Black Roses (Naruto)

Chapter 3 - Surprise

"Sakura!" Ino said as she ran over to the two with tears in her eyes.

"Ino? W-What is it?" Sakura stammered as the blonde let out a shaky breath. "T-They found them."

"Who?" Sakura's eyes widened while Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Neji...Tenten and Lee," Ino answered.

"H-How- Where are they!?" Sakura asked hurriedly. 

"They're in the hospital, Neji is in critical condition and is undergoing surgery, Tenten and Lee...."

"....are dead."

The 'Rookie' 9 were right outside of the operation room, all with grim looks on their faces.

As the door swung open, they hurriedly flinched and stood up immediately.

"How is he, Shizune-san?" Sakura asked with tears in her eyes.

"It.....failed," Shizune said, eyes shaded.

Their eyes widened in horror.

"He can't be brought back now....we sewed him back up carefully. Would you like to see them?"

"Y-Yes,"Sakura answered, voice cracking.

They stepped inside the operation room, eyes widening in horror as the white sheets were pulled off.

Tenten had several clean cuts through her brain and her neck, with slight flesh from her arm sliced off. From the state it was in, it was done days ago.

Lee didn't have much wounds from the outside, but his organs inside were all....

Neji.

There were four deep cuts across his eyes, forming four lines along with his tongue being sliced off slightly on both sides, arms and legs too.

His brain was burnt to a crisp.

"T-This is terrible I-" Tears flowed down Ino's eyes as she immediately broke down in front the surgical bed.

"Do you know who- who did this yet?" Hinata asked with narrowed eyes of tears.

"We're not sure, but," Shizune flipped Neji's body over gently with help with a few other surgeons.

'米田' was carved on the back of his body.

"Yoneda...?" Hinata muttered. "Isn't that the B-Rank guy?"

"Then it's obviously him who did it!" Kiba growled.

"From our records, we know that the Yoneda only hunts rogues, so we can't be sure," Shizune muttered. "We will examine their bodies later. We...."

Her eyes lit up in determination. "We'll definitely find out who killed them."

"Let's stop here for a rest, we can't just keep looking on like this."

Shigeo looked up as the bar's entrance door was pushed open, two Konoha shinobi entering.

"Welcome," he greeted with a fake smile as he pulled out some wine glasses. "What would you like?"

"Uh, just some water will do, we're on a mission and we can't drink," the Konoha shinobi smiled.

"Oh, a mission?" Shigeo said as he poured some water into two cups and pushed it forwards to them. "What's it about?"

"We're looking for this guy that murdered one of us," the Konoha shinobi sighed. "We suspect that he may be somewhere nearby."

"Oh....I see,"  Shigeo nodded.

"Oh, maybe you've heard of him. This Yoneda guy, do you know him?"

Shigeo's eyes slightly narrowed but his smile was still on. "No."

"Ah, well you can't just know everyone around," The Konoha Shinobi smiled. "We'll be lea-"

The door opened, the bells ringing.

The two shinobi froze.

"It's.....Yoneda!"

"What the hell...." Naruto growled under his mask. "....are Konoha shinobi doing here?"

Shigeo raised his eyebrows. "Gentlemen, please take this fight outside."

"Of course, Shigeo-san," Naruto answered, voice cold as ice.

"You know him!?" The Konoha shinobi glared at Shigeo.

"Oh dear, I'm in trouble, am I not?" Shigeo sighed softly.

"Oh, yes you are," The Konoah shinobi growled. "You take Yoneda, I'll take the bartende-"

"Not a chance," Naruto whispered as he disappeared and appeared right in front of the Konoha shinobi, kicking them two into the ground at the same time.

They were knocked unconscious.

"Sorry for the mess, Shigeo-san," Naruto apologized, eyes not moving away from the two Konoha shinobi. "They look like they're only chunin level."

"I would've been killed if you didn't step in, so thank you," Shigeo said. "What are you going to do with these two?"

"What else?" Naruto's eyes were shaded. "Kill them."

"Well you can do it inside," Shigeo nodded to the door with a 'staff only' sign.

"Of course," Naruto answered as he dragged the two into the room before slamming the door close.

Shigeo stared at the broken floor with a dent, sighing. "God."