Guest: Obito will come in with Akatsuki just like canon but how he operates will be different. I can't really say anymore than that though without giving away major spoilers.
Dreaded Rasengan: He already replaced his arm by using the jutsu that lets him spit out a copy of himself like a snake shedding its skin.
mellra: Then I guess Naruto will feel wrong to you because I will confirm that he will NOT be getting any summons.
LaughingPrincess88: Oh he will, but then something will happen and he won't care anymore.
Guest: While the Toads do have the key to the seal, Naruto still won't get them and will have a way around that by the time it actually matters.
KaijuOh: No Tayuya will not become an Uzumaki. I have other plans for her.
21 - A Nightmare of Red Clouds
"I see. Thank you for doing so much in my sleep Jiraiya." Sarutobi thanked as the Sannin finished filling him in on everything going on with the village.
"Not a problem sensei. Kakashi and Naruto are set to wake up any time now according to their doctors so they should be up and about soon enough." The man added before giving a small smile. "I just went and checked on the boy before coming here and found his two teammates there. Before I walked in I could hear them talking so I listened. The girl seemed like she was starting to doubt herself since she didn't think she was strong enough but the Uchiha snapped her out of that by saying he knows he wasn't strong enough but that he'd just train until he was and inspired her to do the same. I gotta say, it's nice to see the younger generation taking up the values that keep Konoha how it is." The man admitted as Sarutobi smiled himself.
"I'm glad to know that. There were a few worries about Sasuke after his clan was killed. To hear that he's growing strong and keeping true to the Will of Fire, it does this old heart good I think." Jiraiya just nodded slightly in agreement. "And if you want to see something like that more often then you could always become Hokage." The old man told him as Jiraiya rolled his eyes.
"I told you this back before you gave Minato that hat, I'm not cut out for the job!" He complained as Sarutobi chuckled.
"Merely a suggestion my student. I happen to agree with the general opinion on the village that a new and younger Hokage is needed. I will start going over possibilities tomorrow after I leave this room behind. As necessary as they are, I share young Naruto-kun's dislike of hospitals." The man commented as the Sannin cracked a grin at that. "For now though I'd like for you to bring me all the reports I need to go over as well as any on the exploits of the genin from the Exams. It may not be ideal but the Invasion did provide them all with experience in war and can help finalize any chunin promotion ideas I had been thinking of before it started." The Kage told him as Jiraiya shrugged and headed for the door.
"Yeah sure. Outside of Naruto's obvious promotion I think only a couple genin actually showed promise for the next level."
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"H-has he woken up yet?" Sakura turned around in her seat as the door opened and Hinata walked in. The girl was nervously tapping her fingers together as Sakura gave her a slight smile and shook her head.
"No but we're told it should be anytime now. Hokage-sama apparently just woke up though." The girl offered as Hinata claimed a seat on the other side of the bed of the sleeping blond. "So, what're you here for Hinata? I thought you'd be checking up on Kiba after that guy put him down."
"I-I did. He's r-really hurting b-but is set to make a f-full recovery in a f-few weeks. I just w-wanted to check up on Naruto-san n-now because he's d-done so much for me." She answered before looking around. "Where's S-Sasuke-san?"
"Sasuke-kun went to go grab something to eat since he was getting kind of hungry. He should be back soon though." Sakura answered as she stood. "Well, since you're here, mind watching over him while I take a trip to the restroom?" She asked as Hinata nodded so she left the room and the lavender eyed Hyuuga looked down to the blond. Hooked up to his chest were a few wires to monitor his vitals while there were bandages over his chest and arms as well as a small one over his eye. The girl nervously looked around before reaching up to his whiskers and running a finger over them, feeling the rough edges against the smooth skin of his cheeks.
"They're r-real…" She muttered as she pulled her hand back, having wondered if they were just marks or actual whiskers. She waited silently before hearing a groan as she looked back to Naruto and saw his eyes open slowly. He grimaced and shut them again at the light coming in as he slowly lifted his left hand to shield his face.
"Ugh… why are the rooms always so damn bright?" He muttered as he rubbed his eyes a bit and opened them again to see he was in the hospital with Hinata next to him staring at him. "Hey Hinata…" He started as he craned his head around to see that they were alone in the room. "How long was I out?"
"It's been a l-little o-over three days Naruto-san." She told him as the blond nodded with a groan and did his best to sit up.
"You know, you don't have to keep calling me -san all the time." He quipped as she nodded slightly.
"O-okay Naruto-kun." She answered as she noticed him flinch and then shake his head. "I-is something wrong?" She asked as he sighed.
"No… I just…. I haven't been called -kun by anybody besides Koji's mother since my old team died."
"I-if it bother's you th-then-"
"No. It's fine… just a little surprising is all." The blond interrupted as the door opened and Sakura walked back in with Sasuke behind her holding a small bag. "Hey guys." The blond chirped making the girl look to him as she had been talking to Sasuke about something and her eyes widened seeing the boy sitting up on the bed.
"Naruto! Your awake!" She cheered as she rushed over and hopped back into her chair by his bed with a smile. Sasuke just smirked and walked over to stand beside her as he set the bag down on the foot of the bed. "How do you feel? Are you doing alright?"
"Let him breath Sakura." The Uchiha quipped before aiming his smirk at Naruto. "Nice to see you back up Naruto."
"Yeah, nice to be up really. And to answer you Sakura, I feel fine. Just a little sore from lying down the entire time. I'll be good in a day or so., maybe quicker if I run some of Kyuubi's chakra through my system." He answered them before frowning. "What happened after I blacked out? I remember blasting that guy with my jutsu but then I wake up here in bed. What happened with the Invasion?" He asked as the three exchanged glances before Sasuke sighed.
"Well, according to Sakura Gai dropped in having felt your chakra being flared up with Kyuubi before suddenly dropping to practically nothing. It worried him so he hopped down and after seeing what happened he picked you and Kiba up and rushed you both to the hospital as Sakura grabbed and carried me and Hinata carried Kiba's dog. Shino escorted the civilians we were originally escorting to the shelters before deciding to stay with them since he didn't have a team to run through the village with anymore." The Uchiha explained as Sakura and Hinata nodded their confirmations.
"Alright then. Do you know what happened to that guy?" Naruto asked as Sasuke shook his head.
"We don't." Sakura cut in. "Apparently when someone went back to haul him off to prison he was gone so either he left or one of his comrades saved him and left with him." Naruto looked down in thought for a moment before shaking his head and sighing.
"I guess we won't know what happened to him. How about everyone else? And the village? I mean it's clear we won and survived since we're all talking here and now but what about everything else?"
"The v-village only lost a-around a hundred s-shinobi while more were j-just injured." Hinata started as Naruto nodded. "Hokage-sama, Jiraiya-sama and K-Kakashi-sensei all d-drove off Orochimaru but H-Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei fell u-unconscious afterwards."
"Are they alright?!" Naruto jumped in with a worried looked and the girl nodded her head quickly.
"Calm down Naruto. Hokage-sama woke up around half an hour ago and Kakashi-sensei will be waking anytime now." Sasuke told him as Naruto relaxed and let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know what he'd do if they were killed. "Anyways, as for the village itself it was pretty much all buildings and the like, stuff that can be rebuilt without any problems."
"Alight then. I guess I'll just get out of here and go home then. Could one of you get a nurse?"
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"They seemed to have bounced back after getting hit like this, eh Itachi?"
"Hn."
"Feeling nostalgic at finally coming home after so long?"
"Hardly. Let's go Kisame."
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"Three miso please!" Naruto cheered and Ayame grinned as she came around and hugged the boy.
"Oh its so good to see you okay Naruto! Dad and I were so worried about you." The blond smiled and hugged her back before she pulled back and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. The boy blushed but she just giggled and hopped back behind the counter to get to work on his order. "You need to be more careful Naruto. When we heard you took on a biju in the arena I nearly lost it. And then dad said he found out you were in the hospital after fighting off some of the invaders in the actual attack so we were really worried you might've gotten hurt." The boy smiled as he sat down at his normal seat next to the counter and waited for his food.
"You don't have to worry about me nee-chan. I'm the toughest shinobi you know." He bragged slightly as she giggled from behind the counter and poked her head out to smile at him.
"But it's a nee-chan's job to worry about their siblings isn't it?" She teased, happy he was even able to joke with her. It showed the girl that the old Naruto was starting to come back. The one that hadn't been seen since before the massacre.
It had only been an hour since Naruto got discharged from the hospital and the first thing he did was check on his sensei. Seeing no change though he went to see the Hokage and chatted with the old man for a few minutes before his stomach growled and Sarutobi told him to go and get something to eat and maybe come back afterwards if he wanted to. He hinted that Naruto may be given a mission though so the boy didn't make any promises and just told him to hand over the hat before leaving to the mans' chuckles.
As Naruto sat waiting for his ramen he noticed people would point him out from outside of the stand and whisper. Frowning slightly the blond channeled chakra to his ears while pretending to be focused on something in front of him but in reality he was listening on the talk behind him.
"It's him! Yondaime-sama's son."
"I heard he took out one of the giant snakes during the attack."
"Yeah, I heard that too. You know he beat Suna's jinchuriki in his match at the arena? The boy even brought the full demon out but he still lost to Uzumaki-sama."
"Don't you mean Namikaze-sama?"
"Oh right."
"He's kind of cute you know…"
"I still can't believe the demon brat is the Yondaime's kid."
Ayame came back out and noticed Naruto's frown before glancing up to see the other civilians focused on him and whispering. With a sigh she set the bowl down in front of Naruto, snapping him from his thoughts as she stomped around the counter to outside the stand. "You know he can hear you all! Shinobi training and all that!" She shouted making many of the flinch at being caught before hurrying along to return to what they were doing.
"Thanks nee-chan." Naruto muttered as she went back around the counter and grabbed his second and third bowl for him.
"What were they saying?" She asked as he sighed and grabbed a pair of chopsticks to eat with.
"Mostly how I took out one of the snake summons and my match in the arena. But the rest was just 'Namikaze-sama' stuff. I'm happy they weren't hateful 'demon' comments but… I don't want respect just because of my father… I want it for what I've done." The blond admitted with the brunette nodding her head. She and her father had been the only two outside of Koji's parents that he shared his heritage with after the massacre so she wasn't surprised at the Namikaze comment. It had been a little weird for the civilian pair at first to treat Naruto normally after finding out but at his insistence they did and things quickly went back to how they were before he told them.
"Yeah well since you let that slip in the arena apparently, you're going to have to get used to it. I may not be a ninja but I've heard how people mutter about your Uchiha teammate and it's a lot of the same." Ayame told him as he started eating his noodle dish. The boy nodded his head as he knew and understood that himself, he just didn't like it.
"There you are gaki, I've been looking for you!" The boy swallowed the noodles in his mouth before turning his head as Jiraiya came in and sat down next to him. "Hey Ayame." He waved as the girl said hello to the Sannin in return and he went back to Naruto. "I know you're still sore from the Invasion probably and I'm pretty sure this'll piss you off a bit but your needed for a mission. Just you and me." The man told him as Naruto finished his first bowl and grabbed his second.
"Doing?" He asked before digging in as the Sannin shrugged.
"We're going to go looking for my old teammate Tsunade to bring back to the village. Sensei wants to step down from the Hokage position and I don't want the hat so the next choice would be Tsunade. Plus she's need back here to help with the medical things in the village and after that who knows. And if she doesn't want the job then I'd be willing to bet Kakashi will be chosen for it then." He explained before grinning o the boy. "I know you want that hat for some reason but you're still a little young for it. Plus you aren't S-rank yet. You've still got a ways to go before you're ready for that job."
"I know." Naruto started as he set aside the empty bowl and grabbed the third. "While I want that spot even I know I'd be the worst pick for it right now." The blond admitted. "When do we leave for the mission?" Naruto asked as he dug into the ramen bowl to finish it quickly, already having an idea about the answer.
"Right now so finish up." The man told him, confirming Naruto's thoughts. "Ya know, I'm surprised you aren't mad that I'm dragging you along for this mission. I kind of figured you'd say no just because it involves me." The blond shrugged as he ate so Jiraiya shrugged himself. "Whatever. Once you finish go grab whatever you need from your apartment for a long trip since I don't know how long this will take. I'll meet you at the main gate in ten." The man told him before leaving the stand. Naruto slowed down and finished his ramen as he looked at the seat Jiraiya had just been filling.
"He has a point Naruto. I'm surprised you aren't snapping on him about it like you normally would." Ayame commented as he sighed and stood up while pulling out the cash to pay for his ramen.
"Oh I am angry. Without a doubt I'm very pissed off at Jiraiya for a few reasons. But I spoke to jiji before coming here and he was hinting at a mission possibly lined up for me and I promised him that whatever it was I'd do it. This is that mission so I've already trapped myself into doing it thanks to that promise. I just don't see any reason to get angry about it here since that'll just break the place up. I can kick the perverts ass easier once we leave the village so I'm just waiting until then." The blond admitted before leaving, Ayame only being able to sigh at the horrible relationship between the two.
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"Stop right there." Asuma ordered to two men wearing identical black cloaks with red clouds on them. One was shorter than the other, the tall one even having a large bandaged item on his back. "You two stick out like a sore thumb in those cloaks. And with your chakra levels as high as they are I'm surprised an alert hasn't been sounded. Using the recent Invasion as a way to sneak in was a good idea. Too bad you still got caught." The man spoke as next to him Kurenai was prepping herself to cast a genjutsu in case a fight broke out.
"So it would seem, Sarutobi Asuma, Yuuhi Kurenai." The younger listed off, confusing the two jonin as he turned around and took off the straw hat being used to hide his face. When the hat was removed the Konoha pair gasped in shock as his face was one that was easily recognizable from the Bingo Books. Smooth black hair with deep tear lines on his face as well as the Sharingan in both eyes and a Konoha headband with a slashed leaf symbol.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
"Well it looks like they know you Itachi. I wonder if they know me?" The taller questioned as he also tossed off his hat to reveal spiked dark blue hair as well as a Kiri headband with a slash through the symbol to signify his missing nin status. The strange thing though was his blue skin and gill markings as well as his pointed teeth.
"That's Hoshigaki Kisame!" Asuma gasped as Kurenai narrowed her eyes as she remembered what he was famous for.
"Wasn't he one of Kiri's seven swordsman wanted for attempting to kill Mizu's daimyo and lords before abandoning his village?" She asked as Asuma nodded and Kisame chuckled.
"Oh darn, it looks like I can't do my introduction." He jokingly whined while Asuma was quick to pull his trench knives and Kurenai raised her hands up to cast an illusion. "Well, I don't think the two of you are going to just let us go peacefully are you?" He asked, knowing the answer already and grinning at the prospect of a fight.
"Asuma, Kurenai… this can be avoided if you would just let us go about our way. Neither of you are in our league and you know it." Itachi warned as they scowled.
"Like we're going to let two S-rank criminals go free in our home." Asuma growled as the Uchiha sighed.
"I see. Try not to cause a scene then Kisame."
"Heh, this'll be fun."
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"Okay I know why you're normally pissed at me but did I do something recently to make you mad Naruto?" Jiraiya asked as the pair was walking down a path outside the village and the younger boy wasn't even looking at the man, instead reading through a book with the Uzumaki spiral on it.
"Yes you did." Jiraiya waited for a second for him to explain but seeing Naruto go back to his book without sparing him a thought he sighed.
"May I ask what?" Naruto sighed and closed the book before stopping and turning to the Sannin with a scowl.
"Because you insist on making an ass of yourself despite the obvious need to focus!" He shouted as Jiraiya seemed shocked and Naruto continued. "I caught sight of you in my run through the village as you summoned a toad to dispatch one of the snake summons during the invasion. Yet instead of moving on to the next foe or rallying the shinobi to begin fighting harder against the invaders you broke into that idiotic and asinine little dance of yours. What the hell is your problem Jiraiya? The lives of people in the village were at stake and you think it's a good time to make an ass of yourself!" The boy berated before sighing and placing a hand to is head. "But you know what? I shouldn't be surprised really. I mean, it's not like you care really so of course you'll waste time goofing off instead of saving lives." The boy muttered as Jiraiya scowled and Naruto started walking again. "The sooner this mission is over the better because I still can't stand you."
"Now listen here Naruto, I know I've fucked up a lot but you know for a damn fact I do care about the village and the people in it." Jiraiya growled as the boy scoffed and opened his book back up.
"You've got a funny way of showing it pervert."
"I get it alright?! I fucked up okay? I know I have. But at least I'm trying to make amends about everything. How long are you going to hold it all against me?" He shouted as he followed the boy.
"How long were you missing? Around ten and a half years? I think you've got another nine to go by my count Jiraiya." Naruto coldly responded before narrowing his eyes. "And I don't care what you or sensei or jiji say about it either; one of these days I'm going to make Iwa pay. I know plenty of the older generation would be happy to join me in it too." The blond growled as Jiraiya sighed.
That had always been a sore point between them, the blonds' desire for vengeance. Jiraiya preached that it was only through acceptance and tolerance that a true peace could be reached among the Nations and people. As such he was trying to get Naruto to give up on his hatred, or at the very least not act out on it. However Naruto would argue that Iwa needed to pay for everything they've done, not just to him but to everyone who had lost someone to their acts. He was just going to be the willing instrument of that village's destruction. Jiraiya had tried pointing out that technically Naruto had gotten his vengeance already when he killed the genin in the massacre and even more by killing the other Iwa shinobi he did. Naruto refused to listen though and said if Iwa's people hadn't taught their children to be sore losers about a war his father had led Konoha to victory in then there wouldn't have been a massacre in the first place and Koji and Sakuya would still be alive.
"Even after seeing the Invasion?" Jiraiya asked as Naruto froze. "That was just a small taste of what you would end up bringing to Iwa. All that death, all that destruction. Innocents getting attacked, shinobi trying desperately to protect their home from an enemy they had likely never had a bad encounter with in the first place. Is that what you want to bring to them? I know you're still in pain over losing your teammates but do you really think killing everyone in Iwa is going to help change that? Help bring them back?" The man asked as Naruto swallowed the lump in his throat that had formed. Truthfully he had even thought in the Invasion that it was wrong. All that senseless death because of one man's anger and jealousy. It wasn't right. Was he really trying to do the same thing to Iwa?
"They… they d-deserve it." Naruto stuttered out as Jiraiya shook his head behind him.
"And does Konoha deserve it for all the people we've taken from Iwa? Or how about the other villages? You aren't the only one to have lost loved ones to other villages for petty reasons like hatred. Konoha has taken others for the same reason so should we pay for our sins? Even though most of the village is likely innocent of the sins they want to accuse us shinobi of?" Jiraiya asked seeing Naruto conflicted. "If you think the answer is yes then maybe we'll never get along after all. I know for a fact that if you ever do this, you parents wouldn't approve. In fact they'd be so disappointed in you now for even planning it." The man admitted as Naruto flinched and looked down. "But if they don't matter to you then ask yourself just one question; would Koji or Sakuya want you to kill off Iwa because of them?" He finished before walking past the boy without looking at his conflicted face. "Come on. You want this mission done with so let's go." He ordered so Naruto silently obeyed.
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"Asuma! Kurenai!" Gai shouted as he ran up to his two comrades that were both bleeding heavily on the ground. Seeing them he quickly checked to see that they were alive and knelt down by Asuma as he seemed in worse condition but was surprisingly still conscious. "What happened to you both?"
"Uchiha…. Uchiha Itachi…" The bearded man gasped out as Gai frowned. "He's… he's after Naruto… for some r-reason…" He muttered before falling unconscious. Gai's eyes opened in alarm before he quickly picked Asuma up and then placed him over his shoulder while doing the same with Kurenai on the opposite shoulder. Without wasting another second he rushed for the hospital, shocking many that saw him running through the village with the two jonin bleeding on him. Upon reaching the building he ran through the front doors where doctors were instantly swarming him to take the pair and heal them.
"What happened to them?" A doctor asked as Gai had a grim look on his face.
"Is Hokage-sama awake?" He asked and the doctor nodded.
"Yes but what happened here?"
"It would seem Uchiha Itachi is back…. And he's after Naruto." The man uttered as he heard a gasp off to the side and turned to see Sakura reaching out after the blur in blue and black that had just ran out of the hospital.
"Sasuke-kun wait!" Gai knew things had just gotten a lot worse.
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"Even after all that he runs off instantly because of some random woman." Naruto muttered as he sat on his bed in the hotel room. It had been a couple hours after their argument and the two hadn't said anything to each other since Naruto was struggling with his thoughts on what Jiraiya said while the man was thinking he may have been a little harsh on Naruto. As such they hadn't spoken to each other until they reached the inn at the next town and Jiraiya asked if Naruto wanted to get a separate room or not. The blond didn't care so the man ordered a two bed room and was going to try and connect with Naruto again over a nice dinner when a woman walked by an winked at him. His perverted habit instantly flared up and mentally thinking that he had the entire mission to try connecting with Naruto he had told the boy to just go to the room for whatever he wanted before chasing off after the woman. "Stupid pervert…"
A knocking at the door got the blonds' attention so he scoffed and got off the bed as he walked to the door. "Got ditched that fast pervert? Guess she saw what a bastard you are huh?" The blond quipped as he opened the door to see Itachi and Kisame standing outside it. The blond instantly recognized them both instantly from their Bingo Book profiles and began to sweat. "H-heh… Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame… coming right to my door." He muttered with a nervous chuckle. "I doubt this is to talk about getting in the books like you guys huh?"
"That's correct Naruto-kun." Itachi answered as Kisame grinned.
"On a side note, not bad kid."
"You likely aren't here for something good are you?
"Correct again Naruto-kun."
"That's two for two kid." Naruto thought over his options while making sure not to look at Itachi's Sharingan eyes, knowing if he was caught in a genjutsu from such a high level master of them that he'd never get out.
"I'm guessing you specifically waited until Jiraiya was gone to come near me huh?"
"Wow, three in a row. You do parties kid?" The ex-Kiri nin joked while Itachi just held out a hand.
"We need you to come with us Naruto-kun." The blond knew how little of a request it really was and slowly walked out of the room trying to think of why they would want anything to do with him when he remembered something important Jiraiya had mentioned a month ago.
"You guys… you're part of that Aka… Akatsuki! You're with that Akatsuki group after the biju aren't you?" The boy asked, hoping to get as much information as possible while stalling for time for the toad sage to make it back and help him out of the situation. Both the criminals had their eyes widen before narrowing.
"I see… Jiraiya-sama knows and warned you of our organization. It seems we haven't given him enough credit." Itachi mused as Kisame raised a hand up to the handle to his bandaged sword on his back.
"Yo Itachi, it cool if I take this kids legs off? I mean, you can see in his eyes that he's not planning on coming willingly." The man asked but before Itachi answered he stiffened slightly and turned around.
"So you've come to help your teammate, little brother."
"Itachi…" The genin growled as he stood at the end of the hall to the hallway. Naruto was confused as to why the boy was there in the first place as Kisame quirked a brow up.
"Brother? I thought you killed your clan Itachi?" He asked as Sasuke pulled the sword from his back and it began to spark with lightning. "Well now, the rumors are true. That is Zabuza's old blade. He really did die at Hatake's hands then." He mused as Naruto looked eyes with Sasuke for a single second before the boy charged at Itachi, electrified blade held behind him in one hand. Before he could reach the older Uchiha though Naruto took his chance for escape and quickly spun while shoving chakra into his gauntlet, spilling out a wave of fire that had both S-ranked shinobi jumping back with Itachi taking a second jump to dodge over Sasuke while the boy spun to stand back to back with Naruto. The blond summoned out his weapon and held it at the ready in front of him while Sasuke readied the still sparking Kubikiribocho as well.
"You alright Naruto?"
"I'll be better when they're gone. How'd you know to come?"
"Asuma and Kurenai were brought bleeding to the hospital and Gai claimed Itachi did it and was after you. I rushed out instantly and followed you after you to warn you, maybe even help." The boy explained while Naruto frowned.
"You know we can't win this right now right? We need to hold them off and get Jiraiya here."
"Doesn't mean I won't take my chance if I see one." The Uchiha grunted so Naruto said nothing but stared down Kisame across the hall as the man had taken his sword off his back and was grinning at the idea of a fight. "You take the fish guy, I have personal business with my brother."
"The argument could be made you have business with both, since Kisame was a part of the seven swordsman and you have one of their blades now." Naruto offered while Sasuke growled slightly and the blond shook his head. "Just saying. Besides, with his genjutsu , fighting Itachi is a bad idea for me. Especially when I'm restricted by the area like I am. I'll do my best against Kisame. You try to deal with your brother and we both have to hope that damn Sannin hurries his perverted ass up and gets back here." Naruto told him as Sasuke nodded his head behind him.
"Ready?"
"GO!" The blond shouted as he dashed forward spinning the Kagirinai Buyou in his hands before lashing out at Kisame while Sasuke charged Itachi. The blue man blocked Naruto's slash easily before moving his blade to block again as Naruto reversed the blade's momentum from the move and swung in from the other side, using the Mugen Kureshendo (Infinite Crescendo) style he had taken up that Sakuya developed. Kisame was impressed by the blonds' skill as every block he made was reversed and added to the dual naginata's momentum and turned against him until the only reason he was keeping up with Naruto's attacks was because of his experience and large blade being able to shield most of his body without much trouble.
"Not bad kid. But it'll take more than some fancy moves to best one of the greatest shinobi swordsman alive." Kisame commented before shoving forward with his blade to push Naruto back. The blond grit his teeth and kept a firm grip on his weapon as he skidded back a foot from the man's push. Had they not been in a hallway and confined by the walls he could have spun around the simple move to carve into Kisame's side. However that was likely why the man knew such a tactic would work. Naruto quickly found himself on the defensive as Kisame began to lash out with his own weapon against the blond. "Ya know, if I had the chance I'd actually like to fight you at full power kid. You seem like you'd be fun to face!"
"I'm so glad you approve." Naruto sarcastically growled as he blocked a downward slash with the metal shaft of his weapon and was forced down to one knee as Kisame applied pressure to him. The teen was using both hands to brace himself against the bandaged weapon as Kisame was still only using one hand, showing off the difference in raw strength between the two. Suddenly Kisame's sword vibrated as a strange growling noise came from it and the man grinned.
"Wow. Samehada (Shark Skin) said it can almost taste your chakra already and it smells delicious to it." The man told him as Naruto narrowed his eyes and kept pushing back, not really wanting to know exactly what the man meant about taste, having a very good idea that it would be painful for him if it did.
Meanwhile down the hall Itachi was dodging the electrified slashes Sasuke was making as they carved into the walls and floor. The older man had yet to be hit but had also yet to launch an attack, content with just letting his younger brother swing the sword around recklessly. "Why Itachi?" The boy growled out as he attacked. "What could you possibly want with Naruto?!"
"More worried about your teammate than me?" The teen stoically commented as Sasuke growled and started making one handed signs with his free hand. "That takes some skill little brother." Itachi complimented as the electricity died down from the Kubikiri as Sasuke raised his free hand to his lips.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Release: Grand Fireball Technique)!" The teen called as he breathed out a large fireball at the older Uchiha. Itachi quickly leapt back as the attack exploded on the ground before rushing through the smoke and driving a kick into Sasuke's chest. The genin stumbled back and tired to use a counter swing with his sword but it seemed Itachi was tired of letting Sasuke attack him as he ducked low under the blade before shooting up and jabbing a couple pressure points in the boys arm, making him drop the weapon to the ground. Without pause Itachi punched Sasuke a couple times in the chest before kicking him back against the wall and then dashing forward to grab him by the throat and pin him there.
"You've improved. However it is still not enough little brother. Do you know what you are lacking?" Itachi asked as Sasuke gripped his arm and tried to get him to let go. "You lack hatred. Your hate isn't strong enough yet. That is why your sword will not reach me. That is why the gap between us is the difference between the sun and the moon. But," He started as his Sharingan took on a new shape as the three tomoe in it lengthened to make a three pronged shuriken in his red eyes. "Allow me to remind you of why you should hate me." Itachi taunted as Naruto slipped out from under Kisame's blade and saw Sasuke pinned.
"Sasuke!" The blond shouted as he made a couple hand-signs before vanishing as Sasuke appeared in his place coughing and Naruto appeared in front of Itachi and head butted him back. Naruto's quick use of a Kawarimi (Body Replacement) shocked Itachi enough that he didn't avoid the head butt and stumbled back however he was quick to recover and dodged Naruto's slash before kicking his arm wielding the weapon away and punched him hard in the chest. The boy coughed up a small bit of blood as the wind was forced out of his lungs and he folded over Itachi's fist when the elder teen grabbed the blond by his hair and forced his gaze up into his own.
"Tsukuyomi (Moon Reader)" The man uttered as Sasuke looked to see the blond get hit by the strongest genjutsu of the Sharingan. Naruto screamed for a second before slumping down lifelessly while Sasuke grit his teeth in anger.
"Naruto!" He cried as he got up and was about to rush forward when a toad appear and tried to chop Itachi in half with a sword. The S-ranked Uchiha dropped Naruto and jumped away before dashing past Sasuke as he tried to kick him and stopped next to Kisame. From behind the toad Jiraiya walked up with a woman over his shoulder.
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice the genjutsu over this woman?" He commented as he set her down and glanced at Naruto to see he was breathing before looking back to the criminal pair. "So Akatsuki is making their move already? Well too bad but I'm not letting you take my godson."
"It seems I was right, Naruto did learn of our group from you."
"That's too bad. We're supposed to be a pretty secret club ya know." Kisame quipped as Jiraiya clasped his hands together and the toad vanished. Both could feel the chakra Jiraiya was generating and while Kisame was eager to keep fighting, Itachi felt it wasn't worth it.
"We're leaving Kisame. Jiraiya is not someone we want to face here." He warned before tossing a smoke bomb between them and when it cleared both Akatsuki members had vanished. Jiraiya kept his senses sharp for a few seconds before relaxing, confident they had left.
"Naruto!" Sasuke's shout reminded the man of his godsons' condition so he turned around to see the Uchiha had turned him over to his back and that the blond was unconscious. He didn't have any marks on him and looked fine but the Sannin knew he wasn't.
"What'd he get hit with?" Jiraiya asked as Sasuke was gritting his teeth in anger at how his brother had struck his teammate, his friend. What's worse was why he was hit with it. He took that attack for him. Naruto threw himself in the way so that he wouldn't be struck with that genjutsu. "Kid, tell me what happened here?!" Jiraiya shouted since Sasuke wasn't listening.
"Dynamic Entry!" The Sannin ducked down to dodge as Gai came flying over his head with a kick. The man landed and spun around to attack some more when he got a clear look at who he had just attacked and relaxed. "Oh Jiraiya-sama! My most youthful apologies! I saw young Naruto-kun on the floor with Sasuke-kun crouched over him and assumed you were the villain that had done whatever it was that caused the blond to be indisposed. Again, my most sincere apologies."
"Don't worry about it." Jiraiya waved off before turning back to Sasuke. "Now kid, you need to tell me just what happened to him. That's an order."
"It's called Tsukuyomi." Sasuke growled out as his own memories of being struck by the genjutsu flared up in his mind. "It's the ultimate genjutsu of the Mangekyo Sharingan. With it, Itachi can torture the victim for three days with their greatest fears in just a couple seconds in the real world." The boy explained as Jiraiya cursed.
"That's not good at all. Naruto's always been bad at genjutsu and now to be hit with one that preys on his fears like that?" The man commented before shaking his head. "Do you think he'll wake up anytime soon?"
"I don't know. Tsukuyomi isn't like any other genjutsu out there. I don't know if he'll wake up on his own at all. I've already tried a release on him and it didn't work either." The boy told him so Jiraiya cursed again.
"Damn… I guess Tsunade is needed now more than ever…"
"Tsunade? Do you mean you're searching for Tsunade-sama?" Gai asked and the Sannin nodded while Sasuke looked up, his eyes narrowed in confusion.
"Who's Tsunade?"
"Tsunade-sama is the granddaughter of the Shodai as well as a Sannin like Jiraiya-sama here Sasuke-kun. Not only that but she is famed as the greatest medical expert in the entire world as she is a prodigy in the field of medical ninjutsu!" Gai explained as Sasuke nodded.
"Good. Then let's go."
"Whoa there kiddo, who says you're coming with me to find her?" Jiraiya interjected as Sasuke grabbed his sword and put it on his back before turning a glare on the Sannin.
"He took that attack for me! I was the one who was supposed to be struck by that damn jutsu but Naruto butted in to save me and ended up getting hit himself!" The boy shouted before walking right up and staring defiantly at the taller man. "If you think for one second that I'm not coming with you to help find this lady to heal him then you've got another thing coming." Jiraiya stared at the determined boy for a few seconds before sighing.
"Gai, take Naruto back to the village. And let sensei know what happened and that I've got the Uchiha kid with me." Jiraiya ordered as Sasuke smirked. Gai nodded and bent down to pick up Naruto before giving both males a nod and running back to Konoha with the blond. Jiraiya just ran his hand down his face and sighed again before walking off with Sasuke following. "Well , let's get going then. We can't stay here anymore after all."