"We're surrounded!"

At Neji's declaration, the fish monsters Daisuke had reported started to emerge from the shadows on the wall, their lures providing illumination of their snarling faces in the darkened room before they rushed for the group.

When Daisuke had gotten pulled under, their main source of light, his 'flash-light jutsu' had gone with him. The lights above barely provided any illumination, just enough to ghost rough edges of the terrain and leave the shadows as the dominant force.

"Guard the students," Hisako barked, given her sensei's absence. "Form a perimeter. Nichiren, no smoke bombs."

"Got it!" Nichiren nodded as he hurriedly lined the perimeter with chakra infused wire.

Neji, per his duty, placed himself in front of Hinata. Two monsters rushed him with spears. He deftly pushed one to the side and ducked under the other, hitting one in the chest and the other in the throat, causing both to drop to the ground with gurgling death rattles.

Several more ended up tripping on Nichiren's wire. Tenten, being the observant Kunoichi she was, pelted each target with kunai right through each of their throats with unerring accuracy.

Lee was keeping them away with bone crushing kicks, snapping their spears and closing their windpipes. They would snap and bite at the Genin, who would avoid these attacks by the skin of his teeth. With his knuckle extended, he plunged his fist into the eye of one of his attackers, popping its eye and making it scream in pain.

Hisako brought a kunai down through the head of one of her attackers, but got jumped by two others, their jaws closing on her neck, torso and legs and her body went completely limp. Then her body disappeared and her two attackers found their throats had been sliced open by Hisako, who was standing above them with a snarl.

Sakura watched that display with wide eyes, her skin as pale as a sheet.

Tenten, kunai at the ready, only hesitated for a moment when one of her attackers stood up entirely straight with its fingers in a rat seal before throwing a kunai into its throat and it collapsed. Shikamaru inhaled and stretched out his shadow once again to repeat the process.

"Kanton: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke called, inhaling and releasing a large fire-ball straight from his mouth which rapidly flew over to a clump of the attacking fish-men.

The fish-men, seeing the fireball clearly in the darkened atrium, quickly and neatly sidestepped the flaming projectile on their rush toward the group.

All fighting stopped at the sound of a scream. A feral sound, born of rage and anger coming from a swirling pillar of orange chakra from the center of the group that filled the room with a feeling of dread. Naruto, his eyes having become slit, his hands having grown claws at the end and his teeth growing into fangs, surged forward on all fours.

The aquatic attackers, at the sight of this orange chakra, turned tail and ran for their points of entry, small tunnels of water, created with jutsu. Naruto succeeded in running down one of the attackers and promptly began to claw open it's intestines.

"Uh.." Hisako blinked, able to keep the feeling of dread in check.

"That's unexpected," Nichiren nodded, similarly deadened to scary things. "Not really a bad thing, he made the fish-men run off."

"We still need to calm him down," Hisako replied. "We can't look for Daisuke while one of the students has gone berserk."

Naruto, upon seeing that the fish-man was dead, made to jump into the river of sludge, only to get dive-tackled by both Kakashi and Gai, who both struggled to hold the crazed blonde down as he struggled to get free.

"Uzumaki," Kakashi said levelly. "You need to calm down."

"I'll kill them! They killed Daisuke I'll KILL THEM!" Naruto roared, the orange chakra getting thicker.

"They didn't..eh..," Kakashi strained over the bucking and thrashing blonde. "They didn't kill him. He's a lot more durable than any Genin I've ever met."

"No kidding," Hisako called out. "Seriously, getting stabbed like that isn't the worst thing that's happened to him."

"This one time," Nichiren added loudly. "He fought an A-rank and got blown to bits. He was fine a couple hours later. Seriously, getting stabbed like that doesn't even come close to what's he's already been through."

"That's a lie," Sasuke seethed, his eyes a very curious shade of red. "

"You didn't see Daisuke after he got through that fight," Hisako rounded on him. "Seriously, we thought he was dead at first."

"Like I'm going to buy that?" Sasuke was getting louder. "People don't just recover from getting stabbed through the chest! They die from getting stabbed through the chest."

"Normal people don't recover," Nichiren shrugged. "We're talking about Shimoda Daisuke. He's about as far from normal as you can possibly get."

"You're not listening to me!" Sasuke full on shouted. "As much as we'd like to believe that the guy who saved all of us is still alive, that doesn't change the fact that he got stabbed through the chest after rescuing all of us from a kidnapping that should never have happened in the first place! Believe me, I would know!"

"And you've never met Daisuke in the first place," Nichiren frowned, glaring at the Uchiha. "We're his teammates. Trust us, he's still alive."

"He is, actually," Neji replied, the veins near his eyes pulsing. He cocked his head. "I can see him. He's clearly alive, just paralyzed..how..is his heart is still working with a spike through it?"

"Oh good," Hisako breathed a sigh of relief. "Where are they taking him?"

"Unbelievable!" Sasuke growled to himself, before catching his dim reflection in a small puddle of water on the ground. His eyes widened as he saw the red irises with a single tomoe and he was quiet as he admired the reflection.

"They're just taking him down into the water..what? How?" Neji was startled.

"What happened?" Naruto, who had calmed down and let up by the jounin. "Is he still alive? Tell me!"

"I can't see him," Neji frowned. "Both him and the fish-man dragging him vanished."

"They most likely have a way of dodging the Byakugan," Kakashi said with a raised eyebrow. "It would explain how they were able to move through the sewer systems without the Hyuuga raising the alarm. The question is how."

"Perhaps some form of seal network?" Gai suggested.

"Perhaps, if it sealed their chakra signature inside a certain area, it might have allowed them to hide," Kakashi nodded. "Though that's a discussion for later. Right now, we need to get out of here."

"Agreed," Gai nodded in turn. "And I'm very impressed by the youthful defense everyone put up!"

"Honestly it was getting pretty hairy until Uzumaki did..whatever he did," Hisako nodded, gesturing toward Naruto with a frown. "Seriously, what was that?"

"Uh.." Naruto blinked, rubbing the back of his head. "I..don't really know."

His classmates were all staring at him with mixed expressions, scared and confused both. Naruto's expression became more and more uncomfortable as he stood, until he just turned away from them all.

"You don't know?" Nichiren blinked owlishly.

"We can talk about that later," Gai interjected quickly. "As impressive and youthful as your defense was, we need to get out of here as fast as possible before we get attacked once again."

"With respect, Gai-sensei," Hisako folded her arms. "We are not abandoning Daisuke-kun."

"Not happening," Naruto growled.

"Of course not," Kakashi replied. "We do need to find him. But Daisuke just has to worry about himself, we have nine non-combatants that cannot, under any circumstances, be allowed to come to harm. Do you understand?"

Hisako sighed. "Yes, Sensei. Sorry, Gai-sensei."

"Don't worry about it," Gai gave her a winning smile. "I can have my turtle summons scour the river and septic tank beyond. If the fish-men still have Daisuke, they'll find him."

"Thank you Gai," Kakashi nodded.

"You have turtle summons?" Hisako asked with an intrigued look. "Gai-sensei?"

Gai immediately bit his thumb and struck several hand signs. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

In a burst of smoke, 7 turtles, each taller and larger than the Rookie 9 appeared. "Listen up! We've got rabid, monstrous fish-men in the sewer and they've just abducted one of our Genin. Your mission is to head down the stream and rescue him with the power of our Youth!"

One of the turtles yawned, bringing his front flipper to cover his mouth. "Right away, Gai-san."

They slowly shuffled into the stream of filth where they propelled off at high-speeds, causing a large wave to splash all over everyone as they made like torpedoes through the pipe.

"Gross!" Tenten shouted in revulsion at her clothes being drenched in sewage.

"We know," Ino replied, holding her arm.

"Jounin-sensei's," Shino piped up. "If I may."

"Proceed, Aburame," Kakashi replied.

"I've taken the liberty of marking everyone here with one of my kikaichū bugs," Shino explained. "Why? So that if we were separated, we would be better able to find each other. I also took the liberty to plant a bug on Shimoda-senpai."

"What difference does that make?" Kiba asked with a frown, holding Akamaru close to his chest.

"Using my bugs, we would be better able to find Shimoda-senpai through the insect's communication with one another," Shino replied. "Including our rescuer who is indeed alive, if currently fighting off a paralytic poison in his system."

"Do you think we could use your bugs to find another way out of here, Aburame-kun?" Gai asked with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Most certainly, Jounin-sensei," Shino nodded.

"Then make it happen," Gai nodded.

A cloud of bugs released themselves from the young Aburame, dispersing with the sound of bugs flying through the sewers and into the walls. "My bugs should also be able to alert us if more fish-men are nearby. My clan should also be able to find us with a similar method."

"The Byakugan will provide a similar buffer," Neji spoke up. "If anything comes close, we should be able to avoid them."

"Good," Kakashi said. "Let's move everyone. We need to find an exit and we're wasting time just standing here."

The Hokage was staring at the break in the academy class room, armored in his black jumpsuit, the bracers fitting tightly around his hand and forearm. His helmet had replaced his normal hat but he was still smoking from his favorite pipe.

The room was filled with ANBU, each patiently waiting in formation for the order. Waiting outside for orders were jounin which had already been set into squads. They were also expecting personnel from each clan, as this was the sort of catastrophe to draw in everyone.

The was waiting and he knew he wouldn't have to wait long. This..nightmare would get everyone's undivided attention. He would need it. Both to smooth out the appearance of weakness that arose from this and, more importantly, to save nine academy students that were just kidnapped by clearly hostile forces.

Nara Shikaku and Hyuuga Hiashi burst through the door, followed quickly by Yamanaka Inoichi, Inuzuka Tsume and her dog Kuromaru. Then Akimichi Chōza and finally Aburame Shibi came in the door.

"Ah good, you've arrived," The Hokage said. "I'm about to flood the sewers with everyone I can spare in search of your children. I assume you've brought everyone you can?"

"Of course we did!" Tsume snapped, Kuromaru barking and growling in agreement. "Now are we going to stand around talking all day or are we going to move?"

"We're going to move," Hiruzen gravely replied. "I want every jounin in a six-man squad, with clan members spread as evenly as possible. They are to search every entrance to the sewers until your heirs are found. The Anbu will take the south pipe and look for stragglers. We'll follow the trail north. Any questions?"

"No, Hokage-sama," The clan heads called in unison.

"Then give the order to your clan-mates," Hiruzen barked. "And move quickly, because we move as soon as you're done."

Each ran out as fast as they could and Hiruzen took a breath. He was glad he could still command some semblance of respect after not one, but two inexplicable infiltrations of Konoha's security. The diplomatic fallout from this was going to be grave, but if their children are rescued, then there was a possibility that the ties that bound the village together would be stronger through adversity.

There were few things that tied parents together more than the risk of losing their children.

But they would need to move fast. From the blood on the wall, someone was injured and assuming it wasn't one of the enemy, one of their clan heirs was going through the sewers with an open wound, which was incalculably bad for them.

If there was any silver lining, Umino Iruka was going to be fine. He was suffering from infection of his wounds but they caught it very early. He might even be walking before the month is over, thanks to the miracle of medical Ninjutsu.

After a minute of waiting, the clan heads were back. Wordlessly, the Anbu, Hokage and clan heads each dove into the open sewer pipe with a single minded determination to save their children and kill anything that happened to stand in their way.

You are no longer paralyzed.

YES!

Ninjutsu Check Success: 60/60.

+300 EXP.

A few hand signs later, and I had a chakra-razor on two of my fingers. It took some effort, but I was able to sever the prongs and the trident came out my back. With that, I immediately swam up as fast as I could – I needed out of the water and away from the fish-men as fast as possible. Chakra-slide as applied to swimming was interesting and a miracle. Now, just gotta make sure I'm not being-WHOA NO!

+50 EXP.

That things teeth were right in my face! Geeze! Only reason I caught it was because I looked at it at the right time. The sheer stealth ability of these things in the water is staggering. I continued to look around and saw that, yeah, it had friends.

I needed a way out.

Perception Check Success: 8/7.

There was a pipe, shorn open for easy navigation by the fish's, piping downward so there's likely something dry up it. Unless the water's being pumped up through it, but at least it'll give me a shield from these anglers.

I rushed for the opening, growing conscious of the anglers starting to close in on me. I went up the pipe and quickly found that thankfully, the water ended and I slid up the pipe until I found another section that had been torn out of a wall. I flew out of it and rapidly stood up, in spite of my chest heaving to the contrary, because I needed to seal the pipe. Now.

Rat, Dog, Horse..

Fuinjutsu Check Success: 72/70.

+600 EXP.

Glowing kanji wrote itself across the pipe and hung in the air over the opening. The seal itself finished right as one of the anglers got up to it and started snarling against the seal. After a moment of being held by the Fuinjutsu, he slinked off to parts unknown.

He'll find another hole in the wall. I need to move.

I was stopped when a sharp pain arced through my chest, forcing me into a coughing fit. Clumps of blood left my mouth and fell to the floor and my chest felt like it was being stabbed with each cough.

..oh, having a crippled torso was going to suck.

The pipe let out into what looked to be a custodial closet. There was a mop and bucket, with a shelf with half-empty bottles of cleaning supplies. I from my black book, I accessed my inventory and downed three blood pills, each regenerating fifty hitpoints each. Then I downed two ration bars, the flavorless mulch restoring fifteen points each.

I had full health, but my torso was still crippled. Joy of joys.

Outside the closet was a corridor that branched three different ways, forward and to the left or right. I carefully slid forward so as to not make a sound and looked to the left. There, I saw two anglers jumping out of the wall. One gestured down the hall in my direction and they both started running.

As soon as they got close, I jumped out at them, my fist turning the head of the first one into a fine pulp. I slid to the left to avoid getting impaled by another trident and planted my explosive fist in the things gut. It's head and arm, still connected, fell to the floor and twitched for two seconds before finally becoming still.

+50 exp.

+50 exp.

3,745 more to go.

You know, this is literally everything I wanted out of a quest – lots of things to kill and a chance to explore the dark and dangerous underbelly of Konoha. Shame it came at the cost of putting Naruto in danger and a..crippled..torso..

Another coughing fit, just as painful as the first.

I need to get this fixed. Unfortunately, I don't have or know how to make anything that can restore limb conditions. At least..I don't think..maybe some..uh...

Medicine Check Failure: 32/70.

Holy-really? Really? Well crap, I'm going to need to invest in Medicine quick. I mean, that was the plan anyway but still!

Down the hall where they came from struck me as a poor place to go. Straight ahead was a dead end with a door on the right and I slid forward and opened the door. It was..another janitorial closet. With a mop and broom but no cleaning supplies.

Intelligence Check Success: 10/4.

Yes, I know this one is a fake, game. Thank you. Now where's the hidden door?

I looked around the shelf, noting it emptiness more than once. I tried to find a switch or something to open a hidden door but found none. It was important, somehow but I couldn't find out how.

Perception Check Success: 8/8.

Actually, it was a red herring. There was a brick to my left at knee level that was loose. I pushed it in and the wall slid open revealing another room.

It was another one of Orochimaru's labs. Interesting that he had so many, I guess keeping everything to a single location would be dangerous in a hidden village.

Inside was a series of operating tables, each dusty from disuse. Bloody, discarded table coverings were stuffed into the waste baskets strewn around the room. On the walls were shelved of jars that once contained samples, but were now empty or broken. To the left were a series of counters and cabinets, with a sink installed into the wall.

Suddenly, two pipes, one to my right and another at the corner and to my left burst out of the walls, and an angler each came out of them. Well, crap.

I moved fast and caught the first one unprepared, splattering him all over the wall.

+50 EXP.

Turning around, I saw the other one run alongside the operating tables. Not particularly in the mood to let him get close, I started to make hand seals when..I ended up having another coughing fit.

Crap. Crap. Crap!

The stabbing pain in my chest was horrible.

-36 HP.

The claws that ripped through my arm were even worse! Ow! I rapidly turned around and planted my foot in its mouth, obliterating its skull and sending its limp corpse to the ground. I was immediately sent into another coughing fit due to the exertion. My chest was on fire, aching and stabbing with each heave.

+50 EXP.

I need a nap. Or at least something to fix my chest.

Once I stopped, I looked around. This was a laboratory, there had to be medical supplies somewhere. There was one box marked 'medical' in kanji, but inside was a depressing lack of anything useable. Tubes and broken syringes. The only thing was a blood pill, which I used to heal the damage I had just taken.

With that avenue lost, I turned to the cabinets. There were more raw ingredients, but nothing substantial as I tore into them in search of something to heal my torso, but I didn't have the Medicine Skill to know how to make anything.

Come on..come on..

I searched under the operating tables, on the hospital trays, in the sink. Nothing. There were more counters at the end of the lab on the right, as well as a door. I moved over there and started searching. A bottle of blood pills, though there were only five or so left inside. Still, I added those to my inventory. Then I checked the cabinets above, still finding more raw ingredients and..a syringe, placed on a small stand with purple liquid insider.

A small, green window appeared to show the benefit.

Permanent +1 Strength.

My eyes went wide and my jaw started to slacken as I looked at it. What I had here was an equivalent to a Bobblehead from Fallout's three through four. I gingerly grabbed it from its stand and held it in my hand with my head racing.

There were probably more.

There had to be more. One for each stat, hopefully. This..this was a precious find. If there was anything I would have wanted from a jaunt into the sewers, it would be this. The whole set, preferably. Including..one for Charisma. I didn't have to use it right now, either. I could hold onto it until I got Almost Perfect, basically going to Just Perfect.

My mouth started to twitch into a manic grin.

I only had one real problem, and that would be that Kakashi and Gai..and anyone with half a brain would never let me take anything from Orochimaru's secret labs with the purpose of using it on myself. For good reason, too. After all, Orochimaru was a traitor to the village and more importantly, a disgusting human being who experimented on people for selfish goals.

But this was too good to pass up. So how do I sneak it past them?

Well..I mean, they have Kakashi and Gai with them, plus my team and team 9. It's not like they need me there, right? They're basically fine. They also probably know that I'm fine so they've got no real reason to stick around and look for me, right? Right! Especially since they've got nine non-combatants they need to protect and they will, so..I can put off rendezvousing with them until I've found all the syringes. At least the ones that matter. Then I can find rendezvous with them and they won't be any the wiser!

It's a perfect plan.

Quest Added: Scavenger Hunt

Find the SPECIAL Syringes (1/6).

..I guess Orochimaru wouldn't be able to make something to increase how the universe feels about you, huh?

Well, that settles it!

I'm off to find what makes me..Special.