Chapter 137: True art is an explosion (3)

I am still alive! I haven't abandoned this. I apologize if it took too long, I've been writing a remake for vol 1 of this same fanfic, although I'm only 4 chapters in, XD.

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"So Uchiha Itachi, huh. What's up with him" Tsunade stood up and sat down at the table in front of Naruto and Sakura as she folded her arms, making her breasts look tighter between her arms.

Jiraiya saw this, but then remembered a certain event from the past at a certain place with hot springs. He swallowed saliva and stopped overlooking his former teammate's chest.

At the same time, Sakura understood what Naruto said perfectly. So quickly in her mind she found the perfect words to show her plan on the table.

"If we capture any Akatsuki member, we can send him to Ibiki-san and let him get all the information he can."

However, Tsunade had already gotten ahead of herself. "I've already set some squads in motion that will try to capture Akatsuki members. That is if they come across any."

"Unfortunately it's not that easy to capture them" A voice was heard after the office door opened. Her hair is silver-colored and she has a half-asleep expression. "If we remember our encounters with Akatsuki members. Capturing them was either demanding dangerous or not even an option."

"Kakashi-sensei..." Naruto watched his teacher enter as did Sakura. Tsunade just looked at him silently as Jiraiya waited for what everyone in this place was going to say. "So what should we do?"

"Well, putting it in simple words. The only thing we can do is find Itachi, right?"

Jiraiya shook his head after listening to Kakashi. "So they want to give chase to Itachi to find Sasuke. Suppose they find him, what do they plan to do next?"

Naruto and Sakura were silent. However, Kakashi, taking advantage of that silence, simply said what came to his mind.

"Well... we can't do anything with just one squad."

"What's that supposed to mean, sensei?" Naruto was confused by Kakashi's answer. Though this made Sakura think fast and jump into the middle of the talk.

"If we kill Itachi, Sasuke-kun will no longer have any targets, so we would only be left with capturing him. And, of course, we need several detached squads to accomplish that."

Kakashi smiled under his mask.

"Exactly. Though actually a team of two squads would be ideal. When we only have to catch one or two people, having more than three squads makes it easier to detect us. Plus, it becomes harder to command them."

Jiraiya refuted. "You're going to need a lot more technique to capture someone than to kill them. Also, communication is vital. You'll need a team whose members have worked on many missions together, or at least know each other and can collaborate with each other."

"I agree with that. In fact, I've already picked a team that has those characteristics. You can come in now..."

-Uchiha Clan Grand Storehouse-

"I've come to repay my debts to you, Old Cat."

Sasuke found himself kneeling in front of an elderly woman, who had a headband that simulated the ears of a cat.

Behind him, stood his teammates. Suigetsu, Karin and Juugo, who are now with him to help him in his goal of killing Itachi.

The Elder Cat saw in front of her what Sasuke brought her to settle the debt and nodded seeing that it was more than what Sasuke owed her, but said nothing aside from....

"So now you're going after Itachi, huh..."

Sasuke said nothing and nodded his head.

At that moment, the elderly woman sighed. "I remember when you two were kids. I can't believe it's come to this" The old woman took a puff on her pipe and let out a large cloud of smoke that gently hit Sasuke's face. "To think that the Uchiha clan would be reduced to three people and two of them would fight to the death..."

Hearing what the old woman said, Sasuke frowned. "Three people?" He knew that the only ones left of the Uchiha clan were Itachi and himself, but... A third person? That was ridiculous. Though that was enough to generate doubt in his heart.

"It's just as you heard. I don't have the right to explain it to you, though. That will be something you'll ask your brother, he might know. And if that's not the case, then you'll be left with doubt."

This kind of thing doesn't interest Sasuke anymore. Only Itachi's death is on his mind. If there is a third member of the Uchiha clan who survived, then Sasuke will kill him with his own hands if he comes to see him as a threat to his destiny.

-Konohagakure, Hokage's office-

"Hello, Naruto."

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Naruto."

Two teenagers walked in. One of them was accompanied by a white-furred dog and the other had his face hidden by glasses and a high-collared hood.

"Kiba, Shino? You guys are..."

Someone interrupts. "We thought you might need some help if what you want is to capture Sasuke-kun" That slightly dull looking man, a former ANBU member, entered the office accompanied by two teenagers.

"Ino!!! Are you coming too?" Sakura immediately realized that the one accompanying Yamato was Ino and Sai. Though it was Ino who stole her attention.

Ino immediately stepped in front of everyone and looked at Tsunade.

"There's something I also gain by going with you guys. It's a bit of a selfish goal but... sensei" Ino looked at Yamato.

"Yeah..." He walked over to Kakashi and looked at Jiraiya. "Senpai... we saw him that day, Itachi..."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. He understood right away what Yamato meant, after all he was the one who told this to his former kouhai. So, looking at Tsunade, keeping in mind the report she had given when Hidan and Kakuzu were killed, he sighed.

"During the battle against the three Akatsuki members who were involved in Sarutobi Asuma's death, I faced one of those who were hiding his identity no matter what. That was quite strange until he revealed to us that it was indeed Itachi, but..."

Tsunade frowned and clenched her fists. Ino and Yamato being here meant only one thing....

"That person, Itachi, was using Henge no Jutsu. I could barely see him with the Mangekyo."

Instantly, Naruto's eyes widened recalling that scene in his mind as if it was a movie or a strange nightmare. It was true that there was something strange with Itachi, but Naruto didn't care since that person said that one of his old friends was killed....

"So... that means..." Naruto clenched his fists tightly.

"We have the suspicions that that person, that fake Itachi..." Yamato looked at Ino with a calm expression. "...Actually be Asahi Toru using Henge to hide."

Bam! A bang was heard and everyone turned their gaze to the person responsible for this.

Naruto had pounded the table after hearing that. He looked down at the floor as he clenched his fist. "That's a lie, do you guys think Toru would be such an idiot as to join Akatsuki!"

"Naruto, calm down" Kiba tried to get closer to Naruto, but he understood what he was saying.

On the other hand, Yamato sighed wearily. "It's just a suspicion, we're not confirming anything. However, if Toru is in Akatsuki, getting close to Itachi will be practically killing two birds with one stone. Only then can we capture Sasuke and have a chance of capturing Toru as well."

Ino shook her head. "Even if he's not in Akatsuki, I'll do whatever it takes to find him. I know you understand Naruto, just like Sakura."

After that, the whole office went silent for a few seconds.

"In any case, we're only missing two people" Yamato said as he stepped aside, leaving a small space in the office where one person could be positioned.

"Two more? Won't that be too much?" Jiraiya was right, but the skills of these two people are essential, so it was mandatory to have them in the team.

"Of course not" Yamato folded his arms and nodded his head. "One of them already arrived."

Wosh... a small wave of wind pushed everyone and immediately, someone was in the center of the office, on her knees, as if she was worshiping the Hokage. She had a white cloak covering her entire body except for her head, which was covered by a white dragon mask with pink markings.

"What the hell, that person came out of nowhere!" Naruto received a small scare from this, which made him recoil after this female-looking person appeared.

"Kakashi-sensei, Yamato-sensei... everything is ready..."

Tsunade smiled at the sight of that girl. It had already taken a while for her to appear. If the situation involved Toru, she would be active anywhere.

"Forgive my sudden appearance, Hokage-sama."

"Ha~ don't worry, Hinata. You can get up, no need to kneel in front of me. I've already told you many times."

"Understood."

"Hinata!" Naruto almost fell down after seeing how this girl took off her mask.

It was the same white-eyed girl he remembered, only her expression was more serious than in the past.

"Good morning, Naruto-kun. It's been a long time."

"If you didn't take off your mask I wouldn't realize it was you."

"Well, that doesn't matter anymore" Ino stood next to Hinata and then looked at Tsunade. In fact, they all looked at her as well as Jiraiya. It seemed like they already had everything planned for this.

If that includes Toru, then she has no reason to refuse. Besides, she already almost has all the evidence gathered that proves Toru's innocence. Before long, she could announce before all of Konoha that Toru's crimes were actually fake and that it was a mistake they made, apologizing to Toru, of course. Though that's harder than it sounds, but it's the least she can do after that boy helped her in Rock Lee's surgery.

"Ha~ then they can start tomorrow morning."

"Thank you very much, Tsunade-sama" Ino and Hinata bowed and then left the office.

Kiba and Shino looked at each other. They felt that they did nothing in this conversation, plus they had to exclude Enko because Kakashi and Kurenai ordered them to.

"Let's go say goodbye to Enko, Shino. We have work to do."

"Yeah..." He looked back. "See you later, Naruto."

Literally this left Naruto very confused. Everything happened so fast, that he could barely keep it all in his mind.

"You two better get some rest. Naruto, Sakura and Sai. You'll have a lot to do tomorrow" Tsunade returned to her chair.

"Uh? But-"

"Let's go, Naruto. Let's go eat ramen, Sai pays."

"I guess I will. In a book I read that..."

With this, Sakura understood that Tsunade wanted to talk to Kakashi and Yamato alone, so she pushed Sai and Naruto out of the office closing the door in the process.

When that happened, Tsunade slammed the desk and looked at Kakashi.

"Why didn't you say it before, Kakashi?"

"Because... I thought it wasn't necessary. No... I thought what I saw with my Mangekyo was just because I was too tired, but analyzing that fake Itachi's behavior I could tell."

"Tsunade-sama, it's better to keep the situation as it is. If the suspicions are real I..." Yamato said.

"Stop. It's okay, I'll leave it at that for now. As for what you said before, I don't think anyone noticed. You mentioned two additional people. The first was Hinata, who was the second?"

"Uh...well..."

The door again opens and a woman's elegant laughter is heard. Tsunade looked at her and touched her head painfully.

-Somewhere far away-

Flying over the skies on the clay dragon's back, Tobi, leaning on the dragon's back, watched the clouds slowly pass in the sky.

"Hey, senpai. You seem to have quite a bit of respect for Toru-senpai."

"What, what the fuck are you talking about! He's just my friend, I don't-"

"Tsundere!"

"¡¿?!"

Deidara clenched his fists and a vein swelled in his forehead.

"Listen, Tobi. The boss said it before and I'll remind you. You always go too far with your stupid jokes, it pisses me off. Soon I'll lose what little patience I have on you. That will end with me shoving a ball of clay in your mouth, making you explode into a thousand pieces."

"Don't do it, senpai, that sounds very scary!"

"If you understand then shut up and leave the rest to me. We'll soon find Sasuke's little brother or the fox guy!"

"Understood~!"

'I'm serious, what am I going to do about this guy' Shaking his head and sighing tiredly, Deidara looked at the road and continued his journey.

-Amegakure-

Watching calmly, as the raindrops began to cease in this rainy village, Toru took off his hat. He was sitting in the great hall, looking at the metallic buildings, the rain and the dim lights coming from those buildings.

It was all so relaxing. He realized he could see everything clearly because his hair no longer covered part of his face. Even so, her vision was still blurry and slightly obscured.

'Deidara went to look for Sasuke... if he meets Naruto first they'll have to face each other' Putting his hand in front of the right side of his face, Toru checked in which eye the blindness was more severe. 'I guess one of them will end up dying if they face Deidara's ultimate jutsu' Now his hand was on the left side of his face. 'It's not like I care either. If they face Deidara on their own, they take responsibility for their own lives.'

It was certainly that way. No matter what the outcome, the odds were in Deidara's favor. 'But... Deidara relies heavily on explosive clay. I should have recommended him to train taijutsu' He let out a long sigh and then lay down on the ground. 'Ha~ I have to go back to the lab. If Ajisai's team arrives with the location of the Rokubi, then I'll have to get going instantly, after all there are only three Jinchūriki left in the world.'

Rokubi, Hachibi and Kyūbi. The last three Bijū that Akatsuki has yet to obtain.

Drip... rain falls again. Again the sky turns dark and large amounts of water fall in the form of droplets that fall aggressively towards the ground. The sound of the rain is deafening. A big torrential rain so typical in this village that Toru has already become accustomed to it after so long.

For a few moments I stop thinking. He let his vision relax and it began to darken. Still, he stopped caring about this. There was already enough darkness in the great hall, more darkness because of his acute blindness was leaving him out of ideas.

Time is running out, the light slowly disappears and a headache hits him hard. But he remains calm. The pain seems unbearable, but his body does not move.

'I...'

The sound of the wind enters through the large opening of the great hall and some black feathers fall to the ground.

Small rodent-like footsteps are heard approaching Toru.

He clears his eyes and looks in the direction of the sound.

"...A crow?"

The crow was on its side, looking at the pouring rain as if it had any use of reason. Toru thought the bird was sheltering from the rain, but soon realized that was not the case.

The bird slowly turned its head in Toru's direction and then....

"A... that's a... Sharingan?"

The crow looked at Toru, but he did nothing. He just stared at the two-colored eyes of that winged animal. Crimson... like the Uchiha's Sharingan.

To be continued...