Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Lost Soul ❯ Devil's Advocates ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto and not me. I only own the ideas that are driving this fan fic.

 

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Chapter 6: Devils' Advocates

 

Orochimaru's Chambers

 

The two Chuunins that Kabuto had brought in before Orochimaru were shaking in both excitement and fear. They knew of the power that they could gain from being taught by the great leader of their ninja village and had seen what some of the elite Jounin could do after being taught either by the legendary ninja himself, or his direct subordinates. And the offer to infiltrate Konoha carried great rewards - and great risk. If they could plant the false information under the guise of Konoha Anbu then they would be rewarded with lessons from Orochimaru himself and accelerated promotion. If they failed only death was a certainty.

 

The female of the Chuunin pair spoke up first after they bowed to Orochimaru, “Hey Orochimaru-sama, what's the plan to throw those leaf fuckers chasing shadows while we make our move?”

 

The guy beside her gulped visibly at the crudity she was showing to their leader. He had heard tales of those who had spoken far less rudely ending up dead for their insolence. “Mitashi,” he whispered, “you shouldn't use such language, especially in front of our leader Orochimar-”

 

“Shut it Daiburo you pencil dick.”

 

Shocking the guy, Orochimaru only laughed, “This is rather entertaining Kabuto. It seems to me that you brought a pair very similar to the way Tayuya and Jirobo used to act all the time. I suppose that the two of you will suffice for this mission. Kabuto, please retrieve your little friends from the Konoha Anbu.”

 

Daiburo and Mitashi were both in for a surprise whey Kabuto pulled two dead bodies out of a scroll, both dressed in the manner that the Konoha Anbu dressed and without a scratch on either of them. Orochimaru pulled the masks of the Anbu and began to explain his plan, “It's quite simple really. You will perform the `Face Replication Jutsu' you have no doubt learned by now and then you will dress in the clothing that are wearing. You will report that you followed Kabuto from the Village Hidden in Sound out to the Village Hidden in the Mist. From there you will report that you secured confirmation that Orochimaru is indeed beginning to act and secured an alliance with the Hidden Mist to assault Konoha. The member you lost will be explained by having been attacked by a Hidden Mists Anbu team. Simple disinformation is all that is needed.”

 

Nodding, Daiburo and Mitashi both preformed the `Face Replication Jutsu' and dressed in the gear of Konoha Anbu while Kabuto gave more detailed information on how the Anbu operated.

 

Sound Training Grounds # 17

 

“DAMMIT ALL TO HELL! WHY CAN'T I STABILIZE THE RAIKIRI AT ALL?!”

 

Sasuke just smirked, “Same reason that your Henge is only passable, you can't hold your molded chakra steady for any length of time whatsoever. Besides, you would just be cut down by the enemy's counterattack before you ever struck them.”

 

Fuming, Mikomi spun around and put her foot through the boulder that Sasuke was sitting on behind her even as he was leaping off of it. Looking somewhat satisfied, Mikomi put on a smirk of her own, “So what? I've mastered using that Hokage's crazy strength and you can't even think of using it without destroying your body. I'm stronger than you now.”

 

“Hnn. Your point? You still wouldn't last more than a few minutes against me if I ever wanted to kill you Mikomi. Brute strength isn't the only kind there is.”

 

The smirk slowly left Mikomi's face and a look of annoyance came over it. Sasuke never seemed surprised at how far much she had improved from his training, always acting as it he had expected it all along. Then she remembered his Sharingan and nearly slapped herself on the head for forgetting about it. Of course he wasn't surprised, after all those eyes can see just about every damn thing when it came to fighting or training of any kind.

 

But they couldn't see inside her mind. Mikomi's mind had been wandering back to what Sasuke had mentioned in the Fire Country's woods near Konoha, and his comment in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. He was an avenger and he had left his home village to seek power from Orochimaru. He wanted to kill his brother who had murdered his clan. And he would do anything he could to get the power to kill him. Mikomi felt…strange that the very person who had been chosen to train her also had a desire for revenge flowing as deeply through him as she had always felt about Orochimaru and Kabuto. Mikomi understood the pain that Sasuke was feeling even after so many years had passed. Understood the all consuming desire and need to become strong enough to utterly destroy the one who had ruined your life not matter what the cost might end up being to yourself. She knew that she couldn't let go of her hatred either.

 

Mustering up her courage Mikomi decided that she had talk to Sasuke about it once again, “Umm, Sasuke-san. I wanted to talk to you about what you said to me during our first mission to Konoha.”

 

Sasuke gave no reaction to Mikomi's words besides raising one eyebrow. Taking a calming breath, Mikomi tried to forge onwards, “You told me that the goal that was driving you in your life was revenge. Like me. Why?”

 

For a moment Sasuke did not move a muscle. He just stood still. Mikomi began to lower her head in shame for ever asking such a question when at last Sasuke spoke, “I don't know. I had no need or reason to tell you.”

 

Sasuke eventually sat down with his back leaning against one of the unbroken boulders in the clearing. As he set his head in his hands Mikomi sat down beside him, “What I say probably doesn't mean much to your Sasuke-san, but your words really meant a lot to me that night. More than you realize or even intended them to mean. They gave me comfort that another understood the pain that I felt at the loss of my entire family right before my eyes. And hope. Your promise to remove my collar if I help you achieve your revenge gave me hope that someday I could be free of Orochimaru, and free to someday get revenge for what he did to my family.”

 

Sasuke didn't move. His mind was abuzz with what Mikomi was telling him. `Why? Why in hell did I bother to tell her that I'm an avenger? That my life was forced down this path the second that Itachi ripped my clan apart? Is there anything good that could come from telling a tool the history of its owner? No, there is nothing good that could come from such an act. So Why? Am I so weak as to really seek comfort by confiding in another? Do I really hold such idiotic beliefs that those weak fools from the leaf held, the same ones that I believed were holding me back all this time? The pain even now…is indescribable. But at the same time feels more…bearable. Someone else has felt the gaping wound that the loss of their entire family brings. She has felt the same fear, desperation and all consuming hatred that I have from watching her family die before her eyes. And she has become strong, allowing those she despises to be the same ones who give her the strength that she clearly desires. She knows my pain.'

 

Mikomi sat in silence as she watched a distant light playing in Sasuke's eyes. It almost looked as if a faint speck of emotion was shining through; breaking out beyond the cold façade he always wore. Mikomi couldn't help but stare as Sasuke, for a brief instant, was transformed from an invincible ninja to that of a child. `A mask,' Mikomi though, `He crushes his sadness behind a mask.'

 

“I guess…I guess I told you that I was an avenger because you are the first person I have met who could possibly understand my pain. Huh. As much as I despise the Leaf for holding me back, they were correct that other people are necessary, if only to share your pain.”

 

Mikomi only nodded slightly, “Yeah. Doesn't take it away or even make me lose the will for revenge. Just dampens it, because you understand what I've felt.”

 

Sasuke's face slipped solidly back behind the mask he had always worn for years as he relaxed against the rock, “Your strength and growth have become quite extraordinary Mikomi. My offer remains: help me in every way you possibly can so that I can exact my revenge and I will release you from that collar. From servitude to the one who destroyed your life. As an avenger myself I can see how it must be the worst kind of torture imaginable to serve the man that you long to kill. Will you follow me down my path of revenge in exchange for your freedom and the chance to take revenge of your own?”

 

Mikomi was stunned. Sasuke's offer for freedom had not been her imagination at all, but a genuine offer. As a few tears burned their way down Mikomi's face, she suddenly realized that Sasuke and herself shared an unusual bond. They shared a bond born of hatred and revenge which had slowly become a mutual understanding over time.

 

The first few months they had been together Mikomi had despised Sasuke. Despite his overtures of what seemed like kindness - and her trying to take advantage of them while they lasted - she had believed that they were nothing but veiled lies trying build up her hope only to destroy the fragile chain that remained allowing her to cling to sanity. But Sasuke had not once gone back on his word. They both began to use each other for power: Sasuke working to earn the Kusanagi sword and Mikomi to gain the power to kill Orochimaru. Then the strange understanding that had been born on their first mission with Sasuke's admission to also being an avenger changed everything. Mikomi's hatred of Sasuke had slowly begun to ebb with the realization of the bond of revenge. They both were in the same type of unforgiving pain and could, for the first time, understand the other.

 

Again the feeling of warmth and relaxation passed through Mikomi's chest. And at last she began to understand what it was. It felt like the nameless emotion she felt when she thought of her parents, only more so. It covered her pain under a blanket of warmth: it wasn't gone, but it didn't hurt anymore. Mikomi reached out her hand and took Sasuke's in her own. This time he didn't pull away.

 

Konoha Village Gates - 2 Days Later

 

Mitashi grabbed Daiburo by the back of his Konoha Anbu uniform as he started to leap towards the main gate, “You brain-dead shit-head. Anbu enter via the guard towers when returning from a mission not the front gate. Christ you can forget even the simplest of things can'tcha. Tsh, let's get movin', oh, and don't fuck up when we report to the Hokage.”

 

Taking the lead Mitashi headed for the western side of Konoha and picked a tower at random. Leaping up into it, the two Sound Chuunins were surrounded by four other members of Anbu. Mitashi immediately looked for the small leaf symbol on the vest that signified the Anbu as the captain of the squad and spoke to him immediately, “Sir, sorry to have to cut and run but we have a report that needs to be presented before the Hokage immediately.”

 

The captain gave the pair a once over to ensure that they weren't enemy Nin trying for another assassination and when he picked nothing up he nodded, “Okay, beat it. The Hokage has been waiting for a team to report back on Orochimaru's actions for almost a week now. What in the hell happened?”

 

“Attacked sir. Sorry, we have to go.” Mitashi took off in the direction that Kabuto had instructed them to head when they entered the city - the tall red building beneath the Hokage monument. She sneered at the faces of the Hokage's, “God these Leaf Ninjas all celebrate peace loving morons. Pathetic I tell ya.” Daiburo only nodded.

 

They saw the tower and were surprised to see a massive hole in one side along with half the windows missing. As they reached the Hokage tower they sped in through the ground floor doors.

 

A Chuunin with a bandage taped across his nose was lounging at the reception desk when the two Anbu came flying through the doors. Alert immediately he sat up and motioned them to head up the stairs. Daiburo whispered to Mitashi after they were out of earshot, “Where the heck is the Hokage office? It looks like the spot Kabuto told us it was is gone!”

 

Mitashi snorted, “Keep moving pencil dick, we'll come across it soon enough.”

 

As the Sound duo was passing the section that had been blown out, they saw a navy-blue haired girl with her arms full of paper entering into another office. As they glanced in the door they skidded to a stop when they spotted the Godaime Hokage of Konoha. They raced in through the door and dropped to a knee facing the ground in front of Tsunade as the girl set the stack of paper down on the desk in front of Tsunade.

 

Tsunade gestured for Hinata to check out the two Anbu who had just come barging in the room. She recognized them as being part of the team she had sent out to observe the Village Hidden in Sound. “Report!” Tsunade barked.

 

“Hokage-sama,” Daiburo began, “We have news on the Sound's activities. Orochimaru is indeed moving again, but we were unable to determine who although Konoha would be a likely suspect. The traitor, Kabuto, traveled to the Village Hidden in the Mist and we followed him there to determine the purpose to his action. It appears that Orochimaru has formed an alliance with the Village Hidden in Mist. We regret to also report that our commander was killed by a team of Mist Anbu who ambushed us after we had just left the city.”

 

The second Hinata activated her Byakugan she could tell that something was funny about the two in front of her. They looked completely normal except for the fact that their entire body gave off a faint glow of chakra and she hadn't even tried to peer inside and examine their chakra coils, or to see through any Henge attempts. Hinata let her vision slowly slide further into the bodies of the two Anbu. Then, all at once, their features changed for a split second. Whoever these ninja were they were not from Konoha that much was clear. They both were covered by a very highly sophisticated Henge, more than likely the same one used in the Sound's last infiltration attempts. Hinata quickly flashed the hand sign that signified they were enemies.

 

Tsunade nodded. Enemies who took on a mission as dangerous as this one were fanatics so interrogation was useless. This left her with the only other option: ignore what they said and take them out. Putting on a smile she stepped out from behind her desk, “Thank-you very much on a job well done you two. You deserve a handshake for your efforts at the very least - perhaps a commendation of some sort.”

 

Mitashi and Daiburo looked at each other and shrugged slightly. They stood up and accepted the Hokage's offered hand.

 

The second the fake Anbus' hands were in her own she crushed them completely as she the man towards Hinata. Continuing with the spin Tsunade slammed the female Nin into the floor and slammed her foot into the Nin's head crushing it like a tomato.

 

Hinata had slid into a familiar stance as the man flew at her. “Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!” Hinata's hand's flashed out in the deadly and elegant dance that was one of the Juken's signature attacks. She attacked with enough power and speed to keep the falling Nin in the air until she had closed off the last central tenketsu with the assault. As Hinata struck the final tenketsu she spun out of the way of the Nin's decent and planted her foot into his back sending him into the ground with tremendous force.

 

The Nin bounced off the ground as the Henge finally started to dissolve. The muscle slimmed down and his bulk slid away. His body tightened into sinews and his feet suddenly were too small for his boots. However, the face remained the same and the clothing remained genuine.

 

Hinata reached down and peeled the face off of the Nin. That was how she was able to realize that the Nin before her was not part of Konoha as they would never wear a Henge before the Hokage. “Tsunade-sensei, I've rendered this one u-unconscious for interrogation.”

 

Tsunade only sighed as she gave Hinata a hard look, “I'm afraid that interrogation won't get anything out of him. Only fanatics would take a job this dangerous and probably ones seeking recognition. All we can really do now is kill him to ensure he can never escape and return to Orochimaru.”

 

Looking shocked, Hinata tried again, “B-but what about our prisons? Surely we can leave him there.”

 

`She's too kind,' Tsunade thought as she picked up the unconscious Sound Nin and gave him to the receptionist at the entrance to deliver to the interrogation department and then prison.

 

Orochimaru's Chambers - 1 Week Later

 

Mikomi and Sasuke came into the chamber expecting to find Orochimaru alone as usual, however, he wasn't. They were surprised to find Kabuto standing behind him just outside the line of shadow's obscuring Orochimaru. Holding a clipboard and poised to begin writing, Kabuto spoke first, “Sasuke-sama, would you be so kind as to give me a report on Yominokuni Mikomi's training? Mikomi I would also like for you to give me a practical demonstration against the dummy on the wall afterwards.”

 

“Fine,” Sasuke said with a shrug, “Mikomi has excelled in Taijutsu having developed her own almost impenetrable defense along with having basically mastered Tsunade's strength at last. Her speed is constantly improving thanks to her weight training as well. Stylistically Mikomi can be rather rough and can still improve in that field. For Genjutsu Mikomi only recently learned how to throw off most by giving out an overwhelming burst of chakra. Lastly, in Ninjutsu, she has only a few abilities but most of them are extremely powerful due to their high chakra requirements but only need a minimal amount of control to produce. Regular and Face Transference Henge has been learned along with Kawarmi at a basic level. Mikomi has three Raiton Jutsu: Storm of Lightning, Lightning Strike and Chain Lightning Jutsu. She has two Katon Jutsu: Grand Fireball and Molten Earth Jutsu which is a Doton/Katon hybrid. Only one Futon Jutsu has been learned, Scream of the Banshee Jutsu.”

 

Kabuto wrote furiously on his clipboard, recording all of the data that had just been reported. `I guess we really can consider her a weapon now. Tough and strong with powerful killing jutsus. Time to put her to the test then.' As Kabuto finished writing he looked up at Sasuke, “Aren't you being a little generous with her Taijutsu abilities? After all she only started learning them from you.” Sasuke sent Kabuto a withering glare forcing Kabuto to back down, “Alright, chakra levels then?”

 

“Her capacity is somewhere between my capacity and Orochimaru's.”

 

Even though Kabuto was shocked at the news, Orochimaru's face split in a grin that was hidden by the shadows. Mikomi was truly being forged into a weapon of true might, and was one that he planned to keep control over for as long as he lived - forever. `I guess those thickened chakra coils are showing their true worth in terms of chakra capacity growth.' Rising from his chair Orochimaru headed back to the wall with Kabuto to stand near the training dummy, “I am suitable impressed at your rate of growth Mikomi-chan. Then again, you do have Sasuke-kun as your teacher.”

 

Kabuto cleared his throat, “Ahem. Alright then Mikomi, please demonstrate all of the Jutsu you have learned along with a quick demonstration of your strength.”

 

Mikomi began with performing the Raiton Jutsu that she knew. The Storm of Lightning and the Lightning Strike went off without a hitch, however, Mikomi's Chain Lightning caromed from the dummy towards Orochimaru burning the bandages off of his hands.

 

Then Mikomi's preformed her Katon Jutsu. The Grand Fireball Jutsu proceeded to burn the first dummy to a crisp just as the Molten Earth Jutsu obliterated the second dummy. Kabuto was impressed that Mikomi showed no signs of chakra fatigue even after performing five chakra intensive jutsus in a row.

 

Last came the Futon Jutsu Scream of the Banshee Jutsu. I slammed the dummy against the wall and put a dent roughly a half foot deep in the wall behind the dummy in a perfect circle. Mikomi quickly threw a punch at the dummy after she had finished her jutsu causing the stuffing to explode out of it in a single punch.

 

“Happy now,” Mikomi said feeling rather pissed off at having to show off in front Orochimaru and Kabuto.

 

“Very,” Kabuto said as he finished off his notes with a flourish, “I'll be taking my leave to at this report to my other records. Orochimaru-sama will explain your next mission to you.”

 

“I have to say I am very satisfied with your training program Sasuke,” Orochimaru said as his gaze traveled over to Mikomi, “Almost good enough to have earned yourself a Kusanagi Sword of your own. Almost.”

 

Orochimaru laughed as he watched Sasuke's face darken as he denied him the power of the sword, “However there are only two more requirements that you need to fulfill before I give the sword to you Sasuke-kun. Just complete the next mission and train Mikomi to be able to use the `Nova Detonation Jutsu' that I recently taught you. That will satisfy me enough to give you the sword.”

 

Sasuke only nodded, angry at being denied the power of the sword once again and having it dangling just outside of his grasp. He tried to calm himself with the thought that he would be soon getting it but he knew that there was some catch that he was missing. “Thank you Orochimaru for granting me the weapon so soon. I do have one request however: if I ever encounter Itachi during my travels I want the permission to pursue and kill him.”

“Not a chance until I give you a Kusanagi of your own Sasuke,” Orochimaru glared at Sasuke while asserting his control over the boy via the cursed seal, “Only when you have the sword will you be close enough in power to be able to stand a chance at victory in a fight against your brother.”

 

A wave of dismay shot through Mikomi when she saw Sasuke back down so easily, `For Sasuke to back down from Orochimaru so quickly…He must really be frighteningly strong.'

 

“Your mission this time will be rather time consuming,” Orochimaru began as he started to pace a little bit, “Your part to play in my plans has begun. The both of you are to infiltrate the Village Hidden in Grass and assassinate their current Jounin Leader. However your mission does not end after he is dead. You must then assume the role of their leader and maneuver their ninja in such a way as to deliver the village to the Rock as per our alliance agreement. Convincing them of the threat of an imminent attack should be enough to allow you give snap decisions about the ninja without consulting the council in any way. How you do that will be up to you. Then, Kabuto will deliver one of our explosive devices that we have in development at the moment to you. With it, as long as you concentrate the Grass forces in place enough, you should be able to wipe most of them out.”

 

Orochimaru picked up an odd circular device that was covered in seals, “This little toy is yet another project developed from the Village Hidden in Shadow's records. It's perfect for assassination. If you plant this over the door in a room it will seal the entire room off until the person who activated it, deactivates it. Or dies of course. No one can get in or out. All sound and chakra levels are completely hidden. And all damage is kept strictly to the room involved. I'm giving you this to help you in your role swapping with the Leader of Grass. The current Leader is a man of about forty by the name of Muteki Bara.”

 

Raising an eyebrow Sasuke gave Orochimaru a smirk, “Hnn. So we become the head of the snake that consumes itself. I take it that there is more to the Rock alliance than just giving them Grass?”

 

“Of course Sasuke-kun. The ultimate target for my alliance with the Rock is Konoha. You really didn't think that I had turned away from them after Sarutobi's attempt to destroy my arms for ever did you?”

 

Stand of Trees Closest to Village Hidden in the Grass - 1 Week Later

 

Sasuke knew that the reason for Village Hidden in Grass's name was the fact that it was surrounded by tall grassy plains on all sides but even this defied his imagination. They were sitting in the tree tops of the nearest stand of trees to the Village. One and a half miles west away. Figuring out a way to slip into the village and take down Muteki Bara.

 

“How the hell are we gonna cross all of this grass Sasuke?” Mikomi stared just as intently at the waving fields of grass as Sasuke was, “I mean, sure we can try and slide through it but we don't have the practice the Nins from Grass probably have.”

 

“Hnn.” Sasuke slid back in to the shadows of the tree and tried to think of what he could do. `Trying to move through the grass would be ill advised as the guards in those towers would be able to see us from above. The stealth Jutsu's that I currently know would still show my body parting the grass and reveal my position anyways. Sharingan is the only option. That's it!'

 

Sasuke smirked as he looked out across the field of grass towards the sinking sun, “We're just gonna pull the same stunt we did to get into Konoha. Only difference is, we're gonna wait for an Anbu team to patrol this area and take them out. It should be a three man team so I'll take two of them and you at least hold off the final one until I can eliminate them. Get yourself set for an ambush.”

 

Mikomi nodded and quickly pulled the wire that she had tucked in her hip pack as Sasuke opened up the backpack that he had brought along with the extra supplies that they had. Mikomi caught the seven scrolls that Sasuke tossed her way along with a few seals that would give an electric jolt to whoever touched the wires that they were placed on. “Keep the traps quiet, no explosive tags whatsoever. The scrolls should provide an excellent quiet alternative. There are roughly forty kunai sealed in each of them and when triggered, launch them en masse. A four quadrant trap along with a crossfire trap and a single should be the best bets. Set up the four quadrant trap on the eastern part of these trees where they `V' inwards towards the clearing in the center. Crossfire should be layered above with the scrolls firing north and south. The single trap should be in the clearing's center. Use this to make it a three layered trap.”

 

Sasuke handed Mikomi a curious wire that was clear rather than any colour. It took a moment to realize what it was and she gave a low whistle, “Wow, that new clear poly-fiber wire that Kishi developed. Strong as regular metal, but far lighter and harder to see. This stuff is even tougher than my clothes.”

 

“Hnn. Get moving Mikomi, I'll watch for any approaching teams with my Sharingan. Be quick, and remember the plan. Be sure to use the traps we set up to our advantage if we have to engage them before they near the traps.”

 

Mikomi dropped through the shadows of the trees and quickly made her way to the V in the trees. About halfway into the V the grass started to die off in lieu of the trees and she made the first part of the 4 quadrant trap there. Three wires where laid out on the ground, two wires and one of the clear, plastic wire. She laid the same set up out in a narrowing square grid and pegged four rings into the tree to run the wire through. Mikomi preformed a Henge on top of the four scrolls to make them look like branches of the tree and arranged them in the crosses of the trees aiming towards the center of the wire grid. Mikomi then snaked the wires up the trees, splitting them and attaching each end to either side of the scrolls. Linking all the sides together, the four quadrant trap was set, ready to cause the scrolls to angle themselves in the direction of any pressure - or lack of it - and release their deadly cargo. Mikomi slid up into the branches just above the quadrant trap and laced a net of metal wires in the shadows of the trees. She hooked them up to two scrolls facing each other in to provide a deadly crossfire when released and then slapped a shock tag on each of the wires to freeze whoever ran into the wires. Sliding towards her original trap Mikomi strung up a few random wires through the shadows and slapped an electric tag on them as well.

 

“First two traps set Sasuke,” Mikomi whispered as she passed Sasuke on her way to the center clearing, “Shock lines in place as well. The four quadrants is directional sensitive as well.”

 

Sasuke nodded, “Good. You'd better move it. Anbu patrol is heading this way if their course doesn't change. Two minutes tops.”

 

Mikomi nodded and took off at top speed. She had hoped that with there only being about an hour of sun left when she started that they would be able ambush a team under cover of darkness but that apparently wasn't going to happen. She rapidly strung a mesh of wires on the ground and slammed a bunch of loops into the trees. All of them lead up to a single overhanging scroll. Mikomi quickly used the last of her wire to string in across the clearing and slapped the rest of the electric tags on them as well. With no time to spare she leapt to the tree tops and slid into place besides Sasuke.

 

“Clearing is a danger zone,” Mikomi whispered again.

 

Sasuke nodded and held up a hand. Three Anbu, no tailing member Sasuke signaled in their pre-arranged sign. Mikomi nodded. One Anbu was her responsibility. She just hoped that she had improved enough to be able to hand one of them after she had nearly been killed by one in Konoha.

 

Sasuke's Sharingan was whirling at high speeds as he watched the leader slide out of the grass near the northern tip of the copse of trees. `Guess the traps will have to be used as preplanned battle tools.'

 

Sasuke pointed out their entrance point to Mikomi who had to stifle a groan. They were avoiding the traps she had set making them useless unless the turned back to the center. However, the sun was finally making way for twilight. Sasuke motioned for Mikomi to move forward with him and positioned themselves parallel to the middle clearing and waited. Sasuke tapped Mikomi's right leg and motioned her to get ready to attack. She nodded.

 

The Grass Anbu team was annoyed with their luck at having been stuck with the longest patrol route that led through these trees. They seemed to pull this shift about once every three days, twice as often as the other groups. But then again, they did know this area better than anyone else. They sped along the ground almost completely silently, the only sound being a slight brushing of their shoes of the smaller grasses that grew in the trees. Then they heard a tree branch creak. They all simultaneously looked up to see a dark shape flying down at them from the trees. The two Anbu on either side of their leader leapt to the side as he drew his katana from his back and went to remove part of the descending leg from the attacker's body as they gave a shout.

 

Mikomi let loose an axe kick with all her might aiming for the Anbu in the center. She smirked in mid flight as she saw him stand his ground and try and cut her leg off. Big mistake. The katana had indeed been swung hard but the Mikomi's chakra reinforcement of her body for defense held, causing the sword to only leave a nick on the back of her leg as there was no chakra pumped into the attack to easily break through both her clothing and rock hard skin. The Grass Anbu had no time to be surprised as Mikomi's foot connected with his face, compressing and shattering his spine and caving in his forehead.

 

The two Anbu who leaped away reacted immediately when their friend was killed. Recognizing the strength in the attacker's physical strikes they both launched a jutsu at her while flying backwards, “DOTON: DRAGON MISSILE JUTSU!”

 

Two dragon heads of mud rose out of the ground and began shooting ultra compact balls of earth at Mikomi when Sasuke landed beside her and activated his own earth jutsu, “Doton: Earth Dome Jutsu.” The Grass Anbu were creeped-out by how calm the second Nin seemed to be. As the dome of earth shot up around them and the mud balls impacted into it, the Grass Anbu leapt into the air above the dome. They preformed their technique in tandem once again, “DOTON: EARTH CANONBALL JUTSU!”

 

The dome sank into the ground to reveal two massive earth balls flying down at them from the sky, spinning at high speeds. Sasuke allowed the one aimed at him to smash into him, showing that a Mud Bunshin was all that was struck by the spinning ball of earth. Mikomi hammered an uppercut into the ball, but the spin was so great that it didn't do anything more than crack it as the ball slammed her to the ground and exploded from the fractures created by Mikomi's punch. Mikomi quickly rolled to her feet and faced the dizzy ninja with blood pouring from her nose. She reached a green glowing hand up and passed it over her nose to staunch the bleeding, still feeling the pain in her back from the power behind that human mud ball. The mud ball originally aimed at Sasuke came flying around at Mikomi for another attack. Bracing herself, Mikomi threw her hands out to try and catch the oncoming mud ball. Her eyes widened as she saw the other Grass Anbu member leap into the air over her and start sealing.

 

“Futon: Great Breakthrough,” came Sasuke's voice as a massive ball of air slammed into the Anbu in mid air. He flew backwards through the trees and landed in the center of the four quadrant trap being electrocuted along the way. His left arm was flung up over his head and connected with the nearby wires. One hundred and twenty kunai exploded from the scrolls in his direction cutting off his scream before it could even happen.

 

As the earth ball was still spinning the Grass Anbu's arm shot out from it and stabbed a kunai in Mikomi's left arm, just beyond the reinforced shirt. Mikomi let out a whine in her attempt to hold her scream in. A foot connected with her stomach and sent her back into a tree as the Grass Anbu shot from the mud ball announcing another technique, “Futon: Machine Gun Air Jutsu.” Mikomi felt hundreds of tiny air-balls pummeling into her from the Grass Anbu's mouth. They didn't hurt much but they kept her from moving. Sasuke's foot cut him off mid jutsu, sending him crashing into another tree. “Doton: Earth Fist Jutsu,” Sasuke announced as his fist of earth connected with the Anbu's stomach and sent the Grass Anbu flying into the airborne crossfire trap. The Grass Anbu hit the ground a pincushion.

 

Grunting, Mikomi pulled the kunai from her arm and activated her healing technique to try and help it along. “Thanks Sasuke. You really saved my butt back there.”

 

“Hnn.” Sasuke moved towards the traps and began to collect the Kunai and wires while Mikomi kept healing her bleeding arm. The sprung traps were cleared away in a few minutes and Sasuke returned with a laden down backpack.

 

“Strip them,” Sasuke pointed to two former pincushions, “Collect their clothing and be prepared to wear it. If one of them is female, take their face. The one you kicked is useless as their head is caved in.”

 

Mikomi was shocked to find that when she pulled the Anbu masks away there was very little damage to the faces from the kunai. Holding the masks up to the moon, she saw quite a few holes in them. `These masks are made of stronger stuff than I thought.' After ridding the Anbu of their outer clothing Mikomi was annoyed to find both of them were male. Sighing, she began to take on the face of the taller of the two. The tingling feeling once again came over her face as she activated the `Face Transference Jutsu.' Mikomi felt rather odd to be taking on masculine features to say the least. The size of her muscles suddenly increased all over, swelling up and around her breasts and down her arms and legs, thickening them. The sudden feeling of something between her legs unnerved her but she knew that she had to put up with it.

 

As Mikomi began tossing the Grass Anbu's clothing over her own Sasuke took the appearance of the final one but wore the clothing of the captain. Once they were fully clothed, Sasuke handed the Room Sealing Device over to Mikomi, “When we make it to Muteki Bara's office I want you to connect that to the door as I strike. Don't fail.”

 

Snaking through the grass, Sasuke and Mikomi headed off for the Village Hidden in Grass.

 

Gates to the Village Hidden in Grass

 

When the Gate Guards saw two members of their Anbu forces emerge from the grasses bloodied, bruised and exhausted one quickly leapt out to see what had happened, “Gokan sir! What happened during your patrol?”

 

“Ambush,” Sasuke growled out, “Rock Nins had traps set up out in that copse of trees out there. Nearly had us too.”

 

“WHAT? You can't be serious sir,” the Gate Guard began as Sasuke only turned his mask at the man to stare him down, “oh hell. Get in and talk to Muteki-sama right away. He'll need to know about this. Come with me.”

 

The Gate Guard sped off towards the center of the village where a pale green structure stood out against the moon. Reaching the building they ran in through the front door with the Gate Guard shouting to the receptionist, “Muteki-sama hasn't gone home for the night has he?”

 

“No, not yet but he will be soon. What's up?”

 

“A report of an attack by Rock Anbu,” the Gate Guard said as he rushed up the stairs.

 

When they reached Muteki's office Sasuke motioned to the Gate Guard, “You should get back to your post. If the Rock is foolish enough to attack we'll need all the help on the walls we can get. I'll make sure Muteki-sama understands the situation.”

 

The Gate Guard nodded and ran back down the stairs heading towards his post. Sasuke simply knocked on the door, stepped inside and kneeled in front of the man behind the desk as Mikomi began to close the door slowly, “Muteki-sama I have grave news,” Sasuke said, his acting like a pro, “My unit suffered an attack from Rock Nins.”

 

Muteki Bara, shocked at this news, didn't notice Sasuke begin to make hand seals as he was kneeling while he came out from behind his desk. There was a whine and a click and the RSD locked into place. The second that Bara saw the device and the sudden spike in chakra from the Anbu kneeling in front of him he leapt back for the window.

 

“Raiton: Electric Web Jutsu.” Sasuke rose from the ground and threw a net of chakra electricity towards Bara as he hit the window. Bara was shocked that the window didn't break from his weight when he struck it but quickly caused vines to shoot out from the floorboards and shield him from the electrical web.

 

Bara may have been confused as to why he couldn't seem to leave the room, but he refused to stop fighting, “Ninpo: Seal of Grass Jutsu.”

 

All around Mikomi and Sasuke seals glowed with a blue light as razor sharp vines erupted out of the walls, floor and ceiling, trying to rip them to shreds. Mikomi was able to barely leap back onto a corner to avoid the vines as Sasuke danced through them, his speed and his Sharingan always one step ahead of the vines. Locking eyes with Bara, Sasuke began to imitate the jutsu that he was performing, “FUTON: WIND BLADE JUTSU!” came the twin cries of Sasuke and Bara as their jutsu ripped the vines between them to nothingness, slamming into each other and canceling the other one out.

 

Mikomi finally was able to hack her way out of the corner that the vines had trapped her in to see Bara going toe to toe with Sasuke, barely able to keep up with him even as Sasuke copied the jutsu right from the guy.

 

“KAGE SHURIKEN JUTSU!”

“DOTON: MUD MISSLE JUTSU!”

“FUTON: GREAT BREAKTHROUGH JUTSU!”

 

Sasuke pulled a change in his fighting style as he watched Mikomi emerge from the razor vines. Dodging as Bara summoned more vines to come flying at him he launched another jutsu, “Raiton: Ball Lightning Jutsu!”

 

Sasuke hurled the ball of highly condensed electricity at Bara as he countered with a jutsu of his own, “Doton: Earth Shield Jutsu!” he cried as he spat a wall of earth from his mouth. Bara suddenly sensed that the other assassin had broken free and was behind him and spun to be met with yet another Raiton Jutsu.

 

“Raiton: Lightning Strike Jutsu!” Mikomi cried out as the lightning bold shot from her fingertips right for Bara's chest. Bara had been put his back to his earth wall and shot vines up in front of him but wasn't fast enough. The lightning bolt gave him one hell of a shock but he didn't go down. Sasuke flipped over the wall from above and kicked Bara in the back the head, sending him face first into his vines. They went from razor sharp to soft the second Bara hit them and he rolled and snapped a kick at Mikomi's face as she caught his foot in both hands.

 

Mikomi picked Bara off the ground, spun, and threw him towards Sasuke who was performing yet another jutsu, “Katon: Flame Jet Jutsu!” Sasuke yelled as he spat a condensed stream of flames right at the oncoming Bara as he spat a stream of mud into the fire. Bara yelped in pain as he slammed into the super heated mud but was still able to throw a punch at Sasuke. Sasuke just let himself fall back over the mud wall as he stuck to the side of it. Bara crashed into the ceiling but caught his feet against the window again, breathing hard.

 

“Son of a bitch!” Bara cursed as he looked back at the relatively uninjured pair. They were easily overwhelming him with tag-team attacks, but that one guy who had been copying his jutsu probably was at least on his level. He already felt like crap from being kicked around and especially from that mud he put himself through. `I have to separate them! That's my only chance. I can't hold back my techniques anymore.'

 

“MOKUTON: WOOD WALL JUTSU!” Bara screamed summoning a wall of thick wooden slats between Mikomi and Sasuke that were heavily reinforced with Chakra. Sasuke's eyes widened as his eyes copied the sub element of water and wood. He had never met a person who could perform a wood jutsu, and Muteki Bara, the man they were to kill had inadvertently given Sasuke the key to the techniques. Bara closed the wall off and charged at Sasuke.

 

Mikomi looked at the wall in annoyance. Brining her fist back, she began to pound on the wooden wall as hard as she could.

 

Sasuke on the other side was engaging in another shadow session with Bara trying to coax as many wood jutsu out as possible so as to have a more complete understanding of the element.

 

“MOKUTON: WOODEN CANNON JUTSU!”
”MOKUTON: TREE BIND JUTSU!”

“MOKUTON: TREE REGENISIS JUTSU!”

 

As the two trees sprang up and began to fight the other for dominance Bara began to get very worried, “FUCKING HELL! HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL MY JUTSU YOU LITTLE SHIT?” Then Sasuke dropped his Henge, pulled the mask off his face and peeled the replicated face off his own to reveal his Sharingan. Bara gasped, “Sharingan…”

 

The wooden wall he had erected suddenly exploded outwards from right beside him causing Bara to have to leap away from the flying wood pieces. Mikomi stepped through the wall and stared Bara down.

 

Bara was breathing very hard now. He had used every trick he could think of only to find out that he had just been teaching an Uchiha the secret behind Mokuton Jutsu. “Aw, Shit.”

 

Bara threw up his vines again as Mikomi launched her technique, “Futon: Scream of the Banshee Jutsu!”

 

The vines gave Bara protection from the shockwave of air, but it didn't protect him from the incredible sound that burst from Mikomi's mouth. Bara cried out in pain that couldn't be heard over Mikomi's scream as he collapsed to the ground from shock and exhaustion. Both Mikomi and Sasuke were unaffected as they had blocked their ears off with chakra.

 

As Mikomi had been screaming, Sasuke had formed a Raikiri in his hand. As the vines once again began to recede he shot forward at blinding speed.

 

Bara was struggling to his feet to try and put up a defense when he saw the blue light of Sasuke's Raikiri coming for him. Realizing the danger that attack possessed due to the sheer amount of chakra coming from it Bara tried to seal as fast as he could. He was too slow. Sasuke slammed his hand through Bara's heart, incinerating it in an instant.

 

Sasuke yanked his arm from Bara's chest as he allowed him to fall to the floor. “Good job Mikomi. Were gonna have to find you a woman who's face you can acquire but for now I'm taking Muteki Bara's and beginning the next phase of Orochimaru's plan. Take that sealing device off the door once I've made the changes.”

 

“No prob Sasuke,” Mikomi said as she turned and went to deactivate the RSD.”

 

Outskirts of the Village Hidden in Grass's Territory - 3 Weeks Later

 

Mikomi was once again comfortably disguised as one of the higher ranking Grass Anbu women and was leading the team assigned to her by Sasuke into yet another encounter with the positioned Rock Nins. Sometimes it was to further enforce the illusion of an imminent invasion by the Village Hidden in Rocks and other times it had been to take them out. The plan had been working smoothly so far: Sasuke was playing the role of Muteki Bara perfectly, he had made Mikomi the undisputed captain over the entire Grass Anbu forces after she had heroically `rescued' him from an assassin several weeks earlier after also `rescuing' another Anbu team that she had lead straight into the lions den.

 

Today was another execution of her teammates.

 

Mikomi began to form seals rapidly as she led her team towards the last spotted location of Rock Nins. Their mission was to disrupt and destroy as much of the advance camp the Rock Nins had set up as possible. However, as they reached a rocky ravine heading in the direction of the Rock Country Mikomi stopped and launched her attack, “Katon: Nova Detonation Jutsu!”

 

Both Grass Anbu slid into battle stances and watched to see what their captain, Mikomi, was aiming at. If they were surprised about the Katon Jutsu neither of them showed it. The flames that Mikomi was blowing out of her mouth were rapidly condensing into a ball of liquid flame about ten feet above her head. Then, as she stopped feeding it flames, the ball erupted into twin pillars of fire that completely consumed both Grass Anbu in under a second. The flames continued to pour out into the rocks where the Anbu had stood, melting them a little and leaving them red hot.

 

Mikomi gave a satisfied smirk as she turned around and began to head back in the direction of Grass.

 

The Road toGrass fromRock - 1 Mile fromthe Gates

 

Mikomi was running down the road in the direction of Grass when she came across a man in civilian clothing running only slightly slower that she was. She didn't think he was a retired Nin from grass, even with the limp right hand so she ran up behind him to find out what was going on. “Sir, what's the rush? I'm the captain of the Anbu from Grass and I'd like to know what's going on.”

 

Koujaku breathed a sigh of relief as he felt a grin split his face. He wasn't too late if there were still Grass Anbu out and patrolling around; especially the Anbu Captain was around. “Thank god I made it in time,” Koujaku said as he kept running towards Grass pulling out his headband, “I'm a Ninja from Konoha. I've got very important news. I'm not sure if you've encountered Rock yet, but they are acting as for an invasion for the Sound so that they can take Grass over.

 

“I see,” Mikomi said as she felt a jolt of fear pass through her. She had to find out how much this guy knew, “Why didn't you give us this information earlier? We could have prevented many losses to Rock already.”

 

Wincing, Koujaku tried to apologize, “I'm really sorry. I was severely injured and my wound was infected. When I purchased medical treatment in a Rock village it took me most of the time just to heal. I've come as fast as I could.”

 

“Your team?” Mikomi asked.

 

“They were wiped out by a very strong bespectacled traitor from the Sound by the name of Kabuto. He is a traitor to Konoha and he was the one who wounded me, and acted as the diplomat in the discussions. I have nothing else that I can tell you except that I've got to boot it to Konoha to inform them of the Rock/Sound alliance.”

 

Mikomi let the tired man start to overtake her before she acted. She hammered her fist into the back of Koujaku's spine, shattering it.

 

Koujaku fell to the ground and gave a shuddering breath, “Wha-why?”

 

“Because if you told Konoha then you would have put my partner Sasuke-kun at risk,” Mikomi whispered as Koujaku's eyes widened. The Sound was already in Grass! “I won't let anyone hurt him if I can prevent it.”

 

With that, Mikomi snapped the man's neck, killing him. Trying to stop the guilt from welling up inside her once again, Mikomi crushed down her feelings and incinerated the body with her `Grand Fireball Jutsu.'

 

Muteki Bara's Office - 2 Months Later

 

Sasuke sat behind the desk that he had been using to slowly orchestrate the Grass's down fall for the last three months. He had kept the citizenry mostly uninvolved and panic down, not to mention having orchestrated the concentration of defenses around the city to continually shift according to the `information' that Mikomi and her teams brought back from their missions. Then there were the countless teams Mikomi had loyally led to their deaths. The last stage of the plan couldn't be that far in the future.

 

There was a knock on the door to his office and Mikomi entered the office along with another masked Anbu member. After the door closed a familiar voice came out from behind the mask, “Greetings Sasuke-sama. I'm sure you remember me don't you?”

 

The Anbu removed the mask to reveal the smirking face of Kabuto.

 

“What do you need Kabuto? I've got a village to destroy from the inside out.”

 

“Tsk, tsk, as impatient as always Sasuke-sama,” Kabuto said as he pushed his glasses up his nose, “I'm brining you the final step in Orochimaru's plan to hand Grass over to the Rock and securing the alliance. It's this.”

 

Kabuto set a large cloth bag down on Sasuke's desk for him to take a look at. Reaching, Sasuke felt a heavy, boxy object and pulled it out. It was roughly half the size of a microwave, painted a dull grey, and had a small electronic panel on the upright face.

 

“That, Sasuke-sama, is the latest and greatest explosive device ever built. With it you should be able to wipe out most of Grass's forces if your concentrate them in one particular section of the village.”

 

“How do we activate it?”

 

Kabuto did a quick demonstration, “You arm it by typing in the pass code 050437680, and then you type in the time the explosive will take before it detonates. The same pass code disarms it if you have a reason to stop it.”

 

Sasuke smirked. He was only days away from finally getting his hands on a Kusanagi Sword of his own, “Oh, by the way Kabuto, tell Orochimaru to have a Kusanagi Sword ready for me. Mikomi has leant the Nova Detonation.”

 

West Wall of the Village Hidden in Grass - Next Day

 

Mikomi was directing the troops that she had concentrated completely on the Western wall of the village to stave off `invasion' that the Rock ninjas were attempting. She was waiting and ready to send out the signal for the Rock Nins to retreat to a save distance once Kabuto had armed the bomb.

 

She was still bobbing and weaving amongst the jutsu and kunai that were flying in both directions over the wall. A Rock Chuunin had leapt on the wall right in front of her and went to attack the back of a Grass Gennin when she rammed a kunai up into the back of his head. The Gennin thanked her as she continued running down the wall.

 

“TIGHTER PEOPLE! FORMATION BETA AND LAUNCH THE GRASS SPEARS JUTSU RIGHT THE HELL NOW!” Mikomi shouted over the sounds of battle. All the Grass ninjas moved a little closer together to protect the 12 Nins sealing for a massive jutsu that would transform the nearby grass into razors.

 

Then Kabuto signaled that the bomb was armed. `Alright, I've got one minute to get clear.'

 

“KATON: NOVA DETONATION JUTSU!” Mikomi yelled as she let loose a massive explosion of fire in the direction of the Rock Nin at the same time the grass was turned to razors. The Rock Nins retreated leaving close to a hundred ninja behind. Mikomi began to make tracks for the safety zone as massed Grass ninja let loose a cheer as the Rock Nins retreated.

 

BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!

 

When the bomb went off, more than two thirds of all the ninja in Grass were obliterated instantly. Hundreds more were burned from the flames as many others lost limbs to the flying shrapnel that exploded out from the wall. Nearby houses were totaled and the shockwave shattered glass from houses even halfway across the village. Only the lucky few on the other side of the village escaped with their lives and homes completely intact. Mikomi winced in pain as a piece of concrete struck her back as she continued to run away.

 

From the East, almost a thousand Rock Nins poured over the wall and took out the skeleton guard on the walls and moved through the city to surround the rest of the surviving Grass Nins. From the West the `invasion force' returned to close off the final route of escape for the Grass Nins.

 

Then Mikomi and Sasuke appeared at the head of the Grass forces still in their disguises, with Rock Nins at their backs. The Grass Nins still strong enough to fight charged forward to try and save their leaders who had lead them through this time even as hundreds of others were lying on the ground in pain and dying. The both of them removed their disguises at the same time which brought the charging Grass ninjas to a halt.

 

“I would suggest that you lay down your arms and surrender,” Sasuke said calmly, “There is no point to throwing your lives away. After all, the Village Hidden in Grass was originally merely a satellite to the Rock in the past. You have no leader and you have no power. It's over.”

 

Sasuke and Mikomi made their way through the surrounding Rock Nins to the Tsuchikage who was on the opposite side of the Grass Nins they had been on meeting up with Kabuto along the way.

 

“You've held up your end of the bargain. The alliance between Sound and Rock looks to be a fruitful one.”

 

The Field nearthe Broken Wall of the Village Hidden in Grass - 2 Days Later

 

Yakubyougami examined the hole in the wall from his vantage, hidden in the tall grasses that were the village's namesake. He gave a low whistle, `Orochimaru, you really outdid yourself this time. What a bang.'

 

What was even more astounding to the Akatsuki member was that even though his nickname was `angel of death,' the girl he was after had just killed nearly as many people as him in one shot. Whether directly responsible or not, she had been partial to the orchestration of the act. `So I guess the rumours were true after all. Judging by the size of the hole and the description of the two who were responsible for this destruction, it seems that Mikomi and Sasuke are actually here.'

 

He began to head towards the hole in the wall to slip into the Village Hidden in Grass and find the girl that he was looking for. Not a single blade of grass moved to signify his passing, only the slight swish of a black cloak with red clouds - Yakubyougami almost never wore the hats the others wore. When he neared the open, burned out area of the wall where Rock Nins stood guard, Yakubyougami seemed to melt down into the earth. He rose up from the ground on the other side of the wall in a shadowed alleyway. Moving swiftly he began to make a beeline for the Village's central tower where the main offices were kept. He always found it humorous pathetically easy it was to be able to avoid and slip by most guard patrols.

 

Sliding into a ground level window Yakubyougami made his way up to the head office where it Sasuke was said to have taken over before the end of the Grass Village. Despite the buzz of activity within the building he was able to make his way unnoticed to the top floor without finding a trace of Sasuke or Mikomi, nor being discovered by the Rock Nins himself. Yakubyougami stopped outside of the office belonging to Muteki Bara and listened to the sounds that were coming from it.

 

“Tsuchikage-sama I really think that you should be a little more cautious in your alliance with Orochimaru-san. If black haired boy and a purple haired girl - both hardly older than sixteen at most - was able to orchestrate this plan to annihilate the Grass defense and deliver the city to us what makes you think he hasn't already set himself up for the same thing with the three Sound Nins that are acting as attachés in our own city.”

 

Yakubyougami assumed that it was the Tsuchikage from Rock who answered, “Believe me I checked them out myself. Their chakra levels are only on par with our average Chuunins plus the weapons that they carried consisted only of kunai and shuriken with no explosive notes. Orochimaru won't have the chance now to turn away from this deal.”

 

The other guy began to speak, “Yeah, but that pair also left the village the second that they had delivered it to us. They are supposed to be working on something else for Orochimaru.”

 

Yakubyougami had heard enough, `Hell, I was too late. They took off already. I guess I'll have to high-tail it back to Wind Country to take up my position again. Boss man was planning on moving once the statue was complete.'

 

Annoyed with a wasted trip to this conquered city Yakubyougami wasn't quite as cautions when he made his way out. He simply dropped from the third story window right into the path of a Rock Anbu Patrol. Kabuto just happened to be part of the group, “Akatsuki!” Kabuto cried out in shock.

 

Cursing, Yakubyougami unsheathed the massive black battle sword that was strapped to his back and swung it towards the group. Only Kabuto had the sense to dive behind the building. Yakubyougami had channeled his chakra into the blade which had acted as a conductor and it erupted in a deadly wave of fiery blue energy. The Anbu team was too close to be able to dodge the energy wave and it cost them their lives, ripping the flesh from the bone as it passed through them.

 

Bolting for the wrecked wall Yakubyougami knew that his position was given away. `Time to really pick up the pace,' Yakubyougami thought. He began to perform the technique that had allowed him to best Sasori and his one hundred puppets: his Hyper Step. It allowed him to move at the speed of the body flicker, but still allowed him to be able to attack as he moved. Not to mention being only third in speed to the legendary body flicker and Hiraishin of Konoha's Yondaime.

 

Three more Anbu teams began to close in on him as he neared the gate and he gave three flicks of his sword to scatter them as the energy wave flew past them. Before they could begin to form a coherent counter attack Yakubyougami was on top of them cutting two in half before the first seals were made. One Anbu went to block his overhead slash with his katana only for him to suddenly appear behind him as he continued to Hyper Step in and around the Anbu.

 

Only five Anbu were left when the first attack actually cast in the path that Yakubyougami was moving in. “Kage Kunai Jutsu!” one of the captain's cried as he threw eight kunai at their speedy enemy. The eight kunai quickly became eighty, and much to the shock of all the Anbu there, once again the sword came around and the deadly blue energy released took care of the kunai and the Captain in one go.

 

The others didn't last much longer either as when the final Rock Anbu launched his `Doton: Dragon Missile Jutsu' all that Yakubyougami did was place his sword over his shoulder to deflect the speeding earth balls.

 

Yakubyougami took off through the broken wall cutting down another four Rock Nins who got in his path and headed out into the field of grass without even breaking a sweat yet. He rolled his eyes as he saw a Sound team land in front of him and moved to attack. Giving another sweep of his sword to finish them, Yakubyougami was surprised when a sonic scream was able to cancel out the attack. “You guys are half as bad as those other weaklings if you can actually manage to stop that attack,” Yakubyougami taunted as he simply sheathed his sword.

 

The Sound team all drew various blades which they began to vibrate as sonic speeds which perked Yakubyougami's interest, “Oh ho, so you can do that little trick eh? Gives those fine weapons an even better cutting edge doesn't it?”

 

Yakubyougami slid to the side as the first Sound Nin launched an overhead slash and Yakubyougami quickly stabbed a senbon into his armpit rendering his left arm useless. He continued moving as the second came in high and low with a pair of kodachis. Sliding another pair of senbon in between his fingers he caught the hands as they began to close their slash from either side, embedding the senbon deep into the backs of the Sound Nin's hands. Before the third could finish fully taking his breath to launch his Futon jutsu Yakubyougami threw a total of five senbon into his head, killing him instantly.

 

Both Sound Nins that Yakubyougami had dodged went to turn and attack him again when the realized they were both falling to the ground. And the place they were stabbed with the senbon hurt an unnatural amount. Both Sound Nins looked at the senbon and screamed at the sight. Their flesh was rotting away and dieing, falling right off their bodies spreading out from the senbon.

 

“Don't even bother to hope to live through those,” Yakubyougami scoffed, “You friend was lucky to have forced me to just kill him. As you can see my senbon are quite special: they cause the person struck with them to have their flesh become infected with a flesh eating virus that moves at speeds that defy the imagination. There is no chance of survival once struck with my senbon as it spreads far too fast. Unless you are naturally immune to the virus you will die a very painful death of rotting where you fall in a matter of minutes. The genius of the virus is that it cannot be contracted in any other way besides from the tips of my senbon. You could call it a localized virus. Well, enjoy the last few pain-wracked minutes of your short lives.”

 

Yakubyougami began to walk away from the rotting men, their screams echoing behind him. One scream, and then the other died away as their lungs decayed inside their chests.

 

In the Desert of Wind Country

 

Yakubyougami came to a halt when two figures appeared out of nowhere in front of him, “Itachi. Kisame. What the heck are the two of you doing out here?”

 

“You left your post, not to mention causing the Akatsuki to resurface in the information channels once again,” Itachi said calmly, “If it wasn't for the take over in Grass the information would seriously hinder our movements once again.”

 

Shrugging, Yakubyougami began to walk past the pair when Kisame swung his sword into Yakubyougami's path. “Your not leaving yet punk,” Kisame growled as he stared Yakubyougami down, “That stunt was stupid as hell you dumb shit.”

 

“Our leader may have given you permission to search for and collect that girl you described along with your other duties, but never at the cost of jeopardizing our objectives. Do it again and I will personally kill you.”

 

Yakubyougami stared right back into Itachi's eyes, “Go ahead, give it your best shot. You know damn well that I have no sense of pain whatsoever. Even torture from your little illusion won't harm me much at all. So shove off if you know what's good for you.”

 

Itachi and Kisame allowed Yakubyougami to pass and continue his trip back to the Village Hidden in Sand.

 

After some time, Itachi spoke again, “That fool is becoming too dangerous. His is the first whom my Sharingan can't read perfectly. If he leaves mission protocol one more time we cannot hesitate to kill him.”