Itachi Uchiha: Turning Back the Pendulum

Chapter 3

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"Amaterasu!" Itachi shouted as Orochimaru charged. The snake barely dodged the black flames before shooting Kusanagi at Itachi, who expertly dodged.

"Give me your body Itachi! It will hurt less if you give in willingly!" the Sannin shouted as they engaged in a taijutsu battle where they were evenly matched. They broke apart and went through hand seals at a blinding pace. Orochimaru spat out a mud dragon while Itachi shot a giant dragon's head at the snake Sannin. The jutsus clashed, though nether overpowered the other, merely leaving molten earth in its wake. The two Kage level ninja stared each other down. Suddenly Orochimaru noticed a tree wrapping around him, which Itachi began melding out of.

"Kai!" Orochimaru shouted barely dodging Itachi's swipe at his throat.

"I had heard you were an expert at genjutsu but to think you almost killed me because of it… kukuku. Edo Tensei!" Orochimaru shouted summoning up a coffin. Itachi's eyes widened as he attempted to stop it, but he wasn't fast enough. Out of the coffin stepped a single man.

Fugaku Uchiha.

"Itachi… it's good to see you again. You're much older. Have you gotten stronger?" Fugaku asked his son. Itachi went silent and began to shake with rage.

"Are you prepared to fight your own fa- What the fuck is that?!" Orochimaru yelled as Susanoo appeared around the enraged Uchiha. In a second the sword of Totsuka pierced Fugaku, sealing him up, narrowly missing the snake Sannin as he barely dodged.

"You… you made the wrong move there snake. First you try and take my mother. Now you dare make me fight my father? I will end you here and now." Susanoo disappeared as Itachi seemingly vanished. Suddenly he appeared in front of Orochimaru, his first buried in the snake's gut. The Sannin shed his skin and attempted to bite the Uchiha on the throat. Itachi ducked under and, slamming the heel of his foot into the Sannin's stomach in the same motion. The Sannin righted himself mid-air and shot Kusanagi at Itachi again, narrowly dodging the blade the Uchiha charged forward. However what he didn't know was Orochimaru's ability to control the blade mentally, and he didn't dodge the sword in time as it pierced his lung.

"It seems you aren't as strong as they say Itachi." The Sannin cackled. As he prepared to finish the dying Uchiha off, the sound of chirping birds filled the air and Kakashi appeared above the Sannin, intent on running him through with his Raikiri. He succeeded, but the Sannin shed his skin yet again.

"Two S rank ninja against one? That's not very fair now is it? I guess I'll be taking my leave now. Hopefully Itachi lives. I would like his body…" the snake said before melting into the ground, revealing he had replaced with a mud clone at some point. The Kusanagi disappeared as well as Itachi began coughing up blood.

'I can't die here. I need to finish this… I can't die yet...' Itachi thought as his world began to fade. He vaguely heard Kakashi yelling something as his eyes closed. At least he had saved Sasuke from the darkness. That's all he could hope for.

Suddenly his eyes snapped open as his body convulsed in agony.

"Argh!" Itachi roared as his veins felt like they were on fire he recognized this feeling. It was demonic chakra. And it was healing him. The pain was agonizing though and he thought me might just die from that. Suddenly it stopped. He could breathe again. Better than he had in years. Had the chakra healed his disease as well? Suddenly the feeling came back and he started coughing up blood violently.

"Brother/Itachi!" Several voices chorused. He vaguely realized where he was. Tazuna's house.

"You're alive. Thank god." Sasuke let out the breath he had be holding. Itachi stopped his coughing fit and got up.

"Lie down. Now." Kakashi ordered. Team seven and team eight were surrounding him, all of which were curious about the chakra Naruto had used to save him.

"No." Itachi said in his monotone as he forced himself up. Kakashi pushed him down roughly.

"That wasn't a request." The man said with a glare, his hardened days as an expert Anbu kicking in. Itachi fixed a glare on him.

"You're sick. You know you are. Explain." Kakashi ordered.

"… I have an incurable disease that is slowly destroying my body. In about five years I will be dead from it. I explained. Now let me up." Itachi replied. Everyone stared at him in shock and worry.

"Brother… when were you planning on telling me?! You were just gonna let yourself die without telling anyone? Fuck, why do you take everything on yourself? Why can't you let someone else help you for once? Weren't you the one who said that no one can do it alone? Weren't you the one that said arrogance is the downfall of all great ninja? What happened to that?!" Sasuke blew up on the man. Itachi met his gaze.

"I have a mission. I need to kill a group called the Akatsuki. Orochimaru is one of the Akatsuki. He is after you and they are all after Naruto. None of you are strong enough to combat them yet and I want to make it so you never have to fight them. I'm already guaranteed to die soon. Let me lay down my life. None of you need to lose yours." Itachi replied. He stood up bodily pushing them all out of the way.

"Where are you going?" Kurenai asked.

"To kill Gato."

"He has over a thousand bandits. Do you really expect to kill them all by yourself?" Kakashi spoke. Itachi froze. After a moment of thinking he made a decision.

"Team seven, team eight. Take Tazuna to the bridge. I will leave a clone here to protect the house. Get the bandits attention. I'll take care of Gato." The two teams nodded, happy that he would finally accept help.

"Yes captain." They all chorused before following through with his orders.

On the bridge over five hundred bandits stood on the bridge. Among them were three missing ninja of which no one took note. They were weak. The sound of a thousand birds crackled in the air as Kakashi summoned the lighting blade. Naruto spawned fifty clones. Sasuke activated his sharingan. Kurenai placed a genjutsu over the bandits. Kiba and Akamaru activated their beast clone jutsu. Shino spread out his bugs. Hinata nervously stepped into the Juken stance, hoping that she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of Naruto. Finally Sakura gathered her chakra, preparing to heal any injured and guarding Tazuna from any stray attacks. And so the massacre began. The bandits stood no chance as the ninja mowed through them. As the last one fell the ninja panted from exertion. Even if they couldn't put up a true fight, it was tiring fighting over five hundred enemies.

"That was only five hundred… Itachi!" Sasuke shouted in realization.

Speaking of Itachi, he was currently sneaking through Gato's mansion placing exploding tags on the wall. Avoiding all enemy ninja and bandits. After assessing the Gato was asleep Itachi snuck into his room. He looked down at the man, and froze, having flashbacks to the war when he was a child. Snapping himself out of it, he knew what must be done. He slit the man's throat in a second, clenching his eyes shut as the man gurgled on his own blood. Itachi felt sick doing it. He broke into Gato's safe, sealing up all of his money, gold, jewelry, and other valuables. He exited the building through the window and once a suitable distance way set off the tags creating a huge explosion, engulfing the entire building in flames.

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Team seven, team eight, and Itachi were on their way back to the village. The bridge had been named after Naruto, for giving hope to Inari and in turn the entire country that they could stand up on their own two feet.

"And then I executed Gato and collected all of his funds." Itachi said handing the Hokage a scroll.

"Impressive Itachi. I am a little concerned that you confronted Zabuza and Orochimaru on your own, however with how you easily dispatched of the former I must say you were able to handle yourself just fine." The Hokage said. Itachi had been careful to omit any detail that related to his disease. No need for the Hokage to know that and take him out of active duty now.

"Thank you Hokage-sama." The Uchiha spoke, giving a slight bow. After being dismissed he entered his favorite bar and sat went to sit with his usual crowd, only to find them all glaring at him.

"Yes?" Itachi asked slowly.

"First you try and solo a fucking Sannin, not to mention it's fucking Orochimaru, and then you go and almost die because of your stupidity? Fucking asshole, what do you think the village would have done without you?" Anko shouted at him. Itachi just blankly stared at her.

"Are you finished?" Itachi said in his usual monotone.

"No, no I'm not. How do you think we would have fucking felt? You're our friend, and you keep putting your fucking life on the line alone when you could just accept our fucking help for once. You were right about your weakness, and it almost did get you killed." Anko said before storming off. Itachi stared after her and then turned back to the rest of his friends and found them staring at their laps nervously. Gai walked up behind Itachi.

"She is right my friend, though she didn't say it in the most youthful of ways. You are going to get yourself killed at this rate. How do you think your brother would handle that?" Gai asked letting it sink in. Itachi went silent before leaving the bar and walking home. He listlessly sat at the table across from his mother. Naruto and Sasuke were training with Kakashi.

"What's wrong Itachi? I heard you ran into Orochimaru on your last mission." She said with a slight shiver at realizing the man wanted to take over her body.

"He used a jutsu called Edo Tensei. He brought back father and tried making me fight him." Itachi said melancholically. Mikoto's eyes widened and she suddenly found her coffee very interesting.

"How did you handle it?" she asked after a minute of silence. Itachi remained silent.

"I killed him." Itachi said. More silence. Mikoto walked over to her eldest son and gave him a hug. He stiffened at the contact before relaxing. Tears began leaking from his eyes but he made no noise.

"All the death I have caused. I can barely bear it. Some nights I think of ending it all. But then I remember I have people to protect. And even now I anger them by risking my life to keep them safe. Why can't I just die? I deserve it." Itachi spoke sadly as tears continued to pour down his face. Mikoto just rubbed his back soothingly and they sat like that for an hour in silence.

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"So back again asshole?" Anko said, still angry at the Uchiha.

"Shut up." The Uchiha snapped shocking everyone. Anko looked hurt for a moment before anger filled her face.

"I'm on leave for a while. I won't be in the active rank for a few weeks. I felt I should inform you of this."

"What?! Why?!" Asuma shouted.

"You're one of our best. Why would they take you out?" Hayate asked.

"… Mental instability they said. They believe that in my current state of mind I am a flight risk." He said, shocking everyone.

"…Why do they think that Itachi?" Anko said quietly.

"…"

"Why the fuck do they think that Itachi?!" Anko shouted.

"I threatened to kill myself last night. My mother told the Hokage." Itachi said. Everyone's face darkened as they all went silent.

"Why?"

"Why does any ninja break down? I have the blood of thousands on my hands."

"It's part of the job description!" Anko shouted. Itachi remained silent. Anko stood up and slapped him across the face before storming off. All of the jonin slowly departed, silent.

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"Hokage-sama. I wish to leave the village for a period of time. Clear my head." Itachi spoke. Hiruzen leveled a stare at him.

"What's the real reason?" Hiruzen asked.

"I intend to hunt down Orochimaru and end him once and for all." Itachi spoke.

"No. I'm not having you go run off to get yourself killed."

"Hokage-sama. I can kill him. I need to protect my family."

"And you intend to do that by getting yourself killed?"

"You don't understand! I almost lost them once, I will not lose them again" Itachi shouted before calming himself.

"You shouldn't bottle up so much emotion Itachi. That's why you are becoming unstable. Let some of it out. I expect you to take over for me in a year, but I can't do that if you intend to die before that." Hiruzen spoke. Itachi was silent in contemplation.

"I'm losing my edge Hokage-sama. The paranoia and depression is weakening me."

"And what do you intend to do about that?"

"I… I don't know." Itachi replied, his head bowed.

"That's the first step. You can't do everything yourself. Take the load off and spread it among your comrades. Together you the will of fire burns greater than it does alone." The Hokage said with a smile. Itachi looked at the ground for a moment. Every thought flashed through his head. The happiness he felt when he had saved his brother from the darkness. The faith he had put in Naruto. The words he spoke to both of them.

'You can't do it alone. You need to rely on your comrades.'

"You're right Hokage-sama. I was blinded by my own goals. But you're right. I need to rely on my comrades." The Hokage smiled at him.

"Go on, get back to your training. You're going to need to be strong enough if you want to become the Godaime.

"Thank you Hokage-sama."

Itachi made his way to the forest of death. As he arrive he had to dodge a kunai.

"What do you want asshole?" Anko said as she appeared.

"I wanted to apologize."

"Apology not accepted. Try again." Anko said.

"I am truly sorry for my behavior. I just want to protect you all. I can't lose anymore loved ones."

"We aren't weak Itachi. We can defend ourselves. Try protecting yourself for a change."

"That's the new plan. I will have to put my faith in my comrades if I intend to get anywhere in this world."

"Damn straight." Anko said back to him. She began to walk away when Itachi approached her. He wrapped his arms around her, feeling her stiffen.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Anko asked in surprise.

"I'm sorry that I keep disappointing and hurting you all. I can only hope that I manage to make up for it in the future. That's all I wanted to say." And with that Itachi was gone in a flurry of leaves, leaving behind an embarrassed Anko.

Two weeks later Itachi was taken off of leave after it was determined that his mental state had improved. After returning from his first mission since returning from leave he walked into a house full of people. The entirety of the Konoha twelve were there as well as most of the jonin he normally associated with.

"What are you all doing in my house…?" Itachi asked.

"We are here to help you fan the flames of youth!" Gai shouted.

"Yosh! Let us burn with youth Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!" The two shouted as they embraced. What occurred next would permanently scar most of the people present for life as what appeared to be an ocean and a sunset appeared behind them. Itachi twitched.

"Why are you all in my house?" Itachi asked again.

"Just hanging around, eating your food and shit." Anko said.

"Why are you all in my house?"

"We missed you?" Kakashi offered.

"Why. Are. You. All. In. My. House?" Itachi asked punctuating each word.

"Itachi relax, we all just wanted to make sure you were okay." Naruto said.

"Yeah just making sure you don't get all depressed again brother." Sasuke added. Itachi sighed before going to the cabinet and pulling out his secret stash of pocky and began eating it slowly at the table. Everyone stared at him and sweat dropped.

"You're really awkward, you know that right?" Genma said.

"I am aware." Itachi replied without looking up.

"How about you show us how strong you really are Itachi? Or are you scared you might lose?" Anko said deviously. Itachi stared at her as everyone looked at him expectantly.

"And how do you propose we do that?" Itachi replied. Anko grinned sadistically.

"You versus me, Gai, Kakashi, and Asuma."

"What do I get if I win?" Itachi asked.

"I'll have sex with you?" Half the room broke out laughing the other half blushed. Itachi stared at her blankly.

"Try again."

"Really? Are you gay?"

"No. Lifetime supply of pocky at all of your expense." Everyone stared blankly at him.

"You would pick candy… over sex?" Anko asked slowly.

"Yes." Itachi replied.

"I lied earlier, you're just plain weird." Genma said.

"What happens if you win?" Itachi asked.

"You have to fulfill one request for each of us, redeemable at any time, no arguments." Itachi looked to be contemplating this.

"Deal. When?"

"Let's go to the training ground right now." Anko said excited.

"We can go to training ground seven, its open right now." Kakashi put in.

"Fine. Let's go."

The group arrived at the training ground and the combatants stood across from each other while the rest stood a distance away and watched.

"Ready? Begin!" Genma shouted. Itachi made eye contact with Gai while pointing a finger at Asuma. Their faces both went blank and Itachi disappeared before anyone could react and he buried a fist in Anko's gut, spun around her kicking Kakashi in the face then swiping Gai's legs out from under him and ending with a flip to slam the front of his foot into the back of Asuma's head. This all happened in the matter of a few seconds. The second all four jonin hit the ground, the rolled up and charged. Kakashi pulled up his headband revealing his sharingan, Gai opened the first two gates, Asuma pulled out his trench knives and Anko sent Snakes flying at Itachi from her sleeves. Itachi dodged the snakes, only to be kicked in the side by Gai sending him flying into Asuma who almost sliced him with his knives which Itachi barely rolled out of the way of only to have Anko and Kakashi flanking him while Gai attacked from above.

Seeing no other choice he opened on of the gates and round housed Anko and punched Kakashi across the face and side stepping Gai. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his back as Asuma slashed him. Itachi gritted his teeth and spun, swiping Asuma's legs out from under him. The fight continued like this, going back and forth evenly matched. The crowd watched, awed by the power displayed by all of them. Finally the other decided to take it up a notch. Gai unleashed the fifth gate, Kakashi sent a Raikiri charged lighting dog at Itachi, Anko sent a swarm of thousands of snakes at him, and Asuma blew a cloud of superheated ash at him. Seeing his imminent defeat Itachi decided to go all out. As they all thought the fight was over, suddenly a giant spectral figure formed around Itachi.

"Susanoo." Itachi spoke. All of their attacks slammed into it yet didn't even damage it.

"What… the fuck?" Anko uttered. All of them stared in shock at the power radiating off of Itachi.

"It seems you don't quite understand. I might not believe in being arrogant, but I do know my own abilities. I am stronger than you all, and if I wanted to I could kill everyone present, including the bystanders, from here with a single swing."

"Match, Itachi." Genma said still shaking slightly.

"That's a lifetime of pocky Itachi said as his eyes started to bleed.

"How much did you hold back?" Anko asked annoyed.

"I could have killed you all the second the fight started, but I wouldn't want to endanger you're lives." Itachi said. Anko looked miffed at that, but accepted it as Itachi's power.

"Out of curiosity, what would you all have asked for?"

"Daily spars!"

"Pay for all of my books."

"Pay for all of my cigarettes."

"Sex." Everyone stared at her.

"What?"

"Is that cough cough all you think about?" Hayate coughed out.

"Not all, only with powerful people. And Itachi is pretty much the strongest person I've ever met."

"Thank you for your faith, but I believe you have met the Yondaime in the past. He would beat me in a fight easily." Itachi replied.

'I don't know about that Naruto. This guy is strong. Really strong. Like Madara strong.' Kurama said in his head.

"Kurama says you're as strong as Madara." Itachi froze at this. At this point, after they all had become good friends and sparred among each other they all learned of Naruto's secret.

"Really now?" Itachi replied.

"He says you're the strongest Uchiha he's ever seen that isn't an arrogant asshole."

"Tell him I appreciate it." Itachi said before a masked man appeared out of a swirl in front of Itachi and reached out for him grabbing him before he disappeared with him.

"No!" Naruto shouted, knowing what happened. Sasuke went into shock at recognizing the man. Everyone also stared in surprise before the all disappeared in different directions in search of the man.

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Itachi roughly landed in a dank cave. Surrounding him was the entirety of the Akatsuki, in holographic or physical form.

"I could have just left you in my pocket dimension, but it thought this would be more fun." Tobi said in a childish voice.

"What do you intend to do?" Itachi spoke as he stood up, worn out from the fight.

"You seem to be hunting us down. I cannot allow that. If you agree to submit to our will, we will not have to kill you." Pain spoke.

"Do you honestly think any of them could defeat me?" Itachi bluffed knowing he was weakened and if he fought he would probably die.

"Hey fucker, you really think you can take on the Akatsuki? You Uchiha all are arrogant fucks, it's no wonder you're all dead. Jashin-sama will enjoy your sacrifice." Itachi took note of the ones physically present. Hidan. Kakuzu. Kisame. And a man he didn't recognize.

'No choice. I need to end this quickly. At any cost.' He glanced up at Kisame knowing he was the biggest threat at the moment.

"Are you prepared to die?" Obito said in a sadistic tone.

"Are you? Tsukuyomi!" Instantly Kisame was on the ground panting and vomiting, though not unconscious. Obito's one eye widened at this.

"Fuck you cocksucker!" Hidan shouted as he bared down upon him with his scythe.

'An immortal. Let's see how immortal you really are.'

"Amaterasu!" Screams filled the room as Hidan ignited in back flames. The screams never seemed to end. Itachi's vision was incredibly fuzzy now. Now Pain and Konan's eyes widened while Kakuzu shot out his five hearts and charged at Itachi. Itachi weaved in and out of the attacks expertly and hopped onto Kakuzu's former perch and stared down at him.

"Amaterasu… huh… huh…" Itachi ignited Kakuzu and all of his hearts, killing the man in an instant. The unfamiliar face charged him. Decided not to take any chances he summoned Susanoo and pierced the man mid-air with Totsuka sealing his fate. With a hint of regret Itachi used Amaterasu on Kisame's downed body.

"No, no, no, no, no! You were supposed to die not massacre half my men!" Obito shouted. Pain showed surprise for the first time to any of them. This man was on par with his skill and he was supposed to be a God.

"You're arrogance is truly great… Obito Uchiha!" The practically blind Itachi shouted.

Obito froze then roared in rage before disappearing into thin air.

"You have brought the wrath of a God upon you. Be prepared Uchiha."

"I will be 'Nagato'." Itachi panted out. Nagato leveled a stair at him.

"I don't go by that name anymore. How you found it out, I do not know. Know this though. I will kill you and destroy your village, then I will gather the Bijuu."

"You can try." Itachi said as all of the holographs faded. Blinded Itachi was forced to use his ears and the miniscule amount of chakra he had left to navigate his way to the exit. He passed out at the entrance, blood pouring down his face.

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"What do you mean our strongest Shinobi was kidnapped?" Hiruzen bellowed at the gathered ninja.

"A man appeared out of the air and touched him, and they both vanished. We scoured the area and had two byakugans searching and there was no trace of either of them." Kakashi spoke.

"I recognized that man… He was the one who massacred my clan." Sasuke spoke. This news disturbed everyone. Naruto tried to figure out how to tell them who it was without revealing Itachi's secret.

"Itachi told me who it was once. He wasn't sure, but all of his searching pointed to the fact that he was... Obito Uchiha." Naruto said knowing the backlash that was about to hit.

"Naruto. Obito's dead. I saw him crushed myself." Kakashi said as his breath hitched.

"Itachi was certain it was him."

'Kid you're pushing it a little telling everyone this so soon.'

'I know but if we want to stand a chance, they need to be prepared. And as much as I don't want to admit it, Itachi is probably dead by now.' Silence filled the room.

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Two weeks had passed and there was no sign of Itachi in the entire country. It was assumed he had been killed in action. There was a large funeral ceremony that the entire ninja force attended. Morale was at its lowest since the Yondaime's death. Even Jiraiya had returned to the village to ensure its safety.

Anko had fallen into a deep depression. Kakashi spent nearly the entire day at the memorial stone now. Sasuke was nearly catatonic in his room. Mikoto couldn't stop crying. And Naruto. Well Naruto had trained every skill he had to the point it had once been. He was going to finish what Itachi had started.

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Off in a distant village Itachi was removing the bandages from his face. One eye remained blind. When he opened the other, the eternal Mangekyou Sharingan blazed to life.

'Shisui. I owe you so much… and no matter what I do, I can never repay you. The chunin exams are starting. Orochimaru will use this as an excuse to get Sasuke. I have to stop him.

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"I know this is a depressing time for everyone, but I signed you all up for the chunin exams. I think it's a good way for everyone to get their minds off of everything. Are you willing to participate?" Kakashi asked. He was met with the most determined stares he had ever seen on his teams face.

"Yes!" They all chorused.

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Author's note: And so it all changes now. Itachi is half blind, and has one eternal sharingan. Team seven is more motivated than ever now. Itachi's sickness continues to develop. Chunin exams are starting, and Itachi intends to end Orochimaru once and for all. A lot of shit went on during this chapter. And it's all gonna come to a head soon. Don't worry the stories not close to over yet, despite how much shit just happened. I have a few ideas of how to extend it all. Hopefully I kept all of your attention and didn't ruin it for anyone.