Birth of an Assassin: Heir to the Namikaze
Chapter 16
Illuminating the Path
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Assassin's Creed or Naruto.
"Speaking"
'Thinking'
Text/Writing
"Jutsu"
"Tailed Beast Speak"
Time for the much needed update for this story. It seems like all of my stories, even the AU Mercenary, are about in the same spot in the time line and events. It is time for the major climax of the early arcs, the Invasion of Konoha!
I find it funny that many complain about Sakura's place in the harem because of her hair color. Folks, pink is a shade of red. Deep red or bright Uzumaki red does not make that the only classification of 'red head' in anything other than the most strictest term.
And by the way, I totally called Karin being an Uzumaki before Kishimoto released that chapter! Glad to see things are lining up nicely for this story.
000
The Creed
Stay your blade from innocents
See but be unseen
Never compromise the Assassins
Nothing is true, everything is permitted.
000
Konohagakure
Stadium
'Can't expend too much chakra..' Naruto thought as he finished weaving hand signs.
Sakura released her wave of kunai, sending them straight for his center mass. They were across the arena from each other so Naruto had a little bit of time. She hoped that whatever his plan was, he would make it obvious enough for her to follow.
"Fūton: Daitoppa!" The kunai went flying from their original trajectory, scattering with the powerful gust of wind.
Naruto charged forward and met Sakura in close combat. They knew each others moves so they could counter almost immediately, but even without enhanced speed, the blonde was beating her. The hits started pouring in, but she could tell he was holding back as she felt little power behind them.
All he was doing was putting on a show for the crowd, trying to make it look real. In her gusto to start the match she had been going all out to start with. How silly she must have looked to him.
Their blades crossed again in the middle of the battlefield. Neither showed an ability to give up. They would go all the way to the end in stalemate if they had to.
It did not take a genius to realize Naruto was holding back. Some of the higher ranked shinobi watching the matches shifted uncomfortably. They wondered if he was doing it on purpose as some insult to the chunin exams themselves; others wondered if this was a part of some plan he had developed with his female partner. Perhaps they were trying to cheat in some way?
Some of the nobility were focused on Sakura the entire fight. They watched her flexible form as she performed during the fight, amazed and enamored. She was consequently labeled as a possible marriage partner for their sons, some even considering adding her to their own harems. Age mattered little to those with money and greed, their ambitions blinding common sense.
What they didn't realize was that when a Namikaze dedicated himself to something or someone, there was no stopping them. Sakura would not be given to any other man as long as Naruto drew breath. Considering neither of them were putting much effort into killing the other one in the arena below, his death would subsequently be a while off.
But that was if Gaara had no say in the matter.
The red head in question was still watching from the stands, becoming more and more infuriated with each passing second the assassin remained breathing. Why was this girl not trying harder? She wanted blood to be spilled, it was the only way she would be able to contain herself. If the match was not going to give her the outcome she desired, then perhaps Gaara would have to do it herself.
'I can't..I can't wait any longer..must kill..the Namikaze.' Her consciousness was overwhelmed with bloodlust, there was no turning back.
Deep inside her, Shukaku smirked. What made him even more satisfied with the situation was that he was not even the instigator; the killing intent all originated from the jinchuuriki. The silly plans the Suna shinobi had tried to put together to manipulate him would fail. Gaara would unleash him on her own accord and on his terms, and then he would have some fun with all the squishy humans lying around.
Baki sat close by to Gaara and saw her starting to react violently to the match. Maybe it was time to get her out of there after all. If he could break her line of sight then perhaps there was still a chance the invasion plan could be salvaged. If he left her alone, Shukaku could escape before they were ready!
"Gaara.." He began to make his way toward her, his hand extended to grab her shoulder.
Before he could touch her, she disappeared in a wisp of wind. It carried her ephemeral form from the stands to float above the arena.
Baki cursed, knowing it was too late to stop her from interfering. Around him a few suspicious Leaf jounin and chunin stood up after seeing his student disappear. Even more sleeper agents of Oto began to cast their eyes around the stands, planning their attack. It wouldn't be long before everything happened at once.
000
"This match couldn't get any more boring. Come on Sakura!" Ino yelled from her seat.
She was annoyed that the pink head was taking so long to beat Naruto. If Sakura could somehow pull of beating the Yamanaka then handling that chump shouldn't have been so hard she thought. It was mostly just a way of Ino nursing her pride after the loss, but she had given what Sakura said some thought. Perhaps they had really lost their way focusing too much on Sasuke.
'If that's true and Sakura is so focused, why can't she land a solid hit?'
"Come on Ino, it's not all bad. Those two trained together, of course its going to take a while for one to win." Chouji actually said something smart as he munched on potato chips.
That just made the blonde want to hit him over the head harder. Who said she asked for his opinion?
"Chouji is right you know. Judging from the way those two-" Her pineapple head partner tried to weigh his opinion, but Ino was quick to shut him up.
"Aw shut it Shikamaru, you gave up in the middle of your match. No one cares what you say!" Shikamaru didn't have a retort for that, frowning.
Their eyes turned back to the match when they saw something very odd. A bunch of sand was gathering in the air right over the arena. It was starting to take shape and it..almost looked like a person. Wait, there was only one sand user in the entire exam!
'Gaara?!' All three realized, fear creeping into their hearts.
What the hell was she planning to do? The proctor must have seen her by now right? They would have to stop her before she interfered with the match or did some real damage. Naruto may have beaten her once but all that did was piss her off!
"Wha-what do we do?!" Chouji asked Shikamaru, chomping his food down even faster.
"I-I dunno..we better go find one of our teachers before-"
"Too late! Shikamaru, look." Ino yelled as she stood from her seat, pointing at something.
The Nara turned to see Gaara had fully reformed in midair. Her sand floated all around as she began to fall toward the earth, straight for Naruto and Sakura. A long whip of sand shot from her side as she seemed to be trying to hit someone on the ground.
"Dammit! What the hell is she doing?!"
000
The Sandaime Hokage and the Yondaime Kazekage watched in complete silence as Gaara began her rogue attack on the stadium. One was too shocked to utter a phrase, the other too entertained to interrupt the moment. A pin drop could be heard between the growing distance that separated the two Kage.
Hiruzen turned to look at his counterpart, a question forming on his lips. It seemed the Kazekage realized this and began to turn in response, his eyes betrayed the elation taking over him. Gaara's attack may not have been expected, but it was no incident.
There was something very wrong with what was going on. Before they could ascertain what, the arena floor exploded in the sound of an earth shattering explosion. Dust launched up into the air, obscuring their vision of one another.
As Naruto had to deal with Gaara, the Hokage found himself facing an old enemy.
000
Moments earlier
Naruto and Sakura were locked in close combat with Genma watching from a distance. They were so focused on the fight that the fact Gaara had arrived over the stadium did not occur to them. Only when Naruto sensed a mass of killer intent from above did he realize what was going on.
Before Sakura could throw another punch, Naruto pushed her with enough force to send her flying away. He looked up and saw Gaara's sand arm inches from his head.
'Not enough time to dodge, have to block!'
Naruto's arms seem to come up in slow motion as the hit sent him into the ground, rocking the stadium. His face hit the ground hard an he felt the sand pool around him in an attempt to keep him down. To prevent Gaara from getting a strong hold Naruto built a thin layer of chakra around his body. It would buy him some time while he assessed the situation.
Gaara landed on the battlefield, her face twisted in a maniacal smirk. She finally hit him with her full power, but that was just the beginning. Now that she had him in the sand, the Namikaze would not escape his desert coffin. Gaara's focus was so great that she did not see Genma coming at her from the other side.
The tokubetsu jounin ruling over the matches had seen the whole thing. He cursed himself for not being fast enough to stop her from hitting Naruto, but he would pay the girl back for the cheap shot. It would take a lot more to bring down the assassin if Minato's ability was anything to go by—his son was practically a spitting image of him.
A new presence forced Genma to stop in his tracks, just a few feet from Gaara.
Baki landed on the arena floor as he knew the plan would have to begin now. Whether they liked it or not, they had to work with Gaara regardless of her cooperation or lack thereof. They couldn't abandon her when they were so close to the actual attack, and she might still prove useful if her transformation was controlled properly.
"Sorry, but I won't let you interfere." The Suna jounin said, building up wind around his hand.
Genma smirked, already thinking up his one liner retort.
"Isn't that my line?"
Sakura had been gathering her bearings from Naruto's sudden push. She had not been expecting it and the power he used forced the wind right out of her lungs. On the far side of the arena she picked herself up and looked in horror at the large crater Gaara was standing over. Sakura saw her trying to do some sort of technique with her hands and she knew what was coming.
'No! No, I won't let you hurt him!'
"LEAVE. HIM. ALONE!" Sakura burst into a sprint, hands digging into her waist pouch for weapons to throw.
Gaara ignored her pleas and continued to try and wrap her sand around Naruto's body. His impromptu chakra shield was keeping her from getting a solid grip, but he wouldn't last long. Her sand was slowly suffocating him as he remained on his stomach, unable to move.
"Time to die, Namikaze." She said with more than a hint of glee.
Kunai and shuriken came inches in front of her before they were intercepted by sand. Gaara looked up and saw Sakura approach, annoyed by her intrusion. She sent a few tendrils of sand at her, but Sakura was too fast and slid to the side, continuing her charge.
Sakura was close now, close enough to use her blade. She leaped into the air with her weapon raised. There was no hesitation in her movements, she was willing to kill Gaara if it meant protecting Naruto. A sheet of sand was already forming between the two girls that would prevent the attack and possibly kill Sakura. If it gave Naruto enough time to escape, then maybe it would be worth it.
Before Sakura could complete the attack, a blur of motion grabbed her body as it went in the opposite direction. The Naruto in the crater disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing it to be a clone. In reality the assassin had substituted himself during Sakura's distraction, hiding in one of the surviving trees. He knew Gaara's defense and he knew that Sakura's attack was doomed to fail, so he stopped things from getting out of hand.
Enraged her target was getting away, the red head turned to pursue. She didn't even bother to wait when her sensei called out to her, instead choosing to run after those two. They were already scaling the wall after all and she would need to hurry.
"Wait, Gaara!" Baki paid for his moment of distraction when Genma fired a senbon that cut his cheek.
"I'm your opponent here pal." They launched at one another in renewed fervor as battles all around the stands continued.
000
Kakashi fought back to back with Gai against what felt like a never ending amount of enemy ninja. There were a few other Leaf shinobi, but most were either unconscious or had left the stadium to protect the village. Even then casualties were all around, some slumped against walls or impaled to the ground.
"Where did all of them come from?" Gai asked as he sent an Oto jounin flying with a severe kick to the stomach.
"Must have hid with the spectators, hiding their chakra signatures. We've been infiltrated."
Kakashi ducked under a kunai thrust and went through hand signs, gathering lightning chakra. He struck the enemy ninja in front him through the chest with his technique, Raikiri. The light left their eyes with a final breath of exasperation laced with pain before they fell limp against Kakashi's arm. With no time for finesse he let the body drop to the floor before leaping toward the next target, an Oto chunin about ready to strike down Shikamaru.
The Nara felt blood spray onto his face as Kakashi ran the unsuspecting enemy through. Although he had been saved, he sure didn't feel any better. Maybe he was a bit squeamish or maybe the entire invasion had thrown the lazy genius for a loop. He sat there with a blank expression on his face, trying to figure out what to do.
"Shikamaru!" Kakashi shouted, trying to wake the boy up. "Get yourself ready, you and Pakkun are going to track down Naruto and Sakura. Try and help them if you can!"
Kakashi knelt down next to the stunned genin, preparing the summoning technique. Gai fought off any of the enemy that tried to interrupt them without fail. The two jounin were unfazed by the war, their surprise stowed away for later; all they had on their minds was their duty to their village and fellow shinobi.
'I know Naruto's power, but there is no telling what Gaara will do in her state. It can't hurt to send backup.' Besides, it would keep another genin out of the main battle.
"Kakashi! Sasuke and Shino took off after them already." Gai shouted from the front of the booth, able to see the arena and contestant box.
"I expected that." Kakashi sighed, summoning his ninken tracker.
The two Konoha genin had left at separate times but were both headed in the same direction that Naruto took. The Suna siblings had already taken off after their sister, no doubt in an attempt to stop her. There was no stopping that girl though, not after the look everyone saw in her eyes.
The dog looked around for a moment to take in the situation, a little bit surprised. Other than that, he remained surprisingly calm as Kakashi filled him in.
"Pakkun, I need you to take Shikamaru and find Naruto and Sakura. They are trying to lead a very dangerous Suna ninja away from the village, and they may need help fighting her."
"You got it, Kakashi. I'll have their scent in a second, come on kid." Shikamaru had recovered his bearings by that point but he was against the plan.
"No way! I'm not going after those guys, you must be crazy. Naruto and Sasuke can handle that girl easily, they don't need me!"
Kakashi gave him a harsh look that made Shikamaru shut his mouth. There was no time to argue in the situation they were in.
"Shikamaru, I'm not telling you this in order to torment you. This is a war and I am giving you an order. Follow it, or else your comrades may die!"
"Come on! We don't have much time." Pakkun urged.
Gai punched a hole through the wall for them to escape through. He didn't even wince from the hard stone wall's resistance.
Cursing under his breath Shikamaru allowed himself to be lead out by the tracker dog. He knew he would regret making that decision, but damn if Kakashi didn't make an argument. Not only that, he was scary too.
The two jounin that remained returned to a back to back stance. They wouldn't let any Oto shinobi through.
"Come on Kakashi, let's have a competition. See how many we can take down in five minutes?"
Kakashi's mask hid a grim smile as he readied a kunai.
"This might be the first time I willingly take you up on a challenge...Let's go!"
000
Naruto and Sakura flitted across the rooftops of Konoha. They were making for the outskirts of the village, made up of vast swaths of forests that took up a surprisingly large part of Konoha's interior. Below them the civilians were still walking about and working as if nothing had happened, but the assassins were sure the battle would make it there eventually.
Explosions and smoke could be heard and seen from where they were, signifying the attack had already begun. Orochimaru's plan was going just as he had foreseen, Konoha had been caught off guard. Naruto cursed their ignorance, they should have read the signs and prepared more thoroughly.
No time to rest on the past, he had to focus on the now.
"Naruto! Where are we going?" Sakura had been following Naruto blindly for the past five minutes.
She didn't want to say anything lest she break his concentration, but Gaara wasn't giving up. If they were going to fight her they needed to have a plan of attack. Things seemed hopeless though, that girl didn't seem concerned with risking her life if it meant killing them. That meant it wouldn't be easy to kill, let alone subdue the Suna genin.
"We need to lead Gaara away from the village where she won't be a threat. If she really wants to fight me that badly, it should work." They were nearing the forest now and so they needed to prepare fast.
Kyuubi extended his chakra and could sense the Ichibi not far behind. He relayed that information to Naruto as the two of them became one, begrudgingly. Naruto may have not wanted to rely on his jinchuuriki power, but he would need it in that case. No matter how strong he was, fighting a fellow tailed beast container would require power that he alone could not muster.
"Kid, this is going to get dangerous. You are going to need my chakra."
'Last resort. If I'm not careful, I could do more harm than good by losing control. Don't mess with me Kyuubi, I'm busy.'
Naruto received an annoyed growl but paid his tenant no mind. Kyuubi would learn through experience that Naruto was the one in control, not the other way around.
"Anko!"
Naruto used his telepathy to reach out to his subordinate. With Orochimaru so close by he had to make sure she knew the danger and stayed away. That time he couldn't be around to protect her if she tried something reckless so he had to be sure she was safe.
It took a long moment, but the woman responded.
"Yes, Naruto-sama?"
"I'm sure you know by now that Konoha is under attack. Oto and Suna are working together against us, and the Hokage is fighting against their leaders now. You must stay away from the stadium!"
There was a pause before Anko spoke again, her boisterous tone belying her frustration.
"So that snake finally revealed himself. Ah well, guess I have to give the Third this one. Don't worry Naruto, I'm evacuating the civilians now. I won't do anything too crazy."
Her tone worried him. Anko was a good shinobi and retainer, but her emotions ruled her when it came to Orochimaru.
"Anko.."
"I mean it Naruto. I'll be fine, you are the one I'm worried about. We all saw the looks that Gaara girl gave you, she must be out for blood."
"Yes, I'm leading her away from the stadium now. Sakura and I will handle her, you continue guarding the civilians."
"Understood, be careful Naruto-sama."
Naruto released his link with her before turning his attention back to Gaara. He looked over his shoulder as Kyuubi's senses told him that she was near. Indeed, he could make out her figure in the distance. Just like a shark followed blood in the water, the red head was not willing to give up so easily after hitting him the first time.
The two assassins soon entered the forest and started to prepare their attack.
Naruto reached into his waist pouch and revealed a few kunai with wires attached to them. He threw them at certain trees where he created impenetrable lines of defense with the wires littered with all manner of explosive tags. The pattern of traps were arranged in such a way that allowed the Konoha shinobi a level of maneuverability while still being almost impossible to avoid for Gaara.
Sakura placed a few explosive tags on nearby tree branches and trunks. Alongside those she poured a particularly pungent substance along the trees and branches. The healer used a few of the vials she had on her person, practically dousing the battlefield in it.
'With these solutions coating the area around the tags, Gaara will find it extremely difficult to move. Hopefully that means we can catch her in a blast.' The fast acting glue sat in wait, not visible to the naked eye.
The smell might have tipped someone off, but it permeated the entire battlefield. It was impossible to ascertain the safe locations in which to stand. Since their enemies were in a rush, they wouldn't have time to examine the battlefield carefully.
"Nicely done, Sakura." Naruto complimented her as they knelt on a high branch, hidden behind a bunch of leaves. "That trick should throw Gaara off enough to leave an opening."
"As long as we concentrate chakra to the soles of our feet, we shouldn't be affected by the adhesive." The two immediately shaped chakra around their feet as they laid in wait to spring the ambush.
No matter how impressive it looked for a genin on genin battle, Naruto knew it would not be enough. Kyuubi was right, he would have to tap into his chakra if things got out of hand. With Gaara's mental instability she surely had no inhibitions of releasing her tailed beast.
That meant Naruto needed to be ready to either eliminate her before it happened, or use the same chakra against her.
"Here she comes!" Sakura said, anticipation building in her voice.
The battlefield was set. All they could do now is wait the precious last moments before combat began. In that time, Naruto solemnly whispered a part of the Creed to bolster himself. It was time for the assassin to strike.
000
Temari and Kankuro struggled to reach their sister in time. The speed she was using was something they couldn't compete with no matter how hard they tried. Even worse, Temari could feel two more pursuing them. It wouldn't end well if they all had a chance to team up against the siblings.
Their only chance was to grab Gaara and retreat. She would only get herself killed if she kept on going against the Namikaze—he already displayed his ability to defeat her in the second exam, not to mention the willingness to kill.
"Dammit, we aren't going to make it in time." Temari muttered in a worried tone.
"Gaara was already starting her transformation when she left the stadium. She must be even worse now.." Kankuro warned as they approached the forest where the two Konoha genin had fled to.
That meant there was no reasoning with her now. They didn't care to admit to it in front of others but, even as her siblings, Temari and Kankuro were scared of Gaara. In that situation trying to talk her down would only result in them being targeted.
"Temari.." His older sister didn't answer, clearly deep in thought. "Temari! We need to make a decision now. The other two are almost here!"
"I know. I know!"
They stopped on the outskirts of the forest to try and formulate a plan. If they could just hold off their pursuers maybe Gaara could win after all. It was a long shot, but she didn't use her tailed beast powers in the second exam. That might give her the edge she needed to win.
It would ruin the invasion plan Baki had drilled into them for months, but at that point their only concern was survival. The mission wouldn't succeed at that rate, not with Gaara like that.
"Alright, we have to hold those two here." Temari told Kankuro, already revealing a few kunai.
Bleak as the situation was, Kankuro kept a straight face. Maybe it wasn't the kind of situation he was hoping for, but at least he could get in on the action.
The two didn't have long to prepare though, as Sasuke and Shino landed on a branch just a bit off from them. Although they didn't know each other well, they both had a score to settle with the Suna siblings. Sasuke wanted to test himself against Gaara and Shino wanted his fight against Kankuro that was robbed from him.
"Get out of the way." Sasuke said with no room for discussion.
There was a good chance Naruto was already fighting the red head, which meant he had little time. He was tired of getting scraps the Namikaze left behind. It was time for the Uchiha to take the lead and remind Konoha of the clan's true power.
"Brash, aren't we?" Temari smirked, readying her throwing hand. She lost her smile as neither of the Konoha shinobi backed down. "You aren't going anywhere."
Shino eyed Kankuro as he unveiled his puppet, the one called Crow. The match during the second exam couldn't tell him much, but from what Shino remembered, ninja puppets were a secret arsenal of weaponry for the puppeteer to use. Just a few chakra threads and it could move like a human and strike with deadly grace.
'I'll have to use my insects to sever the threads of chakra..render the puppet useless and the puppeteer is finished.'
"I guess I owe you a match huh?" Kankuro smiled, connecting his chakra threads to Crow.
The puppet stood upright and its teeth chattered—almost like it was chomping at the bit to begin. Both of them were long range fighters so it would be a battle of patience and strategy. Neither of them made any first moves which left Temari and Sasuke to start the combined battle.
"I said..GET OUT OF MY WAY!" Sasuke revealed a kunai from his thigh and launched forward, sharingan blazing.
Temari smirked, too easy.
Kunai collided as the forest behind them exploded in a bright white flash.
000
"Yashamaru..can you heal pain in your heart?"
"Flesh wounds can be healed with time and care..but those of the heart are difficult. There is something though."
"What, what is it?"
…
"Love."
000
Smoke filled the battlefield as Naruto and Sakura tried to see if their attack worked.
Just as they expected, Gaara's bloodlust prevented her from thinking clearly—she practically barreled through the first set of traps and into the next. Her sand had protected her as they knew it would, but how could it handle successive explosions?
When Gaara's feet became stuck on one of the branches, Sakura made the ram hand sign and activated her tags. It made the branch, nearby traps, and Gaara the center of a very bright white flash before all but smoke and dust remained.
After a moment or two, they finally saw their opponent.
'So..it didn't even put a dent in her defense.' Naruto bit his lip angrily as he detected the girl still breathing.
"How.." Sakura couldn't find words to describe her shock—they threw everything at her and she was still going?
A dome of sand fell onto a lower branch that remained after the destruction. From its remains crawled Gaara, but not as they knew her. Blue veined sand had taken over her full right arm and half of her face was deformed like some monster. There was no mistaking it was her though as a familiar voice rang out in the forest.
"Is that all? You think you can stop me with simple paper?"
Gaara's eyes roamed the forest in an attempt to find her target. She knew he was here somewhere, she could feel it. There was no escaping her now, she would have him dead!
"Naruto..what do we-"
"Sakura..this isn't a fight you can handle. Stay back while I go."
The thought of him fighting against that..thing alone was enough to make her freeze. How could she knowingly leave him to fend for himself? There must have been something she could do to help him.
"Please, Naruto, don't do this alone. I can still help."
Naruto brought up his blade arm and began to coat it in poison. The blade shone in the sunlight, the vile substance's green tinge just barely visible as he sheathed the weapon.
'Going to have to go all out. If she completes that transformation, it is all over.' If Gaara went too far, they would have no choice but to kill each other.
"You can Sakura, support me from here. Assassins work best alone, if both of us fight then we will only interfere with each other."
Sakura knew what he was trying to do. No matter how he said it, she knew that regardless of the training, she was no match. Worse yet, she just could not follow Naruto's moves to be an effective partner for him. That part hurt her the most.
'I guess I have no choice..' Sakura resigned herself to remaining behind.
"Alright Naruto..but be careful." The look in her eyes said that she would not forgive him if he got hurt.
"Of course." Naruto disappeared in a blur as he moved into position, leaving Sakura alone.
Her eyes wandered the forest, trying to find a way for them to gain the advantage. The hood of her uniform was in the way, so she removed it. No matter its value, she just couldn't stand the thing. With it out of the way she started to locate certain areas in the trees where she could set more traps.
"Come on Sakura..use your book smarts. You had to learn something useful.." She readied a few wires from beneath her wrists.
Assassin or not, the pink haired girl was not going to let herself be left behind. The person she cared about the most was putting his life on the line for her and everyone in the village. How could she stand beside him if she didn't do the same?
000
"Come out, Namikaze! I know you. Your kind love to wait in the shadows and strike like cowards. You think you serve the world, but all you do is cause pain. Let me return it to you!"
Gaara shot sand shuriken randomly around the forest in an attempt to flush Naruto out. She leaped from tree to tree, searching everywhere for him. They had created that battlefield in order to fight her there, so they wouldn't just leave. No, the Namikaze's pride wouldn't allow that.
"You know nothing of the Creed." A voice from behind her, she turned to see..nothing.
"Come out, coward!" She screamed to the heavens, infuriated.
Movement all around but she could not detect where. He was too fast, just like last time. She may have been insane, but Gaara paid attention to those whom held her attention.
'He may be too fast to dodge..but that's alright, I wasn't planning on doing that from the start.'
A shadow descended from above, blade poised to strike at her exposed neck. Shukaku's sand used the remains of her gourd to create a deadly tail—tendrils that were sharp enough to pierce wood surrounded its end. Like a flail she swung it out to hit the assassin, but he was too fast. Gaara's attack missed and Naruto's blade dug deep into her sand arm she had used to block.
Naruto tried to retract the blade but failed, the sand was particularly solid. He realized very quickly that her plan all along was to bait him into the attack to get him close. The speed he used wouldn't matter if he was in such proximity.
"Time to die!" Her tail came back around to hit him off her back.
Lightning chakra fed into his blade gave Naruto the power to break free, but she took a piece of robe and chunk off his left shoulder. He flew into a tree trunk, landing with a resounding thud as he tried to gather his bearings. Gaara did not let up as she turned and launched herself at him.
'How long until I can use my arm?' He asked the fox as it attempted to heal him.
It groaned in annoyance. Naruto was careless and now he was punished, yet he didn't even stop to think.
"A few minutes. You are acting too rash."
'I have to, if I keep this up for too long then she will-'
"Even if she fully transforms, we have ways to beat her. Shukaku is only the One Tail, he is weak to something like me."
"You say that.." Naruto held his bloodied arm, clearly in pain. "But she hits hard."
A whistle of wind could be heard as a kunai trap was released—dozens of the projectiles came down from the treetops. Gaara was forced to stop and hold up her arm to shield herself. Sakura was still in the fight, Naruto thought with a smile.
No doubt she would kill him for receiving such a wound. There was no time for her to help him though, as Gaara was back on the warpath.
"Nothing will stop me..NOTHING!" Her voice got deeper and deeper as the inner demon eased itself into control of her body.
Gaara launched herself at Naruto as he recuperated in the tree trunk. With his blood freely flowing, her senses had gone haywire. Shukaku encouraged her to finish the job, releasing more of his chakra for her to use.
She watched him do something to the tree, but it didn't matter. They were only seconds from each other, her sand arm reaching out to squeeze the life from his body.
Naruto jumped into the air and freed himself from the bull's eye Gaara had painted. He looked down and saw her land in the spot he was just in, right where he wanted her. The seal he placed on the tree was hard to see, let alone make out with Gaara's distracted eyes.
"Katsu!" The ink glowed a bright red before igniting.
A scream echoed the forest as the jinchuuriki was enveloped in fire. Naruto landed on a nearby tree branch and took a look at his arm to see the progress. It wouldn't be much longer before it was usable again, then he could use hand seals. A well placed Chidori might be enough to-
"DIE!" Naruto turned back in time to see Gaara mere feet away from him, her sand armor still eroding from the explosion.
It wasn't enough to even slow her down and he wasn't in a position to escape the attack. Naruto braced himself in his crouched position, ready to take the brunt of the strike. The attack never hit him though although he sincerely wished it did.
Sakura stood in front of him with her hidden blade out, ready to defend his life. She couldn't stand by any longer and watch him die trying to kill Gaara. If her only use was to be his shield, then so be it.
"Out of my way!" The sand arm latched onto Sakura and immediately broke her defense.
It extended far from Gaara's body and slammed the pink head into a tree trunk behind Naruto. She cried out in pain from the impact but tried to struggle free. It was no use, the sand was too strong and it only tightened its grip. If it lasted much longer, Sakura wasn't sure she would be able to breathe. With the last of her strength she curled a finger of hers that was wrapped in wire.
"Now..Naruto.." Sakura gasped for breath as the sand tightened around her. "Is your chance..do it."
The wire she pulled on was linked to a great deal of other traps and it set them all off simultaneously. This time instead of a torrent of projectiles, eight kunai launched from all different directions toward Gaara. They were attached to thin steel wires that quickly wrapped and bound the jinchuuriki in a single, unmoving mass.
Naruto looked at the struggling opponent in front of him, amazed at Sakura's ingenuity. Even after he told her to stay back, Sakura was still able to create of a trap of that level. She not only put herself in Gaara's way to protect Naruto, but to estimate the distance and pull required to accurately hit her target.
'Sakura..you..' Naruto brought his hands together and began going through hand signs. '..have become a great partner.'
"Killing her will gain you nothing. Ichibi will only reform-"
"That's alright, I'm not going to kill her." Naruto completed the technique and had one hand in the ram hand sign, the other with his pointer and middle finger extended. "Fuinjutsu: Hei!"
Similar to the Hyuuga, Naruto sent his extended fingers out and hit Gaara in the stomach. Even with two fingers the force was enough to knock the air from her lungs and quiet her loud protests. Before she could recover, Naruto retracted the arm and made a new seal with his free hand, something that looked like half of the Rat sign.
"Hyouketsu!"
The second attack was not as harsh as the first. That time instead he used an open palm to apply a seal that covered Gaara's entire body. Ink lines appeared from her stomach that spread across her arms, legs, and torso until it reached her head. All of her struggles ceased as the seal effectively kept her from moving. It wasn't powerful though, she could tell that with enough chakra she could break it.
If Shukaku could just-
It was to Gaara's horror when she realized Shukaku's influence had retreated back into her seal. The sand that he had gifted her with fell to the ground, harmless. Her body returned back to normal now that it was free of the demonic chakra, but she could not even use her normal reserves. The two seals, when used in conjunction, effectively stopped her from doing anything.
Sakura's unconscious body started to fall as the sand arm holding her broke apart. A flicker of white rescued her as Naruto laid her down safely on a nearby branch. After discovering that she was without any lasting injury, Naruto left her to rest. He still had to deal with the very angry Gaara.
"How..how could I lose?! I had you and yet..so close to killing you.." Naruto stood in front of her now, her body limply held up by the wire strings.
"You and I..we aren't so different." Naruto's voice changed into something tender, something he reserved only for those he was close to.
Gaara quieted herself, perhaps he could tell her how she failed. Her power, why was it not enough?
"We both grew up with demons inside of us, powerless against our destinies. In the end though, we walked different paths, which have now crossed. I encountered companionship and love and allowed myself to, albeit cautiously, accept it. You.." Her eyes locked with his, waiting his answer. "Fell into darkness and let yourself resemble the thing within."
Naruto sighed as he removed his hood. Truly, he was tired. Tired of fighting, tired of mistaken feelings and misplaced hatred. The girl in front of him was no longer a target or an enemy to fight. She was once again an innocent he was sworn to protect, this time from the nightmares within her.
"Gaara..you lost our fight because you forgot something. You forgot you already gained the power to control your destiny. It was within your mother, your brother and sister, even those you had already forsaken."
Gaara's eyes widened as she remembered what Yashamaru said. The night before he tried to kill her, the night she lost herself. He told her that love was what would save her from the pain. Love her mother had given her since Gaara was born and love her siblings still harbored. Love she had been so willing to forget after Yashamaru's betrayal.
But still, Gaara's sand protected her. Still, her mother remained by her side even after what she had done. Temari and Kankuro still tried to stand with her, even when she had threatened them countless times. Was that..love? Was that what it meant to love someone? Gaara still deserved that?
Naruto watched Gaara mull over what he had said. It was up to her to find the truth in his words, the significance. There was still a chance for her to redeem herself.
He grabbed one of the wires and pulled, releasing the restraints that burned into the Suna genin's flesh.
Before she could fall, Naruto caught her. It was no simple catch, Gaara realized, as he wrapped his arms around her in a comforting fashion.
"There are still people that believe in you, Gaara. Don't waste their feelings by falling to petty feelings like anger."
Naruto lifted her in his arms and laid her against the tree trunk. The seals kept her docile, but he didn't think they were necessary anymore. She was close to passing out from the battle and emotional stress, and it was clear she had a lot on her mind.
Gaara looked into Naruto's blue eyes as he knelt before her. His eyes showed indecision as he wondered whether he should do something or not. She didn't understand why, but even in the presence of her enemy, she felt rather calm.
Seeing Naruto that close, in a peaceful setting, brought on another memory. A happy one she shared with her uncle before his demise.
000
Yashamaru stood on the Kazekage's office rooftop overlooking the village. His niece, Gaara, rested on his shoulders so she could see the entire village. Her eyes were wide, astonished that she could see so far out. The village really was bigger than she could ever imagine.
"Yashamaru..this is amazing!" He smiled, glad to see she was so happy.
That outing would be the last time they would see each other for a while, as Yashamaru had a mission to complete. As the Yondaime's right hand assassin, it was his duty to follow the Creed and kill whoever his leader said to. Already he was in his clan's robes with his weapons hidden from view, safe from Gaara's curious eyes. No doubt she would wonder where he was to go, but it was better she remained in the dark.
"I'm glad you like it Gaara-sama. When I return from my mission, we can come back here to see the village again."
Gaara frowned, reminded of him leaving.
"Yashamaru, you always wear these robes when you have to go somewhere." Her uncle grimaced, not expecting her to pick up on that. "What do they mean?"
That was something he was not supposed to answer, nor was it his place to. The clan head, the Kazekage should be the one to tell her the truth. Until she could control Shukaku though, she could not be trusted.
"Sorry Gaara-sama, but for now it is something you must wait to find out." Yashamaru did not need to look to know she was frowning. "But one day, you and your siblings will wear these same robes."
That intrigued Gaara, but she didn't understand the significance of them. She had seen her father wear them only once, and that was because she had hidden away by his bedroom door one night.
From beneath his Kage robes he emerged like Yashamaru, clad in beige and red cloth, armored head to toe. He was frightening to look at, but powerful.
Since then, Gaara always wondered what it meant to wear those robes. What would she become?
000
Naruto released her movement seal, against the Kyuubi's suggestion. As far as he was concerned, Gaara was no longer a threat. To keep her safe from Shukaku, Naruto chose to leave the chakra seal on her body until she had recovered. Perhaps, for at least a little while, she could finally rest her eyes.
"Just rest now.." Naruto told her as he made to stand up.
Before he did though, Naruto received something from Gaara. It wasn't something he was expecting, but it was more than enough to lighten his mood.
Gaara smiled, a truly at peace smile. Then she closed her eyes and slept for the first time in a long while.
Naruto sensed chakra signatures approaching and he very much hoped they were friendly. He was tired of fighting for the day. All he wanted to do now was watch over the two girls and keep them safe until the war's end. Maybe he could at least do that.
When Shikamaru and his friends arrived, Naruto cracked a rare smile. It seemed his luck hadn't run out yet.
000
A few weeks later..
Konohagakure
000
In the days and weeks after the failed invasion, Konoha licked its wounds. Civilians returned to their broken homes and began to rebuild, at first with shinobi support. The regular forces were soon spread thin balancing missions with the rebuilding effort and so civilians were forced to work on their own for much of the time.
During that term, the village laid many of its dead to rest. That included the venerable Sandaime, Hiruzen Sarutobi, who died fighting against Orochimaru. It was a source of odd comfort that the Hokage was said to have died, "with a smile on his face".
The attending judges and nobles that remained from the attack continued their duties in honor of those fallen, choosing those who would continue their shinobi career as chunin. These ranks would not be handed out until they were approved by the new Hokage, whom had yet to be chosen. In secret, the council of Konoha had recruited Jiraiya to, in failing to take the job himself, retrieve Tsunade for the duty.
Jiraiya requested Naruto be allowed to accompany him, but he was denied. Naruto was undeniably strong and, while not on the village's side, was too useful of a tool to be released. Besides, there was no doubt Naruto would reject the idea upon realizing he would be accompanying the Toad Sannin.
For now, Jiraiya would give Naruto some space and ease up on his earlier tactics. He realized that Naruto very much believed in the words his father said, and that taking a tough stance would not be the right path. When things cooled between them, he would offer a better explanation to his previous words and apologize. The time they spent apart while he was on the search for Tsunade should have been enough for the conflict to be buried.
Meanwhile, Team 7 recuperated from the wounds they sustained during the war. Sasuke overexerted himself fighting Temari, allowing his emotions to get the better of him. The wind user had used that to her advantage and severely wounded him, leaving him to stay in the hospital for much of the time following the invasion.
Sakura was bed ridden in the hospital for a week before she was back to full strength. Almost immediately she returned to her daily routine between going to Naruto's compound for training and returning home to sleep. Something about the aftermath of their battle together spurred Sakura to try even harder, and she was progressing nicely.
Naruto himself had done relatively well with Kyuubi's help. He was back to training both himself as well as his subordinates like Dosu and Kin. Both they and Anko had safely avoided Oto's gaze and were safe from harm, something which Naruto was glad about.
When able, he and Kakashi trained together. Their time together was short though, as Kakashi's position as jounin required him to pick up a greater amount of slack with the village's missions. Something of which Naruto himself was immune from.
The others assumed the council had something else planned for him, but Naruto knew the truth. During that unstable time they needed one of their most prized pieces, the assassin jinchuuriki, to remain close to home. He was a symbol of Konoha's resilience, that they could still bite any who tried to take advantage of the weakness.
To emphasize that, Konoha had a leading hand in the negotiations with Suna over a peace treaty and alliance. When the hidden village of Wind country discovered it had been betrayed, they were quick to seek forgiveness. Konoha was relatively lenient in their demands of appeasement and reparations, but by the end it was clear which village was dominant.
It didn't matter much, as Naruto still had his freedom as an assassin to travel about as he pleased. On occasion he would venture into the city with Sakura, to watch the rebuilding efforts. Sometimes he even partook in casual activities that were still somewhat uncomfortable for someone raised as he was, but they made Sakura happy, so he went out on the 'dates' with little complaint.
000
After one of these dates, Naruto returned to his home and realized a messenger bird had arrived. It instinctively entered one of the many bird cages that were around his house, waiting for his return. That immediately told Naruto something was very unique about the situation, and so he hurried to read the information contained in the small scroll the bird carried.
To the Konoha Namikaze Clan
I know that it has been quite some time since our clans last met or traded words, but I have no one else to turn to. In the village of Hoshigakure, a tyrant threatens the lives of all those who live within its walls. With my power alone I cannot stop him, so I must call upon our ancient friends, the Namikaze.
As the last of my clan, there is only so much I have to offer as tribute, but if you are a follower of the Creed as am I, I know you will not deny my request.
Please hurry.
Natsuhi of the Hoshi Clan
That was the first time Naruto had ever received a message from another assassin, outside of Zabuza. He had assumed other clans that once had contact with the Namikaze had discovered their fate and cut ties. It seemed this Natsuhi had not realized that he too was the last one of his clan. Perhaps though, that was his opportunity to begin returning the Namikaze to their former glory.
It would also give him an opportunity to be free of the village and properly test himself. Sakura would insist on coming along, and he might actually let her. Experience first hand was the only experience, so by bringing her along he might actually speed her training progress.
Dosu and Kin were also possible choices as he did not like the idea of leaving them so far from his presence, nor did he like the idea of neglecting them for too long. Regardless of how they came into his service, Naruto would treat them with the respect they had earned.
They all might even learn a thing or two from the Hoshi clan as payment for whatever support they can provide.
The message itself was brief and vague, however, and Naruto would have to do some more research on the clan as well as the country it resided in. Once he had the details, he would alert Sakura. Then the two (or four) of them could have their own mission, one final test to see how far they both had come since starting their training.
Naruto felt that soon things would get a lot more busy with the Fifth Hokage around, and so that mission might be the only break they get for a while. With no time to waste, Naruto made his way to his clan's archives to find out more about this so-called, Hoshigakure.
000
And finished. Glad to get this one out there today and finish up the Chunin exam/Invasion arc all in one. It also takes us right into the Search for Tsunade aka Hoshigakure Support arc. Since Naruto was definitely not going with Jiraiya after their tense little showdown, he had to do something with his time other than train. With this new situation, Naruto has a chance to bring a little renown back to the Namikaze name and give Sakura one final test before she passes into assassinhood.
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