That was again one of these moments, at which I knew neither out nor in. I had used up almost half of my chakra during the training, so I could forget to intervene immediately if there should be a fight. Inwardly, I tensed up when the second man also revealed an identity.
He had an unusual appearance. His skin was blue, his cheeks were adorned with strange slits that resembled gills, and his dentition consisted of razor-sharp teeth. In his right hand he held a bandaged sword. But why the bandages? Did it look unusual?
They exchanged a few words, and it was revealed that the black-haired man was none other than Itachi Uchiha. It had been a long time since I had last seen him. Very darkly I remembered some situations. Itachi was now a missing-nin and the older brother of Sasuke. He was responsible for the massacre of the Uchiha clan. What an irony that I met him now, of all times, when Kakashi had explicitly warned me about him before.
My fingers were clenched in the branch when I suddenly noticed someone next to me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kakashi, who stared with narrowed eyes at the scene below us. No doubt he knew I was sitting next to him, otherwise he would never have shown up here with me.
"I want you to sit here and not intervene until I give you a signal. Do you understand?" he asked quietly, and I reluctantly nodded.
How I hated to just stand idly by, which was probably what it would come down to. Never would Kakashi let me -a genin- run into a fight with two missing-nin. Partly he was right, because maybe I lacked some experience and when I looked at the two of them...
As Asuma cried out in fright, I looked down at what was happening. Kisame had drawn his "sword" over Asumas shoulder, which had now started bleeding, while Itachi kicked Kurenai off of him. My sensei bounced hard on the water, but immediately gathered chakra in her feet and rose again.
The indifferent expression in her eyes, however, gave way to a hint of fear. Everything in me tensed up. Where was Kakashi?
As if out of nowhere, he appeared directly in front of Itachi and his doppelganger blocked Kisames path, who had once again tried to attack Asuma. The blue-skinned man pressed his fingers together to gather his chakra and let a large fountain in the form of a dragon spring out of the river, Kakashi, who had copied the movement with his Sharingan, did the same.
Fascinated and at the same time intimidated, I watched the spectacle that presented itself to me. My hands tightened into fists. Tense I sat up there on the branch. Condemned to do nothing. That couldn't be true, I couldn't just watch my sensei fighting down there without intervening.
Again, Kakashi jumped forward. This time to push Kurenai aside. Itachi's image disappeared before my eyes and reappeared right behind the Kopierninja. He was fast. Too fast and that was not good at all. In a flash, he had drilled a kunai into the latter's back, but the silver-haired man's body turned into water.
For a moment nothing happened and since Itachi had his back to me, I could only guess what he was doing. Through the slight movement of his head, I realized that he was probably looking for the missing Kakashi, who suddenly jumped out of the water, dragged the surprised Kurenai with him, and then let the blue element rise up like a wall between him and the Uchiha. The latter did not even retreat, unlike Asuma, who abruptly jumped to the other two.
Tensely I bit my lip. When did Kakashi's signal come? Long ago would have been the time to intervene.
Ready to fight, Kakashi stood in front of the other two, his kunai drawn. A dangerous flash flitted in his gaze, as I had seen it only once before with him. So angry and determined at the same time. Shortly after Kabuto's failed attempt on my life. Where the guy had gone, I'd be interested to know, too.
"Careful! Don't look him in the eye. Because that's his real strength," Kakashi shouted.
Immediately, the other two narrowed them and turned their heads away. The Kopierninja, on the other hand, stood in place, making no move to turn away either. And then a jolt went through his body. He began to tremble. What had Itachi done to him? Actually, it didn't matter. I had to help him. Right now.
"Careful! Don't look him in the eye. Because that's his real strength," Kakashi shouted.
Immediately, the other two narrowed them and turned their heads away. The Kopierninja, on the other hand, stood in place, making no move to turn away either. And then a jolt went through his body. He began to tremble. What had Itachi done to him? Actually, it didn't matter. I had to help him. Right now.
Raiton chakra shot through my veins so quickly that I felt completely filled with it. I channeled it into my legs and lunged at the black-haired man, who stood motionless in place.
Still in flight, I chased a kunai at his body that seemed to come out of nowhere to other eyes. Itachi made a tiny movement and all at once a couple of shuriken came towards me. Effortlessly I fended them off, but at the last moment realized that there were letter bombs on them and created the shield around my body.
The explosion was short but did not penetrate to me. But I had to release the invisibility to save chakra. Now Itachi had turned away from Kakashi completely and was now looking in my direction with a cold stare.
A series of small fireballs shot at me, and I tried to avoid them, but at the same time I felt how much my chakra began to weaken again. All the training was taking its toll.
Combatively, I pulled a kunai out of my pocket and held it in front of my face to show him that I wasn't afraid of him, even though he was very powerful, and I didn't have much chakra left.
"I don't care why you came to our village. But I will defend anyone you threaten. Maybe I'm just a genin in your eyes, but I don't care as long as what I do feels right to me," I said in a firm voice, looking down at his feet, still having Kakashi's words about not looking at him in my mind.
"That's an interesting kekkei genkai you have inside you. Invisibility, then... In return, it seems to cost you quite a bit of chakra," he stated in a calm and matter-of-fact voice.
What was this all about? We weren't here to have a chat about my abilities. But just as little would I be able to attack him just like that. I had to come up with a plan, and I had to do it quickly, because I couldn't ignore the strange looks his blue-skinned partner was giving us.
"Better leave it. It wouldn't do you any good afterwards, since your chakra is almost spent."
I gritted my teeth. No question. The man was ace at analyzing his opponent. Whether this was for provocation, or a simple statement was debatable. The former I would have rather assigned to Sasuke, but his brother seemed a lot calmer, although that could change again within a few seconds. And I really did not want to let it come to that.
"Akaya's unwanted daughter if I'm not mistaken? Yes, I know him, even though I didn't have much to do with the guy. Not surprisingly, he's a missing-nin now."
Frozen, I eyed the Uchiha. How had he known that? What had betrayed me?
"How...? How...?" it escaped my mouth.
I didn't know out or in. I couldn't explain to myself how the black-haired man now connected me with my father, since I didn't resemble him at all. Neither from the exterior nor character-wise, which I was more than happy about.
"Itachi, that's enough," Kakashi interfered in a dark voice.
I dared a quick glance at him and realized that he had picked himself up. The exhaustion was clearly written in his face. Deep shadows stood out under his eyes, as if he had not slept for nights. But that could not be. What had Itachi done to him?
My gaze shot back to the Uchiha, who, however, was now standing directly in front of the Kopierninja, as was Kisame.
"So, the nine-tailed fox is your target," the latter said strained. "And you are members of an organization called Akatsuki."
Like a lightning strike, this news broke on me. Naruto. The Kyuubi. But why? Were they going to use his power? This one had powerful chakra and would have destructive power when released. Besides...what would happen to Naruto if the fox was no longer inside him?
Hectically, I exchanged a glance with Asuma and Kurenai, who had opened their eyes again in the meantime. The two seemed no less worried.
Kisame began to move, heading straight for the silver-haired man, sword outstretched to strike. Biting, I strove to get to them, without Raiton chakra, for I lacked the strength to do so.
All at once, a large figure appeared directly in front of the blue-skinned one and kicked him a few feet backward. I was astonished when I realized that it was Gai, Lee's sensei, who looked about the same as his student only older. Sensei of the Bushy Eyebrow, as Naruto called him. Only a few times had he crossed my path.
When the latter challenged Kisame to a duel, which the other took great pleasure in accepting, he was stopped by Itachi.
"We didn't come here to fight Kisame," he said calmly, stopping his partner's rebellion with a single glance. "Some other time, but not now."
His gaze slid over our exhausted figures, then they were both gone.
My knees trembled and I sighed in relief.
"Kurenai, Asuma. Will one of you please take Tora to the hospital so the Medic-Nin can check her out?"
Not again.