The Lost Princess Returns (Sequel to The Lost Princess, Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 58

Kakashi's P. O. V:

My teammates and I pause in a clearing surrounded by tall bamboo stalls. Akamaru is sniffing the ground for Ayumi's scent, or the bandit's.

"Anything?" I prompt after a couple more minutes.

"They're this way!" Kiba says, pointing go ahead of him. Kiba jumps back on Akamaru's back and we follow after them. Within moments, Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, Shino and I stop on a branch thirty meters above the ground and gaze down at the entrance to a large cave.

I nod once to Hinata and aye closes her eyes briefly to activate her Byakugan. Hinata fixates her gaze onto the cave. "She's in there... Ayumi..." Hinata says after a moment.

I gesture with my hand for my teammates and I to move in. We get in without a fight with the bandits and take a few steps in. I gaze around for the Princess and gasp softly as I see her sitting hunched against the wall Tony right while her arms and hands are bound with rope, a distant, dazed look on her features.

"Ayumi/chan...!" Kiba and I gasp before we all rush up to her.

Hinata focuses her Byakugan on Ayumi as the Inuzuka questions, "What's the matter with her?"

"Her chakra is flowing erratically," Hinata announces.

"She's caught in a Genjutsu," I state, focusing some chakra to my right index and middle fingers. I slip them under Ayumi's Leaf Village headband and tap them against her forehead. "Release!" Ayumi groans softly as she blinks her eyes back into focus.

"Kashi-kun, Kiba-kun? Hinata, Shino? You guys are here?" Ayumi murmurs as I untie her ropes.

"Of course we came to rescue you, Yumi-chan!" Kiba says.

"Are you alright? What happened?" I ask in concern as the ropes drop to the floor.

"All I remember was fighting the bandits, Shin and Akihiko, right before this purple haired woman showed up and knocked me out," Ayumi answers, shaking her head a bit to clear it as I rest a hand on her shoulder. "Then I was face to face with my worst fear: spiders."

Hinata looks sheepish while Kiba and I look a little exaggerated as I tell Ayumi, "It was just a Genjutsu."

"I know," She mutters, deadpanning. "I couldn't break out of it because of those ropes. I can't believe I got myself captured!" Ayumi clenches a fist as she glares, scowling. "Anyway, where is that purple haired bitch and the Idiot Duo? I need to give a little payback!"

Kiba and the others start to look a kitties nervous at the dark look and sneer settling on Ayumi's features, and I was starting to feel slightly nervous too. At least until Hinata gasps put a warning.

"Look out!"

Thinking quickly, I grab Ayumi bridal style and jump away with the other Chunin just as some comes whizzing through the air. As we land, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Ayumi and I see three kunai knives embed themselves in the floor right where Kiba, Ayumi and I were.

I hear a chuckle from in front of us. "So you managed to find us after all, Kakashi!" Says a woman's voice. We watch as the purple haired and eyed woman from before appears along with her group of bandits before us. Immediately, a tick mark appears on Ayumi's forehead as she grinds her teeth and glares at the woman.

"You! You're the bitch that knocked me out and put me in a Genjutsu with spiders!" Ayumi seethes, jabbing a finger at her. "You're going to regret that! But mostly regret trying to use me against Kakashi-kun!"

The woman chuckles again, appearing unfazed by the ravenette. "We'll see, Ayumi. I'm Minami Suzuki, the leader of these bandits." I set Ayumi carefully on her feet as Minami glances to her men. She gestures towards us. "Kill them, but leave the girl and Kakashi Hatake to me."

"Yes, Minami-sama!" Akihiko says before and the others charge at us.

Ayumi's P. O. V:

Kiba, Hinata and Shino engage the bandits while Minami takes out a kunai knife. She charges at Kakashi and I but I was already doing hand signs.

"Diamond Style: Diamond Tiger," I chant. A tiger made of diamond rubs for the purple eyed kunoichi.

"Earth Style: Bullet Rock Tecknique!" A huge rock slams into the tiger and destroys it. Kakashi is in front of her and brings his kunai knife towards Minami. A clang is emitted as the two exchange slashes.

Kakashi lands a kick to Minami's stomach that sends her sliding backwards. I hear Kiba and Akamaru use their Fang Over Fang technique while Hinata strikes with her Gentle Fist and Shino swarms his opponents with insects.

"Diamond Style: Diamond Shuriken Wolf Dance!" I thrust out my arms and several diamond shuriken spin rapidly through the air towards her. Minami smirks and swings her kunai, deflecting all of the weapons. "Diamond Style: Diamond Kunai!" I follow it with six diamond kunai knives. One of them manage to graze Minami's left upper arm, while she was able to deflect the rest.

The purple haired woman gasps softly as she looks down at her bleeding arm, before switching her gaze to me in a dagger glare. I just return it with a smirk. "You'll regret that!" Minami hisses. She manages to avoid the Chidori when Kakashi sends it for her. "Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!" Mud forms and a dragon head emerges. It fires massive bullets of mud at Kakashi and I but were able to dodge them. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

I was surprised when I see flames shoot out of Minami's mouth and merge with the next mud bullet. The searing hot flames shoot for Kakashi and I.

"Diamond Style: Diamond Encampment Wall," I chant as I appear next to Kakashi and do rapid hand signs. A spiked wall of diamond appears and blocks the attack. The flaming mud continues to press against the wall for another moment or two, my arms starting to tremble, before it finally dies down.

I release the wall as Minami's Jutsu also dies down.

"Not bad, Princess Ayumi," Minami says. "You definitely live up to your reputation."

"Heh. You're going to have to do a lot better than that to defeat me," I retort. I do fast hand signs. "Wind Style: Claws of Purifying Wind!" I bend my fingers and slash them diagonally from my right to my left, sending out blades of wind for Minami.

They slice into her but she dissolves into mud. An Earth Clone.

I whip around just in time while creating a Diamond Kunai to block Minami's own kunai. She and I exchange slashes while I dance away from her. Minami manages to stab my right shoulder, making me grunt. I thrust out a kick but she jumps back to avoid it, only to lock blades with the Hatake.

I do another set of hand signs. "Diamond Style: The God's Crossing Technique!" Spikes of diamond form a path for the purple haired woman. Kakashi jumps out of the way while Minami performs hand signs.

"Earth Style: Stone Column Spear!" Earth spike collide with my Jutsu and they cancel each other out.

"Diamond Style," I murmur as I do hand signs, "Crying Cherry Tree Sapling!" I slam my hand on the ground and thorns of diamond rise up to Minami.

She easily flips and weaves around the branches before jumping away, doing her own hand signs.

"Bringer of Darkness!"

I gasp upon realising its a Genjutsu but I was too late. Kakashi calls out a warning but darkness envelopes me.