The Granite Corps.?� Yakusho said in shock.
�You didn�t mention them Katai.�
            �I didn�t think it was necessary,� the
rock-skinned shinobi replied. �After all, I can handle these ones myself.�
            �Full of confidence are we?� Yakusho sighed.
            �What�s going on here?� Sakura whispered. �Who
are these people?�
            �The Granite Corps. are a group of �loyalists�
to the Earth Country,� Yakusho explained. �They�re devoted to preserving their
homeland and restoring Iwagakure to its former glory. The only difference
between them and Katai is that they tend to resort to more violent means to
achieve their goals�and they don�t want the help of other countries, especially
the Fire Country. You sure got yourself into a giant mess here Katai��
            �Are you done talking?� one of the members of
the Granite Corps. barked.
            Eyes traveled to the man who had spoken. The
majority of his body was covered in a long, dark-colored cloak which left only
his face and left arm exposed. His eyes were deep cobalt in color, gazing down
at the shinobi from Konoha like a wild animal approaching its prey. The color
of his Granite Corps. hitai-ate was green, which was different from the
brown-colored ones of his compatriots. From the way the others seemed to be
waiting on his words it was safe to assume he was the leader of the entourage
that had been chasing Katai.
            �A lieutenant,� Yakusho growled. �They aren�t
pulling punches.�
            �I take it you don�t have any plans of just
leaving peacefully?� Shikamaru grumbled.
            �Not very likely,� the leader said, his eyes
trailing to Katai. �See reason Kongouseki-sama. We can bring prosperity back
to the Land of Earth without the help of the scum that ruined it.�
            �I have stated my purpose,� Katai snapped.
�Would you ask me to go back on my word?�
            �Then I am afraid you leave us no choice.�
            The cloaked member of the Granite Corps. drew
both of his hands together, focusing his chakra as he began to place together
several hand seals. The final seal snapped into place a brief second later, his
eyes narrowing in on Katai. He slammed his palm into the rocky ground, digging
his fingers in past the solid stone with a grunt.
            �Doton! Doryu Dango!�
            The Granite Corps. lieutenant roared as he
began to pull away at the earth before him. His muscles strained as he began to
dislodge a large chunk of the ground, pulling it into the air as it broke away
from the terrain. He brandished the huge chunk above his head, chuckling darkly
before he hurled the large rock at the escort from Konoha. The giant slab sped
through the air like a bullet, ready to crush the six shinobi under its size.
            �Hakke Kusho!�
            Chakra burst from Neji�s outstretched palm as
he countered the ferocious assault. The force collided with the giant hunk of
earth that was sailing towards them, causing it to shatter into pieces in the
middle of the air. Debris clattered across the ground, chipping the surface of
each jagged stone as they tumbled about the landscape. There was a moment of
silence and stillness that followed as Neji slowly returned to his ready stance,
lifeless eyes staring down the killer intent of the Granite Corps. Lieutenant.
            The fight was on.
            The seven enemy shinobi quickly performed
identical hand seals, the same jutsu being performed by all of them in unison.
The shattered remnants of the lieutenant�s attack began to jiggle and shake
before rising a few feet into the air. Every last shard hovered in midair
before the Iwa-shinobi, held there by the mysterious jutsu they were about to
unleash.
            �Doton! Retsudotensho!�
            The fragments of the first attack struck out
with a vengeance. Broken pieces of rock flew at the group, screaming through
the air at break-neck speed. The cluster of projectiles bore down on the Konoha
shinobi from all sides, encircling them in death. Despite the predicament, none
of them even batted an eyelash. Tenten quickly forced Katai to the ground with
the rest of them as Neji began to spin his body.
            �Hakkeshou Kaiten!�
            A blue dome of pure chakra encased Neji�s
rotating body, forming a large barrier of pure force. The rocks connected with
the attack but went no further, shuddering against the field of chakra as they
tried to smash through it. Unable to break the spinning barricade they were
instead flung from it, sent hurtling directly back at the Granite Corps. The
treacherous sect of Iwa-shinobi were forced to duck and dodge their own attack,
the lieutenant hissing as he stood his ground firmly against the counterattack.
A rock whizzed by his cheek even faster than he had thrown it, a small cut
opening on his cheek a moment after it had sliced it.
            �Your friend is quite skilled,� Katai
mentioned.
            �Neji�s the best,� Tenten replied. �Don�t
forget it.�
            �Is that all you have to offer?� the Hyuuga
male snapped.
            �Don�t test my patience,� the lieutenant
snarled. �You�ve proven to be more resourceful than I expected. It still
doesn�t change anything.�
            The cloaked man made a simple hand gesture to
his companions. The other Granite Corps. members quickly brandished the various
weapons they were carrying, from spiked maces to incredibly large war hammers.
They had come prepared to do heavy battle, each one wielding a different tool of
destruction. Another hand gesture came from the one in command which sent them
all on the offensive. Six once-loyal Iwa-shinobi charged straight at the
protective circle surrounding Kongouseki Katai, eager to see the young man dead.
            �I�ve had enough,� Katai stated blankly. �Hishigata
Mori!�
            The suitor�s entourage stared in shock as Katai
plunged his fist directly into the earth. The ground shook from the impact,
cracks running along its surface and into the distance. The rumbling continued
until the ground split and jagged spikes of black diamond erupted from the solid
rock. They scattered and criss-crossed in a frenzy, several more spikes
sprouting from the ones that had already sprung from the earth. The Granite
Corps. shinobi were taken aback by the sudden thicket of solid mineral, stopping
their rapid advance in order to spare their own lives. One of them was not so
lucky, his failure to stop costing him as he was caught by the attack, several
of the large lances of diamond piercing his flesh. He was struck through the
head by an errant one and killed instantly, his blood pooling on the ground
below him.
            �Wow,� as all Sakura could muster.
            �I told you I could handle them myself,� Katai
muttered.
            Despite having thwarted the attack, something
seemed amiss. In the middle of the thick growth of diamond spikes, Shikamaru
observed the field as closely as he could. He was keen to when parts of his
plan were starting to change or go awry. It was like a sixth sense that told
him when variables were changing and when his predicted outcome was becoming
harder to achieve. He was already standing on guard, prepared to use his
family�s ninjutsu should the need arise as he surveyed the battlefield. What
was it that had changed? What was it that was altering his plan? What was it
he had overlooked? He went over the variables once more in his head before it
hit him.
            �Katai! MOVE!�
            The black-skinned man barely registered the
words in time. He leapt away from where he had been standing a split second
before a giant pillar of rock in the shape of a dragon burst from the ground.
Its roar echoed a near-victory as it curled in the sky and passed the forest of
spikes. As soon as it escaped the perimeter it dissolved into dust, revealing
the Granite Corps. lieutenant that had been missing for but ten seconds.
Shikamaru had barely caught it in time, the pressure that had built up inside
him being let out with a deep sigh.
            �How troublesome,� he muttered. �That was too
close for comfort.�
            �These guys aren�t pushovers,� Sakura growled.
�They mean business.�
            �I would suggest you cease your fruitless
assault now, lest you lose more good men,� Katai called out.
            �How dare you tell us what to do!� the
lieutenant jeered. �You are the very reason we�re here, fighting to the death.
I don�t believe you have any right whatsoever to tell us to stop.�
            �He�s got a point,� Yakusho chuckled
mockingly.
            �I will not stand here and let you throw away
your lives,� Katai said. �I give you at least a chance to walk away alive.�
            �Then consider your offer ignored,� roared the
cloaked shinobi. �Kill them all!�
            The ground trembled violently as the lieutenant
slammed his fist into it. Pouring his chakra into the earth he caused an
earthquake in the immediate area. The ground quaked and shuddered, Katai�s
throng of spikes falling over in the wake of the immense attack. The ground
split and jutted into the air as the terrain was changed by the man�s sheer
power, altering the landscape in his favor. It was now that the real fight
would begin.
            With another commanding gesture from their
lieutenant the Granite Corps. charged headlong at the escort, their weapons at
the ready. Tenten intervened quickly, firing off a wave of kunai from her
unraveled scroll at the oncoming shinobi. At the mere sight of her attack the
Granite Corps. stopped their advance and flew into using a defensive jutsu.
Each member vomited excess amounts of mud at their feet in a line, which quickly
grew into a thick, twelve foot wall of rock. With each of them concealed behind
their own shield the kunai did nothing more than bounce off the artificially
created terrain. The five enemy ninja leapt on top of their own creations as
the first step towards a renewed hurtle at their target. This particular
attempt was thwarted thanks to the explosive notes that had been attached to the
kunai that Tenten had attacked with previously. Each note exploded at the same
time, the shockwave knocking each Granite Corps. shinobi off their walls. The
partitions of earth crumbled beneath the force, returning the landscape to its
original shape.
            The failed strike served only to fuel the enemy
with more desire to fight. The Granite Corps. picked themselves up and launched
another headlong attack. Shikamaru met their push with one of his family�s
techniques, his shadow lashing out into several sharp-ended tendrils. Two of
the beige-vested ninja were caught by the brute of the genius Chuunin�s attack,
wisps of shade piercing them through the shoulders and pinning them to the
ground. The other three slipped through the barely coordinated attack and sped
across the rocky ground toward the group. Shikamaru disengaged his jutsu just
in time to get out of the road of Sakura. The medic drove her heel into the
ground, her chakra-infused strength rending the surface and causing a giant
fissure to spread out in a line from her. Two of the three remaining Granite
Corps. ninja were caught in the startlingly powerful attack and thrown to the
sky and ground, leaving but one remaining in their offensive. The one wielding
the mighty war hammer did not let up his charge, readying the weapon to strike
as he got closer.
            A loud clang sounded throughout the
rocky clearing as the giant war hammer was stopped by Yakusho�s Dragon Fang.
The teen in the red vest held the massive weapon at bay with one arm, using all
of his strength to push it and its wielder back. Yakusho locked eyes with the
burly shinobi holding it, giving him a smarmy look of victory before striking
him with his left hand. The attack carried large force with it, knocking the
Granite Corps. ninja back far enough for Yakusho to plunge his sword into the
ground. Flames burst from the ground, exploding viciously enough to knock the
hammer-toting shinobi back into his other collapsed allies.
            The ground behind Katai once again erupted as a
stone dragon poured out from it. There was no warning from Shikamaru this time,
the lieutenant�s vicious jutsu catching the rock-skinned suitor completely
off-guard. The rock dragon�s teeth clamped down on Katai�s midsection and drove
him into the solid earth, scraping him across twenty feet of solid stone before
carrying him up into the air in its jaws. The escort looked on in horror as the
jutsu-formed beast plummeted head first into the jagged ground, slamming the
Tsuchikage�s apprentice into the land savagely. The impact shook the clearing
and knocked several of the Konoha shinobi off their feet.
            �Katai-sama!� Sakura shrieked.
            The rock dragon slowly dissolved, revealing the
body of the Granite Corps. lieutenant. The cloaked man stood up from the pile
where he�d left Katai and faced the group of five, wiping a bit of blood from
his lips.
            �Now that that�s been taken care of, we can
finish the rest of you off,� he panted.
            �You didn�t honestly think I could die that
easily did you?�
            The lieutenant�s eyes shot open as Katai
embraced him roughly from behind. His blackened skin bore many minor scratches
and a chip, but remained virtually unharmed from the catastrophic assault. The
leading member of the Granite Corps. struggled against Katai�s iron grip, but
could not escape it.
            �I warned you not to throw away your lives,�
the long-haired teen breathed, �but it�s too late to give you a second chance.
Hishigata Hari Jizo!�
            The lieutenant did not even manage to scream
out his death. Katai�s upper body erupted in a thick sheet of spikes,
reminiscent of the insides of an ancient torture device many of the Konoha
shinobi had read about. The black spines impaled the unfortunate man
thoroughly, cutting through his body easily. Blood poured from the countless
wounds inflicted by the dark spears, staining his and Katai�s body in a river of
crimson. A moment later the jutsu was released and the spikes receded, leaving
the lieutenant to collapse at the mighty apprentice�s feat in a dripping red
heap.
            �I think I�m gonna be sick,� Tenten shuddered.
            �Get over it,� Yakusho snapped, �we�re not done
yet!�
            Despite their leading man having died a
gruesome death, the Granite Corps. were not about to give up just yet. The five
that were still breathing picked themselves up and charged recklessly at the
bodyguards, unable to accept defeat.   The giant war hammer announced the
beginning of round three as it was caught in the dainty (but exceedingly
powerful) hands of Sakura. The burly man wielding it adorned a look of complete
shock as the small-framed young woman dragged him towards her via the weapon and
punched him square in the jaw. A loud crack resonated through the air as
she broke his jaw and sent him skidding across the ground, the hammer tumbling
to the side harmlessly.
The defeat of their frontrunner
did not halt the Granite Corps. advances. The other four raced in without fear
to achieve their goal. Neji took one, ducking under an errantly-swung mace to
deliver a sharp palm strike to the man�s chest. The pshh of Jyuuken was
heard many more times as the initial strike was followed by a second from his
left hand, then by a spinning one from his right again. Three more powerful
attacks struck the shinobi in his shoulders and gut before Neji delivered a dual
palm strike to him, blasting him with an immense wave of chakra. The force sent
him hurtling into one of the miniature cliffs created by the lieutenant�s
earthquake and knocked him solidly unconscious.
            �Katon! Housenka no Jutsu!�
            Yakusho and Tenten were busy keeping the other
three at bay. Yakusho�s rain of fire balls added to the plethora of thrown
weapons that the kunoichi had been using to distract the Granite Corps. and keep
them away from Katai. Unable to bypass the ranged attacks without suffering
undue injuries, the three enemy shinobi were forced to counter with ranged
assaults of their own. Another volley of flying rocks whizzed through the sky
towards the entourage, poised to take out anyone in their way. This forced
Tenten and Yakusho to let up the pressure in order to avoid being skewered. The
two leapt out of the road a moment before the chiseled stones struck their
former positions, clattering and breaking against the tough earth. This gave
the majority of them time to regroup, adding the wielder of the war hammer to
their numbers once more. With renewed numbers they hoped to strike a decisive
blow on Katai�s protectors.
            This became fruitless as each one of them found
themselves rooted to the spot. Slowly and against their wills the four shinobi
placed their hands together in a specific seal, wondering what it was that had
overcome them. Slowly they began to relax, hands drifting to their sides as
they were allowed to look down and see their shadows connected to a
pineapple-haired young man.
            �Kagemane successful,� Shikamaru sighed.
�Katai, they�re yours.�
            The man made of diamond nodded to the leader of
his escort. He clapped his rough hands together and began to put together a
series of hand seals. In quick succession he performed the boar, the monkey,
the bird, the dragon and then the ram, his chakra arranging perfectly for the
jutsu as his eyes narrowed in on his targets.
            �Let this be a message to those who challenge
peace in the Earth Country!� he shouted. �Dai Hishigataryuu!�
            Katai punched the ground at his feet as hard as
he could. The earth split and cracked from the force, letting his fist sink in
past the rock. A mere second later the ground split once more as a giant pillar
of black diamond shot out from it. The column twisted before the head took the
shape of a ferocious dragon, opening its mouth to roar and bear its razor sharp
fangs. The Granite Corps. shinobi were unable to defend themselves thanks to
Shikamaru�s jutsu, and were subsequently struck by the massive dragon. All four
of them were caught in its fierce jaws and dragged into the sky before being
slammed into the ground, much like Katai had been by the lieutenant. The act of
payback crushed the four enemy ninja under the traveling force of heavy black
diamond, leaving nothing more than flattened, crushed bodies and bloodstains in
their place. The diamond dragon froze in the spot and became part of the land
as Katai withdrew his fist, a loud snap indicating that his body had been
removed from the projectile.
            �S-Sugoi�� Sakura gasped.
            �That�s pretty rough stuff,� Shikamaru
breathed, thankful to have released his chakra-consuming ninjutsu.
            �It took me a while to perfect, but it seems it
was worth it,� Katai sighed. His body slowly returned to normal as the fight
came to its close, revealing his pale skin through the holes created by one of
his earlier attacks.
            �Is that all of them?� Yakusho said, his head
turning back and forth to make sure they hadn�t missed one.
            �The one I fought was only knocked
unconscious,� Neji explained. �He should be right over��
            Neji turned to show them where he had left the
enemy ninja, only to find the spot that the unconscious man had been lying in to
be empty. It was at that precise moment that the very shinobi Neji had thought
he�d dealt with burst from the ground behind the long-haired suitor, a kunai
ready to slice through the man�s now-fleshy body. The others could only look
out in shock, unable to close the distance fast enough to stop the attack. All
things slowed to a near-stop as the shade of death hung over Katai�s head.
            The shade vanished in a flurry of wind as the
Granite Corps. attacker was caught on something and dragged away in a storm of
crimson. There was a loud crunch as whatever had caught him bit into his
shoulder, his scream accompanied by a rush of blood and the hiss of his wound
burning closed. He was flung onto a rock by his scarlet attacker, given but one
chance to escape certain death. He failed to do so and paid the price for it,
the blazing figure pinning him to the ground before tearing out his throat with
its sharp teeth. The others could only look on in horror as the Iwa-nin was
brutally murdered by the figure crouched above him.
            A fiery fox with four tails.

            Tsunade and Hinata were cleaning dishes in
Naruto�s apartment. In an attempt to cheer up the depressed heiress, the Hokage
had decided to spoil the girl with one of her legendary lunches. The
poster-woman for bad luck often wondered why people didn�t think of her as a
good cook. She had countless years of experience within her, so why wouldn�t
the ability to cook be part of it? They had gone out on the town and collected
all of the various ingredients they would need for the lunch, and Tsunade
prepared it to perfection. They had only finished eating moments ago and were
busy now cleaning what they had used for the meal. The workings of a smile were
beginning to form on Hinata�s face, which in turn made Tsunade smile.
            The smile quickly made way for a look of shock
as Hinata dropped the dish she was washing and clutched her chest. The young
woman fell to the floor with a cry of pain, her lungs forcing her to pant to
draw breath.
            �Hinata, what�s wrong?!� Tsunade cried.
            The dark-haired kunoichi cried out again as her
body shimmered, then exploded in a flurry of red chakra. The Hokage leapt back
in surprise and fear, the pure malevolence of the energy causing the older
female to almost lose her lunch. There was no mistaking where a power so vile
came from, but Tsunade was not entirely convinced that Hinata was about to go on
another rampage. Slowly the evil chakra dissipated, leaving naught but a scared
girl panting for dear life in its wake. Hinata�s gaze had shifted from reality,
staring at the kitchen floor emptily. Seeking to comfort her, Tsunade placed
her hand on the young ninja�s shoulder and tried to bring her focus back. The
petite young woman only shook and quivered, unable to move or form words.
            The hell is going on? Tsunade mused.
            Hinata continued to shake and tremble for a few
more minutes before she found the strength to recompose herself. The heiress
rose to her feet, her breath still coming in short gasps as she centered her
vision. Her hand still clutched her chest tightly as she pondered the meaning
of what had become of her.
            Naruto�

            The group of shinobi looked up in awe of the
creature that stood before them. Whatever it was, it stunk of vile energy which
suppressed the air about it. It resembled a four-tailed fox with a slightly
human visage. It seemed to delight in its murder of the helpless Granite Corps.
member, currently preoccupied with making sure its latest kill stayed dead.
            �What the hell is that thing?� Tenten whispered
in terror.
            �I have no clue,� Shikamaru said breathlessly.
            �It�s power is incredible,� Katai noted. �It
would have no problem killing us.�
            The group continued to stare in mute
fascination, afraid that moving would anger the beast. While most looked at it
with fright, Yakusho stared at the animal with hatred and rage in his eyes. The
feel of the creature�s chakra caused faint images of his past to stir within his
mind, awakening memories he thought he had buried years ago. Visions of a
village burning to ash before him at the feet of a giant fox danced across his
psyche like the nine separate tails that very fox flicked about. The giant
beast cackled and delighted in the slaughter of hundreds of people, the blood of
the innocent bubbling and boiling before its burning wrath. Yakusho�s fist
clenched around the Dragon Fang tightly as the blade began to catch fire, his
anger finding the only outlet it could.
            The fox-creature abruptly swiveled its head and
spotted them. Each member of the entourage froze as the strange being looked
them up and down, turning its body slowly to face them. What could be called
its eyes narrowed to appreciate what the gods had given it as it lowered its
form into a crouch.
            �What do we do?� Tenten shrieked.
            �We run,� Yakusho quaked. �We run faster than
we�ve ever run in our entire lives. NOW!�
            Not a single person needed to be told a second
time. All the gathered shinobi made a mad dash from the clearing, rushing off
at their highest speeds to avoid an almost assured death. The attempted escape
proved fruitless as the creature covered their distance and more in two furious
bounds, cutting off their route of escape as it slid across the rocky ground.
The beast propelled itself at them with its hind legs, coming down on the group
with its simmering red claws. Yakusho stepped up quickly and deflected the
vicious assault with his sword, the blade barely holding back the animal�s
strike. As soon as the vest-wearing shinobi separated the fox from the group he
flung the Dragon Fang at it, using the tiger seal to pour his chakra through his
sword and cause it to explode. The force of the blast only pushed the crazed
fiend back a few feet and renewed its urge to kill, a horrendous roar
ricocheting through the clearing.
            Shikamaru did not waste a second. As soon as
the opportunity presented itself his shadow shot out from his body at the
monster. As soon as the black strand connected with the fox-beast�s shadow
Shikamaru pushed his jutsu farther, a hand made of darkness crawling up the
ferocious creature�s body towards its neck. The genius�s only recourse was to
try and kill it in the quickest way he knew how, using his family�s secret
technique to try and strangle it. The lazy male quickly discovered that once
again that if one was strong enough, brute force would be enough to break his
family�s ninjutsu. The raging vulpine broke from the technique and rushed at
its most recent attackers with a new zeal for blood in its veins. It was halted
only momentarily by Neji�s Hakke Kusho which sent it skidding across the ground
again.
            �We can�t even phase this thing!� Sakura
panted. �What do we do?!�
            �Leave it to me, that�s what,� Yakusho huffed.
His hands hummed as the Ryuuken were formed, the claws of chakra a near match in
color for the creature they were fighting.
            �You don�t mean you�re going to�� Katai trailed
off.
            �What other choice do I have?� the vested male
growled. �It�s either that, or we die.�
            �If you�re sure�� his friend relinquished.
            Yakusho walked toward the creature, making sure
to keep a distance from it. The beast seemed to comprehend that its prey was up
to something, eyeing the young man warily. Yakusho quickly put together the
series of hand seals that unlocked his jutsu, starting with the dog, then the
rabbit, followed by the bird, the ox, the serpent, and finished by the same
mysterious seal he used to make the Ryuuken. The two combatants locked gazes as
power unending erupted from Yakusho�s form.
            �Today, even if its in passing,� he said
righteously, �you will know the true fury of the Ryumoto. Ryuu no Kokoro!�
            Chakra seemed to gush from within Yakusho in an
uninterrupted stream. His own chakra began to mix and churn with the dragon
chakra that inhabited his body, fusing him with his family�s lineage. He
hunched over and stood on all fours, his voice bellowing with rage untold as
pure chakra began to bubble up from his skin. The spiritual force began to
cover his body in a thick and powerful shell before it took shape around him.
Muscled limbs snapped into place as savage claws formed at the ends, the excess
energy extending from behind him into a swishing crimson tail. Where his head
had been formed the snarling head of a dragon, the chakra brightening into two
trapezoidal eyes just above its mouth. Chakra extended from its shoulders and
spread into the air, slowly forming into two huge wings. The changes finished
and left a crimson dragon made of pure chakra in Yakusho�s place to stare down
the demonic entity before him.
            �This is for my family, Demon Fox,� Yakusho
hissed. His voice had altered thanks to the draconic chakra, becoming more
serpentine and powerful. He and the vicious creature charged at one another in
unison, aiming for the kill.
�Is this Yakusho�s real power?�
Neji murmured.
            �The Ryumoto infuse their children with the
chakra and blood of dragons when they are born,� Katai explained. �With their
own special jutsu they can combine their human and dragon chakra together. This
is the result.�
            �Can he beat that thing?� Sakura whimpered.
            �If he can�t do it, then we�re certainly in no
better position.�
            The two crimson beasts collided, claws and
tails mixing against a background of red. Yakusho�s thick claws clamped down on
the fox�s shoulders before he plowed it into the ground. Chips of stone
scattered into the air like confetti as the dragon-man crushed his opponent
against the earth, dragging it across the earth in an attempt to subdue it. It
would not go quietly however, raising its four tails up before a sharp burst of
wicked chakra shot from them and dislodged the two. The enraged vulpine snarled
viciously as it was freed, turning from Yakusho to climb up on one of the broken
ledges of land behind it. Using the higher ground as a leg up it leapt, aimed
straight towards the last remnants of the Ryumoto clan. The winged beast-man�s
response was to summon an immense amount of his chakra into his mouth before
expelling it with a heavy breath. The gathered power transformed into molten
flame as it gushed from his jowls, bathing the fox in searing heat. The
chakra-creature crashed into the ground, rolling to the side in order to escape
more of the harsh fire.
            As soon as it was up the demon-beast charged
again, checking Yakusho hard in the stomach. The two battlers clashed once
more, striking at each other with teeth and claws as the other shinobi looked
on. The dragon-man found himself suddenly overcome, pushed to the ground as the
fox climbed upon him. Sharp red fangs dug into the crimson shoulder of
Yakusho�s new form, causing the draconic being to howl in pain. The two of them
wrestled on the stone floor before a heavy claw thrust into the vulpine�s jaw
and clasped around its throat. The two switched positions as Yakusho once again
drove his enemy into the ground, raking his other hand across the animal�s face
cruelly. The attack left no visible scars or damage but was noted by the sharp
cry of pain it elicited from its target. The two were separated once more as
the ferocious creature used its hind legs to kick Yakusho in the stomach,
forcing the two of them apart. It regained its balance first and charged, only
to find what it was fighting was no longer in range. The large wings made of
crimson chakra flapped firmly as the other brute floated in the air.
            �He can fly now!?� Tenten gasped.
            �There are many things he can do with this
power,� Katai mumbled.
            A terrifying sound echoed through the clearing
as the multi-tailed aberration sounded its frustration. Each one of its four
rear appendages curled towards its back as malefic power began to course and
shudder through it. The gathering point for all that power as the spot its
tails were all pointing to above its body, forming a giant sphere of red and
black intensity. The entire clearing seemed to become crushed under the weight
of the evil chakra, the gathering of ninja falling to their knees under the
suppressive force.
            �That�s�insane!� Neji gasped. �That ball�it�s
just incredibly condensed chakra.�
�The hell does that mean?� Sakura
cried.
            �He could punch a hole through a mountain with
that kind of power,� Shikamaru stated. �If that even touches Yakusho, he�s
dead.�
            The flying ninja realized the gravity of the
situation as quickly as his friends had. Without any other course to take he
too began to gather an immense amount of chakra with which to battle his enemy.
His attack however began to make his chakra shell simmer and bubble, the air
around him beginning to heat up. Without warning he burst into flames, the fire
dancing all around his body and wings as it burned like an intense pyre. It was
a standoff of strength, both battlers ready to unleash their own force of
destruction.
            �You won�t get the chance fox!� Yakusho
howled. �Burn in hell! Ningen Karyuu Endan!�
            Yakusho�s body exploded in a flurry of fire,
blazing even brighter than he had a moment ago. With a furious roar he swooped
in from the sky, screaming towards the fox-creature like a missile. A trail of
fire kept in the sky behind him for three seconds as he rushed down on the
abomination. The demon-beast could not stop channeling its power in time and
was caught by the mysterious attack, dragged off the ground as Yakusho sped
towards one of the many upturned pieces of land. As soon as the two of them
collided with it there was a massive explosion which rocked the clearing and
sent a pillar of flame thirty feet skyward. The others continued to stare as
the flames began to burn out, shocked to the core from what they had witnessed.
            �Incredible,� Shikamaru muttered. �With power
like that��
            �Power like that comes at a cost,� Katai sighed
as he got to his feet.
            Half of the flames slowly died down, revealing
the human form of Ryumoto Yakusho. His skin was burnt and charred in various
places, smoke drifting from his body in the aftermath of his glorious assault.
It was easy to tell even from a distance that he had sustained massive injuries
from performing the jutsu, ones that would probably take several days � if not
weeks � to heal. He could barely move and was only drawing breath on a thread
as he tried to turn his head to the right.
            �D-damn�it�� Yakusho panted. �Even after all
that�no wonder it��
            He could not finish his words. Sakura and the
others were already racing towards him, the pink-haired girl already reaching
into her tool pouch for her medicinal supplies. She crouched over him and
instantly applied some salve to the burns, readying her healing jutsu.
            �S-save your stuff for�him�� Yakusho groaned,
his head slumping back on the rock.
            �For who?� Sakura wondered.
            It was at that point that the other half of the
flames withered away into the wind. As the flickering waves of heat vanished
from view they revealed the prone form of an unconscious young man. His
clothing was ratted and slightly singed, none of which took away from the orange
and black coloring. Nor could one miss the full head of shaggy blond hair. The
only thing signifying he was still alive was a stifled groan.
            �No�it can�t be�� she shivered.
            A moment later Sakura bolted from Yakusho to
the other, clasping the hand of her teammate as tears began to stream from her
eyes. The thing that had nearly killed them all was Naruto.

            Hinata was uncertain as to whether what she was
seeing was reality or not. On the one hand she was looking down at Naruto�s
table as Tsunade stroked her hand comfortingly. The sense of feel gave her a
connection to the world around her and kept her anchored, her mind firmly
attuned to her breathing as her chest rose and fell at a rapid rate. On the
other hand, she was staring into a dark cell that appeared to be at the end of a
decently long sewer. There she was staring into a cage with a seal on it,
racing to discover how she could be in two places at once. Somewhere in the
back of her head she realized she was hallucinating somehow.
            What she saw in that cage terrified her.
Behind the steel bars she could see bubbling crimson hatred, an essence so foul
it choked her lungs with its malicious energy. She could not pry her eyes away
as the dark chakra congregated and poured out from between the bars as a twisted
smile formed within the spiteful redness, sinister eyes bearing down on the
young woman as she continued to stare in fear. From betwixt the sinister smiles
jowls she could see the form of her lover, twisting and struggling as his voice
cried out.
            �L-Let me go! Stop!�
            And end all this fun? I haven�t been in
control in too long, boy. There must be more�more�MORE BLOOD!
            Hinata shrieked and covered her head, trembling
in terror. She couldn�t put words to what she�d just seen or felt, but she knew
it wasn�t something she was supposed to see. She felt connected in a way to an
event that had nothing to do with her, something that would haunt and terrify
her for nights to come from just having witnessed it. She slowly became aware
of the fact that her daydream had affected her real life as well, causing her to
curl up at the table. Tsunade was hovering over her like a mother bird,
stroking her long dark locks in an attempt to ease her mind.
            �Are you okay?� the Hokage asked.
            �I�ll�I�ll be alright�� Hinata mostly lied.
            �What happened?�
            �I�m not sure,� the heiress hugged herself. �I
just�I�m not sure at all.�
            There was a moment of awkward silence as Hinata
turned her gaze to the window. She found her breath caught in her throat as she
tried to put into words the feeling that had come over her.
            Naruto, please be safe, she whimpered.
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Dragonheart

Dragonheart