A/N：I skipped most of the canon plots that remain unchanged, since everybody knows what happened. I promise it won't destroy the integrity of the story.
Enjoy!
Chapter 4: The Man Who Would Change the World
On the next day by dawn, the three shinobi in the forest had packed their bags and were ready to set off.
"Are you okay already, Naruto?" Yamato asked when the said blond was stretching his arms. It seemed he had regained his vigor. "Don't force yourself."
"No problem, Captain Yamato," Naruto answered, patting his chest confidently. "With Sakura-chan's medic justu and Kyuubi's chakra healing me overnight, I've been mostly recovered!"
"How reckless of you to use the Rasenshuriken!" Sakura sulked. "It is incomplete so it is a forbidden justu, remember? Fortunately you just released it once and didn't actually hit anything, or your arm would be damaged again!"
"Well..."Naruto scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "I was too furious then to remember that."
Sakura sighed, however, the corners of her lips curled up. But then, something seemed occured to her and her face went sad and dismal.
"Naruto...I'm not going with you, " she said, lowering her gaze down at the ground. "Shizune-senpai has passed away, and Master Tsunade was dismissed as Hokage...I must stay by her side."
"Furthermore, I don't know what attitude I should take to face Sasuke-kun now."
Naruto stared at her for a while before nodding determinedly. "Alright! Go back then, Sakura-chan. Rest assured, I won't forget to change the bandage. And Captain Yamato will also remind me of it."
"But if so," Said former ANBU butt in with, "Is it okay that the three of us left last night while only you go back alone?"
"I suppose it's okay," Sakura looked up and managed to give a smile, though it looked a little bit reluctant. "Master Tsunade is the Sannin and former Hokage after all, and has high reputation in the village. And Danzo is going to attend the Five Kage Summit; I don't think he has the interest in screwing me over for the moment. Speak of it, you need to be careful to not run into him when searching for Reikage."
"Don't worry!" Naruto waved his fist. "First thing first. I'll talk to Reikage and get Sasuke's issue settled before reckoning on with Danzo. "
"Well, well..." Yamato slouched his shoulders.
"And, Naruto..." Sakura added nervously, kicking small peddles with her tiptoes. "About last night. The man was indeed..."
Naruto became serious at once.
"Yeah," he said in a low voice. "Your guess is right. It was not someone else... That was Kakashi-sensei, and he was Edo Tensei-ed."
With these words out, air around seemed to be frozen for a moment. Yamato's expression became gloomy instantly.
"Maybe..." Sakura crossed her fingers, squeezing tightly. She was like a drowning person, clutching desperately at the straw of fluke. "After all, none of us have seen his face, and... as we all know, Kakashi-sensei's coffin was empty."
That was the biggest reason that she suspected it was not Kakashi. The jonin's body had not been buried as others', instead, it was kept inside the special sanctum of ANBU, deep underground the headquarter. It was protected by the most sophisticated seal, and guarded by three teams of ANBU elites in turns 24/7.
A corpse with Sharingan deserved to be treated like that. Konoha should never loosen its protection towards a Sharingan -in this case, a Mangekyo Sharingan with strong Dojustu -at least before the Akatsuki was completely destroyed, and the world went back to relative peace.
"The Rasenshuriken then, " Naruto whispered. "That was not my fault. It was Kakashi-sensei who transported it into another dimension. And the Raikiri... you have both seen it."
He involuntarily laid his hand on his belly, slightly grasping his clothes.
For a while no one spoke. Sakura drew a wavering breath, buried her face into her hands.
"However, we'd better all keep quiet about this," Naruto broke the slience. "Just let others think that I failed to release the Rasenshuriken again. We can't let them know that it was Kakashi-sensei, and make sensei on everyone's tongue."
Sadness emerged in his eyes as his lips became a thin line. "He held back himself yesterday... That Raikiri could have been went through my chest. But I... I said a lot of harsh words to him during our fight. Kakashi-sensei's personality and consciousness has not been entirely eliminated, and he must feel anguished to be forced to fight me. I can't make him hurt more due to others' discussions. "
"Naruto, I fully understand your point, and have the same feeling with you. But still..." Yamato suddenly spoke, frowning. "I've been Kakashi-senpai's colleague in ANBU for many years, and he wasn't famous among all five nations for nothing. As a comrade, he was the most reliable prop, while as an enemy," an uneasy look swept across his face, "how frightening he could be was beyond your imagination."
"It was not the absolute power... What made Hatake Kakashi fearful most was his sharp mind of tactics, and rich fighting experience accumulated from surviving narrow escapes from death numerous times. It would have been better if he was only being manipulated as a puppet, but from what happened last night, it's more likely that senpai's actions were still highly self-directed. Not to mention he knows Konoha better than most people, and once he has some plan against the village, it will be much easier for him to carry it out than an enemy shinobi, and the casualty will also be much higher."
"If senpai sees he does harm to Konoha by his own hand... for him there's no difference from being killed again. Therefore, I suppose we'd better report to the council, and warn them about him."
While he was talking, Naruto was just listening sliently. But to Yamato's surprise, the blond just shook his head afterwards.
"Rest assured, Kakashi-sensei's target is me," he said. "And he doesn't want to disclose himself, at least in front of someone other than us, or he would have attacked others at Training Field 3 yesterday, instead of leaving immediately. In addition..."
"In addition what?" Yamato asked curiously, impressively thinking Naruto's brain worked really fast at the crucial moment. "And I have to say that nobody can rest assured knowing he's after you. "
"The genjustu. When Kakashi-sensei lured me to the training field by genjustu, I told him my plan. And he answered, 'If that's your plan, then just do it. Never go back on your words, never change your goal once detemined, that's your ninja way. ' Even though I've known it was a genjustu, but somehow... I still believe that it was what he trully wanted to tell me."
His blue eyes became bright, shining with determination. For the first time since Kakashi had died, Naruto grinned widely as ever. "Sensei believes me! And I should never fail him!"
"Naruto..." Yamato was moved and could not help showing it slightly. He gave a wry smile, patting at the back of his head. "Well, senpai... You have really left a big trouble to me."
"All right, let's go!" Naruto waved his hand to Sakura. "Bye, Saku-"
His voice was cut off when the said kunoichi suddenly came up and hugged him.
"Naruto..." Sakura was clutching him tightly. Naruto could not see her face, but could hear her choking voice, begging weakly. "Please, be careful. Team Seven is now... I can no longer..."
Her words were incoherent, but Naruto understood.
"Leave it to me, Sakura-chan. I'll come back safe." The blond reached out, holding his teammate in his arms, patting her shoulder softly. His expression was mild but firm. "I'll definitely bring Sasuke back, that's what I've promised to you; and here is another promise, that I'll definitely save Kakashi-sensei. Be a man of his word, that's also my ninja way."
"Everything will be okay."
But things did not went as well as Naruto had expected.
By aid of Yamato's seed, they had tracked the two shinobi from Kumogakure when they had left Konoha, and successfully found Reikage at last. However, after an ineffectual negotiation, Naruto had only turned out to be more disappointed and worried than before.
Giving up his pride, lowering his head, benting his knees, what he had got in return were just Reikage's cold words.
"Akatsuki will be internationally wanted criminals, then the whole world will be after Sasuke, not just me. You beg for mercy for a criminal, for the safety of your friend, but in the ninja world, we don't call that friendship! You won't get far in the ninja world if you keep acting so stupidly!"
Lying on the tatami mats in the inn room, listening to the snow storms roaring outside, Naruto felt in a loss totally.
Sasuke... Where are you now...? What are you thinking? Have you once ever thought about me and Sakura...?
Have you heard about... what happened to Kakashi-sensei? Inherited Chidori from him, have you got the same feeling of mine when I had learned the news of Ero Sennin's death, when you heard he was dead?
You have said that someone like me without family or siblings would never understand how it felt to once owned then lose them all. But now I've understand that feeling. The feeling of losing someone dearest to you and longing to take revenge.
I've understand your pain. I'm now carrying the same pain as you. And you defeated your brother, got your revenge... Do you feel better, or has it just got worse?
Sasuke... Why haven't you come back to Konoha? Has the hatred really eaten you up?
Clenching his fists, Naruto closed his eyes.
I don't understand you any more, Sasuke-
"How about getting up and have a little chat, Uzumaki Naruto?"
Someone suddenly spoke behind him. Naruto turned back at once, eyes widened when he saw the figure.
"You.. you are..."
The man in black cloak with red clouds was sitting uninhibitedly on the windowsill, one hand under his chin. Behind the only hole on the orange swirl-mask, a blood-red eye was staring down at him.
Bang!
Rolling smoke rose in the loud noise. Jumping up into the air, Obito looked down at the two Konoha shinobi. "Rasengan, huh? You know full well it won't work on me."
He had started to fall while speaking. At the moment his tiptoes touched the rooftop, several thick branches reached out from under the tiles, tied him up in no time.
After a series of dense thuds, wooden barrier grew up from nowhere in front of Naruto, blocking his way to Obito. Yamato stepped to the front of the barrier, staring at Obito warily. "Don't think you can take Naruto away from here!"
The test subject of Orochimaru on Hashirama cells, and the kohai of Kakashi in ANBU... well.
Obito tutted inwardly.
What a weak team. So weak that I can even try to catch Kyuubi right away here. If Kakashi were still alive, he would have undoubtedly come with you too.
Well, fine. It's too near to the location of Five Kage Summit here... No need to cause chaos.
"Don't be so nervous," he tilted his head, allowing himself bound by the Mokutun. "I just want to talk for now."
"I'm... fully interested in you, Naruto."
The blond was grasping at the barrier with both hands, glaring at him suspiciously. Looking at Naruto, what emerged in Obito's mind was a picture of the silver-haired shinobi standing in front of the Memorial Stone, gazing at one particular name carved on it, murmuring.
"Naruto is just like Minato-sensei... and you, too. If you were alive, I'm sure you would be fond of him."
"I firmly believe that he is the only one who can surpass Minato-sensei. The only one who can change the ninja world."
Obito scoffed at it.
Just like Minato-sensei? Ahh, sure, indeed, blue eyes and blond hair. As well as being naive in the heart of hearts, and incompetent to save their teammates.
But how can he be like me?
If it means me of the past... Well, that's true.
And that may be even more miserable than being like Minato.
Uzumaki Naruto... Why did the aloof Kakashi, who forever kept distance with others inwardly, no matter how well he disguised himself, had such huge trust in nobody but you? Was it just because you are like Minato-sensei, and the past me?
If so, what a pathetic substitute for the ghosts you are.
Naruto's fingers tightened around the barrier. The gaze of the masked man made him feel very uncomfortable, like it was going to pirece him through, to look straight into his heart.
"What are you going to do with Sasuke?" Shoving away the uneasy thought, the blond shouted. "Tell me about Sasuke!"
"Sasuke,eh...? " Rousing himself, Obito raised his head. "Alright, I'll tell you."
"The story of Uchiha Sasuke, a man eaten up by the hatred and bitterness towards the ninja world."
"Liar... That's not true!"
After listening to the story that "Uchiha Madara" was telling, Naruto sank into extreme astonishment. His mind was a complete blank with the only one thought left.
"You're lying! How can that be true! " He yelled at the man above.
"I'm not lying," Obito said calmly. "That's the truth about Itachi. He died for Sasuke, and for Konoha. If you ask me why Sasuke didn't follow Itachi's wishes and return to Konoha... I could only say that he chose it himself. I took a gamble... not knowing whether he would choose to follow Itachi's wishes or choose revenge against Konoha. And he chose the latter one... Because he is a true avenger."
Loosening his grips weakly, Naruto lowered his head, sliding down to his knees against the barrier.
"Why... why did this happen to him...? Why did he turn to revenge...?" He mumbled in anguish. "I've promised to Sakura... to bring Sasuke back to Konoha... to go back to the Team Seven we used to be..."
Beneath the mask, Obito raised his eyebrows.
"The Team Seven you used to be?" He heard the sneering voice of himself, with an undertone of malicious glee. "You can never go back again. That Kakashi of the Sharingan has died, hasn't he?"
Naruto winced. He suddenly looked up, glaring at Obito.
"So what!" He shouted. "At least..."
At least before Edo Tensei-ed Kakashi-sensei leaves the world again, I want to let him see Sasuke back to the village. I want him to rest in peace.
But he didn't finish his words. No need to talk about that with an enemy... It would only bring more mockery and embarrassment.
"At least what?" Obito asked.
Naruto didn't answer.
"Just give up," Obito didn't mind his silence, steering the conversation back to Sasuke. "Sasuke had no choice. That's the hate-filled destiny of the Uchiha clan, a curse has followed us for generations. Hashirama and I, Senju and Uchiha, the Will of Fire and hatred, Naruto and Sasuke... You have been chosen by fate. Naruto... someday you'll have to fight Sasuke, or rather... I'll make you fight Sasuke. This fated battle has been long in coming, and I'll use Sasuke to force people to acknowledge the Uchiha clan. "
"Sasuke isn't your toy!" Naruto roared, "Get off him!"
"If all you want is the meaningless acknowledgement, then why do you need the tailed beasts?" Yamato who had kept quiet aside suddenly spoke. "What are you really after?"
"Well, if you must know... it is to become complete."
"Complete...?"
"There's no use in telling you," Obito shrugged. "You will understand when the time comes. It's been fun chatting... See you."
Kamui was activated and air twisted. Obito threw a last glimpse at Naruto before leaving.
You are wrong, Kakashi.
The man who is going to change the world is not Uzumaki Naruto, but me, Uchiha Obito.
What a pity... that you will never be able to see it.
A/N: Next chapter: Sasuke met Naruto, then they met Kakashi.
A different version of the reunion of Team Seven without Sakura. I don't have any problem with her, just not satisfied with her role played here in canon, such as lying to Naruto that she liked him, or tried to assassinate Sasuke. So I kept her in Konoha, since Shizune has died and there need to be someone to take care of Tsunade. Update in two weeks, hopefully.
Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.