Disclaimer: I don't own or gain any profit from the Naruto medium, that is the sole property of Mashashi Kishimoto, Shounen Jump and the other distrubtion companies.
Japanese term/word glossary:
Jutsu – Technique
Juuchi Yomasu - 10000 cold nights
Tenrai Katana' - Divine Katana
Shodaime – The First
Battoujutsu - Drawing a sword Technique
Nidaime - The Second
Sandaime – The Third
Yondaime – The Fourth
Kyoufu - Godfather
Jinchuuriki – Power of Human Sacrifice – nickname of the containers of the tailed beasts.
Kikachuu – Destruction bug/s
Tomoe – Comma
'Kaimon' – The first of the eight celestial chakra gates – the Opening Gate
The snake sannin and Uchiha genius burst into action in unison, each running through an individual set of hand seals at blurry speed. Orochimaru smirked as he recognized the base sequence his opponent had chosen and knew his intuition was right. "Typical Uchiha tactics...your first choice is always a fire jutsu."
The sharingan wielder ignored his target's amusement and inhaled deeply. He launched himself into the air, spinning around while exhaling harshly in several short intervals. Each puff of air was exchanged with flame; the Uchiha unleashing the storm of fireballs that was known as the 'Housenka no jutsu.'
Itachi's hands blurred in mid rotation as he simultaneously shot off several kunai in a specific pattern. The deadly steel blades narrowed down on their serpentine comrade, all concealed in rain of flaming projectiles.
The kinjutsu specialist seemed unimpressed as the earth around him split open. The soft soil solidifying under the violent urges of his life force. The chakra enforced matter both rose and spun around at high velocity as it shifted into a hollow, cylinder-shaped barrier of stone known as 'Doton: Boushi Ishikajou'.
Itachi didn't wait for his jutsu to connect as he landed gracefully on the ground. He kept his eyes on the snake as his body shifted briefly as he whipped his left hand forth, launching a kunai with lethal accuracy above said nuke-nin. The bladed weapon hit the hilt of one of the earlier kunai, knocking it off course and diverting its path downwards straight towards Orochimaru.
The entire area shook fiercely as the two jutsu clashed. The scent of charred stone accompanied by putrid smoke engulfed Itachi's as his double layered trap failed. As he had expected his sharingan eyes caught the sight of a blurry shape cutting through the cloud of smoke, the sannin following quick in tow.
Even through the smoke his bloodline caught sight of the mutated sannin's emitting an abnormal amount of chakra and so he was forced to react accordingly. "Kunai Kage Bunshi? Interesting...but it will not assist you..." the Akatsuki elite thought as he watched his earlier kunai return to sender with interest; the jutsu replicating the projectile exponentially.
The snake sannin watched the young genius succumb o the storm of steal, his body shredded grotesquely before it popped out of existence with a puff of smoke. His eyes widened as he exhaled irregularly and looked down. The crimson stained length of a ANBU blade protruded from his upper body. His look of surprise shifted to one of homicidal amusement as his hand shot backwards, and smashed it into the Uchiha's windpipe.
The trees around them toppled over as massive explosion rocked the area, the Uchiha's 'Bunshin Bakuha' technique detonating majestically in a mushroom of searing scarlet. The original Itachi stepped out of his vantage point from a tree branch a short distance away and smirked faintly as the heated wind engulfed him, his clothes and hair swaying lightly.
Orochimaru's body reformed from the earth around him this 'Tsuchi Kawarimi' technique having easily countered the devastating jutsu and earlier lethal blow. He stood nonchalantly in the midst of ground zero, the torn ground in the crater around him still trembling.
The murderous criminal opened his mouth wide, regurgitating a green snake head briefly before the snake clan's master swallowed it once more and licked his lips eagerly. "Is that all you've got, Itachi-kun? I must admit I'm disappointed so far..."
The Uchiha's eyes widened a fraction and his lips twitched triumphantly. He had finally manipulated the slippery snake just where he wanted him to be; locking his eerie yellow eyes with his sharingan. Oddly enough, all of Itachi's earlier attempts at ensnaring the snake with passive genjutsu and illusions were brushed off expertly. But now that his sharingan had him, it was over.
He channeled his chakra into his eyes, the tomoe spinning as he spread his genjutsu over the arrogant snake sannin. His experience taught him just how long it took for the illusion to take hold and the moment he knew it was safe he leaped to the ground and charged.
He unsheathed his ANBU blade as he closed the distance between them, zeroing down on the immobile sannin. The snake trapped, frozen stiff with slightly wide eyes, the genjutsu genius' intricate illusion occupying his mind. "This is the end, Orochimaru..."
Just as he pulled his arm back, preparing to swing his blade and decapitate the loathsome criminal his target's head turned and gazed at him hungrily. The man's mouth opening widely, the snake head reappeared in his mouth, snapping open and unleashing the mythical Kusanagi at Itachi from point black range.
Itachi's eyes widened, unable to believe the sannin had broken out of the illusion so quickly, or feigned entrapment so masterfully. He grit his teeth and it was a testament to his prodigal skill and ability that he managed to modify his motion, momentum and the blade's angle in time to deflect the white blade's deadly tip.
The legendary relic missed piercing his left eye just barely but he failed to prevent a deep, long laceration from being carved into his temple and the side of his head. The Uchiha stepped back, ignoring the stinging pain of the wound and swung his blade across his body.
His red eyes flickered with sparks of triumph as he watched Orochimaru swallow the blade once more and slide underneath the swing with serpentine grace. Itachi stabbed at the snake sannin with his free hand, the chrome tip of a kunai flashing briefly in the sunlight before the weapon sunk deeply into pale flesh with a sickening squelching sound.
However, much to the Akatsuki's disappointment it was Orochimaru's hand that intercepted his weapon rather than his face. The pale faced criminal was impossibly quick at such close quarters and the Uchiha frowned as the serpent ninja grabbed his sword wielding hand's wrist.
The two ninja effectively at deadlock. The two stood face to face, each vying for supremacy for a few moments before the snake brought his face closer to Itachi's. "What's wrong, Itachi-kun? I thought you said my fate is sealed?" the capricious nuke nin cooed sweetly.
Itachi's didn't even miss a beat, not deeming the taunt worthy of his time as he tugged against his Kunai, pulling it out of the snake's palm painfully. The snake's unnaturally dark blood squirted out the moment he finished pulling steel out. Itachi shut his eyes momentarily as the putrid looking crimson sprayed all over his face. The liquid was nauseatingly hot and had a bizarre acrid scent to it as it smeared all over his face.
The Uchiha genius' felt a discharge of chakra and his eyes snapped open in time to guide his kunai in a downward arc, lopping off the snake heads that suddenly slipped out of the sannin's sleeves cleanly. He then smashed his forehead protector into Orochimaru's face forcefully, stunning the snake lightly before he spun around and smashed his foot into the snake's face; launching the snake summonor backwards.
Itachi frowned and wiped the blood away from his eyes and looked at his foe intently. It was now clear that engaging the unnaturally flexible and snake regurgitating criminal in hand to hand combat was risky at best and suicidal at worst so it seemed the roundabout approach would have to do.
Orochimaru's meanwhile smirked dismissively, the stinging pain in his cheek and forehead already passing as he spun around in mid air. He gathered his chakra into his lungs as his yellow eyes caught sight of Itachi running through some hand seals he recognized as well. A plan hatched his mind and thus he made a rapid hand seal sequence; unleashing his designated counter-jutsu.
A massive torrent of bubbling liquid burst from the snake's lips. The powerful 'Houmatsu Reppa' sending a rushing wave of water roaring at the Uchiha. The fierce liquid easily devoured and doused Itachi's 'Goukakyo no jutsu'; the clash of ninjutsu creating a massive cloud of thick steam to cover the entire area.
The Uchiha panted softly, leaping slightly upwards as he rode the rushing water towards the tree line. He quickly scaled the wooden surface, hidden by the veil of steam left by the clashing elements. He grit his teeth against a wave of nausea as he felt his body tremble. His eyes stung faintly and he grimaced momentarily as he coughed into his hand. "At a time like this...? What the hell is going on...?"
He pushed the thought aside and kept his mind on the matter at hand, overcoming the nausea and weakness with ironclad resolve. It seemed regular genjutsu was either too weak or otherwise ineffective against the traitorous serpent. Therefore, it seemed he would have to bring out the heavy artillery.
The Akatsuki elite shut his eyes briefly and collected himself before summoning a single shadow clone, leaving it in his place as he vanished into the treetops above, seeking higher ground with tactical advantage. "Your tactics are impressive as they claim and would easily overcome a lesser man. I have already seen your death, your trickery is bared naked before my eyes, Orochimaru. This end – now."
The cloned kin-slayer leveled a cool glare at the mutated snake-man the moment the wind dispersed the cloud of vaporized water. He then rushed through a very long hand seal sequence as he invoked the most powerful fire jutsu in any Uchiha's arsenal: 'Katon: Karyuu Endan'
"Another fire jutsu, Itachi? You're beginning to get on my nerves with this repetitivity Perhaps It's time I up the stakes and end this foolish little spat of ours," Orochimaru determined and ran through a quick seal sequence of his own; 'Ninpo Kushiyose: Museihebi no Eihei.'
A massive cloud of smoke burst around the snake sannin for only a moment before the voracious burning wave engulfed his location. The scarlet flames spread all over the area, unbearable heat destroying everything in its path.
Itachi's clone squinted and tilted its head as it caught sight of a massive crimson scaled snake wrapped protectively around Orochimaru. The gigantic serpent shifted slightly and through the gaps of its massive girth the blade of Kusanagi extended considerably in blinding speed, piercing the Uchiha's forehead with lethal accuracy.
The clone exploded into a cloud of smoke and the moment the massive familiar shifted enough to reveal Orochimaru's face, Itach struck. He burst out the ground in front of the snake sannin and locked his left eye with his the snake-sannin's eyes unnatural eyes while stabbing and dispelling his snake summon with one well placed blade thrust.
Itachi grit his teeth as tomoe of his sharingan blended into a star shape and spun rapidly. His eye quaked with agony as his chakra force fed itself obscenely through his tenketsu. Blood drizzled down his cheek but he didn't pay the pain any heed, he would not be denied: "Tsukiyomi"
Orochimaru eyes widened considerably with fear as his world shifted and spun around chaotically. All the colors around him muted into shades of blood and coal and all sound disappeared. When things came into focus within the mental universe of Itachi's making their white silhouettes stood several feet apart. Itachi was holding a Katana in his hand and Orochimaru was nailed against a wooden pole by the hands and legs.
The snake sannin admired the mental prison Itachi had created with the power of his eye. His predatory eyes and his flickered curiously around him as Itachi's astral projection approached him. "Such power! Kukuku, I've read the ancient scriptures regarding Uchiha Madara's black fire and fearsome eyes but thought they were myths and legends! Truly the Sharingan is a far greater a tool than I originally anticipated..."
"For the next 72 hours you will be pierced repeatedly by burning hot blades," Itachi declared and lifted the katana, preparing to sink it deeply into the sannin's shoulder. But he was shocked and surprised when his prisoner suddenly threw his head back and started laughing in a malevolent manner.
The world of Itachi's making suddenly shook violently as bright white light engulfed the snake sannin. The searing, pristine life force spread across the crimson skies and planes, the world cracking like glass before it exploded violently.
Back in the real world Itachi stifled a scream of agony as pressed his hand against his eye. "He...He broke out...broke out of Tsukiyomi? Impossible!" He didn't have time to let the realization sink as something cool and slippery slid against his arms and legs.
Suddenly, an impossible force constricted his ankles and wrists and spread them apart. He opened his right eye slowly, unable to open his bleeding left eye, as he felt his body being lifted upwards and kept suspended above the ground.
"Kukukuku...I bet you're wondering why you're feeling so weak and sick, Itachi. Or perhaps you're still shocked at how I broke out of your strongest genjutsu?" Orochimaru taunted as he began circling around his bound prey. His voice tinkled with delight and pleasure as he pulled back his right sleeve, revealing a necklace of crystalline stones shaped like teardrops tied around the pale limb.
"It's quite simple, Itachi. First I let you cut my hand open because I knew my genetically modified blood is quite venomous to those who aren't part of the Hebi clan. The moment my blood made contact with yours – this battle was already over."
"As for your...Tsukiyomi? I beat the same way the venerable Senju Hashirama did back in the times of chaos. You see, the great Shodaime had been given a relic of great power by the Hyuuga elders that joined Konoha, the 'Yasakani no Magatama' necklace (see A/N in the end of the chapter). I'm sure you're familiar with the relic as it is the trump card that tipped the scale towards Senju supremacy in the negotiations near the founding of Konoha. Hashirama knew how dangerous a weapon this necklace is so he literally took the secret to his grave. I was unaware of its existence the first time I robbed his corpse, but recently I acquired some of your clan's ancient scrolls and once I learned of it, I remembered seeing it when I first ransacked his grave and had one of my agents disturb his tomb again and retrieve it for me."
"As long as I wear this on my person, I can dispel any illusion at my whim. Be thankful, Itachi-kun, I thought you'd like to know the instrument of your defeat before I kill you so. In the end, for all your high and mighty attitude, you aren't any different than the clan you loathed so much. Just like them you cling and lean against the supremacy of your eyes and just like them, you will fall," he declared victoriously.
Itachi's body tensed as he tested the strength of the snakes binding him. The summoned snakes were too strong for him and it seemed there was only one thing he could do. There was no way he was going to let that blasted snake have the last laugh or hold such an awesome weapon at his disposal. He screened out the snake's grating tone and laughter and gathered all the chakra that he could into his right eye.
Orochimaru paused in mid rant as he felt the Uchiha's chakra spike and realization hit him. "Why is he gathering so much charka into his right eye?" he pondered in confusion before his survival instincts kicked in and he screamed a command at his familiars in a panicked hiss "STOP HIM!"
It was too little, too late. Tears of blood fell from the Uchiha's tightly shut right eyelid. The concealed pupil morphed into its higher form of Mangekyo as his eye flew open and unholy ebony flames exploded from his spinning star-shaped pupil "AMATERASU!"
The snake sannin screamed in agony for the first time in over a decade, the impossibly hot fire encasing his palm where he tried to avoid it fully. He watched the flames rise, devouring both his flesh and the relic of ages old and knew he had only one way to save his life. It would cost him his arm, but that was but a mere setback, and so his mouth opened, Kusanagi once more seeing the light of day as it shot out and amputated the snake's arm from the shoulder.
Before Itachi's ambition could be realized, his control over the ebony hellfire was disconnected by the pain. His concentration broke as the snakes coiled around his arms and ankles constricted so hard he felt the bones crack. Unwanted tears fell from his eyes as the agony of bone biting into nerve endings and sinew broke even his mythical calm as his jutsu was stopped.
Itachi smirked widely, his bleary vision only catching the blurry shape of the hunched snake sannin shifting and clutching the bloody stump of his arm. He lavished on the raw agony and frustration he heard in the monster's tone and consoled himself with the fact he had used the sannin's own arrogance to steal away his best trump card.
"You won't be laughing for long, Itachi..." Orochimaru hissed out in a tight tone as he climbed to his feet and watched as his accelerated healing started sealing the wound. His actions had a price as he had missed the time frame for his snake replication and would be unable to regenerate into a whole body. "You little fuck, now I need to exchange bodies again and I lost the necklace, DAMN YOU. Hmm…but perhaps there is still a way I can still salvage the situation and torment you further. Yes, I think your right eye will complement Sasuke's left eye just fine for my research. After all, you took my trump card, so I'll take yours. An eye for an eye in the purest form!"
Itachi feverish mind was still sharp enough to grasp that something was horribly wrong as he felt the snake's hand tongue wrap around his face. The powerful muscle pulled and kept his head steady. He opened his eyes instinctively and caught the sight of chakra coated fingers dangerously close to his right eye before he screamed long, loud and hard.
At the same time, Kisame was exhilarated as he parried his foe's swing with some difficulty. It had been over a decade since he crossed blades with a true kenjutsu master. His muscles strained as he heaved his foe back hard before pivoting his body while swinging his blade.
"How can you still be alive, Mashashi-sensei? I recall bashing your skull in with this very sword and watching you plummet down a cliff to your death?" the shark-nin asked the middle-aged man in a gruff tone. He was forced to speak loudly to be heard over the audible clanging of steel against steel.
The katana wielder slid his blade against Samehada, forcing the blade low before stepping forward and thrusting the blade towards the Akatsuki's chest. The monster of the mist sidestepped and rolled sideways while swinging his head cleaving sword in wide arc.
The elder kenjutsu master stepped out of the way and lifted the blade over his head, pushing his chakra through the chakra conductive material. Kanji flickered in blue and white across the dark chrome surface. The katana's seal work interacted with the first element it came in contact with: Air, and transforming the normal chakra into wind chakra
Kisame grunted in effort as he blocked a screeching wave of furious wind, the force behind it nearly knocking him off his feet. His beady eyes narrowed, remembering how much he both hated and coveted his former teacher's legendary blade.
The Katana was known as 'Juuchi Yomasu', the last blade created by the mad blacksmith Murasame before his death. It was arguably one of, if not the most dangerous shinobi weapon on the continent. Its ability was transforming normal chakra into any of the five nature chakra types the blade interacted with. And Fujitsu Mashashi, also known as the Kirgakure's 'Tenrai Katana' was the man that had reigned the blade and honed his skill with it to prodigal levels.
"Even though it took all six of you jounin-level, junior swordsmen to defeat me at the time; you just weren't good enough to kill me," The elder blade-master intoned neutrally. "Did you honestly think that I waged battle with all of you in the Wave country by accident, Kisame?"
The Monstrous criminal grinned widely. "So why wait until now to expose yourself, Mashashi-sensei? You've been awfully quiet considering the blood purges and civil war. You always spouted patriotic phrases and claimed to love Kiri more than your life,"
Kisame's reply wasn't verbal but rather chakra based as his foe stabbed the edge of his long blade into the earth. He thrust his chakra into the soil before carving a half circle in front of him. The ground shook violently and rose several feet into the air; a massive wave of rock towering over the Daimyo killer before his former teacher pointed the relic at him and invoked the earth into motion.
The Akatsuki smirked and tossed his head-cleaver towards the wave of stone before launching himself into the air. He landed atop the crashing rock for a mere moment before leaping upwards again. Meanwhile his blade plowed through the center of the earth jutsu, shattering it easily.
Mashashi frowned and sidestepped the sharkskin cleaver. He parried the blade off course, adjusting its trajectory and sending it spiraling sideways. He ignored the blade as his attention was drawn to a massive discharge of chakra and the words 'Baku Shishouha'
"Out of all of my six students, you were almost the most cunning, Kisame. I'm sure you'll figure it out if you try hard enough," The Tenrai katana commented impassively. He swiped his blade downwards, the seals carved upon it resonating with the air before a screeching discus of wind exploded forth.
Kisame's eyes narrowed curiously as he watched the biblical sight of the waves parting into two clean halves as he took off after his sword. The shark ninja snorted dismissively as the only reason the old man could've hidden just could not be possible. He made a single hand seal and summoned several Mizu Bushin. "You've gotta be going senile on me, old man. There's no way the Nidaime Mizukage is still alive!"
The strongest of the former seven swordsmen grinned as he spun his blade around and thrust it backwards, stabbing Kisame's sneaking water clone, avoiding the 'Suirou no jutsu'. He then assumed a Battoujutsu stance and sprinted forth at blinding speed. His speed grew with every step he took, the water seeming to explode every time his feet tapped against it as he carved a path towards his pupil.
Kisame grit his teeth and thrust as much chakra as he could into his body and swung his blade with all his might. The two blades met with an audible clang. Both swordsmen stood at a stalemate for a moment as a massive shock wave shook the entire area as the colliding forces met.
"Damn it...how can that geezer still be so strong and fast!" The monster of the mist thought inwardly as Mashashi's power and speed vanquished his own, the power behind the blow propelling him back with such speed and force he broke through several trees until he stabbed his sword into the ground and brought himself into a stop.
The pain in his bones and muscles bothered him, but not too much as he watched the divine katana saunter towards him with an arrogant, victorious grin spread over his lips. "That treacherous foreigner you served so dutifully is still alive and he brainwashed the Sandaime before he abandoned our village. The bloodline purges and civil war were all paranoid illusions he planted into that bumbling fool's mind."
"I've kept to the shadows, learning, training and following the happenings of the world. I've heard you've grown pretty powerful, Kisame. But you should know I'm stronger than I was when you six failed to kill me back then. Now I'm collecting Murasame's swords one by one – so if you could kindly return Samehade to me, I will make your death a quick one,"
"You're lying, you never show mercy old man" Kisame commented almost fondly and his chakra erupted around him explosively, a maelstrom of burning azure coalescing around him. "I'm glad we've had this little spar, sensei. I'll admit you're still pretty good but I've got a snake to kill, so if you don't mind I'm going to have to cut this short."
"You still talk too much, Kisame," was the dismissive response the Mist nuke-nin supplied with a crooked grin and pressed two fingers against his blade and channeled some lightning chakra through it. Raw electricity crackled around the legendary katana before its master assumed a horse stance and leveled the blade horizontally, parallel to the ground.
"Think as you will, old man. But consider yourself lucky – you'll be the first to taste my ultimate technique." Kisame's head turned as he heard a massive explosion in the distance "Itachi shouldn't be taking this long. Something is wrong..."
His hands ran through a long series of hands seals, the water beneath his feet rising rapidly. Mashashi's lips twitched as the wave rose till it was around 400 feet tall and then started receding backwards, "Not too shabby, Kisame-kun."
The shark ninja finished the sequence in a ram seal and roared victoriously while aiming his blade forward "Take this! Suiton: Susanoo no kataki!" (Water Release: Susanoo's revenge)
The wave of water suddenly exploded forth with insane speed, the summoned tsunami tearing everything in its path apart. Mashashi stood steadfast in face of the tempest and grinned. "Not bad, boy. Not bad at all!" he screamed and thrust his blade forwards as the wave engulfed him.
The shark ninja panted faintly, having expelled quite a bit of chakra to unleash that jutsu. With his sensei most likely drowned or crushed he rushed off to help Itachi against Orochimaru. He had a bad feeling something was horribly wrong, considering that explosion meant the snake was still alive and so he ran as quickly as his chakra propelled muscles could take him.
His eyes widened as a sound he had never heard filtered his ears as he got closer, the sound of Itachi screaming in agony. "Don't tell me...that's fucking impossible!"
When he reached the clearing he caught sight of Orochimaru swallowing a bizarre looking container in a most grotesque display. Itachi was lying on the ground, clutching the right side of his face while shaking and writhing in pain.
The snake sannin was half submerged in the ground though he didn't look any better, one of his arms was missing, seemingly cut off cleanly and his entire attire was drenched in blood. The swordsmen growled out a profane curse as he watched helplessly as their target sank up to neck level. The insidious genetic manipulator shot him a cocky grin before he vanished into the bowels of the earth.
Kisame rushed to his partner's side "Damn, Itachi! He really fucked you up! Damn! Hang in there, you're too badass to die on me here," he declared in a troubled tone as he picked up his partner carefully. He then rushed off at blurry speed, handling Itachi with as much delicacy as possible under the circumstances.
Itachi fought against his instinctive urge to scream and faint. Using his chakra to numb the pain around the area, though the venom in his veins made him groggy and weak. It fit the arrogant sannin to leave Itachi alive so he could die slowly and in agony. That was a mistake he would live to regret if it was the last thing the Uchiha ever did, before he breathed his last breath he would skin that scaly bastard alive. But first, he needed to shut his eyes and rest, just a moment – he was so tired.
Meanwhile, quite a distance away from there the drenched form of Mashashi climbed to his feet. He leaned against his blade as he panted softly, one of his arms hanging uselessly at his side. He was cold, wet, his shoulder had been smashed by the pressure of holding the blade against the impossible force of the tsunami and he had dislocated his elbow in said arm due to the similar reason.
He was otherwise unharmed, having formed a sphere of pulsing energy around his body that encased him protectively as the waves carried him away, probably miles away according to the swordsman's estimations. He snorted and sheathed his legendary blade awkwardly,
This is not over, foolish apprentice; not by a longshot. I will not be denied, not by you, not by anyone. I will conquer and revive Kirigakure to its former glory, one way or another. When my mission is complete the first person I will hunt down is you," Mashashi vowed and grit his teeth as he popped the elbow back in place painfully
(Three days Later, Konohagakure no Sato)
Hatake Kakashi was started to wonder if these sessions were a good idea after all. He watched his blonde haired pupil yet again withstand the mental torture visited upon him by Kakashi's sharingan induced genjutsu.
It wasn't that Naruto was able to break or reverse the illusions it was something entirely different. The Uzumaki's mind while battered and scarred from his harsh and remorseless childhood was apparently unyieldingly strong.
The genius jounin had attacked the weakest parts of his mental armor but it was to no Naruto simply could not dissuaded to mute his emotions. The blonde could not kill his heart no matter how hard Kakashi, Tenzou and even a brief session with Ibiki had tried to point him in the right direction.
The Copy nin supposed he could live with him retaining his humanity even on the field but if Naruto could not learn to rein his temper and emotions he was constantly lying on the precipice of being influenced by the malevolence of the Kyuubi. He gazed at his pupil's hunched form as he struggled to stand upright."At least he'll be better prepared to withstand and break out of low to mid level genjutsu if someone ensnares him after this."
"You're wasting your time, squirt." The somewhat bemused tone startled the dog summoner from his mental musings.
"Oh? Why do you say that, Jiraiya-sama?" His gaze shifted upwards and he caught sight of the white haired legend leaning against the tree trunk from atop a thick branch. "You're as stealthy as ever, Jiraiya-sama. How long have you been watching us?"
The toad sannin snorted and shook his head, "Naruto is just like I was when I was his age. He's as stubborn as an ox. Beside, if he's kept his sanity through twelve years of emotional isolation and rejection by this bigoted village do you honestly believe that some fancy illusions and pretty speeches will break him out of his habits?"
The toad sannin leaped off the branch and landed beside Kakashi. "But hey, you've done well in shaping him up, Kakashi. Minato would be proud in ya but It's time I live up to my promise and take care of the kid myself for a while. Don't worry, I'll take good care of my godson and it isn't permanent for now. Besides, I'll ask you join me and help him with his water manipulation and to teach him some wind and water ninjutsu cause' those aren't my forte.
"I'll be waiting eagerly for you to summon me, Jiraiya-sama," Kakashi acknowledged the superior ninja's command and request. He then signaled Tenzou by tapping a Morse sequence on the tree back beside him to disengage from Naruto.
Jiraiya smiled fondly as he watched Naruto look surprised, disappointed and somewhat affronted when the ANBU brushed him off and vanished in a swirl of wind and leaves. His attitude was a carbon copy of Jiraiya's own childhood antics and definitely a reminder of Kushina's fiery disposition. "You can tell Hiruzen that I'm finally living up to my responsibilities."
Kakashi nodded and frowned under his mask, the lack of honorific and slight chill in the way Jiraiya referred to the Sandaime was not lost to the elite assassin. He wondered what had transpired between the two legendary ninja but knew it was not his place to interfere.
The Jinchuuriki turned towards the Copy ninja and his cerulean eyes narrowed at the sight of the man standing at his side. He recognized the old man from the council meeting and from his recent most studies with Iruka-sensei – it was the toad sannin Jiraiya.
The toad sannin walked away from Kakashi, that waved at Naruto before shunshining away in a swirl of wind and leaves. "Hey hey, what's with that look, kid? I know I'm awe inspiring but staring at me so intently is a bit unsettling?"
"I wasn't staring at you, old man," Naruto replied evenly. He crossed his arms and eyed the elder ninja suspiciously, "Say, does your showing up mean I'm on the chopping block again? Because I swear I haven't done anything this time!"
The toad sage smirked and crossed his arms "Oh? Why so defensive, Naruto? I haven't even told you why I'm here and you're already denying association. Now that's suspicious!"
The Uzumaki's eyebrow twitched faintly as he glared at the aging legend "I just told you..." he deadpanned in a flat tone. "Um...So...err...If you don't mind me askin'-asking! why are you here, Ol-err...Jiraiya-sama?" he amended his speech clumsily with a slight frown. He still found it unnatural to practice the manners and etiquette Iruka and Hinata (whenever he walked her home from training) taught him, it just wasn't his thing – though he was getting better he supposed.
The white haired sannin's goofy features smoothed out into a serious, grim expression. "I'm here to take over your training, Naruto."
"W-What?" Naruto looked surprised, his eyebrows rising slightly. "B-but what about Kakashi-sensei and Yamato-sensei?"
"Che, so many questions? You know many people would pay good money to have me pay interest in them, kid. You should be thankful and not second guess everything," Jiraiya commented off-handedly in a slightly dismissive tone.
"When you've lived to have fate make you her bitch for as long as I have you get suspicious, Jiraiya-sama. So while It's true I've heard of you and you're a legend and all that you've never given me the time of day before, so why now?" The Uzumaki had the sinking suspicion the older man was here to either keep an eye on him, the 'Kyuubi' or mold him into a weapon and neither of those options appealed to the Jinchuuriki.
The toad sage sighed and glared at the ground for a moment, a sinking feeling filling his gut. "This is going to get ugly before it gets better. The kid's got issues and he ain't going to like the truth. Damn it, sensei for blundering so badly I wasn't planning on taking things in to my own hands until I was sure about Akatsuki and Orochimaru! "
He crouched to Naruto's height and talked sincerely, looking into the eyes of his apprentice's son's eyes intently. "I don't blame you for your doubt, kid. Hell, I'd probably feel the same way in your shoes. But the fact is I promised your parents I'd look after you before they died. Your parents named me your godfather n' all so I'm here to stay true to my word."
The Jinchuuriki froze, every word slamming into him like a punch to the gut. The shock soon expired and was replaced by intense fury, bitterness and confusion. The warm and playful blue of his eyes seemed to melt to an almost violent hue of simmering fury. "So...let me get this straight? My parents told you to take care of me and it took you thirteen fucking years of my shitty life to remember I'm even alive?! Is that about right, Jiraiya-sama?"
The sannin sighed heavily, his impressive frame seeming to sag wearily, the burden of his age showing him for a moment. Then he looked straight into the boy's eyes with such intensity that discomfort and anxiety filled Naruto's chest and he nearly looked away.
"Hey, calm down kid. It's nothing like that. I've been spying and hunting down S-class threats to Konoha since before you were born. As much as I wanted to be here for you it wasn't like I could take you with me into places like Iwa and Kumo, now could I?"
"Why the fuck should I care about that! You could've stopped by to let me know somebody cared about me at least a once or twice in the last couple of years! Damn it! I was all alone...everybody hated me and you think I..." Naruto's eyes shone with tears of frustration that he refused to shed, his body tense and voice trembling.
The toad sannin's killer intent spiked as he suddenly grabbed him by the collar "Don't you think I know that, kid?! Damn it! You think I'm happy about this shitty situation?" His words were harsh and angry, the blonde left somewhat overwhelmed by the violent reaction.
"I trusted Hiruzen-sensei completely when said he'd take care of you! I thought that meant he'd make sure you were raised right and happy – not that he'd make sure you grew up safe. If I had known this is what he had in mind I would've kidnapped your earlier and handed you to my allies."
"What the fuck are you talking about, old man? He already explained why my life sucks because I'm stuck with that bastard-fox so what's that got to do with anything? You can't blame him for protecting me"
"Heh, You being a container has nothing to do with why I'm pissed off with the old man, Naruto. Hell he did right with you all things considered. Your situation could've been much worse, the others like you are usually molded into emotionless weapons or psychotic killers. So don't forget the fact you've had relative freedom to be yourself is something only the old man could make possible," Jiraiya stressed urgently. Despite his misgivings with Sarutobi he still respected and cared for his old teacher and maybe some day he would forgive him – but not at the moment.
Naruto's eyes narrowed in surprise and confusion and Jiraiya slowly put him down. "Look, I'm here now, kid. You can keep on bitching and whining about how shitty your life's been if that's what you want. But that won't help you or anyone when our enemies come knocking on our gates. The truth is you're gonna have a shitload of people gunning for you soon enough and I'm here to make sure you survive to see your twenties so suck it up and let's get busy."
"Hey! I don't bitch and whine about anything!" Naruto hissed out angrily, the mere insinuation like a sucker punch that caught him off guard. "Just because I questioned your timing, godfather! Doesn't mean you can talk shit about me, you don't know me!"
"I guess I deserved that," Jiraiya mused awkwardly and pondered how to get his point across. "Look, kid, you may not express or share your pain but it's obvious that the past still haunts you, doesn't it? You can't let it drag ya down if you want to grow up and be a man, you know"
Naruto looked away, his eyes dim and full of remorse and regret "I'm doing the best I can. But I can't just flip a switch and forget all the pain and loneliness? It doesn't work like that!"
"You see? That's the wrong kind of attitude right there," the toad sannin would muse flippantly. "Nobody said growing up is easy, but you gotta start somewhere. For example, you're looking at the whole Kyuubi situation in the wrong way."
Naruto looked confounded by the old man's words. The sannin smirked and chuckled lightly, "You heal faster than anyone else, you've got insane amounts of chakra and stamina. Hell, if you ever learn how to control a portion of the power without going crazy you'll have one hell of a trump card on your hands."
Naruto looked guilty and angry, shaking his head in denial. "I don't want its chakra or youki or whatever! Its power burns like fire. A-and it's like poison it kills whatever it touches! It's too dangerous...It kills..."
Jiraiya quirked his brow before he bonked the boy on the head, knocking him on the ground. "Don't be a fool! Don't you understand what a strategic advantage you have! Sure you've got piss poor control at the moment, but you can change that! Did you ever think there was more than necessity in Yondaime's decision to seal the fox inside of you?"
Naruto grunted and rubbed the back of his now aching head. "I don't..."
"Get your head out of your ass and think a minute, kid. It's true your life started off like shit and that the fox's power is dangerous. But you've got talent and things are getting better, aren't they? You've got a lot of friends, teachers and a pretty little Yamanaka hanging on your arm, no?"
His final exclaim was made in a conspiratorial manner and laugh jovially at Naruto's sputter and blush."Like it or not you've got a unique power and a responsibility to control it. It's your legacy and birthright so why don't you stop feeling sorry for yourself and let me help you," Jiraiya offered and helped the boy to his feet.
"He was your student, wasn't he? The Yondaime...so why? Why did he choose me! Was I really just the only unlucky kid born on that day!" Naruto asked in a slightly desperate tone, knowing Jiraiya was perhaps the only man alive that may know the real reason.
The toad sannin shut his eyes briefly and spread his senses outward, making sure nobody was around. When he was satisfied they were alone he knelt on one knee and put his hands on Naruto's shoulders. His chakra spiked and oppressed the poor genin as his goofy eyes seemed to gleam with such power and violence it forced the Uzumaki to listen raptly.
"Look, I'll tell you because you deserve to know. But kami help me, if you ever repeat what I'm about to tell you to anybody and I mean anybody until I tell you otherwise..." he let the threat hang.
"Naruto, Minato chose you for three reasons, the first being: He felt he couldn't ask anybody else to offer a sacrifice he wasn't willing to make himself."
The Jinchuuriki's eyes widened considerably as the implications sank in quickly. But before he could retort loudly and vocalize his emotions Jiraiya smothered his mouth with his hand roughly. "Let me finish, squirt and I told you to keep it QUIET!"
"Secondly, you were the only newborn that survived labor on that day; not that he would've used another baby even if one was available. Finally, I strongly suspect he wanted you to protect you and Konoha from some threat or something by trusting you to one day wield the fox's power," He elaborated intently, stressing the importance of the information.
Naruto nodded his head, his eyes somewhat wide as he wasn't quite sure how to handle the information he had secretly suspected for a while now. He had seen photos and pictures of the Yondaime in the history books Iruka-sensei had him read and he couldn't help but find the resemblance between the Fourth and himself quite uncanny.
To think the man he idolized and aimed to surpass was his father. Naruto fell silent and his eyes seemed vacant as he tried to process what his godfather had just confirmed. With the new knowledge also came more understanding and an epiphany about his childhood. "S-so that why the old man kept me...let me stay alone...to protect me?"
Jiraiya smiled faintly and ruffled his godson's hair. "That's right, see you're sharp enough when you calm down. Minato made many enemies in his youth and that's why you had to be kept under wraps. Because while most villages fear the Kyuubi, there are some villages that would do anything to either acquire or erase the Yondaime's heir. That's why, even though Sarutobi-sensei is against it I decided to tell you the truth. I may have been away for a while, but I want to make up for lost time kid and you deserve to know what's coming for you and who your parents are."
Uzumaki Naruto was not one to hold grudges, everything made a morbid kind of sense now. He finally understood why he was truly chosen besides supposed misfortune. He would not have asked another to shoulder that kind of burden had he been Hokage either. Also, he couldn't blame the Yondaime for the actions taken by the Sandaime; though with the knowledge of the dangers of his heritage he could understand them a bit better now.
"So...how do I call you, Jiraiya-sensei? Kyoufu? " Naruto asked, senseing the sincerity and genuine care in the sannin's voice and thus being able to forgive him and accept him. "And...what cool stuff are you going to teach me?"
The toad sannin smirked and made some hand seals, calling out the 'Kuchiyose no jutsu' before reappearing on the back of a massive red toad with black marks on its body. The large amphibian had a scroll in its mouth which it gently placed in front of Naruto.
Jiraiya motioned Naruto to get closer. "Don't worry, I'm the mighty Jiraiya-sama! I'll whip you up into shape in not time. But first, sign your name in blood next to your father's name and leave your hand print. If you're going to be my student and father's heir you gotta summon toads just like us, no?"
Naruto's eyes widened, excitement flickering through his azure eyes as he thought about all the kick ass possibilities a summoning contract held. He did as instructed carefully and once Jiraiya was satisfied he furled the scroll and retrieved it to its previous place behind his back before nodding to his summoned familiar which croaked before returning to mount Myobokuzan in a puff of smoke.
"I'll get to teaching you summoning later. But for now, as you're now part of the toad clan per say It's time I introduce you to the one who was able to teach me restraint, meditation and control when I was your age. Since I was a lot like you when I was a kid, I think he'll be able to work wonders on you too, Naruto."
Jiraiya then bit his thumb and ran through a sequence of eight hand seals in blinding speed before slamming his hand against the ground roughly. "Ninpo Kuchiyose: Fukusaku" the toad sannin intoned seriously and a cloud of smoke exploded and enveloped sennin and apprentice.
"Oi, Jiraiya-chan! What're you doing summoning me in the middle of my meditation! And when there's no battle to boot!" A squawking, angry voice complained from within the veil of white. When the smoke cleared a little green toad wearing a cloak appeared. The summoned familiar had white hair and a beard was glaring heatedly at the toad sannin.
Naruto gaped as Jiraiya seemed to wince and rub the back of his head "Hey, Pa.." he greeted a bit awkwardly. "I know you don't like the human realm much but this is Minato's kid and the new summoner and he needs your help."
"Oh? He's a bit young to be learning senjutsu, Jiraiya-chan. Even you didn't start until you were in your early twenties..." the old amphibian retorted doubtfully and eyed the son of the fourth doubtfully.
"Actually, I was hoping you'd use the same method you used to teach me restraint, meditation and battle calm on him," the sannin mused with a grin and watched the old sage's eyes widen.
He felt sorry for his godson, but at the same time he knew the kid needed some tough love to get him past his issues. Jiraiya worried for the kid and while he didn't know him too well, he had a feeling he was going to like him and absolutely love teasing him. It was time to make up for lost time and finally live up to his promise to Minato – the additional perks were just a bonus; but very interesting ones at that!
The elder summon smirked and appraised the boy critically while chuckling under his breath, "Oh! That should be fine...as long as you promise to come visit me and ma' soon, she misses you, Jiraiya-chan."
The Jinchuuriki hadn't the slightest idea what was in store for him, but some sense of foreboding; call it premonition or perhaps experience told him whatever 'method' was in question was about to be difficult and painful.
(Four Days Later, Three weeks to the Chuunin Exams, Konohagakure no Sato)
Naruto wondered what streak of luck had liberated him from the training, or rather torture he had endured in the last four days. When Jiraiya had implied the toad sage Fukusaku would break him into discipline he hadn't thought it would be so literal in sense.
The small toad was a hell lot stronger than he looked. He had insisted Naruto stand completely still and clear his mind while tying weights and rocks to his limbs. Every time the small sennin saw Naruto twitch, struggle or show emotions at all he smacked him with his cane with such force even the Jinchuuriki's sturdy body quaked and protested angrily.
All in all the last four days were a living hell. It was one of the cruelest, most painful regimes he could think of but Naruto had to admit he had a feeling it would work. What's more, if he survived that sadistic little familiar's training his body would be quite resilient to pain after being 'toughened up.'
Much to Naruto's own distaste or shame his godfather turned out to be a world class pervert. He would never have guessed the esteemed and legendary toad sannin spied on naked and scantly clad women and wrote fictional escapades for money. Therefore he had taken to fondly calling Jiraiya 'Ero-Kyoufu' when they were alone or with Fukusaku (much to the sennin's amusement) and 'Jiraiya-sensei' in public.
So when the toad summoner had prompted him to arrive at training field 10 for a joint training session with several genin cells he was both apprehensive and excited. He hadn't gotten to see his friends much since he started his 'upgraded' training regime with Jiraiya, Kakashi, Tenzou and Fukuusaku.
The people he saw the most were Ino and Shikamaru whom he trained with regularly for several hours per day. The situation with Ino was somewhat unresolved as both genin were being worked into the ground due to the chuunin exams that were approaching rapidly and had little time to interact and talk about the new stage in their relationship.
Whenever they chanced on some time alone either a toad summoned him to train or Ino's father Inoichi came to collect her for some advanced family training. He supposed it could wait for a while, it wasn't like Ino was going anywhere for now.
He had also even been given a brief break so he could go visit Chouji and Hinata. Chouji wasn't enjoying the hospital, but was happy to be alive and bore the Uzumaki no ill will for taking his place, quoting that 'If anyone deserved a shot, it was Naruto.'
When he arrived at the training field he found it to be deserted san for Hyuuga Hinata. The heiress was sitting against a tree, seemingly waiting for someone as well. He quirked his brow "What's Hinata-chan doing here? I thought she was benched..."
The azure haired girl shifted towards his direction and smiled faintly as he landed in front her. She was clad in a loose fitting kimono tied by an Obi, the less constricting cloth easier on her injuries and bandaged arm. "H-hi Naruto-kun. Were you summoned as well?"
He nodded and smiled as he sat down beside her. "Yup. No offense, Hinata-chan, but aren't you supposed to be resting and recovering?"
"I-I am," she confirmed and shrugged her shoulders, her cast arm aching slightly and eliciting a wince. "Otou-san said I should join Neji-nii and my team for a training session. It should start soon but I think we're too early..."
Naruto was about to catch up with his friend when he caught a chakra signature and shifted his gaze over his left shoulder. Two weeks ago the slight shift in the balance of the chakra around him would have never registered but after being ambushed, hit by jutsu and pelted by Kunai courtesy of Tenzou, Kakashi and now Jiraiya he had learned to keep his senses keen all the time – paranoia had its perks.
"Yo, Kurenai-sensei," he greeted and lifted his hand, watching with inner satisfaction as the genjutsu mistress quirked a brow at him. His eyes narrowed slightly "Why are you guys spying on us? We just got here...?"
Kurenai frowned slightly "You can sense the others, Naruto?"
"Not all of you. But I can sense Shino. His chakra signature's pretty unique and if Shino's here than Neji and Kiba can't be too far off, right?"
Shino leaped down from his hiding place and joined Kurenai. He greeted Hinata softly and didn't bother trying to talk to the Uzumaki. It wasn't that he was being rude, it was the fact the glacier blue eyes narrowed upon him cautioned him against it.
Hinata frowned slightly but chose not to interfere, Neji had at her bequest explained what had went down in the conversation with Sandaime after Hiashi explained Naruto's burden to her. As the future heiress and with Cloud seeming to gun for the Hyuuga once more it was imperative all the crucial information be disclosed to her in case the clan head was killed or incapacitated.
Therefore her perspective on Naruto, his emotional baggage and the situation around him had evolved greatly. Her respect and admiration for him grew even more, to keep relative sanity, hunger for friendship and love despite the harsh rejection and emotional cruelty was nothing if not phenomenal.
"So, Kurenai-sensei, why are we here?" Naruto asked as he helped Hinata to her feet.
"We are in the middle of a training drill. Naruto, you will act as Hinata's personal Shinobi bodyguard. Hinata, you are the 'client' which needs to be escorted and protected to training area 52 on the other side of the forest."
Hinata nodded and glanced at Naruto that seemed deep in thought. "Ano...so you've set up the usual perimeter around us..."
Kurenai nodded and clicked on the radio ear piece in her right ear, "Client collected, we're moving. Bloodhound take point, Silver-eyes you're in the rear guard. Be careful, don't let Gai's appearance deceive you, he's very good at tracking and attacking his targets."
The Jinchuuriki's eyes narrowed dangerously as a grim expression spread over his features. "So...that psycho bitch is one of the hunters. Heh, sounds like fun. It's about time someone put that nut case in her place..."
"Hinata, don't forget not to exert yourself and try to use your chakra unless absolutely necessary. Naruto, don't forget you have your own mission. Your first priority is Hinata, so I advise you to act accordingly and not charge anyone you feel 'hostility' towards..."
The Uzumaki' bit his lower lip as "I understand, Kurenai-sensei. I'll protect Hinata-chan, believe it." he mused lightly and signaled a thumbs up. He then leaned forward and murmured something into Hinata's ear inaudibly, the Hyuuga started slightly and turned towards and assented softly.
Meanwhile, Sakura followed Lee and Tenten as they leaped from branch to branch. The red haired kunoichi's emerald eyes darted from side to side. Gai had ordered her to take it easy last night and despite her misgiving with the jounin and his warning during their first meeting she obeyed.
Her speed, skill and finesse had grown exponentially since she started her training under Danzou as he had assured her when he notified her of her servitude. The metabolic enhancers and chemicals had assured her fat to muscle ratio was perfectly balanced. They also made it possible for her to grow in a rate it would've normally taken her much longer to achieve.
"I sense a large chakra signature up ahead, Sakura-chan. Its imprint is...odd. It must be crimson-eyes,"The ever helpful voice of her darker alter ego supplied. The emerald eyed sociopath's lips twitched ever so lightly, while she could not eliminate the blight of the monster yet or risk her mother's life; she could send him to a world of pain and enjoy every single moment of it. "Leader Beast, I think the target is up ahead, 43 degrees east bound. What are your orders?"
"I see them, I'll deal with Kurenai and come assist you three. The rest of you scramble and don't forget the mission. You are to neutralize the target. Knock her unconscious and we win – so keep your mind on the mission and not personal grudges, understood?"
Three soft affirmations filled the radio waves. Sakura shrugged her shoulders as the picked up the pace, approaching their targets. Hinata was just as good a target as crimson-eyes, that stuck up little bitch had insulted and demeaned Sakura before and could use a good lesson in humility.
Lee however seemed especially skittish as he was conflicted which of his self-appointed rivals was the one he should target. He pushed the thought aside and looked back towards his female teammates, "So...what's our plan, Sakura-chan, Tenten-san?"
"Neji's Byakugan can see through genjutsu and predict my attacks. So...I'm not sure how we'll get through him, his taijutsu is..." Tenten explained and turned to Sakura as she coughed to interrupt her.
"Lee-kun, you have to distract Neji, you're the only one that can fight with him long enough for one of us to slip by him. Tenten-san, use explosive charges to keep the Aburame at a distance, but look out...they're known to use sneak attacks with their kikaichuu so I advise you to use bushin and traps to lure the real Aburame out..."
Sakura made some hand seals and the air around her shimmered and shifted as her concealment genjutsu took hold. "I'll handle the Inuzuka and his dog. Then I'll try to slip from behind and 'assassinate' the target during the whole commotion, ok?"
With that said Danzou's pawn broke off from the other two, heading to the left. Lee's brows furrowed as the ground trembled, most likely due to Gai's entrance. He turned his glance towards Tenten and made a thumbs up before exploding forth at a much greater velocity.
"I don't like this...I have a bad feeling..." Tenten lamented inwardly as she reached for her weapon pouches and removed to small scrolls. She could hear the sound of splintering bark and trembling earth and guessed Gai-sensei was assaulting Kurenai and so she decided to scope the situation.
Her chocolate eyes widened as she watched Kurenai's body shimmer and melt with a ninjutsu/genjutsu variant of substituting with Sakura petals as she and Gai danced around each other in a very delicate balance of deadly grace and speed.
A soft buzzing sound filtered her senses and she looked upwards, her mouth gaping slightly before she leaped wildly to her right, avoiding a swarm of chakra devouring insects just barely. She shifted her gaze around her wildly as she instinctively dodged and climbed the branches and foliage with reckless abandon. "Damn it, how am I supposed to trap and neutralize Shino when I can't find him in the first place!"
As she somersault and and leaped from tree to tree she shot concussion explosive tagged kunai and needles into the tree trunks around her. Begin the very tenuous duel of hunter and hunted, both herself and Shino carefully beginning to weave their web of traps and ambushes for one another.
Neji's eyes widened as he watched his sensei fight with earnest. He had yet to see Konoha's Green Beast fight another Jounin before and now he could understand a bit more why his reputation preceded him within and outside the village.
The pseudo image of the world in white and silver shifted with every burst of chakra. He could tell Kurenai was struggling to keep up with the older Jounin's speed and finesse. His vision flashed as he caught sight of two chakra signatures approaching.
He was about to use his radio to warn Kiba when Gai slammed a chakra enforced kick into Kurenai's side and sent her slamming into a nearby tree. Neji tensed and cursed under his breath as the blurry form of Maito Gai approached him along with another chakra signature he already recognized as Lee. "I haven't mastered it completely, but I may have to use the Kaiten, I can't dodge or block that kind of speed..."
"Neji! Move!" his concentration was broken just as he was about to assume the stance as he heard Naruto call out to him; coinciding with the massive gathering of chakra behind him. The prodigy obeyed wordlessly and watched Gai do the same, but Lee's senses were not attuned to such levels and so he kept on course.
A massive gust of wind smashed into Lee's rushing form, knocking him off his path and sending him spiraling towards the ground. As soon as Naruto's 'Fuuton: Totsunyuu no Teikiatsu' ended Gai's blurry form materialized in front of him and slammed his fist into the blonde's face with crushing might.
Neji watched as Naruto's kage bushin exploded into a cloud of smoke moments before several chakra imprints swirled from around the trees around Gai. "Genjutsu..." Neji realized as what he assumed were clones encased the Jounin.
"You won't have time to watch Gai-sensei fight, Neji!" Lee declared dramatically as he charged the Hyuuga with a fierce side kick. The blow was easily dodged, and the follow up punch was deflected cleanly by a gentle flick of Neji's wrist.
The cold white Byakugan eyes narrowed down on Lee with unnerving intensity. The spandex clad genin glared just as heatedly into his former teammate's eyes. "How could you turn your back on Gai-sensei, Neji? How could you just turn your back on Tenten and me?"
The Hyuuga shook his head slightly and easily danced around Lee's charging fist thrust "Don't be so melodramatic, Lee. I had no saying in this decision made by Hiashi-sama and Hokage-sama." The prodigy explained.
Neji had been warned by both the Hyuuga and Gai in the past to never use the Jyuuken in a friendly spar and so he refrained from smashing his fingertips into Lee's exposed spine and knocking him out. "I suggest you calm down and get your head into this fight. We aren't teammates anymore and this isn't one of our former spars. I will not hold back to accommodate your insecurities and slipups any longer," he cautioned and compromised for smashing his palms into Lee's back and sending him off balance.
The chakra impaired genin reeled through a grunt and turned around and assumed his stance once more. He shot Neji a nasty glare "I'm quite focused, Neji. But if that's how you feel then perhaps I'll show you, my flames of youth! No more holding back! Get ready!" he declared. The young taijutsu specialist felt a tingle in his head before he burst forward at chakra enforced velocity as he partially opened the 'Kaimon' (Opening Gate).
Neji's silver eyes widened slightly, "So that's how it's going to be, Lee? I see your injured pride stings hard if you'd go so far. Fine. I felt sorry for you and withheld using anything except taijutsu against you in the past. But if you're going to be like this I guess I should return the favor and give you a taste of what a fully able shinobi is capable of..."
Kiba paused his stride as Akamaru barked warningly. The Inuzuka sniffed and looked around him cautiously. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he felt a presence around him and leaped sideways, dodging a blurred shape. The branch he previously occupied cracked and splintered. "What the hell?!"
He dodged clumsily as several Kunai and shuriken were shot at him with lethal accuracy. He snarled as he stumbled before he felt the rough surface of the trunk against his back. His expression of shock shifted into glee as he leaped upwards and kicked off the surface of the tree while spinning "Gatsuuga!"
He grinned as he plowed through the blurry shape, only to realize he didn't hit anything. His senses were never wrong, he smelled someone right in front of him and his nose was never wrong. He looked down and saw a blood stained piece of cloth tied around a kunai and his eyes widened.
"Akamaru!" he cried out while making a hand seal. The small white canine leaped towards it master, preparing to initiate the Juujin Bushin jutsu only to be intercepted by a solid blow that sent the dog slamming into a nearby tree.
"Genjutsu..." Kiba realized at last why he couldn't lock on or fight his assailant and he moved his hands into the dispel hand seal. The moment he pushed his chakra outward he felt his skin tingle as he rejected the foreign chakra.
He looked down as he felt something wrap around his wrists and arms. The substance was icy cold and strong and the Inu-nin realized it was something metallic. He was suddenly pulled backwards violently and pinned against the tree before he could get his bearings. "What the hell?!"
That scent, he recognized it now, "You bitch..." he murmured in frustration a moment before his eyes rolled and he was knocked unconscious by a carefully aimed blow to the back of his head.
Sakura gently made sure he leaned securely against the tree and didn't slip off. Her predator like orbs of icy emerald flickered sideways as she heard angry buzzing around her. The Haruno pariah shot one of her chains and latched it around a branch, swinging herself to safety before she let her chakra resonate with the chakra conductive steel, guiding it to wrap around her body with the prodigal chakra control that was her bread and butter.
She reached into her pouch and tossed a small pellet behind her before diving downwards. The explosion of angry flame, slowed down the pursuing insects enough for the Haruno to make a single hand seal as she descended towards the earth.
Danzou had instructed her to use a similar tactic against the infamous female bug of the Aburame as she did with genjutsu and so she unleashed a shock wave of chakra close to her skin. She then spun around and latched onto the tree with one foot for a moment before kicking off it and landing against the ground.
She braced her feet with some chakra as she landed heavily, rolling aside to avoid the flying body of Hyuuga Neji's as it flew across the air. The Hyuuga shifted and kicked off a tree, avoiding Lee's onslaught for a moment before spinning around while unleashing a shell of solid life force around him, repelling and smashing Lee away with violent force.
Lee exhaled painfully as she rolled several times before climbing back to his feet a bit shakily. He didn't have much reprieve as the Hyuuga moved with frightening grace and speed and forced his unfortunate former teammate into the defensive. "Gai is occupying Kurenai, Lee has Neji cornered rather nicely and..."
In the background she heard explosions detonate and surmised Tenten was trying to occupy the Aburame. She shut her eyes and concentrated hard before taking off after the chakra imprint of her antagonist and treacherous former teammate, Uzumaki Naruto. "If he's got that little Hyuuga Bitch with him, you can't sneak past him, so we'll have to charge with the heavy artillery right off the bat!"
Kurenai was thankful to Naruto when he sent several of his clones to try to distract Gai whenever there was an interval that allowed it. However, despite his valiant attempts it was of very little use to her plight as the elite jounin knocked his clones away like pesky mosquitoes.
The gap of offensive ability and experience between the jounin was obvious as Gai's speed and ferocity (even with Naruto's occasional distractions) left the poor female jounin reeling and constantly on the defensive.
"You're pretty impressive for a rookie Jounin, Kurenai-san." Gai commented kindly as the genjutsu mistress parried his kick and watched him dodge her kunai with infuriating ease. Gai was no fool, he didn't allow the younger woman even a moment of respite as if she managed to ensnare him even once in one of her infamously elaborate illusions he knew he would be defeated.
"Thank you, but I have a feeling you're going easy on me..." the woman murmured wearily and rubbed some sweat off her brow with the back of her hand.
"Oh ho! Don't sell yourself too short, I'm having a very good time sparring with you. I'll admit you aren't as sneaky as my eternal rival but you are very impressive. But let us carry on; I'll pick up the level to test your resolve, Kurenai-san!"
The red eyed female stifled a groan as the leotard clad jounin's stance shifted slightly, his weight leaning forward before he sprinted forward. "There are more levels? How does Kakashi deal with this on a regular basis...I think I'm going to strain something..."
Naruto would've carried Hinata to the destination but she had softly explained her injuries and bandages would not take that kind of harsh transportation kindly. Therefore they walked as quickly as possible, Hinata guiding them with her Byakugan. Even though Kurenai had cautioned against it, Hinata had resumed chakra control training three days ago with Hiashi's blessing and she refused to be a burden, even if it was her mission to act as one.
"Naruto-kun, It seems Sakura is following us. What should we do? We aren't too far from our destination," the Hyuuga heiress murmured quietly to her bodyguard.
The Jinchuuriki didn't even struggle with the decision, if he was taught anything in the last couple of months it was that his urges and emotions meant nothing when they aimed to steer him in the wrong path. He knew what had to be done and where his priorities lay. "I'll stall her with some kage bushin, you and the mission come before pounding that psycho bitch..."
Hinata couldn't quite stop the small grin that fought to overcome her lips as Naruto summoned ten shadow clones and sent them towards their assailant. "Let's go!" Naruto then declared and kept his mind on the mission, the two genin keeping on track.
Sakura came to a screeching halt as she noticed the blockade of shadow clones waiting for her patiently. "My my, It's been a while, Sakura. If you're still obsessed with killing me, I'm afraid we can't help you much, being clones and all."
The kunoichi's eyes narrowed as she analyzed the situation calmly, noticing that Naruto wasn't attacking her in blind rage or reckless abandonment. "I don't have time to play with you, Uzumaki. I've got a mission and you're in the way..."
"That's just too bad, ain't it?" one of the clones said as he assumed the Uzumaki white wind tiger stance and launched itself forward. At the same time two clones transformed into giant fuuma shuriken, grasped by a forth clone.
The assassin in training unfurled her chains and started swinging them around herself. She thrust one hand forward and sent the chain towards the rushing shadow clone. Said target shifted beneath the chain and furled his hand around the cold steel, smirking.
Sakura watched as the shuriken wielding clone leap upwards and launch the two impromptu projectiles forth. She made a single hand seal with her free hand, shutting her eyes briefly. Her fingers curled tightly around the chakra conductive steel as a flash of white electricity surrounded her hand.
The clone's eyes widened as it was zapped by the nature chakra and dispelled. Sakura then spun around, her chains controlled by her chakra; wrapping around her arms as she reached for her ninja pouch and took out two kunai. She then pumped the lightning element into the chakra conductive steel and sent it with lethal accuracy towards the upcoming fuuma shuriken.
The psychotic redhead then reached for her weapons pouch and removed several smoke pellets before throwing them against the ground and concealing herself in a veil of smoke; preparing her next move.
The six clones split up, three backing away and creating a triad perimeter while the other three threw several shuriken and kunai into the cloud of smoke. When the white veil cleared Sakura was nowhere to be found, though Naruto could've sworn he heard steel sliding against steel.
The replication squad shrugged off the thought and "Genjutus won't help you, Sakura." With that said the six clones all made a ram seal and unleashed a combined shock wave of chakra, the life force disrupting the illusion around the crimson haired pawn.
Three kage bushin were dispatched as Sakura, now brandishing the two ninjato Danzou had given her at the beginning of her training sliced through them with swift succession and charged at the remaining clones.
"You know, you're pretty sneaky, Sakura, I'll give you that much. But you're lucky I'm holding back...otherwise I'd have kicked your ass a long time ago," one of the clones declared simply and eyed her, unimpressed and looking past her, seemingly not deeming her worthy of its time.
"What's that supposed to mean, you freak?" she asked him scathingly and gripped the weapons tightly. Her knuckles turned white as she charged the blades with electricity just like her sensei taught her. "He's playing mind games with you, Sakura-chan! We'll fumble the mission if you don't focus, don't listen to this shit!"
The Uzumaki didn't answer her and then turned to her with his eyebrow quirked "Hah! Wouldn't you like to know?" he mused off handedly in a dismissive manner. He had been drilled angrily by both Iruka and Kakashi about running his mouth and giving away his abilities to other people and so he was very pleased with himself for delaying her without revealing anything.
Sakura's eyes seemed to blaze with hatred as she slashed the blades in an X motion, sending a crackling construct of wild lightning towards the trio of shadow clones. Two of them were too slow to dodge the lightning attack, though normally they could've easy blocked it with a good usage of the wind element.
"You know, if I were you I'd be less worried about me and more worried about Neji-san, bitch" The last surviving clone mused in a sing song manner. The red haired teen only had a moment to turn sideways and catch sight of the Hyuuga prodigy that had easily dismantled Lee with a clever use of substitutions, clones and well placed strikes, before he slammed his palm into her body with such force it knock her on her back.
The concealed figure of Mitarashi Anko observed her 'pet project' from the treetops above. "Her misguided obsession on Uzumaki made her totally forget the mission, again. Shit, I was just as bad until recently, no wonder I was such a piss poor Jounin. I wouldn't listen to reason either...Never again"
The snake jounin sighed softly, "But how to get her to see reason? Shit, I'll ask Ibiki, maybe he has an idea on how to shake her out of her craziness..."
She watched as Gai and Kurenai rounded up their wounded and weary looking genin. She was impressed by the batch, they all performed rather well. Though the Inuzuka got his ass handed to him due to being unable to deal with the superiorly trained kunoichi.
The snake mistress's golden-violet eyes narrowed a touch as she saw the visible tension amongst some the genin, she would report it objectively if she already noticed it.
The Aburame seemed to have a somewhat strained relationship with the Hyuuga heiress and Inuzuka though there was still devotion and loyalty among the three. The Hyuuga branch member seemed very upset with the somewhat aching and battered green clad boy leaning on an unknown female. Said kunoichi looked concerned and conflicted between picking a side between the boys.
"What a soap opera," Anko murmured to herself and saluted silently to Gai and Kurenai that lookd her way before leaping away, contemplating just what and how she should relay her findings to the Sandaime.
Important A/N: The Yasankai no Magatame necklace is the third treasure of the Japanese imperial dynasty, along with the Mirror (which Itachi uses with Susasnoo) and Kusangai blade (Oro's blade) So I simply self inserted the third part. If Kusanagi is the ultimate blade and the mirror is the ultimate physical defense, then the necklace is the ultimate mental defense and thus it's fitting in my opinion. for more info see the 'Yasakani no Magatama' part of this article: http (colon) //en (dot) wikipedia (dot) org/wiki/Magatama
Jutsu List / Glossary
'Housenka no jutsu.'- Mythical Fire Phoenix Technique – C rank Katon jutsu – unleashes a storm of exploding fire projectles (usually Uchiha conceal kunai and shuriken within the fire)
'Doton: Boushi Ishikajou' - Earth Release: Spinning Stone Spiral– B rank Earth jutsu – The user will command the earth around him to solidify and then rise into a whirling cylinder around him for protective needs.
"Kunai Kage Bunshin" - Kunai Shadow Clone – The user will replicate the thrown weapon in a according to the chakra input into the jutsu.
'Bunshin Bakuha' - Exploding Clone'– A technique which causes shadow clones to detonate/explode violently upon dispelling (by user or foe)
'Tsuchi Kawarimi' - Earth clone – The user can partially shift his body between mud and reform and replicate himself with the nearby soil.
'Houmatsu Reppa' - Violent Bubble Wave – high level Suiton jutsu – the user will spew a high velocity gale of bubbling cold water towards his foe
'Goukakyo no jutsu' - Grand Fireball technique – mid-level fire technique, the user will spew a massive mushroom of furious flame and control its motion by guiding it with his head and hand (which funnels the air that ignites)
'Ninpo Kushiyose: Museihebi no Eihei' - Ninja Arts Summoning: Silent Serpent Sentinel – specialized snake summon of an armored snake that is resilient to elemental/energy attacks (much weaker than Rashoumon, but less draining in chakra and more flexible in an offensive manner as well)
'Baku Shishouha' - Bursting water collision waves - High level Suiton jutsu – the user will spew out a massive gushing wave of water, creating a ready water source and sending it raging towards his foe.
'Suirou no jutsu' - Water Prison technique – High level Suiton jutsu – the user will create a sphere of dense and heavy water that entraps his target, thus preventing motion and chakra gathering and also suffocating/drowning it if it isn't released quickly enough.
Suiton: Susanoo no kataki - Water Release: Susanoo's revenge -Kisame's S-class Suiton jutsu - Kisame will use the water he created earlier to erect a massive tsunami and pull it several hundred feet back before invoking it to rush forward at impossible speed and crush and destroy anything in its path.
Kuchiyose no jutsu' – Summoning technique
'Fuuton: Totsunyuu no Teikiatsu - Wind Release: Rushing Cyclone – Mid level Fuuton jutsu – the user will invoke a spiralling cone of air, that will blow towards the foe and cause crushing damage upon impact, the further the collision point from the summoner, the weaker the jutsu's power as it loses momentum gradually.
Juujin Bushin – Beast-Man Clone – The trademark Inuzuka cloning technique where their dog partner assumes feral human form.