Miko Kunoichi

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or Naruto Shippuden

Author's Note: I want to thank everyone that Reviewed, Followed and Favored this story. And those who are waiting for An Assassin's Miko, I have new revised chapters coming soon.

Chapter 3: Troubles in Sunagakure Part II

The next morning, Pakkun reports back to Kagome and Kakashi on what he had found. "You're sure their hideout is there Pakkun?" Kagome asks laying on her stomach next to the pug. The pug puts his paw on a map, showing where he found where the scent lead to. "It's seems more than likely. Since Gaara's scent was there as well." Kakashi sits up from his slouching on the bed and looks at his Ninken. "I have one more favor to ask you." Both Pakkun and Kagome look at him confused. Naruto, who was sleeping peaceful, most likely dreaming about Ramen, rolls and falls out of bed, drawing Kagome's attention from the two so she doesn't hear Kakashi's favor, she covers her mouth to smother her laughter. Naruto sits up, rubs his head and grumbles to himself.

"Oh, Naruto you're up." Pakkun observes. Naruto stops rubbing his head and turns to look at the miniature pug. "Hey, Pakkun." Kakashi clears his throat "Alright. You'd better get moving Pakkun." said Ninken nods and looks back at the Shinobi on the floor, "I'll see you around, Naruto." Pakkun then leaves the room. Naruto who was watching Pakkun leave from the window, he turns to his teacher and older sister figure once he couldn't see the Ninken, "Kagome-nee, Kakashi-sensei does this mean they found where the Akatsuki are hiding out?" Kagome who was zipping on her black boots, looks up and nods. "Yep." Kakashi who finished getting ready looks at his former student. "Get ready. Because we're moving out. " Naruto's face grows serious and he nods.

Later that morning, when all of Team Kakashi was together, Kakashi informs the team of the latest development. "Seems will be working in conjunction with the squad from Sunagakure. Soon as they're here, we'll head out." Temari's voice draws the team's attention. "Sorry to keep you waiting." Sakura turns to her friend in surprise. "Temari." Kagome looks at the Suna-nin behind the teen, "Well, it seems that everyone is here." Naruto grins and starts to stretch "Okay! Let's get this show on the road!" Baki suddenly appears, halting everyone from going. "Temari, you and your group are to stay here." he orders, "You are to patrol the perimeter." Temari looks at her former teacher with disbelief. "Are you kidding me or what?" Baki sighs and looks at his ex-student, "Orders, from above." Temari eyes widen at that, but Baki continues. "If word got out that the Kazekage's missing, our enemies might use it as an opportunity to launch an attack on the village."

"Don't you get it? That's all the more reason to get him back as quickly as we can! Look at these Konoha-nin, they've left their village and came all the way here just to help us rescue Gaara. And Gaara isn't even their leader, he's our Kazekage! The Suna Shinobi should be the ones to save him." Temari exclaims. Baki stiffens at that last part, "I'm sorry Temari."

"Well, I'm going!" A voice calls out from above them, everyone looks up to see the old woman Chiyo. "If a Suna Shinobi is needed then I'm the one to go." Temari looks at the woman with wide eyes, "Chiyo-baasama?" she questions. Baki, who doesn't understand her reasoning, blinks at the woman. "But...you're so…" Chiyo looks at the man amused, "I'm retired yes. Which means of course, that I'm free to do whatever I want." at that Kagome chuckles, finding the old woman amusing. A female Suna-nin tries to reason with the old woman "But the journey will be difficult."

"Don't treat me like a fossil." Chiyo scoffs, she then jumps from her perch to land in front of Team Kakashi. Kagome raises a brow at the woman when she speaks. "After all, it's been awhile since I've doted on my adorable grandchild." Kagome smirks at the woman, and holds a hand out for the old woman to take. Chiyo grabs the hand and smirks when Kagome pulls her up. Kagome tightens her grip and chuckles "Welcome aboard, Chiyo-baasama." Kakashi sighed at his wife when she starts to drag him towards the main gates, Naruto and Sakura snickering behind their hands as they follow the two.

Just outside the walls of Suna, the Suna-nin stare at the Konoha-nin and Chiyo, that are going after the Akatsuki. "Alright, we'll be going on our own then." Kakashi tells them, Baki looks at the man, "Thank you, and I'll try to convince the council to change their mind." Temari smiles at the group "Don't worry, we'll catch up with you."

"Ha! By the time you catch up with us, we'll have already rescued Gaara." Naruto informs Temari cockly, Sakura nods her head to her friend in farewell, "We'll see you soon." With that the Shinobi and Chiyo turn and leave, going after the Akatsuki to rescue the Kazekage.

~Time Skip~

Kakashi eyes widen when he senses somebody familiar, he hears Kagome gasps and quickly stops running, and lands on the ground. "Everybody stop!" he calls out. When they stop, they look to where Itachi Uchiha is standing a few yards away from them, standing in their path. Sakura looks at the silent man warily, not knowing who the man is, yet. "Who's that?" Kagome glances at her then brings her eyes to Kakashi, worried. Kagome then glares at the Itachi, "Sakura-chan, that's Sasuke-kun's brother, Itachi Uchiha." Sakura gasps at that. Naruto grits his teeth and growls at the name. Chiyo steps next to the growling boy, still starting at the Uchiha. "So, that's the one. The child that wiped out his entire clan."

"Kakashi, Kagome, Naruto, it's been awhile." came Itachi's calm voice. Kagome puts her hand on the hilt of her sword, she flicks her thumb so the sword pops out of the sheath a few inches. "Now, Kagome there isn't a need for that." Itachi tells her after seeing her movement, his voice taking a barely noticeable amused tone. Naruto takes a step forward, "I wasn't enough for you, huh?" Naruto growls, "You had to go after Gaara as well." the enrages teen then points a finger at Itachi and declares. "I'll destroy every last one of you!" Itachi only raises his right hand, making Kagome and Kakashi advert their eyes to look away from him, "Guys, whatever you do, don't look at him in the eyes!" Itachi holds his hand in front of his face, getting prepared to do a Genjutsu.

"Itachi's Genjutsu is a visual jutsu. Which means avoid eye contact with him and his jutsu can't take affect." Kakashi warns everyone. Naruto looks at his teacher. "Yeah. That I know." Sakura shifts her stance, "Okay, then how are we supposed to fight him?"

"By watching his feet, you can anticipate his move by doing that." Kagome tells Sakura. Sakura moves her eyes to Itachi's body, never looking past the high collar of his cloak. Itachi puts his hand down, seeing that he can't use his Genjutsu. "But that's like fighting with one arm tied behind your back." Sakura said frustrated.

"The Uchiha clan huh?" Chiyo comments, "It's been a long time since I've gone up against the Sharingan." Naruto looks at the old woman in surprise, making Chiyo chuckle. "Don't look so surprised. I've been around awhile, and I know that there's more than one way to fight a visual jutsu like that."

"Yeah, like what then?" Naruto questions.

"If one against one abandon the field, two against one, one take the rear and he shall yield." Chiyo tells the teen. Naruto rubs the side of his face, not understanding the riddle. "What does that mean?"

"Now the first part is pretty self-explanatory isn't it? The Sharingan can never be beaten in single combat. But if you outnumber the Sharingan user, when the battle is two against one, even if one of you are caught in their Genjutsu, the other is free to strike from the rear. Breaking the Genjutsu spell." Chiyo informs the others, "Even if you're attack from the rear should fall somehow, you're still free to strike you're comrade yourself, breaking the Genjutsu that way. So while one of us fights in face to face combat in a distraction. The rest of us will mount a series of attacks from the rear, where his Sharingan can't reach." Sakura looks at the old woman, "Good plan."

"I guess you learn a lot of stuff like that if you live long enough." Naruto comments, he steps forward a few seconds later, ready to take Itachi on. "I'll take the rear." Kagome puts her arm in front of him, stopping his movements. "Wait, Naruto-kun." Naruto steps back, and turns to look at Kagome "Okay, Kagome-nee, we're waiting, but what for?" he questions, annoyed. Chiyo looks at the Jōnin ranked Kunoichi, "Do you have a problem with my way of fighting the Sharingan? Are you suggesting my methods won't work?" Kagome glares at the woman, before turning her attention the Uchiha, "No. That plan would work against any other normal Genjutsu. But Itachi's Genjutsu is way more complicated."

"Meaning what?"

"Itachi uses Mangekyō Sharingan, which is extremely far more powerful than any other Genjutsu. It only takes one second, but if you look into his eyes it would be the longest second of your life. Kagome and I would know, we've been trapped in it before." Kakashi warns the others, Kagome clenches her one fist that isn't on the hilt of her sword and glares at Itachi. "The Mangekyō Sharingan isn't a Genjutsu you can break very easily."

"That does sound tricky. What a troublesome fellow this is." Chiyo observes.

"Very good, Kagome, Kakashi. I see your sojourn in my Tsukuyomi wasn't wasted on the two of you." Itachi comments.

"Oh, believe me, I learned something else as well...There's a price to pay for using that Sharingan. It exhausted you, didn't it? You had to quit before the battle was over." Kakashi says. "In addition to using up a lot of chakra, you risk permanent damage in your eyes every time you use that jutsu. Isn't that right, Itachi?" Kagome asks.

"You two seem to have learned a great deal from our one brief encounter." Itachi comments, as he stares unaffected at the two Jōnin. "I wonder…" Kakashi starts to say, as he puts a hand up to lift his tilted Hitai-ate, to show his Sharingan. "Just how much damage has already been done to your eyesight." at that last part, Itachi's red eyes widen before they narrow at the two Konoha-nin. A few minutes later Kakashi speaks as he brings a hand to rub his head, "We underestimated you back then, I admit it. But we are not the same fools we used to be." Kagome then narrows her blue-grey eyes at the Missing-nin, "You and I both know, the only reason why I was caught in your Genjutsu last time, was because you caught me off guard with trapping Kakashi." Kagome growls at the Akatsuki member, her eyes promising him pain. "Things aren't gonna go the same way this time." Kakashi continues after Kagome spoke, "I promise you that."

"Yeah, and don't go thinking I'm the same kid either!" Naruto grins, ready to fight the Akatsuki member. "A lot of things have changed since then!"

"Naruto, leave Itachi to, Kakashi and I." Kagome tells the boy making Sakura and Naruto look at her. Naruto remembers the mission when they had to protect the bridge builder, and Kagome telling him to let her and Kakashi to handle it. "Not again! Not that kind of teamwork when we sit back a do nothing!"

"No." Kakashi answers, "This time you two cover us. I wish I could say, "You guys go on ahead, I can handle this alone." But I never make the same mistake twice."

Itachi suddenly raises his hand and points at Naruto, "It's time you came with me, Naruto." Kagome steps in front of Naruto when Kakashi rushes forward to attack Itachi only for his attack to be stopped by said man. Kagome eyes widen when Naruto suddenly freezes, staring straight at Itachi with blank eyes. Kagome growls, "Fuck, he's caught in a Genjutsu!" she curses. A few seconds later, Naruto snaps out of it, making Kagome sigh in relief. Kakashi jumps back, away from Itachi and calls back towards his teammate. "Naruto, are you alright?" Naruto blinks, to clear his vision. "W-What happened to me?" Sakura puts a hand on his shoulder, "You were caught up in a Genjutsu, but you're going to be fine. We all funneled our Chakra into you and broke the hold."

"I don't get it. Where did his Shadow Clones go?" Naruto asks himself. Kagome who heard his question glances at him, confused for she did not see Itachi use any Shadow Clones. "His Shadow Clones? He hasn't used any." Naruto shakes his head confused. Chiyo sighs wearily "I'm afraid, he's using more than just a visual jutsu."

"I think it's about time for the main event. Better get it together, Naruto." Kakashi warns his former student. Sakura slaps Naruto softly on the cheek when he doesn't respond to the warning, "Hey, snap out of it, will ya?" Naruto blinks his eyes a few times to clear his head. Kagome walks to stand next to Kakashi, she nods her head to him. She gets into a fighting position, putting her sword back at her side, seeing that she didn't need it, she nods to Kakashi, who nods back to her and he rush towards Itachi.

Itachi makes rapid hand styles as the two approach him. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" He calls out, creating a volley of small fireballs, that makes Kagome and Kakashi dodge. Sakura and Naruto look at their teachers in awe. "Whoa, what a dodge!" Sakura mutters."He's not finished yet!" Kagome growls out behind clenched teeth. Itachi makes hands sign again to make another jutsu. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique." he opens his mouth to make a massive orb of roaring fire, hurtling it towards the Shinobi, who dodge out of the way. When the orb hit the ground, a large cloud of dirt appears, making it hard for the Missing-nin to see his opponents. When the smoke cleared, Kakashi is seen, holding out his hand with one of his lighting techniques, Kagome behind him, unscaved. Kakashi quickly runs at Itachi, his attack digging up the ground as he approaches the Akatsuki member. "Lightning Blade!" Kakashi calls out the name of his attack, once he nears Itachi. Said man jumps out of the way, making Kakashi's attack hit the ground where he was standing.

Itachi's red eyes widen, once he realizes somebody was above him. He looks up to see Naruto with a Shadow Clone of himself which disappears. Naruto quickly approaches Itachi and thrusts his hand forward, with the blue orb in his hand facing Itachi. "Rasengan!" Naruto makes contact with Itachi, making the two hit the ground making a large crater in the ground.

Sakura and Chiyo who were hiding in the trees for cover ways away, worry for Naruto. "What happened, did he do it?" The old woman ask Sakura. The pink haired teen, quickly gets hold of herself, and her green eyes search for her friend. "Naruto!" she calls. When the dust from the crater clears away, Itachi is seen standing calmly next to the crater. "Well now...He's learned an interesting Jutsu, hasn't he. However..." his red eyes turn to where Naruto is catching his breath in the trees.

Slowly, a mist starts to set in, making it difficult for anybody to see. Kagome looks at her husband, who had produced the mist from the Hiding in the Mist Technique, and smirks. "Good job Kakashi, now he can't use a Genjutsu on us." she whispered, not wanting Itachi to find them. Kakashi gives her his classic eye smile before, he opens his eyes to focus on the fight.

"Quite an effective technique to prevent one from casting a Genjutsu, unless of course, one possesses the Sharingan. Kakashi, Kagome can we please stop this childish game of hide and seek?" Itachi calls out to the two. Kakashi nods at Kagome, and the two step out from where they were hiding. "Keh!" Kagome scoffs, "Whatever you want Itachi." Kagome and Kakashi both in unison both throw three Kunai at Itachi, making the man dodge them. Itachi makes the familiar hand signs, producing the Fireball Technique once again, making Kagome eyebrow twitch as Kakashi goes underground and she dodges the attack. "Why does it always have to be the giant, hot ball of fire with him?"

Kagome lands to the side, and smirks when Kakashi appears from the ground, almost in succeeding in hitting Itachi, who said person grabs Kakashi's arm to bring him down. Itachi then forms a fist, aiming it for the Jōnin, Kakashi dodges the punch.

Itachi grabs the back of his neck, bringing the Copy Cat Ninja's face down to eye level. Kagome chuckles, when she sees that it's only a Shadow Clone. Kagome eyes flicker to where Kakashi lifts himself halfway out of the hole in the ground. Kagome looks to Naruto, knowing what Kakashi is planning. "Naruto! Attack Kakashi's clone and Itachi!" she orders. Naruto makes the hand signs and makes a clone of himself, the two of them advance on Itachi, shouting "I'm on it!" Itachi turns to teen surprised. Naruto and the Shadow Clone have each a hand raised with a large blue orb. "Giant Rasengan!" Kagome eyes widen when Naruto's new attack hits Itachi. "Kami-sama…" she mutters, amazed at the sheer size of the attack. Naruto steps back once he finishes attack and his Shadow Clone disappears and turns his body towards the others. "Guys, you might want to come see this!" Kagome and the others quickly approaches him, Kagome eyes narrow at what she sees.

"Wh-what on earth?"

"When we were fighting, I could feel something was off." Kakashi informs the others. Naruto looks at his sensei, the back to the body "I don't get it, what the hell just happened?" Sakura answers this time, "It has to be...some kind of Jutsu." Chiyo looks at the body, almost sadly "But that man…" Kagome picks up on her tone, and looks at the old woman, "Chiyo-baasama, do you know this man?" she questions. "Yes, I do." Chiyo nods her head. "His name is Yuura. And he's a Jōnin from our own village." The Konoha-nin look at the woman in shock.

"A Suna Shinobi?" Naruto questions, still shocked of the man's identity. "What does this mean?" Kakashi questions Chiyo. The old woman shakes her head, "I wish I knew. Poor fool, he went missing after Gaara was abducted and the villages was still in disarray." Sakura shifts and looks at the man's body, "Could he have been a spy for the Akatsuki?" Chiyo shakes her head at that, not believing it to be possible. "No, he served on the council for years."

"The Fireball Jutsu, was created by the Uchiha clan. It's their specialty, so that attack was the real thing." Kakashi informs the others. Chiyo brings out some tools and takes a sample of the dirt, confirming her suspicions. "Just as I thought. They were clearly trying to stall for time." Kagome whistles lowly at that, "That's a very impressive jutsu." she admits. Sakura turns to Naruto who was glaring at the body, looks at the blonde worried. "For them to use a jutsu as strong as this can only mean one thing." Chiyo's voice draws the two's attention. "It's worse than I thought. The extraction of the tailed beast has already begun." Naruto and Sakura turn to the woman, now having their full attention. Kakashi nods his head before looking away in the distance, "We're out of time. We need to get to Gaara. Now." Sakura holds up a hand, gaining everyone's attention. "So wait, hold on. What do you mean extraction?" She asks Chiyo.

"They're after the Shukaku. If they could draw out the one tailed, they can create a new Jinchūriki."

At that Kagome's eyes snap towards the old woman, "A new Jinchūriki...Explain." she demands of the old woman. The old woman sighs, "I told you didn't I? The tailed beasts' power is beyond all reckoning. And how every land has tried to use them as military weapons. The Jinchūriki is the name given to those who control their power." Naruto places a hand on his stomach, where his own seal lays, the old woman continues in her explanation. "Jinchūriki are extremely powerful, because of the beast they carry. If you count Gaara, there have only been three Jinchūriki in Suna." Chiyo throws a small scroll on the ground, making it roll a few times before stopping. The old woman makes a few rapid hand signs to summon a small wind up bird. She picks it up and places a scroll in its mouth after she winds it up a few times. "It's up to you." she tells the bird. the bird then takes off, flying away.

"There were several wars fought using the Jinchūriki, weren't there?" Sakura questions, more like demands, Chiyo. The woman nods, "Yes, you are correct." Sakura turns to glare at the woman hatefully. "The people who become Jinchūriki." Sakura's gaze softens when she looks to her teammate, she sighs and composed herself, she looks calmly at the old woman, "Okay, how are the tailed beasts extracted?" Naruto turns to his friend with wide eyes. "A couple of things are needed. A sealing Jutsu, strong enough to counterbalance the tailed power, and a lot of time." Chiyo answers the youngest kunoichi's question, "But if things were to reach that point then the Jinchūriki….." she trails off. Kagome's eyes widen along with everyone else's. "You don't mean?" Sakura asks, Chiyo looks at the ground sadly. "That's right dear, once the tailed beast is extracted they die." Naruto looks away, and stares into the distance. "The others I mentioned, the Jinchūriki, who came before Gaara we extracted the Shukaku from them as well. And both died as a result." Sakura looks at the woman with wide eyes before she looks at the ground, tears coming into her green eyes.

"You were always quick to cry, huh Sakura?" Naruto questions drawing her attention to him. "Hey don't worry. I promise that I'm going to save Gaara." he smiles at her, trying to reassure her. Sakura turns her body towards him, not feeling reassured. "Don't you get it?" she questions. "Naruto I'm concerned!"

Naruto turns and starts walking away, "Well, we'd better get going." as he walks away everyone stares at his back sadly. Kagome puts her hand on Sakura's shoulder, and motions with her head, to follow her and others as they start to leave. "Let's go, Sakura-chan." Sakura nods her head, and follows after her teacher and the others.

After an hour or two of running, Kakashi stops again making Kagome look at him questioningly, "Stop here!" he orders as the others land. "Kakashi what is it?" Kagome questions him. "We're taking a short break." Kagome grins and sits down on the ground, next to Kakashi. "I'm fine with that." Kakashi looks down at her with amusement in his one visible eye and he chuckles quietly. Chiyo nods her head, "That is a very wise idea." Naruto runs forward to stand in front of his teachers. "What do you mean? C'mon! You were the one saying that we couldn't waste anymore time. If we just lay around here doing nothing Gaara's going to b-" Kakashi cuts him off, before he was able to finish, "Naruto, our pace has slowed since facing off with that bogus Itachi." shocking the teen. Kagome nods her head agreeing with her husband. "He's right, Naruto-kun if we take time to rest up now, we could reach Gaara faster, than if we didn't take a break. Also tomorrow we could face off with the two that kidnapped Gaara. We're going to need our full strength." Kagome tells the teen. Naruto sighs and nods, "Yeah, I understand."

Author's Note: Please Review!