Alrighty guys, the second chapter of my nine chapter marathon, yes I will be posting five of FL and four of DF! Alrighty, so last chapter was more of a filler and it also served to add a little plot to the story. I will let you dig what you want till the rest is shown in the FanFiction. Anyway, I'm skipping the Tora mission, so yeah, also the Chunin exam pre-lims will be shorter since the only three that will change is Naruto's, Sakura's, and Sasuke's. So anyway, let us get on with it!
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Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi walked into the Hokage's office covered in scratches and dust. Sakura was smiling holding and petting a gently purring cat while Sasuke and Naruto wanted to strange the little shit. Minato nodded listening to the report and was about to sign them into another D-rank when Itachi walked in.
"Excuse me Hokage-dono, I realize I come in unannounced, but I must request, may my team have a C-rank? I believe they are ready to handle such a mission and with your permission Kakashi-senpai and I will be there with them." Minato leaned back in his chair and looked at the ceiling.
"Alright Uchiha-san, on one condition though." Itachi nodded.
"Anything Hokage-dono."
"Make sure Kakashi-chan isn't lazy and actually teaches them more than teamwork, that will only get you so far." Itachi nodded and caught the C-rank scroll in his hands.
"The client is in the hall outside, you are to escort him to Nami no Kuni and assist him in anyway to build his homes bridge. Once accomplished you shall return and collect your pay. Mission is estimated to be two to three months long, that means you will have only a month left for the exams." Itachi nodded.
"Thank you Hokage-dono, you are too generous." Minato motioned for Naruto to join him.
"You may leave, I need to have a word with my musuko." The team left and Naruto took a seat infront of his father.
"Now, musuko, this mission, I believe it is a fake, I alerted your sensei's and no doubt they are telling your squadmates. Just be careful, and remember, if anything happens, throw my kunai. I will be there in a flash." Naruto nodded and smiled.
"It will be fine Chichi, Haha is with me in my heart. So her strength is in me, I will never back down and I will never break my promises, that is my word." Minato smiled with pride and ruffled his hair.
"Now go and pack, make sure to use the scrolls not a backpack, you will move faster and quieter." Naruto nodded and left the room.
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Assembling at the gate the team of five and their client were leaving the gate. The trek would be long, it would be rough on them, but this was their job, their life.
"Ahhhhhh, sensei's! I'm tired, can't we take a break?!" Kakashi sighed.
"For the last time, no Sakura-chan, even Tazuna-san isn't as tired as you." Sakura pouted but the group continued on. Naruto saw something in the route ahead, he went to alert his sensei's but Kakashi and Itachi nodded. The five walked past the puddle and nothing happened, it was strange two hidden men in a genjutsu but they didn't attack. It made Itachi uneasy, it would just be safer to eliminate them here and now. Itachi vanished from the group and in less than half of a minute he returned with two men dead in his arms.
"Tazuna-san, would you like to tell me why the Oni Kyōdai were here? They didn't seem to be after you till the seventh genjutsu broke them. So why, pray tell me, would two Chunin from Mizu no Kuni's ninja village would be after you?" Tazuna was about to piss himself, those demon like red eyes staring into his own.
"Okay, okay, I lied about the mission, there is a man oppressing our country named Gato. He is very wealthy and doesn't want us to finish the bridge because then he would loose a funnel of his economic wealth. So he hired some thugs to attack us, it was fine until he hired Ninja who attacked and killed most of the workers and their families. These two are subordinates to the one in charge of the operations. He sent them after me but through some close friends they smuggles me out to Konoha. Please I beg of you, we didn't have the funds to make a proper mission statement, but please, don't abandon me and my country, we will die if you do!" Itachi looks at him and growls but Kakashi places a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Easy Itachi-kun, now, I think me and Itachi can handle a Jonin, so we will be able to handle what's coming. However, you will at all times remain aware, we will be moving quickly and silently. We will be moving through the trees, on my mark." Kakashi formed a Kage Bunshin to carry Tazuna and he lifted his head band.
"Mark." The five Shinobi took off through the tree at top speed, well Ninja speed for slow Genins, cough cough Sakura's fault cough cough. After an hour they reached the coast and Kakashi got passage to Nami no Kuni via boat. The five ninja and their client piled into the small boat and set about their way, on the ride several questions were asked about the situation and the like to get a read on what was going on. Itachi learned that there was one identifiable nuke-nin among Gatou's troops and probably the one that was sent after Tazuna. Mamochi Zabuza the Kirigakure no Kijin. Kakashi and Itachi formulated a plan of action which resulted in the agreement. Kakashi would take on Zabuza with the support of Itachi's clones and a barrage of Genjutsu while Itachi and the Genin would protect the client. When the group had reached shore it was misty. Being early in the morning gave them a disadvantage but also an advantage; they were heading North-West away from the sun, while their attackers would be moving South-East into the sun. Itachi was no fool and he had several contingency plans on the back burner, though he hoped he wouldn't need them since all of them relied on him having another member of the swordsmen with him. The six people stopped as the mist had become too thick to travel, but Kakashi and Itachi knew better, even under heavy fog they could see through it, but this, this was chakra infused mist, not even the Byakugan could see through it. Kakashi drew a Kunai and one slid down from Itachi's forearm protector, they heard a whistling and Kakashi, Sakura, Sasuke, Naruto, and Tazuna hit the deck but Itachi did something unexpected. Itachi jumped and slammed his foot down on the flat edge of the Kubikiribōchō launching the edge into the ground, he landed on the handle sticking out of the ground and the mist lightened so they could see their attacker.
"Well well well, if it isn't Kopī Ninja no Kakashi and oh my, I might be out of my league. Is that standing atop my blade Uchiha Itachi. Well, I would have been worried but, I myself have brought someone with me, who will be more than a match." A silver haired man wielding a three bladed scythe walked out of the woods.
"The fuck was that you mother fucking shit head? You wanna die for Lord Jashin you swine? Fucking do that bullshit again and I will rip your balls out and feed them to that bitch you keep as a pet." Zabuza glared at the man and Itachi turned to him.
"You will be my opponent, Team Seven, watch the client." Itachi vanished and appeared behind The man and stabbed his Kunai deep into the mans neck severing the spinal cord and the Jugular vein in one sweep. Messy, but effective, but to Itachi's surprise the man simply grabbed Itachi's hand and yanked the Kunai out and flung Itachi. Reaching back and flinging it forward the man launched his unusual scythe at Itachi. Itachi blocked it and watched the weapon return to its owner whom was stretching his neck.
"You heathen, I will eviscerate you and sacrifice your soul to Lord Jashin. YOU HEATHEN DIE!" The man charged at Itachi who seemingly without moving a muscle glided across the ground zigzagging leaving Kage Bunshin behind him. The man reached his scythe out but as soon as he touched the tips of his blades to the bunshin it exploded.
"Bunshin Daibakuha." Itachi opened his eyes walking out from the tree line seeing his bunshin gone he looks to the dismembered torso and head of the man. His eyes widened as he saw the man groaning and making gurgling noises trying to yell at him. Itachi looked into the holes where the mans eyes once laid and he walked forward to the torso and bent down.
"You are a curious being, I am afraid our fight has come to a close." Itachi left the torso to what he believed was its death to return to Kakashi.
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Kakashi grimaced, he was relying on Itachi's support for this one just in case he couldn't handle Zabuza. Now he was facing a situation he didn't like, he was here with Zabuza, an A-rank nuke-nin, known for merciless tactics and he couldn't leave the kids, if he had partners they wouldn't stand a chance. Kakashi inhaled and exhaled closing his eyes for a moment.
'Rin, give me strength.' Kakashi opened his eyes and took a step forward immediately in Zabuza's range, he grabbed the hand holding the sword and the other one making hand seals and head butted Zabuza stunning him. He placed his foot on the mans femur and pushed flinging Zabuza back. HE heard the pop and splash, he spun around his Kunai clashing with Zabuza's sword.
"That Kunai wont last long Kakashi, you better hurry before I kill the kids instead." Kakashi felt an old anger rise up inside him and with a roar he pushed Zabuza's sword back, he stepped forward again into Zabuza's stance and grabbed his clothes for a throw but Zabuza disappeared into a puddle of water. Kakashi jumped high and back flipped infront of the kids. He cursed realizing he played into Zabuza's trap, he wanted Kakashi here so he would have Kakashi trapped. Zabuza appeared and started walking towards him, mist started to roll in as if swallowing them whole. Kakashi knew that if things continued this way there was nothing he could do, he wouldn't be able to protect his students.
"Kakashi, you're shaking, I wonder, are you frustrated yet? Do you feel your senses fighting each other? The anger at not being able to protect them? Or the failure at protecting them when they die?" Kakashi'a eyes widened as he heard Zabuza swing, from behind. Kakashi turned as fast as he could but it was too late, he was splashed in crimson. His eyes widened as he saw only Naruto and Zabuza left, the blood was Naruto's the sword splitting his side nearly to the spine.
"One down," Zabuza pulled his plade back and kicked Naruto into Kakashi, "three to go." Kakashi stunned at seeing his student in his arms he let out a roar of pain. HE felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"I have this one Kakashi, you get them to Tazuna's house." Kakashi nodded and cradled Naruto almost as if he was a child. Itachi cracked his neck and looked to Zabuza, he smirked.
"You shouldn't have done that." Zabuza raised a non-existant eyebrow.
"Oh? Please tell me why?" Itachi sighed and cracked his knuckles, his eyes melding into a shuriken pattern.
"Because you have pissed me off." Itachi vanished and appeared next to Zabuza, black feathers raining down around him. Itachi whispered into his ear.
"Let me show you the power of an S-rank Shinobi, Zabuza-kun." Zabuza felt a hand impact his ribs, a foot hit his spine, and a kunai lodge into his shoulder. Zabuza stood and looked upon the Uchiha, he felt death, and he was afraid. Zabuza readied his sword, sweating and panting he looked upon the true demon in front of him and he trembled. He charged Itachi with all of his speed slashing at him with his sword, flipping off of it trying to score a hit with his foot, but like everything else, it was blocked. He cursed this demon, he cursed his clan, and he cursed Konoha for making this monster. He saw Itachi move towards him throwing a right hook, but he was hit on the left, a right axe kick, but hit on the left side, he realized, genjutsu! He used the release technique but he felt the same, no change.
"Good, you found the first one, nine hundred and seventy-eight more to go." Itachi vanished in a flock of birds reappearing next to Zabuza and sending a knee into his gut. Zabuza bent over Itachi's knee slid off like a sack of potatos.
"Momochi Zabuza, I grant you a good death." Itachi went for the killing blow but a mirror appeared in front of him. He went to break it but when he did Zabuza was gone. Itachi cursed his luck and raced towards Tazuna's home.
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Itachi barged into the house and immediately followed the blood trail into Naruto's room. Throwing the door open he saw Kakashi and his brother trying to stop the bleeding.
"Itachi! Do you have one of Sensei's kunai!" Itachi shook his head and threw off his cloak immediately by Kakashi's side. Seeing Naruto's wound filled him with dread. His kidney was deffinately destroyed, sliced liver, split bones and blood vessals. Itachi put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.
"Senpai, he's good as gone. I doubt even Tsunade could save him now." Kakashi's eye widened and he continued to work on Naruto in a panic.
"I refuse to believe that damnit, now get down here and help me!" Kakashi yanked Itachi back down onto the ground and the two went on trying to save Naruto's life.
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Naruto opened his eyes, he was laying in water, why? He looked around standing, he felt an intense pain in his side. HE remembered Zabuza's attack and his sensei's words to him, but he smiled softly.
"I guess I am dead, huh. I figured that the afterlife would be either better or worse than this." Naruto sighed looking around, he saw nothing but empty tunnels, but a bright red light in one. Naruto headed down the hallway and when he came into a room he saw a red headed woman at a campfire. On either side of here were two doors, one red the other purple. She looked into Naruto's eyes and he into hers and she immediately began to sob and shed tears. Naruto ran over to the woman and sat next to her consoling her.
"It'll be ok ma'am, now, what's your name and where are we? Is this hell?" The woman wiped her eyes and shook her head.
"It is too early, way too early, why are you here Naruto! This isn't right! Where was Minato?!" Naruto blinked rapidly, this woman knew him and his father, what was going on.
"Ma'am, you didn't answer my question, who are you?" The woman smiled somberly and she placed a hand on his cheek her thumb tracing his cheek bone.
"I'm your mother, Uzumaki Namikaze Kushina. This is the world of the dead."
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Well then, how was that? Remember to review and follow! We're drawing ever closer to the 150-150!