Down, down into the depths I went. The trickle of sewer water continued to run down the pipe beneath my feet which were thankfully kept dry by my wonderful boots. Cleaning the crap out of my boot-treads was going to be a pain later, but it was better than it being in my socks and toes. The only thing stopping me from simply travelling on the roof of the pipe was that sewer levels tended to become labyrinths and I didn't want to risk getting disoriented.

The stench had only gotten worse as I traversed down the pipe. Like a dying corpse had a pile of corpses even further decomposed dumped on top of it. But hey, it was a sewer so it's not like I was expecting else aside from the sudden hope that I would stop needing to breathe.

One could dream.

Soon, however, I found a section of pipe that had clearly been torn open, bits of scrap sticking out from the sides with casual abandon. It was too dark to see, but a swift application of my flashlight jutsu made quick work of that. The opening let out into a large atrium, the walls made of stone. The sewage leaked from the pipe and off the small overlook the entrance lead right off too, which was about a twenty-foot drop to the ground. A small river of sewage ran through a rut in the ground and down the two tunnel entrances on either side.

My trail was obvious enough, a single-file line of moisture that had yet to even think of evaporate. Its consistency suggested they were travelling single file, and had something or somethings dragging behind them, almost like they used a large paint-brush to mark the trail behind them. Doubt it was Naruto or the rookie nine being dragged behind them, they wouldn't have been this wet from how empty the pipe was – plus there were no blood stains on the ground, which would've happened if they were being dragged with reckless abandon, thank goodness.

The attackers swam through the sewage and didn't even attempt to disguise the smell after leaving behind at most a couple dozen witnesses. It's almost like they wanted to get followed.

..The best part about having a trap set for you? Springing it.

I followed the trail down the left tunnel, where the river of sewage was heading, while keeping a sharp eye out. I doubt they could've gone far and I didn't want to miss them or any important details..hello, what's this?

The trail had broken into a large 'splat' of similar trails, thick enough to be barely distinguished. Some sort of struggle had taken place here and...

Perception Check Success: 8/7.

I noticed a small, silver canister with dark seal-work scrawled on it, severely damaged and discarded in the corner of a shadow besides one of the support arches that held the tunnel up.

Fuinjutsu Check Success 72:70.

The kanji and symbols were immaculately well prepared, layering over themselves in an organized fashion – each symbol would tell you what it was meant to do and the seals underneath that, I presume, would be how the device actually worked. The function was incredible, broadcasting an aura that sealed away all sound within an area, preventing it from leaving a small dome while also hiding the occupant's chakra signatures. The only thing that would have made it better would be a network to hide you from visible sight, but no such functionality was present. It certainly explained how the kidnappers were able to rip right into the academy with no-one the wiser.

It went right into my storage scroll, it's functionality completely nonexistent and thus safe to transport like this. Ogling it will come later.

The trail continued down the tunnel until we came to an end. There was a wall, with the sewage going straight through a grate that had been ripped open. It had been that way for a while, from the looks of it. On right side, across the river was a door that I desperately wished the trail had even the slightest hint of being where the trail lead.

But no. The trail, naturally, led into the river of disgusting muck.

I cringed, and had a great deal of sympathy for Naruto and the Rookie Nine, who most assuredly didn't have what I was about to do to see them through this disgusting journey.

Fuinjutsu Check Success: 72/55.

Fuinjutsu Check Success: 72/50.

+600

Keeping things out while only allowing certain things in was well within the boundaries of sealing, thankfully. The first seal went over my exposed face, filtering oxygen and air from the water I was about to go diving in. The second one just straight kept the water out of my clothes and away from me!

You know – priorities. I'll share it with them when I find them. Or will I? It does take chakra to maintain, after all – more than my henge. Accidentally killing them with chakra exhaustion would be very bad.

I dropped into the river and was immediately carried away by the current. It was barely visible through the muck and boy was I grateful for my goggles and for Fuinjutsu in general. If it wasn't for them, I'd be stuck with armor I'd have to replace or forever stink of urine and excrement.

The river let out into another atrium, very similar to the first. With a jump from the river-bed, I stuck to the ceiling and cast my light down into the atrium, looking for a trail. I didn't find anything and re-submerged myself not a second later.

Afterwards, the tunnel took several turns in differing directions, arching downward and picking up speed. Soon, however, the tunnel opened up and I arrived at a smaller way-station, with a stair-case leading out of the water. Clearly the trail went up it. There was a stone doorframe with its metal hinges bent and warped; it's door had been ripped out and I imagined it was somewhere further down the pipe.

I was fast to get out of the water and watch the trail go through what looked to be a maintenance station for the pipes, checking the pressures and making sure that nothing ended up broken. The trail let out further, into a room with another large pipe. This one was intact, and the trail moved around it and through a doorframe.

..ooh, okay then. Right into Konoha's secret tunnel network. I'm getting increasingly worried – whoever I'm chasing seems to have an intimate knowledge of Konoha's bowls. It could be Root, but I seriously doubt it since this is, strategically, the most idiotic thing they could have ever done. Have we had enemy shinobi infiltrating the village for a while now? Where was Root, sweeping these guys under the rug since this was their job if I understand it correctly?

The door itself had been violently torn from its hinges and thrown to the side – I guess stealth was now being sacrificed in the name of expediency – and outside, directly across from me was a wall. To the left was a dead end and to the right was a large corridor going forward and back with no discernable exit. I was concerned because the trail went right across from me and into the dead end.

I groaned in frustration. Secret passage. Fantastic.

All right, let's take a look.

Perception Check Success: 8/8.

Bam. I found a brick which the mortar around it appeared to have partially crumbled away, but it remained in place by whatever mechanism it was attached to. I pressed it and the entire section of brick fell in and slid out of the way. Nice.

The wall had given itself away to a small room. Shelves and counters lined the walls, shelves clearly empty and cupboards bearing the signs of having been looted a long time ago. From what I could tell, there were numerous scalpels, forceps and other surgical equipment had been scattered across the floor. A medical bed, the type I had graced during my stays in the hospital, was laying on its side, presenting clearly it's bloodstained mattress. Mounted above the counter was a small tube with a capsule to be slid inside.

This was one of Orochimaru's old labs. I did not like where this was going.

There was also a hole in the wall, giving way for another torn open sewer-pipe. From the journey thus far, it didn't feel like the trail was leading out of the sewers, but deeper into the maze of pipes and passages that I didn't realize went this far down.

Small clinic – meant entirely for autopsies and hurried examinations of test subjects. Collected samples to be moved to other labs for deeper study via the tube which I assume works by vacuum, like the bank tubes of my old world. Interesting.

Perception Check Success: 8/7.

I went up to the pipe, and noticed a streak of blood on the inside, slowly dripping down to the ground, going right once again. I jumped in and started sliding into the pipe.

Thankfully, I brought a med-kit. Someone's been swimming in sewage with an open wound and it was going to need cleaning and they were going to need hospitalization as fast as possible. Badly.

I slid down the pipe, going down and turning several times before the pipe let out in a river of sludge, similar to the first one that I just came from. A trail, this one much fresher than the one above, let out of the river and broke off into forks. Oddly, the one on the right, the one that broke off, simply stopped before sharply joining the main trail.

Perception Check Success: 8/6.

The river had a small bridge connecting either side together. Stuck on the corner, just peeking above the water was a small..dog nose.

I crouched down and reached into the water, pulling what turned out to be a small white puppy out of the water, it's coat stained and smeared by the contents of the river. This was Akamaru, Kiba's little puppy. I laid him on the stone and made several hand-signs.

+75 EXP.

5,470 more until level 16.

Akamaru's fur was instantly dried off and cleaned, his fur now warm to the touch. His breathing was slow and starting to level out.

Perception Check Success: 8/4.

Medicine Check Success: 32/25.

Two red pricks on his rear revealed he had been injected with something, most likely some sort of paralytic and thrown into the river. Hypothermia hadn't yet set in, but he was unconscious.

Interesting. I wonder why they didn't just kill Akamaru instead of paralyzing him and throwing him into a river of excrement? To aggravate Kiba?

Regardless, obviously the dose wasn't powerful enough since he was able to swim into that little nook and keep his nose above ground, assuming he wasn't just insanely lucky. Well, about as lucky as me at any rate.

The puppy was going to be fine. Now I just need to find his master.

I took off down the tunnel, which ramped down and turned. Twice. I had to be getting close, the trail had started to break off into several branches, moving in the same direction like a mob. It had to mean something at least.

Down the ramp and a final left turn, I found them.

..well, son of a gun.

So, the rookie nine were there, struggling against ropes that had them tied up like sushi rolls. Standing over them were... fish-men. They had thick scales covering their bodies. Their hands were webbed and long, with sharp claws at the end. Their heads were some sick combination of humanity and angler-fish with sharp and crooked teeth and bulbs growing out of their heads. Dragging on the ground behind them were tails that strongly reminded me of tadpoles. Some were holding tridents and spears made from rusted pipes glued together with what I assume to be an organic adhesive.

But...if this turns out to be something that only happened to give me EXP, I am going to kill something. Well, I'm going to kill a bunch of somethings anyway but you know what I mean! I mean, seriously.

One of them was holding a canister similar to the one that I picked up earlier, which meant it definitely explained how they snuck into the academy. Money's on Orochimaru's experiments if this wasn't just my luck stat messing with reality. They held their captives like duffle bags. I could see that Naruto was shouting something that them that I couldn't hear, and Kiba was thrashing like a madman..mad-dog, I should say, to get at them and..heh, Shino had been covered in mosquito netting.

Stealth Check Success: 54/45.

They basically didn't hear me coming. Well, that just won't do. If I don't miss my mark from what I saw of the trail, if something comes by they would swarm it with greater numbers. Since I didn't physically look all that different from their captives, they might try using the same tactics and rush me, leaving their captives behind.

I mock coughed loud enough for them to hear and turn around.

Naruto's face lit up in recognition as he turned to face me, looking equal parts relieved and concerned. Then the fish-men each dropped their captives like I expected and started charging me. I blocked a trident with one of my palms and threw a kick back into one of the beast's throat, laying a couple punches on the freak of nature around me.

Perception Check Success: 8/8.

Well, they were all around me now, and away from the nine. Time to actually get serious and reduce them to bloody stains on the wall.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

+50 EXP.

I chuckled as the last of the red, bloody giblets hit the floor. "Hilarious. They pop like balloons."

First things first, I zoomed over to Naruto, smashing the canister on my way and untied him – didn't know how to turn it off and I needed the Hyuuga to find us as fast as possible – the canister hid chakra signatures, after all.

"Daisuke," Naruto seemed a little shocked as I stood him up.

He was unhurt, which freed me up to wrap my arms around him in a bear hug. "I'm so glad you're unharmed."

"That was incredible!" Naruto shouted for joy. "They surrounded you then-then they just exploded!"

"I have that effect on things that piss me off," I replied good-naturedly before I let him go and handed him a kunai. "Let's get your friends untied so we can go back up the way we came."

"Got it!" Naruto replied, taking the kunai and got to work untying Sakura.

"Not that I'm complaining about the rescue," Shikamaru started from his position on the ground, looking bored and irritated. The hair slick with sewage completed the image of someone who simply never cared once in his life. "But it'd be nice to know who our rescuer is."

"Oh!" Naruto said with a smile. "This is Shimoda Daisuke, my best friend!"

"Hi," I gave a small wave as I got to work untying my rescues.

Everyone, including Sakura and Sasuke got wide eyes at the introduction. My reputation precedes me, I guess.

Shino was actually first here and I cut through the mosquito-wrap quickly. I was surprised that it was made of the same mesh-wire that made up most Shinobi under-armor, but it made sense.

"I am most grateful," Shino said, slowly sitting up and breathing heavily. "Why? Because I didn't want to get eaten by those things."

"Don't mention it," I replied.

"Thank you so much!" Sakura sobbed, slowly sitting up with tears in her eyes as Naruto made his way to Kiba. "I thought we were dead."

"My pleasure," I replied, cutting Sasuke loose.

Sasuke stood up without a word, a frown on his face as he surveyed his surroundings. Okay, that works I guess.

"Did you see Akamaru?" Kiba asked, sounding desperate and distraught. "Is he alive? He's got white fur with brown spots. He's just a puppy and they-!"

"Yeah, he's still alive," I interrupted. "Luckiest puppy I ever saw, survived by getting wedged by the bridge against the current and holding his nose above the water. I pulled him out a few minutes before I came around to you. I think he'll be fine, just needs to catch his breath."

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" His face lit up in joy as he hurriedly tried to stand up before his limbs failed him. I imagine they'd be sore, with all the struggling against his binds.

"Don't worry about it," I frowned. "Seriously, you guys can thank me we we're back on the surface. Also, who's been going around with an open wound?"

"Oh! Ino got hurt when they grabbed us," Sakura said, gesturing to her friend who Naruto was just cutting free. Yeah, the blonde had a nasty gash on her arm and I did not want to think about the stuff that was getting in there.

"Alright well," I replied, grabbing my first aid kit. "She's been swimming in sewage with an open wound. It's going to need cleaning and a bandage before we leave and then possible hospitalization to treat infection and disease."

Medicine Check Success: 32/15.

Naruto cut Ino free, who was able to sit up.

"J-just be fast, okay?" She offered her arm with the gash and I kneeled down, popping the first-aid kit open and splashed some disinfectant on a cotton ball. She hissed in pain and tried to hold back a startled cry, but the wound was clean in seconds and I broke out a bandage and tied it around her arm.

"Hold this for me?" I asked, keeping the bandage tight with my fingers.

"Yeah," She held it herself while I went through several hand seals.

+75 EXP.

4,795 more to go.

The seal went across the bandage. "You can let go. That'll keep the gash dry and more importantly, away from the sewage."

"Thank you," Ino said with a small nod, finding the strength to stand up. "Let's get out of here."

"Quick question," I interjected. "How many of you know the tree-walking technique?"

Hinata, Ino, Kiba and Chouji raised their hands.

"Tree-walking technique?" Naruto asked with a confused look on his face.

"Tree-walking," I walked backwards up the wall to demonstrate. "Don't worry if you don't know it, it just means we'll need to find an alternate way out."

"Woah that's awesome!" Naruto looked agape as I came back down.

"It's the tip of the iceberg," I replied with a shrug. "But it'll take all day to learn and we don't have time. I doubt these creatures were alone down here, so we need to move now."

"How're we going to get back the way we came if we can't tree-walk?" Sakura asked with a worried frown.

"We'll figure it out," I replied. "At worst we'll just have to find another way there. Let's go, come on."

I ushered them forward. They were slowly able to start moving close to something like normal, which was good – being tied up like that is going to have an effect on their muscles and I'm particularly worried about Ino; that cut on her arm could cause her to get seriously ill and possibly render her immobile.

Thankfully, I was allowed to think as I watched the 9 walk up past the ramp. I spared one last look at the hallway, it turning down once more, before I followed them, keeping my eye on them.

The walls and floor shook violently, causing the nine in front of me to flinch and look around in terror.

"It's fine everyone," I tried to be reassuring. "Don't worry..that's probably ANBU using earth jutsu."

Charisma Check Failure: 4/5.

"You sure about that?" Chouji asked, his voice cracking with fear.

"Guys, don't worry. You saw how fast those things got reduced to paste!" Naruto piped in. "Seriously, we're going to be fine."

With that, everyone seemed to calm down just a bit. He sounded really convincing, actually.

Thank you, Naruto.

Now for my first question: what are these things? Where did they come from and why were they kidnapping such high-profile targets? Money's on Orochimaru experiments, though if that's true, I've got nothing for why on the kidnapping; kidnapping these particular targets brings the entire military might of Konohagakure onto one place: their heads. They do not want this since they would have been living down here for years if they were an experiment.

Unless they're an experiment from outside Konoha? Then how would they have such an incredible knowledge of the sewer systems? Every opening they made was calculated for maximum expediency – they knew exactly where they were going.

..I don't think this is ROOT's MO at all, though Raven-head from the house might suggest butterflies. Though that would be odd. Root, I thought, was a black ops group that primarily recruited orphans – their strength was in their anonymity. So..this wasn't them.

Granted, I'm assuming there's sanity at the top and this being Konoha and in the bigger picture, Naruto, that might be a na?ve assumption indeed.

We turned up the ramp twice and at the ramp, I shouldn't have been surprised, but there was my team, looking wet, miserable and ready to kill something. I was so proud of them. My happiness was only slightly jarred by the sound of a puppy barking and running up to an overjoyed Kiba.

Hisako shook the slimy bangs that framed her face away and looked at me. "There you are! I see you found them."

"Darn straight I did," I replied. I took a breath and delivered the bad news. "Guess what? This time it's fish people."

"You're kidding," Hisako frowned, folding her arms, holding her kunai tightly in each hand.

"Nope," I nodded. "They got nabbed by about twelve of them. They're smears on the wall now, but I was surprised. By the way, how'd you find me?"

"A slug trail and a couple blood spatters," Kakashi-sensei interjected. "Speaking of which, whose injured?"

"Yamanaka Ino," I replied. "The wounds been cleaned and bandaged and she's mobile, but she'll need immediate hospitalization after this."

"Good work, Daisuke-kun," Kakashi nodded, then he motioned to address the group at large. "Alright listen up. The Hokage is about the flood the entire sewer system with ANBU and every available Jounin to search the place. Our job right now to return to the surface and allow ANBU to do its mission. Daisuke said there were fish people?"

There were nods.

"Big giant fangs!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Long sharp claws," Ino whimpered, wiping her brow with her arm warmer.

..she good?

Medicine Check Success: 32/25.

She good for now, though her condition was starting to deteriorate. Which was not good.

"Well, ANBU's coming to exterminate them," Kakashi said, trying to sound rousing, but not quite entirely able to separate himself from the casual aloofness he usually portrayed. "So our job is to get each of you up to the surface as fast as possible and out of the crossfire. Am I understood?"

There was a chorus of 'yes Jounin-Sensei!' from the academy students.

"Good. Nichiren-kun will lead the way, please follow him to the best of your ability. Those who know tree-climbing will be helping those that don't," Kakashi ordered. "Move out."

"You heard Kakashi-sensei, everyone," Nichiren gestured for everyone to follow him. "Follow me. If anyone starts feeling sick, let us know immediately."

Kakashi was by my side in an instant. "So, the Hokage might chew you out later, Daisuke-kun?"

"Was he that mad, sensei?" I asked with a frown.

"Oh, when he heard you had already gone after them he nearly had conniptions," Kakashi eye-smiled. "On the record, I read you the riot act. You understand?"

"Yes, sensei," I nodded.

"Off the record, though?" Kakashi patted me on the head. "Good job. Very good job. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you, Sensei," I smiled, grateful for the praise.

Hisako came up to me as we all started walking. "So..Uzumaki's your other friend, huh?"

"Yup," I nodded.

"Huh," Hisako said. "I wouldn't have guessed. Not that that's a bad thing, or anything. Promise."

"Thanks, I guess?" I said, unsure of what to feel.

Quest Updated: What's in the Water?

Evacuate the Sewers.

...so we're not out of the woods yet. Joy of joys. Well, at least I've got my whole team with me this time – it'll be a lot easier to protect them all with so much extra man power. Nichiren with his wire and smoke, Hisako with her Genjutsu and kunai, Kakashi with his..Kakashi. We were alright.

There was a door built into the wall on my left that opened with a loud squawk. I tensed up, expecting another fight when..out came Rock Lee?

What?

Lee looked about as confused as I felt, which got was mirrored by Neji and Tenten as they stepped out from behind him. Then Maito Gai, looking the most confused out of all of them.

"..Gai?" Kakashi blinked. "What..are you doing here?"

Gai blinked, his eyes getting more worried as he surveyed and dirty and battered academy students. "My team and I were doing a D-rank mission where we were cleaning sewer pipes when one of the hallways collapsed and lead us here. Neji said he saw his cousin down in the sewers and so we came to investigate. What..what's going on, Kakashi-san?"

"There was an attempted kidnapping of nearly every clan heir in Konoha," Kakashi sounded tired again. "It's been thwarted, but the Hokage is going to send every available Jounin into the sewers to clear out all hostile forces and we need to get the heirs back to the surface."

I blinked.

Everyone was here.

The Konoha 12+ were all here. For Cell 9, this was a mission gone horribly wrong. For the Rookie 9, this was the worst day of their lives. For Cell 13..

"You know, I thought we were due for one of these," I thought out loud.

"One of what, Daisuke?" Naruto asked with a frown.

"An obscenely dangerous mission," I replied with a frown. "I mean, it's been months since our C-rank, so..I've actually been getting kind of antsy."

"Yeah, me too," Nichiren admitted.

"Same," Hisako nodded. "What's that weird feeling between boredom and nervousness? That's what I felt."

"Can we not have this conversation now?" Kakashi asked with a half-lidded eye. "Seriously, in front of the academy students?"

"Sorry Sensei," We all apologized at once.

"Yosh!" Lee shouted, coming up to us and striking a triumphant pose. "No matter how difficult this mission has become, we will complete it with the power of our youth!"

..Actually, I've.. I've just discovered a commonality between me and my teammates. This is something to be celebrated! I'm buying everyone cake when we get out of this! I'll throw a party. Just the team or should I try to invite Naruto too, since neither of my team seems to have a problem with him? That'd be awesome.

Though the fact that we were all here meant that bad things were about to go down. Like..bad.

My fears started to come true when the ground shook beneath my feet, like a severe earthquake. The far wall, where we were going so as to retrace our steps, had boulders fall in front of it, filling from the floor to the ceiling above. Thank goodness I had explosions for fists, because if not, I think we'd be trapped – any earth jutsu would take a lot of chakra and would wipe out Sensei in a very hostile environment.

"Oh come on!" Kiba shouted.

"This is a serious problem," Neji remarked, his gaze getting colder by the second.

"You think?" Naruto shouted.

"You have another plan, right?" Sakura was starting to sound panicked. "Right?"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "Whatever. This is a network of pipes and stations, right? There's undoubtedly another way around."

"That's a good point," Hisako nodded. "See? No need to panic."

"If we see any more of those fish-monsters, I want first crack at them," Sasuke snarled.

"You're joking, right?" Nichiren asked with a small smile that quickly faded. "You're not joking."

"The answer is no," Kakashi stated. "When you graduate the academy and get put on a team, then you'll have all the enemies you can throw a kunai at, but until then, you aren't picking any fights. Am I understood?"

Sasuke glared at him, but turned his head away with a frustrated pout.

"Good," Kakashi said with an exasperated sigh. "Gai, how's the tunnel that collapsed on your end? Can we use it?"

"Nope," Gai replied. "The ceiling sealed itself behind us and I couldn't budge it. But fear not! We will find another way!"

We're getting railroaded. It's the only way I can explain it... I didn't think Murphy could read minds, but I guess he can. I guess my 10 Luck's 'Get out of Murphy Free' card was one-use only. Great, now I feel bad. Well, worse.

Perception Check Failed: Success not possible.

-180 hp.

You are now paralyzed.

My head fell down and saw three pronged hooks having stabbed themselves though my chest and the barbs dug in painfully as the trident yanked me back into the river of muck.

"Daisuke!" I heard Hisako scream at the top of her lungs before my ears were clogged with sewer water.

I was pulled with a current, my legs and arms trailing behind me like streamers. I saw two masses of air-bubbles plunge into the water and saw Kakashi and Gai both swimming toward me at top speed, but unable to catch up to something perfectly suited for underwater travel.

After a brief decline, the pipe opened up and that's when the two Jounin sensei's got swarmed, the fish men coming in like piranha to figh-->>

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