Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ghostly Eyes ❯ Yuhi Kurenai vs. Da Iri'ga ( Chapter 13 )

      Kashghyu N’ga had just finished meditation when she was startled by a loud crash outside. Running to her window, she saw three of the foreign ninja on the verge of attack by other Nimmori. The woman who led them was facing off with Da Iri’ga, while two of the boys, the blond and the dog master, were surrounded by various youths. Most of those fighting the boys were too young and inexperienced. Instinct (she refused to call it memory) told her that the two could overwhelm them if a fight dragged on. Da Iri’ga was safe, he was well trained and among the most powerful of the Nimmori, but the younger fighters would need assistance for certain.

     Still, she had, in the days since her arrival, learned something of her father’s style of battle. She would concentrate on the two boys, but she would still lend some assistance to his fight as well. She brought up her hands to her chest and made a series of signs. She could feel her Life’s Flame flare up and flow into her hands. She held her palm out and pushed it forward. An orb of wind flew from her hand and towards the two combatants.

     That done, she leapt from her window to the other battle.

     Kurenai picked herself up off the hut platform she’d landed on. She’d been caught completely by surprise by that attack. Whoever had done it knew what they were doing. She knew she’d taken a hard hit and would be getting a nasty bruise. Though that was currently the least of her worries. Her assailant had made his way to a ledge near her own. An easy leap would bring him right to her, or her to him. He would undoubtedly notice she was hurt and press on his offensive. She grabbed a kunai out of a pouch at her hip and braced herself.

     The man, who seemed a good deal older than Kurenai herself, but still as spry as a young buck, had brown eyes and shoulder length black hair. He wore animal skin trousers that went down to his knees and, rather than the young fighters’ vests, a sleeveless jacket that went down to his thighs. He had not put on any body paint, revealing tanned skin indicative of plenty of time outdoors.

     He was just about to make the leap Kurenai was expecting when she suddenly sensed a bundle of chakra. Looking up, she saw a ball of air fly past the combatants’ heads and into the tree canopy above them. It gave a small explosion, sending leaves flying off of their branches and falling down between Kurenai and her foe.

     Kurenai recognized the technique. Kazetama no Jutsu, the Wind Ball. Usually kept smaller than what she had just seen, it was handy as a distraction technique, to focus an enemy’s attention elsewhere. With that thought Kurenai suddenly glanced back at her enemy. He had an odd smile on his face as he suddenly began using his hands for signs. Kurenai didn’t recognize the sequence of signs, so she braced herself for whatever unknown technique was coming her way.

     Had she not refocused on the man in front of her, she have missed the momentary glow that began to emit from the leaves falling before her. She acted just fractions of a second before the leaves began to inexplicably fly right at her.

     The technique, known in olden times as the Konoha no Shuriken no Jutsu, was one of Da Iri’ga’s best techniques. It required very precise control of the Life’s Flame, but it also required very minimal amounts of it. This meant it could be used continuously without exhausting the user, even if that user had a very weak Flame within them.

     It took the power of the Flame and focused it into falling leaves. It would send those leaves flying at the foe with enough speed to cut skin. Its old name came from how the leaves would fly similar to the old weapons known as Shuriken. As such things were rare among the Nimmori, the Konoha no Shuriken became a popular technique among some. It wasn’t useful as a killing technique, as the weapons could only create shallow cuts. However, Da Iri’ga knew the value of inflicting small injuries as well as mortal blows. Small injuries added up, weakening the other person as the fight wore on.

     Da Iri’ga watched as his new weapons flew at his foe, the shee’nobie woman seemed surprised. He was impressed, though, that her surprise didn’t prevent her from acting. As the “shuriken” struck their mark, a puff of smoke appeared, when it cleared, he saw the woman had vanished and many of the leaves used in the attack were stuck in a long board. Looking to the side he saw a board quickly pried loose from the platform the woman was standing on.

     Instinct suddenly told him to move. He jumped back, just as the woman came down from above him, missing the jump kick she had intended to send to his head. She rushed him, flattening her right hand for a chop to the neck. He prepared to block the blow with his wrist, only to have the woman’s hand go through his body. A sharp pain suddenly hit him as he felt something pierce the back of his left shoulder.

     Kurenai managed to evade those flying leaves with the Kawarimi no Jutsu. She quickly made her way into the trees. She used the Bunshin no Jutsu, and sent an illusionary body down to engage the man. Unaware that the woman before him wasn’t real, he attempted to block the attack. As he focused on that attack, Kurenai managed to get behind him and throw the kunai she had taken out into his left shoulder.

     He reacted quickly, getting out of the way of another potential assault by leaping to the platform Kurenai had started out on. Rather than come down and show herself while he was being careful, she used her chakra to plant her feet on the nearest tree, hidden within the branches and foliage.

     Kurenai understood this would be no easy fight to win. Her enemy was clearly both experienced and skilled. She could only imagine the control required for that leaf technique he used. She wondered idly where the Kazetama had come from, but for now it could wait. She looked quickly to see Kiba and Naruto, handling themselves well against a group of Nimmori.

     They were fighting an estimated half dozen. But they managed to hold the advantage despite numbers. These fighters, four boys and two girls, seemed to be just below the level of fighters Kurenai had seen with Hinata earlier. And well below her current enemy.

     Speaking of, the man had managed to move out of sight and hide himself. Kurenai briefly cursed herself for letting her attention wander, but it was unavoidable so long as she was concerned for her charges. Now that she knew their situation, and that they were capable of handling it. She could concentrate fully on her fight.

     The two combatants remained hidden. Kurenai remained still, though she could tell her opponent was moving around the branches, seeking her out. He was far more accustomed to battling in this environment than Kurenai, to move recklessly would be suicide.

     The choice was soon taken out of her hands, as the man appeared beside her. Kurenai immediately jumped away from the tree she was on, towards another one she could attach to in preparation for a counter attack. The man jumped with her. Kurenai turned around in mid-air to face her attacker, who flew above her in his leap. She opened another pouch she had and sent three shuriken into her foe. The embedded themselves in the man’s stomach, chest, and head.

     Knowing it was too easy a hit, she wasn’t at all shocked to see the puff of smoke that accompanied her mortal blow, indicating she’d just dispatched a Bunshin. She was, however, surprised to see what came out of the smoke.

     Leaves. Her enemy had used Bunshin made out of leaves.

     Kurenai knew exactly what was about to occur. She also knew she had no way to dodge them in mid-air and nothing close by to use with Kawarimi. She put her hands into fists, pressed together the insides of her wrists and covered her face with her fisted hands, covering the more vulnerable areas of her body. With a glimmer of chakra, the leaves (scattering with the dispelling of the Bunshin) flew right at Kurenai.

     The leaves Kurenai’s body along her torso and legs. Leaving slight scratches all over her body and leaving bloody slits in various spots along the dress she wore. She’d managed to protect her face, neck, and wrists, where even the shallow cuts of the leaves could be potentially debilitating or fatal. However, she was just recovering from that attack when the man, for real this time, leapt down from some hiding place above her and planted a punch right into her unguarded stomach.

     The attack sent Kurenai falling through the roof of a hut with great force.

     “Juujuin Bunshin no Jutsu!” Kiba cried. With a cloud of smoke, Akamaru transformed into a double of his master.

     “Kage-Bunshin no Jutsu!” Naruto cried. With clouds of smoke, three more Naruto appeared to join in the fray.

     The numbers now even, the Shinobi duo had little trouble dealing with the enemies before them. Though both knew they had to finish this quick and move, or else they would be overwhelmed by greater numbers of, more than likely, stronger warriors.

     As they managed to knock down the last of their antagonists, a cry broke through the noise of battle. From above them, a figure dropped from the trees and landed gracefully on a bridge connecting two of the tress.

     The two Konoha Genin and dog, each firmly planted on the sides of closely placed trees, stared as Hyuga Hinata gave those by her commands in the Nimmori tongue. Whatever it was she’d ordered of them, they were now moving away from Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru.

     “What’s going on?” Naruto asked, “Are they giving up?”

     “Looks that way…” Kiba said as he watched the scene before them.

     “Does that mean we win? They’re letting us have Hinata?”

     “No. In fact, you’ve got it backwards. They aren’t letting us have her, they’re letting her have us!”

     Akamaru woofed in agreement.

     “What?!” Naruto asked.

     Kiba was right though. Naruto saw Hinata look at the two, a wicked smile on her face. She really intended to fight the three of them single-handedly.

     As he looked at the girl, Naruto thought of the previous night. Kurenai’s words sticking in his mind.

     “Hinata has looked to you as an example to follow for years. You’ve inspired her in a way I don’t think anybody else has been able to do.”

     “…you, Naruto, are our best chance at rescuing her. That’s why you’re here.”

     Ignoring Kiba’s surprised shout, Naruto leapt off his post and jumped to the bridge.