Dosu / Naruto's POV (South Bandit Camp Exit - Land of Fire)
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Dosu's POV
"A true shinobi does not accept failure." Dosu countered confidently. "We have no choice but to pursue our mission until success or death. Meaning your death is our only valid result."
Despite his confident words, Dosu felt certain their death approached. This man was no mere Genin, to form so many clones and to fight outnumbered as he was, for as long as he was. Suggested he was well and truly above them.
Had this been their leader's plan? To test their mettle with a battle they could not hope to win? For what purpose? Surely he had known they would fai- A memory rang through his mind. The image of the last group who had dared disappoint Orochimaru. Their deaths had been drawn out and tortuous. Dosu would rather face this powerful blonde than be a lab rat.
"Then I'm sorry for this." As Naruto said this, the clones charged wildly. Some even filled the air as they leapt toward them. The clones seemingly intend to crush the three with mere weight. He then raised a hand sign as he called. "Shadow Clones: Walking Landfield Jutsu!"
The three all tensed as the clones seemed to swell for a second. Dosu wracked his brain for survival options. "Zaku! FULL POWER AT THE GROUND! KIN CHANNEL CHAKRA INTO HIM WITH ME! I'LL LEAD!" He called him, and Kin dived behind Zaku as he prepared for an attack. Dosu and Kin weaved hand signs in sync.
"COLLABORATION TECHNIQUE: SONIC BOOM!" At the call of the three, a dome of power expelled from their voices managed to blow back the explosion. Zaku collapses on the ground, using all his chakras for the attack. Kin and Dosu, though both still game, flinched as a single Naruto flew toward them.
"Sensei told me never to count on something to end the fight." Naruto lectured as he pulled his blade. "Overkill always works. Uzumaki Style: Slash of the Riptide!" As he said this, he did a horizontal slash. A broad line of powerful chakra cut through the field at waist level. Zaku, having collapsed already, was safe. Dosu jumped up, attempting to push Kin down but missing in his haste. Kin herself was too slow; the line seemed to slide through with no trouble. As Dosu was landed, the line returned in reverse. Dosu watched as it went through his left foot. The same foot he had intended to hit the ground with. There was silence as Dosu and Kin seemed frozen for an instant before Kin fell into two pieces, and Dosu collapsed with a howl, now down to a single foot.
Dosu's mind was nothing short of pandemonium. He assumed he was going into shock, not surprising considering his own foot had been removed. That technique would've been used by a Jounin, to think their target could produce it. Desperately Dosu wished to flee or attempt to attack. But as he locked his eyes on Naruto Uzumaki, a revelation hit him. He was beyond them… and now they would pay for the difference.
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Naruto's POV
"I warned you, ya know? I never want-" Naruto stopped with a growl. "No, you were here to hurt my friends. This is what you deserve! You could've just walked away, but you valued your pride too much!"
"If you spare us, I'll kill you one day," Zaku said darkly. "I'll wait till you're sleeping, and I'll kill you. If I can't get to you? I'll kill your family! HAHAHA!" He laughed maniacally.
"Do not punish me for his sins," Dosu reasoned, having regained sense and sitting up roughly to match eyes with the blonde.. "He cracked. Never been defeated like this before… You've proved your point. There's no need to slaughter us just due to one fool."
But Naruto tensed further and further as Zaku laughed. Naruto slowly raised his tanto as if to finish off the manic man. But as he debated what to do, his vision went black. It was as if he'd fallen asleep. With a jolt of pain throughout his body, Naruto remembered the situation. His eyes opened, and he saw he was now ten feet away, buried in a giant tree. What the hell had hit him?'
"I bet you're wondering what hit you." A voice called. Naruto rose and glared at his new foe. "Don't worry, boss says I can't kill you, so kiddy gloves." The man explained. He was a tall man covered mainly by a black robe with red clouds. He was partially covered in bandages, but his face remained uncovered. His face was painted, with red warpaint across his jaw. They were evenly spaced out red lines. The man also had a large "x" scar on his right cheek. He smiled savagely at Naruto.
"GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY!" Naruto growled furiously.
"Can't. I was told to kidnap you. I think I'll take a leg for the back talk, though. For the record, my name is Juzo Biwa." He then hefted a large broadsword shaped like a butcher's knife. If butcher knives were human-sized. It had two holes near the top. One was a full circle in the center of the blade; the other one was a semi-circle on the edge. He then quickly and mercilessly slammed the blade tip down on Zaku. The downed man was defenseless as the blade decapitated him. "Related to that snake, huh? Guess once I'm done with the kidnapping, I'll kill you too. Don't blame me; blame your master for being my enemy."
Naruto growled for a second before smirking. As soon as the blonde's lip curled, the trees around the men seemed to rain kunai and shuriken. So much so that the sky was blocked out. The bastard wasted time talking, Naruto still had an army of clones within the forest.
Naruto flinched however, as Juzo smiled up at the litany of metal death coming for him. He drew his blade up and winked at Naruto. As soon as one of the kunai came close to the man, it seemed to bounce off nothing. Then, as more came in, Naruto could see what was happening. Somehow, even with this ginormous sword, he swung it so fast that not even a single kunai came close to the man. 'This guy is insane!' Naruto tensed as realization hit him. 'My friends may need me! I WON'T BE STOPPED!'
Naruto panted harsher than usual as Juzo deflected the last of the blades and remaining clones. The man smiled at the blonde as he charged. Naruto was unable to use any jutsu as Juzo closed the distance in an instant. Naruto barely managed to raise his blade in time. But even then, it felt like the man was swinging a tree. Naruto went flying, his path being barred by a tree. Naruto smacked through the tree with ease, the power carrying him right through it and leaving him bruised and cut up.
As he coughed up blood, it was clear to the blonde some of his ribs were broken. And using the shadow clone jutsu as much as he had exhausted his chakra. Even now, he had a plan. He knew just by the size of the blade the man was strong and merciless, but Kushina had taught him a technique perfect for this. The one that had defeated Neji. The one that stored chakra into his tanto throughout his days. Now, he would unleash what he had stored. It didn't matter how muscular this brute was; this would end it! Days of his time had been spent preparing this move. The power would be more than Naruto had ever managed before. So even as he shakily stood, he held the tanto over his head. As Naruto had figured, the man quickly appeared keen on delivering more punishment. When he saw the blonde's counter-attack, he merely smiled as he jumped up and prepared to slam his blade down with force. Despite being quick enough to bypass or dodge his attack, Jugo seemed intent on smashing through it.
"Uzumaki Style: Raging Wave!" Naruto screamed as he slashed his blade towards the strange man. A blue wave of chakra flew from the blade cutting through the ground as shot toward his new opponent. Juzo merely smiled as he met the jutsu with a mere blade slash. As the two attacks collided. They paused momentarily before the blade slashed through the chakra and scored a minor cut on Naruto himself. He flew back exhausted and defeated.
"Not too bad at all, kid. I've seen plenty of shinobi who wield a blade, few that could've managed an attack like that. Should've used your tenant, though. Ah well, I'mma cut off your-" Juzo stopped mid-speech for an instant, ducking below a flying kick from Ino. He then sidestepped a palm thrust by Neji and unleashed a kick to his ribs that sent the Hyuga sailing back towards the blonde dazed.
"Petal Storm: Explosive Beauty!" Ino called flower petals surrounded Juzo. He cackled as he twirled his sword absurdly quickly with one hand blowing away the petals.
"Your name makes it obvious, newbie," Juzo replied gruffly before appearing in front of her and swinging his giant blade horizontally. Neji appeared between the two, kicking Ino back and spinning.
"KAITEN!" Juzo merely continued his attack with a cackle as he simply backed out of range of the Kaiten before swinging his sword into it. The blade cut through Neji's Kaiten quickly. Neji seemingly collapsed to his knees, the kaiten having been a desperate attempt.
"Eh, not too shabby either," Juzo said simply before slamming the blade's dull side into the Hyuga, sending him skidding across the ground into the base of a tree. He did not move. "Honestly, many of you probably would be strong enough one day to face me, but not today." He kicked Ino roughly into a tree, cracking its bark. Ino landed on one leg and fired off a kunai. Juzo merely dodged this as Ino screamed. The landing seemed to injure her ankle. Ino tried to get up again, but her ankle seemed broken, and she had nothing left.
"Sheesh, that must hurt. Well, I don't like killing young women unless necessary. So I'm gonna maim and then take your friend." Juzo stated simply. Walking towards the still unmoving but conscious Naruto. "Though to be clear, we can't have our names known. Everyone but Runt here has to die. But first, let's make sure you can't run!" Juzo yelled as he swung down to cut off Naruto's legs.
"NARUTO PLEASE! GET UP!" Ino screamed desperately.
Naruto heard her. He stirred, but he was tired. Outmatched, it wouldn't matter…
"Son, you gotta get up. Every morning, especially when it's hard! We, Uzumaki, don't quit! So we always get up, ya know?"
His mother, he could hear her. She had been supporting him from day one. The only family he had, if he died he knew it would destroy her…
"Listen, Naruto, chakra control is boring, but we gotta do it. So you gotta get up." Kakashi sensei, his new teacher, had spent a good amount of time training with him. While aloof, Naruto quickly began to like the guy. It would suck to disappoint him…
Iruka, his first sensei and someone he considered a brother, Naruto could even hear him. "If you wanna be Hokage you gotta work hard Naruto… you gotta persevere even when it seems hopeless… let's get up aye?"
"Naruto. You will get up." The last voice he didn't know yet, but he could hear it. Naruto felt determination and anger swell within him. He wasn't strong enough, but he could not quit. It was time, he supposed—time to live as he was, time to use the burden he held. He wouldn't fail his friends or himself. Maybe it was time…
'Nine Tails, our deal.' He thought angrily. Years ago he had met with his curse. The two predictably had no love for each other. But now the beast had the ability to empower him. To save his friends…