Samurai Showdown With Kakashi

- Retreat! - One of the female samurai shouted, as everyone else followed her lead.

After defeating one of the Paths the samurai were confident they could take them down, but once he got ressurected, they realized they would only be wasting their efforts. Retreat was the smart option. Besides they already had the intel they needed.

In the samurai headquarters, Alizo, who now had cloth holding her injured arm, listened to her Valquiries through the speaker in her helmet. She told Mifune:

- General, my girls just responded back.

- What did they say?

- They were able to ascertain most of the Paths abilities, however in the short time they had, were not capable to counter them. Two of my girls are severely injured and will be taken back, while three others will stay around their hideout. However, something more concerning was discovered. The Paths seem to have gained a new ally, Orochimaru. - Mifune's shock was enough of an answer to Alizo. He had heard of the slithering man from the Hokage himself. He knew how much of a threat he could become. He asked:

- Anything else? What about the Worst Kind?

- Sir. - Alizo looked at Mifune in a concentrated manner. - Why have you not announced his identity to the people? I believe at least Lai would be more inclined to help if...

- He can't know. - Mifune stated. - I asked you a question, Alizo. Where is he?

- Huff... - Alizo exhaled heavily. - The Worst Kind escaped alongside our spy. We know nothing of their whereabouts.

In the middle of a dense forest, 50 kilometers away from the Land of Silence, I was out of breath. I stopped and dropped Lin on the ground, before I sat besides a tree. I said in between inhales:

- We should be safe here. - Lin looked at the ground depressed. She put her hand on her face.

- I'm sorry, Rod. I... I... - Tears started coming down her eyes.

- Don't cry, Lin. They didn't give you another option.

- No, I... I could have said nothing. I could have let you stay there with them and... - She could barely speak. - I was too scared.

- You talked about torture. What did they do to you?

- Once they stopped the interrogation, they started getting desperate. I could see it on their faces. They... they sent Lai in.

- Lai? - The one who had been my best friend's master, the one who did the final blow to kill my parents, the one who killed me. What more could he do?

- He has this ability with his sword. He can heal any cut he inflicts on someone. He... well, let me show you. - Lin grabbed the bottom of her shirt, as she revealed her body.

Several cuts were around her belly, one puncture wound near the c.h.e.s.t, but all had already healed, leaving only scars as memories. Lin proceeded:

- Once the torture ended they gave me this communicator, because they knew that if you were to ever return, you'd come to me. The day you came to get the Iron Scroll, I decided to say nothing to them. I thought you'd leave again and then never come back, but you did, and it got harder and harder to not call them. When I was in the same room as Nagato I felt the pain again, and the dread took over my thoughts. I wanted to have fun, Rod, I really did. Go into that Land's kitchen, train my Inky with the Animal Pain... but once I saw Nagato it was all over.

- Lin... - The words escaped my mouth. I couldn't tell her what she needed to hear, what I wanted to say. She got up and held her hands straight to the side, in a T pose. - What are you...

- I'm your enemy, Rod. I sold you and your alliance out to the general... You can't save your friend anymore like this... I deserve to die.

I looked at her in shock. The torture inflicted on her must have been severe enough to warp her mind like this. She would have never had to go through all of this, if I hadn't... no... no more ifs. I'm sick of being stuck in the past, of letting it affect me. I grabbed the sword I had on the ground, and got up. Lin gave me a smile and closed her eyes. She was prepared to be impaled but instead, all she felt was my lips touching hers.

I slowly sheathed my sword, as I enjoyed myself with her. This carnal satisfaction was something I needed for some time, and hopefully so did she. Once our lips separated, I looked into her eyes, saying:

- I can't believe you'd go so far for me. There's a lot I have to make up for you.

- But... - I put my finger on her lips. I felt like I was radiating confidence.

- Like I said Lin, you did what you had to. - I grabbed her waist. - There's nothing I can blame you for, except for being an always hungry pain in my a.s.s, but outside of that, nothing. - She laughed through her tears, as our lips once again met. Our souls felt like they were intertwining with one another, as I started to lower myself, however a hand stopped me.

- Not yet, Rod, and definitely not in the middle of the forest. - She explained as she slowly moved away.

- You really are being a pain in the a.s.s.

- Oh come on, we're in the middle of the jungle, there's other things we need to take care of.

- You're oddly competent all of a sudden. Don't tell me you're scared to do it?

- What? - Lin seemed embarassed. - That's not it. I really want to do it, I... - Lin got embarassed when she realized what she had just said, putting her hand in front of her mouth.

- Could you repeat what you just said? I'm afraid I didn't really hear it? - I was so happy, I just had to mock her.

- L...Let's just get some food. I'm starving! - Lin leapt in the direction of potential food. I watched her, feeling all my earlier exhaustion gone.

- I'll make a fire!

Some time passed, and during the calm night, after we were done eating our deer, we sat around the small fire I had started. I threw a branch into it, as Lin addressed the elephant in the room:

- So what now? Do we go back? Or do we go to another land? - I had thought about it all day, and there was one thing I was sure of.

- I hate to admit it, but I'm still stuck to the Land of Iron. I need to go back at least once more. I can't let Lai go unharmed after everything he did to you. He has to pay.

- So what? Will you barge in on the headquarters and chase after him? You'll die for sure.

- If I only had the Pains with me... - Lin looked at me with some guilt, but the answer was obvious. - I'll need to prey him out. Somehow catch his attention outside of the Land.

- That actually shouldn't be too hard. - Lin replied, as I looked at her in puzzlement. She explained. - After he "killed" you, he returned to the Land looking like a crazed maniac. He definitely still holds some resentment towards you, after failing that mission so badly. I'm pretty sure he will hunt you down if you so much as provoke him.

- Then I'll do exactly that. - Me and Lin looked at the fire for a bit, reflecting on our situation. Everything seemed bleak, but it had always been like that. The only difference now, were the ones we call allies, and those we call enemies.

Lin interrupted my line of thought:

- Rod, are you really not going to do anything about your past master? You seemed so determined before.

- I thought that part didn't need explanation. I'll kill Rakuma as well. Free him from his eternal nightmares. Whether he got to ressurect or not, was an added bonus. - Lin looked at me, determined.

- And do you think you can do it? Kill him? - I looked at her with conviction.

- I have to. His pain can't be prolonged. - "What about Renji?". Like a lost voice in the innards of my own conscience, a voice told me. What about Renji? He deserved his sentence. He destroyed people's homes. I'm worried about him, of course, but I'm sure he's fine...

Right?