Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Naruto tried to ignore the infuriated glare directed at him. He was managing to do so, for the most part, but the glarer deserved credit for dedication. It had been a few hours now since she had woken up and not once did the glare falter. It was almost inspiring to see someone so incredibly invested in their anger towards someone over something so incredibly petty. Actually, Naruto still wasn't entirely sure what it was that she was angry with him over. The list to choose from was a little too long for him to care about at this point, but curiosity was going to get the better of him eventually.
"What is it?" he asked calmly, breaking the tense silence.
Tayuya narrowed her eyes. "What's what?"
"What have I done to piss you off so much?" Naruto elaborated.
"I'm pretty damn sure that I can't pick a single reason at this point" she spat venomously. "You've fucked with my life in so many ways already, now I'm just counting all the ways you've yet to fuck with it"
Naruto remained silent, contemplating several unimportant things in his boredom. He had quickly determined that carrying Tayuya around was a bad idea earlier in the day, which led to their current situation. They were sitting in a small clearing, each on the opposite side of a fire due to Tayuya's insistence on staying well out of his reach. As it were, neither were any fonder of the other than they had been upon her original waking, and it definitely didn't look like that was going to get any better.
Especially not when Naruto continued to ignore Tayuya at every moment he got.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?!"
He looked at her lazily over the flames. "Your yelling makes it difficult, but I am trying not to listen to you"
Tayuya ground her teeth. "I'm going to castrate you"
"Do you want to hold onto your other hand?" he asked warningly.
Naruto watched as she averted her gaze and went about mumbling curses and threats, his name making a few notable appearances among the incomprehensible mess. He felt ever so slightly guilty for his threat towards her, but he needed something to hold over her head. God help him if she gave up and became suicidal. She'd become impossible to control.
Eventually, after a while of tense silence, Naruto went to sleep. He didn't say anything, no warning whatsoever before simply leaving Tayuya alone with her own thoughts. The redhead in question was angered by the action, but refrained from acting out. He was all she had for protection on her way back to her master, so she'd be stupid to do anything. She had pushed things a bit far when she demanded better treatment, and she had paid for it, a headache still at the forefront of her mind. While not a preferential method, this was at least a safe way of getting home.
It took a while, but eventually, Tayuya herself drifted off to sleep, if she could call it that. The pain ensured that she was never completely out for longer than ten minutes at a time, leaving her with a half-assed and fragmented nights rest. Sunrise came in what felt like mere minutes, and with it came the waking of ramen boy, who was the proud receiver of her tired and bloodshot glare.
"Did you sleep at all?"
Tayuya deadpanned at him. "Don't ask stupid questions, moron"
Naruto pursed his lips. "In spite of the pain, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation, you still hold true to the name calling. I'd commend you on being so dedicated, but it's starting to get annoying"
"Well, thank fuck for that. I was beginning to think you were a brick" she replied. "Now, please tell me you at least have some sort of rations with you. I'm gunna need to eat something soon"
"Ask nicely," Naruto said, a light smirk tugging at his lips.
Tayuya held back a sneer. "Do you have any food?" she asked softly.
The boy seemed to accept it. "I do," he answered simply.
"Can I have some?"
"Hmm, I suppose" Naruto said, pulling a small scroll out of his pocket. He held it out to her, only to pull it back as she reached for it. "If you say please," he added.
Tayuya recoiled at that. Her eyes widened into a shocked and estranged form of glare as her mouth opened slightly to create a truly unique expression of angry disbelief. "You aren't serious… are you?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" he asked innocently.
"You… you're really going to make me grovel for food?" Tayuya asked.
Naruto smiled. "It is not grovelling. It's basic manners and politeness" he said. "But, to answer your question, yes. You need to say please to get any food. Unless you plan on catching some for yourself"
The girl shuddered. Forcing down her ever-growing desire to punch Naruto's face in, she took a deep breath. "Can I have some food… please?" she asked, the final word barely above a whisper.
"Naruto" he said.
"What?"
"Can I have some food please, Naruto?" he said, looking at her expectantly, a now complete smirk adding to his smug expression.
Tayuya placed her hand on her stomach, debating internally if her desire for food was worth giving up some of her pride. She knew she could last quite some time without food, but that was in normal conditions. In her current state, it wasn't safe to estimate how much nutrients she could go without. Too long without food and she could potentially put herself back into a coma. Whatever drugs had been keeping her going beforehand were definitely out of her system by now, and judging from the pain in her gut, she was much hungrier than she would like to be.
Digging her nails into her palm, Tayuya swallowed her pride. Turning to Naruto, she went to spew out the well-mannered request as fast as she could, hoping to get it all over with quickly. But she was met with him holding a steaming bowl of ramen out to her, leaving her surprised and unsure of how to continue.
"You can take it," Naruto said, allowing her to warily take the food. "You gapped out for a while, had me a little bit worried. If saying please was such a big issue then you should have just said something. No point in you melting your brain with an internal struggle. I still need you around after all"
"How long was I out?" Tayuya asked.
Naruto shrugged. "A few minutes. I wouldn't worry about it unless it becomes a common occurrence"
Tayuya made a mental note to have Orochimaru check it out if it became persistent. Carefully placing the bowl of ramen on her lap, she went about the gruelling process of once again trying to use chopsticks with her right hand. Unfortunately, hot ramen was not something she could just forgo the utensils with. The cut on her hand also wasn't helping matters. It had already begun to scab, and with the bandage wrapped tightly around her hand, the movements needed to properly use chopsticks were more or less impossible.
Thankfully, Naruto was too distracted by his own food to worry about her this time. Tayuya wasn't willing to have him offer his help with something that should have been trivial, not again. She opted instead to watch him out of the corner of her eye. That proved to be a mistake. Whatever appetite she might have had was cast aside as she watched Naruto devour an unhealthy amount of ramen. His name was one thing, but his apparent fondness of the food was ridiculous. After the seventh or so bowl of ramen, Naruto finally took notice of the girls stare, returning it out of curiosity.
"Need help?" he asked, looking pointedly at her untouched serving.
She ignored the question. "What kind of freak are you?" she asked. "Please don't tell me that you eat like that frequently"
Naruto quirked his head. "What is that to you? I like to get my fill every once and a while. Does that bother you?"
"Of course it bothers me! If that's how much you eat, then why the hell aren't you fat, or at least chubby?" she demanded.
"I exercise. Oddly enough, it is common practice for shinobi. But I do have a fast metabolism" Naruto replied coolly. "But if you are referring to the ramen, then you should know that I do not frequently indulge in it. That bad habit was beaten out of me rather quickly many years ago"
Tayuya pouted childishly. "You bloody freaks and your fast metabolisms. Fuck all of you," she muttered.
Naruto chuckled. "Anyway, do you need help eating the ramen?" he asked again.
The girl froze, her eyes staring at the ground in expressionless horror. The hunger that had plagued her earlier came back full force, her stomach audibly growling at her for taking so much time. She knew she needed to eat, and the ramen smelt pretty damn good. But her hand left her with only two viable options. Either she could use the bowl like a cup and simply drink its contents in a rather difficult and unflattering display of her self-reliability, or she could take Naruto up on his offer and get fed like a dumb child.
Naturally, the first option was somewhat more likely, but also the least likely to work out well for her.
She hung her head in shame. "Yes" she whispered softly.
"Yes what?" Naruto asked expectantly, a mischievous smirk once again on his smug face.
Tayuya looked at him, her eyes conveying both rage and a desperate pleading, a true abomination of conflicting emotions.
Naruto smiled softly. "Alright, I'll give you a break. Good progress though. Already said a please within a day of meeting me. The last guy I tried to teach manners to took an entire week," he said.
Moving to sit in front of Tayuya, he picked the bowl up from her lap and the chopsticks from her hand. Scooping up some of the noodles, he held them out to her. Tayuya hesitated for a moment, catching a glimpse of what she perceived to be internal confliction in the boys eyes. She gathered that this wasn't the first time he had fed someone, and doing so for her obviously brought back some bad memories. Still, she could be wrong and he might just hate how time consuming she was being to his cause. If she was right though, then it was an interesting little titbit of information she had on him.
Her hesitation didn't last long, hunger being the more dominant force. Naruto did his best to remain completely emotionless as Tayuya went about slurping up the mouthfuls of ramen, but it was putting his resolve to the limits. Attempting to distract himself from the comical sight, he asked questions between mouthfuls.
"How long will it take us to reach Orochimaru from here?" he asked.
Tayuya rolled her eyes. "That would be easy to tell, if I knew where here even was," she said. "I was knocked out when you brought us here, remember?"
"Huh, didn't remember that actually" Naruto said offhandedly, earning another glare from Tayuya. "Well, I figured that since that Uchiha kid was heading past the valley of the end, that'd be a good starting point, so I started going back there. We're around about three miles east of it right now"
Tayuya nodded. That was a good spot to start. At least he had the sense to head in the right general direction instead of making them start somewhere stupid, like near any of the southern or western borders of fire country. That'd leave a long journey, and she'd go mad during that long travelling with him.
"Alright, good. We aren't that far then. A few hours if we move fast enough" she said.
"We're walking" Naruto said simply.
"What!" she exclaimed. "Why the hell are we walking? That makes it more than a day long travel!"
Naruto pointed at her with the chopsticks. "You are not allowed to exert yourself"
"Fuck off! You're not a doctor. I'll do whatever I feel like"
"The only way we are moving any faster than what I deem safe for you is if I carry you," Naruto explained casually. "Considering things so far, I doubt you would allow that, hence the walking"
The girl's eye twitched. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a fuck head?"
"You're the first, surprisingly," he said in amusement. "Now hurry up and eat. The sooner we get moving, the less time you have to suffer with me"
Tayuya glowered at him. "Agreed" she said, hastily returning to the humiliation of being fed by him.
A day wasn't that long anyway, and it only gave her more time to think about how to get her revenge and gather as much dirt on him as she could. She could persevere, and she would. And soon enough, she'd have the last laugh.
Tsunade tapper her finger impatiently on her desk. It had been a few days since Naruto's stunt with the village and the repercussion were surprisingly minimal, but that didn't stop a select few from stomping away at her last nerves. Most of the council, meaning the clan heads, were rather content with letting Naruto run off. It was the elders that she had to deal with now, along with the surprise return of her teammate.
"What the hell do you lot want now?" she asked.
Koharu huffed smugly. "You should have listened to us, Tsunade. As Hokage, it is your responsibility to head the advice of the council, and yet you completely ignored us. Now we have yet another rogue shinobi from our village"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Naruto is not, nor has he ever been, a registered shinobi; not of this village, or any other village. We lay no claim to him, and we have no right to do so anyway. Instead of grasping at old or useless straws, why not try coming to me with real issues or advice. So far the only things I've heard from any of you is demands, complaints, and an excessive amount of referencing outdated customs that have absolutely no value to me"
The elders, Danzō included, held their tongues at that comment.
"Be that as it may, the jinchuuriki is a vital concern right now," Homura stated. "With this Akatsuki showing an apparent interest in the containers of the Bijuu, it is obviously a wise choice to arm ourselves with as many as we can obtain. Whatever their intentions are with the creatures, it cannot bode well for anyone else. Surely your emotional attachment to the boy warrants you to act against his will for his own safety"
"Don't be a fool" Jiraiya said from his spot behind Tsunade. "Stealing any jinchuuriki from another village is likely to start another shinobi war. If Akatsuki really are a threat of such magnitude, then we can't go around making distractions for them to hide behind. As for Naruto, I would sooner kill him myself than let you three use him. Talk about keeping him safe all you want, but I know damn well that you just want a weapon"
"Need" Danzō said sternly. "Wanting a weapon is folly. We do not want the jinchuuriki, we need it"
"Keep referring to my godson as an 'it' and I'll show you personally what a living weapon can do," the Sannin growled. "Konoha is strong enough as it is"
"Jiraiya makes a good point. There is no need for a jinchuuriki," the Hokage said. "Now, I hope you have come here for something else. My patience only goes so far"
"Danzō has discovered one of the explosive seals the jinchuuriki threatened the village with" Koharu revealed. "It is complex, but unmistakably Uzumaki in nature. We could not decipher its inner working or true potential, so we brought it to you. With Jiraiya here for the moment, we thought he could look at it"
Tsunade grit her teeth. "You idiots actually looked for the seals? Naruto warned us not to disturb them lest they detonate, and you risked it?"
"It was a necessary risk. The potential of being put in a similar situation is too high. We must learn as much as we can from this to avoid such things in the future," Danzō said.
"Whatever. Where's the seal?" she demanded.
The old war hawk carefully pulled out a small piece of rectangular wood and placed it on the Hokage's desk. Tsunade recognised it as the number plate that many hotels always attached to the room keys, this one having been the room she had rented for Naruto while he was here. Jiraiya wasted little time in observing the seal placed upon it, a grin slowly growing across his face as he did so.
"The brat has skill, I'll give him that," the toad sage said. "I haven't seen seals like this since Kushina and Minato started collaborating their work"
"So you can tell us what it is?" Tsunade asked.
"No need to, it's exactly what Naruto said it was. An exploding seal" the man answered. "Unfortunately, that's the best I can decipher. Seems the kid has a seal melded within this one that makes it practically impossible to completely pull apart. Trade mark of the Uzumaki clan I imagine. It's how they kept other villages from stealing their Fūinjutsu techniques. Judging by what I can make out though, as well as taking the items mass into account, this one alone could take out most of this building. He really wasn't bluffing, or even prepared to pull his punch"
"So duplication is impossible then?" Danzō inquired.
"Not that I would dare to let the work of a Fūinjutsu master be stolen by the likes of you. But no, it can't be duplicated" Jiraiya said. "Only Naruto or another Fūinjutsu master at his level could even risk forging this seal again without it blowing up in their face"
"Are you trying to tell us that the jinchuuriki has surpassed you in the art of Fūinjutsu?" Homura asked.
Jiraiya scoffed. "It's more complicated than that. Fūinjutsu doesn't work like the other shinobi arts. Skill level means very little when compared to style. My style of Fūinjutsu is specific, learned and perfected from the Sandaime, who in turn learnt it from the Shodai. No matter how good I might be at it, it would never compare to the complete mastery that the Uzumaki developed over style. Their style is unique, and unmatched to date. However Naruto learned Fūinjutsu, it clearly has Uzumaki origins, and when mixed with his own spin on things, makes for the weirdest style of sealing I've seen"
"Huh, I figured it would be good, but that's definitely interesting to know" Tsunade said thoughtfully. "Just think what kind of powerhouse Konoha would become if someone like that had been allowed to grow and flourish inside its walls" she shook her head sadly. "Unless you have news on his whereabouts, actions, or something of relevance, you three are not to come to me with anything regarding Naruto. I am sick of demands, and your selfish arrogance is getting out of hand. Reel yourselves in before I am forced to take action. The loss of the jinchuuriki, as you so casually put it, is no one's fault but your own. Deal with the consequences like adults. Dismissed"
The elders left begrudgingly, none of them feeling particularly pleased with the lack of progress they had made in reobtaining the jinchuuriki. Still, it wasn't as if they were finished. Tsunade knew that it was inevitable, and as soon as Naruto did something to earn their attention, they would once again pounce at the chance. The Hokage idly wondered if the three shared a summoning contract with vultures, or a similar creature with a scavenger like nature. It would go a long way in explaining how they always managed to pick away at everything they could without signs of stopping.
"So, was that explanation completely true?" the blonde asked curiously, turning to her teammate.
Jiraiya frowned. "Almost all of it" he answered. "Couldn't risk letting them know that I could break the seal. The more dangerous they think Naruto is, the more likely they are to stay out of his business. I don't them added to the list of problems I have to deal with"
"Fair enough" Tsunade said, agreeing with the man's judgment. "But what of the seal? If you can break it, then I gather that you could replicate it. Would it be of any use to Konoha?"
"Possibly, but I wouldn't mess around with it. I wasn't lying when I said this was similar to what Kushina and Minato created together. In fact, it's almost uncanny in resemblance," he said. "Even trying to mess with the structure of the seal could be disastrous. I could replicate it easily enough, but not at a rate that would mean anything"
Tsunade hummed thoughtfully. "If you are willing, I would like a few of them. Not many, but enough to be useful if the situation calls for it," she said.
Jiraiya nodded. "Alright then. I'll have them done soon. I might as well stick around for a couple more days and see if these things actually do decay completely. It would be an interesting feature for a seal to have if it's real. I do hope you know that I still intend on catching him though"
"Hah! Naruto just held the entire village hostage. I'd be insulted if he couldn't at least handle you for a while longer," the Hokage said.
The Sannin tsk'd. "You said that Naruto gave you something. A summoning scroll tied to the toads. What was it exactly?"
Tsunade frowned. "That actually reminds me. Just how is it that Naruto has any connections to the toads? I thought you were in possession of the contract scroll"
"That is a long story, according the toads anyway. But to sum it up as they did, it seems that Minato wasn't as thoughtless in his actions as we had first thought. I don't know exactly to what extent he went, but he somehow ensured some failsafe's were put in place for Naruto's benefit. Being reversed summoned to Mount Myōboku just happens to be one of them," he explained.
"That's convenient," Tsunade muttered. "I suppose that was to be expected though. Minato was foolish at times, and overly trusting, but even he had the forethought to prepare for the worst"
"I wouldn't be surprised if it is also somehow linked to his knowledge in Fūinjutsu. The likeness is too precise. They must have left something to help him learn it"
Tsunade sighed. "It doesn't really matter anymore anyway. He has voiced his intention of wanting nothing to do with Konoha right now, meaning his skillset isn't our concern. Whatever he may have learned, whatever failsafe's Minato might have put in place, it's simply not of any value to us at the moment"
The toad sage grunted. "Maybe not to you. But there is something you should know"
"And that is?" the blonde inquired impatiently.
"While he did sign a contract with the toads, it wasn't the first contract Naruto signed"
Tsunade furrowed her brow. "Another contract? But wouldn't that be negated?"
"Normally, yes. But for some reason, the toads allowed their contract to be utilised alongside the other. For what reason, I have no idea, and they are very adamant in not telling me anything"
"So what does this mean? No one's ever held more than one contract at a time"
Jiraiya shrugged. "I don't know what it means in the larger scheme of things. But I can say with absolute certainty that the toads would never align themselves with a summons not equal, or greater, than their own clan. Which means that Naruto now has the aid of two armies at his beck and call. If he wasn't worthy of S-rank before, than this definitely qualifies him"
The Hokage groaned. "We are going to keep that titbit to ourselves. I don't need more fuel added to the fire against Naruto. If that's all you needed to tell me, go and begin work on those seals. If Naruto proves to be a threat in any way, we might need them just to even stand a chance"
"Hopefully it won't come to that. So long as I can help it"
The office door burst open and a somewhat rattled Shizune briskly entered.
"Shizune? What's the matter?"
The woman stopped and bowed to the Hokage. "Lady Tsunade, I regret to report this, but it seems that the scroll of seals has gone missing"
Silence engulfed the office as Tsunade and Jiraiya absorbed the information, both paling ever so slightly at the thoughts that entered their minds.
"He couldn't have" Jiraiya uttered in shock.
Tsunade closed her eyes and let out an annoyed sigh. "He could, and it seems that he did," she grumbled. "It should have been more secure"
Jiraiya stared out of the window, an unsure expression on his face. 'Dammit Naruto. Just what in the hell are you trying to do?'
"I must admit, I was expecting something a little… more"
Naruto stared questioningly at the staircase leading underground. It was as suspicious as anything could be considering it was just a fancy hole in the ground. He could see the appeal of it though. It would be difficult to find, and hard to infiltrate without anyone knowing. It also worked well with Orochimaru's affinity for snakes. A dark little cave for him to hide inside. Very suitable indeed.
"Shove your expectations up your ass," Tayuya said. "Lord Orochimaru didn't build it to impress idiots like you, so don't go thinking you have the right to judge it"
"Practically speaking, it is a good structure. I was just expecting someone like Orochimaru to reside in a more grandiose location," Naruto said, offering a nonchalant shrug. "It doesn't matter to me anyway. So long as he is in here and I get to talk to him"
"We walked nonstop for over a day, you can afford to be a bit more patient," the girl growled. "We don't even know if Orochimaru will see you, so try not to get your hopes up"
Naruto smirked. "I'll try. Lead the way, if you don't mind"
The small trek through the underground passages was rather interesting for Naruto. Every hallway and room was identical from what he could see, and the entire facility was laid out like a maze. Tayuya made sure to lead him in a way that had them doubling through certain areas, no doubt hoping he would forget his place and be unable to find his way out. Luckily, that was not something Naruto needed to worry about, and so he followed the girl with little care or concern about his whereabouts or direction.
It took a little while, but soon enough they found themselves walking into a large open room, a large statue of a snake coiled up at the far end with a stone throne of sorts sitting below its raised head. Naruto took note of the others that occupied the room. The first was a younger man, probably no older than he was, with grey hair and glasses. His closeness to the throne like chair pitted him as a higher up subordinate of the Sannin. The other intriguing presence was none other than the Uchiha boy that he had passed on his way to find Tayuya. Judging by the Sharingan eyes watching his every move cautiously, it seemed that Sasuke remembered him as well.
Ignoring them for the moment, Naruto turned his attention to the one sitting in the chair. Orochimaru himself. Of course, he could have been mistaken. The man was draped in more bandages than Tayuya, many of which covered his face. It could have been Orochimaru, but it could have been a sit in, literally. Taking note of the man's narrowed yellow eyes, and Tayuya's tense posture since entering the room, Naruto simply assumed it was the Sannin.
"Well, if it isn't little Tayuya-Chan" Orochimaru said, his voice not betraying any emotion. "You seem a little worse for wear, my dear. Lost something a bit more than time, but I see you've brought something else back with you too. How interesting"
Tayuya smiled nervously. "Lord Orochimaru, this is…"
"Oh, don't worry about introducing our guest. I already know full well who he is" the snake said, smirking in amusement. "But now that you're here, I wouldn't mind knowing your reasons. Care to explain yourself, Naruto-Kun?"
The uncomfortable shift from both Sasuke and the glasses wearing teen was enough to reveal to Naruto that they all knew who he was, and that they were probably prepared for him. Well, they were as prepared as they could be based on what little information anyone had gathered on him. Still, the thought of walking into a trap, even an ill-prepared one, was not good. The confused expression on Tayuya's face, however, showed that she was the only one out of the loop, funnily enough.
"Wait, you know this guy?" the redhead in question asked in surprise.
Orochimaru chuckled. "Of course I know of him. How could I not" he replied. "It isn't every day that I have such a famous guest in my village after all. I suppose that I should be a little more honoured considering your most recent actions. You have no idea how ecstatic I was to hear of the Yondaime's own son holding the entirety of Konoha hostage, and for such a trivial thing as being allowed to walk back out of its gates. Truly a fascinating story"
Tayuya froze. The extent to which she paled was almost worrying if one was to take into account the fact that she was still technically recovering from major blood loss. She turned to Naruto and stared at him with a mixture of horror and fear. She had been at the mercy of the Yondaime's son for over a week and she hadn't even known.
Naruto was a little surprised himself actually. "Huh, they actually let that information out? I thought they'd keep it secret like everything else. I mean, I knew they needed a valid reason to make me S-ranked, but still"
"However, do not think that such actions are enough to avoid distrust" Orochimaru said. "I still wish to know your reason for coming here, with one of my supposedly dead subordinates at that"
"It's a long story. But the gist of it is simple enough. You have some things I want, and I have some things to offer you in return. A simple business transaction of sorts. That's all," Naruto said.
Orochimaru grinned. "Oh really? Little old me has something that you want," he chuckled. "Normally I would disregard anyone that came to me with such a stupid request, but luckily for you, I'm willing to make an exception, so long as you don't do anything to make me think that your presence is a threat"
Naruto held up his hand in a placating manner. "I just want to talk. Only an idiot would walk into a village with the intention of fighting its leader"
"A wise decision" the grey haired boy said smugly.
"Kabuto, please take care of Tayuya for me. I'll be a bit busy with our guest here," the Sannin said.
The boy bowed. "Of course"
Naruto watched as Tayuya was led away by Kabuto. It was clear that she didn't like him, and she probably had a good reason behind the dislike too. Despite seeing her discomfort, Naruto made no attempt to stop them. She was a problem for a later time, and right now, he only needed to worry about Orochimaru. No matter how friendly the snake summoner might have seemed, he knew that it would only take a second for that to change. For someone as skilled as Orochimaru, a second was all needed to annihilate an unsuspecting opponent, and so Naruto needed to stay on guard.
"You're the one I passed on my way here," the Uchiha stated coldly. "You were heading towards Konoha. Why?"
Naruto returned the boys calculating stare. It had been so long since he had been confronted with the Sharingan. After Itachi wiped out most of the clan, the only chance of seeing the Dōjutsu was by either meeting the S-rank nuke-nin himself, or somehow coming across his younger brother, whom was now glaring at Naruto. Still, it was unlikely that the boy before him held a candle to the skill and visual prowess of his brother. If the younger boy were even half as talented as Itachi, then he wouldn't be here under Orochimaru's thumb.
"I had some business to take care of," he answered vaguely. "Why? Worried I was hired to drag you back to the village?"
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his hand inching towards his kunai pouch.
Naruto smirked. "Dragging you back there would be stupid. It's in my best interest to stay away from Konoha right now, so I'm not going to jeopardise my own safety and freedom just for you. That and I doubt I would get paid enough to cover the cost of how much of a hassle it would be to actually get you there. So no, I'm not here for you"
"Sasuke-Kun, why don't you go and train. Me and Naruto have a lot to talk about" Orochimaru said.
It took a few moments, but eventually Sasuke relented, leaving the two alone and heading to the training rooms.
"So then, now that we're alone why don't you tell me what you want?"
Naruto's smirk fell, his eyes staring coldly at the Sannin. "I understand that you were once a member of Akatsuki"
Orochimaru grinned. "Oh, so you know about them?"
"Unfortunately"
"Well, if you are expecting any inside information, I'm afraid I can't give you anything useful. The group was still being formed while I was a part of it, and those that were already there kept to themselves. All I could really tell you is that they are well out of your league," he said.
"I'm well aware of that," Naruto muttered. "But information is one thing I don't need on them. I just need the ring"
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed. "Aren't you just full of surprises. And how do you know of that?"
"I have my ways. But that isn't your concern. Just tell me if you still have the ring"
"And what if I do? What would I get in return?"
Naruto carefully reached for his right sleeve, pulling it up in a clearly none threatening way. Manipulating some chakra, he allowed the intricate sealing matrix on his arm become visible. Orochimaru was actually impressed by the sight. With so many seals interlacing with each other, there was little skin left untainted by the ink. With a small application of chakra to a specific seal and a moderate cloud of smoke busting into existence, Naruto was left holding a very large scroll.
Orochimaru's eyes widened comically as he licked his lips greedily. "You sure know how to gain someone's interest. The scroll of seals is definitely a heavy bargaining chip. What could you possibly request of me that would be equal in value?" he inquired, observing the boy keenly for any hints at his desires.
As it was, Naruto was an enigma to most everyone. Orochimaru was no exception. No one really knew what the jinchuuriki did apart from the occasional bounty hunt or the odd job for well-paying villages and individuals. Whatever it was that he wanted, the Sannin could only assume it was going to cost him dearly. The scroll of seals contained the most powerful and forbidden techniques from Konoha, recorded since the village's formation, and accumulated into one of the most valuable scrolls in the elemental nations.
In the right hands, the scroll was invaluable.
Naruto gave the Sannin a knowing look. "I'm not a fool, Orochimaru. I know exactly what is contained within this scroll, and I know the chaos you of all people would cause should you get your hands on it," he said. "As it is, you possess nothing worth the value of the scroll… at least, not the whole thing"
Orochimaru chuckled. "How clever of you" he said appraisingly. "So you wish to merely bargain specific jutsu from the scroll. But, now that I know you have it, what's stopping me from simply killing you and taking it?"
"Nothing really" Naruto replied flippantly. "Of course, you'd have to be quick about it. Once this is sealed back into my arm, not even Jiraiya could retrieve it without my help"
The Sannin laughed quietly to himself, a highly amused grin stretching across his bandaged face. "You are most certainly their son, Naruto-Kun. Just as cunning and bull headed as your parents were at your age. I must say, it is quite refreshing to see such potential once again. Far too many of the new generation have become weak with the peace that continues to endure," he said, gesturing for Naruto to continue. "Ask for what you want. A deal can be struck once we are both aware of the stakes"
"I want the ring," the jinchuuriki said.
"Hmm, is that all?" Orochimaru questioned. "Surely you didn't reveal something as valuable as the scroll of seals just for a little trinket"
Naruto shrugged. "It was the only way I could assure that I got what I wanted with the least amount of effort. But you're right, now that I think about it; there is something else I want"
"And what might that be?"
"I want Tayuya"
Orochimaru's grin took on a more sinister tone. "Oh, so that's why you were in Konoha for so long" he said in realisation. "I take it you had Tsunade run tests on little Tayuya-Chan. Were the results to your liking then?"
"I will admit, it was a little disappointing to find that she wasn't a natural Uzumaki. But your experimentations on her have produced something too similar to ignore, and while it does raise a few more questions, I'm willing to leave those be for now so long as you are willing to let me have her"
"You're wondering where the organs came from, aren't you?" Orochimaru asked, revelling in the miniscule signs of Naruto's repulsion at the question. "Well, why don't I enlighten you a little? It's the least I can do"
Naruto's eye twitched. Maybe Orochimaru wasn't the best way of getting a hold of one of the rings after all.
"The organs were harvested from a girl. Some of my shinobi discovered an island where she was being used for her very unique talents. Uzumaki Kekkei Genkai based talents that is. The fool that was using her wasn't even interested in anything to do with the skills she exhibited, instead choosing to simply use her as a glorified failsafe for his own experimentations. But of course, I could see more use in her" the Sannin explained.
"Her own body was weak, but thankfully I didn't actually need her. Harvesting her organs and chakra allowed me to grow more with stem cells, giving me a healthy supply to use for my own needs. Of course, Tayuya was the only one capable of surviving so many transplants of such unique organs. Her own unique traits are quite useful, as you are most likely aware"
"So you don't intend to part with her?" Naruto asked.
"On the contrary. I would be glad to trade her for one of the jutsu in that scroll," he said cheerfully. "Her use to me has already run its course, and I don't like wasting time on dead projects. It's a win-win situation this way"
"And what do you intend to do with the organs you grew, or the chakra you harvested?"
"I have already moved them to some of my personal storage facilities. A dead project it might be, but the DNA and chakra of an Uzumaki is still a valuable resource. Who knows, there might even come a time when you will require such things from me, at which time I can trade you for yet another jutsu"
Naruto grunted. "Fine then. You can have one jutsu for the ring, and another for Tayuya. I don't intend to rip you off, so I'll only be trading jutsu you don't already know. A show of good will. And while we are at it, I will even offer you two others should you agree to the terms"
Orochimaru licked his lips. "And what exactly are your terms?"
"You stay out of my business for so long as I show the same courtesy. I have enough problematic people to deal with without you in the mix, and I'm sure you feel the same. Your shinobi will not attack Tayuya or me, nor will they intrude on my actions. If a mission is important to you, send a message with the teams you send on it. If they run into me and show it, I will do my best to stay out of the way. That'll be for one jutsu anyway"
"And the second?"
"Information" Naruto said. "I want to establish a simple information trading agreement with you. No false information, just simple equal trade"
"My, my, Naruto-Kun. You truly are an interesting one," Orochimaru said, walking up to the boy. "I accept those terms. An alliance would be beneficial for the both of us. The ring is also yours. I have little use for it. And Tayuya is yours to take when you wish"
Naruto channelled his chakra, allowing four small scrolls to appear in his hand, the actual scroll of seals being resealed into his arm. Handing the scrolls to the Sannin, Naruto waited for him to check them over and agree to them. After a simple nod, Orochimaru beckoned for Naruto to follow him. After a few minutes of wondering through even more underground passageways, the two reached a small storage room. Orochimaru entered, returning quickly and dropping a small coloured ring into Naruto's hand.
"Now for Tayuya" Naruto said.
Orochimaru only smirked. "Of course"
The Sannin led him to what felt like the farthest corner of the facility, to a large open room. It was several levels deep, and each level was lined with jail cells, each containing varying numbers of occupants, many of which no longer resembled humans. The last level was simply an open pit, styled like an arena. The only real problem Naruto found with the scene, was the beaten and bloodied Tayuya in the middle of the pit, surrounded by several of the more animalistic looking prisoners, a few of which she had seemingly already killed, their corpses littering the ground.
Before Naruto could say or do anything, the room was silenced by a pulse of Orochimaru's killing intent.
"I must apologise, Naruto-Kun. I didn't think Kabuto would have organised this so quickly. This is simply my way of establishing a shinobi's worth. All of my shinobi have to prove their strength before being recruited, and they must also prove it after each failed mission. Unfortunately, Tayuya failed her last mission" he explained. "But she isn't dead, so feel free to go and collect her"
Naruto ignored the Sannin's lack of care regarding his shinobi. He had expected to see worse things anyway, so it wasn't that bad. Without hesitation, Naruto jumped the railing of the balcony like ledge, letting himself fall seven levels to a surprisingly light landing. The still surviving monsters around Tayuya backed off enough to let him walk up to the girl, but it was clear that they weren't intending on letting either leave the pit.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Tayuya spat, wincing as she held herself up on wobbly legs.
"I purchased you from Orochimaru," he said simply, earning an angry growl from the redhead.
"Fuck off! That snake bastard doesn't own me! No way! Not after he had that creep practically sentence me to death in here!" she exclaimed.
Naruto didn't argue with her. Time was running out as it was without her carrying on. Taking advantage of her weakened and still crippled state, he effortlessly got behind her and knocked her out with a strike to the back of the head. Hefting her onto his shoulder, he looked around at the creatures that now completely surrounded him before looking up at Orochimaru.
"I assume you intend on testing me"
"Indeed" the man said. "I can't trouble myself with one sided alliances. So you must prove that you are at least capable of defeating these lowly creatures. But this is also to ensure that your terms are met for our agreement. Many of my shinobi are driven by unsavoury desires, and a simple order not to attack you may not be sufficient. Now is your chance to make an example for them. Give them a reason to follow the order, and give me a reason to bother with you at all"
Naruto deadpanned. "This is why I hate people"
Wasting no time, he began weaving through hand seals, keeping a constant eye on the creatures that were eyeing him up. Finishing his preparations, Naruto bit his thumb hard enough to draw blood and placed his hand on the ground. What followed was enough to surprise even Orochimaru himself. The massive cloud of smoke that accompanied what was clearly a summons of impressive size was followed almost immediately by an even more expansive cloud of thick toxic gasses. The poisonous concoction being enough to bring even the Sannin to his knees. The entire facility shook violently as something tore into the ground, the source of the toxins and the beastly killing intend that it exuded disappearing as it vanished into the depths of the earth.
Orochimaru was hard pressed to pick himself back up, his body fighting tooth and nail against a poison that he swore he would never encounter again in his lifetime. It was a unique neuro toxin, which, if it had not been used on such short notice, would have been enough to wipe out every living thing in its range. The nostalgic gleam in his watery bloodshot eyes was matched only by the ecstatic grin that nearly cut his face in two. The smoke cleared to show a large hole burrowed into the ground, both Naruto and Tayuya gone, and the creatures closest to the source of the poison all having died from exposure.
"Oh Naruto-Kun, how you still manage to surprise me time and time again" he said to himself. "Sasuke-Kun might be my key to learning all the worlds jutsu, but you… you will be my ultimate weapon" he grinned madly. "It's only a matter of time"
A/N:
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. As you can all see, I do not intend on portraying Orochimaru as anything other than an opportunistic snake, which is exactly what I believe his character should be regardless of what he ended up becoming in the manga and anime. Next chapter will continue with the development of Naruto and Tayuya's now very strange relationship. Needless to say, our favorite fiery redhead will not be happy, and we in turn can laugh at her misfortune.
Please don't forget to review your thoughts, suggestions, questions, etc. They mean a lot. I hope to reach one hundred reviews by chapter ten, so let's see if it happens.
Next chapter will be updated soonish, I hope. But I still reserve the right to be fashionably late.
Till next time guys.
Soul out!
P.S.
I hope you all figured out what summons I ended up giving Naruto, and in turn, are looking forward to seeing just how he managed to obtain it.
