Night Time
Blood
Naruto got up and across the room, Satsuki had already pulled out her knife. Still exhausted from the tumultuous day, they stared at each other.
Blood
Another chant went off. All wariness instantly vanished and they jumped into high gear. Satsuki unsheathed a cheap blade that replaced her earlier broken sword. Naruto got his myriad of weapons on him.
"Not this shit again." Satsuki angrily whispered as Naruto checked the recently installed cameras around the compound. A mob was slowly forming outside.
"What the-" Satsuki confusedly muttered as she glared at the screen. "Are they alive?"
Naruto couldn't fault her for the weird line of questioning. He was equally perplexed by the bizarre display. The people gathered outside didn't seem like normal people at all. Their clothes were torn and their flesh was rotten. Some were even missing entire limbs or had their skeletons exposed."
"What the actual fuck is going on?!" Satsuki snarled and looked at Naruto for answers but he had nothing to offer right now. He scanned across the screens to view the freak show from multiple angles.
Blood! Blood! Blood!
The undead outside were entering into a frenzy now. Naruto and Satsuki audibly gasped as a few fell over their defenses but still marched. A javeling tore through one's heart but he didn't drop. Another had her legs torn apart by hidden ninja wire but she still crawled forward with her arms.
"Satsuki," Naruto said calmly and for once Satsuki listened without any of the typical diva attitude. "Katon Jutsu. Liberal amounts of it. Burn them all."
"Hai," Satsuki replied as she watched Naruto rummage through several items of junk and tools. "What about you?"
"You must burn them all. Anyone who remains should be pushed to the training ground. I am confident they will fear fire." Naruto said and he took out a long bulky object and attached a tube stick to it. Its polished metal glinted in the moonlight.
"Boy, what in Kami's name is that?" Satsuki asked and she saw one of the rare trademarked Naruto grins that only arose when he overcame an extreme challenge.
"A rocket-propelled grenade," Naruto answered as if that stuff was common knowledge.
"Right," Satsuki said, going outside while Naruto climbed out onto their terrace and took aim.
As they gathered in numbers, their movements grew fanatical as well. It was as if they were gaining newfound abilities and bravery. One of them gripped a defensive fence and easily tore it off its hinges. Satsuki lobbed two kunai at him for this act. One struck his head. The other struck his chest. A blow that would've guaranteed a kill in normal circumstances only pushed the zombie back and incapacitated him. Finally smelling a live human, all the zombies focused on her and utterly yelled charged through their decayed vocal cords.
Despite everything, Satsuki grinned in response to them. In a change of heart, she sheated her blades and cracked her knuckles as the swarm raced towards her. This was as good as any moment for her to blow some steam. The first zombie neared her and clawed at her, Satsuki ducked and knocked the man's feet from beneath him. Another rushed at her and Satsuki hoisted herself up from one of the gate latches and double kicked the creature and sent it flying back into his comrades.
This seemed to have broken something inside of the zombies and now they truly flung themselves at her. As they came at her, Sastuki lobbed shuriken at them in a wide arch. Accuracy didn't matter in a target-rich environment such as this. Every throw. Every hit. Every movement. All of it was something that hurt the enemy and brought immense joy to Satsuki.
The sharp metal through flesh and bone and zombies fell to the ground. Jumping into the air, Sastsuki shouted, "Dynamic kick!"
A chakra-enhanced kick was brought down onto a rotten head that smashed it into several pieces. The force of it staggered its nearby compatriots. Feeling energy surge through her, Sastuki grinned manically as she rapidly formed hand seals, "Katon: Gyouko no Jutsu!"
She poured every bit of exhilaration into it and for the first time was rewarded with a deep crimson fire. The true Uchiha Katon jutsu that enveloped the creatures and melted their flame. Perhaps it was some semblance of consciousness still alive in their rotten brains that triggered their flight or fight response, and the zombies started retreating.
She reached towards her back pulled out two kunai and roared the primal roar of a warrior huntress from the olden days that promised death to all those who dared to invade and spoil the sanctity of her home and hearth.
It was now time for the zombies to flee a kunoichi that pursued them with reckless abandon.
Damn, kiddo. Your woman has fire.
Meanwhile, Naruto heard the sounds from below and gently shook his head as Anko's words rattled around him. When he had heard the sounds of combat from below, he knew their night just got longer. Satsuki needed to let out her frustrations on something. Better it be the undead rather than naïve Hyugas. A katon jutsu later, the zombies started to retreat back to the courtyard. Taking this as his cue, Naruto hefted the heavy apparatus over his shoulder and took aim.
Sastuki lobbed several kunai at the retreating head of the zombies. She jumped through the window and chased after them. A sharp whistle echoed and Satsuki stopped dead in her tracks and looked above. A metallic object glistened and the pop of air escaping was heard. An object glowed and screeched as it tore through the air and struck the ground.
BOOM!
A massive explosion tore through the training ground and instantly tore apart the horde gathered there. Even Satsuki was forced to dive for cover and cover her head in a bid to escape the heat and light. When she peered over, a massive crater was dug in with body parts strewn about everywhere. At the outcome, Satsuki only had one thing going through her mind. "I gotta get me one of those…"
1 Hour Later
Neither of them had gone to sleep. How could they after all?
Once, it was a creepy coincidence with a creepy kunoichi. Twice? With no cause or enemies, this was something else entirely. Not that Nauto believed in coincidences anymore. So the two had gathered their equipment and started to hunt the areas for clues. The trail of body parts, footsteps, and mucus had led them to a graveyard. Funnily enough, neither of them knew it was such a large one. Apparently, anybody who wasn't a somebody or didn't have their bodies claimed – was dumped here. Swallowing their fear, they ventured inside the graveyard.
For a while, they stumbled around the dark but couldn't find any clues as to what or who was responsible for the undead phenomenon. After a fruitless search, they decided to take a break near a large tombstone and rested against it.
"So, let's get our facts straight here," Satsuki said after a while of silence.
"Hn," Naruto grunted peering out into the darkness.
"This…situation, it only happens when you are around. Right?" Sastuki said.
"Correct," Naruto replied.
"And this stuff has only happened in Konoha while you are here," Satsuki said and even Naruto turned to her in surprise.
"Huh. You are right. It didn't happen in Kusa or Suna." Naruto stated. "And we did spend more than a few nights over there."
"It didn't happen when we were in the canyon training ground with Anko and the Hyuga creature," Sastuki said and Naruto shot her a look which Satsuki resolutely ignored.
"Your facts are true," Naruto concluded after some pondering. "Whatever or however, this phenomenon works, it is localized entirely over here."
"But what is it?!" Satsuki said and petulantly tossed a rock into the dark. A metallic clang greeted them in response and the duo shared a look. Gingerly they got up and turned on their flashlights.
"It comes from over there," Naruto whispered and Satsuki nodded. They took their knives and stealthily walked over to another massive grave with an even greater tombstone. Naruto winced as he got nearer to it and Satsuki looked at him in concern.
"Naruto." She said in a rare moment when she spoke his name. "What's wrong?"
"Its …. Hard to explain…" Naruto winced but continued, "I feel like something over there is calling me. Like one of those mermaid songs."
"Right," Satsuki said and activated her sharingan.
"There is chakra here. Not ours. Foreign, can tell whose." Satsuki pointed and Naruto flashed his light at the indicated spot. It looked weird. It was a heraldry post but for some reason, it looked more worn than the other spots on the tombstone. It was as if it had been repeatedly touched across the years. Following instinct, Naruto too gently prodded the object until it turned with a mechanical sound, and the two lept away from it in shock. However, it was no ambush. The tombstone merely groaned as rusted gears worked to unlock a secret entrance.
"We've got this far…" Sastuki trailed.
"Would be a shame to just leave it unresolved like this…." Naruto said.
The two exchanged determined glances before delving deep below.
The Hidden Lair
They exchanged determined glances, then without a word, descended the metallic staircase. The steps clanged beneath their feet, the cold, hollow sound echoing off the walls. Despite the surface's rusted and abandoned appearance, the cavern below looked disturbingly pristine. The metal walls gleamed faintly, as though someone had taken great care to keep this place untouched by time.
"Looks like someone's been keeping this place in good shape," Naruto commented, his eyes scanning the well-maintained stairwell as they descended deeper.
Satsuki's Sharingan flickered as she examined the walls. "Doesn't feel right. It's too clean."
They reached the bottom, and there stood a massive vault door—its metallic surface gleaming ominously under the dim lighting. To their surprise, it was fully ajar, the thick slabs of metal peeled back as if welcoming them inside.
Naruto grunted, tapping the thick door with the back of his knuckles. "No amount of explosives I had would've blown this thing open," he said, though the unease in his voice was evident. "We'd have been stuck out there for sure."
"Damn." Satsuki folded her arms, her eyes narrowing at the door. "We should count our lucky stars then." She took a cautious step inside. "But this doesn't feel like luck."
They ventured into the vault, only to be greeted by a sight that made them both pause. Lining the walls were rows upon rows of cells, stacked atop each other like some grotesque prison. Metal bars stood like jagged teeth, and within each cell, bodies slumped in various stages of decay. Some were strung up in gibbets, high in the air, their skeletal forms swaying slightly as if caught in eternal suffering.
Naruto swallowed hard, his hand instinctively covering his mouth as the stench of death hit them. "This... is problematic," he muttered, his usual lighthearted demeanor gone as his eyes took in the gruesome display.
Satsuki's expression remained unreadable, though her hands clenched into fists. "Whoever built this… they wanted to break people," she said quietly, her voice tight with an unemotion. "These people... they were tortured here."
They moved further in, stepping carefully around old torture instruments scattered across the floor. The devices were twisted and cruel in design—crafted with the sole purpose of inflicting unimaginable pain. There were bodies caught in these horrific devices, their mouths open in their final screams, faces twisted in agony.
Finally, they reached the center of the chamber. In front of them loomed a massive cylinder, bound with chains so thick it looked like they could hold down a mountain. The chains pulsed with glowing red seals, burning with arcane power.
"What is this thing?" Naruto whispered, his eyes wary as he approached the cylinder cautiously. His attention was drawn to a massive leather-bound book resting on a pedestal before the cylinder.
He squinted, reading the title aloud. "Necronomicon." He blinked, taken aback. "Well... that's not ominous at all."
Satsuki's eyes narrowed at the book. "That thing," she said, nodding toward the cylinder, "whatever's inside... it's sealed for a reason." She moved toward the pedestal, her fingers brushing the edge of the book. "We need to figure out what they were doing here."
Naruto glanced around the grotesque chamber, then back at the sealed cylinder. "And fast," he muttered. "Because something tells me we're not alone down here."
"In that case, let's take the book and get going," Satsuki said and Naruto didn't need to be told twice.
"See anything else of value? This might be our one chance here, loot anything you think is worth it." Satsuki said.
The Next Morning
The hour was upon them. In twenty minutes, they needed to be where Kabuto was waiting for them. He was expecting their reply. The duo were still shocked about what Kabuto had told them and they were afraid.
This was no C-ranked mission where Anko was protecting them from the shadows. This wasn't a training exercise in the Uchiha clan grounds where scouts would intervene if anything went wrong. When Satsuki was little, she always looked forward to becoming Chunin and being free from the shadows of her elders. Her mother had warned against being too eager to grow up. Sometimes life in the shadows wasn't all too bad.
Now that Chunin exams were upon them and actual grown-up decisions were hounding her, some parts of Satsuki wished she was back at the academy. Following the order from Iruka and going home to chill. Not planning treason against the most powerful military power in the known world.
The morning sun bathed the village in a soft glow as Naruto and Satsuki walked side by side, their pace slow and deliberate as if the weight of the decision was slowing them down.
After a long stretch of silence, Satsuki broke it. "Naruto… do you think we should tell Kabuto about last night? About what we found?"
Naruto's expression hardened instantly. "No," he replied, sharp and decisive.
Satsuki raised an eyebrow, curious. "Oh?"
Naruto kept his gaze forward, "Kabuto's got us at a disadvantage," he said quietly. "He knows more than he's letting on, way more than we know about him."
Satsuki remained silent, waiting for him to continue.
"Think about it," Naruto went on, his voice lowering as if the very air surveilled them. "He had Hanabi spying on us for who knows how long. We have no idea how much she's told him, or what other schemes he's running in the background. And as much as I trust her, we don't know if she's been fully honest. Kabuto plays the long game, and we're just pieces on his board."
Satsuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "So you think he's been planning this all along?"
Naruto nodded. "Yeah. And if this book, can give us any sort of combat advantage if things go sideways… we need to keep some cards close to our chest. We can't let him know everything. Not yet."
"You have been thinking ahead," Satsuki said.
"I did swear a promise of a lifetime, Satsuki." Naruto sighed. "No more missteps. No more blundering around in the dark."
Satsuki looped an arm through his own and Naruto briefly stiffened at the contact before relaxing. "We will kill them all. We will have our justice when we kill them all."
She leaned against him and Naruto tightened his grip on her, "And when we kill all our enemies, we will finally be free."
Meeting
"I am glad you have chosen wisdom over emotion, Satsuki," Kabuto smirked as the duo sat across him. Behind Kabuto, Neji glared at them with an unusual intensity while Hanabi pointedly looked away. It took every bit of restraint and Naruto's calming presence for Satsuki to not ram a shuriken through his smirking face. Instead, she took a deep breath and plastered a courteous smile on her face.
"What do you want from us?" Satsuki asked.
"It's simple. I want Anko taken off the board." Kabuto said. "Before your court martial hearing, you will be called for a preliminary interrogation."
He took a sip of his drink, savoring the anticipation from the genin before them. There was nothing more powerful than making people wait for you and Kabuto relished in that.
"During that, I want you to confess to Anko's anti-state activities. The myriad of crimes should include drug smuggling, spying on fellow shinobi, and general acts of arson leading up to the chunin exams." Kabuto said.
"It will be a hard sell. People won't believe that mere gening are capable of that." Satsuki said.
"Don't worry about that. There are already certain acts that have taken place recently that will be a perfect alibi. Furthermore, everyone knows the impact of a sensei on a genin team. Nobody will really blame you for doing what you did." Kabuto smirked again, "After all, you were only following orders."
"What's stopping them from looping us with Anko's gang," Satsuki asked.
"Don't worry about it. It has been taken care of." Kabuto said.
Satsuki exchanged a look with Naruto.
"What's in it for us?" Naruto asked.
"I'm glad you asked, Naruto-kun. For one, it's your life. The Sandaime is well aware of Anko's anti-state activities. He just didn't have definitive proof of what was going on. She will be arrested regardless of what happens." Kabuto said. "The only question is, do you want to go down with a sinking ship? Or do you wish to save yourself?"
"Why are you helping us?" Satsuki asked.
"All in good time, Satsuki-chan," Kabuto said in a sing-song voice. "So now what will it be? Freedom and revenge? Or jail and an ignominious demise?"
I really don't like him. Naruto couldn't help but think. He shot Satsuki a look and subtly nodded.
"We'll do as you say," Satsuki said.
"Excellent!" Kabuto said.
"Now, since we are at this prospect." Kabuto handed over a scroll to Satsuki. "Any chance you can translate what this says? Using your lovely eyes of course."
Satsuki begrudgingly took the scroll and looked it over.
"Well?" Kabuto asked.
"Nothing," Satsuki said. "It's empty."
Kabuto's smug aura instantly turned sour as he glared at Satsuki and snatched the scroll away.
"Well, that concludes it. Hyuga-san, let's go. We have things to do." Kabuto said.
"Wait!" Satsuki said and Kabuto halted and turned to glare at her.
"With Anko again, we have no trainer for the Chunin exams. We need you to arrange something." Satsuki said and Kabuto's aura got even darker. Naruto took out a kunai and hid it beneath his sleeve, ready to spring into action if Kabuto tried anything.
"You really aren't in a position to negotiate, Uchiha-san," Kabuto said. "I am done coddling you anymore. If you want to learn more about the mystery of that night, you will have to follow our orders. Do not mistake this for an equal partnership under any circumstances."
Satsuki snarled but remained seated, Kabuto turned and walked away with his posse.
"C'mon," Naruto said as he gently tugged at her shoulders to lead her away. "We need to plan."
"Yes," Satsuki muttered.
Compound
The two settled on an early lunch so they formulated a game plan for training later on.
"The scroll wasn't empty," Naruto said and Satsuki merely stared at him.
"We are alone. The tech isn't picking up anything." Naruto said. "Don't worry."
"No, it wasn't," Satsuki replied.
"Why?" Naruto asked the obvious.
"We need to keep some cards close to our chest" Satsuki parroted Naruto's earlier words verbatim back to him.
Naruto drily chuckled at that. "Dare I ask what was written on it?"
Satsuki stared briefly before turning away and fiddling with her spoon.
"Since we have decided to take on the world, I suppose I could let you in on it," Satsuki muttered before she tossed the spoon in front of her in frustration.
"No pressure, Satsuki…." Naruto muttered.
"No. No. You need to know this." Satsuki said. "The scroll contained a riddle. It's sort of a poem riddle that all Uchiha are encouraged to memorize when little. Allegedly, it tells of a last resort of the Uchiha clan. Only to be used when nothing else works and all hope is lost."
Satsuki angrily snorted at that. "Fat load of good memorizing useless riddles did us, huh? The Uchihas are dead. Extinct!"
A brief pause followed.
"They are not. You still live." Naruto said.
"What? I am supposed to re-create the clan all on my own?" Satsuki said.
Making light of a tense situation, "My, you must dream of that, no? Is that why you hang around me, Naruto? To "help" me re-create my clan?"
Naruto furiously blushed at the implication before indignantly spluttering, "No! That's not what I meant!"
"Oh? So you don't find me attractive?" Satsuki asked and Naruto glared at her before Satsuki relented and smirked in triumph.
"What does the riddle say anyhow?" Naruto asked once she had calmed.
"Count the steps where shadows sleep, A hidden truth the floorboards keep. Far from the dawn, the seventh lies, Where silent stone meets watching eyes. To those with sight beyond the veil, The ancient scripts will tell their tale. But only fire forged in strife Can unlock the clan's guarded life" Satsuki narrated.
"That's not very helpful," Naruto said after a while.
"Tell me about it," Satsuki said. "Anyhow, drop it. It's useless. We need to think about the interrogation and the Chunin exams."
"Satsuki," Naruto said. "Given our recent success in finding long-hidden caves and structures – shouldn't we at least give this a try?"
"Hm?" Satsuki asked with a spoonful.
"I mean look at it this way, people like Kabuto don't waste energy chasing useless stuff unless they have some guarantees," Naruto said. "We can't train ourselves. We already know what to say during the interrogation, might as well try and find out what Kabuto is after? Another ace in the hole won't hurt us, right?"
Satsuki briefly thought about it before she smirked, "I like the way you think. Besides, it's been a while since I have gone home."
"I will get our weapons," Naruto said and the two genin scrambled to get ready.
Fin
Author Notes: Read and Review.