Kaori Hatake

Chapter Thirty - Six

Kaori's Point Of View:

I cried out in agony. They were trying to remove Doana from inside of me. We were both fighting against the extraction, but the seal was the biggest help. I might know why the seal is the way it is. My mother used this specific seal to keep Doana from being taken from me. I found a book at the library.

Apparently, the Ezrus Clan are masters of sealing jutsus. This is the most safe seal that kept the beast inside and from being extracted. I can leave her out as I please as her jinchurriki. However, only a handful of people are able to remove this seal. It had to be precise work, or the jinchurriki and the beast will be killed during the release. It was also very effective at keeping the beast safely inside. I read this, and I was confused. Doana wasn't safe. Those chains didn't belong in this Eien no Bunri Bōshi (Eternal Separation Prevention) Sealing Jutsu. This was the work of another sealing jutsu. That one had to be removed.

"Damn it, I can't the wolf out," the guy attempting to extract her from me growled.

"Dumbass, did you break the seal?" one of his comrades asked when he paused his kunai-knife sharpening. "The only way to get that thing out is if you destroy the seal." I panted. Dad and the others struggled against their chains desperately, but the chains zapped them with electricity and sucked their chakra. My stomach was in pain, and my seal was throbbing.

"Is that the only way to do this?" the guy groaned.

"Yes. Now get to work."

"Which seal?"

"What are you talking about? There's only one."

"Actually, there are four." FOUR?

What do you mean four seals?" the other guy shouted. "Move." He looked at the seals, realizing he was right. "A two-for-one seal on top of the annoying seal? And another sealing jutsu? That's impossible!" Right...my original seal, the seal with the chains, and the seal of Nemaku, the beast from the river that tried to drown me and the one that Doana sealed inside of me.

"Get away from my daughter!" Dad snapped.

"Shut up , Lowsy Mongrol." The extractor turned back to the situation.

"I can't tell which one is which. They're a mess and almost a solid black ring from being on top of one another," his ally explained.

"Hey, did you know that this Black Ninja Guardian of Konoha has become extremely popular?" someone in the group asked. I smirked.

"Why don't I give you a proper, first-hand show?" I asked. I grabbed the leader by his neck with my legs, swinging my body to the side and forcibly smashing his face into the wall. "I'll teach you not to mess with The Leaf," I promised. I busted my chains after I fought through the pain from the electricity shocking me and stealing my chakra. I landed on the floor with a crouch. Moving my eyes to face them, I saw my eyes glowing gold with pupils. It was Doana showing herself to the world. Now, this is where the Invisible Air-Stride Allusion (Iasa) comes in to play.

In less than a minute, I was walking towards the extractor, having already taken down the rest of his comrades. He was sitting on the ground, hand up by his face. His eyes and mouth were wide open in terror, and he was shaking terribly. He yelped when I threw a kunai down at him, landing in the earth beside his hip.

"I-I'm sorry. Please don't kill me! I know you are strong enough to bring down the 5 Great Nations, but please...spare me my life!" I scoffed.

"Life has no meaning if all you do is hurt," I claimed.

"I'll change-"

"Shut up," I spoke. He whimpered, not daring to meet my eyes. "How pathetic. If you truly want your life spared, then fight for it. You're a damned jounin at a child's mercy. The least you could do is fight for your life." He stayed silent, and I sighed. I approached my own comrades, cutting them loose with ease. Ino rubbbed wrists gently, and Shikamaru checked her wrists before her dad looked at them with concern and worry. I turned back to the guy, weaving some signs.

"Earth Style: Pentwall Jutsu - Barrier Style!" I called, hitting my hand on the ground. The five walls grew from the ground, trapping him between them. "You guys go on ahead and take His Majesty and his sons back to town. I'll clean up here."

"What are you going to do?" Choji asked. I smiled over my shoulder at him.

"Go back to town," I reiterated. Fear crossed their faces, but I ignored it.

"I'm not leaving you here," Dad said. "I won't abandon my comrades, and I'm not abandoning my daughter once again."

"I said go!" I shouted firmly. I heard breaths hitch. "Now!"

"Just listen to her," Shikamaru intervened.

"Shikamaru," Ino breathed. Shikaku sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. Choza and Inoichi looked at each other. Asuma Sensei kept a straight face.

"Ino, Choji. Do you guys trust Kaori to come back, no matter the circumstances?" Shikamaru questioned.

"Well, yeah, but..." Ino started.

"This is completely different," Choji finished.

"Think about it. No matter what, whether kidnapped or running away, she always came back. Even if her life was on the line. This is no different." Shikamaru nodded at me, knowing exactly what I was thinking. He had always known how to read me like I was an open book. Ino and Choji stood up, their eyes holding mine and Shikamaru's determination.

"You better come back to us alive," Ino warned, hugging me tightly. The boys each put a hand on either of my shoulders - Shikamaru on my right and Choji on my left.

"Be careful," Choji mumbled.

"Don't prove me wrong," Shikamaru said.

"I'll be right behind you," I promised. "Trust me," I begged Sensei, Dad, Guy and the original Ino-Shika-Cho. They all seemed against the idea, but soon, they left me on my own with the extractor.

1033 words.