Naruto doesn't cry

by Mnarutodbz

Naruto is adopted by Dante. A few years later he returns. What kind of surprises will he have for the people of Konoha. No yoai. Harem.

13. Chapter 12: Sasuke's struggle

Mnarutodbz "Here I am with another chapter. Sorry for the long update but I have a busy personal life and…at one time a crappy computer to write on."

Naruto comes into the room and he says "It became time…I thought you would let me wait until I can grow a beard."

Mnarutodbz snarls at Naruto and he says to the readers "Anyway…let's get over this quickly…it's time for the reviews. I will just handle a few just to update faster…but reviewers who won't get selected…don't worry…I'll might choose you next chapter …and now…let me introduce the one who will handle the reviews….here is Blitz!"

Blitz makes a 'peace' sign and he cries out "What's up my brotha's! Blitz is in tha house…let's do this shit…"

Mnarutodbz hits Blitz and he says "In a normal manner…or else I will send Vergil after you!"

Blitz starts to sweat and he says "Sure dog…I mean man. Okay…first review!"

Ccebling "Dante I will show you and Vergil I'll change your whole attitude forbidden jutsu I created Vergil this will teach you to be nicer and Dante this will teach you to not be an ass, now lets begin Forbidden Summon; Fangirl summoning jutsu (900 trillion of the raping kind of fangirls appear) get them girls and don't hold back.

Fangirls Dante, Vergil here we come! (The girls run at a speed the makes The Flash and The Road Runner look like snails.) I'm working on character discipline. I also gave them seals that make them immune to devil/demonic power and devil arms.

Dante sees the fangirls coming and he screams "Vergil…we're gonna die! What are we going to do now!"

Vergil smirks and he says "I can use a portal…you just help yourself. Bye." And Vergil warps away while Dante is being overrun by fangirls

Bring back Nero with a dimension summoning jutsu which will bring him back without anything bad happening to Vergil, Mnarutodbz or I'll not only send fangirls after you but also gay fanboys "The raping kind".

Mnarutodbz crosses his arms and he said "Nero has no part in this story…or should I say…not constantly hehehe. And don't try to send after me what I don't have…I neither have fangirls or fanboys…let alone gay fanboys…what is kind of disturbing :S.

Madara I'll give you a Juubi summoning jutsu if you put Barney and the TellyTubies in Tsukyomi.

Madara appears next to a tellytubie and he uses his Tsukyomi, but the tellytubie says "Hug, mirroreyes, hug." And suddenly Madara finds himself in a twisted, happy Tsukyomi land where every child wants to hug him…and instead of a Akatsuki robe he is wearing a robe with rainbows and flowers.

Hidan go kill barbie since she says Jashin is a wimpy boy who wets himself."

Hidan gets enraged and he cries out "Where is that Barbie! I'll kill her! Jashin isn't a wimpy boy who wets himself."

Suddenly a crying voice called out to Hidan "Hidan…change my diaper…it's all wet again…ppppllleeeaaassseeee."

Hidan sighed and with a growl he said "Just a minute Jashin…I'm busy!"

Tasmin-2 "well i have to disagree Vergil-san, i think Mnarutodbz-kun made you look cool yet still evil (not in the imma take over the world mwahahaha type) btw Mnarutodbz-kun is Orian you're orignal character? or is he from dmc? btw thanks for reviewing my comment! :) keep updateing!"

Mnarutodbz "Yes…Orion is an original character…just like Maya, Cold, Argor and Eldor."

Trinity Fenton-Phantom "great story. keep writing. update soon. I can't wait to read more! This is getting interesting.

I have a few questions for quite everyone.

Mnarutodbz: when do you plan on having Kushina activate her devil trigger? Also could you add Kurotsuchi to the harem?

Mnarutodbz "Later…when the time is right….and I haven't thought about Kurotsuchi yet…I have to remember who that is :S"

Dante: By chance are you a virgin, I ask because it seems you have more interest in pizza, strawberry sundae, & demon slaying. By the way how the hell do you have money to buy pizza & strawberry sundae if you are deep in debt? *Throws Dante pepperoni pizza*

Dante smirks and he says "I'm not a virgin."

Vergil glares evilly at Dante and Dante cries out "I'm not…it still counts if you pay for it. And as for the buying stuff…just make them crazy and then you can bargain."

Kushina: How do you feel about Naruto having a harem? *Gives Ramen*

Kushina "He won't get a harem…clear and simple."

Naruto "But mom…."

Kushina "I…said…no…"

Minato walks in "But Kushina…you must understand that…"

Kushina's face gets just as red as her hair and she yells "I SAID FUCKING NO!"

Minato and Naruto shrink and they both say "Yes ma'am."

Minato: What would you do if the people who crucified Naruto were still alive?

Minato "I still feel pretty upset…but violence won't solve anything…"

Dante walks into the room "Geek…"

Virgil: Just out of curiousity Who do you think would win in a fight, Dante or Alucard from Hellsing?

Vergil seems to think and then he says "Alucard."

Dante looks at Vergil and he cries out "Hey…a little support please!"

Vergil shrugs and he says "I'm honest…Alucard thinks before he acts."

Trish: Are you aware that Dante pretty much said you weren't a woman?

Trish smirks and she says "I'll get him in this chapter…you read it…it's funny."

Gaara: Why don't you and your siblings move to Konoha? Also is there any sweet you like or do you hate all sweets?

Gaara shakes his head and he says "I will remain in the Sand…and I hate every sweet thing…it gives you cavities."

Naruto: What will you do if someday everyone in the world knew about Kyuubi & your heritage? Also if Kyuubi decided to play strip poker who would win?

Naruto shrugs and he says "I don't know what I would do…and Kyuubi always wins…she cheats."

Kyuubi appears and with a whiny voice she cries out "I do not!"

Mnarutodbz nods "Yes she does…really…or there are two ace of spades in a game…"

I have a question for Zabuza though I don't know how he would respond, but the question is what will he do should he learn that Haku would have to share Naruto?

Zabuza appears as a freaking zombie and he says "Nothing…I'm dead…but if I were alive I would make sure that there are enough pieces of him TO share."

Blitz pouts and he says "There were no answers for me to answer…not even a review that could be answered by me…*wimp*"

Suddenly Blitz looks up and he sees the zombie Zabuza and he shouts "AAAHHH a Freaking zombie! VERGIL….HELP!"

Vergil appears and he says to the zombie Zabuza "Look at him…all that meat…nice and fresh. That red blood streaming through his blue veins…especially those arms…all that meat and fat…are you getting hungry yet?"

Blitz cries out "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Vergil looks at Blitz and he says "I'm helping you…but you didn't say in what way hehehe."

Suddenly the fangirls from Ccebling appears and they tackle Vergil and he screams "DAMN YOU!"

Mnarutodbz sighs and he says "Damn those chaotic scenes. Anyway…enjoy the chapter…"

Fangirls from Vergil and Dante appear and they start to yell: Mnarutodbz doesn't own Naruto, Devil may cry or any characters that appear in this FANFICTION

---

Dante walked to the relaxation room that was next to the training dojo in the Namikaze estate. He looked around and soon he found what he was looking for. He saw Vergil, stretched out on the couch, reading a book.

Dante came to the relaxation room in a rush and he quickly asked Vergil "Hey…Vergil. Did you hear something? Like people screaming?" Vergil sighed, as if he had trouble with turning his attention to Dante instead of the book and he said "Yes…I heard."

Dante shook his head in annoyance and he cried out "And you don't have the urge to found out where it comes from!" Vergil looks at Dante with his expressionless face and he plainly said "I already know where it is coming from."

As if someone was waiting for Vergil to say that, screams were heard from nearby. Dante looked around and he said "Here it is again…who the hell is that?" Vergil casts a quick glance at the door that lead to the dojo and he softly said "My 'students'."

Dante looked puzzled at Vergil and he asked "But why are they screaming so terrified? What kind of training are you making them do?" The door of the dojo suddenly opened and Shikamaru appeared, crawling on the ground, beaten to a bloody pulp and he plead Dante "Please…help us…she's a monster."

Dante suddenly heard a voice he knows all too well, which screamed "SO NOW I'M A MONSTER AM I?" and Trish walks out of the dojo, grabs Shikamaru by his right leg and dragged him back to the dojo while Shikamaru was begging for mercy.

Dante raised his right eyebrow and he said "Now I understand…but how were you able to convince Trish to train with your students?" Vergil looked at Dante while a faint smile appeared and he said "I have my ways."

A little while back

Vergil, followed by his students, walked towards Trish, who sat in the relaxation room and he asked "Trish…may I have a word with you?" Trish took a quick glance at Vergil's students and she said "Sure…but make it quick."

Vergil nodded and he said to his students "Just go into the dojo…your training will start soon." His students went into the dojo and when they were gone Trish asked "What is this about?" Vergil looked bored at Trish and he said "Would you mind to stay away from my students as far as you can?"

Trish looked surprised at Vergil and she asked "Why?" Vergil seemed to hesitate a bit and he eventually said "Well…they can't seem to focus when you're around. I asked why that was but…I can't say that to you right now. Although I don't like you…there are limits, even for me."

Trish surprised condition turned into curiosity and she sternly asked "Why can't they focus…is it about the way I dress?" Vergil shook his head and he said "No…it's not about the way you look. It's about something else…that is as insulting as strange."

Trish took an aggressive stance and she said with a tone in her voice "Tell me or else…" Vergil looked at Trish with, an amazingly well acted, fear in his eyes and he said "Well…if you put it like that. They are afraid of you. Most of them told me that when they stand before you, they get the feeling that you are not a woman but more like a cold object and that perspective raises fear in them."

Trish glared hatefully at the door that lead to the dojo and she said with a lot of bitterness in her voice "I'll give them a valid reason to fear me…I'll be right back." And she rushed through the door.

The present

Dante looked surprised at Vergil but then he started to laugh and he said "Really…the last time that someone was able to trick Trish was a long time ago. This is hilarious. I have to say…you handled that one excellent!"

Vergil turned his attention back to his book and he said "I've always been the smart one." Dante placed his hands at his side and he said "Really now? Have you also figured out what you're going to do when Trish finds out that you tricked her?"

Vergil quickly looked up to Dante and he asked "What do you mean!" Dante made a careless gesture and he said "She is going to find out that you tricked her in doing this and then she is going to kick your ass."

Vergil seemed to think and he said "Oh…you mean that. Now that you mention it…I do." The door suddenly opened and a panting Trish appeared. She accusingly pointed her finger at Vergil and she cried out "YOU TRICKED ME BASTARD! That guy with the sunglasses told me that they didn't say anything to you about me!"

Vergil showed a soft smile and he said "I thought they would mention it sooner. I have to thank Dante…without his help I wouldn't have known about a way to trick you into training my students." Dante was stunned of shock, unable to speak a word.

Because of this fact, Trish took Dante's silence as a confession and she screamed "ASSHOLE! I'M GONNA BREAK YOU!" and the next second Dante was running for his life with Trish hot on his trail.

Vergil chuckled softly and he said to himself "I dodged that bullet again. Sometimes I even amaze myself." And he returned to his book.

With Naruto

Naruto, his father and the group he was training was on the training field. They were all waiting for Sasuke, who was late. Naruto let out a deep sigh and he said "This is the third time that he is late. This isn't like him at all."

Just as Naruto finished his sentence Sasuke appeared. Naruto looked at Sasuke and he said "You look terrible." It was true. Sasuke had very small eyes with big sacks under it. His entire expression could be called hazy and that's if you say it politely.

Sasuke yawned and he said "I'm fine…I didn't get much rest last night but I can take it." Naruto smirked and he said "We'll see. Before we start I want to discuss something with Itachi. Dad, will you take over for a minute?"

Minato nodded and he instructed the team members while Naruto and Itachi moved away. When they were out of the hearing distance of the group Naruto asked "What's the matter with your brother?" Itachi sighed and he said "I don't exactly know. I have a theory but I'm not certain…"

Naruto looked stern and he said "If this continues Sasuke won't be able to continue with the program so just tell me your theory." Itachi nodded and he said "I think the seal that contains Orochimaru's curse seal is breaking down and that's taking its toll on him."

Naruto seemed to think and he said "Does that cause insomnia?" Itachi shook his head and he said "It has never been recorded and Sasuke isn't suffering from insomnia. Sasuke dreams at night, then he starts to talk in his sleep and he develops a fever. The symptoms look a lot like night terrors."

Naruto looked at Itachi and he asked "Why didn't you report it to the Hokage?" Itachi let out a big sigh and he said "Well…because I am not exactly sure what will happen if I do. I mean I do trust the Hokage and I know that he is a good man at heart but if he thinks that the situation with Sasuke could get dangerous…"

Naruto nodded and he said "Say no more. I understand. Just monitor him for the next couple of night and if it gets worse we need to come up with something." Itachi nodded and he said "Good…just don't let Sasuke know that you know about his…current situation." Naruto smiled and he said "Don't worry…I can keep my mouth shut."

Naruto and Itachi returned to the others. Naruto looked over the training and he could clearly see that Itachi made huge progress, what's understandable because of the Sharingan and the fact that he has a devil arm. But he also saw that Sasuke could do a lot better than he was showing right now. His movements were slow, his focus was off and he quickly ran out of breath. At this rate Sasuke would get nowhere.

Naruto was seriously concerned about him and he thought about what he could do to relieve his current condition. Neither he nor Itachi knew that the problem would solve itself in a way that no one could predict…

Later that day

Sasuke was walking home together with his brother. They just finished their rigorous training and they were craving for some food and rest. While they were walking, both of them heard a loud and shrieking voice calling out to Sasuke.

Sasuke let out a big sigh when he saw the pink-haired girl and he said "You should go on ahead Itachi…I'll be right up." Itachi nodded and he said "Don't take too long." Sasuke showed a soft smile and he said "Unfortunately that isn't up to me. I hope Kami is merciful today."

Itachi moved along while Sakura reached Sasuke. Sakura said with a high, soft voice "Hiii Sasuke." Sasuke glared at Sakura and he said "Hi…what do you want?" A light blush appeared on her face and she started talking about a date…again.

But Sasuke wasn't listening at all. Her voice seemed to turn into a faint, slow echo and his head started throbbing. When the pain became somewhat tolerable, Sasuke heard Sakura say "What do you think?"

Sasuke shook his head and he quickly said "I don't have time for this now…I'm out of here." Sakura came closer to Sasuke and she said "But…" Suddenly Sasuke grinded with his teeth and he said "Get the hell away from me woman!"

Sakura startled and tears appeared in her eyes while Sasuke looked confused. He seemed to hesitate a bit, like he wanted to apologize, but he started to run away.

After a short while he arrived at his house. He quickly opened the door, went through it and slammed it shut. He was panting of exhaustion and the next second Itachi appeared in front of him. Sasuke looked at him with an absent look in his eyes and Itachi said "Are you ok Sasuke?"

Sasuke saw Itachi in a blur and suddenly he fell unconscious. Itachi was just in time to catch him. He tried to wake Sasuke up. He softly slapped his cheeks, he used water on his face…he even used smelling salt, but nothing seemed to work.

He didn't seem any other option than to take him to the hospital, even if that meant that the Hokage would find out about Sasuke's current condition. He carried Sasuke on his back to the hospital, where Sasuke quickly got a room while several doctors started to examine him.

In the time that Sasuke was examined, Itachi was banned from the hospital room and since it could take a while, he went to the Namikaze estate to tell Naruto what happened. Naruto was shocked and he quickly came along with Itachi to hear what the doctors found out.

When they arrived the doctors were still busy with examining Sasuke and Itachi asked the receptionist "Does it normally take this long?" The receptionist showed him her smile and she told him "I'm sure they are just re-checking result sir. Please sit down until a doctor calls you."

Itachi clearly saw that he wouldn't get any further with interrogating the receptionist and he sat down next to Naruto. He nervously said "What's taking them so long?" Naruto knew that Itachi is a man that normally doesn't show his emotions and he said "Don't worry…although you and your brother are different in your own way…you do have one thing in common. You're both tough. He'll make it, whatever he has."

After thirty more, nerve-wreaking minutes a doctor went into the waiting room and Itachi quickly stood up and he asked "Have you found out what's wrong with my brother!" The doctor looked at Itachi and he answered "No…although…not exactly."

Itachi looked seriously at the doctor and he said "What do you mean with that!" The doctor pushed his glasses further up his nose and said "I mean that we know why he is unconscious, but we don't know what caused it."

After that the doctor got silent until Itachi almost screamed "Don't stand there like you can't count to ten! Just tell me what's wrong with him!" The doctor startled and he said "His chakra is severely disturbed. In a response to this, his body turned itself off to prevent physical and mental malfunctions."

Itachi growled and he said "I understood the first part…but explain the rest in plain English." The doctor pushed his glasses, which glided down when he was talking, back to its place and he said "Your brother is in a coma because something is wrong with his chakra."

Itachi was dazzled and while he was processing information the doctor said "Although we know what's wrong with him, we need to know how it happened to cure it. Unlike normal diseases, chakra related issues can have mental, physical or a combination of both as triggers. So can you sit down and answer some questions for us?"

Itachi nodded, sat down and before the doctor could ask questions he asked Naruto "Naruto…can you reach Tsunade and ask her to come here? If someone can find anything out, it's her." Naruto nodded and he said "Sure…I'll be right back."

Naruto went on his way while Itachi was answering questions. After 10 minutes he reached Jiraiya's and Tsunade's house and he knocked on the door. After 4 knocks Jiraiya opened the door and he said "Take it easy…where is the fire?"

Naruto made an impatient gesture and he quickly asked "Is Tsunade at home?" Jiraiya nodded and he said "I think so…I think she's in her lab in the basement. One moment." And he shouted "TSUNADE!" Naruto softly heard "WHAT IS IT!" Jiraiya shouted back "IT'S NARUTO FOR YOU…IT SEEMS IMPORTANT!" She answered "I'LL BE RIGHT UP!"

Eventually Tsunade appeared next to Jiraiya and she asked Naruto "What is it? I'm very busy." Naruto quickly explained that Sasuke was in the hospital and what the doctors found out. Tsunade startled and she quickly got some things and went with Naruto while Jiraiya travelled along as well.

They finally arrived at the hospital and they saw that the doctor was still busy with Itachi. Tsunade went to the doctor and she said "Give me the status reports. I'm taking over this case." The doctor pushed back his glasses again and he said "Sorry lady Tsunade but I can't allow that. This is my case and I will solve it. When I feel that we can't handle it anymore, we'll call for you."

Tsunade showed a soft smile while she laid her hand on the doctor's shoulder and she said "I don't think that you understand what I'm saying. I said I'm taking over this case." The doctor seemed like he wanted to protest again but suddenly he cried out in pain while his right arm went to his shoulder.

Tsunade kept on smiling while she asked nicely "So you will arrange the status reports for me?" The doctor forced himself to nod while he said "Yes lady Tsunade…as soon as I possibly can…now please let go!"

Tsunade released her grip on the doctor's shoulder, who quickly turned around and ran away to get the status reports as soon as he didn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore. Jiraiya sighed and he said "She always gets what she wants…trust me…I learned that the hard way."

Tsunade turned her head to him and she nicely asked "Did you say something?" Jiraiya's eyes widened and he said "No…nothing." She turned her head back and she said with her normal voice "Good…now let's see if I can help Sasuke."

They went to the hospital room and Tsunade immediately started a quick examination and after a short while she said "There are no physical manifestations that would indicate and infection or a bacterial disease…I guess we have to wait for the status reports."

Another doctor arrived after 5 minutes who said "Doctor Tara told me to give you these lady Tsunade." Tsunade nodded and she took the status reports. She quickly glanced at the sheet of paper and surprised she asked "Are you sure that this is right?"

The doctor nodded and he said "We checked it three times, just to be sure." Itachi asked with a frightened tone in his voice "What is it?" Tsunade looked at it and she answered "It almost looks like two different kinds of chakra's are fighting each other inside Sasuke's body. It's almost like…"

Suddenly Tsunade looked up from the sheet of paper and Itachi quickly asked "Like what!" Tsunade mumbled in herself "It can't be." And he quickly went to Sasuke and turned his head so that the curse seal is clearly visible. The seal around the curse seal seemed corroded and the curse seal itself was glowing red.

Tsunade immediately turned to the doctor and she commanded "Give me a syringe…now!" The doctor quickly nodded and he got a syringe out of a drawer in record time. Tsunade took the syringe and she pierced the needle in the curse seal itself.

Everyone saw blood flowing into the syringe and it seemed a bit darker than normal. It was a color between red and black. Tsunade turned back to the doctor and she said "I want Sasuke under 24-hour surveillance until I'm done with testing this blood."

The doctor looked at the blood in the syringe and he asked "Do you have a lead Tsunade?" Tsunade looked at the blood in the syringe as well and she said "Maybe…I think the curse seal is the trigger for Sasuke's coma…but I need to be sure and I need to know what this particular curse seal is made of."

She turned to Itachi and Naruto and she said "You two should return home for the moment. There is nothing you can do right now. If I find something you are the first one to know Itachi. I promise I will find a way to cure Sasuke's condition!"

Itachi relaxed a bit and he said "I know that if someone can do it, it is you….but isn't there anything else I can do?" Tsunade sighed and Naruto said "Itachi…just come with me until this entire thing is over. I heard stories about the mother's family and that they were seal masters. Perhaps they know something about this phenomenon. I know that my mother and father might have an idea what a curse seal can do."

Itachi seemed to hesitate and Naruto continued "And you are doing something that can help Sasuke and you won't be home alone." Itachi finally nodded and he said "You've convinced me." And he turned back to Tsunade and he said "Just do your best lady Tsunade…if you manage to cure him, I'm forever in your debt."

Tsunade waved with her hand and she said "Don't mention it. Just go so that I can work." Jiraiya stepped forward and he said "I'll be here as well. I had my fair share of curse marks and perhaps I can add some additional information when it is needed.

Itachi nodded and he followed Naruto to his home. When they arrived they saw Kushina and Naruto asked "Mom…dad is an expert on curse seals right?" Kushina looked surprised and she said "He is known as a seal master…but also I have some knowledge from the Uzumaki clan…but since when are you interested in seals?"

Naruto made an impatient gesture and he said "It's not about me…it's about Sasuke. He is in a coma." Kushina startled and she said "How terrible…but why do you need to know about curse seals?" Naruto explained what Tsunade found out and Kushina seemed to think about it and eventually she said "Your father is upstairs. I never heard of a curse seal doing this to somebody…perhaps he might have an idea."

Naruto nodded and he went upstairs, followed by Itachi. Minato was in his study, looking through some old books. When Naruto entered he said "Hi Naruto….Itachi." Naruto said "Hi dad. I have a question…you know a lot about curse seals right?"

Minato nodded and he said "I'm capable on the department. Why?" Naruto explained to him what is happening to Sasuke at the moment and Minato said "So…the curse mark of Orochimaru is glowing and Sasuke is in a coma because his chakra is disturbed in such a way that his body is shutting down?"

Itachi nodded and Minato said "Perhaps...I might have an idea. Although it's just a theory, it fits with Sasuke's condition." Itachi looked interested and he asked "What's your theory?" Minato seemed to think a moment and eventually he said "Perhaps this specific curse mark is designed not only to make someone obedient, but also to corrode someone's chakra. There might be a possibility that's Sasuke's original chakra is fighting the chakra that the curse seal has corroded."

Naruto seemed to think about that possibility and he asked "But does that explain why Sasuke is in a coma?' Minato nodded and he said "That's likely. Although he looks calm on the outside, inside his body a war is being fought."

Itachi seemed to think about this possibility as well and he asked "And what if the corroded chakra wins from Sasuke's original chakra?" Minato looked serious and he said "Then we will lose Sasuke forever. The Sasuke that we know will cease to exist and someone else, who looks and fights just like him, will take his place…an evil one who will do Orochimaru's bidding."

Naruto looked serious as well and he asked "And what if it's a tie?" Minato looked down and he softly said "Then both chakra's will destroy each other…Sasuke won't have any chakra left and that means…" Itachi looked serious as well and he said "He will die if that happens." Minato nodded and he said "I'm sorry Itachi…but the only thing we can do is hope the best for your brother."

Itachi looked a bit sad but eventually a soft smile appeared on his face and he said "No…Tsunade is doing her best to cure Sasuke. She will figure out what to do…I'm sure of it." And quickly after he said that he left the room.

Naruto and Minato looked down the hallway and Minato softly said "I just hope she finds out how to cure Sasuke in time…"

In the hospital

Tsunade was screaming to the nurses "HOLD HIM DOWN." 4 experienced nurses gathered around Sasuke and they were holding his arms and legs while Tsunade got a syringe with an green liquid in it.

Finally she found a visible vein and she put the needle in it and pushed the liquid into Sasuke's bloodstream. After a few minutes he calmed down while the sisters were gasping for air of exhaustion. Tsunade sighed and she said "That's the second time that he went out of control. It seems to get worse by the hour. I have to find out what's wrong with him soon or else something bad might happen."

She left the room and Jiraiya was leaning on the wall next to it and he said "Another panic attack?" Tsunade nodded and she said "Yes. I never heard that Orochimaru's curse marks could cause this." Jiraiya nodded and he said "Me neither. How are you faring with examining Sasuke's blood?"

Tsunade made an annoyed gesture and she said "I'll never get things done if this goes on like this. I'm going to continue my examination right now. If he gets another panic attack, tell the nurses to sedate him."

Jiraiya nodded and he asked "How many milligrams?" Tsunade seemed troubled and she said "300 cc. The first time I used 250, that would normally sedate a full grown man for a few hours and now I just 275…"

Jiraiya nodded and he said "Got it." And Tsunade walked away to do her examination.

A few hours later

It started to get dark outside. The village's activity decreased while Tsunade was still busy with the examination of Sasuke's blood. She ended up with some strange results and now she was testing Sasuke's blood.

She had a vial of normal blood, which was taken from Sasuke a few years ago, and another vial that contained Sasuke's current blood. She took some of Sasuke's old blood and placed it on a small, glass cylinder. Next she got some of Sasuke's current blood and she let it fall on Sasuke's old blood.

She looked through the microscope and she saw Sasuke's normal blood cells and some strange blood cells that came from Sasuke's current blood. They were a mixture between black and dark purple blood cells. She saw that the darker blood cells started to take over the normal blood cells. Suddenly it looked like chaos and the cylinder exploded together with the microscope.

Tsunade fell on her behind and she said "This isn't good…not good at all!" and she quickly got up and ran out of the room…

With Jiraiya

Jiraiya was still leaning against the wall, thinking about a new book, until he heard someone whispering in Sasuke's room. He wasn't sure if he heard it correctly because he was sure that no one passed him and the window was closed shut.

Suddenly the door opened and Jiraiya saw…Sasuke. Jiraiya was surprised and he said "You're not allowed to go out of your bed." Jiraiya heard Sasuke's soft chuckle and before he could act, Sasuke rushed past him and ran for the exit.

Jiraiya yelled "SASUKE! WAIT!" but Sasuke didn't stop. He started to run as well but suddenly someone bumped into him. It was Tsunade, his wife and she was holding her head while she said "My Kami, what is your head made of! Why were you running through the hallway?"

Jiraiya said "Sasuke woke up but before I could do anything he ran away." Tsunade's eyes widened and she said "I was afraid of that…" Jiraiya gave Tsunade a look that demanded answers and she said "That condition he was in…it wasn't because his chakra was out of balance…it was because his blood cells were corroded by Orochimaru's curse mark. It could well be that the Sasuke that we know is gone and…something else…took his place."

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow and he asked "Something?" Tsunade looked at Jiraiya and she said "The main material he used for Sasuke's curse seal was…demon blood." Jiraiya startled and he asked "What's going to happen now?"

Tsunade shook her head and she said "I don't know but anyway we need to retrieve him but…" Jiraiya finished her sentence, since he knew how she thought and he said "We don't know if Orochimaru foresaw this and arranged some bodyguards for Sasuke."

Tsunade nodded and she said "We need to tell Itachi and form a small retrieval team." Jiraiya agreed and they ran into the night.

Just outside the village

Sasuke just arrived at a hill. He saw four people, three men and one woman. A man with grew hair said "You're finally here. We almost decided to infiltrate the village and convince you to come with us."

Sasuke snorted and he said "I needed some time." Sasuke looked different from before. His face was expressionless and his aura felt ominous. The large person of the group said "You know what's expected of you right?" Sasuke nodded and he said "Yes, but this isn't the time and the place to do it. I didn't have the opportunity to leave unnoticed so I think we need a head start."

The four people looked at each other and they nodded. The leader of the group said "Follow us." And they all left…

At the Namikaze estate

Although it wasn't Itachi's first time in the Namikaze estate, he didn't feel comfortable at the moment. Deep inside of him he felt that something was wrong. He sat on the couch and he doze off a bit but he woke up when someone banged on the door.

He heard that Naruto opened the door and he said "Tsunade? What are you doing here? Did you find something out?" Itachi heard Tsunade's voice, which said "Yes but that's not important right now…I need to speak with Itachi."

Itachi stood up, walked through the front door and he asked "What is it?" Tsunade explained what she found out and what happened in the hospital. Itachi didn't take the news very well and he said "I'm going right away!"

Tsunade immediately commanded "No…you need to form a team before you attempt to follow your brother. We don't know if Orochimaru gave him bodyguards." Itachi grinded his teeth and he said "I don't care…they will all die and after they're gone it is Orochimaru's turn." While Itachi was speaking he closed his eyes and with the last word he opened them and Tsunade saw Itachi's Mangekyo sharingan.

Tsunade startled a bit but Naruto said "Listen to Tsunade. She knows what she is talking about and what use are you for your brother if you end up dead?" Itachi grinded his teeth again but he said "Fine…but I will only wait thirty minutes. If no one arrives at the main gate by then I'm going alone."

And Itachi walked away and Tsunade turned to Naruto "Can you think of some people?" Naruto nodded and he said "Yes…I can come up with some people. I'm thinking about Kakashi, Neji and Shikamaru. Then we have enough muscle and brain to retrieve Sasuke."

Tsunade nodded and she said "Good…do you mind if you went to ask them for this mission while I…" Before Tsunade could complete her sentence Naruto said "Sure…I'm going to run upstairs to get some things and then I'll gather the others."

Tsunade nodded and she walked away while Naruto went upstairs. He got his coat and Repent. He looked at himself and suddenly he felt that something was wrong. He had a feeling that he was pulled downstairs, to the vault.

Naruto always trusted his instincts and he wouldn't stop now, so he went to the vault, entered the combination to unlock it and entered it. There were old scrolls from his father, some personal belongings of his mother and Dante's devil arms, stored here.

Naruto looked around and he was drawn to a specific point. He saw 'something' that was rolled into a bag. He opened the bag and he saw two swords. One was red and the other was blue. Naruto softly said "Agni and Rudra? Who put you into this bag?"

Agni was talking with a whining voice "It was that woman. She was placing something in the vault and I complimented her with how beautiful her jewelry was. She startled at first but then she was fascinated with us."

Naruto nodded and he said "But what happened then?" Rudra sighed and he said "We were just in a mood to talk, because Dante never wants to talk with us and the next thing we know, the crazy woman puts us in this blasted bag!"

Naruto sighed and Rudra said "He's sighing Agni." Agni responded "What's a sigh?" Rudra became silent for a moment and then he said "Not this again." Naruto intervened the conversation and he said "I want to take you two with me, but only if you two shut up."

Both swords remained silent and Agni eventually said "Some fresh air in exchange for silence….it's a deal." Naruto took the two swords and he placed them at his hips. He quickly left the vault in search for the people he needed to recruit for this mission.

Shikamaru wasn't happy that Naruto took away he 'deserved' sleep but Naruto convinced him of the urgency of the mission. When the two people arrived at Kakashi's house, Kakashi immediately agreed to come along when he heard what was going on.

Next they went to the Hyuuga's estate and they convinced Neji to come along with them and after quickly preparing for the mission, Neji came along. They quickly went to the main gate, where Itachi was waiting for them.

Naruto could clearly see that Itachi did some preparing of his own. He was wearing a pouch and he summoned Abyss, which was sticking to his back. Naruto could also see that Itachi already activated his sharingan and he said "You're all prepared?"

Suddenly a strange voice said "Prepared and ready to fight sir!" Itachi quickly looked around and he asked "Who said that?" Naruto look down and he said "I told you to remain quiet Agni!" The sword remained silent and Naruto apologized "Sorry…I brought some chatty devil arms with me."

Itachi nodded and he said "Fine…just make sure that they don't talk when we catch up with Sasuke." Itachi turned to Neji and he said "You…when we move, scout the area with your Byakugan for any traps." Neji nodded and Itachi turned around and he said "Let's go...we're wasting valuable time."

With Tsunade

Tsunade returned to the hospital. She wanted to find out if Sasuke left any trace since his escape from the hospital. She checked the entrance to the hallway that lead to the hospital room but there was nothing suspicious that gave any lead where Sasuke could be.

She decided that if she would find anything, it would be in the hospital room itself. She slowly opened the door and looked around. She looked at the bed and eventually she said "That's…impossible…"

With Sasuke

The group stopped at a clearing in the forest and the man with the white hair, called Sakon, said "It's time." And he got a jar with brown pills out of his pocket. The woman of the group, called Tayuya, said "You know what happens now right?"

Sasuke nodded and he said "Yes…just make sure you guys won't screw up." A man, who looked like a spider and was called Kidomaru, said "Don't worry, we are barrier specialists." The fat man called Jirobo said "Indeed and if we fail Orochimaru would kill us so we have our own reasons to do it right."

Sasuke nodded and he took the jar. He got out one pill and swallowed it. He felt a lot of pain and the four other people surrounded him. Sakon took out a scroll and summoned a big, wooden cylinder and Jirobo placed Sasuke in it.

The four casted a barrier jutsu and after it was done Kidomaru said "That's done. Jirobo, carry the cylinder." Jirobo did what Kidomaru asked and Tayuya said "We'll travel as fast as we can. I just hope that we don't find any heroic bastards on our way back."

Jirobo shook his head and he said "A woman shouldn't talk like that." Sakon looked at the three people and he said "Let's cut the small talk and move. We don't know if there are Konoha ninja's on our trail.

The three people nodded and they went on their way…

With Itachi and the others

While the group was jumping from branch to branch, Itachi was thinking: What happened to you Sasuke? Why are you running away from Konoha? Is it about the curse mark?

Itachi let several scenario's run through his head, all of them involved Orochimaru who was pulling the strings. Itachi looked serious and he thought: Whatever is wrong with him…I'll find out who is involved and I'll kill all who stand in my way.

Suddenly Itachi heard a voice in his head: Now you're talking the way I like! Itachi startled a bit, but he immediately recovered and he thought Abyss?

The ominous voice said No…it's the tooth fairy…of course it's me. I'm happy you're finally developing some fighting spirit. I was starting to lose hope in you.

I will do anything to free Sasuke…I would even kill my whole clan if it was necessary, if they were still alive.

Well…it isn't hatred what drives you but this dedication is good enough for me. You can count on my aid. Here is a gift for the beautiful progress

Itachi felt something strange behind his eyes and he asked in his mind What did you do?

Itachi heard a creepy chuckle and Abyss said I've recovered some of your eyesight and increased the durability of your eyes, so that you can use the mangekyo sharingan more effectively.

Before this conversation could continue, Neji told the group to stop. Itachi stopped and while his head turned around he asked "What is it?" Neji said "The group has stopped…they've encountered some ninja's from our village…wait…what is this?"

Kakashi moved closer to Neji and he asked "What is it?" Neji intensified his look and he said "The chakra's of the people we are following just changed dramatically…and it keeps getting stronger."

Itachi glared at Neji and he said "I think they are in the possession of Orochimaru's curse marks. We can put this into our advantage." Kakashi nodded and Neji asked "How?" Itachi looked at Neji and he said "Although a curse mark grants the user great power, it also puts an incredible strain on the body. After this fight our targets would be exhausted and they will find a place to rest. I suggest we'll take them on their."

Neji, Shikamaru and Naruto nodded and Itachi asked "Is Sasuke fighting them as well?" Neji shook his head and he said "I don't see him…however, they do have a wooden cylinder with them but for some strange reason I can't look into it."

Itachi seemed to think and he said "We'll find out when we catch up with them. Let's move close enough without a chance of being detected and we will remain that distance until they found a place to rest to catch them unguarded."

Shikamaru nodded and he said "That's a good plan but…I'm sure that they will lay traps if they want to rest. I think that Orochimaru won't send rookies to retrieve Sasuke." Itachi nodded and he said to Neji "You watch out for traps." Neji nodded and Itachi made a gesture that they would move on.

They went on their way, keeping their distance as Itachi had planned. Suddenly Neji told them to stop and they noticed a barrier trap. They moved around it and they evaded all the traps until they saw a small clearing where the targets were resting.

Itachi made soundless commands that Shikamaru and Neji had to hide in the bushes while Kakashi and Naruto would flank them. The pursuit team was ready to make their move.

With the Sound four

Kidomaru was resting on a rock and he said "No one is following us yet. None of the traps have been activated." Sakon smirked and he said "Good. I don't want to be attacked right now." Tayuya nodded and she said "Me neither. The curse mark drains energy like a bitch."

Sakon nodded and he said "Indeed…but if everything goes smoothly we will reach the border soon. We will rest for 5 minutes and then we'll move." Everyone nodded but suddenly Sakon cramped up and he said "Wait…are you sure no one is following us Kidomaru?"

Kidomaru nodded and he said "Yes…my traps are too well hidden to be detected." Sakon seemed to hesitate and he said "My instincts must be playing tricks with me…I don't feel safe at…"

Suddenly the Sound four heard crows and before they knew it the entire clearing was infested with those birds. They all stood up and Sakon said "Watch it…these aren't ordinary crows." Tayuya cried out "Come out of hiding cowards!"

She wanted to step forward but suddenly she noticed that she couldn't. She said "I can't move…what the hell is going on!" Kidomaru tried to move as well and he noticed the same. He said "I can't move either!"

The crows disappeared and the Sound four saw Itachi, Kakashi, Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru. They saw that Shikamaru's shadow connected to theirs and Shikamaru said "Shadow possession jutsu…successful."

Sakon kept on looking at Itachi and he said "Itachi…Uchiha…" Itachi looked seriously at the group and he said "You people made two mistakes. The first mistake was to join Orochimaru." Sakon growled and he said "I wouldn't call it a mistake…what's the second one?"

Itachi looked mad and he said "Your second mistake was that you took my brother." Sakon started to smirk and he said "He came to us on his own accord so don't blame it on us…not that you people can do anything with it anymore."

Itachi kept on glaring at Sakon and he said "Oh? And why not?" Sakon's smirk became a bit wider and he said "Aren't you people missing something?" Suddenly a kunai came out of nowhere and it would have hit Shikamaru if he didn't break the jutsu and jumped away.

Jirobo immediately made a hand sign and he cried out Earth style: Earth dome prison! A big dome formed around Itachi and the others. Jirobo placed his hands on the outside of the dome and he said "Guys…you move on ahead. I'm going to eat their chakra."

While Kidomaru got the cylinder, Tayuya said "Just don't take all day fatso. You always slow us down with your meals." Jirobo growled and he said "Your speaking un-lady like again. Just go, I'll catch up when I'm done."

Sakon nodded while a second moved behind his head and the three moved away.

Inside of the dome

Naruto looked around the dome and he said "Darn…we should've seen that other attacker." Shikamaru sighed and he said "Who was that attacked?" Itachi said "He looked a lot like the leader of that group…perhaps his brother."

Neji glared at Itachi and he said "I saw that attackers with my Byakugan and I counted four people…not five." Shikamaru had a thoughtful look on his face and he said "Wait Neji…when you were observing them…did you notice something specific about the leader?"

Neji thought about it and he said "Wait…I did notice something. The leader had something in his neck. Although with my Byakugan I couldn't quite determine what it was, but when we stood in front of him it was gone."

Shikamaru said "Perhaps they can fuse into each other, turning into Siamese twins or something." Kakashi shrugged and he said "I don't know about that but we need to go out of this dome…I feel something strange."

The others nodded and Neji activated his Byakugan. He saw that their chakra was leaving their bodies and went into the doom. He said "Guys…not to disturb you or anything but…this thing is eating our chakra away. We need an escape plan before our chakra runs out."

Itachi nodded and he said "Yes and I know how to do it." Itachi got Abyss from his back and he softly said "Reaper's cut." The others saw a soft blue light and then they saw a blur. A small explosion occurred and an x-formed hole appeared.

They quickly left the dome through the hole and they saw that they left the dome from the right side. Jirobo looked at them with a surprised look on his face and he said "That's impossible! No one can escape my earth dome prison!"

Naruto smirked and he said "We just did fat-ass." Before Jirobo could respond Itachi asked "Where are your friends heading?" Jirobo got a red face of anger and he shouted "Like I would tell you idiot!" and he rushed forward with the intention to attack.

He reached Itachi and he was ready to punch but before his fist connected with Itachi's face, Itachi grabbed Jirobo's wrist and with a slow move of his hand, he broke it. Jirobo cried out in pain and Itachi said "I will ask you this one more time…where are your friends going?"

Jirobo moaned in pain and he said "Screw you!" Itachi closed his eyes and he said "Suit it yourself." And he opened his eyes again and he said Mangekyo sharingan: Tsukuyomi.

Jirobo seemed to freeze for one second, but the next second he fell on his knees and he was trembling. Itachi said with a cold tone in his voice "That's only the half I can do with this technique. Are you going to tell us where your friends are heading or do you want to know the full extent of this technique?"

Jirobo's eyes shot open and he said "No…not that! They're heading to the border. Please don't do that technique on me anymore!" Itachi nodded and he said "Good." And Itachi turned his back to Jirobo and he said "Come on guys…let's go."

Jirobo saw Itachi's back and he quickly got up and he was ready to backstab him. He almost reached him, but Itachi quickly turned around with Abyss and Jirobo's head came from his neck. Jirobo's head bounced on the ground and his body fell down.

Itachi was ready to move but suddenly a black substance came from Abyss. It looked like tar, but it wasn't. It went into Jirobo's neck and it came out with a red glowing ball and it went back into the blade of the scythe.

Itachi looked confused and in his mind he asked: What the hell was that all about? Inside his head he heard Abyss saying I took his soul into my being and it made me stronger…I love it when you take a life. Do it more and we both get stronger.

Itachi startled and he thought But why didn't it work with those demons we fought on the bridge in the land of waves? Itachi could hear Abyss sigh and he said I can only take the essence of humans and higher demons. Why I don't know…it just is.

Naruto interrupted their conversation when he said "Itachi…let's move. We need to catch them before they reach the border." Itachi nodded and he said "Let's go…no more sneaking around. This will be power against power."

Naruto smirked and he said "Now you're talking!" And Itachi jumped away followed by the others.

With the Sound four…or should I say Sound three

Sakon, Tayuya and Kidomaru jumped from branch to branch. Tayuya looked back a few times and she said "Still no signs of that fatso. What the hell is he doing?" Kidomaru looked at Tayuya and he said "Let him be. You know how he is. He only thinks about eating."

Tayuya growled and she said "I know that but this time he is taking longer than usual." Sakon turned his head and he said "Silence…we're being followed." Tayuya looked at Sakon and she asked "Jirobo?"

Sakon shook his head and he said "No…I think he messed up." Tayuya growled "Goddammit!" The group stopped and Kidomaru laid down the cylinder and he said "You guys move on…I'll take them on."

Tayuya looked at him and she asked "Are you sure? Itachi Uchiha is with them…it will be a hard fight." Kidomaru smirked and he said "I'll manage. You two just move…I have a nice surprise in store for them."

Sakon nodded and he said "Sure…just hold them off long enough so that we can reach the border in time." Kidomaru nodded and he said "Sure…now go!" And Sakon and Tayuya left.

Kidomaru smirked and he said "Let's take out the big guns…in honor for our Uchiha friend." And he bit his thumb and made a few hand signs and he cried out summoning jutsu! A huge spider appeared and he said "Now they can come…my spider queen loves a good meal."

With Itachi

Itachi and the others were close to Kidomaru when Neji told them to stop. Itachi asked "What is it?" Neji answered "One of them stayed behind." Kakashi plainly said "They know that we are coming."

Neji nodded and he said "That guy performed a summoning. I see a huge spider which is hiding in the leafs." Itachi nodded and he said "Time to do something about it." He bit his thumb, made a few hand signs and he said Summoning jutsu! A huge crow appeared. It had metal claws and the rest saw that it has sharingan eyes.

Itachi said to the summoning "In front of us is a huge spider. Take it out and return home when you're done." The crow seemed to nod and it took off. Itachi said "It's been taken care of…now we only need to worry about the summoner."

Neji seemed to think and then he said "Guys…I'll stay behind to fight him." Kakashi looked at him and he said "Neji no…you can't handle him alone and I refuse to let someone die over this!" Neji looked at Kakashi and he said "It's the only way. If we fight him together, we'll lose valuable time…time we need to catch up with Sasuke."

Before Kakashi could protest again Shikamaru said "I'll help him. Together we can take him on. You three just complete the mission." Itachi nodded and he said "Thank you…just don't die." The two nodded and the group continued to move.

With Kidomaru

Kidomaru was waiting in the bushes for the group to arrive and he was thinking I can't wait to see the surprise on their faces when they see my spider queen…they're just going to die of fear…

Suddenly he heard the call of a crow and he looked up. He saw a big shadow and he heard his spider queen scream. The spider queen fell down on the ground after the crow hit it. The crow couldn't reach the spider now because there was no room.

It flapped its wings and smaller crows appeared. They rushed down and they attacked the spider queen, but she didn't seem to feel much of it. The crow flew higher and it opened its beak. Smoke came out of it and suddenly it shot a huge ball of fire.

It hit the spider queen and an explosion occurred. The area was covered in smoke and Kidomaru tried to find his spider queen, but she was nowhere to be seen. He looked up and he heard the crow, which let out a call of victory and then it dissolved in smoke.

The smoke started to clear and Kidomaru suddenly saw Neji and Shikamaru. He growled and he said "You bastards…so that crow was yours!" Shikamaru smirked and he said "That was Itachi's crow."

Kidomaru looked around and he asked "Where is that bastard! I will kill him for what he did to my spider queen!" Neji smiled and he said "He moved along together with Kakashi and Naruto. We will be your opponents."

Kidomaru growled in anger and his curse mark spread around his body when he said "Fine…I normally play with my victims but this situation doesn't call for it. I'll make quick work out of you."

Neji and Shikamaru got into a fighting position, ready to fight Kidomaru to the end…

In Konoha

Gaara was standing at the gate of Konoha. As usual, he was awake at night and he saw that a group left the village in a hurry. He could also see that one of the people was Naruto and judging from his expression, he could see that he was on a serious mission.

He got a bad feeling but he was still hesitating to follow them. His intellect told him to stay put and that Naruto could hold his own, but something else inside of him told him to follow him and help.

Suddenly he heard a soft, plain voice which said "You look concerned." Gaara startled a bit because he didn't noticed that he got company. He looked to his right and he saw Vergil, who was leaning against the gate.

Gaara said "I am concerned…but I'm not sure what to do." Vergil kept speaking with the soft, plain voice when he said "Why?"

Gaara seemed to think and he said "My head is saying to stay here because my meddling could bring the others and myself into trouble…but something else is saying that they could use my help."

Vergil moved away from the gate and he said "I'm going after them, so I would choose now if I were you." Gaara seemed to think about it and he said "Fine." Vergil slowly turned around and started to run into the forest while Gaara followed him…

With Sakon and Tayuya

Sakon and Tayuya were travelling as fast as they could but suddenly Sakon stopped. Tayuya stopped as well and she asked "Why are we stopping?" Sakon growled and he said "Those persistent bastards are still following us."

The two heard a cold voice behind them "Perceptive." The two quickly turned around and they saw a tall man. Fear appeared in Sakon's eyes and he said "Kimimaro…but I thought…" Kimimaro's cold voice said "You thought wrong."

And before they could react, Kimimaro pierced his blade through Tayuya's gut. Sakon screamed "Why the hell did you do that!" Kimimaro gave Sakon an icy glare and he said "She's useless...two people make a bad decoy…especially when they are as loud as her. You can also see this as motivation. I'll take Sasuke from here…you just hold our pursuers off."

Sakon trembled in fear and he said "S-sure." He heard Tayuya coughing up blood and he said "She's still alive…will you finish the job or should I?" Kimimaro gave Tayuya a filthy glare and he said "Neither…let her bleed to death. Perhaps she is lucky and our pursuers will kill her."

Kimimaro took the cylinder and he said "Follow me until I tell you to stay behind." Sakon seemed to hesitate and it looked like he wanted to finish Tayuya off but Kimimaro harshly said "Now…" Sakon quickly nodded and he followed Kimimaro…

With Itachi, Naruto and Kakashi

The remaining three of the pursuit team felt that they were coming close. Suddenly Naruto said "Guys…hold up." Itachi and Kakashi stopped and Naruto pointed towards a big branch. They saw the Tayuya on the ground and Itachi asked "So?"

Naruto glared at Itachi and he said "Let's see if she's alive." Itachi let out a sigh and he said "Fine." They went to the branch and Naruto took Tayuya's wrist. He eventually said "I feel a soft heartbeat."

Itachi glared at Tayuya's body and he said "I guess her teammate relieved himself from her. Just do the humane thing; finish her off so that we can continue our pursuit." Naruto glared angry at Itachi and he said "She is betrayed by the people she saw as friends and now you want to let her die. You guys move on ahead. I see what I can do to save her and then I'll come as well."

Itachi wanted to protest but Kakashi held him back and he said "Naruto knows what he is doing. Let's finish the mission alright?" Itachi hesitated but eventually he nodded and he said "Just make it quick. If you can't save her from her injuries…you know what to do."

And he jumped away together with Itachi. Naruto stayed behind and he looked at the wounded body of Tayuya. He thought This looks serious. I don't think a single Band-Aid would help here. Do you have any ideas Kyu?"

It remained silent for a second when the Kyuubi answered You can't save her by normal means…however…do you remember that healing jutsu I taught you? Naruto seemed to think and he thought Oh yeah…you mean the jutsu you derived from your own healing abilities?

It looked like the Kyuubi wanted to say something else before she simply said yes. Naruto made a few simple hand signs and his hands started to emit a soft, orange light and he laid it on Tayuya's wound…

With Sakon and Kimimaro

While the remaining members of the Sound five jumped from branch to branch, Sakon asked "Kimimaro…I know you suffered from a fatal illness…so how can it be that you are here?" Kimimaro glared at Sakon and he answered "That's for me to know." He seemed to concentrate in the distance and he said "We're still being followed. You wait here to stall them…I'll take Sasuke Uchiha to the border."

Sakon stopped while Kimimaro kept on going. Sakon glared in the distance and he thought What a goddamn mess…why did Orochimaru want the little brother of the man he fears…and to make matters worse…now I stand here to take his goddamn wrath!

With Itachi and Kakashi

Itachi and Kakashi were close to Kimimaro and Sakon. Eventually Itachi looked at Itachi, who nodded when he saw it. Itachi's look was to confirm if Kakashi knew that Sakon stayed behind. Since they've worked together in the past, the two knew how to work together.

Kakashi said "I know…I'll stay behind. I don't know who came to their aid, but you're stronger than me and you can surely take on the new enemy that appeared….and Naruto will join you as soon as he is ready with that wounded female."

Itachi nodded and he said "I wonder why he didn't leave her behind. She's with Orochimaru and she is our enemy." Kakashi gave Itachi an eye-smile and he said "You need to know one thing about Naruto…he has a deep-rooted feeling for justice. To leave a wounded person behind, even if it's the enemy, feel wrong to him. Only when someone truly deserves to die he would kill the person himself."

Itachi looked at Kakashi and he said "I find it foolish…but that's mine opinion." Kakashi looked in front of him and he said "Yes it is." It remained silent for a while when Kakashi continued "I'll go immediately to the attack when we reach the one that left behind. You just keep on going alright?"

Itachi nodded and soon after that, they reached Sakon. Kakashi did what he explained to Itachi before...he went at him with full force while Itachi kept on going forward. Sakon tried to stop Itachi, but Kakashi blocked his way constantly.

The two ended near a cliff and Sakon said "You idiot…you just let your friend die. No one can beat Kimimaro…not even Itachi Uchiha." Kakashi looked serious and he said "Yes he can and yes he will. You have no idea how far Itachi brilliance goes."

Sakon glared at Kakashi and he said "Even if he wins…it doesn't mean Sasuke will go with him. You people don't even know what you are doing right now." Kakashi heard what Sakon said and he replied "We exactly know what we are doing….and now…" and while he spoke Kakashi moved his headband so that his sharingan became visible "you will know the consequences for taking one of our own."

With Itachi

Itachi kept on going through the forest until it ended. At last…he saw the man he was following. The man stopped in the middle of the field and Itachi ended up behind him. The man said without turning around "So…the feared Itachi Uchiha….at last."

Itachi glared at the man and he said "So you know who I am…now I would like to know who you are." The man slowly turned around and Itachi's red sharingan eyes looked into hard, green eyes and the man said "My name is Kimimaro, one of lord Orochimaru's loyalist followers."

Itachi started to look mad and he said "Orochimaru is nothing more than a coward and a thief…someone who would love to call himself the master of all jutsu." Kimimaro seemed to get mad as well and he said "You don't know what Orochimaru wants to do in the future so you shouldn't judge someone. And Sasuke over here has a big part to play in that future."

Itachi growled and he said "Not if I can help it." Kimimaro closed his eyes and he softly said "So…we're at a impasse at this point. We have no other option than to fight each other." Itachi nodded and he said "Indeed…but before we do…tell me…what does Orochimaru want with my brother."

Kimimaro smirked and he said "Who said that Orochimaru specifically wants your brother? Sasuke has something that Orochimaru wants and that's why my lord wants him as his next vessel." Itachi looked surprised and he asked "Vessel?" Kimimaro nodded and he said "Yes…Orochimaru's vessel…for his immortality jutsu. And when he absorbs Sasuke's body he will have the prize he wants….the same eyes you possess."

Itachi looked stunned but then he started to smile softly and he said "Owning a sharingan and using it effectively are two completely different things. Although Sasuke's eyes are keen, his abilities with it are still undeveloped."

Now it was Kimimaro's turn to look surprised and he said "You don't mean that…" Itachi looked at Kimimaro and he said "Yes…even if he is able to absorb Sasuke's body, he still wouldn't know how to use the sharingan to its maximum potential. That's a secret I only possess since I destroyed the old Uchiha scrolls. My little brother is useless for your master!"

Kimimaro retained his composure and he said "You still don't get it do you? The person in this cylinder and your little brother are two completely different persons." Itachi got into a fighting position and he said "The time for talk is over. You're just another enemy for me and you will pay the price for involving in my family matters. Prepare yourself."

Kimimaro got into a fighting position as well and he said "Fine…although I have to say…I respect you for your reputation and your legendary abilities. I'm ready."

The two enemies stood against each other while a soft wind played with the grass on the field. Suddenly Sakon jumped forward and he tried to punch Itachi, who skillfully evaded the punch by bending his head to the side.

Kimimaro suddenly felt a hard fist pushing in his stomach and he was send back from where he came from. Kimimaro landed on his feet and he saw that Itachi still stood on the same spot. He tried a different approach. He rushed at Itachi again, but he suddenly went to the right and tried to outflank Itachi.

Itachi's eyes followed him wherever he went and before Kimimaro could land a punch at him, shurikan appeared in Itachi's hand. Kimimaro, who saw the shuriken, immediately jumped backwards and he fell for Itachi's trap. Kimimaro immediately saw that two shadow clones were waiting for him and the next thing he knew they held him tight.

Two shadow clones held him and he immediately thought This man is very skilled indeed. Not only did he see my attack coming, he also laid a trap in a matter of seconds…and on top of that…I didn't even see him make hand signs. Did he do it with one hand or is there another trick that would explain the phenomenon?

Two spikes made out of bones came out of Kimimaro's body. Itachi saw this with his sharingan and he concluded "So you have a Kekkei Genkai." Kimimaro looked at Itachi as well and he said "Yes. I can use my bones as I please and I'm not restricted by the number of bones a normal human has."

Itachi nodded and he said "Very useful…let's see what you can do about this." And suddenly pillars of fire appeared around Kimimaro. He looked at it and he thought I didn't see him make hand seals again. This is very strange….or…am I in a genjutsu?

Suddenly he saw a lot of crows, who eventually took the form of his dead clan. They all said in unison "You should've stayed in the cell like you're supposed to do. You have no use for the world…not even a little."

Kimimaro's eyes widened but he suddenly calmed down, lowered his chakra to a very low point and he suddenly increased it. All dead clan members still stood there, but now they spoke with Itachi's voice "So you've figured out that this is a genjutsu. Unfortunately for you my genjutsu's aren't so easy to break."

Kimimaro was panting and he asked "When did you…?" He heard Itachi's mocking voice saying "Before the fight started. You looked in my eyes…a mistake an experienced ninja wouldn't make against an Uchiha."

Kimimaro showed is expressionless face and he said "So…you think you can stop me now? Although I'm in awe for your abilities, this fight won't end so easily." And suddenly Kimimaro broke out of the genjutsu without doing anything.

Itachi was surprised and he said "I'm surprised. What did you do to break out of my genjutsu?" Kimimaro smiled and suddenly it looked like he was speaking with a double voice "I'm not alone…that's how."

Itachi looked more closely and suddenly, in a short second, he saw the presence of someone else and he said "So somebody is aiding you from a distance…what a shame…I thought you were strong enough to fight on your own."

Kimimaro smirked and he said "Unfortunately my body wasn't helping much. I'm suffering from a fatal disease…and then somebody came who offered me a chance to help lord Orochimaru for the last time before I pass away…I'll bring him his next vessel!"

Itachi heard Kimimaro's story with a blank look on his face, but when he was finished Itachi looked stern and he said "So close to death, which usually change someone's perspective for the better, you remain to be blind while you still can see…you're beyond all hope and I'll make sure that you will arrive in the afterlife sooner than planned."

And while Itachi spoke he got Abyss from his back. Kimimaro looked stern as well and he said "You're right…it's time to end this…to the end." and he rushed towards Itachi. Kimimaro punched towards Itachi's head and while he punched, a small spear of bones appeared out of his fist. Itachi saw what Kimimaro was planning and jumped to the side.

Itachi would now notice that Kimimaro had fast reflexes, because when he jumped away, Kimimaro jumped in the air and launched some bone darts out of his fingers. Itachi made a wide swoop with Abyss and the bones fell to the ground.

Kimimaro came to the ground and he stood still while he was examining Itachi. Itachi threw Abyss in the air, but strangely enough it didn't fall to the ground. It floated vertically in the air and Itachi made a hand sign and he said "Combined art: Devil arm shadow dance"

Black smoke came from Abyss and it went to the ground, to form two shadows in the form of Itachi with their own duplication of Abyss. Abyss fell down, Itachi caught it and he immediately charged at Kimimaro while the two shadows ran with him in the formation of a triangle.

Itachi slashed at Kimimaro with Abyss, but Kimimaro jumped up just in time. One of the Itachi shadows used the original Itachi as a spring-board and he attack Kimimaro in mid-air. Kimimaro maneuvered his body just enough to prevent the biggest damage, but he couldn't prevent that he got an ugly cut on his arm.

Kimimaro came down and he noticed that he couldn't use his arm while the second Itachi shadow and the original Itachi outflanked him while the first shadow Itachi attacked him from above.

All three of them reached him but only the original Itachi was fast enough to jump back. Kimimaro activated his Kekkei Genkai and formed a shield of spikey bones around him. Kimimaro saw an opening and he quickly ran towards Itachi while he activated stage two of the curse mark to gain extra speed.

While he was running, his arm turned into a spear and he was just one centimeter from Itachi when something else stopped him. It was a big sword that blocked his spear and Itachi said "I expected you sooner…Naruto."

Kimimaro saw a blond child, who started to smirk and replied "Sorry Itachi…but I'm a sucker for cool entrances." Kimimaro growled and he said "So…close." Naruto smirked and he said "Not as close as you would think. Itachi could easily evade that pathetic excuse you called an attack…but he saw that I was coming."

Kimimaro wanted to say something but suddenly the cylinder, that contained Sasuke, opened. Purple smoke came out of it and through the smoke Itachi saw a shadow that looked like his brother…but he looked different somehow.

Itachi said "Sasuke…" Itachi heard an evil chuckle and before he could stop it, Sasuke ran away. Itachi wanted to follow him but Kimimaro quickly crossed his path, who said "You won't get past me so easily."

Itachi activated his mangekyo sharingan and with a cold tone in his voice he said "Move…now!" Kimimaro stood where he was, which enraged Itachi. Kimimaro saw that a small stream of blood came out of Itachi's eye.

Was it instincts or something else that alerted Kimimaro, but before the attack reached him he created a shield of bones, which immediately started to burn with black flames. Kimimaro thought How strange…these black flames aren't fired up by the wind…

He started to notice that the black flames went up his shield and he decided to reject it from his body…and that was the reason for his demise. Without his shield he wasn't protected for Itachi's next Amaterasu attack and he immediately caught flame. A terrified scream reached Naruto's ear and quickly after that Kimimaro fell down.

Strangely enough something was still standing. It looked like a ghost, but is surely didn't look like Kimimaro. It was the form of the demon that Naruto saw before…the one that saved Orochimaru. Naruto heard Orion said "So those are the black flames of the Amaterasu. I've heard about them but I never thought I would see them in action."

Itachi ignored Orion and he said to Naruto "Let's go Naruto. It's just a projection and he can't hurt us. We're going to retrieve Sasuke." Orion smirked and he said "You still can't face the truth…the one you saw run away isn't Sasuke…it doesn't even remotely look as the Sasuke you know."

Itachi growled and he said "You know nothing about Sasuke." Orion's smirk became a bit wider as he said "That's true…but I am right about my statement…but fine…if you won't listen to me…find out for yourself."

And the ghost appearance disappeared and Itachi said "We will…come on Naruto…let's go." And they ran away in the direction were Sasuke went.

In Orochimaru's hideout

Endor followed the fight between Itachi and Kimimaro through a big, enchanted mirror and he said "I like that one…he's strong. He also has a strong devil arm." He followed how everything developed while Orion was still in a trance. He was giving energy to Kimimaro…just enough to keep him alive.

When Naruto appeared to Itachi's aid, Endor asked Orochimaru "Is that the one they call Naruto?" Orochimaru nodded and he said "Yes…he always has a knack to show up when you don't need him."

Endor smirked and he said "He intrigues me. I might play with him a little. Perhaps he can give me a good warm-up since I haven't fought in a while." Suddenly both people noticed that the fight was over and Orion got up. He turned to Endor and he said "Endor…you can play with him now if you like."

Endor smirked and he said "At last…let see what he can do!"

With Naruto and Itachi

Itachi and Naruto were following Sasuke's tracks. While they were jumping from branch to branch Itachi asked "What did you do with that girl?" Naruto smirked and he said "Kakashi came by to ask me how I was doing. He had time to spare because that guy he had to fight wasn't that strong. He is watching her right now."

Itachi nodded and he said "I see…so you managed to fix her up a bit?" Naruto nodded as well and he said "Thank kami I had a good teacher for healing jutsu's." Itachi looked in front of him and he said "I see." He became silent for a moment and then he said "Sasuke is heading to the Valley of the end…he will try to cross the border there."

Naruto turned to Itachi and he said "What will you do when the enemy is right…that Sasuke isn't Sasuke anymore?" Itachi looked stern and he said "If that's really the case…I'll do what's necessary. Let's increase our pace…"

And the two Konoha ninja quickly moved from branch to branch…

With Kakashi

Kakashi reached the place where Tayuya was. He looked down on her and he said "You're very lucky…Itachi would have killed you." Eventually he shrugged, lifted Tayuya on his back and he went towards Konoha.

He was just going when he suddenly saw two people he didn't expect; Gaara and Vergil. With a surprised tone in his voice he said "Gaara…Vergil? What are you two doing here?" Gaara looked at Kakashi and he said "I was worried about Naruto so I followed you people…but I don't know what Vergil wants here."

Kakashi looked at Vergil, who shrugged when Kakashi looked at him. Suddenly Vergil's look hardened and he looked up. Kakashi followed his look and he saw someone sitting relaxed on a branch.

Vergil glared at the man and he said "You? What are you doing here?" The man looked at Vergil and he said "You spared my life and I'm in your debt. If you are looking for your young friend and the man with the strange eyes, you should go towards the Valley of the end. You can't miss it…it has two big statues."

Vergil kept glaring at the man and he suspiciously asked "Is the Order involved in this?" The man slowly stood up and he said "Indirectly…but I don't know in what way. They are planning something big. I should go to your young friend if I were you…whatever your enemies or the Order is planning…it isn't good."

Vergil couldn't figure the man out and he asked "What is your gain out of this Cold?" Cold looked down and he said "Like I said…I'm in your debt. I will see you again Vergil…when you least expect it."

And suddenly Cold jumped away. Kakashi wanted to follow him but Vergil said "Stop…he isn't our concern at the moment. Do what you wanted to do before you met us. Gaara and I will go to this…Valley of the end. I'll handle this."

Kakashi nodded and he wished Vergil good luck and he continued his journey back to Konoha.

In the Valley of the end

Sasuke was running. Eventually he reached to waterfall that was running between two giant statues. He was on Madara Uchiha's head when he heard Itachi's voice "Stop…Sasuke." Sasuke stopped and he said "You shouldn't have followed me Itachi."

He turned around and both Naruto and Itachi startled. Sasuke's face looked harder than before…but the thing that startled them the most was the look in his eyes. It was as cold as ice and they both read the will to kill in it.

Itachi recovered and he said "I want to ask something…did you run away on your own accord?" Sasuke smirked and he said "Yes…I did. Although I wanted to finish something before I did but unfortunately…I couldn't. You should thank that Jiraiya for that."

Itachi looked more serious and he asked "What do you mean by that?" Sasuke's smirk became a bit wider and he said "You'll find out eventually." Suddenly the three people heard a strong voice saying "Enough Sasuke…you should proceed to the land of Sound."

A big creature appeared in front of Sasuke. Naruto looked at it and he said "Itachi…you should step back. This foe isn't your to fight." Itachi glared at Naruto and he said "I'm can do it." Naruto glared back and he said "You made the most progress with the demon hunting program…but you're not ready for this yet…I don't even know if I'm ready for this."

Endor, who appeared in front of Sasuke, said "Now move Sasuke…I'll take care of this trash." Sasuke nodded and he jumped away. Itachi wanted to follow him, but suddenly a sword appeared in Endor's hand and with a wide slash, a shockwave threw Itachi from his feet.

Endor said "I said I would take care of the thrash…so stay there until I'm done with the blond one." Endor moved to Naruto and he said "Before we start…I have one question. I sense devil energy in you…why?"

Naruto started to smirk and he said "I was born as a quarter devil and later I became a half devil when my blood intensified…that's why." Endor growled and he said "So a half breed. Interesting. Let's see what you can do against a pure blood!"

And Endor rushed forward. He slashed towards Naruto, who was just in time to block the attack with Repent. Endor quickly moved back with his weapon before he attacked again. Naruto had his hands full with blocking Endor's attacks.

Finally Naruto saw an opening to jump away to get some breathing space. Endor stopped for a moment and he said "Not bad small one…but a fight is not won by only guarding." Naruto glared

Endor smirked and he said "Thank you. You have some strong nerves small one…it has been a long time since I encountered that." Naruto placed Repent on his back and he got Agni and Rudra.

Naruto said "Let's see how I do with two swords." And this time he went on the attack. He was quickly attacking with Agni and Rudra and this time it was Endor who was forced to defend. He blocked another one of Naruto's attack and he jumped to the side. He didn't know Agni and Rudra's abilities and Naruto used Rudra to send a powerful wind towards Endor.

Endor was swept from his feet and Naruto immediately cried out Crawler. He plunged Agni and Rudra in the ground and a large carpet made out of fire rushed its way towards Endor. Before the carpet reached Endor Rudra cried out "Die!"

Endor was hit by the flames, but strangely enough he wasn't fazed by it one bit. He slowly got up and he said "Not bad…you have some good devil arms." While Endor spoke highly of Agni and Rudra's abilities, Agni said "Thank you sir…that's very kind." And Rudra followed up "Very nice indeed."

Naruto's face pulled together and he said "Silence you two!" the devil arms immediately stopped talking and with a sigh Naruto said "They're handy…but a bit loud at times." Endor nodded and he said "I noticed." And his face started to get serious when he said "Now let's say that we stop this little charade and start fighting."

And before Itachi could see it, Endor attack Naruto, who immediately blocked his attack. Although Naruto block was good, the attack was too strong and he was sent backwards. Endor immediately used a fire attack.

Naruto quickly came to the ground and he saw the fire attack just in time to avoid it. He jumped to the side but Endor was anticipating on that and Endor grabbed Naruto by the throat. He stabbed Naruto through the stomach and he said "The end…for you." And he threw Naruto away like he was nothing.

He turned to Itachi, who was shocked by the way Endor treated Naruto. Endor glared at him and he said "Now it's your turn human." He was ready to attack and he rushed towards Itachi. Before either he or Itachi could do anything Naruto appeared.

After he fell down he activated his devil arm of the nine-tailed fox and with the Devil Trigger he increased his speed a lot. Endor was now looking at Naruto who looked like a humanoid version of the nine-tailed fox and he said "You have amazing healing abilities. Not even pure devils are capable of healing that fast. I almost want to dissect you to see what makes you tick…but then I realize I'm not a scientist."

Naruto growled and he said with a demonic voice "Mock me whatever you want…in the end it will be you who falls." Endor started to smirk and while he was getting into a fighting position he said "Well…show me what you got."

Naruto did what Eldor wanted; He showed him what he's made of. He rushed at Eldor at high speeds and he hit him hard in the face. Eldor was sent flying while Naruto followed him. Eldor recovered in mid-air and before Naruto could stop himself, Eldor kicked him in the air.

Eldor jumped after him to follow up his attack but Naruto suspected he would do that and he started to spin around to gain momentum and kicked Eldor to the ground. Eldor hit the ground hard and while Naruto was descending he switched his Devil arm. Now he was holding a staff and he drove it through the ground while he said "Burning nemesis" The area around Naruto started to erupt pillars of fire and Eldor was hit in the middle of it.

Naruto started to get exhausted and he returned to his regular self. He was breathing heavily and small drops of sweat appeared on his forehead. In the smoke he suddenly heard "Is that the limit of your power? You disappoint me small one."

Naruto quickly looked around but he couldn't see Eldor because of the smoke that appeared from the Burning Nemesis attack. Suddenly he felt a burning pain in his back and when he looked down he saw the point of Eldor's sword.

He wisely made advantage out of Naruto's attack and used the smoke to backstab him. Naruto felt how Eldor pulled back his blade and he fell on his knees. Eldor was ready to decapitate Naruto and he said "You had a good run small one…not many opponents were able to hit me."

And he launched his attack but suddenly Eldor felt that he couldn't move anymore. He looked at his hands and with a surprised tone in his voice he said "Sand?" Naruto and Eldor looked behind them and they saw Gaara.

The next thing Eldor knew is that he felt a terrible pain on his arm. He saw a big cut and he looked in front of him. He saw Vergil and he asked with an annoyed tone in his voice "Who the hell are you!"

Vergil sheathed Yamato and he said "My name is Vergil and I believe it isn't wise to kill that boy over there." Eldor growled and he said "I don't care what you believe! Soon you will be dead just like this boy is going to be."

Eldor calmed down a bit and he said "Wait…I sense devil energy in you as well…are you the one that killed Mundus?" Vergil looked at Eldor with a cold shine in his eyes when he said "No…that was my brother."

Eldor kicked Naruto down, who stayed down. He was unconscious of exhaustion and Eldor rushed towards Vergil with an angry scream. Vergil quickly unsheathed Yamato and blocked Eldor's attack.

The two were struggling for dominance and Eldor said "You're strong…I'm glad to find such an opponent on this plain." Vergil remained his cool and pushed Eldor's sword away. Eldor jumped back a bit and it looked like he was analyzing Vergil. Vergil suddenly bended through his knees and he sheathed Yamato and held its hilt.

Suddenly Eldor cried out in pain while blue slashes appeared around him. He fell on his knees and he was panting "What the hell was that!" Vergil smirked and he said "I call it my judgment cut…and in this situation it applies perfectly."

Eldor snarled at Vergil and he said "Talk tough all you want…in the end you're still a half breed. Don't think that you are the only one that knows powerful abilities." While he was talking Eldor crossed his arms and black lightning appeared around his body and suddenly he disappeared.

Vergil looked around but he couldn't see Eldor but then he was knocked into the air. He was still on the alert while he was in the air and he heard Eldor saying "What's the matter? Can't keep up?" and Vergil was hit in the back and he fell in the lake below the waterfall.

Eldor appeared on the lake and he was looking at the spot were Vergil went under. He couldn't explain it but it looked like the area got more dense and he felt a pressure of unknown origin. The water exploded near him and surprised he looked down.

He saw that Vergil changed into his Devil form and his power pushed the water away so that Vergil could see Eldor from down under. Vergil jumped up and in mid-air he was the one that disappeared. Eldor disappeared as well and that made the battle invisible for the spectators.

They could only hear the sound of steel clashing against steel and the grunts of battle. Suddenly the two warriors appeared on the water. Both of them were looking at each other and Gaara and Itachi clearly felt that the final showdown was at hand.

The two rushed at each other and Eldor raised his sword for an unrelenting strike. The sword came down but Vergil held back at the last minute and stepped aside. His eyes were still fixated on Eldor and with a faint movement of Yamato he cut Eldor's lower arm clean off.

Eldor was screaming in pain and he cried out "You cut my hand off!" Vergil's demonic voice said "I shouldn't worry about your hand…you will lose it all in this battle." Eldor growled and he said "We'll save this battle for another day…don't think you've seen the last of me half breed." And while he was speaking he started to fade.

When he was completely gone Vergil went out of the Devil Trigger and he whispered "Coward." He went back to Itachi, Gaara and Naruto and he said "I had enough of this…let's return to the village."

Gaara nodded and he created a bed out of sand to carry Naruto with them and he said "Is he going to be alright?" Vergil looked at Naruto and he said "Yes. He's already starting with healing." Itachi sighed and he said "I've failed my mission."

Vergil looked at Itachi who looked really down but…Vergil wasn't a people person and he decided it would be best if he didn't say anything. It wasn't the first time that he made these kind of matters worse.

Back in Konoha

Vergil, Gaara, Naruto and Itachi returned to the village. They immediately went to the hospital to drop Naruto into a hospital room. After they did that they ran into Tsunade. Itachi was trying to avoid a conversation with her but she was too close and she said "Hello Itachi…I see you're back. I've expected you back sooner."

Before she could say anything else he said "Yes…unfortunately without Sasuke." Tsunade was giving Itachi a look like she normally would give a sick person and she said "What are you talking about? Without Sasuke?"

Itachi nodded and he said "Yes…that's why I left the village. You told me yourself that Sasuke ran away…but I guess he's lost to me and the village." Tsunade shook her head and she said "I'm confused."

Vergil was looking at Tsunade and Itachi like a spectator of a tennis game. Apparently it started to annoy him and he said "Stop turning around the case you two and say what you have to say." Tsunade nodded and she said "Sasuke was here all along. Jiraiya thought he saw Sasuke but when I returned here later he was just in his hospital bed."

Now it was Itachi's turn to look confused and he said "But I clearly saw him in The Valley of the end around two hours ago!" Both of them looked like they've lost their most valued possessions but then the hospital door opened and a very pale Sasuke appeared who said "What is all this ruckus about? Some people are trying to rest here."

Itachi was looking at Sasuke like he was a ghost but suddenly he softly said "Sasuke…is that really you?" Sasuke looked surprised at Itachi and he said "Last time I checked I was…although I had the strangest dream…"

No one seemed to care about what Sasuke had to say about his dream but Vergil asked with slight interest "What was that dream about?" Sasuke seemed to think and he said "Well…there was me…and another me. He told me to search and destroy the Uchiha clan with any means necessary. I refused and before I knew it he was trying to possess me or something. Then there was a struggle…and I can't remember the rest…"

Vergil nodded and he said "Can you answer one question?" Sasuke nodded and Vergil asked "Do you feel like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders?" Sasuke seemed to think and he said "Well actually…I do…"

Vergil nodded again and he said "Tsunade…Itachi…may I have a moment please." The two nodded and they went with Vergil. When no one could hear them Vergil said "I think I have a solution for your debate."

Tsunade and Itachi looked confused at each other and Vergil said "I saw it with a possession once. A priest tried to drive a demon out of a man. The demon tried everything he could to stay within the body and eventually something strange happened…"

He paused for a moment and Tsunade anxiously asked "What happened?" Vergil continued "Because two strong wills collided, a replica of the host's body appeared that was holding the demon. I think something similar happened to Sasuke."

Itachi looked strange and he asked "Wait…so there are two Sasuke's now?" Vergil nodded and he answered "I think so. One is good…and one holds all the evil Sasuke had in him." Itachi looked happy and he said "So I can take Sasuke home now?" Vergil nodded and he said "There would be no problems with that…but I would recommend that you keep a close eye on him. Who knows what side-effects this development has on his body and mind."

Itachi nodded and then he said to Tsunade "Oh…I almost forgot. Naruto is resting in one of the hospital rooms. He got pretty beat up, but he'll be okay in a hour or two." Tsunade nodded and she said "I'm going to check up on him…just to be sure." Itachi nodded and Tsunade walked away while Tsunade thought Itachi is happy that this entire thing with his brother is cleared out but…what will that evil Sasuke do? And what does Orochimaru want with him?

---

Mnarutodbz "Well…that was another chapter of Naruto doesn't cry."

Vergil walks into the room and he said "Try to make the next chapter quicker…look at all these private messages "Finish the chapter…continue please…write bastard…and what is a 'write mothafucka?'

Mnarutodbz startled and he says "I'll tell you that later…anyway the next chapter will be quicker. I'm almost finished with my other crossover so after that I have enough time to concentrate on this story."

Vergil nodded and he said "Good…if you get enough reviews right?"

Mnarutodbz nods and he says "Indeed…if I get enough reviews. So please review and I'll see you next time!"