Author's Notes: Welcome to my first work in this website! This idea has been sitting on my skull rent-free for quite some time now, and surprise surprise? I've finally found the motivation to write and publish this!
Please do enjoy the read and leave a comment to let me know what you think. If you do not want to, simply saying "I like it" or "I don't like it" would suffice.
And one more thing. This story may remove bits and pieces from the actual series and replace them with events or information created by myself, so don't expect it to be a replica of canon. I'll also attempt to adhere to canon, although there will undoubtedly be alterations that might or might not have a significant impact on the path of this story.
Disclaimer: I am aware of it. You're aware of it. We're all aware of it. Naruto is not my property.
Left Behind - Chapter I: Afthermath
-Hi no Kuni: Konohagakure no Sato-
The sun shone high up in the sky, various clouds of multiple shapes were drifting around, birds were chirping, the animals were feeling lively, and the village folks were generally happy.
Unfortunately, this was not the case for three individuals. One who has bright pink hair, another has bright blonde hair, and the last has silver hair.
Why is this so? You may ask.
It all comes down to this young ebony-haired boy, specifically from the Uchiha clan, who for one, is a dearest romantic interest, another a brother, and, finally, a great pupil...
Sasuke was too obsessed on vengeance. On reclaiming his clan's honor. On eliminating the individual accountable for the deaths of all of his cherished and valued family members...
Just a smidgeon of power. There was an offer for more, and that marked the end of it. He had already fallen into the clutches of one of the most dangerous and notorious nuke-nin. One of the three Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru...
-Konoha: General Hospital-
Naruto was at a loss for words.
All he knew was that a part of himself had been gone since the day his best friend, whom he considered as a brother, left for the promises of power.
Since that day Sasuke nearly murdered him with a Lightning Blade through the chest. All for power.
"Yeah. For power..." He murmured the sorrowful whiskered youngster Imagining what might have been...
Sasuke, whom he treated as a brother would treat another brother, abandoned him. Sasuke, the friend who had a life unremarkably identical to him, abandoned him.
It wasn't merely a case of sharing a nearly identical past. It wasn't only that they had a rivalry. No...
It was more than that.
There was something there that no one could see. Not known by anyone. It was something unfathomable. Indescribable. It was something that just existed.
For what purpose? He did not know.
Naruto didn't know it, and no one else in the world he was in did either, yet he always felt that there was something linking the two of them.
So, Naruto wondered. He was dying to find out why. Why had his comrade decided to abandon him and his colleagues for a mere chance of power? Couldn't he, Sakura, and their sensei, Kakashi just assist him in trying to take down the crazed murderer his brother, Itachi was?
He couldn't understand it. It was just too sensitive a topic right now...
In that regard, he should probably avoid stress for the foreseeable future. The hole was just so close to his heart that it damn near killed him by shredding a substantial chunk of his lungs and a tiny portion of his heart off. It wouldn't be healthy if his heart started beating faster.
The tremendous energy of the tailed beast locked within his body was the only thing that saved him by rapidly healing both pierce wounds.
Flashback - Start
-Hi no Kuni: Valley of the End-
"Why Sasuke! Why did you go with that bastard Orochimaru?!" Naruto shouted atop the statue of Senju Hashirama, his voice filled with feelings of sadness, betrayal, anger, and other emotions he currently couldn't discern…
The other boy, on the other statue. The statue of the legendary Uchiha Madara. Sasuke only looked on with eyes as cold as the nights of the Land of Iron. A crazed glint entering both orbs before smiling like a maniac.
Both pairs of eyes locked on one another, the dominant hand of the two boys preparing a Technique for a last battle of wills. One constructing an orb loaded with chakra threads swirling fiercely to make a sphere of power and destruction. The other, a sharp and blinding radiance of chakra interwoven with the harsh aspect of Lightning, engulfed his hand.
The tensions between the two lads were escalating to new heights, and unexpectedly, as if a signal had been given, each charged and sprang in the direction of the other. Life and convictions placed on the line in one last clash of wills.
While in the air. Uchiha and Uzumaki understood each other. Long lost souls wondering the world trying to find one another.
Their Techniques collided and the world was no more for the boys. The two closing their eyes from severe wounds and severe chakra exhaustion.
Flashback - End
-Konoha: General Hospital-
And now Naruto finds himself in a hospital bed, resting down, both physically and emotionally drained...
He needed to get his thoughts off of this subject. He needed a distraction, and as if Kami herself had heard his pleas, one arrived. One in the form of an individual he has only recently met.
Jiraiya.
His tall and muscular man of a mentor sat beside the bed he was presently lying in and remained silent, gazing out the glass windows, presumably allowing him to collect his thoughts for a little while, seeing as his face indicated a great deal of distress before his Godfather appeared.
After a moment or two, the waiting man finally spoke and it was with purpose. What purpose? He had no idea, but it had to be something significant, or else the man wouldn't have been as serious as he was.
"Naruto... We'll have to leave the village soon. I'll teach you all I can. The Akatsuki are pursuing you, an organization with members solely on the Extremely high end of the spectrum. I am not sure to what their purpose might be, but I do not doubt myself that what they have at the ready are nothing bad intentions for the world... Collecting the Tailed Beasts and all that."
Silence.
It was the only thing that permeated the entire room for a couple of seconds until Naruto nodded. A resolute expression on his whiskered face...
For a few moments, silence descended over the room yet again, until the Toad Sage heard his apprentice's voice.
"Will you teach me that sealing thing you do?" Naruto inquired, an eager undertone present in his voice.
Jiraiya grinned. He was the happiest he had ever been since hearing that his pupil will soon establish his own family.
"Goodness, of course! Finally! I have been waiting for you to ask me this for so long!" His sensei celebrated.
Naruto, his learner, flushed and coughed. Since seeing what the guy could accomplish with seals, he's wanted to question his mentor about it. In a bout of indignance, the younger male shouted, "What are you laughing at!?"
"Ohoho, You've been virtually in love with this thing for what? Over a month now?" Jiraiya exclaimed, bursting into a fit of numerous loud booming laughs that only served to increase his student's displeasure about being caught.
-o0O0o-
-Konoha: Training Ground 7-
This is the place where you'll always encounter one of Konoha's infamous ninjas. The legendary man with several monikers. Second Coming of the White Fang, Thunder God, Faceless Hound, and numerous other titles on the list.
Kakashi Hatake The famous Hatake Sakumo's son...
For his fellow ninjas in the leaf, Kakashi had a penchant for being lackadaisical, having a bad attitude, and possessing a propensity for bulshitting oneself through any scenario that was not favorable.
This wasn't what you'd encounter if you found him right now though. The man was completely and utterly spent.
First, the Orochimaru cursed seal on his Uchiha student. Then came the invasion right after. What's next? The god damn Akatsuki and oh, look at that, Itachi the crazed clan killer is fucking back on sight. What else? His Uchiha student leaves the fucking village and the other one nearly dies trying to bring their teammate Uchiha Sasuke back…
Fuck the Snake Sannin, fuck Uchiha Itachi, fuck the cursed seal, fuck everything!
Kakashi collapsed right in front of the memorial stone. Trying to squeeze his lungs out for the most air it could give as possible.
Finally, Kakashi broke. He needed to let his emotions out. It had been bottled up for so long now, probably more than a decade and a half of another.
The man needed an outlet and the surroundings looked amazing to let his frustrations out to.
-Konoha: Hokage Tower-
A few minutes later, one of the sensor-nins tasked with monitoring everyone's chakra within and near the village's borders stormed into the reigning Hokage's office.
"Ma'am!... Large chakra... signature! Rampaging..." The man huffed out tiredly.
"Breathe first," said the Amber-eyed Hokage.
After a few seconds, the man finally speaks.
"I believe it was Kakashi san's signature; the last time we saw anything this serious was when Lord Fourth went to..."
Tsunade just stood up.
"ANBU! With Me!" The female Hokage ordered.
"R-right! It appears to be taking place within Training Grounds 7, Lord Fifth," the panicked ninja stammered. Already gesturing to leave the window...
Author's Notes: Hopefully, this has piqued your interest. I attempted to write this while half asleep as well, so kindly notify me of any errors I may have made. Time check - 3:47 AM
So, in the unending faith that I have, I ask you kindly, please review. I hope you found it interesting. See you later in the chapters that may follow.
Date Posted: October 16, 2022
Date Revised: October 19, 2022
