The Uchiha placed the newspaper on the desk in front of him, a stoic look on his face. He glanced up at the other man before him, the spitting image of himself if only younger. The younger man matched the stoic expression, waiting to see the reaction of his elder.
"So, Suna is crumbling."
"Not as of yet. The Ichibi's rampage the past two weeks has been mostly contained within the Land of Wind's borders."
The man rubbed his forehead.
"A Tailed Beast is rampaging. Appearing in random locations and killing citizens and shinobi indiscriminately. Surely the Daimyo and Danzo cannot believe it will contain to keep itself in enemy territory."
"I believe they will soon send one of us to handle the matter."
The man's eyes narrowed, his eyes meeting his sons.
"They believe our eyes can control a Bijuu."
"Indeed."
"Tch," the man rose to his feet. "They believe us to be on the level of our forefather. No other Uchiha has ever subdued a Tailed Beast."
"It is just my hypothesis."
"No, it is likely. They will send you I am sure of it."
Silence.
"Suna will not let this matter go on for long. It is a farce. Their pride as one of the great powers will not allow it. I would expect their Kazekage himself to mobilize to defeat the threat. If you go you will have to face him. Do you believe yourself capable of defeating him?"
"The Kazekage is the father of the Suna Jinchuriki and is said to be more powerful, even in the desert. If I am to be honest, I am unsure if I could defeat him."
"You defeated the Yonbi Jinchuriki."
"He is reckless. A kage would not have that same weakness."
"You are correct."
The young man continued.
"How did this leak anyway? Surely Suna would have clamped down on newspapers."
"The Guide is a notoriously powerful company in the nations son. Even the great powers cannot completely hide our weaknesses because of it. Its why villages are so secretive now."
The elderly man sighed and looked at his younger visage.
"Itachi, be wary. The Kazekage is not one to underestimate. Neither is a Bijuu. You have never felt killing intent like it...the power of a beast completely unrestrained. It is...not something to envy."
Itachi nodded.
"And of the other news father?"
Fugaku Uchiha snorted.
"You mean Minato's son? What about it?"
"What do you think?"
Fugaku analyzed Itachi's face, his eyes narrowed. The young Uchiha stared back at his father, his face absent of any emotion.
"You're worried about him."
"...I will not deny it."
Fugaku sighed.
"Your kindness will be your undoing. He is a traitor."
"You nearly were as well."
Fugaku grunted, ignoring the retort.
"Danzo will not tolerate him walking free. Especially if the reports of his actions in Iwagakure are to be believed."
"He would not hold a village hostage."
"No, he would not, but the public perception is all that matters. Everywhere he goes his actions will be reflected onto Konoha until Naruto is officially declared a missing ninja. Danzo may not care about public opinion, but he cannot afford to have all the other great powers ally against him either."
"So Hokage-sama will capture him?"
"He will try. But there are limited people in Konoha who can stand up to the Uzumaki, and even fewer who are willing to do so. You for instance."
"I would not fight Naruto-kun."
"Exactly. But you are one of the few who may defeat him. Therefore, capturing him is not an option unless he is emotionally manipulated. A tenuous solution at best considering why the boy left. No, Danzo will send a kill squad after him and simply reclaim the Kyuubi."
If it were anyone other than Fugaku in the room, they would not have noticed the slight dip in Itachi's lips. The slightest sign of a frown. But Fugaku was in the room. And as such he questioned his son.
"This displeases you?"
"He is my friend. And Sasuke-kun's old teammate."
"I highly doubt your brother views him in such a positive light."
"Sasuke-kun does not want him dead. He wants to prove his superiority over him."
"I suppose you're right. Regardless, you knew from the moment Uzumaki left the village what his fate was. I would have thought you'd have made peace with it."
"I acknowledge the truth of the life he will live, but I would not wish it on him. He is a good man."
"He is a murderer."
"As are we."
"And are we good people Itachi?"
The man was silent.
Fugaku stood up, staring out the window of his office in the fort they were in. Konoha shinobi and samurai could be seen outside doing various activities.
"It matters not what we believe or what we like. If you are to help Uzumaki you place yourself in grave peril. And you place the Clan in a precarious position, especially with Danzo running the village. Do not concern yourself with him. Worry about the forces of Iwa that threaten this border."
Itachi turned to leave the room, glancing back at his father as he opened the door.
"What is this world if men like Naruto are threatened with death for wanting to not suffer any longer father?"
Itachi closed the door.
Fugaku shook his head at his son's naivety.
"A cruel one son. A cruel one."
Asuma sat on the chair, looking over the battle reports. His body was covered in bandages, and his right leg was elevated on a chair next to him. The man looked like a mummy, strung up on strings. Exhaustion was clear in his eyes if the dark circles underneath them were anything to go by. But the veteran soldiered on. He had to. It had been utter chaos since their defeat and Shukaku's appearance on the battlefield. The Bijuu had forced their entire attacking force out. Most of their front line had been lost in the assault, most of them from the carnage unleashed by the Bijuu. Since its appearance they had been unable to make any substantial progress in the way of taking the Land of Wind's territory. The desert was Shukaku's territory. They would need someone capable of tying down a Bijuu to make any progress. Someone they were lacking on this front. They had no Sharingan, no Mokuton (Wood Release), and they certainly had no Jinchuriki. And unfortunately, only one of those could be rectified.
Still, until the Hokage gave him the official support on his request for Itachi Uchiha's presence on the Suna front, thereby weakening the Iwa front as well, his hands were tied. He couldn't confront a Bijuu and neither could anyone here. They could simply hide from the beast in a desperate attempt to not get more of his soldiers massacred. That by itself wasn't easy though. This was his second time dealing with a Bijuu. First when Konoha was attacked by the Kyuubi, and now this with Shukaku. He remembered exactly how it felt. It wasn't an experience that was easy to forget. The overwhelming pressure, the killing intent that flooded your body. It was all you could do to move underneath the pressure. The experience had to be worse for sensory shinobi who could actually feel the beast's chakra in depth. Their overwhelming power was enough that even non-sensory shinobi could feel it. It was a crushing existence.
An ant looking at the sun.
But this wasn't like that. In each of those instances you could clearly tell where the Bijuu was and it wasn't just due to their towering size. There was a constant aura of death that followed them. But there was no aura anywhere at the Land of Wind's border. He, apologetically, had sent sensory shinobi there to scout the area. Multiple times. And yet they never reported any feeling of death. No sighting of a Bijuu. But then just a few days later the feeling would flood the border between Fire and Wind. When he sent shinobi to investigate all they found was blood in the sand and ruined villages.
The beast was destroying whatever appeared in front of it indiscriminately. That was within the MO for the small file they had on Shukaku the Sand Spirit based on their previous engagements in war. It was a bloodthirsty Bijuu, more bloodthirsty than any of the others. It didn't care if you were a Suna soldier or not, it would kill you for being in its presence. But that made it easy to trace. Just follow the carnage and waves of sand. But it was like the beast simply...disappeared after every attack. Maybe it was tunneling so far underneath the sand that it couldn't be found? This was the first time anyone outside of Suna had seen the Bijuu in it's natural habitat, or perhaps the only time individuals had lived to tell the tale. Either way, it didn't make sense that a Bijuu could just completely hide itself. Their chakra signature, killing intent, and sheer size were too massive. It should have been logistically impossible.
And that left Asuma where he was. Looking down at the table in front of him with a map showing the Wind villages that were found destroyed. The frustrating part was that they weren't even close together. They were all across the border sure, but they were several miles apart. Some over a days' worth of travel. And the timing didn't make sense either. Shukaku wasn't traveling in a straight line. It would go one way, and then double back in a completely different direction. Nothing made sense.
He couldn't triangulate any location to search like this. And until he had one the Hokage would not grant Itachi Uchiha's transfer. The man rubbed his head. This was frustrating.
"Sensei."
Asuma looked up, his eyes resting on Tenten.
"Tenten, how can I help you?"
"Our scouts in the northern region of Wind have returned. They...come bearing troublesome news."
"Well, what is it?"
Tenten fumbled her fingers, worry etched onto her face. She stumbled over her words, as if unsure of how to get out what she was trying to say. Eventually, she seemed to find the correct way.
"The Kazekage is descending from the battlefield between Wind and Earth. If our scouts' suspicions are to be believed he is coming to regain the Ichibi Jinchuriki."
Asuma clicked his teeth. That was troublesome.
"What will we do sensei?"
Asuma frowned.
"Nothing."
"But sensei-"
"What would you have me do Tenten," Asuma stated, looking up at the woman. "We can't engage the Shukaku directly, nor do we have the manpower to effectively engage the Kazekage currently. He'd also be eliminating a massive loose cannon for us at the moment. If rumors are to be believed he is capable of fighting the Shukaku in its element."
"But sensei, he'll likely send the Bijuu against us at his earliest opportunity."
"He will," Asuma muttered. "But hopefully by that time the Hokage will have sent us Itachi Uchiha."
Tenten frowned.
"Sensei..."
"That's all we can hope to do in this situation Tenten. I can't defeat either of them. Konohamaru and I together may be able to defeat the shinobi, but we have no counter for the Bijuu. Itachi Uchiha can do both. We have no choice but to wait. Unless you want me to send a kill squad after the Kazekage and allow the Bijuu to roam free."
"I was thinking more along the lines of attacking the Kazekage and the host of the Ichibi once it has been quelled. They will be exhausted. A perfect time to strike."
"That's not a bad idea," Asuma mused.
Asuma nodded, a smile forming on his face.
"I'll leave you in charge of the recruitment for the kill squad then. Good luck, Tenten."
"Sensei!"
The kunoichi left his office. Asuma smiled, looking out the window to see the sun shining brightly overhead. Perhaps things were looking up indeed.
Sasuke grit his teeth as the sword as his side clattered to the ground. His hands were cramping, sending rivulets of pain sparking through his body. He grunted, trying to calm the seizing and grasp his sword once more. The young Uchiha growled, forcing his hand to grab the weapon despite the seizing pain. He slowly brought it forward, attempting to go through his katas once more. But his swings were slow and his control limited thanks to the pain. He got through a quarter of it before the blade fell from his hands again. Frustration filled his scarlet eyes.
"Damn it!"
The Uchiha stomped on the ground. The force caused ripples to travel through the dirt of the training ground, kicking up dust. He stared down at his sword in rage, the weapon's hilt stained red from the blood that leaked from his hands.
"I have to go further. I have to be better!"
He channeled his chakra, converting it into fire to cauterize his wounds shut. He hissed in pain, dropping to his knees. He smashed his head into the ground, desperate for something else to blurr out the pain of his own skin searing itself together. The second he could ignore the rest of the pain he reached out to grab his sword, channeling his chakra once more. He grit his teeth as flame sparked throughout the sword.
"I have to be able to cut through that fucking armor of his."
The Uchiha swung his blade, unleashing a wave of fire that lit one of the trees on fire. He wasn't done however, unleashing a circular slash that sent licks of flame up into the air. He grunted, preparing another swing only for the pain of his hands to flare back up again. He cursed, dropping the blade. The flames coating it immediately licked the ground hungrily, sparking a fire. Even as the chakra fueling the blade died out the fire on the ground did not. Instead, it began to rage, spreading across the ground onto trees and dead leaves. Sasuke's eyes widened as the flame quickly began to spread out of control. He had to stop it before it became a full-blown forest fire!
He reached out with his chakra, desperate to connect to the fire. He grunted in his effort; a pleading look in his eyes. But no matter how hard he tried he could never grasp the entirety of the fire within his control. He simply didn't have enough chakra left. The Uchiha was desperate, straining his chakra to bring the fire to heel. Part of the flames dissipated, but not nearly enough. The fire filled the area and smoke clouded his vision. It assaulted his lungs, forcing him to his knees.
'Damn it!'
The teen crawled forwards, desperate to reach out and touch the fire. If he could just touch it maybe, he would be able to control it. He didn't have the chakra to create a domain of influence around him. But if he could just touch it.
His body failed him before he got close enough, lacking the energy to move from his grueling training. He was too worn down. He had been at it for hours before. He simply couldn't push himself any further.
'No! I have to do more. I have to control this. Itachi could! If I could just do what Itachi could then...then father...'
The fire suddenly dissipated, snuffed out with ease. Sasuke's eyes widened, shock on his face. How? That hadn't been him. That was when he heard the voice.
"You idiot."
Sasuke looked at the ground, shame filling his face.
"Go away."
"Not on your life."
Mikoto picked up her son, placing him on her back. The man refused to meet her gaze, but she rolled her eyes, beginning to travel back to the village.
"You wanna tell me what happened here?"
Silence was her answer. She glanced back at the man, only to see him unconscious in her arms. She sighed. She supposed she'd be making a stop at one of the village hospitals before she got her answer then.
"Sage why did you give me an idiot for a son. Tries to do everything by himself."
Konohamaru lay on his faux-hospital bed in the medical building of the fort, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes were hollow.
Ino sat next to him, a notebook in one hand and a pen in the other.
"I need more aerial manueverability. I'd have been gored several times if Asuma-sensei wasn't there to send us flying through the air and deflect Gaara's sand."
Ino scribbled the note down.
"Also, I need a better way to reinforce my body. Something like what the Raikage has. Gaara's sand is incredibly dense, like kicking a steel wall. Even with chakra enforced attacks it's not a good idea to attack into it physically."
Another note.
"Also, I need to talk to Kakashi-sensei or Shisui again. Preferably Shisui. I need something to learn how to make my fire hotter. Exercises for that are critical. Chakra control."
Another note.
"I need a new defensive jutsu, preferably the same as the one that can reinforce my body. It should be either Doton or Fuuton in nature likely. My staff isn't an effective tool at blocking his sand. It just splits it up and he still has the control to deal with it. I need to create my own absolute defense."
Another note.
"Thank you Ino," came the voice. The girl looked down at Konohamaru. "You didn't have to do this. Writing down these notes for me just because I can't do it right now. I appreciate it."
The girl smiled softly, gently punching the injured young man on his shoulder so as to not hurt him.
"Of course, you idiot. What are friends for? You need your battle review notes right?"
"Yeah, but you didn't have to write them. I could have written them once they let me use my hands."
"Nonsense. What if you forgot something? It's better to write the closer to the battle you had. That way you can remember any details. I know how obsessive you are. It wouldn't do for you to not remember key details of your fight."
Konohamaru shuddered.
"I don't think I could forget that fight. Any detail. A Bijuu...it's..."
The woman placed his notebook down, looking at Konohamaru with concern.
"Konohamaru...are you sure you're okay? You did face down a Bijuu. That level of pressure..."
Ino shuddered, remembering her own experience. She had completely frozen up when the beast had come out. If it weren't for Kiba...she didn't want to think about what would have happened to her.
"I'll never forget that fight. Never in my life."
"But in your notes," Ino whispered, the fear of Shukaku restraining her personality. "There's no mention of Shukaku. How to fight against it better."
"That's because there's nothing to say," Konohamaru muttered. "I can't fight something like that."
Ino paused, shocked at the matter-of-fact statement.
"But people have beaten-"
"Those were not people," Konohamaru insisted. "Those were legends. I can't hope to be able to fight a Bijuu by myself. I'm not the Shodai or Yondaime. I'm not the Sandaime Raikage."
Ino frowned.
"But...what if you were?"
Konohamaru stared at the woman, shock on his face.
"What?"
"We don't have a Jinchuriki," Ino stated. "We're relying on the Uchiha to handle Bijuu because we also lack anyone who can use the Shodai's Kekkei Genkai. But the Yondaime beat a Bijuu without any Kekkei Genkai. So did the Sandaime Raikage. And it's rumored that your own grandfather could do it too."
"I don't see your point."
"It's in your blood Konohamaru," Ino stated, jabbing him with a finger on his chest. "I believe you can be just like those legends. Didn't you say you were gonna be Hokage when you were a Genin? Well, I think you can be. So be the Hokage Konohamaru! And everything that entails."
Konohamaru stared at the woman, shock on his face. She believed in him that much? Him? Who didn't even have any accomplishment to call his own? Yet she believed that he could be the next Hokage?
A faint smiled crossed his face, remembering the words he had said as a Genin. He had all but forgotten them. He was so focused on simply growing stronger through the war. Proving himself as a Sarutobi in his own right, not simply the grandson of the Sandaime Hokage. But had he truly forgotten his dream? And Ino...she remembered it. She believed he would still accomplish it.
"Ino... I should really find a way to thank you for all this."
"How about you thank me by getting healthy and getting stronger? Sounds like a fair trade to me."
Konohamaru grinned, the first genuine smile she had seen on his face in a long time.
"It's a deal. On the word of your future Hokage."
The woman smiled.
Danzo walked across the testing chamber, watching multiple specimens floating in test tubes filled with liquid. He turned to the masked figure running the operation, their white mask illuminated by the torchlight in the room.
"Blank, status report."
"The cultivation process for the Uchiha and Hyuga genes is going poorly sir. The specimens are too few for me to get a good genetic sample. Plus, many of them have underdeveloped eyes. They're too young. Combine that with the time of their deaths and well, there isn't much I can do I'm afraid. I cannot progress quickly in the cloning of the Kekkei Genkai. I'm afraid I will need more time."
Danzo stared at Blank.
"We have a Bijuu roaming our border. I need Sharingan active."
"Sir, even if I was able to successfully replicate the Sharingan I would need to test its abilities to ensure it was comparable to the original. Would it not be best to send Itachi Uchiha there instead?"
Danzo frowned. "He is untrustworthy. He is suspicious of my leadership as is his entire clan. If it weren't for Hiruzen and Jiraiya I'd have wiped them all out by now. But they've become too important a military asset to rid myself of them now without these clones. Finish the project."
"Understood sir. Although, if I may suggest getting adult shinobi instead of young children."
"Gathering corpses of those who have died on the battlefield and retrieving them secretly is a difficult enough task, but now you ask of me to get powerful adults? Your ambition should have been curbed."
"I merely wish to speed up the development of your project Danzo-sama."
Danzo waved him off, turning to stare back at the subjects in the test tubes.
"You ask for adult specimens and you shall have them. Hyuga and Uchiha."
"Branch members would not be useful my lord. They-"
"I'm aware."
Blank was silent.
"And the other project? How does it progress?"
Blank was silent, walking away from the desk that contained a messy heap of notes. The masked figure pressed a button on the wall, releasing a gout of steam as a door opened, revealing a secret room. The duo walked through it, revealing a large test tube filled with a green liquid. A small figure, no bigger than a five-year-old child, was in the center of the test tube. Dozens of cords strapped themselves to their body, pumping inside of it some strange liquid from tubes that came from the floor.
"It is...a struggle as the others my lord. More than recreating the Sharingan or Byakugan. The Shodai's genes are...notoriously difficult as you're well aware. The only successful recreation is Kinoe, and even then, his powers pale in comparison to the Shodai's capability. Even when combining the original genes, we have with Tsunade Senju's and Kinoe's...I cannot speak to its success. The child's chakra pool is quite small by all measurable scans. The only positive side is the astonishing rate of growth. We started the project three years ago and the child is already at this size."
Danzo nodded, staring at the child. His eyes narrowed. The fate of Konoha rested on the shoulders of that experiment. It had to be successful.
"What would assist in its creation?"
Blank tilted their head, pondering the question.
"The Senju Clan is all but extinguished outside of Tsunade Senju. But their closest relatives that are still alive are the Uzumaki. I suppose a sample of Uzumaki genes may be of assistance. Of course, one of the two Uzumaki's Konoha possessed is dead and her body burned. The other..."
Danzo smirked.
"I will get you Uzumaki genes then."
Naruto took off the bandage, rolling his shoulder. He looked around the room of the inn he was in, a frown on his face. Kakuzu had left some serious wounds on him for him to require so long to heal. But he was finally back in top shape. Naruto frowned when he thought of the fight. He had no idea where the man had run off to. That was worrisome. He wasn't an experienced tracker; he wouldn't know where to begin hunting for the man. Which meant the next time they fought, and they would fight again, that it would be on Kakuzu's terms once again. And he would be better prepared to counter his techniques. The frown on his face deepened at the thought. He had to get even stronger if he was to survive that battle. Kakuzu had pushed him. He had almost died. If it weren't for the Kyuubi that lung wound likely would have killed him. He wouldn't have been able to operate well even if he didn't die to the wound itself.
The blonde laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. How the hell was he supposed to train? It wasn't like he could do much of anything in his circumstances. The second he started throwing his weight around any village worth their stuff would know exactly where he was? Although, considering he had been found three times now he supposed he wasn't that hard to find anyway. Maybe he should get better at hiding before he tried training? No, that was pointless. Kakuzu was a master tracker. He'd be found regardless of how well he hid.
Naruto groaned, thoughts of the bounty hunter filling his thoughts. Not once throughout that battle had his blood pumped. No, instead it was a cold pressure. Not once had he felt excited throughout the battle. He was just fighting on instinct, with no time to enjoy the fight. And then he had been dishonored. He had felt insulted. Insulted his prize jutsu had been caught. The blonde grit his teeth. No, fights like the one he had with Kakuzu were not the ones that he sought. Not the battles that made his body feel revitalized. There was something missing. Something human. Fighting Kakuzu was like fighting a robot. There was something different about fighting the Iwa shinobi. Something deeper. Personal.
He shuddered.
He enjoyed that?
The blonde shook his head, standing to his feet in a rush. He couldn't think about that. It wasn't the time to anyways. He was finally healed, and he had to get moving. If Kakuzu hadn't gone after him himself, whoever had hired Kakuzu to kill him would be sending more shinobi after him soon. Dangerous shinobi. It didn't matter if the man was moving independently or not, the blonde would be hunted. There was no way around it now. He quickly grabbed his copy of the Guide and leapt out the window, reading it as he appeared on the streets of the village below. He didn't bother to cover his appearance with a Henge (Transformation Jutsu) now. Clearly, he could still be tracked.
His eyes skimmed the paper, widening slightly at the report of Shukaku running rampant towards his west. He was already headed to the border to find out what had happened to Hiruzen, but it seems there was an added reason to do so now. The rest of the paper was mostly unimportant. Claims that Kumo was going to solidify its position in the former Frost and Hot Water after it had conquered them. Speculation on the former Land of Rivers that was now Land of Fire territory after they had conquered it and how it would last against a rampaging Bijuu. How the Kusa shinobi's integration into Konoha's forces was going since they had been annexed by the powerful nation.
Nothing that was important.
The blonde grunted, glancing upwards. He was in Hacho Village now. Not far from the Land of Wind. It would take him roughly three days to reach the border. Two if he actually decided to go quickly, and one if he was in a desperate rush. But he was not in a desperate rush. In fact, he should have been going slower.
The blonde turned to his left, staring at the large mountain range. If he was correct...what remained of the Hole would be there after it's destruction in the early stages of the war. The ancient superweapon had been attempted to be activated by Suna to invade Konoha. No one knew how they managed to even find out about the superweapon, considering Konoha had been completely unaware of its existence at the time. But the entire site had been destroyed in an effort to stop the weapon from wreaking havoc across the land. But the faint wisps of chakra that clouded the area still lingered.
A perfect place to hide his own chakra presence as he hid.
After all, Kakuzu would no doubt find a way to better counter him. He had to have a new trick up his sleeve to counter that. Plus, if he was going to go to the border, he would need something that allowed him to escape a Bijuu on the off chance he ended up running into Shukaku. It was not his intention, but it wasn't exactly like he knew where it was at all times. And to be caught unawares fighting a Bijuu was certain death.
The blonde nodded, walking out of Hacho Village into the forest towards what remained of the Hole. He glanced at the signage that attempted to dissuade passerby's from going towards the area. It meant nothing to him. The animals in the area may be more dangerous due to the constant pressure of chakra in the area, but they were nothing to him. Just as he was about to pass it a hand grabbed his arm. The blonde turned his head slightly, staring at the old man that was grabbing it.
"Do you know what's up there boy? It's dangerous."
Naruto almost snorted at being called a boy. He hadn't heard that one in a while. He was in his mid-twenties!
"I'm well aware of what used to lie there. I'll be fine."
"I don't think you understand," the old man said, his grip tightening. "The animals there have more chakra than normal animals. And the atmosphere...it's the stench of death. Nothing good can live up there. Only evil."
"I can withstand evil."
"No one can withstand evil!"
Naruto blinked at the force with which the man spoke.
"Evil runs the world we live in child! It is the fuel of the ninja villages, the blood that coats the land, it permeates the very air we breathe. There is no withstanding it. We all succumb to it eventually. Do not go to a place so tainted by it."
Naruto frowned, yanking his arm free.
"If we are surrounded by evil at all times, I shall go to the place that suffers from it most. If I'm to be corrupted, I would rather get it over with."
"Foolish boy," the old man stated, his gray eyes harsh. "You walk towards death. You should run from it. There is no going back."
Naruto fought to control his rage at the man's statement. He was quickly drawing his ire. Who did this pretentious old man think he was?
"I do not fear death."
"You sound like those shinobi all those years ago that fought over the Hole," the man muttered. Hate was clear in his voice. "I do not fear death," he mocked. "How many of them are alive today I wonder?"
Naruto was silent. He knew what had happened to all the Konoha shinobi that had gone to stop the superweapon's activation. If they weren't KIA by Suna shinobi they all died grizzly deaths not long after the mission. But that had to be due to their injuries and the fact that Suna shinobi were notable poison users typically. There was no such thing as evil or good chakra.
"One last time boy, do not go there. If you have any that value you, any that care for you you shall stay here. Avoid evil where possible."
Naruto turned on his heel, walking up the mountain and avoiding the man's words.
"I have no one."
The old man watched his ascending form, a frown on his face.
"Boy...you must not die."
Mikoto watched as Sasuke opened his eyes, a frown on her face.
"Mother?"
Mikoto nodded, resting a hand on his forehead. Nothing odd.
"Where am I?"
"The hospital closest to the training grounds. You passed out."
"I see."
Mikoto waited for her son to continue, but she was met with only silence. He murmured out a thank you several minutes later but said nothing else in his shame. The woman patiently waited, ordering the flowers that were on the stand next to his bed.
"How long do I have to stay?"
"They said when you wake up you can leave. You just had chakra exhaustion. The nurse suggested you should take it easy for a few days."
Sasuke nodded, still refusing to meet his mother's eyes. He began to rise from his bed, a wince of pain marring his face briefly. Just as the bed sheets slipped off his body Mikoto pushed him back down with one hand, the man hollering in pain at the action. Mikoto stared at him, an annoyed look in her eye.
"Going back out to train when you can't even react to me forcing you down doesn't seem like a good idea does it?"
Sasuke turned his face to the side, refusing to meet her eyes.
"Who says I'm going to train?"
"Please try this fake-out bullshit with your father and brother. I'm not as stupid as they are."
Sasuke was silent.
"So, you gonna talk to me?"
"What is there to talk about?"
"How you're feeling."
"I'm fine."
"If you were fine, why have you been killing yourself these past few weeks to get stronger."
"We are in a war mother."
"And yet you haven't pushed yourself like that since Kushina's boy left."
Sasuke was silent. Mikoto shook her head.
"But he isn't the real reason you're training, is he? Just the catalyst."
Sasuke remained quiet. Mikoto sighed, rising to her feet.
"I can't help you if you don't talk to me Sasuke. You desire power, but with power comes responsibility. If you can't be mature enough to tell me, your mother, the truth about your problems then you clearly aren't responsible enough to wield true power."
Sasuke clenched his fists, his eyes snapping to meet his mothers.
"I am plenty responsible!"
Mikoto's Sharingan flashed to life, the crimson orbs staring into Sasuke's onyx ones.
"You are a petulant child who has always been frustrated at being the second son."
Sasuke's own eyes bled crimson as he rose to meet his mother only for her to push him back down. Her eyes were hard. Sasuke grit his teeth.
"I have no desire to lead the Uchiha Clan."
"Do not play coy with me child."
Sasuke glanced downwards, refusing to meet his mother's eyes. His eyes returned to their normal onyx. Mikoto was scary like this. Scarier than their own father when she was angry.
"You hate the fact that you're second in your father's eyes. That you've never been good enough. Second always to Itachi."
Sasuke grit his teeth, his hair hiding his eyes. Mikoto stared at him. He desperately wanted to remain quiet, but the piercing gaze was too deep to bare.
"You're wrong."
Sasuke's face stung as he was slapped, his face turning to the side with a bright red mark on it. He whirled at his mother only for his eyes to widen as she saw tears streaming down her face. Her Sharingan was no longer active, and instead a sad look filled her eyes.
"You truly are just like your father. So focused on proving yourself that you don't see what truly makes people strong."
Mikoto stood up, turning to leave the room. She opened the door of the hospital bed, a frown marring her otherwise beautiful face.
"It seems I truly can't stop my son from running to his death."
She closed the door as she left.
Sasuke stared at the door, biting his lip so hard that blood dripped onto the white cotton sheets that covered him.
"I won't die," the Uchiha vowed. "I promise you that mother. I will surpass Naruto and become someone you and father can be proud of."
The Uchiha stared out into the night sky through the window.
"And I will surpass you...brother."
The Raikage frowned as he looked at the men in front of him. They were the best individuals one could ask to find on the black market. He nodded at Samui, the woman nodding in return. She had done well in gathering them. Ever since Kakuzu had failed to report back he had sent her out to collect the most lethal shinobi in the Elemental Nations who would take the job. After all, if the greatest bounty hunter in the world had been KIA, then they needed a group of the strongest shinobi to take the man down.
The Raikage stared at the largest of the trio, a strange light in his eyes. No one had seen this man in years. Many had thought him to be dead, so for him to turn up when searching for nuke-nin to kill the Uzumaki was a surprise. A welcome surprise, but a surprise, nonetheless. He had half a mind to ask the monster where he had been all these years, but he supposed that was not important.
"As I stated I will allow you all to split the reward how you wish. I will however personally grant all of those who turn in the Uzumaki's head a jutsu of Kumo, and an additional financial reward of their choosing. I assume these terms are acceptable?"
The three men nodded, each of them eyeing one another. They were technically on the same team but none of them trusted each other. They were all nuke-nin after all. They couldn't trust each other as far as they could see them. The Raikage knew this of course. They would likely kill each other the second that they had finished killing the Uzumaki. Whoever won that battle would reap the rewards of the mission. Until then, keeping each other alive was in their best interest. It made them more likely to kill the Uzumaki and suffer less damage themselves in the battle.
The Raikage waved them off, and the three men left the tent, rushing off towards the blonde's last known location in the Land of Fire.
The Raikage could only grin.
Sasori of the Red Sand.
Zabuza Momochi, Demon of the Hidden Mist.
Kisame Hoshigaki, Monster of the Hidden Mist.
Yes...Naruto Uzumaki would be dead soon. There was no other outcome.
Roshi stared down from the large mountain the Iwa force sat upon, staring down at the Konohagakure fort just a few leagues into the forest. The fort was not exactly subtle, but then again it was meant to be a display of military might. An affront to Iwa built after Konoha had won the third war. Built because they could not push back one man. Roshi grit his teeth, staring down.
That man was dead. And they would break this fort to prove how vulnerable Konoha was without him. And all he had to do was beat some fucker with crimson eyes to do it. The red-haired man grinned.
Easy.
Kakuzu ripped the heart from the man's chest, quickly allowing his forbidden jutsu to get to work assimilating the organ. He had finally restocked on his hearts. Good.
The bounty hunter stared down at massive forest beneath the mountain range he was on. He frowned. He had a goal. Outside of two men he had never once failed a bounty before. One was something he could not change even now. The other? Kakuzu clenched his fists.
It was time to collect.