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The Shinobi Knight
Chapter10: Sages and Shadows
Land of Lightning: Kumogakure no Sato / Raikage Tower
"I see you've been busy," E spoke as he looked out at the airship that had landed on one of the platforms near the tower.
"It's all in the report Raikage-sama," Yugito stated as she placed several sheets of paper down on the desk.
"Heh heh...I assume everything went well then?" the Raikage asked.
"It was great," Naruto nodded in confirmation.
"Good...because I'm promoting you three to Chunin," E responded surprisingly the group.
"A-are you sure Raikage-sama?" Yugito stammered out in surprise.
"That was another reason for giving you that level of mission," E explained. "I wanted to see if you had what it takes to do the right thing even though it's not easy. I'm glad to say you passed so congratulations on becoming Chunin."
"So the last mission was a test?" Haku asked.
"Yes it was," E clarified. "What kind of a Kage would hand out an A-rank mission to Genin? They'd have to be out of their minds to even think of the idea; I mean I've given you all A-rank missions because of I can count on you."
"The mission to the Land of Wave..." Yugito trailed off.
"I trusted my brother to look after you," E explained. "And this last mission to the Land of Snow...sorry, I meant Land of Spring...I sent you on that mission because I wanted to give you a chance at becoming Chunin through a field promotion."
"Field promotion?" Naruto asked.
"If the Chunin Exams were the only way to become a Chunin then the villages would be made up of almost nothing but Genin. The Chunin Exams are meant to maintain good relations with other countries however they also paint a large bull's-eye on the Genin who pass it. A field promotion keeps Chunin out of other villages' sight," E concluded.
"How are the Chunin Exams going anyway?" Yugito inquired.
"From what I hear, they're getting ready for the third stage of the exams," the Raikage replied. He leaned back and shook his head, "however none of our Genin made it to the third round so I will not be attending it."
Knock Knock
E flicked the intercom and asked, "what is it?"
"Raikage-sama, there is a man from Konoha here to see you. He says it's important," his aide spoke through the system.
'Konoha...' Naruto thought and stopped his fists from clenching.
"...Send him in," E gave the order and the door opened.
A single figure stepped through...one that was immediately recognised.
'That's...' Yugito stiffened at seeing the man.
"What can I do for you Jiraiya of the Sannin?" E asked with a neutral face.
"I'm not really here to speak with you Raikage-sama...I've come to talk to him," Jiraiya answered and turned his gaze on the blond boy. "Uzumaki Naruto right? Damn...who would have thought things would turn out like this huh?"
"Who are you?" Naruto bit back the growl that threatened to explode from his throat.
"Good question; I am the Gama-Sennin no Myobokuzan. Pleased to meet you Naruto," Jiraiya answered and waved slightly.
"How do you know who I am?" the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki questioned.
"I trained the Yondaime Hokage," Jiraiya replied.
"You trained...why are you here?" Naruto asked in distrust.
"I'm here to teach you something the Yondaime Hokage wanted you to know," the Gama-Sennin answered.
"...If you really trained...where were you before now? Where were you when I was being hunted down by own sensei? Where were you when my own sensei tried to kill me?" Naruto growled out as red chakra started to flicker across his body. "Where were you when my father sealed in the Kyuubi in me?" that last question stopped Jiraiya in his tracks.
"You...you know..." the Gama-Sennin whispered in surprise.
"Yeah I know...no thanks to Konoha," Naruto shot back. "You didn't answer my questions...where were you?"
"I..." Jiraiya took a breath before he continued. "I was keeping track of your enemies," everyone in the room narrowed their eyes at his answer.
"Enemies?" Naruto questioned.
"A group of nine S-rank nukenin called the Akatsuki, they're after the Biju...including the Kyuubi," Jiraiya continued. "Among their members are Orochimaru of the Sanninn and Akasuna no Sasori."
E's eyes flashed at the names, "Orochimaru is a part of this?"
"He was but he appears to have left the organization," Jiraiya confirmed.
"Who's Orochimaru?" Naruto asked feeling out of the loop.
"Orochimaru is one of the Sannin and a student of the Sandaime Hokage like myself. He was also a candidate for Yondaime Hokage and betrayed Konoha after your father became the Yondaime instead of him. I've lost track of him since he left the Akatsuki," Jiraiya explained.
"...So you'll train me to better fight them?" Naruto asked.
"If you'll let me?" Jiraiya offered. Naruto looked at E and then to Kirabi. The two brothers nodded and Naruto turned back to the Gama-Sennin.
"Alright," Naruto agreed with a sigh. "What are you going to teach me?"
"A jutsu that Minato wanted you to know...the Rasengan."
Land of Fire: Konohagakure no Sato / Chunin Exam Stadium
This was it...
This was his chance to prove that he was one step closer to killing his brother, his enemy and fulfilling his revenge.
Uchiha Sasuke charged down the side of the stadium wall with his left hand encased in pure lightning chakra. He didn't care about the world around him; it was just him and his opponent. He closed in on his target; the Suna Genin he was fighting had encased himself in a ball of sand and was all but impenetrable to anything he could throw at it.
Well almost anything...
"Chidori!" Sasuke exclaimed as he moved within striking distance and the crowd held their breath.
Only for a figure to drop down from the sky and slam his lightning covered hand down on the ground to create a small crater. He looked up and sent a glare at the one who dared to interfere with his match only for his eyes to widen at the sight he saw.
Silence...
"Dobe?" Sasuke asked surprised
"Hardly," 'Naruto' snorted in response. "Foolish little abomination...still playing the genius I see?" he sneered down at the Uchiha.
Quicker than most could see, he brought his sword around and slashed down at the dark-haired boy. Genma came from the side and grabbed Sasuke but not before the blade swiped across the Uchiha's arm, drawing blood. Genma backed away with Sasuke in hand and kept his gaze on 'Naruto.'
"Please call me Yami since I'm definitely not that fun loving moron," Yami corrected and licked the blood off of his sword. Immediately eight Anbu surrounded him, "I see the Hokage wants his little weapon back."
"Come with us quietly Uzumaki Naruto and you will not be punished," spoke the led Anbu.
"Yeah...it's not the best invitation so...no thanks," Yami quipped. 'Damn I sounded way too much like dad there for a second,' he shook himself in amusement. Red chakra exploded from his body surprising and terrifying everyone present as it ripped his skin apart and took the shape of a human-sized chakra fox with four tails. "Now who wants to go first?" he roared and thrust out his hands, sending several large chakra arms at the Anbu.
Up in the Kage booth Orochimaru disguised as the Kazekage shouted out, "begin operation!"
Four Anbu were dead within moments of Yami's attack and two more were injured while a large Genjutsu descended on everyone in the stadium. Yami turned quickly as Hatake Kakashi appeared behind him and thrust out a lightning covered fist at him.
"Raikiri!" the copy-nin exclaimed as he drove the attack into the chest of the chakra fox. Yami roared when the jutsu died down, 'the Kyuubi's chakra is protecting him.'
"Try something else!" Yami roared and punched the ground, sending out a massive shockwave which levelled the stadium around them and no doubt killing a lot of people.
'Damn it where is Tenzo?' Kakashi thought in worry as he saw chakra started to gather at Yami's mouth. "Doton: Doryuheki no Jutsu!" he exclaimed as a wall of solid rock shot up between the two.
"Yonbiko Imari!" Yami roared as the massive chakra sphere exploded towards the Konoha Jonin. It carved open the earth as it went, blowing right through the earth wall and forcing Kakashi to take cover in the ground. Sand suddenly exploded from behind the fox and revealed a massive sand Tanuki glaring down at them all.
"Who are you?" Gaara growled out from inside the monster.
"An ally for now," Yami replied.
"Why do you exist?" Gaara sneered.
"Heh heh I exist to destroy," Yami chuckled darkly. "I seek nought but blood and carnage; nothing more and nothing less."
"...Then stay out of my way," Gaara growled out and sent a wave of sand at everything that moved.
Yami roared as bones materialised on his chakra shroud and two more tails formed to equal six tails swishing behind him. He let out a crazed laugh as he disappeared in a burst of speed and appeared above Kakashi.
'He's fast,' Kakashi as just before Maito Gai came in from the side and kicked Yami away.
"Did I get him?" Gai asked.
"Not likely," Kakashi responded as he stood up straight once more.
"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted out, catching his attention. Kakashi turned to the sight of an unconscious Sasuke in the arms of the known spy, Yakushi Kabuto.
"Get away from my student!" Kakashi shouted as he jumped at the Oto spy.
"Shunshin no Jutsu," a second later Kabuto disappeared with Sasuke in a poof of smoke.
"No Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted in horror as her crush was taken away.
"Damn it," Kakashi gritted his teeth and turned to Neji. "Can you track them?" he asked.
"They're out of my range," Neji replied as he shook his head.
"Sasuke-kun," Sakura cried.
"Taju Imari," six bolts of chakra exploded from the smoke near the stadium and closed in on the group.
"Doton: Doryuheki no Jutsu!" Kakashi exclaimed as he created a large stone wall to protect them
The six small chakra spheres impacted the wall and exploded, shattering the wall as if it were glass and consuming their vision in fire. Kakashi's Sharingan spun wildly as Yami, who was now in human-form again stepped through the flames slowly and sent them a shilling glare with his back against the flames.
"This can't be the dead-last!" Kiba shouted indignantly.
"Dead-Last? Oh please," Yami snorted at the name. "I've always been this powerful but Konoha has always held me back...now you will see my true strength," he unsheathed the Onijin and shot forward. "Sharingan," he whispered as his eyes suddenly changed into that of the Sharingan.
"How did he-" Kakashi muttered before he was to engage the boy in Taijutsu. 'He's using Kyuubi's chakra to augment his speed and with the Sharingan he is predicting my moves.'
'It's a good job I got Sasuke-Teme's blood at the end of the match or this would be a lot more difficult,' Yami thought as he ducked under a punch only to meet a knee to the face.
"Got you," Kakashi said only for 'Yami' to disappearing in a poof of smoke. "A shadow clone?" Kakashi said surprised.
Yami suddenly appeared behind Neji and lunged at him. Neji turned quickly but was unable to deflect the blade as it grazed his shoulder and drew blood. Yami smirked and jumped away before Neji could counterattack.
"Heh heh too easy," Yami said and licked the blood off the Onijin.
"What did you do to me?" Neji sneered at the blond.
"I stole your bloodline like a good little thief," Yami answered with a smirk. "Byakugan," he whispered and his eyes suddenly turned pure white.
"What?" Neji growled out having lost control of his emotions.
"Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!" Kakashi exclaimed as he attacked from the side with a massive fireball.
"Kaiten!" Yami called out as he spun, creating a spinning shield of chakra around him.
"That's the-" Tenten whispered as the jutsu shrugged off the fireball.
Yami laughed as Kakashi landed in front of him, "do you understand now? This is what happens what you betray your own," he continued to laugh as Gaara could be seen destroying buildings across the village.
"You won't leave here alive, not after what you've done here today," Kakashi said to the blond.
"...What's your name old man? Any normal Jonin would have died by now if they were to face someone like me," asked Yami as he planted the Onijin in the ground and smirked.
"Hakata Kakashi, not that you really need to know," the copy-nin answered as his Sharingan spun and Yami's smirk widened.
"I prefer to know the names of my enemies," Yami was grinning now as his sword started to glow purple.
"What's he doing?" Gai asked.
"Dark Knight of the Fallen Kingdom; I humbly ask that you grant me power. The power of the forgotten, the power of destruction and the power of reincarnation. I call upon you...Crusader! Ascendo!" purple light consumed their vision and died down a moment later to reveal a large black knight with raven-like wings.
"What did he just do?" Chouji asked at the sight.
"Katon: Sempu Hosenka!" Yami extended his wings and let loose a large blast of flames.
"Everyone get down!" Kakashi shouted as everyone took cover in the rubble and the flames consumed the area.
"We're not fighting a ninja here," Asuma said with a wince. "We're fighting a monster and one that may be just as bad as the Kyuubi from thirteen years ago."
"I suppose it's fitting considering who he is," Gai said as he steadied his breathing.
"That Gaara kid is levelling the village building by building...what do we do?" Kurenai asked the question.
"Hokage-sama is currently battling Orochimaru and the civilians have probably been relocated to the shelters. Right now our best option is to withdraw and prepare our counterattack," Kakashi quickly deduced.
"Hey take a look, he's powering down," Chouji spoke up.
Yami sighed as returned to human form, 'well I've had my fun but it looks like the snake bastard has finished dealing with the old man.' He looked up and watched as the barrier dropped as Orochimaru fled with his four bodyguards though his arms look like they had been injured. 'It's time I withdrew as well,' he bit his thumb and formed several hand-seals. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu," a large hawk appeared a second later in a poof of smoke.
"You don't mess around do you?" Takamaru quipped as Yami jumped on and they took to the sky.
"Not all the time," Yami responded curtly as he looked back at the destroyed village and the demon rampaging through it.
"Where to now?" the hawk asked.
"...I think it's time we initiated the first part of the plan," Yami said as a sadistic smirk stretch across his face.
"Right...I can sense the target north of here...I believe it to be the Nanabi no Kabutomushi," Takamaru replied.
"Let's go then," Yami ordered as they flew off into the distance.
"What about the Kyuubi's Yang chakra?" Takamaru asked as they flew.
"Don't worry...I've captured my dad's corpse," Yami spoke as he pulled out a containment scroll. "As soon as I have access to a key then I can transfer it into my seal so I don't have to rely on these bastardised chakra cells from the temple."
This day marked the end of Konohagakure no Sato with the combined Oto-Suna strike force and Gaara rampaging through the village...
Author's Notes:
Gaara destroys Konoha! Let's face it, without Naruto there to defend it and Jiraiya in Kumo the moment, Gaara is completely unchallenged. The only one who could stop him would be Tenzo/Yamato but I've never seen him actually suppress a Biju without using the Shodai's necklace. Jiraiya also needs to train Naruto or Naruto cannot be the Child of Prophecy the old toad spoke about and the entire story would go straight to hell. As for Danzo's involvement...let's just say with Konoha completely destroyed his plans have changed.
As for Yami gaining access to Minato's body and Konoha's bloodlines; I told you I'm making him a big bad villain bent on world domination. With Minato's body he now has access to the Kyuubi's Yang chakra which was pulled out of the Kyuubi during its attack on Konoha and sealed within him. Of course it can only be opened with a key like the one Naruto has in the Forbidden Scroll of Sealing and Gerotaro's scroll. That will play an important role during the time-skip later on but that's still far away yet, at least two more story arcs.
Translation
Rasengan = Spiralling Sphere
Kuchiyose no Jutsu = Summoning Technique
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu = Multiple Shadow Clone Technique
Onijin = Demon Sword
Yonbiko Imari = Four-Tailed Fox Menacing Ball
Taju Imari = Multiple Menacing Ball
Raikiri = Lightning Blade
Doton: Doryuheki no Jutsu = Earth Release: Earth Style Wall
Katon: Sempu Hosenka = Fire Release: Hurricane Phoenix Immortal Fire
Shunshin no Jutsu = Body Flicker Technique
Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu = Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
Kaiten = Heavenly Spin
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