Thank you again for the positive feedback but this time, I will be responding to Time Parad0x's criticism and review. Unfortunately, I won't be able to explain everything because it would spoil what I plan for the story, but I'll try to do what I can.
1.)The reason Mito isn't on a team is that she's not a shinobi. Yes, she kinda is a damsel in distress. That's all I can explain for now because explaining any further would go into spoiler territory. We're still in the fourth chapter so there are still a lot of things unexplained.
Also, regarding Naruto not being able to protect her, he's not the only one protecting her. Kakashi, Gai, Asuma, Kurenai, and a few more do know about Mito and voluntarily assist in protecting her. Plus, there are seals in the house that alert Naruto if there's an intruder.
2.)That's because the orders Sai got are different from what Danzo's really planning. That's all I can say about it. Plus, Sai isn't the only ROOT agent who's monitoring Sasuke.
3)Hmm, I didn't really have a pairing planned in my mind. I put Sakura on his team because one, she's from the canon Team 7, and two, I already planned her development and character which requires me to put her on Naruto's team. Secondly, Hinata is on his team because I feel like she didn't get much spotlight in canon. I want to expand on her abilities as Sakura got in canon. Or maybe I just put them in his team because I saw so many fanfics about them that my mind subconsciously put all three of them together. Yeah, but I'll still stand by my point. I won't pair a 22-year-old with a 12-year-old.
Also yes, I do know that Naruto had whisker marks before the sealing.
Thank you, Time Para0x, for your review as well as everyone else's. I appreciate your criticism and I'm sorry if I wasn't able to answer that many of your questions. I hope you stick around long enough to get the full explanation in the future.
Now, onto the story!
"Ugly, there's no need to run. Naruto-sensei said that he's not allowed to move from his spot so it's useless for us to be distancing ourselves."
"Shut up, Sai! This is just, uh… a- a tactical retreat! Yes, that's it!"
"Hm, if it's a tactical retreat, why are we running deeper into the forest? For it to be a tactical retreat, we must still be in contact with Naruto-sensei."
"Ugh, just shut up!"
Hinata worriedly looked over at the bickering pair as they continued to run away from their sensei. Sakura has been carrying Sai throughout all this time since the pale boy has been weakened by Naruto's chakra chains, something that Hinata couldn't explain how it works.
"A- ano, Sakura-san. I- I think we should stop here so w- we can make a plan to defeat Naruto-sensei," she suggested timidly.
Sakura looked over to the lavender-haired girl and she considered her options. "Alright…" she finally said, skidding into a stop. She then hurled the tired Sai onto the dirt, earning her a pained groan. After catching their breath for a moment, Sakura turned to her teammates. "So, what's the plan? We can't just rush him like what this idiot did."
"I was in perfect control of my actions. I had a clone prepared to switch when an opportunity comes. What you did, did not make any sense when we could have just stayed in the field where we can observe Naruto-sensei." Sai replied as he got up from the ground and displayed his irritating smile to the girls.
Sakura's cheeks glowed in embarrassment, almost to the shade of her own hair. "Sh- shut up! At least I was able to catch Naruto-sensei in a genjutsu. All you did was get yourself caught and trapped." she retorted.
"That genjutsu did nothing to Naruto-sensei. Such a weak and poorly-executed genjutsu will never work on a Jonin." Sai countered, causing the pink-haired Genin to grow even angrier. "Meanwhile, my actions caused Naruto-sensei to reveal his chains, which can be used to come up with a plan to defeat him. Therefore, my actions did much more than yours, Ugly."
"But what did that accomplish? All that did is prove how much stronger he is than us. We have no way of ever passing this test!" Sakura sneered.
Sai tilted his head. "Technically speaking, I have more of a chance of finishing the task he gave us than you. As the weakest Genin in our grade, you virtually have no chance of doing anything to Naruto-sensei."
"Shut up…"
"You have barely have taijutsu nor shurikenjutsu skills. You also have the lowest chakra reserves out of everyone."
"Shut up."
"What's more is that you were born from a civilian family with no prior shinobi training, which immediately gives you a disadvantage among a class of heirs and heiresses."
"I said shut up!"
"In this team, you will always be a liability and the weakest link. You will end up hurting your allies more than your enemies. The best thing for you to do right now is to drop out."
"SHUT UP, SAI! What did I ever do to you, huh? Did I kill one of your dogs? Did I spit in your food? What?!" Sakura cried out, her eyes on the verge of tears and her face red in embarrassment and rage. All that he said struck right at her insecurities. To be told directly hurt more than she anticipated and she couldn't help but lash out. "I know that I'm weak! I know that I'll never be a strong shinobi. But what did I do to make you hate me so much?"
Sai tilted his head, confused at the reaction he received. "I don't hate you. I am merely stating your skill level. I read that it is better, to be honest to people to form better connections and relationships," he replied. His master did the same thing to him; give an honest evaluation of his skills so he can improve. But why did she react so violently? "I don't see why you would—"
"Are you an idiot?! Not everything is learned through a book! What you're doing is rude and disgusting! Is this what you've been doing this entire time?" Sakura exclaimed in a mixture of anger and incredulity. To think that Sai's personality is so blank that he had to resort to a book to act like a normal person, which did absolutely nothing except made him look like an asshole.
The pale boy nodded, pulling out a yellow book with the title, 'Socializing For Dummies' engraved onto the cover. "Yes, to learn how to communicate with people, I was able to borrow this informative handbook to further improve my socializing skills."
Sakura could only look at Sai in shock. She almost felt bad for him but his past actions and words prevented her from feeling sympathy for the boy. She could only wonder what made him grow up like this. "But then, what's with all the insulting names you gave to everyone?"
"Well, in this book, it states that giving nicknames for people will further create bonds with them. It is said that I must use their most notable characteristics for it to work. So with you, I simply took note of your weak frame, abnormally-pink hair, and unattractive appearance to create your nickname." Sai replied, unaware of the volcano he just activated.
That had been the last straw. Ever since she had met him, Sai had been nothing but disrespectful and rude to everyone he saw. No one in class liked him yet he continued to flash that fake smile every time he insulted them. She had always wanted to wipe that smile off his face and now, she might just take this opportunity. Poor socializing skills or no, it doesn't give him the right to be an asshole.
Grinding her teeth, Sakura stomped over to the pale boy and pulled back a fist. But just as she was about to slam a devastating punch at Sai's face, they were interrupted by a shout.
"Stop!"
Sakura and Sai turned to Hinata, both surprised that the usually shy and polite heiress would raise her voice. But it seems that the lavender-haired girl grew tired of their petty bickering and the pressure of the test forced her out of her comfort zone.
"P- please stop. W- we're supposed to be on a team. If we keep fighting, n- none of us will pass." Hinata said, stumbling a bit over her words. However, her patience has been slowly deteriorating throughout the entire run and at his moment, she isn't sure if she's even aware of her actions. "Naruto-sensei gave us a- a task but how are we g- going to finish it if we keep on fighting? He asked us t- to prove to him that we can become Genin and we're n- not going to accomplish that if we act l- like children! So, please! S- set your differences aside and l- let's work together to pass this test!"
The lavender-haired girl froze upon realizing what she had just said. The color drained out of Hinata's face as she instinctively cringed at herself, returning back to her timid self. She instinctively looked down and clenched her fists. Panic settled in her mind as she began imagining all the thoughts going over her teammates' heads.
'I can't believe I just said that! Why? Why did I say that?' Hinata frantically yelled in her head. She could the air leaving her lungs the longer she thought about it. 'They hate me. They must really hate me. Why did I shout at them? I shouldn't have—'
"You're right… Hinata."
Hinata craned her neck up so fast, that she thought she broke a bone. Sakura has a frown on her face, her lime-green eyes glinting with regret and shame. While Sai may not show much emotion, it was clear to Hinata that he doesn't feel any offense to her words or reaction. In fact, he almost seems… inquisitive and a bit surprised.
"I'm sorry and you're right. We should focus on the test." Sakura apologized remorsefully. She then glared at Sai one last time. "We'll have a conversation in the future. Let's go. If we're lucky, Naruto-sensei is patient enough not to end the test early."
Sakura began stomping back to where they ran from, with Hinata timidly following close by. Sai was left with a thoughtful look on his face. After careful consideration, he pulled out a scroll and took out a brush, one that is completely different from the one he uses for his Choujuu Giga.
"Hm, the Hyuga heiress seems to be more outspoken than I anticipated. I must update her profile." He muttered to himself. "Also, the book seems to be unreliable. I will try to ask the library for a more effective tome.
But as he wrote in his scroll, he subtly heard a soft poof coming from above. A quick flick of his wrist sent a single kunai at the direction of the noise. The only thing he heard was a quiet squeak, which was followed by a small figure falling from the tree. As it turns out, it was just a sparrow with the kunai piercing through its chest.
Sai narrowed his eyes at that but otherwise showed no more suspicion. "Hm, how strange."
"Ugh, when will they be back?!" Naruto cried out as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the training grounds.
He had been waiting for more than fifteen minutes and there was still no sign of them. He was starting to think that they just abandoned the test so as a precaution, he produced the clone and had it trace the kids to check on them. Besides, he still hasn't moved his feet from his position and he didn't say anything about clones either.
After ten minutes have passed since his last order, his impatient side is starting to unravel. He had trained himself to the bone to get his impulsiveness in order and ANBU was a great help with that. A reflection of his fight with Uchiha Madara made him realize how lucky he is to survive. He had been underestimated and it truly gave him a taste of reality. So, he forced his own mind and body to keep his hyperactive side down low and prioritize keeping his emotions in check. It may have taken him years, but he accomplished it.
But he won't allow years of training and experience to go to waste just because of a couple of brats.
Just as he was about to rant about annoying little Genins, he received the information he needed. After shuffling through his memories, a wide grin greeted the world. "So, it looks like they're already having a bit of team development. This might actually work." He muttered to himself.
That's when he heard a rustle of leaves behind him. Wiping the grin off his face, a stone-cold mask settled as he resumed the test evaluation. He kept a silent eye on the direction of the noise but kept his spatial awareness awake to his surroundings.
The crack of a branch.
The shake of the leaves.
The pitter-patter of footsteps.
All signs of ambush. But just not in the direction Naruto's supposed to be anticipating. Creating obvious sounds of a presence to distract him; a good strategy to throw off an enemy's sense of direction but is just not effective on an experienced shinobi.
Something that Naruto demonstrated by pulling out a kunai to block a tanto strike aimed right at his head. "Well, look who finally came out." Naruto grinned, earning a blank look from the pale boy as he dislodged himself out of the blond's range.
Sai landed right in front of him, raising his blade back up before lunging at him once again. But just as he was about to block it, he heard a set of whistling noises coming from behind him. Coming up with a plan on the fly, he summoned another kunai in his hand to block Sai's strike and used the other one to deflect the incoming shuriken heading for him from the back.
Now, he's in a vulnerable position with both of his hands occupied, which leaves him open for an attack. A well-thought-out strategy for a couple of Genins, but not enough to accomplish the task. Naruto then leaned back to an almost horizontal position, forcing Sai to not only give up his attack but to block the incoming projectiles for him.
However, it seems that the Genins were able to predict his movements because as soon as he leaned back, Hinata came out of nowhere with her palms glowing with chakra and her upper body positioned into the Gentle Fist stance; another trapping strategy that might've worked if placed on the right enemy. After another quick rerun of the situation in his mind, he shot his hand upward and grabbed Sai from above, before hurling him towards where the shuriken came flying from to focus on Hinata.
After bringing himself back upright, he engaged with the Hyuga. His first impression with the Gentle Fist had not been very good for him and he ended up with most of his tenketsu points blocked. After sparring with a few willing Hyuga, he had been able to grasp the basics of the style and learn to at least counter some of their moves but with the lack of the Byakugan, it's almost impossible to replicate such a fighting style.
When he gathered information about his students, most of the things that he learned about the lavender-haired girl is that she's too shy and polite to be an heiress and too weak to be a shinobi. Most of the spars she had in the clan would always leave her wounded and bruised on the ground. The only reason she won against the Taijutsu spars in the academy is that she's always put against civilians, who have no fighting experience.
So when Naruto faced Hinata, he expected her to be knowledgeable about the Gentle Fist style but not as experienced as the Hyuga he faced. So when her palm nearly closed in on his chest, the blond nearly panicked. Naruto had to really try his best to counter all of her strikes lest he gets shut down.
Despite being a Genin, it's never a good idea to fight up close with a Hyuga and from what he's experiencing, she's actually much better than a few Chunin Hyuga's he fought, especially when she has the advantage of him not allowed using his legs or feet. As he blocked another palm strike that was aimed at his stomach, he noticed how her strikes are actually a good inch or two from hitting the actual tenketsu points.
That's when it hit Naruto. 'The reason why she never wins her spar is because… she's not actually trying to beat them. She's purposefully missing the tenketsu points.' the blond realized as he block another strike that once again is an inch away from disabling his arm. 'She's not weak… she's just afraid.'
But before he could ponder on that thought, Naruto's senses blared in his head like an alarm and he quickly ducked out of the way of an incoming projectile. Looking behind him, he watched a determined Sakura emerge from the bushes and lunge at him with a kunai at hand. A glance at the front revealed a Sai charging at him with his tanto and another from the right had Hinata with her hands poised forward to push him.
Another trapping strategy and this time, it's a lot more refined. While he can tank all of their attacks, he would rather not allow himself to get hit by any of them. Technically, they already passed his evaluation the moment they worked together. All of this is just an extension of the test and an observation of their current skills. He could just end the test right now and be done with it, but his playful and partly sadistic side is starting to enjoy beating down kids.
As their attacks neared, Naruto's hands sped to a blur of hand seals. By the time the Genin could realize that the blond was preparing a jutsu, they were all already in his range. "Futon: Shinku Bakudan no Jutsu." He murmured.
Wind began to circle his feet, quickly rising up to the point of covering his entire body and converging to the center. With the power of the air vacuum, it started to pull most of Naruto's surroundings to his center. The Genins could feel themselves losing control of their actions as they were slowly being dragged towards the blond. It would've been an advantage for them if the situation wasn't completely controlled by Naruto.
Once the Genins were inches away from the Jonin, Naruto clenched a fist and his center exploded into a powerful blast of winds as if a bomb had just detonated. The air shimmered from the waves of winds and forces continuously vibrating throughout the entire area. The three Genins cried out in pain as they were thrown back from the intensity of the jutsu. They all hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of them. But luckily no one sustains any major damage other than their pride.
Sakura struggled the hardest to pick herself back up. Every joint in her body ached and cracked as she moved. This only made her realize how unprepared she is for the real world. One jutsu is already able to render her weakened and struggling to even stand up. Glancing at Hinata, she wasn't surprised to see her already standing up. Though there was a notable frown of pain on her face, the heiress remained strong in the midst of a hopeless fight.
Unaware of Sakura's thoughts, Hinata is currently staring in shock at the blond. 'H- he was training me. He was deflecting my strikes but he also moved the positions of my hands to the right direction.' she said in her head. Even during the duel, she could see him grinning as they fought. At first, she thought that she was laughing at her horrible Taijutsu skills, but when she took a look at his eyes, she found only admiration and surprise, a total opposite of the usual reaction she gets from people.
The undeniable joy of not being judged is almost a foreign feeling for Hinata, but it isn't unwelcome. The only times she felt like this were back when her mother was alive, having a snack in the local bakery without an escort, and recently when she met the nice ANBU. The sudden thought of the shinobi made her revisit her previous suspicions about their sensei ever since their first meeting.
Taking another look at Naruto, she saw that his hair matched perfectly with the shinobi she met. 'Apparently, it seems that both Sakura and Sai had met Naruto-sensei before—recently, at that. Could it be that…'
However, before she could ponder more about her suspicions, a blur from her peripheral view caught her attention. As she looked closely, she was shocked to find Sai, of all people, charging headfirst towards Naruto. His tanto has been drawn and held from the side with the intent to strike down the Jonin.
Without wasting any time, Sai threw a kunai at Naruto, which was easily blocked but gave enough time for the ROOT agent to move to the side and lunge towards the blond's open right side. However, his swing didn't even reach Naruto before a set of golden chains burst from the ground and wrapped themselves around Sai's frame. The chains then proceeded to hold him down to the ground and keep him trapped once again.
"What was that, Sai? Attacking me with no plan set. How uncharacteristic of you. I never thought you would be type to get frustrated in a fight." Naruto said slyly at the struggling Genin.
"I'm not frustrated," Sai stated blankly.
Naruto arched an amused eyebrow. "Is that so? Then what's with that look on your face?" He asked, observing the irritated scowl on the pale boy's face. It seems that he himself is not aware of his exposing emotions. "Looks like Danzo didn't do a good job with wiping out your emotions. How sad…"
Sai's scowl grew as he attempted another attack by leaping towards Naruto with his tanto ready to thrust, only to have the chains still wrapped around his body to pull him back down to the ground. This time, the chakra chains enclosed Sai's entire body until his head was the only part untouched.
As Sai continued to struggle, Naruto bent down to his level and regarded him with an amused look. "That one… was called anger. It's an emotion where you feel aggression or severe irritation towards a person. If you're going to be on this team, you're going to experience a lot of it." He smiled and patted the pale boy's head, which only further increased Sai's frustration.
Then all of a sudden, Naruto shot out his arm and four more sets of chakra chains came flying from his back. The chains proceeded to snake through the air and wrap themselves around the charging girls, trapping them in the same manner Sai is and earning a couple of yelps.
"A commendable attempt to save your teammate, but otherwise stupid." Naruto critiqued, earning a wince from both girls. Releasing a sigh, the blond finally left his position and walked over to the Genin, whilst dragging a struggling Sai behind him. "So, you failed your task and now, you're trapped with no other options left. What do you think is going to happen?"
Both Hinata and Sakura lowered their heads in shame while Sai contemplated how he was going to explain this to Lord Danzo.
"Y- you're going to send us b- back to the academy?" A teary-eyed Hinata replied pitifully, almost making Naruto break character.
The blond Jonin shook his head in disappointment. "No, worse." The genin could only stare wide-eyed at the man, wondering what else could be worse than being sent back to school. "You passed and now, you're officially my students."
All three Genins, even Sai, dropped their jaws in a comical manner. "What?" came Sakura's intelligent warble.
"Yup, you already passed the test the moment you decided to work together. The rest was just a skill evaluation." Naruto replied, ignoring how the Genins' eyes were growing wider and wider. "Anyways, we'll meet back here tomorrow at this exact spot at 0900 hours. So, see ya!" With that, Naruto retracted his chakra chains and disappeared in a quick Shunshin.
"..."
"..."
"NARUTO-SENSEI!"
The Torture and Interrogation Force has been established ever since the creation of Konoha. The division specializes in extracting information from captured enemies or missing-nins. It was a controversial decision to implement this division, especially among naive civilians, but it remains one of the most important branches of the shinobi forces. But to provide consideration to the innocent civilians, they built their base of operations far from the populace and erected sound barriers to prevent any noise from leaving the facility.
Those who join this special division are known to have iron stomachs and immeasurable mental strength. They deal with the darker aspects of a shinobi that most Genins and civilians don't concern themselves with. They are masters of psychology, physiology, and toxicology without even studying them. Most of their skills are developed through experiences and physical examples of their expertise.
With a job like this, there's no question that most of the shinobi working in this division will eventually develop a numbness to such practices. People like Ibiki Morino, the head of the TI Division, are unfazed by the amount of immorality occurring in his facility due to personal experiences. Others like Inoichi Yamanaka are trained to handle such impurity while remaining their sense of empathy.
However, there are a select few who embraced their job with much vigor, to the point where they look forward to a potential captive or victim to practice their skills on. Many would regard them with shame or disgust for their attitude, but these people care not for their judgmental thoughts. One of such people is a dango-loving, purple-haired woman who's happily strolling down the halls of the TI facility with a smile on her face.
This is Anko Mitarashi, Special Jonin of the TI Division and more infamously known as the Snake Mistress. She was assigned to the division after a rather unwholesome demonstration of her skills in poison and trap making. As the once apprentice of the legendary Snake Sannin, she's obviously one of the most skilled members of the entire division.
However, having such a reputation has its disadvantages. After all, being the student of an infamous traitor doesn't exactly yield positive reactions. As a result, many fear her for her untapped potential and sadistic personality that resembles her past master. They thought that by preventing her from becoming Jonin, she'll eventually settle down and revert back to a calmer state.
That is until Ibiki approached the girl and offered her to become a member of the TI Division. What happened next could what only be called the birth of a master toxicologist and interrogator, just below the heads of the entire division and the Analysis Team.
As she walked through the halls with a bounce on her step, she passed by the cells with a few of them still occupied. Upon seeing the grinning woman, almost all of the paled as the cowered back to the corners of their cells. Each one of them had a personal experience with her and almost all of them refuses to meet her again.
Fortunately for them, they aren't Anko's target… for now.
The reason she's grinning right now is that she finally has a new toy to play with and as an extra bonus, it was delivered by her favorite person in the world! He also told her that he'll be attending her session, mainly to receive the information immediately, so she'll try to be patient and wait for him.
She then stopped by one cell in particular and pulled out the keys from her trench coat. "Hello, there! It's time for your appointment, Mizuki-kun!" Anko greeted cheerfully as she opened the cell doors.
The blue-haired Chunin only glared at the woman, his hands remained cuffed to the concrete floor as he sat in the empty cot. He was dressed in a blue jumpsuit that's standard for most prisoners in Konoha. "I don't listen to bitches like you." He snarled out, which only earned a giggle in response.
"Oh, how nice of you. Unfortunately, I'm not asking." Anko grinned wildly and before Mizuki could question it, she stretch out her arm and snakes began to shoot out of her sleeve like ropes.
The man did his best to escape, but there's not much he can do with his hands chained to the ground. Soon, the purple-haired shinobi began dragging her prisoner with her snakes, while Mizuki continued to scream and struggle but to no avail. She ended up dosing him with a knockout venom because the noise is starting to annoy her. The other shinobi in the TI Division paid no mind to the incredulous scene before them. After spending time with Anko for the past few years, they're practically used to her eccentricities and sometimes, assist her.
Whilst dragging the man, Anko entered another section of the facility—the interrogation halls; the place where all the magic happens. Most of the time, it remains empty but once a session is called, it can become the busiest part of the entire facility. Especially when Anko or Ibiki is on duty because when either of them is done with their… client, it would be messy.
This is why the division personally made separate chambers for both of them, which have their tools and equipment already prepared for them.
As she headed over to her personal chamber, she sensed a chakra signature coming but instead of preparing for an attack, Anko retracted her snakes, leaving the unconscious Mizuki on the floor, and jumped to the side with her arms wide open, just in time for a blond Jonin to appear in a wind Shunshin and catch the flying woman headed his way.
"NARU-KUN!" Anko cried out in joy as she practically tackled the man with a hug, wrapping her legs around his waist and pushing his head into her chest. Fortunately, he expected this and supported himself by shooting out his chains to stabilize himself.
Of course, Naruto could've just sidestepped out of the way and avoided the hug entirely. But this would only result in more… provocative situations so it's best to just accept it. Besides, he's not complaining when he gets a face full of Anko's bountiful assets. He might not be as perverted as his godfather, but he's still a young, virile man.
"Nice to see you too, Anko-chan." Naruto greeted after the purple-haired woman broke their hug. He then peeked at the unconscious man on the floor. "Were you thinking of starting without me?"
"Nah, I'm just taking him to my interrogation chamber. It's a good thing you're here early. I don't think I can wait that long." Anko replied, waving away his attempt to tease.
Naruto hummed. "So, what are your orders?"
"Information extraction and depending on the output, execution. If he's a spy for another village, we can still use him. But if he's a traitor out of his own will, which I doubt, then he'll be gone before the day ends." Anko replied, kicking the unconscious Mizuki in the face and somehow, he remained sedated.
The blond whistled in slight surprise. He didn't remember the last time the Hokage ordered an execution. Most of the criminals here are for petty crimes and only a few are here for major offenses. However, he could see why a potential traitor or spy needs to be eliminated. The chances of him escaping with valuable information or joining a different village are too much of a risk to take. An example of this is Aoi Rokusho, a missing-nin and a current holder of the Raijin no Ken.
"Why do you even need to be here? If the information I get warrants attention, you'll be receiving the news anyway!" Anko remarked, giving him a pointed stare as she placed both of her hands on her hips.
"It's nothing. I just saw something interesting and I think there's more to this case than usual." Naruto replied with a frown on her face.
Anko pouted. "And you're not going to tell me?" She simpered, which made her look crazier than normal. When Naruto didn't respond to her adorable—her opinion—gesture, she redoubled her efforts by choosing a different strategy. Her coy smile turned to something akin to a snake. "You do know that the only reason you get to be here is that I have a soft spot for you? What's stopping me from handing you over to the Hokage or worse… Ibiki?"
At that, Naruto visibly gulped. If there's one person in the shinobi force he's scared of, it's the head of the TI Division. That man experienced so many horrible things that not even the imagination could come up with. He could stare death in the eyes as he welcomes the challenge. As much as Naruto respects Ibiki, there's no way in hell he's pissing off that man.
"N- now, now… let's talk about this for a second." Naruto chuckled nervously.
She strutted towards him, slithering her hands across his chest and around his neck in a suggestive manner. The snake mistress pressed herself against the blond and placed her lips dangerously near his neck, her teeth bared like a snake. "I think I'm going to need a good incentive." She whispered seductively into his ear before nibbling lightly on his neck while grinding herself against him.
If Naruto was any other man, he would've expelled a comical amount of blood from his nose by now. But because he's used to Anko's antics by now, he only sighed in response. "I'll buy you five orders of dango tomorrow." He offered in a hopeful tone.
Like a light switch, Anko's lustful look disappeared and was replaced by childish glee as she bounced up and down in celebration. "Yay! Thanks, Naru-kun! Now let's get this show on the road!" She exclaimed, whooping loudly as she sent her snakes back around Mizuki to drag him to her chamber. As she walked away, the blond swore he saw her sway her hips and he will never admit to staring at her ass.
Naruto released an exasperated sigh. "What's that phrase Shikaku-sama says? Oh, yeah… troublesome woman."
Mizuki's suddenly snapped his head up and opened his eyes, only to find himself in complete darkness. His head was pounding against his skull, his heart following. He could feel a rough, cold cloth wrapped around his head, covering his eyes and preventing him from seeing his captors. His tongue licked the inside of his mouth only to find out it was drier than the sandpaper. He tried to speak, but his jaw refused to cooperate and all that left his numb mouth is a throaty noise.
He tried to remember what happened before coming to this state. His last memories told him that he had just left the academy after his job as an instructor and was carefully planning on stealing the Scroll of Seals, but a lingering voice in his head keeps on telling him that it was wrong.
All of a sudden, a rush of memories entered his vision. He remembers attempting to steal the scroll, only to be thwarted by Iruka and a squad of ANBU. Fortunately, he was able to escape by using the cursed seal that his master gifted him. However, he remembers approaching that weak little girl, Sakura. He planned on using her as a scapegoat and escaping as fast as possible. But before he could, everything turned dark and the last thing he remembers is waking up in a cell, where…
"Looks who's finally awake!" a familiar, jolly voice interrupted Mizuki's thoughts.
He felt a hand grab the cloth wrapped around his eyes and proceeded to rip it out of his head. If he wasn't in pain before, he is now. A mere touch felt like electricity running through his skin and veins. A throaty scream of pain erupted from his mouth, his jaw hanging loosely as he find it hard to breathe. His lungs burned, almost parched with the lack of clean oxygen.
Mizuki blinked his eyes, trying to return his vision when all he could see are lens flares and blurry images of a room. As a few seconds passed by, he could slowly see that there was nothing around him but white, porcelain tiles. A single light hangs over him like a noose.
He blinked again and this time, he found himself staring at himself—or at least, his reflection. The wall in front of him acts as a large mirror. But taking another glance at his appearance, he wished he could look away. His eyes are puffy, with veins visible around his eyeballs. Blue locks of hair are sprouted everywhere like a bird's nest. His frame looks so weak and frail in his blue jumpsuit, almost as if a soft breeze could make him fall.
"It hurts, doesn't it? The drug I gave you makes your nerves and pain receptors so sensitive that any physical contact will make you experience fire as hot as a furnace." Anko's voice in between his miserable thoughts.
Taking a look back at the mirror, he saw the figure of the woman standing in front of a wooden table. The contents on top of it remain a mystery, but from the shapes that appear as vials, bottles, and syringes, he could only think of the worst. The trench coat of Anko flapped across the air as she strolled right up in front of him.
Folding a file in her hands, she took a glance at it before regarding Mizuki with a serious gaze. "Let's see here. A week ago, you attempted to steal the Scroll of Seals and failed horribly. Though when Iruka Umino described the scene, he said that you took the form of a tiger-like creature before you ran away." Anko read from the file. She then tossed the file to the table and flashed a maniacal grin at the blue-haired man, successfully intimidating him. "But that's not important. What's important is why the fuck would you steal the Scroll of Seals? Even if you decided to flee the village as a missing-nin, no one's stupid enough to take such a valuable item right under the Hokage's nose."
Anko paced back and forth, speaking as she summoned a kunai from her pocket and began leisurely playing with it in her hand. She then stopped and threw the blade right at Mizuki, puncturing him right in the shoulder. With his senses amplified, an entire wave of pain rolled through him as he let out a shrill, guttural scream. A burning sensation spread throughout his entire body, setting his nerves on fire as the pain continued to stab him repeatedly.
Despite the pain, he could still hear his tormentor's voice. "You were ordered by someone, haven't you? Tell me and I'll give you peace." She said.
Even though Mizuki felt like he was being branded by a molten-hot pike, he refused to confess. His master is not someone he would like to cross and betraying him would only result in him a fate worse than death. The fear he felt for his master is far greater than the pain he's experiencing.
"F- fuck you… b- bitch!" Mizuki spat out, relieved that he could finally speak again. However, he felt dread when he saw the sadistic glint in the woman's eyes.
"Looks like I'll have to raise the stakes," Anko remarked with a growing smirk.
She moved towards her table and picked up a vial filled with a transparent and slightly viscous liquid. After shaking it for a bit and smelling it, she drank the entire thing with one small gulp. Anko then proceeded to walk back to the pained Mizuki, whose skin is gleaming with sweat and blood trickling down from his wound.
The man watch through a shaky vision as the purple-haired woman stood in front of him in a sedated manner. Before he realized it, a snake from Anko's sleeve struck and bit him directly in his wrist. With the drug still enhancing his sensitivity, a simple bite from the snake felt like two swords driving through his arms. But surprisingly, he was able to prevent a scream from leaving his lips, but that did nothing to ease the pain.
"What I gave you is called the Kori no Soto, one of the most powerful toxins I've ever created," Anko explained as she paced back and forth. "Unlike the Toketa Tatchi, you will experience something… cool. No matter how much pain you are in, this toxin will never allow you to pass out or die. "
All of a sudden, another scream broke out of him, echoing across the room as he quivered in his seat. The pain in his shoulder ramped up from stiffness all the way to searing, blinding agony faster than he could blink. The heat he was previously feeling has been washed away by an icy cold tundra, coursing through his arm like acid.
No words can describe the pain shooting through his body.
Cold, freezing ice traveled through his veins all the way to his neck. Knives were piercing every inch of his skin, his head was surely going to burst with pain; he was screaming more loudly than he'd ever screamed in his life. His bones felt like it was being crushed under a building. He could feel every single ripple of pain from the smallest of thorns to the widest of swords driving against his body.
A glance at the mirror will forever haunt his dreams—if he ever survives. His arm is just a mere shell of its former state. Cracks are starting to form on the skin of his arm, slowly breaking apart as if it was sand. He could see his veins popping out from his skin, lining across his arm to his neck. It was a living virus that was consuming him and slowly killing him from the inside as he watched the necrosis-like effect crawl up to his shoulder.
Tears fell to the concrete, and Mizuki's bloodshot eyes stared blankly at the light hanging above him. The world blurred before his eyes, colors swirled around and images continuously flashed across his vision. Every jostle sent ripples of pain through his shoulder, back, and neck; but he could no longer think about it. the toxins running through his veins is practically leaving him catatonic. Color left his skin and eyes, his jaw stretched open with drool running down his lips. His entire arm is left paralyzed, with half of its veins ripped apart by the toxin.
"Who is your employer?" Anko repeated, her face lacking her usual psychotic grin. "Tell me, and I'll end it."
Mizuki could barely speak or hear, but the thought of being relieved of the pain sounded heaven-like. "I- it's… O- Oro—" He choked out. "Oro— Orochimaru…"
That one name instantly changed the atmosphere. Anko's face remained blank, but her chakra simmered inside of her. "I see… Thank you for your cooperation." She muttered, her voice shaking slightly in unbridled rage. She then silently stood back up as she summoned a kunai from her trench coat and with one swift swing, buried it in Mizuki's temple.
His body jolted one last time before it dropped lifelessly onto his seat. Anko pulled out the kunai with a sickening squelch and stared at the lasting expression on the blue-haired man's face; one of agony and torture. Through it all, She remained stoic with the only sign of her true emotions being the flashing yellow irises in her eyes. Her hand unconsciously traced her neck where she felt the mark that redefined her life; memories flashed before her eyes which only further added oil to the burning fire that is her rage.
She saw a flash of his disgusting smirk plastered on Mizuki's face; his crazed laugh echoed across the room, taunting and mocking her. Sickening-yellow slitted eyes locked gazes with hers and at that moment, Anko snapped.
"Katon: Asshu Maiso no Jutsu!" She cried out, spitting out a swirling stream of flames towards the body and essentially incinerating him into ashes.
Without even giving the still burning corpse a second glance, she turned around and silently left the room. Upon stepping out into the open, Anko felt herself breathe a little easier. She didn't even notice how suffocating it was inside. She looked down at her hands and found them clenching so tightly that it turned white. Softly, she relaxed her hands as they returned back to their original color.
A hand suddenly placed itself on her shoulders. Following the arm, she ended up meeting Naruto's cerulean eyes. They didn't say anything, but she could see the question from his gaze. As much as she wanted to disregard what happened back inside, she couldn't escape the look of care from Naruto.
"I just need a minute to myself," she replied, her voice stilled laced with resentment. Thankfully, Naruto let her go but not without giving her shoulder a squeeze to let her know his concern. Unconsciously, a soft smile, one's that uncharacteristic of her, made its way to her face. "Alright, then. I'll see tomorrow," she said, her usual grin back on her face.
Naruto chuckled lightly. "I'll meet you at Kaito's." He called out, which only earned him a whoop of joy before she disappeared in a Shunshin. Once Anko was gone, his smile dropped almost immediately. He turned his gaze back at the corpse, whose body is still burning on the chair.
He had only met Orochimaru once in his life and that was when he was a kid. First impressions; he thought he was a psychotic man with an obsession for children. Even Naruto was surprised by how his younger self was able to deduce the man's personality in just one look. So it's safe to say that kid Naruto avoided the 'creepy snake man' as much as possible.
He had only learned about the man's true nature when he was a Chunin, where Kakashi told him about the vile and despicable actions Orochimaru did. When he joined ANBU, he personally saw pictures of the remains of his labs and the horror he felt when he saw children being hooked up inside incubators. The detailed experiments from his journals that he left nearly made him vomit. Never in his life has he ever witnessed a man as evil and corrupt as the Snake Sannin.
From then on, he vowed to himself to not make the same mistake the Hokage did and permanently end his existence if he ever meets him. However, he would not try to actively seek for the man but if thee comes a time when a mission to eliminate him will be put out by the Hokage, he would be one of the first to volunteer. This is what made him and Anko bond in the first place; their shared dislike for Orochimaru. However, unlike him, she had a personal reason to wish for his death. A tale that only fueled his disgust for the man. So they made a drunken pact that no matter who defeats him, Anko would deliver the killing blow.
Although, Naruto never thought he would encounter a chance to meet the Sannin so soon. When he first captured Mizuki, he spotted a faint mark on his neck. At first, he thought it was a random tattoo but upon further inspection, he recognized it to be a seal; the same one on Anko's neck. He didn't report his findings because he wanted to make sure it was legitimate. Now that he knows it's real, it could only mean that Orochimaru is finally coming out of hiding. As much as he wants to confront the man as soon as possible, he knows that the Sannin won't just reveal himself so recklessly. It means that he's planning something and Konoha is his target.
"What are you up to, Orochimaru?" Naruto muttered to himself as he watched the last of the corpse's remains turn to ashes.
Quick note: I'm not sure whether Mizuki wanted the scroll for Orochimaru or he just wanted the Scroll for his own self-interest. I just made it that he was ordered by Orochimaru because I think it would make a lot more sense as to why he would even attempt to try and steal it.
