Suiren was not having a good time. None of her teammates were. Their blonde sensei was crazy. That she had come to the firm conclusion of. This torture he called a game was something that she wouldn't wish her worst enemies had to deal with. Kunai after kunai flew through the air, sending each of them desperately diving in every direction to avoid being hit. They often weren't fast enough. The kunai weren't even blunted. Something to do with "Hanabi won't blunt her arrows so why should I blunt my kunai?"
She wanted to scream that they were training, but the Uzumaki was having none of it. He just contineud to throw blade after blade at them, forcing them to dive in impossible directions. At first, she was happy she had two teammates, if only so that they could take some of the focus off her. Of course, when twenty more clones of the blonde appeared from thin air, she realized his focus wasn't going to be an issue. Instead, her focus was the one that was split, constantly leaping between different deadly projectiles. Internally the kunoichi swore that she would pay the blonde back for this. How, she was not yet sure, but she knew that she would.
Midare was furious. When the blonde had suggested tag as a form of training he had initially thought it to be pointless. The threat the Hyuga posed was the speed of her arrows. What could sheer numbers make up? It was a childish attempt at training.
He had been quickly disabused of that notion.
Sure, the kunai were not as fast as the arrows, but they also lacked any warning to them. There were no split leaves, and there was certainly no time to process individual shots. It was chaos incarnate, as if they were fighting in a real battlefield with dozens of enemy shinobi in combat. The danger was in the chaos. They had to predict every potential angle a threat could come from and dodge in the best direction possible. It was an impossible feat, a reason why shinobi always strove to never be in a disadvantageous fight. The best direction possible often resulted in wounds, taking form in the lacerations that covered his arms and legs. He considered it a small mercy that none of the kunai had managed to find his midsection during this little training activity.
As he dove out of the way, ignoring the shouting of "Focus Midare!", the assassin in training quickly realized he was not in fact getting lucky that none of the kunai were avoiding his midsection. The blonde was intentionally making sure that none of the weapons carved into their bodies where more vital organs were. The thought both comforted and infuriated the Chunin. To be so outclassed reminded him heavily of the Hyuga who had baited him completely into a trap where his leadership would have led his squad to its death. That rage pushed him further. Made him dodge better. That was all he could think about.
'I must be better!'
It was a thought that was shared by one Kagari DeMita. The usually timid Chunin grit his teeth as he dove in every direction. He was slower than his teammates, as displayed by the number of wounds that covered him in comparison to his teammates. The blonde seemed to pick up on this and focus even more attention on him, almost as if to demand that he was better. It was a maelstrom of steel that the small-town shinobi was simply not prepared for. Still, he pushed onwards, images of Lurua and Akichi burning through his mind. Images of his parents. The thought of their deaths, of their suffering, ate at him.
'I have to be stronger, faster, smarter, better!'
The DeMita was desperate.
'I can't let anyone else die!'
The trio screamed their determination to the world, some out of spite, some out of rage, and some out of determination. But their training pushed onwards. About an hour later they finally came to a stop, each of the Chunin taking deep, long breaths to recover their stamina. The blonde wouldn't let them get the chance. All but two of his clones disappeared in a puff of smoke. The trio groaned as a blonde stepped up to each of them and dropped into a taijutsu stance.
"Can't we get a break Naruto-sensei," Kagari begged.
"I can't believe I'm agreeing with Kagari," Midare groaned, dragging himself to his feet.
"Ah where was all that energy you all had before!" Naruto exclaimed. "You'll die if this is your outlook in a real battle. You're lucky I'm giving you this much of a break."
The duo groaned. Naruto didn't care. His clones took Kagari and Suiren off, beginning their taijutsu lesson while Naruto glared down at Midare.
"Well. Let's get started. Hold nothing back."
Midare grunted, raising his hands before he leapt forwards. His punch flew forwards only to be swatted down. The Chunin grit his teeth and pressed the attack, but it was to no avail. Nothing he did could pierce Naruto's defenses. Punch after punch. Kick after kick. Elbow after elbow. Nothing came close. Midare had expected that. He could have tolerated it if he could at least force the blonde to try.
But he was yawning.
Midare grit his teeth and pressed even harder. His punches were faster. Harder.
And still stopped with one arm.
"Is this the best you've got Midare? I was expecting more."
The blonde shoved Midare back with his arm, sending him onto his ass. The Chunin quickly got to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his body. Fire burned in his eyes as he readied himself to launch into another series of blows, only for Naruto to strike before he got the chance. The Chunin scrambled hastily into a sloppy defense but was helpless against the onslaught. Blow after blow landed on his body, forming welts that covered the cuts from earlier. Midare grunted as a knee impacted with his stomach, keeling him over. Spit dripped from his mouth onto the ground.
The Chunin slumped to the ground and by the grace of god Naruto let him get his breath. Instead, he simply stared down at him, watching Midare suck in air greedily. Slowly the Chunin seemed to get control of himself, beginning to bring himself to his feet. Naruto frowned.
"We should call it quits here."
"No way," Midare spat, glaring at the blonde. "We keep going until I can last against you."
Naruto tilted his head before he nodded, dropping into another stance. Midare charged. The Chunin kept up his assault for longer this time, but nonetheless he failed to pierce the Uzumaki's defenses. It became clear as the training wore on that Midare simply wasn't fast enough, or rather lacked the energy after the earlier training to reach a speed that would allow him to hit his sensei. The blonde allowed the exercise in futility to continue for half an hour, waiting for some sign of disappoint to well up in Midare's face.
None came.
Naruto frowned, hesitant as the Chunin dropped into a stance. Slowly, he spoke.
"You know...this is pointless Midare."
Midare's head snapped up, eyes burning at words that had just been spoken to him.
"What?"
"It's pointless," Naruto stated. "I don't mean it to dissuade you. But you'll never land a hit on me. I admire your perseverance, but this is an exercise in futility. You have to know when to cut your losses and give up."
"Give up," the Ame Chunin stated. "There's no way I'd ever give up."
"You're exhausted. This training was designed to push you to the brink. You've hit your limit for the day. Take a break. That's part of training too."
"Were you not listening," Midare whispered, raising his fists despite his exhaustion. "Surrender is an outcome worse than defeat."
"This isn't a battlefield. This is training. Your only goal is to survive your bout with me for now."
"Says who," Midare said, challenging the blonde's authority once more. "Survive my bout with you? That's not what I'm after."
Naruto's frowned grew more pronounced.
"You won't beat Hanabi by-"
"Hanabi? Do you think that's my only goal, you think my aspirations end there? What about the next threat? In a year, or five, or ten? Or what about my pride!" Midare shook his head.
"That's what you don't understand about being an Ame shinobi. It's not about this current goal. It's about the big picture. We must be the best, or else we'll be nothing. A village trampled upon by the Great Powers, relegated back to irrelevance. I refuse to allow that to happen."
"And that won't happen if you burn yourself out here! I need you strong Midare."
"How strong do you intend on making us then," Midare questioned. The blonde blinked, as if he didn't understand it.
"You said you'd need time to get us to Hanabi's level. The type of time we don't have. Do you truly believe that? Or are you just saying that because you don't want us to kill her?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed and sparks flew between the two. Righteous indignation met offense as the two shinobi stared down each other.
"What?"
"You heard what I said," Midare hissed. "You don't want us to kill her, even if she's an enemy of Ame. I get it. I do. It's too much to ask for you to kill her. Even I wouldn't ask you to do that. If that were the end of it, I wouldn't bother..."
Midare stomped up to Naruto.
"But it's not the end of it. You're supposed to be our teacher. You're training us to beat her. Or are you? Could you even go through with it? Training your students to kill her? Are you even capable of that? That level of loyalty to us...I don't think you have it."
Naruto stared down at his student, feeling the intensity behind them. The passion and the distrust. He wanted to respond in outrage and indignation but couldn't.
He was staring into a mirror.
Because those were the words he had been whispering to himself this entire time.
Could he allow Hanabi to kill them? Could he allow them to kill Hanabi? Could he allow Konoha and Rain to keep fighting like they were? How could he stop it?
Could he stop it?
It felt like he was being pulled in two completely opposite directions at once. He was trying to find the best way to unify the two ideals but so far he had come up with nothing. He knew of no way to quell Kagari or Midare's rage, and he knew of no way to ensure Hanabi would bow out of the war effort. The blonde knew that if something didn't change, and fast, he would stretched too thin.
Midare scoffed at the lack of a verbal response, turning on his heel.
"Either way it doesn't matter. If we truly can't reach that level naturally, I'll just have to push myself even harder so that I can surpass her and prove you wrong. And if I can't do it by myself, I'll have reliable allies in Suiren and Kagari with me. At least I know they'll have their heads on straight."
Midare turned on his heel, stomping off into the distance. It wasn't long until the noise of him training with his other two teammates could be heard in the distance.
The blonde watched the Chunin walk away, a frown on his face. The thought rested in his head. Was his training just a farce?
Could he truly teach them how to kill Hanabi?
Sakura Haruno was having a very bad day. She had been having a lot of those recently. She had watched her childhood friend die and been captured by Ame. She had seen another childhood friend say that he was going to train a group of soldiers of an enemy nation. She had been left alone in said enemy nation. But nothing could possibly compare to the night Fuka Uzumaki had approached her in that cell. When she had marred her body beyond recognition. Tsunade had hidden behind a genjutsu to maintain her beauty, but Sakura knew that she would have to hide behind a genjutsu to preserve her dignity.
Such was the damage that Fuka Uzumaki had done.
Which was why she was not very happy to see Fuka standing in front of her, eyes glowering with that same burning hatred that she had held that same night. Sakura knew if they were alone the Uzumaki may well have acted upon it once again. She understood her, sure. But that didn't mean she didn't hate her for it. But what she hated more than even Fuka was the inability to protect herself from the kunoichi. Instead, she was left sheltered behind Karin, who stood defiantly in front of her, glaring down her fellow clansmen.
Most would feel some level of admiration or appreciation for Karin's determination. Standing up to one's family in defense of someone who wronged them was not something most people would do, even if they were asked. But not Sakura.
No, she rather loathed the feeling.
She was a shinobi. She was a warrior. Sure, she was a medic, but she had been a shinobi first. Fighting was in her blood, just as much as healing was. She had simply repressed the urge behind a wall of mental stability. Fortitude. Willpower. Call it whatever you want. But whenever she saw Fuka she just knew that the wall she had painstakingly built up over the years, a wall built from her tireless work to surpass her sensei in the medical arts, cracked. Piece by piece. Bit by bit. And now it was restrained by a flimsy seal that did not allow her to put her explosive power to use.
Would she have escaped?
No.
But she would have enjoyed the feeling of punching Fuka's face in before she was brought low.
"Enough Fuka!" Karin screamed, snapping Sakura out of her daze. "Leave! Nagato said you can't harm her, and Naruto won't let you either. You've done enough."
"Enough," Fuka whispered. "If it were your child-"
"You've done this guilt trip before Fuka," Karin stated, placing a hand on her pregnant belly. "Go."
The Uzumaki woman grit her teeth but turned off, knowing that she had no power to make a move against Sakura. She would have had to go through Karin, which she would never do. Besides, the consequences of such an action were more than she particularly wanted to deal with after the last time such an event occurred. Karin turned, rubbing the back of her head.
"Sorry about that. She can be so headstrong."
"Hm," Sakura said absent-mindedly. "I'm learning it's a trait among Uzumaki's."
"Oi."
The pregnant Uzumaki sat down, eyeing the stairs as Fuka marched up them.
"I can't imagine how you must feel when you look at her."
"You care?"
Karin gave her a wry look.
"Do I give off that much sympathy for her?"
"All of you do."
"Well, I suppose that's understandable," the redhead muttered. "But that doesn't mean I don't see things from your perspective as well. You said it yourself, if you can stop a criminal without harming them yet do so are you violent? Well...you were stopped. She had no need to harm you, yet she did so anyway. That is violence."
"I thought you didn't care about the opinions of criminals."
"Perhaps some criminals have more insight into the world than others."
"Oh? So, you think I'm special?"
"I think you're specially annoying."
"Coming from the person who asks me to fetch her the most ridiculous things for her cravings."
"I am pregnant!"
Sakura snorted at the annoyed tone in Karin's voice. The two had grown into, well not friends, but something larger than prisoner and warden. They had grown accustomed to one another. Being...friendly...wasn't out the question. On that thought the kunoichi glanced down at Karin's bulging stomach.
"So? Any thoughts to the name?"
Konohamaru stared at the forces around him, a frown on his face as he turned and looked. Four opponents stood before him, each of varying builds. Some had abnormalities. One boy had two heads, and another had six arms. The other two were relatively normal. The Sarutobi glanced up at the viewing center, seeing Orochimaru staring down at him with those ever-present crimson eyes that he had stolen from Mikoto.
"What's this?"
"What do you think it is Sarutobi-kun," Orochimaru stated. "Training for your abilities. I need to see how your body reacts to the Cursed Seal of Earth with better samples than fighting pets and Sasuke-kun."
Konohamaru glared at the man but was distracted by the murmuring he could hear from the four behind him.
"He gave him the Cursed Seal of Earth?"
"Only Kimimaro has that."
"I thought it only accepted wielders with incredibly strong Yang chakra. Even Jirobo could only handle a weaker version."
"Jirobo can't use it because he's a fucking fatass."
"I'm not fat Tayuya!"
Before the quartet could continue their internal dialogue a clap from Orochimaru drew their attention.
"Tayuya, Jirobo, Sakon, Kidomaru. Test our newest member here."
"Are we allowed to kill him, Orochimaru-sama," Jirobo questioned.
"Why he'd be rather useless if he managed to die to you all," Orochimaru stated. "Of course, you can kill him, if you can kill him."
The Sound Four leapt forwards, smiles on their faces. Konohamaru grit his teeth, immediately being pushed back the quartet in close quarters. He tried to make space, but the room they were in was fairly small. There wasn't much he could do, especially against such overwhelming numbers and limbs. If he had his staff it was possible that he could fight off the assault off his technical skill, but he had no such weapon. The very situation he was in made close-quarters combat, his specialty, practically impossible.
It was designed to force him into using the seal to fight them off. He refused to give the snake the satisfaction. Unfortunately, he didn't have much of a choice. A beautiful noise struck his ears, making him pause temporarily as the world swam. He was brought back to reality by a brutal punch to the side by the larger man that sent him careening into the wall. Konohamaru groaned, dragging himself free only to be stunned by the music once more. His eyes narrowed as the world swam.
Genjutsu.
Three punches collided with him, courtesy of the strange six-armed man, that sent him stumbling backwards. The force led him directly into a kick in the spine from the two-headed shinobi, sending him crumpling onto the ground. Konohamaru glanced upwards, frustration on his face. The large man stood above him, snorting.
"This was pathetic."
He brought down his fist, ready to cave the Sarutobi's skull into the stone below. Konohamaru grunted. He was in between a rock and a hard place. Rely on the power given to him by the Sannin or die.
He chose neither.
He twisted, causing the large man's fist to smash into the ground, denting it. Konohamaru's eyes narrowed. That was dangerous, but the biggest threat was still the kunoichi with the flute. He lurched forwards, scrambling forwards on hands and feet to reach her. She was slow to react, her eyes wide at the sudden movement. Just as his hand was about to reach out and snatch her throat, he felt a hand grab his wrist and throw him into the air. He glanced downwards to see the two headed man grinning at him.
Konohamaru smirked right back at him. This brief moment away from the quartet was enough to launch a jutsu. His hands flew through handseals before he unleashed a storm of fire down on them, drowning the room in a blistering heat. Orochimaru raised an eyebrow at the conflagration, a smile forming on his face.
'He's refuses to use it now. How interesting. Even the most unwilling of successful projects gave into the temptation to use the kinjutsu. I think I'm starting to see what makes you special, Konohamaru Sarutobi.'
The flame died down as Konohamaru landed on the ceiling, revealing an earthen dome in the center of the room. The dome collapsed, revealing the four shinobi from before, completely unharmed.
"Move faster next time Jirobo," came the call from the six-armed man. "He's operating on a higher level than you think if he could launch a jutsu like that. I wanna play with him some more. He might be a fun game..."
"That's my line," one of the heads of the two-headed man said. A scribble of black lines suddenly shrouded his body. Konohamaru's eyes widened in horror as he shot forwards at a blistering pace. His foot smashed into Konohamaru's stomach sending him flying into the wall. The Sarutobi coughed up blood, eyes rolling to the back of his head from the impact. He flashed back to reality as he saw the two headed man walking towards him, a grin on his face.
'He briefly knocked me unconscious,' Konohamaru realized. 'If he has one...they all likely have those marks!'
Konohamaru's eyes widened as he realized the gravity of the situation. If they all had those marks, there was a zero percent chance he would be capable of defeating the four of them without utilizing his own mark regardless of if he wanted to or not. The two headed man looked ready to pounce only for the other three to leap up to where they stood, black markings covering their bodies as well.
"Hey, what's the deal Sakon? Udon?" Jirobo called. "We're supposed to be fighting as a team!"
"Fuck fighting as a team," the kunoichi said. "Just kill this shithead!"
"Not until I get to find out what level he is," the six-armed man stated.
"Screw your stupid levels Kidomaru," came the call from the other head. Either Sakon or Udon, Konohamaru wasn't sure. "He's our prey."
Our? Konohamaru didn't understand. The two-headed man was referring to himself in a plurality?
His mind cleared quickly. None of that mattered. These foes before him were a threat, that much was clear. One that he couldn't defeat alone, at least not without drawing on the power of that seal that he hated so much. He could feel it even now. The sickening chakra that pulsed at the back of his neck. Just begging him to use it. It felt like the snake's hands were wrapped all around his body. Such a corrupted feeling.
It was a violation like he had never known. And yet the Sarutobi also knew the intoxicating power it had given him. He had lost himself to it against Sasuke, but he had felt it. The power the seal offered. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before. There was no doubt in his mind that he could beat these four if he used that power.
But was it worth sacrificing his soul?
The anticipatory red eyes of the Snake Sannin behind him told him everything he needed to know. Konohamaru stood, ready to face his death without relying on the seal. The four before him seemed to take that as their moment to stop their bickering, instead eyeing him with glee. However, before they could do anything Sasuke burst into the room, a shorter man with gray hair right next to him. Sasuke instinctly locked eyes with Konohamaru, quickly realizing his predicament.
"What the hell are you doing," the Uchiha hissed at the Sannin. Orochimaru grinned.
"Ah, Sasuke-kun. Good, you're just in time to see the final stages of the test. Sarutobi-kun is going to use the gift I gave him...or he is going to die."
Sasuke glanced back at Konohamaru who grit his teeth. Orochimaru frowned, realizing this itself wasn't enough.
"You know Sarutobi-kun," Orochimaru stated. "I'll have our friends kill Sasuke-chan if you don't stop them. Why do you think I brought him here?"
Konohamaru's eyes narrowed as he looked at Orochimaru. The Sannin grinned.
"Well? Get to it. Defeat them. Or you both die."
Konohamaru glanced back at Sasuke, a frown burning on his face. He knew Sasuke couldn't handle opponents like these by himself. He couldn't and the two were roughly equal. But the Uchiha had told him in the cells the weaknesses of the Mangekyou Sharingan, finding it relevant considering Orochimaru's newly possessed eyes. He had no choice but to fight with all he had.
What was his soul to costing Sasuke his vision or his life?
The black lines spread across Konohamaru's body like wildfire and he felt the rush of euphoric power come with. The four before him recoiled at the sight, something akin to trauma directing their movements. Konohamaru wasn't sure what, but he wasn't going to waste any time capitalizing. He shot forwards, smashing a punch directly into the stomach of the kunoichi immediately. She was the biggest threat with her genjutsu. She smashed into the nearby wall before she slumped into the ground. Orochimaru's eyes widened.
'Such power! He takes after the Yang elements even more than Kimimaro! His strength...how marvelous.'
The shock that reverberated from the last three shinobi was enough for Konohamaru to capitalize to take out just one more. He leapt at Jirobo, memories flashing of the dent he had formed in the ground with his sheer strength. He had to debilitate him with one move. His leg snuck out and he slammed it into the larger man's neck, sending him crumpling to the ground like a sack of rocks. The Sarutobi spun with the kick, deftly dodging the lunge from Sakon and Udon. Kidomaru glared at the Sarutobi before spitting at him. Konohamaru dodged it, but his eyes widened as he saw the golden projectile smash into the ceiling with tremendous force. His eyes snapped back at Kidomaru only to see a golden cudgel flash in front of his face as Kidomaru leapt at the Konoha shinobi.
Konohamaru caught the weapon but was defenseless against the punches that rained into his stomach from Kidomaru's other arms. The Sarutobi leapt away, grunting from the force of the blows. They were heavier than he expected. However, he had no time to rest. Sakon and Udon shot at him, the man's fist flying at Konohamaru's face. The Sarutobi raised his hand to catch the blow only for another hand to split from the first and smash into his cheek, sending him flying backwards. Konohamaru caught himself, flipping back to his feet with his eyes wide.
'What! Was I seeing something? No, I felt an impact. Did he use genjutsu to hide the position of his fist? But what was the trigger to catch me?'
The two minions of Orochimaru stalked forwards, grins on each of their faces only for a clap to disturb the silence of the room. The trio looked up to see Orochimaru clapping, a sadistic smile on his face.
"That's enough for now," the Sannin stated. Immediately the two opponents receded their cursed marks and bowed. "Marvelous Konohamaru."
The Sannin was next to the Sarutobi in a flash, sealing off his chakra and forcing the kinjutsu to recede before he could do anything else. The Sannin glanced at Tayuya and Jirobo.
"Knocking out two of the Sound Four in one move...just...marvelous."
Kankuro was having a very bad day. A Suna shinobi sat before him, trembling in fear at the anger he was radiating. His eyes cut into them like daggers. His words dripped from his lips like the poison he was so infamously known for.
"You did what?"
"I...I saw a Konoha shinobi at the border sir. I tried to pursue them, but they were too fast and escaped. I...I believe they will have reported our advance back to the Hokage in due time."
Kankuro positively seethed at the words that came from the shinobi's lips. A Konoha shinobi had managed to pick up on their location and escape! Such a thing was disastrous to his plan. His foothold in Rivers had yet to be solidified. Even more importantly, striking Hirashi before Konoha had time to react was central to his plan. Now he could certainly expect pushback at Hirashi, heavy pushback. Asuma Sarutobi may be there.
That was not a man he wanted to fight.
"Get out of my sight."
The shinobi quickly left the room, the stench of his failure left wafting in the air. Shinki looked at his father, worry on his face. He could see the lines on his face mar in his rage, visible even underneath the war paint that decorated it. Kankuro was plotting. He could see it. The Kazekage looked up at him, frustration on her face.
"Send a messenger bird to Temari. Tell her to push on Asuma Sarutobi. At least having him distracted will help with the battle we are soon to face."
"Yes, Kazekage-sama."
Fugaku watched the body of the woman drop, blood painting the walls of the building. He glanced to the side of him, watching as Kakui ripped open another man's throat. The Kumo shinobi grunted, glancing at Fugaku.
"This is the last of them."
Fugaku frowned, silently making clones to go gather up all of the corpses that decorated the village. The duo had attacked in the dead of night, completely taking over the village. It was civilian led, at least for the most part. There was some mercenary group that defended the village, no stronger than your average Genin. It was likely all a village like this could afford. The greater villages, or even the more minor ones, were simply too expensive for them. It had made it easy for the two of them to come in and kill the residents as the Shiin Clan Head had requested. But the question burned in Fugaku's mind.
"Why did he have us kill them?"
Kakui weaved through handseals, unconcerned with the question but polite enough to answer.
"What?"
"Why us? These shinobi were weak. The rest of the town was filled with civilians. This shouldn't be a threat, even to a clan as weak militarily as the Shiin seem to be."
Kakui let loose a weak fire jutsu. Easily extinguished by rain by more than strong enough to burn the corpses that lay in a pile before them. Fugaku recoiled as the strench of burning flesh filled his nostrils.
"Who cares why," Kakui stated. "He asked us to do this for a lead to our military forces. That's all that matters."
Fugaku frowned, staring at the burning flame. But it did matter, contrary to Kakui's stated opinion. The goldmine was a source of economic power for Rice. Gold was too valuable a metal to not be. Yet it was underdefended. The Shiin Clan could have negotiated with the Daimyo to get a protection contract assigned to them to benefit from the goldmine. They could have conquered it themselves with their military force.
But they specifically sent two other men to do so. Men from another power. That was a setup if Fugaku ever saw one. Either the Shiin Clan was attempting to provoke a war with Rice and Kumo, something that made no sense considering the vast differences in the two countries powers, or something else was afoot. That worried the Uchiha Clan Head. He knew the game of politics.
And he knew when he was playing in it.
"What are you waiting for," Kakui hissed. "Let's move!"
Fugaku followed after the man but couldn't help but feel like more was at play here. As to what, he was unsure.
Itachi continued his walk through the outskirts of Konoha, eyes glancing up lazily at the moon. It's light above was a calming reassurance to him. The moon goddess Tsukuyomi certainly watched over him this night. The light she radiated was directed straight at him. He had been chosen with her visual prowess.
And with it he saw the danger looming. For a brief moment he felt relief. This was not the firm time he had gone out alone at night, attempting to be targeted by whoever was assaulting Uchiha. This was the first time he would be approached.
His crimson eyes shot upwards, meeting the fellow three tomoi Sharingan of his assailant. His relief disappeared, replaced with nothing but righteous anger. The Uchiha recoiled in outrage, clarifying his suspicions.
Whoever this assailant was, they were stealing Sharingan and implanting them into themselves. His kunai met theirs with a metal clang before a thick fog covered his vision imemdiately after the sound of an explosion. The Uchiha grunted, unable to see through the fog. He could see no chakra in it. Some kind of substance devised to take away the benefits of his Sharingan. An impressive maneuver, but not one that he was going to spend time entertaining. His eyes shifted to an eternal pattern before the piercing pain of his nerves burning with fire filled his body. The ribcage of the Susanoo wreathed his body, easily shattering the kunai that threatened to pierce his throat.
To his assailant's credit they didn't let out a single sound at seeing a technique that for all intents and purposes was unknown to history. Only the most personal records of the Uchiha detailed the innerworkings of the Mangekyou Sharingan and its more powerful eternal variant. Madara Uchiha and his brother were the only examples throughout history. Even Konoha, with its detailed records, only knew that the Mangekyou Sharingan could exist and knew little of its full capabilities or how to achieve it. It was a secret held closely to the Uchiha Clan Head's family.
And yet his assailants merely continued their assault.
Gouts of flame.
Bolts of lightning.
Surges of water.
Nothing pierced his defenses. The Uchiha Clan Head approached, eyes glowing in the night.
"Who sent you? Kumo?"
He got no response. That was fine. He wasn't expecting any. He let the Henge (Transformation) drop, his real body molding back into reality. That got a response. The two assailants took only a quarter step back, but it was clear to Itachi that they realized their mistake.
They had overstepped. And now they would flee. Good, that was what he wanted. If they fled, he could tail them right back to their hideout.
He shot forwards, aiming to force them into fleeing. And yet his eyes registered it before it happened. He saw the muscle fibers in their bodies twitch, or rather he saw them prepare to. There was only one path for the blades in their hands to follow. He built his chakra, desperate to launch a genjutsu at them in time, but he was half a second too late. The half second that had told him the future had sealed his fate.
Blood filled the air as the kunai of the two shinobi ripped through their jugulars. They were deep wounds. The blood loss and shock killed them just as his feet touched the ground. Itachi bit his lip, frustration burning through his body.
They had killed themselves to maintain the secrecy of their force. It was a cold move. A calculated one. One that not many shinobi could pull off so instantly. They must have had orders to avoid conflict with him specifically. His attempt at scaring them into fleeing had truly scared them into killing themselves.
He let his eyes return to their normal black, the Susanoo fading away in tandem. The Uchiha cursed, preparing to seal the two corpses into the sealing scroll he had brought with him. However, before he had any ability to chakra ripped outwards from their mouth. A seal activated post-mortem that Itachi had never seen before. A sick sizzling filled the air, followed by an atrocious smell that forced Itachi to take a step back lest he wretched.
It took the Uchiha Clan Head a moment to regain his composure before he approached, prodding at their bodies lightly. They were solid. He grabbed their eyelids, opening them to reveal what had occurred. A pile of melted fluids lay there. That seal had burned out their eyes, likely to protect the Sharingan they had stolen. Itachi's fury spiked, his veins bulging.
'These bastards!'
Whoever had organized this had been thorough. They had destroyed the sacred eyes of the Uchiha, and more than that, they had killed Uchiha Clan members to achieve it at all. With a grimace he sealed the corpses into his sealing scroll. The best he could do would be to bring this to the Clan Elders. Confirm the threat. The two assailants had each had a pair of Sharingan, three tomoi each. That was worrying. Whoever had ordered these attacks were developing the Sharingan they had stolen.
Rapidly by any indication.
Something like that had never been discovered. This was a threat that had been targeting them for a long time. A threat that had significant backing. This could only be pulled off with the backing of a kage or very, very powerful businessmen.
The threat of Kumo further solidified in Itachi's mind as he shot back towards the Uchiha Clan Compound. More than ever before the Uchiha was sure that something foul was afoot.
Orochimaru's Mangekyou Sharingan pierced Sasuke's mind like a lance, ripping through his psyche as though it were a foreign invader. Sasuke seethed at the personal affront, desperate to form any form of mental blockade to force Orochimaru out of his mind. Yet, unable to wield chakra as he was, he was completely defenseless against any mental attack from the Sannin, much less one aided by the powers of the Mangekyou Sharingan. So Orochimaru probed his mind, ripping through the stores of his memory with careless abandon.
Robbing Sasuke of his privacy.
But that was not the aim of the Sannin. No, what he was seeking was information. And when the violation ended it seemed he had found it.
"How fascinating," Orochimaru stated, letting his eyes revert back to the base Sharingan. They would never return to his unnatural yellow anymore. "So, the Mangekyou Sharingan will make me go blind then hm?"
Orochimaru glanced at Sasuke, a smile on his face.
"I wonder. Did Mikoto plan on trading her eyes with yours? No, she didn't wish for you to unlock the eyes you have. But you two are mother and son. If anyone would be compatible..."
"I'll never let you attain the eternal eyes," Sasuke hissed. Orochimaru laughed at the paltry claim.
"You have no choice. Or have you not realized it, Sasuke-chan?"
Orochimaru leaned in close, his tongue licking against Sasuke's cheek. An intense pressure emantated from the Sannin, forcing Sasuke to look at the ground, hardly able to breathe.
"You're my slave. You do as I like."
The Sannin leaned back, feeling the strange drain on his chakra. He glanced at his own body, smiling as he realized he could do more than sense his own chakra levels now. He could see them. And he could see the sun that burned in his core, where the Sanbi was held prisoner. The euphoric feeling it generated elicited a high he had not known since he had successfully recreated the Shodai's Kekkei Genkai.
The Sannin tapped his thumb, an entertaining idea dancing in his mind.
"The Sharingan is a Kekkei Genkai that relies quite heavily on the Yin side of chakra. Amplifying the mind. The spirit. In some ways it is the opposite of the Mokuton. Fascinating."
The Sannin stood, pacing. He began to talk to himself as if the true Uchiha before him didn't exist.
"The Sarutobi reacted nicely to the Cursed Seal of Earth. He was a surprise, but the strength of his Yang chakra blooms quite nicely when he utilizes its abilities. But how would Yin chakra react? Tayuya, Sakon, and Udon all have some aspect of a multiplier, but nothing as significant as the Cursed Seal of Heaven. They could not withstand the sheer power it gives. But an Uchiha...one strong enough to not only master the Sharingan, but develop its advanced stage..."
The Sannin turned, his eyes glowing at Sasuke.
"My my Sasuke-kun. You may have just given me quite the brilliant idea."
He leaned forwards, a deep hunger in his eyes.
"I wonder how you will fare with this jutsu?"
Kakui pushed open the golden doors once more, grunting with exertion as he did so. The shine of the moon pierced the candlelit room. Light streaked across the floor, revealing the Shiin Clan Head sitting on the chair he had been in before. Slowly, the duo approached, cautious. The air in the room was thin. Tension suffocated all.
"Is the deed done," the man questioned. His voice was hasty. Fugaku's eyes narrowed at how anxious he was. It made no sense for the requested action.
"It is, Shiin-sama," Kakui stated. "Your forces can move in at your leisure. The goldmine is yours."
The man turned his attention to an aide that sat next to him. The elderly woman nodded, walking into the shadows of the building. Wherever she went the two Great Power shinobi did not know.
"I see...you have upheld your end of the deal."
"Indeed, Shiin-sama. Now, if you would not mind answering a question of our own?"
The man gave no word of acknowledgement, his eyes remaining deeply focused on Kakui's motions. The Kumo shinobi kept going. If he was unnerved by the Clan Heads disposition, he did not show it.
"There were...military forces that were on the outskirts of Rice not long ago. Near Hotsprings and Fire. They disappeared, leaving only a destroyed landscape in their place."
"The deaths of Great Power shinobi are of no interest to me. Your war with Konoha is your own interest. You should keep better tabs on your shinobi."
"Ah, but I have it on good information that Konoha is not the one responsible for the disappearance, Shiin-sama," Kakui stated.
For the first time since they had known the man the Shiin Clan Head had a visible reaction. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, and his eyes glanced nervously around the room. Kakui almost broke into a devious grin.
The man knew something.
"We found traces of their disappearance leading here...to Rice. We were curious to know if you had any information."
The man recoiled against the chair, his legs curling up almost in a form of cowardice. A strange reaction. Not a dignified one for a shinobi, much less when in the face of foreign representatives. Whatever he knew scared him.
"I know nothing," the man stated. His words were rushed and his voice high. As if desperate. "If that's all, you may leave. Now."
Kakui tilted his head, eyes glowing. This was dangerous territory. That was about as close to a command they could get in foreign territory, panicked or not. Denying it to press the issue could be grounds for the Shiin Clan to attack. But from the way the guards in the room shifted uncomfortably he knew that would not happen. Besides, he was sure he and his Uchiha ally could handle the threats in the room if it truly came down to it.
"Ah, but it sounds like you do know things, Shiin-sama-"
"You dare call our leader a liar," came a shout from the side of the room. The guard stared at them, a combination of fear and anger in his eyes. But Fugaku and Kakui could both see the truth. Fear was the leading emotion, not anger.
The Kumo shinobi knew he was right. Something was holding their tongue. And he intended to find out.
"Not at all, Shiin-san. I simply mean to understand the situation here. You claim you know nothing but...actions speak louder than words. You tell us what the problem is, and we solve it for you. Take it as a...token of our gratitude."
Fugaku grimaced. Kakui had overplayed his hand. He had been too bold in his wording. He readied himself for combat.
Combat that would never come.
The Shiin Clan Head shifted in his seat. Kakui saw what Fugaki missed. The gears turning in the man's mind. The hope that he had just planted. Whatever it was that scared them also wanted to operate in secret. Why else be so thorough in making sure they couldn't be chased? Whatever it was that bothered the Shiin Clan so did not want to be found. It certainly couldn't fight against the dedicated forces of one Great Power, let alone two. The Shiin Clan Head knew this.
Kakui had merely planted the seed. He let the Shiin Clan do the watering.
The nigh-anorexic man stood from his chair; his legs were strong despite his slim frame. He clicked his teeth before he turned his back to them.
"Follow me. Quickly!"
The man proceeded to walk, not bothering to consider if they were actually going to follow him or not. Fugaku and Kakui did as instructed, eyes careful to watch for traps. On working terms they may be, neither was foolish enough to let their guard down in such a situation. They had no need to worry. As they walked through the long, dark, weaving corridors of the Shiin Clan household they were met with no traps or opposition. They were merely led into a small room. They were rushed inside before the door was closed behind them.
Both looked cautiously at the man before them, but his eyes were unfocused. Sweat dripped down his brow despite the lack of heat or physical exertion.
"What is the matter Shiin-sama? How may we help you?"
The man looked up at them hesitantly before he opened his mouth.
"The Daimyo...you didn't go to him with your request, you came to me. Why?"
"We felt that you would understand our perspective better, being a fellow shinobi-"
"Don't give me that bullshit!" the man hissed. "Or on my name as Hiraku Shiin I will banish you from these lands."
The two men glanced at each other, clearly having a conversation with just their eyes. However, before Kakui could continue his conversation Fugaku stepped forwards.
"The Shiin Clan rose to prominence in the Third Great Shinobi World War," he stated plainly. "But they fell from grace not long after. We expected that one who had seen such a catastrophic rise and fall from power might know more about the shadowy underpinnings of Rice, and more willing to share them."
"And you thought you could kill me if it came down to it?"
The words rang as a hollow statement, a matter of pure fact with no animosity attached.
"Correct," Fugaku stated honestly.
Kakui looked at the Uchiha as if he had grown a second head, but the former Uchiha Clan Head gave no response. His eyes were focused solely on Hiraku.
"Good," Hiraku stated. "Well, you came to the right place then."
"What do you mean," Kakui questioned.
"The political power of the Daimyo is nonexistent," Hiraku began. "That's why I asked you to take the goldmine. We cannot barter with the Daimyo, nor can we take it by force. We must...stumble across its availability."
Fugaku's eyes narrowed. He had been right. There was something more at play with the town.
"The Daimyo is compromised. The true ruler of this land acts against any that goes against his will. The Daimyo is a meager shield at best, able to defend the harshest of cruelties from the minor clans and civilians. At worst, he's a figurehead."
"For who?"
Fugaku's voice had risen an octave. Desperation was in him now. He was close now; he could feel it. Whatever had happened to Sasuke and Mikoto was right here.
"By the same person who initially funded us and our rise to power," Hiraku stated. He opened his mouth once more, almost scared to speak the name that danced on his lips.
When he did, both men from the Great Powers immediately understood.
"Tell me, what do either of you know about Orochimaru?"
Tsunade Senju watched as Ino placed the drink on her table.
"Here Tsunade-sama! I made it just how you like it!"
Tsunade stared at the drink; her eyes lifeless. Ino frowned, gently pushing the drink towards the elderly woman. "Tsunade-sama..."
Ino snapped her fingers.
"Ah, you must want sake! But aren't you a little too old to be drinking Tsunade-sama?"
Ino gave off a jovial nature, but the joke didn't land. Tsunade stared at her, missing something integral.
"Where's Sakura?"
Ino winced, a frown forming on her face. "Ah well she's...indisposed."
Tsunade recoiled into herself and Ino instantly regretted her words. Tsunade Senju had seen entirely too much death in her life. She had become immensely vulnerable to it. To her it must have sounded like Sakura was dead. And while she had no tangible proof, she was sure of the next words that left her mouth.
"But she's alive! And she'll return to the village as soon as she's able, I'm sure!"
"...They never return," Tsunade whispered. "None of them ever do."
Ino could only watch as a tear began to fall from the last Senju's face. A frown graced her otherwise attractive face.
'Sakura would know what to do here. She always does.'
Suddenly the Yamanka felt very ill-equipped to handle this situation. She visited Tsunade often, she couldn't just let the woman be alone all day after all, but she often wondered how much help she was. The Senju had nothing to life for, not since Jiraiya's death. She was going through the motions. Losing Sakura afterwards would have only made things so much worse. If there ever was a dream of the Senju returning to who she once was, it was long dead.
The gray hairs on her head were visible enough proof of that.
A knock at the door came as a surprise to the both of them. Ino opened it, surprised to see an ANBU member standing there. Usually, they didn't knock. Even they must have some level of respect for the person they were coming to meet. Of course, they did not have enough to maintain their manners, bursting into the room without even asking for permission. Ino frowned at them as she was shoved aside.
"What are you doing?"
"Hokage-sama is requesting Senju Tsunade," the ANBU member said. "With the loss of Haruno Sakura, we are in need of medical expertise."
"She hasn't practiced in years," Ino exclaimed, outraged. "She's retired. Exhausted. Let her rest."
"You do not give me orders."
"The Hokage has to understand this," Ino screamed, incredulous. "This isn't right!"
"Hokage-sama," the ANBU stated, voice deepening at his emphasis. "This is not a negotiation."
Ino stepped in front of the Senju, who watched the entire interaction with no visible reaction. Her eyes simply shifted between the two shinobi before her like leaves in the wind. The ANBU member stared at Ino.
"Stand aside. Or be moved."
"I won't-"
"It is treason then."
Ino's eyes widened at the reaction only for Tsunade to stand, gathering the attention of both shinobi. The elderly kunoichi smiled at Ino, tears falling from her face.
"It's alright."
"But Tsunade-sama..."
The Senju gave no room for argument, slowly walking towards the ANBU member who grabbed her roughly. Ino's lip curled in outrage at the action.
"Consider yourself lucky. Senju Tsunade has saved your life this day. Out of her generosity I will not report this insubordination to Hokage-sama."
With those final words the ANBU member disappeared in a burst of speed, taking Tsunade with him. Ino stomped on the ground as he left.
"Damn it! What the hell is going on?"
Before she had time to ponder it more an explosion shook the ground. Her head snapped up; eyes narrow. That wasn't normal and it certainly wasn't natural. She shot to the top of the building, watching with wide eyes as groups of Konoha shinobi sprinted towards the east of the village where smoke wafted just above the village gates. With narrowed eyes the Yamanaka followed.
The commotion caused by the attack was sudden and large. One second Nara and Inuzuka Clan members were doing regular rounds around the border of the village, patrolling the walls. The position was mostly a formality. The barrier corp of the village would have been alerted to a threat long before any but a Hyuga could detect one with their eyes. Still, it was good discipline for your average shinobi. And there was always the possibility that the barrier corp missed something.
And perhaps they had.
The smell of burning wood was something that wasn't uncommon in Fire. They had trees in abundance. Even near Konoha it wasn't entirely unusual. Training grounds and other locations surrounded the village. The poorest who could not afford to live underneath the protection of Konoha's mighty walls often burned fire to keep themselves warm. But it was not cold enough for such behaviors.
That alone caught the Inuzuka Clan member off guard. The two shinobi approached, led by their ninken companion. They hadn't alerted anyone, prepared to simply find a regular civilian going about their day. A particularly strange one who liked the heat, but who were they to judge?
Instead, they were ambushed. The Nara was killed on the spot, a quick slash to the throat sending his blood gushing into the air. The Inuzuka was only saved thanks to their ninken grabbing the tanto that threatened to carve into them with its fangs. The beast growled, forcing one of the two assailants to leap away, cautious. The Inuzuka's eyes narrowed as they watched their opponent, letting their chakra roar through their system. Their Nara companion dead their first reaction was to flee, but they had no choice but to stand and fight. If they ran the assailants could escape long before they returned with help or hunt them down before they reached the safety of the wall. Whoever they were, they hadn't alerted the barrier corp. They were a dangerous threat.
The flames that covered a pile of wood was clear enough proof of that. They had wanted to be found.
The Inuzuka lowered themselves, prepared for battle. It was their duty to deal with these threats and bring them back to be interrogated. That was the duty of Konoha shinobi. And perhaps, if they lasted long enough, others would come to investigate.
Itachi sat in front of the Uchiha Clan elders, eyes lazily glancing over them. They were familiar faces, men and women he had called uncle or aunt back when he was younger. Now, he referred to them as his equals, and they referred to him as such as the presiding Clan Head. It was a strange feeling for the young Uchiha. He knew he was being raised to take the position, it was his birthright as the eldest regardless of if he particularly cared for such formalities, but he had always expected to earn the position with his father's retirement or death. Gaining it because his father was on a mission tantamount to treason to finding their potentially dead family was something he would never have expected.
Much like this situation, life was full of surprises.
"What is this sacriledge," an elderly woman hissed, looking down at the corpse before her. They could see the piles of fluid that were once the eyes of Itachi's attacker. The woman looked up at the younger man. "You're saying they had Sharingan? Three tomoi?"
"I saw them with my own," Itachi stated.
"And yet they killed themselves to hide this truth. With seals designed to destroy their eyes," a man whispered. His sunken face dredged up bad memories for Itachi. Yashiro Uchiha. That man had been an active voice in the calls for a coup two decades ago. They had butted heads several times after the Accords had been signed. "There's only two actors who would do that."
"Kumo is the obvious one," came the call from another former kunoichi. Emi Uchiha. She had been a caretaker for Itachi when he was very young, and his mother still served as an active shinobi. She only went back to active duty when Itachi was old enough to look after himself. "Who is the other?"
Yashiro looked at Itachi, eyes narrowed. Itachi frowned, realizing what the man was going to say. And yet the Uchiha thought back to his own conversation with the reigning Hokage. The lack of concern was somewhat expected, Danzo Shimura was a heartless man. But he did desire for Konoha to be the strongest village in the world. The death of Uchiha Clan members was not aligned with that goal.
At least since the Accords.
But Itachi knew more than Yashiro did about just how close blood had come to being spilled in Konoha's streets. He knew how bloodthirsty the Shimura was. It wouldn't be impossible for things to have changed. Danzo wasn't the type to like loose ends.
"Don't say it," Itachi stated, looking directly at Yashiro. "I will need further proof before we lobby such accusations."
"Bah! You know it as well as I do boy that-"
"That you cannot make such accusations without solid evidence!" Itachi hissed, drawing the attention of the room. The three elders looked at him. Emi, Nairo, the elderly woman who had first spoken, and Yashiro. "It almost led to war the last time. We are now without my father, my mother, and my brother. Shisui is away from the village. To say such accusations with no concrete proof and no plan will lead to disastrous results."
The three elders were quiet.
"I do not deny the possibility," Itachi continued, calming their nerves. "But if we are to make a move it must be cautiously. We are being hunted. We cannot afford to act recklessly."
Before the Uchiha could hear a response from the elders a young man, also an Uchiha, burst into the room.
"Pardon my interruption Itachi-sama. Clan elders! But there is an attack on the village!"
"And? Why are we needed specifically for this," Yashiro questioned angrily. The young man tilted his head, as if struggling with the words.
"Because reports are coming in that it was from an Uchiha!"
Itachi arrived on the scene to see a large crowd of shinobi congregating in the forests. The smell of ash and flame assaulted his nostrils as he looked at the charred battlefield before him. He could see three corpses, burnt almost beyond recognition in the crossfire. He approached; eyes narrowed only for a hand to stop his approach. He glanced to the side, surprised to see a Nara Clan member pressing it against his chest. The Uchiha raised an eyebrow, only to see tears fall from the man's eyes.
"What the hell are you doing here," the man stated, frustration in his eyes.
"I was told there was an attack-"
"Don't you play dumb you fucking asshole."
The shouting and garnered the attention of a large group now. Eyes were on them.
"What are you talking about," Itachi insisted.
"Don't ask like you don't know," the Nara Clan member hissed. He shoved Itachi back. "It was a fucking Uchiha who attacked them!"
Itachi looked at the man just as he had the Uchiha Clan member who initially reported it. There was no Uchiha Clan member who would attack Konoha shinobi. Certainly not a Nara Clan member. The two clans had mostly good relations. Shikaku and his father had gotten along fine enough, and inter-village warfare was something Hashirama had made it a point to snuff out.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about."
"Why you-"
"Enough Maen!"
Ino Yamanka gently grabbed the man's hand before he could raise it again. "You need to rest. Go. I promise you we will investigate and find out what happened here."
"What do you mean! You saw it as well as I did-"
"Maen!"
The Nara Clan member quieted at Ino's insistence. He gruffly snatched his hand back and walked off, but not without throwing one more dirty look Itachi's way.
"I'm sorry about that."
"It's no problem," Itachi responded. "Although I must admit I genuinely do not know what he is talking about. An Uchiha attacked Konoha shinobi? Killed them?"
"A Nara Clan member and an Inuzuka Clan member," Ino clarified. "I can't say for sure that they were an Uchiha Clan member honestly. But I can confirm one thing Itachi. We saw a Sharingan in the assailants' eyes before they disappeared."
Itachi's eyes narrowed, instantly focused on Ino. "A Sharingan you say? How many tomoi?"
"I don't know," Ino stated. "It's almost instinct to avoid looking an Uchiha in the eyes. I looked at the ground."
Itachi clicked his teeth, frustration building.
"I take it from your reaction this news isn't entirely surprising to you?"
Itachi looked at Ino, cautious of his wording. She was a Yamanaka Clan member, but an heir to the clan at that. He had to be careful with the words he chose. As much as they may have a fine relationship due to her and his younger brother growing up together there was no guarantee that she wasn't suspicious of him and his clan as well.
"I am surprised any Uchiha would attack a Nara or Inuzuka Clan member. It must be a rogue of some sort. I would never condone such an atrocity."
"I'm sure," Ino stated. Itachi thought he sensed sincerity in her words. "But you'll understand if I start an investigation, won't you?"
"Do as you must. Although I must ask if you plan on finding out how the suspects were able to infilitrate the village first."
"Of course. But they got by barrier corp. Whoever they are, the barrier corp didn't recognize them as a threat. We have no way of knowing when they crossed the barrier because of it. They could have come in through any entrance and simply come here. Not much of a lead."
"How did they escape?"
"Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Reverse Summoning Technique). They were gone before we could trace their chakra. Whoever did this had it planned out."
Itachi frowned. First Uchiha were assaulted in the village, their eyes stolen. If they were killed their Sharingan melted. Then, they began to attack other clan members? With Sharingan visible? What was going on here? The idea that Kumo could so easily pierce their barrier was hard to believe, but that was the only village close enough that had motivation to do something like this. But the more Itachi thought about it the less likely it became. Kumo spies could have done it, but to act so boldly was a stretch, even for them. It also didn't line up with traditional Kumo behavior. If they had managed to secure a sample of a Kekkei Genkai they would have retreated to Kumogakure immediately to conduct tests. It was even more likely that a male and female would have been kidnapped as had been attempted with Hinata Hyuga's kidnapping long ago. But there were no reports of missing Uchiha, just dead ones.
More so, they were able to pierce the village defenses beyond the barrier with abject ease. The barrier wasn't the only defense Konoha had. The Aburame Clan had insects that lived throughout the surrounding forest, serving as an early detection system. The Inuzuka Clan's sense of smell was also noteworthy. To be able to avoid detection from both was something unprecedented. It was part of the reason no siege of Konoha had ever occurred.
It was impossible to get close enough to attack the village in secret, and the military might required to simply punch through the defenses was something most villages could not risk even if they did possess the capability to win.
The only logical conclusion was that the attacks were coming from within. Led by squads that would not set off the detection of their defenses. The only people who could enter the village with this level of stealth would be ANBU. But there was no reason for ANBU to act in an aggressive manner towards its own loyal shinobi.
No, something much more sinister was at work. And Itachi was beginning to put the picture together.
"I see."
"Any idea into what this was, Itachi?"
"I'm afraid not Yamanaka-san," Itachi stated. The Uchiha turned, anger brewing in his body. "With that said, I would like to conduct my own internal investigation. Whoever did this must be brought to justice."
"On that we agree."
Itachi leapt away, fury in his body. He had promised Yashiro he would get concrete proof, but this all but solidified the current threat facing his clan in his mind. It lined up with the inaction. With the man's history. And with the ability to so secretly attack Uchiha and Konoha forces. He had no concrete proof, but he would need to find some. And soon. This was not like before, where a man loyal to the clan sat in the seat of power in Konoha. No, now more than ever he needed proof of malpractice.
'Danzo!'
The Hokage frowned as he heard the messenger bird flew off. He crumpled the message in his hands. The Katabami Gold Mine had been taken, and by Suna forces no less? That Gold Mine was the economic lifeblood of Rivers, and it lay in an easily defensible location. From the north and west it was protected by Konoha and River forts, and from the South the Moon Gulf lay. The Rivers from the gulf into the land were too unsteady for ships to pass through, and no major city on the coastline had given any reports of Suna forces.
Yet somehow, they had snuck through their defenses. Danzo clicked his teeth, looking at the ANBU in his room.
"Bring me Yoji Aburame."
Naruto sat atop a destroyed house in the center of Oaxaco, eyes staring out over the wasteland of Ame. All was still, leaving him plenty of time to be isolated in his own thoughts. The Uzumaki stared out at the border towards Konoha, a frown marring his face. The thoughts of Hanabi rushed through his mind. One word echoed in his mind, an ever-present word that he struggled to accept.
'Traitor.'
A powerful word. One that Naruto had never anticipated being called in his entire life. He had grown up admiring the Hokage. Hiruzen, his own father, and Jiraiya had been his idols. Asuma and Kakashi had been something akin to uncles to the young man. He had striven to make all of them proud. To surpass the lofty expectations, they had placed on him. For a time, he had done it. For a time, he was on the path to becoming Hokage. It was hard to believe Hiruzen wouldn't have eventually given him the position. He had wanted it, he had the political backing, and he had the power. He had just needed to prove himself on the battlefield. Yes, Naruto was sure that if he had stayed in Konoha he would have become the Hokage, after Hiruzen had died or if the man had decided to retire. That much he was sure of.
And now here he was.
A shinobi of another nation.
The blood of Konoha shinobi on his hands.
Stopping Konoha's interests.
The complexity of his emotions was something he struggled to put into words. He had found a home, only to have to bloody the place he was birthed to keep it safe.
The blonde looked down at the ground below, looking at the teary-eyed student who was crying on the ground before him. Kagari didn't know he was there. The blonde had made sure of that. He had seen Kagari sneaking out and had snuck out behind him to watch over him. His clones were great for taking watches, but they were still fragile. The blonde wouldn't trust his student's safety to them when he could easily be there himself.
Meanwhile, Kagari was staring at the Ame-Konoha border himself, tears running down his face. He had stopped screaming, finally. His vocal cords had gone raw. Puffy red eyes and tear-stained cheeks weren't the only tells that the Chunin had been crying. Blood dripped down his fists and pooled on the ground beneath his crumpled form from torn skin. He had punched the ground so much that his knuckles had begun to bleed.
Naruto could only watch the sight with sadness in his heart as another heart crushing wail left Kagari's throat, followed by a series of rather painful sounding coughs. The words of Hanabi entered his mind once more, with only Kagari's wails to counter them. The blonde bit his teeth.
He could hear himself in them.
And fire stoked in his eyes.
Hey everyone. Sorry for the long wait. I was on a cruise with my girlfriend, and then I came back and had a lot to catch up on at work so it took longer. As an apology, double update.