IX: Inferno

"Shisui!" Itachi yelled, slamming his fist on the front door of his best friend's home. He had his ANBU armor on and his sword strapped to his back.

The door opened, Shisui rubbing sleep from his eyes as he appeared. "What are you yelling about at this time of night?"

"It's Tekka and Inabi," Itachi replied. "They've kidnapped Naruto Uzamaki," he added at a whisper. "The Hokage believes they are trying to unseal the Nine-Tailed Fox."

Shisui went wide eyed, all tiredness disappearing from his visage. "That's quite the thing to be yelling about. Give me five seconds to get ready."

Itachi nodded his consent before Shisui closed the door, the hurried rustling of clothes and clattering of gathered weapons audible from beyond it. In short order Shisui opened the door, now dressed for battle rather than bed.

"Do you have any leads?" Shisui asked as they walked out to the street.

"Not at the moment," Itachi replied. "The Hokage is putting together a team of jonin to track them, but I'm hoping that we can catch up to them quickly."

Shisui's eyes narrowed, giving Itachi a questioning glance. "Why don't we wait until the tracking team is ready? Neither of us really has those kind of skills."

"I know," Itachi acknowledged. "But I feel responsible for this and...I'm acting right now as the leader of clan, to show the village that not all Uchiha are alike."

"I see," Shisui replied before suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"What is it?" Itachi asked, halting as well.

Shisui answered by pointing in front of them.

Itachi turned towards that direction. "Father?"

"Mikoto sent me a message," Fugaku said, walking up to Shisui and Itachi. "I came here as soon as I could, I'm glad I caught up to you," he continued, leaning in speaking in low tones. "What's the situation? Mikoto told me that Sasuke had witnessed the Nine-Tails jinchuriki being kidnapped by someone with Sharingan."

"Just so," Itachi replied, whispering. "We believe that they were Tekka and Inabi and that they plan to unseal the Fox and use their Sharingan to control it. We're going after them, but the Hokage is putting together a team of jonin to track them down as we speak."

"Understood," Fugaku responded. "Do we have a lead?"

"Not as of this momemt," Shisui answered. "We were just about to figure out a course of action."

"I see," the former Clan Head commented. "I think I might have an idea then."

"What is it?" Itachi asked.

Fugaku signaled for the two younger Uchiha to follow him before leaping to the rooftops, running from building to building.

"There is an old shrine outside of the village," the Police Chief said as Itachi and Shisui followed. "It served as a meeting place of our clan prior to the founding of the Hidden Leaf. It was largely forgotten after we moved to the village, but knowledge of the location has been passed from Clan Head to Clan Head over the generations. I used it as a meeting point several times while I was still planning the coup."

"So Tekka and Inabi learned of it's existence by meeting with you there," Shisui surmised.

"To my shame, yes," Fugaku answered. "But I'm certain that is where they would go. It is out of the way, unknown to outsiders, and important to the history of the Uchiha. In their eyes I doubt there is a better place in all the world to enact their plot."

"Then we shall get there as soon as physically possible," Itachi said. "Lead the way, Father."


"This is it," Fugaku said, coming to a stop.

The trio of Uchiha stood at the entrance gate to a shrine, one that had not seen regular use in many decades, judging by the amount of dirt, dust, and debris that laid scattered around the grounds. There was no way to tell just from looking that this was a site associated with the Uchiha Clan. No crest, Sharingan symbols, or other emblems served as a marker. Anyone would have skipped over this spot and dismissed it as another long abandoned holy site if they didn't know about it before hand.

"They're inside?" Itachi asked.

Fugaku nodded. "I suspect so. There's a hidden passage way leading to an underground chamber, similar to the one we use for our current meeting location."

"Are we ready to head in?" Shisui asked.

Itachi opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted when he felt a presence behind him. He turned to see a small dog, sitting on its haunches, wearing a blue vest and Hidden Leaf forehead protector.

Shisui, following Itachi's gaze, turned to the animal. "A dog wearing clothes? Strange, but regardless this is no place for a dog. Shoo, little one, shoo."

"Well that was rude," the dog said.

"It talked?" Shisui questioned.

"Yes, this is Pakkun," Itachi replied, kneeling in front of the ninja hound. "A summoning animal contracted to one of my mentors in the ANBU, Kakashi Hatake. Can I assume that the Captain has been assigned to the tracking squad, Pakkun?"

"Since you ask the question I can guess that you're aware of the situation and are also tracking the kidnappers," the ninja hound replied. "The answer is yes, along with Might Guy and Tenzo. Do you believe the suspects seek refuge in this shrine?"

"Yes," Fugaku answered. "This is a long abandoned Uchiha Clan site, we believe they are hiding in a secret underground chamber beneath the shrine."

Pakkun took a few sniffs at the air. "There have definitely been people here recently. That might lend credence to your theory."

"Time is of the essence," Itachi commented. "You go and report to Captain Kakashi, Pakkun. We'll forge ahead. Hopefully we'll resolve this quickly, but reinforcements should come just in case."

Pakkun nodded to show his understanding before running into the neighboring forest.

"It's good that we were able to link up with the Hokage's squad," Shisui commented. "We ready to go?"

"Yeah," Itachi replied, drawing his sword. Shisui drew his own short sword and Fugaku pulled out a kunai. The three began closing the distance to the entrance of the shrine, moving from cover to cover, checking their surroundings as they went.

Shisui was the first to reach the entrance. "Looks like the secret passage has been opened," he commented as his clansmen joined him.

"Then let's move," Fugaku replied, slipping into the building.

Itachi followed his father in, with Shisui close behind. The secret entrance was indeed open, the floorboard that had been covering it pushed to the side. The trio fanned out and approached the opening from different directions.

"I hear voices," Shisui said as they neared. "I can't make out what they're saying yet."

Itachi heard them too as they stood over the entrance. He could start making out words as they descended the stairs.

"Where is he?" a voice that sounded like Inabi asked.

"I don't know," another sounding like Tekka replied. "We should start the ritual anyway."

"Are you sure?" Inabi asked, fear evident in his voice. "If he was telling the truth and he's actually Madara, it might be that he's the only one who can control the fox."

"My eyes are stronger than they were before, I think I can do it," Tekka responded. "When this is over, remind me to visit Yashiro's grave and thank him for helping me gain this power."

"Madara?" Itachi whispered. He glanced at Fugaku and Shisui, but they both looked as confused as Itachi felt. The three of them nodded and activated their Sharingan. Itachi signaled for Shisui to move in first.

Shisui focused his chakra for his signature technique. While the body flicker was a common tool for many skilled shinobi to gain a burst of speed, Shisui was exceptional in his use of it. In a flash of movement that not even a fully developed Sharingan could track, Shisui disappeared from sight. Itachi and Fugaku ran down the stairs and turned the corner to see Shisui standing behind Inabi, holding his short sword to his clansman's throat. Tekka knelt on the floor next to the prone body of Naruto, whose shirt was ripped open with the Nine-Tailed Fox's seal visible on his stomach. They were in the middle of a summoning circle, Tekka's Sharingan glancing back and forth between Itachi, Fugaku, and Shisui.

Tekka reached his hand out and held it over Naruto's seal. "Let's keep calm, everyone. We don't want the beast going berserk."

"Don't do it," Shisui warned, pressing his blade closer to Inabi's throat.

"I never thought that you would betray our clan, Shisui," Tekka commented. "You always seemed so loyal."

"I am loyal," Shisui replied. "To my clan and my village both. It's your mistake for thinking those to be two separate things."

"Who's this Madara?" Itachi asked, taking a step forward.

Tekka glanced over at the young Clan Head. "You overheard that, huh? I don't know, he wears a cloak and a mask that covers his entire face save for his right eye. He has a Sharingan and he's much stronger than any of us here, but beyond that I'm not sure he is who he claims to be."

"Where is he?" Fugaku asked.

"He just appeared before us after Yashiro's execution," Inabi answered. "He told us about the Nine-Tails and how to control it before he left. We haven't seen him since."

"So you really are that desperate," Fugaku commented.

"You once wanted to repay the village for how it treats us too, Lord Fugaku," Tekka said. "We're only resorting to this because you've abandoned us."

Itachi was distracted when he heard footsteps coming from above.

"Who is coming?" Tekka asked, apparently having heard the same. "What have you done?"

There was a sudden flash of green as a figure stood between the two groups of Uchiha. "Have no fear, the Hidden Leaf's majestic Green Beast is here to save the day!"

"Guy," Kakashi said, walking up from behind Itachi and Fugaku. "This isn't a time for showboating."

"So you got my message, Captain," Itachi commented.

"Yes," Kakashi replied. "Let's get this over with."

"The depths of your betrayal really knows no bounds, does it, Itachi?!" Inabi yelled, visibly struggling to restrain himself with Shisui's blade against his neck.

Kakashi ignored the yelling, only pushing his headband up from his Sharingan eye and turning to his other teammate. "What do you think, Tenzo?"

"I don't think we're at risk of the beast breaking free at this particular moment," the other ANBU member answered. "The seal should hold, but if they try to break it open some chakra might leak out and I would have to suppress it before it gets out of hand."

"Understood," Kakashi replied. "Are you ready to come quietly?" he asked the two kidnappers.

Tekka scowled at the question. "Stop looking down on us, thief." With a twist of his hand he activated the circle and its lines began to glow. Naruto woke up and began screaming as his seal started to unravel. A red, inhuman chakra began bubbling up, creating waves of heat that buffeted everyone present.

"Yes!" Tekka yelled, stepping back and activating his Mangekyo Sharingan. "Grant me your power, Fox, and serve your rightful masters, the Uchiha, once more!"

The chakra coalesced and formed into a giant fox head, a great booming laugh emanating from it. "You think you have the power to control me?" it asked in a deep voice. "You think yourself equal to your ancestors, but you are just a shadow of a shadow. Now sit still and let me kill you!" The fox head roared, unleashing a wave of chakra that threw everyone back away from Naruto and slammed them into the walls.

"Tenzo!" Kakashi yelled.

"On it," the ANBU member responded, forming a handsign.

"My power brings down mountains and creates hurricanes," the Fox said. "You cannot stop me." It roared again, sending out another wave of chakra more powerful than the previous.

Itachi lost sense of where he was for a moment and by the time he regathered himself once more he was flying through the air, pieces of debris from the destroyed shrine falling around him. "Father, Shisui, Kakashi!" he yelled. Flipping in the air, he was able to reorient himself and land on his feet. Looking around, he saw that Guy, Fugaku, Kakashi, and Tenzo had landed near him, while Shisui and Inabi were together and Tekka was isolated from everyone else.

Before Itachi had a chance to take further stock of the situation another wave of chakra rolled through, forcing everyone to brace against it. The Fox's head was thrashing about, destroying the remnants of the chamber it had been in and flattening the area. Naruto was still visible beneath the layers of bubbling chakra, writhing in pain.

"Captain, we have to help him!" Itachi yelled.

"Yeah," Kakashi replied. "Tenzo, can you suppress it?"

"Not at this range," the ANBU member replied. "I would need someone to help me get close."

Kakashi turned to Guy. "That sounds like a job for you."

"Leave it to me!" the taijutsu master yelled. "Climb on!" he added, kneeling down in front of Tenzo.

"Oh, I'm not looking forward to this," Tenzo commented as he climbed onto Guy's back.

Guy began laughing. "Watch closely! Third Gate, Gate of Life, Open!" he yelled, his skin turning red and hair standing on end. Guy took off at speeds as great or greater than Shisui's body flicker, moving towards Naruto.

The fox head roared once more, launching a concentrated blast of chakra at the oncoming jonin. Guy sidestepped the attack and leapt into a front flip. Grabbing Tenzo by the wrists, he tossed the ANBU at the Fox, sending him ploughing through the field of chakra. Reaching out with his hand, Tenzo managed to touch his palm to Naruto's seal as he flew past. A thread of green energy kept them connected as Tenzo landed on the far side.

"Wood Style: Tailed Beast Suppression!" Tenzo yelled. A ring of wooden statues sprung from the ground around Naruto and the Tailed Beast's chakra began to recede.

"Can you force it back in?" Kakashi asked.

"No," Tenzo answered. "I can suppress it and keep more chakra from leaking out, but that's the extent of it. Someone else will need to repair the seal and close it."

"Guy, protect Tenzo!" Kakashi ordered. "He can't fight while he's using that jutsu!"

"Got it!" Guy responded, leaping over Naruto and landing next to Tenzo.

"Shisui!" Itachi yelled. "Go with him!"

Shisui nodded and followed after Guy. As he ran past Inabi the kidnapper yelled "Damn you!" and attempted to grab Shisui, who ducked under and kept moving. Soon the pair of Guy and Shisui were standing guard on either side of Tenzo.

Tekka pulled out a kunai. "Inabi, we need to kill the Jinchuriki. If we can't have the Nine-Tails the village can't either!" He threw the kunai at Naruto, who was no longer protected by the Fox's chakra.

In a flash Itachi moved in and swung his sword at the flying weapon, knocking it out of the air. "I'm sorry, but I promised my little brother that I would bring Naruto back alive."

Inabi started screaming. "Argh! I knew I should have put the kid down at that food stall! He's already being infected by your traitorous ways, isn't he?" He began going through the signs for the fireball jutsu. "Don't worry, Tekka, I'll-" He was never able to finish his sentence. The Uchiha looked down, seeing a fistful of lightning piercing his heart.

"Sorry, I can't let you do that," Kakashi said, pulling his hand out of Inabi's chest and disengaging his lightning blade. The Uchiha's dead body slumped to the ground. The copy ninja turned around and walked over to Naruto. "Itachi," he called out. "The Fourth Hokage taught me some of his techniques, I might be able to repair the seal. Give me some cover."

"Understood," Itachi replied. "Father," he called out to the former Clan Head. "Back me up, I'm going after Tekka."

Fugaku nodded and took up a position between Itachi and Naruto.

The young head of the Uchiha moved forward against his traitorius kinsman, swinging his sword. Tekka ducked under the blade and back flipped away.

"Give up, Tekka" Itachi said, pointing his weapon at his enemy. "You know I'm stronger than you."

"Not anymore," Tekka replied, drawing another kunai. He charged at Itachi, the two going back and forth, trading blows. Slowly but surely, Itachi's superior skills won out, connecting with Tekka's shoulders and sides and slashing them open. The wounds quickly accumulated and Tekka made a mad swing at Itachi, forcing him to back away.

"Don't make me ask again," Itachi warned.

"No, it isn't over," Tekka said as he collapsed to his knees. "It isn't over!" He looked up, his Mangekyo Sharingan active. "Amaterasu!" A jet of black flame came flying at Itachi.

"Water Style: Water Wall!" Itachi yelled, performing the signs for the technique and creating a liquid barrier in front of him. He was surprised when the flames burned through the water like it was kindling, forcing him to dodge as the fire flew past and landed in a nearby tree. "What was that?!" Itachi yelled.

"The black flames of Amaterasu, one of the special techniques of the Mangekyo Sharingan," Fugaku answered. "Fires so intense they cannot be doused, they will burn until there is nothing left to burn. We'll have to do this together!"

Itachi nodded and father-son duo began moving in on Tekka from either side. The traitorous Uchiha began firing at both of them, forcing them to dodge and leaving patches of black flame scattered about the area. Tears of blood began streaming down Tekka's cheeks as his attacks became more and more erratic.

The fire became less intense, plentiful, and well aimed as Tekka ran through his chakra reserves. Watching through his Sharingan, Itachi reacted well and dodged the flurry of attacks. At last he saw an opening, a down moment in Tekka's fiery assault. Itachi moved in, swinging for Tekka's neck with his sword. Tekka ducked under the strike but was unable to move as Fugaku came up from behind and put a kunai through his liver.

"Argh!" Tekka screamed as he collapsed to the ground. "This isn't...over," he said as he tried to push himself up.

"Yes, it is," Itachi replied as he walked over, sword raised in the air to strike.

Tekka glanced at Itachi, then Fugaku, then back again. "You two might be able to dodge me, but they can't. Amaterasu!"

In a flash of horrific realization, Itachi looked over at Kakashi and Naruto to see the black flames streaming towards them. He tried to run toward them, but fell over with a stabbing pain in his ankle. He looked back to see Tekka pulling his kunai from the Clan Head's foot. The traitor was laughing, one eye closed shut with pain and his Sharingan absent from the other.

The laughing stopped, and Itachi's horror deepened, as Fugaku took off running after the flame. Putting himself between it and Naruto and Kakashi, he let himself be hit by the black fire. "Argh," he grunted, as he fell to his knees. "Itachi..." he managed to get out as the fire began consuming him. "Protect the clan...and...everyone." He fell to the ground as the flames of Amaterasu overtook him.

Itachi felt something within him change. A pain flashed behind his eyes and he could feel his head pounding.

"Damn it," he heard Tekka say behind him. The traitor gasped as Itachi turned to look at him.

Something like instinct made Itachi act in that moment. "Tsukuyomi," he said, looking Tekka in the eye.