I don't own Naruto or any of its characters, I'm just a fan I enjoyed the anime but I love the fanfics even more, they made me fall for the whole franchise.
Chapter 41
Hinata took a deep breath, before releasing it, next to her stood Naruto and a little upfront was Sasuke he had changed his attire as well now wearing a black, one-piece version of his usual attire with many small belts adorning his left arm and similar bands around both legs with his blue-clothed forehead protector wrapped around his forehead.
"Hinata-Chan, can you scout out for any teams close by." Hinata turned to Sasuke's voice and hesitated with Naruto close by. Fear gripped her chest, but she did as requested anyway her attention fully on getting the immediate job done.
"Byakugan." Hinata whispered, her eyes widening in the process with veins bulging around Her already black eyes that got even darker looking like a deep abyss of nothingness. The two members of team 7 gulped knowing that no matter what they accomplished the one thing they couldn't do was beat her in a straight fight.
'I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of those eyes in the finals.' The two U's the Uchiha and the Uzumaki thought simultaneously. Hinata smirked at them like she knew what they thought because she knew their feelings.
'How does she do that?' Sasuke thought just trying to figure out how Hinata always understood his true feelings, it was the opposite of Naruto, somehow she just knew how to get him to drop his guard, and not even dropping it is never there when she's around.
"The Suna team is moving diagonally, they should bump into a team from Amegakure in about an hour if they continue at the pace they are currently moving." Hinata relayed her findings then her iris moved to leave her eyes turning into a glare in the distance.
"Team 9 is moving our way. Neji-Niisan is leading them, they are targeting us I presume." Hinata's eyes faced straight and passed Sasuke's form and all the other obstacles in her way to find two teams meeting. It was Kabuto's team and the genin with the massive chakra reserves that dwarfed the Hokages.
"Kabuto is meeting a strong Chakra signature it has a sickly yellow color and behaves like a living entity wearing someone else's skin." Hinata frowned and concentrated on the chakra that moved to control the body and not the bones and joints, the body's tenkentsu looked lifeless as well with no chakra inside.
"It's Orochimaru." Hinata exclaimed recognizing the traits of the man from history books they read at the academy. She saw realization dawn on Sasuke's face, in history they said he was a snake in every sense of the word, and that description only fit one person.
"Who's that?" Naruto asked blinking in confusion, Hinata only smiled at the blonde facing him, and when her eyes met his yellow she felt love, then slowly she felt hate sipping in, and her eyes drew closer to the little box. Hinata deactivated her dojutsu and sighed in relief.
"We went over this Naruto-Kun when we were cramming for hours." Hinata reminded her silly best friend, Naruto crinkled his nose, while squinting his eyes in thought and Hinata felt that determination in him rise to remember the sleepovers they had at his place to study for hours only to either make it to class right on time or late the next day.
"Pale guy, wide smile, yellow eyes, and sleeps with snakes!" Naruto exclaimed in happiness remembering the way she told him to remember the legendary Sanin and everything about the historical figure would come back to him from there.
'Because you are the best kind of smart, the never giving up genius and I know you will pass if you put your mind to it.' Naruto remembered Hinata's words on the first day she slept over at his place to help him study on the night of an exam in the 1st year of the academy. Naruto saw those words as the reason he pushed himself even in the written exams so he wouldn't disappoint her faith in him.
'She was always there for me, how couldn't I see all that love before?' Naruto asked himself looking at Hinata with love and adoration, not knowing those feelings he felt were hugging her so much in an aspect deeper than physical. Hinata blushed at the love in his feelings she couldn't help but get so happy she giggled in joy.
'It's all for me.' Hinata stated to herself trying so hard to fight her blossoming smile, her lips fought valiantly, this was not a long battle but it was a ruthless one still Hinata shamelessly threw the fight and her smile won.
"I think we should avoid Orochimaru, whatever he and Kabuto have is not our problem until we reach the tower." Sasuke said breaking the moment the two were having though unintentionally because he didn't read the 'mood'. Hinata nodded in acceptance of the first order of business it was the wisest.
"Why are you looking at me duckass, I'm not so stupid to argue against the only reasonable idea around." Naruto grounded out to his, well 'something'. Hinata heard Sasuke grunt in response.
"Whatever dobe, I say we take on team 9 and take them out early, Survival is fine, but assurance is the key to our success." At Sasuke's words Naruto grinned liking how he and Sasuke were on the same wavelengths regarding how to take advantage of this no holds bar team death match.
Hinata sighed, boys would always be boys. Sasuke and Naruto both had a thing against Neji because of the many times he would try to degrade her back in the academy, finding out he was heading their way to obviously try something against her had them seeing this as an opportunity to 'set him straight' Naruto always said.
"I will handle my cousin if you don't mind." Hinata conceded to the plan, if it was for the team she would take on her fellow leaf nin and even her cousin to better their chances of making it all out as Chunin.
"Why?!" Both boys barked out at the same time and Hinata wondered how Sasuke had suddenly grown even more affection towards her just as Naruto did the same, what was she doing that she had to stop doing to make Sasuke forget about her?
"Please I have to take this opportunity to talk to my cousin." Hinata pleaded, her soft features pulling into a frown you would never want there and she did her best to look them both in the eyes. She felt the love come from Naruto and the admiration in Sasuke try to hug her but Sasuke was quick to hide those feelings. Hinata smiled though when Naruto's love washed over her greatest sense.
"Fine." Naruto sighed in defeat looking down in frustration. "Don't take it easy on him otherwise I'll jump in there and finish the job myself." Naruto grumbled out pouting at not being able to have that one on one against Neji he always wanted.
"Let's move then." Sasuke said jumping onto a tree branch with Hinata following suit but Naruto was quick to grab her by the waist and place her on his back following after Sasuke.
"I'll carry you, you concentrate on occasionally scanning our surroundings but keep an eye on the Suna team and this Orochimaru character." Naruto instructed the Hyūga heiress who nodded and adjusted herself on Naruto's back.
"Byakugan." Hinata performed her first scan and pointed to the left towards Neji's approaching team in the distance moving fast to intercept them.
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"Shisui Uchiha, you are here to answer to some things you have done, which we believe to have been questionable." Shisui took a deep relaxing breath and stood at attention hands to his sides, chest out and face up, his body language showing his pride to be a soldier.
Shisui looked to Fugaku who stood on the Hokage's right. Before the man never would have done such a thing until the Uchiha incident happened. Now the Hokage was so relaxed around Fugaku Uchiha enough to even give him his back.
'I will never use that vile power again.' Shisui vowed in determination if he wanted to continue living like someone he recognized he had to stick to this vow.
"Sir!" Shisui saluted clearly and loudly straightening even more to show his respect for the two men in front of him, the Uchiha head and the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village his beloved home and home of the Uchiha clan his family.
"In your report, it says you made contact with the suspect is this correct?" Fugaku Uchiha questioned him like only authority could voice broad and loud.
"That is correct Fugaku-Sama." Shisui replied quickly and clearly, already knowing where this meeting will end. The Jonin and investigator resolved to answer them as truthfully as he could.
"It says here his set of Jutsu does fit that of the Nara clan but only in the aspect of involving shadows there are no similarities in applications." Fugaku had already memorized the whole report with his dojutsu he didn't need the thing in his hand as he recalled the details but he did give the Hokage a chance to flip the page, while he stared at Shisui.
"Intangibility and being able to get swallowed in shadows, explain officer Shisui," Fugaku ordered and the Hokage looked over to Shisui smiling softly beckoning him to answer the PowerPoint.
"When Izumi Uchiha and Dan Uchiha made second contact on the third floor they were caught off guard when the suspect phased into the floor living only a black cloak behind." Shisui explained pausing to let them absorb the information while he planned out his next answer.
"I made the third contact with the suspect on the first floor I don't know how but his presence is very inconspicuous. He never left a single clue as to where he moved to, no scent, no chakra presence, or a footprint the traits of a shadow." Shisui elaborated and the God of Shinobi nodded trying to do the maths on the details being given.
"I confronted the Suspect on why he did what he did, and he replied because he wanted to." Shisui saw Hiruzen frown at the words, looking deep in thought.
"That's enough." Fugaku stopped Shisui seeing no reason for him to elaborate his understanding any further already seeing the ending coming.
"He escaped you the same way he did your subordinates." Fugaku stated and Shisui nodded stiffly. Fugaku sighed and Shisui smiled in gratitude at the man who felt sorry for him because of what came next. A reprimanding for something that was just an old man's senility getting to him.
"Uzumaki Naruto what do you know about him." Fugaku asked Shisui his voice still carrying that authority it had earlier.
"I met Naruto Uzumaki on the first day of his third academy year. It was after school, he had a sparring match with Sasuke Uchiha that ended in a draw. He along with three others were heading to a bakery for lunch because Naruto owed the Hyūga heiress for a bet he lost." Shisui paused looking over at his audience Fugaku looked interested in the blonde boy he heard so much about from Itachi who Itachi called Sasuke's best friend because of how he can get with the blonde.
"Sakura Haruno from team Kurenai invited Sasuke to join them and Itachi convinced him to go." Fugaku nodded at that Sasuke was too hard on himself, so hearing Itachi was looking over his little brother even back then while he still had his own responsibilities made him proud of his oldest.
"The blond blew a lot of money." Shisui snickered at the thought of the wallet losing width by the minute. The Hyūga heiress ate a lot you would have never thought that the shy Hyūga was such a glutton.
"What do you mean a lot of money." The Hokage disrupted Shisui, finding the prospect of Naruto who was an orphan and the phrase 'a lot of money' to not fit the bill.
"I mean a lot of money Hokage-Sama I don't know how much but they all had custom-made beverages of their choosing and the most delicate of desserts all on Naruto's tab." The Hokage nodded at Shisui in gratitude filing that little detail away for later investigations before looking to Fugaku who then nodded to Shisui to continue.
"From then Until now I don't think Naruto's personality has changed much, he is headstrong, motivated, brash, and very smart." Shisui admitted looking to the Hokage as he said this.
"He has such great potential I believe he will one day stand amongst the greatest of them all." At Shisui's words, the Hokage's lips became a straight line and Shisui lost sight of the old man's emotions not able to read him anymore.
'Here we go.' Shisui grimaced inwardly when his Hokage became serious reaching the part of the report where Shisui of the body flicker admitted to informing Naruto of his burden.
"Shisui." The Hokage's voice came out with a bark that was so well hidden that Shisui only picked it up because he knew it was coming so his brain made sure to find it in the tone. The Hokage narrowed his eyes getting angry at the young Jonin.
"This is an S-class secret of the village." The Hokage barked at the Uchiha who only straightened further willing to take his punishment with no complaints.
"I had no choice Hokage-Sama the suspect had already revealed too much to the boy." Shisui inwardly grimaced at the flames of anger that burned in the Hokage's eyes when he read the last power point of the report.
"Naruto had made first contact?" The Hokage whispered in Shock reading the report on Naruto's part in the mission 3 times before looking at Shisui and looking disappointed at the Uchiha.
"You involved the Kyuubi Jinchuriki in an investigation and had him recording the whole thing." The Hokage stated placing his finger in his mouth and nicking it with his teeth drawing blood that he placed on a seal on the report and in a puff of smoke a camera came out.
"Go wait outside Shisui, Fugaku and I will discuss your actions for a few minutes." The Hokage ordered and Shisui nodded saluting his two superior officers before leaving the room to wait outside.
"Oh Kakashi senpai." Shisui greeted the man he found sitting outside the Hokage's office with an orange book in his hand. Kakashi looked over to him and gave him an eye smile with a small wave of his free hand.
"Yoh" he greeted back and Shisui smiled back at the man, another person he respected who had it just as bad as him growing up but they remained dutiful. Shisui reached into his pouch and pulled out his green book and sat next to Kakashi Hatake the copy ninja.
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"Orochimaru-Sama" kabuto bowed at his master his demeanor was completely different from his first appearance now he had an egotistical smirk on his face, and his eyes spoke of a sadistic personality that screamed your pain would bring him only joy.
The Kusa genin from earlier landed on a tree branch before landing on the floor. Walking up to Kabuto who walked up to him with his two teammates standing back.
"This is the disguise you chose?" Kabuto asked his benefactor who only smiled at him with that wide smile of his.
"Why yes, Kabuto-Kun this is Shiore-Kun he had a sense of fashion I couldn't resist so I chose him." Orochimaru in Shiore's skin replied smoothly.
Shiore had long smooth black hair and black eyes. He wore a traditional straw hat on his head The kanji written three times on the talisman hanging on Shiore's conical straw hat reads "Aku", which means "evil". He wears his forehead protector underneath the hat and an attire that resembled Orochimaru's but with the jumper legs matching the jumper's top half
"Kukuku…ah Kabuto-Kun, my most trusted spy, tell me your take on Team 7, they seemed to hurt your feelings back in the first test." Orochimaru teased his minion. Kabuto only smiled pleasantly at his master adjusting his glasses in the process.
"Haha, you saw that Orochimaru-Sama, I'm very embarrassed." Kabuto laughed away the joke pleasantly his demeanor becoming like the one he had in the first part of the exams like a light switch.
"Honestly I find them all interesting Otokage-Sama. The Uchiha is very talented and his eyes have already reached their second evolution in such a short amount of time after having been awakened during Mizuki's failed mission." Kabuto smiled cruelly at the thought of Mizuki failing them after all his big talk. if he could find his body he would bring him back to life only to kill him again after tormenting his soul. Orochimaru only smiled at the failed attempt at the scroll of sealing.
"The Hyūga heiress too has a potential, further investigation on her in the Hyūga archives has revealed her Byakugan is different from other Hyūgas. A 360-degree view of the world around her with a diameter of 800 meters in each direction including a bird's eye view of the same distance."
Kabuto explained and Orochimaru licked his lips in interest and greed.
"That would mean she has already seen us if she used her dojutsu from where they started Kukukukukuku…..tell me more." Orochimaru chuckled in glee at the prospect of such eyes on the hands of a child whose coils and pathways were still developing. How strong would those eyes become when they matured?
"It is stated she can see the color of people's Chakra which is something never heard of before." Kabuto told his master who nodded looking like he remembered something.
"Legends say the Sage of six paths' younger brother had eyes that could see people's intentions and nature." Orochimaru recounted a story he heard from his many travels to discover more about ninshu so he could further his agendas.
"What about Naruto-Kun? He seemed to appreciate your talents." Orochimaru smirked at Kabuto who smirked back at him and adjusted his spectacles.
"Naruto-Kun reminds me quite a lot of you Orochimaru-Sama." Kabuto admitted gaining the snake sanins interest with that observation.
"Ohh…please do go on." Orochimaru beckoned Kabuto his smile getting even wider, never reaching his snake-like eyes. Making it creepy and unsavory for the two genin spy's behind Kabuto who gulped when Orochimaru made eye contact from over Kabuto's shoulders.
"He convinced the people of Wave to name their new bridge in his name and he is quite revered in those parts, known as the Great Naruto-Sama. There is a traveling seafarer who is spreading his name across the elemental nations of a ninja savior, the last Uzumaki coming to save the world." Kabuto reported his other findings from the intensive investigating he performed during the genin corps 2-week holiday when he had left the village and headed to wave country.
"Gatō-Kun has never mentioned that particular mission before." Orochimaru mumbled offhandedly but Kabuto heard him and his eyes widened at the news.
"Gatō is alive." Kabuto asked surprised and Orochimaru tilted his head to the side in confusion at the shock in Kabuto's voice.
"Yes Kabuto-Kun Gatō is alive and well, he is currently here in the leaf as we speak I found him in Suna offering his services to the Kazekage." Orochimaru revealed this to the shocked spy.
"But the official report of the A-rank mission states that Gatō died by Uzumaki's hands." Orochimaru's eyes widened at the revelation before he laughed at a little funny scenario that played in his head that maybe Naruto was the one who sent Gatō to Suna.
"Maybe he survived." Orochimaru stated after his laugh had died down. " I could always just ask them kukuku keep up the good work Kabuto-Kun." Orochimaru told his subordinate before he vanished underground by the use of the 'hidden like a mole' jutsu.
Kabuto only turned around and walked back to his teammates who now looked at him in fear. Kabuto smirked, it was always like this, some members of Orochimaru's ninja force and spies liked to think of him as below them until they saw him and Orochimaru interact that is when they learned.
"Don't be afraid I'm not the snake here." Kabuto said smirking at his clearly scared teammates.
"Let's move out we have our mission." He ordered taking off into the branches with his teammates following behind him giving the master spy a wide breadth.
AN
We are in the forest and some divergence has begun earlier than expected with team 7 and team 9 heading into an eventual collision course.
Orochimaru has his interest peaked by each member of team 7 and Shisui has some things to explain about his choices and decisions in involving Naruto in an investigation and the process revealing to him his burden earlier than the Hokage had planned.
Next chapter tomorrow team 7 vs team 9 with some on lookers in the shadows.