Someone else had attempted to impersonate the real Naruto and once again, failed. Kohana couldn't help but ponder on the fact that the ninja who kept trying to do were fools who thought they knew Naruto more than his own goddamn teammates did.
The smoke dispersed to reveal the ninja from Anko's briefing. Kohana bit her lip. She would take a team of the Konoha rookies over this creep. Their eyes scanned the team from beneath the rim of their straw hat and licked their lips. Kohana almost wanted to cut that tongue off for all the nightmares it was going to give her.
"I see... neither tired nor ill-prepared, are we? This will be more fun that I thought."
Kohana really, truly hated sadists. Mercy was definitely not going to be a part of this one's vocabulary. She didn't exactly prefer to face Zabuza (no way in hell), but she sure as hell didn't prefer this one either.
Anyway, where was Naruto? He better be safe and he better not find them and join in.
The three then spotted the Earth scroll in their hand. "You want my Earth scroll, right? Since you guys have the Heaven scroll..."
Kohana's jaw almost dropped in horror as the Kusa-nin swallowed the scroll whole and without any sign of difficulty. She couldn't breathe.
"Now, let's begin... the battle for each other's scroll..."
Kohana turned to Sasuke and Sakura, wanting to beg them to leave the place and find Naruto instead. They could find another scroll somewhere else for as long as they didn't have to fight this ninja. She sensed something so very, very wrong with the shinobi before them. It reminded her of how her instincts had kicked in when they were facing Zabuza. This was different; she wanted to scream and run and keep her teammates safe.
Their hand moved their eye and dragged down the skin beneath with their finger. "...with our lives on the line."
With that line, something snapped within the three rookie genin and their eyes widened.
Kohana's legs felt like they'd been shattered, arms twisted, neck sliced, heart wrenched out of her chest. So much blood splattered everywhere... Just when she thought it was over, a kunai embedded itself into her forehead.
Her hands shook, and her legs could barely support her. Her heartbeat had stopped at an irregular number of times. She wanted to ignore the pain; she couldn't show any more weakness.
None of that had been real...
To her left, Sasuke was retching, while Sakura, who sat to her right, was crying. Kohana couldn't find the strength within her to bring them comfort—she couldn't do anything. Those eyes held all of her attention, as though daring her to look away. It felt like if she did, they would all die. She had been a fool. They'd thought Zabuza was death itself, but death hadn't yet touched them and it was as though Kohana's and her teammates' fates had already been sealed with just one look.
Kohana bit her lip as hard as she could. Just a little pain could snap her out of it. Blood started to dribble down her chin, and she found at least little strength to be able to stand up just in time to save both Sasuke and Sakura from the incoming kunai. She landed on a tree branch. It seemed that was enough to snap both Sakura and Sasuke out of it. Kohana's blood was roaring in her ears. She hadn't the time to check how her teammates were doing; she looked around frantically, waiting for their enemy. Maybe if they stayed where they were and still stayed safe, they could leave.
"Sakura, Sasuke..." she hated how her voice cracked even when she forced herself to speak as quietly as she could. "Please, let's just leave! Let's—" there was movement in the corner of her eye; Kohana threw a kunai without even first seeing what it was.
YOU ARE READING
The Red Maelstrom
Fanfiction[Formerly Crimson Thread] There are very few things in life that Fuyu Kohana could confidently say she truly cares about. Orphaned and ostracized, she was born with nothing to lose, and everything to gain. However, as she embarks on a journey with h...
