A Fleeting View of Hell

It has been a few months since Naruto moved into his own apartment. He was quite sad about leaving but promised to visit as often as possible. This when coming from Naruto, someone who values his promises above everything else meant he came every day. I had to stop him to keep it to at least once a week. His apartment is on the other end of Konoha and given how antagonistic people of Konoha are towards Naruto, crossing that distance is a health hazard in itself.

The internship in Konoha General hospital has proved very fruitful. There I learned to use how to truly use the Mystic palm technique on the human body. Contrary to my expectations, Mystic palm is considered quite a high-level technique such that any medical-nin who can perform is very well respected. Most healing is done by converting chakra into healing chakra and carefully administering it to patients. So me being able to perform Mystic palm, something most medics struggle with, was kind of a big deal. After learning all basic medical techniques, Chakra scalpel, mystic palm, antidote jutsu among others, I was given full access to the medics library which I am using to my maximum capacity.

'Which often means staying at the library till morning and sleeping at the academy.', Fusao sensei is quite understanding of my situation and also quite proud. Given that I have a bright future as a medic, he does not force me to listen in class.

But today I was not going to get any rest. All the class was gathered in the training ground by Sensei. From the corner of my eye, I saw Fusao sensei talking to a woman wearing a chunin flack jacket.

Suddenly a strong breeze appeared out of nowhere lifting all leaves ground. I cover my eyes with my arm when out a nowhere a sudden sense of doom gripped my Heart. I immediately jump from my position. Looking around I find myself on the roof of the academy but there is a strange silence in the air. I look for my classmates but the field was empty and neither could I sense anyone close by. Dread filled my mind as made hand signs, desperately trying to sense anything, anyone but came up empty. I frantically look around when I hear crashing sounds coming from far away. I turn my attention towards the sound and saw Hokage rock with seven faces, each in a state of disarray. A strong sense of Deja wu hits me.

Just at that moment, in the blink of an eye day turned into night. Fires burning everywhere, Konoha that was so silent just a moment ago was now filled with screams of terror. I could hear none of it for all my focus was focused on silhouettes floating in the air. Chakra radiating off them was beyond anything I ever felt but what made my back drenched in cold sweats wasn't chakra but the emotions I was sensing. The cold clinical disregard, hate, anger, and intent to kill all meshed together was oozing out with such intensity that I fell to the ground, eyes wide in terror. My mind went blank but a small part of a small, rational part of my mind made me make half tiger seal.

"KAI!!!"

The hellish world broke apart like a mirror. I was back in the academy training ground surrounded by kicking and screaming classmates. I took deep breaths, trying to steady my heartbeat, and trying to process what just happened.

Fusao sensei and female chunnin came forward and one by one dispelled the genjutsu on students along with passing us with blank sheets. Everyone was quiet, other than slight panting and rustling of leaves, no other sound could be heard.

For a few moments, Fusao sensei silently stood in front of us, looking pensive, giving students time to come to grips with reality. Pointing at the blank sheets in our hands, he said

"Just now, you were under Demonic technique: Hell Viewing genjutsu. It shows each one of us our deepest darkest fear, conscious or unconscious. I want each of you to write that what you saw. For a ninja, we often have to face our fears in reality. A shinobi is one who endures, that is why having an unyielding mind, along with a strong mind as well as body and love for the village is required to become a ninja."

'My fear, what do I fear above all else? If someone had asked me before I would say me wearing a root Anbu mask. But now, it reminded me of something I had forgotten. The destruction of Konoha at hands of the Otsusuki clan at the start of Boruto. But the destruction of Konoha occurred after the death of Naruto and his illness. By the time Naruto became Hokage, some form of chakra based disease was eating away his vitality slowly making him weaker.'

I could barely wait for the day at the academy to be over. I bolted right out of the academy after go to by Fusao Sensei. I was anxious, scratch that I was I was downright terrified. In past months the loud exuberant blond had wormed his way into my heart. In the future, even Sakura and Tsunade were helpless in front of Naruto's illness; and having studied medicine, I now know just terrifying illness had to be to elude Tsunade much less Sakura, who would surpass even her aforementioned mentor.

Jumping from roof to roof, I made my way to Naruto's apartment.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Itsuki is a genius at chakra control. For him, it is simply not possible to fail to notice foreign chakra entering his system, especially for a weak D-rank genjutsu. In his concern and shock, Itsuki neglected these facts. Neither did he notice the chakra signal of a person hiding in the training ground.

After the class was dismissed, the person hiding jumped up from his position and shunshined to an outgrowth near the academy. The aforementioned person was wearing an Anbu attire but with a blank mask. Lifting an expertly hidden trapdoor, the Root Anbu made his way through a complex of tunnels and kneeled in front of an old man with x shaped scar on chin.

"Danzo-sama, subject Itsuki was tested with Kurama secret technique: Hellscape. The subject took three point four seconds to escape the said genjutsu." Root Anbu droned monotonously.

Danzo knew how powerful Kurama clans techniques were. For someone to escape it in such a short duration much less an academy student is nothing short of a miracle. Danzo kept his face impassive and asked the Anbu the question whose answer he desired most;

"Does he has Kurama clan bloodline?"

The Kurama clan member stayed silent for a moment before responding, " Subject has a 95 percent chance to possess the basic bloodline abilities and a 20 percent chance to possess the complete bloodline."

Danzo nodded and dismissed the Anbu. Looking in Itsuki's file, he noted his achievements as a medic.

'He is as talented as a medic as Itachi is in shinobi arts', Danzo considered. There was no better praise he could give even if he did not like Itachi.

He made a discrete signal and another Root Anbu appeared kneeling in front of him.

"Move subject Itsuki's priority to level B but leave him for now. Focus on the Uchiha clan for now. But keep an eye on his reports and his interactions with jinchuriki. Report if any significant change occurs. I might need a skilled medic in the near future, a job that subject Itsuki can fulfill."

'And if he had the full bloodline, he would prove an extremely useful addition to Root.' Danzo thought, gears turning in his head, plans forming to pull reel Itsuki in Root.'

'Hm, he is really close to the Jinchuriki; that could be useful.'