Red Butterfly

Chapter 99, Curt And Conspicuous

"If you can observe closely, you can see that he had generated a chakra membrane", Hanabi elaborates as she keeps her eyes fixated on the scene before us. I utilize my Sharingan to take in Kabuto's physical state only to realize that Hanabi is damn right.

A thick membrane of chakra acts as a barrier to protect his vital organs. He's a Medical ninja, after all, it's only natural that he'd have perfect chakra control.

"Can you try putting him under a Genjutsu?", Hanabi suddenly inquires as she looks back and forth between Madara and the recovering Kabuto.

"No", I reply, hating how unhelpful I feel, "even if I succeed in ensnaring him in a Genjutsu then he'd generate a sudden burst of chakra that'll free him. His perfect chakra control is not to be taken lightly".

"His body might look injured on the exterior, but he hasn't sustained any internal damage yet", I explain further to her as I crouch down to place the exhausted Naruto against a tree, where he'll remain for the rest of this ordeal.

"Is that so?", Hanabi asks, to which I sternly nod while keeping an eye on her.

I held my breath tight as I began to contemplate a plan in my doubt-stricken mind. Hanabi seemed to be equally stiff as she chucked my sword back at me, which I caught effortlessly.

"I see you're not wearing your Akatsuki cloak Hanabi, are you planning on leaving our organization?", Madara questions, but from his tone of voice, it was evident that he knew the answer to that question was rhetorical.

"The face behind the mask", Hanabi asserted, stepping up towards them, "you told me it was the face of someone I knew"

"What?", I gasp at Hanabi, then dart my eyes to Madara and wait for him to confirm what I'd just heard.

"And you told me that regardless of who it is, I'll always be the monster that unleashed the Nine-Tails", Madara addresses back in a low, menacing voice, "...and besides, it's not like you're even ready to unmask my identity".

"Watch me", Hanabi growls and leaves a dent in the dirt she was just standing on, "You'll pay for what you've done!", Hanabi yells at the top of her lungs.

Hanabi charges at Madara with her bare clenched fists and speed. The two of them resort to a Taijutsu battle as I contemplate whether I should join. On one hand, Madara has his weird Jutsu where he could pass through things like a ghost. On the other hand, Kabuto is somewhat of a chakra control freak, which makes him a hard opponent.

Yet through all these dilemmas that circled in my head, I couldn't stop thinking about Madara and Hanabi's conversation. If Madara is actually a familiar face, then who could it possibly be, and what's his objective?

If I leave and let Naruto unattended then this Kabuto might just seize the golden opportunity and capture Naruto again.

"I don't wish to fight you, Hanabi Namikaze", Madara declares, when he'd strayed away from Hanabi's deadly Taijutsu attacks.

From the corner of my eye, I spot the four-eyed chakra control freak and the chakra scalpel that he was conjuring. That was my conspicuous cue to move on instinct and block his aim that was pointed at Hanabi.

"I'm actually pretty surprised", Kabuto mocks, "I had gathered the best of Lord Orochimaru's subordinates and experiments from his various hideouts. I have to say, Sasuke would've been a pretty good experiment himself".

"Shut up!", I snap, before swinging back my fist and plunging it right into one of his chakra points. I landed my attack with magnitude, but that's where I made a mistake.

I've already established that Kabuto Yakushi has excelled in chakra control being a Medical Ninja. So when I landed my blow on his chakra point, he'd thought quickly and created a chakra burst through that single point I aimed for, thus, repelling the magnitude of my attack.