Hot 'N' Dangerous

Chapter 75: The Shogi Player

"Damn it! You tricked me! What kind of teamwork is that, you damn brats?!" Tayuya raged at Shikamaru.

Her expression was comical, one of shock, hate and anger. She hadn't expected that at all. She looked down and saw the shadow that Shikamaru was making crawl towards her and jumped back a few branches immediately.

"Seems like you won't fall into the same trap so easily," Shikamaru sighed, "Well, I guess I'll be satisfied with the fact that they got away. But remember this, jutsus are not the only weapons," Shikamaru warned with a smirk.

"What a fool," Tayuya grunted, "What can you do with just that little technique, idiot," she taunted.

Shikamaru stayed silent, contenting himself with just a calm glare.

"As far as I can tell, from the time you took to get here, you sacrificed your team members one by one. Is that Sasuke boy that important to you?" Tayuya asked with a smirk, "Wasting a team just for one guy," she cackled, "You stupid homos!"

Shikamaru's first reaction was to force a smile, "Heh, this mission happened to be the first one in which I took the role of the team leader," he started, I swore I could hear a hint of shame in his voice, "Of course I was kind of worried seeing my teammates being reduced one by one and I was also unsure whether or not my decisions were truly correct," he sighed, "If I were a team leader who took responsibility for the life of his team members, I would've halted the mission in consideration of the lives of my teammates rather than to save one comrade, or at least that was what the rule of thumb dictates."

Tayuya seemed confused, "Then why didn't you?" she asked curiously.

"The real world doesn't always follow the rule of thumb," Shikamaru smiled, "Obviously, there was not a single person in my team who would stop to halt the mission and desert their captured comrade just to save their own hide," he grinned at Tayuya's shocked expression, "Myself included. I'm a bum who likes to watch the clouds and the last thing I'd want to be doing is to be leading a team and giving out orders... but, if there's something I can do for my team... it is to trust them," he said firmly.

He stood up proudly and I saw Tayuya's muscles tense as she prepared herself to fight.

"Look, I never thought of them as sacrifices. I don't even think they're dead," he said and lifted his hands up into a hand sign.

Before he could even make a move, Tayuya acted first. She bit her thumb, drawing blood and made the necessary hand signs.

"Summoning Jutsu!" she cried, striking the thick branch that was supporting her.

There was a strong gale and smoke billowed around her... and her three newly summoned subordinates. They were three, similar-looking, grotesque giants. The one to Tayuya's left side had a body covered with gauze. A very small amount of the sickly, dung-coloured skin showed between the dirty, white rags that had wrapped themselves snuggly around the giant. Even his face was bandaged up with spikes sticking out of his head in every direction, almost like a living pin cushion. The second giant that was standing right behind Tayuya had a club that was just as big as himself. A thick mess of hair hung over his face, completely obscuring it. The last giant had a blindfold around his eyes and a few slivers of black hair and a thin beard. He had a body of pure muscle and two sets of wicked-looking and claw-like weapons were strapped to his forearms. The corners of his mouth was turning up in the slightest of grins. His lips looked as if they had been stitched together with black string that jumped from his lower lip to his upper lip. Shikamaru's shoulders sagged.

This will be quite a challenge for him... or as he might say, troublesome, I thought as I saw the giants through his eyes.

Tayuya lifted the flute to her lips, "I'll play a melody of death for you. It is you who shouldn't underestimate us, trash!" she spat.