A Jinchuuriki's Tale Ch 35: The Five Nameless Assassins

(Italics: Thoughts / Flashbacks / Dream sequence. Bold: Title and Kyubi's / Demon's / Inner Characters's Speech. Underline: Time Skips)

Naruto opened his eyes, his vision coming clearly into focus as he sleepily sat at the edge of his bed and stood up. A split second later a shadowed figure appeared behind him, Kunai in hand as he charged through the window, the knife pierced his body and passed right through him, Naruto's form vanishing in a cloud of smoke as the shadowed figure smashed through the window adjacent to it. The sound of trash cans being knocked over and glass breaking following. Naruto walked over to his now broken window and gazed down at his perpetrator. "Kakashi-sensei what the hell do you think you're doing? I understand wanting to gauge my abilities but it's Five in the morning!" Naruto yelled down at his previous teacher, in a simple movement Kakashi appeared next to Naruto, standing on a flagpole hanging beneath Naruto's apartment complex window. "Nice to see you again too Naruto." Kakashi replied in a sour and sarcastic tone. "I hope you're paying for these windows." Naruto replied in a sleepy yet annoyed tone. "I see you've improved in both body and mind my once foolish apprentice." Kakashi replied in an intrigued tone. "You still never answered my question." Naruto replied, his facial expression not shifting a single bit.

Two birds flew overhead, chirping excitingly as they soared high above everything else. Naruto witnessed this as he gazed out the window of a small teahouse close to his place on the edge of the business district of Konoha. "So what did you want to talk about Kakashi?" Naruto asked, his focus on the birds as he spoke without even looking at his sensei.

"Naruto It's good to see you didn't choose the path of hatred like Sasuke did..." Kakashi said to his student. "Please Kakashi don't compare me to Sasuke, I had a reason for getting all this power I have something I want... Need to protect. Everything and everyone in this village." Naruto replied as he turned his head, shifting his gaze toward his sensei with his trademark fox-like grin on his face.

Naruto sat atop the head of the Fourth Hokage's head, his gaze directing at the entire village he worked so hard to protect... He was used to the hatred in people's eyes since a child but the look of betrayal in Ino's was almost too much to bear... He wanted to reestablish to loving connection they once had but he knew he had to wait... Until she was ready to accept him unconditionally...

Naruto was interrupted from his thoughts, his focus returning to the present moment. "Hey Iruka-sensei it's been a long time..." Naruto said without even looking at him. Iruka frowned at Naruto's greeting, he had heard that he had returned, but when he went to ask Tsunade about it...

Flashback:

"Yes Iruka Naruto has returned to us but he's... Changed in a way I don't quite understand... He still possesses many of the same qualities as the Naruto we all know but he seems almost like a completely different person when you're in the same room as him... Confront him for yourself and you'll understand what I mean..."

Flashback End.

"Naruto I've known you for a long time and I know when something is wrong... Is it about Ino?" Iruka asked questionably. Naruto smirked in reply, pulling a Sake bottle out of his pocket and taking a swig of it, putting it down after consuming a portion of his contents. "Is it that obvious Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked in reply, slipping the bottle of alcohol back into his pocket. "You can't really expect anything to happen immediately Naruto. Just give her some time to think and understand..." Iruka replied as he gently patted Naruto on the back, smiling at him fondly as they both sat atop the Fourth Hokage's Monument.

Ino stood before the Fifth Hokage, Ino taking a step forward and handing the Hokage a slip of paper. The Hokage unfolded the paper and quickly read it. "Are you sure about this? This mission is so simple it would better be left to a squad of mere Genin." Ino slowly nodded her head. "I'm aware of that Lady Hokage I just need some time away from the village to think..." Ino replied in a somewhat distant tone. Tsunade nodded her head in thought. "Alright approved, you will deliver this package to the Village Hidden in Sand within forty-eight hours. You are dismissed." Ino bowed slightly in response. "Thank you Lady Hokage." And with those last words Ino vanished without a trace.

An enormous man wrapped entirely in bandages with inconceivable runes written on them sat atop a throne roughly carved of black stone, in a large rectangular room that could better be described as a chamber or dungeon. Five shadowed figures bowing before this man. "You all know why I have summoned you here, an opportunity awaits... Your target has left the village, bring her back by all means necessary..." Without even a word of response all five figures vanished without a trace. After they were gone the bandaged figure extended his right arm, his fist trembling out of anger that had long since developed into a fiery hatred. "Curse You Minato!" The demonized figure roared. The walls around his chamber shaking from the sheer force of his voice alone. Almost as if they were shaking in fear.

Ino jumped swiftly from tree branch to tree branch, the package for her mission safely concealed in her black and pink Backpack. Acting purely on reflex she continued to traveled toward the Wind Country, her main focus elsewhere leaving her vulnerable. A shadowed figure gazed down at his target atop a hill, his four companions on either side of him, a malicious grin on his face as he thought of which technique to use first, his arm literally shaking in excitement. "Alright boys lets have some fun with this one, from our intel we know that this one's quite feisty..." And with those words the five nameless assassins vanished into the proceeding darkness.

A/N: Wow it's been a long time since I worked on this story, I know a lot of people have been waiting I apologize, I have no excuse. Anyway this chapter was fun to write and I'll write more in the near future. REVIEW If you care! Peace! - DemonicLove555