I do not own Naruto or any of its characters. Thank you to anyone reading this story.
Without any further ado, unto the chapter~
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Both boys stood before their leader's table. Mei Terumi had a smile on her face as she watched the two. Toaru seemed more capable than before, the blade on his back was carried almost casually compared to before. Chojuro was the one with the most change however. The boy held his head up high, staring straight into her eyes. He held a smile on his face instead of the timid look that he once had. Looks like her intuition was right after all, they would do just fine.
"Details Chojuro." The woman queried from the blue haired boy as he wasted no time to respond.
"Yes ma'am. Toaru has improved significantly with Kubikiribocho, he even managed to defeat me in a pure Kenjutsu battle."
"No I didn't." Toaru statedd as he cut Chojuro off. "He was the only one using Kenjutsu, and I only managed to get the jump on him because I placed him under Genj-"
"Shut. Up!" A fist connected with Toaru's skull and planted him onto the floor. Mei struggled to remain serious as the two started to bicker in front of her. Ao however was not so pleased.
"You two!" The statement got the two of them to snap out of their mock battle as the veins around his covered eye subconsciously started to bulge. "Mei-sama called you here for a reason. The least you could do is hear what she has to say before messing around in a war room!"
The two straightened themselves and were at attention once more. Mei was happy. Never before had she seen Chojuro so jovial, almost childlike. If this wasn't a war then she would've sent them back to train and bicker like normal Genin. But this was not the time, the boy she viewed as brother (because she was much too YOUNG to view him as a son) was a ninja whether she liked it or not, and as his leader, she would have to use him as any Kage would, regardless of what may happen.
"There is a supply post 30 km due west from our location. Yagura seems to be making deals with outside forces in order to feed his army. Your job is to destroy it and kill any nin that guard the area. If overwhelmed you are to retreat immediately, we cannot lose the swords. Understood?"
"Yes ma'am!" Toaru and Chojuro spoke in sync as Mei continued.
"Then you leave in an hour. Dismissed!" The two disappeared in water shunshins as Mei looked over the reports of the ongoing war. A sigh escaped her lips as all she could see were the building up of losses on either side. Casualties that never needed to be filled the paperwork more and more as she held her head in her hands. Ao came over and rested his hand on her shoulder. The war would end soon, but whoever won would have the blood of millions on their hands.
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Toaru and Chojuro immediately set out on their task. It had been quite a length of running before they stopped to make camp. The night air grew chilly but it did not matter to the two who were already accustomed to the climate. Fog seeped in that threatened to block their vision, but with being shrouded in the mist for years one could easily traverse his way through it. Chojuro by simply living at his home and Toaru by the years of experience given to him by his clones. The two rested without much difficulty, and when the time came to leave, they departed without a trace.
Arriving at their destination, both scanned the area for troops. Six people stood guard at the outpost. Two chunin and four genin were talking with each other but still keeping a lookout.
With a signal towards Toaru, the raven-blond boy formed a single hand sign as mist seeped in from all sides.
Down below, chatter dimmed as one of the genin shivered, her hair standing on end as a chill ran down her spine. Something was wrong and whatever it was didn't plan to leave them unscathed.
"S-someone's here!" She said as the fog started to surround them. Along with it came a killer intent so strong that they could barely breathe, The miasma clutching at their throats like vice grips.
"Where?" A chunin queried as he realised just how much the mist started to cloud their vision. He could barely see ahead of him, just what the hell was going on? This was supposed to be a simple patrol until the goods came for transport, nothing too overcomplicated for a group like this. So why was this happening?
"Everywhere." The statement was the last that she would ever make as the butcher knife cleaved her head from its resting place on her shoulders. The other genin didn't even have time to react as the blade sealed their fates as well. The chunin looked on as the mist grew even thicker, this time with a reddish tint as it continued to close on the terrified duo.
The two stood back to back, trying their best to make heads or tails of the situation. Their teammates were dead, they had no idea who or what the enemy was, nor the amount of people attacking them. They barely had a sense of direction as all they could do was try their best to retaliate when the time came.
"Jugular, heart, lungs,brain." The voice echoed all around them. "I may not know as much about the human body as someone like Zabuza did, but I know the minute my blade cuts any of those you die on the spot." It continued, gaining a whimper from the female chunin, almost ready to lose her breakfast, meagre as it was. The smell of the genins' blood was now filling the air, choking their lungs on the metallic smell as it made their head spin, further worsening the situation.
"Where are you? Who are you?" The chunin asked as he gripped his kunai even tighter, he needed to get out of there, screw the post! He was not going to die like this!
"One question at a time, kid. For who I am, you don't need to worry about that. As for where I am." The mist seemed to part as a figure made itself known. The chunin took no chance as he finally found something to aim at.
"Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Violent Water Wave)!" Water rushed from the nin's mouth and sped towards the figure seemingly knocking them down from the high pressure torrent. A smile formed, only to disappear as the mist refused to recede.
Another figure arose to the right of them, shrouded in darkness like its predecessor, only its frame apparent to the two. Another wave of water, this time in the form of a bullet that crashed against the figure, yet still the mist did not waver.
This time two, then four. The more they seemed to destroy the more appeared around them, each getting closer with every second. With the last remnants of sanity replacing itself with fear, the two emptied all the contents of their kunai pouches at the crowd and ran in a random direction.
Laughter filled their ears as they ran. Never once looking back in fear of the demon that might end their lives as it did to their comrades. Fear gripped at their very souls, the air around them grew colder and colder as they continued to blindly run through the mist. Their muscles ached, eyes wide and attentive. When would this end?
They heard the sound of water as their feet started to get wet. The mist finally began to part as they breathed sighs of relief, trying to get back clear air into their lungs. A dry chuckle escaped the boys' lips as he looked towards his teammate. They escaped, whatever it was. They would head back to the Mizukage and tell him of this ghost that had killed his team. A group of Jonin would confront the matter and this all would work out.
Looking towards the bank, his hopes dropped as the very figure they were running from stood upon it. A black shirt with sleeves down to his wrist, grey pants that were tapered at the shins. A large blade that was strapped to his back that seemed so alike to the one in those books on the seven swordsmen.
"Suiton: Daibakuryuu no Jutsu (Water Style: Great Exploding Current)." The words came as a whisper, but its effect was a huge vortex of water that appeared further out in the lake, pulling them into the now swirling water. It whipped at their faces and carried them downwards, not giving them a chance to escape. Slowly the area they once stood began to fill with blood as the whirlpool crushed and tore them apart, leaving nothing of the two nin.
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Toaru returned to Chojuro burning down the outpost. An extra dead body seemed to join his pile as he raised his eyebrow in an attempt to ask.
"He was asleep in the outpost, it wasn't a problem." Getting a response, Toaru flooped himself next to his friend. Watching the flames as they ate away at the pile of rubble.
"How was it?" Chojuro asked gaining his teammate's attention, theheat of the flames licked his face as he seemed to curl into a ball, Hiramekarei lay by his side still wrapped in its bandages.
"How was what?" Toaru responded not entirely understanding the question.
"Killing someone."
"...Oh"
"Yeah.."
Toaru looked down at his hands. How did he feel? He heard a lot about ninja and their first time taking a life. Some lost themselves, going mad at the prospect of being a person's reaper. Others pushed past it, but never as the same person. They developed some sort of habit to ease the pain, keep whatever nightmares out of the way. He heard that therapy helped too. If he remembered right Ino's family seemingly had a way to walk through minds, maybe thats how they helped. And then people took strength from their friends and family to push forward. But what did he feel?
"I don't feel anything." Was he supposed to? He didn't feel any different. As far as he could see he was still himself. The world didn't stop if he died, so why should he? Its not like he cared about any of them. It was a mission, nothing more or less. He carried out his duty and destroyed his enemies, what else was there to think about?
"I did." Chojuro replied. "I still do. The first time I cried myself to sleep, I couldn't get over the fact for a week. They say only the strong people can take a life and feel nothing. I guess your really strong Toaru." He lifted his blade and started to walk away. They needed to get back and time was already wasted. No doubt the fire would attract attention as well.
"Or a monster." Toaru said in a whisper. Standing up he followed his teammate back to the base. Maybe he was right. But a person wanting to destroy an entire village needed to have the balls to continue after killing that amount of people. He wondered if it was someone else on the end of his sword. Would he feel any different? Thoghts started to cloud his mind as they continued through the mist. He would have to revisit this train of thought soon.
Inside of the seal, The Nine Tails continued to watch on. Things were starting to become very interesting with his container.
"Continue to feed on this world's hatred Naruto. Soon I will finally escape this prison, and your soul will be mine."
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"The Nine Tails is missing." Rinnegan eyes protruded through the darkness of the cave. Its gaze settling on everyone in the room.
"Tch, would you look at that Sasori my man, the Uchiha is finally failing at something." The blonde haired member of the artistic duo said as he eyed the stoic Uchiha. A set of three tomoe sharingan stared back, but not at him. They stared through his very soul as he gritted his teeth. He hated that look and those eyes. He swore that when he met that bastard in person again he would rip them from his skull.
"Naruto Uzumaki is talented, he may not be the smartest, but you won't find him if he doesn't want to be." Itachi stated, remembering his previous days in ANBU. Things were so simple back then, well as simple as a ninja's life could be. Regardless of its ups and downs, he would take it a thosand times over. To be in Izumi's arms for one more second, laughing with Shisui and being mentored by Inu. Closing his eyes, he let go of what wishes he hd and stared into the abyss once more.
"The brat's got spunk thats for sure." Kisame Hoshigaki smirked as Samehada slowly grumbled behind him. It looked like she was hungry. He'd have to get her so,ething to snack on soon.
"We will not focus on the Nine Tails' wherabouts for now. Capture the rest of the Jinchuriki, Zetsu will try to find its location. If it continues to stay hidden. I will find it myself." The transmission cut as Pein ended his speech. In another location. Nagato Uzumaki stared down the masked man from his resting place. Obsidian rods littered his lanky frame but still his eyes never wavered. The eyes that made him God.
"What do you want Madara." It wasn't a question. The Uzumaki knew that the masked individual would speak regardless of what he said.
"Why are you being so mean to Tobi? Don't 'cha know Tobi is a good boy?" A pin drop silence entered the room as a scowl marred Nagato's face. These childish actions were getting more irritating by the day. Madara laughed as his tone went from the bright and cheerful to the more dark and stoic one.
"You should really lighten up Nagato, you're stilll a young man after all." The century year old ninja spoke as he looked at the red haired man, his single sharingan shining through the mask. "If the Nine Tails isn't found within three years then I will join the Akatsuki myself. Do not worry dear friend, he cannot hide forever." A portal appeared as he ended taking him along with it. Nagato's scowl deepened.
"Soon Madara, you too will soon be taken care of."
In the realm of kamui, the mask removed from his face, Obito Uchiha closed his eyes enjoying the quiet for once.
"Naruto Uzumaki, you're becoming more of a nuisance than I thought."
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Temari and Kankuro watched as Gaara packed the littke things that he had. He refused to stay in a village that hated him any longer. His siblings had overheard the council voting for his execution. Sure, he was no longer the homicidal maniac that was influenced by the Ichibi, but that did not mean he was no less the powerhouse that he was before. They thought that they could kill him? They were sorely mistaken. He would leave and go to the leaf. He would find Naruto, show him the improvements in his psyche and finally be his friend. The only problem that stood before him now were the two siblings before him.
"You can't leave."
"I can and I will." He made his way past them, when a needle was inserted into his neck. Shock and betrayal ran across his face as he stared into the eyes of his 'family'. Spots slowly started to fill his vision as he reached out to them, only to slump to the floor unconcsious.
A tear fell from Temari's face as she looked at her brother. Ninja rushed into the room carrying sealing equipment and shackles. A member of the council looked at her and nodded, stating that her coronation would be by the end of the month. Kankuro was still frozen, his eyes not leaving the spot that their brother once stood.
"I'm sorry Gaara, but as Kazekage, the Ichibi will not leave the sand."
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Words: 2712
Pages: 6
Naruto had his first kill. I wanted to make it mor serious and heart wrenching but as an individual that has never killed anything but mosquitoes and my own hopes and dreams I have no knowledge on how to feel.
What will happen to Gaara? Will the Akatsuki find Naruto before Jiraiya does? What happens to the last 'loyal' Uchiha?
Find out next time...maybe
Chao~