Naruto: Journal of Hope
After the second half of the Chunin Exams Naruto is passed over by Kakashi to train Sasuke. Angry, he storms out and runs far away to an almost forgotten place. There he stumbles across a journal, written by his mother and holding the secrets of his lineage. Inspired by his parents' love, hope and dreams, he decides to become the Ninja his parents believed he could be.
Chapter XVI: Eyes of Hatred
Atop one of the tree branches within Konoha, two figures in black cloaks with red clouds looked out amongst the village as they noted the large amount of damage it had sustained in the battle.
"Looks like these lots just managed to avoid complete annihilation. But it seems the damage was pretty extensive, we could easily crush them," the tall figure with the bandaged sword on his back said.
"No, Kisame, remember why we're here. We must not draw unwanted attention to ourselves," the shorter man said as the tall one scoffed.
"Generous of you, Itachi, having lingering feelings for your old home?" the tall man, Kisame, said as he grinned with his shark-like teeth. The shorter one, Itachi, looked out at the village as his heart did weep for the village's current state. But he had learned long ago to hide his true feelings.
"No, this village means nothing to me…" Itachi said as his Sharingan eyes looked out.
"Well, since it's been a while since you've been back, and we already know where the target is. How about you show me one of those spots you used to like? We've got some time before we have to find him," Kisame asked as Itachi just stared.
"...Fine…" he spoke as they sped away.
A short while later, the pair were sitting down at the Dango restaurant, as they silently observed the passing and goings of the citizens and Shinobi. Mentally taking note of everyone on patrol or off duty. Their eyes especially took note of Kakashi Hatake, who stood outside the Dango Shop as he waited for Sasuke. It was then he noticed Kurenai and Asuma, as the pair were walking especially close to each other.
"Oh, hello you two. You seem to be getting along real close," he commented, knowing the two have had feelings for each other ever since their academy days.
"Idiot, it's not like that. Anko asked me to pick up some Dango for her, and I happened to bump into Asuma," Kurenai denied while Kakashi smirked under his mask.
"What are you doing here?" Asuma asked. "Last I checked it was your day off," he said as Kakashi smiled.
"Well I'm here to buy some offerings, I've plans to meet Sasuke," Kakashi noticed Itachi's finger twitch slightly at the mention of his little brother, as Asuma and Kurenai noticed.
"Huh, it's rare for you to be waiting for someone. You do tend to run late, but I'm guessing the offerings are for Obito?" Asuma said as he and Kurenai kept their eyes on the two men in cloaks.
"Yeah, he used to like sweets when we were younger. I figured it's the best option as an offering," Kakashi said as the two enemy shinobi knew their position was compromised. It was then Sasuke arrived and for a moment, Itachi felt a hint of hesitation when he saw his little brother.
"Kakashi, strange for you to be here early," Sasuke said, as Kakashi shrugged.
"Well, I can be on time every once in a while…" he said before they looked back and the two were long gone. Sasuke raised a brow, he knew something was up, before deciding to play along.
"I'm not a fan of sweets," Sasuke said as Kakashi nodded.
"I see…" he said as he gestured to Asuma and Kurenai who nodded and went after the two. The two of them were spotted near the river, as Asuma and Kurenai appeared in front of them.
"You managed to slip past, which means you were once a former Shinobi of the Leaf. But who are you, and why are you here?" Asuma demanded as Itachi looked at the two.
"It has been a while…Asuma and Kurenai…" he said as he slowly removed his hat, as their eyes widened.
"Itachi!" Asuma growled as the former Anbu Captain stared at them with a blank expression.
"You know these two, Itachi?" Kisame asked as Itachi nodded.
"In my Shinobi days. Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi. Son of the Third Hokage, and Konoha's Genjutsu Specialist. They are formidable Shinobi…" Itachi said as Kisame grinned.
"Well, I might as well introduce myself…" he said as he removed his hat and revealed his blue skin, dark blue hair styled like a shark's fin, small round eyes and three gill-like marks under his eyes. The most notable thing about the two were the headbands from their respective villages, as they had large gash cut into them.
"Names Kisame Hoshigaki, I hope to be familiar with you hereafter…" he said as Kurenai glared.
"I already know who you are, Kisame Hoshigaki: a former Shinobi of the Hidden Mist, you are a major S-Ranked Criminal in the Bingo Books suspected of multiple assassination attempts, and that of a Feudal Lords," Kurenai said as Asuma glared.
"Itachi…you have a lot of nerve coming back to the village, especially after what you did," Asuma said as Itachi merely stared at him.
"Boy, you sure are unpopular here, eh Itachi?" Kisame said as Itachi merely stared.
"Asuma…Kurenai…I have no intention of harming you, so long as you don't get in my way," he told them as Asuma scoffed.
"That's a bold statement coming from you, the one who killed his clan. …but that begs the question, why are you here? What purpose do you have returning to your old village?" Asuma asked as Itachi merely stared at him with his Sharingan eyes. Kisame drew his sword and he slammed it to the ground.
"Hey Itachi, this guy's starting to get really annoying, can I kill him?"
"It looks like we won't be able to leave unnoticed. But Kisame, don't overdo it. Your Jutsu tends to stand out…" Itachi ordered as Kisame grinned. Instantly Kisame went for Asuma who managed to pull out his combat knives and block the large sword, while Kurenai flashed through hand signs before she began to fade away.
'This is Genjutsu,' Itachi recognised while Asuma struggled to hold back Kisame's large sword.
'Just holding back the tip of this sword, the strength behind it must be massive!' Asuma realized as Kisame smirked as the blade drew closer to Asuma's arm.
"Thing about my sword, Samehada, it doesn't cut like other blades…" he said as the bandaged-wrapped blade pressed against Asuma's shoulder before he pulled back and the blade ripped into Asuma's flesh. "It shreds!" he grinned as under the bandages were not a steel sword but what looked like downward-facing scales. However, it was then that Kisame noticed the ground beneath his feet began to swallow him up, while a tree grew around Itachi who remained perfectly still.
"What the!?" Kisame yelled as Asuma grinned.
"About time, Kurenai," he said as a woman appeared in the tree, and she poised a Kunai straight at Itachi.
"This is the end, Itachi!" she proclaimed and went to stab him. Suddenly she found herself trapped in the tree, and Itachi standing before her. "W-What?" she said as Itachi shook his head.
"Genjutsu of this level won't work on me, Kurenai…" he told her as Kurenai cursed.
"This is…a Reversal Genjutsu," she realized as Itachi drew a Kunai and rushed to stab her. But she bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, as she snapped out of the Genjutsu and narrowly avoided having her neck sliced open and only had just enough time to block his kick as she was thrown back to the river.
"Kurenai!" Asuma shouted as she landed on the water's surface, thanks to her Chakra.
"Hey, your fight's with me. Don't get distracted!" Kisame shouted as he swung his sword at Asuma, who ducked and weaved past the attacks, going for a slash to the face as it appeared to miss, only for a cut to appear on his skin. "What!?" he shouted before he noticed the Chakra Forming on the Blades. "I see…now this is getting exciting!" Kisame said as he began to flash through hand signs.
Meanwhile, Kurenai emerged from the water before she felt Itachi's presence behind her. "I expected nothing less from you, but I'm sorry Kurenai…" Itachi said before he looked behind him.
"But I'm afraid this is as far as you go, Itachi," Kakashi finished as he appeared while a Shadow Clone of Kakashi copied Kisame's Jutsu.
"Water Style: Shark Bomb Jutsu!" the twin Jutsu's slammed into each other as they managed to cancel each other out.
"What are you doing here, Kakashi?" Asuma asked as Kakashi stood before Asuma.
"Well, I did ask you guys to handle this, but I got a bit worried. I must admit, I never thought it was Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki of the Hidden Mist. It's been a long time…Itachi…" Kakashi said as the older Uchiha glanced behind him.
"Kakashi Hatake…It has been a while…" Itachi said as Kakashi stared into his eyes.
'Those eyes, they're the true inheritor of the Sharingan…this is bad…could he be here for Sasuke? I need to be prepared if that's the worst case…' Kakashi analyzed as he kept his eyes on his opponent. "What business do you have in the village?" Kakashi demanded as Itachi turned to him, Sharingan Eyes staring into Sharingan Eye.
"I will admit, I was surprised, to see someone use my Ninjutsu. But I see…" Kisame interrupted as he grinned. "So there is another person aside from Itachi that possesses the Sharingan, but I only see one eye…which must make you Kakashi Hatake: the Copy Cat Ninja?" Kisame said as Kakshi nodded.
"And I know you, going by that sword you were one of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist, right?" Kakashi stated as Kizame grinned.
"Correct. I heard you had a run-in with Zabuza, must've been fun?" Kisame grinned before he heard Kakshi draw a Kunai knife behind his back and pointed his sword at him. "Chopping you to pieces will be worth it," he said.
"No Kisame," Itachi said as they all turned to him. "If you went up against that man, it won't end without a price. And by that time reinforcements will have arrived. Our mission is not to get injured, remember?" Itachi ordered as the Kakashi clone glared.
"Then let's hear out this goal…" the clone said before disappearing.
"We've just come to find something, once we have it, we'll be on our way…" Itachi informed as Kakashi glared.
"And what is it you're looking for?" Kakashi said with a hint of anger in his voice as he considered the possibility that they were after Sasuke, like Orochimaru.
"...I'm not like Kisame…I won't take too long…" Itachi informed him as Kakashi's eyes widened and he jumped back, flashing through hand signs.
"Water Style: Water Barrier!" he shouted as Itachi drew out several Shuriken, but it turned out to be a ploy, as several water spikes shot into Kakashi's barrier as they blocked the attacks.
'The Speed in which he used the Jutsu, I couldn't even see him weave the Hand Signs. The Shurikens in his right hand was a decoy, so he could use a Water Jutsu under my feet…' Kakashi analyzed.
"I expected nothing less from you, Kakashi. Your power of analytics is…" Suddenly Kakashi was stabbed in the back, as a Clone of Itachi was behind him. "Impressive…"
"A shadow clone!? His Jutsu speed is insane!" Kurenai said before Kakashi melted into water.
'Water clone? The Copy Cat Ninja has done well to copy a Jutsu from my village…' Kisame thought before he grinned. 'Too bad it won't be enough,' he thought as Kakashi handed Kurenai a Kunai.
"Nice one Kakashi," she said before Kakashi's eyes widened and he grabbed Kurenai.
"Get down, that one's a clone!" Kakashi told her as he tackled her out of the way, just as the clone exploded.
"Kakashi! Kurenai!" Asuma shouted as he jumped towards them. When the water disappeared, it was revealed that Kakashi had shielded Kurenai from the explosion as the back of his flak jacket was slightly burned.
"Kakashi, are you alright?" Kurenai asked as Kakashi nodded.
"I'm fine…who would've thought he would use the same Jutsu Naruto used. But then again, Itachi was made Anbu Captain when he was only thirteen years old," Kakashi said as he turned to see Itachi staring at them.
"I'm impressed that you've managed to master the Sharingan to this extent, despite the fact you don't possess Uchiha blood," Itachi told him as Kakashi glared.
'He's right…the Sharingan in my left eye drains my stamina and Chakra…but compared to him…a true born Uchiha…I might as well be a novice…'
"However…there was a reason the Uchiha were once deemed the strongest and most feared Shinobi Clan…allow me to show you the true power of the Sharingan…" Itachi said as he closed his eyes, before slowly opening them while Kakashi's eyes widened.
"Both of you! Close your eyes! Right now!" Kakashi ordered, as Asuma and Kurenai both closed their eyes, while Kakashi kept his Sharingan eye open. "Both of you, do not open your eyes under any circumstance…this will all be over if you look into his eyes…" Kakashi said as he kept his Sharingan focused on Itachi whose Sharingan eyes had changed. Instead of the three tomoe that the matured Sharingan had, his Sharingan had changed into a three-pointed shape that curved around the pupil. Almost like a curved three-pointed Shuriken.
"Only someone with a Sharigan can go against this technique…" Kakashi wanted as Itachi nodded.
"Indeed…only those with a Sharingan can resist the Mangekyo Sharingan to a certain extent…however…" Itachi said as the world around Kakashi began to distort. "This Visual Jutsu is a powerful Genjutsu called the Tsukuyomi…and it is nearly unbreakable. Only one with the Kekkei Genkai of the Sharingan can bring me down…" Itachi told him as Kakshi's mind flashed to Sasuke.
'Sasuke…' he thought before the world distorted and he found himself on a cross. Itachi standing before him with a katana in his hand.
"I wonder though…how long you will last, without the Uchiha Bloodline in your veins?" Itachi asked as he stabbed Kakashi in the gut. Kakashi gasped in pain as the sword stabbed into his gut before the blade was removed and the wound was gone. Only now, a second Itachi was standing next to him.
"That just now…was a Genjutsu?" Kakashi asked as Itcahi nodded.
"In this realm…the Tsukuyomi…Space, Time and Mass…" Itcahi said as he stabbed Kakashi again and again. "I control them all…" he told him as he stabbed the Copy Cat Ninja. "For the next 72 hours, I will stab you with these swords…" Itachi told him as more and more Itachi's appeared and stabbed the man for what seemed like hours, as Kakahsi tried his best to hold out against the pain.
After what felt like hours of pain, he was left breathing heavily and he saw another copy of him, being stabbed by more Itachi's repeating the same thing.
"The Pain you feel is no illusion. To your mind, it is no different to reality whilst here in the Tsukuyomi…" Itachi explained as he stabbed the man again. "I wonder though…how long will your spirit last?" he asked as he stabbed him again and again…and again…
Until he was left breathing heavily and in pain, as he was surrounded by multiple Itachi's as they all held swords.
"1 second down…71 hours…59 minutes and 59 Seconds left…" Itachi told him as Kakashi's eyes widened.
"W-What? That…that was only…a second?" he asked in fear as the Itachi's raised their swords again and Kakashi screamed in pain as he was stabbed over and over again. Until the Jutsu came to an end and Kakashi was barely left standing as he collapsed to his knees.
"Kakashi!? What's going on?!" Asuma asked with his eyes still closed. "You just told us to keep our eyes shut, then suddenly you screamed out in pain!? What the hell's going on!?" he asked as Kakashi was drained of all his energy and strength.
'T-That…was horrible…three days in that world…was only a second in reality…what a terrifying jutsu…' Kakashi managed to pull his mind together as he looked up and glared. 'But then…why didn't he kill me? He could've easily done so with that Genjutsu…so why?' he asked himself as Itachi's Mangekyo returned to normal.
"Dang, the first time I've ever seen someone survive your Jutsu and not have his spirit completely crushed," Kisame said as he appeared beside Itachi. "But you should be careful not to overuse that Jutsu of yours," Kisame warned as Itachi's eyes twitched from using the Tsukuyomi.
"Wait…the thing you're after…is it Saksue? Have you come back to kill your little brother?" Kakashi asked as Itachi started.
"...No...We're here for the Fourth Hokage's Legacy…" he told them as Asuma and Kurenai flinched while keeping their eyes closed while Kakashi glared.
"The Fourth's Legacy…So… it Naruto you're after…just like Jiraiya said…" he realized as he remembered his conversation with Jiraiya, and how the Toad Sage told him that he would be looking after Naruto from now on, while there was an Organization that was after him. "So that's it…you're after the Nine-Tails inside Naruto…you and the Organization you're a part of…Akatsuki, right?" Kakashi asked while Asuma and Kurenai were confused.
"Akatsuki?" Kurenai asked as Itachi glared.
"...Kisame, we're taking Kakashi with us. Kill the other two," he told Kisame as the shark man grinned and sped towards them, ready to kill the two Shinobi. Until he was suddenly kicked in the ribs as Gai appeared with a powerful kick.
"Severe Leaf Hurricane!" he shouted as he landed the blow on Kisame as the Former Swordsman was forced back to Itachi.
"Who the heck are you!?" Kisame asked, although with a grin on his face, as Gai stood before them.
"The Fierce Green Beast of Konoha - Maito Gai!" He introduced himself as he settled in his stance, while Itachi stared at him.
"...Shouldn't you be called a strange beast then?" Kisame asked while Itachi narrowed his gaze.
"Don't underestimate him, he's Konoha's expert, Taijutsu Master," Itachi warned as Gai glared.
'So…this is Itachi Uchiha, the former Captain of the Anbu Black Ops at only 13 years old…' Gai thought before Kakashi suddenly passed out behind him, as he began to sink into the water, only to be pulled out by Gai. "You fiends, how dare you do this to my rival…" Gai said as he glared at the pair.
"Gai, don't look into Itachi's eyes! If you do, you'll fall under the same Genjutsu as Kakahi did!" Asuma wanted.
"It's fine, I'm well aware of how to face Sharingan users. I've been working on ways to fight Kakashi, so both of you open your eyes!" Gai ordered.
"B-But, Kakashi…" Kurenai said as Gai shook his head.
"When fighting a Sharngan user, it's not a problem if you avoid eye contact. There's a workaround if you focus on his feet," Gai advised as Asuma and Kurenai opened their eyes and focused them on Itachi's feet.
"Yeah, but you're the only one that can do that, Gai. We're not as well versed in reading people's movements just in front of their feet," Asuma said as Gai nodded.
"It's a knack, but it's not something I can teach in an emergency," Gai said before he handed Kakashi over to Kurenai. "Kurenai, take Kakashi to the medical unit. Asuma, you're my backup until the Anbu Forces I've alerted arrive. Until then, we'll hold them off," Gai said as he turned to face his opponents, as Kisame grinned and readied his sword.
"No…we're leaving," Itachi ordered as Kisame raised a brow. "We didn't come to start a war, and even if we could fight off the Anbu Forces and Gai, that is not the reason we're here. Let's leave and get back on mission," Itachi said as Kisame stared at him before sighing.
"Fine, and just when it was getting good," he said as he stared at Gai. "I look forward to fighting you again, Maito Gai…" Kisame said before he and Itachi sped off, leaving the Shinobi confused.
"...Who the heck was that guy?" Gai asked as Asuma and Kurenai sighed.
Meanwhile - Outside the Village
In the early hour of noon, Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya were seen walking down a long dirt road. The Uzumaki had his armour placed back on, as the pair were on their way to a small village called Shukuba, just 10 kilometres outside the village.
"So Pervy Sage, who's this person we're looking for?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya sighed.
"Stop calling me that…forget it…her name is Tsunade, she's the granddaughter of the First Hokage and the world's foremost Medical Ninja Specialist. She was also my teammate back in my squad days and the Slug Sannin," Jiraiya explained as Naruto raised a brow.
"The First Hokage, you mean that guy Orochimaru summoned during the exams?" he asked, recalling his clone's memories of watching the fight, as Jiraiya nodded.
"The same, although she is the last of the Senju Clan, as most of them died out during the wars. Kind of like the Uchiha and the Uzumakis," he lectured the boy as Naruto nodded.
"I see, can she do Wood Style like him?" he asked as Jiraiya shook his head.
"No, as I said the Wood Style was a technique only the First Hokage could perform. For some reason, it was never passed down to his descendants and it was decided that it was a unique ability only he had," he said as Naruo nodded.
"I see…In any case, if she's a renowned Medical Ninjutsu Specialist, do you think she can heal Bushy Brows and the Old Man?" Naruto asked as Jiraiya sighed.
"...She might be able to heal the Lee kid…the old man however…what happened to him can't ever be fixed," he told him as Naruto reluctantly nodded.
"I see…So, once we find her, we just have to ask her to come back right? But why did she leave in the first place?" he asked as Jiraiya looked at the boy.
"...It's not my decision to tell you, she's been through stuff that is not my right to say. If you want to know, you can ask her. But we have to convince her to come back first, and I'm hoping our winning personality can win her back over," Jiraiya said as Naruto raised a brow.
"...if a regular woman won't go for a pervert like you, I doubt she will too…" Naruto remarked as Jiraiya's eye twitched.
"Harsh brat…real harsh…so, aren't you curious about the new Jutsu I plan to teach you?" he asked as Naruto's eyes sparkled slightly.
"Yeah! What are you going to teach me!?" he asked before he collected himself. "Sorry, a force of habit. I like learning new Jutsu, is it one of…" he stopped before looking around. "My dads?" he asked as Jiraiya nodded.
"It was a Jutsu that took your father three years to develop, it is the ultimate Jutsu in Shape Transformation," he said as he brought out his hand showing three fingers. "And it took me three months to learn," he said as Naruto's eyes widened.
"Whoa…so, what is it?" he asked before they noticed the town up ahead.
"I'll tell you later, for now, we're here…" Jiraiya said as they walked into the village. "This is Shukuba Village, this is our first stop on the way to one of the villages my contacts said she'd be in. We'll rest up here and then head out in the morning," he told him as he and Naruto entered a hotel, while the Uzumaki raised a sceptical brow.
"...You're not just here to chase some tail are you?" Naruto accused Jiraiya as he scoffed.
"How dare you, I would never compromise the mission just for some female company. You have to give me some more respect than that…" he trailed off as he noticed an attractive woman give him a wink and then shoved the key into Naruto's hand. "Well! I'll see ya later Naruto, how about you practice those sealing jutsu while I tend to this lovely lady! See you later!" he yelled as he ran after the women, leaving Naruto staring at the space.
"...what was that about compromising the mission?" Naruto asked before he sighed. "Well, won't see him again for a few hours…might as well study up on sealing…" he muttered as he walked up the stairs.
Meanwhile - Konoha
Sasuke was on his way to visit Kakashi, as the man was supposed to have met him at the training grounds to help improve his control with the Chidori. His drive to become stronger had increased ever since he saw Naruto defeat Gaara during the invasion. With the accelerated training method, the once Dead last of the Academy, had quickly begun to catch up to him. The power he now had was probably more than what Sasuke currently had, and it made him feel…weak…
Sure, he had been disqualified from the match and didn't get a chance to face Gaara. But something inside him told him that he didn't stand a chance against Gaara. Especially when he took on that demonic form.
'And yet…Naruto beat him…' he recalled the blond before the Chunin Exams acting like an idiot, and then the current Naruto that gave off a strong presence. It was…infuriating…how Naruto managed to surpass him and gain so much strength. It wasn't just the clone technique that gave him an edge in training. No, it was something else. A drive inside him that he couldn't understand.
'I need more power…I need to get stronger…' His mind flashed back to the night of the massacre, as his brother stood over the bodies of their clan. 'I will avenge them…I will kill you, Itachi!' Sasuke vowed as he gripped his fist.
He soon arrived at Kakashi's apartment and he was about to knock when he noticed the door was unlocked. He quickly went in, only to find Kakashi in his bed while Gai, Asuma and Kurenai stood around him.
"Kakashi? Why is he asleep? And what are Jonin doing here, what's going on?" Sasuke asked with confusion as Gai waved him off.
"Ah, it's nothing, Kakashi and I just got too into one of our rivalry matches," Gai tried to fool him before Aoba Yamashiro burst into the room.
"Is it true, Itachi Uchiha was seen in the village and that he's after Naruto Uzumaki!?" he asked without noticing Sasuke in the room as the other Jonin grimaced before Aoba looked down to see Sasuke as his face slowly morphed from confusion to pure anger.
"Idiot," Kurenai muttered before Sasuke bolted from the room.
He sped as fast as he could down the road as he sped towards Naruto's apartment. He quickly opened the door, only for Sakura to stumble out as she dropped a box wrapped in purple cloth.
"S-Sasuke-Kun?"
"Sakura! Where's Naruto!?" he asked as Sakura shook her head.
"I don't know, I only just got here. I wanted to leave him some sweets, but he's not-" She never got to finish as he ran from her and towards the few locations Naruto would be.
'Itachi…he's back…but why now? And why is he after Naruto!? This doesn't make sense, but even though Naruto's gotten stronger, against Itachi…' he recalled his brother's Sharingan eyes, as he cursed and ran faster. 'He doesn't stand a chance!' He soon made it to Ichiraku Ramen as he burst through the flaps.
"Naruto!?" He shouted only to find him absent. "Damn it! Old man! Where is Naruto!?" Sasuke asked as Teuchi looked up from his cooking.
"Naruto…hmm….if I recall he was here yesterday with that Hinata girl. But then Master Jiraiya came and told him they were heading out of the village on a mission. If I recall, their first stop would have to be the post station village just a bit out of town…Ayame, what's the name of that post station again?"
"Shukuba," she told him as he nodded.
"Right, Shukuba, that was it," he said as Sasuke cursed.
"Damn it, this Jiraiya, he's one of the Sannin right? What does he look like?" he asked as Teuchi hummed.
"If I recall he's a big man with long white hair, and - hey!?" he shouted as Sasuke bolted from the store. "Rude, it's polite to at least sit down and have a bowl of Ramen after I answered his questions," Teuchi mumbled as Ayame chuckled. Sasuke sped quickly out the gate, ignoring the checkout post, as he dashed towards Shukuba Town.
"Shukuba, it's not that far…" he said as he ran as fast as he could, thanks to the training he received during the month's break. He could only hope he could make it in time. "Today…I will have my revenge…Itachi!" Sasuke swore as he sped towards the town.
Meanwhile - Shukuba Town - Naruto's Room
Naruto sat amongst his many clones as they studied the basics of Sealing Jutsu. The art of Sealing was not as simple as one would expect. To seal an object inside of another object requires the user to have advanced knowledge of sealing formulas and an understanding of constructing seals. In the month Naruto spent training for the Chunin Finals, he had started some of his clones reading up on the basics of Sealing Jutsus. But it seemed that sealing objects inside another object was only the tip of the iceberg, as there was so much more Seals could do. Such as combining Barrier Ninjutsu with Sealing Jutsu to create a Sealing Barrier that could be used to contain powerful entities. Then there was also learning sealing formulas that could have a variety of different effects, such as being able to create miniature barriers or mark an opponent with a Seal that could allow the user to track them over vast distances. Naruto had so much to learn about seals that it made him more inspired to learn, seeing as both his father and his mothers' clans were considered masters of the Sealing Arts.
"Who knew there was so much more to Sealing Jutsu than just putting a Kunai in a scroll? Makes me want to master this art…" Naruto read out loud.
"Tell me about it, and Mum's clan was so good at this stuff her homeland was wiped out because of it." one of the clones said. "Makes me wonder if we can even measure up to them. Given the fact we kind of…slacked off in study…" the clone admitted as Naruto nodded.
"Yeah, well we're making up for it now. Besides, we won't just measure up to them. We'll surpass them and make them proud…" Naruto said as he pulled out the photo of his parents and smiled at them. "That's a promise," he told the picture before returning to his studies. Suddenly he heard a knock at the door and he sighed.
"Well that was fast…" he said as he got up and dispelled the clones. "She dumped you already?" he asked as he walked over to the door. "Told ya you wouldn't be able to charm them when you're a…" he trailed off as he opened the door and looked up to see a familiar shade of Sharingan Red eyes staring down at him. However, it wasn't Sasuke and there were two red eyes with three tomoe in them. This was someone else, as Naruto stared up at the face of Itachi Uchiha.
'That…that's the Sharingan…but who?' he thought before Kisame walked out from behind Itachi.
"So this kids the one with the Nine-Tails…kind of small ain't he?" Kisame asked with a grin as Naruto's eyes widened.
'They know about the Nine-Tails, not good…' Naruto thought as Itachi looked down at the child,
"Naruto Uzumaki…can you please come quietly with us-" he didn't get to finish as Naruto slammed the door in his face.
"...Did that kid just slam the door in our face?" Kisame asked.
"...Yes…he did…" Itachi said before the door was busted open by Kisame's large sword and he pinned the boy under the door.
"You little shit!" Kisame said before hearing a whistle, as he turned to see the boy at the window sill, his bags on his back, and was giving him the bird.
"Later asshole," Naruto said with a grin, as he jumped out and the clone under his feet grinned.
"Kisame! Get back!" he shouted as the clone exploded and it caused a large explosion, as Sasuke stopped in the street to see the smoke billowing out of an apartment building.
"Was that…Naruto!" he shouted as he ran for the building. Meanwhile, Kisame and Itachi had managed to shield themselves with a water barrier, as Kisame growled.
"I'm going to cut that little fuckers legs off!" he shouted before Itachi grabbed his shoulder.
"It would appear that the Uzumaki has improved significantly, we need to hurry before Jiraiya finds him," Itachi said as he was secretly impressed that Naruto had improved since he was a child.
"...Fine…but when we find him, I'm taking his legs…" Kisame said as he followed the boy out the window followed by Itachi. Meanwhile, Naruto was dashing across the rooftops as he searched for Jiraiya. His mind went over all he knew.
'That guy back there, he wasn't Sasuke but he had the same Sharingan eyes at the same level Kakashi-Sensei has. But last I recall, all the Uchiha were wiped out, and Sasuke said he wanted revenge on his brother…then that must've been his brother. Crap, I need to hurry and find pervy-sage!' Naruto deduced as he searched for the old pervert.
"Naruto!" he suddenly heard as he spotted Sasuke jumping up to the rooftops.
"Sasuke!? What the heck are you doing here!?" he asked, stopping on the roof before Sasuke grabbed him by his hoodie. "Whoa! Sasuke what the heck!?"
"Where is he!? Where is Itachi!?" he demanded from the boy, as Naruto blinked.
"What, so he was your brother?" Naruto said as Sasuke's glare grew more intense.
"Where is he?! I have to find him!" he shouted as Naruto managed to break off his grip.
"We don't have time for that Sasuke, that guy, your brother, he's not alone. And I don't think either of us is ready for him!" he turned to tell the Uchiha who only glared at him.
"You don't understand, I have to find him! He needs to pay for what he did!" Sasuke yelled with rage in his eyes.
"But Sasuke!" he stopped when they felt a shadow over them as they looked up to see Kisame grinning down at them.
"Well…you didn't get very far brat…and who's this? You made a friend. Hey Itachi, kid kind of looks like you!" he shouted to their right as Sasuke and Naruto turned to see Itachi standing just a small way from them as he stared at them with a cold expression on his face.
"...Long time no see…Sasuke…" Itachi said as Sasuke's hair shadowed his eyes.
"...Itachi…" Sasuke said with an almost eerily calm voice before he looked up with his eyes shifted to blood red as his two patterned tomoe Sharingan flared to life as he glared at him. "I will kill you!" he declared as gripped his wrist, memories of his family's death poured into his brain as he glared in anger.
"Sasuke…we have to go…right now…" Naruto tried to reason, but Sasuke only gripped his fist.
"I've been waiting for this day my whole life…I've hated you since that day…I've lived only to hate you…I've survived only so that I can kill you myself!" Sasuke yelled as the Chidori sparked around his hand. Sparks of electricity started forming around his hand, as Naruto stared at the Jutsu.
'What the heck is that Jutsu?' Naruto asked as this was the first time he had seen the Chidori.
"I see…the Chidori…you've been busy, Sasuke…." Itachi said as Naruto stared at Sasuke as he pulled on his collar.
"I will have my revenge! Itachi!" Sasuke yelled as he sped towards his brother.
"Sasuke wait!" Naruto shouted in vain as Sasuke sped past him, tearing up the ground the lightning surging around his palm.
"DIE!" Sasuke screamed as he aimed directly for Itachi's face.
Only for Itachi to grab his hand and redirect the attack to the side of the next building, carving a huge hole through the concrete. Itachi merely stared down at his brother's glaring eyes as Naruto looked with shocked awe.
"He…he just stopped the Chidori… with his hand…Damn, this isn't good!" he cursed as he crossed his fingers. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted as he summoned several copies of himself.
"Not so fast kid," Kisame said as he jumped down and got in between Naruto and the brothers. "I owe you a little payback for that exploding clone business," he said as he hefted his sword onto his shoulder.
"Get out of my way!" Naruto shouted as his clones drew their Kunai and channelled Wind Chakra into the blades as the chakra became longer and sharper.
"Oh, that's interesting. You're smart enough to channel Wind Chakra into your weapons…I'm almost impressed…" Kisame said as Naruto looked at his clones.
"You…bastard…" Sasuke grunted as he struggled in his brother's grip.
"Be quiet," Itachi said as he squeezed hard on the boy's wrist, breaking it and causing Sasuke to scream in pain as he fell to the ground, clutching his wrist. But even though the pain was intense for Sasuke, it hurt Itachi even more.
"Sasuke! Crap, guys keep this guy busy, I'm going after Sasuke!" Naruto ordered his clones as they nodded.
"Right!" They shouted as they charged at the Swordsman, their Kunai swiping at the Shark-Theme Shinobi. However, as soon as the blades came into contact with his blade, the wind Chakra disappeared, or more accurately it was eaten up.
"What the heck just happened!?" one of the clones shouted before he was dispelled in an instant by Kisame's sword.
"Hey, why didn't the clone's memory come back to us?" another clone asked as Kisame grinned.
"The thing that my sword Samehada loves more than slicing people to ribbons…is eating Chakra…" Kisame told Naruto as his eyes widened as the sword squirmed under its bandages.
'T-That thing is alive!? I see…so that's why the clones' memories didn't come back. The Memories in the Chakra were eaten up by that sword, these guys are way too strong. I need to grab Sasuke and get out of here,' Naruto realized as he nodded to the clones who nodded and flashed through hand signs.
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!" they shouted as they created a large stone wall on top of the roof, only for Kisame to smash through it with ease.
"That ain't going to work on us, kid!" Kisame grinned, just as two more Naruto's shouted.
"Water Style: Water Bullet!" They fired the two water bullets at Kisame who blocked the attacks with his sword, as Samehada absorbed the Chakra.
"I told you, kid, that stuff ain't going to work on - !" he didn't get to finish as a smoke bomb was thrown through the destroyed earth wall and flooded the roof with smoke. "A smoke bomb!" Kisame yelled, while Itachi just stared with his Sharingan eyes. He watched as Naruto used the distraction to create a hole in the roof, and another behind him to grab Sasuke, as he carried him away.
"...Interesting…" Itachi said while Naruto carried Sasuke with him as he ran down the hall of the building.
"Let me go, idiot…" Sasuke grunted as Naruto carried him. "I need to kill him! Don't interfere!" he shouted as he managed to shove Naruto off him.
"Will you stop acting crazy Sasuke!? You saw what your brother just did to your Chidori! We don't stand a chance against those guys! We need to find Pervy-Sage and get out of here!" Naruto argued as Sasuke glared.
"You don't understand! I have to kill him! He took everything from me, he killed my entire family, my parents, cut them down like they meant nothing to him! I have to kill him!" Sasuke shouted as he shoved Naruto out of the way before Naruto grabbed his shoulder and spun him around.
"The guy just broke your wrist like a toothpick, and you think you can take him on!? Come on, Sasuke! You are usually a lot more level-headed than this! I get you to want revenge on him, but so far you're only going yourself killed!" Naruto tried to reason as Sasuke glared.
"Shut up! Stay out of this, you know nothing about this! it has nothing to do with you!"
"He's right you know…" Kisame said as Naruto and Sasuke spun around to see Kisame standing in their path with a grin on his face. "This has nothing to do with you. But the family reunion isn't why we're here. We want the blond kid, so stand aside," Kisame said as Naruto grabbed Sasuke to run down the other end of the hall when he stopped to see Itachi standing in their path.
"It's pointless to run. Come with us quietly, and your friend will not be killed," Itachi told Naruto as Sasuke growled, Sharingan ablaze as he charged headlong at Itachi, using Lee's Taijutsu to try and kick his former brother's head. Only for the older Uchiha to easily evade the attack and slam a fist into his stomach. Sasuke gasped in pain as he fell to the floor, clutching his stomach, before he was kicked in the chest and sent across the hall into the wall.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted as he rushed to Sasuke only to stop as the older Uchiha glared at him with his Sharingan which caused Naruto to freeze.
"Stay out of this…" Itachi said as he looked into the eyes of Naruto, 'The Child of Aunt Kushina, mothers friend…he's grown so much…' he thought as he recalled his mother once watching over him in the hospital shortly after he was born and the Nine-Tails had been sealed inside him.
"You're becoming annoying," Kisame said as he drew his blade. "How about I cut off your legs so you won't run any more?" he asked as he swung his blade and was prepared to cut off Naruto's legs.
"Summoning Jutsu!" He suddenly heard, as Gama appeared in front of Naruto and blocked Kisame's blade with his armoured arms.
"You two don't know much about me, but Master Jiraiya doesn't fall so easily to a woman's allure," Jiraiya said as he stood behind Naruto, the woman from before unconscious on his shoulder and a grin on his face. "When you're someone like me, you only have to flash my sexy smile to have them all over you!" he proclaimed proudly while doing a small Kabuki dance. The rest of them stared awkwardly as Naruto's eyebrow twitched.
"...Oh please! It only took one wink from her and you were scampering after her like a dog in heat! Don't try to act all cool after falling for a simple trick like that, Pervy-Sage!" Naruto commented as Jiraiya snapped his head to Naruto.
"Damn it brat! Will you stop calling me that in front of people!? I have a reputation to uphold!"
"Your reputation is already the world's biggest pervert!" Naruto shouted as Kisame chuckled.
"Figures a simple trick like that wouldn't work, you are after all Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin. Even I don't think I'll be able to defeat you, despite the fact you're a huge womanizer but it looks like you removed the Genjutsu we put that woman under," Kisame said as Jiraiya placed the woman down on the ground.
"Placing such beauty under a Genjutsu, such a cowardly act, you have no right to call yourself a man. Even if it was just to separate me and Naruto," Jiraiya said as Naruto raised a brow.
'They were after me? But why, what did I do to these guys? Is it because of the Chunin Exams? Because I took down Gaara in his Tailed Beast form? Are they trying to eliminate a potential threat…or…is it something else?' Naruto questioned as he looked at the two men while Jiraiya glared.
"So your target was Naruto, but he proved to be a little more difficult to catch huh? Kid has a knack for surprising people," he said with a smirk as Itachi narrowed his gaze.
"I see…so that's how Kakashi knew about us, you're the source of information. You are correct, we are after Naruto. He is the prime target of us, the Akatsuki, and we have orders to take him alive. However, he did prove to be more…resourceful…than anticipated…" Itachi said as Naruto narrowed his gaze.
'Who is the Akatsuki? What do they want with me?' Naruto once again questioned as Jiraiya grinned.
"Of course, he's my student after all," he said before he glared at them. "And there's no way in hell I'm going to let you take him…" he told the pair as he glared directly into their souls.
"...I wonder about that," Itachi said as Jiraiya dispelled Gama and stood before Naruto.
"You two are wanted in the Bingo Books as high-value targets yourselves. I can get rid of the right here and now,"
"Stay out of this!" they suddenly heard as they looked down the hall to see Sasuke slowly stand up. "This…is none of your concern…Itachi…is mine!" Sasuke grunted as he tried to stand back up.
"Sasuke! Damn it, we got to help him, Pervy-Sage!" Naruto said as Jiraiya nodded.
"We will just have to be patient. This is a delicate situation, relax and trust in your Master," Jiraiya told him, as he looked back at Sasuke as the young Uchiha stood up.
"I lived only for this day…to finally avenge my Clan's destruction…" Sasuke said as he glared with his Sharingan eyes. "...Itachi will die…by my hand!" he yelled as Itachi stared into his little brother's eyes.
"...I have no interest in you right now. Stay still and you may survive…" Itachi told him as Sasuke roared in anger and charged at him.
"Don't mess with me!" He screamed as he threw his fist at Itachi, only for the older Uchiha to block the attack and punch him in the face, followed by another as it sent Sasuke spiralling back down the hall and slamming against the wall. Blood spitting out of his mouth as he lay limp against the wall.
"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled in shock and horror as he saw his teammate and rival be defeated so easily.
"...Not…not yet…" Sasuke said as he tried to stand back up. "...I…I'm not done yet…" Sasuke managed to climb back up, but his left arm was practically useless.
"...Stay down, you can barely even form a hand sign right now," Itachi told his little brother as the boy ignored him and stood up.
"I…I won't quit…not now…" Sasuke said as Itach walked over to him, while Jiraiya tried to make a move, but Kisame got in his way.
"You heard him, let's stay out of this one…" Kisame said as Itachi stood over his brother's prone form, and he glared up angrily at him. Sasuke glared up as he grew impatient.
"What are you waiting for? Come on!" Sasuke shouted before Itachi slammed a fist into his gut, followed by a chop to the back of his neck. Sasuke coughed up blood as he was soundly beaten to near death.
'W-Why…' Sasuke thought as he was punched and kicked brutally. 'Why is the gap between us…still so large?' he questioned as Itachi beat him down like a rag doll. 'Our difference in strength…has remained the same…as that day…' Sasuke was thrown to the ground as he stared with hollow eyes.
'What…what have I been doing…this whole time?' Sasuke asked before being grabbed by the throat and slammed into the wall.
Itachi's Sharingan stared into Sasuke's onyx eyes as he looked at his little brother with feigned indifference, but on the inside his heart ached. Itachi stared at Sasuke as it pained him to hurt his precious little brother. But for the Uchiha name to be cleansed of its sins, Sasuke had to be the one to kill him. And that can only happen if he hated his older brother with every fibre of his being…
Even if it killed him on the inside
Itachi stared at Sasuke as he gripped his hand around his throat. "You are weak…and the reason you are weak…" he said as he leaned in and whispered into his ear. "It is because you don't have enough hatred in you…" he leaned back as he closed his eyes for a moment. Before reponing them, the Mangekyo Sharingan blazed into effect, as he cast the Tsukuyomi upon him.
For the next 24 hours inside the Tsukuyomi, he had to relive the entire night the Uchiha clan was massacred over and over again, as Sasuke screamed in absolute agony as Naruto couldn't take it any more.
"Damn it! Leave him alone!" Naruto shouted as the Nine-Tails Chakra began to leak out and into his eyes, as they turned blood red and the whisker marks on his cheeks became wilder. He summoned several clones, and they appeared in a huge puff of smoke, obscuring Kisame's view as they suddenly rushed out from the cloud.
"Naruto, wait!" Jiraiya yelled as the Naruto clones ran forward.
"Not so fast!" Kisame yelled as he swung his blade, dispelling the clone, only for one to throw a Large Shukiren straight at Itachi who deflected the larger shuriken with ease.
Only at the last second did Naruto appear, as he had transformed into the Skuriken, and held a Kunai in hand, as Itachi's eyes widened ever so slightly.
"I said get away from him!" Naruto yelled as he aimed the Kunai at Itachi's face, while Itachi merely blocked the Kunai with his own, while still holding onto Sasuke's neck. Naruto landed in front of him as he held the Kunai against Itachi's and he glared. "I won't let you hurt him!" Naruto shouted as Itachi stared into Naruto's eyes he could see the image of Shisui as he paused for a moment.
"Summoning Jutsu: Toad Mouth Bind!" But just as he was about to attack the whole hallway began to transform, as a meat-like substance began to grow on the walls, floor and ceiling. The meat grabbed Sasuke and pulled him to safety as Itachi jumped back.
"What the hell?" Naruto questioned, as he looked around at the meat covering the walls.
"I've got you now…" Jiraiya said as he had his hands on the floor, as the meat originated from him. Kisame looked down as he noticed the fleshy floor was starting to swallow him up. "I've summoned the Stomach of one of the giant toads that resides in one of the caves on Mount Myoboku. Unfortunately for you two, you'll be digested by the stomach's acid. And Naruto, stay still. You don't have to worry about yourself and Sasuke, this is my Jutsu and I control everything," Jiraiya told them as Itachi narrowed his gaze.
"...Kisame, let's go," he told the former Swordsmen of the Mist, broke free and ran after Itachi.
"There's no point! No one has ever been able to escape this Jutsu!" Jiraiya shouted as Itachi and Kisame ran down the hall. The walls of flesh surged forward as they reached to capture and consume the two intruders.
"Shit! They're coming right at us!" Kisame yelled as Itachi narrowed his gaze at the window ahead of them, as the walls of flesh proved to be faster. But the elder Uchiha closed his eyes as he used his most powerful Jutsu.
"Amaterasu!" His Mangekyo Sharingan flared as his right eye bled and black flames destroyed the window and burned the flesh around the wall and broke free of the prison.
"Huh!? What was that!?" Jiraiya shouted as he sensed the wall of the flesh had been damaged. He and Naruto ran around the corner, and they spotted a huge hole in the wall, with the edges signed with strange black flames.
"What the hell?" Naruto said as he looked at the flames. "Pervy-Sage, those don't look like ordinary flames," Naruto took a step back. In the past, he would've been curious and approached the flames. But now, he was more cautious.
"You're right. The fact that it was able to burn through the Toads Mouth Bind Jutsu speaks volumes of its potency…" Jiraiya said as he unfurled a scroll and wrote on the paper a series of sealing formulas. "Sealing Art: Fire Seal!" Jiraiya said as he flashed through hand signs and sealed the black flames into the scroll, being careful to tie the scroll up tight. "Okay, that should do it."
"Whoa, so that's what Sealing Jutsu can do. What are you going to do with it?'' Naruto asked as Jiraiya shrugged.
"Not much, whatever that flame was I doubt I can do much. In any case, you better check up on your teammate," he said as the wall spat out Sasuke, and Naruto gently laid him on the ground.
"Sasuke! Are you okay!?" Naruto asked as he tried to wake him, only for Sasuke to remain unconscious. Suddenly a Kunai was thrown at them, but it missed and hit the wall at the end of the hall, as they turned to the Kunai, just as Gai ran up and threw a kick.
"Dynamic!' Gai shouted as he flung his foot at Jiraiya's stunned face, "Entry!" he shouted with a confident smirk…before he blanched when he realized he just kicked Jiraiya in the face.
A little while later, Jiraiya had tissues in his nose as he glared comically at Gai.
"Uh…Sorry about that, I used my Forehead protector as a mirror and I couldn't see you properly," Gai apologized as Jiraiya sighed.
"It's fine…" he said as he looked down at Sasuke. "We should be worried more about the young Uchiha here. He has a fractured rib, and a broken wrist and whatever Genjutsu he was under has left him catatonic," Jiraiya said as Gai cringed at the sight.
'That Jutsu…' Gai bitterly thought, as he thought about his rival that suffered under the same Jutsu by Itachi.
"...Pervy-Sage…" Naruto said as his hair covered his eyes and his fist gripped tight.
"Naruto, I know you're angry, but you can't go after them. They are far stronger than you, and," Gai said as Naruto shook his head.
"I know…" he said as he surprised Gai. "I know I can't go after them. I'm not an idiot any more…but that guy…he was Sasuke's brother, right?" he asked as Jiraiya nodded.
"Correct. Itachi Uchiha, a gifted prodigy by the time he was only eight years old, and Anbu Captain at only Thirteen Years old. He also massacred his entire clan in a single night…you wouldn't stand a chance against him," he said as Naruto nodded but still held a look of anger in his eyes.
"...so why was he after me, and who are the Akatsuki?" he asked as he looked at the two. "Is it because of the Nine-Tails, is that what they're after?" he asked as Gai and Jiraiya nodded.
"It would seem so," Gai said, as Naruto grit his teeth and slammed his fist into the wall.
"Damn it…did anyone else get hurt?" he asked, as Gai tightened his lips. "Don't lie to me Bushier Brow Sensei…please…I can handle it…" he said, thou he was gripping his fist tight to restrain his anger.
"...Kakashi was hit with the same Jutsu that affected Sasuke, he's currently resting back at the village," Gai informed him as Naruto's eyes briefly were flooded with red as his anger drew upon the Nine-Tails.
"...I want to go after them…" he said with a cold voice, only for Jiraiya to place a hand on his shoulder.
"I know you do, but I didn't spend a month training you to be reckless. You know Itachi is too powerful for you. And this Organization, the Akatsuki, have similar members just as or more powerful than Itachi. And all of them are going to be coming after you. The only thing you can do now is to get stronger, that's the only option we have left," he told the boy who took a deep breath. He understood what Jiraiya was telling him. After the Genjutsu lesson, he knew he had to be calmer, more attentive with his emotions…
That still didn't mean he didn't feel angry about it.
"Okay…Sensei…" Naruto said as Jiraiya smiled a little at the boy. "So…what's going to happen to Sasuke and Kakashi-Sensei?" Naruto asked, "Do you think this Tsunade person we're looking for can help them?" he asked as Jiraiya nodded.
"Like I told you, Tsunade is possibly the greatest Medical Ninjutsu Specialist in the world. She could heal them up in no time, but first, we need to find her," he said as they looked out the hole in the wall.
"And I have an idea of where we can start…"
Meanwhile, Itachi and Kisame were in full retreat as they got as far away from Jiraiya as possible. "Why do we have to retreat, you should be capable of…" Kisame said before Itachi shook his head.
"We were ill-informed about Naruto's progress. He's much more skilled now than previously believed. And with Jiraiya there, there was a high chance both of us could've died. Besides, we're not in a rush to capture him, and I need to rest my body. After using the Tsukuyomi and the Amaterasu in a single day, I need to rest…" he said as the Sharingan left his eyes and they returned to their onyx shade. But while his Sharingan faded his mind recalled moments earlier as Naruto Uzumaki had glared into his eyes.
'I won't let you hurt him!' the memory of Naruto shouted as Itachi felt relieved at this.
'...Sasuke…even though Lord Third can no longer protect you…I'm glad you have friends that care for you…and Naruto, thank you…please continue to watch over my brother…' Itachi thought as he looked forward. '...I know you will hate me Sasuke, and it hurts me every day knowing that…but it is the only way…the truth of the Uchiha must never come to light…so continue to hate me…kill me and have your vengeance…only then, can I be punished for my sins…and the Uchiha name is restored…' Itachi thought as he remained loyal to the village. Even as his name was dragged through the mud. Perhaps in another life, in another time, Itachi Uchiha could've been the greatest Hokage that ever lived. He could've had the life he deserved…but that was not this life…for he was a Shinobni, and it was his burden to bear alone…
…Even if no one will ever know the truth of his sacrifice….
And Scene. Here is the XVI Chapter of the Journal of Hope, I hope you all enjoyed it. I wanted to shake up the fight with Sasuke and Itachi a bit, seeing as Naruto is more mature now and has more Jutsu in his arsenal. He's used them to get away from Itachi and Kisame, since after the Genjutsu lesson, he's learned to be rational about who he fights. He knows there are those stronger than him now, and he needs to be prepared for them, not blindly charge in. Not that he still won't do it if his friends are in danger. That's part of Naruto's personality. But he's a bit wiser now.
Also, because we all know what Itachi had to do for the village and why he did these things, it's no point trying to keep it a secret in the dialogue. So for the rest of the cast, to them, he's still the man that slaughtered his clan. But to us, he was the most loyal shinobi and most caring brother in the world. And that can never change.
Now the next chapter is more focused on Rasengan, Tsunade and Orochimaru. I'm trying to figure out if Naruto should be able to use only one hand with the Rasengan, or if he still needs a clone but learns it faster with the clone trick. Leave your thoughts, opinions and suggestions in the review section and stay tuned for the next chapter in…
Chapter XVII: Legendary Sucker v Golden Fox of Luck
(Title may change)