Reviewer Shout Outs: Belletrist Word Salad and The Unapologetic, thank you both for your constant reviews. Love ya guys. Please keep the favorites, follows, and reviews coming. I appreciate them all.
…
…
…
Chapter 26: Team Taka's End
Normal P.O.V.
The hunt is on. Team 10 and Naruto chase down Sasuke and Taka. The whole way, Naruto stays the constant bridge gap between the two teams and his mate. Kiba's team slightly struggles to keep up with Naruto's enhance speed, but they know that they are going to use up all their chakra if they do. Ahead of them, Sasuke devises a plan to have his team capture Naruto. During their chase game, Naruto is the leader and the only one with desires to capture Sasuke. So, thinking that if Naruto goes down, then Sasuke can escape with no problems.
"Jugo, Karin, Suigetsu. I need your help. We have to capture Naruto,"
"But what about the others? Don't we need to capture them too?" Jugo asks.
"Yes, but if we capture Naruto first, then taking them hostage will be easier for us. I have a plan, but you must follow it exactly, understood?"
His three team members nod and listen to Sasuke's plan. Once they have all the details, the group of four stop to turn and face their pursuers.
Seeing that Sasuke has a plan, Naruto slows to a stop and forces Team 10 to do the same. Everyone pants to catch their breath. Naruto is the first to accomplish this before stepping to speak to his lover.
"Sasuke! You need to give this up! Look at you! You've lead us out in the middle of nowhere, in another nation's territory and for what?!"
"How can you not understand my pain, Naruto?! You never had to exact revenge on anyone! I had my family taken from me by fear! The same fear that fueled the villagers and Elders to mistreat you! They even tried killing you because of the monster you are! You would be the only one I would trust to understand why I need this!"
Naruto turns his head to see the shock and embarrassment on his friends' faces. They lived in the same village. They saw what happened to Naruto and felt the guilt and shame of never protecting their friend from their village's cruelty. It is a conversation they had many times over and many times over, Naruto would smile at them and say that he does not blame anyone. His life was his life to burden; just like Sasuke's anger and frustration was his to burden as well.
Taking a deep breath, Naruto turns back to face Sasuke with a sharp glare in his eyes.
"Sasuke, I do understand your pain. I know it better than anyone and you know that too. I was there for you when you had no one. We shouldered each other's burdens and stood beside each other until Orochimaru corrupted you. But, now the time for running is over. You need to come back home, Sasuke. Your life is on the line and I won't let you just throw it away because you are lost. Please Sasuke, let me help you find your way back. I can help you. Let me help you," Naruto pleads. Everyone stands in silence as the ever-growing tension fills the air between them. Even some of Taka's members are feeling uncomfortable from the pressure. Sasuke on the other hand, stands firm with a deep glare on his face. Seeing this, Naruto sighs in defeat before getting into an attack position. "Fine, if that's the way it's going to be, then so be it,"
"You won't live to see past today. Attack!" Sasuke yells as he speeds towards Naruto's team.
Both teams collide with each other in hand to hand combat. Kicks, punches, sounds of metal clashing, and jutsus being used can be heard throughout the battlefield. Blood sprays across the rocky field as the fights continue.
Naruto and Sasuke manage to separate themselves from the ongoing war between their two teams. This was the first time the two of them have engaged in a full fight since the mission at Orochimaru's hideout, all those months ago. Despite Sasuke's state of mind, he did not want to hurt Naruto. Sasuke just wanted to use enough energy to knock of the blond fox so he could escape. Naruto thinks the same as he only keeps his red cloak of chakra while continue with tiajutsu and his kunai.
Sasuke leaps towards Naruto with his sword ready to attack. Naruto counters it with one of his kunai. Sasuke applies more pressure onto the smaller weapon before angling his katana to knock the kunai out of the blond's hands. Despite losing his weapon, Naruto steads himself and used his red chakra covered hands to hold the katana in place.
"Why won't you just give up already?!"
"As long as you refuse to return to me, I will never give in!"
Naruto growls as he pushes Sasuke back. The raven, feline stumbles. Naruto uses his tails to sweep Sasuke onto the ground to pin him in place.
"Why… why can't you just leave me alone? Why can't we just go our separate ways?!" Sasuke shouts, trying to escape Naruto's hold.
The blond fox was about to answer him before he feels something white encase his left arm. With a sense of panic, Naruto tries to use his claws to rid himself of the white mass covering his body. Losing the battle, Naruto is yanked off Sasuke before being hoisted into the air. Sasuke's eyes widen when he realizes who interrupted their fight.
"Hello, Sasuke,"
Standing before them is the full manifestation of Zetsu in his Akatsuki cloak. Everyone stops at the sight of the Venus fly-trap like member with a large smirk on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry… Did I interrupt something?"
"Zetsu! What are you doing here?!" Sasuke yells while moving into a crouching position with his hand on his katana's hilt.
"We came to put an end to this foolish rivalry. The Akatsuki have waited too long for your little games to end Sasuke. You and your team have failed our organization for the last time. Not only did you not capture the Eight-Tails, but you couldn't even detail the Nine-Tails in his primitive form. How tragic. Regardless, we have been sent here to salvage what will be left of your mistakes,"
"Naruto!" Hinata yells before rushing towards him, he Gentle Fist Jutsu ready.
Black Zetsu stops her by using his wood release to capture her.
"Annoying,"
"Hinata! Let her go!" Naruto growls, trying to free himself from White Zetsu's hold.
"Silence! We've had just about enough of your insolence~" was all Zetsu had time to say before Kiba and Sasuke interrupts them.
"Fang Rotating Fang!" Kiba yells as he and Akamaru aim their attack at Zetsu; freeing Hinata in the process.
Before Naruto is hit by the attack, Sasuke uses his katana to free the blond fox and move out of the way. Kiba and Akamaru's attack sends the Akatsuki member into the air as he takes damage to his mass of a body. Finishing the attack, Kiba and Akamaru stands in front of Hinata in a protective stance.
"You alright?"
"Yes, thank you, Kiba-kun,"
"What about you?" Sasuke asks as he helps Naruto remove the remaining masses from White Zetsu.
"Yeah. I'll be ok. Thanks for saving me,"
"Don't get uses to it," Sasuke says while standing and reading himself. "If anyone is going to take you down, it's going to be me,"
Smirking at this, Naruto stands beside his lover with his fist inside his left palm. "Same to you,"
"You annoying brats… Do you have any idea of who you are messing with?" Black Zetsu grunts while trying to stand.
"I say we show them," White Zetsu smirks.
The two entities agree and split into two beings, to the horror of everyone else.
"Much better," the two beings sigh in relief.
"Got any suggestions about how to defeat this freak?" Naruto asks in a whisper.
"Besides divide and conquer? No," Sasuke answers in the same volume.
"Well I guess that'll have to do,"
"Let's see what we have here, Black Zetsu,"
"I see three Hidden Leaf shinobi and their oversized dog, three Orochimaru misfits, one anger Uchiha brat and one Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Overall, I think our odds are even,"
"Agreed. Since our main mission is to capture the Nine-Tails, I think it is safe to say that Madara does not care what happens to the rest,"
"Then why don't we get rid of the rest. I'll take these seven over here while you take the Uchiha and Nine-tails, White Zetsu,"
"Sounds like a plan to me,"
"You two honestly think you two can take on all of us by yourselves? Man, you two are demented," Naruto says while waving his hand.
"You talk too much," was all that White Zetsu says before rushing at the couple.
Naruto uses his chakra to block his attack. White Zetsu hisses in pain as the Nine-Tails' chakra burns him. Using this distraction, Sasuke brings his katana. Seeing this attack coming, White Zetsu uses his Earth Release to sink into the ground and out of danger. Naruto and Sasuke look around for their opponent. After a few moments, White Zetsu appears underneath Naruto and tries to drag him into the ground with him. Seeing this, Sasuke brings his katana downwards and slices off White Zetsu's arm. The Akatsuki member hisses in pain before rising out of the ground, holding his severed appendage.
"We've got you now!" Naruto yells, rushing towards his opponent.
Making several clones, Naruto tells them to spread out slightly. Each clone rushes towards the Akatsuki member before launching a barrage of tiajutsu. Several clones kick White Zetsu into the air. Above him, the real Naruto yells as he shoves knee into the white torso before slamming his opponent onto the ground.
"You're mine!"
Using some of Kurama's chakra, Naruto forms his Rasengan and impales it into White Zetsu's body. One the receiving end of the attack, screams of agony ring into the air above them, causing a disturbance within Black Zetsu. When the attack finishes, there is no trace of White Zetsu left. Naruto stands to cheer but stops when Sasuke puts a hand on his shoulder.
"It's not over, dobe,"
Confusion shows on Naruto's face until Sasuke points in a direction of several White Zetsu clones running towards them with battle cries. Naruto gets ready to attack again until Sasuke holds out his hand to stop him.
"I'll handle them. Stay behind me,"
Naruto does as he is told and moves behind Sasuke. Sasuke closes his eyes and uses his chakra to summon Susanoo. The purple entity rises out of the ground to wrap a protective layer around the two of them. Naruto is amazed by Sasuke's power while staring at his determined mate. They do not get a lot of chances to stand so close to each other, so as he stands behind Sasuke, Naruto takes in the slightly smaller man's frame. Naruto currently stands about 6'0 while Sasuke stands at 5'9. A three-inch difference between the two lovers, but what Sasuke slightly lacks in height, he makes up for in power. It had almost four years since Naruto and Sasuke had faced off against one another. However, based on what he was seeing today, Naruto could tell that Sasuke is reaching new levels of power. Power that he would have never obtained had he stayed. Power that had also driven his mate insane. Despite being proud of how far Sasuke had come, Naruto can feel a sting of disappointment feel his chest. Disappointment of what Sasuke had to do to obtain this power. Shaking his head, the blond fox focuses on the task at hand. Because once this battle is over, so would be Sasuke's freedom.
Both mates look at the army of White Zetsu's racing towards them. With a sadistic smirk on his face, Sasuke opens his eyes, revealing the Mangekyō Sharingan, and send the black flames of Amaterasu towards the miniature army. When the inextinguishable flames connect with the clones, they each ring out screams of terror and agony. Soon, the screams cease and on the still burning bodies remain.
On the opposite side of the field, Team 10 and Team Taka finish off Black Zetsu. With a combination of all their strengths, the seven of them manage to defeat the entity into nothing. Sasuke sighs in relief as he allows his Susanoo to disappear. The couple walks over to the cheering group.
"Do you think we won, Sasuke-kun?"
"I don't know. Zetsu is a powerful enemy. I highly doubt that he is gone for good. But, in the meantime, he is injured and will require some time to regenerate himself. He's most likely in hiding right about now, but that doesn't mean we can relax. Naruto, even though we are enemies right now, I would advise your team and Konoha to ready themselves for a counterattack,"
Naruto nods, staring at Sasuke intensely. Sasuke gives a nod back before turning away to take off. Without warning, Naruto reaches out for the back of Sasuke's cloak and uses it to slam him onto the ground. Everyone gasps at this action, especially when Naruto adds weight onto his knew to keep him grounded.
"Yeah, and since we're still "enemies" did you forget what my mission is?" Karin tries to help Sasuke but stops when Kiba, Akamaru, Hinata, and Shino captures the rest of them. "By order of the Hokage: Lady Tsunade, Team Taka is to be detained and brought back to Konoha for their punishment,"
"Naruto! How dare you! You're going to betray me too?!"
"I'm saving you Sasuke," Naruto rebuts before lifting Sasuke to his feet and uses special chakra infused rope to tie his hands behind his back. "Maybe one day you'll see that,"
Sasuke doesn't move as he watches his team receive the same treatment. With Naruto in charge, he orders them all in the direction of the Hidden Leaf.
"You're just like the rest of them," Sasuke whispers under his breath, knowing Naruto hears him.
The blond swallows the lump in his throat. Never in his almost seventeen years of living would he ever hear those heartbreaking words of his mate.
…
…
…
Hours later, after the sun sets, Naruto decides that they will make camp for the night before continuing their journey in the morning. The moon is raised high in the night sky. Only the sounds of the crackling fire can be heard, but Sasuke's words ring louder within Naruto's head.
Kiba's team and Naruto agreed to take turns watching over the missing nin. Naruto agreed to take the last watch of the night. That is what he is currently doing. Sitting above the campground in a nearby tree, Naruto looks over his companions and Team Taka. The feeling of Sasuke's hurt words still echo through his thoughts, causing disappointment within himself to play at his heartstrings.
"Quit beating yourself, kit,"
"I know, I know, but the way he said it. He wouldn't even look at me,"
"It comes with the territory. When you have a rouge mate, you will almost always be the bad guy,"
"I know but… I just can't stop this heartbreaking feeling. I just wish this would be over already,"
"Well I mean you finally caught him, so you might not even have to do this crazy plan of yours,"
"No, I still have to do it. Sasuke feels the same no matter what I do. He won't snap out of it until something forces him to snap out of it. He's stubborn, so I always have to resort to the last option when dealing with him,"
Naruto sighs before jumping onto the ground and walking over to Sasuke's sleeping form. Releasing some of his chakra, Naruto weakens the chakra infused rope just enough for him to break it in the morning.
"You sure about this, kit?"
"Got any better plans?"
"Dump him?"
Naruto chuckles at Kurama's comment as he puts his hands in his pockets and walks in the opposite direction from the campsite.
"You should be a comedian when this is all over,"
"Seriously though, I am completely against this plan,"
"Don't trust me?"
"With this idiotic plan? No. But if this is what you want to do, I'll hold up my end of the bargain. Just don't go dying on me,"
"I promise…" and with that, Naruto cuts off his connection with Kurama. With one final gaze towards his distance campsite, Naruto gives a heavy sigh and continues with his journey.
"I just hope this works Sasuke; for both of our sakes,"
…
…
…
To Be Continued…