Eroninja

Naruto watched as sections of the village burned, but his attention was focused on the massive tree jutting out through the roof of the Hokage Mansion. It also by chance happened to be where most of the chaos engulfing the village happened to be originating from. Not that Naruto was completely mindful of it as he was also feeling a great deal of concern for Tsunade. He was blaming himself for not saving her, but he wasn’t the only one as he heard behind him.

“This is all my fault. If not for me, then Tsunade wouldn’t be in danger right now.”

Despite having been echoing the sentiment in his head except directed at himself, Naruto turned towards the sitting Shiho and gave her a reassuring smile said, “This isn’t on you.”

She looked up from her lap and he could see the tears running down her cheeks which originated from behind her thick glasses, “But if you hadn’t needed to rescue me from Yur…”

As she spoke Naruto crouched before her placing a reassuring hand on her knee as due to the number of people around he was mindful of making a more overt gesture. He cut off her complaint stating, “Shiho, don’t blame yourself. The person behind this is to blame, and no one but her. Tsunade is the Hokage, and could take care of herself in most situations. She would have been annoyed if I had abandoned you in favor of aiding her.”

Shiho did smile softly, but it faded as she said in a soft whisper, “But I shouldn’t need you to rescue me either.”

Naruto wasn’t sure what to say that would help so stated, “We might all need rescuing before the night is out. Don’t forget Yurika took a Rasengan to the chest and was healed moments later. I might have underpowered it, but she shouldn’t have been able to bounce back so quickly. Something must have been done to her.”

Shiho nodded recalling how her friend Yurika had suddenly attacked those of the Cryptanalysis Team. She had perhaps been one of the more accomplished kunoichi of the group having actually been on several A-ranked missions unlike most of them, like her, who had taken desk jobs after making Chunin. Yet still, Shiho found it hard to believe how easily she had decimated her fellow Cryptanalysis members, until Naruto had appeared sensing the danger she had been in. Even Naruto had struggled as Yurika had seemed to shrug off most of the taijutsu blows that he had landed. He had finally resorted to using an underpowered rasengan when she had caught him by the throat which had forced her to let go and sent her flying. She had smashed into and over a desk, but even as Naruto had been rubbing his throat, Yurika had leapt over it with her shirt ripped to shreds and the swirl patterned wound already closing up. Naruto had then opted to teleport both Shiho and himself away rather than continue to struggle against the strangely resilient woman. Furthermore, he hadn’t wanted to have to resort to using more powerful jutsu until he knew what the situation was as it also appeared the entire Aburame Clan was turning against Konoha as well.

A fact highlighted as a Chunin named Sukima, who had been among the test participants when Naruto had taken his Chunin exam, and was one of the Shinobi gathered at the temporary staging area stated to a group of like-minded Shinobi, “I always knew there was something off about the Aburame, but to think they would all turn traitor like the Uchiha.”

Unfortunately Kiba heard the comment and rounded on the man stating, “What did you say you mother-fucker?”

Naruto quickly moved to block Kiba’s path saying, “Let it go, Kiba.”

“Fuck that,” Kiba said angrily, “I’m not going to let some asshole spread that kind of hateful shit about a teammate of mine. You were there…the Aburame are being controlled somehow.”

Naruto nodded as he, Kiba, and Komachi had been in the Aburame district which although not one of the most populated by regular citizens as people did tend to give the clan a wide berth. It was partially due to the district appearing to be one of the least developed, but was mainly to provide a good breeding ground for insects. Naturally, as the creatures that most people considered pests were almost revered by the Clan most people stayed away. As a result, the Aburame were one of the more isolated clans which as with the Uchiha did lead some people to question what they were up too.

But, despite the lack of foot traffic in the Aburame district, it had appeared almost eerily empty as they had walked through it. At least until Naruto had felt a sense of alarm from Tsunade, but before he could investigate members of the clan had begun to appear from their homes at the same time like they were being called somewhere. Those members closet to them had attacked without warning, while the rest moved into the village. They had retreated rather than fight, but Naruto had left calling for help to Kiba and Komachi as he had sensed Shiho’s predicament so had gone to rescue her. A choice he would have made again even though he was worried about Tsunade. He didn’t regret not leaving to help as soon as he had felt her distress as he knew she would view it as an insult of her abilities. Not to mention, he was confident in those abilities himself. But, he would admit that although he was calmed by the fact that he could still sense her, and thus knew that she was alive. He was terrified at the idea that the next time he saw her; he might have to face her like he had Yurika. Not to mention, it didn’t take someone with Shikamaru’s intellect to recognize the possibility that whatever had attacked Kurenai may have attacked the other women helping the Aburame secure the Hokage district.

As such, despite the sick feeling in his stomach that he had helped one lover, while letting his confidence in another be a possible cause in her capture, he knew at the moment they needed to focus on their duty. A fact he reminded Kiba of stating, “Right now isn’t the time for debating the issue. Our first priority is getting the civilians to the shelters. Then we can focus on retaking the Hokage district and getting to the bottom of what is going on.” Naruto turned to Sukima putting him on notice as well as he said, “Now isn’t the time for idle speculation either. Unless, you are accusing the non-clan women having been spotted among the Aburame’s ranks of being traitors too.”

Sukima paused for a moment, but not liking being talked down to by a genin, even one as accomplished as Naruto, countered, “Maybe they bred some insects that are allowing them to control those women. But the fact that the entire clan has turned against us is all the proof I…”

“Your stupidity is all the proof I need that you should remain silent,” Kakashi cut in harshly turning from the banks of radios that were feeding him reports about the civilian evacuations process. “Let me just take a moment to remind you that you are addressing a person that knows first-hand how people’s false perceptions can impact how people justifying discriminating against other individuals of the village. Not to mention, that doesn’t explain the tree that just sprouted out of the Hokage mansion. There are a ton of questions that we need answers to, but we don’t need useless theories being spouted by a chunin with an axe to grind against the Aburame. Lest we all forget how it was Shino Aburame that bested you to earn his Chunin title during your second run-through of the exam. Right now I’m operating under the impression that all those arrayed against us are victims and being controlled somehow. I suggest until such a time that you have evidence to back up your thoughts on the matter; you spend the time before our counterattack in quiet contemplation. Is that clear?”

“Yes sir,” Sukima said with the proper amount of decorum although Kakashi doubted it would be the last time the Chunin would present his theories to others. But perhaps would do so quieter in the future and away from less receptive ears.

However, his attention was pulled away as Gai’s distinctive voice said, “Kakashi.”

Picking up the mike to broadcast to his fellow Jounin he said, “I read you.”

“My team’s reconnaissance of the Hokage district is complete,” Gai reported. “We’ve located Lady Tsunade, she is currently unconscious and being held captive towards the top of the tree that appeared. There is also a nude woman sitting before her.”

“Can you see this personally, or is that what Neji is reporting?” Kakashi asked.

“Neji,” Gai answered.

“Put him on.”

“Neji here.”

“Tell me more about the tree,” Kakashi requested, “You say Lady Tsunade is a part of it. Is it draining her chakra?”

“Yes,” Neji replied, “Although truthfully it seems to simply be keeping it from being recouped. I believe the Aburame Clan was responsible for her initial defeat. Some of the civilians we have run across claim members of the Aburame had surrounded the building moments after Shibi and Shino entered. They then attacked in mass sending their insects into it.”

Gai came on the line a moment later stating, “Kakashi, speaking of civilians we have come across a large pocket of them that took refuge in a building near the Hokage mansion. We are unable to extract them, but…”

“Sir,” a voice shouted behind Kakashi, “It looks like they are mounting another assault on our position.”

Kakashi looked out the window of the Jounin station that was serving as the command center. He saw a large mass of insects flying towards them as if aiming for the window. But before they could smash into it, the barrier surrounding the building being generated by the ANBU crackled to life as they hit it. The result was like a bug zapper that was positioned before a swarm of insects. He noticed the barrier begin to weaken, but before it did the remaining insects retreated. Kakashi looked down towards the ground from his second floor vantage point as he watched the ANBU that had been powering the jutsu switch out with relatively fresh members. Still he knew it was only a matter of time before the jutsu would fail.

“Kakashi is everything alright?” Gai asked concerned as the silence lingered.

“For the moment,” the Jounin replied calmly, “You were stating something about a group of civilians.”

“Yes,” Gai said before explaining, “They are in a building that the Aburame feel is too close to the perimeter they have established around the Hokage mansion. They will not let us rescue them, but for the moment they seem to be leaving them alone. But, I can’t believe that will be the case should they begin moving out. Lee managed to get in close and plant a Hiraishin kunai.”

“Say no more,” Kakashi said turning towards Naruto and nodded. The Blond disappeared in a red flash before he could turn back to report that he was on his way. As he turned to tell Gai as much he noticed that Shikamaru who had assumed his thinking position of kneeling with his hands held in an oval had opened his eyes to stare out the window. Temari was also watching out it in interest. He wondered what they were searching for, but knew they would tell him when confident in what hypothesis they were formulating. “Gai, Naruto should already be there. Pull back to our position so we can go over your intel.”

“Roger Kakashi,” his rival stated.

Before the radio shut down though Neji’s voice came through as he added with a sense of urgency, “There is something else about the tree that I find odd, Kakashi.”

“Go on.”

“The tree might be draining Tsunade’s chakra, but it is taking in a large amount from the surrounding area. Plants in the district are dying. I suspect it is doing so to feed the buds that are growing from the branches. There is also a massive one forming at the top of the tree. I believe that those buds are what the Aburame are protecting. I don’t think we want to let them mature.”

“I understand, pull back for now. We’ll formulate a plan of attack based on the information you have gathered.”

The line clicked signaling Gai’s team signed off. Despite feeling like letting loose a string of curses at there now being a time element to the situation he kept his composer. It proved harder for Kakashi as Temari stated, “The Aburame are targeting Naruto as well.”

Before he could ask why she suspected as much, Shikamaru stood stating, “I agree.”

He didn’t need to prompt them as Temari explained, “The assaults on this command post only happen when Naruto is here. He’s been called away several times to help extract trapped civilians or shinobi caught behind the Aburame perimeter. Whenever he moves the swarm of insects move to his location. Thus far, he’s pulled off those extractions in relatively short order preventing them from reaching him. But it’s likely he’s been marked by a female beetle.”

“Okay, but the question is why single him out?”

“I believe it is because this attack is a personal one in nature. It is being directed at Lady Tsunade,” Shikamaru stated. He elaborated as he added, “Taking out the Hokage first was a wise move, but it now seems more like it was so she could bear witness to what is to come.” He directed a concerned look towards his deceased sensei’s wife before stating, “The attack on Kurenai-sensei might be connected to the women that we suspect are now being controlled. The culprit is likely that woman near Tsunade, so the question is why simply put her on display? Why not establish similar controls over her?”

“How do you know that she hasn’t?” Kakashi asked concerned the village leader had endured a violation similar to the one that Kurenai had barely avoided. Not to mention how his student would react should his lover have been violated in such a way.

He breathed a bit easier as Temari stated, “If she had, then they wouldn’t be continuing to drain her chakra. I believe, and think Shikamaru will concur that this woman wants Tsunade cognizant of what is happening. The Aburame and other women seem more like drones then active participants. Otherwise, they might be more active in their attempts to get their hands on Naruto. Currently they are merely reacting to what the Female on him is telling them. But if they were more aware they might be more proactive and try to trap him using the civilians he is rescuing and transporting to the shelter. The one attack there was at the same time Naruto was present. Luckily, Kushina was present and erected a barrier using her chakra chains as the ANBU had been unprepared. Despite her chains being a poor barrier as the insects began to feed on them. Rather than continue the attack they pulled back as Naruto went to summon reinforcements.”

“Okay, then how do we go about using that?” Kakashi asked trusting the two to come up with a plan.

“It would help if we could learn more about this woman calling the shots,” Temari stated.

A red flash appeared revealing Naruto along with Yuugao and to Kakashi’s surprise Fuka. Having left the woman’s involvement in the incident in Vegetable out of his report, he doubted those outside Naruto’s group of lovers would have any knowledge of her. But he was surprised that Yuugao would be with the woman considering her involvement with his student and the reaction she had in the aftermath of learning he had been targeted. Addressing the ANBU with a light tone in order to deflate some of the tension he had been feeling he asked, “And just where have you been?”

“Hopefully getting answers to the mess we find ourselves in,” the ANBU captain replied. Aware that she needed to explain Fuka’s presence she said, “This woman is a consultant I was relying on to help with my investigation into the string of murders. We believe she is also the one behind this attack.” Turning to her lover she said, “Naruto, I left a kunai behind. There you’ll find a woman that is being controlled as you explained some of the others encountered have been. She should be bound, but be careful and bring her back here so our medics can see what has been done to her.”

“Right,” Naruto said disappearing in a red flash. A moment later he reappeared holding the bound ANBU Bat that was struggling against her bonds. He hurried off to bring her to Sakura and Shizune that were on the first floor as they established a make shift medical area as the Hospital was in the Hokage district and had been a place where heavy fighting had taken place to evacuate the citizens to the shelters.

Kakashi watched his student leave before asking, “Alright, fill me in.”

Yuugao nodded stating, “I’m under the impression the woman behind this is Furofuki. She was a researcher in medical techniques centering on flowers called the Jofuku. She also had involvement in a project during the last war where Konoha tried to create an artificial and non-toxic version of the Hero’s Water of Waterfall Village. Tsunade suspected that Furofuki may have had a hand in the disappearance of the lone success that was created from that Project.”

Kakashi nodded aware that Rin had also been used as a scapegoat for its disappearance so that he and Minato would cover it up. He felt his blood begin to boil as he thought about the years of torment that his teammate had been put through because their caring for her reputation had been manipulated. “If I’m not mistaken though she was killed when she accidentally activated spores that spawned Zetsu clones as she analyzed a corpse liberated from the Akatsuki Hideout in the Mountain Graveyard.”

“Or we were led to believe so,” Yuugao said cautiously as they were venturing into dangerous territory. The knowledge that the White Zetsu could also take on the appearances of people wasn’t known outside of members of the Family and its allies at present. Mainly as that knowledge had come from learning the truth about Rin’s fate, but also because they didn’t want that knowledge to reach Tobi. Kakashi was confident that it was a feature of the Zetsu that would come into play at some point so in the meantime they were planning ways to counteract it. Yuugao’s thoughts ran counter to where his were heading as she stated, “But, it wouldn’t be difficult for a medical-nin like Furofuki to get her hands on a corpse and insure it could only be identified by DNA testing. Which if she is behind this attack, would imply that she has extensive knowledge in genetics as I believe that her own has been modified.”

“What makes you think that?”

Fuka to perhaps lend credence to her helping Yuugao as an advisor said, “Captain Uzuki as she investigated the incident that she suspects was staged to throw us off the trail discovered a cave that housed oversized Jofuku flowers. Naturally considering the dangerous properties of the normal flowers she opted to seal the cave off. That was what we were investigating when the attack here began. The male members of the squad were killed in a similar manner as the serial murders here, while we can only assume the female member was assaulted and turned somehow.”

“I would say we are past assuming,” Shizune said entering the conversation. “Bat was definitely attacked in the same manner as Kurenai. I found trace amounts of the substance that those tentacles which Naruto severed had tried to pump her full of.”

“Can you tell us how she is being controlled?” Kakashi asked, “Is there a way to break it?”

“I cannot be certain at the moment,” Shizune stated, “I suspect that there was a second stage to the attack that resulted in establishing her control over her victims. I suspect that another substance was injected into her womb during the assault that entered her blood stream through either the uterine or ovarian artery. There it was distributed throughout her body likely reaching the brain at some point. The first stage of the attack is likely in order to get her ready and receptive for the second so that the substance is carried through the body quicker. A quick chakra scan has shown unusual activity in her brain not unlike those under the sway of the Yamanaka clan.”

“Is there a way to terminate it?” Kakashi asked.

“I’m not sure. Sakura is currently performing a more in-depth scan similar to an MRI, but it will take time without an actual machine.”

Naruto, who had come back up with Shizune suggested, “I left several Kunai in the hospital that I can teleport a team to so we can scan her. With it being abandoned now I doubt any Aburame or other victims might be there.”

“No,” Temari said quickly, “We believe you may be a target of this attack as well. It’s important that you do not teleport to any locations that might lead the Aburame to attack you away from here.”

Kakashi noticed his student look confused before it dawned on him that Temari was warning him not to teleport to locations that his Family might not want uncovered, such as the Den, or his connection to Kiyomi’s mansion. He then reacted as expected upon realizing that there was a female beetle likely crawling over him. By that he quickly began stripping out of his clothes. Kakashi noticed a few of the females present, even those not attached to his student begin to perk up as Naruto seemed to forget he wasn’t alone in his effort to divest himself of the female Kikaichu beetle.

He stopped though as Shikamaru said, “Naruto, don’t try to remove it. It may come in handy to pull Aburame away from the Hokage.”

Naruto frowned obviously not liking the idea, but nodded so began pulling his clothes back on. Kurenai spoke up asking, “What I don’t understand is if the entire point was to capture Tsunade. Why target Naruto as well?”

Kakashi noticed that Naruto’s lovers were concerned the topic was too close to one that they felt could bring their connections to the blond man to light. He felt a note of concern as he noticed that Shikamaru also quickly seemed to scan the room. To his surprise the Nara didn’t seem to need the shared concern to focus on women tied to Naruto. Kakashi’s concern abated as the Nara postulated, “I believe it is because of Naruto’s role in bringing Tsunade back to the village. By putting Lady Tsunade in a position to look out on the village as she tries to destroy it, Furofuki likely wants to break the Hokage’s will. As the one many feel is primarily responsible for bringing her back, Furofuki is likely hoping to return her to the state she had been in before. Killing or enslaving Naruto is likely a step to doing just that.”

“Okay,” Kurenai said finding little fault in her deceased husband’s prize pupil’s logic. But she added, “But how can we be sure it is Furofuki? Chances are it might be an experiment that Orochimaru left behind or one of her own run amok.”

Shikamaru shook his head explaining, “I don’t think so. This has all the hallmarks of a plan that has been worked on for years, if not longer. The one question I have is why does it seem that although she can control women from outside the Aburame clan, her ability affects members of both sexes in it?”

Shizune’s eyes grew wide as she realized, “She’s using the kikaichū and other insects they store in their bodies the same way she is using the substance that she injected into Bat’s body.”

“That makes sense,” Temari said calling on research she had helped Kankuro with after his defeat by Shino. “If I’m not mistaken the Aburame clan’s insects have short life cycles. They breed at an amazing rate to help grow stronger and stronger colonies. There were rumors in Suna this even gave them the ability to grow immune to certain jutsu effects.”

“That’s true,” Shizune confirmed, “The insects also aren’t particular to one host. This is to help spread these genetic benefits to other colonies as well. It’s likely that she has taken advantage of this, and targeted members of the clan to introduce or subdue the insects inside them. The compromised insects then passed their traits onto the others in the hive.”

“We can confirm that Shino Aburame was approached by a woman we believe was a disguised Furofuki,” Komachi stated, “Naruto, Kiba, and myself were in the process of looking for him when the Aburame began to attack the village and Hokage. I do find it difficult to believe though that she would have approached him if the insects had already been thoroughly spread throughout the clan.”

“Then he may be patient zero,” Shizune stated feeling her hopes being buoyed as she hadn’t mentioned it, but if all the insects were tainted, and none remained that could replace them. Members of the Aburame clan would die if they were all removed. With that thought in mind she stated, “It is imperative that we get our hands on an Aburame, preferably Shino as he might be the most corrupted. Furthermore, we should dedicate efforts to reclaiming the Aburame Hive grounds.”

“Why,” Naruto asked picking up on Shizune’s concern.

“Because,” Shikamaru stated, “If Shino is the first host to spread these tainted beetles then it is likely that the other Aburame might only be controlled by smaller amounts of the insects. It’s also likely these tainted beetles and insects are breeding into the hives located inside them to spread the imperative to follow Furofuki’s commands. That’s why outside of defending the Hokage district and their own they haven’t gone too much on the offensive. They are bidding their time to give the tainted beetles more time to spread. And to bid time for those buds on the tree to fully mature.”

Kakashi sighed as he said, “It might only be a theory at this point, but if you are correct that means we can’t waste any more time. We’ll have to stage a three pronged operation. We have to continue to provide cover for the evacuating civilians, as well as stage an assault on both the Hokage mansion and Aburame District. All this is being made harder by the fact that I don’t want another massacre on our hands here. We’ll have to pull our punches, but they will not be operating under the same restraints.”

“Then luckily for us we have a secret weapon,” Naruto said.

“Which is,” Shikamaru said with a note of disbelief. “Naruto, most of us have perhaps spared with an Aburame for training. But this is going to be a large scale operation where the Aburame have free reign to use all their jutsu, and as a cohesive unit that has fought together many times in the past. The truth is they might have fewer numbers, but the edge they have in teamwork trumps us.”

Naruto nodded as he said, “True, but we have something Furofuki hasn’t planned on. A kunoichi that has fought against the Aburame Clan in the past many times, she has seen their tactics from before they joined Konoha. Isn’t that right, Toka?”

Toka seemed pleased as her lover beat her to the punch of pointing out her unique knowledge in having faced the Aburame as enemies. It reinforced for her the belief that she had made a great decision in letting the Uzumaki into her heart. “I know technically I’m still a genin, but I can come up with strategies that we used when combating the Aburame.”

“Believe me,” Kakashi said smirking beneath his mask at his unpredictable student, “I think we’ve all learned not to underestimate what genin are capable of, so let’s get to it.”

****

Tsunade woke to the sounds of moaning, and although that wasn’t an unusual way to regain consciousness in her life anymore. Finding herself suspend almost like in a rack was a new experience to her. She recalled the events that had led her to her current predicament and as such awoke to find herself staring at Yurika’s face as she moaned while riding a nude Furofuki. The woman behind that attack on her was facing away as she let out pleasure filled grunts.

Seeing one of her kunoichi being raped in front of her Tsunade said angrily, “Let her go you bitch.”

She imagined a pleased but cruel smirk on the woman’s face which resembled her own as Furofuki stated, “Ah, you’ve finally rejoined us. Don’t mind me Tsunade; I’m just disciplining this cunt for letting Naruto get away. You should spend this time taking in your last views of the village as soon it’ll be nothing but a corpse covered wasteland.”

“I swear Furofuki when I get free you are going to wish you never were born,” Tsunade growled.

“No Tsunade,” Furofuki said as she began to reach up to play with Yurika’s tits through her shredded shirt, “I would never wish that. You’re the one that I wish was never cut from your mother’s womb. Soon it is a sentiment I think the village will share.”

“Why,” Tsunade replied confused as although they had been rivals in the past. She couldn’t imagine what she had done to earn Furofuki’s hatred to such a degree.

The Yurika moaned as vine-like tentacles appeared from between Furofuki’s legs. They lifted the woman off of her lap and into the air while several more began to enter her anus, vagina, and mouth. Furofuki stood from her wooden throne to face Tsunade, who stared in shock at the large penis jutting out from between her legs. It glistened from having just been nestled deep inside the Cryptanalysis kunoichi staring sadly at the woman now being assaulted by the tentacles that originated from between Furofuki’s legs she asked desperately, “Please stop this madness. Whatever your issue is, it is with me. Leave the village and its people out of it.”

She scowled as Furofuki said mockingly, “Such concern, such bravery. It’s no wonder that the village loves you so. Sadly, you’re the one that involved the village by coming back to it. If you had simply remained the sad pathetic wretch you had been when you left none of this would be necessary.”

“Why!?” Tsunade shouted angrily, “What has it or Yurika done to you to deserve this?”

Furofuki looked confused for a moment before a look of enlightenment appeared on her face. Looking back at the woman being pleasured by the tentacles she said, “Is that her name? Honestly, I had no idea, she simply was in the wrong place at the wrong time when I grabbed her.” Furofuki shivered as a wave of pleasure coursed through her and Tsunade noticed the vines connected to Yurika began pumping her full of a clear fluid. The one in the woman’s mouth pulled free and to Tsunade’s surprise the kunoichi’s tongue tried to follow it to coax out more.

Then to Tsunade’s shock Furofuki tossed Yurika away like she was nothing. “No!” The Hokage shouted as the woman fell from the tree. She breathed a little easier as she recovered before crashing into the destroyed roof to angle herself towards the tree so that she could grip it with chakra. Then as if unashamed of her nudeness she calmly joined the Aburame and other women surrounding the top of the Hokage Mansion.

Furofuki clamped her hand around Tsunade’s jaw as she said, “Made you look. Honestly Tsunade, you’re too tense. Nothing a nice hard fucking wouldn’t cure.”

Tsunade glared at the woman as she asked, “Then why don’t you just get it over with.”

“Now really your vanity must know no bounds,” Furofuki said angrily, “Do you honestly think I went through all this trouble just to bend you to my will. Why when I wish to bring you despair, do you honestly think I would show you the heights of pleasure?”

“I’m not giving you the pleasure of breaking me,” Tsunade said determinedly, “You underestimate this village.”

“And you overestimate yourself,” Furofuki countered, “After all, I was the person that caused your suffering last time.”

“What?” Tsunade said confused. “What do you mean?”

“Don’t misunderstand,” Furofuki said as a small sliver of guilt appeared in her tone, “It was supposed to be you that died that day. He wasn’t supposed to die during that mission. You were.”

“No, you betrayed our squad to those Rain-nin,” Tsunade said remembering the Ambush that had taken Dan’s life. “Why? How could you?”

“Because, he chose you,” The woman wearing her face said angrily, “If not for the death of your worthless little brother. I would have been with him instead of you. But you used your little tragedy to steal him away from me.”

“That’s not what happened,” Tsunade said still in shock.

“Oh please,” Furofuki replied bitterly, “How long did it take you to get over poor Nawaki’s death after Dan entered your life? You’re saying a part of you wasn’t grateful he passed so the two of you could bond over your similar losses.”

Tsunade’s shock was replaced with raw anger as she shot forward as best she could despite how she was being held to the tree. Her forehead smashed into Furofuki’s but lacking the chakra to make it anything but a normal blow had to settle for the bruise appearing on the woman’s greenish skin. Instead of growing angrier Furofuki laughed as it healed while she said, “For a time, I was as racked with guilt as you really. I nearly took my own life, but then seeing your despair I found it all disappeared.”

“Then how can you have claimed to have loved him?” Tsunade asked sadly.

Anger became Furofuki’s new emotion as she said dangerously, “Don’t test me you bitch. My feelings for Dan were present even before you latched onto him. But his choosing you…over me. That was a betrayal I couldn’t just let stand. I had assumed he would be strong enough to get away. He after all was the one best suited to make sure the information that your squad had gathered behind enemy lines made it back. But instead of abandoning your team like protocol would have dictated he instead stayed to fight. Ironically enough, he was the only member of the squad to die.” Tsunade fought back tears as she recalled having urged Dan to do exactly as Furofuki had stated. He had instead countered that a man aiming to be Hokage is not allowed to abandon his fellow shinobi to save himself. “My hope was that much as you inserted yourself in his life using your little tragedy. I could as well.” Tsunade glared at the woman as every fiber of her being wanted to lash out at her. Furofuki smiled in glee as she said, “That’s right get angry. That’s the first step to the despair that is waiting for you.”

“Get over yourself,” Tsunade countered, “I’m stronger than I was back then. You don’t have what it takes anymore.”

“That rich coming from a bitch that even with most of her chakra drained is still keeping up the illusion of her youth and hiding away her true face,” Furofuki replied. “Tell me, do you not drop your henge so that your precious Naruto never sees the decrepit old woman that you’ve become.” For a moment Tsunade’s face showed the concern that Furofuki knew of their relationship. But, she covered it up quickly, however Furofuki still noticed it so stated, “Honestly, lusting after a boy young enough to be your grandchild. People say he reminds you of your dear brother, but we both know the truth, don’t we? Tell me, when I take him in front of you will the fact that it is my face help lubricate your neglected pussy.”

Tsunade wanted to retort about between the two of them it wasn’t by force that Naruto spent his nights in her bed, but instead she resorted to threatening, “If you touch him. I swear to your Furofuki that I will end you using every method I know how to make it an experience that is both incredibly short, but maximizes your suffering.”

For a moment despite the Hokage being bound and kept near chakra depletion a look of concern appeared on the other woman’s face. She covered it with bluster as she retorted, “I doubt that. You have simply been outclassed from the beginning. If not for your Senju name, I would be the one this village celebrates as the greatest medical mind of all time.”

“Now who is the one with an overinflated sense of self,” Tsunade said dismissively. “You’ve been spending too much time with your damn flowers if you believe that is true.”

“Is that right you big-titted sow?” Furofuki snapped. “How you can honestly be so blind is beyond me. You who spent that past couple of decades climbing into a bottle and gambling away her time, honestly believe you deserved to be made Hokage. Your best days were decades in the past, yet they still made you the leader of this village. Can you honestly claim that if not for your name, they would have begged you to become Hokage? Tell me, when they made the pitch did you sneer and thumb your nose at it.”

Some of Tsunade’s fire dimmed as she couldn’t deny that Furofuki had pegged her correctly. This caused the woman to sneer at her as she stated, “The great Tsunade, what a joke you are. If not for the persistence of a genin that shared Dan’s dream you probably would still be in the bottle even now. Yet, while you wasted away, I continued to hone my research. I was responsible for two of the greatest breakthroughs in medical history after all.”

“The Zetsu,” Tsunade said seeing a chance to get some information out of the woman.

“I suspected that you might have begun to believe I had something to do with those creatures,” Furofuki replied with a smirk. “It did force me to implement my plan a little earlier than I wanted to. But, sadly I can’t claim credit for their creation. No, that was simply the byproduct of my first breakthrough. The perfect melding of Uchiha and Senju DNA.”

“Now you’re claiming credit for Orochimaru’s twisted experiments,” Tsunade countered, “Danzou used his research to meld the powers of my grandfather and the Sharingan.”

“A pale imitation,” Furofuki replied dismissively, “Orochimaru lacked the vision of the man I performed the task for.”

Having a good idea of who the woman was referring to Tsunade stated, “Madara Uchiha.”

“Quite impressive deduction skills,” Furofuki said obviously surprised. “How exactly were you able to arrive to that conclusion?” The Hokage remained silent so her capture said, “No matter. You see my little effort to kill you didn’t go unnoticed and I was approached by a man calling himself the Broker. He had been trying for years to meld his DNA, with a sample that he had attained from the First Hokage. I’m not sure how he survived the final battle between them, but he had spent the remaining years since it hoping to unlock some power by reuniting the bloodlines as he put it.”

“So he blackmailed you into helping?”

“Hardly,” Furofuki replied amused at the thought, “He simply stated that my attempt to use Rain to kill you showed him that I might be willing to partake in a mutually beneficial arrangement with him.” Furofuki shrugged as she stated, “He was right. I was curious to see what would be the results of combining the power contained in your grandfather’s cells with the greatest Uchiha to ever take to the battlefield. Although, it would be years before either of us got what we wanted.”

Tsunade filed the information away and seeing that Furofuki was delighting in proving her superiority egged her on with a tone that sounded skeptical, “Really, so what was this great power that proves your achievement.”

Furofuki frowned as she admitted, “Madara was rather quiet about that. But, the proof that he had achieved something magnificent was in the statue that he said was the husk of the Ten-tailed beast of legend.”

“A mere fairy tale,” Tsunade countered, although she knew the truth of the matter, but her statement caused Furofuki’s ire to increase, “What’s the matter the nine confirmed ones not enough for you. You have to make up…”

Tsunade trailed off as Furofuki backhanded her stating, “Your ignorance just proves your stupidity. The Ten-tails was said to be the originator of all the tail beasts. Its chakra was separated by the Sage of the Six Paths, and its body locked away within the moon. Somehow Madara was able to summon it back using the abilities he gained from my experiments, which he continued in the subsequent years by using the husk to produce a flowering tree which contained a non-sentient clone of your grandfather. That tree is what created the Zetsu, which is what led to my second great breakthrough successfully melding human with plant DNA in order...”

Tsunade scoffed stating, “You just told me that Madara beat you to that.”

“No,” Furofuki stated with a scowl, “Madara believes that he did. But I have another theory. Those Zetsu were already a part of the husk. You see, the DNA of the husk actually was more plant than animal. Madara’s experiments just had awoken something that was already there. Perhaps these Zetsu are nothing but twisted victims of the Ten-Tails rampages, corpses looked away inside it given a semblance of life and intelligence through the Wood release locked in your grandfather’s cells.”

Tsunade frowned as her theories about the origins of the clone army Tobi had been creating were dashed. “So you melded plant DNA and human. It might have been a little trickier than combining my grandfather and Madara’s, but they are basically the same trick.”

“Perhaps if you hadn’t interrupted me you would realize that was only the first step. The truth is, we are on the verge of seeing the completion of my greatest achievement.”

“Really, you’re claiming it isn’t you.”

“Not yet,” Furofuki said with a smirk. “You see Tsunade, there is another legend tied to the history of the Ten-Tails. A history, that will see me ascend to godhood.”

“Oh please,” Tsunade said in a voice tinged with disbelief, “You honestly expect me to believe that.”

Furofuki perhaps sensed Tsunade was trying to get her to reveal her ultimate goal so said cryptically, “You know what they say. Seeing is believing.”

Both women’s gazes were pulled towards the sound of fighting beginning to spread throughout the village. Furofuki frowned as she said, “Hmm, that’s earlier than I suspected. They couldn’t have evacuated all the civilians already. Perhaps they have some inclination as to what is to come.” She directed her attention to the flower buds that had been growing from the bottom of the branches. One of the buds began to open revealing a perfect clone of her new form. The clone opened its eyes and moaned softly as it pulled itself off the phallus like stem that rested inside its pussy and had nurtured the clone through its growth like an umbilical cord. Furofuki recalled her own time inside a similar bud as it had transformed her. She smiled as the new being dropped down to land before her asking, “What is your command?”

Directing her gaze out on the village Furofuki gestured towards the village simply instructing the clone, “Go have fun.”

The clone nodded as more began to appear causing Furofuki to smile as the tree continued to drain the surrounding land of the residual chakra Hashirama had left behind when he created the forest that surrounded the village. The buds maturing was a sign that the tree that she had created from the cutting she had taken from the husk of the ten-tails was reaching the final stages where it would bear a signal fruit. A fruit which would allow her to become a goddess that would rule over the world with Tsunade’s precious jinchuriki at her side, and the knowledge there was nothing she could do to stop it.

*****

Tier stood behind her sister Kiyomi as they gazed at the tree that had sprouted out from the Hokage Mansion. Tier echoed Kiyomi’s thoughts after sending a sidelong glance to Nel as she said, “Do you feel the same sense of fear that seems to have gripped our sibling?”

Kiyomi looked over to see their diminutive sibling shivering as she was crouched under an end table. She was facing away from the window and was holding the plaster skull that Naruto had given her to her head as if it was a talisman to protect her. “I think her current mental state is letting her feel what we all are more freely. I would describe what I’m feeling as both a sense of familiarity and a sense that it is in all our interest to make sure that tree is destroyed.”

Kukaku spoke up doing her best to cover her concerns by asking, “Then what are we sitting around here for? Are you waiting for your precious master’s permission?”

Kiyomi turned away from the window to ask, “Is that concern in your voice Kukaku? If so, then by all means head out. I’m sure the Leaf would appreciate the assistance.”

“You didn’t answer my question?” Kukaku stated.

“Perhaps because I didn’t like the way you phrased it,” Kiyomi said tiring of her siblings mocking of her relationship with Naruto to give credence to her sleeping around. “I have to remain here despite wanting to step in so as to protect my identity while Mito has retired to the Den. There is nothing stopping you from offering your aid. Sadly, the more agreeable members of our family are out on missions at the moment.”

Kukaku glared at her stating, “You’re calling me unagreeable just because I haven’t given myself to the same whelp that you have.”

“No, I’m calling you a bitch because you continue to try and use it as some sort of justification for your own actions. If you want to be a slut and spread your legs for whoever pays you a compliment then be my guest. Although from what I hear you’ve been favoring one in particular.”

“What’s the matter,” Kukaku countered, “The idea that there might be someone better than that brat really eating at you? Maybe if you didn’t settle for the first man to give you a compliment sister dearest you’d know what real fucking is about.”

Kiyomi sensed Tier moving to intervene between the two, but hearing how Kukaku described her relationship served to calm the red headed Bijuu’s anger. She gave her sister a smirk as she said, “Oh believe me I do. However, what I have with Naruto goes far beyond that. It’s a shame your pride has only allowed you to glimpse the most primitive of the feelings that were contained in the memories that I shared with you.”

Kiyomi sensed her lover approaching but as he was doing so through conventional means said, “But it seems as if now isn’t the time to discuss it further. It seems my lover has a request to make after all.”

She moved from the window and made her way to the main entrance of the mansion. When she approached the stairs, she saw her lover wasn’t alone as he was a part of a team that was comprised of himself as well as several Jounin and Chunin. Somewhat surprised she asked, “To what do I owe the unexpected visitors. I know I turned down the request to evacuate, but surely you have more pressing matters than forcing me to leave for the civilian shelters.”

She noticed a few of those present shared confused looks as if they were surprised at how calm she was in the face of the current crisis. She supposed she should have put some hints of concern in her voice, but Toka stepped forward stating, “Lady Kiyomi. We do request that you make your way to the civilian shelters. A team of genin is with us to insure your safety during the trip as we wish to borrow your bodyguards.”

“May I inquire as to why?”

“I’m sorry we can’t stay long to explain as Naruto is currently serving as a beacon to the Aburame. But a quick explanation is that we are going to try to pull enough of them away to make an attack on that tree and free the Hokage. We are going to push into the Aburame district to attack the Hive Ground in order to find a way to free them from the woman behind this crisis. In order to do that, my plan requires us to exploit a natural desire in the Aburame’s insects that cause them to attack those with massive chakra reserves first. A team of your bodyguards, Fu, and Naruto should serve nicely to attract their attention so other units can attack from the flanks.”

“You want to use us as bait,” Kukaku said dismissively, “Count me out. This is the Leaf’s problem, I’m not being paid to help you fix it.”

“Nel’s helping,” the childlike Bijuu said quickly pushing her way past her stubborn sister. She quickly ran up to Naruto before climbing up his red cloak to position herself on his back to cling onto his right shoulder.

Naruto smiled gratefully, but worried for the Bijuu’s safety said, “Actually Nel…”

“Nel’s helping,” she replied defiantly, “Nel’s super duper strong just you watch.”

Tier began walking down the steps as she affixed the mempo, to her lower face. It had been a gift from Nel although she had learned that Naruto had been the one that actually paid for it. Not that he had ever admitted as such. Approaching the group, she said, “You may count on my aid as well. It seems that despite Kukaku’s earlier accentuation that we shouldn’t just be sitting on our hands, that she was merely being boastful. She can also be rather stubborn so we shouldn’t waste any more time trying to convince her.”

“Oh go to hell Tier,” Kukaku said, “Do you honestly think I’ll fall for such blatant reverse psychology.”

“Of course not,” Tier replied in her usual calm stoic tone as she approached the door. “Unless my plan is to keep you from joining us and sharing in the credit there is to be had for helping.”

“Bitch,” the four tails said under her breath as leapt to the ground floor stating louder, “Fuck that, I was the one that said we should do something. I just think we should be getting paid is all.”

Tier let a small smile grace her lips although unseen due to her high collar and shark like mempo. “All too easy,” she thought amused. She let the feeling fade to be replaced by a sense of excitement for the coming battle, which was born partially due to her genuinely wanting to help the village. But she admitted that the majority of it was also due to by whose side she would enter it next too. Favoring Naruto with an appraising glance, she couldn’t help but notice that Nel’s nerves had been calmed by the blond man’s presence. She wondered why that was, but figured it might be tied to the way she had grown to anticipate spending time with the man several of her sister’s shared. She wondered if as Kukaku suspected a part of the reason Kiyomi kept those not bond to Naruto around was because of the confidence she had that given time the young man’s earnest nature would cause them to surrender to the desire to be with him. If so, she guessed it was little different then the trick she had just used on her stubborn sister. Particularly as knowing that might be the case, did nothing to Tier’s growing desire to perhaps be the next Bijuu to become one with him as only a man and woman could.

*****

Shizune was leading a squad of medics comprised from those that could be spared from attending the triage center that she and Sakura had established at the start of the crisis. She had insisted on her current mission after word of what they had termed as Duplicates as they were made in the image of the woman currently holding Tsunade hostage had joined in the battle against the Shinobi attempting to rescue her. Rather than be dismayed by the arrival of the multiple copies, Shizune had been struck by a sense of inspiration brought about by her new found appreciation for her particular talents. Kakashi had not been particularly thrilled at the idea of sending her or her team into the active combat zone, but she had convinced him that if successful it could drastically cut the enemies numbers.

She focused on the present when Neji, the lone shinobi not a medic and who was running point in their formation, held up his hand. Almost instantly most of the squad came to a stop behind her and crouched down in the shadows. A moment later several Aburame came running down the street towards where the Konoha forces were mounting their assault to retake the district. She heard one of the medics behind her gasp due to his being unused to being so close to the front lines as a result of Tsunade’s rules in regards to medics, but fortunately the small sound was covered by the sound of several exploding tags going off nearby. She knew most of her squad thought she was being too reckless, but Shizune had silenced the complaints by pointing out that the problems facing them wouldn’t be solved using force. It was a medical one and as such Konoha’s medics needed to step in and solve it. Still, her plan was risky as it relied on the belief that a small squad of medics could slip into the hospital unnoticed as it was likely abandoned due to it holding little strategic value in the current struggle.

Neji motioned for them to begin moving again leading the squad down an alley that would take them to the back entrance of the hospital where the entrance for the morgue was and where the undertakers would collect the dead. Neji reached the end of the alley, and with his Byakugan active began scanning the building. Without looking back to Shizune, he stated, “Your hunch appears to be correct. The building is abandoned.”

“Good,” Shizune replied feeling tension beginning to build inside her as she knew the easy part for her was over. “Neji, guide them to the labs.”

“Where are you going?” the bespectacled Sukui asked in a harsh whisper. “You dragged us out here to the frontlines and then abandon us.”

Shizune frowned at the woman’s words as although a competent medic, her attitude about taking risks was making the dark-haired woman believe that Tsunade’s belief in the need to protect medics at all costs was beginning to make the medical personnel think they were too valuable to be placed in dangerous situations. She planned to talk with her teacher about perhaps developing a regime to create a new class of combat medics. Medics more in line with Rin, Sakura, and she hopped to count herself among them. Those that would be able to help save more lives by stabilizing patients before they were sent behind the lines to the medical units that followed in the rear. She gave the woman a pointed look stating, “If we are going to help the Aburame, then we are going to need to get our hands on some samples. I’ll be handling that.”

“By yourself,” the medic that had gasped stated, “Are you insane?”

“I’ll be fine,” Shizune said confidently, “Neji will insure that you are not disturbed. Just be ready to begin when I return.”

Shizune nodded to Neji, who broke from cover to lead the rest of the squad into the hospital. Left alone she said, “Alright Shizune, you talked a big game it’s time to see if you can deliver.”

She moved cautiously through the area hoping to pickoff a lone target. She approached the intersection where the Aburame had appeared from before. The sounds of battle weren’t as loud as before sounding further away. She was concerned that Konoha’s need to hold back was causing them to lose ground, but she focused on the task at hand as she turned towards where the Aburame squad had come from. Shizune moved several blocks without encountering anyone which made her nervous as she was getting rather close to the Hokage mansion. She knew there were quite a few Aburame there as she could see them standing along the rooftop around the base of the tree. Shizune suspected they were acting not just as guards, but human shields as well preventing Konoha from targeting the tree with long distance jutsu. She had hoped to come across a few stragglers or groups searching for scouts. But the area she was searching was eerily quiet.

That quietness was suddenly broken as she heard the sound of hundreds if not thousands of tiny wings beginning to beat. She looked around her and swore as she saw the Aburame beetles pouring out of the buildings above her. She turned to retreat the way she came, but a pair of Aburame dropped down from the buildings behind her to cut off her retreat. She expected it to be the same story at the opposite end of the street. In essence she felt like an animal that was about to be trapped in a net. The Aburame were serving as the hunters while the insects about to swarm down on her were the net.

Shizune didn’t panic though as in a smooth motion she pulled the sleeve of her uniform up to expose the spring-loaded needle launcher that she wore on her wrist. Pulling the strings attached to the end of the canisters, she fired the needles at one of the Aburame barring her path. The Aburame was caught by surprise and although he managed to block two of the needles the other two buried themselves in his chest. She didn’t know if they hit with another force to get through the man’s heavy coat, but she continued her charge nonetheless. The paralytic drug she had coated the needles with seemed to have made it into his bloodstream as he swiped at her sluggishly with a kunai. Shizune easily blocked the blow with one hand, while she pulled one of her needles from the Aburame’s jacket with the other. She then spun her opponent jamming it into his upper arm so that more of the poison would find its way into his system.

She pushed him away as his partner charged her, pointed his hands at her. From his sleeves more of the parasitic bugs began to appear, but they lost their focus as Shizune spit a pair of miniature needles at the Aburame. The needles struck the man in the throat, sending the same poison that she had just pumped his partner with into his system.

However, while the insects that he had been about to send her way might no longer be targeting her due to their host no longer being able to direct them. That didn’t stop the ones that had been tracking her from the start. They swarmed over her having used the time her two opponents have given them to catch up. Shizune felt a wave of revulsion as the insects landed on her to begin draining her chakra, but remaining calm she took a deep breath and exhaled a small cloud of poison. It emerged as a noxious green gas that was a powerful insecticide.

The insects began to fall away, which she could tell surprised the two remaining Aburame due to their mouths dropping open. She used the moment to toss a pair of senbon into them, which hit each man in the shoulder. They dropped to the ground causing the remaining insects not caught by her poison to return to their hosts in an effort to nullify the effects paralyzing them.

She quickly moved to the men that she had just handled as the two closest to her might have been caught in her insecticide thus harming the hives inside them. She knew if not treated they could die, but having noticed that some of the insects had returned to them was confident that they would recover. But, in order to understand what was afflicting the Aburame, she would need to study how the hive was behaving inside their hosts so didn’t want to waste time scanning insects dying of poison. Holding her hands out over one of the Aburame, she frowned as inside she didn’t detect any anomalies in how the hives normally behaved. She feared that such a result meant that the hives had already been completely corrupted. She switched her scan to search for other possibilities and quickly found it as she scanned the Aburame’s brain. There she found much to her surprise a secondary hive. However, the insects that made up this hive were not like the others that the Aburame bred. Her scan revealed them crawling over the Aburame’s brain matter and she detected them releasing chemicals which she figured served the dual purpose of both controlling the Host and instructing the Hive.

Shizune knew she needed a sample so creating a small tendril of chakra sent it up one of the man’s nostrils. When she extracted it, she had pulled free dozens of the new parasitic insects which she quickly trapped inside a specimen jar. She was just about to tuck it away when a voice said, “My, what do we have here?”

Shizune spun to see Furofuki studying her with a pleased smile. “Bravo, Shizune.”

“Furofuki,” Shizune replied cautiously sending a confused look back to the tree.

The woman smirked as upon noticing where the woman was staring explained, “Oh, I’m still there with your master. But an interesting ability of my duplicates is that I can apparently speak and look through each of them. I must say, I’m impressed that you did so well on your own. I always figured you to be the lesser of Tsunade’s apprentices. A shame really as your uncle was such an impressive shinobi.”

Shizune narrowed her eyes at the insult which would have likely bothered her even as soon as a few days prior to the encounter. But filled with the confidence her lover had given her she retorted, “Well between you and Tsunade it was always clear which of you was the lesser. Both in your chosen professions and in my uncle’s eyes.”

Her insult hit the mark as several tentacles appeared from between the nude duplicates legs as she spit out, “You ungrateful little bitch. I was going to spare you the indignity of my taking you and turning you into a puppet. But now you’ve sealed your fate.”

Shizune put her specimen jar in her pouch and raised her hands to defend herself countering, “So long as you threaten those that I love then there was never a moment when we weren’t enemies. I must thank you though.”

“Why is that?”

“You saved me the trouble of having to hunt down one of your clones,” Shizune said charging forward.

The Duplicate being controlled by Furofuki sent one of its tentacles at the charging medic. She quickly regretted it as Shizune channeling her chakra to her hands created visible chakra blades. It effortlessly sliced through the plant like tendril, but even as the duplicate cried out in pain it raised its arm causing several vines to grow from the ground. They began to wrap around Shizune’s leg, but she sliced through them easily. Yet, the distraction allowed the Duplicate the time to quickly close with her. She gripped Shizune by the throat, even as her remaining tentacles wrapped themselves around the dark-haired woman’s wrists.

Furofuki sneered at the woman as the one that Shizune had first cut healed. She brought the tentacle before Shizune’s face stating, “Open up and say Ahhh. Trust me when I say you will likely even enjoy what is to come if you do.”

To Furofuki’s painful surprise Shizune did more than that as she bit down on the plant-like appendage. The Duplicate screamed as the medic’s teeth cut through the end which she spit out with a triumphant smirk. Furofuki was about to simply kill Shizune and be done with it, but then she felt a horrendous pain spreading down from where Shizune had bitten her. Staring at the woman with concern as she noticed the tentacle withering she asked, “What have you done?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Shizune said as the tentacles holding her began to whiter allowing her to pull free as the duplicate collapsed and began to dry up. She squirmed slightly as her pussy began to grow wet from the aphrodisiac that she had swallowed. Although, she felt it was manageable if only because of the serum that she had derived from the substance that she had collected in the wake of Kurenai’s attack. But, she knew it would probably serve as a distraction until it had run its course or she could find Naruto to satisfy her needs. Hoping for the second solution which meant the current situation needed to be dealt with, she gathered her samples from the duplicate that she had killed. As she did so she began to form a theory that as Furofuki likely viewed herself as some sort of perfect being it meant that she had incorporated her cells into both the spores and insects currently controlling members of Konoha. If so, she smiled as in her hubris she had given them the keys to her defeat, so putting away her samples Shizune headed off to begin forging them.

******

Furofuki sat up from her throne as the Duplicate that she had been controlling died. She felt some concern that Shizune had already prepared a poison that seemed tailored made for her. Cursing mentally, she directed several of the Aburame and women guarding the base of the tree to find the medic and kill her.

She frowned as Tsunade picking up on her distress asked, “Things not going exactly to plan?”

Furofuki turned and glared at the trapped Hokage stating, “There has been a setback or two. But, nothing I cannot handle. I just had a run in with dear Shizune. Sadly, she’s no longer among the living. I had hoped to add her to my collection if only for Dan’s sake.”

To her surprise Tsunade smirked as she said with confidence, “Lying is beneath you if things are as in control as you claim. But I’m willing to bet that Shizune is why you’re so concerned things are about to fall apart.”

“Think what you will,” Furofuki said turning away and wondering why Tsunade was so confident in Shizune’s survival. “But, one thing that is going right is your precious Naruto is playing right into my hands.”

Tsunade’s smirk grew bigger as she again displayed her confidence, “Well then, I look forward to when he slips through them.”

*****

Toka watched Naruto leap back as a swarm of insects launched from several Aburame made their way towards him. Her view of him was blocked by the bugs as she and a team had circled around behind the Aburame line to attack it while their focus was on the jinchuriki and Bijuu attacking their position. A moment later though he appeared again as a stream of water that was fired from Nel’s open mouth, who was clinging to his shoulder battered the bugs out of the air. She then directed her focus to the Aburame that had sent the insects toward Naruto, causing them to be blown back as if hit by a firehose.

Fu flew into the gap created by Nel’s attack and dropped several spheres as she pulled up when a volley of insects began tailing her. The sphere’s exploded into both blinding light and smoke which despite the shades that the Aburame wore caused several to shield their eyes. Furthermore, the smoke caused the insects they controlled to grow disoriented. As a result the Aburame were forced to pull back and redeploy a defensive line.

Toka watched them do so, and noticed several members more cautiously moving towards the rear. Marking them as the rear guard, she noticed there were several more than she would have expected. Yet, she figured that with such powerful opponents before them the Aburame knew their abilities to control their insects would be hampered, since while the insects they controlled would obey their commands. They did so while within the bounds of following their instincts. An Aburame for example couldn’t force his insects into a situation where the insects themselves knew death was certain, like a cloud of insecticide. Furthermore, they followed those instincts in selecting their targets. In a one on one battle the insects inside them could be focused one hundred percent on a target because both the host was in danger and there was a single source of food for them. But, in group battles in became harder for the Aburame, so most of their stratifies called for them to focus their attention on the stronger opponents first to eliminate them. This did leave them open from attacks that the insects deemed weaker, at least until the Aburame that housed them was in danger. Then they would focus on the most immediate threat.

Toka’s plan played against those instincts as she figured with several Bijuu and two jinchuriki, currently the insects of the Aburame saw a buffet they had never seen before. Their being aware of those weaknesses though they had come up with countermeasures such as leaving a rear guard. The group protecting the main force was bigger than most Toka had come across using such strategies during the Warring Clans period, but she figured it was due to the fact that the bait she was putting before them was doing its job.

Gai approached her stating, “Lee’s squad is in position. Are you sure we cannot move closer before making our move?”

Toka nodded, before explaining, “The rear guard has likely left a line of female beetles further back from them. Those beetles will cling to anyone that crosses the perimeter letting the guards supporting the main force know we are coming. I’m hoping that with you and your student’s speed, even if they mark you that you’ll be on them before they know it. We’ll be just behind you to support.”

Gai gave her a thumb’s up stating, “Roger. We’ll make it through so fast those beetles won’t have a chance or else I’ll do three thousand squats.”

Toka felt a small bead of sweat appear on her neck as she wondered what the man used to make his teeth sparkle. She looked away stating, “Fine, just get it done. If those beetles do mark you, then the Aburame are going to be able to maneuver you to trap you no matter how quickly you move.”

“Roger!” Gai said before speaking into his handless mike to tell his student to get ready to move.

She focused on where Lee appeared across the street, and raised her hand for the rest of her squad to get ready to move. A moment later Lee seemed to just disappear and then she heard an explosion down the street. She felt her mouth drop as she saw Lee with his fist in the stomach of one of the Aburame, who he had smashed against a building. He spun pulling his fist away letting the Aburame slump to the ground as he brought it around and across the face of another. The man’s shades were sent flying as he spun in a circle before being sent flying when Lee kicked him across the small of his back.

Toka recovered from her surprise as she realized everyone else was waiting on her signal so dropped her hand. She took off down the street after dropping from her perch followed by the rest of her squad. She wondered where exactly the Leaf had found such talented warriors as she watched master and student tear into the Aburame. She couldn’t place either man to a particular clan and supposed that was one of the strengths of the system that her cousin had developed. However, having heard how quickly some were to believe that the Aburame had betrayed the village, she felt that it was a system that even if they won the day would have one of its flaws exposed. But, she put such thoughts aside as she reached the battle taking place and she put her trust in Naruto and the future that they wanted to build.

*****

Naruto could tell the Aburame were confused as a new battlefront opened up behind them. The confusion appeared in how the insects were torn between attacking Naruto’s group, or moving to defend their hosts. A fact that Kukaku took advantage of as she fired a stream of lava which incinerated the largest cloud of the confused insects. She then spit two balls of lava into her hands which cooled instantly and then tossed them at a pair of Aburame. The rock projectiles connected with their targets lifting them off their feet. When the men hit the ground they didn’t budge causing the Four-tails to say, “This is boring. The only difficult thing is not killing these weaklings. We should just make our way to that tree and uproot it.”

“First, we have to take care of the Aburame,” Naruto said teleporting beside Kukaku using a kunai. “If the theory that Shizune came up with is correct then we have to hope some of the hives haven’t been compromised.”

“That’s your concern,” Kukaku stated annoyed at Naruto for speaking to her as an equal. “I don’t care what happens to these insect users. But, you should trust me when I say that tree is the true threat.” The Bijuu wondered why she felt a small pang of guilt as Naruto frowned at her words. She could tell that her response disappointed him in a sense and she wondered why it was that it bothered her. She quickly suspected that while a lot of her siblings, especially those aligned with Naruto, seemed to look down on her rather liberal enjoyment of sex with different partners. That same judgmental attitude never seemed to be present when she had interacted with the blond shinobi.

However, she felt it now and heard a coldness in his voice as he responded, “It doesn’t matter if we save the village if we sacrifice what it stands for.”

She doubled down on her dismissal of his concerns countering, “What about the world then? I’m telling you that tree is stirring something in me and my siblings. We do not want it to bloom any further.”

Her words did seem to register some with Naruto as she saw his gaze drift to the tree after avoiding a small swarm of the beetles trying to catch him. Kukaku spun towards the insect cloud and raised her hand at them as she let fire a stream of energy. The blast of chakra tore through the insects popping them as it then connected with the Aburame that they called home. She had turned it down so that the energy blast simply washed over him. Still she hadn’t considered that her attack would be just as devastating to the insects inside him. After the energy blast passed over him the Aburame stood for a moment, before teetering over.

To her surprise, Naruto broke formation as he said, “Shit. No.” He avoided several swarms that tried to attack him, but then upon reaching the Aburame snatched him up and teleported away. He appeared a few moments later near a previously tossed kunai and hit a nearby Aburame with an air bullet. The attack smashed the man through a glass window which he was tossed out again a few moments later as Toka appeared from it. She ran up to him stating, “We’ve secured this group. However, Shizune is reporting that the Hives may not be compromised like we feared. According to her, Furofuki likely introduced a new breed of insects into Shino. This breed spread to the others and is directing both their actions and those of the beetles. These parasites are working in a similar manner as the spores she injected the women that she attacked with. She also believes that they are all connected to Furofuki in some kind of hive mentality allowing her to direct them. It’s possible that if we kill her both the beetles and spores will die off.”

“See,” Kukaku stated moving up to them, “We should concentrate on…”

She stopped cold as Naruto leveled a harsh glare at her. She saw it was one that was matched by Nel, who remained perched behind his shoulder. Naruto turned back towards Toka stating, “We keep moving towards the Hive. It’s more imperative now than ever. Several Aburame have had their hives devastated through poisonous tags, and other means. Sakura just told me that without a fresh infusion of insects then they are going to die.”

“Then let them die,” Kukaku said quickly, “The important thing is…”

“Then go,” Naruto snapped angrily, “One of my comrades is lying there dying because you see us little different then the insects of the Aburame. I have faith that those tasked with taking down the tree will succeed. In the meantime, I’m going to do everything I can to prevent us from staining our hands with the blood of fellow Leaf-nin. A task I don’t require your help with if you are just going to leave a trail of bodies in our wake.”

“This is the thanks I get for helping,” the four tails said angrily.

Naruto looked back at her, and Kukaku was surprised at how cool the normally bright blue eyes appeared. The blond turned away as he said, “No, you’ll get your compensation for your assistance up to this point. But, I wouldn’t classify what you’ve done as helping.” Directing his gaze to Toka, he stated, “Let’s go.”

Toka smirked stating, “Yes sir! Even though technically I’m the one leading this mission.”

“Sorry,” Naruto said quickly some of his natural cheer returning as he responded to his lover’s teasing. “What do you think we should do?”

“Luckily Kakashi seems to agree with you,” Toka replied as she listened into her earpiece, “We’ll push onto the Hive Breeding Grounds. As you said, it doesn’t do us any good to save the village at the expense of sacrificing members of it. What happened with the Uchiha is proof enough of that. However, Kakashi has cautioned us that it is likely a trap. If the insects aren’t being reprogrammed then Furofuki is likely using our desire to save the Aburame against us. Furthermore, we haven’t encountered any of those duplicates that are falling from the Tree.”

Naruto nodded and without looking back began running down the street with Fu and Nel to serve as bait for any Aburame groups between them and their target. Toka split her squads back up so that they could circle around any Ambush groups that appeared. Kukaku watched them leave noticing Tier still standing behind her so asked, “You agree with me, don’t you?”

Tier was surprised to see her sister react in such a conflicted manner from a simple dismissal. As normally her pride would have her cursing out the person that talked to her in such a way. Having witnessed the exchange, she both began to understand why it was some of her siblings hadn’t attracted the shinobi’s desire to bring them into his family and why being excluded seemed to bother them. She suspected that a part of Kukaku’s acting out by taking multiple sex partners was an effort to deny that she wanted something similar to what Kiyomi and the others had gained with their lover. A fact that seemed to be highlighted as some of Kukaku’s standard partners had fallen to the wayside for one in particular. Tier couldn’t exactly see what her sister saw in him, as the man seemed quite fine with the sex without attachment arrangement they had established.

Tier could see her sister was looking for her to back her up, but found she preferred Naruto’s way as it was viewpoints similar to Kukaku’s that had allowed people to see them as little more than power sources for their human weapons. “I agree with the idea that the greater threat is the tree,” Tier stated noticing her sister regaining some of her confidence. But it wilted as Tier walked passed her adding, “Yet, I cannot help feeling that a person willing to trust others to handle the bigger threat and put his own pride aside to complete a mission for his comrades is someone worth following.”

Kukaku heard the admiration in Tier’s voice and hearing it matched the similar tones held by their siblings bound to him asked shocked, “Don’t tell me you are thinking of giving yourself to him?”

Tier looked back at her siblings wondering why she had jumped to such a conclusion, but found the idea actually appealed to her. Turning back to follow after Naruto she replied, “Do you know why when our other siblings look at you with such disappointment at your choices his eyes never reflected it until now?”

“Who cares?” Kukaku replied back rudely.

Tier smiled beneath her mempo as she knew her sister did despite her words. “It is because Kiyomi and the others bound to him obviously felt in time his charm would win us over. That charm is that Naruto truly doesn’t see us as pieces on a board to be collected. He doesn’t judge you because he can empathize with your decision. For most of our existence we were hunted to be used as pawns by the various powers that arose.”

“So now you want to willing be used as a pawn?” Kukaku replied angrily.

Tier shrugged replying, “I find the idea of being useful to his goals appealing. In all honesty, it would be the first such time that a person has allowed me to make the choice for myself.”

“He probably believes in that stupid prophecy father gave us,” Kukaku countered bitterly. “He believes he just has to sit back and we’ll give ourselves to him to make father’s words come true.” To Kukaku’s surprise, Tier actually began to chuckle in amusement prompting her to ask, “What’s so funny?”

Tier looked back replying, “I once overheard Yoruichi and him talking. He actually defended your right to live your life as you want. She was quick to point out about the father’s prediction, but it turns out that he doesn’t believe in destiny. He claims that if father’s words come true then it will only be because of those that work to make them a reality. Not exactly the words of one that expects us to just fall over ourselves to be with him.”

“Yet, nonetheless here you are considering doing just that.”

Tier folded her arms beneath her breasts and shrugged as she said, “As you know I’ve sparred with him many times since our match during Kiyomi’s contest to showcase our skills. I’ve come to appreciate the time I spend in his presence and find that I want more. But, it is a choice that I arrived at. Whether you one day do the same is of no consequence to me.” Tier’s gaze focused on the sounds of combat erupting from where Naruto had headed. She then turned away from it as she sensed the approach of several powerful chakras. Due to the identical nature of them, she suspected that they were the clones that the tree had been producing and guessed they were reinforcements for the battle going on. Pulling her blade as she saw spotted them she said, “Oh, there is one other thing you should know. I once asked him what he would do if he had the chance to meet our father.”

Despite herself Kukaku asked curiously, “What did he say?”

“He said he would probably slug him across the jaw,” Tier replied finding the way Kukaku’s mouth dropped open in surprise amusing.

“What why?”

Tier raised her hand causing five water sharks to appear from her finger tips which tore into the approaching clones. She had been just as shocked at the response that she had received from Naruto, but currently she found it filled her with a genuine admiration and warmth as she repeated his explanation. “Because he said that if our father could see the future. Then he should have done a better job of preparing and protecting us from what was to come.”

“B…but if father felt certain events needed to take place…”

“I told you,” Tier said as she beheaded a Duplicate, “He doesn’t believe in destiny, and if father let us suffer to make his ideal future possible, then he feels that is little different then the others that have tried to use us for their own purposes.”

“Father gave us life,” Kukaku replied quickly defending their father in a similar manner as she had.

“True,” Tier said, leaping into the air to avoid several tentacles as Kukaku grabbed a Duplicate around the throat and incinerated. Using her water based powers to stand on the molecules in the air, she dashed towards a pair swinging her sword in a wide horizontal arc which cut the two in half across their stomachs. Coming to a rest she kicked another in the side of the head and sent it flying into a wall. Tossing her blade after it, she pinned it to the building and seeing Kukaku had use another beam attack to fry the remaining Duplicates calmly approached her sword. Pulling it free of the wall, the corpse dropped to the ground as she shook the blood free of the blade before returning it to its scabbard. Focusing back on her sibling she finished her thought by adding, “Yet, thanks to Naruto, we are free to choose what we do with those lives. You can continue to live as you want and he wouldn’t have judged you harshly for it. Yet, it was when you discard the values that others have that you became someone he doesn’t wish to be associated with. I imagine that even should you throw yourself at him at this point he would reject you.”

She knew her words had prickled her sister’s pride as she assumed a defensive stance while stating, “Why should that bother me? I have plenty of men that would gladly keep my bed warm.”

Tier inclined her head, but countered, “Yet, I imagine it pales in comparison to the warmth that Kiyomi, and the others feel both in and outside of his bed.”

Tier suspected she was correct as a slight frown appeared on her sister’ visage before she bitterly asked, “And what firsthand knowledge do you base that opinion on?”

Tier’s smile remained hidden behind her mempo, but she suspected her eyes reflected it as she replied, “None at the moment, but if it is similar to the feelings that warm me when in his presence now, then I imagine it can only pale should we connect in a more intimate fashion. If he accepts me then I will be sure to let you know.” Tier then headed towards the Hive Breeding grounds to once more warm herself in the presence of the man that she was more and more certain would not only make the world a better place for people and Bijuu alike. But, was also the man that her heart had chosen to warm both her spirit and her bed, a fact which remembering some of the cries her sisters had let out caused a familiar tingle to appear between her legs. A tingle that she hoped Naruto would agree to help her fully enjoy the experience that its appearance meant her body wanted to take part in.

*****

Kakashi’s hands flashed through dozens of seals before he spit out a giant ball of flame which caught a Duplicate in the chest. The duplicate had been in the process of reeling in a screaming kunoichi using its tentacles. The jounin leapt to the woman’s aid hefting her up in his arms as what remained of the Duplicate toppled back. He looked up and cursed as another pair of duplicates attempted to drop down on him from above. But, before he needed to come up with a plan to extract himself, Tenten appeared behind them using the polearm Naruto had given her to slice through them.

She landed gracefully as she resealed the weapon before producing several kunai which she tossed at several more charging duplicates. The Duplicate leading the pact dropped to its knees as several others used it to leap over the wall of vines that it created to block the projectiles. Kakashi and Tenten quickly pulled back as Tenten said watching tentacles appearing from the charging Duplicate’s nether regions, “Seriously, when did my life become some bizarre tentacle video.”

“Tell me about it,” the woman in Kakashi’s arms said.

“Oh, I can kind of see the appeal,” Kakashi said but regretted it as both women looked at him like he was the one sprouting tentacles.

Tenten simply retorted, “Then why don’t you go back there and distract them for us.”

Kakashi looked over his shoulder and seeing the Duplicates gaining replied, “In hindsight, please withdraw my previous comment.”

Tenten turned pulling a scroll which she opened and summoned the many kunai stored inside. The projectiles peppered several of the Duplicates, but the others grabbed hold of them using the injured ones as shields. Approaching in the charging Duplicates wake was a cloud of beetles causing Tenten to mutter, “Oh fuck me.”

She paled slightly as Kakashi while putting the kunoichi he had been carrying down said, “I think that is exactly what they want to do. So, might I suggest we keep pulling back?”

Tenten didn’t need to be told twice as Kakashi gave the signal for their forces to withdraw. She did send one last look towards the tree as ever since the Duplicates arrival they had been forced back time and time again. Forcing them further and further away from Tsunade, she sent a mental reassurance to the Hokage and wasn’t surprised as she felt it returned via her foxmark.

She turned to follow Kakashi as she shouted, “I know Naruto’s mission is important, but we really should consider calling him back. If we keep retreating not only will we be pushed out of the Hokage district, but if might free them to attack the civilian shelters.”

Kakashi nodded, but countered, “True, but with the women guarding that place I wouldn’t be worried about it falling.”

The kunoichi that Kakashi had rescued look back in confusion stating, “I wasn’t aware of any special unit there.”

Kakashi chuckled as he replied, “Oh, I think you’d find that it isn’t so much the women guarding the place that make up this special unit, as much as the ones that due to bureaucratic red tape are technically not a part of our defenses.”

Tenten felt a smile appear as she knew exactly to whom Kakashi was referring. The copy-nin added, “But don’t worry, if Furofuki is stupid enough to attack the shelter than she is going to quickly regret doing so. In the meantime even though it probably wasn’t necessary, I’ve sent Pakkun out to fetch some special reinforcements for us so Naruto can continue on mission.”

Tenten frowned for a moment wondering who Kakashi was referring to, but through her fox mark felt a presence making its way back to the village. Guessing, Naruko was a good stand in for their shared lover she looked forward to how Furofuki reacted when another Sage entered the battlefield.

*****

Kushina frowned cursing Kakashi as he had insisted that she evacuate to the civilian shelters. A part of her wondered why he had asserted that she do so, since he had let the Bijuu help despite not being active Konoha shinobi. She figured that he was using her and the other women such as Haku and Kiyomi as a sort of veiled threat to prevent Furofuki from attacking the civilian shelters. From what she had overheard from some of the radio transmissions the force assaulting the Hokage district was having a difficult time. Yet, despite that there had still yet to be an attempt on the Civilian Shelters.

Kushina believed it was because either via abilities that she possessed or from those she had taken control of. She knew there were several potent chakras located there, and the last thing she wanted would be to provoke them if they seemed content to remain out of it. Kushina was far from content though, which her friend could tell as she asked from behind her, “Are you regretting not reactivating your commission?”

“A little,” Kushina admitted, “If so, then Kakashi wouldn’t have been able to just dismiss me to these shelters to serve as some sort of repellant.”

Mikoto smiled as she said, “I was wondering if you figured that out.”

“I’ve come a long way since the days when I used to copy your answers on tests,” Kushina said with a warm smile. “How about you?”

Mikoto shook her head as she answered, “No, honestly I don’t know if I could ever willing put a Leaf headband on again. Naruto might have healed the hatred that I harbored for the village by exposing what it has done to my family even if we played a role in our own demise. But, the Leaf symbol will always be stained in my eyes. Yet, even with that said… I do feel a desire to help, but primarily due to the people that are involved.”

Kushina could understand her fellow Family member’s conflicted feelings in regards to the village. She figured it was especially difficult for her as both of them had heard people mentioning how they had always been suspicious of the Aburame. A state of being that the Uchiha had occupied both prior and especially after Kiyomi had been unleashed on the village.

Both women felt Kiyomi approach them before she stated, “It sounds as if Kakashi’s group is having a hard time. I think it is time that we open a new front ladies.”

“That would put the civilians in danger,” Kushina said turning to look at the Bijuu she once housed. “I’m guessing that Furofuki can sense that it would be trouble for her to attack here even if she could gain new soldiers in the process.” Her gaze drifted beyond Kiyomi to settle on Ino, who had been placed in charge of guarding the civilians and was monitoring the radio transmissions.

“To true, but I thinking that Tsunade has sat on the sidelines for long enough,” Kiyomi stated. “I have long considered it a possibility to use the foxmarks as a means to empower one another. But that is something we can experiment with in the future. I believe though I have figured out a way to put my theory to a more immediate use. But to do so I will need your help along with Naruto’s.”

“I’m listening,” Kushina said as her interest was piqued.

“I thought that would get your attention. We’ll have to wait until Naruto’s current mission is finished, but let me go over the details as we wait.”

****

Hinata thrust out her palms causing a blast of air to smash into the Aburame beetles targeting her. The insects became disoriented as a result allowing Konohamaru to charge forward to fry them with a fire jutsu. The young Sarutobi cursed as another swarm appeared through the smoke, but before either of them could react something large smashed into the ground before them. As the dust cleared the two of them found that they were staring at the back of a giant toad which said to one of the women standing on its head, “Mmmm, my grandfather used to tell me what a delicacy the insects that the Aburame bred were. I’m going to go flatten that Naruto for not summoning me here sooner.”

“Hey now,” Naruko said quickly, “Don’t forget who the Boss is and who is the lackey. Naruto agreed that I was the Toad Sage.”

“Fine, fine,” Gamakichi said, “But it’s pretty cute the way you jump to his defense so quickly.”

“What can I say,” Naruko said hardly embarrassed, “He grows on you. But considering the restrictions on eating the Aburame’s bugs is only temporarily lifted. How about you go eat your fill?”

“Now you’re talking Boss,” the Toad said targeting a particularly large cloud with its tongue. The pink appendage shot out catching the insects that comprised it in an instant. A moment later the summons said amused, “Mmm, Gamatatsu is going to kick himself for not answering your summons.”

Naruko smiled as she looked back at her sister and the dog summons sitting on her shoulder, “Let’s go. Gamakichi is a little big to be of much use besides as a means of keeping those insects off us.”

Dropping down, Naruko landed in front of Konohamaru and Hinata. The Sarutobi stared at the woman dressed in a skimpy version of Jiraiya’s outfit and asked, “Why the hell are you fighting in your Sexy Jutsu form? Are you trying to get those Duplicates to target you?”

Naruko flicked his forehead as the boy had stated his question while checking out her form so said, “Eyes up here pervert.”

Hinata giggled as she said, “Konohamaru, this isn’t Naruto. She is Naruko. She helped out during Pain’s attack on the village.”

“What?! She’s real? I thought the rumors of a female that looked just like his sexy jutsu was just Naruto trying to confuse him or something,” the Chunin said in disbelief.

Naruko let a smile grace her face as she sensed threats approaching. Having been filled in by Pakkun, she figured they were Duplicates so holding out her hand formed a Rasengan as she stated, “Let me show you how real I really am.” She charged in the direction the copies of Furofuki were going to appear from and using her Sage chakra began to add her water nature to the spinning ball of chakra. For a moment it looked like a spinning globe of water, but due to the friction of the water a cloud of mist began to form around it. The first Duplicate appeared as she thrust her hand out burying her jutsu into its chest.

Konohamaru would admit to being a little disappointed as nothing happened, but Naruko kicked the Duplicate back into its fellows. It landed on them knocking them down as Naruko ducked to the side of the alley that they had appeared from. The Duplicate she had tagged with her jutsu writhed on its fellows before arching its back and exploding into a cloud of superheated steam as the water contained inside its body reacted with the Boiling Rasengan. When the cloud dispersed moments later Konohamaru felt his mouth drop as the other Duplicates had also been killed from the steam bath that had enveloped them. Naruko stepped back in front of the alley to admire her handiwork before turning back to ask, “Not bad right kid?”

Not wanting to sound too impressed, Konohamaru shrugged stating, “Naruto’s Rasenshuriken is much cooler.”

He noticed a vein appear on Naruko’s head, but it faded as Sage said, “That was not the answer Sister was seeking with her question. Both jutsu are equally effective at dealing with adversaries. I do not see what purpose coolness has in determining the effectiveness of a jutsu.”

Konohamaru was about to respond that ninja’s needed flashy techniques, but before he could Sage’s hand morphed into a blaster. She then blasted several more Duplicates that had been moving along the rooftops to attack them. Konohamaru stared at her with stars in his eyes as he stated, “T…that’s way cooler than even Naruto’s Rasenshuriken. You have got to teach me how to learn that jutsu.”

“I suppose it is possible,” Sage replied as her hand returned to normal.

“Really,” Konohamaru said excitedly, “Okay, what’s the first step?”

“You have to die,” Sage said calmly.

“Um… okay…”

“Then your body would have to be modified so that I could manipulate it via chakra rods, but you would gain the Rinnegan in the process allowing you to use my abilities. I suppose then mother could return you to life, but you would have no memories of who you were.”

“On second thought, I think I’ll pass,” Konohamaru said drily.

“I thought you might,” Sage said beginning to follow after her sister who was laughing at the ghostly complexion the Sarutobi now sported.

Hinata followed behind reporting, “Kakashi, Naruko and Sage have entered into the fray. I will be advancing with them.”

She blushed as Kakashi replied, “I figured that was the case when the giant toad appeared suddenly in the Hokage District. His presence is causing the Aburame to retreat. Apparently their beetles sensing a super predator are refusing to even leave their hosts. We’re going to use Gamakichi as a rally point to advance. Keep me informed of your progress until we catch up.”

“I will,” Hinata replied, “Come along Konohamaru or your new rivals are going to leave you behind.”

Konohamaru frowned as Hinata’s words, although stated in a teasing tone, stung a bit more than she had likely intended. Mainly as they contained more truth then she knew. After all, having watched the powerful women easily deal with the threats he had been struggling with moments before showed him that his goal of surpassing Naruto was getting further and further out of reach. He pushed his concerns aside as he knew now wasn’t the time to fret about them and resolved to close the gap in power so that the girl he was interested in could count on him the same way he was confident the Hokage and other women associated with his rival were positive that they could depend on Naruto.

*****

Naruto teleported as Shino tried to surround him with his beetles. The Aburame waited for him to reappear before quickly disappeared from sight as he ducked behind one of the large mounds of earth that made up his clan’s insect breeding grounds. “Nel doesn’t like it here?” the small Bijuu on his shoulder said her gaze shifting around nervously looking for Shino.

“I can’t say I fault you for that,” Naruto stated wishing he hadn’t followed Shino in by himself. He couldn’t teleport out as almost as soon as he had entered a barrier had sprung up around the building. It hadn’t cut him off from his ability to feel his lovers so he could still detect them, especially Toka’s annoyance at him for rushing ahead into the obvious trap and her concern for him. Inside, he had found that along with Shino there had been dozens of Duplicates as well. The clones he had dispatched easily enough seeing no need to hold back although he could detect several more hiding due to his activated Chakra cloak, but Shino was proving to be another matter as he used Naruto’s desire to capture the Hives intact and desire not to hurt the Aburame against him.

He reached down to grab the kunai he had teleported to, but was forced to leap away as vines began to appear from the fertile soil. Already having activated his chakra cloak, he moved quicker than the vines could keep up as he zigzagged between the hives. He came to a stop and looked towards Nel as she said, “Nel thinks she’s going to puke.”

“Whatever you do hold it in,” Naruto said panicked.

But the small Bijuu said, “Too late.”

She at least had the presence of mind to let go of him as she ducked behind one of the Hives to let loose her earlier meal. Naruto sensed a new threat and turned to scoop up the bent over Bijuu before moving again as several vines appeared through one of the Hives. Naruto put some distance between the new threat, while still holding the green looking Nel. He frowned as a voice he recognized as it sounded like Tsunade’s stated, “Honestly, Naruto you should just give up.”

Having sensed the dark feeling that had overcome one of the Duplicates he said, “Furofuki, I presume. It’s been a long time.”

“Ah, so you remembered the time you visited my forest,” Furofuki said appearing from behind one of the Hives. “That pleases me.”

“I remember a kind woman that helped supply ingredients for a medicine that Gai-sensei hoped would cure his student. But looking at all this, she never existed did she?”

The Duplicate the woman was controlling shrugged responding, “Who can say? I’ve done both good and bad over my life. By which criteria would you judge me?”

Naruto gaze darkened as he responded, “By the one that doesn’t leave the village in chaos and Leaf-nin fighting against Leaf-nin.”

Furofuki laughed as she replied, “Well I guess if that is the case then to your eyes I’ve must have been rather naughty. Would you like to come give me a spanking?” She held out her hand as she added, “Naruto, I’ve decided to bestow upon you the great honor of being my paramour.”

“You have got to be kidding,” the blond man replied noticing the woman’s gaze narrowing at him. “Why pray tell would you choose me? I can’t have left that strong of an impression from our previous meeting.”

“No, to be honest I found you rather simple-minded. Not exactly who I would choose to rule by my side. Yet, now, I don’t know how to describe it. But, I can sense the power you possess and that alone would be reason enough to claim you.” Furofuki clutched a breast and teased her nipple as she continued, “But then there is the added benefit that taking you from Tsunade would be the thing that shatters her. She is putting on a brave front, but her concern for you is telling.”

“If you hurt her,” Naruto said letting the implied threat hang between them.

Furofuki wasn’t impressed as she said, “Hmmm, perhaps the infatuation isn’t as one sided as I suspected. But really your resistance is futile. It is only a matter of time before the tree blossoms fully and all my years of planning finally bear fruit. Whether you submit to me now, or when I ascend to godhood matters little. Either way you will be mine and Tsunade will be left with nothing.”

The woman blinked and then felt a pain in her chest. Opening her eyes in shock, she found Naruto staring into hers mercilessly. He twisted the chakra blade that he had pulled while putting Nel back on his shoulder. He pulled the blade free as he said coldly, “I will never be yours, and soon enough Tsunade and I will see that all your dreams turn to dust.”

Nel dropped down as the life faded from the Duplicate’s eyes. He turned to collect her fearing that he had scared the small child like Bijuu from his display of anger. But he came to a stop as he spotted Shino had circled around behind him. The Aburame raised his arms over his head yet rather than the bugs he contained all the Hives around Naruto began to respond to his command. The Jinchuriki cursed as he prepared to move, but before Shino gave the command Nel leapt from behind a hive. She lowered her head as she appeared like a rocket and used the skull like helmet that she wore as a battering ram as she connected with Shino’s noggin. They both fell over, but from the way the gathering insects began to disburse Naruto knew the Aburame was unconscious.

Nel obviously wasn’t as she cried over her helmet due to a crack appearing in the gift Naruto had given her. He knelt down ruffling her hair stating, “Don’t cry Nel. You really saved my butt just now.”

“But, Nel’s helmet is broken. It’s her most precious possession.”

Naruto smiled tenderly as he said, “Well, I’m glad it isn’t so precious that you wouldn’t sacrifice it for my sake. Besides I think the crack gives it more character.”

Nel replaced the helmet back on her head stating, “Really?”

“Yep,” Naruto said helping her to her feet.

He smiled as she quickly climbed up him to retake her perch on his shoulder where she stated, “Nel would do anything for you because she loves you.”

Although it would have been easy to not take the diminutive Bijuu’s words too seriously due to her childlike voice. When Naruto turned to meet her gaze, her eyes didn’t seem as childlike as they normally were. Responding to the earnest feelings that he could see in them he responded, “I love you too, Nel. You’ve also become one of my most precious people.” The Bijuu squealed happily as she tightly wrapped her arms around Naruto’s neck nearly choking him as he said, “Nel… Nel…too tight.”

“Sorry,” she said as her childlike innocence returned to her eyes, “Nel forgets how strong she is. Let’s go stop evil Tsunade because Nel won’t let her have her Naruto.”

Naruto chuckled guessing that the barrier had dropped as he heard Toka calling for him. He bent down to collect the still unconscious Shino able to sense the presence of several more Duplicates inside the Breeding Grounds. He alerted Toka to this fact as she appeared with Gai and Lee before teleporting to Sakura to deliver his cargo. Yet before he could teleport back Kiyomi’s voice echoed in his mind as she said, “Before you go rushing back Naruto. I have a more pressing task for you to perform.”

“Okay,” he replied before remaining silent as he was filled in to the details of Kiyomi’s plan.

*****

Kurenai tackled a Duplicate that appeared in a doorway of the hospital room that she had just cleared after having heard the sounds of windows breaking. She stared down at the copy of Tsunade’s face as she could feel the creature’s tentacles rising up behind her. Recalling the horror of her attack, she grabbed the Duplicates skull jamming her thumbs into its eyes and began beating the back of its skull into the floor. After several times she heard the wet crack of its skull breaking and the body beneath her went slack.

She looked up to see Yuugao slicing another Duplicates head off while a woman under Furofuki’s control backhanded an one of her Anbu and send the man through a wall. She felt weary as she got back to her feet to attack the woman as she was a part of the task force Kakashi had assigned to guard the hospital after Shiuzne had reported in her encounter with the Duplicate controlled by Furofuki. The Jounin leading Konoha’s forces had believed it was likely that with Shizune’s presence being discovered Furofuki might believe they were hoping to synthesize a poison to stop her. His hunched had proven to be correct as the Hospital had come under sustained assaults, although thus far they had managed to repel each one.

However, each subsequent attack became more vicious and frenzied as if Furofuki could sense the poison that medics had developed and were in the process of manufacturing in large batches. Before, Kurenai could help subdue the half-naked woman that she recognized was a woman named Yurika. The marooned haired woman that had introduced herself as Fuka Uzumaki latched onto her back. Yurika reached behind her to pull the woman off, but Fuka turned her face towards her and then pulled her into a kiss.

Kurenai found the strange sight slightly arousing, but was stunned as Yurika sagged to her knees. Fuka then let her go before turning towards to other women being controlled and raising her hand towards them summoned vines that burst from the ground to ensnare them. Yuugao used the opportunity to slam the handle of her sword into the base of the captive women’s skulls rendering them unconscious. Quite aware that it wasn’t a state that would last long she bound them, and had her Anbu carry the women to the room they were keeping the other captives and where the medics were administrating the poison to kill the spores.

Approaching Yuugao, as she checked on the Anbu that had been slammed through the wall, she asked, “How is he?”

“I can keep going,” the bear masked man said bravely.

However, Yuugao able to tell the man was pretty badly banged up said, “Head up to the laboratory wing and switch with Monkey.”

The man nodded since bravado didn’t make living with broken ribs any more bearable, not to mention he knew that by fighting injured it would force his comrades to cover for his inadequacies. Yuugao stood as the man limped off and turned to her friend stating, “Are you having fun yet?”

Kurenai smiled, but before she could answer Fuka stated, “I am. I haven’t had this much fun in centuries.”

“Centuries,” Kurenai said confused, “Just how old are you?”

She didn’t need to see Yuugao’s face beneath her mask to know that she was glaring at the woman as she said, “Don’t listen to her. She’s just being a fool.”

“T…that,” Fuka said as her face was growing flush, “O…or that woman I just kissed might have been with Furofuki rather recently. O…oh gods…”

“Are you alright?” Kurenai asked concerned as Fuka dropped to her knees resisting the urge to bury her hand between her legs.

“I…it’s n…nothing a nice hard cock wouldn’t cure,” Fuka moaned as the aphrodisiac that had coated Yurika’s lips and tongue ramped up her arousal.

A duplicate appeared in the smashed front entrance of the Hospital lobby causing Yuugao to curse as she pulled her blade again. Charging it as others appeared she said, “Kurenai, get her to Shizune. She must have developed a countermeasure to drugs these things tentacles produce. It won’t remove the feelings completely, but it’ll let at least let her be of some use.”

“What makes you think that?” Kurenai asked since Shizune hadn’t mentioned any such thing. But she had noticed that the medic had appeared rather flushed as well although in a more subdued manner than Fuka. Helping the woman stand, who moaned from the contact, Kurenai couldn’t help but wonder if Yuugao’s insight that Shizune might be suffering in a similar manner was due to some other means than just a keen eye for detail. A thought that she figured might explain how the women of the Hidden Eddy Inn seemed so in touch with one another, which left her feeling like an outsider most times.

Yuugao didn’t answer as she was busy dealing with the new attack, so Kurenai helped the panting woman to the area the medics were. But she resolved that it was time that she got some answers to the strange behaviors she had noticed among the women that she lived with.

*****

Tsunade was wearing an amused smile as she watched her village begin pushing back against Furofuki’s forces. Her attention was pulled to her captor as she gasped in her throne looking as if she had just come face to face with something that had terrified her. Letting her amusement enter her voice she said, “I take it Naruto turned down your proposal.”

Furofuki stood briskly turning towards the Hokage angrily to state, “This changes nothing. Soon he and this entire village will be powerless to stop me. Look beyond your precious walls Tsunade. This tree is absorbing all of your grandfather’s latent chakra.”

Tsunade did as instructed and could see the trees surrounding the village were dying with the brown leaves spreading further and further away from it. She focused back on the woman holding her as she said, “Do you get it? That wonderful wood release could even control the Bijuu. Have you ever questioned why?”

“I’ve never all that much cared,” Tsunade retorted, “But perhaps because I’m not a megalomaniac.”

“No, I suppose you aren’t otherwise you might have spent the time trying to unlock the power contained inside your DNA as I have done.”

“Sorry, but controlling a few vines is small potatoes compared to my grandfather abilities,” Tsunade replied with a snort.

“Perhaps, but even what he was capable of doing pales in comparison when compared to the true originator of our understanding of chakra. The one they speak of in tones of duality, it is either the Great Uniter or Destroyer depending on your interpretation. Through your grandfather’s chakra that I’m sucking from the land, I’ve nourished this tree which is a duplicate of the one that legends state gave this powerful goddess her powers. Soon it will bear fruit and all will tremble at my power as the world is recreated in my image.”

“Look around you,” Tsunade said snidely, “Everything you’ve worked for is falling apart. You aren’t going to be recreating anything.”

Furofuki sneered at Tsunade as she responded, “Perhaps you are right. Maybe I should kill you now just in case your intrepid heroes do save you.”

“If you have the guts, then cut me free and try to best me that way bitch. Or do you prefer hiding behind your pawns.”

“Sorry Tsunade, but the last thing I want to give you is a fair fight. Say hello to all the people you’ve failed when you see them on the other side,” Furofuki was about to bury her hand in the Hokage’s chest, but was beaten to the punch as she dodged to the side to avoid an attack from behind. She was shocked as a chakra chain hit the Hokage causing Furofuki to look back to find its point of origin. She saw a stunning red-head on the Academy’s rooftop behind whom Naruto was standing. She expected them to look horrified that they had missed her and hit the woman that they had intended to save. But instead they both remained calm prompting her to call out, “You missed.”

“No,” Tsunade said feeling her strength returning as the chain turned red from the chakra that Naruto was pumping into his mother, “they didn’t.”

Furofuki turned back as Tsunade ripped her arm free of the tree connecting with the woman’s face. She expended most of the energy behind the blow to pull free of the tree. But it still was enough to knock her former captor from her perch. Furofuki fell to the rooftop below, but was saved as many of the women that remind under her power created a vine net to catch her.

Tsunade pulled herself free and without the tree trying to drain her chakra felt the full effects of Naruto’s chakra topping off her reserves. The chain buried in her chest faded as a red aura appeared over her body. Feeling supercharged, the Hokage dropped down after her opponent taking a moment to feel a sense of satisfaction as Furofuki’s eyes widened upon seeing her pulling her fist back to finish off her former rival.

Furofuki quickly rolled out of the net moments before Tsunade landed on it. The Hokage flipped off landing gracefully among Furofuki’s captives. “Kill her!” she shouted while compelling them to follow her command.

Taji was the first to respond as she charged Tsunade, but before she reached several spheres landed on the rooftop. Furofuki watched alarmed as green and purple smoke came billowing out of them. She leapt to the trunk of the tree as she felt the spores inside her victims died. She watched more of the deadly smoke beginning to spread throughout the village causing her to cry out as her Duplicates and the plant hybrid insects implanted inside the Aburame also began to die. She watched the smoke begin to disperse on the rooftop to reveal Shizune standing next to her master among Furofuki’s unconscious victims.

She could hear the pride in Tsunade’s voice as she stated, “Well done Shizune. You created a toxin that targeted the unique cells she used in creating her spores.”

“More than that,” Shizune said obviously pleased with the praise, “She used those cells in the hybrid bugs she was using to control the Aburame as well. It goes without saying that her Duplicates also were comprised of them.”

“Yes, she was quite proud of that achievement,” Tsunade stated. “Do you see now Furofuki? All that ego you displayed has come back to haunt you.”

Furofuki glowered, but sensed the tree was nearing the point where it would give up its bounty. Hoping to buy time she said, “I imagine your apprentice has made more of that toxin.”

“That’s right,” Shizune said preparing to launch it at the woman.

Seeing Shizune’s intent she said, “You wanted to have a chance to show off against me before Tsunade. Now that the tide’s turned in your favor are you too cowardly to face me.”

“That’s rich coming from you,” Tsunade said, “But, unlike you, I’m not afraid to put my life on the line. So choose how you want to die.”

Furofuki dropped down replying, “I don’t mind dying so long as I have the privilege of taking you with me.”

She charged toward her hated nemesis, an action that was mirrored by the Hokage. The two women met before the base of the tree. Tsunade slammed her fist into Furofuki’s causing it to explode as she released her chakra. Furofuki screamed even as her ruined arm began to heal, but Tsunade quickly followed it up with a kick that connected with Furofuki’s side. The woman flew into the trunk of the tree as her insides ruptured from the blow. She was surprised as the Hokage simply stared at her from where she stood instead of moving to finish her off.

“Come on Tsunade,” Furofuki said feeling her body healing itself, “finish it.”

“I know what you’re trying to do,” the Hokage said calmly. “You’re hoping to buy time for the tree to bear its fruit. But I’m sorry to say. Its days are numbered.” Tsunade raised her hand stating, “My Love cut it down to size.”

Dropping it, Furofuki saw Naruto holding a Rasenshuriken above his head which he released upon Tsunade’s signal. The Jutsu flew at Tsunade but passed harmlessly inches above her head before slamming into the tree above Furofuki where it unleashed its full fury. The jutsu tore into the tree destroying the chakra network that sustained it. The nearly completed fruit that had been growing from it withered and died as it was cut off from the chakra that it had been leeching from the land. Furofuki screamed as she was caught in the blast of the jutsu, but when it ended she emerged from the dust kicked up by it.

She stumbled towards Tsunade saying weakly, “Damn you…Dam…yo…” She dropped to her knees before the Hokage almost pleading as she asked, “Why…is it… you have…everything… and I’m deprived of…everything.”

Tsunade felt pity for the woman which despite what she had learned was shown in her brown eyes. Replying sadly she answered, “It’s because where you closed yourself off from others. I found those who would take my pain as theirs and to which I will gladly do the same.”

“W…what nonsense…” Furofuki replied rejecting Tsunade’s answer. The woman fell forward then as she breathed her last.

Tsunade sighed sadly as she stated, “Yet, that is why I’m still here.”

She turned to see that her lover had joined her on the roof along with other members of her Family. She smiled warmly as although she would like nothing more to run to Naruto and wrap her arms around him. The family she referred to wasn’t just the women that she was bound to through Naruto, but the shinobi of her village. Taking in their tired faces she said, “I don’t know about you, but I sure could use a drink.”

“Absolutely not,” Shizune said sounding much like she had when berating her teacher during their travels when she had gambled or indulged in spirits too much. “You Lady Tsunade are going to check yourself into the hospital.”

“Really Shizune, I feel fine,” Tsunade said waving off her first apprentice’s concerns.

“That may be, but protocol dictates that you are to be confined to a hospital room until a full evaluation can be performed.”

“Well as Hokage, I say forget protocol.”

“Sorry Lady Tsunade,” Kakashi said stepping in, “But with the crisis adverted and due to your capture. Authority has switched to the highest ranked medical personnel on hand.”

“Which is me,” Shizune said quickly stepping before her teacher. Stepping in close she whispered, “If you behave, and do what I say. I’ll see that you get some alone time with our lover. Otherwise, I might just have to make sure he stays clear of you as it might be possible you have been contaminated by Furofuki in some way.”

“You wouldn’t,” Tsunade said feeling the aftereffects of being pumped full of Naruto’s chakra.

“Try me,” Shizune said displaying a spine that had asserted itself from time to time, but in the end always wilted when Tsunade really pressed.

Sensing that would no longer be the case, she raised her hands in defeat stating, “Fine, you win. Take me away doctor.”

Naruto chuckled while watching Tsunade act similar to him when being forced to stay at the hospital. Glad that wouldn’t be the case for him this time, he felt his cock begin to stiffen as his mother breathed heavily into his ear whispering, “Honey, you need to get me alone now. Otherwise, I’m going to mount you right here.”

Guessing his mother was feeling the effects of his chakra having run through her. He scooped her up while stating, “Sure thing, I guess one benefit of still being a genin is not having to stick around to do paperwork.”

Kakashi hearing that groaned as he knew it fell on his shoulders to write up the incident. Thinking about the mountains of dead trees that he would be needed to use fulfill his task he said, “Well, at least we have the wood for the job.” He let out a perverse giggle as he imagined his student using a different piece of wood for the task that lay before him.

The sound caused the kunoichi that the jounin had saved earlier to ask Tenten, “Honestly, what does anyone see in a pervert like him?”

Tenten shrugged before replying, “No idea. But not all perverts are bad. Some can actually be pretty loveable.”

The kunoichi gave her an appraising look before asking, “Anyone in particular that you are referring to?”

Tenten just smiled as she answered, “Yeah, but my lips are sealed.” The kunoichi pouted as Tenten looked for a way to slip away so she could spend a little time with her loveable pervert and his extremely horny mother.

*****

A masked woman in a loose flowing white gown raised her hands towards the heavens while chanting, “And the Black Kyuubi shall signify the return of the chaos that our holy mother tried to quell.”

“Praise be to the Moon Goddess, the enemy of chaos,” the gathered cult members said as they held a sermon in the hidden temple the main sect of the Descendants of the Moon had used since its founding.

“That is right my children,” The woman that had led the cult for almost a century as the latest High Priestess said. She swayed the low dip in front of the gown that she wore allowing her breasts to peak out as she moved. She felt no shame as the cult like most tended to be rather free spirited in regards to sex. She had appeared naked before them many times, although only one follower had ever seen what lay behind her mask as the woman was her most trusted acolyte and lover. However, she was dealing with other matters at the moment so the Priestess in a hurry to rejoin her continued, “Yet despite our mothers kindness she was betrayed by those closest to her and sealed away. An act which has doomed this world to the cycle war and destruction, that is why we are here is it not? Who here has not felt the effects of war?”

“None have known the serenity of peace,” the gathered members replied.

“That is the sad truth of this world,” the Priestess said memories of her old life flashing before her. “Peace… the peace that the shinobi villages claim to value is a lie. A lie to buy time for their next war and then the next one. Only the peace our mother offered was absolute. Only by returning her to this world will we finally be free of the cycle and be embraced in her true understanding of peace. A world where everyone’s greatest desires will be realized.”

“Only by bathing in the Moon Goddess’s light shall we all stand as equals,” the cult replied.

“That is right children,” the Priestess said lowering her hands and staring at the crowd. Despite the mask that she wore which covered her face complete accept for an opening around her mouth and chin, the black pupil of her right eye was visible as was the white faded pupil of her left, which signified her blindness in it. “Her holy light will bless sinner and saint, the rich and poor, and the strong and the week. The Black Kyuubi signifies dark times, but through that darkness lays salvation. Since our Holy Mother was sealed away the world has been in a state darkness. But the Black Kyuubi despite all the ills that it represents also represents a sliver of hope. I can finally see the first signs that this horrible night sky bereft of the beauty of the moon is ending. The time of the New Moon has faded and with it the world of man. Soon the Full Moon shall shine brightly upon us once more and we will surrender ourselves to our Holy Mother’s will.”

“For the Moon Goddess’s will is peace,” the High Priestess flock replied.

“May the moon shine brightly upon you all,” the Priestess said signaling the end of the mass.

Turning away briskly her long purple hair flowed behind her before she walked behind the statue that the Cultists associated with the Moon Goddess, which as their doctrine dictated showed a benevolent woman. Following the narrow hall behind it to her chambers, she could hear one of the two women located their saying, “Let me go!”

Entering her chamber, the Priestess smiled seeing her lover standing before a nude young woman. The captive was standing before another statue of the Moon Goddess that was holding her hands out before her. The shackles binding the naked woman’s wrists led to the statues hands as if it was presenting it to her. The Priestess remembered when her lover had been chained to the statue in a similar fashion as she had needed some convincing to follow the Descendants of the Moon’s teachings. She smirked as she had as well although her own indoctrination had not been nearly as pleasant.

Her lover also wore a mask and a similar white gown as her. Her mask didn’t conceal as much of her face, nor did it hide the fact that her eyes were those of a Hyuuga. The woman that had gone by the name of Hanami in her previous life as the wife of the current Hyuuga head said, “But my dear, if we let you go, you’ll only interfere with another or dig sites. Or are you going to deny that you’ve been the one interfering in our search for relics related to the Moon Goddess.”

“I’m not interested in your crack religion lady,” the captive and well know Archeologist Jade Chan replied. “As I told your thugs, I was looking for relics tied to the histories of the Senju and Uchiha.”

“And the Hyuuga ,” The Priestess said, “You’ve been a busy little one lately. Several of our precious acolytes described a woman matching your description accosting them when they tried to…”

“Destroy the tablet of Hyuuga,” Jade said accusingly, “Your thugs are trying to destroy the past not discover it. What’s the matter, your Holy Mother have a few skeletons in her closest?”

The Priestess smirked, before in a gentle tone asked, “Where is the tablet?”

“I already offloaded it,” Jade replied quickly.

“To whom?” the Priestess asked stepping up behind Hanami, and liking her ear. She slid the front of her lover’s gown to the side exposing the pale white skin of her breast and red puffy nipple which she teased to hardness.

“I don’t remember,” Jade said defiantly, although she blushed as Hanami moaned.

“So young and strong willed,” the Priestess said amused. “Hanami, why don’t you help her relax? It should help jog her memory.”

Hanami stepped out of the Priestess’s embrace and pulled her gown from her shoulders letting it slip to the floor. Standing naked before the woman, she activated her Byakugan and then gently pressed several of the woman’s chakra points. Jade gasped upon feeling the final touch asking, “What did you do?”

“I’ve redirected the flow of your chakra to your erogenous zones.” She leaned forward blowing on the woman’s nipple causing it to react instantly as it hardened. Jade let out a loud moan as the Hyuuga then cupped her gently, “You moan so cutely. Do you want to feel more?”

“Do you worst,” Jade said insolently despite her pussy begging to be touched.

Hanami smiled as she said, “Oh no, I intend to do my very best.” She kissed Jade hungrily causing the woman to moan into her mouth as she pinched her nipples. Jade started out trying to resist the enhanced, but by the time Hanami pulled away she was panting with barely restrained desire. The Hyuuga smiled gently as she said, “Don’t fight it. Let yourself go, and surrender to your desires. When our mother returns, she will create a paradise for her children.”

“T…then what are you trying to hide…AHHHH!”

Hanami smiled around the nipple she had sucked at the loud moan Jade had let loose. Rolling her tongue around it, then gave it one last suck before answering, “We are merely trying to destroy the lies spread by the ancestors of the great betrayers. As you know Jade Chan history is written by the victors. Sadly, our mother’s story has been coopted by those that profit from the chaos of this world. “

“I… I don’t believe you,” Jade said while trying to deny the pleasure that she was feeling.

“You will,” Hanami said before kneeling before the bound woman while running her tongue down her chest and stomach.

When she reached the junction between her legs, Jade sensing that her resistance would crumble once she felt the Hyuuga’s tongue on her pussy moaned, “N..No…stop.”

Hanami smiled up at her before stating, “Let me ask these lips if they want me to stop.” She buried her face in Jade’s mound causing her to shout out as the Hyuuga’s tongue began exploring teasing her pussy.

The Priestess watched her lover pleasure their soon to be newest convert. She sat on the bed that she shared with the Hyuuga while beginning to pet her quickly moistening pussy. She felt envious of the moaning young woman knowing just how talented Hanabi’s tongue was, especially when she used her abilities to heighten the pleasure one felt. Hanami brought a hand between her thighs and began to rub her slit. The Priestess began to match her own movements with that of the Hyuuga as she also began to fondle her breast.

Hanami actions became more aggressive as Jade no longer resisted and instead began grinding her pussy against the Hyuuga’s face. “F…shit…no…stop…please….please don’t….don’t stop….”

The both the Priestess and her lover rubbed their pussies as frantically as Jade ground her pussy against Hanami’s mouth and tongue. Suddenly Jade tensed as she was hit by her climax. The Priestess despite being near her own, flew of the bed to grab the wide-eyed girl by the back of her head. Forcing her to stare into her dark right eye, the pupil shifted to that of the Sharingan, as Jade juices drenched Hanami’s lower face. The Priestess bent the woman’s will to her own as she imposed a desire to follow the teachings of the Descendants of the Moon and to help them with their goals.

Jade passed out both from the pleasure and being effectively brainwashed while her mental defenses were at their weakest. Hanami pulled her mouth away from Jade’s taste snatch and accept a hand up from her lover. They kissed passionately with Hanami pulling away to ask, “So, shall we use her as a way sate our followers lusts.”

“My how cold blooded,” the Priestess said with a smile, “Is that a trait left over from finding out your clan sold you out to honor the pact they made with our mother’s favored son? Would it excite you to watch her being violated?”

The Priestess saw vestiges of the gentle woman she had been likely recalling memories of the daughters she had left behind as she said, “No, but other than that. I don’t see why you’d want to bring her into the fold.”

“Because she has displayed a talent to find things which others do not wish found,” The Priestess said pulling Hanami after her towards their bed. “We’ll use that talent to find out where our unseen enemies have hidden our mother’s body.”

Reaching the bed the Priestess kissed the Hyuuga again and enjoyed the flavor of the woman that coated her lips. She let Hanami push her gown from her body and the fell back onto the bed. The Hyuuga smiled, before climbing over her so that her pussy faced towards the Priestess. She moaned as the Hyuuga’s talented tongue began to tease her pussy which quickly reminded her of the orgasm it had just been denied. Pulling the mask from her face, she quickly buried her face between in the Hyuuga’s pussy the heady scent and pleasure she felt from her Hyuuga lover, always being what allowed Naori Uchiha to escape from the cruel world she wanted to see washed away by Kaguya’s return.

Next Chapter: Welcome to Club N

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