Disclaimer: Spoiler alert, viewer's discretion is advised.
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Yahiko knelt before the Sannin and bowed. "Please! Please teach me ninjutsu!"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes. "We should just kill the boy."
Tsunade and Jiraiya gasped at their teammate's emotionless resolve. Yahiko was frightened.
"I have seen many war orphans such as him. They all die tragically. We should just end his misery-"
"Enough, Orochimaru!" The white haired ninja yelled. "We'll bring the boy back to Konoha."
"But Jiraiya!" Tsunade protested. "He's-"
"He's homeless." Jiraiya concluded. "Where is our conscience? Has the war really turned the two of you into monsters? Killing needy children? Are you listening to what the two of you are saying?"
The blonde and the dark haired ninja averted their eyes bitterly away from their teammate's stern gaze.
"We'll bring him back to Konoha. Don't worry. I'll make him my student. I'm going to step down as a field commander from now on."
Orochimaru widened his eyes in shock. "What? The three of us are the only capable generals within the ranks of Konoha's army. Konoha needs us!"
"I have enough of this war. Look what has it made us?" Jiraiya raised his volume irascibly. "Orochimaru, you used to care for the people of Konoha. You might be a cold-ass bastard but you sure didn't kill the innocents for nothing! Look what happen last week! You send a platoon of our army into their graves just to make them decoys! And you, Tsunade. Perhaps Dan and Nawaki's deaths have affected you but if they're alive, they would never want you to blame Konoha for the war. I have said what I've wanted to say. I plan to register myself as a Jonin and lead the younger generations. This boy will be one of them!"
Tsunade and Orochimaru sighed. "Whatever you say, Jiraiya."
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The Tetsu no Kuni, otherwise known as the Land of Iron, was suffering a conundrum. The war that the ninja had initiated had affected the samurai living within their lands. Their leader decided to infiltrate Amegakure and kill one of the main perpetrators of the war, Hanzo the Salamander. A group of skilled samurai were deployed to Amegakure and instigated the notorious Hanzo; their plan was to overthrow the conqueror and hopefully reclaim peace for their nation.
They were not prepared.
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Naruto, Konan and Nagato ventured into the forest at the outskirt of Amegakure. Situating themselves comfortably at a spot at the apex of a waterfall, the group set up mats on the ground before they sprawled themselves onto the fabric. Konan eyed the commotion beneath her and sighed. "I hope we don't get caught on this."
The blonde waved a hand, declining Konan's worriment. "Relax, they're more occupied than to care about us. Just be quiet and watch the show from here."
Nagato was excited to witness the events that were to unfold before his eyes.
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Mifune, squad commander of the samurai unit, was sent to eradicate Hanzo. When they arrived to enemy's terrain, Mifune boldly demanded Hanzo's audience. The leader of Amegakure, wielding his kusarigama, stood out onto the battlefield solely. Hanzo's personal guards were isolated away from him, unwilling to stand by their commander. The samurai were confounded and had concluded that Hanzo's troops were afraid of them.
Their moods were lifted.
Without hesitation, they charged blindly at a snickering Hanzo.
Adroitly, the leader of Amegakure swung his kusarigama at the approaching battalion and retracted his weapon. Blood was spilled and several samurai were either bifurcated or beheaded. The samurai was astonished but swallowed their trepidation. They marched forward and gripped the hilt of their blade firmly. Speeding through a series of hand seals, Hanzo delayed his technique and launched a barrage of kunai at the samurai before opening his jaw. "Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"
The samurai was in disarray from their formation. They knew the kunai was attached with exploding notes but not all of the projectiles were such. The blazing shots of flames that were spat at them caused even more of a panic to the samurai.
Their overconfidence had clouded their judgement and their vigour enervated.
Within minutes, most of the samurai had become mutilated corpses or fatally wounded. The fortunate ones carried their fallen comrades away from the battlefield.
The samurai finally understood why the ninja were staying away from Hanzo.
It's because they were not needed.
"Why don't you run away with your fleeing allies, samurai?" Hanzo narrowed his eyes at the lone warrior who was not even displaying a tinge of fear at him, even after the leader of Amegakure's onslaught had decapitated most of the samurai. The warrior stood his ground and scrutinised the situation. His response was quiet but laced with determination and utmost courage. "If I retreat, my men will die. If I fight you, my men will survive. I choose the latter!"
"Even if you will die here? For them?"
"Yes."
"What a selfless man. This world needs more of him. Still…" Hanzo threw his weapon at the samurai, who deflected his assault and rushed towards him. The warrior's katana was pointed towards the leader of Amegakure. Ducking from the strike, Hanzo clashed his kusarigama onto the samurai's blade. "You will fight for those who betray you? They run away when trouble arises. They abandon you! Your men have forsaken their codes of honour. Why fight for them?"
"I didn't fight for them. I fight for my codes of honour! Hyah!" The samurai pushed the leader of Amegakure away through brute strength and Hanzo retreated.
"I am impressed. Very well, honourable samurai." Gripping the hilt of his kusarigama, Hanzo smirked. "Let's end this match then."
"Let's!" The samurai darted forward.
Hanzo jumped at his opponent.
It all ended in a blink of an eye.
The leader of Amegakure stood behind the lone warrior and a moment of perturbing silence intruded.
The warrior collapsed onto the ground and clutched onto his bleeding forehead. "I-I have lost…"
"My blade is coated with poison. My poison, to be specific." Hanzo eyed his kusarigama and sighed. "Have no fear… the pain will turn into numbness and paralysis. Eventually, you'll die in two days time. In fact, since you're a dying man, I guess telling you a bit about your killer are only appropriate. Think of it as a souvenir for you to take to hell. When I was young, a rare, black salamander appeared in my village. It died and nobody cared about it. However, I realised that the salamander actually emitted poisonous toxic into the air. Kind of like poison mist."
Even though the defeated samurai was fatally injured, he listened keenly.
"I was a kid when it died. So I dragged its body into my house and carefully dug out the poisonous sag from its body. I took the poisonous sag and implanted it into my body. The black salamander is known for its superior venom. With it in me, I can build up resistance to any poison and make my body toxic as well." Hanzo pointed a thumb at the side of his waist. "Here. Right here. This is where the poisonous sag is located. I can envenom nearby people just by breathing on them. The people in my village were terrified of me. That's why… to keep people around me safe, I have to resort breathing through this mask."
"If… if your breath is poisonous, why don't you just take your mask off and kill me?"
"I've considered that. But it will carry a risk. You see, this mask removes that risk for me." Hanzo grinned when the warrior was confused. "For example, if I were to rupture the poisonous sag within my body during a battle, the liquid within the sag will spill out and vaporise, subsequently releasing a cloud of poison gas. Even if my body has built up resistance to the toxic, it will still stall me in my tracks. That pause is enough for my enemy to draw out an opening and kill me. I cannot afford that to happen. Against someone like you, I cannot remove the mask."
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Naruto blanched. "Is he a masochist or what? Implanting a poisonous thingy into his body? Is he out of his mind?"
Konan sighed. "He sure has some guts to do that sort of crazy things."
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Examining the samurai's broken blade, Hanzo was aloof. "Your blade is dull."
The defeated warrior panted. "A samurai… is his blade. That means… I am dull as well. I fear my life… ends here…"
Hanzo arched a brow. "One last thing, people's lives don't end when they die. Their lives end when they lose their faiths. You can't simply hold that much sentimental value on your blade to think that your soul is synchronised with your blade. Because it is not. Even if you die here by my hands, it doesn't mean you are dull like your sword. If you are dull, you've scampered away cowardly like your men in the sight of carnage. No. I call your comrades who have no intentions to fight… dull."
The warrior exhaled an exhausted breath and his bleeding wouldn't stop; he could no longer feel his arms.
"You stood before me bravely to protect them." The leader of Amegakure smirked. "When I tell tales of you, I will regard you as a hero. Give me your name in exchange for your life."
"Promise me… something instead." The warrior coughed out blood but insisted to speak. "In exchange for my life…"
"Go on."
"Leave my men alone."
"Those eyes… those fires burning in his eyes... even when he knows he is dying, he still wants to protect his comrade. Remarkable." Hanzo squatted down beside the fallen samurai and rummaged his pocket before picking out a bottle of antidote. "This is a medicine that I brew myself to counter my poison. Take it. Drink it. Do whatever you want with it."
The shock within the samurai's eyes was evident and Hanzo sighed. "Like I said, faith is important to a person's life. You can't tell if a person's faith just by looking at them. But you can tell what their faith is when you fight them. And I haven't fought someone like you for a very long time. I have three apprentices and one of them resemble you very much. Determined to protect his comrade and willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good."
Feeding the samurai a few drops of his antidote, Hanzo stood up. "Remember, taking this antidote doesn't guarantee anything. I've saved you this time, but what lies ahead is not for me to decide. Frankly, it's difficult to crush one's faith. I have faith myself. I plan to bring all the five elemental nations together as one unified country. That way… war will not occur and peace will arrive. I'll test my faith on you. Will it be death while still holding onto one's faith… or living a long life forgetting one's faith? Think about it."
"M-Mifune…"
Hanzo stopped in his steps.
"That's my name."
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"Great fight. Boring speech." Naruto pouted as he stood up and stretched his body.
Nagato concurred. "Boring it might be, it's motivating regardless."
Konan then spotted something abnormal on the other side of the waterfall. "Hey, did you see that. There's someone there!"
The blonde shifted his eyes lazily at the directed location the blue haired girl had pointed. He was astounded by Konan's discovery. "What's an old guy doing there for?"
"You think he is a spy?" The redhead of the group asked.
"Nah. Maybe. Not sure. Let's go check him out." Naruto led his group towards their destination.
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Ryotenbin no Onoki, Sandaime Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, had fought countless of battles to reach a rest spot. He was investigating the land of Amegakure personally, trying to explore any advantageous passages for him to bypass in order to infiltrate Amegakure successfully. He had sent his troops to provide intelligence for him yet none was competent enough to return back to Iwagakure in one piece. However, Amegakure was a solid fortress, constructed by Hanzo to detect presences of intruders from afar.
Currently, he had finally found a place where he could regain his strength without being interrupted by foreign enemies.
He did recognise a few chakra signatures at a considerable distance away from him. Fortunately for him, those chakra signatures had faded away.
"My back is starting to hurt. My body is getting frailer. At this rate, taijutsu will be out of reach for me." Onoki struggled to rise, but to no avail was his injured leg allowing him to stand. "I was reckless. To let those inexperienced younglings catch me off-guard… I'm really thinking making Kitsuchi the next Tsuchikage. When Kurotsuchi-chan gets older, she might become a possible candidate to my throne as well. There is only a problem though… she dislikes training, even when her veins flow the blood of mine-"
Averting his eyes sharply to his right, the Tsuchikage bellowed. "Who's there? Show yourself!"
Naruto, Konan and Nagato emerged from the bushes and chuckled nervously in unison. "H-Hello!"
"What do you want, brats?"
Konan was worried when he saw the grumpy old man's bleeding leg. "Y-You're injured! We saw a man limping into the forest and we wish to help."
"We're orphans." Naruto beamed. "So don't worry if we're gonna backstab you. Cos there's nothing to stab for!"
"I can handle myself." Onoki narrowed his eyes at the children and shook his hands. "Leave now! And don't come back!"
"But why?" Konan was perplexed. "You're injured. You need our help!"
"I don't need any-"
Unexpectedly, a ninja descended atop of Onoki and aimed his kunai threateningly at the Tsuchikage. "I got you now, senile old fart!"
"Look out!" Nagato yelled before he hastily flashed through several hand seals. However, the redhead's action was halted when Onoki clamped his hands together. Separating them slowly, a luminous orb materialised at the epicentre of his hands and a transparent cube encompassed the glowing sphere, radiating raw power as Onoki continued to channel chakra into his imminent attack. "Foolishness. Ambushing me with such silly tactics. Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu." (Particle Style: Atomic Dismantling Technique)
It was too late for the assailant. Onoki shot the illuminating orb at his assaulter and it flew at unbelievable velocity towards its target. A gigantic white box manifested into existence, trapping the assailant within its space before a devastating explosion occurred. Smoke erupted from within the enclosed box and soon, the assaulter was pulverised into nothingness. Naruto, Konan and Nagato gawked at Onoki's display of paramount prowess.
Immediately after witnessing the utilisation of the Jinton, Naruto pondered. "So that's the legendary Jinton. The mysterious handbook mentions that there is a secret behind the art of the Jinton. If he knows how to use the Jinton, he must be… the Sandaime Tsuchikage, Ryotenbin no Onoki and successor of the Nidaime Tsuchikage, Mu. I remember that the Nidaime Tsuchikage is pain in the ass during the war when Kabuto revives him. But to think that I can meet the master of the Jinton myself… today is my lucky day!"
Onoki studied the children and was petrified to notice something; the Tsuchikage recognised those who hailed from the supposedly extinct Shikigami clan and Konan's glossy blue hair and crimson eyes were distinctive. Still, what truly flabbergasted Onoki were the two boys. Both of them possessed the fabled Rinnegan and the Tsuchikage could feel the gargantuan amount of chakra stored within both the blonde and the redhead. "T-Tell me… brats… what are your names?"
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" The blonde puffed his chest proudly.
"I'm Konan. Nice to meet you." The blue haired girl bowed meekly.
"Uzumaki Nagato. It's a pleasure meeting you." The redhead nodded solemnly.
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Hanzo rested comfortably in his throne and was tending to his paperwork when his guards materialised beside him. "What is it?"
"Hanzo-sama, Naruto, Konan and Nagato have disappeared."
The leader of Amegakure sighed. "They will return. May it be a month or two months, they will come back."
"But-"
"That is all. Return back to your post."
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It was night time and the shimmering stars decorating the stars were blinking at its viewers. Although immobilised, Onoki had constructed an earth dome with his proficient earth technique and Naruto promptly set up a campfire. Skewering chickens with sticks, the children stared at the crackling flames while keeping an eye on their roasting meat. Onoki decided to break the silence. "The three of you know jutsu, don't you? Train by some hermit, I suppose?"
"Yes." Konan nodded vividly. "How do you know that, ji-chan?"
"I know many things, little girl." The Tsuchikage stared at the boys in the group and smirked. "And the two of you possess the Rinnegan. But that's just extraordinary. The legend foretells that there will only be one pair of Rinnegan in the world. And if that person who has the Rinnegan dies, he or she shall enter the realm of reincarnation, giving birth to a new pair of Rinnegan. I guess that prophecy is a hoax."
Naruto shrugged. "Guess so."
"And you, boy." Onoki pointed a finger at the blonde. "You're the leader of the group, aren't you?"
Arching a brow, Naruto queried. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… you lead your group. And to do that, you establish trust to your peers. The first time I meet you, I can tell you have all the qualities a leader should have." Onoki chuckled. "Trust me, I know that from experiences."
"So what is your occupation, ji-chan?" Konan smiled.
"Me? I'm a ninja, obviously." The Tsuchikage could not reveal his identity to the children and only asked them to refer him anything they wished. In the end, they called him 'gramps', much to his chagrin; he hated to be reminded of his old age.
Naruto stroked his chin and analysed. "Hmm… let me see, you are a very powerful ninja and a war veteran. Not to mention, you're a discerning strategist. The fact that we have the Rinnegan and you're not even surprise only tells me one thing. Your strength could be that of a kage level. And you cherish your family. You probably have a granddaughter. Uh… she's two… no, three years old, right?"
Onoki narrowed his eyes and looked at the blonde oddly. "Yes… how do you know that?"
Nagato grinned. "Naruto has this strange ability to decipher a person's mentality. And I'm sure it's not his Rinnegan doing the trick. Cause my Rinnegan doesn't do that."
The Tsuchikage chortled. "You, boy, really have that potential to be an outstanding leader. That's right. However, the way you can just stare through somebody's soul is… downright creepy."
Naruto shrugged. "So I've been told."
"So…" The redhead stared timidly at Onoki. "Can you teach us jutsu?"
Upon registering the statement, the Tsuchikage laughed. "Why must I, brat? I see that the three of you know jutsu. And you, girl, have a great mastery over chakra control. I can tell that your chakra control is already at the level of high chunin, despite your young age. There is no need for me to teach you anyway."
"But… we only know so much." Konan pouted at Onoki. "We can't defend ourselves with limited jutsu. We need somebody powerful to teach us."
"Yeah!" Naruto grinned. "Someone at the calibre of a kage! You're the best candidate, jiji! Since you're not going to leave, why don't you just do something useful and teach us something!"
"Why must I?" The Tsuchikage folded his arms. "If anything, the three of you might be spies trying to gain information from me."
"Jiji…" Naruto smirked haughtily. "If we're spies, you would've killed us. Why talk so much nonsense just to disclose of our identities, right?"
Onoki narrowed his eyes and stared at the insightful blonde. "Perceptive. Nevertheless, you still have to convince me otherwise if you really wish to study under my tutelage."
"Then what do you want us to do?" Konan asked but was irked by the predatory grin plastered on the Tsuchikage's face.
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Nagato grunted as he washed Onoki's dirtied clothes at the riverbank. Konan was roasting a chicken while Naruto was sitting beside the blue haired girl. A dreadful scowl was adorning on the blonde's features and the redhead was perplexed; he had never seen Naruto's serious demeanour before. "Naruto, are you sure doing these mundane jobs for that old man is necessary? I mean, he might be a fluke! It is true that he can use techniques that are outside the normalcy of ordinary elemental chakra but-"
"Listen up, Konan-chan, Nagato." Naruto crossed his arms and sat upright. "That old man is the Sandaime Tsuchikage. He's the current leader of Iwagakure and his powers are off the chart."
"W-What?" The children were bewildered. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"
"Because it isn't the right time to do so. If he knows that we know of his identity, he might kill us. That's why… we're going to act normal and continue acting as fools, trying to get him to teach us jutsu."
Konan bit her lower lips. "What do you think he is here for? Is he trying to kill Hanzo-sama?"
"No. Killing Hanzo is his objective, no doubt, but that's not what he is here for. Regardless, we will get him to teach us jutsu. Just do as what he says and he'll open up for us."
"Are you sure about that?" Nagato queried.
"Yes. Don't worry. Just act stupid and we'll be fine." The blonde smirked. "And I need him to tell me the secrets of the Jinton."
An hour later, Onoki stepped out from the shadows and coughed purposely, catching the children's attention in the process. Naruto, Konan and Nagato assembled before the Tsuchikage and saluted formally. Onoki grinned at the acknowledgement the children were blatantly providing. "Yellow, you ask me how to prove your worthiness to me, rght?"
"Yes." Naruto affirmed. "I need to know. We really want to become stronger."
Onoki smirked. "Good. Red, do you want to learn from me as well?"
"It will be my honour."
"And you Blue?" The Tsuchikage turned his sight at the only girl in the group.
"Y-Yes."
"Very well." Putting his hands behind his back, Onoki lectured. "To be able to conserve both energy and chakra during battle, which could prove vital in war, one must learn to be invisible. Be invisible to the radar. Be invisible to the target. Be invisible to the enemy. If you're a bright mass of orange, you're the first one to die. Because the bull likes red and you'll be the eyesore. In war, speed determines everything. In battle, precision determines the outcome. Therefore, to become invisible, I will teach you how to be invisible. However, there is a time limit."
"Time limit?" Nagato arched a brow.
"That's right. In three days. In three days time, if the three of you are able to master this technique then I will teach you anything you want."
Naruto smirked. "Anything?"
"Yes." Without threading any hand seals, Onoki muttered. "Meisaigakure no Jutsu." (Hiding with Camouflage Technique)
The Tsuchikage became invisible literally. What was truly confounding was not the fact that Onoki blended light to the extremity where it couldn't perceive his frame; it was the Tsuchikage's presence that had vanished instantaneously, which amazed the children immensely. Konan tried to detect any chakra source throughout her vicinity but she could only sense her friend's presences. "Impossible… it's like he…"
"It's like I've become a nonexistence, right?" Onoki guffawed. "Only experienced ninja are able to sense me. It will only be a flicker of presence but it's so diminished that it is considered negligible. My sensei has mastered this technique to the point that he becomes formless when this jutsu is activated. Also, he can squash his chakra so much that he becomes invisible in a warpath. That is why stealth is an important aspect in a ninja's career. It's what makes us ninja."
The children nodded fervently. "Please teach it to us!"
"Don't rush me." Onoki chuckled. "I will teach you the mandatory hand seals. Learn it well. In three days time, I want you to master it. Remember, Meisaigakure no Jutsu consists of two components; becoming formless and hiding one's chakra. Master both components and I'll determine your worthiness."
Konan swallowed nervously. "But it doesn't sound as easy as it will be."
"That's why if the three of you are able to master it within three days, I'll teach you anything you want." Onoki grinned triumphantly. "Blue and Red are probably not going to master it within the time limit. It's just impossible, even for someone who possesses the Rinnegan. However… Yellow is a different story. Even for a kid, he carries a strange vibe that does make people think he's hiding something. What an enigma. I'm looking forward to see their results."
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Naruto sat on a patch of ground, enjoying the soothing breeze. He assayed Nagato, who was training diligently at the riverbank to master their prescribed technique. "Nagato's Rinnegan gives him the ability to decelerate time. That's a wrong description to consolidate the true extent of his abilities. Apart from being able to utilise the Six Path of Pain, his Rinnegan allows him to perceive every occurrence in his surrounding faster than ordinary people. His ability to form a retardation of time makes him a dangerous opponent."
The blonde blew his fringe off his face and sighed. "I wonder what's special about my Rinnegan."
Laxly, Naruto twisted his sights to his back and smiled at his five hundred clones trying to master Onoki's technique. He had succeeded in depleting a sufficient amount of chakra when he tried to conceal his powers. Morphing their bodies into seamless frames, all of the Naruto clones continued to repress the entirety of their chakra. The blonde smirked as he changed his views to a secluded terrain and was marvelled by Konan who, without clones or redundant aids, had almost comprehended the theories behind the Tsuchikage's technique.
Standing up groggily, Naruto marched to a sequestered spot in the forest. "I have another three hundred clones mastering the Mokuton ability. Everybody knows earth and water is the Mokuton's primary elements. However, nobody realises that the Mokuton actually needs four elements. The Yin Release, Inton, is said to create forms out of nothingness and the Yang Release, Yoton, can breathe life into forms. In fact, most Jutsu requires the Inton to be operative and many people have been using it subconsciously without knowing. However, the Yoton is different. It is the secondary element within the Mokuton. It gives life into both earth and water to form wood. That is why…"
The blonde arrived to his station and smirked at his hundreds of clones. Composing a few hand seals, Naruto clamped his hand together and whispered quietly. "Mokuton: Mokujoheki." (Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall)
Wood rose from the ground and enclosed the entire field of clones with a gigantic dome. The blonde grinned at his achievement and inspected the wooden infrastructure cheerfully. "To be able to use the Mokuton, one must be aware of Yang's existence and its importance. It seems I have almost mastered the Mokuton. I aspire to master it to the level of the Shodaime Hokage. To do that… I have to master his signature technique…"
Dispelling the technique, the dome crumbled and demolished into debris.
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Naruto, Konan and Nagato were grilling food with skewers on a campfire. Onoki was studying a few scrolls, enjoying the blissful silent. Placing the reading materials onto the ground, the Tsuchikage sighed. "Yellow, I need to talk to you… in private."
The blonde blinked before his lips crept up a smile. "Okay."
"Come with me."
Naruto stood up and followed the Tsuchikage into the woods. When they had reached an isolated region of the forest, Onoki crossed his arms and furrowed his brows. "I know you have already awakened the latent ability of your Rinnegan."
"I-I don't know-"
"Don't you dare take me as a fool, Yellow!" The Tsuchikage's glare intensified. "I have observed you and Red for a while now. Between the two of you, you are obviously stronger. And I know you believe his Rinnegan's ability surpasses you."
"Since you've already known so much, why ask?" Naruto directed a cautious gaze at Onoki.
"You're wrong about what you believe, Yellow." The blonde gasped. "You're far stronger than Red. Much more than you could ever imagine. And I know you know who I am."
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto gritted his teeth. "So you know everything from the start? About what we are and who we're working for?"
"Working for? Your loyalty isn't presented to Hanzo." Onoki chuckled with amusement at a disgruntled Naruto. "You might be under his tutelage but I know your allegiance is misplaced. You're most likely war orphans who have no choice but to serve Hanzo in order to gain a sustainable life. By becoming ninja, you flourish your powers in order to protect both Blue and Red. Very selfless you are, boy I don't see that nowadays. What a pity."
"What do you mean by that?" Naruto growled. "What is your point?"
The Tsuchikage sighed. "You do not need to fear if I'll kill you and the children for knowing of my identity, because I assure you I will not. However, I am willing to let you come with me to Iwagakure-"
"To serve you and become your war machines? No thanks." Naruto twirled around.
Onoki smirked. "Red's Rinnegan most likely allows him to perceive everything slowly. However, that is a passive ability. You, in the other hand, are different. I know you have already mastered the legendary Kekkei Genkai, the Wood Release, right?"
Naruto widened his eyes in horror. "Y-You knew?"
"I know many things. That only means one thing… your Rinnegan most likely allows you to master any Kekkei Genkai with ease. Since the birth of the first Rinnegan, the dojutsu that the Rikudo Sennin possessed, he had mastered every jutsu in the world, including those of the other Kekkei Genkai. Do you know that with the Rinnegan's mystical ability, the Rikudo Sennin was able to channel his chakra to replicate the powers of the Sharingan? Like him, you can do that sort of tasks that others might consider impossible."
"You mean… I can use the powers of the Sharingan? And the Byakugan as well?"
"It seems you're quite knowledgeable with the shinobi's affair." Onoki huffed. "Makes me wonder who you truly are, Yellow."
Naruto quirked his derisive smirk. "Just a regular kid surviving an irregular world. Thanks for the information, old man."
"Consider my proposal."
The blonde arched a brow. "About?"
"Joining Iwagakure. I promise you that you'll not be treated as… war machines as you have stated. I have a granddaughter, as you have deduced. It will be a pleasure for her to meet you. You know? Something to inspire her to become a powerful kunoichi in the future." Onoki drew out a tired breath. "Sometimes that girl drives me nuts. If you join me, you will not regret it."
"We'll see." The blonde spun around and proceeded to venture back into the campsite.
However, Onoki had disclosed something that halted Naruto's tracks.
"You want to know the secrets of my Dust Release, don't you?"
The blonde was rigid in his stance.
"I'll take that as a yes." Onoki grinned. "If you come with me, I promise to take you as my apprentice. If you're worthy enough, I might tell you the secrets to my Jinton."
Naruto stayed quiet for a bit before he erupted into guffaws. The blonde twisted his head slightly to meet the Tsuchikage's stern gazes and widened his smirk. "You don't hold bargaining chips on me. I don't do things the easy way. I'll figure it out myself, one way or another."
Onoki watched the boy's distancing frame and nodded in affirmation. "He is the one. He is… the messiah."
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
(Three days later…)
"Meisaigakure no Jutsu." Konan completed the hand seals perfectly and her chakra was suppressed entirely to the point where her presence had become imperceptible; her form was translucent though.
Onoki nodded his head. "Good job, Blue."
The blue haired girl beamed cheerfully.
"Meisaigakure no Jutsu." Nagato executed his hand seals faultlessly and had turned his body into an invisible apparition. However, his chakra was quenched to a mere flickering presence and only traceable by superior ninja.
The Tsuchikage folded his arms. "Great work, Red."
"Meisaigakure no Jutsu." Naruto's aura was indiscernible and his frame had become a seamless phantom.
Applauding proudly, Onoki grinned. "Excellent. The three of you have done better than I've expected. As part of the bargain, you can request anything from me. As long as I can teach, I will teach. However, I will only teach each one of you a jutsu. So think wisely."
Konan was startled. "But I thought-"
"You thought I will teach you everything? What do you take me for? A charity case?" The Tsuchikage rolled his eyes. "Now tell me. I don't like to wait, brats."
Naruto stood forward. "I want to learn the art-"
"Of my Dust Release?" Onoki interrupted.
The blonde simply chuckled and wagged a finger disapprovingly. "I want to learn the Yoton, Lava Release."
Nagato stood forward. "I am interested with the Jinton, Dust Release."
The Tsuchikage was perplexed. "I thought Yellow is interested with my Dust Release? Why will he wants to learn the Lava Release? And then Red wants to learn the Dust Release? Is this a set-up?"
"I read a book somewhere and…" Konan smiled uneasily. "I want to know more about the Kinton, Metal Release!"
Onoki blinked in astonishment. "H-How do you know the existence of the Kinton? Where did you get that book?"
"I forgot." Konan shrugged. "I guess you know about the Metal Release, don't you?"
"Yes. I am aware of both the Kinton and the Yoton. Are you sure you wish to know about them?"
The children nodded.
"Red, I have made an oath to my teacher once. I will not teach the Jinton to anybody, except my most trusted apprentice. That is why I can only tell you indirectly. As long as you can solve the riddle, you will understand the traits of the Dust Release." Onoki closed his eyes and recited. "The ground shivers as wildfire burns, the wind sweeps down and fuel its fury, but the ground, though burns in agony, retains calmness as it is, accepting its punishment with no regrets. The ultimate sin lies at its viewpoint. The achievement is done when the mind sees the fragments. The source of life protects the product. What miracle does not obey the God's law?"
Nagato blinked. "What?"
"Think about it." The Tsuchikage switched his attention at Konan. "The Kinton, huh? That's a challenge. Long ago, back when my village was still a mere wasteland, there was a clan who blended metal at their wills. The clan members were all born with suitable elemental chakra to use the Metal Release. However, when the First Shinobi World War started, they were the first clan to face extinction. Because their strength was formidable, many villages wished to duplicate the Kekkei Genkai. Nobody succeeded as of yet."
Onoki sat onto the ground and sighed. "For what I know, the Kinton requires earth and fire elements to forge metal. That is the tricky part. Only those who possesses a particular earth element that contain a significant nature of metal can hope to use the Metal Release. That is why up until now nobody can bring the Kinton back to life. However… I can feel a new era coming to our world…"
Staring apathetically at Naruto and Nagato, the Tsuchikage pointed a finger at their Rinnegan. "You two are going to be the saviour of the world. Your eyes will give you the power to use the Kinton. How exactly should you use the Kinton… well, Yellow, I guess you know the answer."
The blonde nodded. "I have already gotten the key to unlock other elements… Heh…"
"Yellow, you want to know about the Yoton, right?" Onoki chuckled before his visage was replaced by a furious scowl. "Do you really take me as a fool? You have already mastered the Lava Release, as well as the Wood Release. What is your motive, boy?"
Naruto grinned cheekily.
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(Two days ago…)
"Listen up, Konan-chan, Nagato. Jiji knows of the fact that we know who he is."
Nagato gritted his teeth. "Will we be in trouble?"
"No. That is why… when he asks us what we wish to learn from him, the two of you must not tell him what you truly want to know. Mislead him. Distract him. I'm going to do something that will extrapolate more information from him. You see, he thinks we're just naive little kids. He believes he's one step ahead of us but the truth is that we're two steps ahead of him. One is where we know of his true identity and the second is where we know his next move. That's why we need to do something."
"Do something?" Konan arched a brow. "I have a hunch. You have mastered another path, haven't you?"
The blonde grinned. "Ningendo, the Human Path, allows me to read people's memories with one touch. It also allows me to remove his or her soul. The latter is a tiny bit disturbing, if I must say."
The redhead gaped. "You're planning to kill a kage?"
"No? Obviously not. What do you take me for? Suicidal? I just want to read his memory. I need to confirm something. Besides, that old man's power is limited. He cannot teach Konan-chan how to use her powers effectively. And you, Nagato, he cannot teach you much. I bet he doesn't know much about the Onmyoton. And if I wish to read his memory, I need to make contact with him. It will be awfully suspicious of me if I just shake his hand for no reason, still with me?"
"So what should we say?" The blue haired girl queried.
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Draping a hand over the Tsuchikage's shoulder, Naruto flashed an uncanny smirk at Onoki. "I'm testing your intelligence. It seems you're not senile as others think you are."
"Senile?" Onoki's eyebrow twitched vehemently. "I am Ryotenbin no Onoki, Sandaime Tsuchikage of Iwagakure and-"
Nagato and Konan yelled in unison. "Oh! So you're the Tsuchikage!"
Blinking in confusion, Onoki scratched his head. "I am under the assumption that the three of you know of my identity."
"Yeah…" The blue haired girl shrugged. "We just want to mess with you."
"Yeah! Cheer up-" Naruto froze in his speech as he was suddenly to hear noises. It was barely audible from the start but gradually amplified to an unbearable extent.
Onoki, you must lead Iwagakure to a new age! Jiji, I want lollipop! Tsuchikage-sama, we're under attack! Do me proud, my son! Kurotsuchi-chan, give me back my chopsticks! Behave yourself, Kurotsuchi-chan! Kitsuchi, buckle up and become stronger! Han, you'll always be a weapon to Iwagakure! Roshi, mastering the beast within you will make you an asset to our village! I want the shinobi of Konoha be eradicated this instance! Don't you dare die on me, buddy! Sensei, I will do you proud as the next Tsuchikage! You should retire, father. Kurotsuchi-chan, don't you dare spit on your food!
Naruto convulsed fiercely as he clutched onto his head and fell onto the ground, agitating violently. "It hurts… what am I hearing? Are these… jiji's memories?"
The last the blonde heard was Konan's fading scream.
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
"We still can't find the children, sir." A mask ninja said behind his master's back.
"Stop getting paranoid." Hanzo sighed. "They will come back, that's for sure."
"You seem confident, sir."
"It's facts. I'm certain of it. I have more important businesses at hand. Do not disturb me without my consent."
The guard bowed his head apologetically. "Understood. I'll take my leave."
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
When Naruto opened his eyes weakly and he was immediately bathed under a bright light. Upon instincts, the blonde covered his eyes with an arm.
"Are you alright?"
Naruto arched a brow and adjusted his eyesight at his environment. Onoki, Nagato and Konan were staring curiously at him. "Stop staring at me like that. It's creepy."
The redhead and the blue haired girl withdrew themselves from Naruto, but Onoki was unyielding. "What happen?"
Surveying the Tsuchikage's facial features, Naruto sighed. "You're feeling fear and contempt. Why?"
Onoki was startled. "You're reading my emotions? Is that one of your Rinnegan's ability?"
"No. Your face is telling me everything. Your eyebrows are raised upwards and pulled together. Mouth is stretched wide. Signs of fear. But the corner of your mouth is crooked. Symbolises contempt." Naruto concluded. "So my question to you is what's with you?"
The blonde sat up and assayed Onoki's expression. "Ah! Surprise. I see surprise in you. Surprise that I can see your emotions? It's not the Rinnegan, that part is definitely true."
"Interesting. This boy can read emotions. Micro-expression, an art of detecting emotions from one's face. I only know a few people in this world who are aware of these skills. One of them is me. How interesting. I can't hide my emotions from him." The Tsuchikage narrowed his eyes cynically at the boy. "Where did you learn that? Detecting emotions?"
"From years of practice." Naruto smirked before he rubbed his temples. "Nasty migraine. Mind giving me some space? I'll really like to rest, alone."
Onoki huffed, struggled into a standing posture and walked away. Konan and Nagato crawled towards their friend and gulped. "How are you?"
Naruto simply grinned victoriously. "The plan turns out well. We successfully distracted that old man and I got the opportunity to read his mind with my new ability. I know everything about Iwagakure and its map. I also know how we can get there if we want."
"Why will we want to go there?" Konan queried.
"You don't really think we are going to stay here forever, do you?" Naruto pinched the girl's chin playfully and it earned him a pink tint adorning onto the blue haired girl's cheeks. "We're going to leave this place one day. Listen carefully, that old man is leaving soon. He's planning to wipe our memories-"
"What?" Nagato yelled but the blonde ushered him quiet.
"Just listen to me. He's planning to wipe out all of our memories clean. His plan of teaching us jutsu is just a fraud. He cannot afford anybody to know that he has arrived to Amegakure. I can stop that by storing our memories in a databank."
"Databank?"
Naruto smirked and formed a hand seal. Spontaneously, a clone materialised beside the trio. "I'm going to store all of our memories within this clone. But I'm gonna need your help, Nagato."
The redhead stroked his chin and deduced. "Shunshin no Jutsu?"
"Yes. I know you can teleport nonliving things to another location, right?" Naruto jerked a thumb at his clone. "This ain't a living thing. That's why I'm gonna store the information into him. Information such as jutsu, memories and things we learn from the old man is all there."
"Why don't we just ask your clone to return to our bunker?" Nagato questioned.
Naruto waved a displeasing hand. "Not possible. Jiji has sealed this place up within a one mile radius with a barrier technique. Anything that breaches the perimeter will automatically inform jiji. That is why we must teleport the clone out of here and back to our bunker."
"We can shut down the barrier, right?" Konan asked apprehensively.
"No. That will alert jiji as well. It's a pretty great barrier to be honest with you." The blonde surmised.
Nagato wrinkled his nose. "How did you know all this? You read his mind?"
"Yeah. I manage to get the information I needed from him, eluding other mundane matters while I'm at it. Still can't control my powers properly though."
"So…" Konan tried to ameliorate the ambience with an elated inquiry. "How do you feel?"
"How do I feel?" Naruto sighed. "Like getting a terrible hangover after drinking ten bottles of rum, that's how I feel."
The blue haired girl pursed her lips before she ruffled the blonde's hair. "Just get used to it then, Naruto-kun."
Naruto smiled merrily at a jubilant Konan. "It seems I'm right after all. The Shikigami clan originates from Iwagakure. And I have already discovered the secrets of the Dust Release. There is no need for me to solve the stupid riddle then. All I now need is to infiltrate Iwagakure and steal classified scrolls about Kinjutsu for Konan-chan and Nagato. Konan needs to know more about her clan's secret techniques and I'm going to help her achieve that; it's the least I can do for her. As for Nagato, he's interested with the Onmyoton and sealing techniques. And he definitely has talents for Genjutsu. Something I seriously suck. I think Iwagakure has some scrolls that might help him."
Staring at his hands, Naruto sighed. "As for myself, I think I might need to visit Konoha soon. After all, the Rinnegan creates the Izanagi, right? If I play my cards right, I might be able to use the Uchiha's Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. All I need is a baseline. I need to know how to replicate- No, replicate is not the right word. Retrieve… That's right; I need to know how to retrieve all of the Rinnegan's powers."
The blonde couldn't help but let a smirk slipped out from his façade. "I will master the powers of my Rinnegan, as well as all of the Kekkei Genkai in this world and then use my newfound powers to create peace. The first place of liberation shall take place in… Amegakure."
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
(A day later…)
"Reporting, sir."
Hanzo opened an eye from his meditation and quirked an irritated brow. "What is it?"
"The children are returning…"
"I told you, didn't I?" The leader of Amegakure shut his eyes and raised his volume. "Now get out. I got things to do."
"Understood."
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
Before Onoki commenced with his scheme to cleanse unwanted memories from the children's mind, Naruto slotted a note into his clone's pocket and had Nagato teleported it back into their hideout. The plan ran smoothly and the children were in a trance after the Tsuchikage performed his technique; Onoki snuck out of Amegakure swiftly afterwards. When they reached their bunker, Naruto was puzzled by the existence of an unregistered clone standing within their chamber.
The clone rummaged his pocket and handed a paper to the blonde. "Boss, this is the note that you want me to give it to you."
"Note?" Naruto was confused as he seized the note and unfurled it before skimming through the content. Without hesitation, the blonde dispelled the clone and brilliant essences scattered all over the bunker.
Amongst the children, only Naruto screamed when gargantuan amount of memories flickered consecutively within his mind. His eyes were glowing off an effulgent violet as he remembered the past experiences clearly. Coughing in exhaustion, Naruto was gasping for breaths. Konan patted the blonde's back and were frightened by Naruto's sudden distress. "A-Are you alright, Naruto-kun?"
"I-I'm fine." An ominous shadow, casted by his golden bangs, hid the blonde's eyes. "We should rejoice. Go celebrate with Nagato… I'll go take a rest… and join you later…"
"But-"
"Just do it, Konan-chan." Naruto smiled. "I'm fine. Really."
"Okay… If you say so…" Konan fidgeted her fingers before she went to check on Nagato.
The blonde simply grinned as his plan reached a beneficial fruition. While the blue haired girl and the redhead were celebrating joyously, Naruto jumped onto his bed and secretly grabbed a black notebook that he had concealed under his bed. Flipping open an allocated page, the blonde browsed the content with a shrewd smirk; his Rinnegan was illuminating a sinister vermillion. "I win… Just like how I planned. Once I mastered all of the other elements, my powers will stand beyond the realm of any ordinary kage."
Staring impassively at his hands, Naruto's eyes were glimmering unwavering resolve. "Those who see evil and do nothing are what make this world dangerous. The world must change… so I'll change it."
"Naruto-kun! Naruto-kun!"
The blonde snapped his attentions at Konan, who was concern about Naruto's mentality. "W-What? What is it, Konan-chan?"
"You're babbling about some evil stuff and how to change it. Are you alright there?"
Chuckling anxiously, Naruto waved a hand at the blue haired girl. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine. I'm just thinking how… evil… the… the coffee machine is… you know? It spills coffee everywhere… it's evil you know? I'm thinking changing a new coffee machine. Need to ask Hanzo… for his opinion… to change evil coffee machine. Hehe, yeah. Evil coffee machine."
"Okay…" Konan beamed gleefully. "Do you need me to accompany you? You know, asking Hanzo-sama to change your evil coffee machine?"
"Uh… nope! Nope! I can handle it. Just go… celebrate."
"Whatever you say." The girl kissed the blonde on his cheek before she skipped to the redhead.
Naruto simply blinked dumbly at his situation. "Well shit. I sure love her more than I love Sakura-chan, that's for sure."
X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X-o~O~o-X
Pairings undecided:
1.)NarutoXKonan
2.)NarutoXMei
3.)NarutoXShizune
4.)NarutoXKurenai
5.)NarutoXAnko
6.)NarutoXKoyuki
7.)NarutoXSamui
8.)NarutoXMabui
9.)NarutoXKurotsuchi
10)NarutoXHarem(Who?)
a.)NagatoXShizune
b.)NagatoXKurenai
c.)NagatoXSamui
d.)NagatoXYugito
e.)NagatoXMabui
f)NagatoXHarem(Who?)
Cheers