With no hesitation, the entire team fell in line behind Akata and together entered a hostile world of swirling sand where only the next twenty feet existed. Anything further ahead was hidden by a beige carpet.
In a race against time, they made a beeline straight to the outer wall of Kagero Village. For the plan to have any hope of success, Akata had underscored the importance of them capitalizing on their element of surprise.
Remembering to keep close, all of them made it across the open space and leaped over the city wall. A safety measure that'd work fine against normal bandits, but not against a shinobi force like them.
Inside the city, blaring alarms were going off in every direction.
Aware of what to do, each duo set out to accomplish what they'd set out to achieve by inflicting as much mayhem, pain, and despair as possible.
Remembering his bet with Jiraiya about who could reach the center square of Kagero Village first, Fuzen sped off at a pace barely allowing his assigned partner to hang on.
The meaningless slaughter of people unable to fight back wasn't Fuzen's ideal scenario of a good time. It was boring and held no entertainment value, unlike pursuing women. However, his competitive spirit also didn't allow him to lose against Jiraiya, and of course, the money he'd win wasn't going to hurt either. Two million Ryo was nothing to sneeze at and was comparable with the reward money of most high-level S-rank assignments. About double the earnings of what an average chunin would receive in a whole year.
To even out the competition and make it as fair as possible, Hiruzen had made sure each of them received routes of similar difficulty. Both of them would have to travel through expensive residential neighborhoods to target specific people and families, which previous intelligence had pegged as stark critics of the Land of Fire. In general, their routes had a considerably higher likelihood of encountering enemy forces.
Within a few blocks from where they had split from Akata and the rest, Fuzen found the street name they'd been assigned. Under pressure to arrive at the center square first, gravel went flying as he skitted around the corner.
Both sides of the street were lined with gated upper-class residential houses, each of them with a matching traditional architectural design.
Moving together, they broke into the first house on the left and soundlessly glided across the tatami mats until they came across three men patrolling the hallway equipped with sword and armor.
Like a haunting specter in search of revenge, Fuzen swept past them and greeted them with his 'Void Fist', carving bloody paths through their bodies. They didn't even have time to scream before collapsing into piles of flesh.
Continuing onward, the eerie pulse emitted from his fists echoed like a calling card of death for the people still around.
Pressed on time, they didn't have time to do a thorough search and was soon on to the next house. As planned, they alternated to the other side of the street, hopefully, making them slightly less predictable in case anyone went after them.
Motivated by the two million Ryo on the line, Fuzen's designated partner found his only actual job was to keep up with Fuzen, which in itself was also a challenge.
After the tenth house, the residences they entered and the people Fuzen killed began to blend. When confronted with death most people acted more or less the same. In the beginning, they would attempt to shout out for help, but after realizing none was coming, they would soon begin begging and crying to be spared, exceptions were far in between.
Leaving the destroyed sliding doors of the latest upper-class house on their bloody voyage throughout Kagero Village, Fuzen and his partner found themselves confronted by a group of Suna- and Kagero shinobi.
All ten of the enemy shinobi wore grim expressions as they drew their weapons.
"This ends here, right now! I will not allow this madness to continue any further..." An enraged Kagero shinobi stepped forward, sword raised in preparation for battle.
Behind him, two of the Suna-nins used their Giant Folding Fans to launch sharp wind current in the form of a net towards Fuzen and his partner.
Launching himself to the left, Fuzen avoided the razor-sharp wind approaching. His partner wasn't as lucky and managed to get himself sliced into gory pieces. What an idiot.
Usually, he'd just give these guys the finger and teleport away using 'Shadow Walk', however, with the chakra infused sand swirling in the air, that was out the question.
He had to go with option B instead. "Watch out!" He yelled out in warning and pointed behind them.
Taking advantage of one of them looking behind, Fuzen activated 'Black Sea' and charged directly at them. Weighed down by the sudden increase of gravity, Fuzen was able to quickly dispatch the one who'd been distracted by gouging a hole in his chest.
However, before he could move onto the next, the Kagero-nin who'd previously taken the lead slashed out with a sword coated in lightning chakra. Fuzen canceled it out with his 'Void First' but was blown backward due to the difference in strength.
Allowing the strike to carry him back, Fuzen landed on the surface of the water pond outside the house he'd just raided.
Surprised by the Kagero shinobi's strength, he accidentally lost concentration and released his 'Black Sea', removing the gravity influence upon his opponents.
Knowing he couldn't let himself be tied up in a drawn-out fight in the middle of enemy territory, he threw a kunai with a flash bomb attached. Fuzen used the blinding light that followed to gain ground and move onto the next house.
In a game of cat and mouse, Fuzen attempted to cause as much death and destruction without getting himself caught.
His only real advantage here was his speed. Without it, he'd been in serious trouble. As it were, they had nearly gotten him three times. One of them resulted in a deep cut across his chest.
Though he did manage to kill another couple of them as they clashed, another group of Suna and Kagero shinobi joined in on the pursuit of him as he passed the boundary where houses and small mansions became replaced with large apartment buildings, restaurants, bars, restaurants, and shops.
Alone and on the run, he wasn't able to be as effective as previous but he still managed to clear a couple of floors of some randomly chosen apartment buildings. However, he had to do it fast as each time he went in, he ran the risk of getting cornered and unknowingly targeted by a wide-range jutsu.
When Fuzen reached the center square, he was met with Hiruzen a couple of other groups that'd come before him. Together, they held off against a rising number of enemy shinobi.
The next group to join them was Akata. Only after that came Jiraiya and his partner.
"You cheated!" Were Jiraiya's first words.
"I did not!" Fuzen countered and puffed out his tiny chest. It tore at his wound and hurt like a bitch. "Just ask those guys!" He gestured to the group who'd been chasing him this entire time and was now battling it out with the Konoha shinobi. "They can testify on how hard I've worked."
"I'm gonna kill you, you little shit! I swear on my fallen brothers and sisters, I'm not gonna let you get away with this!" The leading Kagero shinobi who'd chased after him this entire time shouted in response.
"I don't think he likes you too much..." Jiraiya said.
"Well, I had a bet to win, what can I say? But now you owe me two million Ryo. Gimme, gimme..."
Jiraiya put on a frustrated look and whispered. "Hey, kid. Is it okay, if I write you a check?"
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
At the center square, Hiruzen ordered them to create a defensive line. Their job was to dig in and hold on, hopefully allowing some of those of still hadn't shown up a bit more time to arrive before they evacuated.
However, while it did allow time for their comrades to reach them, it also allowed the enemy time to do the same. And with Kagero and Sunagakure's superior numbers, if Hiruzen misjudged their window of escape, all of them could end up dead.
By Hiruzen's command, they'd split up into three circular defensive formations. Hiruzen took control of one of them and ordered Akata and Jiraiya to take charge of the remaining two.
The idea was to move independently from each other and split the enemy's attention amongst them, and if one of them were ganged up upon, one of the others under less pressure would provide help as needed.
It was a defensive strategy that favored continued mobility to avoid getting pinned down by long-range jutsu's. Solo escapades weren't encouraged.
Well versed on the battlefield, Akata led Fuzen, Koda, and the other shinobi made part of her circle through the weakest points of the enemy's formations. A job which got increasingly harder as minutes ticked by, and Kagero Village and Sunagakure shinobi got a better handle on the situation.
"Argh... No, don't leave me! Help!" One guy to Fuzen's right had a surprise meeting with two hands coming up from the ground, which dragged him down into the earth until only his head was exposed. Like this, he was rendered unable to move.
"Don't stop! Continue onward," Akata dissuaded any notion of helping him. "It's already too late for him."
An earthshattering crash sounded behind.
Turning to see, Fuzen agreed. Yup, definitely too late. There's no coming back from a pulverized head.
A giant block-like hammer made of condensed iron sand had popped his head right open. As the iron construct lifted itself back up, a bloody gooey paste of crushed bones and brain matter stuck to it.
Having noticed the Kazekage's arrival, Hiruzen relented and gave the signal for them to retreat.
With difficulty, Akata managed to reunite them with the other groups led by Hiruzen and Jiraiya so they could form a united front on their way out. Contrary to expectation, their collective numbers hadn't increased at all. Even though the occasional straggler did manage to reach the center square and join up, even more, died battling it out to buy time.
"It's time! Follow my lead! Akata and Jiraiya, watch our rear. If anyone of them pursues, keep them at a distance," Hiruzen said.
Doing as told, both of them fell to the back. Without being told to do so, Fuzen naturally followed. It'd be such a shame if anything happened to Akata's glorious ass before he'd had the chance to enjoy it. A woman like her, with a body like that, deserved to get pleasured by him at least once.
With the Hokage leading the charge together with four of his shadow clones, casting a whirlwind of fire, wind, lightning, water, and earth jutsus, enemy shinobi either had the choice of getting out of the way willingly or stay and get obliterated.
A natural prodigy hailed as a God of Shinobi, Hiruzen going all out while still in his prime, was no joke, Fuzen was impressed.
Not stopping for anything, they reached the outer wall of Kagero Village in no time.
Only a couple of enraged Kagero affiliated shinobi attempted to pursue them beyond that point, past the dark swirling mass of sand surrounding Kagero Village. Blinded by their rage, Akata dealt with them without a problem.
"Oi! Friendly advice. You should stop leering at her ass, Jiraiya. It's unbecoming and very ungentlemanlike. I honestly expected more from someone who's the student of Hiruzen," Fuzen shook his head in disappointment. "Not to mention, as you can see, she's quite experienced with shurikenjutsu. So, trust me when I say this, she's dangerous if you're not careful."
"A feisty one, eh? I don't mind a lady with a little attitude," Jiraiya winked at him.
Fuzen shook his head. "Even if they try to slice off your precious joystick?"
"My what you say?"
Fuzen wiggled his pinky so he'd hopefully understand.
"Ohh... Oh," Jiraiya nodded in troubled understanding. With a wary eye, he watched as Akata returned from her most recent appointment with one of their pursuers, both kunai she held were dripping with freshly spilled blood.
"I think that should be the last of our pursuers," Akata said. "Unless they've someone very skilled in tracking, by now, we should also be beyond the range of any of their sensors."
Behind them in the far distance through the canopies of trees, the sand dome preventing him from teleporting inside was barely visible.
They'd made it.
------------
Following their successful assault Kagero Village, exposing the citizens to the horrors of what a war against the Land of Fire would entail, the Land of Mountains was eventually persuaded to change their minds following peace talks held between the Hokage, Kazekage, and a couple of the surviving high standing members of Kagero Village.
There's something about the promise of more death and mayhem that always makes people reconsider their choices.
To illustrate their change of heart, and demonstrate they no longer had any interest in allying with the Land of Wind and engage in direct warfare with Konohagakure, an entourage of Kagero shinobi armed with weapons escorted the deployed shinobi from Sunagakure out of the village. They were no longer welcome inside.
Sunagakure's willingness to retreat without further confrontation or struggle was motivated by the promised safe return of Pakura, the Third Kazekage's student.
When they'd retreated far enough away from Kagero Village, Hiruzen had tasked Fuzen with delivering Pakura to them.
Linking Pakura's shadow together with his own, Fuzen enveloped them in dark cloaks, and with a small squeak from her, they melted into the ground and disappeared.
Locating the Sunagakure party led by the Kazekage was simple enough. Especially now that the Kazekage wasn't hiding his chakra profile anymore. From within his realm of darkness, Fuzen floated through the mysterious space following their chakra trail, and soon enough, he found himself hovering beneath their shadows.
While he could exit right within their midst, it didn't seem like the best of ideas. Instead, he chose a place further down the path they were traveling on and rematerialized there.
As he and Pakura exited, Pakura wobbled a bit before she regained her sense of balance. "Woah, what he hell did you just do? Where are we?"
With hands tied behind her back, she looked around with wary eyes trying to decipher where he'd taken her.
"I moved us from where we were before, to here. Obviously... Though, where here is, I'm honestly not too sure about."
A sensor-nin amongst the Sunagakure party had probably already noticed them, so instead of hiding, he went out into the open with Pakura in front of him.
"Wait, hold on. You're saying you can use space-time ninjutsu?"
"Your words, not mine," he shrugged. "Now, shush! Your Kazekage and his goonies have arrived. GO!" He gave her ass a light slap to send her along.
After a couple of steps forward, she stopped and turned to face him. Her intense glare made it seem like she was trying to see past the Anbu mask he was wearing. "Next time, I'll get you for all this. I promise. I will not less this indignity stand unpunished."
"Sheesh, you'll have to get in line for that. And the ass slap was for good luck only. No need to get offended."
She did not look convinced.
Seemingly unconcerned with an ambush, the Kazekage glided closer and closer on a wave of iron sand.
He was a tall man of fair complexion. With his almost eerily indifferent expression, short messy dark-blue hair, and narrow yellow eyes, he did stand out a bit. And unlike last time where he'd been disguised as a typical jonin from Sungakure, this time he wore the full official Kazekage attire with a white haori, and a pale blue full-length kimono tied using a sash.
However, once the Kazekage got close enough and noticed who'd brought him Pakura, his indifferent look saw a quick change as it shifted to one promising an unhealthy amount of violence.
Recognizing a man out for blood, Fuzen decided it was time to leave. "Aight, that's it for me. I'm outta here. Tell your Kazekage I've had fun. I'm sure we'll continue this another time."
Before the Kazekage ever got close enough to attempt anything funny, Fuzen had already teleported his ass back to Hiruzen and the others.
Another one down (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
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