Chapter 30: The Enemy Mine

"Appear weak when you are strong, and strong when you are weak."

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Sakura-Haruno Household/Southern Hideout

"-And how long did you say you'll be gone again Dear?" Mebuki questions, stirs at her bowl of katsudon slowly before setting her chopsticks down. Nothing tastes or looks the same since the days after the Invasion. Dr. Nobimori told her the smoke inhalation damaged her throat and eyes some with medications, sprays, and eyedrops doing little in the long run to fully bring back her sense of taste and smell.

Perhaps said damage is permanent.

She bites her lip glancing to Kizashi's prosthetic leg, she has no right to complain when her husband...

'Ah, I can hardly focus on eating knowing what lies ahead for Sakura.' Mebuki sighs, rubs at her head, turns her thoughts back to her only child.

Sakura restrains back a sigh, clasps her hands together beneath the table.

"A month, perhaps a month and a half. But don't worry you guys, I'm very familiar with the layout of this area-"

Kizashi holds up a hand, features openly weary and dark. "No, you're not Sakura. Don't give us the runaround or those same bullshit answers the doctors gave me regarding my leg."

Sakura bristles, clenches her teeth at his open curse, this anger he's been carrying around like a storm cloud yet to unleash the downpour she and Mom are waiting for.

He has a point; it's been just one bad news after the next. His current prosthetic keeps getting itchy and loose, keeps getting reinfected leading to near weekly trips back to Konoha's emergency center when the fevers come on. Long wait times over and over just to be told by the infectious disease team or rehab team that there's little they can do.

Physical therapy has only done so much, smile and joking fading bit by bit after every session.

Sakura balls her hands against her knees.

'And now I'm leaving as well.'

Kizashi continues on, leans his head forward. "How is it that none of the jonin or active shinobi here in Konoha were aware of Sasuke's coming unless someone tipped him off of where to go to hide his presence? Even Lady Tsunade didn't receive any update he was in the area until it was too late. So, to try and right said foolish errors, she wants to send my only child right into the belly of the beast? Or is this because of your lingering ties to Sasuke that you agreed to this solo mission?"

"Sasuke will not know what I'm up to! The purpose of this assignment is to weaken any forces he's trying to gather! Why is that so hard to understand? I've explained it to you and Mom plenty of times already!" Sakura barbs right back with equal acidity.

Kizashi sighs, eyes narrowing. "Sweetie, your emotions always seem to flare up whenever his name is mentioned."

Sakura grits her teeth, feels her patience about to snap. She should've just lied about the true details of her assignment. It could've at least saved them from fretting over her like this until someone else inadvertently exposed the truth.

Though by then, she would've already been too far out of the village for them to stop.

Kizashi moves to pat at her hands, smiles gently to make a peace offering.

"Otogakure is known for their shinobi operating via sound, right? I don't want you to drown in any of their songs or be humming them with any gongs!"

Mebuki rolls her eyes, shoulders falling as the tension from the room fades, Sakura cracking a light grin.

She grabs for her chopsticks once more, Sakura doing the same.

"I promise I'll send you both updates as soon as it's safe to do so." Sakura relates.

Kizashi nods, smile falling he hides by stuffing down a mix of his miso soup and curry.

"Slow down Dear, the food isn't going anywhere!" Mebuki lightly chastises him.

"Don't want the food to get cold!" He chortles back.

Sakura watches them, commits the sight of them both like this to memory.

She sets out the following morning before they've even awoken, sky still dark with thin strips of stars in the distance.

'No goodbyes. They'll only try to convince me to stay.' Sakura swallows hearing her Dad's light snores, muffled sighs of her Mom following throughout the house.

The forests are still filled with nightbirds and crickets moving about the morning fog, settling against the bark of a tree layered in enough moss to hide her from any traveling merchants coming into Konoha.

She removes the hair dye and contacts from her backpack, pink strands soon layered completely with black, verdant switched for brown.

'Alright gotta rough myself up now a bit, just like Ino showed me.' Sakura looks around, finds a patch of damp grass and mud she cakes her face and arms with. After that, she slides out of her clothes into the drab black tunic and brown slacks she packed along.

Prisoners don't typically have this much muscle and fat on them, but she already has her story prepared for that.

The seas are fortunately calm at this time of year as she hurriedly gets going, moving along the mangroves until she finally sees it by early afternoon the following day.

"Right on time." Sakura mutters to herself.

The caravan of new prisoners/experiments is just arriving.

She searches the emaciated and downcast faces for the woman she will replace: Mai Agawa.

They're all chained to each other, one guard assigned at the front and back.

'The effects of Oleander poison are quite potent. The darts should be enough.' Sakura decides, gets into position.

She counts down from 5.

Her hands twitch at her sides, breathes in and out slowly. Stay patient; calm. As Anko-sensei and Lady Tsunade taught her.

'5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Go!'

The first dart lands right in the back guard's neck, toppling him.

"Hey, Tachibana! What the hell's wrong with you?! Get back up before-" The second needle pierces his neck as well, slumping down with him.

Sakura rushes forward, fiddles with the locks quickly before the prisoners reach a cacophony of commotion.

There's only a minute, maybe two before one of the main officers comes out.

She meets Mai's frantic eyes. "Leave. Head into the woods and stay low by the vines and shadows; don't look back. Start going southeast which will take you to The Land of Waves where there are residents that will help you. Ask for Inari or his grandfather."

She releases her shackles, auburn eyes jumping between her and the sea tower, footsteps approaching.

"W-Who are you? Why are you helping us?" Mai presses.

Sakura waves her away without answering. "Just go already!"

At least 4 of them luckily manage to scramble away with her, the rest pinned down by a sudden crackle of electricity.

Sakura falls with them, grits her teeth through the pain as she sees fiery red hair approach, scarlet eyes enraged.

"You fuckers can't even handle a few measly prisoners! Ugh, damn it! When Lord Orochimaru or Kabuto hears about this..." She growls, kicks straight at Tachibana's stomach causing him to grunt.

Karin arches a brow as she meets Sakura's gaze. "Are you the troublemaker? Should I...know you?

Sakura shakes her head as she moves to a standing position once more.

"No, but you will."

Naruto & Hinata-Uzumaki Apartment

"Tell me more about the guy."

Hinata looks up from her cinnamon bun, blinks in puzzlement.

"What guy?"

Naruto makes a circular motion in the air with his finger. "The one you saw back in Kusagakure, with that swirly mask."

Hinata licks a bit of frost from her lips, hums thoughtfully.

"Ah, his face wasn't one I personally recognized. Though it's clear from the description I gave Jiraiya of him that he might be a missing nin one of our jonin-sensei may recognize."

Naruto scribbles something down, Hinata scooting over to beside him to read what he's wrote.

"Former Konoha member? Spy from a nearby smaller village?" She reads aloud.

Naruto nods as he looks back up at her. "I read what I could find around Granny's office after those Old Farts left. Being goofy is probably just an act, he's as dangerous I would say as the guy Pervy-Sage is going after."

Hinata leans against his shoulder.

Mail came this morning assigning them to the Itachi retrieval assignment to start at the end of the week.

Naruto had wanted to go with Team 10's assignment to track down the infamous Zombie Duo, but that had been immediately denied by Danzo.

"The Two Tails and Three Tails were just recently captured by those two with relative ease and we have little information on their full arsenal of skills. We cannot risk our own jinchuriki getting close! The answer is no." Danzo commands.

Naruto flatly ignores him, grabs a glass of sake off Tsunade's desk and dumps it over his papers.

"Hmm, who are you talking to? You should head home and get some sleep instead of having conversations with yourself. I don't think you or those other hags have even been on a mission since Granny here was a kid." He muses aloud without looking back at him.

Danzo moves to jab his cane at him only for Naruto to half look back at him, eyes swirling red.

The room quakes, papers turning into a twister beside him.

"I wouldn't try whatever it is you're thinking."

Danzo steps back, scoffs.

"One of these days I'll imprison you properly for this surly behavior of yours. Jinchuriki or not, you've hardly done anything to protect Konoha even with all the gifts you've received like the stories of old."

Tsunade sighs as he goes, nods to her glass.

"Naruto, you wasted good sake on that idiot! You better pay me back for that!"

Naruto shrugs, beams at her frown. "You shouldn't be drinking on the clock anyways Granny! Your liver and Shizune will thank me for this one-day if your healing capabilities ever fail you y'know!"

Tsunade clasps her hands.

"I'm afraid Danzo's right this time Naruto. I'm assigning you to the Itachi Reconnaissance & Retrieval mission instead of the ones outright looking into the other members of the Akatsuki. There's a chance though that you'll..."

"Run into Sasuke? Yeah, I know." Naruto finishes.

He pauses as he notes the folder in front of her with Itachi's photo, snatches it up before she can slide it out of his reach. His eyes scour over details of Itachi's childhood before the massacre, his talent in the Academy, even his brief stint in Konoha's ANBU.

Naruto pauses under the medical history section, does a double take before Tsunade snatches the folder back, amber eyes hard. "You're being far too nosy over information I haven't even been able to fully verify yet with Konoha's medical records team."

She arches a brow at his lack of answer. "So, will any of this be a problem? Just let me know now and save me the headache and extra paperwork."

Naruto shakes his head. "No, but it will be for Shikamaru perhaps."

He goes on at her puzzled look.

"Oh come on Granny, it's not like he's tried to hide it! He's wanted to kill Sasuke ever since Choji's death when he truly decided to defect Konoha for Orochimaru. I don't know if Sasuke even feels guilty or knows all the background events that happened in trying to get him back to the village."

Running into Sasuke would actually be a worst-case scenario.

Deidara will most likely be with him unless one of them decides to betray the other.

Both have revenge on their minds for the same man...

He glances down to Hinata, grins swiping at a speck of sugar on her cheek making her face flush red.

"You missed a spot." Naruto voices lightly to take his mind off the subject.

Hinata peers up at him, laughs. "I could've gotten it with a napkin."

Naruto shakes his head, leans closer, breath warm on her lips.

"Where would the fun be in that?"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

His lips just barely brush with hers, scowling as a second series of knocks and scratching follows at the entrance.

Hinata scoots back from him to check using her byakugan, smiles.

"It's Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino."

"Ugh, about time! What took you two so long?" Kiba gripes as she clicks the door open.

He's instantly hit with the scent of him on her, lips puffy, skin a tell-tale pink and decides he doesn't need to know further.

Hinata half looks behind her to see Naruto looming, studying the trio up and down.

"...You guys never follow policy at all when it comes to visiting." He grunts.

Kiba rolls his eyes.

'Pot calling kettle black!'

"Hinata's still a member if Team 8 last time I checked! Being Konoha's sacrifice comes last!" Kiba retorts, blinks in surprise when Naruto patters into the kitchen and returns with tea and snacks.

Huh.

Naruto notes his expression, smirks.

"Don't worry, it's just so you'll leave at a proper time and not drag things out worrying for Hinata's safety here still."

Kiba crosses his arms, reluctantly pours himself a glass of iced tea.

Shino adjusts at his glasses while he reaches for a cookie.

"I can assume then you know why we're here? The reason being we must discuss our upcoming mission to find Itachi hopefully before Sasuke does. Both of them haven't been seen in weeks."

Akamaru barks, Kiba nodding. "Akamaru says they've been really careful as of late hiding their tracks and even burning trees or purposefully mucking up their clothes at times to mask their scent."

Naruto nods, leans his head against his palm as Shino pulls out a map.

"It's rainy season too, which is going to make it harder to know which direction they're moving in."

Kiba rocks on his legs then, considers what he truly wants to ask.

"Spit it out." Naruto mentions, peers back up at him.

Kiba bristles at his sharp tone, sighs.

"These guys are going after jinchuriki like you, aren't they? Even Sasuke?"

Naruto shrugs. "Seems like it, though don't know if Sasuke is fully aligned with them or not."

Shino's beetles run up along his neck to his ear, nodding at the bundle of flittering black to start moving in every direction outside Konoha before either of them catches on to their plans.

"Yes, but we're going to have to operate on the assumption he is working with them. Is that okay with you?"

Naruto snorts, crimson fully pooling in his eyes, balling up his hands to calm himself.

Everyone keeps asking him variations of that question, assume that because of how pathetic his previous sacrificial gifts were, he'll up and betray the village too in a similar manner.

And maybe he would if not for the fact that would put unnecessary targets on Hinata too...

"Itachi is the more dangerous of the two. He has nothing left to lose in this world that he actually cares about besides Sasuke from the way things look to me." Naruto insists tightly.

Kiba and Shino nod, switch gears to discuss how the teams will be split up and in which areas they'll be assigned.

Naruto nods along, half-listening.

He has no hard counters for genjutsu, he'll just need to ensure any skirmishes are kept to a minimum, if any.

Because if what he managed to peek at regarding Itachi's medical file back in the Hokage's office is true, he's a man living on borrowed time.

Hiashi & Neji- Hyūga Compound

"Already assigned a new mission?" Hiashi guesses seeing Neji packing a bag of first aid kits and food pills. He hadn't brought it up over breakfast, but he already has an idea of what it is based on his meeting earlier in the week with the other clan's leaders.

It feels like he's only been home a few days before already taking on a new task.

Neji nods, glances back to him over his shoulder.

"As I'm sure you already learned from Lady Tsunade, teams of 3 are being sent out to track down Itachi Uchiha and members of the Akatsuki before Sasuke gets to him. They especially need tracker nin for this as Hoheto, Iroha, and Tokuma are heading out as well."

Hiashi nods, he already spoke with each of them earlier in the week.

'That means Hinata too.' He absently notes, considers if her sacrificial duties don't supersede this with how many trackers Konoha will already have available.

But then again, from what he's heard, Hinata's personally seen what one of these Akatsuki members looks like.

"Good, I assume that means you may have a rematch with Sasuke." Hiashi voices, pearl eyes dropping to where he knows his scar mark lies. He's brushed with death and severe injuries as of late and bounced back, though his loss to the Uchiha in the Valley still hovers over him and their clan in general like a shadow.

"That isn't the purpose of this assignment Uncle, you know that." Neji points out, ignores following where his gaze has gone.

Hiashi settles beside him, pats gently at his hands briefly stilling him. "Yes, you're right. However, this is another opportunity to prove the Hyūga Clan's prowess to so many. People continue to send and say unscrupulous rumors behind our backs regarding the benefits we've gotten since Hinata's sacrifice. Showing your feats off can at least further calm the gossip that we the Hyūga are still the strongest clan in Konoha."

"Uncle, even with me being promoted to jonin, those rumors haven't and aren't going to stop anytime soon. It's best to just ignore them." Neji voices as he settles his backpack onto his shoulders.

His eyes twist to outside, the smell of rain building, clouds in the distance bundling together into gray and white chunks.

He feels Hiashi's gaze on his back as he moves for the entrance, finally looks back over to him.

"Unless...you're feeling guilt again for sacrificing Hinata in the first place seeing how far she's gotten no longer under the clan's pressure? If you are, you can always ask for an audience with her and Naruto to get her true feelings and your own out on the matter."

Hiashi scoffs. "I know how my eldest feels."

She made that perfectly clear during their last encounter.

Opalescent narrows further and he knows he's said too much from the way Hiashi raises up his hand in warning for his flippant tone on this subject. He hasn't talked back to him so harshly in years, not since he told him the truth regarding his Father's death.

Hinata's name isn't supposed to be spoken of so brazenly amid these walls, especially not directly in front of him.

Hiashi studies him icily.

"Get going, you're going to be late."

Kakashi & Gai-Konoha Entrance

"Do any of you have any ideas on who this man could be?"

Tsunade's question echoes in his ears akin to a bell.

At the time immediately following Team 10 and Team 8's return from Kusagakure, Lady Tsunade had quickly held a meeting to pass around the drawing made of the masked Akatsuki member who'd apparently tagged along with Orochimaru. Time was slipping away from them to gather as much information as possible on his true identity.

Like everyone else in the room, he'd given a 'no' when the drawing was passed along to him.

But it's been wracking his mind since then, that sketch Sai created...

The damage done to the right side of this man's face matches the same side it would be on when he had that fateful mission years back...

He blows out a breath. 'Obito died in the 3rd Shinobi World War.'

Though he can't ignore that his face holds details of perhaps what Obito may look like as an adult. Unruly dark hair he could never get to lay fully flat, abilities similar to the sharingan and the Uchiha clan's skills in general.

If Obito's truly alive though, why didn't he return back to Konoha immediately after the war's end to report in? Who or what helped him get that boulder off the top of his body?

'No. This is probably just someone who looks similar to him, perhaps is using a corpse to hide his true features even?' He considers.

Gai pats at his shoulder before he can dwell any further on the subject.

"Let's say we turn this into another competition Kakashi with whichever team can track down Itachi first! Loser has to take D-rank assignments for a month!"

'That honestly doesn't sound too terrible.' He dryly muses.

Especially considering he hardly spends time around his former subordinates. Neither Sakura or Naruto particularly as of late want to be around him unless absolutely necessary.

His eye roams over to Naruto standing towards the front of the gates with Yamato and Hinata. It's Naruto's first time working directly with Yamato as far as he's aware, observes as he looks the man and up down flatly before looking away into the forests.

"-It's nice to be working with you both. I've heard...many things about you Naruto." Yamato begins, holds out his hand.

Naruto hums at that, reluctantly returns his handshake after a long moment of staring at it. He smiles in that way Kakashi always sees him do when he's about to test if an individual sees him as the jinchuriki or simply just Naruto.

"What stories have you heard?" He begins.

Yamato chuckles. "That you're known to frequently cause property damage around Konoha and the neighboring vicinities, that your mood swings like a pendulum."

Naruto puts his hands behind his head, wrinkles his nose at his bemused grin. 'Ugh, I'm going to have to deal with his creepy ghoul eyes following me around until I truly get the Nine Tails under control!'

"And do you know why I did those things in the first place?"

Obsidian searches blue, nods. "I've done much research on you and the previous jinchuriki of our village Naruto. Sacrificial gifts given to you in previous years were usually hand-me-downs or unusable items shinobi and civilian saw no use for and passed along to you. I intend to treat you and deity within you with the upmost respect."

Naruto's brows furrow at his politeness as he bows to him, sighs.

"Alright, you can stop pretending to be so friendly now y'know. You and I are both aware that you've only been assigned to me specifically for your Wood Release abilities to control the Nine Tails and to keep an eye on Hinata as my sacrifice that she doesn't try to run away from her duties."

Yamato pauses, glances to Hinata who studies him back with a light grin.

"It's true; isn't it?" She presses him gently.

Both wait for him to refute any of Naruto's points.

He scratches at his cheek. "Well, Lady Tsunade did say that you're a bit on the wild side. No matter: we can keep things strictly business. Yes, like you said, I've been ordered to do everything in my power to keep your Tailed Beast suppressed should you indirectly tap into its powers during this assignment. We can at least agree that's the most important thing for future missions in order to fully gain the trust of Madam Tsunade and her advisors, right?"

Naruto scoffs, eyes flashing vermilion before looking away. "Who says I need their trust?"

'At least Yamato can better keep the Nine Tails in check than me.' Kakashi notes at Yamato's blank look, unbothered by Naruto's harshness.

Gai catches something in his features, grin softening.

"Penny for your thoughts Kakashi?"

Kakashi glances back over to him, shrugs.

He isn't going to let the subject go until he tells him what's truly weighing on his thoughts.

"I've been thinking about that drawing made of the Masked Man. His features are similar to that of...Obito's. Though I know how crazy that sounds considering it's been years since his death."

Gai rubs his chin thoughtfully, drops his voice to avoid anyone nearby eavesdropping. "Well, perhaps not Kakashi. That assignment Master Jiraiya is going on to Amegakure, doesn't he suspect that some of the members in the Akatsuki are actually corpses of former prominent shinobi from the various Great Nations? Do you think this is possibly something similar?"

Kakashi's gaze skirts to Lady Tsunade doing final checks on everyone, only she knows the full details of what Jiraiya has possibly gathered and intends to search for in Ame.

"Maybe. However, wouldn't Obito's body still be that of a child's in that case? The Masked Man is a grown man."

Gai slaps a hand against his back. "Well, I wouldn't worry about it too much at the moment! Our paths will cross eventually, and we'll get all the answers we need then!"

Kakashi nods, moves away from his grip as he switches to discussing Itachi's possible whereabouts with his team. He summons his ninken, directs one to each team to further aid in tracking Itachi and Sasuke's scent.

Gai has a point; he can't worry about the Masked Man's identity right now.

If it's truly Obito, then he'll find a way to confront him and this past he's tried to keep buried.

He'll either be actually alive or some undead experiment/mindless puppet that he'll have to put to rest.

Remnants Of The Fire Temple, Team 10

"Let's break for a short lunch." Asuma decides once they've gone deep enough into the forests away from Konoha. Greenery surrounds them on all sides, but his teeth stay clenched noting the cracks in certain branches, ground warped and blown apart in various spots.

Someone's already been through here, the temple's grounds have be desecrated.

The Karasu and Yamabushi Tengu statues that normally greet them at the front gates lie in pieces at their feet, dried blood along what was the stairsteps.

His stomach tightens at the distinct smell of smoke and dirt in the air now that they've reached the temple, thin hazes of gray blanketing the blue of the sky. He lost contact with Chiriku nearly 12 hours ago now, unsure if any of the ninja monks are okay amid this destruction.

Still alive.

'The next spot to check would be the Bounty Station.' Asuma considers at noting footsteps in the ground heading further northwest.

"Ino, you notice something different about Asuma-sensei?" Shikamaru whispers as they settle against the bark of the tree opposite him. His stomach is equally restless taking in fallen brick and wood, managing down only a bite or two of onigiri.

Ino nods slowly. "Asuma-sensei stopped smoking months ago. I was going to tease him about something changing regarding his relationship with Kurenai-sensei. Maybe's she's expecting."

"Expecting what?" Sai questions to join their conversation.

Ino laughs gently, flicks his shoulder gently. "You don't know?! Well, I guess in Root they don't really talk about families and whatnot. Expecting in the sense she could be pregnant. Though don't go spreading that around, it's not confirmed!"

Sai nods. He shifts through his memories if he had any family before Danzo took him in, tries to crack through the haze.

"Don't take him, he's still too young to do assignments! I-I can go in his place for now!"

Danzo sighs. "You're trying my patience here Ritsuka-"

"I'll do what you say, I promise! At least let him stay with Shin to further hone his skills."

A woman's voice, though he can't recall any of her features...

"I won't. Of course if Kurenai-sensei really is pregnant, then she needs to be prepared to be a single mother. She'll probably no longer be in active shinobi duty once she gives birth and will need to take alternative jobs in order to generate enough income for herself and her child."

Sai smiles at his tidbit of wisdom, Ino and Shikamaru sharing a wary look.

Ino chokes on her tamagoyaki, cerulean hardening to steel.

Shikamaru's gaze turns just as stormy. No matter how bad Sai is at social cues, he can't still be this awful after all they've been trying to teach him on ways to be polite and friendly outside missions.

"What does that even mean?" He questions too sharply for him to not notice.

Sai's grin doesn't fade.

"Well, that's just it. On missions like this from what I've seen and experienced, I expect one of us to die."

-x-

Apologies on how long this took, I still have the sense that it feels like I'm dragging or speeding out these arcs. The goal is to not repeat too much of canon events or have things happen differently.

The biggest change I expect coming up will be with Sasuke's attempts at forming Team Hebi and the future fights of Team 10 vs Kakuzu & Hidan and Naruto eventually coming in. I'm not sure I can get another chapter in before 2024 ends so if not, see you again in 2025 for this story! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all my readers!

If you want to read extra content for this story and my others along with my original writing, you can check out my pa-tre-on, I go by the TheLovelyMidnightWriter there! You can use the code C3982 for a discount!

Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow.