Naruto: Dark Beginnings Original

Chapter 7

Just a warning that the chapters are really short.

Chapter 6: Battle on the Bridge Part 2, an Unexpected Ending

Kitsune lashed out his katana, cleaving the first bandit clean in half and then brought the sharpened blade around in a 360 degree arc, felling the six bandits who had ganged up on him.

"Damn it!" Kitsune parried another bandit's eager sword thrust and kicked him in the groin. As he doubled over a quick swipe from Kitsune ended the man's concerns.

He was currently standing with an arrow embedded in his arm, guarding the main entrance to Tsunami's house. The enemy had launched an attack half an hour after Kakashi and his team had left. Kitsune had managed to fend off the first wave while Kiba and Shino set up traps around the building, which had decimated the second wave. Judging by the piles of corpses in the front room, Kitsune had just faced the twelfth wave. It never ceased to amaze him how people think that, despite being heavily out skilled, they can still win if they send enough people at a problem.

"You okay down there?" Kiba ran down the hallway. His face was caked with blood, but Kitsune was relieved to note it wasn't his. He was tailed by a clone, which Kitsune assumed was Akamaru.

"Not too bad," Kitsune grimaced as he pulled the arrow from his arm, "Seen better days."

"Gods...and I felt bad after killing two bandits..." Kiba took in the destruction.

"How are Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari?"

"I left them in the hidden basement with Shino." Kiba sighed as he glanced through the window. "Looks like they are waiting for something before they send more soldiers, why don't they rush us in one go?"

"This way, Gato only has to pay a few bandits, as the rest will be killed by us. He is hoping to tire us out and kill off most of the scum he has employed." Kitsune had read the information that Kakashi and Kurenai had gathered, and was not surprised to find the rich man employed such notorious tactics.

"That bastard!" Kiba spat.

"I know," Kitsune looked around what was once a traditional dining area was now littered with corpses and blood. "I hope they don't ask us to clean up here."

"You made this mess," Kiba grinned. Despite the carnage, Kiba was unaffected. He was used to death, after he was forced to kill several wolves that had attacked Akamaru. To Kiba, killing a wolf carried the same mental consequences if not more severe ones as killing a human, and so he had faced his first kill far earlier than even Naruto.

"So I did," Kitsune chuckled. "Think I can claim that Shino did it?"

"That would be highly illogical." Shino walked up to the chuckling Genin. "Do you forget that we are surrounded by bandits?"

"Where are Tazuna and company?" Kiba scowled, "I thought I asked you to watch them!"

"I was..." Shino looked down, "But they were taken by Gato. Several bandits stormed in and kidnapped Inari, threatening to execute him if I interfered."

"Damn!" Kitsune kicked a corpse. "I guess we'll have to rely on the bug you placed on them to lead us to Gato's base."

"How did you know?" Shino smiled, although his hood hid this.

"You wouldn't have allowed them to leave without a plan." Kitsune grinned. "If I read Gato's character right, we will have several hours before they will kill Tazuna. Gato will want to make him suffer in front of his family."

"In my observations, Inari is already mentally unbalanced by the execution of someone close. If his grandfather were to be killed..." Shino left the sentence floating in the air.