Naruto: Soldier of Root
Chapter 11: Confrontation
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. Big surprise.
Review shoutouts: nahhhh
XxX
Naruto discreetly formed a group of shadow clones and dispersed them throughout the area to be kawarimied if needed.
Shizune put Tonton down who went to find some cover while the kage-level combat was taking place.
"Cover me while I engage four-eyes here up close so try to keep your distance." Naruto said without taking his eyes off his quarry.
The dark haired medic nodded while loading her senbon launcher strapped to her arm.
After a few more seconds Naruto decided to make the first move, dashing towards Kabuto, Kusanagi in hand going for an upwards slash.
Kabuto back-stepped trying to get some distance while making hand seals. A second later a blue glow encased both of his hands while he continued to stay out of Naruto's reach.
'Chakra scalpels, gotta make sure he doesn't touch me with those. Time to make things even.' Naruto thought to himself before forming a hand sign after sheathing his blade.
"Fuuton: Wind drills" the blonde called out while his hands became surrounded by partially invisible swirling blades of wind.
They met together with Naruto going with a right hook at the medics face.
Said medic moved his body to the left while striking with his left hand to attempt to disable a muscle on the younger ninja's shoulder.
Naruto quickly followed through with his punches momentum and rolled forward with Kabuto's back to Shizune who quickly fired off several of her senbon.
Kabuto leapt off to the side and then looked back to where Naruto had been to see that he was gone.
He heard a rumbling from below him and quickly jumped into the air to avoid a cluster of spikes that rose six feet off of the ground.
As soon as he landed he was forced fall backwards and roll to avoid a wind drill encased fist courtesy of Naruto.
He continued to slide back hoping to get some distance from the blonde shinobi.
'I can't keep this up at close range, at this rate I'm going to slip up and he'll finish me, even with my healing ability he's too dangerous to continue fighting up close and by his file, and from the info Orochimaru-sama gave me his long-range ninjutsu is superb as well, this will indeed be a tough fight.' Kabuto thought to himself.
XxX
"Kukukukuku, Itachi-kun, why on earth would you consider going back with these Konoha buffoons? Someone like you is far better suited joining forces with me." Orochimaru stated while still trying to weigh his options.
"These 'buffoons' as you so call them seemed to have defeated you quite nicely last I heard, and I don't normally side with those that are going to lose." The stoic Uchiha responded.
"Enough chit-chat Orochimaru! It's time that we finish this, and put an end to your existence once and for all!" Tsunade yelled out while stomping her foot into the ground for emphasis, making a small crater in the process.
Jiraiya decided to act first calling out his technique "Katon: Endan!"
Orochimaru dashed to the corner of the field to get out of its range only to be met by Tsunade who quickly engaged him in a taijutsu battle.
She would lash out with strikes and kicks while Orochimaru would continue to try to keep his distance and seek to find an opening.
As this continued for a few minutes Jiraiya was building up his chakra to summon the toad elders.
Orochimaru did a backspring to avoid another attempt by Tsunade to turn him into a pancake. He then lept forward with his right arm turning into snakes in an attempt to retaliate.
Itachi took this as his cue to step into the fight calling out his jutsu "Suiton: Rising surface slicer!"
A blade of water rose up from the ground and quickly cut through all the snakes that Orochimaru had summoned before dissipating.
Through all the blood and gore from the snakes Tsunade lept forward again in another attempt to attack her old teammate striking out with her right arm.
Going with the flow of her punch he maneuvered his body to just barely avoid the strike while she landed right beside him. He quickly kicked her in the midsection with his right leg sending her back several feet and then he leapead forward in a follow up attempt quickly lashing out in several punches to her body making Tsunade groan in pain.
Going with a punch to her face, his arm was stopped halfway by Tsunades hand while she looked at him with a grin. "Its my turn now."
She yanked on his arm pulling him towards her while burying her other hand square into his gut with an uppercut.
The long-haired sannin quickly went flying backwards into a nearby stone that was quickly left with an Orochimaru shaped crater in its side.
As Orochimaru started to crawl out he heard a cry from above him.
"Heavenly Kick of pain!"
He looked up just to be caught square in the face with Tsunades falling axe kick which quickly shattered the area around them.
As the dust settled and Tsunade jumped out to avoid any surprises she could see 'Orochimaru' turning into mud and dissipating.
'He mustve switched after a punched him into the rock, so where could he have run off too.'
Orochimaru reappeared out of the ground behind Jiraiya in an attempt to strike him as he was building up his chakra.
As he lunged towards him he was engulfed in a cloud of smoke before being sent flying backwards with a powerful kick from the toad sage.
Out of the smoke walked Jiraiya with Fukasaku and Shima resting atop his shoulders. "Now the fight truly begins."
XxX
Kabuto leapt back narrowly avoiding another one of Naruto's fire attacks, his skin starting to already heal the burns he received.
"Very good Naruto-kun, you almost had me there, keep this up you might actually accomplish something." Kabuto said with a smirk in an attempt to get under his skin while on the inside thinking of how on earth he was going to survive this.
Naruto just smirked at him back "You can try to weasel and sneak your way out of this one, but you and your butt buddy over there are going to finally get what's coming to you."
Kabuto just gritted his teeth before throwing two kunai, one going for Naruto's face and the other towards his torso.
Naruto quickly sent two kunai of his own to intercept them and then called his jutsu to supplement it.
As soon as they struck each other he called out Fuuton: Gale Palm!" which quickly sent all four kunai flying towards kabuto at an insane speed.
As Kabuto dove to the side to avoid the strike he was forced to try and avoid a taijutsu assault by Naruto once more who opened with a drill encased hand once more.
Kabuto leaned to the left while pulling out one of his kunai and then attempted to slice Naruto in the side who in turn followed through with his punch with a roll and then pushed off his hands in a backwards mule kick in an attempt to nail Kabuto in the gut.
As Naruto lifted off kabuto jumped into a backspring to keep some distance.
As Naruto landed he caught up with Kabuto and lashed out with three quick punches aimed at Kabutos body, who quickly back stepped. Only to be met from behind with two of the clones Naruto had created at the beginning of the fight and who both called out their jutsu simultaneously "Katon: Great Fireball Jutsu/Fuuton:Great Breakthrough!"
As Kabuto moved to dodge he heard another cry from the original Naruto. "Doton: Rising encampment wall!"
As walls proceeded to surround him to prevent him from getting away from the fireball starting to head his way completed the distance and crashed into the earthen walls and burn everything in that general area.
Once the smoke cleared Kabuto was nowhere to be found. Both of the clones looked down just in time to be stabbed through the leg with a kunai from a hand that came from the ground, dispersing them.
The hands disappeared as quickly as they came and Naruto could only predict that Kabuto would probably try to get away so he decided to try a new jutsu from an earth scroll he received from Danzo.
"Doton: Earth Eruption!"
Manipulating the earth around him he quickly formed a tunnel coming up out of the ground and then spitting out the earth beneath the surface as well as a certain bespectacled shinobi.
"You didn't think you could get away did you Kabuto-teme? We were just starting to get acquainted, I was just about to introduce your face to my foot!" Naruto yelled while weaving more hand signs "Katon: Rising Tower!"
As Kabuto was still in the air he looked down to see a large pillar of fire rising up to his position all he could do was take cover behind some of the earth that was being spitten out with him and focus his healing chakra to already begin healing his body before being engulfed in the flames.
As the remaining earth and rocks fell after being spat out and the flames starting to die down, Naruto could only watch as a figure started to walk out of the smoke.
A limping Kabuto was walking out putting a crispy arm back into place and then eating a blood pill to replenish what he had lost as well as a soldier pill to get some chakra back after expending a ton healing himself.
Besides having lots of articles of his clothing burned off and smelling a lot like ash his body seemed to be no worse for wear.
"Well you may be a sniveling cowardly weasel, but you're a survivor I'll give you that four-eyes." Naruto said before planning his next move.
Kabuto chose not to speak instead focusing on healing himself and staying ready for Naruto's next move. 'His taijutsu perfectly counteracts my own, I can't get a clear strike to incapacitate him in the chest and all I can't take out his arms or legs because of those accursed wind drills and if even manage to get a minor hit in the Kyuubi will heal it and there'd be no point. I'll just have to survive until I find an opening to turn the tables and end him.
Naruto quickly lifted several of the surrounding boulders from his previous attack, before throwing them at Kabuto and calling out his next attack "Katon: Meteor strike!" He set each boulder aflame as they headed towards the silver-haired shinobi.
Kabuto quickly started to try and dodge the burning boulders as they crashed into the ground around him.
After the last rock landed, amongst the smoke Kabuto was greeted by several Naruto's who all attacked him.
He evaded a punch from one before nailing it in the gut with a punch while turning to give a kick to the last one, dispelling both before being dropkicked by the last one being sent in a bundle of limbs.
As he shakily got up he looked up to see Naruto in front of him with a grim look on his face, "It's time to end this and for you to pay for all the crimes you have committed against the world."
Naruto formed four more clones before sending them to each side of Kabuto calling out U-ZU-MA-KI respectively before kicking him up into the air with the original jumping above him in a burst of speed. "Uzumaki Rendan chidori combo!"
Naruto struck out with a heal drop onto his gut before spinning, chidori in his right hand, before piercing Kabuto in the chest and then all the way through his body.
As they landed, Naruto pulled his hand out of his body, and then had the four remaining clones converge onto Kabuto and before he called out "Bunshin Daibakuha!"
Naruto slowly walked away towards Shizune as the explosion happened with stray shrapnel flying past his face.
"...Why are you walking so slow, and shouldn't you be observing your handiwork to make sure he survived?" Shizune questioned.
"Shizune-neechan, cool guys don't look at explosions, they walk away, …In slow motion." Naruto said while still walking slow-mo style.
"Well you can be cool after you make sure he hasn't healed himself." Shizune responded.
"Gahhh fine. You're no fun." Naruto walked back to see the remains of Kabuto which he promptly decapitated with Kusanagi to get the bounty before incinerating the rest of the pieces and then sealing away the head.
"There, all done, now let's go see how the other fight is going it should be drawing to a close by now." Naruto said while stretching out his back and arms.
XxX
Orochimaru slowly got up after being struck with another with another sage empowered punch courtesy of Jiraiya.
'If only this body could handle the use of my own sage mode, then I would be able to end these fools, until then I need to be able to stop his momentum.'
Orochimaru quickly called out a jutsu in each of his opponents directions. "Mandara no Jin!" Ten thousand Snakes quickly spread about the field going towards his three attackers causing them to leap back, save Jiraiya who stayed in the middle before calling out his technique to counter it.
"Sage Art: Goemon!" Jiraiya shot out the fire while Fukasaku sent out the wind, while Shima supplied the oil to enhance it, the three attacks combined creating a giant wave of incinerating oil that destroyed all the snakes before continuing on to Orochimaru's postion but he was nowhere to be found.
Using Sage modes ability to sense chakra he quickly found him and leaped into the air to avoid being eaten by a snake rising out of the ground with Orochimaru on its head.
Jiraiya once more called out his technique to counteract it, "Cho-oodama Rasengan!"
As a giant blue ball of swirling energy instantly formed, many times bigger than Jiraiya himself, it crashed square into the snakes face destroying it before continuing to crash into Orochimaru before he dispersed as well signifying he was a clone.
After all the dust cleared from the technique, Itachi quickly had to jump back to avoid Orochimaru leaping out of the ground towards him.
While still in midair he called out his jutsu "Katon: Goryuka no Jutsu!"
A giant dragon shaped mass of fire erupted from his mouth and collided square with 'Orochimaru' before that one dispersed as well.
Tsunade was faced with an Orochimaru of her own who called out "Many hidden shadow snake hands!"
To deflect the oncoming swarm of snakes she lifted a large portion of the terrain from the ground and swung it as one would a baseball bat knocking them all off course before throwing the entire mass of stone onto 'Orochimaru' dispersing him as well.
"Enough of these games, come out here and face us!" She yelled out.
Jiraiya quickly located him once more as he rose up from the ground behind him.
He quickly leapt up and struck with a spinning kick sending Orochimaru flying just from the senjutsu surrounding it even though he managed to evade jiraiya's foot.
Jiraiya leapt up after him forming another ultra large Rasengan in his hands before smashing it into his old teammate and then slamming both into the ground.
Orochimaru crawled out of the wreckage before regurgitating another him that was without injuries. As he stood he stumbled and coughed up blood. 'This body can't take much more of this, after all the difficulty and damage it went through at the chunin exams I've been getting weaker and weaker.'
"It seems this fight is drawing to a close old friend it's high time we end this." Jiraiya said grimly with a sad look on his face while forming two more giant rasengans in each arm.
Orochimaru just stood as Jiraiya charged. He called out his strongest defensive technique the triple rashomon as both Fukasaku and Shima sent out Flames and wind respectively as Jiraiya spat out the oil forming the toad oil flame bullet that blew through the first two walls before stopping at the third which Jiraiya promptly destroyed with one of the cho-oodama rasengans and then raising his last one to end Orochimaru which struck him once more forming a crater with him in the middle of it.
'That's all this body can take time to leave it' Orochimaru thought to himself before a Giant white snake came out of his mouth that was made up of a multitude of smaller snakes, his face still had long black hair and his face was scaled and he barred his fangs and hissed.
"So that's your true form? Its just like you, corrupted, vile, and evil, its time to rid this world of such, goodbye." Jiraiya said.
"If I may, I believe I should end this and make sure he never comes back." Itachi said while an ethereal figure around his body forming. "Susanoo." Was all he said as his eyes morphed into the Mangekyo Sharingan.
The giant armored figure raised it's shield that blocked several blasts of Orochimaru's acid and waves of snakes. 'My turn' Itachi thought before he raised its sword and it slashed downward stabbing Orochimaru despite his attempts to get away from it.
'This, this is the sword of Totsuka? I've spent so much time looking for it and he had it the whole time?' Orochimaru thought as he felt his life being sucked away.
"The sword of Totsuka will seal you away for all eternity and we will forever be rid of you, good riddance Orochimaru" Itachi said while Orochimaru's snake form was completely sucked into the jar screaming in pain as he did so.
"Its finally over" both Jiraiya and Tsunade said simultaneously as they looked at the aftermath of the battle before Jiraiya sealed away Orochimaru's last body to be buried out of respect for his old friend.
"Well about time! I thought that guy would never shut up and die, and geesh Itachi-nii-san how come you're just so dang cool!" Naruto yelled out with a faux pout at the end.
"Way to kill the mood Naruto" Shizune called out after him.
After they caught up to where the three elder shinobi were they all had a moment of silence for the dead before continuing their trek back home.
After they were gone from sight, Zetsu was seen sticking out of the ground, "Well that was certainly very interesting indeed, first that Itachi has rejoined his Konoha comrades, but at least he still fulfilled one of our wishes to have Orochimaru destroyed, I must inform Pein-Sama about this."
The plant-like man went back beneath the earth and then all was silent.
XxX
After several days of heading back home they group finally reached home and were greeted by with much praise and cheering. All of the populace had heard from the council members from each of their districts about the truth of the uchiha massacre and how Itachi was a hero.
So they were all greeted by a major welcoming procession for both Tsunade and Itachi as the five of them made their way to the hokage tower to give their report.
It was to be in the council room once more where they met and everyone above the rank of chunin was present and seated as well as all the clan heads and council members.
The group of five entered the room while whisperings about a certain blonde haired shinobi circled the room questioning as to why someone like him was with such prestigious people like Jiraiya and Tsunade.
They gave their report in detail of all that occurred and then Itachi concluded it with how he killed Orochimaru. "He is forever sealed away into the sword of Totsuka where he will be in a never ending genjutsu, never to be freed. "
Murmurs went throughout the room as people questioned that Orochimaru was finally dead, and some were excited enough to start clapping.
Sarutobi silenced the room before speaking, "Well I shall expect the written report in the morning for now you are all dismissed, we shall discuss what shall happen now and will inform the people of this new development. Also for the death of Orochimaru you, Itachi, shall receive his bounty as you were the one to finish him."
"Thank you hokage-sama/Hai" was all they said before leaving the room.
XxX
The next morning after Itachi gave his report on all of Akatsuki's dealings and their plans that he knew about and how they did everything, he was dismissed and given an apartment next to Naruto's until he felt like moving back into the Uchiha compound.
He went with Naruto who decided to visit his old squad at for their training that day.
As they arrived, they saw them going through different sparring sessions with Sasuke and Sakura attacking Kakashi.
Once their presence was made known, the trio stopped the spar and looked upon the newcomers with Sasuke's eyes widening when he saw Itachi once more.
"Hello Sasuke-kun" Itachi said in a monotone voice not sure of Sasuke's response while Kakashi and Naruto were tensed in case Sasuke attempted to attack him again.
"Itachi…" Sasuke said going through a myriad of emotions before deciding to embrace his older brother.
"Perhaps we should leave you two alone for a while to sort everything out, come along Naruto, Sakura." Kakashi said after making sure there wouldn't be a fight.
After they were far enough away and after Sakura had been dismissed for the day, they started a conversation. "So whats going to be happening to the teams since me, Shikamaru, and Lee all got promoted?" Naruto asked.
"Well while you were gone it was still being decided, but the final decision is that Sakura is going to fill in for Lee in team Gai so she can focus on a more front line squad and pick up a few things while Sasuke will replace Shikamaru in team ten with Asuma to pick up more teamwork which should be a lot easier with the whole never ending desire to kill Itachi out of the way. Both Lee and Shikamaru still come to lead their respective old squads from time to time when either Asuma or Gai are gone, so they aren't completely breaking apart the teams." Kakashi said.
"Wait, so what's going to happen to you since we're all leaving?" Naruto questioned.
"Well I'm actually going to be a part of a very 'special' squad that's being put together by Hokage-sama. A squad put together for a very specific purpose."
"What kind of purpose?"
"Taking down Itachi's old group, Akatsuki of course." Kakashi replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Naruto's eyes bulged. "Are you serious!? Well who is going to be joining you? Its gonna need to be some major kick butt squad if you guys are meant to take down S-rank ninja, not to mention two at a time."
"Oh indeed it is, in fact you're going to be a part of it. This group will consist of myself, Jiraiya-sama, Itachi, and yourself." Kakashi said.
"Me? I'm not ready to take on S-rank ninja, I can survive yes but I'm not ready to openly attack them yet." Naruto said while putting his arms in front of him while shaking his head no.
"Well 'yet' is precisely the point, you will be training under the three of us for three years, which is also the amount of time we have before the akatsuki begins to move. Right now they're just gathering funds, and pinpointing the locations of all the jinchuuriki as well as preparing the sealing methods for when they manage to capture one, God forbid." Kakashi informed him.
"Also, Hokage-sama will be tutoring you privately and supervising a training regiment for all four of us to bring us all to our absolute peak and then farther than that. So tell me Naruto, what do you say?" the war veteran asked him.
"I'm in. When do we start?" Naruto answered with his foxy grin.
XxX
(A/n Well that definitely took way longer than I wanted for me to get this out, but hey its out and I'm back, no idea when the next one will be out. In a perfect world it would be out late next week, but we shall see. Next chapter will be a couple filler sidestories and such. See you guys around. Read And Review!
Kakashidex out.