Naruto of the Seven Swords

Chapter 2

Ao looked back towards Konoha with his stolen Byakugan.

'I see pursuers.' Ao said, pointing towards the Naruto Retrieval Squadron. 'Six of them, to be exact.'

'Speed up, brats.' Kisame barked, before preparing another ninjutsu to slow the pursuers down. 'Earth Style: Mud Wall.'

A wall of earth rose from the ground, before the group continued running. Naruto and Shikamaru tried their best to keep up, and both, especially Shikamaru, knew that if they even slowed down for a moment, the Konoha ninja would catch up to them. Despite the fact that Kisame and Ao were slowing down to fit the pace of the two junior ninja, they still were ahead of the two Konoha defectors.

Ao checked for the Konoha ninja tailing them again, and reported six pursuers again. Kisame, still level-headed even though they were being chased by skilled Konoha jonin, barked out another order.

'Naruto, use your clone jutsu, send all the clones in different directions EXCEPT back.' Kisame ordered.

'Got it, dattebayo!' Naruto said, as he formed the one seal for the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Fifty Shadow Clones sprung up out of nowhere, and ran away from the main group. Naruto grinned, pleased with his jutsu.

'They're getting closer, but they're starting to split up into two cells.' Ao said. 'I can get more specific information now. The ninja in this platoon include Asuma Sarutobi, the Copy Ninja Kakashi Hatake, and... Might Guy.'

🌊

Mei sat in her chair, wondering about how her jonin squad were doing on their mission to retrieve the recruits for her new organisation. Thoughts raced through her brain, anxious about the success of the mission. Then, she remembered that she had sent two of her most capable jonin in all of Kirigakure, and calmness washed over her. A Kirigakure ANBU teleported into her office with a Body Flicker, before giving a report.

'Mei-sama, Kisame and his retrieval squad are nearing Nami no Kuni. Are we sending reinforcements?' The ANBU officer asked.

Mei nodded. 'Send Zabuza and Ganryuu to retrieve them at the meeting point in Nami no Kuni.'

'Yes, ma'am!' The ANBU officer replied, saluting before darting away to perform his job.

🌊

Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, Might Guy, and Eagle chased after the Kirigakure ninja at full speed, Eagle using his Byakugan to scout ahead.

'I see four figures!' Eagle exclaimed, pointing towards Kisame, Ao, and the two Konoha defectors.

The Konoha ninja sped up, beginning to near the defectors. Kakashi began weaving hand seals, pulling his headband off his Sharingan. Suddenly, Kisame stopped. Kakashi released his jutsu, exhaling a fireball at the Samehada wielder. Kisame instantly countered by slicing through the attack with Samehada.

'Go!' Kisame shouted, as Ao sealed up Naruto and Shikamaru to go faster. 'Water Style: Four Shark Shower!'

'Kisame Hoshigaki, the Monster of Kirigakure.' Kakashi said. 'Where is Naruto Uzumaki, hm?'

Four water sharks rained down towards the Konoha ninja, dropping down like lightning. Kakashi countered with the Earth Style: Mud Wall, before forming the hand seals for another ninjutsu. Asuma and Eagle used the opportunity to pursue Ao, who had Naruto, Shikamaru, and ironically, the Scroll of Seals, sealed into a scroll.

'Front Lotus!' Guy screamed, kicking Kisame into the air.

'Lightning Style: Lightning Current - Enhanced.' Kakashi said, releasing a concentrated bolt of electricity at the midair Kisame.

Kisame grinned at the fun he was having dueling the Konoha ninja, but another attack was coming. Midair, the skilled swordsman blocked the attack with Samehada. He glanced at his second opponent, Might Guy, who was preparing for another attack. As his body touched the ground, Kisame slammed his hand into the ground again, forming a mud wall. The defensive move was enough to buy him some time, as he prepared to continue the fight.

As the taijutsu and ninjutsu battle raged on, Kisame could feel Guy's power increasing slowly.

'Is this the Eight Gates that Fubuki told me about?' Kisame wondered, blocking another barrage of nintaijutsu.

Suddenly, Guy's speed rapidly increased, as his face reddened, and his facial veins bulged outwards.

'Asakujaku!' Guy screamed, hitting Kisame with a flurry of punches.

Kisame wiped the blood off his cheek, before he ripped off the bandages of Samehada. The facial features of a shark began appearing on his face, as Samehada disappeared. Soon, Kisame was a human shark.

'Hirudora!' Guy shouted, hitting Kisame with a superpowered and lightning fast punch.

Only a bruise appeared on Kisame's chest, but that wouldn't last long. Kakashi's hand glowed with lightning chakra, preparing his fabled Lightning Cutter. Kakashi lunged at Kisame, and the shark sword wielder, slightly dazed from the Six Gates taijutsu attack just before, couldn't dodge. All Kisame could do was spin around, Kakashi's attack only hitting the side of his waist. Kisame grimaced.

'Well, my job here is done. That was a fun battle.' Kisame said, smirking.

Mist slowly creeped around the area, and before Kakashi and Guy could stop him, Kisame was gone in a flicker.

🌊

Ao ran towards the port a while away, already at the border of Nami no Kuni. Asuma and Eagle were hot in pursuit, and Ao knew that the two other ANBU that Naruto's clones had distracted were coming to assist soon. All he had to do was get to the ship, and reinforcements would be there and do the rest.

'Water Style: Water Shockwave.' Ao said, sending another wave of water at the Konoha ninja behind.

Ao would soon be out of chakra, already spending so much on keeping his Byakugan active and sending out jutsus when Asuma and Eagle were getting dangerously close. Plus, the seal on Naruto and Shikamaru was hard to maintain.

'Hehe.' Asuma chuckled, releasing an Earth Style technique to send another attack flying towards Ao.

His Byakugan showing him the incoming attack, Ao dodged, giving Asuma more time to catch up. Just when Ao was about to run out, Kisame Body Flickered over, fending off Asuma and Eagle.

'Great timing.' Ao said, catching his breath before continuing the run towards the port.

'Fire Style: Burning Ash.' Asuma said, spewing out gunpowder from his open mouth and lighting it on fire.

Kisame instantly countered with a Water Style technique. Unfortunately for the Kirigakure ninja, Kakashi and Guy were back on their tail. Kisame grunted, seeing as his enemies were back.

'I see the port!' Ao exclaimed, before speeding up with whatever chakra he had remaining.

Kisame followed suit, darting towards the port. Kakashi, Asuma, and Guy ran at top speed, not wanting their target to get away. In the final leg of the race, the Konoha squadron began to get close to their targets, right behind Kisame and Ao.

'Boo.' Kakashi said, a Lightning Cutter in his hand.

Kakashi prepared to stab it into Ao's back, but suddenly, a wide blade, also wrapped in bandages, blocked the attack.

'You guys need some help?' The wielder of the Hiramekarei blade, Ganryuu asked, Zabuza appearing next to him.