Mending The Past To A Better Future

Chp.20 Race To Kiri {Part-4}

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They had been traveling through the Mist Forest when Naruto’s chakra sensing had picked up way too many signatures; they had formed a small squad of people with intensely bright chakra - it reminded her of the ANBU back home.

She stopped abruptly, and Rin and Kakashi did so as well. She held a finger up to silence them before focusing in on Rin’s side, where the group was coming from. The girl counted off on her fingers -  five… six…. Seven? Shit.

Then her nerves fluttered like a flashing warning and she turned to Kakashi’s direction and picked up another six. And finally - behind them. Seven more. Her eyes popped open before she dragged them both by their sleeves and down the opposite direction where they’re in the clear. “Ambush!” She hissed, making them both tense.

“How many?” Kakashi’s voice is clipped.

Naruto grits her teeth, her blonde hair flying wildly behind them as they flee at breakneck speed. “Twenty.” She pauses as another five chakra signatures enter the team’s vicinity. “More are on the way as well.” Kakashi curses violently, and then they’re speeding fast - faster than she’s ever remembered herself going. And she could tell - they were no Kumo camp rebels like the ones they had faced back on their previous mission. Their chakra was bright and burning, and Naruto doubted they could take them all out without at least two of them dying. And unfortunately, she was the only one with healing abilities.

Naruto barely has time to pull them both down with her before a barrage of kunai are whizzing inches away from their heads. Naruto tries not to panic. This was what she had been afraid of this entire time. What she wouldn’t do for Minato’s kunai right about now.

“Shit, shit, shit!” Naruto cusses, feeling her hands begin to tremble. She won’t let Kakashi and Rin become another pair of friends she adds to her list of people she’s failed. She won’t. The blonde pulls out her katas, wielding them above her head like they’re metal wings. Besides her, Rin’s fist channels in more chakra, and Kakashi already has shuriken decked out between his fingers. They’re about to make themselves into a three-man army.

The first group of seven is upon them, and Naruto doesn’t hesitate to catch herself, darting up a tree trunk and springing off to catch the first ninja with her katas. Except, he’s no scrub. He’s good, and for a moment, they’re engaged in aerial combat. His hands flick through hand signs abnormally fast, sending a wave of water at her. She barely leaps out of the way in time; some of the water splashes on her leg, soaking through her gear. Mid-leap, Naruto flings a kunai back, hitting the nin dead straight in the throat.

A wet gurgle sounded from his throat before he fell in midair, hands still clenched around the wound. Dead. Dropping back down to the ground, Naruto took stock of the situation. The other squads of ninja were fast approaching. Naruto leapt back into battle, taking heaving breaths as she did. The differences in these ninja were noticeable - seasoned veterans with years of experience on their hands. Naruto struggled. So did Rin and Kakashi.

Kakashi flung himself into the hand signs for the fireball jutsu, and the great sphere of flames flew through the air, unfortunately missing all of the ninja in its path. Rin’s fist pulled back and punched another ninja straight in his head, his skull bouncing back into a boulder with a loud resounding crack. His groans echoed throughout the clearing, and Naruto didn’t have to be closer to know the dark liquid running down the stone was blood. Shuddering, she turned away. She turned to Kakashi, who was taking on two at once, his hands and legs rippling through taijutsu incredibly fast. But, another was heading for his back.

“KAKASHI!” Naruto screamed, rushing to him. “WATCH OUT!” But, he wasn’t going to make it in time with the two in front of him. Springing through the air, Naruto landed on the back of the enemy nin before sinking her katas straight into his neck, watching his head fall to the ground with a heavy plunk, red guts already spurting from the open wound.