Chapter 41: Trapped Souls

Since Naruto was spread out and moving through the ranks much earlier than in the story, we didn't have as much trouble with the imposters. I was able to keep our unit clear, so I could spot when fakes tried to join us if one of Naruto's clones wasn't around. He was doing good, knowing his priority for now was to spot the fakes, not to engage with the reanimations, though I'm sure that he stopped to fight a few of them."Second division, it's time to move out!" The intelligence contact informs us. Kitsuchi was a part of the division who went to help the first division yesterday, leaving the rest of us to technically be led by HQ and Neji.We head out after the command to the next main battle location and battle small groups of Zetsu's on the way. As we are moving our way through the forest, we spot something that makes us halt."Spider webs." Hinata says, freeing a fellow shinobi from a large web."Hinata, Gentle Fist will break them, help get our comrades free and gather others who can use it and fan out!" Neji orders to her, then turns to me. "Find him, then lets end him again.""It's them, isn't it?" Kiba asks us as he rides over on Akamaru, Shino by his side."Of course it is. HQ said they resurrected those with the most connections to us on purpose. Those four hate us for killing them when we were kids." I say back, activating my eyes and searching out the spider. "There's only two, Sakon and Kidomaru. I can't see the other two at all.""We can handle Kidomaru. Shino, Kiba, you two take on the other guy." Neji says, then calls out louder the the other shinobi nearby. "No one else interfere! We have already fought them before, we will be the most efficient in battling them."I summon my bow, "I actually thought I wouldn't get to use this during the war. But it feels only fitting to use it now." I say while taking aim. I send off an explosive arrow as I see Kidomaru taking aim while Sakon leaves his perch. The arrow pierces through Kidomaru's head, blowing it straight off. It's satisfying to see, until the head reforms."We will have to fight close up and seal them." Neji says and I nod."Good thing close range is our specialty. Shall we trap him in a web again?" I smirk, and we run in at top speed to get to him."No need." Neji says as we appear in front of the Sound ninja. "We're significantly stronger than he is, no need to trap him this time." He says smugly. We attack him in tandem, both of use using either Gentle Fist 64 Palms or Air Wall Palm techniques. Kidomaru goes down easily, and we walk over to restrain him until a sealing corps member can arrive. Kidomaru looks beaten and worn, his body only slowly coming back together."You will know our vengeance. I'll take you both to Hell!" Kidomaru says while grinning crazily at us. Suddenly, Neji and I are trapped in some type of glowing seal, and we can't move at all. Kidomaru starts to laugh maniacally at us."What?!" We both call out in confusion. I feel a strange sensation, and then see a bright glowing light take over my whole vision. Then just as suddenly, it all ends and we are in a new location, and Kiba, Akamaru, Shikamaru, and Choji are all there with us."Where the heck are we?" I hear Kiba ask, but I can't stand any more after the first split second from when we arrived. I fall silently to the ground, feeling like something is horribly wrong. I feel so weak now suddenly wherever we are, while everyone else seems fine. I look around and see we're inside some type of red dome. I slowly look down at body, and can see that it's faded, transparent in places, like holes of it are missing though still connected."Nii-san." I call out weakly, and everyone turns to look at me."Ami!" They all call out, and Neji and Shikamaru kneel down to my side."What's happening? Is this the enemy's jutsu?" Shikamaru asks in a panic."Oh, whatever she has going on isn't our technique." We hear from the cliffs behind us, and we look and see the Sound Four there. "This is a special barrier. It was made specifically to lock you guys up and materialize your souls. We brought your souls here to the underworld with us, where you will be trapped for eternity!" Sakon says to us with a sneer. "No one is coming to save you, and you can't escape. So finally, we're going to get our revenge for the last time we fought!""Souls." I gasp out, realizing why I'm weakened here. "No..." "Ami, what is going on?" Neji asks in concern."We don't have time for an explanation, but my soul... is incomplete. I'm a liability to you all right now, I can't even move." I admit sternly to them. "You need to defeat them without me.""Neji, take a look at us with your byakugan, and see if you can see anything outside of that wall." Shikamaru orders of my brother while taking over lifting what parts of me he could. Currently, my torso and head are mostly tangible, but most of my limbs are not."We seem to have our normal chakra flow, so I can assume that ninjutsu and taijutsu will work just fine here." Neji says after looking at the guys. Then he looks down at me, "Ami, you still have a strong chakra core, but it's not spreading to your arms or legs for some reason." He says with concern. "However, I can't see anything beyond the wall."I still have a core of chakra... interesting. This is just like when Pain had my soul tongue, it was smaller and had holes through it. This is another manifestation of my incomplete soul."Where is Shino? Wasn't he with you, Kiba?" I ask Kiba from the ground."He wasn't next to Sakon's body. I had sent him to get the sealing corps right before this, whatever this is, happened." Kiba informs me while looking around at the enemy."Well that was too easy, one of my targets is already dying. Now, let's get this started." Kidomaru says, then they all activate the first stage of their curse marks and start to come in for an attack.Shikamaru looks to be seriously contemplating something. Neji tries to call out to him several times, but he's concentrating too hard on something."Shikamaru, are you all right?" Neji asks when he finally gets through to him."Uh, yeah I'm alright." Shika says back to him."It's all going to be alright, Shikamaru." Choji says confidently from in front of us. "If somethings not sitting right with you, just go right on ahead and analyze. Watch over Ami while you do, and we'll handle these guys.""If that's the case, then let's do this!" Kiba calls out, getting on Akamaru and going with Choji to meet the enemies head on."We're all counting on you. Please, watch over my sister." Neji says, then goes to join the battle as well."Shika... use that big brain of yours." I tell him confidently. He smiles down at me for a moment, feeling empowered from everyone putting their faith in him.After a while of watching our friends fight without us, Shikamaru uses his shadow stitching from where we are at in order to help Choji catch Jirobo, but it misses."Ha, imagine you on the offense." Jirobo scoffs at Shikamaru. "I thought you'd leave fatso behind again, and there's no bug freak this time to save him.""I admit, he's right about the last time we fought." Shikamaru says quietly, but only I can hear him, and maybe Choji who's running back to join us. He gets louder for the next part. "But this time is different! We don't intend to lose a man or two for every enemy we kill!""Shikamaru, behind us! Choji!" I call out, seeing Kidomaru aiming his bow at us. Shikamaru quickly uses his shadows to grab Choji and make him duck."Whew, that was close. Thanks for that Shikamaru, Ami." Choji says in relief to us, seeing the giant arrow having made a crater right where he had been standing.The others regroup with us again and give a report on how the enemies are able to take damage but just re-heal. Their bodies are still reanimated, so they won't die in here. I sit there, feeling frustrated and incredibly useless, slowing them down and being in their way, unable to move. I try as hard as I can to think back to the show, trying to remember this part at all."Ah! I've got it!" I call out when something stands out to me. "Guys, make them mad!" I order out. Shikamaru is the first to see my reasoning why."Of course!" Shikamaru exclaims to me, then contemplates for a moment. I see the moment a plan gets set into his brain, and he takes charge. "Alright guys, listen up. I don't want you to even think about risking your lives to break through and finish the enemy.""What are you talking about? You mean we can't attack them directly?" Neji asks in confusion."No, that's not it." Shikamaru immediately dismisses. "But first and foremost, I want you to concentrate on getting through this alive. Listen, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. I don't see any way of beating these guys in a fight this time around. They're immortal, they're stronger than last time, and there's no guarantee that defeating them releases the barrier jutsu."As we were talking, the Sound ninja were going into their second state of their curse marks. They tried to taunt us and interrupt Shikamaru, but we ignored them. The Sound ninja all used a summoning jutsu once they reached second stage, and out came their trump cards. Sakon had his giant three torture gates, Kidomaru had his giant spider, Tayuya had her three ogre's, and Jirobo had a giant stone golem. Shikamaru asked if everyone still felt comfortable putting their faith in him and me again, and everyone easily agreed, and even argued that they all became stronger because of our leadership. I relented all leadership over to Shika, stating how I'm useless here today, and named him the team captain. I see the moment that Shikamaru's confidence spikes up. He straightens his back and squares his shoulder. "All of you, be ready to move on my command. We're putting the old team back together again." Shikamaru orders out confidently. "Choji, take Ami first, we'll pass her around us so the enemy can't get her. We will not lose a single one of us. We will all return alive!" He goes on to explain a plan of destroying the ground below the gates subtly.Ignoring the Sound ninja has been working well for irritating them so far, but Shikamaru changes tactics to verbally taunting them now. Choji scoops me up and uses his expansion jutsu to make himself huge. He rests me on his shoulder and throws a strap over me to secure me."Choji, that golem can absorb chakra, don't let it grab you." I warn Choji as I use my eyes, which thankfully still work, and read the chakra flow of the enemy."We're going to spin now!" Choji calls out, and then goes into his human boulder. I try to calm my center to not be affected by the rapid spinning, but I still feel myself getting dizzy. This is much worse than a roller coaster, and I haven't been on one of those since my last life. The closest feeling I have of this is one time Lee trapped me in a hug and spun around dozens of times in excitement that Sakura had smiled at him. Neji was there to knock him out and release me that time, this time I just had to wait until Choji crashed through the golem."That was awful. Super cool, but awful." I say in a queasy voice."Choji! I'll take her!" Kiba calls out after bombing Tayuya's ogre's, and Choji unstraps me and tosses me over to Kiba just as Jirobo was about to attack again, his golem reforming. "Gotchya." He says when he catches me easily. He puts me on top of Akamaru, "Keep her safe, boy." Akamaru barks in confirmation, then steps back with me. I watch as Neji destroys the giant spider while Shikamaru traps both the Sakon's in his shadows.The enemies start to taunt us again as we are gathered and assembled together again. Shikamaru's plan of destroying the foundation beneath the gates is working so far, I can see the cracks forming already. The Sound ninja are getting over confident now because our attacks are having no affect, and the golem and ogre's can just heal and reappear."You know what, Sakon?" Kidomaru says arrogantly. "We should reward them for trying so hard." The enemies all jump and join together on top of the gates. "After all, I think you deserve to know a little secret about this barrier. Even if you could defeat us, and that's a huge 'if', this barrier would still never open for you!""The only way this game ends is either you die here, or your physical bodies give out up there. Either way, it's not a question of 'if' but 'when' you will die!" Sakon finishes the evil speech moment of the enemies.I can see the worry on everyone's faces is real. "Have faith in our friends. I'm sure they are keeping our real bodies safe right now." I whisper to them. Neji comes and takes me off of Akamaru so Kiba can go in for his attack. Neji uses Air Palm to keep the gate's spikes from hitting us, and Choji uses his expansion to block Kidomaru's arrows. The ogre's come to attack us next, and Choji leads them towards the gates. Shikamaru gets him out right as the spikes target to kill Choji, instead they miss and destroy the ground under the gates. The gates crumble dramatically, then Shikamaru goes in for the taunting again to piss them off more."You say 'we're trapped', 'we have no hope of escape?' You really think anything like that would make us give up?" Shikamaru says with a sneer. He goes on to insult how weak they are and how they underestimated us, and I can see the rage forming in them. Naruto, I sure hope you're nearby and can feel their evil rage.When Shikamaru calls the Sound ninja 'tools of war', they all start to laugh at him. This catches us off guard, and they go on to explain how they are here because they are loyal to Orochimaru, and this soul realm trap was his gift to them."You don't even realize that Orochimaru is dead, and you're being used as research material for Kabuto!" I call out with a sneer. This seems the moment that the last of their patience snaps, and suddenly a strong wave of power emanates from them, and they all start to glow. I hide a smirk, this should be enough rage to be a beacon.Faster than I thought possible for them, they all begin their attacks. Each Sound ninja targeting the one who killed them, which meant Kidomaru came for me and Neji. When Neji gets hit, he loses his grip on me and I go tumbling painfully to the ground. I look around at the chaos, my friends getting beaten now by the Sound ninja. I look back down at my body again in frustration. If I was a complete soul, a stronger one, I could be able to help them right now. I think back to all the moments I've had with these guys as they are being beaten, my closest friends. I think back to BBQ's that I shared with Choji, running through the woods and joking around with Kiba, shogi and cloud watching with Shika, and all the moment's I've spent with my best friend and twin brother. My friends who are all fighting to get back to me, even right now as I can see them continuously glancing to make sure I'm safe, even when they are the ones being attacked.I can feel it, the more I focus on my memories of my friends, the stronger I am getting. I can see my arms becoming whole again, and I am able to push myself up. My legs still aren't there, my torso is still somewhat transparent, but with my arms, I can make a difference. I can feel my chakra is still completely intact, not having exhausted any in the fight so far. I make three shadow clones, and prepare to stop being useless."Thank you, Guy Sensei, for your ridiculous punishments." I say in a whisper as I and all my clones go into a handstand. Each of us spread out and head towards a different Sound ninja. I've thankfully currently forgotten about by the enemy because I've been out of it the whole fight.Each of my clones makes it in time to stop the enemy from doing another attack against my friends. One clones makes it to Jirobo and uses her hands to push off hard from the ground and spins upward, summoning her scythe as she goes, and slices his head completely off, saving Choji. Another clone makes it to Sakon, and launches herself low between the two halves of them and takes out her fans, sending a micro blade wind vortex attack at them, shredding them apart, saving Kiba and Akamaru. The last clone gets to Tayuya and uses Gentle Fist to knock her down and paralyze her, then she shatters the flute after jumping up behind her and stealing it, saving Shikamaru. As the clones are doing this, I am going over to Kidomaru and aiming my bow at him, then I shoot off a full force arrow through his heart as he is attacking Neji. My clones dispel after they are used, but it gives my friends the openings they need to regroup together again."Ami!" They all call out to me as they converge on my location."I thought you couldn't move in this place." Kidomaru says angrilly with a glare as his body slowly reforms."Guess my soul became a little stronger since I got here." I sneer at him from the ground as best I can, but now I'm tired as well as my friends."A little half of a person, who barely exists at all, thinks she can fight us?" Tayuya says angrily to us, her rage reaching another peak.Shikamaru takes over in taunting them again, keeping up their anger. While he's doing that, I explain to the others that Naruto should be here soon to get us out since he can sense evil. They all join in on taunting the enemies along with Shika and me. We then hear a loud impact from outside of the barrier, and we know that must be Naruto trying to break in. I can see Kidomaru loading several of his spiral arrows that are radiating with his extra power energy at us all. Suddenly, Shikamaru gasps out, and then we are all surrounded in the same bright light that brought us there in the first place.