Daze
Chapter five: The death of Naruto
A/N: Hope you're enjoying the story so far, leave a review if you can, it helps a lot.
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Naruto awoke in the dark, his hands were bound and he felt extremely weak, his skin pale and cold to the touch.
He felt a warm cloth bed under his back.
He struggled with his bindings and rolled onto his side.
Gaining too much momentum he rolled off the edge of the bed falling onto the cold stone floor, he threw up onto the stone floor and rolled onto his back.
He looked around for anyone, the room contained a single bed and a desk with a candle on it.
He saw a man sitting on an alcove staring down at him, he could see his single red eye beaming in amusement.
'Is that the Sharingan?'
Naruto paled to himself.
The man spoke.
"Uzumaki huh, You look just like him..."
Naruto could tell this man was powerful, his presence alone had him shaking.
The man was mysterious, and his voice… it was so blank and dead, devoid of any emotion.
Naruto looked up at the man weakly, barely able to speak.
He tried to speak, even though his throat felt like it was drier than a desert in Suna.
"How do you know who I am... And who is this 'him'?"
The man chuckled.
"The Yondaime Hokage Minato Namikaze."
he spoke, shifting from his seat,
"And as to how I know who you are it's simple really… I was there the night you were born..."
He stood up, his dark-green scarf flowing,
"You really are an Uzumaki to think you would survive the extraction... just like Kushina before you,."
The man adjusted his mask sighing.
Naruto looked at him curiously.
"Who is Kushina?"
The man smirked and spoke,
"The previous holder of the Kyuubi… and your mother."
"M-My mother?"
Naruto's eyes widened considerably.
His mother was the previous Kyuubi Jinchuriki?! Was she treated like trash too? Did people avoid her like they did with him?
The man nodded.
Wanting more information, Naruto looked at him desperately.
"What happened to her? Where is she now?"
asked Naruto, He wondered if his mother was still alive.
The man's eyes smiled sinisterly, speaking.
"She's long gone from this world. I'm afraid the Kyuubi saw to that before I ever got the chance."
Naruto nodded, wiping a slight tear from his eye.
"At least I know now."
He was in a world of disarray. He was happy that he found out who his mother was though.
The man shrugged, not caring in the slightest about the child's feelings. He needed to grow up, just like he had to.
"Justify it however you want, you're still an orphan."
Naruto nodded grimly.
"And my father... did you know him too?"
The man smirked under his mask.
"Well you see your father was… The Yondaime himself."
Naruto looked at him shocked.
"But how?"
The man looked at him and spoke plainly,
"The same way other children are conceived."
Naruto sweatdropped.
"I suppose you'll kill me now?"
Naruto accepted his fate. He knew he would die one day, but never this early. He wished he could've done more in life, but he was also slightly happy. Maybe he would get to see his family now.
Madara looked at him, annoyed, as he spoke,
"I had planned to originally... but other members have convinced me that you could be an asset."
Naruto growled at him.
"If you think I'm going to work with you you're dead wrong."
The man smirked,
"You think you have a choice? Free will is merely just an illusion."
As he said that Itachi walked into the room.
"Sorry Madara the preparations took longer than expected."
The man nodded.
"Very well take the boy."
Itachi walked over picking up Naruto and carried him into the adjacent room.
He set Naruto in the center of the room and Naruto saw a sealing matrix spread across the floor.
"What did you guys do to me? Did you take the Kyuubi?"
The man now known as 'Madara' nodded.
"Now we're taking your memories and you will become a weapon for the Akatsuki."
Naruto thrashed violently.
"I'd rather die!"
'Madara' smirked.
"I would be happy to arrange that... if only I could."
He turned to Itachi, his red eye glinting with impatience.
"Is it ready yet?"
Itachi nodded.
"It should be sufficient if we combine our sharingan prowess the seal will do the rest."
Madara nodded.
"Let's get this over with."
The man turned to the blonde boy who paled at the prospect of his memories being wiped.
"Goodbye Uzumaki Naruto."
The man's sharingan spiralled into a windmill esque pattern and Itachi activated his as well taking on a shuriken shape.
They spoke in unison. "Go hono no keisei: Indorashiru!" / "Go hono no keisei: Indorashiru!" (Five Flames Formation: Indra seal!)
Naruto saw ghostly white flames strike his forehead and felt his eyes roll back as everything became white.
He slowly felt his consciousness slip away as he felt his memories burned away by the flames one by one.
In the real world The sealing matrix began to shrink in on itself covering Naruto in marks which slowly receded towards his head.
Finally, they settled in a crescent moon shape on his forehead with the kanji for five behind it. It disappeared promptly as he fell back.
Itachi turned to Madara nodding.
"It is done."
Madara looked at the boy curiously.
"When will he awake?"
Itachi put a finger to his chin pondering for a second.
"The shock to his hippocampus will likely render him comatose for a time. My guess would be anywhere from three days to a month."
Madara nodded.
"Very well you're in charge of his care until he awakes."
Madara turned and walked away adjusting his scarf.
Itachi looked down at the boy.
"As you wish."
Konoha, Two days earlier...
Jiraiya and his squad entered Tsunade's office saying their prayers and preparing to meet their maker.
When they arrived Jiraiya bit the bullet and decided to break the news himself dismissing all but Kakashi.
He walked up and put his hands on the desk bowing his head in shame.
"Tsunade-Hime I'm sorry but when we arrived at the base the Akatsuki had already invaded and stolen Naruto he's gone." She nodded somberly.
"Then we've failed... he's gone... forever."
She grabbed her desk in anguish, her lip quivering as her eyes darkened with sorrow.
"Why Jiraiya… Why is everything taken from us?"
He shook his head grimly.
"I don't know Hime… I don't know."
He put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a hug she began to sob into his chest while he tried to hold back his own tears.
Kakashi stood in the corner of the room, his headband covering his eye not to hide his sharingan but the tears that ran down his cheeks.
Somewhere on the border of Iwa and Kusa, five days later...
On the outskirts of a jungle with a rocky wasteland in front of her Tayuya came to a stop breathing heavily.
She had finally managed to lose her tails after two weeks of jumping from village to village. She had headed to Suna first before passing through the land of fire towards Kumo.
During this trip she had killed three or four squads of Oto ninja that were pursuing her and she had lost count honestly.
She had circled back to Kusa figuring they wouldn't expect her to head closer to the snake den. From there she travelled to the border of Iwa.
Tayuya sat down on a boulder pulling her flask from her hip.
"Damn it's humid here this damn sun won't stop shining... what I wouldn't give for a cloud or two."
She poured the last of her water into her parched mouth gracing her dry, cracked lips with much needed moisture.
"Snake-pedo was damn persistent. I guess I was worth more than I thought."
She climbed to her feet continuing her trek towards Iwa. She would enter under the pretense of being a civilian refugee and hide there for a couple months till things blew over.
With that in mind she continued on her journey unaware of the tail following her.
Konohagakure no Sato...
Sasuke sparred with Neji while Sakura and Tenten sat on the nearby bench watching half-heartedly and talking amongst themselves.
"I still can't believe Naruto's gone it's strange not hearing his voice or seeing his "kill me orange" jumpsuit streaking through the village."
Sakura nodded.
"I think of all the times I yelled at him when he asked me for dates I wish I would've taken him up on his offer."
Sasuke's eyes were hidden in the shadows as he dodged Neji's half-hearted barrage of strikes countering with a series of kicks.
"Neji-san please don't hold back if I'm going to kill my brother and his bastard associates. I need to improve, do what you must."
Neji nodded and prepared to go all out.
"Very well Uchiha."
Neji went in for a series of rapid strikes catching Sasuke in the chest, neck, and shoulder. Sasuke grunted in pain and flew back crashing into the dirt.
Neji walked over offering him a hand.
"I think that's good for today."
Sasuke gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"No it's not enough I'll keep training until either I die or he does." He pictured his brother's face and growled in anger.
Neji nodded. "Fine but don't blame me later."
Kakashi, Asuma, and Anko sat under a nearby gazebo drinking tea and chatting. Kakashi wasn't much for conversation; it had been a week but still he mourned the loss of his pupil.
Anko put a hand on his shoulder. "It'll be alright Kakashi-kun I felt the same way when my teammates, Sho, and Nawaki died."
Kakashi nodded and took her hand holding it tenderly. "Thank you Anko-Chan it means a lot."
She blushed but nodded.
"Of course."
Ten days later, Akatsuki Base...
The blonde boy awoke in a bed. A raven-haired man watching over him.
"You're finally awake."
He coughed grabbing his head to regulate the searing pain.
"W-who are you where am I?"
The man smiled gently.
"Don't worry I am Itachi you are in a safe place."
The boy nodded.
"W-who am I?"
Itachi looked at him briefly considering if he should give him his real name.
"Your name is… Karasu... Otsutsuki"
Karasu nodded.
"Thank you Itachi-Aniki"
The man's eyes widened in surprise.
"Um sure Na- I mean Karasu-Otouto"
The boy tried to stand up only to groan in pain.
"My legs, I can't feel my legs."
Itachi put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's okay you had a bad accident, you've been in a coma I'll have to help you relearn to walk."
Karasu smiled.
"Thank's aniki."
Itachi's mouth twitched slightly upward but he tried to hide it.
For the next couple months Itachi had to teach Karasu how to walk and help him relearn his balance.
His cerebrum had been affected by the jutsu and his nerves were shaky so at first his arms and hands would shake whenever he tried to move them.
Eventually, he was able to relearn his basic motor functions and Itachi decided it was time to teach him shinobi technique.
Itachi put a finger to his chin and began to think internally.
'Without the Kyuubi, and years of poor chakra habits It's actually a blessing in disguise now he can relearn the basics and properly use his chakra.'
Itachi waved the boy over.
"Karasu come here, I want to show you something."
Karasu hopped up from the bed where he was laying and ran over to his surrogate brother.
"What's up?"
He smiled his trademark smile and Itachi felt the urge to smile himself, damn, it was contagious.
"Now that you've regained your physical prowess it's time I teach you about chakra."
Karasu's interest peaked.
"Chakra?"
Itachi nodded.
"The combination of spiritual and physical energy used to mould and control elemental ninjutsu... but first, you must learn the basics.
Itachi reached into a bag and pulled out a leaf.
"A leaf? What am I going to do with that?"
Itachi put the leaf on his forehead holding it in place with chakra.
"Woah that's so cool!"
Karasu jumped in excitement.
Itachi handed him the leaf.
"Now, it's Your turn, close your eyes and focus on the warm feeling flowing through your body, direct it to your legs, then your arms, then to your head."
Karasu nodded in understanding and closed his eyes in focus.
"I think I can feel it Aniki!"
Itachi nodded.
"Good now move it to your forehead and hold it there,"
He stood up and walked behind the boy grabbing a glass of tea.
"-focus on the sensation of the leaf and let the chakra slowly flow outward surrounding the leaf and pulling it towards you."
Karasu smirked as he felt his chakra flowing up through his chest into his neck and to his head.
"I-I think I've got it."
He moved his fingers away from the leaf and let his chakra hold it in place.
"Good now focus on holding it there for five minutes I'll tell you when the time is up."
Karasu nodded slightly so as not to toss the leaf away.
Same time, Konoha...
It had been over two months since Naruto was taken by the Akatsuki.
Jiraiya's spy network hadn't been able to turn up any info on the group, aside from them doing mercenary contracts for the villages they kept a low profile.
Orochimaru had also vanished though Jiraiya wasn't nearly naive enough to presume him dead.
Most likely he had slipped away and hidden in one of his holes till things blew over. Jiraiya climbed out of bed and turned to the sleeping Tsunade.
She truly was beautiful when she was sleeping; it reminded him of when they went on missions together and he would take the first shift of guard duty.
He would spend large increments of time just watching his sleeping teammates. He smiled melancholically.
The death of Naruto had been the point which he and Tsunade had finally come together over. Though he was happy to finally have his love returned he mourned his surrogate grandson.
It was the pain he had felt over Minato times ten combined with the guilt of not being there in time to save him. In short the worst pain of a long and pained life.
Jiraiya snuck out of the room silently so as not to wake Tsunade. She could be a real terror when woken prematurely and he didn't need more shattered ribs.
He made his way to a tea shop where Kakashi was waiting for him.
"Jiraiya-Sama."
Kakashi nodded and Jiraiya caught a glimpse of a set of marks on his neck.
"So Kakashi-chan is finally a man, how is Anko by the by?"
Kakashi blushed though his mask hid the fact.
"How'd you know?"
Jiraiya smirked.
"Please I'd recognize love bites from a mile away."
Kakashi nodded.
"She's good, a little worn out, but happy."
Jiraiya smiled.
"I'm proud of you, I still remember when Minato came to me covered in marks after his honeymoon Kushina was a fox in the bedroom pun definitely intended."
Kakashi chuckled lightly imagining his sensei's blushing face.
"Anyway onto the business at hand."
Jiraiya nodded.
"The Akatsuki."
Kakashi looked at him grimly.
"Though they've already taken Naruto they still need to be dealt with before they capture any more bijuu."
Jiraiya nodded in agreement.
"I've got my network working over time to track them, but they're skilled, it seems no more than two of them leave the base at a time,"
The man sighed.
"- and they only return through reverse summoning so who knows where that could be."
Kakashi grimaced.
"I feared that would be the case."
Jiraiya took a sip of his tea and put a reassuring hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
"Don't worry Kakashi we will avenge Naruto but we need time to prepare, the next generation will need to be ready.. So.. I have a proposition."
Kakashi looked at Jiraiya curiously.
"You and I will take your student Sasuke with us on a training trip."
Kakashi nodded, Sasuke did have a large amount of potential and with training from him and jiraiya he would be a force to be reckoned with.
"What do you say?"
Kakashi nodded.
"Fine, but we need to take Anko as well."
Jiraiya chuckled.
"What, can't stand those lonely nights?"
Kakashi blushed but shook his head.
"No, though that is a bonus, Sasuke has a curse mark I think between the two of you we can have him learn to control it and use it to his advantage."
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. "Very well prepare your students. We'll begin the trip three days from now."
Kakashi nodded and left to inform his lover.
Jiraiya looked up at the morning sky.
"Wherever you are Naruto I hope you're doing okay. I hope you're having fun with your family up there. Kami knows you've deserved someone to love you and care for you all your life."
X END X
2/2/21: Chapter five revised.