Rise of the Shadow
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or The Night Angel Trilogy, Kishimoto and Brent Weeks do, respectively.
Just recently, their third member had been given a suicide mission, but they knew he would survive. However, even if he did survive, he would have to exile himself and be labeled as a missing nin. Due to the circumstances behind the mission, neither Kira nor Iroh could help him. There was no hope for Ulos, and they would never even know his true name.
'Although, that's usually how it is as a wetboy.' Kira thought.
The Hokage had just arrived with their new teammate. Both Kira and Iroh stood to greet him, but before they could speak, they noticed a child, no more than eight standing beside the Hokage. They couldn't see his face because it was covered by the shadows created by the signature wetboy hood he wore. Nothing much could be seen from his initial appearance but that was a good thing.
"This is... Durzo, Durzo Blint." the Hokage spoke, ignoring the boy's questioning glare. "He is the last remaining wetboy candidate, and I'm not stretching when I say he is a genius."
"Oh? A genius you say? Do you think he'll surpass even good ol' reliable here?" Iroh gestured towards Kira.
"Well, that all depends on Kira himself, can you tap into this boy's potential?" Kira's eyes would have widened if he wasn't so cool."You want me to train him? Can he even handle it?"
"Of course he can." The Hokage was a little evasive in his answer and Kira could tell, but it was Iroh who called him out "That's not what Kira meant, and you know it" Dumb ass.
"The boy is mentally prepared for what is to come, he is ready, I know you're a little hesitant to take one so young after him, but are you really here to question my choices?"
"I do have ears you know." Durzo finally spoke up."Of course Durzo buddy, everyone has ears." and right away, Durzo knew he hated Iroh.
"Durzo, this is Kira, he will teach you how to be a wetboy and-" Sarutobi was interrupted "You mean he will teach me how to kill." perceptive brat.
"Well, anyway... Treat him with the same respect you would have for me." none "He is the best wetboy there is, you're in good hands." bloody hands
At this time, Durzo took a closer look at both men. If he had to guess, Kira was in his late 30s (which was old for a wetboy) and he looked to be about 5'9" with a solid build, 'He could probably crush my skull in his hand.' Iroh on the other hand, was taller, maybe 6'2" and around his late 20s, with a lanky body, he was probably a poison specialist or long range, maybe both. He could see neither face, but he could imagine the expressions on them. Kira was serious, frown always in place, eye-brows tensed, eyes showing disinterest and contempt. Iroh had a goofy smile, eyes up turned in happiness, face looking completely innocent, but Durzo knew better.
"I leave him in your hands Kira, don't let me down." The Hokage left.
"Well kid, every one calls me Kira. I'm going to teach you how to kill." he presented his hand to shake
"My name is Durzo, I guess. I'll take your teachings and surpass them"
Master and Apprentice shook hands and a bond was formed
Durzo opened his eyes slightly, never in a panic, just like his master taught him. He looked around slowly and relaxed when he realized he was in a special hospital room commissioned by the Hokage just for wetboys. 'I hate hospitals.'
Suddenly, the Sandaime Hokage walked in alone. "Durzo, I would like to talk with you." he sounded serious.
"Your team is dead, you are the last remaining wetboy alive." what was he getting at?
"What is it you want Hokage?"
"Please don't call me that. Can't you call me 'old man' like you used to? Naruto?" He crossed the line.
"Don't call me that!!" Durzo yelled "My name is Durzo."
"Please stop this, I want you to be a shinobi, please Naruto." Sarutobi pleaded, his eyes showing a great sadness.
"Naruto is dead, he was useless! While he was weak, Durzo is strong, a coward compared to the most feared shadow, Naruto is nothing! Durzo is every thing! I don't want to go back!!" He was cracking, the picture of the perfect facade for a killer was turning into a child who had no childhood, and he felt something he hadn't felt in almost a decade, fear.
"Naruto! That is enough!" Now wasn't the time to be weak, he had to be firm in his command, aggressive and assertive. "You will be a shinobi, you will be the best and one day, you will become hokage." This made Durzo look up, eyes narrowed, composure restored, "What?!"
"I want you to surpass me and I want you to take my position." He spoke with conviction "But I'm not giving you a choice in the matter."
"You're forcing the position on me? Is that even possible?"
"No, but I am the Hokage, I have many connections. Naruto, I'm doing what's best for you... and Konoha."
"I'm a killer, raised only for one purpose. With me at the helm, Konoha will have the leader that Danzo always wanted, is that what is best for Konoha?" Durzo asked.
"Yes, I believe in you." bullshit
"I will take an aggressive defensive stance, 'kill your enemies before they kill you' as Master Kira taught me, Hokage, is that what you want for your village?" of course not
"W-Well, you wouldn't take the position until you're older, and by then I'm hoping to deal with all our enemies." Sarutobi faltered for less than a second, but that was enough for Durzo.
"Does this have something to do with me? He asked
"Yes, they call themselves Akatsuki and they are hunting down the 'containers'." he replied
"Do you want me to kill them?." It wasn't meant to be a question
"I intend to put together a team to specialize in dealing with the Akatsuki, and I want you to lead that team, not as Durzo Blint, but as Uzumaki Naruto, son of the Yondaime Hokage."
"You want me to lead them?" Durzo asked in surprise
"Yes, but it has to be as a shinobi." Sarutobi wasn't expecting much resistance, but Durzo wasn't going to let himself be pushed.
"No! I'll be Naruto again if I have too, but I won't give up my life, I'll be a wetboy until I die, when I become Hokage, I'll train a new generation, I won't let it end here." Durzo wasn't allowed to show grief for his fallen comrades, but he wouldn't let their memory die like that.
"Hm, I guess I'll take what I can, as long as you stop calling your self Durzo. I'll let you rest for now." Sarutobi started leaving the room. "Naruto, what is the last thing you remember?"
"The last thing I remember is being stabbed by the remaining enemies, I guess I survived somehow." Durzo said, somewhat confused.
"Yes...survived." Sarutobi muttered cryptically before walking out, Leaving Durzo to his own thoughts.
"I need to sleep, tomorrow I will become Naruto again."
When Naruto woke up, it was already mid day, the sun shone brightly in his face and he hated it, it was too bright, just like his hair. He got up from the hospital bed, and got dressed in his wetboy's grays,
which consisted of gray pants with equally gray upper wear. The wetboys like to call their uniform the shozoko, and there was no defense involved with it, no chain mesh. To a wetboy, the first strike against you meant you failed the mission and deserved to die. A wetboy was a weapon not a shield. A little chakra would be used to help the hood's shadow cover the entire face, with gloves on his hands and wetboy tabi on his feet, there was not a bit of skin showing, just how it should be. The shozoko also had many pockets which served to hold multiple daggers and kits of mixed poisons, the only visible weapon would be a ninjato on his back, but it was missing.
That's when he saw it; on the shelf to his left was a pure black ninjato, The Retribution. Kira's blade was magnificent, the perfect sword for assassinations. He lifted it up in his left hand and stared as if in a trance, 'I have a feeling that one day, this sword will cause trouble for me.' he finally snapped out of it and sheathed it over his left shoulder.
"Time to go see the old man."
Gathered in the Hokage's office were three Anbu. One, the captain of his personal guard, Yamato, a man whose life was changed because of Orochimaru. The second was Yugao Uzuki, one of Konoha's Swordmasters, and the last was Anko Mitarashi, the assassination squad's leader and former apprentice to Orochimaru.
Then the last member walked in and stood beside Anko ignoring her stare. "Is this guy trying to be funny? What kind of ninja dresses like that?" Naruto turned his head to her and she could only assume he was glaring at her. "Not a ninja." he replied, then he looked away completely disregarding her presence despite her loud yells of indignity.
"Good, you're all here. You four have been selected for an infiltration mission, into Akatsuki." the Hokage glanced at each of their eyes despite the fact that he couldn't see them.
Three of them stiffened right away, Naruto didn't.
"I would like this to be a team with no facades, please remove your masks," Sarutobi spoke in a soft tone, not forceful yet not pleading either.
Yamato was first, removing his mask to show his pale white skin, a side effect of the experimentation done on him. Yugao followed suit; behind her mask was a beautiful face, yet she held the eyes of a warrior, the likes of which Naruto had never seen in a woman before. Maybe this was a ninja worthy of his respect. Anko was next, her face was also a beauty in it's own way, but where her companion's eyes were a warrior's, her's were that of a crazed killer, perhaps the closest one to himself, but that didn't mean he held her above contempt, a wetboy must never lose himself in the art of killing, and this ninja clearly had.
Finally, it was Naruto's turn, a moment he dreaded. To give up your identity was like giving up your life. You were a target, habits could be researched, friends could be threatened, abilities compromised. Could he trust these people?
Naruto released the chakra holding the shadow to his face, and his hands pulled back his hood, and as soon as he did, he heard three distinct gasps in the room.
Yamato thought this boy looked a lot like the late Yondaime, Yugao was frightened by the look in his eyes and Anko thought it was love at first sight.
"Enjoying yourselves?" asked Naruto, one eyebrow raised.
"YE-" "Shut up!" Yugao elbowed Anko in the ribs.
"These three know each other well enough, how about you introduce yourself to them?" Sarutobi asked, trying to push Naruto to open up.
"My name is Durzo-" coughcough "Fine, fine. My name is Naruto Uzumaki, I like to kill, I hate to fail,
my dream..." he glances at the Hokage "Is to bring back the wetboys."
"Ha!! Funny kid! Funny kid! The wetboys are just rumors, you know, 'if you stay out late at night the wetboys will get you' come on kid, grow up."
"Oh, I assure you Anko, the wetboys are no mere rumors." Naruto's stare unnerved Anko
"He's right you know." every one stopped to listen to the Hokage, even Naruto was surprised he would bring it up. "And Naruto-kun here is the last remaining one. That is why he will be the captain of this team." let chaos ensue.
"WHAT?!" Anko yelled far too loudly for Naruto's comfort "How can a brat like him lead a mission like this?" Even Yugao looked ready to protest. "I should lead, besides I have the most experience here when it comes to killing."
"Oh yes Mistress Anko, this 'brat' would love to serve under you." Naruto gave a mocking bow. "Tch! Hardly. Anko, weren't you paying attention, I'm a wetboy. I'm a killer among killers. I have more blood on my hands than even the Hokage. I'm leading this team, if you want to complain, then show me you're worth listening to, make me bleed."
At the Hokage's personal training ground, the two killers stood metres apart, both tensed in a practiced stance, ready to engage each other. No jutsus, no death.
Anko wanted to put the brat in his place and this was the perfect way to do it. 'No matter how good looking he is, I'm not going to go easy on him. 'Make me bleed.' I'll do more than that, brat.'
Naruto didn't like fighting out in the open, but he could, and he could do it well. He would show this woman what he could do.
Anko made the first move, they would start with taijutsu. She sped towards him with the full speed of a jonin, intent on getting blood on the first attempt with a kunai to the cheek. She wasn't expecting him to grab her wrist and twist. She found her self on the ground in immense pain. She looked and realized he still hadn't let go of her wrist.
"You know, in the human body, the bones between the radius, ulna, and metacarpus are very sensitive, so if you grab the wrist in the right way, even the slightest bit of pressure can do a lot." Naruto spoke in a very condescending tone
"I'm not a child Dammit!" she was really starting to hate this guy "Don't lecture me!"
"Then prove to me you're not a child" still condescending
"I'm 28 dammit!" she charged back at him, this time hoping to smash his head with a kick. An effort which he made useless pretty quickly.
"Have you been taught anything? Never kick a skilled opponent above the knee, it's just too slow."
He didn't sound arrogant, this time he sounded incredulous, which, to Anko felt even worse.
Naruto began his attack. A flurry of punches, all of which hit their target. Anko winced in pain, she knew they would bruise but there would be no real damage. With speed she could barely track, Naruto moved into an opening to her left and his knee made it's way right below her rib cage knocking the wind out of her and sending her to the other side of the training grounds.
Letting her get up, Naruto could only stare in pity. Why was she so weak? As much as he hated the hypocrisy of ninja in general, he couldn't deny that they were strong, even if they only killed when necessary. Seeing that she wanted to continue he decided that he would end this now, by crushing any doubts that he was the strongest.
Using all the speed he had, he moved beside her; with his left hand he grabbed her wrist and turned her towards him. His right hand was raised up, open palm, looking like it was ready to slap her. It came down with impressive speed, but before it reached her, a swirling orb of pure chakra appeared in the palm's center. Surely their former Hokage's prized jutsu would make them realize that he was the only one who could lead this mission.
Sarutobi knew Jiraiya taught the boy the Rasengan, but he had never seen him use it, 'I thought he hated ninja techniques?' and even the fourth couldn't make the Rasengan appear that fast, although it did make sense if Naruto planned to use it for assassinations. However, he did know the destructive power behind it, and he knew it could kill Anko. Yet at this distance, and at the speed his hand was going, he knew he couldn't make it there in time. He would have to trust that Naruto knew what he was doing.
With his left hand, Naruto manipulated her body by twisting her arm into a position where her torso would follow and his Rasengan would miss. He couldn't help but feel proud of his handiwork; on the ground where his attack landed, there was a crater with a three foot diameter, which was larger than what the old fool had shown with his demonstration during their time together. He felt that Anko had been sufficiently 'tamed' so to speak and he let her go, giving her a little push towards the Hokage.
"I hope there won't be anymore attempts to undermine my authority." he received three equally frantic head shakes. "Well then Hokage, now that we're finished here, why don't we go get briefed?"
Wetboys never used the word "target". No one knew who came up with "deader" but all wetboys agreed that it was better, because calling something a target meant that there was a chance you could miss. Let the ninjas miss, wetboys only kill.
"Even though you're a four man team, the only one actually infiltrating will be Naruto-kun." Sarutobi said "You three will be the runners. All information he receives will get to me through you." The three Anbu knew they had the easy job.
"How will this get done? Do you have all the stages set?" Naruto needed to know all the stages, he liked to know the plan entirely before risking his life.
"You need to impersonate an Akastuki member, but for that you'll need to take him out first."
"What is the deader's name?" Anko snorted at that word.
"He is a lower member of Akatsuki, I'm sure no one would even notice his death, so I don't think you'll need to perfect his mannerisms. Our sources say he is a subordinate of Zetsu, travels alone, and is around A class in strength, although that is just an estimate. His name is Tobi."
AN: I spent quite a while trying to figure out how to get Naruto into the Night angel world, and I think I finally have a viable solution, but it will take more reading and some tweaking on the night angel side. Anyway, it'll take a couple chapters, maybe. I just finished Shadow's Edge and I think it ended perfectly, more than enough incentive to buy the third book. Like I said, Naruto will be going to Midcyru in a couple chapters, and I hope that won't make me rush through the Konoha chapters, I really want to get past them. Review! Later.