Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, its characters, other anime or their characters that may be referred here.
Hunt
Amegakure
The rain poured non-stop over the village like usual. And like usual the village had children playing in the rain, while adults chat on coffee. Ninjas jumped place to place patrolling the village. Pain was seeing all this from the desolate towers where only a few were allowed.
He feels a disturbance in space behind him but already knows the cause.
"Tobi-san, what brings you here on such a wonderful day?"
"Pain-sama, Tobi-kun only want to enjoy rain with you." Tobi replies making Pain roll his Rinnegan, "Tobi also want to know who go for which demon?"
Pain stands up, and faces Tobi, "before that I'd like to have a few new members to bring our numbers to nine, excluding you because you're not an official member yet. For that I'll call a meeting with our present ones."
"Very well, but have it done as soon as possible," Tobi speaks in Madara mode, "Oh I think I can arrange for one, that eases your work."
"That's great, who is it?"
"Kisame no Danna."
Pain nods in approval, "I'm going for Sasori of the red sands"
"A good addition." Madara compliments.
"It's been seven years, did you find anything?" Pain changes topic.
Madara sighs and shakes his head, "Maybe he's in Makai, it'll take some time before he regenerates; besides you could revive him using your Narak path or that one."
"Maybe?"
"There are other possibilities like maybe Kyuubi's alive but off the radar for some unknown reason."
"I see, well I'll be looking forward to meeting our ninth member." With that Pain is left alone, he makes a ram seal.
'Kakuzu! Hidan! I want you to do a certain job for me.'
Unknown location
Shadows dance around the dark room, creating sparks every time they collide. One shadow in particular was overwhelming all the rest. They came at it in twos and threes, from forward and behind, from left and right, one even tore through the ground to get it but the shadow dodged and cut its foe. Before anyone realized there was only one standing while the rest were not.
"Lights!"
And so lights smite the darkness to reveal ninjas of different shapes and sizes, all still downed by what earlier was a shadow but now is a seven year old boy was standing stoic with a wakizashi in his right hand. Danzo stood impressed by his masterpiece but hid it under his stoic expression.
"Nami," soon a masked female ninja appeared, "check for survivors and treat them. As for the dead, take them to the morgue." She didn't respond, just followed her orders. Soon the floor was clear of body. Danzo stared into the young boy's blue eyes as the boy stared back, ignoring the blonde locks of hair falling in front of his eyes.
"What are you?" Danzo asked.
"Konoha's weapon." He answered with cold unfitting of his voice's sweetness.
"What's your purpose?"
"To protect Konoha and raise it to new heights."
"What's your existence without Konoha?"
"Meaningless."
"What are emotions?"
"A ninja's weakness."
"What are comrades?"
"Soldiers who fight side by side, but disposable when they get in the way of the mission."
The old war hawk smirked finding him a good question answer session. He walks towards the boy and hands him a scroll. "Well Tsubasa, after a perfect success rate in your B-rank missions, you have proven yourself ready for your first A-rank mission" the boy stares at the scroll in curiosity, Danzo continues his briefing, "As you know, we had been at war with Kumogakure for some time before both the sides waved the white flag three months ago with negotiations ongoing. Recently a delegation from Kumo arrived in guise of negotiations but according to our intelligence their true motive is to kidnap the Hyuuga's heiress, Hinata Hyuuga, to merge Byakugan into its list of bloodlines of the Cloud. But we can't let that happen, Byakugan must stay in Leaf and Leaf alone."
Danzo kneels on one of his knees to come to Tsubasa's eye level to emphasize the seriousness of the mission, "Your mission is to retrieve the Heiress from them and bring her here without anyone knowing. Leave no clues or witness but the heiress herself, report to our base at the Gai plateau, leave the dead bodies of the enemy ninjas just not any proof it was us, the information on them is available in that scroll, study them carefully and remember failure is not an option. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Danzo-sama!" The boy replies mechanically.
Danzo nods before standing up and leaving the boy alone, as he moves out of the room and into the corridor he calls for his men, "Fu! Torune!"
Dust kicks up as two men, an orange head and a brunette with strange goggles kneel before Danzo.
"I've given Tsubasa his first A-rank mission, I want you two to keep a watch over him as we can't lose him, but retrieve him only when he's unable to battle. Come with me and I'll brief you more," and the three walk away.
Meanwhile, Tsubasa was going through the scroll. As Danzo told him the scroll told him about their numbers, skills, special techniques, etc.
'Looks like I will be of greater service to Leaf, and I owe it to Leaf because despite having a power that many crave for a ninja is useless without a village to serve for,' with that thought Tsubasa put on his hooded cloak and a mask with red wings starting from the nose. The only parts visible from his disguise were his hands, feet and a pair of crimson eyes with slit pupils.
Fire Country- Forest
In the forests of the Fire, night-time is not a good time for a safari, despite a full moon there is barely enough light to make out trees a meter or two around oneself. Nocturnal carnivores made the forest even more discouraging to humans. Despite all this five ninjas brave their way through the jungle with maximum speed.
"Have we lost the Konohites?" asked the one ahead of the group.
"Yes Roar-san, can we rest now?" asked the one lagging behind his peers.
"Call me captain, and no, we have to get to Kumo as fast as possible," scolded the captain.
"I know captain but this forest is quite discouraging to travel by," the one in middle put his two cents carrying Hinata on his shoulder.
"I know Yo! But we just kidnapped the Hyuuga heiress, we have to get to the Port city and follow with the next phase of the plan."
"Yeah, we know, go to land of Waves, stay low before the upcoming cold war between Leaf and Cloud before things cool down and bla bla bla-" his blas are interrupted as kunais rain upon them. The five land on the ground katanas held out.
"Shit! They caught up and I couldn't even sense them!"
"We don't have time for that!"
The five stand in a tense silence as the one holding the hostage stood behind. They hear footsteps before a small figure covered in cloak and a mask which had red wings carved on it, comes forward. It was Tsubasa.
"A kid?" Kai mocks.
"Be careful! I feel something scary about this kid." Yo warns.
"I don't know, the youngest Jonins were eleven or twelve years old."
A gasp is heard from behind. The four in front turn around and are in shock to see Yo spurting blood from his mouth staring at the blade protruding through his chest from behind. The blade twists and is violently chucked out by the assailant, the kid. He lets Yo's body fall lifeless and retrieves the heiress from his shoulder.
The other four charge forward in vengeance, but Kai turns around in time to fend off a strike from behind, 'a solid clone?'
Tsubasa jumps with the girl over his shoulder as the other three jump behind him. As they chase the kid, he suddenly cuts the air soon two sturdy branches launch at the two besides the captain, hitting them spot on and sending them flying away.
The captain stops in his tracks realizing the mistake they made, 'damn! He played us like Genins he separated all of us to wipe us out, but it's time to show him why we are Jonins?'
Roar takes a stance with his Katana while the kid stands impassively in front of him, 'I know Kai can hold his own I just hope Len and Daisuke come back in one piece.'
With Kai
Kai was pushing Tsubasa back, but the kid was holding his own. As their blades clash back and forth, Kai is tired of this partial stalemate, Kai charges his sword with lightning and strikes, without warning the kid and his blade are cut in half before bursting into cloud. Sensing no danger Kai moves in the direction his teammates went.
With Len
Len flies through branches before crashing into a very thick bark stuck in the dent caused by the crash but managed to hold on to his katana despite the pain. This saved him as he was able to block a downward slash meant for him. As the kid pushed down, Len grabs his wakizashi from the sheath on his right and slashes. A cloud covers his vision but he dodges a tanto trying to stab him. Len rolls out of the smoke to be met by a dozen of shadow clones. He charges his katana with fire chakra and wakizahi with lightning before scratching them against each other creating "Destructive Slash", a white crescent shaped beam flashes towards the clones destroying all, but soon more clones follow he repeats performance to destroy waves after waves of clones but soon settles to kenjutsu afraid of losing all his chakra.
He destroys every clone that comes to him, as the last clone of this wave nears him, he I about to stab when it suddenly explodes he I sent flying toward a tree where Tsubasa appears and flashes through hand signs before releasing a huge fire ball that engulf Len rendering him unable to fight. He is no longer recognizable and in pain but Tsubasa relieves him. He checks the lifeless body for pulse before dispersing into smoke.
With Daisuke
Daisuke flies through branches, struggling for breath. He rights himself by holding a branch and breaking his momentum and in time to dodge a blade of wind aimed for him. He turns to face Tsubasa with his Katana pointing at him. Tsubasa points his Tanto at Daisuke. They charge at each other meeting clangs with clangs, soon Tsubasa distances himself from Daisuke to release another wind blade at Daisuke, but Daiuke substitutes himself with a log to appear behind Tsubasa and stab him but is met with a log and blocks a lightning charged tanto with his lightning charged Katana. They are caught in a deadlock.
Tubasa suddenly lets go of his tanto and scratches Daisuke with his Kyuubi powered claw, Daiuke hisses in pain losing concentration. Tsubasa instantly grabs the tanto with his left charging it with lightning slitting both the katana and Daiuke's neck. His head roll over and the body fall to ground. Tsubasa stands still for a while before dispersing into smoke.
With Roar
The captain stands with his katana poised to strike Tsubasa. "What's your name kid?" he receives no answer as Tsubasa place Hinata over a branch and draws out his wakizashi, "Fine I prefer knowing who I killed but I'll just remember you as 'the kid." With that said they charge at each other. As Tsubasa was close to Roar, Roar's blade extends itself swiftly forcing Tsubasa to duck.
Roar does not stop there as his blade turn into a lightning whip slashing and cutting braches forcing Tsubasa to duck, jump and avoid. Tsubasa called upon Kyuubi's chakra to increase his speed using which he managed to get into Roar's space. Roar smirks victoriously as his Lightning whip suddemly forms a dome as Tsubasa is headed straight for it but Tsubasa's blade flares with fire before striking the dome creating a huge explosion. The explosion dies down to reveal a Tsubasa with tattered clothes and cracked mask and an overcooked Roar. Tsubasa jumps in time to avoid a rain of Kunais. He turns around to see Kai holding Hinata hostage.
"Not bad! But if you want the girl alive I suggest you stay in one place so that I can avenge my teammates." Kai snarls out, pressing his kunai against Hinata's neck. The boy stands still before asking, "What girl?"
Life flashes before his eyes as he realizes the one he's holding is a dummy ready to explode. After the explosion Tsubasa goes to a bark and pulls out the camouflage cloak revealing the Hyuuga heiress. He retrieves her and rushes to the hideout, 'Mission accomplished!'
ROOT hideout-Gai Plateau
Tsubasa rushes through forest with the heiress yet to wake up from his shoulder. Rushing through the forest he soon comes into an opening coming in view of Gai plateau. The plateau was green from all sides, the top and the edges. It had a huge waterfall falling from one of its sides creating a lake. Tsubasa walks across the lake and into the water fall where he reaches a cave and Danzo standing in front of it. Danzo moves towards Tsubasa and plucks Hinata from his shoulder, "Well done Tsubasa you've done a good job. You may continue with your training."
Tsubasa gives a curt nod before entering the cave, Danzo waits till he's gone, "Fu! Torune! Status Update!"
Both ninjas appear instantly leaning in front of him, Fu reports "Danzo-sama, the mission was carried out by Tsubasa without any difficulty. He defeated the five Jonins within seventeen minutes with clever tactics, using Kyuubi's power only thrice and learnt a new trick."
Danzo stares passively, "I'd like to know more later, for now I'd like to initiate the process of molding Hinata into one of us, you can come meet me at midnight," the agents nod and shushin out of his sight.
"You sure you don't have to worry about the Hokage finding our base or another war with Kumo?" a new voice asks.
Danzo nods in positive, "Yes! I'm sure Masaru. I'm not worried about Hokage because Naruto didn't leave any tracks, and what he may have left were cleared by Fu and Torune and I'm not worried about war because neither villages are willing to go for one despite the mighty charade they'll put up."
"What if Hokage-sama gets a backbone?" there is tense silence before Danzo turns around and smirks,"So you think the old man' going senile and is out to get himself and everyone else killed?"
"Not at all! I just wanted to know what if…"
Danzo turns away from Masaru and answers, "Don't worry, the worst that'll happen is that the two villages won't come in terms to a friendly alliance. Now watch the base till Hikari returns, then head to Konoha with Tsubasa." With that said Danzo fades into thin air. Masaru ponders over all that he heard just now, then he shakes his head and enters deep into the cave.
Hokage's Hall Room
The hall room was currently occupied with Jonins, ANBUs and Samurais lined in files and the Hokage, Daimyo of the Fire country and other important officials inspecting the files. After inspection the officials stand in front of the files, the Hokage walks forward and announces the purpose of this meeting, "Ninjas and Samurais of the Fire country, as you must be aware the village hidden in Cloud kidnapped Hinata Hyuuga, the heiress of the Hyuuga clan, in guise of a peace delegation. They were able to outrun us but they'll not get away with this. We'll be having a meeting with the Raikage and the Daimyo of Lightning in their village. We are taking you with us in case things turn ugly. That' all for now, we leave at the evening, meet us at 5:30 pm."
With that the files broke to exit the office. The officials remained the Hokage turned to them and said," You may leave as well; Daimyo-sama let me escort you to the guest room."
Hiashi wanted to say something but Hokage cut him to it, "Don't worry Hyuuga-san your daughter will be home safe and sound." Hiashi nodded at the reassurance before taking his leave. The Hokage escorted the Daimyo to the guest room, and then took to his office. There he was greeted by a female ANBU wearing a fox mask.
"Ah! Kushina-chan! Welcome back!" Hiruzen greeted with a genuine smile.
"Thanks Sandaime-sama, it's good to be back." She returned in a monotone.
"Well Kitsune-san how was your mission?" Sandaime asked disappointed at the monotone he received earlier.
"Sucess."
"As expected from you."
"But there's more, till now all we've learned is that Orochimaru has joined a mysterious group called Akatsuki, they wear black cloak with red clouds, but yesterday I identified two other members; Kakuzu of Takigakure and Hidan of Yugakure. The two were at a bounty station, the one close to border between Fire and Wind country, discussing about recruiting Sasori of the Red Sand. The Kakuzu is the same one who fought Shodaime Hokage and survived and Hidan the same who caused slaughter in his own village. I tried tailing but they got away."
The Hokage nodded grimly at the information, "This is very serious, from what we've learned so far this Akatsuki is a fruit basket of S-ranked criminals with an obviously ominous agenda. If they were at a bounty station they must be trying to fill their pockets for whatever purpose they have in mind, I'll inform Jiraya and ask him to keep an eye on as many bounty stations as possible for those two. You take your leave and rest for a while before restarting your hunt. I won't be available for a week or so because something important has come up, you may report to the ANBU Chief on your next hunt."
Kushina got up and saluted before leaving the office. Hiruzen scribbled a quick letter and ordered his assistant to have it delivered to Jiraya via messenger hawks instantly without delay. Someone knocked on the door," enter!" Hokage permitted. An ANBU entered the room, "you called me sir?"
"Yes, this is about the kidnapping of Hinata Hyuuga. As you know, we know Kumo is behind this but the Raikage won't admit it at the meeting, I hope you understand what I want you to do?"
"Yes Hokage-sama, I understand."
"Good…"