The Legend Of Naruto: The Wind Waker Chapter 3: Konohamaru Gets Kidnapped!
After Naruto rescued Sakura from Outset Forest, they were about to walk across the bridge. But just then, they heard Konohamaru say:
"Hey! Naruto!"
"Naruto?" asked Sakura to herself as she looked at Naruto and finally knew that the name of her rescuer was none other than Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto then saw his little brother, Konohamaru waving to his big brother as he waved back at him.
"Konohamaru, what are you doing here? I thought I told you to wait for me!" cried a surprised Naruto.
"I knew that you'd come back alive, so I decided to check on you to see if you were okay!" cried Konohamaru as he walked across the bridge.
Just then, the Helmaroc King returned.
"Konohamaru, look out out!" cried Naruto to Konohamaru. But it was too late. The Helmaroc King had grabbed Konohamaru in its talons.
"NARUTO! SAVE ME!" screamed Konohamaru.
"I'm coming, Konohamaru!" cried Naruto as he was about to go after the Helmaroc King only to find himself almost falling into the ocean as Sakura grabbed his hand as Kakashi grabbed her back.
"Uhnn! Stupid kid! Get a hold of yourself! Your little brother's gone! Do you hear me? He's gone, so now there's nothing you can do! Face it! He's gone!" cried Sakura as Naruto sadly watched the Helmaroc King flying away with Konohamaru in its talons.
"Konohamaru..." said Naruto to himself as he started to have tears in his eyes.
Later that day...
Naruto was telling Sakura that he wanted to go on her pirate ship so she could help him rescue Konohamaru.
"What? You come with us on our ship?" asked Sakura as she widened her eyes in shock.
"You heard me, Sakura. I want to go with you on our ship so I can rescue my little brother, Konohamaru." said Naruto as he nodded his head at Sakura.
"Listen kid, do you even know who you're asking? We're pirates! PIRATES! You know, the terror of the seas! So what do we get on bringing a helpless little kid like you on our ship? A headache! That's what we get! But look, Naruto, I know how you feel about your brother being kidnapped and all, and I'm really sorry that he did. But still, that has nothing to do with us now, does it?" asked Sakura.
"And just how in the world can you figure that out, Miss Fearsome Pirate?" asked Itachi as he overheard on their conversation.
"Whoa, whoa, bud. Since when can you decide to butt in our conversation, huh? And just who the heck are you?" asked Kakashi.
"This is Itachi Uchiha. He's one of the Akatsuki Postmen from Dragon Roost Island." said Naruto.
"Just hold that thought for a minute, Naruto, and let me talk to these so-called pirates." said Itachi.
"Hey! We are pirates you know!" cried an insulted Sakura.
"Shut up. Anyway, now that my job as one of the Akatsuki Postmen is to deliver letters to islands, I have quite heard a fact saying that young boys and girls have been getting kidnapped from all regions of the islands recently. Surely, you've heard of that, haven't you? But anyways, I'm getting off the subject. But whether you have heard it or not, that seems to be the case. Young boys and girls with long ears like yours have been getting kidnapped... while at the same time... never to be seen or heard from again. And unless my eyes deceive me, that young boy who had been kidnapped just now from this island also had long ears, did he not? Just like you do, Miss Fearsome Pirate. Well my point exactly is that the bird that you just saw might have accidentally taken that boy mistaking that boy for you, which is why it grabbed him." said Itachi as he looked at Naruto.
"And correct me if I'm wrong, but I do believe that it was young Naruto Uzumaki here who saved your life, did he not?" asked Itachi.
"Yeah! Believe it!" cried Naruto with a grin.
"Naruto... is this true?" asked Sakura as she looked at Naruto.
"Oh! And while I'm at it, I might as well tell you the location of where the bird took Naruto's little brother, Konohamaru. The bird that kidnapped you and Konohamaru has made its foul nest into the far north that's on the heights of the Forsaken Fortress." said Itachi.
"Wait... the Forsaken Fortress? But isn't that the place where-" said Sakura as she remembered her mother being taken there five years ago when Sakura was only seven.
"So, now what are you so-called fearsome pirates going to do now, huh? Well, under the circumstances, I doubt it'd be unreasonable for you to help Naruto find his little brother, Konohamaru, now would it?" asked Itachi.
"Hmph... I don't need you to tell me that!" cried Sakura.
"Naruto... before you go off to save your little brother, Konohamaru, I must talk to you in private. It's important." said Itachi.
"Okay. I'll be right back, Sakura. Don't leave without me, okay?" asked Naruto.
Sakura then sighed and said:
"I won't, Naruto. I won't."
"So... anyway... what's this all about Itachi? Is it regarding Konohamaru?" asked Naruto.
"Well, no. But, like you who's little brother has been kidnapped, my little brother, Sasuke, has also been kidnapped around Konohamaru's age. Wait, how is old is Konohamaru?" asked Itachi.
"He's eight." said Naruto.
"Well, when Sasuke was eight, he had also been kidnapped by that same bird that captured Konohamaru about four years ago. But however, I must warn you about something." said Itachi.
"And what would that be?" asked Naruto.
"There's this man called Orochimaru that resides on the top of Forsaken Fortress. Sasuke's been missing for four years straight." said Itachi.
"Have you tried to save him?" asked Naruto.
"I tried. But sadly, Orochimaru was too powerful, that I wasn't able to stop him." said Itachi.
"So wait. Let me get this straight: Not only do you want me to save Konohamaru, but I also have to save your little brother, this Sasuke guy as well?" asked Naruto.
"Precisely." said Itachi.
"Well, can I at least know what Orochimaru and Sasuke look like?" asked Naruto.
"Sure. Here's Sasuke's picture." said Itachi as he gave Naruto a picture of Sasuke.
"So... it's already been four years since the last time that you saw Sasuke... ever since he was kidnapped... by this Orochimaru guy?" asked Naruto.
"Yes. But that's not all, Naruto. Here's a picture of Orochimaru." said Itachi as he gave a picture of Orochimaru to Naruto.
Naruto then shuddered and said:
"This Orochimaru guy looks like bad news."
"I know. Oh, and one more thing: If you ever get a chance to find and save Sasuke, then tell him that... his older brother, Itachi has been looking for the past four years." said Itachi.
"Don't worry, Itachi! If it means for me to save your little brother, Sasuke, then I'll do whatever it takes to save him! Even if it means... if I end up dying after being killed by Orochimaru." said Naruto.
"But also... I've heard that when Sasuke was eight, Orochimaru implanted something called
"The Curse Mark" on his neck. Sasuke wrote me a letter the day after he was kidnapped and was given the Curse Mark by Orochimaru. But be careful, Naruto: Sasuke may be under Orochimaru's spell, so try to be careful when you're around him, okay?" asked Itachi referring to Sasuke.
"Why?" asked Naruto.
"It's because... Sasuke might attack you... if he doesn't know you that well. But I know... that somewhere inside of Sasuke's heart... there's a part of him that wants to come out. No... there's a part of him... that wants to go back to being the old Sasuke that he was once before. Naruto... you might help Sasuke return back to his old self. Just promise that you'll save him, okay? Please, Naruto. Please save my little brother, Sasuke." said Itachi.
Naruto then smiled at Itachi and said:
"I will. Don't worry, Itachi. I'll find a way to bring your little brother, Sasuke back. I will." as he took the pictures of Orochimaru and Sasuke from Itachi's left hand.
"Thank you... Naruto." said Itachi with a smile.
"You're welcome... Itachi." said Naruto with a smile as Itachi hugged him in a friendly way.
"Hey! What's with the holdup, Naruto?" asked an impatient Sakura waiting for Naruto.
"Coming, Sakura!" cried Naruto as he put the pictures of Orochimaru and Sasuke in his pocket.
"Hey, listen, Naruto, I've heard nothing but evil rumors about this Forsaken Fortress. But you can't possibly mean to go there and to try and rescue your little brother, Konohamaru with just that cheap little sword of yours! But I'll tell you what, Naruto, if you can find another weapon like a shield to protect yourself, then I'll let you come on our ship. But don't come crying to me saying your miss your family, okay? I can't stand crybabies... and neither can my pirates. But, Naruto... since you're going off on a new adventure, you might as well say goodbye to all your friends and family, because guess what? After this, you won't be able to see them for a while. But don't get all homesick on me, okay? You've got ten minutes." said Sakura as Naruto rushed to his grandfather's house to get the shield that was hanging on the wall in his house.