Chapter 10: A New Danger!
(Three days later)
Three days have passed since Naruto and Toshitsune disappeared from the house and Kakashi as well. The rest of the group had stayed behind to protect Tazuna from assassination attempts from Gato's Mercenaries at the bridge. They had split into two groups: Anko lead Shino, Sasuke, and Hinata on recon missions to locate and asses Gato's man power and sabotage his movements. Kurenai lead Kiba and Sakura, their job was to protect the family and Tazuna when Anko's team was out running a sabotage mission. The Genin were getting a world of knowledge on sabotage and stealth recon. But some thing wasn't right with the spirit of the group, they were sad and depressed. They could feel the absence of Naruto and Toshitsune.
Sasuke and Hinata had just returned from a scouting mission with Anko, they kept to themselves as they trained hard and fast. Since fighting together against the fiery redhead they had come to see each other as more then teammates, they had started to form a bond of camaraderie. They could count of each other when it came down to it. But Sasuke's feelings about Naruto were still in a storm. He had since childhood been told that Naruto and his brothers were weak and beneath that of the likes of the Uchiha. But what he has come to see, he would think otherwise. Naruto managed to extract information and kill two Chunin ranked Mist shinobi with only minimal assistance from him and Hinata. He had survived an encounter with an A-class missing-nin, Momochi Zabuza; he was stronger than anyone he knew of their age group.
"Are you all right Sasuke?" Hinata asked wiping the sweat off her forehead with a towel, "You seemed kind of distracted during the spar."
Sasuke walked over to a tall spruce tree and leaned up against it with him facing Hinata, he drew in a deep breath before releasing it, "Its just…my thoughts of Naruto and his family…they aren't what I've been told by my father." He places his palms on his forehead, "He's told me that he is nothing compared to me and that his family was nothing more than scum beneath our feet."
Hinata was surprised by his confession, "What are your thoughts now?"
"That he is nothing like what my father has told me. He is strong and a capable teammate, and that…he deserves some, even if it's a little respect."
Hinata smiles as she pats Sasuke on the back, "My thoughts exactly, Sasuke."
Sasuke stands and begins walking to the beach, he turns to Hinata and is about to say something but stops, "Hinata…can you teach me the Water Walking technique?"
"Sure." She said as she raced past him and they spent the rest of the day training by the beach.
(Port)
Waves were crashing down hard on the port of the small fishing village; many warehouses lined the port and beach. A storm was brewing as rain feel in sheets, cutting visibility to a few feet. Two dark figures raced in between the warehouses searching for the Gato's warehouse. They were dressed in dark clothing with katana strapped to there waist, one was old with age and had long gray hair. The other was young with dark silver hair cut short and falling in front of his face. The race towards the last warehouse at the end of the port and enter through an opened window. Wet they remove the top layer of clothing leaving them in a dark blue Dogi. They creep above in the rafters and observe the many activities of this private army. They spot who they are looking for, a small man wearing an overly priced suit shouting orders.
"Is that him, Senpai?" The younger man asked the older man. The older man looks hard and observes him for a few more seconds.
"Yes, Kenshin that's our contractor."
The younger one grins evilly, "Than how about introducing ourselves." They drop from the rafters and unsheathe their swords, in the middle of a group of armed men.
"What the fuck?" one grunt yells before being knocked out by one of the men. They knocked out thirty men in less then five seconds before heading for Gato. He was standing in the middle of the room surrounded by many of his thugs. They brandish many weapons from swords to lead pipes, and they were ready to defend their money bank.
"Well, if it isn't the Ookami Nomure." Gato said as he took a sip of his red wine that he held in his hand, "Come at them with everything you have!" the thugs rushed forward screaming at the top of their lungs aiming to kill the two men. The two men readied their swords and rushed forward to meet the thugs head on.
'Fuuton: Shinku Renpa' the older man unleashed the hurricane speed wind on the group knocking them into the air. The both jumped into the air and readied themselves. With expert precision they slice through the thugs in mid air. The speed in which they moved was hard to follow to the untrained eye. The light reflected off the swords blinded Gato, as he heard chunks of human flesh hit the ground all around him. Many of the thugs who didn't get blasted into the air looked on frightened as the two men landed ten feet from them, covered in blood. Their blades were painted red as they stalked forward, the thugs not wanting to die ran away as fast as they could.
The room was empty now, the only ones still in the room were Gato and the two men. Gato had a giant grin on his face as the two men walked up to him and kneeled.
"Did we pass your little test?" the older man asked venom lacing his voice.
"Yes, you did." He looked around the room and analyzed the carnage that the men had made. "You…I presume are Kenshiro of the forest, right?"
"Hai, I am him." He gestures to the young man with his left hand, "And this is my partner, Kenshin."
"I have a job for you to accomplish, will you hear me out?"
"Only if the price is good." Kenshin commented
Gato reached into his jacket and pulled out a series of photos. "These are the ones that I want dead…can you handle the assignment?" He hands the photos to Kenshiro, and he looks over them carefully.
He stops on the photo of a long haired blond boy, wearing a black Dogi and an Odachi strapped to his waist with a headband. But what he was interested in was the Odachi. He knew that sword personally, the obsidian blade, the intricate carvings of the Moon goddess.
"Kagetora?" he whispered under his breath. Kenshin heard him say the name and looked at the photo.
"Wait…are we dealing with ninja?" He exclaimed, his eyes darting to Gato.
His eyes going back to Kenshiro, "What is it? What do you see?"
Kenshiro points to the sword the boy has and in a low angry voice he says, "That sword..." he was trying to calm his anger by breathing slowly, "…belonged to my brother!"
(Cave – Day 4)
"Dairoku Fuin: Kokoro no Shiiru!" Toshitsune's body slammed into the earth as the seal strengthened around him. Naruto had been at the seal since the first day, never leaving the seal unattended for one second. He had gone through his entire supply of solider and food pills, the strain of having to keep up the jutsu for four days was too much for his reserves to handle. He had one-third of his chakra left he tried to steady his chakra flow to optimize the amount of his chakra. He sat before the field of the seal and concentrated hard…when he blacked out.
The flow of the chakra remained steady but if he didn't wake up soon, they would all be dead.
(Inside the Seal)
The first thing Naruto felt was cold, he felt something cold and wet around his body. He opened his eyes and saw tall red wood trees covered in snow, he sat up and looked around. He saw nothing but snow on the floor. He stood up and reveled in the feeling of the snow on his toes.
"Welcome Naruto." A boastful voice said. The voice resounded all through the trees, as Naruto ducked and searched for the source of the voice.
"Who's there?" he yelled into the trees.
"Follow the path set before your feet, Naruto." The voice demanded. The snow on the forest floor before him melted away revealing a road. Naruto slowly walked forward following the road to wherever it lead him. The road twisted and bent many times before he stood in front of a wooden gate.
Naruto looked up at the wooden gate and felt as if he recognized it. The wood was covered in soot as if it were set on fire; he looked close and noticed there was writing under the soot. He wiped away the soot with his right hand and read the name of the village.
"Getsu…men...no…Mura? Why does that sound familiar?" he looked closer at the wood and noticed that a kanji had been burned off, and went through his memories to find the name.
"Getsumentai no Mura!" the sudden realization hit him hard. He burst through the gate and saw astounded. Everywhere he looked building lay ruined and burnt, blacked by death and decay. This was once his home…but now was a bad memory of what had happened. He walked the streets with his eyes brimming over with tears; he walked for what seemed hours by the time he snapped out of it he was standing in front of what once was his home.
He walked through the blackened gate and into the destroyed home. The walls were scorched by fire and falling apart. Mindlessly he wanders the corridors until he stops in front of his father's room. Slowly he reaches with his soot coated right hand and slides the paper door open. He sees his father's armor in the corner of the bare room and runs to it.
"Father…" he whispers out as new tears fall from his Sapphire eyes. He runs his hand over it, feeling the strong armor that had protected his father through countless battles…until his hands run over the tear in his father's armor where the Nin-jato had pierced him.
"Why father…had your armor protected you through many battles…" he places his hand on his chest as he shook with sorrow, "Why had it failed to protect you that night!"
"He was killed by a ninja who knew how to manipulate lightning nature chakra." The voice came from behind him. He turned his head and saw a giant red fox lying down on the floor in the middle of the room. Its nine long flowing tails swaying in the air. He noticed that a collar was around it neck with the kanji for seal etched into the leather.
"What are you!" Naruto said reaching for Kagetora, but finding that the sword was missing from his hip.
"You have no need for weapons here Naruto." The fox said calmly as it rose and stretched it legs. It slowly sauntered over to Naruto and began to circle around him. "I am the Kyubi no Yoko, the strong and extremely handsome fox!" Kyubi let out a soft laughter as he looked at Naruto and the face he was making.
"What! Never seen a Deity before you, shrimp?"
Naruto broke out of his confusion and grew angry. "Where have you brought me?"
The Kyubi stopped circling Naruto and looked around, "I haven't taken you anywhere. You are still sitting in a cave with a quickly weakening seal, that will unleash our brother and we will die. We currently are inside your mindscape were I reside."
Naruto was confused with what the Kyubi had said. "Wait are you saying that we're inside my mind and that you are living here? How did you get to be in my mind?"
The Kyubi sighs as it starts to explain to Naruto how he had ended up inside him. "Yes inside your mind…as to how I got here…Well long story short I was sealed within you by your Yondaime Hokage, some twelve or thirteen years ago. It's kind of hard to keep track of the time in here."
Naruto was shaking with anger at what he heard, "So you're telling me that you're the one responsible for the first four years of my life, that was filled with such hate and hurt. Do you know what my life has been like! The hate I feel for those people that walk the street of Konoha! The sadness and confusion I felt when they beat me and left me for dead! Or the hunger that racked my body at night when I couldn't afford to buy something to eat! Huh, do you?"
The Kyubi looked away from him, his face was saddened, "Yes Naruto I know what you felt, I hate as you hate, I fear as you feared, and I suffered as you suffered. I am you now Naruto, we are inseparable because of the seal on your abdomen." Naruto looked down and rubbed his stomach. "But realize that without me you would never have had the family you do now. Or the love that surrounds you."
The Kyubi lies down, encircling Naruto with his body. Naruto had yet to respond to what the Kyubi said. "Naruto, we are going to die. The seal is weakening and you don't have the chakra to sustain it any longer."
Naruto lies on top of Kyubi; the feel of his fur was soft and fluffy. "What do I do? Kakashi could help out but he might kill or be killed."
Kyubi smiled his canine fangs exposed, "What if I lend you some of my power? You could do so many things with my power."
Naruto thinks about it for a second, "Will I be able to handle your power?"
They Kyubi lets out a hearty laugh, "Handle it? You've on occasion tapped into my power to protect your loved ones."
Naruto nodded his head, "Ok lend me your power Kyubi."
Kyubi focused his energy and howled, "I'm warning you now... you may like it." Red chakra began to seep out of Kyubi's coat. The red chakra began to shroud Naruto and Naruto was shocked at what he felt. What he felt was pure ecstasy and energy.
"You must wake now the seal has dissipated and Toshitsune is free!" Kyubi shouted into the air. Naruto felt weightlessness and soon everything went black.
(Cave)
Kakashi and Akuma heard a loud cracking and saw that the seal was falling apart. Pieces of the seal started disappearing as Toshitsune struggled to his feet. Kakashi and Akuma immediately darted and stood in front of Naruto's body that was unmoving on the ground.
"Naruto! Naruto! Is he alive?" Kakashi asked Akuma who was sniffing the air around Naruto.
"Barely…but right now we have to deal with him." Akuma said facing the now erect Lycan. Its mouth wide open, fangs showing in a clear threat, as in stalked forward sizing up both Kakashi and Akuma.
Kakashi lifted his headband exposing his sharingan, and drew his kunai. The fur on Akuma's back was bristled and standing on end, he flashed his fangs and snarled. The Lycan got on all fours and his eyes locked on Kakashi, it darted left with amazing speed. Faster than Kakashi's sharingan could follow as he was struck from the side and sent flying into the cave wall. Akuma reacted instantly and bit down on the Lycan's arm. The Lycan roared in pain as Akuma tore at the arm. With its mighty claws the Lycan grabbed Akuma by the head and tore him free and tossed him into the air.
Kakashi was still by the wall when he saw the Lycan standing before him, its large snout in his face. Kakashi closed his eyes and waited for it to attack when the room was filled with a malevolent energy. He opened his eyes and managed to look around the beast and saw Naruto standing his arms hanging from his side and a red cloak of chakra with a single tail. The Lycan grinned happy that he found a new opponent and turns back to Kakashi and backhands him, knocking him out cold. His limp body fell to the side hard as the Lycan rushed for Naruto. Attacking from the right the Lycan uses his claws to slash at Naruto, but without looking Naruto catches the claw with a single hand.
"Its time to awaken brother." Naruto said in a soft deep voice. He pulls the Lycan forward and with his left hand grabs it by the throat. He lifts it into the air and slams it into the ground with extreme force. The red chakra surrounding Naruto's hand was causing the Lycan immense pain as it seared its skin from where Naruto was holding him. The smell of burned flesh and hair filled the cave to the brim. The Lycan thrashed about trying to free itself from Naruto's iron grip.
"WAKE UP!" he slammed it on the stone floor again, its body sinking into the earth a bit. A large crack stretched from where the Lycan's body hit the stone. The Lycan stopped thrashing and went still, it eyes going from a crimson red to a brilliant shade of emerald.
"Naruto?" he said as his fur started falling to the ground, revealing a naked Toshitsune. Naruto released Toshitsune and laid him on the stone floor carefully.
"Yes, brother it's me." His voice was smooth and comforting.
Tears welled up in Toshitsune's eyes as he spoke in a shaky voice, "Did I…hurt anyone?" he coughed up a little blood, as he reached to touch his sore neck.
Naruto looked behind him and looked towards Kakashi. With a slight smile he lightly laughed, "You might have just given my Sensei a serious headache." Toshitsune face fell as he looked around from the ground, searching for Akuma.
"Where's Akuma?" worry filled his voice fully, as he struggled to stand on his legs. He ran his hands over his arms and felt blood seeping from his right arm. He could make out the outline of teeth as his healing factor repaired the injury. "Oh God, What did I do?" He fell to his knees as his strength left him. Naruto tried to stand him on his feet, but he just couldn't. The thought of hurting his partner in life was too much for Toshitsune.
"I'm okay Toshitsune. Stand up." They looked towards the cave entrance and saw the shadow of a massive wolf limping to them. Toshitsune summoning strength from nowhere jumps to his feet and sprinted to Akuma. Tears welled up and escaped his eyes as he engulfed him in a loving embrace.
"I'm sorry Akuma. I'm sorry for hurting you." Akuma placed his heavy paw on his quivering shoulder of the trembling Toshitsune.
"There, there you aren't to blame for what happened. Just calm down so we can return to the others." Toshitsune seemed to calm down as Akuma sat beside him. "How long have we been away from the team?"
"About four days now." Naruto said as he held Kakashi over his shoulder, still unconscious. A giant red mark adorned the left side of his face. Toshitsune walked up to Naruto and touched the spot were he had struck and felt ashamed. He turned his back on Naruto and walked around the cave searching for Hi no Tori.
He found the sword under the pile of his torn Dogi. "I promise…to never let this happen again, Naruto." Tears of regret and agony flowed down his beautiful face, his emerald eyes full of sadness.
His eyes went wide when he started to remember that night, "Wait! What of Sakura? Did I hurt her?" fear laced his voice as he looked at Akuma and Naruto for an answer.
Akuma and Naruto joined him in the middle of the room. "No, Toshitsune. She is unharmed and with the rest of the team." Naruto said as he turned to the entrance of the cave.
"Do you think you're okay for the run back to the safe house?" Naruto said with concern.
"Yeah, but what about you? Are you alright for the journey back?"
A wicked smile spread across Naruto's face, exposing elongated fangs. "Oh, I have more than enough energy to go there and back." An all knowing grin spread across Toshitsune's face as he recognized the grin.
"Then we better get going if we're going to be back before sunset." Akuma said as he jumped from rock to rock up the side of the sheer cliff.
"After you." Naruto gestured with his free hand. Toshitsune leapt up and cleared the cliff in three jumps.
Naruto adjusted Kakashi on his shoulder and pumped Kyubi's chakra into his legs. In one giant swift jump he ascended into the sky and landed twenty feet past the cliffs edge.
"Wow! This could be fun after all." Naruto said laughter shaking his body. He turned and dashed after Toshitsune and Akuma