Well here's chapter Eleven. Sorry it took so long to get this out, I know I updated chapter 10 twice...Hopefully the combat was more enjoying then that pitifull first attempt. Anyways, for the title of this chapter and last one, there is a double meaning literally. Some of you may realize it but for those who don't allow me to explain. The kanji (Japanese writing form) for Akatsuki means "Day Break" but when you break it down, Akatsuki also means "Red Moon" (Aka meaning red, tsuki meaning moon). And since I broke the Akatsuki meeting into two chapters, what better titles than the two meanings of the word?
Also worth noting is that I've decided to keep this fic close to the manga so eventually there will be spoilers. I'll post what chapters will have spoilers when I get to that point. Now enough rambling, onto the next chapter:
True Power
Chapter 11: Red Moon
"The boy's following us." The short man said to his partner as they walked towards another clearing in search for two more people.
"So he is. What should we do about him?"
"If he tries to interfer, kill him."
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I've got to catch up to them... Neji thought desperately as he stumbled after his mission. His legs were numb and stiff from being frozen as well as his arms. They're not far. He thought as he saw the backs of the two men.
"Wait!" He shouted after them.
"...Kisame, go ahead and take care of the other two." The little man told Kisame as he stopped dead in the path.
"Alright then. Looks like I get to have some fun!" Kisame said with a demonic laugh as he continued on his path drawing his massive blade off his back and throwing it over his shoulder.
"...What is it that you want? I don't have time to kill you, but I will if thats what your after." The man asked quitely as he turned around, the brim of his kasa lowered over his eyes and headband.
"...I...I want to join Akatsuki!" Neji trembled. This guy...something about him is unnerving...
"...And what makes you think your strong enough? Do you think we're looking for kids?"
"Hm. I'm the strongest of the Hyuuga Clan of Konoha, as well as a jounin ranked ninja and I'm only 16" Neji smirked as his confidence returned unwavering.
"And? I was head of an ANBU team at thirteen. The only redeeming thing about you is your heritage. If it wasn't for that, I would have killed you."
"So? Can I join?"
"...No. You must speak with the Leader. But you can come with us. Only if you can kill the other two targets by yourself."
"Fine." Neji agreed "I'll-"
"Kisame, did you kill them already?" He interupted as the man walked back from the clearing.
"No. I didn't get the chance to. Someone else did it."
She killed both of them already?
"Go get the other man's body and bring it over."
"Gotcha" Was all Kisame said as he obeyed the order to fetch the body of Dekibae.
"...Lets go." The man spoke out to Neji as he too turned to go.
"Wait, what's your name?" Neji asked as he followed to the left of the nameless Akatsuki.
"...Uchiha. Itachi Uchiha..."
Uchiha? This man is Sasuke's brother, the same man who destroyed the entire Uchiha Clan!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -In the clearing- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
The sight of Vivi's battlefield was one of disbelief. Every few meters there were pilliars of ice, crators filled with blood, piles of snow, and dozens of shuriken and kunai. Some of the pilliars were made of frozen blood and many of them were broken and shattered, making the pilliars sharp and deadly. Splashes of blood dotted the grass and dirt not under snow and some of the surrounding trees lay cut in two. On the far side of the area, two people, Dekibae's followers, were frozen in two of the pilliars and were fataly wounded.
As Neji and Itachi took in the sight, Kisame returned with Dekibae over his left shoulder. As he approached, he tossed the corpse onto the ground just behind Itachi.
"...Good, now get the other two." Itachi said as he pulled a scroll out from under his cloak.
"What are we doing with this kid?" Kisame said as he drew his sword as he walked to the pilliars and crushed them with a single swing.
"He's coming with us. We'll let Leader consider his offer."
"Fine." Kisame said as he picked up the bodies and brought them over to Itachi.
"Do you know any fuuinjutsu?" Itachi asked turning to look at Neji.
"Only basics like weapon and supplies sealing. Why?"
"Pay attention, right now you will learn Shigai Fuuin." Itachi said as he unrolled his scroll and started writing incantions using his own blood.
Kisame had opened a scroll and placed it at the feet of the female in the group. Then they, after he too wrote the incantations, simutanouslly started doing handsigns; Ushi, tatsu, mi, saru, inu, hitsuji Neji thought as he watched every detail, from the incantations, to the hand seals and made sure he remembered it all. Then as they finished their hand sighns, a black, ominous mist poured from the scrolls and shrouded the bodies. After the mist completely covered the bodies, it receded back into the scrolls and a symbol appeared on the scroll written in black. Then Itachi and Kisame rolled the scrolls up and placed them inside their cloaks.
"Now get out a blank scroll and seal the final body into the scroll."
"Why are you being so nice to this brat?" Kisame spoke out, ignoring the fact that Neji was standing less than three feet away from him. "Is it beacuse he is also from Konoha?"
"...No, the reasons don't matter. Remember to focus your chakra into the scroll when you start the process. Now seal the body and lets go."
Neji pulled a blank scroll from his robe and placed at the feet of the final body. Unrolling it, he used a kunai to cut his finger and filled out the incantations perfectly. Once he was ready, Neji began to preform the necessary hand seals: "Ushi, tatsu, mi, saru, inu, hitsuji!" He said as he did each one and he focused his chakra into the scroll. And the same black mist emerged from the scroll to take it's body.
"So that was your first time sealing a body?" Kisame asked with a smile that showed his shark like teeth.
"Yes it was."
"You learn quite fast." Itachi spoke out.
"Well, I'm the genius of the Hyuuga Clan." Neji replied with a pause, "The strongest clan of Konoha."
"...Lets go, we're waisting time." Itachi said emotionlessly.
"Wait," Neji turned to Kisame, "where is the girl who took out those two?" He asked, refering to Sangai and Zansatsu.
"What girl? Whoever took them out was gone when I got here."
"Right." Where did she go?...
"...Lets go. There is a base close by. We'll contact Leader from there." Itachi began walking through the battlefield and Kisame followed in suit.
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The journey to the closest base was a mere hour walk. The base was, at first glance, a cave but once Itachi reached the back of the cave, he placed his palm onto the wall and poured chakra into it. After he removed his hand, the wall dissipated in a puff of smoke. He and Kisame entered a room with a massive statue with two hands sticking out the ground in front of it. After everyone had entered, the wall reformed in it's place.
"I'm going to call Leader." Itachi spoke.
"Are you going to show the brat?" Kisame asked as he took out his scroll and signaled for Neji to give him his.
"No, I'm already done with the seals."
Seals? He did hand signs that fast? I didn't even notice them...
No sooner had Itachi said that, an illusion of a man appeared on the middle hand of the statue. His features were illegible, as he looked like he was made of static.
"Ah, Itachi and Kisame. I was expecting you right around now. How did the mission go?"
"Well." Itachi answered as he too took out his scroll and summoned the body within. "It was successful."
Kisame summoned his bodies as well and piled the bodies in between himself and the 'Leader'.
"Good, return here and I will give you your next assignment."
"Wait, we have something else. We have someone here who would like to join us." Itachi stepped forward as he spoke to the static image of his boss.
"Really? Who are you boy?" The illusion asked, finally taking notice of Neji.
"I am Hyuuga Neji of Konoha." Neji too stepped forward.
"Hyuuga huh? Why have you desired to join us?"
"I...I want to see the destruction of my clan and Village."
"You are so weak you cannot kill your clan yourself?"
"No, I am the strongest of my clan however...I am not of the Main Branch and I have been branded with a curse mark that could kill me."
"Hmm...A curse mark huh? Well, you may be strong but you might not be strong enough to play with us. We are elite, S-class ninja's. You...you are just a boy from a Village. How can you prove you are strong enough to come with us?"
"...Test me."
"Test you? Do you realize you are not the only one trying to join us?" He spoke to Neji the entire time, never breaking eye contact, "Deidara also has someone who wants to join." This time he spoke to Itachi.
"I can vow for this boy, his clan is powerful. If he truely is the strongest, he should be able to deal with us. He is a fast learner."
"...Well then...your test will be to fight Itachi! If you can last three minutes againist him, then I'll allow you to come to our main base and from there I'll further test you. Got it?"
"Yes." Itachi answered without hesitation.
"I understand." Neji spoke sternly.
Kisame started laughing before he looked at Neji and spoke to him; "I would hate to be in your place. See you in hell."
Neji and Itachi both walked away from each other till there was a 15 meter space between them and turned to face each other. Kisame walked to the statue and sat on one of the fingers.
"This'll be good. Try not to die so fast, huh brat?" He said laughing his evil, demonic laugh.
End Chapter Eleven.
And thats it!! Hopefully that was good, I thought so. Next chapter will NOT be the Neji-Itachi, rather it will be Konoha's veiw (mostly Tenten's) on Neji's leaving. Anyways, a while back I promised to define the names so here it is:
Dekibae: Execution, among others. I gave him that name because of his purpose in this story (to kill Vivi)
Zansatsu: Slaughter, massacre
Sangai: Havoc
Also, I have jutsu to define!!:
fuuinjutsu: The art of Sealing.
Ushi, tatsu, mi, saru, inu, hitsuji: I just made up those strings of signs, I haven't a clue if there a real jutsu or not. Ox, Dragon, Snake, Monkey, Dog, Ram is what each of them in order.
Shigai Fuuin: Lit. Corpse Sealing. A jutsu I made that seals dead bodies into scrolls.
And there you go. Chapter Twelve will be out soon. Until then, reviews would be gratefully accepted!