Den of the snake -

１７：Embracing The Darkness

"EVERYBODY GET BACK" Shikamaru immediately shouts at all of them but by that time Hinata had already unleashed her jutsu.

"Lightning style : Thunderclap arrow".

They watched as Hinata molded her lightning based chakra and then shaped it into a form of arrow. Not wasting a single second, she threw the arrow as a projectile at her target, which in this case was Kiba.

Kiba couldn't anticipate the coming jutsu and only realized at the last moment that he was about to be hit.

"Earth style : Mud wall".

Suddenly the ground underneath them shifted and a wall raised from underneath them that successfully deflected the jutsu, saving Kiba's life.
Hinata grew angered at this and immediately she sensed who it was. Looking behind them all, she saw Kakashi standing on the wall behind them, looking unfazed and calm as usual.

"Kakashi sensei, what are you doing here" Sakura immediately asks as she turns to her teacher. Kakashi calmly jumps down and lands next to Shikamaru.

"I was here to have a talk with Sasuke. And I was just on my way back when I heard all the commotion. Letting my curiosity get the best of me and I find myself in the Hyuga household and what do I see? Hinata Hyuga unleashing jutsus at her old friends with the intent to kill" Kakashi says in an annoyed tone as he eyes the heiress. He was already aware of what was happening because Pakkun had disappeared when the action started but he did relay the information before disappearing. And needless to say Kakashi was not expecting such words from the princess.

"Hinata, I heard what you said before. But I want to ask you again, what is the meaning of this?" Kakashi became quiet after saying his words. He was genuinely curious as to how his student managed to manipulate the Hyuga princess to become this way. Hinata slowly turned to Kakashi, staring deep into his eyes. And finally after some time, she speaks up.

"Whatever meaning there is behind my actions is none of your concern, sensei. I am no longer your student, nor am I a teammate of any of you all. So I don't need to answer to anything you ask me. Now........If you want to fight. Then come at me otherwise don't waste my time and leave before my Abductor finds you all here. And trust me, when he does he won't show any mercy" The heiress says looking down at all of them with eyes filled with hatred. But this time the response from her former teammates was different.

"That's it. I don't care what the hell you say Hinata. We're taking you whether you like it or not. Everyone, attack together" It was strange to see Shikamaru lose his cool. But nobody objected his order and immediately pounced on the Byakugan princess, except Kakashi immediately tried to stop the attack.

It was Sai and Choji who jumped in first and targeted Hinata  who also readied herself for the incoming attack.

But as Sai used his sword to attack Hinata, the attack was stopped when somebody else jumped in the middle, effectively stopping them all in their tracks. Kakashi immediately analyzed the new person, he was wearing glasses and was also dressed in the standard samurai uniform. But something about his aura felt different and oddly unsettling.

"S-Shinpachi-kun" Hinata says with widened eyes as she looks at the back of the man Sasuke assigned to defend her. Shinpachi slowly turns around and gives a small curt bow at the heiress.

"Forgive me, M'Lady, for not coming sooner" His words surprise them all. Seeing Hinata get treated like royalty at the hands of someone like Sasuke was strange. But before anything else happens, Kagura also appears next to Shinpachi. Staring down at all of them with rage and anger.