Her swift prowess stunned him. The glints of her blades reflected a spirit of steel, and with ease they cut through the corpses that stayed in unrest. Red-stained white robes blended well with the hellish torment, and the blood on Yoshie's face showcased a hunter. Swerving from left to right, the samurai avoided the attacks of the shikabane, and in turn left permanent gashes on their body. She was swift and elegant like a dancer, but she only danced the breath of death. On her face was pain, as well as anger.

The shinobi refused to let a samurai and all the more a woman do the work for him. Somehow, side by side, the two began swiping off heads of corpses. Obito forms a blade of lightning in his hand after a swift sequence of hand signs. A wordless battle ensued, and a sea of corpses grew around them. The shikabane was endless, like an army of ants.

Activating his sharingan, Obito's onyx eyes turn red with black tomoe forming in them. Instantly his speed increased, and his accuracy in killing shikabane also increased. His blade slices through the shikabane nearly as easily as Yoshie does with her katana. Then while more shikabane come, Obito took it on himself to take care of them instead of letting Yoshie do it.

A few came dashing for them, but the moment he laid their eyes on them everything around him turned red for a moment. This time his sharingan upgraded into a mangekyo sharingan--the tomoe stretched out and turned into a form similar to that of a pinwheel. The ninja pulls out a sword from another dimension and with it cuts the shikabane multiple times in an unseen speed. Surprise came over the samurai who fought beside him, and Yoshie couldn't hide it in her eyes. 

A sudden wind gushed at Obito and Yoshie's direction, sending glowing embers in their direction. Heat burned their faces, quickly forcing the two to a safe distance. They covered their faces, but their eyes manage to witness the flames swallow a home whole. More shikabane emerge from the pits of hell, moaning and screaming their agony.

"There's no end to them. ." Yoshie's voice murmured. ". . . Uchiha-san. ." She glances at the shinobi by her side, his eyes still glowing a monstrous red. "Stay put, and please don't do anything."

Quietly, the woman samurai bends down to a ready stance with one hand on her katana and one hand hovering over the hilt. Deep breaths calmed her spirit and slowly a surge of energy began to gather around her. A blink of her eyes instantly turned her fiery eyes glow bright. Her hand tightens around the hilt of her sword as a swirl of energy gathered around her. With on thumb pushing out the guard, Yoshie's hand kept steady. .

Until she swung out her sword.

A flash of white light flooded the village, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. But everyone felt it. They felt the warm energy circulating throughout the village and it kept the shinobi where they stood as they slowly dare open their eyes. Walls of white light illuminated the darkness, and replaced the orange flames that raged through the village. It was as if the northern lights have lowered down to earth--a moment where people could touch the sky. 

Awe enraptured the survivors of the village who clung to life behind the fighting shinobi, who in turn desperately began to scan the area for the source of such power. A few got curious enough to try confirming the cause. Then climbing up the tallest houses allowed them a glimpse of what was truly astonishing:

A glimpse of the woman samurai's power.

Both hands on the sword. 

Hair flailing.

Eyes shut.

"That's Masashi-san. ." Neji said aloud. Even the stoic guy he usually is, he was unable to hide the surprise on his face. Beside him, Kakashi nods, and his calm eyes were also wide with surprise.

"Seems like she's more than just sword fighting," said Kakashi, narrowing his eyes as he watched Yoshie. He knew what the wall was for. It was made to keep everyone inside, including both the villagers and the shikabane.

"Get the others to gather the villagers immediately!" he ordered. "It seems like Masashi-san decided to contain the shikabane. Smart. But unfortunately she included us all as well."

"I don't understand what her plans are," the young man beside Kakashi replied.

"We have no choice but to wait and see," Kakashi muttered as he steps further towards the edge of the roof.

Glancing down, he could see shikabane sprawling around mindlessly. Gray and cold, they were living corpses invading the land of the living. Their fingers reached out to the empty space in front of them. Kakashi continued to observe them, but looks a way for a moment to scan the path further ahead. Perhaps getting to Yoshie and finding out what was going on would be the best plan.

But then glancing back down, Kakashi yelps when shikabane began to climb up the house he and Neji were on. Like crabs, the undead climbed on top of each other without any regard to their own. They just wanted to take a bite at the shinobi in their midst, and they were fast to chase after their prey.

 Within seconds, Kakashi and Neji began to kick the shikabane off the roof before they could even climb up. The gray-haired ninja would send some shikabane topple over, but the shikabane quickly grew in numbers. Neji was soon forced to lean to taijustsu to fend off the shikabane. His swift fists sent the monsters flying off and crushing those underneath it. But their persistence became more and more aggressive until it became rage once Kakashi suddenly kills another one of their own.

"They seem to react to the death of their comrades," said an observant Kakashi, kicking another shikabane off.

A sudden shift in the wind changed the mood almost instantly. Some turned away and began to slowly marched towards the samurai. Curiosity came over Neji, making him activate his byakugan to see the unseen. The moment his eyes were opened took him aback.

"What do you see??" asked Kakashi, surprised to see Neji's calm demeanor broken with shock.

Turning to the captain, the young shinobi could only feel his lips tremble as his energy slowly left him. Beads of sweat rolled down his temple as the boy gulped down his uncertainties.

Meanwhile, the shinobi outside the white walls of light were baffled to have been locked out. Hinata, Shino, and Kiba along with their captain Yamato gathered the villagers into one spot, and attended to their wounds. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji were with them as well. Though curious to what the wall was made off, they knew it wasn't safe to touch. Shikabane from within the village came plopping out lifeless. Their eyes no longer glowed that horrific yellow, and their glowing veins turned purple.

Although the light was beautiful, the scene in front of them was horrifying.

"What are we going to do?!" Ino cried frantically. "There are still people inside!"

"We know. But how can we get across?" asked Choji, roughly scratching the back of his head.

"The walls. . ." her companions turn to her. "They seem to be made of concentrated chakra. . ."

"What?!" everyone exclaimed in unison.

"You mean it's something like Naruto's rasengan?" Kiba asks. "It's gathered chakra energy right? And that in itself uses a lot of chakra since it's condensed. How can Masashi-san have so much chakra?"

"If Masashi-san did this to contain the shikabane, she probably has plans on eliminating everyone within the perimeter," said a cynical Shino. "Even if she has an unnatural amount of chakra, she will eventually run out like everyone else will. She can only hold up to a certain extent and will probably eliminate as mush as she can."

Kiba grits his teeth.

"I knew it! Masashi-san wasn't to be trusted all along! She kills people without even thinking twice," he fumed. Akamaru seemed confused beside him, as though he questioned his owners feelings.

Hinata became quite troubled as well, distressed with her comrade's response. Despite everything that has happened, she refused to see Yoshie as a proxy of death. The only thing she remembered about Yoshie was the long scar she has on her back and the innocent smile the woman had back in Konohagakure. And Hinata recalled seeing Yoshie for the first time. 

There's no way she--

"No, Kiba-kun!" cried Hinata, surprising everyone there. "I. . I don't believe that Masashi-san would be that heartless! I know we barely know her. . and this is a mission given to us by the Hokage. I know that we're not supposed to let our emotions get in the way of our judgement. . . But I believe. ."

She squeezes her hands. 

". . we're reading Masashi-san wrong. We still don't have proof of what she has in her mind, plus Naruto and the others are there. I'm sure she doesn't want to kill them needlessly.

The girl's words brought her companions to a standstill and a moment to ponder. But this brief silence was only interrupted by a crack of twigs that made them whirl their heads around. And surprises just kept coming.

A samurai dressed all in red appeared in their midst. He donned some armor, while behind him were his katanas placed in a crossed manner. His frizzy blond hair swayed against the cool night wind. But his eyes were cold and intimidating--once again making a grand entrance to another introduction of a samurai.

"Tch, seems like she's unleashed Goko's flames," said the samurai as he walked on towards the flame wall. Then he glances at the shinobi with narrowed eyes. "Are you the pests who've been chasing after Yoshie?"

Pests?!

Tension grew like fire, and the shinobi found themselves readying to grab at their weapons. They didn't know who he is, but it was strange seeing someone theme a color for their outfit. Ieyasu was clad in blue while Yoshie had garments of white color, then this man looked like he was drenched in blood.

He was lean in build, but he had a fierce aura around him. Though his personality looked laid back, telling by the relaxed expression he was making, the man had the bearing of an elite. If he had the power to force people to their knees, they definitely would. His arrival took the shinobi aback, but he didn't feel the same way.

"I'll take your silence as a yes," said the man, slowly pulling out the katanas behind him. He was immediately responded with animosity from the shinobi around him. But with a huff, Hanzo ignores them and walks over towards the wall.

But Yamato blocks his path, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Excuse me, but who are you to interfere?" He asked.

The blond samurai smirks.

"I don't have any intention of telling my name. But what I could tell you is that I know Yoshie and I'm here to help eliminate the shikabane." He swings his blades with confidence, but it was almost like he was imagining shikabane running up to him.

He was dangerous.

"Now stand aside. . ." Hanzo glares at the shinobi. "If you don't want to die."

Then coming forward, the man reaches out to touch the blazing wall. Out of impulse, Hinata grabs his arm and pulls him back. It surprises Hanzo, bringing a smirk on his face. 

"Why so concerned, shinobi?" He asks with his face close to the girl's face. Resting the fake edge of his sword on his shoulder, Hanzo turns back to the light behind him without fear. The only thing he had was courage, but maybe to some it was merely due to his already present reckless nature.

Stretching out his hand, the samurai's fingers slowly. . .

Very slowly. . .

Touched the surface.

And nothing happened.

"Hmph. Show-off," Hanzo beamed.

"You didn't get hurt. . ." Hinata's voice trails with eyes wide.

The samurai grins.

"Yoshie's chakra is different. . . it's what makes her special." Hanzo slowly sticks his sword in. A grin suddenly curls on his lips"You better step in if you want to experience something once in a lifetime. I suspect Yoshie won't be repeating a stunt like this in the near future."

He steps through the wall, amazing the shinobi behind him. 

"I don't trust him," said Kiba.

"I don't either," Shino seconded. 

Scratching the back of his head, Shikamaru dared to touch the wall. His teammates behind him watched as beads of sweat rolled down their brows. The bead of water grew as it traveled to the chin. Then the moment it left their skin, Shikamaru's hand rested against the wall. But it wasn't solid. It was untouchable like fire. 

"I'm stepping in," he announced, shocking his friends.

Ino wouldn't have it.

"Oi! Are you insane?!" She yelled.

But Shikamaru merely cocks his brow at her.

"That Hanzo guy stepped in with confidence. We're shinobi. We have no fear."

And he steps in to a world that widened his eyes. . .

"What the. . ."

Where he would be a witness. . .

"Hell."

A samurai's glorious strength.

* * * * * * * *

Somewhere in the village, the two samurai from the south fought the shikabane unceasingly. They left behind a trail of corpses, which reminded them of the sight they saw back in Yoshie's village. Her tale was no myth as they hoped it would be. She told the truth, and Ieyasu felt guilty for the four years she fought alone. When they saw the wall of energy form around them, Ieyasu felt both ecstasy and fear shake his bones. For the first time, he witnessed Yoshie having so much power. An epiphany of why his father insisted on him marrying her came to him, and a resolve he couldn't deny overwhelmed his uncertain feelings.

When this is over. . . I will challenge her.

Sword swings and blood splatters.

I've trained for seven years. I am ready!

That was the thought that flew through his mind.

His eyebrows were pulled close together into a frown. Stretching out his arm, Ieyasu quickly drew a sign in the air. The symbol 強 (tsuyo) was left in the air, colored in blue light. He touches it, and it immediately stretched and eventually disappeared. His prowess with the sword suddenly upgraded as he fought more shikabane. He became faster. He became stronger. And he became more instinctive. He didn't need so many seconds to think any more.

Firm fingers loosened as their grip on the katana's hilt and changed position into a more unorthodox fighting style. He drew out another sword of his side, and began using two of six katanas he owned. He refused to let fear and uncertainty hold him back. In mere seconds, he opened up a path for himself and Hirohisa. 

"So you've decided to use more than just your sword, eh?" Hirohisa teased as he and his friend dashed for it.

Ieyasu glares at him.

"I simply wanted to pick up the pace," he replied, "That's all there is to it."

"Hoh? You didn't wield all your katanas either."

"Fool. Shikabane are not worthy of tasting all six of my swords!"

Hirohisa just grins in response and pulls ahead, leaving a flabbergasted Ieyasu behind him.

It was strange. The presence of the surrounding walls put out all the fires that were slowly consuming the village. The only light now emitting was from the walls themselves, but in the shadows the samurais could see the glowing orange the shikabane's eyes omitted. The veins that scoured their skin showed an obvious indication of the curse they were all under. And the unpleasant moans they made, made the samurais' skin crawl.

But they remained unfazed in the face of death.

Scanning his surroundings, Ieyasu's eyes found Kakashi and Neji on top of a tower. They seemed to be busy observing the woman that might bring them an answer for all of this. No words needed to be uttered. Hirohisa simply followed his friend's lead, and in a few moments they found themselves by the two shinobi.

The floor creaked from underneath their feet, and it moved ever so slightly with each step the two samurai took. The pungent smell of blood reeked the night air, and the screams of death was alarming. Now that the fires have been put out, the intensity of hell's touch decreased dramatically. In its stead, a cool warmth kissed the warriors' bones within the village. But it still left both samurai and shinobi confused and uncertain. The only thing they were sure of was to watch and spectate. . . to stay out of Yoshie's way.

"What is Masashi-san planning?" Asked Kakashi curiously.

"She's probably planning on wiping out the shikabane," Hirohisa replied, shaking his head. "But if you're going to ask me how, neither Ieyasu or I have the answer."

"A warrior must know when they reveal their cards," Neji quotes.

"Or else they would be vulnerable to the enemy," Kakashi continues for him.

"That's obvious," said Ieyasu, shortening the distance between him and the shinobi. "In all my years of acquaintance with Yoshie, I have never seen her reveal such powers."

Kakashi cocked a brow.

"Well. . let's assume she never needed to," he replied. "But what I want to know is what she's currently thinking in her head." Kakashi turns to the two samurai, his eyes knitted together into a fierce glare. 

"Is Yoshie planning to kill us all along with the shikabane?"

Hearing this made both and Hirohisa and Ieyasu frown. But the building rage in the samurai brought on the demonic fire burning into his face. His grip tightened on his sword as a moment of silence lingered between the two parties. The man had gotten sick of it. The blithering accusations the shinobi had against the woman. She was truly an embodiment of an enigma, but he had full confidence that Yoshie continued to have a sharp mind even after all the pain she went through.

But even then, all this was only Ieyasu's naive nature speaking for him. He had no true confidence in the woman; he failed to truly understand her nature and idiosyncrasy. Even if he had known her for years, she was a puzzle box he still needed to unlock little by little. And so. . 

"I don't know."

Was his answer.

"I have to stop her," Kakashi replied, pulling out a kunai from his pocket. "I know that you all are after a noble cause: eliminating the shikabane. But I cannot let her kill all of us here. We will not compromise for the sake of her whims!"

He turns to leave, but he halts when he notices a glint of light by his shoulder. The blade was clean enough to reflect the shinobi's eyes.

"If I were you. ." Ieyasu places his other sword on the other side of Kakashi's neck. ". . I would stay put."

"I didn't come here to get Yoshie killed by shinobi," Ieyasu continues. "Not like you could kill her anyway. But though the plans she has may seem vague, I have placed my trust on her endeavors. I doubted her for four years, but seeing what she suffered through, my doubts have vanished."

"What makes you certain her motives are pure and not of malice?" Neji dared to ask. "Why are you giving her blind faith?"

"Yoshie values honor. She will avenge those who have been dishonored." His swords leave where they were placed, allowing Kakashi to relax from his tingling anxiety. "And I don't have blind faith in her. I'm simply following my intuition."

"Now, now, my fellow men. Let's relax and think for a second." Being the rational man, Hirohisa places himself in between Kakashi and Ieyasu. His warm vigor managed to calm the two down. And he hoped neither of them would come at each other's throats any time soon.

Then they suddenly hear it.

The soft sound of a bell.

Ting.

Instantly the four huddled together; their weapons unsheathed. They could feel it. The ominous presence breathed death, and causing their skin to crawl. All the warriors knew that this was no shikabane they were sensing. It was something more. Eyes scan their surroundings, peeking at the dark corners for any sign of movement. But the creaking building gave them a handicap on hearing the intruder's movements.

Among the four, Kakashi was the most unsettled. The presence he sensed was all too familiar, and he reminisced the near-death experience he had earlier on during their journey. Instinctively, his hand clutched his stomach as a shadow finally moved in their presence.

"You--?!"

From the shadows emerged a man donning a full clad of armor. Black as the feathers on a raven. The tinkling sounds of iron indicated its durability. The man's face remained covered as it was before. But the mask once broken was replaced by another, only fiercer compared to before. It was colored in crimson, brighter than the hue of blood. In his hands, his blades glinted under the light, showcasing the fine edge it had. But he did not only have one--he had two finely sharped blades.

"It seems like I shouldn't have left you breathing on that mountain."

"Who is that?!" Neji cries as his hands become firmer, readying himself to fight the monster in front of them.

With his eyes narrowed, Kakashi replied, "The demon samurai."

* * * * * * * *

Obito didn't know what to do.

Tons of shikabane were gathering around him and Yoshie, and even while he fought them off, they showed resilient persistence. There was no end to them. There was a limit to his sharingan as he was unable to go through the tragic circumstances to unlock the hate required to increase his capabilities. He fought bravely to protect the samurai who was in deep concentration. 

After that wave she made, Yoshie made half of the ram sign: the thumb curl downwards and the same went for the ring finger and pinky finger. Only the index and middle fingers remained upright.

"Masashi-san!" Obito called. But the swirling vortex of energy around her pushed him back, and he is unable to reach the samurai woman.

Uncertainty hung over the shinobi's face like a veil. But the energy that swirled around the samurai kept the coming shikabane at bay. 

"Stand back, Uchiha-san!" Yoshie yelled through her ritual. "Just watch."

Ting.

"Goko," Yoshie called. "Dragon of purity with scales shining in unrivaled glory! I beseech thee! I call for aid!"

Eyes were still shut closed. Rouge lips pressed gently together. A strong aura embodied the woman. Suddenly her eyes open, revealing a glow that took Yoshie's watchers aback. Then she swings her sword around that showcased a prowess beyond the knowledge of short training. Glowing white energy began to coil around her like fire, but it had the shape of a snake.

And she calls once more.

"Come! Dragon, come forth and consume the impure!"

Swinging her sword, a dragon of white translucent energy fully manifests itself with a loud roar.

All around her, all onlookers froze in their places. They couldn't take their eyes off the woman dancing with her blade glinting under the light of her dragon. It was massive; its body coiled around her high throne like a snake in service to its master. It had a handsome lupine face, flowing whiskers, and long, slender horns. Fire-like blazes surrounded its body and bright, white embers slowly disappearing as soon as it left the dragon's body.

With grace, Yoshie guided her dragon using her sword. She guided it flowed through the entire village in circular motion, while it moved farther and farther away from her to cover the entire village. Its jaws swallowed everything in its path. Though afraid, people couldn't even scream as the dragon passed through--they felt like a gush of wind passed through. Even with Hanzo and the shinobi who dared to venture inside, felt an unspeakable ecstasy for this phenomenon. They could not help but gape with awe and wonder.

As the dragon passed through, they felt a force push against them. They were swallowed, and a warm sensation enveloped their whole body. Though uncertain, they felt no terror. Just a curious anticipation of what was going to happen next. But instinctively they shut their eyes for dread of the unknown. And the moment they open their eyes, they witness the walls slowly join the night sky and vanish into thin air.The living were left standing, but the shikabane were all burned into ashes.

Houses were charred black by the fire, while the ground had a mix of black and gray sand, staiend by the ashes. Shocked, the villagers who were trapped in the village stood like frozen statues in their places. No sound uttered from their lips, just the sound of cracking wood crashing into the ground below. Minds were blank while the people tried to register what had happened to their village, to see if it was real or not. The same went for the shinobi.

Speechless and. . .

Dumbfounded.

~~~

Number of words: 4254

This chapter is dedicated to infinitynstars! 

Whew, I updated, ACK. I was sleepy while writing this, AHAHAH. Please forgive me if the chapter was kinda intense. The story is slowly but surely moving foreward, because the next chapters, of course, would lead us to how the relationships between the most important characters, especially the two: Obito and Yoshie. WHICH I'm sure you guys have been wondering about.

And please give me a piece of your thoughts, ehehe. If you could critique, please don't hesitate.

- raita