Dark Phoenix of Konoha by White Angel of Auralon

Part 41 - Mission: Stop the Jashinists

"The team that was on the mission overheard that the two intend to bring God Jashin into this world by Hidan impregnating Mala, once she has reached high priestess status. It has to be prevented. We don't need a god in human form, should it be possible, that delights in causing pain and massacring people. We would be thrown into a new war, should that happen. Dark Phoenix has encountered the two and can give you an estimation of some of their abilities," Kakashi informed the ANBU teams and Naruto continued by retelling the way the fight went. Then the ANBUs were given the seals Naruto had prepared.

"You will be taken to the last known location by Naruto Namikaze, as he has left a flying thundergod kunai there. Naruto will then return to Konoha. This kind of mission is beyond his level so far. The seal is located about five kilometres from the camp site where you will start. Dark Phoenix will stay with you as a seal supplying back-up. He will only engage should he be needed as a seals master. We can't afford to let him face S-ranked ninjas before he's ready," Kakashi informed the ANBU team, which confirmed the orders.

Then five of Naruto's shadow clones entered the office to get the ANBUs to the site. Soon Kakashi was the only one left in the office, before one clone returned, confirming that they were at the previous camp site and dispelled. Now Kakashi could only hope that they would be able to stop the Jashinists before they could manage to perform their ritual.

The two ANBU teams and Naruto dashed towards the site of the seal. There was just one problem. Mala had been busy and had created a veritable forest of black thorny vines that attacked at the slightest approach.

"Damn, this is going to be tricky," ANBU Badger commented.

"What can you tell us about the vines, Dark Phoenix?" Dove asked.

"They are controlled by Mala's chakra. During the fight she used them both for attack and defence and the source was buried underground, which made it difficult to take out," Naruto answered.

"I see," Dove replied, "We need an estimation how high they grow. Let's take to the trees around and get a better idea."

The team did just that and found out that the vines had created a large dome over the whole seal.

"They must have suspected that we would return to sabotage the seal," Naruto stated, "Therefore they set up the best kind of defence that they could muster. Those vines are really tricky to deal with. They can be burned down, but they regrow very fast."

"I see. Well, let's see how they deal with this," Mantis stated and let a swarm of insects loose, which told Naruto that he was an Aburame.

The group observed if the insects could get through the vines or destroy them. Right now they needed to work carefully and not risk their lives. The two Jashinists couldn't have got new victims yet. Perhaps in a few hours they might be able to get them if they were lucky, but not right now, as the first team had only been in Konoha for two hours before the ANBU were sent out by the Hokage.

Then a smaller number of insects returned to Mantis and he listened to their report.

"The vines have a potent chakra reactive venom in them. My insects can't destroy them. The recovery rate is too fast for any damage they can cause before they die to actually count," Mantis reported.

"There is chakra that streams from the ground into the vines," Bear reported, making Naruto believe that he was a Hyuga, "The pods from which the vines originate are about four metres deep inside the earth. No way that we can direct a strike there with the vines attacking."

"Dark Phoenix, do you have any strong fire seals?" Badger asked.

"Yes," Naruto answered and took a pile of twenty seals out, "These cover about twenty metres in diameter. They release fire for about three minutes before they burn up."