Naruto Uchiha
Hello again. Thank you for sticking around and welcome to the next chapter of this fanfic. I know shit is going to go down now that Kakuzu is here, but I have a plan…I think.
Well let's just see what happens, shall we?
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The next day, Kakashi had recovered enough for the team to begin guard duty at the bridge while Tazuna worked to complete it. It was simple at first, but Team 7 noticed an argument going on with some of the workmen and Tazuna. Seeing that things were slow for them at the moment, the group decided to listen in.
"I don't care what you say, Tazuna," said a worker while several others stood by him, "we have homes and families to protect and we can't do that if Gato kills us for helping you!"
"Kaitou, wait," said Tazuna, "I've hired Shinobi to protect us. Powerful Shinobi from Konohagakure no Sato."
The worker glanced over to the members of Team 7 and took in their appearances, "All I see are some kids and an injured sensei. Sorry Tazuna, but we can't just rely on them to protect us, so we're gonna leave before things get dangerous."
"Fine," spat Tazuna, "get lost you cowards. I don't need you! I'll build the bridge myself."
As the men left, Tazuna slumped and turned toward the Konoha Shinobi, "I'm sorry. It looks like you decided to stick with this mission for nothing. Without workers, I can't build this bridge."
"Well," said Kakashi as he walked over with a slight limp, "if it's numbers you need, I think my team might be able to help with that."
"How?" asked Tazuna, "There's only four of you and we'll need more than three kids and a sensei that walks with a limp."
Kakashi gave the man an eye smile, "Naruto-kun, if you would?"
Naruto smirked and moved his hands into a familiar seal and channeled his Chakra, "Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Tazuna's eyes widened as an explosion of smoke that covered the partially constructed bridge. When the smoke cleared, his eyes bugged out, as now the bridge was covered by a small army of clones of the blond teen, all of them smirking at the bridge builder.
"This enough for you?" the copies asked as one.
"More than enough," smiled Tazuna.
"Just tell them what you need them to do," said Naruto.
"Right," said Tazuna.
The bridge builder began to direct the clones to perform the tasks needed to continue the construction of the bridge, while Kakashi took his team to do more training while he recovered from his fight with Zabuza, leaving a dozen Naruto clones on guard duty.
xXsceneXx
The Genin followed Kakashi to a clearing where he leaned on a tree.
"Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, "what are we doing here?"
"Well," said Kakashi, "since we have some time, I wanted to work on some new training. I know we've covered the basic water walking drills during our training sessions, we'll start working on some elemental jutsu training."
"You're gonna teach us some of your jutsu?" exclaimed Naruto.
"I think you've earned it," said Kakashi, "now that Zabuza's taken care of, we should be able to relax a bit before we…LOOK OUT!"
The team jumped to the side and was just barely able to dodge a torrent of fire that shot at them. As they recovered, a figure wearing black robes that had red clouds stamped on them landed in the clearing with a smirk on his face as he held a katana with an ornate handle that had a dragon's gaping maw at the base.
"Heh," laughed the Shinobi, "you brats managed to dodge."
"Who are you?" growled Naruto, but Kakashi held up a hand to stop him from advancing.
"I recognize you," said Kakashi, "Dragon Fang Kurashiya, a missing-nin from Kumo and a member of the Akatsuki now by the looks of it."
"As to be expected from Kakashi Hatake of the Sharingan," said another voice as another cloaked figure walked out of the trees, "though I'd expect my partner to use his brain and act like a real Shinobi once in a while. A pity."
"Kakuzu," said Kakashi as he scowled behind his mask, "a missing-nin from Taki. Not much else mentioned in the Bingo Books."
"I'm pleased you know me," said Kakuzu, "but I've been paid to kill you, and I'd like to collect that bounty on your head as well. Kurashiya, deal with the brats while I take care of Hatake here."
"Tch," said Kurashiya as he readied his katana, "don't order me around, Kakuzu."
"Don't underestimate him," said Kakashi as he warned his team, "they are elite Shinobi and won't hesitate."
"You should pay more attention," said Kakuzu as his fist turned black and he punched at Kakashi, shattering the tree the Jonin was in front of when his strike was dodged.
'Such power,' thought Kakashi before weaving through several hand seals, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"
Kakashi shot a large fireball at the missing-nin, but Kakuzu made several hand seals of his own and spat out a large wall of water that doused the fireball easily.
"Is that the best you can do?" asked Kakuzu as he made more hand signs and turned his fist black again before punching at Kakashi.
'Crap,' thought Kakashi as he dodged the punch, 'I'm still recovering from fighting Zabuza. I can't let this drag out too long, and I'm not strong enough to use the Sharingan again so soon.'
Weaving through several more hand seals, Kakashi took a deep breath and blew out bullets of compressed air at Kakuzu, "Futon: Air Bullets!"
As Kakuzu dodged around Kakashi's attack, his partner was taking on the three Genin of Team 7 with a sadistic smirk on his face as he slashed at them with his katana. Naruto had created several Kage Bunshin that were hidden around the area and they used Kawarimi to switch with their teammates when they were about to be injured, a tactic that had already saved their lives a dozen times during the battle.
"Cowards," spat Kurashiya as he cut down another Kage Bunshin, "you brats can't put up a good fight!"
"Shut up!" yelled Naruto as he threw a kunai at Kurashiya that the missing-nin dodged with ease.
"Is that the best you've got, Blondie?" asked Kurashiya with a smirk.
"No," said Naruto, causing the Shinobi to frown before the poof of a Kawarimi behind his head made him spin with wide eyes.
"Take this!" yelled Sasuke as he swung his sword at the swordsmen's unguarded neck.
Kurashiya was able to dodge the attack, but the fact that it surprised him hindered his reaction time and he received a cut across his cheek as a result. Scowling at the Genin, he slammed a kick into Sasuke's gut that sent the Genin sprawling back.
"You brats," spat the swordsman, "I'll teach you to think you can actually match a real Shinobi."
Gathering some of his blood on his thumb, he proceeded to spread it over the flat side of his katana.
"Drink up Kyuketsuki," said Kurashiya.
The blade absorbed the blood that was spread on it causing the eyes in the dragon head to glow bright red as the head itself let out a roar. Suddenly, flames erupted over the katana's edge and the missing-nin shot at Sasuke swinging his blade at the Genin, his blazing sword cleaving through the Uchiha's sword easily.
"Time's up," said Kurashiya as he impaled Sasuke, only for the body to be replaced by a wooden log.
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" yelled Sasuke from behind the Shinobi as he spat a stream of fire at him.
Kurashiya spun around and brought his flaming sword down on the fireball, dispelling it with ease, "Is that your best shot?"
"Suiton: Mizurappa!" yelled Hinata from behind Kurashiya as she spat a blast of water out of her mouth.
"Futon: Daitoppa!" yelled Naruto from alongside the heiress as he shot a massive blast of wind from his mouth.
The wind and water merged into a powerful vortex that shot toward the enemy Shinobi, but Kurashiya stood his ground, attempting to block the attack with his sword. For a while, the attack and the Shinobi battled for dominance, but the attack won out and knocked the sword from the missing-nin's hand as he was sent sprawling to the ground from the force behind the jutsu.
"Take that!" cheered Naruto.
"Don't get cocky," growled Kurashiya before he shot at Sasuke.
The missing-nin grabbed the Last Uchiha's neck and lifted him off the ground, causing Sasuke to sputter as his windpipe was crushed, "Now, how about I crush your teammate's neck before we kill that bridge builder."
"Kurashiya," growled Kakuzu as he kicked Kakashi to the ground, "remember, we need the Uchiha alive."
"Doesn't mean we have to bring him back unharmed," said Kurashiya as he squeezed Sasuke's neck tighter.
Naruto watched as his brother was held helpless by the missing-nin and wished he had the power to do something. Kakashi was busy with his own opponent and neither he nor Hinata would be able to intervene before Kurashiya could snap Sasuke's neck.
"Do you want to save him?" asked the Kyuubi from his mindscape, "I can help you."
Naruto suddenly found himself sitting in the shallow water of his mindscape staring at the large cage that housed his tenant.
"What do you want in return?" asked Naruto, "There has to be a catch. There always is in the stories about demons and their deals."
The Kyuubi was silent for a moment before he let out a booming laugh that echoed through the chamber, "Hahaha, you have guts, kit. No, this isn't about me giving you my power in exchange for something of yours."
"Then what?!" yelled Naruto, "How can I save Nii-san?!"
"Use those eyes of yours," said the fox, "you didn't think the sage brought peace to the world and was revered as a god simply because he could use every element. No, he had power beyond normal Jutsu. Simply do as I say and you can save his life."
"Fine," said Naruto, "but I don't trust you."
"Good," said the beast with a grin, "then there's hope for you yet."
xXsceneXx
Naruto opened his eyes in the real world and realized only seconds had passed. Concentrating, he activated his Rinnegan and stretched out his hand toward the sword Hinata and him had knocked out of the missing-nin's hands. Focusing chakra into his palms, he reached out and pulled at the sword with his mind, causing it to rise off the ground.
"What are you doing, brat?" asked Kurashiya.
"This," said Naruto, not noticing that Hinata had seen his eyes and was staring in shock at them, having recognized them from history books, "Banshō Ten'in!"
The sword went spinning silently through the air toward Naruto, slicing through Kurashiya's shoulder and tendons, forcing him to drop the Genin as he screamed in pain.
"Curse you lowlife trash!" snarled Kurashiya.
"Pathetic," sighed Kakuzu as he kicked down Kakashi again and impaled him with his blackened fist, "I'll deal with you brats myself."
Suddenly, the body he had impaled transformed into lightning that traveled through Kakuzu's body and stunned him, causing him to stagger back.
"A Raiton Kage Bunshin?" ground out Kakuzu in shock before hearing the sound of thousands of chirping birds that was followed by a lightning coated fist impaling him through his chest from behind.
"I don't need my Sharingan to be observant," said Kakashi from behind Kakuzu, "I saw the hand seals you used to activate that strange jutsu that enhanced your strength. One was quite clear: the Doton hand seal. And Doton Jutsu is always weak to Raiton."
Kakashi ripped his hand out from Kakuzu's chest and the Shinobi staggered forward, as black threads emerged from the wound, sealing it up and stopping blood flow.
"What the…?" said Kakashi in surprise.
"Looks like we're at a disadvantage," said Kakuzu, "I only have two hearts left and would rather leave to fight another day then die here."
Kakuzu reached out and his hand extended from his sleeve, connected to his arm only by the same strange black threads, grabbing Kurashiya and pulling him to Kakuzu's side. The missing-nin made a hand seal and used a Shunshin to quickly leave the area, leaving the team alone.
xXsceneXx
Once the two rouge Shinobi were a good distance away, Kakuzu threw Kurashiya to the ground in disgust.
"Idiot," growled the former Taki Shinobi, "you were beaten by three GENIN!"
"They got lucky," said the swordsman as he gripped what was left of his injured arm, "When I find them again, I will make them suffer as I rip off their fingers one by one and shove them down their throats!"
"No," snarled Kakuzu as his threads emerged from his cloak, "I've had enough of your incompetence and your attitude in general. You are a worthless excuse for a Shinobi…no, you do have one use left."
Before Kurashiya could react, Kakuzu plunged his hand into the swordsman's chest and ripped out his still beating heart. As the Shinobi lay dying, the last thing he saw was Kakuzu's threads cocooning the organ and pulling it into his own body.
"Now I have three again," said Kakuzu as he removed the ring from his former partner's left index finger and placed it in a pocket, "Leader-sama won't be happy, but that guy was an idiot anyway."
Kakuzu made several hand seals and shot a gout of flame from his mouth that incinerated his former partner's dead body.
"The new heart works well it seems," said the Akatsuki member before he left to update his superior.
A few things to note: If you thought Kakuzu and his partner were pushovers in their fight, let me try to clear the air. Kakuzu was knocking Kakashi around without taking a single injury, yet he still only possessed three hearts at this point in the fic. Since it was never stated in canon that he had all five hearts prior to Shippuden, I'm toning him down here so the team can actually win in their weakened state. Also, he retreated because his partner was incapacitated and he didn't want to face four on one odds when he wanted to take half of them in alive, so he left to conserve the hearts he still had.
As for his partner, I intended for him to die from the beginning. Since it is stated in canon that Kakuzu had a tendency to kill his partners in fits of rage, I felt it would be fitting that he do so by taking the man's heart to replace the one Kakashi destroyed. However he only lost because Naruto pulled out the Rinnegan and surprised him (and yes we will discuss more about that next chapter along with Hinata's reaction) so it actually was luck that allowed them to win…well, that and Kakashi taking advantage of Kakuzu's momentary lapse of attention to substitute with a clone.
Until next time.
Ja ne.