Dark Phoenix of Konoha by White Angel of Auralon

Part 40 - Jashinists

"Wind release: Cutting whirlwind," Naruto whispered and threw his arms outwards while spinning on the spot.

Thanks to his mastery over the wind element, he was able to cut down a good number of vines. A problem was that the vines grew back after the initial cutting.

"Hm, rare to find a wind element of that level," The woman commented, "But useless in the long run."

She made a few handseals of her own.

"Secret Art: Vine spear barrage," she exclaimed and had loads of spears made from the black vines shoot at the attacking Konoha team.

"Water release: Water walls," Shimon cried out and a large wall of water stopped the spears, but they still got through a good part of the walls that now protected the Konoha shinobi.

"You are only delaying the inevitable," The woman cackled, "Secret art: Black vine hell."

From all over the ground the vines shot up and raced after the Konoha team.

"We can't get close," Shikamaru cursed, running next to Hinata to prevent being speared by a vine, "This way she will start the ritual before we can take her out."

"I know, but do you have an idea how to neutralise these vines? They are really annoying," Hinata asked.

"Not yet. They are too unpredictable in their movements," Shikamaru replied, "Do they have their own chakra supply or is it the chakra of the woman?"

"Let me check, byakugan," Hinata answered and looked at the vines and how they operated, "There seems to be some kind of source of the vines in the ground. It isn't her chakra that moves them, it seems that she controls whatever the source is with her jutsus."

"Can we reach the source in any way?" Shikamaru asked.

"No, it's right beside the seal and the concentration of vines is strongest there. We would be killed before we get close enough to actually strike at the source," Hinata denied.

"Damn it all to hell," Shikamaru cursed and they continued running and jumping out of the way of the vines.

Meanwhile the woman started her ritual, not bothered by the Konoha shinobi, sure in the protection that her jutsu would give her.

"God Jashin, please accept my sacrifice of blood and allow me into the esteemed ranks of your high priests and priestesses," she started and then went through a long sequence of handseals.

Naruto watched helplessly as the woman finished her handseals, as he was too busy with dodging and cutting down the vines to actually attack the Jashinist. It would be hard as hell to stop this cursed ritual from starting. This was no simple opponent, it was more than likely a high A rank opponent. And they didn't have any high ranking jonin on their team. He was the highest ranking ninja at special jonin. All the others were chunin, with Hinata and Shikamaru only being rookie chunin. Well, this would need special jutsus. Those overpowered things that he normally didn't use in battle, as they had the bad habit to blow up in your face. But the vines needed to go so that they could stop the Jashinist.

He quickly unsealed one of the flying backpacks that he always carried on his person and activated it, shooting into the air, out of reach of the vines. He flew above the seal and watched how the insane woman made five earth clones, which walked over to the captives, a knife in hand. He knew that the woman intended to kill the prisoners to activate the ritual. He needed to prevent that. He sped through the thirty two handseals for this jutsu. It was the only chance he had now. Now the fact that the vines didn't let the others inside was a good thing.

"Water and Lightning release: True thunderstorm," Naruto called out and used one of the full storage scrolls with water to flood the seal and the Jashinist.