Chapter 15

Threats in a shadow of tomorrow

"The pain of lost is always hurtful. And that can make us feel insecure. But more fearful is the upcoming future."- Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage

Two weeks after Kakuzu and Hidan's death, unbelievable news spread across the Elemental Nations. News Of Orochimaru's death. It was hard to believe at first. After all, he was known for his surreal regenerative capabilities, using clones or fakes and similar tactics. It just seemed unreal when Tsunade first heard of her former teammate being killed. But just as surprising was the news of who killed him. When she and several others wondered who would turn out powerful enough or clever enough to kill the traitor of the Legendary Three, none expected to here this one name, which made him now one of the most powerful people throughout the Elemental Nations.

Uchiha Sasuke.

It was shocking. She did not believe that Orochimaru, despite looking down at others, would drop his guard down around an Uchiha. Even though it was a kid. Well, Sasuke was likely an adult by now, but still very young. And unquestionably years too inexperienced to accomplish such a feet. There could be only one logical explanation as to how Sasuke could kill him if that was true. The slipping rogue ninja must've been weak. The body he had at the time must've been at the stage it was already rejecting him. But apparently Orochimaru did not find the Uchiha strong enough to take him. And that was his mistake. In his preparations to make Sasuke a perfect host for his soul, he made him into his angel of death.

As this could be the perfect opportunity to bring Sasuke home, Tsunade sent the team after him. The team members were Team 7- Hatake Kakashi, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Sai and Yamato- Team 8-Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba and Aburame Shino- and Hitodama, Dragon of the Leaf. The team moved out immediately, towards where Sasuke was rumored last seen. After about a week later, the team was near making contact with him, when they were stopped by none other than the head of the now inactive Seven Lucky Gods Trading Guild, Tobi, who used to go by the name Obi when he served Arata five years back. This made no sense.

Why would the guild affiliate with the Akatsuki? Why would he stop the Leaf ninja from reaching Sasuke, who was at the time fighting his older brother, Itachi? And finally, if what Kakashi saw was true, why would he have the sharingan? He was a none-ninja, was he not? So how could he use whatever ninjutsu, no matter how absurd the jutsu would be?

These questions were set aside with new ones coming. After Tobi left the scene, the team reached what appeared to be a battlefield. Judging from what they could find, turns out Sasuke was fighting Itachi. And won. But if he did kill his older brother, then why didn't they meet him? The question would later turn into a different one- why did he not return to the village yet? Could the Akatsuki get to him?

It was five long months after Kakuzu and Hidan's deaths. Two weeks since the Uchiha brothers fought. And Naruto was gravely depressed. Why couldn't they bring Sasuke back? Why could he understand they wanted to help him? He refused to leave his apartment since they got back from the mission. His blond hair were a mess. And the blond bathed merely three times a week. And Anko would know. As she viewed Naruto as a little brother, she visited him. At first she tried to cheer him up. Then she started scolding him. But now she was both losing her patience and growing more concerned for Naruto. She tried with the old game of assaulting him, hoping he'll cheer up. Back when they were kids, when Naruto felt down, mostly because he performed poorly at the academy, she would do that. And it worked most of the times. But not this time. Naruto was just too blue and too strong for her. Then Sakura wanted to beat some sense into him. Tsunade, Anko, Kakashi and the whole Niigetsu clan were against that idea. Kakashi too tried to snap him out of it, but Naruto seemed to ignore them.

But it wasn't really that bad. While Naruto deep keep himself isolated from others, he did go out for training. It took some time, but Tsunade figured the blond was probably more angry than saddened by the mission failure.

Finally, one day, when Naruto was done showering and eating breakfast, someone knocked to the door. He would normally ignore it, when...

"Naruto! Open up! It's urgent!" Sakura called from behind the door. After a minute or two, Sakura rammed the door down, glaring at Naruto, who was clearly displeased with her action, as he was in a pose clearly suggesting he was about to open the door.

"What gives, Sakura?" he shouted. "I was just finishing breakfast." He said.

"I don't have time for your excuses, Naruto. Lady Tsunade is requesting your presence at once. Says it's the news from Lord Jiraiya and you are to hear them." She said, causing Naruto's eyes to widen.

"The Pervy Sage...?" he asked quietly. Then his face got all serious. "Well what are you standing around for, Pinky! Move it!" he said with overwhelming power in his voice. Not wanting to waste time, Sakura gestured him to follow.

In a matter of minutes, the two reached the Hokage Tower. Naruto wouldn't be staring at it with a shocked expression if it wasn't for one thing. Chief Toad was here, sitting right next to the tower. What was he doing here? Maybe he would get an answer once inside.

But once they entered the office, they found Tsunade and Shizune there. Surprisingly, the latter was holding something in her arms. This got Naruto rather confused. He walked over to Tsunade's assistant to examine and discovered what she was holding.

"Shizune? What's with the kid?" he asked, confused.

Shizune looked at him with confusion, while Sakura seemed ready to whack him on the head, as if he asked the stupidest question in the world. But the pink head was stopped by the look of realization on her face.

"Right, I forgot. You were never told." She said sheepishly. "Uzumaki Naruto, this is my daughter, Miko." She introduced the sleeping three-year-old girl. She had a bit tanned skin and short black hair, though still long enough to tie into two small pony tails. She was wearing a bright blue dress and brown sandals. Naruto had to admit it, she was pretty cute.

"You have a daughter?" he asked as quietly as he could, fortunately not waking the girl up. He was surprised. Then look at Shizune with a huge grin. "Congrats, Shizune! Wish I were here on the big day!" it was late to congratulate, of course. But Naruto figured it would be nice to say that anyway. As Shizune chuckled in appreciation, one question came to the blonde's head. "So... who's the father?" he asked picking up a cup of tea and taking a sip.

"It's Kuromaru."

That was clearly the one name he did not expect to hear. He spitted mysteriously more tea than he sipped right in Tsunade's face. Luckily it wasn't that hot.

"What?!" he yelled out the question, before clapping his mouth shut. He looked at Miko, to see she was still asleep, fortunately. "How did you get hooked up with that homicidal, sadistic psychopath?"

Shizune blushed a bit, trying not to make an eye contact with him. "W-what can I say...? I... always had a... thing for... dangerous men." She answered.

And it seemed to be confirmed by Tsunade's heavy, tired sigh. "Don't remind me." Then looked at Naruto, wanting to get down to business, when she noticed Kakashi has entered. "Now that everyone's here..." she paused, facing to the corner of the room. Everyone followed her gaze, to find an elderly toad with a goatee (how could an amphibian have hair?) in a cloak sitting there. The toad was meditating this entire time, until he sensed the humans were looking at him. He smiled and opened his golden eyes. "This is Lord Fukasaku."

Before the toad said anything, he eyed everyone present- Naruto in particular. "So 'tis here's th'lad Jiraiya-boy told me 'bout?"

"Yes." Tsunade answered. "This is Uzumaki Naruto. The supposed 'Child of Prophecy'."

"What's with the gramps-toad, Granny?" Naruto asked casually, yet critically.

"Watch your mouth, Naruto!" Tsunade begun to scold him. "Lord Fukasaku is the great head hermit of Mount Myoboku! He came all the way here to talk to you!"

"Head hermit is just fine, Tsunade-girl." The elderly toad said. Then returned his gaze back to Naruto. "Anyway, yer the one Jiraiya-boy used ta teach, yeah?"

"-Boy'?" Naruto asked. "Whaddaya think Pervy-sage is? A summon to you? What's your problem, geezer-toad?"

"Naruto!" Tsunade yelled again. "Lord Fukasaku was Jiraiya's mentor! He taught him the sage arts!"

Silence fell. No one dared to say anything. Naruto had to admit, he heard something real impressive. He heard of sage arts in his travels, and lots from Jiraiya before leaving. But to meet a mentor's mentor in the art... that was an honor.

But maybe he would be quick to judge. Fukasaku broke the silence with a hysterical laughter. "PERVY-SAGE! BWA HAHA HA! OH, THAT'S A GOOD ONE!" he continued laughing, which had Shizune consider taking her child out of the office. Which she did.

"Alright then, geezer-toad. What do you want to tell me?" Naruto asked, after Fukasaku seemed to calm down a bit.

The hermit toad's face got all serious. "Where do I begin?" he said, thinking for a while. Then took a deep breath. Might as well start with that.

"Jiraiya's been killed."

Another silence befell the room. Naruto seemed to lose contact with reality for a moment there.

Elsewhere...

Three figures were sitting in the dark room, around a small orb filled with lightening. All three were large and bulky, spiky silhouettes with horns. But one of them was holding a shakujō. He opened his yellow eyes, which had no pupils nor irises. He looked at the others.

"Well, what do you think, sisters?" the shadow, likely the leader, asked with a deep, strong male voice. The two other shadows looked at each other, with the same eyes.

"We think the news Shima brought to us about this situation are not to be taken lightly." One of the females said. "Jiraiya's death will have a strong negative impact on the boy."

The other female decided to speak. "I think it'd be wise to make our presence known, brother."

"Are you sure it is wise?" the male asked. "Don't forget, Akira, Mariko, that our kind is sworn to never intervene in the matters of Mortal Kingdom. Have you forgotten what happened to the last to defy this law?"

"But the boy is still of our kind by blood, brother." Akira said.

"And our brother did not break the law." Mariko spoke, pointing out something. "He merely followed the other rule: to look after the family. Protect our kin."

The male chuckled. "Yes, indeed. Minato was still his son. And Naruto's still our nephew." He commented quietly. "It is settled then. We will help Naruto!" he said authority, striking the ground with the shakujō.

Leaf Village, Hokage Tower

"Durin' our fight with one named Pain, the apparent leader of th' Akatsuki, Jiraiya-boy's throat. But before he fell fer th' last time, he left a message. Fukasaku said, removing his cloak. On his back were burn marks which resembled numbers: 9, 31, 8, 106, 7, 207 and15.

"A code...?" Kakashi wondered. Fukasaku pulled back up his cloak.

"Yup. He did so Pain wouldn't know what he was sayin'. 'tis 'ere's what he died for."

"Did you..." Naruto's voice caught everyone's attention. They looked at him. And he had a hurt and dark expression. "...send him on this mission, Granny?" silence was his answered. "WHAT WEREYOU THINKING?!" YOU KNOW THE AKATSUKI ARE DANGEROUS! WHY DID YOU...?!"

"ENOUGH, NARUTO!" Kakashi cut him off. "You should know exactly how the Fifth feels."

And Kakashi was right. As soon as the Sasuke retrieval team II was sent, Jiraiya approached her. On that day, he told her he found out where the Akatsuki's main base of operations is. Tsunade wanted to send a squad, or better yet the Enforcers. But the Toad Hermit would not have that. He believed he could handle it. How she regretted that.

"To hell with you..." the blond said, gritting his teeth. He turned towards the door, walking away.

"Naruto, where to you...?" Sakura was about to ask, when Naruto stopped.

"If he were the Fifth, he would never let you go on that darn mission even if he had to pummel you half dead, Old Bat Tsunade." Naruto informed the busty blonde with a dangerous tone.

"That's it." Sakura declared, angry. She could not take Naruto insulting her master like that and dashed at him, ready to punch him as hard as to send him into the Hokage Monument.

To everyone's shock and surprise, it was Naruto who punched Sakura, in the stomach. The punch was so strong, a ring of dust rose around the two. Sakura was trying hard to catch her breath, before the blond caught her hair and raised her head up to face him.

"I am... in a really bad mood, Sakura." He said through his teeth, as his eyes turned blood red. "So, unless you want him to come out, don't piss me." He dropped her, exiting the room.

"Naruto..." Sakura said weakly.

"Let him go, Sakura." Tsunade said, as she approached her pupil, examining her.

"I can relate with th' boy." Fukasaku spoke. "He really loved Jiraiya-boy. If he is not indeed th' 'Child of Prophecy', then I don't know wha' ta do..."

Naruto was walking down the streets of the Leaf Village. It hurt him real bad to hear the news about Jiraiya's demise. It was as devastating as back five years ago, when Tokoyo died. All the things he was through with that pervert. The training, the baths, the talks, the Chunin Exams... they were now his memories alone. Not his and Jiraiya's. was left alone. It was so unfair.

"Hey, Naruto." Someone called out to him. Naruto looked ahead, to find Iruka looking at him with a smile. "I hear you go to lots of dangerous missions lately. Thought you may wanna tell me about them. Wanna grab some ramen? My treat." He offered.

Naruto just walked past him.

"No thanks..."

To be continued...

A.N.: This is just a prelude to the Pain Arc. I know it's a pain to wait just for these short chapters. But here's the good news. I'm just two updates away from finishing Transformers: More Than Meets the Eye fic. After that, I'll be taking a break before 'season II' and focus back at this series for a while. So I only ask you show some patience. And I ask for some help/ suggestions: I wanted to give Fukasaku a southern accent, but I know it sucks what I'm trying to do. I'll appreciate some help in the matter. And if you're against it, then just tell me. 'Til next time.