Si Vis Pacem -‖- Para Bellum [Naruto FanFic]

Arc XII Chapter 32

XII

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Arc XII Chapter 32

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Everyone’s attention was focused on the object of their interest, Tobi.

“...” Her friend was standing motionless in the middle of the cave, his mask eerily calm, and his voice still as taciturn as before. “... ... ...”

“Hey, you ...” Shikamaru grinned with a genuine sense of bravado, hardly intimidated by the prospect of fighting the man standing before him. “Care to comment? Or have you perhaps gone mute?” His question was directed at Tobi. It was a taunt.

“... ... ...” Tobi, however, ignored the Nara heir. At least, seemingly so.

“...” Asami sipped on her steaming tea. What would be his next move? They both knew that this stalemate would not last forever. Sooner or later, he would be forced to act. Whether he wanted to, or not.

“...” Tobi, meanwhile, continued his pantomime charade without even the slightest care in the world. As if his silence was supposed to last ... forever ...

Suddenly, Tobi collapsed, his limbs failing him. His body fell, his fatal descent slow and steady with the grace of a dying swan. Tobi ceased as Tobi plummeted onto the cold and unforgiving ground in an overly dramatic and theatrical manner that would have put even the greatest actors of their time to shame. All while his right arm was raised high, skywards, as if grasping for the last straw of salvation that was nothing but an empty illusion.

“...” Tobi hit the ground, his body convulsing, twisting. His fingers clawed at his own black coat. His legs spasmed. His voice wailed as if life itself was draining from his very soul. It was his last dying moments. “Aargh! The pain! The agony! I was hit! I was mortally wounded! Darkness creeps upon poor Tobi, slain, murdered in the foulest of ways! Tobi’s time on this wretched earth is near ... The cruel hand of fate has finally taken poor Tobi, a bringer of joy and amusement in equal measure! Plucked far too soon from the beauty of life

Oh, what a cruel and heartless world! Oh, what ignominious injustice! In the prime of his youth, poor Tobi must perish, with so much yet to give! Tobi’s tale, unfinished! Tobi’s dreams, unfulfilled! What tragedy!”

“...” Tobi sobbed, his voice hoarse and husky. “Asami-senpai~, weep for Tobi! Remember Tobi, Asami-senpai! Let the world know that Tobi was not merely a man, but also Tobi the Invincible, Tobi the Table, Mightiest amongst the Tables! Also, know that it was Tobi who ate Asami-senpai’s last dango ... It was sweet and tasty... So sweet and tasty ... Aargh, how I’ll miss them ... Now I have no regrets! Not any more! Aargh ... Fate is calling ... Tobi’s vision is fading ... The light is growing dimmer ... Is this how all is supposed to end? Tobi now journeys to the great beyond ...” His arm lost its strength and withered. His head slipped, and his eyelids closed at last. The act had closed, and the curtain had set. His melodramatic performance had finally ended.

...

...

...

“... ... ...” Long silence followed. Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Guy, Lee, Tenten, everyone was left speechless

Even Asami who was savouring her chamomile tea. “... ... ...” It would be a lie to say that this was ... not rather unexpected ... even by Tobi’s standards. She might need to advise him to abandon his life as a ninja to further pursue a theatrical career instead. He certainly displayed an uncanny degree of talent for melodramatic performances. He had succeeded in entertaining her. That being said, was he seriously thinking anyone was going to buy his little act? Hardly so

...

...

...

“...” Tobi peeked around, glancing left and right. “Asami-senpai, are the evil Konoha shinobi gone now? Is Tobi safe?”

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...

“Hehehe~.” Asami mustered an amused giggle, her teacup raised. He had to give him that, he was a master of his craft, was he not? A master at taunting.

Tenten clenched her fists, her patience running thin. “You bastard, you’ll see, I’ll make you dance!” The girl unfurled a ponderous storage scroll from her back with deliberate intent.

“Awwwwww.” Tobi shrieked, springing up like a scared cat. All his muscles tensed up, his hand waving. “Ah, no! Poor Tobi has miscalculated! The evil Konoha shinobi not yet gone! No, please, don’t hit Tobi. Tobi innocent! Tobi friendly ...”

Suddenly, the world cracked. They all were reminded that they were not alone.

The ceiling of the cavern groaned. A deep, ominous sound reverberated through the stone and rock. Fractures and cracks were spreading across the entire ceiling. Their result was fairly predictable ...

“...” Asami lowered her teacup, glancing discreetly sidewards. “...” A certain girl was responsible for what was about to occur. A certain girl who had not yet dispensed of her brutish methods.

“...” Asami narrowed her eyes. Sakura ... The girl’s punch, together with her monstrous strength, had lodged a massive pillar of black iron sand straight into the ceiling. With such force that a shock-wave was sent rippling through the underground chamber. The damage was done. The structural integrity of the cave was irrecoverably compromised.

The cracks split through the chamber, sharp and deafening. The brittle stone above them gave way, and the first boulders tore free. The cave had begun to collapse.

“Awwwww!!!” Tobi panicked, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, fear written all across his mask. “Awwww!!! No! Help! We’re all going to die! Run for your lives!”

More stone followed, and a rain of rock and debris fell upon them, massive boulders plummeting around them like a primordial deluge with the sole intent of burying them alive.

Even Asami herself was forced to defend herself against the unwelcome assault. Her purple shielding protected her against the gigantic boulder targeting her sweet, little head. The boulder was split cleanly apart under its sheer weight in the process. It was the second time today that her Konoha friends had disturbed her peace and made her raise her hand ...

The air had turned heavy, laden with dust. Eventually, though, the cloud of dust cleared. Her vision was restored, and her attention shifted to her esteemed comrade in arms, the master of dolls and puppets himself.

“...” Sasori hardly batted an eyelid, his expression blank as usual, unbothered by the destruction of the cave. “This girl ...”

“...” Asami followed his gaze, focusing on a girl she had come to know well, Sakura. The girl was panting, her breath ragged and strained, but she was still standing, still fighting. The fire of determination in her eyes blazing. Behind her stood the old woman, Chiyo, sharp eyed and quick witted, surrounded by her mechanical creations, together with the other Suna girl, Temari. They seemed on the back foot, but the battle had not yet been decided.

Asami raised her voice, her words reaching far and wide. “Sasori, old friend ... Unless I am mistaken, you appear to be in a bit of a pinch. Do you perchance need any help?”

“...” Her words elicited a reaction from Sasori. His mechanical joints cracked, and his head slowly, his soulless eyes staring at her, bored, disinterested. “At times like these, the inexperience of your years shows, Asami. Do not estimate my art. My grandmother and her underlings might cause me some trouble, but their demise is inevitable, merely a matter of time.”

A faint smirk crossed Sasori’s lifeless lips. “So do not intervene, Asami. This is my fight. This is between me and my grandmother.”

“...” Asami ultimately conceded. His point was taken. “If you say so ...” So it was like this ... His fight ... His grandmother ... This was ... personal.

Sasori pulled the strings, commanding his puppet. “I think the time has come to end this charade, once and for all. Prepare to die.” His puppet released its dreaded iron sand. Their fight resumed.

In the meanwhile, Asami returned her attention to her most loyal subject and court jester, which contrary to her expectations found himself currently in a bit of a tight spot.

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“...” Asami raised her teacup with all the demeanour of an imperial princess. Her voice was gentle, yet firm with a subtle trace of irritation. “Tobi, my friend, what exactly is this supposed to mean? I hope that you can provide a satisfying explanation.”

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“Ehm, ...” Tobi offered an uneasy laugh, his hand scratching his head. “You see, Asami-senpai~, things are a bit sticky down here. In all the confusion, Tobi might’ve somehow, possibly, maybe ended up being captured ... Ugh.”

Tenten grinned, pressing her kunai closer to his throat, effectively shutting him up. “Who told you that you’re allowed to speak?”

“...” Tobi gulped, his face paling considerably. He stood surrounded from all sides. Tenten guarded his back. The Akimichi boy restrained Tobi’s whole body with his giant hands, holding him tight. Shikamaru pinned down his shadow. “Senpai~! Senpai~, Tobi has been captured by the enemy! Tobi the Table turns out to be far from invincible! Asami-senpai must save poor Tobi! Tobi needs help!”

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“...” Asami narrowed her eyes, considerably displeased. For good reasons. The sly fox was doing this on purpose. All in order not to fight.

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