Author's Notes: Welcome back to another installment of ABoaL!
I'm very happy to say we reached 3K followers and 2.5K favorites since last time. It almost feels like every other chapter we hit a new milestone. My next lofty goal, you ask? 1 million story views; 850K down, 150K to go!
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Enjoy!
Chapter 47: An Eye for an Eye
He came to take the deal, a choice that was thoroughly agonized over since it was presented to him. It was a way out from under the thumb of his lifelong oppressor… to start life anew the 'correct' way. Until now, he'd been willfully blind to the horrible things they'd done for the cause's sake. And yet, when this offer came to him wrapped in a bow, the realization dawned on him that he'd really been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Naruto is a lot like Danzo, but with one key difference; that difference became painfully clear when Naruto came to him and asked him to pick a side. He cared about what Sai wanted, even if that jeopardized his plan.
With Danzo, there was no asking. It was his way, and that was the end of it; and if you were between him and what he wanted, he would snuff you out without hesitation. Sai followed and admired Danzo because of the lengths he was willing to go for what he believed in. The irony was that the despair and torture Shin and Sai endured during their Root training directly resulted from that trait.
All this time, it was thought that Danzo's ideology was necessary to be effective. You must be emotionless, heartless, and ruthless to get results. Feelings of care and compassion were merely obstacles to the goal.
Sai truly believed that… no, he was brainwashed into accepting it. Naruto gave him a choice, something he'd never dreamt of having. Not only that, but he offered him freedom from the clutches of Danzo and the curse mark.
Yes, that was it. That was what Sai truly wanted.
Freedom.
Naruto had all the drive and determination that made Danzo so fearsome, but he still felt empathy and compassion toward people. While Naruto has a track record of manipulating people to do what he wants, they aren't a means to an end for him. His eyes showed genuine remorse when he used Sai to assist in the mission to eliminate Orochimaru at Tenchi Bridge.
Naruto would do all he possibly could to achieve his goals, but there was a line in the sand that he refused to cross. Maybe that line was farther along than most people would be comfortable with, but it was still a line, nonetheless.
Sai sat cross-legged on a high branch of a tall tree. Naruto's apartment was clearly in his sight, but he was well hidden by the surrounding foliage. "Something doesn't feel quite right…." There was a slight chill in the air, a feeling he did not like.
"Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll." A quick hand sign later, the mice he painted scurried off the parchment and into the surrounding woods. He closed his eyes to concentrate on his Jutsu and the sounds of the forest. "Something doesn't feel right." A few minutes later, his ink creations returned and laid themselves back on the unfurled scroll.
Based on the intel he gathered, Naruto was inside his apartment; the rest of his team was being escorted by a team of the Hokage's ANBU to an unknown destination. That seemed normal enough, but it wasn't what drew his concern.
His mice had established a perimeter around the premises to check for intel and uncovered some unsettling details. There were fresh prints that suggested multiple Shinobi had been in the area around the building; ninja were almost always careful and conscious of the evidence they left behind, but this time was different. A civilian wouldn't notice anything out of the ordinary, but anyone of Chunin rank or higher worth their salt would pick up on it immediately.
"They likely left in a hurry when they sensed Naruto and the others approaching. The only questions are… what were they doing here, and who do they work for?" He didn't have to think very hard to come up with an answer to both.
"Boom!"
Sai looked up just in time to see a massive explosion erupt inside Naruto's home. It blasted out the windows and blew down the walls with ease, triggering a chain reaction of dozens of different explosions that engulfed the top of the building in a cloud of fire and smoke.
The orange glow from the firestorm reflected off of Sai's dark eyes, which were wide in utter horror. He couldn't think or speak; the only thing he could do now was run. Run towards the blast.
'This can't be…' Sai's mind was racing with a million thoughts a second. 'How could this-? I don't understand. This can't be happening!'
Sai didn't even register the blood-curdling screams of the civilians outside who had witnessed the act of terrorism, nor did he pay mind to the terrified tenants rushing out of doors down below, afraid that the entire structure would come crumbling down after such a shockwave.
From Sai's view, the rest of the building seemed miraculously unharmed. Whoever rigged the bombs had gone through extra care to control the damage so that it would only kill Naruto and whoever else might be unlucky to find themselves in his home simultaneously.
Something bubbled inside Danzo's subordinate, a feeling he could quite explain. It felt like a fire raged in his gut; he clutched at his chest, hoping to alleviate the sensation, though it did little good. Sai's mind returned to the day Shin sacrificed himself so he could continue to live on. What was swirling inside him right now felt eerily similar to that day.
That was when it became clear what he was feeling.
Sai felt the pain of loss, along with inexplicable rage.
'Damn, that came from the direction of Naruto!' Sasuke was the first to react, but Karin was the first to move.
Karin felt her stomach lurch as her sensory abilities set off alarm bells in her mind. 'No…' Her eyes widened considerably as a sense of dread ripped through her entire body. She didn't have all the details, but this was very bad.
Their ANBU escort scrambled to try and gain their bearing on what had just happened. They weren't far from the source of the blast, so the sudden sound disorganized their senses. With all semblance of order unraveling, it was far too easy for Team Hebi to slip away amongst the chaos.
"No, no, no; this can't be happening!" Suigetsu chanted to himself while the three darted through the trees back toward the village's residential area. "That didn't come from where I think it did, right?!" He looked to his side at Sasuke, whose face was concealed, then ahead at Karin. Her back was to him, so he couldn't read her expression to get a sense of the situation. "Well, Karin, please tell me you can still sense him!" The silence was starting to make him sick.
….
"Karin!"
"Suigetsu," Karin's tone was ice cold. "For once in your damn life, shut the hell up and keep moving. Please, just keep moving…."
The man ground his teeth together, then looked down at his feet in a mix of shame and worry. This one time, he would put his animosity aside and trust that Karin knew best.
"Oh, God…" Karin breathed out. Naruto's apartment, or better yet where it stood, was now entirely in view. The top of the building was completely gone, only smoldering ash and debris in its wake; a massive cloud of smoke rose above them and loomed ominously over the village like a treacherous storm cloud.
"Blondie… Ah, shit… no."
Sasuke took one look at the remains and turned away. This couldn't happen; not again, and certainly not so soon after Itachi. He bit the inside of his cheek until he tasted metal. "Karin…?" He didn't dare finish the question on the tip of his tongue.
Karin stopped them once they got close enough to smell the air now infused with soot. The Uchiha and Hozuki began to search the surrounding area while Karin put her unique talent to use.
'I can't sense anything….' She thought to herself and closed her eyes. With every ounce of focus and will, she had extended her search. 'I just need the tiniest pulse of life; I know he's out there somewhere!'
Please.…'
'Please…'
'Please…'
'Please…..'
Nothing. Naruto's chakra signature was gone.
Karin felt tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes. Suigetsu and Sasuke noticed her body language and began to assume the worst. No one could muster even a single word. Just when Karin was about to resign herself to the unthinkable, she felt it.
It was terrifyingly faint, but she definitely felt something. That signature was absolutely unmistakable. There was no time for any type of relief, however.
"I sense him!" Before the other two could visibly react, she took off down the street. "This way, hurry! I can feel Naruto's chakra close by!"
"We're right behind you!" Suigetsu called out in reserved relief.
The duo followed behind her with their weapons drawn in anticipation. Whoever had done this may still be around looking to finish the job.
They turned a corner about a block away from the explosion, and there he was. Naruto was lying face down, unconscious, in a small, smoldering crater next to the entrance of a tea shop. The shop owner, an older woman with short black hair, tried to tend to him.
She looked up at the approaching Team Hebi, her watery eyes filling with relief.
"Oh, thank goodness! Please, help him!" She yelped.
Karin didn't waste time coming to a complete stop and slid right to the blond's side. She surveyed his body for damage before attempting to move him. His clothes were in absolute tatters from the blast, and he had cuts, scratches, and burns on nearly every inch of visible skin.
"He's out cold and in really bad shape," Karin informed the team. "I'm not sure how he was able to survive that." She glanced over her shoulder. "Sasuke, can you help me roll him over? If I have any hopes of healing him, we need him awake and on his back."
Sasuke nodded wordlessly and hurried to his friend's side. The two of them rolled the still unconscious blond onto his back. His arms were wrapped tightly around his chest, and his eyes were tightly shut. "It looks like he was facing away when the explosion went off," Sasuke commented. "That must be how he ended up all the way over here, face down in the dirt."
Karin noted that Naruto's face and the front of his clothes were notably less damaged than the back. "Yeah, he probably saw it coming and did his best to get away before they were triggered."
"If only he was a little faster," Sasuke said dryly, though Karin could detect a faint hitch in the Uchiha's voice. He muttered something too low for the redhead to hear.
"What did you say?"
"Worry about him, not me." Sasuke said evenly.
"R-Right, sorry." Karin continued to scan the boy's body for any visible injuries that could cause worry. "Can you move his arms? They're guarding his chest, and I need to see if he's covering up any injuries we should be worried about."
The Uchiha obliged and tugged at Naruto's arms. They wouldn't budge, almost like he was holding onto something for dear life. After a bit more effort, Sasuke finally pried his arms open.
"A picture frame?" Karin asked in bewilderment. "Why would he go through the trouble of grabbing that of all things?"
Sasuke frowned and silently snatched the object. "That's not what's important right now." He glanced at the picture before quickly storing it in his robe. Just as he thought. "Is he going to be alright?"
"I think so." She anxiously pushed her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "Other than some serious bruising and second-degree burns, he has no major external injuries. My guess is that he suffered more serious internal injuries from the concussive force and the impact with the ground."
"And how would you know the extent of any internal injuries?"
"I'm not a Medical Ninja; I have no way of knowing that, but his chakra is holding strong now. He should be fine unless we try to move him too suddenly. Still, I think our safest bet is just for him to bite me right here. Do you think you can wake him up?"
"I think I can manage that." Sasuke slapped the blond upside the head. "Hey, idiot, wake up."
"Ughhhhhhhhhhhhh…." Naruto stirred slightly, but there was no movement behind his eyelids.
"Gentle!" Karin blurted out. "He could have head trauma!"
"Maybe some head trauma would be good for him," Sasuke responded dryly. A stern glare from the redhead elicited an eye roll from the Uchiha. "Fine, have it your way; just know he's the heaviest sleeper you'll ever meet."
"Your bedside manner needs work, Sasuke."
"Hn."
Meanwhile, Suigetsu walked closer to the shop owner. He winced harshly at the state Naruto was in, then turned his attention to the woman that was first on the scene.
"So… lady, what exactly happened?" The Hozuki said in his 'friendliest' voice. "Did ya see anything?"
The words seemed to snap the kind woman out of a daze. Suigetsu could see worry and empathy in her eyes.
"I-I don't know," The shop owner spoke fast, almost at a frantic pace. "I-It all happened so quickly; is he going to be okay?!
"My friends have the situation handled. I just need you to tell me what you saw."
The woman nodded slowly and pried her eyes away from the injured teen. "It came out of nowhere. I was just sitting out here on my break when it happened. The poor boy must have seen it coming."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just before the bombs went off, he crashed through one of his windows to try and get away. If he had been a second slower, then…." She didn't want to finish that thought as a stray tear streamed down her cheek. "I'm so glad that he's going to be okay."
"I see… that's why only the back of his clothes are fried." Suigetsu rubbed his chin in thought. "He caught the back end of it when he tried to escape, which launched him all the way over here. Thanks for the help, miss."
"O-Of course."
"He's waking up." Sasuke announced.
Suigetsu flashed a toothy smile at the good news. "'Bout time."
"Ughhh." Naruto's eyes finally fluttered open. The first thing he saw was a very worried redhead hovering above him. "Oh, hey, Karin; it's nice to see you." He mustered a slight grin through the pain. "Where am I? What happened?"
"You idiot; how can you be so casual after worrying us like that?" Karin pushed her glasses up and rubbed her watery eyes with her forearm. "We thought you were…." She trailed off.
"Ah, don't worry about me. It's gonna take more than that to put me down." The blond tried to sit up under his own power but winced from the pain and had to lie back down. "Heh, damn, that hurts."
"Please try not to move!" Karin protested. "Your body has been through a lot and needs time to heal. I can help with that."
"How; do you know Medical Ninjutsu, too?"
"Not quite… Y-You, u-uh, need to bite me." Karin tried fruitlessly to prevent her blush but to no avail.
Naruto blinked like he misheard what she said. "...Huh? Bite you…?"
"My chakra has healing properties, but I can only transfer it to someone else when they bite me." She pulled up her sleeve to reveal her arm. It was covered in bite marks, most likely from past beneficiaries of her unusual ability. Karin placed it in front of his face. "Go ahead, it's okay."
Naruto couldn't hide his frown. 'She was one of Orochimaru's test subjects, right?' He thought to himself. 'Does that mean all of these marks are from….?'
"What are you waiting for?" Karin prodded. "I told you that it's okay."
"I appreciate the offer, Karin, but I don't feel comfortable doing that to you. My life isn't in danger or anything." The redhead looked slightly disappointed, but she nodded and pushed her sleeve back down. Naruto looked at Sasuke. "I need you to take me to Sakura's house. She should be able to patch me up to the point where I can walk on my own."
"Fine," Sasuke said with evident reluctance about the prospect of seeing the kunoichi again. He gestured to Suigetsu for assistance picking the blond up. "What happened, exactly? Do you think you know who did this?" He asked while pulling his friend up into a sitting position.
"Ah, ah! Easy, Sasuke; it feels like every bone in my body is broken!" Naruto yelped.
"Funny, I vividly remember you threatening me with those exact injuries a few years back." Sasuke remarked.
"Kiss my ass, jerk!"
"Well, look who's awake." Suigetsu said as they rejoined the group. "Ya had us scared for a second there, blondie." He crouched down next to the teen and went to lift him up alongside Sasuke.
Naruto winced as his body groaned and ached in protest. He waved the Hozuki off. "Thanks, but Karin can help Sasuke; you're going to have to guard us on our way to Sakura's house."
"Oh, yeah?"
"Yeah…"
"So you think whoever did this to you will try and finish the job?" Karin surmised. "If that's the case, don't you think the better idea is for me to heal you right now? We won't be able to move you quickly in case your body won't be able to handle the stress."
"I already said no." Naruto repeated.
"You don't have to feel sorry for me, you know." Karin's right hand gripped her left sleeve and squeezed her arm tightly. "Don't be stupid!" She sounded hurt.
"How about we save the squabbling when we're safe and inside? Does that sound good?" Suigetsu clapped his hands together. "I agree that blondie is an idiot, but that's what he wants. Let's just do it. Arguing about things anymore isn't going to get us anywhere."
Karin rolled her eyes and slung the blond's arm over her shoulder. Once he was secured, she and Sasuke lifted him to his feet.
"Thanks." Naruto mumbled.
"Let's get moving." Suigetsu continued to instruct. "The longer we stand around with our thumbs up our asses, the more likely we'll be found."
Naruto winced with every step they took. It would be impossible to move at a quick pace in the state that he was in. At this rate, it would take them several minutes to reach Sakura's house.
"I think we should travel through town." The Hozuki continued his temporary role as leader. "We don't know who the enemy could be, so it might be safer to move with witnesses around."
"Wouldn't more people make it even harder to spot the enemy?" Naruto questioned through grit teeth. Sasuke and Karin were practically dragging him along with them; it felt like he had no control of his body. "Why not go around the streets through the forest?"
"Wouldn't that take a lot longer?"
"Yeah, but-."
"We don't have that kind of time." Suigetsu challenged. "If Danzo was behind this, nothing is stopping his ANBU goons from sending an entire squad into the forests after us. It's isolated, and I'm not familiar with the terrain like you and Sasuke are; I would be fighting at a severe disadvantage. At least in the village, it's out in the open, and they can't pull anything drastic, one to two of them at a time, most likely. Naruto's book and the pressure we've already put on Danzo are responsible for that. They can't afford another misstep in front of the public like this."
"Wow… Suigetsu, that's surprisingly well thought out." Karin said honestly.
"What can I say? I work well under pressure."
The group was now out of earshot from the explosion site, made apparent by the villagers calmly walking through the streets. Instead of hiding or running in fear, they were out and about without a care in the world. The eyes of Team Hebi scanned through the crowd to try and pick out any potential assailants, though that proved to be much more difficult than initially anticipated.
"Danzo's men will either be incognito or under the guise of a transformation Jutsu. We're effectively blind." The Hozuki admitted in a whisper only his team could hear. "We'll have to rely on Karin's sensory ability and Sasuke's Sharingan. Karin, check for any suspicious or anxious chakra nearby that could pose a threat; Sasuke, watch the subtle movements of anyone who gets too close for comfort. You might get lucky and predict their movements right before they attack."
"Yeah."
"R-Right."
'When did Suigetsu get so… smart?' Naruto thought to himself in awe. 'I've never seen this side of him. He's always so carefree… I didn't know he was capable of leading like this."
The quartet carefully navigated through the mobs of people and did just as Suigetsu instructed. There were too many people for Karin and Sasuke to be sure of anything. When someone looked or felt a bit suspicious, another person would catch their attention, resulting in them losing track of the previous suspect.
This went on for a couple minutes without incident.
"Wo-ho, the world is spinning!" A short, seemingly drunk man exclaimed. He had a drink in one hand, and his other arm flailed around in the air as he stumbled down the road toward them. "I might have had one too many." Suddenly, he stopped and turned. "What do you think, pretty lady?"
Team Hebi watched, unamused, as they passed by the tipsy old man as he flirted with a mannequin in a clothing shop window.
"Haha! You crack me up, beautiful; I haven't seen you around; what's your name?"
"Damn geezers distracting me." Suigetsu mumbled with a shake of his head.
Just as he finished that thought, the old man ogling the inanimate object sprung to life. He spun on his heel and lunged at the teens with a kunai in hand. His objective was clear and obvious.
Suigetsu's eyes widened. 'Damn, I won't make it.' He had been trailing to scout after prematurely ruling out the short man as a threat.
Naruto could only watch defenseless as the assassin closed the distance in a flash. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable steel to be buried in his chest.
…
Only it never came.
Naruto slowly opened his eyes to see that Sasuke had grabbed the assassin's wrist when the kunai was mere inches from piercing skin. The man was stuck frozen in place with his hand outstretched even after Sasuke released his grip.
"Genjutsu." Naruto surmised. "Thanks, Sasuke; I owe you one, seriously."
"Who do you work for?" Sasuke commanded the assailant under his spell. "Why are you targeting Naruto?"
The old man opened his mouth, but before speaking, his body went rigid and toppled over.
Karin blinked in surprise. "H-Hey, doesn't that remind you of…-"
"Tch," Sasuke grunted. "Danzo's Curse Mark, exactly like what Sai said would happen if one of his men tried to speak out loud about him."
"That old bastard is going to regret going after us…." Suigetsu looked up from the paralyzed man on the ground, only to realize that everyone was now huddled around, staring at them. "Don't just stand around and gawk. This man tried to assault us; call for help!"
They all ignored him and continued to stare.
"This isn't going to work." Sasuke scanned the crowd apprehensively. "Now that we know Naruto is being targeted by all of Root, he's going to die if we don't figure something out. It's too easy for someone to get close to us."
"Clear out, creeps! If ya keep staring, we're going to have a problem!" Karin screamed. That seemed to get the crowd's attention. A few seconds later, they were practically all dispersed. "That's what I thought… the nerve of some people."
Naruto felt a pit form in his stomach. They were in a bad spot, and he knew it, a situation they were only in because he refused to do the simple thing and allow Karin's chakra to heal him. 'I can't keep putting them in danger like this… maybe I should just-'
"Naruto…. you always seem to find yourself in the worst situations." A booming voice echoed overhead. "There's never a dull moment with you, is there?"
The Jinchuriki blinked, now back in the sewer-like mindscape that housed his tenant. The massive fox looked down on his jailor with his typical frown that held a mix of anger and contempt. " Kura-, I mean, Nine-Tails? What do you want? Why did you bring me here?"
"Is that any way to treat me after I saved your life?" The Fox questioned with a touch of amusement. "You would have been killed by those paper bombs if it wasn't for my chakra."
Naruto's mouth fell open slightly. "You…. helped me? I thought I told you I didn't want your help anymore; I was going to be the one to help you, not the other way around!"
"How could you help anyone if you're dead? Don't make me regret my decision, boy."
Naruto paused, thought for a minute, then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "You know what? I'm okay with it just this once."
Kurama's eye twitched but chose to relent for once. "I pushed a small amount of chakra through the cracks of the seal right before the explosion went off." Explained the Tailed Beast. "Before it even happened, you were already healing yourself."
"T-Thank you. I really appreciate the help."
"Heh; don't flatter yourself, brat," Kurama grunted. "If you die, then I die. I need you alive, and that was what it took to ensure it."
Naruto arched an eyebrow. "You wouldn't call me in here just to gloat about saving my life. What is this really about?"
Kurama rolled his eyes. He'd almost forgotten how perceptive that boy had gotten over the years. How irritating.
"Well?" Naruto asked again after a moment of silence.
"I can see what's going on out there. The four of you have been backed into a corner." Kurama pressed his forehead against his jail bars and watched his host with a scrutinizing gaze. "You clearly need assistance.… and I wouldn't be opposed to lending a hand."
"Sorry if I'm not so willing to trust you," Naruto responded quickly. This whole situation was weird. He didn't sense any malicious intent, which made him even more hesitant. "You understand that, right? I'm not taking any more of your chakra. That's not happening."
"Don't worry, boy. Your current injuries would take considerable chakra to heal." Kurama's smirk showed off his massive teeth. "I am not going to weaken the integrity of the seal by giving you more of my chakra. If that was my motive, I would have given you much more earlier instead of just enough to survive."
"Okay…" Naruto lowered his guard slightly and walked towards the giant steel bars. Kurama's lone open eye followed him as he did. "Let's say, hypothetically, I believe you; what then? How can you possibly help us without giving me any chakra?"
"Simple; I am offering to loan you use of one of my abilities." The Fox explained. "Similar to when I assisted in the rescue of Shikaku and his host from the Akatsuki, I think I have one that could be of use to you."
"Exactly what ability are you talking about?"
"Negative emotion sensing."
Naruto's eyes snapped wide open. The world felt profoundly different than just a moment ago. Not through sight, no, everything still looked the exact same through his bright blue eyes.
His perception of what lay beneath the surface is what changed.
Karin feels alone, afraid, confused, and conflicted. She has a good heart, but it is evident that Orochimaru corrupted her sense of right and wrong to some degree. These two sides of herself were constantly struggling within her psyche to come out on top. It was unclear which would win out in the end.
Suigetsu exudes strength, confidence, cruelty, and indifference to mask his insecurities. He feels abandoned and betrayed by his village and longs for the guidance of his deceased brother. The desire to collect the Seven Swords is just an excuse he uses to stay with Team Hebi without admitting he enjoys their company. The Bloody Mist and Orochimaru awakened his sadistic side, but there is still some good buried in there somewhere.
Sasuke is by far the most difficult to read. His innermost thoughts and feelings elude even Naruto's newfound ability. What he can sense is more toward the surface; the immense pain of loss, loneliness, and the reluctant yearning for companionship contrasted by the crippling fear of potentially losing it all once again.
The Jinchuriki was able to glean all of this in an instant through the use of Kurama's ability. It sensed all negative emotions, not just anger and malice.
Naruto wordlessly scanned the surrounding crowd as it dispersed. As expected, most of the people were scared or anxious, nothing out of the ordinary given the circumstances. After a moment of nothing, Naruto's eyes fell on someone amongst the scattering people. He was a tall man with dark hair, and a clean-shaven face, wearing a hat that concealed the top half of his face.
Muted emotions with deeply buried ill-intent were directed at them.
"Hey," Naruto leaned to his side to whisper into Sasuke's ear. "The guy with the black hat off to the right is suspicious and trying to blend in with the crowd. I think he's one of them."
Sasuke identified the suspicious man immediately and discreetly studied him with the Sharingan. "I can tell just by his body language that he's watching us." The Uchiha whispered back. "What should we do?"
"Better to avoid a fight if we can. Let's scare him off."
They were both openly staring as if daring them to make a move. 'We see you over there…. Stop hiding like a coward, and come face us.' Sasuke mouthed those words directly at their stalker.
By no coincidence, the man immediately disappeared into the crowd, and a few seconds later, Naruto lost his read on him.
Sasuke blinked, then glanced at his injured teammate. "How did you know?"
Karin looked even more confused and was curious to hear the blond's answer.
"There's no time to explain!" Naruto shook his head. He didn't expect to hear Kurama's voice outside their shared mindscape. "We aren't synched because of this damned seal. That means I am only capable of sharing my ability with you for five minutes. Make it count, brat!"
'Damn, only five minutes?' Naruto thought. The Fox was right; they couldn't waste time, not now. "I'll explain everything once we're safe. I'll let you know if I spot any more of Danzo's men."
"Fine, but we have to pick up the pace." Suigetsu's arm tripled in size. "Karin and I will get him, Sasuke. It makes more sense for you to cover us." Sasuke nodded, and they quickly swapped.
…
…
…
"Watch out for the guy with the scar on his left cheek!"
…
…
…
"The old lady tailing us is probably with them!"
…
…
…
"You can't hide from me! You can tell Danzo he can come over here and kiss my ass!"
…
…
…
"That couple is trying to get closer to get between us, Sasuke."
…
…
…
Thanks to Naruto's use of Kurama's ability, Team Hebi moved unhindered through the streets of the Leaf Village. They were one step ahead each and every time. All it took was a stern look or verbal confrontation to make their enemies retreat into the shadows. With the element of surprise not in their favor, they didn't dare take on the renegade Uchiha with his legendary eyes.
"We're almost there." Naruto felt relief well up in his body. "Sakura's house is just around the corner at the end of this street… I can't wait to lay down and get some rest."
"Don't celebrate yet, idiot." Sasuke chastized. He still kept himself alert of their surroundings in case of an ambush, but so far, Naruto had delivered on his statement. "We aren't out of the woods yet."
"Sasuke's right." Karin agreed. "I'm sure Danzo's men know where we're headed. If they plan to stop us, this is likely their last chance."
"Let 'em try," Suigetsu laughed. "I still have the urge to roll some heads!"
The chatter amongst the group grew indistinct. Naruto's sensing screamed at him as if alarm bells in his mind had gone off. Sweat accumulated above his brow, and he honed in on the signature that had caused such an adverse reaction.
Up to this point, the emotions and feelings of their would-be assassins had all felt the same; muted, grey, a little underdeveloped, with resentment and anger bubbling underneath the surface. That was what had made him so sure that they were dealing with Danzo's men; their emotional states were consistent with the inhumane training Root agents endure to strip them of their humanity and emotions.
What he was feeling right now was entirely different.
It was…. pure evil.
Naruto's eyes traced the path his senses laid out for him until he honed in on a young woman with long, dark hair walking in the opposite direction as them on the other side of the street. There were groups of people walking between them, so the blond couldn't see the woman's entire body, but she had soft, almost friendly facial features. It looked like she was carrying a small purse and walking hurriedly. That was what made this so bizarre.
She didn't even appear to be aware of their presence. All the others had tried to be discreet, but they were obviously watching Team Hebi's movements for some despicable purpose.
But this lady who radiated pure malice and hatred paid them no mind.
Until she did.
Having felt someone watching her, she looked around until her eyes locked with the teens. They walked past one another going different ways, but Naruto looked over his shoulder to maintain eye contact while being dragged away by his friends.
It took a moment, but Naruto could see realization flash in the girl's eyes. Her eyes widened. No, that was a gross understatement. It was borderline unnatural to the degree that her eyes opened up, like a pitch-black abyss, to the extent that one would worry her eyeballs would fall out of their sockets at any moment.
The evil intent previously hovering indiscriminately around her aura was now entirely directed at him. A wave of bloodlust and killing intent flooded the blond's body and froze him.
Naruto felt his blood run cold, but his brain wouldn't allow him to look away. It had been a long time since he had felt genuine fear, and right now, he was absolutely terrified.
Who was this person? What was this person? The ability to sense like this was an entirely new concept to him. Was this just how wicked people felt, or was there something else going on that he simply did not understand? With only a five-minute time limit to work with, there was no way to know for sure right now.
After what felt like an eternity, the young woman's face returned to normal; she turned around and disappeared into the crowd. He could do nothing but watch her go. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to give chase, but his body soundly refused the proposition.
The sinking feeling in his gut worsened with each passing second.
'What the hell was that…?' Was a thought on repeat in his mind.
"We're here." Sasuke's announcement broke the Jinchruki out of his trance for the time being. "This is where Sakura lives. Can you confirm that she's home, Karin; you remember what her chakra feels like, right?"
"I can sense her; she's in there, all right." The redhead answered immediately.
"Fantastic, let's get the awkward part over with, huh?" Suigetsu teased. "Blondie is starting to get a little heavy."
Karin and Suigetsu followed the Uchiha up a flight of stone stairs. After a moment of pause, Sasuke sighed and rapped his knuckles on the door. There were a few seconds of silence, followed by a sound inside the house.
"Sakura, I think I heard someone at the door! Could you get it?!" A muffled feminine voice yelled.
"Already on it, mom!"
A few more seconds passed until footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. Sasuke watched the knob turn intently, opening to reveal familiar pink hair and emerald eyes.
"S-Sasuke… w-what are you-?" Multiple emotions ran across Sakura's face at that moment. Shock, anger, confusion, happiness, and, most importantly, concern. "Oh, my God!" She pushed past Sasuke without a second thought once she saw who was behind him. "Naruto, you're hurt! What happened; are you okay?!"
Naruto cracked a weak smile at her worry for him. "I've been better, for sure." With no more adrenaline coursing through his veins, the pain increased by the second. He could feel his eyes getting heavy as fatigue began to set in. "We'll explain everything, but would ya mind taking a look at me inside first? I really need to lay down…."
"So, you were able to beat the odds and survive yet again." Kurama almost sounded amused. "You are as tenacious as a cockroach."
Naruto's eyes fluttered open. He sat up in the shallow pool of water in the familiar sewer and pressed his palm to his temple. "Ah, what happened?" He asked groggily.
"The Uchiha child and his team brought you to the pink-haired medic's house where she tended to your wounds. You are safe and asleep in bed right now." Kurama explained.
Naruto took in a deep breath, then exhaled. "Thank goodness; I was really worried for a second there." He smiled. "Thanks for your help; I really appreciate it!"
"Hmph, whatever." The Fox grunted.
"Say, why did you help me anyway?" Naruto questioned with a raised eyebrow. It would have been on his mind more, but the danger to him and Tem Hebi forced it to the back burner. "You say it was to keep yourself alive, but…."
"Are you asking why I chose to assist you without having an ulterior motive?"
"...Yes…"
"Who is to say I do not have ulterior motives? Perhaps you are just too stupid to realize such things."
"C'mon, be serious for once." Naruto pressed the Tailed Beast. "It's just us here. I don't see why you have to act so tough all the damn time."
Kurama had the intense urge to bare his fangs, but only a frustrated sigh came out of his mouth. The way this child saw through him so casually frustrated him to no end. No human had ever been able to read him like this. Then again, no one since the Old Man had cared enough to put aside a few minutes to try.
"I repaid my debt to you. We are even now."
"Debt? What debt?
"You kept your word concerning the One and Three-Tails." Kurama begrudgingly admitted.
"Now I have assisted you with something you needed; is that not how humans do business?"
Naruto blinked. "I-I didn't do those things so you would owe me!" He sounded annoyed. "I promised to help you because that is what I wanted to do; you don't have to do anything in return!"
"Fine. Next time I will just let you die."
"You have no intentions of listening to me, do you?"
"Maybe you aren't as stupid as you appear, boy."
"I'm gonna choose to ignore that."
"Hmph."
…
…
…
…
"Why are you still here? Our business is done; you can go."
The Jinchruki mulled something over in his mind during the brief silence. His mind refused to shake it; if he didn't bring it up now, it would eat away at him until he did.
"Say… can I ask you a question, Nine-Tails?"
The Fox couldn't resist the temptation to roll his eyes. "I will answer, but then you are to leave my presence immediately."
"Deal."
"Speak, child."
"…Can you tell me more about your ability to sense negative emotions?"
…
Sakura sat at the foot of her bed with one leg crossed over the other and a book in hand. She looked up from the words on the pages and smiled. Naruto was all patched up and sound asleep; his chest's slow and consistent rise and fall told her that he was relatively pain-free and resting comfortably.
The book she held was none other than the blond's newest novel. The entire village was abuzz when it was released. Mass hysteria ensued, and Tsunade called her in to assist with damage control. The higher-ups were furious with Naruto and demanded the Hokage take action.
She wouldn't, of course, and that just seemed to raise tensions even further.
Meanwhile, Sakra sat back and looked at the situation from a thirty-thousand-foot view. To her, this didn't make sense. Naruto would have nothing to gain and everything to lose if his book was aimed at Lady Tsunade and the entire village; what purpose would that serve for him or anyone else? Her immediate thought was that there was something, as Kakashi would say, "underneath the underneath" that she was simply missing. Naruto was reliable and trustworthy, and while she disagreed with what he did, she would extend the courtesy by putting faith in him.
Then, when Sasuke and his team showed up on her doorstep dragging a battered Naruto, things began to fall into their proper places. Naruto's well-being took precedence over Sasuke's surprise return. To say she had mixed feelings would be a massive understatement, but she would put that aside now with more pressing matters demanding her attention.
Team Hebi explained the details, what happened, their involvement, and the Hokage's cooperation with their plan. The revelation of the Uchiha Clan's demise and Root's role in it shocked her to her core. She now understood why Sasuke was in the village and why he was so determined to go through with it. Once the disbelief passed, Sakura readily agreed to lend a hand if needed. From what Tsunade had said about him and her own brief encounters with the man, Sakura was not fond of Danzo; after hearing what he was capable of, her suspicions were warranted.
"So, doc," Suigetsu said from his cozy spot on the bedroom floor. "Blondie is really going to be okay? He seemed pretty banged up."
"He had internal bleeding that was probably made worse by moving him so soon after the injuries, but with some rest, he should be as good as new." The kunoichi closed the book and placed it on her lap. Her eyes lingered on the form of the sleeping blond. "I didn't need to do much, in all honesty. His healing ability is second to none, after all."
"That's good to hear." Suigetsu managed with a smirk. "The bastard had us worried there for a minute. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd ever see him like this."
"Did he mention how it happened?" Sakura made it a point to look at Karin and Suigetsu while speaking; she didn't dare look over at Sasuke, who was silently leaning against the wall in the far corner of the room.
Karin shook her head. "No, we didn't get the chance to talk about it."
"What happened is that I was careless," Naruto said, followed by a groan of pain from trying to sit up. "Agh!"
"Lay back down!" Sakura leaned over and pushed him back down until his head was against the pillow. He gave the pinkette an annoyed look, but she refused to relent. "You need more than a couple hours rest! Medical Ninjutsu isn't magic; you still must allow your body to heal on its own time."
"Fine," Naruto grumbled. "Not my fault I get antsy…."
"What do you mean you were careless?" Karin was still hung up on what he said. "Do you remember what happened?"
"Yeah, though it's a bit hazy." Naruto shut his eyes and concentrated hard to try and remember the event leading up to the explosion. "Someone broke into my house while I wasn't there and rigged it with paper bombs. I accidentally stumbled across them; that's when they were triggered. I barely managed to get out through the window before…." He felt his pockets, followed by a sense of panic when he didn't feel anything. "W-Wait, where is-"
"Don't worry, I have it." Sasuke walked over from his corner and placed the missing object on the nightstand next to the blond. It was a framed picture of Team 7. The glass was shattered beyond repair, but the picture was still in good condition. "You had this in a death grip when we found you. You really went through the trouble of grabbing this while your life hung in the balance? Are you an idiot?"
"Yes."
Sakura couldn't help but smile. Fond memories of Team 7 flooded her head, but she suppressed them. Sasuke was in the village, but he wasn't 'back;' not yet at least.
"I grabbed the picture and jumped out my bedroom window. I didn't see anyone or anything else suspicious, and I'm not sure how far back they rigged my apartment."
"It could have been anytime," Sakura added. "You haven't been in the village much since coming back with Master Jiraiya. That would give whoever it was plenty of time to slip in and plant them."
"Sounds like an easy enough job for them to pull off." Suigetsu concluded. "With all the shit you were pulling, the people you were pissing off, you were just asking to get blown up. I'm shocked it didn't happen sooner and even more shocked you weren't prepared for it."
"Except it wasn't easy. My apartment was fitted with a mixture of Fuinjutsu and Barrier Ninjutsu designed to keep intruders out and alert me of any trespassers." He ground his teeth together. "I didn't expect someone would be able to get in without me knowing, but whoever it was clearly had knowledge of Fuinjutsu. I got cocky with my skills, and I almost died because of it. Believe me; you don't have to remind me how stupid I was. We aren't all blessed with a brain like Shikamaru's, you know?"
"What you need to do is take a step back and be much more cautious going forward," Karin advised in a stern tone. "You've made yourself a target and need to start acting like it. This won't be the last time someone tries to catch you with your guard down."
"Yeah, I know; I will. I'm sorry…."
"And you're sure it was this Danzo guy?" Sakura redirected the conversation back to the topic at hand. "There is no one else that makes sense?"
"It was definitely Danzo's men after us on our way here," Naruto explained. "They have the resources and knowledge to break into my apartment, and they have the motive…. Danzo was taken into custody not too long ago because of our meeting with Granny Tsunade and the case we're building against him."
"They most likely planted the paper bombs right after your novel exposing them released." Sasuke placed a hand underneath his chin. "We were still out of the village. If they scouted in advance, that would give them enough time to rig the place."
"Seems like very short notice," Naruto said while staring up at the ceiling in deep thought. "And besides, you know what has been bugging me this whole time?"
"What?"
"All things considered, I never expected Danzo would risk killing me since I am the village's Jinchuriki. He's trash, but the safety of the Leaf Village has always been his top priority."
Suigetsu shrugged. "Hey, desperate times call for desperate measures. If the choice was your life for his, don't you think he would choose to live each and every time? Jinchuriki, or not."
"...I guess, but there is still the issue of-"
"Sakura!" The booming voice of her mother caught everyone's attention.
"What is it, mom?" She called back nearly as loud.
"You have another friend at the door! He's asking to come in to talk to you and Naruto!"
Sakura gulped, then glanced at Naruto. "Are you expecting anyone?"
"No, we aren't."
Sakura nodded slowly. "Did… he say who he was?!"
"Yeah, he said his name is Sai! Do you want me to bring him up to you guys?"
Sakura relaxed slightly when Naruto's lips curved upward into a smile.
"Tell her to let him in."
Author's Note: Naruto survived... I know, big shocker. Looks like Sasuke Shippuden will have to come some other time. If this chapter felt slower paced don't worry, it's going to pick up very soon.
Team Hebi makes it to Sakura for Naruto to be healed, Naruto gets a taste of Negative Emotion Sensing, and Sai finally makes his choice. The final pieces are falling in their proper places.
Find out how it plays out next time in Chapter 48: Iustitia Praevalebit.
I'll see ya then!
thtadthtshldntb - Not only would he let his guard down in his own village, but the belief in his Fuinjutsu got the better of him. Naruto is shown to be overconfident in his abilities. He also isn't known to be intelligent like Shikamaru.
ThousandDaysOfLaziness - He's an aspiring Seal Master, not a Seal Master. He has only been studying Fuinjutsu for a couple years. People like Jiraiya have decades more experience than him. His lack of experience and overconfidence led to what you read in the last chapter.
Lilthug - The Shinobi System has so many problems that 1 or 2 changes isn't enough to fix it. A series of changes and gradual reform would probably be the best way to see actual change.
And I believe the upload date was originally 08/27, but sometimes I will update my profile page and release chapters sooner if I make good progress. That was one of those times.
Baahubali321 - The benefits to being a Uzumaki Jinchuriki are that you are nearly bulletproof. If that Chidori Sasuke gave him through the chest wasn't enough to give him a scar, what is? Lol.
Ky111 - You hit the nail on the head. Naruto is using his book as a device to create unrest and then plans to direct that animosity at those he believes deserve it. Is it manipulative and underhanded? Yes, but damn is it looking to be effective as of right now.
It'd be an understatement to say Jiriaya and Tsunade have their hands full with Naruto and his unpredictability.
TrenchcoatMan - That explosion was far from little. It blew the top off the entire building.
Phazer12 - Actually, it looks like Mei is the one who might call the 5 Kage Summit. She said as much at the end of "House of Cards." The Mist is fully aware that Naruto killed one of their government officials, and now he's released a book essentially letting all the skeletons out of everyone's closets. And the former Blood Mist Village has a lot of those they don't want to get out.
It's going to be a fun time. That's all I will say.