Outsiders
5 – The Elder Uchiha
Xxxxx
"Uchiha… Itachi."
Sasuke's eyes glared, the red Sharingan flaring within, at the man who was the center of his entire universe. The cause of all his misery…
And despite his own words, Itachi had just come before him.
"I see you've grown, Sasuke," said Itachi.
"Shut up!" Sasuke yelled.
Part of him still couldn't believe it. Inside, Sasuke's emotions were embroiled in war, caught between a state of shock and disbelief, as well as that of hatred and ambition. Underconfidence built within him quickly, reminding him of all the time he had wasted. He knew he had improved, but could he truly handle the ferocity of his older brother? Could he, alone, defeat that which the entire Uchiha clan had fallen before?
But there was no time to hesitate, he thought. His ambition was before him, egging him on. This was his chance… And if anyone even considered that he wouldn't take it, then damn them to hell for underestimating his will.
"After all this time…" said Sasuke, quietly. He felt as if he were speaking to an illusion, a ghostly dream that had haunted him for long in the past years. But, he reminded, himself, this was real. "You told me to run, to cling to life…"
In front of him appeared the ghostly shape of his young self, the helpless little boy who had been a coward and done nothing but flee out of fright. He had forsaken himself back then, but the emotional apparition only served to fuel his resolve.
He gritted his teeth, staring Itachi dead in the eye, hate and anger clearly enscribed on his face.
"And now, here you are, coming to me!" He yelled, his usual cold exterior having long disappeared, leaving only fiery emotion . "Have you come looking for your death, Itachi?!"
Itachi said nothing, which made Sasuke all the more furious. Behind him, Neji chuckled.
"I don't care why you're here… Whether it's to take me back to Konoha, or to finish what you started that night..." He bent his knees, one leg sliding back, as he prepared to launch himself forward. "But this is the last night you'll live to see!"
With that, Sasuke burst forward, spilling into his assault every ounce of emotion he had within him. Itachi evaded the attack, but Sasuke threw himself into a tree and ricocheted off of it to get high into the air.
"Katon: Housenka no jutsu! Mythical Fire Flower!" Six ferocious fireballs flew out at Itachi, who, emotionless as before, avoided every single one. Sasuke landed and pounced at the elder Uchiha, feinting a punch only to fall sideways and heave himself up into a handstand. He kicked at Itachi, who blocked the kick and caught Sasuke's leg. Sasuke brought up his other leg into another kick, but Itachi, with his extra hand, caught that too.
Smirking, Sasuke lifted himself up with his core, so that Itachi held him completely horizontally.
"Katon: Gougakyuu no jutsu! Great fireball!"
Sasuke felt Itachi's hands retreat from his ankles, but it was too late. The flames had already erupted from his mouth, sending everything ahead, Itachi included, into a burning haze as Sasuke felt himself blown backwards.
He gently landed and backed away from the smoking site, avoiding the flying embers produced by the two clashing fireballs.
"Impressive," he heard from behind the haze. "You've improved, Sasuke."
"Shut up!" He answered. Inwardly, however, he couldn't help but feel inferior. He couldn't even figure out what Itachi had done to counter his assault. How…?
"Even with my Byakugan, I still can't keep up with that sealing speed of yours…"
Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke gazed at Neji as he spoke.
Grunting, Sasuke stood up to his full height, prepared for what may come next from the flames.
Have to stay calm… Stay calm… He told himself. He was in a situation where he couldn't risk any gambit. Despite his ambition and his resolve, Itachi was still a powerful enemy.
"However…" Itachi said, "It's not enough."
"You…" Sasuke felt dread and fear both when Itachi's voice suddenly appeared behind him, "are still weak."
He spun around, only to be grabbed viciously by his brother's powerful hand. Sasuke fought back, attempting to knee Itachi in the stomach, but the older brother swerved aside to avoid it. Sasuke balanced himself on two bent legs as Itachi pushed him down onto his back, then attempted to curl his leg around Itachi to catch him in a hold. Using all his weight, Sasuke pulled and threw Itachi to the side. However, with Itachi's hold still gripping him tightly, he quickly followed, landing in a heap on the ground. As they landed, Sasuke reached past a kunai stab and grabbed his brother's throat, attempting to choke him.
All this became a fruitless effort, he realized, when Itachi disappeared in a puff of smoke.
…! Kage Bunshin?!
Sasuke suddenly felt himself heaved up into the air and vigorously thrust against a tree.
"Groveling around in the dirt…" he heard Itachi say. "Your desperation is disappointing. What have you been doing all this time, little brother? For five years, you've spent your time fooling around, wasting time? You are weak."
Sasuke struggled against Itachi's hold, but was unable to release himself from the tightening grip. He reopened his eyes, only then realizing that they had at some point been closed, and glared at Itachi's eyes with a murderous intent.
"You try to look intimidating, but in reality your image is pathetic," Itachi continued. "Why are you so weak?" He asked, in a philosophical tone.
The question went unanswered as Sasuke began to lose feeling throughout his body. He couldn't stop him… He couldn't even compare…
Why…? After all this time… The difference between us… Why is the gap between our power still so great?
"It's because…" Itachi whispered, leaning in closer, as if to answer Sasuke's own thoughts. "you do not have enough…hatred."
Itachi closed one eye, focusing the other on Sasuke's two eyes. The three tomoe of Itachi's Sharingan slowly transformed, joining together in a circle to form a shuriken with curved edges.
Dread filled within Sasuke, the red glow his Sharingan disappearing from his eyes, as he stared into his older brother's own pair. He knew that shape; he had seen it before. Back on that dreadful night, and on the days beforehand. He knew what was coming now, the second Itachi unleashed his Mangekyou Sharingan's power of Tsukiyomi.
No…no! Not…that…!
But it was too late. Images of the massacre appeared in a dark haze, illuminated by the red moon of the world of Tsukiyomi. His parents' bloody corpses, Itachi standing over them with a remorseless face of stone; the dead members of the Uchiha clan filling the streets of their home district.
Slowly breaking on the inside, Sasuke succumbed to the numbness spreading throughout his body. Slowly, he began to drift out of consciousness. His lips moved, trying to form a word, but at that moment his strength finally failed him.
Unable to hold on any longer, Sasuke's eyes fell, his head drooping slowly after. His face was twisted into a horrendous mixture of fear and exhaustion.
Itachi slowly released his grip and allowed Sasuke to fall onto his shoulder. He turned away from the tree to meet his partner's curious expression. He cocked an eyebrow, as if to say, "What?"
"Hmph." Neji closed his eyes and chuckled. "Cruel as ever…even to your own family."
"You're one to talk," Itachi answered.
"I suppose not. What now?"
"The job's done. We have Sasuke, as ordered. Now we take him back to Konoha."
"What about the others? We've had reports that he isn't living here alone. There may be more rogue shinobi, most likely from or related to Konoha. Shouldn't we check them out?"
"That's not part of our mission. We'll notify Orochimaru-sama once we're back. For now, we head back."
"Whatever you say," Neji said, somewhat annoyed. He had been interested in finding out just what kinds of skills these rogue shinobi had. They were bound to be interesting, albeit weaker than Sasuke. Inwardly, the Hyuga was positive that he himself would have defeated Sasuke had he wished to.
"Not so fast!"
The call was a loud, feminine one. Neji and Itachi, both facing away from the newest arrival stopped where they were.
"I don't care who the hell you are," she continued. "But if you're concerned at all about leaving this village alive, you'll put him down."
Neji didn't even bother to turn. "Tall, brown hair in buns, grey eyes. Probably around my own age," He said, speaking mostly to Itachi, but also in an attempt to intimidate their new foe.
"Furthermore, judging by her earlier confidence and current surprise and wariness, she's never faced a true shinobi before. The narrowed eyes and clenched jaw are a sign that she's lost her confidence and is beginning to understand the difference between us. But she's not preparing to run; her feet haven't moved and her body is still facing towards us. Obviously she intends to fight; either she's been trained by someone, most likely a shinobi, or she's determined to get Sasuke back."
Silence followed. Tenten, her jaw still clenched out of nervousness, contemplated her options. She had to save Sasuke, no matter what. But these guys…were the real deal. True shinobi from Konoha. And the way the younger one had seen her every movement without even looking at her…it was insane. And fearsome.
"She's clearly no threat," he continued. "She's covered in weapons; looks like some cheap knockoffs of our own brands. Probably the work of an ordinary smith. She's built, for a girl, but her chakra circulatory system isn't completely developed just yet. She must be a weapons specialist, in that case."
"She won't trouble you then," Itachi answered. "Take care of her quick."
Tenten bit her lip. Her confidence was gone. She had no idea what she could do against these guys…they already knew her fighting style. The smaller one seemed to be able to see everything, even without looking. He knew she carried weapons; he probably knew where they all were, too. Not even surprise attacks were possible, now…
She couldn't back down, though… She had to save Sasuke! Even if it meant fighting to the death…
"Imagining your own defeat…" the small one said again. He turned to face her now. His eyes seemingly had no pupils, and veins were visible all around them. Tenten felt a wave of uneasiness hit her as she stared into those endless, white eyes. "And now fear…" he added. "I've already won this battle."
"Don't be so quick to decide!" Howled Tenten, and she lunged at her foe.
Xxxxx
It's like the clouds are waiting for something…
Minato sat still, watching the skies, in exactly the same spot he had been in all night. Dusk had already arrived, and the sky had been riddled with dark storm clouds when the darkness had settled in.
It had been a good half hour since Minato had sent Tenten to go and find Sasuke. He couldn't imagine what was taking so long… At her pace, Tenten should have arrived back in, at most, half of that time.
What could possibly be taking her so long…?
At that moment, his attention was drawn to a knock on the front door. A moment later, Sagisu stood in his home, looking somewhat distraught.
"What's going on?"
"I've been dealing with that bandit leader for the last few days and I need to know a few things about the attack. Plus, I'll need a hand with a few other things."
Minato nodded. "Right, I'm coming."
"The kids, too," Sagisu said. "I'll need at least a few of them, for information. They know what happened best."
Minato sighed, before sending out another round-up call. This time, only the boys, excluding Sasuke, showed up.
"What's up, old man Sagisu?" Came Naruto's usual greeting.
"Hey," Sagisu answered.
"What's going on?" Shikamaru asked Minato, stared at them for a moment, eyebrow cocked.
"Where's Sakura?" He asked.
All three of them shrugged their shoulders. Minato scratched his head. "Well, whatever. Sagisu needs a hand with something. Lee, Shikamaru, help him out, will you?"
Shikamaru sighed while Lee saluted him.
"I'll catch up with you in a minute," Minato told Sagisu. Lee and Shikamaru followed him out, while Naruto looked back at Minato.
"I'm off the hook, then?"
"Nope. I sent Tenten to get Sasuke earlier. That was more than a half hour ago. I can't think of any reason why she would take so long. Go find them. Find out what's taking them so long. Then come back and report to me."
"Right, yeah, whatever."
Naruto ran off in the same direction Tenten had gone not so long ago. I hope they're okay… Minato thought to himself, before he followed Sagisu, Lee, and Shikamaru.
Xxxxx
Tenten hit the ground, blood spurting across the earth below her. Pain echoed throughout her body. She could no longer move…
"It's like I predicted," said Neji, walking towards her. "Not even a threat."
"Hurry it up," Itachi said from farther away. "We can't waste too much time here."
"Fine. I guess I'll just finish her off then. No point in having her follow us later."
Tenten grimaced, hearing the sounds of a kunai being unsheathed.
"Just remember," he said. "Messing with Konoha's affairs was the mistake you made."
Just as the kunai was about to slam down, the white-eyed one's eyes widened. He hurled himself out of the way as an orange blur hit the ground where he stood.
"Another one?" Neji thought out loud. Naruto immediately flew forward, but Neji intercepted his punch and pushed aside his arm. The blonde tried to tackle him down, but Neji was too quick. He grabbed Naruto's sleeves, and, using the momentum of Naruto's tackle, threw him down to the ground. He immediately followed that up by hurling his kunai into Naruto's abdomen.
The blonde hit the ground shortly before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"Kage bunshin?" Neji narrowed his eyes. He could be anywhere now. Certainly, this one was more of a challenge… He had already attacked and was hidden already. He could attack at any time, from anywhere…
Neji quickly activated his Byakugan, searching the surrounding trees for the strange blaring outfit he had been wearing.
Apparently, however, there was no need.
"I don't know who the hell you think you are! But doing that to Tenten… I'm gonna kick your ass, you hear?!" Naruto came out into the clearing, standing with his arms crossed, completely visible.
Neji snorted. "Looks like I was wrong…" he said "You're a fool. Leaving your hiding place…you had an advantage there. Now you're just a big, blaring target."
"Who the hell are you guys, anyway?" Naruto asked. "Coming in here and attacking us for no reason… I can't forgive something like that…!"
"Hmph… It'd take a fool to think we would actually reveal our secrets just because you asked. You know, this will all be over a lot sooner if you just get down on the ground play dead."
Naruto's clenched his jaw in anger, practically growling.
"My, you're easy to rile up…"
Now, Naruto's fist was clenched, as well. He was ready to jump at that these guys any second and beat the living crap out of them, but a hand suddenly grabbed his ankle. Looking down, Naruto found Tenten looking up at him.
"N-Naruto…they're shinobi from Konoha," she said.
Konoha…? He thought. What the hell are they doing here, then?
"They…they captured S-Sasuke…" she continued. Naruto stared, wide-eyed, at the blue figure hung over the bigger one's shoulder. No doubt; even in the darkness, he could tell.
"Sasuke…" he growled.
"Hn. Are you going to stand up for your friends and attack us, just like her, or what?" The taunt snapped Naruto's attention back to the white-eyed one. He couldn't be too much older than himself, yet Naruto felt a chill creeping through him as he stared at his empty, white eyes.
Gladly, he thought. He was about to lunge when Tenten's hold on his ankle strengthened. Looking down at her again, he saw that she was struggling to talk.
"They're strong…be careful," she said. Naruto nodded. "That one with the white eyes…" she continued. "He can…he can see everything."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Naruto asked, but Tenten didn't seem to have the energy to speak anymore. Her grip loosened, and Naruto gently slipped out of it.
"Alright," he said. "Now, we can fight!" Naruto yelled, immediately running towards Neji.
He's not even bothering to be subtle… Neji mused. He's just running straight at me. Is this guy for real?
He easily sidestepped a punch and stopped a swift kick with his hand.
I can't believe these two were trained by the same guy… Neji thought. This one…fights nothing like a shinobi.
Naruto continued his barrage of attacks, Neji easily intercepting every one, before finally thrusting his arm into Naruto's chest. The blonde boy flew back into the ground.
"How pathetic…" he said. "I can't even call someone like you a shinobi! You run straight at your enemy and just attack with a barrage of random assaults… There's no strategy and no skill… You're nothing more than a village boy playing hero, aren't you?"
Naruto slowly got up. "Shut up!" He roared.
"Hmph. If you really think you can call yourself a shinobi…why don't you prove it?"
Neji could feel Itachi's gaze on his back. The Uchiha wanted to get this over with already and get back home… But the fun was worth it. He'd wanted to know what these rogue shinobi were capable of. Even if they were just rookie Genin level.
"Fine then!" The blonde yelled. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Five copies of him appeared, each one drawing a kunai.
"Kage bunshin again…" he muttered to himself. And this time, there's a bunch of them… I doubt he can hold them for very long. I'll call it at a minute, tops.
The six blondes circled around Neji, each waiting for the right moment. The Hyuga smirked, right as he was rushed. He gracefully grabbed the first two arms to reach him and pulled them into each other, dispelling both. He grabbed each one's kunai and hurled them at the next pair, easily eradicating them. A fifth blonde came at him from above, while another snuck in from behind. Neji stepped back and caught the one above him by both arms and threw him backwards into the last one.
"Just because there's more of you doesn't mean that any of them are better fighters," Neji commented. "You can't beat me with such mediocre skill."
"Dammit…" Naruto muttered. This guy saw through his every move and countered it perfectly. Just like Tenten said…he could see everything.
He stood up again, gasping for breath.
"Why don't you just give up and go?" Neji suggested. "I'll let you off for good behavior. A guy like you could never hope to beat someone like me, anyway. You're destined for nothing more than soil and cattle. Stop trying to be a hero. This fight is pointless."
"You can…just shut the hell up!" Naruto answered. "I don't need a guy like you telling me what's pointless and what's not! Don't think just because your eyes are special means that you're better than me! I've been fighting Sasuke and his Sharingan for years… If you think your eyes are a challenge for me, then just sit and watch!"
Neji was not amused. "You're a fool."
Naruto said nothing. Instead, he formed a seal with his hands. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" He yelled.
"Again with the shadow cl…"
Suddenly, in a gust of wind, the clearing was filled with Naruto's.
"What in the hell…?" Said Neji.
On the sideline, Itachi chuckled. I've never seen one person use so many clones… Especially not someone so young.
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. Remember it, because that'll be the name of the man who defeated you!" All thirty Naruto's called in unison. Together, they charged him, some throwing punches while the others hung back and drew shuriken from their pockets.
Neji easily countered the attacks, not missing a single beat. He evaded every punch, kick, and cold, star-shaped piece of metal that Naruto threw at him.
The clones were disappearing one by one. Neji easily caught them each in quick thrust, dispelling them with ease. It was just as he had said earlier… No matter how many clones there were, every single one was just as weak as the original.
Several clones rushed him, but Neji separated them all and dispelled them each in turn. Not many were left… Only about as many as there had been the last time the kid had used kage bunshin.
Two clones lunged at him from the sides. Neji smirked. "No matter how many clones you use… In the end, they're all the same," he said. "Every attack is just the same thing…done over and over again!"
He struck both clones in the chest, forcing them into nonexistence. The smoke from their disappearance was slow to clear, however, and Neji suddenly felt his arms being tugged to the sides.
"What?!" As the smoke cleared, Neji found two new clones, each holding down one of his arms. "Where did they…"
He had no time to think however, as another clone lunged at him. Neji used the clones' hold of him against them and threw his legs up in the air to kick the new attacker, who quickly disappeared.
Only to be replaced by another, as the kunai he held transformed back into a clone that grabbed Neji's legs and held him, together with the other clones, up in the air.
Shit! While I was fighting the horde, some of his clones must have transformed into kunai! I thought he was just using the same strategy as before… But he formed a new one so quickly, knowing I would counterattack the same way as before… This guy…
"Who's the target now?!" He heard from above, as the original shot down towards him from the air.
S-shit! I have to stop him!
"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Naruto yelled as he prepared both feet for the crash.
In a powerful stroke, Naruto hit his target and flew backwards into the ground from the recoil. However, Neji only smirked as a blue aura blocked Naruto's attack. The clones, thinking he had been hit, released their hold of his limbs. Neji swiftly caught his balance and immediately struck out all three clones.
Naruto got up and saw the unexpected result of his plan. "W-what the hell…?"
"Overconfidence leads to defeat…" Neji said. "To assume I didn't have any kind of back-up plan was a mistake. I've fought enemies far more powerful than you. You think I wouldn't be prepared for a situation like that?"
"D-damn… Now what?" Naruto asked himself.
"Now…" Neji answered. "this fight is over."
"Huh?"
"You are in the range of my Hakke…"
Naruto stood straight up, but Neji was too quick.
"Jyuken style, Hakke Rokujuuyonshou! Sixty-Four Hands of Hakke!" Neji became a white blur, suddenly appearing before him. "Hakke two hands!" He struck Naruto with two fingers.
"Four hands!" This time in four different places.
"Eight hands!" Now he moved on to Naruto's other side.
"Sixteen hands! Thirty-two hands! Sixty-four…Hands of Hakke!"
Naruto flew backwards into the ground. He suddenly was able to feel every inch of his body…in pain. Worse, he felt as if all his energy had left him.
Grimacing, Naruto struggled to get back up.
"A shinobi's body has three-hundred-sixty-one chakra pours," said Neji, "through which chakra is released. I've struck sixty-four of those "Tenketsu" points. Right now, you are incapable of producing any chakra."
Naruto fell to the ground, but tried to push himself back up again. Neji chuckled. "My name is Hyuga Neji. Remember that as the name of the man who defeated you."
Naruto growled and slowly lifted himself up onto one knee. Neji stared at him coldly.
"Why are you trying so hard?" He asked. "Sasuke has already been captured. Your other friend is down on the ground and wounded. You can no longer fight me. You should just give up. This battle has become pointless for you."
"Shut up…" Naruto answered, still trying to get back up. He fell once more, a bloody cough erupting from his mouth.
"You can't beat me. The difference between us is obvious. I'm a trained shinobi… A master of the Hyuga clan's Jyuken, the Gentle Fist style. And you…you are nothing more than a farmboy trying to protect his friends. In the world of shinobi, only a handful are truly capable of becoming great. That is not your destiny. You would only serve to be a failure as a shinobi."
Naruto's jaw clenched. He meant to speak, but another bloody cough interrupted him.
"And why is Sasuke so important to you, anyway? He is an Uchiha. A member of one of the greatest clan's in the shinobi world. He, too, is destined for greatness. You would be holding him back by keeping him here. Do you really think someone like him fits in at all with a big group of failure shinobi and farmers as his home?"
Naruto was now on one knee, his other leg struggling to push itself up. He held his stomach, trying to ignore the pain. "I said…shut. UP!"
Slowly, he stood back up. His legs were straight, but he was nowhere near his full height. His back was bent over as he tried to flush out the pain of Neji's attack. "I don't who the hell you are…and I don't care what the hell you think. Destiny means nothing to me. And Sasuke…Sasuke is my friend! I won't let some bastard shinobi in Konoha take him away! You stole his family; you stole his life! He finally found peace here, and now you want to force him away from it. People like you are the ones I hate the most… It's bastards like you that I could never forgive!"
Neji's eyes narrowed. Slowly, Naruto stood straight up, his back no longer keeled over. He no longer held his abdomen in pain. His expression was of utmost anger; Neji felt a wave of powerful killer intent wash over him. His eyes seemed different…almost as if his pupils had acquired a new shape.
"That…" he heard from behind him. "What…is this?" He turned to see that Itachi was staring at Naruto, his Sharingan activated.
Neji activated his Byakugan, curious, and followed Itachi's gaze. What he found…was impossible.
What…? How could this be? Did I…screw up?
Chakra was pouring through Naruto's chakra circulatory system; a flood of it forcing open his tenketsu points.
"This chakra…" Itachi muttered. "Isn't human…"
Suddenly, Naruto disappeared from Neji's vision. Where did he…?
A sudden pain in his back alerted him to Naruto's new location, but Neji could do nothing as he was thrown forward with incredible power. He rolled through the grass and threw himself back up, only to find the blonde in his face, a powerful punch flying towards him.
Neji flew back, only to have a barrage of strikes, inflicted by multiple Naruto's send him flying even farther. He couldn't see...they were too fast! He had no time to react, not a single chance to escape the assault. One clone kicked upwards in the stomach, sending him an unnatural distance into the air. Another appeared above him and grabbed his arms, flipping him over and throwing him back down into a tree.
The last one jumped passed him, ricocheting off the tree and grabbing Neji once more by the arms. He dragged him across the earth before hurling him once more across the clearing. Neji rolled through the grass again and slammed into a tree. He opened his eyes, only to see the blonde roar and prepare to come after him.
However, a dark figure suddenly slammed into Naruto just as he began to move, throwing him into a tree. Naruto suddenly felt an intense, searing pain run through him as he was impaled in the chest by a long katana. Several kunai caught his arms on the tree.
Naruto forced his eyes open and gazed at the emotionless face of Uchiha Itachi.
"That power…I do not know what it was. But you cannot be allowed to live. I've pierced the nerves in both of your arms and ripped apart one of your lungs. You won't suffer long; you will be dead in less than an hour. Whatever you are, Uzumaki Naruto, you will never trouble Konoha ever again."
Neji stood back up, seeing the quick work that Itachi had made of Naruto. Itachi removed his sword and turned to his partner. "Come, Neji." He said. He grabbed Sasuke. Neji gathered himself and followed Itachi as they dashed out of the clearing and into the adjacent forest.
Naruto, stuck nailed to the tree, tried to call after them, but only a small croak escaped his lips.
"Sasu…ke…"
He began to feel the cool drops of the coming rain. The kunai loosened, and Naruto fell to the ground.
My body…feels so heavy. I can't move… And it's cold… Am I…dying?
Within a matter of minutes, rain was pouring all around, flooding the nearby pond. Loud splashing sounds echoed through the trees. There was the faint sound of rustling in the bushes, before everything suddenly went dark. Before he blacked out, Naruto heard footsteps splashing in the water, and the image of a solemn Minato appeared to him shortly before his vision gave out.
Minato gazed at the small battlefield, and his two defeated students. But there were no words to be said. Whatever had occurred here was over.
Xxxxx
Warmth slowly spread throughout Naruto's body, seemingly illuminating the darkness surrounding him. He could see nothing, and yet the disappearance of the cold he had been feeling suddenly made feel that much more alive.
It was cold up until a moment ago. And the pain is gone… Is this death?
HOHO… SO LIFE HAS RETURNED HAS RETURNED TO YOU.
What…?
IT SEEMS MY IMPRISONMENT HAS NOT YET ENDED…
Who…who are you?
Naruto suddenly found himself conscious of his body. He was floating in darkness…until a gargantuan eye appeared before him. It had a sinister appearance, inspiring even more fear than that of the Hyuga. Its pupil was a slit, bisecting the eyeball in two.
I AM YOUR SAVIOR, BOY.
Savior…?
WHO DO YOU THINK IT WAS THAT TOOK CONTROL WHEN THAT HYUGA ALMOST KILLED YOU?
I… I don't know… I lost control… I can barely remember what happened…
The eye narrowed. Naruto found he had trouble looking at it directly. It scared him more than anything that Hyuga Neji or Uchiha Itachi were capable of… This thing, whatever it was, inspired pure, instinctual fear.
JUST REMEMBER THIS, BOY. YOU ARE NO ORDINARY BEING…
What do you mean?
Suddenly, a floor appeared beneath his feet. Naruto looked down and found that he was standing on a concrete ground. Suddenly, great pillars of steel emerged between himself and the eye. He felt moisture in the air…almost as if some water-like substance was so abundant that it felt as if it were the presence of another person.
IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE…THEN GO TO KONOHA.
Konoha? Why…why Konoha? What am I?
THE ANSWERS ARE IN KONOHA.
What answers? Answers to what? Hey, answer me!
The great eye had disappeared, and the voice along with it. Naruto now found himself all alone, before a great wave of heat washed over him. Light poured in through his eyes. When he finally was able to stand the light, he opened one eye, only to have the light blocked out by a large, dark figure.
A large, black, rectangle was hovering above him. Naruto let his gaze wander lower down, and he found a great, circular eye staring directly into his own.
A moment passed, before understanding sunk in.
"Gaah! Lee! Get the hell out of my face!"
"Hmmm! It would seem the light has returned to my brother! How wonderful! But his eyes…they speak of fear! Did I scare you, Naruto?!"
Naruto pushed Lee away, wiping his eyes. "No, you idiot…but your eyebrows sure as hell did! When the hell is the last time you trimmed those?! I couldn't even see past them!"
"M-my eyebrows? I've never trimmed them before…people do that?"
"They do when they're that huge…" Naruto muttered. "Hey, what the hell were you doing hovering over me like that? And where the hell am I…"
He looked around and found that he was back at home, in his own room. Suddenly, the door flew open and Minato entered.
"You shouldn't move around so much…" he advised. "Your wounds may open."
"Wounds…" Naruto repeated. Suddenly, all memory of the battle against the Konoha shinobi returned to him. "Shit! Sasuke! Where's Sasuke?! They…they were getting away with him!"
"Naruto, calm down," Minato said.
"But Sasuke! They took him! Konoha!"
"I know what happened. Tenten told me everything."
"T-Tenten…!" Naruto gasped. "What happened to her? She was hurt!"
"Tenten's fine. I healed her wounds. They weren't so bad. You, on the other hand, have been out cold for nearly thirty-six hours…"
"W-what…?! Minato! We have to go after them and rescue Sasuke!"
Minato stopped and gazed at Lee. Then, he said, "Lee, would you mind leaving us alone?"
"Ossu!" He saluted, and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
"…Does Lee not know what happened?" Naruto asked, confused.
"He knows. As do Shikamaru and Sakura. I would just prefer to do this in privacy…"
"Do what?"
Minato sighed and took a seat opposite of Naruto. "This will be hard to explain… Look, Naruto. When I found you guys…your enemies were long gone. And…Sasuke with them."
"N-no… Dammit, why? Why didn't you go after them? Why didn't you just heal me right there, we could have stopped them!"
Minato looked away. "The thing is, Naruto. Shinobi units usually operate in teams of four. Tenten told me what happened… You fought two Konoha ninja. Hyuga Neji and…Uchiha Itachi."
"U-Uchiha… Itachi? That means that he's…"
"Precisely. The man you saw, with the dark hair, who gave you those wounds. That was Sasuke's brother."
Naruto felt anger well up inside him, remembering the cold, emotionless face that had gazed at him so calmly, explaining that he had to be killed.
That guy… He's the one that killed Sasuke's whole family…
"There was no way anyone could have gone after them," Minato said. "They had a head start. And they also probably had two fresh teammates, ready for battle. There was no way we could have stopped them."
Naruto hung his head down in shame. "I…I couldn't stop them… I should have been able to… I could have!"
"No," Minato interrupted. "You couldn't."
Naruto looked up at him, somewhat angry, and yet also intrigued that Minato so easily vouched for his defeat. "Those two were out of your league… Perhaps the Hyuga, you could have defeated. But from what Tenten said, he must be an exceptional genius among the members of that clan. However, Itachi… Uchiha Itachi, is someone that you don't have a shred of a hope of defeating. He's a man who is nearly undefeatable… The Sharingan in itself is a tool that, when used to its full potential, is nearly impossible to defeat. Itachi is a genius among a clan of geniuses."
"You're speaking like you know him."
"Even while living here, I've heard many things about him. Sagisu, especially, gets a lot of news about him."
"But still…" Naruto said. "That doesn't change anything. Sasuke was still taken away… To a place that he ran away from in the first place! We have to rescue him!"
Minato sighed. "Do you realize what you're suggesting? Naruto, you're talking about infiltrating a village filled to the brim with powerful shinobi."
Naruto's jaw clenched. "I… I don't care. It has to be done… No matter what, I'll save Sasuke. I don't care if I have to go through a thousand shinobi villages… I'll rescue him if it's the last thing I do."
Minato stared him right in the eye. "Is that really how you feel?"
Naruto nodded. "I see," he said. "If that's the case…"
Naruto gazed at him, surprised to be hearing anything close to an agreement.
"Even among the five great shinobi villages, Konoha is known as one of the greatest. Its Hokage is a ruthless man named Orochimaru, whose name is known throughout the entire world. Others like Uchiha Itachi exist; you would have to go through them all, if you really want to rescue Sasuke. The way you are now, you don't have any hope of achieving that goal."
"What are you saying?"
"Two years," Minato answered, holding up his index and middle finger. "I'll train you, all five of you, for two years. And when that time has passed… I'll help you to infiltrate Konoha and rescue Sasuke."
"W-we can't wait two whole years! It's way too much time! Something could happen to Sasuke!"
"Konoha won't do anything to him. He is one of the last remaining members of the Uchiha clan; he's an asset. If anything, they'll try to turn him into a weapon. But Orochimaru favors the powerful; Sasuke will be treated like a prince. An imprisoned prince, but a prince nonetheless."
Naruto nodded. "So give me two years to bully you," Minato continued. "And then you're off. I've already spoken to the others. They all want the same thing; even Shikamaru was willing to train for this."
"Ossu!"
"Now, you better get back to resting. You'll never become stronger if you don't let those wounds heal."
"Yes, sir. Although…" Naruto was not sure how to explain his next question.
"What is it?"
"Minato… Is there…is there anything…inside me?"
His guardian's eyes narrowed. "…Why would you think that?" He asked in a calm, nearly emotionless tone.
"It's just that…while I was unconscious…something…no, someone spoke to me."
"I see."
"And also," he added, "when I was fighting… I was beaten by that Neji guy. And then…then I got real angry, and sort of lost control. I can't really remember what happened too well… But it was like something was controlling me. As if my rage was leading me and giving me power. I…I think I nearly killed him."
Minato looked out the window. "I see."
"Minato?"
"Yes?"
"You know something, don't you?"
Minato looked back at Naruto, then down at the ground. "I suppose it's now or never then. You would have had to be told eventually…"
"What? What is it?"
"Naruto…you have to understand. This…this is a secret that not even Sagisu is aware of. If anyone finds out about it…it could place you in a very dire danger. Even I may be unable to protect you."
"W-what…"
"Naruto…inside you is sealed an ancient beast. The Kyubi no Yoko. The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox."
"What…what do you mean?"
"When you were born, the fox was sealed inside you. You see, a being that powerful cannot be killed by humans. It is an impossible feat. The only choice was for it to be sealed away. Sealing it inside an inanimate object would be too risky; it could easily fall into the wrong hands. It had to be sealed inside a person, but because most people could not handle its power and a shinobi's chakra circulatory system would conflict with the Kyubi's power, it had to be sealed within an infant. That infant…was you, Naruto."
Naruto found himself unable to speak. Eventually, he managed a few words. "D…does that make me…"
Minato's eyes widened, anticipating the question. "Naruto, I swear, if you ask me if that makes you a demon, I'll throw you out of this window! By no means are you the Kyubi itself! You are its container; it's guardian. You are the Kyubi's jailor. If the Kyubi were to roam free, if would cause destruction and death across the entire world. By keeping it at bay, you are…a hero."
"A…hero…"
"Yes." Minato stood up, assuming that Naruto would be okay. "You need rest. Go back to sleep."
Naruto nodded, and quickly returned back to sleep as Minato exited the room.
Outside of Naruto's room, Minato was assaulted with a barrage of questions.
"Will he be okay?"
"What was his answer?"
"Can we see him?"
"Are my eyebrows that big?"
"Naruto is going to be fine," he answered. "He's gone back to sleep. More importantly… you guys need to start preparing. Once Naruto and Tenten's wounds have healed, you guys are going to have to suffer through hell for two years."
Surprisingly, he was met with a group of iron-hard, motivated expressions. Minato smiled, remembering the foolish little children he had once tested in that clearing. Back then, he had not expected them to turn out so. He could never have anticipated that those annoying little children that didn't even take the Bell Test seriously would be forcing him to train them as professional shinobi.
But he was all the more prouder that it had been their idea and their decision.
"Ehrm…Minato?" Asked Shikamaru, interrupting his thoughts.
"What is it?
"…Nothing. Nevermind." The pony-tailed boy walked off, apparently pondering something.
Strange…
The others, too, were all going in their own directions. Minato caught Sakura by the shoulder and led her into another room.
"What is it?" She asked.
"Sakura…that night, I heard rustling in the bushes. You were nowhere to be found before then, and I couldn't find you at all afterwards. That was you, in the bushes, wasn't it?"
Suddenly, the pink-haired girl began to project tears across her face. "I…I…I was there… I saw everything…" she answered. "I saw it all, but I couldn't stop it. I couldn't do anything…I was just frozen in my spot…I couldn't even move to help Tenten and Naruto and Sasuke!"
"It's alright," Minato said. "That's why you're so determined to train, isn't it?"
The sobbing girl nodded. "That's alright. Wanting to become stronger so you can protect those precious to you… That is the most admirable purpose for seeking strength. The fact that all of you are motivated for that reason… I couldn't be prouder of you guys for that."
For a while, Minato comforted her, making sure to fuel her determination. These next couple years, no doubt, were going to be hell for these kids. But in the end… It would lead them towards their goal.
To infiltrate Konoha. To defeat Hyuga Neji. To defeat Uchiha Itachi. And most importantly…
To rescue Sasuke.
Sorry for the wait. School's been a bitch, lately. Luckily, I was able to get started on the chapter during my Spring vacation. Also, schools reach its peak, and from here on out, the workload should be getting smaller as finals get nearer. It'll be more studying and less homework, and seeing as I hardly study anyway... You get the point (Summer is coming!).
Author's Notes:
Not really too much to say about this chapter. It drove the story into its first real story arc. I also realized something... No matter how much you look forward to writing any chapter, or any scene, once the time comes and that chapter is next on the list, you no longer want to write it. It's weird. Unless I write something ahead of time, I'm never excited to actually write it once its turn comes (and yes, there are several things I have written ahead of time, including one entire chapter).
Anyhoot. Please review. Whenever I reread reviews, it helps to motivate me to get started on the next chapter. And this will be the last time you'll hear me asking you to review; I don't like to beg, after all.