In a hidden lab within the Konoha....
The mask figure stood before the shifting light green rip in the air that revealed the portal into the ghost zone, a dimension that lay on top of this one where the dead and creatures of spiritual energy made their homes. It was through this portal that the figure had received the hawk containing the message from his master, with the orders to test the subject that the mask man had talked about in the report.
"So the ghost vessel will need to be tested to show his true strength in reflection of the variables that have come into play. Containing the demon fox as well as using the more refined serum should remove many of the limits that the other test subjects. The master wants the boy to have some early tests before the major test of throwing the two ghost ninjas against each other." The figure looked at the files that had been collected during the experiments with the world of spirits.
His master had captured and forced some of the spirits that lived in that alternative world to obey the commands of the snake sannin. They could be summoned at anytime using the special summoning jutsu that had been constructed using skills developed from forbidden arts. The question was which of the spirits that had been conquered by Orochimaru to send out after the boy as a first test.
'I think that one of the lower level spirits would be a first good test, perhaps one of the animal spirits. A banished spirit that is not under the commands of one of the boss animals since we can't count on any of them but the serpents at this time. A snake, however, would be a sure sign of my master's hand that could build up the defences of the leaf around team seven. Which would not only resist the testing of Naruto, but also the access to the chosen host of my master.' Papers came up as the names of banished animals were revealed to the mask ninja.
The ones that caught his eye was the twin octopus spirits that while being weaker than most of the spirits that he had to call on, had an advantage with their ink that they could use in their attacks. Ink that could be used in ways that normal ink could not be used, like in the creation of living drawn creatures that could add in the attack.
'But it would be the best way to test his basic power for now, before I even think about sending one of the most powerful ghosts. Like Yumi the hunter, a figure of dread in the ghost world due to the unending hunts of that ghost. Yumi is also an expert in advance hunting technology that could be useful in capturing Naruto and Sasuke. That would be a name to remember in the future, with the bait of a rare ghost boy to hunt. However, there is still much to do to have Naruto prove himself.' The figure moved to a special circle that had been designed for the purpose of calling ghosts through the portal.
Cutting his hand with a kunai so that his blood would run free, he used the red ink of his body to write the symbols that would be needed for the summoning. Since the ectopus were not bound by a normal summoning contract, this special ceremony would be needed to maintain control over them for the period of the mission. Once the special ink was set, he made the hand signs for the summoning jutsu. Then he called out, "Summoning jutsu, spirit version! Ectopus calling! "
The circle glowed purple as a beam of light that was a mixture of black and purple struck dead centre with the portal, causing it to ripple in reaction to the constant energy. There was the sound of moaning before something moved out of the gateway to the spirit world, causing the purple light to latch on to them and suck them into the summoning circle. A wall of the purple-black energy ran along the line of the circle, holding what had been summoned within.
Floating in midair in the centre of the boundary were two bright green octopus with huge eyes and a mouth on their sides filled with teeth. That caused them to have a more human appearance than what was normally observed on sea life, but they could still be seen as the cousins of squids. They had eight long tentacles that seemed to glow and shrink in length depending on the will of the spirit animals. Soon, they stopped and looked at the man in the mask.
"I have summoned you here by order of Orochimaru, to perform a mission that he has for the two of you to perform." The man took out a card that was blank for a few minutes before it started to reveal the secrets that it held. An image of a blond haired boy as well as stats about that boy appeared on the paper, with the mystery man making sure to give a good look at the card to the ectopus.
"This is the boy that the master wants you to battle against. You are to use all of your power against him, it doesn't matter if he survives or not. However, you are not to harm this boy in your attack against the blond child." The figure pulled out another card, which showed a black haired boy that looked like he was brooding.
"I should warn you that the blond has the power to change his hair and eyes from blond and blue to violet and green. That is part of the power that you will be fighting against. The master wants to see how this power might effect his plans, so that is why you are being sent against him. Now go and battle the child known as Naruto Uzumaki, reveal his true power." The figure made the sign to release the energy that was holding the ghosts in the binding seal, so that they could test the power of the ghost boy. The purple energy fade and the green octopus flew into the air phasing through the ceiling of the hidden lab.
The figure walked over to a viewing crystal that his master had created so that his enemies and test subjects could be viewed. The figure would watch and record the conflict of the ectopus and the vessel, to see if there was anything of interest for his master's plan.
Elsewhere....
Naruto was heading home from the practise that he had with the Yamanakas, learning more about the powers that he had been given. He thought to himself, 'Training against Ino did help out with my skills in overshadowing, trying to break the mental defences of my foe so that I can take complete control with my ghost powers. I also had to learn to block out some trying to get into my own body from the outside.'
'I might not be as good as Inoichi-sensei or Ino with the ability to use possession, but that have shown me how much I have to work on so that I can perfect my power. Then there are all of the other powers that I have and might get while having this bloodline, since event Old Man Hokage doesn't know what having ghost blood in my veins might do to me. I just wished that I could get a chance to try out my powers against something like me, to fight something like a ghost.' thought Naruto before he was slammed from behind by something.
Turning around to get a better look at what it was that had hit him, he saw two green octopus like creatures that were floating around in the air much like he could. Acting without thinking very long, he cried out "Reichi! ".
That signalled his change into his ghost form as he jumped into the air to float opposite the octopus. Naruto then spoke up, "Alright, you eight armed freaks, I'm going to take you all down. Hear that? The future Phantom Hokage is going to bring you down!"
The two creature's just grinned like maniacs and then did something that Naruto didn't expect. They squirted out black goo that then started to take on the shapes of a tiger and a ogre. The two black goo creatures rushed in an attack on Naruto from the ground. The fox boy flew out of the reach of the two goo monsters, but couldn't fly out of the way of the ogre's club that pounded down on him to the ground.
The ghost boy started to rise as he got a good look at the tiger about to slice him with it's claws. Moving on instinct, he tried to dodge that. He was mostly successful with the exception of a three lines of blood that came from having a flesh wound. Greenish-black blood flowed out of the wound.
'I guess that these guys can hurt me if they can touch me, which makes them some kind of ghosts. I have to figure out something that I can do that will taken them down quickly.' The violet haired one began to rise up in the air at rapid speed, flying up till he was as high as the Hokage's tower. Then he moved so that he could make his attack, a dive bomb straight at one of the two good creatures.
With his fist out, he hit the tiger creature with a powerful punch. The creature then exploded all of him, covering him in something that felt and looked like normal ink. Naruto tried to shake himself clean like a dog as he said, "That was gross. One down and one to go!"
One of the ghost octopus then spat out more ink onto the body of the ogre creature and gave the beast a pair of raven like wings. The wings flapped and launched the ogre into flight so that it was slightly above Naruto. The answer from the genin was simple, "Crap! That's not fair, just when I found out a way to kick these guys butts."
The ghost ninja then rose so that he was facing the ogre with his back to the two octopus that had started the whole thing. Then the obvious came into the mind of the boy who had little strategy training, "Wait a minute! I still have my shadow clone jutsu. Why the hell didn't I think of that before? " With a short series of hand signs, he created ten complete doppelgangers of himself to do battle with the ogre.
The eleven charged the ogre trying to use the superiority of numbers to overwhelm the ink beast. Club launched at the clones, doing major damage with a single hit that caused a couple of the duplicates poof out in smoke. But they gave as good as they got with hits and punches that just didn't seem to have the same explosive effect as the dive hit that he had used against the tiger.
Naruto heard the noise of more spitting occurring behind him as he turned to see two more winged ogres flying straight at him and his copies. He got out of the way as soon as possible as the three ogres started to destroy all of the clones that he had created. Used that little time to prepare, he signalled again for more clones that appeared shortly before the ogres eliminated the last batch.
Naruto sent out the ten copies out to battle with the ogre trio as he tried to figure out what it was that he could do against the ink monsters that he now faced. He thought to himself, 'I wonder if the ink trick is the only thing that these creatures can do, or is there something more that octopus brothers can do. I'm not sure that I can over shadow a ghost, invisibility doesn't look like it would work and phasing might not be possible. Damn it, I need a new ghost power now! Damn it, damn it damn it! '
As he thought those last swear words, he pounded his fist into his flat hand in frustration. Once, twice and on the third time something happened. A green beam of energy shot forward as fist and hand hit, hitting one of the ogres in the chest and causing it to explode into wet ink like the tiger had done with the dive punch.
The ghost boy looked at the fist that was slightly smoking with the discharged energy that he had used to destroy the ogres. The two remaining ogres turned to look at him with their black eyes. The foxy ninja barely noticed as he tried to figure out what it was that he had just did with his fist, until they were on him with a double team attack.
Naruto just instinctively pointed his twin fists at the ink beasts as he thought, "Come on, come on. Shoot that ghost element jutsu at them like you did last time." Closing his eyes he tried to will himself to fire, and felt energy pool within him. The energy gathered around his stomach as it flowed up his torso and down his two arms till it hit his closed hands. Then it flowed over them and out as he heard the sound of the previous shot twice over. Then he felt wet ink cover him again, making his as dirty as he had been after the tiger.
Opening his eyes, he saw the two ogres were gone and the two octopus were looking scared. Naruto couldn't help but be proud, "I have a new ghost power, which means I'm one step closer to Hokage. Now time to make some octopus balls out of the two of you!"
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(Posted Sun, 03 Jun 2007 19:43)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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