Chapter 45 - Forest of Death: One Last Surprise!

Ekyt sensed it suddenly. Two figures. Both in the cloud of smoke. He knew them all too well.
“Run… don’t ask, get Lady Tsunade, and whoever else you can. Just run- GO!” Ekyt said, giving his teammates a push in the right direction.

“Why, sempai?” Okkuu wanted to know. He was hardly in shape to run.

“Tell her that the Akatsuki are here. Just go, run for it! Take this (pre-signed summoning scroll) and use it if you get into trouble!” Ekyt shouted, throwing the scroll over his shoulder. Yuuka caught it and helped Okkuu out the door.




Ekyt glared at Sasori and Deidara.
“What is it you want?” Ekyt finally asked, after seeing enough of the two artists smirking.

“We were expecting the Kyuubi, not you. One team from the Leaf, the one sure place to find Naruto Uzumaki…” Sasori growled, a long tail swishing behind him.

“You don’t keep up with the times, do you? Naruto was promoted over a month ago. He’s not here.”

“That’s a shame, un. But since your friend nearly killed Master Sasori…maybe some retribution is in order?” Deidara’s hand was lapping away at a bit of clay happily. “This is a new one, un. One of my favorites!” The hand finally spat out a crow. Ekyt watched as it slowly turned black, instead of the normal clay-colored substance Deidara usually produced. The bird turned toward Ekyt, and cawed.

“A sign of death in some mythology, the crow. Ironic that it’s exactly the last thing you’re going to see, isn’t it?” Sasori muttered. “My poison, with his explosives, create a volatile mix. If the explosion doesn’t get you, the poison gasses will. Even if you’re wearing that mask, it’ll seep through…not to mention kill anyone who DOESN’T know about it. So, if he detonates this latest creation, anyone who might be able to rescue you will be killed. And you, of course, will be. Survive the explosion, survive the gasses, it doesn’t matter- you won’t survive us!”

The crow ‘cawed’ again, still perched on Deidara’s arm. One black eye was fixed on Ekyt. Even it could see the sweat on Ekyt’s face.





“Lady Hokage! Lady Hokage!” Yuuka, soon followed by a limping Okkuu, burst into Tsunade’s office. Okkuu collapsed in a chair. Shizune tended to him immediately. She was relieved to find it was just fatigue and an injured leg.

“What is it?” Tsunade got up quickly, alarmed.

“Ekyt-sempai sent me! In the forest of death! He says the A-Aka-…some cloaked guys are here! He’s fighting them, he sent us away!”

“Damnit! Yuuka, you stay here. Shizune, you tend to them. If Ekyt’s there, and he bothered to summon me, there’s really trouble!” Tsunade took off at run, zipping toward the Forest of Death. Damn…what could they want with him? His chakra is useless…and he won’t join them…What are they after? Or who?




Sasori and Deidara looked at Eky.

“Scared, un?” Deidara crowed. (Yes, bad pun!)

“No. Thinking, you blonde dumbass,” Ekyt shot back. “I just can’t tell…are you a boy or a girl? I’d like to know if you’re going to kill me.”

Deidara (Complete with the red ‘anger’ symbol on his head), shouted back “I’m a boy, you idiot! How can you not tell?!”

Sasori shook his head. “Don’t fall for his stupid tricks, Deidara. He’s obviously trying to get you to drop your guard. Don’t fall for it.”

“Hey, don’t try to guess what I’m doing! I COULD be asking her on a date,” Ekyt said smugly. THAT sent Deidara into a rage, giving Ekyt the opportunity he had been waiting for.
Gotta tie up his hands, so he can’t detonate that thing…Sasori, his whole body is dangerous, but it’s still made of wood…
Ekyt was skilled with certain genjutsu to the point of not needing handsigns. He used the Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique silently on Sasori and Deidara. They both froze up. They hadn’t seen it coming. That left Ekyt time to use a Dragon’s Ember jutsu of Sasori. He couldn’t stop his body from burning until he broke the powerful genjutsu. As for Deidara, Ekyt could only do one thing. In his beaten state, it was going to hurt, but there was little choice. Summoning his Emotional Chakra to his fingertips, with the kanji for ‘wind’ on his index finger, ‘Heaven’ on his middle finger, ‘earth’ on his ring finger, ‘water’ on his pinky, and ‘void’ on his thumb, Ekyt used a “Five Elements Sealing” jutsu on Deidara’s arm. It was a temporary seal, but SHOULD last long enough.

That was really all Ekyt could do. After being in the forest for two days, coupled with his injuries, his chakra was incredibly low, as was his general stamina. So far, Deidara and Sasori hadn’t thrown off the Genjutsu yet. But they would, Ekyt knew. If Deidara didn’t have that crow-thing, Ekyt could have just ran for it. But if that thing detonated, who knew what kind of damage it would cause? It wasn’t a risk Ekyt was going to take, by any means.



Slowly, Sasori’s burning wooden hands formed the ‘release’ sign, and he could move again. Deidara snapped out of the genjutsu too, but his arm was locked into position, so he couldn’t detonate the crow.

Sasori’s tail swung at Ekyt, who managed to leap back just as it crashed down, taking out several floorboards with it. Landing gracefully on the stairs to the next level of the tower, Ekyt dashed up them. He was fairly certain his own life was forfeit at this point. But a fall from this height would kill those two…even if he DOES hit me with that poison, I’ll knocking him and that blonde thing off the roof, or put them through the floor. At least the blonde is neutralized, for the moment. That just leaves that puppet guy…I’d almost rather have Itachi to deal with. I’m more experienced with genjutsu than poisons…probably WHY Sasori was sent. And Itachi…he’ll be after his brother soon. In fact…today! Today’s the anniversary of when the Uchiha clan perished…Sasuke is no match for Itachi, not yet…Itachi MUST know that…he’s after something Sasuke has…but what? Damn, it’s hard to think when you’re running for your life!

Minutes later, Ekyt hit the top of the tower. Panting, he turned to face the door. The Akatsuki members were up seconds later.

“End of the road for you, un,” Deidara said menacingly.

“Oh, please, YOU aren’t even a threat! You should really be talking, you weirded out Picasso wanna-be!” Ekyt snarled. With his chakra so low, all he could do now was braking out his Striking Serpent Blades and fight…and pray.




Tsunade reached the tower, took one look inside, seeing the crushed floorboards, and sprinted up the stairs. There was a trail made by charred wood that worried her. She could also see muddy footprints about that matched Ekyt’s boots. Tsunade prayed she wasn’t too late.
I don’t care HOW talented he is, or how much potential he has! That’s the Akatsuki he’s facing. But worrying won’t do me any good. I’ve got to get to the top of this tower, and now!




“Will he be okay, Shizune-sensei?” Yuuka asked, tugging at the headband on her arm nervously. She hadn’t rested since she and Okkuu got here. She was too worried for his sake. He’s not such a jerk anymore…he matured…into something cute. Maybe he IS the right boy…that kiss said he was…or am I desperate for romance? Yuuka knew otherwise. She really DID care about Okkuu.

Shizune looked up at Yuuka, smiling comfortingly. “He just needs rest and a cast around his lower leg. He’ll be ready to go when the 3rd part of the chunin exams come.”

“Oh, thank you!” Yuuka finally sat down, holding Okkuu’s hand. She felt him squeeze briefly. Yuuka took that as a sign that he was okay.

“Now, are YOU okay, Yuuka? If you saw the Akatsuki…” Shizune shuddered at the thought. She was as tough as they came, but still, those cloaked villains would scare ANYONE.

“I’m okay. Ekyt-sempai took care of it. Iruka-sensei told us to listen to him, and he told us to find Lady Tsunade. I hope he’s okay, he got captured by the Mist ninja. Then he came and saved me and Okkuu, and he said that he had ruined the Mist Ninja’s scrolls. Then he took out the Rain Ninja for attacking us. We got our two scrolls, and that was it. Shizune-sensei, if we passed, who else passed? No Mist, No Rain…who’s left.”

Shizune tried to keep the worry out of her voice. “The Sound Village, Yuuka…the…Sound…Village…”




Tsunade ran up the stairs, hitting the top floor, and immediately saw Ekyt grappling with Sasori. Ekyt’s swords were keeping him at bay, but it was clear he was tiring. Ekyt made eye contact with Tsunade, trying to convey a message. Tsunade didn’t care what that message was. Instead, she bashed her heel onto the ceiling, creating a huge crater that was growing, and it was aiming for Sasori. Ekyt knocked one of Sasori’s attacks aside, then used what would amount to the last of his chakra:
“Dance of the Sickle Moon!”

Ekyt’s two clones leapt toward Sasori, stabbing him straight through his ‘stomach’. They put their swords in, then kicked off just before Sasori’s tail destroyed them. All in the name of a diversion, as the growing chasm swallow Sasori up. Ekyt jumped to the side, tucking and rolling, with what amounted to the last of his stamina. He grunted in pain, but he was safe: the calvary had arrived.

“Lady Tsunade! Take the crow! Put it in a scroll or something before he can use his arm again! The seal I used won’t hold much longer!”

Tsunade nodded in response, snatching the crow from Deidara’s hurt arm. Tsunade paid the blood tribute, put the crow in the scroll, then sealed the scroll. Ekyt crawled over, and added a seal as well, with his Emotional Chakra. He finally passed out from no having no chakra or stamina left. But he had done his job, that was what mattered.



Tsunade punched Deidara, sending him down into the same hole as Sasori. Both of them disappeared in a puff of smoke. Satisfied, Tsunade picked up Ekyt’s body and put it across her shoulder.
He truly did…live up to the word ‘hero’, in every sense of the word today. Iruka can rest easy, he saved his team. And, for once, no nasty injures. He looks like hell, but he’ll be fine. Good job, kid. Now, rest up. You’ve got to be ready for those exams in a month…



Tsunade explained everything to Okkuu and Yuuka. The two went off, hand in hand, to give a report to Iruka. As they left, Sakura walked in. Out of habit, she put a washcloth on Ekyt’s forehead.

“So, he’s okay then…good. The class was wondering about him…” Sakura said quietly.

“Well, you know how he is- he’ll be in class tomorrow, to assure them all he’s okay. And…how are YOU taking this, Sakura?” Tsunade asked.

“Huh? Taking what?” Sakura asked, slightly defensively. Lady Tsunade turned away.

“Oh, just him being hurt. That’s all I meant.”
Yeah…He’s got it so bad for her…I wonder if she feels the same way…maybe I need to pair them up on missions to see where it leads…Sakura’s been mope-y since that whole Sasuke ordeal, and Ekyt is…Ekyt. Maybe this’ll snap them both out of it. For now, though, I’ll let Ekyt focus on his exams.




The next morning, Ekyt hobbled into the classroom, smiling merrily under his mask. He was bombarded with questions about the Akatsuki and how he had fought. The kids learned one thing: They respected Ekyt as a teacher now. Naoto, true to form, voiced the one question that Ekyt couldn’t answer.

“Who are you fighting?!”

Shouts of agreement hit Ekyt’s ears. Ekyt could only shrug.

“We’ll know in a month. You’re all welcome to watch.”


NEXT CHAPTER: EKYT’S SURPRISE OPPONENT

Naruto: hey, what about me?! I get top billing, not this clown! I want my part back, believe it! Next issue, I totally cheer Ekyt on! Yeah, that’s right! Me! I make people believe in themselves, look at Hinata! With my support, that pervy samurai can’t lose, believe it!”

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