Chapter 25. Attack!

Chapter 25. Attack!

Suddenly I felt slightly drowsy. Maybe the doctors gave me some sort of medication…

“Gai.” My uncle said.

“I know Kakashi.” He replied.

I lifted my head. “What’s happening uncle?”

I saw him lift his two hands together, pressing into a hand seal. “Release” Both Jounin said.

So it was a genjutsu. I made the hand seal. “Release!” I spoke, escaping the genjutsu.

I suppose this was Orochimaru’s doing. I wonder where the scumbag is hiding.

“Maki, watch out!” Kakashi uncle yelled, shoving me aside while throwing his kunai.

The kunai intercepted a kunai of an enemy.

I took in my surrounding, observing carefully. The sand ninja were attacking Konoha..

“The hokage!” Gai yelled.

“We got it!” An anbu yelled, leaping towards the hokage’s location. Three more followed him.

“Idiots” I muttered.

They must have realized that the one leading this invasion will be after the hokage. 4 anbu alone were not enough to stop him.

Him… I had a feeling that I knew exactly who him was.

I stood and swiftly raced after the four anbu.

“Maki! W-“

“Not now Kakashi Uncle! We have to protect the village!” I yelled behind my shoulder.

I couldn’t risk Kakashi interfering. He might not make it out alive when the situation involved Orochimaru. And I refuse to lose another family member.

I refuse to lose Kakashi Uncle.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that my uncle wasn’t following me. Good.

“Ahh!” An anbu screamed. He was covered in flames. In front of him, a purple barrier allowed no one inside.

Inside where the Hokage was being held hostage.

Four flames formation, huh? I knew a little trick to that barrier jutsu. In fact, My own father, Mikio Hatake invented a cancellation for this jutsu as well as many others. I’m his living example, the only one who knows every jutsu cancellation he invented.

There was a bit of a ... side effect to this particular cancellation jutsu though.

I stepped onto the roof. "Quick, I can cancel the 4 flames barrier, cover for me!" I shouted at the anbu.

I couldn’t see their faces due to the anbu masks they all wore, but their voices held annoyance and a hint of disbelief.

“Get out of here, genin! You’ll injure yourself and make matters worse.”

I snorted and felt eyes watching me.

“Maki, get out of here! He wants you too! The curse mark will activate itself as soon as you’re within five feet of him.” The hokage yelled.

So he knew that “Lord Kazekage” wasn’t the Kazegage, eh?

“Look, my dad invented a cancellation for this jutsu.” I explained to the anbu. “This isn’t the Kazekage you’re dealing with. It’s Orochimaru, a former student of the hokage. The hokage might be able to handle himself, but he's the leader of our village. The one person everybody loves and looks up to. We can't risk his death, and … If there is a way I can prevent it.."

"Don't let her do the jutsu!" Lord hokage yelled. "It involves too much chakra. You're putting your chakra up against the four people who are creating the barrier. You'll die!" He yelled.

I stiffened. How did he know that? Only my father and I knew of this jutsu and the ... side effect.

I shook of the momentary surprise. "I'll do what I need to do." I growled.

“You should have picked the fifth hokage old man, because right here, right now. You’re going to die… hahaha” Orochimaru said, peeling off his Kazekage face.

Creepy much?

“Sorry bro, not going to let it happen.” I said grimly to Orochimaru.

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow. “’Maki, so you’ve decided then. What you want?”

I growled in frustration. “I’ve decided nothing! All I know is that right now, you’re destroying my home. And I will do everything in my power to stop that.”

“I see…” He mused. “You can try to stop it, but nothing will change. You aren’t powerful enough… Yet.”

 He’s baiting me.. He wants me to attack him.

Very well then. I stepped forward and prepared myself to do the cancellation. Hopefully a can survive just a bit longer to whip Orochimaru's butt.

“Maki don’t!” Hokage yelled.

“This is my fight. Don’t interfere. I am the hokage. I can take care of myself.”

"..." I took one more step forward but felt a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back gently. "Don't let him bait you." One of the anbu said gently. "Don't let him get to you, you'll end up dead. Let Lord Hokage handle this."

I looked down and curled my fists in tightly. If i cancelled the barrier, the anbu could get it and save the hokage. We'd win for sure. I wouldn't be alive to see our victory, but I would die knowing that everyone was safe.

But to be honest, I was a little frightened by the thought of death. 

No longer living..

If things went bad.. It would be my fault. Just like my parents' death. 

"Fine. For now, i'll stay back. But please don't try to stop me if Lord Hokage's in danger."

The gentle anbu nodded and we stood there helplessly, watching the fight between sensei and student.

I do admit, I watched Lord Hokage fight with a peculiar sort of fascination.

“He combined earth and fire styles, excellent Lord Hokage!” One of the guys I was standing next to remarked.

“He is the hokage.” I said in a strong, proud  voice.

The fight continued on.

“Isn’t it time we stopped playing around here? After all, this isn’t an academy class.” Orochimaru said.

One of the anbu snorted. “Where you belong.” He said to me.

I decided to ignore him.

“Hmph, yes. You’re right.” The hokage replied stripping. Ohh, things are about to get serious!

Wait, stripping?!! “Hey, this isn’t a strip show, old man I’m only 13!” I yelled, jokingly, not able to help myself.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I noticed his ninja clothes underneath the hokage hat and robe.

Orochimaru chuckled. “Yes, Maki Hatake.. She’s very… capable. It’d be a shame to let such talent within my grasp go to waste, huh Sarutobi sensei?”

“You won’t touch her.” Hokage replied, fiercely.

A strong feeling welled up inside my heart. A  genuine feeling that i wasn't used to. That I couldn't explain. Happiness maybe? I didn't know that the Hokage cared about me so much.

I was tempted to step in and save the hokage so that i wouldn't have to wait for reassurance, but the nice anbu guy anticipated my thoughts and rested his hand on my shoulder, reminding me of my promise.

The fight escalated, intenseness increasing. 

All of a sudden the inside of the barrier was converted into a mini forest and the hokage and Orochimaru were no longer in our sights.

"No, no, no! Gramps, you better not let that guy kill you!" I yelled tensely, hoping that he could hear my nervous encouragement.

A dreaded feeling swept over me.

The whole world went completely still for a milli second. And i knew something bad had happened.

"No!" I screamed, tears threatening to pour out of my eyes.

I ripped my shoulder away from the anbu guy, and thrust myself forward before anybody could stop me.

With speed that should have been impossible, I created the hand signs and yelled, "4 flames-"

"DON'T!" I faintly heard behind me.

"..formation barrier, cancellation jutsu!" I screamed, forcing my chakra into the jutsu so forcefully that the barrier ceased immediately.

"Lord Hokage!" I screamed again, my voice cracking. 

I had never been personally close to the hokage. He was like the estranged grandfather that I never had. But he was kind and he genuinely cared about everyone in the village. It just wouldn't be the same without him.

He genuinely cared about me.

I surged forward into the woods and saw the still body of the hokage under Orochimaru, who held a pained expression on  his face. His arms. Oh god, his arms...

What did gramps do?

Orochimaru looked at me one last time before departing swiftly with the four ninja that created the four flames barrier.

I had to make him pay for what he did to gramps.

I had to catch up to-

I dropped to my knees, coughing up blood. Lots of blood.

"Maki!" The anbu who was nice to me started. "Are you insane? The hokage sa-"

He paused in his sentence as he saw what lay ahead.

"The hokage? The hokage's dead." I said in a dead voice. 

And soon I will be too. I thought, slowly closing my eyes. It was too painful to keep them open any longer.

The hokage was dead.

I couldn't protect him.

I couldn't protect anyone.

Who's to say I ever will be able to protect anyone. No matter how hard I train, maybe I'll just never be good enough.

Maybe.. Maybe I was just better off.. 

dead.

 A/N- Helllo! It's 11:40 and i'm tired! I have school tomorrow :( SO MUCH HW.  I do realize that it's been a while since i've updated, so i had to update for you guys :) I think this was a good chapter, if you don't then... oh well. *sadface* 

But anyways guys, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE (ILIGHTLESS) EXCUSE ANY GRAMATICAL ERRORS. I'm too tired to proofread.

vote, comment, follow if you like!! (It would seriously mean A LOT. 

Thanks for reading my story. :) I would LOVE to know what you think. Even if you think my story sucks and needs improvement.. I take suggestions :) lol.

Goodnight!