Chapter 16: The Serpent's Head

In a cavern, six holograms appeared as a meeting occurred. The six holograms were none other than the Akatsuki, the terrorist organization responsible for the kidnapping of the jinchuriki's of the tailed beasts across the Five Great Nations. They were originally ten, but with Itachi deserting along with the deaths of Kisame, Deidara, and Sasori, they were now only six. "What news do you bring regarding the status of our targets?" the leader asked. "It seems as if the jinchuriki of the Nine Tails has made a return along with a member of our organization," one of them stated. "However it seems that two of our members had been killed a few days ago and from what the sand village is claiming, the ones responsible for the deaths are the Nine Tails jinchuriki and the former member of our organization?" another said.

"Former member? What the hell are you talking about, you plant-faced freak?!" one of them asked. "Silence Hidan. Zetsu, explain yourself," the leader asked calmly. "From what news that had been spreading around, it seems that our former member, Itachi Uchiha, has been pardoned by Konoha as the truth of the Uchiha Massacre has been brought out into the spotlight. The true culprit who orchestrated the massacre, Danzo Shimura, has been executed by the village for his crimes," Zetsu explained, as the partner to his right looked surprised, but secretly thought otherwise. "So, it seems that Itachi Uchiha has betrayed us and turned back to the very place he turned on? Figures, once a traitor, always a traitor," one of them stated. "Let me at him, I'll kill that conniving Uchiha bastard and the brat holding the Nine Tails! They'll make good sacrifices for Jashin!" Hidan stated. "Silence! We will strike when the time is right. For now, we must wait and see what they will do and also continue the search for the other missing jinchuriki," the leader stated before ending the meeting. As everybody left, only two people remained in the cavern. "Zetsu, tell me more about what is happening at the leaf village," the member requested. "Certainly Tobi. It seems that Sasuke has learned the truth about the Uchiha Massacre and as such the Nine Tails jinchuriki has made a return along with news of his heritage being announced to the world," Zetsu explained. "Damn you Itachi, it looks like the plan has been altered. For now, Zetsu keep watch of the jinchuriki. I want to know everything about him, before the plan commences," Tobi stated, as Zetsu nodded before leaving. 'Soon you will be mine Naruto and when I'm done with you, no one will stop what is to come,' Tobi thought.

With Naruto and the Others

Naruto and his friends were going to a restaurant in the village, as they were invited by the Rookie Twelve to eat with them. "Can't believe we're finally going to meet your former classmates, I want to know what they're like," Hermione stated, as both Harry and Ron agreed. "You'll see when you get there, though I have a feeling that there are some of them I don't really know well enough," Naruto stated. Soon they arrived at the restaurant and it was a barbeque restaurant. As they entered the restaurant, Naruto looked around for the table when he saw someone familiar. It was Shikamaru, as he looked the same with that ponytail of his, with the exception of him wearing the standard Konoha uniform along with the green flak jacket.

"Well I'll be damned, if it isn't Naruto Uzumaki himself," Shikamaru stated jokingly. "Hello Shikamaru, it's been a while hasn't it? I see you're finally a jonin, must be troublesome, huh?" Naruto retorted, as Shikamaru shrugged. The two shook hands, before Shikamaru noticed Naruto's friends. "So these must be your friends, right?" he asked. Naruto nodded and introduced them, as they greeted Shikamaru. "Anyways, come with me. The others have been wanting to see you for a while," Shikamaru stated, as Naruto and his friends followed him. They arrived at their table, as they saw the others waiting for them. "If it isn't the man of the hour, Naruto Uzumaki!" one of them said, as Naruto recognized him. It was Kiba Inuzuka and he appears the same with the exception of him not wearing his parka along with his dog being much bigger. The blond nodded and soon took a seat, as his friends took a seat next to him.

The others were surprised by how Naruto was rather calm seeing them, as they expected him to be ecstatic or excited seeing them again after being gone for almost seven years, but Sasuke wasn't surprised by it given that he knew about what happened. "So how have you been?" Sakura asked, as the others wanted to know. "I'm fine, made some new friends, did a little bit of this and that, etc," Naruto stated calmly. Now this wasn't expected from their former classmate, as it seemed that he really wasn't interested in sharing as much. "Well, who are your friends sitting next to you?" Shino asked. Naruto introduces the three, as they politely greet them. Soon the food arrived, as everybody began to eat. While they ate, Sakura noticed that Naruto was more comfortable talking with his friends instead of them, as indicated by his behavior. Now of course Naruto did share some of the things he did in the other world, only he did leave out the more important details as he has no interest in sharing what he and his friends are doing regarding the war along with his family bloodline, etc.

"So did you continue training despite being off-world?" Sasuke asked, as the others wanted to know. However, what really was surprising to the others was how open Naruto was with him, as the blond smirked. "I'm glad you asked that question. Of course I did, just because I was off-world doesn't mean that I'm slacking on my training," Naruto stated. "Agreed, you should see him when it comes to training, he is a beast," Harry stated. "That's not all though, Naruto along with Hermione are the smartest in our group," Ron added. This was shocking to hear, as from what they know about the blond, he wasn't really the brightest when it came to academics here. Naruto sensed their doubt, so he decided to step in, "I picked up a few things here and there in that world. Originally at the ninja academy, I wasn't interested in academics, but when I was sent to the new world and got to know more about that place, I was really invested in learning much more. Plus reading is one of my hobbies aside from training or playing the guitar," Naruto stated.

"Wait a minute, Naruto, you read books?!" Sakura asked, looking shocked. "Yes, I do read. Is there any problem with that?" Naruto asked, as the others couldn't believe it. "Who are you and what have you done to the real Naruto?!" Sakura pointed at him. Naruto sighed, "Still the same Naruto, I thought I needed a little change in life," he stated. The others were too shocked to speak, as Naruto really had changed. "Are they really like this all the time?" Harry whispered to Naruto. "I don't even know, but I won't bother about it," the blond whispered back. "Right…anyways Naruto, do you have a girlfriend? I mean Sakura and Hinata here are single and ready to mingle," Ino stated slyly, as the others groaned in annoyance, whereas Hinata blushed. "Sorry to disappoint, but I'm not interested. Besides I already have a girlfriend," Naruto stated. Everybody except Sasuke was shocked by what the blond said. "YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?!" both Ino and Kiba asked, slamming their hands on the table. Naruto rolled his eyes, "Yes I have a girlfriend and before you ask, it's Hermione. We were best friends during my first year and began to date around my fourth year," he stated, pointing at the brunette, as she blushed but nodded. "Congratulations on your new relationship," Shino said calmly, as he subtly noticed that Hinata was both shocked and heartbroken due to this revelation. Of course the rest of the night was spent with the Rookie Twelve asking both Naruto and Hermione questions about their relationship, as it seemed that the two were getting overwhelmed by these kinds of questions, while Harry and Ron just watched in amusement.

Timeskip

Naruto was right now packing his gear, as he's finally going to hunt down Orochimaru. He isn't going alone however, as Itachi, Sasuke, and Yamato are coming with him. With the information given to him by Sasori, Naruto knew that they would have to infiltrate during the night. He puts on his white variant of his stealth suit and mask, as he straps his blades on his back. "You guys ready to go?" Naruto asked, as they nodded. "Alright then, hold on tight," the blond stated, as he apparated them all to the hideout. "What the hell was that?!" Sasuke asked, as Yamato agreed, wanting to know as well. "Apparition, it's like the body flicker jutsu except it can go farther distances," Naruto explained.

After a brief explanation of the plan, the four split up as they searched the labyrinth that was Orochimaru's hideout. While Naruto explored the area, he was a little unnerved by the area as it reminded him of the chamber of secrets. One of the rooms he comes across was a laboratory, filled with corpses and lab equipment. Now another room was a scroll room that contained books, scrolls, lab notes, anything based on his sick and twisted experiments. But soon he comes across another room of interest, as he senses two presences. 'Definitely Orochimaru and Kabuto,' Naruto thought, as he hid in the shadows. Kabuto soon leaves the room, as he went to get more of the medicine for Orochimaru. However it seems that he won't be able to do so, as Kabuto's head was soon cut off without him ever noticing. "Nighty night, four eyes," Naruto retorted, making sure to burn the body using Incendio, as he has a feeling that Kabuto would likely have a trick up his sleeve given that he is Orochimaru's assistant so naturally he would have had experimented on himself as well.

Now for Orochimaru, he was getting rather impatient as he kept wondering what is taking Kabuto so long. Ever since Orochimaru lost the ability to use chakra due to his former sensei taking it through the use of the reaper death seal, he had been searching far and wide for a cure. He couldn't even find Tsunade, as he knew of her healing prowess, but what he didn't know was that she along with her apprentice and other teammate was transported to the new world. Of course, he wanted to take Sasuke's body for himself, but it seemed that he couldn't due to how secure the village had become ever since the death of the Third Hokage. The snake himself had been transferring his soul to a couple of bodies he had killed, stolen, and experimented on. But he knew it wasn't enough for his quest to find immortality.

However, it seems that the snake's quest for immortality will soon come to an end, but not in a good way, as a beam of lightning cuts through the door aiming at his head. Of course Orochimaru covered his face, as he wondered what or rather who did this. The door is sliced open, as the culprit was none other than Naruto as he held his chakra infused chokuto in his left arm, while holding his wand on his right arm. "Who…are you?!" Orochimaru asked the masked man, not knowing it was Naruto. "Someone here to correct a mistake," Naruto said coldly, as he slowly walked to dying Orochimaru. "Ah, look at what has become of you, wretched snake. A sick and dying man, lying on his bed awaiting for medicine, as his own men and ambitions fall to the ground," Naruto stated.

"What do you mean?! What are you talking about?!" Orochimaru asked or rather demanded towards the masked man. "All those people you marked are gone. No more will they be influenced by scum like you. As a good measure, I took away your precious assistant or rather personal butt buddy, from a certain point of view. I have him right here, he will make a perfect trophy," Naruto sadistically stated, as he held Kabuto's head, which looked rather lifeless. Orochimaru was really pissed, "You...You! WHO ARE YOU?!" he asked, as Naruto coldly laughed.

"Why should I even tell you, I thought you were the most intelligent man in the world. Yet the way I see it, you're nothing but a parasitic worm who is afraid of the reaper. You think you can escape death and reach for immortality, well let me tell you death is as cunning as it is cruel. There was a tale of three brothers who had cheated death, but death waits for no man. He offers the three gifts as a way to congratulate them, however in the end death comes for them. The second brother was like you, an arrogant man trying to humiliate death, but even then he couldn't escape death. I've come to kill you, but perhaps it's worse to leave you here, festering in your squalor," Naruto stated, as he increased the power of the lightning spell. Orochimaru was struggling to deflect the lightning, as he kept thinking about who this person was.

"I know about your plan, trying to take the body of Sasuke Uchiha. He told me everything and I was more than willing to take away the body you so desire, so I tampered with your plan. I sealed his mark, he will never be influenced by you again," Naruto calmly explained, as he turned into sage mode. Orochimaru was shocked, it seemed that his plan to get the last Uchiha's body was foiled, but before he could react, the masked man jumped in the bed. Naruto was ready to stab Orochimaru, when the snake opened his mouth as something came out. He turns into a husk, as the masked Naruto turns around to see a giant white snake. "Heh, so this is your true form, huh? Please, I have killed one giant snake before, if anything this is just cakework," Naruto insulted.

"Arrogant brat! I will make you pay for your insolence!" snake Orochimaru hissed, as he lunged at Naruto who dodged it. Several snakes came out of his scales and went for the masked blond, as Naruto sliced them. But Naruto knew he had to end this quickly, so he turned into Kurama mode and took out his gunblade. Snake Orochimaru was furious and went after the golden man, but Naruto was fast enough to avoid him. It was an intense battle unlike the time when Naruto and Harry fought the basilisk at the chamber of secrets. Soon there was only one victor and it was Naruto as he had sliced the snake up to pieces, before drilling its head with a tailed beast Rasengan. Naruto could only look at the carcass with disgust, as he burned it for good measure. "Good riddance," he stated, sealing up Orochimaru's head as proof. Soon the others came back and saw Naruto getting out of the room. "Did you kill him?" Sasuke asked, as Naruto nodded. "We recovered some of the other important stuff here, so we should be good to go," Yamato stated and soon they all got out of the hideout.