Chapter Eight
Creeping Darkness
June 15, 2008
"The victim was drained of blood and chakra simultaneously, but the chakra was removed at a much higher and forceful rate, resulting in blisters along the skin." Shizune informed.
Sakura moved closer to the body, sharp green eyes observing the dark circles standing out below the wrinkled skin. Hundreds of them, all over the body. They were raised beneath the dermis, and were reminiscent of boils. Burnt out chakra points, confirmed by a Hyuuga medical expert. The friction of chakra leaving the tenketsu at such a rapid speed had left the normally invisible network points swollen and perceptible to the naked eye.
"A substance is introduce into the body, we believe the point of entry stems from the bites located on the deceased." Shizune pointed to one of the large purple bruises on the neck of the cadaver, viscous liquid seeping from two holes deep inside the injury, "and that the substance that dilates the point is present in the saliva or perhaps injected through other oral means. It forces the tenketsu to release chakra faster than either the body or the point can handle, allowing the chakra to be harvested in a very short period of time, which in turn completely burns out the chakra point, sealing it. The over saturation of chakra and the subsequent draining is what causes the skin to prune."
Tsunade's senior apprentice looked up at the silent kunoichi.
"Even if someone survived an attack like this, there's no way you or even Tsunade-sama could reopen that point to full functionality again. The only other time we've seen anything remotely similar to this was with Naruto's Rasenshuriken and of course you know, Tsunade-sama has declared it a kinjutsu. That's because, as of right now, there are no medical techniques to repair damaged chakra points."
Ninja with cauterized tenketsu would cripple the village.
The pink haired jonin examined the discolored and torn area at the junction of the shoulder and chin, taking note of the fairly sizable pinpricks in the center. The puncture wounds were deep, and jagged, suggesting whatever had attacked had done so in a frenzy, tearing the skin around it.
Though several days, maybe even weeks old, the wound was still oozing a strange dark, shiny substance.
With the body so badly decomposed, damaged and pruned the way it was, ascertaining the exact time of death was impossible. The internal organs were coated in the fluid, destroying the surrounding tissue and any clues as to when the organ stopped functioning. Analysis of the oozing liquid left them just as puzzled. It was thick, cold to the touch and emitted a horrendous stench. Under a microscope, there were dead, floating microorganisms they'd never seen before trapped inside the ooze. Several of the creatures had been isolated from the goo and were being studied in another department.
"So we're dealing with something completely unknown." Sakura concluded, though she had already guessed that the moment they discovered the decimated village.
"We've been sending inquiries to the medical teams of other Allied nations and so far no one has been able to shed any light on this."
Sakura turned and picked up the clipboard next to her, reading through the autopsy notes and conclusion. Massive blood loss resulting in failure of every major organ, chakra drainage below life sustaining threshold quickly and completely. Shattered bones, gouged skin.
Her pink brows lowered, green eyes sharpening.
This person had died a horrific death.
Whatever had done this had to be something truly terrifying. Something like this...
It had to be the work of an animal.
Something grotesque and vicious. Her mind tried and failed to put together an image of what kind of monster they were dealing with. She wasn't even sure she wanted to know, after seeing the extent of these injuries.
"For now, we're keeping this on a need to know basis." Shizune continued, "The Kages are concerned this could stir up panic considering how low everyone's defenses are right now. With so little information its best to keep this quiet, at least until we find the culprits or some way to combat this. So far, the attacks have happened in remote locations, areas easily explained away by plague illness or financial ruin leading to desertion. The disappearances of shinobi is minimal and is being covered with normal KIA rhetoric. We're informing key jonin only, for now. We'll need you guys to be vigilant and inform us immediately if you see anything suspicious, no matter how small it may seem."
"Got it." Sakura said with a determined nod, "What about Naruto?"
Sakura took her gaze from the files and over to the dark eyed kunoichi.
Shizune shook her head.
"Naruto hasn't taken his jonin exam yet, and Kakashi-sama isn't willing to bend the rules on this, even for Naruto. And even if he was a jonin, I'm not sure this information would be shared with him."
"I don't see why not, he's a jonin in everything but name. Bending the rules hardly seems like an issue any more considering he's already bending them by assigning Naruto several A and S rank missions even though he's still a genin. If we're going to depend on him to pick up the slack for our low shinobi numbers, he at least needs to be aware of the danger. If Naruto is so instrumental in the defense of the village right now, wouldn't it make sense to tell him so he'll be more careful. If we lose him we're going to be in more trouble than we are now."
"Hokage-sama is aware of that and is prepared to summon Sasuke back to the village in place of Naruto if necessary, though he's hoping it doesn't come to that. Sasuke agreed to defend the village from the outside, having that outer layer of protection will be just as important as having Naruto's protection within."
Sakura couldn't help the trill of excitement at the thought of Sasuke returning to the village. Having gained a better understanding of her feelings after the situation with Naruto, she knew she loved the absent Uchiha regardless of the miles that separated them. Though she still hadn't heard from him, she wasn't going to give up on her happily ever after. She was no longer a young girl with a crush, stumbling after the guy she adored. She was young woman, competent and capable and ready to begin a relationship with the man she loved.
The medical shinobi had decided to take the initiative. The moment she reconnected with Sasuke, she would confess properly, with a clear mind and clear heart.
Not in the mist of a crisis or to stop him from leaving, but because she loved him with all her heart and wanted nothing more than to be by his side.
"You know how that knuckle head can get. If he knows something like this is going on, he'll take on more than his share of the burden to stop it." Shizune continued, drawing Sakura from her thoughts, "We can't afford to have him distracted or to place himself at risk unnecessarily. Naruto is prone to acting impulsively and loudly, with other Allied nations involved, this has to be handled delicately."
"So the solution is to treat him like a tool? Lying by omission and using him as the village sees fit."
"Sakura...I don't like it any more than you, nor does Kakashi-sense for that matter, but Konoha's situation is dire. As painful as it is, we have to do what's best not just for the village, but for the Land of Fire as well. We're not the only ones at risk. Those that live outside the protection of a shinobi village are vulnerable in ways that we aren't. We can't just ignore them all to protect one person, nor can we make that decision on our own. Hokage-sama still has to answer to the Daimyo and other governing bodies." Shizune reminded her, "There are politics at play that also guide and restrict the decisions Kakashi-sama can make, and there have been...rumors that are particularly troubling."
Sakura straightened.
"Rumors?"
The older medical nin surveyed the empty examination room, double checking their isolation from listening ears.
"Have you been in contact with Sasuke?" Shizune asked, her voice low.
Bright red colored the younger woman's cheeks. It pained her to admit that she hadn't.
She shook her head instead of vocalizing the embarrassing denial.
Everyone was aware of how she felt about Sasuke and it was just a bit uncomfortable to be asked about him when she had as much information about him as anyone on the street had.
"The last correspondence he sent to Kakashi-sama indicated that there may be another threat looming. One equal or perhaps even greater than Kaguya."
Emerald eyes widened in shock. In the face of possibly dealing with Kaguya 2.0 Sakura couldn't even find it in her to be upset that Sasuke had in fact been in contact with the village but not her.
Shizune turned her gaze to the wrinkled husk on the metal slab.
"Sasuke is taking the time to train his Rinnegan on his journey. With it, he can see things we can't. He's still working on deciphering and familiarizing himself with his abilities but he's almost certain that we may be dealing with someone that at least originates from the same place as Kaguya. That they're already here. If that's true..."
If that was true, they were in more trouble than they may be able to handle, even united as the Allied Shinobi. Defeating Kaguya had taken everything they had and then some. Many had lost their lives in the fight, Naruto included.
Even now, memories of wrapping her hand around his still heart and manually pumping the vital organ had the power to leave her in a cold sweat, unable to sleep at night. The smell of death, the cries of the dying, the hopelessness of working so hard to keep a patient alive only to look up and see the light gone from their eyes had changed her.
When it was quiet, when she had only her thoughts she relived the events of the war. Was back in those tents scrubbing her hands, unable to get the smell of blood off.
They couldn't stand up to something like that again right now, let alone something more dangerous than Kaguya herself. She didn't know if she could go through that again.
Nausea turned her stomach.
In the heat of the moment, when the pressure was on, she had felt like she could do anything, but when it was all over and the adrenaline wore off, stone cold reality took over.
She swallowed, sweat beading her forehead.
The eyes of two women met.
"I don't have to tell you that that information is highly classified."
The pink haired nin shook her head absently.
"You've been given clearance for this information because of your unique place among shinobi. Just like Naruto and Sasuke, your value is significant to the protection and continued survival of this nation. We need you to understand the gravity of the situation and if need be, to help us.....manage Naruto."
Sakura stood numbly.
Suddenly, keeping quiet didn't seem as outrage anymore.
xxxxxx
The sound of fist hitting wood was distant to his ears.
Naruto shifted in bed, turning over with a mumble before settling again. Arms and legs out stretched, he let loose another wall shaking snore.
The next knock was loud and insistent.
Heavy lids opened a sliver, sleep glazed blue eyes confused. He listened a moment.
Silence.
His eye lids began to droop, eyes slowly closing, mind wandering back to the land of sleep. Before the young Jinchuuriki could return to the world of dreams, the knock came again. His head turned to the digital on his night stand, annoyed at the numbers that stood out in the relative darkness of his room.
6:08 am.
There were a few more knocks before he shuffled tiredly, grumpily to his front door, swaying like a zombie, eyes shut.
"Who in the hell is knocking so early, dattebayo." he mumbled.
Gripping the doorknob, he opened the door, prepared to unleash hell if it wasn't Hinata or about an important mission that only someone of his expertise could handle.
Naruto was more than a little shocked to see the Hyuuga standing in front of him. The older man wore an expression empty of emotion, his pale eyes, so like his sweet girlfriend, were flat and hard.
"Please excuse the intrusion," the head of the Hyuuga began, "But I would have words with you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Minutes later, Naruto sat nervously but determined at his kitchen table, Hiashi Hyuuga silently sipping tea across from him. He knew what the older man was here about.
Hinata.
And he could already imagine what the clan head was going to say.
Naruto ran through his mind, the list of arguments he would present to the older shinobi, reason why the two should be allowed to see each other. He might not have had a leg to stand on a year or two ago but that was no longer the case. He was financially stable....sort of. He had a nice little goose egg if he was ever strapped for cash and it wasn't like was living paycheck to paycheck anymore. Hinata's father could hardly make the accusation that Naruto was with her for money. While he hadn't obtained jonin rank yet he was scheduled to take the exam in a few weeks so he wasn't some loser without ambition. Not to mention he had defeated Kaguya with Sasuke, and was more powerful than even the Hyuuga across from him. Hell, even though he didn't really like all the publicity, he would tout his fame and metals of heroism if he needed to.
And if none of those arguments worked, if Hiashi still didn't think Naruto was good enough for his daughter, he could use his trump card.
Hinata was seventeen years old, nearly eighteen. She no longer needed the old man's permission to date whoever she wanted. The young genin hoped it wouldn't go that far but he wasn't going to let anyone come between them and if he had to go that route, so be it.
If Hinata was willing to be with him despite her father's disapproval he wouldn't turn her away.
Naruto straightened his spine as Hiashi set his empty cup on the table.
Frigid lavender eyes met determined blue.
The hush of the room was loud in the younger man's ears, the soft, tic tic tic of the clock hanging a short distance away grated his nerves. He swallowed, fighting not to break eye contact first.
"Since the day she came home carrying that shredded red scarf, and you name on her lips, you've been apart of her life."
Naruto blinked, thrown off by the declaration.
"I'm sure you probably don't remember, do you?"
He blinked again, brain absolutely empty.
"Uhhh, I don't know what you mean. What red scarf?"
The elder man sighed, shoulders relaxing. To Naruto's surprise, the impassive, disdainful look melt from the Hyuuga's face, replaced with one of thoughtful contemplation, almost humor.
"The day my daughter met you. Back when you were children, before the academy."
Naruto racked his brain, trying to remember. He honestly couldn't pinpoint when or how he and Hinata first met. It was so long ago. Aside from maybe a handful of people he didn't even remember how he had met his other friends and when. It was pretty much a blur.
"From the tale my daughter told me that day, a group of ill mannered children accosted her in the woods and demanded she show them her Byakugan, referring to her as a Byakugan monster."
Blonde brows creased in anger.
"You can imagine, the sensitive girl Hinata is, cried. At least until another ill mannered, blonde haired child wearing a bright red scarf came charging over, barking at the group to cease." Hiashi's voice was coated in amusement, "An ill mannered child that proclaimed he would be the next Hokage and then proceed to produce the most pathetic clones in history."
Naruto felt his face heat, an uncomfortable smile breaking across his face. He sort of remembered doing that. It was fuzzy but he recalled snow, three kids and a crying girl. Reaching up, he scratched his cheek.
"Ahhh, it sounds kind of familiar. Sounds like something I would do, dattebayo."
Hiashi hummed, then continued speaking.
"You stood up to the children and received a swollen face for your trouble. The children took your scarf and proceeded to destroy it. Hinata brought it home. She's always been very soft spoken, but that day she spoke excitedly, animatedly about the boy that had stood up for her, had tried his best to protect her. Naruto Uzumaki she said." his face grew serious, "Knowing what I knew of you, naturally, I informed her she was not to associate with you and took steps to ensure it was so."
Naruto suppressed the angry words he wanted to give voice to.
Naturally.
It still had the power to hurt.
His lonely upbringing.
To sit here and listen to this man speak about warning his child away from him like he was some sort of diseased animal rubbed him the wrong way. He knew many parents in Konoha had said the same to their own children, but to hear it spoken of so blatantly...
"I instructed her to toss out that old scarf." he began again, "and didn't think to make sure she had done so. Hinata has always obeyed me without question, ever the dutiful daughter...Would you believe she still has that old torn scarf of yours?"
His irritation fell away, shock replacing it.
"That girl is timid and meek, easily bending for those that will bend her, but when it comes to you." Hiashi shook his head, "She'd take on the entire world, let alone just me. She has been in love with you before she even knew what love was."
Naruto swallowed against the knot in his throat.
"I've tired my best to keep her as far away from you as possible and in the end, it made no difference. She is where she wants to be, and no amount of arguing will change that." Hiashi conceded. "Which is why I'm here."
Full of emotion at the older male's revelation, Naruto was more than stunned at the feel of a blade pressed against his stomach beneath the table. Vivid blue eyes widened as they clashed with the once more cold gaze of Hiashi Hyuuga.
"If she comes home with tears in her eyes and your name on her lips, I will find you, and you will not like the consequences. I have not always been a good father to her, but I love my daughter and will not tolerate you taking her feelings for granted."
Naruto was reeling, too stunned to reply.
"If my daughter comes home to me with a baby in her belly and no ring on her finger..."
The blade moved again, pressing dangerously close to a part of his body that was near and dear to his heart. Sweated slid down his temples and back. His palms felt cold and clammy.
"Lets just say I'll make sure a certain part of you will never be able to make an appearance again. I know ways to maim you that no amount of kyuubi chakra can fix. I am well aware of the difference in power between us, but never underestimate the power of a concerned father. Do I make myself clear?"
The blonde nodded dumbly, holding his breath.
The sword beneath the table retreated.
"I'm watching you" Hiashi informed the genin, veins slowly bulging as his Byakugan activated, "In more ways than one."
With that cryptic message, the dark haired male stood.
"Congratulations on your relationship, please treat my daughter kindly."
Sheathing his sword, the old Hyuuga began to walk away.
Snapped from his stupor, Naruto stood, his chair falling away behind him in his haste.
"I know I haven't noticed Hinata like I should have but I love her," he proclaimed, "with all my heart and I'd never willingly hurt her. I'd rather cut off my own arm. I can't say I won't mess up. I'm not a smart guy, but I can say I'll love her as much as she loves me, and work hard to make up for any hurt I've caused her, to make her never regret loving someone like me."
He bowed at the waist to the elder man's back.
"Thank you for accepting our relationship, old man Hyuuga."
Hiashi turned.
A moment later, he returned the bow of respect, folding at the waist, straight dark, hair so much like his daughter spilling over his broad shoulders.
xxxxxx
He moved, stiffly at first, adjusting to his new form.
This body felt weak, strange and awkward. His lip curled in distaste, gut churning with renewed hatred for the new lows to which he continued to plummet. There was little he could do. Time was running out. His own body was beginning to rot and wrinkle with age, his power decreasing with each passing year. In his days of glory, his task would have been as simple as breathing. Reaching out and taking what he wanted without so much as a thought to any opposition these insignificant creatures offered. Taking what belonged to him by right.
His fingers curled, clenching at the his own helpless situation.
Look at him now.
Scheming in the shadows, pulling threads to get what he needed. Brought to his knees and crawling on his belly like a lowly human.
Weak.
Cowardly.
Disgustingly vulnerable in a way he had never been in his entire existence. The war had left the shinobi world in tatters, the villages functioning at less than half capacity. Even so, he was out matched. Had there only been the threat of the Kages, he may have felt more comfortable obtaining what he needed openly, and with brute force.
Despite the loss of most of his power and strength, he was more than enough for the five of them if he wanted to cut it close. Even with his regenerative ability faltering, the risk might be worth it for a quick solution.
No.
What stayed his hand were those two.
Uzumaki and the Uchiha.
Solo, they had the power to incapacitate him and a significant chance of ending him.
Should they stand together, he would not stand a chance.
Fear at the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. The sensation was sickening, leaving him with intense self-hatred and disgust. He was as unworthy to breathe as the swine he imitated. Emotions that had once amused him now made him sick and light headed.
He was loathsome.
Fragile and terrified of what his future held.
He wiped a trembling hand across the hard slash of his lips.
Cold sweat beaded his forehead.
He needed to calm down.
Make plans for the coming years of stealth and manipulation necessary. The pieces were already in place, all he needed now was to thread the needle and bring them together and hope his pawns were smart enough, stupid enough to play right into his waiting hands.
It wouldn't be enough with what he had though.
His eyes moved to the walls surrounding Konoha.
He would need another pawn. Someone that met his needs, someone that had the required components to become his salvation.
Regret gripped his lungs.
He should have come back sooner. Years ago. Even if he had thought he wouldn't need to execute his back up plan, maintaining it should have been a priority. He'd grown arrogant over his long life, blind to his own vulnerabilities, to the endless possibilities of fate and was paying for the oversight in a way he had never thought could happen to some of his stature.
He ran his hand over his mouth again.
Konoha had what he needed.
He would bide his time. Pull some strings and hope that the universe was kind.
xxxxxx
"You won't be able to produce a viable fruit, Kohei."
Kohei stood silently, watching the shuffling beasts sway to and fro, like waves in a vast ocean, behind the thick, tall viewing glass. Their low grunts and growls bounced against the white metallic walls of their containment room, the sounds vibrating through the floor. He could hear the hunger in their call, their thirst resonating with his own.
The need to find nourishment was a drum beat he too marched by.
It was calling to him.
Begging him to end its starvation, and in return, promising to bring forth a ripe harvest.
It needed blood to nurture its frail body.
Chakra to fill its hollow shell.
His eyes, still sensitive, crept slowly to his right. Takahiro sat behind a computer, the bright green data read out reflecting in his circular glasses.
"Your situation isn't as near dire as the others, if you keep yourself fed, but at this rate, I'm not sure if you'll be able to sustain that for longer than ten years, twelve at the most." Taka informed him grimly, "The more you feed it, the bigger its appetite. Its not taking in chakra properly, a lot of it gets regurgitated back into places like your eyes."
Kohei smiled, the up lift of his lips holding a touch of madness as he reached up to run his fingers over his sore orbs.
"Its not what we thought it was. Those eyes aren't....stable and don't work anywhere near how they should. A broken imitation at best."
"And yet, broken, they still hold great power." Kohei murmured.
"Its not a viable source of power if you can't control it, or end up with disastrous results for yourself and others. Even worse is having half our shinobi with various degrees of defective eyes-"
"Why is my fruit not viable." he rumbled sharply.
"I told you, the seed has taken root, but the tree it produced is...defective. You're shooting chakra all over your body. You're feeding it but its still starving. We need to find a way to stabilize it. We're working as hard as we can Kohei but...." Taka ran his hand over his mouth, "Not one person is functioning properly, everyone that's been turned is starving. Its hard enough trying to stop them from wrecking havoc here and in the other nations. At this rate, and with their ocular power, defective and unreliable though it may be, we might not be able to stop them anymore."
Takahiro watched the other male silently, trying to gauge his reaction. Sweat beaded his brow at the sight of the other man's lips stretching into a wider grin.
He had no idea who he was talking to anymore.
Kohei or....that thing that talked to Kohei.
Regret twisted his chest.
So cocky he had been at the start of this whole project. So certain he had accounted for any and all possible outcomes. Had prepared for the best and worst case scenario.
What a damn fool he had been.
Too eager, too impatient to establish their place among the Great Five Nations. To stand up and demand that the Five Nations become Six. Years of planning, of building and cultivating was on the brink of destruction and with no one to blame but himself.
So close.
They'd been so close to it all, needing only one thing.
Power.
A great and terrible power with which they could use to defend themselves. One that rivaled that of the Jinchuuriki. When the time came for them to fight for the resources they desperately needed to grow and thrive, resources currently claimed by the Nations, they would need an army on par with the fighting force of the Allied Nations combined.
Now was the time.
The war had devastated their numbers, leaving the Allies in shambles while he and Kohei had steadily grown their own. They needed to organize, to strike out and drive the Allies to their knees. Make their demands and put the Land of Blood on the map. To validate the Village Hidden in Darkness.
None of that would happen if they couldn't get their shit together.
Takahiro glared at the bumbling beasts behind the glass.
What good was an army you couldn't control?
An army that was in a perpetual state of hunger.
An army that had only just ceased trying to eat each other two days ago...
Everything was slipping away.
Slipping away faster than Kohei's sanity.
xxxxxx
Hope you liked the chapter! Let me know your thoughts!
Laters
~Sessakag