Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters. If I did, some of them would've died long ago.
A/N: Things I should have told about the chapter 23, and that I completely forgot: First of all, for those who don't know yet, Akatsuki (暁) means "dawn"; and Lee's girlfriend's name (who, by the way, it's another OC of mine) is, as spelled in Japanese, Fuyu no Yuki (冬の雪), that should mean something like "snow of the winter". Anyways, here's another new chapter for you all.
Chapter 25: Frozen Armies.
Three days later, the Akimichi ship finally arrived to a snowy island. They reached a frozen dock close to a medium-sized village. Chouji could see Naruto and Hinata waiting in the dock, covered in white jackets, and he blew the ship's horn to salute them, while Asumi raised the Akimichi Clan's flag: a beige flag with the word "Food" (shoku = 食) written in red and enclosed in a red circumference. Chouji noticed then that there were three more figures behind them, totally covered in white robes; and asked Kakashi, who glared at the sea in the rear of the deck:
- Hey, master Kakashi, who are those behind Naruto and Hinata?
Kakashi saw the three figures and he didn't like something about them. He uncovered his left eye and glared at them with his Sharingan, getting shocked. What in the hell are Naruto and Hinata doing with them? What about Neji and the others? Else, why are they so calm around them? He said:
- Stay on guard, I'll tell the others.
Chouji and Asumi understood that this wasn't a good thing, and they stopped in the dock, lowering the anchor. Kakashi got to the deck with the rest of the group while Naruto, Hinata and the trio got close to greet them. Naruto spoke:
- Master Kakashi! Chouji! Guys! We thought you'd never make it!
Yamato, recognizing the figures escorting Naruto, asked:
- And who are they? They're not Neji, Lee and Tenten for sure.
Naruto, laughing nervously, replied, as he took his hands to his hair:
- Heh, heh, heh, Neji's doing his watch shift around the village, Lee and his girlfriend Yuki train Taijutsu in the frozen lake and Tenten is practicing with her weapons in the house's basement. There three guys are our new allies. Show yourselves.
The group saw, completely shocked, how Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki and the mysterious Zetsu showed up. The three of them had gotten rid of their Akatsuki's power rings, and now they dressed with heavy white jackets, instead of the black tunics with the red cloud designs. Kakashi couldn't give credit to his eyes, neither could Sakura. Yamato, still skeptical, asked:
- Naruto, they are members of Akatsuki. How can you call them "allies" if they obey Madara Uchiha?
- Not anymore – Kisame's voice was accompanied by a grin that revealed his pointy shark-like teeth: -. Itachi came back to life to save his little brother from himself, and we've been fed up of that Uchiha.
The black Zetsu spoke first:
- That's why we joined the one who shares our objectives, with no regrets.
The white Zetsu spoke then:
- And now we shall defeat Danzou and Madara Uchiha.
Itachi showed his new red ring to the arriving group:
- Hinata-chan, Naruto-kun and I have made a Blood and Chakra Pact between our three pacts: Senju, Hyuuga and Uchiha.
Sakura was just shocked to hear Naruto was related to Tsunade and to the First Hokage himself, but Itachi continued:
- We shall rescue our Clans from the misery and we shall bring them back to their splendor in peace. If you want to join us, please suit yourselves.
Shikamaru, being the most skeptical in that group, spoke coldly:
- You have to want something from us in return. Speak your intentions, now.
Then, the trio saw how Shikamaru casted his shadow on them, impeding their movements. Somehow, they didn't even seem to want to move at all, and they seemed quite calm. Itachi replied then, a bit darkly:
- When I save Sasuke from himself, when I defeat Madara Uchiha and when I avenge the profanation that Danzou made of my best friend's corpse… the one I killed…
Itachi didn't seem to be proud of saying that, unlike what was rumored within the village; he even looked down as he reminded of Danzou, but then his saddened eyes turned to Shikamaru again:
- Well, I came back to life, after dying by Sasuke's hands; and I don't care how unreal and incredible it might look like, all I know is that I won't be able to rest until I can avoid Sasuke from becoming another Madara Uchiha… I've got the blessing of Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu and Susano'o to draw the Uchiha Clan from the darkness and live a little longer to restore the Clan and then rest in true peace.
Kakashi was just trying to find any sense to Itachi's words. Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu and Susano'o are the names of the Mangekyou Sharingan's techniques… but are also the names of the three greatest Gods… What the hell can he be talking about? Kisame said, meanwhile:
- Madara Uchiha has put Samehada through a lot., and she wants her payback… and Danzou tried to kill me several times when I was young, so I also want my payback… After this, I'll grant the honor of wielding Samehada to a strong, young ninja in the Hidden Mist Village, and perhaps I shall retire, or give sword fighting classes in my Village; I still don't know, but I'm sure I'll withdraw from the business.
The whole group was trying to scan the shark-man's expression, voice tone and gestures; even Kiba tried to smell Kisame at that distance, but nothing showed any kind of bluff or deceiving intent. His voice tone was relaxed, but a bit naïve and bitter, and his eyes didn't change position in any unnatural way. He had no traces of adrenaline that could be perceived by Kiba's keen smell sense. He's talking the truth, actually. The black Zetsu spoke:
- I, on the other way, am still looking for any living member of my Clan, and I think I'm about to find a survivor. I know well that Madara still wishes to search and destroy her, and she's looking for her to enslave me. I shall find that woman and I'll fight until I kill Madara Uchiha. Danzou, well, he made Nagato, our leader, lose the way when he joined Akatsuki. I saw him break free when I saw him return all the lives he had taken during the invasion to the Hidden Leaf. If there are such people, capable of corrupting so promising youngsters, Clans and Villages, I shall despise and fight them. And, if there are still people willing to fight them, I shall join them in battle.
The white Zetsu nodded, and Hinata said:
- They abandoned Akatsuki, and we're allies now. We shall need them for the day we meet Madara in the Hidden Sand.
Naruto said:
- And if they can contact Konan, even better. We can count on four quality ninjas to avoid Madara Uchiha feel in control.
Shizune said:
- Four members turning their backs on the Akatsuki… sounds weird and all, but I guess it's a chance we should take. Let's get down of this boat.
The group left the boat and saluted cautiously. Sakura saw Naruto and Hinata sadly, and bowed towards them, greeting them within certain distance. The group walked to the Guy Team's house, and there Kiba, curious, asked Itachi to tell them about his "return to the living". Itachi explained quietly, smiling gently.
Flashback
Itachi Uchiha saw how he was sinking, getting away from his body. The hands of the deceased members of the Uchiha Clan were dragging him to the hell, still mad at him due to the fact that he had slaughtered almost them all. He then glanced to the Earth, seeing how Madara was taking Sasuke, realizing that all of his efforts to save Sasuke were vain; making him see the kind of behavior he had to look down on and despise: the general behavior of the Clan members and Madara; eliminating the Heaven Curse Mark from his body, also destroying the remnants of Orochimaru from his body; and granting him the powers to kill Madara Uchiha; all of that was wasted away now. All Itachi could do, regretting his failed effort, was to allow himself to be dragged to the hell, but then a voice he recognized from when he was a child spoke:
- Cousin Itachi! Hold on!
Itachi then saw two silver hands that grabbed his own ones. Then he saw a couple of gold hands that threw flames to the damned Uchihas, and then he saw blue hands that held a halberd, and this weapon severed the limbs that dragged Itachi to the hell. The silver hands raised him upwards, and he ended up in a very enlightened place. Even when his eyes still saw blurry, he could recognize all what he saw. He saw Obito Uchiha, he saw the founder of the Clan Uchiha: Hajime Uchiha, he saw the Rikudo Sage, and then he saw three glowing figures. One was a man dressed in a silver tunic, with gray eyes and white hair. The second one was a strong man with a full plate, blue Japanese-style armor, blue hair and beard, carrying a large halberd in his hands. The third one was a very beautiful woman, blond haired, amber-eyed, and dressed in gold. Her eyes and hair seemed to move like blazing fire, and she irradiated heat. Obito Uchiha spoke first:
- I knew you would make it up here, my young cousin.
Itachi knew Obito well. They used to be training partners, and they shared a lot of time together, playing when the cheerful Uchiha didn't have any missions; but then Obito died, and the Clan marked him as a total failure, when he decided to give his left eye to Kakashi Hatake before he died. That was one of the things that made him snap. Itachi actually smiled warmly when he saw his older cousin, and he said:
- Obito… I'm so glad to speak to you again…
- Me too… but I guess the others want to greet you too, so, we'll talk later.
Itachi saw then the legendary founder of the Clan. The old man was bald and had a rich white beard. He said, smiling gladly:
- I'm glad to see that there are three of us in here, Itachi. I thought my older son had twisted them all, but I'm glad he didn't.
Itachi bowed to the old Hajime Uchiha, and he said:
- You've got talent, kid.
The Rikudo Sage was next. He was beside Hajime Uchiha, and he said:
- I never thought that there would be another Uchiha that was capable of reaching the light, after seeing how it degenerated.
Itachi bowed towards him too. Then, after giving a look to the three powerful, shining figures, he realized who they were. Tsukiyomi, the watchman of the moon, Amaterasu, the queen of the sun, and Susano'o, the general of the seas and the earth. Itachi, completely ashamed, kneeled on the floor and bowed to the three gods. Susano'o spoke firmly:
- Itachi Uchiha. Your Clan has twisted everything… Even our sacred names were granted by those bastards to dark and terrible techniques…
Tsukiyomi continued:
- The discovery of the Mangekyou Sharingan, made by the second official leader of the Clan, Madara Uchiha, corrupted the truth behind the true power of the Sharingan: the Hikari Sharingan. You could have obtained, just like Obito, but you ended up driven through the wrong path trying to do the right thing.
Amaterasu replied:
- You are a very noble person, Itachi Uchiha. You have the same human quality that the founder of the Clan: Hajime Uchiha. You died to try rescuing your Clan; and even when your guide was the total darkness, you wanted to take your brother to the light.
Susano'o spoke:
- Why do you fight that much for your younger brother?
Itachi was crying, crying in shame and joy, something he thought he'd never ever do again. Sobbing, he replied:
- Because I know that he can change the Clan for good, and give it a new life, if he can come back to the light. I showed him the darkness so he would not follow it, but his thirst for revenge blinded him.
Amaterasu recognized the truth in his words, and also saw that the tears were genuine and bitter. Tsukiyomi, seeing that also, said:
- I was so used to see you in your character that I forgot that you could cry too.
Amaterasu smiled to him, making him feel warm inside:
- But you are speaking with the truth, Itachi. Please, stand up.
Itachi stood up, and the three gods stared at his eyes, making him feel a bit nervous. Susano'o commanded:
- Show your Mangekyou Sharingan to us, Itachi. We shall give it the real Eternal Light, and we shall turn it into a true Sharingan: a Hikari Sharingan.
Itachi saw how the three gods started emanating lights of each of their colors (silver, gold and light blue, respectively) from the center of their foreheads. These three colored lights started bathing Itachi, and after that, an eye appeared in each of the three gods' foreheads, realizing that also there was one on his own brow. Itachi's eye's color was shifting from ochre, brown, olive green and black, but then it started receiving Amaterasu's golden light, then Tsukiyomi's silver light, and then Susano'o's light-bluish light. The three gods noticed how that dark eye swallowed the light voraciously, not changing yet its own color.
Itachi felt how his heart burst out in flames, and after a while, feeling the constant heat surround his whole body, his mind and his heart, he saw smiles in the gods' faces. His eye was turning to the three colors: gold, silver and light blue. Itachi opened his eyes and saw the three gods with complete neatness. Tsukiyomi spoke:
- The power of the Mangekyou Sharingan consumes your body, your sight and your light. We have granted you the light that regenerates the soul and that enlightens the heart.
Amaterasu said:
- The Hikari Sharingan's Tsukiyomi is the dark-mind-blinding illusion. You won't sink the person who faces it into suffering with painful sensations anymore, but you will bring light to his darkened mind, healing it or destroying it, depending how dark that person is. The Hikari Sharingan's Amaterasu will throw gold flames to where your sight aims, and, unlike the dark flames of the Mangekyou's Amaterasu, these are flames that don't consume, but that purify. The darkness and the fake light will be purified with these flames.
- The fake light, lady Amaterasu? – Itachi was curious.
- Stealing your brother's eyes: Madara Uchiha's artificial light.
Itachi was quite shocked, because he himself was about to do that to Sasuke, even when it was only in appearance. Amaterasu continued:
- At last, the Hikari's Susano'o is a protector, a healer and a fierce warrior. He won't consume your body health in exchange for your protection, but he'll strengthen your soul and make it unbendable, against your enemies and against the darkness.
Susano'o replied:
- You will have the power of Hikari Sharingan, and you will have to teach it to your son, if you wish to rest in peace when you die. If your brother is completely sunken in the darkness, or completely deceived by Madara's fake light, and you consider that he cannot be saved from himself, then you will have to be the one who restores the Uchiha Clan within our light. Even so, if you can actually rescue Sasuke from the darkness, you will be able to live a more peaceful life before you come back to us for your eternal rest.
Itachi bowed again, thanking the three gods. Then, he bowed to the Rikudo Sage, who said:
- Well, kid, it's time for you to do the right thing.
Hajime Uchiha said:
- Now you have the tools, so don't let the darkness consume you.
Obito Uchiha said:
- And take care of Kakashi for me. He's using my Sharingan through the dark path. I need you to show him the light, so I can also rest completely in peace.
Itachi bowed to them all, smiling and crying tears of joy:
- I shall accomplish your commandments, and I'll rescue the Clan from its period of darkness.
The gods sent him back to the Earth just in time. Zetsu, who was starting to dispose of Itachi's corpse, and Kisame, who watched the scene with sadness, jumped in shock when they saw Itachi come back to life, completely sane, smart and with different eyes.
End of Flashback
As they reached the village, Neji intercepted them, with his forehead uncovered. Hinata ran to hug him, and Neji returned the gesture, very happy. Naruto said:
- Neji! You're free at last!
Neji knew that Naruto said those things to make the recently arrived ones notice his forehead free of the Caged Bird Seal. Shizune, Yamato and Kakashi were shocked, and Guy threw Hinata aside to hug Neji, who, as usual, felt very uncomfortable:
- Neji!! Your Flames of Youth now will blaze as they had to!! And, where are the others?
Lee, Yuki and Tenten ran towards them, and the first one ran to hug Guy, who threw Neji aside too to hug his step-son, both crying waterfalls of tears:
- Lee!
- Master Guy!
- Lee!!
- Master Guy!!
The scene was repeated for several minutes. Everyone, including Neji, Hinata and Naruto, watched the scene, totally irritated after the first thirty seconds passed. Yuki was the only one blushing, as she saw Rock Lee turn so happy. After a handful of large sweat drops and rushed-out veins in some of the group's heads, Neji stood up, helped by Tenten, and said:
- There's not much time for greetings! There's this small fleet coming to attack the Island! Five ships, with Hidden Leaf flags! I couldn't count how many people they were!
Hinata activated her Byakugan, and after a few seconds, she said, surprising Neji:
- They're too many… and they're not from the Hidden Leaf…
Neji was surprised. I had to get a bit close to the coast to be able to see the coming boats, but Hinata could not only see the boats from here, but also see the people inside, and their headbands?? That's just amazing! Then, both he and Naruto noticed her frightening gesture when she said:
- They are Grass Ninjas!
Zetsu was quite upset. Now my people had joined Danzou… That's a good incentive to raise my killing intent towards him. Kisame took his swords and said, glaring at Zetsu and Itachi:
- Let's give them their escape!
- I'm going with you! – Naruto was decided.
- Me too! – Hinata took his hand. Kisame replied:
- I'm afraid you'll have to go back to your group, and keep a low profile. Probably Madara will try and intercept us, and, on the other side, we should pay Konan a visit, so we can wait for you in the Hidden Sand Village.
Hinata, quite resolved, for Neji's amazement, said:
- Tell us how much time it will take you, and we sh-shall warn Gaara! That way, he won't attempt to harm you!
Naruto took a piece of paper and started writing something in it, while Itachi said:
- We can defend ourselves from the Kazekage kid, but we'd rather lay low. Tell him in six days. We shall head to the Hidden Rain Village to speak to Konan.
Naruto gave Itachi the paper, and said, smiling seriously:
- In order to convince Konan, get her this message from me.
- Understood. Now, run to the boat. You must leave.
As they ran towards the Team Guy's home, Hagane said:
- If you wait for us, we shall provide naval support!
The black Zetsu said:
- Good idea, so we can take out the reinforcements in the sea.
In a few minutes, Lee, Yuki, Neji and Tenten packed their stuff and followed the group to the dock. Itachi saw Naruto and Hinata, and showed them how his eye took the form of the Mangekyou Sharingan, but shining in a gold tone that melted with the red iris. Naruto and Hinata waved at him, and then the three ex-Akatsuki left to the northwest, while the group advanced to Chouji's ship.
Chouji used his partial Growth technique to catch the anchor's chain and pull it up from the water, while Sakura used her supernatural strength to rotate the pulley used to wrap the anchor's chain. Naruto and Hinata ran to the lower floor, sitting in the corridor of the rooms as they concentrated themselves, while the rest entered into battle stations under Shikamaru's command. Kakashi looked at him, amazed. He even knows how to handle himself with tactics and strategy for naval combat… Guess I'll have to play Shougi and Go more regularly. Naruto ran back to the deck, and everyone noticed that his eyelids turned deep red. He waited until Shino and Maki raised the sails, and then he started to redirect the air masses so they could hit the sails. Hinata, on the lower floor, displaced the water with her dance. Chouji span the wheel, taking the boat to the direction of the battle.
The Hidden Grass army started deploying on the ground, but Zetsu noticed that the way they were deploying was weird. The white Zetsu said:
- This isn't a Hidden Grass army combat formation.
- It's a Hidden Sound army one. – The black Zetsu replied.
- So, Danzou also has allied to the Hidden Sound and the Hidden Grass, tsk, tsk, tsk – Kisame took Samehada, grinning evilly. Itachi pointed to the northeast, and saw a boat that boarded the coast, recognizing the Akimichi flag. He said:
- Our reinforcements have arrived, and not everyone has left the Leaf boats. Let's do this.
Itachi, ready to use his Hikari Sharingan for the first time, created flames in front of the invader ninjas' formation. Meanwhile, Zetsu noticed how the ice melted, turning into water, and Kisame armed hand seals, surprising the shocked Grass Ninjas. Kisame said:
- I'll make you way so you can use your seeds, Zetsu. Let me freeze the first lines a bit.
- Slow and cruel death. You still enjoy sadism, or not, Kisame? – The black Zetsu spoke.
- You'd eat them alive, Zetsu, so you're not exactly one to speak.
The water melted by the golden flames advanced, with the trio, forming a great wave that soaked and struck the Grass ninjas. The water was too cold, and the affected ones started to shiver and shake, freezing like hell, as a sudden snowfall started. Zetsu armed hand seals while Kisame took his sword and Itachi ran to the front, deactivating his Amaterasu, but keeping the Sharingan active.
In the boat, Shikamaru had prepared the support for his "ground troops" using Yuki's suggestion of throwing snow and a cold blizzard to the enemy armies. The white-haired girl was focused with the Dog seal armed in her hands, seeing the Grass Ninjas as her eyes turned icy, directing the whole snowstorm to the armies. When she saw Itachi, Kisame and Zetsu start close combat, she stopped her technique.
After seeing the tired girl being caught in her fall by Lee, Shikamaru grinned, yelling:
- Hagane, Yamato. I want you to make holes in the ships' hulls, to force the enemy reinforcements out of them.
Kiba asked:
- Weren't those guys out there all who had come?
Neji replied, with his Byakugan active:
- Those ones out there aren't even the third part of the whole army. Those are the raid group. The Sound Ninjas sent the Grass ones as bait, so they could attack when the ground ones get tired, or killed.
Shikamaru said:
- Kirimaru, I want you to cover them in mist.
Kirimaru nodded, while Hagane and Yamato got prepared. After arming some hand seals, a great mist cloud was released from Kirimaru's mask. Temari, after seeing Shikamaru nod at her, opened her fan and pushed the mist with a large amount of wind, using her fan to impulse it, and using her hands to control the speed of those winds. As they saw that the enemy ships were covered with the rather huge mist cloud, Shikamaru commanded:
- Well, it's time to sink them. The rest of you, get ready to attack any survivor who jumps to the freezing water.
After hearing the command, Naruto stopped, and contacted Hinata with his chakra, telling her to stop either. She returned to the deck and saw how everyone got prepared, some with throwing weapons, some with nets, and some simply watching and focusing chakra. Naruto noticed the navy blue tone in her eyelids and smiled at her, extending her a hand so she would run to his side.
In the battlefield, the snow got deeper, thanks to Yuki's intervention. Itachi fought with a stunning speed, handing a kunai in his right hand and his Sharingan activated. He had killed twenty enemies on his own when he checked on Zetsu. He was already using his Leech Seed Clone technique in the last ranks, and started using his Discharge Seed Clone technique. Clones of white and black half-Zetsus got stuck to enemy ninjas: the white ones sucked their chakra dry, and the black ones discharged chakra in them aggressively. Kisame, releasing Samehada's bandages, fought beside Itachi, with blunt movements that hit and shaved their victims' skins, also stealing their chakras.
At Shikamaru's command, that came out as he saw how the Grass Ninjas were desperately calling for assistance; Yamato started arming hand seals at fast speed. He then stretched his right arm, aiming it at the enemy ships. This arm turned into a huge, thick and pointy wooden spear that pierced the first boat's hull. Hagane also armed hand seals, taking some iron dust from her pockets, and making them get compressed into cannon balls with her chakra. Then, she threw it towards the enemy ships with incredible brute strength, and Sakura watched her, remembering the puppet of the Third Kazekage she had to fight against when she fought Sasori of the Red Sands. The cannon balls broke through all the ships' hulls, and then, with Hagane's hand movements, they returned to her, making even more damage to those ships on their way back. Shikamaru saw the Sound Ninjas attempt to swim in the freezing waters and yelled:
- Leave no one alive!!
A rain of shuriken, kunai, senbon and other weapons turned the seas from blue to blood red between the enemy ships. Naruto and Hinata, after checking that there was no one alive on those sinking boats, turned to the land, and saw Itachi waving an arm to them. They returned the gesture, and went to their job: giving the initial impulse to start the trip towards the Twilight Island. This last island was close from the Hidden Sand Village, and they'd get there in a couple of weeks. Asumi saw Chouji, worried about his frowned expression, which hadn't changed since he met his old friends, hugged him, and kissed his cheek. Chouji returned the gesture, but he was still feeling wrong, and Asumi knew it.
End of Chapter 25.
A/N: This was a long one. Zetsu's skill with the "white seed clones" is taken from Naruto's manga, so it's actually real. The one with the "black seed clones" was actually created by me. Also, the names Tsukiyomi, Amaterasu and Susano'o are the names of the three main gods in the Shintou religion. Enjoy, and please review!