AN: Hallo~! I heard you guys were missing our beautiful Demi Goddess Kassandra. We back. Big Poggers.
Join the bloody damn Discord Server. Invite code is StPc5V
Disclaimer : NF - Drifting
The silence had become unbearable a long time ago. In normal scenarios, Naruto would prefer the silence. It allowed him to think. To plan. Or even to gripe about the inconsistencies in his life.
It allowed him some measure of freedom from the clutches of despair and apathy he experienced, daily, within his rather shitty life.
But right now?
The silence was uncomfortable. He didn't want it to be silent. Didn't like it.
He and his companion had been traveling for the better part of an hour, searching for Team 7's place of residence.
Naruto's eyes strayed to his boots, hands clenching as scenarios, most negative, breeched his thoughts. How the hell would he face Konoha, mainly the Third Hokage, without exploding?
How would they explain this mission?!
The actions of Kakashi?
Would they, moreso Kassandra, be branded a threat and executed on the spot?
No... He shook his head at the thought. He wouldn't allow that. Kassandra had...
She'd grown on him and he'd come to enjoy her presence despite the anxiety that she presented. She was an enigma and one that he welcomed rather than ignored.
He had never gotten to close to individuals in Konoha due to personality grievances with the Village itself and its people. It didn't matter what kind of person you were.
If you were from Konoha, you couldn't be trusted.
Konoha was the reason he suffered. Each and every thought about the Major Village was always negative.
Never positive.
Being a thief came with its own stigma of negativity, not including the fact that he was now aware of his status as a Jinchuuriki.
And boy, wasnt that just the icing on top?
It shouldn't have truly surprised Naruto given the fact that several members of Konoha's prestigious ANBU were always breathing down his neck. But in some sort of twisted way, Naruto had enjoyed their presence.
If only because it made him better at what he did. It was a helluva lot harder to steal when elite members of the Shinobi Force shadowed over you, seeking any and all chances at apprehending you.
He was as paranoid as a Shinobi and he wasn't even wearing a damn head band.
Another 10 minutes passed by in silence and Naruto could no longer stand it.
"Why didn't you kill him?" He finally spoke, cerulean orbs traveling towards the armored woman.
Kassandra paused for the briefest of moments, right shoulder adjusting the body of Kakashi, before briefly glancing at her companion/protege.
"Death is for warriors..." She spoke firmly with hardened eyes. "Not cowards who have given up. It is much harder to live than it is to die."
Naruto wholeheartedly agreed with that statement. There had been plenty of nights where he'd contemplated just ending it all.
Several days without food and depression could change any man into a monster. Hunger was one of the biggest motivators for his life of thievery. You could not think if you were hungry and not thinking would get you killed.
Hence, thievery.
Naruto idly scratched at his now fully healed wound and sighed quietly. "What's going to happen now?"
An amused hum left the beautiful woman's throat as she turned her attention on the hooded teen. "Well, you're very talkative tonight, aren't you?" At the teen's annoyed expression, she continued amusedly. "I can remember you screaming my name in horror when that explosion went off... You sounded so distraught, Ruto~."
At the reminder of his actions, Naruto's cheeks briefly flamed red. "Please stop..."
This was embarrassing now. He should have kept his mouth shut. Kassandra was like a tiger, always looking for weaknesses and exposing them.
She had clearly found his weakness. That weakness being tanned women who could kill you with their fists.
...
Now that he thought about it... He really did have a type and a problem, huh?
Kassandra chuckled quietly before adjusting Kakashi's unconscious body. "Well, there are many things we can do..." At Naruto's silence, she continued. "Killing him would probably be the safest bet in regards to myself and the threat that I pose."
The blond thief furrowed his brows for a moment before speaking. "Because you're strong?" He asked moreso rhetorically than genuinely.
"Because I am a threat." She stated firmly, pausing for a brief moment. "Not only in combat but to your Village and its politics."
Naruto was silent at that.
They traveled for a minute or two in silence before Naruto eventually responded. "To the village?" He questioned, searching for an appropriate answer.
"You trust me." Kassandra stated simply with a brief shrug of the shoulders. "If Kakashi, someone who I expect to be incredibly decorated as a warrior in your village, believed me to be a threat worth getting rid of without the acceptance of his leader, then assumptions can most certainly be made."
Naruto did not have a response for that. What could he say?
That it wasn't fair to Kassandra? Sure, he could say it but it wouldn't do anything.
Life wasn't fair. That's just how the world is.
He had to look at things differently now. He wasn't just a lowly thief anymore. He was a highly sought after weapon for Major Villages, capable of leveling entire landscapes if trained properly.
Just the thought of being sent into a war, one he most certainly wouldn't believe in or even want to fight for, made his stomach twist in knots.
This was all too much...
Naruto's feet shifted awkwardly, balance thrown off for the briefest of moments. His vision spun as his hands shot out towards the nearest object to prevent the fall that was sure to happen.
His fingers curled around something metallic, but he scarcely paid attention to it. Sweat fell down his forehead as his stomach churned.
Naruto clenched his eyes shut and gnashed his teeth together tightly, desperately trying to prevent the vomit that wanted to escape him.
Another wave of nausea passed through him and he was helpless to prevent the bile that spewed through his orifice.
The blond thief dry heaved several times as he stood motionless, one hand supporting his knee and the other gripping the metallic piece of armor.
The teen exhaled shakily before spitting several times, the taste of his vomit threatened to push another wave of bile through his throat.
An object hovered in his line of sight, connected to a tanned appendage. His orbs followed the appendage and he came face to face with Kassandra. She held an understanding expression on her face as she offered the canteen of water.
With a quiet thanks, Naruto twisted the cap before downing the entire canteen, taking several mouthfuls and spitting the liquid out to get rid of the taste of vomit.
"Well..." He sniffed before wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve. "That was unpleasant."
Kassandra nodded her head, braid bouncing along with the action. "It happens, little thief." She did not bother questioning why he had puked and he was grateful for that.
"Do you have any inkling as to where Kakashi and his team are currently located?" She questioned quietly, brown eyes glancing up towards Ikaros who was surveying the island, searching for a sign that bellied Kakashi's travel.
Naruto grunted quietly, stowing the canteen on his belt. "Not even a little."
The Spartan sighed quietly, adjusting Kakashi's body once more and responding. "We'll find it... Eventually."
A shrill cry sounded from the sky, drawing the attention of Kassandra and Naruto. Ikaros proceeded to circle above, flapping its wings in three second intervals.
"He's picked up Kakashi's trail... The man hid them well." Kassandra begrudgingly praised the Jonin. It had taken a hell of a lot longer than she initially expected to find the man's trail.
And she was a skilled tracker. It was certainly saying something.
"So, how are we going to handle this?" Naruto questioned while adjusting his hood. "You did almost kill Hatake and while I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, it's something that's going to come up in the mission debriefing when we get back to Konoha... That and the fact that he may still try to kill you when he's conscious again."
This mission was getting more annoying as time progressed on. They still had to complete their own objective while dealing with the issue that Team 7's Sensei now presented.
The bronze skinned woman shrugged her shoulders as she replied. "He fought in open combat and lost decisively. He may have surprised me a handful of times but he is certainly aware his tricks wouldn't work twice." Glancing towards her protege, she smirked. "He's got no choice since we'll be in the presence of his students..."
Naruto couldn't say he was surprised at the rather underhanded tactic from Kassandra. She seemed the more honorable type at first glance but she definitely wasn't immune to playing dirty when she wanted and or needed to.
Naruto highly doubted that Kassandra had many morals. Much of the information she had told about herself had painted her in a very gray picture, not unlike himself.
Though, he was sure that they both followed the Code of Thieves... He hoped so atleast.
Damn...
Did she?
"You make a cute face when you're thinking so hard." Kassandra's teasing voice interrupted his thoughts.
"You need to be stopped." Naruto responded rather flatly, though the inklings of a blush threatened to spill upon his cheeks.
A melodious laugh escaped the woman as she replied. "Ahh, but where is the fun in that? It's not everyday that a young and handsome man like yourself would give me the time of day." Kassandra proceeded to flutter her eyebrows at the thief who was surely blushing by now.
"S-Stop that!" He responded immediately while shaking his head. "You make it sound like you're some old hag."
"Hoh? What if I told you I was an old hag?" She challenged with a sly smile, head rotating to stare at the boy.
"I'd say I wouldn't believe you and that you'd be full of shit." Naruto responded dryly.
The Spartan hummed in amusement as she twirled her spear in her off hand. "Perhaps I just possess good genetics."
"There's no way you're older than 30." The thief denied. "You barely look 25... If I had to truly guess, I'd estimate you're around 23 years old."
Kassandra's amused smile never left her face as she continued to twirl her weapon. "Soooo... What I'm hearing is that you're attracted to an old hag. Is this correct, Ruto~?"
"Kass!" He hissed in annoyance, eyebrow twitching at the woman's smile. "Stop calling me that, dammit!"
"Ohhh~! I get a cute nickname but you don't? How is that fair... Ruto~?" The bronze skinned woman proceeded to lean closer to the teen, breath tickling his neck as she whispered. "You never answered my question."
Naruto was quite possibly seconds away from erupting. Weather that be from embarrassment or... something else was up in the air.
Desperately trying to will his blush away, he responded. "Who said anything about being attracted to an old hag?" He sniffed indignantly as he glanced away.
Kassandra's teasing smile only grew in size as she adjusted the body over her shoulder. "Hmm... Do you know you sleep talk?" When silence met her question, she continued on. "You said some very... interesting things last night."
"You're lying." Naruto stated instantaneously.
"I have nothing to gain from lying." She replied impishly, chesire grin affixed to her beautiful face. "I speak only truths... Something about a 'Beautiful toned woman' and how 'annoying' she was."
Naruto would not take the bait. Nope. Not in a hundred years. There was absolutely no way he sleep talked.
Nope.
Never.
Big zero chance he had said those words.
...
...
...unless?
Shaking his head to rid himself of those thoughts, he replied. "Stop messing around, Kass... We need to move."
Kassandra erupted into a soft fit of laughter as the boy hurriedly swept passed her, following Ikaros with a keen eye.
Oh, how she loved teasing Naruto. He always had such cute reactions. She was going to enjoy her time with him.
Naruto whistled in an impressed manner as he gazed upon the home that no doubt belonged to Team 7's client. It was a rather large, nearly three story home that stood near the shore of a rather large lake.
There was a rather large windmill that stood near the home, also directly in the water. There was several small bridges or rather walk ways, that led directly to the home and other areas around it.
"Rather impressive." Kassandra commented with a raised eyebrow.
"Atleast someone is doing well in this country." Naruto agreed with a nod. He adjusted his cloak before leading the way towards the home.
Kassandra followed shortly after, raising her arm in the air and calling Ikaros down. The eagle released a shrill cry before slowly floating down and landing upon the woman's shoulder, nuzzling his face against the woman's neck. The Spartan smiled at the action, idly caressing the avian creature's head.
Naruto walked along the wooden pathway to the home in silence, hands resting in his pockets.
He and Kassandra still hadn't decided their next course of action. On top of having to deal with Hatake and his band of misfits, they also had to exterminate Gato and his hideout.
It had been a stressful night and while he'd like to accomplish their mission and return home, he was incredibly tired and wouldn't mind a night's rest before rushing off to decimate a billionaire and his sub par goons.
"What did you do with the heads?" Naruto questioned curiously while glancing back towards Kassandra.
The woman raised an eyebrow before reaching behind her and with a flick of the wrist, presented the two heads. The slow blink she received did put a smile on her face.
Naruto's mouth open and closed several times before he eventually decided that questioning the woman was a lost cause. He scoffed quietly before turning his head back around and walking up to the door. Naruto's knuckles wracked against the wood several times before he took a few steps back, standing shoulder to shoulder with Kassandra.
"How do you think they'll react?" She questioned while placing the heads... whenever she placed them.
"Depends... We could lie our way through it." He responded while shrugging his shoulders uncaringly.
A low chuckle escaped the woman as she responded. "Put that silver tongue of yours to use."
Without thinking and running on basic impulse, Naruto responded with a small smirk. "Oh, I could definitely put it to work if you wanted me to."
There was a pregnant moment of silence.
One that was particularly loud all things considered.
Kassandra blinked, head turning towards the boy with a raised eyebrow and a sly smile. "Is that an offer?"
Naruto's confusion lasted all of a second before his cheeks turned absolutely scarlet. Before he could even muster up a response, the door slowly opened.
Standing in the doorway with a Kunai clutched in their hand was the boy that Naruto had met yesterday. Glimpsing movement behind the ebony haired teen, Naruto spotted another boy who possessed incredibly pale skin with ebony hair.
The boy possessed a rather fake smile on his face but he too possessed a Kunai clutched between his hand with multiple shuriken in his other.
"You two..." Sasuke spoke quietly, eyes drifting towards Naruto before settling on Kassandra. His eyes widened as he noticed the unconscious form of his teacher on the woman's shoulder. "What happened to Kakashi-sensei?"
Naruto proceeded to crack his figurative knuckles before bullshitting his way through the questions that no doubt would follow from the boy and his teammates.
"Seems he bit off more than he could chew." Naruto glanced towards his companion before waving a hand. "We found Hatake fighting against Zabuza and some masked Kunoichi... Probably got caught snooping a little to close to Gato's base."
Kassandra adjusted the man's body before continuing where Naruto left off. "He was doing rather well until the masked woman caught him off guard. He got nicked near his sto mach... He struggled for a bit up until Naruto and I arrived."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he stared at the woman, shoulders still tense. "How did you even find him?"
"Kinda hard to ignore several explosions and Jutsu being thrown around... It's not like there's alot of Shinobi on this island to begin with." Naruto answered casually, shoulders shrugging as Sasuke's eyes drifted towards him.
The teen was silent for a few moments before pulling back away from the door. "I'll get Tazuna..."
The ebony haired teen opened the door allowing the thief and Spartan to enter the home, which they did without pause. Sasuke exited through one of the hallways, disappearing around one of the corners.
Kassandra glanced around the rather spacious room, definetly the living room, before placing Kakashi down on the small couch. She proceeded to pop her neck and roll her shoulder as she turned back towards Naruto who was staring at the pale skinned boy.
"You're a rather terrible liar." The pale teen stated bluntly.
Rather than be taken by surprise, Naruto responded with a raised brow and matched the boy's statement with his own blunt comment. "Your smile is faker than your personality."
The Genin did not react in the slightest, merely tilting his head. "What is your name?"
Naruto's lips dipped downward as he replied. "Jin Kazama."
The smiling teen did not react to the lie nor did he offer his own name. He nodded his head once before disappearing through the same hallway that Sasuke did.
"That kid... He isn't normal." Naruto spoke aloud.
Kassandra leaned against one of the walls as she twirled her spear. "You felt it too?"
The thief idly nodded his head as he saddled up next to Kassandra. "Felt... wrong. Artificial. That kid isn't normal... I'd watch my back around him."
Kassandra scoffed quietly as she raised her hand towards her face, inspecting her nails. "I'll run my blade through him the moment I feel something isn't right."
An annoyed sigh resounded from Naruto as he massaged the bridge of his nose. "Kassandra... No. You can't just go around stabbing and killing anyone who annoys you..."
"And why not?" She retorted in a rather petulant manner. "I am Deimos. The personification of Dread itself." She nodded her head, as if somehow satisfied that that particular statement justified her actions. "I do as I please."
That... didn't even make sense!
How was that, in any way, justification for nonsensical killings? Kami, this woman was going to be the source of early grey hairs.
Deciding that trying to argue or sway Kassandra would be a waste of time and energy, Naruto remained silent. A few moments passed by before an older man, one who reeked of alcohol and B.O, rounded the corner with an attractive woman and the remaining members of Team 7.
Naruto's eyes swept through the group for a moment before sighing quietly. This was going to be a pain in the ass... The headache was teetering on the edge of his mind and one more thing would send it full sail into the ground.
"Sensei!" The pink haired teen exclaimed in shock before dashing over to the couch that Kassandra had dropped him on. "What happened to him?"
Naruto's hands found purchase in his pockets and he refrained from sighing loudly. "We had to rescue Hatake."
"You did?! From what?"
Naruto was just going to ignore how incredulous she sounded and sighed. "I cannot begin to understand Hatake and how his mind works... But he was surely off his rocker if he wished to fight with a handicap against another Jonin. That is his issue."
Sakura was rendered mute at the rather apathetic response from the cloaked teen. Kakashi-sensei had come off as rather aloof and sometimes unbearable but the man was incredibly skilled and powerful. She had seen it first hand after all.
"Who did this to him?" The older male who reeked of alcohol questioned, making his way towards Kakashi with the attractive woman at his side. "Was it that tall guy with the big sword?"
Naruto glanced towards Kassandra, who's face seemed to be amused for one reason or another. Perhaps it was the fact that Zabuza's blade was mounted on her back or perhaps it was the fact that she had been the one that nearly executed Kakashi.
It didn't matter what the reason was for her amused state but what did matter was the fact that she was amused.
And an amused Kassandra was an annoying one.
"If you mean the man with no eyebrows?" Kassandra questioned rhetorically. "Then yes... He is dead and so is his little apprentice. Kakashi was nearly killed for his incompetence."
It seemed her callous statement drew its fair share of displeasure judging by how Sasuke and Sakura's face tightened.
"It is very convenient that you two showed up when you did." The pale skinned boy with the terribly fake smile stated.
Naruto wasn't even going to entertain that thought. This kid was just going to piss him off.
"Jump to conclusions on someone else's time." Naruto responded dryly, not bothering to rise to any bait. "Kassandra and I helped where it was needed and now your job is easier... You're welcome by the way."
The thief ignored the narrowed eyes from the children before gesturing with his head towards Kassandra. The woman gave her own nod before pushing off the wall and making her way towards the exit with Naruto in tow.
"Where are you going?" Sasuke questioned with his arms crossed.
Naruto waved over his shoulder, still following after Kassandra. "We have our own mission to accomplish while we're here..." He paused for a moment as if debating on going into further detail. Coming to a conclusion, he shrugged his shoulders before continuing. "This island won't have to worry about Gato for much longer."
And with that parting statement the unlikely master/apprentice vacated the home.
Kassandra withheld the urge to sigh as she momentarily glanced over her shoulder, spotting Naruto who's eyes were downcast while sporting an expression that was pensive.
She contemplated her words for a moment before twirling her spear and speaking. "Do you wish to talk about it?"
A smirk nearly manifested upon her face as the boy seemed to jump in slight surprise. He was far too paranoid for his own good.
"Ahh..." Naruto spoke up, hands itching to rub at the wound he received from Haku. "Just lost in my thoughts I guess..."
A moment of silence passed before the Demi God slowed her speed to match her companion. "We can talk about it if you want. It's not as if you didn't have several life altering revelations thrown at your feet."
That was putting it mildly she mused to herself. Her little thief, and she loved the way that that particular phrase sounded in her head, was now going to be forced to make some choices.
Whether they be for his own benefit, his home or even for himself was up in the air. Now that he was aware of his status as a Jinchuuriki, and what a weird word that was, he was going to have to be forced into a position that clearly made him uncomfortable.
She certainly understood that connotation and stigma. She herself had been a weapon as well.
For war.
For ideals.
Even after going through Elysium and fighting the Gods of old, she had been nothing but a weapon. An incredibly powerful one but one that was tapered with a dull edge.
She had lacked a personal goal for most of her younger life. Adopting the moniker of Deimos had given her a sense of purpose that she lacked. Validation that she needed was given due to her status in the Cult of Kosmos.
The Cult followed her out of fear and not out of any real sense of faith or belief. Kassandra knew this but that didn't really bother her. She had brought her own world to its knees with her power and influence.
Something told her that she'd have a significantly harder time doing that in this world. Mostly in part due to individuals like Kakashi Hatake. If there were individuals out there like him but on her level, it would certainly pose an issue.
That's not even mentioning the Isu blood that would no doubt exist in this world as well. Kassandra was positive that someone like her existed here and it was only a matter of time before they eventually crossed paths due to clashing ideals.
Kassandra had a plan and that plan revolved around the Isu Artifacts. And if these Jinchuuriki were harboring them inside their bodies then she'd have to go through countless of these Shinobi to get what she wanted.
But that was in the future and right now her little thief needed guidance.
"I just... I don't know." Naruto began quietly. "I want to be angry and I want to scream and yell and hit something but at the same time... It's like 'What's the point?', you know?" He sighed as he shook his head. "It doesn't change what's already happened and I can be angry and resentful all I want, knowing that my life could have been so fucking different with the proper guidance, but it is what it is and I just have to accept it and get over it."
Kassandra twirled her spear for moment before shrugging her shoulders and responding. "Anger is a good motivator but you cannot allow it to blind you. There's nothing wrong with the way you feel and I don't particularly see an issue with the feelings you harbor." She glanced towards her protege before speaking in a firm tone. "Apathy can only hold you for so long before you eventually snap and fold from the pressure."
Naruto's face contorted in slight confusion at the statement. "Who said I was a-" He was cut off near instantaneously as the woman placed her hand atop his shoulder.
"Your default mood is apathy, little thief." Shaking her head with a raised eyebrow, she continued. "I see it clear as day. I was the same. You are bottling these emotions up because you don't know how to deal with them. But what will happen when your bottle starts to overflow? Hmm? What will you do, little thief?"
That seemed to render the boy into silence. His eyebrows furrowed for a few moments before his gaze descended towards the ground. Kassandra couldn't exactly decipher the boy's feelings but she was sure that he was sorting through his memories and feelings about his life.
The seconds turned to minutes and Kassandra was half tempted to start teasing the boy. It wasn't until his head snapped up towards her did he finally break the silence.
"How do I deal with them then?"
At his question Kassandra merely smiled in amusement, uttering a sentence that would forever change the Elemental Nations for generations to come.
"You stick with me and everything will make sense."
At her statement, a wave of anxiety crept through Naruto's heart before seeping deep into his veins. It was early identical to the dread and anxiety that had surfaced when the woman had introduced herself as Deimos.
It was nagging feeling. One that Naruto didn't fully understand. Why was he feeling these emotions?
Kassandra had yet to really do anything that would cause these negative emotions. Well, minus the part where she had tried to kill him earlier.
The thief pushed through the anxiety and dread before nodding his head and responding. "Ok Kass... I'm uh... I'm putting my trust in you..."
It was alot harder to utter those words than he would like to admit.
A smile blossomed on the woman's face and for some reason his anxiety spiked once more. It threatened to strangle and throttle him but before it could overwhelm him, the woman offered her hand to the boy.
"That is all I ask for, Ruto~."
A groan of annoyance escaped Naruto, wiping the anxiety and dread from his body. His own hand dipped towards her and in a motion that briefly surprised even himself, he clasped her forearm and brought it closer to his abdomen.
"Stop fucking calling me that!"
"Noooooooooooope." She responded with an amused smile, allowing Naruto to pull her arm towards his chest. "Strong grip little thief. Did I mention that I like it rough?"
"KASS!"
The night passed by with little happenings. Other than Kassandra mercilessly teasing Naruto at any chance she could get, it had been a rather uneventful end to their night.
Something that Naruto was thankful for. Fighting for his life against a superior Shinobi, discovering several life altering revelations about his past and bloodline and dealing with Kassandra's unnecessary teasing.
He just didn't understand the woman. There were times when she seemed to genuinely suggest they do... questionable things but at other times it came off as playful teasing.
Naruto was by no means a stranger to the ecstasies of sex and pleasure but it was rarethat he'd indulge on those particular carnal desires. Kassandra was out of his league and he believed that wholeheartedly.
The Spartan didn't come off as a promiscuous woman but some of the things she would say had genuinely raised his eyebrows. Several of these stories revolved around a man named Alkibiades who had been from a rival nation.
The man was... Well. Calling him a whore would be an insult to all the whores and prostitutes that did exist. This man had slept with anything that could walk and talk.
This man was in a league of his own and having Kassandra share some of her personal stories made him slightly ill.
He truly did not need to know what an orgy party was. He could have went his entire life without this information!
Kassandra was a fucking menace and he wouldn't be convinced otherwise.
With that aside, Naruto and Kassandra were now gearing up to deal with Gato. And by gearing up, it really meant that Kassandra was sharpening and cleaning her vast armory.
Seriously, the woman had like 9 weapons on her body. How?! How is that even possible?
"I just don't understand how it's possible to carry that many weapons and move like you do. It genuinely doesn't make sense." Naruto finally spoke after several hours of silence.
Kassandra's face shifted into a grin as she polished her Xiphos. "I'm simply built different, my dear little thief."
Well, Naruto couldn't argue with that. Just look at her physique... While her muscles weren't incredibly bulky they were compact. You could grind meat on them...
Aaaaaaannnnddd his thoughts were plummeting.
With a faint blush, Naruto turned his attention to the dagger that Kassandra had given him. It was an... odd one. He knew there was something off about the weapon.
It gave off the same feeling as her spear and staff. She had said that it was an Isu Weapon and while he didn't really know the difference between a normal weapon and an Isu Weapon, there was no denying how unique it felt in his hands.
She had called it Arachne's Stinger. And Naruto had a few inklings as to why it was called that. The green liquid that oozed off this weapon was a telltale sign of what it could do.
Unique in appearance for a dagger, it was rather large all things considered. The blade of the weapon was a beautiful silver, ordained with intricate and beautiful designs. A unique pommel sat below the grip in a fashion meant to portray two fangs, encircling an orb that no doubt held the poison from the blade.
Green, viscous liquid surged through the blade giving it an eerie and menacing glow. There were two unique symbols/runes near the grip and at the base of the blade that controlled how the poison flowed through it.
To top off this rather dangerous weapon were the dozen micro-serrated edges near the tip of the weapon. As if the threat of being poisoned while stabbed wasn't enough then there was even more damage when the blade inevitably came out of your body.
All in all, the blade certainly lived up to its name. Naruto couldn't imagine being stabbed by this thing. The amount of poison wafting off the weapon could take down several hundred men.
"Take care of that dagger." Kassandra spoke up as she continued to polish her weapons, drawing Naruto's attention. "It was my favorite."
"Was?" Naruto questioned with a raised eyebrow. The wording of that statement was different.
The Demi God nodded her head, attention still focused on her task. "Yes, was. It is no longer mine but yours. Enjoy it."
The thief was quite shocked at the woman's generosity. His cerulean orbs traveled back toward the weapon as he slowly rotated the dangerous blade in his hand, inspecting it and appreciating the craftsmanship.
"Thank you, Kass." He responded softly, tone genuine. The beginnings of a smile threatened to split his face and Naruto didn't much care.
A gift.
His first gift... From someone he met only a handful of days ago.
It was such a simple gesture. Something that many would take for granted and others would take at face value.
But to Naruto?
It was everything.
Instead of being teased like he expected, Kassandra finally deigned a glance in his direction. She seemed to study him for a moment before a soft smile blessed her beautiful features.
"You are welcome, Naruto."
The silence that followed was a comfortable one. A silence that bellied the massacre that was set to happen in just a few short hours.
"How do you wish to handle this?"
Naruto's eyes briefly met Kassandra's as she posed the question.
How indeed?
Using the map that Kassandra had received from one of Gato's goons, they were now standing just short of 30 meters away from Gato's HQ on Wave.
There were a couple of guards that he could see, roaming around the exterior of the rather large compound/warehouse building. There was even a couple of watch towers with sentries posted atop it.
All in all, it'd have been a difficult mission had Naruto not unlocked his Isu bloodline. They'd have still accomplished their objective regardless but it just made things easier now.
Naruto could feel the new strength that surged through his veins. He honestly felt like he could shatter a boulder.
"Let's take out the sentries... And after that we can regroup and go from there." Naruto's eyes flashed a brilliant gold as his vision sharpened. His unique eyes roamed along the tops of the buildings and watchtowers, counting the men he could see. "I don't want Gato trying to get away... It'd be a pain in the ass if he did."
The Demi God hummed quietly as she sheathed her spear, drawing her bow from her back. "Are you any good with a bow?"
Naruto scoffed quietly as he twirled his new dagger. "I've literally never held one in my hands."
"It is to be expected... They are old and quite outdated." She responded while drawing an arrow from her quiver. "But don't worry... My aim is true just like Apollo and Artemis."
Gold energy resonated from her hands, illuminating her bow in an ethereal manner. Her eyes shifted not unlike Naruto's as she pulled the string of her weapon back. The woman's eyes slowly traveled to the sky, locking onto Ikaros with ease.
The eagle continuously circled the large compound several times, gaze locked onto the ground as if searching for something.
Several minutes passed by in silence and Naruto was genuinely confused as to what Kassandra was doing.
She couldn't possibly be seeing through Ikaros' eyes right?
...right?
No shot.
Out of seemingly no where, Kassandra aimed directly into the sky. That same ethereal energy surrounded her weapon before she let the golden arrow fly.
What came next shocked Naruto.
Whatever he had been expecting to happen, certainly didn't.
As the golden arrow reached its apex, it shimmered brightly before splitting off and multiplying into nearly two dozen golden copies. The arrows seemed to have a mind of their own as they fell from the sky, targeting several men with extreme prejudice.
What in the fuck?!
Disbelieving eyes fell unto Kassandra who just chuckled quietly before stowing her bow on her back. "We have a few minutes, at most, before they start asking questions. We should move."
Naruto felt a migraine coming but stomped it down with ruthless aggression. He could question it later.
The blond thief began to sprint towards the compound with Kassandra only a step behind. Their footsteps were relatively silent as they neared their destination.
Naruto placed his back against the gated walls of the compound before squatting and placing his hands on his thighs, gesturing for the woman to take the boost.
The Demi God placed her armored sandal on Naruto's hands before staring into his eyes with a smile. "If you look up you'll catch a surprise."
Without really pondering the statement, Naruto's gaze rose upwards. With a quiet grunt, he proceeded to lift the rather light woman up the wall...
And was treated to a sight he'd never forget...
She had a great ass.
"Kass!" He whispered harshly, face absolutely crimson as the woman leaned over the wall with a large grin on her face. "What the fuck?!"
An impish grin adored her features as she lowered her arm for the boy to latch on to. "Enjoy the view, did you?" She whispered back teasingly.
He absolutely did but he most certainly wasn't going to fucking say it! Kami, what was wrong with this woman?
"Just pull me up!" He hissed quietly, cheeks still burning from the sight of Kassandra's bare... parts.
With almost zero effort the woman lifted Naruto up and over the wall, dropping him on the other side. A second passed by before she joined him on the ground, quietly snickering to herself.
Naruto rubbed his face quietly desperately trying to staunch the embarrassment he was feeling. When he finally managed to sort his emotions, he pulled his hood over his head and glanced towards the woman.
"We should split up... I'll search through the buildings. You deal with the roaming guards outside."
Kassandra's grin disappeared before she nodded her head. "Good luck and be safe, little thief." After her words, she proceeded to head off into a random direction.
The thief watched her round a corner of a random building before inhaling and exhaling quietly. His eyes roamed around his surroundings for a moment before he proceeded to head towards the biggest building in the compound.
If Gato was going to be anywhere in the compound then it'd definetly be the largest building. The guy was a billionaire who had contracted a Jonin for protection. He was definitely arrogant enough to believe himself safe.
As Naruto glided through the compound, slipping into shadows, his senses were sharp as he tracked the footsteps and presences of the goons around the compound.
Reaching a spot near the large building where he assumed Gato was, he spotted two guards near the entrance. One man was facing the east while the other the west.
The thief reached into his hooded cloak before procuring a metallic object. He clenched the object in his hand before taking aim and throwing nearly 15 feet away from the entrance that the guards stood.
Upon hearing the metallic bang from the object he threw, one of the guards neared the location while the other watched over him.
Naruto took advantage of the distraction before silently making his way towards the guard. He weaved out of the shadows and before the man could say a word, a throwing knife lodged into the guards throat.
As the man began choking on his blood, hands reaching for his throat in vain, Naruto's attention shifted toward the guard he had distracted. With a speed that surprised even himself, he reached the man before he could even turn around at the sound of his partner gurgling on his own blood.
Naruto's dagger sank into the flesh of the man's back, piercing through his chest. Before the man could scream out in pain, Naruto's left hand closed around the man's mouth, muffling his scream of agony.
With a quiet grunt of exertion, Naruto's right hand relinquished its hold on the blade and proceeded to clench around the man's chin. With an effortless twist, the man's neck snapped producing a disgusting noise.
The thief dropped the man's body while simultaneously ripping his poisonous dagger from the man's back. He immediately turned towards the entrance of the building before heading towards the guard who was still gurgling on his blood. Walking passed the guard another throwing knife was launched from his hands, embedding itself into the man's forehead and silencing him forever.
Naruto crept up to the door of the compound before slowly twisting the knob and taking a cursory peak through the building. There was nothing of note inside the rather vast and empty lobby. He entered not a second later with his gaze twisting around rapidly, searching for any signs of other guards.
Eyes burning gold and body tense, Naruto's vision sharpened as he focused on several trails leading to different directions in the building. To his left was a rather large staircase that possessed nearly a dozen unique signatures.
Deciding to take the easier and safer route Naruto trailed through one of the hallways, following footsteps that led into various rooms. He entered these rooms quietly, slaying any of Gato's men with relative ease.
Nearly 20 minutes had passed by in silence before an explosion rocked the compound. The earth shook violently for a moment and Naruto spotted a pillar of golden energy illuminating the night sky on the opposite side of the compound.
A few seconds passed by before a blaring alarm resounded through the compound, no doubt signaling that the base had been compromised.
Well it was better late than early, Naruto mused silently to himself. He stuck to the shadows of one of the various rooms, hearing several men upstairs shifting and moving about.
Various yells and screams resounded out as the men found the bodies of their comrades that Naruto had ruthlessly slain. Some of the men lingered in the building while others continued towards the direction that Kassandra was fighting in.
Slipping through the shadowed hallways undetected, Naruto reached an oblivious man before splitting his throat with his dagger. He placed his hand over the man's mouth, dragging him into the shadows and dumping him into a random room.
The thief continued to silently dispatch the guards he could and avoided the men in groups. It took another 10 minutes for Naruto to reach the lobby he entered through and was inwardly pleased to see that the midget billionaire was currently present, barking orders to random goons who didn't know basic mathematical equations.
A smirk came to life on Naruto's face as he palmed several throwing knives in his hand. He breathed in deeply before rearing back and launching the weapons towards the group of men.
Several men went down with pained screams and others dropped to a knee. With his distraction, Naruto immediately pounced towards the group of men with his dagger in his hands.
One poor sap noticed him too late and before he could draw his weapon to defend himself, his arm was bisected from his body.
The thief pivoted on his right foot before launching a roundhouse kick that nailed the man's temple. Expecting a knockout, Naruto was shocked to see the man's head practically get ripped from his body.
His brief lapse of shock nearly caused his death as he weaved out of the way from a rather rusty katana. Pushing the surprise to the back of his mind the thief parried a sloppy thrust before running the man through with his dagger.
Ripping his dagger from the man's abdomen he spun on his heel, hand reaching into his cloak and palming a Kunai, and sliced another man's head off from his shoulders.
"G-Get that bastard!" Gato's terrified voice barked out. "Where the fuck is Zabuza?!"
Naruto's eyes sharpened as his adrenaline spiked once more. Two men came rushing from opposite sides and Naruto experienced something... new.
Time seemed to almost slow down as his vision honed in on the two men rushing him. He saw the man on his left go for a thrusting stab with his blade and at the same time saw the man on his right go for an overhead swing.
The image lasted for a brief second before time resumed at its normal pace. And sure enough, the two men attacked just as his vision had predicted.
The thief sidestepped the thrust, shocking the goon as his blade penetrated the flesh of his companion. He didn't allow the man any respite and proceeded to swing his dagger upwards, bisecting the man's arms.
The goon's appendages hit the floor in a wet schlop and before he could scream out in pain Naruto's blade pierced the man's mouth, exiting through the back of his head and showering the floor with his brain matter.
Without turning around Naruto threw the Kunai in his hand at the man that was run through by his companion, piercing his throat and sending him to the floor a second later.
Gato released another terrified yelp as he watched his guards get torn down. "Stop that fucker! Stop him now!" The midget proceeded to run away, short legs moving in a blur as he traveled back up his stairs ignoring the screams of pain from his hired help.
Escape! He had to escape!
What the fuck was going on? Everything had been going according to plan! Up until Zabuza and that little bitch disappeared. He hadn't heard from the man since yesterday and didn't think anything of it.
Fucking Ninja! They were finicky at best and cost way too much money.
Stupid fucking useless piece o-
A sharp pain emanated from the back of his knee, causing the short man to hit the ground. A pained scream tore through his throat as another spike of pain emanated from his other leg.
"Fuck!" Gato screamed out in pain, fingers clawing at the wooden floors of his compounds. His head tilted backwards and fear nestled into his heart. He spotted the hooded man in black, who was practically dripping in crimson liquid, slowly stalking towards his position. "Stop! Stop you motherfucker!"
For his screams another Kunai proceeded to lodge itself into the man's back.
Gato's nails dug into the floor as he desperately tried to escape the monster behind him.
But it was clearly all for not.
A boot connected with his ribcage shattering several of his bones and sending him crashing through one of the walls. Gato rolled several times as plaster and paint chippings covered his form. Rolling several times before coming to a stop, Gato wheezed painfully.
He couldn't even scream. Could barely register the fact that the monster was slowly coming for him.
Gato's beady eyes slowly rose to the man who would end his life and spotted a pair of golden eyes staring down at him.
For a moment, Gato was entranced by the ethereal glow of the man's eyes. Like a wrathful God who had been slated one too many times.
The man's wicked dagger rose in the air before he spoke quietly.
"Nothin' personal."
And Gato's head proceeded to roll.
AN: PEPEJAM. We did it bois! Pog!
Ight, so like this chapter was supposed to be uploaded last Friday but then Season 23 of Diablo 3 started and obviously I had to grind out.
But hey! Hope you enjoyed this little update. I wouldn't say alot really happened in terms of plot wise but atleast you got to see alot of development from Naruto's POV and how he views Kassandra.
The next chapter ends the Wave Saga and we deal with the inevitable fallout of Naruto and Konoha. It's gonna be a doozy lads!
See ya next time ya fucking nerds.