Team Seven's POV (Bandit Camp - Land of Fire)
X-X
Kakashi's POV
Kakashi didn't often feel tense in moments like these, countless encounters and loss had desensitized him to the nerves others would suffer in this moment. Yet there was an odd weight upon his shoulders, he always had some weight. He was a loyal soldier of the Leaf after all, but this was somehow heavier. He supposed he was fond of his new team, Hiruzen had been right again.
They were waiting for the signal for him and his small group of Naruto clones to make a frontal assault. But Kakashi flinched as he noticed each of the clones froze in sync. Naruto had lost or sacrifice a clone due to something new…
"Kakashi-sensei!" The clone yelled. "It's an ambush! We're all in serious trouble!"
Kakashi felt his single eye widen. He had wondered why any bandit group would be stationed here. Being so close to the capital ensured they would be a nuisance the feudal lord would see fit to swat. Predictably they had tried, which only raised another question for Kakashi. How did they ever manage to repel an assault from the capitol?
The guard and soldiers of the feudal lord were no shinobi, but moved in great numbers and were trained well enough to be considered a threat by most. The idea of mere bandits, even encamped, managing to repel them was absurd. He had found this suspicious before, yet he had never truly pondered it. His Genin may very well suffer from his mistake. He quickly dashed forward. If even a single hair was harmed on his Genin, he would slaughter any responsible. He would not repeat the s-
Kakashi, trusting the random instinct, ducked as a litany of kunai and shuriken flew over his head. Kakashi knew better than to lie still, he leapt back narrowly avoiding a double stomp attempt from a snake-camo-clad shinobi. As Kakashi did, thirty clones landed before Jounin. Defensively, they formed a perimeter around Kakashi as seven more similarly dressed men landed. All dressed in the same garb as the others.
"Copycat Kakashi of the Sharingan. A living legend, surely a future S-rank shinobi. Or you would've been, but we were assigned to kill you." The leader of the men stated. "Any last words?"
"Naruto's, go and help Ino and Neji. I'll dispose of these dead men and head towards them after." Kakashi ordered. His tone made it clear this was not a debate.
"Fine with us, they won't be able to save their friends, you all will die today."
"Just for that," Kakashi started as the clones quickly left. Exposing his Sharingan eye, it spinning with fury. "Your deaths will be painful."
X-X
Ino's POV
Ino and Neji both tensed, the enemy first was quickly approaching. They both had combat experience but not against enemy shinobi, not ones that likely would intend to kill, or worse. Luckily, the two's composure held, Neji's grim determination gave her hope, she'd thank him for that should they survive. Her studies had shown people latched onto to each other in crisis, somehow they found strength greater than their own for others.
Ino flinched as the heavy footsteps of their foes landed. Four grown and grizzly men masked and outfitted with a strange camo. Enemy shinobi were something she'd know she'd see one day. There was some sort of primal fear and anger she felt facing them, pack mentality?
All of them were men clearly long lived in their craft, though one towered beyond the others in presence. He had an aura similar to Jounin; Ino had met many in her time. There was no doubt he was stronger than the other three. Likely stronger than her and Neji as well. The man wore a mask covering his head and shinobi fatigues marked with a snake scale pattern. The other three were also garbed similarly, though their faces were partially exposed. One had a face mask and prescription glasses. Another similar, but he wore sunglasses. The last man was bald and scared all over.
"Hello there, victims," The leader of the four said. "I was hoping there would be a kunoichi with you. It's been far too long." He chuckled darkly. "Yoroi, Misumi, Kaku, kill the male." The three nodded before charging toward the Hyuga. Ino went to join him before she had to dodge a line of flame that shot out between her and the Hyuga. "Sorry, beautiful, but we have a date." There was dark intentions in his words…
The man held a stance that showed it had been a ninjutsu. He never even called it out. Most had to do so to properly channel their chakra, only once one had fully mastered a technique could they do so silently. Ino was cleary outmatched, most took years to master a technique of that level! Ino looked over to see the three men engaging Neji. He was holding his own as the four engaged in a wild brawl. She was on her own… fear pulsated throughout her body. She was frozen. Maybe Neji would be able to somehow contest a man of this caliber. But certainly not her, certainly not alone.
"No need to be fearful. I'll beat you up a little, then we'll have fun. Well, I won't lie and say it's gonna be fun for you." The man cruelly promised.
Ino swallowed her fear and gripped a kunai. As a member of Team Seven, she would not back down. Besides, Kakashi would surely be there shortly. Ino would make sure this bastard was kept busy till then!
X-X
Naruto's POV
Naruto blinked as the memory of the clone Neji destroyed flooded through him. He heard his clones yelling in alert and surprised. They had been alerted to the presence of an enemy or enemies due to their heightened awareness once they knew there would likely be enemies nearby. Naruto felt conflicted; The bandits were still a threat, especially if they were now under attack. But his teammates may very well be in trouble if left alone. Naruto himself may be as well, but he needed to prioritize here!
Naruto heard several clones pop in the forest, making it clear he did not have time to think this out. He summoned fifty clones, half charging into the bandit camp with a challenging roar, met with several more from within the camp as Ino's planted and unplanted clones wreaked havoc from within. The rest desperately rushed off where Ino and Neji should be.
Naruto nodded to the nearby clones as they all charged into the forest. His summoning of clones had been multipurpose, summoning and sending them off made it appear he was unaware of them. Allowing some to sneak off and engage their foes as he and the rest approached. Naruto and his small band of personal clones settled in some trees above where the mystery enemies fought his clones.
The three were dealing with them well using good teamwork. But it was clear the woman in the group was a bit damaged. The clone during the wild brawl had winged her several times, leaving a cut on her cheek and bruise on her wrist. She must be lacking in wide-scale attacks to deal with him, making her his first target. He signaled for the majority of the clones to rush her.
The second foes were more tricky, he cackled madly as he blew away clones wildly. Seeming to shoot out pressurized air from his palms. But his movements were wild and basic. Naruto would use his real body and a few clones to blitz the man if he timed it right.
The last one was better than the other two. Outmaneuvering the clones and destroying them with relative ease. He would hope to stall him out while he defeated the other two. Mother's lessons were paying off, before fighting three people at once would've seemed impossible, now he only saw victory.
Naruto could feel the blood pumping throughout his body. They were here to attempt to kill his friends. Naruto would rather die than witness such a thing. As a shinobi, he would face killers like this, he refused to turn away. He would be a killer himself; he couldn't afford to hold back with his friends' lives on the line. With a nod to the clones, they fired off an absurd amount of kunai at their distracted foes.
The enemy team noticed it seconds before becoming pincushions. The boy with tubes in his arm pointed his arms to the ground as many clones and kunai closed in on the three. The other two jumped out of the man's way as he roared. "Obliterating Airwaves!" The resulting invisible blast shattered the ground before him and annihilated any clone close by. The kunai were deflecting the blast, stopping them like an iron wall and scattering them to the forest floor.
"It seems our prey intends to become the hunter. Works for us, I personally hate chasing my victims. My name is Dosu Kinuta, and my teammates are Zaku Abumi and Kin Tsuchi. We have been tasked with killing you." The now-named Dosu started evenly. The other two spread out a bit, facing Naruto and his batch of clones at different angles. "I'd offer you mercy for surrendering, but we both know we're past that."
"Ya, you're right there. I can't afford to die here since I'll be in Hokage someday. And I can't afford to let you bastards bother my teammates. So…" Naruto and his clones drew their tanto. Suddenly, jumping around, shuffling the real and clones together before spreading out. No need to make it easy for the three to target him after all. Naruto and his clones leapt around randomly, which further confounded the two.
He subtly created several Walking Landmine clones as they did. If they intended to stand as his enemies. Then he would have to play for keeps. "I'll just kick your asses and check on them!" There were no words. Merely the whistling in the wind as the mob of clones charged the three assassins. Naruto grimly aware of what he had to do.
?'s POV (Unknown Bar - City Nearby Team Seven)
A bar was bustling with patronage as the humdrum of a busy afternoon buzzed. All manner of drinking, smoking, sex, and gambling were going on within it's confines. The location was known and most left alone, there would always be a place like it. She had frequented many in her day. Past the rubble of people gambling their life savings or lucky money was the VIP section. In this section were the rich of the area. It was a gathering spot for them to mix with the poor while enjoying their wealth. One of them did seem a bit different, though, wealthy, and yet… desperate?
At the head of the table was what appeared to be a young, beautiful, healthy young woman. She wore a green haori over a gray kimono and dark gray leggings. But she was the most famous and influential person in the bar. She had come to their village years ago seeking booze and gambling and had found it in their seedy town. But in time, once she owed money and they tried to collect it, the truth was revealed. The mob was who she owed, a powerful shadowy organization, even shinobi feared them. Tsunade however did not, she destroyed the group fully. Unknowingly saving the town she now resided in as a lord.
She had been labeled their protector and rewarded as a hero. As such, the Sannin realized she could do what she pleased here. In exchange for the Leaf allowing her to be on leave, she and the town paid taxes to the Leaf. As such, she was still a shinobi, and Hiruzen, the old fox, used her position for information. It was funny she had left the Leaf for freedom. But soon even estranged Hiruzen had her dutifully working. Shizune had been sent to the Leaf to lead their medical program. Tsunade missed her dearly, even if her nagging was annoying…
As such, the woman felt conflicted upon hearing the latest rumor in the bar. A caravan had reported Leaf shinobi being ambushed close by. Apparently they had heard the commotion and seen the combat, but lacking the shinobi, had fled. Tsunade felt she owed the Leaf nothing, countless shinobi died everday. But it would be bad for a woman of business to allow shinobi to attack her allies on her turf. With a sigh, the living legend left the table. Telling one of the attendants to take care of her debt. She had a mess to clean up. All the while she ignored the odd feeling that made her get involved.
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It felt… important…
Team Seven's POV (Bandit Camp - Land of Fire)
X-X
Kakashi's POV
Dodge to the left, duck a kunai thrust, catch the low kick, attempt to hamstring the culprit, but disengage to avoid another kunai thrust from the first. He saw a man behind them both channeling signs for an earth style Ninjutsu. He predicted and copied the technique, giving him some breathing room as the ground beneath the Jounin in front of him formed spikes, managing to impale one the intended user. That would leave him with only six to deal with. The shinobi leapt back regrouping, Kakashi marched forward, determined to hunt them down quickly as possible. All of them ignored the death quakes of the impaled man as he breathlessly wheezed in pain, He weaved hand signs for another jutsu as he side stepped a kick from one. As the man stumbled unbalanced from the missed strike, Kakashi formed his signature jutsu. "Lightning Blade!" He called as he pierced the chest of the man off balance in front of him. As another attempted to use the moment to strike. Kakashi merely sliced through the man he had killed and decapitated the next attacker.
The remaining four stayed back briefly as Kakashi wiped his hand with a cloth before disposing of it. He subtly took a deep breath. While they were much weaker than he had expected, it was still surprising how tiring it was to compete with all of them. His time waiting for Naruto had left him rusty. But he was confident the remaining four would be dying today. It was simply a matter of how to do so without burning out first. It seemed likely they were all being attacked after all. Kakashi was prepared to kill as many as it took.
The men, who seemed to have a new game plan, began weaving hand signs. Kakashi quickly flew through his own one-handed while dropping a smoke bomb. As the smoke covered the Cyclops, the men roared. "Collaboration Technique: Elemental Devastation!" As they finished, each fired off a stream of a particular element. The four closed in on Kakashi, smashed into the smoke, and caused a big explosion. The captain fired off another wind jutsu to clear the smoke and confirm the body. But as the smoke cleared, there was no corpse. The captain roared as he jumped up. "BELOW!"
Two men managed to heed his warning, but the fourth was late. As soon as the last man's feet left the ground, a hole opened up, and several kunai enhanced with lightning cut through the poor man toe to head. The captain was even further shocked that the man hadn't even surfaced. "Attack the ground! He's in the ground!"
He and one other fired off kunai from where Kakashi's had come from, the third sunk below them to touch the ground first. "Earth Style: Ground Compression!" The ground below seemed to sink with a crunch, but even as this happened, the silver-haired killer merely flew out of the ground before being crushed. Piercing the jutsu user's heart with a kunai. He drew the kunai from the man and glared at the last two.
"It's your turn," Kakashi simply marched towards them.
The captain clenched his teeth. He had failed his men just as he feared. He drew two kunai and charged forth, roaring for his remaining ally to back him. He slashed with both hoping to slit the Cyclop's throat, but he casually sidestepped this and he jabbed. The sound Jounin managed to lean back to avoid this but had to desperately sway away from several slashes of the Jounin. The captain steeled his nerves as he prepared his final gambit. He fainted a slash high while committing to one low. Kakashi drew a kunai absurdly quickly, deflecting the strike and stabbing the captain in the stomach. The captain spat out blood as he smiled. "KILL HIM NOW!" But there was silence, both men simply staring as if nothing happened. The captain looked back to see another Kakashi standing over the bleeding body of his remaining soldier. Before the captain could try anything, the Kakashi, welding the blade he had stabbed him viciously with, slashed the blade out. Gutting the captain with a cold efficiency. The captain dropped as he gasped soundlessly. He was unable to speak.
"You truly thought I wouldn't use clones against a group?" Kakashi asked rhetorically. "Well, either way, enjoy death, I have Genin to check on." As the Cyclops said this, he left the men to bleed out and die. A cruel but fitting fate for anyone who tried to harm his Genin.
X-X
Ino's POV
Ino racked her brain for any solution to her current situation. She was currently trading blows with the man with great difficulty. Well, trading was inaccurate; the man was merely letting her attack weaving around her strikes with ease. He had warned her to kill him before he got bored. Which she would if the bastard would let her!
Ino had never faced someone like him. His stare had a hunger in it that made her heart race, not in a romantic sense either! She fired off a feint roundhouse into an elbow. But he merely ducked this and tripped her legs. Ino, using the trip as an opportunity, fired off kunai toward the man's legs as she fell. But he simply jumped over these and landed a double-foot stomp into her chest. Ino gasps in pain, and the man merely chuckles before tossing her against a tree.
"I warned you, now stop making me do that, don't wanna harm the goods." He said as he stalked forward. "Ready to let me have my fun? I promise I'll be somewhat gentle." Ino merely answered by throwing a fistful of flower petals around the man. He chuckled at this. "How fitting—" he was interrupted as Ino screamed.
"Petal Storm: Explosive Beauty!"
The petals surrounding the man exploded. Ino was sent flying by the explosion that had been so close to her. Her vision blacked for a second before she looked up. The Jounin was now in front of her. It seemed her attack had been somewhat effective, as there were burns throughout his body. But the damage must be superficial for the man stood straight and strong all the same. "Just for that, I'm gonna enjoy breaking y-"
The man was interrupted as Naruto flew through the clearing, landing a flying kick directly into Jounin's face. He flew back to the other side, slamming into a tree and shattering the bark as he hit. Ino nearly cried as thirty Narutos entered the clearing. Most charged the man with reckless aggression. Several managed to snake in strikes or slashes as the man was caught off guard. But he quickly adapted and was starting to make short work of them. Destroying a couple of clones every few seconds. The Naruto's left behind as guards watched grimly.
"I doubt our clones can beat him. Even the original would struggle against him. Any ideas?" The clone stated.
"Think you can buy me some time?" Ino asked desperately.
"Done." The clone nodded at the other five remaining, and they all but one charged.
"For thirty seconds. I'm staying behind. If you're in a tight spot, I'll substitute for you. No telling when Kakashi or I will be finished. One of us saw him fighting a ton of shinobi. So is the original. We're gonna have to make this work."
"I'll think of something," Ino stated unconfidently.
"You got this; we all know you're pretty amazing?" The clone stated. "There's no doubt you're gonna be ok in our minds."
Ino felt confidence well within her. His doubtless faith gave her strength. But how could she defeat a Jounin? Her family had never been brute force fighters, but she couldn't hit him with her mind techniques, he was too fast, and his intentions drove a dark fear in her heart. If only her families techniques weren't so hard to use against a mobile target. It may work if she could shorten the technique channeling and hand signs. She knew some of the higher techniques were lower risk, but she knew none of them.
She needed something new, designed for coles combat. But the mind wasn't easy to conquer… What was simpler than taking over a mind? If she could only quickly influence the man and take advantage of that, she could win this… Influence, she need not control him, just suggest her whim to him.
The clones were already down to half their numbers. She needed to either shorten the hand signs or disguise them, preferably both. She could do the hand signs with one hand. She attempted it, aiming one hand at the Jounin and lowering the chakra in the jutsu. Willing to manipulate as opposed to suppressing. She fired through the hand signs as fast as she could. And fired off the jutsu. Having no name and desperate to hit it, she fired. But nothing happened. She may need the name Jutsu. She had been told the names merely helped with performance after all. She looked up to see the man cruelly smiling as he destroyed the remaining clones.
"I'm tired of playing around!" He called, rushing forward at a much faster speed than he had shown before. Ino could only stare helplessly as he smashed a fist toward her face. At the last second, smoke filled her vision, and she saw she had been substituted. Knowing she only had moments, she tried the one-hand signs again, this time yelling a name as it came to her. She disguised this by drawing and firing a kunai.
"Ninja Art: Instinct Suppression Jutsu!" a blue beam shot out and hit the Jounin's head in an instant. He froze with a groan as the kunai approached at head level. The man saw the kunai coming and prepared to quickly du-...
'Don't duck…' Ino's mind whispered softly to him, he listened, The kunai hit its mark, and Jounin froze again. Steel pierced his forehead and likely his brain. Ino took grim satisfaction that he died before he hit the ground. It was a miracle she had created a jutsu and managed to defeat a Jounin. Ino panted harshly; the struggle against the man and the emotions had worn her out. She could only hope everyone would be ok. She crawled to her feet and marched forward. No, she would make sure they were herself. That is what Naruto would do…
X-X
Neji's POV
Neji dodged a wild grab by one man, sidestepping an uppercut from the bald man and kicking the third in the face as he approached. The three crashed into each other, stunning the three for a moment. Neji mercilessly spun, unleashing a Kaiten that sent all three men flying back. They were quick and skilled, but unused to fighting together. If they were working as they should, they'd easily overwhelm him. However he needed only feed the illusion he simply was too good.
"I sincerely hope you have more than that going for you," Neji called out to the down opponents. He prepared to charge them, but one faded away. Neji flinched as the ground beneath him cracked and hand roughly gripped his ankle, the other being grabbed an instant later. Neji felt a burning pain as his chakra was slowly drained. He prepared to inject the fool with chakra with his ankles. But before he could free himself, he was wrapped all around by a strange arm. The arm somehow being long and elastic enough to hold the genius. Neji growled as he saw the third bald man running up to capitalize on his imprisonment.
Neji shifted his hands, sending a large pulse of chakra to both men. They both screamed and stumbled back. They had come to kill him, yet had not studied the Hyuga, Neji pitied the fools. The bald man roared as he threw another hook at Neji. Neji leaned back to avoid this before thrusting forward with a robust palm.
"Palm Bottom!" Neji roared as he slammed his palm into the man's face. He couldn't even scream, and chakra violently surged through his head. Instantly liquefying his brain. The man silently dropped as Neji panted, facing the other two. "You'll forgive me for my mercilessness, but you two can understand. You intend to kill me after all." Neji stated simply.
Misumi roared with anger as he surged forward. Neji dodged a wild punch, but to his surprise, the man seemingly became boneless, completely wrapping around Neji in an odd tackle."I'm gonna crush your spine!" The man raged as he started to tense, in what he was sure would become a bone crunching embrace.
However Neji merely smiled. Once again releasing a chakra pulse, but twice as potent. Before Misumi fell off, he screamed in blood curdling pain. Blood shot through his eyes and mouth. Yoroi's eyes widened. Yoroi and his team had been dominated by the man. And though he showed signs of tiring, he was relatively undamaged.
"Using the same strategy twice? I was prepared to fire needle-like chakra from my points. Good for grapplers like your groups, and proof of how sloppy you all are. Prepare yourself, you're in range, and I don't have time to waste!" Neji called as he blitzed Yoroi. The difference in speed was so great that Yoroi could barely flinch before Neji slammed a palm into the man's left wrist. "One palm!" Another palm jabbed just above the right knee, and another poked the left shoulder joint. "Two palms!" Yorio cried out in pain as he lost control of his left arm. He attempted to back peddle, but his leg was too injured. Four more strikes came before he could beg.
The speed was so great that Yoroi could barely tell where they were landing. "Four Palms!" Eight more hits, the force of the blows taking him off his feet and carrying him forward through the air. "Eight Palms!" Yoroi lost count of the next flurry, his world becoming an odd mix of numbness and pain. "Sixteen Palms!" Yoroi is barely conscious of the next valley. "Thirty-two Palms!". Yoroi's life flashed before his eyes as the last flurry destroyed his organs and chakra points. "Sixty Four Palms!" Yoroi flew back and slid against the ground. Obviously, dead from the boneless way he fell.
Neji breathed heavily as he stooped low. His pride demanded he stand, but he collapsed on the ground regardless. Defeating the three had taken Neji's best for a long fight. Almost to the same level as the fight with blondes, purely with numbers this time. "Need to work… on… stamina." Neji panted as he passed out.
Ino arrived several minutes later. She scrambled to the exhausted Neji and nearly cried when he was okay. She hugged him emotionally and then rose as if to take off.
"I gotta check on Naruto." She said as she slowly walked on. But she was stopped as a bloodied Kakashi appeared in front of her.
"Good work, you two. I'll check on Naruto; you two catch your breath. I'm sorry for failing you," Kakashi said in a no-nonsense tone. Ino collapsed on her knees, relieved to see Kakashi. There was no doubt he would save Naruto. The Jounin treated the two for their minor wounds. As soon as he was done, he would check on the blonde. But before anything else could be done, a laugh startled the two.
"I'm afraid you'll be quite busy." A rough voice interjected. "We have business with him after all. As such, I have business with you. Gotta let Juzo work, so let's spar, Kakashi of the Sharingan…" The man was tall and muscular. Most of his person was covered in a black cloak with red clouds. His face showed he had pale blue skin. His smile was wide and sharkish. This was reinforced by his sharp teeth. He had what appeared to be gills beneath his eyes, which were simple and bloodthirsty. "Hope you can still fight decently well, afraid we of the mist don't believe in fair fights. I'm looking forward to fighting you all the same. Impress me and I'll make sure I remember you…" He started lifting a large sword off his back with one hand. The large object is covered in bandages, it radiated chakra and killing intent.
Kakashi quickly rose in front of his Genin. He would defend them to his last breath, but there was no denying they were in trouble. Kisame Hoshigaki was a known legend now Missing Shinobi from the Village Hidden in the Mist. One of the small amounts of S-rank shinobi left alive. Kakashi doubted he could defeat him but would not hesitate to try. Minato and Rin would never forgive him for less. 'Naruto, just hold out! I won't leave you behind!'
"Ino, take Neji and check on Naruto. If you find him in trouble, try to get him out of it. I'll hold this new enemy here. Retreat to the Leaf once you have him." Kakashi ordered.
"Bu-"
"But nothing! This is do or die!" Kakashi countered harshly.
Ino seemed to look around, confused, before nodding. She managed to rouse Neji, and she took off. Neji followed shortly after. They were both hurt, but Kisame's friend was even half as strong as him. Naruto would desperately need the help. Kakashi merely silently prayed to Rin to help him get through this. Neither he nor his students were ready to die yet.
AN
Remastered: Another chapter done! Hope you enjoyed! If you did let me know! If not, well touche, Peace~!
