A New Challenge

Konohamaru and Takai, having successfully defeated their opponent and healing their wounds, advanced through the dark tower in which they found themselves in. The spiral staircase they ran through had a dark eerie tone to it.

"How are the others?" Asked Konohamaru, coming to terms that Takai can read minds near him.

"They're too far to read minds…But I can sense horrible Chakra in the areas they were in…"

"I hope they're okay…" Spoke the leader in remorse. Soon the two emerged from the dark corridor to a naturally lit hall with three other doors behind him and a large door at the end of the hall.

"Those three doors, they must be the doors leading to the other Shiten'no." Takai identified.

"But why isn't any of them here yet?" Asked Konohamaru in worry. "Could it be those bastards killed them?"

"Calm down, Sensei." Said Takai. "You're letting your emotions compromise you."

"I don't care!" Yelled Konohamaru. "That's Naruto's daughter and my friends down there! I'm going to help them!" But when he charged to one random door, that door burst open to reveal Haruhi and Mitsuko.

"Sensei?!" Haruhi gasped.

"Haruhi!" Konohamaru sighed in relief.

"You made it out okay." Smiled Takai to Mitsuko.

"It was no problem." Smirked Mitsuko.

"Wait, where's Maruya? She was on your team." Konohamaru said.

"The Shiten'no we fought against was too powerful." Reported Haruhi. "Maruya stayed behind to fight her alone…" The nervousness in Konohamaru returned.

"Before you scare Sensei further…" Began Takai. "Who's that?" He pointed at the doorway and the others seen a timid Ubu emerge from the darkness.

"Oh!" Haruhi spoke. "This is Ubu, she was at the tower to start with, but now wants to help."

"L-Leaf Ninja…" The young girl timidly spoke.

"It's okay, Ubu." Haruhi smiled. "These are my friends. Takai-kun and Konohamaru-sensei."

"Takai?!" Ubu gasped.

"Ubu?" Spoke Takai. "You mean the little girl Yamashin revived all those years ago?"

"The same." Mitsuko said. "But before we get caught up in anymore emotional reunions…" She stepped up to the large gate. "What do you say we put an end to Yamishin?"

"What about Shikari-kun? And Hanabi-sensei?" Asked Haruhi. "We can't fight him alone."

"Way I see it…" Said Mitsuko. "The weak that fall behind, stay behind." But this comment only made Konohamaru punch her in the face, so hard she flew to the other side of the hall.

"That was a warning shot!" Yelled Konohamaru. "Say any more foul things about my friends, and I will kill you!" This made those around Konohamaru grew hostile.

"Sensei!" Yelled Takai in anger.

"Wahh!" Wailed Ubu in fright. "Scary Leaf ninja!"

"Y-You wanna fight?!" Yelled Mitsuko as she recovered from the attack. But before a fight could ensue, they heard a feint laughter as the doors to the other side of the hall opened, revealing a familiar face: Ryoko, the left hand man of Yamishin.

"I came here to congratulate those that defeated the Shiten'no, but it looks like had I come a moment later, there'd be nobody left to congratulate." He chuckled.

"I know you!" Said Konohamaru, remembering the ninja who attacked them before they could infiltrate the castle.

"It's been a while, Leaf ninja." He spoke. "But it looks as though you've discarded a few allies and acquired new ones."

"Why you…" Haruhi growled.

"Ubu!" Called Ryoko. "Why do you side with the enemy? Have you forgotten the sacrifices Yamishin-sama made for you?"

"I-I know…" Said Ubu timidly. "B-But these ninja are better than Yamishin…" Ryoko took offense to this and charged for the girl to attack.

"Nobody disrespects Yamishin-sama on my watch!" He yelled. But before he could attack, a combination of Konohamaru, Haruhi and Takai countered him, throwing him back.

"Nobody hurts my friends on my watch." Argued Haruhi.

"Miss Haruhi…" Ubu gasped, being called a friend.

"Fine, then." Ryoko spoke. "If you want to die with these fools, I will gladly oblige!" He took off his long cloak to reveal his muscled body under a black vest. What everyone found odd was a great number of tattoos on his body.

"Those are seals." Identified Konohamaru.

"Very perceptive." Spoke Ryoko. "I am the strongest person in this castle, save for Yamishin-sama himself. If I don't limit my Chakra output with these seals, let's just say there wouldn't be a castle left to call Yamishin-sama's."

"Then you weren't fighting us seriously?" Asked Konohamaru.

"Nope. What you seen before was 20% of my overall power. However…" He placed his two fingers on two tattoos on his chest. "I will now release two seals to show 50% of my power!" The tattoos on his chest vanished and Chakra surged all around them.

"What incredible…Chakra…" Gasped Konohamaru. "Everyone, be on your-" But his sentence was cut short as Ryoko unleashed a large scale explosion on the group, much more powerful than the ones he used on them before. Fortunately, Haruhi emerged with Ubu with light injuries, while Konohamaru, Takai and Mitsuko emerged unhurt.

"Hah! You came out of that one well." Smiled Ryoko.

"What incredible power…" Haruhi growled, clutching her side, which had a burn on it.

"Of course, he's Yamishin's lieutenant." Said Mitsuko. "He makes the Shiten'no put together look like weak Genin. What makes him strong is that power of his. As long as he sees his opponent, he can make explosions anywhere." Konohamaru however, smiled to this.

"Well I guess that makes him my opponent." He recovered and got into his Tornado's Cry form. "Stand back, guys. This is gonna be quite a ride!" He vanished in a high-speed charge, but what was most unbelievable was Ryoko simply tilted his head to the side and a lighter explosion combusted, and blasted back a weakened Konohamaru. "Wh-What the?!"

"What?!" Cried Haruhi. "But I couldn't even follow that attack!" Ryoko walked up to Haruhi and looked down on her with his red eyes.

"Sharingan, kid." He chuckled. "If you haven't already discovered, I can follow your movements, no matter how fast." Haruhi froze in fear of the fearsome power Ryoko possessed. Out of instinct, she tried to power a Rasengan, but Ryoko seen the attack coming a millisecond into her scheme and kicked Haruhi away. Though now hurt, she did her best to shield Ubu from harm.

"Haruhi!" Yelled Takai in worry.

"Miss Haruhi, are you okay?" Hiccupped Ubu in worry.

"I'm fine…" She said in exhaustion.

"Attack at once!" Commanded Konohamaru as him, Mitsuko and Takai attempted to attack Ryoko altogether, but it mattered little, as in quick succession, Ryoko fired off three difference blasts at his three assailants, blasting them away.

"He's…Too strong…" Haruhi grunted in pain.

"Now where was I?" Ryoko childishly played around. "Ah, yes. The young brat who disrespected Yamishin-sama!" He walked over to Ubu.

"Don't come any closer!" Threatened Haruhi.

"Oh, and what are you going to do?" Ryoko smirked casually. Haruhi knew protecting the child was all that mattered, so she did the only thing she could to protect her.

"Yamisin is the weakest piece of trash in the world! I bet even a-!" The first sentence was enough to set Ryoko mad. He grabbed Haruhi by the throat, making her flail around in pain.

"Care to repeat that, you stinking Leaf bitch?!" He yelled in furious anger.

"Miss Haruhi, no!" Cried Ubu.

"I…I'm sorry…" Said Haruhi past her gasping for air. "That was an insult to pieces of trash…" She lightly chuckled to this, but now Ryoko's anger was at breaking point as he threw her up into the air and ignited an explosion a few feet away, causing her to be blasted into the wall and crash to the ground painfully.

"Miss. Haruhi, please no more!" Cried Ubu.

"I won't!" Haruhi weakly growled. "I'll protect you, Ubu…"

"But why?!" Cried Ubu. "I'm an Uchiha! I wanted to kill you!"

"I don't care! The way I see you isn't a killer or somebody who I need to hate. I just see you as an ordinary girl who needs my protecting!" She now smiled in confidence as she came up with an expert idea. She formed a hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Hundreds of Haruhis were summoned all around Ryoko.

"Shadow Clones, huh?" Ryoko laughed. "What will those do?!" Immediately, Haruhi began her ultimate scheme.

"Yamishin stinks!"

"Yamishin couldn't fight his way past a target dummy!"

"I bet Yamishin couldn't use a Kunai to pick his nose!"

Every single Haruhi began yelling insults at Yamishin, something that made Ryoko fume up in rage.

"Shut up!" He commanded in rage. But no matter what, the Haruhi's kept insulting. "I SAID SHUT UP!" He extended his arms outwards to cause explosions all around him, causing the mass army of Haruhi Shadow Clones to be wiped out in seconds. "Did you like that, huh?!" But then, the real Haruhi emerged from the smoke filled room with a Rasengan ready, and hitting his blind spot, slipped past Ryoko undetected.

"Rasengan!" She called and hit Ryoko in the back, propelling him away and crashing him into a wall.

"Awesome, Miss. Haruhi!" Cheered Ubu.

"Heh, not bad." Grinned Takai, now recovering from his light injuries.

"Thata girl." Laughed Konohamaru.

"Don't get too cocky, guys." Said Mitsuko, the only one not impressed by Haruhi's clever plan. "That little stunt just awakened a slumbering nightmare." From the rubble came Ryoko, grunting in pain of Haruhi's attack.

"Heh." Haruhi snorted. "Didn't expect it to be this easy." She said, preparing for battle once more. Ryoko, however, was still enraged at the audacity of Haruhi.

"You asked for it, 100% is now yours to see!" He placed his hands on the remainder of his tattoos as they vanished completely, crushing the five with it's immense Chakra.

"What power…" Takai gasped.

"I can eradicate every one of you with this power alone!" Ryoko growled. "But I'm going to let you have a taste of true despair. He formed a hand sign and focussed all his Chakra into his palm then forced it into the ground.

"Ultimate Summoning Jutsu! Grand Dragon Bahamut!" A great dust massive cloud emerged from the ground. The five were now at the mercy of whatever was behind that terrible fog, but whatever it was, they knew it couldn't be good…