A/N: Skipped a month, and for that I apologize.
You can blame my playing around with A.I. for this…lot of questions I have.
That, and you can also blame tax time.
Still won't substitute for good old fashioned Discord for hard dialogue.
In any case, I hope this is still up to par.
…
[Somewhere in Hi no Kuni]
He'd been in his fair share of bars throughout the multiverse, and so what he'd seen was nothing particularly special.
Naruto traveled with the old man for several days, watching as he gambled away what remained of his hard-earned money (which was no small amount) from his work as a smith and a weapon seller. He also had a number of bunny-girls hovering over his shoulders, either whispering sweet nothings into his ear or encouraging him to make bigger bets.
The only problem was that given his age, he was not allowed to imbibe, and so he made do with a simple cup of jasmine tea. His companion however, gave the impression of a slacker, a gambler, and a womanizer…to his understanding, those were the three faults that got a Shinobi killed. Still, his instincts had told him that the old man was a straight-shooter, but he'd been wrong once or twice before; either way, better to travel with this man and see what he was all about than to get lost up the creek without a paddle.
A part of him wondered as to who he was, that he had such intimate knowledge of the village, being able to sneak in and out of Konoha like a master thief.
Naruto's time in Kamigawa told him exactly what was going on. The name of the game was 'Chō-han Bakuchi'…a simple game wherein two dice were rolled in a cup by a dealer, who would eventually upend the cup and take the bets on whether the result would be "chō" or "han", even or odd respectively. The dealer for this game was almost always a woman who was always shirtless to avoid accusations of sleight-of-hand sleeve tricks in the game - the only bit of modesty for these lady dealers was a sarashi to also prevent accusations of cheating by causing a distraction. Once the dealer removed the cup, the results were counted, and were either identified as either "chō" or "han". Whoever called the results correctly won the pot, though the dealer or "tsubofuri" would often get a cut of the winnings as well.
The only problem was that Chō-han Bakuchi games were often run by Yakuza, which was also the case in this particular game, as Naruto noted some tattooed men in the immediate vicinity.
Throughout the game, he'd heard snippets of the conversation in the game the old man was playing. There were questions hidden in the way he spoke with his fellow players, the way he was able to effortlessly cajole the information from his hapless victims without letting them suspect anything.
After yet another victorious roll from the dealer, the old man made his move, teasing out as much info from the gamblers. "So, how about those Chūnin Exams, right?"
"Tell me about it, I thought that Hyūga boy was gonna win for sure." groused a losing gambler.
"Speaking of gambling, I heard that a particular cash cow's been spotted passing our way," noted another, a crooked grin on his face.
Another gambler snickered. "A shame she never stopped by"
"Any idea where she went?" asked the old man.
"Last I heard, she skipped town and made a beeline for the Tanzaku Quarters," taunted the first gambler, as the dealer rolled the dice in the cup.
"I almost feel bad for that dumb blonde," taunted his friend, "Those guys over at Tanzaku are gonna clean her out within an hour."
"I'm betting that she'll lose it all in the first minute!" added the first gambler.
"You're on!"
"Gentlemen, can we continue?" asked the dealer, the impatience in her voice as it was in her face. The cup was upended, the dice silent.
"Han!" called out the old man, tossing half his winnings in the pot.
"Chō!" called out the first gambler, tossing in the remainder of his chips.
"Chō!" called out the second gambler, doing the same.
Anticipation was heavy in the air as the dealer looked between the three gamblers, waiting for any of them to change their minds or to sweeten the pot. Beads of sweat running down their faces in fear as to the With a quick swipe, the dealer removed the cup, and the dice results came out as a six, and a red-eyed one. The result was clear: it was han.
As he collected the pot, Naruto found himself analyzing the old man. If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought that the man was a Blue-aligned mage…if his aura weren't a mix of Red, Green, and White, none of which were colors that were associated with charm. Though to be fair he'd seen a few Green- and Red-aligned individuals, many of whom were bards, who could be just as persuasive as a Blue or Black mage.
Before he could turn, the old man soon found himself surrounded by a number of tattooed men looming over him. The biggest of them stood out from them, looking down at the old man from his musclebound physique.
"I think you owe us a cut of that," said the apparent leader, eyeing one of the bunny-girls fawning over the old man, "'specially since that's my girlfriend you've got hovering over ya."
"I'd be glad to hand it to you and just be done with it, but this ain't exactly my money," answered the old man honestly.
"You think I care whose money that is?" asked the leader, cracking his knuckles confidently.
There was no shortage to the rage Naruto felt as he channeled mana into his palm, prepared to summon a piece of his armory if necessary. Most of the time, Professor Cao's lessons in weapon-handling and battle-magic would carry him through most battles…it served him well as an adventurer in Toril, it would serve him well now.
"Sadly, you're not gonna get a chance," warned the old man, channeling chakra into his palm into a spherical shape, "Let us walk out of here with our winnings, and I won't have to embarrass you in front of your girlfriend."
"Ha! And what're you gonna do?" taunted the tattooed leader, "There's twelve of us, and only two of you!"
"Rasengan!" called out the old man, driving the swirling sphere of chakra in his open palm into his opponent's gut. The very impact of the blow sent him and anyone behind him flying out the door and slamming into the wall of a building just outside the gambling den.
Seeing the amount of raw power demonstrated by the old man. "And this was done by none other than the Gama Sennin, Jiraiya!"
Upon hearing the name, the rest of the apparent yakuza's flunkies chose to back off as the winnings were collected. The amount of leeway given to him and Naruto was consistent as they walked out of the gambling den unmolested - nobody wanted to cross the now-named Jiraiya. What awaited them upon crossing the threshold into the streets was a crumpled mess of bodies piled upon each other…not a nick on any of them. Still, there was no doubt that these yakuza would learn this lesson from the way they were thrown out of the tavern.
"Now that was a lot of power in that little ball," Naruto noted.
"Interested, are we?" asked Jiraiya, almost coyly.
"And surprised." Naruto answered honestly.
"And what about all those nifty tricks I've heard you can do?" Jiraiya asked, "Besides, last I heard, you barely graduated from the academy."
Naruto shrugged. "I'm always interested in learning something new…though you can't be an ordinary old man if you know that I can do magic."
"The Hokage was my sensei, and my boss in a sense, so yeah, I know about you and your strange abilities," Jiraiya admitted, "Which makes me wonder as to why I should teach an outsider."
"Through no fault of my own," Naruto corrected.
"Which makes you an outsider nonetheless, which begs the question as to why I should trust you with even this Jutsu."
Naruto simply glared at the older man, readying a spell in case things turned out for the worst. "I could honestly say the same of you, but I think we both know that you wouldn't have come to me with this mission if you didn't at least see me as a straight-shooter in the first place."
"Calm down Kiddo. While I did bring you cause you're a straight shooter, you could say that's also why I'm not entirely sure if I should teach you. After all, during your time here you've expressed a desire to share your knowledge to everyone, including civilians and other villages."
"And I still do, but it's been made absolutely clear I can't do that with the world as it is now, not with everyone pointing weapons at each other," Naruto argued, dispelling his gathered mana, "You probably think I'm letting trauma cloud my judgment, but I know for a fact that someday, the Multiverse will come knocking at our doorstep - maybe it'll be a peaceful encounter, maybe it won't, but it's gonna happen one way or another. And trust me, after the war I've fought in, I know for sure that that day will most certainly come in the future, whether we're ready or not."
"Kid, for all the learning you've got, you really aren't thinking it through," Jiraiya replied, sighing in disappointment, "More war and conflict isn't gonna unite anyone - that's the kind of thinking you have that's led to how things are in this world. You barely know anything about how things work around here, and I don't just mean chakra. If you want this world to be prepared for whatever it is you're scared of, you need to understand it and its people first, instead of trying to change it. Otherwise, you'll end up with the same result as everyone else that tried to do exactly what you're trying to do."
"It's not a war that I'm concerned about so much," Naruto explained, "What I'm concerned about is the fact that the war I've fought in was so terrible, it literally tore apart the boundaries that divide all the Planes of Reality from each other. It's only a matter of time before interdimensional travelers have the potential to stumble upon our world, and when that happens, I'm afraid of what will come of the encounter with these travelers."
"Well you're not gonna be able to do much if you keep pushing your ideas and acting like you know best. I can tell you from experience that's a good way to get people to dislike you - I know you mean well, but you're not gonna get anywhere if you keep sticking to an impossible plan. This is why people still see you as some outsider: despite how you look and how much you've done to help, you haven't really tried reconnecting to the way things are done here."
"So what do you think I should do, from one wanderer to another?" Naruto asked.
"Heh, that's not really something I can give an easy answer to. But if you should start anywhere, you need to learn two things about the people." At this, he gestured to his head. "What's in here, and more importantly…" Gesturing to his chest. "What's in here, in their heart."
Naruto looked at Jiraiya, before heaving a sigh of resignation. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still hoping for the day where I can freely teach magic to the people of this world, to show them the spiritual world from another lens. But you need to keep in mind, Jiraiya, that what I've said still stands: the Multiverse is real and it's out there, and it's only a matter of time before another interdimensional traveler shows up at our doorstep…my friend Ajani showing up on this Plane should be proof of that. In the meantime however, I'll be making memories here in this Plane…to understand it better."
"That's all I ask," Jiraiya suggested,
"Well, since we're out here, you mind telling me what kind of job we're doing out here, old man?" Naruto finally asked as the two of them walked down the street.
"We're looking for Senju Tsunade," replied Jiraiya, "Hopefully, to get her to become Hokage."
"You make it sound like it'd be quite the effort," Naruto noted.
Jiraiya scratched the back of his head. "Well, in a way it is."
The way the old man scratched the back of his head, and the way he spoke told a story. It was then that a thought had made itself known to him: "She's not gonna come willingly to be the Hokage."
At this, Jiraiya grunted in assent. "Well if she ain't gonna do it, then why don't you step up?"
"If not for the fact that I'm running a spy network, I probably would've," Jiraiya admitted, "But as that's the case, I can't do it - there's too many moving parts in my spy network for me to just leave someone else to it."
An amused huff was Naruto's reply. "And here I was, thinking you were just a smut writer."
"A smut writer that's richer than you!" Jiraiya jabbed back, his chest puffed up in pride.
"I'll give you that."
The two of them continued down the road, silently.
There was no need to tell Jiraiya that his work was tame compared to some of the works he'd found elsewhere in the multiverse.
…
[Konoha]
There was a lot to ponder as she walked the streets of Konoha, resuming her disguise as an itinerant acupuncturist.
Now that Naruto was out of the village, and his forge temporarily closed, Haku wandered the streets of Konoha, looking for an apartment to stay in while contemplating her next move. It was hard to do, as the village was on lockdown thanks to two intruders who had infiltrated the village.
At the same time, her mind wandered to the time she'd spent as his temporary receptionist, and the arms she'd watched him create through both traditional smithing techniques, and the use of that strange art he called 'magic'.
The number of projects she'd seen him finish in the time she'd stayed with him would be sold to a number of clients, and the look of satisfaction on his patrons could not be any clearer. Each of the weapons he'd made were deadly and functional works of art in their own right. Haku had heard the rumor mill of Naruto being compared to the master swordsmith Muramasa…and she didn't think it was an exaggeration. If it had an edge, it was keen enough to cut into a flak jacket, and all of them strong enough to survive being smashed against the steel plate of a hitai-ate.
Such was the quality of his work that a part of Haku had wanted to commission a blade from Naruto, though she felt it'd be nothing more than a trinket, considering that she was deadly enough with her Kekkei Genkai-based Hyōton mastery. It wasn't out of the question for her to create swords of ice if necessary, it's just that her bare hands were deadly enough under normal circumstances. Still, the temptation was there to commission a weapon for herself, even if it were a mere dagger - if only as an heirloom to any children she may have.
That thought alone had brought a pause to her step. Children? With whom? It wasn't long until thoughts of a future with Naruto re-igniting the flames of the forge had materialized in her head. Their father would operate the forge, bringing in income from the most discerning of clients, the works he made in turn becoming heirlooms to the best of the best. And of course, Tenten would be there, browsing through the gallery to find the next weapon to add to her collection - or perhaps to commission premium arms to sell in her own weapons shop.
She shook herself back into reality.
As much as she wanted this future, Haku needed to survive first. To that end, she needed to find a place to hide out until she earned the right to live in Konoha without having to hide. As it stood, she was an illegal immigrant, which meant that she had to earn residency, and perhaps citizenship later on, in order to ensure that she could walk the streets without looking over her shoulder for law enforcement.
With the death of the Hokage, buying her residency with official military service was out of the question. Due to this, Haku was forced to apply for residency the hard way - a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy, which would have given the local law enforcement plenty of time to sniff her out. This was her only way until a new Hokage was put into office.
But for now, she had a domicile to inspect. It was seedy, but it was reportedly cheap and below detection for any given sensor-type Shinobi - on top of that, it was harmless enough to the naked eye that nobody would ask questions. This would give her plenty of time to fill out residency papers, and hopefully keep the eyes of the law off her back for the foreseeable future until she joined the Shinobi forces.
Though a part of her wondered where Naruto was at the moment, and what he was doing.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she saw a figure in white and indigo speeding past her. Trained eyes enabled her to see that the runner was a boy with short, raven hair with a chokutō holstered at the small of his back. That he was flying the Uchiha Gunbai on his back left no doubt as to who he was, though she wondered what had happened in town that would cause the Last Uchiha of Konoha to take off so quickly.
…
[Elsewhere in Hi no Kuni]
Naruto traversed the halls of the inn after Jiraiya had left to speak with a random woman, thoughts on his mind on the situation he'd found himself in, and the enormity of the secret mission he was to undertake.
He understood how important the mission was. Doubly so, since he was unable to do Shinobi work with the Hokage's office empty, and that was only one symptom coming from a lack of leadership. Without a Hokage in the office, that also left a power vacuum of individuals who also coveted the power of that seat…no doubt that Danzō desired that seat for himself. And if they failed to return to Konoha with this suitable candidate, then the odds were good that that warhawk would indeed take advantage of this opportunity to seize control.
Naruto shuddered to think what the man would do if he ever got the power he wanted. In his experience, having an aura of Black and White did not make someone inherently bad, as Kaya Kassir had demonstrated, but Danzō was the sort who embodied the negative traits of both colors. And in that aspect, he stood by his opinion that it was not out of the question that Danzō would fit in quite well with the Orzhov Syndicate.
Naruto found himself in a completely empty hallway with the oddest duo he'd ever seen.
Both wore black coats with red clouds decorating the bottom; each wore a sando-gasa with a bell hung from the rim in front of an opening created by white bands of cloth dangling from the sides and the back like hair.
The taller one wore a strap across his chest, from which he hung one of the largest swords Naruto had ever seen in his time as a traveler in the multiverse. His skin was a bright bluish-gray with three curved markings framing his face under his fish-like eyes, much like a shark, his dark blue hair a broom held up by a Kirigakure hitai-ate with the crest scratched out. The greatsword sheathed at his back had a skull-shaped pommel, and its wide blade was wrapped up in bandages.
"The greatsword is indeed a mighty blade, and in the hands of a true master, is a true menace of the battlefield. Any lessons learned with the longsword can be applied to this beast of a weapon as long as a man is tall, and thus it is possible to dance even with this beast. Using the momentum generated by its mass to propel one's movements, one can take advantage of the reach of its long blade to cleave through multiple opponents, as the swordsman dances like a whirlwind. However, economy of motion should still be emphasized; do not spare the dregs the generosity of your time and effort, cut them down quickly and efficiently like the chaff they are so that you may save your power-strikes on more worthwhile foes. To those seeking to master the greatsword, remember this: the titan of steel constantly tests its dance partner, for stamina, spatial awareness, timing, and strength are necessary to dance with it."
Having handled a greatsword himself, Naruto was familiar with a lot of the techniques that one had to be familiar with in order to make the most efficient use of it. The shark-man's stance implied that he was well-versed in its use…a faster weapon would be necessary to counter it.
Shark-man's companion was a slightly shorter man, his skin a normal complexion as he looked back at Naruto with dark eyes. Where the shark-man was a hulking wall of muscle, his companion was smaller and more effeminate and slimmer frame. There were no visible weapons upon this one's frame…but Naruto had learned quite early on in his travels that unarmed did not mean harmless. He needed to beware of this one.
"Uzumaki Naruto?" asked a husky voice from the shorter of the duo, the tone very calm and polite. It was low enough that he couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.
"What of it?" Naruto asked, charging mana into hands hidden by his sleeves, a spell on his mind as he scanned the hallway to find ways to escape…or at least to select the proper weapon to fight with. Luckily, he was still in Hi no Kuni, which meant that he had ample Green and Red mana for his spells; though he wasn't quite comfortable with using Blue just yet, but it was good to know that Ace was up his sleeve if the need ever arose.
"We would like for you to come with us," replied the shorter one.
Looking at the way they carried themselves, Naruto was able to deduce that they were not weaklings in any sense. Running would be of no help—the second he turned his back to them, they would probably cut him down…dead or alive, they were not going to let him escape.
"I'd really like to oblige you," he said, picking the target for his next spell, "But unfortunately, I've come out here to do a job."
"You say that like you have a choice," said the shark-man, his fingers twitching, "We just want you to come meet someone."
"If your friend wanted me to meet them, they wouldn't have sent assassins," Naruto fired back, his muscles tensing as he prepared for combat; his sword-spear ready to summon.
The shark-man barked in amusement. "A fighter, eh? You sound fun."
"Remember, Kisame, we were supposed to bring him back alive," admonished the shorter one.
"True, Itachi, but I doubt he'd need his legs now would he?" the now-named Kisame added.
Lightning-fast did he flick his wrist, aiming it at the shorter of the duo. "Shock!"
The shorter of the two was forced to back away by a bolt of lightning, giving Naruto ample room to summon forth his sword-spear in his free hand just in time to avoid a strike from the larger man's greatsword. He then countered with a thrust from his sword-spear, aimed at Kisame's legs, hoping to cut at his calves in that shot; a single swipe as soon as he'd gotten a sufficient amount of reach was all he needed to offend his opponent. Unfortunately, Kisame was quite nimble for a man of his size and mass, avoiding the attempt at crippling him before countering with a downward stroke of his sword. Naruto rolled away, driving the pommel of his sword-spear backwards to keep Itachi back, then using the same motion to thrust with his sword-spear yet again, pushing Kisame back as he channeled Green and Red mana into his hand before firing yet another bolt of lightning at Itachi with "Lightning Strike". With his opponent distracted, Naruto completed the summoning as a large creature appeared behind Itachi, much to his shock.
The creature that assaulted Itachi was an amalgam of an owl and a bear. It had the head and forequarters of a horned owl, its front legs a hybrid between wings and flight feathers. While its hindquarters were that of a bear, it had the tailfeathers of an owl. It was a brown and gray creature, covered in brown and gray feathers, and brown fur. The creature swiped at Itachi with its avian claws, hoping to catch him in a bear hug, snapping at him with its beak from time to time as it kept him busy.
Satisfied that the owlbear was keeping one opponent occupied, Naruto turned his attention back to Kisame. He hopped back from the swordsman, watching as the edge of that sword-shaped club of his came crashing down to the ground before countering with a thrust from his sword-spear. With space created between them, the two of them stared each other down as they caught their breath.
The two of them re-engaged, continuing their dance of death. Naruto's spear-thrusts kept Kisame on the defensive, forcing him to block or evade every strike aimed at him. At the same time, Professor Cao's lesson popped up in his mind as he kept his eyes open for his opponent's tells.
"Books containing the treatises of long-dead generals will tell you of the necessity of strategy, and on that, I would handily agree. However, should the fight come to blows, robbing you of ample time to aim your arrows or to prepare your spells, that is when your mastery of close-quarters combat will serve you well. It is at this point that instinct becomes your lifeline…but be warned, for even base instinct can fail when it leads you to misjudge a situation or even an opponent's moves. Therefore, I say this to you, my students; follow your instincts, but be aware of your opponent's tells so as not to fall for their traps."
"So this is the weapon that killed that kid Zabuza," Kisame noted, dodging a spear thrust, "A spear? Really?"
"Says the ninja wielding a greatsword," Naruto countered, readying his sword-spear for another flurry, "Though what's it to you that I killed Zabuza?"
"Just interested," Kisame replied, "Not every day one kills a member of the Shichinin Shinobigatana Shu. Though to be perfectly frank, I always thought I was the better swordsman, but someone who killed my fellow swordsman? Now that has to be interesting."
Naruto danced around the larger man's swings, using the environment to help maneuver him into any openings he could find. Kisame was slower, but he still had to watch out for any signs of a feint. Without any warning, Naruto found himself fighting two opponents at once, Itachi having already taken down his owlbear.
The fight had been interrupted as soon as Itachi found himself interrupted by a blur that had appeared from out of nowhere. As soon as the object's momentum had come to a halt, Naruto found that he'd been joined by none other than Uchiha Sasuke, his sword held in the reverse-grip. As he was parried, Sasuke changed his grip to hold a kunai in the offhand, pushing back Itachi for a moment before throwing the kunai at him. Naruto and Sasuke stood back-to-back, Kisame in front of him, and Itachi in front of Sasuke.
"Didn't think you'd come," Naruto remarked, turning his attention back to Kisame.
"I didn't come for you," Sasuke replied, "I came for my own purposes."
"I really wouldn't take the smaller one lightly," Naruto warned, readying his spear, "Whoever he is, he's good."
"I know," Sasuke bit out.
"Seems your brother's grown quite a bit, hasn't he, Itachi?" Kisame asked, catching his breath.
"No, he hasn't grown at all," Itachi replied coldly.
"I'll show you how much I've grown when I make you pay for wiping out the Uchiha Clan!"
Naruto didn't get much of a chance to stop Sasuke from charging down Itachi, as he found himself with other priorities. Kisame barreled down on him, swinging that massive greatsword around and forcing him to focus on the shark-man…Naruto would answer with a series of thrusts meant to put distance between him and Kisame. "You've got other priorities, boy!"
Seeing no other option, Naruto rushed down Kisame, their battle of mobility resumed. Naruto kept looking out for openings to attack the shark-man, openings that Kisame either plugged up quickly or used as feints. At the same time, Naruto did his best to attack his opponent's footwork while gathering Red and White mana as he ducked under another swing from Kisame.
"Righteous fury incarnate! Lightning Helix!"
A flick of his wrist was all Naruto needed to unleash a helical arc of lighting that lanced clean through his target, only to watch as Kisame exploded in a torrent of water. Experience from fighting Zabuza had taught Naruto to expect his opponent to attack from this opening that was created from his missed attack. He ducked under the swing, and countered with a thrust from his sword-spear, forcing Kisame back as he channeled Red mana into his free hand.
"Magic Missile!"
Three darts of Red mana were thrown with the flick of the wrist, veering towards Kisame with the agility of swallows, striking Kisame as he blocked the attack with the face of his blade. Such was the force of the impact that an opening was created from the disruption of his poise, which gave Naruto just enough time to attempt another thrust with his sword-spear. Kisame barely had time to evade the attack, the edge of the sword-spear grazing him in the abdomen just enough to draw blood; had he been any slower, he'd have been skewered.
"So much effort for a drop of blood," Kisame taunted.
"In the words of my teacher, 'a drop of blood is just the start of an ocean,'" Naruto fired back, twirling his sword-spear.
Kisame merely grinned, exposing his razor-sharp, triangular teeth. "I like that teacher of yours."
"Well I doubt he'll like you," Naruto fired back, "He'd probably lop your head off as soon as the two of you met."
At this, Naruto rushed down Kisame, attacking him with a deluge of thrusts with his sword-spear, while keeping an eye open for traps. From the way he was moving, it was clear that the shark-man was doing the same, as the two of them were dancing with each other. Naruto's sword-spear was lighter than Kisame's weapon, but Kisame was nimble despite his greatsword, which put them on an even footing. At the same time, Naruto thought of spells that he could use to tip the scales in his favor.
It wasn't until Naruto heard a scream resounding from behind. There was no doubt that Sasuke had been defeated. This meant that he needed to wrap up his fight with Kisame before things got out of hand.
"Dammit, I've got to end this fight now!" Kisame cursed.
Luckily, there was plenty of red mana in the area to summon the creature he had in mind. He just needed to give it an appropriate weapon. As he ducked, bobbed, and wove through Kisame's attacks, Naruto gathered mana, the creature he needed for this took shape in his mind as he thought of the very weapon he would need for the fight. Using the ambient mana from the area, Naruto summoned a portal, and aimed it at Kisame.
"Fist of the Arsenal!"
On command, a massive weapon was launched from the portal at high speeds that Kisame could barely dodge. There was a gasp of shock as the blade lodged into the wall behind Kisame, recognition in his eyes as he laid eyes upon the weapon that was summoned, its tip embedded into the wall. "You dare treat Samehada's sister blade as mere ammunition?!"
"Kubikribōchō's not 'mere ammunition', I summoned it for this guy!" Naruto stated, clenching his fist.
As if on command, a statue was created, taking on a humanoid form before shattering into large pieces, its form held together by the flames that destroyed it as it took on a bipedal form…two arms, two legs. Once it sighted Kisame, it charged, pulling the mighty Kubikribōchō from the wall, rushing down Kisame fast enough that he was forced to parry a horizontal swipe aimed at his abdomen with Samehada.
"The hell is this thing?!" Kisame nearly shouted, as he parried another blow.
The Grandmaster of Arms…a creature that Naruto had encountered during his time as a Lorehold student in Arcavios. One had been present in Professor Cao's class, sparring with him using the variety of training weapons he had in the classroom. With Kisame preoccupied, Naruto turned to regard his other attacker just in time to stop Itachi from stabbing him with the haft of his sword-spear before kicking him away. As he got a clearer view of his new opponent, Naruto was surprised with the way that he looked.
Or rather, the way she looked.
Naruto found himself face-to-face with a stunning beauty. Under the torn front of her black and red cloud-patterned coat, he was quick to note her slender, muscular form built for the rigors of shinobi life. She only wore a reinforced fishnet mesh with a sarashi underneath, revealing that she had just enough curves on her body to be able to effortlessly seduce information from her target without being impractical for combat should the need arise. In each of her ruby-red eyes were three-point shuriken designs swirling around the iris like kaleidoscopes, contrasting against her bright complexion. Overall, she didn't look too different from Sasuke—if Sasuke were older, were a girl, and his eyes were red like hers. Aside from the weariness on her face, she had the air of someone who had no need to prove herself, and had the ability to back it up.
"You're strong," Naruto noted, unsummoning his sword-spear to summon his war sword, "You must've paid a steep price for that power."
Itachi didn't answer…but she didn't need to. She seemed drained somehow, and yet she was formidable despite her diminished capability. Whatever Itachi did to Sasuke to make him scream like that had exacted some sort of toll on her…unsurprising for someone with a tinge of Black in her aura.
Naruto had his fair share of encounters with straight-up Black mages in the Multiverse, thus he knew that not all of them lived up to the stereotype of being power-hungry monsters. The more powerful Black spells often exacted a toll if they weren't mana-intensive, and so any half-decent mage that specialized in Black knew to weigh the costs against the power the spell delivered. And in that aspect, he had nothing but respect for Black Mages who exercised restraint and had excellent judgment when using their powers, or at least had the foresight to set the stage to pay those prices ahead of time. Those novice mages studying Black who were careless, or who failed to so much as prepare sacrifices to cover those costs ahead of time didn't last long, either killed or driven insane from incurring costs they couldn't pay. And had Itachi been a mage, she would've been a very formidable opponent...at least on the level of Professor Onyx.
The two of them stared each other down, waiting for each other to make the next move. From how strong she was despite her exhaustion, it was clear to Naruto that Itachi had indeed paid a steep price to get as powerful as she did, and she paid willingly for it. As much as he admired her resolve, Naruto still had to survive.
As he slipped into a stance, he had a feeling Itachi was the more formidable opponent, which meant that he had to be extra careful lest she exploited any weaknesses he showed.
Before either of them made a move, the walls of the hallway changed…gone were the wood and plaster of the hotel, and in its place was a soft, pink tissue that covered the interior. The hallway had transformed into what resembled the interior of an intestine, or an esophagus.
"We need to get out!" Itachi called out to Kisame, her shout was like the crack of a whip.
Kisame had kicked his opponent away before the two of them sped down the hallway, rushing towards the window before the organic tissue that covered the floors. Before it could fully encase the window, a gout of black flames had erupted at the wall ahead, creating the opening that Itachi and Kisame needed to escape as it burned open a hole.
As the two of them disappeared into the distance, Naruto settled down and unsummoned his sword. He had a pretty good idea who created this wall of tissue that was vanishing slowly. "What kept you?"
"I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to jump in safely," Jiraiya replied, "Though I gotta ask; you clearly knew you were out of their league, so why didn't you run?"
"You really think I could've run from those two?" Naruto argued, "I was a raid commander once, you don't survive for long as a raider if you don't pick your fights wisely…but sometimes, you get into a situation where you've no choice but to fight your way out. The second I was within speaking distance of those two, I sized them both up, and knew right away that running wasn't gonna help. I also knew they left some escape routes open, but that's only because they didn't wanna have to deal with a cornered rat. So to answer your question, it's not that I didn't want to run, but more that I couldn't run if I tried."
"Well next time, I suggest you run," Jiraiya advised, "You have no clue how easily you could have died."
"Any other time, I would heed that advice happily," Naruto replied, "But something tells me to expect round two with them in the future."
Jiraiya nodded silently.
"Dynamic Entry!"
…
[Unknown location]
The mission to acquire Uzumaki Naruto ahead of time had turned out to be an unexpected failure.
That they ended up on the receiving end of his strange new Jutsu was not something they had seen coming. All eyes were upon them as she had finished her briefing after recounting exactly what had gone on during the encounter with Uzumaki.
"The Jutsu he fired at us was unlike anything we had ever seen before," Itachi explained, "Not a single hand-seal was formed, but he needed to speak throughout each one he used. Some were shorter than others, while others needed him to recite an entire sentence in order to cast - as if he were reciting poetry. The only time he ever used his hands was to gather what I assume was chakra, and then aim those Jutsu at us. It's clear to me whatever he learned during his disappearance operates on a totally different set of rules from the ones that Ninjutsu abides by. It baffles me as to what other Jutsu of this type that he knows."
"What can you tell us about the creatures that he summoned?" asked Ring-eyes.
"Some sort of abomination that had the head and talons of an owl, and the hindquarters of a bear," Itachi answered, "Whatever it was, it was unlike anything I'd ever seen before…he was somehow able to summon it behind me without my knowing. Had I not found an opening when I did, I would have been mauled to death…though that cannot compare with the second creature that Uzumaki summoned. I cannot tell you anything for certain about that creature, as I was busy managing Sasuke, other than the fact that it was formidable enough to give Kisame a good fight."
"I have no clue what the other one was, just that it looked like a statue that was brought to life, and bursting at the seams with fire," Kisame admitted, contributing his own end of the story, "But the really notable thing about it came the second it laid hands upon Kubikribōchō and started fighting a lot like the late Momochi Zabuza. It even approached the fight against me exactly as Zabuza would have…as though I were fighting Zabuza himself. If laying hands on Kubikribōchō allowed it to fight like Zabuza, makes me wonder who else it'll fight like."
"In any case, we must be cautious when we next encounter Uzumaki," replied Ring-eyes, "As Itachi has so clearly pointed out, we simply do not know enough about these strange Jutsu that he wields beyond what she has encountered in their battle. Though it seems that Kisame has gotten his fair share of exercise when he traded blows with him…what are your impressions of him, Kisame."
Kisame snickered, an enthusiastic grin on his face. "Going by what I saw in his movements, and the way he handled that spear of his, I'd guess that on top of having learned one hell of a teacher, he has seen his fair share of battle. Don't get me wrong, I'm confident I can take him in a straight fight next time we meet, but I've got this feeling that he's gonna make me work for it. And while I think he's out of Itachi's league, I don't doubt that he was also willing to take her on if necessary if his switching out his spear for a sword were any indication. Though if I'm being completely honest, I'd like to see how he handles that sword of his."
"We're going to have to hold off on that for now," suggested Ring-eyes, "Your decision to attack Uzumaki will have consequences down the road…and yet, you've managed to gather a fair bit of intel from that action. Lay low for now, when the time comes, we will take Uzumaki, no matter what strange powers he has returned with. Until then, this meeting is adjourned."
Itachi and Kisame lowered their hands, breaking their communications with the leader of Akatsuki.
"About time the meeting was over," Kisame said, wincing as he lay down, downing a bottle of medicine, "I was beginning to think I wouldn't get a chance to relax."
"You really do need to rest," Itachi told him, "The sooner that cut heals over, the sooner you'll be back in action."
She appreciated her partner's loyalty, but Itachi was not too fond of how eager for combat he was. By all accounts, the damage he'd suffered from his duel with Naruto was just a flesh wound, but one that was still deep enough that it needed to be bandaged before their meeting with the rest of Akatsuki. In her eyes, Uzumaki had painted a very large, sword-shaped target on his back the second he drew first blood against Kisame, made even bigger when he summoned that being of fire and stone and gave it Zabuza's sword. Though she would've been lying if she said she wasn't interested in seeing what other Jutsu he had, and how they worked without a single hand-seal.
There was quite a bit of growth from a boy she'd watched over several times in her time as an ANBU operative. Her first thought about Uzumaki Naruto was that he was just a sad little boy who'd been given the short end of the stick because he'd been chosen to house the monster that nearly destroyed Konoha. He'd been ostracized specifically because of the fox, which had tugged at her heartstrings somewhat…though getting to know him better allowed her to see him as another little brother. Had things been normal, perhaps he and Sasuke would've been friends if he didn't disappear when he did.
Thinking back on her fight with Sasuke, Itachi was ambivalent on her younger brother's progress. While she was glad to see that he'd gotten stronger, she was disappointed that he was obsessed with revenge for what she'd done…the very act that saved his life from that monster Danzō. The deluded fool was a blight on all that was good in Konoha, and the entirety of the world…one of these days, the monsters he'd created would be the death of him. And a part of her hoped that it would be Sasuke, rather than Naruto, that ended him.
Itachi had a lot of things to think about in the future. But until then, she would rest, and think of what she would do should her next encounter with Naruto come to blows.
…
[Unknown location]
Where was she?
Nothing was familiar to her, and yet she still found the desire to explore.
The Omenpath was stable, that much she knew, as it was still open behind her. All said, she at least had the sense not to linger - she was no Planeswalker, and this was her only lifeline to come home.
This world was untouched by the Phyrexians, that much she knew; which begged the question as to why.
She spread her wings, and flew, leaving behind gold-tinted white feathers behind.
And by all that she was, she would learn more about this world.
…
A/N: Seems the Multiverse has arrived sooner than Naruto has thought.
You can thank discussions with ravenking64 via Discord for some of the dialogues with Jiraiya…so give him a round of applause.
Anyway, now we get an action chapter.
Before long, we'll be getting into the Retrieve Tsunade arc. Don't worry, Naruto will still learn Rasengan…he has to, and Jiraiya will probably realize that it's not a matter of "should" but "need to" if he intends to have Naruto survive this world.
…
Vocabulary/Translations/Notes:
Oiran—a high-class courtesan that was pretty dominant in pre-WWII Japan…in Naruto's case, you can think of his Oiroke No Jutsu form as dressed very much like a futuristic version of Setsuka from "Soul Calibur".
Mokuran Sakan—the name of the teahouse is literally "Mulan Tea House" (木蘭茶館), as "Mokuran" is the Japanese translation of Mulan.
Shozoku—the so-called "traditional ninja uniform," when this was a fictional device for the ninja; shozoku were worn by stage hands in traditional Japanese theater so that they could camouflage themselves on the stage to do their work.
Geta—these are clogs in the form of thong sandals; tengu are known to wear them, as was Samurai Jack.
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Cards used:
Shock (Red)—Instant
Shock deals 2 damage to any target.
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Lightning Strike (1)(Red)—Instant
Lightning Strike deals 3 damage to any target.
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Lightning Helix (Red)(White)—Instant
Lightning Helix deals 3 damage to any target and you gain 3 life.
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Magic Missile (1)(Red)(Red)—Sorcery
This spell can't be countered.
Magic Missile deals 3 damage divided as you choose between one, two, or three targets.
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Name: Owlbear (3)(Green)(Green)—Creature - Bird Bear
Power/Toughness: 4/4
Trample
Keen Senses - When Owlbear enters the battlefield, draw a card
Custom cards:
Fist of the Arsenal (3)(Red/White)—Instant
Choose one of the following effects:
-Deal 3 damage to any target.
-Reveal an equipment card from your hand. Deal damage equal to that equipment card's converted mana cost to any target. If you reveal an equipment this way, you may put it onto the field, but you may not equip it this turn
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Grandmaster of Arms (4)(Red/White)(Red/White)—Creature - Spirit Warrior
Power/Toughness: 4/3
Haste, Vigilance
Affinity for Equipment (This spell costs (1) less for each Equipment you control)
You can't attach more than one Equipment onto Grandmaster of Arms.
(2)(Red/White)(Red/White) (Converted Mana Cost: 4): Grandmaster of Arms gains +X/+X, where X is the converted mana cost of the Equipment attached to it until end of turn.