Uchiha Avenger

Chapter 3

Months passed and it seemed as if Ayame's success was becoming less and less probable. Senseis were losing hope, completely disregarding her presence in the classroom. She worked harder to master jutsus from her book, but her hope was slowly draining as well. Obito continued to walk her home and Itachi continued to succeed, leaving Ayame behind.

It was the middle of the night when a sudden explosion set off in the village. Screams and cries broke the air, Ayame's eyes widening. She shot up and leapt from her bed, dashing to Sayakah's room.

"Sayakah?!" She fretted, looking around. She sat in the corner of the room, wailing softly in the dark. Ayame bent down and scooped her up, placing her on her back.

"Hold on, okay?" she whispered. There was another thud, Ayame leaning against the walls of the hallway for support as she carried Sayakah outside.

"Manzo? Where is Manzo??" An old man wheeped. Godly large summonings roared outside of the village, a large ram rampaging on the inside of the village. Ayame stared up in horror, Obito rushing by.

"Obito!" She called, recognizing the boy. He skidded to a hault and turned.

"You need to get out of here!" He urged a hand on her shoulder, pushing her away. "Yasmin's already gone to defend the village- do you know where your father is at?"

She shook her head, Obito sighing. Another explosion left a violent shake in the ground as Obito quickly guided them to the nearest house.

"Stay here." he ordered and attempted to turn.

"But Obito-" Ayame was silenced when he grabbed her chin roughly and forced his gaze into her own.

"Stay here!" He repeated, stronger. Obito turned and ran out the house, Ayame slowly turning to Sayakah. She was sniffling, hardly managing to catch her breath as she panicked.

"It's okay." Ayame promised. She sat against the wall, Sayakah laying across her lap. Ayame stared forward, listening to the battle cries from the distant. Sayakah covered her ears, Ayame silently practicing the shadow clone jutsu. As Sayakah's eyes closed, Ayame immediately performed the jutsu. Her shadow clone took her place and Ayame slunk from the house.

She stepped outside and looked around, dashing for the village. She turned inside sharply, staring at the damage already inflicted on the houses. She ran forward, following the grunts and cries of battle as she took a sharp turn and skidded to a hault. Her mother panted, blood dripping from her lip as she stared at the ground.

"You've reached your limit, Yasmin." A man's voice rasped. "Without Danzo you're nothing." A blade was placed to chin, lifting it up.

Ayame looked around, grabbing the closest thing which was an old ramen bowl. She ran forward, leaping up into the air to slam it over his hand. The man stumbled back as glass shattered against his skin. He glared down at Ayame, shaking his hand.

"Are you okay?" She fretted turning to her mother.

"You brat!" He lifted his arm and lashed out with his kunai. Yasmin pulled Ayame into her chest, the kunai piercing through her forearm. She shook violently as she leaned back, tearing it from her skin and hunching over weakly.

"Get out of here!" Yasmin gritted his teeth. "Ayame, run now!"

Ayame stared at her in rage so her back faced the attacker, the man drawing a long blade. He threw it over his opposite shoulder and prepared to lash out as Ayame turned her head.

Her sharigan was locked on him and as she turned. She simultaneously grabbed the kunai and deflected the blade. She pushed the attacker back as he kicked her chin and leapt back in surprise.

Ayame turned, a split in her lip visibly bleeding.

"You'll pay!" He charged forward as Ayame's hands formed swift hand signs. She inhaled.

"Dragon style." She stiffled. "Fire ball...jutsu!" Flames spread into his face, the man yelling out in pain and surprise. Ayame's short breath caught her by surprise as she quickly stopped, taken-aback when the flames continued. she turned to her left to see her father, cradling her mother as flames exerted from his mouth.

He stopped, the burning body poofing.

"Shadow clone." Ayame whispered. Her father stood up straight and placed a hand on her head, something he always did to show his affection towards her.

"You did good." he admitted. "But now it's time for me to take over." He jerked his head towards Ayame, a signal for a shinobi to jog forward. He guided Ayame to a rooftop, perching on the edge.

"Who are you?" She asked, peering at his snow-white hair.

"Master Jiraiya." He introduced with a wicked grin. Down below,  her father was looking around curiously, his fist balled. Yasmin had been evacuated to the infarmary in the meantime.

"I've heard a lot about you." Jiraiya started as Manzo turned. He formed hand signs and slammed his hand onto the ground. It immediately shook, the man being forced from the ground.

Ground Style, Earth Rebuke. Ayame recognized.

"Although judging off what I've witnessed tonight, what I heard was never true." Jiraiya continued.

Manzo put up an earth style barrier so there was no escape for the man as he knelt down. His merciless gaze landed on the intruder.

"What you did tonight for your mother was exceptional. You were extremely brave to stand up to such a high-level shinobi, solely for the sake of your village-your mother." Jiraiya chuckled. "You've got guts, definitely. And potential. It's just waiting to come out. And what you did tonight only scratched the surface."

Manzo formed hand signs, flames engulfing his fist. The man stared up in shock as he dodged a punch, leaping up. There wasn't much ground for him to use to avoid the punch so eventually he had to turn.

"Water style: Water Dragon jutsu!" He yelled. The water shot out at Manzo as his sharingan locked on the attacker. Quick hand signs put up a solid barrier between the two. The rock and water coliding left debris in the air. The man ran forward and around the barrier to engage in combat with Manzo. Manzo was still squatted down, looking up as the man rounded the barrier. The man's kunai was ready, his grip tight on the handle as he drew it back.

The ground shook, Manzo leaping out. Ayame's jaw dropped as the man slowly turned just as Manzo inhaled.

"Wind style." Ayame whispered. "Breath of an ox!" He exhaled and the man flew into a bubble, bouncing off the barrier. Manzo stood and brushed off his shoulders, walking forward.

The barriers collapsed, exposing the captured man as well as Manzo.

"You're on the road to success, just like your father." Jiraiya smirked and stood. Ayame leapt down and ran forward.

"You're really strong, Papa!" She yelled. He scratched his head sheepishly, obviously flattered by his daughter's words. "I want to become a shinobi just like you!"

"Thank you Ayame, and you will." He squatted down. "You've got what it takes. It's in your blood." He poked her chest. "It's in your heart. Understood?"

She nodded, smiling up at him as he straightened.

"Manzo did it again!"

"He protected the village!"

"Thank you, Manzo!"

Villagers cried out thank yous and cheers as he gave a soft chuckle.

"Come on, let's go check on Sayakah and your mother."