Chapter 9: The Search for the Slug Sannin Begins
Disclaimer: I own none of the material involved in this story it is owned by the respective creators of said material.
The next day, Naruto had been called in by the 3rd Hokage for what reason Naruto wasn't sure of but whatever it was it seemed serious so he flew up to the office window and knocked on it. Sarutobi turned and saw who it was, the he went over to the window and who it was, and he got out of his chair and opened the window.
"You wanted to see me old man?" Naruto asked. The old man smiled at Naruto's usual name for him.
"Yes I did Naruto have a seat." Sarutobi said as Naruto sat down in the chair on the other side of the desk. "First off Naruto, I wanted to give you this I believe you've earned it." Sarutobi said as he pulled out a Chunin vest which caused Naruto's eyes to widen.
"I actually made Chunin?" Naruto asked as his eyes lit up as the old man nodded but Naruto then looked concerned about something. "So I was the only one who got promoted?" He asked.
"No aside from you, only Shikamaru Nara was also promoted for his tactical abilities and calm under fire on the battlefield." Sarutobi said causing Naruto to chuckle a little bit at the thought of his lazy friend being given more responsibility than he thought he could handle. "However there are a couple of other reasons I called you here, the first being your heritage." Sarutobi explained as Naruto nodded.
"So how are those old farts on the council handling the news?' Naruto asked bluntly.
The old kage sighed; "Not well I'm afraid, they've been trying to chew my head off for keeping that secret for so long." Sarutobi sighed.
"Well it's their fault for not even bothering to see a resemblance." Naruto said with a bit of cynicism in his voice before continuing; "What's the other thing you wanted me for anyway old man?" Naruto asked.
"Well Naruto if it wasn't for you, Sakura, and Lee saving me in my battle with Orochimaru, I would have resorted to measures that would require me to sacrifice my own life. However that battle did remind me that I'm getting too old to run this village and I need to step down." Sarutobi said however just as Naruto's eyes were about to light up with the hope that he was going to be the Hokage Sarutobi cut him off. "Now don't get your hopes up Naruto, as I was saying; I had been hoping that Jiriaya would take my place but knowing him he wouldn't want the job anyway so I asked him to go on a mission to track down my last student, Tsunade so that she will take my place as the 5th Hokage." He explained which led Naruto to blink for a second and then let it out.
"WHAT, but why old man why would you give it to her?" Naruto asked.
"Well despite her questionable habits she is the granddaughter of the 1st Hokage and grand niece of the 2nd Hokage plus we need some means of getting the village's hope up since the invasion." Sarutobi explained as Naruto sighed in understanding.
"Okay old man you win, so why was I called here if that's what you wanted to tell me?" Naruto asked.
"Well because Jiriaya is sending you along with him." Sarutobi said with a smirk causing Naruto to bash the old man's skull in with a "STOP" sign construct.
"NO way am I going with that perverted old toad, knowing him he's gonna swindle me out of all my money, take detours at hot springs and brothels, and ignore my training and it doesn't have to necessarily be in that order." Naruto ranted.
Meanwhile in a tree out side of the hot springs, Jiriaya was doing his usual shameful research for the sake of his readers again when suddenly…"ACHOO!" He sneezed causing all the women in the bath house to run for it. "DAMN IT!" He screamed, "Whoever was talking about me is going to get it when I find them." He mumbled to himself.
"I'm sorry Naruto but Jiriaya was insistent that you go with him." Sarutobi said to the blonde haired ninja lantern. Naruto sighed in defeat.
"Fine I'll go with him but on one condition." Naruto said as the 3rd raised an eyebrow.
"What condition would that be?" Sarutobi asked him.
"That Rock Lee and Sakura Haruno also come along with us; I just want to keep that Pervy sage on a short leash." Naruto said causing the old man to arch an eyebrow.
"I'll see what I can do for you Naruto." Sarutobi said as Naruto flew out the window again. The third sighed in relief thinking that he thought Naruto was going to throw a bigger fit than he did.
Little did anyone know that two mysterious ninja wearing black cloaks with red clouds wearing straw hats had infiltrated the village.
"Look at the place, it's a complete mess and to think that this was once the most powerful of the five shinobi villages." The taller one said to his shorter cohort who said nothing as his black eyes stared at the village.
"What's the matter feeling nostalgic Itachi?" The taller rogue asked.
"No not all Kisame now let's go we have a job to do." Itachi said as they leapt from the trees unaware of a certain Hyugaa watching them from a distance.
"I wonder what job those two were talking about?" She asked herself in worry.
Meanwhile Kakashi was on his way back to the hero's memorial reading his traditional hentai when he spotted Asuma and Kurenai heading his way. "So are you two out on a date?" Kakashi asked them causing Kurenai to blush and Asuma to sweat drop.
"No Anko just asked me to get her some dango." Kurenai replied before looking at Kakashi. "So are you planning on visiting Obito again?" She asked him which Kakashi replied with a chuckle before he stopped and looked in the dango shop because he thought he saw someone that Jiriaya warned him about and then headed off. However again nobody noticed a certain heiress concealing herself within a cloak of her own so as not to be seen by her sensei.
Meanwhile back with Naruto, he had met up with his fellow lanterns and explained the situation to them, which caught both Lee and Sakura off guard for a moment. "So you asked the third to force Jiriaya to take us with you on your mission to find Lady Tsunade and bring her back to the village for her to become the 5th Hokage?" Sakura asked to which Naruto replied with a nod which brought a look of concern to Sakura's face as she said; "But what about my parents and Lee's team?" She asked only to get cut off by Jiriaya.
"You don't have to worry about that, I've sorted out all the details with them including your lantern identities and they're allowing you to accompany me on this mission." Jiriaya exclaimed unfortunately when Naruto and Sakura heard about the fact Jiriaya divulged their identities, they responded with a pair of construct boots to the head knocking Jiriaya out it would take a few minutes for them to get ready but soon they were on their way.
Meanwhile, in the park as Asuma and Kurenai were walking through, they came across the two strangers from earlier. "Are the two of you new around here?" Asuma asked them.
"He is but I'm not it's been a while Asuma, Kurenai." The shorter one said as he tipped his hat up to reveal a pair of Sharingan eyes shocking them.
"So after four years you dare show your face in this village again Itachi Uchiha?" Asuma asked with a smirk as he pulled out his knuckle knives causing the taller rogue to chuckle.
"Well you're really infamous in your home village aren't you Itachi?" He asked as he revealed a blue shark like face with shark like teeth.
"Kisame Hoshigaki former member of the Seven Swordsman of the mist and like Itachi an S-rank criminal in the bingo book with kill on sight orders listed." Kurenai said as she and Asuma got into a fighting stance.
"Come on Itachi let at them Samehada's getting hungry and I've been itching for a fight." Kisame said with a look of bloodlust in his eyes as Itachi sighed in defeat.
"Fine but try to keep it clean we don't want to attract any kind of attention." Itachi said when suddenly an indigo tendril wrapped itself around Kisame.
"Huh what's going on?" Kisame asked as the tendril tightened its grip around him. The two remaining ninja then looked at Kurenai thinking that she was behind it. "Nice job Kurenai." Asuma said.
"Thanks but that wasn't me Asuma." She replied as Asuma's eyebrow arched.
"Okay if it wasn't you then who was it?" Asuma asked as suddenly someone wearing a brown cloak over their body holding a staff in their hand descended from the air.
"Who are you and was it you that did this?" Asuma asked the new figure that landed in front of them.
"Nok, I am known as the Indigo lantern and I think believe that it is time for this fish to be cleansed." The newcomer answered causing everyone's eyebrows to arch not understanding what the newcomer meant by cleansed.
Meanwhile with Jiriaya and the other three lanterns, they were just on their way towards the gate when Naruto received a transmission from his ring.
"Walker-sensei what's wrong?" Naruto asked as the alien's face appeared on the projector of Naruto's ring.
"Brother Naruto there is trouble in the park, two ninja of unknown origin are attacking Asuma and Kurenai and to make matters more complicated a new lantern has appeared.
"Do you know what color it is?" Naruto asked his extra terrestrial teacher.
"I believe this one is of the Indigo Tribe it would be best if you proceed with caution Naruto, the Indigo tribe is not to be taken lightly." Walker said as Naruto nodded and cut off the transmission before looking at his ring.
"Ring grant all information regarding the Indigo Tribe." Naruto ordered it.
"Request acknowledged; The Indigo tribe, are a nomadic corps that wields the Indigo light of compassion. Warning: This corps is mostly made of forcefully rehabilitated criminals and psychopaths." Naruto's ring said making Naruto more confused.
"How can a corps that's based on compassion be made of such people?" Sakura asked as her ring supplied the answer.
"Answer: The Indigo rings often choose individuals who show no remorse for their past sins and once a ring is attached, it will parasitically remove all sense of individuality and other emotions from the chosen candidate converting them into an empty and compassionate shell of their former selves however those who choose to join the corps of their own free will who are good and not cut off from their other emotions are not affected by this function." Her ring replied as the other three were shocked by that answer.
"That is just terrible, I would call it a fate even worse than death." Lee said.
"You're right Lee, no one regardless of the crime deserves to have that happen to them come on." Naruto ordered as they pulled out their lanterns.
"In fearful day/In brightest day/For those whose hearts…..
In raging night/In blackest night/Are lost and full of fright
With strong hearts full/No evil shall/For those alone….
Our souls ignite/escape my sight/in blackest night
When all seems lost/ Let those who worship evil's might/Accept our ring….
In the war of light/ Beware my power/ and join our fight
Look to the stars for hope burns bright/ Green Lantern's light/Love conquers all with violet light!" The chanted in unison as their respective uniforms appeared and the headed to park flying as fast as they could. Meanwhile back in the park, the Indigo Lantern was starting to struggle as somehow the constructs around Kisame were getting weaker until finally they shattered.
"You really thought that would hold me?" Kisame asked before he undid the bandages around his sword. "Indigo Lantern meet my sword Samehada it's unlike most blades because it shaves rather than cuts flesh to ribbons and it devours an enemy's chakra." Kisame gloated until a voice came out of the sky. "Well then try something with a little more punch to it fish face!" The voice cried as a violet crystal fist appeared and knocked Kisame into a tree, meanwhile Kurenai had just used a Genjutsu to trap Itachi inside tree.
"I see a Genjutsu huh? Nice try but not good enough Kurenai these eyes can see all." Itachi said as his Mangekyo Sharingan turned the tables trapping Kurenai in the tree. "Now prepare yourself for this, Tsukuyomi." He said unfortunately he got cut off when a water shark bomb was fired at him causing him to call the jutsu off.
"I should have known you would show up Kakashi." Itachi said as Kakashi stood in front of Asuma and the Indigo Lantern when suddenly the other lanterns arrived. "So there are more of you?" Itachi asked.
"Yeah that's right there's more of us and we're going to take you down." Naruto said as he, Lee, and Sakura turned their attention to the Indigo lantern who gave them a nod while Kisame just stared at them.
"Is the circus in town?" Kisame asked until he heard Samehada growl something to him.
"Itachi the one in Blue he's our target right?" Kisame asked his partner.
"Yes without a doubt that's Naruto Uzumaki." Itachi said causing the other lanterns to gasp.
"How does he know who I am?" Naruto asked himself.
"Hold it Itachi!" another voice said, revealing it to be Sasuke.
"Hey Itachi isn't that the one you let get away your little brother?" Kisame asked.
"Yes it is Sasuke meet Kisame and vice versa." Itachi said but Sasuke would have none of it.
"Shut up! I've waited for five long years for this moment, I've let my hatred fester until it was enough to defeat you my brother and now the day has finally come." Sasuke said as he formed the seals for a certain jutsu causing his hand to crackle with electricity.
'Chidori' Itachi thought with little concern as Sasuke charged at him.
"NOW IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO DIE!" Sasuke roared as he ran at Itachi only to have his jutsu get caught in his brother's hand, have his hand get broken, and then get kicked in the gut towards a tree.
"You disappoint me Sasuke even after all these years you still lack the hatred necessary to kill me and you want to know something you always will." Itachi said whispering the last part into his younger sibling's ear before using his Tsukuyomi on Sasuke trapping him in a nightmare of that very night forcing him to relive it over and over again. Sasuke screamed in agony as he collapsed on the ground unconscious by then Sarutobi, Jiriaya and the ANBU Black ops had arrived. "Kisame we're leaving." Itachi said much to Kisame's disappointment and with that the two left however they left their mark on the leaf specifically on Sasuke's psyche.
"This isn't good looks like we really have to find Tsunade now." Jiriaya said as he and the four lanterns left the village as they travelled two things were bugging Sakura and Lee.
"Hold it Indigo lantern, who are you do we know you from somewhere?" Sakura asked as the person pulled down the hood of the cloak to reveal someone that shocked the three to their cores. "Hinata you're one of the Indigo tribe?" Sakura asked.
"Nok, I am wanted to tell you guys but when I saw Itachi and Kisame approaching the village, I had to do something to stop them." She replied as she blushed momentarily.
"Speaking of which that reminds me master Jiriaya why were those two guys after Naruto anyway?" Lee asked causing Jiriaya to sigh.
"It's not because of anything he did to them but what he has inside him." Jiriaya answered.
"You mean the fox?" Sakura asked to which Jiriaya nodded.
"Yes, those two are part of an organization called the Akatsuki, from what I know about them they're made up of various S-rank rogue ninja criminals and their goal is to capture the nine tailed beasts and their hosts for what reason I'm not sure but if they remove the fox from Naruto he will die." Jiriaya said as tears formed in Sakura and Lee's eyes as Naruto looked down at the ground.
"Look guys I'm sorry for dragging you into this but I'll understand if you don't want to be friends with me anymore." Naruto said with a dejected sigh but Sakura would have none of that.
"Naruto don't ever say anything like that." She shouted at him.
"Just because you're a jinchuriki doesn't make you any less our friend." Lee said as he flashed his smile.
"I've always admired your courage Naruto for having to bare that kind of burden and to me you are the hero the leaf should hold in higher regard." Hinata replied as tears of joy streamed down Naruto's face.
"Thank you, you guys have no idea how much that means to me." Naruto said before Sakura approached him again and embraced him tenderly until Jiriaya interrupted the moment.
"Hey brats let's go we're burning daylight." He said and with that the five of them were on the road to find the new Hokage.
Well looks like the new Indigo tribeswoman has joined our merry band but remember not all members of the tribe of compassion are as sane as Hinata next time our group gets some training done and find Tsunade until then read and review folks.