Chapter 10.
Plan executed, beginning of new quest.
(On the Heaven and earth bridge.)
Naruto continues to wait for Yamato to get healed, all the while, the plans he had for himself working in his head.
He had to admit to himself, he is seriously getting restless as time goes by.
"Naruto?" Yamato asked, still getting healed by Sakura.
"Yes?" Naruto replied.
"Did you saw Sai with Orochimaru?" Yamato asked his question.
"No. but during my entire battle, not once he came for my assistance." Naruto answered.
"He must have betrayed us then. No matter. We have the location of Orochimaru's nearby base, that is where Uchiha is, and he most likely will try to evacuate the base as soon as possible." Yamato said.
"True." Sakura and Naruto said in agreement.
"But we still have some chance. We just have to arrive there in time; we will find all of our targets there." Yamato continues to plan.
"Again, true."
"And Naruto?" Yamato's tone changed again.
"What?" he already knew what the Jonin was about to say.
"Don't try to run off alone again, understand?" he ordered sternly.
'Must control myself,' repeating this thought in his mind, he replied, "I understand."
(Sometime later.)
"There, captain. Your leg is completely healed now." Sakura announced cheerfully.
Yamato flexes his leg experimentally. "Great. Now, let us go to the base then."
"Yes!" both of his subordinates agreed.
(Outside, Orochimaru's base.)
"So, I have scouted this base with my wood clone before we arrived here, and we can't enter and hope to succeed." Yamato tried to explain his great plan.
"Then what did you thought?" Naruto asked sarcastically.
"Here's the plan. We will have to separated and go inside." Yamato winced. 'That didn't sound as great as in my head.'
"Wait, you want to split the team, and go inside the base of the enemy, which probably can take out multiple fighters?" Naruto asked incredulously.
"Oh? What would you suggest then?" Yamato tried to hide behind a calm mask.
"I think we should return, and come back later. Preferably with an elite Jonin squad." Naruto explained his more reasonable plan.
"But by then, Orochimaru will change his base." Yamato tried to poke some holes in his plans.
"True, but as it is now, we will have to face a lot of opponents there." Naruto patched the said wholes.
"Wait, Orochimaru and Kabuto are obvious, but who could we have to face inside?" Sakura asked in confusion.
"Well, let me explain it in more detail then. Kabuto can easily fight on par with a Jonin. Orochimaru can also take multiple Jonin easily. And I have to remind you, we have only one Jonin." Naruto explain to Sakura the problem in more detail.
"But wait." Yamato tried to say something more, but was interrupted by Naruto.
"I was not done." Seeing everyone listening again, he started to explain further. "Sasuke will not come with us by his own will, and who knows what kinds of plans Sai have." He finished.
"Why do you think Sasuke won't come with us willingly?" Sakura asked.
Sometimes, Naruto can never understand how that girl can be considered smart, and remain so oblivious at the same time. It was infuriating.
"Sakura, last time I tried to bring him back, he broke my neck, and put a hole in my chest. Or did you forget in your tunnel vision?" Naruto snarked.
Sakura couldn't say anything. After all, she did saw his injuries.
"But we can act as a scout team. We will map the general structure of this base, and then we can compare them to his previous bases in our records. It will open up possibilities for us to attack his more secure bases." Yamato knew what exactly is going to happen, but he couldn't understand, but he was not willing to walk away from this place now.
"This is not going to end well, I just know it." Naruto sighed.
"Here are some final instructions. Do not in any circumstances engage Orochimaru alone, and try to capture Sai alive. Understand?" Yamato gave his instructions, while ignoring Naruto's comment.
"And if we couldn't capture him?" Sakura asked.
"Then kill him." Yamato stated bluntly.
"You have your orders, disperse!"
(Inside the base.)
Sakura was checking out all the rooms of the area of base she was in, yet she can't find a single clew to where Sasuke is.
"Not here," she opened a door, and seeing an empty room, closed it again.
"Not here," she repeated the same process.
"Not here!" again, same thing, but she is getting more frantic now.
"Where—"
She was cut in the middle of her rant about the base, due to a sudden explosion.
(With Orochimaru.)
After escaping from Uzomaki, an extremely tense group arrived on Orochimaru's base.
"Now, both of you stop right there." Orochimaru halt them just outside of the base.
"Why?" Sai asked, not appreciating such an abrupt stop.
"I must find whether you two have any seals placed on you or not." Orochimaru explained.
After searching them to his satisfaction, he led both Sai and Kabuto inside his base. They arrived in a room which contains a statue of snake, and a shadow of a person can be scene sitting there.
"You're late," the shadow said.
"You can blame your leaf village friends for that. You know that they are after you?" Orochimaru stated.
"Let them come then. I will show them the futility of their efforts, as they are lying down broken and beaten." Sasuke stated, and left.
"That boy's arrogance will be death of him one day." Orochimaru said.
"It would appear that death will arrive soon. Uzomaki will not show him any mercy." Kabuto replied.
"As long as we can send him back, it wouldn't matter much. Now, I have something to do." Orochimaru stated, and he also left.
Sai, seeing this as a great moment, started to follow the path Sasuke took few moments ago.
(With Yamato.)
The ANBU silently appeared from the wall with the help of his wood release.
'Truly, it is very important for shinobi to learn the silence. Now, if only the academy would do what it was supposed to, train shinobi correctly!' Yamato ranted in his head.
But then, he had to stop himself.
"Hello my dear experiment." Because of an amused voice hissed right behind him.
"Oh joy." Proving that ANBU training is clearly superior to normal training of the normal shinobi, he struck before Orochimaru could do anything else.
Sadly for him, Orochimaru was also not an average shinobi.
"Do you honestly thought that you would be able to take me out?" he asked, still amused.
"No… but I have to try." Yamato stated.
"The nerve of some people." Really! Coming in his base, and trying to arrest him. Back in his day— 'Better stop that thought process.'
"Answer me, where is Sasuke?" Yamato tried to project his firm resolve.
"What makes you think that you can demand answers from me? Better yet, tell me where that damn Uzomaki is?" Orochimaru asked.
"I don't understand why you get so worry regarding him, but we separated." Yamato told him.
'They split, that means Uzomaki is alone in my base, along with Sasuke. I cannot allow this! I must finish him quickly.' He thought frantically.
"Shadow snake strike!"
Yamato seeing the danger promptly replaced himself with a wood statue.
Orochimaru clucked his Tung. "More wood techniques?"
The word "technique" brought another question in Yamato's mind.
"On the bridge, why did you use such a flashy technique? You could have escaped with a lot more efficient techniques." Yamato asked curiously.
"Wait, he told you that it was my technique?" Orochimaru asked.
"Yes." Yamato said simply.
"Clever." Orochimaru stated in grudging respect.
"But he stated that it was you who used that technique." Yamato was now confused.
"What? Don't tell me you do not understand? It would have been easiest to slip the blame on me. You know, to avoid unnecessary questions." Orochimaru explained.
Just as he was done explaining that, a large explosion took place.
"What was that?" Yamato asked in surprised.
"Sasuke is throwing one of his tantrums again." Not wanting to waist his time anymore, he attacked the distracted Jonin.
(With Naruto.)
Naruto was so far not much impressed with the base.
"Really?" he whispered. "You have to create a maze like structure, all these rooms, why? Don't tell me they contain side quests… I really should stop doing that." Shaking his head, he continued forward.
He opened one of the rooms.
"Let us see here. Stone flor, stone roof, stone walls, and stone bed? Anyone who has to live here must be insane. Though they have to be little bit insane to agree here to come in the first place, just like little old Sasuke." His opinion of Orochimaru's bases went down further.
"You know what? I am not going to open every single door. It just isn't worth it. And I also need a companion for these occasions, talking to myself like this isn't healthy." He really must do something about it.
He got out of that room, and started to go at the very end of the section of the base he was in.
"Let's see, what we have here." He opens the door to find a laboratory.
"Yes! Now we're talking!" finally! Something useful.
It appears that this lab is not the main lab for Orochimaru's base. Still, it should contain something interesting.
There were some experiments, a journal, and…
"Surprise, surprise. Never thought that I would find a computer here."
The computer was not any special; it was only able to process very basic data. Still, it was great help in organizing and analyzing data.
"Tell me your secrets." Naruto said, pressing some shiny buttons like a kid.
Unfortunately for him, an error flashed on the screen, stating:
"Warning. Wrong input. All the data will be removed shortly."
"What? Fine. Fuck you to!" how dare that computer defy him?
"At least this journal is looking promising." Naruto sealed that journal in the pocket dimension where he keeps his sword.
Then, he heard the explosion.
"My cue to leave." He started to run in the direction of that explosion.
(With Sakura and Yamato.)
Sakura ran with all her strength. She was almost sure, no! Completely sure that the location of that explosion will have for what she had come here.
She arrived to see an entire room in ruins, and above all that destruction, was the face which she hasn't seen for three years now.
She also saw Sai standing down just next to the destroyed room, with some sort of understanding look on his face.
"Sai!" she yelled. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing," though his voice didn't waver, his eyes were different things entirely.
"Weren't you suppose to kill him?" she questioned further.
"Yes." He answered flatly.
"Then what are you doing now."
"You, Sakura and Naruto, have shown me something. Something which I thought I will never need." Sai started to explain.
"Oh?"
"My mission was to assassinate Sasuke, yes. But I finally understood how important he is to both of you. That is why; I decided not to follow my orders."
"Is that, Sakura?" Sasuke questioned coldly.
Sakura shivered. There was no warmth in that voice.
Then, without any warning, Sasuke moved and grabbed Sakura from her neck.
"You really shouldn't have come here, Sakura. I thought you were smarter than that." Not really, but she didn't need to know that.
She tried, but no matter what she did, she couldn't shake his grip.
'Damn it! Was my training all useless? When I need it most, it always becomes so useless!'
Then, Orochimaru appeared out of nowhere, avoiding some wood projectiles.
"Would you stop hounding me!" he exclaimed in annoyance.
"Surrender!" Yamato exclaimed in righteous fury.
"Never!" Orochimaru retaliated in pure evil.
Then, Naruto arrived. "Huff! Made it!"
"Naruto, is that you?" Sasuke questioned, still no sign of any happiness in his voice.
Naruto shivered. But for entirely different reasons from Sakura.
'He sounds like he missed me, but was not trying to show. It is quite disturbing if you ask me.'
"Didn't you want to be Hokage, Naruto? I spared your life that day, so you can fulfill your dream. But if you are going to waste my kindness like that," he released Sakura, making her hit the floor, and appeared in front of Naruto. "Then I will retract my kindness." He grabbed him and started to choke him, just like Sakura.
'Really?' Naruto connected with a kick right on his stomach.
Sasuke let go of him, very reluctantly.
"It would appear you have made some progress towards your dream. Good."
Then, seeing Sasuke was distracted with both of his old replacement, Sai took the chance to attack.
But Sasuke blocked his tanto strike with his own sword. He started to channel electricity in his sword. Recognizing what was happening, Sai quickly let go of his tanto.
"Great choice of defense," he streamed his lightning chakra across the ground, shocking Sai. "Or not so great after all."
"So this is my replacement? I am disappointed." Sasuke said.
'Stop whining! We all know how you feel already. Still, I must get his attention; otherwise the plan will go to hell really fast.' Naruto thought.
Naruto grabbed a kunai knife from his pouches, and throws right on Sauce's face, missing by few inches.
"So, where is your stalker?" Sasuke dodged the knife, and asked suddenly.
"Don't know. I think I broke her." Naruto told him cheerfully.
"And you couldn't do same with my stalker as well?" Sasuke's said, in a very cold tone. Not that it made any difference…
"To be honest, yours has a fiery temper. And she is really not shy about showing it." Naruto said.
"And you still haven't improved your aim. How dare you come after me with such pathetic skills?" Sasuke finally got on the point.
Sasuke's sharingan started to spin, and he glared at Naruto.
'Yes, perfect. Come on, stair in to my eyes, and put the final nail in your future's causing!' Naruto cackled in his mind.
"Maybe I finally have to teach you the consequences of your decisions," with little bit more force, Sasuke pushed his mind inside Naruto's mind. "After all, I fought besides you once. Can't let you insult me with your pathetic skills like that."
(Inside the mindscape.)
The beast known as nine tailed fox awoke from his sleep. He spends most of his time sleeping, since his jailer's life doesn't interest him much.
Except in some instances.
Then Naruto arrived there as well, standing just besides his cage like a statue.
"So, decided to pay me a visit?" the beast decided to goad him.
Naruto didn't say anything.
"Why did you change the mindscape? I really liked the previous setting." There were quite nice forests as well.
Still nothing.
"So, do you need my power?" still trying to goad him.
No change in expressions.
"Come on boy, you know I can give you whatever amount you want, no matter how much you want." He was kind of getting desperate.
With that declaration, the chakra of the beast started to seep from the cage slowly.
"Just tell me, who is to be killed." Finally! Maybe that boy will take his chance, and give him a chance...
Still nothing. Not even a twitch.
"Say something, damn it!" the fox lost his patience.
Then, another person arrived in the mindscape.
"So, this is source of your power?" Sasuke said.
"As if. We both know I don't need him." Naruto retorted.
"Still, you did use it a lot in our last fight." He remarked.
"Well, it lives in my body. So by that logic, yes. It is part of my skills." Naruto tried to justify himself... unsuccessfully.
"Ah. Sharingan. How much I hate those cursed eyes. Why, it is my dream to tear them out of the sockets of their users." The Fox interrupted their conversation.
"So. You have seen in to these eyes before, there is no doubt about it. You are nine tailed fox." Sasuke said, quite dramatically.
"And here comes dramatic statements. You could have just counted his tails, and would be able to recognize him still." Naruto snarked.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sasuke really didn't like such a secret kept from him.
"What was I supposed to say? Besides. You already have your issues to deal with." Naruto replied.
"Still." Sasuke continues to insist.
"You can thank the fourth for my problem." Naruto said, flatly.
"Tell me boy, have you ever heard the name Madara?" the Fox interrupted their conversation again.
Sasuke started to push the chakra construct in to the cage.
"Never heard of him. Am I supposed to care?"
"Foolish boy. Doesn't even have an idea what kinds of things are in your future." With his chakra gone in to the cage, the fox became silent.
"Ah, thank you Uchiha. You helped my plan to its completion." Naruto said, quite gladly.
After that confusing statement, Naruto ran inside of the cage. Sasuke couldn't even stop him.
"What-what are you doing? Boy! Get away from me!" from inside the cage, the nine tail fox yelled in surprised, and rage.
"Give me what I want." Another voice stated, unlike the beast, this one was quite firm.
"Power absorbing!"
"Nooooooooooooooo!"
Then, a horrible noise started to come from the cage. It was like rusty door which has been not opened for thousands of years suddenly forced open. Or a beast which has been chained for thousands of years, but someone was now trying to rip those chains.
Then, with sudden surge of power, Sasuke was thrown out of the mindscape.
(Outside of the mindscape, in Orochimaru's base.)
(Soundtrack: dragon ball z ultimate tenkaichi: evil desires.
Sasuke stumbled. He didn't expect to be thrown off like that.
Meanwhile, Yamato and Orochimaru have stopped fighting, because they were busy observing Naruto. One in complete horror and one in surprise.
Whatever he has done, it has created a black shroud of demonic energy around his entire body. The shroud was increasing in size, as well as in power. The output of power was so much that it created a crater within the base where the teenager was standing.
"Naruto! Stop this at once! Control yourself!" Yamato tried to reason with him. But when the reasoning didn't work, he ordered him. "Naruto! As a captain of your squad, I order you to control yourself."
But his valiant efforts to get control of his subordinate were mocked by Orochimaru's laughter. "You honestly think that you can order him around? Either you are more foolish than I thought, or the standards of shinobi continue to fall down. Kukukuku!"
Ignoring the snake, Yamato tried to contain him with his wood release. He tried to suppress the demonic chakra with the kanji of sit, trying to absorb the chakra through his technique. When that failed, he tried to contain the boy within a cage made of wood. But he simply destroyed the cage.
Soon, the shroud disappeared. To reveal Naruto Uzomaki, on his demonic glory.
Actually, his appearance remained same. Black shirt, black pants, sunglasses, but his whiskers marks from his cheeks disappeared. His eye color also changed. Instead of his usual blue eyes, they turned in to gold color.
"Finally," he said.
Everyone shivered. That tone was not sounding promising at all...
"After back breaking training, all the research and setbacks, many near death experiences, and perhaps three of them most likely returning from death, avoiding suspicion, all the humiliation, I finally have what I wanted!" Naruto gave his speech of power.
"Though the power output was rather more than I expected." He stated, while looking around the destruction caused by his transformation.
But then, Yamato jumped into the crater in which Naruto was standing.
"Naruto, this is your final warning. Control your power!" he ordered.
"Control myself? You do realize that in this entire time, I am in control of myself?" Naruto asked, sarcastically.
"Whatever the case maybe. You have to answer some questions—"Yamato was interrupted in the middle.
"And if I don't?" Naruto said, his tone telling danger.
"Then I will assume that you have betrayed the village Hidden in the leaves, and take appropriate actions." Yamato gave his verdict.
"Hmhmhm. Then I will not answer the single question you have." Naruto told him.
"Naruto Uzomaki, by the order of the Hokage, you are guilty of turning in to the missing nin." Yamato said, imperiously.
"No!" Sakura yelled, she barely got over one shock, and now was in another shock.
"Your punishment is death." He finished.
"Well, you first." Naruto said, while bringing his right hand forward, creating a ball of energy on his index finger.
Before Yamato could react with such a strange technique, Naruto fired the beam with a precise mark on Yamato's forehead, making a whole appear in front and back of his head. He twitched few times and then fall down dead.
This time, Sakura's shock was more along the line of mute horror; she couldn't even make her throat work.
"Orochimaru, where exactly Naruto is? And why that Jonin suddenly have a whole in his head?" Sasuke asked in confusion.
Orochimaru turned to Sasuke sharply. "What do you mean? He is standing right there."
"Where?" he asked, still not seeing him.
Orochimaru took a look at Sasuke's eyes. "Turn off your sharingan."
Sasuke did so, and gasp in shock. "I can't see him with my sharingan." To confirm this, he briefly turned them on, much to his shock and horror, he was completely right.
'There go my future plans.' Orochimaru can't believe this. "Well damn,"
"What?" Sai asked.
"Not important right now."
"And now to celebrate my success," he looked up to the people gathered at the crater's side.
"Loser. You couldn't beat me then, you can't defeat me now." Sasuke sneered.
He jumped down to fight him.
"Shouldn't we stop him?" Kabuto asked in concern.
"No. let him taste the real world." Orochimaru replied, no longer caring about what happens to Uchiha.
Naruto didn't give any chances to Sasuke, and immediately punched him right on his face, sending him flying to the wall of crater.
He walked up to Uchiha, and grabbed his neck with one hand. In his another hand, a claw like glove appeared.
"Orochimaru, you know why I am here. Give me what I want, and maybe I will spare his life." Naruto gave his ultimatum.
He loves giving ultimatums.
'What!' Orochimaru thought furiously. Then an idea struck him. "But you can't kill him just yet, now can you?"
Naruto was annoyed that Orochimaru knows about his problem. But well, there are other ways. "True. But I need him alive. It doesn't mean that I need his eyes though, and considering there are only two Uchihas in the world, these eyes are quite valuable, wouldn't you say?" then Naruto started to bring his other hand closer and closer to Sasuke's eyes. "Come on! Give me that thing already."
Seeing his glove just few inches away from Sasuke's eyes, 'I don't have a choice anymore.' Orochimaru thought. But before he could do anything, Naruto was forced to let go of Sasuke, due to sudden pain in his head. Naruto started to clutch his head.
"What?" he grabbed his head in surprise and pain? "What's happening? Arg! What? No!" Sasuke was able to get away from where he fell from Naruto's grip. He tried to attack him once again, but Naruto didn't give him any chances this time either. He wanted to kick him, but his balance was off. So he hit him with next best thing.
Sasuke received a brutal knee strike right on his chin, sending him flying once again.
Soon, the glove covering Naruto's hand also disappeared.
"Why now? Everything was going so smoothly!" then, as if Naruto lost control of his power, another shroud appeared. "Noooo!" not wanting to give any advantages to his enemies, he disappeared in an explosion of water? 'Hmmm. Have to think about it later.' Was his last conscious thought.
After he disappeared, Orochimaru and Sakura both regrouped.
"Sai, what can we do now?" her question was answered by the voice behind her.
"Girl, we need to talk." The voice hissed.
She jumped away reflexively. "About what?"
"Why, your teammate of course!"
"But where did Sasuke—"in the middle of the confusion, Sasuke escaped, despite being hurt.
"Oh that fools? Forget him for now. But here's what we will have to do…"
(Inside a cave.)
Naruto arrived on his secret base, still affected with whatever caused him to lose control in so spectacular fashion.
"How? How could I have not anticipated this?" in his mindless rambling, he forgot to see a wall, and with a thump knocked himself out.
(Six hours of uninterrupted sleep later…)
"Ah! So much better now." He woke up, and stretched.
He then got up from the ground where he fell asleep, and started to think what exactly happened to him today.
'Well, aside from the backlash I suffered, everything seems to have gone smoothly, instead of the last few moments.' He thought.
With some static, two unknown figures appeared, interrupting his thoughts.
"Naruto! So how did your plan go?" the large figure asked.
"Nicely. Though there were some issues." He replied.
"Oh?" the other smaller figure asked.
"Apparently, I forgot to take the process itself into account, not to mention, the memories." He elaborated.
"What do you mean?" The large figure asked again.
"Well, when I absorbed nine tails, every single cell in my body was incinerated and reformed again." He explained, and winced at the memory.
"Ouch!" the tall figure exclaimed in sympathy.
"In matters of seconds. Not only that, I also received thousands of years of worth of knowledge, six thousand years to be exact, in just matters of few seconds." He explains further.
"Ouch!" both of them exclaimed, and winced in sympathy this time.
"Wait," the short figure said, "You said that your cells reformed again. So what are you now?"
"Nice question. I guess I have become what humans are so afraid of." Naruto answered wryly.
"What?" the tall figure said in confusion.
"Oh you know. They all used to call me a demon child. Guess they were right after all, hahaha!" Naruto explained while laughing in amusement.
"It is not a laughing matter." both figures retorted.
"I know. But still," he still continues to chuckles.
Then he turned serious. "But I think my powers also changed."
"Why? Demons can't use ninjutsu?" the smaller figured questioned.
"No. it isn't that. You have to understand that these techniques are designed for human use." Then he got a wandering look on his face. "Maybe if I…"
He summoned his sword, and started to channel the demonic energy in to it, instead of chakra.
It was testament to the skill of the weapon smith who crafted that sword that it didn't melted then and there. Nothing happened for first second, but then the sword started to heat up, and turned in to the color red. Then, it melted in to metal slag.
"That's what I thought." He said, while observing his former sword.
"Impossible! That sword was crafted by the greatest weapon smith we have to offer, it should be able to channel any type of chakra!" the smaller figure ranted in shock.
"And that is the issue." Naruto said calmly.
"Whatever do you mean?" the larger figure asked.
"It can channel any type of chakra. But it is not designed to channel the demonic energy." He explained.
"But wait, there is a difference between demon energy and chakra?" the large figure asked again.
"Yes. Let me explain. Imagine a glass of water." Both of them nodded, so he continued. "Now, instead of water, put lava in the glass. What do you think would happen?"
"I think I get it now." The figure replied in understanding.
"Exactly. The demonic energy and chakra are quite different. The techniques are different, using methods are different, and most important of all, the output is different." Naruto explain with more detail.
"What now, we have to find a sword which can channel demon energy for you?" the smaller figure questioned.
"Kind of. But for demons, the matter is not that simple." Naruto said.
"What?" both of them asked in confusion?
"Just imagine Kisame with his sword Samehata." Naruto gave an example.
"Yeah, I get that too." They replied simultaneously.
"So, do you have any particular sword in mind?" the large figure questioned again.
"Yes. But problem is that one has been lost for close to six thousand years now." Naruto told them.
Both figures have a jaw dropping expressions on their faces.
"How would you find such a sword?"
"Well, my luck came through for me once again, and I managed to track it down."
(On the gates of hidden leaf village.)
Sakura, Sai, and two hooded figures are currently approaching the gates of the hidden leaf.
"Halt!" the guard exclaimed.
All four of them stopped in front of guards.
One of the guards recognized Sakura. "So Sakura, returning from a mission? I hope it has gone well."
"Well…" she really couldn't explain it.
But the guard understood. After all, he had seen many shinobi on same position as the girl was in now.
"I understand you two were on the mission, but I must ask for these two to remove their hoods, and reveal their identity." The guard told her.
"Look, you really wouldn't want to do that." Sakura tried to stop that from happening.
"But it is a protocol. They must reveal their identity." The guard insisted.
'Fine. I did warn you.' She nodded to the figures to proceed with the guard's demands.
The first figure removed their hood, to reveal… "Kabuto Yakushi."
The second figure was the one, which caused the true panic among the ranks of the guards. "Orochimaru of the Sanin."
"Oh, fuck." All the guards present there said together.
For Orochimaru, those kinds of responses are always so amusing.
(Hidden leaf village: Hokage's office.)
Tsunade was just finishing her final stack of her paperwork of the day, and then suddenly Shizune, who was looking quite worried, ran in to the room.
"Lady Tsunade, team Yamato has returned from their mission." She said, looking quite tense.
"Have they now? Send them in." Tsunade said.
Shizune left, still looking uneasy.
The first sign for a trouble was not seeing Yamato.
The second sign was seeing two figures in hoods.
"Lady Tsunade, team Yamato reporting from the heaven and earth recon since mission…" Sakura said, with none of her usual confidence.
The third and final sign was Sakura is the one who was currently reporting, instead of their team captain. She was also looking like she has just suffered several shocks one after another, and has barely enough energy.
"Ah, hell." There goes her afternoon.
(End.)
In celebration of my story's ten chapters being completed, and crossing 1000 hits, I present you this omake.
Bear in mind, the character which appears in this omake is not the author self-insert. Instead, he is from my original story, which I plan to upload in the future on fictionpress. I am telling you this, because you wouldn't have any idea to differentiate.
Omake:
The meddler.
There was a teenager who was working on a computer. By the closer look of the screen, it is revealed that he is the writer of the newly launched story, Symphony of darkness.
There was one problem with him though.
He appears to be working without staring at the screen at all.
In fact, he was not using his eyes. Not that he couldn't use one of his powers to substitute for his eyes, he just preferred not to.
"Ah, I see you are finally advancing the plot." A voice stated from behind the teenager's chair.
"And I see you have the audacity to show your face here." He replied.
"Not that you could see my face, after all. You prefer to work on your… what do you call it? Ah yes. The default setting." The voice mocked.
"Just stop bothering me would you?" the teenager said in annoyance.
"Can't do that. Your foolish decisions are making your story's popularity suffer. I can't watch it." the voice retorted.
"Glad that you care for me so much. But really! I don't care one bit." He completely disregarded the voice.
"Don't lie to me boy," the entity said. "I know what you want. Wouldn't it be wonderful if everyone is talking about your story? Recommending to their friends, telling you how much they love to read it, don't you want that?" the voice tried to appease the boy.
"Every author wants that." The teenager retorted flatly.
"What makes you different than those authors then?" the entity questioned.
"Nothing. I would just prefer for people to read my story, because they wanted to. Not because it is the latest popular trend or something." He sighed.
"Fool! At this rate, you will end up bankrupt."
"Do you forget? I do not write this story for money. I write it, for my amusement. And for people who have similar tastes like me." The teenager explained.
"Honestly boy, you sound like one of those anime protagonists." The voice mocked again.
"Oh? Why don't you tell me then, what's wrong with my story?" he really tried to stop himself, but he couldn't resist saying that.
"Where should I start?" the voice was interrupted.
"At the beginning."
"Fine. Herse what I am starting with. You should have picked something where you won't have to write fight scenes." The entity decided to start with the obvious.
"Doesn't matter. As soon as I get a beta reader, those will be fixed."
"Oh? Fine. Then why are you trying to make that girl little bit sympathetic?" the entity questioned about Sakura.
"Because really, she has my sympathy. Both of her teammates are crazy. And she is trapped between them."
"What about your plot? It is not clear." It was getting frantic.
"Oh? So every story should lay out its plot in first three or so chapters? I don't think so." He retorted, completely unruffled.
"What about the reviews then?" finally something which It can use.
"While yes, reviews are important, a story's popularity cannot be judged by them alone. For that, people must read those reviews in the first place. To understand what others have to say about that story." He gave his reasoning.
"What about people accusing of copying someone else's idea?" now, it was getting increasingly obvious, that entity was getting frantic.
"I didn't. Besides, the author from who's my story was inspired, he gave me his permission." He then continued on. "Besides, these kinds of stories always start out somewhat similar. Not to mention, the person who have problem with me regarding that subject, he didn't even finished his sentence. How am I supposed to take people like him seriously?"
"Well—"
"Enough. Get out of here now."
"What makes you think—"
It seems that the teenager has finally had enough. Before the meddler can turn around, a fireball came from behind him, and incinerated him.
"It has been 50 years." Said the teenager, making clear that he was no teenager at all. "People have been trying to break me since I was a kid. What makes you think that playing on my insecurities will get you anywhere? "the empty room didn't answer.
He then closed his computer, and promptly fell asleep on his bed.
Later, one of the machines came, and took care of the scorch marks left behind.
(Omake end.)
Author's notes:
So, this chapter is only few words shorter than the last one. It is good to know that I can write larger chapters as plot goes on.
See you on the next update.