Third Person POV
The team, already in formation, entered the laboratory. Amaya took a deep breath, thinking she would encounter the first 20% that frightened her further ahead.
The first corridor was narrow and poorly lit. The two boys stayed alert to their surroundings, unlike the Anbu who was trying not to act completely unconcerned with everything.
Meanwhile, the Uzumaki was lost in her thoughts, remembering when she had been there before, rescued by Minato and Sakumo. Even though years had passed since then, the redhead remembered perfectly her first impression of both men–
Two points of light in the midst of the darkness she had lived in until then.
The first people who treated her with care, who protected her, as an equal. Her life, her name, and chance for a fresh start were because of those two men. And the girl remembered what she had decided for herself– her life would belong to them and she would do anything for both of them.
And she did, she tried to, at least, every day.
Mission after mission involving war conflicts, just to help put an end to it. That way Minato could finally stop going to the front lines and be with Kushina be home, safe.
Sakumo might not be alive anymore, but the redhead carried his will with her Protect the lives of her comrades, even if it cost her her own. Just like looking after his son, Kakashi.
As she mused over this along the path they were taking, Uchiha and Hatake observed everything around them carefully. Starting with the numerous tanks, now empty both of liquid and of the children's bodies that were once inside.
One in particular caught both their attention the only one in the room that had been forcibly broken. They didn't need to think hard to deduce it was the one their mission leader had been rescued from years ago.
Unlike the Uchiha, who kept his attention on the tanks for a few more moments, Kakashi let his eyes drift to the redhead walking ahead of him. Her posture was rigid, her fists clenched. A sign she was slightly bothered.
Better keep an eye on her..., he warned himself. Then he turned his attention to the Anbu walking on the right side of the room. Koji had his attention almost completely focused on the redhead in front of them.
Under normal circumstances, someone who'd never been to that place would be expected to have an interest, or even an obligation, to study the new environment. But that didn't seem to be the case for the Anbu.
And Hatake couldn't help but find the man's lack of interest in everything around them strange. It's almost like he only pays attention to what Amaya does or says..., he pondered for a moment, slightly bothered by it.
The four finally left the large hall where the 31 life support tanks were located and went through several narrower corridors, some of them washed in blood.
Blood from the other ninja who came to investigate before us, the three young ones concluded individually. There were no bodies in that part, which led them to deduce that any surviving comrades had taken them back to the village.
They finally reached a single, straight corridor, with a fork at the end featuring two staircases leading to the second underground floor of the place. Amaya stopped for a moment in front of the two staircases, quickly assessing them.
Her choice to proceed was the right-hand path.
Her decision was based on the lack of air currents coming from the left path, indicating it would lead to a dead end– possibly a trap waiting for them if they took it.
The three other team members followed the redhead without question. And the man using Koji's name and appearance smiled under his mask at the girl's precise choice.
The team descended the staircase, and they had barely reached the bottom when the smell of putrefaction hit their nostrils. Several clearly decomposing bodies littered the floor, along with dried blood staining the walls, floor, and parts of the low ceiling.
The Uzumaki stopped at the foot of the stairs and surveyed the situation before her. She clenched her hands tightly and set her jaw. It was hard not to show anything at that moment, so great was the sadness and anger she felt.
She blamed herself for the deaths of those people, believing she was the only one who could have prevented them if she had returned to the laboratory sooner. But the redhead also felt her anger boiling towards those who created that place above all, she blamed them for everything.
She let out a low sigh to push those feelings and thoughts from her mind for a moment. She needed to think calmly so everything could be done precisely.
She brought her eyes back to the new environment she was in. She looked at the places where each ally's body lay and where the blood covered the spaces.
– Shisui... – She called him, and the boy promptly approached where his sister stood.
She brought her hand to the pouch on her belt, near the guard of her wakizashi, and took out a small scroll.
– Watch what happens with me – She looked at him momentarily, just as he did, with his sharingan active.
He nodded and fixed his eyes on the corridor ahead. Hatake, as well as the fake Anbu, had their eyes on the two jounin in front of them and what they were about to do.
The redhead brought the scroll in front of her and threw it towards the middle of the corridor. And as she expected, it triggered some of the traps. But it was all so fast that normal eyes couldn't follow everything that happened.
– More than one type of trap is triggered at once – Shisui said, looking at Amaya, who nodded.
– Nickel-steel blades in the walls – the redhead explained – They're extremely resistant and so thin they go unnoticed due to the lack of light to reflect them. A hit from them can dismember someone with no effort.
– And senbon from the ceiling – the Uchiha added – I bet they're coated in poison – The girl agreed.
– And how do you plan to get past? – the fake Anbu asked, curious about the situation.
His curiosity wasn't really an act. He was unsettled by the precision with which the girl assessed each of the preparations left in that place.
– What are your chakra natures, Koji-san? – The Uzumaki looked at him, her sharingan now deactivated.
– Lightning, Wind, and Water – He replied, and once again, he didn't lie.
Telling the truth about that wouldn't risk his real identity. If he lied, it could cause problems. Since he didn't know what the girl was thinking by asking that, claiming a chakra nature he didn't have mastery over could put him in a difficult situation.
– I'll need you to use wind style along with Shisui – the redhead instructed them – You'll handle the needles coming from the ceiling. Alternate your attacks and don't let them reach us – They agreed, and she turned her eyes to Kakashi.
– Earth style, then? – He asked, already guessing what she was planning.
– Yes. We'll handle the walls together so we can proceed and stop the blades from hitting us. Use more chakra than usual for these walls – She emphasized, and the Hatake nodded – Follow my steps and be quick, on my signal.
Amaya and Kakashi positioned themselves further ahead of the other two, since the first move needed to come from them. The fake Anbu gave Shisui space to start using wind style; after all, if he started, it might become too obvious that he knew where each trap was.
With a gesture, the redhead gave the command to advance. She and the Hatake made the hand seals at almost the same speed, given their familiarity with that jutsu. They slammed their hands against the floor, making the first earth walls rise.
Shisui also didn't waste time making his seals for wind style and pushing away the first wave of senbon heading towards them.
Amaya and Kakashi continued advancing, with Shisui and the fake Anbu alternating their attacks to protect them from the poisoned needles.
They were close to reaching the end of that long, seemingly endless corridor. But when Shisui and the Anbu were switching places to alternate, one of the floor tiles under them made a faint click.
A click so quiet none of them heard it, except for the redhead, thanks to her hearing being more developed than her other senses.
At that same moment, a blade descended from a hidden, darker part of the ceiling, swiftly advancing towards the Uchiha and the fake Anbu who were more towards the middle of the corridor.
And without even thinking, the redhead acted.
She stood up and lunged towards the two in the blade's path. The redhead raised her right leg, kicking her brother backwards while simultaneously pulling the fake Anbu to the other side, making them both crash into the earth walls raised by her and the Hatake earlier.
Although the two came out of that surprise trap unharmed, that wasn't the case for Amaya. A deep cut opened on the girl's calves, making her suppress a groan of pain and fall to her knees on the floor.
Blood quickly trailed down the redhead's legs, dyeing her clothes crimson. The three looked at her, concerned, each in their own way. But unlike them, she was still paying attention to their surroundings. She quickly joined her hands, using wind style just as her brother and the fake Anbu had been doing.
The attacks from the other traps hadn't stopped yet, and for a moment the others had forgotten that.
– Continue, now! – She instructed them, forcing her body to obey and getting to her feet – Shisui, take my place with earth style alongside Kakashi. Koji-san, alternate with me – The three nodded promptly and did as the redhead instructed.
Moving a bit slower than before, the four managed to reach the end of that long corridor. The boys sighed in relief, a bit tired from the excessive chakra expenditure they'd had at that moment.
The fake Anbu, although not tired, had to disguise that. Amaya, however, let herself fall to the ground she needed to tend to her injuries as quickly as possible, having lost too much blood on the final stretch of the corridor.
Amaya Uzumaki POV
I tore the fabric of my pants where I'd been injured. I looked at the cuts for a moment, gauging how deep they were. A little lower and it would have hit my tendons..., I thought.
I placed my hands over them, and soon the bright green light emanated from my palms, meeting the cuts.
The pain lasted a few more seconds before the process began to reverse. I could feel my nerves and tissues reconnecting with it, and the pain slowly easing.
And for the first time, I was grateful for being so resistant to pain, unlike normal people. If I hadn't been able to move after getting hurt, all of us would have been hit and killed by the traps...
– Shisui, Koji-san – I said – Did you get hurt back there? – I looked at them for a moment and only then noticed all three had their attention on me.
– No – The Anbu replied quickly.
– I'm fine too, even after your "gentle" kick – Shisui laughed weakly, emphasizing the 'gentle' – And sorry for making you get hurt in my place. I should have been more careful – I shook my head.
– No – I denied quickly – I only considered the traps triggered by the scroll and overlooked the possibility of there being more along the corridor – I looked at him – The mistake was mine.
– No one but you noticed that trap being triggered – Kakashi pointed out – We all let our guard down.
– If something like that happens again, keep doing what you're doing because I can handle myself – I emphasized and saw Shisui was about to say something – And even if I can't handle it, I'll manage – He gave up – We're a team and we depend on each other to look out for one another – I quickly alternated my gaze over the three – But today your lives are my responsibility, and I won't let any of you die.
– And we won't let you die either – Koji expressed with a serious tone, making me look at him.
– He's right – Kakashi agreed next, and I looked at him – You're our leader, and I hate to imagine that this weasel guy... – He indicated Shisui – Might end up taking command if something happens to you.
– That hurts... – My brother complained in a whiny voice, and I couldn't help but laugh.
– Thank you, guys – I thanked them with a weak smile.