Chapter 65: Two Ninjas Against a Village

Arc: Kirigakure's Civil War

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Naruto. Naruto is the work of Masashi Kishimoto, please support the original work.

"Hinata, hold onto me," Naruto said as his chakra cloak subsided into his body. After the red chakra vanished, he felt his own chakra trying to purge the fox's chakra, but it was a fool's dream. No matter how strong, or pure, his chakra could never be as potent as Kurama's.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright?" Hinata asked as she grabbed and jumped to Naruto's back after the latter crouched down. Naruto stood up and blitzed out of the area before replying, "I'm good. Just… a little sour."

Naruto ran, never looking back at him. He didn't even realize that his speed had increased by several folds. Him without the kyuubi's chakra versus him with the kyuubi's chakra, the difference was night and day.

As they ran, Yagura stood up from the small crater he got stuck on. Naruto didn't hold back with that one punch and used all of Kurama's chakra he could use. That's why, after the punch, he couldn't maintain the chakra cloak.

"Fuck."

Yagura cursed as his chakra cloak thinned. Naruto wasn't the only one in a timer. Yagura was too. Though, his time using the three tail's chakra was longer than Naruto, as he was a perfect jinchuriki. Unfortunately, or fortunately, no matter how perfect of a jinchuriki he was, he can never reach his full potential.

All thanks to a certain rogue Uchiha.

"Chase after him!"

Yagura yelled as he tried to stand up. "Urgh!" Only, he fell to his knees. Shocked, Yagura looked down at his hands and felt a tingling sensation.

"ARGH!" Suddenly, his head was assaulted by a wave of pain as he clutched his head. He couldn't even think properly as the pain came in waves, non-stop.

SWIIIRRLL…

"The genjutsu is becoming weaker and weaker against him…" Coming out of a swirling portal was a man wearing an orange mask. As he watched Yagura struggle for a few seconds, he reached out his hand to grab the Mizukage's head.

If mist ninjas were around, they would've tried to assault the masked man. Sadly, the poor Mizukage had just sent them all away. Furthermore, defeating the masked man was uncertain.

"When the genjutsu becomes useless, it'll be the time to let the rebels win," the masked man chuckled. He didn't really care for what happened next. No matter what, Kirigakure can't regain its former glory for a long time. Perhaps, his dreams would've already been fulfilled when that time came.

By then, everyone would be happy.

"This world… is too muddled," the masked man muttered as Yagura calmed down. Though, his eyes were lifeless like the stone beneath his feet. "That settles it. Zetsu, give him the nine-tails' location. But don't give him their exact location. I want to keep watching for a while."

The masked man knew that the Mizukage stood no chance against Naruto if they fought for a long time, but with the right opportunity and a proper ambush, even Naruto and the nine-tails would be helpless against death.

"Okay," Zetsu, a plant-like man, nodded with a silly grin on his face. The masked man clicked his tongue before vanishing in the swirling portal as if he was never there. As soon as he disappeared, the light in Yagura's eyes returned.

"You, tell me the nine-tails jinchuriki's location!" YAgura yelled to Zetsu. He acted as if the plant-like man was his right-hand man, but the latter didn't mind it.

"He's currently running toward the village..."

Zetsu didn't even finish talking before Yagura ran off. He was headed toward his own village, and his goal was far from protecting it from the enemy. His sole goal was to kill Naruto, and he didn't consider anything else.

As for why?

Even he didn't know.

SWOOSH!

As Naruto disguised himself and Hinata as a starved couple, Naruto narrowed his eyes when he saw a strict encirclement of mist ninjas.

'Was it a wrong choice to blend in?'

Naruto thought. His plan was to act as a villager and let Yagura and his ninjas pass them by. But it seems that Kirigakure knew his location.

'I don't even know how they knew my location… probably some forbidden jutsu. Though, they don't seem to know my exact location,' Naruto sighed in relief.

"Rui-kun, what do we do now?" Hinata asked. Obviously, for their disguise to work, they can't use their names.

"Hana-chan, let's rest for a while and watch the setting sun," Naruto said.

Hinata tilted her head before he understood the subtle message. 'Lay low and observe.'

"Okay," Hinata nodded when suddenly, Yagura passed them by. Her heart sped up, but she quickly calmed down as a sealing tag glowed on her back.

Yagura halted, looked back, and stared at Hinata. Hinata and Naruto were cuddling each other, trembling as they slowly walked toward Yagura. Their steps were unsteady, and their eyes looked lifeless. Even their cheeks looked hollow.

"Strange…" Yagura muttered and kept running ahead.

"Hana, let's change. It's getting hot," Naruto mumbled and got a nod from Hinata. They nearly got exposed, and remaining in the same disguise was too risky.

As they walked into an alleyway, Naruto weaved a few hand seals carefully. He made sure not to leak even a tiny bit of chakra, though it was easier said than done with his now terrible chakra control.

"Summoning Jutsu…"

POOF!

As a toad poofed into existence, Naruto handed it a scroll and whispered a few commands. "Deliver it to Zabuza. Be discreet and don't leak a droplet of chakra," he said as he smiled.

POOF!

"Yagura. If you want to play hide and seek, then we can play it. Only, you'll forever be the seeker."

Zabuza hesitated. He was now with Haku and he'd just delivered the rescued civilians into a safe place.

"Master Zabuza, we should help them…" Haku said, though even his voice was uncertain.

In front of them was a part of the village… or it was supposed to be if it wasn't covered in a thick veil of mist.

"I know and I want to, but…" Zabuza sighed. "I'm a master of the Hiding in Mist Jutsu, but the chakra inside that mist is ridiculous. My guess is that at least a hundred ninjas are maintaining it."

Zabuza said as he pondered.

"Well, as I said, I'm a master of the technique. Maybe if we're careful, we can manage," Zabuza said as he picked up his massive blade. He was about to jump into the mist when a toad jumped on his shoulder.

"Hm? Did he send you?" Zabuza asked and the toad ignored him. The toad gave Zabuza a scroll before vanishing silently. Zabuza never knew when the toad arrived, and he never sensed it when it left even though he was looking straight at it.

It was as if the toad was just a mirage.

"Sigh…"

"It's okay, master," Haku comforted. The toads didn't like the stain of blood around Zabuza, so they didn't like talking to Zabuza.

"No. I don't really care. It's just a little…" Zabuza shook his head and opened the scroll.

"Continue with the rescue operation. Don't mind about us. We'll delay the mist as much as possible. Rescue the civilians as fast as possible."

"We?" Zabuza narrowed his eyes. "Is Hinata with him?" Zabuza asked.

"Probably," Haku shrugged.

"Oh well. You saw his message," Zabuza looked at Haku while he burned the scroll. "Let's get things moving," Zabuza grinned.

"He has the entire Kirigakure on his back. It's the perfect time to act as king inside our old home," Zabuza laughed.

Haku just shook his head, though he couldn't agree more with his master.

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