I was on a three-day-two-night school trip to Malacca so I couldn't update, but now I'm back. Another chapter of Team Itachi. Enjoy.
TheOrangeStar802: I wasn't very 'soon' but I'm back now! :)
WaterDrop: I don't know how to 'teach' people to be honest. It's just in my writing blood to write fighting scenes well :P
Guest: 'Awesome in the sack: Anko' hahaha definitely!
FrozenFlamingFire: Whaaaat? How can you not have a hot kunoichi in mind?! They're all so sexy :O
Guest: I have no idea why you think Itachi is underpowered. With the Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo, he's almost godly... almost.
S.R.457: You know that's not gonna happen ;)
Thanks to zarni htet 7, TheOrangeStar803, WaterDrop, Guest, FrozenFlamingFire, Guest, S.R.457, akemiuchiha22 and entityoffire for the reviews!
"Rasengan!"
Tsunade turned her head, and simply side-stepped. Naruto ended up crashing through the bar's door with his attack. He briefly heard a shout of "you're paying for that!" and hurriedly cancelled his technique.
The woman he had tried to attack stepped out.
"Tsunade-sama!"
Both blondes turned to see a raven-haired woman rushing towards them.
"Shizune..."
The newcomer jumped protectively in front of Tsunade, but blinked slowly as she saw what she'd presumed to be an attacker was just a mere 12 or 13-year-old child.
"Naruto!" Jiraiya rushed out hurriedly. He ran up to Naruto and smacked his head. "What do you think you are doing?"
Naruto reluctantly mumbled an apology he obviously didn't mean.
"Are you...?" Shizune stared at Jiraiya. Then she bowed respectfully. "You're the great Jiraiya-sama!"
"Ah, indeed!"
Tsunade rolled her eyes as Jiraiya struck his pose. "Jiraiya... why are you teaching this brat the Rasengan?" Her gaze briefly switched to an angry-looking Naruto. "It's obvious... he won't be able to master it at all."
Hearing this, Naruto yelled at her. "What did you say, you old lady?"
"The Rasengan is an A-Rank jutsu, one that can only be learnt by a powerful shinobi... this kid is anything but that! And he wants to become the Hokage... ha, don't make me laugh."
"That's enough, Tsunade." Jiraiya said, bringing a hand down to stop Naruto, who was about to jump forward for a second attack.
Seeing that he wouldn't be allowed to go near Tsunade again, Naruto decided to resort to words.
"Wait and see, you old hag! I'll master the Rasengan in just three days! And then you'll be forced to eat your words about the previous Hokage... and also acknowledge me as a strong shinobi!"
"Shut up, kid..." Jiraiya shook his head. There is no way someone can master the Rasengan in three days! Even if he's completed the first two steps with little effort...
"Three days, huh?" Tsunade laughed again.
"Yes!" Naruto roared, completely ignoring Jiraiya. "I will become the Hokage! I will master the Rasengan in three days! Three days!" He raised his hand, showing three fingers for emphasis. "A true Hokage... will not go back on his word! That is my ninja way!"
A pang of nostalgia shot through the blonde Sannin.
Nawaki...
Ignoring it, she brought up the necklace worn around her neck. "Fine. I will take you up on that bet."
Naruto frowned. "Huh?"
Shizune stared at the necklace in alarm.
Jiraiya regarded the piece of jewellery with a surprised stare. So she still has that...
"If you can complete the Rasengan in three days, you can have this necklace, and my acknowledgement..."
"Heh!" Naruto smirked. "I will do it!" Who cares about that necklace? I'll just show her that I can do it, and then she'll be forced to eat her words! Ha! Old hag!
"But if you lose, I get all your money."
It was Tsunade's turn to smirk as she revealed her possession of Naruto's wallet.
"Gama-chan!" He screamed.
Tsunade almost laughed.
Gama-chan... Gama-chan... Tsk.
"Well, I will see you in three days." Pocketing the wallet, Tsunade walked away.
Shizune found it hard to believe Tsunade was using the necklace as a betting piece. Seeing her mentor starting to depart, she began to hurry after, but Jiraiya stopped her and gave her a nod, before rushing after Tsunade himself.
Never mind Naruto and his silly bet for now... The white-haired Sannin thought to himself, as he caught up to his old friend. Now would be a good time to talk to Tsunade-hime... about THAT.
"Rasengan!"
Naruto smashed the blue sphere into a tree, deepening a spiral-shaped hole that had already been there.
No... this is not working! The Rasengan the Pervy Sage used was much, much bigger and more powerful!
"Rasengan!"
The spiral-shaped hole deepened again.
He collapsed, panting, staring up at the full moon.
What time is it...? It must be late... I've been practicing out here the whole night since I made that bet with the grandma...
Naruto smiled as he felt his chakra quickly coming back to him.
Well, I suppose there is a few benefits to having this Fox guy inside me. He jumped up. "Rasengan!"
This time, the trunk of the tree was completely blown off, leaving only a stump. Naruto winced as the tree trunk crashed into another, resulting in an explosion of smoke.
But he was also elated. That Rasengan I just did... it was bigger than my previous ones!
I left without asking the Pervy Sage what the third step for learning this jutsu was... but it seems intense practicing is good enough.
Suddenly getting an idea, Naruto placed his fingers together in a cross. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Twenty clones appeared in the forest area. Seeing the large amount of trees around them, they immediately got to work.
"Rasengan!"
"Rasengan!"
"Rasengan!"
One clone was dispersed, and Naruto smiled as he looked up. Just as I expected! When the clone disperses... his memories come back to me! So if I use my clones to practice, then I'll be able to master this jutsu faster!
Yeaaah! Go, Naruto, you genius!
"Rasengan!"
The entire forest shook as Naruto slaughtered plants after plants.
"Naruto-kun?"
"Eh?"
Naruto turned, the small Rasengan in his hand quickly disappearing.
Shizune stared at the scene in front of her with widened eyes. Multiple Narutos were repeatedly destroying trees with the Rasengan.
He's really practicing hard...
Ignoring their loud cries and the sound of dying trees, she walked over.
"Hey, um... lady!" Naruto said sheepishly.
"Shizune," the medical-nin introduced herself with a smile.
Nodding, Naruto shot a grin at her. "What's up?"
Taking a seat on a nearby log, she was soon joined by Naruto, who gave her a quizzical look. "And how did you know where to find me?"
"By spending hours searching for you, and I eventually did."
"Oh... sorry," he chuckled, sheepishness returning into his tone as he ran a hand through his own hair. "So... what's up?"
Shizune's smile turned into a slight frown, and she sighed.
"I... I just don't want you to misunderstand Tsunade-sama."
Naruto jumped to his feet, awake. He looked down on the ground, seeing a smashed alarm clock. The ninja vaguely remembered doing the deed of smashing it into the wall and then throwing it onto the ground when it had rang.
He glanced towards the clock in the room, which read 2 in the afternoon.
"I overslept!"
Naruto immediately changed out of his pajamas, putting on his orange undershirt, pulling on his orange pants and then slipping on his Chunin vest.
Tying the Konoha forehead protector around his forehead as usual, he then exited through the open window, ready to train again. Naruto then thought about what Shizune had told him yesterday, and stopped.
Was that necklace really cursed?
Naruto found it creepy.
At least now I know why that old woman is such a hot-tempered old lady. But still, does the death of her loved ones really give her the right to be worst than a 5-year-old?
His thoughts were interrupted as he was tackled back into the room.
Jiraiya appeared on the window, looking drunk.
Naruto wanted to scream at him, but instead stared at his face. Pervy Sage doesn't look drunk at all...! More like... weakened...?
"There is no time to talk now," said the old Sage quickly, beckoning for Naruto to follow. "I will tell you on the way!"
He jumped away, allowing Naruto to exit through the window. Teacher and student leaped through the roofs of Tanzaku Town.
"Tsunade," Jiraiya sighed. "When I was out in town asking questions of her whereabouts, they told me how someone fitting her exact description was talking to another pale, long-haired, creepy-looking man."
Naruto's eyes widened.
"Is that...?"
"I asked Tsunade about it last night. Apparently, he's trying to ask Tsunade to heal his wounds."
"Wounds?"
"Yes," Jiraiya nodded, not wanting to go into details at this moment. "If Tsunade heals him... he'll try to destroy Konoha again. That's why..."
Naruto stopped, frowning. "Wait, wait, wait, you don't mean to say that the one the old man wants as the Godaime is going to help that creepy snake guy destroy Konoha?"
Jiraiya sighed again. "I suppose she couldn't reject Orochimaru's offer."
"Offer? What kind of offer would make you agree to help destroy your own village?!" The Kyuubi container gritted his teeth, and balled his hands up into a tight fist. "And here I was thinking she was a decent enough person... I'm going to stop her!"
The duo continued on their way, with Jiraiya shaking his head.
"Orochimaru offered to revive her two most precious people."
Stopping again, Naruto's jaw hung open.
"Tsunade-hime... she hasn't gotten over their deaths, it seems."
Tsunade walked towards the destroyed remains of the Tanzaku Castle.
It was now under construction, supposedly to clear the rubble.
The man she was looking for stood beside the erected blockades that read 'keep out'. He was standing there, shooting that annoying grin at her, along with his prick of a subordinate.
"I thought you would come here," Orochimaru smirked. "You never needed long to figure out an answer... hm, Tsunade?"
"Shut up."
"Still... I gave you three days to think about it... Are you sure you've got your answer after only one?"
"I'll heal your arms if you promise to leave Konoha alone."
Tsunade fixed Orochimaru with a firm glare.
Orochimaru looked back at her, contemplating his answer.
Finally, he decided to go with a lie.
"Sure," he hissed, hoping he sounded convincing. "I'll wash my hands off that pathetic village."
Tsunade nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer.
The snake summoner smirked, delighted with the conversation that had just transpired. If Tsunade had believed a good old trick like that, she was losing her touch as a shinobi. Why wouldn't he destroy Konoha? He hated the Leaf to the core.
Ripping off his shirt, Orochimaru smiled, signalling for his former teammate to get to work.
Her hands glowing blue, Tsunade brought it up to his chest.
It's working...
"Ha!" She slammed her hands onto Orochimaru's body.
Almost immediately, Tsunade was forced to jump away as Kabuto attacked her with a kunai.
Orochimaru backed away, clutching his chest and reached for his top. I feel... weakened!
The blonde Sannin's gaze switched between Kabuto and Orochimaru. His subordinate prick figured it out... but at least I managed to weaken him.
"Orochimaru-sama, that chakra was not meant to heal you." The silver-haired man revealed, glaring at Tsunade. "It was filled with killing intent!"
No wonder I feel weakened. Tsunade... crafty as ever.
Orochimaru got back up, although unsteadily. "If you refuse to heal me, we are going to have to take you by force." That's easy to say... I obviously can't handle Tsunade at full strength in my condition, and neither can Kabuto.
"You can just try me. I'll kill both of you here and now." Tsunade replied coldly.
Kabuto rushed towards the veteran kunoichi, while Tsunade lunged at the younger Oto ninja.
Both medic ninjas charged towards each other, as Orochimaru looked on in the background.
Not the most brilliant of chapters, but I was suffering from a bit of writer's block for this chapter so I'm glad I at least got it all done. The fight scenes are coming so hopefully the writer's block will be erased then.
Question of the Day: When this story carries on into Naruto: Shippuden, would you want a separate story or for me to continue adding to the chapters of this story?
In the next chapter, Tsunade and Kabuto face off, while Naruto and Jiraiya arrive on the scene and take on Orochimaru. Until next time!