Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or gain or will gain any profit from using the franchise's chars, they belong to Kishimoto.
Italics - Thoughts
Italics underline – second personalities talking/thinking
Bold Italics - Demons/monsters talking
Bold Italics underline – demon/monsters thinking
Bold - Demon influenced/curse-sealed person talking
Glossary for Japanese words:
Baka - Idiot/Fool
Bakemono - Monster
Kinjutsu - Forbidden Technique
Konohagakure - Hidden Leaf
Kirigakure - Hidden Mist
Amegakure - Hidden Rain
Sanshouuo no Hanzou - Hanzou the Salamander
Genjutsu - Illusionary arts - Chakra based ninja techniques aimed at creating illusions and confusing/tricking the foe's mind and body alike.
Senpai - An honorifix/Suffix used between someone of lower rank or age towards his elder peer or superior.
Gobi - Five Tails
Okami - Wolf
Tenraikichi - Divine perception
Fuuma Shuriken - Windmill Ninja Star - a massive four blades ninja projectile (the one Sasuke and Naruto used against Zabuza when they freed Kakashi)
Shu - Scarlet
Minami - South
"What the hell is this place…?" Sakura wondered as her green eyes darted around the massive area she was situated in. She was sitting on a tatami mat in the center of huge crevice in the earth that had various angled support beams crisscrossing through it. The wooden beams were covered with various seals and ornamental decorations. The constructs and decor seemed ancient in comparison to the rusty pipelines that she could occasionally glimpse at when the torchlight bounced off them.
"Why the hell did they bring us to this creepy place?!" Inner-Sakura uttered fearfully. The whole situation was mysterious and nerve-wrecking as it was without the "picturesque" scenery. Halfway through the labyrinth of tunnels the ANBU had dragged her through he had paused just for a moment in order to blindfold her. Then he proceeded to guide her for an indefinite amount of time deeper and deeper into the womb of the earth.
The pink haired genin was exhausted, her face flushed and perspiration soaked her red upper dress heavily. The fabric stuck awkwardly against her body like a second skin. Her patience was wearing thin, but she remained seated and waited. She doubted she could leave on her own as she'd most likely get lost in the maze of pathways at best and die by some ANBU or trap on the way at worst; so for now she remained where she was.
"So you're Haruno Sakura…" an aged voice filled the room so suddenly it scared her half to death. The quality of the voice belied the man's intelligence and cunning but at the same time the tone was so flat and apathetic it was bone-chilling. She heard a gentle tapping of something against the ground around her and she hazarded a glimpse over her right shoulder.
"I am Danzou," the man stated simply and slowly circled around her. He took his time due to his limp before he came to stop several feet to before her. The white robe bearing man sat across of her but before Sakura could question him on what was going on or why she was summoned her the elder ninja's killer intent spiked and stopped her in her tracks. "You will speak when I allow it, you will eat, you will drink when I allow it and you will sleep when I allow it; nothing more, nothing less." The manipulative man's dark brow eye paralyzed her as it seemed to glare into her very soul.
The young teen felt vulnerable, weak and violated by the penetrating gaze, breaking eye contact very quickly. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" she thought and despite fear for her life stuttered out a pair of inaudible questions. "Wh-Who are you? Why am I here?" She received no verbal reply; instead the reply was a physical one.
She was suddenly slammed down against the ground, fingers fisted in her hair. A moment later the young genin's cheek kissed the cold wooden floor painfully thanks to someone that materialized behind her and 'assisting her'. "I am your new sensei and master; you will address me as Danzou-sama. You will obey me as I have relinquished your training privileges from Hatake Kakashi," the elder explained patiently; obviously not able or willing to divulge any more information.
Sakura sighed in relief the moment Danzou nodded briefly and the pressure pinning her to the ground vanished. She looked around quickly, fearing another attack only to start as all traces of the man were gone. "Who are these people?!"
The council member inhaled softly. "You had best learn your place quickly, I am not a forgiving man. I will not tolerate any insubordination or disrespect, unlike Hatake."
Sakura nodded and gulped fearfully before the old man lifted three fingers and stated simply. "You have exactly three questions that I may or may not answer. Think carefully before you ask them for when your questions are exhausted my men will take you home and we will begin your training at first light tomorrow…"
Sakura bit her lip and thought carefully, she knew something was amiss. It was nearly unprecedented for a sensei to relinquish control of his charge. She was well versed on Konoha's history and yet there were no documented references regarding this Danzou character.
"Why did Kakashi and Hokage-sama allow you to take me under your wing? I've never heard of a student being removed from one sensei and moved to another," Sakura spent her first question cautiously; while she might be physically weak and had pitiful chakra reserves she was one of the sharpest tactical and theoretical minds to ever graduate the academy according to Iruka-sensei.
Danzou's lips twitched "She has meager potential but I will see to that soon enough. Regardless, she is still the link I've been looking for. Hiruzen, I knew I could count on your compassion to supply me a great asset for my ambitions."
He exhaled heavily as he continued. "Hatake Kakashi revealed the turn of events in Nami no Kuni and of your two attempts at Uzumaki Naruto's life. He questioned your sanity and mettle and doomed your career and life. You would've either been removed from ninja ranks and incarcerated indefinitely for treason or institutionalized for the rest of your life in a psychiatric ward," he revealed nonchalantly.
The elder ninja's voice rose faintly, a sharp edge slicing into the silent room. "I played on Sarutobi's compassion and convinced him to spare you by giving you over to me."
Sakura's eyes flickered with a multitude of emotions in a relatively short amount of time. She was shocked and outraged that her sensei sold her out. The fact she was discarded so easily without even considering the exonerating circumstances enraged her but before she could go off the rocker the secret sentinel motioned her to continue.
Sakura's eyes narrowed suspiciously as it all sounded too convenient. She was quite aware of her academy evaluations and her current limited usefulness as a ninja. So why was this Danzou so interested in her and her well being? It didn't make any sense "Why would you risk yourself for me?"
Danzou's eye flickered with brief mirth "I took no chances, girl. Make no mistake; there is no altruism or kindness in saving you. If you fail me, you will bear the consequences alone. If you even think of betraying me I will take away all you hold dear," he promised bluntly. His words were accented by the picture he tossed on the floor. The photograph depicted Sakura's mother with the blurry shape of an ANBU visible in the background.
Sakura's blood ran cold, her body bolted in place as the crippled ninja's lone eye flickered not with the threatening gleam but rather with the promise of assured oblivion should she stray from his commands. "You will grow to understand that fate has smiled upon you when it gave you to me for I will mold you into a true kunoichi. But in the meantime know that you are my tool, my sword and shield in the secret battle for Konohagakure's security."
"I didn't want this! All I wanted was to avenge Sasuke-kun. All I wanted was to make things right! Why is this happening to me?!" Sakura thought and hyperventilated, panic gripping her soul and body alike. Her eyes unfocused, cold sweat once more soaking her body; "What do you want from me?!"
Danzou's face twisted into a dark frown "Emotional imbalance? That is one of the first things that will have to be dealt with," he concluded. "I need an agent within the genin of your age group. If you serve me obediently and help me protect Konoha then I will assist your mother financially in her business endeavors and support your ambition: the death of Uzumaki Naruto…"
Sakura's emerald eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "It's not like I have a choice. I won't endanger mom for anyone. Besides, the Hokage and Kakashi have both abandoned me, siding with that monster. I guess I better get used to this dank and moist area." While it wasn't the route she would've preferred there was no alternative. Sasuke-kun was dead and Naruto was to blame. There was only one possible thing that had to be done – she would sell her soul to one devil for the opportunity to kill the other.
Danzou smirked; it was too easy to manipulate her and others like her. Such was the folly of emotions; they clouded reason and caused discord and confusion. But they served their purpose this time as the precursors to her utter fidelity to his cause - Konohagakure's true cause.
Emotions were nothing but a burden; that would be her first lesson. Once he was sure he could trust her not to break or defect, he would tell her the truth about Uzumaki's nature and conscript her for life.
Danzou had waited for years for his chance, his opportunity to finally return Konoha to the glory of the Senju's ancient ways of warfare. All he needed was a bit more patience and he could remove the glaring obstacles that blockaded the return to Konoha's golden age.
Sakura and alter ego were in agreement, the resources and secrecy Danzou obviously possessed would help Sakura and make her…no, make them strong enough to kill the crimson-eyed beast in dead last's clothing.
The pinkette knew she was alone, forsaken by her sensei, betrayed by her teammate, enslaved by the elder ninja but she would persevere. She would not be weak anymore. She would not remain the annoyance that lived in the shadows of great ninja. More importantly she would make herself and Sasuke-kun proud if it was the last thing she did!
It was now her ambition, much like Sasuke once proclaimed, to improve, protect and empower herself. But she would do so on her own terms and for the right reasons and not simply the lust for power that sent great ninjas like Itachi and Orochimaru into defection. Her power was needed in order to protect her mother, protect her village and countrymen from Naruto and someone else.
Naruto was high on her hit-list but it was also vital to her to protect Sasuke-kun's memory and dream. She would not let him fade quietly into the darkness. She would fulfill his ambition – she would kill the man her lover sought to kill one of these days. She suspected it was Uchiha Itachi, the infamous Uchiha traitor but Sasuke had not been specific and she had to be sure less she fail in avenging him.
She was certain she could find who it was if she was cautious enough and Danzou was in a pleasant mood. However such ambitions could not be fulfilled now – she needed more power if she ever hoped to be more than fodder. More so she knew that she needed to get stronger, get faster and more lethal in order to be one day become strong enough to shrug off the shackles of Danzou's influence. For now she was in debt and therefore in his pocket but that would change one day; old men didn't live forever after all.
Sakura would stop at nothing, spare nobody in her path of redemption, on her path of judgment. Naruto was a monster and she would exterminate him with extreme prejudice because he took away her love, he took away her stability and damned her to slavery under Danzou and before she breathed her last breath – she would send him back to hell.
(Meanwhile, Rice Field Country)
In the Depths of a prison facility somewhere on an island in the North of the Rice field country, the Snake sannin Orochimaru sat beside a wooden desk. His work area was packed with scrolls and flasks of various shapes and color, reflecting the light against his serpentine eyes as they flickered over piles of neatly ordered notes and diagrams.
It had been five years and five months exactly since he finished his grand experiment and took his first step towards divinity when he managed to master the Fushi Tenshi immortality jutsu. However, he had failed in fulfilling the second step in his ambition only due to the surprising power of the sharingan's genjutsu abilities.
Uchiha Itachi had humiliated him, the great Orochimaru. The mere thought of his apathetic eyes caused the Snake's sannin's blood boil. To add insult to injury that insolent boy had the audacity to cut off the snake's hand and arrogantly flaunt the superiority of his eyes over all of the snake sannin's jutsu and abilities.
The kinjutsu specialist grit his teeth before he calmed himself and remembered who he was. Just like the great viper that was his namesake he was patient and when the time came he would prove how lethal and merciless he was.
That Uchiha boy was indeed talented, there was no argument there. But what Itachi would learn in all his living days the Snake san-nin had already starting forgetting. The snake sannin had survived two ninja wars, had killed legendary ninja and dueled with the myths of the ninja world. Orochimaru would not, could not allow this transgression to pass over silently.
He hadn't been able to fight with his full potential against the Uchiha boy the last time they met, less he damage the eyes that boy had been so proud of. But he didn't need Itachi's eyes anymore, and oh what a glorious day it would be when he met that pathetic whelp once more. The legendary ninja vowed on his blood and soul that he would teach that boy his place in the world; bleeding and broken at the sannin's feet.
The mere thought caused the snake ninja to snicker and laugh, for the first time in the fourteen years since he abandoned that cesspool of hypocrisy and weakness he once called home glee and anticipation was pumping through his veins. But first, he needed that report, where was that damned messenger? His eyes narrowed as he sensed a chakra signature enter his chambers, the sound of fabric sliding against stone filtering through his ears as a man knelt behind his chair.
"Orochimaru-sama…I…I have the report you requested…" the man stammered fearfully. The genius ninja leaned slightly to his left and turned his head towards the messenger, one of his yellow snake eyes flaring with murderous impatience. "Uchiha Sasuke is dead…h-he died on an A-rank mission, killed by a chuunin level nuke-nin from Kirigakure…"
The snake summoner's eyes widened briefly before his killer intent exploded throughout the room. Its intensity caused some the nearby sentinels and ninjas outside the room to keel over and vomit. A powerful hissing voice trembling with untamed fury escaped his lips that left the messenger pale, trembling and queasy in reaction.
The snake Sannin suddenly vanished before his eyes and reappeared before him, lifting him by the neck; choking him to the inch of his life. No! All of his plans, his great destruction of Konoha...it was all ruined! It wasn't fair! He had worked so hard, waited patiently for so long.
"Orochimaru-sama I have another message from Kabuto-sama…" the messenger managed to choke out in a gurgle, sighing in relief as the murderous sannin released his grip just enough to let him breathe; less he choke before handing his second report.
"Our agent in Roots, Takami Shikio reports that the sharingan has been harvested and is being preserved by Danzou for unknown purposes."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, his mind already racing to analyze this new bit of information; a frown marring his pale face. He tossed the messenger unceremoniously into the wall and started pacing back and forth, ignoring the man that scampered out of the room in fear for his life.
"How very clever of you Danzou, you always were a crafty man, going behind Sarutobi-sensei's back like that to steal those ultimate eyes all for yourself. Researching how to recreate the Sharingan will take time, but it's better than nothing. Ku ku ku, this changes everything! I'll have to thank you later, senpai as you've just made things all the more interesting!" Orochimaru thought delightfully, his earlier eagerness growing immensely as he reasserted his ability to grasp his dreams.
But crossing Danzou would have consequences, as one mistake would incur the old bat's wrath and make Orochimaru's life all that more difficult. It would seem he would require the use of a group ninjas he hadn't initially felt necessary for his invasion, just to tip the scales in his favor. These new parameters would require an adaptation in his plans and perhaps even a complete overhaul.
While he usually trusted Kabuto's expertise and prognosis the snake sannin was known to dismiss all opinions but his own upon any passing whim. He needed to fix Kimimaro; he couldn't afford a single mistake as he would not be denied his dream a second time.
Without further ado he exited the room and made his way through the massive maze of identical looking brick corridors. The faded gray of those walls had seen many abominations and monstrous experiments in the last decade and now perhaps it would see one more.
The snake sannin was considered unrivaled in his genetic and ninjutsu research throughout the ninja world but he couldn't quite explore all the ideas his mind hatched. Thus he trained himself a protégé to help him on his most delicate projects beside Kabuto and Amachi – a quite unique ninja by the name of Karin.
The child was oblivious to the fact that she was the last known descendant of the Tenraikichi clan of the former land of the Whirlpool. The only sign of her parentage was the trademark red hair all Whirlpool women seemed to share.
He had stumbled upon her by sheer chance and he never regretted it for a moment. Her chakra sensory abilities were unrivaled and he scoffed at all those that mocked the ancient clan at the time. There were so many fools that didn't know how to recognize a proper tool when they saw one.
He had taken her under his wing and she proved a genius in his arts of genetics and surprisingly in medical research as well. That was an additional bonus that he had yet to explore: until now. He slipped into her lab unnoticed, watching her examine a scroll with utter concentration. Her lithe body was leaning enticingly against her desk, snugly fitting into her skin tight sleeveless blouse and knee length skirt.
The snake sannin occasionally remembered times when he lusted for carnal pleasures in his youth. However, those times had long since been forgotten and lost their glamour with the mutations his body underwent during his experiments; his forever changed body no longer operating quite like normal bodies did.
"Karin-chan, busy as always I see…" his voice murmured in a sugary tone as he slid out the shadows, his serpentine eyes flickering with mirth as he brushed against her hip lightly.
The red haired kunoichi started and slipped, making a mess out of her neatly arranged research notes. She nearly fell over as she eyed her mentor, master and idol in shock and surprise. "Oro-Orochimaru-sama! What are you doing here?!" she asked in delighted surprise and smiled widely; her star-struck eyes and nearly obsessive devotion had its uses. Her zeal fueled her resolve and fed her determination to fulfill his bidding, but at times its sugary qualities made the Orochimaru ill to the pit of his stomach.
"I am in need of you…" the snake sannin revealed in a neutral tone. He lifted his hand before the red haired ninja could go any redder or misinterpret his words further than she already had as her hands moving to disrobe herself from her already minimal attire. "Not in that manner, I need you for a little project…" he corrected and smirked wryly at her antics and the look of mortification that crossed her face as she quickly readjusted her clothes.
"I need you to cure Kimimaro's tuberculosis," the self-proclaimed Otokage said with a quirk of his slender brow. "Do you think you're up to that challenge, Karin-chan? Even Kabuto failed to cure him and claims its both contagious and incurable."
He watched bemusedly as the flames of excitement and the unquenchable thirst for knowledge ignited in her reddish brown eyes as she nodded vigorously. "Orochimaru-sama, with all due respect to Kabuto-senpai...he's too cautious and orthodox in his medical approach. He often disregards many of your own breakthrough research theories of past. I am confident that with the proper genetic research I can develop a viral parasite that would target the Tuberculosis itself while ignoring the body's original DNA and cells…" she narrated her thoughts in a matter of fact tone.
The snake's sannin's eyes narrowed slightly as he had thought of the idea himself a couple of months ago but had disregarded its practical uses due to the dangers of developing a virus that might kill Kimimaro by accident. But he trusted Karin's meticulous nature and unlike Kabuto she wasn't required to actively spy on Konoha from within so she had the time to perfect her theory. Most importantly, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter – he needed Kimimaro.
"Very well, Karin-chan, I will leave that up to you…send me your initial findings for review when they are ready," he ordered in a smooth, silky tone. He turned to leave but paused at the doorway.
"Also, I am going to need you for a very special assignment. If you please me, I will make all of your efforts worth your while…" he promised the red haired teen enticingly. He then exited the room, smirking at the sound of Karin's excited squeal that echoed in the corridors.
The snake sannin chuckled as he melted into the shadows. Karin would not fail him; not when he gave her so much motivation to succeed. When Kimimaro was finally cured from his ailment Orochimaru could finally put into motion a far more effective attack plan.
He could finally execute one of the contingency plans he had so painstakingly prepared over the last five years, each of them capable of shaking the very foundations of the entire ninja world and impede all the forces that sought his death.
Yes! All would come to fruition and then his path to immortality would be secured…soon…
(Meanwhile, Back in Konohagakure)
Naruto walked through the streets quietly, his mood subdued. He tried to analyze the extremely dangerous situation he had just been thrust into it. The many twists and turns that unfolded right before his eye in the council room made him nervous.
He had the gut feeling that the old man had managed to sway the council only due to that white haired man's timed assistance. However, he couldn't shake off the feeling that the crippled old ninja that had grilled him so harshly had other aces up his sleeve. Whatever they were, Naruto wouldn't like them.
Fate was a fickle mistress and things had a funny way of turning out. A week ago the blonde was Sasuke's rival, the dead last moron that could never do things right and now he had killed Haku, Sasuke was dead due to the demon fox's youki and Sakura had went off the rocker.
A week ago he was begging for individual attention and now unbeknown of him he was going to become the copy ninja's sole apprentice as well as receive tutoring from other Konoha ninja when Kakashi was absent.
Life after the council meeting and accepting his team's impromptu disbanding seemed too surreal to be true so he had to go and reaffirm his existence. There was only one way to go about that: bask in the glory of the broth of the gods that was Ichiraku Ramen.
If truth were to be told Naruto had acquired a love for the low priced dish but it wasn't practicality of its low price or unique flavor that had brought upon his addiction to the dish; it was something far more profound.
The Uzumaki went to eat at Ichiraku ramen once or twice every day for the company, for it wasn't the dish that brought Naruto to the stand; it was the stand that brought Naruto to the dish.
Old man Ichiraku and Ayame were his isle of security and stability in an ocean of hostility, rejection and loneliness. If he ever needed some warmth and affection it was now, at the precipice of the greatest change in his young life.
The civilians he met as he walked through the streets were eying him with more hostility and open hatred than usual. Though the mission details were classified it wasn't surprising they found an excuse to blame him for the death of their would-be savior, Uchiha Sasuke. Ironically enough, for the first time in his life, the villager's wild assumptions were actually true.
The Kyuubi container sighed softly at that, it seemed with every step forward he took forward he was forced two steps back. It would be far more difficult to convince them he wasn't the fox now that he had blood of the last loyal Uchiha on his hands.
Naruto's eyes narrowed faintly as he walked, pushing aside his melancholic thoughts as he heard something. His blue eyes darted to his left, catching glimpse of a blur of motion. He tried to conceal his knowledge by keeping his pace and turned to step into a side street where there would be less collateral damage when, not if a fight broke out.
"I wonder what this is all about…" the blond pondered before he suddenly took off into a chakra enforced sprint. He only managed to take several steps before his survival instincts screamed at him "move!"
He rolled sideways, dodging death by shuriken by a scant few inches as the projectiles slammed into the building behind him. The Jinchuuruki cursed, ungracefully shifting his rolling body into a low crouch.
He grunted in pain as the moment her turned his head towards his attacker, said individual's foot connected with his face. The blow sent the blonde genin stumbling several steps backwards.
The Yondaime's legacy frowned, using his momentum to flip backwards into a handstand. He then pushed off the ground, launching himself into the air and trying to retaliate with a spinning kick.
Alas, his taijutsu was as sloppy and clumsy as his eating habits and the enemy simply dodged his attack by taking a small sidestep. Said mask foe then diverted his ankle with a tap of his palm, sending the blonde off balance.
The assassin then grabbed him around the same ankle and used their mutual momentum to augment Naruto's inertia, slamming the blonde into the wall with authority.
The Jinchuuruki exhaled achingly as he fell over to the ground. He was disoriented momentarily but still instinctively crossed his hands across his chest; intercepting a stomping kick to the face.
He struggled a bit before he pushed the foot off of him. He caught a glance at the assassin's eyes – brown; a color that matched the brief glimpse of his hair. He didn't give his attacker's physical attributes too much thought was he was sure he would unmask him or her soon enough. He would teach whoever this was not to mess with Uzumaki Naruto.
The blonde scooped a hand full of sand and tossed it into his assailant's eyes. The distraction would only last a moment, a moment long enough for Naruto to repay the earlier favor. He unleashed three stars of steel and didn't even wait to see if his ranged assault was in the proper trajectory as already leaped backwards, breaking eye contact as he somersaulted at the apex of his jump.
He crossed his hands into the familiar hand seal of his trademark technique "Kage Bushi…" He started channeling his chakra his technique he was shocked by the taste of the man's fist colliding with his jaw before he could finish it. The blow sent him spinning uncontrollably his gathered chakra dispersing along with his earlier sense of vindication.
The blue eyed genin crashed haphazardly against the ground, panting heavily as he struggled to climb to his feet. The Jinchuuruki's confidence took yet another blow as the black shadow crossed his vision and planted a powerful, chakra enforced palm strike into his solar plexus.
Or so it appeared as Naruto replaced himself with a nearby barrel and finally got a good glimpse at his assailant amidst the rain of timber and splinters. Unfortunately it was difficult to discern the assailant's gender due to its choice of clothing. The figure was clad in a black, baggy cloak that concealed his/her girth and body shape alike.
The Jinchuuruki stopped trying to analyze the situation; he never could discern weaknesses and openings like they instructed in the academy. The terms and methodology were simply too complicated to someone of his limited education.
Naruto worked on guts, cunning and improvising on the fly and at the moment a very creative plan hatched his mind. Thus, the blonde's counterattack began. His feet kicked off the ground as he launched himself into the air. He summoned two Kage Bushin before he landed against the side of the building, latching onto its surface with chakra.
"This tree-walking sure does come in handy. I'll have to thank Kakashi-sensei later!" He pushed off the side of the building, propelling himself forward while spreading his hands to his sides, grabbing both Bushin by the sleeves. The two clones each made a single hand seal and transformed in unison; one into a giant Fuuma Shuriken and the other into a long blade akin of a ninja-to
Naruto twisted his body and used his inertia to launch the improvised projectile towards his attacker, smirking victoriously as the ninja shifted into a low crouch. His assailant escaped the projectile narrowly and entered into a hand seal sequence of his own as the missed projectile slammed hard into the wall behind him.
The assassin's chakra spiked, channeled accordingly in preparation for his counter jutsu but before he could unleash it his final seal was stopped by the cold touch of a kunai against his neck. He dispersed his attack unwillingly and watched as the original Naruto landed and brought his self-made blade an inch from his forehead.
The Jinchuuruki smirked widely, his eyes crackling with electric blue satisfaction. "I hope you had fun, stupid! The ANBU won't play nearly as nice as me when they get their hands on you!" Naruto taunting tone broke and his teeth grit slightly when his assailant exploded into a cloud of dust "Chiri Bushin…"
"Mataku…" an exasperated exclaim came from behind Naruto eliciting his eyes to widen like saucers."I-Iruka-Sensei?" he stammered as he turned around and recognized his old instructor as said chuunin removed the mask from his face.
"Hey, haha, I must admit that you've grown Naruto. But…your taijutsu and shuriken skills are still abysmal!" He frowned as his narrowed eyes observed his former pupil through his frown.
"WH-What?! What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Naruto shouted angrily, frustrated fear dancing in his fiery blue eyes. He swept his hand across his body "I could've seriously hurt you, Iruka-sensei! Why the hell did you attack me?"
"Tch, don't get so cocky! I am a chuunin and I took it easy on you, Naruto!" Iruka criticized with a frown. Naruto hmphed, the dismissal driving Iruka to look away. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "Well to be honest, Kakashi-san briefed me on your latest mission."
he chuunin resumed eye contact, his face turning wistful. "Despite how aloof he is, I'm pretty sure he's worried about you, and so am I."
A sad smile spread across his lips as he crossed his arms. The blonde's stupefied silence prompted him to continue. "He asked me to help you out," Iruka elaborated simply. "When he said you're in need of a lot of remedial work he wasn't exaggerating …you're a mess..." The scarred chuunin exclaimed somewhat sheepishly.
Naruto's eyes shut tightly as Sasuke's words; the words seared forever into his mind echoing in his head. "You total moron! If you're a Shinobi then use your head! Why did you come inside the mirrors?! Damn it! I don't care anymore! You're an idiot!"
Naruto was angry at the time, but now – he realized Sasuke was right: he was an idiot. Even Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei thought he was a dead last. It insulted his pride but worst than that, killed him inside to fail over and over again no matter how hard he tried. What did he ever do to deserve all of this? Oh, that's right…he was born! Why did the Yondaime have to seal that accursed flee-bag with tails within him? It wasn't fair!
The Demon container shook his head, shutting his eyes tighter," No! I can't think like that! He was Hokage and had to save everyone. I can't blame him for wanting to do his job and he gave his life for the village too. I'd have done the same thing in his place. After all, the old man said I was the only baby born that day…" Naruto tried to convince himself but couldn't quench the indignation and loathing despite his own pitiful attempts at self reassurance.
Iruka bonked him on the head. The blonde winced and rubbed his offended skull, "Are you even listening to me, Naruto? I thought you were going to take things seriously now that you've graduated?" Iruka chided him with an affronted look, eying the blonde suspiciously.
Naruto glowered at him and hmphed, turning his head away from his old instructor, "What good will it do? Kakashi never pays any attention to me and all you're going to say is that I'm a lost cause just like everyone else!?"
Iruka's eyes widened, "Naruto! I would never…" the chuunin stammered and the blonde turned teary blue eyes at him, accusing him with true conviction.
"Liar! You did too say it! You said I was probably a lost cause during the beginning of last year! I heard you talking to Matsumo-sensei! You said I would never graduate and that the only reason I was accepted in the first place was because I was pitied by the old man!" Naruto accused in a trembling tone.
The chuunin's face paled before twisting into a slightly pained expression "Naruto, you only heard fragments of what I was saying…" he sighed and shook his head, disappointed and offended that he was being questioned.
"I said if you don't start putting effort into your work you'd be a lost cause. I said you would never graduate at this pace and that it was no wonder people thought that Sandaime-sama pitied you!" Iruka hissed out angrily.
"It doesn't matter, even if you don't think I'm a lost cause, everyone else does. And you know what? They're right! I am a dead last. I wish…sometimes I wish I had just died when the bastard-fox was sealed inside me. That way everyone else would've…" he started murmuring before Iruka interrupted him by slapping him so hard his head snapped sideways.
The chuunin's eyes burned with anger and pain as he knelt beside Naruto and shook him violently. "How can you say that? You have changed people's lives…" Iruka said. He put his hands on his former student's shoulders and tried to make him understand.
"Name one!" Naruto spat out, he couldn't take it anymore. The emotional and mental pressure, the icy glares and constant ridicule had finally worn him out. All the bitterness and desperation he had hid so expertly for years erupted violently; melting away the naïve and hopeful looking knucklehead ninja that was supposedly Uzumaki Naruto.
"You were the only person that Sasuke ever befriended in his lonely existance. You helped Konohamaru grow out of his grandfather's shadow and his own arrogance and made him realize the truth about being Hokage. Furthermore, you made one orphan instructor realize he needed to change and become a better teacher and person so he never jeopardized his students ever again," Iruka whispered softly.
Naruto buried his face in his hands, his voice small and trembling, "I…I'm scared…Iruka-sensei," the kage bushin phenom admitted. He looked much younger than he really was, all his usual rough and unyielding attitude washed away, leaving the true face of a lonely boy that had suffered for so long.
He needed someone to help him out of the darkness. "I…I messed up, I messed up real bad and S-Sasuke died because of me!" he murmured and shut his eye tightly. "Kakashi and the old man are going to expect me to grow up and become strong. B-but what if I screw up again? What if someone else I care about dies because I'm an idiot? Or not strong enough to protect them? What if they finally give up on me for real...?" Naruto's voice raced as his shoulders shook.
Iruka's eyes softened, "If that happens it's beyond your control," he explained quietly. "Mistakes will always occur and all of our loved ones eventually die in one way or another, Naruto." He squeezed his shoulders consolingly "Nobody's invincible or immortal and sometimes all the effort and sacrifice in the world just isn't enough…" he finished in a distant manner, his words coated with the echoes of tragic experience.
He watched as Naruto's eyes dimmed to a lifeless blue that bordered on gray, before they flickered with slivers of crimson. "Then what good is it to be Hokage? What good is it to be a ninja if you can't protect anyone? If at the end of the day you're all alone!" Naruto's voice trembled as he shut his eyes tightly.
He heard the Kyuubi laughter in his mind, the taunting sound grating at his patience "Foolish Ningen, don't you see that those lies you've planted in your head are holding you back? You don't need to be Hokage, you don't need to prove yourself to anybody but yourself. Trust in me, I will guide you, I will make them see you for real you – one way or another," The massive bijuu whispered seductively and slipped its intoxicating chakra through Naruto's veins, hoping to lure the foolish sack of flesh to its cause.
Naruto was pulled forcefully into his subconscious mind; the fox exerting the little influence it had while its host's mental defenses were at their weakest. The Kyuubi would not be denied its golden chance. It would convince the pathetic mortal to tear the seal and then it would devour all those meaningless monkeys that thought they could seal it, contain it; there would be no ending to their suffering.
"Our souls are intertwined, if you die, I die. Under the circumstances I can help you, make you stronger than all of them. My power will make you so strong that nobody will ever doubt you again. All you have to do is rip off that little insignificant piece of paper over there. Go ahead; don't you want them to acknowledge you?" The Kyuubi's voice erupted in a forceful, authoritative manner. Its crimson eyes glowed with impossible amounts of power, beckoning its jailer to obey it.
Naruto slowly crept closer and closer to the thrice damned seal, reaching out for it only to have reality blur and shudder around him. Out in the real world Iruka grabbed his former pupil by the shoulders and shook him several times.
"Listen to me, Naruto!" the scarred chuunin called for the third time in a somewhat urgent tone. Iruka was unable to hear the demon fox's howls of frustration and promises of murder.
Naruto started and was torn from within his own mind. His eyes flashed back to baby blue and the scarred chuunin smiled shakily as he ignored the somewhat unsettling sight and soothed his disturbed former pupil by patting his back.
"I know life isn't fair, but that doesn't mean your dream is meaningless either," the instructor whispered inaudibly. "It is the pain of loss, the ease in which life extinguishes that makes everything so precious. If everything was preordained and nobody ever died there would be no worth to anything in our world, no?" Iruka asked rhetorically.
"Your dream is not a lie, Naruto. But you've got to realize you can't protect everyone all the time. We all mistakes, that's part of what makes us human – our faults. Instead of getting angry with our criticism, try to think about it neutrally and learn from it."
The blonde haired genin's eyes flickered with some understanding, but the dullness and ache deep in his soul still bled through into his eyes. "But…they don't want to help me; they just want to break me! I'm tired of being alone. I'm tired of being so damn weak! I don't want to fail anymore. I don't want to know I got someone killed again," he confessed and his eyes hardened with a mixture of resolve and anger.
"Calm down, Naruto, you don't have to carry all the burdens of the world on your shoulders all at once; leave that for when you're Hokage, yes?" Iruka reassured him. "The key to successful growth and leaning is tackling things slowly. You have to learn every piece of knowledge one step at a time. It's like constructing a building, You have to start from the foundations and make your way up or else sooner or later everything will fall apart."
"You never let me finish my sentence you know," Iruka said with a small exasperated sigh."I was going to say that considering all the things stacked against you during your academy days; your performance was great."
His words elicited a smile from the blonde genin. "Oh, and don't worry. We'll keep this little moment between us. You're the one that never lets anything hold you back or get you down, right? So we wouldn't want to ruin your image and reputation, after all the future Hokage has to be strong!"
The Chuunin suddenly pounced on the genin and locked him in a noogie and watched as the woe relented a bit as the Yondaime's legacy sniffed and wiped his eyes."S-Stop it, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto whined and struggled to get free.
Iruka suddenly let go and the Jinchuuriki fell over, banging his head lightly against the ground. When he sat up and glared playfully at Iruka with slightly mischievous eyes Iruka knew it meant one thing – he was going to pay big time for that noogie.
"More importantly, don't worry about remedial work Naruto. I promise you I'll help you overcome anything I can help you with during our time together, as long as you want my help." The chuunin grinned at his student cheerfully "I've been granted clearance from Hokage-sama to take less classes this year so I can help you, so we'll have plenty of time to work together."
Naruto was slack and rigid with surprise. Iruka-sensei lived alone and had to pay rent so he needed every one of those paychecks. For him to give up any work for Naruto's sake...it was just too much to swallow. Nobody had ever gone to such lengths for him, except Sasuke that gave his life for him.
Naruto would never forget the Uchiha's sacrifice. The Kyuubi-container had promised him that he wouldn't die until he fulfilled Sasuke's final request "That man…my brother…I told myself I wouldn't die until I killed him…"
Even though Sasuke didn't say it explicitly, Naruto knew he silently wanted someone to pick up his mantle in his stead and Naruto would be the one to fulfill the sacred duty. He would realize Sasuke's ambition of stopping the threat of Uchiha Itachi.
However, he would do it not out of vengeance; rather he would fight Itachi out of honor for his fallen comrade and his murdered clan. He would grow strong to protect his memory and anyone else the Uchiha traitor had and would terrorize until he was stopped, once and for all.
"I'm such an idiot…how could I forget my promise, Sasuke? I can't give up so easily, right? If I give up now what did we suffer for? I know you wouldn't have given up, not on yourself or on me…so watch me! I'll grow strong too, strong like you were, strong like my idol was…" he thought and turned to look up at the stony figure of the Yondaime's face on the Hokage mountain; willing him to hear his promise as well.
He vaguely heard the chuunin sigh before a fist bonked him on the head. The young Uzmaki yelped loudly in response and glared daggers at Iruka.
"Baka...I'm being serious here!" he commented in a slightly affronted manner before he coughed into his hand a bit sheepishly. "Get ready though, I won't be going easy on you this time. Now that I'm your personal tutor I'm going to work you into the ground. So you better shape up and start taking things seriously!" Iruka exclaimed audibly and his eyes flickered with excitement that Naruto couldn't help but embrace as well.
With trademark Uzumaki vigor and excitement the blonde erupted with energy. He grabbed the instructor by the wrist. "Bring it! I can't take anything you've got, Iruka-sensei! Now c'mon, I'll treat you to some ramen. It'll be your chance to celebrate your lucky shot! After all now that you're one the future Hokage's sensei you can brag about in years from now when you're old a wrinkly!" He boasted with a cheeky grin.
"But first…Hurry up before the soba noodles run out!" he'd declared cheekily in his audible, boisterous tone, a wide grin nearly splitting his face as pointed at himself with his thumb. He then burst into motion, bouncing excitedly with renewed energy and practically dragging the poor chuunin through the streets towards the ramen stand.
(Several hours later, Somewhere in the Rain Country)
"Ma, Itachi-san, you've been moodier than usual lately, what's eating you?" The Shark nin known as Hoshigake Kisame asked with a slight snort. His small beady eyes narrowing playfully at his partner as he noted mentally that he had witnessed the impossible only minutes earlier; Uchiha Itachi had actually showed emotion
"You usually don't get your hands dirty but look at you now…sharpening your bloody ANBU blade like that. You're making me all tingly inside…" The Monster of the mist cooed playfully; referring to the massive amount of dents and dull blows adorning the once flawless blade. There was also the fact that crimson marred Uchiha Itachi's Akatsuki cloak all over, quite an uncommon sight to the usually clean and meticulous shinobi prodigy.
The now second to last Uchiha and his sword wielding companion were given a simple mission to eliminate a pocket of Iwa-nin that were on their way to convene with emissaries from Amegakure earlier that day.
The Iwa-nin aimed to solidify an alliance between the Sandaime Tsuchikage, Kagome Hodaka and Hanzou the salamander. This treaty would strengthen their joint military might and the dictator of rain sought assistance in quelling the rebellion that had recently erupted across his country.
The uprising was orchestrated and led by Akatsuki's leader; the one who went by the name of Pein and coroneted himself 'The god of the new age'. The monstrous ninja would not be denied and so he ordered his agents to implicate Hanzou in the death of the Iwa-nin. This would further diffuse such any future alliance from ever solidifying and making the Rinnegan user's ambitions regarding Ame all that easier to achieve.
Itachi battle strategy was usually a blend of turning his victims against each other with elaborate genjutsu along with the occasional use of fire and earth ninjutsu. Kisame unlike his partner enjoyed getting his hands dirty, the gritty feeling of crushing and tearing the life out of his victims was like a drug to the shark-ninja.
Much to Kisame's surprise and delight –Itachi had been absolutely brutal for once. The icing to top the cake for Kisame was that they failed their objective because of Itachi's bloodlust for once. After all, it was quite obvious that no rain ninja wreak such havoc and carnage on a collateral scale, except maybe Hanzou himself.
It was so frighteningly breathtaking to witness that it could only be called poetry in motion; a true work of lethal beauty. Itachi had thrown caution into the air and charged in blade-first for a nice and personal encounter while removing any ranged support with a variety of wide-ranged ninjutsu. The collateral damage his various techniques had caused such collateral damage even he seasoned nuke-nin felt a brief tremor of awe.
The black haired nuke-nin offered no reply but speared Kisame with a cold Sharingan glare that would've scared any normal man. Hoshigake Kisame only grinned wider; he was no normal man by any parameter.
A man with the chakra capacity that was estimated to equal that of the Ichibi no Shukaku supported by the cold indoctrination of the code of the former village hidden in bloody mist pumping through him was truly nothing less than a monster. And that was without mentioning his frightening shark-like physical features.
Itachi's eyes fell to the ground briefly and Kisame witnessed something that was about as common as seeing hell freezing over, Itachi's eyes burning with anger and even hints of moisture. His body was so tense that Kisame thought the prodigy's muscles would tear and his jaw would unhinge.
While the former swordsman of the mist was pinching himself and looked upwards to the sky for flying pigs Itachi was struggling to accept the fact that he was truly alone. His carefully orchestrated plans were ruined, his master piece stolen away by some miserable chuunin leveled Hyouton user.
Sasuke, his foolish little brother, the one that was supposed to avenge and surpass him was dead. The one he chose to become the hero of the Uchiha and redeem them all was stolen away by a bad strategic decision. Itachi nearly laughed at the irony and was lost for the first time in seven years, ever since Konoha's brass had given him the impossible burden of purging the treacherous Uchiha clan, uncertain.
That night would haunt him forever. Even if it had been Madara that indulged on killing the children and elderly, Itachi was no less a monster than his 'master'. Itachi liked at times to believe he had embraced the old ways of the ninja and become an emotionless instrument of death. But that was a lie, every once and a while human nature overcame indoctrination and the theatrics he had forced himself to perform cracked and revealed his tortured and bleeding soul.
"Pull yourself together, Itachi…" he reminded himself, there was much work to be done. He would have to improvise and adapt himself to the new situation somehow because there was too much at stake if he failed. For now things would have to keep on their original course until he had the opportunity to act and find his place in this new existence forced upon him.
Kisame smirked and chuckled faintly, "I'm almost disappointed that the mythical Uchiha calm has actually been proved fallible. Then again, now Kakuzu owes me 50,000 Ryou so I guess I'll live with it," Kisame mused lightly.
Itachi's killer intent spiked briefly, its ripples sending the nearby wildlife fleeing in panic. Kisame bared his sharp teeth through his cheeky grin and raised his hands in placating manner. "Ma Ma, you've gotten so testy you can't even take a joke anymore, Itachi-san. You're no fun..." The Shark-nin commented idly.
Before he could finish his joke his eyes narrowed as did Itachi's as their rings – Itachi's Shu and Kisame's Minami pulsed with familiar feeling chakra.
The apparition of their leader, the illustrious Pein flickered into existence in accordance with the man's self-invented Gentoushin no Jutsu. The Ethereal rainbow colored visage was standing calmly, the chilling Rinnegan boring into their eyes. If there was anyone beside Madara that Itachi never wanted to face in one to one combat it was this man, the self-proclaimed god amongst man.
Pein's voice cut through Kisame's playfulness and Itachi's brooding thoughts as their leader opened his mouth. "Zetsu reports your mission was only partially successful. You botched the most important part of the mission parameters."
The apparition proceeded in a bone-chillingly impassive tone. "I stressed before you both the importance of implicating Hanzou for the death of Kagome's men. Yet you failed me and have created a financial and strategic setback for our plans. I want an explanation for this and I want it now," His authoritative voice demanded answers or punishment would be dealt.
Kisame cocky grin never dropped from his face, "I'm sorry, Leader-Sama but Itachi-san went a bit overboard and well…" The Monster of the mist revealed somewhat sheepishly, that being the understatement of the century. The former mist ninja shrugged his shoulders and held back the urge to flinch under the leader's penetrating gaze sent chills down his spine.
The implications of the statement were quite obvious to anyone of meager intelligence; and if there was something Pein had in abundance it was intellect. He had just recognized a problem and that just would not do. Pein would allow no setbacks on his path to worldwide peace under his sole banner – not even from Itachi.
The heir of the sage of six paths' eyes flickered with indiscernible emotion before he bowed his head. "Itachi…I now see that you have not properly severed your ties with Konoha after all. Therefore, I have decided you are no longer impartial enough to seek out the Kyuubi. I am changing your designated target effective immediately," he commanded calmly and pointed at Itachi with his right index finger.
Itachi's eyes belied none of his inner conflict. It would seem fate would not allow him too much time to make his decisions and formulate his plans now that Pein's scrutinizing attention was zeroed in on him in. "Itachi, your new target is the Gobi no Okami. Kakuzu will take the Kyuubi in your stead."
Kisame smirked faintly as he hefted his charka-devouring blade on his shoulder. His eyes drifting to Itachi and excitement filled the shark-nin as Itachi seemed to be in his element again; the Uchiha calm having been reformed after his earlier meltdown, "Ku ku ku…I've heard the Gobi's powers are quite a force to contend with. That sounds like much more fun than the Kyuubi whelp that's still wet behind the ears. Besides Iwa nins are always fun to knock around, they're just so stubborn! It looks like I'll finally get to go all out…"
Itachi bowed his head in acknowledgment to his 'leader's' command; it wasn't as if he had a choice. Madara himself had commanded him not to taunt the sleeping dragon. The ancient sharingan spoke of a specific duty he needed Pein for and so he would tolerate no action that alienated the Rinnegan master.
Besides, while the ancient Uchina was not concerned for his life, the official leader of Akatsuki's power was immense and there was no telling how much damage he could do before he was stopped. The only member that had ever argued and directly confronted Pain and Konan and lived to tell the tale was that conniving snake Orochimaru. Even then, it was done in a very placating manner and cautious manner.
Itachi knew the truth; the only reason it was left unchecked was most likely the snake sannin's intimate genetic and ninjutsu talents. It was these two talents that made him far more valuable to them alive than dead.
The traitor to his clan hoped he would one day be granted the clearance to go hunt down and settle the score with the wretched serpentine bastard for coveting his sharingan and almost stealing his body. The only acceptable penance for those insults was that of the grave.
Kisame on the other hand was certain of one thing that excited him greatly: things were about to get very interesting very soon. Now that the 'Zombie Twins' were being dispatched after the most guarded and potentially dangerous of the nine, the Kyuubi no Kitsune's container, the shit was going to hit the fan.
He knew this because their subtlety was practically non-existent with their flamboyant appearance and constant squabbling. Soon enough Akatsuki's secret would be exposed and ninjas from all around the continent would all be hunting them down - good...more challenges equaled more fun and chakra to absorb.
Itachi was inwardly pensive once the projection vanished. He knew not all was lost as there was always the possibility that if things were handled carefully enough those annoying morons would finally die and stay dead. Yes, that was the best outcome, he would have to manipulate the situation and when he convinced Pein to send him after the Kyuubi once more, his plan could be resumed.
All he had to do was wait and act when the time was ripe.
Jutsu list:
Fushi Tenshi - Living corpse reincarnation - Orochimaru's body possessing technique. The snake sannin will possess and control the body of a vessel, erasing the victim's soul in the process and only retaining a sliver of the said victim's consciousness and knowledge within himself. The Snake sannin's presence will slowly corrode and destroy the body that will reject the foreign presence and he needs to exchange bodies every couple of years.
Kage Bushin (No Jutsu) - Shadow Clone (Technique) - Enough said
Chiri Bushin - Dust clone - A low level Earth elemental technique that creates a doppleganger of the summoner out of solidified dust. It is similar to the Mizu Bushin in the fact that its power is considerably weaker than the original.
Gentoushin no Jutsu - Lit Apparition Technique - A ninjutsu technique invented by the Rinnegan user, Pain. The jutsu allows the wielder to project an apparition of himself to distant locations for communication purposes as well as chakra consumption techniques as we've seen several such apparitions activate the sealing technique on Gaara during the rescue arc in Shippudan.