I don't own Naruto and I never have, probably never will. Can never tell for sure though.
Nightfall!
Chapter 25: The Loyalists Retreat.
Naruto and Itachi ran through the mist away from Kiri, the destination was a small village a few hours run away, maybe more if the mist held.
Behind them in Kiri a vacuum of power had been created. Yagura's generals in charge of the defense of Kiri and the hunter ninja gone, the city was in turmoil even though the dead bodies of Niiro and Cou had only just been found. To make matters worse there were no suitable clear cut replacements. And because of this the higher ranking ninja who wanted the job turned on each other justifying the name of "The Bloody Mist".
Unknown to the people of Kiri a masked man sat atop the tallest tower looking down on the carnage as it unfurled below. 'What a nice bit of chaos my new friend has made I couldn't have done any better myself. He picked the perfect targets to cause the most damage in Kiri's loyalist army. I must say that I am impressed' he thought gleefully as parts of the village began to burn due to the fighting.
It took the two Yoinokuchi ninja longer than expected to find the village in the fog that blanketed the land at night. The sun was still an hour from rising but that suited the pair to no end, they were unsure if Kiri's forces were tracking them or not.
"What is so special about this place? It doesn't look like much, although with a nation in the middle of a war i guess that is a bit harsh" Naruto said as they walked through the seemingly abandoned village.
"There is an entrance to the underground tunnel system here" Itachi replied.
"Really, aren't we a little far behind enemy lines for that?" Naruto asked.
"It is a one off, the special operations teams use it for sabotage and assassination missions" the Uchiha said.
"That makes sense I guess" Naruto said as he followed Itachi into an abandoned house that looked like it had been put up for demolition years ago.
Itachi walked into the center of the living room and smeared a small amount of his blood on the floor. A large seal array began to glow and the floor separated to reveal a large staircase.
"Let's go it will still take awhile to reach the Resistance Headquarters so we better make a move" Itachi said.
Naruto nodded in agreement and followed. The tunnel was completely dark, Naruto had no idea where he was going until Itachi lit a torch that had been placed on the wall. The blond found one of his own and lit it using a Katon jutsu.
Compared to the other underground tunnels that Naruto had seen during his time in the Land of Water this one was by far the worst. It was narrow only allowing for two people to just stand side by side. And the floor was uneven, with several bumps and rocks extending out.
"You know compared to the others, this tunnel is a dump" Naruto said.
"It was built quickly and is only used on rare occasions. So it isn't that big of a surprise to me" Itachi replied.
"How did you know about this place. Did you use it for a mission while the rest of us were in the chunin exams?" Naruto asked.
"Yes just once, I was asked to lead a team to destroy a new weapons factory in a village just outside of Kiri. Because of that I was shown the passageway and they added my blood to the list of people that could activate it. If anyone else tries to get into the tunnel without the seal the whole thing will collapse" Itachi said.
The pair walked through the tunnel talking quietly as they went. It took them several hours to arrive at a circular room that connects the rooms between villages and resistance outposts.
"Which way now?" Naruto asked.
"We go west" Itachi said before taking a now well lit tunnel. It was an still an hour before the tunnel opened up again to reveal another juncture room. This time they went north. Half an hour later it opened up to reveal a large room. There were people frantically running around sending out messages to the surface.
"What's going on here?" Naruto asked as they exited the tunnel.
"It's them!" one of the men said in excitement.
They were then greeted with loud cheers. And various ninja all came around trying to shake Naruto or Itachi's hand or pat them on the back.
"Uh Itachi sensei do you have any idea what's going on?" Naruto asked.
"I don't know" Itachi replied.
"I guess it's no real surprise you don't know yet?" the voice of Jiraiya called out from the other side of the room. The toad sage was leaning against the far wall with his arms crossed.
"Jiraiya sensei, what's going on?" Naruto called back.
"Because of you Yagura's army is in turmoil, they have been in open retreat all over the country. We have claimed more than three quarters of this nation's loyalist land in the past six hours. We now have Kiri and the remaining forces that haven't surrendered yet surrounded. The loss of three of the enemies ranking generals in a week has created a vacuum and the remaining ranking ninja are killing each other in an attempt to take their place" Jiraiya said with a satisfied smile on his face.
"They finally held up the retreat a few hours march from Kiri. The only thing that stopped them were the two remaining generals, Niang and Taniyama. We have set up defensive hold points in case of a retaliatory strike. But I believe that it will be awhile before they are ready to launch any form of counter attack" Mei said entering the room with Ao a smile plastered on her face.
"It seems even without your added help this war is but weeks from ending" Ao said.
"Told you those two would bring the end of the war much faster on there own, rather than fighting on the front lines like the other Yoinokuchi members. Not that they haven't been doing great things" Jiraiya said.
"Yeah how has everyone been while we have been gone?" Naruto asked eagerly.
"Everyone is fine, I figured that you would be coming back here so I called everyone back from the front lines. We still have two more targets after all, but we will need to draw the majority of Yagura's remaining forces out to do that" Jiraiya said.
"Awesome I know it has only been about a month since we left on our mission but it seems like it has been much longer than that" Naruto said.
"How do you intend to draw our Yagura's main forces?" Itachi asked.
"We throw them some bait. Maybe the people that have cost them the war" Jiraiya said.
"You plan on throwing them to the wolves?" Ao asked shocked.
"In a sense yes. We need them to find out a specific location that we can have our army encounter theirs. So we make the enemy find that place to be where Naruto and Itachi are hiding" Jiraiya said.
"So a simple piece of misplaced information. We let the enemy get their hands on. And because of the trouble Naruto and Itachi have caused they will send the main army to avoid the same thing that happened at the northern outpost town" Ao said approvingly.
"Yes and we will all be there to deal with them, giving Naruto and Itachi time to get behind the enemies front lines and take out the twins. But we have a little planing to do before we can accomplish that and not to mention we need them in the condition to send there army" Jiraiya explained.
"So basically we sit and wait? Shouldn't we push on and force them back we can win this war without this plan" A stocky man with war paint on his face in the shape of two waves meeting at the center of his forehead said.
"If we continue to push on recklessly we could fall into a trap. Even with the added turmoil we can't afford to be reckless" Mei said.
Naruto and Itachi were taken to their quarters still being praised as Hero's much to the embarrassment of the pair.
Jiraiya went to talk to them and was joined by Mei. When they entered both Naruto and Itachi were sitting on their respective beds. Still with a mild embarrassed look.
"How's it going guys?" Jiraiya asked with a smirk as he entered.
"I have been praised before, I was considered the one of the most promising members the Uchiha clan had ever seen. But this is so much more intense" Itachi said.
"The only sort of crowd reaction I have ever had has been negative, to be called a hero is a bit much" Naruto said.
"Regardless, you two have saved this country. It is only a matter of time now before the War ends. You have managed to do in a month what the constant fighting has not been able to accomplish. Kiri under Yagura is made in bloodshed. Everyone that passed the exams at the academy knows that they need to outlast the others to make it to the top. Because of that the loyal ninja who desire power have wiped each other out and we stand on the brink of ending this war" Mei said.
"How many other people know about what happened?" Naruto asked.
"Everyone, even the loyalists. Some of the people are calling you 'God's Judgment'. Making those responsible for the bloodline genocide pay for their crimes" Jiraiya said proudly.
"Aw man, I didn't want this, I haven't worked any harder than anyone else, if anything Mei deserves the credit for holding these people together. She is a real leader and hero to these people" Naruto said.
"You know behind closed doors you are rather humble, but in a battle you are sometimes seen to be arrogant" Itachi said.
"Well there are a few reasons for that. It get's under the opponents skin, granted not as well as your stoic detached calm. And also it pays to be confident, makes other less likely to challenge me" Naruto said.
"It is a relief to hear you say that, I was beginning to fear you were suffering from a swollen head" Itachi said.
"What's that supposed to mean!" Naruto pouted.
"Nothing really. Arrogance is the downfall of great people. It is what made me give up hope of saving my accursed clan. Their belief that they were better and superior to everyone else because of the sharingan. They wanted to rule Konoha because they were stronger than others. When you're strong you become arrogant and withdrawn. That was the downfall of the Uchiha" Itachi said.
"But it doesn't have to be that way. If you work hard you appreciate the power you have earned. That is how we grow as people. Growth occurs from hard work and pushing yourself beyond your limits. Realizing that is important" Jiraiya said.
"I get it. Don't worry I won't let my skills get to me. Oh that reminds me... look what I can do" Naruto said. He then proceeded to create two chakra rods out of nothing in his hand.
"Amazing how did you do that?" Mei said shocked.
"I discovered I could do it in my fight with Cou, he was a kenjutsu user and I needed a weapon. And then just like that, one of these black rods appeared. I used my chakra and solidify it forming these" Naruto said.
"Amazing to be able to create something from nothing. It is a power only the Sage of Six Paths was said to have. Maybe you really are his heir" Mei said shocked at what she was seeing.
"Rod's are one thing. But the Sage was said to have made several great tools. That had amazing properties. These are impressive, but not up to his skill level" Itachi said.
"Then it looks like he still has a lot to learn. It is a bonus of being young after all" Jiraiya added.
"Do you really think it is possible for me to even come close to the Rikudou Sennin?" Naruto asked.
"I don't know kid, but I know you have the potential to be the strongest ninja alive and to become the person that brings about a great change in the world" Jiraiya said.
"I think we should let them get some rest, they must be tired" Mei suggested.
"Yeah you're right. Get some sleep guys you both did amazingly well" Jiraiya said before they left the room.
(Several Hours Later)
Itachi woke and looked around the dimly lit room. It was always hard to tell what time it was when you lived underground. But he assumed it was the late afternoon or early night.
Naruto was still fast asleep breathing heavily but not quite snoring. Not wanting to wake Naruto up, Itachi quickly get dressed and left the room. Walking out he found several people waiting for him.
"Ah it is good to see that you are up Itachi-sama" a man said.
"Sama? You don't have to call me that, Itachi is fine" the usually stoic Uchiha said calmly although he had a small blush of embarrassment.
"But it is only right Itachi-sama, you and young Naruto-sama have saved the Land of Water. You are both being praised as miracle workers, the men who crippled Yagura's armies. We give you the title as a necessity Itachi-sama" the man replied.
"Well I would prefer to just be called by my name" Itachi said flatly. "Tell me, have the others in our group returned yet?" he asked.
"Yes I believe they are all in the relaxation area" the man said.
"And where is Jiraiya-sama?" Itachi added.
"He is in his quarters working on some notes that he said were vitally important, and he wasn't to be bothered" the man replied.
Itachi nodded and walked off.
"Hey where are you going, the relaxation area is back that way" the man called pointing in the opposite direction.
"I'm going to talk to Jiraiya-sama. His smut book can wait, although I can think of a a few people in Konoha who would disagree" Itachi said. And interestingly enough in Konoha both Hiruzen and Kakashi simultaneously sneezed.
He came to Jiraiya's door and walked right in. "Itachi, what are you doing here?" Jiraiya asked.
"I came to talk to you, it's something about Naruto's new skill to create those rods. When I said they were not as remarkable as the seven tools of the Rikudou Sennin... I lied. They are just as amazing even though they do not look it" Itachi said.
"What do you mean?" Jiraiya asked.
"When Naruto was in combat with the head of the Hunter ninja Cou Ginji, he stabbed cou with one of the rods. From my sharingan I could see what was happening. Naruto was able to flood Cou's system with his own chakra and suppress it. He could even to a degree control Cou's movements, I am not entirely sure if he even knew that but if I am correct, Naruto could in theory control another person completely if he had enough of those rods inserted into someone" Itachi said.
"So they make the other ninja's chakra useless and unable to be molded while forcing his own chakra into their system to control their body and those rods act like a receiver to his chakra" Jiraiya surmised.
"Yes from the brief encounter that is what I believe to be the true purpose of those rods" Itachi said.
"I see, I have been doing some research on the Rikudou Sennin over the past few hours looking for references to those poles. And I found a most interesting jutsu. It's called Banbutsu Sozo, the Creation All Thing's Jutsu. The writings stated that the sage could create almost anything he imagined as long as he had the imagination. He would use Yin chakra to create shape and form from nothingness, much like Naruto's chakra rods. But the jutsu doesn't stop there. After creating an object, it has the ability to breath life into it with Yang chakra. So in theory he could remove a soul and place it into a body that he created for it and bring the object to life" Jiraiya said.
"So the only limitation the jutsu has is it cant create a soul?" Itachi asked.
"Well from the readings I would say yes. But in practice it would be far more difficult. You say Naruto learned that he could do this when he was looking for a weapon to fight Cou right?" Jiraiya said.
"Yes that is correct" Itachi replied.
"And how long would you say it took the object to form?" Jiraiya continued.
"A few seconds, five at the most" Itachi said.
"Then I would say the Jutsu would take a long time, to use and a lot of chakra should he try and make something more complex as thin black rods are not my first thought when I think of weapons. He may even need to rely on Kyuubi to make something that could be considered living" Jiraiya said.
"But the could make anything, as long as he can think of the right components and knows how it works. Like a heart or lungs for someone in need of a transplant" Itachi said.
"Or perhaps a new set of eyes for a blinding brother figure" Jiraiya said in understanding.
"I would rather not go blind, and I still need to fight Sasuke one of these days. But at the same time I will not pressure Naruto into doing it" Itachi said.
"They wouldn't be normal eye's, if he made them for you there is no telling what they would do. After all look at what those rods can do" Jiraiya said.
"I would like to never need them, but having the option is somewhat comforting. And who knows if it's done right I might have a new Kekkei Genkai different from the sharingan and I could be free of my clan forever" Itachi replied quietly.
"If there is anyone who can do it I am sure it would be Naruto, he is a lot like his mother, so talented yet always getting into trouble" Jiraiya said reflectively.
"Do you plan on telling him about his father? He is strong enough to protect himself now and he has the right to know" Itachi asked.
"I want to, but I am scared as to how he will react. He isn't the biggest fan of Konoha after all" Jiraiya said sadly.
"He can take it, if he can't then he isn't your child of prophecy" Itachi said.
"Yeah I guess I have to tell him. But when? We are in the middle of a war right now. Even if it is almost over" Jiraiya sighed.
"After the war, we are still taking him on a training trip to finish his education right?" Itachi asked.
"Yes, I want to take him to see the Toad Grand Elder, but he hasn't signed the contract. And I am not sure if he even can" Jiraiya said.
"Perhaps it would be wise to summon the boss summon Gamabunta. He will be able to give you an answer on Naruto signing the summons" Itachi suggested.
"Signing Gamabunta... I would really prefer to avoid that. He gets rather grumpy. Only person he ever really let summon him on a regular basis was Minato" Jiraiya said.
"Then is there anyone else that you could ask?" Itachi mused.
"Well there is the elders but this seems a little mundane to call them, still they would have a much better understanding of Naruto's summoning abilities and the toad law than Gamabunta" Jiraiya thought out loud.
"Then when we leave on our training trip simply summon them to talk to you and Naruto along with the contract scroll. It can't exactly hurt to try" Itachi replied.
(Meanwhile)
Naruto awoke in a daze. 'Wow I haven't slept that well since I left the Land of Fire hideout. I wonder where everyone is' he thought as he rolled out of bed and slowly got dressed.
Once fully clothed he left his room to find the same man that had greeted Itachi upon his exit. "Uh hello, can I help you?"
"Oh not at all Naruto-sama. I am here to assist you in anyway that you might need" the man said.
"Well you can start by not calling me Sama. Other than that I don't need anything so you don't need to stand around here" Naruto replied.
"Thank you. Oh by the way, Miss Fuu came to check up on you along with Gaara-sama. I believe they are waiting for you to wake in the recreation area one floor down.
"Gaara-sama? What did he do to get that honor?" Naruto asked.
"He is the hero of a battle on the eastern planes outside of a Loyalist stronghold. Our men were about to be leveled by a large water jutsu and Gaara-sama was able to save the lives of everyone in his division" the man replied.
'At least he received the honor for saving lives not taking them like I have' Naruto thought. "Thank you, I will go meet with them at once" he said and ignoring the bow turned to leave down the corridor towards the staircase.
'I don't think I will be able to get used to that, I'm starting to miss Cou and Niiro already' the blond thought as he descended the stairs in order to see his friends again.
End Chapter!
Okay so not much happened this time, mostly reaction to Naruto and Itachi's successful assassinations and there implications on the war. Thought I would break up the action a bit. Anyway hope you liked it and as always suggestions are welcome.