Chapter 46
Green eyes opened to a completely different reality than the one they knew. Scanning his surroundings, he noted he was no longer standing in a village, but a sea of black under his feet and a red moon and sky over his head.
"What's going on?" He asked the only being likely to hear him.
He was met with silence.
"Sothis?" He tried again, but still nothing.
"It has been some time, Uzumaki Naruto."
Naruto spun around, immediately taking a defensive stance as the voice reached his ears. Standing before him was a figure cloaked in black with a high collar, a familiar red cloud design adorning the fabric. The man's face was obscured by shadows, save for his crimson eyes, the unmistakable tomoe of the Sharingan spinning lazily as they locked onto Naruto.
"Who are you," Naruto spoke, his voice echoing in the landscape he'd found himself in.
Instead of answering, the man looked down at his hand. It was flickering, the form slowly breaking apart before solidifying once over and over.
"As expected, even a Genjutsu of this magnitude is barely enough to keep you within." The man spoke before dropping his hand and giving the blonde his full attention.
During that short dialogue, Naruto's mind wasn't idle.
He knew those eyes, even if he didn't recognize the pattern. A Dojutsu belonging to only two others in this world. He was sure without a doubt that this man was not Sasuke. Disregarding the fact he was clearly older, Sasuke, to the best of his knowledge, did not possess a Genjutsu powerful enough to break through Sothis's blessing. Seeing as it wasn't the emo, there was only one other person who it could possibly be. The only other living Uchiha in the world.
"Uchiha Itachi."
Despite the utterance of his name, the Nuke-nin revealed nothing to the blonde. Though there was no verbal confirmation, Naruto's stance was tense in preparation for the Nuke-nin's next move.
"There is no need for that. I brought you here so that we may converse without prying ears."
"...Talk?" Naruto narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "Since when does a kinslayer want to talk?"
"Since the game we play has grown more complex," Itachi said, his eyes growing harder as he continued. "I have information for the Hokage. One only you can deliver."
"And I'm supposed to believe a word that comes out of your mouth why?"
Itachi's silence lasted long enough for Naruto to wonder if he would even answer.
"When this Genjutsu breaks, Hoshigaki Kisame, will attempt to incapacitate you. If we are successful, then we will proceed to capturing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, who is currently unaware of the Genjutsu she is in."
There was no surprise to see on the blonde's face at the news, but he couldn't stop himself from asking a question he didn't think he'd be asking anytime soon, "How did you know?"
"The group known as Akatsuki has been keeping tabs on Konoha since your Chunin Exams in Suna. Our intelligence has pieced together that you are not Konoha's Jinchuuriki due to a spy in your midst. We know that that woman is the true Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, and that you are the only one capable of contacting her. I had hoped we'd have more time for Konoha to prepare, but the situation has since evolved-"
The sudden sound of glass cracking echoed inside the Genjutsu, the noise almost deafening to both occupants. The sky above now held spiderweb cracks, and the sea of darkness beneath them was fading, revealing a dirt path that was quickly being restored. As for Itachi, his form was shaky, a hand now covering his eye as if it were in pain.
"Naruto, you must relay this information to the Hokage immediately, or else Konoha is doomed to fall." Looking up through eyes now dripping with blood. "The Stone is no longer sitting, Otogakure and Sand cannot be trusted, and the leader of the Akatsuki is not Pa-"
The sky shattered before the missing-nin could finish, and in its place was a foot that flattened him on impact.
For a brief moment, the world went black, and a blink later, he was standing in the road again. A couple of meters away, Itachi had fallen to his hands and knees while behind him, a massive presence followed by a tower of killing intent that had appeared seemingly out of thin-air.
It took less than a millisecond to summon his sacred sword to his hand. To his attacker's eye, it seemingly appeared, just as fast as he had suddenly disappeared. The massive sword that had been aimed at the back of the Tokubetsu Jonin's head crashed into the ground, kicking up dirt and debris within a quarter of a mile radius.
In this chaos, Kisame's instincts to dodge kicked in before he turned, hefting the massive bandaged object around to defend his flank faster than you'd think the size would allow. The shriek of metal on metal rang out as Samehada intercepted Naruto's blade, sparks flying from the sheer force of the collision. Kisame grinned, his shark-like teeth bared in excitement.
"Well, well, been a while since I've hunted a speedster," Kisame said, his deep voice tinged with amusement. "That blade of yours... It's something special, isn't it?"
Naruto didn't answer, his focus entirely on the massive sword in Kisame's grip. The chakra-draining aura of the bandaged blade was palpable, and he could feel the pull against his own reserves even though they weren't in direct contact. Without warning, Kisame shoved forward, forcing Naruto to disengage and leap back to regain his footing.
Heaving the massive sword over his shoulder, Kisame gave a shark-toothed grin as he addressed the Uchiha behind him. "Never thought I'd live to see you on your knees, Itachi." The fishlike man spoke, his tone playful, almost mocking.
Itachi said nothing, merely looking up and past the other nuke-nin through narrowed, bloody eyes. "He broke free of Tsukiyomi."
Itachi's words garnered a whistle from the fishman. "Then I guess you're lucky I'm here to pick up the slack. Would be pretty embarrassing for the mighty kinslayer Uchiha to be killed by a brat who barely made the bingo book. Speaking of which, how's the other one?"
"She should still be under, heading north." Itachi replied, Naruto guessing they had to be talking about Byleth seeing as she hadn't returned even after the commotion. The information brought an even wider smirk to Kisame's face.
"Then we just have to take care of the Yellow Flash's brat and retrieve her later!"
Kisame's arm suddenly swung forward, Samehada following the motion. In the next instant, a giant wave of water erupted from the bandages, filling the street completely and barreling straight towards Naruto. The blonde reacted in kind, his feet kicking up a dust cloud as he leapt to the nearest rooftop. The wave Kisame had unleashed surged below, its destructive force leaving the street submerged and buildings cracked under its pressure.
His sharp eyes caught Kisame's shark-like grin as the man rode along the wave after him, Samehada poised and ready. Their blades connected again, and despite how Kisame expected the clash to go, the opposite occurred. Instead of blasting through the kid's guard, he was stopped completely. The wave that had assisted him seemed to arc around the boy as if there was an invisible dome around him. A second later, electricity sparked off of the brat's sword and into the current, Samahada only able to consume some before it entered his body and forced him to retreat.
The moment the pain subsided, Kisame's hands began to weave through hand-signs, landing on the Ox before declaring, "Water Style: Water Shark Bullet!"
A stream of water erupted from the water below, the shape morphing until it resembled a massive shark made entirely out of the fluid. Coming at alarming speeds, Naruto didn't wait for it to come close before he reeled his arm back and swung in an arc. The sword breaking into its whip form shot out and connected with the incoming jutsu, the whipblade easily slicing through the water construct and causing it to burst upon impact while the whip continued to extend towards the missing Kiri-nin.
Not wishing to suffer the shark jutsu's fate, Kisame ducked low before skating away on the water, his hands already going through new signs.
Another stream of water erupted from the sea below, this time bringing an army with it. Dozens of watery sharks rained down on the blonde, forcing him to take evasive maneuvers while trying to close the distance between himself and the sharkman. From his perch on a nearby building, the blue-skinned Kiri-nin could stop the exciting pumping of his heart as his opponent managed to dodge and slice through every single shark coming at him. Eager to see what else the kid could do, he raised a hand into a seal, ready to give yet another obstacle for the blonde's survival.
Only to be cut in half.
The suddenness and speed of the attack were so great that Kisame didn't even get the chance to turn and face the blonde who had appeared in his blind spot.
Unfortunately for the new blonde, Kisame's body began to fade into water the second after.
Shadow Clone Naruto made no utterance as he landed near the original. He simply helped scan the area, hoping to find his missing adversary.
The sudden vibrations beneath their feet was all the warning the duo got.
Both blondes leaped in opposite directions, narrowly dodging the watery spike that shot up from below. From below the one who had leapt to the right emerged a tower of fanged teeth that consumed the blonde whole, turning him into smoke instantly.
The original landed, and seeing what happened to his clone, he decided to be the one to go on the offensive before the same happened to him. Taking his sword, he sheathed it into the water, his mana waking and creating his desired spell. Electricity surged through the blade and into the surrounding water, illuminating the battlefield with flashes of blue light. The chakra-infused electricity raced outward, sending a current through every inch of Kisame's created ocean.
Kisame re-emerged from the depths just in time to see the incoming wave of energy, his instincts kicking in as he slammed Samehada into the water. The blade hungrily absorbed the lightning chakra, but the sheer volume of the attack forced Kisame to leap out of the water, landing on a nearby rooftop. Smoke rose from his slightly singed skin, but the grin on his face never faltered.
Not even the surprise of an arcing sword suddenly appearing out of nowhere to take his head off could put a damper on his mood. Ducking the blow, he heaved Samahada up to counter, only for the sword the blonde was holding to suddenly transform into yet another Uzumaki Naruto with an overhead swing to cut him in twain.
Proving he earned his S-Rank status, Kisame twisted his body with unnatural speed, bringing Samehada up just in time to block the attack. The clone's blade met the massive sword in a clash of sparks and raw force. Despite his grin, Kisame's eyes narrowed, recognizing the relentless efficiency in the blonde's tactics.
'Seems the kid isn't just a brat swinging a sword.' He thought briefly before bringing his hand up in a sign. The plan had to immediately be thrown out due to the slight annoyance that was his body seizing up from the electricity running through it. As if to worsen his luck, the two brats had grabbed hold of his arms, restricting his movements further and seemingly unaffected by the current running through him.
And of course, it was all a set up for something bigger—much, much bigger.
He saw the light before he saw the attack. A beam of pure white, blue-tinged energy shot from his six. It was so bright, it could've been the sun, and so hot, it could've been hellfire. The blast was deafening, the power contained in the beam was immense, and it was all heading straight at him.
It connected with a loud thunderclap, the force of the impact blowing everything back with hurricane-level winds. The resulting shockwave was so powerful, it caused buildings and trees to break apart and become flying debris, including the one the missing-nin had been standing on.
A building away, Naruto observed his handiwork, a bit surprised himself at the destruction his Thoron had caused. It wasn't nearly that powerful a year ago. At most, he could put a hole in stone, but now...he'd essentially turned a building, along with the ones beside it, to rubble. Guess training really does pay off.
It was just unfortunate that the missing Kiri-nin didn't die from it.
The smoke and debris cleared to reveal a relatively untouched Kisame, the blonde's Time Clones nowhere to be seen. What could be seen in the rubble was the giant red skeletal arm holding a shield that had blocked his attack, along with a recently absent Itachi Uchiha standing behind it, his crimson Sharingan glowing ominously. Blood trickled from his eyes, a clear sign of the toll the technique was taking on him, and yet he still showed no sign of fatigue.
"Finally decided to get off your ass, eh, Itachi," Kisame jabbed, his shark-like teeth showing with his grin as he hefted Samahada back onto his shoulder. Itachi said nothing, simply starting down the kid before them as if analyzing his next step.
Suddenly, the red arm and shield dissipated back into the Uchiha while the pinwheel pattern in his eyes returned to their default three tomo. "We are leaving."
The words finally succeeded in removing the smirk from Kisame's face. "The hell you mean we're leaving? The fight was just getting good." The fishman argued.
"It would not be wise to continue this fight." Itachi said simply, to which Kisame huffed in apparent amusement.
"Don't tell me the kid's got ya spooked. He's good, but he ain't that good" Kisame chuckled, pointing his sword at the blonde, "How I see it, it's just a brat stopping us from completing our mission. We capture him, we win."
The comment actually caused Naruto to blink multiple times before he raised a brow, looking down at the Akatsuki member as if he were the biggest idiot he had ever met. "You honestly think the Hokage would send me all the way to Wave by ourselves?"
The question actually made Kisame pause, his smirk faltering for a fraction of a second before his eyes narrowed. "You're bluffing, brat. If ya had backup, they'd have already interfered."
In retort to the missing-nin's words, Naruto spatted down, his sword hefted onto his shoulder while displaying an air of comfortable superiority despite his situation. "If there's one thing my sensei taught me, it's that she always attacks when you least expect it. Like how you couldn't move during my attack, or how your feet are currently stuck to the ground, conveniently above a minefield of paper tags."
At that, the smile dropped from the shark's face completely. Raising a foot confirmed that his feet were practically glued to the ground. Taking his eyes from his opponent to observe the wax-like substance on his sandals confirmed not only that but also the buried tags he could see in the rubble. And as if to further prove his words, multiple figures came to a stop on the rooftops surrounding them.
First were the animal-masked ones, two the same size as the blonde while the other much taller, tattoos on their arms symbolizing their status as Konoha ANBU—a blonde brat next to each. Following them were two more forms that landed next to the original blonde, both more recognizable—one due to his reputation, while the other being the only one without a mask and two distinctive red eyes he shared with both the man next to him and the one currently on the opposite side of the battlefield.
"Sasuke," Itachi intoned.
"Itachi," Sasuke returned, showing no other reaction to his older brother's presence despite what the man had probably been expecting.
"As you can see, I am not alone." Naruto proclaimed. "Even if you could somehow beat us all, I already sent the clone to my friend. She'll be back the moment I give the word. You may be good, but I'm sure we can exhaust you enough for her to turn you both to paste. Your move."
The ensuing silence was deafening.
The Akatsuki members and Naruto stared each other down, forming a tense stalemate.
Then, Kisame chuckled.
"Guess you're not really prey after all." Saying that, he heaved Samahada off of his shoulder to point towards the blonde. "I hereby declare you as my prey. Until the day we meet again, you aren't allowed to get yourself killed. Ya got that, brat?"
Hatake Kakashi spoke up, a hand rising before the chirping of a thousand birds rang through the village, his famous Lightning Blade technique poised and ready to be used at even the slightest movement, "You speak as if you're leaving here alive."
Despite the threat, it did nothing to wipe the smile from Kisame's face.
It did, however, make him drop his sword, right onto the landmines at their feet. The explosion that followed was immediate, and the resultant force all Konoha Shinobi to plant their feet lest they be blown away by the wind. A massive dust cloud blocked them from sight, forcing their arms up lest debris and dust get into their eyes.
When it all settled, they were given an unobstructed view of the destruction brought about by the explosion. The building was gone, and for that matter, so was the water that had once flooded the village. Instead, they were met with an empty crater, no signs of the nuke-nin anywhere, leaving the Konoha Shinobi wondering if they had escaped or had been completely eviscerated.
"Well, that was anticlimactic." Sothis muttered from within, and Naruto couldn't help but agree. Once the comment had settled, a thought appeared in the blonde's mind, one he had been waiting to voice.
"Did you really stomp on the Uchiha Itachi?"
The response he got was an amused huff before stating, "It was the only way through that admittedly powerful illusion. Punching it didn't work, so stomping the thing seemed like a more viable solution. Are you complaining?"
"No, just thought it was kinda funny watching an infamous guy like him go out by feet even if it was just a Genjutsu. A lot of guys back home would kill to go out like that."
"Ew! NO! STOP! I DON'T WANT THAT IMAGE IN YOUR HEAD!"
Cutting the conversation in his head proved to be just the right time as two forms landed next to him—specially, the two young ANBU from before. At first, there was simply silent staring, and of course, it was broken by the blonde, "So, when were you guys gonna tell me you joined ANBU?"
The two ANBU looked at each other, the tall one shrugging while the shorter one spoke.
"Probably a while. You never asked, and we weren't allowed to tell you." The unmistakable voice of his bun-haired teammate spoke from behind her rat mask, her buns and obvious giveaway to who she was. "In truth, this is our very first A-rank outside of the village. The head honcho just told us we'd be watching over a team heading to wave. Imagine our surprise when we found out who it was."
"Seems the Hokage was right to send us. Meeting two S-rank Shinobi on your first mission in months is exactly the kind of luck I'd expect from you." The falcon mask spoke next, Neji's voice easily identifiable.
"You talk as if I invite trouble. Trouble just has a way of finding me." Naruto retorted with a shrug.
Neji crossed his arms, his Byakugan active as he scanned the horizon for further threats while adding to the conversation, "If trouble finds you so often, perhaps you should consider a new calling, Uzumaki."
"Or at least a different route," Tenten chimed in, her tone playful. "But then again, if you didn't bring chaos with you everywhere, it wouldn't feel like a proper mission."
Naruto rolled his eyes at their comments but felt a smile grow. Their presence and lighthearted banter eased the tension lingering from the Akatsuki encounter. He turned his attention to the taller ANBU operative that had accompanied them, more than likely their superior. Unlike the other two, who simply adorned the features of their animal in black, his mask was in green and red intricate markings, symbolizing that of a cat.
"It is good to finally meet you, Uzumaki Naruto." The cat mask spoke, his voice deep and clearly male.
"Same here." Naruto respectfully responded. Unlike what he had expected, the man said nothing else, and it took him a few seconds to realize that was all he was going to say. "So, are you the head honcho?"
"Newly instated, yes. I took over after Kakashi-senpai retired."
"Retired?" Tenten spoke up. "Kakashi-san was ANBU Captain?"
"For a period of time, yes, but a few years ago, he retired from the position and taken on the responsibility to nurture the next generation of Genin."
"I can see no world where that perverted scoundrel willingly teaches children." Sothis spat, still bitter over what she perceived 'as corrupting her ward' during their brief time together.
"Good evening, Senpai," the ANBU Captain greeted the man himself, walking up to them with Sasuke in tow.
"Well, this is a sight to see. When I asked for backup, I didn't think they would send such promising Shinobi for lil ol' me." Kakashi spoke in his usual mellowed drawl.
"Actually, pretty sure the council was more worried about Sasuke. You're replaceable." Naruto cut in.
A hand went to the Copy Cat Nin's heart as if he were actually offended by the fact.
"I'm hurt that they think so little of me. Truly, I am." He reached up and pulled his hitaike down to cover his Sharingan. "In any case, your help is appreciated, but we've already dealt with the situation."
"Really? When?" Naruto inquired.
"Two days before I sent the missive. Our little boy scout here was able to capture the Kiri-nin helping Zabuza. Soon after, we tracked down the man himself and routed the both of em. Truly, I couldn't be a more proud Sensei to my cute little students." The remark was made while ruffling the Uchiha's hair, a moved that was immediately met with a glare but no further retaliation.
"So where are the others? And where is Zabuza for that matter?" Neji inquired further.
"Currently at our client's house." The Copy-nin stated nonchalantly, making nearly everyone stare with looks that said they questioned his sanity.
"You left two Genin unattended with an A-rank missing nin?" Tenten flatly asked.
"I'm not that incompetent," the Copy-Nin hummed. "The original is safely watching over them. I'm just a clone making sure this one doesn't do anything stupid." He once again ruffled the Uchiha's hair. "Shoulda seen these little legs moving when he realized you were here, Naruto. His loyalty is definitely without question."
Sasuke's response was to scoff, "I heard Itachi was around, so I came as fast as I could."
Absolutely no one believed him. Disregarding the chance of him hearing of Itachi being in the vicinity was close to zero, the fact that he had barely acknowledged the man and instead came to Naruto's aid spoke volumes.
"Well, now that we're all here, why don't we head back to the client and wrap things up." Kakashi stated, getting an approving nod from his kouhai and the other ANBU. Soon enough, they were hopping from rooftop to rooftop until they finally arrived at the river leading to the house.
Behind them, the broken remains of the village and the people who had been caught up in the destruction was suddenly enveloped by a dome. Inside the dome, buildings and life began to move in reverse, putting itself back together and reversing the destruction. The water rose from the street, and the streets repaired themselves, along with the trees and roads, and finally the sky until all evidence of battle was erased.
Once everything had returned to normal, the dome collapsed upon itself, turning to light and leaving everyone and everything within with nothing more than a slight headache. None would be the wiser of what occurred that day, nor would any speak of the short skirmish that had completely washed Wave off the map. All they would remember was a slight sense of déjà vu before they continued their poverty-stricken lifestyle.
To Kakashi's credit, he in fact, had the situation under control. Naruto, and everyone else, could have simply wished to be more informed on exactly how they had gone about 'containing' the two Kiri-nin.
Forget about protocol and propriety, the Copy Cat Ninja had apparently decided that the best place for a captured and bloodthirsty A-rank Nuke-nin was to, and this was no jape, tie him and his companion to a log outside the house of the man they were trying to kill.
Contrary to Clone Kakashi's earlier words, the original was nowhere to be seen upon their arrival. Instead, they found Haruno Sakura and Hyuga Hinata in front of the house, both methodically going through their own cadences. Hinata's gentle demeanor seemed oddly juxtaposed with the intensity of her movements, the sharp snap of her strikes cutting through the otherwise tranquil evening air. Sakura on the other hand, seemed much more focused, mainly due to the fact she was currently swinging around a sword that was twice her height and width. Hinata noticed them almost immediately upon breaking the treeline, pausing her routine and turning to them fully. Her expression immediately brightened upon seeing them, followed by Sakura, who looked even more excited to see the group than the Hyuga, or rather, someone in the group.
"Naruto-sensei!" The pinkette exclaimed loudly, her hand high as she waved towards the incoming blonde who arrived before the two girls much faster than the others.
"It's good to see you again, Naruto-sensei. Are you all our reinforcements?" Hinata asked, a smile forming on her face.
"Yep, and we've already kicked ass." Naruto boasted, taking in the two girls he hadn't seen in weeks.
It had only been a few weeks since they'd last interacted, but even now they had changed.
Hinata's once short hair now went to her shoulders, and the jacket that had usually been closed was now open, giving a clear view of her toned form and the black sports bra she was wearing. She was still pale and thin as ever, and the bandage around her head was still a grim reminder of her past, but her posture and general vibe were much more relaxed than the timid and quiet girl she used to be.
As for Sakura, the biggest and most obvious change in recent weeks was the massive sword she held over her shoulder as if it didn't weigh more than her. The thing is, it wasn't like he didn't think she couldn't handle it. Out of the three Genin, she had changed the most in their total time of 15 months together, including the time in limbo. Where she was once skinny and frail, she now packed muscle, not enough to look bulky, but enough that the muscles were visible. Unlike Hinata, her hair was cut to ear length, her shinobi headband wrapped securely to the top of her head. She was still the worst fighter, but that was more due to the fact she was up against a former clan heir and a Uchiha than her actual skill. She could still give a Chunin a run for their money any day of the week.
"You guys look stronger." He said, taking the time to observe them closely. While Hinata's previous self would have blushed and stuttered at the attention and Sakura would have been disgusted, Hinata merely chuckled while Sakura held her chest forward in pride and left their former teacher to his observations.
"We had our first fight where our lives were on the line. It was an experience, but I think we came out the better for it."
"Yeah, and I got a new kick-ass sword! What do you think, sensei?" Sakura followed up on Hinata's comment.
There was a pause, the girl eagerly awaiting his response.
He gave a ratifying thumbs up, "I approve." The smiles they gave said they were thankful.
Now that greetings were out of the way, he turned to the two currently tied together by chakra wire. The taller of the two, more than likely Zabuza, was looking directly at him with the condescending glare most gave him upon seeing the Jonin vest on him. Unfortunately for the Kiri-nin, the intimidation tactic bounced off the blonde like air, doubly so considering the man was currently bound and at their mercy.
"I guess Konoha lets anyone be ranking officers these days, huh." The missing-nin spat, his words laced with a venomous tone that was only amplified by his raspy and gruff voice.
"Well, the requirements are pretty simple. Just have to be strong and able to kick ass, of which I'm pretty qualified," Naruto shot back, casually crossing his arms and meeting Zabuza's glare with his trademark deadpan. "What about you? You don't seem pretty qualified up there. Is being a scarecrow all they taught you in Kiri?"
"Be very careful who you slander, brat. Kiri's been making hardened Shinobi since you were just a tadpole in your whore of a mother's womb."
"Ooooh, I've never heard that one before. If you're shit at being a Shinobi, at least you have a future as a comedian."
The killing intent that rolled off the bound man would have been intimidating if he weren't, well, bound.
"Now, now, Naruto, it's not nice to antagonize our hostages." Came the voice of Kakashi who suddenly appeared in a swirl of leaves. His usual relaxed demeanor shone through as he strolled casually toward the group, hands tucked lazily in his pockets. "Though I must say, Zabuza, you should probably refrain from insulting people while you're tied up. Doesn't exactly scream 'man of power,' you know?"
Naruto grinned, shooting a thumbs-up at his fellow sensei. "See? Even Kakashi thinks you're a joke."
Zabuza growled low in his throat, tugging against the chakra wires binding him to the log. Beside him, the girlish boy known as Haku from what clone Kakashi had told him remained silent, eyes downcast and looking utterly defeated.
At least one of them understood their situation.
"What exactly are you planning to do with them, Kakashi-senpai?" Cat mask interjected.
"I have plans for them." The Copycat Ninja said cryptically, his single visible eye flicking over to the group of ANBU. "What about you? Will you be heading back now that our mission is coming to an end?"
"That all depends on Naruto-san." The masked operative replied.
Naruto raised a brow at that. "Depends on me?"
"Our mission is only complete when you return to Konoha. However long you wish to stay, we will accompany you until that time comes."
"Fine by me. I planned to stay till things were settled anyway."
"Then it's settled. Would you like for me to finish where you ended, Kakashi-senpai?"
Zabuza's killing intent suddenly grew at that while Haku head suddenly shot up, a look of horror on his face, both knowing well what the man meant by his words.
"Hmmmmm, normally I would, but Zabuza is a special case. I'm sure the new Mizukage would love to personally deal with this one."
The news suddenly made Zabuza lose all killing intent to be replaced with confused apprehension. "The hell you mean 'new' Mizukage? Last I checked, Yagura ain't dead."
"Ma, how misinformed you are." Kakashi was suddenly in front of Zabuza. "Not only do you have a new Mizukage, but I hear she is particularly craving to have the seven swords returned to the Mist, with or without their wielders." The Jonin crossed his arms, tipping his head to the side as if in deep thought before continuing, "But you see, my student has grown quite attached to her new sword. As the one who successfully claimed it from your hands, who am I to take it from her?"
As if to emphasize that point, Sakura suddenly hugged the sword and turned away from the Kiri-nin as if he would break free from his bindings and take it from her.
"That cheap shot with a fluke and you know it." The swordsman growls.
"Maybe, maybe not. Point is, you lost it, which I'm sure Mizukage-sama won't be too happy to hear. I hear she has quite the temper."
"She?" Zabuza tested the word on his tongue, seemingly mulling it over in his head. Not too long after, his face suddenly went a shade paler, a clear indication that he likely knew the new Mizukage personally—or at least, her reputation.
Kakashi gave one last eye-smile before it flicked to the house behind them. "You guys head inside, I'll take over from here. Tsunami-san has already prepared dinner."
A stomach growled, and everyone, minus the bound Nuke-nin, looked to the source. It was Sakura, her pale skin having a slight blush of embarrassment at being called out by her own body.
After an embarrassed apology, everyone other than Naruto moved towards the house. Turning, the blonde looked to the forest and called, "Are you coming?"
There was no reply from the trees. A sigh left the blonde's lips before he followed the rest of the group.
Somewhere in Wave
Gatō did his best to make himself look as small as possible in his seiza as he drowned out the remaining moans of pain from the few men still somehow clinging to life. The adrenaline made his breaths come out in gasps, his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest as the last of his underlings' agonizing screams echoed in his ears before each and every one of them was silenced by a piercing sound that was a sword ending their misery.
Finally, the admittedly dark room had gone silent, which only proved to increase the businessman's anxiety tenfold. The sound of heels clinking against the wooden canvas of the house was like nails on a chalkboard to him, the slow and rhythmic approach only serving to drive home just how doomed he was.
The clacking stopped just a few feet away, and the smell of iron and death assaulted his nostrils.
He wanted to look up, wanted to run as far away from the demon standing in front of him, and yet his body wouldn't move. It was paralyzed, either by the fear of seeing his end or simply being torn asunder like his men had been moments prior. All he could do was remain in his seiza, the same embarrassing position the demon had demanded of him right before the massacre had begun.
Something scraped across the ground, Gatō absently acknowledging it as a chair before he heard the demon sit in it.
A pregnant silence passed, the tension growing with each second and making Gatō grow that much closer to losing his sanity. When she finally spoke, it was in the same tone that he had once dismissed, the tone of a woman who he once thought he could bend to his every whim.
How wrong he was.
How terribly, terribly wrong he was.
"Let's try this again. What is your name?"
"G-Gatō, my mistress." Gatō answered immediately, responding in a way that he knew would likely please the girl.
"Hmmmmm, I don't like that name. Your name is worm from now on. Got it, Worm?"
"Y-Yes, Mistress."
"Good. Now then, Worm, you are no doubt a very successful businessman, are you not?"
Worm, for that was his name now, gulped but answered, "I-I am, Mistress."
"Excellent. Then from now on, you work for me. You, your company, your assets, they all belong to me now. You sell when I say sell, and you jump when I say jump. Do so, and you can keep your pathetic life. Do I make myself clear, Worm?"
The demand came so out of left field, it left him dumbstruck and momentarily forget his fear. He couldn't believe the audacity of such a demand. To think she'd have the gall to walk into his house, kill his men, and then claim all he owned? As if she had put in the years upon years of blood, sweat, and tears?! He'd been a successful businessman since she was in diapers! Built an empire of his own making! To let a little girl claim his legacy was-
His first mistake was lifting his head to glare at the woman. His second mistake was opening his mouth. His final mistake was looking into her eyes.
Red, slitted, inhuman eyes stared down at him. Her nearly perfect face was the personification of dispassion, looking down on him as if he were actually a bug. Around her, aura of red rose, and behind her, he could have sworn he saw the face of a demon staring down at him with fanged teeth and equally slit, demonic eyes. Arms crossed and one leg crossing over the other, she looked the definition of the work 'overlord'.
If Gatō didn't know fear before, then at least it was now put into perspective—quite literally.
"Are there any objections, Worm?"
Omake: Training Hinata
"I-I can't do this!" Hinata protested with every part of her being. Her face was a fiery tomato, the redness the brightest Naruto had ever seen on another human being.
"Sure you can, just walk right out there," the blonde reassured her, which in hindsight did very little reassuring.
"No way no WAY! I-I can't wear something like this! Not in public! I-It's indecent!"
"It's just a uniform."
"It's a maid outfit!"
Hinata clutched the edges of her skirt, her fingers trembling as she tried to pull the frilly fabric lower, though it was already as modest as the design allowed. "W-Why does it have to be this short? And...and why are there lace stockings?!" Her voice cracked, her embarrassment reaching a critical level.
"The more risqué, the better. You can't pass as a Shinobi if showing this much skin is all it takes to make you embarrassed."
"What I wear has nothing to do with training!"
"Yes, it does. If you want to kick ass, you need confidence first."
"I think you are unwittingly merging confidence in one's body with confidence in one's skills." Sothis interjected next to him.
"Aren't they the same thing?" Naruto asked. "If you learn to have confidence in yourself, then it generally gets rid of most doubts you have about yourself, including not caring what anyone thinks of you—outwardly or inwardly. You do it, Byleth does it, Kagero-sensei does it, and to an extent, so does Seiros."
"...While that is not technically incorrect, there are more effective and less humiliating ways to achieve that," Sothis said with a pointed look at the blonde. "Confidence grows from self-assurance, not from being forced into uncomfortable situations."
Hinata nodded vigorously with the Goddess's words, clutching the front of her apron as though it might somehow shield her.
Naruto mulled over the words briefly before another idea came to mind. "Would she be less embarrassed if I did it with her?" Sothis facepalmed. "What? If I portray confidence, then she can build confidence from my confidence."
The goddess let out a long, exasperated sigh as she listened to her ward's attempts to convince the Hyuga girl while said girl only retreated further and further into her shell.
"I have a better idea." She spoke up, cutting her ward off mid-rant and garnering all attention back to her ghostly figure. "Hinata dear, how about we begin by first getting you to speak to people naturally? Everyday conversation, the normal things people say, the likes. That is a step in the right direction."
Hinata's grip on the apron tightened as she looked down, a sign she wasn't exactly on board with the idea but not entirely against it. "D...do I have to wear this?"
"No, you can wear what you want." The Goddess's reassurance garnered a sigh of relief from the girl while Naruto crossed his arms like the petulant child he was.
...
"...So, you're learnin' how to talk to people, eh, Gaki?"
"Y-yes ma'am!" Hinata did her best to slow her racing heart at the purple-haired woman she had chosen as her first conversation of the day.
From behind, she looked normal enough. The trench coat was definitely unusual, but other than that, she seemed like any other Konoha resident. If not to add to the positive aura, she was at a dango stand laughing with the nice owner she frequently interacted with through working at Ichiraku's, so the lady couldn't have been a bad person.
She stood by those words. Even when she was able to see the woman in her entirety, she stood by those words. Wearing nothing but barely see-through fishnets and a skirt under that coat was not a clear assessment of one's character... It wasn't! She was a Kunoichi! A Jonin at that! Strange attire is expected!
"Well, what's yer name, Gaki?" The purple-haired woman leaned forward, her grin showing off her pointed teeth.
"H-Hinata," the Hyuga stuttered, her mind blanking at the sudden and close proximity of the other woman.
"Well, Hinata, nice ta meet ya. Name's Mitarashi Anko, and don'tcha forget it."
"N-nice to meet you, Anko-san," Hinata greeted, her head bowing politely.
The woman chuckled. Leaning back in her seat, she reached over and grabbed another stick of dango before speaking again, "So, workin' on your confidence, huh?" Anko's sharp grin widened as she bit into the dango, savoring the sweet treat. "Well ya couldn't have picked a more badass Kunoichi ta learn from! She leaned back with a laugh, tossing the empty skewer onto the table with a casual flick. "Let me tell ya, gaki—confidence isn't about wearin' somethin' flashy or actin' tough. It's about knowin' who you are, what you got, and not givin' a damn what anyone else thinks about it."
Hinata blinked, momentarily forgetting her nerves. "R-Really? But... how do I get there?"
"Easy. You stop overthinkin'. You gotta own your quirks, especially her body. It's your biggest weapon! Just look at these puppies." Without hesitation or shame, Anko reached underneath her admittedly round chest and heaved them up, uncaring of the fact that they were in public. As expected, Hinata's face went nuclear red. "These babies have helped me get outta more tight situations than you can imagine. Learn to weaponize them, and men'll be putty in your hands."
"I-I-I-I...I..."
"Why so stuttery? Ya can't be that flustered, especially with those things." She pointed at the girl's chest, only making the girl's face go even redder. "You're just as gifted, and ya ain't even out of diapers yet. I'm impressed."
The woman paused. The grin that grew after turned Hinata's mortified state into apprehension.
"Tell ya what, I'll take ya under my wing. From this day onward, I'll teach you what it means to be a bad bitch. By the time I'm done with you, you'll have every boy in Konoha eating outta the palm of yer hand."
Strategically a rooftop away, Naruto and Sothis observed the interaction, one stunned and the other incredulous as he read the lips of the woman who had just in detail told his student how where and how to obtain a G-string.
"...Tell me again how this plan is any better than mine?"
For once, the Goddess didn't have a retort.
A/N: I know, I know, we are scanning right past the Wave arc with much, if any action. originally wanted an entire three chapters here, but it wouldn't really add to the story other than following the new Team 7. This chapter was basically used to foreshadow future events as well as making Byleth rich (somewhat morally, because screw Gato). Next chapter we spend a bit more time in Wave before return to Konoha and prepare for the final Chunin Exams of the story.
As always, thank you for the reviews, favs, follows, and have a DAMN good day!