Fūka seductively licked her lips as she closed the door to Sandyū's hospital room. She was disheartened by what she had to do, but she was able to obtain what she came for. Furido couldn't be mad at her.
Sweet dreams, my love.
"Lady Fūka." A leader in the bandit group approached her. "Those genin are in the main commerce area. I ordered my men to stall, not kill."
Fūka smiled beautifully. "Thank you, Captain. Perhaps a reward is in order upon our retrieval of the Hex Crystal."
The man shuttered with embarrassed excitement. He had been trying to seduce this woman for days. He couldn't believe it actually might happen.
"Y-You mean it?"
Fūka just couldn't help herself. She leaned in close to the captain, breathing into his ear. She even licked his ear. She could feel the goosebumps ignite all over his body. "I'll seal it with a kiss."
Fūka pulled the captain in close, their lips pressing against one another. The man melted into the kiss, enjoying the bliss.
Suddenly, his energy felt drained. Everything began to feel weak.
What's happening?!
All his strength left, leaving him a husk of the man he once was. All his strength and energy had been completely wiped away. Fūka dropped his body to the ground.
"Wasted potential." She spat on him, wiping the taste of him off her lips. "I'm surprised you have any chakra for a bandit. Pitiful."
"What…what did you do to me?"
Fūka smiled beautifully once more, standing over the captain. She gave him one final look of something before drawing a kunai from her waistband.
"Sealed your death…with a kiss."
Blood slowly drained from the man's open wound as Fūka walked away, headed towards the genin of Team Thirteen.
-With Team Thirteen-
"You've got to be kidding me?!"
"Don't even start, Konohamaru!"
"But they surrounded us so easily! How does that not piss you off?!"
"There's like fifty of these guys!"
"Shut up, both of you!"
Kai hated being the 'grown up' between the two of them. But this was not the time to squabble like children.
Bandits had swarmed the castle, overwhelming the guards. The genin heard the alarm go off and rushed to Koyuki's chambers. Luckily, she had already sealed it off from outside entry. Unluckily for them, they were trapped outside with the enemy.
Even more important than luck, it was timed perfectly with Naruto's departure.
They were definitely watching. And as soon as sensei was gone, they attacked.
Kai realized just how bad it was playing in the major leagues when you barely succeeded in the minors.
"They aren't attacking us." Katsuro pointed out.
"Great observation." Konohamaru laid the sarcasm on heavy despite their situation.
"No. He's right, Konohamaru." Kai agreed. It was something noteworthy. "They're just…watching us."
Konohamaru glanced around. No weapons drawn. None of these bandits were in stances of any kind. Ranging from the upper balcony to the main level, the bandits were just standing around. It reminded him of how shinobi would stand outside his grandfather's office. They were waiting for orders.
"Hey guys…I think they're waiting for something. Or someone."
"What makes you say that?"
"You said yourself. They're watching us. Someone probably still has yet to give an order. Or worse…"
"Someone worse is coming." Kai put the pieces together. It made her shutter.
The genin kept their backs together, keeping all avenues covered.
"Move over boys!" Fūka strolled through an opening in the masses. She stood in the middle with the genin. "Thank you so much for patiently waiting for me. I was dying to meet you three!"
The genin turned to the foe. The beautiful woman seductively licked her lips at the potential that was before her. An Uchiha? She hadn't tasted that one yet. The other male, she was reminded of another clan she had come across from Konoha.
Yes. These will do fine.
"Who are you?!" Konohamaru loudly demanded. "And what do you want from Princess Koyuki?!"
The woman lightly chuckled. "Our motives aren't so easily understood, young shinobi. Young feeble minds like yours couldn't comprehend the knowledge that I possess."
She began to stalk her prey. Her hair slowly began to rise, standing near on end.
"Allow me to alleviate your tensions…with a kiss."
Both Katsuro and Konohamaru revolted at the comment, unsure of how to proceed with it. Kai, on the other hand, wasn't as affected by it as her teammates.
Kai quickly drew a kunai and launched it at Fūka. She easily dodged it and charged.
"Split up!"
The trio quickly did just that. The team jumped into a triangle formation around Fūka, using their number to their advantage.
The team jumped in together for a three-on-one bout in hand to hand. Katsuro took the lead, as he was best suited for this type of battle. Konohamaru stay in support, jumping for heavier attacks. Kai was on backup and protection, her skill in taijutsu still needed improvement.
The bandits were shouting and chanting, cheering on their shinobi leader. They were enjoying the show, especially watching Fūka move about so eloquently.
Fūka was far more advanced and experienced than any of the genin. She was easily a high Chūnin, possibly jōnin, in comparison. Fūka easily countered, misdirected, and simply dodged their strikes.
We're getting nowhere! She's too far out of our league!
"Get some ash, Konohamaru!"
The boy quickly understood his teammate's plan. "On it!"
The Sarutobi heir quickly executed hand seals. Months of practice had turned the technique into muscle memory.
"Katon: Haisekishō!" (Fire Style: Burning Ash)
The cloud of chakra infused gunpowder coated Fūka, leaving her blinded.
Katsuro flurried through his own hand seals to increase the destructive nature of the gunpowder. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu)
The fireball ignited the gunpowder, resulting in a much larger explosion than either of them predicted. The main area was shattered and crumbling structurally. Some of the bandits hid from the flames while others, trying to be tough, were burned from the aftermath.
Even the bandits winced from it.
"Nice try boys."
Fūka burst out of the smoke cloud. Her clothes were completely undamaged. How could she have survived that?! Let alone without harm?!
"What the hell?!"
"I'm going to make you repay all that you just took from me!"
The hair took life, resembling tentacles. Konohamaru dodged and danced through the attempts of capture. It didn't take long for the tentacles of hair to entrap Konohamaru completely.
"H-Hey! Let me go!"
"Time for that kiss!"
"Let him go!" Katsuro leapt in, trying to save his teammate.
Fūka's hair reacted faster than Katsuro. She now held both male genin in her clutches. Leaving Katsuro to curse himself for being so easily defeated. If he had awakened his Sharingan, he could've avoided this.
Kai froze, unable to leave her hiding spot. Both her teammates had quickly been taken hostage. Her heart pounded in fear, she could feel it hitting her chest. She didn't know what do to next or how to handle this.
She needed help. She needed her master. And he was nowhere to be found.
"Don't put your faith in him Kai. He's not like what everyone says."
How could put my faith in him? Maybe, dad was right.
Doubt ran through her mind and body, her limbs feeling unbelievably heavy. She was cemented to the ground by her fear, doubt, and the potential guilt of failing her friends. Their cries for her help only worsened her anxiety. She covered her ears. She didn't want to hear them.
"When I'm overwhelmed, stressed, or dealing with a strong emotion in a situation, I take a moment and do a simple breathing technique. It calms to the point I can think rationally and deal with the situation properly."
Without much effort, Kai mindlessly began to take in deeper inhales and slower exhales. Her heart rate dropped with each intake, calming her adrenaline and beginning to ease her mind.
It was, as if, a weight was lifted, and Kai was able to stand again.
I can do this. Think rationally.
Fūka fiercely grabbed ahold of Konohamaru's face, forgoing her gentle touch. She was in pain and was going to make it right.
"First, feel the pain I feel!"
Fūka channeled lightning chakra through her fingers and shocked Konohamaru throughout his whole body, easily over ten thousand volts. And even if he could thrash from the pain, the constricting wasn't allowing it.
"Now, give me a kiss!"
Smack!
Kai landed a direct hit on Fūka's face, her grip releasing on Konohamaru's head. She quickly sliced the hair holding the boy and freed him from her clutches.
"AHHHHHH!"
Even more pain wailed through Fūka's screams. She tripped over and over, trying to keep the body together. Katsuro wiggled his hands free enough through the commotion, gripping his kunai loosely.
"You stupid bitch, let me go!"
Angling the knife, Katsuro lunged his knife up. He hoped he was careful enough to not slice his face open. The hairs were harder to cut through than Katsuro expected, but his momentum was greater than the hair's strength.
"Ah!" Fūka trembled, holding the clumps of her hair they cut off. "You cut my hair?! How dare you desecrate my body!"
Katsuro rejoined his teammates, still clutching a clump of hair. He ran his fingers against the thin follicles. It didn't feel like normal hair. It felt like tinfoil, it crinkled under his grip.
"What's up with this hair? It's weird."
"Hey, check it out." Konohamaru noticed something different about their opponent. "She's different."
Fūka's body and face took on a more ghoulish tone and her canine teeth were sharper and longer than before. The vibrant maroon color of her hair had also faded slightly.
"My body…" The woman, enraged, pulled a scroll from her waistband. She swirled the scroll around, obscuring her body in a quick motion. "Shiki Tenshin!" (Reaper Transfer)
Suddenly, Fūka's body was completely unscathed. Her hair was the normal vibrant color and her natural beauty returned.
"Hey! What just happened?!" Konohamaru shouted loudly. "She just healed herself!"
Kai, trying to think rationally, wondered what kind of technique that was. She used a scroll to heal herself? Maybe it's an illusion of some kind.
Katsuro continued to feel the clumped, fainted hair. The nagging feeling something odd continued to stay in his mind. Maybe her hair is a key part in this.
"Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!" (Phoenix Flower Jutsu)
A volley of small fireballs were spit into the air. Fūka channeled as much chakra as she could to increase the amount and size of each fireball.
"Fire release too?!" Konohamaru leapt behind a nearby pillar, avoiding the incoming flames. Both Katsuro and Kai dodged the flames in a hurry.
Kai joined Konohamaru behind the pillar, Katsuro hid behind one on the other side. The flames ignited the wall, effectively beginning the burning of the castle.
But none of the genin dared to move. They knew they were watching. And the second any of them left the safety of the cover, Fūka would light them up.
"Two affinities. So, this is what a jōnin level shinobi can do."
Kai would have to agree. "Well seasoned jōnin level shinobi should be able to masterfully use two chakra natures. Fire and lightning: a dangerous combo."
"I don't have anything that can counter. Neither does Katsuro." Konohamaru glanced over his shoulder to his teammate, their faces were inches from each other. "Do you have anything up your sleeve that could help here?"
"I restocked my lightning tags before the mission. We can shock her. And if we act quick while she's immobilized, we can take her."
"We'll need to get in close for that." Konohamaru took in a breath. "Give me the tag. I'll do it." Kai was reluctant but decided not to argue. "Get over to Katsuro. Have him get ready to burn this bitch to ash."
"Got it."
Kai psyched herself up, smacking her face to help the adrenaline kick in for her to make it across without getting lit up. She positioned herself for the leap into the opening.
God, I hope burns don't hurt that bad.
Kai felt the heat of the fireballs as they nearly missed her. She swore she felt her hair be singed. By either sheer luck or divine intervention, Kai slammed into Katsuro. He was, somehow, able to completely halt her momentum.
"You're crazy. You know that?"
Kai chuckled softly. "Gotta be crazy to do this life, don't ya think?"
Katsuro smirked. "That's the damn truth. Got a plan?"
Kai nodded. "Lightning tag to immobilize. Then, you light her ass on fire!"
Katsuro nodded, despite the immediate reluctance in his mind. He was going to be the one? Why did that bother him?
He was an Uchiha: a clan trained to be warriors. Death was inevitable. Taking a life or having yours be taken were inevitable. His father had prepared him for this very moment, something all fathers do with their sons in the clan.
Why do I feel like this?
Excited? No. That didn't fit. He wasn't excited to end another life. Dread? Not completely. His father had done what was necessary from the clan's perspective to prepare his son for this. He accepted that this moment was coming, he just wasn't particularly happy that it was on his first mission.
Guess it's better to just get it out of the way.
Katsuro was ready for this. Maybe just not as much as he thought he was.
If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing.
Katsuro was going to put every ounce of chakra he had. He wasn't going to leave any room for doubt. She would die.
"Got it."
"I'll draw her attention. That'll give Konohamaru the opportunity to get in close."
"Be careful." Katsuro didn't bother trying to hide his concern. He worried for her.
Kai nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, I'll be good."
Kai turned back to Konohamaru. She held up three fingers. Then two. Then one.
"Now!"
Konohamaru burst from behind the pillar. Kai was just a second faster, firing off a kunai to draw Fūka's attention.
"There you are!"
Konohamaru dashed around a bit longer than he should have, but he was behind Fūka in seconds.
Katsuro moved into the open, chakra ready to unleash flames from hell.
The tag was placed.
"Now!"
Fūka looked down, ceasing her fireball volley at Kai. Konohamaru winked, smacking the tag on the ground.
"Little brat!"
Fūka was faster Konohamaru. She dove to him just before the tag went off, missing completely. She bear-hugged the young Sarutobi and wouldn't let go.
"We're gonna burn together!"
"No!" Kai shouted. "Stop Katsuro!"
But it was too late.
Katsuro unleashed a massive flame ball, easily dwarfing the standard size. With the size, he could've easily melted one of the glaciers on the coastline.
The unbearable heat soon engulfed Fūka and Konohamaru. The room was deathly silent. And suddenly dark.
The fireball vanished completely, only leaving the scorched wood. Even the flames from Fūka's volleys were extinguished. The castle was effectively saved from burning down.
Fūka was without Konohamaru. He had also vanished. Even the bandits that were watching, nearly fifty, were all gone. Everything that was on fire and dire, now it was calm and only ash remained.
"It seems you three were handling yourselves well up till now."
The man himself stood atop the second level balcony with his student standing next to him.
Naruto Namikaze had arrived.
"You…?!"
"Katsuro…Kai…are you guys alright?"
Katsuro fell to his butt in exhaustion. That fireball took a lot chakra. The relief of knowing he didn't kill his friend took what energy he had left out of him.
"I'm good sensei."
"Yeah. I'm good, too."
Fūka was now the one outclassed. And she knew it.
"Furido told us about you." Fūka took a step back in fear. "He said you're a fraud."
She tried to ignore her intimidation and fear of the man before her. She could not. Her voice trembled in his presence.
"Do I look like a fraud?" Naruto held up the scroll she used earlier. "I took this off you when I saved my student from that fireball. I figured it was important."
Fūka breath hitched. She reached for the scroll to see he was simply bluffing. Her face paled when she realized he wasn't.
How is he that fast?!
"Shiki Tenshin? What kind of technique is that?" Naruto examined the seals that were drawn all over the paper. "Interesting. This seems to be a type of soul transfer. Something like this is forbidden in the eyes of the world. And cowardly." Naruto glanced back at his student. "Konohamaru, how many affinities has she used?"
"Two. Fire and lightning."
"Ah. I think I see what's going on. Stealing people's souls and taking their chakra affinities? Tell me if I'm wrong."
Fūka said nothing.
"Not gonna lie, not bad." Naruto's hand ignited in flames, burning the scroll to scorching ash. "But without this, can't switch, can you?"
Fūka was now royally fucked. She found the nearest exit and ran for it.
"I wouldn't bother…"
Fūka ignored him. She ran as fast and hard as she could. A major setback with the loss of her scroll, yes. But she could recover. Remaking the seals was easy. The hard part was finding the appropriate souls to reap.
It took Fūka years of traveling the world to acquire all five chakra natures. All that time and effort was wiped away in an instant.
One day, Naruto Namikaze. I'll seal your fate with my lips.
She made it outside. She was home free.
I need to get to Furido! We need to begin our attack!
"…because I've already marked you."
Fūka barely realized what was happening until a strong grip around her neck stopped her from breathing.
"What is Red River doing out here?" Naruto's impressive physical strength held Fūka completely off the ground, all with a single hand. "Answer me!"
Fear was the best tactic in an interrogation. Fear made the mind irrational, causing the subject to make irrational decisions. The mind wanted to return to a state of calm. Showing visible fear and anxiety suggested a strong complacency to confess their secrets.
"P-Please spare me! I don't want to die!"
And Naruto could see the fear in Fūka's eyes.
"Then tell me what I want to know."
"P-Please let me go! I'll tell you everything! Just don't kill me!"
Even if Fūka could somehow make an escape, she was marked. And would be marked for the remainder of her natural life. The Hiraishin formula could never be removed.
Fūka was Naruto's prisoner for life. He lowered the woman back to the ground, releasing his hold. Though, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she tried something. He could see that she understood that.
"Now…what are you doing here in this land?"
"W-We're trying to drum up money for an assault on the Land of Fire. The Land of Snow is known for its vast wealth because of the Kazahana family. The Hex Crystal is worth billions!"
Hex Crystal? That's the one around Koyuki's neck. That explains why they're after her.
"How did you know to infiltrate the castle and kill the stand in for the Princess?"
"The info was given to us by someone close to her assistant, Sandyū."
There wasn't a word that described what Naruto felt. Sandyū was the double agent? He couldn't believe it. Sandyū had been with Koyuki since she was a little girl, serving both her and her father. He was the closest thing to family that Koyuki knew. And all that she had left.
"You're bluffing."
Fūka adamantly shook her head. She handed over a slip of paper. It detailed the patrol routes and the standard operating procedures for dealing with a kidnapping. It was his handwriting.
Fuck.
Naruto pocketed the note for evidence. "How did you convince him to betray Koyuki? He practically raised her!"
The woman shrugged, seemingly uncaring for the man's motives. "He wanted out of her shadow. I guess he couldn't stand being the bitch for her to whip."
Naruto nearly slit her throat. Not yet. He told himself. But, with that comment, Naruto made up his mind to kill her.
Naruto was going to extensively question Sandyū when this was all over.
"Why would you attack the Land of Fire?"
"Furido has always had a grudge against the Daimyo and Hokage. He wants those two dead so he can lead the Land of Fire." Fūka rolled her eyes. "I don't share the same goal. I'm just following so I can use get the soul of the Hokage. I was his power."
Grudge against the Old Man?
Considering his recent discovery of the mysterious jinchūriki, Naruto figured it had something to do with that. There wasn't much of a chance for this to be a coincidence.
Naruto pulled Fūka in close, barely keeping his above a whisper. A knife pressing against the skin of her neck. Any more pressure and she'd be gushing blood.
"How did the Nine-Tails jinchūriki end up in your group?"
Fūka's eyes widened in shock. There was no way he figured it out! How could he have?! She didn't even know until the stupid boy lost control of the beast at the docks!
What composure she had quickly went out the window. Her fear returned in full force.
"I don't know! Furido found him! That's all I know!"
"Find him where?"
"The Fire Temple! He was raised by the monks there! That's all I know, I swear!"
Naruto lowered his weapon, seeing the truth in the woman's eyes.
I think she's told me all she knows. I guess this talk is over.
Per Konoha Regulation, a battlefield interrogation was conducted quickly. The information needed to be gathered as quick as possible. If the opportunity was there, take the subject prisoner for further examination with the Interrogation Division.
That was the suggestion.
A glowing orange orb appeared in Naruto's palm. A spiraling sphere of highly condensed chakra deafened the air with a loud hissing sound.
"W-Wait a minute!"
"Rasengan!"
-With the Genin-
"Unreal…"
"You guys felt that too, right?"
"Uh huh."
"Feel what?"
The three genin gasped as their sensei, who had just somehow disappeared instantly, just reappeared in the same manner. There was no sound. No blur of his speed. He was just there.
The gap between a standard jōnin and a genin was quite enormous. There wasn't much a genin could do against a jōnin. A jōnin's skill, experience, and overall ability were too much a genin to overcome. In Konoha doctrine, it states that a three manned cell of genin could defeat a jōnin with proper teamwork and ability.
A feat only done a handful of times. Documented times of genin defeating jōnin were mostly done in war times. Genin, at that point, were used more frequently for missions than nowadays. Every abled body was needed on the battlefield.
The key was that regulation was for standard jōnin and genin. A regulation like that isn't something that applies to someone like Naruto Namikaze.
"How did you do that, sensei?
"Do what?"
"What you just did."
"What did I just do?"
"Sensei!"
"Alright alright." Naruto waved his hand. If he was his younger self, he would be bragging to the hills about his skill with his father's technique. Outside the Rasengan, the Hiraishin was the hardest jutsu he had ever learned. Even with continuous use, he was still learning new things about it.
In the history books, he was the third known person to ever use the technique. That alone shows the difficulty of the technique.
"We'll get into that later. We still have a mission. Once things have calmed down, we can talk. Mission first. Understood?"
"Yes sensei!"
"Yes sir!"
"Hooah!"
-Sometime later-
The body was Sandyū was covered by a white sheet, among the others that were killed during the attack. Many of the guards were killed while protecting those who could not defend themselves. They were heroes on this day. Sandyū was not.
A cold, emotionless Koyuki stood over the body over her former assistant. "Are you absolutely sure, Naruto?"
A slight nod. He handed over the slip of paper. She read it quickly. "That's his handwriting, isn't it?"
Koyuki angrily crumbled the paper, throwing it across the examination room. "Why did he do this?! How could he?!" She cried hard. "You were my best friend, Sandyū!" She ripped off the sheet, revealing the naked dead man. She began to the body, tears falling on the beard of the man.
Naruto pulled the woman away, holding her while she cried.
Betrayal was hard thing to come to terms with. Trust was already broken for future relationships. It felt someone wondering what they had done wrong to make someone hurt them like this. But, in most cases, eventually the victim will trust someone again. They will heal.
This case, a lifelong friend and father figure had effectively taken any chance of healing with him to the grave. Koyuki wouldn't
"He practically raised me after my father died. He's been with me since I was born." The woman sniffled, finally able to control herself. "I just don't understand why he would do this."
"You won't. I don't want to be so blunt, but the reasons died with him. As hard as it's gonna be, you need to accept that."
Koyuki pushed herself off. "How could you say that to me?! I can't just accept this and move on!"
"I didn't say move on, Koyuki. Obviously, this will have lasting effects on you and this country for years. I get that. I'm saying you need to accept whatever his reasons were, either you know what they are or not, died with him."
Naruto shoved his hands deep into his pockets. "I…still have a hard time with my parent's death. There's so many questions and not enough answers. Accepting that something tragic can happen, instead of denying it, makes dealing with it more manageable."
Acknowledgement was a key part of dealing with loss, betrayal, or any tragedy. A person could spend years denying the trauma and suppressing their feelings. But that wouldn't solve the problem. Once you acknowledge that the tragedy happened, it made dealing with the trauma mildly easier.
Ino had helped him work through some unresolved issues he had with his parent's death. For a long time, Naruto truly had not accepted that his parent's had died. He held out hope that they could come back at some point. He told himself he was being optimistic, choosing to ignore the underlying issue.
If it wasn't for that woman in his life, Naruto would probably still be filled with that hope. That ignorance of reality. Ino helped him realize that he had been living in silent denial, believing that, somehow, his parent's were still out there.
It wasn't easy. And they nearly separated because of it. But Ino stuck out his delusion and supported him through the difficult time.
Naruto loved Ino more than she would ever know.
"So, I get what you're feeling to a certain point. I'm telling you, don't ignore it. Accept it and deal with it accordingly. And hopefully one day you'll come to terms with this."
Koyuki knew Naruto's story – honestly everyone knew a version of his story at this point – and realized that he knew what he was taking about.
"…I understand." Koyuki readjusted her robe. "I think I need to be alone for a while."
Naruto sighed. He didn't think it was a good idea, the castle was still on lockdown and high alert. And with confirmation of the enemy's intentions, Naruto needed to have eyes of Koyuki at all times. But he wasn't going to argue with her. It wasn't worth it.
"Just stay in your quarters, okay? It was the only place that broken in to."
The woman nodded. She silently left the examination room, leaving Naruto alone with the dead.
He sighed. He had got used to death quite some time ago, but never truly set well with him. Just hours prior, all these people were alive and breathing. Full of life.
Now, empty husks of slow decaying flesh. Destined to return to the dirt of which they all came from.
Naruto pulled the sheet back over Sandyū's body.
"I'm sure you had your reasons and thought you were justified. But it doesn't matter. You destroyed the person who you meant the most to. You were the most unselfish person I knew. I guess you felt you were owed something selfish." Naruto place his hand in the table. "I considered you a friend."
A silent show of respect for the fallen. Disgraced or not, death was never easy.
-With Team Thirteen-
"Gather around, you three. There's something I gotta talk to you about."
The genin joined their sensei at the round table. They had been patiently waiting for a status update for the last few hours. Hurry up and wait, as Konohamaru called it.
"Look, I would first like to apologize."
"Apologize for what, master?" Katsuro questioned quickly.
"This mission…it's more than you guys can handle. After everything that's happened, I wish pushed against Lord Hokage harder about you three not coming. I thought this would be a great way to introduce you guys to the world, to get some early experience and special training. A simple escort mission to a foreign land. What a lie that was."
Memories of exaggerated missions that were filled with deception and objectives that were unachievable coated his mind. There was so many that never went according to the original plan, Naruto lost count before his twentieth birthday.
Crescent Moon…
The harsh reality of that mission would forever stay with him. The deaths of his master and childhood best friend pushed Naruto into the depths that he pulled himself from. It started him on the path that led him to be the shinobi he was today.
Naruto wanted his students to avoid that path.
"This isn't your fault. This is my fault. I'm sorry."
Kai, honestly, never thought she'd hear their master apologize to them. It felt odd.
Katsuro twinged with guilt. There had to have been something more he could have done. Their sensei shouldn't be apologetic. The students were supposed to be the ones apologizing for their inability to do the job given.
Though, in the genins' defense, their opponent was chūnin to jōnin level. Katsuro felt they held their ground.
Konohamaru hung his head, he was ashamed by his master's apology. They tried their absolute hardest to defeat Fūka and they couldn't get it done. He shouldn't be the one apologizing, it should be them.
Stupid hacks.
How could he become Hokage if this was his current level? All three Hokage were freaks of nature from the start of their shinobi careers. All kinds of stories surrounded each Hokage of their generational-like abilities in their youth, his grandfather being the prime example.
Konohamaru felt as if those three were destined to be Hokage. Each Hokage carried a legacy with them. A legacy of strength, character, and courage. And he wanted those attributes badly. His only real attribute was being in his grandfather's shadow.
How am I ever going to surpass Grandpa?
"I can see that you guys are beating yourselves up pretty hard over the fight. And, I just want you know that I'm proud of your team effort in it."
The collective dropped jaws made Naruto softly chuckle.
"But we got our asses kicked!" Konohamaru quickly shouted.
"From a certain perspective, you could say that."
"Then how are you proud of us?" Kai questioned.
"Because you held your own against a much stronger enemy. In the face of insurmountable odds, you rose to the challenge. And, if it weren't for the enemy's secret technique, you guys might have won."
"But…I almost killed Konohamaru."
Naruto placed his hand on his young student's shoulder. "Yeah, that was unfortunate. But here's the kicker: you didn't. In the heat of battle, shit's gonna happen. You've been out of the Academy for a little over a month now. You guys lack the discipline and experience of someone like your opponent had. The fact you guys fought like you did shows me just how ready you are."
The shame, guilt, and embarrassment slowly melted away with their master's words. Confidence gained ground and filled their minds.
"With that said, you'll be withdrawing when the reinforcements arrive and returning to the village."
"What the fuck?!"
"Konohamaru!" Kai was quick to pull her teammate down. "That's no way to speak to Naruto sensei!"
"How can you send us back to the village?! You were just raving about our performance!"
"Because this mission is becoming something far beyond your capabilities. Hell, even I may have some difficulty with this. In hindsight, I should've kept you three back in the village for training."
Naruto sighed heavily. He wrestled with this idea and came to the safest conclusion. And seeing the hurt and betrayal on his students' faces made it harder than he thought it would be.
"Look, I don't want what happened to me to happen to any of you. The mission I lost my teammate and master on…it was just like this." The memory of that day would forever remain. "We had the chance to get out. But we chose to stay and fight. I'm not going to let that happen to us."
For someone as unreadable as Naruto, Kai could see the potential fear in her master's eyes. While his heroic actions of that mission were wildly known, the details were not. She could only imagine how it felt knowing there was a chance for all of them to have made it out alive. Preventable.
But Kai wanted this to be her story. This was a rare opportunity to get true, unfiltered experience. Many of her colleagues that were higher ranked than her never had this kind of chance. She wasn't about to let it slip away.
I'm not going to be protected forever, dad.
"Let's put it to a vote."
Both her teammates sharply looked in disbelief. Their master couldn't believe the audacity.
"Excuse me?"
"Sensei, I understand your concern. But Lord Hokage had you bring us for a reason. This is a great chance for us to get some true experience with being a shinobi. I don't want to leave."
Konohamaru was quick to back up. "I'm with Kai. I think we should stay. This could be really good for us. We may not have another opportunity for something like this for a long time!"
Konohamaru also hoped that this would somehow begin his journey of stepping out from his grandpa's shadow. Every shinobi in the clan was compared to the Hokage. And when those expectations weren't fulfilled, it felt shameful.
Konohamaru was tired of that shame.
Katsuro was also quick to join in. "Sensei, I know we're inexperienced and new to this. But the best way to learn is through trials and hardships. The risks of being a shinobi have been drilled into me from my clan. The Uchiha aren't cowards!"
There was that Uchiha pride. Naruto knew it well.
There was fear in their eyes, sure, but Naruto could see the passion and determination just as well. He was haunted by the fear of his past. History was known to repeat. And it was repeating itself right before his eyes.
"Master, I'm not leaving these people to be ruled by a dictator!"
"This isn't up for discussion, Naruto! This mission is deemed failed! We need to get back to the boat before the army takes us too!"
Hayate's sword was drawn, blood dripping from it. The enemy had ambushed them, taken the prince hostage, and was sieging the kingdom. The only thing they could do was retreat. Survival.
"But sensei, the prince needs our help!" Ino shouted. "It was our mission to escort him!"
"We've still got a chance to get in there and rescue the fat bastard!"
Kiba stood with Akamaru, ready to fight. Ino wielded dual kunai, unwavering in her decision. Naruto approached his master with fury in his eyes, filled with determination and courage.
"This is our mission. We need to see it through!"
Hayate gritted his teeth and silently cursed. He could pull rank all he wanted, but it wasn't going to make them listen. Their minds were made up. This was their mission. Their story.
"Fine. But the second I say enough, we hightail out. Got it? So help me I'm going drill your asses for six months when we get out of here!"
The ending to that story ended much differently than Naruto anticipated. He thought they were invincible. And he wanted to prove it.
Now, he was seeing that same determination in his students to go against the odds and beat them. To prove something.
In fairness and honesty, if Hayate had legitimately given the order to retreat, Naruto would have listened. As defiant as he could be, Naruto wasn't one to disobey a direct order in a situation like that.
Perhaps you wanted to see if we could prove you wrong. Still poking at me, aren't you, sensei?
Another heavy sigh followed. "No need for a vote. Fine. You can stay."
"Seriously?!" Kai gleaned.
"Under one condition."
"Name it sensei!"
"None of you die."
The gleeful expressions and excitement instantly faded, replaced by serious reality.
"My sensei believed that we could prove the odds wrong, and then he died with my teammate. Now, I'm giving you three the same chance I had. But if you die…well, I guess that's not going to happen, right?"
The three nodded determinedly. Death was a possibility in this, and the genin understood that. They thought they understood that.
They would come to truly understand death soon enough.
"Now, time clue you in to what I learned."
Naruto's voice carried a stern and powerful tone. His next words were going to be the most important yet.
Kyūbi.
"When I was doing my recon, before the enemy attacked, I came across something…troubling. Tell me, what do you three know of the Nine-Tails attack on the village?"
The tone of the conversation changed dramatically. The three genin came to realize that their master was going to tell them something they may not be allowed to know.
"The Nine-Tails attack?" Konohamaru questioned. "What does that have to do with anything?"
"Just answer my question."
Katsuro, being the mild history buff he was, decided to answer. "Twelve years ago, during the annual Chūnin Exams, the monster fox known as the Kyūbi appeared suddenly. And with the combined efforts of every shinobi in the village, including you, master, the beast was defeated."
Naruto nodded. "Yeah, that's what I figured you were taught."
Kai quickly jumped to a conclusion. "That's not what happened?"
"Well, it is what happened, in a nutshell. What actually happened is a bit more…complex. Lord Hokage swore me, and many others, to secrecy about the events of the attack. And what followed."
Naruto was one of the few outside of the ANBU that knew what truly happened to the Kyūbi. He was there, after all.
"The Kyūbi wasn't killed. It was sealed away with a powerful fūinjutsu technique that required five equally powerful shinobi, including Third Hokage. And it was sealed into an infant, barely a few days old."
Kai tried to process the information with logic and reasoning. But she had no luck in such. Nothing of what he said made sense to her.
"Whoa whoa whoa…hold on, sensei!" Konohamaru was the first one to question the story. "How is something like that even possible? I mean, I know grandpa is super strong, but that seems a bit much for him."
"Like I said, it took a powerful sealing jutsu. I'm not entirely sure how they accomplished it, but they did."
Katsuro jumped in. "So why were we told that the Kyūbi was killed? That's what the Academy taught us."
"It was to keep the peace. Lord Third saw that child being outcasted by the people of the village. So, to keep the child save, the identity was kept a secret. I think only three or four people knew the true identity of the child." Despite Naruto's best efforts, he wasn't one of them.
Kai was the first to realize there something else going here. They wouldn't be told this if there wasn't. "So, what's the reason for telling us this, master? If this is such a highly confidential matter, why are you telling us genin?"
"You wanted to stay and finish the mission." Naruto stated frankly.
Katsuro followed in Kai's train of thought. "You found the child…"
With silence, Naruto nodded. A strong emotion bubbled that he needed to keep bottled. After years of waiting and searching, Naruto finally figured it out.
But one answer raised another question.
Why the fuck hasn't this kid been in Konoha?
That answer would be found out once he got this kid back to the village and had a long conversation with the Hokage.
After the Kyūbi attack, Naruto went through extensive training with the Hokage and other various individuals for Bijū control. Truth be told, there wasn't much to go on. Everything taught was verbal and theoretical, no physical practice.
The main point drive into Naruto was that if there was ever another Kyūbi incident he'd be the one dealing with it. Everyone else was on reserve and to follow his explicit instructions, even the Hokage.
Gotta get through this mission first.
"…His name is Sora. He, and the Red River outfit, are held up in the northern part of the island. They craved out a hideout in a few of the glaciers. I didn't get an accurate account of their numbers, but I'd say we're well outnumbered. Even if the Land of Snow's guards."
It was good think he called for backup.
"Then, what can we do master?" Kai questioned, a sense of dread filled her. She was beginning to regret her decision to stay.
"Yeah, what's the plan? How are we going to beat this?"
"Train. I need to train you guys into the best shape of your lives in no time flat." Naruto stated with determination. "The enemy is coming and I need to you three to be able to hold your own against them. Basically, I need to teach you how to not die."
While a simple lesson, it was harder in practice.
"We don't have a lot of time. A couple days, maybe three. Our reinforcements should be here by tomorrow. I hope, at least."
Naruto figured whoever the Hokage would send, they would expedite their arrival. He explicitly said they needed reinforcements as soon as possible.
His students seemed ready by their body language. Almost excited.
"What kind of training, sensei?" Katsuro questioned. He was ready.
"Evasion techniques, some chakra control, and a few other things that'll keep you guys alive. Hopefully, you guys will take to it well. You're going to have to."
"Yes sir!"
Konohamaru smacked his fist into his other hand. "'Bout time we get some physical work in!"
As the team excitedly prepared themselves for the coming hardships, a cloud of smoke appeared on the round table. Both Katsuro and Konohamaru fell out of their chairs in surprise, while Kai waved the smoke out of her face.
"Hey what gives?!"
Only a loud call of a toad echoed back.
"Huh?"
The communication toad had reappeared with its mouth already open wide, ready to convey the message from the other side. The connection had already been made.
"Kid, you there?" Jiraiya's voice came through as if he was standing in the room with them.
"Yeah, I'm here. Whatcha got for me?"
"That man, Furido…well, he's not what you think."
Konohamaru and Katsuro pulled themselves off the ground, only to come face to face with the dog-sized frog.
"Uh, what the hell?"
Konohamaru, while momentarily confused, quickly deduced what this was. "Whoa...you've got a summoning contract, sensei?"
"A summoning what?"
"We'll get into this later. Pervy Sage, what do you mean…"
"Hey! Address me with respect in front of those students of yours!"
An internal sigh. Don't be smartass. As much as you want to, don't do it. Not worth it.
"Master…what do you mean?"
"From my sources, the name 'Furido' is an alias. His real name is Kazuma and he was supposedly killed during that Guardian Shinobi Twelve coup d'etat. I did some digging, and it was Asuma Sarutobi that did it."
Konohamaru's ears perked up at the mention of his uncle.
"I remember that. Asuma and that monk, Chiriku, were the only ones that survived. He was in the hospital for like a month."
"Good memory." Jiraiya's voice boomed through the wide-open mouth of the toad. "I guess Asuma didn't finish the job."
"Asuma's a good shinobi. I'm sure something happened that made him think he put the guy down. Right now, it doesn't matter. Do you have something to confirm it's the same guy? Like a picture?"
"Even if did, how would I give it to you? I can't pass objects through this guy. Probably would kill him."
The toad made a noise, almost like it was agreeing with the Sannin.
"Moving on. Going on the assumption that Furido and Kazuma are one in the same, it would explain his motives against the Land of Fire and the Hokage."
"Same grudge, I'd imagine." Jiraiya recalled the time of that insurrection. "He hated the Konoha's passive methods and the Third's ideals. He wanted to protect the Land of Fire through force. Wanted unity, from what I understand."
It wasn't the worst thing, Naruto thought. Sometimes, Naruto felt the Hokage could be too passive in politics and not harsh enough on punishments on those who've done wrong. Though, he did appreciate it. The passive nature did make more peace and allies. War was avoided more than once because of it.
It was very rare that the Third Hokage had to threaten military action. Even then, he chose to only actually mobilize troops in the event of absolute danger.
The closest Konoha came to war in recent years was just after the Kyūbi attack. Other villages saw Konoha damaged and weakened and wanted to finish what the beast had started. Iwagakure decided to act.
Even in his old age, the Third can still fight.
Choosing not to threaten the lives of his shinobi, Hiruzen met the met the Third Tsuchikage in a fierce one on one battle. Eventually, it came to a draw and both forces withdrew. Naruto remembered it well. He was one of the few chosen to attend.
Naruto often wondered how his father would handle politics and if he would've been as savvy as the Third. Or as willing as him.
No doubt. Dad hated it when others went before him.
"I'll have to get confirmation." Naruto took a deep breath. "Master, there's something else. Something bigger."
"Oh?" Jiraiya's interest was piqued greatly. It was rare something was discovered that he didn't already have knowledge of.
"…I found him. The child from that day."
The Sannin was silent, as if he couldn't believe what he just heard. "...You mean…?"
Despite not being able to see each other, Naruto nodded. "Yes. The jinchūriki."
"In the Land of Snow? There? As we speak?"
"From what I can tell, yes. I need absolute confirmation but I'm positive it's him."
Him?
Jiraiya let out a huge sigh. Years of searching were finally over. Dead ends and false hopes, all instantly washed away. "I'll be there in two days. Do not allow him to slip through your fingers."
"Trust me, I won't."
"Have you sent you word to the old man?"
"Not yet. I wanted legitimate confirmation first."
Naruto didn't want to voice concerns in front of his students. There were too many variables and possibilities that needed to be ruled out before he could truly begin to question things. And having his master here would certainly help with that.
"Good. No need to stir him up." There was rustling that echoed through Jiraiya's end. He was packing. "Get that confirmation and have him in your possession by the time I get there."
"Understood."
The toad vanished in another cloud of smoke as Jiraiya continued to pack his things. He mentally plotted his route as he shoved things into his pack. He would confirm his route to the nearest port then secure transport to the Land of Snow. If anything, he'd journey across the water in a worst-case scenario. The cold never bothered him.
Years of searching. Years of trying to find something. It all could come to an end.
After the Kyūbi's sudden appearance and assault, Jiraiya was given a task. An off the record mission that only the Hokage knew of. Not the Elders or council. Not even Danzō knew about this mission. He told Naruto because it interfered with their training.
The freshly created jinchūriki had been kidnapped.
Details were unknown and scarce. Somehow, someway the kidnapper had breached the sensory barrier and slipped through dozens of ANBU guards and medical staff to take a child. The Third didn't want to alert the world that, not only were they weakened by the attack but, also now missing their jinchūriki. The Hokage was trying to avoid a possible war.
With swiftness, Jiraiya began his search. He followed leads, trails, literally every piece of every possible path to find something that led him in the right direction. It had been twelve years with to show for it nothing.
Until today.
Jiraiya fastened his pack, paid his due at the counter for his hotel room, and took off. There would be no delay.
Not after all this time.
There was just one lingering piece of information that was sticking out in Jiraiya's mind.
Sensei said the jinchūriki was a girl. Not a boy.