MANA [Sarutobi Konohamaru]

Chapter Forty-Six

"WHAT THE HELL, YAMATO-TAICHOU?!" Konohamaru exclaimed.

After retreating, Yamato brought Konohamaru, Nagisa and Itona at the cave above to hide from Shou. He made sure to block the entrance to keep the man away while they tend to Itona's wounds, and for Yamato to explain what was happening.

"Konohamaru, you need to calm down." Yamato said.

"CALM DONW?! SHOU KILLED MANA AND MIWA!"

"No, he didn't." Yamato said. "Konohamaru, there is something you need to hear. So, please, calm down and listen."

Konohamaru was forced to calm down and sit at the ground. His eyes went to Nagisa, who was helping Itona heal the wound that Shou inflicted, it was a critical wound, it left a huge hole in the middle of Itona's body, almost taking his heart, and for the Seal to heal it, it needed a lot of chakra.

"Listen, all of you." Yamato said. "Mana is not dead. She knew that this was going to happen?"

"What?" Nagisa gasped.

Yamato got out a scroll and showed the two young men. "This was the letter sent by Sasuke to the Hokage and Mana, it was about this mission. It stated about Itona needing help to protect the Miwa-hime as we get her to the Land of Snow. But it is not to save the clan, but to end it."

"I don't understand." Konohamaru said.

"The mission was for Miwa-hime to destroy what little remains of the clan's kingdom, ending the possibility of it rebuilding itself... but to do that, she would need Yatagarasu, the clan sword, which is in possession of Mana... Sasuke also mentioned that there was another Natsukasa in Konoha, and we all know who he is now..."

"Shou." Konohamaru said.

"That's right."

"But if Mana knew, why did we let him be part of the mission? Why didn't we make him our prisoner?" Konohamaru asked.

"Because Mana knew that Shou was hiding something. In the Chuunin Exams, Shou did not show any trace of him being a Natsukasa, he only said that he was a traveler's son from Iwagakure, who came to Konoha to start a new life, he showed average shinobi skills, nothing special... while Mana showed her true power. The moment we read about Shou being a Natsukasa, Mana knew that he was a part of this, and needed him to show what his intentions were."

"It's obvious! He's insane! He wants to destroy the world –"

"Iie..." Itona spoke. Itona struggled to get up, the wound on his chest was slowly stitching itself, and his body was weak due to the amount of chakra the Seal was eating. "Natsukasa Shou isn't just after the destruction of the Shinobi World... he's after Mana and me."

"Why?" Konohamaru asked.

"Because she is one of Death's Disciples." Itona said.

"Death's Disciples?" Nagisa asked, confused.

"It's an old Natsukasa tale... about Death having three disciples being the Spider, the Scorpion, and the Centipede..."

~*~

The sound of continuous beating echoed in the Tower, Shou had no doubt that it was Suzuka dealing with Mana. He didn't care, he needed Mana to be at her lowest state for him to get what he wanted. Entering the center, he saw Mana on the ground, covered in blood as Suzuka continued with her beating, and at the side was Miwa, chained to the wall, crying after Mana, begging for Suzuka to stop.

"I see you started without me." Shou said.

Suzuka stopped with her kicks and leaned on the wall.