Document manager is okay again. Yehey! No more glaring at the monitor!
It took me like one or two minutes to understand mou's review but anyway just to make things clear, "the eight years" I wrote at the bottom part of the story referred to the flashback Sasuke had. The memory which happened eight years ago was written in italics and had no warning or whatsoever. Sorry for the confusion.
And despite what you guys think, it wasn't a move for Kisho to gather the spies in Konoha. Despite the ANBU's efforts, they can't identify all the spies in Konoha especially the passive ones. That's just how the real world works, right? Governments are aware of the spy's existence in their country but as long as these spies' actions won't threaten the existence of the countries then they would let the spies be or follow/ observe them but won't eliminate them, I think. I'm so oblivious with things such as this.
Chapter 71: The choice he made
Sasuke and his team froze in mid-leap as they saw a black mushroom smoke rising in the air just above Konoha.
"What the heck?" Yanagi exclaimed. "Is Konoha under attack?"
That question surged them to move forward, their hearts beating faster and louder out of fear and adrenaline pumped their veins.
God, let it be anyone but him.
As they drew nearer, they could clearly see the damage the attack had caused. There were no signs of genins and there were only few chuunins. Most of those who were engaged in battle were jounins and ANBU members. This scene alone told them the situation was in a code red. Sasuke abandoned his team and speeded towards the hokage tower. He spotted one ANBU guard who was fighting someone. Who? He didn't give a damn. Even though the guard had the upper-hand, Sasuke jumped in and killed the attacker.
"Where's Naruto?" he demanded from the surprised guard. In any given peaceful situation, Sasuke should have been reprimanded for his lack of respect but at that moment nobody especially Sasuke gave a damn. It was Naruto's life at stake. His Naruto.
"Kisho-" the man trailed off as a loud explosion interrupted him. They looked up just in time Nidaime's face was wiped out, Shodaime's nose fell off and Sandaime's sported large cracks.
Instantly Sasuke recognized the technique and his heart leapt to his throat. Naruto was fighting. Fighting with who? He didn't know not until dust started settling down. He saw two silhouettes standing one or two meters apart and blue orbs glowing in their hands, drawing the dust in the air in a perfect spiral. Without a doubt, he knew Naruto's opponent- Kisho. His son. Their boy. His and Naruto's child- the product of their passionate love. God! Why did it have to be like this?
Before he knew it, he abandoned the guard and moved forward. Fervent prayers rushed to his mind; bargains with any gods who were listening were offered by him while asking them to let him reach them on time to stop the fight between father and son. He had to stop it. He wanted to save them both because they were his important persons.
All prayers ceased as halfway and right in front of his eyes, Naruto got hit and droplets of blood sprayed in the air like red pearls.
Sasuke ceased running and stood frozen in the spot unable to believe and unable to take his eyes from the scene. Adrenaline evaporated from his veins and was replaced by coldness and hollowness. Weak-kneed and suddenly tired, he fell on fours.
It was like he was reliving the murder of his clan once more but this time it was so much worse. This time it was Naruto being killed. This time it was Kisho – his son who was doing the unspeakable crime.
He always imagined that when Naruto would be killed, he would go in a fit of rage and would be thirsty for revenge. He always thought he'd end up like that not on the ground, unable to see the soil he was staring as the image of Kisho killing Naruto stuck in front of his eyes where tears cascaded from like waterfalls.
What was pain? Sorrow? Sadness? Emptiness? Nothingness? When his parents were killed, he thought he knew pain, sadness, grief and loneliness. He was wrong. He didn't know until now. Losing Naruto was pain, sorrow, sadness, loneliness, emptiness, darkness and nothingness. This was his transformation into being an empty shell. This was his slow death.
Take me now. You already took everything away from me.
He had no reason to live or to breathe. His mind was blank and the shards of his heart rang with emptiness just as his world turned completely dark and there was no sun to light it up once again. Wasn't his clan enough? Why must he suffer like this? Why couldn't he just be on time? Why couldn't he have a chance to save his precious person? Why must life choose for him? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
"WHY?" he screamed as his right hand dug into the soil while his left was busy pounding the ground. Somebody was shaking him, calling his name urgently. He opened his eyes to find blue orbs filled with worry and fear staring down at him.
"Sasuke?" Naruto choked.
It suddenly registered on Sasuke that he was on their room, on their bed and it was just a nightmare. A fucking nightmare. His hands wrapped themselves around Naruto and pulled him close. "Naruto," he whispered tearfully, unashamed of the tears he was crying while he was sleeping.
The blonde didn't ask. The fear in Sasuke's eyes told him his husband had a nightmare. He placed a soft kiss on both eyes, licked his tears before he gently kiss Sasuke assuring him that it wasn't real.
"It's going to be okay. I'm going to make it all right for you," Naruto whispered as he settled his head on Sasuke's heaving chest, his arms wrapped around the pale body. Softly, he hummed a song just to calm down his spouse's erratic heartbeat. His eyelids drooped at the way Sasuke combed his hair.
-SasuNaru is love-
Yukina and Yuuhi were in the garden, the former gardening while the latter was busy chasing dragonflies and butterflies.
"Watch your steps, Yuuhi," Yukina said just to remind her youngest child while rubbing her slightly bulging stomach. She looked over her shoulder when she heard a sob. It was Haruo coming from the nursery and he was sobbing.
The boy immediately sat under the nearest tree, clutching and burying his tear-streak face against the bag Kisho bought for him as a gift for entering nursery.
Yukina immediately went to him, Yuuhi not far behind.
"What's wrong?" she asked. But Haruo only shook his head and refused for any comforting hugs so she could only rub his back to soothe whatever troubled him. Yuuhi stared at his brother wondering what made his usually cheerful brother cry.
Five minutes or so, Haruo decided to talk but his voice was slightly smothered by his bag.
"They said uncle is bad..." He paused to sniff. "That he would kill us."
"That's not true," a voice said fiercely causing the three to look up. Yuuzuki crouched in front his oldest son. "Do you think he's bad?"
"No," was the fierce reply.
"Then don't listen to them. They don't know about uncle Kisho. Understand?"
Haruo nodded, wiping his eyes.
Yuuhi wrapped chubby arms around Yukina's neck. He didn't understand the whole situation. All he knew was that his blond uncle hadn't visited them for quite some time.
"Uncle here?"
His mother wrapped an arm around his waist. "No, but he'll be here soon."
He nodded.
Watching his family, a small part of Yuuzuki wondered who was stupid. Those who kept on believing or those who never believe?
-SasuNaru is love-
Nobody noticed the sly smile that touched Saburo's lips as he left the mission center with a copy of one of the pages of the mission ledger. It really paid off to have everyone in the village thought of him as just one of those lowly chuunins working in the mission center as a bookkeeper because no one suspected him. But in case someone did, he could easily execute his plan to set up one of his co-workers. At first he wanted it to be Iruka but the man was oozing with fierce loyalty not to mention that he was popular among his former students who were now clan leaders or prominent Konoha figures. Well some of them anyway, but the point was a thorough investigation would be held and it won't be long before Iruka's name would be cleared while he, Saburo would be apprehended. Such event would be pathetic. He didn't want that. He won't be foolish.
He stopped his train of thoughts when somebody called his name. It was Sone- his ANBU member friend and his source of information because ANBU missions were never sent to the mission center.
"Lemme guess, you just arrived from your mission," Saburo stated smilingly.
"Nope. We just had our debriefing with the hokage," Sone replied. "And now I need booze! C'mon!" And he dragged the boy who would always drink orange juice.
The moment they entered the building, Saburo left him to buy their usual drink while the older one went to their usual table- the one located at the corner and almost hidden by the darkness. He trusted his friend so much that it didn't occur to him that he was being used; that information were being squeezed out from him or that his drink was being spiked.
Saburo discretely added two drops of the colorless and odorless liquid from a small vial he always carried with him. The concoction was prepared by Tama and its effect made the victim spill any secrets when prompt by someone and when it wears off, the victim would have no memories of what transpired.
Saburo watched as his friend downed three cups straight while listening to Sone's blues about his latest mission. He hid his smile by seeping his juice as Sone's tongue started loosening. He knew that the drug was now taking effect.
"Is there any on-going investigation about the frequent deaths among jounin and low-rank ANBU?"
Sone's brows furrowed. "I don't know." He shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe."
Saburo nibbled his thumb. He was certain that an investigation was going on because the top brasses weren't stupid. But if there really was and without an ANBU member's knowledge- ignore the fact that such member was a low-rank one then it must that it was being done in secrecy and by the higher echelons in ANBU. He frowned knowing it was too difficult to penetrate that circle because it was composed by the cream of the crop; the best among the best and the powerful ninjas next to the hokage. Worse, he didn't know anyone who was a top-rank member. But in any case, the discretion practiced by those who were investigating meant everybody was a suspect. Damn. But despite everything, Saburo was still confident that it would take a long time before he'd be caught. A very, very long time.
He proceeded to inquire the question he was itching to ask. "Any missions for any Uchiha member?" He wanted to know. He wanted that information to be leaked to his group so Kisho may suffer. After all these years, he still hated the boy and was still holding a grudge against him.
Sone reached over to grab Saburo's collar. "Who do you think you take me for?" he hissed, scaring the younger one. Had Sone realized that-
"I'm not a fucking top rank ANBU member. Dammit! But I'll be. I'll top everyone in the organization. Until then," He let go of Saburo and patted him on the shoulders. "You have to wait."
"Wait?" he echoed while trying to relax.
"Only the hokage and/or the Root leader know about missions for top-rank ANBU."
Irritation came too quickly for the chuunin. All this time, he thought that that wasn't the case. Damn. Was ANBU that really secretive? He needed another plan.
He accompanied Sone until the drug's effects wore off. After that he left and quickly went home. He locked the door to his room before leaning against it. Slowly, he took the paper out from the inner pocket of his flak jacket and unfolded it. His gaze swept over the text looking for a perfect victim. He grinned wickedly as he found a name that seemed to stand out among everyone else.
Uchiha, Miki.
Perfect.
He couldn't wait to see Kisho's expression when he would learn that the next victim would be a family member. But he didn't have to wait that long because two days from now he'd be leaving for a mission.
-SasuNaru is love-
Trap.
That was what came to a villager's mind as he scampered and pressed himself against the wall as if it would save him. Upsetting garbage bins causing its contents to be spilled on the ground was the man's least concern as a very livid Akemi stood in front of him.
"Care to repeat the comment you made earlier?" the shinobi ordered more than asked in voice that was like velvet sliding against a blade- soft and smooth but there was an unquestionable danger to it.
"I believe-"
"Your statement began with 'that little blonde monster'" Akemi snapped, his voice lashing across the space between them like a leather whip.
If you overheard it clearly, why should I repeat it? He mentally demanded. That was what he thought until blue eyes narrowed and Akemi took a step forward in a predatory manner. God! He had said it out loud. He had unwittingly put one foot in his grave. Stupid mouth.
"Because I want you to say it right in front of my face," the lad replied in a voice reminiscent of Itachi's- cold, calm, sharp and with hidden unspeakable ruthlessness no sane man could ever do.
The man pressed himself closer against the wall. He could only let out a cry as Akemi flew towards him with his right fist pulled back. In his fear, he didn't hear the crushing sound as the shinobi's fist hit the wall missing him by hairsbreadth. When no pain came, the older man opened his eyes to find Akemi's face so close to his.
"It is because of people like you that Kisho is..." he caught himself from finishing the sentence. Admitting to someone that his little brother was gone was not something he should do. Especially when there were just one day more to go before he'd be declared as a missing-nin and especially not to one of the persons who made Kisho leave.
The man's knees buckled and he slid to the ground. He looked up while the boy looked down.
"Call him demon one more time and I'll show you who the demon between us is."
With Akemi's stone-cold eyes glowing red in the dark and his lips thinned in a slight snarl, the man had a perfect image of the devil himself.
-SasuNaru is love-
"What are you thinking, Miki?" Shouhei asked as they sat under a tree with Miki sitting between his legs. His girl had been quiet for too long and had been staring at the dusky sky for quiet sometime now.
"Because praying and hoping are useless, I want to come up with a technique to stop time no matter what the price is."
Shouhei perched his chin on her right shoulder and softly assured her. "Kisho-kun will return for sure."
Miki sighed, closed her eyes and leaned against hard chest. "I know but not within the timeframe of the Rule."
Kisho... I'm... We're missing you.
-SasuNaru is love-
Sleep, leave me. Sleep, come no closer. Sleep, disturb me not.
That was the constant chant that filled the thoughts of one watch guard as he found his eyelids getting heavier and his alertness rapidly decreasing.
"Good evening, Daisuke," someone said.
That softness of the mature voice that held warmth and tinged with childishness... There was only one who had that.. the Hokage!
That title made his alertness skyrocket to maximum. He snapped his gaze to the left and just as he guessed, a kimono-clad Naruto was there together with his ANBU captain who was also wearing a kimono.
"W-What can I do for you, hokage-sama?" he asked.
"Go and get some sleep," was the blonde's reply making Daisuke blushed. "Next time don't let me catch you on that state or else..."
"But it would anger the others and besides there's no one willing to substitute me."
A blond eyebrow arched at such comeback. And the next thing Daisuke knew, hundreds of Naruto came into his view. What the-?
"I'm relieving everyone from their duty tonight."
The guard was still sporting his pole-axed expression as Naruto's clones left them to take each posts in Konoha. This was ridiculous. ANBU captains taking guard duty was heard of but a village leader? What a joke!
"No, its not joke," Naruto said. "It's an order."
Daisuke sighed. "If you put it that way then," he said, bowed and then disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Sasuke took a seat beside Naruto. He didn't question the latter why he wanted his clones on every post because somehow he knew. His logic pointed Kisho as the reason and considering that tonight was the eve of the day when Kisho would be declared as a missing-nin-
"Sasuke, could we have protected him more from the villagers' narrow-mindedness?" Naruto asked, his left hand snaking out to hold his spouse's right one.
"We could if we never let him step out the compound from the very beginning," Sasuke said, returning the hold. "Besides, we both know that you know the answer. Does your friendship with the gang; the acceptance of some; the hokage title and my feelings for you hide everything?"
"No, they just soothe the pain but..." He turned his face to meet Sasuke's gaze, trying to make a point. "I wanted to make a difference for Kisho. And to think that I failed-" He angled his guilt-stricken face down.
Sasuke grabbed his chin. "You didn't fail! It's the village who failed you."
Instead of saying anything, Naruto became quiet but his silence told Sasuke he agreed.
The rest of the night was spent in silence, both of them engrossed in their own thoughts and fears.
-SasuNaru is love-
Naruto couldn't help the sob that went past his lips as golden light highlighted the edges of mountains. Daybreak and Kisho was still not found.
My child. My dear child, come back to my arms.
He and Sasuke tightened their hold on each other's hands.
As the sun started spreading its warmth and brightness over Konoha, darkness blanketed them allowing coldness to seep through. What was hope? What was prayer?
Naruto buried his face against Sasuke's chest crying in desperation and frustration. And in return, Sasuke buried his face into the mop of blond hair tearfully comforting his wife while fighting their inevitable lost. Or perhaps it was time to take things into their hands. But sneaking out from the village would only upset and worry Naruto more.
What should we do? Somebody tell me.
-SasuNaru is love-
Saburo discretely took a sideway glance from Kisho after he announced who their next victim would be but much to his disappointment and annoyance the latter just smirked as if he had prayed for things to turn out like that. What was he thinking? Hadn't it been a known fact that Kisho held Miki his most important person?
"Very good, Saburo," Kouya said, approval evident in his voice. "It won't be long before we'll have the last jinchuuriki."
"So when are we going to kill them?" Tama asked.
"They're probably on their way home so today would be perfect to intercept them," Jou stated.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Green finally made known his opinion.
"If not today, then-"
"What I mean bitch is that fighting that girl is like committing suicide. She's more dangerous than that thing."
"Tell me, Green. Have you ever fought against the jinchuuriki?" Kouya asked.
"No, but I fought the girl once and-"
"Leave the strategy planning to Seichi. He won't let us die."
"You'll not die by Miki's hands," Kisho commented, looking at them while juggling kunai and shuriken. "I'm going to make sure she won't lay a finger on you."
"You're going to fight her?" Kagemusha asked.
The smile that graced on Kisho's face had sent coldness running through their spines.
The beginning of fear.
"Better than that."
And the next thing, they knew, Saburo fell to the ground dead.
The others could only gape at Kisho and follow his movements with their eyes as he approached the fallen spy. The boy plucked the kunai from Saburo's body paying no attention to the blood that immediately gushed out like water from a small leak.
"W-what is the meaning of this?" Green asked. Was he going to relive his nightmare again?
The inquiry fell on deaf ears as the blonde continued inspecting his blood-stained kunai looking torn between using it once more or discarding.
Kenta was pissed. He lunged forward. "Why you son of a bitch!"
It isn't blood that runs in Uchiha veins but treachery.
The attack was a perfect opportunity for the Uchiha boy and wrong move for the missing-nin.
Like a cascading waterfall, chidori flowed from Kisho unrestrained. The current quickly covered the ground, rendering everyone's legs immobile. Everyone's but Kagemusha's. And for Kenta who had a metal pole wrapped around his body, the charge was amplified and had shocked his whole system especially his heart rendering him dead. He was too easy. Kisho clucked his tongue in disapproval. But he was still positive that among the others, there was someone who was a worthy opponent. Kisho's attack had snapped the remaining ones from their shock and struggled to get their legs working again before they'd get killed.
Just to make sure no one would leave, the Konoha ninja used a fire technique that would block all exits.
He had never accepted any of their spar invitations and he was glad he didn't because it added to the thrill he was now feeling. This was the first time he ever felt like this. It was very different from the one he felt when having a spar with his friends or family. It should be because this time his life was at stake.
"Come and attack me," he said. He wanted to find his limit; he needed to know if he had one. He wanted to prove that like everyone else, he also had one.
His arrogance added fuel to their fury.
"Fuck you, Hiromi!" Tama muttered. "Didn't you check everything about him?"
"I did but there was nothing but hatred to his village."
"That's bullshit!"
"Oh yeah? Shut up and kill him already." Having said that, Hiromi attacked the waiting boy.
Kisho leapt backward to avoid Tama's feline animal he had summoned. He skidded backward then almost kneeled at the pain on his stomach brought on by the punch he received a second ago. He felt like vomiting at the intense pain but he was pleased because Hiromi was known for his taijutsu.
He bent backward just in time for very big cat to snap its mouth close on his head. The feline growled at the taste of bark then cried out in pain as a rasengan hit and sent him spiraling in the air.
"More..." Kisho whispered to the wind. He wanted more of the feeling. "I'm going to kill you if you won't give me more," he growled.
The moment he blinked his eyes, the landscape had changed. Everything was green, clayish and distorted. He looked at his hand only to find it distorted too. His body was distorting- twisted and bent and he wouldn't mind it if there was no pain but there was and... and he screamed. Quickly before he'd be driven insane, he stabbed the back of his hand with a kunai, snapping him out from the illusion. However, he had no time to sigh in relief as a glint caught the side of his sight.
Scythe... Kouya's scythe.
He hissed as the tip of the blade grazed an upper arm.
Tama made hand seals to use his wind claws that would cut anything and brought it down on Kisho. He smirked at the boy's expression when his kunai was divided into three.
"Die!" he said triumphantly not aware that he was talking to a clone. Then his blood ran cold as his ears registered the sharp sound of chirping birds. But he was too late. Kisho's hand had gone past through his chest.
For a brief second, Kisho felt the man's heart pumping before his hand pierced it. With a smile hovering on his lips, the blonde pulled his hand and swung his arm back, tainting the ground with blood in a perfect arc.
Disgusted, horrified and angered, Hiromi rushed towards him raining him with kicks and punches but Kisho had grown tired of his techniques. The moment he saw an opening, the boy slammed a rasengan against his chest.
"More," he murmured again. He couldn't get enough of the addictive feeling.
Jou.
In one swing of an arm, he caught all the kunai without getting injured. He lunged towards Jou and he smirked as their eyes met.
Genjutsu vs. Genjutsu.
Jou wasn't melting. She was evaporating... slowly. She couldn't remember how but she managed to escape from the homicidal shinobi with the intention of moving as far away as possible from that boy. But with the sweltering heat, she probably couldn't make it. She was thirsty... no her throat was as dry as cotton and there was no sign of water. Damn.
Kisho stepped away from Jou knowing he didn't have to do anything else. With the illusion she was in, she was bound to kill herself. There was a big difference between her genjutsu and his or to be exact the Kyuubi's genjutsu and although he and his siblings only inherited only a part of it, it was enough to drive any human insane. According to his observation, Jou needed five-second eye contact for her illusion to work while his took effect the moment eye contact was established. Not only that, it wasn't easy to snap out from his genjutsu.
He gasped as he felt himself being lifted and imprisoned by hands made of soil. He looked at Seichi.
"Show me..." he told the older man as if he wasn't being held captive.
Looking at his partner who had a maniacal glint in his eyes, Seichi wondered if he had been wrong. No, he was wrong. Definitely wrong but he didn't know the boy would be a double-edge sword. Just then Kouya charged forward ready to behead their enemy.
Seichi had predicted that Kisho would snap the binds holding him and the boy did, he pressed his hands to the ground and a split second later the blonde was engulfed in darkness as the ground beneath his feet rose and swallowed him.
Seichi briefly stared at the orb which was going to be the Uchiha's grave. Yes, his grave because the technique he used was to suffocate the victim while absorbing his chakra. It won't be long before Kisho would be no more. He shook his head at everyone's death. There were only three of them now. He clenched his fists. The damage was due to the lack of unpreparedness but none of them had thought that somebody would betray them and at such an early stage. Really what was Kisho thinking? And how did he manage to fool Hiromi with his thoughts?
Kisho instinctively clutched his chest. Breathing became painful and he couldn't see anything. With darkness around, coldness wasn't far behind. Was this what it felt like to be dying? But he heard that memories would flash before him so why they hadn't started yet? Perhaps he should close his eyes, yeah? The boy did but he saw nothing. No, his brain needed air for the memories to flash. He needed air and his head hurt too. No! He needed air.
Let me out!
For the first time in his, he struggled and felt desperation kicked in his efforts became vain. Chidori and Rasengan were the only the techniques he had which were capable of destroying something as thick as this and the soil was absorbing his chakra. His ordinary chakra.
Jiraiya old man, this one is for you. I'll show you how far I'd improved.
Kouya and Seichi snapped their gazes where a wicked chuckle came from. They leapt away as the orb splintered apart.
A red-chakra emanating Kisho was alive and more fearsome.
The two leapt, twisted and flipped as the traitor started moving his arms dishing out deadly red chakra.
Wanting to finish what he started, Kisho did hand seals and blew fire into the air. And from fleeting stream of fire came fire balls that ricocheted everywhere in lightning speed. It won't be long before they'd be hit and incinerated.
Left... bend forward... twist... flip to the right... lift left arm...then turn before ducking to side…
Kouya screamed as he was engulfed with fire the moment the red ball hit him.
Seichi knew he couldn't save his friend so with a fleeting look to the burning man, he put his efforts in evading those dangerous orbs at the same time doing hand seals.
Consecutively he used the soil bind technique watching as hundreds of hands blocked, grabbed and extinguished the balls. He jumped backward just in time to save himself from one ball he didn't see coming until that moment. The ball did miss him but it had forced him to move back to where Kisho's snakes coming from his arms were waiting for him.
Kisho was glad that he was able to use a technique his otousan was so adamant in not teaching him. He had spent almost three months ostentatiously begging the elder Uchiha to teach him. And just as he thought, the technique was worth to be part of his arsenal.
With his body weakening and his muscles going numb, Seichi rasped what everyone wanted to ask. "Why?" When scarlet eyes didn't show any recognition, he expounded the question. "Why are you doing this? Don't you want to have a place-"
"I want it. I really do," the blonde answered with conviction, his fists now clenched by his side. "But you were all hypocrites. You wanted to give those who are like me a place and yet you talked about my chichiue as if he's a thing. What right do you have to call him jinchuuriki as if... You were no different from the villagers or from Akatsuki."
That was it? Seichi asked mentally. The reason of his betrayal. But didn't he abandon his village? He did but that didn't mean he cut his ties with his family. So why did he stay? He could have killed them the moment he knew of their objective. He didn't know he had voice out the question until the boy answered.
"I needed a break from the village at the same time give them a scare."
Seichi realized sickeningly that they had been used by Kisho. With hatred in his eyes, he reached for the boy and clutched his left shoulder. "You're a bane."
Kisho shrugged the hand off, "I am when I want to. Good-bye, Seichi-san." Then in a blur, he disappeared to escape from the set of kunai flying to his direction.
Green growled in irritation when his kunai hit Seichi's corpse instead. Kisho hadn't given him the time to voice out what he thought of him as the boy appeared beside quickly and twisted his arm.
It didn't matter to Kisho that Green had turned into water or that the same water was quickly snaking around him planning to drown him. No, it didn't matter because in a second after his chakra surface out from his skin, the water evaporated.
"So you met my sister?" he drawled, trying to start a conversation. "Pretty but nasty, isn't she?"
And if Green wasn't so keen in trying to survive, he would have agreed but he didn't want to provoke the boy. He gasped in surprise when cold lips brushed against his ear. "But I'm nastier than her." Came the breathless whisper. Green whirled around but the boy had disappeared once more.
Behind me.
He whirled around just in time to parry a kick. He leapt in the air and was followed by the boy. In there, they exchanged blows too quick for an ordinary human eye. Green managed a couple of hits before they landed on the ground. He smirked as he realized that he had an advantage because of their height difference. As long as they'd have a close combat, he had a slight chance of winning.
Kisho was more than aware of his situation. But he knew what he should do. He summoned two clones and at the same time he and one of his copies created rasengan and disappeared.
Where and who would attack, Green couldn't tell so he had to be extra sharp. His body tensed ready to flee or fight.
Green felt exhilaration as he managed to grip the wrist of the hands holding the pressured chakra orb. He flung the two away like ragged dolls. He whirled around, swinging his leg at the clone. His eyes widened as he saw another hand with another rasengan. But wasn't one clone supposed to be empty-handed?
"It won't work against me," Green said as he managed to hold Kisho's wrist and twisted his arm.
The boy smirked. "I know," was his calm reply as he made the concentrated chakra ball disappear.
Green trembled as current flowed through him. He let go of his captive putting a distance between them but the shock his body received had made him sluggish- a state which the Konoha shinobi took advantage of. The older man could only gape at the chakra-powered hand that had immediately pierced his chest. And before he closed his eyes all he saw was the smug victorious look on a very childish face. And Green died knowing he was a loser.
Kisho let out a big sigh of relief knowing he had won. It was high time that he did because... he clenched his fists and winced. Because chidori always put a strain on his right arm, his current usage limit was three. And he lack control on his left one so using chidori with it wasn't advisable. Unlike rasengan, he wasn't yet good in wielding chidori.
Briefly, he let his gaze swept over the corpses, checking attendance. Before he finished doing so, he flipped in the air and landed few feet away from the arc-shaped blade that created a red ribbon on his neck. He brought a finger to his nape and traced the painful cut.
"I won't miss you next time," Kagemusha said. He finally made an appearance and Kisho wondered if he could take the man on.
Kagemusha smiled slightly. His comrades' death was not in vain. Kisho maybe powerful but he looked tired. Beautiful. He now had a very good advantage. He swept his gaze over the place and smirked. Yes, definitely a good one.
"What the-?!" the boy gasped, leaping from the sword that came out from the shadow. He looked at the slash on his shirt and realized how close it was on his skin. He flipped forward just to escape from the blade's range.
Kisho kept on running away. The sword's appearance was unpredictable and he had no time to counteract because the sword disappeared as quickly as it appeared. He let out a cry as the sword plunged into his left thigh. Already gasping for breath, he commented, "As expected from the leader."
Kagemusha smiled, not the least bit surprised that the boy figured out that he was Akekure's leader and not Kouya. Among the members, it was only Seichi who knew but anyone with brain would after fighting the so-called leader.
"You have no time to look please, boy!" Kagemusha announced tartly as he plunged his weapon into a nearest shadow.
Kisho jumped just as his opponent's weapon emerged beneath him. At that instant, the blonde realized that he had no chance of winning as long as there were shadows. His power over shadows was different from his uncle Shikamaru. He could move from one area to another using the shadows. Kisho was certain that this was Kagemusha's bloodline limit.
There was only one way to get rid of the shadows. He created a mass of clones and one by one he made them transform into anything that would cover the holes. And when that was done, he withdrew the flame barrier that closed the entrance and exit, throwing the place in complete darkness.
Kagemusha's hollow chuckle echoed through. He was amused at the boy's way of thinking. Did the boy have any idea that he was now in a worse situation? His action not only put him in his element but also saved him from using his chakra.
For every attack and every movement, he let Kisho realized his mistake. But Kagemusha looked troubled because for every hit he made, Kisho made sure the sword would pierce deeper. He couldn't figure why he was doing it. The ground was slightly slippery with blood and the whole place was stinky with coppery scent.
Even in the dark, Kisho could feel his vision wavering. Blood loss. He had to finish the battle very soon.
Just a bit more, he told himself. Few more blood and everything would be over.
He didn't move even when he knew kagemusha was standing behind him. He didn't struggle even when an arm was wrapped around his neck.
"That weak already?" Kagemusha murmured. Kisho just nodded. He was tired.
"I'll end it now," the older man told him as he raised the sword and brought it down.
"Yeah, let us," Kisho breath as he caught the sword and with an added force, guide it to pierce through his right shoulder and into Kagemusha's chest.
The shadow man let out a gasp. He never expected it.
"You put your guard down," Kisho said. "Just as I planned."
Just as I planned he said? What the? And then he knew. Everything made sense now. Kisho knew all along the mistake he made but being proud, he didn't correct his action because with or without light, he would let himself be wounded.
"You'd die very soon." Kagemusha said weakly. Individually, they were ninjas with skills just a notch above mediocre and with a dream as big as creating a new world order where each of them would be rulers, the only way they could achieved it was to work together but that would remain as a dream.
Kisho let out a chuckle. He had won. He extracted the sword and dismissed his clones. He had won the gamble. He had the right to live.
With a bloody hand, he covered his eyes as beams of light filtered through and bathed the place. Light had never been as beautiful as it was that time. He never stopped smiling even he fell on the ground. He raised an arm as if to grab one golden beam while his left arm weakly snaked into his weapon pocket and took his real and unmarked hitae-ate.
I'm going home soon, everyone so just wait...
And with his Konoha headband pressed to his chest, he closed his eyes as red liquid around his body.
-SasuNaru is love-
One hunter-nin focused his gaze ahead. He wasn't seeing things. Vultures were gathering above one place and crying in joy at the feast they found. She stood up and signaled for her companion to follow her. The gathering of such number birds meant one thing dead bodies. Dead bodies meant that missing-nin were close. After all, plunder and kill were the usual things rogue ninjas did either to prove their right to exist in the wilderness or to show their superiority.
They entered the place as quietly and calmly as they were trained. Their eyes widened slightly at the bloody scene. Now, they knew the cries the vultures were giving weren't out of joy but frustration at the inaccessibility of their prospective food.
Ito closed his eyes as he took a bite of his meat bun. After eating food rations for a week, any real and warm food was a treasure- a luxury that couldn't be afforded by most shinobis on mission especially hunter-nins.
His partner slid down on the opposite chair.
"Encountered a hunter-nin. Word is out that corpses of nuke-nin are found at a place thirty minutes or so from here." That was the good thing about hunter-nins. Because of the nature of their work and their living conditions, they were all friends and shared helpful information even if their countries were warring or their leaders had a mutual antagonistic feeling towards each other.
"And?" Ito asked completely unable to get the implication.
An annoyed Nagisa plucked the half-consumed food from her partner and snapped, "We're going to that treasure cove!" And before Ito could protest, he found himself being dragged away.
"No... my meat bun," he cried out, a hand outstretched to the table where his treasure lay but his partner was a bitch.
"This one is alive," a Suna hunter nin said as he checked on the blonde. He poked the boy while saying, "Hey! Blondie!"
"Unconscious?" a Mist counterpart asked. "When would those Konoha hunter-nins arrived assuming they got the word?"
"No need to fret," Nagisa said as she and a pouting Ito appeared.
"Missing-nin?" the Suna asked. "You have two comrades. The other one is there." He jab his thumb over his shoulder.
"Neither the two are in the bingo book," Ito said after confirming their faces.
Just then an eagle swooped down and perched on the shoulder of the female Konoha hunter-nin. Nagisa gently pat the winged animal before taking the black scroll from one of its legs.
She untied the black ribbon and read the letter from the hokage.
"Ito!" She called out and thrust the material into his hands.
"I see. So that explains his presence here," he said after awhile. "But what about the dead one?"
"What are we going to do?"
Ito gave her an are-you-stupid look. "We follow SOP. We found Kisho-kun just before we received the announcement so the order is null. And there was no solid proof that he killed the other boy. Leave the investigation to the ANBU. Give treatment to the blonde while I'll take care to burn the other boy's corpse."
-SasuNaru is love
Naruto looked at the brown eagle landing on his table. He smiled as their gazes met. "What, girl? Can't find the pair?"
The animal shook her head and stuck a leg out. The hokage took the scroll noting that it had been touched. He quickly unrolled the paper and scanned for any writing.
There was a short one and signed by Ito and Nagisa. The message was short. It only carried the information that they found Kisho heavily injured and they wouldn't leave the area until appropriate measures were taken. The pair also requested for a team of ANBU and medic-nin.
Naruto shot out from his chair ready to go and pick up his son. But Sai who had stood behind the blonde while the latter was reading grabbed his wrist.
"You need to retract your order." Then he looked at Konohamaru. "Inform one of our best medic-nin to get ready."
"Right away, sir!" And then Naruto's secretary was gone in a blink of an eye.
"Naruto, for a lot of reason especially for the sake of a good public image of the result of his investigation, you stay here," Sai advised. "I'll make sure he'll be in good hands with the team I will choose."
Naruto protested when the Root leader took the first sheet of his order.
"Just in case the team would meet some uninformed hunter-nins, they can show this. Unless you want to a fight to interrupt between them."
Naruto beamed. "Thanks, Sai."
The man nodded while looking at him in a way the blonde couldn't place a finger on. "Anything for you."
"Stop saying that and stop looking at me like that. You're giving me creeps."
Sai smiled cryptically, "That's why I'm doing it."
"You're an asshole!"
"Unfortunately, not a match for your small penis," he replied before disappearing to escape from the wrath that would follow the moment his statement would register on the blonde.
The whole tower shook when Naruto angrily screamed the Root leader's name.
After that, Naruto created five clones to help him write a new order.
-SasuNaru is love-
When Kisho came to, he found himself under the bluest sky and felt warm.
"Finally, awake?" he heard a familiar voice asked.
"Ah! Akemi-nii? I'm in Konoha already?"
"With that condition?" Akemi replied as he reached out to mess with his brother's messy hair. "When these guys make you stable enough, we'll go home together. But I don't think I can protect you from our parents' wrath."
Kisho made a face before he lost his consciousness away.
Three day later, when Kisho appeared in front of Naruto in his office alone and almost covered in bandage, the older blonde stumbled forward and gripped his shoulders.
"I'm home, hokage-sama... chichiue."
Naruto trembled as he slapped his son before hugging him tight. "Don't ever play this kind of hide and seek ever again!" He growled. "You made us worry."
"I'm sorry. Things almost slipped from my control."
His chichiue pulled back and looked at him in confusion.
"It's okay, chichiue. I made some friends but had to kill them because they were planning to take something important from me."
"It must have been hard for you." Naruto hugged him tight, feeling sorry for his son.
Kisho smiled. "Not really. But they peaked my interest." He looked at his father. "Chichiue, I'm going to turn down the ANBU invitation. I want to be a hunter-nin." Because being a hunter-nin meant he could be away from the village for any amount of time; could travel and have fun fighting missing-nin and meeting people.
Naruto smiled as he wiped away his tears. "If it makes you happy. But you've to tell me what really happened," he said while being happy that Kisho finally found something interesting.
"Thanks, chichiue."
The two shared an identical smile. Kisho reached up to wipe the tears still falling from his father's eyes.
"You're still crying?"
"Tears won't stop."
The younger Uchiha grinned mischievously. "I finally understand why you end up under otousan."
The scandalous look that graced Naruto's face was priceless. And even if it had been more than three weeks since they met, Naruto couldn't let that comment slide. "What's that got to do with it?" he demanded.
"Everything."
Just then Sasuke entered the office.
"Sasuke! l can't believe we have the most perverted son. Why can't he be-"
"Dobe! Stop shaking him."
"Ah! Kisho! Are you okay?" Naruto demanded while fanning the half-conscious boy with his hand.
"I think I'm going to-"
"Sasuke, do something!"
Sasuke pat their boy's head. "Stop scaring your chichiue."
A fully conscious Kisho grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."
"I know you haven't gone to the hospital since your arrival. C'mon, I'll take you there," the Uchiha leader offered.
"Otousan, I still know my way around Konoha."
"I have a scheduled check-up today so let's go together."
"Check-up?" Naruto echoed fearfully making Sasuke frown. Was his husband sick?
"Dobe, the ANBU annual check up remember?"
Naruto let out a sheepish chuckle. "I know, bastard."
"No, you forgot."
"I didn't."
"Is the kiss and make-up coming very soon?" A hopeful Kisho asked.
Sasuke glared while Naruto let out a frustrated scream. Why was their son so perverted? Where had they gone wrong? Did Jiraiya possess their boy?
-SasuNaru is love-
Ear-splitting screams of pain, horror filled the place as Konoha was engulfed in flame. Men and women alike scampering away, trying to escape from the hell of their own making. Konoha drowning in a sea of fire was a very beautiful sight at least to Kisho.
Burn... Burn more.
A voice softly calling his name, snapped him out from his imagination.
He looked over his shoulder to find his chichiue standing behind him.
Naruto walked to join his son on the cliff overlooking the village.
"To see the place that discriminated us engulf with the flame we made and to let the villagers taste the hell that they put us through everyday... would be fulfilling, wouldn't it?"
"You read my thoughts?"
Naruto laughed, "No. That is mine. Once in awhile when pain is too much, I'd always imagined that fiery scene." He looked at his son. "It's easy to destroy this village with the power we have. But despite that, the fact that we never carry out what we sometimes desire made us even more powerful. Remember that."
Kisho nodded. "For sure."
Naruto slapped his knees. "Then, let's go home. Everybody is waiting for you." Right now, he didn't care what would the result of Kisho's investigation. What matters was that Kisho was back.
-SasuNaru is love-
Once again, the Uchiha family was complete. The dinner they were partaking was delicious and it was even more so when they were eating together. Voices and laughter echoed over the place.
"To Kisho for finding his path," Miki uttered, raising her glass.
"To Miki for passing the second level licensure medic-nin exam," Akemi added.
"To Yuu-nii, Yukina-nee for the oncoming birth of their third child. To Haruo and Yuuhi the soon-to-be older brothers," Kisho chipped in.
"To Akemi-kun for being promoted as ANBU captain," Yukina said.
"For otousan for having the longest record of consecutive success missions," Yuuzuki commented.
"To dobe for mastering the art of procrastination," Sasuke smugly stated, playfully commenting on his wife's recent tardiness. Their children laughed while Naruto pouted before smiling arrogantly.
"To the five Uchihas, who would be fired for making fun of their hokage."
And because he said it so seriously, a part of them thought it was no joke until the blonde laughed, childishly mocking them. Everyone in the table laughed too.
All was well. Nobody knew of the storms that would strike very soon and test their ties.
TBC
That's just how I imagine Kisho to be- almost crazy with his so-called infinite power. He wanted to feel the thrill that was being deprived by his power most of the time. But if Akekure was different, Kisho would leave his village.
This was 29 pages long. I hope your eyes didn't go dry. Congratulations for reaching here.