Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters
"Normal speech"
'Normal thought'
"Demonic speech/extremely pissed off Tsunade/extremely pissed off Kushina"
"demonic thought"
Jutsu/technique
Twist of fate: Uzumaki Descendants
Chapter 5:
The Shinobi Path for Those Who Dwell In The Darkness
(Part 2)
Night
After Kisame and Naruto caught some fish they went to make a campfire.
Naruto looked at the fire and was not sure what would happen the next day Kisame decided to break the silence and ask " And... what are you thinking boy?"
" I'm not sure where to go or what to do outside of training since I left the my village." said Naruto.
"You could, you know, come with us, if you'd like." Kisame said, not looking at the boy.
Naruto look at the Kisame, eyes wide. Kisame turned to look at Naruto, his face serious. "Well?"
Naruto straightened, his face a mixture of surprise and confusion. "Why?"
"Well, why not? I get pretty bored travelling alone, and I guess so do you." said Kisame.
"Wouldn't your partner mind?" Naruto asked, thinking slowly.
Kisame didn't answer immediately. "I don't think so." He mused. "Although he is a difficult man, he is also a bit of a lone wolf. But I could use the company." He yawned. "As long as we do our missions, the organization doesn't need to know. But we'd probably leave you behind when we go for those missions, as they are really dangerous, so it doesn't really matter."
There was no harm in accepting, although Naruto would have to think more first. "I would not mind to come with you two " He said to Kisame.
Kisame nodded and then grinned. "You know, you boy remind me a little of me and Itachi-san." He chuckled.
"Huh?" Naruto raised his eyebrows.
"You know I find you interesting." Kisame scratched his jaw. it was impossible not to find the blonde interesting. He was made up of contradictions. 'Always smiling, yet in pain. Full of hate and love at the same time.' thought Kisame.
After seeing Naruto and mentioning his clan Itachi was thinking he still didn't like the mention of his family. His reputation usually scared people to even avoid looking him in the eye, let alone talk.
In the Akatsuki, members tended to leave each other's past alone.
Orochimaru before his sudden departure from the group had never mentioned Konoha, let alone the Uchiha clan.
Kisame had once mentioned them at the time they had been assigned as partners when he had observed that both men were similar in the fact that they had killed their village members. After that, it seemed that Kisame had picked up on the fact that it was a touchy subject and had never brought it up again.
To have the blonde mention his brother so casually unnerved him. Ever since he had left, he had wondered whether he had made the right choice. In the heat of the moment, he had told Sasuke to become an avenger, in hopes that he would become strong.
Itachi decided to return and see what will happened from now on.
One of the reasons he liked Kisame was that the man understood that Itachi was used to being alone & silent and that he preferred it that way.
Itachi saw that Kisame and Naruto made a campfire and decided to join them without saying a word.
Naruto and Kisame saw that Itachi had joined them and he sat down beside them.
"I am sorry." Said Naruto. "You felt sad by what I said." next to the Uchiha. Naruto glanced at the man. Contrary to people's beliefs, he wasn't totally blind to his surroundings. Some things, like pain and loneliness, he picked up very easily.
It may have been because he was so familiar with those emotions and the way people dealt with them that he could spot them when even seasoned ninja couldn't. When this man had arrived, Naruto hadn't really paid attention to him, being distracted by Kisame, but after he had mentioned Sasuke, he had noticed the minute flash of pain in the man's eyes. Naruto he did not like to see others in the same pain he had to go through.
The three of them sat in silence for a while. Itachi knew it wouldn't last. He had occasionally been on the boy's surveillance detail when he was in the ANBU corp. He knew the boy lacked patience. Soon, he would start speaking again. A whole minute passed before the blonde's patience finally snapped.
"Are you mad at me?" Naruto peered at Itachi's face. It was as expressionless as it had been when he had arrived.
"No." Itachi assured him, He knew the blonde wouldn't keep quiet, so he switched the conversation to something that interested him. At least get some information while the blonde talked. "What are you doing out here, outside the village?"
"I left my village, everyone treated me 'differently' for something that wasn't my fault that I was born that way, they were holding me back, but here I can reach my true potential. So I chose to leave and become strong so I could change all this." said Naruto thinking he'd better use the same answer he gave Kisame.
But thinking that he would be asked in the end about the scroll he had he decided to add something " At the academy I was in I couldn't normally use Bunshin no Jutsu and I was not allowed to pass, after an instructor tricked me into stealing something, telling me it was a chance to pass the exams. The irony in this is that it was a scrool from which he told me that I could learn a jutsu and pass, and because I have more chakra it seems I can make shadow clones better then Bunshin no Jutsu.
"So shortly after I found out I was kind of fooled and that instructor tried to take my own life, I defeated him and I chose to leave and become a real shinobi without having anyone to stop me or hold me back from my potential, and since then I trained and became stronger if you want I can show you somethings I learned tomorrow." Said Naruto telling half the truth of what happened.
Itachi listened to the boy's tale in silence. He wanted to point out that the Hokage wouldn't have let an incident like this occur ever again but stopped himself, no only because Kisame was there but he didn't want to explain his reasons to the boy, not before he know Naruto better. Itachi's eyes went over the boy's blonde hair and blue eyes. Itachi wasn't considered the genius of his generation for nothing. He had put two and two together before he had left the village.
If the boy's face had been less round and more lean, he could have passed off as a miniature clone of his father. Itachi also remembered a photograph of a red haired woman and his mother on the day of his parent's wedding. She seemed familiar but he couldn't remember where he had seen the woman. Pulling out more old pictures, he saw many more photographs of his mother with the unknown woman that had a resemblance to Uzumaki Naruto. On a little further prodding, he managed to learn from his father that the woman had been Uzumaki Kushina, Yondaime's wife. It was then that Itachi remembered. The woman had been his mother's best friend. He had met her a number of times when he was younger. He didn't know her much as his mother usually went to the Hokage's house rather than the red head coming to their house. She had been pregnant during the Kyuubi's attack and had supposedly died before giving birth.
After that, Itachi had not inquired further. If the Hokage had kept the boy's lineage a secret, he wasn't one to cause trouble.
He was brought out of his meditations by Kisame speech " You haven't told me that part before, but I can't blame you, that Shuriken Kage Bunshin Jutsu which you used in my opinion proves that you have potential."
Itachi's eyebrows went up as he heard this. 'He knows Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and Shuriken Kage Bunshin Jutsu? He can use Kinjutsu?'
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin Jutsu ?" asked Itachi
"Yeah, I can execute Shuriken Kage Bunshin Jutsu pretty well," Naruto replied
'The boy could perform a powerful technique at such a young age already? If that didn't make the boy a genius, then what did it make him?' thought Itachi.
He started to grow curious of the boy's skills but decided to leave it for the next day.
All three sat the fire near quietly and enjoyed a fair share of their catch.
Naruto was the first to fall asleep after Itachi and Kisame as well, but not before Kisame used Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu and have a few water clones to protect the area.
Morning
Naruto woke up and saw that the only one there was Itachi holding a rabbit?
"Morning Uzumak-Kun" said Itachi
"Morning" said Naruto
Itachi noticed Naruto's gaze. "Dinner." He explained. Naruto looked away from the rabbit,
"Come, make yourself useful." Itachi walked out with a few sticks and handed them to a confused Naruto. "Make a small fire." Naruto set them down in a bunch and started to make fire. In under a minute Naruto backed away to reveal a bright flame roaring away.
Itachi and Naruto sat in silence for a few minutes.
Naruto while eating with Itachi. Naruto looked happy.
"How can you just smile always?" Itachi asked. "Do you not feel anything? Is there no pain in your heart?"
"I do, dattebayo." Naruto said simply. "That is why I know, that I must continue to be happy. If I don't, I will get lost in dark and I will not be able to become a real Shinobi.
"Uzumak-Kun" Itachi began, "When you think to a real Shinobi, what comes to mind? Do you see a hero? A silent killer?" He stared at Naruto.
This was important. He had decided to give Naruto the means to make his own choices, but he had seen more than one shinobi turn in on themselves when they came across this question without help. Too many people couldn't separate the person from the job.
Naruto looked down for a moment, deep in thought. Itachi waited patiently for his answer, and Naruto had sensed that this was something very important, so he tried not to answer wrong. Finally he looked at Itachi.
"I think of someone with freedom" He said. Itachi blinked, confused.
"Someone with freedom? In what way?" He asked. Naruto took a deep breath.
"A shinobi has power, but that isn't who they are. A shinobi is someone that can protect or destroy" Naruto's expression was an open book to Itachi. Naruto continued. "that power… it means you can choose your path.
Itachi just stared.
"Some people back in Konoha think this was my fate, to be in pain for the rest of my life." Naruto regarded the fire. "I have fought against it ever since that day. No matter what happens, no matter how many times they strike me down, I haven't truly lost until I don't stand up and smile again." Naruto's voice broke a little. "No one can take that away from me."
He glanced at Itachi. "When you left the first time yesterday, I saw the pain in your eyes. I recognize it because I have seen those eyes many times in the mirror. I have felt a pain that I don't wish on even my enemies. The pain of loneliness is like a never ending nightmare. But I choose to ignore the pain and find whatever happy thing I can. To me, that little happy moment is more important than the continuous stabbing in my heart." He glanced sideways at the Uchiha. "That is why I know that you too can stand up again, whatever your pain may be."
Itachi listened to the boy's reasoning but he needed more answers. "That is just talk, Uzumaki-kun. You can stand there and say this because you haven't truly been tested by fate yet."
He seethed. "You stand there defiant of the hand you have been dealt with. You rebel against whatever forces you believe are responsible for your plight. You stand there a victim." Itachi stopped to breathe as Naruto listened. "You haven't been forced into a corner. A corner where no matter what you choose, you damn yourself to an eternity of misery. The lives of thousands of innocents haven't been thrust into your hand."
"You are right. I haven't ever experienced those. So I don't know what to say about it." said Naruto with a very serious expression on his face. "But I am sure, if you tell me, I will show you the way where you can smile again and help you."
"Before that, there's something else I want to know" said Itachi looking seriously at the Naruto and asked "What are you planning to do for your future Uzumaky-Kun?"
"I'm not sure, since I left Konoha I realized that all that time in Konoha I yearned for companionship to be recognized and to be loved, I wanted to be looked at and appreciated, I wanted to be needed and feel worthy, that's why I did everything I did" said Naruto remembering the things he was doing to be noticed "Especially when I have nothing and no one. I wanted to be a Hokage but not just to have these things I mentioned, when I read about them and their stories, I wanted to become like them for different reasons, Now… I'm running away, but it's not that bad I like to be seen as an ordinary person, I've been to a few places, and now you and Kisame have been my first friends since I left Konoha."
"And what do you think now about Konoha, you hate those there for what life you had or what exactly you think. I know about Kyuubi but that's something Kisame doesn't need to know. Now he went to find something to eat, so you have time to explain. "
Naruto suspected last night that Itachi might know about Kyuuby but said nothing he was happy that someone from Konoha did not treat him like a outcast. "I have no desire to take revenge, if I do this will only be proving that I am the monster they all are afraid of, I'm not that type of person, and I will not let them turn me into one."
Naruto looking seriously at Itachi then continued. " I want to protect those who can't protect themselves, yes that's what I want to do for the future I guess." Said Naruto happy that he realized what he could do in the future.
"Why, why would you want to do that." asked Itachi wanting to understand why Naruto would do this after all he went through.
"I'm not filled with anger or hatred. I don't know why but I want to help those around me, and make a better world…" said Naruto
"I guess Kisame was right then, you and me… we are not so different, self-sacrifice… a nameless shinobi who protects peace from within its shadow… is the true mark of a real Shinobi." said Itachi remembering his old friend Shisui.
"But what about you, if you're a Missing-nin then... what did you do to end here…" said Naruto still trying to understand why a Shinobi like Itachi who wanted to do good became missing-nin.
"Tell me," Itachi carried on slowly. "Did you never wonder why my brother was suddenly alone, in spite of the fact that he was part of a huge clan?" Naruto had wondered about that. He had even asked someone once, but had only been ignored.
Itachi watched calmly.
Naruto nodded. "I did, but nobody told me. "
"You heard right, Uzumaki-kun, It was I who killed them all." said Itachi.
"Eh?" Naruto was shocked. This person had killed his entire clan? "But why? if you wanted to protect peace from shadow, why would you do this…?"
"I can tell you the real reason but if you can't keep it a secret, I will kill you." He bent his head towards the boy in a questioning gesture activating his Sharingan and looking seriously at the Naruto. "Do you understand?" Naruto nodded, serious.
"I never go back on my word from now on, I already did it when I said I would become a Hokage, but this is something I will never go back on my word. I already said I want to help the world, and if I can't help you then how can I help others." said Naruto.
"Very well, Naruto-kun." Itachi walked back. "I guess if we are to know each other better, I should call you by your first name."
"The night the Kyuubi attacked Konoha," Itachi began, "it not only changed your future, Naruto-kun, but also of the Uchiha clan, what I did was to save the clan from a civil war and war from other villages."
Naruto raises an eyebrow but doesn't said a world, "I killed the Uchicha Clan because they had plans to revolt against the leaf village using Kyuubi from within you to do this and that would have resulted in your death as well, and if they did that civil war would have break out and in that confusion the leaf village would be attacked by other villages due to the perceived weakness of Konoha already being there, the idea of war already contradicts my ideals and this I could not allow it to happened." said Itachi.
"I understand and I think I have to thank you for saving me but Itachi what are your ideals?" asked Naruto
Itachi takes a deep breath "When I was young from the day my father took me to the battlefield, I trained nonstop, it was a long year before the start of the academy, why you wonder? To get rid the world of flighting, I refused to accept my father's words that a ninja was someone who lived in the mystic of killing and existed for nothing else, there had to be more from life then that. The ninja arts and usage of chakra are more then only for flighting, I'm sure they are not only for war. There has to be more Im sure there is a greater purpose a greater good if you have greatest strength you can step in betweens people flighting and you can stop them, if you are powerful ninja more powerful than any of the ninja at war, if no ninja however skills stood a chance against you then everyone would have to listen to you, everyone will have to obey you your commands" Itachi wanted to be that type of ninja he believe he was more powerful and more capable then anyone else. At least until that night came and he was forced to make that decision and choose the future for Sasuke.
Naruto nods having aspirations that Itachi seemed unreasonable and unattainable to most people but he understands. "But how do you plan to do that non violent world by killing people.?"
Itachi has a smile as he responds "The only way that true peace can be attained is through strength Naruto-kun, strength so great and so overwhelming that no one no one in village no amount of power can take on the likes of me, that way no one would dare oppose me and my ideals, when I'm alive there would be no point to being any shinobi. " Naruto isn't sure how to react but he still has a question.
"Itachi what happens when you die? That force would be gone and there would be no one else, someone else to take your place, and after your gone I think more conflict and war will be created" said Naruto but to Naruto's surprise Itachi nods as he can't be more impressed by how depth Naruto thinking and calm mindedness is he right now.
"You are right Naruto-kun, when I die there would have to be someone who can fill the void of my absence, and I chose to tell you all this because I believe you and Sasuke can be those."
Naruto was taken back after hearing this, someone believed in him that he could do something so great. "I would like to but I'm not strong enough at least not yet." said Naruto.
"I have an offer for you. I'd like to train you. I want you to be able to defend yourself. If you want to spend your life out here, that is your choice. But I would be doing both Konoha and you a disservice if I allowed those who would do you harm to make the choice for you." said Itachi. He was intensely loyal to the village as a whole, even though he was disgusted with what so many of them had apparently done to Naruto. If he could help the village and Naruto to make choices about his own life, he felt it was his duty as a loyal Konoha shinobi to try.
"You won't make me go back?" Naruto asked after a minute. Itachi could see his indecision, and quickly replied. "No. It is your choice whether or not you want to live in Konoha or stay out here." Itachi said
"Will you teach me to do the red eyes?" He asked. Itachi chuckled slightly at that, shaking his head.
"The "red eyes" are the Sharingan, and you have to be born with them, something only my family can do."
"Only you can do this?" Naruto asked.
Itachi nodded "Even if you trained your entire life, You wouldn't be able to make them. They are a part of me, like your arms and legs. Some people are born with blond hair, or black. You were born with a lot of chakra, I think because of your clan, just as I was born with the sharingan. Naruto nodded at that. It made sense, after all. Some people were taller than others, or had different colored skin. Why not something like this?
"Yes I guess…. Wait WHAT I HAVE A CLAN?!" Naruto asked, almost forgetting anything he had discussed a few seconds ago.
You see, the Uzumaki clan was a clan from the land of whirlpools, they were once heralded as the greatest Fuinjutsu masters in the world." said Itachi
Now Naruto was staring at him, and after Itachi said were Naruto wanted to know more. "What happened to them?"
"They were so unanimously feared by every other village for their Fuinjutsu that a dozen enemy villages put aside their differences in order to invade and lay waste to the Uzumaki village, Uzushiogakure, They wiped out the entire clan and any and every bit of information the Uzumaki had on their strongest seals, or at least, what they could find of it. According to legend, even though there were a dozen villages going after the Uzumaki, half of them were wiped out in the battle, and the other half suffered countless casualties. Including their small army of summoning animals." said Itachi
"Does that mean I have a clan?" asked Naruto. Itachi replied, carefully choosing his words.
"Um, Naruto-kun, Uzumaki clan died in the war. That means your clan doesn't exist anymore." He watched for a response and saw tears forming at the corner of the blonde's eyes.
Itachi was surprised when Naruto gave him a genuine smile. "I'm not sad. I'm so happy that I can't stop crying." Naruto wiped his eyes.
Naruto grinned. "I have a clan. I know what you said but I have a clan. They may be dead and gone, but I have a clan." Fresh tears flew down his face as he sniffed. Itachi understood.
Naruto kept going. "All my life, I have been alone. No one knew who I was. All Hokage-jiji told me was that my name was Uzumaki Naruto. He didn't tell me anything about my parents except that they were dead, that they died on the day of Kyuubi's attack. I always wondered about my family, but I never knew anything about them. But now, even if they are dead, I know that they were my family."
Naruto wiped his tears . "I have a clan. I am no longer alone. I am Uzumaki Naruto of the Uzumaki clan." He looked up at Itachi. "To me, it is enough, you know more? Can you tell me more please."
"All else I know is that the Uzushiogakure fell during the second Shinobi war. I didn't even know about the Uzumaki clan until I became a nukenin and travelled the lands." said Itachi.
"I would like to go there to see the place at least once, even if I might not like it, I would still like to see it." Said Naruto he wants to see the place where his ancestors lived, even if now he finds only ruins.
"For this you will need to have a boat, you will have a long way to go…" whatever itachi wanted to sai next was interrupted when a clone that Itachi sent to guard the place dispelled."Kisame is approaching soon."
Naruto nodded.
Kisame decided to go and get more food, but in reality he wanted to leave Naruto and Itachi alone and see how they got along.
His attention was diverted when he saw that Naruto had turned into an exact replica of him.
"Hey. What's going on?" He glanced at them. "Why is the brat henge'd into me?"
Itachi merely glanced at him. "He wishes to show his jutsu." Itachi frowned. He activated his sharingan. "Naruto-kun, did you learn this by yourself too?"
Naruto got a proud look on his face. "Of course."
"Well, you're doing it wrong." Itachi deadpanned.
"EHHH?" Naruto deflated comically.
"You are supposed to layer the chakra outside. You are layering it inside your body." Itachi explained.
"I manage better in this way, instead." said Naruto.
Itachi reached out and poked the Naruto-Kisame in the ribs. Kisame had to suffer the indignity of watching himself giggle like a girl. "That tickles." Itachi looked at the pseudo-Kisame with a contemplating gaze. "It is very unusual."
Naruto changed back to himself. "How so?"
Itachi looked at the curious eyes of the boy and felt a twinge in his heart. Naruto was reminding him of the times he taught his brother, when he had free time. "The usual Henge is more of a small layer of illusion, draped over one's body. That is why, even if Kisame makes a henge of you, he can't become as light as you. Even if your friend makes a henge of Kisame, he can't lift heavy objects that Kisame can, or fly by henge-ing into a bird." He looked at Naruto meditatively. "Can you henge into a non-living thing, like a rock?"
Naruto considered the question. "I do not know. I've never tried." He grinned and formed the Ram seal. "Here goes." He poofed into a small orange colored rock. Kisame snorted at the color, but Itachi picked it up. He threw it a few times in the air. "The weight has also changed. That doesn't happen in a henge."
He had a thoughtful look for a moment, then suddenly, without warning. He threw the rock with all his might. Only a second after he had thrown it, the rock poofed back into a screaming orange ninja, flying through the air, his arms flailing.
Itachi, on the other hand spoke meditatively, "Has full consciousness of his surroundings. Impressive." In the other side another clone of Itachi leapt up and caught the screaming blonde. He dropped the Naruto on to his feet and poofed into smoke. That caught Naruto's attention. He stopped the screaming and turned to Itachi. "You can do it too?"
"Yes." Itachi nodded.
"He can do one better, brat." Kisame grinned. He ignored Itachi's glare. "He can make his clones explode."
"What?" Naruto became excited. "You to!"
Author Note (warning: potential spoilers)
I would have added more to this chapter but I have already reached 5000 words, when I usually reached a maximum of 3600 so I thought that would be enough.
I hope I explained Itachi's ninja way well, I didn't even see Itachi's novel yet, but it was explained in a video on Youtube Itachi's ninja way from there I got some ideas to Itachi and Naruto's conversation.
Also something else I need to add here the novel is canon, as in C-Canon. It doesn't affect the continuity of the series and fills gaps where explanations are necessary. They are not as canon as the manga or the episodes that are adapted from the manga (fillers not included). However, since they don't retcon or affect the continuity, they are canon.
Same can be said for Naruto Storm games where we could see how the Akatsuki were gathered the only difference is in Hidan (for Itachi Konan and Kakuzu were recruited, and in the game he was also recruited by Orochimaru and Zetsu etc) otherwise all the others can be said to be canon, like how Konan recruited Sasori or how Pain recruited Kakuzu.
And Jūzō Biwa, Itachi's old partner if I remember correctly it was confirmed to be canon, so maybe I'll add a few things about him in next Chapter.
Transformation Technique:
As far as canon is concerned because Naruto is able to turn into non living objects like Naruto+Gamabunta transformed into a giant fox and I'm 90% sure Naruto got hit while transformed into a shuriken during Wave without reverting back (Naruto DID get hit by Kiba while henged without the henge automatically dispelling).
In canon/anime not much has been explained, but in fanfictions it is said that because Naruto has more chakra and is also an Uzumaky etc. Or was granted some transformative abilities by being the Container of the Kyuubi, as fox sprits or fox yokai are generally assumed to have Illusion and Shapeshifting Techniques.
Or Naruto messed up the Jutsu with by using an absurd amount of chakra that only he has and somehow turned the Low-Rank Illusion Technique into an A-S-Rank Technique, and I think this is why Naruto can literally transform and it's not just an illusion.
I hope I explained well, these things.
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu = Shadow Clone Technique
Shuriken Kage Bunshin Jutsu = Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique
Bunshin Daibakuha = Clone Great Explosion
Bunshin no Jutsu = Clone Technique
Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu = Water Clone Technique
Henge no Jutsu =Transformation Technique