Tsukiyomi
Naruto hadn't been merciful.
He had no reason to be soft, especially when the Uchiha had randomly granted him such absolute power. With what he was now capable of Naruto had used the opportunity to drag out every memory that he could of Sasuke's pitiful life. It was only a matter of watching as the Uchiha's life unfolded before them. The mundane memories were either skipped out or sped through, but in near chronological order Naruto forced them both to watch.
He hadn't been joking when he said he wanted to find out what made Sasuke tick.
While he was now very aware of the intricacies of this technique, he was curious if Mikasa would be able to do something similar. It was a powerful technique and it had just backfired spectacularly on the Uchiha. While Sasuke may have some demon blood in him from very old ancestors, Naruto was the most recent reincarnation of one of the most powerful demon lords that had ever existed in Gehenna.
Even now he could feel his connection to that hellish plane far more clearly since he was so close to it. He could feel the legions of other demons and nightmares that existed.
And they disgusted him. Though he could not deny that a part of him, which he tried to ignore, relished his position of power. The Tsukiyomi may not have completely created a portal to Gehenna, but it was enough that the denizens there could feel his presence as well. Many scuttled away in fear, while a few eagerly drew nearer as they sensed the presence of their lord and master.
Naruto was tempted to truly cross over, to fully display that the fear they had of him was completely justified and warranted. That he deserved the glory his servants had for him.
He shook his head and tried to quash that feeling. He was Naruto Uzumaki. He had no connection to Gehenna. His place was here, with his family. With Armin, Eren, Annie, and Mikasa. And even if he did crossover he was nowhere near the power that the Kyubi had wielded. He grit his teeth and steeled his resolve as he turned a blind eye to what was just within his reach. He glanced over at Sasuke and he was suddenly reminded of why he was here in the first place.
Sasuke. The son of a bitch out to get him and his family.
There was no small amount of joy at the retribution he was having while Sasuke's struggles only continued to grow, as the memories they viewed began to drift out of childhood. Though it was still difficult for Naruto to reconcile the sweet, naïve child running after his brother to the psychopathic avenger in front of him. What had happened?
Naruto watched entranced, waiting for the answer to fall into his lap. It didn't matter whether his attention was on the Uchiha or not. His prisoner wasn't going anywhere anytime soon anyways.
He watched the little boy who adored his brother.
He watched the little boy fight for any small sort of recognition from his father, desperate not to disappoint.
He watched the innocent child, who practically worshipped his brother, as the boy witnessed the brutal massacre of his clan, with him the only survivor.
He watched as the child was then thrown into a Tsukiyomi, forced to relive the massacre on endless repeat for three days.
He watched the talented recluse single mindedly focus on bettering himself, determined to walk the path of vengeance.
He watched as that recluse's isolation was forcibly shattered by Menma, who did in fact look startlingly similar to him but with a behavior closer to Eren's.
He watched as the unlikely friendship grew over time between the two boys into something more.
He watched as the boys became each other's light in a harsh world where nothing went right for them, everything and everyone against them. They were alone, but they had each other.
He watched as Menma sacrificed himself, to further Sasuke's dream. Menma had given up on his own dream and thought it was the only thing he was worth, and that it was the only thing he could give to Sasuke.
He watched as Sasuke threw himself into his training, uncaring of the world around him.
He watched as Sasuke suffered through every waking day.
He watched as Sasuke met Orochimaru, and he heard what the snake had promised.
And Naruto hated it, but he understood Sasuke Uchiha.
He materialized in front of Sasuke again, trying to maintain a glare the fell flat. It was hard to glare at someone whose head simply hung in defeat. His expression changed to a more neutral one.
"You loved him," Naruto said simply. Though he did not say it lightly. Knowing what he did now about the Uchiha, and comparing it from what he knew with Mikasa, he knew that Uchiha's bonds were not trivial.
"I love him." Sasuke simply stated. Naruto didn't miss how it was in the present tense. "And that more than anything, is why Itachi can never be forgiven. If he didn't do everything he did to manipulate me then Menma would still be alive!"
"And if I kill you now?" Naruto asked.
Sasuke tried to struggle weakly against his restraints before he hung his head dejectedly once again. "Then at least maybe I can see him again."
Naruto swore.
This was not the man he wanted to kill. Sasuke Uchiha was still the mad bastard who had wronged him, but Sasuke was also the defeated man resigned to death in front of him. Killing him now didn't feel right. His moral compass may be slightly damaged, but he wasn't as cynical or ruthless as he sometimes wished he was. It was his own fault, of that Naruto was aware. He didn't have to watch the memories, yet he had done so to mentally torture Sasuke. It had worked wonderfully, if what the hopeless sight before him was to be believed. Sasuke couldn't hide anything from him in the Tsukiyomi, and Naruto knew he wasn't faking.
Sasuke's fire to kill Itachi was still there, and yet that was overshadowed by the memories of Menma. Naruto had torn open a wound that Sasuke had never dwelt on or thought of. And because of him playing with his food he now had reservations about killing the Uchiha. He understood the mad bastard.
Naruto closed his eyes and placed himself in Sasuke's shoes for a moment, imagining that Mikasa had been Menma. If she had died the way Menma did, Naruto wasn't proud to admit that he may have even turned out worse than Sasuke. He would have burned the world in search of justice. Or he would have surrendered himself to the Kyubi and let that thing burn the world in his stead. Armin and Eren would either help him, or try and stop him. But even if they did stop him the world would not have emerged unscathed. Annie, would be right alongside him.
But that was where they were different. While Naruto had his family, Iruka, and even his friends in the batch, Sasuke had nobody left.
Sasuke and Menma had been drowning in a world hostile to them. It was them against everyone and they had latched onto each other, only for one to disappear.
Fuck.
Armin would look at this logically. Even if they watched the memories alongside him, Armin would summarize that Sasuke was a threat to them regardless of the sob story or not. Kill him now, and they would have no need to look over their backs for an admittedly powerful adversary who could really hold a grudge.
Eren wouldn't even think about it. Sasuke and dead in the same sentence would appeal to him and he would tune out everything else and agree instantly. Heck he would probably offer to do it himself.
Annie? She would probably be indifferent to it either way. If asked to vote or let her opinion be known she would just shrug and follow whatever her family decided.
Mikasa was the most likely to understand Sasuke the best. Her family had been murdered and she had latched onto another completely. Would that mean she would spare him? Naruto chuckled. Nope. If Mikasa had been here Sasuke would already be dead. It was probably an Uchiha thing to hold such a fearsome grudge. She would have looked at Sasuke the same way Sasuke saw Itachi.
He sighed and looked back up at his crucified victim, still deep in thought. Viewing at it from his family's perspective didn't really help. Naruto would be the only one arguing for Sasuke to be kept alive. But why? Why did he feel like he could offer mercy to someone who no longer felt compassion for anyone else?
Naruto closed his eyes to reflect on the question thoughtfully.
For all intents and purposes Sasuke was a threat to them. If he weighed the atrocities Sasuke had already committed against them then the Uchiha's death was already justified. Yet Naruto couldn't help but wonder that if he did that, what would happen to Itachi? As bad as Sasuke was, his brother was a megalomaniac wandering out there itching for fights. And if Itachi did somehow find out about Mikasa, how would the rogue Uchiha react?
But was Itachi really his problem?
Naruto swore again as he glanced at Sasuke. Yes he had dealt very severely with the Kyubi earlier, and if he could have killed the prideful demon lord he would have. But this? Sasuke was rather insignificant compared to the literal demonic threat the kyubi posed. Furthermore the kyubi was a direct threat to his own soul, not just his life. Naruto could not afford to be lenient in containing the beast and he would do it again if the scene replayed itself.
Naruto grit his teeth at the reminder of where he came from, and the reminder that the kyubi was technically his parent. What distinguished them? Well a lot of things, Naruto supposed, such as his capacity for love and not simple hatred. Would the kyubi have killed Sasuke in his place? Certainly. Either gobbling him up as a snack or overloading the Uchiha's brain and turning it to mush.
But Naruto was not that creature, even if they held the same title.
So fuck it he wasn't going to kill this guy. Armin would probably chew him out for it for having a heart to save people, but he could live with that if it was another way to distinguish himself as Naruto Uzumaki. The Sanctuary was living testimony that he saved people instead of ignoring their plight, and he wasn't going to stop now.
But ever since Shiganshina there had always been one fundamental rule in his life. Naruto would do whatever he wanted, but not at the expense of his family. He may not stop being arguably foolishly forgiving, but he wasn't about to stop being fiercely protective either.
A thought popped into his head. He was in this dilemma in the first place because he watched Sasuke's life. Maybe he could give Sasuke a chance. If he could understand what drove Sasuke, maybe Sasuke could understand him as well. He wasn't going to show the Uchiha everything of course, but he could be selective. If Sasuke truly felt nothing, then Naruto would feel less guilty about killing him. This was going to be a test of sorts. He would worry about the details of how exactly he would show mercy later on, since there was still a big chance Naruto would kill him anyways.
"Eyes up," Naruto ordered, but frowned when Sasuke didn't move. Naruto then shrugged as he remembered that everything here was in his control at the moment and he promptly forced Sasuke to look upwards.
Naruto then proceeded to play memories again, but this time they were not Sasuke's. They were his. He showed his horrible childhood at the orphanage, but also the saving grace that was Iruka and Hiruzen. He showed how he had been adopted, and then charged with caring for those who would now become his family through the years. He shared his exploits in the Underworld, and the motivations he had for what he did. He even showed the conversation with the Kyubi, though this particular memory Naruto decided to edit to omit certain information.
He showed the confrontation in Trost, both physical and the one in his mind. But he made it look as if he was a demon who had served under the kyubi and had made his way into the human world. He made it look as if the kyubi wished to possess him to reign free in this world, which was actually kind of true.
And while he didn't share everything, he shared enough that he felt Sasuke got the gist. Sasuke wasn't dumb anyways. It matched with everything Sasuke knew about him so far about demons, but it also showed how far he was willing to go for his family and how far his family would go for him. It showed why Sasuke had been granted his shot at mercy, but also why he deserved to be judged.
After the memories ended Naruto turned back to the Uchiha who now had a look of slight disbelief coloured with incredulity at what he had just witnessed.
"I have seen your memories, and now you have seen mine." Naruto stated simply.
"You love them," Sasuke murmured, almost parroting Naruto's earlier words.
"I do. And like Itachi, you tried to take them away." Naruto snapped.
Sasuke flinched as if struck and looked away in shame. Naruto hid his hope at the reaction. Maybe all was not lost with this man.
"You actually took it a step further than that. I doubt Itachi wanted to take Menma from you then use him as a breeding cow." Naruto added with growl. That was exactly what Sasuke had planned to do with Mikasa. Naruto hid back a scoff as well. Even if Orochimaru got rid of him, Mikasa would submit to no one else.
"Why show me this?" Sasuke asked, clearly uncomfortable at the comparison with Itachi and the weight of his recent actions. Naruto noticed that even the other boys' usual grunts of arrogance were notably absent. "Are you not going to kill me? I already understood that much, I do not need further debasement."
"To see if you were still capable of seeing sense which, fortunately for you, you seem capable of." Naruto admitted with a scowl.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
"If you did not show even a tiny bit of regret at your actions I would have killed you on the spot," Naruto snarled honestly. "But seeing as we now understand each other's… positions I am no longer any such rush, though it does put me in a predicament of sorts."
"I still do not understand," Sasuke admitted after a moment.
"I'm not going to kill you and I am going to let you go." Naruto stated.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he studied the whiskered boy's face for any hint of deception. Naruto met his gaze as he noted the intelligence burning behind Sasuke's eyes. He didn't shy away from the sharingan, he was invulnerable here and they both knew it.
"You are not mentioning something. Your anger still burns. Forgiven or not, you are not stupid enough nor careless enough to spare my life without any contingencies or fail-safes." Sasuke intoned suspiciously.
"Indeed," Naruto nodded. "And what would you propose then?"
"I… do not know." Sasuke admitted. He was obviously unwilling to enter any ideas that might be detrimental to him.
"I take your eyes," Naruto shrugged.
Sasuke balked as expected. "Hn, I'd rather you just killed me," he sneered.
"Relax. I was only half joking," Naruto said with a straight face as he thought over the problem of what to do with Sasuke now. At least his arrogance was still there, if Sasuke had started being all submissive Naruto wouldn't have believed him. Taking Sasuke's eyes would remove any point of letting him leave anyways.
He let himself grin however when he noticed that his statement had done nothing to relax Sasuke in the slightest. Naruto didn't care how Sasuke felt at the moment either way. Just because they now understood each other did not mean that they would ever be friends.
With that in mind, Naruto began sorting through memories from a time long past that were not his. He may hate the kyubi, but it was still a well of knowledge for him to access. He took his time, finding some joy in knowing that his silence was unsettling the Uchiha who could do nothing but wait. Eventually he found what he was searching for, something that served his purposes quite well. Sasuke was part demon after all, and the Uchiha probably had a larger percentage of it in their blood. It would work.
"What I need from you, is an oath." Naruto said finally.
"Hn? An oath?" Sasuke said as he tested the word unsurely.
"Yes. If you are aware what those are," Naruto replied sarcastically. If they were back to dealing with each other the way they had during training he was fine with it.
"Hn, I know what an oath is," Sasuke snapped, momentarily forgetting his position. "But that is all you require?"
"Yes." Naruto answered as he crossed his arms. He could tell that Sasuke was very suspicious yet reluctant to voice his concern since it looked like he was getting off easy. Naruto was completely willing to stare at him and force him to ask.
Sasuke looked like he bit into something bitter, but curiosity and self preservation got to him in the end and he bit out the question. Sasuke ignored Naruto's sudden smirk.
"I am not saying that my words count for nothing and that I have no honour," he started, "But for you to let me go and rely on my word alone, it does not seem…"
"Sufficient?" Naruto supplied as Sasuke struggled for words.
"Yes," Sasuke nodded. "Demanding my eyes as compensation was more believable."
"True, the power of an oath does largely depend on how it is worded. There are bound to be loopholes but be assured, we will both ensure to minimize them." Naruto replied succinctly.
"Hn. Tell me more about this oath. You are far too comfortable with using them despite an oath being mere words." Sasuke demanded in suspicion.
"What is a demon to you?" Naruto asked suddenly, throwing Sasuke off his train of thought.
"Hn?" Sasuke grunted, thrown for a loop.
"What is a demon to you?" Naruto repeated slower, as if he was speaking to a small child.
Sasuke blinked and ignored the insult when he realized it was a serious question. "Hn. An evil spirit, monster, or beast. Why?"
"And if they are evil creatures as you have described, how then does a society of such creatures function with some semblance of order and not descend completely into chaos?" Naruto asked. He was referencing Gehenna, and as hellish as that place was it still retained some sense of order.
"Hn. Fear of others?" Sasuke attempted to answer after a moment of thought, using Naruto's admittance of a hierarchy earlier as a basis.
"True, but what happens then between beings of equal power? Should they battle ceaselessly for eternity?"
"Hn. I do not know."
"That is where oaths come in. Demons can be bound by oaths, remnants of a purer time. Once an oath is made, it cannot be broken unless the demon the oath was sworn to is defeated and killed. The oath is then cancelled even when that demon is reborn." Naruto lectured.
"And what does that have to do with us?" Sasuke asked. "I am not a demon."
"You will swear an oath to me, Sasuke." Naruto scoffed. "And since you have demon blood in your veins you will have no choice to abide by it unless I should die. Your very chakra will compel you to always fulfill your oath, and not obeying will have consequences you will not like. And yes, it is a given that your inability to kill me or plot my demise will be a part of the oath you shall give."
"Hn. And if I refuse?"
"Then I kill you," Naruto said with a shoulder shrug. "I will sleep better knowing I gave you a chance and you blew it."
"Hn. Then word it, and then we shall see if I consent to it." Sasuke said with a grimace.
"You are not in the position to negotiate." Naruto reminded him.
One annoying part of making an oath was that it had to be willingly given. Oaths were powerful and absolutely binding, and equivalently since the cost was so high you couldn't just force anyone to enter one. If Sasuke didn't willingly give his oath then it would have no bearing. But if he didn't do it then Naruto would kill him. Just because he was willing to give this jerk a chance didn't mean he was going to be stupid about it.
"I would rather die than swear an oath that would let me live but unable to pursue Itachi," Sasuke spat defiantly.
"Point taken," Naruto conceded after a moment. That was a very good point after all.
"Fine then. Swear an oath to me that you shall not conspire, scheme, plan, or orchestrate anything willingly or unwillingly that would harm me or my family in any such way that can be deemed harmful emotionally or physically. You will not act or do anything harmful or negative to me and my family. You will not take any action that may harm me or my family in any way. If you come across any such plot against us you will do your best to inform us and have no other part in it. You get the gist of your oath? I deliberately left it this broad but definitely clear. You are also going to mention their names individually."
"Hn. This leaves me free to do whatever else I want as long as it doesn't go against you and your family?" Sasuke observed.
"Yes it does," Naruto nodded. Sasuke was a powerful piece on the board, and Naruto was completely willing to have that loose cannon pointed everywhere else except his family.
"Hn. I will be left vulnerable to the rest of your family, at least two of which are clearly homicidal. Will I have provision for self defense against them?" Sasuke pointed out.
"No," Naruto shot it down without a thought. "That leaves too many loopholes for you to exploit. I refuse."
"Hn. Then what will stop them from killing me should we run across each other? I will be a sitting duck." Sasuke snorted.
"If you give me your oath, I shall give one in return. I will stop my family from harming you as long as they see you alive." Naruto offered after some thought. It wouldn't do for him to go through all this effort only for Mikasa to murder the helpless Uchiha.
"Explain," Sasuke said.
Naruto made face at Sasuke's tone.
"If you are still moving around when they come across you, then it means that you have remained faithful to your oath. If that is the case then I shall remain faithful to mine." Naruto explained.
"Hn. Fine. And the consequences that prevent me from moving?"
Naruto grinned as got to the best part, the punishments. "You shall include in your oath that your punishment should you not keep it, you shall forfeit your sense of sight, hearing, and ability to speak as well as your ability to mold chakra."
Sasuke shot him a horrified look.
"Nothing to worry about unless even now you are already planning to bypass your oath," Naruto countered venomously.
"Will you include that in your oath to me?" Sasuke asked.
"Why should I?" Naruto laughed drily. "I'm the one making you a deal that you do not deserve. You also forget that this is your own fault, we are here because of your failed attempt to kill me, might I add."
Sasuke seemed to weigh his options for a while before he nodded grimly, knowing he wouldn't be offered anything better. It wasn't even that much of a compromise and if they didn't show up in his life again he might not even have need to worry about his end of the oath. Although he probably would have to talk with Orochimaru and tell him that he no longer had plans for Mikasa.
Having heard his thoughts Naruto approved silently.
"Hn. I accept your offer. I, Sasuke Uchiha of the Uchiha clan, hereby swear this oath to Naruto Uzumaki, upon risk of immediate loss of my honour, immediate loss of my ability to use chakra, immediate loss of my sense of sight, loss of my sense of hearing, and loss of my voice should I not abide by all the terms that have been set and agreed upon. I will never consciously emotionally harm, nor will I consciously physically harm Naruto Uzumaki and his family. His family includes Mikasa Ackerman, Eren Jaeger, Armin Arlert, and Annie Leonhardt. I will not be accomplice to any plan or scheme that leads to any sort of harm to Naruto and/or his family. I will not consider harm to Naruto and his family. I will not personally harm Naruto and his family. I will not use another medium or middle man aside from myself to harm them. I will ensure make Naruto and his family aware of any information pertaining to their wellbeing that I come across and deem important. I will discourage any action or plot I discover against Naruto and his family and I shall have no part in it. I will not defend myself against Naruto or his family, provided my protection from his family is assured by Naruto Uzumaki by way of oath. I will not knowingly interfere in any of Naruto's plans without consulting him. Furthermore anything Naruto wishes me to keep in confidence shall be held as such. Finally I will protect Naruto and his family against any immediate threats provided it does not hinder me from fulfilling my goal of killing Itachi. So I swear to Naruto Uzumaki, so mote it be."
Both of them felt a cold presence settle in their chests, and as Sasuke wondered what it meant, Naruto frowned. It was up to him now whether the wording was sufficient and if he would accept it. There were a few loopholes he could find, but none glaring enough to be called out on. Satisfied that his family's safety was guaranteed he nodded.
"I, Naruto Uzumaki, acknowledge Sasuke Uchiha's oath." Both of them blinked as the cold feeling gave way to warmth and they shared a look as they realized that the oath had been finalized.
It didn't escape Naruto's notice however, that Sasuke had manipulated him into giving an oath of his own. Sasuke's oath would be valid only if Naruto gave him an oath that assured Sasuke's safety from his siblings. Naruto was surprised however by the addition at the end of the oath and he voiced it.
"That last part was unnecessary. Protection was not a part of it. You have already been rather thorough with the part about leaving us alone. And the segment about plans… they hint about further communication as well." Naruto said with eyes narrowed. "And keeping my secrets?"
"Hn. It does not hurt for me to be thorough. I have ensured that I do not accidentally run afoul of them. Clarity about where the lines are is as much for my own safety as it is for you and yours. If ever I am captured or asked regarding you, it is convenient that I will be unable to say or explain why I cannot give that information. It gives me an out. I also ensured that this applies to my conscious actions. Mindwalkers do exist, and I will not lose my chakra because Armin controlled me to slap Eren." Sasuke explained shrewdly.
Naruto nodded, actually respecting the Uchiha's foresight a little. He had to wonder about his own oath though, wondering if it would hold if he used his current name but not his title as the nine tailed fox from Gehenna. He shrugged and got on with it however. They would find out soon enough. If the cold and warm feeling they had earlier didn't take hold then he would reword it appropriately. Sasuke had practically sworn himself to secrecy after all.
"Fine then. I, Naruto Uzumaki as named by Hiruzen Sarutobi, swear to Uchiha Sasuke of the Uchiha clan that I shall prevent physical harm to befall him from Mikasa Ackerman, Eren Jaeger, Armin Arlert, and Annie Leonhardt. Furthermore should the situation arise where Itachi Uchiha is a threat to me, I offer my aid to his elimination. Should I not abide by this he will be free of his oath. So I swear to Sasuke Uchiha, so mote it be."
Thankfully for Naruto they both felt the now familiar cold sensation of the oath settle between them. He did not have to reveal more than he needed to. Before he could take back his words Sasuke had already accepted, immediately finalizing the oath.
Apparently he didn't care that Naruto himself had not promised to not harm him. Naruto could kill him whenever he saw fit and Sasuke would be helpless to stop it. Even if Sasuke resisted then his loss of chakra would just leave him easy pickings. Although that situation wasn't all that different from their current one anyways.
"Hn. Are you certain about your oath?" Sasuke asked with a grin, satisfied that he had someone of Naruto's caliber to aid him.
"Do not get to far ahead of yourself," Naruto warned. "Sending Itachi after my family and I so that I see him as a threat goes against your oaths."
Naruto didn't need to point it out. He had momentarily thought of sending Mikasa to kill Sasuke and he had felt a strong sense of wrongness well up in him, discouraging him from those thoughts. He was certain Sasuke could feel whenever he had risky thoughts, and it would keep him in line.
Sasuke frowned at that. "Hn. Then what vague situation were you referring to?"
"Look, Sasuke." Naruto sighed heavily, "We may never be friends, but as you have offered a tentative alliance of sorts in the protection of my family, I too offer aid if I find myself in a position to do so. But you know I will not risk the safety of my family, and risking my life to Itachi and that they will be left to fend for themselves? No. I have offered just enough. But we both know Itachi is a monster, and there is a strong chance he will come after Mikasa if he discovers her existence. If he comes after my family I will kill him. And if you just happen to be there as well then that is even better."
"Hn, if he pursues Mikasa for whatever reason, it will not be because of me."
"As it should be. From your memories, he is powerful. I wish you luck in your pursuit." Naruto said sincerely. He saw no reason for them to antagonize each other for the forseeable future.
"What do I do about Orochimaru?" Sasuke asked suddenly.
"That is a very good question. I'm sure you are aware he is after the kyubi?" Naruto mused. He continued at Sasuke's nod. "You know the kyubi… is after me for some reason. I have enough on my plate without that snake after me as well. I leave Orochimaru up to your discretion. You have your oaths to abide by. Use him for your own ends if you wish, but I want to be as far away from him as I can reasonably be, and the sooner the better. As soon as we are able, I will be leaving these walls."
"Hn, I take it that is something I should keep to myself?" Sasuke said.
"Yes. It is." Naruto deadpanned. "I have reason to believe that creepy thing is already on the lookout for me anyways."
"Because you are a demon?" Sasuke asked.
"You could say that," Naruto said with a shrug. "I lost control of my powers in Trost, no thanks to you."
The awkward silence settled in when neither one had anything more to add. Naruto was silent because he was unwilling to reveal anything more and Sasuke because he was socially awkward on the best of days. Today had been a rollercoaster of events and information for both of them to take in after all.
"So… how do we get out of this?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence as he looked around. Now that the Tsukiyomi was no longer being used for its primary purpose he realized they were kind of stuck.
"Usually I would end it," Sasuke muttered sarcastically as he gestured with his chin to his still crucified state, "But I am obviously not in control."
"And I'm going to leave you there until I figure out how not to accidentally tear an actual rift into Gehenna." Naruto replied with the same amount of sarcasm he was shot with. Sasuke truly didn't know how to get them out of this either, not having much experience with the technique himself.
He groaned and took a seat on the ground, waiting for a random brilliant idea to suddenly strike him. He grew frustrated after a moment then proceeded to conjure a bed which he lay down on comfortably.
"Hn," Sasuke grunted. Naruto looked up lazily from his position. "Usually this technique ends when I run out of chakra,"
"Then use chakra," Naruto deadpanned and let his head drop back onto the bed. He struggled to get comfortable for a moment and turned to his right side. Then his left. Then he solved his issue by conjuring a pillow.
"Hn, I'm not the one in control." Sasuke interrupted again as he watched Naruto's antics. "So perhaps you should exhaust your chakra."
Naruto grumbled to himself for a moment about getting told what to do before he realized something and laughed. "Fine, I'm a clone anyways."
After a few minutes of Naruto flaring his aura with no change in the technique Sasuke sighed, "This… will take a while."
"Will you just shut up, I'm working on it." Naruto snapped, feeling impatient himself.
"Hn." Sasuke grunted and was silent for a few more awkward minutes before he caved again. "Could you perhaps let me down now?"
Naruto shot him an annoyed look and Sasuke shrugged again, both of them stuck in the silence.
"Well we are going to be stuck here for a while," Naruto pointed out with a sudden mischievous grin after another few minutes had past. "And I recall you cutting off my brother's limbs."
To his credit Sasuke did nothing more than give an annoyed grunt when Naruto chopped off his leg.
"Hn. I figure I deserved that." Sasuke said.
"This may sound petty, but one more." Naruto said as Sasuke's leg reappeared as if it had always been there, only for Naruto to stab a knife into it curiously.
"Hn. You are aware that all this sensory pain will compound and compress in our heads once we get out of here? You risk rendering me comatose." Sasuke warned unsurely. He flinched as Naruto shot him another grin.
"Such a shame, maybe you should try exhausting your own chakra." Naruto mused.
"Just because I am in control of it doesn't mean my chakra is fueling this. Consider this… incentive to get us out of this thing," Naruto said thoughtfully before he conjured another knife into Sasuke's leg. He was only mildly disappointed when Sasuke hardly flinched.
An earsplitting grin replaced his frown when Sasuke began to wildly flare his own chakra. Well if he was so eager then Naruto would encourage him further. Naruto promptly stuck a knife into the Uchiha's other leg.
Could he force Sasuke to make a sound before they got out?
Shikamaru
Shikamaru had already been convinced that not only had he failed the mission, but that he was also going to die. Not that the prospect had troubled him as much as he thought it would. Perhaps in death he would have the peace and quiet he longed for.
The Uchiha had been restrained and all they had left to do was execute him. His lack of foresight however had gotten them into this situation. He should have accounted for every possibility no matter how slim. Never mind that they had watched Sasuke carefully and that he had never spoken to anyone. Never mind that these new players on the board came completely out of left field.
He should have accounted for it.
To make it even more embarrassing Shikamaru had even been the first one injured, and this time it wasn't because he let it happen. He hated to admit that without the immediate response and readiness of his team in protecting him, he would have died. A few years without any serious combat had apparently dulled his situational awareness and his combat readiness. Now they were paying the price for his laxness.
Shikamaru hadn't even been in a position to help his team. Heavily disadvantaged from the start then forced to give ground while their opponents toyed with them. The biggest blow was that Sasuke had simply been watching them. Even if they did somehow defeat his new friends then they had to deal with the Uchiha, who they could no longer even fight if the situation had been favorable. There was no way the same trick would work twice. There had been no way to retreat either. Earlier, when Temari had demolished the surrounding forest, it had placed their enemies in plain sight. But her actions had also revealed that for miles around there were only vast fields of grass and dirt with no way to throw off a pursuit.
Then Uzumaki had appeared.
Clone or not, the recently graduated cadet had turned the tide of battle single handedly and brought the rather one sided battle to a standstill.
Shikamaru had opted to remain silent and listen as Sasuke and Naruto conversed. He hadn't said a word lest he say something that would spark off another conflict, and he had been worried once again. Though when both Naruto and Sasuke stilled unnaturally, with neither one moving a muscle he became suspicious and studied the pair as they stared unblinkingly at each other's eyes. From his vantage point however Shikamaru could see the tomoe in Sasuke's sharingan as they spun lazily.
The Nara clan heir suspected an Uchiha genjutsu of some sort.
"Temari," Shikamaru whispered. Whatever the Uchiha had done, it had left both powerful boys exposed. He was not going to risk Uzumaki, who was the only way out of this mess that he could see.
When Temari glanced at him he quickly made hand signal in code that only they would understand. Temari nodded and within a moment Kurotsuchi, Samui, and she all stood defensively in front of Uzumaki. Shikamaru did not know if it was a clone or the original, but he would rather not risk Uzumaki getting dispatched by the Uchiha's new friends.
His team was not the only one that realized the current vulnerability of the boys. Across from the trio of kunoichi, the large body of Jirobo along with the creepy twins Sakon and Ukon stood defensively in front of Sasuke. Behind them the archer remained poised, keeping an eye clearly on Shikamaru.
The shadow user was not worried and did not budge. He was certain he could at least avoid a non fatal hit. Instead he directed his focus subtly on his shadow as it crept along the ground, blending in with the other fallen logs as it steadily made its way towards the archer. If Shikamaru managed to immobilize him he would move to the other three. If managed to catch all of them in his shadow then his team had the opportunity to wipe out the other team. Shikamaru didn't know where the other red haired girl had disappeared off to, but with the number of other Naruto clones scattered around he was sure she wasn't as much a threat compared to her teammates that he could see.
The tension in the air was thick enough it was almost tangible as both sides stared at each other, ready to react at a moment's notice. Nobody was completely sure of what was going on between the Uchiha and Uzumaki as the minutes ticked past. Shikamaru didn't mind as his shadow edged closer and closer.
Without warning the massive chakra presences within Sasuke and Naruto suddenly rose to alarming levels. The ground shook wildly, accompanied by turbulent winds that began to swirl around everyone due to the amount of energy being released.
"Fall back," Shikamaru ordered his team as he retracted his shadows and struggled to his feet.
They obeyed without hesitation as the chakra around the Uzumaki Naruto became visible in a blue shroud and even the arrow that Kidomaro let loose refused to pierce it. The Uchiha on the other hand gasped in pain before his hand shot to his head and screamed. The Uchiha then fell backwards clearly unconscious while Kidomaro caught him, looking very confused. The archer didn't hesitate and leapt away to distance his leader from the volatile Uzumaki, who was shaking his head and regaining his bearings.
Jirobo shot a confused glance backwards before he deduced that the Uchiha's predicament was somehow being produced by the whiskered boy. The giant decided to punch the Uzumaki in an effort to break the connection. The thunderous boom as his fist connected however did not yield the desired result. The Uzumaki did not budge. It did however get the clone's attention as it opened its eyes and glared at the giant. The clone then simply exploded in a wave of pure chakra that threw everyone in the vicinity to the ground.
So that wasn't the real Uzumaki then.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes as he noticed the shadow clones around him stumble for a moment, and in their lapse of concentration the normal Naruto clones that were just illusions dispersed. All the remaining shadow clones however reeled, processing whatever information the exploding clone had shared with them.
The Nara clan heir froze and followed the sudden instinct that overcame him to just hide. One by one the remaining shadow clones began to grow feral and animalistic. The only difference between these clones and what Temari had described back in Trost was the colour of their shroud, and the fact that they seemed to be in control. Their blazing blue eyes turned to the group defending the Uchiha and Shikamaru felt a small amount of vindictiveness when the shadow clone army began to launch powerful elemental ninjutsu with reckless abandon at the group.
They struggled to defend themselves against the onslaught of elements, just as anyone would. Any defense the gatekeepers managed to throw up crumbled just as quickly. Each one of these shadow clones easily dwarfed Shikamaru in chakra capacity. All he could do was watch them transfixed, a strange mixture of terrified and impressed awe.
His theory that the gatekeepers had been toying with his team earlier became even clearer as Sakon, Ukon, Jirobo and Kidomaro all underwent their own horrifying transformations into something he could only describe as demonic. Their new states all began to make a clear difference as their own surge in power allowed them to partially defend themselves against the literal whirlwind of jutsu being lobbed at them from all sides. They were also far more durable than they were before, now being able to tank those attacks they could not defend against or counter.
It wasn't meant to last however as one by one the shadow clones began to disperse when they depleted the chakra that had created them.
Jirobo let out a boastful laugh as he stood tall, now a literal giant that could be mistaken for a sixteen metre titan if not for the clothes and his bulky, monstrous visage that resembled more beast than human.
"Is that all you have?" He teased maliciously. He had stopped summoning earth barriers, content to let the attacks fizzle against his thick and seemingly impenetrable skin.
"It's good, but not good enough." Sakon agreed as he and his brother continued counter the elements thrown at them with their own skill. "You're running out of chakra and we're just getting started."
"Which of you is the original?" Ukon asked. "I'll kill you!"
Shikamaru frowned as he was forced to agree. What the heck were the clones playing at? There were only four of them of them remaining. Was one of them the original?
"Barrier Seal!" The clones cried out in unison and slammed their hands onto the ground, erecting a large green spherical barrier that contained the gatekeepers and the unconscious Sasuke.
So the clones had surrounded them and gotten into position to trap the gatekeepers Shikamaru deduced. It was smart. But the shrewd captain had to wonder what the plan was. Even if they were trapped they still had no way to injure them, much less kill them. Did Uzumaki want them to run?
"This won't hold us." Kidomaro assessed slowly as he placed one of his six arms against the barrier. "It will hold for a few minutes at most, in fact. Trapping us like this as you losers make your escape won't help you."
"We are not trying to kill any of you at the moment, nor are we trying to run away," one of the clones responded with a cheeky grin. "You've proven very difficult to kill and are dangerous enough that turning our backs on you is ill advised anyways."
"Then what's with this fancy barrier?" Sakon grumbled as he tried to punch it. The barrier flashed and shuddered but showed no lasting damage.
"We don't have to try to kill you, or try to get away. If anything that should be you're concern," another clone laughed. "We are only here to delay you guys, really."
It was then that Shikamaru realized that all of them were speaking in the third person. At first he thought it meant Naruto included him and his team in the usage of 'we', but why would the original Naruto view himself as a clone? Unless he was referring to his other clone selves, meaning they were all equal. The original wasn't here.
"Delay for what?" Sakon snapped, finally losing his patience.
"For the boss," A third clone spoke up. "All of us here are clones. The boss is on his way here now though, and friendly warning we are mere fractions of the power he has available. He created us as a mere scouting party after all."
Shikamaru enjoyed the sudden look of horrified understanding that dawned on the gatekeeper's faces when they realized that if the clones were to be believed, then there was a living powerhouse headed their way.
"It's a bluff, you're just trying to prevent us killing you by words because your chakra is almost depleted." Kidomaro tried to call out unsurely with false bravado.
"Oh really?" The fourth clone spoke up. "I take it you had a sensor on your team, why don't you ask her? Maybe she can feel him coming?"
The group looked around suddenly in alarm. They had only just realized that the fourth gatekeeper among them was in fact missing.
"Tayuya this isn't the time for fucking games," Sakon hissed.
"Oh so that's her name," the first clone laughed. "But why so worried? If there was any incoming threat that she thought your group couldn't handle she would warn you right? Or would she run and leave you behind to give her more time to escape?"
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. Something was off with the whole equation in front of him and he reviewed what events he could think of in his head. He didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but Naruto was playing his cards far too well. He hadn't known the girl had been a sensor, as throughout their battle he had only observed her illusions, ogres, and spirit worms. How had Uzumaki known she was a sensor? And how did he know how to use that information to cast doubt in the group? The scene was playing too smoothly to be true and in Shikamaru's opinion it was a bluff.
"She bolted. She fucking bolted," Sakon snarled.
The shadow user smiled. Bluff though it was, it was working.
"I can see why she would do it. She hates us," Jirobo agreed with a grim look.
"Let's just get out of here!" Ukon snapped as he pointed at a point in the barrier to concentrate the team's efforts in breaking free. "We'll deal with her later."
In their urgency, they managed to break out not even a minute later and Kidomaro formed a hard shell around himself and the unconscious Sasuke. The twins clambered onto it before Jirobo hefted the shell onto his shoulder and launched them into the distance towards the walls. He then bounded after them in gigantic leaps, disappearing from view in a few massive jumps.
"No one's coming," Shikamaru stated simply as everyone turned towards him.
Three of the four remaining clones dispelled themselves leaving only one remaining. It turned and walked towards Shikamaru who had addressed him.
"No, of course I'm not." The clone replied with a condescending sneer as it crossed its arms. "My entire family is either injured or exhausted at the moment. I wouldn't leave their side for anyone, much less a Konohagakure shinobi."
"Troublesome, so you know about us then. How long have you known?" Shikamaru asked with a wince.
"A while," the clone replied vaguely.
"We are thankful your bluff worked. But then why did you go through that troublesome effort for us?" Shikamaru asked as he ignored the cryptic answer. He sighed loudly as he sat on a log and nursed his arm. He would have preferred to remain standing and not having the clone look down on him as they talked but he was feeling very weak at the moment. Screw the game of supposed power. Uzumaki deserved that much anyways, even if he was just a clone.
"Because I want to know what it is your villages want from me," the clone replied straight to the point. "I know a lot about your villages, and I have my sources. But what I do not know is what got all five of you to work together, and I want to know what exactly they have to offer me?"
Shikamaru had the uneasy feeling that he was being tested and that Uzumaki already knew the answer to the question. It was worrisome where he got his information from, but right now the bigger issue was that the clone was checking if he would lie. "I do not really know. We were tasked with finding a source of world changing power here, it is up to our discretion how we would proceed once we find it."
"And what have you decided?" The clone asked simply and straight to the point with an unreadable look on his face.
"What a drag, I take it a simple request that you accompany us will not be sufficient." Shikamaru drawled tiredly.
"You are correct." The clone nodded. "And I am not going anywhere, much less with my family, unless I know clearly what I am getting us into. Minato Namikaze, your fourth Hokage, does not have the best image in my eyes. A man who does not care about the people under him like Menma, nor seek justice for the crimes of those like Itachi, is not someone I feel safe near me. Rasa, Ai, Ohnoki, and Yagura are not much better. I am wary of being anywhere near any of your villages and their leaders."
"Troublesome," Shikamaru grumbled. He had a feeling that Naruto had spoken with Sasuke as his source of information. The Nara clan heir didn't know whether the Uchiha had been the only source or not. He also didn't know just how much Sasuke had revealed and therefore he did not know how to run damage control. But he was walking a fine line here to try and convince Naruto to return with them. If his clones could do this much damage, they would need him and his power.
"I do not know their plans, except that we will require your power to aid us. I will have to send messages to them requesting further information on what this will look like, however. Do you have any concerns to accommodate? Because that would make this far less troublesome if I could send those concerns ahead." Shikamaru continued.
"Wherever I go, my family goes. If their safety is not guaranteed in some way, deal is off. We are not going to be used and we will be free to make our own choices. If they can't agree to that, deal is off. Whatever this help is that you seem to need from us we will provide only if we deem it worth it." The clone listed with a tone that brokered no argument.
Shikamaru pursed his lips, "That may be challenging."
They needed Uzumaki's power against the incoming titan threats. If new information was to be believed, the higher ups had reason to believe that these titans were not from this world. They had knowledge of arcane rituals, access to some sort of magic that wasn't chakra. If only the oncoming army had been mere mindless titans. Or shifters, as Eren and Annie apparently were.
That was a shocking discovery in of itself. Were their enemies shifters? Or were they actual sentient titans? If only they had been mindless titans like the ones that roamed the walls, shinobi could cut through the mindless like butter.
That also led to another problem. If the higher ups discovered that Eren and Annie were shifters, they would want to study them. Uzumaki was crystal clear on where he stood on that topic. If any of their villages went after his family they would have a more immediate issue than the titans.
"I don't care if it is challenging. If they want to discuss it further, then they can send a more qualified panel of people to discuss it with us. I'm not stepping anywhere near your lands if it's going turn into another set of walls for me and my family. I know what your problem is that you want me to solve, and I know I can keep my family safe from them while I let your villages burn." Uzumaki threatened.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed but was otherwise unfazed by the threat he knew was coming. "We need at least a month to get back to you. Where will you be?"
"I can give you a month at the least and sixty days at the latest," the clone said after he considered the question. "For obvious reasons we are unable to leave the walls for a few weeks. There are matters I have to attend to other than the recovery of my family. We will remain hidden during that time, and no I will not tell you where. If you receive a reply, send Kurotsuchi to our training grounds with Shadis. She will know where to go, Eren will be there and he will inform me of the meeting. We can further discuss the way forward then."
They were going to leave? Shikamaru grit his teeth. He would be sure to express that urgency in his message to Lord Fourth. It would be a nightmare to hunt for Uzumaki if he didn't want to be found, and he wasn't inclined to go after them either. Knowing his luck he would be assigned to lead that particular retrieval team as well. He had a more immediate problem however. Eren was not someone that would be anyone's first choice for anything diplomatic. Even if it was a simple messenger mission, there was also the risk that if Eren felt like it he could choose to prevent any further meetings by simply not relaying the information.
"Why Eren?" Shikamaru asked.
The clone raised an eyebrow. "Armin and Mikasa might choose to ignore you until the deadline and let us leave. That aside, Eren is the least likely to get tracked down and led back to us because unlike the rest of my family he has no access to chakra. And I doubt any of you want to deal with Annie in his place."
"No Eren's fine!" Kurotsuchi interrupted a little too quickly.
Temari made a noise and shot the girl an exasperated look.
"And she is the other reason," the clone continued. "She is the only one of you my family wouldn't ignore, and Eren is the only one who wouldn't ignore her. This ensures that if needed, a meeting will take place. They also have their own place where they meet that only they know, lessening the risk of sabotage."
Shikamaru nodded. Kurotsuchi and Eren would also be reluctant to attack each other, which assuaged both sides to worry less about the messenger. It was the most logical compromise, if not a manipulative one. Uzumaki was dangerous. The boy had power, a mind, and the will to use them. He would make a brilliant Shogi player and Shikamaru momentarily imagined them sitting across a board to play. He shook his head out of that luxury, he could request that if their talks went well.
With matters mostly settled, since there wasn't much they could discuss anyways, Shikamaru turned his attention to one of the remaining loose ends.
"What about the Uchiha?" Shikamaru asked. The boy had other allies who Shikamaru was unaware of. Who led that group? And what was their motive? The Nara clan heir was uncomfortable with how much information Sasuke was carrying around with him.
"He is no longer my problem. He can no longer harm me or mine." The clone gestured dismissively.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes. That had been said with a certainty that was either born from arrogance or it was because of some knowledge that led him to believe someone like Sasuke Uchiha was of no threat.
"We will have to report him," Shikamaru said. He was curious what the relationship between the two boys was now. He needed to know if they were enemies, allies, or just indifferent to one another. It would affect future planning.
"Go ahead. That is your right," The clone nodded in agreement. "And for your curiousity no he isn't my ally, nor my friend. We have simply come to an agreement to leave each other alone for the most part."
"Is that what happened back there when you two loverboys stared into each other's souls?" Temari scoffed, gaining the attention of everyone.
"What? It's a valid question!" Temari protested. "How can he go from wanting to kill the guy to not caring at all? Now they're supposed to just trust each other?"
"We have seen each other's guts," The clone said simply.
"Right, ew." Kurotsuchi grimaced.
"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru groaned. "Are you even aware of our history? Madara Uchiha said that to Hashirama Senju when they finally understood their differences and put them aside to move forward."
"I'm from a different village," the pink eyed girl said with a light blush in embarrassment.
"Those words led to Konohagakure," Samui intoned dully. "And without that village forming, ours would have no reason to form."
"Yup, all of us knew that. Idiot." Temari teased.
"Why was he the one who suffered the majority of the backlash?" Shikamaru asked when he noticed that everyone else's attention had slipped off the topic. "What troublesome scenario led to this understanding?"
"Well he tried to kill Eren by removing limbs. I returned the favour, multiple times. His brain must have not been able to cope." The clone said nonchalantly.
The clone laughed at their horrified looks. "But we also saw each other's memories since childhood. We understand each other. Now stop looking at me like that, of course I didn't just stab him."
"Troublesome. How sure are you that what you saw wasn't just what he wanted you to see?" Shikamaru asked. The Uchiha had cast the jutsu in the first place.
"Because I took control of his Tsukiyomi," the clone shrugged. "I showed him my memories as a courtesy after I saw his, and with his reaction to them, well he passed. He isn't completely hopeless and I would rather someone kills his brother before that psychopath comes after Mikasa."
"You never know with Uchiha," Shikamaru warned. "It is suspicious, that it seems like he got the better bargain. Uchiha are such a drag."
"That I can agree with," the clone laughed. "A large amount of them are known for being insane and loving so much that they hate the fiercest."
Shikamaru vaguely remembered the words being uttered sometime during a history class, that he had probably slept in, by Lord Tobirama. The second hokage had a point, but it also led to certain topic. If the two boys did understand each other as much as Uzumaki claimed, then there was one subject that would definitely be there.
"Is the name Menma familiar?" Shikamaru asked with narrowed eyes. This had been a burning question on his mind since he had been young.
"Yes, it is. Why?" The clone asked suddenly on guard.
"Who was he?" Shikamaru asked.
"You should be aware of how close they were," the clone said with a touch of anger. "Or were you one of those who completely ignored Menma? You dare pretend that you do not know him?"
Realizing he had stepped on a nerve, Shikamaru raised a hand to placate Uzumaki and breathed out heavily. "I am genuinely curious. Who was he to the Uchiha?"
The clone's glare has lessened, but it was still present. "Menma is to Sasuke what Mikasa is to me."
"What a drag," Shikamaru groaned as the revelation.
"What's with the face? Did you just now figure that out?" The clone said with a tone of warning.
"Uzumaki, no, Naruto." Shikamaru said as he tried to appeal to the clone's patience. "Listen carefully to what I will say. This relationship that Sasuke had with Menma, it is dangerous. Menma does not exist."
The look of irritation on the clone's face grew more severe.
Shikamaru raised his hand. "I am not doubting the authenticity of whatever you saw. I am merely stating fact from my side."
"And what fact is that?" The clone demanded.
"There has never been a recorded Menma in Konoha ever since it has been founded." Shikamaru declared surely and stared straight into the other boy's eyes, allowing him to search for any sign of deception.
"He was in your class at the academy for four years," Naruto said after a moment. "Team 7 and Team 10 even went on missions together."
"Troublesome. I assure you he was not. Arlert can review my memories should we meet in the coming weeks." The shadow user challenged. "But this is fact, Team 7 Under Kakashi Hatake is a three man cell consisting of said Jonin, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Sasuke was reported to have conversations with himself every now and again, sometimes even sparring with a phantom, but there was never anyone there. Kakashi submitted a report on the Uchiha's mental state but since it never affected his mission performance Lord fourth saw it as a necessary risk. You speak as if this Menma existed in his memory?"
"I am certain that Menma was present for very large portion of his life, and was even a defining factor in shaping Sasuke." Naruto replied with a thoughtful frown as he assessed this new information.
"Then that is possibly a mental construct, or perhaps a figment conjured by a broken mind," Shikamaru said thoughtfully.
Naruto made a face, trying to reconcile whatever Sasuke had shown him with what Shikamaru was telling him. "Fine then, add that to my requests that you will send. I need any information on any Menma that your villages can get their hands on."
"Why?" Shikamaru asked.
"That is none of your concern, get it done." The clone grunted in annoyance before it promptly dispelled.
Shikamaru swore as he wondered what the hell the Uzumaki had seen in the Uchiha's troublesome memories. But still absolutely certain, this Menma that Sasuke believed to be real was an imaginary thing. But was it just truly a figment of the boy's mind brought about by his horrible childhood for him to cope? Or was it a warning of something else. Unfortunately he didn't have the time to dwell on it, he could answer it later.
Right now he had to write the damned report of this chaotic day then send the damn thing. After he did that he could focus on healing as the higher ups dealt with the problem.
"Kurostuchi. You stay here with me. We need you to contact Eren so we cannot risk anything happening to you delivering the message. Temari, Samui. We need two messengers to watch each other's backs and remain safe so that leaves you two. We relocate close to the training grounds. We will be close to supplies and I can heal there with Kurotsuchi with very little chance of being found." Shikamaru ordered.
"But those things headed towards the walls," Temari pointed out. "If they serve someone in there that even Uzumaki is wary enough of that he has to hide then we need to investigate that further as well."
"But they know our faces," Samui pointed out with a grimace. "Yet we are the only ones able to infiltrate because of our identities either way."
"Troublesome. We will need reinforcements then, preferably a few separate teams with different specialties. It is better to be prepared, for all possibilities. I will include this in the letter," Shikamaru nodded tiredly.
"But first let's get out of here."
(Meanwhile - Underworld Sanctuary)
"Baku-sama! What happened to you?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine. I just need rest." Naruto mumbled as he fought off the sudden Nausea of having so many memories slam into his head at once. If he didn't have his inhuman healing factor he wasn't even sure if his brain would still be functioning.
As it was however he still really needed rest.
He unsealed his siblings, and with a few instructions he left them in the care of some of the more trusted of the Sanctuary's staff, which were all people he had saved and that currently helped him run the place.
"They are my direct family and they all need rest. You know Armin, he shares a room with her." Naruto said and pointed at Haku. "Eren is in the room next to mine. Annie's crystal and Mikasa are in my room."
Naruto barely finished giving the orders as he fell forward.
"Easy there boss," Isabel laughed as she ducked underneath him to support his weight. "Let's get you to your room. I'll handle the others personally as well. Don't worry about anything."
"Thanks Isa-chan," Naruto chuckled tiredly with a small grin at Farlan who was looking at him worriedly. "By the way, Levi is going to be stopping by here tomorrow. I'll need someone to wake me up sometime in the morning."
"I gocha boss," Farlan said as he limped alongside the pair and opened the door to Naruto's room. "So you finally spoke with him then?"
"Funnily enough he bumped into me, though not by choice. The idiot thought he got you guys killed and that was why he was avoiding me." Naruto chuckled then groaned as the movement caused his head to hurt.
"I'll have words with him tomorrow then." Isabel huffed as settled him onto the bed and gestured to one of the others to lay Mikasa next to him.
Naruto almost didn't notice as Annie's crystal, along with his crystallized shadow clone, was rolled in. He still managed to let out a small smile however, even as he finally shut his eyes to get some rest. So much had happened in one day, but at least everyone had made it out alive for the most part.
Meh, he'd deal with the rest of the consequences seen or unseen tomorrow.
A/N: Here it is, not sure if I managed to edit it completely but yeah.
Next chapter returns to Eren and the others. Some may not like how Sasuke is still alive, but oh well. I had a few emails asking why Eren was listed as a main character when Naruto has the biggest screen time and the story revolves around him. That will hopefully be obvious next chapter.
Read and Review people! See you all soon hopefully!