Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Ghostly Eyes ❯ Another Shot ( Chapter 12 )

      The process of sharing information and planning had provided ample time for the eight Shinobi of the Hidden Leaves to rest. As a result, they enacted their plan immediately.

     Three of the Hyuga branch family that had joined them went off. Uaishi, Tomoko, and the youngest among them, Kodomairu, would explore the outskirts of the Nimmori village, examining the ley line patters in the hopes of discovering the critical points that would be most needed in the coming ceremony. Should all else fail, they would also be in charge of dispatching the Nimmori located in these specific points, causing the ceremony to backfire and recreating the very disaster that occurred the last time this ritual was attempted.

     Since he had been in the Nimmori village once already, Shino would join Hyuga Riisen in infiltrating it. It was Kurenai’s speculation that the most important location for the ritual, the focal point of all the Chakra that would be forced into the ley lines, would be located within the village itself. Riisen and Shino would examine the village as a whole, looking for especially revered or unusually marked places. Shino had mentioned a possible place for a starting point, so they would head there first.

     Kurenai, Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru would also infiltrate the Nimmori village. However, they had a far different target. Rather than places, they were after a person. The girl they had come here for, Hyuga Hinata. According to Kiba’s translation of Akamaru’s report, Akamaru had actually been kept in Hinata’s sleeping quarters. This offered their best chance to finish everything quickly. Working from a combination of memory and tracking scent, Akamaru was gradually leading them to the tree-bound hut that Hinata was currently residing in.

     Theirs was easily the most difficult, most dangerous, and most potentially rewarding part of the plan. Where Shino and the Hyuga had only to infiltrate and not be seen while exploring themselves, Kurenai, Kiba, and Naruto would surely end up making their presence known. If they located Hinata, there would be no way around it. Even on the off-chance that they wouldn’t have to fight bodyguards protecting the girl, actually securing Hinata would cause a major problem. She would definitely fight them given the chance, and she was far more dangerous as Kashghyu N’ga than she was as Hyuga Hinata. Kurenai made a point of making this clear to the two Genin under her command.

     “If Hinata has ever had a real weakness,” Kurenai told them, “it’s that she lacks the confidence essential to being able to fight with all her strength. From what I’ve observed, that will not be an issue so long as she is Kashghyu N’ga.”

     The two Genin, and even the dog, gave a nod in response. As “She of the Ghostly Eyes” Hinata was confident to the point of being full of herself. Combine that with the facts that she inexplicably retained the battle skills she learned both as a Genin of Konoha and as heir to the Hyuga family and that she currently saw the three ninja and dog as her enemies, she would be a very dangerous person to deal with.

     The Nimmori village was built within the trees of the forest themselves. The huts were built around the trees. On the inside, as the ninja learned by looking through windows as the moved, they were circular one-room structures with the tree they were built into serving as a central pillar. The huts were connected by a series of bridges and ladders. However many Nimmori, particularly the younger fighters, would move by channeling Chakra to their feet and hands in order to stick to the trees and to enable them to jump from tree to tree. The bridges and ladders were used primarily by those too old or too young to have such control.

     The Shinobi traveled by clinging to the trees with Chakra as well. Using the arts of Transformation and Camouflage, the four maintained near invisibility and had yet to be spotted. Part of the reason for that, Kurenai thought, was that the Nimmori seemed to have most basic skills down, but the finer points of Ninjutsu seemed lost to them. This caused them to fail to notice the various jutsu being used by the Konoha-nin. Giving the infiltrators a much easier time moving. They also kept low to the ground for the most part, as most of the Nimmori preferred going as high as they could.

     With a yelp from Akamaru, the four Shinobi stopped. The climbed up higher and hid in the shadows underneath a hut placed high in a tree. Kiba informed Kurenai and Naruto that the Hinata’s hut was close by.

     “We should be able to see it from here.”

     Indeed, Akamaru and Kiba found the hut in question. They had a clear view through a window, giving them a glimpse of the room inside. Hinata sat cross-legged on the floor, obviously deep in meditation. Among the details Kurenai began to notice, the first and foremost was the symbol on Hinata’s forehead. The times she had seen her so far, the girl had been decked out in various face and body paints. However, the only thing covering her skin now was her clothing, the animal skin short pants and sleeveless vest preferred by many of the Nimmori youth they had seen since first entering the forest. The only marking on Hinata’s body was that symbol that greatly resembled a tree. A symbol Kurenai had been told was once the sign of the Mori-nin. The one worn on their Hitai-ate just as the Konoha-nin wore the sign of the leaf.

     For Kurenai, this begged the obvious question. Why, if she removed all of her other paints, is that one left on?

     Kurenai considered this. She had seen this sign on some of the other Nimmori while they were in captivity and while they were infiltrating the village. Most of the people who bore it were young adults, roughly Kurenai’s age or slightly older. Hinata was the youngest person she’d seen bearing the symbol.

     A sign of seniority? Something denied younger people until they’ve grown up? Possible. If that were the case, Hinata, as the Mori no Megami’s future vessel, would be an obvious exception to the rule. But not all of the people in the older age group held it.

     “That tree symbol on Hinata’s head.” Kurenai whispered to the boys, “You’ve seen others with it?”

     The two boys nodded.

     “I have the feeling it’s important.” Kurenai said.

     “Yeah…” Kiba agreed, “We haven’t seen that many people with it. And every one of them was older than Hinata.”

     “Maybe it’s a sign of adulthood, like the Hitai-ate?” Naruto ventured.

     “My first thought as well.” Kurenai replied, “But I don’t think so. First of all, too few have it.”

     “Maybe it’s a sign of super elite fighters, like Jonin?” Naruto queried.

     “If that were the case, why is it that none of those with the sign were among those we‘ve fought so far? They would be the obvious choice when it came to collecting and protecting their precious vessel. Plus, some of those we’ve seen with it were average people, not counted among the fighters we’ve seen so far. In fact I don’t think any of them w - ah… I see!”

     The two Genin looked at the sensei confused.

     “That mark is a sign that they aren’t from this village!”

     Kiba’s eyes widened as realization hit him.

     “I get it.” Kiba said, “It’s some kind of seal or tattoo, and only people brought in from outside the village have it.”

     “The ones they’ve hypnotized!” Naruto said, beginning to understand himself.

     “Exactly!” Kurenai said, “Which means it could very well be the key to the Genjustu placed on Hinata.”

     If nothing else came of this venture, they now had some very useful knowledge. Those who had been recaptured from the Nimmori had needed extensive therapy and the support of close family and friends to break the hold of the Genjutsu. If the seal had been present then, its significance was likely missed. Perhaps assumed to be a sign of Nimmori adulthood, as Kurenai initially believed. Knowing it to be a curse seal meant that there might be another way, a way to free not only Hinata, but all the imported Nimmori.

     But for now, Hinata was their priority.

     “Well, what’re we waiting for?!” Naruto asked impatiently.

     “Look.” Kurenai said, indicating the door of the hut. Outside of the huts was a small circular platform for people to stand on. Outside the door to this hut, on just such a platform, stood two Nimmori. They were older, and were clearly strong. They were just as clearly guarding Hinata’s home from invasion.

     “Our chance will come when Hinata ends her meditation. Chances are, she will begin to see to other matters, in the process moving around the room and moving objects within it. That will create a small bit of noise that can cover our own entry and, if we do it correctly, we can incapacitate Hinata and possibly even escape with her before anybody notices something is wrong.”

     Though I wouldn’t count on it, personally. Kurenai thought to herself.

     Slowly, but surely, they Shinobi made their way to the hut Hinata was in. Kurenai knew they need to be very careful. If Hinata caught wind of something wrong, she would activate her Byakugan and there would be no more use in hiding.

     Their caution proved useless, however, when a man leaped at them from out of nowhere. He attacked Kurenai who, unable to dodge, was sent plummeting into a platform by a well placed kick to the head.

     “Sensei!!!” Kiba yelled as he and Naruto landed from their jumps. The two didn’t have time to worry about her though. As they looked around, they saw a small force of Nimmori fighters around them.

     Da Iri’ga landed from his leap on a platform near the one the shee’nobie woman had fallen to. His kick had clearly done some damage, as she was slow getting up. But rise she did, her eyes fixed on her attacker. She had sustained some damage, Da Iri’ga noticed some bleeding from her forehead among other scratches. Iri’ga didn’t know just what skills this woman had, but he did know he was among the best fighters of his tribe.

     Time and again, this woman has attempted to reclaim you, Kashghyu N’ga. Da Iri’ga thought to himself, And I swear, my daughter, she will fail once again!