"There it is!" Naruto said and covered his mouth with both hands. He hid his neck under his shoulders in an embarrassed shrug and looked around, before he relaxed and let out a relieved sigh. Once again, his gaze set on a scroll held close to the room's ceiling by two wooden hands.
From within the gaps between the blond's callous fingers came the amazed voice, this time in nothing more than a whisper, "The Forbidden Scroll of Seals…"
Naruto gulped, his recent outburst forgotten, and bathed in the moment of glory. Here he stood, a few steps away from fulfilling his goal, a goal he thought impossible hours ago. Now he just needed to give the scroll to Mizuki-sensei and finally graduate as a Konohagakure shinobi.
"And then I'll become Hokage…" Naruto said. His hands dropped to reveal a toothy white grin, brighter than the scarce lanterns that illuminated the room, and even brighter than the two torches sitting on each side of the scroll.
His multiple shadows danced with every step he took, following the fire's rhythm, and grew larger the closer he got, until his cerulean eyes were no different from black.
Under the scroll's shadow, Naruto seemed shorter than before. From the ground to the roof, the scroll stood at least 6 times his height, but never did the question 'How can I reach it?' crossed his mind.
In a single leap, he closed the distance and took the scroll away from the hands' grasp, smiling all the way.
"Got it!" he said while securing the Forbidden Scroll to his back. "Man, this wasn't hard at all! Better tell the old man to hire more guards or something…"
"Now then." A sudden gust of wind extinguished one of the torches and the entrance door creaked. Just like that, the room was empty with no signs of Naruto.
Without the concern of someone tailing him, Naruto dashed through the alleys of Konohagakure, his home village.
Mizuki-sensei did say that I should go west after taking the scroll... Naruto thought, trying to draw a mental image of Konoha. But where is west? Is it right?
He jumped over a trash-can and halted when he noticed light in front of him, accompanied by unintelligible conversations and shouts.
"Damn it," he cursed in a low whisper, hugging the wall. Bad timing, it had to be that time of the day.
A river of people blocked his view, tired villagers returning home after a long day of work, not wanting to be caught by the mantle of nightfall.
Now what to do... Naruto narrowed his eyes and scratched his chin. I wanted to be as stealthy as possible, but I also need some spare time... Guess I have no other option. He looked up and grinned.
Landing on top of a building, Naruto now had a clearer sight of his destination. As far as his blue eyes could see, an endless ocean of green surrounded Konoha. Behind him, four stone faces watched over the village they pledged to protect.
And they call me the dope of the class, the blond thought with a hint of bitterness, I'm not as dumb as I look…
He turned around and addressed the Hokage Monument. First Hokage is east and Fourth Hokage is west… then my right. I knew it.
Facing the west, Naruto suddenly became confused and scratched his head.
Wait, now it isn't my right? He sighed as he prepared to jump. Directions are so confusing.
Leaving a cloud of dust behind, Naruto disappeared.
"This fucking brat," an annoyed whisper came soon after the blonde left. Mizuki landed on the same rooftop with a tick-mark adorning his forehead. "He's going to get me killed! I'm lucky I decided to follow him or else…"
He shivered at the thought, but a scowl replaced his startled expression. Change of plans. Dispose of the brat as soon as the sun sets and retrieve the scroll. I can sneak more easily in the dark and get to the western forest... Yeah, I just hope Kensou doesn't get too impatient.
With a plan in mind, Mizuki followed after his student.
Orange-stained clouds, similar to Naruto's clothes, graced up the sky as the sun began setting in the horizon, giving room for the moon to shine.
Said blond dropped on his rear, exhausted, underneath one of the many trees that adorned the outskirts of the village.
Through the tiny distance between leaves the remaining sunlight found its way to the ground, enough to catch his attention.
"That's right…", he said while he wiped sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand "The sun always sets west. Man, I should keep that in mind."
For just a second he enjoyed the calm atmosphere and clean air, before the scroll besides him brought him back.
"Time to learn some powerful Jutsu!"
The birds nearby scattered in the air as he laid the scroll in front of him. Seconds went by but the blond only stared at the ground, his body frozen and his grin locked in place.
A soft wind blew, whistling, followed by the light rustling of leaves. One lonesome leaf found its way to Naruto's right eye, awakening him from his trance. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He reached for the scroll, one that contained most of Konoha's strongest techniques, and grabbed the lid with both hands. Applying a moderate amount of strength, he twisted the top.
A shinobi blasted the tavern's entrance open and the establishment fell quiet, all the noise drained by confusion. Even though it had just started, the people's enjoyment got cut short. Everyone jumped out of their seats, ready to run away if needed.
"Everyone, sit down," the shinobi, identified by his Konoha hitai-ate, said while moving his hands in a placating manner. "We're here under the orders of Hokage-sama. It's only a quick search so please stay in your seats until the procedure is over."
His voice gave place to whispering, and one by one people sat down until there was no one standing but him. He proceeded to scan the bar, just a quick surveillance. The tavern was full of middle-aged men, a few women here and there, and some young bartenders; nothing seemed suspicious. For just a second his eyes regarded a man with a creased forehead and a few spots of auburn hair turning white. The man stared at the glass in his left hand, but his remaining features remained hidden by the dim lighting of the room.
Then their eyes met. A cold sensation washed through the shinobi and his body felt heavier. Those eyes sharp as steel… Those eyes didn't belong to a villager. Soon, the man's eyes returned to his drink. And, although no reaction found its way to the shinobi's face, he felt thankful that the man had shifted his piercing eyes.
Taking a long breath the shinobi advanced further into the bar and closer to the mysterious man, 15 feet away from him. Each step reverberated in his own mind, his reflexes ready to jump in with any sudden movement. Although he moved his head from side to side, he kept the man in range of vision. No longer was he looking for something.
He's definitely hiding his appearance with the Transformation technique. The shinobi's mind worked full-speed, concentrating on the coat of Chakra over the man. Could it be… No, impossible. Even though it was just a glance, I'm sure he isn't any common shinobi. If I'm not careful this can turn ugly any second. After all, he still believes I'm looking for something. I need to make a plan.
The man didn't move an inch, not visibly affected by the ninja's presence.
He seems to be deep in thought, probably making his escape plan. Do I strike now? The shinobi's hand brushed his weapon pouch as he took another step. No. I can't risk that. He isn't doing anything that calls for violence and I shouldn't provoke it either. Not with so many bystanders. Bait him, that's it. Force him to make the first move. Then I just concentrate in avoiding and countering. Only three steps between him and the man. His left hand remains hidden under the table, so that's more likely where the attack is coming from.
The man's eyes landed on him and the same cold sensation coursed his body as the hairs on the back of his neck stood. The sheer pressure almost made the shinobi's reflexes kick in, but he managed to stay under control. Another step.
Maybe it was the stench of alcohol that finally registered in his senses, but the air felt scarce and with every intake of oxygen it got increasingly hard to breathe. His heartbeats echoed through his entire body, almost deafening, and he could feel the blood rushing through his veins. Another step.
No longer able to analyze the situation, the shinobi relied on his instincts and years of training and experience to deal with the events about to unfold.
As he strutted with the final step, he stopped short and scratched his head. "It doesn't appear to be here," His glare landed on the old man. "That demon brat - "
The instant those words left his mouth, the man already stood beside him. The shinobi could only widen his eyes as not even his reflexes were fast enough to outspeed the man who swung his left arm at him.
The blow, a blur to the shocked spectators and aimed to the shinobi's head, slashed through nothing but the leftover tension. The shinobi had disappeared from view.
A brunette, the closest person to the man, fell from her chair and backed away the moment her eyes descended upon his enraged face.
And like that he tramped out, not a single person daring to cross his way.
Outside the tavern, a hooded figure landed on top of said building. He dropped a black-haired shinobi besides him, who fell flat on the cold stone trying to breathe, before he looked at the road below.
"Fuck, that was a close-call", he clicked his tongue, "Good job rookie."
"W-What… what was that!? Am I- Am I dead!?" through his blurred vision, the shinobi could make out the black silhouette of a person.
"You will be if you don't get your shit together in the next few seconds and shut up," the exasperated muffled voice answered.
The shinobi groaned and held his head as the world spun around him. At least he could tell that they were outside if the freezing breeze was any hint. He tried to sit, but stumbled and fell face first a second time.
"Shit, shit, shit," the mysterious hooded figure swore, his attention shifted to a red-haired girl walking slowly to their right, "This is all your fucking fault. Learn the difference between 'Get the fuck out of here'," he said and the now familiar chill made the trembling man's senses spike, the dizziness dying quickly.
He looked up to the hooded figure and noticed a bird-like mask. That explained why his voice sounded muffled.
"And killing intent." deadly silence met his declaration as a faint red aura covered the figure's mask, before it exploded out and surrounded his entire body together with a blast that tried to push everything away.
The shinobi almost lost his balance and tilted his head in confusion, but instantaneously he felt something take a grip of his heart, like an invisible hand clenching his very soul and keeping him in place. All of this happened in a split second. The remaining half, his muscles reacted before his conscience could and he took flight with a powerful Chakra-enhanced leap, propelling himself as far as he could from that monster.
With the nuisance gone the masked-man focused on the same little girl walking at a leisurely pace.
Going northeast, she's probably looking for the most centric spot. he thought, his eyes never leaving his target. The Great Tree. If that's her destination, then this is bad. I can feel her malice from here. From within the mask's sockets, two amber eyes shut. Such a strong malice exuding from a tiny body, waves after waves. Furthermore, that blow was aimed to kill. I'm certain she'll attack anyone on sight. This is really bad.
Another hooded-figure landed besides him, waking him up from his thoughts "Are you okay Eagle?", a worried female voice said behind a monkey mask.
"I'm fine, I was just scaring a rookie," he said with anger clear in his tone, "The target is already on the move, I arrived a few seconds too late."
She nodded, aware of that fact, and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder "Well, we prepared for this situation so stop beating yourself over it. I will-"
"No, I'll contact the captain. You keep an eye on the girl," Eagle said and shifted his weight, not waiting for an answer "Captain, Eagle reporting in."
After a few seconds, a static voice came out of his earphone, "Copy. Go ahead Eagle."
"Permission to initiate plan B," he said. His companion sighed besides him, louder than he would've liked.
"I trust plan A was a failure."
Eagle flinched at that. He answered with reluctance covering his tone "Yeah… I was too slow."
"Roger. You must proceed with plan B until new orders."
"Wilco captain," after uttering the words, he heard Monkey move and turned to her. She held three fingers close to his face and, hidden by his mask, his brows furrowed. Both figures melted into the shadows.
"Stay alert. Out."
The transmission cut just as they landed on the top of another building. Monkey went through several hand seals in a blink and whispered the technique's name.
"Demonic Illusion: Amethyst Mist."
Immediately a purple fog encompassed the plaza in front of them, even engulfing at least half of the trunk of a huge tree that stood at the center. The villagers wandering around didn't seem to notice, though one by one started to leave the area.
"That should keep bystanders at bay," Monkey spoke while staring at the red-haired girl walking towards their position. "Completely unaffected by my genjutsu…"
"Don't be surprised, her Chakra flow is currently a turmoil," Eagle said as he concentrated on the crimson aura surrounding the girl. "It's working like a shield, keeping any foreign Chakra out of her system."
"I know, Bea- I mean, our captain already explained that. It's a fearsome ability, but limited to people with dense and abundant Chakra… and Jinchuurikis. Both are extremely rare," Monkey said and could only watch as the girl, a green Genin, brushed her jutsu off like it was nothing.
"Intruder," Eagle's voice brought Monkey back to reality. "Two o'clock, moving towards us."
"Rank?" Monkey turned to her right, but only darkness welcomed her gaze no matter how hard she focused. "He's good, I can't see him."
"Probably high-Jōnin level, damn it. Keep the target at sight, I'll-"
A hooded-figure appeared between the two ANBU and interrupted Eagle's words. Without letting them analyze the situation, the sudden assailant attacked. Eagle regained his bearings and hopped over a sweep kick, but had to block a straight punch directed at his guts that pushed him away. At the same time, Monkey jumped backwards to gain space and study their opponent. The hooded-figure didn't press the attack and instead froze, his arm still extended from the punch. Eagle skidded until a wall absorbed the remaining force and he dropped his guard.
The figure finally moved and grabbed his hood, revealing an Owl mask.
The two ANBU recognized the mask, but neither approached. A feminine voice coming from Owl broke the silence.
"S-Sorry for that."
Eagle and Monkey looked at eachother before the latter shrugged. Eagle lowered his stance and addressed Owl. "State your business."
"..." Owl stared at him for whole seconds, but eventually she shifted her gaze without answering.
"Oi oi, I'm speaking to you. State. Your. Business," Eagle said louder this time. They didn't have time to waste on this.
Owl ignored his presence and closed in to the edge of the building.
Eagle pulled out a Kunai and dashed. "That's it-"
"Wait!" Monkey's voice stopped him dead in his tracks. He clicked his tongue as and dropped the weapon in his pouch. "Are you Owl, the newest addition to the ANBU ranks?"
Owl removed her hand from the hilt of her tantō and nodded.
"I am Monkey and that is Eagle, we're part of Bear's squad," Monkey said.
"Bear's squad?" Owl repeated almost inaudible.
"Yeah, after this mission Bear will be promoted to ANBU captain," Monkey said, trying to keep the excitement out of her tone. "Are you in a mission?"
Owl seemed to think about her answer for a while before she shook her head.
"Then why-" Eagle growled, but a new Chakra signature entered his range and the words died in his throat. Monkey noticed her partner's shock and both rushed to Owl's side.
Their target, the red-haired girl, had nearly got to the Great Tree's base; the most centric spot in Konohagakure. Coming from their right, a dark-haired boy accessed the plaza.
Owl prepared to jump down and intervene, but Monkey held her in place.
"Don't," Monkey said anticipating Owl's question. "We cannot reveal our presence to her."
Before Owl could attempt to break free, Eagle imitated his partner and grabbed her free hand.
"You were following him, right?" Eagle said while pointing at the newcomer. Owl remained silent and he chuckled. "Sadly, we won't allow you to jeopardize our mission. No matter what."
"Is he part of your mission?" Owl said with her eyes fixated on the two kids below.
"No." Monkey replied.
"Then-"
"We're preventing casualties," Monkey interrupted Owl. "If you know of an ability that lets you grab the boy and escape before our target notices, then go ahead. However," Monkey continued in a grave tone. "If our target happens to notice, Eagle and I will proceed to kill you all on the spot."
Owl gulped and clenched her fists. "B-But he's just a civilian…"
"Do you think we're stupid?" Monkey said and turned to her. "He's Uchiha Sasuke and a recent graduate from the Ninja Academy. I can see the Uchiha fan on the back of his shirt."
She noticed it all the way from here!?, Owl thought astonished, though no reaction found its way outside. What kind of people are these?...
"Don't worry, he won't die. Have some faith," Monkey said, the two sockets on her mask looking emptier than usual. "He's an Uchiha after all."
Unaware of the spectators watching from above, Sasuke felt drops of cold sweat framing his face. He was taking a walk around the village, trying to clear his mind, when he sensed a Genjutsu being casted nearby. The technique enveloped the entire Great Tree plaza with purple clouds that the boy thought were poisonous, but the effect was fairly obvious. Every person in the jutsu radius started to leave while the villagers outside of it didn't approach. Then the question popped, why? And who?
The image of two fully matured Sharingan haunted Sasuke's mind, but he shook his head to clear the thoughts. It couldn't be him. There's no way he could sneak past Konoha's defenses and get to the heart of the village without causing ruckus… right?
Then, what was this oppressing feeling that overwhelmed all of his senses? The raw and uncontrollable hatred that seemed to be lurking around him? He managed to suppress his instincts and entered the foggy area, but now what?
He caught a glimpse of red-hair and his eyes shone in realization. Almost every question he had was answered the moment his sight landed on Uzumaki Mito, the crimson-haired girl standing in front of him.
However, onyx eyes met violet and a lump formed in Sasuke's throat. His body refused to move a single inch closer to that thing in front of him.
Naruto. Sasuke deduced despite the fear that threatened to take control of his actions. Something must've happened to Naruto…
Mito's slitted eyes shifted to the Great Tree and she kept walking.
I have to stop her. Sasuke's fists shook as his eyes followed Mito's every movement. But how? She'll...she'll kill me if I come near her. This Chakra is so terrifying! I can't do it! I have to run! I can't stop her, I can't!
Chakra gathered on Sasuke's legs as he prepared to escape, when another thought invaded his mind.
But what if… what if someone else tries to stop her?... She'll kill them. She'll kill innocent people if they get in her way… I can't let that happen. Sasuke gritted his teeth, trying to control his fear. We're no longer civilians, we're shinobi. If she is ready to hurt anyone then… then she's a threat to Konoha! I must stop her!
"Mito!" Sasuke shouted and grabbed her by the shoulder "Plea-"
Sasuke's face plunged in by the sheer force behind Mito's quick and powerful punch.
Eagle flinched as he watched the boy flying across the plaza, before he landed face down. "That rocketed his world, I bet. Are you satisfied now?"
Monkey stared at the scene for a second longer and then hummed, "I wonder…"
The two ANBU sat casually on top of Owl, who kept writhing in order to break free.
"Impressive strength, though it's futile," Monkey commented and patted her on the back.
Meanwhile Owl's eyes remained fixated on Mito and how she clasped her hands together. A cloud of white smoke suddenly hid her from view and four clones scattered in different directions.
"Damn it," Eagle yanked his arm from Monkey's hold and leaped east.
Monkey prepared to follow, but remembered Owl's presence. "What are you going to do?"
"Stay here," Owl said while looking at the downed Uchiha.
"If you can, take him to the hospital. Or leave him there. Whatever you want," Monkey said and disappeared, never noticing Owl gripping her tantō tightly.
(Mito's POV - Tavern - 5 minutes ago)
"It sure is full…" Mito mumbled and tried the drink, gulping down almost half of the beverage in one go, enjoying the burn in her throat before it settled down in her stomach.
"If you're going to end up like this every single time, why even bother?" the voice said once more, "Let me remind you that alcohol is poisonous for your body. All you're doing is shortening your lifespan even more."
I don't care… she thought as she took another sip, I don't care what I have to sacrifice.
"Are you stupid!? If you're this intent on throwing your life away, you might as well set me loose!" it roared, suppressing Mito's thoughts for a split second.
Throw my life away? I already did, the moment I decided to become a ninja, she set the glass on the table with a thud, And I won't let Naruto do the same. His safety comes first and foremost.
"You little…" the voice started, but didn't finish the sentence. A loud sigh echoed, before it continued "Your stubbornness makes me want to crush you under my paw, but you do have a point. You'll go on missions that could last weeks, even months, outside of the village and where you could potentially die…"
"However, Konoha is far from being a safe place."
Fear took a hold of Mito's heart as several images flashed in her mind, a giant nine-tailed demon fox that attacked the village, the massacre of an entire clan by a single person, the failed attempt to kidnap the Hyūga heiress, and found truth behind the voice's words.
At the same time, someone blasted the tavern's entrance open and the establishment went quiet. Mito, acting on instinct, turned to where the smash came from and put a hand on her thighs, but a wall of people blocked her sight.
"Did something happen?"
"I don't know… could it be a patrol?"
"This is bad."
"What if something happened?"
The whispering died and the wall split apart to reveal a single man, who stepped in and walked towards the center, turning from left to right. Still confused and through her blurry vision, Mito could only distinguish a flak jacket.
"Th-That's a J-Jōnin… why would they send a Jōnin for a simple patrol?"
A Jōnin!? Mito's aged eyes widened at the information and she lowered her head.
"What? What's a Jōnin doing in here?"
I don't know, he seems to be searching for something, but I can't confirm it right now, the fear still fresh in Mito's mind didn't help the situation as she tried to hide the emotion written on her face, What could've happened?
"This isn't the time to think about that!" the voice said, shaking Mito's brain "He can easily detect your Henge and put you in trouble, so find a way to escape. I'll discern his objective."
By the time they ended their small conversation, the man stood in the middle of the room. Mito placed her cheek on her right fist, while her left remained under the table, The fox is right, I need to get out of here quickly and check if Naruto is okay. How?
I can't draw his attention or he could notice my Genjutsu… but shouldn't a high-ranked ninja be capable of doing that without trying? Could he be a Chūnin?, she caught movement from the corner of her left eye and kept her lazy posture, If he was a Jōnin I would be captured by now… or he's too distracted to notice.
The man entered Mito's line of vision and a lump formed in her throat. Whatever his rank, the tension he exuded and the visible frustration in his scowl paralyzed the otherwise always-cheerful place. The old man felt a sweat drop frame her entire face and heard the silent splash on the floor.
I can't knock out a Jōnin, but if he's low-Chūnin then-, the shinobi strutted right by Mito, each step reverberating in her mind, I have to risk it... her glare landed on the man's exposed neck and her pupils narrowed.
Mito's muscles tensed while he waited for the perfect opportunity to strike. She flexed her left hand fingers and veins popped out.
For Naruto's sake!
The man halted and scratched the back of his head, making Mito stop dead in her tracks "It doesn't appear to be here, that demon brat-"
Mito froze at what the shinobi said, her greatest worries confirmed. She stood and spun, her left arm a blur to the shocked spectators.
The blow, aimed to the shinobi's head, slashed through falling leaves. The shinobi had already disappeared from view.
A brunette woman, the closest person to Mito, fell from her chair and backed away the moment her eyes descended upon her enraged face, the old man's elderly features oozing wild anger.
And like that she tramped out, ignoring the thunderous uproar in her own mind as well as the shocked bystanders.
"UZUMAKI MITO!"