Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Naruto: Zero Chronicles ❯ Chapter 5: The seemingly Impossible test! ( Chapter 5 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: ZeroGn28 
What twizted test did Umeko come up for group six?
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Martial Arts / Drama / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 05.20.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 269 | Status: Completed
What twizted test did Umeko come up for group six?
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Martial Arts / Drama / Comedy / Adventure / Action | Type: Self Insertion | Uploaded On: 05.20.2006 | Pages: 1 | Words: 3.4K | Visits: 269 | Status: Completed
Chapter 5: The Seemingly Impossible Test
"Umeko-Sensei, could you please stop this childish behavior and tell us what we have to do?" Den asked with a frustrated tone. Umeko stared blankly at him for a few moments.
"I guess, we should be moving on, shouldn’t we?" She asked, looking up at the sky. Before anyone could respond, she bit into her thumb to draw blood, and quickly slide it across the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Umeko yelled. Zero watched the ground as odd symbols spread out across the ground. Then an explosion of smoke clouded his vision.
"The hell?" He said under his breath. The smoke began to clear as he noticed he was starting at a very large black paw, almost the size of him. Den backed off slowly, looking up at large white fangs.
"Wha-what is that?" He asked breathlessly, as Ryuu also stared up at this beast that stood before them.
"My name is, Munori." Boomed a voice. Den and Ryuu backed up slowly, while Zero seemed to have fallen backwards by the sound of the sudden explosion. At this time, they all realized that it was a giant wolf, with red eyes that was glaring down upon them. Before anyone could say anything, Munori took a deep breath with his nose. "A Zenhi? Setsu, and Hebi, and.." He paused for a moment. Then Zero noticed his eyes seemed to be filled with a slight look of fear.
"Time for the test!" Umeko shouted in her normal, upbeat voice. Zero shook his head and focused his attention to Umeko who had suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What do we have to do?" Zero asked. Umeko began to smile widely at Zero’s question.
"Oh it’s quite simple, I will knock you out, you will be taken to a distance that is only ten hours away from here, by Munori. Of course to him that’s only about thirty minutes. After ward, you three must find a way back to the village to pass the test." She paused for a moment to let everything sink in.
"You can’t just go around knocking people out!" Den yelled furiously. Umeko’s smile only widened at this comment.
"I can, and I will. And one more thing, only two of you will pass. The one who gets here last, will go back to the academy!" She shouted with a joyful squeak. Den began to speak but Ryuu interpreted.
"And if no one gets back?" He asked folding his arms in triumphed like style.
"Well, don’t worry that can happen. You have to be back before twelve a.m. and if none of you return…" She paused again to close her eyes and smile. "You all fail!" Zero slowly stood up getting ready to question her, but before he could he felt a strike upon his head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell to the ground.
Umeko looked back, her hair flapping in her face because of the wind created by Munori’s speed.
"Are you sure you didn’t kill the kid!" Munori yelled. Umeko smiled staring directly at Zero’s unconscious body.
"Of course not!" She yelled faking a sense of disbelief in her voice.
"Well you hit him kind of hard!" He shouted again beginning to pick of pace. "The other two, you just knocked out with a jutsu. Why hit him?" He questioned.
"Because that Jutsu wouldn’t work on someone from the Zenhi clan." She said in a tone, that was devoid of happiness. "Poor kid." She added, bending down and examining Zero closely. "Losing all his friends, and family, and coming out alive just to be blamed for it. If the hokage wouldn’t have instated a law against his past, just like that Uzumaki character and had the Hyuuga clan not been so loyal to their comrades. I fear he would have become a very cold person." Munori looked back at her at the corner of his eye.
"You sound like, he means something to you." He said still watching her. Umeko didn’t answer she only stared for a moment then stood up and stomped on Munori’s back.
"Pick up the pace, you idiot. They have to be farther out then this!" She shouted in her normal tone again. Munori whimpered for a moment and then picked up speed.
"Do you really think its safe to leave three unconscious gennin, in the middle of a dangerous forest, Umeko?" Munori asked, looking down on Umeko, as she methodically placed Ryuu, and Den adjacent to each other on the forest floor.
"Of course they'll probably be fine!" She answered in an active voice, before dropping Zero a few paces away, and staring toward him a moment. "I get to see what they can really do now." She said under her breath in an excited tone, before noticing a slight twitch from Zero's eye. "Oh, I think they must be eager to start! We should let them get started." Umeko announced loudly, as she quickly jumped atop Munori's back, as he stood still, making no attempt to move. "Move! Hurry up!" She yelled, as Munori let out a loud sigh, turning his head to look toward her.
"Ahem, Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked, as Umeko began to grow annoyed.
Tightening her grip on the back of his neck, she raised her voice again.
"Forgetting what!?" Narrowing his eyes, Munori looked toward the three gennin on the ground.
"Of course the Zenhi will awaken, you knocked him out with your fist, But the Hebi and Setsu, you used a jutsu on. It might be fair if you dispelled it, so they stand a chance at getting back, too." Suddenly realizing her mistake, Umeko scratched the back of her neck.
"Oh… Well, OK, I'll do that." Quickly placing her hands together, She formed a seal and holding it for a moment. Immediately afterward, she pulled at Munori's back again, as he turned back toward Konoha, leaping quickly away.
"They'll all be up within the hour." Umeko stated, before pausing a second, and continuing, unable to hold back any longer. "It's so exciting! I get to see my team's real potential!" She announced loudly, as Munori grunted unenthusiastically.
"If they even make it back…" He added under his breath, though the words did not reach Umeko's ears over the wind from his leaps.
"Hrm…" Ryuu murmured, being jerked from unconsciousness by a sudden slithering feeling along his leg. After a moment, when the feeling failed to subside, he quickly lunged an arm toward the feeling, grabbing something, and pulling it to eye level.
Half opening an eye, he examined the culprit.
"A big centipede… how annoying." He said in an angered tone, throwing the bug to the side, and examining his surroundings. An overwhelming buzzing noise and thick forest odor quickly overwhelmed his senses, as he looked about. Huge trees engulfed most of his vision, along with other large plant life, whilst a few large insects buzzed about, paying no attention to him. Just as Ryuu began to relax however, a loud screech sounded from just behind some bushes in front of him. Cautiously, he crawled to the bush. Ryuu stuck his head over it, noticing Zero, who had his sword unsheathed, as a slimy green liquid dripped from it.
"What was that noise?" Ryuu asked, as Zero's attention focused on him.
"It… attacked while…I was asleep." Zero said, trying to catch his breath, as he pointed to the carcass of a large beetle, which seemed to have been cut in half. The silence that began to encroach was broken again, this time by Ryuu.
"I see you're fine, not surprisingly. But where is Den-san? I have my doubts about his ability to last out here." Wiping the blood from his sword, and sheathing it, Zero pointed to a spot a few paces away, where Den lay curled in a ball still fast asleep.
"Well, she did say only two of us could pass, and we are both awake." Ryuu stated, staring toward Zero. "All we would have to do is find the way back on our own, and we would be done." Ryuu added, as Zero looked about, thinking the ordeal over in his head.
"Just because Zero can close his mind to me. Doesn’t mean I wont sense your plot Ryuu-san." Den’s voice boomed from nowhere. Zero’s attention turned to Den who was now sitting up with a very dirty look on his face.
"So then." Zero said as Ryuu and Den turned their attention to him. "Its every ninja for them self isn’t it?" Ryuu and Den looked at each other then back at Zero. "It is going to be a bit odd, to fight you two." Zero continued walking slowly towards a tree.
"Do we really have to fight?" Den asked with a shaky voice. Ryuu clenched his fist tightly.
"Don’t be an idiot Den-san. Of course we will have to!" Ryuu shouted looking around at the surrounding trees.
"We don’t even know how to get back." Zero said in a calm voice. "Fighting would only ensure that none of us pass." Zero then leaned up against the tree looking up at the thick branches that blocked out the sun.
"But you’re the one who suggested it!" Ryuu shouted again clenching his other fist. Zero didn’t reply he just stood there facing the tree. Den and Ryuu exchanged looks of puzzlement unsure of why Zero was standing so still.
"Zero-san?" Den called out to him standing on his feat. Zero still didn’t respond. Den took a few steps closer to Zero’s motionless body. "Zero-san?" He asked again, reaching out for his shoulder. Suddenly Ryuu grabbed Den’s arm. "Ryuu-kun?" Den asked shooting him a look. Ryuu was staring deeply at Zero.
"That sneaky bastard!" Ryuu shouted.
"What?" Den asked looking around to find out what Ryuu was talking about.
"Again, you have ESP, and you can’t see these things!" Ryuu shouted letting go of Den’s arm at this moment Zero’s body dispelled into a pool of blood with a seal incased in it.
"Oh, shit…" Den said reading the seal. A thick smoke engulfed the area covering Den and Ryuu.
Zero was jumping from one tree limb to another only pausing long enough to look around at his surroundings. "Not that they stood any kin-" He started arrogantly, before stopping mid-sentence as a kunai flew directly past his ear with a loud whooshing noise. "Damn that was fast." He said stopping on a branch and slowly turning around. As he turned around, he saw three shiny lights moving closer towards him quickly. Zero’s eyes widened as he quickly ducked the three kunai that passed over his head cutting a strain of his silver hair. "Ok, Ok you guys made your point!" He shouted, regaining his balance and staring in the direction of the thrown weapons, but to his horror it wasn’t Den nor Ryuu hat stood before him. It was a horrible demon like creature with pitch-black hair, and cold red eyes. It’s bat-like wings were expanded fully behind it giving it an even larger appearance. Two pearl white fangs emerged from its mouth; it wore a dark black cloak around its body, with something that resembled a sword on its back. "No!" Zero said weakly, losing his balance and falling from the branch crashing into the ground. "It can’t be you…"
"He did it right in front of us? I find that hard to believe." Den said in an annoyed voice following Ryuu close behind.
"Get used to it Den-san, you know very well that when it comes to Zero-kun we are out of our league." Ryuu said calmly carefully landing on each branch. Den just replied with a loud puff of anger. Silence enclosed for quite sometime before Ryuu began to speak again.
"Something about this forest, makes me feel like I’ve been here before." He said in almost a whisper.
"You mean you might have been here?" Den asked hopefully. "If you do we can get back to Konoha way faster then Zero ever could!" He continued with increasing hopefulness in his voice. Ryuu suddenly stopped causing Den to almost run into him. "What was that for!?” Den asked, though Ryuu didn’t respond. To him, Den was no longer there, he was on the ground, covered in blood and Zero’s body laid next to Den’s, with his head twisted in an abnormal position. Ryuu suddenly fell from the tree onto his back. He slowly sat up, looking at the numerous surrounding bodies that he recognized as members of the Konoha village. He crawled backwards slowly staring at the image that was before him, he then placed one of his hands on something long and cold that was moving back and forth slowly. His eyes widened even larger as he slowly turned his head to see a snake like creature looking down at him. It seemed half man and half snake it had snake eyes and for feet a long green tail. Its hands were covered in blood. "This isn’t what I want. So why do I have to see it!" Ryuu screamed.
Den stood in an empty room that was very dark. The only light was a light from the sky, which only illuminated four feet in front of him.
"What's going on?" Den asked out loud, quickly shifting his head about, searching the room for Ryuu, who was no longer there.
"Is this some kind of…trick? Just so you can get back first?" Den asked again, beginning to find the silence and darkness within the room eerie. He slowly took one step at a time toward the light, still examining the room around him.
"He must have used one of his techniques to slow me down. I didn't think Ryuu-kun could use a technique of this level, though…" Den mumbled to himself, as something caught his foot, tripping him onto the dirt floor. As he started to stand back up, he felt a warm wetness on his hand. Quickly putting his hand out toward the light, Den's eyes widened as he looked over his hand.
"Bl-blood!?" He yelped, quickly pulling the sleeve of his coat back, only to see that there wasn't a wound on him. Looking back at the ground, he noticed what had tripped him. Three kunai, nearly invisible from the shadows, protruded from the ground, each surrounded by a small pool of blood.
<Ryuu and Zero-san are both gone. Nobody could have cast a technique strong enough to make them completely disappear from my senses, there's no way! But that would have to mean…> Den thought to himself, as he wiped the blood from his hands onto his sleeve, and looked toward the weapons again.
"This isn't a technique…" He finished out loud, looking toward the door across the room, as a fear about what might lie on the other side set in…
The creature stared down at Ryuu, quickly picking him up with its tail, and slinging him across the ground into a nearby tree.
"What… the hell!?" Ryuu said, trying to catch his breath, as he slowly slid his hand into his pocket. Undeterred, the creature continued stepping closer, whipping its tail from side to side, hissing loudly, until it was standing just above Ryuu.
<I can't get beat down now… Not by 'this'! > Ryuu thought to himself, as he pulled his arm from his pocket, placing out in front of himself. Glaring angrily, the creature pulled its tail back, let out a near-deafening screech, as Ryuu stared back, unflinching. Then with a loud cracking noise, the beast slammed its tail down on Ryuu. The creature wrapped its tail around Ryuu's, now motionless body, raising it up, and looking it over, from top to bottom. Just as the half-snake, half-man began to growl victoriously, the body disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced by a cracked log. In a fit of rage, the monster threw the log to the ground; then began scanning the trees and bushes with its eyes, failing to find Ryuu. Screaming out again, the beast leaped to the branches above, disappearing among them.
"Don't come any closer!" Zero barked toward the demon that hovered in front of him.
Before the words could even sink in, the demon lunged forward, clenching Zero by the neck, at a mind numbing speed. Zero struggled slightly against the beast's grip, but to no avail, it effortlessly lifted him from the ground. Zero closed his eyes bracing for an attack, but to his surprise, the creature made no effort to attack, instead, it pulled him face to face, staring menacingly into his eyes.
"What… are you, looking at!?" he screamed at the demon, trying to hide his obvious fear, whilst clenching to it's arm with both of his hands. Unfazed, the creature's eyes flared with anger, as it tightened its grip on his neck, as its stare became even colder. Gasping for air, Zero pulled his legs back, slamming them into the creature's chest, causing its grip to loosen, slightly. Just as it started to tighten again, Zero unclenched one of his arms; quickly griping the handle from the sword Umeko had given him. In a flash, the creature's grip ceased, as its entire body fell to the ground, in two pieces. Zero too fell, lying on the ground, soaked in the demon's blood, breathing heavily.
"That… was it…?" He asked out loud, looking toward the body of the fallen beast. Slowly sitting up, he sheathed his sword, though he was still unable to shake his gaze from the creature's remains. Slowly crawling toward the creature, Zero examined it closely; still unsure of what was going on. Slowly looking over the body from feet to head, Zero honed in on its eyes, which still seemed to as alive as before. Compelled by something from within, Zero slowly reached out toward the creature.
"Why, do i…" He started in a mumble, as a sharp pain shot through his side, and a small amount of blood shot to his mouth. A deep grumble came from the body, as its fallen innards and blood, all gushed back together. As did its arm, which was now at Zero's side, grasping a kunai, which was plunged into his back. Standing up, Zero stumbled backwards, before placing his hand on the kunai, and throwing it to the side. The creature raised again, apparently as if completely renewed, and stared toward Zero again.
"Umeko-Sensei, could you please stop this childish behavior and tell us what we have to do?" Den asked with a frustrated tone. Umeko stared blankly at him for a few moments.
"I guess, we should be moving on, shouldn’t we?" She asked, looking up at the sky. Before anyone could respond, she bit into her thumb to draw blood, and quickly slide it across the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Umeko yelled. Zero watched the ground as odd symbols spread out across the ground. Then an explosion of smoke clouded his vision.
"The hell?" He said under his breath. The smoke began to clear as he noticed he was starting at a very large black paw, almost the size of him. Den backed off slowly, looking up at large white fangs.
"Wha-what is that?" He asked breathlessly, as Ryuu also stared up at this beast that stood before them.
"My name is, Munori." Boomed a voice. Den and Ryuu backed up slowly, while Zero seemed to have fallen backwards by the sound of the sudden explosion. At this time, they all realized that it was a giant wolf, with red eyes that was glaring down upon them. Before anyone could say anything, Munori took a deep breath with his nose. "A Zenhi? Setsu, and Hebi, and.." He paused for a moment. Then Zero noticed his eyes seemed to be filled with a slight look of fear.
"Time for the test!" Umeko shouted in her normal, upbeat voice. Zero shook his head and focused his attention to Umeko who had suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What do we have to do?" Zero asked. Umeko began to smile widely at Zero’s question.
"Oh it’s quite simple, I will knock you out, you will be taken to a distance that is only ten hours away from here, by Munori. Of course to him that’s only about thirty minutes. After ward, you three must find a way back to the village to pass the test." She paused for a moment to let everything sink in.
"You can’t just go around knocking people out!" Den yelled furiously. Umeko’s smile only widened at this comment.
"I can, and I will. And one more thing, only two of you will pass. The one who gets here last, will go back to the academy!" She shouted with a joyful squeak. Den began to speak but Ryuu interpreted.
"And if no one gets back?" He asked folding his arms in triumphed like style.
"Well, don’t worry that can happen. You have to be back before twelve a.m. and if none of you return…" She paused again to close her eyes and smile. "You all fail!" Zero slowly stood up getting ready to question her, but before he could he felt a strike upon his head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell to the ground.
Umeko looked back, her hair flapping in her face because of the wind created by Munori’s speed.
"Are you sure you didn’t kill the kid!" Munori yelled. Umeko smiled staring directly at Zero’s unconscious body.
"Of course not!" She yelled faking a sense of disbelief in her voice.
"Well you hit him kind of hard!" He shouted again beginning to pick of pace. "The other two, you just knocked out with a jutsu. Why hit him?" He questioned.
"Because that Jutsu wouldn’t work on someone from the Zenhi clan." She said in a tone, that was devoid of happiness. "Poor kid." She added, bending down and examining Zero closely. "Losing all his friends, and family, and coming out alive just to be blamed for it. If the hokage wouldn’t have instated a law against his past, just like that Uzumaki character and had the Hyuuga clan not been so loyal to their comrades. I fear he would have become a very cold person." Munori looked back at her at the corner of his eye.
"You sound like, he means something to you." He said still watching her. Umeko didn’t answer she only stared for a moment then stood up and stomped on Munori’s back.
"Pick up the pace, you idiot. They have to be farther out then this!" She shouted in her normal tone again. Munori whimpered for a moment and then picked up speed.
"Do you really think its safe to leave three unconscious gennin, in the middle of a dangerous forest, Umeko?" Munori asked, looking down on Umeko, as she methodically placed Ryuu, and Den adjacent to each other on the forest floor.
"Of course they'll probably be fine!" She answered in an active voice, before dropping Zero a few paces away, and staring toward him a moment. "I get to see what they can really do now." She said under her breath in an excited tone, before noticing a slight twitch from Zero's eye. "Oh, I think they must be eager to start! We should let them get started." Umeko announced loudly, as she quickly jumped atop Munori's back, as he stood still, making no attempt to move. "Move! Hurry up!" She yelled, as Munori let out a loud sigh, turning his head to look toward her.
"Ahem, Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked, as Umeko began to grow annoyed.
Tightening her grip on the back of his neck, she raised her voice again.
"Forgetting what!?" Narrowing his eyes, Munori looked toward the three gennin on the ground.
"Of course the Zenhi will awaken, you knocked him out with your fist, But the Hebi and Setsu, you used a jutsu on. It might be fair if you dispelled it, so they stand a chance at getting back, too." Suddenly realizing her mistake, Umeko scratched the back of her neck.
"Oh… Well, OK, I'll do that." Quickly placing her hands together, She formed a seal and holding it for a moment. Immediately afterward, she pulled at Munori's back again, as he turned back toward Konoha, leaping quickly away.
"They'll all be up within the hour." Umeko stated, before pausing a second, and continuing, unable to hold back any longer. "It's so exciting! I get to see my team's real potential!" She announced loudly, as Munori grunted unenthusiastically.
"If they even make it back…" He added under his breath, though the words did not reach Umeko's ears over the wind from his leaps.
"Hrm…" Ryuu murmured, being jerked from unconsciousness by a sudden slithering feeling along his leg. After a moment, when the feeling failed to subside, he quickly lunged an arm toward the feeling, grabbing something, and pulling it to eye level.
Half opening an eye, he examined the culprit.
"A big centipede… how annoying." He said in an angered tone, throwing the bug to the side, and examining his surroundings. An overwhelming buzzing noise and thick forest odor quickly overwhelmed his senses, as he looked about. Huge trees engulfed most of his vision, along with other large plant life, whilst a few large insects buzzed about, paying no attention to him. Just as Ryuu began to relax however, a loud screech sounded from just behind some bushes in front of him. Cautiously, he crawled to the bush. Ryuu stuck his head over it, noticing Zero, who had his sword unsheathed, as a slimy green liquid dripped from it.
"What was that noise?" Ryuu asked, as Zero's attention focused on him.
"It… attacked while…I was asleep." Zero said, trying to catch his breath, as he pointed to the carcass of a large beetle, which seemed to have been cut in half. The silence that began to encroach was broken again, this time by Ryuu.
"I see you're fine, not surprisingly. But where is Den-san? I have my doubts about his ability to last out here." Wiping the blood from his sword, and sheathing it, Zero pointed to a spot a few paces away, where Den lay curled in a ball still fast asleep.
"Well, she did say only two of us could pass, and we are both awake." Ryuu stated, staring toward Zero. "All we would have to do is find the way back on our own, and we would be done." Ryuu added, as Zero looked about, thinking the ordeal over in his head.
"Just because Zero can close his mind to me. Doesn’t mean I wont sense your plot Ryuu-san." Den’s voice boomed from nowhere. Zero’s attention turned to Den who was now sitting up with a very dirty look on his face.
"So then." Zero said as Ryuu and Den turned their attention to him. "Its every ninja for them self isn’t it?" Ryuu and Den looked at each other then back at Zero. "It is going to be a bit odd, to fight you two." Zero continued walking slowly towards a tree.
"Do we really have to fight?" Den asked with a shaky voice. Ryuu clenched his fist tightly.
"Don’t be an idiot Den-san. Of course we will have to!" Ryuu shouted looking around at the surrounding trees.
"We don’t even know how to get back." Zero said in a calm voice. "Fighting would only ensure that none of us pass." Zero then leaned up against the tree looking up at the thick branches that blocked out the sun.
"But you’re the one who suggested it!" Ryuu shouted again clenching his other fist. Zero didn’t reply he just stood there facing the tree. Den and Ryuu exchanged looks of puzzlement unsure of why Zero was standing so still.
"Zero-san?" Den called out to him standing on his feat. Zero still didn’t respond. Den took a few steps closer to Zero’s motionless body. "Zero-san?" He asked again, reaching out for his shoulder. Suddenly Ryuu grabbed Den’s arm. "Ryuu-kun?" Den asked shooting him a look. Ryuu was staring deeply at Zero.
"That sneaky bastard!" Ryuu shouted.
"What?" Den asked looking around to find out what Ryuu was talking about.
"Again, you have ESP, and you can’t see these things!" Ryuu shouted letting go of Den’s arm at this moment Zero’s body dispelled into a pool of blood with a seal incased in it.
"Oh, shit…" Den said reading the seal. A thick smoke engulfed the area covering Den and Ryuu.
Zero was jumping from one tree limb to another only pausing long enough to look around at his surroundings. "Not that they stood any kin-" He started arrogantly, before stopping mid-sentence as a kunai flew directly past his ear with a loud whooshing noise. "Damn that was fast." He said stopping on a branch and slowly turning around. As he turned around, he saw three shiny lights moving closer towards him quickly. Zero’s eyes widened as he quickly ducked the three kunai that passed over his head cutting a strain of his silver hair. "Ok, Ok you guys made your point!" He shouted, regaining his balance and staring in the direction of the thrown weapons, but to his horror it wasn’t Den nor Ryuu hat stood before him. It was a horrible demon like creature with pitch-black hair, and cold red eyes. It’s bat-like wings were expanded fully behind it giving it an even larger appearance. Two pearl white fangs emerged from its mouth; it wore a dark black cloak around its body, with something that resembled a sword on its back. "No!" Zero said weakly, losing his balance and falling from the branch crashing into the ground. "It can’t be you…"
"He did it right in front of us? I find that hard to believe." Den said in an annoyed voice following Ryuu close behind.
"Get used to it Den-san, you know very well that when it comes to Zero-kun we are out of our league." Ryuu said calmly carefully landing on each branch. Den just replied with a loud puff of anger. Silence enclosed for quite sometime before Ryuu began to speak again.
"Something about this forest, makes me feel like I’ve been here before." He said in almost a whisper.
"You mean you might have been here?" Den asked hopefully. "If you do we can get back to Konoha way faster then Zero ever could!" He continued with increasing hopefulness in his voice. Ryuu suddenly stopped causing Den to almost run into him. "What was that for!?” Den asked, though Ryuu didn’t respond. To him, Den was no longer there, he was on the ground, covered in blood and Zero’s body laid next to Den’s, with his head twisted in an abnormal position. Ryuu suddenly fell from the tree onto his back. He slowly sat up, looking at the numerous surrounding bodies that he recognized as members of the Konoha village. He crawled backwards slowly staring at the image that was before him, he then placed one of his hands on something long and cold that was moving back and forth slowly. His eyes widened even larger as he slowly turned his head to see a snake like creature looking down at him. It seemed half man and half snake it had snake eyes and for feet a long green tail. Its hands were covered in blood. "This isn’t what I want. So why do I have to see it!" Ryuu screamed.
Den stood in an empty room that was very dark. The only light was a light from the sky, which only illuminated four feet in front of him.
"What's going on?" Den asked out loud, quickly shifting his head about, searching the room for Ryuu, who was no longer there.
"Is this some kind of…trick? Just so you can get back first?" Den asked again, beginning to find the silence and darkness within the room eerie. He slowly took one step at a time toward the light, still examining the room around him.
"He must have used one of his techniques to slow me down. I didn't think Ryuu-kun could use a technique of this level, though…" Den mumbled to himself, as something caught his foot, tripping him onto the dirt floor. As he started to stand back up, he felt a warm wetness on his hand. Quickly putting his hand out toward the light, Den's eyes widened as he looked over his hand.
"Bl-blood!?" He yelped, quickly pulling the sleeve of his coat back, only to see that there wasn't a wound on him. Looking back at the ground, he noticed what had tripped him. Three kunai, nearly invisible from the shadows, protruded from the ground, each surrounded by a small pool of blood.
<Ryuu and Zero-san are both gone. Nobody could have cast a technique strong enough to make them completely disappear from my senses, there's no way! But that would have to mean…> Den thought to himself, as he wiped the blood from his hands onto his sleeve, and looked toward the weapons again.
"This isn't a technique…" He finished out loud, looking toward the door across the room, as a fear about what might lie on the other side set in…
The creature stared down at Ryuu, quickly picking him up with its tail, and slinging him across the ground into a nearby tree.
"What… the hell!?" Ryuu said, trying to catch his breath, as he slowly slid his hand into his pocket. Undeterred, the creature continued stepping closer, whipping its tail from side to side, hissing loudly, until it was standing just above Ryuu.
<I can't get beat down now… Not by 'this'! > Ryuu thought to himself, as he pulled his arm from his pocket, placing out in front of himself. Glaring angrily, the creature pulled its tail back, let out a near-deafening screech, as Ryuu stared back, unflinching. Then with a loud cracking noise, the beast slammed its tail down on Ryuu. The creature wrapped its tail around Ryuu's, now motionless body, raising it up, and looking it over, from top to bottom. Just as the half-snake, half-man began to growl victoriously, the body disappeared in a puff of smoke, replaced by a cracked log. In a fit of rage, the monster threw the log to the ground; then began scanning the trees and bushes with its eyes, failing to find Ryuu. Screaming out again, the beast leaped to the branches above, disappearing among them.
"Don't come any closer!" Zero barked toward the demon that hovered in front of him.
Before the words could even sink in, the demon lunged forward, clenching Zero by the neck, at a mind numbing speed. Zero struggled slightly against the beast's grip, but to no avail, it effortlessly lifted him from the ground. Zero closed his eyes bracing for an attack, but to his surprise, the creature made no effort to attack, instead, it pulled him face to face, staring menacingly into his eyes.
"What… are you, looking at!?" he screamed at the demon, trying to hide his obvious fear, whilst clenching to it's arm with both of his hands. Unfazed, the creature's eyes flared with anger, as it tightened its grip on his neck, as its stare became even colder. Gasping for air, Zero pulled his legs back, slamming them into the creature's chest, causing its grip to loosen, slightly. Just as it started to tighten again, Zero unclenched one of his arms; quickly griping the handle from the sword Umeko had given him. In a flash, the creature's grip ceased, as its entire body fell to the ground, in two pieces. Zero too fell, lying on the ground, soaked in the demon's blood, breathing heavily.
"That… was it…?" He asked out loud, looking toward the body of the fallen beast. Slowly sitting up, he sheathed his sword, though he was still unable to shake his gaze from the creature's remains. Slowly crawling toward the creature, Zero examined it closely; still unsure of what was going on. Slowly looking over the body from feet to head, Zero honed in on its eyes, which still seemed to as alive as before. Compelled by something from within, Zero slowly reached out toward the creature.
"Why, do i…" He started in a mumble, as a sharp pain shot through his side, and a small amount of blood shot to his mouth. A deep grumble came from the body, as its fallen innards and blood, all gushed back together. As did its arm, which was now at Zero's side, grasping a kunai, which was plunged into his back. Standing up, Zero stumbled backwards, before placing his hand on the kunai, and throwing it to the side. The creature raised again, apparently as if completely renewed, and stared toward Zero again.