Happy Holidays everyone. Hope the holiday and new year treats you well.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Sasuke and his team were approaching a dock that was on the opposite side of the lake as Amegakure. He could see in the distance the telltale skyscrapers that Amegakure was famous for. Soon they'd have their first real shot at a lead since Naruto was captured. And once Naruto was found then he'd go after Itachi and the Akatsuki next. But first they had to find a way to cross the lake surrounding the village. Upon further inspection he noticed a small pier on their side of the lake with a ferry docked.
"Hinata, we should be within in the range of your Byakugan. What does the guard situation at the dock look like?" Sasuke inquired.
Hinata quickly activated her dojutsu. "It's difficult to tell. This whole area…it's like its full of chakra. It's covering everything."
"That's weird, but not accidental. We need to be careful. Or we'll end up being another in the list of people who have died infiltrating Ame," Anko said.
"As best as I can see there is only two guards posted at the dock. Their chakra is nothing impressive, likely genin or new chunin," Hinata relayed.
The group made their way towards the dock. Immediately the guards were on them questioning them. Sasuke looked at them, his Sharingan now active, and stared impassively as the two guards crumpled to ground unconscious.
"From here Sai and I will go alone. We don't know what we will find in this village. Things could go badly and there is no reason for us all to be in that situation. The two of us have the best ability to get out quickly if something does happen," Sasuke explained.
The leaf shinobi agreed without complaint. The males of the party boarded the ferry and with the use of another genjutsu were able to make the captain take them across.
"Remember, we are just here to gather information. Avoid confrontations at all costs. We go in find what we need and leave immediately," Sasuke ordered.
"Someone is here," Fu said. "A pair of shinobi. They're masking their chakra so I'm not sure what their level is but there's no mistaking it."
Fu was seated atop the apartment building they lived in. She had been keeping watch over the village with her chakra sensory jutsu when she felt the intruders. By stretching her chakra sensor to its limits, she could see the whole village and the surrounding area.
Naruto came up beside her. "Where are they?"
"They're entering from the ferry. But there are no merchants, traders, or civilians scheduled to enter the village," Fu said.
"I'll check it out," Naruto said. He made a cross hand sign and conjured a shadow clone. "I'll let you know what I find. Keep an eye out for any other intruders. But be ready to back me up."
Naruto leapt from the building and hopped across the roofs towards the ferries. Whoever was infiltrating the village was incredibly brazen to try to sneak in like this. Naruto knew of the reputation that Nagato had cultivated for this village. Everyone who had ever tried to enter the village without permission had been put down with extreme prejudice. So, either these shinobi didn't think they'd be caught, or they thought they were strong enough that it didn't matter. Naruto hoped for the latter. He could use some exercise after staying cooped working on his seals the past few days.
Naruto landed onto the roof of a building near the pier. Sure enough, as Fu said two shinobi stepped onto the street. Naruto's brow furrowed. There was no mistaking his former rival. And someone else he didn't recognize but looked a lot like Sasuke.
Naruto dropped into the path of the two Leaf shinobi. "Well isn't this a week full of nostalgia. First Shikamaru and now you. But I imagine, that unlike my meeting with Shikamaru, meeting you here is not."
"We're here to bring you back to Konoha. By force if necessary," Sasuke replied.
"Oh, it'll be necessary. But I must say I wonder why Konoha would bother with trying to take me back. It'll been years since Akatsuki captured me. So, they must know that I no longer possess the Kyuubi," Naruto wondered.
"I don't care about that," Sasuke said drawing his sword and activating his Sharingan.
Naruto grinned, eager to fight his former rival.
Sasuke swung his free hand towards Naruto sending a volley of shuriken at the blonde. Naruto responded in kind intercepting each projectile. Naruto drew a kunai from his sleeve and blocked Sasuke's sword thrust. Without breaking their sword lock Sasuke opened his mouth and let loose a fireball consuming Naruto. Sasuke turned to his right detecting movement. And on cue Naruto stopped into view.
"Impressive, from the draw of your sword you were moving my eyes when the whole time your goal was your fireball jutsu. And yet, all that effort only for a shadow clone, but then you could tell with those eyes of yours," Naruto said. "Now let me show you something good."
Naruto performed a few hand signs and a pulse of chakra passed over him. With a smirk crossing his face Naruto dashed towards his once rival. Sasuke parried the blonde's initial over head slash and immediately countered with an inside slash. But as it connected Naruto vanished. Out of the corner his eye he saw movement. The Uchiha threw himself to the side narrowly dodging Naruto's attempted stab.
Once more Naruto quickly moved into close quarters combat. The two exchanged a flurry of blows when in opening in Naruto's guard appeared. Sasuke quickly exploited it but once more Naruto vanished, this time reappearing to his right. Reacting quickly, the avenger swung his sword in a wide arc this time nicking the former Jinchuriki's arm slightly before he disappeared again. But this time Sasuke could not see him in his peripheral vision. Before he could turn his senses screamed at him to move. However, it was too late.
"Chidori stream."
Naruto, who was now behind the Uchiha, was struck by the wild lightning surrounding the ebony haired male. The force knocking him backwards before he puffed in a cloud of smoke. Sasuke turned and surveyed his surroundings. His adversary was no where to be seen. Sasuke held his sword out in front of himself.
"Chidori Sword: Earth Render."
Sasuke's sword glowed to life coated in lightning chakra. He then stabbed it into the ground and then swung it forward violently. The lightning chakra from his sword traveled through the ground tearing it to pieces. Naruto who was hidden in the ground was thrown back into the side of nearby building.
"I will admit that your technique was in fact good. Though it seems a bit imperfect. A short-range teleportation technique that is triggered by enemy attacks. Its reaction time is a tick slow and the teleportation aspect seems random and uncontrolled. But it's very like you: unorthodox, dangerous," Sasuke mused. "But in the end, it's my w-"
Before he could finish a clone burst through the ground beside him. He had no chance to react.
"Wind style: Great Breakthrough," Naruto called.
A potent gust of wind sent Sasuke crashing through the wall of a nearby shop.
The real Naruto pulled himself to his feet. He spat out a mouthful of blood. After a moment Sasuke staggered through the hole he created. Both combatants looked worse for the wear, but ready to continue, nonetheless. Before either could make a move the sound of several footfalls could be heard.
"Looks like it's actually my win this time. You couldn't take me back before reinforcements arrived," Naruto said.
"This is true, but you're forgetting one important detail," Sasuke responded.
"And what's that?" Naruto asked.
"I wasn't alone. Seems that today is actually a draw," Sasuke smirked.
Naruto swore in disbelief that he forgot about something so crucial. Before he could think on it further, two squads of chunin led by Fu appeared around the corner. At Fu's order the chunin immediately set upon Sasuke placing him in chakra suppressant cuffs.
"He's to be kept alive. Pein will see to his judgement personally," Fu ordered.
As Sasuke was being led away Naruto called out: "Let's fight again sometime."
"It won't be a tie next time," Sasuke said still smirking.
Fu came to stand beside Naruto watching the Uchiha be led away. "So, who was that? Your old boyfriend?"
"What the hell? No!" Naruto sputtered.
"Oh? Then how come you were grinning like a madman when you asked to fight again?" Fu teased him.
"He…was my friend. Probably my best friend. He was a huge asshole to me. But it wasn't because of the Kyuubi. He acknowledged me in a way that no one else would. He acknowledged me as a person and a rival," Naruto said after a while.
"You totally like him," Fu laughed.
"Oh my god. Could you be serious for once?" Naruto deadpanned.
Fu laughed again, but quickly sobered up. "When Pein returns how do you think he will react when he finds out that Leaf shinobi entered the village without permission?"
Naruto's expression turned grim. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily. "He'll demand judgement. And something tells me that he will find Konoha to be undeserving of mercy."
Karin was terrified. She had been in a constant of terror for the past three years, ever since Kabuto was killed and she was forced by Orochimaru to take his place. She was not qualified to fill his place, but Orochimaru had not cared as he was desperate. But that did not stop him from being cruel when she inevitably made mistakes.
But the terror she was feeling now was on another level. She had been working on an experiment by Orochimaru's orders when an explosion ripped through the base. On instinct she had hid. Several more explosions had followed the first, each one getting closer and closer. Every so often she would hear someone cry out in agony as their life was inevitably snuffed out. After a while the base had become quiet once more. Thinking that Orochimaru had intervened and put a stop to whatever was intruding in their base, Karin left her hiding place. She was wrong.
When she neared Orochimaru's chambers she was greeted to a sight that shook her to her core. The room was torn asunder and the walls brought down. A red-haired man wearing a black cloak with red clouds had his hand gripped around the Snake Sannin's throat and was holding him off the ground.
"Orochimaru, you have been a blight on this world for too long. And I have come pass judgement on you," the man said.
Orochimaru struggled against the grip on his neck desperately trying to restore oxygen flow to his lungs. But it was to no avail. Karin watched as the man placed his free hand on her master's head and pulled a blue substance from out of him. Immediately the Sannin slumped ceasing his resistance. The red-haired man dropped him to the ground. Orochimaru did not move again.
"God has passed judgement. And I have found you wanting."
The red-haired man turned and immediately spotted her. Karin's terror returned with a vengeance. She turned to run but she ran into a blue haired woman wearing a cloak just like the red-haired man. Before she could regain her footing the red-haired man had approached standing over her.
"Please let me go. I don't want to die," Karin said with tears in her eyes.
"What is your name?" the red-haired man asked.
"Karin," she answered hastily.
"Do you have a last name?" he questioned further.
"My mother never told it to me. Said it was unimportant," Karin asked now confused by the questions being asked of her.
"I see," Nagato said. "Your master is now dead. As such all that he possessed now belongs to me."
Karin dreaded what he would say next.
"This base will be destroyed. Orochimaru's legacy will be made into nothing. You and all those he enslaved will be allowed to go free. But you are different. Your chakra, it resonates with life. I would give you the opportunity to join my village," he said.
She had not expected that. Terror was still permeating her, but it was lessening. This man was asking her to come with him. She was unsure if it was wise to accept but more than that she was more afraid of what would happen if she said no.
"I will go with you."
Sasuke shifted restlessly. It had been a day since his capture. Naruto had not yet come to see him. He was becoming bored with the wait. Sasuke was unconcerned about escaping. His cell wasn't anything special. He'd escaped from worst. But before he did that, he wanted to speak to Naruto one more time.
Sasuke felt the air shift behind him. He whirled to face the intruder.
"Hello Sasuke."
It was a man in an Akatsuki cloak and an orange mask. In the eye hole Sasuke could see the red gleam of a Sharingan eye.
"It's about time we have a little chat."
Before Sasuke could react, the masked man grabbed the younger Uchiha and the two of them twisted out of being.
I hope you guys like it. I felt the fight between Naruto and Sasuke was a little lacking. Let me know what you guys think.
A nobody will be updated tomorrow. I'll see you guys next month.