The Akatsuki base was quiet.
The great cavernous structure was hidden beneath the city of Ame, hidden in the maze of pipes and drains that dealt with the odd and constant rainfall.
There was more than enough space in the system of winding caves for an Akatsuki member to be alone and think, practise or simply destroy things due to being angry.
Itachi sat in his own personal cavern and stretched out his mind.
He was glad for the down time in some ways. Whilst it kept him away from the surface and the small dangers that Konoha shinobi with skill and a suicide complex could pose to him, it kept him out of the loop for what was going on.
Still, his illness would advance more slowly if he rested more. That gave him more time to think and prepare.
How did you kill the Zombie brothers?
He had known that for a long time. He could evaluate and enemy and work out his weaknessess and had done so for all his Akatsuki comrades.
Hidan he would simply need to immobilize. The man's skills were...certainly unique, but once you knew what to worry about they could be neutralised with ease. Whilst he was sure the man had other jutsu to fall back on, he suspected it had been a long time since he had used them.
Of course, that was assuming that Kakuzu simply sat back and laughed at him. It wasn't all that unlikely given their interaction, but Itachi left nothing to chance.
He would have needed to separate them first. With Hidan isolated, he could be picked apart with little to no difficulty. In the most literal sense.
Kakuzu on the other hand was a much more interesting challenge. He had to be killed five times before he stayed dead.
Unless you got him to overextend himself and release the hearts from his body to attack independently.
He'd always wondered why Kakuzu did such a thing, releasing them from his person to attack opponents when he could do so himself or join the masked hearts to himself for even more firepower. Either way it was an arrogance the man shouldn't have.
Still, his foes flaw was his weapon, and Itachi was proficient in its use.
He would take out the hearts separately as they separated, as many concurrently as possible, either trapping them or using powerful attacks.
With the hearts wasted, Kakuzu was a powerful as a normal shinobi. He could be outmatched. He was powerful, but he was better.
Of course, this was without using his eyes to their full potential and simply burning them away. That would be wasteful.
The question of how best to integrate his strategy with that of Konoha was still of interest to him. When Zetsu returned with information, as he surely would, then the Brothers would be despatched. He would have to find a way to betray them without the two-tone man noticing it.
He mused about the possibility of killing Zetsu as well. The man was...unknown though. He was almost entirely the pawn of Pein. At least apparently so. He suspected that someone else pulled the strings.
His musings were interrupted by the soft sound of footfalls entering his area.
He could hear from the sound who it wasn't. They weren't heavy enough to be Kisame's or Kakuzu's. They were light. Soft. Planned. It was either Konan or someone else...
Someone he should have expected sooner.
"Itachi-senpai-kun."
The voice was so infuriatingly calm it verged on smugness. The voice of the one person who he really concerned about finding out.
"You."
"Yes, Tobi is here to visit you!"
The masked man strolled into Itachi's chamber with elegant strides.
"Why so glum Itachi-kun? Surely Tobi can make you happy?"
"Drop the Tobi act. I know you better than that."
Something in the man's demeanour changed slightly. Maybe it was the slant of the shoulders, or a subtle shifting of muscles under the Akatsuki robe. Whatever it was, it caused the man to seem suddenly very different.
"You are stubborn aren't you Itachi? You were the night we did our dirtiest deed and you still are."
"You remain as unknown as ever. I can see your eyes though. They tell me much."
The man stood still and stared at Itachi. He could see little in the eye holes of the mask, but eyeholes meant that there were eyes behind the mask that needed them.
He looked into those holes, trying to avoid the captivation of the orange and swirl mask. It was amazing the lengths that this man had gone to to keep opponents distracted.
He could see the red of the Sharingan in the eyes, the baleful red.
"They tell me that you are either Uchiha or stole the eyes of them. They tell me that there is far more about you that I want to know."
There was a laugh from behind the mask. It sounded rough and choking, like wood on being planed across its grain with a rusty implement.
"And yours tell me that your sight deteriorates. How long until it is gone Itachi?"
"What is your purpose and goal?"
The man gave the coughing laugh again.
"So direct?"
"I give you enough credit to not bother with any subtle approaches against you."
The man clapped his gloved hands together once and once only.
"Very good. Well then, since we are going to be honest, I will answer one question of yours for each of mine that you truthfully answer. For each you refuse I can refuse."
"Very well."
The two men began to pace around each other, as if they were planets orbiting an invisible star."
"Who is the Junchuuriki of the Nine-Tails?"
"Who are you?"
The man gave another grave dry laugh.
"Very good. Given that we've got our own little mysteries hidden away nicely, let's get to actual useful questions. What do you plan to do now that your brother is dead?"
"I intend to find and kill the person who killed him, and prevent Pein from gaining the Tailed Beasts."
The masked man let out a long whistle.
"Bold words. You would betray our entire organisation for your own goals. You would die for them. Respectable but foolish."
"What is your endgame?"
"I will unite the tailed beasts, become its junchuuriki and cast Infinite Tsukotoyumi on the Moon, bringing eternal peace to all the people of the world forever."
That much surprised Itachi.
"An interesting goal. Yet I wonder if your eyes can cast such a genjutsu. I'm sure you are aware of the nature of the Mangekyo Sharingan."
Itachi sensed he had hurt the man in some way. His posture became a little bit more aggressive.
"It is an obstacle I hoped to overcome with significantly more ease, but certain assets have been lost on the road to progress."
"Assets like Orochimaru, Kabuto and my little brother?"
He let the last few words drip off his tongue like treacle. The man growled.
"Assets like your knowledge of the Tailed Beast? I know you were in the town when the attack happened, I know you were in powerful places then. Don't act like you haven't known from that day the truth about the Nine-Tails?"
"The day you attacked? I remember it. You caused more harm than I thought possible. You took the Hokage and many good friends away from us."
The man seemed to shrug a little.
"They stood in the way of my plan and paid the price for it. I have no regrets over it. I sense that you do."
"Mostly that I do not know more about you."
They continued to circle like fencers, each looking the other in the eyes.
"I have something to offer you then Itachi."
"Really?"
"An alliance of sorts. You no longer wish for Pein to succeed, and neither do I. You need to start killing people in this alliance off for your goals, and I need them to die as well."
Itachi quirked his head sideways a little.
"How do you propose for this to work then?"
"Would it surprise you to know that Zetsu is, shall I say, a clear ally of mine and not of silly little Pein?"
"I would be interested. What level of control do you have over your pet?"
"My pet?"
If there was surprise the man's voice didn't show it.
"Zetsu. Care to share what he actually is?"
Itachi imagined a curl of a smile formed on the man's face behind the mask.
"No. Let us say that if I ask him to remain silent, then he will do so."
"And how long would such an...agreement on our part last?"
"As long as it would need to until our paths become less...compatible."
They stopped and looked one another in the eyes once again.
Itachi tried to get the measure of his opposite. There was no obvious deceit in the man's words or body language, but it was somewhat hard to tell with him.
Yet he felt inside he could trust this man in this matter. Whilst they could work together, synergy was better than working apart.
He would just have to betray the man before the man betrayed him. That would be simple enough.
He extended a hand to the figure, who gave another gravelling laugh.
"Please, honour amongst us?"
The figure turned and his personality and body language shifted again.
"Tobi is pleased to work with Itachi-senpai! He will use the training he has given."
The man bounded away waving his arms wildly around himself. The act was so over the top, so ridiculous that nobody would question it if he kept it up. That much Itachi had to concede.
His plan had suddenly become a lot simpler.
A few weeks later
Asuma wondered how he had managed to convince himself to be a part of Naruto's new skills test.
It wasn't all bad; he had managed to ensnare team 8 as well. At least Kurenai had managed to convince them. Hinata and Shino had been at least a little keen to help. Kiba had been slightly more cautious and slight bribery had been required.
So the four of them now stood facing Naruto, who had his crossbow out. And loaded. And pointed at the four of them, or at least in their general direction.
He had supervised Naruto's training and knew that the boy was definitely skilled at what he did. Each session he came in and worked at his craft. The shadow clones helped, if he adamantly refused to make more than two at any time.
Now he was ready to properly field test his new techniques.
Although why Hinata got to stand at the side with Kurenai and Shino, Kiba and he had to stand in the line of fire vexed him a little.
Kurenai told him to be a man, and so he had had no choice in the matter.
Naruto was currently running a final inspection and oiling for his bow and it wasn't helping with anyone's nerves. Kiba was rubbing his shoulder meaningfully.
"You do not want to be shot by that thing. It hurts."
"Kiba, I'm sure Naruto-san will not aim to kill us. I'm sure his levels of precision are more than sufficient that his new technique will lead to irreversible harm."
"I'd just rather have a full medical team here just in case. You know he hasn't tried to kill you yet Shino."
"Only because I have remained on what I would tentatively refer to as his good side."
Asuma gave Kiba a look that could only say shut up. Then he lit a cigarette and took a long calming drag. Naruto slowly loaded a bolt into the mechanism and raised it to his shoulder.
Kurenai raised her voice, trying not to giggle at the look on her team and Asuma's faces.
"Alright, Naruto is going to test his new technique. He should be hitting the wooden post you are standing around which represents someone he actually wants to hit. Do. Not. Move."
"Then why do we all have to b..."
"Fire when ready Naruto!"
Kiba shut up as the wait for Naruto to fire seemed to drag out longer than it should have taken.
Kiba blinked and suddenly the world sounded very, very different. His heart was thumping like a thousand drums in his head and everything felt louder. His vision swam as he began to lose balance. He dropped to the floor, the sound of his striking the ground sounding like the collapse of a building.
His breathing sounded like a hurricane and it was starting to give him a headache. Then he heard the soft press of a hand on his back and the noises stopped.
He rose to his feet and scowled deeply at Naruto.
"That was unpleasant, what genjutsu was that?"
Asuma smiled. Naruto hadn't used hand signs for that, instead charging the bolt with his chakra to create illusions without handsigns. All it was limited by was how much complexity he could, for want of a better word, code onto a bolt.
"That is his new set of techniques Kiba. This could be a loonnnggg afternoon for us."
Shino nodded at Asuma's assessment. It was fortunate that he had actually paid more attention than Kiba in Kurenai-sensei's training on genjutsu breaking. Even so, the sudden genjutsu application was disorienting.
"Quite."
Kurenai turned to Hinata.
"What do you see when he fires?"
"There was chakra pushed into the bolt just before he fired, and it spreads on impact about 5 feet."
Kurenai was impressed. Area of effect genjutsu required more chakra and control than your average genjutsu, which she knew Naruto had. This was a fusion of individual and area effect genjutsu, capable of tying down multiple opponents for easier shooting.
It gave him options certainly.
The next shot cannoned into the post barely an inch above the next and the three targets all winced as they tried to dispel the illusions. Naruto was busily checking his crossbow. Kurenai called to him.
"Everything alright Naruto?"
"Yes. The technique is working, but I think it changes the bolt somehow. That was inaccurate."
"Really?"
A third uncharged bolt clanged into the end of the first shot, and a fourth into the end of the second. Asuma caught both as they rebounded.
"Some warning would be nice!"
"Apologies, I have finished testing the genjutsu bolts."
Kiba wiped his brow and Shino looked unusually happy about this development.
Naruto loaded a fifth bolt and took an almost relaxed aim at a boulder nearby. He fired, watching the bolt impact the rock, chipping off a small section. Then he loaded and fired again.
There was no sound at all as the bolt moved through the air even more effortlessly than it seemed to. It stuck gently in rock with a suppressed noise.
Asuma walked over to the rock and took a grip of the bolt, pulling it out of the stone.
"Not bad, you could achieve better with wind chakra though. I could have sent the bolt through the boulder."
Naruto retrieved the bolt.
"That would not be the purpose. Did you hear anything when the bolt was fired?"
"No, but that's...actually very useful for you isn't it?"
Naruto nodded his agreement. Asuma smiled.
"Well, I've taught you as much as I can in this area, which makes me an awesome teacher because it took you only four weeks. Now then, your other skills need work."
Naruto realised he had over focused a little. Although he didn't enjoy his other skills as much. Yes, taijutsu was an art in itself, and weapon technique other than his crossbow were sometimes nice. Yet it was when he was being stealthy for that single shot that he really felt at home. Skulking his foe through a facility for days to get the kill.
He found himself almost longing for a simple assassination again.
Then he realised he had lost all focus for a few moments.
"Let's work on your taijutsu. Spar with..."
Kiba practically leapt into Asuma.
"Kiba. He seems enthusiastic to spar with you. Taijutsu only, no weapons."
Even as he understood the point of the exercise was to improve his taijutsu, he felt the exercise was unfair. Kiba was a specialist in the art.
He shed his cloak, the large garment unsuitable for close up fighting. Kiba moved opposite him, stretching his arms theatrically. They both knew how this would end then.
Naruto took up his stance and waited for Kiba to move. The instinct to have a kunai or a wrist knife ready was strong. His hands itched for a weapon because he knew he would need one.
Kiba circled him and Naruto turned slowly, making sure to always be facing him. He remembered his spar with Neji and how he had won that. He didn't have any of those weapons now.
Kiba pounced and Naruto rolled aside. Kiba landed and spun.
"I yield."
"What?"
Kiba looked confused as Naruto crossed his arms. Asuma sighed.
"That's not quite the point Naruto. I wanted to see what your style of fighting was."
"Oh. It is defensive, and usually I do not engage in taijutsu unless it is with a clone. Even then I use it to wear down opponents as opposed to defeating them. I also prefer to use weapons whilst engaging."
Asuma put his head into his palm and sighed. Kurenai laughed a little. Shino stepped forwards.
"Naruto's taijutsu is primarily weapon based and relies on sudden strikes from unexpected areas. Direct intervention is not something that suits his modus operendi."
Asuma smiled.
"You could try enhancing your blades with chakra as well, although that will be harder to keep up in a fight than single crossbow shots. I'm still concerned about what happens if you enter a fight with someone fast enough or clever enough to be able to engage you directly."
"I simply do not get seen or reveal myself to them."
"If, Naruto. If. If they do find you and you are no ready, what do you have as a backup plan?"
Naruto considered. Shadow clones certainly, and his other more hidden talent, untrained as it was. Or fleeing. He'd used to be resigned to simply dying, but with Akatsuki...he had options he couldn't really talk about.
"I encountered such a situation, I survived until backup arrived."
Kiba grinned and Hinata smiled a little as they remembered coming to his aid against Deidara. Shino seemed less enthusiastic about his idea.
"I recall you were heavily injured in that short time."
Naruto felt a slight pang of annoyance towards Shino because he was right about the injuries. He recalled being told never to do it again by Shizune.
"It worked."
"Once, a risk is doing it once. Performing it twice sparks of carelessness, and three times speaks of foolishness. If nobody had arrived."
"I did know Anko-chan was going to arrive."
"Regardless, if she had been intercepted, you would have died."
That was probably true.
"I just do not feel that the skills increase I could gain from additional taijutsu skill would lead to a meaningful increase in mission efficacy."
Shino nodded.
"Whilst true, it also makes you at risk of dying every time you go on a mission where your opposition can perform even high-chunin level taijutsu like Kiba."
"I am at least Jonin level!"
Kurenai chuckled, a shrill noise that Naruto found pleasant.
"You'd be a jonin if any of your other skills were that high too chunin Inuzuka."
The boy sagged and muttered something under his breath. Kurenai merely had to catch his eye and raise a single eyebrow to get him back in line.
Asuma stroked his black beard thoughtfully. Both boys were right on this, yet there had to be room for improvement.
"Naruto, what weapons do you use defensively?"
"Usually my tanto, kunai, sometimes an acid mist if I have time to prepare it."
"So straight bladed weapons?"
Naruto nodded. His mind thought about the possibilities.
"You imply that another type of weapon might suit my defensive style?"
"Yes. If your style is defensive, then an entangling weapon might suit better."
Shino nodded.
"Indeed. My clan has occasionally used a weapon known as the kusarigama. It has fallen out of use since greater integration with our hives, but all are given some basic instruction. I would welcome you into our clan if you wished to learn more."
Naruto could see slight concern on the faces of everyone else. He took in each of the expressions quickly and then back to Shino, who remained impassive.
"Is there some reason why I might not enter the Aburame compound?"
Shino shrunk back a little. Hinata seemed surprised by something, but was somewhere between smiling and looking away.
"That is perceptive of you Naruto. You can see our unease, even if we shouldn't carry it. Shino's clan is very secretive, and much of Konoha is...well...scared by his clan."
"I have no such fear. When may I take up your offer Shino-san?"
Shino raised his head enough for Naruto to see a slight smile on his face.
"I will consult with my father and will get back to you. We would be honoured to have you round for a meal before we can further discuss our options."
Naruto nodded. That wasn't as hard as he had been expecting. Something about Shino's honest and straight forward approach really worked for him.
Asuma smiled.
"Well that seems to have sorted itself out nicely. I'm not an advanced instructor in weapons, but I think I can find you someone who is when you need me to."
"Thank you Asuma-sensei."
The man smiled.
"Well, we're about done for the day, unless you want to join team 8 for their normal training, you're done here."
Naruto was about to leave when something in him held him back. He was so used to training alone, and being alone when...a lot of the time.
Yet he didn't feel like wanting to be alone for a little bit. He felt...content around team 8. He realised he was standing in mid step and that everyone was watching him. He felt like running away but that felt like a bad idea.
Kurenai decided, after a little pause where she tried not to laugh, to take some mercy on him.
"You are more than welcome to train with us Naruto."
"I...I would like that."
Kurenai smiled.
"Right then, let's get going."
Asuma looked over his shoulder as Naruto began the warm-up routines with Team 8, hearing Kurenai talk as the team did so. The boy was...different. Certainly dedicated to the job, dedicated to his craft to a nearly obsessive degree. The best shinobi tended to be.
There was a fledging humanity about him too. It was too late for him to be normal. Not too late for him to be just normal enough though.
He lit another cigarette and smiled as he walked back into town. Tsunade was probably going to like this.