Time has flown by, isn't it?
Disclaimer: Naruto and all associated products are Kishimoto's properties; this is a non-profit story.
Chapter 19:
The Summit
His face hidden behind a welding helmet, Naruto kept the plasma torch alight. The wooden beehive's buzzing in the back of his workshop was mildly distracting, but for all intents and purposes the ninja was now entirely focused on his current task with renewed energy. His discussion with the dragon had revitalized him; given him the confidence he had lost after the destruction of Ame.
I will take my flight, and rise higher than the skies, the Jinchuuriki thought, while welding the device he was working on. A small instrument of steel, gold and copper, the device looked like a sphere of black metal, barely big enough to fill his hand, and light enough to be carried safely. A real achievement, considering the original design was projected to fill a room.
Miniaturizing it had been a priority. The device needed to be carried onto the field and activated as close as possible to the target to be effective. The projected radius was small, and he hoped he would have time to finish and test it before the inevitable-
He heard steps coming from behind him, entering his lair. Interrupting his work, he raised his helmet and glanced at the newcomer. "Old man I'm bu-"
Except it wasn't Jiraiya, nor Mei. Led by Apophis, a group of misfits observed him with various expressions… except Itachi, who had no expression at all.
He said the first thing that crossed his mind.
"Hi guys."
Not the best thing to say.
Out of all of them, Fuu reacted first. The Jinchuuriki gritted her teeth, raised her left arm, and then slapped him with enough force to make him flinch. Naruto could have dodged it, but let it come. I deserve it, he thought, massaging his cheek. "Guys?" Fuu repeated, "You vanish for months and that's all you have to say to us."
Before he could apologize, she proceeded to hug him in short order, obviously fighting back tears. "You idiot," Fuu snarled angrily, "How dare you vanish on us? Why didn't you inform us? We were worried sick."
"Fuu… I'm sorry," Naruto replied, returning the hug, "I needed a little time alone."
"The Han is happy to meet his prized sidekick again," the giant said, patting his friend on the back with a manly manner, "Have you done any sidekicking? The Han felt it was like, a year and a month since he last saw you."
"Not much," Naruto replied, while Fuu broke the hug, "I mostly hide after the… you know…"
"Enough, Naruto, " Yugao shook her head, "There will be a time to talk about the past. Right now, let's just celebrate our reunion."
"Yeah… it's great to see you all," Naruto replied, "The snakes told me you survived, but I was worried something had happened in the meantime." He glanced at Itachi. "I'm sorry about Sasuke. I can't say I understand your feelings… but he was my friend as much as he was your brother. I swear Pain will face justice for what he did."
The Uchiha simply gave him a slow nod, as if barely registering the words. Instead, he eyed the device Naruto was working on. "What is this?"
"Justice," the trickster replied, "The Painkiller."
"… you know that's the name of medical products, right?" Fuu pointed out.
"Give me a break, haven't even finished it yet."
"Will you kill him?" Itachi asked sharply. "Pain?"
Naruto's first instinct was to say yes, but he stayed silent. Did he really want to kill him? Pain might be family, but his crimes were inexcusable, just as his own were. On the other hand… killing him would prove Pain right, and drive his remaining followers to try avenging him. Killing Pain would make him a martyr for his cause, and prove Naruto no different than him. Pain's death would become another contribution to the cycle of destruction the Shinobi World was embroiled into.
Saving Pain was also difficult to justify. While his crimes paled before Tobi's, Nagato remained a dangerous extremist ready to start a world war for his beliefs. He would kill again if left alive, and Naruto doubted he could be talked down. Not after what had happened in Ame. Nagato wouldn't back down because he had nothing left to lose anymore. Stopping here, in Nagato's mind, would be reneging on all the sacrifices he made to reach that point.
Save or sacrifice. Why did it always come down to those two choices? How many people were forced to make such a choice?
I will not make this choice, Naruto told himself, I will choose my own path and stick to it.
"I will do what must be done," Naruto replied, "To break the Shinobi World's spiral of death forever."
Itachi eyed him at length. Naruto prized his ability to read others like books, but the elusive Uchiha's pokerface was impregnable. He didn't doubt Itachi had noticed how evasive the answer had been. The question was, what would he do about it? He had lost his brother to Pain, and would kill him if he had the chance. For an instant, the two ninjas simply stared at one another tensely.
"Nice sword," Kisame interrupted, noticing the Kusanagi Naruto carried on his back. "Want to cut down someone with it?"
The picture of Obito Uchiha flashed in Naruto's brain. "The idea crossed my mind yes."
If there was one person Naruto had no intention of saving, it was Obito. He knew it sounded hypocritical, considering all the trouble he had considering doing the same to Pain… but the motivations were different. Pain's actions were fueled by his own suffering and a true, if warped, desire to improve the world. Obito massacred thousands out of sheer pettiness. The insane Uchiha had to be put down, for his own good and that of others. That madman would never stop, while Naruto thought there was a small chance to save Pain.
Naruto had gone too far to hold the moral high ground. He remembered his bet with the Nine-Tailed Fox. Either he would break that cycle with Pain, or he would die trying.
"I could give you pointers," Kisame said, "I wouldn't want to see someone disgrace such a powerful weapon with sloppiness."
"Back off," Yugao replied, "He's my pupil."
Naruto suddenly remembered the history between these two… and how Kisame had killed Yugao's father during the last Shinobi war. It was a miracle they weren't at each other's' throat. "Why are you here, Kisame-san?" he asked the swordsman of the mist. "I knew about Itachi, but I didn't expect to see you on our side."
The swordsman shrugged. "Why are they all here?" he replied, nodding at the rest of the group, "I stick to my friend, just as yours stick to you."
"The Han has a better question," the giant interrupted, "Why are you keep bees in a cave?"
"The way I see it, when you've got a problem, send in the bees," Naruto smirked, "You're hungry? They'll feed you with honey. Need someone gone? They'll sting it to death. Bees solve everything."
"Naruto, bees die after stinging," Fuu mused, "Wasps are better, they can sting forever."
"Bees are insectoid commandos," Naruto countered, "They're a flying elite military force. Beside, who are you to complain about insects?"
"Touche."
Naruto let out a cheerful laugh. Gods, he had missed their banter.
"You know," Naruto whispered, his breath turning into faint mist, "When I heard about the Land of Iron, I expected it to be a place with lots of cities, open mines… iron. Not snow and ice."
"Don't complain," Apophis said, hidden beneath the ninja's coat. "You're warm-blooded. Without your sweet body heat I would be dead by now."
Naruto sighed and laid his back against a tree. The snowy forest around him was eerily silent in the morning, in spite of being right behind the border. The Land of Iron was quiet, too quiet. He had expected more activity and patrols around the border, especially with a Kage Summit this afternoon. Instead the samurai had chosen to gather on the mountain where the meeting would be held.
No wonder Akatsuki had managed to smuggle hundreds of missing-nins inside the country so easily. Let's hope our troops will match them, Naruto thought. The snakes had told him Kiri had recently recruited a new generation of the Swordsmen of the Mist; a pale shadow of the organization's former incarnation, but fearsome commandos all the same.
As for Konoha's team…
Naruto perked his head, upon sensing someone approaching. He briefly readied himself for battle in case it turned out to be a samurai patrol… only for Jiraiya to walk into his line of sight, followed by very familiar faces. Naruto couldn't help but grin upon seeing them.
Team Gai followed behind Jiraiya. Lee waved his hand happily. "Naruto-kun!" he shouted, blatantly ignoring the risks. Neji simply gave Naruto a friendly nod, although the space where his missing left arm should have been made Naruto cringe inwardly.
As for Tenten… she tried smiling, but the ugly glint in her eyes squashed Naruto's hope of a true reconciliation.
"Guys," Naruto returned with a low voice, "I'm so very sorry, I-"
"Later," Jiraiya interrupted, "I am one of Tsunade's two official bodyguard for the summit and the Land of Iron's staff will suspect something if I am absent for too long. Report."
Naruto reluctantly nodded. "The snakes told me Akatsuki has been moving troops through the border," Naruto said, "A regiment of nukenins, around five hundreds Chuunin and fifty Jonin, gathered at a bridged twenty kilometers up north. Kakuzu of the Waterfall and Deidara of Iwagakure have been sighted among them."
"And Nagato?"
"Unknown," Naruto replied honestly, "Obito hasn't been seen with them either." Neji's eyes narrowed dangerously. "With my group, Kiri's troops and your own, we could destroy that regiment before it gets anywhere near the Summit."
"But not agents infiltrating the Summit."
"We're wanted men," the Jinchuriki said, "And smuggling troops inside the country beyond bodyguards could be taken as an act of war. Best case scenario we'll start a diplomatic incident. Worst case the Land of Iron's staff will catch us and we'll have two fronts on our hands."
"So we're on our own to deal with Akatsuki's infiltrated agents," Jiraiya said.
"I told the same to Mei-san," Naruto confirmed, "Kiri's delegation is waiting not far from here, near the frozen lake. You should go meet them and discuss preemptive measures. I think Akatsuki's troops are just here in case things go south. Their first option will be more insidious."
"I have a plan to trick Obito into playing his hand," Jiraiya said, "A shell game."
"Shell game?"
"How do you trick the smartest men?" Jiraiya asked. "By sticking the truth right under his nose. Sasori managed to hide his countless informers in plain sight. That's what we're going to do."
Naruto guessed what his godfather had in mind. "Oh… smart. But isn't that technique a secret of Konoha? Sharing it with Kiri might bite you in the ass a few decades down the line."
"The situation is so dire concessions must be made," Jiraiya replied, "If Akatsuki wins there won't be 'a down the line' to worry about."
"At least you didn't gave them Edo Tensei," Naruto chuckled, "You imagine if we had to fight a zombie army of the strongest Kage? Would be really cool in a way."
"Don't be ridiculous, finding the corpses of elite ninjas would take decades."
"Killjoy."
"Speaking about corpses," Jiraiya searched under his purse, bringing out a small scroll and handing it to Naruto.
"What's that?" Naruto said, reading the seal, "Root?"
"Danzo, the commander of the ANBU, kept sealed files," the Sannin explained, "Which were unlocked after his death and sent to Tsunade. Those ones detail his investigation on a certain 'Madara Uchiha'… or should I say, Obito."
Naruto frowned and opened the scroll. Apparently, Obito had operated for years under the alias of his ancestor Madara Uchiha, and played a hand in more than just the Kyuubi attack. Even the Uchiha massacre… Naruto thought. Was there a tragedy in Konoha's recent history Obito didn't participate in?
More to the point, the writer had cataloged his observations about Obito's abilities, and added theories about potential ones. "Izanagi?"
"Crazy isn't it?" Jiraiya pointed out. "That Sharingan has so many powers it's absurd."
"That would explain how he survived his official death," Naruto noted. Did he use that Izanagi technique to fake his death back during that fateful mission? No, he would have had done it while in childhood. There was something fishy behind it all. I guess we will never know.
Something in the document caught his attention. "Interesting," he noted, "Izanagi only returns you to the state right before your death."
"You've got a plan to exploit that?"
The Jinchuuriki nodded with a grin. "I will infiltrate the samurai's staff," he said, "And kill Tobi when he shows up."
"How can you be sure he will show up?"
"Because he's a whiny drama queen and can't resist the urge to rub his plan into the Kage's faces," Naruto spat.
"I won't let you do this alone," Neji interrupted, "Let me join you."
"I appreciate your concern, but the more people involved, the greater the risk of discovery," Naruto replied. He didn't say his other reasons however. He didn't wish anyone else to be hurt… and with what he had planned, people getting caught in the crossfire would do more harm than good.
"You do realize Obito is an S-rank ninja?" Jiraiya said, "He's at least on Kakashi's level, perhaps more."
Naruto smirked. "I don't have the best track record," he began, "But all those fights I got my ass kicked… they all had something in common."
"What?"
"I lacked prep time." Naruto glanced at the scroll. "Trust me, between my preparations and this info… I will defeat him." And finally, he thought, I can prove to myself - and to the world - I don't need chakra or ninjutsu to fight for me.
Jiraiya smiled. "Looks like Danzo is going to bite Akatsuki in the ass, even after death."
"Some of Danzo's other documents could also help exonerate Itachi," Naruto pointed out.
"Perhaps, but even if we release those documents I doubt citizens would forgive a kinslayer," Jiraiya replied, "More to the point, revealing the truth would be fatal to the Village, especially in these troubled times. Itachi understood this and was willing to take the heat for it."
Unfortunately he had a point. No matter how much Naruto desired otherwise, Itachi was bound to die a hated nukenin, his sacrifice swept under the rug. "You know, once I would have accepted that, but today," Naruto began, "I can't help but wonder if this is really the way to go. Keeping atrocities under the rug with no one accountable for them, under the pretense of state security… it'll create another Pain in time, and history shall repeat itself."
Jiraiya observed him at length. "When I was young, long before your birth, the Toad Sage told me about a prophecy," the Sannin began. "That a student of mine would either save or destroy this world. First I thought it might be Nagato."
"He sure is in 'destroy mode' right now," Naruto noted grimly.
"You cannot believe how much that fact saddens me," Jiraiya said grimly, "When I heard Nagato died I thought it would be Minato… and for a time, I believed you might take the place."
Neji coughed. "If I may," he cut in, "Naruto-kun has taught me fate can, and should, be defied."
"I don't think fate exists," Naruto said, "And if it does it can go fuck itself. Save or sacrifice? Why should it have to be either? Or why not both?"
Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. "The world is rotten and an engine of war," Naruto grunted, "No way am I going to save it as it is. Yet destroying it as Nagato intends to isn't the way either. I'm not going to destroy or save the world; I'm going to change it."
The Sannin said nothing, simply giving his godson an expression of supreme confidence. "Make me proud," was all he said, before glancing at Team Gai, "I must rejoin Tsunade now. Naruto will lead you to our allies."
The group bowed dutifully, as the Sannin vanished with a Shunshin;
"Congrats on your promotions," Naruto said, "It's not everyday people as young as you guys are being considered for Jonin duties."
"The news travel fast," Neji noted stoically.
"Gai-sensei must be proud of us, wherever he is," Lee replied.
Naruto lowered his eyes in sadness. "Guys-"
"Don't say anything, Naruto-kun," Lee said, "What happened in Ame was beyond your control."
"It wasn't," Naruto replied, "I put you all in danger. For fuck's sake, I saw it all. I was there… and I let the Kyuubi run wild." He eyed Tenten. "I nearly killed you."
"Naruto," Tenten said, "I forgive you."
The blonde opened his mouth, but the kunoichi didn't let him finish. "I don't know what it is to be a Jinchuuriki," she stated, "I won't pretend I can. When… when that monster fired his attack… I saw it hesitate. You struggled with everything you had, and even if you failed, you tried. You fought off a demon that could destroy cities and nearly reined him in. For this… no matter what happened, or what others will say… you will remain my friend."
Naruto's heart brimmed with hope…
"But…" she trailed, sadness permeating her voice. "But you're right, you lost control. It's not your fault… but it could happen again."
She forgave me, Naruto realized, his hope crushed, but she won't ever trust me as she used to.
"I… I need time to consider this," Tenten said, before adding sadly, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Naruto replied with grim acceptance. "I understand. I'm glad our friendship remains, even under those circumstances."
"Naruto," Neji said, "You freed me from the chains of the Branch family, and you gave me a priceless gift. You gave me hope. I will never be able to repay you for it. Whatever happened, or might happen, I will stand by you."
"We're friends, Naruto-kun," Lee smirked, "I'm not letting a demon change that."
Naruto's face beamed with an honest smile. "Thanks guys." Gods, I think I'm gonna cry… "It means the world to me."
He grinned, glancing at Neji's arm. "I've got something in mind for that," Naruto said, "It won't make up for it, but I'm gonna make you better, faster, stronger."
"Tsunade-sama also voiced her intention to search for a method to regrow limbs," Neji replied with a sly grin, "It might take years, but Tsunade-sama is nothing if not obstinate."
"That makes me remember," Lee added, "Ayame-san now works as a nurse at Konoha's hospital."
The news cheered Naruto up. He had worried the waitress might have suffered due to Sasori's manipulation of her father; hearing she was safe filled his heart with joy.
"Hinata-hime and Hanabi-sama have also asked for news of you," Neji added, "Hanabi especially wishes for a rematch."
Naruto laughed, as they talked for an hour, trying to make up for lost time.
Yet no matter how familiar they sounded, Naruto couldn't ignore Tenten's distant gaze.
Naruto watched Team Gai leave, and stood still in the snow. He felt he had lost something priceless today. He noticed Fuu approaching him with a Shunshin, yet said nothing and simply sighed.
"Naruto…"
"You saw her expression today, didn't you?" Naruto said, dejected. "Tenten will never trust me the way she used to."
"And you blame her for it?"
Naruto glanced away. "No," he said, "I wasn't strong enough to stop the Kyuubi. I can only blame myself."
"Naruto… as a fellow Jinchuuriki, I think I am overqualified to say it's not your fault," she said. "We have all lost control at one point. You, me… even Han. Don't blame yourself for what happened. Mastering the beasts inside ourselves a struggle that lasts a lifetime."
Naruto said nothing, as he felt Fuu put her hand on his shoulder. "I want to say Tenten might no longer fully trust you… but I will continue to do so."
Naruto genuinely smiled. "Thanks Fuu."
"Are you returning to Konoha?" she asked, "If we get out of this war alive of course?"
Naruto eyed the horizon. "No," he stated, "My future in Konoha vanished along with Ame. If even my old best friend can't fully trust me anymore, how could the rest of this city?"
He sighed. "Beside, I've been wondering, was my plan to become an ANBU and rise through the ranks truly the solution? I would become a pawn in the ninja game… I might be promoted to a knight, or a queen, but never a King. Never in position to change things permanently. Pain had a point. If the world is left as it is, the history of bloodshed will repeat. The old man believed the new generation would be the key, but leaving our problems to our descendants just feels cowardly. I have a duty to create the best possible world for the new generation to inhabit."
"So?" Fuu asked. "What's the new plan."
"First, I'll go to the Land of Rain and try to make up for what I did there." He smirked. "And then… I think I will create my own place."
"Your own place?" the Seven Tails' vessel raised an eyebrow. "Like a Hidden Village?"
"Fuck Hidden Villages," he corrected with a grin, "I'm going to build my own country, like the Shodai Hokage did. Create a land where Jinchuuriki can be accepted instead of reviled, where what happened to Sasuke and his family will not happen again, and where everyone, civilians or not, will have a chance to rise to greatness."
"You sure think big," Fuu laughed, "But your Shodai didn't build his country alone. Count me in."
They stayed like this, grinning at one another, until the blond realized something. He had to say it, before the battle. Before he could die before saying it. "You know, Fuu," Naruto whispered, "It was because of you I tried to break out of Ame in the first place."
Fuu's eyes widened and broke the contact, convincing the blonde to continue. "Pain wanted to punish me for my disobedience, and so he decided to extract your Bijuu and kill you," Naruto admitted, "When I learned it… I panicked and it lead to this disaster."
He smiled. "But honestly? Even if I had known it would lead to such destruction… I would have still tried to save you."
The kunoichi couldn't help but blush. "Naruto… you and Han were the very first friends I ever had. No… you are the only ones I have. The others are comrades, and I like them… but you two are the only ones I would sacrifice my life to save."
Fuu shyly joined her hands anxiously. "When we traveled to the Ryuchi Cave, I realized… you were the one I was most concerned with. I like Yugao-san, and Han… but you… you're my most precious person in the word. There, I said it."
Naruto's jaw dropped, as the kunoichi grabbed his hands. The contact was intense, and he could feel Fuu's breath warm the air.
"After we have kicked Akatsuki's ass… let's go build your new place together," Fuu declared, "Who cares if the Ninja Nations want us dead, as long as we're there for one another? It will be the two of us against the world."
At this point, Naruto couldn't say a word. He was pretty certain he was as red as a tomato, and he felt his heartbeat increase to insane levels. "Fuu, I… I don't know what to say."
"Just hug me, you idiot."
He did.
"Aren't they cute together?" Kisame noticed, glancing at the two Jinchuuriki in the distance, hidden behind some trees.
"The Han says it's about time," the giant grunted, "The Han has been dying to give them the bees speech."
"Now, if that other problem could solve itself…"
"About Itachi and miss Yugao," the Han began, "I have been thinking about putting them into a icy cave. They will need heat, get close together to stay warm, one thing will lead to another…"
"… it's a fucking cliche, and Itachi is a Katon master. Never going to work."
"It is not the Han's fault if ninjas have grown lazy. Cheaters." The Han grunted. "Why wish to get these two together in the first place?"
"Itachi has a death wish, now that his brother is gone," Kisame replied, "I thought the idea of founding a family might convince him to hold on to life. Besides, he really needs to get laid. I still cannot believe how someone with his looks never managed to get a date. He is so pretty people often mistake him for a girl, can you believe it? While I… well, most women think I want to eat them."
"He should have taken lessons from the Han. It's a fact everyone turns gay for the Han, as his presence is proven to be the most pleasurable experience known to man."
Kisame observed the giant closely. "I think I figured you out," he said, "You act like a clown to hide a warrior's pain, is it not? It is the only way to deal with your loneliness."
"Don't we all?"
"I suppose we do," Kisame replied, "By the way… when this Akatsuki mess is over, would you like to have a rematch? Just you and I, one on one. You get the chance to avenge your defeat, I get a thrill."
"The Han was never defeated. The Han gave you the illusion of victory, in order to infiltrate Amegakure."
"Funny, that's not how I remember it."
"Believe in the Han," the giant chuckled, "Next battle, the Han is going to Han you so bad you shall suffer an Hantastic defeat."
"Yeah, I once killed a Jounin with my bare teeth. You can't compare."
"Once the Han glared at a mountain, and it crumbled on the spot."
"Most people consider a tsunami a cataclysm; I consider it a C-rank jutsu."
"The universe has a center. It's called the Han."
Kisame exploded in laughter. "Can't top that," he said while savagely grinning. "Don't get killed before I get to a chance to do it you myself, alright?"
"The Han wouldn't have it any other way."
"That's all I wish for," Kisame continued, somewhat philosophically, "Fighting for my life, until the day I am finally bested."
"Pretty morbid."
"It's the world that's morbid," he replied, "Face it, even if we defeat Akatsuki things won't change. Shinobi will still lie and cheat and kill one another. There will be peace for a while, and then the Shinobi system will crush it in time. A honorable death is the best that can happen."
"The Han didn't expect you to be so cynical."
"My best friend massacred his entire family on orders and lied to the face of the world about why," Kisame replied, "What else did you expect?" He shrugged. "I hoped Pain and Tobi could create a better world, one that wasn't founded on deceit… until disillusion settled in. I'm just a warrior without a cause, haunting battlefields until someone gets lucky."
The Han snorted. "How can you have hope for the world, if you don't have any hope in yourself?" he asked. "The Han thinks nothing is impossible, if you have the will."
"You think you can change the world?"
"Yes," the giant shook his head, "But in all honesty, the Han thinks Naruto will beat him to it."
Kisame observed him at length. Han's eyes burned with such confidence it was almost frightening. "Alright," he said, readying Samehada, "I will take the bet."
Tsunade was the last to sit at the table.
The other Kage sent her even gazes, while the iron general Mifune stood in front of them all, a stony and imperturbable arbiter. The bodyguards hid not far away, ready to intervene at any sign of strife. If Jiraiya's information was correct, then they wouldn't have to wait long. Tsunade felt somewhat safer knowing the toad Sage wasn't far. Her teammate having her back filled her with confidence she hadn't felt since the Sannin were still a thing.
Tsunade returned the Kage's stares evenly. She had been a bodyguard to the Third in the last summit, when negotiations had failed and the Third Shinobi War broke out as a consequence. Out of the original line-up, only that midget Onoki remained; already old back during the war, he hadn't changed much, keeping his wizened appearance, in stark contrast with his strong, stubborn eyes. The shrewd Mei Terumi gave her a gentle smile, as befitting of their Villages' alliance. The Fourth Raikage, a strong man with the figure of a bull, and just as much patience, kept his arms folded, as if struggling to keep his anger in check.
As for the new Kazekage…
"Slug bitch," was the first thing the Kazekage said upon noticing the Sannin.
"Fossil granny," Tsunade replied, "Still playing with dolls in your old age?"
"I am not old, I am wise," Chiyo replied. The two had only met once in their life briefly during the Third Shinobi War, but they had indirectly clashed many times; Tsunade working on curing the plagues and poisons the old witch crafted with deadly expertise. Unlike Tsunade, the old woman didn't hide her age behind a veil of youth, yet she felt strong and comfortable in the Kazekage's robes. Underestimating this elder would be a mistake.
"You should be more respectful, Kazekage-san," Onoki minded her, before giving Tsunade a respectful nod, "You have my condolences for your sensei's death. Sarutobi was a wise man, and his death is a tragedy."
"Strange," Tsunade replied, "If I remember well you did not get along."
"We may have been on opposite sides, but I respected your sensei," Onoki replied, "Just as he respected me. I hope that you will equal his wisdom one day-"
"Enough!" the Raikage cut in sharply, "I didn't cross half a continent to exchange greetings."
"True," Mifune nodded, "I therefore declare the Kage Summit now open. As the organizer behind it, the Mizukage will have the first say."
"Thank you very much," Mei replied.
As the Mizukage cleared her throat, Tsunade eyed the group. Which one of them was a traitor in Akatsuki's pocket? While she only half believed Naruto's theory, she couldn't discard it either. Onoki was the most likely suspect, having not so secretly hired the group to carry out missions in the past; Suna's ties with Akatsuki couldn't be ignored either, even if Chiyo had publicly denounced the organization after taking office. Mei was safe, that was for sure, but the rest…
"As you have been informed, Amegakure was recently destroyed," Mei started, "Anarchy rules the Land of Rain, and refugees cross the borders every day. There is no more government, no more order; warlords have sprung and fight each others for scraps of lands. I gathered you there to discuss how to stabilize the region, and hopefully, deal with those responsible."
"The responsible are right here," Onoki corrected her, his former politeness replaced with cold political pragmatism. "The Nine Tails destroyed Amegakure. This was an act of war on Konoha's part, in clear violation of our treaties."
Tsunade narrowed her eyebrows. The offensive had started already. "We did not attack Amegakure," Tsunade replied, "Ame's leadership exploited the incident at the Chuunin Exams to abduct our Jinchuuriki, alongside others, in an attempt to brainwash them into weapons under their control. Our Jinchuuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, managed to escape with the help of one of our ninja cells, and lost control of his beast during the ensuing battle."
"How convenient," Onoki replied sharply, "That no one can prove your thesis."
"I can," Mei Terumi replied, "I was present in person during the Chuunin Exams incident, and I can testify Ame-affiliated ninjas indeed exploited the chaos tp abduct multiple ninjas, including Naruto Uzumaki."
"Konoha and Kiri are recent allies," Onoki pointed out, "Perhaps Konoha secured your testimony in exchange for other advantages? Military assistance against the Land of Lightning over the jurisdiction of your islands?"
Onoki was many thing, skillful among them. With that comment, he expected the Raikage to rally to his point of view. But the Raikage said nothing, staying silent as if uninterested in the debate. Tsunade smelled something fishy in that. All reports presented A as a violent, passionate individual, not this.
"I may not confirm the Mizukage's affirmations," Chiyo said shrewdly, "But one of your Jinchuuriki attacked Suna's own during the Chuunin Exams."
"Han?" Onoki shrugged, "Han is a renegade and a nukenin. One Konoha has taken under its wings for a few months too, alongside the Seven Tails' vessel. If you ask me, it seems Konoha has been trying to accumulate power at our expense. Destabilizing Amegakure was just a prelude for the Land of Rain's conquest."
"What do you suggest then, Tsuchikage-sama?" Mifune asked politely, trying to veer the debate toward concrete solutions.
"Installing a new government in Ame would be difficult," Onoki said, "I suggest giving Iwa a mandate to bring order to the place. We have the military and the resources to do so, and we have a common border with the Land of Rain."
"Nothing more than a disguised annexation," Chiyo pointed out, "The Land of Wind shares a border with the Land of Rain too. We should parcel areas of influence between us-"
Tsunade clenched her fist and slammed the table, causing the different Kage to look at her. "Are you idiots?" the Sannin seethed, "Now is not the time to bicker about who gets which area of land! Akatsuki still remains and we have to deal with them before deciding on anything else!"
"Akatsuki?" Onoki shrugged, "Akatsuki is just a mercenary organization."
"No," Mei shook her head, "Akatsuki is much more than that. Akatsuki is a terrorist group aiming to bring the Elemental Nations down and rule the leftovers."
"An organization born in your Village," A seethed.
"Yes," Mei admitted, "A fact which shames Kiri greatly, I assure you. But you underestimate the threat they pose. Akatsuki is a true Hidden Village without borders. They were behind the events of Amegakure, the Chuunin Exams incident, the coup in the Land of Sound, and the border troubles in at least a dozen countries. Even worse, they are behind the abduction of six Jinchuuriki."
A's head perked up. "WHAT?"
"Absurd," Onoki replied, "Akatsuki is just a group of kunai for hire-"
"You hired them," A snarled.
"Because your village disrespected the disarmament treaty!" the Tsuchikage replied harshly.
"Enough!" Mifune interrupted, "I will have calm here. Mizukage-sama, please continue."
"Thank you," Mei cleared her throat, "A decade ago, Akatsuki secretly overthrew Hanzo and overtook the Land of Rain, turning it into a terrorist state. Ame soon became the center of the illegal weapon trade, with thousands of missing-nins hiding behind its borders. A period that coincides with the first Jinchuuriki abductions."
"With the resources of Amegakure, Akatsuki proceeded to sponsor terrorist and black ops activities on the entire continent," Tsunade continued, "They infiltrated the higher echelons of many Hidden Villages, including Konoha and Sunagakure, and used their influence to spark border wars and abduct Jinchuuriki, extracting their Bijuu for their own purposes. The whereabouts of six of those Tailed Beasts remain unaccounted for."
"Six," Onoki noticed, "What about the three others?"
"Naruto Uzumaki of Konohagakure, Han of Iwagakure and Fuu of Takigakure have recently contacted some of my agents," Tsunade affirmed, "They are currently in hiding to avoid capture by Akatsuki."
"Or to avoid trial," Onoki noted, "It looks to me you're using Akatsuki as a convenient scapegoat. Do you have any proof worth anything?"
"We have two of them," Mei added, "Two agents of Akatsuki surrendered to us after the destruction of Ame, and have announced their willingness to testify about their former organization's activities. Most especially, about the abduction of Jinchuuriki."
"Really?" A asked, suddenly interested, "Whom?"
"Kisame Hoshigake and Itachi Uchiha."
"Nukenins from Konoha and Kiri," Onoki said suspiciously, "Not exactly the most reliable testimony."
Chiyo cleared her throat. "I cannot confirm whether or not Akatsuki is indeed behind the mass vanishing of our Jinchuuriki," she stated, "But Akatsuki has indeed masterminded the Chuunin Exams disaster, and caused the death of my predecessor. I hate saying it, but the slug is right; Akatsuki threatens us all."
"Hence, I suggest we pool our resources together," Mei declared, "Let us form a task force composed of our best ninjas, and give them mandate to hunt and destroy Akatsuki by all means necessary. Through sharing our information and establishing a blockade on Akatsuki's activities, we could cripple and disband the organization in less than a few years."
"My administration remains incorruptible," A countered, "Beside, if what you say is true, then it means my brother was abducted by nukenins coming from your villages. Why should I even trust any of you?"
"And if you're right, and Akatsuki indeed has six Bijuu in its employ, then the organization's retaliations could be devastating," Onoki pointed out.
"Hence why we should go on the offense now," Tsunade insisted, "With the loss of their HQ, Akatsuki is crippled for the time being. We might not have another opportunity-"
Space twisted in front of the table, air swirling into the form of a vortex. Mifune put his hand on his sword; which side he would fight on remained ambiguous. It's begun, Tsunade thought, as a humanoid form manifested out of the vacuum.
"Hello, gentlemen, gentlewomen," a masked man materialized among them and announced himself, "Tobi-kun's back in town!"
Deidara, riding a clay dragon-shaped mount, glanced at the mountain below, hiding within the clouds.
He hated waiting. Deidara was a person who, by nature, turned restless very easily. Sure, he could bide his time when needed, but he hated needing to wait for permission to use his art. Hell, if everything went well, then he would be waiting for nothing.
Deidara felt sorely tempted to drop at least one bomb. Not one powerful enough to wipe out the mountain, but enough to work as a warning shot. Maybe he could also get to fight the old geezer? He had lusted for such a moment ever since he left Iwa.
… who was he kidding? The main reason he had gone along with this scheme, was for the opportunity of killing him.
That damn, despicable Uchiha that had dared to humiliate his art, tarnishing his reputation and shattering his self-esteem. Deidara had waited for the moment he would be able to take his revenge, training, observing, developing strategies… he was dying for the opportunity of testing his new C4 on his pretty little face.
If Tobi's info was correct and he had sold out Akatsuki alongside Kisame, then there was no way he wouldn't show up today. He had to guess they would mount an attack.
"Something is flying in your direction," he heard Kakuzu whisper to him through his radio, "It comes from the north. If it's a enemy, blow him up. It would remind the Kage we mean business."
"Hey, don't give me orders, you're not Pain! I go along because I want to."
"You would deny the opportunity to blow up something just to be a brat?"
"That's beside the point," Deidara grunted, eying the north.
It took him a mere glance to see it. A horse-sized, majestic white raven, flying at great speed in his direction. A man in black was riding him, with black hair and red eyes-
Deidara's eyes widened, and his mouth turned into a savage grin.
His nemesis had show up at least.
"Oh hell yes!" Deidara grinned and joined his palm. The dragon opened his mouth, ready to fire a clay missile at his incoming opponent.
Itachi Uchiha would be his masterpiece.
Tobi observed the assembled Kage, standing in their midst in a supreme fashion. He valued making good entrances, after all. Presentation was everything.
Considering this was these fools' last hour on earth, he had to be impeccable.
"You dare to show yourself here?" Tsunade hissed, narrowing her eyes dangerously. The different Kage tensed, and their bodyguards instantly reached them in a flash, ready to put an end to Akatsuki's leader.
"Peace, peace," Tobi said, "I have not come here for battle, but to parlay. I have come here to present you Akatsuki's terms."
"Like hell!" The Raikage growled. "How dare you interrupt this summit?!"
"Give us one reason not to atomize you this second," the Tsuchikage added.
"Because if you do, Deidara-san will blow up this whole mountain from orbit, and you along with it."
The threat made the different Kage pause, the Tsuchikage most of all. Obviously, he knew how dangerous his former student could be. "Now that you are listening," Tobi said, "I want to thank you for all being present. It saved me a lot of work."
"You did everything you could to unite us against you," Chiyo pointed out. "Of course we would gather."
"Too bad it was for nothing," Tobi replied, "Look at you. Old fossils, alcoholics, perverts, and whores bickering over scraps of destroyed nations. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic."
"You are the one to talk… Obito." Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "I still can't believe I mourned your death once."
"You would have cried for anybody for two bottles of booze," Tobi replied smugly. "But let's be reasonable adults. I thought instead of battling each others, perhaps we better make a deal."
"You've got nothing that interests us," Chiyo replied.
"Oh, but I do have the six Bijuu Akatsuki stole," the Uchiha lied through his teeth, "It would be in your best interests to cooperate, if you do not wish for the destruction of your Villages."
"If you had them, why try negotiating at all?" Chiyo called his bluff. "I can recognize a cornered snake when I see one."
"This snake still has venom," Tobi replied, "You wish for a proof? Show them, Zetsu."
The Raikage A rose from his seat… and transformed, alongside Mifune. Their skin turned white, their faces turned into cruel sneers, and their bodies morphed into inhuman creatures. The other members of the Summit, especially the Raikage's bodyguards couldn't repress their horror.
"Don't look so surprised," Tobi mocked the latter, "Had to have you noticed a small change in the Raikage's behavior a few months ago, right?"
"That's why you acted so calm when Killer B disappeared," Darui growled, "I can't believe…"
"Do you see now?" Mei hissed. "His talk of negotiation is a lie! He intends to replace us all right here and now!"
"Actually, I was just stalling for time until the gas I dispersed in this room upon teleporting in took effect."
Tsunade was the first to react, clenching her fists and preparing to punch the Uchiha… only for her to fall on the ground, her face twisted into shock.
"That's a paralyzing toxin," Tobi gloated, "One of Sasori's most recent weapons before his strings got cut. It's so powerful even you Tsunade cannot resist it. Fortunately, this mask of mine also works as a filter. As for my Zetsu, they are naturally immune. Their peculiar biology is amazing, you will agree."
When the different ninjas fell to the ground or on the tables, their body numb and helpless, Tobi snapped his fingers. A dozen Zetsu clones emerged from the earth, surrounding the group. "Do you see now?" Obito asked. "My men will devour you. They will leave nothing, not even bones. They're excellent as body disposal."
Tobi chuckled. "But of course, nobody will ever know. You will all leave this room unscathed… or so it shall appear to be that way. The world leaders will obey me, and then arrange for the most important members of your administration to be replaced as well. Soon, there will no longer be five Nations. There will only be Akatsuki, ruling from the shadows."
Tobi approached the paralyzed Mei, savoring her fear. "I think I will make things funnier with Kiri," he said, raising his foot above her head, "Your clone will become a bloodthirsty tyrant, that would make Yagura look like an amateur. Blood will flow through the streets, everything that was rebuilt will be brought down once more. Imagine the irony! Your name will go down in history as that of a monster, and people shall curse it for centuries!"
Tobi smashed the Mizukage's face underneath his heel.
However, instead of blood, he found himself smashing through smoke.
Obito couldn't help but blink, as the Mizukage vanished into a cloud of smoke. Within seconds, so did her bodyguards and the Leaf delegation.
"Shadow clones?" Obito trailed. "They sent in Shadow Clones?"
The next second, the walls of the room exploded into rubble, some pieces crashing into the Zetsu. Tsunade Senju, Mei Terumi and Jiraiya stepped through the opening, each of them equipped with gas masks.
Jiraiya formed a Rasengan, and attempted to smash Obito with it. The ninja instantly teleported away, but not before leaving dozens of explosive tags in his place. He reappeared in a hallway, a few dozen meters away. When the sound of the distant explosion reached his ears, Tobi truly hoped at least most of them had bitten the dust.
Touching his mask, Tobi activated the radio within it. "The operation is a failure." Obito grinded his teeth in rage. "Kill everyone."
"What?"
"Kill everyone who isn't with us," Tobi snarled impatiently, "We will have our clones that are infiltrated in their villages replace their successors. As long as none of them make out of this building and reveal the truth, we still have a chance. Order Deidara to blow this whole mountain into oblivion, as we should have done first."
"He can't. Itachi Uchiha engaged him in the sky a few minutes ago."
They knew, Tobi realized. He didn't know how, but those bastards had been informed of his gambit and planned for it. His scheming, his efforts had gone to waste. Now, if any of those fools got out of here alive, then there would be no more hiding in the shadows. They would track him to the end of the earth. "Then we will have to slaughter them all the good old fashioned way."
"Alright, I'm passing the word. What's your position?"
Tobi didn't reply. He was too focused on the man who had appeared at the end of the hallway.
A blond ninja stood there, clad in orange clothes. He carried a bow and quiver on his back, and a long sword around his belt. His face was hidden beneath a white, fox-shaped ANBU mask… safe for those familiar, cursed blue eyes.
"I still can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book. Shadow clones? It would so funny if it wasn't so pathetic."
"You…" Tobi hissed. "It was you all along!"
"Me," Naruto confirmed, casually putting his hands in his pockets, "I've been waiting weeks for this moment. Preparing, planning, training… time to settle the score, once and for all. Against anyone else I would have waited for reinforcements, but I'll make an exception for you."
"You really think you can take me down on your own? How cute." Tobi shrugged. "I thought our last match in Ame would have made you wise up, junior. I killed Danzo, your sensei, your friends… even your father. I always win. What makes you think today will be any different?"
"Because this time," Naruto said, activating the detonator in his pocket, "I had a chance to prep."
Before Tobi could say a word, the hallway he stood within exploded into fire and smoke, the entire area shaking.
Outside the fortress, on a long bridge of blue stones, hundreds of gathered missing-ninjas, mercenaries, and leashed experiments started dispersing into groups.
"You heard the boss," Kakuzu told his men. "Nobody walks out of this summit alive. Oh, and anybody who brings back a Kage's head gets a bonus."
Watching his men disperse, Kakuzu glanced at his 'partner'. Hidan, that silver-haired fool, had become a shadow of his former self. His body had grown so thin one could see his bones beneath the brown prisoner garbs, and silence had replaced his full mouthed behavior. The black rod implanted in his spine radiated with chakra, allowing Kakuzu to influence him.
In short, the usual result of becoming one of Orochimaru's experiments.
"Now, pet," Kakuzu whispered, with no small amount of satisfaction, "Time to show what your improved curse seal is made off. We're going to collect a lot of bounties today."
"You aren't going anywhere."
Kakuzu turned his eyes toward the end of the bridge. Two people were standing on the other side, calm and serene, ready for a battle. One was a small, green haired girl, the second a giant in a red armor. It didn't take long for the criminal to recognize them both. "I wondered when you would show up, Dolphin Brat, Beetle Girl."
"The Han knows it is hard to be such an impressive harbinger of asskicking," the giant boasted, "But someone has to do it."
"The way I see it, resist or don't," Fuu added, "You're both dead either way."
"You talk big, brats, but you are biting more than you can chew here," Kakuzu replied, "I fought the Shodai Hokage, and outlived him. Many famed ninjas have tried to kill me, and yet I endured, piling body upon body. You're nothing but upstart kids compared to me."
"The Han is still going to launch you into the sun."
"My skin is too tanned for this," Kakuzu deadpanned, throwing his Akatsuki cape away, "I tire of this chat. Hidan, kill them."
The mad priest grinned, as his chakra spiked. His body changed, Orochimaru's experimental curse seal taking hold, making him grow horns, claws… and hungry fangs.
"Good boy."
A/N: special thanks ABitterPill, for his invaluable betaing work, and all of you readers who support this story.
So... I haven't updated in a long time. A year even. I truly apologize for making you wait. Truth to be told, the reasons it took so long were manyfold. The mains were that I have been working on a professional writing project and on scripts for a Fallout Machinima mini-series French friends are working on; real life, as always, and finally, my original fic, Echoes, was in its last arc just as Atlas. I originally intended to focus entirely on Echoes until it finished, then move back to Atlas, until fan PM made me realize I had taken too long.
So here is it. Atlas will officially end on Chapter 24, and I will try finishing it before the New Year's Eve, if I can. I make no promise however, considering my schedule slips.
On the chapter itself:
I expect some backslash on the shipping part (because shipping is like war; there is no such a thing as a perfectly agreed resolution), especially Naruto/Tenten fans. Let me tell you that, I suck at writing romance (most probably because I never had interest in it in real life myself). A while ago, I told you romance would be secondary to the story, and I would chose the relationship that flowed the most with the plot.
In the end Fuu simply made the most sense. I had dropped early hints of their budding attraction since the first half of the story and went full blown obvious with the Ame arc. I think as a Jinchuuriki she would be the most able to relate to Naruto on an intimate, personal level; and one of the few people whose bond with him would be strengthened by the Ame arc instead of strained. As for Tenten... if Naruto hadn't lost control, she would have probably dated him, but after what happened in Ame, I didn't think it would be realistic. Tenten being willing to stay friends with Naruto after he almost killed her is already a tremendous show of support, but she won't be able to trust him as she used to... and no relationship can be healthy and stable without trust.
I apologize if some of you are disappointed, but in the end, I decided to chose what made the most sense to me story-wise.
For the Zetsu clones twist, I sowed hints since the very early chapters of the story, such as with A's inaction over Killer B's disappearance. As for the Shadow Clones... I don't understand why Konoha-nins do not send them to diplomatic meetings with any chance of turning bad. I mean, they grant information to the original, are indistinguishable from the true one, and behave like him; it's just incredibly versatile. All gains and no risk as long as they aren't dispelled too soon.
Naruto's duel with Tobi was something that was planned since the story's beginning; or should I say before, since the idea of a duel with Obito and a powerless Naruto were one of the things that inspired me to write Atlas in the first place. I hope every one of you will enjoy it, and most importantly, feel that what Naruto will do will both appear realistic, and most importantly, show Naruto's progression from his early defeats to the true ninja he has become by now.
In any case, once more: all my apologizes for the delay, and thank you for your patience.
Would you kindly leave a review after reading this, sharing some thoughts? Also, Atlas having a tropes page on Tv Tropes, any addition is welcome.
