Path of Redemption and The Dark encounter
Naruto glanced down at the unconscious form of Kabuto. Without a second thought, Naruto reached down, hoisting Kabuto over his shoulder as if he weighed nothing.
"Why... why aren't you going to finish him off? He's Orochimaru's subordinate. He's dangerous." Tsunade
Naruto shook his head, his expression softening for the first time since the battle began.
"He's confused. He's been used. I can see it... he doesn't know who he is anymore. Killing him won't solve anything." Naruto
Tsunade frowned, still skeptical. "And you think you can fix that? Set him on the right path?"
Naruto nodded, his gaze unwavering.
"I'll guide him, help him find his way." Naruto
Tsunade wanted to argue, to tell Naruto that it wasn't that simple, but there was something in his eyes,an unshakable belief, a strength she couldn't deny. With a reluctant sigh, she nodded.
"Alright, Naruto. I trust you." Tsunade
Together, they made their way back to the hotel.
As they entered, Jiraiya was the first to notice them. His gaze shifted to the unconscious Kabuto slung over Naruto's shoulder.
"Who's the baggage?" Jiraiya
"Kabuto?! What is Orochimaru's right-hand man doing here?" Shizune
Naruto smiled, a hint of amusement playing on his lips.
"Oh, you know. Just dealt with the snake bastard. Figured I'd bring this one back with me." Naruto
Jiraiya's eyes flickered with a mixture of shock and something deeper, sadness. Despite everything, Orochimaru had once been his friend, a bond forged through years of hardship and battle. It was hard to reconcile the memory of his teammate with the monster he had become.
"You... you got rid of him?" Jiraiya
Naruto's smile faded slightly, understanding the gravity of what Jiraiya was feeling. He nodded.
"Yeah. He won't be coming back this time." Naruto
The room fell silent as the weight of those words hung in the air. Jiraiya's eyes were distant, lost in memories of the past. He knew that Naruto had surpassed him in strength, but hearing that his former comrade was gone stirred a storm of emotions within him.
Without another word, Jiraiya turned and walked toward the bar in the corner of the hotel. Tsunade followed, sensing that he needed someone to talk to. They settled into their seats, the low light casting shadows across their faces as they shared a drink in silence.
Finally, Jiraiya broke the quiet, his voice low and heavy with the weight of the past.
"I always thought... maybe there was still a part of him that could be saved, you know? That the Orochimaru I knew wasn't completely gone." Jiraiya
Tsunade took a long sip of her drink before setting it down with a soft thud. She looked at Jiraiya, her eyes tired but resolute.
"He was too far gone, Jiraiya. Orochimaru made his choices long ago. He crossed lines that we couldn't pull him back from." Tsunade
Jiraiya's lips twitched into a faint smile, but there was no joy in it. He glanced down at the amber liquid in his glass, swirling it absentmindedly.
"Remember when we were kids? He was always the one pushing us(mainly him), the one who wanted to learn everything, be the best. I thought that drive would make him the strongest of us all." Jiraiya
Tsunade scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping her lips.
"Yeah, and look where that drive took him. Chasing immortality, experimenting on innocent people, using our loved ones like puppets. He became a monster, Jiraiya. You know that." Tsunade
Jiraiya's smile faded, and he nodded slowly.
"I know. It's just... it's hard to accept that the boy we grew up with could turn into... that." Jiraiya
They sat in silence for a few moments, the memories of their time as Genin and their experiences during the wars playing through their minds. The battles they had fought side by side, the losses they had endured together. Orochimaru had been part of that. He had been one of them.
But now, that part of their history was gone.
"He was a bastard, Jiraiya. A twisted, cruel bastard who went too far. I'm just glad Naruto had the strength to stop him before he caused any more damage." Jiraiya
Jiraiya sighed, finishing his drink in one gulp.
"Yeah... I suppose you're right." Jiraiya
But even as he said the words, there was a deep sadness in his eyes. Orochimaru had been more than just an enemy. He had been a teammate, a rival, a friend. And now, he was gone. Forever.
As the night wore on, Jiraiya and Tsunade continued to talk, reminiscing about their youth, the battles they had fought, and the wars that had shaped them into the Sannin. But no matter how much they drank or how much they talked, the ghost of Orochimaru lingered in the back of their minds.
Naruto, meanwhile, sat by the window, watching the moonlight filter through the curtains. He glanced over at Kabuto, still unconscious, and sighed. There was so much more to do, so many more battles to fight. But for now, he had done enough.
For now, there was peace.
Shizune, still reeling from everything that had transpired, couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.
"Naruto, what are you going to do with him?"
Naruto didn't immediately respond, his gaze fixed on Kabuto. The faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he were already several steps ahead of whatever anyone else was thinking. His mind was racing with possibilities, but there was a strange calm about him.
Suddenly, Kabuto stirred. His eyes fluttered open, dazed at first, his pupils dilating as they adjusted to the soft light of the room. He blinked, his vision blurred, trying to make sense of where he was. As the fog in his mind cleared, his eyes landed on Naruto, who was watching him intently, arms folded, his posture relaxed.
The sight of Naruto's smirking face sent a jolt of recognition through Kabuto. He shot upright, his body tense as the memory of his defeat flooded back to him. The sensation of utter helplessness from being overwhelmed by Naruto's sheer power still lingered in his mind. His muscles tightened, his instincts screaming at him to be on guard.
"What... what do you want?" Kabuto
His voice wavered, betraying the turmoil beneath his composed exterior.
Naruto's expression remained unchanged, calm and unthreatening. He tilted his head slightly, his smirk widening as he spoke.
"Relax." Naruto
Kabuto frowned, his senses on high alert. Relax? How could he possibly relax after what had happened? After being so completely outclassed in battle?
"Given the circumstances, it's hard for me to do that." Kabuto
His tone was cautious, every word calculated. He didn't know what Naruto wanted from him, and that uncertainty gnawed at him. Kabuto's mind raced with possibilities, searching for an escape, for some way to regain control of the situation.
Naruto's smirk faded slightly as he straightened up, his posture still relaxed, but his presence suddenly felt heavier. He met Kabuto's gaze with an unsettling calmness.
"I decided to spare you." Naruto
Those words hung in the air, sinking deep into Kabuto's mind. He narrowed his eyes, trying to read Naruto's intentions, to understand why. He wasn't sure whether to feel relief or suspicion. Why would Naruto, of all people, spare him?
"Why?" Kabuto
There was genuine confusion in his voice now. His mind had been prepared for death, for a swift end to the path he had chosen by siding with Orochimaru. Yet, here he was, alive. His mind refused to accept it without understanding Naruto's reason.
Naruto's eyes changed. His Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils glowed with an ethereal brilliance, casting a soft golden hue over his face. The power radiating from those eyes wasn't just physical, it was something deeper, something that reached into the very core of a person's soul. It was as though Naruto could see straight through Kabuto, peeling back the layers of his facade.
"Because I want to help you." Naruto
The simplicity of the statement caught Kabuto off-guard. Naruto's tone wasn't mocking or condescending. It was genuine. But there was something even more disarming in the way Naruto looked at him, as if he wasn't seeing Kabuto, the manipulator, the shinobi who had lived under the shadows of others. He was seeing Kabuto, the person.
Naruto's gaze pierced through Kabuto's defenses like a blade, cutting right to the heart of who he was. His next words left Kabuto frozen.
"I want to help you find your true purpose. To help you find yourself. I know you've spent your whole life without a sense of identity." Naruto
Kabuto's breath caught in his throat. He stared at Naruto in stunned silence, his mind scrambling to process the weight of those words. How could Naruto possibly understand? How could he see through the layers of personas that Kabuto had worn for years, the countless masks he had used to survive, to serve Danzo, Sasori, and Orochimaru?
Kabuto prided himself on being unreadable, on being able to manipulate situations to his advantage. Yet, Naruto had seen through him with unnerving clarity. It was as if all the secrets he had buried deep within himself had been laid bare under Naruto's fiery gaze.
Naruto didn't move closer. He didn't press the point or force Kabuto into a corner. He simply stood there, giving Kabuto space to process, to think. But his presence, his overwhelming power, and his sincerity hung in the air like a force of nature.
Kabuto swallowed, his throat dry. His mind, usually so sharp and calculating, was spinning. Why would Naruto care? Why would someone so powerful, someone who had every reason to kill him, offer to help him?
For the first time, Kabuto felt something foreign,doubt. Not doubt in Naruto, but doubt in his own choices, in the life he had led. The identity disorder, the confusion that had plagued him for years, felt more tangible now than ever before.
Naruto's voice cut through his thoughts once more, steady and unwavering.
"You've been used your whole life, but that doesn't have to be your story anymore. You can be more than a tool. You can be yourself."
Kabuto's heart pounded in his chest. He clenched his fists, staring at the floor, trying to maintain some semblance of control. But Naruto's words had struck something deep within him, something he hadn't even realized was there, a yearning for identity, for purpose beyond manipulation and survival.
The silence between them stretched for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Kabuto looked up, his expression softer, though still conflicted.
"And how do you suppose I find myself? After everything I've done... after all the lives I've ruined?" Kabuto
Naruto smiled, not the cocky smirk from earlier, but something kinder, more understanding.
"It's never too late to start. You just need someone to show you the way." Naruto
Kabuto blinked, feeling a strange mix of hope and confusion. For so long, he had believed himself irredeemable, destined to serve others, to be a tool of chaos. But Naruto was offering him something he had never considered: a second chance, a chance to find out who he really was.
For the first time in his life, Kabuto felt a glimmer of something unfamiliar, freedom.
In the shadow of the late afternoon, two figures strode side by side through a winding path that led to a small village known as Takizato. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the village's modest buildings. The air was still, but the tension between the two men was thick. Deidara and Sasori, were once again deep in an argument.
"My art is superior, un! It's fleeting, explosive! It captures the moment of beauty and destruction in an instant. That's what makes it true art,it's momentary perfection!"
"Your definition of art is childish, Deidara. True art lasts forever. It's enduring, like my puppets. They don't decay. They remain eternal. Something fleeting can't be called art at all." Sasori
Deidara's fists clenched as his frustration bubbled to the surface. The veins in his temples throbbed as he glared at his companion. Sasori, encased in the menacing shell of Hiruko, remained as calm and indifferent as ever, his voice monotone as he dismissed Deidara's viewpoint.
"You don't understand anything about the beauty of an explosion, yeah! The pure release of energy, the shape, the heat, it's all a moment of sublime art! Your puppets are just corpses, grotesque and stagnant!" Deidara
Sasori scoffed, his expression hidden behind the grotesque mask of his puppet armor.
"Explosions are crude, a temporary spectacle. Puppets, on the other hand, transcend time and mortality. They become something greater, a reflection of the artistry of life and death, preserved for eternity." Sasori
Deidara's mind raced as he mulled over Sasori's words. His lip curled in disdain, but deep inside, he couldn't shake the memory that had been haunting him ever since their last encounter with the freak. The tension from their argument faded as his mind drifted back to that day.
Deidara vividly recalled the moment when that giant monkey hand had erupted from the sky, a massive shadow casting over them, crushing the earth beneath its weight. The sheer scale and power of it had been terrifying. Naruto's strength had sent shockwaves through the battlefield, forcing even Sasori, Itachi, and Kisame to retreat. The weight of that hand was something Deidara hadn't expected from a kid. He shuddered at the memory.
For a brief moment, Deidara wondered if Naruto truly was a God. Sasori, too, had seemed unnerved, though his stoic nature had hidden it well. But Deidara could feel it,the shift in the air, the unspoken fear that had gripped them all.
Sasori's cold voice snapped him back to the present.
"Stop daydreaming, Deidara. We have a mission." Sasori
Deidara shook off the lingering unease. They were on a mission to take out a merchant, a man who had become a thorn in the side of Iwagakure. The merchant's name was Kaito Sumeragi, and while he maintained a stellar public reputation as a businessman, those who moved in the darker corners of the world knew of his true nature. He was no ordinary merchant,he had sabotaged deals and manipulated trade routes.
The one who placed the hit was none other than Onoki, the Tsuchikage. He had grown tired of Kaito's interference. This was no political move, this was personal.
As the duo approached the gates of the merchant's lavish estate, the atmosphere shifted. The once calm air became thick with malice, a demonic presence lingering in the shadows. Even Deidara, who usually brushed off such things, felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck.
Sasori, still within Hiruko, narrowed his eyes.
"This presence... it feels demonic. Be on guard, Deidara." Sasori
Deidara cracked his knuckles, his signature cocky grin slipping onto his face, but even he couldn't deny the uneasy feeling gnawing at him.
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. I'll blow him away with my art, un." Deidara
They entered the estate grounds, where the sprawling garden led to a grand mansion. The two Akatsuki members walked silently, their senses heightened. At the center of the garden, beneath the shade of a large tree, sat Kaito, the merchant. He lounged in a comfortable chair, a glass of wine in his hand, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he regarded the two shinobi approaching him.
With a grin, the merchant raised his glass in mock salute.
"Ah, black robes with red clouds. Just who did I piss off for the Akatsuki to be after me?"
Sasori's voice was as cold as ever."That's confidential."
Kaito chuckled, setting his glass down. As he did, his entire demeanor changed. The pleasant, unassuming man was gone, replaced by something far more sinister. His grin widened unnaturally, and the air around him darkened. His presence grew heavier, more oppressive, radiating a demonic energy that even Deidara and Sasori couldn't ignore.
Sweat began to bead on Deidara's forehead, though he masked it with a cocky smirk. Sasori's eyes narrowed further, the tension between them rising.
"I hope you two won't bore me. It's been a while since I've had a good challenge." Kaito
Deidara, never one to back down, grinned in response."Bore you? I'll blow you away with my art,literally and figuratively, un!"
As if to emphasize his point, Deidara formed a clay bird in his hand, though his movements were slower than usual. Something about this merchant, no, this creature, felt wrong. He was no ordinary man.
Sasori's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, a warning.
"Deidara, this man... he's unlike any opponent we've fought before. Something is off." Sasori
Deidara glanced at Sasori, his grin widening.
"What's the matter, Sasori-Danna? Getting cold feet?"
At that moment, Hiruko's back split open with a sickening creak, and Sasori stepped out, revealing his true form. His youthful face, devoid of emotion, was framed by his eerie puppet body. His piercing gaze locked onto Kaito.
"This is no time for games, Deidara. Be ready."
Kaito's demonic grin widened even further, his eyes gleaming with malevolent glee.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Tbc