Itachi was getting ready to fight when he saw something that sent fear to shot thru his body but he didn't show it. His eyes fixed on a hawk that soared above. It was his hawk, he was watching them and he could be here any moment.
"Kisame this is a fight we can't win," Itachi said coolly, glancing up at the sky Kisame did the same.
"Is that what I think it is?" Kisame asked.
"Hai," Itachi answered.
"What a shame I was looking forward to see how much your little brother had grown," Kisame said smirking before they both turned and started running. Kakashi glanced up to see the hawk, it was the hawk with the Sharingan, 'so they know who that bird belongs to and it seems they are afraid of them.'
Sasuke and his team started after Itachi and Kisame, "Sasuke don't!" Naruko shouted but he didn't listen he ran after his brother blind to everything else. Naruko swore under her breath and followed after him.
"Sakura, Neji, Shikamaru, follow me the rest of you go tell Hokage-Sama what is going on," Kakashi ordered and he went off the three younger Shinobi following after him, Kakashi looked up to see that the bird was flying over head.
"Sasuke…there is something a head," Karin called out as they rushed forward thru the thick forest surrounding Konoha.
"I know Itachi," he said coolly.
"No…something monstrous, a Chakra larger than anything I have ever felt even larger than Kisame's," she replied, "and we are heading straight for it!"
"It doesn't matter," Sasuke said his eyes fixed on Itachi's retreating back. Once they broke thru the dense forest they saw Itachi and Kisame facing a masked man. His mask was a kitsune. He wore standard ANBU armor. He also wore a white high collar jacket and a black bandana covering his hair. What scared her was not his chakra but how calm he was, there was a cool confidence around him.
"Sasuke we should leave," she whispered but soon Naruko stopped standing beside them along with the others that had been pursing them.
"Now what, Itachi-San?" Kisame asked, "We are covered on both sides we are fighting either way."
"The easiest way would be back," Itachi said coolly, "even with their help I doubt we could get past him."
"Is he really that strong?" Kisame asked.
"He did defeat the legendary Sannin by himself," Itachi replied just as coolly.
"Which one did he beat?"
"He fought the three of them at the same time, just before my dear little brother killed Orochimaru," Itachi answered. Naruko stared blankly she had seen him before he was the one who gave her the scrolls; he was the reason Ero-Sennin had got hurt along with Baa-Chan.
"Kakashi-Sensei…is that Uchiha Madara?" Naruko asked.
"I don't know," Kakashi said revealing his Sharingan.
"Uchiha Madara," Sasuke said glaring at the masked man, without warning he charged the masked man, and out of nowhere he summoned a sword and blocked the attack with ease and kicked him in the chest sending him flying back. Sasuke got back his feet and his team took a battle formation.
"Kakashi-Sensei what do we do?" Sakura asked.
"Itachi-San what are you doing?" Kisame asked as he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"Don't look him in the eyes," Kakashi ordered his team.
"Don't worry Kakashi-Senpai you are not my enemy at the moment," Itachi said coolly, 'Katon: Hosenka Tsumabeni,' flaming shuriken were launched at the mask man who dodged the attack and Itachi had already launched another attack but again the mask man avoided the attack. He turned just in time to counter Kisame's attack, he blocked it with his sword in a reverse grip but he didn't even struggle under the strain. To all of their surprise Sasuke launched an attack coming to his brother's aid. But the masked man was able to avoid the attack just as easily.
"Don't think I am doing this to save you, if he kills you I won't get the chance," Sasuke said coldly.
"This guy is fast," Kisame said smirking, 'Suiton: Bakusui Shoha,' water started pouring from Kisame's mouth.
'Doton: Doryuheki,' the ground that he had been standing on rose rapidly into the air, no matter how high the water got the platform was always higher, "Kisame that is enough," Itachi said.
"Kakashi-Sensei do we help them?" Naruko asked.
"Hai," he answered, Jugo went for a sneak attack while the masked man's attention was fixed on the two Uchihas and Kisame, but without turning he dodge the attack. He grabbed Jugo by the arm then the neck and started crushing his throat Suigetsu went in to attack but again he dodged it and threw Jugo into him.
"We need to get rid of that hawk," Itachi said calmly.
"Why is that?" Kisame asked.
"He shares sight with the Hawk so as long as the bird is here he can see everything it can see," Itachi answered.
"If you want Izuna gone all you had to do was ask, I am not unreasonable," the masked man said the bird vanished from the sky. A screeching sound filled the air as a Jutsu that looked like the Rasengan appeared in his hand but it was much bigger.
"Don't let him get near you!" Naruko shouted, but he just laughed then he threw it.
"What the hell is that!" Kakashi asked in disbelief. Kisame jumped in front of the Jutsu and blocked it with his sword.
"He is good but I haven't seen anything that makes me think he is as strong as you say he is," Kisame said coolly.
"He is playing with us," Itachi said coolly.
Kakashi was thinking if this was the guy that fought Jiraiya and Tsunade that meant he could use Doton Suiton and Mokuton. The only one they had seen so far was Doton.
"How many more tricks do you think this guy has he has already used two elements," Naruko said coolly.
"He has only use Doton," Sakura said.
"He used Futon too," Naruko said carefully, "I know that Jutsu as well…but I can't throw mine."
"Damn he has at least four elements," Kakashi said frowning under his mask, "it looks like if we don't help Sasuke will die."
'Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu,' and with a single hand sign a massive water dragon rose from the body of water Kisame had created and launched itself at Kisame who saw about to attack it. When he felt a sharp piercing pain in his chest, no one had seen the mask man move from the spot. The sword was yanked from his back. The mask man jumped back as Shikamaru tried to capture him with his shadow.
'Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kotan,' the forest was rapidly growing cover everything in trees, the water Kisame had summoned started to vanish.
"What the hell is that? Suigetsu shouted.
"I can't sense him anymore," Karin called out to Sasuke.
"Neji can you see him?" Kakashi asked.
"No that forest is concealing him from my Byakugan," Neji said.
"Well we have to go in after him," Naruko said heading for the forest.
"No…did you see what happened to the water when he used that Jutsu," Shikamaru said in a lazy tone, "I think that forest absorbs Chakra."
No one wanted to enter the forest but their chose was taken from them as roots grabbed both Sakura and Karin pulling them into the forest. Without thinking Naruko ran into the forest, Sasuke followed then Itachi.
Sasuke found his way blocked by the masked man, Sasuke activated the curse mark allowing himself to fully transform, "oh I am so scared whatever shall I do?" the masked man said in a bored tone, then in a blink of an eye the masked man was inches from Sasuke and he slammed his palm into Sasuke's chest. He started to revert to his normal state and the mark on his neck faded away. Sasuke fell to the ground, Itachi went in for an attack, and he knew with these trees Ninjutsu was useless. He couldn't use Genjutsu on him his eyes covered by the mask, so all that was left to him was Taijutsu.
"You have failed, the darkness is consuming him," he said evading Itachi attack, "when he learns the truth how do you think this will play out? He is already consumed by the ways of the Uchiha."
"What is the ways of the Uchiha?" Naruko asked stepping from the shadows.
"One lost in the darkness literally and figuratively," the masked man said.
"I still don't understand," Naruko said.
"Ever since the beginning the Uchiha have held resentment towards the Senju because they are family. Both clans are descendants of the Rikudo Sennin the first son was the ancestor to the Uchiha clan and his youngest son was the ancestor to the Senju. The Rikudo chose the second brother to carry on his dream for peace; the elder brother thought that he should have been the one to carry on his father's dream, a deep hatred for the Senju sprouted from that choice."
"But how is that literal?" Naruko asked.
"To activate the full power of the Sharingan one will descend into darkness," he replied.
"I still don't understand."
"You go blind," Itachi answered.
"Every Jutsu has a weakness just like every Shinobi, the Uchiha's weakness happens to be their greatest strength."
"Let's see if we can find your weakness," Itachi said activating his Susanoo.
"Susanoo a great defense but not prefect if you apply enough force it will break like anything else," the masked man said coolly, and around the masked man a four armed Susanoo appeared.
"Itachi-San you are going to over use your eye," Kisame said.
"Itachi do you want to see the power of Uchiha Madara," they all watched as the masked man and the each set of arms of the Susanoo made different hand signs and in the sky a meteorite appeared in the sky.
"How can anyone be this powerful," Sakura asked looking up at the sky. They all knew it was over there was no way to escape the Jutsu what they couldn't understand is why he would be willing to take himself out along with them it was as if they were so out of his league. But somehow the meteorite started to move in reverse and the both Susanoo's vanished.
"What happened?" Kakashi asked as Shikamaru Neji and Sakura landed beside him.
"It seems you can control the flow of time," Itachi said.
"Hai," was all the masked man said as he was surrounded by the opposing Shinobi.
"Why waste so much Chakra to show you can control time?" Shikamaru asked.
"In that moment you all realized something, something important," he said coolly.
"And what was that?" Naruko asked.
"You can't beat me. I have the power to wipe you all out with a single Jutsu. I can feel your doubts your fears that is why you can't beat me."
"You think that would have killed me," Suigetsu said smirking.
"It would if you hadn't noticed this forest has been feeding on your Chakra so even if you would have had some Jutsu to save yourself you wouldn't have had the Chakra to maintain it."
"That Jutsu would have killed you too," Sakura stated.
"It might have if I was here, I am just a Kage Bunshin, I was never here," he replied.
"There is no way that you are just a clone, to give a clone this much Chakra it would kill you," Karin shouted.
"This is nothing I could create countless clones with this much chakra in each."
"That is why he worked so hard not to get hit, because if we got him no matter how much Chakra he has he is still clone and would disappear," Shikamaru said.
"Cleaver, but no, none of you have the strength to take out my clone the three Sannin could barely do that."
"I have a new respect for them…we haven't even been able to hit this guy and they took out a clone," Naruko said smirking.
"It seems I have over stayed my welcome, I don't want to press my luck especially with two Kages two Sannin and two Sharingan wielders," they turned to see Minato, Gaara, Tsunade and Jiraiya standing there, "Minato I told you last time that all would be revealed, but the time isn't right for that yet."
He vanished in a clone of smoke, and with the distraction Itachi and Kisame managed to slip away but Sasuke and his team weren't so lucky.
That night Kurama sat out overlooking the village, lost in thought he was broken from his Trans by the sound of a familiar voice. He turned to see Hinata standing there her lovely pale lavender eyes fixed on him.
"Hinata-Chan is there something that you need?" he asked kindly.
"No I was just wondering if you were alright?" she said softly.
"No…I just realized something…something I have known for a while," he said looking back over the village.
"What is that?" she asked.
"It's nothing really," he said getting to his feet and his eyes fell on her again and he felt a pain in his chest as he looked at Hinata, she looked like the Hinata he knew, sounded like her but she wasn't her and it hurt to realize that the Hinata he knew was gone forever just like the Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, Kiba, Shino, Sakura, Sai, and everyone else. They were gone he was all that remained and despite the fact they were alive and well he never felt more alone, even those who he should have called mother and father were alive, but they weren't his parents they had Naruko. He realized that he was always going to be alone. The only difference between the hero and the villain is the side you are on. He was a hero to most the man who ended the fourth Shinobi war but to those closest to him he became the villain. Those he cared about were the ones hurt or killed because he had hesitated.
He started to walk past her, but she reached out and grabbed his arm, "it doesn't look like nothing is wrong."
"In time all will be revealed," he said waving as he walked off.
Sasuke woke up he looked around and he was in a hospital, he heard light breathing coming from someone to his right he turned to see Naruko sitting in a chair asleep. She looked so peaceful, as she slept.
"We thought you would prefer if it was us watching over you instead of ANBU," he turned to see Kakashi reading his book. Sasuke tried to sit up but he couldn't, "you are a very lucky man, Naruko saved your life. The council wanted you executed for your crimes against Konoha."
Sasuke didn't say anything all his efforts were for nothing, there were still people with power he couldn't come close to having, "was it worth it?"
He turned to Kakashi with a passive look on his face, "if I can kill Itachi and Madara then Hai."
"Is vengeance so important to you that you will throw away your future for past events that you cannot change?"
"They will be punished for the crimes they committed," Sasuke said coldly.
"After all this time revenge is all you can think about?" he turned to see that Naruko was awake. He hated the way that she looked at him, she made him feel guilty. Those bright blue eyes just pulled whatever they fell upon. He tried to look away but he couldn't.
She finally looked away when there was a knock at the door, it opened and a man around their age with blond hair and bright blue eyes with a silver ring in each stepped into the room. He smiled brightly as he walked into the room holding a few bags.
"I thought you all might be hungry," he said.
"Hello Kurama-Kun," she said smiling at him. Sasuke started to glare at the newly dubbed Kurama.
"What's with the nasty looks, and after I went thru the troubles of bring you some food," he said tossing a bag to him he caught it and opened it up and inside were omusubi, "is there something wrong with the food?" he asked as he gave the other bags to Naruko and Kakashi.
"Thank you, Kurama-Kun," Naruko said smiling.
"Thank you," Kakashi said.
"No problem now it is time to see where the path of life will lead me," he said waving his hand as he walked out of the room.
"Who was that?" Sasuke asked coolly.
"That was Kurama-Kun; he has been helping me train."
"What is his rank?" Sasuke asked guessing ANBU.
"He isn't a Shinobi," Kakashi replied
"He is a Samurai…I think…now that I really think about it he never really said if he was one or not," Naruko answered. Sasuke didn't like this guy there was something not right about him and he was going to find out what it is. But he wouldn't be able to do that until he got out of this place.
Later that night Kurama was sitting alone outside his home, when he felt someone was approaching his gaze fell to see Danzo walking towards him.
"Who are you?"Danzo asked watching Kurama carefully.
"I am Kurama."
"Who are you really there are no records of any Kurama in Tetsu no Kuni," Danzo said, Kurama just smiled.
"And there is a simple reason for that…I am not from Tetsu no Kuni," Kurama replied looking away, "That eye of yours won't work on me I am merely a Kage Bunshin."
"I didn't think you were a Shinobi."
"Who knows what I am, maybe I am nothing. But you have something to do something important," Kurama said his eyes closed his head tilted towards the sky, Danzo turned without another word. Kurama opened his eyes and his Sharingan was activated before his eyes turned back to their normal blue.
Minato was sitting in his office wondering what he was going to do with Sasuke and his team; his daughter would give him hell if he executed him or even locked him away. It is true that he left Konoha and joined Orochimaru but he had killed him and he had caused the village direct harm. And on top of dealing with Orochimaru he and his team took care of two of Akatsuki. Even still Sasuke and his team were on the bottom of his very long list of problems. He heard a knock on his door as another of his problems walked into his office.
"Danzo what can I do for you?" he asked trying to sound as polite as he could in his less than pleasant mood.
"Good evening Minato-Sama, I have discovered the location of Uchiha Itachi," Danzo said in his usual cool bored tone. He stood his gaze lazily falling on the Hokage as stood leaning on his staff and when Minato didn't say anything he continued to speak, "I think that we should send Sasuke and his team, along with another to insure his return."
"Which team do you think we should send?" Minato asked leaning forward his folded hands covered the lower portion of his face as his eyes stayed fixed on Danzo's face.
"Team seven," Minato frowned even more at this but team seven was the best choice to go on the mission, it was one of the most balanced teams. Then Sasuke would have the best chance of stopping Itachi since he also possessed the Sharingan, Kakashi did as well and if Sasuke failed Kakashi would be there to step in.
"Very well, get team seven."