The Way Into Mist Village (Naruto)

36: Demise and Dawn

[OP: "Like the Dawn"--The Oh Hellos]

It was perfect timing. Nokumo had only run for it once he was sure they'd found him, which he hadn't been till he heard them because the fog was gone. He'd set the trap already in order to kill them if they got this far.

He hadn't expected Bakugo to be able to blast through the volcano's wall like that and cut him off as he snuck down it.

He looked at Bakugo in astonishment.

Bakugo grinned scarily and held up his hands. "Going somewhere, b---h?" 

"You fool!" Nokumo cried. "My Burning Mist will spread out here and kill us both now."

"Guess that's something you should have thought of before," Bakugo said. "Any last words?"

Nukumo pulled out a vial. 

Bakugo sprang at him and blasted the vial out of his hands and over the side.

It fell and burst open much lower on the mountain where it shot up fog that didn't reach them but drifted away towards the sea.

They didn't even have time to see that--Nokumo tried to run for it.

Bakugo just sprang and pinned him down easily.

"Not so strong without all your magic steam, are you?" he jeered.

"Bakugo, be careful with him!" Shoto called, struggling to burn or freeze the invisible mist that Shine was able to see.

Shine, unfortunately, couldn't see it at her feet and warn him at the same time. Suddenly she yelled and fell to the floor.

"Holy crap, that's way worse than I thought it would be!" she screamed.

"Shine!" Shoto turned.

"Don't get distracted!" she yelled at him.

"Guys!" Wally called. "What do I do here?"

Gaara pushed more sand up. "Try to push it out of the hole... Bakugo, can you get out of the way?"

"I have a better idea," Bakugo said. He grabbed Nokumo by the scruff of his neck and shoved him to the hole. "How about you stop your poisonous mist, or you can swelter in it yourself!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Nokumo cried. "You unprincipled reprobate, I won't let you threaten me!"

"Your funeral!" Bakugo pushed him towards the hole.

"All right, all right!" Nokumo held up his hands. "I'll stop it."

"Bakugo, I don't trust him!" Shine called, then hissed.

"Ew! It's going up her leg," Camie was looking at Momo. "And my arm!"

"Nothing is working!" Ino was trying to stop it and having no effect. "It's like it just latched onto your skin!"

"It hurts like hell!" Camie whispered, tears coming into her eyes.

"It's unnaturally painful..." Momo whispered, trying not to cry herself.

Sasuke was regarding them without any visible sign of pity, while Sai was trying to think of something to do to help.

Gaara was safe. He was covered in sand all over, so the mist was not getting through to him.

Nukumo made some hand signs.

Wally was trying to bat the fog away from himself without sending it towards the others. So far, it hadn't hit him, but...

"Dark jutsu..." Shine mumbled.

The burning mist became more visible, and then they saw it rush towards the Nokumo, but it went around him and towards Bakugo, who dropped him and blasted at it.