Chapter 10
Sharingan Revived (Part 2)
Naruto : Chronicles of the Uchiha
Konohagakure no Sato
A week later, some unknown clearings on the borders of the village…
Naruto walked through the trees that surrounded the forest clearing, taking in the untouched beauty all around him. This part of the forest was new to him, and he was certain no one else had been here either—the soft, untrampled grass growing thickly across the ground was proof of that.
He looked up and smiled as the sun's rays filtered through the leaves, casting a gentle glow over the clearing and lighting up the space with a warm, natural sheen.
He stepped carefully, each footfall light and mindful, avoiding any insects or snakes that might be hidden in the thick grass. He loved moments like this—exploring hidden places within the village that few others ever bothered to visit. To him, it was a loss for anyone not to know their home down to its roots, to miss the beauty woven into every untouched corner.
At last, he emerged into a small clearing, secluded and timeless, hidden within the dense forest. His eyes widened with awe as he took in the sight of a massive tree at the center of the clearing, its trunk thick and towering, like the heart of the forest itself.
Naruto walked closer, the tree's presence filling him with quiet wonder. It was as large as a small house, its bark rough and ancient. He reached out and placed his small hand on the bark, feeling the faint, rhythmic pulses beneath his fingertips, almost as if the tree were alive and breathing. It seemed to hold within it the heartbeat of the forest, a steady, life-filled energy that resonated with his own.
He walked slowly around the tree, his gaze tracing up and down its massive trunk, debating whether to climb it or not. But he froze mid-step, his eyes narrowing as something unusual caught his attention.
A particular patch of bark, partially hidden beneath a tangle of wild vines, stood out. His curiosity piqued, he pulled a kunai from his holster and carefully sliced away the vines, brushing away the dirt and leaves with his hand. Beneath the tangled growth, faint but unmistakable, were words carved by human hands.
Konohagakure no Sato
It read, faintly etched into the rough bark. The familiar words struck a chord in Naruto's chest, filling him with a sudden sense of connection to whoever had once stood here, carving these same characters.
Without hesitation, he began slicing through the remaining vines, channeling wind chakra into his kunai for a cleaner cut. Bit by bit, he peeled away the tangled growth, revealing more of the ancient bark, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and wonder as the hidden message slowly came into view.
Today we stand here, asking ourselves the same question every shinobi has probably asked himself at one point in his life.
What is a shinobi? Why do we kill others as a way of living, mindlessly staining the ground scarlet?
My friend asked me this today too, after our small truce of peace marking the stop of centuries of conflict between our clans. So I answered him today, and we decided to carve this out for life here as a sign for the future generations to remember the horrors we went through and the time when we stopped to think of the past that lay behind us.
A shinobi is one who endures no matter the obstacles, that is what we could say in a sentence.
Why do we kill then? Why destroy life?
To protect life, life must be taken. That is the very law of nature. The cycle goes on and on, but what differentiates us from animals is that we have the sense, the sense to feel others' pain and bask in it to share their sufferings.
That is what me and my friend dreamed of years ago, a place where everyone will understand each others sufferings and pain, and grieve together. A place where children will grow up peacefully, shielded from the violence outside the confines of that peaceful wall covering them.
We dreamed of a village. A village where children, adults, and the elderly would come together and form bonds. Where children won't be thrust out to kill before they know how to hold a brush and can enjoy the taste of sake before they die.
And today the two of us are content that this dream has come true. For today, this place marks the beginning of the peace we dreamed of achieving one day and shake hands to form a village where everyone can be happy.
Today, here with a shake of our hands we unite the two great clans of the Senju and of the Uchiha to form Konohagakure no Sato.
-Hashirama Senju & Madara Uchiha, Year 1197 Warring Clans Era.
Naruto's eyes went wide, and he leaned closer, brushing his hand gently over the inscription as if to truly feel the words beneath his fingertips.
"Jiji…" he murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper. At that moment, he understood what the First Hokage and his grandfather had tried to accomplish together. This secluded place, seemingly untouched and forgotten, held a piece of their dream. No one else had come here since if his instincts were right.
He read the words over and over, each pass deepening his sense of awe. The handwriting was a blend—one side with the bold, strong strokes of Hashirama Senju, and the other with the precise, elegant script of Madara Uchiha. The year marked was the final one of the warring clan's era, just before the foundation of the first shinobi villages.
Naruto felt as if he were looking through time, back to an age where two powerful men, once bitter rivals, had shared a vision of peace. Together, they had put an end to the clan wars, halting the relentless bloodshed that had plagued their world. He could almost sense their presence, lingering here, in this hidden sanctuary where their hopes had been carved into the living bark of the tree.
A sudden chill prickled at Naruto's senses, and his eyes narrowed as he scanned the trees, catching a subtle movement just beyond the clearing. Without hesitation, he flicked his kunai into the shadows, startling a flock of birds into the sky. Rising to his feet, he looked around, tense and alert.
"Who's there?" he called his voice firm but edged with caution. Silence met him, thick and heavy, but he didn't relax. His hand clenched around his remaining kunai as he called out again, "I know you're there, so there's no point hiding anymore…"
This time, a reply drifted back to him, chilling and mocking.
"You're sharp for one so young—just like that old man. To sense my presence, so attuned at your age… basking in the forgotten dreams he carved into that tree." The voice was childlike, but it twisted with a dark amusement that set Naruto's instincts on edge. A low, blood-chilling laugh followed, reverberating through the trees.
Naruto immediately flicked another kunai into his other hand, holding it in a defensive cross in front of him, his stance shifting into a ready kata.
"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice steady but guarded, knowing he was entirely on his own in this hidden, forsaken part of the forest. He steeled himself, prepared for whatever threat was lurking in the shadows.
"Nothing..." The voice echoed from all directions as his eyes darted around, trying to pinpoint the source. His untrained senses struggled to locate whoever was hiding there.
"...but everything..." The voice continued, cold and unsettling, making him tense. His gaze snapped to a strange hooded figure draped in a straw cloak, perched silently on a tree branch. Instinctively, he launched a kunai at the figure. It caught the weapon effortlessly by its hole with a single finger, shaking it in a disapproving gesture.
"Your potential lies hidden..." the figure whispered cryptically, its words leaving the blonde boy puzzled. Naruto felt an ominous sensation creep into his mind, his unease growing as the figure remained cloaked in the shadows of the tree, obscuring its features.
"What do you mean? Who are you?" Naruto demanded, gripping a handful of shuriken in his free hand, ready for any sudden movement. The figure chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down his spine.
"Who I am is irrelevant. What matters is that your hidden potential must be brought to light. But first, certain conditions must be met," he said in a tone that, while childish, carried an unsettling edge, throwing Naruto completely off balance.
"What conditions? What potential are you talking about?" Naruto demanded, trying to extract any clue he could from the enigmatic figure. The man only responded with a low, chilling laugh that sent a shiver down the boy's spine.
"The potential that emerges when you witness someone you love torn away from you... right before your very eyes," he whispered, leaning forward and wagging a finger, his voice dripping with malice. Naruto couldn't suppress the cold dread that crept over him as he stared at the stranger, whose eerie demeanor screamed of danger.
"Today, you'll achieve it," the man continued, his voice soft yet heavy with ominous intent.
Naruto's confusion turned into alarm. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice sharp with rising panic.
"Your friend, that girl..." the man murmured.
Naruto's heart sank as his eyes widened in horror. He knew exactly who the man was referring to—there was only one female friend he cared deeply for. His gaze hardened into a glare so fierce it seemed to pierce through the man's twisted grin. The stranger shuddered briefly under the intensity of Naruto's hatred, but his lips curled into a vile smirk as if relishing the reaction.
"What have you done to Tsunade? I swear if you've harmed her in any way…" Naruto growled, his voice low but laced with fury. He leveled a deadly glare at the figure before him, kunai gripped tightly in his hand. His threat only earned another childish laugh as the man raised his hands in mock surrender, the gesture almost taunting.
"No need to get all worked up over little old me! I come in peace," the man said in that same unsettlingly playful tone. Naruto snorted inwardly, his suspicion unwavering. This man's demeanor might be ridiculous on the surface, but there was something far more dangerous lurking beneath it.
"Then why mention her if you 'come in peace'?" Naruto asked, his voice sharp and demanding. His instincts screamed at him to get to the bottom of this cryptic game.
"Well, wouldn't anyone mention the person who was abducted by shinobi from a rival village?" the man replied, tilting his head with exaggerated curiosity.
Naruto froze. His kunai slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground as his mind reeled. "What?" he breathed, the word barely audible.
The man's grin widened, savoring the horror reflected in the blonde's widening eyes. "That girl… I saw a man take her from a clearing. Tied up, gagged, and slung over his shoulder like a sack of grain…" he drawled, his tone dripping with cruel nonchalance.
Before he could continue, the cold press of a kunai against his neck silenced him. His smug grin faltered as he felt the unmistakable weight of an unrelenting presence. His gaze flicked up and locked onto Naruto's.
What met him wasn't just the stare of a child but something far more unnerving. Those glimmering, frost-blue eyes bore into him, sharp and vivid as if they could unravel his very being. The colors seemed alive, shifting faintly, catching every glimmer of light and refracting it with an almost unnatural clarity. They pinned him in place, like a predator toying with prey, stripping away his confidence and peeling back his bravado layer by layer.
The man blinked, momentarily startled, a shiver running down his spine. Then, the boy standing before him dissolved into a puff of smoke.
His widened eyes darted to the source of the blade at his throat, realization dawning too late.
"Shadow clone?" he thought and heard a small whisper in his ear that made his grin widen to ever epic proportions.
"Where is she?" Naruto asked coldly, and the man couldn't help but feel glee on his insides.
"The southern edges of the village, he must have crossed them by now and moving on towards the borders of the country. I would hurry it up if I were you…" he whispered before Naruto saw him disappearing right in front of his eyes as if he wasn't ever there in the first place.
"Who was he? Was he telling the truth? What should I do?" he thought, his mind jumbled up with a million doubts and questions right now while his hands shook in fear of what might happen to her.
Should I go back to the village for help? Naruto's mind raced. No, it would take too much time. That man would escape without a trace by then, especially with how far ahead he already is. There's only one way...
Without hesitation, he blurred from the branch, his form vanishing in a burst of speed. He darted through the forest, leaping from branch to branch, chakra surging from his feet with such force that branches splintered in his wake.
As the dense canopy of trees began to thin, Naruto saw the treeline break. Without slowing down, he launched himself from the last branch, landing on the ground in a full sprint. He pushed his legs to their limit, pumping chakra into his muscles to keep fatigue at bay. His movements became a blur, the ground beneath him barely visible as he sped forward like a gale.
"You're going the wrong way, gaki…"
The voice came from his side, calm yet mocking. Naruto snapped his head toward the source and saw the cloaked figure from earlier, shrouded in his straw hood, walking alongside him as though unbothered by Naruto's blazing speed.
"You won't catch up to that man, no matter how hard you try," the figure said, his tone infuriatingly wise, as though he held all the answers.
Naruto's eyes darkened dangerously, a sharp glint flickering within them that made the cloaked man hesitate as if for a moment the boy could see straight through him. "Watch me," Naruto said, his voice steady, carrying a cold resolve that froze the words in the man's throat.
The cloaked man raised an eyebrow, his unease growing, as he watched Naruto veer toward the edge of a massive cliff. His disbelief turned to stunned silence when the blonde doubled his speed and leaped off the precipice without a second's body twisted midair, his arms extended for balance. As the wind whipped around him, he reached for a kunai from his pouch and drove it into the rocky cliffside. Sparks flew as the blade cut into the stone, slowing his descent in bursts of resistance.
The cloaked figure, still standing at the cliff's edge, let out a low whistle of admiration. "Interesting. Most interesting," he murmured with a grin, his earlier bemusement replaced with a flicker of genuine curiosity.
Before Naruto's feet even hit the ground below, the man vanished once again, dissolving into the air as though he had never been there.
Naruto's hair whipped wildly around his face as the wind howled past him. The kunai he had embedded into the rocky surface groaned under the immense strain before snapping in half with a sharp crack. Acting swiftly, he yanked out two more kunai, gripping them tightly in both hands. With all the strength he could muster, he drove them into the rock simultaneously.
The blades bit deep into the stone, and his rapid descent began to slow. He forced the kunai further, burying them up to their hilts, until one struck a small embedded boulder, jolting him to an abrupt halt. Using the momentary pause, Naruto planted his feet against the rocky surface and released a controlled burst of chakra. The force launched him backward in a graceful arc, allowing him to twist midair and land firmly on the ground below.
He skidded backward across the dirt, dragging the kunai against the ground to slow his momentum. When he finally came to a stop, he noticed the blades had been chipped and dulled beyond use. Tossing them aside, he flexed his aching arms, which throbbed from the strain, but he paid the pain no heed. He had no time to waste.
Naruto broke into a sprint again, his legs pumping as he darted forward with renewed urgency. Reaching a small stream, he leaped from boulder to boulder, crossing the water in moments. As he landed on the other side, the edge of the village's borders came into view. Without hesitation, he pushed himself harder, his feet pounding against the ground as he approached the forest ahead.
Spotting a branch, he vaulted up and perched upon it, scanning the area. His sharp gaze landed on a faint footprint pressed into the bark of another branch. A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Got you.
The abductor must have been moving in a hurry, too rushed or too confident to cover his trail properly. Naruto's instincts flared. He knew he was close, right on the man's heels now.
But even as he pressed forward, his mind couldn't help but wander back to the mysterious figure from before. Why is he helping me? What does he gain from this?
He clenched his fists and shook his head sharply, forcing the questions aside. There's no time for that now. I'll deal with him later. Right now, I have someone to stop.
Somewhere near the Border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain
A man cloaked in black, his face hidden beneath a featureless mask, moved swiftly through the treetops. Each leap from branch to branch brought him closer to the borders of the Rain Country. The intelligence about Konoha's lax patrols had proven invaluable, allowing him to infiltrate undetected.
Slung over his shoulder was the Senju heiress, bound and gagged, her muffled protests barely audible against the rushing wind. Soon, she would be in Kumo's grasp. Her potential, whether as a future jinchūriki or as part of their breeding programs, would bring unparalleled strength to their village. By the time the Leaf discovered her disappearance, it would already be too late.
Trailing him were two figures, equally obscured by dark, nondescript clothing that left no trace of their identities. The shorter of the two, a lithe individual with a smooth gait, carried themselves with an eerie grace, their movements silent as a shadow. The other, taller and broader, exuded an imposing presence even in their concealment, a faint shimmer of steel visible under their cloak.
"Stay alert," the leader muttered under his breath, his voice a low, gruff whisper. "The Leaf isn't as careless as they seem."
The shorter figure responded with a sharp nod, their voice muffled by a mask. "No signs of pursuit so far."
The larger figure chuckled softly, his tone dripping with overconfidence. "If anyone's following, they're just throwing themselves to their deaths."
But their confidence was premature.
SWISH!
The leader veered sharply to the side, a pained grunt escaping him as three shurikens embedded themselves into the back of his left thigh. He stumbled midair, landing unsteadily on a nearby branch.
"Leader!" the shorter figure hissed, their head snapping toward him as they skidded to a halt.
"I'm fine," he growled, though his voice was strained. His grip on Tsunade remained firm, the girl's muffled screams growing more frantic.
The broader figure turned, his concealed face scanning the empty forest. "Who's there?" he barked, his deep voice echoing.
"You've got some nerve, Leaf scum," the leader spat, his sharp gaze darting across the dark canopy. "I'm a sensor. You can't hide from me!"
SWISH!
Another metallic whistle cut through the air. The shorter figure shifted fluidly, narrowly avoiding a kunai that embedded itself into the bark beside them.
"Distance attacks," the figure murmured, voice calm yet edged with tension. "They're toying with us."
The leader's senses flared, and his masked face turned upward with a sinister grin. "Not for long."From above, a blonde figure descended rapidly, a kunai gripped tightly in his hand, aimed straight for the leader's skull.
"A child?" the broader figure scoffed, their voice dripping with disdain. "You sent a child to stop us?"
The taller figure stepped forward, unleashing a volley of shuriken with deadly precision. But when their eyes met the boy's, they hesitated—a glimmer of unnerving intensity radiated from his sharp gaze, as if he could see through every move they made. It was a glare that promised he was far from ordinary.
"Enough playing around," the shorter figure muttered, their hands weaving through a flurry of silent seals, chakra surging ominously around them. "Let's finish this before it gets messy."
The leader launched a volley of shuriken, his movements sharp but calculated, aiming to neutralize the apparent child before him. He internally scoffed, convinced that this was just a minor nuisance.
Naruto's limbs snapped up, shielding his torso as the shuriken seemed to embed themselves into his arms and legs. Tsunade's muffled screams intensified, her body thrashing against her bonds in horror. But her panic turned to shock when Naruto vanished in a puff of smoke, a battered log dropping where he had stood moments earlier.
"A substitution?" the masked leader snarled, his irritation evident.
Before he could act, a kunai slashed toward his waist. He twisted just in time, raising his forearm to block the attack, only to meet Naruto's cold, determined blue eyes. The eyes, a brilliant shade of blue, were sharp and intense, focused entirely on him with a clarity that seemed to cut through the air.
The masked man leaped backward, but Naruto stayed on him, refusing to relent. His twin kunai lashed out in precise, rapid strikes, forcing the man to draw a short blade to counter.
The clash of metal rang out sharply as the man parried each blow, his arm expertly deflecting the flurry of attacks. Yet even with his skill, the relentless ferocity in Naruto's strikes left no room for complacency. Each slash was executed with surgical precision, each movement flowing seamlessly into the next.
"Damn brat," the man growled, his voice strained as he maintained his balance despite the weight of Tsunade on his shoulder. "Walk away now while you still can, or I'll make sure you never walk again."
Naruto's gaze hardened, his stance unwavering. "Try me," he muttered, his voice low and filled with uncharacteristic venom.
From the side, the shorter figure moved swiftly, their chakra flaring as they lunged with a concealed blade aimed at Naruto's blind spot. But the blonde's instincts screamed a warning. He ducked just in time, twisting mid-motion to counter with a spinning slash, forcing the assailant to retreat.
The larger figure, watching from the shadows, stepped forward now, their presence like a looming specter. "You're wasting time, leader," he rumbled, his tone cold. "Let us deal with him."
The leader's patience wore thin, and his grip on his blade tightened. "Fine. But if he dies, we lose our leverage. Don't kill him."
The trio shifted their stances, readying themselves to face the determined genin who stood between them and their escape.
The leader and the larger shinobi exchanged a brief, silent look before nodding in agreement. The smaller figure, who had been silently waiting for their chance, stepped forward with a twisted smile beneath their mask.
"You may have some skill, kid," the smaller shinobi taunted, his voice high-pitched and mocking. "But you're still just a little brat in over your head."
Naruto's eyes narrowed, sweat trickling down his brow as he slowly backed up to gain some distance. He could feel the weight of the kunai lodged in his limbs, but the pain was nothing compared to the desperation to keep Tsunade safe.
The small figure rushed at him, moving like a blur. Naruto barely had time to react as the shinobi weaved through the air with the grace of a snake, his blade flashing toward Naruto's throat. Naruto barely managed to deflect the strike with his kunai, but the force sent him stumbling backward, momentarily off balance.
The smaller shinobi laughed, circling him like a predator toying with its prey. "You're slow, gaki. You think you can protect anyone with that level of skill?"
Naruto gritted his teeth, pushing past the pain in his limbs as he regained his stance. I won't let them win. Not Tsunade… not now…
With a grunt, Naruto charged again, his kunai aimed at the shinobi's chest. But the smaller figure was too quick. The blade darted toward Naruto's exposed side, and he barely managed to twist away in time, feeling the rush of air where the blade had been moments before.
"Not fast enough," the small shinobi taunted again, pushing forward with another volley of rapid strikes. Each slash came quicker than the last, forcing Naruto to block, dodge, and retreat in rapid succession. The pressure was immense. His limbs were heavy, and his chakra reserves beginning to deplete.
Naruto could feel the frustration building, his breath coming in sharp gasps. The attacks weren't lethal, but they were overwhelming. Every time he thought he could land a blow, the shinobi would evade and strike from another angle. He wasn't just fighting one-on-one—he was being pushed into a corner, forced to defend with every ounce of his strength.
Meanwhile, the leader and the larger shinobi had already moved forward, trusting that the smaller figure would handle the boy. "He's just a child," the leader muttered a hint of amusement in his voice. "We'll deal with the girl. Let's not waste any more time here."
The larger shinobi didn't respond but simply nodded, and the two moved toward the distant border, intent on completing their mission. Tsunade's muffled screams echoed in their ears, but they paid her no mind.
Back in the clearing, Naruto was struggling. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he narrowly dodged another strike from the smaller shinobi. He could feel the weight of his own exhaustion bearing down on him. Think, Naruto, think!
Suddenly, the small shinobi surged forward, aiming for the opening on his left. This time, Naruto couldn't avoid the strike. The shinobi's blade caught him across the arm, drawing blood, and Naruto grunted in pain. His hand went numb for a split second, and the kunai slipped from his fingers, leaving him vulnerable.
The smaller shinobi grinned, his eyes gleaming with sadistic satisfaction. "It's over, brat."
Naruto's mind raced as the world seemed to slow around him. No... I can't let this happen. I have to protect her…
In a burst of instinctive chakra, Naruto shoved the smaller shinobi back with a powerful thrust of his palm, sending him crashing into a nearby tree. The moment of respite was brief, but just enough. Naruto took a deep breath, his mind focusing despite the pain and exhaustion.
"I… won't… let you win," he muttered under his breath, steeling himself.
His hands moved quickly, weaving the seals for a technique he rarely used—a defensive wind jutsu known as " Fūton: Kaze no Kyūsoku (Wind of the Small Typhoon). " The air around him began to shimmer as chakra surged, forming a dense, swirling dome of wind energy. It wasn't a lethal technique, but it would be enough to give him a moment's breathing room. The smaller shinobi's eyes widened in surprise.
"What—what are you doing?" he shouted, charging forward again.
Naruto's eyes blazed with determination. "You'll see soon enough."
With a yell, he released the technique. A violent gust of wind exploded outward, twisting in all directions like a miniature typhoon. The force of the wind sent the smaller shinobi flying, tossed helplessly in random directions like a ragdoll. The shockwave blasted through the clearing, uprooting plants and scattering debris. The shinobi struggled against the force, his momentum carrying him far from his original position.
The wind technique had served its purpose, and Naruto now had the briefest of moments to gather himself.
The shinobi slammed into a massive tree trunk with bone-crushing force, his body crumpling against the bark. The impact caused a massive branch to snap, splitting off from the tree and piercing through his chest like a spear. The sound of snapping wood and the sickening crunch of bones echoed through the clearing.
Naruto froze, his eyes wide as he watched the shinobi's body hang limp on the jagged branch, life extinguished in an instant. There was no struggle, no final word—just the eerie stillness of death.
The moment stretched, the silence deafening. Naruto's chest heaved as he stood frozen, his mind slowly catching up with the violent action he had just taken. Did I…?
But there was no time for doubt. The other two shinobi—the leader and the larger one—had already made their move, heading toward their objective with Tsunade still in tow. Naruto's gaze snapped to the trail they'd left behind.
"I'll finish this," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. He still had enough chakra to chase them down, and he would. He had no choice.
With renewed determination, Naruto surged forward, leaping into the trees, his every movement calculated and swift. His mind was clear, his focus sharp. I won't let them get away with this. Not Tsunade.
"I'll catch them," he muttered through clenched teeth. "And when I do... they'll regret ever crossing me."
Naruto's eyes locked on the two remaining shinobi as he closed the gap with brutal speed, his instincts driving him forward. He wasn't thinking about the pain in his body, or the exhaustion creeping in; all that mattered was getting to Tsunade.
But before he could reach the leader, the larger shinobi sensed his presence and intercepted him with a deafening roar. In the blink of an eye, the shinobi used a sealless Shunshin, teleporting behind Naruto with terrifying speed. Without hesitation, his massive fist collided with Naruto's back, the force of it resembling a freight train crashing into him.
Naruto's spine nearly shattered with a sickening crack, and a wave of excruciating pain surged through his body. The impact was so intense that his muscles seemed to strain and contort, unable to withstand the overwhelming force. His body crumpled like a ragdoll, crashing into the ground with bone-jarring force, the dirt and rocks beneath him exploding in all directions.
The bigger shinobi wasted no time. He was on Naruto before the boy could even react driving a brutal combo of punches into the back of his head. The first blow sent stars flashing across Naruto's vision, and the second left his thoughts scattered. Every inch of his skull felt like it was going to implode. The world spun in dizzying circles, but Naruto gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay conscious. He refused to let himself be beaten down so easily.
Above him, Tsunade's muffled cries echoed in the air. Her hands twisted against the bonds as she screamed Naruto's name, her body jerking desperately in her restraints. She couldn't bear to watch him suffer, her heart torn with helplessness.
"Don't you dare die, Naruto!" she screamed in her mind, the gag choking her words, but the raw pain in her eyes was enough to show how deeply it hurt.
The larger shinobi, thinking the fight was over, moved to finish him off. He pulled a kunai from his belt, his face twisted with a sadistic grin. He raised it high, aiming to drive it straight through Naruto's skull.
But just as the blade descended, Naruto's form vanished in a puff of smoke. The kunai stabbed into a log, splitting it in half as the real Naruto reappeared behind the shinobi, now on his leader's eyes widened in disbelief. "You—"
"Not yet," Naruto spat, his voice cold and raw, dripping with defiance. Blood poured down the back of his head, trickling beneath his hair and staining his clothes, a painful reminder of the brutal impact. The punch had struck with such force that he could feel his skull fracture, the sensation of sharp, spreading pain ricocheting through his body. His vision swam, blurred by the dizziness, and the world around him seemed to tilt. Every breath was a struggle, but he refused to let himself collapse. Not after everything he'd been through. He wasn't done yet.
The larger shinobi cursed loudly, realizing his mistake. The leader, furious at the blunder, snarled at the bigger shinobi, his face filled with fury. "You idiot! I told you not to underestimate him!"Tsunade's heart stopped as she watched the scene unfold, her body wracked with fear. Her eyes were locked on Naruto, the blood flowing from the back of his head staining his hair and clothes, pooling beneath him. It was a sight she had seen too many times before, but never like this. The sight of him, broken and on the edge, made her stomach twist in knots. Naruto had always been resilient, always defying the odds. But this time, she wasn't sure he could pull through. The blood… the way it was pouring from him… It had been too close—too close for comfort. She could feel the panic rise in her chest, her mind screaming to do something, anything before it was too late.
Tears blurred her vision, but the fire in Naruto's eyes told her everything she needed to know. He was still fighting. And as long as he could, he would never give up.
The leader's gaze hardened as he saw the larger shinobi falter for a moment, his earlier mistake now evident. Frustration twisted across the man's features, his patience wearing thin. He had underestimated the blonde brat, but no more. He was done with games.
"Enough," the leader snarled, his voice cold and authoritative. He glared at the larger shinobi, his eyes filled with a mixture of annoyance and command. "You wait ahead. I'll deal with this brat myself and bring back his head."
The larger shinobi, still shaking off the remnants of the shock from Naruto's quick escape, hesitated for a moment, but upon meeting the leader's cold stare, he nodded reluctantly. He stepped back, grumbling under his breath, but following orders without question. His job was done for now.
The leader turned back to Naruto, a cruel smirk spreading across his face. "You've got spirit, kid. Too bad you're just a little too stubborn for your own good." He drew a sword from his belt, the blade catching the moonlight as he slowly advanced.
Naruto's legs trembled beneath him, his body screaming for rest, and the sharp pain from the blood flowing down the back of his head made every movement feel like agony. His skull throbbed, a constant reminder of the brutal punch, but his determination burned brighter than ever. His blue eyes, now narrowed with focus despite the blood staining his face, locked onto the leader. The intensity in his gaze was unmistakable—cold, unyielding as if nothing could shake the resolve deep within him. The words came out low, but steady, filled with the weight of his resolve. "I'm not going anywhere."
"Good," the leader sneered. "You're just the challenge I need to have some fun."
The Jounin snarled and pushed back, slashing at Naruto a vertical strike who blocked it with a cross guard over his head with his twin kunai. The blonde winced at the brute force behind it and was forced to one knee, skidding back when he saw the man letting out a kick with his right leg and blocking it by crossing his arms in a cross guard.
Naruto cursed inwardly, the man was too strong and experienced than the two he fought earlier and the leader only had one disadvantage that Tsunade was on his shoulder. While he on the other hand, could not use his arsenal of ninjutsu comprising mostly of Fire and Wind Jutsus and Shadow clones that would only drain him quickly and leave him open for the kill from how exhausted he already was after the long chase to catch up to the man and his teammates for three hours now.
He ducked under a horizontal slash and rolled away from a vertical one that followed it, while the sword was embedded in the ground with a small cloud of dust to show the force behind it would cleave him straight through if it made direct contact. The Jounin had to give some points to the brat, no matter how annoying the pest was in his eyes.
"You're good, brat, but how long can you keep this up?" The man's voice was thick with mockery, a cruel smirk spreading across his face. "Your head injury won't take you far. Better give up, and I'll make it painless…"
Naruto's gaze didn't waver, his focus unwavering despite the blood dripping down the back of his head. The man's taunt hung in the air, but Naruto paid no heed to it—he couldn't afford to. The man was right in his assumptions, though. Naruto could feel the exhaustion weighing him down, his body growing slower with each passing second. His muscles screamed for relief, and his chakra reserves were dangerously low.
He was at a severe disadvantage. Ninjutsu was out of the question—there was no way he could gather enough chakra for a proper jutsu without risking Tsunade's safety, especially if he accidentally caught her in the crossfire. And his clones… he didn't have enough chakra to even think about pulling off the numbers he needed to set a trap.
Taijutsu was equally hopeless. The man was a seasoned Jounin, far more experienced, and his raw strength was something Naruto could barely contend with in his current state. Every time he moved, the pain from his head injury surged through him, making each step feel like an eternity.
The only thing keeping him alive was his agility and speed and that too was failing quickly as he was forced to dodge another swing of his dodge and the man was adapting to his style slowly yet surely. That left only one choice.
In a desperate move, Naruto hurled one of his kunai at the man, hoping to create some space. The enemy didn't even flinch as he effortlessly flicked it away with a swift swipe of his sword. With a predatory grin, the man charged at him, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of the hunt.
Naruto's back slammed against the rough bark of the tree, the impact reverberating through his battered body. The force of the hit sent a violent jolt through his spine, and a sharp, blinding pain exploded in his chest, making him gasp for air. The man's grin widened as he raised his sword, preparing to bring it down in a powerful vertical slash that would cleave Naruto in half.
With his body protesting every movement, Naruto forced himself to twist around the tree, narrowly evading the blade that whipped through the air with deadly precision. The sword missed him by mere inches, but the agony in his back was unbearable.
He hopped back a couple of steps with the Jounin following him and now his sword had lightning coursing through its blade to be done with the blonde even with a merely small glancing blow.
'If only I could make hand seals right now, this brat would be dead…" he thought and gave a roundhouse kick for the blonde's arms who twirled around a tree and dodged it at the very last moment yet again.
This went on for four more rounds, each more grueling than the last, until Naruto finally collapsed to one knee. Sweat poured down his face like raindrops, mixing with the blood that had already stained his skin. His chest heaved as he gasped for air, each breath a battle in itself. His body screamed in protest, but his spirit refused to break. The man watched him with a bemused expression, his eyes narrowing as he let out a chuckling laugh at the sight of the downed boy in front of him.
"I must say, boy," the man spoke, his voice dripping with mockery, "you were impressive—able to hold your own against an elite Jounin for so long and still breathe. And to top it off, you even managed to kill my Chūnin subordinate somehow. But now…" He took a slow step forward, the gleam of his sword catching the light as he raised it, ready to end Naruto's life.
But before he could strike, Naruto, despite his exhaustion, swept his leg out, aiming to take the man's legs out from under him.
The jōnin effortlessly hopped over Naruto's swipe, letting it pass harmlessly beneath him. With a swift, calculated motion, he thrust a powerful kick mid-air, his boot slamming into Naruto's chest. The blow sent him crashing backward, and the impact against the tree was brutal. His spine, still sore from a previous blow, screamed in agony as the shock of the new impact amplified the pain to unbearable levels. Naruto coughed violently, blood spilling from his busted lip and a fresh gash across his cheek, the skin split open from the force of the blow. He slid down the rough bark, his face bruised, swollen, and streaked with crimson. Every breath was a struggle, each inhale a stab of sharp, searing pain from his back as if it could tear him apart. His vision blurred, and through the haze, Naruto wiped the blood from his lips and cheek, fighting to stay conscious.
The Jounin shook his head with a laugh when Naruto started going through hand seals.
"You won't be able to do any ninjutsu that would be able to take me down with the chakra levels you have right now kid. This fight is…" he trailed off when he saw the blonde's shadowed eyes glance up, now seemingly crimson with a single tomoe in each of them, and ended the sequence on Tiger making his eyes widen in realization and horror.
" Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu ! " he exclaimed, pumping out a volley of small fireballs that made the Jounin hop back a couple of steps, right into the middle of the clearing.
"Just my luck, I get a Uchiha along with a Senju, you're going to be my compensation for wasting my time brat. But at least you will be a worthwhile present back home." the Jounin chuckled, letting the boy make another sequence of hand seals to pump out whatever last ninjutsu he wanted to before he fell over unconscious due to chakra exhaustion himself.
Fire Jutsus took a hell lot of chakra and it was only a matter of time before a little child like him…
" Uzumaki Sealing Style! - " Naruto's voice rang in the clearing and the man stopped laughing and looked around at the six tags slapped over the trees all around him glow in unison while the blonde went through strange hand seals he had never seen before. But he had heard of the reputation that the Uzumaki sealing skills held in the world.
His mind went back to the six last-moment counters that brat had done just now and only now did he realize what he was doing. But still…
"Impossible, there's just no way a Uchiha like you could know seals…" he shouted and raised his sword to charge at the blonde when Naruto made the final seal with a tired smirk.
" Six Point Paralysis Seal: Fuin ! " he shouted when his remaining chakra reserves started getting depleted drastically and Kanji sprouted out from all over the tags and covered the man and Tsunade all over their bodies and halted his charge mid-way while Naruto's eyes watched in slow motion as the tip of the blade came towards his right shoulder and stopped just a hair's length away from making contact with his body.
Naruto kept his palms on the ground, keeping the seals around him pumped up, and the man paralyzed with a smirk while a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead.
"You damned brat, how long do you think the seal will hold up? I can feel it wavering due to your depleted reserves right now. What do you think you'll achieve by stopping me for a little while before I cleave you?" he sneered at Naruto who shook his head in humor, further confusing the Jounin.
"I'm not stupid enough to try and stop you…" he panted with half-lidded eyes, making the man look at him dumbfounded and he merely continued, completely ignoring the man no. "… I'm merely stalling your team." he completed with a deep breath and his Sharingan wavered for a moment making the man smirk that the seal was about to fall along with the boy.
"For what?" he asked curiously before he slay down the boy and took him with himself and the boy's smirk widened ever so slightly, confusing him yet again.
"For them-" Naruto said before he fell down to the side and the seal disappeared to give him free movement. The man was confused when he felt a hand clasp the back of his neck in an iron grip while Tsunade was slid off his shoulders roughly. His head was twisted around forcefully and his eyes widened in horror when he saw the two pairs of glaring hateful eyes in front of him.
"You have some nerve to try and abduct my grandniece in broad daylight…" Tobirama's cold voice rang through the clearing while Sasuke Sarutobi stood by his side, cleaning the blood off his hands and untied the little bonded girl from her bonds, his signature cigar donned on his lips as usual letting out small wisps of smoke in the air.
"Jiji how did you know I was here?" Tsunade asked in confusion, making Tobirama answer her without taking his eyes off the man who was struggling in his grip for air and squirming like a headless chicken.
"Because of Naruto…" he explained and the jounin's eyes widened at his words.
"H-How?" he rasped out, not being able to get how he was able to get a message to the Hokage so quickly. It just wasn't possible for him to do so.
"The boy took a shortcut by the cliff behind our village to follow you which was the only possible way for anyone to chase you on foot with the distance you had covered beforehand, just as he crossed the river where our village's borders end, he let out a huge pulse of chakra on purpose to alert our barrier team," Sasuke spoke and the Jounin glanced at the unconscious boy with incredulous eyes before his eyes rolled due to lack of oxygen he fell unconscious when Tobirama hit his pressure point on his neck and let the body fall down like a sack of potatoes.
"To think Mito even taught him the intricacies of our village's barrier defense system. She isn't letting up on training him, eh, Tobirama?" Sasuke spoke up, drawing Tobirama's glance toward him. He gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, though his expression darkened as he looked at Naruto's battered form. The boy was a mess—blood-soaked and bruised beyond recognition. Tobirama winced, his gaze lingering on the massive wounds, the boy's body bearing the brunt of countless brutal attacks.
It was ingenious of him, though—chasing after the enemy shinobi, landing a killing blow on the Chūnin-level ninja, and simultaneously alerting him to the danger. Only when he contacted the barrier team did he learn that his grandniece had left the village as well. It was then, with that revelation, that he understood what was happening. Using the Hiraishin marker placed on Tsunade's necklace, he had been able to track her down.
The man had planned it through by placing a suppressing marker on the girl but the Hiraishin was still acting like a tracking beacon for him even if he could not flash to her. The man was much too confident in his plans to be cautious of him.
"Naru?" Their thoughts were broken by the soft and concerned voice of Tsunade, her arms tightly cradling his head as if she could somehow bring him back to life. Her hazelnut eyes, usually so strong and confident, were filled with deep, overwhelming concern as she looked down at him. Her fingers trembled slightly as she brushed the blood from his face, unable to ignore the sheer severity of the wounds. His body was battered—his face bruised and bloodied, his shirt torn, and his back marked with dark, angry welts. It was a sight that tore at her heart.
"Hey, wake up…" she whispered, gently patting his cheek. His eyes blinked, unfocused for a moment, struggling to process the world around him. As his blurry vision cleared, he saw Tobirama's wide eyes staring down at him, and a strange man with brown hair, his cigar dropping in shock.
The last thing Naruto heard before everything faded was Tsunade's soft, broken voice.
"Naru your eyes...
Then, everything went black. Tsunade felt him go limp in her arms, her heart sinking as she felt the weight of his injuries. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hugged him tighter, unable to stop the flow of emotion. Her heart was breaking for the boy who had given everything, and now, it seemed, he was slipping away.
Suddenly, she felt a hand gently clasp her shoulder. She looked up to see her granduncle's stoic face, his expression unwavering, yet there was a small, reassuring smile on his lips. It was the kind of smile meant to steady her, to give her hope amidst the overwhelming chaos. But Tsunade could feel the weight of her own helplessness; no amount of reassurance could heal the pain she felt seeing Naruto in this state.
"He's fine…" he spoke to calm the girl down and got on one knee when a tear rolled down her puffy cheek.
"But—" she retorted, her voice shaky, as she sniffled, unable to process the gravity of the situation. She wanted to protest, to say something, but Tobirama placed his fingers softly on her lips, shushing her mumbles with a quiet, reassuring touch.
"He's just exhausted. The boy ran three hours straight, jumped off a cliff to chase after you, and took on a team of Jounin, Elite Jounin, and a Chunin head-on. He'll be out like a light for a week or two before he's up and about again…" Tobirama explained calmly, his gaze softening as Tsunade's concern only deepened.
But Tsunade, unable to hold back her emotions, wailed in frustration, clutching Naruto's limp form even tighter. Her voice broke through her sobs as she held him close.
"That idiot… what the hell was he thinking… jumping off a cliff? I'll send him straight into a coma when he wakes up…" she cried out in exasperation, her voice a mixture of anger and heartbreak.
Sasuke chuckled softly at her words, shaking his head at the sheer absurdity of it all. Meanwhile, Tobirama slapped his palm over his face, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he realized maybe he shouldn't have mentioned that little detail. He wasn't entirely sure whether Tsunade was going to scream at Naruto when he woke up, or smother him with affection for his reckless heroism. Either way, he could already see how much this boy meant to he couldn't stop laughing now that the rush was finally over and his grandniece was fine and dandy thanks to a certain Uchiha. But he did remember those crimson eyes he saw before the boy had fallen unconscious and glanced at Sasuke seriously who nodded and disappeared with the now-prisoner Jounin duo slung over his shoulder like a rag doll and disappeared in a swirl of flames.
Tobirama himself flashed back into the village to get the boy some medical aid and get him checked up for all possible injuries along with his crying grand niece.
Three weeks later…
Konoha Hospital
In a seemingly simple room, Naruto lay surrounded by a pile of flowers and gifts stacked around him, the faint scent of fresh blooms filling the air. His body ached with every movement, and the weight of exhaustion pressed down on him. His eyes flickered open, slowly adjusting to the light as his blurry surroundings slowly came into focus. He blinked, and his gaze locked onto a pair of hazelnut eyes that stared back at him in surprise.
He blinked again, and she blinked back, a moment of stillness hanging in the air before Naruto, without a word, reached forward and pulled Tsunade into a tight bear hug. His face buried itself in the crook of her neck, and a sigh of relief escaped his lips.
"I'm glad you're okay..." he whispered, his voice barely above a breath.
Tsunade smiled softly, her arms wrapping around him just as tightly. "You really are an idiot, aren't you?" she teased, her voice full of warmth and affection despite the concern in her eyes.
He pulled back from the hug to check for any injuries, his hands trembling slightly as they cupped her cheeks gently. But she stopped him with a soft giggle, her voice light and teasing.
"I'm 'kay, baka. You're the one who was out like a light for three weeks..." she said, her eyes sparkling with affection.
Naruto rubbed his neck sheepishly, the action causing him to wince slightly. His fingers brushed against the bandages tightly wrapped around his head, his skull still tender from the brutal punches delivered by the jōnin. The bandages stretched down his neck, and his chest and arms were similarly wrapped in gauze and cloth, signs of the heavy wounds he had sustained. His body was still sore, each movement reminding him of the savage blows he'd endured. Despite the injuries, there was no mistaking the relief in his heart that he was still alive, still with her.
He didn't recall much after the final blows, only that the pain had been overwhelming. But the soft bandages and the cool, protective wrap around his head served as stark reminders of how close he'd come to being taken from her.
Before he could say anything more, Tsunade wrapped her arms around him again, her touch gentle, but firm, as if to remind herself that he was here. She rested her head on his shoulder, her voice soft, a tremor of concern breaking through the teasing tone.
"You scared me, Naru..." she whispered.
Naruto's heart clenched at the vulnerability in her voice. He smiled gently, pulling her closer, despite the strain on his battered body.
"You scared me too, Tsuna..." he whispered back, his voice thick with sincerity.
They stayed like that for a while, just holding each other. The room around them, the flowers, the gifts, and the bandages that marked his body, all faded away as the moment sank in. The pain in his body was nothing compared to the relief that coursed through him, knowing she was here and safe.
Meanwhile Outside the room…
Mito stood by the small glass window of the door, her hands clasped over her heart, a fond smile lighting up her face.
"Aww, they're so adorable, hugging like that…" she cooed softly, earning smiles from the two men seated beside her. Sasuke's fingers twitched, irritated by his inability to smoke in the room, and his frustration grew with every passing moment. Beside him, Tobirama calmly sipped from a can of cold coffee, seemingly unfazed by the situation.
To distract himself, Sasuke popped a piece of chewing gum into his mouth, trying to push thoughts of his missing cigarette aside as they waited. Mito was taking her time—giving the Hokage permission to disturb the tender moment between the children inside. It was unbecoming of their legendary status to be scolded by a woman, but even so…
"I'm so getting them married when they grow up…" Mito whispered, her voice filled with warmth. An amused "aww" escaped her lips.
The reactions were immediate.
POOF…
Tobirama sprayed a nurse completely brown by spewing coffee onto her. The nurse stood there, completely drenched, as brown coffee soaked into her uniform, while Tobirama gaped at the mess he'd made. "I didn't—" he began, but no words could undo the disaster.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, in the most Sasuke way possible, managed to choke on the chewing gum. His face turned beet-red as he slapped his chest frantically, attempting to force the gum out. When that failed, he doubled over, rolling around on the ground like a fish out of water, gasping for breath between desperate coughs. He looked more like he was having a mini battle with his own lungs than a simple coughing fit.
Mito, completely unfazed by the chaos, just pouted dramatically and watched it all unfold with a glimmer of joy in her eyes. "Men..." Mito pouted and watched the scene inside with sparkling eyes.
Inside…
"Jiji told me you jumped off a cliff..." Tsunade said sternly, her eyes narrowing at him, the weight of her glare making Naruto gulp nervously. He glanced around the room, desperately searching for an escape route that didn't exist.
"Well, it wasn't exactly a jump," he stammered, trying to salvage the situation. "It was more like... falling expertly... and safely... with a lot of speed behind it..." His explanation sounded as lame as it felt, and her narrowed eyes made him wish he could just vanish into thin air.
She didn't give him a chance to finish. With a quick flick of her hand, she bonked him lightly on his shoulder before grabbing his collar.
"Baka," she scolded, her voice a mix of frustration and affection, "Don't you dare do anything so reckless again, you hear me?" Her grip tightened for a moment before she softened, waiting for his response.
Naruto stayed silent for a moment, meeting her gaze with a calmness that caught her off guard. But as he shifted his weight, the sharp sting of his injuries shot through him, causing him to wince slightly. He quickly masked it, not wanting her to notice.
"Won't you do the same for me?" he asked softly, his voice carrying a sincerity that was impossible to ignore. The pain from his battered body was starting to set in, but he pushed through it, trying not to show her the full extent of it.
Her anger melted away in an instant. She looked down at the bed sheets, a soft blush creeping onto her cheeks. She fiddled with the fabric, avoiding his gaze. There was no answer she could give. She'd do it for him in a heartbeat, no question.
"Whatever," she muttered, her voice lacking any real force. "Don't put this on me. You're the one who's stupid..." Her words were barely above a whisper, but the warmth of her touch and the closeness between them filled the silence.
She sat there on his lap, the quiet wrapping around them, comfortable yet unspoken, until it seemed as if the world outside didn't matter anymore.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock when she pressed her lips gently against his cheek. The soft, unexpected warmth of the kiss lingered, and he froze as if the world had suddenly stopped moving. His heart skipped a beat, and he slowly lifted his hand to the spot where her lips had touched his skin, as though he could still feel the imprint of the moment.
He glanced at her, but she had already turned around, her back to him, arms crossed tightly. The act of hiding her face only made her look more vulnerable, more flustered, and it struck him in a way he couldn't quite explain.
"Thank you..." she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Naruto, still dazed, nodded but said nothing, not that she could see him. His thoughts raced, but before he could form words, she quickly added, her tone turning more serious yet still laced with affection, "And don't you dare tell anyone, or I'll kill you..."
He smiled, unable to help it, and reached out to poke her forehead playfully, the usual spark of mischief in his eyes. Despite the seriousness of her words, she was the same impulsive, stubborn girl he had always known, and it brought a sense of warmth to his chest.
"Hai!" he responded, trying to keep his voice light.
But as he looked up, he caught her eyes again—those eyes that shone with wonder and curiosity, and something else he couldn't quite name. His breath hitched ever so slightly, and he let out a soft sigh, almost as if in surrender to the growing feelings he hadn't fully acknowledged before.
"When did you learn that new jutsu?" she asked, her excitement taking over once again. "You never showed them to me! I'm definitely seeing them later!"
Naruto listened patiently as she blabbered on A quiet smile tugged at his lips as he realized—this girl, this moment, meant more to him than he'd ever said aloud.
She started her barrage of questions and answers by herself while he listened on patiently to the obliviously blabbering girl.
Outside…
"Aww, she kissed him, they're so cute..." Mito cooed, barely containing herself from rushing in to scoop up the two in her arms.
THUMP… THUMP…
Mito's smile faltered as she glanced down at the two men lying unconscious at her feet, foam gathering at the corners of their mouths. Her eye twitched dangerously as she realized the perverted nature of their reactions.
"Perverts," she grumbled under her breath, crossing her arms as she glared at the two grown men, who were still out cold. "It was just an innocent kiss on the cheek…" She shook her head, waiting for them to regain consciousness before she sent them right back into the next round of unconsciousness, knowing full well they'd never live this down.
The door creaked open, and Kagami stepped in, his eyes immediately falling on the two figures sprawled out on the ground in an awkward heap, their expressions a mix of dazed and utterly stupefied. He raised an eyebrow, his confusion evident. However, she was startled when Kagami came in and looked on confused at their unconscious Hokage and his trusted friend unconscious on the ground.
A few moments later, Tobirama, who had been unceremoniously knocked out cold alongside his friend, slowly began to stir. With a groan, he straightened himself out, brushing off the disheveled state of his clothes and blinking the fogginess from his eyes, and looked at his ex-subordinate with a curious look.
"How goes the interrogation?" he asked the Uchiha seriously, who smirked knowingly at his sensei making him smirk back. Tobirama had assigned him in charge of cracking the abductors up, and Uchiha were viciously known for breaking their captive's mind during interrogations when they were done due in prompt to the severity of the mind tricks they used and Tobirama had told him to go all out, just that he got the information from him before the man was turned into a vegetable.
"He and his comrade cracked this morning sensei, your hunch was right. It was Kumo," he answered his unasked question, making his eyes turn cold in the empty hallway of the hospital and he leaned back while rubbing his temples. That Nidaime Raikage's coveting for their Kekkei Genkai and hidden techniques wasn't lost to him. But for him to go this far…
"Why Tsunade then? She doesn't even have a bloodline?" he asked stoically and Kagami looked around.
"We should talk in private," he answered making Tobirama nod at his need for privacy, the matter must be urgent then. The three men disappeared and Mito said nothing but knew what it meant and what fate her granddaughter had just been saved from. She moved in to meet the children while the men went to go and talk about serious matters regarding international affairs while she had a couple of blondes to coddle and hug them to death.
In the Hokage Office…
Tobirama sealed the room, ensuring complete privacy before settling into his chair. Sasuke sank onto the nearby couch, lighting a much-needed cigar. The sharp scent of tobacco lingered as Kagami positioned himself across from Tobirama, his expression tense.
"They want her to be turned into a jinchūriki," Kagami began gravely. "Senju bodies are highly compatible with bijū. With Uzushiogakure fortified beyond infiltration, Kumo sees this as their next move to create a perfect, weaponized deterrent."
Tobirama steepled his fingers, deep in thought. His sharp mind quickly identified one troubling possibility.
"You know what this means, Tobirama," Sasuke interjected, exhaling a puff of smoke. "A stable jinchūriki is only this critical under one condition…" His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear.
Kagami nodded, his voice somber. "Today was far too close. If Tsunade—or Naruto, for that matter—had been taken, Kumo would have gained unprecedented leverage. They could breed a new clan of jinchūriki right in their village."
Tobirama's expression darkened, but Sasuke wasn't finished. "Naruto needs to be questioned. He was nowhere near where Tsunade was abducted, yet he located her before anyone even realized she was missing. Something doesn't add up."
Kagami chimed in, his tone sharper. "And the infiltrator had intimate knowledge of our security protocols, almost as if he were one of us. We've got a leak."
Tobirama's gaze hardened. "What do we do, sensei?" Kagami asked hesitantly.
"Nothing," Tobirama said after a long pause, reclining in his chair.
"Nothing?" Sasuke echoed, incredulous.
Tobirama nodded. "We have no hard evidence tying the infiltrator's actions to Kumo. Without identification, they can deny his allegiance outright. All we have is an interrogation report, and that's not enough to act."
Both men fell silent, though frustration simmered beneath the surface. Tobirama continued, "But make no mistake—this is a calculated move, a step toward something far more dangerous."
He straightened in his chair, his commanding presence filling the room. "Sasuke, take charge of our spy network. Monitor Kumo and Iwa; I suspect Mū may also be involved. Kagami, root out the leaks in our ranks. If an infiltrator managed this cleanly in broad daylight, our internal security would have been deeply compromised. As for Naruto…" Tobirama's gaze turned cold. "I'll question him myself."
The room fell into a tense silence as the gravity of the situation settled over them. Tobirama's final thought, unspoken but heavy, lingered in the air: this was the calm before the storm.
Yet, another troubling notion gnawed at the edges of Tobirama's mind. If Kumo and Iwa were so desperate to create a perfect jinchūriki, perhaps Konoha, too, needed to consider its own deterrent. The idea was distasteful, but logic and pragmatism weighed heavily on him.
The Kyūbi.
The thought sent a chill down his spine. It was a force of unparalleled power, one that could either destroy Konoha or secure its dominance. Perhaps it was time to consider what they had long avoided—the necessity of weaponizing the Nine-Tails to safeguard their village.
Tobirama's lips tightened into a grim line. He would see this through, no matter the cost.
Author's Note:
Thank you all for the positive comments regarding my dilemma. It was unprofessional of the examiner to speak with my parents instead of directly with me, but I took your suggestions to heart and managed to sort out the problem. All the credit goes to those of you who supported me.
Now, enough about me—how did you find the chapter? Did you enjoy it?
I made significant changes to the fight compared to the original, but I've kept the overall story the same.
Until next time.
Happy Reading.