We are now officially 20 chapters into the story! How exciting right but anyways without further Adieu!
Chapter 20: To Save a Friend
"Thank you for having us!" Naruto and his wives said with a bow as they finally left the house of Naruto's parents and his siblings. The dinner had gone well and Naruto had very much enjoyed it and seeing his family once again.
"Came back soon Naruto-Nii!" Shouted the little girl, Mito,that Naruto had rescued in Kiri, who had arrived late to the party from a friend's house. Naruto was happy to see the little girl as well glad she had settled in. Giving a wave the group walked back to the house.
Walking into the house Naruto felt exhausted after such a long day but he was just happy to be in the arms of his wives who looked at each other.
"Hey Naruto we need to discuss something with you." Temari spoke up nervousness in her voice.
"Whats up?" He asked as he was dragged into the living room of the house as the girls sat down and looked at each other.
"Well... As you know, being under the CRA you have to have a certain amount of wives and well… even with the three of us you're below that amount." Temari said as Naruto gave a rather tired sigh and nodded.
"I know I thought about it a lot while on the road." He said he didn't want to just date around even if his wives were or rather had to be fine with it. It just made him feel like an awful husband even with the situation being against them as is.
"Well we already know you have a fourth wife lined up for you." Yugito said, causing Naruto to raise his eyebrow looking at them.
"Who?" He asked not happy to be seemingly be placed in another arranged marriage.
"Fu." Kurosutchi finished causing Naruto to tilt his head to the side thinking of the jinchuriki.
"Fu? I'm kinda surprised about that one… Wait, that would mean Konoha would have 3 Jinchuuriki and Biju." Naruto said with a chuckle it was weird that Konoha had gained so many jinchuuriki but he supposed now that all the great five were aligned it didn't quite matter.
"So I need four more right?" Naruto said as the girls nodded with temari pulling out a piece of paper sliding it to Naruto.
"We've decided on a list of people who we think would mesh well… We've already talked with them as well and we know that they would be fine with this situation." Temari informed Naruto who looked at the list. Hinata, Ino, Haku and Tenten?
"Tenten?" Naruto questioned, he could see Hinata and Ino and even Haku to a degree but Tenten? He knew Hinata had a large crush on him since the time he saved her, Ino used to be the head of the "Naruto's rival fangirl group to sasukes fanclub" and he and haku had gone on a few dates before he left as well as their interaction in Kiri. But Tenten was a black horse he supposed she must have gained a crush on him at some point.
"Yes tenten I'm sure you're rather surprised but we noticed how she looked at you back at the chunin exams and we talked with her a lot while you were gone." Yugito told Naruto who sighed and nodded.
"So how do you guys want to go about this?" Naruto asked he assumed his wives had a plan for how they wanted him to talk with the people they had picked.
"Well we've talked with everyone in the village already and they all agreed to the plan so for now you're simply going to go on dates with them and whenever they're comfortable we'll have another joint wedding. Though with Fu you'll have to marry her the day she moves to Konoha." Temari informed Naruto who nodded accepting the decision.
"Alright I'm exhausted, can we get some sleep guys?" Naruto asked letting out a tired yawn causing everyone to nod and get up going to their bedroom. Settling in for the night everyone laid together too tired to do anything as they fell asleep comfortably in everyone's arms.
It wasn't odd to see Minato hard at work early in the morning. The man was workaholic after all spending a lot of time in his office. But this morning something was different. It felt like there was a shift in the world as if things were being set in motion that would change the shinobi world.
"Hokage-sama urgent message from Suna!" Shouted one of the Messenger corps who was in charge of the messenger birds sent between all the village.
"What is it?" Minato asked a pit in his stomach forming.
"Suna was attacked and Gaara the Kazekages son has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki and is requesting our help!" The man announced, only confirming his feelings. He knew the Akatsuki were on the move but to be so bold as to kidnap the son of a kage?
"Understand, inform them we'll send what resources we can to their aide. Bunta orochi!" Minato shouted as two anbu members appeared before him bowed low.
"I want you to get the old members of team 7, Kakashi Hatake, Shikamaru Nara, Temari, and Naruto Namikaze. I also want Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka in my office as soon as possible." He ordered as the Anbu bowed lower before shushining away quickly.
Minato sighed, turning his chair around as he looked over his village. To think a criminal organization would be so bold? Attacking a village and kidnapping the son of a kage it made Minato fear for the safety of his own son. Yet he was one of the few ninja capable of fighting the Akatsuki head on and he needed the experience like Jiriya said.
Naruto was enjoying his first morning back as he sat at the kitchen table sipping on some coffee while reading the morning newspaper. Now he understood why his father did it so often it was a rather relaxing moment which offered tranquility.
A knock on the door broke Naruto from his musings as he set his paper and coffee down standing up. Temari looked up from the dishes she was doing with Kurotsuchi and Yugito already having left for their day jobs.
Opening the door Naruto was greeted by the porcelain mask of an anbu agent causing Naruto to tilt his head.
"Naruto Namikaze, you and temari are to report to the hokage tower for an urgent assignment." The Bunta masked anbu said before bowing and shushining away.
"I heard him Naruto." Temari announced as Naruto's head dropped low, already being sent out it seemed just when he had gotten home.
"Well stop standing there get ready." Temari ordered, causing Naruto to nod.
"Hai Hai…" He said lazily as he headed up stairs changing out of him casual clothes into a burnt orange long sleeved shinobi shirt with black shinobi pants and black sandals. He continued by attaching his kunai holster and shuriken pouch as well as an empty utility pouch. Finishing off his attire he put on his flak jacket which was already filled with scrolls and wrapped bandages around his arms which were covered in seals as well.
"I'm ready." Naruto called out as he headed downstairs where Temari was waiting.
"Let's get going." She said as the two left, taking to the trees as they headed towards the hokage tower before switching to rooftops when they finally entered the main portion of konoha. Arriving at the base of the tower they moved quickly within it arriving at his fathers office. Naruto instead of knocking simply entered the office much to the exacerbation of both temari and Minato's assistant.
"Yo." Naruto said as he spotted the backs of Kakashi, Shikamaru, Sakura and Ino.
"Naruto!" Ino said, turning around offering a large smile at seeing the blonde.
"You're late." Kakashi remarked, causing a sweatdrop to roll off Naruto's head.
"You're not for once." He quipped back causing Shikamaru to chuckle.
"Good to see you again man." He said as he fist bumped the blonde once he stepped up next to the nara.
"Now that everyones here… I am sending you all out on an S ranked mission." Minato revealed as everyone straightened up at the revelation. "Gaara of the Sand has been kidnapped by the Akatsuki, a criminal organization made up of S ranked rogue ninjas." Minato said as Naruto felt Temari tense up next to him and shikamaru's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing about the Akatsuki. Naruto for his part kept a calm demeanor though his anger was flaring inside.
"Team 7 is being reactivated with Jounin Kakashi at the helm seeing as all four of you are jounin. Sakura and Ino you are heading to provide medical assistance, understand? You leave immediately." Minato finished as everyone but Naruto bowed.
"Hai!" They all said before filling out of the tower heading straight for the gates.
"Alright everyone we're going to keep a quick pace to get to Suna as quick as possible let's move out!" Kakashi announced as everyone set off. Naruto however overtook Kakashi quickly moving ahead of the group.
"Wait Naruto!" Temari shouted but her words fell on deaf ears. Kakashi rose his hand to stop here.
"Naruto is in his own head right now. I wouldn't bother him, he'll slow down eventually." Kakashi said as Shikamaru appeared on Kakashi's left with the medics bringing up the rear.
"So the Akatsuki finally are on the move huh?" Shikamaru said as Kakashi nodded. Sakura and Ino in the back were confused they weren't jounin so they didn't have the classified information about the Akatsuki. They also didn't have any family connections that warranted information about them or jinchuriki so they were kinda in the dark here.
"Do you have any idea what's going on here?" Ino asked Sakura who simply shook her head.
"There's an S class group with some pretty dark intentions that's all you need to know for the moment. It's Naruto's secret to tell after all." Kakashi said, hearing the question asked behind him.
"For now let's just focus on getting to suna ok?" Kakashi said with an eye smile as he turned forward picking up the pace slightly causing the group to continue ahead.
'Naruto.' Hiruzen's voice called out from within Naruto as the teen frowned, pressing forward at an even faster pace.
'Kit.' Came Kurama's voice this time causing Naruto to grit his teeth knowing what they were going to say already.
'I know I know I should slow down but the sooner I get to Suna the sooner I can help out gaara.' Naruto said within his head as he heard Hiruzen sigh.
'Naruto if you move too fast you'll be in no shape to help anyone and you're pushing your teammates to the edge as well.' Naruto turned his head slightly looking at his teammates who were struggling to try and keep up
'You may have extreme stamina being a jinchuriki and a uzumaki but that doesn't mean your teammates do' Kurama added causing the teen to slow down ending up next to kakashi.
"Thank you for joining us Naruto." Kakashi joked with an eye smile. Naruto said nothing looking at his teammates, the pain on his face evident as well as fear. While he and gaara didn't know each other as much as Naruto wished he did, Gaara was someone that shared his plight.
"We'll be in Suna by nightfall at this pace." Shikamaru told Naruto who nodded in understanding.
"Sorry guys… I just want to get to Suna." Naruto finally said after relative silence. "But I also know you more than anyone must be worried, Temari." Naruto said a look of guilt on his face realizing he was putting his own pain ahead of his wife who's brother had been kidnapped.
"It's fine Naruto. I understand you and him have a shared burden." Temari said as she moved alongside Naruto taking his hand and giving it a firm squeeze. Naruto looked at temari graciously knowing she knew him better than anyone.
The group continued on in silence crossing the forests of Hi no Kuni rather quickly in their mad dash towards suna.
"I can already feel the desert heat." Naruto could hear Ino complain however he paid no heed to it simply unsealing his desert cloak that was a simple cloak of beige that went down to his knees, which had cooling seals within it.
"Thank you Fuinjutsu." Naruto said to himself with a chuckle his mind was racing of the possibilities of those he could fight. Sasuke was only able to get so much information through to Jiriya and he wasn't sure how much of that got to him directly.
"You need to calm down Naruto." Kakashi whispered to Naruto, pulling him from his thoughts as he looked at his sensei and surrogate brother.
"I know Kakashi-Nii… It's just hard not to worry." Naruto said looking back at the assembled team that was on the mad dash to Suna most were hiding their tiredness but Naruto could see it in their eyes.
"We should probably slow down when we reach the desert. It can sap our energy pretty quickly." Naruto suggested which Kakashi nodded.
"I agree, good thinking." He said, patting Naruto on the shoulder as he moved to inform the rest of the team. Naruto glanced at temari who looked at him in concern before she glanced at Ino. Naruto took a peek at her as well before looking at temari who motioned for him to talk to her. Seeing as his wife wasn't going to leave him a choice Naruto slowed down besides Ino who was talking to Sakura.
"Hey Ino I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment?" He asked, causing a small smirk to grow on Sakura's face.
"I'll leave you two alone." She said speeding up next to Shikamaru. Ino and Naruto looked at each other for a moment not saying anything as Naruto scratched the back of his head.
"So I heard you came to an agreement with Temari, Kurotsuchi and Yugito?" He asked, causing the girl to blush and nod.
"I hope you don't mind that." She said realizing that Naruto didn't really have a say in it considering it was decided between them all.
"I've kinda learned to get used to it considering I've had 3 arranged marriages already." Naruto said with a laugh causing Ino to laugh as well. "But I don't want to rush into a marriage… I was hoping we could go on a date when we get back?"
Ino looked at the teen surprised before a large smile broke out on her face as she nodded happily.
"I would like that very much Naruto-kun." She said causing Naruto to give her a smile before he sped ahead signaling to temari that it was done.
"Desert ahead!" Kakashi shouted as the tree cover began to fall away the bright light of the desert and the feeling of the dry wind growing stronger. Naruto was thankful for his cloak as he noticed everyone else donning protective cloaks as they broke through the tree line landing on the rolling sand dunes of Kaze no Kuni.
"Alright guys lets keep moving!" Kakashi shouted as everyone got their bearings moving through the desert though at a slower pace then they were through the trees. By the time night began to fall they could see the walls of suna growing larger on the horizon of the endless desert.
"Konoha Shinobi we are to escort you the rest of the way." A voice spoke up as a group of four suna anbu joined the group suddenly flanking them.
"Please lead the way," Kakashi said to them as they continued their way through the desert. It still took them another hour to cross the sand dunes finally arriving at the large walls of suna as everyone huffed and puffed exhausted from running all day to Suna. Even Naruto and Kakashi were somewhat winded but they hid it better than the others.
"Smoke?" Naruto asked, seeing a few rising billows of smoke as the Anbu nodded.
"Yes we were hit by a few attacks by the akatsuki but Gaara-Sama protected us from most of the damage." The captain of the Anbu squad said as they were led through the main street where Shinobi were still racing to search rubble or put out any remaining fires.
"This looks like a fair bit of damage." Naruto commented, getting flashbacks to the villages he had come across in Kiri.
"It could have been much worse." Was all the Anbu captain said as they finally arrived at the Kazekages tower leading them up the tower they arrived outside the office which was quickly opened for them allowing the team in to see the yondaime kazekage scouring over paperwork. The man looked tired if the bags under his eyes were any indication.
"Ah I see the team of shinobi from konoha has finally arrived." Rasa said looking up at them tiredly. Kakashi gave a bow followed by everyone else in the team which Rasa simply waved off.
"Team 7 and medical team 19 reporting from Konoha." Kakashi said to the man who nodded. Looking over the shinobi present he spotted his daughter giving her a light smile before his face turned stone cold.
"Team 7 huh? I heard that it was disbanded as you're entire team made chunin." Rasa commented.
"It was but we've been reactivated in the effort to assist Suna. Medical team 19 is also at your discretion both of the young girls here are students of Tsunade." Kakashi informed Rasa who nodded.
"Our medical team has been massively overloaded by the attack… But I need a personal favor, my son Konkuro went after Akatsuki however he was injured by a poison attack." Rasa told the team as Temari paled. Naruto grabbed her hand quickly giving it a squeeze which calmed her slightly.
"Hm poison? I would like to go after the akatsuki immediately but it would be best to have an antidote just in case." Kakashi said rubbing his chin, Naruto clenched his teeth but he knew it would be for the best. After all not everybody had the ability to reject poison like he did.
"I understand… I will have you taken to the hospital and you have full access to our medical herbs." Rasa told the group who nodded bowing as they left being led through the village once more.
"This is Kankuro-samas' room." The Suna jounin announced as team 7 waited outside spotting Kankuro who looked to be in pain and sweating profusely. Taking seats, team 7 waited in a comfortable silence as Sakura came out after a few hours.
"He's stable but he needs an antidote to finish the rest of the poison, He did give me this." Sakura said, handing Kakashi a piece of cloth before leaving. Kakashi had gotten the general idea that it could be used to track Gaara
"Soo what have you guys been up to while I was gone?" Naruto asked, looking at shikamaru and Kakashi. Kakashi looked the same as before though shikamaru was wearing the standard jounin outfit with his Hiate-ate sewn into his left shoulder.
"You know falling teams it's hard to take on another one when your full squad is made chunin." Kakashi said with his nose in the book that Naruto had given him. Naruto looked at Temari as he remembered something.
"Wait temari weren't you given a team? Don't you have to train them or something like that?" He asked confused why she was here in the first place.
"Don't worry I have that covered." She said with a small chuckle thinking of the fate of her team.
"I was assigned to intelligence like my dad and it's troublesome." Shikamaru spoke up.
"Everything is troublesome to you." Naruto said with a deadpan looking at his long time friend.
"And?" Shikamaru said, simply causing Naruto to simply sigh.
"Nothing… Hey Kakashi… Temari how would I get assigned a genin team? I've thought about it a lot during my training trip and I would like to take one on… If they can pass my test." He said with a grin causing Kakashi to chuckle.
"Well normally you just talk to the hokage and fill out some homework and they give you a team to decide at the end each cycle. Keep in mind that four cycles graduate each year so you don't have to take on the first team that comes your way.
"Though you're the only jouin instructor that continually turns away teams… I'm surprised they keep giving you teams to decide on considering it would be a 100% graduation rate otherwise." Temari joked causing everyone to laugh.
"I think I have a good feeling about the next team I'm given, might live up to your guy's reputation." Kakashi said, causing everyone to sweatdrop doubting his words.
"The white fang of konoha? I'm going to kill you!" came the shout of an older lady causing everyone to look to their left seeing Sakura standing beside an elderly woman with black eyes and lavender coloured hair tied in a bun. She wore the traditional Sunagakure outfit which consists of a dark coloured, loose fitting outfit with a poncho-like top.
Next to them was an elderly man with heavy-lidded eyes that gave him the appearance of actually having no eyes at all. He also has very long eyebrows that frame each side of his face. Along with a turban wrapped around his head, he wears the traditional Sunagakure outfit which consists of a dark coloured, loose fitting outfit with a poncho-like top.
"Wait Chiyo the white fang has been dead for a long time… take a long look at him." The old man said taking a closer look caused the now named chiyo to look at Kakashi who had a sweatdrop.
"The white fang was my father Sakumo Hatake." He said, causing the old lady to laugh.
"Ah I see my old eyes deceived me then." She said, as Kakashi's sweat dropped slightly.
"Anyways." Sakura interjected. "With Chiyo-sama's help we were able to make an antidote for the poison used by the akatsuki, we have one injection for each of you, so be careful with them." She said giving the team and chiyo an injector with an antidote.
"I'll be heading with you all this is Suna's jinchuriki after all." Chiyo said with a tone that said the decision was not up for debate.
"We should get moving then." Kakashi said as everyone got up and stretched before heading out of the hospital into the desert night.
"Alright let's get a trail shall we?" Kakashi said as he summoned Pakku who looked at Kakashi expectedly.
"Yo." The pug said holding its paw up.
"Hey Pakku no time to talk. We need you to get a trail going for us." Kakashi said as he pulled out the piece of cloth that kankuro had secured had given him earlier. Pakku nodded sniffing the piece of cloth then sniffing the air he looked around before heading off.
"The scent is faint but it's there." He said as the team began to follow the pug as it moved quickly through the desert. Naruto looked at his feet, noticing red strands in the sand. Stopping quickly he picked it up and continued on. Studying the strand he figured out it was hair.
"Looks like Gaara also left a trail here." He said dropping the strand as Pakku and the hair led them through the desert and finally into the land of rivers it seemed.
"Interesting so this is where neji was." Naruto commented, While there were some plateaus with grass and trees it was mostly ravines and cliffs.
The land still had the scars of a war it seemed but they were mostly fading into the land with so much time having passed. Racing ahead the sun began to rise though the heat still stayed relatively low. Naruto felt a familiar chakra signature ahead but he felt himself going stiff. He wasn't expecting to run into him yet but there wasn't much that be done about it.
"Two chakra signatures ahead remaining still maybe a klick ahead." Naruto announced. Everyone tensed up knowing that the akatsuki worked in teams of two and the lack of a third meant this was not the team that had gaara. Continuing ahead two figures came into view causing everyone to slow down. The first person everyone saw was Sasuke Uchiha much to everyone's shock, not much could be made of him as the Akatsuki cloak obscured everything but his face.
Next to him was a very tall, muscular shinobi with a distinctive shark-like appearance, complete with pale, blue-green skin. He has small, round, white eyes, 3 sets of curved facial markings under his eyes. He donned the typical cloak members of Akatsuki wore, and underneath it he was bare-chested. He also wore a brown sash across the front and back of his cloak to hold Samehada in place. He wore his Akatsuki ring on his left ring finger, bearing the kanji for "south"which was yellow in colour.
"Kisame of Kiri?" Naruto said surprised to see the man considering he was the one who gave the rebels the information on Yagura being controlled.
"Naruto Namikaze savior of Kiri." He said simply as everyone stood in a standstill before the landscape morphed into a dark red suddenly. Naruto was alone with just Kisame and Sasuke Present.
"Dobe." Sasuke said, simply causing Naruto to laugh.
"Teme." A small grin formed on Sasuke's face as Kisame huffed being forgotten it seemed. "So what's the deal with this?" He said looking at the two akatsuki members.
"To put it simply we're deep undercover, seeing as you knew about my assignment I felt I could let you know about Kisame, look you don't have much time left till Gaara has his Biju torn from him." Sasuke said his usual mirth was gone as he gave Naruto a serious look. The teen for his part simply nodded in understanding realizing time was running out.
"So is there anything you can tell me?" Sasuke simply shook his head.
"These bodies are fake and that's about it, I leave everything up to you. Just defeat us." Sasuke said simply as the genjutsu was broken a few seconds had passed in the outerworld.
Blinking Naruto quickly pulled out a scroll and unfurrowed it. With a pulse of chakra three pronged kunai began to fly everywhere which the two akatsuki members quickly dodged.
"Don't worry I got this." Naruto said with a grin before disappearing in a flash and faster than Kisame or Sasuke could see Naruto and a clone appeared behind them shoving a clone into their backs. Sasuke barely held a grin as his body was blasted away forming a small crater where he landed. Hopping over to it everyone saw the bodies convert into two suna ninja.
"I thought the chakra felt off." Naruto said, causing Kakashi to shake his head.
"You could have said something… Though I'm shocked you even know hirashin." Kakashi said, causing Naruto to simply shrug.
"Meh I know a lot now." He joked causing the man to shake his head. Naruto placed his hand on the seal once again and all the kunai in the area were sealed away quickly.
"Let's get moving!" Naruto shouted, placing the scroll back in his flak jacket.
"Right!" Everyone shouted continuing to move forward; it didn't take them long to arrive at the end of the scent trail which was a rather large boulder protruding from the inside of a ravine.
"Hm, I recognize this seal." Naruto said studying it closely rubbing his chin in thought.
"Kakashi my eternal rival we are here to assist!" Came the shout of a familiar voice as green spandex appeared in his peripheral.
"Hello guy." Kakashi said simply as Naruto shook his head returning to studying the seal.
"This one is complex. I could try to use an unlocking seal but I would have to use the right one otherwise we could mess up the structure of whatever its guarding. Our best bet is to remove the 5 guard posts." Naruto said, causing the bickering between Kakashi and Gai to stop as Naruto reached out his range.
"I can feel the chakra within the seal matrix." He said as gai looked at his team shooting a grin.
"We can take care of this." He said to team 7.
"There's 5 seals so one of us needs to help out as well… And when you pull the seal a clone of you might appear." Naruto warned. Shikamaru sighed muttering to himself that this would be troublesome.
"I'll do it." He said.
"Ok we have to remove the seals at the same time otherwise it might blow." Naruto warned unsealing a set of radios for everyone. Team gai and shikamaru took the radios heading off in the directions of the seals.
Naruto was practically dancing in his sandals as he stood staring at the boulder. Pakku had left already seeing as his job was done. Naruto felt the hand of Kakashi placed on his shoulder and the eyes of Chiyo watching on sadly.
"Ready." Gai's voice got through.
"All set." Tenten said.
"Yosh!" He heard Lee as he began to form a rasengan ready to bust apart the boulder.
"Good to go." Neji pipped up.
"Troublesome." Shikamaru was the last person to speak up as Naruto got ready.
"Good luck everyone… on my mark 3." Naruto began to walk forward , growing in size and power.
"2!" Everyone tensed as they gripped the seal tags and Naruto began to run forward.
"1! Naruto shouted as he jumped in the air, the rasengan towering above him now.
"Now!" Naruto finished as everyone pulled the seal tags as Naruto slammed the ball of chakra down.
"Oodama Rasengan!" Naruto shouted the boulder cracked before shattering and team 7 burst through the hole. What awaited them shocked them to the core. On a rather large statue stood 10 people all wearing the cloaks of the akatsuki. Only two seemed to be tangible though one had a rather hunched figure and a tail while the other had blonde hair.
However what shocked them most was the red chakra that was being taken from Gaara and absorbed into the statue. Suddenly the process stopped and gaara was dropped to the ground.
"Hello kyu… I'm sorry to say you're too late." A deep voice stated simply as Naruto stared at the unmoving body of Gaara. "Diedra sasori please capture the kyuubi."
And like that shakaku has been extracted from gaara and team 7 was too late. I thought about them making it in time but I have a plan for this arc and the jinchuriki. Is this the last we've seen of gaara? Will Naruto kill the akatsuki members? Guess you'll have to find out next time, Have a merry christmas everyone!
Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze101 out!