Author's Note: No, this isn't another update post to tell you when I'll be back. Yes, you really aren't dreaming. It's for real this time, I promise.
Welcome back! You were all so understanding, which made me want to come back even more.
I know that it's been a long time (over three months) since I left you all on a cliffhanger that you probably have forgotten by now, but I said from the very beginning that I would eventually be back. It's been a process to balance the rest of my life with the new job, and I think I'm finally settling in with the changes to where I can get in some writing somewhat consistently. I don't know if that will equate to monthly chapter releases, though I hope to at least get one out every other month. We'll see how it goes.
If you're ever curious about release dates or my writing progress you can check my profile page or shoot me a PM.
I want to thank you all. During the hiatus the story hit 1k reviews, and I'm a stones throw away from 2k favorites. That's mind-boggling, and I deeply appreciate the support from you all!
Feel free to leave a review with your thoughts in celebration for ABoaL's return, and I'll see you at the bottom!
Enjoy!
Chapter 42: That Day
These last few months had felt like a bad dream that refused to end. His existence went from a modest - if not a little boring - one to a hellish nightmare in the blink of an eye. He had lost his best friend, and, if not for the support system placed around him, there was a chance his own life could have been tragically cut short.
Of his own volition, no less.
Such is the reality in this Shinobi World. And yet, he refused to let that bring him down any lower into the pits of despair. In moments that tested his resolve, he thought back to his new squad leader's wise words.
'Life can seem cruel and unfair at times, and it will stay that way if you let it. Destiny only exists for those who have given up on their future.'
'Was that a bird, or am I going crazy again…?' Kotetsu shut his eyes and turned his gaze away from the sky. He thought he had seen something far off into the distance, but the brightness of the sun wouldn't allow him to ponder it for long. 'It's probably just my imagination.' He thought. Lady Tsunade had informed him that people who go through traumatic events could sometimes see things that don't make sense; this must have been one of those times.
After all, that didn't look like any bird he had seen before.
"Kotetsu!"
"A-Ah!" The Chunin in question jumped at the volume of the familiar voice. He looked over to see Neji Hyuga walking towards him. "Sorry, Captain… did you need something?" He asked tentatively.
"This isn't a vacation; we're on an essential mission for the village. I didn't recruit you onto my team for you to bring us down." For what it was worth, Neji didn't appear angry. His passive expression and stern tone were par for the course amongst the Hyuga Clan. "Be diligent and on your guard. This team relies on you just as much as you rely on it."
"R-Right, of course." A big part of him felt that he didn't deserve to be on such a crucial assignment. The opportunity to locate and potentially capture the Three-Tails should belong to only the elite Shinobi of the Hidden Leaf. Kotetsu knew the only reason he was along for the ride was that Lady Tsunade specifically requested Neji for this assignment, and he refused to go without his team.
"You didn't say anything over the wireless radio. I wanted to ensure that you were alright." Neji answered his subordinate's previous question. "Have you noticed anything unusual?" He glanced around the forested area, then back to Kotetsu.
"..." There was a slight pause before Kotetsu spoke, almost as if there was something else he wanted to say. "No, I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary." There was no reason to worry the captain over a figment of his imagination.
Neji gave a nod of acknowledgment, then turned toward the direction he came from. "Then there's no need for us to continue to stay separated. We should regroup with Lee and Tenten and plan our next move in conjunction with Kakashi-sensei and Master Jiraiya."
"Captain." Kotetsu was hesitant to speak and appeared conflicted. "Before we head back, can I ask you something?"
As a leader should, Neji gave him his undivided attention. "Yes?"
"Why did you pick me?"
Neji looked into Kotetsu's eyes and saw someone scared, confused, and without purpose. Despite the loaded question, he maintained his infamous Hyuga stoicism. "Is there a reason that I shouldn't have?" He finally asked.
"It's just that..." Kotetsu scratched the side of his head and hopelessly shrugged his shoulders as if that alone would adequately convey the uncertainty he felt. "...ever since Izumo died, I've been a mess." It pained him a lot to finish that sentence; of all the stages of grief he went through, denial was the one that lasted the longest and hit the hardest. "I can't eat, I can't sleep, and it feels impossible to focus on anything for longer than a couple of minutes. Knowing all that, I don't understand why you would choose me for your team when you had so many better options."
Neji hearkened back to his childhood, the practices of the Hyuga Clan, and the way he thought about life before his fight with Naruto. To him, the answer to that question was simple. "I was there when you learned what happened to Izumo. To me, it seemed like you convinced yourself that you were destined for a grim fate." Kotetsu's eyes widened, and, at the moment, it was evident that Neji's assumption was correct. "It reminded me of myself, and I was lucky enough to have someone pull me from the throes of my perceived destiny. I suppose that I wanted to pass that favor along to someone else that needed it."
His words needed no explanation. Kotetsu was in attendance that day for his Chunin Exam finals match. Everyone in the stadium heard what was said between the pair of Shinobi on the battlegrounds. The fact that Neji stood before him today as a completely changed person was a clear indication that Naruto Uzumaki is the one who helped 'save' him.
Maybe, just maybe, with a bit of help, things would get better for him too.
Kotetsu felt emotions well up inside him. Besides Neji, no one else had paid the grieving Chunin any mind. To them, death in the line of duty was a common occurrence. As a ninja, you're trained to suck it up and move past it. It reassured him that there was at least one person that cared about how he felt.
"Thank you, Captain..."
Naruto and Suigetsu stood next to one another with their red-headed medic in the back, out of harm's way. Kisame eyed his target with a predatory gaze, making a fearful Karin scoot back a few more paces.
The path of destruction Kisame made on his way to them had inadvertently made the perfect landscape for an all-out battle. There was no nearby obstruction to hide behind, and the open field would make it difficult for either side to retreat. In other words…
It was likely that this battle would not end until one side was eliminated.
Naruto brought his arm up in front of his face to conceal his mouth and whispered so only Suigetsu could hear him. "I'll take the lead on this; you be my backup." The subtle was all the response he needed. With an intense burst of speed, Naruto disappeared from sight.
'Oh?' Kisame mused. 'This one is rather fast, much faster than the last time we met.' His senses screamed at him, and he lashed out to his right with the Samehada.
An instant later, Naruto appeared in the strike zone. His eyes widened when he realized Kisame anticipated his movements, and then evaded to his left just as the massive sword crashed into the ground where he had just been. Naruto rolled to his feet in one fluid motion, infused Wind Chakra into his kunai, and heaved it at his opponent.
Kisame smiled cruelly at the feeble attempt and used his blade to block the strike. Despite the superior piercing power of Wind Nature, it was unable to damage the sword in the slightest. Naruto watched grimly as his projectile lost its white hue and fell to the ground with a dull thud.
'So I did remember right; that's what his sword does!' Their encounter was memorable but brief, so Naruto had to be sure before settling deeper into this fight. Such recklessness could get him killed against such a formidable opponent. He watched with caution as his foe raced through a series of signs.
"Watch out!" Karin shouted with urgency in her voice. "This guy is building up an insane amount of chakra!"
"Water Style: Exploding Water Shockwave." Kisame sucked in a deep breath, then spewed out an absurd amount. The immense waves crashed against the ground at his feet and spread in all directions at once.
His intent was clear, and Team Hebi had little time to react accordingly.
"Get back!" Naruto called out to the others. "He's trying to give himself an advantage by changing the landscape!" Karin's shriek alerted him to her position, but he quickly breathed a sigh of relief at what he saw. Suigetsu used his Hydrification Jutsu to enlarge his arm and grab Karin.
"Gross, Suigetsu!" She flailed angrily and even tried to pry herself free from her teammate's grasp. "What do you think you're doing, you freak!?"
"Would you shut up for once?" Suigetsu responded dourly. "You may not like it, but sticking with me is your best move right now. Kisame and I are cut from the same cloth. This may be his preferred battleground, but it's also mine."
Karin could only huff in annoyance and cross her arms out in front of her. "Whatever, just don't get any ideas." She grumbled.
Naruto, meanwhile, turned his attention back towards the source of the small tsunami. Or, that was what he had intended; much to his dismay, Kisame was gone. The only thing left in his wake was the massive body of water his Jutsu created. "Beneath you!" He heard Karin yell. "There's something in the water!"
Too late.
Just then, a giant shark made of water breached the surface and bit down on his torso. "Ugh!" Naruto grunted out. His mesh undershirt kept the attack from piercing his skin, but the pressure forced the air out of his lungs as it forcibly dragged him underwater.
"Dammit." Suigetsu muttered under his breath. He placed Karin down on the water's surface, and she responded quickly and pushed some chakra into the soles of her feet to stay afloat. "I'm going in after him," He told her. "Against someone like Kisame, that's the last place Naruto wants to be right now."
His typically argumentative teammate had no rebuttal; for once, they were in complete agreement. However, before he could act, a voice from behind caught their attention.
"Now… where do you think you're going?" Kisame asked as he rose out of the water with a sinister smirk on his face.
Suigetsu turned to face his superior and ground his teeth together. Someone who didn't know him that well would chalk his behavior up as annoyance or apprehension, but it was the exact opposite. The grip around his great blade unconsciously tightened.
He was excited.
Having known his brother, Mangetsu, Kisame was fully aware of what that look entailed. Now they were both excited for a clash of blades.
"The Nine-Tails brat will have his hands full with my Five Hungry Sharks Jutsu." Kisame said in a playfully evil tone. "I figured I would play with the two of you while he struggles down there; what do you say?"
Suigetsu returned his smile eagerly. "I say, shut the hell up and let's fight!" The prospect of a good fight already made him forget about his teammate's perilous situation.
The Monster of the Hidden Mist effortlessly lifted Samehada off of his shoulder. "You're quite impetuous, Suigetsu. Fine… I'll humor you for a bit."
When their blades finally met, the concussive force behind the blows would ripple the water at their feet.
While the two former Mist Shinobi had their fun, Naruto did not share that same sentiment. He looked around as the shark continued to pull him deeper into the depths of the artificial lake. The sheer volume of water that was created baffled him, and he began to wonder just how much chakra Kisame expended to create something of this scale. A tightness in his chest alerted him to the fact that his lungs burned for the sweet relief of oxygen, and, to make matters worse, there was even more still to worry about. Due to the commotion that ensued, Naruto hadn't noticed until now that they were surrounded by four more of Kisame's sharks. Despite being created with chakra, liquid imitations acted as if they possessed some form of sentient intelligence. Like the predators they emulated, the four uninvolved sharks circled and waited for what appeared to be the most advantageous opportunity to strike. Unfortunately, Naruto was not able to take a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.
In an attempt to escape the jaws of Kisame's Jutsu construct, he began to channel chakra into his right palm. 'Chew on this, ya pest!' He thought confidently. 'Rasengan!'
As intended, his father's Jutsu blasted a large chunk of the Shark's face off. The beast thrashed around, clearly agitated by his assault as Naruto continued to try and free himself once he felt the grip around his midsection weaken slightly. The slight grin he had quickly turned into a frown as the damage he had just inflicted regenerated before his very eyes. 'It's using the surrounding water to heal itself?!' As a form of retaliation, Shark's jaws tightened further around his torso. Bubbles escaped the blond's lips as what little air left in his diaphragm was forced from his body. His thoughts grew fuzzy from the lack of oxygen need to keep his brain running, and his eyes began to grow heavy and close. 'Dammit… not like this...'
This appeared to be what the other sharks had waited for. Like smelling blood in the water, they moved at a frightening pace and surrounded their seemingly helpless target.
Naruto's eyes snapped back open.
Up on the surface, Suigetsu swung mightily with the intent to bisect his foe just above the top of the pelvic bone. His efforts yielded no fruit as Kisame brought his weapon up to counter with a vertical cross block. The water they stood on continued to ripple and break from the force of each impact. To Team Hebi's dismay, Kisame's words from earlier began to seem more than just prideful boasts. Not only did he not have a single scratch on his body, but his smile was as broad and confident as ever.
Conversely, while Suigetsu appeared entertained, his breathing slowly became more laborious throughout the exchange. He began to tire, and it was evident to everyone present that the pendulum of battle swung heavily in the Akatsuki's favor. With yet another failed attempt to inflict any amount of significant damage, Suigetsu pulled back and decided to assess the situation with somewhat of a level head.
'What is going on? There's no way I've already used this much chakra...' That was his first thought. Then, it struck him. Of course! How could he be so foolish and careless against an opponent who wielded Samehada? Mangetsu would be on his ass for sure if he were still around. "You're stealing my chakra." He finally stated to his opponent. That was the reason why he felt so fatigued despite minimal chakra usage.
"Oh," Kisame said with an amused tone and cold-blooded eyes. "so, you finally noticed, huh? I was beginning to wonder how long it was going to take you. For someone who has coveted the blades of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, I must say, I am a bit disappointed."
"I knew that Samehada could steal chakra from its opponents, but I had no idea it could do it without coming in contact with someone's body. You haven't managed to touch me, and yet I can feel my stamina getting slowly siphoned away."
"Sounds to me that you should have done much more thorough research." Taunted Kisame. "In truth, you've only scratched the surface of what it and I are capable of…"
"Don't think that this is over just because you caught me off guard!" Suigetsu warned. "We're only just getting started!"
Behind him, Karin pushed her glasses further up her face and frowned. As somewhat of an outsider looking in, she saw the battle for what it was; and it did not look favorable for them.
'Suigetsu is too proud and stubborn to admit it, but he has no chance in this fight. He can't even see that this guy is just toying around with him. His chakra isn't riled up in the slightest; it's as calm as can be.' She said internally, her senses tuned in on the man who heavily resembled a shark. 'Not only does he have a foul presence, but, besides Naruto, he has the most I've ever sensed in a single person… I can't believe multiple people like this exist, and that I've somehow managed to surround myself with them. Just my luck...'
Another cocky smirk from Kisame sent the already agitated Suigetsu over the edge. With an angry shout, Mangetsu's brother rushed his superior with his blade, ready to strike. Before the two could clash again, the water in the space between them began to shift and swirl dangerously.
"What is this?" Kisame asked rhetorically.
In a matter of seconds, the current was so strong that it forced both parties to step back. The size and depth of the vortex gradually increased until the source of the disturbance was revealed. Naruto stood on the 'ocean' floor below them with an intense look on his face. In his hand, he held the eye of the storm.
'Wind Style: Rasengan!' He roared.
His Jutsu grabbed hold of the water around him, which produced a hurricane-like storm with him at the epicenter. The Water Sharks were helpless to stop the immense pull of the riptide and quickly met their fate as they came in contact with the technique.
While Kisame was still confident in his chances of victory, his smug smile fell from his face. 'Hm, seems as though the Nine-Tails might have been the one to kill Sasori, after all.' He thought as he jumped into the air to avoid the same fate as his pets. 'That's quite the Jutsu he's got.'
Naruto looked up and tracked his target through the air with intense eyes.
'Shadow Clone Jutsu!'
A seal-less clone appeared right in front of him. No communication was needed; the doppelganger grabbed the original blond's left arm, planted his lead foot into the ground, pivoted, and swung him with as much force he could muster. His only job now completed, the clone disappeared in a plume of smoke. Jutsu still in hand, the real Naruto zipped through the air with ill-intent written all over his face.
However, with his trajectory and speed, there was no chance he'd cover the necessary distance required to make contact with his enemy. Kisame quickly noticed this, but whatever taunt he was about to utter caught in his throat because of what happened next.
'Shadow Clone Jutsu!'
Another clone appeared below Naruto just as his speed began to fall. He quickly pumped some chakra into his legs and used the copy as a springboard with still maintained eye contact.
'He used the clone as a platform to kick off?!' Kisame thought, slightly frantic as he floated helplessly in the air. 'I see… he intended to get me off the ground where I am less equipped to defend myself!' The only thing he could do was block with Samehada and brace for impact.
This brat...
"Take this, ya shark bastard!" Naruto roared as he slammed his most powerful Jutsu into the troublesome sword.
An instant before Minato's perfected technique made contact, Naruto's eye caught something. The white wind blades surrounding the blue orb shimmered, then faded slightly just as they made contact.
The condensed sphere of energy dug into the sentient blade and blasted it and its wielder away with great force. Unable to stop himself, Kisame skipped across the surface of the artificial lake like a flat stone. After a couple of bounces, he crashed into a large boulder that protruded from the water.
Naruto frowned during his descent. That was only the second time he had used the Wind Rasengan on a living person, and yet he immediately knew something was wrong. That thought became even more apparent as he watched Kisame pick himself up as if nothing happened; that ever-present smirk stretched across his lips. 'It must have been the moment right before I hit him with my Rasengan,' That's when it occurred to him. 'That annoying sword must have absorbed some of my chakra to lessen the impact...' His tongue clicked in annoyance as he touched down on the surface of the water.
If they were to make any headway in this fight, he and Suigetsu had to do something about Samehada.
As if his partner in crime could read his train of thought, Suigetsu jumped into action. He positioned himself at Kisame's rear flank during the commotion and swung at the Akatsuki's neck.
However, his opponent sensed his approach and was able to duck just in time. He spun around and aimed a kick at the teen's chest. Suigetsu's wide swing left him unable to defend himself, which forced him to eat the kick. With a grunt of discomfort, he used the force of the impact to flip back in case his foe decided to follow up with an assault.
"Blondie!" He called out while still upside down and in the air. "I know exactly what you're thinking! Do what you need to do; I'll hold it down for now!"
Naruto's eyebrow raised, slightly surprised by Suigetsu's willingness to work together. One glance was all it took to let each other know they were on the same page, which confounded him further.
Did… they have chemistry with one another?
Naruto shook his head, aware that this was not the time to ponder such things. "You got it!" Without another word, he took a deep breath and dove into the water.
Suigetsu settled back into his stance and scowled. 'This is a lot tougher than I thought it would be.' He thought in annoyance. 'I normally wouldn't have to worry about getting cut with my Liquefaction Jutsu, but that blade can still shave away at my chakra even if I don't take any damage… and it doesn't even have to make contact with my skin for it to happen.'
As much as Suigetsu hated to admit it, under these conditions, the best course of action may be for him to act as a distraction and have Naruto strike from below. For a close-range fighter like himself, getting too close to Samehada was unwise.
"You are but a little goldfish in a large pond, Suigetsu." Kisame mocked. "As outclassed as you are, just what do you hope to do in this fight?"
"Whatever I can!" Suigetsu shouted passionately and darted in his opponent's direction. The Hozuki brother got in close and feinted a slash with his sword to the right. As anticipated, Kisame went to block it with the flat of Samehada. Suigetsu stopped short and rolled to his left, and loaded some chakra into the tip of his finger.
He landed in a knelt position and aimed for the head. "Water Style: Water Gun Jutsu!"
Kisame's eyes widened in surprise, barely able to duck in time as the condensed droplet of water sped over his head and took a few hairs with it along the way.
"Why you!" Kisame warned, eyes now bloodshot from anger. The grip tightened around the hilt of his weapon as he attempted to cut the teen into ribbons. However, already in mid-swing, he felt something emerge from the water behind him.
His head turned in time to see a flash of yellow and orange, but it was too late for him to react accordingly.
'Boom!'
Naruto's Explosive Shadow Clone detonated in a ball of white-hot fire at point-blank range. The force was so great that it felt as if the entire earth had moved beneath their feet. The water rippled and broke to the point waves of water several feet high went off in every direction.
A moment later, Naruto emerged from the water; a quick pulse of wind chakra quickly dried him and his clothes. He looked around to survey the damage he had created.
Kisame was nowhere to be seen.
Suigetsu, on the other hand, seemed to be alright as he slowly picked himself out of the water. To avoid any damage, he began to liquefy himself the instant he saw Naruto's clone emerge from the water and was just far enough away from the epicenter of the explosion to come out unscathed.
"Where did he go?" Naruto asked his partner. "My explosive clones don't send experience back to me, so I didn't see what happened. Did it land?"
"Oh, it definitely landed." Suigetsu nodded. "There's no way he got out of that one without feeling anything."
Just then, the water level of the man-made lake at their feet began to drop as if it was draining. They looked at one another in confusion, then over at Karin as she made her way over to them. She had a conflicted yet optimistic look on her face.
"What do you sense, Karin?" Naruto questioned. Clearly, they had done something, or Kisame's large-scale Jutsu wouldn't have come undone.
Karin found it difficult to catch her breath as her heart pounded in her chest. Despite that, she would do her best to relay what she surmised. "Suigetsu is right; your attack made contact." The anxiety she felt throughout that fight was almost too much to handle. To sense Naruto and Kisame battling it out with one another just made her realize how absurdly outclassed she was in this situation. Their combined aura nearly suffocated her.
Almost like two monsters.
"Then, where is he?" Suigetsu inquired. "Just moving around under the water?"
Karin pushed her glasses up to her face and let out a shaky breath. "Yeah, he's down there." She confirmed. "I think he's injured; his chakra took a nosedive after that explosion."
"I see… too bad. I don't think that trick is going to work a second time." Naruto commented. Though it was good news, it didn't convince that someone strong enough to be paired with Itachi would go down so easily. "Where is he now? What direction?" They were approaching ground level rapidly, which meant the fight would be back on very soon.
Karin nodded wordlessly and closed her eyes to get a read on the Akatsuki's chakra. After just a few seconds, she opened them and pointed behind her teammates. "Over there!" They turned just in time to see something emerge from the disappearing water.
"My, my," Kisame's voice was hoarse and strained. Only his head was visible, but once the water was gone entirely, they understood why. "That was some attack that you hit me with, Nine-Tails Brat… that was a close call, even for me. I'll admit that I didn't take you lot seriously enough at first… no more holding back."
Kisame's entire left side of his body, including his rib cage and organs, had been completely blown away. He was slumped forward with a hand on his knee and the other wrapped around the hilt of Samehada as a way to prop himself up. Despite all of that, there was a crazed look of excitement in his eyes.
Naruto did not reciprocate; all he could muster up was one of disgust.
Suigetsu had a look of shock on his face. "H-How the hell are you still standing after that?" He said in confoundment. "That should have been enough to kill you!"
"You see," Kisame grabbed Samehada with both of his hands and straightened himself up further. "The thing about me is that… the more powerful my opponent, the stronger I also become." Just like that, his wounds, as severe as they were, began to heal right before their very eyes. "It's going to take more than that to put me down for good."
The three of them watched in horror as their foe restored himself to full health in just a matter of seconds. It was like they had never even touched him. Naruto gritted his teeth and tightened his fist until his knuckles turned white. He knew it would be far from easy to win this fight, but this? How did Akatsuki members continue to surprise him with their abilities? He thought he would have seen it all by now.
Karin, while shocked in her own right, had sensed everything that had happened. As Kisame's injuries healed, his chakra reserves also replenished significantly. At the same time, the chakra she felt from Samehada dropped by a similar amount. Her eyes widened at the realization. In a way, it was nearly identical to her ability.
"You guys, it's his sword!" She alerted them. "Any chakra that thing absorbs from us can be then transferred to him in the form of stamina! If you want to win, you have to do it without any of your chakra getting taken! It'll only refuel his sword for him!"
"So my Rasengan from before…" Naruto didn't even need to finish his sentence.
"That's right; it used that to heal him!" Karin nodded. "You can't use any Jutsu or chakra that can be absorbed easily."
'That means most of my Ninjutsu is off-limits, and regular clones would just give him more of my chakra; damn...' Naruto's frown deepened the more he thought. 'If that's the case, then my only hopes are Fuinjutsu, Taijutsu, and explosives clones. I need to develop a plan of attack using just those three things.' Something clicked in his mind, and, for a second, a confident smile flashed across his face.
'Yeah… that'll work.' A second later, he felt something hit his back with enough force to surprise him and cause his stomach to start doing backflips. His eyes widened significantly.
"You ready to go, blondie?" Suigetsu walked up to his side and gave him a firm slap on the back. "If we work together, I don't think there's anyone out there that can beat us. We're going to get that sword even if I have to pry it off his corpse." Caught up in his own words, the Hozuki was oblivious to Naruto's odd behavior. Only after he received no response did he bother to look his way. "H-Hey, what's going on? Are you okay?"
Naruto didn't look so good. In just a few short seconds, his face had gone flush, and sweat began to accumulate at his brow. Shortly after being asked about his well-being, he crashed down onto one knee with one hand clutched at his stomach and the other placed over his mouth. It felt as if his gut was on fire, and he resisted the urge to regurgitate the contents of his stomach. He wanted to cough and dry heave, but it felt like something large was caught just at the back of his throat.
'What is this?' Naruto thought in fear. 'Is this one of Kisame's Jutsu?' He looked up to see if his opponent was the source of his pain, but his blood ran cold at what he saw.
Kisame looked even more confused than he did.
Sasuke reacted solely on instinct and slashed backward with his katana with his foe at his rear. His scowl was nearly audible as "Itachi's" bisected body morphed into a flock of his signature black crows.
"You are impatient as always," Itachi's voice echoed in all directions, a clear indication that the prodigy's Genjutsu was already in effect. "I was merely trying to say hello after such a long time."
Sasuke's grip around his sword tightened as he tucked it close to his side. He felt the burn of rage rise in his chest but made a conscious effort to subdue it as best he could. If he allowed his emotions to get the better of him, then he would have lost the battler before it even started. "I'm not here to play games, Itachi. Stop hiding behind your Genjutsu tricks and come and face me!" While the hatred he held for his brother was still evident, his control over it would allow him to direct it in a much more productive way.
"I'm not playing any games." His voice was much more concentrated this time. Sasuke turned towards the source just as the real Itachi walked out behind the Uchiha Clan's throne. True to his word, the illusions he put in place dropped.
Now, it was just brother versus brother, face to face.
The first thing that Sasuke noticed was his brother's eyes; they were distinctly different from the ones he had seen long ago. The mere sight of Itachi's gaze flung Sasuke back in time to when he was a small boy, not even old enough to be in the Academy. They weren't cold and sadistic like the night of the massacre. Instead, they appeared heavy, downcast, and lifeless. If anything, such an unexpected sight only put Sasuke further on edge.
Before Sasuke could comment, Itachi spoke.
"I see that Naruto was able to bring you here to me." His words made Sasuke raise an eyebrow in confusion. "You must send him my thanks later. He played his role to perfection."
"What are you talking about?" For an unknown reason, the mere utterance of Naruto's name out of the bastard's mouth made Sasuke's blood boil. "You spoke with Naruto? When?" He demanded.
"Do not worry, little brother; Naruto has no recollection of what happened. Well, he doesn't at this moment." Itachi brought his hands together to form the Ram seal. "All will be revealed soon enough." He finished cryptically.
Sasuke watched as his brother's eyes morphed into the fabled Mangekyo Sharingan. It was too late; he felt the pull of Itachi's Genjutsu transport them to a foreign place. This time, Sasuke did little to fight against Itachi's influence. He needed to know just what the hell was going on.
"Allow me to show you…."
Sasuke surveyed his surroundings with a wary eye. He was grossly curious, but that didn't mean he was a fool; there was no telling what Itachi had planned for him in such a space.
The area where they stood was utterly destroyed; rubble and debris were strewn about, indicating that an intense battle had just taken place.
"There is a saying that goes: The quality of man is measured by how he adapts to new information that warps his sense of reality." Itachi's form slowly phased into existence right beside Sasuke. The older brother glanced in, the younger's direction before he finished his thought. "Don't you believe that to be true, Sasuke?"
The teen in question resisted every urge in his body to not run a Chidori-charged hand through Itachi's chest. He knew it wouldn't matter in their current state, but the satisfaction he would feel still tempted him more than he'd like to admit.
"Get to the point." Sasuke spat. "I'm not here to answer your riddles.
If Itachi was bothered by his brother's indifference, he didn't show it. Instead, he tiredly pushed his bangs out of his face and kept his weary gaze pointed forward. "Man has two options in this situation. He can either ignore what he's learned and ignorantly continue on his set path or rewire the very foundation of his beliefs and make a new choice based on what is presented to him."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sasuke's tone betrayed that his patience was wearing thin. He neared the point that he'd rather torture his brother and make him answer all of his questions.
Instead of a verbal answer, Itachi merely pointed ahead in the direction that had occupied his attention.
Sasuke turned his head and squinted his eyes as the scene before him continued to develop in front of them. 'Is that...?'
It was.
Not far from where the two brothers stood, Naruto sat slumped against a wall of rock in the center of the destroyed area, completely unconscious. His chest rose unevenly with labored and pained breaths, but he was definitely alive. At his side, the familiar form of Sasori sat in a similar position. Unlike Naruto, the redhead was eerily still, though Sasuke was unsure if that was due to his modified puppet body.
The two brothers just stood there in silence and watched Sasori's lifeless body slip off the rocks behind them and fall to the side. Naruto awoke with a start the instant he felt something touch his shoulder.
Sasuke continued to stare as Naruto gazed down at his enemy with a mix of indecipherable emotions. The battle they had with one another must have changed how they viewed one another. Such a sight helped give some perspective on Naruto and Sasori's strange relationship. It also raised a few questions. If he read the situation correctly and Sasori died in this very fight, how was it possible that he's still alive today?
That would have to be a question for another day.
And, just when Sasuke was about to question why Itachi would show him such a thing, an answer presented itself to him.
"So, you're actually still alive. I have to say I'm quite impressed. The risk was worth coming all this way, then."
Sasuke saw Naruto's eyes widen in fear and his subsequent failed attempt to stand up and face the new threat. The blond's eyes darted around, in hopes that he would somehow catch a glimpse of the ghastly man behind the voice.
"Where are you?" Naruto called out fiercely, though Sasuke could tell that it was mostly an act. There was no way he'd be able to defend himself against a capable Shinobi in such a pitiful condition.
"I'm almost surprised that you actually managed to kill Sasori all by yourself." The calm, collected voice ignored him to continue their thoughts. "That's quite the accomplishment, if I do say so myself."
Naruto frowned. "Well, come out and congratulate me, then." Naruto challenged. "It's rude to compliment someone and not show your face to them."
"Heh, you're slowly fading from his poison, and you want to fight?" The unseen man asked with a hint of humor. "How very like you. Very well."
Out from the shadows, he stepped. A ghastly figure in the eyes of Shinobi from the Hidden Leaf. An S-Ranked criminal deviant with blood-red eyes.
Sasuke's scowl from earlier reappeared but with a more prominent frown.
"As much as I'd like to humor you, there is no time for pleasantries. We must make this quick."
Naruto narrowed his own blue eyes in disgust. His guess had been correct. There was no mistaking that voice, he knew it all too well.
"Itachi Uchiha."
To say that Sasuke was dumbfounded by what he saw would be a massive understatement.
Meanwhile, Naruto felt something worm its way up his throat and into his mouth. The sensation nearly nauseated him, and he had to resist the urge to expel it, along with the contents of his stomach, from his body. He slowly opened his mouth and was mortified when the head of a crow emerged from it. The bird looked around, cocked its head from side to side, and let out a shrill "caw!"
"Ew, what is a bird doing in your mouth?!" Karin squeaked in disgust. When she was sure she knew what to expect, being around these people continued to surprise her. "Has it been there the entire time?!"
"Urgh!" Naruto couldn't help but dry heave as he felt the crows' salvia-matted feathers brush against the inside of his mouth. The black bird took that as its cue to leave and pushed itself further out of the entry point until its wings were visible.
"You know you're supposed to cook those, right, blondie?" Suigetsu said sarcastically, fully aware that Naruto was currently incapable of a witty retort. "I think you can get sick eating them that way."
The bird flapped its wings rapidly and took to the sky. "What the hell is going on?" Naruto choked out. "How did a bird get in my mouth?" After it circled the confused onlookers a few times, it landed comfortably on its temporary owner's right shoulder.
Naruto wiped the drool from his mouth, shot Suigetsu an annoyed look, then put the rest of his attention between the crow on his shoulder and their enemy. For whatever reason, Kisame remained in the same spot as before and hadn't uttered a single word. Instead, the shark-like man opted to watch the familiar bird with a curious eye. Even he looked somewhat surprised by the turn of events.
The mysterious animal turned to face Naruto directly; only then did he notice something. In the bird's left eye socket was a human eye. Not just any regular eye, no, but a 3 Tomoe Sharingan eye.
The instant the crow's gaze met Naruto's blue orbs, the Sharingan slowly shifted into a four-pinwheel Mangekyo pattern.
Naruto's eyes widened. "That's-! Ah, dammit!" His head erupted in pain before he could finish the thought. Flashes of eerily familiar memories of the not-so-distant past bombarded his vision. It felt as if someone reached into his brain with pliers and ripped out forgotten experiences from his consciousness. The pain he experienced nearly made him fall unconscious at that very moment; it took all of the blond's willpower not to collapse.
The most prominent image in his mind was that damn eye; the four-sided pinwheel spun in its typical hypnotic dance that had been the source of his recurring headaches since the Kazekage retrieval mission. Only now did those strange occurrences begin to make sense to him. The passage of time seemed to grind to a halt as they transported back to the Akatsuki hideout, where he battled Sasori to the death.
"Itachi Uchiha."
The Uchiha's demeanor was the same that it always was; stoic and cold. "Despite what you may believe, I'm not here to fight you. I just want to talk with you."
"Really? I can't say that I feel the same." Once again, Naruto attempted to stand himself up. However, the poison in his system and his heavily fatigued body politely denied his request. He grimaced in pain and slid back down the rubble. Unable to do anything else, he settled on words over fists. "And why would I believe the words of a traitor who murdered his family?"
Itachi grinned slightly at the Genin's tenacious nature. "You aren't a fool; we both know what kind of state that you're currently in. Sasori got you with some of his poison before he died, isn't that right?" Naruto's silence and look of indignation told him all that he needed to know. "As you are now, it would be no trouble at all to capture you and take you back to the Akatsuki. I would not need to lie about my intentions if that were the case."
Naruto looked Itachi up and down slowly. Even though the words made complete sense to him, it would be foolish to believe a known sadist. And yet, Naruto didn't have much of a say in the matter. As Itachi said, he was in no state to defend himself against an S-Rank member of the Akatsuki. It took nearly everything in him to defeat Sasori, and something told him that Itachi was far superior in ability.
"Then… what do you want?" Naruto finally asked slowly.
"I couldn't help but notice that you seem much different from the last time we met." Itachi chose to ignore his question and take a few steps closer. Naruto tensed up slightly as a result, but when the Uchiha didn't act beyond that, he allowed himself to settle down. "Perhaps I was just curious to see how life had altered your path. If there were one person in this world that I thought would never change, it would have been you."
"You mean how the Akatsuki changed me," Naruto responded with thinly veiled contempt. "I wouldn't have to be the way that I am now if it wasn't for you guys." Such an admission was a significant milestone for him; it was the first time since the incident in the Land of Waves where he fully acknowledged his metamorphosis as a person. "That's why I won't rest until I stop every single one of you; before you do the same thing to more people!"
That must not have been what Itachi wanted to hear because his frown deepened with nearly every word. "So, your goal is to pass judgment down upon those that you deem a threat to your ideals?"
"Yes."
"I see." Itachi did not sound impressed by his resolve. His brow knit together in a way that Naruto couldn't get a read on. "And yet, what if your new desires conflict with your own preset biases? How can you free yourself from prejudices when no other human in Shinobi history has been able to do the same? "
"What are you getting at?" Naruto asked slowly. He felt that Itachi was trying to allude to something, but he wasn't exactly sure what it was.
"Why, Sasuke, of course," Itachi responded evenly. "If a dear friend like Sasuke were to stand up and threaten your ideals, would you be able to deal with him the same way you did Sasori? Would you have the resolve to kill him, or would you compromise these new ideals of yours and allow him to live?"
"Why would Sasuke do that?" Naruto asked, his brow knitted in confusion. "His goal is to kill you, and that's it. We wouldn't have to cross one another."
"It seems to me that your conviction is not as strong as you think it to be." Itachi analyzed Naruto's demeanor with great scrutiny before he continued to speak. "Sasuke is a blank canvas; he can easily be dyed any color. Just like I and Orochimaru have swayed his heart towards hatred and revenge, another person could easily come along and pit him against the Leaf. In the event something like that were to happen, would you be able to stay true to your conviction and eliminate him for the sake of your cause?"
Much to Itachi's surprise, Naruto didn't appear bothered by the ultimatum. In fact, his expression did not change one bit. "If Sasuke were to raise his hand against the Leaf, I would have no choice but to stop him any way I could. And yes, that includes killing him if necessary."
"And here I thought you would stop at nothing to put Sasuke onto the right path." Itachi adopted a pensive look and shifted his intimidating gaze up into the sky. He whispered something so low that Naruto couldn't pick up what was said.
On the other hand, Sasuke was able to read his brother's lips on the sidelines using his Sharingan.
"It appears that even the guide himself has gotten lost along the way…."
In opposition to Itachi, Naruto dipped his head down to stare at the ground. He swept his hand through the dirt and watched the course bits run in between his fingers. "Who's to say I know what the right path for Sasuke is?" He said after a moment of silence. "Sasuke has the right to choose what direction his life goes in. I already tried to make him follow a path that I thought was best for him without thinking about things from his perspective; only now do I realize how selfish that was of me."
Itachi looked at Naruto again. In a rare display of emotion, Itachi's face fell ever so slightly at the blond's words. "And if his choice leads him towards his own destruction?" For once, his question was not rhetorical. For someone who typically possessed all of the answers, it was almost like Itachi looked to Naruto for some form of guidance. "What then?"
Naruto let out a deep sigh and threw the dirt held in his hand up into the wind and watched it scatter into a cloud of dust before it slowly settled back into the ground. "Then, at least he was given a fair chance to do what he thought was right. Any person deserves at least that much, don't you think?"
The pair coexisted in tense silence for what seemed like several minutes. This break in the conversation gave Sasuke time to process what he had just heard. While he still wasn't entirely sure why Itachi would show him such a thing, the discussion gave him invaluable insight into both parties.
And it also raised several more questions that pressed on the forefront of his mind.
Just as he got himself wrapped up in his thoughts, Itachi began to chuckle. Such a sound was foreign to the ear of both members of Team 7, which was evident by Naruto's reaction. It was a light, calm chuckle that one would expect from a kind stranger. The fact that it came from a renowned criminal made the entire experience bizarre.
"Did I say something funny?" Naruto asked, unsure if he wanted to wait around to hear the answer.
"Oh, it's nothing." Despite the pained expression on his face, Itachi's lips curved up into a noticeable grin. "I've just come to terms with something that has been weighing down on me for a very long time. There are times you will find what you seek most in unlikeliest of places."
Naruto gave him a confused look but didn't say anything. Knowing Itachi, he wouldn't get a straight answer either way. However, when he began to walk towards him again, a pit formed at the bottom of Naruto's stomach.
"Don't worry," Itachi said stoically before Naruto overreacted. "As I said before, I would have captured long ago if that was my intent. There is something that I wish to give you." The man said as he reached into his cloak. "It should come in handy given your current circumstances."
"W-What is it?" Naruto asked in an uneasy tone. Even a seasoned Shinobi would be wracked with fear this close to the Uchiha Clan's Boogeyman.
"Something that I kept with me for a situation just like this," Itachi replied vaguely and pulled a syringe out from underneath his Akatsuki garb. A yellowish-brown liquid sloshed around inside of the medical apparatus as he neared the defenseless blond. "Hold still." He said as he jabbed the needle into Naruto's arm.
Naruto, too weak from the toxins in his body, watched in horror as his enemy injected a strange liquid into his body. He winced and grimaced from the immediate burn in his arm as the substance began to course through his bloodstream. However, that sensation quickly subsided and was replaced with…
Nothing.
Not just nothing, but something!
The fatigue and soreness that had nested itself within his body slowly began to melt away. He blinked; once, twice, three times. In a matter of moments, he found the strength within himself to lift his body off of the hard ground. With a look of confusion, he balled his hands into fists and flexed them. Even the stiffness and numbness that had previously crept its way up his limbs started to disappear.
This was…
"The antidote to Sasori's poison…." He looked up at Itachi, and his face betrayed his complete state of shock. "How… why? He breathed out.
Itachi's features returned to their typical stoic nature. He quickly pulled the syringe used to inject Naruto back into his cloak. "I have my ways," Was his cryptic response. "You don't need to worry about that, Naruto. As for why, well..." He placed his hands in the Ram Seal and continued. "I would be lying if I said I was doing this solely for your benefit."
A flock of crows appeared out of what appeared to be thin air and surrounded them. Naruto, wide-eyed, attempted to swat at the swarm before they could get any closer. "I-I don't understand; if you aren't after me, then why are you doing all of this!"
"I need your help to fix the mess that I have created." Itachi's hands maintained the seal while he maintained eye contact with the boy. "However, I hope that this will help you back on the train tracks that we forced you off of."
One of the crows that up until that point had kept its distance broke off from its flock's path and headed straight for Naruto.
"Caw!"
The bird spread its wings wide to slow down and stopped just short of Naruto's hands. Before he could say or do anything in response, he caught sight of it.
It was a Mangekyo Sharingan with a four-sided pinwheel pattern.
"W-What is-" Naruto didn't get enough time to finish his thought before Itachi launched his Jutsu.
"Kotoamatsukami."
At that moment, Naruto froze. His eyes were as wide as saucers, and his body went stiff as a board with his arm still outstretched defensively. All of Itachi's other summoning animals disappeared in clouds of smoke, their work done. The one that remained circled Naruto, then gracefully landed on his shoulder.
Itachi, too, made his way over to Naruto. Once he was close enough, he placed a hand on top of the teen's head.
"Everything you need to know is programmed into this Genjutsu and will be relayed to you. Though, you won't remember any of this until I release the technique at a later date." Itachi spoke to Naruto as if the blond could still hear despite being as still as a statue. "I need you to find Sasuke; find him and then find me. However, I will impose one strict condition on this matter… you must keep Sasuke safe and out of harm's way until you two can locate me. He must stay alive at all costs."
The Sharingan-wielding crow cocked its head to the side. With the message now received, it nodded in apparent affirmation and turned to face the petrified blond. With its pointed beak, it pecked at a slight opening between Naruto's teeth until it was able to force his mouth open. Once the gap was just wide enough, the crow jumped in and wiggled down his throat. Anyone besides Itachi, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya would be disgusted by such a display. And yet, the Uchiha just watched with a passive expression.
Itachi allowed his summons a moment to get situated in storage before he carefully placed Naruto back on the ground next to Sasori. His gaze fell a little longer on the puppeteer before he shifted his focus back on his brother's only friend.
"Naruto, remember that the person we want to be is often very different from the person we ought to be." He did not know whether these words would get through to someone unconscious, but he would put them out there nonetheless. "Instead of changing yourself into someone you think you need to be, you should instead try to be the best version of yourself that you can be."
"Farewell…"
And, just like that, everything faded to black.
Sasuke shook his head, his thoughts going every which way frantically. The more he processed what he saw, the sicker he became. The two brothers exchanged a look when they found themselves back in the Uchiha Clan Hideout, and he wasn't about to waste any time getting the answers he sought.
"What the hell was that?!" Sasuke demanded. "Why did you show me that?! Just what are you trying to play at now, you bastard?!" He sounded utterly frantic at this point, and who could blame him? In his mind, Itachi Uchiha was the reincarnation of a demon, the man who murdered his family in cold blood. And yet, he just saw something that conflicted with everything he had ever known. Not only did Itachi spare a weakened and helpless Naruto, but he also cured him of Sasori's poison! Then again, what he saw was an illusion manufactured by the man himself. "Do you really expect me to believe any of that?! You're out of your mind!" Sasuke felt his heart rate skyrocket as his breaths became more laborious, though he was unsure as to why.
"You can believe whatever it is you like," Itachi said evenly, though it was impossible to know what he felt on the inside. "I'm done changing the signposts to lead you down a stray path. I realize now that it was my biggest mistake as your older brother."
"I-I… what are you-?" Sasuke clutched at his head, and he continued to gasp for air. "Do you really expect me to think that you would help Naruto?! And why would you want him to keep me safe?! Don't make me laugh; the only reason you would care about my well-being is so that you can test your abilities one day against someone with the resolve to kill you, you psychopath!"
"Sasuke…"
Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw Itachi's face fall in sadness. Just the sight of it triggered a memory previously buried deep within his subconscious.
He had chased after Itachi the night of the Uchiha Massacre and knocked off his headband with one of the kunai he had grabbed in pursuit. Itachi walked over to his headband, picked it up, placed it back around his forehead, and glanced back to look at him as Sasuke looked back wearily on the verge of collapse. Just then, a single tear rolled down Itachi's face.
That was all Sasuke could remember before it was gone.
"I-I don't understand… why am I seeing these images?" Sasuke said in complete exhaustion as his brain thumped painfully in his skull. "Just what did you do to me? Is this a part of your Genjutsu?!"
"Sasuke…" Itachi said slowly. "It is time you learned the truth about that day…."
Those simple words boomed in Sasuke's ears, and he could feel every strand of hair on the back of his neck stand on end.
"The... truth...?"
Author's Note: It was finally time to reveal what took place between Itachi and Naruto after his fight with Sasori. I left periodic hints over the last 13 or so chapters. Did you guess correctly? Did you enjoy it? Let me know! Also, what is this truth that Itachi wants to impart on Sasuke...?
Back on the battlefield, it seemed like Kisame didn't take Team Hebi all that seriously. It almost cost him, so he'll have to be be more wary of his opponents going forward. How will Naruto proceed now that his memories have returned to him? What else does he know that hasn't been shown?
You might find out next time in Chapter 43: What Could Have Been.
Leave a review if you feel so inclined, and I'll see you next time!
lovleydragonfly - Thank you so much! Glad you're still along for the ride!
Lilthug - I hope this chapter answered a few of your questions. As for Sasuke, he left quickly so the reunion between Team 7 wouldn't be bigger.
And yes, I totally stole that quote from Zaheer for Itachi to use. I rarely copy dialogue line for line, but that one was too good to pass up. You're the only who mentioned anything!
Lastly, this story is canon compliant. That means that Naruto and Sasuke are still the reincarnates of Asura and Indra. However, that doesn't mean things will play out like they did in canon.
Congratulations on graduating and I hope things are going well for you! I'd love to hear about it.
SageofKumo - The Uzumaki won't be a huge portion of this story, but I would love to explore the heritage that Tsunade, Karinm, and Naruto share to a certain extent.
And thanks!
Spenge - Shit is definitely going down. Thanks for reading, bossman.
Ky111- I appreciate the understanding. Enjoy!
NaruCrazy - Did this chapter address your concern about Itachi vs Sasuke? You should know by now that I don't do things the same as canon.
Jugo is not relevant. Sasuke had no need to break him out of jail since Naruto teamed up with him.
x1tears1x - Nice catch, but I wonder what that means...?
dreamer 7s - Your advice was helpful. I do have a passion, and I'm getting better at making time. Thank you.
That1RainyDay - I hope you got the notification! Let me know if you enjoyed!
TrenchcoatMan - Very ominous...
And you were right, it definitely did normalize a bit. Thanks!
Aptxkudou4869 - So many things in the story have been happening so I haven't been able to have the second book reveal. It's coming soon!
And yes, all the homies hate Zetsu.
Sonny James - That means a lot. I feel like my story is very character-driven, so I put a lot of time in fleshing out the prominent character in the story. That leads to more dialogue/interactions than actual fighting/action, but I think it's necessary.
ManOfSteele - No worries! I laughed when I read your review. It makes me glad that you anticipate my chapters that much. I hope it was worth the wait!
The Light Hunter - I hope this was soon enough. Enjoy!