Lotus Blooming! Book 2

Chapter 24 -- Sora

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The reanimated shinobi fell by the dozens with each of Daiouika's strikes of his long arms.  With the others joining in on the attacks, it took no time to drive them all back. Then, they started disappearing in clouds of smoke. "Halt!" I shout loudly. "What the hell's going on?" I wonder aloud.

"My jobs done..." Daiouika mentions in a grumpy tone. I have no warning afterwards as the cloud of smoke envelopes the King, and I fall. Choji catches me swiftly.

"Thanks, Choji," I breathe out. "I think one of our squads took out the jutsu caster for the reanimation jutsu." The large mountain collapsed in on itself, spewing dust everywhere around us. I covered my mouth with my arm. Everyone around me started cheering loudly. "Don't celebrate yet!" I exclaim. "It could still be a diversion, like Shikamaru said."

"She's right," Shikamaru hummed. "This ain't over. There's a much bigger jutsu coming. Konohamaru said they had a way to toast the whole village."

"Hey, Ren, didn't you say you knew were Sakura was?" Ino asked.

"She, Yamato, Asuma-Sensei, and I were tasked with taking out the reanimated shinobi guardians to perform Limelight," I explain. "I managed to take out Lord Nauma, so we should be safe, but I wouldn't put it past them to have a backup. I haven't received any words from my scouts, either."

"That doesn't sound good." Shikamaru mentioned as he pursed his lips.

"Shikamaru," Genma calls out. "We have to assume that the village is still in jeopardy. So, for the moment, we should treat the reanimation jutsu ending as a trick. They want us to let our guard down."

"All right, got it. So we need  to either locate either Sakura and Yamato, or the enemies themselves." Shikamaru stated.

"That's correct. Now go put together a team." Genma ordered. "I want you to investigate the village."

"Yeah, sure thing." Shikamaru nodded. He turned his gaze on me. "Are you okay to keep going. You're using a lot of chakra keeping your sentries and medics out."

"I can keep going. It's no problem." I explain. I could feel sweat start to form on my neck from the exhaustion, but I couldn't take a breather. Not until the village was safe.

"Then I want you, Kiba, Lee, Ino, Choji. Come on." Shikamaru ordered. We all gave him a firm nod and followed after him.

~*****~

At some point, Shikamaru sent me with Kiba and Lee. The two beams of lightning joining each other disappeared, and I managed to breathe out a heafty sigh of release, until I felt a dangerous chakra flooding into the world. I shuddered, and nearly fell off the roof I had landed on. "Ren!" Lee exclaims as he kneels besides me.

"You all right?" Kiba asks. Akamaru whines in response.

"Somethings..." I mention softly as I gaze upwards. "Something bad happened. Can you feel it?" I ask. I grasp at my head in worry and lean on Lee's shoulder. "Sora," I whine. "Are you all right?"

"Do you need a minute to catch your breath?" Lee asks.

I shook my head and stood up. "Let's go." Kiba and Lee share a look before nodding. I gaze up at the red beam of chakra jutting into the air, like a menacing tower. "We need to go to him, now!"

Running through the forest, I can feel Ameonna stirring violently. My body reinvigorates itself with her powerful chakra, and the markings on my body start to appear. "Where ya been, Shikamaru?" Kiba snapped.

"You're sure about this then?"  Shikamaru asks.

"My chakra's going crazy, I've never been more positive." I state firmly.