Standard disclaimer applies.
Ch. 5: Emergence
There were no introductions, no warnings or pre-battle boasting. It was foolish to think otherwise. These combatants were ninja, and as such those actions were useless to their goals.
Itachi wasted no time, heading straight for the leader of the Kumo nin. Incapacitate the commander, take out the rest. His opponent seemed surprised at the speed at which Itachi closed the distance between them. Nevertheless, both he and the teenager next to him threw a pair of shuriken. The Uchiha pulled out a kunai, blocking three and plucking the last one from the air. He sent his kunai to the elder shinobi, while returning the boy his weapon. They jumped apart, avoiding the weapons, but Itachi wasn't expecting them to hit; but they did separate, allowing the jounin to concentrate on the greater threat.
The rustling of the grass behind him signaled him to the movements of the hidden Kumo-nin. Itachi grabbed a handful of shuriken, twisted his body around, and threw them in a spread pattern towards the other soldiers. Caught unawares, one of the enemy fell to the ground, a shuriken lodged deep in his throat. The others scattered, buying him a few seconds.
The teenager came hurtling at him. Itachi was surprised by the skill this boy had. He could give Sasuke a run for his money. Still, it's nothing that to be concerned about. Grabbing the boy's oncoming punch, he twisted the ninja's arm, causing it to fracture along its entire length. The boy let out a grunt of pain, and he backed off, cradling the damaged limb. Itachi didn't pursue. The leader was still the objective.
Naruto had known pain far worse than what the ninja had inflicted on him. Training always had risks, and the possibility of death was always prevalent. Still, training did not have the intention of killing your opponent, and Naruto knew that if he lost, he would be dead.
The enemy nin was now attacking the Kumo shinobi in charge, and the others, minus one, were closing from the rear. The enemy flowed like water, yet his moves were so hyper-disjointed that Naruto had trouble understanding where his next attack was coming from. A blast of superheated air hit Naruto's face, and the smell of charred flesh invaded his nostrils. The battle still raged, so one of his allies must be dead.
His chakra flared through his fractured arm, fixing the bone. Flexing the arm, Naruto readied himself as the skirmish headed towards his position.
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"Well done. You will rest for today, then I have your next assignment."
"Thank you, Danzo-sama. Sai, Kaizo, return to your quarters."
"Hai, sensei." The two shinobi left the office, leaving the jounin and her superior alone.
"I believe that I dismissed you as well, Megumi. Am I mistaken?"
Megumi flinched. Even though she had the utmost respect for this man and his beliefs, she still could not suppress the shivers that ran down her spine when she looked into his visible eye. She took a deep breath.
"Indeed you have, Danzo-sama, but I wish to make an inquiry of the status of my other student."
An unfamiliar smirk placed itself on the man's visage. "The status of his and Yusuke's mission is, at this moment, unknown. If they do not return within the week, I shall declare them killed in action, and have any records of them destroyed, as is protocol."
"Danzo-sama, if you would permit me to track them down, to provide support, I-"
He raised his hand, effectively silencing her. "It is their mission to be concerned about, not yours. Should they die, you must accept it and move on. Respect them as is befitting a shinobi of 'Ne.'"
If a third party had been observing the conversation, Megumi would have appeared to accept her master's order. Dnazo knew her better than that, however. There was an internal struggle going on within her, between her loyalty to Danzo…and her love for Naruto.
"Concentrate, Naruto! Focus your mind."
"I'm trying, Megumi-sensei! It's just too hard!"
The eyes of the jounin softened as tears ran down the little boy's cheeks, exhausted from all the effort he had put into his training.
"Okay, Naruto. We'll take a break. Go lay down. I'll call you when it's time to start again." The boy nodded tiredly, wiped the drying streaks of wetness from his face, and dragged himself to the mattress in his room.
Megumi pushed herself up from her kneeling position, watching the fatigued child leave the training area.
"You are too soft on him. It is unlike you to be so…caring." Megumi was not surprised that her master had been watching. Naruto was his most important project. The potential the boy had was beyond comprehension.
"If I have erred, Danzo-sama, then I will rectify my mistake."
Danzo let out a small sigh, barely audible even to the sense of the kunoichi. "No. His progress is admirable, better than I had anticipated." He placed his hand upon his shoulder. "However, I must question the wisdom of being too close to him."
Megumi turned around, and the hand slid from her shoulder.
"For the glory of Konoha, sometimes we of 'Ne' must do distasteful things. There will be a day where one must sacrifice for the greater good. You and I, even Naruto may be called upon for such a duty. If such a time comes, will you or Naruto be able to tolerate such an occurrence, with such a bond between you?"
Megumi knew the answer to that, and so did Danzo. Of course she could…now. But with the path she placed herself on, that conclusion would no longer be a certainty.
"Think about what you shall do to rectify this situation…or I will be forced to step in."
"Hai, Danzo-sama," came the automatic response.
The one-eyed man pivoted and left the room, leaving Megumi with her own thoughts…
"I understand, Danzo-sama. Still, please inform me of when the outcome of their mission has been decided." Maybe I was able to sever any bond Naruto had with me, but I was unable to do the same for myself.
"Very well."
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It was incredible, thought Naruto, as he painfully raised himself from the ground. The level of skill that this ninja had displayed. Already, two more of the Kumo-nin were dead, and their leader was missing his arms, judging by his cries. The only ones to oppose this shinobi-god were himself and a kunoichi who sounded like she was about to faint. This man is a demon, a monster…
Why don't you show him what a true monster is…release me, and I assure it will be the last thing he will ever see.
Naruto didn't reply to his tenant as he willed the fox's chakra out of his system. He refused to use that…thing.
"Give up. There is no point in continuing."
Buy some time, reinforcements will be here soon. "Who are you? Why were you chasing them?"
"Talk is pointless. If you do not surrender, I will kill you."
The kunoichi broke. Naruto could hear her body twisting as she ran in the opposite direction in a desperate attempt to escape. It was in vain. The enemy moved even faster than before, cutting off the kunoichi's route. The girl screamed and threw all her shuriken at the man. Desperation gave her added strength allowing two to cut along his left arm. It was a hollow victory. The ninja's hands blurred through hands seals, ending with the smell of charred flesh hitting Naruto's olfactory senses.
Naruto stood frozen as the enemy returned his attention to the only one left to oppose him.
"I will not repeat myself."
What can I do? This shinobi is too powerful. Am I…am I going to die? Deep in the recesses of his consciousness, Naruto knew that, one day, he could be killed. One day, he would meet someone stronger, faster, and just plain better, and they would show no mercy. But so soon…I haven't done anything with my life. I haven't realized Danzo-sama's dream…and still I must die?
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It was curious for Itachi as he watched the boy struggle with himself, as if debating whether or not to continue fighting. Truthfully, he hoped the boy would surrender. It was doubtful that the remaining Kumo shinobi would survive. Itachi was no medic, but that man had lost a lot of blood. It would be a miracle if he lasted through the night. Perhaps I was a bit…overzealous. It would be preferable to capture the boy, seeing as how any damage he inflicted upon the teenager almost instantaneously healed. An amazing power, no doubt, but one Itachi had overcome before.
"Very well."
The jounin's hands flew through well-practiced hand-seals, ready to disable the boy with one of his genjutsu.
"Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique)."
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A genjutsu? For the first time since the battle began, Naruto could feel a surge of confidence. He could use this to his advantage. The ninja did not appear to know that Naruto was blind, and therefore immune to visual illusions. Still, he needed to fool the enemy in order to strike.
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The boy predictably fell to his knees, his face twisted into unconcealed horror. Itachi watched as the shinobi continued his descent to the ground, landing face-first in the soil.
Mission complete. No more than four minutes had passed since the engagement had begun. Unless the enemy encampment was much closer than he suspected, then there was plenty of time to escape.
Fifteen meters. No need to hurry. When he reached the boy, he would apply a tranquilizer.
Twelve meters. The leader of the Kumo-nin stopped screaming…and breathing. Good thing he left the boy alive.
Nine meters. The boy ramrod still. If it weren't for the fact that genjutsu could not kill their victims, Itachi would have been worried that the mission was a failure.
Six meters. He pulled out a vial and a syringe. Plunging the needle into the top of the container, he took twice the prescribed amount. In case that healing ability of his works on chemicals.
Three meters. Still no sign of reinforcements. If they were coming, they were too late.
Itachi knelt down, moving the boy's prone form so that his face was skyward. Itachi studied the ninja's features. A relatively handsome young man, with wild blonde locks. Traces of baby fat still clung to his face, along with three slash marks on each cheek. Scars, or maybe birthmarks? Still, those characteristics were not what caught the jounin's attention. It was the boy's eyes. They had a sharp azure color that Itachi had rarely seen before. Only Sakura had comparably exotic pupils. They may have had a brightness to them except for one detractor. Why are they so…unfocused?
A kunai swung in an arc towards his head. To say he was surprised would be a hell of an understatement. The weapon grazed his temple, causing a small trickle of blood to seep down by his ear. He retreated from the boy. Did he dispel my genjutsu? No, he never used any chakra. He acted as if it affected him in order to draw me closer. This boy was clever, but Itachi simply saw it as momentary setback.
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Kuso!
This was not how it was supposed to happen. No one should be able to dodge from that close. It boggled Naruto's mind how quick the man was. It was like striking at mist, a mist that wanted to kill you.
Now Naruto was out of ideas. This situation unraveled the moment he left the Oto-nin hideout. He felt around for any approaching chakra signatures, hoping for a familiar trace of Yusuke-san. No such luck. All else had failed. He would have to rely on his other ability…
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Itachi was not expecting this. Apparently his opponent had another ace up his sleeve. I may have to get serious. Three tomoe marks appeared in each eye, signifying the activation of his bloodline limit. What he saw astounded him.
So much chakra…and it's growing.
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Danzo shifted some papers to the side of his desk, leaving an open space. Taking a pen, he pulled out a blank scroll and began to write. The words were very pretty, as if presentation was just as important as content. Sometimes, that was the case, as it was this time. Another missive to the Raikage, and it had to be carefully prepared. His plans for Konoha's prosperity hinged on every detail, every decision…
Danzo was brought back to consciousness by a groan emanating from the man next to him. He tried to open his eyes, but they refused to comply. Through sheer force of will the eyelids slowly fluttered upwards, revealing a sight Danzo was not expecting.
All the occupants of the room slumped against the outside wall. Some were bleeding, some conscious, and others had yet to awaken. But there were two who would never do so. One had apparently flown into the lab's wall headfirst, caving in his skull and breaking his neck. The other had the kunai Danzo was wielding in his forehead, eyes wide in surprise. Danzo traced the path to where the dead eyes were fixed upon.
The boy was sheathed in chakra, flickering wildly about him. Had the Kyuubi broke the seal?
Some of his men apparently thought so. They rushed towards the infant, determined to end the threat. Those who reached the chakra first were incinerated upon contact. The others managed to slow their momentum, but still they did not escape unscathed. Some were burned badly, where others lost limbs. The pulsing chakra seemed demonic, and Danzo would have thought the Kyuubi was escaping its container…except for the fact that the chakra was the wrong color…
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He watched as the blue chakra rolled in waves across the boy, sheathing him in an azure light.
"Retreat now. I do not want to kill you."
Itachi did not answer. Two kunai flew from his hands, each heading for an elbow. If the boy planned to use that chakra for a jutsu, then the jounin planned to stop him.
The two kunai split the air, heading straight for their respective targets. The boy did not move. Itachi watched in fascination as the two kunai dissolved upon contact with the chakra. Ironically, Itachi began to have the same thoughts as Naruto had at the beginning of their confrontation, without the accompanying fear. This sort of chakra capacity and regeneration rates are only seen in demons…so why is his chakra blue? Could it be his own? Itachi shook his head. Speculation was useless at this point. Right now the mission must succeed. He raced towards the boy, pulling out a scroll as he did so…
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Wow, this is hard. I'm astounded how some people can write ten thousand word chapters. Anyway, the mystery of what happened to Naruto as an infant has been revealed. Never seen a story where someone's chakra did that, but if there is one, I hope it's alright that I used it. Until next time.