I do not own any Naruto characters or settings.  I only own my OC, Akuma Izoku.

WARNING:  This chapter contains vivid descriptions of blood and violence.  

I hope you enjoy the story of Izoku, Avenger of the Akuma Clan of the Village Hidden in the Shadows!

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“Izoku!” Jiraiya called to her. “Who are you talking to?”

Izoku snapped her head up, her forehead streaked in streams of blood and her mouth stretched into a massive smile. Her glowing crimson eyes were wide, pupils dilated into small spheres. Her head cocked to the side slightly as she brought her frail hands up and quickly flashed a series of hand seals.

The Sannin stiffened.

“What are you – ?”

“Ryu...Tora...Hebi...Nezumi...Uma...Ousu buta...Oushi...Ohitsuji...Tora...Tora...Inu...Nezumi...Ryu...Ousu buta...Nezumi...Inu...Ryu...Inu...Hebi...Ohitsuji...Nezumi!” Izoku's eye twitched as she opened her mouth in a manic laugh. “Demon Summoning Jutsu!”

“That's the Akuma Clan's jutsu...” Jiraiya stepped back, his eyes wide. “What's going to – ”

The volcano that stood dormant in the distance suddenly rumbled, shaking the ground. All of the ninja who fought turned their attention to the towering mountain that shook violently.

“The volcano...” one of the Shadow ANBU murmured in fear.

“It's going to blow...?!” another Shadow nin shouted.

“That can't be...”

“Hogo-sha, save us!” a kunoichi called to the heavens.

Izoku glowered as she let her arms fall limp again, her back arched and her head hung low. The three Sannin, including Orochimaru, gazed at her in fear.

“What did you do...?”

“I've been holding back~!” Izoku sang, her features spread wide in a bloody giggle, her wide red eyes alarmingly bright. “Now I'll show you the true power of my kekkei genkai! Rise, Akuma-sama, King of the Demon Realm!”

The volcano blew its top, a massive chunk of its peak flying into the air along with the thick jet of glowing lava that spewed from the summit. The chunk of rock crumbled and rained down on the valley; screams of civilians could be heard from the battleground. The lava grumbled and gurgled, raining down from the sky in bright droplets.

“Izoku...!” everyone shrieked.  Both Leaf and Shadow nin looked at her in horror and despair.

An earsplitting roar erupted from the volcano; everyone's attention was snapped back to the exploding mountain. Izoku glared at the summit with a look of insanity and madness, her wide luminous red eyes reflecting the brightness of the lava spurting from the mountain.

A massive clawed rock clutched at the rim, the lava dripping from its giant stone claws like water. Another foot emerged from the volcano and the monster heaved itself out from the peak. Its angled face opened into a loud, thundering cry. It squeezed its gargantuan spiked body from the volcano and spread its shredded wings, the thin, veined membrane spanning over the mountain range as it slithered its bottom half from the volcanic pool. Its thick snake-like tail slithered from the peak, spilling lava from the bowl, and wrapped around the entire mountain. The empty crevasses that reached across its entire body blasted with lava, the molten rock shooting up into the open veins and illuminated the beast in the golden-orange liquid.

Even in the distance, the dragon was enormous. Its glowing golden eyes stared down at the valley, pin-pointing Izoku, who stood staggering in the small crater she had created and had been slammed down in. The Demon king raised his stone head and let out a booming roar, the giant craggy horns on his head grinding against the thick rocky layer that covered his body. He pushed off the mountain, sending boulders rolling down from the peak, and soared high into the sky.

All of the ninja, Leaf and Shadow, turned their eyes to Izoku.

The girl stumbled forward like a zombie, her long raven hair swaying with her arms. Her tattered dark kimono shirt waved in the wind, its dark, shredded loose fabric blowing back. Her ripped pants hung on her hips, frazzled and torn. Her face, pointing downward, was wiped from any emotion but the large smile that stretched across her impossibly pale face. Her eyes glimmered crimson, looking down at the pools of blood that adorned the ashy ground. Her black ninja sandals splashed in the thick, cold liquid, dousing her bare toes and legs in the night-chilled gore.

Staggering, Izoku rasped as she breathed, her body wobbling with every step she took. The demon loomed over the battleground, causing everyone to flee the area to save themselves from being crushed. The dragon slammed into the ground in front of Izoku, who cranked her head up to look into the head-sized eye of the King.

“It's about time, gaki,” he rasped.

“Urusai!” Izoku hissed, her grin suddenly curling down into a frown. Her burned hands grabbed at the demon's massive face, her fingers curling into his gaping jagged nostrils. She tugged his face close to hers as she growled into his snout. “You fight for me and only me, got it?”

“Of course.” The Demon king's thick lips folded into a sinister smile. “That's what our contract demanded.”

“Good.” Izoku's smile crept back onto her white face. She released his snout and Izoku turned to the three Sannin, who stood behind her in awe. Their faces were clear from any expression of wonder, instead they were plagued with the same terror that gripped everyone else.

“That...” Orochimaru gasped, looking up at the mountainous beast.

“Oh, how rude of me." Izoku cocked her head to the side, her red eyes still wide and alert. “I didn't introduce you to him. Akuma-sama, these are the Legendary Sannin of Konohagakure. Sannin, this is my Third Contractor, Akuma-sama, King of the Demon Realm.”

“What Chakra...” Jiraiya stared at the monster who glowered down at them.

“Now...” Izoku staggered forward, causing the three Sannin to flinch. She smirked. “How about continuing that battle we started?”

The fighting commenced with the shinobi, the Shadow nin sending the first attacks. From the corner of Izoku's eye, she saw the Hokage and Kuraikage lashing out at each other. Izoku glanced to the other side and spotted Kakashi staring at her.  

She gasped as she saw him clutch his arm, which seemed to be broken. His mask was ripped and torn into shreds, his ANBU uniform splattered in blood and frayed. His shoulder, bare from his uniform, was deeply scratched and his red ANBU tattoo was lost in the smears of blood on his skin; which was probably his own. His Sharingan was exposed, the red eye gleaming in the fire that crept up on the forest. A patter of footsteps interrupted Izoku's thoughts. She snapped her gaze over to a Shadow shinobi, his hands clutching kunai knives and heading straight towards Kakashi. Izoku's wide violet eyes flashed back to the silver-haired shinobi. She screamed at him.

“Kakashi!” she shrieked as she sprang towards the Shadow nin. Izoku tackled him just as his blade grazed Kakashi's cheek, knocking the Shadow Jounin over hard. He skidded in the blood and ash, the mixture smearing on his uniform and face.

Izoku unsheathed her kunai and crouched in front of the Leaf shinobi.

“Lay a finger on him and you die,” Izoku snarled, her violet eyes gleaming.

“Izo-chan...?” Kakashi murmured.

Izoku stood as the Shadow ninja retreated. She turned to Kakashi with a look of sorrow and sincerity, her amethyst eyes narrowed.

“I made a deal with the Kuraikage,” Izoku whispered. “She ensured me your safety; but obviously she lied, as you're hurt now. The deal is off, and now I'm going to get my revenge.”

“Izoku!” Kakashi grabbed her arm, wincing as he moved his broken arm the wrong way. “Please, just end this battle so we can go home!”

“Kakashi-kun...” Izoku lowered her violet eyes, which slowly merged back into scarlet. “I'll do my best.”

Izoku leaped away from him, her crimson eyes glowing once more. The three Sannin, who had overheard her conversation with the Leaf ANBU, followed her. Izoku landed at the foot of Akuma's jagged claws, her cracked hand trailing against the rough rock that encased his entire massive body.

“Izoku-san!” Tsunade called to the demon girl.

“Tsunade-sama...?” Izoku lifted her head in surprise.

“The Demon Blood Oath has been broken, hasn't it?” she panted. Izoku noticed a slash across her smooth cheek.

Izoku looked up into Tsunade's hazel eyes and nodded.

“Hai.” She blinked. “Now I'm going to fulfill the promise to Yondaime-sama: if Kakashi got hurt, my shinigami Korosu will make her die a most painful and torturous death.”

“Izoku-san...” Tsunade murmured to the girl.

“Yes?” Izoku whispered back, her eyes gazing off into space, angered and furious.

“End this once in for all.” Tsunade placed a gentle hand on the demon girl's shoulder. “Rid this land of the Yondaime Kuraikage.”

“I will.” Izoku clenched her fists together, her voice strained. “I swear that on my life.”

Izoku snapped her head up to Akuma, who glared down at her in a grim expression.

“What are you going to do, Akuma Izoku?” the King rumbled, the veins of lava coursing around his entire body pumping wildly.

Izoku grabbed her last kunai from her pouch and pointed it towards the Kages battling out to her right.

“Korosu, Akuma-sama.” Her face scrunched up into a fierce scowl. “Fulfill my end of the deal.”

“As you wish.” Akuma smirked and flapped his tattered wings. He let out a furious roar that made all of the shinobi freeze in fear. Izoku advanced on the two dueling Kage, charging with rage.

“Mugoi Hyo!” she screeched, her crimson eyes leaking tears of betrayal.

Yondaime glanced at the speeding demon girl and smirked.

“Darn,” she pouted. “My plan actually failed?”

“You made the Demon Blood Oath!” Izoku slashed at the Kuraikage, missing as she dodged the attack. “You promised me Kakashi's protection, kono yarou (you piece of shit)!”

“If you ever learned something from this land.” The Kuraikage threw a handful of shuriken from her fingers. “It should have been that you should never trust me!”

“Korosudeshou! (I'll kill you!)” Izoku raged as she disappeared from the night; Akuma closed his massive wings around his entire body and ceasing to exist with a puff of black smoke. Confused, the Kuraikage glanced around, frantically searching for the girl and her demon.

“That brat!” the woman screeched as she attacked the Hokage, bringing him to the ground. “Your Leaf ninja will annoy me to the end of time, Hiruzen!”

“You're just going to have to deal with it!” the Hokage sneered as he pushed her off of him. He clasped his hands together and scowled. “Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Jutsu!”

Spheres of flames launched themselves at the Kuraikage, who dodged them with much difficulty. They randomly were thrown at her, the Hokage furrowing his brows as he concentrated on his attack. The Kuraikage was struck by one on the shoulder, a shuriken concealed in the flames. She crashed on the ground, clutching at her deep wound. The Hokage bit his thumb and smeared the blood on his hand, then brought his palm down on the blood-soaked ground.

“Summoning Jutsu!” he bellowed. A large human-sized monkey appeared in front of him, dressed in a tiger-print robe and with a thick white beard on his brown furry face. “Monkey King Enma!”

“It's been a while, Hiruzen!” Enma screeched, positioned in his fighting stance.

“Same with you, Enma.” The Hokage smirked. “The Jutsu!”

“My pleasure!” the Monkey King bellowed. “Transformation: Adamantine Staff!” The monkey disappeared in a puff of white smoke and a rather long and thick staff came tumbling towards the Hokage. He caught the staff in his hands and twisted it around his back.

“It ends here, Hyo!” the Hokage scowled.

“Bring it on, jiisan!” the Kuraikage glared at him, her lips pulled back into an amused smile.

The Hokage let out a battle cry and charged with much speed, the Kuraikage barely dodging the attack. His staff smashed the tree behind her, the wood splintering and shattering into small shards that flew in all directions. The Kuraikage back-flipped three times, landing on her feet solidly as she clasped her hands together.

“You have a personal Summon?” the woman snarled. “I'll just make it even with you! Summoning Jutsu!” The Kuraikage jumped back, clutching the burning wound on her shoulder.

A large feline with a slick black coat emerged from the dark amethyst fog, its vicious golden eyes wide and its black pupils narrowed into thin slits. Its ebony lips were pulled back in a fierce snarl, its white fangs bearing and glowing under the pale moonlight; the lava burned down the volcano, bubbling and slowly lurking its way down the rocky slope. The black panther lowered its front legs and gripped the blood-drenched ground with its long sharp claws.

“Spirit Summon: Prince of Panthers!” the Kuraikage glowered. “The first son of Hogo-sha, Guardian Demon of the Hidden Shadow Village!”

“Mugoi Hyo,” the Prince growled. “What shall I do with this man?”

The Kuraikage glared down at the Hokage, his staff extended a couple of meters as he swung it around. The woman smirked.

“Destroy him," she commanded, pulling out a katana from her side sheath. She lashed it out and pointed the tip of the shiny blade at the Hokage. “And bring me his soul!”

“As you wish.” The Prince bowed deeply and then launched himself at the Hokage, his black tail lashing behind him.

The panther's white fangs snatched the staff, the hard material refusing to snap as the Prince clamped down on the pole. The Hokage forced the spirit back, grunting as he heaved himself forward. The panther was thrown back, its limbs splaying everywhere as it crashed on the ground. The big cat leaped up again, his golden eyes gleaming like the lava that gurgled down the mountain slope. Fire raged around them as the lava that spewed everywhere from Akuma's summoning ate away at the dry, dead wood, reflecting off of the Prince's venomous golden orbs. He pounced again, his razor sharp claws extended and reaching out towards the Hokage's face.

The man swerved to the wide, the panther's claw slashing slightly against his cheek. He slashed the staff around, knocking the spirit on the head with a sickening crunch. The panther was knocked back once more, his body thumping against the moist ground, caking his shiny black coat in a dark plaster of blood and ash. A low rumble stirred deep inside the panther's throat.

The Kuraikage launched herself at the Hokage's turned back, her katana over her head as she jumped and forced the blade downward. The Hokage sensed this and whirled around to block the blade from hitting his death blow, the staff clashing with the katana blade as the Kuraikage scowled in frustration. She landed on the ground, her purple robes flying out behind her from the wind that generated from the powerful blow. She pushed down with all her strength on the staff, but the Hokage didn't budge.

His eyes held the flames that raged around them, his brow smeared in dust and splatters of blood. Beads of sweat collected on his forehead, dripping down his cheek as the heat around both of the Kage intensified. The Kuraikage clenched her jaw tightly as she forced the blade down even more, the Hokage slipping a little bit and the tip of the katana grazing his nose, drawing a drop of burgundy blood. The woman cracked a small grin.

A yowl ripped from behind the Hokage, making his eyes avert from the Kuraikage and flashing them to the side, where he saw the Prince preparing to leap.

His eyes widened in fear; the strength from the woman in front of him would force the blade down on his chest if he moved his body even in the slightest, but the panther that charged at him would definitely give him his final blow. His mind raced, predicting this was the end for himself. The slick black panther belted towards him, his fangs bared and his golden eyes flashing a victorious amber sheen. The Prince opened his maw as he pushed off the ground with his powerful hind legs and soared through the air, the tongues of flame that lapped around them casting a golden shine on his slick midnight pelt.

The Hokage closed his eyes, still pushing against the blade that slowly nudged down into his robes, aiming for his chest. The black Prince let out a grumbling yowl; this was the end.

The sound of blade on flesh penetrated the Hokage's ears, the crimson blood splattering all over his cheeks. He opened his wild eyes and flickered them to the side, shocked.

“Don't you dare hurt Sandaime-sama!” Izoku snarled as she yanked her blade out from the panther's ribcage. The body of the spirit tumbled onto the ground, a mass of black fur and bone. The Prince's body disappeared in a puff of violet smoke.

“No!” the Kuraikage screeched as her eyes bore into the demon girl. “I will not lose!” She pressed down even harder on the blade, the Adamantine staff cracking under the pressure.

“Impossible – !” the Hokage gasped.

“I will break this staff no matter what the legends say!” the insane woman shrieked. “I will eliminate you!”

“Shinu (die)!” Izoku screeched as she sped behind the Kuraikage and stabbed the Phantom Katana in midair, aiming downward at her neck.

The woman cursed and released the tension on her hands, relieving the Hokage from her force and kicking the Hokage and herself backwards. Both of them were knocked back by her powerful kick, tumbling and tossing backwards as Izoku slammed her blade deep into the hard, blood-soaked ground. She cursed under her breath and effortlessly yanked out the half-buried sword, dashing towards the downed Kuraikage behind her.

The woman hopped up and blocked Izoku's swing, their blades clashing with each other with a loud clang of metal-on-metal. They shifted their blades to the side, creating an “X” shape with their katanas. Izoku pushed the Kuraikage back, knocking her into a burning tree. The embers fell into her robes, making her scream as the hot coals burned her skin. Izoku slice her blade at the Kuraikage's throat; the woman tugging to the side, the katana skimming the soft skin that covered her throat. She grasped her shoulder, which was still burning from the Hokage's jutsu, and applied pressure to her neck, dropping her katana and sprinting off.

“Oh no you don't...!” Izoku snarled as she jumped into the flaming trees after her.

The Kuraikage's violet and white robes, stained with dark blood and torn, rippled behind her as she was pursued by the Akuma girl. Her hat was long gone, blown off somewhere to burn in the forest that was slowly consumed by the flames; the lava inched nearer to the village, where citizens frantically escaped through the west gate to flee the battlefields. The Kuraikage entered through the south gate, the concrete walls towered over the two ninja as they sped into the burning village of In'ei.

“Mugoi Hyo, you coward!” Izoku shouted to the fleeing Kuraikage. “Come back here and fight like a real kunoichi!”

“To be a true kunoichi.” the Kuraikage yelled back with a smile, though her voice strained. “You have to see through deception!”

See through deception...? Kusso!

But it was too late.

Several ANBU ambushed her from behind the buildings, knocking the raven-haired kunoichi over, plummeting towards the cobblestone street below. She slipped from the rooftops and landed on her back, gasping as the wind was knocked out of her. She stared up into the night sky, adorned with peaceful stars, as the ANBU ninja advanced on her.

Get up, baka. Korosu growled from beside her. Get up!

An ANBU katana was slammed into the very spot where her head used to be, cracking the cobblestone and burying the blade deep into the ground. Izoku swung on the tall pillar that held up the crumbling building, landing on the roof above it. She took a look at the group of six ANBU and cursed, pursuing the Kuraikage once again. She kicked off the roof and stumbled a little, realizing she had sprained her ankle.

Kusso...

The ANBU were right at her tail, throwing kunai knives with paper bombs attached to their ends. Izoku zig-zagged across the roofs, the kunai sticking into the shingles and exploding the buildings from the tops, making them cave in. The sound of falling bricks and mortar filled her ears as she pressed on, trying to push the pain of running on her injured ankle aside. The Kuraikage was a great distance away, heading towards the town square.

Civilians who refused to evacuate earlier jumped to the side and fled as they saw the Kuraikage being chased by a girl they confirmed to be an Akuma member, the six ANBU closely following her. Explosions were left in their wake as more explosive tags were detonated on the thrown kunai, shuriken whirling in all directions as Izoku deflected them with a little more effort than normal. Cries of startled children and babies could be heard from the streets around her, but Korosu pressed her on.

Time to make that deal-breaker suffer...she deserves what's coming for her; it's inevitable.

They reached the town square, ignited by small pools of lava sprayed everywhere from Akuma-sama's summoning. Buildings caught flame, burning down and catching the structures around it on fire too. The Kuraikage building, located on a rocky hill above the rest of In'ei, stood in perfect condition, despite it being covered in black soot. The Kuraikage bounded past the Hogo-sha statue that towered over the town square and up the stone stairs that led up to the building. Izoku pushed off the last building and landed at the base of the stairs, cracking the stone beneath her feet and pushing off the cobble to advance on the cowardly Kage; the ANBU swiftly caught up behind her.

“Time to call back those cowards.” Izoku scowled as she threw up her katana and caught the hilt in her mouth. Her hands flashed in a series of hand seals. Demon Summoning Jutsu!

Zetsumei appeared, running beside her. His slick oily skin ignited with the fire that blaze around them, a growl escaping his thick throat.

“Atakku!” Izoku commanded as she jumped up the steps, katana in hand. The Hellhound took four giant leaps ahead of her and swerved back, advancing towards the ANBU that chased her. The Hound leaped, claws extended and jaws wide open. Izoku ducked under the bounding Hound and continued her chase, the screams of ANBU nin and the sound of ripping flesh ringing behind her. She pressed on.

The Kuraikage reached the building, frantically climbing up the walls to reach the flat roof.

“Akuma-sama!” Izoku called to the heavens as she skidded to a halt on top of the rocky hill.

A booming crack of thunder shook the land, the volcano in the background bursting another eruption of boiling hot magma. The blue lightning flashed into the dark night, revealing the stone dragon that clung onto the massive rooftop of the Kuraikage building. The injured woman jumped onto the flat roof, only to be greeted by the King's massive golden eye, swirling in amber and orange like the lava that raced down the volcano's rim.

“You'll never defeat me!” the Kuraikage screeched, panting as she brought her hands together in a quick hand seal. “Summoning Jutsu!”

The entire hill was engulfed in a dark violet smoke, a yowl echoing through the valley. A giant black paw the size of the Hogo-sha statue slammed down on the edge of the building, crumbling the wall down into dust. A large golden eye, its pupil narrowed into a tiny slit, emerged from the fog. Long whiskers sprouted from the massive muzzle of the beast.

“Guardian Demon of In'ei: Hogo-sha the Demon Panther!”

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