AN: There's going to be a time-skip later in the chapter because I pretty much already set the base concept of the story now after the time skip things were really pick up! Be warned! Next chapter will of course go over details of the time-skip.
Chapter Three
Naruto sat alone in his room in deep thought.
He's been going back and forth with his thoughts. A few sleepless nights as his mind refused to believe what he had been told.
Naruto stared a picture of a red haired woman with blue eyes. Her face was formed as his. Even though he held the picture within his hand, the image itself was already plastered across his mind. He admired her, even though he will never hear her voice as long as he lived in this world. She was his mother, a woman who carried the Nine Tails within her gut just as he does now.
Kushina Uzumaki
He sighed and laid the image beside him. Even though it was just memory, something of the past, it still held great value within his heart. Nothing could be more valuable that the image of his mother.
He had gone through all the stuff Fugaku gave him; there were pictures of his mother and father, their notes in fuinjutsu and some notes of his father's Ninjutsu. Though at this stage, it's useless since he couldn't even weave his chakra just yet. He's truly indebted to Fugaku and Mikoto for giving him something the Hokage can never.
Identity
Thinking of Mikoto caused a sense of longing filled his heart. He felt a bit down and alone lately, it had been a few days since he last saw her. He's been worried about her ever since the incident in Uzu. Hopefully he gets to see her again one day.
He was brought out of his thoughts when a voice sounded beside him, "The village looks lovely from here, doesn't?"
Naruto turned his head quickly in shock but quickly relaxed when he saw a man he recognized, Fugaku Uchiha. Speaking of the devil, "If you say so." He muttered, his opinion on the villagers is still low.
Fugaku shook his head disappointedly as he continued to look out the window, "Humans.. they resent what they don't understand and choose to believe whatever it is that makes them feel better, even if that means ignoring the truth. Perhaps it's this attitude that made me believe that low lives who would follow such irrational thoughts were nothing but vile creatures."
Naruto still looking out the window responded by pivoting the conversation, "How's lady Uchiha? Is she okay?"
The Uchiha patriarch nodded in the positive "That's actually what I came for. I wanted to thank you for saving my wife's life, Naruto. Truly she would've die if it wasn't for your bravery. To think a child surviving in the wild. It's ludicrous." He finished with a shake of his head
The blonde sighed lightly, "I'm just glad we made it back. Can I see her?" He asked a bit softly.
"Yes, visiting Mikoto would do her well. She needs rest but maybe seeing you would give her the will to recover faster."
⁂
Uchiha Clan Compound
As Naruto stepped into Fugaku's home, his heart sank at the sight before him. Mikoto, once vibrant and full of life, now appeared ghostly pale, her eyes sunken and dark with exhaustion. She seemed frail, as if she hadn't been eating or sleeping properly.
A rush of chaotic thoughts flooded his mind, each one more desperate than the last. He couldn't bear to see her in such a state, and an obsessive urge to protect her consumed him entirely. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Every fiber of his being screamed to shield her from whatever darkness had overtaken her, to do anything and everything in his power to bring back the light in her eyes. But amidst the whirlwind of emotions, one thing remained clear: he would stop at nothing to ensure her well-being, even if it meant sacrificing his own.
Seeing the turmoil on the young Uzumaki face, Fugaku placed a hand on the blonde's shoulder, "You must not fret, chakra exhaustion is common among shinobi. She shouldn't have pushed herself that far but considering what happened, I'm sure she didn't have a choice."
''F-Fugaku-kun?,'' Mikoto awoke and saw Naruto and smiled tiredly. Light sparked in her eyes, "C-Can I talk to Naruto for a moment?''
The man looked at Naruto before nodding, "Just don't take too long, you need to rest." He said leaving the room.
''Come closer, Naruto-kun." Mikoto said softly.
Naruto did as told, and the woman held out her left hand. Naruto took it with his right. ''Thank you. You're such a sweet brave boy."
''What did I do to be thanked? You never need to thank me for that. I owe you my life." Naruto said firmly, despite his flow of thoughts.
"N-No, you saved my life. My little Sasuke will grow up with a mother because of you and I will forever be grateful. If I had I daughter, I would offer give her to you to adopt you into the clan,'' Mikoto gave a raspy chuckle knowing Naruto probably wouldn't accept that offer. ''But I don't. I can only say thank you. If there is anything you want, anything at all, please don't hesitate. I owe you my life so that will be the least I can do.''
Naruto shook his head. ''You know you don't need to thank me, Mikoto-san. I-'' He was cut off when she handed him a box.
"Merry Christmas Naruto-kun." She rasped tiredly.
Naruto stared at him frozen, his eyes wide in shock. It's Christmas... he forgot all about Christmas.
"You should open your present." She poked him in the side.
Naruto took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Tears began to trail down his face.
"Come on. Open it." She pushed gently.
Naruto gazed at the box unsurely, he then looked back at the woman who nodded at him in encouragement. He pulled at the silky cloth gently. He unwrapped the box and found a sealed wooden box. Naruto unclipped the lock and opened the box and his eyes widened in shock.
"I figured you'd want your own since you was glancing at mine," She explained tiredly.
Naruto's hands slid into the box and he touched the Uchiha gunbai gently. The fan is entirely black. Carvings of red flames stretched from the handles, deep swirls wrapped around the fan from the hilt to the top in an intricate pattern and ended in a small inferno of exploding fire.
Right underneath were two twin swords with red holes hilts. Engraved on the blades were the motto the Uchiha clan took to heart.
Fire and Blood.
"It's beautiful." He muttered; also it looked very expensive.
Naruto swallowed, his mouth felt dry.
"Do you like it?" She asked.
Crying, Naruto nodded. Mikoto smiled at his silent response.
"As my hero, I expect great things from you, Naruto-kun."
Naruto gazed at the woman silently for a long moment.
"Thank you.. thank you for everything." He meant it.
"Thank you so much." He repeated quietly. Hugging her tightly. But he didn't get a response, he realized she fell back to unconsciousness.
"Even after everything I did, this still happened. If she d-dies like this..." The blonde muttered on the verge of anger.
Fugaku walked back into the room his eyes glowing an eerie red. "This Village ran by the Third Hokage has failed. If the truth was given in the beginning, she wouldn't have to risk herself to protect you."
Tears began to shed down the blonde's face, silently he cursed his own weakness.
"The sad reality is even if she came back in one piece, I'm afraid she doesn't have much time left. None of my clan do."
Naruto's whole body shifted towards Fugaku; fear and worry evident on his face, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Just like you, my clan is ostracized by the village. Like you, they fear our power which cause distrust within the village. As we speak they are using my son as a mole to wipe us out. We do not have much time left. Here let me show you." His Mangekyō Sharingan flared into life as he showed the Naruto the immediate future.
The boy began to hyperventilate as he fell to his knees when he saw it. The piles of bodies, both young and old, littered the streets, their lifeless eyes staring blankly into the abyss. The cries of pain echoed through the desolation. The flickering flames illuminated the faces of those who had fallen, their expressions frozen in fear and disbelief. No six year old should be privy to such information. So the question remains why would Fugaku do as such.
"This is reality, this is the fate of all of us. Mikoto, no matter if she pulls through or not, will die... Unless."
Naruto eyes began to slit, a spell of emotions plastered on his face. "U-Unless what?"
"Tell me Naruto if we can postpone the inevitable, how far would you go to protect her?"
The boy thought of everything he's been through, the abuse, the lies, and the embarrassment. He realized the only constant good thing he has in this world is Mikoto. The only light in the dark grim world. He realizes if want to keep his happiness he needs to keep her and her family safe.
He then clenched his fist.
"I'll do anything to make sure she's safe." He responded firmly.
The Uchiha patriarch eyed him seriously, with the power and potential this boy has he knows with a few years of intensive training he can accomplish anything. "Anything?"
The darkness swelling in Naruto's eyes intrigued Fugaku.
"Anything..." the boy responded ominously calm
Suddenly Fugaku turned around, "Is that so? Then come with me."
Five Years Later
"You still haven't come up with anything, Jiraiya?" Hiruzen said as Jiraiya sighed and nodded.
"I checked Iwa, Suna, Kumo, Taki, Kusa, even wave country I haven't found no hind or hair of him." Jiraiya said as the past two years have been rough on the 2-aging shinobi. When Naruto disappeared, the village was in an uproar as the civilians were celebrating that the demon was finally gone; at the same time the shinobi were scared shitless as they lost their most powerful military asset.
Hiruzen remembered the absolute circus that was the council meeting over the matter; Fugaku was upset that the Uchiha police force wasn't informed until so late in the search and said that if the Uchiha were given the notice sooner they could've found Naruto
"The only possible place is Kiri, and with the civil war going on it's very possible for him to hiding there."
Hiruzen sighed as he pinched his nose "But why did he leave? Was he tricked? Kidnapped? Or was due to my cowardice? Dammit! Jiraiya we have to keep looking for- " Hiruzen began until 2 anbu landed in front of him and Jiraya.
"Lord Hokage" Itachi and Shisui said in unison as Hiruzen acknowledged them.
The Third Hokage sighed tiredly, "Speak" Hiruzen said as Itachi spoke up.
"Lord Hokage; my father going through with the coup 2 weeks from now" Itachi said as Jiraya and Hiruzen nodded at their second biggest problem.
"He plans on doing something to distract the village while he and a few other powerful Uchiha plan to take you down head on" Shisui said to which Hiruzen rubbed his temples.
"Really? After all this time? Why now, I thought we're passed this. What do you two think our course of action should be" he said to which Shisui spoke up.
"If I am able to get the Uchiha council in one area I could use my Kotomatsukami and make them forget the coup" he said as all 3 looked at him "No casualties, no coup, and we can save the village from a possible civil war" he said as all 3 nodded.
"Very well" Hiruzen said tiredly as he looked at Shisui
"The next council meeting you use your genjutsu and we deal with this problem; until then we refocus on finding Naruto" he said as all 3 nodded. "I'm sending you two and a squad of Anbu to investigate Kiri, we need to find young Naruto now."
Both nodded and turned to each other.
"The next meeting is in a week to discuss clan finances; it will be late at night so you will encounter no resistance" Itachi said as Shisui nodded and smiled.
"Great! Now I gotta go and prepare for the mission; have fun on your date with Izumi" he said as Itachi face palmed at his friends' antics as Hiruzen sweat dropped.
"Jiraya lets- "he began as he noticed Jiraiya was gone he then looked over at Jiraiya pestering a livid looking Itachi.
"C'mon kid" Jiraya said with a lecherous smile, as Itachi's eye twitched "Give me the details; I promise you a fat commission if you let me use you 2 for my book" he said.
Itachi without saying a word left in a flock of crows to which Jiraiya laughed and Hiruzen got pissed.
"Jiraiya!" Hiruzen yelled at his student "Get your mind out of the gutter and let's find Naruto!"
Jiraiya immediately went back into business mode and the two began to try to find out where Naruto could be.
Land of Water
"Shisui, where do we go now?" A weasel masked Anbu said looking down at the unconscious Mist shinobi.
"Not sure Itachi. We just gotta move before another patrol strolls by." Shisui then eyed Itachi before responding, "Don't you think it's a bit convenient that our clan became more docile and agreeable when the Nine Tails host disappeared?"
Weasel nodded, "I agree, hopefully it doesn't have to do with visions my father showed me. Let's just hope with things going this way, that future wouldn't come to pass."
"Fugaku showed you the future at the Naka Shrine right? You got an idea who that man from the vision was?"
Itachi then looked towards the heavens, memories of that man and his power. It still sent chills down his spine. "No, let's keep it that way."
"Any news, captain?" Hog said jumping beside the raven haired boy.
"Yeah, I put in this guy in a Genjutsu. From what I've gathered, this civil war has been over for 3 and a half years then suddenly someone powerful came into play out of no where and the war quickly ended after. But no information about a blonde kid with whisker marks."
They took in that worrying information and now there's much to think about. For almost 4 months they've been allied to this stranger without nobody knowing. Just what could have been done in that time? All Konoha knew the threat of this entity is concerning, the question still remains. Where's the kid? Where is Naruto?
It seemed like things would just keep getting worse. How much bad news must they get before it becomes good? The village had more and more enemies by the day it seemed. They needed more intel. What are the terms on this alliance? Will Kiri be neutral or side with Iwa in a potential war with this new leader?
It really benefits Iwa if Kiri fights. Then it would be 2 fronts of a fight. Since all the villages that played a threat are to the northern side of them, and Konoha was dead center. If there was another village to ally with Iwa then they could potentially start to surround Konoha.
They would need to strengthen relationships with some of the smaller lands and villages otherwise the already difficult numbers will only get bigger and the scope of the war will force them to stretch even thinner than they were already.
"Captain, what's the plan at the moment?"
Shisui became serious, "We all are going inside Kiri. We have have to know the full scope of the situation."
"That's risky..."
"I know weasel but it must be done. Their village doesn't have quite the same barrier system. It won't alert them of our entry... they have homefield advantage however and if a thick fog rolls in, they're accustomed to it while we aren't. So we will move carefully and slowly once we enter."
They nodded in confirmation and moved on.
⁂
Hidden Mist Village
The Land of Water had many rivers cutting through and was a lot like a marsh. Many swamps and many springs were around. So much moisture definitely aided the Mist Nin with their jutsus. Here they could do many techniques at little chakra cost thanks to all the moisture around them. On top of being an island, that being a natural defense in itself, the fogs and constant sources of water just made this the perfect place for them.
They had all they could ever want.
Sadly when they journey into other lands they don't have quite the same advantage and don't have such an easy time pulling off jutsu.
After a day they arrived to the village. They hadn't entered yet as to just see how the shinobi acted. But Shisui noticed for the most part, everyone were docile almost as if in a trance. No, It couldn't be...
Genjutsu?
Impossible, to pull such a feat without the Sharingan seemed unbelievable and yet it seems Kiri is doing it, doing it casually. Just how much power did it take to keep everyone in it? Maybe the Leaf should have gotten involved back then. Too late now, so no point dwelling on it.
"Weasel, you see it don't you?"
"Yes, I can't believe it" He said with much trepidation
"Genjutsu?" Another Anbu confirmed
"Very perceptive. Yes, it seems their ally might be one out of force. I'm suspecting this guy is controlling the village."
"What about the civilians."
Shisui shook his head, "Let's hope that's not the case. For now, lets split up, while you guys look for the kid, I'll find the location of the shinobi who did this."
They all nodded and all left in different areas.
Shisui began running through the roof tops, trying to find an exit method as the only way in or out was that gate. He activated his sharingan to find signs of hidden passages since surely the village wasn't so naive as to only have one point of entry and exit.
This led him to a forest.
As he continued to run, he was alarmed when a hail of Shuriken and Kunai landed in his position; as he dodged and landed on a tree he was then attacked by a water dragon. Shisui quickly drew his sword and destroyed the creation; as his sword cleaved into the dragon, he felt more people arrive.
"Shit." He looked behind him and barely dodged a sword strike.
"Leaf Ninja, what are you doing here?"
"Oh nothing much. May I ask how you found me?" Shisui said looking at a Mist ANBU.
"You're spying on our village, you'll be dead soon." The Anbu said, ignoring the question.
"I see, so your sensory nin infuse chakra periodically and can 'see' what's around. Interesting. Well sorry to say but I-" Shisui suddenly jumped to his right to dodge another strike. "So, I'm surrounded then."
"Yes, soon your team will fall as well. Prepare yourself Leaf scum"
Shisui took out two kunai and held them in an ice pick grip. No point taking out his tanto when this would be a highly reactive fight. He still didn't know how many were around him so during their strikes he'd have to try to memorize anything distinct to separate who was who.
Another jumped out towards Shisui and he blocked the sword, he quickly stabbed the enemy in the gut but they just turned into water. Now that complicates things. He copied the technique and was glad about the water in the environment, it wouldn't be as taxing to use however it still wasn't one of his affinities. Just like the with anything else that isn't natural to you, it'll take a good bit of chakra.
Shisui then channeled chakra to his eyes and activated his Sharingan so as to get better vision. Two ANBU came from his left and right respectively and he brought up both arms to block the blades. Suddenly a third was coming from infront of him. He couldn't use body replacement as he was holding the two blades back, and if he tried to move, they might get an opening.
"Ah man, this will hurt..." Shisui suddenly flared in green chakra, semi summoning his susanoo and instantly body flickered away, which let him be repositioned to the left side of the guy from his right. He stumbled and before falling slashed the ANBU's left leg severing the main blood artery. They all were confused on what had happened, one second they had him dead to rights, the next, there's a flash of black with red and one of them is now bleeding out.
"He'll die shortly, if you don't fix that." The Uchiha quipped.
"You bastard!"
Shisui smirked, he threw a kunai with a explosive tag and it stabbed the other leg. They were all next to eachother as he made a sign. The seal glowed ominously before he flickered away, killing all three.
BOOM
"Now, how are the others? We need to leave now."
Reinforcements would be arriving soon and it didn't help that they would know where to attack while Shisui and his squad wouldn't, on top of that, they were all separated. He created 5 shadow clones to go look for the others.
There was no time to waste. They needed to move fast. Hoping the fight were over with he ran at top speed. The real Shisui and his other shadow clone arrived and found Weseal when he just finish his fight. He was tired and didn't look like he had another long fight in him. He got the memories of a few other clones and they had found his other squad mates.
"Itachi, you good?"
"Yes but I'm almost out of chakra."
"Okay, we leave, now."
Weasel noded and they began to move, an explosion was heard and they turned around to see a big bright light and the mist cleared for a second. A wave of evil and malicious chakra was felt.
"Y-You feel that..."
"What is it that?"
"Itachi...We better hurry or- HOLY SHIT..." Exclaimed Shisui
BOOOOOM
Shisui flared his Susanoo up and protected him and Itachi from a big black and purple ball of chakra flying at them. When it collided with the Susanoo it blew up and everything around them became a crater. The path the ball took was destroyed and it came from a tower.
They saw a boy with a white mask on with 3 red tails swaying behind him. But what concerned them the most was his eyes. Focusing on his dull eyes, they sense the familiar sensation. Genjutsu. The Mizukage is being controlled either by Genjutsu or something more ominous.
Shisui dropped the Susanoo and grabbed Itachi flickering to where his clones were with the others. They all looked at their captain with questioning looks.
"No time...we need to-"
Shisui reactivated his Susanoo however this time it was the complete upper body Susanoo. It was armored and carried a dual sword. He combined them into one and cut the chakra ball in half. The explosion dispered around them and the explosion didn't effect the Susanoo this time.
"What is this?" Bunny asked
"Its the Mizukage; the three tailed Jinchuriki... He is launching tailed beast bombs at us but he's being controlled by someone. Who, I don't know!"
They looked at Shisui and now wondered what the plan was. Someone has a Jinchuriki controlled, the Mizukage. On top of that, Mist reinforcements would be there.
Shisui stood contemplating the move. He was fast enough to get away from the Jinchuriki alone, but to have to carry the other three would slow him down making the Mizukage in his tailed beast form catch them. Aside from that, you don't become a Kage just by being a Jinchuriki. Yagura was a really skilled shinobi, him being a Jinchuriki just gave him an ace that in normal circumstances, guaranteed a win if he tapped into that power.
He clenched his fist as he came to a decision, "Weasel you're now in charge. I order you to retreat and tell the Hokage what we found."
As Shisui made his decision, the air thickened with tension. Itachi's eyes widened in disbelief, his heart heavy with the weight of his friend's sacrifice. The other Anbu exchanged silent glances, knowing the gravity of the moment.
With a solemn nod, Itachi accepted the burden placed upon him. "I won't forget your sacrifice, Shisui," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the encroaching threat.
Shisui's smile held a mix of determination and sorrow as he faced the impending danger. "Go now, Itachi," he urged, his voice unwavering despite the turmoil within. "The future of the clan rests on your shoulders. Protect the village by any means necessary Itachi."
With a final nod, Itachi reluctantly turned to lead the retreat, his heart heavy with grief and resolve. As the other Anbu followed, Shisui stood firm, his sacrifice a testament to his unwavering loyalty and devotion to protecting those he held dear.
"You Dogs of the Leaf are cowards." A voice suddenly rung out. Causing the Uchiha to turn around.
"Who are you" Shisui asked as one figure stepped forward his mask hiding his face. The "Masked Man," wore a white kitsune mask, a dark blue-grey robe with grey lining and a fur collar, and a tattered grey-blue cape. He has fingerless opera-length black gloves wrapped in studded red-brown leather straps, baggy black pants, and red-brown sandals.
"Who am I isn't important" the figure said as he drew his twin blades and got into a ready position, "What is important, is that I stop you here and now for the sake of the clan." he said as the Mizukage stood next to him. His eyes glowing red.
Shisui was shocked as he looked at the stranger as he opened his eye and showed a sharingan; it was different it wasn't the 3 tomoe its pupil, but a maelstrom pattern. He's never seen a Mangekyō of that variation before.
"How the hell did obtain those eyes!? Are you an Uchiha!?" Shisui asked angrily as figure scoffed.
"What does it matter to a dead man" He said as him, the Mizukage and his Anbu were about to face possibly the toughest opponent they ever faced; Shisui the Teleporter.
"A dead man you say? If you're truly from the clan then killing me is meaningless. Increasing the strength of the clan is our goal, doesn't that further our cause, or am I wrong?" Shisui questioned
"A friend today, maybe an enemy tomorrow. There's a chance that your advantage may put the clan at a disadvantage."
"So Fugaku still doesn't trust me? What will it take?"
"Surrender your eyes and give us all information about its secrets. And... tell me everything about Danzo. Including where to find him." The figure said firmly.
"And if I say no?"
The figure eyed glowed ominously, "You'll surely not reach what you desire. And what you desire will change, it will be... your life."
Shisui activated his own Mangekyō Sharingan and got into a fighting stance 'I can't fail here' he thought as he looked at his opponents 'If I fail then the village will fall' he thought as he braced himself for the onslaught that he was about to face.
The figure scoffed and got ready, "Is that your choice? That's fine by me. I'll rip those eyes out your face and bring honor upon the clan!" He proclaimed dashing upon Shisui.
A Week Later
Under the silvery glow of the moon, Itachi walked through the quiet streets of Konoha, his steps heavy with the burden of his thoughts. It had been a few days since his best friend Shisui had sacrificed himself. Itachi had grown up to be best friends with Shisui and his death had been really hard for him to deal with.
When he and his squad arrived to the village, they immediately reported to the Hokage. After they debriefed the Hokage, he sent Jiraiya and unsurprisingly he found Shisui's lifeless body on the ground. And the worst part was his eyes were missing. Could the Mizukage be that strong? No it has to be who ever was strong enough to control a Kage.
Itachi seen his best friend corpse at the morgue and thanks to this he had awakened his Mangekyo, but he had not yet fully used the ability since Shisui had warned him that the user of the Mangekyo would eventually go blind if he used the ability too much.
The mission had been an unsuccessful, yet his mind was consumed by the weight of his loyalty to both the village and his clan. As he neared the familiar sight of his home, he knew a decision loomed before him, one that would shape the destiny of many.
With each step, the memories of his clan's aspirations for power intertwined with his duty to protect the village he called home. Itachi knew the darkness that lurked within the Uchiha clan, the whispers of rebellion growing louder with each passing day. But he also cherished the bonds he had formed with his fellow villagers, the friendships that had tempered his resolve.
As he stood before the threshold of his home, the dichotomy of his loyalties weighed heavily upon him. In that moment, under the moon's serene gaze, Itachi made his choice. With a heavy heart, he resolved to protect the village above all else, even if it meant betraying his own blood. He will honor Shisui last wish, to protect the village.
Taking a deep breath, Itachi stepped into the darkness of his home, his thoughts were stopped by a small voice.
"Big brother!" Sasuke yelled as he sprinted towards his older brother hugging him.
"Sasuke? Shouldn't you be in bed right now?" Itachi asked as it was already way past bedtime
"Mom and dad aren't home, so i just stayed up training, waiting for you, can you teach me Jutsu!" Sasuke asked excitedly and then became disgruntled when Itachi poked him on the head.
"Not now, maybe later." He said tiredly.
"But right now Sasuke. Where's mom and dad little brother?" Itachi asked softly
"All the grownups are in that big house right there" Sasuke said as he pointed towards the building
"Hmmm" Itachi thought
Normally Itachi would have been invited if there was a meeting but he wasn't even notified of a meeting
This made him all the more curious
"Go to bed Sasuke" Itachi said
Sasuke wanted to protest but Itachi was already gone by then.
⁂
Naka Shrine
Itachi Uchiha, disguised by his genjutsu as an inconspicuous shadow, stood atop a rooftop overlooking the hidden meeting place of the Uchiha clan. His Sharingan eyes were focused, analyzing every movement, he didn't understand it why wasn't he invited to the clan meeting.
Do they suspect him of being a spy?
Inside the dimly lit room, Fugaku Uchiha, addressed his fellow clan members. His voice carried a mix of determination and resolve. "I've gotten a new vision," he spoke, his gaze steady and unwavering. "My eyes have shown me a new path."
Whispers of agreement and anticipation filled the room as the Uchiha clan members leaned in, eager to hear their leader's plan. Itachi furrowed his brows, realizing the gravity of the situation he had stumbled upon.
One man stood up, "Let us hope it's a righteous one!"
"We have been marginalized for far too long! We must take our place back from the village!" Another one roared
Fugaku stood up, his voice resonating with authority. "Our abilities, our history, and our contributions have been disregarded. It is time we demand what we deserve. The time is now for us to reclaim our rightful place within Fire Country."
"You speak of war, Fugaku-sama," one clan member interjected cautiously, concern evident in his tone. "Are you suggesting that we... make a stand against Konoha?"
Itachi began to sweat, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. He remembers the vision his father shown him at the Naka shrine. He was warned he didn't have much time.
Fugaku's eyes met his clan member's, all their eyes red hue burning with an intense fire. "If it is necessary to ensure our survival and secure our future, then yes," he replied firmly. "We will take whatever measures are required to protect what is rightfully ours."
As the discussion continued, Itachi felt a pang of conflict deep within his heart. He had always admired his father's strength and leadership, but the path they were heading down filled him with unease.
"I have to warn the Hokage" Itachi said to himself as he turned around but was met with Fugaku standing right in front of him
Itachi quickly reacted and jumped back
All of the people present starred at the duo in shock
Not only had they just learned that Fugaku had declared war, but Itachi had been secretly observing the meeting
"What's the meaning of this? Why wasn't i invited, father?" Itachi asked on guard.
"I needed to lure the mole in."
Itachi's eyes widened, "How did you find out?"
"I'm not stupid Itachi. It's time son, no more games." Fugaku finished, staring at his son.
"This is treason father!" Itachi yelled out
Fugaku sighed, "Honestly, I wish it wouldn't have come to this, but we have no choice, the Uchiha have been suffering under the oppression of the Leaf for far too long. And with Shisui death, there is no other way to do this"
Itachi eyes widen, his father wasn't privy to that information so that means, "So it was you.. You sent that monster on us. Dammit, I won't allow you to do this!" Itachi said as he reached for a kunai.
"Itachi ... You are truly a sweet child" Fugaku said as he activated his Mangekyo
Itachi recognized the pattern, he could never forget. "Shisui... that's Shisu e-" He was cut off, he didn't expect this and was put to sleep by a Genjutsu. He soon fell to the floor but was caught by his father. Shisui's Mangekyo peering into the crowd of people ominously.
"I'm sorry son, but this is for the good of the Uchiha clan" Fugaku whispered as he ordered 2 clan members to put Itachi in a cell until the Coup was over
"The real work begins!" Fugaku said in a loud tone
"Prepare yourselves, my fellow clan members, the reign of the Uchiha starts now!"
The cave roared of admiration and excitement to start this revolution. They all began chanting the words their ancestors screamed before going into battle.
FIRE AND BLOOD!
FIRE AND BLOOD!
FIRE AND BLOOD!
Root Catacombs
At the same time of the chaos above, Danzo was in deep thought about the state of the village. If Tobirama had never selected Hiruzen. If he was Hokage, Konoha would be unmatched. He would've captured all the Bijuu, and ruled over other nations with an iron fist. But the voice brought him back to the cold-hearted reality. The man he had adored and passed him and chose his rival as Hokage. A truly loathsome situation he would never get over until it was corrected. Before he dived to deep he was interrupted.
"Danzo-sama!"
Danzo cursed at the loud voice cutting him from his hegemony.
"What is it, Inoe?"
"There is an intruder."
Danzo frowned. He hadn't received word that someone was coming to him. He thought the fool Jiraiya was pulling a fast one on him. Or maybe it did have something to do with the actions in Kiri. It was so far troubling.
But who would dare invade his holy ground at this time of the night? There was no need to even think about the intentions. Nothing good was going to happen.
"Have you identified him yet?"
"Not yet, sir."
"Secure the base. Make sure nothing comes in and out."
He wouldn't want noise attracting Hiruzen's Anbu. It would be disastrous for him. There were things here he didn't want the Sandaime to see.
"Yes, Danzo-sama."
⁂
The stench of blood welcomed Danzo as he entered the hall where his seat was. His trusted body guards flanked him. An expressionless mask settled. Four bodies lay along the way. A silhouette sitting on his seat, crimson eyes staring back at them. The Mangekyo Sharingan that he didn't recognize. At first he thought it was Shisui but he shook his head, he was not sitting there. Danzo couldn't forget his eye. The Uchiha was a loyal servant, he wouldn't do this.
When the lights flickered on, Danzo noted that it was a man dawning a Kitsune mask.
"Who are you?" Danzo asked stoically
Slowly he took off the mask revealing someone he hasn't seen in the past five years.
"Kyuubi." He muttered coldly. "You have saved me the time and effort to look for you. You have done well coming here in person."
He had already suspected that the blonde was alive. It was just that the agents he sent never returned, so he never truly had any information to work with.
He glanced at the bodies. Two had very long, black swords stabbed through them.
Naruto was resting his head on the palm of his right hand. He didn't change his posture while staring at the War Hawk.
"You are the man that ordered the death of the Uchiha clan. I was told that you were a happy that Itachi and Shisui left to look for me."
"I was happy because they were loyal servants." An uncontrollable tool was useless.
Loyalty to the village. Service to the village. What was with a village that a shinobi was willing destroy everything, including family just so he could protect it? Naruto didn't understand it all. He refused to understand this notion. There was also a saying that one was at their strongest when fighting for their loved ones. Then it had to be family and village. Perhaps not.
The role of a soldier was that of sacrifice. It was no wonder many of them never had families. They just lived. Sacrificed and then died to be remembered as heroes. Some never to be remembered because they did their work in the shadows.
"I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things before killing you."
He said such words in a simple manner. So nonchalant you wouldn't think he was talking about killing people. It just made Danzo realize that the blonde was used to killing. He was a trained killer.
"Is there something to talk about? You just need to submit and serve Konoha. Those eyes you acquired will do us well."
"Submit?" Naruto laughed. "There is none of that. I do not belong to Konoha. And will never submit to its service. My mother has done enough for this village."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. The blonde would need some re-branding it seemed. He was stating it in plain terms he had no love for Konoha.
"What happened to Itachi and Shisui?"
"Dead," Naruto waved his right hand. "What do you hope to achieve by killing off the Uchiha? Is it just for the love of chaos?"
"This is truly a mess. I'm disappointed." Danzo relented, not answering the question.
Naruto sighed. The War Hawk wasn't going to answer his questions. But nothing unexpected. Though, he would have liked to kill some time just talking to the War Hawk, just to understand how his mind worked.
"Well, we should get to it."
Naruto then stood up. His eyes turned to Torune. If he was not mistaken, that was the troublesome shinobi here. Naruto didn't want to be poisoned. The logical step was to simply deal with him quickly before he got held up cutting down the others. The two closest to Danzo were strong ones, and the rest it was just nuisance.
"Torune… Fu…" Danzo started firmly. "Deal with him. I will join you. He is obviously not going to be easy since he has the sharingan. He is also a Jinchuriki."
To underestimate the boy would be his downfall. If he came here alone, he had to be confident. And that he was able to reach this place meant he already knew about them. Someone must have given him information and it could only be Orochimaru. Damn that snake. Hiruzen should have killed him when he had the chance. After this, he had to strengthen his hand in dealing with him. Collaboration was not useful if the Sannin was going to plot against him when he wasn't looking.
"Understood, Danzo-sama."
Fu and Torune charged forward. There were ten others with them. They were facing against a Jinchuriki. They had to be careful. But this was their home. They could quickly deal with it.
"Intel is always important for shinobi. You know the one is Aburame with deadly use of poisonous bugs and the other is Yamanaka." Naruto said staring directly at Torune.
"You've done your homework," Torune stated. "But it isn't going to help you."
Naruto shook his head, waving his index finger. "Amaterasu."
Fu jumped away from Torune when the man was ignited by black flames. He glanced at the boy, whose left eye was bleeding while he walked toward them with steps that appeared to be giant.
He gave the order for the others to attack.
Naruto didn't stop walking when the ten started darting toward him. He increased his pace slowly before disappearing in a flash of red. He appeared behind the ten, standing atop of one the long swords, while holding the other.
Fu blinked. How had that happened? It could only be teleportation. He had teleported to one of his swords. But the other?
He had no time to think as the boy lunged toward him, holding both swords with both hands. Fu brought out a small blade and took a defensive position. Within the blink of an eye, Naruto was in front of him. The sword held by his right was weaving horizontally toward his waist. It was likely to cut through him given its speed. He swiftly aligned his sword across his body.
Clang
The blades clashed, causing sparks to fly. He gritted his teeth, feeling the immense strength behind the strike. What worried him was the other sword Naruto held. His relief came when another shinobi jumped from behind, stabbing a sword toward the back of the boy.
Naruto saw this coming with his Sharingan. He drove his second sword in a backward stab. The long sword pierced through the Ne's chest. As he did, Fu jumped away.
"Water Style: Water Bullet!"
Naruto narrowed his eyes toward his left side. A bullet of water was speeding toward him. He pulled the man he had stabbed and used him as a shield. The bullet crashed into his body, water splashing all over as it he skidded a little.
While skidding, a Kunai hit the floor, marked with an explosive tag.
!BOOM!
The tag exploded forcefully, giving rise a column of crimson flames. The intense flames burnt for a second, with no sign of Naruto. But from within the flames, one of his swords was flung, having been thrown in speed. It was speeding toward the group.
They attempted to dodge the sword and successfully did, letting the sword flash between them. But then, Naruto suddenly flashed above the sword, his body upside down. He grabbed the sword, and then suddenly twisted around. There were cries as blood splattered into all directions.
Naruto landed down, holding both swords. Blood dropped beside him. And a lower half of a Ne agent. Two more dropped to the floor behind him.
While he was stabbing both swords to the floor, A Ne agent flashed in front of him. But the man suddenly froze, eyes wide as he was caught in Genjutsu. Naruto grabbed him by his throat as he sensed projectiles from behind. He twisted around, hurling the man toward the projectiles.
The second he did so, a kick hit him on the shoulder, sending him flying. He rolled in the air twice before landing, away from his swords. But it was a non matter.
The second he tried straightening up, two appeared, flanking both his sides. Seeing attacks coming, he held up both hands, creating a defense. Their kicks hit both wrists.
"Water Bullet!"
The same jutsu once again but this time, it slammed into his chest. The water dragged him. Sending him crashing into a wall.
When he crashed into it, he was forced to teleport away when multiple Kunai were sent toward him. He would have been filled with cuts had he not avoided it. He teleported straight toward one of his swords.
"Got you."
Naruto's eyes worked over time when he heard those words. The remaining five had surrounded him, stabbing swords toward him. They had predicted he would teleport to one of his swords. He nodded. That was a good plan. One worthy of an applaud. But still not good enough.
He held a single hand sign.
Chakra chains burst from his body. The five Ne agents didn't see it coming. The chains pierced through their chests, halting them from their tracks.
Naruto held another hand sign and lightning burst through the chains. There were pained cries as the lighting shocked through their bodies. So intensive that their clothes caught flames, and their bodies were burnt to the third degree.
Naruto canceled his chains, and glanced at his shoulder. A kunai.
"Tsk," he swore. "Carelessness. Lord Fugaku would be ashamed of my weakness." He said, removing the kunai.
"So the Uchiha is behind this treacherous act?"
Naruto chuckled at those words. He then picked one of his swords and turned to Danzo. Seeing the War Hawk. The ten Sharingan on his right arm. He whistled. "That is some armory, Orochimaru has treated you well…" he said. "Still, it is rather cold for you to let you people get killed while you watch."
"It is their duty to die for Konoha."
"But not your duty?"
Danzo didn't reply. But it didn't seem like Naruto was going to attack. He glanced at the sword Naruto left behind. And then back at the boy. A Sharingan and teleportation.
"You've learned the Nidaime's jutsu."
"Not quite. As you can see, I can only teleport to my swords. So the jutsu is only limited to these two tools." Naruto replied with disappointment. "There has been too many jutsu to learn and many things to do. But this is still sufficient."
"You will become useful to Konoha. A very powerful tool for me. You'll make up for those you've killed today."
Naruto stared at the War Hawk with a look of disdain. "This constant talk of tool and weapon is annoying me."
"Those thoughts are irrelevant. Reality is you will become a weapon."
Danzo went immediately on guard when Naruto lunged at him. The picked up a kunai and used it to try to block the swinging moving toward his left side, just above his shoulders. It was too quick to dodge without slowing it down. The sword cut through the Kunai, but it gave Danzo enough time to fall backwards, bending his body around his knees as he couldn't jump back in time to avoid the long sword. He watched carefully as the sword went past him.
But he felt pain shoot through his left knee. He was forced to fall on his back as Naruto swept him from the ground.
"When did you get the sword?" Danzo asked through gritted teeth.
He cursed inwardly. To think he would be forced to use Izanagi so early. But he couldn't move that well with the wound Naruto inflected on him. The boy was precise in his strike. It went straight to his knee. He couldn't move freely with it.
"Ah, you made the move knowing I only had one sword. Since you are going to die, let me tell you," he said lifting the sword on his left hand. "The sword can also come to me. So, while charging at you, I summoned it."
He tried to stab the war hawk but his presence suddenly vanished.
"Wind style: Vacuum Sphere!"
Naruto twisted around in a flash while leaping into the air. It seemed like bullets were speeding toward him. He held both hands in front and twisted them in blinding speed, creating a wind barrier by twisting both swords in a fanlike motion. The Jutsu slammed into his barrier, but failed to pierce through it.
Danzo suddenly appeared behind him while he was still blocking the attack. The man was holding a kunai, enhanced with wind chakra. He swung the kunai in a downward slash, aiming and his left shoulder. But before he could hit, a chakra chain burst out from his back, piercing through his chest.
In the moment, the jutsu cancelled and each and without even looking back, Naruto stabbed both his swords in a backward jab. The both swords pierced through Danzo's belly.
The man vanished from before Naruto could say anything.
Naruto turned around, a thoughtful look on his face. Danzo's very presence had just vanished. What was it? Izanagi? Noting that one of Danzo's eyes closed, he confirmed his suspicions. Without knowledge of the jutsu, he'd just be blinking, baffled over what just happened.
Fugaku was right, during his training he learned that understanding the structure of Jutsu and having knowledge of it was very important for a shinobi. The Sandaime Hokage was said to be able to know and understand a jutsu by just seeing it once. Knowledge was truly important but also its application.
"Izanagi, huh? I didn't think I would see it today. But Danzo, you should know, Izanagi only rewrites reality that occurred when it was active. You didn't activate it before I struck you. That is why your injury still stands."
Danzo remained perfectly calm. He would just have to ignore the pain and focus on restraining the Kyubi. He could not kill the Jinchuriki. He would lose a valuable weapon if he did so.
"Hiruzen has failed in providing guidance but at least you're trained well. That is something I'll thank Fugaku before killing him."
Danzo said, doing hand signs. "Wind Style: Vacuum Great Sphere!" He inhaled in large amounts of air and then compressed it, releasing a large sphere of wind from his mouth. The crushing jutsu rushed toward Naruto.
Naruto threw away both swords and followed after Danzo, releasing the same Jutsu. The Jutsu collided, resulting in a huge explosion of wind chakra.
When the explosion cleared, Danzo flashed in front of Naruto, as if he was flying, swinging a wind sword toward his chest. But the War Hawk never reached the redhead. He froze in midair for a second before Naruto caught him by the throat.
"Genjutsu?" Danzo didn't care that he was being lifted up into the air. "I'm impressed. But not good enough."
When the War Hawk tried to stab him, Naruto let him go and then jumped back.
Naruto came to stand still. He was running against time here. Konoha Anbu could come up here any moment.
"I don't have the time to kill your many times. But there is no other way unless I make you cancel Izanagi." He adopted a thoughtful look. "Hmm… let us use this as a training session. There are some styles that work better with a live subject."
Danzo ignoring the child, took out a Kunai, getting ready to attack him. When Naruto started rushing toward him, Danzo coated the kunai with wind chakra, turning it into a wind blade. He took note of the fact that Naruto was darting toward him with only one sword at hand.
Suddenly, Naruto blurred out of his view, causing him to twist around, while lifting his sword in a vertical position. The wind blade clashed with Naruto's metal. Admittedly, the boy held a lot of strength. Before he could make another move, Naruto waved his left hand. His other sword suddenly appeared, and a swift strike cut through his left arm. Blood gushed out when the sword slices through.
This forced Danzo to use Izanagi once more.
He appeared a distance away from Naruto. The boy was moving well. But avoiding using Ninjutsu. Then he was afraid that he would have to face Konoha shinobi. But avoiding to go all out would be his downfall.
"Just give up."
Naruto raised an eye brow. "You think I do not have a way of making you undo Izanagi?" Naruto released a small amount of chakra.
He hurled on his swords straight toward Danzo. Knowing that he could teleport to it, Danzo jumped away, and then took a different direction.
He was forced to hit the breaks when Naruto suddenly appeared in front of him. When reality began to warp, Danzo narrowed his eyes.
"Genjutsu again?"
"Indeed."
Danzo narrowed his eyes from behind, hearing the voice. Naruto didn't attack. He was just holding his hands together. "I'm not sure this will work. But let us try a different method… shall we?"
Danzo jumped away, feeling Naruto release more chakra. Whatever it was, it required a lot of chakra. It was an impressive amount of chakra that the child was releasing. But quite expected for a Jinchuriki who is also of the Uzumaki clan.
Naruto stood straight, eyes closed. He held one of his swords in a vertical manner across his face, and then sheathed the other. He held a single sign, two fingers lifted.
Danzo widened eyes when Naruto suddenly disappeared. He saw nothing but just when the redhead was standing still behind him, in the same posture as before. It was only then pain shot through his body. He glanced down, a shower of blood gushed out around his waist and slowly, he started to fall, his upper body severed from his lower body.
He vanished from reality and appeared a distance away. Naruto was still standing in the same posture. An aura of chakra still surrounding him.
Despite his experience, Danzo didn't see anything. What the hell was that technique? It was obviously a Kenjutsu style. Something he'd never seen before. He glanced at his arm and then back at Naruto. he still had more lives. But he had to figure out how to defend himself against that technique.
Why wasn't the boy attacking th-
His thoughts were cut off. He clearly saw it this time. Not the swing of the sword. But Naruto in front of him. Both eyes were open, all fingers folded.
His right shoulder fell off, blood gushing out. Danzo fell to his knees, holding his shoulder. He cursed Naruto. He wasn't immune to pain and at this rate, he was going to lose all his eyes.
Izanagi rewrote reality and he vanished. Along his arm. He appeared behind Naruto. But the redhead did not turn. He was holding his sword normally.
"Izanagi can only be kept active for a certain amount of time. So, even if you don't release it, once that time limit passes, it activates on its own… how many minutes passed before my first strike until now?"
Danzo couldn't tell. It was about a couple of seconds. Izanagi should've been active. Why was Naruto asking him about the time? Now that he thought about it, Naruto did two releases of chakra and then held two fingers. Was there some relation to that?
"Genjutsu?"
"Indeed, Danzo. But one that messes up with your sense of time only. It isn't exactly an illusion. I released chakra. As long as you are within the range of this disruptive chakra, your sense of time goes off. To you, things were moving quickly, but not quite. The requirement of my jutsu is that I disrupt your sense of time first. It requires a lot of chakra and concentration. So, I can only use it against a single opponent. I counted the seconds, one of your eyes closes after a minute. Look at your arm." Naruto said in a measured tone.
Danzo glanced down. Four more eyes were still open. He frowned and looked back at Naruto. The boy was smiling, knowing he was caught.
"Ah, I lied about the explanation. Everything was an elaborate scheme. Really, I just moved fast enough that you didn't see me." He laughed. "It's a bad habit of mine… well, you bought the lie. So it can work. There are four eyes left. Use them wisely."
Damn brat. Playing him like that. Was this all for jokes? Holding back wasn't going to do it for him at this case. But he couldn't really push all out not unless he forced the boy to use the Kyubi's chakra. That would no doubt alert Hiruzen and he would lose his chance of gaining the Kyubi for his use.
Naruto shook his head as he placed his man back on, "I've bought enough time" He said, his mood completely changing. "Day should break soon. It is better to finish this before people wake up. Fugaku will truly happy I've brought honor upon the clan." After saying this, he started walking toward Danzo with an expressionless face.
It was like Danzo was facing up a completely different person. The aura around the boy. His eye focus. And his sword seemed heavier.
Suddenly, Naruto blurred out of his view. Completely vanishing.
Danzo blinked, looking around. His body froze and he glanced behind. Naruto was standing there, looking at him with eyes that could only be said to be that of an adult looking down on a child who has done something very wrong.
It was insulting but Danzo remained calm.
"You were holding back."
Naruto lunged, striking his sword in a upside swing. Danzo didn't have time to react. He had already resigned himself to being hit the second the boy appeared behind him. The sword cut through from his left hip, making its way up until his right shoulder. It all happened slowly. He felt every inch of the blade.
Blood gushed out, his guts spilling to the cold floor. He coughed some more blood before disappearing as Izanagi activated.
He appeared behind Naruto while in mid-air. He took out a shuriken, blew wind into it and then hurled the spinning shuriken toward the redhead who had yet to turn around.
Naruto sensed the spinning attack from behind. There was no time to face it. He fell backwards swiftly, while still in the motion, lifted his sword. As the wind enhanced shuriken went past him, the tip of his sword stabbed through its center. And he twisted around, hurling it back toward Danzo.
Danzo had already readied another shuriken. He hurled it toward the incoming attack. The two collided, sparking an explosion before cancelling each other.
The War Hawk landed down gracefully. While holding a wind enhanced kunai, with the intention of hurling it toward Naruto but the redhead flashed in front of him. When both feet touched in front of him, there was no even a word said. Nor when his sword weaved through air in horizontal slash, aimed just below his left shoulder.
Clang!
The sword collided with his. If not for the wind, the it would have cut through it. Danzo gritted his teeth. The weight behind the strike was immense. His hands trembled. He had to use both hands to stop being overpowered.
His eyes narrowed toward his right. Naruto's secondary sword appeared out of nowhere. He tried to leap backwards to avoid the downward swing, but he didn't move fast enough to avoid it. It cut through his shoulder, severing his arm from the rest of his body.
As he landed a couple of feat away, holding onto his left shoulder, the blood works no longer a sight to bother, he swore at the boy.
"Hurry up. I don't want to kill you twice before Izanagi activates." Naruto said harshly.
"Is this the best you can do?" Danzo said with labored breath.
The masked boy chuckled, "Amusing. Enjoy the last moments you face because you'll never see the light of day." He said dashing towards him once more.