Chapter 7 Resurface of Hatred:
Well I think its time to get into the part where Root begins to make its move, or close to. Unfortunately I might not get a lot of Narusaku moments in this chapter like I had hoped to a couple weeks ago. I've had an idea for who the main antagonist can be for this story, but I won't give it away just yet, at least not directly. You might be able to figure it out though. Danzo's son Ranzo will be the first antagonist here and the main one will hopefully come out sooner or later, he does speak here but is not named. Also I formed an idea in this chapter about how Madara and Nagato obtained the Rinnegan, I don't know if there is any thing to disprove it in canon so feel free to comment on that and enlighten me if I'm wrong.
Sakura worked at the hospital with Lady Tsunade, Shizune wasn't with them as she had decided to remain as an assistant to Kakashi in the Hokage office. Naruto and Sasuke had decided to spend the day with some of their fellow old classmates in the academy. The day had been busy with several ninja coming back with minor to severe injuries. There had even been a near fatal, fortunately both of the top medical ninjas had managed to save the man just in time. Then there was Sakura's latest idea to have start a network of medical clinics across the five nations. She'd been hard at work writing letters to each of the other Kages which were now on their way. She had little doubt they would accept. But the only thing that worried her was the possibility that one of the nations might take their knowledge and turn against them. Ah well, they had to take that chance. If it worked, then things could ease tensions furthers and unite the nations in friendship.
It was getting close to nightfall and her shift was almost over. Finally the end came and Sakura could go.
"Well, I'll see you later Lady Tsunade," Sakura said as she made her way out.
"Good night Sakura, enjoy yourself for a couple of days. I'm sure everything will be just fine here," Tsunade said.
She nodded and left. Tsunade returned to her lab where Madara's corpse still was, and his eyes containing the Rinnegan were floating in the chemical filled canister to preserve them. Every so often they changed back to his Eternal Mangekyou sharingan. For a while she continued her experiments, so far they had been successful with creating new limbs for people. But could she perhaps replicate the rinnegan itself in another person? There had been another person who had been granted the Rinnegan somehow, Nagato. Now after some extensive research she know knew that Nagato had been part of the Uzumaki clan. Naruto's clan. The Uzumaki Clan were distantly related the Senju's, and both the Senju and Uchiha according to what she'd heard from Naruto after listening to the tale from Obito, were descended from the Sage of the Six Paths himself.
With this all information, Tsunade had come to a hypothesis. By acquiring DNA from both clans, Uchiha and Senju, one could awaken the supreme powers of the Sage himself. Of course Naruto and Sasuke had both acquired theirs through receiving the Sage's chakra in their near death states. But this was likely how Madara had acquired the Rinnegan when no other Uchiha had until Sasuke, and he only had one Rinnegan.
Looking at Madara's body and a few blood samples nearby, she felt tempted to inject some of the blood into herself. Perhaps she could awaken the Rinnegan, as a descendant of the Senju clan, with the blood of an Uchiha, that might work. As she recalled Pain's invasion and how he had utterly demolished them, she wanted to do it. But another part of her felt that this sort of power should not be allowed to exist. Of course, they did already in the forms of Naruto and Sasuke.
Tsunade shook her head. If word got out that anyone could awaken the Rinnegan by combining the DNA of two lines of the Six Paths then there would be little godlike children in every corner of the five nations. If any of them were to go rogue with that power, disaster could ensue. It could be an even more destructive war then the last one. She would have to keep this hypothesis to herself. Leaving her lab, she locked the reinforced steel door. There was no way anyone who didn't have the key could get in. Even with a chakra imbued blade, for this steel was made from the same material as chakra armor from the Land of Snow, but at an even higher grade. The only way to get in was to get the key from her. No way that was gonna happen.
Tsunade left the lab. As she did so, Madara's eyes changed. Not into the Mangekyou he'd had but one made of swirls like the mask Obito had worn. A pattern that had existed long long ago.
…
Sasuke tossed and turned in his sleep.
The villagers all looked at him with disdain. Silently telling him to get out of the village.
"They will never accept you." A voice said.
"Who is there?" Sasuke asked.
"You should have been the victor," the voice said. "You should have been the one to crush Asura's legacy. Since you have made peace with his reincarnation, I will have to find another means."
Sasuke awoke breathing heavily. He looked around his new house and let out a sigh.
"Just a dream," he said laying back down.
…
He joined his team for a mission the next day. They gathered in the Hokage's office, Naruto, with Sakura standing at his side faithfully, and Sasuke a few feet away.
"Well, thank you all for coming," Kakashi said. "I hope everything is going well with you three."
"We're fine," Sasuke said.
"Yeah! Now everything's back to normal around here!" Naruto said.
"Yes," Sakura agreed.
"Well lets hope it stays that way. Though there is a reason I called all of you here today. I've been getting reports of strange chakra all over the battle field where the ten tails was," Kakashi said.
"But we sealed the ten tails back into the moon with Kaguya and Black Zetsu!" Naruto said.
"Yes, but remember Sora?" Sakura said. "His father took a bunch of chakra that was left over from the Nine Tails attack here!"
"Oh yeah. I wonder how Sora is doing?" Naruto said.
"So you want us to investigate?" Sasuke asked.
"Yes, if there is chakra from the Ten Tails in the area we need to get it under control before it affects the environment or anything else happens," Kakashi said. "Since you three… and I… are the ones that managed to stop the Ten Tails I though it would be best to leave it to you. Sasuke can absorb it with his rinnegan and Naruto can likely help as well."
"Oh yeah me and Sasuke will find that chakra and make sure it doesn't do anything bad!" Naruto declared.
"Hey what about me?" Sakura asked. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Well I-" Kakashi thought for a moment. "Hmm. I don't know."
Sakura looked down. Naruto and Sasuke both had those godlike abilities now. True she could heal practically any injury with her Hundred Healings Jutsu but she still felt like the lesser ninja.
"Hey, if we get injured who's gonna be there to patch us up! You of course Sakura," Naruto put an arm around his girlfriend.
"If it weren't for you Kaguya would have evaded us and prolonged the battle," Sasuke said. "We might have lost. Same thing back in the Chunin Exams when we were both unconcoius and you protected us. You're there for us when we need you the most Sakura."
That lifted her spirits. "Oh you guys!"
She hugged Naruto, then pulled Sasuke into it. He smiled and joined in the team embrace.
"Let's go!" Naruto said.
They ran out to go on their mission, passing a familiar old man and woman.
…
Homura Mitokado listened and immediately made his way to the Shimura mansion with remarkable speed for one his advanced age. Koharu Utatane at his side.
"The Sanin have left Ranzo," Koharu said.
"Apparently some of Ten Tails Chakra might be swirling around the battle field from the Ten Tails. They will be working to eliminate it," Homura said.
"Ah good news. Though we must get to it first," Ranzo said. "But before that, we must commence the operation to retrieve the Rinnegan. I've worked out a plan."
…
Ranzo headed to Hospital where Tsunade was working, a basket in his hands. He saw a nurse at the front desk.
"Please, give this to Lady Tsunade," Ranzo said putting on a friendly smile.
The nurse blushed as she looked at him. Being a resemblance to his father in his younger years, Ranzo had the advantage of being considered handsome.
"At once Sir!" the nurse said.
Ranzo left, smirking.
…
"Lady Tsunade, a delivery arrived for you!" one of the nurses said.
It was a basket. A bottle of sake, and not just any sake but one of the finest in the Land of Fire. AS well as Tsunade's favorite food, Chicken Breasts, still in its container and ready to be cooked.
"Well that's a surprise," Tsunade said. "Who was this from?"
"I don't know. A handsome man that looked to be in his late twenties," the nurse said.
"Ah, well someone certainly went through a lot of trouble to give this to me. I'd best get this to a fridge so the chicken doesn't go to waste," Tsunade said.
That would save her having to buy dinner something. Tsunade took the basket and walked out with a smile. On the way she immediately opened the cork and began to drink it from the very bottle.
"Ah just what I need! Haven't had this fine wine in years!" she said before clutching her head. "Uh, seems a bit stronger then I remember though."
Her steps slowed and then she suddenly lost balance and fell to the ground. The still open bottle poured its contents on the ground next to her and the basket spilled its food. She lay there unconscious as two men in masks came upon her. One searched her and found the keys. He went to perform his task while the other took her off.
Without alerting anyone in the hospital, the Anbu made it into the basement where Tsunade had made her lab. He inserted the key and turned. Inside he immediately found what he was looking for and removed his mask, revealing his face as Ranzo's. He'd been raised for only two purposes in life as Danzo's son. To help his father become Hokage, and to preserve the clan's name. He'd not loved his father, as that was something that Danzo discouraged and emotions were useless and got in the way. But hatred coursed through Ranzo, he Ranzo would avenge his father and see his ways become integrated into the village. He seized the canisters with the Rinnegan, which again changed into the spiral Mangekyou and emitted a faint aura of darkness in the cannister being held by a man who carried a small spark of hate in his heart.
Well you can take a guess as to whats going on if you wish. Please review. Oh boy hopefully Tsunade's gonna be okay. I'm writing this as I go. I realize that it might seem a little too easy for them to just subdue one of the three legendary Sanin (or in this AU, one of the original three) with their favorite food. Though I remember how Sora nearly killed Tsunade with a big shuriken in the Guardian Shinobi Filler of Shippuden I don't think its too far a cry. As I recall Tsunade has a soft spot for drinking. I have considered Tsunade MAYBE dying, but we'll see. Now that Root has got her I don't think it would be smart to let her live unless they have that device from the Land of Snow that can suppress chakra. Okay that could work, don't worry too much.
