There were only three of them, to everyone's relief.
After Hisako had disemboweled the first one, two more popped out from the floor, away from them. Tenten pelted one with Kunai, making it resemble a shinobi pin-cushion rather than a mutated fish-monster afterwards.
The other one was rushed by Neji and Lee. Lee slid across the ground to take the monsters legs out from under him and Neji struck it multiple times in the chest on its way down and upon landing, it convulsed all of one time before falling still.
Everyone was quiet while they waited.
"That's it?" Kiba asked quietly.
"Inuzuka?" Hisako whispered dangerously. "Shush."
"Sorry," Kiba replied.
Seconds later, the door burst open again and Kakashi barely ducked in time to avoid a pair of Kunai from Hisako and Tenten. Gai was right behind him, and he dodged to the left.
"Well, I see you've managed to handle yourselves again," Kakashi nodded, looking at the corpses. "Well done, all of you."
"I'm glad you managed to find Gai-sensei," Nichiren replied, putting away the Ninja-wire he'd spooled out in response. "Where was he?"
"Ambushed," Gai answered. "They pulled me underwater and it took me a little bit before I could get free and find by way back."
"Find your way back?" Neji asked with a deepening frown.
"They've bred like flies in the water," Gai replied with a furrowed brow. "When I got free, I had to get to the closest exit before drowning, and that wasn't the one they removed me from. It's a maze beyond the door."
"So we have no choice but to go further downward," Nichiren frowned deeply.
"This mission just keeps getting better and better," Hisako interjected with an eye twitch.
"Seriously, why don't we just use an earth-release jutsu to get out," Kiba asked with a frown, still holding Akamaru. "A cave-in doesn't matter if we're not here, right?"
"We're not. Abandoning. Daisuke," Hisako hissed with venom to spare.
"Do you seriously not understand how much earth and water is above us right now, Kiba-baka?" Sakura barked in frustration. "Not to mention the fact that it's apparently already collapsing!"
"You'd need more than just an earth-release to get up there," Kakashi said. "That, and since it's already collapsing, we face the added danger of collapsing a part of the village above us…possibly the entire village."
"We could bring the whole village down on our heads?" Ino breathed with wide eyes.
"It's possible, chain reactions can be unpredictable," Shikamaru shrugged. "But the ground above us collapsing can make escaping, even with earth release, impossible. It's horribly troublesome."
"In spite of our difficulties, we must persevere," Gai gave a sage-like nod. "No matter how deep we must go, our fires of youth will carry us to victory!"
"Gai-sensei!" Lee shouted with a look of utter joy.
Kakashi loudly cleared his throat.
"Right," Gai rubbed the back of his head with an embarrassed smile. "Let's move, the second path on the right appears to be the most defensible."
"Everyone, assume formation," Kakashi ordered and they did so. "March. Keep an eye on the walls and ceilings."
Everyone walked down the hall, keeping careful eye of each entrance, for there were several. On the left was a corridor that went down and was flooded with water and further down was another which was also flooded. Past that one was a dry stair-case, going straight until it ended at another door.
Kakashi slowly opened the door, peeking inside, then opening it. "It looks clear."
Down the hall they went, their eyes glued to the walls in case of ambush. At the end of the hall, they turned and came right to another door. Kakashi pulled it open carefully and saw a filing cabinet had been wedged into the door frame. A quick palm-strike knocked it out of the frame, then Kakashi stood there and blinked. "Huh. It seems Daisuke's been through here."
"How do you figure?" Hisako asked as the group was funneled inside. Then she saw three fish-men corpses, their innards having been reduced to paste and used to decorate the walls a refreshing shade of red. "Oh, yeah. He's been through here."
Over on the side there was an open door, leading down into the water, and another open door leading out into another corridor.
"He got stabbed," Chouji stated, somewhat startling the others who hadn't heard him speak up. "You'd think the sewer water would slow him down…I mean, look at Ino. She's slowing down."
"It's Daisuke," Hisako shrugged. "He doesn't get slowed down."
Nichiren grabbed a soldier pill from one of his pouches and handed it to Ino. "Here, this'll hopefully get you through the rest of the day."
"Thank you," She took the pill and immediately looked better as color returned to her skin.
"Looks like he was looking for Medical supplies," Tenten said, gesturing to a first-aid box mounted on the wall that had been broken open.
"Do you think he found any?" Naruto asked with a concerned frown.
"Maybe a blood pill or two," Shikamaru replied. "I doubt he'll have found anything substantial, though – these rooms look like they've been ransacked already."
"At least we're on his trail," Nichiren said. "We'll find him in no time and that'll be a load off of all of our minds."
There were nods of assent throughout the party.
"Let's keep moving," Kakashi ordered, and they moved through the room, past the messy corpses their missing compatriot had left on the floor. They went through a door and walked through a corridor, passing three more bodies.
Naruto, with a frown on his face, looked at the corpses they past. One had its stomach blown out with bits of its intestines strewn along the wall it was leaning against, the spear in its hand having dropped to the floor. As they passed it, his gaze returned to the floor.
"…are you okay, Naruto?" Sakura asked him quietly.
"Huh?" Naruto looked at her. "Uh…yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Why?"
"You're just really quiet," Sakura frowned. "It's not like you at all."
"I'm just thinking…" Naruto replied.
"About what he said?" Sakura frowned.
"Yeah…" Naruto replied.
"Look, I like Sasuke-kun, I do," Sakura said, still trying to be quiet as they turned a corner. "But asking you to die for him in order to fulfill your dream? That's more than a little harsh."
"You really think so?" Naruto asked with wide eyes.
"W-well, yeah," Sakura said, looking conspicuously in the other direction as she said so. "I mean; I'd die for Sasuke. I…I think. But I don't really expect you too."
Naruto sighed, partly in exasperation and partly in gratitude. "Thanks, Sakura."
They stopped before another door and Kakashi went inside to hurriedly scout. At this point, they had done this several times before and they were actually starting to relax…before they heard the sound of an explosion on the other side of the door.
Gai rushed forward through the door and a thick tension settled over the group. Until Neji, sounding bored, cleared the air. "They just cleared the room. There was a…really big one in the other room waiting for us."
No sooner than he finished, the door opened and Kakashi was standing there with an eye-smile. "The room's clear. Come on in, there's another water fountain."
The group filed inside and, sure enough, there was a large fish-man, nearly nine feet tall with massive bulk. There were kunai stuck in its neck and stomach with a large burn splayed across its torso and legs. One of its legs was broken clean in half and blood had spurted out of both parts.
"That thing's huge," Ino said with boggling eyes.
"How big do they get?" Kiba asked with a similar expression, Akamaru whining softly from his place in his owner's jacket.
"Don't worry about it," Nichiren offered placating. "Kakashi-sensei and Gai-sensei both have it clearly under control."
"It didn't stand a chance," Kakashi eye-smiled, gesturing to a fountain built into the far wall. "The waters fine, I just checked. So if you need a drink, Yamanaka-especially, please go get one."
Everyone went forward to the fountain, Ino first, and several large gulps of water.
Kakashi and Gai stood off to the side, watching the youngsters refresh themselves.
"So Kakashi," Gai began quietly. "What happened while I was gone?"
"Well, Uzumaki started going on a tirade about how he's going to fix everything when he's Hokage," Kakashi shrugged. "He disobeyed an order to keep quiet, so I had to set him straight."
"Like how?" Gai asked. "Genjutsu? Knocking him out?"
"A quick lecture on what being Hokage means," Kakashi replied. "And how he fails to meet the standard."
"…that seems unlike you," Gai blinked. "You don't usually go for lectures."
"It's a skill I had to pick up when dealing with Daisuke," Kakashi explained. "Daisuke's only weakness is social interaction and teamwork. The extent he has is, when a threat presents itself, is to shuffle his teammates out of the way while he deals with the problem."
"That's decidedly un-youthful," Gai's massive brows furrowed. "But what does that have to do with you giving lectures?"
"Daisuke-kun is extremely thick-headed if he doesn't see a problem," Kakashi continued with a sigh. "In order to get him to see and admit fault, you need to lead him to see the problem; often through leading questions and being as blunt as possible. Being subtle simply doesn't work."
"I can see how that approach would be necessary for Daisuke," Gai allowed. "But…Uzumaki?"
"He's Daisuke's friend," Kakashi shrugged. "I thought perhaps the same solution was called for. Hopefully it worked…and with positive results."
Well, the Endurance Syringe was actually down in the cave system straight, resting on a clump of earth that had stuck to one of the roots like it was glued there in an elementary school art-project. That meant I only had Charisma, Intelligence and Agility left to find.
I felt like Tarzan the way I slid and climbed the roots, stopped only by the occasional coughing fit and fishy-smelling EXP packet. I knew better than to go swimming in the water down below, I didn't feel like being swarmed by something even I couldn't detect.
+200 EXP.
2,695 more to go.
The cave was massive, the ground started hundreds of feet above my head and below was water and I couldn't see the bottom. It felt like the village above only stayed in place by resting upon the roots of the forest that surrounded it. Straight ahead was an entrance to another wing of the cavern, like a massive gate to the realm of some comic horror that might drive lesser men insane.
The only way it could've been more appealing would be if they had a glowing…what kind of sign was it? NEON! A glowing Neon sign that said 'Free EXP – Player Characters welcome' mounted on the top. I took my black book out to write this little tidbit down…I was going to need to get into this habit.
Even as my enthusiasm built, the nagging voice in the back of my head grew louder, reminding me that my friends and a bunch of Naruto VIP's were in serious danger. But Gai and Kakashi were there, so it's not that big a deal. Gai had the Gates (something I desperately needed to learn) and Kakashi had thousands of jutsu he could call up at any time. Seriously, they were fine.
And you know, there's almost no way I'd be able to track them down now, and no real way to do so then. Well, not one that didn't involve diving back in the watery abyss. Which…well, even I have limits to the amount of danger I'm willing to put myself in.
Jump, jump, jump! Through the gate I went, sliding along the wall, and swinging from the roots like it was a jungle-gym. I was missing EXP, the Anglers were smart and kept to the water, letting me have free reign of the branches above. This was fine for now, until I found the behemoth. If his area was relatively isolated, I might be able to win, even with the crippled torso.
If not, then I'm waiting for backup.
The cavern came to an end in a large, circular room. Is this the boss room…? I don't think so. It has the architecture but the entrance is too big and doesn't give me the scale of a behemoth. Besides, if a behemoth was in this room, it probably would have come at me by now. So what am I looking…for.
Perception Check Success: 8/6.
I saw another tunnel, helpfully dug out near the bottom of the chamber.
Close to the water.
Well, so much for steering clear. I got up the wall the tunnel was built in and slid down it as fast as I could, keeping my eyes peeled in case something tried to jump out. Then I got to the tunnel and something was brave enough to jump out and I planted my fist in its face.
+50 EXP.
My world flipped upside-down when I entered the tunnel and I slid on the ceiling. I rapidly turned around, facing the entrance to the cave, sliding backwards as anglers poured out of the water to give chase. If I got pinned on both sides, this would be a disaster.
+50 EXP.
+50 EXP.
I quickly whirled around thankfully saw no angler coming after me before I came back around to the entrance as I slid back.
+50 EXP.
+50 EXP.
Eventually, the tunnel ended and I found myself in another lab. I dropped from the ceiling and onto my hands and brought my boot onto the skull of a pursuing angler, making its head explode beneath my heel before I righted myself.
I took a position at the entrance to the tunnel and got ready. If they wanted to throw themselves at the meat grinder, who was I to stop them? I flooded the tunnel with a large stream of Sith Lightning, making the first in line with a spear stop completely short and everyone behind him convulse in electric shock as they fell before my Unlimited Power.
…I can't believe I still remember that.
+500 EXP.
1,945 left until level sixteen and I can cast jutsu with one hand. I'm excited.
They stopped coming down the tunnel after that, can't say I blame them. Seeing your pals getting roasted is a big turn-off. I mean, I wish they didn't run off, but what can I do? I'm not running after them into the water.
Perception Check Success: 8/2.
Hello, hello, hello!
On a shelf against the wall was another syringe, it's purple glowing singing a siren call to my eyes. I rushed over there and…
Permanent +1 Charisma.
Quest Updated: Scavenger Hunt: 4/6.
Oh, this was the one. The one syringe to rule them all. Oh, I wanted to inject it right now but…remember the plan. Almost Perfect to Just Perfect. Remember the plan.
Just remember the plan.
I put the syringe…okay, I looked at it for a few minutes. I held it carefully in my fingers and then I put it in the storage scroll. Yeah.
That just left, what? Intelligence and Agility. If I didn't have this quest, I'd probably just leave the Intelligence once here – I don't need it and while it may have the +1 bonus for me, I doubt it would only do that for anyone else I dose with it. The last thing I need is for them to spontaneously grow tentacles out of their brain and assault the nearest passerby. I'd have to explode their heads and it would be the worst bit of EXP that I'd have ever earned.
There was a door to my right, and I opened it and slid through. Another corridor and the ceiling collapsed as I slid inside, two anglers on the fallen rubble. I didn't give them any time to react before my fists blew their guts all over the floor…and the walls…and a little bit on the ceiling.
+100 EXP.
I pressed on. The fact that I was in the sewers again meant that there was probably another point it intersected with the caves. I don't think the water levels in the caves would be enough to hold a behemoth, but I could be wrong. Worse comes too worst, I'll probably have to come back and go diving in the caves and fight off a swarm of piranha. Angler-piranha.
Let's see…a door ahead of me, leading to the left and a branching corridor directly to my left that lead no-where. Well, that probably had some sort of secret laboratory. Not like this sewer is lacking in that department.
You know, normally an absurdly spacious sewer like this would be drawing all of my complaints, especially with all the hidden rooms it's got secreted away in the odd corners of the area. Heck, it's not even really a sewer anymore, I haven't seen any rivers of filth since after I got stabbed. But honestly, earth release and the fact that it's ninjas explain both of these things.
Perception Check Success: 8/6.
I pressed the false brick in and the fake wall slid away, revealing yet another large lab. This one didn't have any form of surgical implements or tables, it was all chemistry stations and documentations. Notes and cyphers. Formulas…okay, seriously. Where is it?
Perception Check Success: 8/5.
Oh, it fell under one of the tables. I slid and knelt underneath it, and grasped the syringe.
Permanent +1 Intelligence.
Quest Updated: Scavenger Hunt.
Find the SPECIAL Syringes (5/6).
Behind me, the sound of pipes tearing open sounded. I rounded and…ah, crap. It's another big one. Then another hole in the wall appeared to my right, and there was a second one.
This was going to be fun.
The first one charged forward, wielding a massive pipe with a sharpened end like a spear, and I slid to the left, orbiting around him as I got hand seals ready.
Mjolnir.
The large thunder-ball cackled as my hands grasped the end of a short chakra-rope and I threw it as hard as I could. With a large, echoing boom, it struck the super-angler right on the chest, causing it to stagger back and its arms to twitch.
I jumped forward and planted both of my feet on the things head, kicked hard with as much explosive punch as I could give it. I went flying back, but so did it, plowing right into the second one.
+100 EXP.
The sad part about my Marvel-Movie inspired jutsu was that it was one of the most chakra intensive ones in my arsenal, so I had to wait a few seconds for my chakra to reach full before I could cast it again. The second super-angler had already gotten the first off of him and was charging. I went through the hand-seals as fast as possible and cast another Mjolnir jutsu.
Only for the thing to dodge like…well, that jump to the side was actually really impressive but that's not the point! It charged for me once again and I slid backward, just out of the reach of its claws and the follow up bite.
Mjolnir!
This time there was no dodging, it had thrown itself too far forward to correct its position and the ball-lightning hit it dead on the head. I surged forward in the wake of the lightning and planted my fist in its stomach, launching it four feet back. It refused to get up again, and blood was leaking from somewhere.
I promptly doubled over and started coughing once again, blood and phlegm leaving my mouth with every…stabbing…painful…horrific…cough that I couldn't stop. I'm just glad I didn't start coughing at the start of that fight.
+100 EXP.
1645 left to go.
Whatever.
There were no other doors, so I left the lab the way I came and went forward. Past the door was a corridor. On the left was a stair-cast going up, but the roof had caved in and covered everything. I could've gone up, but my life is…it's sort of a video game right now, and that's obviously impassable terrain. I'll come back if I find a boss chamber before finding each syringe.
Straight ahead was a large whole in the wall, which led right into…another barracks. This one was thin, with beds bolted to the walls on either side only giving the most minimal walkway in between. At the end was a box meant to contain medical supplies mounted on the right, but the box was open and in the lid that had opened folding down was a conspicuous purple glow.
Yes.
Yes!
Yes!
Permanent +1 Agility.
With the biggest smile I can ever recall wearing, I put the syringe in my storage scrolls.
Quest Complete: Scavenger Hunt.
Completed: Find the SPECIAL Syringes (6/6).
+300 EXP.
Oh, yes! Perfect tens are coming my way! Just fifteen levels to go. I'm at the half-way mark until I get perfect strength, senses…charisma. All perfect.
Why am I suddenly depressed?
Whatever, it doesn't matter. I just need to find the final boss, murder it in cold blood by splattering him all over the boss chamber, then reunite with everyone and everything will be fine. Then I'll need to hide this storage scroll where it can't possibly get damaged or stolen or reported to the Hokage, since people are always spying on me (it's Konoha, what do I expect?) and just never mention the syringes ever again.
Okay, so what do I say? Well, I say I was looking for medical supplies to treat the chest wound, which is actually true. Say it was just a bizarre coincidence that I never got back with my team until after I killed everything. Or my standard modus operandi because that's what happens every time I'm separated from everyone.
Seriously, every dangerous mission so far has been 'Daisuke has an adventure away from his team and they only find him after the fact'. Well, okay…I spent about half of the house problem with my team…most of the Organ Trail alongside my team and only fought the boss alone…okay, this is the only one where I've been effectively alone for the whole time. So, it really hasn't been Daisuke alone on an adventure.
It's actually been really nice.
But it still needs to come to an end.
There was a door on the other side which I quickly opened and holycowwhyareyourightthere?
+50 EXP.
Geeze, angler right against the door scared me! The corridor out went straight to the left. Two more anglers were rushing me with those pipe-spears in their hands.
Force Lightning.
Both of them quickly fell before the lightning pouring from my fingers, their corpses twitching and convulsing as I electrocuted them until the smoke starting pouring from their scales.
+100 EXP.
…ah, that feels nice. Finally, my Ninjutsu is at the point where it does damage and my chakra levels are at a spot where I can use them consistently. Unlike in Skyrim, where when I would run a mage right from the get-go, I'd run out of magicka almost immediately and then I would dance around the bandits like some retard playing duck-duck-goose until I got enough to cast another flare. Then I'd miss and I'd do it all over again.
1195 until I level.
I erupted into another coughing fit because I made myself laugh. My eye was twitching once I could breathe again. Geeze, I'm glad I picked up Silent Jutsu, because I'm sure I'd make myself cough every time I announced a jutsu name.
Down the corridor was another stair-case, leading to yet another door. I slid down the railing and opened it. On the other side was a circular corridor, with a river of filth travelling to my left. Down in that direction was a bed to the left, which I assumed led to the boss since this corridor was built differently than the others. A single, stone platform was sticking out of the water like a plateau. On the other side of the corridor was a door.
Since the boss room was clearly to my left, I walked up to the door and noted the steps going up. I would probably be going up these stairs once the fight was done. Which meant…it was time…to fight an angler behemoth.
I'm kind of nervous now. Excited too. This was going to be awesome. It was going to be insanely durable and was going to take advantage of the water levels inside the cavern. It might even have stealth capabilities; I wouldn't put it past the thing.
I could just wait here for backup. It'll be a hard fight and it would actually be better if Kakashi and Gai were here…or even the Hokage himself, if he's come down here looking for the Clan Heirs.
…and give up that delicious EXP? Pass.
The boss chamber was truly massive. It was a large, circular large cavern, with roots illuminated by chakra-infused algae that stuck to them. I only assumed that it was half-filled with water, as there was a circular plateau just barely sticking out from the surface. As I walked out on the water, I was acutely aware of the hundreds of feet there were between me and the bottom. So aware was I, that I jumped for the plateau sticking out of the water just to get away from that unnerving feeling I get when I think there's something below me.
Now where is it?
"Well. If it isn't the biggest surprise I've had all year," A deep voice, somehow sounding oily and raspy at the same time, echoed through the chamber. "If I had known about you before I started, I'd have had you killed first."
Yup. He's retained his faculties. I'm not okay with this. "And you are?"
"My name…oh, it's been so long since anyone has asked me my name," The voice mused darkly. He's under the water, he's under the water, he can see me and I can't see back… "Very well. You may call me Okazaki Yasutake…shinobi for Kirigakure. Or I was, before I was captured and given to Orochimaru…your snake in the trees."
"Well, what were you doing in Konoha's sewer system?" I asked with a frown, trying really hard to see him.
Perception Check Failure: Success not Possible.
Shut up, game.
"I suppose there's very little point in not telling you," Okazaki replied airily. "I was sent to evaluate the security of the Konoha's Academy and Administration Buildings for a possible invasion. I was captured and turned into…well. You've seen my clones."
"Oh, I was right," I nodded with a satisfied frown. "Those were just clones."
"Not particularly intelligent, I'm sad to say," Okazaki replied. "But serviceable. I learned much over the years. I saw that all of the Clan Heirs were put together in a single class. When security was being changed, I struck – kidnapped each heir or bloodline holder I could."
"That doesn't strike me as wise," I said to that, still trying to find him in spite of the game telling me it wasn't possible. "You'd bring the whole might of Konoha down on your head."
"I know, that was the point," Okazaki replied with irritation. "How many of them can breathe underwater? How many of them can truly fight an army of my clones to reach their offspring underneath the rivers of filth that course through Konoha's underground? Then when I was finished slaughtering the village above, I would return to Kirigakure and use this power that I was given to take my place as the new Mizukage."
"…besides me, none," I replied quietly.
"Of course, I hadn't counted on you," Okazaki sounded angry now. "You saved them before they could be brought here, as bait so I could devour their armies, just…who are you?"
"My name is Shimoda Daisuke," I introduced myself, eyes still scanning. "I'd like to think I'm Konoha's best-kept secret."
"You may be right about that," Okazaki's voice sounded weary. "You must be quite valuable…you'll do to replace the ones you saved."
"Before we start, can I ask a question?" I asked, bouncing on the balls of my feet to get a better view of the water. It was pointless, still couldn't see him.
Charisma Check Success: 4/4.
I'm going to need to study these charisma checks one of these days…figure out precisely how they work because it feels like they aren't consistent…though maybe I'm just saying that because it's the one area I stink at.
"I suppose it would be sporting," Okazaki sounded annoyed again. "Make it quick."
"Why did you kidnap Haruno Sakura, the girl with the pink hair?" I asked with a risen eyebrow, still looking for it. "She's not a member of a clan and doesn't have a bloodline…I don't think."
"Truly?" The voice sounded taken aback. "I merely assumed that she did…she has pink hair. I've never seen that before, I thought it was indicative of at least some type of bloodline."
"I think the pink hair is her bloodline," I shrugged. Still unable to find him. Come on… "Most useless blood line ever, if you ask me."
"Of that, I think we're in agreement," Okazaki's voice rumbled in the agreement. "Though, before you die, perhaps you should know…your friends haven't been able to find any way back up…they've had to go downwards. Down towards me."
…oh crap. He's lying. He has to be lying. They had to have used an Earth jutsu or something…though with the cave-ins, that might cause structural damage to the village above…but there should still be a route upwards!
Charisma Check Failed: 4/7.
Aaaand I can't tell if he's lying. For all I know they're actually on their way here. So utterly predictable. Whatever, that just means I'm on a strict time limit.
"Quite frankly, your heroics were pointless," Okazaki sounded cheerful now. "Let that be your last thought as you feed my empty stomach."
Perception Check Success: 8/3.
Agility Check Success: 7/7.
Naturally, he appeared behind me, springing from the water in a massive tidal wave, his mouth filled with sharp teeth that were aiming to chomp down on me. I was fast enough to slide away and launch a Mjolnir at him to cover my retreat, which actually made him flinch as it hit him in the wall of teeth that was his closed maw.
He crawled forward on the water, trying to swipe at me with his claws. I jumped over them and landed on his arm.
Taser Grasp.
Lots of lightning arced its way from my fingers into the Behemoths flesh as I zoomed from his arm to his torso, causing this massive thing to start to convulse. I jumped off and landed on the surface of the water when it's bucking actually became dangerous.
Okazaki immediately dove beneath the water, and I couldn't see it again.
This was going to be harder than I thought.
It was only punctuated when I started coughing again.
The Previous was a Fanbased Work of Fiction, written by Fulcon. Naruto is owned by Shueisha, Viz Entertainment and Masashi Kishimoto. Please support the Official Release.