CHAPTER 50: CLOUDS OF RED

Chapter 50: Clouds of Red

~~~

Naruto looked at his luggage. The blade that he had bought from the shop had been sealed into a scroll due to the fact that carrying it would hinder his movement.

He sat in a criss-cross as he examined his necessities that he was going to bring on the trip to find Tsunade.

Thoughts crossed Naruto's mind, thinking of what item he should put in which area of his backpack. The reason he was doing this is because he needed to be efficient in his movement.

And if makes one mistake, he could risk his life.

"The blade is a problem," Naruto told himself, glancing at the scroll that was laying right beside him. A scroll was useful to store weapons, but there is also a very fatal flaw about them.

"It takes too long for a person to unseal the object from the scroll. There are also too many steps to do so — it's simply too risky." Naruto was at a loss. The scrolls were, without a doubt, a very convenient tool for him.

But at the same time, it carried a risk that was conflicting with the convenience.

"Why not just make a damn seal on your dominant arm. Tch. You're overthinking this — it's clouding your actual way of thinking." Naruto took note of Kurama's comment.

Naruto thought of that possibility. Though there was a hint of doubt embedded in Naruto's mind.

"Am I even good enough in fuinjutsu to even do that?" If Naruto was being honest, he was a complete beginner at the concept of fuinjutsu. He had just been relying on scrolls that were on pre-made by actual fuinjutsu users.

But that doesn't mean he knows nothing about fuinjutsu. And to be honest, Naruto was not much of a creative thinker.

"Agreed. You lack a creative mentality." Naruto sighed, knowing he'd at least attempt to do this even if it could go horribly wrong. It was a risk Naruto was willing to take.

"Let's get this over with."

~~~

Two individuals stood right next to each other as they looked down on the village named Konoha. Both were cladded in black cloaks with patches of red cloud all over the cloaks. Straw hats covered their faces with a red thread with a small bell attached on to it.

"Not too long ago, this village stood at its glory," said a person with a monotone tone. The person right next to him nodded in full agreement.

"It barely survived the invasion." The person who had said this was just a few inches taller than the previous person. That being said, the previous person lifted his straw hat just a tiny bit.

A 3-tomoe Sharingan sprang to life.

"We must not lose sight of our objective — to retrieve the suspect." The two disappeared in the midst of the day.

~~~

Naruto examined the seal he had created on his arm. It took him awhile to create, but he got it done. The success rate of this actually working is rather low due to Naruto's inexperience in fuinjutsu.

Testing this out, Naruto clasped the blade and tried sealing the weapon into the seal. To his surprise, it managed to work out like intended. But immediately after, Naruto tried sealing in another item.

"Hm? It's not working." Naruto knew there was something wrong with the seal. Trying to figure out the issue, Naruto unsealed the blade and then resealed the blade once more.

I can only seal one item at the moment. Naruto thought. This piece of information was minor and was relatively irrelevant as of right now. Standing up, Naruto gathered his things and went out the door of his apartment.

Now all he had to do was find Jiraiya and they will be off to their short journey. Walking around the streets, Naruto decided to stop by for a quick snack. Of course, he would goto Ichiraku, but he was already close to a place where they sell dango and tea.

Arriving at his destination, Naruto took a seat and placed an order for dango. Looking to the side, Naruto decided to see who else was ordering dango.

Shit!/Shit! Naruto and Kurama thought at the same time. Out of all the places he could have chosen, he had chosen a place where two shady figures were at. Deciding he can't simply out himself out, Naruto pretended to not notice.

Who are they? Could they be affiliated with Obito? Naruto thought to himself. Naruto remained his calm demeanor, catching sight of Kakashi a few minutes after. Getting up, Naruto walked by the two unknown individuals.

"Naruto, you usually prefer eating ramen." He nodded quietly, taking a glance at the two before averting his attention back to Kakashi.

"This place was closer." Naruto shifted himself and stood right next to Kakashi. Soon after, two other Jonin-senseis arrived at the dango shop. They caught sight of him.

"Kakashi. . . and Naruto — nice to see you both." Kurenai and Asuma approached the two. Naruto nodded back while Kakashi engaged in a conversation with the two.

"You two seem to be getting along." Naruto saw Kurenai's face get a slight tinge of pink. It was obvious to Naruto that she held affection for Asuma. It was as clear as day.

He blankly stared at them.

That's nice. But will that affection affect how you operate? Will it cloud your judgement and act on emotion when he's in trouble? That'll make you a liability in battle. Naruto thought to himself, continually observing his surroundings.

"I'm actually waiting for Satsuki." Naruto snapped out of his thoughts. He glanced at the two individuals for just a second and saw one of them change their demeanor in an instant once Satsuki's name was said.

Naruto then realized who that person was.

Uchiha Itachi. Naruto thought to himself, now left wondering who the other person. All Naruto had to do is confirm if they're affiliated with Obito. He sighed, turning away.

"I'll be going; I need to find someone." Kakashi nodded, letting Naruto walk off, though reluctant due to Itachi lingering around. Naruto continued forward.

Looking back, Naruto noticed the three Jonin disappear.

~~~

Kurenai and Asuma appeared right in front of Itachi and the mysterious individual right next to him. The 4 stood there silently, wsiting for each other to make a move.

"It's been awhile, Asuma, Kurenai." They narrowed their eyes, wondering who this person was that seemed to know them. Their guards were raised.

The two raised their straw hats, the belling shimmering from just the slightest of movement. Kurenai and Asuma widened their eyes, staring deeply at the pair of Sharingans gazing into their own.

"Uchiha Itachi," said Asuma, frozen from surprised. "To think you'd show your face after many years." He remained calm, feeling the nervousness course through his veins.

"I'd rather not fight you — you two won't leave unscathed," said Itachi, his hand sticking out at the center of his cloak. Kurenai glanced at the person next to Itachi.

"Let me introduce myself; I am—!" Kurenai cut the guy off almost immediately.

"Hoshigaki Kisame — we know who you are. A highly dangerous S-Rank ninja that used to hail from Kirigakure." The two Konoha-nins didn't want to admit it or show weakness, but it was clear to them.

They were at a huge disadvantage.

"What are you after?" Asuma asked, looking for an answer.

They didn't respond whatsoever. Kisame then suddenly swung a blade that was wrapped in bandages. Purposely missing, Kisame struck the ground to warn them.

"This guy is getting on his nerves. Can I kill him?" Asuma and Kurenai tensed up, readying themselves for the inevitable fight that was about to occur between 4 shinobi.

"It seems we aren't getting out of here without a fight. Just don't overdo it." Kisame nodded to Itachi's words, a slight manic grin appearing on his face. Moving his way to Asuma, Kisame swung his blade once again.

Asuma dodged the attack by side-stepping to the side. His cigarette falling off of his mouth, Asuma made his attack by disappearing and reappearing right behind Kisame and using his rigid chakra blades.

But Kisame turned in the blink of an eye and blocked the attack with his blade. They were now at a stalemate, continuously trying to overpower one another with pure strength.

His strength! It's unreal! Asuma commented within his mind, struggling to defend himself. Soon enough, Kisame managed to crush Asuma in strength and the blade was nearing Asuma's arm.

"Ready?" Kisame asked, violently reeling back the blade, the entire top of the bandaged blade was tarnished, revealing extremely sharp spikes of some sort that spilled blood.

"Shit," muttered Asuma under his breath. His eyes were slightly wide, not expecting that to happen.

"Meet Samahada. It won't just destroy you, but it will also cut you in absolute ribbons!" Yelled Kisame. Itachi stepped back slightly, now fighting the Genjutsu Mistress.

Kurenai.

Genjutsu. Itachi thought, bindings of wood rose from the ground and wrapped itself right around Itachi. Unfazed, he looked up to see Kurenai appearing out of the tree.

You're done! Kurenai thought, lowering herself down as she tried striking Itachi with a kunai. Even then, Itachi was unfazed by her actions. All of a sudden, Kurenai found herself trapped and wrapped around her own Genjutsu.

"Genjutsu of that level won't ever work on me," Itachi said, his stoic face and his monotone tone standing right in front of Kurenai without even a scratch on him.

A Genjutsu Reversal? Itachi undid the Genjutsu, a kunai appearing from the tip of his sleeve. Kurenai widened her eyes as she ducked down to dodge Itachi's attack with his kunai.

A few strands of her hair were cut off. Without a second of thought, Itachi lifted his leg and shifted it toward Kurenai's face. Reacting quickly, she placed the back of her hands in front of her face to reduce damage that was about to be dealt to her.

Launching her off her own feet, she was kicked away over the railing and into the water. Regaining her feet, she looked into the water and saw her own reflection.

"You live up to your expectation. However. . ." Itachi appeared right behind her, his reflection appearing in the waters. He created a slight pause, the wind behind shifting ever so slightly.

"However, it's the end of the line. For you anyway." Kakashi was a few meters behind, a kunai being held tightly between the palm of his hands. Itachi stood still, creating no movement at all.

Kakashi stayed focus. Never letting his guard down for a second, with an eye that was dyed with the shade of scarlet red.

But, even then, Kakashi blinked once and a large sum shuriken were launched at his face. Widening his eyes, Kakashi dodged to the left, amazed at Itachi's speed.

He had capitalized Kakashi blinking and used that to his advantage.

Dangerous. Kakashi thought, feeling dread slowly flowing through his body. Feeling the wind rush behind him, a Shadow Clone of Itachi appeared from below the shadowing depths of the water.

A kunai in the clone's right hand, Kakashi and Itachi clashed kunai, the metallic sound echoing through the battle field.

Backing away, Kakashi saw the real Itachi appear right in front of him in an instant. Moving his body midair, Kakashi just barely managed to dodge Itachi and his clone's attack.

Careful there, Kakashi. He told himself, creating distance by backing away from both clones. One Itachi was already hard enough.

But a Shadow Clone of himself? One that equals in intelligence was simply frightening to the greatest degree. Kurenai appeared from the side, attempting to disperse the clone.

Though that quickly failed due to the overwhelming power of the two Itachi's. Channeling chakra to the legs, Kakashi launched himself to Itachi.

The real Itachi looking his way, the clone followed his lead. Both approaching the Kakashi that was quickly closing in on them, another kunai appeared at the tip of their cloth.

Kakashi had multiple thoughts coursing through his brain. His Sharingan analyzed the movements of the Uchiha Prodigy.

Kakashi shifted his torso to the side, dodging one kunai that was about to slice his eye. He then ducked down, sweeping the clone's legs to disrupt his balance.

Itachi appeared from behind, stabbing Kakashi from behind. Kakashi turned into a cloud of smoke, leaving a log behind to replace him.

Kakashi appeared from above the clone, dispersing the clone into a cloud of smoldering smoke. The smoke covered his field of vision, giving Itachi enough time for a counterattack.

"AGH!" Kakashi felt pain rouse from his body as Itachi kicked Kakashi away to the metal railings. Clashing with the railings, Kakashi slid down and landed on the water with his buttocks.

Itachi made his efforts to continue his constant attacks. Though that soon failed due to Kurenai interfering with a kick of her own being sent his way.

Lifting his arm up to the air, he blocked the kick from the Genjutsu Mistress and prepared a punch by pulling his arm back.

"Sorry, can't let you do that." Kakashi appeared, locking his arm down. Itachi remained calm, glancing at the two shinobi with both of his scarlet-red eyes.

Their efforts failed to lock him down due to him jumping in the air, giving himself room to counter with a full-fledged kick that brought down Kurenai, though not Kakashi.

Seeing Kakashi make a move, Itachi duck down, sweeping Kakashi down. Using a kunai, Itachi used it and aimed it at Kakashi's head.

He managed to roll to the side, barely dodging the speeding kunai.

Kakashi created distance between them.

"You're without a doubt strong, Kakashi. Your ability to utilize the Sharingan is exceptional." Itachi stared down Kakashi, his Sharingan spinning wildly.

"But. . . can you keep up with my eyes?" Kakashi widened his eyes, looking down as Asuma appeared right next to Kakashi and Kurenai.

"What ever you do! Don't look into his eyes!" Beads of sweat slithered down Kakashi's head as the two others followed the order.

~~~

Naruto finally managed to find Jiraiya after searching for quite some time. Though he only truly found him due to him always expectingly lingering around the hot springs.

"Well, it seems you have already packed your things." Naruto nodded, showing his backpack filled with items. Jiraiya grinned.

"Then, let us venture off to the unknowns!" Yelled Jiraiya, leading Naruto to the lands for across the regions. Not to long after, they crossed the gate.

"What's our first stop?" Naruto asked Jiraiya, hands lazily in his pockets.

"Our first stop is Otafuku town. We'll be taking a rest there if it's needed." Naruto nodded, understanding that this was going to take some time to accomplish.

After quite some time, Jiraiya decided to ask a question.

"So. . . Naruto. . . you ever been interested in. . . you know. . . in summoning?" Naruto looked up to Jiraiya with his usual stoic face.

He raised an eyebrow.

"No, I have yet to find any interest in summoning." Jiraiya grinned, now sliding his offer to Naruto in quick succession.

"So, would you like a toad summoning contr--!" Naruto immediately cut him off.

"No, I do not want a summoning." Jiraiya hollowed out, failing to get Naruto to accept the summoning contract.

"Why not?" Jiraiya asked.

"Reasons that you do not need to know at all." In his case, the reason Naruto did not want a summoning contract involves with his own future and when he inevitably becomes a rogue-nin.

I can't risk the possibility of the Pervy Sage or anyone to have to ability to reverse summon me to a certain place. Naruto thought to himself, walking alongside Jiraiya.

He thought it was funny.

That in a few years, everything that Naruto had built will crumble beneath him. There are times when one might think about bonds that they might sever.

But how can you sever bonds when you never had bonds to begin with? Naruto thought to himself. He rarely interacted with the rest of the Konoha 12.

He only interacted with Satsuki and Sakura -- even then, he only really interacted with Satsuki. His closest thing to real interactions with them would be the chess matches with him and Shikamaru.

After awhile of walking, they had finally managed to reach their destination for today.

Otafuku Town.

~~~

Kakashi widened his eyes, now trapped in a distorted world; his body attached in a wooden cross. Itachi stood in front of of him with a katana clasped around his hand.

"How much can you take?" His voice was hollow and devoid of emotion as he struck Kakashi with the katana. Kakashi widened his eyes, feeling the unbearable pain. Another Itachi appeared right next to the original one.

"In the Tsukuyomi, time and space and even physical mass are within my absolute control." The two stabbed him in different times.

"For the next 72 hours, this will be the only thing that will happen and it will be engraved into your mind."

Kakashi closed his eyes once. When he reopened them, he saw another of himself also being struck by multiple Itachi's.

Keep calm. What I'm experiencing is. . . only genjutsu. Kakashi thought, trying to reassure himself in his current predicament.

"Is it really? Telling yourself that it's an illusion can only do yourself so much. Is it any less painful thinking that it's not real? Surely it doesn't." They stabbed Kakashi once more.

Each time, the amount of Kakashi's getting struck multiplied. And the amount of Itachis that struck increased dramatically. Kakashi huffed, the severe pain coursing through his body.

"Only 71 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds to go." Kakashi widened his eyes, wondering how only a second had past. But his ability to think was disrupted by the showering pain being engraved by the numerous katanas stabbing him.

And once it was all over, Kakashi snapped back to reality. He huffed, feeling the pain from the genjutsu transfer to the real world.

Barely any time passed during the 3 days in that genjutsu world. Kakashi thought as Kisame appeared right next to Itachi.

"He's barely keeping it together. Although you are overusing your eyes, Itachi," said Kisame, amused written all over his face and tone.

"Who are you. . . after? Satsuki?" Asked Kakashi, analyzing Itachi and Kisame under his extreme pain.

"No." Itachi's voice was flat and straightforward.

"We are after a suspect that will benefit our cause." Silence washed over them, the splintering wind moving their hair.

His answer was vague -- anyone could be the suspect.

"I know your group -- the ones after the power of the bijuu. But. . . the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. . . It's just not possible." Itachi stared at him for a moment.

"Is it? Or do you just want to deny the possibility of the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi to be living right under your nose? In Konoha?" This left Asuma and Kurenai with questions.

"A group? After the bijuu? What the hell is happening?" Their minds were racing with overwhelming dread shadowing over their conscience.

"Our goals are beyond your understanding," said Itachi, his tone as monotone as ever.

"But all you need to know is that we are called. . ." The sense of dread was there, fear laced within their minds.

"The Akatsuki."

~~~