Not much to say. Let's get right to it. Reviews are nice.
Chapter 57: The Beginning of the End
Jiraiya awoke with a start an indeterminable amount of time ago. It was one of those strange feelings one gets when one becomes acutely aware that they are in an unfamiliar place. That's the situation he was currently in, unwilling to turn his head to the side in fear of what may be there. Or, better yet, what may not.
The ceiling his eyes were glued to did not belong to his apartment. Now– he did not spend very much time in said apartment over the years, but he still recognized every square inch of the space he called home while within the village walls. As a matter of fact, wherever he currently was, he could not recognize it at all. He had gotten far too drunk many times wandering from bar to bar, which has required him to take refuge in most of the inns around town. And still, this ceiling was foreign to him.
Could it be true? Were the events of last night more than just a cruel trick that his mind had played on him? His head throbbed from dehydration, he fought back a weary groan and resisted the urge to massage his temples.
"zzzzzz…zzzzzz…zzzzzz…zzzzzzz…"
What had been slow, silent, and steady breathing right beside him had slowly shifted into a light snore. Jiraiya's heart began to pound in his chest. Slowly, he began to turn his head toward the source of the sound. Despite the very clear and detailed memories in his head, he still fully expected to be in bed with an escort.
Messy blonde hair parted down the middle and an unmistakable purple diamond in between her shoulder-length bangs crushed the sadness and doubt that had built up within him since he awoke.
As hard as it was to believe, it was really her.
"Tsunade…" Jiraiya breathed out. He peeked under the covers. Yep, definitely naked. He then looked to the left; she was definitely naked, too. "I gotta say, if this is a dream, it's the best damn dream I've ever had."
Tsunade grumbled something incoherent in her sleep, then turned over and continued to snore softly. Jiraiya smiled warmly and just allowed himself to bask in the moment. After all of the decades he pursued her, the moment had finally arrived. Once that began to sink in, he slowly and carefully slipped out of bed hoping to not disturb anything. He grabbed his clothes off of the floor and headed for the door, took one last look at her sleeping form, and closed it quietly behind him.
"Now I remember– we're still in the Hokage Tower… this must be her secure living quarters. Funny that I've never been here even when Sarutobi-Sensei had the hat." Jiraiya now stood in the hallway. To his left at the end of the hall was another door, and to his right appeared to lead into the kitchen and living space. "Nice place, though the lack of windows is kind of a downer." It made sense, however, as the safest place in the tower would be on the ground floor at its center where there was no direct access from outside.
Jiraiya made his way left and slowly opened the door at the end of the hall. He poked his head into the room and was delighted at what he saw.
The bathroom.
"Ah, just what I was looking for!" Jiraiya exclaimed, though at a reasonable volume. The last thing he wanted to do was wake Tsunade before she was ready. He wasn't stupid, all his luck for the rest of his life had been exhausted last night. She'd probably wake up annoyed, then come to her senses and kick his ass out. After placing his clothes on the vanity, he walked purposefully over to the shower and began to fiddle with the handle.
Once the water was on, he stuck out his free hand to feel the temperature until satisfied and stepped in. No matter how many hotel showers he had used over the years, there was always a strict learning curve when using a new one. It didn't make any sense, but it was a reality he had long since accepted.
"Ah, that's what I'm talking about," Jiraiya sighed as the hot water and steam soothed his old and achy muscles. "Man, Hokage special treatment isn't a joke… this water pressure is amazing." Though it still felt unbelievably surreal, he had finally come to terms with everything. There was no "waking up"– this was no dream. He allowed himself a few moments to stand there under the water to mentally soak in the last twenty-four hours and process the potential next steps.
After all, a man did his best thinking in the shower.
…
…
…
"Jiraiya?" Tsunade's knocks could be heard from the other side of the door. "Are you going to be much longer?
The sudden sound pulled Jiraiya from the mindless stupor he had been in for what felt like several minutes. It had been so relaxing– time had become a completely foreign concept to him. However, based on his pruney fingers and toes, he had clearly overstayed his welcome.
'Was I supposed to be doing something?' He thought absentmindedly.
"Jiraiya?!" Both Tsunade's tone and knocking had gotten louder, but not overly so. "Can you hear me in there?!"
"Oh! Uh, sorry; I'll be right out!" Jiraiya scrambled to turn off the water and dried himself off. He had never gotten dressed so quickly in his life, and that included the time he escaped out a window when a nice lady's husband had arrived home unexpectedly. Past experiences aside, now fully clothed, he opened the door to reveal a semi-patiently waiting Tsunade wrapped only in a towel. "Sorry about that; I completely zoned out in there, haha," He awkwardly rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," She placed a hand endearingly on his chest, smiled warmly, and quickly slipped by him. "Let me shower, and then we can talk– okay?"
"T-Talk?" Her even tone made him involuntarily gulp. "W-What about?"
"You can still be pretty dumb sometimes, you know that?" Tsunade's giggle disarmed Jiraiya slightly. "About us, of course."
"Right…" Jiraiya let those words hang in the air for a moment. Tsunade shut the door behind her, which once again left him alone with only his thoughts as companionship. "Us…"
The silence that followed was unwelcome.
A strong gust blew through the forest. The sound of leaves and branches flapping in the wind nearly drowned out Utakata's thoughts. His pipe was still pressed to his lips, though he didn't dare make the first move in hopes his adversary would have a change of heart and leave in peace. He wasn't foolish, however; it was very unlikely he would be so lucky.
"You're Madara Uchiha?" Utakata said derisively. "Do you take me for a fool? He's been dead for decades– ancient history. Who are you, really?"
That's when he saw it; a three-tomoe Sharingan spun to life through the eye hole of the man's orange mask. Any snarky remarks he had remaining swiftly died in his throat. Only two known Uchiha were still alive to his knowledge; and, if reports he's overheard were to be believed, that number dropped down to one with the recent death of Itachi Uchiha… and this man was not Itachi's younger brother.
Madara Uchiha.
Could it even be possible that the man was telling the truth? There had to be some other rational explanation, but not a single one came to mind.
"Does denial help with the fear?" Tobi asked almost playfully. "Fine, call me whatever you like. It will not change your fate. You are coming with me."
"Tch!" It didn't matter who was in front of him. If Utakata was going to die, he wanted to go out in his own way. "Water Style: Bubble Jutsu!"
With a grunt of effort, Utakata blew dozens of bubbles in every direction. The sheer number of them filled the space in between them in a matter of seconds.
"Oh?" Tobi sounded mildly impressed. The cascade of chakra bubbles forced him to deactivate his Sharingan to see properly. "So you've got some fight in you, huh?" Amused, he stuck out his hand toward one of the nearby bubbles and allowed it to land on his hand.
'BOOM!'
The explosion of the first triggered a chain reaction of all the remaining bubbles in the vicinity. Utakata was just quick enough to get above the blast zone and safely onto a branch.
'I didn't expect him to walk right into my technique like that,' Utakata thought to himself. He stifled a cough from the kicked-up dust and debris, then looked over the edge to observe the damage. His pipe was still clutched to his chest ready to be used at a moment's notice. 'I didn't see what happened, but I highly doubt that was the end of him. Someone capable of taking down a team of Hunter Ninja with such ease wouldn't go down like that.'
"That wasn't half bad. Got any more tricks?"
The man's voice was directly in Utakata's ear. Eyes wide, running on pure instinct, Utakata lashed out with his pipe and attempted to plunge it through Madara's skull. Utakata's dread only grew when his arm seemed to pass completely through his opponent's head without any effect. He followed up with several more strikes that continued to phase through the man as if he wasn't even there.
Madara watched in slight amusement; his Sharingan once again active, while his target tried in vain to land even a single blow on him. "No, that just won't do," He mocked. "Let me show you how it's done."
Madara slipped to the side of an oncoming punch and delivered a right hook of his own. It found its mark right on the nose.
"Ah, dammit!" Utakata was completely unprepared for the speed and power of the strike, made evident by the audible crunch of cartilage breaking on impact. He instinctively grabbed at his now bleeding nose and stumbled back. "H-How did you–"
"Are you a believer yet?" Madara's voice practically dripped with arrogance. "Or, perhaps, you need another demonstration?"
"Y-You're a monster…" Utakata's voice trembled from the terror he felt. "M-My life is nothing but a joke to you!"
"Heh, now you're getting it." Madara smiled behind his mask as he rapidly went through hand signs. "Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!"
"Water Style: Bubble Dome!" Utakata recovered just in time to erect his defensive Jutsu. The clashing of the opposing elemental Jutsu created plumes of dense steam. Utakata put his sensory skills to good use and darted through the fog with clear purpose. "If I can't land a hit on him, then I need to try something else!"
Within seconds, he had positioned himself behind the seemingly unsuspecting Uchiha. Once again, he brought his pipe up to his lips and molded chakra. "Water Style: Drowning Bubble Jutsu."
The new bubble latched itself around Madara's head, which effectively cut off his access to oxygen. He fruitlessly attempted to claw at the Jutsu to pop it, though that only resulted in his hands getting wet.
'Let's see how you like that,' Utakata wasn't optimistic that would be the end of the Uchiha ghost and he wasn't foolish enough to stick around to find out. 'It's not like I can land a hit on him anyway… though he certainly can do that to me.' He painfully straightened out his broken nose and inhaled deeply. The smell of metallic blood was prominent on his tongue, but welcome nonetheless. It meant he was still alive.
Utakata proceeded to run– he ran as fast and as far as his chakra-infused legs would take him, and he didn't plan on stopping until his body gave him no other choice. First, his path was straight, then zig-zag through the forest; after that, Utakata leaped into the trees and repeated the process. Every single movement made was deliberately unpredictable. Clones were produced for good measure and sent off in various directions in hopes of confusing his tracker. This process went on for several minutes and would continue until chakra exhaustion set in.
'Hotaru…' His mind drifted to his young apprentice. They were forced to separate days earlier due to the threat of the Mist Shinobi once they found him again. Now more than ever, Utakata was glad that she was nowhere near him. '...I wonder what it is you're doing now? Enjoying this nice day, I hope.' Mid-jump, he blew another bubble into the air and watched it float high into the air. 'When you get this message, you'll know that… we probably won't ever see each other again. All I want is for you to live a nice, safe life; I'm sorry.'
Utakata stopped moving when he noticed some movement up ahead. Just like last time, space itself shifted, and out stepped the man who claimed to be Madara Uchiha. What seemed like a sick joke just a few minutes prior was now much more believable; perhaps even likely.
"No effect, huh? Dammit; I figured as much."
"This game of cat and mouse has been amusing, but it's time we end this," Madara appeared completely unaffected by his previous efforts to immobilize him. "Any last words?"
"No, I already sent them." Utakata ground his teeth and began to channel all of his strength. "There's nothing more to say… let's settle this now."
"Those were words, too, but alright. I'll let you have your moment," Madara mocked. He blinked, his Sharingan had picked up on some massive chakra spikes emanating from the Jinchuriki. "Oh, what's this; One final surprise?"
"AHHHHHHHH!" Utakata roared ferally as chakra exploded out of his body. The energy settled around him like a thick dark red, almost black, cloak until the only remnant left of him was his silhouette. His eyes went completely white, and hot steam plumed out of his mouth as six tails lashed angrily behind it.
"Version Two State, huh? That's something I didn't expect to see from you," Madara nearly seemed impressed. "You're no Killer Bee or Yagura, are you even capable of handling that much raw energy?"
"RAHHHHHHH!" More bestial roars shook the very ground beneath their feet.
"Evidently not," Madara concluded. "I suppose when you corner a wild animal they'll resort to almost anything for the sake of survival… even if that means abandoning everything beyond basic instincts. Oh well, maybe now you'll be a bit more entertaining."
"The old bastard still isn't here, huh?" Naruto grumbled to himself. He sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and leaned up against the nearby fence. "So much for the 'emergency toad' he sent me telling us to meet here."
It was obvious as to what this conversation was going to be about. Naruto had no idea what was so important that could keep him from going on the Akatsuki suppression mission, but it didn't matter to him in the slightest. He needed to be on that team… he just had to.
"Do you even know how to relax?"
"It's like you always need to be doing something dangerous and stupid."
Karin's words rang loudly in his mind. He grimaced.
Before he could give it much thought beyond that, the man of the hour had just come into view around the corner. Naruto noticed immediately that something was different, but chose to wait for him to be in earshot before speaking.
"The hell are you so happy about?" He finally asked, one eyebrow raised curiously.
"What?" Jiraiya responded dumbly. "Who said I was happy?"
"That big dumb smile ya got on your face," Naruto bluntly pointed so close to Jiraiya's nose that it crossed his eyes. "In all the time I've known you, I don't think I've ever seen you smile so wide. So, what's up?"
"What, a master can't be happy to see his student?" Jiraiya quipped, lips still curved up into the biggest shit-eating grin Naruto had ever seen. "You should feel honored that someone as great and revered as me wants to spend time with you!"
"Riiight…" Naruto was not convinced in the slightest. Jiraiya was either not telling him something, or messing with him like an ass; as of right now, he was not sure which it was. "And why's that, exactly?"
"Because you and I have some very important things we need to do!" Jiraiya clasped his hands together. "We're going to go to-" His smile faded and settled into a slight frown. "What's with that scowl, Naruto? I haven't even told you anything yet, and you already look pissed off."
"Did you think I wouldn't hear about the mission involving Hidan and Kakuzu?" Naruto asked with an even tone. The visible reaction from Jiraiya was all the answer he needed. "Whatever it is you're planning– it can wait. I need to be on that mission."
"Naruto, I–"
"Those two need to be taken out before they hurt anyone else," The fire in Naruto's eyes swirled like a maelstrom. "The Shinobi World would be a better place without them."
"This doesn't sound like an act of goodwill to me," Jiraiya eyed his student carefully. They were treading eerily familiar choppy waters. "I've been around the block many times, kid, and I can spot when someone is deluding themselves. You especially, given how much time we've spent together."
"What do you mean?" Naruto asked with an edge.
"Kakashi is more than capable of constructing a competent cell with the intel we have on those two. You don't have to be on every team, doing every dangerous mission that comes across Tsunade's desk," Jiraiya explained, any semblance of joy he had just minutes prior was all but gone. "To me, it sounds like you're confusing doing the right thing with vengeance for what happened to your friends. You can lie to yourself all you want but don't expect me to just sit back and not call you out on your shit. We've both seen what an obsession with revenge can do to a person, Naruto; do you really want to go down that path again? If you do, I fear there might not be a way back."
"I-I wasn't–" Naruto stuttered, any argument he could muster in response had already escaped him.
It was true… they both knew it and attempting to deny it would fool no one. Ever since that fateful day in the Land of Waves, Naruto wanted the crimson blood of Hidan and Kakuzu to coat his hands as he watched the light slowly fade from their eyes. It wasn't something he ever admitted to anyone aloud– even himself. This entire time, he had convinced himself that he would find and kill them for the good of the world. That was something Naruto truly believed; and while there was a modicum of truth to that, his real goal was to play the role of an angry, vindictive God and cast vengeful judgment on his enemies.
"I've seen that look in you before," Jiraiya admitted with shame. "Jaaku's death still looms over our heads like a dark cloud as it is. That's a cross both of us will have to bear for the rest of our lives… don't give us another. I'm here for you if you ever need someone to talk to, but I cannot condone this choice if you choose to make it."
A sort of comforting silence fell over them– Naruto needed a moment to sort through his thoughts and raw emotions, and Jiraiya was more than willing to give him the chance to do that. Feelings of rage and hate were not simplistic feelings that one could get over quickly. It took time, self-reflection, and acceptance to even begin to start the process.
Naruto had not been allotted such courtesies around the time of the Jaaku incident. Jiraiya should have been more helpful than he was, and it was evident that he had learned from his mistakes and wanted to do better.
"You're right… I'm sorry," Naruto finally admitted, though with great effort on his part to get the words out. He balled his hands into fists until his knuckles were white to stop them from shaking. "Even after what I did to Jaaku… I want to kill those bastards so badly. I can't stop thinking about how scared Tazuna, Inari, and Tsunami must have been at that moment. It was my fault; I put them in that position, and I don't think I will ever forgive myself for that."
"Believe me, the guilt will always linger no matter how much you try to run away from it. You learn to cope with it as time goes on; but the hate? You need to let it go," Jiraiya advised gently. "Those two will get what's coming to them, but it doesn't have to be by your hand. Don't let those scum take root in your head like this; they aren't worth it. Besides, I need your help for something much bigger."
Naruto's shoulders visibly relaxed.
"I understand; I'm going to put my faith in Kakashi's team and try and let it go," Naruto relented, then let out a deep and soothing breath. "Anyway– what's this big important assignment you've got planned that no one has been able to tell me anything about?"
"Ah, I'm glad you asked!" Instead of answering with words, Jiraiya went through a series of hand signs and…
"Poof"
…Disappeared in a plume of smoke.
"Uhhhhh…" Naruto squinted his eyes and scratched the top of his head. The geezer just… left? "Wha–"
"Poof"
He blinked. If the lush and colorful foliage was anything to go by, they were no longer in the Leaf Village.
"What the–" Naruto, disoriented from the sudden shift in space, rubbed his eyes. "Is this– It is! How the hell did I get to Mount Myoboku?"
"I reversed summoned us here."
Naruto swiftly turned on his heel to see none other than Jiraiya standing behind him. That smile was back, though in a much more subdued form.
"Why here, of all places?" Naruto questioned with a raised eyebrow. "When you said you needed me for something bigger, I figured you meant some kind of mission."
"Oh yeah, I'm definitely going to need your help for a mission," Jiraiya bit the inside of his cheek. "I'm just afraid neither one of us is quite ready for it yet. That's why we're here– we're going to need to train in preparation."
"Huh?" That got Naruto's attention. Both of them were extremely skilled, Jiraiya especially. The concept of what Jiraiya had just said was difficult for him to grasp. "What kind of mission wouldn't we be prepared for? And what about Mount Myoboku is so special that we had to leave the Leaf to train for it?"
"Slow down, I'll explain everything," Jiraiya put his hand up, and Naruto quickly quieted down. "To answer your first question– using all of the information we've gathered on the Akatsuki so far, I think we've closed in on the location of their leader."
"You mean that guy with those weird eyes the Nine-Tail mentioned? I think he called it… the Rinnegan? Yeah, that was it," Naruto was beginning to put together what his Master's plan was. "You don't mean that we're going to–" The look on Jiraiya's face answered his question before it even finished leaving his lips. "Where is this leader hiding out, anyway?"
"The Hidden Rain."
"The Hidden Rain, huh? I learned a bit about them when I was researching for my second book," Naruto touched his chin as he attempted to recall anything he knew about the secretive village. "Does that mean the leader of the Akatsuki alongside Madara is Hanzo of the Salamander?"
"You're well read, but I don't think so," Jiraiya shook his head. "I fought Hanzo a long time ago, and he definitely didn't possess the Rinnegan back then. That is, unless he… Well, the only way that's possible is if he acquired them from someone else."
Naruto looked him up and down, then frowned. There was more to this than was being let on. The fact that he would so casually mention battling the legendary Hanzo of the Salamander was insane in its own right, but that wasn't the first question on his mind. "Master Jiraiya, you seemed to already know a lot about the Rinnegan before the Nine-Tails brought it up. Why is that?"
Jiraiya let out a long sigh and took a seat in the soft dirt. He gestured for his pupil to do the same in the spot next to him, and Naruto quickly obliged. "The only other person who knows what I'm about to tell you is Tsunade, and she only found out about most of these details recently."
"What is it?" Naruto couldn't recall the last time his curiosity had piqued so high. Whatever it was, he knew it had to be a bombshell. "You got like a secret kid over there, or something?"
"What? No; shut up, you idiot." Jiraiya pinched the bridge of his nose. Between the two of them, it was nearly impossible to keep a conversation serious for very long. "When I was stationed in the Hidden Rain with Tsunade and Orochimaru during the Second Great Shinobi War, I came across three orphans whose families were killed during the conflict. They asked me to train them in Ninjutsu so they would be better equipped to protect themselves. I didn't have the heart to refuse such innocent children who were just trying their best to survive a bloody war, so I stayed behind and did what I could to help. I was with those kids for three years until I felt they were fit enough to make it on their own."
Naruto hung on every word like they were the pages of an enthralling novel. He couldn't believe Jiraiya had never mentioned such an important time in his life before, but there had to be a good reason for it that was about to be revealed. It just made it all that more apparent that Naruto knew extremely little of Jiraiya's life before the two of them met. He could tell by the pain on Jiraiya's face that this story did not have a happy ending.
"How exactly are these Rain kids related to the Akatsuki?" Naruto had followed the tale so far, but he was still missing several key details.
"Some time later I received a report from a trusted source that all three of them had died during the Hidden Rain's ongoing conflict," Jiraiya's eyes suddenly hardened something fierce. "I believed that to be true for two decades… that is, until our conversation with the Nine-Tails. You see– one of the kids I trained, a boy named Nagato, just so happened to possess the Rinnegan. He awakened it during a traumatic event to save his friend from being killed by a Hidden Stone Shinobi."
"That's why you know so much about the Rinnagen; and also, why you were so surprised to learn that someone in the Akatsuki possesses it," Just like that, it all clicked in Naruto's head. "So… at the very least, you think this Nagato guy is still alive and leading the Akatsuki while stationed out of the Hidden Rain?"
"I think there is a very strong possibility," Jiraiya confirmed with a nod. "That's his home, those were his eyes. That can't be a coincidence."
"Wouldn't that mean he managed to defeat Hanzo?" Naruto said with a touch of hesitance. "Knowing how paranoid the guy is, I doubt he'd allow someone that strong to be so close to him."
"That's why we're here. If it's true, and Nagato is strong enough to defeat Hanzo of the Salamander by himself, then I fear we might not be able to take him on as we are. Or, more importantly, as you are."
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Believe me, the last thing I want to do is hold you back," Naruto grumbled. "But still, what kind of training could we possibly do to raise my skills enough to keep up with you?"
"Naruto, you may not realize it, but you're more than capable of hanging with me," Jiraiya chuckled. "No… what you need is to learn my trump card."
"Your trump card?" Naruto's eyebrow was fully arched. "Are you telling me that you have some secret technique that I don't know about?"
"That's precisely what he's saying, Naruto-boy."
Just then, none other than Fukasaku landed lightly on Naruto's shoulder.
"Boss…" Naruto said in mild surprise. "It's great to see you again, but what do you–"
"I've felt that this was long overdue, but it's time we took your training to the next level," Fukasaku smiled widely at Naruto, then shot a knowing nod in Jiraiya's direction.
"H-How?" Naruto still appeared stunned and confused.
"How, you ask?" Fukasaku belly laughed at the pure confusion on Naruto's face. "Why– Sage Mode, a'course."
'Tick… tick… tick.'
Time inched its way along, evident by the slowest moving clock Neji had ever laid eyes on. He was familiar with the saying 'a watched pot never boils,' and those words had never rang truer than right now. While this proverb made little sense in a world where Shinobi could instantly boil their water with the use of Fire Jutsu, he digressed.
The point was– the slow passage of time would soon drive him mad. Never had thirty minutes felt so long, and he spent considerable amounts of time around the high-energy Rock Lee. Unfortunately for him, both were now everyday occurrences.
'Tick… tick… tick.'
Neji straightened up in his seat and peeled his gaze from the clock the instant it read 3:30PM. "Times up," His plain tone did not convey his pleasure in uttering those words. "Disarm yourself and step away with your hands behind your head."
He watched the man continue to tinker with his project as if blissfully unaware of the direct order. A frown arched his lips downward. "Now," His tone was much more forceful than before. "Do as I say."
Sasori sighed irritably. He set his puppet down gently, then retracted his chakra threads. "You Hyuga really don't play around. It wouldn't kill you to give me a few more minutes. Ibiki wouldn't give a damn."
"We're under strict orders to only allot you thirty minutes of core use per day." The man beside Neji said. "You made a deal with Shikaku, and we are here to ensure you stay within the agreed terms. If you want more time, take it up with the people who make those decisions."
"Shut the hell up, Mozuku," Sasori didn't even bother to look at him as he began to pull the core out of his chest. "You're only talkative when other people are in the room with us… ya damn coward."
Neji activated his Byakugan and monitored his chakra the entire time. Without incident, Sasori placed his core on a table on the opposite side of his cell from his workbench.
"Now step back, and–"
"Yeah, hands behind my head and walk backward while still facing you," Sasori obliged. "I know the drill by now, kid. Save your breath."
"That's right," Mozuku said smugly. "Good thing you listened, or I'd have to let Naruto know that you're disobeying orders. He'll keep your ass in line."
"Heh," Sasori let out an amused chuckle. "Tough talk coming from the guy with shit in his pants every time Ibiki is around. Someone as pathetic as you isn't even worth my time."
Mozuku blushed a bright red. "W-Why Y-You–!"
"Enough," Neji ordered impatiently. They waited for a moment while he continued to monitor their prisoners' unique chakra levels. Without a typical chakra network to contain and hold energy, once Sasori's core was removed any and all residual chakra quickly dissipated from his puppet body. The process took about a minute or two and was always to be watched by a member of the Hyuga for absolute assurance. Once those last wisps of energy were gone Sasori could no longer wield his Jutsu— A puppet once more. However, one could not confuse lack of chakra with harmlessness. They were acutely aware of just how dangerous the man could be at all times. "The residual chakra is gone, Mozuku; you can go in and retrieve the core."
"R-Right," Mozuku nodded embarrassedly, still not over the verbal thrashing Sasori gave him. Without taking his eyes off Sasori, he quickly unlocked the door and made his way over to grab the core.
Just as he got there, Sasori made a move.
"Neji!" Mozuku's heart leaped out of his chest, though he managed to settle into a defensive position with his kunai out. That was, until he realized Sasori had not moved from his spot– hands still placed obediently behind his head and a satisfied smirk on his face. Mozuku's arms shook violently and struggled to maintain his kunai at chest level, but he didn't dare drop his guard. "You bastard–!"
"Hahahaha! Look at you; shaking like a leaf in the wind!" Sasori laughed– a hearty laugh so unbecoming of his typical stoic nature. If he had tear ducts, they would almost surely be flowing freely right now. It was so infectious, in fact, that even Neji's lips quivered ever so slightly. "Like I said," He managed to say in between barks of laughter. "You're a cowardly little rodent that can only talk when hiding behind someone else."
Before Mozuku could retort, Neji spoke. "We don't have all day, Mozuku," No remnants of his amusement remained in his tone or on his face. "We need to swap with the next rotation and take the core back to HQ."
Mozuku, now seemingly much calmer, glared daggers at Sasori before walking out of the cell and locking the door shut behind him.
"It was so nice seeing you again, Hyuga. We sure had some good fun, didn't we?" Sasori said to their backs as both Shinobi headed for the door. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Hm," Neji grunted. There was hope his team would be assigned a mission soon. If this were to happen, another member of his clan would take over this thirty-minute block for him until his return. A part of him did not want Hinata around a former member of the Akatsuki– but not only was she a competent Kunoichi with Akatsuki experience capable of making her own choices, that was also not his decision to make. It was a moot point; until instructed otherwise, this was his responsibility.
"Yes. Same time tomorrow."
For his own sanity, may the next day be as amusing as this one was.
"I'm… having some trouble visualizing it. How about a demonstration?"
"Uh, sure. We can do that," Jiraiya sat down and exchanged a look with Pa.
Naruto watched curiously as Fukasaku hopped over and attached himself to Jiraiya's right shoulder. The two of them closed their eyes and went eerily still. Naruto breathed an internal sigh of relief. He was initially worried that they would combine to form some grotesque human-toad hybrid, but this didn't seem so bad.
Nothing seemed to happen for a minute or so; however, Fukasaku had assured him that he would be unable to sense 'Nature Energy' in his present state. Naruto wasn't entirely sure what that entailed– regardless, sure enough, after about ninety seconds Jiraiya's physical appearance began to change. The red tears of blood that streamed down his cheeks expanded outward until they took up a majority of his face, his nose grew larger and more bulbous complete with several warts, and he even managed to somehow grow a goatee.
"So this is Sage Mode, huh?" Naruto looked Jiraiya up and down. "Are there any benefits to looking like that, or does it just come with the technique?"
Jiraiya and Fukasaku opened their eyes in unison, and the latter spoke.
"Actually, no, not really," He explained. "Jiraiya-boy here has toad features because he hasn't completely mastered Sage Mode by himself. That's why I attached myself to him for this demonstration. A Perfect Sage will have minimal changes to their appearance, and can even go into and maintain the form with little to no help."
Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "Really, not even he's mastered it?!" He looked to his master. "How long does this take?! I don't know if we have that much time for me to try and learn this!"
"In all honesty, I've just continued to put off making the time to come back and complete it." Jiraiya grimace. This was clearly a point of embarrassment for him. "Back in my younger days, I used to come here and train with Boss while in between missions. As you can see, it just wasn't enough commitment to master something like this. The deeper into my Shinobi career I got, the worse it became; I was away more frequently on longer missions– thus even less time to train in Sage Jutsu. It eventually got to the point where I stopped entirely… and now we're here." A fire seemed to light within his eyes. "It's different now, though; there's time for us to dedicate to it, and also a pretty damn good motivator. We'll train together with the help of Boss, and there is no doubt in my mind that we'll master it."
"I can't recall the last time I saw you so inspired, Jiraiya-boy." Fukasaku's smile stretched from ear to ear. "I have to say– I haven't been this excited in quite some time, myself."
"Yeah…" Naruto rubbed the back of his head, still unconvinced by the whole thing. "But is this Sage Mode really worth spending so much time on? I mean– you don't look all that different; does it really make you that much stronger?"
"Why don't you show him, Jiraiya-boy?" Fukasaku exchanged a knowing smile with his long-time student.
"Heh, sounds like a plan to me," Jiraiya put his hands on his knees and stood up. Oddly enough, he was also smiling rather widely. "Listen closely, Naruto… I'm going to try and hit you. Your job is to do your best to counter me."
"Okay, got i–"
"I don't think you heard me," Jiraiya shook his head, then repeated himself. "Try your absolute best to counter me. Understand?"
Naruto didn't dignify that with a verbal response and instead opted to settle into his favored defensive stance. Jiraiya was the one who didn't appear to be taking this seriously. The man's body and stance were relaxed and loose, but he wouldn't let that throw him off.
Naruto was ready for anything that would be thrown his wa–
He blinked.
"Huh?" He had suddenly vanished without a trace. "Where the hell did he g–"
Jiraiya appeared right in front of him at speeds he could barely ascertain with a punch aimed at his gut. Despite Naruto's awareness of what was to come, he was simply not fast, nor reactive enough to do anything to stop it. The blow connected and the force behind it was mind-boggling to the point that Naruto thought the man's fist might go through his stomach and explode out of his back. Every molecule of air in his diaphragm was forcibly expelled by the sheer impact. It caused him to lurch forward and unceremoniously drop down to all fours.
Every organ in Naruto's body burned for oxygen, and yet his lungs could not currently hold any. His head spun wildly and the pain only continued to intensify. That was, without a doubt, the hardest someone had ever hit him. What was even crazier was that Jiraiya hadn't appeared to exert great effort in their exchange. This is what Sage Mode was capable of?!
"Ya think he's okay?" Fukasaku spoke directly in Jiraiya's ear. "You didn't go easy on him, that's for sure."
"Yeah, don't worry about it. The kid is tough," Jiraiya waved off any concerns while his student struggled for his survival. "Besides– he wants nothing more than to get stronger, right? That little glimpse of Sage Mode's capabilities is only going to motivate him even more.
Naruto was too consumed in his own troubles to process any of what was said between the two of them. After a moment, he was finally able to inhale and supply his lungs with much needed air… the only problem was that the subsequent exhale was accompanied by the lunch he had eaten a little over an hour ago.
"Ooh, that's unfortunate," Jiraiya knew full well what that meant. Naruto would have to replenish the sustenance he lost by eating Ma's cooking. "So, Naruto, what did ya think? Is learning Sage Mode worth your time now?
"Y-Yeah," Naruto responded weakly, still hunched over staring at his vomit on the ground. He pointed a shaky finger to the sky and let out an acidic belch. "I-I totally w-wanna be able to do t-that. W-When can we s-start?"
"See, Boss? I told ya."
"That about sums it up," Tsunade said from behind her desk. She rolled up the scroll and passed it off to the ANBU at her side. "Are there any questions on the matter?"
"Can't say that we have any, no," Kakashi responded with his typical aloof tone. He took the scroll from the ANBU and gave a grateful nod before slipping it into his pouch. "If anything comes up, we can refer to the intel Master Jiraiya and Sasori gathered. I'm sure it will be more than enough to go off of."
"Any thoughts on where you'll start your search?" Tsunade pressed.
"I've got a couple ideas," Kakashi put his hand underneath his chin and looked up at the ceiling. "Hard to say, really. I think things will become more clear once we have a feel for things out in the field."
Tsunade nodded. "Just… be careful and stay alert," She looked at Sakura in particular. "These Akatsuki are dangerous; don't forget that."
"We won't, Master," Sakura replied. "All of us have experience dealing with them, after all."
"Right, of course," Tsunade responded in a diplomatic tone despite the apprehension she felt. Her student had already proven herself to be more than capable. She cleared her throat. "Kakashi Hatake, Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and Suigetsu Hozuki– I am officially authorizing your mission to locate and suppress the Akatsuki members known as Hidan and Kakuzu."
Suigetsu glanced over to the notable exclusion and chuckled. "We get sent out on a dangerous S-Rank mission, and Karin over there gets to kick her feet up and relax in the village? Seems kind of unfair, if you ask me."
Sakura visibly resisted the urge to reach over and slap him upside the head. It was like she was standing next to a snarkier Naruto, and the natural reflex nearly got the best of her.
"You and I both know that I'm useless in a fight, Suigetsu," Karin stuck her tongue out in a childish manner. "The silver lining in this mission is that I won't have to see your ugly mug any time soon."
Tsunade felt a similar urge as Sakura. "When the Akatsuki are involved, it is paramount we have as much battle power in a cell as possible," She explained. "As a Combat Medic, Sakura fits this criteria better than anyone. She's the right fit, and Kakashi is more than a capable sensor."
Sakura smiled at the praise, while Kakashi modestly shrugged.
"Besides," Tsunade continued. "Karin will begin to ingratiate herself with the Sensory and Medical units. Besides Ino, she'll be the only Shinobi in our ranks affiliated with both teams. I expect great things from her."
"T-Thank you, Lady Hokage," Karin said through a strong blush. This was a far cry from her days among the ranks of the Hidden Sound. "I'll do my best to make you proud. You won't regret this decision."
"Ahem, that being said," Tsunade segued into their next topic of discussion. "Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Karin… please keep in mind that your new ranks as Hidden Leaf Chunin are under a very strict probationary basis. The main reason I even considered your requests to join our village is because Naruto vouched strongly for the three of you. In fact, he practically insisted that I do so and is willing to put his reputation on the line. Any infractions made by you will reflect very poorly on him. He could very well soon be up for a promotion to Jonin Rank. Do not make him regret this decision." She looked directly at Sasuke. "I hope those times are long behind us."
"Yes, they are," Sasuke's mouth twitched ever so slightly. "I gave Naruto my word, and he gave me his. You have nothing to worry about from me. The person you should be looking at right now is Suigetsu."
"Hey!" Suigetsu said indignantly. "Why do you guys always act like I'm some violent lunatic?!"
"A-Are you not?" Karin asked in genuine confusion.
"No, I am," Suigetsu rubbed the back of his head as if wasn't expecting a retort. "It just, you know, hurts when the people who are supposed to be my friends see me that way."
"Does it actually?"
"Well, no, but… I'm not really sure where I was going with this. Carry on."
"There is something that does worry me, Suigetsu. Naruto told me about your goal of collecting the Seven Swords of the Mist," Tsunade sighed as she caressed her temples. "I find it extremely unlikely that the Mizukage, and by extension, the Land of Water, would take kindly to a former Mist-turned-Leaf Shinobi gathering up all of their prized weapons. The other Kage are already breathing down my neck about a Five Kage Summit… Please don't give them any more reason to take issue with us; okay?"
"A Five Kage Summit?" Kakashi blinked. "That's the first I've heard about such a thing. I can't even remember the last time one was called."
"What's a Five Kage Summit?" Suigetsu asked.
"A Five Kage Summit is a rare event where the Five Kage convene in the neutral state of the Land of Iron to discuss, dispute, or resolve issues concerning the Great Nations." Karin pushed her glasses farther up her nose. "This typically only occurs when there is a dramatic shift in the Shinobi World and should not be taken lightly."
Suigetsu arched an eyebrow. "Hm, very interesting…. Ouch– hey, what the hell was that for?!"
"Don't worry, Lady Tsunade," Karin did what Sakura couldn't and smacked him in the back of the head. "We'll keep him in line; you can leave that to us."
Tsunade managed a small smile. "Thank you, Karin; I greatly appreciate it."
Suigetsu grimaced at Karin. "Ya damn kiss ass. No, wait–"
'Smack'
"Keep it up, Shark Boy. I have all day."
Suigetsu grumbled something incoherent but otherwise felt it best to keep his mouth shut for the time being.
"If I may ask," Kakashi was eager to get back on track. "What exactly is the purpose of this Summit?"
"That… is a conversation for another day," Tsunade's responded cryptically. "It's not something any of you need to concern yourself with."
"Of course, Lady Tsunade."
Tsunade cleared her throat. "As for your mission, you're expected to leave first thing in the morning. Gather any necessary items you may need for the trip, get a proper night's rest, and I will see you all tomorrow at the village gates."
Even Suigetsu was observant enough to see that they had just hit a sore spot of conversation. The newly minted team began to cycle out of the room. Sakura was last in line, but she stopped suddenly.
"Actually, Lady Tsunade," She walked tentatively back up to her desk.
"Hm?" Tsunade seemed to have already zoned out. "Oh, Sakura; what is it? Is there something else you need?"
"No, not quite," Sakura shook her head and outstretched her arms. "I almost forgot to give you this. I won't need it while we're away on a mission, so I figured I would give it back until I return."
"Oh, I see," It was her book on the One-Hundred Healings– given to her by her grandmother, Mito Uzumaki. Her eyes lingered on its cover for a good bit until she managed a weak smile. "You can place it down there… thank you, Sakura."
"Of course," Sakura obliged and placed the thick book in the corner of her desk. "Your grandmother's literature has been a great help. I've been making strides in my training from the moment I started to reference it."
"That's great to hear," She replied happily. "When you come back from your mission you'll need to show me just how far along you've come. Sound like a plan?"
"Yes, definitely! I can't wait." Sakura smiled widely and nodded her head enthusiastically. "Anyway, I should go catch up with the team. Kakashi recommended that we spend some time together before the mission to get a feel for one another and build some chemistry."
"That certainly sounds like a good idea. Well– I don't want to interfere."
"Thank you again, Milady," Sakura bowed respectfully, then turned to leave. "See ya tomorrow!"
The door clicked behind Sakura, and it was once again Tsunade alone in her office. Her eyes lingered on her Grandmother's book once more. She grimaced, then swiveled in her chair to face the window. The beauty of the evening sun on its daily descent toward the horizon was completely lost on her.
'Pages twenty through thirty...' What could that mean?
Author's Note: As the title suggest, we are well past the halfway point of ABoaL. In essence, Naruto training in Sage Mode marks the final leg of this story. We still have some ways to go, but this is truly the beginning of the end. Don't get off the ride just yet. I still have some surpises in store for all of you.
Please leave a review of what you thought if you feel so inclined. Writing progress is live on my profile. PMs are welcome.
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Until next time... Chapter 53: "Blood Money"
StealthyDemocracy369 - I can't tell you what Naruto felt but I can guarantee that it had nothing to do with Karin, and it definitely was not nonsense.
Lilthug - I've said this wasn't a romance fic and that romance will never detract from the narrative. A moment here or there gets the point across without drawing attention to it, I think. This won't be a regular occurrence. If anyone deserved it, it was my boy Jiraiya. Let's just be happy for him. Lol.
Did you ask for more Sakura? I've got some good news for you.
Ayayacchi - Thanks for the kind words. Have another update.
Ky111 - Love seeing your review as always. Hopefully Sasuke can let his actions do the talking and win over the village. He's not exactly great with his words.
NaruCrazy - Tsunade will not get pregnant lol
Razor - I'm really glad you've enjoyed it so far.
To be fair, Danzo has some manchild tendencies when he doesn't get his way. He's just able to not show them. He didn't really have that option when Naruto backed him into a corner. No one had ever done that to him before.
SAND - That wasn't too weird. For comparisons sake, I once had a guy request NarutoxChiyo. Nothing you say can be worse than that.
surya25addanki - The Naruto Pain dynamic would certainly be an interesting one. And who doesn't love Sage Mode?
Lampre8 - It's inevitable, but also not nearly as important as some of the things currently going on. They will eventually get their time to talk, however.