FOR THE LAST TIME! Naruto's attitude has a reason, he NEEDS to follow Orochimaru because the man can remove the Cursed Seal at any moment and KILL HIM! Like Law with Vergo, Orochimaru holds Naruto's life in his hands and the blond knows it! It's either appear like a trust-worthy and obedient right-hand-man (Like Kabuto) or death; the fact that only the Cursed Seal keeps Naruto's body from breaking down is also why Orochimaru CAN'T use him as a spare body: it's too risky and Orochimaru knows it.
Sorry the half-rant.
Pairing: Naruto/Karin and later Naruto/Karin/Naruko and Minako.
Naruko and Minako are two Ocs, Twin sisters born after Naruto that hold respectively the Yang-Half of Kurama (Naruko) and Yin-Half (Minako).
"You bastard" - demon talking / jutsu.
"Let's finish this" – dialogue.
" Can it get any worse? " - during flashback/Thoughts.
Have you seen how Trafalgar Law was dressed in Punk Hazard Arc? There, Naruto is dressed exactly like that plus the sword, sans the tattoos. Just to be clear.
Disclaimer: I don't own and NEVER will own the material I use/used/will use and I will NEVER take money for this or anything else I write here so leave me alone, lawyers!
Naruto the Thrice Cursed Chapter 2: Exams.
Konoha – streets – in front of Mist delegation's chosen Inn -
"So we'll have to play along?"
"We are already doing it with Orochimaru and Kabuto, doing the same with my parents is not different, Karin."
"As long as we are together I can do this."
"Thanks."
"I can help too, Naru-chan!"
"Of course you can, Moegi-ya. Of course you can."
"He is coming."
With Minato -
"Good morning, Minato-sama!"
"Good morning, Lord Hokage!"
"Good morning," Minato answered the various people with a gentle smile as he passed by them, he loved his beloved Villagers, but still, deep in his heart he would kill to see his own son say the same thing with their same smile.
Steeling himself with a deep breath he moved closer to the blond and waved a little gaining a small bow of the young man's head in answer.
"Good morning, Hokage-sama." Karin said with a small bow and adjusting her glasses.
"Morning!" Moegi added energetically.
"I didn't know you were an early-riser." the blond Hokage said chuckling.
"Sleeping cuts down on training time, father." Naruto answered smirking.
"At least this means we can have breakfast together, it was nice of you to accept Kushi-chan's invitation." Minato answered as the small group started walking away.
"Would she have stopped asking had I refused?"
"I can't either confirm or deny...But off the records no, she would have kept asking!"
"She seems like a very insistent woman," Karin said crossing her arms.
"It's your future mother-in-law, try to be on good terms with her." Naruto said shaking his head.
"Tche!"
"M-Mother-in-law?!" Minato asked in shock.
"What? There were doubts maybe?" the red-haired girl hissed with narrowed eyes.
"No-no! None whatsoever!"
"Dad!"
"Onii-chan!" two voices rang-out followed by the sound of rapid running.
"YOU TWO!" the Hokage yelled with wide eyes.
"You are supposed to go to the Academy! The first test starts in twenty minutes!"
"B-But!" Minako stammered.
"But we want onii-chan to accompany us!" Naruko continued saying.
Sigh! "Up for a detour? Please? They are as stubborn as their mother..." Minato asked groaning.
"I can't see why not." Naruto answered shrugging a little.
"Thank you!" both girls said at the same time with an huge smile.
"Nice to meet you, I am Karin! I am his girlfriend and this is Moegi."
"Hi!" the short girl added waving.
"Gloves?" Minako muttered curious.
"She needs to keep her hands covered at all times." Karin answered.
"That's not important! You instead..." Naruko hissed.
"Yes?" the young woman asked, eeping a little when the two girls marched up until invading her personal space to look at her up and down from head to toe with narrowed eyes.
"We'll keep our eyes open!" Minako said.
"We'll observe your every move!" Naruko added.
"And if you break our Onii-chan's heart we will destroy you." both said in chorus with their eyes flashing red.
"O-Okay!" the other answered unnerved.
Totally ignoring the girls, either voluntarily or not is up to debate, Minato was managing with some difficulty to talk with Naruto, clearly doing his best to re-establish a connecting with his estranged son.
"Do you always carry your sword on your shoulder? Isn't it annoying? I get it that because of its size Kikoku can't be strapped to your back or waist...But why not using a Sealing Array? I can easily draw one for you on your hand if you want." the Hokage offered.
"I would appreciate the gesture, Minato-ya, even just for emergency situations. But I have to decline as I came to enjoy its weight on my shoulder and hand, it makes me feel safe so I don't mind carrying it around." the other answered with a small smile as he playfully bumped his shoulder with the sheathed blade.
"...I wouldn't try to use some sort of Mind-controlling Seal or stuff like that to trap you here, you know? I would really make a Storage Seal only." the man whispered with an hurtful tone.
"I never said you would have tried that."
"But you thought that."
"...Touche."
"HERE WE ARE!" both Twins said as the Academy came into view interrupting the small talk.
"Who's your Teammate by the way?" Naruto asked.
"Shino Aburame."
"He is a very smart but silent boy." Minato added pointing at a quiet boy wearing sunglasses that was calmly waiting for the twins near the entrance.
"Smart enough to keep his hands away from improper places?" Naruto asked with narrowed eyes.
"Of course! That's why I choose him!...And he is also a good strategist, not a Nara but good enough. But that's less important."
"Good choice."
"We can defend ourselves, dad!" Naruko said.
"But I am happy that onii-chan is worried about us." Minako added smiling.
"Huhuhu! Of course I am worried..." the young man answered chuckling as he moved closer to the two.
"...You belong to me after all." he then muttered with a tiny, feral smile.
"O-Oniichan?"
"Oh! Those must be your year-mates, right?" Naruto said as if nothing happened and turning towards another small group of arriving Genin.
"Naruko! Minako!" a girl with pink hair said waving excitedly.
"Oh! Sakura-chan!" Minako said waving back.
"Why so late?" her twin asked curious.
"Got a problem with a trio of Genin from Suna, they were playing bully with some kids and we got derailed." a boy with black hair answered sighing.
"You must be Itachi-kun's brother, Sasuke, am I right?" Naruto said curious.
"Y-you...You know him?! And you called him Itachi-kun! Do you know him personally?" Sasuke asked with wide eyes.
"We used to be playmates, your father Fugaku had high expectations for both of us so he 'permitted me' to play with your brother." the young man answered sighing.
"And you remember all that?" the other boy with Sasuke, an Inuzuka, asked.
"It's not difficult if it is one of your last treasured memories...And you have physical proofs." the other answered sighing and showing an old-looking photo of two kids to Sasuke.
Nor it was hard remembering it when Orochimaru had found oh so funny to tell him everything about it (and the true reasons behind Itachi's killing spree) years later once the news of Itachi's extermination of the Uchiha Clan became knew, learning that a mass Murderer was the same kid in the picture with you that was apparently your best friend as well was easy to burn in a man's mind.
"WAAAA! Chibi Onii-chan is soo cuute! I am never tired to see it!" Naruko answered with a wide smile.
"The date...Here you both were four..." Sasuke whispered with an empty voice, looking intently at the young Itachi's face that was so similar to his own to actually scare him.
Naruto and Itachi: Best Friends! Was written behind it in two different styles of children's scrawl.
(Both Naruto and Itachi are the same age in this fic, please accept it.)
Sigh! "I can testify this being true, I was the one who took that picture, Fugaku used to always insist in having Itachi join the Academy sooner than normal and your brother would always answer that unless Naruto came too, he would not have attended."
"Can we talk later? Please?" Sasuke asked handing back the picture.
"I'll see what I can do."
"Naruto? HE is your brother?!" Sakura asked amazed to the twins.
"Yup!"
"Told you our Onii-chan was cool!"
"Nice to meet you." he answered calmly.
"Ah! Sakura Haruno, I am Naruko and Minako's classmate. Nice to meet you, Naruto-san!" the girl replied bowing.
"Huhuhu! You have a very nice name, Pinky-ya."
"P-P-Pinky-ya?!" the girl repeated scandalized.
"And a very cute forehead. I like it." he then said playfully bumping her forehead with a finger.
"So? Move along! You can't be late for the Exams!" Minato said smirking amused making the Genin scram inside the Academy.
"YES, HOKAGE-SAMA!" the running kids answered without stopping their mad dash.
"So? Breakfast?" Karin asked sighing.
"Breakfast." both blond men answered nodding.
With Minako and Naruko – Academy Classroom - Few minutes later -
"...A cute forehead..." Sakura muttered as her face burned dark-red.
"Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! What's with that happy expression?" Naruko asked snarling.
"Our Onii-chan was just being gentle, don't get strange ideas." Minako added with a glare.
"But he did give her a pet name, it must mean he likes her a little at least!" Kiba answered laughing.
"K-K-KIBA!" the pink-haired girl screeched embarrassed.
"SHUT-UP!" both twins yelled as one in rage instead, silencing both them AND the class as a whole.
"So you met Lord Hokage's son? They say he is a swordsman from Mist Village now, is that right?" a blond girl asked curious.
"Yeah, he is a ninja of Mist, Ino, and he even has a Legendary Cursed Sword!" Minako answered.
"A Legendary Cursed Sword? Which one? What did it look like?" an older girl already seated at a desk asked immediately.
"I don't know, Tenten! Calm down!" Sakura replied annoyed.
"It's the Kikoku sword, name's good enough?" Minako said.
"THE KIKOKU!?H-H-He has it?! Can I meet him? Can I? Can I? Can I? Please!?" the girl, Tenten, asked back.
"Your fixation for weapons is disturbing, Tenten." the girl's Teammate answered scoffing.
"Shut it, Neji!"
While this was happening, the two twins had moved slightly away to have a more private conversation among themselves.
"Hoy, nee-chan?" Naruko muttered.
"Yes?" Minako answered.
"...I don't like all the interest those girls have for Naruto-niichan."
"Me neither."
"What should we do?"
"Let's keep our eyes open, just in case."
"Okay."
"..."
"...Hey? Neechan?" Naruko asked again.
"Yes?"
"Do you think he was serious when he said we belong to him?"
"I hope so. It would make things easier."
"You mean..."
"Why? You didn't?"
"...Yeah, I did."
"Then there is no problem, yes?" Minako asked with a sinister smile.
"Do we need to keep the lie ongoing?"
"It's necessary." she answered coldly.
"How long before..."
"Two years. We need to wait until Jiraiya finally takes his head out of his ass and introduces us to Sage Training with the Toads and master it."
"Two years?! Too long!" Naruko said moaning while slumping down her shoulders.
"I can wait, if you can't, then just step back."
"I won't! Never!" the girl hissed angrily.
"Good!" Minako said pleased.
"What are you two talking about?" Kiba asked confused.
"Kiba, I don't think that it's anything you should ask about, otherwise they would have openly told us." a boy with sunglasses answered with a plain tone.
"Thank you, Shino." Naruko said smirking grateful.
"No problem." the boy answered with a slight nod.
"ALRIGHT, BRATS! Mouths closed, ears open and asses glued to the chairs, I am Morino Ibiki and for the next two hours I am going to use your minds as my new fuck-toy!" an heavily scarred man ordered as he and six other ninja entered the room.
"This written text will be the only thing helping you NOT remaining Genin for the rest of your pathetic lives while my sweet voice will become the voice of God himself until the end of this Test so you WILL listen to the rules, got it?!" the man barked making the assembled Genin flinch.
"Good! As soon as I give the command you will turn the paper and start, the rest of the Rules will be explained as we go thought it. START!"
At that, dozens of papers went turned at the same time soon making only the faint noise of pens writing on paper at high speed reign inside the classroom.
Meanwhile – Hokage Residence – kitchen -
While the written Test was taking place, the Hokage and his wife were playing host to Naruto, Karin and Moegi all sitting at the same table in a small, simple and informal home-made breakfast in the Village Leader's kitchen.
"I am happy to see you here," Kushina said smiling wide.
"Strained relationship or not, we are still family. Having breakfast together is nothing too extreme for me," the young man (now sans hat and with the coat left open) answered simply.
"That's a relief," his mother answered relieved.
"Not to sound nosy, but shouldn't you be overlooking the Written Exam, Hokage-sama?" Karin asked.
"We are having breakfast as a family, Karin, so 'Minato-san' is more than good enough for now. I am sure Tsunade will be able to handle that for me until we have done, this is more important." Minato answered chuckling.
"How are the Chuunin Exams structured here? In mine we had to go thought Information Gathering, Survival tactics and then a Fighting Tournament." Naruto asked.
"It's exactly like that here too, each Village has its own methods, but at the core of the Chuunin Exam is basically the same...Although...Mist Village..." the Hokage said uneasy.
"Zabuza gave us a bad name just like Kisame Hoshigaki did, yes; but we are slowly working towards 'Fixing' our image. And the recent bout of Madness of our last Mizukage didn't help in that to be honest, but if one has to listen to Terumi-ya, she will fix everything."
"I am curious, will there ever be a new 'Seven Swordsmen of the Mist' formation?" Kushina asked.
"In an ideal world? Our new Mizukage hopes so even just to maintain tradition, but of all the swords they had only Hiramekarei is still in our possession, until we recover those, the Seven will be just a memory or a bad copy of their former glory."
"Then what happened to the other swords?" Minato asked.
"Kisame has Samehada and Zabuza was the Kubikiribochou holder that I know YOU people have stored somewhere after an eventful Mission in Wave thanks to the twins telling me; Nuibari, Kabutowari and Shibuki's whereabouts instead are a mystery as the last holders all died away from the Village."
"One...Two...Your list lacks one." Minato said after a rapid calculation.
"Huhuhu! The Kiba Twin Swords, I recently had the occasion to meet Kurosuki Raiga, the one that had ended-up holding them, and after a long hunt managed to corner him."
"And?" Kushina asked.
"He managed to escape, not fully intact, but he was still alive." Naruto answered calmly.
"At least you are okay, you and Mist Village will have another chance to take those swords back, do not worry." Kushina said with a reassuring smile.
"At least now you know the face and name of the guy," Minato added patting the young man's shoulder.
"That's true." he answered chuckling.
He loved the fact that his parents were so eager to fill the blanks in his answers and build his lies for him and accept them as truth immediately after, it was almost making him feel bad for doing this, but he still had his own plans to carry on and he didn't need further obstacles until he was done.
"I said Raiga-san escaped alive, not that he still has the swords with him; to be sure I have cut away both his arms at the shoulder, probably an over-kill solution, but he was adamant in not letting go of the Kibaswords...I had no other choice." the young man thought in satisfaction, a subtle movement of his body and he confirmed the presence of the small scroll he used to seal the blades in an hidden pocket of his coat.
"Changing topic: who is the Proctor of the first Task?" Naruto asked honestly curious.
"The Head of our T&I Department, Ibiki-kun. You know him." Minato answered.
"Scarface-ya? You are subjecting my sisters to that man?" Naruto asked with narrowed eyes.
"They will be fine! Me, Kushina and both Tsunade and Jiraiya trained them, they are tougher than what they look, give them some credit! The girls will clean the floor with the other Genin!" Minato answered with a proud smile.
"I'll hold you on that, any chance we would be able to watch the other parts?" Karin asked.
"Yeah! Moegi wants to see Naru-chan's sisters in action!" Moegi added.
"Well, technically none of you are from Konoha...So I shouldn't take you to see the Exams unless you are part of a Team entourage..."
"How come you say that, Hokage-ya? Does breaking some rules scare ya that much? Not even for your own flesh and blood?" Naruto asked with a challenging smile.
"Oh! Oh! Oh! Now that is a low blow and you know it!" Minato said bristling.
"So?"
"Fuck it! Come along you all! We are going to see how Minako and Naruko are doing, if people make a fuss, I'll remember them who is in charge here!" the Hokage answered growling.
"Help me clean the table before that!" Kushina growled in answer.
"I'll help you, Okaa-san." Karin said smiling deviously.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!" the red-haired woman shrieked in answer.
"I called you 'Mother'. Why? I can't call my future mother-in-law like that?" the girl replied simply.
"M-M-M-MOTHER-IN-LAW?!"
"Oooh, boy!" Minato said whining.
Sigh!"This will take some time fixing." Naruto added shaking his head.
"TOO SOON! TOO SOON! TOO SOON!"
"MOTHER-IN-LAW! MOTHER-IN-LAW! MOTHER-IN-LAW!" both women kept repeating while growling at each other.
With Minako and Naruko – two hours later – Forest of Death -
Once finished the Written Test, the classroom was introduced to the second Proctor of the Exam, one Anko Mitarashi woman, and were ordered to reach as fast as they could the location of the second part of the Chuunin Exams: the Forest of Death.
"What do you think?"
"We have the Heaven Scroll, meaning that we need the Earth one to proceed, we have been the first ones to enter and have a limited amount of time to reach the Tower in the middle. We need to set-up our camp as soon as possible." Shino answered.
"Good. Any Team you others think we should pay more attention to?" Minako asked.
"The Suna Team with the red-haired boy is one, the guy has the air of one not completely there mentally, not that his ramblings about mothers and blood help making him sound less of a threat." Naruko answered.
"The Team from Sound Village, they seem eager to prove their strength and may attack us at the slightest provocation or even ambush us just because you two are Hokage-sama's daughters." Shino said.
"That is also true, and I think that those guys from Kumo as well are to be kept at distance, the way the girl of the Team was looking at us gives me the creeps." Minako added shivering.
"Then I guess I will be forced to help you." a new voice said chuckling.
"Kabuto!" Naruko said jumping in surprise with wide eyes.
"Yep! We'll keep you company for a little until either you or us we'll get a scroll," the bespectacled ninja answered with an annoying smile.
"Why?" Shino asked with a suspicious tone.
"Personal gain mostly, Minako and Naruko are strong by their own right and together our two Teams have higher chances to hunt-down and get the scrolls we need, that's all." the other answered with a non-threatening gesture of his hands.
"And if I keep you two occupied and safe, Naruto-kun will be able to focus on keeping the ANBU occupied so that Orochimaru-sama will be free to brand Sasuke-kun with the Cursed Seal. With me here with those two, he won't have a choice but follow his orders and do as he was told, just in case he may start having second thoughts about obeying Orochimaru-sama even with the 'Kill-Switch' Cursed Seal keeping him alive still present on his neck."
One could never be sure of an underling's loyalty after all, especially when dealing with someone as 'Volatile' as Naruto and his barely-suppressed obsession for those twin sisters; as if Kabuto and Orochimaru didn't know he used to sneak-out of Mist and Sound to infiltrate Konoha to visit them, Kabuto himself secretly helped him! Why? The Snake Sannin found funny to watch the boy grow always more obsessed with his sisters. They of course knew every detail of what he was doing once outside Sound, so to be always ready to kill him had he tried to betray them before they could be sure of his loyalty.
Meanwhile - Entrance to the Forest of Death -
The Village Hokage, his wife, Anko and Ibiki, several ANBU, Naruto and the girls were watching as a body with a completely melted face was being covered with a white cloth, lifted on a stretcher and rapidly took away.
"So our scouts were right...He is here." Anko hissed.
"Are you sure you want to go in there?" Minato asked worried.
"My sisters are in that forest along Orochimaru, I won't let that man get too close to them."
"I will accompany him!"
"ANKO?!" Ibiki said angrily.
"We both need to do this, he branded the two of us after using our weaknesses and doubts against us. What do you think? Ready to face the bastard?" the woman asked determined.
"Let's move." the young blond man answered nodding.
"I can track him down for you if you want!" Karin offered.
"How?"
"She is a sensor, a very gifted one. You sure? It will be dangerous." Naruto answered.
"Moegi will be with me," the red-head answered.
"Okay, let's move then!" Anko answered hurrying towards the entrance.
"Pay attention, please! He still can kill you, remember." Kushina said scared.
"For some reason he never tried before, it may mean that he might have some secret plan for you," Minato added with narrowed eyes.
"I suspect the same, but Minako and Naruko are in there, I can't risk him killing them just because they are in his way for a reason or another..." Naruto answered looking towards the Forest.
"...I am sorry then." Kushina muttered as she rapidly moved to strike the young man's back.
"Parasite String." Naruto thought as an hair-thin string detached from his shoulder to connect with the woman's spine to block her completely.
"Ugh!"she groaned unable to move.
"Let's go!" Anko growled pulling the young swordsman by the arm towards the Forest.
"Kushina?" Minato asked in confusion as soon as his wife managed to regain control of her body.
"My body stopped working, I tried to hit him and in an instant I couldn't feel anything from the neck down and was paralyzed..." she answered shocked.
"How did he do that?" the Hokage muttered curious as he watched the gate his son used to enter.
With Naruto and Anko -
"Sorry, but I can't let your being over-protective stop me! Kabuto is with the twins to 'protect them' and stop them from interfering, meaning that they are basically hostages to remember me to cooperate. Tch! Even after all those years they still are not sure, it was a miracle I managed to train the String Fruit in secret, after finding-out their spies following me around by chance, I learned to be extra-cautious, but I still had to pretend...I can't wait for the day I will be able to strangle those two." Naruto thought bitterly as Karin rapidly took the head of their group.
"To the right, he is not too far." the girl said as she rapidly switched trees in her jumping.
"We are almost there, Naru-chan!" Moegi said smiling from the young woman's back.
"Good. I can't wait!" Anko said with a feral smile.
Sigh! "Keep your cool, Anko-ya." the young man said sighing annoyed as the woman's presence was an annoying variable he had not anticipated.
"ANBU incoming!" Karin said making the young blond man nod with narrowed eyes.
"Someone is spying us." Naruto muttered making Anko and the masked shinobi joining them stop abruptly.
"Uh? You said something?" the woman asked confused.
"Moegi?" Krin muttered to the girl latching to her back.
"Uh?"
"Move her to that candy store at the opposite side of Konoha."
"Okay!" the small girl said smiling and taking away her gloves to show cat-like pads on her palms.
"WATCH OUT!" Karin yelled faking fear as soon as Moegi was near Anko.
"What-Pop!" as soon as she turned around Moegi stealthy patted the woman's back making her disappear.
"Naruto! Something happened to Anko!" Karin said immediately.
"Dammit. You saw anything?" Naruto asked to the four ANBU that had joined them.
"Just you others stopping and then Anko-san disappear." the woman guiding the group answered.
"I see, let's break-up then, we'll go check that way." the young man answered.
"Be careful if you go alone. As for you others, move-out, men!" the female ANBU answered nodding as she and the others started tree-jumping towards the East sector.
"Naruto-kun?" Karin asked.
"Wait...Room!" the blond answered enlarging the spherical dome so that it covered him and the others, startled ANBU comprised.
Unsheathed his sword the young man moved through rapid slashes cutting the bewildered masked shinobi to pieces along the trees and rocks around them before sheathing it back and handing it to the girl next to him.
"Shambles!" he then said moving his hands in a circular manner making the hundreds of 'pieces' he created with both humans and objects fly around at high speed.
"It's always too creepy to watch..." Karin muttered grimacing as heads and feet switched places, legs went connected with shoulders and rocks took the place of chests and vice-versa while mouths and hands joined as one on foreheads or chinsas knees and eyes tried to co-exist on the ANBU's faces along tree branches and pieces of bark.
"And just to be sure...Shambles!" Naruto added as in a bout of over-zealousness he made the hearts of those people pop-out and switch place between the ANBU.
"Good. Let's go, between switched body parts and switched minds we should have bought that man enough time for him to be satisfied," the blond said hurrying towards Orochimaru's Chakra Signature.
"Will they be fine?" Karin asked.
"The body parts can be easily reattached by another person without the need of operation, after Orochimaru has done I will hunt them down and switch-back their minds, I just need them out of the way until the Uchiha boy is branded."
"We have no choice but help that monster, eh?" the redhead asked defeated.
"He has total control of the only thing keeping me alive AND his right-hand man is keeping my sisters hostage in all but name, personally I have no choice...But you and Moegi still do instead." he answered sighing.
"It's the same for us too instead. Moegi is terrorized by him and I am not even close to match his strength so I too can become his next test-subject at the moment notice...Please tell me that one day you will be able to kill him!" she answered helpless.
"I am working on it." the young man answered in determination.
With Orochimaru – several minutes later -
"My dear Sasuke...That little gift of me is only the first step, soon the revenge you always wished for will be on the palm of your hand, you'll know the rest when you will be ready." The Snake Sannin said with a short laugh as he watched the almost-unconscious boy gasp in pain while holding his neck.
"SHIDENSEN!" (Flash of purple Lightning) A voice yelled as a blur moved towards Orochimaru.
"YOU?!" the Sannin said while dodging the sword swipe that managed to cut the immense tree he was on in two horizontally.
"I came to help the boy, but I was late apparently and you got your Mark on him all the same." Naruto answered with a an unseen fanged smirk.
"So you want to play hero, boy?" Orochimaru answered chuckling, both him and the blond knowing full-well that the true meaning of his question was lost to the ones watching.
"I never forgot what you did to me and the others while we were under your care. So if I can have a shot at you before dying, I'll take the chance" Naruto answered simply.
"N-N-Naruto...-san..." Sasuke muttered weakly.
"Ufufufu! Then show me what you can do, Naruto-kun!"
"Sakura?" the young man asked without moving his eyes away from the Sannin.
"Y-Y-Yes?" the girl replied scared.
"I'll try to buy you time, you and Kiba-san try to take Sasuke-san as close to the Tower as possible, ANBU are searching the area and will help you,"
"O-O-Okay! J-Just be careful!"
"Yeah! Don't die!" Kiba added as both took Sasuke away rapidly.
"...That boy is a complete failure at cheering for people." Orochimaru said shaking his head as soon as the Genin trio disappeared from view.
"In a way he was not exactly wrong. All done with the Cursed Seal?" Naruto asked disinterested while relaxing his pose.
"All according to the scenario, Naruto-kun! I take that the ANBU squad was suitably dealt with?"
"I Shambles-ed them some. Moegi in the meantime used her powers to shot Anko at the other side of Konoha, just in case." the blond replied smirking viciously.
"Moegi's Paw-Paw powers can move everything...Strange ladies comprised." the kid added with a low voice while hiding behind Karin.
"Ufufufufu! I love that trick of yours, it helped my researches a lot, Naruto-kun! Now! Since you wanted to play hero...We'll have to make it convincing." Orochimaru said chuckling darkly.
Sigh! "Tell me the truth, Orochi-ya-sama...It's just your revenge for my almost cutting you?" the young man asked defeated.
"I hate that nickname! EVEN IF YOU ADD '-SAMA' TO IT! And yes, it's your punishment as I am almost certain you wouldn't have minded cleaving me in half." the Sannin answered growling.
"You have no proofs of that..."
"You sure? Come on! I'll be gentle!" Orochimaru answered jumping the blond.
"You are never gentle...KAMUI! (It literally means Divine Majesty...I think?)" the young man answered punching forward towards the Snake Master 'cracking' the air and sending a devastating shock-wave through the air in his direction obliterating him in an huge splattering of mud and even turning several huge trees behind that to splinters shaking the whole forest.
(Yes, I know there is already a Kamui Jutsu, I'm aiming at that confusing revelation all the same.)
"Neither are you, me and Kabuto taught you well." Orochimaru, the real one, admitted with a pleased tone as he appeared behind the blond to kick the side of his head launching him away making him break his right arm at the impact with the terrain.
"ROOM!" the young man answered hissing in pain.
"Oh! That's going to be unpleasant..." the Sannin admitted as the near splinters of the destroyed trees went pointed towards him.
"AH!" Naruto yelled as the wooden projectiles shot forward with a gesture of his un-broken arm.
"You cheat? Then I cheat too, Naruto-kun!" Orochimaru replied going through hand-seals and making the young man's Cursed Seal burn in blinding pain.
"GAAAAAAH!" screaming in agony he was forced to drop the Room making dodging the splinters easier for Orochimaru that just acted a Substitution with a near piece of wood.
"I-I...I didn't know you could do this, DAMMIT!" Naruto yelled while taking huge gulps of air and clutching the still tingling mark on his neck.
"A little extra I added just to be sure you complied, I never had the occasion to use it as a shocking collar since you had always been well-behaved and obedient, but it's a nice ace in my sleeves should you somehow start thinking about betraying me." Orochimaru answered amused.
"I am not suicidal, thank you...It makes my pain receptors flare-up, am I right? Every single one of them starting from the neck area and at the same time so to overflow my brain in pain signals." the young man said annoyed.
"Correct! Ten out of Ten, my faithful student and 'Left Hand'! I see you really studied when under my care!" the Sannin replied with a slow mocking applause.
"All this for a nickname?" he asked.
"I find it annoying and I am your Master so yes, what about it?" Orochimaru answered huffing as he jumped down on the floor to stand above his downed, and panting, student.
"It's childish to the extreme." Naruto answered.
"Well, as I said I am your Master so...To your face!" the Sannin answered kicking the blond's side before disappearing through Shunshin.
"GUH! I'LL GET YOU ONE OF THESE DAYS!" Naruto bellowed furious to the sky.
"It could have been worse, here, let me help you." Karin said helping him stand.
"Let's move towards the Tower, once made a scene about facing that bastard we'll be free to rest a little..."
"ONIICHAN!" Minako screamed in horror as she, her Team and Kabuto's joined the scene.
"Are you okay?" Naruko asked in apprehension.
"We heard a lot of noise and tried to see what was happening," Kabuto said as he approached the wounded blond to administer first-aid, his face the perfect poster of the worried ally.
"All according to plan?" the bespectacled young man asked with a very low whisper.
"Down to the letter." Naruto answered grimacing, both in pain and annoyance.
"Good! It should help a little, hopefully in the Tower there will be better-trained personnel." Kabuto said out loud once done bandaging Naruto's arm.
"Are you two okay?"
"We are, Naruto-niichan! We have both the Scrolls and Kabuto was helping us fend-off attackers and reach the Tower when we heard a giant explosion." Minako answered.
"The whole Forest shook like an earthquake, what happened?" Kabuto said with an amused tone.
"I had a little moment with Orochimaru the Sannin and he roughed me up a little in retaliation," Naruto answered chuckling.
"Can you move? Rapidly I mean?" one of Kabuto's Teammates asked sneering.
"I am not invalid, I just have a broken arm and a cracked rib, so just move along and SHUT-UP!" the blond roared making the other shut-up immediately with a strangled 'Eek!' shriek.
"Sorry, never liked to be looked down by others."
"It's okay, Naruto-san, no-one likes that." Kabuto answered waving him off.
"Then we will accompany you, Naruto-san." Shino offered.
"The thing is mutual, we'll help you others as well since that Sannin may still be around." Karin answered.
Later that night – Tower in the middle of the Forest of Death – Dormitories -
"Does the arm still hurt?" Kabuto asked as he sneaked inside the room Naruto and the girls had took over for themselves.
"We both are well-trained Medic-nins, Kabuto-ya. We both know that was nothing." the blond replied showing his perfectly-fine arm in answer.
"Especially if Tsunade herself treats you," the other added.
"She specialized in Medical knowledge while Jiraiya in Sealing Arts...Orochimaru-sama is simply very well versed in both,"
"And surpassing them in most cases."
"Most cases, not everything."
"Why, Naruto-kun? Is that bitterness what I feel in your tone? Do you by chance wish to surpass Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked in mock surprise.
"You know it well...Just as I know you instead wish to have an 'Identity' for your own." Naruto replied equally sarcastic, unsurprised to see a kunai fly towards him and miss his neck on a millimeter.
"And how do you know that?"
"Why, Orochi-ya-sama told me himself just like he told you everything about me! He likes Drama and the idea of his two Best Students having a tiny Rivalry between them would be especially thrilling; other than having the added bonus of motivating us to grow stronger faster." Naruto replied nonchalantly, and secretly intrigued by the idea that the other had not noticed the invisible-thin string loosely circling Kabuto's throat like a noose for a moment before returning inside his body.
"Uhuhuhu! So? Are you my Rival then?" the glasses-wearing young man asked.
"No. Call it my only spark of rebellion, but I won't give him the pleasure to use me as a cheap form of entertainment. Not like this at least, I prefer to see myself as your colleague." the blond replied shrugging uncaring.
"Not a friend? I am hurt!" Kabuto answered moving an hand on his heart.
"Offer my a drink and I will consider it...Un-spiked of course,"
"It happened only once, and it helped you built immunity to poisons, Naruto-kun." Kabuto answered while moving towards the door.
"Why you are here?"
"Oh, my I almost forgot!"
"Kabuto..." the other hissed with narrowed eyes.
"Huhuhu! Soon the final part of Orochimaru-sama's plan will begin, tomorrow this Tower will host a set of preliminary fights, but in the Finals the Invading forces of Oto and Suna will attack in full force while our Master will have his show-down with the Third Hokage...the diversion to keep your father occupied is already being prepared..."
"And what about me?" Naruto asked.
"You will soon receive a list of names,"
"Names?"
"All people from the Teams present Orochimaru-sama wishes to acquire for his researches; during the chaos of the Invasion you, Karin and Moegi-chan will be tasked with their recovery. Alive of course, feel free to be masked or go as yourself and show your being affiliated with us, we will leave the choice to you."
"I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"
"Just to not fail or get hurt, we put a lot of effort in training you so it would be a waste seeing you die, good night!" Kabuto answered as he finally left the room.
A rapid movement of his hand and from Naruto's fingertip a thin string went launched towards and under the door, few seconds and the heavy sound of a body falling down followed by a low muttering of curses was heard as Kabuto got up and rapidly took his leave before someone could investigate while wondering WHERE he had tripped to begin with.
"It's a childish and petty revenge, but is the only one I can take at the moment. So I'll take what I can get." the blond shrugged as he prepared to go to sleep.
Tomorrow will be an important day as it will sign another step towards the realization of Orochimaru's plans, meaning that he too will have to keep his eyes open just in case and act accordingly; until he could not be certain to usurp Orochi's control on his Cursed Seal he will keep following the bastard's orders, but as soon as his freedom was certain, the Snake Sannin too will join the blond's 'Hit List'.
Omake – CALL ME 'MOM!' -
Minato's place – Kitchen -
A very tense silence was filling the room as nobody dared to even breath too loudly as Kushina and Naruto were having a staring contest of Legendary proportion, the red-haired woman's glare meeting the disinterested gaze of the young blond man without faltering but instead making the air seem hard to breath.
"Call me 'Mom'." she hissed.
"No." the other answered nonplussed.
"Daddy I am scared..." Naruko muttered as she and her twin were hiding behind Minato.
"Stay close to me, girls. When two Uzumaki's 'Aura of Stubbornness' clash it's dangerous to be too close.
"Call me 'Mom' I said!" Kushina said as she moved closer making the kitchen table burst to flame by itself.
"No." Naruto answered stepping forward himself and crossing his arms.
In that moment sparks of energy started generating between the two as the faint outline of two aura-like domes of energy entered in contact generating a strong, unnatural cold wind.
"I am your mother and you will call me 'Mom' or 'Mommy' whatever you like it or not!" the woman said as her face turned into a black featureless version of itself with shining eyes and mouth while her hair started floating up in a shape resembling nine fox tails.
"At best I can offer 'Mother', do not start pretending too much, please." Naruto answered with a calm, yet blood-chilling, smile as a giant Han'nya mask appeared behind his body.
The wind grew in power as a blood-red aura covered Kushina while a deep-blue one covered the young man, neither of the two admitting defeat but walking towards each other making the whole house tremble as soon as they went face-to-face.
"REALLY?!" Kushina growled.
"Really." Naruto answered calmly.
Then the impossible happened as Kushina's hand darted forward to grab his wrist and move his hand on her chest making him and the ones watching splutter in shock.
"If you don't call me 'Mom' I'll tell everybody you touched my boobs on purpose and got hard." She said with a devious smile.
"But I didn't!" the horrified young man said shocked as he retreated his hand and took a step back.
"Oh! But who will people believe? Me or you?" the woman replied triumphant.
Sigh! "...Mom." clearly making a titanic effort and with an expression of utter betrayal Naruto finally used the accursed word making his mother gush happily and hug him tightly.
"YAY! See? It wasn't difficult!" she said caressing his head while giggling.
"Damn it." he growled in answer.
OP powers or not, Mothers were apparently always a step further of their children no matter what, that was what had always made them terrible foes one can never be prepared enough to face.
"What about me?" Minato asked hopeful.
"No!" Naruto replied furious.
Sigh! "At least I tried..."
End of the Omake.
OOOKAY! The second Chapter is done!
I am sorry if I repeated over and over that Naruto has no choice but help Orochimaru even pretending to like it, but it seemed that the first time was not clear enough so I had to take time and reiterate the thing, making the story lose part of its 'mysterious charm' if it even has some.
It can't be helped I guess...
By the way, thank you so much for reading me and I will see you others around the Net so keep following me, please!
BYEEEE!
TR230.