Naruto's POV (Bar of Leaf Camp - Land of Iron)
"You pests cannot have him. He is spoken for," Gaara interrupted as he approached the man and stood between him and Naruto.
"I agree with the weirdo!" Naruto chimed in as he took a battle stance. "You all better get out of here before you get your ass kicked by yours truly. Also, I am not spoken for, nor do I approve of your odd choice of words, you damn ginger!"
"Of course you are. After all, you're my prey." Gaara said as he glared at him.
Naruto met the glare before suddenly Sakon lashed out with a jab. Catching Gaara square in the face. The redhead flew back, showing off Sakon's absurd speed and power. He pursued the redhead. Tayuya threw a flying kick into Naruto, distracted by the sudden attack on Gaara, and slid back before he crashed into a snowbank.
"Now, now, kiddies. The adults are here, behave." Sakon taunted. Before he gasped, he realized Gaara didn't seem hurt by his blow. Sand suddenly wrapped itself around his hand. Sakon tugged once, twice, three times before he freed his arm, falling backward as he did so.
"You're out of your league, human. Surrender now, and I'll make your death painless." Gaara told him darkly.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but only one of us will die screaming," Sakon replied with a smirk.
Tayuya's eyes widened as Naruto walked out of the bank, seemingly unphased from her attack.
"Sorry, but pests should wait their turn as a predator takes their feast," Gaara muttered darkly as Sakon dashed away. The murderous redhead followed the man with a manic smile. Naruto, seeing the opportunity, attempted to leave. Suddenly, he dodged a thrust from a large semi-human-looking summon. The creature was wielding dual spike gauntlets. He jumped back towards the waiting Tayuya as she stood behind more summons. One lacked arms being completely wrapped in bandages while the ,other wielded a large club.
"Sorry, shithead, but we have to attend a meeting," Tayuya said with a smile as she lowered into a playing stance. The two prepared to battle one for the future he grasped. The other was fighting for the present, as it was the only thing she knew.
Ikam's POV (Border of Land of Iron)
Ikam marched through the snow, and a small troop of his followers formed a loose formation around the man. The Land of Iron had proven valuable; they had gained some much-needed material. His venture with the samurai was sure to be profitable shortly. He had ensured Naruto and Kushina Uzumaki, some of the last and most potent survivors of the accursed clan, would struggle before their fated death and had furthered his beneficial temporary alliance with Orochimaru even further.
In truth, he detested the snake and could sense he felt the same. They had been partnered for his brief venture into the Akatsuki. He had joined the odd group as an assassin.
New to his goal to exterminate the Uzumaki, he heard rumors that a powerful one was leading the group. He had sought him out and challenged him. It had been a one-sided defeat, the man nearly killing him before offering him an out. He was to join the group as a mercenary. With the promise that the Rinnegan-wielding Nagato would kill him for betrayal. He had paired him with another, less trustworthy member, Orochimaru. He had hoped the invasive and mistrusting nature of the two would lead to the clashings and keep them busy. But Nagato had been a fool. Both sought his death and, upon their failure, sought freedom. The two had used their combined genius and strength to escape Nagato. Managing to win over Zetsu to aid them in their escape. The two then fought back against the ace squad of the Akatsuki. They barely fought the powerful two off. Nearly dying several times in the process. But it had worked; the two were free. They had kept in touch, intending to kill Nagato at some point but recognizing they likely would need one another to achieve such. Slowly, it grew into a beneficial partnership. They both saw themselves as superior, Ikam was sure. Both are planning to one day kill the other wretched rival. But for now, they moved mutually.
It was a good day for the two, he supposed. The Sound Four likely couldn't stand up to his soldiers. However, with the assistance of Zetsu, Kabuto, and his own Leifazu, they likely achieve their plan. But now, seemingly to further complicate matters, two game changers had arrived. Both were robust and likely here to wreak havoc as they approached their goal. His former teammates moved forward. Kakazu and Hidan were coming to the exams. While Ikam was confident he could best work with his group, it would be close and likely costly. For now, he would leave; if the group caught any whiff of him, it would end poorly regardless of victory. Ironic the two unknowingly allowed one of their enemies to escape. But the two fools marched into the Land of Iron as they marched out. The two groups were only separated by a single peak of stone.
It was a precarious situation, but Ikam was sure about his decisions. After all, Ikam had spent much of his second life living on the edge. Ikam knew his goal seemed irrational, and his reasoning was thin and hypocritical. Yet whatever he had been before had been consumed by this rage. He wondered if Mishiro would love him nearly as dearly if she knew he was no Uzumaki? Would Ashira finally make a move against him if he knew he was destroying the family he made over lies? Would Leifazu hate those before him if he knew why the Uzumaki must die? It mattered little to him, he supposed. Whoever Ikam had been before meant nothing. He was now the reaper of the Uzumaki.
For better or worse.
Reizo / Mifune's POV (Samurai Main Camp - Land of Iron)
Reizo had fought many skilled swordsmen. Many of them at the same time. As the need called, his blade had met with those wielded by Anbu or Jounin. He was confident in his strokes, even against his men; he knew only Mifune was his better. Yet these monstrosities wielded katana as well as any of his men. This mastery was matched by levels of physicality that the men in question could never match. Reizo deflected a blade aimed at his face with his palm. Managing to expertly swat the dull side. He twirled as he followed through the strike, nearly beheading another white monster. The beast barely managed to block the blade, and the power behind the strike sent him flying back. Several of the beasts thrust towards him. Surrounding him in the time it took him to defend himself against the first two. Reizo's blade seemed to fly through the air, somehow managing to redirect the six Zetsu with ease, sending each one flying back. More charged forward, determined to overwhelm him with numbers. But Reizo merely chuckled hatefully as his blade suddenly glowed with chakra.
"I have what you filth would likely call my own jutsu. I believe you call it a bloodline? Either way, die like the beast you are. RAGE HUNT: BLADE OF WRATH!" He called as the surrounding Zetsu around him suddenly were met by red lines that flew from Reizo's blade, sliding through them harmlessly. They laughed cruelly as they prepared to pepper the man's body with new holes.
Reizo merely smirked as they came close. "ERUPT!" He roared suddenly, and each Zetsu around him screamed in pain and collapsed. Their bodies fall to pieces around the man. Bursting from the cuts was a powerful red chakra. "As I suffer you filth, my rage becomes my strength." He said as he marched past the corpse of the beast he had slain.
"I think we might be in trouble~!" One Zetsu sang as he readied his blade.
"Shame he's all alone~." Another mocked.
"Time to die~!" With this final cry, they started to want to launch Flashes only at Reizo. The Samurai captain flinched as the barrage closed in. With a desperate snarl, he hopped over one. He thrust his blade out, smashing into the ground, and pulled it back up quickly, spiraling in the air to dodge another two. He yelled out in fury as his blade glowed once again, spinning as he landed to cut through one Flash. Ducking another, he unleashed his own, which cut a path out in front of him. As one flew in after the explosion, he slid underneath it, finally drawing close to the closest group of beasts.
"RAGE HUNT: PETTY SLASH!" He called out suddenly, slicing a red line of violent chakra through the legs of ten surprised Zetsu. The beast cried out in pain as they fell. Several more charged forward to kill the presumably open Reizo. "RAGE HUNT: PETTY ERUPTION!" As the Zetsu ran over their legless brethren, they were suddenly enveloped by a burst of red chakra exploding from each stump left on the Zetsu. The resulting explosions left only a few Zetsu left. And half of the building collapsed on the wall, peppered by the force. The building, now being torn open, allowed snow to drift in. Reizo panted and fell to a knee as the remaining beasts readied themselves for a final stand. "I have anger left for you, trash," Reizo said with a smile as he dashed towards his opponents, confident he wouldn't perish here.