Chapter 42: Sound Four

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Naruto used her sensory skills to observe the dome. It was strongest where Jirobo stood outside with his hands absorbing the chakra of the Konoha nin. She asked Neji, "Did you see Sasuke with them? What was inside the barrel?" "There were seals so I couldn't see clearly, but I think it was Sasuke. The chakra was familiar, but at the same time, there seems to be foreign transformation." Neji replied. 'So the curse seal has been triggered externally.' She thought.

"You checked this dome didn't you?" She asked. Neji replied. "Yes. There is a layer of chakra in it. It's strongest in that direction, where the enemy is, and weakest here, the opposite direction." "Then we should attack together here, shouldn't we Taichou?" Naruto asked Shikamaru.  "Tch, troublesome. Kiba, Akamaru, use your Fang over Fang technique concentrated there. Next Chouji would use his human boulder technique. Neji, Naruto, do you have any attacks that are lethal?" Neji shook his head, "Mine are more lethal for tenketsu and cahkra barriers, but I can try a 64-palm technique at a single point." Naruto nodded, "I have just the right thing for that." Then she put a hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, "Don't you have a techniques Shika." He sighed in annoyance, "No, I don't, you troublesome idiot. Anyway, Neji will start with his Jyuuken, next comes Fang over fang, next comes Chouji's tank, then Naruto you give your shot. All in quick succession." They agreed with their captain.

"What are you guys mumbling about? You are dinner anyway." They heard Jirobo's smug voice. "Why you-" "Kiba enough, let's get on with it. Time is precious." Shikamaru reprimanded Kiba. The first round, the dome didn't break and Neji did his Jyuuken attack again, followed by the others. Under Naruto's second Rasengan, which was bigger, the dome broke.

Jirobo sighed, "Oh well, I'll have to take care of you guys." Naruto took a fighting stance, but Shikamaru called out to her. "We don't have time. We can't take on two parties at the same time, unless..." "We split." Naruto realized. Before Naruto could say anything, Chouji declared, "I'll stay. You guys keep going." "Are you sure, Chouji?" She asked concerned. "I am. Now go, or we shall lose Sasuke." Naruto created a shadow clone with 10% of her chakra. "Here, he shall help you." She said and discreetly put on a seal that avoid dispelling due to mere hits. "Thanks. Now go!"

"You will be a piece of cake." Jirobo said with a smirk. "Piece of cake, you say? I'm not sure of that. Our big-boned Chouji is very strong." The clone replid. The enemy scoffed, "Big boned? He is just a fat kid. Aren't you, Fatty?" Chouji stiffened. 'Oh no!' The clone thought as she stepped back.

"Jirobo sure is taking a lot of time." Tayuya said to her teammates. "He is just having dinner." The one with six arms, Kidomaru said. "That doesn't give him any excuse to waste our time, Lord Orochimaru-sama's time." she snapped.

They saw their plump teammate approaching as they sprinted, "Jirobo, you took a long time. I assume those kids are done for?" Ukon asked. "Yeah." "Oh yeah? What took you so long you fat piece of *****?" Tayuya burst out. "Sorry." Jirobo mumbled. Kidomaru smirked at them and attacked Jirobo all of a sudden. 'Jirobo' barely dodged it, only get kicked by Kidomaru what had better speed than him. 'Jirobo' got hit to a tree and composed himself. He smirked and released his Henge. "So, you found me out how?" Shikamaru asked. "Jirobo always reprimands Tayuya for her language and never ever apologizes to her of all people." Kidomaru explained. 

"I see." Shikamaru replied as Naruto, Kiba, Akamaru and Neji landed to his side. Kidomaru cracked his knuckles. "Leave them to me." He said to his teammates and spit out a spider web on the teens and dog, trapping them. The material of the web was too strong to simply break with brute strength. Neji realised it was strengthened by chakra and used his Jyuuken techniques and released chakra from his Tenketsu, effectively cutting his bindings. He freed his friends and said. "Leave him to me. I am perfect for him." "But-" Naruto began. She was worried for the safety of her genin teammates against chunin level enemy who could have the power of Orochimaru's curse seal. She was cut off when an arrow passed them and they dodge it. Neji threw a smoke bomb to blind the enemy temporarily and pushed his teammates. "Go!" Naruto left another clone with Neji, similar to one with Chouji in chakra level and with the same seal.

Tayuya and Ukon were near a rocky stream. Ukon said, "They seem to be still pursuing. But not all of them. Kidomaru managed to stall them. I shall stay beack and push them away. You take the vessel to Orochimaru-sama." "Since when are you our leader?" Tayuya barked. "Since Kimimaro isn't here." He snapped back. She shivered at the name but clicked her tongue stubbornly in annoyance. "Whatever." She left with the barrel. 

Ukon turned to face Shikamaru, Kiba, Akamaru and Naruto. "So, two mutts and two idiots, I see." He smirked. "What did you say-" Kiba got riled up was calmed by Shikamaru's hand on his shoulder. 

A voice startled them. "The real mutt seems to be better than its partner." The Konoha froze to see the appendage attached to Udon's neck move and talk. It was a replica of Udon's head. Two more arms and legs appeared in accord to the second head. "Ne, Ukon?" "Sakon, my brother, you had to choose this moment to wake up." "Nah, I didn't plan on waking up, but I couldn't help myself but comment. The situation is hilarious." That did a number on Kiba.

"Akamaru, we shall show them that we might not be real brothers, but our bond is far stronger than theirs. Shikamaru, we shall take them on. You guys make sure that idiot Uchiha comes out of their clutches." "Troublesome. As if we have another choice." Shikamaru said. "Both of you better make it out alive and kicking." Naruto warned.

The two of them left. Naruto was about to make another Shadow Clone when Shikamaru stopped her. "You will be running out of chakra at this rate, and won't have enough in the time of need. Kiba will be fine. We have Sasuke to worry about." Naruto sighed, "That moron is the most troublesome Uchiha and the most idiotic Uchiha in the history of Uchihas.nDid he even think of his parents, his family? Is he even thinking? And he calls me Dobe (Dunce)."

Shikamaru chuckled, "Don't let his taunts get to you. You are better than him, much better. I shall not be surprised if you are a chunin along with me. But why would you hide that? God knows. Its too troublesome to pry into others' matters." Naruto smiled. "Thanks Shikamaru. But no matter how much you Naras say that everything is troublesome, if you find something interesting, you won't leave it until every aspect is solved completely." "Guilty as charged."

They reached Tayuya. "Oh great! Two more brats left." 
"You are late Tayuya." A deep voice said and she froze. They looked to see a white haired youth with kohl around his eyes and two prominent circles on his forehead. The pale shinobi was addressed thus, "Ki- Kimimaro! What are you doing here?" Tayuya stuttered.
This Kimimaro is the same Kimimaro who took the life of the Yondaime Kazekage for Orochimaru.
"The four of you have been delaying a lot. Orochimaru-sama has been waiting for too long. He might have taken another vessel by now. I should kill you for this failure." He whispered the last sentence in her ear. "Try to make yourself useful." He called out as he ran away with the barrel.

The duo tried to follow him but were blocked by Tayuya. "No, I'm not letting a single brat pass me." The two of them looked at each other and nodded. Naruto and Shikamaru attacked in succession. Tayuya kept blocking till she found Naruto lunging blindly at her. She cocked her fist back to punch Naruto, who simply slipped from under her and sprinted away. "You coward! Leaving your comrade behind. Is this the teamwork you have been discussing?" She taunted and turned to run after Naruto but was stopped by Shikamaru's Shadow Possession Technique. "Sorry, but I am your opponent, even if it's troublesome." Shikamaru said.

Naruto ran and thought, 'At least I have marked Shikamaru, Akamaru and Kiba with my Hiraishin seal. My clones can do that with Neji and Chouji. Good thing they are almost undetectable.' Tobirama's scrolls had given her useful ideas in marking other people and things with the Raijin seal that cannot be detected by anyone except very skilled people (Example? Minato, Naruto, Tobirama, The Hokage, Madara, name the strongest). The scrolls were helpful and informative. His high Senju reserves were helpful in experimenting.

Inventing and experimenting on new jutsus of high rank was a pain. But Naruto has to learn that yet. So far, she had only been learning techniques that were already invented or slight variations of the Jutsus already existing.

Kimimaro and Naruto were running in an open field as they exited the forest region. She took this as a chance to stop him with her jutsu as a distraction. It worked as Kimimaro stopped as he found himself surrounded by 100 Shadow clones of Naruto. He simply said, "Impressive."

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