Tales of a Jinchuuriki
Chapter 3: Mission
"Naruto" called Itachi from outside the younger boy's room. "Wake up; we have important work to do".
"Coming!" replied Naruto waking up. He had slept soundly after eating so much ramen; he guessed he had been treated for joining into the organization.
He looked around his room, and saw a set of clothes set on a chair. He quickly got dressed and then looked at himself in a mirror. Naruto was wearing a form-fitting black shirt without sleeves; he also had on some baggy pants, fingerless gloves, and sandals.
Naruto came out of the room and found Itachi dressed similarly. The older boy began to lead Naruto through the base.
"Itachi, are we going for more training?" asked Naruto.
"No, but on this mission you will be learning" replied Itachi.
"Mission!? We're going on a mission?"
"Yes. We've been ordered to infiltrate an ancient tower and take some scrolls of vital importance".
"I understand, but shouldn't fish face be going with you?"
"Normally yes, but I've been ordered to take you along" replied Itachi. He turned to Naruto, "Be careful on this mission, messing up could mean death for you".
Naruto nodded and followed. Itachi was protecting him, and he felt somewhat at ease. The two continued their journey in silence.
There was no path or trail through the mountains and the whereabouts of the tower was nebulous at best. They weren't even entirely sure if it even existed. Finally, they found their prize. Carved into the mountain itself was a tower. It was about 200 feet tall, a three-quarters round building with the back attached to the mountain. There were narrow slits of windows along the walls, spiraling up until the very top of the Tower.
To their great pleasure, when the two ninja got closer, they saw that the tower seemed to be abandoned. There were no guards and no lights in any of the windows and the tall, heavy door stood wide open. They went to the door and peered inside, but there was nothing but a yawning blackness. Even though it was still afternoon, the sun was pale in this desolate land, so they lit torches before entering.
Cautiously they walked inside, the light from their torches was not the way it should have been and only a small circle around them was dimly lit. A black stone floor showed beneath their feet and nothing else. Their footsteps echoed inside the Tower. Was it truly empty?
As if in answer to their unspoken question, the door slammed shut and their torches went out at the exact same time, plunging them into utter darkness.
Naruto froze, afraid to move. He reached out to touch Itachi and moved closer to him, but was paralyzed to move beyond that. He could see nothing and had no idea what lay in front of them. Even Itachi seemed no longer sure in which direction the door was so they couldn't go backward.
Itachi knelt down, carefully to keep near his brother partner. He formed hand seals and produced a katon jutsu trying to light the torch, but the jutsu only flared and died away, not even causing the torch to spark.
"A Genjutsu?" Naruto asked.
"No. I would've saw a Genjutsu and dispelled it with my Sharingan".
"Then Ninjutsu?" Naruto replied.
"Seems like it. Nothing involving fire works as it should." He sighed. "I guess we just stay here until we figure out a way to leave or enter further inside."
The two sat down on the cold floor and waited in the dark. There was complete silence around them. There was not even a scrabble of mice or a chirp of an insect. Silence clung to the tower like the darkness, heavy and oppressive. If it was meant to unnerve, it was having a good effect. Naruto were afraid to move. For hours they sat there, their muscles cramping from the cold, hard floor. They had water and a little food which they shared, but nothing else.
Without warning, a torch flared awake, startling them. They jumped to their feet and looked around the dimly lit area. This torch worked as it should and they could see that they were in a small room with a long dark hallway opposite the front door. They put their torches to the lit one, but they did not ignite.
Shrugging their shoulders in unison, they walked to the corridor. Instantly another torch lit, this one further down the corridor, and at the same time, the first torch went out. They continued down the long passage, following the torches, one by one, until they reached a spiral staircase, which wound like a tight corkscrew around a stone pillar. A single torch was at its base, beckoning them. The staircase must be in the center of the tower.
Slowly they climbed, only one torch in back of them and one in front lit at any one time. As soon as they passed, the torch in back would go out and a new one in front would light. There was no railing on the outer stairway, only pitch black. A fall on these steps would surely kill them. Many hundred steps they climbed, seeing nothing but more steps; hearing nothing but their own labored breathing. They had to be at the top by now!
Around one more curve and a ceiling appeared, with the stairs going through a narrow opening. The brothers climbed through the opening and stepped out into a large round room that must have encompassed the entire Tower. While the rest of the tower was in uttered darkness, in this room there was faint light. On the other side of the room stood a tall scroll.
Someone was in the room in an instant; he came from the shadows. Whether the person had been hiding there or had been watching them the whole time, there was no way to know. Itachi activated his Sharingan and drew out a blade. The blade sang as it came from its scabbard.
"I'll be taking my scroll... and your lives!" The man hissed out. He pulled out a sword.
The Uchiha performed a jutsu and flames soon licked the edges of his blade. Itachi took his stance, crouched and ready, his weapon held high.
"The scroll is mine! And I'm not going to lose it to anyone!" The man growled and crouched low, ready to spring. He had faced many others in the past, he was ready for battle.
But Itachi wasn't just any ninja. Anyone who could manage to get this far into the tower had to be well taught, but Itachi was a master. His sword sang as it cut through the air and bit deep into the man's shoulder -- then seared the wound with burning fire. The man yelped out in pain, then quickly back flipped away. Blood began to flow down his arm. Itachi moved towards the mysterious man and again the sword sang. He moved just in time to avoid the razor sharp blade, but Itachi sliced upward instantly. Again the blade cut deep, this time through calf muscle. The man was now hobbled.
Again and again they both danced a deadly tune. Itachi's blade was now smeared with blood and the man was bleeding profusely. He would die if he didn't get help soon. But the man refused to call to give in -- his pride would not admit failure -- and this stubbornness would be the death of him.
Itachi stood motionless in front of the man, only a few feet in front of him. The man was swaying unsteadily on his feet, unable to even raise his hands in defense. Itachi raised the sword high for the killing blow -- one that would cleave the man's skull in two. But then the man smirked.
Itachi suddenly sensed a presence behind him. Another man, no a clone! He moved just in time to avoid being stabbed by a blade.
"Naruto!" called Itachi. While he wasn't worried about himself, the young Jinchuuriki wouldn't be able to defend himself against this enemy.
"He's gone!" spat the man. He then darted forward to attack Itachi. The Uchiha now had to defend against not only the man, but his clone as well. He was sure he could take them, but Naruto... could be dead. He was no longer focused on the battle, but on making sure that the young boy was safe.
With his mind not focused on the battle, he was having a hard time fighting against both the man and his clone. They saw Itachi's distraction and were energized with a new strength. They had him!
Itachi cursed to himself. He should have seen this coming. Because of him Naruto was dead! He managed to block blows from both blades aimed at his head.
"Karada Seiiku: Ude" [Body Growth: Arm] Itachi heard the man say. And then he saw it. Another arm had come from the man's body and it too held a blade. "Now you die!" said the man with a cynical smile.
He then raised the blade. And grunted.
Itachi looked and saw a silver point protruding from the center of the man's chest. For a second, he couldn't understand what he was seeing.
Time slowed to a crawl as he watched the point withdraw and a river of red liquid begin to pour out of his chest. Then in a second of blinding clarity, he realized the truth.
The man had been stabbed through the back. The silver point had been a sword blade piercing through his body. He looked down again -- now the entire front of his clothes was covered in blood.
It was heart blood...
Life blood.
The man twisted around to look his killer in the eye.
It was Naruto!
Then the man crumbled to his knees and stayed there, his head hanging and the sword in his hands falling limp. His clone vanished in a cloud of smoke.
"I couldn't let him kill you" Naruto whispered to the surprised Uchiha.