Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Way of the Jinchuuriki ❯ Arc 3, Chapter 22 - A Little Faith Please ( Chapter 22 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

"So why is it that you were sent after me?" Tsunade softly spoke before taking a swig of the sake that had just arrived. "Normally if sensei has a message for me he sends that perverted mess over there after me or sometimes a courier ninja."

"You know... I am right over here and can hear you, Tsunade." Jiraiya twitched at Tsunade's lack of respect aimed towards him. Sure it was well deserved but he always respected her... And her body.

"That is exactly why I said it. Grow up and stop writing those damn perverted novels... Or at least let me share in the profit! I'm the star for half of them anyways!" Tsunade said with a roll of her eyes before her mood shifted and she shook her fist violently at Jiraiya.

Coughing to bring attention back to him and to keep this situation under control, Naruto refrained from shaking his head. Who would believe two of the legendary three were so childish yet he, a twelve year old, was more mature then either from what he had seen.

"Actually I was sent here for two reasons and you won't like either of them." Naruto spoke when Tsunade's gaze turned back to him and she seemingly calmed down. "The old man wants you to come back..."

"No!" Tsunade hissed out as memories of everything bad flooded her mind. "I told him once I left I was not coming back for any reason and nothing can sway me otherwise!"

Naruto simply nodded at her outburst. Even without the briefing he heard her pained voice and understood that going back would mean returning to the place of her pain. "And he expected you to resist so that is why I was sent. You should know why better than anyone else."

Tsunade, despite her angered state at the gall her sensei had, winced. Oh she knew why Naruto was sent. If there was anyone that could emphasize with her pain it would be him. Hell she doubted she could emphasize with his pain and be anywhere remotely near loyal to Konoha.

Sighing and shaking her head, glad that she ordered some sake, Tsunade took a swig of the rice wine and sighed. "So what's the other reason why he sent you?"

"To see after I convinced you to return... To see if you would become the Fifth Hokage." Naruto responded with little hesitation.

The table shook as Tsunade slammed her bottle down onto the table. The only reason it still stood was because Tsunade did not put enough for to break it. "Even if I were to return home I would never take that job! Only foolish idiots aspire to be Hokage and I'm not one of them!"

"Each and everyone of single one of them are fools... Even my own sensei. Sacrificing themselves for the benefit of others... Ha! They sacrifice themselves needlessly." Tsunade finished and leaned back in her chair with narrowed eyes. "If that's all we are done here."

"No... And even if we were it is still our mission is to trail you until you decide to come back." Naruto stated before he turned his gaze to his gennin and narrowed his eyes.

Of all to get angry at the Sannin's little outburst, Kerlya growled at Tsunade with slitted eyes. "What is your problem?! It is an honor to be considered for the position of Hokage! I don't know a soul that would turn down that opportunity for it would mean they accomplished something special... Something only four others have the honor of!"

"Not a single one of them is a damn fool like you are either! Each and every one gave their lives to protect what is precious to them and I know the Sandaime would do the same!" Kerlya loudly continued, not knowing the affect she was casting on her own sensei. "To think I once idolized you... You are nothing."

Naruto snapped out of his dazed state realizing this could get back. Kerlya had hit the same spot the Third had hit before he took this mission. But now was not the time to deal with it... For Tsunade was seething at his student.

Without hesitation he caught Tsunade's wrists and held her in place, a feat that was causing his entire body to shiver from the amount of strength she possessed. "You will stand down... Both of you."

Kerlya's eyes widened at how close to danger she had come and immediately nodded seeing Tsunade's hands just inches from her.

Tsunade, however, simply gazed at Naruto before easily pull her hands from his grasp. She was impressed that he had stopped her and the strength to keep her from moving an inch forward was formidable. Of course she hardly used her massive strength and didn't even use her chakra enhance technique but that wasn't the point.

But it was what she caught on her hands that almost made her smirk. If she had been dead set on hurting her she would not have been able to do so. Still she had to set him straight. "Don't think you can order me around boy..."

"I can and will if necessary." Naruto spoke with an edge and with a narrowed gaze. "And if you come at my students again... I will take care to make sure you will never be able to do so again."

Frowning at what was transpiring and deciding to keep a fight from breaking out, Shizune spoke softly to calm everyone down. "That won't be necessary... So what else did Lord Hokage want? You said that there still more."

Sighing as right now he wasn't too sure that he wanted to make this request, Naruto sat back down in his seat and schooled his face back into his neutral expression. "Yes... But it isn't something he wanted. It is a request of mine."

"I wanted you to train Sakura for you two are the only two known in the world to have the same muscle structure. My training can only take her so far." Naruto not so politely asked, keeping his gaze focused on the slug sannin.

Tsunade's head snapped towards the pink haired girl hearing this statement. "What?! That shouldn't be possible..."

"It isn't genetic, Tsunade. You yourself stated that in the report. You figured it was just an anomaly." Naruto commented for he had read the reports to help his training with Sakura. "And the anomaly happened again. Sakura has the same muscle structure you have and is an aspiring medic ninja."

Perking his lips in slight interest for a moment, noting that the girl did have a similar build compared to her own, Tsunade shrugged and leaned back in her chair. "I'll think about that but your other to requests the answer is still no. ...I need to blow off some steam. Now where is this money that you offered to keep me here for a while?"

Shizune's head smack into the table while Jiraiya simply groaned out knowing what Tsunade wanted to do. Naruto shrugged for it didn't matter to him and pulled a wad of ryo from his pocket. "I will give you this under one condition... Sasuke will be with you at all times."

"WHAT?!" Sasuke suddenly screeched out as the prospect of having to watch this woman was not appealing to him.

"Consider it training. I can easily keep watch of her but... Since you are a chunin now you must prepare for missions were you will guard clients and track enemies." Naruto silenced Sasuke before handing Tsunade the money, who was grinning madly and had stars in her eyes before she grabbed the said Uchiha.

"COME ON BRAT! WE'RE HITTING THE TOWN!" Tsunade yelled as she rushed out, dragging and tossing around Sasuke behind her. It could be said that Sasuke wasn't very thrilled with his treatment.

Shizune sighed and rubbed her temple. This was going to be a long week for her. "Lady Tsunade...

First they barely escaped their debt collectors at they were led by this young red haired girl from the sound. Next they had a run in with Kushina saying that they would have a visit from her son. And finally Tsunade wins big and runs into the Prince of Konoha who asked them to return to the village.

With their luck this week the fourth shinobi war would start soon and for some reason they would be the cause of it. She hoped that didn't happen...

She still hadn't found the right guy yet!

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"Ugh... "

"Yugito!" She heard Kakashi's voice but she could see nothing but blurs. Her vision slowly began to clear but everything began to hit her at once.

"How many was there?" Yugito groaned out feeling like she had just went to war against an entire army on her own and lost... Horribly.

Her brain was pulsing so painfully it made her entire body shiver as the pulses traveled down her nerves. She swore she could feel a few bones that were in their normal place and each and every single muscle felt utterly exhausted. To make things worse she could hear Nibi panting within her mind meaning the demon was utterly exhausted.

"Just two..." Mikoto's voice stated before she stood over the semi-conscious neko vessel. "Your transformation brought enough attention that they had to flee not too long after.

Everything came back to her. She remembered why she currently lying on the concrete. That woman... That woman was here. Bringing herself up to a seat, despite the protest of the two watching over her, she panted before hissing out. "Did I get her?"

"No... She escaped with her partner. His sword drained your chakra and forced you to change back." Kakashi panted slightly while he bandaged a bloody forearm that seemed to have been ripped open.

It seemed Mikoto wasn't doing very well either and she had blood trailing down the left side of her face and gash in her left shoulder. And if she wasn't bothering to heal either of their wounds or her own she had probably almost out of chakra. "We underestimated their strength... And because of that each and every one of us is injured because of it."

"To be frank... You are the least injured among us." Mikoto panted before she fell onto her knees and shook her head. "Damn medics... They better get here soon. Itachi took Anko to the hospital over a few minutes ago..."

"Anko's hurt?" Yugito coughed after barely managing to ask about Anko. Her lungs felt like they were on fire and it took her a few moments for her to recover from her fit and look over at Mikoto and Kakashi.

She didn't like what she saw. Mikoto had looked away and bit her lip while Kakashi had a forlorn grimace before he heavily sighed. "She's in bad condition... She tried to take advantage of Kushina focusing her attention onto you... But she saw it coming and knocked her away... Into her partner's sword."

"They fled when we arrived and Itachi immediately took her to the hospital... Medics should be arriving soon so don't stress yourself too much." Asuma stated with Kurenai and Gai behind him, observing the battle field, taking any notes they could that might help and waiting for a tracker to arrive.

Yugito's face fell. A ton of weight had seemingly fallen onto her shoulders. Anko had been severely injured from what they said and it was because of that woman... The one that gave birth to Naruto. And she had been unable to do anything to stop it.

"Dammit... Why?!" She cried out while tears began to form in her eyes. "I've trained so hard to stop her and I can't even do that! What the hell am I?! I can't keep my promise to keep her from hurting Naruto and now she hurt Anko!"

"Yugito! Calm down!" Mikoto cried back and grabbed a hold of her shoulders. "You did everything you could! You weren't the only one that failed! We all let her get away!"

Shaking in the Uchiha matriarch's grasp, Yugito tried to break free. When she failed she hissed and tried to push her off. "You don't fucking get it! I can't let her succeed! I devoted my entire training to stop her from doing the same damn thing my father did to me and I just let her do it!"

Despite the impact of what Yugito had said, Mikoto kept her embrace of the neko vessel and simply held her closer before whispering in her ear. "At least you didn't stand by and let your so called best friend try and kill her own son then take his sister from him..."

Catching Yugito's eyes with this, Mikoto had a single tear trail down her cheek. "I failed Naruto so many times... I don't even deserve to be considered one of his god mothers. I stood by so many times when I could have stepped in and helped him... Damned of the consequences. But I didn't..."

"You aren't alone..." Kakashi grimaced as he knelt besides the two. "Everyone at one time is to blame for what happened to Naruto... I was always in the best position to be there for him yet I didn't think I was ready... And no matter how many times I think about it now I feel I let my master down."

"You're not alone in this, Yugito." Mikoto took over, smiling softly at Kakashi, before releasing her from her embrace. "We are all in this together... And together we will stop her. I promise you."

Looking at Mikoto and Kakashi for a moment, Yugito closed her eyes and ran her hand over her face. It still felt like she utterly failed but... She at least knew she wasn't in this alone. And they wouldn't stop and neither would she. They would put an end to Kushina before she could harm Naruto any further.

Her eyes snapped open when she felt a cloth go over her face. She noted that it was Mikoto's hand with the cloth before she drew it back. Seeing the blood on it, it felt like her eyes widened before she looked down at her hands only to see that they were soaked in the crimson elixir.

Quickly looking at Mikoto, she noted that she blood prints from where her hands had been but there was no indication that it was her blood. So whose blood was it?

Catching her look, Mikoto sighed in relief when she saw Tsume along with many of the clan heads arriving onto the scene. Wearily standing, the Uchiha matriarch panted heavily from the effort before she spoke. "If you can... use this blood to track her down."

"Kushina has come back to Konoha and she is severely injured."

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Wa s this how it was suppose to end? Was she even going to get a chance to save her son from his agony?

Hissing at that thought alone, Kushina lifted her hand from her gut before she suppressed a scream into a sharp hiss. Blood poured from the deep claw shaped gashes on her stomach. They were very deep, cutting into her large and small intestines. She knew she was very lucky to be alive and that her entrails didn't fall out.

She knew Kisame didn't know any medical techniques for he didn't have the control for such techniques due to the amount of chakra within his coils. She fortunately did but right now she didn't have the chakra to perform such jutsus and she wasn't sure if she would have the concentration to do so.

"Kisame..." Kushina growled out in pure agony while more blood poured from her wounds and started to leak from her mouth. "I need you to lend some of your chakra to me... Otherwise I'm not going to make it."

"I'll try... But it is going to take some time to control my chakra to perform such jutsu." Kisame stated with worry as he liked his partner because she was the first woman that didn't care of his appearance and accepted him.

"It doesn't really matter... If it doesn't work I'm going to die so just transfer your chakra to me and have a blood pill ready." Kushina bit back a scream at the smallest shift in her body caused an immense anguish throughout her entire being.

Frowning at the amount of damage that she had taken, Kisame was quickly at her side and took out the said pill from his pouch. But just as he was about to place his hand on her heart a voice stopped him. "Let me deal with it... Kisame."

"Madara... Why are you here?" Kushina wanted to screech at him for interrupting but at the same time she knew Madara could possibly know medical jutsu for the amount of years he had been alive.

Ignoring the shock on Kisame's face from his true identity, Madara gazed at her wound for a moment before motioning his head at the person he was behind him. "Take care of her... If she dies I will kill you myself."

Sighing at his position, Kabuto had to heal her if he wanted to survive. So without hesitation he stepped to Kushina's side and quickly examined her wounds. "This is going to take quite a bit of chakra. I can do it but I will need her to put into stasis. I will need your dimension to save her."

"Fine. Just make it quick. I want Namikaze caught quickly by her at all costs. I do not need to reveal myself to the world." Madara responded and caught Kushina's gaze and caught her in hypnosis before he stood next to her and Kabuto. An orange swirl surrounded the two and seemingly absorbed both into his mask.

Kisame didn't like any of this so far. Sure he knew Tobi was always around their bases and Pein did nothing about it. But to think that the little troublemaker that annoyed the hell out of all of them was controlling the Rinnegan wielder. And of all things he was the legendary missing ninja from Konoha and Third Mizukage Uchiha Madara.

"It has been a while... Lord Mizukage." Kisame spoke, keeping his contempt for the man concealed knowing he stood no chance against him. "Why is it so important that we have to capture the nine tails now? Besides now that he knows the flash it should be the entire organization coming after him not just us."

"Kisame... If Kushina isn't able to defeat Naruto... She is the only one that can do it outside of myself and possibly Pein. ...Minato's flash has only one other weakens beside it has to have a marker." Madara turned his one eye to Kisame and revealed his Sharingan.

"It Kushina's knowledge and what I saw against my fight against Minato twelve years ago to find this weakness... And it all focuses around her. She is the most important piece to take him down. That is why I have you guard her... If she becomes this injured again I will kill you myself." Madara finished with his Sharingan burning into Kisame's soul.

Keeping his frown from showing, Kisame only nodded. "I will do so... But just tell me one thing. Why did you order Yagura to wipe out all of our clans including my family?!"

Madara simply turned and walked away with a shrug but his voice was piercing. "To keep you obedient... My fish friend. When Kushina is healed I'll bring her back to you."

Clenching his fist watching Madara walk off, Kisame's rage was barely contained. His hand had slid to Samehada but he wisely did not attempt anything until Madara was gone. With a flick of his wrist, every single tree shattered before his might before he drove his sword into the ground.

"Damn him! I will make you pay Madara!"

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Thi s day was not going very well for the youngest Uchiha. First he was taken out this mission that he was told could last months only for them to find their target at the end of the first day. Next was the fact that the legendary slug sannin was just a whiny old woman that couldn't get over her past. And finally...

He was now watching that woman burn through the money Naruto had given her to keep her sated for a while. However she had blown through forty-five thousand of fifty thousand ryo that she was given. FORTY-FIVE FUCKING THOUSAND RYO! In one hour! And she hadn't even won once yet she refused to give up!

This was like watching a lamb being led out to slaughter and being able to do nothing about it.

Sighing, getting tired of this, watching Tsunade another thousand he walked over to her in an attempt to stop this travesty. "Shouldn't we head out? You are almost out of money and its past midnight."

"Just one more hand!" Tsunade growled out for she was pissed at losing this badly. Wasn't blackjack suppose to be a game that was relatively easy to win at! "If I lose this hand we'll head back and I'll ask for more money tomorrow!"

Figuring this was for the best he was going to get Sasuke simply crossed his arms over his chest and watched Tsunade bet another thousand on this hand. Watching the cards for a moment, Sasuke rolled his eyes. All she had to do was hit and she would win this.

How did he know this? He knew the count.

Seeing the slight roll in Sasuke's eyes, Tsunade frowned for a moment. She had been pretty excited that she had nineteen and figured that would be enough to win. However seeing that the dealer had a queen maybe he knew something. So deciding to go with what little luck she had she grinned and tapped her hand. "Hit me."

Drawing the card and placing it down on, the dealer's eyes widened. "That's twenty-one..."

"YES!" Tsunade screamed out in joy for she actually won the hand before she suddenly frowned. "Boy... Go back to you were for this hand. I want to check something."

Somewhat pissed that Tsunade had the idea to hit, Sasuke groaned and walked over to where he was and leaned against the unused slot machine. However if he had any luck Tsunade would lose the rest of her money in the next few draws. After all... Her luck was the worst he had ever seen.

Having the cards deal out until she hit, Tsunade groaned in distress at yet another lose. Then her eyes suddenly widened and in an instant she was at Sasuke's side, grabbing him by his waist. "Hey what the hell?!"

"You stay with me!" Tsunade growled at the Uchiha before putting another thousand and looked at the annoyed Uchiha. Smirking at this, she turned to the dealer and grinned. "I'll stay."

The dealer shrugged as she had seventeen and he had sixteen. Drawing once figuring this would end this, his eyes narrowed when he busted. "Twenty-three... You win again."

"YATTA!" Tsunade screeched out in pure bliss before she started shaking Sasuke around like a small doll a little girl would have. "You are my lucky charm! Now let's earn back that money and double it! I'm all in!"

Sasuke's eyes widened in horror when Tsunade did this and won. Did she realize that he was counting and somehow read his facial expressions? If that was the case... They would be there all night!

"NO!" Sasuke screamed out in horror, wanting this night of a thousand horrors to end.

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Sitting at the top of inn they were staying in for the night, the very one he knew Tsunade and Shizune were staying in; Naruto was in a meditative state and in a deep trance. Today he had been severely bothered and he needed to think about what he had heard.

He couldn't get what Hizuren and Kerlya had said today along with the grimace Jiraiya had when he asked Tsunade to become Hokage. Why now of all time did he doubt his decision? He never wanted to become Hokage. All he wanted to do was protect his family and friends and make sure they lived comfortably.

Yet... Why was he feeling like this? It made no sense. He had no desire to take the position. All the Hokage did was approve of rather trivial matters, occasionally an important one like a law or a declaration of war, sign massive amounts of papers and watch over the village's well being.

None of those things appealed to him. But for some damn reason he couldn't get Kerlya's or the Third's voice! Not only this, he kept seeing Jiraiya's face... No, it was also Sakura and Sasuke. They both looked disappointed when he tried to hand the position to Tsunade.

He could explain Sasuke's look for he thought the Uchiha would want his brother to take the position and become the first Uchiha Hokage. But at the same time he knew that he looked up to him... So was it possible that Sasuke wanted to see him take the position?

Sakura wasn't a surprise. If there was one person outside of the Third to be Hokage there would be no doubt it was him. Not only did she look up at him like some kind of hero but truly felt that he was the strongest in the village. Both were true with the exception of being stronger than Itachi for they were about equal.

This was troublesome... Everything was eating at him now. Now he thought about what Yugito had said after he had told her if he couldn't convince Tsunade that he or Itachi would be come Hokage.

"Why didn't you just accept it? Everyone, at least the ninjas anyway, believe in you more than anyone else in this village and would follow you into the depths of hell. A war against the sound will be unpopular... But knowing Orochimaru is their leader and knowing what he wants they will stand by you as their Hokage."

Her words alone started the doubt but Kerlya and Hizuren began chipping at his will. Then what the rest of his friend and family would say about him declining the position...

Naruto didn't like what he could hear them saying to him.

"Sensei..." Kerlya's voice broke him out of his thoughts.

Turning to Sakura and Kerlya, Naruto sighed watching the two girls as they stood before him. "What are you two doing up? It is my shift for now. You should be getting some rest. We'll be training...

"Why?" Kerlya asked with a downcast voice, striking a wince from Naruto for he knew what she was talking about. "Why did you offer her such a position? ...It isn't fair. Why didn't you take the job?!"

Closing his eyes and sighing, Naruto wasn't sure how he was to respond to this. He couldn't just tell her why he really didn't want to become Hokage. But before he could even begin thinking of an answer his attention was brought to Sakura. "Sensei... I don't get it. I know many civilians don't like you but they don't even make up a quarter of the population any more. Most see you as who you are... The second coming of the flash and the strongest ninja in the village."

"So I have to ask... Why do you stay in your father's shadow when everyone already believes you are greater?!" Sakura bawled out, her anger and sorrow coming out while tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Sakura... Kerlya..." Naruto opened his eyes seeing the two girls crying before him, Naruto placed his head in the palms of his hands. "I can't... I just can't. Konoha... I just can't do it. Not after everything I've been through."

"The pain is too great... And that is why I sympathize with Tsunade. We both lost something important because of our village. She lost her brother and lover before her very eyes. And I..." Naruto paused and turned from the two and looked up at the full moon.

"I lost my humanity for several years from the hell I was put through... Only now am I beginning to understand what it means again. That is why I will not become Hokage." Naruto quietly announced, closing his eyes and allowed silence to fill him. "You may lose respect and faith in me for saying this... But Konoha is only my home for my family lives there. If it wasn't for them I would have left long ago."

Neither Kerlya nor Sakura said another word, letting their tears do all the speaking. Sakura turned and sprinted away, her sobs racking her body. Kerlya quickly took off after her, not doing much better but going to do what she could do to help her friend.

Thankfully Shizune had been listening and temporarily revealed herself to Naruto despite knowing he was there. "You are right... I have lost respect in you... Just like I've lost most of my respect for my master. She has lost herself to her angst and I only stay with her as she is all I have left... I thought you would be stronger than she."

Turning without another word, Shizune dispersed and took after the two sobbing girls.

Naruto simply sighed and looked into the moon once more before his eyes widened slightly for he thought he saw his father's face on it for a moment... And he was frowning.

As if everything was attacking and chipping away at his emotional barrier around him, for the first time since he returned from the Cloud chunin exams... He started to cry. Why was this so painful?! He couldn't understand it!

"This pain... Is this what it feels like to have one's own heart broken?" Naruto seemingly asked to no one. After receiving no answer, the young jounin sighed before he flickered into his room, deciding to sleep on this and hope the pain left him.

Standing below where Naruto had been seated, Jiraiya's eyes slowly opened and with a forlorn glance at the moon he sighed. "Minato... I am so sorry for allowing this ever to happen but I promise you this much... I will do whatever it takes..."

"And make sure that your legacy will return."

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"It 's done... She's healed but I highly recommend that she takes a few weeks for rest so the wound will finish healing completely. If she takes a decent blow there it could kill her." Kabuto sighed once he was finally released from Madara's domain and finished with Kushina's healing.

Madara said nothing for he knew medical jutsu could only do so much. Regeneration would have been better but only Tsunade was capable of such a feat and he couldn't force her to do this. She was simply too strong for him to control with his illusions and would be difficult to bring down on his own.

"That is fine but I doubt she will take such head." Madara commented finally after a few moments of silence before he turned his eye to Kabuto. "Don't you have a job to do?"

"Yes... I'll get on it, Lord Madara." Kabuto grinned before dispersing into the shadows, knowing exactly what his mission was and didn't need any clarification.

Smirking at Kabuto's willingness to assist him, Madara looked at the Red Haired Priestess before kneeling down besides her and running his hand through her hair. "So beautiful... If it wasn't for you love of that man you make a great bride."

"But since you know we can never be with one another and that is a shame... We could rule this world together." Madara sighed before softly lifting her bridal style.

It was time to take care of this. Once Kushina captured Naruto... Everything would fall together. And if not...

Well Kabuto would take care of that.
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