Chapter 5: From D to A Part IV

Chapter 5: From D to A Part IV

He came without a sound like a sly fox who was now a demon with how his white chakra flared around him in anger. That fox mask was the same as last night. Kasai had made his appearance with his ANBU gear on, yet I could see his red eye clear as day. He didn't say a single word as he looked at the three downed ninjas. He just let blue lightning gather at his fingers.

Was that lighting blade? No, it seemed different. Did Kakashi develop a new version? Tayuya seemed to not care and instead prepared for another fight. A smile formed on her face as blood dripped from her hand— That cocky piece of shit!

"You think you're so cool coming in all quiet. I guess I can finish off another small fry. Summoning Jutsu!" Another one of Tayuya's Doki appeared. This one didn't have arms, and its torso was wrapped in bandages like a mummy. She blew into her flute, and it roared, charging him.

Kasai just stood there, letting the lightning build up. It sounded like birds chirping. Then he finally uttered a word. "Chidori."

His entire right hand was engulfed in blue lightning. What wasn't tied down blew around him from the force of the wind. Using his other hand to keep his arm steady, he dashed forward, kicking up a storm of dirt and debris.

"Ahahaha, you three are all the same. Just flashy abilities with no substance—"

The Doki fell to the ground. A gaping hole in its stomach. Kasai stood in front of the corpse, unfazed. He should have been done with that, but his hand built-up static again, and he blitzed her once more. "Chidori."

"You're a cut above the rest, aren't you." Tayuya's markings started to spread out across her face creating black jagged lines that proliferated her body as she blew into her flute. "I guess I'll try a bit." I didn't hear the melody, but I knew he must have.

Kasai stopped his run, and the Chidori faded from his hand.

"Sad rats who run in just to die. Don't deserve to be shinobi." Tayuya stepped forward with a kunai in hand, only to stop midway through. "What the hell!"

The lightning reignited in the palm of his hand. He was using Chidori for a third time. "You talk too damn much."

"That's my line!" I said, only to be ignored as Kasai ran at her.

"Tch!" Tayuya clicked her tongue. She had come in too close and wouldn't be able to dodge him without some sort of injury. It looked like she was ready to lose an arm in her retreat.

I haven't done this in a while, so please work. I had no choice. The fear of the world becoming any slower was terrifying. I learned that awakening my Sharingan made the world grow cold and distant as if I was no longer a part of it. I also knew that under circumstances such as these, it would evolve, making the problem worse.

I always wondered why my sister stopped talking to me often when she obtained her Mangekyo Sharingan. Now I knew why. I wanted power, but there were just some lines I didn't want to cross. I never want to smile at Sui like that again, and so I delved into the depths once more. I didn't care if they saw or if it backfired. I wasn't going to let anyone die.

"Wind Style: Whirlwind Sprint Jutsu!" I became lighter, and wind flowed around me, holding me together. Now for the second one. "Lighting Style: Chakra Mode."

I was coated in a deep blue aura. My fingers twitched, and my body jittered. It was like getting pinpricked all over your body every second. I coughed and tasted the blood in my mouth. Yeah, I know. I suck at this. The last time I used multiple elements together was on that day when I lost everything. Now I would use it on the day I gained everything.

I took one step forward and vanished. I blinked past them. All I heard was a "What?" come from Kasai as I took Tayuya into my arms and crashed to the ground. I couldn't maneuver around, so with my arms wrapped around her, I held her tight as we slid through the ground. My Jutsus went away, and I held myself up from Tayuya, my arms wobbling as I stared down. Her cap had flown off, and the zigzags on her skin receded back into the marks on her neck. Her once beautiful reddish hair became muddied by dirt and grime. She's going to need a deep cleaning to get that out.

"Sorry about the hair." I said, watching her wide eyes form into a glare.

"Screw the hair! You were holding back! I'll kill you!" Tayuya tried to will whatever those tattoos were back, but nothing happened. It seemed her body was telling her to give it a rest.

"And I was just starting to like—" I began to cough up blood splattering her face with some of it. "Ha-ha. Sorry about that too."

"You must be joking—"

The sound of her voice was drowned out by a chirping. It shouldn't have been possible. I heard of using three but four! Only Kakashi could do that in a day, let alone in quick succession. What the hell is he?

"Kai… Kurai… Sui… I won't let it end this way! Chidori!"

Wait… What! Does he think they're dead? Maybe Kabura is, but... I tried to stand up, but the most I could do was turn around before I collapsed on my knees. I watched as he charged. I could barely see him. I mostly heard the incessant chirping of his Chidori followed by a strange silence. Which was broken by a voice of a man I didn't recognize.

"I'm disappointed in you Kasai. I thought you were my golden child but spouting out nonsense like your teammates' name. I expected better. The Root does not need tools with hearts; remember that well. Next time forget the feelings and finish the job. If you were here faster, there wouldn't have been a problem." The man sounded old, but I knew he must have been someone important with what came next.

"Yes sir. I'm sorry for disappointing you."

"Good. Now help the rest of the recovery team; they need medical attention." As he said that, I heard the shuffling of ninja all around, but none of them said a word as if they didn't speak unless spoken to.

"They're alive?" Kasai said.

"You fool, did I give you that eye for nothing?"

"But—"

"Go. Now."

"Yes sir."

With that, their conversation ended, but my body still felt tense, like I had a deep-rooted hatred for that man. Tap Tap Tap. I heard his footsteps as he inched closer to me.

"Tayuya. I was told you were one of the strongest, and yet you were beaten by Genin."

"If you let me use my second stage, I would have made short work of them."

"Excuses. You were supposed to be Chūnin level without it. You got arrogant, and I have no need for arrogant weapons. Remember that well. Now report back to the Third Hokage and don't leave out any of the details."

"Fine, but what about the rest of Team 9? What do I say about them? Not like any of them can move."

"Do I have to repeat myself? Leave nothing out. You will be fine, trust me. That soft old fool won't do anything drastic, especially after you tell him you were saved by that Uchiha filth."

Hearing him say that made my eyes shoot open, and there he was, the man who I believed caused everything. He was tall with wrinkles. The left side of his face was covered in bandages, and he had one arm hidden within his kimono as if it were broken with a cane in his other hand to hold him up.

I felt the world grow cold, and I coughed up more blood, but I could freeze for all I cared. He was the only one still obsessed with the Uchiha. My parents mentioned his name multiple times before the massacre. Even after they died, he still never kept the Uchiha out of his mouth. He was the reason Sui spied on me. Another reason why I slept with one eye open. Why would he care so much about the Uchiha clan, the same clan he calls filth, if he didn't have something to hide!

"Danzō!" I stepped forward and leaped at him, my fist raised. He simply turned his body, and I fell over, crashing into the ground. My eyes closed as I started to lose consciousness.

"With that power of yours, you could have easily beaten Tayuya and Kasai if you didn't waste it on your foolish antics." Danzō tapped his cane on the ground next to me. "In hiding the proficiency of your chakra natures, you caused your body to reject them. What wasted potential, especially when I knew since the day you were born all about the Kekkei Kanri you possess…"

His voice faded as I knocked out. Leaving me with the thought of how much of an idiot I was. Knowing his spy network, hiding information from him wasn't even remotely possible. He probably even knew Sui was feeding me information which explained why she didn't know about Tayuya. This whole thing was rigged from the start.

I truly am foolish.