Chapter 18 - Passing of Time

Orochimaru was at it again. Trying to take over the Leaf Village. Sarutobi watched sadly from a distance. He was in position to do anything. And Ekyt wasn’t a pushover, either…

Regardless…the boy can’t hope to match Orochimaru’s level at such an age! His only ambition was to defend the Leaf…Perhaps there IS something I can do… Sarutobi took out ink, brush, and a fresh scroll. He wrote as quickly as he could, knowing his time was limited. Ekyt wouldn’t last long.

--

“What do you have against the Hidden Leaf, Orochimaru? Hasn’t your vendetta against us expired?!” Ekyt took up a low guard position. Orochimaru seemed amused at his opposition. The wind that always companied the arrival of such a vast chakra whooshed through, moving Orochimaru’s oily black hair in front of his pale white face.

“To learn every jutsu in the world, and to strike down my enemies! THAT is my goal, it’s no vendetta. But the Hidden Leaf is my most frequent opposition, I’d be foolish to let you go on living, interfering with my means, wouldn’t I?” Orochimaru seemed to find his own words funny, because he began to chuckle.

“What’s so damn funny to you, Orochimaru?” Ekyt snarled, narrowing his eyes, trying to formulate a plan. But Orochimaru was intimidating, and Ekyt was coming up empty. Stall for time was all he was getting in response to his thinking.

“I was just wondering…what are YOUR goals? Have you ambitions of your own?” Orochimaru questioned.

“No…I live in service to those who have accepted me. What path my life takes…why does it matter to you? You plan on killing me, don’t you?!”

“Perhaps…Or perhaps I have another idea for you…” Orochimaru licked his lips. From there, he opened his mouth, and out came a snake. The snake opened it, and the beautiful blade, the Kusanagi, dropped into Orochimaru’s hands.

“You could very easily wield this sword, Ekyt. The Grass Long Sword, or Kusanagi. I know more about you than you know…I also know you’re unhappy here, no matter how much you profess your undying love for the Leaf…” Orochimaru licked his lips again.

“And what do you know about me?” Ekyt shot back, admitting to himself that this guy was scary as hell.

“I know your heritage…Kaguya…and I know something even YOU don’t…” Orochimaru took up the Kusanagi, holding it in one hand to his side. The dangerous blade glinted in the sun.

“And what is that?”

Orochimaru’s smirk widened. “Inside you lays a dormant, but powerful kekkaigenkai. That of the Kaguya Clan. The rare ability to grow bones at will, and to use them as tools, or weapons…the same kekkaigenkai your…late…cousin Kimimaro possesses.”

Ekyt’s eyes widened involuntarily. “He…he died? The disease…the one even Lady Tsunade couldn’t cure…it claimed his life…after all this time…he finally died…”

“But you can make his death into a new life for yourself! I’ve long desired to possess that kekkaigenkai. And once you and I make a little deal, my power will be yours…” Orochimaru’s neck began to extend. Ekyt hadn’t moved.

Dead? And power? Like he did to Sasuke…Kimimaro…if you had just come, we could have cured you…

“Accept my cursed seal!” Orochimaru declared as his mouth clamped down of Ekyt’s neck. POOF! Substitution Jutsu!

“Striking Shadow Snakes!” Ekyt called. From the roof a nearby building, four snakes burst from Ekyt’s wrist, and snared Orochimaru around the waist.

“Now…Dance of the Sickle Moon!” Ekyt and two clones all drew their swords- then they moved! Impossibly fast, in an intricate pattern that no one could follow, all cutting and slicing. Ekyt himself leapt from the roof and drove his sword home, across Orochimaru’s neck. Ekyt found his sword stuck in a log. He gave it a fruitless tug, but it stayed firmly entrenched in it’s wooden prison.

“Now that was an impressive display for such a young boy!” Orochimaru laughed from behind Ekyt. Ekyt felt Orochimaru’s tongue winding it’s way around him. Seeing that it was a fruitless struggle, Ekyt stabbed again and again with a kunai. But Orochimaru’s tongue was like steel.

“That won’t do you any good. And since you wouldn’t accept my gift…I’ll just have to KILL the kekkaigenkai, if I can’t have it!”

“If anyone will destroy my clan’s legacy, I will do it by my own hand!” Ekyt growled, forcing two fingers into a half-tiger handsign. BOOM! An exploding tag detonated, burning Orochimaru’s tongue. In the split-second before the wave of heat and cinder hit him, Ekyt put his hands in front of his eyes.

--

Sarutobi finished his writing. He tied the scroll shut, wrote a name on the tag attached, and stowed the scroll in his sleeve. Sighing, Sarutobi removed his civilian robes, and donned his combat gear. It still fit, even though age had changed Sarutobi. Putting away his pipe, Sarutobi looked to the sky. He bowed his head, then charged out the door.

--

“An exploding tag? At such a close range it was likely to have killed you, you fool!” Orochimaru sucked his tongue back into his mouth.

“I don’t fear death, as you do, Orochimaru. My purpose is less selfish, and I’ve already fulfilled it if I’ve detained you so long!” Ekyt was burned slightly, but otherwise unharmed.

“FEAR death? I REVERE death! Often, I am it’s bringer! I’ve killed more Shinobi than you’ve ever seen! How does that make you feel?” Orochimaru was getting worked up. Ekyt noticed that, and while it was borderline suicidal, he knew hitting Orochimaru where it hurt- his ego- was just what needed to be done.

“I feel pity. For you, Orochimaru. You’ll never understand the real meaning of living is protecting, not killing. It’s GIVING your life, NOT taking away another’s life. I pity you because you’ve never been human enough to understand!” Ekyt moved toward Orochimaru, a Shadow Clone Jutsu accompanying him, but Orochimaru held up a hand.

“I’ll give you credit, I underestimated you. But you forget…I don’t travel alone, Dragon Boy!”

Ekyt had to leap backward as Kabuto sliced into the earth with a dangerously-glowing hand. Ekyt grimaced; Orochimaru was bad enough. But Kabuto, too? He looked like a nice, honest kid. That was seconds before you fell to the ground, dead from some jutsu meant to save lives, not end them. Kabuto had been compared to Kakashi more than once, and was by no means an easy one to defeat, let alone coupled with Orochimaru.

“Idiot disciple, he is not alone either!”

“Master Sarutobi!” Ekyt’s mouth dropped open. The old man had donned his combat gear.

“Ekyt, I heard what you said to Orochimaru. I never doubted you heard what I said, and this proves that you paid attention. Someday, you’ll be the pride of the Hidden Leaf… After this battle, go to my home. Leave Orochimaru to me! Focus on your opponent, Kabuto!”

--

“So, old man, you’ve decided to tempt fate against me again?! You old fool, Sarutobi-sensei! You couldn’t defeat me three years ago, and you’ve aged even more!” Orochimaru crowed.

“I won’t be fooling around this time, Orochimaru! I am no longer the Hokage of this village. I AM, however, this boy’s teacher! Ekyt is my last student, and while he does not possess your unique abilities, he’s a good soul, and a hard worker, and everything you are not! I am proud to call him ‘student’, even if it was an informal title! Now, my foolish apprentice, I will finish what I began three years ago!”

As Sarutobi ran forward with a grace defying his age, he made the forbidden set of handsigns, his face set in a grim determination. This time, he wouldn’t battle Orochimaru. He would end it, and right away.

“Reaper Death Seal!”

Orochimaru started to move, but found his arms trapped to his sides. What?! Orochimaru looked behind him. The Shadow Clone Ekyt had made was clinging to his arms. Silently, the clone stabbed Orochimaru in the leg with a kunai.

“Ahhh!” Sarutobi grabbed Orochimaru, as Ekyt’s Shadow Clone disappeared, courtesy of Ekyt’s own kunai. If his shadow clone held on, Ekyt’s soul would be sucked out, too. It was too late for Ekyt to stop Sarutobi, so he was going to help him.

“You feeble old man! Let go of me! Let go! I’ll kill you!” Orochimaru shouted. Moving two fingers, his Kusanagi moved, then soared through the air toward Sarutobi’s back.

“Striking Shadow Snakes!” Ekyt called desperately. The four snakes wrapped themselves around the Kusanagi and held it still. Ekyt let go of the snakes, which fell to the ground, binding the sword.

“Orochimaru, we will fight for eternity inside the stomach of the death god! This time, you entire soul comes with me!”

Shinigami, the death god, drew his sword. Sarutobi gave a mighty tug, and Orochimaru’s soul came out. Shinigami cut the two souls, and swallowed both.

“No! Damn you! Damn your idiot student! Sarutobi!” Orochimaru yelled and screamed, but his body fell to the ground, a seal appearing on his chest.

“The death of one…(cough)will prevent…the death of thousands…foolish disciple…” with that, the Third Hokage, Master Sarutobi, died, a smile on his face.

--

Clang! Tok!

Once more, Kabuto and Ekyt traded kunai swipes. Ekyt’s shoulder had been cut, but not severely. Kabuto’s hand had been hit, but healed instantly. Now, both combatants froze, their respective teachers dead. Was there a reason to continue fighting? By silent agreement, both broke away from the fight and dropped their guards to check their respective dead.

“Kabuto…” Ekyt couldn’t say anything. He had never had someone die right next to him in combat like that, let alone someone who had been so important to him. Kabuto tried to be himself, calm and collected, but it didn’t work for long. This was a shock to him, too.

Lord Orochimaru has been bested by an old man? Damn, he must have dropped his guard, even the Third Hokage shouldn’t have had a chance at Lord Orochimaru, not when you factor in the Third’s age, and Orochimaru’s overall knowledge. Sarutobi is supposed to know all the jutsu in the Hidden Leaf Village, but Lord Orochimaru knows jutsu from all over, and hasn’t aged in a long time…How could he have lost?

“So he managed to kill Lord Orochimaru? Well, that IS a surprise…Let’s put our differences aside for now, Dragon Boy, and attend to our dead…” Kabuto suggested. He was strange that way- he could respect you, and be the most respectful 19 year old you knew. Then he would have you chopped into ribbons before you knew what hit you. But Ekyt was so numb at this point he didn’t consider that.

“Yes…” Ekyt managed. He picked up Sarutobi’s body, while Kabuto picked up Orochimaru’s. They nodded to each other by way of saying goodbye (Kabuto and Ekyt have a mutual respect for each other’s abilities), and leapt in different directions, each bearing the burden of a corpse.

--

The Leaf Village gathered around silently. On cue, a storm brewed over head. Ekyt was still holding the corpse, not believing that Master Sarutobi was really dead. Finally, Ekyt laid Sarutobi down gently. Tears mixed with the rain, as Ekyt’s stoicism failed him.

Sakura appeared, and Lady Tsunade was right behind her.

“Dear God…what happened?” Tsunade breathed, seeing her sensei dead.

“He saved us…that’s what happened…” Ekyt bowed his head, as did everyone else. It was a sad day for the Leaf Village. Losing a beloved leader, friend, and mentor, was never easy. For Ekyt, the added knowledge of his cousin’s death hit him as well. It was a lot to take in. For the moment, even his criminal status was on the backburner. Tsunade hadn’t said much about it. She and Ekyt had barely talked. Both were mourning the loss of their teacher. Even thirty plus years removed, they had both been blessed with having a genius for a teacher. A gentle man who deserved to live and die in his own time, rather than be ripped from reality the way he had.

The one thought Tsunade and Ekyt shared was the hope that Master Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, would rest in peace, with his final mission accomplished.

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