Book One- The Enemy

Chapter 26

The ambush bombings in the distance and the thundering run of a faraway army heading towards them, did little to settle the anticipation from the army and their leaders waiting for the start of battle. The grip of the cigarette to his lips tightening with the growing noise, his biggest battle yet, but he wasn't nervous, not entirely, just silently waiting for everything to fit into place, his plan.

The villages were what he sought to protect, his own and others, that's why he was here after all, the will to keep the peace for those who needed it, those who couldn't fight back, he was entrusted with the will of fire and knew what it meant, Asuma said that once, years ago.

Shinobi were always prepared to die for their nations, as pawns were meant to only aid in the survival of the King, he was a pawn after all, a sacrifice, his father told him that once, wise man knew what to expect after his own experiences.

The devious grin rising to Temari's lips beside him, watched under a silent dark stare, the wrath behind the goddess revealed, and the more than possible admiration for her fearlessness to add to it. He'd hate to be her enemy right now, Temari looks ready to kill anything in her path, and she'd probably do it with such elegance that the opponent wouldn't even have the chance to fight back. It was no wonder he stared, he really couldn't help himself at this point, to lazy to look away he always told himself, what a good excuse that was.

She'd be the end of him, Temari said that herself once, and he was just believing in those words now, damn smile, disrupting the thoughts, the logic behind things, such a troublesome woman would do such a thing.

A lot of people seemed to tell him thing that made no sense at some point and yet now they did, and they called him wise, wisdom was after all just knowledge passed on from person to person, it took a genius to figure out what each word meant.

With everyone in position, he was sure they knew all this too, he'd given his orders out and all that was left was to jump in and strike. With Choji and Ino at his back, Temari at his side and the thoughts stilling into calm bliss he was ready. Sakura stood by further down the ledge Naruto and Sai at her sides while she spoke among them, her mixed unit of Sand and Leaf at her back, supplies in hand and ready to heal.

Shikamaru felt the wave of worry rush over him for a brief moment, Naruto would need to be ready to take on their leader, and he would have to be ready to get him there, that was the plan. Though prepared the uneasiness wasn't exactly going away, he was no coward, but he was more than cautious at every possible thing that could go wrong, there were to many factors involved to know exactly what would happen, the experiences he had over the years fueling in the unease with every move that was to be made.

And it began.

The first of their true enemy began to emerge.

The plan set in motion.

Shikamaru glanced from the cliffsides above the path, the secret hidden from prying eyes, to the Rock shinobi advancing around the curve of the ravine, towards their own shinobi waiting at the pass below, the only exit blocked by their combined forces. His eyes shut the moment he heard it, the surprise at full effect, Neji's units setting off the hidden paper bombs on the path above the advancing army, Temari's idea after the inspiration from his attack a couple of weeks back.

Like fireworks the bombs down the path began to light up and blast the sides of the cliffs, boulders, rocks, dust collapsing at the approaching army, burying many under the debris, but not enough. He heard Choji gasp behind him and turned to look at him and Ino when they rushed forward to witness the surprise at his side, them having not known.

"Shikamaru what was that? You didn't tell us you had a trap set up here" Ino turned to look at him, shocked, his face set in in a slow rising grin as he looked over to Temari.