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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
- 6
- 7
- 8
Dragonheart

Chapter 6

            It was dawn. That time of day where everything
slowly brought itself out of the dreary confines of sleep. The hour when the
nocturnal ran in fear of the approaching daybreak, scurrying back into their
hiding places for a well-deserved rest. The time when the sun would crest from
beyond the horizon, showering the earth in its incomparable might. Light shone
down from the heavens upon the morning, turning blacks and blues into greens and
browns, the sheet of daylight slowly covering up the spilt mess that was
nighttime.
            It was also the hour that Akamaru burst in
through the open tent flap and slammed down on Naruto�s chest with his two
paws. The blond was thrust from the perfect world of his nap, wherein he and
his two female counterparts were sharing a lovely time, back into the world of
the conscious. Blue eyes flattened as he stared into the panting mouth of the
huge dog, summoning all his self-control to prevent him from lashing out against
the canine. A quick check told him Kiba was out and about, which probably
explained why Akamaru was awake. Naruto would have to remember to tell Kiba to
close the tent flap after waking up next time.
            Carefully making sure to not wake his female
compatriots, Naruto dressed and exited the tent with the Inuzuka�s best friend.
He zipped up his jacket just in time to see Kiba returning from the stream. The
nin-ken trainer pulled his jacket back on and shook his face clear of the
moisture that had gathered there from washing it.
            �Ohayo, Naruto,� Kiba said. �Sleep well?�
            �Until your dog came and attacked me, yes,�
Naruto replied.
            �Gomen,� the brunet sighed, �he�s just a bit
jumpy is all. He didn�t wake Sakura and Hinata, did he?�
            �No, they�re still fast asleep,� said the
whiskered boy. He couldn�t help but smirk at the thought that he might have had
something to do with their sound sleeping.
            �Ah good,� Kiba smiled. �Wouldn�t want to piss
off Sakura. She�s apt to kill me.�
�I can attest to that,� the blond
laughed.
            The two shinobi spent a few more minutes idly
conversing before Kiba decided it would be smart to start breakfast. The girls
would probably have both their heads if they had expected the sleeping women to
cook the second they got up. Unsure of what else to make, Kiba decided their
best bet was to reheat last night�s ramen and prepare it as breakfast. With
some leftover firewood they started the blaze again, heaving the cooking pot
full of noodles and other ingredients into its appropriate place. The two young
men took turns stirring the mixture to make sure it was heated and mixed evenly.
            As they were cooking, Kiba looked up at Naruto
cautiously. �Oi, Naruto,� he started, �I had this really�uh�strange dream last
night.�
The other boy�s eyebrow rose. It
wasn�t like Kiba to share things like that with Naruto. They were friends, but
neither one of them considered the other too close.
�What�s up Kiba?� Naruto asked.
�Well it�s just�� the dog-boy
mumbled, his eyes shifting uneasily, �I had this dream about�you and Hinata and
Sakura. Um�I don�t usually have dreams like that. I felt kinda guilty.�
Naruto�s eyebrow rose even
further, his curiosity eating away at him. �What do you mean?� he queried
            Kiba smiled nervously as he scratched the side
of his cheek. �Well,� he chuckled, �I um�I had this dream where you, Sakura and
Hinata�well you were��
            The brunet made several suggestive hand signals
as he tried to explain his point to Naruto. The fair-haired boy stopped in the
middle of trying to re-attach his hitai-ate as he absorbed what Kiba was
insinuating, at which point he nearly fainted from pure shock. How was it that
the other teen would have simply had a dream about something that had actually
happened while he was dreaming about it?
            �Th-that�s nuts!� Naruto squawked, hoping he
did a good job of masking his fear. �Sakura would murder me if that thought
even crossed my mind!�
            The other male seemed to be buying into the
fabrication presented to him. �Yeah,� he grinned sheepishly, �you�re right.
Sakura would kill you.�
            �Yep,� Naruto chuckled. �She�d kill me dead.�
            There was a slight silence between the two men
as they continued to prepare breakfast. Kiba took a few moments to offer
Akamaru a friendly stroke to the head as the dog passed by, sighing as he
relaxed onto one of the many rocks surrounding their camp fire.
            �Naruto?� the face-painted shinobi called.
            �Yeah?� the blue-eyed boy answered.
            �Hinata deserves you,� the wild male seemed to
confess. �You know how to make her smile. Despite everything that�s going on,
you alone make her happy.�
            Naruto was taken aback by Kiba�s sudden
seriousness. It was a well known fact that Kiba was very overprotective of
Hinata at times, but he had never been quite as serious about anything
concerning her as he was right now.
            �But let�s get one thing straight,� he said
quietly. �If you ever�and I mean ever�make her cry, I�ll help Akamaru
eat the marrow from your bones.�
            The sound that exited Naruto�s throat could
only be described as a squeak of fear. Both of them took part in a long, heavy
silence before Naruto cleared his throat and waved off his uneasiness.
            �You don�t have anything to worry about,� the
blond assured.
            �I would hope so,� the other boy smirked.
            Kiba returned to stirring the pot as the
conversation finished. Mere moments later the two males heard twin yawns coming
from the tent. A set of giggles from the same spot was enough to make sure that
their teammates had woken up. The tent flaps spread wide a second later as
Sakura and Hinata stepped out looking quite refreshed.
            �Ohayo you two,� Sakura sighed as she stretched
her limbs. �Oh I slept like a log.�
            �At least you didn�t snore this time,� Naruto
quipped. �That would�ve been dreadful.�
            �Oh quiet you!� she snapped back, giggling.
            �Ohayo, Naruto-kun,� Hinata said softly,
slipping down onto the rock next to him and kissing his cheek slightly.
            �Ohayo Hinata-chan,� Naruto beamed. �We
reheated dinner for breakfast. I can�t say I agree with the act of reheating
the greatest food on earth, but we need to save some food for the trip back.�
            �Glad to know you�re willing to sacrifice your
taste buds for us,� she smiled.
            �Mmm less talk, more eat,� Sakura grumbled.
�I�m hungry.�
            The four shinobi reclaimed their bowls from the
previous night and filled them with the reheated food, taking their breakfast at
a slow, relaxed pace. There was very little said between them, but Sakura and
Hinata continued to share looks that ended in small giggle fits. Every once in
a while their eyes would travel to Naruto and they would giggle even harder,
Sakura even giving him a little wave. Kiba looked dumbstruck, but figured it
was just girls being girls. Naruto gulped and hoped that the situation
looked a lot more innocent than he knew it was.
            Once breakfast was finished the group of four
took to concealing their camping spot and packing everything back into their
bags. Once the tents were put away and everything was ready they resumed the
same formation they had used the day previous and set off for their
destination. It would only be a few hours before they reached the spot on the
map that had been pointed out to them. Naruto spent most of his time trying to
remember everything Kakashi had taught him about strategy, hoping that one of
the various lessons he had picked up on would serve him well today. He didn�t
want to think of being the one responsible for losing any more Konoha shinobi,
let alone people so important to him.
            His mixed thoughts were dispelled when Sakura
took her time to elbow him in the gut, flashing a perfectly naughty grin as they
leapt through the trees. Giving the woman a short nod of thanks the team�s
leader realigned his mind with the task at hand.
            Failure was not an option. It never was.

            Paperwork irritated Tsunade. It was the most
boring part of the job she had accepted all those years ago. When she had taken
up the position of Hokage she knew that despite all of the fun and power that
came with her title, she would have to deal with a lot of politics and file a
lot of reports. Despite all that, nothing could truly prepare Tsunade for
the never ending waves of documents that flooded her desk, each of them asking
for her signature in some form or another. She wouldn�t be surprised if a few
of them asked for her to write in blood.
            Shizune walked in the doors to her caretaker
and mentor�s office, her facial features obscured by the mountain of papers in
her grip. The blonde woman�s face contorted in a grimace of distaste as her
hands flew up in an attempt to halt the younger girl�s advances.
            �No more!� the Hokage begged. �I�ve had enough
for one day.�
            �Tsunade-sama!� Shizune chided in a
near-perfect whine. �It�s only nine in the morning. You can�t possibly be
tired from work already!�
            �I can be damn well tired if I want to be,�
Tsunade grumbled. �I�m the Hokage after all.�
            �Being the Hokage isn�t an excuse for being
lazy,� the short-haired woman huffed. �You�ve been trying to shirk your
duties day in and day out for the last week! What�s the matter with you?�
            The Hokage sighed and flopped onto her desk.
�I�m tired of all the crap that�s going on right now,� she sighed. �I�m going
to bet that at least one third of those have to do with Ryumoto Yakusho.�
            �Closer to two thirds, Tsunade-sama,�
Shizune laughed nervously.
            �You see my point!?� the senior growled. �Ever
since that boy came here I�ve been swamped in even more paperwork than
normal. I can�t take it!�
            �Well then you won�t like what I have to tell
you,� the younger medic whimpered.
            Tsunade�s eyes leveled with Shizune�s, a sigh
of distaste forming. �I�m sure I won�t,� she admitted woefully. �What is it?�
            �It seems that not only has Ryumoto Yakusho
escaped from our care at the hospital,� the dark-eyed girl spoke cautiously,
�but he�s also�gone missing from the village.�
            Shizune soon found herself cowering in a corner
of the office as Tsunade unleashed her rage with a bellowing scream that shook
the very foundation of Konoha itself.

            The sun rose to the highest point in the sky it
could achieve as midday rolled around. It was at this time of the day that most
things were awake and moving, going about their daily schedules. The animals
quickly scurried and fluttered about, collecting food for themselves and their
young while hastily avoiding any threats to their safety. The branches of the
thousands of trees that littered the forests swayed and wiggled in the wind as
if their leafs were attempting to escape. Midday found nature at its finest.
            Midday also found the team of Naruto, Sakura,
Hinata, Kiba and Akamaru finally making it towards the border of the forest.
They stopped at the edge and peered out onto the vast series of plains that was
the landscape past the woods that covered the majority of the Fire Country. In
this relatively small space that wasn�t, there stood an encampment not too far
from the perimeter of the trees. The series of tents and tables that made up
the small gathering seemed unimpressive, save for the very large tent that
occupied the middle. It seemed big enough for twenty people.
            �Is this the place?� Kiba said quietly.
            Naruto pulled out the map he had placed in his
pocket the day previous and looked it over. For a moment he considered their
position and wondered � just for a moment � if they had gone the right way.
Dispelling his fear of inadequacy he took one last look at the map and nodded.
            �Yeah, this is the place,� Naruto affirmed.
�Right on target.�
            �Seems about right,� Hinata said as she
approached the other two from behind. The pronounced veins around her eyes
signified that she was using the Byakugan. �There are several shinobi inside
the camp grounds. I can count five of them.�
            �Only five?� Kiba blinked. �There�s no way.
If whatever they�re carrying is that important, there�s no way they�d only have
five shinobi guarding it.�
            A horrid sound filled the clearing as Kiba
finished his sentence. The eyes of four Konoha shinobi turned slowly towards
the middle tent, the flaps of it fluttering from the sheer force behind the
noise.
            �What in the hell was that?� the dog-boy asked,
Akamaru whimpering beside him.
            �I�d wager a guess and say that�s Orochimaru�s
experiment,� Sakura murmured as she slipped down beside her peers.
            �Whatever it is,� Hinata ventured, �I can�t see
it.�
            The other three turned to the Hyuuga clan
heiress with shock. �What did you say?� Kiba asked in astonishment.
            �There are seals all over what looks like a
cage,� Hinata said, squinting with her Byakugan as if to inspect closer.
�They�re putting up some sort of barrier. My Byakugan can�t see through it.
Whatever�s inside there must be very important.�
            �Jeez, Orochimaru thinks of everything doesn�t
he?� Kiba groaned.
            �Would seem that way,� Sakura added, looking
over the camping arrangements. �Anyone else get the feeling they don�t really
expect visitors?�
            �I was starting to feel the same way,� Naruto
admitted. �If what they�re guarding is so important, you�d think they�d be more
serious about it.�
            �I don�t particularly like where we stand
here,� Kiba sighed. Akamaru mimicked his friend�s discomfort with a low growl.
            �Still,� Sakura sighed, �we can�t just sit
here. We do have a mission here.�
            �Alright then,� Naruto grinned. �Let�s get
brainstorming.�

            �JIYUMARU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!� Ayame
screeched at the top of her lungs.
            �What, what, what!?� the ANBU Jounin squeaked
as he peeked his head into Ichiraku�s. He was greeted by a frying pan which
flew through the air and struck him in the face, flattening it momentarily.
            �You, you pervert!� she screamed,
throwing a ladle at him. �I can�t believe you! After that talk we had!�
            �What�re you talking about, Ayame?� the now
twice-struck shinobi gulped.
            �I�m talking about that!� the waitress
scowled, pointing at the floor behind the counter.
            More cautious than ever, Jiyumaru took his time
to peer over the tabletop. As his eyes crawled over the surface and gazed at
the ground below, he could make out what appeared to be grey patches of fur with
black stripes pinned underneath Ayame�s foot. A lump formed in his throat as he
slowly drank in what it was she was so upset about.
            �ZURUI!?� he finally cried out. �What are you
still doing here!?�
            �What can I say?� the small creature chittered
at him. �You�ve got some fine skirts around here, and good grub. I couldn�t
pry myself away.�
            �You little son of a ��
            �Jiyumaru,� Ayame�s voice called to
him. It wasn�t her normal cheery tone. There was venom dripping from her lips
as a cloud of anger formed about her head.
            The sword-user gulped audibly and slowly craned
his neck upwards. �Y-Yes, Ayame?�
            The twenty year old female exploded on her
former teammate, seemingly towering above him with fangs. �DID WE NOT HAVE AN
AGREEMENT THAT YOU WERE NEVER ALLOWED TO SUMMON ZURUI EVER AGAIN!?�
            �G-Gomen!� he pleaded with a loud whimper.
�B-But he was the fastest messenger I had! Any of the other raccoons would�ve
been just as perverted anyway!�
            �Yes Jiyumaru, that may be true,� Ayame growled
as she trembled with rage, �but none of the other raccoons have a habit of
crawling up my dress and fondling me in front of OTHER CUSTOMERS!!!!�
            �And boy babe,� Zurui�s smarmy voice spoke up,
�have you grown since the last time I got to feel those melons!�
            Ayame�s eyebrow twitched. �I can�t decide
whether that�s a compliment or whether he�s mocking me,� she said, obviously
referring to the fact that she was not the most endowed woman in the village.
�Either way, get rid of him before I castrate you both.�
            There was a unified gulp between both master
and summoned creature at those words. Zurui quickly yanked his tail from
Ayame�s foot and scurried up the counter, bouncing off Jiyumaru�s head and
landing on the ramen girl�s breasts, giving them a firm squeeze.
            �Sorry you two,� he grinned cheekily, �but I
don�t wanna get caught just yet!�
            A second later the raccoon bounded off of
Ayame�s chest and flitted out into the streets, chittering madly as he peeked up
the skirt of any woman unfortunate to cross his path. Jiyumaru however spent
the next two seconds sweating bullets before Ayame�s rage reached a breaking
point and she punched him clear out of the restaurant. He came to a stop in the
wall of a nearby building, reminding himself to never trust that stupid raccoon
ever again.

            �Run that by me again?� Kiba asked.
            �It�s simple really,� Naruto explained. �We
used the same trick during our Chuunin exams all those years ago, right Sakura?�
            �Right!� she replied. �Naruto uses his Kage
Bunshin along with Henge to make the enemy think that his clones are the rest of
his team.�
            �I�ll attack with the clones to try and catch
them off guard,� the blond clarified. �If I can take them out by myself then no
one else gets hurt. If I can�t, then the rest of you can jump in and take
advantage of the element of surprise.�
            �That sounds like a great plan, Naruto-kun!�
Hinata smiled.
            �Yeah, but explain one thing to me,� Kiba
interjected. �Why exactly are you going in with your clones instead of
just sending a clone of yourself?�
            Naruto beamed his toothy little grin. �I would
think the answer to that fairly obvious,� he said.
            Kiba groaned. �Teme!� he shouted. �You�re
trying to get more kills than me.�
            �But of course,� the whiskered leader smirked.
�Is everyone in agreement to the plan?�
            �It works for me,� Sakura said. �Just be
careful, okay Naruto?�
            �Hai,� Hinata added, �don�t do anything stupid
now.�
            �Jeez,� the blond groaned. �I�ll be fine, I
promise. I just can�t wait to put that thing down so we can go back home.�
            �Hey, watch it with those words!� Kiba griped.
Naruto turned to see Akamaru whimpering.
            �Gomen!� he gulped. �Alright, is everyone
ready?�
            �Go get�em Naruto!� the brunet cheered. �We�ll
be waiting.�
            Snapping his hands together in a seal, four
more versions of Naruto appeared around the group. Another hand seal caused a
small batch of chakra smoke to pop out of each clone. When the smoke cleared
the members of the team stared into their own eyes as what looked like perfect
replicas of themselves grinned right back at them.
            �That�s kinda creepy,� Kiba shivered.
            �I try my best,� Naruto smirked. �Wish me
luck.�
            Naruto and his clones dispersed, scattering
themselves along the border of the forest. The other shinobi looked on in
interest as the blond leader took his time positioning each one of his Kage
Bunshin in an appropriate spot, readying his attack with a patience rarely seen
in him. The golden spikes that adorned Naruto�s head were just barely seen by
the remainder of his true allies, all who were busy waiting for him to make his
move. Hinata fidgeted for the first time in months.
            Without warning Naruto and his Kage Bunshin
teammates burst from their hiding spots, gusts of air rattling the leafs and
brush behind them. The charge was made without one of the hyperactive male�s
trademark battle cries, his form as well as his clones� moving rapidly and
silently along the emerald sea before them. He had already covered half the
distance between the woodland and the Kusa camp ground in less than five
seconds. In another five or so he would be on top of them, catching them
completely off guard. It looked indeed as if Naruto�s attack would be a
stunning success.
            Kiba was the first to see it. Hinata came
second with Sakura coming in a desperate third. Just as the sun rose a mere
millimeter more into the sky its light bounced off the prairie before them,
revealing the sinister truth of the enemy encampment. Waves of light formed a
bright sheen on the circle of grass that surrounded the tents, glinting against
their razor sharp ends. They tried so hard to scream, to shout, to warn their
friend and leader.
            Their voices came too late. The sound of a
million spears flying through the air filled the clearing as the grass erupted
from the ground and formed a wall of spikes, spreading out well towards the
forest and across the clearing. Naruto�s clones were instantly impaled,
dispelling them in a large puff of smoke. Naruto himself could see his own
demise a mere fraction of a second beforehand as lime-colored javelins hurtled
towards him. The gore-filled noise of weapon piercing flesh could be heard as a
layer of red life coated the sparkling green defense.
            �NARUTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�

            It ran. Birds and foliage flew into the air in
panic as it sped through the trees, snapping branches and tapping hollowed wood
in its wake. It was in a hurry, desperate to arrive at its location. With
ferocity it ploughed through the brush and cut down anything that obscured its
path.
            It only hoped it would get there in time.

            Time stood still at the edge of the forest.
Life itself seemed to stop momentarily as the three shinobi and one canine drank
in the horrifying sight that presented itself to them. Naruto�s body was
impaled on long spears of grass, his blood drenching their sweet olive color in
a sickening crimson. Hinata�s eyes mimicked the racing of her heart as it
threatened to sink into the depths. Sakura�s scream had echoed through the open
air quite vividly as just a trace of tears began to form. Kiba�s voice was
caught in his throat, trying to ascertain if what he was seeing was real.
            Life began once again as Naruto groaned in pain
and dislodged himself from the sharp instrument. Relief filled the air as the
golden-haired teen stepped back a few paces to reveal that it was only his arm
that had been pierced while the rest of him was intact.
            �Son of a bitch!� he said in shock. �That was
close!�
            �Not bad,� a twisting female voice called from
the other side. �You like it? With this barrier we�re completely protected
from all forms of attack. I have to say though�it�s kind of disappointing
you�re not dead.�
            The barrier of sharp grass receded, revealing
the five Kusa shinobi that had set it up. The female that had addressed Naruto
seemed to be their leader, as her longer green cape would have suggested. Her
features were well concealed by her equally dark-green hood, concealing her hair
and ears to leave but her face and brown eyes on display. Next to her was a
rather nondescript man with green-colored hair and two long blades attached to
his wrists. The third possessed a head of blond hair that easily matched
Naruto�s, while the fourth seemed to remain secluded in himself, mumbling
various things under his breath as he cradled a spiked whip in his hand. His
short red hair made him stand out against the green background of the pasture
and his own clothing. The fifth and final Kusa shinobi was a tall and muscular
man with no hair whatsoever, his green eyes staring death down at Naruto as he
readied two bladed tonfa. The five of them together were very daunting for the
young man to gaze upon.
            �Well what do you know?� the second Kusa-nin
chuckled. �Hey Kanna, it looks like the beast�s gonna get fed today.�
            �Good,� the sole female and leader replied, �it
was getting kind of hungry anyway.�
            Kanna reached into a small pouch located on her
thigh and unceremoniously tossed four senbon needles directly at Naruto.
Despite it all her actions were quick and Naruto could not follow them fast
enough. His attempt to avoid the sudden assault met in failure, each needle
jabbing into his skin deeply. They did not hurt or cause as much damage as a
kunai or shuriken, but Naruto knew instantaneously from the moisture on their
tips that he was in trouble.
            �I hope you enjoy a miserable death,� the woman
snorted. �That poison shouldn�t take more than fifteen minutes to kill you.�
            If there was one quality Naruto could say he
admired about Sakura, it would be the fact that she had a good head on her
shoulders. Realizing that the original plan was a failure and that Naruto�s
life was in danger, the bright-haired kunoichi gave the command to move in.
Kiba and Akamaru lead the charge with Hinata just behind them and Sakura at the
very back. The two members of Team Eight made their way to block off any
further attempts at Naruto whilst Sakura quickly removed the needles from his
body and began working her medical ninjutsu to extricate the poison from his
system.
            �So they did have backup,� the red-headed man
sighed. �It�s always such a pain.�
            �Just consider yourself lucky there�s more of
them,� the burly bald man chuckled. �That way we don�t have to feed you to
it.�
            �As if you would,� came his short reply, the
whip in his hand loosening.
            �Enough babbling,� Kanna sighed. �Seems that
we�re in for a fight boys. Who�s ready to get their hands dirty?�
            �I�m game if you guys are,� the blond Kusa-nin
snickered. �Just show me who to kill!�
            On the other side of the barrier Sakura had
finished removing the poison from Naruto�s blood, letting the chakra that had
absorbed it dump it on the grass. She wiped her brow reflexively before pulling
out five small vials from her tool pouch.
            �This stuff should help neutralize that poison
if they use it again,� she said. �But it only lasts for about five minutes.
Don�t use it frivolously.�
            �Where�d you pick up a trick like these
things?� Naruto asked, slowly standing up.
            �You learn a few things when you train under
Tsunade,� she said, her mind oddly enough traveling back to her battle with
Sasori. The situation was similar, but not nearly as frightening. She had
already developed the anti-venom for this particular poison almost a year ago,
so she knew it worked.
            �Do you mind?� the green-haired Kusa-nin
grumbled. �You�re holding up valuable time we�d need to kill you with.�
            �You would say something like that, wouldn�t
you Asajiu?� the burly man chortled.
            �You�re not one to judge Fugo,� the fair-haired
one snapped.
            �Would you stop pestering everyone?� the
crimson-headed boy sighed. �The more we talk, the more time we waste.�
            �Tell that to yourself Kouya,� the blond
retorted.
            �ENOUGH!� Kanna snarled angrily. She turned
her deep brown eyes on her team, a sinister smile adorning her lips. �Stop
bickering or I�ll feed you all to the beast, got it?�
            �Yes Kanna,� they all replied with a deep sigh.
            �They don�t seem to get along too well, do
they?� Kiba asked, scratching his cheek.
            �I�ll say,� Naruto blinked.
            �ARE YOU MOCKING US!?� the female Kusa leader
spat. �Fine, we�ll just have to kill you faster than intended! Try and leave
some meat on them for our package boys!�
            �I don�t think so!� Sakura cried.
            The Kusa shinobi stared in shock as Sakura�s
right hand met the ground, a loud trembling sounding through the air before the
sheer force of her strike split the earth apart. Grass, mud and dirt flew into
the air as the soil was upturned, a giant fissure heading straight toward the
enemy group. As the crack hit the grass barrier it erupted, sending debris and
rock showering into the camp. The jutsu that protected the Kusa shinobi
instantly faded as part of the circle was broken, the grass returning to its
original composition.
            �That�s my cue!� Kiba shouted. �Juujin
Bunshin!�
            A wisp of smoke engulfed Akamaru�s body as Kiba
used his family�s special Jutsu. In the dog�s place was an exact look-a-like of
its master, the clone growling with distaste for the enemy shinobi. The second
step was made quickly as the dog-man dropped to all fours and activated the
Shikyaku no Jutsu, his nails growing into thick claws along with his teeth
sharpening. The five shinobi from the Grass Country simply looked on with
astonishment as Kiba became less like a human and more like feral beast.
            �Let�s go Akamaru!� he called out. �Gatsuuga!�
            The pair bounded off each others hands,
spinning their bodies at incredible velocity. Master and best friend became
flying drills that sped through the air, hurtling towards his five foes. The
Kusa shinobi responded without grace as they all scattered for their very lives,
the blond one losing a tuft of his thick hair to Kiba�s assault. Man and Beast
Human Clone tore through the camp, ripping apart small tents and scattering
supplies all about the grasslands. The large central tent was left unharmed
purposely by the duo who did not wish to disturb its contents anymore than they
already had.
            �Son of a bitch cut my hair!� the mouthy
golden-headed Kusa-nin cursed.
            �Kansou, LOOK OUT!� Fugo shouted in his deep,
booming voice.
            Responding to his name, the flaxen-haired man
turned around abruptly. He was welcomed by the sight of Kiba boring into his
stomach, the Gatsuuga ripping through the poor like paper. As the two members
of the Inuzuka clan finished their attack and landed on the ground near their
allies they counted one kill in their favor. The illusion was dispelled however
as the bits and pieces of Kansou fell apart to reveal nothing but blades of
grass.
            �Kusa Bunshin!?� Kiba growled. �Ah damn it!�
            Chaos struck then and there. Naruto whirled
around as Kansou burst from the ground behind Kiba, brandishing a small sword
laced with venom. At the same instant Kanna whipped out a series of senbon at
Naruto which were quickly snapped in half and rendered useless as Hinata rushed
to his aid, guarding his back with Shugohakke Rokujyuu Yonshou. Kiba rolled to
the side to avoid the diagonal slash from his attacker as Akamaru leapt on the
noisy Kusa-nin, biting into his arm with his human-form teeth. Fugo quickly saw
his opportunity and charged the unsuspecting nin-ken trainer, barreling down on
the brunet with one of his bladed tonfa. The attack never made it through as
Sakura bolted to her companion�s side and deflected the blow with her palm. She
and Kiba knocked the giant man away together, Sakura taking out his legs with a
sweeping kick while Kiba slammed into his chest.
            A single heartbeat thumped throughout ten
people. A single moment had gone by as a second began.
            Kanna hissed in anger as her original plan
failed. Seeing no other option she produced two bloodstained kris knives from
her cloak and charged at Hinata and Naruto. Hinata remained firmly in her
place, deflecting the first two errant stabs and answering with a palm strike to
the woman�s chest. The �pshhh� of the Hyuuga�s Jyuuken attack sounded in the
air, Kanna stumbling backwards and coughing up a minor bit of blood as her lungs
received the brute of the blow. Relatively undamaged she struck out again at
the dark-haired girl, her assault poised to slice the smaller kunoichi�s
throat. Hinata reacted to the maneuver flawlessly, grabbing Kanna by her right
wrist and forearm before tossing the Kusa kunoichi past them both. As the
angered woman came to a stop she suddenly became aware that Naruto was nowhere
in sight. The hyperactive boy showed himself once more as he reached out of the
ground and latched on to Kanna�s ankles, dragging her into the earth. The Kusa
leader was left to do nothing but struggle as she was pulled in to her neck, her
head the only thing showing as the blond removed himself from the soil,
snickering at her predicament.
            At the very same instant Asajiu came to
Kansou�s rescue, knocking the Beast Human Clone off his teammate. As he did he
and his blond ally were beset upon by Sakura and Kiba. Kansou took to the owner
of what had bit his arm, delivering a sharp punch to the dog-boy�s gut before
coming down on him with the short sword he was wielding. Kiba fell to all fours
and rolled to the side, dodging the sharpened blow and responding with a slash
across Kansou�s already wounded arm. Sakura took the fight to Asajiu, feinting
to the left before going right and driving her fist towards his gut. The
green-headed ninja reacted speedily, knocking aside the girl�s fist with the
back of one of his wrist blades. With his opponent now off-center Asajiu thrust
forward with his weapon. Sakura averted death and disaster only thanks to
Akamaru, who shed his transformed state as he leapt upward to sink his canine
jaws into the blade-toting shinobi�s arm. Both Konoha shinobi knew they had the
advantage and sought to press it, Kiba aiming for Kansou�s throat while Sakura
aimed her first at Asajiu�s face.
            When Kouya struck it was a complete surprise.
His whip lashed out from seemingly nowhere and knocked Akamaru and Sakura aside,
the thorns lightly tearing at their bodies. Sakura steadied herself quickly to
avoid Asajiu�s oncoming counter-attack, pushing his wild thrusts aside one by
one before giving him a fierce headbutt to the face. Kiba found no better luck
as his attack met Kusa Bunshin, scattered blades of grass mashing into his face
and obscuring his vision. While he was distracted Kansou sprung into action,
appearing from under one of the ruined tents and delivering a sharp kick to
Kiba�s back. The nin-ken trainer slammed hard into the floor, his attempts to
stand ruined as the fair-haired Kusa-nin slammed his foot on the beast-man�s
back again and pinned him to the spot. Sakura charged at Kansou to save her
friend but was stopped short as Kouya unleashed another Kusa ninjutsu, the grass
in front of her exploding in a flurry of vines and overgrowth that wrapped
around her like a prison. As her arms and legs were bound by the plants she
remembered vaguely she had been in a compromising position like this once
before. Any hope of rescue from Kiba�s canine companion vanished as Fugo
returned from his earlier beating and restrained the poor creature with naught
but his bare hands.
            �Looks like Konoha�s been slacking,� Kansou
snickered.
            Naruto and Hinata had turned just in time to
see their friends taken down by the Kusa shinobi. They moved to make save their
teammates but Kouya had a different plan. Taking a single kunai from his pocket
he placed the blade at Sakura�s throat, motioning to Fugo and Kansou to do the
same. In turn the burly muscle-man and the loud-mouth both placed their weapons
at their captive�s throat, flashing dirty grins at the other two from Konoha.
Asajiu in the meantime had worked himself behind the jinchuuriki and his
significant other, pulling his leader from the earthen trap Naruto had placed
her in. Together, he and Kanna surrounded the Hyuuga heiress and her boyfriend.
            �Good work everyone,� Kanna snickered. �It
seems as if we�ve gotten the upper hand.�
            �You won�t get away with this!� Naruto spat at
the deranged looking woman.
            �Isn�t that what the hero always says to the
villain in the movies?� Kouya chided as he carefully switched places with Kanna.
�That�s rather clich� of you, don�t you think?�
            �The difference here is that this isn�t a
movie,� the dark-eyed kunoichi of the Grass snarled, �and it�s not some shoddy
fantasy novel where the hero always wins in the end.�
            Kanna moved herself next to Sakura�s restrained
body and pulled out one of her kris knives. The pink-headed kunoichi whimpered
as she was grabbed roughly by her short hair, her head pulled back to expose her
throat. Kanna rubbed the flat end of her knife against Sakura�s neck, cackling
all the while.
            �What do you think will make a better death for
them to watch, Asajiu?� she questioned her green haired compatriot. �Should I
slowly slit her throat open so they can watch the blood pour out? Or should I
cut her scalp off so they can hear her scream?�
            �Let her go you sick bitch!� Naruto snarled.
            �Wow, you don�t know Kanna very well if you
think that�s sick,� Kouya chuckled.
            Hinata�s gaze didn�t falter. Her stance
remained strong, but her heart felt weak. She knew if she charged she could
easily take down at least one of the enemy shinobi, but doing so would most
likely cost her the lives of her friends. She would not live with that burden
very well. It was the code to finish the mission at all costs, but their
generation had dispelled that notion very quickly. They lived for their friends
and family, not the glory of their jobs. She wouldn�t risk their lives for
anything.
            At this point though it didn�t seem like it
would make a difference. The Kusa shinobi didn�t look like they were into
taking prisoners. If they did, Hinata imagined she and the rest of her allies
would be fed to whatever it was that was inside that big tent. That fate seemed
much worse than dying at this point.
            �Well I can see you�ve learned your lesson,�
Kanna chortled, �although it�s a little too late.�
            Sakura cried in fear as Kanna turned her blade,
the sharp edge of her kris fluttering against Sakura�s soft throat. The
bright-haired teenager whimpered as her death seemed imminent. Naruto and
Hinata could do nothing but watch on in horror as Kanna prepared to end the poor
medic�s life. Kiba and Akamaru both struggled in vain, trying to free
themselves from their captors despite the threat to their own lives. Instead
their heads were turned and forced to drink in the terrifying view.
            �So,� Kanna giggled, licking over the blade of
her weapon, �any last words?�
            What followed the Kusa leader�s sinister words
was the sound of blade cutting flesh. Life seemed to stop for a moment as blood
covered the vines that encircled Sakura�s form. It was a second or two before
Kanna looked down at her body to see the red essence of her life staining her
clothing and the grass. Her torso tumbled to the ground apart from the rest of
her as what was left of her upper body clung to the restraints that held
Konoha�s medic prodigy.
            �Yeah,� a voice rumbled from behind her, �you
talk too freaking much.�
            Five sets of eyes turned to look at what had
been responsible for Kanna�s death. Standing a mere foot from Sakura and the
deranged leader of the Kusa shinobi was none other than the red-garbed form of
Ryumoto Yakusho.
            �The hell!?� Naruto gasped. �Yakusho!?�
            The death of their leader caused the Kusa
shinobi to panic. Kansou drove his knife into Kiba�s throat while Fugo reached
out and tried to break Akamaru�s neck. The distraction that Yakusho had made
was all Kiba really needed however as Kansou stabbed into a rabbit which Kiba
was using for his Kawarimi no Jutsu. Akamaru roughly kicked up his hips and
knocked the muscle man off him before he could be harmed. The two friends
reunited at each others sides ready for battle. Yakusho quickly cut Sakura free
of her bonds and all the members of the Konoha team regrouped a few feet from
their adversaries.
            �What are you doing here?� Naruto questioned
Yakusho. �I thought they told you to stay in the hospital.�
            �What can I say?� Yakusho sighed. �Coming out
here and killing people with you sounded so much better than waiting on that old
hag to check up on me every hour. So I ditched them.�
            �You won�t see me complaining right now!�
Sakura said, rubbing her sore wrists.
            �You sure have impeccable timing,� Kiba
snorted. �Guess that bitch is eating her words now, eh Naruto?�
            �Shouldn�t we be more focused on what�s at
hand?� Hinata offered up.
            Fugo, Kansou and Asajiu rushed towards the
group of six, brandishing their weapons with rage. Fugo threw five poison bombs
into the air which came down on the Konoha shinobi, covering the area in thick
purple clouds. The green-clad shinobi waited and waited for their prey to
either escape the cloud into their waiting hands or to die from the fumes.
            What exited the clouds of poisoned smoke was a
pair of twin flying drills. Kiba�s Gatsuuga attack ripped through the dark mist
and dispelled it as he and his Man Beast Clone raced towards the enemy shinobi.
This time there was no Kusa Bunshin to save Kansou from the dog-nin�s assault,
his flesh tearing as Kiba ripped into him. The blond Kusa-nin fell to his back
as Kiba came out of his spin, claws extending out and digging into Kansou�s
throat and slashing his jugular. The unfortunate man quickly bled out all over
the grass.
            Upon seeing his comrade murdered Asajiu charged
recklessly at the nin-ken trainer. His attack was met head on by Sakura once
again, his blows deflected to the side as his chest and face were struck by her
powerful attacks. The final blow to his gut contained so much concentrated
chakra that the green-haired man was sent flying into the woods, his spine
shattering as he slammed into one of the many trees.
            Fugo was by now more than enraged at the death
of two more of his partners. He whipped together a few hand seals in a
desperate attempt to fight back, a wave of Kusa Hari screaming towards the
members of Konohagakure. The attack was halted as Yakusho slammed his Dragon
Fang into the earth and caused a pillar of flame to gush out of the soil to
protect him and his allies. When his attack had no effect, Fugo became consumed
by all out rage. Gathering his bladed tonfa the bulky male charged forward with
no care for his own life, intent on trying to kill someone. Hinata and Naruto
put an end to his efforts together, the pale-eyed woman stopping the large man
in his tracks with four precise attacks while Naruto finished him off, shoving a
kunai deep into his chest and stabbing him through the heart.
            The fight was over it seemed. Taking a few
moments to relax the five shinobi and one canine rejoiced and met up in the
center of the battle zone.
            �Good job everyone,� Naruto exclaimed.
�Yakusho�I don�t know what in the hell you�re thinking by disobeying medical
orders, but I don�t think we can really complain, can we?�
            �You�re welcome,� the red-vested man chuckled.
            �Is everyone okay?� Sakura asked around. �No
one hurt?�
            �Just our pride,� Kiba sighed. �I really
didn�t think I�d get turned into a hostage.�
            �It�s okay Kiba-kun,� Hinata comforted her
friend. �You�ll do better next time.�
            �You�re not helping Hinata,� Kiba whimpered.
            �I can�t help but think we�re forgetting
something,� Yakusho muttered.
            �Now that you mention it,� Hinata said, �wasn�t
there�a red-headed one?�
            A loud cackle broke their train of thought.
Six head swiveled towards the big tent in the center of what had once been the
Kusa shinobi camp ground to see Kouya laughing maniacally, his eyes bloodshot
with insanity. The red-haired man from Kusagakure looked out at his enemies and
snickered lowly.
            �We were going to be immortal!� he snarled.
�But you had to come along and ruin it all. All we had to do was look after
this creature and Orochimaru-sama would have given us the secrets to unending
life! But you had to come and spoil all our hard work!�
            �What�re you nuts?� Naruto hissed. �There�s no
way Orochimaru would ever teach you how to��
            Kouya just kept talking however. He seemed
removed from sanity, talking as though the rest of the world were but a mere
outlet for his voice. No one else was there in his little existence save him
and his unbridled rage.
            �Now they�re all dead,� he laughed, �and I�m
going to die too! But if I�m going to go, then I�m going to take all of you
miserable bastards with me!�
            Kouya began to snap together various seals at
an alarming rate. Before the team could move the final one had already been set
into place, his chakra released in a flurry of rage.
            �Prepare yourselves!� he cried out. �I�ll see
you on the other sides of the gates to Hell!�
            Five loud popping noises sounded from within
the large green tent behind the angered ninja. His voice was a hoarse guffaw as
smoke billowed out from the flaps followed by five loud bangs. For a mere
moment there was nothing but silence, followed by the loud clang of metal
connecting with solid dirt.
            He had opened the cage.
            The tent flew into the air as the beast
bellowed, tossing its prison away as though it were nothing but straw. From the
green flaps arose a creature so horrifying that Hinata practically felt her
stomach empty at the sight of it. Three heads rushed from the entangled mess,
teeth stabbing into Kouya�s body and sending his lifeblood across the clearing.
The crazed shinobi�s torso was severed, his top and bottom flung across the
grass as a slithering mouth sucked out the innards. A sharp roar sent the last
bits of fabric from the shelter fluttering into the sky, the abomination on
display for all.
            It stood on four legs covered with patched and
coarse golden brown fur. Chipped, four-toed claws accentuated it�s overly
powerful limbs, digging into the grass and digging through the dirt. Before its
head was a massive mane of shaggy and dirt-caked hair of the same color as the
rest of its fur. The beast truly began to stand out at this point from its
lion�s head, a mouth full of razor sharp teeth belying its peaceful looking
eyes. For all intents and purposes its lower half looked to be nothing more
than that of a lion.
            The similarities with the common wild beast
ended there as the bleating of its second head true attention to itself.
Sticking out of the lion�s neck was the head of a goat, snarling and bleating
angrily as it wobbled back and forth, snapping its flat teeth with rage. Small
horns adorned its skull after a small batch of ripped and abused grey fur. Its
eyes were a dark green, staring back at the gaggle of ninja with malicious
intent.
            The final addition to the creature was that its
tail was alive as well. Slithering up from behind the creature came a
purple-scaled snake head, a forked tongue shooting out past clenched lips before
its mouth opened wide, showing off its impressive fangs. The flaps about its
face signified that it had been taken from some sort of cobra. Its head swayed
back and forth like a more elegant metronome as it surveyed the whole creature�s
prey, giving off a small hiss of delight. All three heads bellowed at once,
each making a different hellish noise from the last.
            All of the shinobi from Konoha trembled in fear
of the beast that stood before them, their minds unable to comprehend what sort
of malice could have brought this animal into existence.
            �G-Good god!� Sakura shrieked. �What the hell
is that thing?!�
            �A chimaera,� Hinata spoke, her body
trembling. �I�ve read about them from books in my family�s library�b-but
they�re nothing but myths and legends. The body and head of a lion�mixed with
the head of a goat and a serpent. They don�t exist in real life!�
            �I think we can safely say that Orochimaru has
never really had a respect of the laws of nature,� Kiba quivered. �This is
just�wrong though.�
            �So this is his package?� Naruto gulped,
clenching his fists reflexively. �You can�even feel the hatred and darkness
seeping from it. It�s crushing�I can�t believe Orochimaru would go this far��
            �This thing could kill us all,� Yakusho
muttered, his sword arm shaking. �Looks like quite the challenge.�
            �What do we do Naruto-kun?� Hinata asked her
current leader.
            Before the blond could respond the beast made
its first move. Having assessed its latest meal it crouched on its hind legs,
each muscle tensing before it threw itself forward. The horrid mangle of
monsters leapt into the air at the gathering of shinobi, its mixed howl echoing
through the sky as it prepared to devour more succulent flesh. Naruto quickly
ordered the team to disperse just before the beast�s weight came down on the
ground, shaking the earth slightly. Sakura tripped and fell on her back,
leaving herself wide open to the chimaera�s hungry teeth. As the disgrace to
nature advanced on her the medic-nin lost her composure and began to scream for
dear life, kicking at the ground to move her body backwards.
            �GET BACK!� she screamed. Reaching into her
tool pouch Sakura produced three small bags which she tossed into the air in
haste. Quickly following the bags were an equal number of kunai which she flung
at the satchels to slice them open. The small pouches contained what seemed
like thousands of little patches of paper which fluttered down around the beast
like snow. Closer inspection revealed each piece of paper to be an explosive
note, all of which Sakura detonated as she threw a kunai with a larger explosive
note attached to it at the atrocity�s feet. The tag exploded shortly and
triggered the others, causing hundreds of tiny explosions to occur one after
another in a wondrous chain reaction. A huge blast engulfed the creature,
leaving nothing but thick smoke where it had stood.
            �D-Did I do it?� Sakura asked herself, her form
still trembling with fear.
            The cherry-headed kunoichi got her answer a
dreadful roar sounded from within the cloud of smoke, the force behind it
sending Sakura skidding across the grass. The other shinobi from Konohagakure
quickly dug their feet and hands into the ground to avoid being blown away as
the chimaera slowly exited the pillar of darkened air.
            �I don�t believe it!� Kiba gasped. �It�s not
even scratched!�
            Naruto quickly rushed over and helped Sakura to
her feet, looking over the fiendish animal. Not a single piece of its fur had
been singed, nor was a single part of its body damaged in any way.
            �How is that possible?� the fair-haired boy
shuddered. �Is it untouchable or something?�
            �No way,� Yakusho said, brandishing his sword.
�We just need to hit it harder.�
            The three males nodded in agreement. Naruto
quickly formed a squad of twenty Kage Bunshin as Kiba and his Juujin Bunshin
partner stepped up. Yakusho swung his sword across the ground and sent a stream
of flame searing towards the chimaera as Naruto�s gaggle of clones charged the
unmoving creature. Kiba and Akamaru looked back and forth for openings, waiting
for the perfect moment to strike with Gatsuuga.
            The chimaera seemed barely phased by the
assault on its being. The line of fire struck it in the leg, the blast that
followed it causing a gush of heat to scorch the fur of its lion�s mane. This
didn�t seem to harm the creature as it simply raised its tail up, the snake head
taking a deep breath before expelling a torrent of liquid fire into the
clearing. Naruto�s clones were struck by the blaze, each one disappearing in a
loud bang as the attack razed greenery and Kage Bunshin alike. The brunet
dog-boy and his companion quickly jumped out of the road of the wild attack,
barely escaping a barbecue of their flesh. All that was left after the fire
fizzled was burnt soil.
            �Holy hell!� Kiba shouted. �This thing�s
unbelievable! Is there anything it can�t do!?�
            �We can�t fight it normally,� Hinata shouted,
trying to remain as calm as possible. �If it�s anything like the monster of
legends then breathing fire is just the tip of the iceberg. This thing is like
a one man army.�
            �We should run, Naruto!� Sakura said to the
blond, her face a river of terror. �If we stay here this thing will kill us!�
            Naruto shook his head. �No,� he said firmly,
�we can�t just leave. Our mission was to come out here and find Orochimaru�s
precious package. This thing though�it could take out a whole rural village on
its own. It�s a menace and we can�t just let it roam the countryside looking
for its next meal. This mission is our responsibility, and that makes this
beast our responsibility too.�
            The rest of the team nodded at Naruto�s rare
moment of insight. They understood the gravity of the situation and were
prepared to face it.
            �So what you�re saying basically,� Yakusho
sighed, rubbing one of his temples, �is that we have to kill this thing here and
now?�
            �That�s the gist of it,� Naruto nodded.
            �I haven�t got a problem with that!� Yakusho
cried out. �Let�s take it to this thing!�
            The survivor of the Ryumoto clan raced toward
the chimaera, the Dragon Fang poised to strike. Kiba and Akamaru rallied behind
him, spinning into the air in another Gatsuuga. Sakura finally found her
courage, nodding to Naruto as she and the blond followed the other two men into
battle, Hinata trailing just behind them.
            Yakusho struck first, his sword catching fire
as he brought it down on the beast�s skin. The two Inuzuka members crashed into
the chimaera�s body, the Gatsuuga attempting to tear into its flesh and rip it
apart. Both attacks failed to have that affect however, the flames from
Yakusho�s blade simply singing the hair on the lion�s mane. Kiba and his dog
stopped in mid-spin, slashing at the monster�s side with their bare claws.
Instead of the satisfying noise of flesh being slashed the attack produced the
noise of nails scraping against rock, one of Kiba�s elongated nails chipping at
the friction. The goat head bleated at Yakusho and snapped at his face as the
lion�s face bit into the Dragon Fang, wresting it from the young man�s grasp and
tossing it to the side. Akamaru nearly bit into the goat head�s face when the
serpent drew in another sharp breath. All three of them scattered just before
another wave of flames would have incinerated them.
            As soon as the gout of fire passed Naruto was
on top of the brute, two clones as his sides as he grappled onto all three
heads. While he restrained the monster Sakura and Hinata found their openings
and attacked. Focusing all the strength into her attacks that she could the
light-haired medic fired three powerful punches at the lion, knocking it�s maw
in three different directions before she finalized it with a roundhouse kick.
Hinata used her Byakugan and Jyuuken to strike along the beast�s long body,
ending with a double palm strike to the goat head. Both assaults seemed
ineffective as the creature shook its body violently and tossed the three
shinobi away from it. As soon as it was free from the jinchuuriki�s tenuous
grasp it took in a deep breath before the lion�s mouth fired off a wide spray of
water. Naruto and his two female companions were caught dead on by the gush and
sent spiraling across the grass, coming to a stop just before the forest�s edge.
            �D-Damn it!� Naruto cursed, standing up
slowly. �This thing has a million tricks up its sleeves, doesn�t it?�
            Another bellowing roar filled the clearing as
the shinobi looked on in desperation.
            �This isn�t going well Naruto,� Yakusho said,
flexing his fingers. �So far everything we�ve thrown at this thing hasn�t even
made it flinch.�
            �Then I guess I have to bring out my secret
weapon then,� Naruto growled.
            Another Kage Bunshin appeared at Naruto�s side
as he said those words. His allies watched on as Naruto focused his chakra in
his outstretched hand, his clone pounding against the force gathering in his
palm. With each coordinated strike from his replication the chakra he was
gathering formed more and more into the twisting, whirling ball of energy that
was the Rasengan. Naruto didn�t stop there, pouring more and more power into
the attack as he stared down the horrific mythical beast. The sphere grew and
grew, becoming a massive, trembling globe of practically unstable might. Slowly
the clone let down its shaping assault and gripped the massive Rasengan along
with its creator, holding the erratic swirl together with two hands to prevent
any unforeseen consequences.
            �Naruto!� Sakura gasped. �What is that thing?�
            �The Rasengan,� the blond told her, �on crack.�
            The chimaera turned its form to face the new
swirling of power before it. Naruto locked eyes with the main body, staring
into the creature�s being as it stared into his own. A raucous battle cry
sounded from the whiskered boy�s mouth as his eyes narrowed in on his target.
            �Listen here you freak of nature!� Naruto cried
out. �I am Uzumaki Naruto! The future Rokudaime Hokage of Konohagakure! It is
my duty to protect the people of my village and of this land. I won�t let
anything stand between me and my dream, especially not some three-headed spawn
of hell like you!�
            The grass under the young man�s feet flew into
the air as he and his clone charged forward, his step filled with the same
righteous fury that had fueled his actions for years. The myriad of monsters
bellowed as the young man flew towards them at incredible speeds, his latest
attack spinning at insane velocity. The goat head of the beast drew in a sharp
breath and exhaled pure lightning at Naruto, the crackling electricity
scattering off the massive Rasengan. Blades of energy snapped across the orb�s
surface, coiling around it and digging into the hands of both versions of
Naruto. The young shinobi cried out in rage and pain as he pushed on, his clone
threatening to burst at any moment. The gap between head and assault was closed
as Naruto drove the sphere into the goat�s mouth but a mere second later.
            �ODAMA RASENGAN!�
            As soon as the large ball connected with the
chimaera�s second head its force exploded across the clearing. A void of air
formed around the grey-furred face of the goat, sending a wave of power out in a
wide circle around the creature of myth which knocked up soil and bent grass.
The lightning that spewed from the bleating animal�s mouth expanded into the
annulled air, scattering across the surface of some invisible bubble before the
world rushed back in. Static, soil and sound were sucked back in towards the
contact point as a loud boom resounded in the clearing. Naruto dug the
sphere deep into the chimaera�s other face, a loud strangled cry of agony coming
from inside it as he pressed his attack. The goat head twisted and turned in
what seemed like hundreds of directions at once as its neck snapped. The Odama
Rasengan dissipated into nothingness with an even louder bang than the first
one, leaving the three-headed monstrosity one head short. The visage that
protruded from the lion�s neck hung limply with its tongue dangling past its
teeth.
            �Alright!� Naruto gasped.
            �He did it!� Kiba smiled.
            �Way to go Naruto!� Sakura shouted.
            The blond smiled broadly at his success for but
a mere moment. In the next that chimaera lashed out with its two remaining
lives and knocked the poor lad across the clearing, his body skidding to a stop
just before Sakura. She quickly helped him to his feet all of them watched the
beast in shock.
            �Damn it,� Yakusho spat. �It took your
strongest attack just to dent this thing�and that didn�t even stop it for a
second.�
            �If just one of these things is this strong,�
Hinata mused, �imagine what a whole army would be like��
            �All the more reason for us to kill it,�
Yakusho said. His hands moved at amazing speed to put together the seals for
Ryuuken. As he finished the humming claws of chakra formed quickly around his
hands. �I say we keep hitting it until its dead.�
            Yakusho�s posturing ended as the team looked
over the beast. The chimaera was currently not charging them or breathing any
other type of element at them. Instead it was shuddering and growling as its
body shook violently. A swarm of blackness began to coil and snake around its
joints and muscles, tiny serpents of dark chakra slowly engulfing its form.
Just when it seemed the abomination would be totally consumed by the vile energy
it let out a terrifying roar. The black energy that had been gathering across
its form burst from it like a giant bomb, consuming the entire clearing in its
malevolent chakra. As the wave of darkness struck the six shinobi a cold
emptiness overwhelmed them. Tendrils of blue were snagged by colorless
tentacles from the void that encircled them, ripping out their chakra and
pulling it back towards the chimaera. All efforts they made to stop the newest
attack were in vain. The blast receded and with it their chakra was drained
from them, leaving them to collapse onto the waves of grass. Akamaru joined
them as his jutsu was released and he returned to the form of a large dog,
whimpering with the rest of his teammates as they collapsed onto the grass.
            �Wh-what the hell?!� Naruto shouted. �What
just happened!?�
            �I would assume,� Yakusho growled, �that
whatever it just did sapped us of all our chakra.�
            Yakusho reinforced this point by holding up his
hands which were no longer adorned by the red glow of his Ryuuken.
            �W-wait!� Kiba coughed, trying vainly to stand
without his inner energy. �If we don�t have any chakra�we�re sitting ducks!
That thing will tear us apart!�
            �N-No!� Hinata cried, barely able to crawl
towards her other teammates. �We can�t lose here!�
            Even as she said that the chimaera was
advancing on them, drool dripping from the lion�s mouth as it looked over its
prey. Somewhere in the back of his imagination Naruto imagined they all must
look rather delicious, especially after what they�d put it through.
            �So this is it huh?� Kiba coughed, reaching out
to stroke Akamaru�s head. �Not exactly the way I imagined dying.�
            �It can�t be�� Sakura whimpered, tears
streaming down her cheeks as she tried to move. Her legs barely bent as she
attempted to do anything other than tremble and wait for death.
            �I can�t die this way�� Yakusho scowled,
panting hard. �Not like this. Not until I��
            �We aren�t dead yet!� Naruto said sternly.
Slowly he moved himself, propping his body up on his hands and knees as he tried
to stand up. �I won�t die here. I refuse to die here. I won�t just roll over
and give up.�
            Naruto broke his promise then and there. He
reached into himself and drew on the power of the Kyuubi. He wanted that power
more than anything now, as it would save him and his friends. It would be their
savior against this horrible creature.
            If only the Kyuubi were listening. Try as he
might Naruto could not get the Demon Fox to respond to him. No matter how hard
he begged or pleaded, the Kyuubi seemed to ignore him, save for a small
chuckling he could hear in the recesses of his mind. The blond began to panic
at this realization. Had the bastard finally decided he�d grown tired of living
inside Naruto and chose to die instead?
            Shut up and watch, the dark voice
finally snickered, or you�ll miss all the fun.
            All eyes suddenly trained on Hinata. The woman
who had barely been able to crawl but a moment previous was not slowly rising
onto her two legs. The team looked on in awe as Hinata stood her ground against
the oncoming monstrosity, her eyes focused on its heavy form. Something seemed
to flicker in the air about her as though a mysterious power was filling her.
The will to go on had been replenished within her.
            �I won�t give up,� her soft voice said as her
chest rose and fell with her labored breaths. �This is our mission�I won�t die
like this. N-Not when my friends�not when Naruto-kun needs me most!�
            The remaining two heads snarled at Hinata�s
defiance as she stood before them. The other shinobi could not help but feel
pride in the heiress�s actions. Naruto looked at his girlfriend in admiration,
amazed that she had the power to stand when he did not.
            �Sugoi, Hinata-chan,� he gasped. �You�show
it.�
            Something in the air cracked with devilish
intent. Naruto�s being was suddenly filled with more dread than he could
express. His eyes could only widen as he felt it begin to happen.
            �I WILL NOT LET YOU HARM HIM!!!� Hinata�s voice
broke, turning into a bellow of utter rage. A malevolence poured out of her
body as her form was engulfed in seething red chakra, the tendrils of energy
wafting off her form as pure evil seemed to stimulate her essence and drive her
on. Naruto watched in horror as something that could have only happened in his
nightmares occurred. There was no mistaking that this was reality however.
            �It�s not possible�� Sakura said, her form
shaking with new fear.
            �Hinata,� Kiba mumbled. �Such�power��
            The enraged inheritor grappled the massive
creature with her bare hands and tossed it back towards the camp grounds. The
mixed animal was shocked at the little one�s newfound power, barely managing to
keep its balance as it was thrown across the plains. Finding its prey had
developed a new set of survival skills the beast lashed out more violently,
swinging one of its sharp claws at Hinata�s face. The attack was knocked aside
by a flick of the dark-haired woman�s wrist, smacking the back of her hand
against the wretched monster�s paw. Contact with her skin caused the chimaera�s
skin to burn, smoke rising from its injured foot as it was pushed aside. Rage
pooled in the young girl�s pallid eyes as her opposite hand flew forward and
struck the beast in the face. Such was the chakra that course through her being
that the Jyuuken attack searing through the beast�s entire body, a gush of red
energy flying out its back as her chakra invaded and exited it.
            The others stared in mute shock and fear at the
spectacle before them. Yakusho�s eyes narrowed in on Hinata�s form as he drank
in the sight.
            So that�s it, he muttered to himself.
It has to be that�who would have thought?
            �LEAVE THEM ALONE!� she cried out again. The
creature lunged at Hinata, the lion�s fangs bared as it readied to rend her
flesh from her bones. She was not intent on staying in its path however as she
twisted her form to the side, her body gliding away from razor sharp teeth to
dig her palms into the animal�s gut over and over in a series of quick and
vicious attacks. Each palm strike was followed by a deep roar of power as red
chakra spouted from the monster�s body. The chimaera cried out in agony as it
was sent tumbling to the side, righting itself as quickly as it could to stare
down its food once more. Hinata�s form rose and fell with her sturdy breathing,
eyes drilling holes into her opponent�s soul.
            �So much power�� Kiba gulped. �She�s amazing.�
            �She�s incredible,� Naruto mouthed, unable to
find the breath to speak the words. In the pit of his stomach he could feel
unease being to grow.
            A loud hissing noise sounded from the
m�lange�s back, the snake head rising from behind with a nasty sneer. It took
in a deep breath before firing flames from its mouth, its intent to consume the
young woman in waves of searing heat. Hinata did not falter though. Instead of
deviating from her path she simply began to spin and threw her new power about
her, performing a red-tinted Kaiten that encircled her in a thick dome of energy
and tossed the fires to the winds like they were nothing.
�Wh-whoa!� Sakura gasped. �That
was intense!�
            �Hinata can�t even use Kaiten normally,� Kiba
said breathlessly. �This is�unbelievable��
            The others were too stunned with fear to do
much else but stare. As their strength began to slowly return to them they took
to their feet. They did not attempt to aid the empowered kunoichi however,
either because they had faith in her or they were afraid of the ominous intent
that seemed to radiate from within her being. None of them were quite sure
which the truer scenario was.
As they continued to gape at
Hinata�s marvelous assaults something inside the young kunoichi possessed her to
finish the job. With a nearly primal roar she charged the chimaera once more,
laying into its lion�s head with strike after strike after strike. Her body
twisted and swung back and forth in the wondrous dance that was the Jyuuken
style, her palms slamming into the creature�s first skull in every conceivable
direction as she avoided all its efforts to stop her. With each hit more and
more devilish energy coursed through the malevolent creature, causing it to
screech in pain. Each blast of chakra to the head damaged more and more of its
brain until nothing but ooze and a nearly eradicated tenketsu inhabited its
skull. Blood and mush pour out its ears as the main body buckled and fell to
the ground, leaving the serpent to flail about angrily in a last ditch effort to
fight back. Hinata responded to this aggression by grabbing the sniping snake
by its throat and squeezing it roughly, a howl of rage filling the air as her
fingers dub in past the flesh and severed the last remaining head. Purplish
blood gushed from the decapitated cobra�s body, staining the pale skin of the
Hyuuga heiress with her latest kill. The body of the mammoth beast shuddered to
a stop and finally died as she stood above it like a hunter claiming its prey.
            Awkward silence filled the clearing as the
other four shinobi kept looking on in fascination. Red chakra continued to
swirl and spiral around Hinata�s shape as she stood above the disfigured
carcass, her breath coming in long, hard gasps. Her friends slowly approached
her, all but Kiba keeping a somewhat safe distance.
            �Is she okay?� Yakusho asked.
            �I don�t know,� Naruto replied carefully.
            �Oi�Hinata�� Kiba called as though she were far
away, �are you alright?�
            The brown-haired Inuzuka reached out and gently
touched his teammate on the shoulder. The response to his show of affection was
the complete opposite of what anyone there had expected. Hinata quickly turned
to face him, her fingers curling in a wretched way as she let out a beastly
growl. Her lavender eyes were filled with malice and bloodlust as she looked
over her teammates.
            �DIE!!!!!!!� she screamed in an unearthly tone.
            Kiba leapt back on instinct as Hinata lashed
out at him with her hands. The shock and confusion that had filled the shinobi
from Konohagakure now turned into fear and shock as their once loyal friend
turned on them. Hinata once again launched an attack on her fellow member of
Team Eight, her fist aimed directly at his throat. The male had no time to
think his actions through and simply tried to defend himself, raising an arm to
block the deadly blow. The girl�s punch connected solidly with Kiba�s arm, the
crimson power blazing through his limb to tear at his muscles. The force of the
attack was enough to send him flying into a nearby set of bushes, his arm going
limp without feeling.
            Next she turned her crazed sights on Yakusho.
She reached him in a matter of moments and flung her open hand at his face.
Yakusho responded by batting her hand away and driving his knee into her
stomach. In the end she was too fast for him, capturing his knee betwixt her
coiled fingers and moving it aside before delivering a quick palm strike to his
gut. Her Jyuuken worked its magic, unsettling his insides as he skidded across
the grass. When he came to a stop he promptly lost his lunch all over the
ground, his body hunched over in pain.
            �S-stop!� he gurgled through his vomit.
            The scion growled viciously as her body swerved
towards its next goal. Sakura was much more agile than any of the others there,
her head tilting to the left as Hinata�s hand came in search of it. The heiress
tried over and over to lay into the pink-haired medic, each attempt meeting
nothing but air as Sakura continued to parry and dodge each and every swing.
Seeing an opening the kunoichi grabbed the wrists of her possessed friend and
held her fast.
            �Hinata, stop it!� Sakura screamed. �It�s us,
your friends!�
            The only thing that greeted Sakura�s feeble
attempts to call the pale-eyed girl back to reality was an ear-splitting
shriek. Hinata ripped her hand free of the other woman�s strong grip and swung
once more at her. The darkly dressed girl was forced to let go of her friend
and throw her head back to avoid the oncoming blow which would surely have
turned her skull to pulp. She back flipped to try and regain ground but Hinata
was too fast. Capitalizing on Sakura�s vulnerable position she caught the
landing teenager in the shoulder. Without any way to defend herself Sakura was
then struck once more in the chest before Hinata�s foot united with her fellow
kunoichi�s solar plexus. Sakura�s breath escaped her lungs as she was tossed
back into the wilderness from the pure power behind the blow, lost in the sea of
trees.
            �DIE!!!!!!!!� Hinata howled with rage.
�DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!�
            Naruto�s body seemed to materialize from
nowhere as he landed on Hinata�s back. Quickly he used what little element of
surprise he had to pin Hinata�s arms behind her back and to twine her legs with
his own to immobilize her. The two struggled as Hinata�s chill voice continued
to screech.
            �LET ME GO!� she bellowed. �DIE!!! YOU ALL
MUST DIE!!!!�
            The others simply stood there, their limbs
glued to the ground by fear. Kiba gulped audibly as Akamaru slowly padded over
to his side, a low whimper voicing the dog�s opinion.
            �Hinata-chan, stop it!� Naruto pleaded as he
kept his girlfriend motionless. �This isn�t you! Please�stop!�
            �Let me go!� she screamed again. The more
Naruto shushed and spoke the more the original seemed to return. �Don�t you
see? They all have to burn! I must�I��
            With those last words the red chakra receded
into her, leaving Hinata breathless. She lay there, panting and staring out at
the ground and her friends. Her pale eyes quivered as her voice caught in her
throat, producing a low whine.
            �N-Naruto-kun?� she called in terror. �What
am�why am I�what was I��
            Tears began to well up in the young girl�s eyes
as she began to recall everything that had transpired in the last few minutes.
Her chest felt like a million weights had been put upon it as a loud sob filled
her vocal chords.
            �N-No!� she shouted, struggling anew against
her lover. �Oh god�please no! NO!!!!!!!!�
            Hinata screamed. This time her shouts were not
in rage or in anger. Her cries were of sheer terror. She shrieked and kicked
and struggled against Naruto, crying profusely as she tried to escape her own
memories. She cried in stark fear for what she had done, what she might have
done and what she had wanted to do. The sounds that came from her were almost
as frightening as the killer intent that had consumed her mere moments ago. All
Naruto could do was embrace her and hold her still, stroking her head until she
calmed.
            Somewhere in the back of his mind, Naruto could
hear the Kyuubi. He was laughing.

I hope you enjoyed chapter 6. I do so love plot twists
and development.
I don�t know how soon you�ll see Chapter 7. I�ve just
gotten my REAL computer back and I�ll be spending a lot of time getting it set
up and finishing up projects. But don�t fret, I�m not giving up on Dragonheart
yet.
- 6
- 7
- 8
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Dragonheart

Dragonheart