The Pantheon of Nine
By: Finn Mertenz
A/N: TheOldNick - I appreciate you, I fixed all the examples I could find of that mistake. Thank you for pointing that out.
Coronaprimo - If I'm being honest, I'm very disappointed with my grammar in chapters 9-60. But I do frequently edit and rewrite old chapters, it just takes along time.
If I focused all my time on just rewriting every single chapter, I could easily finish it in a few weeks. But then I'd get bored with writing, and I wouldn't have a new chapter to upload in time.
My main goal is to finish this story before I become distracted by rewriting it. However, I do go back and edit past chapters every couple of days, but I only edit like a paragraph or two at a time.
GunBlade2019 - Every Arc needs an important side character, a character that receives the largest amount of development. Like Shibuki, Raiga, Idate, Kazan and etc.
These side characters serve as a plot device to advance their specific Arc, but they will all be seen again. It's important to write a character that readers can identify with, because it makes them feel more involved in the story.
brutusjr - I know I reuse a lot of words and phrases, but I really don't have a choice. Since this story is so long, and each chapter is 6,000+ words, I'm forced to occasionally reuse a certain phrase.
Like, After several seconds/moments, Afterwards, Suddenly, At this moment, and etc. Personally, it annoys me too, because if this story was animated, I wouldn't have to write down something as minor as a gust of wind.
If you think I dehumanized Naruto, that's because you never finished reading his arc. You'll never understand why he left the village, because you never bothered to read that far.
You'll never understand Naruto's motivates because you quit reading halfway through the story. You'll never see him quietly sob over Sasuke, you'll never see him being honest to Tayuya and you'll never see him save Konohamaru.
You won't even see this response.
So now, every time you think about this story, every time you talk about it, you'll have a warped perspective. Instead of the perspective that I've wrote and condensed onto 100+ chapters.
Overall, when Naruto left Konoha and abandoned his friends, I saw that as the most human aspect of his character. Because, over time, everyone has to grow up and leave their childhood home, they have to leave friends behind.
Even if they don't want too, especially if they don't want too.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN NARUTO. I DO NOT CLAIM TO OWN NARUTO.
Chapter 100: Stop: In The Name Of Ibiki! The Apprentice: Part 1.
Monday 1:32am, July 19th 58SSP.
"Nerd! Nerd! Pick up! I'm hungry!" Tayuya's static-filled voice could be heard.
These words brought attention to Tayuya's soaking-wet hair, stained with sewage and filth. This young kunoichi was sitting on a stone embankment, nestled inside the sewers of Dega.
"Can you stop? You've been calling him for over 30 minutes..." Karin pleaded, speaking over her radio.
"Fuck you! I need food!" Tayuya snapped out in protest.
After shouting, a brief silence filled the radio, polluted by occasional static. During this, Tayuya wiped clumps of sewage from her outfit, ignoring the disgusting smell on her cloths.
"He should've picked up by now." Jūgo spoke across the radio.
"But why doesn't he respond? Where's my nerd?" Tayuya panicked, jumping to her feet.
As this conversation progressed, the spiky silhouette of Gaara walked into view, partially stained with sewage. This red-head was surrounded by broken stone and rubble, spread throughout a large tunnel.
"Naruto and Jirōbō definitely fought... But I can't tell who won, or where they are." Gaara exclaimed, glancing from side-to-side.
After speaking, Gaara stared at a massive crater in the distant wall, drawing attention to a small pile of stone. While this occurred, a stream of sand gently combed Gaara's hair, wiping the sewage away.
At this moment, the petite outline of Karin concealed everything from view, exposing her dirty hair and outfit. Karin was sitting in front of a dusty computer. hidden in an abandoned house of Dega.
"I can't find him on the map either, his communicator is offline." Karin explained.
After several moments, Karin pulled her glasses loose before soaking them in a bucket of water. At the same time, the feathered silhouette of Shisui poked into view, standing in a broken window.
"This is bullshit! My nerd is too sensitive for this, I should've helped him..." Tayuya stuttered, walking through the sewer.
"Especially since Kabuto's big bad bomb was just a dud." While speaking, Tayuya ran several fingers through her dirty hair.
Soon, the hulking outline of Jūgo came into view, walking down a narrow tunnel in the sewer. This behemoth was partially covered with dirt and sewage, staining his spiky orange hair.
"It wasn't a dud, it was a decoy." Karin proclaimed, speaking across the radio.
"A decoy that lured us away from Naruto. And we fell for it." As Karin spoke, her words filled Jūgo with rage.
"I should've been there!" Jūgo howled with a demonic tone.
After screaming, Jūgo hurled his right fist against a nearby stone wall, shattering the dense surface with ease. While this occurred, Jūgo's stained hair violently rustled in the dust-filled breeze.
"But why? Why did Kabuto want to separate us?" Tayuya mumbled with a depressed tone.
Instead of responding, Karin dipped her entire head in a bucket of water, washing the filth from her face. Afterwards, Karin pulled a tattered rag from the wall, drying her face and hair.
"You're missing the point." Karin muttered, slowly putting her glasses on.
"If Kabuto's big doodad was a dud... What's his real target?" After speaking, Karin leaned back in her chair.
Four hours later.
"I'm going to have surgery on my legs, because I can't stand all you hoes." Tayuya spat out.
Tayuya was bathing in the small pond outside of Jirōchō's wooden manor, concealed by a dense forest. Despite her open surroundings, Tayuya only wore her poorly washed shirt, having a casual conversation with Karin.
"I didn't want to stay in that town any longer... Those dogs creep me out." Karin mumbled, sitting by the pond.
After hearing these words, Tayuya sank face-deep into the pond, causing several strands of red hair to float. At the same time, Tayuya briefly daydreamed about Naruto, focused on his whiskered face.
"Besides, Naruto is strong... He'll be fine." While speaking, Karin kicked her shoes off before rubbing both feet.
"That's not the point... I need to look at him, his face keeps me calm." Tayuya complained.
"I'm not even hungry now. I just want to hear his stupid voice." After speaking, Tayuya completely sank below the water's surface.
As these kunoichi continued to talk, the outline of Gaara and Jūgo came into view, standing inside Jirōchō's manor. These friend's were assembled around a short wooden table, sitting on the floor.
"I don't even know where to look... If we stay in those sewers for too long, we'll get lost without Naruto." Gaara proclaimed.
Before Jūgo could respond, Jirōchō's entire house was polluted by flashing red lights, magnified by a loud horn. Afterwards, the musket-bearing silhouette of Aiden rushed into view, accompanied by several guards.
"We got trouble!" Idate shouted, running around a nearby corner.
This declaration forced Jūgo and Gaara onto their feet, glaring at Idate with shock and interest. During this, Tayuya scrambled to find some pants in the background, earning a laugh from Karin.
"One of my father's labs has been infiltrated! Kabuto can't his hands on the information there!" After shouting, Idate grabbed a musket from Aiden.
"I don't know where Naruto is... But my nation comes first, follow me!" As Idate spoke, he rushed out the door, ordering Aiden to stay behind.
"Tayuya squad! Assemble!" The voice of Tayuya could be heard, encouraging Gaara and Jūgo to follow.
Soon, Tayuya, Karin, Jūgo and Gaara all chased after Idate, following him into the dark forest. As this occurred, Aiden stared at his prince, watching him disappear into the tree-line.
Thirty minutes later.
"You see anything?" An armored-guard spoke out, covered with a dense facemask.
This elite solider held an advanced musket with both hands, waving this unique weapon through the air. This revealed an advanced cargo bay, illuminated by several control panels, flashing lights, and colorful wires.
"No... Maybe the system blew a circuit?" A second guard cut-in, walking into view.
As these guards continued to patrol, they walked past various desks, cabinets and stacks of paper. After several moments, the floating outline of a red disc was exposed, contained in a chakra-locked tube.
This red disc was personally created by Kabuto, containing months of detailed schematics and plans for greater technology. However, this disc was apart of a collection, recently stolen by Idate before Jirōchō spread them across his nation.
"Everything checks out." While speaking, the unnamed guard shrugged both shoulders before turning around.
After glancing from side-to-side, both guards slowly left the room, locking the door behind them. Afterwards, a nearby vent was kicked open before a distorted shadow crawled out.
This shadow quickly tossed an ornate kunai through the air, piercing an electric control panel. This exposed the bright outline of an explosive tag, erupting into a chakra-filled explosion of fire and smoke.
A cloud of debris then briefly concealed everything from view, dissipating when the nearby door was opened. This brought attention to the dark outline of an unknown criminal, holding Kabuto's disc.
"He's got the schematics! Fire!" A commanding officer shouted out.
At this moment, a barrage of gun-fire rippled through the air, accompanied by several pillars of smoke. However, the dense smoke also blinded each of the guards, creating an awkward silence.
After several seconds, the cargo bay was cleared of all smoke, revealing dozens of bullet holes, scattered across the wall. But, the shadowy criminal was no where to be seen, confusing each of the guards.
Meanwhile.
An air vent was violently kicked open before a dark shadow jumped into view, landing atop the roof of Jirōchō's lab. This darkened outline was defined by spiky hair and tinted goggles, concealing his eyes from view.
As this shadowy figure continued to run, Kabuto's disc was strapped against his belt, contrasting the night sky. After running for several moments, this thief abruptly tripped over a wave of sand, falling to the floor.
However, at the last moment, this thief caught himself before jumping to safety, avoiding the sand. Afterwards, Gaara, Jūgo and Tayuya rushed into view, slowly followed by Karin and Idate.
"Stop right there, loser!" Tayuya shrieked.
Instead of responding with words, the shadowy thief quickly turned around before running away. Despite Tayuya's skill and determination, this thief outran her and all of her friends, reaching a small balcony with extreme speed.
"You're trapped now!" As Tayuya spoke, brief rays of sunlight came into view.
The morning sun then rose over the distant horizon, sprawling across the entire Land of Tea. Soon, this light illuminated the nearby thief, exposing the whiskered face of Naruto.
This rising sun brought attention to Naruto's outfit, an ankle-length white kimono, held in place by a rope-like purple belt. Also, Naruto wore a pair of black shinobi shoes and gloves, matching his tinted goggles.
"Wait a second... That's not Kabuto, that's-..." Karin muttered with shock.
"Nerd!" Tayuya screamed with pure joy.
"Okay so... I'm super hungry, feed me." While speaking, Tayuya took several steps forward.
After Tayuya spoke, Naruto tossed a smoke bomb into the air, forcing the red-haired kunoichi to harshly gag. While this occurred, Karin pulled her glasses off before cleaning them, confused by her surroundings.
"What the fuck... Bitch." While Tayuya gagged on these words, she occasionally spat on the floor.
As Tayuya continued to spit, the balcony in front of her was concealed by smoke, inspiring Jūgo and Gaara to investigate. At the same time, Idate rushed past a nervous Karin, exposing the ornate katana around his waist.
Despite the speed of Idate's advance, the cloud of smoke completely vanished within seconds, revealing nothing but air. This also revealed the confused expression across Jūgo's and Gaara's face.
"Something's are a little new to me, but... That was, strange. Right?" Jūgo mumbled, rubbing the back of his head.
This declaration forced Gaara and Jūgo to both glance at each other, muffled by the sound of a gagging Tayuya. During this, the violet-eyed silhouette of Shisui was perched in the background, twisting his beak in several angles.
"Yea, I don't know what his problem is." Karin scoffed, brushing her hair with one hand.
While this conversation progressed, these traveling friends were positioned atop the balcony of a large skyscraper. This advanced lab was located in a remote village inside the Land of Tea, nestled in the northwestern mountains.
Suddenly, Shisui squawked multiple times before flying into view, dropping various feathers in the process. Because of this, the Tayuya Squad was obscured from sight, muffled by the sound of Shisui.
Thirty minutes later.
The sound of grinding metal and shifting pistons could be heard, polluting the darkened interior of a warehouse. This isolated facility was irradiated by a single spot light, shining down upon Naruto.
After several moments, Naruto pulled the red disc from his belt before sliding it across the ground, disappearing into the darkness. Soon, the deep hiss of a venomous snake polluted the air, diluted by grinding metal.
"Excellent, Naruto. You've proven yourself to be a worthy apprentice." Kabuto groaned with delight, shifting through the shadows.
"This deal can't last forever." Naruto growled, grinding his teeth together.
These words earned a seductive chuckle from Kabuto, poking his pale-skinned face through the shadows. Afterwards, Kabuto's forked tongue protruded into view, sliding across his mouth.
"It can, and it will." Kabuto whispered, leaning against Naruto.
"Your friends still have no idea that my decoy, was more than a decoy." While speaking, Kabuto played with Naruto's hair.
"With my chakra-transmitters inside their bodies. They could remain undetected for years, decades." As Kabuto spoke, he grinned from ear-to-ear.
"In the mean time... Those goggles you're wearing will record anything you see, say or do. Just a safety precaution." After speaking, Kabuto licked Naruto's ear.
At this moment, Naruto brushed Kabuto's hand away before grabbing the collar of his outfit, lifting him into the air. But instead of begging for his life, Kabuto laughed with a sadistic tone, bouncing off the nearby machinery.
"Or, I can kill you right now." Naruto muttered.
This declaration created an abrupt shift in Kabuto's personality, changing his innocent smile into a lifeless stare. Kabuto's snake-like eyes began to twitch, focused on the whiskered face of Naruto.
"I want you to do it. I want you to kill me... So your friends die in agony." Kabuto mumbled with a hushed tone.
"I want them to die in front of you, screaming..." This statement earned a harsh scoff in response.
After hearing these words, Naruto quickly dropped Kabuto to the floor before clenching both fists. Because of this, a jarring shift once again spread across Kabuto's face, creating a genuine smile.
"Sooner or later, you're going to let your ground down. And the moment they're out of danger... You're going to die." Naruto spat out.
"That sounds like a threat, young man... A very good threat." Kabuto exclaimed, standing up on both feet.
"But, one day... You'll thank me for this." After Kabuto spoke, he turned around before disappearing into the shadows.
Meanwhile.
"Okay, so... I have three theories." Karin proclaimed, walking in a circle.
Tayuya, Jūgo, Gaara and Idate were all seated inside Jirōchō's manor, surrounding a short wooden table. However, Karin had a fancy detective hat on, drawing attention to the wooden pipe she held.
After walking for several moments, Karin took a dramatic and fake puff from her pipe, pretending to smoke. While this occurred, Idate was fumbling with his musket, trying to clean the barrel.
"One - Naruto's been replaced by an evil robot clone..." As Karin spoke, she pulled her hat to the side.
"Two - Naruto is an evil clone, who kidnapped and replaced the original." While speaking, Karin pulled a notebook loose before drawing pictures.
"And, my personal favorite... Naruto is being mind controlled, like a radioactive zombie." These words quickly earned an exhausted snort from Tayuya.
Suddenly, Tayuya grabbed a nearby loaf of bread before throwing it through the air, knocking Karin against her head. At the same time, Aiden walked through the background, patrolling Jirōchō's manor.
After Aiden walked by, he was followed by the fluffy silhouette of snowball, prancing across the manor. This violet-eyed cat was searching for a soft bed to nap on, a worthy goal for any cat.
"As cool as that sounds... Genjutsu doesn't work on my nerd, so no mind control." Tayuya muttered.
"And I could sense the nine-tails inside of him. That was the real Naruto. Our Naruto." Gaara spoke out, sipping on some water.
As this conversation developed, Jūgo was partially enveloped by a flock of squirrels, birds and rabbits. Soon, Jirōchō's manor was abruptly filled with dozens of forest critters, throwing Aiden into a panic.
"I never trusted him... He's just a monster." Idate spat out, slamming his musket against the table.
After hearing these words, Tayuya tackled Idate before repetitively punching him, yelling various insults in the process. However, Jūgo continued to meditate with a blank expression, ignoring Tayuya's harsh grunts.
"No one asked you! He's my perfect little nerd, he'd never betray me!" Tayuya mumbled, quickly pushed away by Idate.
"But he did." Jūgo interrupted with a calm tone, keeping both eyes closed.
This tranquil response created an aura of depression around Tayuya, magnified by a dramatic sigh. As this occurred, Idate pulled himself from the floor, muttering a handful of words under his breath.
After several moments, Karin poked her face into view, pushing her glasses up with one hand. This brought attention to Karin's crimson eyes, glancing from side-to-side with a mischievous expression.
"Three words... Mind controlled zombie..." Karin proclaimed.
This declaration created a deep scowl across Tayuya's face, knocking Karin's pipe to the floor before stepping on it. Tayuya then pulled Karin's hat off, throwing in to the ground before scoffing.
Before this conversation could progress, Karin unleashed a loud yawn before rubbing both eyes. Also, Idate ran upstairs before closing his bed room door, trying to take a short nap.
"Well... Have fun. Ms, Fuzzy pants." After speaking these words, Karin turned around before walking into the guest room.
This statement forced Tayuya to grind her teeth together, searing with rage and hostility. Afterwards, Tayuya unleashed several huffs of air from her nose, drawing attention to the snarl on her face.
"I'm going to hang out with the only cool person here." Tayuya remarked, walking towards the door.
"Who's that?" Gaara cut in, holding his cup with both hands.
"Myself!" Tayuya shrieked, running from view.
This hostile scream abruptly startled the flock of animals next to Jūgo, creating a minor stampede through Jirōchō's manor. Aiden then ran into view, screaming and struggling with the forest critters.
Five hours later.
"I'm going to find that piece of shit, and tie him to my leg." Tayuya proclaimed, daydreaming about Naruto.
Tayuya was walking through a sparsely-populated village, filled with struggling families and workers. Despite Kabuto's vast influence, this village was still loyal to Jirōchō, filled with industry and commerce.
"Leaving me with his ragtag group of losers... I don't even like them... I don't like anyone." After Tayuya spoke, she glanced up at the bright sun.
This afternoon sun quickly illuminated Tayuya's outfit, a short-sleeved white shirt and knee-length black shorts. These shorts perfectly matched Tayuya's shinobi shoes, and the fluffy panda hat that she wore.
"I'll never let him out of my sight, never again." While speaking, Tayuya walked around a street corner.
As Tayuya continued to daydream about Naruto, she completely ignored the ornate buildings that surrounded her. This exposed a large skyscraper, piercing the horizon like a pillar of silver and pearls.
Soon, this skyscraper was irradiated by a pair of flashing red lights, followed by several shouts and screams. Afterwards, the distinct sound of gunfire could be heard, inspiring Tayuya to run down the street.
Five minutes later.
A pair of mechanical doors were abruptly torn down by an unseen force, crashing against a steel floor. The whiskered-outline of Naruto then walked into view, dragging an unconscious guard across the floor.
Naruto then glanced at a collection of glass and chakra, containing a unique green disc, floating in the air. After observing this device for several moments, Naruto dropped the unconscious guard before walking forward.
Suddenly, Naruto shattered the nearby glass before grabbing Kabuto's green disc, utilizing an unseen shockwave. While holding this small disc, Naruto ignored the limp guards behind him, sprawled across the floor.
After several seconds, Naruto concealed this green disc inside his belt before turning around. The exhausted silhouette of Tayuya then ran into view, panting and gasping for air.
"You're not walking out of here, nerd... Not without a fight." Tayuya stuttered, gasping for breath.
After hearing these words, a static shock rippled across Naruto's face, drawing attention to the small ear-piece he wore. This device was personally designed by Kabuto, allowing for easy communication with his apprentice.
"Don't say a word, apprentice. She isn't your friend anymore." Kabuto whispered through his radio.
This declaration created a deep scowl across Naruto's face, twitching after Tayuya hurled a barrage of kunai at him. However, these projectiles were easily deflected by an unseen force, falling to the floor.
Without a moment of delay, Naruto slammed an explosive tag against a nearby control panel, illuminated by bright lights. This explosive tag then erupted into a blinding aura of smoke and fire, causing Tayuya to stagger.
After regaining her senses, Tayuya glanced from side-to-side, examining an empty and burnt lab. Afterwards, Tayuya noticed a strange hole in one of the ceiling vents, capturing her attention.
"You're not getting away this time, nerd!" Tayuya shrieked, chasing after her favorite boy.
Meanwhile.
The dark outline of Naruto leapt into view, dashing out from a broken air vent, exposing the roof of Jirōchō's lab. This wealthy skyscraper towered over its surroundings, casting a vast shadow across the land.
As Naruto continued to run, his blond hair began to sparkle under the sunlight, spreading to his iconic whiskers. Soon, the dense sound of static could be heard, radiating through Naruto's ear-piece.
"What are you doing, apprentice?" Kabuto asked with a dry tone.
"I already have the disc. There's no reason to fight." Naruto exclaimed, holding one hand against his ear-piece.
"I'll return to base... Then we can get the final disc." While speaking, Naruto continued to run.
This statement was quickly answered by a static shock, arching across Naruto's hand, ear and face. Because of this, Naruto came to an abrupt stop, causing his feet to briefly slide across the floor.
"NO!" Kabuto shrieked at the top of his lungs, polluting the radio with static.
"Go back..." As Kabuto whispered these words, his tone became quiet and soft.
"Unless you want me to kill her, go back... Go back and win." These words were followed by a muffled hiss.
While this conversation progressed, the feathered silhouette of Shisui was flying through the background. Because of his black feathers, and the unique Rinnegan in his right eye, Shisui deeply contrasted the afternoon sky.
"What the fuck, bitch." Tayuya gasped for air, crawling out from the nearby vent.
After mumbling these words, Tayuya accidently fell to the floor, creating a hollow thud on impact. Tayuya then spat several insults from under her breath, brushing the dirt from her outfit.
"Look, I don't know what you're problem is. But I just want some food." While speaking, Tayuya jumped to her feet, glaring at Naruto with dramatic eyes.
Instead of responding with words, Naruto quickly hurled a barrage of shuriken through the air, rotating like a pinwheel. These projectiles cut several holes across Tayuya's fluffy hat, barely dodging Naruto's attack.
This surprise caused Tayuya to trip over her own feet, falling to the ground before pulling her hat off. A sour expression then abruptly spread across Tayuya's face, enraged by the loss of her hat.
"You just bought that for me! That was mine!" After Tayuya complained, she pulled her silver flute into view.
Tayuya's instrument was then quickly grabbed by an unseen force, pulling the object towards Naruto. Afterwards, Naruto tossed Tayuya's flute over his shoulder, throwing it over a balcony.
"Okay... Now I'm pissed." After she spoke, Tayuya leapt onto her feet before charging forward.
Suddenly, a barrage of gunfire echoed out from the background, drawing attention to a squad of guards. Each of these soldiers were carrying an advanced musket, allowing them to reload much faster than the standard musket.
"They have the disc! Fire at will!" An armored guard shouted.
As this guard spoke, he waved his musket into position before firing, barely missing Tayuya's leg. This gunfire inspired Tayuya to turn around before running away, dropping her fluffy hat to the ground.
"Bail! Bail!" Tayuya panicked, running towards her nerd.
As Tayuya approached, Naruto rushed past her before surging towards the guards, dispatching them with an unseen shockwave. This strange force flung each of the guards back, crashing against nearby rails and walls.
"I could've done that." While mumbling these words, Tayuya crossed both arms in front of her chest.
After speaking, Tayuya casually walked towards her nerd, daydreaming about free food and a new hat. However, these thoughts completely distracted the red-haired kunoichi, allowing Naruto to shove her against the ground.
Naruto then tossed a handful of smoke bombs into the air, erupting into a thick cloud of soot and ash. This dense smoke forced Tayuya to gag, rolling across the floor while spitting with disgust, again.
This cloud of smoke gave Naruto just enough time to jump off the balcony. disappearing into the streets below. But Tayuya continued to cough, staining her outfit with dirt while gasping for air.
Meanwhile.
The violet-eyed silhouette of Snowball came into view, dashing across Jirōchō's manor like a rabid fox. This fluffy cat was playing with a ball of yawn, occasionally rolling across the wooden floor.
Soon, the yawning silhouette of Karin came into view, wearing a pair of black shorts and a white shirt, stolen from Tayuya. Also, Karin wore a fluffy red hat, adorned with a pair of tiny horns.
Similar to her outfit, this hat was freshly stolen from Tayuya, creating a mischievous grin across Karin's face. As she continued to smile, Karin knelt down before playing with Snowball, tossing the yawn against a wall.
"Where did everyone go?" Idate spoke out, walking around a nearby corner.
"One of those alarms went off, really loud too... Woke me up from my nap, but you slept through it." Karin mouthed.
"But don't worry. You're butler is still here, he's just walking around, outside." After speaking, Karin pulled her glasses off.
Instead of responding, Idate quickly turned around before running down the hallway. After running for several moments, Idate ran past a corner before dashing outside, quickly illuminated by the setting sun.
This brought attention to Jirōchō's pond, partially stained from Tayuya's morning bath. This shallow body of water was surrounded by well-trimmed bamboo and ornate Bonsai trees.
"Afternoon, my prince." Aiden cut in, escorted by several guards.
Each of these patriots were adorned with their iconic muskets, strapped against their backs in a slanted angle. Also, Aiden's hood was pulled down, exposing his ear-length brown hair.
As Aiden spoke, he stood in the center of a vast field, engulfed by a dense forest on all sides, and Jirōchō's manor. Aiden also held both arms in front of his chest, obscured by his grey cloak.
"Two of those foreigners ran off a few hours ago. Hopefully, they'll return with the disc." While talking, Aiden scratched the back of his head.
"And food." Karin interrupted, poking her head into view.
After speaking, Karin violently shivered as a gust of wind blew in from the south, crashing against her hair. Afterwards, a dark collection of clouds began to swirl through the air, blocking out the sun.
"A storm is blowing in. You should head inside, prince." Aiden remarked, glancing up at the sky.
Suddenly, a harsh downpour of rain erupted into existence, washing across the nearby forest like dense hail. However, as this rain approached, it quickly morphed into hardened senbon, impaling a pair of guards.
This revelation quickly shocked Idate, allowing Aiden to dash in front of him, pushing the young Morino backwards. At the same time, Karin was pulled to safety by Snowball, rushing to her aid.
Aiden was then bombarded by a barrage of senbon, piercing his torso and various limbs. These injuries forced Aiden onto the ground, knocking the musket from his back.
"Well, well... Look who it is, a traitor from Konoha." The voice of Aoi could be heard, muffled by rain.
After several moments, Aoi appeared atop a freshly made puddle, creating a distinct ripple across the water's surface. This brought attention to Aoi's wooden umbrella, and the sacred hilt of Tobirama's ancient sword.
Aoi held his open-umbrella with one hand, shielding himself from the light drizzle of rain and senbon. But, Aoi also held the Sword of the Thunder God with his other hand, igniting the sacred blade.
This created a brief spark of blue chakra and yellow lightning, arching across Tobirama's forbidden blade with a heavy hum. This electric spark irradiated the nearby ground, creating a vast shadow that violently flickered.
After recognizing his former sensei, a deep gasp spread across Idate's face, forcing him to repetitively stutter. During this, Aiden was sprawled across the ground, digging his nails into a patch of grass.
"I can't believe Ibiki risked everything for you... His good for nothing brother." These words carried a great affect on Idate.
"I mean... You could've ran back to the village and called for help, but you just ran and ran." After hearing these words, Idate tightly clenched both fists.
After hesitating for several moments, Idate crawled onto one knee before gripping the hilt of his katana. This weapon was personally used by Jirōchō himself, a tool for his nation during the 3rd Shinobi War.
"Don't talk about my brother! Don't even say his name!" Idate ordered, drawing attention to several guards.
This declaration earned a deep chuckle from Aoi, easily dodging a barrage of gunfire from behind. Afterwards, Aoi appeared in midair, raising the Sword of the Thunder God towards the sky.
Within moments, this sacred blade was struck by several bolts of lightning, soaring down from the cloudy sky. This lightning unleashed a blinding aura of light, forcing Karin, Idate and Aiden to all squint.
This electric attack then arched across various guards, shocking them before they all fell to the ground. While this occurred, Karin was partially hidden inside Jirōchō's manor, studying Aoi's chakra network from a distance.
"This is why you couldn't make it as a shinobi." Aoi spoke with a grin.
While speaking, Aoi slowly drifted through the air on a rainy breeze, using his umbrella to float. Overtime, Idate stood up on both feet, unsheathing the sword that Jirōchō gave him.
"Because no one believes in you. Not even yourself." After speaking, Aoi unleashed a horizontal slash with his electric blade.
This created an electric shockwave of yellow lightning, surging through the air before overwhelming Idate. Because of this, various sparks of lightning could be seen, arching across Idate's body.
Despite the brutality of this attack, Idate continued to stand on both feet, fueled by the memory of his brother. Also, the face of Jirōchō slowly drifted through his mind, the only father that Idate ever knew.
He's right... All I did was drag you down. You would've been better off without me. Idate thought, daydreaming about his brother.
You gave up everything for me... But I just ran. As these thoughts progressed, Idate tightened the grip on his sword.
After six long years, Idate was still plagued with regret, disappointed from his cowardly decisions. Instead of telling Ibiki the truth and accepting his punishment, Idate left the village, losing his big brother.
These thoughts completely distracted Idate, allowing Aoi to once again strike him with a shockwave of lighting. This forced Idate to gasp with pain, knocking him onto both knees while Aiden was crawling through the background.
As this lightning continued to ripple across Idate's body, he dropped his katana to the ground, groaning with pain. But, this pain was significantly dampened by Idate's thoughts, deep memories from his childhood.
Aoi's lightning then abruptly surged through Idate's body, forcing him to faceplant the muddy ground with a heavy thud. However, Karin continued to hide inside Jirōchō's manor, unable to help.
Is-... Is this the best I can do? Is this the furthest I can go? While asking these questions, Idate closed both eyes.
Soon, Idate drifted into the unconscious world, distracted by old thoughts, memories from his past. But Idate was completely oblivious to his future, a future that would decide the fate of his nation.