Chapter 4- A Message of Terror
"Now," said Naruto, kicking Lee to the side, "We can begin."
"Lee!" said Gai, as he was about to rush to his pupil's aid, but was caught by Kakahsi.
"Wait Gai! This guy is obviously powerful taijutsu. I'm not doubting your skills, but we need to take this guy as a team," said Kakashi, turning his attention directly at Naruto.
"If you don't hurry up then im just going to have to make the first move," said Naruto, folding his arms.
"Alright heres the plan: Neji and Tenten will attack and distract him. Once his attention is focused on them, Gai will come in and hit him hard with his taijutsu. Once that is done, I will attack with Raikiri, and end this quickly as possible. Ready?" said Kakashi as the others nodded with his plan and now faced Naruto.
'Here they come,' thought Naruto, preparing for the assault.
Neji and Tenten proceed to charge towards Naruto. Tenten brought out two swords to attack with and swung down vertically. Naruto caught both of Tentens wrists and kneed her in the gut. As Tenten lost her breath and grip, Naruto let go of her, grabbed one of the falling swords and stabbed her through the shoulder and pinned her to the tree. Neji, angered by his teammates cries of pain, started to attack Naruto with the gentle fist. Naruto immediately started dodging attacks, knowing how dangerous they were from experience. Neji kept trying to land a palm on Naruto, but was missing Naruto by mere inches. Eventually, Naruto shifted past one of Neji's strikes and caught him with a right elbow to the face. Neji reeled back, but composed himself in time to catch Naruto's fist, and retaliated to strike at Naruto, but Naruto caught his wrist. The two just stayed that way in deadlock, looking at each others all the while trying to gain leverage over the other. Naruto eventually monkey flipped Neji into a tree back first and got to his feet. Neji got back to his feet in time for Naruto to grab his face and smashed it into the ground. Naruto released Neji to find that he was unconscious. Naruto had very little time to take in the victory before he was back on the defense.
"Dynamic Entry!" yelled Gai, as he launched his signature flying kick.
Naruto ducked out of the way of the kick and then attempted to catch Gai with a kunai. Gai grabbed the kunai out of mid air and threw it to the side, and then proceeded to engage Naruto in taijutsu. Gai was the one mostly on offense, but this was because Naruto wanted to weaken Gai as much as possible. He was strong, but taking on a veteran jonin would be a difficult task. Gai actually managed to catch Naruto with a right hook to the face. The blow forced Naruto back some good 10 feet, and as Naruto felt his mask he came across a crack. This put Naruto on edge since maybe one more good punch would destroy his mask.
'Time for offense,' thought Naruto, who blocked past Gai's punch and countered with punch of his own.
Gai and Naruto continued their fight, back and forth with punches and kicks. Gai then attempted a leg drop, but Naruto maneuvered under the leg, connected his right fist to Gai's stomach, forced the punch downward, and caused a crater in the ground from the force of the punch. Naruto pulled his fist out of Gai's gut and scanned the area of his handy work. Tenten was still impaled on the tree and was struggling to free herself, though with the loss of blood she was growing weaker. Neji was still unconscious from the head trauma that was inflicted when Naruto smashed his head on the ground. Then there was Gai, who Naruto was sure was weakened by his fight with Kisame, otherwise this fight might have been much more intense. As he looked around he found something off, only just realizing what it was by looking around.
'Where's Kakashi?' thought Naruto, who heard the sound of chirping sound approaching behind him.
"Raikiri!" yelled Kakashi, extending his lightning encased hand towards Naruto.
Naruto turned around, as Kakashi was mere feet from impaling him. Naruto brought his hand up to seize Kakashi's wrist and deflect the attack from him. Unfortunately, Naruto could only force Kakashi's wrist far enough to miss his chest, but the technique skimmed the side of his body, causing a wound on his side. Naruto cringed in pain as he threw away Kakshi's wrist and kneed him in the stomach, causing both men to back away from each other. Kakashi was gathering his breath where as Naruto was tending to his bleeding side.
"You managed to take on all of us and took down all of my comrades. I wonder if you can still do that with a damaged side," said Kakashi, eyeing the bleeding side of Naruto.
"This wont be a problem to take you down," said Naruto, though his side was still giving him trouble.
Kakashi wasted no more time and threw a punch right to Naruto, but Naruto flicked some of his blood off of his hand and at Kakashi's face. Kakashi had to close his eyes to rub the blood, but in one swift movement Naruto pulled put a kunai, stomped on Kakashi's knee, and held a kunai at the throat of a kneeling Kakashi. Kakashi looked up at Naruto with wide eyes, and in his eyes Naruto saw something that almost made him laugh. He was preparing to end Kakashi's life, but heard the voice of Kurama.
"Wait Naruto, I have a better idea," said Kurama, as he told Naruto a much better course of action.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I want you to deliver this message: The Akatsuki is going to bring a new age across the elemental countries, and the ninja world will be shaken to its foundation, and you had best tell your Hokage that you allowed a member of your team to die on your watch," said Naruto, head butting Kakashi, knocking him out.
Naruto then decided to make his way back to Akatsuki headquarters, his work done for now. He was some two miles away from the battle sight when he saw Zetsu and Deidara.
"Thought you might have made it back to headquarters by now Deidara," asked Naruto, getting the attention of the Akatsuki members.
"I'm still here because, well Zetsu is trying to find my other arm," said Deidara, who became angered when Naruto started to laugh.
"Well, we'll find it in a while. Say Zetsu, where's Sasori?" asked Naruto, since he didn't see him around.
"Sasori is dead, defeated by his grandmother Chiyo along with your former teammate. I have already collected his ring," said Zetsu, as Naruto took off his mask and bowed his head in respect.
"A great comrade lost before he could see our triumph, he will be missed. Come on, we should be heading back to Ame to report to Pein," said Naruto, just as Deidara stumbled upon his missing limb.
(Akatsuki base- moments later)
"Do we have the Ichibi's support?" asked Pein, as the trio made their way into Pein chamber.
"Yes, when the time comes he will join us. However, Sasori was defeated in combat," said Naruto, as Pein rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Then our victory came at a price… He will be a missed member. Now, thought, we must focus on the continuation of the plan. I've sent Hidan and Kakuzu to locate the other Jinchuuriki, and when they have more information we will move. Until then you need to keep training. Dismissed," said Pein, as the members bowed.
"Oh, Konan," said Naruto, showing her his cracked mask and the portion of his cloak that was caught by Kakashi's attack, "I'm going to some replacements."
"*Sigh* Follow me then," said Konan, leading Naruto to a separate room, "I was wondering how long that mask would last."
"Hehe sorry, I know that a lot of effort was put into the mask. Though if I must say, there was too much design in it. I wouldn't mind just a simpler look to it," said Naruto, as Konan gave him a hooded Akatsuki cloak, "Hooded? Nice touch."
"It's a new design were trying, and your going to have to be shady in order to move about without your identity being shown. Here see how this works," said Konan, handing him a plan hunter-nin mask.
"Now this is more like it," said Naruto, putting the mask on as well as the hood, "Simple but powerful. Thanks Konan."
"Just make it last," said Konan, smiling as Naruto smiled back.
As Naruto made his way out of the storage room, Itachi made himself known.
"You were very successful for your first time into the field," said Itachi, walking next to Naruto.
"Yes, and I saw something in Kakashi's eyes, that has assured my resolve for our mission," said Naruto, smiling a vicious smile.
"What?" asked Itachi, as Naruto turned to look at him.
"Fear, and with that fear, uncertanitiy will spread into his body and the others and our victory will be all but assured," said Naruto, as the possibilities passed through his mind.
"And when exactly are you getting her?" asked Itachi, handing Naruto a picture.
Upon looking at the picture Naruto realized that it was a recend picture of Hinata, obviously taken without her knowing. Naruto had told Itachi, as well as Pein, about his connection to Hinata. He later ask Itiachi if he could get a picture of Hinata for him to keep with him, calling it "motivation to continue". It would seem that Itachi obliged him to his request.
"You actually got it?" asked Naruto, sounding surprised.
"It was Zetsu, I merely made the request. When will you make your move?" asked Itachi, as Naruto's face made and uncertain, downtrodden look.
"I'm not sure, but I'll take whatever opportunity I can get. Thanks again Itachi," said Naruto, as Itachi merely nodded at him.
"So what now?" asked Itachi, as he and Naruto looked out into the rainy sky of Ame.
"We wait for word from Kakuzu and Hidan. Until then I'll continue my training," said Naruto, as Itachi nodded at his words.
A definitive first step towards the goal of the organization, and an attachment as strong as ever. Naruto continues his crusade for a better world, through any means necessary.
(A/N: WAZZUP! So Naruto continues onward in brutal fashion. Yes I made him get hit simply to a new fashion look. Truth be told I didn't like the skull mask so I went with simply having a hunter nin mask. I know that Itachi and Naruto's interaction short, but that was to show Naruto's caring side briefly. Next upload I make will be for Naruto seven swords of the leaf just to keep some variety. Until next time!)