Hello again! Kinda happy that this update didn't take as long as the previous one, huh? LOL. I guess all the reviews have been quite the inspiration, especially since I saved the web page to look at it from time to time as both inspiration and ideas. I actually received an email that went on 'Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update. Update, that went on and on.
A million thanks to all those who reviewed, really, they helped out a lot.
Thanks to Dark Revie, tennisdeis91, OBSERVER01, VM, Dd, Ero-kun, Timewave Zero, InTheYearOfTheCat, ij powers, mar, Vegeta the 3rd, Gone 119, Taliath, blackmamuth, DanielNieves, Wolfkun, and serhoth.
A special thanks to Taliath and blackmamuth.
It makes me happy knowing someone added this to their favorite list. It makes me happier when I get a review. Happiest when I get a very good and productive rating and review. (By the way, it still kinda hurts me when I still get a message that someone adds 'The Last One' to their favorite list. Ack. The only way I can make up for it, is that I'll try my best to do 'Torrent from the East')
Another special thanks for demonic nargles for having this proof read, earlier than expected. One that I don't what I would do without. Thanks a million!
Enjoy.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable Naruto characters, settings, etc. are the property of Masashi Kishimoto and Shueisha Inc. All publicly recognizable characters of other characters, settings, etc. from any other manga works are the property of the respective copyright owners. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
"The two of you would be surprised. Nori actually contains more Vitamin A than spinach, thirty times more vitamin B1 than sardines, and 20 times more Vitamin B2 than milk. Furthermore… okay…uh…right…I'll just eat my sushi now," -Yakushi Kabuto, the early days of getting acquainted with Naruto and Asami.
"Well? Are you going to start talking or not?" demanded Ino, while the members of Team 10 kept a fair distance from Asami.
Asami didn't say a word in return, but tried to look around as much as she could while her entire body was immobilized by the shadow bind technique. That basically meant that she looked at what was in front of her, as she couldn't even move her head. It was forunate that her eyes were hidden behind the ski like goggles so that they couldn't really guess what she was up to. She saw that there were four leaf-nins, and began to calculate the distance between them, her possible escape routes, and the amount of time she would have to escape once she could really move. This was her first experience with the famed Kagemane no Jutsu of the Nara clan; there were very few of her own village who had experienced it first hand. Just like those veterans, she didn't like the experience one bit. Any large movement was out of the question; despite all the energy she was mustering, it merely caused her limbs to idly shiver in place. The hold of the shadow bind technique was strong, very strong indeed.
A good shinobi is a shinobi that can find and expertly exploit every weakness and opening available. Asami knew she was just as good. She just needed to wait for the right time. Especially since Team 10 was being more cautious and much better prepared. Despite the assured safety of the bound kunoichi, they maintained a safe distance from her.
"We caught her rather quickly," Shikamaru commented uneasily.
"You think this is some kind of trap or distraction, Shikamaru?" asked Chouji.
Ino scoffed. "Going against us? Of course it'd be fast, and easy. Sometimes I think everybody just gives Forehead and her team too much credit."
"So you think Sasuke and Sai also aren't as good?" Chouji gave her a curious glance.
"N-No! Sasuke-kun and Sai-san are in a whole different level compared to her," Ino quickly corrected herself. "Hokage-sama's apprentice or not, I think she's still just someone who's very lucky to have everything the way she wants. Besides, their team thinks that direct fighting is the way to solve anything."
"I thought we already know that they're more of the fighting type, Kiba's team is the tracking type, and we-" said Chouji.
"Anyways," Ino interrupted, "maybe missy here and her team are a stronger fighting type," smirked Ino, as if clearly she was the reason they were triumphant, "but now that she's seperated from her teammates, it's easy,"
"Too easy," reminded Chouji, pointing out what Shikamaru said.
"Too easy?" repeated Ino, "I'll tell what's not 'too easy'. Trying to catch her after all the chasing she's put us through, that's what."
"Maybe that's how they manage to get past Sasuke's team," Chouji voiced his opinion.
"Maybe, maybe not. What do you think, Asuma-sensei?" asked Ino, turning to her silent Jounin-sensei.
If there was one thing Sarutobi Asuma didn't like, was being dragged into the argument when he hadn't done anything to choose a side. Shikamaru knew that look on him all too well.
'Women, so troublesome,' though Shikamaru with a slight sigh. His teammate and Sakura just seemed to hate each other more and more.
The rivalry was evident enough way back in the academy, one that escalated with the beginning of Sakura being assigned in the same group with Sasuke. That had only been the beginning of it. Both Shikamaru and Chouji thought that perhaps the two were mending that relationship during their encounter against the team of Sound-nin in the Forest of Death. It had been intense fight against Dosu, Zaku, and Kin of the Sound, a fight which the Leaf-nin won. However, such relationship began to turn sour like vinegar, when Ino had won against Sakura the preliminary match, the Shintenshin no Jutsu forced the exhausted Sakura to give up. Nobody actually rooted for her except Lee, Sasuke had been missing since his fight against some guy from Takigakure (Hidden Waterfall). All three Waterfall-nin lost, one got beaten badly by Sasuke, despite the Uchiha's exhausted look, one had almost all his bones broken when he lost to Kankurou, and the last one had forfeited after seeing his two friends lose.
"You just thought she was being troublesome, didn't you?" asked Asami from a far, who finally broke her silence, yet still immobilized from a safe distance by Shikamaru's shadow.
She had easily read the shadow binder's mind on that one. Team 10 hadn't expected that coming, after hearing Asami had talked again, as her silence throughout the escapade had been a bit disturbing. Now they were assured more than ever that this was the same red they encountered after the sun had set. Shikamaru grew more wary, assuming that the question was some ploy to throw them off guard.
"So you finally talked. I thought you'd just keep on with the quiet act," noted Asuma.
"I have my moments, Sarutobi-san," replied Asami, if she could move, she'd bow her head in courtesy, "Your team is more prepared and careful than Hatake-san and the rest were. Nothing lacking in the Ino-Shika-Chou combo,"
'So she knows who we are,' Asuma took note of the small piece of information, not that it was too surprising or anything.
"If you're going to talk, you don't have to hide under all that," said Shikamaru.
Shikamaru had moved his hands in pretending as if he was pulling down a hood that wasn't there, having Asami mimicking his every move simultaneously in which she would actually pulled down her hood. Giving most of his attention on Asami had proven to be a big mistake on Asuma's part in which he realized it only too late, because that meant he had the other remaining attention on his subordinates. Shikamaru winced in mild pain just as he was about to move his hand near his neck in attempt to make Asami take off her mask.
Asami's saw her chance.
Whatever it was, Asuma wasn't able to see or wonder what it was, but their intruder was suddenly able to move her body again and quickly took action by blinding Team 10. Just as she did back with Team 7 at Rakan Lake, a bright white light engulfed the entire rooftop. Something wasn't right about the light because it was taking a long time for it to subside, especially when Asuma even began to consider counting the brightness light wasn't receding anytime soon. The son of the Sandaime Hokage tried to sneak a peek, though his eyes still stung from the sudden blinding flash of light, the sudden change of light intensity had irritated his iris before it could properly adjust from a dim to a bright intensity. Any intense source of light was indeed unwelcome by a human's naked eyes. Those effects worked even better when one's eyes were adjusted too fast before it could adapt to the intensity. For example, staying in complete darkness only to have someone suddenly direct a flash light in the eyes. All four members of Team 10 heard something metallic dropped onto the roof tile, as the sound of it rolling down. Despite their closed eyes, they felt a brighter flash of light. Asuma knew that this time that was a flash bang grenade, since it was from then that moment he could sense the kunoichi fleeing. The perpetrator was long gone, after Chouji, Shikamaru, and Ino had finally recovered their eye sight.
Blinking through irritated watery eyes, they understood another reason why the kunoichi wore that black tinted ski-like goggle.
"Can somebody tell me what just happened?" Ino asked perplexedly, as she blinked her eyes irritated eyes.
Chouji answered plainly, "She got away,"
"I understood that much," replied Ino.
"Well you asked," replied Chouji in slight confusion.
Ino looked Chouji straight in the face, her voice grew louder with every word she said, "Chouji, what I meant was how in the world was she ABLE TO BREAK FREE?!"
"Why didn't you just say that?" asked Chouji.
"Oh forget it. Anyways… I can't believe this. I thought we got her," Ino huffed and faced Shikamaru, with a mix of doubt, "You should have had a strong and long hold on her, right? Shikamaru?"
In order for her to able to use the flash bang grenade or some sort of Ninjutsu, she would have to move, that meant being free of Shikamaru's shadow bind technique. Somehow, the Kagemane no Jutsu had its hold on her. So the problem had to be with the technique or Shikamaru.
"Asuma-sensei?" Chouji and Ino realized that Shikamaru was slightly crouched and was holding onto his right hand while there was no sign of Asuma anywhere.
Even with most of his attention on his hand, the Nara sensed them coming to his side, all worried about was wrong with him.
"Shikamaru?" Ino took a few steps, still blinking more than usual, she came closer to smartest member of the team.
"We have to be more careful, she's not just some mere kunoichi," Shikamaru muttered, his thumb and forefinger manage to hold onto the little perpetrator lodged into his wrist.
"I know we're not geniuses like you, Shikamaru, but you don't have to point out the obvious," said Ino, she leaned forward as she couldn't really get a clear view of whatever it was.
Ino didn't like what she saw, and she stopped Shikamaru before he could attempt to pull out the small object out by grabbing onto his wrist. "Don't, you could make it worse,"
"Make what worse?" wondered Chouji, as he tried to get a closer look.
It turned out to be a needle, and the little nasty thing answered everything. What was worse was that the needle was pinned deep into Shikamaru's hand.
"A needle," answered Ino, using the standard first aid medical Jutsu that she knew, "It was a needle."
Ino's hand glowed in green near the needle, as it was slowly removed from the Nara's hand, and hovered midair within the green chakra. The small thin yet effective ninja weapon's automatic effect kicked as soon as it was removed. Unknown to them, the attributes of the needle was unlike some poisoned needle. The needle swiftly lost its shape, and it quickly melted and separated into droplets of water.
"And it's no ordinary needle," muttered Shikamaru, he felt Ino's chakra relieving the prickling sensation in his wrist.
"A needle?" Chouji was slightly astounded; the needle was more specifically an acupuncture needle.
"Okay, we need to stop saying the word 'needle' again and again," stated Ino, she then answered, "That's how she got away. You got hit before she blinded us with that technique of hers, didn't you?"
"Yeah," answered Shikamaru not too happily.
"So it wasn't that technique that canceled your shadow in the first place?" wondered Chouji. "With the whole light, shadow, and everything…"
"No, she did right after my Kagemane no Jutsu disconnected. If I had her, couldn't have moved at all, let alone perform a Jutsu, even if it didn't require any hand seals," explained Shikamaru. He remembered how red haired Sound-nin put up a struggle and had transformed into her level 2 Curse Seal, despite being under the Kagemane no Jutsu.
"So…when did she throw that needle in the first place?" wondered Chouji.
Shikamaru couldn't believe how easy everything had went, how Asami took the smallest available chance there was when anyone was immobilized the Kagemane no Jutsu, "She didn't, she spat it at me,"
Understanding finally dawned upon Ino and Chouji's faces, as immobilized as anyone can be, the only thing a person was able to do was talk and perhaps forcefully pump their chakra around their body, though never to an extent of being to perform any technique. The one and only thing that any bound target could move was the mouth and eyes, simple as that. They could talk, then t was simply beyond obvious that they could move their mouths around, and Asami managed to spat her needle by taking that very chance. All she had to do was waiting when Shikamaru's wrist came right into her line of fire.
"I'm fine, let's get moving," stated Shikamaru, he shook his hand. "Asuma-sensei or anyone else could use as many help as possible."
His two teammates watched as he got up, about to move, only to stand there. There was a problem, and apparently all three Leaf Chuunin realized what it was.
"Uh, Shikamaru..." called out Chouji.
Ino looked around at the scenery of various different colored roof tops, water tanks, the occasional electric poles or street lights, and trees. "Any of you have any idea which direction red head went?"
They didn't have the slightest idea which direction they should be going, as they didn't have any ninja dog, Kiba's nose, or the Hyuuga's Byakugan. They'd have to resort to the standard tracking lessons they've learned, which is much harder to do out here in the village then compared to the forest. There were no footprints, small broken branches, or anything of that sort out in concrete civilization.
Out in the distance though still being within the confines of the village, Asami had stopped in her tracks, seeing as there was another obstacle blocking her path at the moment. She didn't need to worry about any possible lasting damage done to Shikamaru, knowing he would be just fine, even he wasn't ever going to get any medical attention. Her needle had done its job, to disrupt the whole flow of chakra in the body for just a second upon entering the flesh. She might not have some Doujutsu (Eye Technique) to see the chakra circulatory, but that didn't mean she couldn't have her way with manipulating anyone's chakra circulatory system. Water based needle that maintained its form by her chakra, would disrupt the chakra flow upon entry, slowly gathered its target's chakra, and use those very chakra to numb the surrounding muscles and nerves.
If it weren't for her best friend's mastery and frequent use of the Kage Bunshin, Asami would have been surprised as to why this person was standing in front her despite the distance she had put with Team 10. Asuma stood in a defensive stance with his two fists already brought up, tightened as hard as he could, with the chakra absorbing trench knives ready to hit or cut their way into flesh and bones. The Kage Bunshin that he had made to accompany Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino had cancelled itself when Asami made her escape. Even if weren't for clone's experiences, Asuma could have known that their intruder must be better than they initially thought, if she had managed to evade being captured.
"You didn't react so surprised," commented Asuma, staring at his small reflection in the black tinted goggle. He knew the kunoichi wasn't going to say anything in return, in fact she hadn't said anything the whole time.
Perhaps it was the Asami answered back, "Am I supposed to?"
"If you know who I am, then you should know what I can do," replied Asuma,.
"I do," pointed out Asami, "though that's more of an advantage for me. Especially since you have no idea what I can do."
Something that the Jounin took note as there hadn't been any signs or the slightest hints that the kunoichi wasn't even out of breath after coming from a long run over the rooftops. Then there was silence once more, the faint night's cold wind that momentarily blew between the two shinobi, waiting for the time as to which one would be the first one to make the first move. Asuma knew he had the advantage, since he had all the time in the world where as the situation would prove to be more dangerous for Asami the longer the time she stayed within a particular area. There was the risk of more Leaf-nin coming in, ANBU Leaf-nin or not, she would be heavily outnumbered. Of course, she had her own back up, a cunning blonde shinobi by the name of Uzumaki Naruto that could pull out the tightest of situations or even easily outnumber any number of enemies. The bright flash of light's drawback was that it could have easily stood out and possibly alerted other surrounding shinobi, in this situation, a whole lot of enemy shinobi.
In the end, Asami made the first move by trying to run to her left, which in turn caused Asuma closed in upon her. Deadly jabs and punches were sent from left and right just as Leaf Jounin moved his upper body and feet like a veteran boxer. Body principles were simple since a boxing style's punch is more powerful than a simple punch thrown, due to the shift of energy and force channeled. The shift of the upper body and the legs at the same time, moments honed from practice and experience. While Asami tried her best to dodge the incoming attacks as she ducked and began backing away with every step that the Leaf-nin took in forcing her to the edge of the building.
Right, left, left, right, left, right, left, right, right.
Asuma already knew the kunoichi's earlier stunt in escaping Shikamaru's bind, and that she was better than just some average Sound-nin he fought back in the Sound invasion shortly after his team's first Chuunin exam. Since none of the average ski mask wearing shinobi of Orochimaru lasted this long.
The plan seemed to be working along smoothly, the two shinobi were only several steps away before Asami would probably fall off or try to move aside to safety. This time, a left uppercut had missed yet again when Asami jumped over Asuma in what appeared to be a somersault. It would have looked like a somersault, as she flipped in mid air over the Leaf Jounin only to sudden grab hold onto the top of Asuma's shoulder with her left hand. For that split second, if a picture had been taken, the whole scene would have looked as if Asami was doing a one hand stand on his shoulder. Asami's palm out on his green vest covered shoulder, her fingers over the edge of Asuma's shoulder blade. With one quick bent of her elbows, she sprang off Asuma's shoulder and at the same time effectively pushing him into the direction where she could've fallen off.
Small involuntary steps were made as the Sarutobi would have fallen off the small building, only to be saved by his quick reactions to release chakra under the soles of his feet, making them stick to the roof. Asuma turned around, watching the backside of the kunoichi just as she was about to take the opportunity to run and jump her way from any further time consuming fights. Instead, she jumped several times backwards in which the Leaf Jounin could heard and recognized the sound of many kunai and shuriken hitting into the concrete floor.
"Guess I've stalled her long enough," Asuma said in relief.
Asuma recognized the various assortments of weapons on the ground, several of them were the standard issued kunai, then there were also the double pointed kunai, assortment of knives, short ninjato, and many four pointed shuriken.
Asami kept her feet on the move, many kunai and shuriken missed their target as they rained down upon her trail, even as she repeatedly jumped backwards to her left and right. The Fuusetsu had detected where they were coming from, and apparently that certain someone was carrying a large supply of those shuriken, kunai, knives, and many more. Asami's ears faintly picked up the sound of the typical exploding sound of a summoning every once in while, it seemed that it wasn't quite an endless supply, in which the attacker had ran out of weapons to throw. Finally, Asami was forced to jump off to another four storey high building, and noticed that the barrage of metallic projectiles had come to a stop. She was about to land, only to be hit by a sudden invisible force she hardly sensed much less seen it coming, and was haphazardly sent slamming onto a billboard propped up on another small building.
Asami slowly shook her head as she got up, discerned the small aches in her back and the headache that came along with it, 'Ugh… should've really sensed that one coming.'
The red haired kunoichi couldn't care less about the billboard advertisement, whatever its purpose in supposedly advertise or tell to any pedestrians walking on the streets below. It was long since past midnight, hardly anyone would be there to be walking around much less look up and look at the pictures or messages the billboard had on it. She didn't take her time trying to figure out what exactly had hit her, thought subconsciously she knew who was responsible. A kunai sprang out from under each of her sleeve, blocking many more incoming projectiles. She then rolled sideways again as a mix of shuriken and twin edged kunai, too many for her to block, rained in, struck and missed.
A female's voice muttered to herself, "Damn, missed."
When Asami was on her feet again, she stood motionless, quiet, her brain was processing everything it could think of with the information it had got from the definite bizarre prospect that her eyes were currently seeing. Much of her knowledge on these Leaf-nin came from Jiraiya and Kabuto's info obtained from their village's spying network, and they had gone through many debriefings when they had to resort to coming into contact with Kakashi. One person's relation can lead to another, everyone has their own history or 'story', and that all started with Kakashi. From Kakashi, to his Team 7, his father being Hatake Sakumo the Yondaime Hokage, the deceased Hokage in relation to his teammate Orochimaru, Orochimaru's relations traced to Akatsuki, the Sannin's intrusion into the Chuunin exam to brand Sasuke with his Curse Seal, and many more. As of right now, the certain info she was remembering came of the particular relations to the members of Team 7, then the Rookie 9 which explained how she knew Asuma's Team 10, Kurenai's Team 8, and Gai's Team.
'Never judge a book by its cover' was just one of the many sayings her father, Raetsu, had taught her. She wasn't one to judge, since her village had its own peculiar strange people, but the world was a big place, and it never ceases to surprise her. In this case, one of the world's many diverse mysteries was dumbfounding her at the moment. Asami was a bit skeptical when she first saw those pictures, and apparently she still is.
That bob hair cut.
That dark green almost skin tight suit.
Those unbelievable thick eyebrows, she could remember hearing Naruto's first comment when the blonde took a look at Gai's picture for the first time. "Okay, he's the exception to the general rule that guys should never pluck their eyebrows."
'This just isn't my night,' Asami scowled inwardly.
"Good work, Neji, TenTen," said the self proclaimed Proud Green Beast of Konoha, Maito Gai. He had his right hand held out in his usual guard stance, his left hand tugged behind his lower back.
The complimented weapon mistress stood some distance away, the one apparently responsible for the relentless barrage of projectiles that Asami had been dodging all this time. Apparently, TenTen had one large scroll unrolled and draped from her back and over her shoulder almost like a shawl, going all way down where the paper's end lay on the clay baked roof tiles that she stood on. Even TenTen didn't seem too happy that somehow the completely disguised kunoichi had managed to evade every single one of her weapons, though at least she had managed to make an opening for her other teammate to make his strike. The female Leaf-nin of Team Gai was apparently clad in a white colored cheongsam (mandarin gown) with sleeves halfway down her forearms.
Hyuuga Neji stepped in, just close enough for Asami to see, the shinobi responsible that was responsible for the earlier attack that sent Asami hitting the billboard. The illumination coming from a nearby streetlight, surrounding windows of buildings, houses, and the pale mysterious moon was more than enough to allow Asami to see the veins around Neji's eyes.
'So that's the Byakugan,' Asami thought, those white almost blind like looking eyes were strange enough as it is, but the bulging veins around them was just another matter.
The young Hyuuga Jounin was calm as usual, as he had always been calm most of the time unless matters like the Main family or Branch family of the Hyuuga clan came about. Being able to make a careful analysis with everything he could see, and make a good decision no matter how dire the situation could be. Under all that composed exterior, was the ever growing animosity he had towards the Main Family, how he hated what he was obligated to protect.
'Gai…already finish with another mission?' wondered Asuma, landed down by Gai's side, "We have to be careful, Gai. She's no average kunoichi."
"Kunoichi?" repeated Neji, though it really wasn't his fault not being to tell whether Asami was a young man or woman, given the body figure wasn't clear under all those heavy clothing.
"A very good one," added Asuma.
Unlike his cousin Hyuuga Hinata however, Neji had to admit this kunoichi hid her curves under her thick clothing remarkably well. Even Gai and Tenten seemed to agree, after they glanced to Asuma and back to Asami. But most of all, the fact that she hid by covering herself under all that clothing reminded Neji of the mysterious Aburame Shino, which in turn reminded him of his cousin, Hyuuga Hinata.
"Hokage-sama briefed us on the situation before we could even report on another completed mission we finished. To be able to outsmart Kakashi…" stated Gai, he had paused in speech, causing Asuma to spare a glance to Gai. "My eternal rival…"
Tenten frowned, and rolled her eyes in hearing her commanding Jounin.
"So far, she can use a technique that's like a flash bang grenade," said Asuma. "She's the only one that we've found out. There were no signs of the other two."
"TenTen! You're good where you are," called out Gai, letting his Chuunin ranked kunoichi take charge of the long range attacks while they handle the close range.
"We can't risk to let this one to get away," replied Gai.
"We're better off with more back up if we want to catch her alive, " said Asuma.
"There's no need for that," stated Neji, after charging more chakra into his right palm and struck it out. "Hakke Kuushou (Eight Trigrams Empty Palm)!"
Whatever the technique was Asami wasn't just going to stand there and let, she leapt and landed onto the large billboard sign, when the pressurized air made by Neji's release of chakra came in. Her feet was flowing with the necessary amount of chakra, sticking onto the billboard sign like a gecko, she could hear the sound made when Neji's technique struck the bottom of the board. Asami spared a thorough look at the increasing number of Leaf-nin all around, and could only guess that it won't take too long before the rest of Team 10 would show up again. It didn't take a genius that something was up, upon the fact that when none of the Leaf-nin below her did nothing in reaction. The kunoichi grimaced, her senses told her that there were five shinobi but she could only see four them, and decided to continue jumping up the billboard. She stopped on the leap upon its top, and turned around only to find a blur of a kick coming straight in sideways for her head.
"KONOHA SENPUU!"
So went the hard strong muscles of Rock Lee's leg, the missing member of Gai's Team finally showed himself, and once more another attack for that night never came close. Instead of dodging or blocking the kick, the female Fuusetsu opted to catch the Konoha Chuunin's leg, and in those brief moments she could feel all the weights hidden under his orange leg warmers that were wrapped above his ankle. Using Lee's own momentum, Asami sent him hurling in the direction of the four watchful shinobi. Lee's surprise, never being countered in such a way, didn't stop him from twisting his body mid air and landed himself down among amongst his teammates. Asami couldn't be bothered by such close range attacks; after all, she was slightly better than Naruto when it came to dodging and fighting at close range.
As soon as she was done throwing Lee down, Neji was also standing on top of the billboard just a few feet from her. The two shinobi didn't seem affected at all by their lack of space or the great height, none of the two seemed as if they were going to fall off despite standing on the narrow foothold that was just wide for their feet to stand on. An average person would have wobbled trying to maintain balance before falling off, yet they were as firm as they were standing on a wide open solid ground, their feet limited in a long narrow line.
Using his Byakugan, Neji penetrated through the mask and took a good look of the face hidden beneath.
"Is she one of Orochimaru's Sound-nin?" asked Gai as he looked up, the first thing he could think off when he saw the fully masked kunoichi, never taking his eyes off Asami.
"Not on this life or the next, Maito-san," answered Asami.
Neji was always a person who he always judged and read people by looking at them in the eyes and observe other habits or reactions they might make. After looking through her mask, seeing Asami's eyes and facial expression, he didn't like what he saw. This red haired kunoichi was calm, in fact too calm in his opinion, her brown eyes showed no worry whatsoever.
"It's rude to stare," stated Asami, and for the first time that night she went for the offence.
With two swift steps over the board, Asami's right palm came in towards the Hyuuga's face reminiscent to Neji's Hakke Kuushou, though this time it was Neji that dodged the attack by slightly slouching below. The attack had missed only barely, but a counterattack was already being made as he slouched. Fingers ready to hit any of the crippling Tenketsu points within reach as he was about to exchange Asami's attempted strike with his own. Asami turned her hand that had missed, and quickly tried to elbow down onto the top of Neji's head. It would have hit him if he didn't see it coming with his three hundred six degrees vision.
Two different attacks had hit.
Asami's left knee had struck Neji's chin at the same time as Neji's index and forefinger hit onto Asami's chest, supposedly right at the Tenketsu above her breastbone. Both were momentarily set off balance from the each other's hit, though Asami couldn't risk just by stopping there. One big step followed by a small one, the two attacked and parried one after another, swift deadly blows missed or blocked in a blur. Neji has put away his thought on how this kunoichi didn't seem care about the hit she took. Asami broke the chain of attacks when she spun around with only on her left heel, in which her hidden forearm guard took most of the blunt force from Lee's punch. After all, a ninja is no samurai, there is no such thing as being dishonorable about hitting an opponent from the back. The attacks had been really close; never a powerful charge or jump kick by both Leaf-nin, both couldn't risk the advantage they could give to Asami. The smallest chance was that Asami could use a direct lunging attack by either of them to her benefit, by going out of the way and let them crash into one another.
"As rude as it is to stare, it isn't as rude as to intrude, Intruder-san," said Lee, replying to Asami's earlier statement, as he delivered a fast back hand swing from his right.
Instead of trying to block or dodge any more attacks, Asami jumped off and went down onto the other side the billboard. Asuma was already waiting for her down below, the Leaf Jounin ran up the billboard towards Asami with a readied chakra bladed trench knife in one hand. It was before the trench knife came in that Asami kicked off the billboard, she vaulted over Asuma's running path. Something long, cold, and hard had knocked into midsection while she was still mid air, it continued on as it had broken Asami's momentum, turned round and round around her as it ensnared her hands tight around her abdomen. Asami recognized what it was, as it turned out to be a long chain with two heavy steel weights, each weight on each end of the chain that had been thrown upon her. The red head crashed on her back down onto another rooftop, with different sizes and pieces of broken tiles thrown off into the night air, leaving debris and smoke in her trail before she came to a stop.
"Finally," Tenten jumped her way closer to her prey, no one other than her responsible for the long chains that had wrapped around Asami.
The weapon itself showed Tenten's mastery of weapons, since it was quite dangerous. One wrong move, it could have hurt the user too. It was called the Manriki-gusari or Kusari fundo, its typical length of three feet long chain with steel weights at end, a weapon used to attack, trap, or ensnare enemies.
'Cleaning these stains is definitely going to be murder,' Asami frowned, knowing her clothes must really be dirty this time. She momentarily watched at all the stars visible amongst the clouds, deciding that she could end the whole escapade fast and easy simply calling Naruto. 'No, not yet.'
Asami flipped back onto her two feet despite being ensnared, she never wasted the time to even let her body slip down from the tilting angle of the rooftop. She didn't need to check her goggles, the possibility that it cracked or scratched from the rough landing thrown away since she had fallen on her back. The kunoichi steadied herself to a perfect balance, no longer letting chakra flow through the soles of her custom made boots. She was far from finished and apparently they thought just the same. Both Gai and Lee came in with their flying kicks, the twin 'Dynamic Entry'. Neji and Asuma watched as they followed suit, the three shinobi before them had come to a standstill. The two Taijutsu specialists knew they had to hit harder, because there had been some kind of trick at the moment any attack had hit Asami. The impact of the kicks had unbelievably pushed her back only by making her taking a step backward. Gai shot a quick look at Lee and back at Asami, whatever they had hit, it was not flesh and bones, but they knew exactly what sort of trick she had used. What bothered them, the application of such 'trick' was better.
"You just released your chakra right where we would hit you," said Neji, as if he had read the thoughts that were in Gai and Lee's mind.
That was it, the initial stage to performing the Kaiten (Heavenly Spin); though she had released chakra in making a coating to take the force of impact. She just didn't release it all around her body, only the area over the part of her body that would get hit. Neji knew more about Asami's mastery of that technique, judging by the attempt to hit her Tenketsu. That was just it, she was beyond that, she had released chakra at the exact chakra points Neji targeted and hit. Such chakra had countered the blow, and left her unscathed. Neji had been looking at Asami's chakra circulatory system all this time, and he figured such flow of chakra was a bit abnormal. The fact that such abnormality in her flow of chakra only meant trouble, the Hyuuga was sure of it. Another Kusari fundo had been thrown, one with a far longer length, lashed around Asami with one end where Tenten had maneuvered and held onto with its other end. Asami really hated all the weight that the chains had, however she didn't even put up a struggle.
Asami had wasted enough as it is, after she has assessed her condition, with her chakra supply and stash of weapons in mind. 'It's now or never.'
Neji was right one thing, Asami's chakra was slowly but surely draining away like water spilling out of a bucket's hole.
Asuma, Gai, Neji, and Lee looked closely, while Tenten from a far, as the chains wrapped around Asami unexpectedly fell down into the ground in pieces. The air around Asami began to change, as if she was giving some kind of aura. It wasn't creepy or menacing like Gaara gave out in Lee's opinion, but the surrounding Konoha shinobi didn't like it one bit. Gai and Lee both slowly stepped back, as Asuma yelled out to the two Konoha shinobi that were standing close to Asami.
"GAI! LEE! FALL BACK!" yelled out Asuma, Lee and Gai followed without hesitation at the order since they were already by Asuma and Neji's side within four jumps.
Asuma had cast away any thoughts about bringing their intruder down quietly, there was no way around it. Hurt her any way they can, break her bones, cut off her limbs, anything, and they would probably let the medic-nin handle her injuries. Ibiki and the other interrogators have other ways to get their answers if she wouldn't or couldn't talk. This kunoichi was without a doubt a very big threat, more than he had given credit, and apparently she was about to get serious.
The pair of trench knives came off Asuma's hands, they twirled up into the air, as Asuma's freed hands flashed through a sequence of hand seals. The typical fire hand seal, the Tiger. 'Katon, Haisekishou! (Fire Release, Ash Pile Burning)'
Large amounts of superheated ash came out after being spewed out from Asuma's mouth, all of it taking the form of a cloud that had easily overwhelmed Asami before she could do anything. The floating ash in the air all around Asami were hot enough to cause third-degree burns, something Asuma knew for a fact. Unlike the rest, Neji's Byakugan allowed him to see the faint glow of chakra within the cloud of ash, in the ash itself, as if they were faint glowing dusts in the air. After he was finished with performing the hand seals, Asuma once again caught and armed himself with his trench knives just they fell down back before him. Asuma wasn't going to take any chances, as his teeth clicked together, the flint attached within his molar finished off the Katon technique.
All ash had been ignited, suddenly glowing like glowing red dust.
With that, the cloud of stagnant ash had swiftly sucked in the necessary volume of oxygen in the air within milliseconds in order to combust, which had transformed itself into a violent conflagration. The burning lit up the darkness, reminiscent to the scene where Sasuke's Goukakyu no Jutsu had tried to engulf Naruto. Neji looked away briefly, hands raised, the large burst of all the chakra in the cloud before turning to a bright conflagration had an extra effect to eyes with the Byakugan's sensitivity of seeing chakra. He saw a silhouette slowly walking out, the clearing smoke parted like a stage's curtains opened. Perhaps the fire technique hadn't completely injured the kunoichi, probably about to put up a struggle with her strongest technique.
They heard the faint clanking sounds each time she took her steps, similar to pieces of armor that would shift and hit one another when one wearing it moved.
"What in the world…?" whispered Tenten as she stared.
Team Gai and Asuma couldn't say that they weren't surprised with what was now standing there several feet away, torn between being astounded and confused, to the sight of their enemy no longer clad only in some hooded jacket or black tinted ski goggles. The thin coating of chakra receded, thought there still more to be seen. Besides the thought of her hooded jacket, her tinted goggles, and other clothes, the Leaf-nin stared with widened eyes. Shinobi that have battled, those experienced or lucky enough to live would have seen visible chakra in their own eyes without the help of a Doujutsu. Its light blue natural color, most common form, another being the light green in the usage of medical techniques, other rare yet confirmed colors was the dark green chakra that flowed when a shinobi releases the few 'Gates' of chakra. Neji himself had been those people, in fact one of the small numbers of shinobi to have seen the purple color that was the sinister chakra that came from Curse Seals. This very night was just another of those times, where he had seen the many wonders that was chakra.
The upper half of Asami's body clad in armor, reminiscent to a dignified samurai readied for war, in which glowed a full moon's white. Only her goggle was visible aside of the Kabuto helmet that enclosed her head, they couldn't ignore the ornament that added its mystifying look, a glowing crescent moon that was at the front of her helmet. Asuma and Gai could only be reminded that such attire was only worn by the fierce shinobi of old, before the time of Konoha itself, explained and illustrated in old scrolls. But in front of their eyes, they knew that was no simple of suit of armor. They've something like it, just like that coating of sand around Gaara in the Chuunin exam. This? This was something they've never exactly seen before in their whole life until now.
Armor made entirely of chakra.
Startlingly, all that little show stopped when they watched as the armor began to lose shape, and disappear because Asami was absorbing all that chakra back into her body.
Asami brought her hands in a simple Bird hand seal, chakra surged from the inside and outside of her body, "Setsumou no Jutsu (Snow blindness technique)"
It was too late even when Asuma shouted out to Gai and his team, "CLOSE YOUR EYES!"
It was first time for Team Gai, the second time for that night, and third time Asami had performed this technique since she had encountered these Leaf-nin, white light that would easily blind the naked human eye. In the blindness that ensued upon Asuma, Lee, Gai, Neji, and Tenten, each and every one them faintly heard the sound of various kunai being thrown. Worry crept in their hearts, each wondering for the safety of the other, fearing who this kunoichi had hurt or possibly killed in this moment of vulnerability.
Gai blinked his eyes, as if doing it would ease his eyes faster, "ANYONE HURT?!"
Their bodies could feel the change in the air, quite noticeable despite temporarily being blind, and the instincts of the two Jounin told them that the kunoichi hadn't fled, still here, somewhere. All of them finally opened their eyes.
They could see nothing, as in nothing but a thick mist.
"Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique)?" wondered Asuma as he tried to look around, the large density of water in the air blocking his sight. "This is not good…"
"Gai-sensei?" asked Lee amidst the mist.
"Just stand your ground, and be careful. She's still here," answered Gai, knowing the complications due to the thick mist, how the human reaction is reduced in such situations.
Thoughts like the burning 'Flames of Youth' were the last thing he'd wanted to mind at this kind of situation. They were 'sitting ducks' when the female intruder had blinded them, but this situation was probably more dangerous. Gai doubted she didn't know what she was doing by performing such technique, especially one can't freely move around at such elevated heights. His shinobi sandals shifted around over the roof tiles, faint sources of lights permeating through the mist though that did little help. Tenten had already let go the Kusari fundo in her hand. The chains were laid down near her womanly heeled shoes, no longer needed of its use for the time being. Out of all the Leaf-nins that were caught in this mist, she felt the most restless. Her sight was something she really depended, her trained eagle eyes are always used to locate and mark her target. To lose of sight was something she really didn't like, more than she or Neji would ever admit, in which made her feel completely defenseless. She wasn't panicking, but she wanted the mist to be gone. The sooner, the better.
"Neji, what can you see?!" called out Gai,
With that said, the situation took a turn for the worse, Asuma grimaced, and 'This whole time…she could have done this, this whole time.'
"Not much…" trailed off Neji, scowling inwardly.
The thick mist with chakra inside the water vapor was obscuring Neji's sight down to a slight level; he could barely make out what was beyond the mist despite the Byakugan's penetrative vision. The long haired brunette was soaking wet after only a few minutes had passed by, and he began to feel the coldness on his skin. He involuntarily let out a long exhale, his biceps suddenly shivered a few seconds they came to a stop, as he began contemplating ways to get rid of the mist. Neji realized that he began to lose his sight, as the thick mist seemed to converge and thicken more and more around him. Ever the observant, he saw something right in front of his face, only to see it disappear. He brought his hands up and cupped them together, as if a beggar holding out for anyone's charity, and purposely exhaled deeply through his mouth instead of his nose, into his cupped hands in trying to prove his suspicions. He could see his breath, made possible with the difference of temperature from his exhale and the surrounding air's temperature. In comparison to inhaling air, the air exhaled has a higher temperature and one hundred percent increase of humidity. The air consisted more moisture, due to the water that diffused across the moist surface of the breathing passages and all numerous alveoli within the lungs.
One did not need to be medic-nin to have extensive knowledge of the human body; Gai and Lee were fine examples to that. The two bowler haircut shinobi were already aware the moment their muscles shivered, a mechanism by the human body to rapidly move the muscles to produce more heat. A principle down to the smallest of atoms. Molecules shudder together even as they are packed tight to one another as to being in the state of solid form. The hotter it becomes, the more the energy, then the more the movement. Their bodies were trying to keep themselves warm.
They call came to a simple conclusion. The temperature in the mist was dropping, significantly.
Unknown to any of the Konoha shinobi, more water was escaping and held into the air, the atmosphere was being super saturated continuously. The Kirigakure no Jutsu (Hidden Mist Technique) was only the initial stag, all being driven by Asami's Ninjutsu as she continued to supply the necessary amounts of chakra. Asuma, Gai, Lee, Neji, and Tenten could hear their supposedly 'cornered kunoichi' talk to them, in which her voice channeled out and seem to be coming from everywhere.
"Let me see, how prepared your team is, Maito-san," said Asami.
With that said, they might as well forget trying to make out anything that was close to them, since all five Konoha shinobi could hardly see their own hands as they put them up before their eyes or the surface they were standing on. They were no longer trying to see through a thick mist.
Visibility is a mist was low. Visibility is a fog was much lower.
A short but deep contemplation took place, since Asami was deciding how exactly she would take care of each Konoha shinobi. Time was flying, her chakra was depleting, and she had two of the veterans of Konoha to fight among other shinobi. A low but long sign escaped from Asami's mouth, tracking all the positions of Team Gai and Asuma. Asami began to move easily through the thick mist without the slightest fear or doubt. The edge of her feet was only millimeters away from the drop down to the ground below, yet she leapt fearlessly while seeing nothing by the fog.
It had turned into some bizarre game of 'Hide and Seek', because the seeker was coming to get them, take them out of the game, seeking while hiding from them at the same time. There were many happy childhood memories stashed deep in Asami's mind, thanks to a loving family and a best friend. A few examples of them was when a dirty clothed little girl with long messy red hair had just finished counting to ten, she turned around and shouted, "Ready or not, here I come!"
Tenten turned around towards the sound of shifted roof tiles, the few sources of light that somehow manage to lighten up the fog's white color, had done little help for the weapon mistress. A short scythe readied in her right hand's tight grip while a ninjato in her left, Tenten was trying to pick up any sound that could pinpoint anyone's location. She wouldn't dare to move helplessly over the rooftop without risking the thought of falling, though she could remedy that problem by throwing her grappling hooks. Her feet was flowing with chakra necessary to keep her stuck to the roof's surface, the scary thought that this target would pounce upon her. Tenten stilled her breath, her mind completely focused, ready for anything, and then turned.
A heart skipped a beat, Tenten's heart, when she realized that it was her face she was seeing, being reflected upon Asami's tinted goggle as the hooded kunoichi stood nose to nose against the Leaf kunoichi. Weapons are about to swung despite the very close distance, only to stop when those hands were about to move. Asami had gripped upon both of Tenten's wrists, two kunoichi so close to one another as to the concept of personal space never existed.
Fast fancy foot play started between the two kunoichi when Tenten started off by trying to knee Asami in her crotch, only to hit Asami's own shin as a block. Then Tenten slightly raised her right foot and tried to stomp hard upon Asami's foot, completely missed when she simply back stepped. The tip of the scythe came close to upon the kunoichi from the Land of Whirlpool, as Tenten had simply turned around the bladed weapon's handle. Asami loosened her grip around Tenten's right wrist, her palm slid upon the surface of Tenten's skin, and tightened once more upon her grip of the weapon. Where as the grip near Tenten's left wrist, Asami's thumb pressing down on one of two bones within the forearm painfully which forced Tenten to release the ninjato in her hand.
"I've had enough with those," commented Asami, Tenten's breath came upon her goggle, as they both heard the sound of the ninjato sliding down the roof.
Like from a flick of the light switch, Asami's head was once more covered under a samurai helmet made of white chakra. She delivered a head butt upon Tenten's forehead, armor of chakra met against Tenten's forehead protector. Asami's head gear disappeared as soon as it had served its purpose, trying to preserve the remaining chakra she had left. Tenten's world of white thanks to the fog all around had turned pitch black as she slid into unconsciousness. Asami needed to be quick, the thoughts of possible Konoha reinforcements popped up in her mind again. Escape wasn't going to be a problem as long as she had Naruto's kunai hidden near her forearm guard, safely under her sleeve.
'No, I owe somebody a couple of things,' remembered Asami as bent down and picked up Tenten's Kusari fundo, and put the loop of chains over her shoulder.
--Change of Scenery, a forest not too far way from Konoha—
'We're almost there,' thought Sakura, her feet propelled her from branch to branch in relative ease.
The pink haired was tired, quite hungry, sweaty, in turn smelly, and her stamina was probably down to half... Sasuke wasn't in the lead, because he was traveling at the same pace as Kakashi and Sakura. However, Sasuke would have done so if it weren't for Pakkun taking the lead. They were pretty close to Konoha by now, probably an hour of tree hopping left if they maintained their current speed. Yet the ninja dog was there just to be in sniffing off any traps or possible enemy trails, though they all knew that meant Naruto's trail. Not that the thought would really help, since Naruto can appear and disappear whenever he pleases. A proven time space teleportation technique, he would pop out, his smell would come only from where he is, and then he disappears without leaving a trail of smell to follow. Gratefully the rest of the trip had gone smoothly without the slightest hassle, the last time that annoying blonde's clones had took them by surprise only to disappear, such event had been hours ago
"Boo!" said Naruto, appearing out of nowhere, right on the tree's branch in which Kakashi and Sakura landed on, the two Leaf-nins were just about to leap off again when he appeared in between them.
Naruto had surprised Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke once again, causing them to jump away from him. A brief smile came upon the Jinchuuriki's place, before he led out a short laugh upon seeing Team 7's shocked faces and their response to his sudden appearance.
"Aha ha ha…," Naruto's laughter died down, and raised his hands in trying to appease the three Leaf-nins. "Sorry. Sorry. I just couldn't resist."
Shuriken and kunai were sent flying towards the blonde, only to cause Naruto to disappear as the metallic projectiles whizzed through thin air.
"Hey, we can try to go through all the fighting and dodging if that's what you want," said Naruto as he looked down upon Sasuke, hanging by his feet, upside down like a bat from a branch, above them.
Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi caught a glimpse of him though Pakkun was quick enough to spot him due to his smell instead of looking around Naruto would be. As soon as Naruto came into their view, Naruto had disappeared again.
"Since that would mean more stalling, I've got no problems with that," Naruto was in between Kakashi and Sakura, ""But I don't these two would like that, right? Kakashi? Sakura-chan?"
'Sakura-chan?' Sakura caught the term of endearment.
He had just called her Sakura-chan, just like that. Sakura didn't know anyone else that called her that, since it was mostly called her 'Sakura', 'Forehead' from Ino and 'Sakura-san' from Lee. But Sakura-chan? Even her parents didn't call her that. Was he belittling her? This blonde might know everything recorded about her in the archives, but he was nothing more than a stranger. An enemy.
Inner Sakura raved furiously with a raised fist, flames of rage burning, 'That is it! I AM SO GOING TO PUNCH YOUR FACE TO SMITHERINS! SHHAAANNNARO!!'
Again Naruto disappeared, as they learned that they were better off finding him by listening where his voice came from instead of looking for him.
"It's not like I came here to stall you guys," continued on Naruto, standing just two feet away from Kakashi, "not it won't make much difference."
"Then why are you here?" asked Sakura, this however Naruto didn't disappear.
Naruto spared her a brief look, turned to Pakkun and Kakashi, and pointed using his thumb over his shoulder. "Just here to tell you guys that there are some things need to be picked up! Important things!"
"What are you talking about?" Sakura narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Walks on four legs, wears a spike collar around the neck," Naruto tilted his head a bit, and looked at Pakkun, "wears a blue cape just like that one, gives out loud barks, and goes by the name 'Sai'. Oh wait, that's the bulldog right?"
Kakashi and Pakkun exchanged looks; Naruto was talking about Bull, the large bulldog that had been escorting Sai. They had all remained silent; they kept their eyes on Naruto, who looked like he was expecting an answer or some kind of reaction.
"Ooookaaay..., may be that wasn't that much of a clue. I'll make this easy for ya," said Naruto, pretending as if Team 7 didn't know who he was talking about. Naruto used the Henge no Jutsu without making a hand seal, and transformed himself into Sai, "How about now?"
"You think you're funny, dope?" asked Sasuke, his hand was no where near his chokuto.
"Better than thinking about power and revenge all the time, teme," countered Naruto easily, before he smiled at the brunette.
There were much more important things than watching these two quarreling, according to Pakkun and Kakashi. The representative of Kakashi's ninja dogs, Pakkun, had barked into the distance as loud as he could out into the dark distance, into the direction Naruto had just pointed minutes ago. Naruto did nothing in reaction to the little pug dog's bark, as he seemed to knew what exactly was going. None of them heard anything else, at least to those with human ears, because Pakkun seemed to frown. Pakkun couldn't pick up Sai and Bull's trail of scent because the pair had went on a different path, and they were far beyond his range of smell. Luckily for Pakkun, Bull's current position wasn't beyond any ninja dogs' range of hearing, and not to forget that the large bulldog was also the loudest. They were close to Konoha, probably just a few kilometers away, the dogs' barks worked just as good and as fast as the wireless gear.
"He's not lying," Pakkun turned to Kakashi, "He's got Bull and Sai."
"If none of you are going to fetch your teammate, hey, I understand perfectly," shrugged Naruto, he recalled the memories of stalling Sai and Bull just when those two thought they were better off leaving Sakura. "But at least go fetch that big dog of yours."
Rumblings of thunder could be heard from dark heavens above, the thought of rain would fall any time soon had crossed upon the minds of the present shinobi. Naruto, Sasuke, Kakashi, Sakura, and Pakkun had looked up, not that they could see much through the canopy of leaves above them, the change of weather could be bothersome for their travels.
"Then spare us the trouble since you said there's no more use of stalling us," stated Sakura. "Let them go."
"Sorry, can't do that. Even if I did, the big dog will just have to carry him back to the village." replied Naruto sheepishly, apparently embarrassed since that wasn't part of his plan. "Since I kinda went overboard and kicked your teammate's ass. He's out like a light."
So it sounded like Sai was knocked out again.
"He can handle himself," huffed Sasuke, a slight curve of satisfactory grin could be seen on the brunette.
Naruto slowly squatted on the branch, chakra leaked out from under his skin, and he changed his appearance as he once again took the form of Kakashi, "So you mean you'll leave him behind after everything I've taught you?"
"You taught me nothing, dope," answered Sasuke.
"In front of the Stone Memorial, right when you failed to get my bells. Those who break the rules are trash, but those that don't care about their comrades are lower than trash" Naruto watched as Kakashi grimaced under his mask upon hearing those words, Sasuke's eyes hardened, while Sakura frowned, "Don't tell me you've forgotten that?"
Sasuke's Sharingan was then activated, his hand reached for his chokuto, yet he slowly unsheathed it.
"Sasuke," called out Kakashi, the real Kakashi, "Go ahead with Sakura and Pakkun."
It was one of those rare times once more, that began ever since Sasuke was placed back into Team 7 after returning back Hidden Sound, where Kakashi gave clear orders in a serious tone to the Uchiha. Pakkun had once made a remark that his master had only used that tone back when he held position as the ANBU squad captain. Sakura gazed worriedly between Sasuke and her commanding Jounin, finished by a glare upon the Kakashi impostor when Sasuke finally pushed his chokuto back into his sheath.
"Focus on getting back to the village," Kakashi didn't even spare a look at Pakkun. "I'll take care of Sai."
The moment of silence between all four shinobi, not to forget the ninja dog, continued on. For the first time, Sasuke actually answered back against Kakashi's dead serious tone.
"No." said Sasuke.
Kakashi turned around upon the brunette, the intensity coming from his only visible eye, "What was that? Sasuke."
"I said no," answered Sasuke, he made a somersault over Kakashi, also in the direction towards Sai.
"Sasu-" Kakashi was interrupted.
"We'll go get dickhead," said Sasuke, the term 'dickhead' given because of Sa's initial nonstop rambles of dicks when they all first met.
Naruto's Kakashi form was cancelled, he broke out in a burst of laughter, "Aha ha ha ha ha…dickhead, nice one! Sasuke."
Sasuke merely snorted, and looked away from Naruto.
Despite being the only Leaf-nin that knew what exactly was going on, Kakashi still felt as if everything he knew was going all haywire. Sasuke was acting different. He looked at Naruto, 'Who is this guy?'
-A certain rooftop amidst of a fog, Konohagakure-
'KAITEN!'
Chakra was released through out all of Neji's chakra points as he rapidly spun round and round, and in turn created a rotating sphere of chakra that was able to repel attacks. Apparently it did just that, as Neji felt Asami being thrown off by the repelling force of the Kaiten, with disintegrated pieces of roof tiles flew into the air due to the spinning force. Despite not being able to see her, Neji decided he was better off trusting instincts since no one could close on to him as long as he could use his Kaiten. He was awarded with the sounds of Asami colliding onto the roof tiles as she fell coming from behind him through the thick fog, the genius Hyuuga wasn't quick to claim victory. If he couldn't see Asami, then he could at least try to sense her presence by covering all the space around him with chakra and detect her when she steps into that space.
'Nice going Fuusetsu, I might as well let him use every Ninjutsu he has on me,' Asami got up, dusting off the debris off her back.
To the Hyuuga, this was similar to the situation when he fought Kidoumaru of the Sound Five, in which he ultimately loss yet considered quite lucky to come out alive. He couldn't see his enemy using his Byakugan back then, but he was more than determined to make up to overcome his weaknesses. Neji covered the area around with his chakra again, and felt as Asami walked right into it.
'How is she able to move around?' wondered Neji, as he tried to figure out his enemy little by little.
Neji pretended as if he couldn't expect Asami coming, though she might be more careful after being found out from the failed attempt, considering how to handle her. Neji was able to keep his mind on the goal of the mission, making the right decisions, through his calm attitude when compared to the rest of those in his generation. Right now, it involved defeating and capturing the intruder. His mind had two choices now, catch her in surprise with another Kaiten or go for a quick Jyuuken attack. So far, Neji's attempt to attack Asami through her Tenketsu points proved futile since she was able to precisely release chakra around the exact point he would hit, he wondered if he could take her surprise.
What's there to use? The Eight Trigram Sixty Four Palms or the Kaiten (Heavenly Spin)?
"I owe you an aching back, a smack on a billboard, and a headache," declared Asami, disregarding the idea of surprising attack.
The fog had parted away between her and Neji, giving her position away, as if the fog itself was intentionally leaving the space between the two only. Suddenly, Neji felt as if someone just opened the door where full snow blizzard came rushing in, in this came it came straight from Asami, Neji could hear the cracking sounds of the kunoichi's knuckles. This time, he could feel his goose bumps over his skin, the hair on his arms and the back of his neck rise upon the reaction to the chilling cold, not of fear. Neji slowly brought his left hand up while his right down to the level of his waist, the stance of the Jyuuken (Gentle Fist) of the Hyuuga in preparation. Asami's chakra was continuously being molded together, before being released into the air as it caused the drop of temperature.
The Hyouton makes it first appearance within the Land of Fire, another blood limit that combines two elemental chakra together just like the famed Mokuton of the Shodai Hokage, Senjuu Hashirama. The Fuusetsu
Asuma, Gai, Lee, and Neji didn't know as to the exact state of their fellow weapon mistress's current state. Tenten hung limp, her feet off the roof, cold, being tied around a water tank by her own chain weapon that was the Kusari fundo, with several kunai that pinned the whole length of chain in between the chains onto the metal container. After all, Fuusetsu Asami likes to pay her debts on the exact amount, as to be wrapped in chains is to be returned by letting Tenten wrapped in her own chains.
After all, Fuusetsu Asami always likes to pay her debts, even down to the last penny, if given the chance.
--On top of a three storey high apartment, Konohagakure--
Shikamaru, Chouji, and Ino landed on top of the building, they had been looking for some sign that indicate Asuma's position all this time.
"Shikamaru…?" called Ino, the first one to speak as all three looked at the peculiar scene in the distance.
"Come on, let's go," said Shikamaru without wasting time, quickly heading towards the direction.
From their perspective, it was as if there was a cloud that had enveloped the top of several houses. The members of Team 10 were on the move again towards the 'cloud', which Shikamaru knew technically was now a fog if it meant a cloud that came close to the ground. The weather above them told them it was about to rain anytime soon. Chouji took a short glance to the dark clouds above them, flashes of lightning within the clouds where the lightning was travelling from one cloud to another, followed by rumblings of thunder. When he looked at back at the fog far before them, there were suddenly flashes within the fog just like what happened he just saw seconds ago.
The only difference was that there wasn't any sound of thunder coming from there.
"Okay, I definitely take it back, this is definitely not going to be easy," said Ino, disappointed and a bit scared of the chaotic noise over there.
Setsumou no Jutsu - Snow Blindness
The secret technique unique to the Fuusetsu clan born from the concept of snow blindness, the painful eye condition caused exposure to unprotected eyes to bright sunlight reflected from snow or ice. Usual snow blindness occurs in Polar Regions or high altitudes. The technique created by the first few Fuusetsu members that trained at the top of Fuusetsu Mountain where snow blindness is frequent. Time duration and brightness vary according to the performer's control. A Ninjutsu known for its feat before the creation and application of flash bombs.
Fuusetsu - Snowstorm
Well.....? What do you think? I was definitely having second thoughts as to portraying Asami, because I definitely don't want her to turn out into a Mary Sue. I had to make her strong to some degree, but not too too you guys that giving rates and reviews actually have its benefits when it comes to me, LOL. Again, a special gratitude to Blackmamuth and Taliath.
A story that's developing a snail's pace, I want things about the intrusion wrapped up soon enough, and then the story could go on with a better flow. I'm considering dropping the length to 10 pages instead of 15+ pages so that I can update much faster between two updates, after realizing how slow I update. 10 pages is might be a good idea, since when I go 15+ then I don't where to stop whether at 18, 19, or 20. What do you guys think?
RATE AND REVIEW? PLEASE AND THANK YOU.