50 2/3

Kakuzu's skin noticeably darkened. Without warning he blitzed forward, arm cocked back. Sakura stepped forward, the first level of her curse seal activing. With a savage grin her own cocked fist shot forward, meeting Kukuzu's. The explosion of displaced air kicked up dust around the pair, its strength enough to ruffle the clothes of Haku and I. Sakura's grin never left her face. Kakuzu on the other hand was grimacing, glancing down at his own hand. Visible cracks ran through the appendage, all the way up to the elbow.

"That shouldn't be possible. Earth Spear makes my skin as hard as diamonds." He muttered allowed. He jumped back, creating distance between the two. His gaze snapped up to the two teammates. "It matters not. Let's see how you handle this."

From within one of the monsters, flames began to flicker into existence from its gaping maw. From another, the winds began to churn.

"Earth Grudge Fear Collaboration Technique: Simultaneous Arson!" Kakuzu shouted. A stream of flame launched forward, only to be instantly fanned by the rush of wind from the second mask.

Sasuke smirked. "He underestimates us, Sakura. Let's show him a real collaboration technique."

"You read my mind, Sasuke," Sakura said, palms already flat on the ground.

Sasuke quickly flipped through a quick set of hand seals. His own first level of the curse mark activating. He inhaled.

"Collaboration Technique: Mud Flow Wall!" Sakura called out. A thick slab of earth rose rapidly, however, it wasn't solid. It seemed to be malleable. At the same time, a wall of water quickly engulfed the rapidly rising mound of earth.

The wind enhanced flames crashed into the dampened mound of earth. An audible hissing sounded throughout the area and steam quickly engulfed the entire area.

"Wind Release: Breakthrough," Sasuke's monotonous voice called from within the warm steam. Within moments, sight was restored to all those in the area. I chuckled out loud, seeing the results of the two collaboration techniques. Where the wind-stoked flames met the chakra enhanced mud, a single hardened wall of earth now stood. Sakura rose from her crouched position, manic grin still in place.

"Yeesh. I can see why Sakura and Ami had become such fast friends. They're both a little blood thirsty in battle." I mumbled out loud.

"Lady Sakura does seem to be enjoying herself, doesn't she?" Haku giggled. "Those markings along her and Lord Sasuke. That is the curse seal that has been mentioned?"

I nodded. "Yes. That is the first level of activation. From what I can gather, it enhances mainly their physical measurables as well as bolstering their techniques. The boost isn't large, the equivalent of Rock Lee opening the first, maybe the second of the Eight Gates."

Haku hummed in acknowledgement, his attention turning back to the quickly escalating fight. I observed as well. Kakuzu stood staring at the two teenagers that had already been able to push him so far. For someone so powerful and experienced, he sure was losing his composure quickly. I suddenly had an internal thought and grinned widely.

"What are you planning, Cpt Kenta?" Haku asked suspiciously.

I simply winked his way before turning back to the fight. "Wow, Kakuzu. You seem to humble brag a lot about surviving your battle against Lord Senju. These two teenagers must have already surpassed him if they're giving you such a difficult time. There's good news though! If you do end up surviving this, and realize the whole Ninja thing doesn't work out for you, you could always be a male escort! You might be a century old, but that body is bangin, Daddy!" I cat called loudly.

The reactions made me shudder in pleasure.

An audible smack could be heard as Sasuke's palm met his face in utter disbelief.

Sakura blushed but giggled loudly, subtly doing a once over of the shirtless Kakuzu.

Haku was blushing the most though. "L-lord Kenta. P-please don't talk in such lewd terms!" He squeaked out.

I cackled loudly, savoring the waves of bloodlust and rage that Kakuzu was sending my way. "Oh relax, Haku. You're almost 20 years old! You can't be a prude your entire life. Tell you what. I'm going to loan my complete collection of Icha-Icha to you. That should help loosen you up. The plot really isn't half bad, either."

"Cpt Kenta! Can I borrow them when Haku's done?!" Sakura shouted.

"You cannot be serious. Those books are nothing but smut. No Lady should ever lay eyes on those filthy pages." Sasuke hissed out in agitation.

Sakura gave the boy a saucy wink. "Good thing I'm no Lady then. I'm the perfect blend of deadly and beautiful kunoichi, as well as a woman with dignified taste in literature."

Sasuke sputtered like a mad man, but no coherent sentence could be formed.

"Sure thing, Sakura! Just work out the details with Haku. Once he finishes the first one, you can pick it up from him. Or whatever works best for you two!" I beamed brightly at her eager thumbs up and turned towards Haku.

"Absolutely not! I will not read such vulgar literature. It isn't proper!" Haku exclaimed in an offended manor.

I clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Aw, c'mon, Haku. Just give the first one a browse through. Who knows? You might learn a good pick-up line, or maybe even a new idea for any late night adventures." I finished with a lecherous grin, waggling my eyebrows.

"I-I, that is to say, I don't thin-"

"You do have a lady friend you're crushing on, don't you?" I asked, grin still in place.

It shouldn't have been possible, but the red in Haku's cheeks deepened even further. "There… is one young woman that I fancy. But, I've only spoken to her a handful of times. We haven't even had a proper conversation."

"Oh? What's her name? I'll hook you up. The only catch is that you must name your first born child after me. In all my years of match-making, not a single person has agreed to such a simple request. If not for me, they wouldn't have even found each other! It is a tragedy, dearest Haku. Please, agree to such a simple request, and I will do my part to ensure you and your female love interest will find true happiness." I finished with a dramatic sweeping bow.

"I… I suppose that is a reasonable request. It would be a discussion for later though. I think I would need to survive the first date before thinking of children." Haku said in a quiet voice. A small smile in place thinking of the lucky lady.

"That is better than what others have given me! I will work my magic. Now, what is her name?"

"ENOUGH OF THIS FARCE!" Kakuzu shouted, waves of pure chakra and pressure exploding from the man. My eyes widened momentarily at the display before they narrowed.

"Oi! You grumpy old miser! You wait a damn second before you go on a murder rampage! We're discussing young love over here!" I shouted back, waving my fist angrily.

A bestial roar was my reply and Kakuzu launched himself forward, murder blazing in the eyes pinning me in place. I shrugged, grabbed Haku by the scruff of the neck, and flickered across the open space. Kakuzu stared in confusion for a second before his eyes whipped over to my new location. Sasuke and Sakura stepped in front of us.

"We are your opponents. You shouldn't lose your cool in this manner. It is unbecoming of a shinobi and sets a terrible example for the new generation." Sasuke drawled.

Sakura giggled. "Yeah, what he said!"

"Fine, you two want to die that badly? I shall comply." Kakuzu snarled.

The three masked creatures were immediately at his side. Water, wind, and fire began to gather in the openings where the mouth should be.

"Earth Grudge Fear Collaboration Technique: Three-Headed Elemental Serpent!" Kakuzu yelled out. At once, three serpentine bodies launched forward, twisting and snapping as they rushed Sasuke and Sakura. Sasuke smirked in confidence and the slightly unhinged grin returned to Sakura in full force. I felt the chakra gather in their legs… and nothing. Both looked down in shock, my eyes quickly following. From underneath them, Kakuzu had sent his arms underground. Each hand now gripped an ankle of both teens.

A large 'boom' crashed into my eardrum as the elemental technique scored a direct hit against wide-open pair of teenagers.

Haku gasped beside me, and I felt him ready his chakra. I held out an arm, holding him back from rushing forward.

"Just watch," I whispered. "I can still feel their chakra. It's steady, not distressed. They are fine."

Unfortunately, Kakuzu seemed to draw a similar conclusion. His arms twitched, and from the smoke two bodies rose high into the air. Kakuzu brought his arms down in a snapping motion, and the pink and black blurs quickly crashed into the ground. As soon as they hit, he spun on his heels, Sasuke and Sakura's bodies following his motion. He completed the brutal onslaught by smashing the teenagers into the trunk of a thick tree. The impact strong enough to splinter the wood, an ominous creaking sound soon following.

I winced. "Ok, maybe they aren't fine."

Just as I prepared my chakra to jump into the fray, both Sasuke and Sakura rose slowly to their feet. Sakura's hands ignited in the familiar green glow. She placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, the other went to her own abdomen. She removed them almost as quickly.

"Nothing broken. No internal injuries. We can heal the bumps and bruises later." I heard her relay to Sasuke. He nodded, and his crimson orbs locked onto Kakuzu, narrowed in anger but with a new respect for the man.

Haku whistled lowly.

"What's that for?" I asked.

"How quickly she performed a diagnostic technique on the two of them simultaneously. Even though she was only looking for dangerous or debilitating injury, the speed was very impressive. I can only name four others in our village with similar skill." Haku replied, a hint of pride in his voice. There was also a tiny pang of jealousy in his chakra, but that's normal seeing someone just as skilled as you in your craft.

"Ok, now I'm mad. Let's finish this up Sasuke. My hair is now ruined." Sakura called out.

Sasuke nodded, the black seal marks on his body writhing and expanding rapidly. Sakura's were quick to follow.

There she stood, the crimson haired demon that I had watched in Naruto's memory shatter his arms to pulp. Her second level hadn't changed at all. The only difference was she now went straight into the 'filtered' form; blocking out the vile chakra with ease.

Crimson hair and burnished copper eyes stared imperiously at Kakuzu. She glanced at Sasuke, my eyes following her.

I burst out laughing.

"Oi! Haku! Think we should invite Sasuke to our 'Girly-Man' club?! He's even prettier than Sakura when he's in that form!" I cackled loudly. Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously at my teasing.

Haku's hand covered his mouth as he attempted to control his own amusement. "Yes, I think we should. He would fit in perfectly."

I laughed harder at that. "You heard my co-founder! Welcome to the club, Sasuke! Take pride in knowing that many females will be extremely jealous of your feminine beauty."

Sasuke snarled at me, his skin beginning to lighten slightly. Sakura cut off her own laughter and pinned me with a glare.

"Cpt Kenta. Please refrain from provoking Sasuke while in this form. He doesn't have as much control as me. If he doesn't isolate Orochimaru's chakra, he could go berserk. Do you want that?" She asked in a disapproving tone.

I sobered up and frowned. "No, ma'am. Sorry about that. The peanut gallery will silence themselves."

She nodded and turned her attention back to Sasuke. She whispered a few short words into his ear. He closed his eyes, and his skin began to revert back to the warm brown color, replacing the sickly gray pallor it had been turning into.

He opened his mouth once he was back in control but Sakura cut him off. "You and Captain can trade barbs back and forth once this is over. Now focus, Sasuke."

He nodded and put all his attention on Kakuzu. Kakuzu gazed impassively at the two, his emotions back in check.

"So, lab rats of Orochimaru it seems. Do not think that tainted power will be enough to defeat me. I have spent 80 years honing my craft. You two are still about one hundred years too young to take me on." He said in a monotone drawl. His chakra told a different story. He was slightly nervous.

"Hn." Was Sasuke's eloquent reply.

"I will translate for you, Kakuzu of Taki." Sakura spoke up, glaring slightly at her teammate. "We could have defeated you without using anything above the first level of our curse marks. This fight, no, I should correct myself. This execution is for the sole purpose of Cpt Kenta observing our fight and reporting our strength back to Lord Fifth. We are going 100% on you to show Cpt Kenta what we can do. We want to give an accurate report."

She flipped her crimson locks over her shoulder, not used to them being this long. "Unlike the "lab rats" you referred to, we are not like them. We have mastered these seals, using only the benefits it provides and isolating the negatives. You will see the true potential of these seals without Orochimaru's tainted influence."

"Oh? The True Potential? And what is that, little girl? A slight boost to your chakra? An increase in speed and strength? I assure you, it won't be enough." Kakuzu replied.

Sakura disappeared, reappearing right in Kakuzu's face. She grabbed him on either side of his head, and with lightning quick movements twisted the skull in a full rotation. She was back to her original position in another eye blink.

"I know that doesn't do any good against the likes of you. I just wanted to show you how easily I could have killed you if you didn't have that Forbidden Technique. What my kind is capable of." Sakura said in an easy tone, a lopsided grin aimed right at Kakuzu's widened eyes.

"And what would your kind be exactly?" He said, attempting to keep the nerves he was feeling in full force from entering his voice.

"Pseduo-Sages." Sasuke answered, his cocky grin back in place.

"What do you mean?" Kakuzu hissed, fear and nerves at an all-time high. I was bouncing on my toes, enjoying the fear they were putting in this legendary shinobi.

"This seal gives us the ability to passively absorb natural energy and assimilate it into our own network. That is the sole reason this seal can be so dangerous." Sasuke informed the bounty hunter.

"Why are you telling me this? A good shinobi never reveals the true nature of his ability." Kakuzu said in an attempt to regain control.

Sakura's high pitched laughter of derision cut across the clearing. "Knowing about our power does nothing for you if you can't counter it. Plus, you know nothing of our true power. Enough talk, we will just show you. You can lament your defeat from the pure lands."

With that, Sakura rocketed forward, her hyper-charged fist connecting solidly with Kakuzu's face. His jaw detached instantly and he was sent careening away at high speeds. I grabbed Haku once more, pulling him out of the line of fire. Kakuzu's broken body soared past us, Sakura and Sasuke in quick pursuit.

Kakuzu regained his bearings and righted himself. His skin darkened once more, and he began to weave hand seals.

His arms instantly fell to the floor, cut clean at the elbow. Sasuke's electric charged blade screaming its song of death as it pierced his chest once more. Kakuzu let out a groan of pain. The groan became a scream as black lightning erupted from Sasuke's blade, frying every inch of the missing ninja. The black tendrils that had been about to launch at Sasuke halting in their tracks as the nature empowered lightning jolted his entire system.

"Earth Release: Stone Prison of Subjugation." Sakura's voice called out. The earth lashed out, snaring Kakuzu's arms and legs like living vipers. They instantly drug him to the ground, pinning him down and coating him in a thin layer of liquid earth. It instantly hardened, turning a dark grey in color. He sunk down into the malleable earth, stopping only when his entire body from the neck down was no longer visible.

Kakuzu strained to break free, the effort showing clear on his face. He sneered up at the two demonic teenagers standing over him.

"It won't take me long to break free of this." He boasted.

Sakura snorted. "Go ahead and try. The earth around you is reinforced with my potent chakra. It can only be broken by strong lightning or someone with excellent earth manipulation." Her smile turned savage. "And judging by the remaining masks you have, you seem to be unable to use either element as it stands. Pity."

Kakuzu's fear reached new levels. "What do you want? Money? I have plenty. I'll leave the Akatsuki. I won't go after your Jinchuriki. You have my word. Just allow me to leave."

"He's begging now. Pathetic. I'm bored. I thought this would be a challenge." Sasuke said in disdain.

Sakura pouted herself. "I did as well. Aside from a few bruises and scratches, he wasn't really that impressive."

"Whatever, let's get this over with." Sasuke turned around, facing the three masked creatures. "I'll take the wind mask, you take the other two."

"Got it." Sakura chirped in reply.

"Wait, no!" Kakuzu shouted, but it was for naught. He grunted in pain as Sakura bulldozed her way through a stream off fire. A thin layer of water had materialized and clung to her skin. She smashed the white porcelain with a single strike, her attention focusing on the remaining mask of water.

Demonic wings sprouted from Sasuke's back, and with a powerful leap took to the sky. He dodged gracefully around as the mask of wind fired high pressured spheres of wind at him in rapid succession. Every dodge brought him closer and closer to the elusive creature.

I walked over to the buried Akatsuki member who was giving off waves of primal fear. I crouched down and tapped him on the head. His head jerked around, eyes wide with panic.

"Please, stop them. Anything, I'll give you anything!" He hysterically begged.

I leaned down, until I was right next to his ear. "This is justice. Your greed led to Team 10 being called out to pursue the men who attacked the peaceful monks of the land of fire. Your sins are finally being brought to trial. Say hello to your partner in hell for me, will you? Though I destroyed his soul completely, so I don't even know if he exists anymore."

Kakuzu opened his mouth, but only a groan of pain and panicked panting were my answer. Sasuke had managed to pierce the mask of wind with a lance of pure black energy. The addition of the natural energy turning his lightning to shades of moonless nights.

"I… I will change. I will disappear from the elemental nations. I won't bother anyone again. Please… just let me go. You are captain. They will listen if you tell them to stand down. My last heart. Don't let them destroy it!" Kakuzu was frantic now. His breaths were coming out in quick pants. The fear he was exuding was near overwhelming.

I loved every second of it.

"Let me ask you one question. Your answer may save your life." I whispered menacingly.

"Anything!" He near shouted. Sasuke and Sakura who were now playing with the last creature like two kids with a stray dog glanced over at us. Sakura waved cheerfully before her fist shot forward. The force of the punch was so great, it incinerated half of the body of the water masked creature. Sasuke rolled his eyes at me, his eyebrow raised in question.

"Who was assigned to take Fú, the seven tails Jinchuriki." I asked casually.

"We were. I mean, Hidan and I were. I'm the only one who knows how to get into the village. I was to take her and the hero water back for our Leader! Now please, let me go!" Kakuzu's hysterical reply carried across the clearing. Sakura stopped her charge and turned towards me. She was waiting on my reply.

I bent down further until I was eye to eye with him. "I already knew that. We know everything. Akatsuki will cease to exist in the very near future. I'll make sure your friends know to say hello to you when they come and join you. I just wanted to hear the words from your own mouth." I turned to Sakura. "Do it."

The water mask launched a high pressure stream at Sakura. She dodged effortlessly. "Let me show you how that technique is actually done."

She inhaled. "Water Release: Severing Wave!" Sakura called out. A needle thin stream of water erupted from her mouth. She twitched her head once, and the highly pressurized water cut straight through the mask effortlessly.

Kakuzu screamed in agony, his eyes were wide with fearful desperation. I stood up, walking away from the dying man. I stopped and dug into my pouch, unsealing a small scroll. I tossed it to Sakura.

"His chakra is fading. I'll tell you when it's gone. Seal him up in that. We should be able to extract 'Earth Grudge Fear' from him. It'll be a good bargaining chip when the time comes to send Fú back to Taki. Like I'm going to let that happen." I finished with a growl.

"What do you mean? I thought she was a citizen?" Sakura asked, the curse mark receding back to its original shape.

"The agreement was we were to harbor and protect her until the Akatsuki threat was dealt with. They would never freely give up their weapon." I spat on the ground, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "In return, we get some of their hidden techniques once she's returned home. If we have that, it'll make them think twice when they attempt to make demands when I refuse to let her go home. Clan politics is a tricky game. Taki risks losing more than they know if they try to take my woman from me."

"Like what? I don't doubt your sway in the politics game, but I doubt it's large enough to convince a hidden village to willingly part with their Jinchurirki." Sasuke asked with a frown.

"Like war." I said simply.

"War? Would Konoha really go to war?" Sakura asked.

"If Taki demands Fú back, there are two outcomes. One, we refuse and destroy their village. Two, they comply, get back their forbidden technique, as well as a formal alliance and promise to provide aid should they ever be threatened. The choice seems clear."

"But what if they don't accept that and the village decides to avoid war and meet their demands?" Haku asked quietly.

"Then the Yamanaka Clan leaves Konoha." I said simply.

"They can do that?!" Sakura gasped.

I nodded. "Any of the clans have the power to up and leave at any point. It's written into our village's founding charter. We provide our strength to the village, the village supports us with its power as a whole. If a clan feels slighted, and that the entirety of the village puts its needs above that of the entire clan, we can break ties and leave. This is why each clan has their own governing body and laws. This is why things like the Hyuga marking their branch members is allowed and the Hokage has no power to halt the process."

"Wow. I never knew that." Sakura said in wonder.

"If that's the case, then why did my clan…" Sasuke trailed off, his frown deepening.

"Power and greed." I said bluntly.

Sasuke turned his frown on me. "Explain."

"They were the co-founding clan along with the Senju. They saw the village as their right to rule. They let their pride get in the way of the rational decision. Had they decided to up and leave the village, their bargaining power would have increased tenfold." I explained to the boy.

Sasuke nodded slowly. "You're more than likely correct. It's just… troubling to know that at any point we could have left Konoha and started over. My mother and father would be alive. My cousins. It's just… senseless."

"I have no evidence, but I suspect there's more to this story than we actually know. Maybe more than we'll ever know." I mused.

"Outside interference?" Sasuke questioned.

I nodded. "Possibly. Manipulation. False promises. Any number of reasons."

"It is plausible. So do you think the threat of your clan leaving would be enough for my brother and the council to potentially go to war over Fú?" Sasuke asked neutrally.

"No. My clan is a valuable asset, but more in logistics than our actual military power. However…" I trailed off, a smirk on my face.

"Wait. I know this one. The Nara and Akimichi would most likely follow you, wouldn't they?" Sakura said, eyes widening in realization.

I nodded. "Yup. Konoha is barely over one hundred years old. Our three clans have been allied for almost a millennia. If my clan felt slighted enough to risk leaving the village, their clans would also take it as a personal insult. My clan leaving is a blow, but not crippling. Three of the six major clans though? Konoha loses a lot of their firepower, as well as many businesses that our civilian members own and run."

"Damn. Clan politics is more in depth than I thought. Oh, is he fully dead, yet?" Sakura asked, the furrowed brow disappearing as she pointed to the deceased 'immortal.'

I focuses my attention on the man, all signs of life in a twenty mile radius were gone.

I nodded. "Yup. He's dead. Seal him up, then have Haku double check for any injuries you may have missed. No, Sakura, I'm not doubting your abilities. But this is why Haku is with us. Do it or I give you an F on your report card." I had to raise my voice at the end as Sakura had looked affronted at my request.

She nodded grudgingly at my request. "I'm not doubting your ability, Haku. I hope you know that. As a medic-"

Haku's stifled giggles cut her off. "Of course, Miss Sakura. Asking a medic to get examined by another is like asking a rival carpenter to judge your work. No offense taken, I promise. But Captain is right. The adrenaline is still in your system which could be throwing off your senses. I'm confident in your ability, but better safe than sorry, right?"

Sakura smiled and nodded at the Yuki boy before ending her prison technique. As soon as Kakuzu's lifeless body was stored safe away, she rose to her feet. She walked over to Haku who had just given Sasuke a clean bill of health, healing the few scrapes and bruises he had suffered.

"Kenta." Sasuke said suddenly. "Why would your clan back you up? I'm just curious."

"Fú is already written into our family tree. Upon our betrothal, she was added tentatively. Once we're married, it's a permanent change. As such, the clan already views her as one of us. We protect our own." I said simply.

Sasuke smiled at that. "That is good to hear. I wish you the best of luck and hope it doesn't escalate that far."

I nodded. "Personally, I hope we can just go to war, wipe their forces from existence, and make them an annexation of Konoha."

Everyone frowned at that. "You would go to war?"

"Damn right I would. I'd personally lead the charge. The way they treated Fú is reprehensible." I growled out.

"But… Naruto wasn't treated much better?" Sakura said timidly.

I nodded at her. "I know that, but Naruto at least had a few people. Then he had my clan. Fú had no one aside from Shibuki. They removed her from her home to save their sorry asses. They can spin it any way they want, they see her as a monster and a weapon. I'm afraid if they do get her back, they'll extract the Biju, killing her in the process."

"Well, let's hope that Taki is reasonable and we have no conflict or bloodshed over this matter. Protecting your fiancé is admirable. I very much enjoy Lady Fú and wish you two the best. Now, shall we get a move on? We still have one more person to kill before we can go home. Miss Sakura's idea of a nice, long bath sounds heavenly right now." Haku chirped in, serene smiling sweeping our group.

I nodded. "Let's go. Raiga should be only a few hours from our current location."

With that, our group took to the trees.

Finally, it would be my turn to cut loose! This pent up frustration with Taki really got me in the mood for some psychological torment.

********************************Bye-Bye Kakuzu **************************************

"So what's the plan? He has about fifty men under his command. We shoul-" I cut off Sakura's whispered planning by standing abruptly.

"I'm over this mission. I want to get home. I wanna see my sister and brothers, I wanna see my family, I wanna see my woman. I'll take care of this. You two take notes. This is what an S-Rank shinobi can do." I finished with a cocky grin aimed towards Sasuke. My taunting working as his face flushed and the audible sound of grinding teeth could be heard.

I turned around and swept grandly into the large clearing. Hundreds of trees had been recently cut down, leaving the area clear and open.

"Gentleman!" I called out, all eyes turning towards me. Raiga had been in the middle of talking with a middle-aged man, his furious gaze snapping towards me instantly. "I thank you all for coming. I hear there have been many funerals in this area lately. 'Tis a shame that I have missed such morose events. Tragedy is my muse." I nailed the performance letting a few tears slip down my cheeks.

Raiga's eyes lit up, a crazed grin split his face. "Someone who appreciates the tragedy of death! Come, my friend! We were just about to have a funeral."

I chuckled. "I know. This is why I arrived when I did. I knew that multiple funerals would be happening on this dreary day." I looked skyward in mock dramatics. Clear blue skies unmarred by even a single cloud ruined my monologue.

Raiga's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean you knew? Multiple funerals? Who else are we having a funeral for?!"

I locked eyes with the crazed lunatic. "You and your men." I said with a cruel smile.

"KILL HIM!" Raiga screamed. The entire battalion of men he had assembled charged forth as one.

I stretched my senses out, feeling the chakra of everyone closing the distance between us. Only two had chakra levels comparable to an average Chunin. The rest were Genin or below.

What a pity.

"Storm Release: Quick Shot Light Blitz Barrage," I said outloud. I raised my hands, fingers splayed out. Pinpricks of light gathered on the tips of my eight fingers. Without warning, dozens upon dozens of small arrows of light became to bombard the area in front of me. I swept my fingers slowly from left to right across the clearing. Dozens of holes punched through the line of men, uncaring of who they cut down. None survived today. These men had been forcing innocent men and women to work for them. Killing them when Raiga's insanity took over; burying alive the most unfortunate. That ended today.

I lowered my hands, glaring at Raiga. "Will that be 50 individual graves, or one mass one?" I asked in a mocking tone.

"My family! What have you done, you monster?!" Raiga screamed in horror, thick tears spilling down his face.

"I killed them. The same as you killed innocent and defenseless civilians. The same way I'm going to kill you. The same way I'm going to kill that child that's hiding on your back." I smiled in savage triumph at the twin spikes of terror at my last declaration.

"How do you know about Ranmaru?!" Raiga screamed.

"My gods, you are dramatic! And that is saying something coming from me." I mumbled loudly. A pair of snorts could be heard behind me.

"Answer me!" He yelled even louder.

"I'm a sensor, moron. I can feel his chakra." I said plainly.

That seemed to calm him down a bit. "I see. Then it makes no difference. You will be punished for killing my family." He unsheathed the twin silver swords from his waist. "Prepare yourself!"

He held the Kiba Blades aloft, electrify began to arc between the pair. The static bolts began to gather, forming into a spherical shape.

"Lightning Release: Lightning Orb!" Raiga screamed, thrusting the twin swords forward, a large ball of lightning racing towards me.

I focused on the orb, making the judgement. I smirked.

The orb made direct impact with my chest.

"Yes! Your judgement is here! You will die for your sins! I will then burn your rotted corpse, the ashes will give birth to the trees where my family will rest!" Raiga's insane laughter echoed throughout the clearing.

"Is that all?" I drawled, giving Raiga an unimpressed look.

"How?! My attack hit you directly! Ranmaru told me it was the real you!"

"Tell me, Raiga. Have you ever completed the second stage of lightning manipulation training?"

"I have no need. These blades convert the chakra for me. It is their special ability. My lightning is just as strong as anyone who has trained for years!" He yelled in confidence.

"I thought as much. If you had, you would know a weak lightning attack like that won't do anything to me. It involves being hit with lightning, expelling the foreign chakra, and then directing the currents out of your body. Or, if mastery is achieved, absorbing the lightning into your own chakra system." I smirked in triumph. "Thanks for the meal, even if your chakra feels vile."

"Why you! I'll ki-"

"Give up now, Raiga. If you come peacefully, we'll spare the boy. Continue to resist, and I'll cut you both down. Do you even know who I am?" I shouted over his insane ramblings.

"You? You think you can kill me? Ha! I am one of the former Seven Swordsman! You are nothing but some child!"