Amaterasu – The Infernal Chronicles of Naruto

Naruto & all the characters in it © Kishimoto
Also, this is all spoilers if anyone has not read up to chapter 352 of the Naruto manga.
WARNING!!! I tend to kill of characters easily so be warned that some of your favorite characters will die rather quickly. Sorry, but I just love writing/reading dark stories.
Also I feel like I am not doing justice to the battle scenes so if someone has any suggestions please do.
Major Revision: 03.03.2008
Many thanks to betareader: homesweethomicide13 this fanfiction is now being rewritten, polished and restructured.
P.S. homesweethomicide13 I can't change the title though XD

Chapter 1: A Shadow Looms

Early Sunday morning, there were three knocks on Naruto's wooden door.

"Who's there?" Naruto asks.

"Open up Naruto, it's me," Sakura answers.

Upon opening the door Sakura finds Naruto fully dressed, cleaned up and in his usual ANBU clothing; white shoulder-plating with orange Uzumaki swirls and the typical black clothing.

"One second, let me get my cloak and mask," Naruto answers as he fetches his brown and orange cloak.

As he returns, his view wanders from Sakura's smiling face to her right arm. Though it is well hidden underneath her cloth, the scar that connects her artificial right arm to her shoulder is still there, and Naruto knows that. Immediately at the thought of the artificial arm his smiling face turns sad and sorrowful. Sakura sees this sudden change in expression and encourages him with a smile.

"Naruto, I am fine, it doesn't hurt at all." She nudges him with her right arm as though punching him.

"But …" Naruto starts to respond, but Sakura holds her finger in front of his lips to stop him from completing his sentence.

"I already forgave you on that day, Naruto. You shouldn't linger on such a sad past. Besides Tsunade-shishou has a new mission for you. So cheer up Naruto. Where did that old Naruto go, the one I first met? That energetic, loudmouth and ever so brave one who would always smile and never give up? You've been keeping this sad expression ever since, Naruto. Can't you let go and move on?"

"Yeah … move on … from that day …" looking down at the road Naruto escorts Sakura - though it was more like Sakura was escorting him - to the Hokage office while reflecting on that dreadful day three months ago.

Since that day, Naruto wasn't the same anymore, and noticing the change, Tsunade put him under her direct supervision; hoping to change him with time. But even time didn't heal the wound. Naruto, not knowing how to deal with his wound, clung to the shinobi saying;

"A shinobi must be emotionless at all times; he must put his mission as his highest priority."

In ANBU Sai and Yamato were his team-mates and from time to time even Kakashi, but his contact with Sakura was minimized to when he was resting up for his next mission. Every time Naruto put that mask over his face he became exactly as it said in the book, an emotionless tool called "Shinobi".

"Naruto … Naruto … Oi snap out of it! You're pondering on the past again, aren't you?" Sakura's voice snaps Naruto out of his thoughts.

"Look! It's Konohamaru and his team. Seems like they are on their way to another mission. Let's cheer them on, shall we?"

"Oh yeah …" Naruto answers with the least amount of enthusiasm possible to anyone known.

"Hey! Naruto-niichan, you look really sharp in that outfit. Are you going on a date with Sakura-neechan?" Konohamaru shouts.

"Konohamaru you shouldn't spread this kind of gossip around," Naruto says, still without any enthusiasm and in a monotonic voice. Konohamaru stares at Naruto shocked, as does Sakura.

"Sakura-Chan lets go, Tsunade-baachan is going to yell at us if we're late." Naruto walks ahead and his thoughts wander again to the past.

On that day, Itachi and Kisame had their destined battle against team Hebi, which was led by Sasuke and his followers Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo. Itachi and Kisame were travelling through a tight mountain path as boulders of stone rolled down towards them. Tumbling to safety the two ninja were separated by the rubble only to find Team Hebi ready for ambush. Kisame found himself quickly surrounded by three members; Suigetsu leading the attack, Karin behind him with support and Juugo at his back cornering him in melee. Kisame had no time to find out how Itachi was doing, but he could guess;

Sasuke wanted his one on one duel with his brother.

Sasuke came by air; with his wings spread; he used his Chidori blade to impale Itachi. Itachi looked surprised at the speed and flying feat Sasuke was showing, but after Sasuke skewered him good, Itachi turned himself into a flock of crows.

Seeing the crows fly Kisame said, "Ah, so it comes to this? A pity! Know this you little ones! This is why Itachi-san was an ANBU-captain at the age of 13! It takes teamwork and coordination to lead an ANBU-mission to success!"

Out of Kisame's shadow rose Itachi. He rolled over Kisame's back, shooting a volley of Kunai at Suigetsu, shattering his arms and legs in the process and giving Kisame the opportunity to strike Suigetsu down with his Samehada, which immediately began devouring his chakra. Karin tried to aid, but immediately found herself face-to-face with Itachi-san, and his Sharingan. Now Karin was paralyzed within Itachi's Genjutsu. Juugo, crazed with killing intent, swung down his powerful arm-axe. As he finished his full swinging motion he found that he was not cutting anything. He only realized then that Itachi-san was holding a blood drenched kunai. Looking for his right arm, Juugo found it lying on the ground next to him and as he turned his head back to Itachi, he felt like his body had been stabbed all over. Only then did he realize that a multiple volley of kunai had pierced him through his heart and just about everywhere else on his body. Having completely devoured Suigetsu, Kisame swungs his mighty blade, cleaving Juugo's head off cleanly and only stopping his swinging motion right before Itachi. Kisame then proceeded to lop off Karin's limbs - first her legs, and then her arms. Karin woke up from her Genjutsu and screamed in pain.

Sasuke, who was still looking at the pretty feathers that Itachi's Kagebunshin had left, only now noticed his team defeated and slain. Sasuke could not believe his eyes. What had he been thinking challenging Itachi? Did he not just slay him? How could there still be such a huge gap between them? Itachi showed no mercy this time around - too long had he given his little brother time again and again to prove to him that he was worthy of the Mangekyou Sharingan, which Sasuke still had not attained.

Morally shaken, Sasuke soon found himself bleeding heavily from several deep wounds all over his body. Then his arms and legs were lopped off, with just his head and torso lying on the ground at the mercy of his elder brother and Kisame.

At that time some approaching shinobi arrived. They revealed themselves to be team Kakashi with Naruto, Sai, Sakura and Kakashi and team Kurenai with Kurenai, Hinata, Kiba and Shino. Seeing this force, and never underestimating his enemy, Itachi needed a quick retreating plan. Naruto saw Sasuke on the verge of death, and shouted his battle cry and began to charge in.

Realizing that Naruto was emotional and unstable, Itachi pushed him further by casting Amaterasu upon Sasuke, engulfing him in black flames.

Sasuke screamed in pain, his eyes meeting Naruto's as he cast a Genjutsu with his Sharingan. Sasuke's last words were "Become the perfect Shinobi I could not become, avenge my death. Slay Itachi!"

Whatever was left of Sasuke's ego went aflame in that black inferno of death. Completely snapping, Naruto didn't remember anything that happened afterwards.

Naruto suddenly felt soft lips kissing his tear-filled cheek. He comes back out of his thoughts from the past.

Sakura is looking at him, smiling. "Naruto, get ahold of your emotions. How did you ever get into ANBU?" They arrive at the Hokage's office. Knocking on the door they hear "ENTER!" and they open the door.

"Ah, Sakura and Naruto, perfect timing. Sai and Yamato just arrived, too," Tsunade says and gets out of her Hokage Chair. "Alright, I will now explain the new mission to you. As you know, with Orochimaru's death, a surplus of blood thirsty shinobi appeared in this world.

"Akatsuki used this unbalance to their favor. They ignited skirmishes and escalated them to full out battles. Furthermore, they even set up skirmishes with their captured bijuu, igniting large scale battles, drawing even the great five shinobi nations into the conflict. Now there is a critical bridge that Akatsuki are trying to occupy at any cost. It is the "Great Naruto Bridge" in the Wave Country.

"I have selected Team Kakashi, since they were part of the mission that protected the bridge and I am selecting Team Asuma because of their strategic strength. Be careful, there is a very high probability that the original Akatsuki members will be leading this invasion and occupation. That's all!"

"Yes, ma'am!" both teams answer.

"And Naruto, don't let your emotions get the better of you!" Tsunade warns him.

"Emotions …" Naruto's thoughts immediately wander back to that day.

On the day Sasuke died, a part of Naruto died with him.

Empty and having his emotions in havoc the Kyuubi used that moment of opportunity to fully engulf Naruto in his malice and evil, quickly turning himself into a six tailed demon fox.

The rampaging demon fox, that was no longer Naruto, turned against his team-mates, immediately attacking and severely hurting them. As the teams quickly dispersed, Itachi and Kisame took their opportunity to flee the battle, but Itachi left a Kagebunshin hiding, to gather as much info on the up coming battle as he could.

Kiba and Shino quickly formed the frontline battle, with Kiba and Akamaru turning themselves into their two headed wolf beast, while Shino shielded them from the most devastating attacks that the Kyuubi had to offer. Hinata tried to aid with her Juuken, but Kyuubi's chakra was too overwhelming even against the Juuken. Any Genjutsu Kurenai-sensei tried was shielded through the chakra shroud. Sai's painting took the death blows that Shino couldn't shield the team from. It took an enormous amount of teamwork to get an opening, where Sakura finally landed a knockout punch sending the Kyuubi headfirst towards Kakashi, who immediately placed the special chakra release seal on Naruto. The chakra steamed away, taking Sakura's right arm with it as it was stuck in the chakra shroud. Like acid it burned itself almost to her shoulder. Screaming in pain, Sakura and the rest witnessed Naruto re-emerging out of the demon.

With her Byakugan, Hinata saw that Naruto's chakra was in a Genjutsu turmoil. Using what chakra she had left Sakura tried releasing Naruto from the Genjutsu, only to find herself entering his ,mind. There she found Naruto cowered in a corner and the colossal gate that kept the Kyuubi inside.

"Naruto! Naruto! Come one let's go." Sakura shouted at him.

"Sakura-Chan? What are you dong here? What happened to your right arm?" Naruto stared at her, astonished.

"Oh that, I lost it against Itachi and Kisame…"

"She's lying you know, Naruto." the malicious voice that belonged to Kyuubi interrupted Sakura before she could finish.

"Ha-ha-ha, Naruto did you forget? You wanted to kill and just as you commanded I did." the Kyuubi continued, laughing with such evil that it sent chills down Sakura's spine.

"You … did that to Sakura-Chan? You took her right arm?" Naruto was shocked.

"Ha-ha… She deserved it. She was trying to kill you, ha-ha. That cursed chakra release Jutsu took her arm with it, sort of like a punishment." the Kyuubi grinned.

"You! I swear on my life, you shall never take control ever again, I will protect all my friends from this demon that you are!" Naruto swore before he ripped the Kyuubi ego that manifested itself in front of him to shreds with his Wind chakra.

He soon returned to consciousness, but always regretted that day, as he was always wondering how he could use his power to protect those he loved and fulfil Sasuke's last plea. He came to realize that the power he had could only destroy. He sought to restrain his destructive power with as much discipline as possible, and vowed to never unleash that uncontrollable power again, joining ANBU for their emotional training.

"I swore on that day, I would never let my emotions get the better of me ever again. So don't worry about it, Tsunade-baachan." Naruto answered after a long moment of silence.

This was his first non-ANBU mission since that mission three months ago, and it would take him back to the Wave Country.