"Lee," Sakura's shout echoed through the cave. The Taijutsu expert recoiled from the kick to his midsection, but allowed himself to fall back to avoid the second foot aimed for his chest. Sakura fist bounced off the invisible wall surrounding her, while Neji watched like a cage predator.
"Your friends don't seem to like the Nankyuu Abara Kekkei Genkai," the demon noted, slashing at Lee with his wakizashi. Lee had disassembled his staff, and bound one part to the outside of each of his forearms. He used the improvised bracer on his left arm to block the curved blade, and struck the vampire's chest with an open palm.
"But I wanted some time alone with you," Doraku continued, unconcerned by the attack.
"You see, I'm torn. On the one hand, you have cost me two powerful servants. And the rank taste of your blood still lingers in my mouth," the monster stabbed again, attempting to trap the Leaf Chunin against the wall, "But then again, this has been interesting. And I have learned a previously unknown weakness of my power."
"So, should I give you a quick death, or a slow one? Because I can't let you live, knowing what you know."
Lee's answer was a Leaf Gale. The demon jumped easily over the leg sweep, but the Chunin turned his momentum into Leaf Great Whirlwind. He caught Doraku in the chest, sending the monster higher. Unfortunately, the ceiling was too low, and Lee could not follow-up with the Leaf Dancing Shadow. The vampire twisted in the air, and stuck to the roof. He glared down at Lee with what could only be described as disappointment. The blood drainer coiled, and launched himself at Lee, leading with his blade. The teen motioned as if to block with his wrist, but then stepped inside and smashed the vampire's wrist with the 30-pound weight on his own forearm. The expected crack of bone was not heard, and the vampire countered with a punch to the human's heart. The attack sent Lee flying.
"Attacks like that won't work," the demon paused, not bothering to press his advantage. Lee rose, clutching his chest.
"The Jutsu Sakura uses to boost her strength is more impressive than she knows. I can use it to make my muscles hard as iron. Blunt attacks won't have much effect on me."
Doraku sighed, and looked away from Lee, "This is boring. Perhaps with some extra help you might be a challenge."
He placed his hands together, and the barrier holding Neji vanished with a soft tone.
"Of course I know all Neji's moves. But you humans can be so creative and unpredictable. Or at least he can be a distraction."
Neji ignored the jab and moved slowly forward. His Byakugan scanned the demon intently, trying to find a weakness. Then he darted forward, aiming for his opponent's right arm with glowing fingers.
"Good choice," the demon easily dodged, "Without my weapon, I could be slightly less dangerous."
The vampire's left hand snaked out, and his Gentle Fist tapped Neji's left temple. The Byakugan in the Hyuga's left eye faded out. Then with a grimace of pain at the off center vision, he canceled the other jutsu in his other eye.
Neji feinted low, then struck from the left. He pressed hard, sacrificing accuracy and success for keeping the demon off center.
"Well, this is interesting," the demon noted, knocking aside another attack, "But you aren't really accomplishing anything. Unless you are trying to push me towards Lee!'
Doraku suddenly kicked out, and his stolen strength Jutsu sent Neji flying. He used the momentum to do a 180, facing the martial artist. But rather than looking surprised or chagrined, Lee just smirked even as he finished throwing the punch the demon readily blocked. Then the plan became clear when Neji's shadow clone exploded and the original surged through the smoke to the now exposed monster.
"8 Trigrams," the Hyuga Jonin exclaimed, stabbing a chakra point on the demon's spine.
"2 Palms," he continued, striking the left shoulder, and elbow.
"4 Palms," the speed of his strikes increased as his path took him in front of the bloodsucker.
"8 Palms, 16 Palms," he flowed around his would be master, shutting down his chakra network.
"32 Palms, 64 Palms," Doraku was barely standing, and Neji was a blur.
"128 Palms," Neji concluded with a massive volley. But then the demon started to chuckle.
"Very impressive," he proclaimed, looking to where his weapon had been knocked, "I might be in trouble, if it wasn't for one little thing."
The demon placed his hands together and intoned, "Chakra Pulse!"
"You see," the monster smirked as he stretched back to his normal posture, "Hinata has a counter for that move."
"I am well aware of the technique Hinata and Naruto developed," Neji's verbal counter was just as smug, "I just needed to disrupt your Chakra network for a second."
Doraku was unable to dodge as the now free Sakura Haruno barreled into him.
"Fine," the demon snorted in disdain as he rose. His tone was still amused, but his eyes were not, "Play time is over then."
As he dropped his arms, the vampire's limbs were surrounded by both the soft blue glow of the Gentle Fist, and the purple sparks of the Ranshinsho. His eyes transformed under the power of both the Sharingan and the Byakugan. And under Neji's restored Byakugan, chakra spiked out of each of the monster's muscles.
"I'll humiliate you with your own techniques."
Sakura blinked, and missed the Doraku's charge. Before she realized, the demon was trading blows with Neji, this time pushing the teen Jonin back. Sakura started to move to help, but Neji shook his no, then indicated Lee with a glance. The other young man was clutching his chest again, and the medical ninja blinked in acknowledgement. She flashed across the cavern, and gently brushed his hands aside. Using both touch and chakra, she determined his ribs were cracked, not broken, but a splinter had come perilously close to his left lung. She quickly dissolved the shard, and then started to repair his bones.
"That was a mistake," the demon hissed. He knocked Neji's hands wide, and drilled two fingers into each of Neji's shoulders. Muscles tore, his chakra system was interrupted, and his arms flailed wildly from the shock to his nervous system. With the shinobi temporarily crippled, the monster was able to grab Neji's shoulders, and place his face inches from the teen's. As he did, the demon's eyes changed again, the circling tomoe becoming blade-like and connecting to his pupil.
"Mangekyo Sharingan, Tsukiyomi!"
For three long heartbeats, the enemies' eyes were locked. Then Neji let out a pitiable whimper. The demon released him, and Hyuga collapsed to the floor, eyes open yet seeing nothing. Doraku let out a sharp breath as he returned his focus to Lee and Sakura.
"Well, that technique is exhausting," he commented, "But quite useful. Total incapacitation, and no permanent damage. And I also have the technique to wake him up when I need."
He nodded at Sakura, then added, "Of course, that means I need to keep you away from Neji, my dear."
"Sakura," Lee stepped in front of her, whispering, "Guy-sensei has taught me how to fight those with the Sharingan. I will hold him off while you restore Neji."
"Do you think I will let that happen?" the monster asked. He stood over Neji, challenging them. Lee started towards the demon, but Sakura rushed past him. Doraku caught her fist in his hand. Sakura let out an angry shout, and the demon was shocked when he pushed was back. The girl did not even seem to notice the disrupting electricity flowing into her. She punched again, and the vampire released her left fist to avoid her right.
"Interesting. I have all your skills and more chakra. I should be stronger."
"The power of the jutsu is based on your natural strength. You steal power, you don't earn it yourself. You'll never be stronger than me."
"Cute speech," he cracked his knuckles, "And you know the counter to the Ranshinsho. For all the good that will do you."
He dropped his arms to his sides, expelling chakra. Sakura thought recognized the technique, and both braced her arms and jumped back. Unfortunately, she was two close, and was not aware of this variation.
"8 Trigrams, Holy Cyclone!" The enhanced technique flowed outwards, and the dome of crimson Chakra lifted the kunoichi into the air. Ill prepared for the attack, Sakura could not do anything to right herself before she was slammed into the wall. She slid to the ground, then tried and failed to stand.
"Alone again," the demon extended his hand, and his short sword flew back to his hand. He darted forward, swinging the blade like a much heavier weapon. Lee moved to block, but Doraku shifted his blade, cutting the weight, sleeve, and some skin from Lee's arm. The Leaf shinobi tried to counter with a kick, but the vampire caught his ankle and sent a strong electric charge through Lee's leg. Lee kicked again with his left leg, but grunted in pain when Doraku stabbed him in the thigh. The demon dropped Lee, shaking his head.
"I expected so much more," the wakizashi plunged for Lee's exposed heart.
"Clone Railgun!" Naruto's voice arrived only an instant before the teen did. Naruto's foot collided with the demon's temple and neck, and the bloodsucker rocketed hard into the stone wall. Behind Naruto, the two-dozen clones who had catapulted him forward exploded, clear the way for Sasuke and Hinata.
"Sakura, help Neji and Lee," Naruto instructed s he stared murder at the demon, "we got this."
"Ah, good, the second course." The demon pulled himself to his feet, snapping his neck back into place.
"Naruto, don't look in his eyes," Sakura warned, limping over to Lee, "He has the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Naruto spared a sideways glance at Sasuke at that, but the traitor did not appear surprised by the news.
"Please," the vampire was offended, "As if I would be so gauche as to use the same jutsu twice in one battle. I have already decided not to use any of your techniques against these three."
"Naruto, duck," Hinata warned as Sasuke threw a quartet of kunai at the demon, not caring his former teammate was in the way. After her training partner moved, Hinata added her own blades to the attack. Doraku lifted a hand, and the seven daggers stopped in midair.
"Tetsu Kobushi Kekkei Genkai. The power to control iron. Nice craftsmanship, though," he flicked his hand back, and one of the floating weapons shot at each of the active ninja. The teen shinobi dodged fairly easily. The demon waved the fingers on his left hand, and the four remaining kunai melted and merged, transforming into a broad-bladed short sword. Doraku grasped the weapon with his left hand and smirked at them.
"The Murasame clan that possesses this blood line trait are also the originators of the legendary Weapon Forge Jutsu. Though they had a much easier time performing it, as do I."
He flitted past Naruto and went straight for Hinata with both of his disparate swords. She lithely avoided the wakizashi, and knocked aside the gladius. She observed his weapons carefully, and after his fifth slash, summoned a Rasengan. The next time the newly forged weapon came close; she tapped it with the chakra ball. The sword splintered with barely an impact.
"Not quite up to the standards of the Murasame clan," Sasuke stated snidely.
"That?" the vampire threw the handle of the broken sword at Uchiha, more as an insult than as an attack, "That was a toy. Even with the Kekkei Genkai it takes at least 20 minutes to craft a decent weapon."
Hinata took advantage of the minor distraction to strike the vampire's right wrist with the spiraling sphere. The demon's hand opened reflexively, dropping the wakizashi to the floor. The girl stomped hard, breaking the blade off at the hilt.
"And how long did you take to make that one?" Naruto needled.
"That was an artifact of the first Mizukage. It was worth more than all of your miserable lives combined"
He punched Hinata hard in the stomach, expelling her breath. Then he grabbed her by the neck and hoisted her an inch from his face.
"It looks like I lied. Mangekyo Sharingan, Tsukiyomi."
He stared into her eyes, attempting to shatter her mind with his horrors. Hinata's body shook, and she gritted her teeth. Then her eyes widened further.
"Suigin Byakugan, Reflection," she announced. Though the other three could not see it, Naruto and Sasuke were amazed as Hinata's white cornea and iris suddenly turned solid metallic silver. Then the vampire's head snapped back as if struck and he released Hinata. The girl landed on her feet, but exhaled sharply and slid to her knees, her eyes returning to normal. The vampire almost fell back, but with a grimace caught himself, and returned upright, though still unsteady.
"The eye that sees only truth can become the eye that deflects all illusions," Doraku intoned harshly, the loss of his weapon forgotten, "That power has not been seen for almost 100 years. I must have it."
He picked up Hinata again, this time exposing her neck. He lifted her towards his waiting fangs.
"Chidori!" Before the vampire could steal Hinata's new power and grow stronger, Sasuke darted forward, severing the tendons in Doraku's right wrist. The demon could no longer hold Hinata, but Naruto flashed in, catching the girl. He moved to the opposite site of the cavern, placing her next to Lee.
"I'm sorry Naruto," she whispered, "I can barely move. I feel like most of my strength has been drained."
"It's OK, Hinata," he reassured her, "You rattled him. Sasuke and I can take it from here."
The monster grabbed his wrist, and used Sakura's healing skills to amplify his own unnatural healing. But his head was still spinning from having his jutsu reversed. As Naruto and Sasuke closed in, the monster decided to try a more elusive tactic.
"Congratulations, I'll show you another of my Kekkei Genkai."
The monster raised his arms, and a dome of ice panels rose to surround the three of them.
"Hyoton: Demon Ice Mirrors," the demon announced with a self-satisfied grin.
"That's Haku's technique," Naruto was aghast, "Did you suck the blood from his corpse?"
"I don't own any Haku," Doraku sneered, as he merged into one of the mirrors, "And blood is only useful from a living source. I have owned this bloodline trait for more than 80 years."
He put his hand to his chin in thought, and added, "That is mildly interesting though, this Kekkei Genkai was supposed to have been exterminated almost 20 years ago."
A left hand emerged from eleven of the mirrors, and each threw a single icy shuriken. The former friends blocked or dodged most of the projectiles, but Naruto received a light cut on his left calf.
"Just like old times, huh?" Naruto asked, closely watching the mirrors.
"And you wonder why I left," Sasuke responded, with only the slightest hint of a grin. He flashed a series of hand seals, and then announced, "Katon: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Uchiha exhaled dozens of fireballs, and each struck a mirror dead center. But to no one's surprise, the ice didn't melt even a little.
"You didn't expect that to work, did you?" the demon asked.
"Not really," Sasuke shrugged, "But it was worth a try."
"So what's the plan?" Naruto asked when the next barrage of ice shuriken drove them back-to-back, "I'm pretty sure my Rasengan can bust these mirrors."
"The same goes for my Chidori. But he knows it, and knows our attacks are short range. That's why he's keeping us corralled in the center."
"So how do we reach the edges?"
"Why ask me?" Sasuke snapped, "You're the brilliant strategist who came up with the way to free Kakashi from Zabuza and defeat Neji during the Chunin exams."
"All right," Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Give me a minute."
"We don't have a minute," Sasuke snarled as an ice star embedded itself in his right arm. He pulled a pair of small flasks from his belt, and dashed them on the floor. Then he used a slight variation on his clan's favored technique.
"Katon: Grand Fireball Jutsu!"
Flames filled the half of the dome in front of Sasuke. The oil mixture he had spread across the dirt exploded, increasing the size and heat of the inferno. It also filled the nearly sealed dome with smoke. Coughing, Naruto created a Rasengan to help clear the air.
"What was that?" Naruto choked.
"At least I'm trying something," the traitor countered, ending his jutsu, "If I can make the jutsu hot enough, it might be able to melt the ice. And while I fill my half with fire, he can't attack me."
"So he can focus on me?"
"And you can focus on him! Look for a pattern, or just try to grab him next time he attacks!"
"Yeah, that could work," Naruto considered, then he brightened at another thought, "If nothing else, you're forcing him to spend more chakra to keep the dome in place."
Sasuke nodded, and activated his technique again. Now that the oil was burned off, the smoke from the cloud of flame was manageable. As predicted, all of the demon's attacks now emerged from Naruto's side. But they were not focused on Naruto. Instead, the blond ninja was forced to stop a constant barrage of ice blades aimed at the back of his former teammate.
"Looks like there's a flaw in you plan," after half a minute playing bodyguard, Naruto spoke. His voice was twinged with sarcasm, "If I try to get close to the dome, he'll just hit your exposed back."
"I still haven't heard your plan." Sasuke snapped back, ending the fireball again.
"How about... NOW!"
A rumbling filled the tunnel, and an Odama Rasengan erupted from the ground under the mirrors in front of Sasuke. Just behind the sphere was Naruto. After shattering a column of the ice, Naruto stepped back. Sasuke darted out the hole, as the clone Naruto took the throwing stars aimed at Uchiha. After he was outside the dome, Sasuke activated his Chidori. He quickly circled the barrier, destroying the bottom level. The remainder of the ice mirrors crashed to the ground, shattering.
Doraku appeared above the broken shards of ice, clapping.
"I don't know if you thought that would hurt me, Sasuke, or if you were just being vindictive," the demon smirked as he stopped his applause, "But either way, I like it."
Never taking his eyes from Sasuke, he appeared in front of Naruto, and used both the Gentle Fist and Ranshinsho to damage Naruto's nerves and chakra; leaving the boy sprawled on the floor.
"Naruto!" Sakura paused in her treatment of Neji as her teammate fell. But the vampire did not pause, and moved behind Sasuke, disabling him as well. He then kicked Sasuke hard into the wall.
"And then there were none," Doraku beamed, "Unless you are ready to try again, Sakura?"
He grinned viscously at the injured healer.
"You're not done with me yet," Naruto snarled, regaining his feet.
"Ah. Neji mentioned you also knew the counter to the Gentle Fist," the demon turned back to the blond Genin, "I suppose this means you also know how to resist the Ranshinsho..."
"Well, then, lets see what you can do," the demon dropped into a fighting stance again.
Naruto drew his last kunai, gripping it tightly as he could. But the demon just shook his head and tore the weapon from the teen's grip. The blood drinker gestured, breaking the weapon against the granite wall behind him. Then, for good measure, he grabbed the shuriken left in Naruto's hip pouch, ripping them free, and scattered them.
"No more blades."
"No, two more," Naruto counted, placing his hands together, "Weapon Summoning Jutsu."
Naruto's shirt bulged outwards above his heart. He reached in, and removed a familiar wooden box. He removed two kunai; one accented in red and the other in blue, and then tossed the box to Sakura. She set the box next to Hinata, and went back to awakening Neji.
"You waste a powerful jutsu for those?" Doraku laughed at him. Then he latched onto the kunai with his iron controlling power, and pulled. But the weapons did not even shudder in the ninja's hands. Frowning, the demon pulled harder, but still no effect. Curious, he engaged the Byakugan and Sharingan again.
"Well, it's a little sloppy, but those are some powerful enhancements bonded to those knives."
He put his hands in front of him, and ice began to form above them.
"Hyoton: Artic Edge Jutsu," he noted as the frozen nodachi finished forming, "It's been a while since I had a good sword fight. Unless you had something else in mind?"
"Yeah, how about this?" Naruto crossed his hands, "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Two-dozen Naruto's leapt forward, kunai extended.
The demon snorted and put his hands together in an opposing gesture, "Clone Disrupt Jutsu."
All of Naruto's clones exploded, leaving the confused original open. The monster's extra-long blade scored a deep cut across the ninja's chest. Naruto scissored both his blades to pin the vampire's. The wind chakra enhanced edges of the kunai began to cut into the curved ice weapon, and Doraku withdrew his sword.
"Kakashi-sensei said that technique was lost," Naruto glared at the demon.
"Naruto, I'm older than the Council of Shadows," the vampire smirked, "I know plenty of 'lost' jutsu."
Doraku slashed deliberately high, trying to get Naruto to look into his eyes. But the teen tenaciously kept his gaze on the demon's shoulders, even though it hampered him. Even though he could tell Doraku was still recovering from Hinata's counter, the demon was able to score a trio of light hits, while Naruto only managed a single scratch.
"Naruto," Hinata's voice carried to him. She was leaning forward, and her Byakugan was once again active. Suddenly, his vision shifted and he was seeing the monster from Hinata's point of view, and through the Byakugan. The demon's chakra network was a patchwork of different powers and colors. Hinata adjusted her jutsu so that Naruto could see Doraku's chakra network almost from his normal vantage point. Then she focused on a green spot flowing up the bloodsucker's left leg.
"Strike there," she instructed. Naruto faked a leg sweep, then feinted for Doraku's heart with Sakura's blade. Once he had the opening, he stabbed the indicated area with Hinata's kunai.
Blood fountained from the wound; far more than should have for such a light stab. At the same instant, the red color ran out of Doraku's eyes, and the tomoe disappeared.
"Now, there!" Hinata urged him to hurry while the demon was stunned. Naruto stabbed the purple patch moving through the demon's other leg, and another geyser of blood erupted. As the fluid stopped flowing, the frozen sword melted away.
"Left shoulder," she directed. With the attack, the Byakugan in Doraku's eyes faltered. Rage filled the demon's face, and he knocked Naruto away with an enhanced punch. The white eye Dojutsu retuned as he snarled at the girl.
"I get it," Naruto smirked, "You don't eat their blood. You store it in your body. That's how you gain everyone's powers, and how you control them."
"You may have figured out how my powers work," the demon ignored Naruto, and turned to stare at Hinata, "But you won't be helping him anymore. Raiton: Lightning Cannon Jutsu!"
A six-inch sphere of lightning formed in his hand, and then shot towards Hinata. Naruto tried to intercept the attack, but Doraku elbowed him away when the boy passed. Lee reached for Hinata, but the half-healed wound in his leg opened, and he stumbled.
The lightning ball struck Hinata's left side at the bottom of her rib cage, just under the swell of her breast. It burned through muscle, bone, and organ; damaging her stomach and left lung. The kunoichi collapsed against the curved stone, spilling blood and acid onto the floor.
"HINATA!" Naruto howled, instantly next to her, kneeling.
"Na..." she coughed, flecks of blood staining her lips. Sakura appeared a second later, looking slightly nauseous as she appraised the wound.
"Sakura, help Hinata," Naruto ordered, growling under his breath as he stood again. As he turned to face Doraku, his eyes were glowing red, and the whisker scratches on his cheeks were larger and rougher.
"Naruto," inside of him, the nine-tailed fox's rage and bloodlust echoed his own. A small part of him was confused by the demon's anger, but most of him did not care.
"Just this once, I will lend you my power without reservation or interference. Just promise me you will kill that bastard."
"Humans can't kill demons," Naruto answered out loud, "But I can make him wish I could."
"Even better," the Kyubi grinned in sadistic pleasure.
Neji's turned sharply away from his cousin, to look at Naruto. Under the Byakugan, Naruto looked different than ever before. The blue and red chakras were mixing, oddly harmonious, until Naruto's entire chakra network was suffused with a silver chakra; stronger, more terrible, and more beautiful than anything the Jonin had ever seen before.
Naruto took two deep breaths. The first was harsh and ragged, but the second was smooth. The teen now possessed a deadly calm, and the vampire stepped back against his will.
Naruto launched a complex series of hand signs, so fast even Neji and Sasuke had a hard time following. Both Dojutsu users noted that Naruto was using a thirteenth seal, unlike any of the others. After thirty gestures, he completed the jutsu, placing his hands together.
"Ascendant Fox Jutsu!"
Naruto's arms grew longer, and his fingernails lengthened into razor claws. His face distorted, his nose and mouth distending into a vulpine muzzle. The scratches on his cheeks became true whiskers. His ears moved higher on his head, and stretched into sharp points. Short fur erupted from every inch of his skin. Finally, a fox tail ripped out the back of his pants. Unlike his tailed forms, Naruto's eyes remained human, and blue; and his fur was the same light blond color as his hair.
"Impressive," Doraku's banter was more than slightly forced, "Shall we start?"
"Not yet," Naruto answered forcefully. He stuck Sakura's kunai into his belt, and then quickly slit his wrist with Hinata's gift.
"Well, now that I've mastered elemental manipulation, what should I work on next, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto beamed at his teacher.
"I would hardly say you have mastered it," the Jonin smiled indulgently at the energetic student, "But if you are looking for something to work on, let me ask you a question."
"OK."
"You have used the Shadow Clone Jutsu more than most shinobi 2, or even 3, times your age," Kakashi prefaced the question, "What are the weaknesses of the technique?"
Naruto's face screwed up in deep thought at the query.
"I guess there are two major drawbacks," the Genin finally said, "It takes a lot of chakra, and the clones are pretty fragile."
"Can you elaborate?" the teacher guided his student.
"When, making solid clones takes a decent amount of chakra, even if you're as good at it as I am. And then I have to split my chakra among the clones, both so they can use jutsu, and so that chakra detection doesn't give me away. And on top of that, when the clones die, I don't get back all the chakra. Some of it is always lost."
"All correct," Kakashi was proud of his normally slow student, "And the second weakness?"
"Well, that's a lot simpler. One or two good hits will take out a clone."
"And how would you fix that?"
"Well, the Mist and Rain ninja make clones from water. And Gaara uses sand. And those clones are both more durable than shadow clones, in their own way. Having something other than pure chakra as the base of the clone makes them harder to kill."
Naruto's face scrunched again, "The chakra thing is tougher. I suppose the best thing might be to make sure all the chakra from the clones comes back to me."
"And how would you achieve those goals?" Kakashi prompted. Naruto frowned.
"Well, then, maybe that would be something you could work on," the Copy Ninja suggested.
Naruto's blood sprayed into the air, but almost immediately, the wound healed. Sheathing Hinata's blade, Naruto flashed another series of seals even as the life liquid started to fall.
"Blood Clone Jutsu!"
The blood in the air gathered into eight spheres, the silver chakra swirling around it. The blood began to expand and change, taking human form. After a few seconds, eight more fox shaped Narutos joined the original. The clones began to quickly circle the vampire, hiding which one was the real ninja.
"Didn't we already do this dance?" the demon asked, configuring his hands again, "Clone Disrupt Jutsu."
None of the nine Naruto copies so much as shuddered.
"Fine, then I will just find the original myself," Doraku seemed unnerved by Naruto's quiet rage. He ran forward, pulling the broken blade of the wakizashi into his hand. The monster landed before one Naruto, and carved into the ninja's left arm. Blood flowed freely from the wound, and Naruto paused long enough for the demon to land a solid backhand to the ninja's jaw. The vampire pulled his broken knife back, and the wound closed even as the metal cleared.
"Well, found the real one first," Doraku jumped back to avoid the Genin's counterattack. The bloodsucker quickly jumped at the next Naruto, and sliced him across the chest. Again, the wound bled, but the teen did not exploded. Instead, he caught the weapon before it could cut too deep, and tore it from his opponent's hand.
"What is this?" the demon demanded. In answer, Naruto stabbed his claws into Doraku's right bicep. The fox's ring finger triggered another gusher. The vampire retreated before the human could strike again, only to find he was surrounded by a tight circle of orange and yellow.
Narutos darted from one side of the circle to the other in random turns. Each one slashed the demon as he passed. For the first few dozen passes, nearly every attack caused a spurt of blood, and closed as quickly as Naruto's own injuries. With each pool of blood, Doraku lost chakra and jutsu, and one zombie was granted peace. But in the fourth second, the red fountains slowed, as did the demon's recovery. Then, Doraku started to laugh.
"Your power is impressive," he crowed, "But this is futile."
The villain's mirth faded, "After you leave, I will just gather my power again. I will rebuild my army, and find new jutsu and Kekkei Genkai. And then I will come to the Konohagakure and I will drink the blood of every person in your village. You can't kill me, so you can't stop me."
18 ice blue eyes narrowed. Eight of the Naruto clones extended their right hands, only the one currently in front of Doraku did not.
"What?" the vampire smirked.
"Fuuton: Rasengan!" four of the teens announced. An eight-inch green chakra sphere formed above each of their hands. The elemental Rasengan whipped the air, flapping the clothing of even the injured ninja.
"Raiton: Rasengan!" the other 4 ninja clones intoned. These spheres were deeper purple in color than the normal Rasengan. Sparks crackled across the surface, and the fur of the clones holding the spheres stood up. As one, the clones attacked.
The first wind sphere tore into the demon's left arm, just below the shoulder. It sliced through the limb until it hung on by only a thread of skin and muscle. The first lightning Rasengan struck the demon's right shoulder blade. The third clone stabbed his Fuuton Rasengan into the demon's left knee. Two copies sandwiched the vampire's right side between a pair of Raiton Rasengan. The third green attack glanced down the demon's right forearm, disintegrating the outer third of the limb and hand. The fourth wind-imbued orb ate away at the demon's left hip. The last sparking sphere caught the left side of the demon's head, destroying his ear. The demon could barely stand as the eight clones withdrew.
The last Naruto finally raised his right hand. One small Rasengan formed above each upturned digit.
"For Hinata," he breathed, charging forward. Doraku could not dodge or block.
"FIVE POINTS RASENGAN!" Naruto shouted as he thrust his hand to the demon's chest. The spheres burrowed into the vampire's body, and he began to shake.
"RRRAAAAAAA!" Naruto howled, expanding each of the 5 Rasengan another quarter inch. As he did, a six-inch hole exploded out both the front and back of Doraku's chest. The five spheres burrowed out of then demon's body, one through each shoulder and hip, and the last through his brain and out his skull. Blood poured from the seven wounds, and the Byakugan finally left his eyes. When Naruto withdrew his hand, the demon collapsed in a heap of seemingly random parts.
The nine teens turned started to turn away. But a harsh and hollow laugh turned them back. Doraku was standing again, through will or chakra, rather than muscle.
"You just don't get it," he taunted, his voice emerging from both his mouth and chest, "Nothing you do can stop me. All you do is buy yourself a few more days while I heal, a few more weeks while I regain power and slaves. And you strengthen my resolve to make your friends suffer."
"Neji, which way is the way out," Naruto asked. The Jonin quietly pointed down the path opposite the one where he had hunted Lee. As one, four of the copies moved. They grabbed the demon, and carried him into the tunnel they had gone down before. They slammed him hard into the wall. Two of the other clones followed closely behind, and when the demon was secure announced "Fuuton: Cyclone Spikes Jutsu."
Seven miniature green tornados shot from each of the Genin, but only eight of the fourteen hit. Two went wide, and four of the charka darts passed through the hole in the demon's chest. The Naruto that had used the Five Points Rasengan leapt forward, breaking off a stalactite. He charged forward, pushing the stone cone through the gap in the demon's solar plexus. The rock scraped against the hole dug by the Cyclone Spikes, pinning the demon. Six of the clones surrounded Doraku, and summoned Rasengan. But rather than the demon, the blond shinobi attacked the walls and ceiling. The cavern began to rumble, and the other three Narutos used stage two Rasengan to prevent the cave-in from spreading back into the dining room. The tunnel collapsed, crushing Naruto's duplicates and burying the demon under tons of stone.
"Get out of that," Naruto growled. The remaining two clones dispersed, and Naruto's blood splashed to the floor. The real Uzumaki exhaled, and as his breath escaped, returned to his normal form.
"Hinata," he remembered, and ran over to the girl. Sakura was kneeling over Hinata, her glowing hands still on the injured girl's chest. But the wound was unchanged.
"Naruto," Sakura looked up at him, obviously holding back tears, "I'm so sorry. There was nothing I could do."