Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.
Team 7's Ascension
Chapter XX - Fallen Leaves II
The rising sun drenched the world in orange light as Team Seven arrived near the entrance to the capital of the Land of Fire. After their first visit, time and distance had lessened the impact of Tanyu's sheer size, but it returned with force as they gazed once more upon the large gate that led into the city proper. Made of red bricks, it rose as high into the air as the stone faces of Konoha's Hokage. On each side, a tower, even larger in size, gave credence to the might of the wealthiest nation of the Great Five. From each tower a silver banner hung, the Daimyo's sigil woven into it with golden thread.
Naruto paused in the woods a mile away from the red monstrosity, giving his teammates the sign to halt as he eyed the crowd that streamed in and out of the gate. The last time they had entered Tanyu, Kakashi-sensei had been with them and dealt with the guards. Now, however, Kakashi-sensei was somewhere in Suna, and the guards weren't likely to let them in as easily. He hadn't forgotten how the city guard observed their every move back then. Suspicion against shinobi ran high. That hadn't changed in the last year.
Naruto strained his eyes. "I can't see shit," he said after a few seconds. "Sasuke, does your Sharingan work on such distances?"
Sasuke's lips twitched as he stepped up to him; in a sea of red, three commas whirled around a black dot. "It does, somewhat. Comes with the third stage." He gazed upon the guards, then whistled. "That's going to be difficult. About thirty guards—some of them with an active chakra network. They had some form of training."
"Any ideas?" Naruto asked.
"I doubt we can pass them with a simple henge," Sakura said. "But we can try to slip by as regular civilians."
"Won't work. There's one guy in the back who's doing nothing but stare at the people passing through."
"A sensor?" Sakura said. "Well, damn. He'll notice our chakra even if we don't use it."
Naruto broke away from them and leaped a few trees ahead, getting a better look at the wall but staying far enough from the guards at the gate to avoid being noticed while he counted the patrols moving on the wall.
"Why don't we just scale it?"
"…that could work."
"Let's circle around the city first to get away from the sensor," Sasuke said.
Naruto followed him and Sakura for several minutes until they reached a part where the gate wasn't in sight anymore. He took a deep breath, trying to ease the tenseness in his shoulders. Breaking into the capital couldn't be that simple. "We have to be careful. I doubt it'll be as easy as we think."
Sakura's lips twisted into a strained smile. "Nothing for it but to try. Remember, we're in for it anyway."
"True enough, I suppose. Sasuke, don't use your Sharingan inside. We're trying to remain undercover."
They sprinted toward the bottom of the wall, channeling the appropriate amount of chakra, shooting upward. Soon, Naruto had passed the tree crowns, and with a last leap, he vaulted over the battlement, landing in a crouch on the wall as Sakura and Sasuke touched down beside him.
"There they are."
All three took on a combat stance. Dozens of guards stood around them, some with a semblance of training as they easily saw in their posture and movement. Naruto glared at them, trying to think of a way out. They couldn't manage a prolonged fight, and only Kami knew how many more of those guards were on the way.
Then the rows of guards parted, creating a small path for a man who strolled up to them. He wore the brown robes of a monk, but Naruto had never seen anyone who looked less like one. A shuriken dangled from his ear and on his necklace he had fastened a kunai. Long black hair covered half of his head, the other side was shorn bald. Naruto wondered if it was possible to barrel through the opening the man occupied, but Sakura's frantic heel-clicking warned him off. He tuned his own senses to the stranger and nearly choked. That guy had more chakra than Sasuke and Sakura combined, which was still not as much as Kakashi-sensei or he himself had, but more than enough to pose a serious threat.
"I wondered when the next ones would be brazen enough to try," the man said, staring at them and Naruto had to keep himself from flinching as he saw the darkness churning inside those violet pits. "Have you really thought we wouldn't protect the wall? A seal alerted us the moment you set foot on it." The man uttered a deep laugh. "You may call me Nikujī-oniisama."
A shiver crawled up Naruto's spine.
Why was this guy affecting him so much? He bit hard enough on his lips to draw blood. When the fear suddenly lessened, Naruto's mind began working itself in a frenzy. Was it a Genjutsu? If yes, then it was subtle enough to fool even Sakura. Naruto glanced at Sasuke, but he, too, was in the man's thrall as he hadn't activated his Sharingan. Naruto shifted a bit to the right, closer to his teammates.
Now, bereft of the irrational fear and thinking clearly once more, Naruto struck out lightning fast. He punched the nearest guard, then threw him at Nikujī. During the confusion, he tapped Sakura and Sasuke, flooding their system with his own chakra, disrupting the flow of the Genjutsu.
As if a spell had been lifted, both attacked the guards, ready to wreck everything in their way. Sasuke looked murderous as he hurtled toward Nikujī, his sword already drawn. After what Itachi did to him, Sasuke was rather sensitive to being put in a Genjutsu.
Naruto had just kicked another pair of guards away when Sasuke tumbled into him. As he found his balance, his features twisted into a snarl. Naruto couldn't help but see the underlying confusion though. Whatever Nikujī had done, Sasuke hadn't understood it.
They readied themselves for another round, when Nikujī turned to smoke. Snickering echoed over the wall. Naruto turned to the source and the blood froze in his veins. Chains choked Sakura back as she tried to escape Nikujī. A butcher knife hovered next to her stomach. Then Sakura's body slackened in her captor's hold—her expression placid, happy even. Genjutsu, again.
Naruto stepped forward, a growl rising in his throat.
"Ah, don't move too much. You wouldn't want me to carve up your girlfriend, right?"
Gnashing his teeth, Naruto said, "What do you want?"
"That's easy. Just be calm and let me do my job. Guards."
Naruto remained still as the guards fastened manacles around their wrists. He would've laughed at their weak attempt to restrain him, but once he felt the sensation of chakra leaving his body, the laugh got stuck in his throat. The chakra was still there, simmering just beneath the surface of his consciousness. But he couldn't access it.
"Well, that was fun," Nikujī said, thrusting Sakura into the arms of a guard. "Bring them to the holding facility. I'll be with them after I've made the report."
After taking their cloaks and weapons, which Nikujī confiscated, the guards led them into a tower, pulling them down the stairs. Torches sparsely lit the way and Naruto stumbled every now and then as their feet had been shackled. They descended for minutes, prodded onward by the guards.
As the distance between them and Nikujī rose, a haze lifted from Naruto's mind. He hadn't even registered its existence before. It was a slow process though, and he could feel that each second would bring more clarity. He shuffled forward, intentionally entangling himself in the chains that leashed his feet together and sunk against the wall.
One guard gripped his arm, hauling him to his feet. Naruto used that time to get a look at his teammates. Sakura and Sasuke, too, appeared as though they had just escaped from a mire of confusion. Their eyes met and Naruto saw understanding dawn in them.
"Look where you're going, scum," a guard said, pressing the blunt end of a spear into his back, shoving him forward.
Naruto didn't reply, but followed the order without struggle. He didn't really understand what kind of Genjutsu Nikujī had used on them, but the effects weakened further as time passed by and the guards led them out of the tower and into a fortified house. Whatever it was, it didn't change their chakra being unavailable though.
In the house, a group of four wardens decked out in full armor and armed with swords waited on them. Naruto groaned inwardly. The guards' spears and light protection paled in comparison. This just became more difficult.
"Shinobi?" a warden asked.
"Yes. Their chakra is already sealed."
The warden nodded, satisfied with the answer. "Good. You can go back to your post. We will lock them up until Nikujī-sama is back."
Heeding the order, the guards left the building. Once the last was out of sight, the wardens brought them into a cell. Inside, the stench of shit mixed with urine nearly overwhelmed Naruto. He fought to keep his stomach under control, soon spying the cause for the wretched smell. A wooden bucket filled with waste had been toppled over. High in the wall, rays of light shone through a small slit, illuminating smears of blood on multiple chains dangling from the ceiling.
The wardens stepped up to them and pulled them over to the chains, planning to hang them up like cured meat. Naruto exchanged a glance with his teammates. Their ability to use chakra had been taken away, but now that the Genjutsu had vanished, they could work something out.
A warden lifted Naruto's manacled hands, and he lurched forward. The man reached for his sword, but Naruto had already stepped into his guard. He jumped upward, ramming his head against the man's chin. The man reeled back from the impact. From the tail of his eyes Naruto saw Sakura and Sasuke each handling one warden, which meant the fourth was also coming for him.
Air prickled on his neck and he dove away. A sword soared through the air, missing him by inches. Naruto stopped his roll and landed in a crouch at the other end of the cell. As both wardens advanced with raised weapons, he looked around frantically. There had to be something he could use.
Then he found it, and a mean grin tugged at his lips. When the wardens were nearly upon him, he stepped to the side and kicked the bucket at one of them. They flinched back as feces rained down on them. Naruto sprinted forward, jumping up and gripped a chain with both hands. He used his momentum and planted his feet squarely in the face of one guard, sending him careening into the wall.
As Naruto reached the ground, the other warden attacked with a wild scream, his face smeared with shit. Naruto crouched low, swiping at his legs. The man evaded the attack and slashed at him with the sword in his right. Naruto staggered back, barely avoiding the blade, but the warden wasn't finished. He took a long stride, cocked his left fist back, thundered forward. The plated glove crashed into Naruto's face.
Naruto tried to regain his balance but his back hit the wall as he tried to avoid the second punch. It landed and his head smashed against the stone. Dizziness overtook him. Naruto shook his head to clear it. He wouldn't go down like this.
The warden raised his sword and Naruto pushed himself away from the wall, lunging forward desperately. He barreled into the man, closing his manacled hands around the wrist that held the sword. Both tumbled to the ground in a mess of steel, shit and blood.
Without chakra though, the difference in physical strength was too great. The warden threw him off, ready to end this battle. He lifted his sword, when Sasuke appeared next to him and hammered his shackled fists against the back of the man's skull. The warden's mouth slackened and he sunk to the ground in an instant, unconscious.
"Thanks," Naruto said as he rose from the ground, gingerly touching his cheek where he had been punched twice.
"I had to dodge a bucket before I could finish my opponent," Sasuke said, scowling. "I would've been faster otherwise."
Naruto grinned at him. "Everyone ducks when the shit comes flying. Damn thing saved my ass."
Stertorous breathing resounded behind them. Sakura, too, hung from a chain. She had her thighs wrapped tightly around the neck of her opponent, squeezing until he blacked out. While she finished up, Sasuke began rifling through the wardens' armors.
"That was a close call." Sakura said, rubbing her wrists as soon as Sasuke had found the key and removed the shackles from their legs and hands.
Naruto nodded. "Too close." Chakra surged inside of him, blasting through his tenketsu, eager to fill him up completely. It was a divine sensation. He also felt the Kyuubi's red chakra throw itself into the mix, first numbing his pain, then healing him. "We should get away quickly. There's no telling when this Nikujī guy will come back."
Sasuke and Sakura followed him as they sneaked through the hallways of the building. They had each taken a sword from their captors, but the supplies they had brought with them were in the hands of Nikujī. And however much they liked their cloaks and original weapons, avoiding another meeting with that psychopath took priority. Once outside, they scurried through dank alleys until they were far enough away from the prison.
Sakura glanced at their blood-smeared attire. "We need a bath and fresh clothes or they will track us by scent alone." She directed a glare at Naruto. "It's a miracle that none of the feces hit us."
"I have good aim."
"That's not the point."
"I'm sorry, but I had to stay alive…it was a shitty position."
Sakura stared at him; an exasperated sigh escaped her. "You're horrible," she said, her lips twitching into a smile.
Then they noticed that Sasuke was conspicuously absent. Naruto turned around, searching the alley but found nothing. "Sasuke?" Sakura called out, hoping that no guards were in the vicinity.
"Calm down. I'm here." Sasuke swung over the railing of a balcony above them and landed with a soft thud. He held up a bundle of clothes. "I got something for us."
"When—"
"You two were arguing about useless…shit." Sasuke smirked. "We shouldn't stay much longer. The guy will notice his missing stuff soon."
"We need a bath first," Sakura said. "Or the clothes will be useless."
"No way will they let us in a public bath like this."
Sakura furrowed her brow. "You remember Ground Twelve?"
"How can I ever forget it?" Naruto laughed. "First time I saw you naked."
Sakura shrugged. "It was an equal opportunity thing. Anyway, we could do the same again. I don't want to break into someone's house just to take a bath."
"We should move farther into the city then," Sasuke said. "We're close enough to the walls that a sensor could pick up Naruto's fluctuating chakra."
"Let's get to it then."
Keeping to the shadows of the lesser populated streets, they moved toward the Daimyo's palace, avoiding contact with other humans to the best of their ability. Behind one of the houses, they found a yard surrounded by a high fence. The door to the house was locked, as were the windows, but for their plan to work, they only needed the privacy of the yard anyway.
"This should be far enough," Sasuke said. "Any closer to the palace and we're running the risk of alerting the Twelve Guardians."
Naruto cocked his head to the side. "You mean Asuma-san's old crowd? I almost forgot about them."
"I don't know if I'd call them his crowd. But they're dangerous—maybe this Nikujī is one of them, too."
Naruto clenched his teeth as he heard that name. It was humiliating how easy the guy had taken them down. Shaking his head, he turned to Sakura, who had already stripped down. "Ready?" he asked, and when she nodded, he weaved through the hand seals for the first water technique he had ever learned. "Suiton: Semai Mizushuuha."
It didn't take long for all three of them to become reasonably clean. After the shower, they slipped into their new clothes, then took to the streets again. Without the stench, they needn't avoid the bustling main streets, all of which led to the large palace in the middle of Tanyu. Several guards loomed on the roofs, staring into the moving masses below. None of Team Seven felt overly threatened though as even a shinobi would have problems to find a person in this congestion of humans. On their way, Naruto pilfered a bag filled with coins from a merchant, employing all his skills not to get caught.
"I'm hungry," he told his teammates as they stared at the heavy satchel in his hand. "We should find an inn or something." Naruto sighed. "Making due without our supplies won't be easy."
Sasuke glanced at him. "Unlikely. We didn't have any supplies either when we trained with Kakashi."
"True, I guess." A growl echoed in Naruto's stomach, convincing his teammates that it was, indeed, a good idea to find a place to rest, eat, and plan. They wandered the streets for a few minutes, before Naruto's nose picked up a heavenly scent. He turned to his teammates, a grin splitting his face. "Found something."
Inside of the small shop, he ordered several bowls of beef ramen, tea, and rice dumplings with vinegar sauce, spending a sizable part of the money he had stolen. They waited for the first row of orders, then seated themselves at a table in the back of the establishment. From there they had the entrance in their sight and could—in the worst case—escape through the backdoor.
Sakura applied a few weak illusions around their table. They would conceal their presence from people who didn't know they were there, so the waitress could still reach them. "So, how do we get to…what's his name?"
"Komon-sama." Naruto spat out the name like a curse. In truth, he had had enough of the man during his month in Tanyu back then. A spider in silken robes, weaving nets of deceit around the innocent. "Head advisor of the imperial court. He's held in the highest esteem by the daimyo. His political enemies disappear from the map like flies."
"And you want that man to help us? Is that even possible?" Sakura asked, swallowing the noodles in her mouth. "He seems dangerous."
Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "Not like we have any—" He stopped himself from talking further as the waitress approached their table with a tray full of bowls and steaming cups of green tea. He smiled at her as she put them on the table. The waitress bowed slightly, then left them alone. The minute she had left the area encircled by Sakura's Genjutsu, Naruto's smile turned into a frown. "Komon could've played me for a fool, but in this regard, at least, he sounded sincere. As far as I noticed, there's one thorn in his side since he ascended to his position."
"Which is?" Sasuke asked, leaning back into the cushions. He appeared relaxed outwardly, but his hand was gripping the hilt of his sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice. The fight with Nikujī had visibly shaken him. Naruto could fully understand that. The monk-that-wasn't had entrapped all of them in some kind of illusion that had sapped the will to fight right out of them. And he did so with an ease that scared the shit out of him.
"Konoha. The man is obsessed with power, but as long as Konoha stands in his way, he'll never have total control over the Land of Fire. Can you see Ji—the Hokage—bow his head to him? I think that's the reason he was so friendly to me in the first place. I told him that I planned to become Hokage."
"That's basically any child spewing idealistic dreams," Sasuke cut in. "I don't believe for a second that he'd take a chance on you for that alone."
"It's not just that," Naruto replied, staring hard at Sasuke. His dream of becoming Hokage had defined his whole childhood. It hurt to have it ridiculed like that, even though Sasuke's argument was sound. "There are several factors which I think made him consider playing nice. First—he probably knows that I'm a Jinchūriki. I don't doubt for a second that a man like him has a way to acquire such information. That gives me power in the future, something you need as a Kage."
"That's one," Sasuke said, sipping his tea. "Viable, but not enough."
"Second," Naruto continued. "He knows who our sensei is. You heard the Daimyo back then. Kakashi-sensei's reputation precedes him not just as a capable shinobi in his own right, but also as the student of the Yondaime. Also, it is possible that Komon even knows about Jiraiya—we weren't that secretive with our training."
"I have to agree with that," Sakura said, resting her chin in her palm. "That's an impressive list of teachers if nothing else. I can see a guy like that picking up on such a connection."
Naruto nodded. "That's not all though." He briefly fixed his gaze on the bowl of ramen in front of him, observing the beef swimming in the broth. Ambiguity filled him at the thought of the next point. It represented at once a happier time he'd love to live again, staying oblivious to the cruelty of the world, but also stood for a weakness he rid himself off to survive. He sighed. Innocence was such a fragile thing. At length, he said, "He noticed within moments that what I craved more than anything else was acknowledgement, which he showered me with in return. And before Kakashi-sensei showed up, I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker."
He was glad that not even a shred of pity crept into their expressions, really. It wasn't what he needed. They had understood that long ago and showed their support in other ways. Empathy was the strongest trait that shone through in his teammates since the inception of their team, and he was thankful for it. Perhaps more than they even realized.
"Now, add that I hadn't made a big mystery about my relationship with Ji—the Hokage."
Sakura hummed in response. "That gives you a lot of desirability: the power, the guidance, the connections, and most importantly you were malleable in his eyes. You say he took your 'training' with him seriously?"
"Very. In that month alone, I learned more about the Elemental Nations than in the rest of my life so far. He basically tried to prepare me for a rise in ranks and to enter the political arena without being completely green."
"That's all great, but aren't you forgetting something?" Sasuke asked. "If he knows that you're a Jinchūriki, he also knows how you're received by the majority of Konoha's population. Do you think a man like that would bet on you to become the Hokage?"
Naruto sighed. "I wonder if he sees it like that. I can guarantee you that he isn't well liked either and still became the head advisor. But that's not the main problem."
Wariness showed on Sakura's face. "What else?"
"I'm reasonably sure he'd throw his support behind us if we were assured to be shinobi of Konoha. Remember, he wants an insider. But we're not Konoha-nin anymore, are we? I'd be asking him to pave the way for us with no reward beyond my loyalty which doesn't belong to the village anymore."
Sasuke set his cup down with a resounding thwack. Tea spilled over the rim, spreading on the wooden table. His eyes were narrowed to slits. "I followed you, because you said you had a plan." He bristled with anger, then calmed himself. "You're practically family, but do you even realize that we have put our lives on the line here? This isn't a plan. Damn, as it sounds, you're gambling with our future more than anything else."
Naruto remained silent, enduring the verbal barbs. After all, Sasuke was right to a certain degree. His plan was shaky at best; the goal unattainable at worst. Sakura, too, looked at him, waiting for an answer. Had it been anything else, she probably would've tried to calm Sasuke. But she was the one who had pleaded with them to think this through beforehand.
"I have an idea how to still get his support…I wouldn't have asked for your help otherwise." He saw their expectant expressions and continued speaking. "Konoha won't officially brand us as traitors, not with who we are. They'll sent their best Oi-nin after us, but with discretion. That much I'm sure of. With a war brewing, they can't afford to have such notorious members of their force turn traitor. It's bad for morale."
"So what now?" Sasuke asked stiffly.
Sakura's features softened a bit. "I think I get what he's trying to say. We're shinobi. We lie. If Komon doesn't know we're traitors, we can try to bullshit our way through."
Sasuke remained skeptic. "How?"
"Multiple ways. The best would be to say we're on a black ops mission. Laying on thickly how much we learned under Kakashi-sensei's and Jiraiya's tutelage. Komon will probably ask why we didn't get the permit from the Hokage. To which we'll answer that it can't be traced back to him, and that it's also a test of our mettle and resourcefulness."
"Convincing him that you've grown quickly enough as a shinobi to merit such a mission…he'll eat it up, as it is what he had hoped for anyway." The anger vanished from Sasuke's face. "Risky. But it could work. You really think he'll throw in with us?"
"It's the only way I see. And it has a higher survival rate than marching through the Land of Rivers or mucking around at the borders of a country that closed itself off from any outside contact for the last few years."
Sakura nodded. "How do we get to the man then?"
Naruto's lips twitched. He was grateful that the animosity from before had dissolved somewhat. "That is actually the last argument I have for him supporting us. He gave me a way to contact him in case I had something important. There's a cook in the palace kitchens who handles outside messages for Komon. I've seen the guy. He leaves the palace each night to play shōgi in a gambling hall nearby."
"You could've said that earlier," Sasuke grumbled. "That's by far the most convincing argument."
"He's right," Sakura said. "It's a visible sign that he values you to some degree."
Naruto grinned sheepishly, scratching the nape of his neck. "Sorry?"
They waited until the moon hung ripe above the city proper, before making their way over to the gambling hall where the cook played shōgi every night. As Naruto pushed the door open and entered, a cacophony of chimes alerted the man who sat next to a small table at the entrance. The fine brush in the clerk's hand stilled. He glanced at the newcomers, eying them for a moment, then put the brush away and rose from his flat cushion to greet them.
"I bid you welcome to this establishment," he said, bowing formally. "Excuse my bluntness please, but what kind of joy do you seek? Imperial regulations have to be followed after all and, unfortunately, your apparent age does not meet the requirements for some of the more exquisite indulgences we offer."
Naruto returned the bow, then looked over the clerk's shoulder and at the interior. The games were played in a basement, divided into multiple parts by lavishly decorated wall panels. Tatami mats provided a soft sitting ground for the players and gamblers, while the entrance level which housed the spectators spotted fleecy red carpet. Some visitors sat back in comfortable armchairs, indulging in sake; others were leaning over the wooden balustrade, observing the games. Guards patrolled both floors to ensure that none of the spectators helped the players to win through cheating.
Clearing his throat, Naruto brought his attention back to the clerk who was still waiting for a response. "We want to play some shōgi. There shouldn't be an age restriction on that."
"You are right, of course." The clerk waved a waitress to his side, giving instructions to man the entrance for a while. "If you will follow me, honorable customers, I would be delighted to show you the designated shōgi area." Despite Naruto's initial assumptions, the man didn't steer them to the lower level, but marched them through a door that lead toward a flight of stairs instead.
They passed a small hallway that broke away from the stairs, and a shield denoting it as the first floor roused Naruto's curiosity. "Can you tell us what these 'exquisite' indulgences you mentioned are?"
"You would not be able to partake, young master. As I told you, this establishment adheres to the regulations stipulated by the Daimyo's court." The clerk smiled knowingly as though he knew the inquisitiveness that came with entering a gambling hall as a youth. Just as they were about to continue in their ascent toward the next floor though, a piercing shriek echoed inside Naruto's head, coming from the hallway at his side. Behind him, Sasuke and Sakura shifted slightly. They didn't want to attract attention to their actual profession, but heightened their awareness nonetheless. A second shriek resounded, and by the third all three relaxed as they noticed the lusty quality it had gained.
"Ah, that would be one of these indulgences," the clerk said, his lips twitching into a grin. "But let us not linger for long. I am sure you have a joy-filled night before you, honorable guests." He lead them up another flight of stairs, toward the second storey, where he showed them into a room with a polished wooden floor. Shōgi boards stood at regular intervals, a cushion at three of the sides so the players as well as an attendant could sit. The clacking sound of shōgi pieces moving across the boards filled the air, blending with low-voiced chatter.
"This is where we part ways," the clerk said, bowing once more. "Just wait for a board to be free; the attendant will take care of the rest. Also, if you seek refreshment, the bar is outfitted with several liquids of great variety. Be aware though that no alcoholic beverages will be sold to you due to your age."
After the man had left, they went to an empty corner from where they could watch a game nearby and talk without being overheard. Rubbing his hands together, Naruto said, "This is quite the joint."
"We can visit more often after we've rescued Kakashi," Sasuke said, glancing around the room. "Do you see that cook anywhere?"
Sasuke's words brought their original goal back into focus and Naruto craned his neck to get a better view as he searched the players for their target. "Found him," he said, nodding toward a man who sat at a board on the opposite side of the room.
"He's in the middle of a game though, so we'll have to wait," Sakura said, frowning.
Naruto's brows rose as he heard her talk. "You've been rather silent so far. What's up?"
Her face contorted into a sour expression as she answered his question. "Rich people like to gamble. My father's no different, even though he's more careful than others." Bitterness seeped into her voice. "It's funny, isn't it? He keeps saying that the company eats all his time, but I've seen him often enough in Konoha's gambling parlors to know different."
"You followed him?" Sasuke asked.
Sakura shrugged her shoulders, sorrow churning in her eyes. "I wanted certainty and I got it. That man hasn't been my father for a while now."
Naruto's insides drew together. "I forgot to ask back then, but is he…still alive?"
"I saw him after visiting the Hyūga compound. Our house is destroyed, but he's fine. Already had a large tent set up from where he could manage his wealth."
"And—"
"Please don't. Let's forget him for now." She smiled, but the sight was less than comforting. Naruto swallowed the bile rising in his throat, clenching his hands into fists until his knuckles turned white. How would it feel had his parents survived the Kyuubi but didn't care for him? The Hokage still hadn't told him who they were, always citing the need for him to become stronger first. Acquiring knowledge about his parents would have to wait for quite some time now, because no matter how this whole rescue mission ended, the only man who had the information he needed wouldn't be pleased.
Sasuke gripped his shoulder, nudging him toward the other side of the room. "They're almost done."
Naruto walked over to the shōgi board with a slow gait, assured that Sasuke and Sakura were right behind him. The opponent of the cook rose angrily from his seat, swearing up a storm, then left toward the door. Taking the chance, Naruto settled on the cushion, nodding toward the attendant beside them. For the first time he laid eyes on his target from such a close proximity. The cook's skin looked like old, stretched leather. An assortment of grizzly scars ran over his face in indeterminable patterns. Naruto's eyes narrowed as he saw them. No kitchen knife could leave such marks on a human body. Whoever had inflicted these wounds knew quite a lot of ways to hurt and maim without killing.
Having stashed his winnings inside of his sleeves, the man glanced up. His features hardened as he saw them. "I don't play with brats. There's no challenge that way."
"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, his gaze never leaving the cook's eyes.
"I have enough honor not to be proud of trouncing children."
The attendant at their side cleared his throat. "There are other people waiting to play, honorable customers. If you would be so kind to reach a decision soon, I would be much obliged." He directed his imploring stare at Naruto. "Also, if you want to partake, you need to bet money. Perhaps your opponent will change his mind once you show him what he could win?"
Naruto threw the satchel he had pilfered earlier in the day on the shōgi board. Their lunch had taken some money, but it still sufficed for at least one game. They needn't more anyway. "Here, that should be enough."
The attendant peered into the bag and nodded, satisfied with its content. "This is indeed plenty, young master." He showed it to the cook, who had lit up a cigarette. "Are you sure you want to refuse a game with such stakes?"
The cook's eyes widened once he got a glimpse of the satchel's insides. He placed his cigarette in a nearby ashtray, leaned forward, and stared at Naruto. "This is a lot of money, brat. You sure this is alright with you?"
"Pretty much. If it makes you feel better, think of this as giving me a shōgi lesson," Naruto replied with a grin.
Clicking his tongue, the cook set up his side of the board. "You should take better care of your money, brat. But you're right, there's a lesson for you to learn and I'm not rich enough to pass on such an offer."
"Please be a kind teacher," Naruto replied, setting up his own pieces. His skill in shōgi didn't go past a few basics and the games he had played with Shikamaru, but for his purpose he didn't need to win.
Move after move, dull thwacks echoed as the pieces hit the board. The target was good, definitely better than himself, playing with resourcefulness and cunning in a way that made Naruto even admire the man. Soon, though, the game came to an abrupt halt. As per the instructions Komon had given him back then, Naruto had moved the tiles in certain, recognizable patterns.
The cook stared hard at the board, the rims of his eyes tightening. Then he reached into his haori and pulled out money of his own, throwing it toward the attendant with a snarl. "I want nothing to do with this," he spat, leaving the room with long strides.
Naruto sat at the other side of the board, looking dumbfounded at the now free place his target had previously occupied. He rushed to his feet, noticing from the corner of his eyes how Sasuke stole the money back, and hastened toward the door as well. They raced down the stairs, ignoring the lusty moans from the first floor.
Sasuke hissed beside him as they entered the entrance level. The night had progressed far and a seething mass of people filled the playing den as well as the spectator area. There was barely room to breathe as they hurried through the crowd, shoving aside those who didn't move out of their way fast enough.
"Young master—"
Naruto pushed against the clerk who had greeted them, mumbling a quick, unheard apology as the man fell to the ground. The only exit to the building was also its entrance, and with their pace, they made it out before the guards could reach them. Outside, the chill of the night froze his skin as it cooled the sweat covering the nape of his neck. He took a quick glance around and found the cook walking down the street, then turning to the right and entering a side alley.
Without words, Team Seven ran after the man, taking care not to be too overt about their abilities as shinobi that far out in the open. The only technique they applied was to soften their steps to a degree that their target wouldn't hear them approach.
Soon they had caught up to the cook, who hurled epithets at the air around him, cursing his luck, Kami, and everything in-between. His countenance darkened even further as Sakura and Sasuke landed in front him. Turning to the other side, he came face to face with Naruto. His face contorted into a scowl. "What do you want?"
"You know what we want," Naruto answered softly. "Look, there's no need for a fight. Just deliver our message to the head advisor and we're done here."
A guttural laugh escaped the man. "Komon? You want to meet fucking Komon? I'm done with that piece of shit." Pointing at his face, the cook's expression turned hateful, twisting the many scars into a frightful grimace. "These aren't for show, boy. And my face isn't the only place you can find them on. I had enough of Komon and his rabid enforcer."
After sharing a glance with his teammates, Naruto closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. "Be gentle, Sakura. He's a good man."
"What's that supposed to mean?" the cook asked, moving away as Sakura neared him with steady steps, her hands whirling through a series of hand seals. His eyes wide and fearful, his back soon hit the wall behind him. "What—"
"It won't hurt," Sakura said, gently touching his forehead with the tips of her fingers. "I promise," she added in a soothing whisper. "Magen: Ten no Mōsō."
The cook's mouth slackened and his eyes glazed over. He still stood upright, but the fright had vanished from his face. Naruto stepped up to him, throwing Sakura a thankful glance. He readied himself for questioning the man, but each time he opened his mouth, the horrible scars drew his attention. They must hurt terribly, even now.
"Naruto?" Sakura interrupted his thought, her hands holding the bird seal. "The Genjutsu won't last forever."
"Right." Naruto focused on the man's eyes, avoiding the scars as best as he could. "How can we get to Komon?"
"Tetsu, my friend, is still in his employ. He can deliver a message to him."
"Where can we find him?"
The man's lips pursed for a moment and Naruto felt Sakura pump more chakra into the illusion to strengthen it. "Shokuhin. It's a city district to the north. His room is above the White Rose."
"Last question," Sakura said. Sweat glistened on her brow.
"Who did that to you?" Naruto asked, gesturing to the scars.
"Komon's enforcer. I didn't see his face though. He wore a cowl." Having answered, the man slouched against the wall and glided to the ground, where he closed his eyes and fell asleep. Sakura stepped up to him and wove two simple illusions around him. One to mask his presence until he woke up, the other to make sure he had pleasant dreams.
Next to Naruto, Sasuke glanced at the stolen bag filled with money hooked to his belt. After unclasping it, he hid the satchel inside the man's haori.
The sky turned purple as the sun's summit rose slowly, glimmering just a few inches shy of Tanyu's walls. Through the sheer size of the capital, it took them hours until they had found the district the cook mentioned during his interrogation. It would have been far easier, had they been able to use the roofs. But after their meeting with Nikujī, they kept themselves from employing anything too overt in order not to attract attention.
"Finally," Sakura said, after they had asked a civilian who confirmed that they were standing in Shokuhin. She marched over to an open barrel of rainwater, cupped her hands together, and splashed the refreshing liquid in her face. Looking at her reflection, which was disturbed by small, agitated waves, she frowned. Dark half-moons had formed under her eyes, making her look like she hadn't slept for days.
With a start she realized that, indeed, they hadn't rested since they left Konoha two days ago. "We should get some sleep after we have the permit," she said, glancing at Naruto and Sasuke, who sat on a bench nearby. They looked just as tired as her, although they hid it better.
"We should," Naruto agreed. "The question is where…"
"Why not at this Tetsu's house?" Sasuke asked. "It's barely morning and it'll probably take a while until he delivered our message."
Naruto nodded. "That's actually not a bad idea. As far as I remember, Komon stays up late and rises hours after the sun is up."
Another thirty minutes went by before they located the White Rose, a small, cozy bar in southern Shokuhin. The sign on its door wasn't promising though. Sakura stared at it, her lips pressed together. The bar had closed three hours after midnight and would only open again in the evening. Also, the tenants that held rooms above the White Rose could only enter them through the bar itself—apparently a security measure necessary in this district.
Sakura sighed after reading the sign a second time. "We can't wait another day."
"Let's try the roof," Naruto said. "We have to be careful though. I haven't seen as many guards as in the main district, but there still are some who patrol this area."
They walked to the backside of the building, casting glances around for people watching them, then jumped over the low wall that led into a simple backyard. There, in the center, stood a cherry blossom tree, fenced in by four benches, one at each side. At the corner, a grill had been built out of bricks, the smell of roasted meat still lingered.
"I wonder if this is for the guests or the tenants," Sakura said, taking everything in.
"Probably both," Sasuke commented. "Doesn't really matter to us though." He looked up to the balconies that surrounded the yard. Some of the large paper walls had been shoved aside to let in the early morning breeze. "And we don't even have to use the roof."
They leaped onto the first balcony in sight, landing on the wooden beams. From there they sneaked into the room. A couple slept on a large bed, their legs entwined. Parts of the sheets had slid down the woman's chest, revealing generous cleavage. Sakura shook her head as Sasuke's Sharingan blinked into existence, branding the legs into his memory while Naruto looked on enviously. She tapped their shoulders, breaking them away from the sight. They had a goal to accomplish.
Sakura walked carefully toward the couple, layering a sleep enhancing illusion around the woman before pulling the sheets up. Then she turned to the man, putting a hand over his mouth until his eyes snapped open and he began squirming. She put a finger at her lips, signaling him to be silent. "We're not here to hurt you," she whispered. "We just have some questions."
As his gaze fell on the woman beside him, the man became frantic. "What do you want with me?" he asked, his voice quivering. "I didn't do anything. And my wife didn't either. Please, don't kill her. She's done nothing wrong."
Sakura's smile only seemed to frighten him more. "As I said, we're not here for any of that. We only need to know where Tetsu-san lives."
"Tetsu?" The man gained courage if only for a moment. "What do you want with him? He's an honest sort. Never had any tarts over either."
"We just need him to deliver a message, nothing more."
"Really?"
Sakura nodded. "I promise."
He looked at his wife once more, appearing to weigh his possibilities and the truth of Sakura's words. At last, he turned to her and said, "He's in the room at the other end of the floor. There's a dirty carpet in front of the door."
"Thank you," Sakura murmured, sending him to sleep with another illusion. It wasn't completely foolproof, but in the morning he'd hopefully think all of this had just been a bad dream.
They left the couple alone after that, tip-toeing out of the room and into the hallway until they reached a simple wooden door, in front of which—just as described by the man—a carpet lay. A pair of wooden sandals had been thrown haphazardly beside it.
"March in or knock?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto furrowed his brow. "Knocking first. We need a favor after all."
Sasuke rapped his knuckles against the door thrice, definitely loud enough to wake Tetsu-san should he be sleeping. Moments later, after some noise came from inside, a man opened, staring at them through red-rimmed, sleepy eyes. "Who are you?"
"That isn't important," Naruto said. "We need you to give a message to Komon-sama."
Instantly, the man focused, his sleepiness seemingly washed away. "Not many know that I do these things."
"Shouldn't that be reason enough to help us out? Komon-sama is the only one who divulges the way to contact him."
"But you're not going through the channels Komon set up." He drawled the name of the advisor with distaste. Sakura remembered the horrid scars on the cook's face. Tetsu-san was his friend and probably knew from where he had gotten them. She wondered why he was still working for Komon, but reminded herself that fear and the prospect of losing a stable job could be powerful motivators.
"That's because I got my instructions in regard to a friend of yours. A cook, plays shōgi, you remember him? He said you'd deliver the message."
Tetsu-san's face morphed into a pronounced scowl. "You've seen what's been done to him. You look too young to be involved in this kind of business. Are you really sure that you want me to bring the message to Komon?"
"I am." Naruto handed him a small scroll. "Bring this to Komon please, then tell us his answer."
"Fine. I'll do it." Taking the scroll, Tetsu-san nodded and put it in his pockets. "I won't be back with an answer until evening though." He looked them up and down, his eyes lingering on their weary faces. "You look like you haven't slept in weeks." He sighed. "You can crash here, but don't destroy anything. And stay out of my stuff."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Sakura beamed at the man. Honestly, since they came to Tanyu—that freak Nikujī excluded—they had mostly met honest people. It was refreshing, although very different from what they had imagined beforehand. "Thank you," she said as relief flooded her. Tetsu-san shot her an uneasy grin, then made himself ready for his job at the imperial palace. A job that, while not the best paid one possible, still brought in enough money to sustain a comfortable lifestyle, it seemed. Once Tetsu-san had left, the trio crawled into the large bed, almost instantly falling asleep as the exhaustion of the last days came crashing down on them.
Deep in the hidden caverns underneath the Hokage monument, Danzō eyed the two kneeling agents before him with gritted teeth, leaning on his cane, his hands clenched tightly around the handle. The tip pressed hard enough against the ground that cracks appeared in the fundament under his feet, and the shaft trembled like a leaf in the wind, threatening to burst asunder any second as he contemplated how to proceed after receiving such damning information.
"My deepest apologies, Danzō-sama," one agent said, his head bowed low. "It wasn't—"
"I do not care for empty excuses. How could you lose the trail? Everything hinges on their survival."
"Delta squad had been completely eradicated, Sir," the other agent said. "And no tracks remained to follow Team Seven."
A scowl contorted the visible parts of Danzō's face. "Is there any lead as to what happened to them?"
"The bodies showed only minimal outer damage. The field autopsies we concluded, however, indicate that their insides have been wounded severely."
"A Hyūga?"
"We do not believe so. The work lacked the finesse that comes with using the Jūken…better said, it seems to be a completely different style of combat. None of the chakra paths or tenketsu have been targeted. Instead, organs have been shredded, and connections to and from the heart were severed. We can only assume that a skilled medic-nin is responsible."
Danzō let both agents squirm for a while longer, before he said, "Find them."
"But, Sir, the trail—"
"You will find them, and if you have to scour the whole continent. I do not tolerate incompetence…Dismissed."
After the agents left on their new mission, Danzō began pacing, his thoughts racing in circles around the issue of how to tell Hiruzen the bad news without losing his head in the process. The chances that his ROOT would find the Jinchūriki and his teammates were too low for him not to prepare a contingency plan. Especially now that a new, unknown force had entered the playing field, shuffling new cards into the deck which he hadn't anticipated.
"Hey, get up." A voice penetrated Naruto's clouded dreams, shortly followed by a tremor running through his body as someone shook his shoulder. "Up with you," the voice said again, and Naruto opened his bleary eyes. That Tetsu guy crouched at the edge of the bed, Sakura and Sasuke standing behind him, wiping the sleep out of their faces.
Gripping the offered arm, Naruto heaved himself up, his whole body feeling rejuvenated from the hours of sleep. "You got an answer?" he asked, now paying full attention to the man.
"I did. Komon recognized you once I described how you look. He's waiting for you in his private compound."
"Not in the palace?"
"Too many ears in there. You know where his estate is?"
Naruto nodded. "I've been there once or twice. It's quite big."
Tetsu barked a laugh. "You don't have to tell me. I've been there often enough. Komon swims in money." His face turned grim. "You should leave now. And be careful. I don't know what you want with him, but he is a dangerous man."
"Thank you for your help, Tetsu-san," Sakura said, bowing.
Afterward, they left the White Rose, following Naruto who led them out of Shokuhin and through the streets, where they soon entered into a district that almost threw its richness in their faces. Beautiful trees, tastefully cropped, lined the roads and marbled walkways stretched alongside the many compounds with gargantuan gardens.
"Some of those are as large as my clan's compound," Sasuke muttered when they had just passed another. "That's ridiculous."
"That's wealth," Naruto replied, his eyes flickering around, looking for guards. "Either you have it, or you don't. And if you have that much of it, it's hard not to splurge, I guess."
"Still, this is completely out of proportion," Sakura agreed with Sasuke. "The Hyūga, for example, are rich and several dozen strong. Their compound is smaller than some of these, and as far as I noticed, there are some where only one family lives."
"We're here." Naruto halted in front of a large gate, where two guards stood impassively at each side. They weren't as lightly equipped as the guards on the wall though, but more like the wardens that had tried to lock them up.
Naruto walked up to one of them. "We have a meeting with Komon-sama."
The guard looked at him, then put his hand on a golden doorknocker. Shortly after he rapped it, a servant stepped through, eying Team Seven's attire with distaste. "Komon-sama is awaiting you," he ground out, showing them inside.
Naruto had never been more conscious of his own poor circumstances than when he trailed behind the servant, surrounded by wealth and pomp abound in this…he'd almost call it a private castle. Large paintings hung at the walls; parts of the floor were covered by rugs with golden threads depicting historical scenes.
As they entered the gardens, Naruto refocused on his task. This would be the hardest part of all, he told himself as the servant led him toward a table where he could already see the rotund frame of the head advisor. He still wore the same green robes, three golden lines interwoven in the fabric. An assortment of sugared figs, strawberries, and other fruits was held by silver bowls, while crystal decanters sported beverages of all kinds.
Naruto bowed his head, then sat on the chair opposite of Komon. Sasuke and Sakura took on their position behind him. "Greetings, Komon-sama."
The head advisor bit into a strawberry, then licked his fingers and dried them on a towel. "Ah, young Naruto. It warms my heart to see you in such good health. The same goes, of course, for your teammates. Their names escape me at the moment, but I remember them well from that fateful day when your sensei asked the Daimyo for his favor."
"Have you heard what happened in Konoha?" Naruto asked directly.
"Oh, yes." Komon's double chin wobbled as he spoke. "A most tragic occurrence. I heard the Sarutobi-dono's own student is to blame for the horrific fate that befell your village. Is that true?"
Naruto inclined his head. "Orochimaru of the Sannin led Oto's forces, yes. We've had a close brush with him during the Chūnin Exams."
Komon's eyebrows rose. He took a fig, eating it with obvious relish. "And yet you live on. A feat not many can boast of, I believe. And the Chūnin Exams? You seem to rise fast, these days."
A smile played on Naruto's lips. He had never felt as dirtied and impure as now. "When we parted ways, I told you that your lessons would stay with me. Which is also the reason I'm here today, Komon-sama."
"Oh?" The head advisor laughed, rubbing his belly through his robes. "Do tell. I am always curious about what the future of this nation is up to."
"Most of the information I'm going to divulge is restricted," Naruto said. "I ask for your discretion. Just coming to you could cost us our heads."
"You have my silence."
Naruto stared at the table for a moment, before looking into the advisor's eyes, willing himself to sound as sincere as possible. "Thank you for your trust. Truth to be told, we did not just compete in the Chūnin Exams, we also have been promoted through our actions during the invasion. Adding that to the training we received from Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya-sensei, Hokage-sama found our team worthy enough to put us on the fast track."
"Understandable. I know that you are very talented, young Naruto. And any team you are on, I expect to be just as great. But this knowledge isn't restricted, is it? What then, is the real problem you have come here to solve?"
"Hokage-sama tasked us with a black-ops mission to test our mettle, after which he will consider promoting us to Tokubetsu Jōnin. We are to infiltrate the Land of Wind by sea, setting sail to the port of Bōeki Toshi."
Komon nodded thoughtfully, entwining his meaty fingers. "I think I know what you want from me, young Naruto. Let me see if I am right." He paused for a second, then resumed talking. "As this is a…what did you call it, a black-ops mission?"
"Correct."
"Right. As this is a black-ops mission, naturally, nothing should lead back to Sarutobi-dono. Especially no paper trail. I am well aware of the wartime regulations in place, so, to summarize—you want me to give you a permit. Am I right?"
"You are, Komon-sama. I know, however, that a bargain is only complete when both sides offer something."
"Indeed. I taught you as much."
Naruto folded his hands in his lap. "I've got no money for you, and looking around, I doubt you'd need it anyway. What I have is a prospective future in Konoha's hierarchy. You know of my dream."
"To become the Hokage, I remember."
"When we first met, you told me that I'd need allies. That a leader of men can't just rely on physical strength alone. I want us to become allies. There's been a divide between Tanyu and Konoha for far too long."
"So this is your offer. A permit, traded against you putting me and Tanyu in a favorable light in Konoha. Or, basically, a favor from you in the future, once you've acquired a sufficiently high position."
"That is my offer," Naruto agreed. He had spoken with a passion that felt alien to him, and its target was wholly inappropriate. The content of what he had said though, wasn't falsehood. In his mind, a unification, or at least better relations were desirable. The problem was just that he definitely had the wrong audience in the power hungry advisor.
Minutes of silence went by as Komon contemplated the offer. At length, he rose from his seat. "If you would be so kind to wait here. I will be with you shortly." Then he left the garden and vanished into the house.
Sakura and Sasuke looked at him with wide eyes, but didn't dare to speak for fear someone would hear them. Naruto could understand that. With all they had learned about the man in the last days, and now seeing how honeyed his speech was, how false it rang if combined with the knowledge they had…it only served to underline the danger Komon represented.
When the head advisor returned, he had an official looking paper with him. In the darkness, Naruto made out a waxen seal at the bottom right. Hope fluttered in his chest, driving away the apprehension that had clawed at him since he set foot into the estate.
"Your words are chosen wisely, young Naruto. Truly, I believe in a few years you will make a splendid Hokage. Here, take this permit and prove to Sarutobi-dono what powers slumber inside of you, willing to be unleashed."
Naruto reached for the paper, but the darkness of the night prevented him from reading anything. Komon stepped away, pointing to the small lantern on the table. "Why don't you look at it under the light? I am sure it will make this easier."
Walking over to the lantern, Naruto looked at the paper.
Caught in a silk web;
Wait for the spider's embrace;
Death approaches soon.
"Is this a joke?" he asked the advisor flatly, crumpling the paper in his fist.
"Forgive me, young Naruto. Important men like myself have seldom chance to indulge in fun such as this...therefore, I try to make the time for it as often as possible." Komon laughed, a deep gravely sound, that reverberated in Naruto's skull.
"Please, take this seriously, Komon-sama."
"Oh, I do, believe me. There is nothing more serious to me right now." The advisor paced slowly in front of them, his eyes boring into Naruto's. "Tell me, have you really thought I wouldn't smell your lies the moment they left your uncouth mouth? Me, who has no equal in the political arena? Me, who can crush opposition with but the twitch of a finger?"
"I told you the truth—"
"Do you take me for a fool? It is all too apparent that your purpose here has nothing to do with Sarutobi-dono. You know, young Naruto, I really believed you could become useful to me. Your drive is to be admired, truly." A malicious grin stretched Komon's face. "But there is no one in heaven or earth who lies to me. You have outlived your usefulness, and you should know what that means."
Naruto's heart hammered against his ribcage and fury consumed him as he listened to the advisor's words. They had handed their swords to the guards before they were let in, but Naruto hadn't suffered training under Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya for nothing. He'd wring that motherfucker's neck until nothing but bloody paste remained.
"Ah, I like your eyes. They are cold now, bereft of innocence. And still you were naïve. My, my, I wonder if anything I taught you made it through at all. But I guess that doesn't matter anymore, does it?"
With one leap, Naruto appeared in front of Komon, his fist cocked back, ready to strike. His punch never landed as Sasuke pulled him back an instant later, just in time to avoid the butcher's knife that dug deeply into the earth where he would've landed. Next to the advisor, a man touched down, pulling the knife out of the ground.
Naruto's expression froze. "Tetsu-san?"
"If you wish to call me that," Tetsu said, smiling. Then, the air around Tetsu shimmered and any words Naruto might have said got stuck in his throat. Slowly, Tetsu's face peeled away, revealing long, black hair that covered only half of his head. His clothes changed into brown monk robes.
"Nikujī," Naruto growled.
"That's better. You can't believe how surprised I was when you suddenly stood in front of my door. Imagine, I searched for you high and low, and you simply stumble up to me, asking to deliver a message."
Next to Nikujī, Komon grinned smugly. "I believe that is what we call 'the destiny to be slaughtered'."
Then Naruto remembered the cook and the wounds he bore. "You carved up your friend?"
"I wouldn't exactly call him a friend. More like an acquaintance I found pleasure in mutilating."
Violence erupted in Naruto like a volcano. "I'll rip you to shreds. Both of you."
"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu." A fireball shot past Naruto, exploding in front of Komon and Nikujī. Sasuke gripped him by his shoulder and flung him onto a nearby roof.
"Let me at them!" Naruto struggled against his teammates, who both pulled him away.
"We have to leave. Quick. We can't fight that guy inside the city. The guards will swarm us," Sakura shouted over the loud chimes of an alarm bell that had gone off the moment the fireball exploded.
Her words brought Naruto out of his frenzy. He glared at the fire, then nodded and turned around to flee Tanyu with his team. As they bound over the roofs, kicking the guards in their path away, Naruto swore that they would pay. Neither the Shinigami, nor Kami would be able to grant Komon refuge when he would come for him.
A black-burnt sky loomed over him as Sasuke scaled the side of Tanyu's wall which faced the city, Naruto and Sakura right behind him. The torches of patrolling guards appeared as orange glimmers in the distance, spending no light to those far away, and moved in patterns looking almost like a dance. On their way in, a seal had alerted the guards to their presence, drawing them to their entry spot like moths to the fire. Now, as they touched upon the matrix once more, the dance ended and single flames on other parts of the wall began moving around in a flurry of agitation.
The seal, Sasuke decided, must be quite complex. He heard no bell chime in the distance, no gong ring loudly in his ears, no drum thunder away in wild abandon. Yet every guard reacted without delay, advancing with surprising efficiency, drawing closer and closer.
With a final step he swung himself over the battlement, onyx eyes blazing with intent. As good as the seal was, it wouldn't hold them. The wind whispered on his neck, and he leaned forward, avoiding the sharp tip of a spear that plunged through the air. Pressing his palms flat on the ground, he pushed his body upward, thrust his feet against the guard's chest. The man reeled back from the force of the kick and, stumbling over his own feet, careened through the crenel of the parapet.
Naruto shot up behind the guard, gripping the collar of his leather armor, pulling him up as he vaulted onto the wall. The man landed in a tumble on the ground, then crawled away from them, pressing himself against the cold stone while Sakura knocked the other two guards around them unconscious.
Naruto's glare reminded him of the promise unspoken that stood between them since the end of the invasion, where blood had touched not only skin but also soul. Sasuke glanced at the frightened guard; a sigh escaped him. Being a shinobi made it easy to kill, and the perceived value of a life sunk with each slain enemy, until nothing remained but indifference and apathy to that which should be cherished at all cost.
In one year, he had murdered more people than his clan compound once housed. Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, trying to ignore the disgust welling up inside of him. He swallowed the bile clogging up his throat. It was too late for him to return to what had been before this mess, but trying to slaughter less people sounded like a better way to avoid becoming Itachi than continuing with the course his profession had set him on.
The torches which once glimmered in the distance drew close, and when Sakura tapped his shoulder, he reigned in his spiraling thoughts. This wasn't the time, he told himself, following his teammates in their fast-pace descent down the wall until they sprinted through the fields which separated Tanyu from the surrounding forest. Corn flashed past Sasuke as he ran, and his heritage let him notice the yellow and green color blur by at rapid speed even as darkness smothered the world around him.
No word was spoken in the following minutes of flight, as each of them repeated the reflexive motions to leap from branch to branch, simmering in their own thoughts about what had transpired in the capital. The question of how to reach Kakashi became more pronounced as the overflowing adrenalin in their bodies lessened and reality settled in. Leaving the Land of Fire's shores had become that much more difficult after Komon's reaction.
Sasuke blinked as Sakura halted abruptly, her brow wrinkling. She turned around to say something, but the moment she opened her mouth, Sasuke felt what had made her stop. He barreled into Naruto, shoving him down the tree, then tapped the branch under himself and adjusted his own path away from the incoming butcher knife cleaving through the wood.
"You didn't think I'd make it that easy, did you?" Nikujī landed opposite of him in a whirl of brown robes which flared around him. He held a knife in each hand, his violet eyes glittering with malice and madness. "Komon-sama has given me free reign, isn't that simply amazing? You really pissed him off."
Naruto bared his teeth. "Good that you're here—saves me the trouble of looking for you later. Suiton: Teppōdama!"
Nikujī sidestepped the water bullet, laughing as he whirled around a consecutive one and jumped over the barrage of fire Sasuke spat his way. From the corner of his eyes, Sasuke noticed Sakura speeding through hand seals, layering one Genjutsu after another over the mad bastard. Her expression though told him enough to know that illusions wouldn't be what felled this man.
"Is that all you have?" Nikujī snickers reverberated through the forest. He threw his knife at Naruto whose response to it seemed dulled. It sliced through the whiskered cheek, causing a deep, red line to appear.
"Naruto." Disbelief stretched over Sasuke's face.
What—
Suddenly it clicked in his mind and he wheeled around to Nikujī. "It's your fault," he pressed out between gritted teeth. To his right, Sakura had sunken to the ground, a vacant look in her eyes. Naruto soon followed.
"Nice, isn't it? Don't worry though, I'll wake them after I'm done with you, princess. That way I have a long time to play with all of you."
The haze from two days ago descended on his mind once more, and Sasuke focused all his attention on keeping it at bay. As Nikujī laughed, he heaved himself over to the sleeping frame of his teammate, behind whom the butcher knife stuck in the bark.
"Want to die at your friend's side? That's fine. I'm compassionate, you know?"
Sasuke didn't know what kind of illusion he faced, but now, well outside of Tanyu, it stopped to matter. No one would recognize him here…black turned to red and the Genjutsu on him shattered. Nikujī couldn't see his eyes as he had turned his back to him, faking sluggish movement as he pulled the knife out of the tree.
Then Sasuke shot around, thrusting the knife forward. Surprised registered on Nikujī's face, but it was short-lived as he dodged the attack in the nick of time.
Blood thirst, a haze of a different kind, twisted Sasuke's lips into a dangerous smile, washing previous thoughts of pacifism aside. This was more like it. With the exception of a five-second interval during the fight with Kimimaro, he hadn't had the chance to experiment with his new Sharingan yet.
It was incredible. Divine. Everything looked so slow in comparison to before. He ducked under a slash, weaved through Nikujī's attacks one by one, and inflicted wound after wound—each prodding the slumbering beast inside of him. The minutes passed as he played with his prey which once had been the predator.
He was invincible, his defense impregnable. Movement too quick to follow, reflexes too high to even understand. Nikujī was nothing; an antelope that dared to rise against the lion. Now it would pay for its hubris, writhing under the lion's claw. As he pushed the man farther and farther through the forest, laughter welled up inside of him. It left his mouth in short bursts, gasped out between exploding breaths of exhilaration.
In a desperate attempt to escape him, Nikujī stumbled back, slashes criss-crossing over his face and arms. The brown robe hung from his frame in tatters. He panted harshly, his hands empty. Sasuke had knocked the last knife out of his hand.
"Is this how you wanted to play?" Sasuke asked, grinning. He held the knife in his hand, advancing slowly. "You should've said so from the start. This is fun."
Nikujī spat a glob of saliva and blood on the ground, then ripped the kunai from the chain around his neck, gripping it tightly. "It'll be once I'm done with you."
"And so dies the antelope." Sasuke laughed, his eyes spinning madly.
Within one leap, Sasuke was in range of him, the knife in his hand shooting forward. He saw Nikujī's hand with the kunai move in slow motion, aiming for his stomach. Sasuke didn't care. He was fast enough to drive his knife through the man and jump away. Nothing was impossible, not anymore.
The pointed edge of the knife pressed into Nikujī's stomach; droplets of blood flew through the air.
Time to jump back—
Everything around Sasuke sped up and exhaustion crashed into him with enough force to make his knees buckle as the Sharingan died out. He had to move, had to get away. The kunai in Nikujī's fist plunged into him, rummaging through his insides.
No…No! Sasuke tightened his grip around the knife, using the last of his strength to pull it out of Nikujī. Then he sank it deep into the man's throat. Finally, the life vanished from his opponent's eyes, but not before a bloody smile contorted his face. Sasuke's world turned black a second later.
AN: As always, I appreciate the invaluable help of DLP. Special thanks go out to Baradine, who supplied the wonderful Haiku. Isn't Komon a sneaky spider?
Magen: Ten no Mōsō – B Rank: Delusion of Heaven [makes a mentally weakened target compliant with the wishes of the caster; the caster is also able to influence what kind of experience the target has during the duration of the technique (from heaven to hell). It can be resisted with either enough experience, or enough willpower, and it drains chakra at a rapid pace.]