Omake stuff: This chapter has been revised. See Chapter 22 for changes.
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Chapter 10: Reformation of the Barrier
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Upon entering the village, Naruto almost felt he was walking into some unknown ghost town. There was no lively chatter of men and women, the streets empty and desolate.
The blonde decided to navigate the streets alone, his ears picking up noise en masse a little bit far away. There was a tingling in his left hand before he suddenly knew where to go. As if instinct was leading him across streets and alleyways, the noise turning into indistinct voices, his footsteps leading him closer and closer to the center of the village.
Naruto emerged from the last alley to find himself at the back of a large assembly of Sound shinobis, each talking to themselves as the Otokage looked over them, his sibilant eyes gazing with mild interest at his cohorts. He was atop a platform (maybe erected for the occasion) idly sitting, his legs crossed. On his face was reflected a bit of boredom and annoyance.
Kabuto stood straight below him, his face in irritation at the lax behavior of the shinobis in the presence of the Otokage. Naruto would have almost laughed at the situation, but somehow he couldn't find the humor for it.
Across the distance, he could feel Orochimaru's gaze pierce towards him. Collecting his breath, he steeled himself and walked towards the Otokage, creating a path across the army of shinobis.
Naruto hid his eyes in the fringe of his hair, his lips curled up in an evil smirk (he tended to find the act somewhat intimidating and empowering). Most men parted away from his direction almost instantly, a few voices he heard amidst the tense chattering.
"He's from Leaf Village, how could Otokage-sama…"
"Isn't he that boy with the demon fox…"
"…missing nin. They say the Konoha ANBU are after him…"
"…turn traitor against Konohagakure. Would he do the same to us…"
Naruto's intimidating countenance almost doubled up when he exposed his deathly indigo eyes, his whisker scars creasing up as he grinned feral, his fangs a bit more lengthened now.
From afar, the Otokage drew pleasure from the sight of his men cowering away and threatening to dismember the blonde all at the same time.
The blonde stood silently in front of the Otokage's platform. Lowering himself in one knee, he placed his right hand on his left shoulder and bent his head.
"At your service, Otokage-sama…" His cloak rustled as a gust blew by.
Far above a tree, a pair of eyes widened at the sight, and disappeared from view at once, a puff of smoke as evidence of his earlier presence.
"My dear Sound shinobis!" The Otokage's voice rang across the entire assembly. At once, all the nins stood in attention, their sights set straight. Kabuto nodded at their presence of mind.
"…I give to you the boy that holds the demon fox's spirit inside him!" Orochimaru regally held his hand out towards the blonde. In an instant, the rustling of kunais being taken out from their holsters could be heard across.
Naruto inwardly smirked at the Otokage's plan.
"Those who have any differences to settle with the boy…I give you the chance to redeem yourselves of that grudge!" Orochimaru sat back, waiting for a good show.
In an instant at least a hundred shinobi from the thousands lunged towards the boy.
"TAJU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!" (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!)
Naruto's terrifying laughs pierced across them, as he disappeared underneath them only to show up as a few hundred more above the surprised shinobis. Every clone wore a demented look, from the dark indigo eyes to the hands that flexed more often than once, claws lengthening every second. It was an aerial fight, each shinobi facing a clone in above the stunned crowd.
It wasn't a fight, as Orochimaru would have wanted it though. It was more like massacre…more like genocide at what the blonde was doing. A respective clone struck down each attacking shinobi, each slashing and performing powerful Taijutsu moves most of them dreamed about; Naruto was just standing below them, reveling in the drops and splatters of blood that would come at him.
It was only a good five minutes when it all ended. Naruto's clones had disappeared, only the real one was standing on their corpses, his form, dripping of blood. He was licking his fingers, walking on each one corpse, observing the looks of terror on their faces. This drew satisfied smirks from the blonde, as he returned to his former place before the Otokage and stood in an idle stance.
"I give gratitude for the wonderful sacrifice Otokage-sama has given his servant…" He prostrated slightly, earning shivers running down the spines of the surviving shinobis.
"You are most welcome, my pet…" Orochimaru smirked, snapping his fingers. Blood red snakes appeared from almost all directions, each glowing with a dark aura. They assaulted the lifeless bodies and dragged them all away out of sight, the snake's lithe bodies sponged up the ground, removing any trace of the blood.
A few snakes twined themselves on Naruto, cleaning the blonde up of any crimson trace. By and by, the atmosphere returned to the same tense tone it was earlier.
"I do not need shinobis who cannot work with anyone I choose to put in my employ. And if anyone has doubts…" Orochimaru stopped, a whistling sound growing distinct.
A kunai was thrown towards his direction, yet the Otokage refused to move. A second more and it would have hit him straight in the face, when a blur of golden hair intervened.
The kunai struck Naruto in his left shoulder, the sickly sound clearly distinct as metal hit bone. Naruto didn't flinch however, as a wave of pain swept through him (he was used to it anyways). He wasn't even thinking what; only instinct carried him towards the person that threw the kunai, his claw-like hands faced in a poise to kill. His milky indigo eyes were narrowed down on his prey.
Kabuto was shocked at the speed and agility Naruto had suddenly portrayed. He was, to say the least, surprised, at the sudden response and spontaneity of the blonde's actions. After taking the hit, he immediately directed himself to the target. There was no thought for actions, or what to do next.
He realized it.
Naruto was moving and living on pure instincts alone.
"Let him go, Naruto." Orochimaru's voice was laced with a hint of amusement and threat.
"Let Kabuto go, Naruto."
"Huh?"
Naruto suddenly shook up from his stupor, realizing the light-haired shinobi underneath him. Shaking his head wearily, he stood up and offered his hand to the nin. Kabuto stood up momentarily after.
The blonde impassively removed the still upright kunai on his shoulder ("People have a wonderful sense of making me their targets." He thought to himself.) and returned the weapon to its owner. Kabuto offered to heal his wound, but the blonde shrugged him off. The wound closed on its own accord, the clothing only taking any major damage. Naruto noted to himself of stitching it later on.
"As I was saying…" The shinobis turned their heads towards the Otokage once more. "…Anyone who has doubts with my decision, you best take it up with him." He idly shook his head towards the blonde's direction. Naruto nodded in agreement, turning a heated glare at them. The assembly nodded nervously, wishing the blonde wouldn't turn his eyes at them.
"Naruto…" Orochimaru called the blonde's attention. Naruto turned a glance at him, his face set in placid tone. "Follow me to my office…"
"…" Naruto's eyes glanced impassively at the boy beside him.
A redheaded boy glanced towards them, there was no surprise in his eyes.
"…" There were no words. Only a bit of passing power between the two happened.
"Naruto, this is Gaara of the Desert. But I assume both of you know each other well know…" He smirked at the chemistry happening between them.
"A pleasure meeting you, Gaara of the Desert." Naruto tilted his head in respect at the boy before him, before returning his attention to the Otokage.
"The reason both of you are here is in concern of the revival of the Sound Four…Gaara-kun, Naruto-kun…" Orochimaru stated.
And after watching the whole of the current Naruto series, I was pretty weirded out why I wrote Gaara appearing all of a sudden in the Otokage's office.