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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
- 14
- 15
- 16
Dragonheart

Chapter 14

�� Moonlight
dashed across the twin racing forms, illuminating them for split seconds at a
time. Tree limbs bent to their weight ever so slightly as they zoomed across
the dense foliage of the Fire Country, constantly headed to the northwest. In
the arms of one lay a raven-haired beauty, as asleep as she had been when they
had originally taken her. The first stage of their mission had been a success.
It was completing the second stage that was proving to be difficult for them.
�� Behind them
was a sea of green and brown, wherein their friend lay. He had been the one to
stay behind and hold off their pursuers, despite the considerable risk in doing
so. There was no doubt of Rokujoyu�s skills. Holding off five shinobi on his
own however was something that neither Katai nor Sakai were completely certain
he could do. He was a man of many surprises, yet there was the undeniable urge
to return to the battle to aid their comrade.
�� Are you
sure we should have left him behind senpai?� Sakai�s colorless eyes drifted
from the limp form of Hyuuga Hinata towards his senior. �After what you�ve
said��
�� Just
relax. Rokujoyu may not look it, but you know as well as I do that he�s more
than capable of handling himself.� Katai did not seem the least bit worried,
though his nervous habit of stretching his fingers to crack his knuckles told
the real story.
�� That�s not
what�s bothering me. I mean, what if��
�� I told you
to relax. What, the fifty times Rokujoyu said it weren�t enough for you?�
�� Gomen�this
mission has not gone totally as planned. It�s unnerving.�
�� Yeah, I
know what you mean. Try not to think about it too much and it won�t be so bad.�
�� That�s not
all I�m worried about. We should be making better time than this. We�re an hour
or so behind schedule.� Sakai�s entire statement was made while eyeing the
unconscious form of his �package�.
�� I know
what you mean. The gas should hold her, but she does have the Bijuu�s chakra.
Who knows what that�ll do.�
�� If she
wakes up��
�� Don�t even
start on that road.� Katai�s voice was fierce and commanding yet again,
silencing the other kidnapper instantly. The long-haired teen sighed before
adding, �Keep focused. We have to try and put more distance between us and
them.�
�� You�re
right. Gomen, senpai.�
�� Wordlessly
Sakai began to push himself harder, gaining speed as he rushed through the
thick patches of green. Katai was right behind him, casting a backward glance
across the road already traveled.
�� Don�t
die on us, Rokujoyu.

�� An
explosion rocked the air, scattering bark and errant branches about the dark
soil of the forest. Tenten landed hard, skidding across the dirt ground before
deflecting yet another oncoming kunai with one of her own. Before the two
knives had even touched the earth she was on the move, launching four separate
sets of shuriken at Rokujoyu to pin him down. The attacks were surprisingly
accurate and well-timed, keeping this other weapons specialist from taking any
action other than defense. Tenten saw the advantage and took it, rushing straight
towards Rokujoyu as a katana materialized from her scroll. Recovery from her
assault was near impossible, leaving her target wide open as she brought the
intricately crafted blade down upon the Iwa-nin.
�� The blade
did not meet its target�s flesh however. Instead the weapon found itself
pressed against another blade, a last-second summon by the dirtied enemy ninja.
Tenten was amazed at his speed, having not even seen him summon the
wicked-looking falchion. Even more shocking was the fact that he was repelling
her strike with but one arm, whilst the other rose to strike her. She rolled
off his blade to dodge the incoming punch, using her momentum to deliver
another slash. Her second attack was met with the same resistance as the first,
stopped mere inches from the young man�s flesh by steel. Tenten tried to push
her latest strike, forcing all her weight into the blade she wielded. She soon
discovered that Rokujoyu had immense upper body strength, his force countering
her own and forcing her back several feet with a fierce shove. The brunette
steadied herself and caught her balance on a single foot, planting it firmly in
preparation for another swift assault.
�� It came to
her as a surprise when the Iwa-nin swung his blade from a distance of six feet
from her. That surprise became shock as a set of hidden blades shot forth from
the wicked sword, each tool piercing the flesh of her upper left arm. Tenten
bit her lip and cried out in pain, her voice sounded much like the yelp of an
injured puppy. Rokujoyu sneered in delight as she made that noise, her cheeks
reddening in distaste of herself. The blades had not truly done harm to her.
They were flesh wounds, serving only to bleed profusely into the white of her
yi, staining it with rusted color. It was the fact that he had gotten her to
cry out, and the fact that he was enjoying it so much, that had caused her such
embarrassment.
�� Please,
continue!� Rokujoyu cackled with amusement as Tenten pulled the blades from her
arm. �I haven�t been this amused in a long while.�
�� You
already talk too much!� Tenten was infuriated by his all-too-calm demeanor. She
threw his blades back at him in an attempt to silence him, only to discover
that the defiant action only made him laugh harder.
�� Resist
some more. I do so enjoy it when they fight back.� His face was contorted with
glee, the sneer adorning his features being the telltale sign of his delight.
�� I�m not
some animal put in a cage for your entertainment!� Tenten snapped. �I�m your
opponent. Try to pay attention!�
�� Fury and pride
drove Gai�s student, her hands instantly on her large scroll. The tool was open
and at her side in less than a flash, her chakra pouring out over the scrawled
letters and bloodstained parchment as an army�s worth of metal came to her
disposal. Each flick of her wrist flung steel screaming through the air at the
Iwa-nin. Every shuriken, senbon, sword and blade she attacked with was knocked
aside with practiced ease by the rival weapons specialist. Slowly she stopped,
eyeing the layer of discarded metal she and her opponent had scattered across
the battlefield. The myriad of items they had launched at each other already
amazed the petite girl. They had only been fighting for a few minutes and
already it appeared as though an army had fought where they were standing.
�� Rokujoyu
was the next to make a move. At random he pulled out one of the various tools
lodged in the ground and charged Tenten with it. The weapon he had selected was
the bun-haired kunoichi�s discarded kusarigama, the one that she had used to
stall his attacks against Naruto. Instead of using it properly however,
Rokujoyu gripped it by its chain and began to whirl the scythe above his head.
The inappropriate yet imaginative way of wielding the kusarigama proved to be
more useful for the moment than the traditional method, as the wide arcing
slashes he made with the scythe had dangerous range associated with them.
Tenten ducked and rolled underneath the first wild swing, coming to her feet in
time to propel herself away from the second. The sharp tip of the scythe dug
into the ground, pulling dirt and gravel across the terrain with it as Rokujoyu
pulled it back to him. Once again he threw the wicked edge at Konoha�s weapons
master, only to be left shocked at the lack of blood produced by his attack.
The bun-headed kunoichi caught the tool�s handle with her left hand and grabbed
the chain with her right, wresting it from the hands of its thieving owner.
�� Nobody
uses my tools against me,� Tenten huffed.
�� Really?
Because I could have sworn that�s what I was just doing. Must be a mistake
then.�
�� The humor
was lost on the kunoichi. Her mind was too focused on the rage being generated
from Rokujoyu�s behavior. For all intents and purposes, he was toying with her.
With her skill, with her heart, with her pride. All things seemed to be his
playground at the moment, leaving her with no place and no one to turn to. She
was instantly reminded of a small child being belittled in school. Despite how
inconsequential it sounded, Tenten could feel a chill running up her spine the
more she was taunted. The urge to remove it was overpowering, almost spiriting
her sanity and judgment away from the battle. She refused to give in to fear
and dragged a kunai pulled from her endless supply across the back of her hand
to maintain focus.
�� Rokujoyu
was not inclined to give her a moment�s rest. Another weapon from the floor of
blades was brought into his hand as he charged her, bringing an oddly curved
sword to bear. As the frightening blade pointed upward in preparation to cleave
Tenten in two, she found her opening. Like lightning her hands worked her
scroll and summoned forth a short sword, the precisely sharpened tip gleaming
in the pale rays of the night. With a single swing the hum of the weapon shot
out through the clearing, followed shortly after by the sound of dripping
blood. Tenten could see the red liquid on her blade as Rokujoyu stumbled back
and clutched his chest, clicking his tongue at the shallow wound.
�� Not bad.
Certainly faster than I thought you were. I won�t make that mistake twice
though, just so we�re clear.�
�� I wouldn�t
have it any other way,� she jabbed, replacing her features with a smirk of
satisfaction.
�� The twisted
sword that Rokujoyu had picked up found itself tossed to the wayside. The
violent male leapt away from Tenten as he unraveled his scroll once more,
littering his trail with thrown steel. The brunette launched herself back to
dodge each kunai, furthering the distance between the two combatants. Once the
space between them was to his liking, Rokujoyu began to hurl explosives at the
bun-haired girl, lighting the forest in a swath of red death. There was no
strict counter for such a display, leaving Tenten few options to choose from.
The only thing she could do was close the gap, once again denying her opponent
the ability to use ranged attacks. Being an expert at ranged combat meant that
she had had extensive training in the art, including the ways in which to
oppose such a stratagem. She had also developed several techniques in
preparation for fighting one of her own. The one she had in mind would be
perfect, but impossible to pull off as long as the barrage continued. In order
to enact her counter attack, she would have to stem the flow of the explosions.
�� Another
bomb flew through the air towards Gai�s student, aimed directly at her face.
With accuracy that only years of practice could have given her she struck the
projectile with a tempered kunai, knocking it off to the side. The round object
impacted with the ground to her left and exploded violently, sending up a cloud
of dust and earth. Unable to perfectly spot his target in the confusion,
Rokujoyu quickly changed his position on the field to find a better vantage
point. Moving was his only mistake, as it played directly into Tenten�s hands.
The weapons master flung herself toward him, wielding a brutish-looking katar
in her right hand. The cruel blade was poised to pierce his stomach and end the
fight, something Rokujoyu was not about to allow. Another discarded ninja tool
found itself in his hand as he parried the deadly thrust, separating himself
from the kunoichi once again. His eyes twitched as he realized he�d deflected
her strike with nothing more than a large kunai, which now had a sizeable crack
down the center. The realization that he had only just escaped his death did not make the shinobi from Iwagakure
pleased.
�� You�ve got
more balls than most ninja I�ve met, especially for a girl,� he called. �I hope
that doesn�t make you cocky though.�
�� Tenten was
not paying attention however. Her enemy had let his guard down and given her
the perfect opportunity to strike. With blinding speed she pulled on the tab of
her scroll and let her chakra fly, summoning a smaller scroll from the
ink-stained parchment. Her timing was flawless as she focused her power into
her jutsu and broke the seal on the bound roll, allowing her technique to take
effect. The paper began to billow outward, smoke gathering around it as it
transformed into a cloud in the palm of her hand. With a cry Tenten threw the scroll
into the air above Rokujoyu, calling into the night sky as it left a white
trail behind it.
�� Shuriken Shunran!�
�� The small
orb of whitened air exploded in a flurry of smoke, extending into a wide cloud
that hung above Rokujoyu. The shinobi turned his head upwards just as a soft
rumbling came from the mist, his vision twisting in realization of what was
coming. Less than a moment later countless shuriken began to fly from the
covered air, battering the ground like a relentless hail. Tenten lost her quarry
in the immense downpour of black metal and stood motionless, panting to recover
her breath. She knew the reach of her jutsu and the devastating power it held.
She did not see a way for him to have survived.
�� The smoke
and dust cleared, revealing lines of blood across the ground. At first it
seemed as if the assault had succeeded, but further inspection showed
otherwise. The blood was merely the result of a few unblocked shuriken, of
which several were still sticking out of his limbs. The majority however,
especially those that would have struck his vital areas, had been blocked. Held
above Rokujoyu�s head was a stained shield, a plethora of Tenten�s shuriken
caught on darkened steel. The disk rose and fell as the Iwa-nin panted, having
only barely summoned the defensive measure in time to save his own life. His
lips curved into a sick grin as he began to laugh, standing up slowly on his
bloodied legs.
�� That was
very close�closer than I�d like to admit. Nice try little girl. Unfortunately
for you, I refuse to lose to anyone from the Fire Country�ever!�
�� With a
single arm Rokujoyu heaved his shield, pulling the thick shelter behind his
body with a deep grunt. Never in her years would Tenten have expected her
opponent to throw a shield at her, but it was occurring right before her eyes.
At the apex of his windup, Rokujoyu cackled with nihilistic elation as serrated
blades sprung from the edges of his circular defense, dripping with royal
colored venom. The brown-haired kunoichi gasped in horror as her limbs locked
up, seeming to respond in slow motion compared to the swift reflexes of her
adversary. With another loud yell the bladed circle was flung through the air
towards her, spinning like a wetted buzz-saw toward her. The bladed shield cut
through the air at an alarming rate, giving Tenten only a split-second to
react. Her decision was made in that half of a moment, and in the second half
her body was already headed towards the ground. She avoided instantaneous death
by a mere inch, leaving the serrated edges of the portable wall to graze her
dark hair. Strands of chocolate color floated through the air as her body
connected with the floor harshly, forcing sense from her mind and oxygen from
her lungs. She could hear the sound of metal striking bark behind her,
bestowing upon her the relieving knowledge that Rokujoyu�s weapon was now
embedded in one of the many trees behind her.
�� Her
reprieve was short-lived. Rokujoyu was on her almost immediately, bringing the
sharp tip of a long sword down on her head. Tenten struggled to move, rolling
to the side just in time to watch cold steel dig into the earth beside her. She
continued to shift back and forth as the dirtied young man kept up his attack,
stabbing the earth over and over in an attempt to kill her. As air returned to
her lungs, Tenten found her adrenaline pumping once more and her actions become
more fluid. Swiftly she struck out with her foot and caught her foe in the
stomach, forcing him back as she came to her feet. Newfound strength fueled the
kunoichi�s strikes, her fists coming to bear as she charged. Her taijutsu was
nowhere on Lee�s level, but she was still Gai�s pupil, which meant that she had
undergone rigorous taijutsu training nonetheless. Her right hook connected
solidly with Rokujoyu�s chin, forcing his jaw to the side as spit and blood
flew from his lips. Each hit was followed by another, driving the vulgar ninja
further and further down the lane of used projectiles. Using her momentum and
leverage Tenten struck out, swinging her body to deliver a crushing roundhouse
kick to her enemy.
�� The blow
never connected. In a pristine show of agility, Rokujoyu flung his body into a
back flip, Tenten�s foot just barely skimming by his mass. His palms connected
soundly upon the fresh dirt, propelling him into a second flip. The second flip
brought even more distance between the two warriors, giving him the extra space
he would need for further long distance attacks.
�� The second
flip also brought out the second set of hidden blades from his feet. Time once
again lowered its beat as the moonlight glinted off two sharp surfaces.
Chocolate eyes swallowed those tiny flashes, instilling fear and instinct in
their owner. Without protest the kunoichi�s body flung itself backward, a
gender-shifted mirror image of her counterpart only a moment previous. Her
reactions were slower than Rokujoyu�s, only managing to bring her head back
just in time to avoid being fatally impaled by the two flying razors. The small
cutting edges whisked by her sight, gliding across the inside of her hair buns
before she followed through on her own back flip, panting as she came to a stop
a mere three feet behind her previous position. She looked untouched, but froze
as she heard the bands that kept her hair tied up snap, releasing her shoulder-length
coffee-colored hair. The few severed strands of hair fluttered through the cold
night breeze, colliding with the ground silently as their parent locks danced
about creamy skin. Both of the specialists stared each other down as slow
breaths were drawn between them. Several seconds went by before Tenten broke
the silence with a grooved smile of her own, trying her hardest not to laugh as
she stood up tall.
�� So, are we
done with the warm up now?� she asked. �I�m getting tired of waiting to get
serious.�
�� There was a
twinkle in Rokujoyu�s eyes at the young woman�s words, causing his body to
shake as he began to laugh. His trembling form did not affect Tenten�s resolve,
her eyes never faltering as she stared him down.
�� Oh good.
For a moment there, I was starting to think you were already going all out.
This could still be fun after all!�
�� The chill
that ran up the spine of the sole female member of Team Gai was well deserved.

�� Flora
rushed by at an alarming rate as Sakai and Katai raced through the thick trees
of the Fire Country. The two shinobi were moving faster than they had been
taught to travel through unfamiliar territory, but their options were few. To
rush was hazardous, but to move slowly and allow each other to be caught was
even more dangerous. They would not simply give themselves up.
�� They
rounded a set of younger trees when the first attack came. Katai reached out
for a low-hanging branch just as a kunai impacted with it, the explosive note
blasting the bark apart. Sakai whirled on his feet at the sound, calling out to
his senior as the next part of the barrage ensued. The forest came alight with
red and orange as more and more tags exploded in the frigid night. The
successive blasts forced them to lower branches, leaving them less open to
attack but with less opportunity to maneuver through the thick canopy.
�� The prodigy
of the Tsuchikage grunted as he threw his arm forward, his skin turning dark as
a long shaft of black diamond crashed through a large trunk and severed the
undergrowth with devastation. The long spear snapped off from his arm as he
caught himself on a tree limb, glaring off into the distance. He was searching,
watching back and forth, ready to react to anything.
�� His arm
came up to deflect three errant shuriken, meant to mask Sakura�s rather
stealthy entrance to the fray. Katai avoided her well-aimed sweep kick,
thrusting himself towards another precipice of wood. His next perch was already
occupied when he arrived at it, its blond-haired owner greeting the
thick-skinned intruder with a swift heel to the face. The blow was fierce but
ineffective, merely stalling Katai�s progress as he made it to another nearby
limb. The rock-like man was assaulted on both sides by the remainder of Team
Seven, grabbing each of them by the arms and guiding them past his body into
the woods. A slight weave to the left allowed him to dodge the arcing swing of
the Dragon Fang. He would have countered the wild slash were it not for the
second one, this time delivered by the excellently crafted katana wielded by
Kenshin Jiyumaru. That attack was caught by solid hands, the blade not even
scratching Katai�s superior body. Still gripping the blade, the ex-suitor
dragged Jiyumaru aside and threw him into the air. The four shinobi regrouped
and charged once more, all of them aiming to deliver a collective blow to the
mighty ninja.
�� Hishigata Hari Jizo!�
�� The shout
echoed through the trees as Katai curled into himself on his current roost,
hugging his upper body as spines of ebony shot out from him in all directions.
The savage defense turned the Iwa-nin into a human porcupine as hundreds of
deadly quills raced outwards. Each of the remaining members of Konoha�s rescue
team were impaled on the multitude of spikes, drilling through their flesh and
bones to deliver a fatal blow to each.
�� It had been
too easy.
�� All four
bodies vanished in thick puffs of smoke. Katai had not known Naruto long enough
to foresee the inevitable distraction through the combination of Kage Bunshin
and Henge jutsus. The shock hit him hard, wrenching only a set of words from
his lungs in a hoarse shout.
�� Sakai,
look out!�
�� The warning
was like a peal in the middle of a silent grove, replaying through its
receiver�s mind echoingly. Sakai summoned glowing walls of chakra to his side,
each one becoming littered with cold metal. The blue energy held each kunai and
shuriken in place, the slightly humming power casting a blue glow over the
shadowed man�s features, almost unmasking him. Each shield fizzled out a moment
later, followed by the clang of steel upon open earth. The relatively quiet
kidnapper sucked in a breath of relief, stymieing the shout of fright that had
almost wrought itself from his vocal chords.
�� Somewhere
in a village, the second hand of a clock clicked for the fourth time.
�� Sakai�s
instincts and training returned to the reality at hand. A bladed attack was
blocked by another wall of azure, Yakusho�s blazing sword held at a distance by
nothing more than pure power. The russet-headed teenager growled in frustration
as he tried to break through the barrier with nothing more than his muscles,
distracting Sakai once again. The obvious diversion was not overlooked. Sakai
twisted his body and wrapped his shield around Yakusho�s weapon, hauling him to
the left before releasing the sharp tool and throwing him into Sakura. The
cherry-haired girl was struck by the full weight of her teammate, coughing up
her remaining wind as she was slammed into one of many trees along with her
friend.
�� Naruto
burst from a thickly covered branch, six extra clones of himself following his
lead. His spastic style of attack had become more refined over the years, but
his current rage cut off all ties to logic and training. Moved by powerful
animal instinct Naruto bore down on Sakai like a heard of wild beasts,
attempting to overcome their enemy simply by trampling it under numbers and
might. The shaded ninja proved to be more resourceful than many other trounced
foes, waving his arm in a wide sweep to bring a swath of blue across the
nature-born shelter. The wave caught every single instance of the blond and
scattered them into their gaseous forms, giving the original just enough cover
to regroup and form a new strategy.
�� So perfect
was the distraction that Sakai almost didn�t realize he was being fooled. Some
sixth sense warned the carrier that he was being deceived, and the hairs on the
back of his neck confirmed it. Another shaft of cerulean came to his defense as
he whirled around, staring deep into the crimson anger in Naruto�s eyes. The
whiskered male snarled as he tried to push his knife through the obstruction,
struggling valiantly against the once intangible agent. Sakai was amazed at how
much effort was required to keep the boy at bay, summoning more chakra to keep
the shaft of light from dissolving under the strong push.
�� Jiyumaru
appeared from nowhere visible. His speed was intense, wind cutting off his body
as he stabbed through thin air like a bolt of lightning. His katana was aimed
high, hoping to use his speed and the element of surprise to finish Sakai off
once and for all. The drone of the barrier failed to drown out the sound of
Konoha�s Takaibattou snapping into action, branches cracking before the sheer
force of Jiyumaru�s rapid movement. The enemy shinobi lacked the reflexes to
respond in time, his head only able to twist to see that he would die from the
sneak attack.
�� Death was
denied another fresh life by Katai. The apprentice cut Jiyumaru off in
mid-jump, stepping between Sakai and the deadly jounin at the moment of the
strike. Finely built steel snapped in half against the rock-hard exterior of
the mighty Iwa-nin, leaving the Takaibattou unarmed. With a loud grunt Katai
delivered a violent backhand to Jiyumaru�s jaw, sending the highest-ranking
member of the four from Konoha crashing into the rough soil. Covered by his
ally, Sakai used his barrier to throw Naruto away, separating the two leftover
captors from their pursuers.
�� Damn it, I
didn�t even notice them,� Katai scolded himself. He had been waiting and
watching just in case, ready to defend himself and his ally should such a
battle were to occur.
�� Are you
alright Senpai?� Sakai asked, clutching Hinata�s body tightly to him.
�� Stop
worrying about me and go. Have you already forgotten what I said? Stop wasting
time.�
�� No dissent
was heard from the still-shadowed man. With a curt nod he ran off into the
forests again, keeping his pace to the northwest. Below Katai, the four members
of the rescue team regrouped, staring him down. They would have to get past him
to get to Sakai and Hinata now, something they all knew would be a nearly
impossible task. Realizing that it was now his responsibility to hold the four
shinobi where they stood, Katai dropped from the high branches of the woodland
and landed firmly on the clean loam.

�� I give you all credit. You�re
not mindless�that was a very effective and well thought out attack.�
�� Don�t play
games with us, traitor,� Naruto hissed. �Don�t even try to trick us.�
�� I�m not
trying to trick anyone.� Katai paced to the side, running fingers through his
hair as he stated what little facts he would freely supply. �I�m merely trying
to give your last moments some worth. If you try to get past me, I will kill
you. If you leave now, there�s no guarantee I won�t try to kill you anyway. Is
that so wrong of me?�
�� You can
stop with the high and mighty, Katai!� Yakusho shouted. His voice was hoarse
and raging, his hand gripping the Dragon Fang firmly.
�� People put
their faith and trust into you. Hinata
trusted you! How can you simply betray us all like this?� Naruto fired off more
questions. Those questions had been rolling through his mind for over an hour,
building up inside him and roaring to be released. �There�s no way�I refuse to
believe that someone who shares my dream could be nothing more than a�than a
worthless traitor!�
�� That�s
quite the assumption you�ve made there,� the pretty-looking young man
responded.
�� What the
hell are you talking about?�
�� You assume
that I�m a traitor, when that title is completely undeserved. It�s impossible
for me to be a traitor when I was never on your side to begin with.�
�� So, this
was Iwagakure�s plan all along? This is why you agreed to being Hinata�s
suitor?� Jiyumaru�s voice was collected and straight, not giving way to his
building emotions. �So you could kidnap her? For what purpose? Ransom?�
�� Another
quickly made assumption that I don�t approve of.� Katai was beginning to grow
amused. It was in his nature to play the tease, to only give up as much
information as he deemed was necessary. It entertained him to keep others in
the dark whilst giving them small glimpses of the light. �I�m curious as to who
it was that said I�that we�were doing this for Iwagakure.�
�� A look of
surprise migrated through four sets of faces, returning to its founder even
stronger than it had left. Naruto grasped at some invisible line, trying to
bring sanity and normalcy back to what little he now understood of the
situation.
�� What the
hell are you saying?�
�� I would
have thought that you could figure that out on your own, at the very least.�
Katai�s reply was meant to mock the poor blond, supplying the evil ninja with
more of his sadistic sense of pleasure. �I can spell it for you if you�d
prefer. But I�d much rather use full sentences.
We�aren�t�working�for�Iwagakure. There, does that sink in?�
�� Confusion
sowed itself into the small crowd. Naruto�s brow furrowed as he attempted to
come up with another question to ask, only to find none of the questions he
could think of would work. Jiyumaru raised his head and stared Katai down,
leveling himself with the treacherous shinobi.
�� You�re
saying that you aren�t allied with
Iwagakure in this? This wasn�t their plan after all?�
�� Of course
not. Those stupid fools actually think I�m here to get married and start an era
of peace. That�s precisely the reason why this worked out so well. You wouldn�t
believe how much easier it is to carry out a plan when you�ve got an entire
nation at your back.� Katai once again spoke with no remorse, his words
dripping peculiar venom at the probing speeches.
�� So the
Earth Country isn�t behind it?� Sakura mimicked Jiyumaru�s words. �But
then�what�s going on? I thought they would be kidnapping her as a hostage. If
they�re not after her for something like that�then what�s going on?�
�� You�ve
been chasing us all this time with no idea as to why we�ve taken her?� Katai
scratched his head with an incredulous grumble. He was hardly able to believe
it had come to this with them all being so clueless. �You really just don�t
know, do you?�
�� Stop
fucking around and tell us!� Yakusho spat. The Dragon Fang broke into flames as
the dragon ninja focused his anger into it. �Why did you kidnap White-Eyes?!�
�� Katai
simply shrugged his shoulders. �You really want to know, huh? Alright, I
suppose there isn�t much harm in telling you. You probably won�t live past
tonight anyway.
�� We didn�t
come to Konoha to kidnap the Hyuuga girl for ransom or anything stupid like
that. That�s petty�what we want is far beyond something money can give us. We
were given orders to kidnap the girl known as Hyuuga Hinata and return her to
our employer. He has his eyes set on her quite sternly, you could say. She
interests him greatly.�
�� Who are
you working for? Why is he interested in Hinata-chan!?� Naruto bellowed. He was
slowly losing control of himself, his chakra fluctuating as he fought to keep
the beast inside.
�� Now that information is a bit pricey,� Katai
snickered. �I can�t just go around telling you who I work for. That�s
unethical. As for why he�s so intrigued�well really, you should know the answer
already.�
�� It was a
vague statement, one meant to see if they possessed the deductive skills
necessary to perceive his intention. Naruto drifted through possibility after
possibility, keeping his attention focused on Katai. The Jinchuuriki pondered
and pondered, yet still could not come up with anything.
�� You
really are an idiot, aren�t you? You haven�t figured it out yet?
�� You�you
kidnapped her because of the Kyuubi�s chakra!� Naruto glared angrily at the
once-noble ninja, gritting his teeth as realization was forced upon him.
�� Katai
simply stood in place, clapping his hands together slowly. �It took you all
night, but you finally figured it out. Congratulations�I hope it sheds some
light on the situation for you.�
�� That
doesn�t make any sense, though!� Sakura interjected. �How could they know? It�s
not like we were just going around telling people.�
�� That�s
private information, in case you were about to ask me seriously.� Tan locks
fluttered in the wind as Katai belittled his foes.
�� I don�t
get you Katai,� Naruto stood up. �You and I were alike�how is it that someone
like me�someone with the dream to be the best�how can someone who cared as much
about his people as you do something like this?�
�� Naruto�s
question may indeed have been off-topic. Yet it was the question he most
desired an answer to. For as long as he had known the amazing young man that
had been chosen to wed his beloved, Naruto had been fighting off an immense
sense of respect for him. Yet now everything that had made Kongouseki Katai seem
honorable and heroic was gone, shrouded in a cloud of vile intentions and
twisted plans.
�� To his
current credit, Katai didn�t respond with kindness. His initial response was
nothing but coarse laughter, brought on by a sudden sense of amusement. After a
moment the chuckling stopped, his eyes narrowing in on two lone spheres of blue
perched below a field of gold.
�� Like you?
Don�t make me sick.� There was no superiority in Katai�s speech. All that was
there were the facts. �Don�t you get it you stupid boy? It was all a lie. I never supported that stupid
country, I never had any intention of marrying the white-eyed girl, and I
certainly would never want to become the Kage of such a derelict society.�
�� Katai
flicked a strand of hair out of his eyes before adding, �Becoming the Kage of
any village is a ludicrous ideal. Such power and control are poisonous. Anyone
with a dream that stupid deserves whatever horrifying fate awaits him.�
�� What�what
did you just say!?� Naruto�s mind and voice reeled in unison, the pitch of his
words shifting with the blow that had been dealt to his persona.
�� You heard
me. You and your dreams are trash. You won�t even live long enough to get
started on them.�
�� Silence
pervaded the grove of trees. The wind replaced it momentarily, casting itself
into the space between rescuer and kidnapper, tossing dirt and shed leaves
about the air. It passed over the mountain-like form of Katai, gently lifting
his hair back and forth. It glided over the loose vest of Ryumoto Yakusho,
shifting his wild auburn hair as he stared blazingly into his former friend�s
soul. Tension raised its ugly head, laying down its field of suppression.
Sakura felt her breaths catch in her throat, forcing her to control her
inhaling and exhaling simply to continue watching. Jiyumaru readied his sword
in the prospect of battle.
�� You son of
a bitch!� Naruto howled. �I�ll kick your sorry ass!�
�� Katai had
already prepared himself for the assault, leaning back on one foot to brace his
body for impact. However, the first strike never arrived. The raging blond
remained where he stood, held back by a thin arm. The soft appendage was
attached to the only kunoichi present, her gaze transfixed in equal fury.
�� Naruto�go
after Hinata. I�ll deal with him.�

�� Tenten and
Rokujoyu had not moved for several moments. It was a curious analysis of each
other that prevented any action from taking place. The short young man seemed
to be weighing his options in his head, balancing his entire frame on the balls
of his feet. Tenten was far more collected, hardly even shifting as she
breathed. She had reason to be on her toes. Despite his looks, the Iwa-nin was
quite skilled. She imagined all it would take was one small mistake to rob her
of her life.
�� Finally
Rokujoyu started to move. His body tilted to the right slightly as he pulled a
decently sized scroll from a loop on his belt, twirling the package in one
hand. He seemed to be inspecting it, as though he were still contemplating
whether to unleash what it was he�d stored inside. Tenten could only theorize,
but Rokujoyu knew why it was he was spinning the summoning tool in his palm.
His thoughts were drifting to the day he had received the instrument. A single
phrase seemed to play through his mind as he stopped his reflexive manipulation
of the scroll.
�� With something like this, maybe you�ll be
able to at least scratch me next time.
�� Determination
set itself firmly within the rogue ninja from Iwagakure. Popping the seal on
the scroll with one hand, she quickly bit into and tore a small opening in the
thumb on the opposite one. The text on the inside of the scroll was intricately
written, as though an expert scribe had prepared it. Rokujoyu soiled the
intense work with a stream of blood as he worked his thumb across the
parchment. Chakra and red essence worked together with the sealing jutsu to
bring the weapon all the way from the guarded case he kept it in to his hands,
its arrival announced by a thick blast of chakra smoke. The clouds were
dispelled shortly as he whirled the large weapon he had called upon, dispersing
the smokescreen before setting himself in a ready position.
�� Tenten was
slightly surprised at what she saw. Held strongly in her opponent�s hands was a
large, intricately designed naginata. The long, spear-like weapon had a dull
gleam all up its length, as if the pale beams from the moon were attempting to
scatter off it, only to be absorbed by its body. Normal wood and steel could
never create such an effect, which was what brought the material that composed
it to Tenten�s attention. It took her a moment to discern what the blackness
that made up the weapon was.
�� That�s�it�s
made of��
�� I see you
like my latest toy,� Rokujoyu taunted. �Yes, as you were about to say, it is
indeed made out of black diamond. Katai made it for me�mostly as a joke. But
I�ve been practicing with it day in and day out. Now I�m a master with it.
Nobody�and I mean nobody�will ever be able to stand against me with this
weapon.�
�� For the
first time since she�d met him, Tenten thought she saw something close to regret
on the young man�s face. She later realized it was a type of morbid
determination, something that, while it was driving him, shouldn�t have been.
He steadied himself with the black diamond naginata, licking his lips before
returning to his previous demeanor.
�� You�re the
second toughest opponent I�ve ever faced little girl.� He was already panting
with exhilaration, pointing the sharp tip of his specially crafted weapon at
her. �Beating you will be all the proof I need that I�m capable of defeating Katai!�
�� Tenten
wanted to protest, wondering why it was that someone on Katai�s side would be
so eager to defeat him in battle. Her curiosity took a side seat to her
survival instincts as the unclean shinobi charged her. The swiftness at which
he moved with the lumbering weapon astounded the teenage girl, delaying her
reactions for only a moment. She was taken off balance by the first high
strike, nearly toppling over as she swerved to the right to avoid a downward
swing. Rokujoyu was true to his words about having mastered the naginata,
pivoting the large shaft in his hands and spinning it to give himself some
extra momentum. Tenten regained her senses and flung several kunai in his
direction, only to watch each and every throwing knife become blocked by his quick
whirling of the bladed staff. With his newly gained impetus, Rokujoyu launched
into a series of quick stabs with his long pole, jabbing the sharp blade at
Tenten three times rapidly before swinging at her head. The kunoichi ducked
under the long slash, only to have to roll aside to dodge yet another thrust.
Immediately she had a new sense of appreciation for the naginata, as Rokujoyu
was using it with speed and accuracy she was still attempting to conquer.
�� No longer
content to simply run, the brunette pulled a pair of nunchaku from the smoke of
another summoning. She may have not had the same expertise with the naginata as
her foe, but she did know how to counter people who used it. Long weapons had
more weaknesses than short ones, and Tenten fully expected to take advantage of
those weaknesses. Once again the violent charge came, but this time the weapons
specialist of Konohagakure was ready. With a step to the side she brought her
weapon down on Rokujoyu�s, allowing the chain that connected the two halves of
the nunchaku to wrap around the naginata. Grabbing both ends of her own tool
gave her a level of control over her opponent�s, allowing her to drag and pull
it against his will. She tugged the long pole to her right, angling the tip
away from her face as she pulled him closer. She was trying to close the
distance between them forcefully so she could get in a good shot. Hopefully it
would be the only clean strike she would need.
�� Unfortunately
she never got the chance. Despite Tenten�s experience and training, Rokujoyu
proved to have far more strength than he appeared to. What little advantage her
skill and counter-weapon choice may have given her was overridden by the
Iwa-nin�s proficiency. The two began a struggle for control of the naginata
that was very reminiscent of tug-of-war, where both parties would pull on a
certain object in order to drag the other party down. The small battle lasted
but a few seconds before Rokujoyu hauled Tenten off her feet and flung her
across the gathering of trees. The light kunoichi came down hard just a few
feet from their sea of discarded weapons, thankful at least to have avoided
being skewered or sliced by any of them. Her nunchaku was lost amongst the
darkness provided by the trees, meaning she would have to find another course
of action to take.
�� Rokujoyu
was on top of her before she even realized he�d come after her. The spear-tip
of the black diamond weapon plunged into fresh soil as she rolled out of the
way, crying out in shock. She came to her feet as quickly as she could, only to
feel a blast of pain erupting from her left shoulder. Her gaze turned in the
direction of the burning agony she was experiencing, locking on to the sight of
pitch black sticking through her upper body. Rokujoyu�s lips curved in a sick
smile as he withdrew the naginata from her, thick red pouring out and staining
the pure white of her yi. It took a moment for the short scream of pain to
burst from her lips, her hand racing up to hold the punctured part of her body.
She stepped back, placing some distance between herself and her enemy before
dropping to one knee, drawing extra breath to try and suppress her body�s
natural reaction to the wound. The ninja from the Earth country ignored her
suffering completely, bringing the tip of his weapon to his mouth to lick off a
drop of Tenten�s blood.
�� I had
really hoped you�d put up a bigger fight than this. Seems you�re nothing more
than a weakling after all.�
�� Tenten
could not respond. She had something witty to reply with, but the words would not
come to her lips. She was trying desperately to fight off the pain, tasting
bile in her throat. It had been a long time since she had ever been struck
during combat. It was a record she thought made her impressive. She only now
realized that years of never having suffered any serious injury made her
ability to fight through such pain difficult. It was an uphill battle she knew
she had to win. If she didn�t, she would most likely end up dead at the hands
of the relatively insane shinobi before her. With a nod to herself she decided
that she could no longer hold back.
�� Slowly,
with constant mental pushing, Tenten reached behind her body to the small
scroll she had slung over her shoulder previously. The small rope was worn by
now from all the fighting, but still held to her. With a sharp tug she snapped
the threads that kept it attached and broke the seal, reaching up to her
shoulder to draw some fresh blood from her wound. She looked up at Rokujoyu
with newfound resolve, cursing him as she spoke.
�� I�m not
weak. I won�t lose to someone like you�not now, not ever. Do you hear me!?�
�� Even as
Tenten unrolled the summoning tool on the ground and drew her bloodied fingers
over the well-written text, she was contemplating how she had received it. It
had been during their chase through the various traps that the filthy shinobi
had placed for them. Upon clearing the first one, Jiyumaru had approached her
and given her the scroll. He did not go into detail as to what it held, saying
only that he had procured it from his family just a short while before the
wedding, and that she would be able to put it to better use than he could. When
she had asked him why he would give her such an item, he had responded, �I�m
just repaying a debt I owe to your father, that�s all.�
�� Tenten
snapped her palms together and formed a single seal, focusing her chakra into
the scroll. The amount of smoke produced by the summoning of her latest weapon
was enough to conceal her entire body, even while standing. Rokujoyu halted his
planned assault at this, not wanting to walk directly into some sort of
prepared trap. The fog began to lift away, slowly revealing more and more of
the now-armed kunoichi via silhouette. It was unclear what she was holding
until every last wisp had cleared, accentuating her form on a backdrop of black
and green.
�� In her
hands were the Twin Blades.

�� Sakura?
What�re you doing?�
�� Naruto had
been restrained by not only Sakura�s arm, but by her words. There she stood
ahead of him, holding him back with promises of taking on Katai alone. Part of
the golden-haired male thought she may have gone insane. Yet Sakura�s stare did
not falter. She did not look the least bit out of sorts.
�� I told
you. I�ll deal with him. He�s just going to make us waste more time if we all
try to take him out. So go!�
�� The words
were not a request. They were like a divine order, handed down from the gods.
Naruto could see that fighting Sakura on the point would be meaningless, and
more likely to cost him his own blood than anyone else�s. Jiyumaru did not
share Naruto�s reserve, reaching out to lay a hand on the pinkette�s shoulder.
�� Sakura�you
can�t be serious. I know things must be tough now, but you haven�t got anything
to prove. Taking him on alone is madness.�
�� And who
are you to tell me what I can and can�t do, Jiyumaru?� she shot back
forcefully.
�� It�s not
that I�m telling you what to do. But you know better than I do what he�s
capable of. If even tonight is a fair example��
�� Let Pinkie
do what she wants,� Yakusho sighed. �As if anything we say could change her
mind.�
�� Yakusho��
Naruto was grasping. He was still confused about why his teammate wanted to
fight someone as powerful as Katai alone. He wanted desperately to make it all
stop, only to realize that he couldn�t. He finally gave in and nodded his head
at Sakura, turning back to face Katai once more.
�� If this is
what you want, Sakura, then I won�t fight it,� he said.
�� Thank you
Naruto. Now get going. The longer you stay here, the more chance they have of
getting away with Hinata.�
�� I�m
wondering at which point exactly you forgot I was still here.� Katai�s liquid
voice flowed through the trees, tugging at the eardrums of the four present
ninja.
�� So the
question is�how do we get three people past a man like that?� Jiyumaru was
stroking his chin, as if the impulsive action would provoke some sort of
epiphany.
�� Excuse
me��
�� Well we
could always try to distract him on one side, then slip by on the other. We�ve
got Naruto and enough clones for it to work, I suppose.� Yakusho had fallen into
another one of his poses, a hand on his hip as he moved the Dragon Fang back
and forth.
�� I beg
your pardon here��
�� No, that
won�t work. He�s already seen Naruto�s trick, the surprise won�t work this
time.� Jiyumaru pointed to the invisible counter-argument he was making.
�� Just what
the hell are you four doing?�
�� Hey,
relax. Remember, I know how he fights, so I can easily find a way through.�
�� I THINK
I�VE HAD JUST ABOUT ENOUGH OF BEING IGNORED, THANK YOU!� Katai shouted as loud
as he could, the vein on his forehead popping angrily. For a moment he realized
just how childish he sounded, but paid it no heed and simply cleared his
throat.
�� Yeesh,
some people are so needy.� Yakusho scratched the back of his head with apathy,
not truly interested in Katai�s antics.
�� Your
constant mockery will avail you nothing. Now stop pissing me off and die!�
�� Katai�s
anger had been part of the non-discussed plan. It was something Naruto noticed
came naturally to Yakusho and Jiyumaru. The ability to formulate a strategy
while simply looking into the other�s eyes was a useful ability indeed. Naruto
was able to pick up on their original intention almost immediately, nudging
Sakura in the side only lightly to make sure she got the point as well. Long
brown hair fluttered upwards as Katai thrust his arm out, firing a shaft of
black diamond towards the four of them. Each of them was more aware than they
had let on, quickly darting to the sides to avoid the lethal shot. Sakura on
the other hand, did not simply move out of the way. The medic-nin instead ran
up the length of the shaft and leapt at the proud shinobi from Iwagakure,
driving her fist towards his face in a flying strike. Caught completely
off-guard by the counter attack, Katai fell victim to his instincts. Instead of
simply blocking the punch like he should have, the genius ninja rolled to the
side, detaching his body from his attack to escape the crust-shattering blow
from Sakura.
�� It was in
mid-roll that he realized his mistake. In his haste to dodge the super powered
blow, Katai had left the avenue of escape open to the others. No sooner had he
got back to his feet than Naruto, Yakusho and Jiyumaru were off, lost into the
blackness beyond as they continued their pursuit of Sakai. It would be a
travesty to the mission if they were not just allowed to go, but actually
caught up to Sakai. If they succeeded in stopping him, then it was all over.
Unable to face that reality, Katai quickly began to chase after them, ignoring
the very reason he had let them escape.
�� Sakura
blocked his path with a timely fissure, created by a powerful heel strike into
the ground. Upturned rocks and soil barred his path momentarily, causing his
sight to drift towards the pinkette�s body. She smirked at him disdainfully,
her body curved into the proper Goken battle stance.
�� Like I
said, I�ll deal with you. You aren�t going anywhere.�

�� Tenten
herself marveled at the weapons she had called upon. Though she had not been
with Naruto�s group when they had faced off against the vagabond swordsman, she
possessed deep knowledge of the Twin Blades. They were weapons spoken of with
awe in her family, as she had followed in the footsteps of her father. To not
only hold, but to prepare to use the masterpieces in battle was something that
made the young woman�s heart throb. It was as though she were living out a
child�s fantasy.
�� Rokujoyu
seemed a bit awestruck himself. His eyes traced the curvature of each short
sword, air escaping his lungs in a short gasp as he attempted to comprehend
just what it was he was beholding. The expert craftsmanship, the dull glow to
each sword, the rhythm at which they seemed to pulse. There was no doubt as to
what he was seeing, but doubt he did.
�� I don�t
believe this. So the rumors are true�Karimaru of the Seven Swordsmen is dead.�
�� Yes, he
is. He was killed in battle by Uzumaki Naruto almost a month ago.�
�� Rokujoyu
grasped his naginata tighter by reflex. He could have lived with someone
defeating Karimaru. No one was immortal. Yet somehow Naruto�s name filled him
with a sense of anger and dread that were unfamiliar to him. He pointed the
long spear at the kunoichi, growling deep in the back of his throat.
�� So that
stupid blond killed him? The Jinchuuriki?�
�� Naruto is
Naruto. He would have beaten Karimaru whether he were a Jinchuuriki or not!�
Tenten snapped.
�� Bullshit
he would have. I won�t accept that�you should know just as well as I do that
Karimaru was one of the best. If you can just accept that something like losing
to a Jinchuuriki is fair, then you don�t deserve whatever title you�ve been
given!�
�� Rokujoyu�s
anger was almost tangible at this point. No longer content to sit back and
allow Tenten to continue insulting his deranged sense of pride, the young
Iwa-nin lashed out and began his attack once more. Dust clouded behind his
racing footfalls as he charged forward, bringing his naginata down on Tenten�s
head. With a renewed sense of hope the brunette countered, bringing the Twin
Blades up in an �X� to catch the long pole. Two works of art clashed at once,
ebony caught upon cold steel as Gai�s student held her ground. Rokujoyu was not
surprised by the sturdiness of the practically legendary weapons, but was still
taken off-guard by how little his strike accomplished. Now having the leverage,
Tenten thrust the naginata away from her body and took her chance to press the
offensive. A courageous cry rushed from her throat as she dove in, swinging the
blade in her left hand in an upward arc at Rokujoyu�s chest. The blow was
flashy and easily parried, leaving her enemy�s left side wide open for a
moment. Another battle shout echoed through the forest canopy as Tenten struck
again, thrusting the right blade directly at Rokujoyu�s face. Blade missed
flesh as her target�s body twisted inwards, letting the tempered metal slide
right past his cheek. In that moment the tables turned, leaving Tenten wide
open for a decisive strike. The left-handed sword was pushed to the side by a
quick spin of the dark naginata, separating Rokujoyu from his enemy�s weapons.
The quick counter eliminated the kunoichi�s defense, delivering unto the
kidnapper a clear avenue for a quick victory. The deflecting spin gave him the
momentum required for another lightning-quick attack, thrusting the black spear
forward to crush Tenten once and for all.
�� The
auburn-haired girl twisted to the side and knocked the large weapon aside with
a swing of the right-handed blade. Both swords came to her defense again as
Rokujoyu lashed out with the butt of his spear, hitting naught but cold metal.
The force of his blow was staggering, knocking the small-framed girl back. With
a bit more space between the two combatants, Rokujoyu began to increase his
speed by spinning his naginata about his body. Tenten tried to break through
the strange movements, but found that the constant revolving of the ebony lance
kept her at bay. Quick, recurring jabs of diamond flew from the young male,
flung with precise aim towards the disheveled kunoichi. Each blow was evaded
with last-second timing, leaving sweat to trail down Tenten�s forehead. No
matter her resistance, blurred strikes continued to assail her, blocked only by
her speed and the edges of her blades. Rokujoyu was merciless, crying out his
anger as he tried to impale the agile ninja.
�� One thrust
was thrown too harshly, a culmination of the building rage within the unstable
young man. The force behind the attack dragged Rokujoyu further than he had
anticipated, exposing a weak side in his guard. Tenten pounced like a wild
animal, bringing the Twin Blades to bear as she rushed forward to strike the
man down. His demise was avoided only through minor sacrifice, bringing up his
own arm to block the slash aimed for his chest. Cold steel cleaved flesh,
producing two deep gashes in Rokujoyu�s forearm, staining his already filthy
clothes in a fresh layer of red liquid. There was no cry of agony to be found
from him, his adrenaline numbing the pain and allowing him to strike back. The
butt of his naginata struck Tenten across the face, sending her rolling across
the ground. She rose to her knees rather quickly, bringing up the right-hand
sword to bounce another lightning-fast stab away. The young Iwa-nin pushed his
advantage, starting a flurry of constant blows and swings that kept Tenten on
the defensive, parrying each attack at the very last second. He pushed her back
until she was forced into a tree, batting away each hard swing and sharp thrust
with as much vigor as she could.
�� A single
errant plunge made its way through, penetrating Tenten�s right shoulder this
time. Blood gushed into the white fabric of her top, instantly followed by the
blazing pain associated with the grievous wound. Her voice choked on a sharp
scream, saliva dripping from her lips as she struggled against the hurt. Her
newest injury hurt less than the original, though whether that was because of
her adrenaline or the fact that she was simply becoming numb from loss of blood
was unknown to her. Desperate to dislodge herself from her enemy, she rose her
foot and delivered a fierce kick to his stomach. Rokujoyu pulled away with a
cough, whirling his weapon once before eyeing the blood upon it.
�� Much
better this time around. I hope you aren�t going to give up though�I need a
greater challenge.�
�� What the
hell is the matter with you?� Tenten shouted hoarsely. She felt the spit
drooling from her lips as she sucked on ragged breath. �How can you draw
pleasure from something like this?�
�� I�m having
fun, is there so much wrong with that?� His question was mocking, shown clearly
by the way he rubbed blood deeper into his naginata. �Besides, why should I
care about you? You�re nothing but another Konoha Shinobi. Trash. Your kind are
the worst, and thus I harbor no sentiment for you other than hatred.�
�� What is it
you hate so much about us?�
�� What�s not
to hate? It is thanks to you and your kind�especially
the detestable Kiroi Senko, that my country�the Nation of Earth, is the
shambled wreck that it is now. It�s thanks to people like you that me and my
people suffer!�
�� You�re�you�re
hardly any older than me!� Tenten shouted, bringing her observations into the
conversation. �Why the hell are you so hung up about a war that happened before
you were born?�
�� It�s not
like someone like you�someone from Konohagakure�could ever understand my
suffering. My peoples� suffering. A full generation of agony and loss because
of you and your kind. You will never understand our plight, and only destroying
you will release us!�
�� Despite her
wounds and pain, Tenten slowly began to laugh. Rokujoyu watched as her
shoulder-length hair trembled in mirth, slowly quirking his eyebrows at her
display. He gripped the black diamond naginata tightly, gazing at her angrily.
�� Just what
the fucking hell is so funny, huh?� He pointed the sharp tip of his weapon at
her threateningly, hoping to stop her cackling.
�� Do you
honestly expect me to feel sorry for you or something?� she suddenly asked.
�Seriously�get over yourself. You and your people aren�t the only ones who
suffer. If things had turned out differently and Iwagakure had won, then it
would be me in your position, cursing your people and threatening vengeance.
That line of thinking is meaningless.�
�� Rokujoyu
hissed in anger, bringing his spear to bear once more. �Meaningless? Your
existence is the only meaningless thing here!�
�� The devoted
shinobi charged his target again, letting out a wail of rage as he prepared to
finish the young woman off. To his surprise however, the brunette had not yet
given in. Even as he had started his charge she was drawing the Twin Blades
together, crossing them in front of her and focusing her chakra through them.
She was unsure of where the knowledge to use the swords had come from, only
able to surmise that it was the swords themselves that were teaching her. As
she poured her power into her steel, the combined masterpiece began to
resonate, focusing her chakra into a sickly purple ball of energy that gathered
between them. The blast flew from the swords as Tenten willed it, aimed
purposely at Rokujoyu�s legs. The blast impacted the ground and scattered it
about, exploding loudly. Deterring him from attacking her and forcing him back,
the sword-wielding young woman found her opening. Once again she summoned her
power into a ball of lilac, sending the screeching orb directly at her foe�s
body. The Iwa-nin left the offensive to embrace his survival, dodging left or
right from each projectile strike. The earth scattered into the air with each
explosion, casting a small cloud for dust and debris about the forest. It was a
struggle of life and death for the young man, as a single blast from the Twin
Blades would more than likely kill him.
�� One simple
misstep spelled his doom. After another close call, Rokujoyu sped to the right
and landed on his feet. The angle at which he landed did not offer him the
greatest mobility however, causing him to practically trip over his own feet.
Tenten did not let up her assault, firing another orb at her enemy as the
opportunity presented itself. The ball of chakra connected solidly with the
ninja�s gut, igniting brightly and scattering his blood and innards about the
trees. The kunoichi thought her victory had been sounded until the entrails of
her victim became nothing more than mud. Realizing she had struck a clone,
Tenten turned around quickly in an attempt to locate her quarry.
�� She found
him several feet to her right, holding his lance to his side for a bit of
leverage. He panted hotly, drawing in extra air to make up for the breath he�d
lost evading her attacks, continuing to wear the same perverse grin he had been
showing her all night.
�� For some
reason, you continue to upstage me. I can�t let that keep going on, you
understand that right?�
�� Whatever
you�ve got, I�ll beat it. You should talk less and do more.� Tenten was also
grasping for breath, but decided it would be better to keep him on the
defensive, both in combat and on the mental playing field.
�� I hate to
crush your hopes�but you aren�t going to win.�
�� The
naginata found itself thrust into the ground, held in place by the soil it had
pierced. Rokujoyu was no longer playing games, forcing himself to focus on the
task at hand. His once occupied hands flew together rapidly, molding his chakra
through the use of varied hand seals. Tenten caught on to the jutsu he was
using just as he had finished the third seal, backing up a few more steps to
give herself some extra room.
�� This is going to be bad!
�� Rokujoyu�s
hands snapped together in the final seal, guiding his chakra precisely. With an
emphatic grunt he slapped his palm against the ground, focusing all his
gathered power through his fingers as he called out into the night.
�� Kuchiyose! Kuro Akuma no Yoroi!�
�� A pattern
scrawled outwards from Rokujoyu�s hand, scribbling across the grass and dirt
before coughing out a giant cloud of chakra smoke. It was Tenten�s turn to be
confused and put on guard by the covering effects of a powerful summoning,
keeping her eyes focused on the ghastly silhouette cast by the tool he had
called upon. Never in her life had she gripped a weapon tighter than she had
gripped the Twin Blades in that moment. The young woman�s pulse raced against
her apprehension. Something in her gut told her to turn around and run, never
looking back at what it was she had fled from. Instead she bit her lip, drawing
a few drops of blood as she steeled herself against her own failing nerves.
�� When the
smoke finally cleared, the once bun-haired girl let out a gasp of shock.
Floating in the air was a suit of pitch-black armor. Every facet of it seemed
unholy, with spikes and hooks decorating its exterior. The shoulder guards
flashed in the moonlight, the tip of each spike squirming as though they were
alive. The helmet was perhaps the most frightening piece, adorned with barbed
horns and the face of a terrifying demon. Rokujoyu stood at its side, chuckling
darkly as he stroked one bladed side with his hand. He removed the appendage
with a deep laugh before licking blood from the various lacerations the brief
contact with his ultimate equipment had given him.
�� Isn�t it
glorious?� he asked. �This will be the instrument of your demise. And after
that, along with this black diamond naginata�I will show Katai that I am
superior!�
�� As Rokujoyu
finished speaking the black armor shuddered, shaking in midair before floating
back towards its caller. Instead of colliding with him, the solid matter melded
into him before attaching itself to his body. The proud ninja grabbed his
weapon from the ground as the outfit latched onto his skin roughly, the helmet
letting out a horrendous clank as it
affixed itself to his head. Rokujoyu stood in the middle of the trees like a
demon, a howling shout of triumph echoing from the hollowed insides of the
shell.
�� Now we�ll
see which one of us is the best!�
�� Tenten did
not know the logic behind it, but somehow putting on the heavy dark ensemble
seemed to only increase Rokujoyu�s performance. The next moment was filled with
the sound of rushing air as the fully armored shinobi charged forth, swinging
the black diamond naginata with considerable force. Tenten rolled to the side,
dancing around the devastating slice to deliver one of her own. The left member
of the Twin Blades scratched across the surface of Rokujoyu�s latest defense,
cutting into whatever it was made of. The protective covering chipped and
shattered in small places, sending shards of itself flying into Tenten�s arm.
The tiny blades cut straight through the fabric of her top and into her arm,
producing what felt like hundreds of small stabbings at once. Once again she
cried out in pain, backing away from the crazed individual as blood drooled
down her arm.
�� You really
are going to have to try harder than that,� Rokujoyu mocked. �Swing harder if
you want to actually cut me.�
�� Tenten knew
she was being taunted, but didn�t care for details at the time. Instead of
fighting her anger, she used it. She used it to help focus her chakra into one
immense purple blast from the Twin Blades, gathering the terrifyingly large
amount of energy between the crossed swords once more. She let the attack fly
with a loud battle cry, aiming the intense shot directly at Rokujoyu�s head.
The explosion that followed shook the ground and toppled over several trees,
knocking the young kunoichi through the air. She landed twelve feet from where
she had been standing and returned to her feet slowly to see the damage she had
caused. She also saw Rokujoyu�s torso removed from the rest of his scattered
body, standing aimlessly in the newly formed clearing. Not too far from the
body lay the hand that had been grasping the ebony lance when she had killed
him.
�� What
happened next, Tenten could only describe as impossible.
�� Though the
vengeful shinobi had been scattered amongst the leaves and branches, his body
began to reform. From every corner of the woods that his upper half had been
blasted to, pieces began to return to his trunk. Like a twisted puzzle he was
returned, the last piece being the severed hand and naginata with it. As soon
as every last piece of him had been put back together, Rokujoyu�s sinister
laugh could be heard once more from behind the demonic mask.
�� Do you
understand yet? The Kuro Akuma no Yoroi makes me immortal. I cannot die as long as I wear it. You can keep
trying�but you�ll soon find out that this suit has more than enough ways to
deal with you.�
�� A loud bang rang out from the black armor,
along with a puff of smoke from each shoulder guard. Two coal-colored
boomerangs whizzed through the air at break-neck speed, only to collide with
Tenten�s left hand. There was no way for her to deflect the quick attack, and
no way for her to keep a hold of the sword in that hand as it was struck.
Though no real damage had been done to her body other than two large bruises,
Tenten was instantly filled with an unbearable sense of loss as soon as she
dropped the weapon. That loss became a searing pain in her right arm shortly
thereafter. With shock she turned to see the sword in her right hand glowing
fiercely, sending a current of electricity through her as it trembled
violently. The brunette became painfully aware somehow that this was the
consequence of not using the Twin Blades together. To attempt to wield only one
at a time caused them to lose their harmony. If that harmony were lost, the
swords would take it out on the wielder.
�� Somehow she
already knew the pain wouldn�t stop until she was dead.
�� With no
other options, Tenten discarded the right-hand sword, sighing in relief as the
action took all the pain away. Unfortunately, it also removed the Twin Blades
from the battle. No sooner had she thrown the second one away than they both
crackled and vanished in a puff of smoke. The injured young woman had no clue
where they had gone, and had no means with which to resummon them. Now
practically unarmed against her opponent, Tenten began to feel the weight of
her own worries.
�� Well,
that�s a surprise. Losing your only hope because you�re an idiot is one thing,
but having wasted my time with a weakling is another. Do you know how stupid I
feel right now?� Rokujoyu held no sympathy for the kunoichi, instead taking his
anger at her loss out on her. It seemed he had been able to �enjoy� himself as
long as she proved to be a worthy foe. Now that she had lost her secret weapon�
�� I�m not
done yet!� she shouted. �Konoha shinobi don�t simply give up and die. I�ll
fight until I�m dead!�
�� Then allow
me to speed you to your destiny!�
�� Rokujoyu was
on the move again, thrusting his spear directly at Tenten. Not ready to die
just yet, the bloodstained girl flung herself to the dirt, skidding across the
ground painfully. The monster in black raced at her again, meeting harsh
opposition in the form of six kunai. Each one dug deep into the skin of the
armor, sending more bladed chips of the odd material flying out. Stopped only
momentarily by the rash attack, Rokujoyu charged again without taking the time
to analyze the situation. One by one the exploding tags on each throwing knife
went off, blasting holes in the young man�s body. Leaving him brutalized,
Tenten took a moment to recover her thoughts and formulate a plan. Everything
was racing, coming too fast and too soon for her to discern facts. What she
knew for certain was her opponent seemed to be invincible, and if she did not
hurry, she would end up dead.
�� As Rokujoyu
began to rematerialize, a single idea bolted through Tenten�s brain. It was
something she had not considered the entire time she had been fighting, and
with good reason. The option, should she choose to employ it, was very
dangerous. The very nature of the weapon she was now thinking of using put her
life, or at the very least her career as a kunoichi, at risk. Yet somehow she
knew that she had no other choice. Nothing else in her arsenal came close to
what she would need to defeat the seemingly unstable young man. It would have
to be that weapon, and nothing else.
�� Rokujoyu�s
body regenerated just as Tenten had made her final choice. Another scroll found
itself in her hand, the seal broken in less than a breath. Eyes peered through
the black helmet of the Kuro Akuma no Yoroi, transfixed on the battered body of
Konoha�s weapons expert. She had enough fresh blood covering her arms and body
that she did not need to bite her thumb, simply drawing the back of her hand
against the unfurled object. Blood met ink down the length of the scroll,
fulfilling the ancient summoning pact. Sanguine essence and raven-colored text
combined with chakra as Tenten invoked the power of the summoning jutsu,
pulling her desired weapon from its antiquated resting spot. The flash and mist
that followed the completion of the ritual once again blanketed the young
woman�s form, hiding her from prying eyes. It was in that shroud that she
grasped the finely crafted blade and felt the marvel that was its power. The
smoke that had gathered around her phased out just as the weapon�s name found
her lips and leapt from them.
�� Furui Yaiba�Masamune!�
�� Rokujoyu�s
eyes twitched in disbelief. Held in Tenten�s right hand was a dai katana that
was several feet longer than she was tall. The blade was thin, an expert
cutting tool crafted many years into the past. The sword seemed to hum with
unspoken power, as if some sort of inexplicable entity had bestowed its might
upon the steel. It was beyond a work of genius. The only person who could have
made the sword was a god, or someone that may have been considered one when it
had been constructed. Though the sword was massive, the young female ninja
continued to hold it in one hand.
�� How in the
hell�?� Rokujoyu muttered, at a loss for words.
�� The secret
of this sword is probably older than your precious Earth Country,� Tenten
began. �It has existed for centuries, made by the most legendary sword smith to
ever exist. It far exceeds any weapon made today, that�s for sure. My family
has always guarded its secrets, since they were first given to us generations
ago. With it, I�ll show you just who around here is superior.�
�� Three
slashes were made before Rokujoyu could blink. Each one cleaved through a
different part of his demonic armor, cutting it evenly and precisely. No shards
broke off from the suit this time, leaving Tenten completely untouched as she
struck three vital areas. Three separate portions of the shinobi�s body fell
apart onto the ground below, leaving him dead for the third time that night.
�� The wind
seemed to blow harder as Rokujoyu reformed yet again, making Tenten�s released
hair dance about her eyes. The foul-mouthed shinobi seemed dazed for a moment
before he resumed his characteristic cackling.
�� Big
fucking deal. Did you forget that I can�t die?�
�� Tenten felt
her body lurch. A noise tapped against her eardrums, but she could not place
it. A burning heat exploded in her stomach before blood rushed past her throat,
making her cough up the red liquid to regain her air. Blood dripped from her
mouth as she looked down to see Rokujoyu�s preferred weapon sticking through
her body. He was still laughing, taking more joy in having delivered the
certainly fatal blow than any human should.
�� I thought
you were going to show me which of us was superior, huh? Guess you can�t really
do that now, can you? You�re nothing but a mouthy bitch. Does my mind good to
see you dead.�
�� I�m not dead
yet, asshole!�
�� Using all
her strength, Tenten plunged the Masamune straight through the Kuro Akuma no
Yoroi and into Rokujoyu�s heart. The seven-foot sword pierced him cleanly and
easily, not even slowing as it hit bone. Together they stood, each ninja run
through by the other�s weapon. Rokujoyu remained unharmed however, simply
restarting his tirade of laughter as Tenten began to feel her vision fading and
her warmth evaporating.
�� Oh look,
you stabbed me. Big fucking deal. What part of I�m immortal don�t you get?�
�� You�re
only immortal as long as you�re wearing this armor,� Tenten heaved, trying not
to lose consciousness. �Without it, you�re just like me�another human being!�
�� So what?
It�s not like I�m going to just take it off for you, now is it?� Rokujoyu
reinforced his point by pressing his naginata further through Tenten�s body,
making her scream in pain.
�� You don�t
have to,� she replied lowly. �I�ll take it off you myself!�
�� Despite her
vanishing life, Tenten remained focused. She summoned all the chakra she could
muster and focused it into the blade at her fingertips. In response the steel
began to hum anew, glowing brightly as more and more energy poured into it. The
sword began to rattle inside the black armor, growing restless as it was filled
with more and more of Tenten�s force. With the Masamune came the ability to
perform several odd and fantastic techniques, one of which she was now intent
on performing. With one last push she shoved as much chakra into the sword as
she could before she released it all in one blast.
�� Yoroi Kekkai!�
�� A brilliant
flash of blue consumed the clearing. When finally the show died down, it seemed
as if nothing had been accomplished. A moment later however, the Kuro Akuma no
Yoroi began to shudder and crack. The ancient art that Tenten had called upon
had been created solely for the purpose of destroying armor, focusing the
chakra put into the sword to destroy any sort of defensive material covering
the target�s body. As such, the black defense began to crumble, falling apart
piece by piece until Rokujoyu�s body was exposed once more.
�� This time
however, there was a blade sticking through his heart.
�� Almost
instantly blood began to pour out from the wound. The young male who was so
fond of cursing went cold and slumped over, dead in seconds from the fatal
puncture. His lifeless body tumbled backward, leaving him on the forest floor
like a crumpled piece of paper. Tenten took in the momentary joy of victory
before she felt her legs give out from underneath of her. The prodigal kunoichi
fell to her knees and dropped the Masamune, which vanished in a puff of smoke.
With very little of her sight left the chocolate-haired girl pulled the black
diamond naginata from her body, noting how red the once dark material seemed to
be. Her eyes drifted skywards to the pale moon, a small giggle issuing forth
from her lips.
�� Neji�s
going to be so proud of me when I get back. I can�t wait to tell him that
I�that I finally made a difference. For once I��
�� The
remainder of her thoughts did not make it to speech. Instead she found herself
mute. A moment later her form toppled over on top of Rokujoyu�s dead body, as
motionless and as still as the man she had just killed.

There you go, chapter
14. In case you were wondering, �Kuro Akuma
no Yoroi� loosely translates to �Armor of the Black Demon King�. �Furui Yaiba� loosely translates into
�Ancient Blade� and �Yoroi Kekkai�
was the best translation I could get for �Armor Break�.
Keep your eyes open.
By the time Chapter 15 is finished, the Dragonheart website may be up and
running!
- 14
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