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

Arc XII Chapter 33

XII

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Arc XII Chapter 33

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“Senpai~! Senpai~!” Tobi wriggled and twisted, his arms flailing erratically in a vain attempt to gain her attention. “Asami-senpai, you can’t ignore Tobi! Poor Tobi needs your help, senpai~!” The matter of whether it was even worth it to rescue him to begin with was up for debate.

“... ... ...” Asami raised her delicate porcelain cup slowly, almost theatrically, without the slightest care in the world. It was just her and her favourite blend of chamomile tea.

Obviously, she was playing for time.

“Tobi, I must confess that your lacklustre performance dismays me.”

“Ugrh ...” Tobi gulped in panic, his mask of a fool never slipping.

“To think that you, of all people, Tobi, would allow yourself to be captured.” Asami shook her head in grave disappointment, her gaze lowered in resignation. Her voice was calm and steady, laced with a subtle veneer of disdain. “My disappointment is truly ... immeasurable. My loyal partner in crime, reduced to a mere prisoner by a heinous bunch of Konoha shinobi ... What would Pain-sama think?”

A flicker. A whisper. A faint movement. A blur of green. Honed by decades of experience and years of combat, her instincts reacted. Guy was attempting to ambush her.

The air shimmered, her purple chakra answering her call. Her translucent barrier absorbed, blocked his fist, a dull thud reverberating through the cave. His strike did not just pack speed and strength, but also a considerable punch.

“...” Armed with her teacup, Asami glanced at the enemy, her gaze in equal parts dispassionate and annoyed. Guy ... A suboptimal outcome, admittedly. It looked as if she would be forced to abandon her tea and fight.

“AarghHH!!!” His misguided disciple approached, fast. His foot incoming. Lee’s leg sliced through the air. It was her sign to move.

And move she did. In the span of a heartbeat, Asami burst forwards, her metabolism accelerated by the rhythm of her chakra. Her body moved, fast, instantly. Her cloak danced in the wind, every step precise, elegant, measured. Her objectives were threefold, rescue Tobi. Delay the enemy. Disengage afterwards. The solution was evident.

Shikamaru’s voice cut through the air, realising the danger. “Ino, Choji! She is coming at ...”

Too late. A flick of her wrist produced a pair of orbs from her pouch, two smoke bombs to be exact. The bombs hit the ground with a hollow clink, exploding. Her vision turned black, the smoke swallowing her world whole.

Disarray. Confusion. Chaos. Asami slipped through the smoke like a phantom, unseen, unheard. Her hand reached for the steel of her blade. Everything happened quickly.

“Dammit!” Ino cursed. “Where’s she ...” The cold kiss of steel pressed against her throat from behind. The Yamanaka girl’s breath hitched at the sight of the dull sheen of her blade.

“...” A cruel smirk flashed across Asami’s lips, her grip on the girl tightening. Her arm grappled Ino, pulling her closer, her chin raised high and her neck in a strong choke hold.

Asami leaned closer, her soft lips whispering, her velvet voice sweet yet deadly, gentle yet cold, soft yet unyielding. “I hope for the sake of your continuous survival that you understand the position of your situation, Ino-chan~. It would be rather foolish on your part to forfeit your life so easily. Even a single misstep might cost you your life.” Her blade lent credence to her threat.

“... ... ...” Ino gulped.

The remaining smoke finally parted, and all attention was directed at her and her newly gained hostage. Guy, Lee, Tenten, Choji, Shikamaru, they had come to realise what had transpired.

“...” Shikamaru’s eyes darkened, his fists clenched. He was seething, yet the Nara heir retained his infallible composure. “... ... ...”

“Ino ...!” Choji staggered, his voice filled with fear.

Ino mustered her courage. “Choji! Shikamaru! Listen! No matter what, don’t ...”

Her steel silenced her, edging against her throat. Her sword shimmered purple in the sun, her chakra coursing through the blade. This was her last warning.

“...” Asami narrowed her eyes, her displeasure tangible in her voice. “Careful, Ino-chan~. Speech is silver, but silence is golden. We do not want any unfortunate mishaps to occur, do we~?” The steel of her blade contrasted against her skin.

Asami returned her attention to the rest of her spectators, first to Tobi, then to her adversaries.  “Anyway~, I think that I presume correctly when I say that you want your comrade to be returned unharmed. I thus propose an equitable exchange that will greatly benefit both of our sides ...”

“...” Asami hesitated for a fraction of a moment. There was a shift in the air, the unmistakable presence of chakra. Her gaze flicked towards the ridge, where an army of puppets loomed. So this was Sasori’s infamous secret technique ... She had heard rumours about it ... The Performance of a Hundred Puppets, it was called. The fact that he was forced to resort to his secret technique strongly indicated that the battle was not going in her comrade’s favour, contrary to his prior assurances ... Sakura, Temari, and the old hag, they appeared to be giving him plenty of trouble.

“Tsk.” Shikamaru clicked his tongue, his distrust apparent. Not that she would have acted any differently if the situation had been reversed. “An equitable exchange, you say ... That’s quite rich coming from you of all people, Asami.”

“...” Asami returned a smile, entirely undeterred. “Well, I will admit that at times, measures are born of necessity, and my methods might very well be not the most trust inspiring ones. That being said, my proposition is rather simple, not to mention highly advantageous for both of us. You and your friends release my trust partner. I will release your beloved Ino in return. If you value her life, I suggest that you accept my most gracious offer. Otherwise, we all might have to make decisions that we are going to regret ...” The edge of her blade dug into Ino’s skin, drawing a faint, crimson line, a single droplet trickling down her nape. Her threat was understood.

“Shikamaru ...” Choji glared at her, furious. “We’ve to save her!”

“I know. I know. You don’t need to tell me that, Choji. I’m thinking.” Shikamaru’s jaw tightened, partially conflicted. Long seconds passed. Time seemed to stretch.

Ino, however, disobeyed her, raising her voice against her better judgment. “Shikamaru, Choji, don’t listen to her! She can’t be trusted! She’s lyin ...” Her sword fulfilled its duty once again, rendering the girl exceedingly silent.

Asami raised her sword, tired of Ino’s ceaseless shenanigans. All with an angelic smile on her lips. A proper hostage must understand their position. “Ino-chan~, as much as it might pain me to say this again, please refrain from such unbecoming actions in the future. Need I continue to remind you of your current situation? Your sense of camaraderie is understood, but not appreciated. Nor are your other attempts at disrupting our negotiations. Do not think that I have not noticed how your hand has been slowly edging towards your pouch. Do not force my hand, Ino. I have been quite lenient so far, but such might quickly change depending on your further actions.”

“...” In the end, Ino understood. The girl merely nodded, albeit unwillingly. It was consent born from coercion rather than from her own volition, but such did not matter.

Asami, meanwhile, readdressed far more pressing issues, armed with a gentle smile. “Now, Shikamaru-kun, do you accept my proposition, or must I consider my offer rejected?”

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