Chapter Text
Shino let out a grunt of pain, scowling as his left arm burst into pain.
Jirobo had punched blinds towards him with his remaining arm, missing wildly and splintering a nearby tree into a thousand pieces, many of which flew directly into Shino’s arm. It was useable still, but hurt like hell.
Not to mention dodging had become less and less viable and option for the Aburame, his opponent raging. No matter what the man hit with his brutish strength, Shino was caught in the aftermath.
His left leg was sending harsh bursts of pain through him, after Jirobo earlier attacked the ground, causing Shino to sink into the wet mud, only escaping thanks to his allies, before Jirobo could get in a direct hit, though he had twisted his ankle in the process, giving him a slight limp.
Shino scowled openly with every move the man made, unsure of his path to victory. Jirobo attacked him again, shaking the ground violently as he missed, his fists against the mud.
Shino was beyond struggling, now. He was helpless, a single thought was running through his mind as he carefully dodged the force of his opponent's attacks.
The rain had become heavy, leaving his insects even slower than before, and his injuries only got worse as he moved around. He had one choice.
A last ditch effort, a technique he knew he wasn't yet good enough at to use in a true battle, but he had no other options. Despite his misgivings, knowing he would surely die if the technique were to fail, he moved.
With his mind made up and his eyes hardened, he drew his katana yet again, placing it before him as he focused, watching Jirobo closely.
Channeling chakra through his body, he jumped high, higher than naturally possible, and spun his blade in a circular motion. Jirobo would have noted its similarity to the moon, were he not so transfixed on his anger.
Shino's heart pounded as he hoped, praying his chakra enhanced movement was fast enough to have the desired effect against the enraged Jirobo. He needed him to confuse his speed, attack either too early or too late.
"Hazy Moon Night," Shino muttered the name of the technique Yugao had taught him, falling to the ground and charging forwards.
It was almost too fast, as Jirobo smashed his balled fist into the ground right before him, but Shino jumped again, landing on top of Jirobo's own back and stabbing down hard.
A sickening crunch and squelch sounded out, the sword passing through organs and bone as Shino panted. Blood poured from his own arm, as well as Jirobo's shoulder, mingling on the ground below.
When Shino pulled his katana from the man's back, he didn't begin to celebrate. He watched carefully as Jirobo twitched for a moment before he fell to the ground. His skin slowly reverted to its usual colour and his hair shortening to its natural length.
Masato groaned as another arrow tore into his body, this time lodging deep into his shoulder.
Across the trees, Kidomaru grinned maliciously, perched atop a thick branch, his skin covered in swirling black patterns.
"You put up a decent fight," Kidomaru called out, smirking. "But you won’t live to tell anyone.”
Masato grit his teeth and yanked the arrow from his shoulder, hissing as pain flared through his arm. At least it hadn’t pierced all the way through.
"We'll see about that," he growled, forcing himself upright, swaying slightly.
In truth, he knew he couldn't win. He was certain of it.
But that didn’t matter. What mattered was buying time for his team- ensuring the success of their mission.
Ensuring that Uchiha Sasuke was killed. No matter the cost.
Missing-nin deserved nothing more. The pain Sasuke had caused his taichou in the past still burned in Masato’s mind. Even if it cost him his life, he would see this mission through.
With a grunt, he raised his arms, gripping a kunai in each hand. He met Kidomaru’s gaze and threw both blades.
The Oto-nin reacted instantly, spitting out a thick web that caught the kunai mid-air. They detonated harmlessly before they could reach him.
Another arrow whistled past Masato’s head, barely dodged. Kidomaru barked out a laugh.
"So, you’ve still got some fight left!" he cackled, stringing another arrow. His grin widened. "Let’s dance, then!"
Masato’s breath hitched as Kidomaru’s form shifted. His skin darkened to a deep red, his eyes turned yellow, and sharp horns sprouted from his forehead, shoulders, and elbows.
A third eye opened on his forehead, the horns knocking his headband off as it scanned the battlefield with deadly precision.
"Shit," Masato muttered. He braced himself.
But he wasn’t fast enough.
Three arrows shot toward him with terrifying speed, each carrying immense power. He managed to deflect two with explosive kunai, but the third pierced straight into his other shoulder. The arm went limp.
Grinding his teeth, Masato gripped a kunai, enhancing it with his chakra and sliced through the chakra thread connecting the arrow to Kidomaru before ripping it out. Blood dripped down his fingers.
"You’re a resilient one," Kidomaru mocked. "I’ll be sure to enjoy killing you."
Another arrow was knocked. Masato knew he wouldn’t survive this.
So instead of dodging, he charged.
The arrow released. It tore through his abdomen, but he didn’t stop. He clenched his jaw, his legs trembling, held together only by sheer will and chakra.
Kidomaru chuckled as Masato staggered toward him, barely standing. With a casual spit, he formed a golden blade in his hand.
"I suppose I should honor your stubbornness," he mused, lifting the blade. "Such a brave little shinobi."
But Masato didn’t flinch. He didn’t run. He couldn’t.
Instead, he smirked.
As the blade neared his chest, he formed a single hand seal with his only working hand and slammed it against Kidomaru’s forehead, his eyes closing in anticipation.
"Fūinjutsu: Mutual Death Technique."
Dark seals spread from Masato’s palm, creeping across Kidomaru’s skin like ink soaking into paper. The Oto-nin froze, his body locking in place. The seals burrowed into his skull, shutting down his nervous system piece by piece.
"This technique took me so long to create," Masato murmured, watching as the markings crawled up his own arm. His smile was almost serene. A far-cry from the usual creepiness that plagued his joy. "A last-ditch effort... that puts both the target and user into a coma. I always thought it was a waste."
His vision blurred as the seals reached his head.
"But now... I can only be glad it works."
His body slackened, a soft smile still on his lips as he collapsed beside the motionless, spider-like Oto shinobi.
And then, silence…
Sakura cursed as she heard the explosions from where they'd left Masato, but continued regardless. He told her he'd survive, and she had to believe him.
So, she went on. Nanako to her side, Kiba behind and Hinata in front.
It was as Hinata let them know they were fast approaching the remaining members of Sasuke's escort that she gasped.
"He's awake," she said, "Sasuke just came out of the container, and he's running beside them."
Sakura scowled, realising it meant they'd have to actually combat the three, rather than just two.
"Once we catch up," Sakura spoke calmly, although her mind was racing, "Kiba, you will take the white haired one. Hinata will take on the girl."
"Their job is to cover Sasuke's escape," She continued, "so he isn't going to just stand his ground and fight."
"So you're leaving combatting the Uchiha to me and you?" Nanako asked, receiving a nod in response.
Soon, they approached the team again, but rather than the standoff of previous encounters, they split in what was almost a mutual understanding. Hinata chased after the redheaded girl, whilst Kiba followed the two headed boy.
Sakura and Nanako glared at Sasuke, but he didn't speak, continuing to run, faster than either kunoichi had seen him move before. They chased after him.
Hinata stood, calm and composed as she faced Tayuya across the forest clearing. The red-haired Oto kunoichi watched her carefully, but Hinata gave her nothing, her mind already racing through strategies, trying to come up with a plan to deal with an unknown enemy.
When Tayuya pulled out a flute, Hinata’s brows raised in brief confusion. But as the first notes played, realization set in. Genjutsu.
She almost sighed in relief.
“Byakugan."
The veins around her eyes bulged as her Kekkei Genkai activated, her vision sharpening instantly. She could see the way the chakra within the sound waves tried to enter her system, only to be dispelled before it could even try to take hold.
“Tch.” Tayuya scowled. “Of course I get stuck with the girl who can see through my Genjutsu.”
Hinata didn’t respond. She simply held her stance, her body poised, ready to move at any moment. She was certain she could counter the Genjutsu of her opponent, but she didn't know any other skills the girl had at her disposal.
Tayuya clicked her tongue, clearly irritated. “Guess I’ll have to do this the hard way.”
Her chakra flared. The surge came from a single point, dark and ominous.
Hinata reacted instantly.
Before Tayuya could complete the transformation, Hinata shot forward, dropping into the stance of the Gentle Fist. Her gaze hardened.
“Too slow,” Hinata whispered.
Then she struck.
Her fingertips slammed into Tayuya’s body, precisely targeting her tenketsu, sealing off chakra points with pinpoint accuracy. A flurry of blows, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, each one precise. Relentless.
But then her breath hitched. A fraction of a second too slow. to complete the full sixty-four palms.
Tayuya capitalized.
A powerful spin kick crashed into Hinata’s ribs, sending her flying backward. She hit the ground hard, skidding across the dirt before managing to roll back to her feet.
“Fuck,” Tayuya hissed, shaking out her arm, clearly feeling the effects of the attack. Her gaze darkened. “Now I really need to activate my seal…”
Dark lines slithered across her body, zigzagging in eerie patterns as her cursed seal took hold.
Hinata barely had time to adjust before Tayuya was on her.
Fists and kicks rained down. Hinata deflected as best she could, intercepting with precise strikes to Tayuya’s arms, blocking what she could, but she was losing ground. The blows that slipped past her defenses struck hard, bruising her limbs, rattling her bones.
"God, you're annoying!" Tayuya growled, leaping back to catch her breath, one arm wrapped around her abdomen where a particularly sharp strike had landed. “Just roll over and die already!”
Hinata, breath heavy, remained silent. She stood quietly, readying herself, keeping her eyes locked on her opponent.
The battle resumed. A brutal exchange, strike, counter, strike, counter. Neither gained ground, neither was able to take any either. But Hinata was faltering. She wasn’t built for prolonged combat like this.
Tayuya was slowing too, her breath ragged, but she still had the upper hand. And Hinata knew it.
Then, Tayuya suddenly slammed her hands together, forming five quick seals before pressing a pricked finger to the ground.
“Summoning!”
Hinata’s breath caught as the ground trembled.
Three monstrous figures emerged from the smoke, towering, disgusting figures with bloated bodies and huge weapons in hand.
Tayuya lifted her flute again. Hinata braced herself to dispel another Genjutsu, but it wasn’t for her.
The summons reacted instantly.
The moment the melody filled the air, the summons charged. Weapons and fists crashed down, aiming to flatten her where she stood.
Hinata moved on instinct.
She leaped, landing atop the studded metal club of one of the beasts, barely avoiding the impact that splattered into the wet ground beneath her. Without hesitation, she sprinted up its arm, chakra flowing to her feet to keep her balanced.
No time to think, but no time to hesitate.
Reaching the ogre’s back, she took a deep breath, gathering chakra to every tenketsu in her body.
Her arms spread wide.
She spun.
A violent whirlwind of chakra erupted around her, expanding outward, shredding everything in its path.
“Rotation!”
The ogre beneath her collapsed. A quarter of its massive body was simply gone, torn to fleshy ribbons that lay scattered across the battlefield.
Hinata landed, chest rising and falling rapidly as she surveyed the damage. She’d done it. One down, three enemies remained.
"Holy fuck," Tayuya muttered, visibly shaken.
But she recovered fast, raising her flute once more. The remaining summons stirred, their eyes locking onto Hinata.
Then, another note.
They charged.
Hinata barely had time to move before a massive hand snatched her out of the air, closing around her leg.
Her eyes widened.
"That won't work twice!" Tayuya snarled, playing another sharp note on her flute. The grip on Hinata’s leg tightened, crushing down with bone-snapping force.
But the Hyuga girl didn’t struggle, once she calmed slightly. She simply held her opponent’s gaze, eyes calm and unyielding, as her hands flickered through a quick set of seals.
Then, she was gone.
Instead of the kunoichi, the Ogre's massive hand was now squeezing the dead one's metal club.
“Substution,” Tayuya spat, her head snapping around. But Hinata had already vanished, body flickering away the moment the switch was made.
She couldn't see her anywhere.
Gritting her teeth, Tayuya played another note. The remaining two Doki rumbled to life, their hulking forms tearing through the forest, snapping trees in half as they searched.
But the hunt didn’t last long.
Hinata’s voice rang out from above.
"Summoning!"
A burst of chakra, a cloud of smoke, and she was gone again.
Tayuya’s eyes widened as she looked up. High above, Hinata now sat atop the back of a massive owl, its wings spread wide as it hovered in the air. A second identical owl flanked its side, both enormous, their forms easily twice the size of a horse, if not even bigger.
Hinata gave her summons a small nod of thanks. “I appreciate your help.”
“It is nothing, Hinata-hime,” the owl beside her answered solemnly. “We Fukuro Brothers serve the Hyuga Clan, no matter what.”
Tayuya’s face twisted in irritation. She was losing her patience. With a low growl, she let the Cursed Seal take hold, black markings crawling across her body as her skin darkened. Her horns lengthened, and the whites of her eyes turned an unnatural black.
Then she played a new note.
Hinata tensed.
Below them, the remaining ogres threw their heads back, their mouths gaping open wide. And from within, something emerged.
A twisting, many-mouthed abomination slithered free, its grotesque form writhing as it crawled from the depths of the summoned Ogre's.
Hinata fought back a shudder.
“Rise,” she commanded, and the owl beneath her obeyed, carrying her higher into the sky.
The second owl cocked its head, calculating. “I believe I can handle one of those creatures if you order it.”
Hinata hesitated only a moment before nodding. “Then go, but if the danger is too great, return to your realm immediately.”
The Fukuro Brother gave a soft hoot in response before diving downward. Talons outstretched, it raked across one of the Doki’s faces, forcing its jaws shut before it could release another of those things.
But the second Doki had already released its own creature, and the monstrosity was coming.
It slithered through the air with terrifying speed, rising toward them like a predator sensing blood.
“They seem to be made of spiritual energy,” the owl carrying Hinata observed, its own Byakugan active. “Physical attacks will not harm them. We must neutralize either the ogre or its summoner herself.”
Hinata took a deep breath. That wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear.
But she nodded. “Then bring me to the summoner. She has relied solely on her summons so far. She’s nothing I can’t handle.”
The owl glanced at her, something amused in its sharp, byakugan eyes at the newfound confidence in her voice. But it obeyed without question, shifting into a sharp dive toward Tayuya.
The Oto kunoichi was ready.
Hinata barely had time to react before the spirit beast twisted in midair, its many mouths snapping toward them.
“Distract it,” she ordered quickly.
Her summon gave a quick nod before peeling away, drawing the monstrous worm after it, leading it away from Hinata and toward the battlefield of his brother and the ogre.
That left only her and Tayuya.
“You’re a tricky little brat,” Tayuya sneered between notes, watching Hinata’s rapid descent.
Hinata met her gaze coolly. "You can't play your flute if your hands are occupied."
Tayuya smirked. “And I know your techniques now. Your summons won’t last long. I just have to dodge you in the meantime.”
Hinata didn’t respond. Instead, she lowered herself into the Gentle Fist stance.
Then, she attacked.
She moved swiftly, striking at Tayuya’s tenketsu with relentless precision. But the Oto kunoichi was fast. She dodged backward, weaving around each blow, her movements fluid and calculated.
“See?” Tayuya taunted, an arrogant grin splitting her face. “You can’t even touch me!”
Still, Hinata didn’t waver. Didn’t slow down. She kept pressing forward, forcing Tayuya to give ground, to retreat further and further..
Until her back hit a tree.
Tayuya’s cocky grin faltered.
Hinata allowed herself the faintest smirk.
“Like this is gonna stop me,” Tayuya scoffed.
But Hinata wasn’t finished. She took a slow, deliberate step back, her Byakugan piercing straight through her opponent.
“You’re too far away to hit me,” Tayuya said smugly, eyeing the ten feet of space between them.
Hinata’s gaze didn’t waver.
"That’s fine."
Then—she struck.
Her palm thrust forward, sending a concentrated blast of chakra hurtling through the air.
By the time Tayuya realized what was happening, it was too late.
The impact slammed into her chest with devastating force. Her heart stopped in an instant.
She collapsed, lifeless.
Hinata barely had the energy to exhale.
“Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm,” she murmured before her legs finally gave out, her body slumping against the nearest tree.
Her vision blurred. Her chakra reserves were nearly gone. Her Byakugan deactivated.
But she’d won.
And that was enough.